Maria Loenza Kingsbury

Maria Loenza Kingsbury was born Sep 19, 1852 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Joseph Corrodon and Loenza Alcena Pond Kingsbury. Maria is a Pioneer of Richmond. Maria is the mother of Church Apostle Joseph F. Merrill.

History

Soon after Maria was born, her mother died. Her father and other family could not raise Maria, so she was passed on and adopted by Beason Lewis. In 1854, Beason married Maria's aunt Elizabeth Almira Pond and adopted her daughter Almira Jane Bainbridge. When Maria was about six, her older sister Martha Ann Kingsbury was also adopted. This little triangle of family was the closest she had to an actual family.

In 1860, the Lewis family moved to Richmond where her grandpa Stillman Pond had also moved to. In Richmond, Maria was taught in the old Double-Log School. In 1865, Maria's cousin Almira married Marriner Wood Merrill. It is possible that this relationship led Maria to also marry Marriner on Oct 4, 1867. She became Marriner's fourth wife in polygamy. Maria's family moved to the house on the Mill in 1873, then to the South Farm in 1886.

"Because of her husband's absence so much of the time and the fact that she was in charge of the home when he was not there, Maria carried a heavy responsibility in raising her large family, taking care of her house, cooking for the Merrill boys and hired men who did the farm work, and at times supervising the farmyard chores in caring for the animals as well as some of the farm operations when her older sons were away at school. She milked cows, made mutter and cheese, fed bigs, kept chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys, managed a small flock of sheep, did the family washing, carded, spun, and wove into cloth the wool from her sheep, wove carpets, and made her children's clothing. She also made candles for the family use. Indeed she was a busy, active, energetic worker from daylight time long after dark."

After Marriner's death in 1906, Maria moved into a small home in Richmond before accepting an invitation from her son Melvin to live in the east while he attended school at the University of Chicago, Harvard, and Washington University. She returned to Richmond in 1914.

Family

Maria married Marriner Wood Merrill on Oct 4, 1867 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Marriner and Maria had 10 children together and had a strong family of honorable children.

• Maria is the mother of Joseph Francis Merrill, who followed his father in serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1931.

• Maria is the mother of Hattie Loena Merrill, the first born Richmond citizen to live to 102, and the longest-living citizen for 40 years. Hattie's home, the Hattie Merrill Morrison Farmstead, is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Maria is the mother of Melvin Clarence Merrill. Melvin is the author of Utah Pioneer and Apostle Marriner Wood Merrill, a history book that all descendants of Marriner Wood Merrill have read.

• Maria is the mother-in-law to brothers Clarence Lorenzo Funk, wife Laura Vilate Merrill, and James Williams Funk, wife Lucy Alcena Merrill, who both have served as mayors of Richmond and Senators in the State of Utah. James and Lucy's son, Marcus Christopher Funk married Ruth Hardy who served as the Seventh Young Women's General President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• All of Maria's children received higher education from Brigham Young College, all except two graduated with a degree from a University. 

Epilogue