BIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN ISAAC, JR.
My
father, Benjamin Isaac, Jr., was born on January 28, 1863, at Spanish Fork,
Utah. His father was Benjamin Isaac, Sr., who was born on September 17, 1823 at
Cammarthen Shire, Wales. His mother was born on
January 28, 1824, at Cammarthen Shire, Wales. Her
name was Phoebe Davis. My father was born after they had been in Utah three
years.
While
a boy he attended school in a little adobe school house where the Thurber
School now stands. His teachers were Mary Ann McClain and James Higginsen. There were no doubt others.
He
worked with his father who was a mason and stone cutter, and they spent many
weeks in the rock quarries in the Spanish Fork Canyon, cutting out rock to be
used for foundations and buildings. They were very good brick masons, and
grandfather was an artist with the trowel. They could make all kinds of
decorations for rooms from plaster paris.
The grapes in the old Winona Theatre were made by my grandfather.
My
father married Catherine Thomas on December 31, 1884, and there were five
children born to this union: Phoebe, Mary Margret, Ben Lester, John Thomas and LeRoy. Father also had five sisters: Margret, Mary, Ann,
Sarah, and Emma. There were also five brothers: Thomas, John, Benjamin, David,
and William.
The
family was very musical. I have heard many say what beautiful singers Emma,
Ann, Sarah, and Ben were.
Father
still continued his mason work and some farming until they moved to Leland. He
had built a beautiful home in Spanish Fork and it was nearly all his own work.
He was a very useful and all around man, and no doubt mother was proud of her
new home and was sorry to leave it. There were ten or more rooms with bath both
upstairs and down, and very lovely porches, and the walls were very artistic
with plaster paris trimmings.
It still stands, and is across the road from Dr. Brockbank's
home.
Ten
days after we moved to the farm my brother John was born on March 10, 1896. We
did not have much of a house on the farm. Father soon built on and made things
comfortable. Father planted some evergreen and pine trees around the home. It
is now the home of John T. Isaac.
Father
took quite a part in the Mutual when N. P. Jensen was President.
When
they decided to build the church, he was Bishop Don c.
Markham's right hand man. He could draw blue prints and I think he made the
plans for the new church. He cut the rock and laid the foundation and did all
he could to help in the erection. When they had to raise money to pay off the indebtedness
he did his share and more. They moved a pile of beets that had been dumped and
I have heard many say, my father did his part and some of the others.
Although
he was not & church going man, he lived a life of a Latter Day Saint. He
was clean in his habits and would not cheat his neighbors. He helped anyone in
need and wanted his children to do their part in the church.
My
father was a leader in many of the civic activities of the community. He was
one of the presidency of the South Gate Irrigation
Company for many years. He was the foremost man to establish the electric light
and telephone system in our community, and was a member of that board almost up
to the time of his death. He was County Commissioner for two terms.
He
had the one and only general store in Leland and did very well with it until
the automobile came into existance and country stores
were a thing of the past. He trusted many people and lost many a dollar, but he
never allowed his children to speak disrespectful of anyone. We were taught to
speak of our neighbors with the highest regard.
After
my mother's health failed father built them a nice new home in the Second Ward,
which is the home or Ben L. Isaac now. My grandfather owned all
of that block, and after he died father sold it for building places, all
except the corner. My mother's health became worse, and after they had been in
the new home just four years she died. The date of her death was December 4,
1922.
After
mother's death my son, Lynn, went and stayed with his grandfather and went to
school. Sometime later he moved back to the farm. He had his meals with his
children, but he had his rooms in what used to be the Isaac Store. He made it
into a comfortable living place. After mother's death he began to fail, and he
became crippled with rheumatism and soon lost sight of an eye. He had a
cataract removed from it, but the other became affected and life was not very
pleasant for him. His children did all they could to make life pleasant, but he
was a very ill man and not much could be done for him.
His
grandchildren idolized him, and when his grandson, Ben Markham, went on a mission
he was very proud and happy. I am sure that if he were alive today he would be
thrice happy of his grandsons Lynn Markham, Dixon Isaac, Bert Isaac, and
William Leyshon, who are now in the service of the
Lord. They are serving or have served in the following mission fields:
Ben S. Markham Australia 1931-1933
John Dixon Isaac
Texas 1935-1938
Lynn Carlos
Markham Southern States 1936-1939
Bert D. Isaac Holland 1936-1938
William Edward
Leyshon
Father
died a few months after Ben s. Markham returned from Australia. He died very
suddenly from a stroke on August 27, 1934. His funeral was one of the largest
held in the Leland Church. He had hundreds of friends. He was not a church
going man, but I think the reason for that was that he was so afraid to be
called upon to take part.
He
was a wonderful and kind father and I will always cherish his memory.
·
(Note written in margins: written by his
daughter Phoebe Isaac Mackham)
