Serepta Lorinda Curtis was born 9 Apr 1830 in Brown, Brown Co, Ohio, USA. William Jackson Jolley was born 8 Nov 1829 in Dresson, Weakley, Tennessee, USA. Serepta Curtis and William Jolley traveled to Utah in 1852. They were met in Emigration Canyon by William's grandfather, Henry Jolley. On 19 July 1853, during the Walker War, William had the misfortune of being shot by an arrow in his right arm. He was on guard duty at the time, at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon. When Serepta, at Springville, heard that he had been shot, she started out on foot with her baby Reuben Gardner in her arms to go to him. Only one man, Edward Coyle, dared go with her. William recovered but his arm was always stiff. William later learned to speak the Indian language fluently and had many friends among them.
"One of Mr. Jolley's talents was the power of suggestion, or the ability to hypnotize another individual. In pioneer days that talent was little understood, or some might say, misunderstood. Mr. Jolley had many dealing with the Indians and could communicate well with them. For their fun he would hypnotize some of them and have them do entertaining antics at his command. He was not sure why he had the power to do this, but meant no harm. When informed, authorities of the L.D.S. Church told Mr. Jolley to cease this practice or he would be excommunicated from the Church, and that this power must come from an evil source. Orders from his Church were obeyed. However, he was still unaware as to how he possessed this talent."
We also have the following story:
Speaking of husbands reminds one of an incident that happening during the pioneer settling of the Utah towns when plural marriage was a legal custom. It was during this time that William Jackson Jolley, Sr. approached his wife, Serepta, on this subject. Hoping to be tactful, and at the same time convincing, he asked Serepta, wasn't he, William, a respected leader in his community and his church? Now, if he was to continue as such a person, wouldn't it be advisable to take another wife, and thus prove that he was living up to this important image? In Serepta's answer to William, there were no bitter words spoken. It would be alright with her, she said, if he chose to do so, but when he took another wife, she, Serepta, would find it necessary to live without him. But do as you like; I shall not stand in your way. Thinking that Serepta might change her mind, William continued to smile sweetly at a certain single lady in the town. Still having in mind what might happen if she didn't do something about it, Serepta worked on a plan that might prove to be effective. There was to be a dance that night, and William would be there to play his violin for the dancers. Dancing time arrived. Serepta turned to their hired man, Mr. Andrew Sprowl, Sr., and said, "Andrew, would you mind escorting me to the dance tonight? Of course it would be necessary for you to carry one of my twin babies." (In those days babies were taken to the dances by their parent and bedded down on the extra benches that were not being used.) Andrew accepted the invitation, and he and Serepta and the two babies were soon at the dance hall. A quick glance by all the parties involved revealed that William and the young woman were dancing to the music of a second violinist. Quickly the dancing partners interrupted their dance, and a surprised William walked over to Serepta and asked her if he might have the next dance. Cordially, Serepta answered that she was obliged to dance with her escort first, then she would be happy to have the following dance with William. No one knew, nor did William ever say, what he thought of this evening in his life. However, he became less interested in plural marriage.