TIRZAH GRIFFITH IVERSEN
A Brief Story of My
Mother’s Life
By Martha Jane Iversen Thyberg
My mother’s name
is Tirzah Griffiths Iversen. She was born 29 March 1858 on the Square,
St. Issels, Wales. She was the daughter of
William Griffiths and Mary Evans. I will first write what I know about my
mother’s people. Her father William Griffiths was born at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales on 27 April 1825. Her mother Mary Evans Griffiths
was born 23 April 1832 in Wales. Her father grew up in a large family of
14 children; one of these children died in infancy. They were very devout
religious people. Her grandfather was also named William Griffiths; his wife
was Mary Williams. Their family group sheet appears in this book. Grandfather
Griffiths was well educated. He also studied the scriptures, was a hard worker,
and was one of the most forgiving men I ever knew. If he had any angry words
with anyone he would not rest until he had made things right. He was a
wonderful teacher and would often gather his grandchildren around him in the
evening and tell them stories from the Bible. He had a large Bible with
pictures. They were beautiful. We enjoyed this very much.
Grandfather was very strict.
In Wales when the children were small there was no branch of
the LDS Church there, but he would send his children to Church.
The children would have to memorize the sermon and tell their father about it
when they returned home. Then if the minister had not given the right
interpretation of the scripture grandfather would correct it.
The Bible was a great and wonderful treasure
in those days. I suppose one Bible was all they would have perhaps for several
generations. I remember my mother telling me of when she was a child. She had been
playing store; they couldn’t find any paper so they had torn leaves from the
great book. Mother learned a lesson that she never forgot when her father found
out what she had done, as she was severely punished.
All the girls married and had families, but
the brothers never married.
Grandmother Griffiths
was a wonderful person. She had great love for children. When we were at home
she would serve the children first at meal time. She never in all her life
turned away anyone who was hungry. She would always share what she had.
Grandmother never went hungry; she was ___________, as everyone that knew her
loved her. Her maiden name was Mary Evans. We never knew much about her people
as she was adopted out when young. She never spoke much about her people, but
we knew she had a deep love for her mother. Her father’s name was James Evans
and her Mother [was] Merie or Mary Davis.
We haven’t been able to find much research on grandmother’s line yet.
My mother had some of these characteristics:
she loved children and would serve the children first at meal time.
Grandfather embraced the gospel in his
native land of Wales by hearing humble missionaries preach
the gospel who came to his home. Grandmother also embraced the gospel.
Grandfather baptized his wife and children; so mother was baptized in Walesby her father in the year of 1866.
Grandfather worked in
the coal mines in Wales. It was grandfather’s desire to take his family
to America where they could be brought up in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, so he saved up money through the years so they
could all immigrate here. They were all signed up for passage on a ship
called Idaho. This was in the year of 1873, but when it came time
for them to go, grandmother said she didn’t have sufficient faith to leave her
native land and come to an unknown and strange country. So
grandfather with an aching heart called his children to him in council, asking
which one of them would desire to go with him.
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Mother and her eldest
sister Aunt Mary Ann said they would go with him, but when it came time for
them to go Aunt Mary Ann could not leave her mother, brothers and sisters, so
mother came alone with her father. She was then 14 years old and kept her
promise which was characteristic of her throughout her life, as I never knew
mother to break her word. She told me only Heavenly Father knew how hard it was
for her to leave her mother and brothers and sisters, but she was always
thankful that she did. Mother had a testimony of the truthfulness of the
gospel, and her faith helped her to overcome her homesickness and loneliness
going into an unknown land. Grandfather settled in Hyrum, Cache
County, Utah, and ran the flour mill there. Mother kept house for her
father. Mother went to church with her father there and also socials in the
ward. It was here she met our father Bernhart Martinus Iversen and
was attracted to him when she first saw him. She did not like the rough way of
some of the boys. Their manner was annoying to her, but she said father had a
fine, gentle nature. She told me she decided to let father accompany her home.
When father became acquainted with mother they began going together, and later
they were married. They traveled by team from Hyrum, Cache
County, Utah, to Salt Lake City with their very dear friends and
neighbor Bro. _______ Lilenquist and wife,
and were married in the old Endowment House before
the Salt Lake Temple was finished.
They had their
endowments and were sealed for time and all eternity. Mother said she was very
happy. They had great love for one another. This was 12 June 1874. Mother’s
first baby was born before she saw her mother again. A very lovely child, she
named him Benjamin William. Her mother and brothers and sisters came in the
month of October on the ship called Wyoming. Mother had 5 sisters:
Mary Ann, Sarah Jane, Martha, Mira, and Saporah—this
child died in infancy and was buried in Wales—and two brothers: Heber and
George. Heber had been injured in a mine explosion while working in a coal mine
in Wales. The doctor said he could not live long. Grandfather’s constant
prayer was for this boy that he might live long enough to come
toAmerica that he might see him and that he
could be buried here when he passed away. This prayer was answered, as he died
a short time after reaching here, but Grandpa was privileged to see him. Uncle
Heber composed poetry. Mother told me of some that he composed, and it was very
good. But I haven’t written them down, so I don’t remember to quote them now.
Uncle George never
married. He was a fine man, always paid his tithing, had a good character, and
was very truthful. Mother’s sisters all married and had families. Aunt Mary Ann
married Leir Smith and they had one
daughter named Grace Elizabeth Smith. This girl married Elias Ransom Hatch.
They had a daughter named Grace Juanita. Grace Elizabeth Hatch died when this
baby was one year old. She had heart trouble all of her life. We were very much
attached to Lizzie as we called her, for she lived with us a while before she
was married. Aunt Sarah Jane married David Hutchinson and had a family of 9
children. One child died in infancy—William. Another boy David Hutchinson was
accidentally killed while riding a horse in the canyon. Aunt Sarah could never
get over the shock of this tragic incident. She always grieved over it. She had
5 daughters: Mary, Janette, Sarah, Martha, and Annie. These girls all married
and had families. Also two sons: Heber and Reese also married.
Aunt Sarah was dearly loved by mother’s
children; she was a hard worker, a good mother as Aunt Mary Ann was. We often
visited mother’s sisters, our aunts. Aunt Martha married William James, and
they did not have children of their own, but they adopted a baby boy and named
him after grandfather Griffiths. They did not have this child sealed to
them, so I have at last accomplished this which makes me very happy, as I
remember everything about it. I was about 7 years old then.
Next was Aunt Mira.
She married Thomas K. Obrey and had a
family of 5 children. The eldest [was] named Mary Elizabeth who was born the
same day as I was. Then Floradell,
_____________, William, next Maggie Mae, then Golden.
My mother had a family of 12 children. The
first, Benjamin William, was a fine man who helped the family a great deal,
worked very hard all his life. Lived a good life and had a testimony of the
gospel. He never married.
[Page 3]
Next was a daughter Mary Matilda, a beautiful
child. [She had] blue eyes and blond, curly hair, had a sweet voice and could
memorize songs and music, had perfect time, but this lovely child died when
about 4 years old.
Next born was a
daughter named Sarah Ann, dark hair and blue eyes. She married William H.
Mathews, and they had a family of 13 children. Sarah was a wonderful mother and
wife [and] was a great comfort to all the brothers and sisters and her parents.
She loved and lived the gospel. The first child born to Sarah [was] Rose May
who married Eddie Davis, and [they] had a family of four daughters:
Louise Bardena, Ardella,
Donna Mae, Sheri Lee. Nellie Jane who first
married Miles Larsen had one child, Lila Darlene. Then [she] later married
Victor Green and had 4 children from this marriage: Thomas Victor, Dorothy
Viola, Vernal William, Leonard Devere. Next Mary married2nd Chester Tripp and they had no
children. William Leo married 2ndDelpha Bowers and
they had no children. Next Howard Leslie Mathews married Helen Parr and had a
family of 8 children. One died in infancy. Howard Leslie died while serving in
the US Marines. David Lamar, Kenneth Dean, Darrel Henry, Janet Eileen, Diane
Low, Keith Irvin, Lloyd Earnest. Then Sarah Lucille who
married Everett Peck. They have 4 children: Althea Lucille, Eugene
Everett, Duane William, Shirley Mae. Next is
Melvin Devere Mathews who married Georgia
Delia Ormond. They have born to them 4 daughters: Karen Joan, Myrna Lee, Rita
Ann and Jill Clover. Next is Gerald Heber who married Hazel Faye Hubbard and
had born tot them two children Carol Faye
and Julia Ann. Next Dale Hayden who married Mary Alice
Andrews. They have born to them two children: Dale Eugene and Marily Alice. Next was Henry Iversen who
married Lucille Marie Johnson. They had five children born to them: William
Henry, Barbara Dean, Alice Larue, Carana Lee,
and Richard Leslie.
Next of mother’s
children was Hans who married Minnie Larina Wilson.
They had born to them five children: George, Buella Mae,
Earl, Mimmie Lorina. Two died in infancy. They also had a son Edward
_______ had from a first marriage. He was like our own son; we all loved
him. Gracia Maxine who married Thatcher Stewart and had four children. Then
next was George Henry who married Maggie Smith, and they had no children. Next child Martha Jane who married Axel Rudolph Thyberg and they had 6 children born to them. First
Violet Marie who married first William Palmer. They had one son Daniel. She
later married Rayman Winder, then Lester
who married first Faye Ellen Eiman and had
one child Lester Rudolph, then married Mimmie Sims.
Three boys were born to them: Tad, James, _____ Harold, the three to Leona
Starr, one daughter born to them: Darla Kay, next Golden Devere who married Frances Parr and one son born to
them. Married 2nd to
Anna Laurence Lilenquest. Next was RoryLamor who married Maxine Whitworth and they have
four children: Royce Dawn, Stanley Lamor, Karen
Jane, and Janice Fern. Next child Ethel Marie who
married Herbert William Palmer. Two daughters were born to them:
Barbara Jane, and Alma Kathleen. 2nd marriage of Ethel Marie to
Grady Colia. Two sons were born to
them: Barry Lee and Kelly Brent Colia. The next child Tirzah Irene who
married Thomas Chris Sobel Croxall. They have 4 children born to them:
Martha Sue, Candico Louoise,
Thomas Christ, and Craig William. Next of mother’s children would be Richard
who married Venna Bullock. They had born to
them 8 children; 3 of the children died in infancy. First Venna Bernice.
Richard Rory, Howard William who married.
Clarence Ben who
married.
Then Dorothy Mae, then
Ralph Leroy who was killed while in 2nd World War, and
next Rex, the last one Vernal Claude who married.
The next child of mother’s was Hannah who
married Arthur Thomas Mathews and they had born to them 9 children. Two of
these children died in infancy. First Arnold Clayton, then Cora Genevieve who
married Vern Wilson had born to them four children, Arthur Robert, who married.
Rory Leon who married
and Martha who married and Donna May. Then by a second marriage Cora married
Elmer Steinlicht with 2 children born to
them: Elmer and Mary Ellen. Next child June Irene who married Enoch
Tripp, one son born to them, Paul and one daughter Joyce LaRue, then by second marriage of Jun to Allan H. Parr, a
son Arthur Reed Parr and _______________
[Page 4]
Hannah’s next child is
Vivian Verna who married 2nd Richard Frances Homstetter and
2 children were born to them: Susan and a son Richard Paul. A daughter from her
first marriage was Gail Kay Baldwin.
Next child of Hannah’s,
Mary Magdalene who married Murray Daniel Westergren,
one child a son has been born to them Bruce Neal Westergren.
Next child is Elaine
Mercedes who married Orell Aaron Prescott.
Three children have been born to them: Joyce Larue, Leland Richard and Jolene.
Next child is Helen
Leon who married Lawrence Lystrup. They have
born to them three children: Janice Ranie, Paula
_______, and Lawrence Clay.
Next and last child is Lorraine who
married Morris Clarence Larsen and they had born to them two children Michael,
and Debra Lynn.
Next child of mother’s
is Liza Rose who married John Joseph Infanger,
and they had born to them 6 children. One of these children died in infancy,
Arnold John. Benjamin William who married Edna Merril and
had born to them five children: Wayne Benjamin, Becky Lee, Anita Jean, Kelly
William and Brent Joseph. Next Tirzah Mary Infanger who married Lionell James
Harris. They have 4 children born to them. Carol
Jean, Kenneth Lionall, Karen Lee, and Clifford
John.
The next is Ray
Edward Infanger who married Vera Stokes.
They have four children born to them. Judy Kay, Erlene Ann, John Neal, and Linda Marie.
Then Reese Iversen who married Doryne Hall
Bailey. They have four
children born to them: Craig William, Tamara Kay, Christa Kim and Hollis Ann.
Then Twila Marie next who married Newell Windley Thomas. They have had four children born to
them: Newell John who died in infancy, Dristine Marie,
Susan Collen, and Lorinda Kaye.
Mother had a son named
John but he only lived a few months. He was a lovely child. Our mother and
father had moved from Paradise to Hyrum and this is where John died.
We were then living in Grandpa Iversen’s home,
as they had passed away and father had bought the shares his brother and sister
owned in the home. The people were very fine and helpful to us at this time.
Here we attended Sunday School and Primary.
Mother sewed all our clothes by hand and they were beautiful. She always made
us beautiful white dresses for the 4th and 24th of July or for other very special occasions.
Mother also had a son
Isaac who was born in 1891 who only lived a short time. I remember the night
this baby passed away. He grew very ill in the night. Mother woke sister Sarah
as our father was in the canyon getting out logs. Mother told Sarah to go and
get our grandfather Griffiths who lived a short distance from us, so
Grandfather could administer to the baby and bless him and give him a name.
Sarah was frightened at first, but Mother told her she must be brave, as mother
depended on her to do this. So my sister went after Grandfather in the night.
He came and blessed the baby, but the sweet little baby died. Our Uncle George,
mother’s brother, went to the canyon to bring our father home. Father said he
knew something was wrong at home, as he had not been able to sleep, but had
walked in the pines all night. It was very hard times then, no money,
there was no undertakers, so the family prepared
their own dead or some sister came in of the Relief Society. Our Uncle Lerr, mother’s sister’s husband made the little coffin.
Our mother was very ill after this. Our father
was very kind and good, taking good care of her too.
I wish to write a little mother’s other
children and some of their characteristics. I have written somewhat of Ben,
Sarah and Mary. I will first write about Hans. He was a good father and a hard
worker. His wife was never very well. He would take the children with him out
in the field and he was kind to animals. I don’t believe I ever saw him angry.
He ______________
[Page 5]
Next I will write
about brother George. He was also a hard
worker and helped to raise the younger children in the family by working on the
farm. Brother George was a peacemaker. He was always kind and never spoke a
cross word to me in his life. He never married until quite old; never had
children of his own. He had a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel;
never spoke ill of anyone. Liza and I was with
him when he passed away. He gave us old letters and pictures which helped a
great deal in our research of our ancestors while he was living.
Next in line, myself,
Martha Jane. I loved my
parents very dearly and my brothers and sisters. It was always my desire to
live our gospel. I also had a great urge to do temple work and research. I am
very thankful I have been able to do temple work for our own kindred dead and
others and also some research. I has been
great happiness to me.
Next in line was brother Richard. He was also a very hard worker; loved
his family. I have known him to go hungry himself that he might give things to
eat and wear to his children. He had a lovely wife; she was a good mother to
their children. She passed away quite young. He would keep the children clean,
patch their clothes as good as most women could do and his last thought when he
was stricken ill was for the care and safety of his children. He had us put
their bed where he could see them at night and watch over them as long as he
could. He had a testimony of the gospel.
Next in line was sister Hannah. She has been a wonderful person, always
helping her brothers and sisters. A kind and loving wife
and a good mother. She has always been greatly interested in genealogy,
temple work and research and has been a worker in the Church all of her life
and is now counselor to Relief Society President Sister Hammond in their ward.
She has seven married daughters with families. When Hannah and I were young in
our teens, we were called on many times to sit up with the sick at night and
watch over and take care of them. Also to sit up with those who had passed away
as there was no undertaking parlors in the little town then. We went and done
this work cheerfully as we felt it was our duty.
Next in line is
Sister Liza Rose. She was a tiny, lovely baby. Mother was very ill
before this child was born. On the morning of her birth sister Sarah
sent I and brother Richard to school very early to get us out of the way.
There was still high snow drifts in places
and we waded through them, having the time of our life. When we came home the
little baby was born. We were sure thrilled over her. Our mother was very ill
for some time; everyone was very kind. Neighbors and friends called bringing
little offerings of delicious food and gifts for the baby and mother. Liza Rose
grew up to be a great blessing to mother’s family. She has done a lot of
research and other work in the Church. Has been a true
and faithful Latter-day Saint. She was always willing to help her
brothers and sisters and others who needed her help. Was
a good and faithful wife and mother. We all loved her and she took
care of brother Richards’ children when he
died, as his wife had passed away about five years before he did. She took care
of them and loved them.
The next child born
was Levi. I was alone with mother and she told me her baby would be born that
day. I was very frightened as mother seemed so ill and my father was working in
the fields quite a distance from our home. Mother said we have time; don’t be
frightened. I know my baby won’t be born until 3 o’clock this afternoon. I
asked her how she knew. She said Heavenly Father had made it known to her, so I
started to walk to the other field and a neighbor boy Johney Hartvigsen came along riding a horse and he went after
father. I was very grateful the little baby was born at 3 o’clock that day.
Father drove a team many miles to bring Mrs. Hatch; she was a nurse. Levi was a
beautiful child, dark hair, and his hair was wavy. He grew to be a comfort and
great happiness to our family. He could sing and dance and had perfect time. He
was stricken with pneumonia and passed away. The home was left desolate without
him.
[Page 6]
Mother taught all her children to pray. She
told me many marvelous and miraculous answers to prayer which she had. Mother
seemed to have great wisdom in dealing with problems, also great faith and
patience with children.
I wish to relate one
of these instances that to me was outstanding.
Mother’s cousin William Reese was principal of
the District School at Hyrum. Mother had invited him to dinner
one day, so I walked along with him; he was holding my hand. I was just a small
child; I felt quite proud and happy. Mother sat my place by him at the table. I
was a little excited and tipped over a pitcher of cream on the beautiful white
cloth. Mother did not scold me but took a napkin and wiped up the cream, [and]
then placed a clean napkin over it and smiled at me. This incident was scarcely
noticed. If mother had scolded me it would have upset everyone at the table. I
sure loved and appreciated mother for this. After that I was more careful. It
seemed mother knew how to handle every situation.
A MOTHER’S TEMPLE
By Hattie V. Hall
A builder builded a temple
He wrought it with care and skill—
Pillars and groins and arches,
All fashioned to do his will.
And men said as they saw its beauty,
“It never shall know decay.
Great is thy skill, Oh builder!
Thy fame shall endure for age!”
A Mother builded a temple.
With infinite loving
care.
Planning each arch with patience,
Laying each stone with
prayer.
None praised her unceasing effort,
None knew of her wondrous plan,
For the temple the Mother builded
Was unseen by the eye of man.
Some is the builders temple—
Crumbled into the dust;
Low lies each stately pillar
Food for consuming
rust.
But
the Temple the Mother builded
Will last while the ages roll,
For that beautiful unseeing temple
Held a child’s
immortal soul.
It was the spring time
of the year 1899 that my parents moved from their old home
in Hyrum, Utah, to Snake River Valley, Idaho. Father and
the boys were buying land there, saw sagebrush land but had water for
irrigation, a hundred acres; father and the boys traveled by team with a few of
our household goods and mother and the small children myself, Hannah 9 years
old and Liza one year old, event [leaving?] a few days later on the
train to Blackfoot. When we arrived there, there was no one to meet us as
father had a little trouble along the way, bad roads. We were going
to Riverside where Sarah and Richard were exciting for us, but no way
to reach there. I told Mother I would go over to the grocery store and find out
if there was anyone we could ride out there with because Mother had the little
baby to carry. So I walked down the street from the railroad depot and there
was a man there that knew where we wanted to go and gave us a ride. He was a
very accommodating man, and we were very grateful. His name was Smith. We lived
in part of Jensen’s house; they were very fine people. We later moved on our
own land and lived in a tent that summer. It was real pioneering that first
year, but my Mother never complained. She always made the best of everything.
We lived in a little town called Moreland. Sometime the wind would blow the
tent over. It was quite rough, but finally father and the boys with the help of
our neighbors completed our home.
[Page 7]
It was rather
difficult for mother to get acquainted with strangers, but after she knew them
and associated with them for many years they became like one of the family.
Mother was always ready and willing to help anyone in sickness or trouble; all
the people loved her. But she also wanted fair treatment herself. One summer
father and the boys were away. There was a substitute water master. He kept
turning the water off when it was our turn for the water. Water was very
precious, as it was scarce that year and the crops needed. So mother walked up
to the head gate when the man was going to turn the water off. She said, as she
held up the shovel, “Just leave that headgate along.”
He never again turned off the water when it was our turn. He knew mother meant
what she said.
It was here at Moreland that our eldest sister
Sarah was married. She was the first child in the family to be married. When
she came back after a week or so to take her clothing and things that belonged
to her I went in the house after she had left and mother was crying. I couldn’t
understand then why she would cry. I asked mother if she would cry over me like
that when I married. I was just a child then and mother looked at me and
laughed. She said I don’t know, but I suppose I would.
Father and mother sold
this farm and moved on another farm near Blackfoot called the Brown Ranch. This
was about the year 1906; [we] farmed her for some time, then moved
to the Tyhee district. Here they broke up
farming land for Frank Delay, and they worked very hard here. One of the
mother’s neighbors here, Mrs. Stewart, said mother reminded her of the story of
The Lady with the Lamp, because she was always willing to go across dark fields
with her lantern any time of night if anyone needed her who was ill or in
trouble.
About the year 1910
father went with his boys; they took up land in the Arbon Valley.
Mother and father wanted to see their boys have a home of their own. Here they
lived with their boys while they were homesteading. This too was real
pioneering. Mother was very brave to face trials and hardships, had great faith
and also an abiding testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. My mother also
took care of some of her grandchildren. The people were very fine people
in Arbon. They had many socials; also in the
winter it was rather difficult to get around. The snow was so deep they would
have cottage meetings. We all enjoyed this very much.
It was in the fall of
1913 that our father was traveling to Pocatello with the boys
from Arbon Valley. He grew ill on the way
coming in and they took him to a friend’s home and called the doctor. The
doctor said he would have to have in the hospital. He arose from his bed,
walked out to the car, and in the morning he died. My mother and brother George
was with him. It was a terrible shock to them and to all of us. Dear mother
bore up under this trial so bravely.
Later years mother and the boys moved to Pocatello. They
were living about 6 or 7 blocks from me. One of mother’s granddaughters, Grace,
was with mother. Mother had raised her. Mother had not been well for many
years; had a very bad heart. She walked to our home just a few weeks before her
death; she was rather tired and I persuaded her to lie down to rest. Then I
prepared a light lunch for her, things that she liked. I had strawberry jam
toast and a boiled egg. Then she said, “There is something I must tell you,
Martha, and prepare you for my going away. You have been a good daughter; your
father has come to me in a dream or vision and has told me that my time to go
would be very soon now.” She said, “I want to prepare you.” I couldn’t answer
mother, so I turned and looked out the window to hide my astonishment and
grief. She told me she would like her cousin William Reese to speak at her
funeral service and would like her sister Myra to attend the service.
I had been walking to see mother every day, but
the last day she was with us I took our children to the park and took my
mending to do that day. I was mixing bread when Hannah’s husband Arthur came
that evening and said mother was ill. I rushed down there and was shocked to
find mother unconscious; she had a bad stroke. Just Ben and I were with her and
Arthur. He tried to get word to the rest of the children but was unsuccessful.
[Page 8]
We called the doctor, and everything possible
was done for her. But in the morning she passed away, just as the sun was
coming up. The elders came to administer to her. She had prepared the clothes,
ironed and put them where they belonged in the dresser drawers for the boys and
had also baked bread for them. Brother Ben said, “Don’t feel too badly. Mother
is out of her pain and has lived a good, clean, and useful life and has gone to
a just reward, and I know she is happy with father and the other children who
have gone before.” All of her wishes were fulfilled, and we felt mother was
happy, and she would not wish us to grieve too much. But the world was suddenly
a lonely place. But like the comforting parable or story
of Temple Bailey “A Parable for Mothers” we feel she is with us
still. We will always remember her teachings.
Mother could quote many passages of scripture.
She also taught us many beautiful and useful proverbs such as, “Waste brings
want”, which is verily true. And this is one is good to remember: “The morning
crowns the day.” She believed that if one would arise early in the morning much
work could be accomplished.
