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Show about provisions for the winter. After a council, I made the suggestion that those who had left grain and animals at their homes take teams and go back to get them; and it might be that the Lord would soften the hearts of our enemies that they would let us have some of our own to bring back with us. I had left plenty of grain and hogs at home, so I went with the company, but when I arrived at my home, all was gone. My bins were empty, and my hogs were stolen or strayed off. Nothing was there; and in this condition, my feeling can only be imagined. I was among my bitter enemies with no money to buy food with and my family out in the wilds with winter upon them and nothing to live on. I was walking the yard with a silent prayer to God that He would soften the hearts of my enemies, that they would be willing to let me have some of my own provisions to take to my family. While thus in deep trouble, a Mr. Cantrel, one of my neighbors, though a bitter enemy to our church, came up to me and said, "Good morning, Mr. Porter, you seem to be in trouble." "I am," I answered, "My family is out in a wild country with winter upon them and nothing to live on, and I have no money to buy food to take to them." His heart seemed to soften, for he said, "Drive over to my place. You can have what you want and it will not cost you anything." With a thankful heart, I accepted his offer, although I felt I was getting my own, but we had suffered so much persecution that we were forced to take the strips and bow to the giver. (End of portion from Chauncy's father's autobiography.) In 1833 Chauncy married Amy Sumner, in Independence, Missouri. They experienced the persecutions related by his father. The information is not available as to when Chauncy and his family left the Independence area, however his father's family left in 1839 and traveled to Montrose, Lee County, Iowa. Chauncy and Amy had children born in Lee County, so it is assumed they settled for a while near his folks. Lydia Ann Cook, a young orphan girl, accompanied them from Missouri. According to where the children were born, the family lived in Hancock County, Illinois, for a time, and then moved to Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska. Chauncy and Amy were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple on January 22, 1846. Amy's health was bad after the birth of the twins in December of 1846. She died April 5,1847, at Winter Quarters. While Amy was sick, she asked her husband and Lydia to enter into plural marriage, so that her children would be taken care of. On March 6,1846, they were married by Brigham Young. Chauncy was only Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together a polygamist for a year. However on February 10, 1848, Chauncy married Priscilla Strong at Winter Quarters. While still at Winter Quarters, Lydia gave birth to her first child, Warriner Ahaz. When it came time for the family to leave Winter Quarters, Priscilla became ill. Chauncy suggested that Lydia and the family go on ahead and he would come as soon as Priscilla was able to travel. In June, Chauncy readied a team and wagon, with sufficient food to last, and put Lydia, her one-month-old son, Warriner, and his children, Malinda, Sarah, Nancy, and Alma, in care of his brother-in-law, Nathan Tenney. Alma, only thirteen years old, was the teamster in charge of the wagon. Lydia's wagon was placed in Willard Richard's company. Her father-in- law, Sanford Porter Sr., was in the same company. They were on their way by July 5,1848. They reached the valley of the Great Salt Lake on October 12,1848. Information is not available as to when Chauncy arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, however it appears that it was 1849. Chauncy gathered his two wives and family and settled in Mill Creek. In the spring of 1858, the family moved to what is now Utah County, as Johnston's Army was coming to "take care of the Mormons." In the spring of 1860, the family moved to Centerville just long enough for Chauncy to arrange to move them to Hardscrabble. While serving in the Utah War against Johnston's Army, Chauncy's brother, Sanford Jr., had seen the Hardscrabble area and noted the tall sagebrush that indicated good soil. In the spring of 1859, the two brothers hauled Ai. . :ir*"\: i ... i is 1 "!IIH»!II ipnffiRL ^s.-iijiiHmwinii,,,] fc* -4i wn~* Porterville Church |
