Gardner, Gene L.

Mary Cox Lee (b. 1867) was born in Saint George, Utah to Isaiah Cox and his second polygamous wife Elizabeth Ann Stout. Mary was a firm believer in Mormonism and would follow her mother into polygamy, becoming the second wife of Bishop Milton Lafayatte Lee (1853-1894) at the age of 17. When Bishop Lee was arrested and indicted for polygamy, he had Mary move to Nevada rather than have her testify against him. Thereafter Mary was constantly moving to avoid capture by US marshals. In time, once the marshals were called off, Mary and her daughter Rose Edith Lee returned to Saint George to live in the house her husband bought shortly after they were married. After Bishop Lee died in 1894 Mary was left to raise her daughter Rose and her infant son Lafayette C. (Lafayette Cox) Lee (1894-1975) by herself. To support her family, Mary enrolled in a 6-month course in obstetrics given by doctor Romania B. Pratt in Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon becoming a certified midwife, Mary would make her home in Hinckley, Utah and become the midwife for the ward. Mary passed away in 1957.