Peninah was born on March 12, 1827 in Johson County, Illinois. Her parents were Caleb Cotton and Nancy Merrideth. Peninah was the youngest daughter of twelve children. Her grandparents were Samuel Cotton, Sarah Crouch, James Merrideth, and Nancy Fulkerson.

Nancy Fulkerson, her grandmother, was a mixed blood Cherokee Indian and the first Lamanite to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was very proud of her race. She was the first Lamanite to enter into plural marriage in this dispensation. The Cotton side of her family came to America on the Mayflower.

At the age of nineteen, Peninah married Daniel Wood on January 27, 1846 in the Nauvoo Temple, four months before the dedication. She came to the Wood home to take care of Mary, Daniel Wood's first wife, and their children. Mary had become very ill after the death of their first son, Henry Wood, who died of exposure and pnuemonia in 1845 while serving guard over the Nauvoo Temple. Mary never totally recovered from this shock and Peninah was truly a heaven's send as she cared for Mary and the children.

Peninah and Mary Wood were both present at the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple on May 3, 1946. Daniel Wood was one of the secret guard.

In the early spring of 1846 the Wood's crossed the Mississippi River on the ice and took up land in Kanesville, Iowa. Daniel had a wonderful crop and shared it with the other Saints.

On January 27, 1847, Peninah gave birth to her first son, Daniel Cotton Wood. They were enroute westward after being driven out of their home by the mobs. They had been driven from each home they built from Kirtland, Ohio to Nauvoo, Illinois by the mobs terrible hatred. Leaving behind all they could not carry.

"Traveling on through the middle of September, as we came to an Indian Settlement where some half-breeds from the Sioux tribe were causing trouble.

Here Brigham Young called us to halt and prepared to winter in the place. The Saints owned this "Winter Quarters". I was advised to stay behind to plant and provide provisions for the Saints. This is the reason I did ot come in with the first company of 1847."

This was a big disappointment to all the farmers of cattlemen who were asked to delay their entry into the Utah Valley, as their dream of a new world was all around the farm land ahead for them. They remained faithful to the call and as soon as the new grasses were high enough for fee they left for the Valley with Brigham Young's Second Company in 1848.

Peninah proved to be an excellent helper. She love farm work and was a good hand with the poutry and animals. She also made moccasins and gloves from skins and weaved hats of straw for the hot weather. Peninah had an excellent knowledge of plants that were useful for food and medicne. He knowledge was used by many on the trek west. This made their eveings even more eventful, interesting and at times relaxing. Peninah drove a team of horses pulling a heavily loaded wagon during the complete trek West.

Quoted from Daniel's journal: "We had two wagons, one carriage, four yokes of oxen, four cows and a span of horses, food enough to last one year. That was all we could haul, we often hitched the cows to the wagon to relieve the horses. The wagons were loaded very heavy with furniture, utensils, clothing, and all kinds of farming provision and bedding. In the back of the carriage was a chicken coope, pig pen with chickens and geese. Yes we also had a cat as our pet." Thus the journey began.

"One day our president called us to a halt, telling us that he had been given orders to get five hundred men from our camp of Israel to go fight the Mexicans. After a few days the number was furnished. This was the forging of the Mormon Battalion.

Our travel was slow since we were loaded heavily and there were no roads, when our supplies were getting low our president ordered a company of nine wagons to be sent back to Missouri for supplies and since I hadn't a dollar in my pocket and my provision were short I decided to return with them to get a fresh supply. I found it necessary to part with clothing, furniture, etc. to exchange for food stuff, leaving my wives and children in the howling wilderness alone. I trusted God to protect them.

On our return, as we were nearing the camp, my two wives and my son John came to meet us with tears of gratitude in their eyes. They were so happy to see us back safe.

It was a sight to behold as the wagons corralled in the circle for the night. WIth the greatest of care each one found their place after traveling safely across the Plains. We reached Salt Lake Valley on July 23, 1848, not two hours had gone by before we were planing corn, potatoes and etc."

In the early Fall of 1849 they moved to North Mill Creek where they made their first home, a log house. By the 15th of November this home was quite comfortable. Peninah's second baby boy, Heber Cotton Kimball Wood was born just weeks later on the 8th [18th] of December 1848. Daniel and Mary lived one year in this cabin before moving to Woods Cross area into the big home he built for the family.

Peninah Cotton Wood and Daniel Wood had seven children:

1- Daniel Cotton Wood b. January 27, 1847; md. Elizabeth Waddoups (DUP Pg 3432)
2- Heber Cotton Kimball Wood born December 18, 1848
3- Peter Cotton Wood July 4, 1852
4- George Cotton Wood born July 5, 1854
5- Joseph Cotton Wood born 28 October 1856
6- Josephine Cotton Wood born June 4, 1860
7- Caleb Cotton Wood born September 16, 1869.

Daniel and Peninah adopted three Indian children, Mary Utah (b.1840), Thomas Utah (b.1840), and Lucy Utah (b.1842), who had been orphaned after an Indian War with the Black Creek. They were buried in the family plot at Woods Cross as teenagers after a flu epidemic.

Peninah was a peacemaker and very quiet, she worked hard and was very diligent in helping others. In her obituary many people remarked about her pleasnat spirit and her willingness to do the Lord's work; her faith in God that she lived by her example each day. She was also said to be gentle, honest in all her dealings with others and God. She lived her life as best as she could and her posterity reaps the rewards of her example and teachings that pass to generations.

Peninah Cotton Wood died on April 15, 1892 at Woods Cross, Davis County, Utah.

Sources:

PAF - Archer files = Captain James Brown + (12) Harriet Wood < Daniel Wood + Mary Elizabeth Snyder : Peninah is the plural wife of Daniel Wood.

For more on Daniel Cotton Wood, See Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, Page 139, and 1258.