History of John Griffith Timothy, Pioneer of 1862 with the Dan Jones Company, By Mary K. Timothy

Written records show that our ancestors, except the Eskimos and Indians, had their beginnings in lands across the seas. Some of them came here because they had love for adventure, but most of them came here for the one great cause, "Freedom!" Freedom from want, freedom from slavery, freedom of religion and the freedom to use God's inspired gift to his children; Free Agency.

John Griffith Timothy had a need for all these components. The small mountainous country on the western coast of the island of Great Britain, known as Wales, had little advancement to offer a responsive man who was young and healthy like John.

John's open mind and religious need were ready for the gospel when the Latter-day Saint missionaries visited his native land in 1849. John Griffith Timothy quickly comprehended the truth and valuable teachings for a better life. He was soon converted to the new faith and was baptized by the Elders. However, at that time John was the only member of his family to come into the church.

The family of John Griffith Timothy consisted of four children born to his parents, David and Esther (Griffith) Timothy: David Griffith, born 13 May 1822; Elinor, christened 24 December 1823; John Griffith, born 1 March 1827; and Joshua, christened 25 March 1832 and died 6 March 1844 when he was 12 years old. All the children were born at Tanygraig, Nantcwnlle, Wales.

No one knows how long men have lived in what is now Wales. Crude stone tools found along the coast show that primitive men lived there, as geologists say, "at least 12,000 years ago." Historians call the first people who lived there 'Iberians.' Men who knew how to use bronze tools came to Wales 2000 years BC. These people taught the Iberians how to work with metals, farm land and build ships.

Wales is a small country. When compared with the state of New Jersey, it is but a little larger in size. Wales has a most dramatic history and has known war and bloodshed. It suffered greatly under submission of both the Roman armies and those of Great Britain. The proud Welch revolted against the English many times, but finally it was united with Britain and English has become the official language, although some of the older people still speak only Welch.

The Timothy family was not unlike the other common people of southern Wales. Most of these people had hard times with many mouths to feed, and the damp, cool weather was always with them. Because of the many mountains, crops are grown mainly in the lowlands areas along the coasts and in the river valleys.

Through the traditional stories handed down through the families, we know that David and Esther (Griffith) Timothy had some real struggles to keep food and clothing enough for their children. Because of the rich coal beds in the valleys of southern Wales, we assume that David, like others, sought employment in the coal industry. He also must have been in the metal processing business because while his sons, David and John, were still young, their father bound them out learn the watch and clock trade.

Brigham Timothy, a son of John Griffith Timothy, tells the story of this experience of being 'bound out' to the man who worked them very hard and wasn't too kind to them. The boys resented this and one day they ran away 'down the river' and sought employment with another man, changing their surname to 'Griffith'. Note: This is the first time we learn of the name 'Griffith' being added to David's and John's name. Brigham Timothy said, "The boys took their mother's maiden name, which remained the surname for John until he left Wales in 1862, when again he claimed his rightful name of 'Timothy.' From that day on he became known as John Griffith Timothy.

John Griffith Timothy married 30 September 1853 at Fairhes, Cardigan, Wales to Martha Davies, who was born 12 August 1825 at Celcennin, Cardigan, Wales to Davie and Martha (Lewis) Davies.

John was appointed a local elder and wanted to share his new-found religion with his friends and neighbors. As he had no means of transportation other than walking, he made a tricycle on which he would travel from house to house. He said, "These friends called me the Saint on a wooden horse."

John converted his wife, Martha, to the church and she was baptized 6 February 1854. This was done very much against the wishes of her parents, who thought she had brought disgrace to the family; and Martha wasn't welcome at her parents' home after her baptism. John and Martha longed to gather with the Saints in that far-off land of Utah and felt like outcasts among their own people.

John had become a good watchmaker and clockmaker, but when business was slow, he supplemented their scarce income by working in the coal mines to save every penny they could to go into their "migration fund".

By 1862, John and Martha were parents of sis boys. David, born 6 March 1854; John Jr., born 18 February 1855; Joshua, born 10 August 1856 and died 1 January 1858; Alma Nephi, born 9 December 1857; Brigham, born 21 June 1859; and Heber, born 2 April 1861. Having six children in nine years is a great responsibility and an incident of fact enough to tell a story.

As preparations went forward for the family to leave the homeland, Martha longed to see her folks in the old home place once more before they left. "Surely," she thought, "my parents won't refuse me this last visit." Martha's people lived some miles from her home and there was no transportation for six miles. She would have to walk. But Martha wasn't to be defeated by this.

The Welsh people are deeply religious. Nearly all are Protestant and many belong to the Methodist faith, having separated from the Church of England in 1811. Wales is a "singing country," according to an old saying, "when two Welshmen get together, they form a chorus. When Elva Timothy, a great-granddaughter of John and Martha, visited the old ancestral home in 1960, she was given her second great-grandmother Esther (Griffith) Timothy's hymnbook.

Finally the day came when Martha had decided to visit her people. In our mind's eye we can visualize the picture: they would arise early because little feet walk slowly and the way was far through rough places. They would pass the yellow daffodils and white flowers of hawthorn along the way. Children love to gather flowers. Perhaps they would gather some and perhaps they would eat their lunch of cheese and sweet-bread in the uplands where the purple heather blooms all the year round.

Wales is a land of rugged mountains, deep valleys and rushing streams. Her coast is jagged and lined with high cliffs forming many natural bays and harbors along the west coast. The climate is made damp by the many rain showers. The temperatures of Wales average 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and 60 degrees in July. The mountains are seldom viewed without rain or a covering of mist.

Our minds ask many questions which only imagination can answer. How many times would Martha stop to rest and to encourage the little boys to keep walking? Did she place baby Heber on a blanket to sleep while she rendered acts of service to her 3, 4, 6, and 7 year-olds? Perhaps David, now nearly 8, would carry 3 year-old Brigham piggy-back part of the way. At any rate, little is told about the events of that day. We know the mother with her brood of little children did arrive at their destination only to have the door closed in their faces.

Elva Timothy speaks of this experience as it is still remembered among the relatives there. Remorse and true repentance and grief that followed in the hearts of the home folds was never to be forgotten. It wouldn't be a true Welshman to hold a grudge as they take pride in their kindliness and warm hospitality.

At any rate, the story is that on the day of Martha's visit to her family and was not welcomed there, she with her disappointed little ones began their long walk back, stopping to rest awhile on a large rock.

Martha's mind must have housed mixed feelings that day for the old home, where she had been born and grown to womanhood. Did she recall the day that here she had been courted by another lover, who she had given her promise to marry, but before the set wedding day arrived , he had sickened and died. At that time, Martha had thought there would never be another, but at the age of 28, John Griffith, a good man, had offered his hand and heart in marriage and life had take on new meaning. Yes, memories and the surroundings of the old home would be very dear to her heart. Now she would be leaving forever, not only her home, but also her country. Perhaps also the thought of the unborn child Martha carried that day was of much concern. Did she sense anxiety over the coming blessed event? Most likely, for the birth would take place before they could reach their Zion.

To a woman like Martha, immediate needs probably would be more pressing. First things must come first. She must get the children home safely. The weeks to follow would be filled with preparations for the long journey. This wasn't the time nor the place for doleful wailings.

Late in March of 1862, there occurred an event which brought joy and encouragement to the converted Saints throughout Wales and surrounding countries. The scattered Latter-Day Saints could receive aid from the Perpetual Immigration Fund to help finance the converts to their journey to Utah.

When John Griffiths Timothy received the message that a ship for this purpose was scheduled to leave Liverpool, England, they had only nine days to dispose of the small clock and watch business, their scanty household furniture and to make final preparations for the long journey. It was estimated that it would take at least six weeks to cross the ocean form Liverpool to New York Harbor. Each family was to have the responsibility for the welfare of their own group while aboard the ship.

The major food substance was "hardtack," an unleavened bread made of flour, water and sugar, if they had any. This was baked and dried hard, then packed in bags to keep a long time. To hungry people this was quite a palatable food when pounded into powder and made into what the Timothy family called "pudding."

The Timothy family began their journey in real style for them. They boarded a train that carried them all the way through Northern Wales to the port of Liverpool, England, where they joined with other converts and missionaries on their way to Utah.

The ship, 'John J. Boyd,' had already made several successful trips across the ocean, carrying Latter-Day Saints. This time the chartered vessel which was to carry 701 souls, including missionaries, set sail April 23, 1862.

It would be more interesting to people today if writers of that day had recorded more details of this journey. Surely, the Timothy family, as well as their comrades who seldom traveled but few miles from their homes, would have been amazed at seeing for the first time, Liverpool, the world's third largest seaport and England's third largest city. Even today, people stand fascinated and amazed at seeing the unending procession of sailing vessels from many lands, flying flags from all nations. No doubt, in 1862, the same procession would have brought pointing fingers and stimulated heartbeats.

The slow dredges constantly at work scraping mud from the sluggish bed of River Mercy hold varied attention to this day. This is a continuous job to keep the man-made river deep and wide for the heavy transportation. It was down this River Mercy the 'John J. Boyd' vessel would navigate to the open waters of the Irish Sea, and then go on through the St. George Channel into the unfathomable ocean, 'Atlantic!'

While on board the ship in Liverpool awaiting the 'John J. Boyd' to set sail, John Griffith Timothy carried a basket of watches to sell and he decided the time was opportune to dispose of the timepieces. Martha's tears and pleadings for John not to go ashore and leave them were in vain. John departed with an optimistic bearing. However, this feeling of security wasn't to last long; he hadn't been gone an hour before the 'All aboard' blast sounded through the ship's horn. The ship began moving slowly down the river and was soon nosing her way into the Irish sea. In no way could Martha, nor her crying children persuade the captain that he must wait for John. Maybe he couldn't understand the Welsh language. At any rate, Martha (Timothy) Rudy, a daughter of John Griffith, related the story in her writings: "After several hours sailing, a small boat was seen approaching the ship which proved to be father and a kind fisherman, who had understood the situation and offered his assistance to help. Father was pulled up over the side of the ship with a rope. There was great rejoicing!"

It is told, "due to exertion and excitement in the small boat in rough waters, and the strenuous efforts to catch the John J. Boyd were almost too much for John. He paid dearly for his overzealous desire to sell the watches, and not only, it is supposed that his watches were lost, but he was ill during the entire voyage."

In 1862 aboard the John J. Boyd, there weren't cabins nor dining rooms. Each family or group located itself in a corner or open space aboard ship and did what they could to keep their belongings situated in their allotted spot. Often the sea was rough. Sometimes the ship behaved like a rocking horse, plowing her way through the choppy waters. Most of the travelers had times of seasickness. Some had upset stomachs the whole time. "Sometimes," daughter Martha tells us, "the whole deck was a jumble of people and their effects which rolled from one side of the deck to the other as the ship battled the rough sea."

Once there was a dad accident. Two little girls were playing on the stairway that led to the bridge deck when suddenly the ship lunged and a huge wave swept over the deck. The children were killed and buried at sea.

Pounding hammers on hardtack, shouts of playing children, distress of seasick folks and the continual chatter in various tongues were one side of the picture, but it is to be remembered, these people were happy, too: They were on their way to Zion and freedom in a new land. In our mind's ear, it doesn't take deep imagination, we hear the echoes of Charles W. Penrose's immortal song, "O Ye Mountains High," come floating out over the deep.

One record says it was 45 days before the anchor was dropped off New York's harbor. Another history says it took 6 weeks before they landed in New York. At any rate, they made very good time in those days in the crossing. Sometimes the voyage took much longer.

Martha Rudy tells us in her history, "Their hearts were so full of praise and thanksgiving for their safe arrival, and to have the good earth under them once more, that most all fell to their knees and kissed the earth and thanked God for his mercy in bringing them to land once again."

As soon as the ship was docked, the hungry immigrants were greeted by various vendors anxious to dispose of their wares, which consisted mostly of food. "Real Bread" was the item most mentioned.

The first night in America, the whole company shared in the floor of the Castle Building to spread their beds.

By 1862, the LDS Church had systematically arranged for the welfare of the migrating converts. Quoting from "The Founding of Utah" by Levi Edgar Young: "Through the years the immigration to Utah by ox-teams continued until the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. Every year, teams with supplies and clothing went out from Salt Lake City to meet the different companies and to escort them into the valley. How they rejoiced when they came in sight of Salt Lake City after many weeks on the plains."

From New York, the Timothy Family and other converts traveled by train to St. Lewis, Missouri and there transferred to boat and sailed up the Missouri River to St. Joseph. Here, John Griffith Timothy and family camped with the other saints on the "Mormon Campground" and waited there for two weeks for the arrival of ox teams from Utah. While at St. Joseph, John bought a cow so that his young family could have milk which was so necessary for their children.

The year 1862 was the peak year for immigration of church converts to Utah. Descendants of those pioneers, who were so ably served through great sacrifice from the people in Utah, should carry a banner of gratitude embedded deep in their hearts forever. The Deseret News of May 7, 1862 noted that teams from Iron, Beaver, Sanpete, Millard, Juab, Utah, Wasatch, Summit, Great Salt Lake, Tooele, Davis, Morgan, Weber, Box Elder, and Cache counties had arrived in Salt Lake City, ready to start east. On May 21^st, 262 wagons, 293 teamsters, 2,880 oxen, carrying 143,315 pounds of flour, left Salt Lake City to assist the immigrating saints across the plains and mountains.

With the arrival of the Utah teams and wagons, the immigrants were soon organized into companies. The John Griffith Timothy family and another family, making a group of five adults and nine children, were assigned to one wagon, and placed in the Dan Jones Company under Captain Calvin Henry. Brother Henry later went to the Uintah Basin.

The story of the plains will never be forgotten. Day after day, heaven looked down on the great moving procession of life on the endless prairie. Ox-teams and wagons, cattle few in number and also in herds, sheep and walking people following the continuity of the trail west. Some of these caravans, history tells us, were as long as five miles. Wind and rain, snow and hail, burning sun and choking dust were all in the trek west and was an accepted fare of the day.

John Griffith Timothy and his family was just one family of the thousands of pioneers who crossed the plains that year, but John and Martha with their five little boys were to become patriarchs, along with other Timothy boys yet unborn, to launch their names in the west.

John walked all the way to Utah and led the cow. In our mind's eye we can visualize this daily task. Most likely, John would arise early to milk the cow so that he could start on ahead to let the cow browse on the tender grass along the roadway. The early dawn of summer would be delightful, and the undisturbed dust of the trail would make traveling pleasant.

John's close wagon companion also had bought cows at St. Joseph, but these cows didn't fare so well, because besides furnishing milk for their master's needs, they also had to pull the heavy wagonload.

The man who shared the wagon with the Timothy family had guns and hunted for game along the way. One evening as he was milking his cow, his gun, which had been left on the front seat of the wagon rolled off and discharged. A shot passed through the flesh of the man's leg and crippled the cow in the foot. They happened to be camped near a ranch. Through the kindness of the rancher the wounded cow was traded for another cow, permitting the family to go on with the company.

August 3, 1862 was an eventful day to be remembered and it became one of the highlights of the trip for the Timothy family. The company was following the life-saving Platte River and was about halfway through the prairie land, which soon was to be the state of Nebraska. At a point called 'Wood River' the Timothys mad a hasty camp. Martha's pregnancy had reached its end. The time had arrived that she be delivered. On that night it seemed that the very elements entered in on the celebration of the Timothys' first girl. A violent thunderstorm shook the sky and a fierce rain swept the area. While Martha, in the covered wagon box gave birth to a baby girl, the borrowed tent outside blew down and all its occupants were thoroughly drenched. But the night passed away and it seemed to matter not, with the morning sun and the glad tidings of new little Martha, the caravan was assembled and again, the Timothy family turned their faces to the west and their Zion.

At the Green River in Wyoming, little Heber, now past 16 months, delighted his family by taking his first steps on the solid sandbars of the receding river.

Three months now had passed since the company had left St. Joseph. Once there had been a stampede of cattle. John had miraculously saved two of his little boys from being trampled by the rushing herd. There had been sickness and death from Cholera; many fearful events too common in the large company to mention. Since the great migration began into the far west, every mile beyond the Missouri River became dotted with the whitening bones of beasts that had fallen and the mounds which marked human graves.

It was late October before the fatigued, but anxious saints climbed to the top of the east side of Little Mountain and viewed for the first time 'Their Zion.' The Great Salt Lake Valley lay in autumn splendor! Awaiting them there to be their home!

The Timothy family, along with other immigrants, were unloaded on Public Square. Today, there are some who wonder if the anticipation of that eventful day found rewarded justification in which the Timothy family completed their journey to Utah. Being unloaded in a strange land with six children under the age of eight years and with no home, no provisions, money or position to earn a livelihood would have been problems enough to discourage most people, but not these Welshmen! They had the light of the gospel and glorious freedom, and they were young and teachable. They would learn to use the standardized language which was so foreign to their understanding, and they would build a home in some way to shelter their families. This must have been because in the difficult years that followed, John Griffith Timothy and his faithful companion, Martha, never were found lacking in their testimonies of the gospel. They found only praise for the 'Promised Land' and the true Church of Christ.

Here again, the established saints in Utah were given sincere appreciation for their warm kindliness, understanding and devoted service to their brothers and sisters in the gospel. They who had acquired hardly enough food and shelter for their won families, shared what they had with the destitute immigrants. They were good people!

John Griffith Timothy found himself in the same situation as did many others. There was no employment nor shelter of any kind to assist the unfortunate saints other than to be taken into their own already overcrowded homes. For two weeks, the Timothy family shared the hospitality of an unnamed elder who had served as a missionary in Wales. After two weeks and the active maneuvers of five growing boys, the time at the missionary's home ended with the breaking down of a valuable young apple tree, and the Timothy family was passed on to George Bywater, who allowed them to camp in his yard. The Timothy family never forgot this kindness and the many privileges granted by Brother Bywater and praised him as a true saint.

Heber Timothy inherited this assertion from his father, John Griffith, who said, "If you have faith and work, the Lord will provide." The lord did come to the rescue of the Timothy family through a good man, Israel Evans of Lehi, Utah. John was given a contract for one year, whereby, for his labors, John was to receive shelter of a one room, adobe house, flour enough for his family and five head of sheep. That winter in Lehi, the Welsh people who had gathered there, endured many hardships, but aided each other the best they could. Another son, Hyrum, was born to the Timothy family there 18 October 1863.

By the spring of 1864, the five sheep had more than doubled their number and the family still owned a cow. John and Martha had become interested in the offer of land available in Heber Valley and decided to move there. It is not known how the transportation was provided for this move.

Martha Rudy's history states: "My father and oldest brother David walked and drove the sheep and cow encountering snow in Provo Canyon. In some places it was several feet deep. The rest of the family rode." She continues, "Father rented a farm from Robert Broadbent and farmed on shares. Not having an ox-team, he had to work an extra day for every day he used their ox-teams. Heber City was just being laid out. Father took two lots and built a house of rough pine logs. This was the first house he ever owned."

That first year in Heber, before the harvesting was over, a snowstorm came sweeping down the valley and laid the wheat crop flat to the ground. To save the precious grain, it had to be cut with a scythe. "That winter," Heber recalls in his journal, "we had a mess of potatoes which mother cooked and mashed. Never since that time have I seen any article of food that looked so nice and tasted so good."

When John and Martha left Wales, they knew very little of the English language, but now being settled among English speaking people, they and their older children had a difficult time trying to learn the native tongue. However, some good men of Heber City"C. F. Reynolds, John See and Robert Broadbent" took a special interest in John and exercised much patience teaching him to speak English and how to farm. Joseph Timothy, another son of John and Martha, was born in Heber City on 2 October 1865.

The Timothy family remained in Heber City a year longer, but times were hard, especially without a team to work the ground. They heard about the unsurveyed land available in Round Valley, a farmable valley surrounded by high Wasatch mountains where there was plenty of grass for cattle and sheep. Round Valley laid about 40 miles south of Heber City and John could trade his house for an ox-team.

Like other outlying communities in early days, Round Valley had its Indian troubles. The few settlers there had to be on guard most of the time to protect their cattle from being stolen, but in spite of Indians and high altitude, Round Valley became home for the pioneer Timothy family. John was able to move his family into a small house owned by Ephraim Meacham.

"Here," Heber tells us, "Hyrum cut Joseph's index finger off with a hatchet. There was just a little skin holding it on. Immediately, mother stuck it back on and bounding there; thus saving his index finger on his right hand.

John took a piece of land under a squatter's right and began to clear the ground. John had a warm woolen coat which he had prized and guarded all the from Wales. In cold weather, he was never without it. One day when he was burning brush, he got too warm and removed the coat, placing it carefully on a brush heap. As John went about his work, the coat was forgotten until it was too late, he accidentally had destroyed his prized fur coat by fire!

Only once after the family moved to Round Valley did the Indians become so hostile that the settlers were forced to flee to Heber City for protection. However, there had been times before when it had seemed to the settlers that they wouldn't be able to survive there. This time the determined people returned to their Round Valley homes and each man took his turn guarding and keeping watch for signs of Indians.

There were now 15 families settled in the four block township. John built a one-room house of cottonwood logs in the southeast corner of the town. Here a daughter, Mary, was added to the family on June 23, 1867.

John sawed blocks off the end of a birch pole and hollowed the ends of tem, making bowls for the family to eat their gruel and bread and milk. The spoons also were made out of smaller birch sticks. Heber states in his journal: "When we would be eating form our crude fashioned tools, Father would tell us how well we were being fed compared with the way he had been raised in Wales. They had only barley bread with wheat bread on Sundays."

At first the family had no candles and burned birch bark to make light. As soon as young Martha was old enough, however, it became her job to the tallow candles.

Today, it is hard for us to visualize the difficulties of those days. Each day was a struggle to keep food for the family. Sometimes deer and other animals were shot to provide food but even this took gunpowder and there was very little money to buy gunpowder. "During the summer of 1868," quoting form Heber Timothy's journal, "father wasn't well and the grasshoppers destroyed the crops that season. To all appearance, it seemed that starvation was staring us in the face."

On July 21, 1866 John and Martha went to Salt Lake City and received their endowments in the Endowment House. Note, later when the temple was completed in Manti, Utah, they took their children there and had tem sealed for all time and eternity on October 21, 1891. The following 27 August 1868, Eleanor, another daughter, was born to them.

By the fall of that year, the family was down to their last fifty pounds of flour and no wheat crop to replenish their bread. However, they did have milk and butter.

With the coming of cold weather, John's health was some better and again the Lord came to their rescue by way of the building of the railroad. John hitched his team of ponies to an old wagon, leaving Martha and their ten children, and set off to hunt work with the construction crew in Echo Canyon. He was employed to do scraping to build the railroad grade for which he was paid $10 per day.

Heber, writing about the welfare of Martha and the children in John's absence mad this statement: "The fifty pounds of flour lasted the family 9 weeks. We had no meat, fruit or vegetables. Mother often told me that she would take some of the flour at each mixing. When she would return for more flour, the quantity seemed not to have diminished. Fifty pounds of flour for eleven souls for nine weeks would be two fifths of an ounce per person for each meal, or 13½ ounces each day for a family of eleven."

At the end of nine weeks and with $100 in his pocket, John Griffith Timothy knew he must return to his destitute family. He went by way of Salt Lake City in search of flour. It so happened that the very day that John was in the city, another man had brought a load of flour there to sell. John went home with 900 pounds of flour, for which he had paid $99. This was more flour than John had ever had at one time his life before!

About this time John mad contract with Abram Hatch of Heber City to take a herd of sheep and cows on shares. This not only gave the growing boys a job of herding, but the family soon was able to acquire a herd of sheep of their own.

The citizens of Round Valley built a log school house. Before this time the children attended school in a private home taught by D. H. Greer, who had about 30 students, but only one book with the alphabet in it. He would hold the book and point out the letters while the pupils looked on making slow progress. After the new school house was built, the children had slates. George Pickup, their teacher, made pencils from soapstone which came from Provo Canyon. Young Martha wasn't allowed to attend school as John said, "It wasn't right for girls to attend school, their place was in the home." So Martha learned to cook and sew, make soap, cord wool and knit stockings for her brothers. She also mentioned that it was her expected duty, "to hold the wash basin while her brothers washed up."

The twelfth and last child born to John and Martha arrived 7 March 1870, a son, Jedidiah, who was born in the new house built in the lower end of town near the Nuttal Sawmill. Martha developed Milk Leg, and was confined to the bed for sixth months. She was very ill and sometimes delirious. Had it not been for a kind neighbor, Sister Delaney Ford, who rendered great assistance, and young Martha, then 8 years old, it is not known what the family would have done.

On 24 February 1871, little Mary, aged three years and eight months, died. The family mourned greatly. Even with twelve children, they had none to lose. Mary was buried in the Wallsburg Cemetery.

About the year 1872, Abram Hatch, who was presiding over the Wasatch Stake, came to Round Valley and suggested that Round Valley's name should be changed to Wallsburg in honor of William Wall, who was the first settler in Round Valley, and who was also the ward's first Bishop. So Wallsburg it was, from that day on.

Because the land had not been surveyed, the people began to have trouble, and there was confusion in knowing who owned what. It seemed through the 'Homestead Act' John Griffith Timothy and D. H. Greer became owners of land claimed by five or six different families. When all was surveyed and settled, these two men deed to each settler the land claimed as his portion; each bearing the expense according to the amount of land. Thus the settlers were made happy and each acquired a title to his land.

Port and Alick, the Timothy's dependable ox-team moved slowly, but were stout and could accomplish much work. As the years passed, horses gradually took the place of ox-teams and then in 1884, the ox-team disappeared. Also, the sickle, the cradle, the dropper, and the table-harvester had served their terms and they became only names in the history of grain harvest

With the passing years, the children grew and took their places and responsibilities with the farm work. Some of them showed natural musical talent. David, the oldest, fashioned himself his first violin made from a cigar box.

Another cabin was built near the new house for the boys to use as a dance hall. The boys also became quite popular in furnishing music for many of the town's entertainments.

As the children became of the proper age, they were baptized and careful records were kept. The children were taught the gospel and lived its principals as best they could. The two oldest boys, David and John, married sisters and Martha was married at the age of sixteen, so by the year of 1884, John realized the was near when each of his children would want a home of their own. Already, David and Heber had gone to the new Ashley Valley and found it a promising place for home building, and encouraged the rest of the family to move there.

John and his wife, Martha with son, Alma Nephi, made a trip to the new country of Ashley Valley and returned convinced that it would be of betterment that they all should make the move. David and his wife left in July of 1884. John Griffith Timothy sold his farm in Wallsburg for $1500, a good price in those days. Then John and Martha and son Heber went to Salt Lake City, where they purchased a new buggy, a Bain wagon and some new machinery to take with them into the new country. Then John sold his sheep and they were on their way. Heber and Joseph and James Davis followed the caravan with the cattle and horses.

It was November when the Timothy family arrived in Ashley Valley, now Vernal, Utah. The cold weather was setting in so the family lived the first winter in the old Fort Thornburg, which was in the far northwest part of the valley.

John bought eight acres of choice land in the part of the valley which became Maeser Ward. In time John built a two-story house, one of the nicest ones in the valley at the time. The home was replete and stood among tall trees. A fruitful orchard, well kept and trimmed, furnished apples, plums, apricots and berries for many people. John became an expert in tree grafting. His trim grain and hay stacks and orderly machine sheds were admired by all who passed his home.

Although John Griffith Timothy had no school house training, he became self-educated in many ways. He read and spoke the English language well. Few men, even today can compare with the excellence of his penmanship. He was a scriptorian in both the Welsh and English tongues.

Martha remained true to the customs of her rearing. Her place was in the home. Although she spoke some English and could understand it, she preferred her native tongue. As a result, the children knew both the Welsh and English languages.

On April 18, the old Welshman, convert and preacher, clockmaker, farmer and builder, John Griffith Timothy, at the age of 74, finished his abode on earth at Maeser Ward, Vernal, Uintah County, Utah, and was laid to rest in the Fairview Cemetery a few miles from his home. His faithful wife, Martha, joined him one autumn day six years later on October 10, 1906, and today she sleeps there beside him;two wonderful pioneers from far off Wales.