Morris, Mary Lois Walker, 1835-1919, authorMilewski, Melissa Lambert, editorUtah State University Press, publisher2007-01-032007-01-032007http://hdl.handle.net/10217/87921Includes bibliographical references and index.Mary Lois Walker Morris was a Mormon woman who challenged both American ideas about marriage and the U.S. legal system. Before the Manifesto provides a glimpse into her world as the polygamous wife of a prominent Salt Lake City businessman, during a time of great transition in Utah. This account of her life as a convert, milliner, active community member, mother, and wife begins in England, where her family joined the Mormon church, details her journey across the plains, and describes life in Utah in the 1880s. Her experiences were unusual as, following her first husband's deathbed request, she married his brother as a plural wife in the Old Testament tradition of levirate marriage. Mary Morris's memoir frames her 1879 to 1887 diary with both reflections on earlier years and passages that parallel entries in the day book, giving readers a better understanding of how she retrospectively saw her life. The thoroughly annotated diary offers the daily experience of a woman who kept a largely self-sufficient household, had a wide social network, ran her own business, wrote poetry, and was intellectually curious. The years of the Raid (federal prosecution of polygamists) led Mary and Elias Morris to hide their marriage on "the underground," and her to perjury during Elias's trial for unlawful cohabitation. The book ends with Mary Lois's arrival at the Salt Lake Depot after three years in exile in Mexico with a polygamist colony.--Provided by publisher.Memoir -- 1835-1887: sketch of the life of Mary L. Morris -- Diary -- 1879: "Had a host of callers" -- 1880: "I can earn a triful" -- 1881: "Conclude to trust in God" -- 1882: "Felt most acutely my baby was gone" -- 1883: "Arose from my pillow to behold a great fire" -- 1884: "To take charge of the primary department of the ward" -- 1885: "My husband has thought it wisdom to absent himself" -- 1886: "Going south in the morning" -- 1887: "Went to court to testify in favor of my husband" -- Epilogue -- 1902-1905: Exile in Mexico.born digitalbooksengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.All rights reserved. User is responsible for compliance. Please contact University Press of Colorado at https://upcolorado.com/our-books/rights-and-permissions for use information.Mormon women -- Utah -- Salt Lake City -- BiographySalt Lake City (Utah) -- Church historySalt Lake City (Utah) -- HistoryMorris, Mary Lois Walker, 1835-1919TextAccess is limited to the Adams State University, Colorado State University, Colorado State University Pueblo, Community College of Denver, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University Denver, Regis University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, University of Northern Colorado, University of Wyoming, Utah State University and Western Colorado University communities only.