Charles Lambert

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My Great Great Grandfather Charles Lambert, in the early part of 1844, arrived in Nauvoo, fresh from his native land, England. He was full of zeal for his newly found religion, and willing to devote his life to the service of the Lord. Here are two stories that depict the courage and devotion shown by so many of the early pioneers.

Charles Lambert and the Stranger

(Told by David Kenison, also a descendent of Charles Lambert)

Charles Lambert applied for work upon the temple, showing credentials from master workmen, under whom he had served in England, that testified to his superiority as a mechanic. He was informed that there was plenty of work for him to do but no pay. The means that had been subscribed for the building of the temple had been exhausted. He said he had come to Nauvoo with a determination to help build the temple, and he proposed to do so if he never received any pay. He was accordingly set to work.
Charles Lambert had married during the first year of his residence in Nauvoo and undertaken the support of the brothers and sisters of his wife, who had recently been orphaned and were helpless. He felt keenly his responsibility, and wished for money as he never had done before. While feeling thus he was passing along the street in Nauvoo one day when he met a well-dressed genteel stranger who inquired if his name was Charles Lambert. On being told that it was, he said his name was Higgins, and that his home was in Missouri. With an ingratiating smile he said, "I have heard of your skill as a workman, and want you to go to Missouri and work for me. You are not appreciated or properly paid here. If you will quit the temple and go and work for me, you can name your own price and you will be sure of your pay. You see I have plenty of money with which to pay you." Suiting the action to the word, he thrust his hand into his pocket, and drew it out full of $10.00 and $20.00 gold pieces, which he displayed in a tempting manner, and urged him to accept his offer, and not to submit any longer to the unfair treatment accorded him at the temple. With a gesture of impatience called forth by the intimation of unfairness, Father Lambert thanked the stranger for his offer, but said he couldn't think of accepting it. He said he had no complaint to make of his treatment at the temple, and the price others would pay for work they wished done would not influence him in the matter, as he intended to continue on at the temple from principle.

Bidding the stranger "Good-day" he turned to continue his walk along the street, but almost immediately the query arose in his mind as to how the stranger knew his name, and where he got his information from about his skill as a mechanic, and turned to take a final look at the stranger, when lo! he was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared as completely as if the ground had opened and swallowed him, and yet he had not had time by any ordinary means of locomotion to get out of sight. His opinion then was, and remained so up to the day of his death, that he had been talking with no other than Satan, the prince of tempters, and though he had not yielded to his tempting offer, he was vexed with himself for listening to him at all, and especially to his insinuations about the temple management.

Charles Lambert and the Mob

Later, after the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred and most of the saints had left Nauvoo because the persecution was so great, Charles Lambert was one of the brethren asked to stay to protect the city and temple. In his own words, he relates what happened…

“After the Twelve left, we was very much harassed, driving our brethren from their homes, burning their houses, stealing their cattle, made it hard for some. I asked if I could go away and work. Almon W. Babbett said no, we want you to help guard the city and temple. I said no more but done the best I could. At length, realizing we must try and protect ourselves the best we could, set to work. I worked hard at the steamboat shaft we found by the river to make a cannon…

…Sunday night was our last fight. We had lead, scraps of iron from the blacksmith’s shop that we charged the S.S. with. On this night I got some small chains, fastening a ball at each end and one in the middle, and it being dark secreted them on elevated ground up Mullholland Street where we had a good chance to rake the enemy. We had the two pieces and let them go taking the mob fires for a mark. President Wells was by us when we fired them off. The mob said afterwards to me that we tore their wagon covers and tents to pieces. The next morning they sent in a flag of truce. A council was held and we promised to vacate the city in three days.

…I worked hard to get poor and sick out of the city that wanted to go. I got my wagons down by the river so as to get them over as soon as I could. I then went back to help others, leaving my wife with the things…I saw a company on horseback coming towards my place. I did not let them see me. When they got there saw I had left, one shouted out, the little buggers gone.

I worked until all I knew was out, so I went down thinking I would go over to my family. I was sitting on a wagon tongue when about fourteen of the mob came, one pointing to me said, there is the little bugger. So they came and took me, marched me up a little, said they wanted to ask me a few questions. I said all right gentleman. Don’t gentlemen us, said they…Says they, where is the cannon you had? I told them those by the temple. You are a liar, you had a good cannon and a good cannonader. After answering many questions, says they, what did you do? I told them I done little chores around the cannon. They swore at me and said we want you to tell us truly how many of you were fighting against us. As near as I could make it out there were 74 all told. Says they, we know you are lying now for we saw thousands of you take him down to the river. A tall dark looking man who had some liquor in him took hold of me. I asked the Lord what I should do, when this was presented to me. Be passive, you are in the hands of the Lord all right, so I felt no alarm, but just as I was going down the banks, the men said the little bugger will fight and each raised the cock of his gun. Hill declared it so frightened him that his hair turned grey and kept grey ever after.

When we got into the water a nice depth, he said I baptize you by orders of the authorities of the temple, G.D. you, throwing me back he held me until my breath was gone but he held on to me. I staggered and gasped and wanted to go out, but he damned me and said you must have another dip and threw me on my face. It was pretty hard on me but I got over it. This affair made some of the brethren feel bad, but what could they do. My folks were glad it was no worse. The mob told me if I ever was caught that side of the river again, death was my doom. This was the Mississippi River…”

Shortly after this incident, Charles Lambert joined his wife Mary Alice, her siblings, and his little 4 year old boy (my Great Great Grandfather Charles John Lambert) where together, they began their trek west arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1949. See his family group sheet below.