Letters of Catharine Cottam Romney, Plural Wife

Catharine Jane Cottam Romney (1855-1918) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Thomas and Caroline Smith Cottam. At a young age, she moved with her family to St. George where she grew into young womanhood. In 1873, at the age of eighteen, Catherine married Miles P. Romney as the third of his five plural wives. In 1881 Miles was called to help settle St. Johns, Arizona. Following the anti-polygamy prosecutions in 1884, Miles Romney and his fourth wife, Annie moved to Mexico. Catharine and her family followed in 1887. Miles died in 1904, leaving four widows. In 1912, Catharine was forced to flee Mexico, with other Mormon colonists, from the devestation of the Mexican Revolution. She spent her remaining years in the United States. Catharine died in 1918. She was the mother of ten children. Her children and grandchildren settled in Arizona, California and Utah and were prominent in the LDS Church as well as politics and education.