Letitia John Gibbs
1853-1914
Letitia John was born 6 April 1853 in Castle Redding
Parish at Mathrey, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She was the eighth child of Thomas
John and Margaret Thomas. There were nine children - five boys and four girls.
In the year 1861, she crossed the ocean with her
parents. It took them thirty-three days to make the trip. They came on the
sailing vessel, New York Manchester.
Their first home in America was at Williambrough on
the banks of the Hudson River. They lived there for 14 months. In August 1862,
she crossed the plains. Henry Miller from Farmington was the captain and there
were about 2,000 people in this company. They arrived in Salt Lake City on 17
October 1862. They left Salt Lake City within a day or two of arriving there
and went Wellsville, Utah, arriving there on 22 October 1862. In November 1862,
Letitia was baptized and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints. The family lived in Wellsville until the year 1867 -Letitia
was 14 years old. During that year, her father moved his family to Portage, Box
Elder County, Utah. She was taught to work very hard at an early age and she
became an expert with the spinning wheel.
In the spring of 1868, a young man by the name of
William Henry Gibbs came to their home. There is no record of a former
acquaintance so we can only assume that this was the first time that they had
met. Letitia was very popular with the young people, often going to dances in
the little church house in homespun dresses made by her own hands. Two or three
violins furnished the music, and sometimes a mouth organ would be added.
Candy pulling contests was another form of amusement.
This was done by making candy from molasses and then when it was cool enough,
they would put butter on their hands and pull the candy until it became a
beautiful golden color. The winning candy was judged by which one looked and
tasted the best. Candy making was an art as well as a practice. Often, the
friends would meet together in someone's home and pop corn and tell stories of
their former days. It was in this way that Letitia spent her teenage years.
On 25 January 1872, Letitia received her recommend to
the Endowment House in Salt Lake City to be married. Her intended husband,
William Henry Gibbs, also received his. On 2 February 1872, the happy couple,
with a borrowed team of horses and wagon, started for Salt Lake City. They
arrived on the evening of 4 February 1872. During the night, it snowed about
six inches. Her future husband broke the trail through the snow and she
followed in his footsteps. They arrived at the Endowment House at 7:00 a.m. and
were endowed and married by Daniel H. Wells.
When the young couple left Portage for Salt Lake City,
they had $50.00 of their own. On arriving in Willard City, they paid out $3.00
to get their horses shod. In the writings of William Henry Gibbs, he states,
"I was expecting to buy me a new suit of clothes in Salt Lake City, for I
had on a borrowed coat. After we were married, my wife said it would be nice if
we could get some things to keep house with. I agreed with her. Then she added,
'When we get home, I can spin wool on shares and get enough cloth for you a
suit and myself a dress and underwear for the winter.' So, we agreed to it, and
we bought one table, four chairs, one-half dozen knives, one-half dozen spoons,
three cups and saucers, one-half dozen plates, four tumblers, a bake skillet, a
frying pan, and a bucket. When finished, my purse was empty."
When they returned home, a porch was built onto John
Duggan Gibbs' home, and this was Letitia's first home. That year, a little log
cabin was built. Adobes were used for the chimney, and a fireplace was built in
one end of the house. Because nails were scarce, the window frames, the floor,
and other woodwork were put in place by wooden pins. Letitia spent most of her
time spinning wool on shares. She spun enough to make her husband a suit of
clothes and a dress and underwear for herself. She also spun enough to pay for
the weaving.
The crickets and grasshoppers took most of the crop
that year. This forced her husband to go to Willard City to find work. On 23
January 1873, her first child, a son, was born. Thomas John Gibbs was the name
given to him. He became sick and on 30 May 1873, he passed away. The
grief-stricken parents laid their darling baby away. He was the third person to
be buried in the Portage cemetery.
The following year, the crickets and grasshopper took
most of their crops again. Once again her husband was forced to make a living
in some other way. This time, he cut cedar posts and sold them. At times, he
would haul wood to Conine, 35 miles away. This would earn him $1.50 to $1.75
per day.
Letitia and William's second child, a son, was born on
9 January 1875. He was strong and healthy and filled the home with joy and
happiness. The name given him was William Henry, Jr. During the summer of that
year, the crops were once again a failure because of the insects. And, on 26
December 1875, sorrow again came to their home. Their third child, a son, was
born and given the name of Samuel Willard. He was premature and died 9 January
1876. A year later, on 1 March 1877, the fourth child, another son, was born.
He was named Joseph Edward, and he grew to be a great comfort to his mother.
There were no girls, as yet, in the family, and Edward helped his mother around
the house. He was very willing to help and did his work well. When his mother
told him what a good helper she had, his heart would swell with pride. At about
this time, the old fireplace was removed and a stove was put in its place.
Other furniture was added to the home to make it more comfortable.
Letitia loved to cook and would fix dainty dishes for
the family. Her bread and pastries were the best. She was happy and her home
was happy. She loved her husband and her family.
On 22 December 1878, her first daughter was born. She was
named Julia Ann and she was a lovely child. One day, Julia Ann fell from her
high chair onto the hot stove and burned one side of her face and her hand.
Everything was done to relieve her suffering. The burn left a scar on her face
throughout her life.
The family was getting too large for the little home, so it
was decided that they would buy a farm on the outskirts of Portage. This farm
had a four-room house on it. The family was very comfortable in their new home.
There were also outbuildings on the farm, such as chicken coops, sheds, and
corrals. In the beginning of 1881, Letitia was expecting another baby and her
health was very poor. One night her husband was away from home, and after the
children had gone to bed, she lay on the bed feeling very miserable. Her
sickness became so bad that she could not sleep. A bright light appeared in her
room. It encircled her bed, and heavenly messengers appeared and administered
to her. She felt their warm hands on her head, and the warm feeling entered her
whole body. After this administration, she went to sleep and was relieved from
her suffering. When she awoke, she felt refreshed and free from pain. On March
22, 1881, she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Their names were Francis
Duggan and Frances Letitia.
On 2 April 1881, the little boy died and was laid beside
his brothers. Frances was a lovely child and filled the home of her parents
with sunshine. It seemed that she tried to make-up for the loss of her brother.
Letitia worked in helping her husband make the children happy. The year of 1884
was a very trying one, yet one that gave her much joy and happiness in her
later life. On 26 January, 1884, a son was born - her eighth child. He was
named Charles Warre.n.
On 1 May 1884, William H. was summoned to serve as juror in
Ogden, Utah. This took him away from home, and Letitia was left alone with her small
children. Then on 10 May 1884, William was called by President John Taylor to
report to Salt Lake City. He was to be there on 30 May of that year and would
be sent from there to serve a mission to the Southern States. While he was in
Salt Lake City, he met with George Q. Cannon and was given permission to remain
at home until he could harvest his fall crops. The summer passed rapidly.
Everyone was busy trying to get things in order for William H. to leave on his
mission. The crops were good that year, and the farm was leased out for two
years. In the early part of October, Letitia and her five children bid their
husband and father farewell. The responsibility placed on Letitia was great.
The farm was not paid for. She had her family to care for. She was responsible
to obtain food for them, for their schooling, and all other responsibilities of
life. She prayed, "Dear Lord, please give me strength to be a good mother
and a real missionary's wife." Her father's and mother's teachings, her
pioneer life, her faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, her husband's family,
all gave her the assurance that she, with their help, could and would be equal
to any task that might come her way.
Letitia was not idle for a minute. She planned her work
well. The children were very young, yet they seemed to feel the responsibility
place on their mother. The help that the children gave their mother all the
time that their father was away was surprising. Letitia raised a large flock of chickens. The boys
helped with such chores as feeding the horses and cows, caring for the pigs,
etc. In the summer months, Letitia took the boys to the canyon to get wood for
the winter. The girls took care of the home and the baby. Letitia sold eggs and
any surplus butter. In the fall, any extra pigs were sold. She also sold the
non-producing chickens. In this way, the little family was comfortable. Letitia
also made the winter profitable by taking in the schoolteacher as a boarder.
So, she was busy both summer and winter from early in the morning until late
into the night. With all the work, she did not neglect the religious training
of the children. Each night and morning she knelt in family prayer, giving
thanks to her Heavenly Father for his blessings of that day and asking for the protection
of her missionary husband. Letters of encouragement were received from her
husband, and she in turn sent letters of cheer and of all the happenings at
home to him.
The people of Portage were very good to the family and
helped them whenever they could. It was the custom of this little town to help
one another, and this custom has been handed down from generation to
generation.
On 2 March 1887, her missionary husband received an
honorable release. On his arrival home, he found that the home had been made
clear of all indebtedness.
The ninth child, Amelia Naomi, arrived on 6 December 1887.
Naomi was not a very healthy baby. She became so ill that they had to carry her
around on a pillow, but through careful care, she became well. On 6 February
1889, Letitia gave birth to her 10lh child—another daughter named
Margaret Rosella. She was a beautiful baby with dark blue eyes and a fair
complexion. On 17 September 1890, another daughter came to them - Martha
Louisa. She was a healthy child with a happy disposition, and all loved her.
Letitia's 12th child, a boy named James Hyrum, was born on 5
September 1892. His older brothers were very fond of him, and he was their
constant companion. The 13 th child, a daughter, was born 17
November 1894. She was named Matilda Priscilla. She was the pride of the
family, making home life cheerful by her happy smile. Although Letitia gave
birth to a large family, she worked hard, and by her good management, they were
able to build a large home in which to live and which made the family
comfortable. It was a real home in every way. William Henry and Letitia would
gather their family together and spend many happy evenings together.
Letitia relates a very interesting experience. It happened
on her fortieth birthday, 6 April 1893. On this date, the Salt Lake Temple was
dedicated. She and her husband were present. As she sat with that great throng
of people, she saw heavenly angels and heard them singing songs of praise to
their Lord for his Holy Temple. Her husband, sitting by her, saw and heard
nothing but the people who were assembled in the room. It was revealed to her
that the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Mormons was true and that temple
work, both for the living and for the dead, was a true principle and that it
had to be done before they could enter into the glory of their God. Letitia's
testimony of the gospel was full of faith. She had seen the sick healed, her
prayers had been answered, her eyes had seen heavenly beings, and she had loved
her fellowmen.
She always gave a helping hand to the poor. The widows and
the orphans were always given food and clothing. The hungry were never sent
away from her door without being fed.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were always big days at
Letitia's home. One Thanksgiving, she entertained all the widows and widowers
in Portage. She served a delicious meal, which was enjoyed by all. Her children
and grandchildren all looked forward to a Christmas at her home. Nothing was
too good for them. And, nothing was left undone when Christmas came. Her pantry
shelves were filled with all the dainties of Christmas -cakes, pies, and
cookies. Her breadbox was filled with the best bread; pounds of homemade butter
were on the pantry shelves. Many varieties of jam, candies, and nuts were
placed in reach of everyone. When the children and grandchildren came, running
up and down the stairs and from room to room, wrestling, and rough play were
rampant. However, Letitia kept her sunny smile with never a cross word. She
always took her grandchildren in her arms and loved and kissed them and told
them how good they were. A large Christmas tree was placed in one corner so it
would not be knocked down during the children's play. At night, beds were made
on the floor for the children. What a time they had until their grandfather,
William Henry, said it was time for sleep. They would then kneel down in prayer
as morning and evening prayers were strictly observed in this home. Then all
was very quiet until morning.
Letitia was not only a mother to her own children, but she
took a little two-year-old Indian boy, by the name of Lewis, into her home and
gave him the same mother's love as she did to her own children. Lewis lived
with them throughout his childhood
A daughter-in-law said of Letitia: "Grandmother's
bread was a little better, her butter a little sweeter, her jams and jellies
just a little tastier to her children and grandchildren. I think it was her
sunny smile, her love for her children and grandchildren that made them seem
better, and when she made things for us, she left a part of her love with her
work, that we, as her children and grandchildren might remember her life and
understand more of that God-given gift of love."
On a Sunday afternoon in May 1914, Letitia decided to walk
up through the fields to visit her brother and his family who lived at the base
of the west hills just north of Portage. After her visit there, she again
walked through the fields to the cemetery where she spent some time visiting
the graves of family members. She then walked home. Some days later, she was
stricken very ill and it was discovered that she had been bitten by a wood
tick, which had embedded itself in the small of her back. All of her children
were called home. On 30 May 1914, she
passed away in the home she loved so well and had worked so hard to make. Both
young and old mourned her death. She was laid to rest in the Portage cemetery.
