CYRENE STANDLEY MERRILL

by Viola Kent, Oldest Grandchild

 

CYRENE STANDLEY MERRILL WAS THE FIFTH CHILD BORN TO ALEXANDER SCOBY STANDLEY AND PHYLINDA UPSON. SHE WAS BORN MAY 1, 1840 AT NAUVOO, ILLINOIS. IN THE WINTER OF 1845/6 PREPARATIONS WERE MADE FOR THE GREAT JOURNEY ACROSS THE PLAINS WITH THE SAINTS. HER FATHER BEING A MAN OF FINANCIAL ABILITY MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO LIVE VERY COMFORTABLY IN NAUVOO. HE TRADED HIS HORSES AND OXEN ALONG WITH OTHER PROPERTY FOR COWS WHICH CONSTITUTED THE TEAMS AND FURNISHED THAT IMPORTANT FOOD "MILK" AND BUTTER FOR THE FAMILY DURING THE JOURNEY. THE CALVES AND STOCK WERE DRIVEN BY THE GIRLS. CYRENE TOOK HER TURN AT A VERY EARLY AGE WHICH SUGGESTS THAT SHE WAS A CHILD WITH A VERY STRONG CONSTITUTION.

 

CYRENE HAD VERY LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLING, BUT HER PARENTS, ESPECIALLY HER FATHER WAS A SCHOLAR, AND THE FAMILY'S EDUCATION WAS NOT NEGLECTED IN THEIR HOME, ESPECIALLY AT BOUNTIFUL WHERE THEY LOCATED UPON THEIR ARRIVAL IN UTAH ON SEPTEMBER 15 AROUND 1852.

 

AT THE AGE OF SIXTEEN SHE WAS MARRIED TO MARRINER WOOD MERRILL ON THE 5TH OF JUNE, 1856 BY JEDEDIAH M.GRANT IN SALT LAKE CITY. AT THAT TIME THE STANDLEY FAMILY PROPERTY WAS BEING DIVIDED, THE FATHER HAVING DIED TWO YEARS PREVIOUS, AND SHE RECEIVED A SUBSTANTIAL DOWERY CONSISTING OF COWS, SHEEP AND OTHER HELPFUL ARTICLES AMOUNTING TO AS MUCH AS HER HUSBAND THEN OWNED.  THIS ADDITION TO THE PROPERTY HOLDINGS OF A VIGOROUS ENERGETIC YOUNG MAN OF TWENTY-FOUR MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO START ON THE ROAD OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS.

 

TWO CHILDREN WERE BORN TO THEM IN BOUNTIFUL, THE FIRST HAVING DIED WHEN IT WAS SEVEN MONTHS OLD. APOSTLES BENSON AND HYDE ADVISED THEM TO COME TO CACHE VALLEY IN MARCH OF i860 AND BABY HEALEN, MOTHER AND FATHER DID THAT. THEIR FIRST HOME WAS THE WAGON BOX PLACED ON ROCKS WHICH HELD IT AT EIGHT INCHES FROM THE GROUND.  HER STOVE WAS MADE OF ROCKS ON THE GROUND.

 

THE FIRST HARVEST OF GRAIN WAS CUT WITH A CRADLE. DURING THE HARVEST SHE WOULD TAKE BABY HEALEN TO THE FIELD AND RAKE IN PILES THE GRAIN AS HER HUSBAND CUT, THEN AS HE BOUND IT IN SHEAVES, SHE WOULD PLACE IT IN SHOCKS WHERE THE BABY SLEPT, OR PLAYED, OR PERHAPS CRIED. THIS EARLY DATE OF A FAST GROWING FAMILY WAS OFTEN MENTIONED AS BEING A VERY HAPPY, UNITED FAMILY WHICH CONSISTED NOW OF AUNTIE AND HER SMALL CHILDREN WHO JOINED THEM IN RICHMOND.

 

THE ARTS OF PIONEER HOME-MAKING WHICH SHE HAD LEARNED IN HER FATHER'S HOME, NOW CAME INTO GOOD USE FOR SHE TOOK THE WOOL FROM THE SHEEP’S BACK, WASHED, SPUN, AND WOVE THE SAME INTO CLOTH FROM WHICH MEN AND BOYS SUITS AND WOMENS CLOTHING BECAME THE FINISHED PRODUCTS OF HER HANDS. SHE ALSO WOVE CARPETS, BRAIDED STRAW FOR HATS, KNIT SOCKS, MITTENS, ETC.

 

HER CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT READING, WRITING, AND ARITHMETIC IN THEIR OWN HOME. SHE WAS ALWAYS A GREAT READER AND DURING HER LONG USEFUL LIFE SHE KEPT ABREAST OF THE TIMES BY THIS MEANS, ALSO MADE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF ALL THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES AS WELL AS READING THEIR SERMONS. HER CHILDREN ALWAYS ATTENDED THE CHURCH AUXILIARIES NO MATTER WHAT THE DISTANCE OR MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

 

WALKING FROM THEIR HOME OUT SOUTH WAS THEIR MAIN MEANS OF GOING TO TOWN FOR MANY YEARS. HEALEN AND OTHER MEMBERS OFTEN WALKED CARRYING PAILS OF EGGS AND BUTTER, WHICH WAS MADE INTO TWO POUND ROLLS WRAPPED IN CHEESECLOTH, TO TRADE TO BROTHER STANDISH AT THE CO-OP STORE FOR FAMILY NECESSITIES.

 

TWO OUTSTANDING PRINCIPLES EMPHASIZED IN HER TEACHINGS WERE PRAYER AND TITHING. HER FAMILY WAS TAUGHT OBEDIENCE, ESPECIALLY TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF HER FATHER WAS MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL THINGS, FOR THEREBY THEY COULD HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE AND A FINAL REWARD WOULD BE OBTAINED.

 

AT THE AGE OF SIXTY-FIVE SHE MADE THIS STATEMENT TO ONE OF HER SONS, "WHEN I MARRIED YOUR FATHER I MADE A SOLEMN COVENANT TO OBEY HIS LAW AND LIVE AND ABIDE BY HIS COUNSEL. THIS I HAVE DONE ALWAYS AND HOPE FOR A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A REWARD. YOUR FATHER IS A RIGHTEOUS MAN AND WILL BE CROWNED A KING AND I A QUEEN BY HIS SIDE. THEREFORE DON'T WORRY ABOUT SMALL THINGS WHICH ARE ONLY TRIFLES IN COMPARISON."

 

NO GREATER PROOF OF HER UNSELFISHNESS COULD BE CITED THAN HER FIFTH MOVE FROM HER HOME OUT SOUTH TO THE MILL. WHATEVER HER FEELINGS WERE, THIS ATTITUDE KNOWN ONLY TO TRUE LDS WOMEN CAUSED HER TO YIELD OBEDIENCE FOR THE WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OTHERS. THIS HOME AT THE MILL WAS KNOWN AS HER HOME EVER AFTER.

 

THE LATTER PART OF HER LIFE WAS SPENT WITH THE SICK AND THOSE IN NEED, DOING KINDNESSES WHICH WILL NEVER BE FOUND IN EARTHLY RECORDS AND YET, APPRECIATION FROM SUCH PEOPLE WAS AMPLE PAY FOR HER. SHE WAS THE ONLY KNOWN DOCTOR TO MANY FAMILIES IN RICHMOND AND LEWISTON. HITCHING HER FAITHFUL HORSE "OLD CAP" TO HER BUGGY, SHE WOULD TRAVEL TO ADMINISTER HELP IN SICKNESS, DEATH, AND OTHER KINDS OF SUFFERING HER FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WERE SUBJECTED TO.

 

HER THEORY WAS THAT THERE WAS NO DISGRACE IN ANY KIND OF HONEST LABOR AND A REAL LADY WAS AMBITIOUS TO DO HER PART WHETHER INDOORS OR OUT. EVERY JOB AROUND THE HOUSE SHOULD BE OF INTEREST TO ALL. SHE PLANTED TREES, SHRUBS, AND GARDENS IN SEVERAL PLACES, COULD REPAIR AND BUILD FENCES, AS SHE COULD USE BOTH HAMMER AND SAW. SHE SAID IT WAS NOT BENEATH THE DIGNITY OF A LADY TO DO SO WHEN NECESSITY CALLED FOR SUCH LABOR.

 

REDEMPTION FOR HER DEAD WAS OF GREAT CONCERN TO HER AND BY PURCHASING A 200 PAGE BOOK, SHE BEGAN THE PIONEER WORK IN GENEALOGY IN THE STANDLEY FAMILY WHICH NOW IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLETE IN THE CHURCH. SHE PREDICTED AT THIS TIME SOME OF HER DESCENDANTS WOULD BECOME INTERESTED IN THIS MOST IMPORTANT WORK - WHICH IS TRUE. THIS SPIRIT OF RESEARCH CAUSED SOME OF HER DESCENDANTS TO SEARCH RECORDS FOR HER LIFE'S ACTIVITIES, THEREBY, FINDING MANY THINGS WHICH PROVE TO US THAT SHE WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON, AND WE LOVE HER FOR THE GOOD SHE HAS DONE FOR SO MANY.

 

SHE REMAINED STRONG AND HEALTHY BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY UNTIL HERLAST SICKNESS OVERTOOK HER. AFTER HER HUSBAND'S DEATH IN 1906 SHE HAD NO ONE HOME, BUT FOR MANY YEARS SHE LIVED WITH HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND WAS COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY.  IN MEMORY'S PICTURE I CAN SEE HER ENJOYING A PRIVATE COMFORTABLE ROOM IN MY HOME WHICH MOST OF MY CHILDREN WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ALSO.

 

SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF EIGHT CHILDREN AND SIX LIVED TO REAR FAMILIES. SHE HAS MANY GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND THREE LIVING CHILDREN: PARLEY, EZRA, IDA. SHE WAS STRICKEN WITH HER LAST ILLNESS AT THE HOME OF HER DAUGHTER IDA VAN ORDEN AT HER HOME IN LEWISTON AND PASSED AWAY THERE NOVEMBER 24, 1917. THUS ENDED THE LIFE OF ONE OF GOD'S CHOICEST DAUGHTERS, A LIFE WHICH HAD BEEN FILLED WITH THE HARDSHIPS OF PIONEER LIVING AND JOYS OF SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS AND AN ASSURANCE OF THE RESURRECTION AND ETERNAL LIFE.

 

ADDENDUM BY MARY ELLEN GEE, GRANDDAUGHTER

 

EARLY IN THE YEAR 1860, APOSTLES ORSON HYDE AND EZRA BENSON ADVISED BROTHER MERRILL TO TAKE HIS FAMILY AND MOVE TO CACHE VALLEY. THEY SET OUT ON THE ELEVENTH OF MARCH. CYRENE, WITH A FOUR-MONTH OLD DAUGHTER, ACCOMPANIED HER HUSBAND. ALL WENT WELL ON THE JOURNEY UNTIL THEY REACHED THE DIVIDE, KNOWN AS CACHE HILL.  HERE THEY WERE OVERTAKEN BY A BLINDING SNOW STORM. NIGHT DESCENDED UPON THEM. THEY WERE WET AND COLD.  THERE WAS NO CHANCE FOR A FIRE. THEY TURNED THE STOCK LOOSE AND TRIED TO KEEP THEMSELVES WARM IN THE WAGON. THE BABY WAS ILL AND THE YOUNG PARENTS THOUGHT THE DREADFUL NIGHT WOULD NEVER END. IN THE MORNING THE WEATHER WAS FAIR, THEY GATHERED SAGE BRUSH, MADE A FIRE AND FIXED A WARM BREAKFAST.

 

TRAVEL WAS DIFFICULT.  THE SNOW WAS DEEP.  THERE WAS NO ROAD.  THEY WERE COMPELLED TO CAMP FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL THE SNOW MELTED SOMEWHAT. THEY FINALLY REACHED THE PRESENT SITE OF WELLSVILLE, ALMOST EXHAUSTED WITH THE HARDSHIPS OF THE JOURNEY. HENRY SANDAGE INVITED THEM INTO HIS LITTLE LOG CABIN, MADE THEM WELCOME AND AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. HE SHARED HIS SCANTY SUPPLY OF HAY AND IN THE MORNING GAVE THEM A WARM BREAKFAST. YEARS AFTER, THE MERRILLS LEARNED THAT THIS KIND FAMILY HAD GIVEN THEM THE LAST MORSEL OF FOOD THEY HAD.