JOHN E. PRICE, JR.
John
Evan Price, Jr. son of John E. Price and Ruth Williams, was born at Llanfigan,
Breconshire, South Wales, January 18, 1855, at four o'clock in the afternoon.
On January 18, 1863, he was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
During
his early life he moved from place to place with his parents as his father
spent most of his time doing missionary work. There was little opportunity for
schooling. Even small children were carried into the mines to pick up coal and
be errand boys. Sometimes they never saw the sun for weeks. He had this
experience.
With
his parents he emigrated to America in May of 1865. They sailed from Liverpool,
England on the ship BridgeWater. They were five weeks and two days on
the ocean before landing at New York. They went from there to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, where many Welsh immigrants were living. They were treated very
kindly by the Welsh people but they desired to come West to make their home.
They left Pittsburgh and went to Detroit to meet other immigrants headed for
Utah. On 18 July 1866 they left Wyoming, Nebraska with Captain John D.
Holladay's ox team company and headed west. They encountered many hardships on
the plains. John, then eleven years of age, walked most of the way as did many
of the children and adults who were able, easing the load for the oxen so they
might bring their few possessions.
They
reached Salt Lake City on September 25, 1866, and stayed there a few days. They
then went to Brigham City where both parents were stricken with mountain fever
and were confined to bed for two months.
In
February 1867, the family moved to Malad and joined their daughter, Ruth, who
had come to this country previously and was married to Fredrick Thomas. They
lived in Malad until April 1868. Then they moved to what is known as Samaria
where his father had taken up 160 acres of land on which he had built a dugout.
They were the first white family to settle here.
These
pioneer children worked long and hard. Young John helped clear the sagebrush
from the land to get it ready for planting and went to the canyon with his
father and brother, Daniel, to get logs for their home and other buildings. His
father was an ambitious, hard working man and always tried to use the logs the
day he brought them from the canyon. They built a saw pit and sawed the logs at
night and put them in place. They sometimes averaged as many as eighteen trips
to the canyon in three weeks.
When
older he freighted to Belview, Wood River, Challis, Salmon, and Eagle Rock,
which is now Idaho Falls, and from Corinne to Montana. The first freighting was
done with oxen. Later, horses were used. At one time they camped for the night
at what is now known as Mud Lake. The mosquitoes swarmed on the horses so thick
they could hardly tell one from another.
He
married Emma Morse, daughter of William and Margaret Evans Morse on March 15,
1883, in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City. They traveled to Brigham City
by team and covered wagon, taking a load of wheat with them to sell.
With
the money they bought a wedding ring, some knives, forks, utensils, dishes and
groceries. Leaving the horses in a rented pasture and their supplies with
friends they boarded the train and went to Salt Lake City where they were married.
Father
had had a two-room brick house built before they were married. The inside of
the house was white washed with lime and was later plastered. The floor was of
rough lumber. Later, more rooms were added and in this home they lived their
remaining lives. There was no water on the place and water had to be hauled in
water barrels from the Samaria spring. The old water barrel on the water
sleigh, pulled by a horse, was a familiar sight in the pioneer village.
He
homesteaded a ranch at Pleasant View just three miles from their home. On the
ranch they built one large room which was divided and a grain bin built in part
of it. Using straw ticks they made their beds on top of the grain. They lived
on the ranch only long enough to prove up on the land.
John E.
Price was ordained a High Priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. He attended his meetings
regularly although he was not a public man. He did much charity work and always
paid every obligation to his church.
At one
time he hauled lumber for several weeks to help build the Logan Temple. He did
not fulfill a mission for his church, but he and his small sons ran the ranches
and cared for the animals of his brother and brother-in-law while they
fulfilled missions. He was a firm believer in family prayer and tried to teach
his children by example.
He
served his community as school trustee, water master, constable and member of
the water board. He farmed and raised stock as a means of livelihood. The first
farming he did was with a cradle and scythe and later a self binder. He was a
loving and kind husband and father; a man who took great delight in his
children. He also took pride in his animals, always keeping them well fed and
cared for.
Father
was five feet nine inches tall, broad shouldered, slim bodied. He had grey
eyes, dark brown hair parted on the side and a sandy mustache. He was quiet and
reserved and seemed to be free in conversation only with those he was well
acquainted with.
On
March 13, 1908, he passed away at his home in Samaria of pneumonia and was
buried March 16, the day they had planned to celebrate their silver wedding
anniversary. He left his wife and the following sons and daughters: William M.,
John M., Evan M., Ruth, Elmer V., Daniel M., Esther, Edith, and Emma.
- Edith
Price Evans- Daughter
