MORONI MINER AUTOBIOGRAPHY of MORONI MINER  

written (between 1914 & 1935)?

Relief Society Jubilee Box 1880 Written in her (??) own handwriting with her strong testimony of the gospel.

 

Moroni Miner and his brother carried on their Mother's ideal of thrift, hard work and courage.  I, Moroni Miner, was born June 4th, 1835, in the town of Kirtland, Grange County, Ohio.

 

My father's name was Albert Miner, and my mother's maiden name was Tamma Durfee. I was  blessed when a baby by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I was baptized in June 1848, by Elder David Garner, in the little Misqueet River, east of Canesville, Iowa, and confirmed a member of the church the same day, but do not remember the Elder who confirmed me. Parents My parents lived in Nauvoo from 1842 to 1846 and were residents of that place at the  time the saints were expelled. My father and family with Edmund Durfee and his family, 14 in number, and in one wagon, owned by my father, left Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi River and located at a place called Iowaville, on the De Moines River, where they lived until 1848.  On January 3, 1848, my father died, leaving mother with but little means and a family of seven children. It was at the time I felt the necessity of doing something for myself, and I went to live and do work for one Dr. Smith for my board.

 

Winter Quarters

From there I left for Winter Quarters with a man by the name of Bailes, where I remained for a few days looking after stock etc., when I left with Brigham Young Company for Salt Lake Valley.  The family with which I was traveling thought that in as much as I did not have the consent  of my mother to cross the plains with them I had better return back. I decided to do so,  and to await the arrival of my folks and then accompany them to Utah. I recrossed the Missouri River and lived with a man by the name of Carmikle on the Missouri bottoms, assisted him in the breaking up of land and doing other work for my board. I rejoined my family and now being 13 years of age, my brother, Orson, two years older than I, we cut and hauled hay from off the prairie sufficient to feed six head of cattle during the winter of 1848 49.  We had to cut this hay with scythes, and for young men we found it hard work.

 

On to Salt Lake

In June of 1850, my mother having in readiness everything she possessed, which was composed of two yoke of oxen and two cows, and a wagon, with scant provisions for the journey across the plains, we began that most memorable trip in Garner Snow's Company of 50 and James York's Company of 10, of which we were members, along with Joseph Young's family. During that more than 1000 mile journey, I walked all the way assisting in the driving of cattle and sheep across the plains. At times as we were traveling along, great herds of buffalo wouldblockade the road, and would have to be driven away to make passage clear. At times when in camp with the wagons formed in a circle for a corral, and our stock were perfectly quiet, suddenly they would stampede. This would also happen at times when traveling along and they would run for miles and ofttimes some were killed or wounded. Such incidents gave us much trouble and delayed us more or less in our journey. In October of the same year we arrived in Salt Lake City. Shortly after our arrival, Mother met and married Patriarch Enos Curtis. We then moved on to a farm owned by Lorenzo Young, on the Jordan River, about 10 miles south of the city. I, along with others of the family, made chairs for a livihood. The following spring my brother, Orson, a boy 17 years of age, who drove the teams all the way across the plains died, March 5, 1851.

 

Springville  

Shortly after Orson's death our family moved to Springville and from that day to the present I have made it my home.  After our arrival in Springville, father Curtis took up 20 acres of land. I assisted in the plowing and planting of grain and our crop was the first to mature that fall. I also assisted in making the first water ditch out of Hobble Creek, and the completion of the first house built outside of the old fort which answered as a shelter for our family many years. I contributed $10. toward the building of the first meeting house which was built outside the old fort and from that day to  the present I have contributed and assisted most materially in the erection of every meeting house in Springville and other buildings, Opera House, etc.  In making comment regarding the public enterprises, I have taken part in, will here state that all the roads leading into our various canyons, including the government road through Hobble Creek canyon over into the Strawberry Valley. I assisted in opening up, so that timber, lumber, etc., could be hauled into our cities. Lumber from on of these mills was used in the rearranging of the Old Meeting House as it now appears. I was one with others who went over on the east side of the Cedar Valley in the winter of 1854 to burn charcoal with the idea of selling some in Salt Lake City for blacksmithing purposes as stone coal was not used at that time in Utah.  Our industry progressed very favorably until one night at about 8 o'clock in the early spring. we heard a man coming toward us on a horse from the south fort, know as Camp Floyd, of that section, to warn us of trouble that had arisen with the Indians, through an attempt of the Sheriff to arrest one of their members for have committed some crime.   As the messenger drew nearer and before he told us of the trouble, one of our party, a man by the name of Carson, related a dream he had the night before, the nature of which he had had similar dreams before, were forebodings of death in their family, so also it proved to be a warning in this case, for when the messenger told us of the trouble, and that one white man and a brother to the man who related his dream, and two or three Indians had been killed.  We at once left our camp and all we had there. During the night Indians came and burned up all our charcoal, laid siege upon our axes and hacked to death what sheep we had penned up.  The loss and our disappointment in that time of sore need was certainly a hard blow on us.

 

Indian War  

In 1854, the Indian War broke out and we had to move all the houses outside the four center blocks of Springville, and move them into the center of the street, thus forming a fort. The fall of this year the Indians drove off the last yoke of oxen we owned. I, along with others followed them to the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon. It was a bitter cold day and some returned while others followed the trail further on, but with results and they too returned.  The Indians spent that winter at the hot springs, now know as Castella, and ate up most of their stolen plunder.   In the Spring of 1854, a treaty was made and we got back one of our oxen.  I took part during this war by going on expeditions, standing guard, and served as a minute man. After the war, I assisted our family in moving our house back on to the farm. It was this year the citizens decided to build a 12 foot wall around the original 8 blocks of Springville, so they could move back on to their own city lots. A portion of this wall was never completed, but after it was cut down to 6 feet, and was then pretty much finished, entrances to the inclosure were made on each side. The wall was built by taxation and donations during the years 1854 55, and I did my part in the building thereof.  In 1855 the land west of Springville beyond the old slew, was surveyed into 20 acre fields and each plat numbered. Drawings were made for choice of land. I drew a favorable plat and farmed it in two years, getting water for irrigation from Spanish Fork River. In this year I was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. In this year father Curtis died and the responsibility of the family rested upon myself and brothers.

 

Trip to Missouri River  

In the spring of 1857 I was called to go to the Missouri River for the XX Company with my team of horses to haul freight and carry the mail to Utah. On my way to the river I was appointed to assist Stephen Markham in building a station on the upper crossing of the Sweetwater River.  We built houses and corrals and took care of the stock for the Express Company.  While at this place the front rear guards of Johnson's Army camped with us for two weeks and shortly after that we abandoned the station and returned back to Utah with everything we had.  While away for the Express Company, my new Survey farm was rented to a man by the name of Messenger, and he delivered into my granary 50 bushels of wheat raised from a volunteer crop.  After arriving home that fall my brother Mormon, younger than I, was called to go to Echo Canyon in defense of the people against the invasion of Johnson's Army; the care of the family then rested upon me. In the year 1858, I was ordained a Seventy by Lorenzo Johnson, one of the Presidents of the 51st Quorum of Seventy. I acted as a ward teacher, and have engaged in that labor pretty much ever since.

 

Indian Raid & Chase

 During this year the Indians and renegades gave the people much trouble. It was deemed wise to fence the mouth of all our canyons and place men to guard them night and day. I took part in this work and spent many an anxious hour at the mouth of Hobble Creek Canyon. Spring Creek canyon being unguarded for a short time, the Indians swept down on to the east bench and made a raid on some stock feeding there. They killed a beef, left a saddle and took a bank of horses up the canyon. A mare and colt they could not get over the fence, they shot them down and went on with the rest of the animals. Andrew Wilds was called upon to take a company of men and follow them, I being one of them, and by eleven o'clock the same day we were fitted up and ontheir trail.  We followed them over the mountains to Little Round Valley, now known as Wallsburg and camped over night, next morning their fire was sighted right east of us. We hurried and saddled our horses as quickly as possible and started on their trail again. By the time we reached the fire we found they had been gone some time, but we kept on and followed theme over the mountains through Provo Valley to where Heber is now located, and then on as far as Provo River, where  we decided they were too far ahead of us, and so we returned back, camping the first night on our return at the lower end of Provo Valley. The next day we met the guards at the mouth of the canyon and returned home. This incident occurred before there was a wagon road built in Provo Valley. After which I assisted in building the road into the Provo Valley and was paid by the Church for my work.  In June of 1859 and the July holidays coming on, I was short of ready means. I therefore yoked up my cattle and took my scythe into the field and cut a load of hay; after curing it I loaded the hay on to my wagon and hauled in to Camp Floyd, forty miles away, and sold it for $10.00.  This money bridged me along, during the holidays in a very satisfactory manner.

 

Fairview  

In the spring of 1866, Mormon and I went into the north end of Sanpete County to make a home. We located at Fairview and in consequence of the Indians being so troublesome the summer before, the settlers had to abandon the place, but during the winter some of the men built a rock fort and in the spring the families moved back. I failed in getting the land I wanted. I was then called upon along with others to guard the town during the summer against the Indians for they were still troublesome. We spent about three months guarding this valley. I assisted in making a ditch across the valley, which created a large meadow and from which Fairview got their hay for several years after. A few years following, the people took up this land and made homes, giving the place the name of Indianola, and is known by that name today. It was  afterwards set apart as a reserve for the Indians. Back to Springville  I returned back to Springville the last of June and worked during the early fall in the first separator thresher, built by Solomon Chase, at Springville and Payson. Mormon, having returned back home, he and I burned charcoal in Hobble and Maple Creek Canyons. When winter set in and the lake was frozen over we crossed over to the west mountains and burned cedar coal there to supply Brother Haymond our local blacksmith who made all our farm implements out of scrap iron.

 

Marriage  

The 4th of February 1861, I married Nancy Elizabeth Chase and she has born unto me 15 children; 12 sons and 3 daughters. During this year I spent the time building me a home. I bought lot 2 in block 4, plat A from Mrs Orren Packard for the sum of $50. and lived there until 1873 when I sold the place to J. Albert Grosbeck. During the summer of 1863 I hauled lumber from Strawberry Valley, a portion of which was used for the remodeling of the Old Meeting House. Solomon Chase had the contract to make changes.  In the year 1863, quite a large amount of tithing grain had accumulated in Sanpete County.  The Church offered one half to deliver the same in Salt Lake City. I spent the forepart of theseason hauling this grain.  In the fall word came from Montana that there was a scarcity of flour there. I loaded up 4000 pounds of flour and with Alex Robertson and Bringhurst and Houtz outfit of four or five wagons with Joseph Bissell and James Oakley in charge, all loaded with flour, left for Montana. Arriving there we sold our loads for $25 per 100 pounds. I took a four mule team and wagon on mine and the balance in gold dust. After returning home that fall I fitted up a six mule team and as all goods was hauled to the valley at that time by wagons, I sent my brother Alma with the team  to Southern California with others for merchandise for Walker Brothers. These trips covered over a period of about three months time. My profit from this trip amounted to about $35.00.  Wheat took a big jump this fall going up to $8.00 per bushel.  In 1864, in consequence of low profits from the use of my teams, I sold them and bought a bunch of cattle and took them into Montana. On the road I took down with the measles and came very nearly dying. As a result I did not make much from the sale of my cattle.  In 1865-67, I spent most of my time at home, improving my possessions and doing some hauling of lumber and wood from Strawberry and the near canyons.  In 1868, in company with Chanch Cook, I went to White Pine, Nevada, Mining District and there hauled the first load of lumber into what is now known as Hamilton City.  In 1869, my brother Carlos and I took a contract on the Central Pacific railroad at Promontory Point, and built the grade where the east and the west workings joined and at which point the golden spike was driven.   After selling my home to Albert Grosbeck in 1873, I went into East Canyon, Tooele County, Utah , and worked during the summer lumbering along with Nelson Spafford. In the fall I returned to Springville and located on a farm I bought the year before  from Bishop Johnson, south of the city and have lived there ever since.  

 

For the next 20 years of my life I was engaged exclusively in the occupation of improving my farm, home, and the raising of cattle, and looking after my family. I was located for a time, but only temporarily, at Pleasant Valley Junction and conducted a dairy and butch business there. At one time as I was on my way to the Junction with a number of cattle, and while on the right of way, a train came along and killed 21 head. I received as damages from the railroad company $180.00. Spending two years there I returned back to my farm at Springville. Salt Lake Temple Dedication & Mission Call  In 1893, during April Conference, I attended the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple. At this conference I received a call to go on a mission to the Southern States.

 

Mission Call  

I left my home for North Carolina, May 19th, 1893 and spent exactly 23 months in the service of the Lord, reaching home April 19, 1895 and from that date until the present I have directed my energy toward the looking after my affairs at home both from a temporal and spiritual standpoint.  On January 27th, 1901, I was ordained a High Priest by Elder Reed Smoot, who was ordained a High Priest by Lorenzo Snow, who was ordained a High Priest by the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood, with all its power and authority by the Apostles Peter, James, and John.  After my ordination I was set apart as an alternate High Councilman in the Utah stake of Zion, by Joseph B. Keeper. I labored in the capacity until September 1st, 1905, when I was set apart asa High Councilman of the above Stake by President David John. I labored faithfully in this capacity along with my brethren until because of my advanced age, I tendered by resignation and it was accepted by the Presidency and High Council of the Stake, April the 14, 1914. 

 

In concluding this Sketch, I will make mention of some of the very personal testimonies, or knowledge I have of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  From early childhood I have had more or less of the hard or difficult things of life to combat with, in the pioneering of this now beautiful state.   I am compelled by the spirit of God that rests upon me to acknowledge that a protecting power has been over, around and about me during all these many years. Not once have I been seriously hurt, while handling my animals in the pursuit of the various occupations I have been engaged in; such as lumbering, logging, freighting, herding, breaking of unused animals, etc. as to lose the use of any of my limbs. God has been kind to me, and to the best of my knowledge and understanding, I have tried to comply with all the requirements that have been made of me. I have never had any great manifestations of the work of the Lord; but from early manhood it seems as though I have always known of the divinity of the Lord and his revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith.  

One incident which I acknowledge as a testimony in answer to prayer came to me in the year 1863. I had accompanied a threshing outfit to Nephi, and while there, I was stricken with Diphtheria so bad that my throat and tongue was so swollen I could not swallow. I requested that I be administered to. Bishop Bigler and his first counselor came and did so. I was promised health and strength, and from that moment I began to recover.

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In 1851, Moroni helped dig the first irrigation ditches, the first roads and the first houses outside the fort. He planted and raised a good crop the first year they came. In 1853, he joined the Walker War. Served as guard and minute man. Followed Indians into Provo Canyon where roads had not yet been built to get stolen cattle. He served in all later Indian trouble.

In 1858, he was called to the Missouri River with Y.X. Company wagon trains to carry freight and mail and Saints. [from Morgan county Historical Society: “The YX Company. During a brief six month period in 1857 the YX Company (The Brigham Young Express and Carrying Company...”] In 1860, he moved to Fairview and helped the early settlers.

On February 3, 1861, he married Nancy Elizabeth Chase. Sealed later, January 7, 1869 in the Endowment House.  

In 1863, he hauled tithing grain from Fairview, Sanpete County, to Salt Lake City. He went with 4,000 pounds of flour to Montana where flour sold for $25. per hundred. Drove cattle to Montana to sell. In 1873, he went to Nevada to haul lumber. Then moved to the Miner farm where he resided until his death in 1935. He took up a homestead and bought more land at $1.25 per acre. He helped dig a ditch by hand to get a small stream of water from the Big Hollow to his cattle. He dug several wells for house use. The Big Hollow now irrigates many acres. He sold meat to the first railroad builders at P.V. Junction, opened up one of the first meat markets in Springville.

In 1909, his son, Floyd, rented his farm and 100 head of cattle. Moroni bought and sold cattle until his death in 1935. He helped to build the first school house in Springville. His olderchildren went to a one room school house where Mary J. Finley taught on 4th North. It was a long way to go. The boys had an old horse they all rode, four at a time. They had trained her to kneel down like a camel. He was chairman of the Building Committee for the First Ward Second Ward Church. He helped to build the first ward chapel where he first attended with his family.

From 1893 to 1895, he served on a mission to the Southern States.  

He was a member of the High Council of Utah Stake from 1905 to 1915 and was released on account of advanced age. He drove his buggy and horse with Don Fullmer and missed very few meeting. He served in many other positions of trust in the Church and community.

He died August 14, 1935 at 100 years, 2 months and 10 days old. He enjoyed a big family reunion at Park Roshee north of Springville. He shook hands with several hundred relatives and friends, took part in a pageant in the evening written by Eva Maser Crandall with family members taking part. All in verse and song, taken from his Mother`s autobiography.

He was the father of 15 children, 12 sons and 3 daughters. Ten grew to maturity, all married in the Temple. One son died age 17, two boys age 13 and 12, one baby girl lived about 2 days, and one son died age 2.

His wife, Nancy died June 3. 1928 when he was 92 years old. His daughter, Elizabeth cared for him until his death.