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The Live Sketch of Mary Elizabeth Cox Whiting
Born December 15, 1826 Oswego, Tioga, New York |
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Preface
Mary Elizabeth Cox, daughter of Johnathan Upham Cox and Lucinda Blood Cox was born on the 15th of December,1826 in "Osego, Troga" [probably Oswego, Oswego County] County, New York. She was the grandmother of Fannie Verona Whiting. Of, Mary Elizabeth, her granddaughter Hattie wrote: "Few people were ever blessed with more friends who loved her for her amiable disposition, her sterling integrity and devotion to her family. She an energetic Church worker for many years until her health failed. She began teaching school at fifteen years of age since which time she taught forty two years. Her hair was snow white the last I remember of her teaching. Her mind was bright up to the time of her death which occurred July 5th, 1912, at the ripe age of eighty five years."
Mary Elizabeth wrote about her life:
My father was a miller, but the last two years of his life he was almost an invalid and his work in the mill was carried on by his oldest boys. We were a large family- twelve children. Father died when I was a little girl three years old and my brother Johnathan [sic] was born six months after father's death which occurred in April 1830. William, my oldest brother was twenty years of age and on his young shoulders devolved nearly the whole care of the family but as he had had the care of the mill so much it was comparatively easy for him with the help of his two brothers next younger than he, Charles 18 and Walter 16, both of whom looked to William for counsel at all times. We were all taught obedience and I never heard jars among the boys such as one might expect among a large number. Mother was never well after father died though she lived eight years. When I was six and one half years William thought best to move to the northern part of Ohio so that he could get land to farm and have employment for the younger boys, and he accordingly went to Nelson, Portage County, Ohio and secured 80 acres of woodland covered with heavy timber of all kinds and covered with a thick growth of underbrush. He then came back and took mother and the five small children and came on the canal to Buffalo then across Lake Erie to Painsville. A team met us there and we soon passed thirty miles arriving at our new home but what a change! A log house in the centre of a little clearing, most of the trees and brush being cut down and burned. Fences made of split rails laid one upon another enclosed the place. It was many days before it seemed like home but we children soon found delights in the new home that compensate all we had left behind. Mother never gained in health but grew worse until she died. Then we were left to shift for ourselves. The three oldest boys were married and homes found for Johnathan and me, The rest were at work where they had a chance and the home was sold. The proceeds after mother's expenses were taken out was divided among the family without a jar that I ever heard of. Walter was married to Emeline Whiting about two years before mother died and as the boys began to leave home about that time we were seldom together, William married Sarah Ann Beebee before Walter was married. I went to live with a Mr. Barber in Nelson, Ohio and Johnathan with a Mr. Rate in Mindham. Mother died Dec. 1838 , and was buried in Nelson. Walter Cox and Edwin Whiting with their families and Amos Cox then 16 years old, had gone to Missouri at that time the gathering place of the Latter Day-Saints, None of us had ever heard the Gospel only as we heard of "old Joe, Smith and his gold bible" and every one thought Mormonism would soon be a thing of the past and forgotten and we were surprised to learn that Walter and Emeline also Edwin and Elizabeth had joined the Mormon church in Missouri and they were soon after driven with the rest of the saints from the state and settled In Lima, Illinois they remained there till 1845 when the saints were driven out. A Teaching Certificate at age 15 I lived with Mr. Barber two years then went and stayed with my brother Charles in Garretville, Ohio. Soon after a Mr. Davis who lived in Akron, Ohio, was looking for a girl to help take care of their children, two little girls, so I went home with him and stayed two years. I was never mistreated by any one, but was often lonely being away from all near relatives and especially sisters Harriet whom I almost worshipped. It was also a great trial being separated from my little brother Johnathan. I always loved books and as I learned very easily was always encouraged in my efforts to gain an education. As a consequence, at fourteen years of age I was far ahead of most children of that age. An occasional chance to attend a select school and one term at an academy were all the chances I ever had except the common schools. In the summer of 1841 on presenting myself as a candidate for a teacher. I was given a certificate for teaching all the common branches of the English language and taught four summers in Ohio. In 1844 I came west with my brother Walter, my sister and her husband, Charles Jackson, also coming west to Illinois. In August soon after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, the mobbing commenced and all the saints were compelled to go to Nauvoo after having their houses burned and much other property destroyed. I had taught three terms in Lima, Illinois then went west with my brothers and families to Nauvoo for I had been baptized in April 1845 by father [Issac] Morley in the Mississippi River at Nauvoo, being there to attend the April conference. [Comment: Edwin Whiting was a counselor to Issac Morley in the branch presidency in Lima] That winter was a busy one for people as they had previously agreed to leave the State within a year, so as we were ill prepared it meant business for us. In the meantime, our beautiful temple was nearing completion and many were looking to receive great blessings there. It was there that I entered into the celestial order of marriage with Edwin Whiting and his wives Elizabeth and Almira January 27th, 1846, and have never regretted it knowing, as I do, that the Lord has blessed us together. We moved from Nauvoo in April of the same year and came west as far as Mt. Pisgah in Iowa, very many of the saints having gone through the state and built up what was known as Winter Quarters where the town of Florence now stands. We were not well enough prepared for the journey so we stopped and went to plowing and planting The Whitings and Coxes put up a chair factory and made chairs which they hauled back to Quincy where they found ready market for them. We stayed at Pisgah two years during which time many died with chills and fever, among them father and mother Whiting, one of Elizabeth's little girls, Emily four years old, and two of my brother Walter's little girls. The rest of us were all sick for months, some of the time there were not well ones enough to give the sick a drink. Those were times of trial, yet we felt we were remembered by our heavenly father and had many seasons of rejoicing. 'I taught two terms of school at Pisgah. Albert my oldest was born there Dec. 9th, 1847. In April 1849, we started on the great move of all moves toward the great Salt Lake of the then, unexplored regions of Mexico. We were about three months reaching the Elkhorn and were organized in brother George A. Smith's fifty, brother Benson being over the 100 and he had gone ahead for it was not thought best for more than fifty to travel together on account of firewood and other conveniences and fifty were considered safe from the Indians. Of that long tedious journey, volumes might be written. In our camp we had one stampede of cattle. It was after about three weeks of travel and it was most terrifying being in the night about one o'clock and father was on guard but no one was hurt so we were all comforted although eight or ten head of our cattle were lost. We saw many herds of buffalo but our worst and most trying experience was on the Sweetwater. After reaching the Black Hills we were snowed in for about three days and many of the best cattle in the company died. Father counted nine head in one little bunch of willows. There were only enough teams left to move the wagons to a new camp about a mile or two ahead, but in a day or two we met the teams sent from Salt Lake to meet us. We arrived in the city Oct. 28th, 1849 and it was one of the prettiest places I ever saw. The young shade trees on the sidewalk were yet green and many young orchards all quite green made a picture of loveliness to us weary travelers never to be forgotten. But we were soon to leave as we were chosen by father Morley to help form a settlement in Sanpete Co, which had been located at Manti, and it was thought best to go so as to be ready to start work in the spring. It took us three weeks to reach Manti and it was the first of December and there were so many discouragements. My husband and brother Orville went to Salt Lake on snowshoes to report starving condition of the saints. About half of our little company returned to the city and the long snowy dreary winter was endured by those who remained, with the blessing of the Lord. We had many seasons of enjoyment in various ways and our prayer meetings were held every week. Sunday evenings and Thursdays were well attended. Father put up a foot lathe and he and William who was fifteen years old hauled the timber from the canyon on a handsled and he made a hundred chairs with rush bottoms and in April they took them to the city and sold them for grain and other things for family use for the long cold winter had consumed all our supplies and most of our cattle had died of hunger and exposure. Those that lived were saved by digging off the grass near the warm spring south of Manti, so they could get the grass. It was hard work but faith and perseverance saved some. We had two old oxen and a three year old heifer. Our firewood that winter was drawn on a hand sled and our bread was mostly of grain ground in a coffee mills. The Indians were with us all the time and our scanty food supply was shared with them always. The first trial to raise our crops by irrigation was watched with the greatest anxiety as it was something entirely new to some of us and very little known of by any, but the Lord helped us and we raised enough for our sustenance although the alkali killed some as soon as the water was turned on. The Indians were always to be watched and would steal whenever they could get a chance or kill for very little provocation, but we were on their land are did our best to keep peace with them. I taught school in Manti every year more or less so long as we stayed there which was twelve years. We had the grasshopper war in 1856; everything green was eaten by them in Sanpete valley. My brother Walter had moved to the valley in 1853 and was so blessed as to have plenty of wheat in store and helped greatly to feed those not so favored. In 1854, father and brother Elisha Edwards were called to go to Ohio on a mission and were gone two years. While they were gone the grasshoppers again took our crops and again we were short of bread, but no one starved. When father came home from his mission he brought a variety of choice fruits with him some from his father’s old orchard which he himself had grafted when a boy and he also had a few plants which he brought on the side of one of the wagons when we crossed the plains in 1849. The first few years at Manti were so frosty the trees froze down to the ground every winter. He only succeeded in raising two peaches and one bushel of apples in all the twelve years we lived there so brother Brigham told him to move some of his trees to another valley and try them. So in 1861, he bought a lot of Steven Perry in Springville and moved most of his trees over there then moved his family later, He made a success of his nursery business and was the first to bring those large goose berries from Ohio, which were raised so successfully in Utah so many years. We were prospered in Springville until 1876 when two of my boys, Albert and Charles were called to go and help colonize in Arizona. Accordingly, they fitted themselves with wagons and teams and started in February and settled on the little Colorado near Sunset Crossing. Albert returned to Springville the same summer but Charles stayed until 1878 when he came back and spent the summer returning in the fall to Arizona. In the meantime, May's health was so poor and it was thought that a journey might do her good and with the encouragement of her father we fitted out and went with Charles. May was benefited by the move, but never entirely recovered her health and when in the spring of 1882, she wanted to return to Springville we again commenced the homeward journey. Alas the sands of life were too nearly exhausted and when we reached the Houserock Springs we stopped with brother Jedediah Adair who lived there at the time. They were so kind and though she lived only two or three days, it was a great comfort to be with friends. That was the one great trial of my life, but must acknowledge the hand of the Lord who doeth all things well but the loved earthly form is still resting there in the lonely grave. We reached Springville in June, weary and sorrowing, but comforted greatly by the sympathy of loving friends. Albert and Oscar came to meet us with supplies and dainties for May. We stopped at Mapleton and made our home there. Fred and John built quite a nice log house there on some land they bought of Oscar.
Note by Hattie: This is the sketch as I received it but I would like to add just a little. I see the picture of a tiny white haired grandmother sitting by the fire side, always ready with beautiful song or story, sympathy or counsel, to advise or cheer those who came whether old or young. Ever a peacemaker, finding only good when others were telling bad qualities. She was never too tired to stay up till the crowd left. Her laugh ringing out clear as a silver bell over our foolish nonsense. She always kept young people, around her and she took Clara Curtis when she was five years old to live with her. Clara was one of her daughter's younger girls and they were never long separated. Her home was with Clara until Clara married Joseph Burke, then grandmother went to live with them and spent the remainder of her life there. She lived about twenty years in Mapleton and Hobble Creek Canyon, but in August 1901 four of her boys decided to go to Arizona. I think it was the thought of seeing again the lonely grave of of her daughter May, that induced her once more to make that long in a wagon as there is no railroad on that route, and the remainder of her life was spent in sunny Arizona. She was the mother of nine children and today there is a host of children grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grand children to revere her memory. She began teaching school at fifteen years of age since which time she taught forty two years,. Her hair was snow white the last I remember of her teaching. Few people were ever blessed with more friends who loved her for her amiable disposition, her sterling integrity and devotion to her family. She an energetic Church worker for many years until her health failed. She was the first secretary of the Mapleton Relief Society and her hand writing in those record books is as clear and plain as print. Her mind was bright up to the time of her death which occurred July 5th, 1912, at the ripe age of eighty five years. (She was the first school teacher of Mapleton and taught in the kitchen of her home just north of her son Albert's place.)
Mary Elizabeth COX was born on 15 Dec 1826 in Oswego, Tioga, Ny. She died on 5 Jul 1912 in St. Johns, Apch, AZ. She was buried in Jul 1912 in St. Johns, Apache, AZ. Mary married Edwin WHITING son of Elisha WHITING Jr. and Sally HULET on 27 Jan 1846 in Nauvoo, , IL. Edwin was born on 9 Sep 1809 in Lee, Berkshire, Ma. He died on 8 Dec 1890 in Mapleton, Utah, UT. He was buried on 11 Dec 1890 in Neola, Duchesne, Utah. Albert Milton Whiting and Harriet Susannah Perry Family Photo
Front Row: Lorna Whiting Tibbitts, Ray Whiting, Harriet Lucinda Whiting Jensen, Albert Milton Whiting Jr., Fanny Verona Whiting Fulmer, Margaret Mary (Madge) Whiting Parmley. Back Row: John Martin Whiting, Ethel Whiting Matson, Oscar Whiting, Emma Susannah Whiting Fuller, Charles Leonard Whiting, Nancy Fern Whiting Waddoups, Howard Stewart Whiting, Cathrine Whiting Richards They had the following children:
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Family History Outline
Albert Milton Whiting Family Photo Related Links Return to Winmill Family Home Page
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