Mt. Pleasant Celebrates 100 Years ~~~1959

 

GODDESS OF LIBERTY

 

Photos From Wales ~~~ Taken from the Pamphlet Coalbed 1854-1983

 

Mary Lamb Family 

Thomas Edmunds Family

Ida Beverly Anderson Olsen

 

BEVERLY OLSEN OBITUARY

Beverly A. Olsen 1929 ~ 2011 Beverly A. Olsen, passed away February 7, 2011.Born July 18, 1929 in Mt. Pleasant, UT to Ida Leota and Lewis Mads Anderson, where they named her Ida Beverly. Beverly married her sweetheart Robert Leander Olsen, Feb 20, 1948 in the Manti Temple for time and all eternity. Robert and Beverly made their home in Mt. Pleasant where Beverly lived in the same home for 62 years. Mom loved her family and wanted to see them all do well. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she served in many callings. Some of those callings were in ward and stake Relief Society Presidencies, Young Women, Ward Librarian, Ward Newsletter, Temple Worker, and cub scout den mother. After Dad died she worked in the school lunch program in Mt. Pleasant and Spring City elementary where she loved the children. Mom loved traveling to visit family when she could. Mom loved to make quilts and afghans where she would give them away. She gave quilts to all the grandchildren for Christmas. She was greatly involved in the humanitarian service right up until days before her passing. She enjoyed riding on the mountain and taking trips in her later years with Janet where they saw alot of the countryside. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son-in-law Jack Guymon, and two granddaughters. She is survived by three daughters and four sons: Georgia (Jim) Rupe, San Jose, CA; Brenda (Jim) Scott, Tacoma, WA; Janet Guymon, DeSoto, TX; Craig (Jamie) Olsen, Barry (Becky) Olsen, both Provo, UT; Michael (Margo) Olsen, Mt. Pleasant, UT; Eric (Joni) Olsen, Maryville, TN; 29 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, four brothers: Blain, Peter, Earldean, Jerry and two sisters Luasene and Becky. Viewing Thurs. Feb. 10, 6-8 p.m. Rasmussen Mortuary, 96 North 100 West, Mt. Pleasant, UT. Funeral Fri, Feb. 11, 1:00 p.m. Mt. Pleasant 5th ward chapel, viewing 11:30-12:30 p.m., 50 South Main. Burial in the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery. Mom wanted to thank all those that visited or thought of her during this recent decline in health with special mention of her brother Earldean, Michael and Margo, Erma Shelley and Carol Anderson. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Humanitarian Fund. Online condolences at rasmussenmortuary.com.

Published by Deseret News on Feb. 10, 2011.

History of Isaiah Cox Sr. ~~~ Fat

 

HISTORY OF ISAIAH COX

HISTORY OF ISAIAH COX Researched, summarized, and compiled from various histories, recorded interviews, records, and personal knowledge by Clark L Cox

Isaiah Cox Sr. was born in Crawford County, Missouri to Jehu Cox Sr. and Sarah Riddle Pyle on May 18, 1839. He was the 10th child and sixth boy in a family of sixteen children.

Isaiah Cox moved westward with his family with the very last of the groups to leave Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi River May 20, 1846. They traveled westward enduring numerous hardships, often surviving on a starvation diet. In spite of the hardships that his father, Jehu and his family suffered, they stayed convinced that they had made the right decision, and it deepened their conviction that they had chosen the true church. When spring arrived in 1847, the Cox tribe was still alive and strong in the faith. The family crossed the Missouri River then traveled up upstream about seven miles to the Campbell farm. There they planted a crop and remained a year. In April of 1848 good news reached the family requesting that they join the saints in Winter Quarters and prepare for the exodus that would take them west over 1,000 miles. The entire family, which now included eight children, worked diligently from April 28th when they arrived in Winter Quarters, until the 18th of May, Isaiah’s ninth birthday, to prepare the two wagons they would need for supplies for themselves. Gathering the food stuffs and supplies recommended by the church leaders occupied all of their time in order to be ready to leave at the appointed time. When it came time to move to the Rockies, the Cox family was assigned to travel in the Heber C. Kimball Company. They departed on June 7, 1848, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on September 24, 1848. As the Company left Winter Quarters, Nebraska it was composed of 662 individuals, 226 wagons, 57 horses, 25 mules, 737 oxen, 284 cows, 150 loose cattle, 243 sheep, and 299 chickens. Within two weeks after the beginning of their trek westward, Lucretia, Isaiah’s younger sister, was killed when the wagon in which she was riding went into a deep ditch causing her to lose her balance, and fall onto the wagon tongue. The movement of the oxen pushed her into the path of the front wheel which rolled over her body, with the hind wheel running over her neck. She died instantly. How difficult it must have been for the Cox family as, with anguish in their hearts and tears in their eyes, they buried their little one in a shallow grave by the side of the wagon trail. They piled rocks on top of the tiny grave to keep the wolves away. Many of the Kimball company helped dig the grave of little Lucretia and provided sympathy and support for the family. As soon as the dirt could be shoveled over the tiny bundle, dirt packed over the grave, and rocks piled on the spot, the company moved on. Five days before his tenth birthday, Isaiah was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on May 13, 1849. A few quotes from some of the dairies that were written during the trek across the plains: This was a beautiful morning. About 9 o’clock the cattle were brought up, and in half an hour afterward, the river was covered with oxen coming from Brother B Young’s camp to help us all over the Loop Fork. The brethren seemed pleased to be able to render us any assistance they could. This was a beautiful sight to see 6 yoke of cattle to each wagon. The brethren kept crossing back and forward until all of our teams were over the Loop Fork. There was no accidents that happened although we had to drive our wagons for half a mile in the quicksand. We are now corralled on the south side of the Loop Fork River. This evening looks like a little rain. All the camp appears well. Sunday, This was a close, still morning, it rained a little about 6 a.m. At 11 o’clock a meeting was opened by singing, “The Journey-ing Song”, by E. R. Snow and prayer by Pres. B Young. President Young then addressed the meeting. It affords me pleasure to be able to meet the brethren under such favorable circumstances. I have no cause to wish to change my present position for any attitude that I could be in among the Gentiles. I am thankful that we are here so safe on our journey west seeing we are so far from civilization. What is our purpose in going? Is it for the good things of the earth that we are going? We could find them where we have lived better than where we are going. If it is our object to keep the commandants of God and the power of the Priesthood, we are all well. Then what manner of people ought we to be? We should hail our efforts if we are after the after the power of the Priesthood and the power of the eternal worlds we are then fit to go West. Although I have given the people a chance to grumble, there is not one to grumble, except one man and that is Brigham & I are now going West, we believe the Gospel, we would fight for it, we would die for it. But have we the spirit of the Gospel in our hearts, that is the thing. There is hundreds in this Church that believe the Gospel, and they will be damned, because they have not got the love of the Gospel in their hearts. We may believe the Gospel, but if the principles of righteousness we will be damned at last. Let the principles of righteousness increase, and we will soon preach the Gospel, gather Israel, for the Lord is at the helm. The Lord will cut short his work in our hearts. Don’t hurry and we will soon get to our journey’s end and all will be well, Brigham said. Went to work and built our bridge having it completed by two o’clock after which the camp came together at the sound of the horn & held a public meeting. Br. Snow preached to all concerning the advantage of trials to the Saints and the necessity of their exercising themselves in Patience and forbearance, loving one another. A heavy shower of rain fell in the evening. Continued ferrying over the wagons. Br. Gregory’s wagon accidentally slipped off the raft into the river which damaged very much his provisions, clothing, etc. Br. Brigham arrived in the evening, with his company--Sister’s Neff’s son was drowned. As the group traveled on from Devil’s Gate, they crossed the Sweetwater River several times that would later give so much trouble to the Martin Handcart Company. Then they crossed the Continental Divide and encountered Rocky Ridge, one of the highest points on the trail that would later prove so difficult for the Willie Handcart Company. Finally, the group reached South Pass, an elevation of 7,085 feet, where “every emigrant wagon train and handcart company that went westward rolled through. There was no other way to go. No other path offered a dependable supply of grass and water plus an easy grade through the mountains. As the group planned to assault the mountains, forty-six wagons arrived from Salt Lake Valley on August 30th to aid the over-loaded wagons in finishing their journey. The additional help make it possible for the Kimball Company to reach the Salt Lake Valley on Sunday, September 24th, 1848. President Young held a meeting in the Bowery that day and outlined his plan for distribution and divisions of lands for the settlers. Because of severe crop losses due to crickets, food supplies looked none too bright for the advancing winter to be spent in the Salt Lake Valley. That summer, before their arrival, hordes of Rocky Mountain crickets invaded the Valley and began eating the entire crop the saints had planted and grown to get them through the winter. The frantic saints did everything possible to kill the crickets. Men, women, and children used brooms, shovels, and boards to beat them and try to drive them from their crops. The women and children would go into the fields everyday with tin pans and sticks and bells and anything that would make a noise to scare the crickets as best they could, while the men dug ditches and turned in the water, and ran the crickets and young grasshoppers into the water by the droves. Pioneers also tried burying, burning, and sweeping the crickets. When the first saints entered the Valley and discovered the crickets, they could not know of the devastation awaiting them the next spring. Now, as the crickets continued to eat the crops, the saints prayed fervently to their Heavenly Father to preserve these crops or they would face starvation. The answer to those heartfelt prayers came in the guise of seagulls that swooped down and scooped up the crickets, flying away, regurgitating them, and returning to eat more. This went on for nearly three weeks. After the previous year or so of short food supplies, it seemed almost a way of life to Jehu and his family. They kept practicing the skills they had learned so well and managed to survive along with many others by scrounging for food, sharing with neighbors, and going hungry much of the time. Spring arrived, but because the crops planted earlier could not yet be harvested, food supplies became almost non-existent. Many of the pioneer women, including Sarah, boiled pieces of leather to give a bit of flavor to their soup, and scavenged the areas and hillsides to dig up dandelions, pig weeds, Sego Lily and thistle roots which could be used for food. This helped them to survive until the crops provided fresh vegetable to cook and wheat to grind into flour. With all these challenges still facing those pioneers, it would seem that many would just give up or complain and be unhappy. That did not happen because they felt so free from the mobs. They could grow their gardens, plant trees, bushes, and flower seeds, and create again a home life without the fear that someone would burn them out or shoot or beat them for their beliefs. The feeling of fellowship and brotherhood one with another helped to eliminate many of the complaints and murmuring as they enjoyed the freedom to worship God as they saw fit. In the spring of 1849 the family moved from Salt Lake City, this time to the south bank of the Little Cottonwood Creek, now known as Union (7200 south). The family was the first settlers in that area. Other settlers soon joined the Cox family in little Cottonwood Creek, and the organization of a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints became a priority. Jehu received the office of a Seventy, and here he served until the branch became a ward. Once the branch received the status of a ward, Jehu received a call to serve as First counselor to Bishop Silas Richards and was ordained to the office of a High Priest. In March 1858, Sarah learned of the war with the United States against the saints. Sarah and family moved again, this time south toward Payson. By the end of March, Sarah was camped, along with forty other families, at Spring Lake Villa in the foothills on the north slope of Mt. Nebo, four miles north of Payson. This spot was a sheltered and beautiful place; crops were planted but never harvested as crickets consumed the vines before maturity. After the mock pardon for rebellion and treason had been issued, the saints at Spring Lake Villa began moving back to Union Henrietta Janes moved to the Union Fort erected in the southeast section of the valley to protect residents from Indians. Those living in the fort met each other on a daily basis, and inside the fort Henrietta became acquainted with Isaiah Cox. In the evenings, the families gathered around the fireplace to listen to stories or visit. It is suspected that Henrietta and Isaiah could be found wandering hand in hand within the confines of the fort. As time went on they became more comfortable with each other. Those intimate times while living in Union led Isaiah, at the age of sixteen, to propose marriage to Henrietta Janes (age 20) and she graciously accepted his offer. They spoke their marriage vows to each other on January1, 1856, in the presence of their families and in front of Bishop Silas Richards, who pronounced them man and wife. Later, they were sealed for time and eternity in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, February 10, 1858, by President Hebert C. Kimball. Jehu and his wife decided in 1858 that the area had become so crowded with the continued moving in of new settlers they decided to move to a less crowded area. Thus, the Cox family moved to Mt. Pleasant, Utah, eventually settling 30 miles north of Mt. Pleasant at North Bend, now called Fairview. Isaiah Jr. was the first white child to be born in Mt. Pleasant. Isaiah took a very active part in the Echo Canyon War. He was one of the 43 rough riders who had the responsibility of harassing Johnson's Army and keeping their supplies from reaching the Salt Lake Valley. In one planned raid they left camp October 3, 1857, without provisions and under instructions to eat their meals at Uncle Sam's expense. They swooped down upon two unsuspecting government wagon trains filled with army supplies and set fire to all fifty-two wagons. After this successful raid the group took to rustling cattle on a large scale. At Mountaineer Fort they appropriated one hundred fifty head of cattle. The cattle were sent to the Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. Just a few days later the group spotted a herd of 1,400 head of cattle at Ham's Ford. The cowboys swooped down upon the group guarding the cattle with wild yells that soon had the terrified cattle on the run. The keepers of the cattle, about equal in number, stood as in a stupor; strangely and completely inactive. Later Brigham Young had the confiscated cattle returned to the army at Fort Floyd. In the October Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Brigham Young issued a call for volunteers to move south and raise cotton, figs, and indigo to help settle the Cotton Country in the Southern Utah Territory. He previously sent a group south to settle Washington with the idea they would be known as the “Dixie of the Desert” as they duplicated the efforts of the South in raising cotton. For this new call, however, he did not succeed in getting any volunteers so the Presidency, somewhat later, made calls based on professions so this difficult mission would be successful. H. Lorenzo tells us about the selection process. “The entire Church must be combed with care. In making up a roster, many points must be kept in mind. The task of colonizing the South was known to be a difficult one. The project would demand courage, faith, and persistency. The little twenty- eight colony at Washington, called in 1857, had revealed the fact that man of ordinary strength would fail. The best must be selected. Only men of unfaltering faith in the leadership of the Church, and possessing an immense capacity of “hard knocks” could be depended upon. One of the proverbial statements that aptly characterized the early pioneers of the “Dixie Mission” was to the effect that they were so extremely loyal to the call of the Church that had they been called to build their home on a barren rock they would have done so willingly, and would have remained there until released from that call.” “The leaders made a very careful survey of the entire Church in making the selection, a family here and another one there. Families from over fifty wards and branches of the Church….Much care was taken to select men skilled in the practical arts of life….The list included artisans from more than forty-five occupations, including such as blacksmiths, carpenters, chair makers, plasters, masons, painters, lumbermen, shingle-makers, millers, butchers, shoemakers, coopers, weavers, hatters, brush-makers, wheelwrights, millwrights, printers, doctors, lawyers, school teachers, surveyors, tailors, horticulturists, tanners, tinners, wool-carders, machinists, miners, vine-dressers, distillers, and musicians.” By October Conference of 1861 the list was ready. The “call” consisted of reading the names in October Conference of at least three hundred families. Many of those called were not aware of the call until they heard their names read in Conference or some friend told them their names were on the list. Most of them responded and began immediately the process of disposing of their property and collecting their outfits to go. A petition for a post office stated that “upwards to 300 families will settle the Cotton Country within 6 weeks. 100 families will be on the road within 10 days. This petition was applied for before the town location was selected, but it would be between the two black volcanic ridges and it would be called St. George. Isaiah was called on this mission to help settle St. George, Utah. He was the only member of his father's family to be called to this mission. Thus, the other Cox families stayed in the northern part of the State. Accepting President Young’s call, Isaiah made preparations, packed up his small family, and headed south accompanied by Henrietta’s mother, Asenath. She remained with the family until her death in St. George in October 5, 1867. What a test of faith of these early settlers who now received a call to “leave their homes, gardens, orchards, and farms now producing, and to be compelled to sell for practically nothing and start anew….Provided with wagons, oxen, horses, and other animals, they brought meager provisions along and started on the long trek--a distance of more than 300 miles, requiring approximately one month of travel.” Isaiah and his family arrived in December, along with 300 other colonists, to be among the first settlers of St. George. As Isaiah was an excellent carpenter and possessed many other skills he was in great demand. He helped with the skilled workmanship on the St. George Temple and Tabernacle, both still standing today. President Brigham paid a visit to the struggling community in September of 1862. He gave them the assignment of building a “good, substantial, commodious, well-furnished meeting house; one large enough to comfortably seat at least 2,000 persons. Also, that it will not only be useful, but an ornament to your city, and credit to your energy and enterprise.” When the Tabernacle was up to square, and as it was time to erect the tower high above anything existing in the area, men with real nerve were required. Eight large planks were erected to form a pyramid, two being fastened together at the top and then nailed together from the corners. Then a ladder was placed on one side of this skeleton structure and Horatio Pickett climbed the ladder and banded together the eight uprights at the very top, while an admiring crowd held their breath. Isaiah Cox placed the ball on the tower. When the last stone was laid on the tower the people assembled below and with white handkerchiefs waving, gave the hosanna shout so sacred in Church history. The Tabernacle is still in use at the time of this writing. Along with carpentering, Isaiah had much versatility, native ability, and many talents. He was first a wheelwright. If necessary, he could build a wagon out of native material. He was also enough of a blacksmith to make the hub bands, rivet bolts, braces, and king bolts. He could weld iron tires and set them on wheels. In addition, he was a machinist. He could repair any type of machine that was used in the area, whether it was a turbine, a saw mill, or threshing machine. He assembled the first reaper that was brought into Southern Utah. He organized a company that brought the first horse-powered threshing machine into Washington County-and operated it for many years. Isaiah did custom thrashing at an early date with the small machine called the “Blue Jay”. Randolph drove the horsepower for this machine when a young man. He was also the first to bring a hay mower into St. George. It should be noted that there was something special about a thresher with horsepower. They were six span of horses attached to extending beams. The horses traveled in a circle about forty feet in diameter. The driver stood on a round platform in the center and kept the teams of horses at the proper speed. Large and small cope wheels turned the drive shaft that transmitted the power to the thresher. As the belts were adjusted and orders given to set the machine in motion, it almost seemed that the driver, not the machine, was the dynamo that fanned the chaff, piled up the straw, and dropped the kernels of wheat into the sacks. Isaiah was not only a multi-talented workman; he also had a small, but well-selected library. Included in the library were The compiled Laws of Utah, History of the United States, an unabridged dictionary, Fowler's Treatises on Disease and Medicine, books of reference, church books, family magazines, and current history. The hardships that met the Cox family and the other settlers were extreme, by any standard. The first Christmas they were there it started raining on Christmas day while they were celebrating the event. For forty days the rains fell intermittently; from January 4 to February 10, the sun was seldom seen, and then only made brief appearances. The fact that the Saints still lived in their covered wagons made the rain more difficult. Everything, including bedding and clothing, became saturated. The red Dixie mud made life totally miserable and tested the mettle of those saints. These early Saints did not lack stamina, however, and we read: “During the ordeal by water the unrelieved dampness failed to seriously to dampen the high spirits of the group who were embarked on this challenging adventure. Dancing to the lively tunes of the fiddle on the wiregrass bottom between rains helped keep their morale high.” Unfortunately, it proved to be much more difficult than anyone could have imagined. The taming of the Virgin River proved almost impossible because their ditches and canals could not contain the river when it flooded and it’s banks kept breaking down. A drought followed the wet winter and trees and grape vines received damage while too much land under production for cotton created a short food supply The proliferation of flies could not be kept out since screen doors and windows simply didn‘t exist there, and babies suffered and many died from “summer complaint” which produced a bowel looseness that dehydrated tiny ones. Even the adults suffered from many ills including diarrhea, cholera, rheumatism, fevers, and malaria. In time, the tremendous challenges were slowly overcome, the community continued to grow, many new buildings were built, and commerce became very active. This growth allowed the original settlers and the “newcomers” to appreciate their fair city of St. George as their home and as a wonderful place to live. Around Isaiah’s home were numerous stacks of hay, grain, and straw. Many of these were payment for doing custom threshing, mowing, etc. There were bird nests in the trees, grape vines, fruit trees, and great places for young children to play. He had so many children of his own growing up that two or three neighbor children would not make much difference. As long as they were not destructive they could help themselves to the melons, grapes, and various fruit. What excitement permeated St. George during the conference held November 3-5 1871, when President Young asked them if they would build a Temple in St. George? He received a resounding “Yes!” from all those in attendance. Isaiah could hardly contain his elation as this would mean that they would not have to travel clear to Salt Lake for their temple blessings and it would provide steady work for him, as a finish carpenter. The saints felt especially grateful for the timely announcement of a temple to be built since the Tabernacle would be completed to the point of needing a capstone in just a few weeks. Isaiah spent many hours working on the Temple whose construction moved along more rapidly than the Tabernacle. "On 11 February 1877 George Laub and Isaiah Cox raised the spire rod on the tower on the temple, including two globes or balls, on the rod to remain there for height." As time passed into the 1870's and 80's the town of St. George grew and much "traffic" passed through the new small city. Indian fighters and freighters who came in from long trips, driving with jerk line four to twelve mules or horses with bells on the leaders and drawing a high-boxed Prairie Schooner freight wagon with one or two smaller wagons attached as trailers. Also, there was the overland stage (Wells Fargo Express) that came in every evening. Frequently a herd of steers were driven through town on the way to market. One would think the difficult living conditions along with Isaiah’s numerous interests and strenuous jobs would be sufficient to absorb his attention and exact his energy. However, he did not allow what he regarded as his personal jobs, to make him forget his duty to the Church or his responsibility in helping with civic improvement. He served on various committees which had to do with improvements of streets, planning roads, and especially in construction of public buildings, such as school houses. Also, for many years he served as a school trustee. He fostered socials and plays (even taking part himself) in order to raise the funds necessary to provide schools with books, maps, keeping the buildings repaired and the rooms warm. Among the commandments given in this Gospel Dispensation was one designed as Celestial Marriage, including a plurality of wives. This order of marriage seems to have been sanctioned or introduced by the Lord to meet social, spiritual and economic needs at different periods of time in man's development, as in the case of the Patriarchs and Prophets of the "Old Dispensation". Inasmuch as a greater number of women were arriving in the territory. President Brigham Young insisted that only men able and worthy, as judged by him, and could support more than one family, could be involved in a Celestial Marriage. Isaiah Cox was one of the men who was approved by the President and followed this counsel. His first wife was Henrietta Janes. Later, he married three additional wives. Isaiah was not able to build separate homes for his wives; in fact, they did not seem to want to be separated. They had a closed cooperation of their own. There was little jealousy. They seemed to gradually grow more attached to each other than to their husband. The first wife was regarded as the matron of the family, but she in turn respected the position of the others. The children, although conflicts took place, developed loyalties and mutual helpfulness that lasted throughout their lives. In 1884 Isaiah was called on another mission to help colonize the lower Muddy River Area in Southern Nevada. He moved to Overton, Nevada, taking his wife, Henrietta and the family. They secured land and built a new house. On December 29, 1884 Overton became the third ward in the entire State of Nevada--only preceded by Panaca and Bunkerville. The Overton Ward boundaries were hard to define. They extended over a very large area, extending From Cane Springs to the Meadow Valley Wash, and to Rioville on the Colorado River. The ward boundaries remained the same for many years. Also, the Overton Ward was a part of the St. George Stake. Isaiah Cox was called as the first Bishop of the Ward. Upon the completion of his mission Isaiah returned to St. George. In the months ahead Bishop Cox would have his hands full in keeping his flock united for the lawless element would not be pushed out easy. Through the winter and the spring the riff raff tried most everything to discourage the settlers so that they would move on. They stole livestock, cut fences, broke ditches, and in general made life miserable for these poor, humble farmers. By early summer the settlers had enough of being pushed around. A mass meeting was held in the church square and all resolved not to be run out by this lawless bunch. The outlaws had planted an old Indian woman and man as spies to tell them what went on at the meeting. That night the wild bunch met, anxious to find out what the Mormons had to say. They asked eagerly what they had to say. The old Indian had not heard anything of note, “just fix fence, plant corn, make ditch, plow land“. “Didn’t they say anything else asked the disappointed outlaws?” “No”, said the old man. The old woman, anxious to make a good impression, jumped up and shouted, “Yes, Yes, more”. “What?”, asked the outlaws. “Damn the Gentiles.” Little did the old women realize the effect her words would have on the outlaws for now they knew their war against the Saints was lost and from that night on law and order was to prevail. The lawless element slowly drifted away. After the United States passed the Edmonds-Tucker Act making polygamy unlawful, marshals were sent to try to apprehend and jail those still practicing polygamy. The men who were caught were imprisoned for unlawful cohabitation. Wives, to avoid being eye-witnesses against their husbands, were forced to go into hiding; men were forced to leave their work and families and go on what was called the underground. Early in the crusade, Isaiah was singled out as an offender under the law because, inasmuch, that his family all lived together, evidence could easily be secured. After a few years of skulking and hiding which was very difficult and humiliating, Isaiah met with the three older wives and suggested fleeing to Mexico to stay out of jail. He also ask one of them to accompany him to Mexico. Each of them expressed several reasons why they felt she could not travel to such a harsh and unforgiving country and start a new life there. All three wives agreed that Mary Jane should accompany him since her younger years would make the challenges easier to bear. As a newlywed of not quite a year, Mary Jane agreed and they began making preparations to go to Mexico. It must have felt just like preparing to cross the plains with the pioneers as they loaded a wagon and gathered the necessary supplies. This trek would take them nearly four hundred miles by team and wagon down through the deserts of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, on their way to Colonia Juarez in the country of Mexico. Some of those going to Old Mexico were fortunate enough to travel as far as Deming, New Mexico, by train, before going on with teams and wagons. The little family of Isaiah Cox could not afford that luxury so they made the entire trip with horses and wagon. The trip had been described as to the type of journey it was. “We followed a trail over which few had traveled into an unknown land, through the homes of Navajos and Apaches, across rivers, through deep canyons and blazing desert country.” In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto instructing church members to live in harmony with the Supreme Court decision outlawing plural marriage. As a result, new understandings were reached with the government. Utah was finally allowed to gain statehood, and the US marshals gradually lessened their crusades. It was during this period, after three years in Mexico, that Isaiah and his young family decided to return to St. George and to the other members of his family. Finally, he and Mary Jane determined that it would be better for him to spend some time in jail than to live as an outcast in Mexico. In fact he stated he “would rather die in prison in the United States than to be a free man in Mexico.” Unknown to him and his family, someone repeated this message to men in authority, and his name was removed from the list of those whom the Federal Marshals would try to arrest. As Isaiah brought his family back from Mexico, it did not make for a pleasant trip. Mary had to continually care for her two children, Isaiah Joseph, just over two and a half years old, and Mary Effie, just turned one. The winter weather was bitter cold,, and the family had to stay in the wagon. Isaiah would heat up irons to keep them warm, and he did everything he could to make them as comfortable as it was possible to be in a wagon. Once he got them settled he would go out in the cold, hitch up the team, and drive as far as they could travel each day. When they stopped to camp for the night, the first thing Isaiah would to is to see to his animals. Isaiah was a man who took care of his animals and his equipment. The last four years of his life were spent in his old home in St. George. He lived to see Utah enter the Union as a fully sovereign state, thus ending forty years of struggle. Isaiah met an untimely death at the age of 56. He and his son Jeddy were hauling hay and were on a load ready to leave the Washington, Utah field when a sudden, violent gust of wind struck the load broadside and tipped it over. Jeddy was unhurt, but his father’s right hip was broken. A day later he suffered a heart attack which caused his death on April 11, 1896. At the time of his death, Isaiah had twenty-nine children, twenty-two of whom were living. The twenty-two grew to adulthood, married, and raised families.    

Cox Family ~~~ Pioneers of the Month February 2023

One of Mt. Pleasant's First

Sitting in our northeast room of the Relic House is a picture of Isaiah Cox.

We honor Isiah as the first pioneer baby born in Mt. Pleasant.

Isiah Cox
First Born Pioneer Child In Mt. Pleasant 

~~~~~~~~

1894 Lookout Mountain

1894/7: Elders at Lookout Mountain - Southern States Mission (6 July 1894)

~~~~

Isaiah was the son of Isaiah Cox Sr. 

Isaiah Cox Sr. 
A History of Isaiah Cox Sr. will be posted tomorrow. 
~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abigail and Mary Ann Were Sisters 

McMullin, Abigail

 

Abigail McMullin by Clesta Worthen Adams

Abigail McMullin was born in Payson, Utah County, Utah, 12 November 1861. Daughter of Willard Glover McMullin and Mary Ann Holmes. In December 1862 she moved with her parents, who had been called to colonize the cotton mission, to Harrisburg, Wash Co., Utah. Her father died on 18 Oct 1884. Her mother continued to live in Harrisburg for several years and then moved to Leeds, Wash. Co. She married Isaiah Cox, Jr., on 15 November 1882. They were the parent of eight children: Walter McMullin Cox, born 11 Aug 1883, at Leeds, Washington, Utah Mary Ann Cox, born 23 Jan 1885, at Harrisburg, Wash., Utah Willard Glover Cox, born 13 Feb 1887 at Harrisburg, Wash., Utah Abbie Cox, born 1 June 1888, at Harrisburg, Wash., Utah Wilford Fenton Cox, born 10 Aug 1890, at Harrisburg, Wash., Utah Lawrence Janes Cox born 4 March 1893 at Harrisburg, Wash., Utah Elson Holmes Cox, born 15 Oct 1896, at St. George, Wash., Utah Henrietta Cox, born 12 Apr 1900, at St. George, Wash., Utah 13 Abigail died of consumption 28 March 1904, at the very young age of 43. Mary Ann Cox had just turned nineteen at the time and took over in the home with much of the responsibility of caring for the younger children until her marriage later in the year. At that time she took Henrietta (Etta) with her for several years. (I am Clesta Worthen, daughter of Mary Ann Cox, and these are some of the things I remember that my mother told me. ) She said her mother, Abigail McMullin, was a very small woman, good at handling her children. During her final illness, she seemed to realize the danger of her disease infecting her family and instructed the older children to dig a deep hole away from the house and dispose of the waste that she coughed up by burying it in the hole and covering it with a layer of dirt each time. Just before she died she called her family around her and sat up in bed and appeared to be looking into the future as she recited a poem about the future of her family. The poem was not recorded, but my mother recalled that it told of some of her sons going to foreign lands, which two of them did. Wilford and Lawrence fought in France in World War I. The poem was very unusual, as she was not a poet - just seemed to be inspired at that time. In My 1976 I wrote to Aunt Abbie Moore to see if she remembered any of the poems her mother recited before she died. This is all she could remember: Children of Earth remember me While on this land or on the sea There is no better friend to thee Than Father, Mother, and God, these three.

~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah  Cox Jr. and Anne Middleton 

~

Cox, Isaiah Jr.

 

MEMORIES OF MY GRANDFATHER, ISAIAH COX, JR.

by Clesta Worthen Adams

I was around ten years old when Grandpa Cox and Aunt Anna moved to St.George. They had been living in the Moapa Valley, Nevada. I recall him talking about raising cantaloupes.

He said the ground got so it didn't produce well - got too hard - so he had the bright idea of plowing straw into the ground, and it produced much better.

 He and Aunt Anna built a new home in St. George, in the northwest part of town, and my father and mother built next door to them. Grandpa had an old threshing machine in his yard. He puttered around it a lot, hoping to invent something better. He had a large Asparagus patch in his yard and walked with his crop to Warren Cox's hotel. He liked to sit on his front porch and read the scriptures. While married to his first wife, Abigail McMullin, he was called on a mission to the Southern states, and his family had a real struggle while he was away. My mother told me how little food they had. She was the oldest girl. He got sick and had to return home. I remember when Mt. Pleasant had some big celebration, they asked him to come because he was the first white child born in that town. I have the large photograph that was taken of him at that time.   Grandpa was a tall slender man with dark hair (originally).

I thought he was very nice-looking. He had a hearty laugh, and I loved him. Apparently, he was quite a step dancer in his day. Once in a while, we could talk him into dancing a bit for us. He danced only with his feet - no arm movements at all - and he sort of stayed more or less in the same spot. We liked to watch him. He lived long enough to have a five-generation picture taken.  

Isaiah Cox, Jr. was born 5 June 1859 at Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co. Utah blessed 29 Apr 1860 by James N. Jones Baptized 3 Oct 1867 by Daniel D. McArthur, Confirmed by the same man Endowed 15 Mar 1877 Ordained and elder 15 Mar 1877 by his father

Married 15 Nov 1882 to Abigail McMullin in St. George Temple (She died 28 Mar 1904)

 ~~~~~~~~~~

Married Anna Elizabeth Middleton 8 Feb 1912

The first home I lived in was a rental at 364 W 200 N in St. George, Utah. I was brought there as a newborn infant and lived there for a few years. I don't remember living there but the couple living next door at 398 W 200 N became friends of our family for life. They were Isaiah and Annie Cox, better known to us as Grandpa and Aunt Annie. Isaiah had been married before and had children, that is why we called him grandpa. Aunt Annie married later in life and had no children. She sure knew how to spoil children though. Even after our family moved to another part of St. George, our family kept in close touch. My mother wrote this in her personal history: When Darrell was two, a baby girl was born to us. We named her Mary Anne. Our next door neighbor, Aunt Annie Cox, fell in love with Darrell when he was five months old. She came to be such a special person in our lives. After Darrell learned to walk good, he would go over to Aunt Annie's every day. She made all his clothes. She played so many games with him. Any time he broke a toy, he would say, "No matter, Annie will fix it!' Grandpa Cox was sort of partial to Mary Anne. She always kissed him on the forehead where he didn't have whiskers. Grandpa Cox blessed Mary Anne when she was two months old. Darrell called himself Grandpa's 'feetheart' and Annie's 'pet'. Mary Anne continues. I remember going to Aunt Annie's home often to visit after I grew older and we had moved to another neighborhood. My love for sugar sandwiches came from Aunt Annie. White bread spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar, then folded in half, is still a delicious favorite treat! Every time I eat a sugar sandwich, I think of Aunt Annie. ( It doesn't taste the same on whole wheat bread.) One winter night, in the mid 1950's, my favorite cousin, Linda, and I slept over at Cox's. The bedroom was not heated so we slept with heated bricks wrapped in blankets to keep our feet warm. This was a unique experience for both of us, one we had heard about but thought only happened in our parents day. Our breakfast was cooked on a wood stove before we woke up. In the warming oven at the top of the stove were bowls of piping hot cereal, fried eggs, bacon and white toast. We felt like royalty being served the finest breakfast ever. I ate breakfast with Aunt Annie many times after that! My mother had a modern electric stove so the warming oven was so quaint - as were the hot bricks to sleep with. My first taste of asparagus was at Aunt Annie's. I didn't like it, but I enjoyed picking it for her out of a large patch in her back yard. I treasure a small crocheted multicolored purse Aunt Annie made for me and a glass dog figurine that she gave me because I liked it. Aunt Annie and Grandpa loved us and we loved them.

Five Generations
Isaiah Cox Mary Ann Cox Worthen
William G. Worthen 
Richard G. Worthen
Margaret Worthen Terry

 

A gathering of early settlers outside the St George Tabernacle circa 1907

 

~~~~~~~~

Isaiah Cox Jr. and Annie Middleton 

   My mother wrote this in her personal history: When Darrell was two, a baby girl was born to us. We named her Mary Anne. Our next-door neighbor, Aunt Annie Cox, fell in love with Darrell when he was five months old. She came to be such a special person in our lives. After Darrell learned to walk good, he would go over to Aunt Annie's every day. She made all his clothes. She played so many games with him. Any time he broke a toy, he would say, "No matter, Annie will fix it!' Grandpa Cox was sort of partial to Mary Anne. She always kissed him on the forehead where he didn't have whiskers. Grandpa Cox blessed Mary Anne when she was two months old. Darrell called himself Grandpa's 'feetheart' and Annie's 'pet'. Mary Anne continues. I remember going to Aunt Annie's home often to visit after I grew older and we had moved to another neighborhood. My love for sugar sandwiches came from Aunt Annie. White bread spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar, then folded in half, is still a delicious favorite treat! Every time I eat a sugar sandwich, I think of Aunt Annie. ( It doesn't taste the same on whole wheat bread.) One winter night, in the mid-1950's, my favorite cousin, Linda, and I slept over at Cox's. The bedroom was not heated so we slept with heated bricks wrapped in blankets to keep our feet warm. This was a unique experience for both of us, one we had heard about but thought only happened on our parent's day. Our breakfast was cooked on a wood stove before we woke up. In the warming oven at the top of the stove were bowls of piping hot cereal, fried eggs, bacon, and white toast. We felt like royalty being served the finest breakfast ever. I ate breakfast with Aunt Annie many times after that! My mother had a modern electric stove so the warming oven was so quaint - as were the hot bricks to sleep with. My first taste of asparagus was at Aunt Annie's. I didn't like it, but I enjoyed picking it for her out of a large patch in her backyard. I treasure a small crocheted multicolored purse Aunt Annie made for me and a glass dog figurine that she gave me because I liked it. Aunt Annie and Grandpa loved us and we loved them.

Dear Friend Alice ~~~ Eva Staker

 

L to R: Eva Staker, Reva Rosenlof, Alice Hafen

Lovingly referred to as "the Three Muskateers" they attended social events together as widows of the Mt. Pleasant Fourth Ward.   

Alice Peel Hafen passed away this morning (Friday, January 15) at 5:00 a.m. with her son, Peter at her bedside.  She has been in hospice since Monday, January 11th.  She has been such a great example to her family and all those who have known her throughout her life.  She would have been 98 years old on January 31st.

Alice had seen so many changes and technological advancements in her lifetime.  She had a myriad of stories to share with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Stories such as riding in the back of the wagon to go pick fruit over at Huntington, taking lunch and bedrolls and camping out in the canyon, picking fruit the next day, and then the long journey back home.  Another great remembrance was how Neil would wait for her after her work at Eatingers' Cafe and walk her home.

She also vividly remembered being a nanny in Los Angeles when there was a 6.2 earthquake.  Just the mention of an earthquake frightened her for the rest of her life.

Alice was one of four girls born to Peter Azel and Margaret Ericksen Peel.  All three of her sisters, Lois, Margaret, and Barbara, passed away due to cancer.  Each sister had a young family at the time of death.  Alice lovingly took on the role of substitute mother for them.  These nieces and nephews adore her and have many happy memories of spending time with "Aunt Alice" and "Uncle Neil".

She was born with a beautiful voice and sang at hundreds of funerals.  Once asked, "What are they paying you to sing at this funeral?"  She replied, "Well why should I get paid when it was God that gave me this talent to share."

A historian since her teens.  She kept a journal and loved to take pictures of historical events and special occasions.  She loved being a daughter of this Mt. Pleasant Community.  She was a faithful member of the Latter-Day Saint Faith and had a firm testimony.  She served in many church organizations as well as a board member of the Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Society.  She also served on the Senior Citizens Board as the one to rustle the talent for their Senior Citizen Dinners.  She loved quilting at the Senior Center on Mondays and formed wonderful friendships there.  She was a longtime member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. She was also a charter member of the Artopic Club.

Alice is the mother of two boys, Donald Hafen and  Peter Hafen, both of whom showed her great love and respect and cared for her in her declining years.

She put together a cookbook at the age of 92 with favorite family recipes coupled with family pictures and stories.  A loving nephew, Marc Smith, helped her with this project, a great accomplishment that the whole family will treasure for years to come.

Her favorite pastime these past few years has been organizing and sharing her picture collection.  When we asked her if we could share them on a blog, she was excited about the opportunity.  She was amazed by the wonders of internet communication.  So many people have written in and expressed their appreciation for these pictures of their family members.

She was respected, loved, and adored by all who knew her.  So many have said, "When I grow up, I want to be just like Alice Hafen."