Eliza Roxcy Snow - Becket, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 19.861 W 073° 05.057
18T E 657833 N 4688307
A memorial honoring 19th century poet, author, and religious leader Eliza Roxcy Snow is located on the grounds of the Becket Anthenaeum, 3367 Main Street, Becket, MA.
Waymark Code: WMWGKF
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/03/2017
Views: 2
A monument containing a bronze plaque attached to a 4' high rock honors Eliza Roxcy Snow who was born in Becket, MA on January 21, 1804. The plaque contain the images of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, UT, and flowers in the lower corners. The plaque is inscribed:
ELIZA ROXCY SNOW
21 JANUARY 1804 - 5 DECEMBER 1887
ACCOMPLISHED POET, AUTHOR, AND HONORED LEADER
BORN BECKET, MASSACHUSETTS
THE MOST CELEBRATED FEMALE MEMBER OF
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"FOR FRIENDSHIP HOLDS A SECRET CORD...
LIKE FAR-OFF ECHOES OF THE NIGHT
AND WHISPERS SOFTLY THROUGH MY SOUL
I WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN QUITE."
ERS
The family of Eliza Roxcy Snow moved from Becket, MA to Mantua, OH when she was two years old. In 1831, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, took up residence in four miles from the Snow family's farm and Eliza joined the new religious movement. She moved west with the Mormons and settled in Nauvoo, IL where she taught school and wrote poetry. Snow published her poems in local newspapers and became known as "Zion's Poetess".
She was the plural wife of both John Smith and after Smith's death, to Brigham Young. She moved west with Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley and chronicled the pioneer trail and life in Utah. Her two volume work Poems, Religious, Historical, and Political was first published in 1856, followed by the second volume in 1877.
Wikipedia list the following poems by Eliza Roxcy Snow:
"How Great the Wisdom and the Love"
"Invocation, or the Eternal Father and Mother" [retitled "O My Father"
"Be Not Discouraged"
"My First View of a Western Prairie"
"Mental Gas"
"Think not When You Gather to Zion Your Troubles and Trials are Through"
"O Awake! My Slumbering Minstrel"
"Truth Reflects upon Our Senses"