History of John Griffith Timothy, Part 3

This is the last part of John Griffith Timothy's written history:

After they moved to Heber, John had a team of horses and a wagon, and during the winter went north to Wyoming and got a job where they were building a railroad. He left Martha and nine children with about 50 lbs of flour. He didn’t know when he left how long he would be gone, but it was necessary for him to find a job somewhere. He was gone nine weeks, and all the flour Martha had during that time to feed the nine children and herself came from that one sack. Their main food was bread. She said each time she made bread, it would seem that most of the flour was gone, but each time she went to get flour again, it also seemed there was as much as there had been before. When John got the money for his work, he went to Salt Lake City and bought 900 lbs of flour, the most they ever owned, and came home and found them still using flour from the same sack they were using when he left.

At Wallsburg, a public school was established and John’s boys attended the school, beginning about January 1^st each year and ending about April 1^st. In the spring of 1885, John moved his family to Ashley Valley (Vernal, Utah). The first winter they, including David and his family, lived at Fort Thornburg in the northwest part of the valley. John purchased a large farm in a very productive part of the valley and built a very nice home. His sons were now married, most of them, or were of marriageable age, and how the grandchildren did love to go their grandparents’ home. He had planted many shade trees around the lot and soon had a fine orchard.

After having raised a fine family of nine boys and three girls (one boy and one girl died in childhood), helping always with community and church affairs, these worthwhile pioneers lived happily and contentedly until John reached the age of 74, passing away the 18^th of April 1900. Martha died at the age of 81 on the 10^th of October 1906.

History of John Griffith Timothy, Part 2

From New York , the party journeyed by train to Omaha, Nebraska, where they camped at Mormon Headquarters for two weeks, awaiting the arrival of ox teams from Utah to take them on to the west. The company was named the “Dan Jones” after its captain. The wagon assigned to John and Martha took two families, including five grown people and nine children. Before leaving Omaha, John bought a cow, which made it necessary for him to walk all the way and lead the cow, but the milk was necessary for the young children. The wagon in the caravan next to John’s was drawn by two cows belonging to one of the group who bought them in Omaha, so that they could milk them night and morning and drive them in the day time.

While the company was traveling along the Platte River, Martha’s first girl was born, 3 Aug 1862, Martha, the 7^th child of the family. During that night, a raging storm arose. Martha and the baby were in the covered wagon, and the children were sleeping in a tent, which blew down and their beds floated around in the water. The man who shared the wagon with John’s family had guns and hunted along the way for game. One day, he left his gun lying in the front seat, and it rolled off and shot a man through the leg. This man was milking his cow, and it passed through the flesh of his leg and into the cow’s foot. They happened to be camping by a ranch, and through kindness of the owner, the wounded cow was traded for another, permitting them to go on with the company.

The oldest boy, David, said, “The old nick himself was along, and tried in every conceivable way to discourage the weary travelers.” One day, when they were camped and apparently everything was quiet and peaceful, the oxen suddenly pricked up their ears and started a stampede. Several children barely escaped being trampled under their feet, and John, just in time, dragged two of his boys from their path. The company landed in Salt Lake City late in October and were unloaded on the public square. Can you imagine this picture: Martha with six children all under eight years old, the baby two months old, in a strange land, winter coming on, no money, work, or provisions? For two weeks, they were taken in by the family of an elder who had labored in Wales, but with five mischievous boys who succeeded in breaking down a valuable young apple tree, they were soon passed on to George Bywater, who allowed them to camp in his yard and gave them many privileges, which were much appreciated. Early in November, after searching for work in every conceivable place, John hired out to Israel Evans at Lehi. He contracted for one year, and for this labor he was to have a one-room dobie house to live in, flour for the family to use, and five head of sheep. Thus, with the aid of other Welsh families in Lehi, they passed the first winter, enduring many hardships.

The family lived in Lehi during the year 1863, and another son was born, Hyrum. In March 1864, they moved to Provo Valley, in the vicinity of Heber City. In March 1867, John and his son David took the flock of sheep and the cows, and walked up Daniel’s Canyon and over the mountain to Round Valley, later known as Wallsburg, walking all the way on several inches and sometimes several feet of snow. Here, they rented a farm of William Wall, and in April, they moved the family over. But after three weeks, the Indian scare drove them back to Heber. The women and children were packed in wagons, and the men drove the cattle and sheep. After several days, the scare died down, and the men ventured back to care for the crops. They finally took courage and drove the cattle back, and John, along with others, were organized in a company and took turns standing guard to report any signs of Indians.

Because of the Indian scare, a Mr. Stokes, thinking the Round Valley settlement would be abandoned, traded John a 92-acre farm, a lot, and two cabins for a yoke of steers. John, also thinking they would not be able to live there, took his family back to the valley, hauled the two cabins back to Heber, filed on a city lot, and built their first two-room house. Later, twelve families decided to go back and locate for the winter, which they did without further trouble with the Indians, including John’s family.

(Click here to continue to Part 3.)

History of John Griffith Timothy

Here's another written history of one of my ancestors. I didn't write these; I'm just transcribing the old copies that I have:

John Griffith Timothy was born March 12, 1826 in Cardiganshire, Wales. Martha Davis Timothy, his wife, was born August 12, 1825 in Cardiganshire, Wales. John was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849, and Martha was converted sometime later. They were married in 1850, and John was appointed local elder and went from place to place with the foreign elders, preaching the gospel. They were the only members of their families to join the church. They decided to join a group of Saints and migrate to Utah as soon as their savings would permit.

John was a watch and clock maker by trade, but he worked in the coal mines when business was dull to add to the migration fund, which did not increase so fast because of the arrival of six sons in eight years: David, born 6 March 1854; John, born 8 Feb 1855; Joshua, born 10 Aug 1856, died 1 Jan 1858; Alma, born 1 Dec 1857; Brigham, born 21 June 1859; and Heber, born 2 Apr 1861.

In March 1862, John was notified that a group of Saints was going to America, and with nine days’ notice, the family made parting visits to their parents, who lived on small farms in Cardigan County. After Martha joined the Church, her mother felt very badly about it and told Martha she never wanted to see her again, because she had disgraced her own family so by joining the Mormons. So when they were ready to leave for America, Martha thought her mother would relent and let her come home once more to visit. She walked five miles and took her five little boys with her. When they arrived, her mother opened the door at her knock, and when she saw who it was, she said, “Are you still a Mormon?” Martha said, “Yes, and we are going away to America.” “Well, go,” her mother said, “and I never want to see your face again,” and closed the door. Martha went to a ditch bank not far from the house and sat down and cried, and of course, never saw her mother again. John disposed of his watch and clock business and household furniture and was ready to sail April 1, 1862 on the “John J. Boyd” with 701 other Mormon missionaries and Saints.

When he rushed out to dispose of the last basketful of watches and clocks after they arrived in Liverpool, John was left behind. The family was on board waiting for their father when the boat moved slowly out in the Irish Sea, in spite of the weeping and begging of Martha and the children. After several hours of sailing, a small boat was seen approaching, which proved to be John. He was pulled up over the side of the boat with a rope, and there was great rejoicing. Due to the over-exertion and excitement, and the rough water on the small boat across the Irish Sea, John was ill during the entire journey.

The journey from Liverpool to New York took 45 days, and the accommodations on the “John J. Boyd” would compare with third class or steerage passage today. There were no cabins and no dining room, but all families or groups located themselves in a corner or any open space and took care of their own beds, which were mere bunks. They also prepared their own meals by taking hard tack, small cakes, packed in large sacks, crushing them with a hammer, soaking them in water, and making pudding. The sea was very rough and many people were sick the whole time. Sometimes the whole deck would be a jumble of people and their belongings rolling from one side to the other with the waves. One time, a sad accident occurred as two children were playing on the stairway that led to the bridge deck. The boat suddenly lurched, and a huge wave swept the deck, and both were killed and buried at sea.

After five weeks of intense suffering privation and sea sickness, they landed in New York. The first night, the whole company spread their beds on the floor of the Castle Garden building, and with hearts full of praise and thanksgiving for their safe landing, slept with solid ground under them once more. Bread and vegetable vendors met the boat as soon as it docked, and there was great scrambling and rejoicing to see real bread and green vegetables again.

(Click here to continue to Part 2.)

Autobiography of Martha Timothy Gardner Rudy, Part 1

I'm working on typing up this autobiography of Martha Timothy Gardner Rudy. It's pretty long, so I'll post it in parts.

My father, John Griffith Timothy, was born March 12, 1826 at Bethania near Lampeter, Cardiganshire, Wales. My mother, Martha Davis Timothy, was born August 12, 1825 at Cilcennin, Cardiganshire, Wales.

My father was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849, and my mother was converted a short time later. They were married in 1850. My father was appointed a traveling missionary to preach the gospel. They being the only members of their families who joined the Church, and because of the hostility that arose, they decided to immigrate to Utah.  Father was a watchmaker by trade, however, added to his income by working in the coal mines. In seven years, eight children were born to them, therefore, their means were quite scant. Upon receiving word that the Latter-day Saints were sailing for the United States on April 1, 1862 on the “John J. Boyd,” there were just nine days of preparation and father had to sell his business and household goods.

Mother’s tears and pleadings to father did not stop him from going ashore making his final attempt to sell his last basket of watches. In doing so, the ship embarked without him and there was a total of 701 Latter-day Saints aboard which included the missionaries. After the ship had sailed several hours, a small boat approached the side of the “John J. Boyd” and father was taken aboard. There just wasn’t any accommodations on the boat, for the beds were bunks and each family had to prepare their own food. After five weeks, the boat docked in New York and all had suffered from privation and sickness. The first night in New York, they slept on the floor of the Castle Garden building.

The party continued on by train to Omaha, Nebraska and waited there two weeks for the ox teams in order to start the long journey to Utah. The company was named “Dan Jones” after its captain. The wagon assigned to father carried two families, which included five adults and nine children. Father had to walk all the way to lead a cow which he had purchased in order that the children might have milk.

It was during a raging storm on the night of August 3, 1862, along the Platte River in Nebraska, that I was born. Mother was in a covered wagon, and the other children were in a tent that blew down. It is impossible to enumerate the many hardships they endured while crossing the plains.

Late in October 1862, they arrived in Salt Lake City and unloaded in the “Public Square.” After looking everywhere for work, father hired out to Israel Evans at Lehi, Utah. He contracted for one year, and in return, received a one-room adobe house that he lived in, five head of sheep, and flour for the family use. With some assistance from other Welsh families in Lehi, the winter passed, however, many hardships were endured.

Another son was born in March 1864 named Hyrum. They then moved to Provo Valley in the vicinity of Heber City. Father and my eldest brother, David, walked and drove the animals (which consisted of a small herd of sheep, and one cow), and mother and the children rode.

Father rented a farm from Robert Broadbent and farmed on shares. Not having an ox team, he had to work an extra day for each day that he used their ox teams. Heber City was just being lead out, so father took two lots and built a house from rough pine logs, this being the first house they owned. Sometime later, this house was traded for a yoke of oxen, which was a great assistance in making a living. All during that winter, father grubbed brush from the open flat for fire wood.

In March 1867, Father and my eldest brother, Dave, took the sheep and cows and walked over the mountain through several feet of snow to Round Valley, later known as Wallsburg. He rented a farm from William Wall, and in April moved the family there. But after three years of Indian Scare, they were driven back to Heber. The women and children were packed in wagons, and after some days, all quieted and the men ventured and were organized into a company, and took turns to guard and report signs of Indians. 

(Click here to continue to Part 2.)