Obituary: Mary Elizabeth Cox Whiting

Mrs. Mary E. Whiting Dies in Arizona

(Special Correspondence)

St. Johns, Ariz. July 6.–
Mary Elizabeth Whiting died July 5, 1912 at the age of 85 years, at the home of her granddaughter, Clara Curtis Burk, after an illness of about a week, the cause of death being old age and general debility.

Deceased was born Dec. 15, 1826, at Oswego, N.Y. and was the daughter of Jonathan Upham and Lucinda Blood Cox. She joined the Church at Nauvoo in 1845, and, in the temple in that city, became the wife of Edwin Whiting. She was the mother of nine children.

She was among those who were driven from Nauvoo, who crossed the Plains, and landed in Salt Lake City in 1849. She was among the first to locate in Manti, and passed through a severe ordeal of scarcity of food in 1850 and 1851. She moved to Brigham City, Ariz., at an early day and lived there in the united order. Circumstances called her back to Utah, where she remained until about 10 years ago, when she again came to Arizona, locating in St. Johns, where she passed the remainder of her life.

From childhood she was an earnest student and, at an early age, was a qualified teacher, her labors in that direction beginning when she was 15 years of age, since which time she taught 42 years.

She had many friends both here and in Utah, who loved her for her amiable disposition, her sterling integrity, and for her devotion to her family. She was an energetic worker in various organizations in the Church, for many years, till her health began to fail. Her mind was bright up to the time of her death.

She leaves five sons and a great many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to revere her memory.

 

Source notes indicate the source of this obituary was St. Johns Herald and Apache News, July 11, 1912, 1. [citation and link needed]