Background
Moyle was born in Cornwall, England, to James and Elizabeth Rowe Moyle. In his youth he worked in the tin mines of Cornwall, and later became a stonemason, learning the trade from his father.
Moyle was born in Cornwall, England, to James and Elizabeth Rowe Moyle. In his youth he worked in the tin mines of Cornwall, and later became a stonemason, learning the trade from his father.
He was a master stonemason for the Salt Lake Temple, and was the carver of the inscription "Holiness to the Lord" on the temple"s east side. Moyle travelled to Utah Territory with the first handcart company in 1856, settling in Alpine two years later. Both a farmer and a stonemason, Moyle travelled nearly 22 miles from Alpine to Salt Lake City every Monday morning to work on the temple, returning home on Friday to do the work of his farm over the weekend.
Moyle installed the Temple"s circular staircase and carved the inscription "Holiness to the Lord" on the east side of the Temple.
In 1863, Moyle built a chapel in Alpine. He also built an Indian fort to protect his family during the invasion of Salt Lake City by federal troops.
Moyle suffered a compound fracture of the leg when he was kicked by a cow, necessitating the leg"s amputation by his family and friends. Moyle subsequently carved a wooden leg for himself so that he could continue travelling to Salt Lake City and working on the temple.
Moyle was married to Phillippa Beer, who was born in Devonshire, England, and (polygamously) to Mary Ann Williams.
Moyle"s son, James Moyle, became foreman of the builders and stone-cutters on the Temple Block in 1875 and general superintendent of the temple in 1886. Torleif South. Knaphus used Moyle"s likeness (along with several others) as the inspiration for the father"s face on the Handcart Pioneer Monument on Temple Square. Moyle is the subject of the 2008 short film Only a Stonecutter, directed by Therapeutic Community Christensen and starring Bruce Newbold.