Monday, September 1, 2014

Jesse W. Fox Sr.


This is your 3rd great grandfather.  His name is Jesse W. Fox Sr.  There is a 95 page history of his life on Family Search, if  you're interested in learning more about him.  I found this paragraph interesting from his history written by himself:

"I am the son of a respectable farmer in the state of New York.  I followed the occupation of my father until I was 18 years of age.  He then in the fall of 1838 sent me from home to a literary institution....  In the Spring of 1844 I emigrated west.  After two months' journey I arrived at Nauvoo, the City of Joseph, June 26th, the day before the prophets were assassinated.  On the following day (June 28) I saw their dead bodies.  July following I was baptized by Elder Elijah Williams into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."

Wow!  What must have THAT been like?  To arrive in Nauvoo the day before Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed?!?

George Q. Cannon, who later became an apostle, knew Jesse W. Fox and said this about him:
"A more guileless, simple, kind-hearted, unspoiled man by the rest of the world, it would be exceedingly difficult to find.  Though he lived 75 years he was as a child in many respects.  He had lived in the world without being contaminated with the world or spoiled by its influences.  Anyone that wanted to take advantage of him could easily do so; for he was not a man that was suspicious or that was looking to take advantage himself and he did not suspect others of a disposition to do that."