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AN ANGEL OF MERCY
My great grandmother
Elizabeth Standley Osborn Benson
7 March 1838 - 4 May 1919
Part 1 of 3
by Leslie Mikesell Wood
Part 1 - Elizabeth's early years, her family's life-style as Mormons :
Elizabeth, my great-grandmother, was born on the 7th of March 1838, in Suffield, Portage County, Ohio. She was the sixth child of Alexander Scoby Standley and Philinda Upson Standley. [My aunt, Mary Mikesell Dean, said that "Phi" in Philinda rhymed with "eye".]
Elizabeth wrote that Alexander Standley was born in New Jersey May 12, 1800 and that his early days were spent fishing near the mouth of rivers that emptied into the sea. At seventeen he moved to the wild Ohio country. Alexander had no opportunity to attend school but through studying on his own, by firelight and on stormy days, from a book called "The Young Man's Companion" which contained the rules for reading, writing, arithmetic and grammar, he eventually was chosen to teach the district school.
There he was elected Justice of the Peace of that precinct. He bought a farm covered with timber, which he cleared. He built a log home and married Philinda Upson on the 19 of March, 1829 in Suffield, Portage County, Ohio They worked hard, economizing and saving what little money came their way. They made a comfortable home, until their life was upset by the death of their first born, Eliza, who was born April 13, 1830 and died May 10, 1830. They began to search for more spiritual meaning to their lives.
Alexander believed the teachings of Jesus in the Bible but could not find a church that he was satisfied with. One day they listened to the teachings of an Elder in the Mormon church and after studying their beliefs they were baptized in 1937. He was ordained an Elder and was appointed to preside over the small branch of new members.
Elizabeth's sister, Lydia Standley Burnham wrote: "My father and mother were baptized in March 1837, and my mother's sister Laura and her husband, Aretus Geer, soon followed. There was a branch of the church organized and according to agreement they combined their efforts to join the main body of the church in [Far West] Missouri. The company consisted of 31 members. They constructed a large wagon with a cover, reaching over the wheels. Everyone walked except the babies, and weakly ones. At night they all managed to sleep in, under, or around the wagon, the cover coming far enough over the wheels to protect those sleeping around the wagon."
With the other members of the church, they were persecuted when they moved to Missouri in the fall of 1938 and were driven from there in February 1839, losing their little girl, Martha, from whooping cough. Everyone in the family developed sore eyes, and baby Elizabeth nearly lost her sight.
Alexander writes about the troubles that he and the church members had: "On the 10th of September, in 1838, we left Portage county, Ohio, for Colwell [Caldwell Co. Mo.], and arrived at Far West on the 23rd of October. There we found our brothers under arms, having been driven from Carrol county and collected from different parts of Colwell [Caldwell] county for mutual defense and safety.
Every house was crowded to the extent that I was unable to find shelter for my family, and having spent almost a week in fruitless search and energy, during which time the brethren having an affray with the mob at Crooked River, and being informed that they were still collecting in large numbers in the south part of the country, I determined to leave my family in the wagon and join my brethren in resisting the mob.
I accordingly marched with a detachment of mounted troups, under the command of Colonel G. M. Hinkle, to Log Creek Timber, where, after remaining a short time, it was ascertained that a large body of the mob had been discovered between us and Far West, whereupon it was determined to attempt a retreat in a circuitous route to town to join our brethren there. This was accomplished in time to be in readiness for the mob.
At their arrival, finding us prepared to receive them, they halted at a distance of about a half a mile, a party was soon dispatched, bearing a white flag to ascertain who they were and to learn their intentions, and on their return we were told that they were troops sent by the Governor for the purpose of restoring peace, and that the officers desired an interview with the principal men of the church.
We were soon after informed that Brother Joseph, with some others, had been treacherously surrendered into their hands and that they were taken as prisoners by the troops who had orders from the Governor to exterminate the whole mormon community. Whereupon we determined to prepare ourselves in the best possible manner for their reception.
We accordingly built a sort of a fortification or breastwork of house logs, wagons, and other such things as we could most easily procure, and held ourselves in readiness for immediate action until the next day, which was Oct. 31st., when terms of peace were agreed upon, by which we were required to sign a deed of trust of our property, real and personal, to a board of commissioners appointed for the purpose.
We were also compelled at the point of the bayonet, to make our acknowledgement to the proper officers that this was our free and voluntary act. We were then allowed the liberty of the town but were not suffered to disperse as they were determined to return as prisoners all who were known to have been engaged in any skirmish or in any way violated the laws of the State, whereby they had become liable to be held to a trial."
Alexander Scoby Standley 1800-1854 - photo in "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah", page 346.
Lydia Standley Burnham wrote in 1927: "The Saints settled in a place called Commerce, in Illinois, on the banks of the Mississippi River where they built a nice town, which they called Nauvoo. My father arrived there and built a log house, which he made ready to occupy on May 1, 1840 the day their seventh child was born.
In 1842 he came very nearly losing his life. While trimming a shade tree, a large limb struck him with great force in the breast. He lived thirteen years after that, but never saw a well day. After many months he improved sufficiently to go with the boys and oversee their work which they were obliged to do.
My mother would go out and follow flocks of sheep and gather wool from the fences and card and spin it. She and the girls knit socks, and bought and sold cotton yarn, which she colored with bark and wove into cloth for their dresses."
Alexander was one of Joseph Smith's minute men. Elizabeth often heard the big drum sound and saw him take his old flintlock gun, to make a light as they could get no matches, into the rain, mud and darkness.
Philinda was a member of the first Relief Society organized in Nauvoo by Joseph Smith. They were both among the few who received their endowments in the unfinished Nauvoo Temple. Alexander would gather his little family close in the family circle and taught them the Gospel of faith, obedience, tithing, and the Word of Wisdom, warning them against pride and wicked fashions and other worldly dangers.He was called to go on a mission but because he was hurt by a falling tree he never went. He was not strong after that but continued donating to help Brother Joseph out of his troubles, and after Joseph was killed, donating to help the Church. Elizabeth said of her father "He was full of sympathy, charity, honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and love." In having to move so much he became an expert in building a log house, of which he built nine.
Lydia Standley Burnham wrote: "In February, 1846, my parents left Nauvoo with Captain George Miller's company to cross the plains, but after the Mormon Battalion was fitted out the Saints were not able to make the trip and Brigham Young sent messengers to the head companies instructing them to select a suitable place to make them-selves comfortable for the winter.
They followed the Platte River for many miles and finally stopped at Punca, on the banks of the Running Water River in Nebraska Territory, Dec 13, 1846. Provisions were very scarce then and quite a number crossed the Missouri River and bought provisions with their watches, or any jewelry in their possession. Their bread was mostly made of corn meal they ground on a hand mill, which was quite coarse.
Soon after leaving Nauvoo they overtook a company under the leadership of James Emmet and decided to unite with them for greater safety from the Indians. On investigation it was found that some families had very little provisions, consequently they put their provisions together and dealt out rations every week. For months at a time they were thus scrimped.
James Emmet told the punca Indians, unknown to the main members of the company, they would unite with them and they would intermarry. In the course of time a bunch of young Indians came to obtain wives and word went round the village that all girls over twelve must either hide or claim to be married, and that offended the Indians greatly. They had to kill a beef and make a feast for them.
In 1847 father went to Pottowattamie County, Iowa, and with the help of his boys put up a log house, ploughed several acres of ground, put in a good garden and a field of corn. He let his only horse team go to help take church records and church property to the Valleys. In 1848 there was a long dry spell and their crops were drying up. In a conference at Kanesville they were promised if they would make a feast for the poor saints the Lord would send rain. A committee was appointed and a time set for the feast. At the close of the conference Apostle George A. Smith prayed for rain and before an hour had passed a heavy rain fell, which saved their corn from drying up."
Ezra T. Benson and George A. Smith were making ready to come to Salt Lake but they lacked one animal of having sufficient teams. Alexander gave his next to the last cow to help them head west to Utah. The Lord blessed him for this. Son Michael Standley writes "With the help of two boys he raised a large crop of corn, and as this was the year before the gold rush to California the price of corn went up enormously. He sold his corn and bought 20 cows and calves, and in a short time had the family well fined with the necessities of life."
Lydia Standley Burnham wrote: "Alexander Schoby Standley divided his property to assist those who were starting to the [Utah] valley in the year 1846 to the amount of $300."
The 1850 [18 Nov. 1950] census finds the family in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Alexander 50, Philinda 30, with their children Franklin 18, born in Ohio; Ellen 16, born in Ohio; Henry 14, born in Ohio; Elizabeth 10 born in Ohio; Sinenia [Cyrene] 8, born in Illinois; Philinda 6, born in Illinois; Sarah 4, born in Illinois; Lydia 2, born in Puncaw Land [Punca Nation Nebraska]; and Michael at 10 months, born in Omahas Land [Council Bluffs]. As for the ages of the family, Philinda would have been 36 and most of the children were older than written by the census taker.Finally it was time for the Standley family to head for Utah. Michael writes: "In 1852 Father yoked up his cows and young steers, and with them we crossed the plains." Alexander's LDS Emigration card has: "Stanley, Alexander, and family from Huntsfield Branch 1852. Crossed plains in 3rd Company (Capt. Thos. C. D. Howell) J. H. Dec. 31, 1852, supplement p. 15"
George Burton Standley wrote: "Early in 1852, the Company began making preparations to go to the Great Salt Lake Valley, making yokes and bows for the cattle and training them to travel when hitched together. They fitted up three wagons with three or more yoke of cattle to each wagon and having only one yoke of cattle and three yokes of steers, they had to use several cows. At Council Bluffs, Iowa, a company of 50 families were organized with Joseph Howell as Captain. They started for Utah the first week in May 1852.
Every morning at the call of the bugle, all would make preparations for the day's journey. In the evening after the cattle and sheep had been herded on the grass for hours, they would make a corral of their wagons to shut in the cattle. There were about forty sheep and they had a fold of canvas to protect the sheep at night. While traveling, they would roll the fold up and fasten it to the side of the wagon. The family walked most of the way across the plains with the exception of the two youngest children, who were too small to walk. The four older sisters, the youngest being eight years old, walked all the way and drove sheep and and younger stock. One of the difficulties to contend with was to get the sheep across the streams, for sheep seem to be afraid of water. Then the remainder would follow. Night and morning the cows had to be milked and the milk taken care of, but it added greatly to the food supply."
"After traveling for days, they would choose a place where wood, water, and grass was plentiful and let their teams rest for a day or more. This was the time when the women would do their washing, and bake crackers to eat for lunches. The men would spend their time watching the animals out grazing and making whips and lariats out of rawhide. Occasionally, on moonlight nights a plot of ground was cleared and they would all enjoy a dance for a change. Sunday was observed as a day of rest and worship. While crossing the desert they had to gather buffalo chips for fuel as nothing grew that could be burned. When passing salaratus beds after a rain, it was quite hard to prevent the animals from drinking from the puddles of alkali water which was poisonous to the animals if they drink it."
Lydia Standley Burnham wrote: "We came to Salt Lake in 1852, having three wagons with three yoke of cattle to each wagon. We came to Utah in Joseph Howel's "Fifty" and Captain Whitehead's "Ten".Mary Mikesell Dean related how when her grandmother Elizabeth Benson came to stay with the Mikesell family, she and Mary would sleep in the same bed. Elizabeth would tell Mary stories about the trip to Utah. Here is some of what Elizabeth told Mary:
Elizabeth was 14 years old when she came west to Utah with her family. She was a school teacher on the trip, teaching the children when they were stopped and when there was time. After they arrived she continued to teach school in her house, a one room school, teaching all grades.
Elizabeth herded her family's sheep coming west with the wagon train. She swam across streams, holding a sheep's leg.
Elizabeth was told to stay close to the wagon but seeing some berry bushes, and being tired of eating the same foods everyday, she took a small bucket and went to pick berries. Suddenly an Indian grabbed her up onto his horse and galloped away. The men of the wagon train quickly came to her rescue and the Indian threw her off the horse, the fall breaking her leg. Elizabeth then had to ride in the wagon.
In the life story of Elizabeth's sister Cyrene, it was written: "During the autumn of 1851 and the winter of 1851-52 the family made preparations for the journey across the plains to Salt Lake Valley.
The father, a far-sighted man of financial ability, traded his horses, oxen, and other property for milk cows and young cattle. The cows were trained to the yoke and on the journey they pulled the wagons and gave milk en-route. However, as the wagons were well loaded and the cows not very strong, those in the company who were strong enough walked most of the way, and the young girl Cyrene was one of these.
On the way the principal food for the family consisted of milk from the teams of cows. These were milked night and morning, and the milk was carried in a wooden churn. At the end of each day's journey the small balls of butter were strained from the milk and the latter used with corn meal mush, which furnished the family supper. The butter was used with "Johnny cake" for breakfast. [The motion of the wagon churned the butter and made the buttermilk] The company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley September 15, 1852." [Church records state that they arrived December 31, 1852.]
Back left: Sarah Standley Pace, 1844-1924; Cyrene Standley Merrill, 1840-1917; Elizabeth Standley Benson, 1838-1919; Lydia Standley Burnham, 1846-1933.
Front left: Michael Standley, 1849-1934; Philinda Upson Standley, 1814-1892; Alexander Henry Standley, 1836-1912.
Elizabeth wrote: "Father was a believer in - but never practiced - the holy order of plural Marriage. He said to me when I was about to enter into it: "My dear child, this is a glorious principle, if you could only realize the responsibilities you are taking upon yourself and keep in your place, honor, respect and obey your husband, and above all else, regard the feelings of the other wives as you would the apple of your eye. Do as you would be done by under all circumstances; you will as surely gain the highest degree of glory for the daughters of zion." But, O. how often we forget good counsel."
George Burton Standley writes: The company reached Salt Lake City on October 3rd, 1852. There breaking company and camp, my great-grandfather and his company went to East Weber where he made a dug-out. The family wintered there, where the cattle could live by browsing on the underbrush and limbs of the cottonwood trees growing near the Weber River. When winter was over, the family went to Bountiful and settled by a spring near Jordan Island where they spent the first four years in Utah.
Alexander Scoby Standley was a scoolteacher part of the time after arriving in Utah. It was his desire to gather with the Saints, and after arriving in Utah, his health failed fairly fast. He died December 29, 1854, at Bountiful, Davis County, Utah. His wife Philinda Upson Standley lived until January 27, 1892."Our Pioneer Heritage, Volumn 9: "Although most of the families of the South Bountiful distrct made butter and cheese for their own use, they often bartered some for household necessities. The arrival of the Alexander S. Standley family in 1853 probably marked the beginning commerically of the dairy industry in the district. An island in the bend of the Jordan River furnished excellent pasturage for their twenty-five milk cows. Later, the lake water covered the pasture and the family abandoned their holdings."
Elizabeth wrote: "Two years after we came to Utah, father quietly passed away and was laid to rest New Year's Day, 1855."
Go to part 2 - Elizabeth marries and marries and marries.>
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