Delilah Robison

        In 1762 settlers from New England came to the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvainia, but were driven out by the Indians. It was not until after the Sullivan Expedition in 1779 that families were able to establish a permanent settlement in the Tunkhannock area. The name "Wyoming" is derived from an Indian word meaning "extensive meadows." The name is well suited to the area with its glistening streams, gently rolling hills and tranquil valleys.

        Some time around 1815 Joseph and Cornelia Guinal Robison moved from Charleston, Montgomery County, New York to Tunkhannock with their large family of nine Children. Joseph Robison was born on June 23, 1768 in Charleston to James Robison and Margery Adamson. Cornelia Guinal was born February 11, 1778 also in Charleston. They were married in 1794 at Fort Plain, Montgomery County, New York.

        They made their home in Charleston where their nine children had been born. They were: John (17 Nov 1796), Jane (28 Mar 1799) who died as child, James Miller (24 Nov 1800), William Henry (8 Jul 1802), Joseph (21 May 1804), Lavina (26 Dec 1806), Mary (1808) who died young, Matilda (11 Mar 1811), and Susan (7 Oct 1813).

        After moving to Pennsylvania, their already large family grew even larger. It was in Tunkhannock that Delilah Robison was born on April 27, 1817. She was followed by Peter (27 Apr 1817) and Margaret, (13 May 1819).

        After Delilah's mother died in 1829, her father moved to Onondago County, New York. In 1835 when Delilla was eighteen years old, her sister Lavina died in Clay, Onandaga Country, New York leaving her husband, Orange Warner, and her two year old son, Byron. It is likely that Deliliah took care of her nephew because sometime in 1836 Delilah married her sisters widower. Orange Warner was born on June 23, 1805 to Horatio Warner and Polly Mary Burzee in Syracuse, Onondago County, New York where he grew up. At the time of their marriage, Orange was about 30 and Delilah was 19.

        Their first child, Holstien Monroe, was born March 6, 1837 in Clay, Onondaga County. He was followed by two more brothers, Dorus Burzee (26 Jul 1838) and Orlando Wallace (23 Oct 1839); also born in Clay.

        During this time Orange and Delilah came in contact with missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They readily accepted the Book of Mormon and the Gospel. They were both baptized on January 20, 1841. He was the only member of his family to join the church. Five of Delilah's brothers and sisters also joined the church at that time. (Her brother, Joseph, was baptized in October 1840.)

        One more child was born to Orange and Delilah while living in New York. Mortimer Wilson was born on April 2, 1842. While Mortimer was just a baby, they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to be with the main body of the Saints. Orange owned block 43 in Nauvoo, which is bordered by Hyrum St. on the north; Joseph St. on the south; Wells St. on the east; and Durphy St. on the west. Another child and only daughter, Cornelia Elizabeth, was born September 18, 1844 in Navuoo.

        The leaders of the church began making plans to evacuate Nouvoo and move to the Great Basin. While the exodus was under way, Orange and Delilah received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on February 7, 1846. This was the last day ordinances were performed in the Nauvoo Temple. Brigham Young had planned to close the Temple to endowments on February 5th, but because so many wanted their endowments before crossing the plains, he consented to leave it open until the 7th. On the last day six hundred received their endowments. That was the largest number to go through in one day.

        Orange had built his own wagon and he and Delilah took their family and all they could take with them and took refuge in Montrose, Iowa just across the Mississippi River. They remained in Montrose while the main body pushed on across Iowa to Winters Quarters. When they left Nauvoo or how long they stayed in Montrose is uncertain. By mid September, the anti-Mormons were determined to drive those who remained in Nauvoo out of the city. Those who remained fled without adequate preparation and took refuge in camps along the river bank.

        Orange and Delilah remained in Montrose through the winter and into the spring of 1847. It was there that Delilah gave birth to their son, Orange Horatio, on March 29, 1847. Two and a half weeks later, she died on April 15, 1847, just 12 days short of her thirtieth birthday. She was buried at Montrose, Lee County, Iowa.

        Orange who had now lost his second wife was left alone with his children who ranged in age from eleven on down. He began making preparations to go farther west. He climbed into his wagon and drove off with his seven children and settled temporarily in Jefferson County, Iowa where he remarried in 1849. In 1851 he crossed the plains and eventually settled in Fillmore, Millard County, Utah where her died on June 12, 1881 at the age of seventy five.

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The main sources of this story were from the various writings of Lavina Warner Alger.