William Edward Cowley
1836-1901
In the Irish Sea off the coast of England is a large island,
the Isle of Man, where at Kirk German on August 6,
1838, William Edward Cowley was born. He was the son
of Mathias and Ann Quayle Cowley. The family consisted
of father, mother, two sons and three daughters.
In the late 1830's and early 1840's, the elders of the
church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were
converting hundreds of people to the new religion, among
whom were the Cowley, Quayle and Cannon families, who
were later to take a very active part in the Church when
they arrived in the Valleys of the Mountains.
On April 21, 1841 these families left Liverpool aboard the
ship Rochester with seven of the nine apostles of the
church, who had been laboring in the British Isles
namely: Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt,
Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith and Willard Richards.
The ship landed on May 20, 1841 in New York with one hundred thirty saints aboard. It is
evident the saints went immediately to the body of the church, which in 1841 was in Nauvoo,
Illinois, while the apostles remained in the different eastern states to complete their missions.
When this body of saints arrived at Kirtland, Ohio they found the church had been driven from
their Temple City, across the Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois where they were building another
temple. Here the Cowley family joined in building the temple in the City Bountiful. William was
baptized in 1846 when eight years of age.
In 1846 when the saints were driven out of Nauvoo, the Cowley family with many others camped
on the bank of the Mississippi River on their way to St. Louis, Missouri. While at St. Louis, the
father Mathias Cowley, died very suddenly leaving the wife and five children.
They remained here until 1854, when they crossed the plains in the Isaac Groo Company. Upon
arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, William was taken into the office of Brigham Young as a minute
man subject to call to fill any of the many requests made of the President for help on the frontier,
the farm, the ranch, or any other service needed. He spent much time on the Church Ranch at
Rush Valley. He made a trip across the plains with teams sponsored by the Church perpetual
immigration fund to help saints to the Valleys of the Mountains.
At the conference in October 1856, when word reached the church of the terrible condition of
the Edward Martin handcart company, which was blocked in snow and ice where many had died,
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William E. Cowley and Joseph F. Smith were sent to take provisions, clothing, bedding and other
necessities to the stricken travelers, who, when the relief teams reached them, abandoned the
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handcarts and were brought into the Salt Lake Valley on November 30 .
Of this trip Levi Edgar Young relates; “This handcart company’s experiences was one of the
saddest in the history of the west.” He also says these two young men made two trips across the
plains between 1857 and 1859.
When Johnston’s army was coming to Utah to exterminate the Mormons, all the young men were
called to go and do everything they could to prevent them coming in except killing them. William
E. Cowley was one of the group who went. These men and boys destroyed the roads, burned the
wagons and scattered the cattle of the army thus detaining it until such time as the saints were
ready to let it enter the valley in 1858.
All these trips were made with no earthly remuneration. They were missions which the saints
willingly performed.
When conditions became normal in the church, William was employed in the church blacksmith
shop as an apprentice. This was a valuable opportunity as in those early days no occupation was
as much needed as the blacksmith and wheelwright. All travel was with horses, mules or oxen
which must have iron shoes made to fit and the wagons were often in need of repair.
William had courted Sarah Ann Alger, daughter of John and Sarah Pulsipher Alger while she
lived in Salt Lake City. The Alger family moved to Beaver. When William was ready to go out
for himself in 1863 he went to Beaver where he and Sarah Ann were married by her Father
Elder John Alger.
The young couple decided to stay at Beaver and he would go in partnership with his father-in-law
and Lafayette Shephard. This was not for long as in 1864 they were all called to the Dixie
Mission. The call embraced John and Sarah Pulsipher Alger and family, John’s parents Samuel
and Clarissa Hancock Alger and family and William E. Cowley, wife and child. Samuel Alger and
family located at Parowan and the other went on to St. George.
William at once joined in the activities of the new city. The Indians were very troublesome and
the condition demanded a military organization to protect the property of the settlers. William
joined Captain James Andrus’s company. In 1866 this company went to drive the marauding
Indians across the Colorado River at Green River. While sitting around a camp fire an Indian
prisoner, who had gotten loose stabbed William in the neck striking a heavy cord, the blade
glanced off saving his life.
The people of St. George, shortly after its founding in 1862 boasted a martial band with Edward
Duzette as leader. William Cowley at once became a member playing the snare drum. He
became an outstanding drummer and played with Oswald Barlow after Dunzette moved away.
He also loved to show his ability at tap or step dancing. At this art he was very gifted.
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In 1870 he joined partnership with William Squires, an English blacksmith and mechanic and
they had a shop near the center of town until Mr. Squires died. William was a skilled workman
being able to use one hand as well as the other.
The way the church had of establishing new settlements, was to choose from among the thriving
towns some who were fitted to go where a location was thought desirable. The families called
never wavered but honored the leaders and went.
After eight years of growth, in 1872 with twenty-six other families the Cowleys were requested by
Brigham Young to settle Clover Valley Nevada under the leadership of Edward Bunker. However,
this section was inhabited by so many marauding Indians and cattle rustlers, who drove off the
cattle, sheep and horses of the colonizers along with other depredations that after two years, in
1874 the enterprise was abandoned.
The Cowleys with others were called to Pine Valley, Washington County, where Williams skill as
blacksmith was needed at the saw mills which were getting out timber from the many buildings
being built in the vicinity of St. George and especially the Tabernacle, Temple and others. Each
time a call came the Cowley family numbered more.
In 1875, he was called by President Young to accompany Charles Pulsipher to Pipe Springs or
Winsor Castle, Arizona to relieve Anson Perry Winsor, manager of Winsor Castle and the Canaan
cattle. Charles Pulsipher to be presiding Elder and William Cowley, foreman and blacksmith.
While serving here they had many experiences with the unruly Indians. At one time they were
obliged to call help as everyone was disturbed by screaming and howling. They all hurried to get
all horses, cattle, wagons and property into the fort, expecting a great band of Indians were upon
them but they found the commotion was caused by an old squaw coming for help for blood
poisoning.
In 1877, President Young made his last trip to the Dixie Mission. As he was on his way to Kanab
returning to Salt Lake, he visited at Fort Winsor. Shortly after the visit the telegraph operator,
Lydia Winsor, gave out the news that the President was very ill. He had been loved as a father
by William and when he received the word he started immediately for Salt Lake City. When he
reached Payson, he was told the President has passed away. To hasten the journey he took the
fastest means available so he could attend the funeral services. He never returned to Winsor
Castle.
He has a home at St. George and remained there until 1881 when he moved to Silver Reef to
work at the mines at his trade as blacksmith. When the price of silver dropped so low the mines
could not continue to operate, he returned home to St. George where he always had work at his
trade. He thought he never would move again.
In 1878, William bought from Jesse W. Crosby Lot 3, Block 12, Plat D, St. George City Survey.
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This property was located on 5 north just off Diagonal Street. Here he built his home and
located his shop under two large cottonwood trees in the street. Here was plenty of room for the
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farmers desiring work done at the shop, to drive their teams and wait for the smith to sharpen
the plowshare, make shoes for the horses, mend a broken part for some farm implement or some
other repair job. While the work was going on much interesting conversation was also indulged
in for William Cowley was a man of great and varied experiences with a way of telling them that
was pleasant to listen to.
After twenty years of responding to the many calls made of him to help in the establishing of new
locations for new settlements it was time to care for his large and growing family of children.
Sarah Ann’s sister was left without help with a large farm in the Washington field and numerous
cattle. The Cowley boys, some of them grown young men took over for Aunt Addie McArthur her
land and cattle to care for. There were many discouragements in that often when the crops were
young or not matured huge floods came down the Virgin River taking out he dams thereby
causing the crops to burn up before the water could be put into the canal again. Then too,
Addie married Tom Price who took over her interest leaving the Cowley boys without steady
employment, with few opportunities for young men.
At this time many families were moving from St. George as the great building program had ended
and many who had learned their trades while working on the Tabernacle, Temple and other
buildings must seek employment elsewhere. Some were going to Arizona while others were
seeking homes in eastern Utah.
In hearing of the great opportunities in Castle Valley, William went to investigate. He found
plenty of land, water and coal where he could secure farms for his eight sons. In 1885 he moved
his family, which consisted of his wife, eight sons, and two daughters to a new section of the
country where their troubles really began.
Their water supply was the Huntington River seven miles from Cleveland where they were
locating. All the water they had for drinking and other purposes had to be hauled that distance.
William, his sons, the Alger boys and others at once made the seven miles of canal. He built a
large home and for several years all church meetings and social gatherings were held there. At
the time of the Scofield mine disaster six funerals were held at once at this home.
William E. Cowley was the first merchant of Cleveland. In 1887 the Rio Grand Railroad changed
from narrow to broad gauge and during all the time this work was being done he worked as
blacksmith for the company.
In 1899 at the opening of the Pleasant Valley, later the Utah Field Corporation, coal mines at
Sunnyside he went there to work at his trade. He moved his family there.
On April 7, 1901 he started from Sunnyside to go to Salt Lake to attend church conference. On
arriving at Helper he found his train was delayed. So he bought a ticket paying the price out of
a one hundred dollar check. As he received his change he turned to a friend and said he
thought he would walk up the two miles to Castle Gate and spend the night with his friend
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Bishop William Lamph and wait for the five o’clock flyer. Some outlaw must have seen him
receive the change from his check, way layed, robbed and murdered him dragging him onto the
railroad tracks. However he was not dead when left but drew himself off the tracks before he
died that the train did not touch him. Heber M. Wells, Governor of Utah, and some nephews,
Collister brothers, offered a big reward for information on the outlaws but never could get any
trace of them.
He was buried April 9, 1901 at Cleveland leaving his wife, eight sons and two daughters.
It is hard to understand why a man who had lived such a life of service to his church and his
fellow man should have been struck down while still serving to upbuild his country.
The life of William Edward Cowley brings to us the words of the poet Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow:
Under a spreading chestnut tree, The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms, Are strong as iron bands.
He goes on Sunday to the Church, And its among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach, He hears his daughters voice;
Singing in the village choir, And it makes his heart rejoice.
Entered into the computer September 2001 with minor corrections and picture added by
Tammy Rae Cox Thomson a third great granddaughter of William Edward Cowley.
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