The first day of Oct.. 1829 in the town of Lewiston Fulton Co. Ahaz Cook took as his wife a
lovely widow lady by the name of Hannah Sherwood Jennings. They were married by
William Balson, a Minister of the Gospel (taken from Vol. A Page 6 #49 of the marriage
Record Book in the Office of the Clerk of the County Court of Fulton Co. Illinois,) Soon
after they moved to the fertile valley of the Illinois River where they bought a piece of land
near the town of Peoria, and began a home. Here on 6 August 1830 a daughter, Lydia
Ann, was born.

Lydia Ann knew very little about her own parents only that they joined the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter day Saints. Because of the severe persecution of the Saints Lydia's
mother left the Church taking a daughter Irene with her, leaving Lydia Ann with her Father
(traditions says there were 2 boys in this family).

"In the Journal History of the Church dated 6 Oct.. 1836 we quote "The Quarterly
conference convened at Far West this day at 10 o'clock according at adjournment.
President Marsh and Young Presiding.

Elder Benjamin L. Clapp said he had just returned from Kentucky where he had been
laboring, and that many doors were opened there.

A call was made for volunteers to go into the vineyard and preach, when Elder James
Carroll, James Gallisher, Lyman A. Shurtliff, James Dana, Ahaz Cook, Issac Decker,
Carnielius P. Lotts and Alphius Gifford offered themselves.

President Marsh instructed them not to go forth boasting of their faith, or of the judgment of
the Lord, but to go in the spirit of meekness and preach repentance, "Unquote."

Ahaz Cook died before he could fulfill this mission, leaving a little 6 ½ year old daughter an
orphan. She lived with different families for the next eight years, sometimes not receiving
the best treatment.

Chauncy Warriner Porter, his wife Amy Summer, with their family left Independence,
Missouri for Nauvoo, Ill. After traveling about 100 miles Chauncy decided to return to
Independence for the grain and livestock he had left with a neighbor. On his way back to
his family he saw 14 year old Lydia Ann tied to a tree. Being a very soft hearted man, he
untied her and took her with him. This soft spoken, light brown haired, blue eyed girl with
dimples coming and going in her right cheek as she talked and smiled was welcomed into
the family by Amy and children, Alma, Malinda Ann, Sarah Angeline, Nancy Areta.

Amy never fully regained her health after the birth of her son Hyrum, 15 March 1845 at
Jefferson, Lee Co. Iowa. Fearing that her children would be left with no one to care for
them she asked Lydia Ann if she would consider marrying her husband, and raising her
family as she knew Lydia Ann loved them and would raise them in the Gospel. Lydia Ann
was a good worker, and kind and gentle with the children and soon won the hearts of the
family. On 6 March 1845 Lydia Ann Cook was married to Chauncy Warriner Porter a man
18 years older than her by President Brigham Young at Winter Quarters, Nebraska.

At Camp Israel, Winter Quarters Nebraska 11 Dec. 1846 Amy's twin sons Joseph and
Benjamin were born. They died the following day 12 Dec. 1846. They were buried in
Winter Quarters Cemetery. Amy's health continued to fail, 6 April 1847 she died and was
buried in the same Cemetery.

Lydia was grief stricken at the loss of her friend, who had been so good to her, an orphan
child. Thoughts of the children who now turned to her in their sorrow, Alma was 12,
Melinda 10, Sarah 6 and little Nancy 3 ½ years old, and of her husband who still looked
upon her as a young girl; she knew she must keep her promise to Amy. She did her best
each day, to ease the sorrow that was in all their hearts, and care for and teach these
children of Amy's, and found that she did love the man who had befriended her, and had
given her a good home.

On the 10 Feb. 1848 Chauncy married Priscilla Strong a young girl but four months
younger than Lydia Ann.

A meeting of those going West was held at the Stand in Winter Quarters at 10:30 a.m. on
the 1 May 1848, when President Brigham Young proposed that the company emigrating
West be organized at the Elkhorn River.

Loving the Gospel as Chauncy, Lydia Ann and Priscilla did, they began making
preparations to leave their home and go to the Elkhorn 23 miles westward, where for some
weeks the emigrants with their teams and wagons had been gathering for their journey
West.

Here at Winter Quarters Douglas Co. Nebraska 20 May 1848 Lydia's first child a son
Warriner Ahaz was born.

When the time came for the family to leave Winter Quarters Priscilla became ill. Chauncy
suggested that Lydia and the family go and he would come as soon as Priscilla was able
to travel. Alma being a large boy for his age assured the responsibility of driving the
wagon to the Elkhorn River some 23 miles west where the Saints were gathering.

Brigham Young arrived on the 28 May, immediately began organizing the people into
traveling groups of hundreds, fifties and tens, according to the pattern given in the
revelation of the previous years. On the 30th he called the various groups around him and
addressed them.

"President Young gave some general instructions about observing order in the camp, he
told them not to abuse their cattle, but to take care of them; not to make noise or be up at
night; but to attend prayers and go to bed at nine o'clock and put out all fires. He said it
was best to tie up the cattle outside of the corral and the horses inside. Dogs should be
tied up or shot; sheep should be taken care of, etc."

The migration West in 1848 was accomplished in three (3) divisions, Pres. Brigham Young
over the first, Heber C. Kimball over the 2nd and Willard Richards over the 3rd. When
Brigham Youngs division was fully organized we find that Chauncy and Lydia Ann and
Priscilla and family were listed among those ready to journey West.

On June 1st (Brigham's forty-seventh birthday), his great company, which went on ahead of
the others, was ready for the journey. By actual count it was found that there were 397
wagons, 1229 souls, 74 horses, 19 mules, 1275 oxen, 699 cows, 184 cattle, 411 sheep,
141 pigs, 605 chickens, 37 cats, 82 dogs, 3 goats, 10 geese, 1 beehive, 8 doves and 1
crow." Thus did the pioneers like Israelites of old, with wives and children, flocks and
herds, journey forth into the wilderness.

June 26 "The president and captains of companies met at Brigham Young's wagon to
consult about traveling. It was noted that the space of ten feet be left between the wagon
tongues and the cattle, to preserve ourselves from their dust and not to hitch our teams to
the annoyance of our neighbors as some had done. Pres. Young instructed the captains to
see that all fires were out by nine o'clock, to assist their companies to corral, and not to
scatter on the road but to keep close together."

Cattle were turned loose to graze from about 3:30 a.m. until 7:00 a.m. each day. Camp
would start at 8:00 a.m. President Young regulated it so the people traveled about 100
miles a week.

It was necessary at times to stop a day or so to repair wagons, give the stock a rest and
that the women do much needed washing. This was always done where there was plenty
of water and grass for the stock. Some of the men would take their guns and hunt for fresh
meat, it was really a time for rejoicing when the hunter returned with plenty of fresh Buffalo
meat.

Traveling for more than a month they met a large band of Indians. They exchanged meat
and clothing for Buffalo Robes and Buckskins.

After one hundred sixteen days from Winter Quarters it was a welcome sight 20th Sept.
1848 to come from the Mouth of Emigration Canyon and look over the Great Salt Lake
Valley and see the home of the Saints and know that they were at their journey's end.

After arriving in the Valley, their first winter was spent about 4 or 5 miles South along the
Jordan River. In the early spring of 1849 Chauncy Warriner wanted to make a home for his
fast growing family. He took up land East of Salt Lake City at the mouth of Mill Creek
Canyon. The hardships were great. Clearing the ground, plowing and planting the seed
came first. They cut and hauled the logs and built a home. A real joy it was for Lydia Ann;
her first real home for the children, and also it was shared with Priscilla, Chauncy's third
wife and her family.

With the help of many pioneer women Lydia Ann learned many arts; sewing, carding,
weaving, cooking and making soap, gathering of roots for medicine. All this makes a good
wife and wonderful mother.

While living here 22 June 1850 Lydia Ann gave birth to Cynthia Cannas. On 4 May 1852
Amy Zenora was born and Justin Rockford came 18 Oct.. 1853. Chauncy built a Saw Mill
at the Mouth of Porter Canyon 4 ½ miles from the Mill Creek home. When fire destroyed it
and crops were a failure, his Father persuaded him to move his family to Centerville Davis
Co. Utah.

As early as 1854, two brothers, Chauncy Warriner and Sanford Porter Jr. crossed over the
mountain east of Centerville, into Hardscrabble Canyon, and on the banks of Beaver
Creek, located a place to build a saw mill. This was before there were any settlers in
Weber Valley to use the lumber or a road over which it could be hauled to market. They
encountered many difficulties. Their supplies and the necessary machinery had to be
transported by pack mules. They built log cabins and moved their families there the
following spring. This mill was not completed however until 1857. The first 500 feet of
lumber was taken to Centerville over the mountain on a cart driven by 4 yoke of oxen.

At the time the Johnson's Army came in 1858, they moved their families south, remained in
Provo during that winter, here Edson Darius was born the 12 April 1859. After the scare of
Johnson's Arms, the family was then moved back to the Saw Mill in Hardscrabble Canyon
west of what is now Porterville.

The town of Porterville received its name from the numerous families of Porters who first
settled there. In the spring of 1861 Sanford Porter Sr., Chauncy's father, came from
Centerville and settled. He took up land and built the first house in that part of the valley.
That same summer or fall, his sons built homes and moved their families from the canyon.

At that time, all the land west of where the Highway now is, was just dense growth of
willows and wild gooseberry bushes and east of the road it was bush grass to the foot of
the hill.

A Ward was organized very early with Chauncy Warriner Porter as Presiding Elder. Soon
a log room was erected where meetings and schools were held. The furniture was nothing
elaborate; A fireplace for warmth and slabs with logs put in the rough side for seats. But it
answered the purpose and the children received a good start for an education. Other
inconveniences were suffered which were more serious than these.

In the first years of the settlement there were no grist mills or stores. The grain had to be
taken to Ogden or Farmington to be ground. During the winter the roads through Weber
Canyon were impassable. Therefore, when the supply of four gave out, boiled wheat had
to be eaten and such vegetables as could be stored for winter use. But the Lord blessed
the people with health and strength, and the town continued to grow.

At first all pioneer homes were built alike, one room with an attic, a fire place in one end, a
window or two to let the sunshine in, and a door, the floors were made of wide planks, in
the winter time skins from wild animals were placed on the floor to keep the cold out that
came through the cracks between the boards. Later two story homes were made of brick
for Lydia Ann and Priscilla.

It was here in this beautiful valley that Lydia Ann's family continued to grow.

Nearly every thing used in the home was of home manufactured, from the small stool or
chair to the soap used to wash the clothes. The beds were made by using four boards to
make the frame, curried hides were cut in strips and laced back and forth to hold a
strawtick mattress. At first, instead of chairs, a piece of lumber five or six feet long with two
holes bored in each end and round pegs driven into them for legs. Tables were made of
rough lumber and sanded to a smooth finish with a sharp stone.

The wool was clipped from the sheep, then it was washed. After carding and spinning and
dying it was woven into cloth, from which suits for the men, dresses for the women and
children, underwear, yes the blankets were also made.

Dies were made from the yellow flowers of the Rabitbush, sage bush leaves were boiled
and strained to make the green dye. A bark from a tree was used in making black dye.

At times buckskin was obtained from the Indians. This was used for making clothing,
gloves, and moccasins for the men and boys. Children's shoes were often made from
sheep skins, with the wool placed on the inside. Sheepskins were also used on the bed
as covering for the children.

The women wore sunbonnets for ordinary wear and a shaker for best. These were after
the pattern of a sunbonnet, lace trimmed and had a cape at the back to keep the neck from
burning. Later straw hats were made. The long straws were gathered from the straw
stacks, soaked in water until it was pliable, then eight straws were braided together. A
wooden form was used to mold the crown, while the straw was wet it could be molded into
most any shape.

There were no matches to start fires with. The coals were banked at night with ashes.
Sometimes the fire would go out, then they would take shovel and go to a neighbor and
borrow enough hot coals to start their fire again. In the fireplace, kettles were used for
cooking. A large kettle set on rocks outside was used for heating water for bathing and
doing the family wash.

Brooms were made by tying large bunches of rabbit brush to other. All fats from the meat
were saved in this pioneer home. There never was the least little bit of waste. There was
always two or more grease cans in the cupboard. One had new fat in. The drippings from
the cooking was put in the other and used for making soap. Candles were made from the
tallow which was melted and put into molds with a piece of twisted string in the center for a
wick. The fat from the sheep was used for waterproofing the shoes, and for hand cream;
their preserves and jams were made from wild berries, choke cherries, service berries,
currents, and strawberries which grew in abundance in the canyons. Because of the ill
health of Priscilla, Lydia Ann saw that all these things were provided for both families.

While on a trip to Salt Lake City in Feb. 1868 with his wives, Lydia Ann and Priscilla, to
receive their second endowments in the Endowment house, Chauncy took a severe cold
and by the time they arrived at Centerville on the return trip, it had turned to pneumonia, so
they stopped at his brothers home. Lydia Ann stayed to care for him. One day Chauncy
looked up to Lydia Ann and said, "Lydia you are a good woman, I'm sorry I have neglected
you." He died the 3rd of March, 1868, and was buried the 6th of March in Porterville.

Lydia Ann was left with 8 children to care for (Warriner Ahaz having married to Mary
Norwood, and Amy Zenora to a cousin, John Porter, both on 5 Oct.., 1867)

Three and one half months after Chauncy's death, June 21, 1868, Lydia Ann gave birth to a
little girl, Lydia Bereft. She died six months later in Dec.

The 18 year old Cynthia taught school this next year, then married Evan Jones on 14 April,
1869. With Justin age 15 and Priscilla's son Chauncy age 18 and Lycander age 14 Lydia
took over the care of the farm.

As the boys became older they went different places to work to help care for the families.
Lycander taking his carpenter tools started south in search for work. He found work at
Moroni, Severe Co. It was here he met Israel Hoyt from Orderville, Kane Co. Mr Hoyt
explained the United Order which was being lived there. Lycander, not being happy doing
his work there, became very interested and went to Oderville to investigate.

He found John R Young was commissioned by the Authorities to organize the United Order
at Mt. Carmel, which he did in March of 1874. For the first year all went well, but there were
a few families, among them the Bishop, who were not converted to the idea, so in 1875 the
members of the Order moved two miles above Mt. Carmel and started the community of
Orderville.

On 14 July, 1875 the company was organized with 15 families, less than 100 people with a
Board of Directors, 9 in number, a President, and two Vice-Presidents, Sec. and
Treasurer.

A plot of ground for a town was surveyed, consisting of a block 30 rds. Sq. In the center a
dining room 25' X 40' was erected of lumber; adjoining it on the north was a kitchen. Back
of the kitchen was a large brick oven partly underground; this was called the Bakery. East,
north, and west of these buildings were the shanty dwellings of the families. They were
built in rows in sections of 8, the side facing outward. These sections were connected by
high board fences. The south side was enclosed by fences and gates. In front of the
dwellings were board blank sidewalks by which maple and box elder trees. Tanarisk and
flowers were planted. This was called Orderville after the United Order.

From a flagstaff in front of the dining hall the Stars and Stripes waved on Patriotic
occasions. The place had a Military establishment, in fact, was often called "The Fort.".
The Martial band and blowing the bugle. Reveille at 5 AM, Mess call at 7 AM, 12 PM, and
6 PM., and curfew at 9 PM gave a Military spirit to community. There were no rich or poor
among them. Everyone was equal.

A chart was posted with the following information:

Working Hrs. 5AM to bugle call each day. Wages, Men $1.50 a day, Women $.75 per day.
Boys range 11-17, $.75 per day. Girls 10-13 yrs. $.25 and under 10 it was $.125 per day.
This was credited in the Order. Board for adults average $50 per annum, cloths for men
$17.50 per yr. Women $16.50 per yr. Children ½ to 1/3 rates. A span of horses was
credited $.75, one yoke of oxen $.60 per day. Lumber valued at $1.50 per hundred ft. Milk
$.15 per gal. Cheese $.10 per lb. Wool $.15 per lb.

Lysander found this to his liking and with the willingness to live up to the rules and
regulations he joined the United Order. After living it for several months he returned to
Porterville to bring his mother Priscilla and her family. As so many of the church members
were doing, Lydia Ann and Priscilla sold their farms and invested the money in the United
Order. Priscilla with her family arrived in Orderville in Aug. 1877. Then the trip back to
Porterville was made once again for Lydia Ann and her family and they arrived in Nov.
1877.
Sorrow came to Lydia Ann soon after she arrived. Her son Omni was killed while hauling
logs from the canyon. Lydia Ann often said "Maybe this wouldn't have happened if I had
stayed in Porterville."

One of the highlights in her life occurred 10 Dec. 1878 when she and Warner Ahaz, her son
went to Saint George and did the Temple work for her parents, Hannah Sherwood and
Ahaz Cook. (St. George Temple Book H page 505.)

Lydia Ann in her sweet, kind, gentle way taught the gospel of Jesus Christ as she helped
those in need, cared for the sick, taught the young the art of homemaking, and the stories
she told to the children.

She was the mother of 13 children, stepmother of 4. She died 20 Dec. 1882, and was
buried beside her son Omni in the Orderville Cemetery.

Lydia Ann was baptized in 1838, received her endowments 6 May 1856, (Ref Index card to
Endowment House Records.) She was sealed to Chauncy Warriner Porter 6 May 1856,
received her patriarchal blessing 8th April 1853, in Salt Lake City, given by Patr. John
Smith. (Vol. 12, page 440 #1056.)

When Grandmother Amy Zenora heard of her Mother's passing she wrote the following
tribute:

OUR MOTHER
O Father in Heaven, how truly I thank thee
For the kind loving Mother you gave unto me.
A model of duty was this dear Mother
And sweet were the lessons we learned at her knee.

A dear guardian angel that ever stood near us
And ceased not her vigil by day or by night.
But earnestly prayed to her Father in Heaven
to give her the wisdom to lead them aright.

She taught us the Gospel as given by Jesus
and taught us to love in principle sweet.
How was our slumber while yet she stood near us
Or lulled us to sleep on her dear loving breast.

Sharp thorns and thistles were strewn on her pathway
And often did pierce till her tender flesh bled.
Still she pressed onward not murmuring or complaining
With hope as a bright star e'er leading ahead.

O Mother, if e'er we have given thee sorrow
Or caused thy dear heart one throb of deep pain
Forgive, O forgive the mistakes of thy children
and welcome us all to thy home once again.
A.Z.P.