From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
Family History
by Ann Lewis Clegg
Historical
Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Library microfilm copy
#0076830, fiche #6018844
I was born in Cardiff, Wales, June 25, 1836 being the eldest child
of seven, namely Ann (myself), Fred, who died in infancy, Mary, Amelia, who
died in childhood, Fred, and the twins, William and Preese
(the latter named died in infancy).
My father was John A. Lewis and my mother was Ann John Lewis, both
of Welsh descent, born and raised in Cardiff, Wales. My
father was the eldest child of Edward and Amelia Preese
Lewis, the other brothers being Edmund Edward, William Betsy, and Mary. My
mother was the eldest child of John and Ann John and had two brothers, Daniel
and John, and one sister, Cellia. As far back as I
can remember, they all lived in Cardiff, Wales, and
respectable, honest, ambitious, law-abiding people, being farmers, mechanics, merchants,
and master builders. My father and his brother, Edmund, built the Cardiff
Docks.
As I turn the leaves back from the great life book of memory, I
can see the house where I was born, a little French cottage (the house father
built) in Frenches Row, in the northern part of the city of Cardiff. The front was
built of Alabaster rock, the windows were
quaint and small. The space within consisted of
two rooms upstairs and two down. The furniture within was plain and scant. I
was the only child born there and when I was three years old we moved into a
beautiful home on Milicent Street.
It was a large rock dwelling
and
contained seven rooms well furnished. I seem to see my angel mother as she went
about in the beautiful home, bringing sunshine, peace, and love to all. She was
of medium height,
with
black hair, and eyes and skin as fair as alabaster. She was consumptive and
therefore looked delicate. She was beautiful in spirit as well as body.
My father was a tall dark complexioned man, straight as an arrow
and firm as the rock of ages. He was a kind, charitable, and very religious
man. He was at that time occupied as master builder of the Cardiff Docks. Our
home was a happy one. Here all my brothers and sisters were born. We were
Methodists and were reared and educated under a strict Methodist training, my
father being a Methodist Minister.
How well I remember one evening when
father and mother were entertaining some
guests at dinner and I came near being burned to
death. I was about seven years old and was dressed that evening in a white mull dress. The fire was burning
brightly in the grate in the back parlor. There was a little book on the mantle
that I wanted to get. I reached for it and in doing so my dress caught and in a
second was in flames. I ran through the hall to get to my mother, when my uncle
Edward who was just entering the house with his overcoat on his arm threw it
around me, thus smothering the flames. When the excitement subdued it was found
I was burned very badly. Doctors were sent for and it was a whole year before I
recovered.
How patient and loving were by dear parents and how they tried to
make everything as pleasant as they could for me.
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
We always kept a hired girl, a washer woman,
and a family doctor.
All of us children received a fair common
education. Father wished my brother Fred
and myself to go to France to finish ours, but there
was something else in store for us, as you will see. I was quite a delicate child and unable to attend school
regularly. Our lives went on day by day happy, only one thing that was the ill
health of my sweet mother. She had consumption and day by day gradually grew
worse, until one beautiful morning, the 5th of May, 1849, she like a beautiful
flower faded and died and left us to bloom the kingdom of Heaven,
where she went to join the angels and clasp to her arms her children and loved
ones that had gone before her.
A day or two before she died she called me to her bed and said to
a lady friend, "Here is a dutiful child who has never given me a cross
word in her life." I loved to wait on her and though young I tried to do all I could to
please her. Her father dearly loved her and her death was a severe blow to him
as well as us children. She was 33 years old [31 or 32] and left a husband and
four children besides loved ones. I was then 13 years old. We buried her in our
family vault. No one can tell the loss of a mother unless they have had that
trial.
After mother's death we were very lonely,
and would have been more so if we hadn't
had our dear grandma Lewis, who took care of
us and our home with the help of the
housekeeper. Grandma was the most charitable woman I
ever knew. She was charitable to
everybody and everything. My father couldn't stand
to live in this home after my mother's death so we moved into a beautiful home
father had built in Humphrey
Street. My father was now living from rents of the houses having
in all 12, he was also a merchant, a lease owner, a free
holder of life, living entirely on his income. Four years after mother's death
father married again. A Mrs. Pricilla Phillips, a widow with one daughter,
Louise. She was a very sweet lady and we all soon grew to love her and her
little daughter. She was kind and good to us and tried as near as she could to
take the place of our mother.
Grandmother was now in her old home, but would come to see us
every day. She was one of the best grandmothers in the world and we all dearly
loved her. Grandfather died several
years before mother. About this time, Mormonism was being expounded in Cardiff. Captain Jones and Elder Henshaw were there, teaching this new and strange gospel to
all who would listen. My father seemed to grasp the gospel at once and after
two years of careful
study of it and having gained a testimony of
its truth, embraced it. My stepmother soon
followed and the children. Myself
being the last to accept it. I was baptized by Elder George
Taylor in the River Taft at 8
o'clock at night in September. Elder Daniel Spencer stayed with us. We were very happy in the new gospel, but our relatives
were very bitter. We saw we could not live there in peace so we decided to come
to Zion. We had
a new addition to our family now, a sister, who was named Millie. We also had a
cousin living with us named Caroline Mathews who was my stepmother's sister's
girl. Her parents being dead my stepmother took her to raise
as her own.
My father sold his store, house and
everything we held dear to come to a new country
far away, but persecution was so great we had
to if we lived the gospel. We were two weeks
selling our belongings. First
our beautiful big store and goods, then our houses, etc. After about
three months preparation we bid farewell to all and took the train from Cardiff to
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From England to Utah - The Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
Liverpool where we
were to sail in the ship "Golconda."
Grandmother Lewis was brokenhearted.
Grandmother Johns had died, but Grandpa Jones was still living and was
brokenhearted, too, as were all our relatives and friends we left behind. Father brought to America 25 families besides his own
and that is where he lost so much money as the nearly all apostatized and only
a few paid back the money father had loaned them to come.
We arrived at Liverpool safe and took first
class passage in the Golconda for St. Louis, U,S,A, February 4, 1854.
We were all sea sick and therefore our voyage wasn't very pleasant. There were 800 saints on board and it was the
month of April. Nearly all the saints
were from Wales. WE were six weeks on the water,
it was very rough and had some severe storms at sea. Three were buried in the sea of the company
and quite a number were seriously sick.
I saw a number of whales. I was
so sick. I don't like the water and my
voyage was one of fear and dread. I was
so glad when I landed in New Orleans I could have fell down and kissed the
earth and it was some time before we could walk as it seemed as though the earth
rose up and bumped us. It was about June
now and we could hardly wait to go on land.
It
was nearly morning when our ship sailed into the harbor. Men they called land sharks crowded on the
vessel and tried to plunder all they could.
Policemen were there and protected the saints. After getting though with the custom house
proceedings, our family took a cab to the hotel and stayed there till about 4
o-clock p.m. When we
all took first class passage on the beautiful boat "John Simmons" (the largest
boat on the river) to sail up the Mississippi. We had every comfort on the boat that could
be desired and it was simply grand.
After we had been sailing for a day or two the boat got caught in a sand
bar and we were detained for fours days, making it in all about two weeks
before we arrived at
St. Louis,
after a delightful journey. The Steerage
saint passengers on this boat were very sick and we girls used to take them
good things to eat nearly every day.
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
When we got off the boat we were taken in
vehicles out to the edge of St. Louis
to
McFee's camp ground, where all the saints were
camped, preparatory to going to Utah.
Father bought all the camp outfit and provisions to start on our journey but it
was six weeks before we started. The families of saints father had brought were
all to go to Utah
in what they called the ten pound company and then settle with father later. We
went in an independent company, or a company that furnished themselves.
We had in our outfit to travel across
the plains 2 wagons, 12 herd of oxen, I yoke of cows and a beautiful riding
mare,
saddle, etc. We had two teamsters. We had all
kinds of provisions: bacon, hams, flour,
crackers, and everything to eat one would wish. We even had a churn and used to
put the
milk from the cows in the
churn in the morning in the wagon and by night we would have
butter. We were clothed
comfortable and had plenty of good bedding. I think it was about the
first week in July when we
started across the great plains. The captain of our
company was
Captain Richardson. There were 40 wagons, three and four families to a
wagon. They had to
take turns riding part way and walking part way across the plains. I will say
that before we
started cholera broke out and
several hundred died. It still continued and many died (mostly
young men) while on our
journey. Our company would start first, early in the morning and
we would travel until towards night, when they would find a suitable camping
place, where
the cattle would be corralled by the wagons forming a circle on the outside,
and the cattle
within. Buffalo
chip was the fuel. Camp fires built, supper prepared, have prayers, sing, and
retire.
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
Figure 50. Mormon Wagon Camp
The heat was very oppressive and we would all get very tired,
footsore and weary. We always stopped over Sunday where we would have worship
and have a glorious time as we had a number of good musicians in our company,
who had brought their musical instruments with them. We saw lots of deer,
antelope, and buffalo, a few were killed. Also saw a few mountain sheep. The
Indians were our dread as there were so many of them and they were all on the
warpath and we had to be so careful for fear they would kill us. One day we
came upon a large number in Ash Hollow, of Sioux Indians, we were very
frightened of them. They were on their way to war with another tribe. My father
gave them a large barrel
of crackers and all the company gave them something and we
got past them in peace. I had never
seen an Indian before. I was frightened of the Indians and of the panthers roar
at night. The loneliness of
the plains nearly drove me wild. Mother and the children were like me and we
were wishing every day we would reach our destination that night. There were a
great
many deaths in our company. We just had to sew
the corpse in a sheet or blanket, dig a deep
hole and bury them and
go on.
Oh, the trials the saints endured no
tongue can tell, and no pen can write the suffering.
Mother was confined at Ash Hollow. Dr. Richardson waited on her. A
baby boy was born to her and he was named John Samuel Lewis. She did fine. My
sister Mary had the mountain fever and nearly died. I was well during the whole
journey and so were the other children. How we did rejoice after many weeks of
travel we arrived on the big mountain and could
look down on the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Lake Valley. We sung the songs of Zion in earnest and gave
up thanks to God that he had watched over us and we were permitted to
behold the land of Zion.
We came through Emigration
Canyon through the valley
and on to the public square, where we camped with hundreds of others for a few
weeks until we could get located. How little Salt Lake City seemed to us. The square was
full of people to welcome us in. Brigham Young was there first and gave us a
hearty welcome. Some were expecting their loved ones in the company and I tell
you it was a grand reunion, a time of rejoicing together. I was glad our
journey was ended, but I was very lonesome for awhile. We had been 3 months on
the road and arrived in Salt Lake September 30, 1854, just in time to attend
the great October conference
of the Saints, where we had a glorious time.
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From England to
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Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
Father now bought a home in the 19th Ward. Just
one room and a small lean-to kitchen. We soon got located in our new
home and began our first experiences in pioneer life. While we were in Cardiff we were desirous
of obtaining a home so when we got here we would have some place to stay.
Father spoke of this to Elder Dan Jones who was laboring
there as a missionary and he proposed to sell
one to father. He represented to us a good farm
in Utah
that he would sell for $2,900. Father, thinking he could trust him, bought this
farm
and paid him money down for it before we left
Cardiff. When
we arrived in Utah
and located
this property it was nothing but sagebrush
with no house on it all as he had said. He told us it
was a beautiful farm with a nice dwelling
house on it. Father had been deceived beyond
measure, both in this project and in bringing
emigrants to this country. When we came in the valley and told Brigham Young,
he held a council and had Dan Jones up before it and he
promised to pay the money back, but he never did.
All he gave father was a pair of mules and
a buggy. Thus father had gone through a fortune but had
never lost faith or turned from the gospel. Daniel Jones on his deathbed years
later sent for father and begged for father to forgive, which he did, and he
died in peace. When father got in the valley he had to start out with 12 heads
of oxen, cows, 2 wagons and a tent and a nice mare, some provisions and some
money and all of us well.
We joined with the people and although it was a very severe winter
we rejoiced ourselves very much.
New emigrants were coming all the time and I would go with the
other young people to what was called the Public Square and there welcome the
Saints who had reached their journey's end. It was at this place that I met the
man who later became my husband. It was September 1855, [I was 19 years old.]
when with some others I was shaking hands with the saints and was introduced to
Henry Clegg, a tall [30 year old] light complexioned young man (a widower with
one little boy and with whom I fell in love and he with me. Our love and companionship
for each other grew stronger each day and on December 3, 1855 we were married
by Elder John Nebeker at the home of Mr. Hughes and
later in August 14, 1857, sealed in the Endowment house by President Brigham
Young.
My husband, Henry Clegg, was born June 7, 1825 at Preston, Lancashire, England.
He was the youngest child of eight, namely Thomas, James, Margaret, Jonathan,
Betsy,
Alice, Henry and himself. His father was Henry Clegg and his mother Ellen
Cardwell. They
all lived in England and my
husband and his brother Jonathan were the only ones to emigrate
to Utah.
My husband had married Hannah Eastham in Preston,
England and unto them were
born three children, namely: Israel,
Thomas, and James. His wife and son James died while
crossing the plains and thus he reached the valley of Salt
Lake a widower with the one little
boy Israel.
After our marriage we rented a small log
house in the 19th Ward in Salt
Lake and
commenced housekeeping. We didn't have hardly
anything to commence life with but our
health
and ambition and resolve that we would work together in love and with the help
of our Heavenly Father be homebuilders in the great desert (as such it seemed
then). We were happy: I taking care of my humble home and Israel and my
husband toiling for us both. Our
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
joy was
complete when on November 15, 1856 a baby boy came to bless our union. He was a
lovely boy and we named him John Henry after my father and husband. My folks
lived in the
city and of course thought the world of my baby. That winter we had living with
us a young
girl from England,
Margaret Ann Griffiths, and who later married my husband in obedience
to the law of polygamy. I consented for her to join our family which she did
August 14,
1857.
My husband was well educated, but as the country was all we had,
we had to work at anything we could to make a living. He worked hard at various
things and with our helping
him all we could we got along all right.
About this time what is known as the move came
owing to Johnson's Army entering Salt Lake
Valley and all the saints
were requested to
move south so we got ready to leave with the rest. My folks had
been in Tooele a short time and at the time of the move I went to meet them and
didn't know them. Father had a pair of
breeches made from a bed tick and mother and the
children dressed so funny. However, we joined the move and went south locating
in Springville. Here we resided for 14 years. During
the time
we had secured us a home, first a little shack and later a dobe
house of six rooms, ten acres
of land, a team, cows, etc. My husband had a shoe shop and tannery. He played
at dances and later lectured throughout the country on Phrenology.
Our family had increased considerable by this time. My self having had 7 more children namely William J., Fredrick,
Lewis P., Franklin, Amelia Ann and Ellen Juventa and Cardwell.
Margaret having had 6 namely: Thomas G., Herbert L. Margaret Ann, Henry James,
Hannah Mary, and George A., and with John Henry and Israel we went thru all kinds of
trials of pioneer life.
We were poor and had to struggle hard to get enough to eat.
Margaret and I wore and spun and made our clothes, worked and schemed every way
to get along. I had previously sold my clothes I had brought from the old
country for flour. And yet through all this I blessed the day I came to this
glorious country and was thankful I could have sons and
daughters born in this land of freedom and liberty, and land of
opportunity although we had
to struggle hard for our existence in this new life yet our future we knew
would be bright in
this God blessed country. We
rejoiced in the gospel in the ward. My husband was choir
leader of over 60 voices, leader of Marshall
band was always at his post during Indian
troubles which were terrible. We three always sung together wherever we went
and one of
our favorite songs was "Ever of thee my Love I'm fondly dreaming". We
enjoyed ourselves
amid our poverty.
As our boys grew up we realized we would have to have land to keep
them with us and had decided
to move on further south to Levan where land could be
obtained on easy terms. My husband's brother, Jonathan, came down from Heber, Wasatch County
(commonly called Provo
Valley) and persuaded us
to move there. So April 16, 1872, we started by team for Heber. We camped in Provo Canyon
all night and got there the next day. Our boy Israel (for I had raised him and he
seemed just like my own) stayed in Springville and the next February, 1873 he
married Verona Noakes and settled there. We gave him
what we could for a start when we left. Arriving in Heber we went to Uncle
Jonathan's, pitched our tents
and lived thus for a while and then moved to a house on main street, about
where the Turner Opera House
now stands. We liked Heber and prospered by working hard. Little
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
by little we secured a homestead and also some city lots,
which had built on them later a log house each of one room. The two were built
on one lot and then later at the time of the manifesto Margaret's house was
moved to a lot of her own on 1st west and 3rd south. My
home was on main street and 2nd south, where
it stands today. Of course, we made
improvements on them as fast as we could.
My husband taught school and worked in the
church, being Stake Clerk, Sunday
School Superintendent and Bishop of the Heber West Ward. At Heber
my three youngest children
were born: Brigham (there was an earthquake the night he was born I remember), Carlie and Henrietta (last named dying at birth). Margaret
also had five children born here: Charles David, Heber (who died at birth),
Josephus, Levi Webb and Jane Eleanor. At the time we moved to Springville my father, mother, etc. moved
to Spanish Fork and settled there. My brothers marrying and
also my sister Mary. She married a Mr. Redd
and he died
and later she married Joshua Hawkes and moved to Idaho.
My father and brother Fred both went to Wales on Missions at different
times. In 1887 my stepmother died and soon after my father. My health was real
poor for years. We
schooled our children and tried to do the best we
could for them. My older boys were now
grown to manhood and on December 2, 1880, my boy William was
married to Jacobina Murdock of Heber at Salt Lake City. Carlie my baby was then 2 months old. On September 24, 1881
their first baby was born and my first grandchild. How proud we were. The named
her Tillie. How time flies.
The next year Fred was married to Carlie Luke and in
five years
my first girl Millie was married to Livingstone Montgomery.
As time went on we were blessed with numerous grandchildren and it was such a
happy time for us all. Our children whom were married lived near us in little
homes of their own, where we could see them nearly every day. We were a great
family for parties and singing and music of all kinds and enjoyed ourselves
immensely.
We thought our oldest son John would be a bachelor, but on New
Years Day 1887 he married Martha Smith. Margaret's children were also marrying
one after another. Her oldest boy being married the same day as my boy Will,
and thus we had a double wedding. We were building on to our home and was soon
fixed up real comfortable. We had lots of parties, wedding receptions and good times along
with our troubles and cares.
My husband was Justice of the Peace at one time, and also served
as water master so he did a little of nearly everything although he was a man
of great intellect. We had good
neighbors and loved the community in which we
lived. Our next child to marry was Juventa. We named
her after the ship my husband crossed the ocean in. She was a delicate child
and never walked until she was four years old. My babies were all large ones
and had such an abundance of black hair. As Juventa
grew up she became stronger and was married on her father's birthday, June 7,
1894. We had a grand reception for her. Her husband was Frederick
J. Tullidge of Salt
Lake City where she went to live but only stayed a
short time and they soon were located near us as the
other children were.
Several years prior to this time my husband had gone into the Mercantile business and our store was located at the south side of our house. We bought
the building from Hatches and my boy Will and others moved it on our lot. My
husband liked this work, but I didn't
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From England to
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very much. We were quite successful. The Indians would never
trade with anyone but me. I know in future years the children will have a good
laugh at the Indian incident, the homemade telephone, the bees nest, old Pid and so many comical things
that happened in our life at this time. I was always a great hand to look after
my cows, pigs, chickens, etc., and have something good to eat. One thing I did
enjoy was preparing a good meal for my husband and children and all who entered
our home. We always had lots of company from the time we were first married,
and many a time I didn't know where the next meal was coming from, but I always
managed to get something.
One time in our early married life we
didn't have a thing to eat and I didn't know
what to do when a hawk flew over our house and dropped a
chicken at my door. So we were always provided for somehow. I remember once
when my boys were small they wanted me to cook enough pancakes so they could
have all they wanted so I told Israel
to go and get me
some buttermilk at one of the neighbors and I
would scare up some flour if I could and they
could have enough for once and they did as I cooked them
pancakes until they were satisfied. After we came to Heber my husband also had
a shingle mill in the canyon and we lived there some of the time. We had all
kinds of experiences, too numerous to mention and had tried many different ways
to make a living. We got along nicely with the mercantile business and
my husband seemed adapted to that kind of
business.
We were comfortable and happy and of course growing old. My
husband was 11 years older
than me and I was four years older than Margaret. After attending the
dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, my husband was returning home by stage from Park City
when he met with an accident, broke his collar bone and injured himself otherways (June 28, 1894) from which he never entirely
recovered. On June 30, 1894 we (my husband, Margaret and myself)
went and had our second endowments. My husband's first wife
being sealed to him at this time also. We had a grand time. We enjoyed
life so much now with our children all around us and such good children they
were.
In August of that same year my youngest child Carlie
came down with typhoid fever and was very low when a great sorrow came in our
life. My husband dropped dead of heart failure in the store while waiting on a customer who happened to
be Margaret. She was getting
some apples. That morning we had cream biscuits, beefsteak, peaches and cream
and such a lovely breakfast.
He enjoyed it so much and seemed to be feeling so well. We had such a nice time
at breakfast and we went in the room to see Carlie
before he went to the
store. He asked her what she wanted to eat and she said
"Tomatoes and cucumber." He told her she would have them as there was
a peddler driving to the store then. He said to me "I will be back in a
few minutes and we will give her some." He left and when he came back they
brought him dead. He had just gone on the store. Margaret was there and wanted
some apples. He got them for her and said I have given you thirteen (a baker's
dozen). She was right behind him coming from the green grocery room to the
other one when he fell. She
thought he had fainted, but when help arrived it
was found he had died instantaneously, the
way he said he would die. He always said he
never wanted to suffer and linger in sickness,
but when the Lord wanted to take him home to do it at once,
which he did. I believe his life had been such a good one that the Lord had
granted his desire. A minister once tried to
poison him because he was a Mormon but didn't
succeed.
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From England to
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His death was a terrible shock to me, but I had to stand it the
best I could as my girl was so very sick. Of course this made her worse and I
had to live for the living. I knew my life companion was separated from me but
I knew also that Heavenly Father would help me in this great trial as he had
done in many others and I put my trust in him. This was the 30th
day of August and he was buried the 2nd of September.
Relatives and friends came from different parts of the country. He had been a great man and was
well known.
It was a grand funeral and one of the largest ever held in Wasatch County. The Sunday Schools all marched,
also the priesthood. The procession was blocks long. The tabernacle was
decorated beautifully. The singing and speaking lovely.
Everything was done in order to show the great love, honor and respect due him.
His life on earth was finished. Behind him was left his
numerous posterity to try and follow in his footsteps. His had been a
well spent life and he had been called home to continue his work and prepare
for our coming in the Great Eternal Home. "We will meet but shall miss
Him. There will be one vacant chair. We shall linger to caress him while we
breathe our evening prayer."
When the excitement was all over we all of course were lost
without him, but settled all affairs the best we could. The store was closed
and sold later. Carlie had taken a change for the
better and it was thru faith and prayers that she was saved. After the
expenses, debts, etc., had been paid everything settled we were left with our
home and a farm but not much ready money. I managed to keep Brig and Carlie in school and they, as soon as possible, used their
education in employment for our support. We got along very very
nicely and my children were my all now. Brig taught school for several years
and fulfilled a mission to the Southern States. While he was gone, Millie and I
were out riding with our buggy and [the] horse took fright and ran away with
us, breaking my leg and four ribs and bruising Millie terrible. I was laid up
for 17 weeks but when I got better I could walk as good as ever, which was
wonderful for a woman of my age. Shortly after his return, he married [Cleo]
Pearl Huffaker of Midway on August 12, 1900. 1 had
the typhoid fever that summer. That fall Carlie taught
school again and we got along fine.
My children were such a comfort to me and so were my sisters. We
took boarders in the summer and Carlie and I were
constant companions. We had some lovely girls stay with us: Belcia
Howe, Effie Bullock, and Sadie Blake.
In 1899,
my son Will and his family moved to Provo or
Vineyard and near Provo.
This was the first break in our family, but it was not very far away for
me to go to see them. I traveled quite a bit and enjoyed my life. My health was
fairly good. I was so pleased when we had the water works here and the electric
lights and I did enjoy them so much. We were among the first to have them
placed in our home.
Brig had shortly after his marriage moved to Salt Lake
to go to school. He studied hard and was now a successful lawyer. A year or so
later Juvie and her husband moved to Salt Lake.
Before this, however, Carlie and I lived a year in Salt Lake
for the benefit of my health. I loved to attend all the conferences at Salt Lake
which I did. My children were all so good to me. Carlie
now worked at office work and we got along fine. While attending an October
Conference, Carlie and I met a young man, David A.
Tidwell, who was on his return from a mission to the Southern States and who
later became her husband. He came and
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
visited us that New Years and the next May he sent for Carlie and I to come and visit [him]
and his people, his home, etc. in Carbon County, which we did. We certainly had
a lovely
trip and a grand time. He paid our expenses and did everything for us to make
our visit
pleasant.
On our return we learned of the sad death of my sister's youngest
daughter Frona. I
took the next train out with John, Fred, Millie and Brig joined us at Salt Lake
and we all
attended the funeral at Franklin,
Idaho. There had been many sad
deaths in our family as time
goes on.
That winter Carlie was married January
15, 1908. Walt and Mary A. Wickham were visiting us
and it will never be forgotten the lovely time we had for several weeks. A
party was given in each of the homes of the family and we sure had a time of
rejoicing, one that will never be forgotten. Carlie
was married in the Temple.
Millie went with them, they wanted me to go but I didn't feel able. She had a
time at Brig's in Salt
Lake, then
went on a trip for a month. On their return I met them in Provo
and after visiting in Utah
County we returned home
and had a dinner for her near relatives. Before she was married I asked Lon, as
her husband was called, to promise never to take her away from me as long as I
lived. I wanted them both to live with me in the old home which they have done
and at my request they bought the old home. We are just as happy as can be. Her
marriage has made no difference, she is the same and with me constantly, which
is a great blessing as I do not think I could [have] stood my last child to
have gone away and [leave] me. We enjoyed each other more than ever now, go out
everywhere and have such good times. Her husband's work calls him away the
greater part of the time but we so enjoy his company
when he can be home, for he is as good to me as my own son and so are my other
son-in-laws.
My family is all grown and married now and such a comfort to me as
are all my grandchildren. On
my 75th birthday my family gave a grand party in my honor. All my old friends
and neighbors were there and all my family. Tables were set out on the lawn and
all the love and honor and respect that could be shown anyone was shown me. We
had a delightful time. My old age is filled with peace, love and joy and I am
perfectly contented.
Sometime ago I went to Mary A. Wickham's
funeral and, oh, it was sad. This fall I have been visiting in Salt
Lake and all down in Utah County
with my people. I am now enjoying being home again. My sister is here to spend
the part of the winter with me and we expect to have a jolly time. I enjoy the
company of Margaret also as we have always got along together. I am so happy in
my home, surrounded by my children, friends and neighbors whom I love. I enjoy
the theaters.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. It is Christmas time now and my
children gave me a beautiful plush coat and set of furs and my grand children a
lovely throw for my head. They are grand.
Carlie takes such delight in fixing my hair and
making me look nice. I am being repaid for the sacrifices I made in the past
years. I never have regretted embracing the gospel nor the many trials, etc. I
have had thru it. I have been blessed and I am thankful I am where I am and my
old age is surely crowned with the choicest blessings.
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From England to
Utah - The
Clegg's Journey 5. John A. Lewis Family
***
Mothers health had been failing all winter and
gradually grew worse and in February grew serious, Brights
Disease developing rapidly. The best doctors were called to attend her and
everything that could be done for her was done but to no avail for on April 11,
1913, her
angel spirit passed away, surrounded by all her children. Her
children attended her during all
her sickness also their wives and husbands. Relatives, friends and neighbors
were with her
constantly. She had every
comfort that human hands could provide but she left us anyway.
We didn't want to part with her for if ever a mother was worshipped, she was.
It seemed so
cruel to have her separated
from us and especially myself who had been with her constantly
all my life. Her place can
never be filled and I will never get over it, but when death calls we
have to
obey.
She was 77 years old, mother of 11 children, grandmother to 54 and
great
grandmother to 10. She had hosts of friends and good
neighbors who all loved her dearly and will miss her so much. We know she will
rejoice in being again united with father and they will anxiously await our
coming when again we can all be united in our eternal home.
Her funeral was grand. She was shown all the respect, honor and
love that could be bestowed upon any woman. The grandchildren all marched
dressed in white and each placed a beautiful flower upon her casket. The
services were grand and everything went to show what a beautiful flower she was
and what a well spent life she had had. Her posterity is great and all are proud of their lineage. She
was a chosen spirit of God. She had many sacrifices
but they brought forth choicest blessings. She lived and died
in the Gospel and never once regretted,
but blessed the day she accepted it and came to this country. Her life was
indeed a glorious one. She
made the best of everything and always looked on the bright side. She was loved
by all who know her and worshipped by her family. Our parents are gone from us
but their spirits will ever linger near. Their lives
beautiful examples for us to follow. We tried while they were living to
show how much we loved them and how much we appreciated all the sacrifices they
had been thru for us and for what they did for us all. So now to further prove
our love and devotion we must try and follow in their footsteps guided by their
spirits and prompted by memories which cling to us of the best father and
mother in all the world whom
we children love so and the memory of whom shall never be forgotten. We are
proud of our parents and love, honor and appreciate what they have done for us.
We can only repay them by making our lives worthy of their approbation.
We miss them keenly but realize they could not stay with us
forever. We hope to see them again and all be united once more in the Great
Eternal Home.
Carlie Clegg Tidwell
August 31, 1916
Heber, Utah
Wasatch Wave
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