Cordelia Cox, Autobiography,
BYU Archives and Manuscripts
Cordelia Morley Cox, 1823-
Autobiography (1823-1865)
Holograph, BYU
Cordelia Morley Cox, 1823-
Source: Cordelia Morley Cox, Biography of Isaac Morley, holograph, BYU.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.1
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MY FATHER ISAAC MORLEY,
ONE OF THE PIONEERS TO SALTLAKEVALLEY IN 1848
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.1
Isaac Morley was born in Montague, Massachusetts, March 11, 1784 [?]. He lived there until 1812. He married a girl by the name of Lucy Gunn and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. In 1830, the Church of [Jesus] Christ of Latter-day Saints was introduced in Kirtland, Ohio. In the winter, Joseph Smith and wife came to Father Morley's and lived in his family through the winter.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.1
A branch of the Church was organized there, meetings held there, and many of the people were baptized. A frame house was built on Father Morley's lot for Joseph Smith's family to live in.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.1
In 1831, he was called to go to Jackson County, Missouri to find a location for the Mormon people to settle. A nice place was found near the town of Independence, Missouri. They sent back to Ohio for their family and in a short time a settlement was made. The people of the county began to threaten the settlers and to warn them to leave. They continued building and soon had a flourishing town commenced. This enraged the inhabitants of that county and they began to threaten to drive them out. They said they would kill men, women and children if they did not leave the county. Father Morley with others were taken prisoners and put into jail. He was kept there overnight. In the morning he had a trial and was sentenced to be shot on the public square at eight o'clock for treason. God willed it otherwise and his life was spared.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.1 - p.2
There was no peace or safety to be found there. The Mormon people began to leave their home. Father Morley had raised a good garden. His vegetables with thirty bushels of potatoes were buried in the ground. His house was not finished and his family was in poor circumstances. We left our home with one team and wagon to take his family, eight in number, and started to find another home. We went into Clay County, Missouri and settled on a piece of low, swampy land. Soon his family was taken down with chills and fever; the family was all sick with not well ones enough to take care of those that were sick. In this condition Father Morley was called on a mission to the Eastern States.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.2
He went from his home to Ohio and from there to Massachusetts. The place where the family was left was so sickly, the family abandoned it and moved to another place and rented a farm. Father Morley filled his mission and returned home to his family once more. The mob commenced threatening to drive the people again from their homes. Father Morley was in poor circumstances. He left all and went this time into Caldwell County, Missouri. A good home was built there, a farm was cleared, and the family comfortably situated again. In the town of Far West were many happy homes, but it did not last long. In a short time the mob began to threaten the people again and peace was taken from them. It was trouble and vexation all the while.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.2 - p.3
One day about five hundred men came riding into Far West with their guns, their bayonets upon their shoulders, calling themselves militia. They rode to the public square. The men were called together and there forced to give up their arms and ammunition. Forty-five men were taken prisoner and driven to Richmond, Missouri by a strong guard on horseback, through the mud and water like so many hogs driven to slaughter. Father Morley asked permission to see his family once more. Two armed men came with him to his home. He came to tell us that he was a prisoner and had to go to Richmond to jail. Amidst the cries and pleadings of his children, he was ordered to go; his time was up. The prisoners were put into an old frame building and guarded day and night. Father Morley had an Indian blanket. This he would lay down upon the floor; a part of it was his bed and the rest of the blanket was thrown over him for a covering. His boots were his pillows; his food was cornbread to eat and cold water to drink. In this condition he remained for three weeks. He had his trial; they couldn't find anything against him so they turned him loose to return back to Far West the best he could.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.3 - p.4
The people begged for peace, but there was none for them and they were driven again. They went from Far West, Missouri to Hancock County, Illinois. Father Morley pitched his tent in the backwoods. This was his home and all the one he had for his family. It was a cold winter. The snow was falling fast and there was but little to eat and scanty clothes to wear. The body of a log house had been built on the land for a claim. This Father Morley bought. He covered the house, built a chimney, then the family moved in without a door, windows or floor in the house. The next summer an addition was built onto the house and we were comfortably situated again. In a few years it became a large settlement. It was organized. Father Morley was president and Walter Cox and Edwin Whiting were his counselors. It was a fine country. The town was called Yelrom (Morley spelled backwards).
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
When all was prospering, hostility began again. The mob came upon us and drove off the stock, burned their houses, and stacks of grain, and left but little for the people to subsist upon and they were driven again. This time, Father Morley moved into Nauvoo, rented a house, and lived there through the winter. In the year 1846 he started west and traveled as far as Pisgah [Morley remained at Mount Pisgah from May 18, 1846 to June 2, and wintered at Winter Quarters in 1846-1847] where he stopped and stayed one year. From there he went to the Missouri River, a place the Saints called Winter Quarters, called now Florence. Here mother died, January 3, 1847. The journey had been very hard for her and for the want of proper food and comforts of life, she died and was buried with three of her grandchildren under the ground where now the city of Florence is built and no trace of her grave is to be found.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4 - p.4
In 1848 he crossed the plains and came to SaltLakeValley to find him a home somewhere there. In the spring of 1849, President Young called Father Morley, Nelson Higgins, Charles Shumway as commanders to go south to find a place for a colony to settle. They started with Chief Walker [?] for a guide. They entered SanpeteValley and reached the present site of Manti, August 20, 1849. A company of about 10 [?] families came in. Some pitched their tents, some lived in dugouts, others in their wagon boxes through the winter. The snow was very deep. It took the men and boys to shovel the snow in winnows to bare the grass for food for the starving cattle. When it began to be warm weather, the people were startled by the hissing of rattlesnakes that would crawl into their boxes, beds and cupboards and everywhere in their homes.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
In August, 1850, President Young visited the colony and called the town Manti, in honor of one of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon. The county was called Sanpete after an Indian tribe that inhabited this section of country. In a short time the Indians became hostile and commenced raiding the valley. The Indians were driving off the cattle and horses and often the news would come of some man being killed. The men were obliged to stand guard night and day. It was heard by the people that President Young thought it too much for so old a man as Father Morley, so he called him back to SaltLake and furnished him a house to live in.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
He lived there two or three years, then moved to Santaquin, SummitCounty. There he lived a year or so and then came to Fairview, where a home was built for him there. He was ordained a patriarch in the Church and for many years traveled, visiting the Saints and hundreds received their patriarchal blessing from under his hands. In traveling as he did, he took a severe cold and rheumatics set in and he was almost helpless for ten months. He died in Fairview, June 24, 1865. His body was brought to Manti and buried in the cemetery beneath the shadow of the glorious temple. Sweet rest to thee, my earthly father, sweet rest until the morning of the resurrection, to come forth and receive a just reward for all thy toils. . . .
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CORDELIA MORLEY COX
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
While I am on earth and able to write with the pen in my own hand, I will give to my children and my children's children, a testimony that I know that God lives and will bless all those who wish to do his will. I was baptized when eight years old. I always tried to bear a good name and follow the teachings of my parents and those whose right it was to rule over me. In the spring of forty-four [1844], plural marriage was introduced to me by my parents from Joseph Smith, asking their consent and a request to me to be his wife. Imagine if you can my feelings, to be a plural wife, something I never thought I ever could . I knew nothing of such religion and could not accept it. Neither did I.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
In June 1844, Joseph Smith was martyred and it was a time of mourning for all. After Joseph Smith's death, I was visited by some of his most intimate friends who knew his request and explained to me this religion, counseling me to accept his wishes for he now was gone and could do no more for himself. I accepted Joseph Smith's desire and in 1846, January 27, was married to your father in the NauvooTemple. While still kneeling upon the altar, my hand clasped in his, now his wife, he gave his consent and I was sealed to Joseph Smith for eternity. I lived with your father and loved him. I was satisfied with the course I had taken. I had three little girls with him. I took comfort [they were] born under the new and everlasting covenant. I had not doubted. I thought if one principle taught by Joseph Smith was true, all he taught must be true. I was sincere in my belief and had never doubted the truth of what I had accepted. Still, I had no testimony for myself of the truth of such a principle and became acquainted with the trials and hardships of such a life but was satisfied and contented in the course I had taken. I had three little girls born under the new and everlasting covenant. I loved them and took good care of them.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
The Latter-day Saints were preparing to leave and come to Utah. We lived in a settlement where as the Mormons moved away, the Gentiles would buy the improvements until our family was left quite alone with the outside world. Then they began to persecute us. Your father was taken into a Gentile court and tried for breaking laws of the land by living with more than one wife. I had a true companion; her husband was mine also. We were driven from our home in the dead of winter. They told us our religion was false and we had been deceived. I had no one to go to for knowledge or for comfort. I began to worry and to wonder if I had in these ears [?] been so deceived. I longed for a testimony from my Father in Heaven, to know for myself whether I was right or wrong. I was called a fallen woman. The finger of scorn was pointed at me. I felt that it was more than I could endure and in the humility of my soul, I prayed that I might have a testimony from him who knows the hearts of all. One night I dreamed. I thought I was in the midst of a multitude of people. President Young arose and spoke to the people. He then said there would be a spirit go around to whisper comfort in the ear of everyone. All was silent as death as I sat. Then the spirit came to me and whispered in my ear these words, "Don't ever change your condition or wish it otherwise," for I was better off than thousands and thousands of others. This brought peace to my mind and I have felt satisfied ever since. The Lord has been my guide; in Him I put my trust. I am thankful that I have been true to the covenants I have made with my Father in Heaven. I am thankful for my children that have been given to me. I pray that God will accept us all, and blessed to come forth through a glorious resurrection and receive a crown of eternal life in His kingdom.
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4
Cordelia Cox
Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, p.4