Alexander Scoby Standley by Michael Standley

"Our Pioneer Heritage" Vol. 10, Eleven Autobiographies, pages 113-124
Michael Standley Tells His Story
My father, Alexander Scobie Standley, was born May 12, 1800, at New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was put out to work as soon as he was old enough to earn his clothes; therefore, he never had a day's schooling in his life. When he was eighteen he went with his father to Portage County, Ohio. He obtained a book called The Young Man's Companion which contained the rules for reading, writing, arithmetic and grammar. With the aid of this book he educated himself sufficient that he was chosen to teach the district school. He obtained a small piece of land and in the summer spent his time clearing and fencing it. In the winter he taught school. He was also elected Justice of the Peace of that precinct.


Father built a log house and was married to Philinda Upson March 10, 1829. Their first child, Eliza was born April 13, 1830, and died May 10, 1830. In the spring of 1837 a Mormon missionary came into the neighborhood. Father and Mother went to his first meeting. Mother had serious reflections over Eliza's death and was prepared to accept the gospel at the first meeting, and rejoiced over every word of his sermon. Father took it the other way and felt it was his duty to put it down, but soon found that the elder had truth on his side. They were baptized March 10, 1837. Soon afterward he was ordained an elder and accompanied the missionary to preach to his family. Grandfather objected to it while Grandmother held back to have her husband join first. He came into the house one day and said that he had the Bible for instructions. After opening the Bible and reading the first verse chosen, they noticed his face change very intensely. Grandmother asked him what was the matter. He pointed to the verse which said, "If you vow a vow to the Lord, keep your vow." She said, "Have you been making a vow to the Lord?" He said, I have covenanted with the Lord that if He will keep you from joining the Mormons I would quit my drinking and become a sober man." She said, "1 will do my part if you will do yours, anyway, I will not join the Mormons without your consent." The entire family were all fasting and praying Grandfather to see the light. He and his wife attended several meetings where there were manifestations of miracles, healings, and gift of tongues. He said he would not hold her back any longer, she might go ahead and be baptized. She said that she wanted him to go along too. He finally consented and they were baptized.
On September 10th, the whole family left for Far West, Missouri, arriving there on the third of October, about the time the Saints were driven out of Missouri. They had much difficulty, and not finding a house to put his family in, they remained in the wagon while he took his gun and went to defend his brethren from the mob. Later they procured some kind of house in Springfield, Illinois, where they spent the winter. It was through exposure that their fourth child, Martha, died of whooping cough.
In the fall of 1843 Father was called on a mission. In getting out winter wood for his family he met with an accident and was pronounced dead or dying by those who carried him into the house. Through the blessings of the Lord by administrations of the Priesthood, and through the faith and prayers of his family, he was partially restored. He then made a covenant with the Lord that if he would spare him and give him strength to see his family established with the Saints in the valleys of the mountains he would ask for nothing. He set himself about doing his part. He sold his farm in Ohio, mostly on future payments. He returned to Ohio in 1845 accepting as his pay anything useful in outfitting his family to cross the plains.
In the spring of 1846 Father started with what is known as the Miller Company. They went some distance and in consequence of the Battalion being called at that time, they located for the winter in Nebraska and returned to Council Bluffs next spring with very scanty rations. They settled near Kanesville at what was known as Miller's Hollow, or Pottawattomie. He there struggled for a livelihood and to render what assistance he could to others. In "helping to fit out one company, who lacked one animal of having enough, Father offered a cow. When they asked if he could spare it he said, "Oh, I could use it all right, I have a large family and only two cows, but we will manage with one." Elder Orson Hyde said, "Brother Standley, you shall be blessed in time and all Eternity." This was in the spring of 1848. 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. He also assisted others for the journey. At this place on May 7, 1849, I, the eleventh child, was born. I was blessed by Richard Spencer February 24, 1850.
In 1852 Father yoked up his cows and young steers, and with them we crossed the plains. When we arrived he was true to his word and asked for nothing more. My father died February 20, 1856. He reached the Valley in October, spent the winter in Weber. In the spring he settled in Bountiful. Jun 20th, 1855, Isaac Morley came to our place and gave us all our blessings, so you see, I received my blessing when I was only six years old. It was about this time that the neighbor's boy and I were going to have a fight. The first thing he uttered was an oath, and I thought he had called upon the Lord to help him, so I wanted no more to do with it. I thought I could whip the boy alone, but not the Lord too. I was baptized in the millpond May 10, 1857, by Jude Allen and confirmed at the water's edge by Daniel Carter. We still had the cows and a small flock of sheep, which we looked after but never allowed to interfere with the rule that we should, each day, have our lessons which Father always held to so we would not be handicapped as he knew he had been, and Mother kept to it after his death. Mother and the girls had to make the living taking care of the dairy and the wool. I remember seeing Mother at the loom and three sisters at the spinning wheel and the quilt wheel in the kitchen at the same time. I did my part by taking care of the sheep, bringing the cows and feeding the calves. The basin we measured the calf milk in held just a quart and we gave each calf three basins full poured into a wooden trough. I also fed the lambs. [Michael's story continued on Michael Standley's page notes.]