Xarissa Fairbanks married Christopher Merkley, son of Jacob Merkley, as his third wife on January 17, 1858 at Salt Lake City, Utah, by whom he had eight children..

Christopher Merkley was born 18 December 1808 at Williamsburg, Dundas County, Upper Canada, He entered Salt Lake Valley 3 October 1849. Christopher's first wife, Sarah Davis Merkley; married in February 1820 or 1828, bore him one son, Nelson Merkley. In the Spring of 1845 Christopher married wife number two, Minerva Stowell, no issue from this marriage.

Xarissa's great granddaughter, Xarissa Merkley Clarke, prepared a life sketch of Xarissa Fairbanks in 1980. The following is largely excerpts from that sketch.

Xarissa Fairbanks was only four years old when her mother died. The survivors included Xarissa's father, Amos; her nine-year old brother, Alva Fairbanks; her three-year old sister, Viola Jane Fairbanks; and Chauncy Fairbanks, the baby boy who was just two months old. Chauncy died before he was a year old. Xarissa's parents had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so when her father was left alone he took his young children to Nauvoo. They lived through the hardships and persecution of the Saints, and with them made the long journey across the plains. Although Xarissa was only thirteen years old, she drove a wagon all the way, besides caring for the family.

Times were hard and Amos was concerned for his children. Shortly after they arrived he married Catherine Raymond, a widow, who had a number of children of her own. The family moved to Bountiful, but there was never much money and conditions were rather unpleasant, especially for Xarissa. She was a sensitive young girl who was given too much responsibility while she was too young. When she was nineteen years old, she had an unfortunate experience, which resulted in a baby being born out of wedlock.

Several months after the baby's birth, Xarissa became acquainted with Christopher Merkley. Although he was fifty years old at the time, and Xarissa was only twenty, with the encouragement of his wife, Sarah, Christopher asked Xarissa to be his wife. When Xarissa learned that he was a diligent Church worker and a prosperous leader in the community, she felt that the marriage would be an answer to her prayers. She accepted his proposal. President Brigham Young married them in his office on January 17, 1858.

Sarah Francis "Fannie" Merkley Virgin

Christopher took Xarissa and her baby daughter, Fannie (Fairbanks), home where his first wife, Sarah, welcomed them. The two women were congenial and happy together. Each tried to help the other, and Sarah took the place of the mother Xarissa had lost when she was so young. In later years the children said they had "never heard an angry word between the two women. They shared each other's joys as well as their sorrows."

Xarissa was always strong and healthy, so she did the heavy, outdoor work. She took care of the garden and the orchard. She always made the fires whether Christopher was at home or not. She did the washing, the cooking, and made all the clothes. Sarah, who was never strong, tended the children, who called her Grandma, spun the wool, knitted the socks, and did the light house work.

The first home had four good-sized rooms downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. There were few comforts during the first years-no washing machines; candles were made by hand with tallow set in molds to give light. The carpets were braided rugs. All the clothes were made by hand.

Christopher and Xarissa's children brought joy to the Merkley home. Fanny, the oldest, was a great help to her mother and brothers and sisters. When Christopher Merkley Jr. and Jake Merkley, the first twins, were born Jake was a strong healthy baby, but Chris was weak and sickly. He was hardly expected to live for the first year of his life.

Due largely to the constant loving care of the two women, he became a strong and sturdy man, and lived to be seventy-three years old. Alva Marion Merkley, Al as he was called, was a particular pet of Grandma, as he called Sarah, and she treated him as any grandmother would. Martha "Matt" Merkley and Mary "Mamie" Merkley, were the next twins. Matt was a beautiful, healthy girl, but poor Mamie was injured at birth. Her spine was curved causing her to drag her leg. Her brain was also affected, and she was a constant care all of her life.

Susie Merkley and Lucy Merkley, the third pair of twins, were beautiful, healthy girls. When the children were old enough to go to school, Christopher arranged for Xarissa and her children to go to John Morgan's college. He bought a life membership in this school for her and six of the children, and they attended it for three or four years, thus fulfilling Xarissa's lifelong dream of obtaining an education.

During the early days of the settlement in Utah, there were many hard times. When the grasshoppers and crickets came into the valley, the whole family worked in the fields to save the crops. Christopher made nets of burlap sacks. He fastened a hoop of wire in the top end with a handle attached. They would swing these nets as if moving with a scythe, thus catching bushels of the pests, which they burned or buried. Jake and Chris, holding the ends of a rope stretched across the field, would go from one end to the other keeping the grasshoppers moving. How happy they were as the hundreds of seagulls arrived and saved their crops.

At the time Johnson's army was threatening to invade Salt Lake City, Xarissa and all her children were loaded into a wagon and went as far south as Springville. Only a few men and boys were left in Salt Lake to destroy the city. Fortunately an agreement was made between President Brigham Young and the army, which allowed them to enter the city on conditions that they would cause no trouble. Families gradually came back to their homes and resumed their lives.

Christopher was a good provider and had many schemes for making money. At one time he built a house on wheels, and traveled through the state taking "likenesses." He took Xarissa with him on one of these trips to southern Utah. The ambrotype (1851-1890s) is a thin negative image on glass made to appear as a positive by showing it against a black background. The reverse of the glass plate was either painted black or backed with a black material. The ambrotype was an inexpensive alternative to the daguerreotype, similar in size and also mainly used for portraits.

By the middle of the 1860s polygamy was declared illegal, and those who refused to give up their plural wives were sent to the state prison. To comply with the law, Xarissa and her family lived apart. They made their home in Idaho on a ranch that Christopher purchased by trading some of his property in Salt Lake City. The ranch was located in Bear Lake Valley. Xarissa moved in 1874. She and her children took a herd of cattle and nearly fifty head of horses to their new home. Christopher and Sarah spent most of their time in Salt Lake City where life was easier.

On the ranch it was Xarissa who took the responsibility for the family. They first lived on a ranch about fourteen miles from St. Charles. She was a good nurse and was called out many, many times to attend the sick. The night was never too dark or the job too hard for her to go wherever she was needed. Her son Al said, "Her home and all she had she would share with those in need."

Every Sunday for three years Xarissa and as many of her children as were at the ranch went to church in a horse and buggy. They traveled the fourteen miles there and back and never missed a Sunday, and were never late. She was a devout Latter-day Saint, and raised her children to be fine men and women of whom she could be proud. She said they were the greatest joy of her life.

Xarissa's greatest pleasure, other than her children and her Church, was reading. She read everything she could get, especially the scriptures. She read all the latest news and magazines including Perry's Monthly, the Juvenile Instructor, the Woman's Exponent, and later the Era. She always read the best. She had a good memory and was a great storyteller. She had many scrap books which showed the extent of her reading. When she finished with a volume of magazines, she would tie them together so she could pass them on for someone else to enjoy.

Xarissa was one of those quiet people whose life is their most eloquent sermon. She lived to see all of her children, except Mamie, happily married. Sarah Francis "Fannie" Merkley married Amos Moses Virgin in 1875; Christopher Merkley Jr. married Lydia Lavett Allred; Jake Merkley married Theressia Williamson; Alva Marion Merkley married Jehzell Gibb; Martha Merkley married George Young Pugmire; Susie Merkleymarried Elmer Cleveland; and, Lucy Merkley married Heber Pugmire.

Xarissa died at her home in St. Charles on November 29, 1904 from blood poisoning, caused by a splinter of glass, which was lodged in her finger. Her last years were happy and fulfilling. She enjoyed her children and her grandchildren who lived nearby. She was buried in the St. Charles cemetery. Xarissa lived sixty-seven challenging and productive years.

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