Robert Bodily Jr.
I was born 9 March 1844 at Oxfordshire, England to Jane Pittam and Robert Bodily.
In the year 1846 I moved with my parents to South Africa. We first settled in Cape Town at the extreme south end of the continent. My father, being a Stone Mason, was employed by the English Government on the fortification of the town. After that work was completed we again moved around the end of the continent to a place called Algoa Bay or Port Elizabeth there my father again followed his occupation and built and contracted building houses and stores and it was there we first became acquainted with my fathers particular friend, John Stock and family, Mrs Jane Rich's father, now of Roosevelt.
I will mention a few things I do recollect while we were living in Algoa Bay. My father was building houses and stores. One day my brother Wm was climbing up on the cupboard, his foot slipped and down came Wm with the cupboard on top of him. The cupboard was made in two sections the upper part came down and such a mess one seldom sees. There was broken dishes, eggs, sugar, and such things as are in the kitchen and Wms nose was bleeding. It sure was a mess. My mother had to write a note to father and have him bring home a fresh supply of everything. One day father was having some plowing done and Wm was leading the oxen when he stumbled and fell down and the oxen were walking over him.
Port Elizabeth was built on a rocky sidehill and a good many goats were used for milk instead of cows, on that account. There were no street cars or other modern conveniences at that time. Everything was done by horses or oxen.
When up in town, one could look down at the ships laying in the bay at anchor. It was a beautiful sight to see. They were all sailing vessels as steam was but little used then. I can recollect seeing men excited running to and fro and looking down into the ocean. I could see the reason. A school of whales came by spouting and before you say cat they were out in boats after the whales and afterwards a great black spot could be seen on the shore. They had 2 or 3 there. They are killed for the oil, and they are very profitable.
My father in a few years concluded it would be better for the family to go on a farm. He bought a farm about 40 miles up country from Port Elizabeth on an old government grant of 640 acres of land. The ones living on said government grant are supposed to keep everything that would be needed by the army moving up and down the country, such as provisions and so on. In addition he carried on wagon making and blacksmithing so us boys were put to learning a trade.
My brother William learned wagon making and I learned to blacksmith and brother James learned to paint. William was a great lover of horses and nothing suited him better than to ride a horse. Each of us had a horse. I seldom cared to ride and the result was William's horse was kept rather thin while mine was fat and I could hardly manage him. I can recollect while we were learning a trade, I, a blacksmith and Williamm a wagon maker, I would coax him to go up the river and look at things, Father would come on top of the hill and call. I would always manage to have William in the front. He would never run from father but would walk right straight up to him and while father was dusting his coat a little I would be getting for home as fast as possible. When father got home I was blowing the bellows like a good boy. I have often wondered why he did not dust my jacket too but I believe he blamed William for it when really it was me that was doing the mischief.
I can recollect the horse,a red roam, we used for all purposes, his name was Prince. We hauled water for domestic purposes on a two wheel tank. We lived about 3/4 of a mile from the river. We would drive into the river, fill the tank and off for home. Once while my next youngest brother James was wheeling a barrow full of green corn, he stubbed his toe and struck a rock with his knee. It commenced swelling and he was a cripple for 18 months. The doctors did not seem to do him any good and he suffered very much pain.
One day some soldiers camped at our place and an old army surgeon asked mother if she bad blistered it and she answered no. He told her to blister it and in the morning it sure was blistered. Mother tapped it and let out the poison and he began to get well. I recollect while we lived at Bushman river my father had a lot of men working for him. It took a lot of meat for their food.
He sold a great amount so he kept cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. I herded the hogs and father bought a pony so I could ride. Things went fine for awhile but after awhile the pony got so used to turning he could turn about as quick as the hogs. Instead of turning on the pony, I would go on straight ahead and of course I would light on the ground. As a general thing, the pony would stop and let me catch him but sometimes he would have special business at home and would make tracks for home, then my troubles began. It was almost impossible to keep shoes on me and there I would be bare footed and there was a grass burr. It had 3 prongs sharp and whichever way it laid there would be a sharp prong sticking up ready to stick into my bare feet.
I can recollect the farming was very much different from the modern way of farming. We used to plow the ground with a large awkward looking thing called a plow and 4 yoke of oxen hitched to it. We would then sew the wheat broadcast then go over it with a brush drag. That was all that was required until harvest, then the same ground was again plowed and sowed with corn, mellon, and squash seed sown broadcast then gone over with a drag and that was all that was required until it was harvested. Melons, squash and corn you seldom see, it would be amusing to see how it was done.
A boy or man would have raw hide straps on each of the head oxen heads and he would lead them. It would take two of the native men to hold the plow, a great awkward thing with a long beam. Where we lived there were for our neighbors Boer farmers. Then there were Kaffirs, a race of people with fine physical forms and curly hair endowed with the power of endurance. Then came the Hottentot a small race of people copper colored with curly hair. Then came the Bushman, a still smaller race of people with curly hair, copper colored.
These people did a good deal of the labor such as farm work and herding cattle and sheep. Africa was a great place for wild animals of all kinds and a great number of snakes, many kind of animals corresponding the deer, but with smooth horns, buffalo and elephants and several kinds of monkeys and baboon and animals like a monkey but much larger, the Orangutan. There was also the Alligators and Crocodile. Africa abounded with all kinds of wild fruit and wild honey, it was a tropical area. All kinds of fruit grows there without fear of frost. The hot winds come from the north off the Sahara Desert. Winter here, is summer there, for we are across the Equatorial line. The sun is in the north instead of the south.
My parents were of a religion called the Church of England which believed in a God without body, parts or passions. Mother taught us to pray, and although we were praying to a God that did not exist, I feel thankful that my mother taught me to pray because it was a good habit. While we lived in the city we always went to church on Sunday and when we moved into the country mother and father would have us gather together; there being no preacher. Mother would have us read a few verses in the Bible and she would tell Bible stories such as Abraham's life, and Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, especially Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the children of Israel and all their journeys, and of Moses who was raised up to deliver them.
I recollect how interesting they were and the impressions they made on me, for I have not forgotten them yet. And this is about the way things went until the year 1858. It was reported there was a very curious sect in town and what bad people they were. They were gaining converts, quite a few, and this particular friend of father's had joined them. A short time after this, who should come but this friend, John Stocks, and an Elder from Utah to pay our folks a visit, with the result that the whole family joined the church. When they joined they had no idea of coming to Utah, but soon after joining the spirit of gathering came over them and father commenced making preparations for leaving.
March 22, 1860 we started for Utah. There must have been between 50 and 60 in the company. We sailed on an old wooden vessel called the Alacrity and we had not been going long before something began to happen. We began to be sick. You are so sick you would just as soon die as live, but as a general thing, in a few days we were alright. Then how hungry one would get, you could eat anything and never get enough. In a few days we called at Cape Town where we took on more passengers, here I could see the works my father helped to build about 14 years before. Well we now leave Africa for America, our next stop being the Isle of St. Helena. This island is under British control and here is where Napoleon was banished by the British government.
Some of the passengers went ashore and some more were taken on board. While laying in the harbor we could see fishermen catching fish. They would take a hand full of minies, very small fish, and throw them into the water close to the boat. The fish would come right up to the boat to get the minies and the men would soon fill a boat. The water seemed to be alive, there were so many fish. A lot of coconuts were raised there. This was the last place called at until we reached Boston, U.S.A. The morning we caught sight of the Isle of St. Helena my youngest sister Lucy was born. It took us about 75 days to make the trip from Port Elizabeth to Boston. This ship was a wooden sailing ship. The wind was coming from the course we wished to go making it slow work. It took a great deal of time. Once we were in a blizzard for two or three days. We drifted along way out of our way. It was a long tedious journey especially for the older people. At Last, we came to Boston, U.S.A.
Well we now start on our journey across the great American continent. We start from Boston by railway. Railway then and now, are two different propositions. They were not so efficient as today, not so accommodating and comfortable to ride in, and not as well organized. We frequently had to wait sometime to make connections. We kept on going until we struck the Mississippi River. We then went up the river on boat and arrived at a place called, Anable, and there we lay for hours. As we lay there, there was another boat laying along the side of us and the passengers knew that we were Mormons. On that boat was a man cleaning the paddle wheels of the boat and of all the cursing that ever came out of a man's lips, his was the worst I ever heard. All at once he slipped off and everything was quiet. When we left they were dragging the river but had not found him.
We continued up the Mississippi until we got to the mouth of the Missouri River. We disembarked from the boat and took a train again until we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we took the boat again up the Missouri to the Latter-day Saint outfitting station. Here we rested for sometime allowing more emigrants to arrive and also to gather an outfit such as wagons, oxen and other things needed for the journey across the plains. It was not safe for a few individuals to travel alone on account of Indians. By this time some of our company began to be short of money, so much so they thought they would have to stop. Father, having some money, helped 4,5, or 6 families and made it possible for them to continue their journey, much to their joy.
We finally got organized with William Rudger as Captain and a man by the name of Lyman Johnson as a guide. We pulled out to the first water and camped. While there one of our company's small children took sick and died. There was no lumber to be had to make a coffin, so father took the case his bass violin was being carried in and made a coffin. After laying it away we again got started. It was a comical sight to look at that outfit moving, the oxen were awkward and the drivers knew but little more than the oxen about that kind of work.
The roads were very bad but the country was pretty level so we got along fairly well. The days were quite long and there was plenty of food and water for the cattle it being July 20th when we started from Florence. We would get into camp early and have plenty of time to rest. Just before camping you could see those not engaged in driving the teams out gathering fuel to burn. There being no wood in most places they would gather buffalo chips which consisted of the dry droppings of buffalo and cattle to burn in place of wood. As we traveled along we could see a great many buffalo feeding at some distance from the road. There were also quite a number of antelope, a small animal of the deer family. It had a white patch on its back and when it jumped this white patch would open and show white at a long distance.
As we traveled along we would see a piece of paper stuck on a stick of something, saying such and such a train had passed along on such a date. Occasionally we would see a grave where some poor soul had laid down their life for the truth sake, caused by the hardships endured on the way. It sure was a hard trip especially for those having large families, cooking, washing and all the things that pertains to housekeeping. As we drew near the end of our journey the days got shorter, grass, and water more scarce. Sometimes as we got put to bed and fed it was a wonder how those old mothers did it, but the Lord made the back for the burden and they seemed to be cheerful about it. As we crossed the plains we always laid over on Sunday and had meeting. That would comfort the people's hearts. We looked forward to the day when we would arrive in Salt Lake City and that day finally arrived on the 5th of October, 1860. We camped on the square where now stands the city and county building.
During the winter of 1860 and 1861 we lived in the sixth ward Bishop Hickentoper was a fine old man, everybody had a good word for him. We enjoyed that winter very much, the first thing to do was to get up the winters wood. There we found the snow much deeper than the canyons on the east of the valley. It was waist deep and I, never being in snow, was in poor shape to take care of myself. We made our bed on the sidehill, cutting oak brush and piling it up against standing brush on the lower side to make a place level enough to lay down on. Oh what a night, my feet were frozen so I could not get my shoes on and to make matters worse there was 1 foot of snow that night. Next morning we started. If I recollect right, it was 30 or 35 miles to S.L. City. It took us until after dark to get home. I walked all the way with a few rags on my feet and after I got the feeling of on fire. My feet seemed to burn just like I had them in the stove. Oh what a wonder I did not loose my feet.
In the spring of 1861 my father bought a place in Kaysville and we moved up there. It was located on the state road leading to Ogden. The Bishop of the ward was Allen Taylor. He seemed to have no influence over the young people. The young men seemed to do as they pleased, very uncouth and disorderly in their way. In short time the ward was reorganized with Christopher Layton Sr. as Bishop and things began to change for better. The meeting house that was begun years ago was soon built and many other things, schools, roads and better order. So it soon became a much better place to live in but we still had to use oxen to do our work.
Along about this time Alfalfa hay was introduced by Bishop Layton and it was not long before stacks of hay could be seen up and down the valley where before nothing of the kind could be seen. Before long Alfalfa began to make things better. In fact I don't think there ever was anything introduced that has done for Utah that Alfalfa has done. This improved things very much. The teams could be fed better and were more able to do the work in the spring. The climate has entirely changed as it would sometimes in the fall freeze. The peaches and sugar cane and corn would be caught by the frost.
In the winter the people would amuse themselves in dance. There being no money, we would have to pay for the ticket in some kind of trade such as grain. The boys and girls would go to the dance with a pair of oxen as team but we used to enjoy ourselves just the same. Our mode of dress was different from what it is now. If a girl had a good calico dress and a pair of home made shoes that was pretty good. There was not fine clothes and shoes to be had by most people. They had not the means even if they were to be had. Most of the exchanges were made by trading products for such as one needed. Wheat was about 50 cents a bushel. I have seen men haul wheat from Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. The boys were the same as the girls. It will not be out of place to mention here how things were in regard to money matters. There was no money. When we paid taxes, it was paid with grain.
One thing that I must not forget to mention is that one night at a dance I saw a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age, I was about 17 or 18 years of age, I thought what a nice girl. We used to associate as friends and meet in the dance or at school. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. There was a feeling came with it I cannot describe. Of course nothing particular happened at the time, but later as things happened I have often thought of that time. It seemed as if she was pointed out to me by someone unseen as my future wife.
In 1862 a call was made on the different wards to send teams and haul rock from big Cottonwood canyon to the Temple at S.L. City. I was sent for one, and hauled rock for sometime with 3 or 4 yoke of oxen.It was slow work at that time but year after year that work was continued. After the railroad came then it went on much faster.
I often think of things that happened while living in Kaysville. We used to go to a dance and instead of having money we would pay for the ticket with wheat or cedar posts or any other trade that would be made. In the winter about Christmas time a bunch of young people would get into a sleigh and go around the ward and serenade the old people of the ward, sing songs, tell stories and play games. What a grand time we would have and how those old friends enjoyed it and would invite us to come again. They would always have something, pies, cakes and some root beer.
In the spring Bishop Layton bought another train of mules and wagons and my father bought 3 pair of mules off him. My youngest brother and myself took the mules and worked them and paid for them. Father gave me one pair. In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad from the East and Central Pacific from the West were getting close to us. We put in a nice crop and raised about 750 bushels of grain and other things. After harvest I took my mules and wagon and worked on the U.P. all winter. It was awful cold but I stayed with it until spring. Some of the time I hauled rocks to the bridge at Devils gate in Weber Canyon,and sometimes hauling lumber from the saw mill. Sometime I was hauling anything that was landed at the mouth of Echo Canyon as that was the terminal at time for the chief Engineer Wm. Bates, Groceries and all manner of stuff. About the 20th of January I quit work and went home having previously appointed a date to get married. On the 2nd of Feb. 1869 we were married. That little girl I mentioned as seeing some 6 or 7 years before. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. We were married in the Old Endowment House, President Daniel H. Wells officiating. In working on the R.R. I had earned about $600 and my father was about $300 in debt so I gave him $300, and we took the balance and bought a stove, home made table, bedstead and 3 chairs and a few other things and started in life. We stayed with father and mother for almost a year. I bought a lot in East Kaysville. Through the summer I farmed on shares for one of the neighbors and at odd times I made the Adobes and got other material together to build a house. Father, being a mason, he willingly put it up for us. By spring it was ready to move into, and I set out an orchard. Before this on Nov. 11th we had a little visitor come. We were still living at fathers. She seemed willing to stay and so we called her Mary Ann Bodily.
About this time the railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake City was built so we built it through fathers field. I forgot to mention soon after the U.P. and S.P. roads met a great many people had never seen a railroad, my wife being one, so we went into the mouth of Weber Canyon to see it. In the spring of 1870 we moved into our little house! Oh, my it seemed good to have a little home of our own. Not that the folks were not good to us, just as good as they could be, but we had a little home of our own, 3 rooms and quite comfortable. I previously traded my mules for 10 acres of land and a pair of oxen and that spring the Bishop wanted myself and another young man to take a herd of Coop cattle up Marsh Valley and herd. We took it and moved up there and took up a ranch on Marsh Creek and was doing fairly well. It was on an Indian trail and they would be coming along almost any time and I was off on the range riding and my wife and baby alone. It was more than we could stand so I quit and moved back to our little home in Kaysville. That was in the fall.
On Nov. 28, 1870 we had another little visitor came. We called him Levi Robert Bodily. We wintered in Kaysville that winter and the next spring there was an opening to get land in Cache Valley. Being anxious to get a farm so we could grow with the country, I went and investigated. I went and worked on the canal and in the fall of 1871 we moved to Franklin and wintered there that winter. To be doing something I carried mail over the Bearlake Valley with another young fellow. We traveled on snow shoes and skis. It was a pretty hard job and very cold too but we got along alright. Our living was mostly on raw bacon and bread frozen at that and plenty of good water.
After moving up to Franklin in the late fall and early next spring I had built a house over on my land. Through that summer I logged and in the fall I ran a threshing machine for another man to get food for winter. That fall on Nov. 25th we had another little girl born. We called her Emma Jane. In the spring of 1873 we moved 1 1/2 miles to another place and it was much better, not so muddy. There was some hay land and we raised some grain without water. The work on the canal kept us at work year after year and no water to speak of so in the fall we would have to log and thresh and fence our land. I recollect while we were working the canal a sewing machine agent came along with a machine. I had him leave it right there and when Saturday night came I took it home and surprised my wife. This was the first one we had. I had got her a washing machine. They were not as efficient as now but they helped considerable.
The same old program continued, logging, fencing and threshing. We had got a little water but not enough to do any good. It got to be very discouraging to me. It was just living and that was all that could be said. Our family was steadily increasing, for in the year 1874 Sept. 6 we had another little girl born. We called her Lucy Matilda Bodily.
Things kept on as usual. In the year 1876, April 1, Joseph Henry Bodily was born. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground but it was very soft. Horses would go clear to the ground at times. There was some small patches of snow way into April,but the crop around the country were pretty good that summer.
The railroad from Ogden started North to Montana. In 1876 February 3rd Delecty Bodily was born and about that time there was quite a talk of Ashley Valley. Being nearly discouraged, myself and Richard Blakey came to look at the country. It was quite late so we did not stay long. We could see what people had raised that summer and concluded to come the next fall. So I began to make preparations for coming. To be doing something that summer some 5 or 6 of us took a contract to do rock work on the railroad going to Montana. It took all summer to finish it. We did quite well and in the fall with a small company we started to Ashley Valley. I had put all I could spare into cows and heifers. The winter previous had been so moderate we supposed the next would be the same. It was about the 15th of Oct. when we started. We had rain and snow all the way in and the roads were awful. We crossed Daniels Canyon creek 73 times and some places it would keep right along in the creek bottom for 40 or 50 yards at a time. By perseverance we finally got through Nov. 2nd when we arrived in the valley. That was the time of the Mecker Massacre and the Indians were very uneasy, that is the Utes at White Rock. Those of the Ouray, in Colorado agency that had committed the massacres were on the war path. On that account, the people were advised to gather into a fort at where Vernal now stands. However there were a few up and down Ashley Creek who were not gathering into the Fort. We were allowed to remain at our places in Maeser by those who had charge of church affairs, Jeremiah Hatch and his associates. It was Nov. 2nd, 1879 when we arrived. It snowed a little that day and every little while it would add a little more. It began to be very cold and kept it up. There were 6 or 8 inches in January and then came a thaw and all went off. I thought spring was coming, but instead it commenced snowing and kept snowing until there was about 2 feet on the level.
One winter Scarlet Fever broke out and our family took it. We had 7 down with it at one time. It was a trying time. We had not sufficient room, which made it worse, but I had logs hauled the fall before to build a better house and had already commenced to build when the disease broke out. I had Bro. Stringham help me. I would work as much of the time through the day, as I could and at night, sit up and take care of the children. Together, with anxiety, we were almost worn out.There were not doctors then so we had to do the best we could and ask the Lord to help us. I know he did help us for one of our little girls was near death, so near that she was reported dead.
She did not get any better and it seemed as though she had to go. One day, I sat down and tried to eat something and the thought came to me you better do something. I jumped up and there we had an old doctor book. I picked it up and opened it and read where it spoke of a tepid bath. When I read it, I knew it would save that child. We put her in a wet sheet and wrapped a blanket over it. Before we got the blanket on she was asleep, a thing she had not done for days. We let her sleep 2 1/2 hours and rubbed her dry and the body was covered with scarlet. She soon was alright and I am sure if I had let that quack doctor help her, she would be dead. That was a terrible ordeal to pass through. I was so nervous I could not stay in one place but had to keep moving about all the time, but I got all right as soon as it was over. The Lord blessed us for, all recovered, although some were very sick. In the spring by the time the ground was ready to put in crops we had the house, 3 rooms below and 2 rooms upstairs. That made things much better. About this time Doctor Hullinger entered the valley and he took charge at dryfork. They were quarantined and they came out without any loss of life.
On the 23rd of March we had another little visitor come and we called her Harriett Ann Bodily. The snow was from 18 to 24 inches on the level at that time. A short time after that, the snow started to go off. It went fast and the grass and feed soon started. But instead of our troubles stopping, they were only beginning. Now there was the water to get onto the land and plowing, fencing and all sorts of things. Our teams were so weak and not able to do much. The flour was getting very low, no milk butter or meat or fruit. It looked anything but encouraging. This condition was general all over the valley. Just as soon as the snow was gone in the valley,or as soon as possible, a company was put together to go to Green River City in Wyoming. Richard Blakey had wintered with us. He volunteered to go and took his 2 ponies and 2 of my horses and a load of hides and sold them and brought flour back.
Each year I had plowed more ground so now we were getting along. After putting in the crops, I would go after freight and Levi would attend the crops. It was astonishing how well he succeeded for a small boy of his age for it was sure a hard job to control the water. In February 21st 1882, Isabella Marinda Bodily was born.
On January 20th, 1884 Christopher William Bodily was born. Another incident happened. Mother, that is my wife, had a severe case of Erysipelas all over her face and part of her head and it poisoned her blood. If she would work over a hot stove, it would show large spots on her face. It wore on her system quite visibly but she did not give up and kept going.
In 1885 Oct. 12th Estella Bodily was born. In Jan. 1888 Walton Edwin was born and in Sept. 20 1890 Sylvia Bodily was born. In March 1890 Emma was helping Mrs S.D. Colton over on the old homestead for a few days. I was all loaded ready to go over in the bad lands across Green River in Colorado with some other parties to prospect for Gilsonite. The night before starting, the impression came over me not to go and it came with such force that I stayed. That afternoon Emma was brought home sick with Typhoid Fever. I was standing just north of the gate by the walk, I knew then why I was warned not to go. Try as I would, I could not have faith in her recovery. She went She went to bed and she seemed so nervous I had to lift her out of one bed into another every little while. I often felt thankful for that warning for what could mother have done with her alone. She kept getting worse and on March 31st 1890 she passed away. One thing I am sorry for is we have no picture of her, I had taken the family down to Vernal for that purpose and a few minutes before we got there the photographer had taken down his apparatus. Before we had another opportunity of having it done Emma died.
Children not listed below: Mary Ann Bodily
I was born 9 March 1844 at Oxfordshire, England to Jane Pittam and Robert Bodily.
In the year 1846 I moved with my parents to South Africa. We first settled in Cape Town at the extreme south end of the continent. My father, being a Stone Mason, was employed by the English Government on the fortification of the town. After that work was completed we again moved around the end of the continent to a place called Algoa Bay or Port Elizabeth there my father again followed his occupation and built and contracted building houses and stores and it was there we first became acquainted with my fathers particular friend, John Stock and family, Mrs Jane Rich's father, now of Roosevelt.
I will mention a few things I do recollect while we were living in Algoa Bay. My father was building houses and stores. One day my brother Wm was climbing up on the cupboard, his foot slipped and down came Wm with the cupboard on top of him. The cupboard was made in two sections the upper part came down and such a mess one seldom sees. There was broken dishes, eggs, sugar, and such things as are in the kitchen and Wms nose was bleeding. It sure was a mess. My mother had to write a note to father and have him bring home a fresh supply of everything. One day father was having some plowing done and Wm was leading the oxen when he stumbled and fell down and the oxen were walking over him.
Port Elizabeth was built on a rocky sidehill and a good many goats were used for milk instead of cows, on that account. There were no street cars or other modern conveniences at that time. Everything was done by horses or oxen.
When up in town, one could look down at the ships laying in the bay at anchor. It was a beautiful sight to see. They were all sailing vessels as steam was but little used then. I can recollect seeing men excited running to and fro and looking down into the ocean. I could see the reason. A school of whales came by spouting and before you say cat they were out in boats after the whales and afterwards a great black spot could be seen on the shore. They had 2 or 3 there. They are killed for the oil, and they are very profitable.
My father in a few years concluded it would be better for the family to go on a farm. He bought a farm about 40 miles up country from Port Elizabeth on an old government grant of 640 acres of land. The ones living on said government grant are supposed to keep everything that would be needed by the army moving up and down the country, such as provisions and so on. In addition he carried on wagon making and blacksmithing so us boys were put to learning a trade.
My brother William learned wagon making and I learned to blacksmith and brother James learned to paint. William was a great lover of horses and nothing suited him better than to ride a horse. Each of us had a horse. I seldom cared to ride and the result was William's horse was kept rather thin while mine was fat and I could hardly manage him. I can recollect while we were learning a trade, I, a blacksmith and Williamm a wagon maker, I would coax him to go up the river and look at things, Father would come on top of the hill and call. I would always manage to have William in the front. He would never run from father but would walk right straight up to him and while father was dusting his coat a little I would be getting for home as fast as possible. When father got home I was blowing the bellows like a good boy. I have often wondered why he did not dust my jacket too but I believe he blamed William for it when really it was me that was doing the mischief.
I can recollect the horse,a red roam, we used for all purposes, his name was Prince. We hauled water for domestic purposes on a two wheel tank. We lived about 3/4 of a mile from the river. We would drive into the river, fill the tank and off for home. Once while my next youngest brother James was wheeling a barrow full of green corn, he stubbed his toe and struck a rock with his knee. It commenced swelling and he was a cripple for 18 months. The doctors did not seem to do him any good and he suffered very much pain.
One day some soldiers camped at our place and an old army surgeon asked mother if she bad blistered it and she answered no. He told her to blister it and in the morning it sure was blistered. Mother tapped it and let out the poison and he began to get well. I recollect while we lived at Bushman river my father had a lot of men working for him. It took a lot of meat for their food.
He sold a great amount so he kept cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. I herded the hogs and father bought a pony so I could ride. Things went fine for awhile but after awhile the pony got so used to turning he could turn about as quick as the hogs. Instead of turning on the pony, I would go on straight ahead and of course I would light on the ground. As a general thing, the pony would stop and let me catch him but sometimes he would have special business at home and would make tracks for home, then my troubles began. It was almost impossible to keep shoes on me and there I would be bare footed and there was a grass burr. It had 3 prongs sharp and whichever way it laid there would be a sharp prong sticking up ready to stick into my bare feet.
I can recollect the farming was very much different from the modern way of farming. We used to plow the ground with a large awkward looking thing called a plow and 4 yoke of oxen hitched to it. We would then sew the wheat broadcast then go over it with a brush drag. That was all that was required until harvest, then the same ground was again plowed and sowed with corn, mellon, and squash seed sown broadcast then gone over with a drag and that was all that was required until it was harvested. Melons, squash and corn you seldom see, it would be amusing to see how it was done.
A boy or man would have raw hide straps on each of the head oxen heads and he would lead them. It would take two of the native men to hold the plow, a great awkward thing with a long beam. Where we lived there were for our neighbors Boer farmers. Then there were Kaffirs, a race of people with fine physical forms and curly hair endowed with the power of endurance. Then came the Hottentot a small race of people copper colored with curly hair. Then came the Bushman, a still smaller race of people with curly hair, copper colored.
These people did a good deal of the labor such as farm work and herding cattle and sheep. Africa was a great place for wild animals of all kinds and a great number of snakes, many kind of animals corresponding the deer, but with smooth horns, buffalo and elephants and several kinds of monkeys and baboon and animals like a monkey but much larger, the Orangutan. There was also the Alligators and Crocodile. Africa abounded with all kinds of wild fruit and wild honey, it was a tropical area. All kinds of fruit grows there without fear of frost. The hot winds come from the north off the Sahara Desert. Winter here, is summer there, for we are across the Equatorial line. The sun is in the north instead of the south.
My parents were of a religion called the Church of England which believed in a God without body, parts or passions. Mother taught us to pray, and although we were praying to a God that did not exist, I feel thankful that my mother taught me to pray because it was a good habit. While we lived in the city we always went to church on Sunday and when we moved into the country mother and father would have us gather together; there being no preacher. Mother would have us read a few verses in the Bible and she would tell Bible stories such as Abraham's life, and Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, especially Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the children of Israel and all their journeys, and of Moses who was raised up to deliver them.
I recollect how interesting they were and the impressions they made on me, for I have not forgotten them yet. And this is about the way things went until the year 1858. It was reported there was a very curious sect in town and what bad people they were. They were gaining converts, quite a few, and this particular friend of father's had joined them. A short time after this, who should come but this friend, John Stocks, and an Elder from Utah to pay our folks a visit, with the result that the whole family joined the church. When they joined they had no idea of coming to Utah, but soon after joining the spirit of gathering came over them and father commenced making preparations for leaving.
March 22, 1860 we started for Utah. There must have been between 50 and 60 in the company. We sailed on an old wooden vessel called the Alacrity and we had not been going long before something began to happen. We began to be sick. You are so sick you would just as soon die as live, but as a general thing, in a few days we were alright. Then how hungry one would get, you could eat anything and never get enough. In a few days we called at Cape Town where we took on more passengers, here I could see the works my father helped to build about 14 years before. Well we now leave Africa for America, our next stop being the Isle of St. Helena. This island is under British control and here is where Napoleon was banished by the British government.
Some of the passengers went ashore and some more were taken on board. While laying in the harbor we could see fishermen catching fish. They would take a hand full of minies, very small fish, and throw them into the water close to the boat. The fish would come right up to the boat to get the minies and the men would soon fill a boat. The water seemed to be alive, there were so many fish. A lot of coconuts were raised there. This was the last place called at until we reached Boston, U.S.A. The morning we caught sight of the Isle of St. Helena my youngest sister Lucy was born. It took us about 75 days to make the trip from Port Elizabeth to Boston. This ship was a wooden sailing ship. The wind was coming from the course we wished to go making it slow work. It took a great deal of time. Once we were in a blizzard for two or three days. We drifted along way out of our way. It was a long tedious journey especially for the older people. At Last, we came to Boston, U.S.A.
Well we now start on our journey across the great American continent. We start from Boston by railway. Railway then and now, are two different propositions. They were not so efficient as today, not so accommodating and comfortable to ride in, and not as well organized. We frequently had to wait sometime to make connections. We kept on going until we struck the Mississippi River. We then went up the river on boat and arrived at a place called, Anable, and there we lay for hours. As we lay there, there was another boat laying along the side of us and the passengers knew that we were Mormons. On that boat was a man cleaning the paddle wheels of the boat and of all the cursing that ever came out of a man's lips, his was the worst I ever heard. All at once he slipped off and everything was quiet. When we left they were dragging the river but had not found him.
We continued up the Mississippi until we got to the mouth of the Missouri River. We disembarked from the boat and took a train again until we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we took the boat again up the Missouri to the Latter-day Saint outfitting station. Here we rested for sometime allowing more emigrants to arrive and also to gather an outfit such as wagons, oxen and other things needed for the journey across the plains. It was not safe for a few individuals to travel alone on account of Indians. By this time some of our company began to be short of money, so much so they thought they would have to stop. Father, having some money, helped 4,5, or 6 families and made it possible for them to continue their journey, much to their joy.
We finally got organized with William Rudger as Captain and a man by the name of Lyman Johnson as a guide. We pulled out to the first water and camped. While there one of our company's small children took sick and died. There was no lumber to be had to make a coffin, so father took the case his bass violin was being carried in and made a coffin. After laying it away we again got started. It was a comical sight to look at that outfit moving, the oxen were awkward and the drivers knew but little more than the oxen about that kind of work.
The roads were very bad but the country was pretty level so we got along fairly well. The days were quite long and there was plenty of food and water for the cattle it being July 20th when we started from Florence. We would get into camp early and have plenty of time to rest. Just before camping you could see those not engaged in driving the teams out gathering fuel to burn. There being no wood in most places they would gather buffalo chips which consisted of the dry droppings of buffalo and cattle to burn in place of wood. As we traveled along we could see a great many buffalo feeding at some distance from the road. There were also quite a number of antelope, a small animal of the deer family. It had a white patch on its back and when it jumped this white patch would open and show white at a long distance.
As we traveled along we would see a piece of paper stuck on a stick of something, saying such and such a train had passed along on such a date. Occasionally we would see a grave where some poor soul had laid down their life for the truth sake, caused by the hardships endured on the way. It sure was a hard trip especially for those having large families, cooking, washing and all the things that pertains to housekeeping. As we drew near the end of our journey the days got shorter, grass, and water more scarce. Sometimes as we got put to bed and fed it was a wonder how those old mothers did it, but the Lord made the back for the burden and they seemed to be cheerful about it. As we crossed the plains we always laid over on Sunday and had meeting. That would comfort the people's hearts. We looked forward to the day when we would arrive in Salt Lake City and that day finally arrived on the 5th of October, 1860. We camped on the square where now stands the city and county building.
During the winter of 1860 and 1861 we lived in the sixth ward Bishop Hickentoper was a fine old man, everybody had a good word for him. We enjoyed that winter very much, the first thing to do was to get up the winters wood. There we found the snow much deeper than the canyons on the east of the valley. It was waist deep and I, never being in snow, was in poor shape to take care of myself. We made our bed on the sidehill, cutting oak brush and piling it up against standing brush on the lower side to make a place level enough to lay down on. Oh what a night, my feet were frozen so I could not get my shoes on and to make matters worse there was 1 foot of snow that night. Next morning we started. If I recollect right, it was 30 or 35 miles to S.L. City. It took us until after dark to get home. I walked all the way with a few rags on my feet and after I got the feeling of on fire. My feet seemed to burn just like I had them in the stove. Oh what a wonder I did not loose my feet.
In the spring of 1861 my father bought a place in Kaysville and we moved up there. It was located on the state road leading to Ogden. The Bishop of the ward was Allen Taylor. He seemed to have no influence over the young people. The young men seemed to do as they pleased, very uncouth and disorderly in their way. In short time the ward was reorganized with Christopher Layton Sr. as Bishop and things began to change for better. The meeting house that was begun years ago was soon built and many other things, schools, roads and better order. So it soon became a much better place to live in but we still had to use oxen to do our work.
Along about this time Alfalfa hay was introduced by Bishop Layton and it was not long before stacks of hay could be seen up and down the valley where before nothing of the kind could be seen. Before long Alfalfa began to make things better. In fact I don't think there ever was anything introduced that has done for Utah that Alfalfa has done. This improved things very much. The teams could be fed better and were more able to do the work in the spring. The climate has entirely changed as it would sometimes in the fall freeze. The peaches and sugar cane and corn would be caught by the frost.
In the winter the people would amuse themselves in dance. There being no money, we would have to pay for the ticket in some kind of trade such as grain. The boys and girls would go to the dance with a pair of oxen as team but we used to enjoy ourselves just the same. Our mode of dress was different from what it is now. If a girl had a good calico dress and a pair of home made shoes that was pretty good. There was not fine clothes and shoes to be had by most people. They had not the means even if they were to be had. Most of the exchanges were made by trading products for such as one needed. Wheat was about 50 cents a bushel. I have seen men haul wheat from Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. The boys were the same as the girls. It will not be out of place to mention here how things were in regard to money matters. There was no money. When we paid taxes, it was paid with grain.
One thing that I must not forget to mention is that one night at a dance I saw a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age, I was about 17 or 18 years of age, I thought what a nice girl. We used to associate as friends and meet in the dance or at school. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. There was a feeling came with it I cannot describe. Of course nothing particular happened at the time, but later as things happened I have often thought of that time. It seemed as if she was pointed out to me by someone unseen as my future wife.
In 1862 a call was made on the different wards to send teams and haul rock from big Cottonwood canyon to the Temple at S.L. City. I was sent for one, and hauled rock for sometime with 3 or 4 yoke of oxen.It was slow work at that time but year after year that work was continued. After the railroad came then it went on much faster.
I often think of things that happened while living in Kaysville. We used to go to a dance and instead of having money we would pay for the ticket with wheat or cedar posts or any other trade that would be made. In the winter about Christmas time a bunch of young people would get into a sleigh and go around the ward and serenade the old people of the ward, sing songs, tell stories and play games. What a grand time we would have and how those old friends enjoyed it and would invite us to come again. They would always have something, pies, cakes and some root beer.
In the spring Bishop Layton bought another train of mules and wagons and my father bought 3 pair of mules off him. My youngest brother and myself took the mules and worked them and paid for them. Father gave me one pair. In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad from the East and Central Pacific from the West were getting close to us. We put in a nice crop and raised about 750 bushels of grain and other things. After harvest I took my mules and wagon and worked on the U.P. all winter. It was awful cold but I stayed with it until spring. Some of the time I hauled rocks to the bridge at Devils gate in Weber Canyon,and sometimes hauling lumber from the saw mill. Sometime I was hauling anything that was landed at the mouth of Echo Canyon as that was the terminal at time for the chief Engineer Wm. Bates, Groceries and all manner of stuff. About the 20th of January I quit work and went home having previously appointed a date to get married. On the 2nd of Feb. 1869 we were married. That little girl I mentioned as seeing some 6 or 7 years before. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. We were married in the Old Endowment House, President Daniel H. Wells officiating. In working on the R.R. I had earned about $600 and my father was about $300 in debt so I gave him $300, and we took the balance and bought a stove, home made table, bedstead and 3 chairs and a few other things and started in life. We stayed with father and mother for almost a year. I bought a lot in East Kaysville. Through the summer I farmed on shares for one of the neighbors and at odd times I made the Adobes and got other material together to build a house. Father, being a mason, he willingly put it up for us. By spring it was ready to move into, and I set out an orchard. Before this on Nov. 11th we had a little visitor come. We were still living at fathers. She seemed willing to stay and so we called her Mary Ann Bodily.
About this time the railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake City was built so we built it through fathers field. I forgot to mention soon after the U.P. and S.P. roads met a great many people had never seen a railroad, my wife being one, so we went into the mouth of Weber Canyon to see it. In the spring of 1870 we moved into our little house! Oh, my it seemed good to have a little home of our own. Not that the folks were not good to us, just as good as they could be, but we had a little home of our own, 3 rooms and quite comfortable. I previously traded my mules for 10 acres of land and a pair of oxen and that spring the Bishop wanted myself and another young man to take a herd of Coop cattle up Marsh Valley and herd. We took it and moved up there and took up a ranch on Marsh Creek and was doing fairly well. It was on an Indian trail and they would be coming along almost any time and I was off on the range riding and my wife and baby alone. It was more than we could stand so I quit and moved back to our little home in Kaysville. That was in the fall.
On Nov. 28, 1870 we had another little visitor came. We called him Levi Robert Bodily. We wintered in Kaysville that winter and the next spring there was an opening to get land in Cache Valley. Being anxious to get a farm so we could grow with the country, I went and investigated. I went and worked on the canal and in the fall of 1871 we moved to Franklin and wintered there that winter. To be doing something I carried mail over the Bearlake Valley with another young fellow. We traveled on snow shoes and skis. It was a pretty hard job and very cold too but we got along alright. Our living was mostly on raw bacon and bread frozen at that and plenty of good water.
After moving up to Franklin in the late fall and early next spring I had built a house over on my land. Through that summer I logged and in the fall I ran a threshing machine for another man to get food for winter. That fall on Nov. 25th we had another little girl born. We called her Emma Jane. In the spring of 1873 we moved 1 1/2 miles to another place and it was much better, not so muddy. There was some hay land and we raised some grain without water. The work on the canal kept us at work year after year and no water to speak of so in the fall we would have to log and thresh and fence our land. I recollect while we were working the canal a sewing machine agent came along with a machine. I had him leave it right there and when Saturday night came I took it home and surprised my wife. This was the first one we had. I had got her a washing machine. They were not as efficient as now but they helped considerable.
The same old program continued, logging, fencing and threshing. We had got a little water but not enough to do any good. It got to be very discouraging to me. It was just living and that was all that could be said. Our family was steadily increasing, for in the year 1874 Sept. 6 we had another little girl born. We called her Lucy Matilda Bodily.
Things kept on as usual. In the year 1876, April 1, Joseph Henry Bodily was born. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground but it was very soft. Horses would go clear to the ground at times. There was some small patches of snow way into April,but the crop around the country were pretty good that summer.
The railroad from Ogden started North to Montana. In 1876 February 3rd Delecty Bodily was born and about that time there was quite a talk of Ashley Valley. Being nearly discouraged, myself and Richard Blakey came to look at the country. It was quite late so we did not stay long. We could see what people had raised that summer and concluded to come the next fall. So I began to make preparations for coming. To be doing something that summer some 5 or 6 of us took a contract to do rock work on the railroad going to Montana. It took all summer to finish it. We did quite well and in the fall with a small company we started to Ashley Valley. I had put all I could spare into cows and heifers. The winter previous had been so moderate we supposed the next would be the same. It was about the 15th of Oct. when we started. We had rain and snow all the way in and the roads were awful. We crossed Daniels Canyon creek 73 times and some places it would keep right along in the creek bottom for 40 or 50 yards at a time. By perseverance we finally got through Nov. 2nd when we arrived in the valley. That was the time of the Mecker Massacre and the Indians were very uneasy, that is the Utes at White Rock. Those of the Ouray, in Colorado agency that had committed the massacres were on the war path. On that account, the people were advised to gather into a fort at where Vernal now stands. However there were a few up and down Ashley Creek who were not gathering into the Fort. We were allowed to remain at our places in Maeser by those who had charge of church affairs, Jeremiah Hatch and his associates. It was Nov. 2nd, 1879 when we arrived. It snowed a little that day and every little while it would add a little more. It began to be very cold and kept it up. There were 6 or 8 inches in January and then came a thaw and all went off. I thought spring was coming, but instead it commenced snowing and kept snowing until there was about 2 feet on the level.
One winter Scarlet Fever broke out and our family took it. We had 7 down with it at one time. It was a trying time. We had not sufficient room, which made it worse, but I had logs hauled the fall before to build a better house and had already commenced to build when the disease broke out. I had Bro. Stringham help me. I would work as much of the time through the day, as I could and at night, sit up and take care of the children. Together, with anxiety, we were almost worn out.There were not doctors then so we had to do the best we could and ask the Lord to help us. I know he did help us for one of our little girls was near death, so near that she was reported dead.
She did not get any better and it seemed as though she had to go. One day, I sat down and tried to eat something and the thought came to me you better do something. I jumped up and there we had an old doctor book. I picked it up and opened it and read where it spoke of a tepid bath. When I read it, I knew it would save that child. We put her in a wet sheet and wrapped a blanket over it. Before we got the blanket on she was asleep, a thing she had not done for days. We let her sleep 2 1/2 hours and rubbed her dry and the body was covered with scarlet. She soon was alright and I am sure if I had let that quack doctor help her, she would be dead. That was a terrible ordeal to pass through. I was so nervous I could not stay in one place but had to keep moving about all the time, but I got all right as soon as it was over. The Lord blessed us for, all recovered, although some were very sick. In the spring by the time the ground was ready to put in crops we had the house, 3 rooms below and 2 rooms upstairs. That made things much better. About this time Doctor Hullinger entered the valley and he took charge at dryfork. They were quarantined and they came out without any loss of life.
On the 23rd of March we had another little visitor come and we called her Harriett Ann Bodily. The snow was from 18 to 24 inches on the level at that time. A short time after that, the snow started to go off. It went fast and the grass and feed soon started. But instead of our troubles stopping, they were only beginning. Now there was the water to get onto the land and plowing, fencing and all sorts of things. Our teams were so weak and not able to do much. The flour was getting very low, no milk butter or meat or fruit. It looked anything but encouraging. This condition was general all over the valley. Just as soon as the snow was gone in the valley,or as soon as possible, a company was put together to go to Green River City in Wyoming. Richard Blakey had wintered with us. He volunteered to go and took his 2 ponies and 2 of my horses and a load of hides and sold them and brought flour back.
Each year I had plowed more ground so now we were getting along. After putting in the crops, I would go after freight and Levi would attend the crops. It was astonishing how well he succeeded for a small boy of his age for it was sure a hard job to control the water. In February 21st 1882, Isabella Marinda Bodily was born.
On January 20th, 1884 Christopher William Bodily was born. Another incident happened. Mother, that is my wife, had a severe case of Erysipelas all over her face and part of her head and it poisoned her blood. If she would work over a hot stove, it would show large spots on her face. It wore on her system quite visibly but she did not give up and kept going.
In 1885 Oct. 12th Estella Bodily was born. In Jan. 1888 Walton Edwin was born and in Sept. 20 1890 Sylvia Bodily was born. In March 1890 Emma was helping Mrs S.D. Colton over on the old homestead for a few days. I was all loaded ready to go over in the bad lands across Green River in Colorado with some other parties to prospect for Gilsonite. The night before starting, the impression came over me not to go and it came with such force that I stayed. That afternoon Emma was brought home sick with Typhoid Fever. I was standing just north of the gate by the walk, I knew then why I was warned not to go. Try as I would, I could not have faith in her recovery. She went She went to bed and she seemed so nervous I had to lift her out of one bed into another every little while. I often felt thankful for that warning for what could mother have done with her alone. She kept getting worse and on March 31st 1890 she passed away. One thing I am sorry for is we have no picture of her, I had taken the family down to Vernal for that purpose and a few minutes before we got there the photographer had taken down his apparatus. Before we had another opportunity of having it done Emma died.
Children not listed below: Mary Ann Bodily
Robert Bodily Jr.
I was born 9 March 1844 at Oxfordshire, England to Jane Pittam and Robert Bodily.
In the year 1846 I moved with my parents to South Africa. We first settled in Cape Town at the extreme south end of the continent. My father, being a Stone Mason, was employed by the English Government on the fortification of the town. After that work was completed we again moved around the end of the continent to a place called Algoa Bay or Port Elizabeth there my father again followed his occupation and built and contracted building houses and stores and it was there we first became acquainted with my fathers particular friend, John Stock and family, Mrs Jane Rich's father, now of Roosevelt.
I will mention a few things I do recollect while we were living in Algoa Bay. My father was building houses and stores. One day my brother Wm was climbing up on the cupboard, his foot slipped and down came Wm with the cupboard on top of him. The cupboard was made in two sections the upper part came down and such a mess one seldom sees. There was broken dishes, eggs, sugar, and such things as are in the kitchen and Wms nose was bleeding. It sure was a mess. My mother had to write a note to father and have him bring home a fresh supply of everything. One day father was having some plowing done and Wm was leading the oxen when he stumbled and fell down and the oxen were walking over him.
Port Elizabeth was built on a rocky sidehill and a good many goats were used for milk instead of cows, on that account. There were no street cars or other modern conveniences at that time. Everything was done by horses or oxen.
When up in town, one could look down at the ships laying in the bay at anchor. It was a beautiful sight to see. They were all sailing vessels as steam was but little used then. I can recollect seeing men excited running to and fro and looking down into the ocean. I could see the reason. A school of whales came by spouting and before you say cat they were out in boats after the whales and afterwards a great black spot could be seen on the shore. They had 2 or 3 there. They are killed for the oil, and they are very profitable.
My father in a few years concluded it would be better for the family to go on a farm. He bought a farm about 40 miles up country from Port Elizabeth on an old government grant of 640 acres of land. The ones living on said government grant are supposed to keep everything that would be needed by the army moving up and down the country, such as provisions and so on. In addition he carried on wagon making and blacksmithing so us boys were put to learning a trade.
My brother William learned wagon making and I learned to blacksmith and brother James learned to paint. William was a great lover of horses and nothing suited him better than to ride a horse. Each of us had a horse. I seldom cared to ride and the result was William's horse was kept rather thin while mine was fat and I could hardly manage him. I can recollect while we were learning a trade, I, a blacksmith and Williamm a wagon maker, I would coax him to go up the river and look at things, Father would come on top of the hill and call. I would always manage to have William in the front. He would never run from father but would walk right straight up to him and while father was dusting his coat a little I would be getting for home as fast as possible. When father got home I was blowing the bellows like a good boy. I have often wondered why he did not dust my jacket too but I believe he blamed William for it when really it was me that was doing the mischief.
I can recollect the horse,a red roam, we used for all purposes, his name was Prince. We hauled water for domestic purposes on a two wheel tank. We lived about 3/4 of a mile from the river. We would drive into the river, fill the tank and off for home. Once while my next youngest brother James was wheeling a barrow full of green corn, he stubbed his toe and struck a rock with his knee. It commenced swelling and he was a cripple for 18 months. The doctors did not seem to do him any good and he suffered very much pain.
One day some soldiers camped at our place and an old army surgeon asked mother if she bad blistered it and she answered no. He told her to blister it and in the morning it sure was blistered. Mother tapped it and let out the poison and he began to get well. I recollect while we lived at Bushman river my father had a lot of men working for him. It took a lot of meat for their food.
He sold a great amount so he kept cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. I herded the hogs and father bought a pony so I could ride. Things went fine for awhile but after awhile the pony got so used to turning he could turn about as quick as the hogs. Instead of turning on the pony, I would go on straight ahead and of course I would light on the ground. As a general thing, the pony would stop and let me catch him but sometimes he would have special business at home and would make tracks for home, then my troubles began. It was almost impossible to keep shoes on me and there I would be bare footed and there was a grass burr. It had 3 prongs sharp and whichever way it laid there would be a sharp prong sticking up ready to stick into my bare feet.
I can recollect the farming was very much different from the modern way of farming. We used to plow the ground with a large awkward looking thing called a plow and 4 yoke of oxen hitched to it. We would then sew the wheat broadcast then go over it with a brush drag. That was all that was required until harvest, then the same ground was again plowed and sowed with corn, mellon, and squash seed sown broadcast then gone over with a drag and that was all that was required until it was harvested. Melons, squash and corn you seldom see, it would be amusing to see how it was done.
A boy or man would have raw hide straps on each of the head oxen heads and he would lead them. It would take two of the native men to hold the plow, a great awkward thing with a long beam. Where we lived there were for our neighbors Boer farmers. Then there were Kaffirs, a race of people with fine physical forms and curly hair endowed with the power of endurance. Then came the Hottentot a small race of people copper colored with curly hair. Then came the Bushman, a still smaller race of people with curly hair, copper colored.
These people did a good deal of the labor such as farm work and herding cattle and sheep. Africa was a great place for wild animals of all kinds and a great number of snakes, many kind of animals corresponding the deer, but with smooth horns, buffalo and elephants and several kinds of monkeys and baboon and animals like a monkey but much larger, the Orangutan. There was also the Alligators and Crocodile. Africa abounded with all kinds of wild fruit and wild honey, it was a tropical area. All kinds of fruit grows there without fear of frost. The hot winds come from the north off the Sahara Desert. Winter here, is summer there, for we are across the Equatorial line. The sun is in the north instead of the south.
My parents were of a religion called the Church of England which believed in a God without body, parts or passions. Mother taught us to pray, and although we were praying to a God that did not exist, I feel thankful that my mother taught me to pray because it was a good habit. While we lived in the city we always went to church on Sunday and when we moved into the country mother and father would have us gather together; there being no preacher. Mother would have us read a few verses in the Bible and she would tell Bible stories such as Abraham's life, and Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, especially Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the children of Israel and all their journeys, and of Moses who was raised up to deliver them.
I recollect how interesting they were and the impressions they made on me, for I have not forgotten them yet. And this is about the way things went until the year 1858. It was reported there was a very curious sect in town and what bad people they were. They were gaining converts, quite a few, and this particular friend of father's had joined them. A short time after this, who should come but this friend, John Stocks, and an Elder from Utah to pay our folks a visit, with the result that the whole family joined the church. When they joined they had no idea of coming to Utah, but soon after joining the spirit of gathering came over them and father commenced making preparations for leaving.
March 22, 1860 we started for Utah. There must have been between 50 and 60 in the company. We sailed on an old wooden vessel called the Alacrity and we had not been going long before something began to happen. We began to be sick. You are so sick you would just as soon die as live, but as a general thing, in a few days we were alright. Then how hungry one would get, you could eat anything and never get enough. In a few days we called at Cape Town where we took on more passengers, here I could see the works my father helped to build about 14 years before. Well we now leave Africa for America, our next stop being the Isle of St. Helena. This island is under British control and here is where Napoleon was banished by the British government.
Some of the passengers went ashore and some more were taken on board. While laying in the harbor we could see fishermen catching fish. They would take a hand full of minies, very small fish, and throw them into the water close to the boat. The fish would come right up to the boat to get the minies and the men would soon fill a boat. The water seemed to be alive, there were so many fish. A lot of coconuts were raised there. This was the last place called at until we reached Boston, U.S.A. The morning we caught sight of the Isle of St. Helena my youngest sister Lucy was born. It took us about 75 days to make the trip from Port Elizabeth to Boston. This ship was a wooden sailing ship. The wind was coming from the course we wished to go making it slow work. It took a great deal of time. Once we were in a blizzard for two or three days. We drifted along way out of our way. It was a long tedious journey especially for the older people. At Last, we came to Boston, U.S.A.
Well we now start on our journey across the great American continent. We start from Boston by railway. Railway then and now, are two different propositions. They were not so efficient as today, not so accommodating and comfortable to ride in, and not as well organized. We frequently had to wait sometime to make connections. We kept on going until we struck the Mississippi River. We then went up the river on boat and arrived at a place called, Anable, and there we lay for hours. As we lay there, there was another boat laying along the side of us and the passengers knew that we were Mormons. On that boat was a man cleaning the paddle wheels of the boat and of all the cursing that ever came out of a man's lips, his was the worst I ever heard. All at once he slipped off and everything was quiet. When we left they were dragging the river but had not found him.
We continued up the Mississippi until we got to the mouth of the Missouri River. We disembarked from the boat and took a train again until we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we took the boat again up the Missouri to the Latter-day Saint outfitting station. Here we rested for sometime allowing more emigrants to arrive and also to gather an outfit such as wagons, oxen and other things needed for the journey across the plains. It was not safe for a few individuals to travel alone on account of Indians. By this time some of our company began to be short of money, so much so they thought they would have to stop. Father, having some money, helped 4,5, or 6 families and made it possible for them to continue their journey, much to their joy.
We finally got organized with William Rudger as Captain and a man by the name of Lyman Johnson as a guide. We pulled out to the first water and camped. While there one of our company's small children took sick and died. There was no lumber to be had to make a coffin, so father took the case his bass violin was being carried in and made a coffin. After laying it away we again got started. It was a comical sight to look at that outfit moving, the oxen were awkward and the drivers knew but little more than the oxen about that kind of work.
The roads were very bad but the country was pretty level so we got along fairly well. The days were quite long and there was plenty of food and water for the cattle it being July 20th when we started from Florence. We would get into camp early and have plenty of time to rest. Just before camping you could see those not engaged in driving the teams out gathering fuel to burn. There being no wood in most places they would gather buffalo chips which consisted of the dry droppings of buffalo and cattle to burn in place of wood. As we traveled along we could see a great many buffalo feeding at some distance from the road. There were also quite a number of antelope, a small animal of the deer family. It had a white patch on its back and when it jumped this white patch would open and show white at a long distance.
As we traveled along we would see a piece of paper stuck on a stick of something, saying such and such a train had passed along on such a date. Occasionally we would see a grave where some poor soul had laid down their life for the truth sake, caused by the hardships endured on the way. It sure was a hard trip especially for those having large families, cooking, washing and all the things that pertains to housekeeping. As we drew near the end of our journey the days got shorter, grass, and water more scarce. Sometimes as we got put to bed and fed it was a wonder how those old mothers did it, but the Lord made the back for the burden and they seemed to be cheerful about it. As we crossed the plains we always laid over on Sunday and had meeting. That would comfort the people's hearts. We looked forward to the day when we would arrive in Salt Lake City and that day finally arrived on the 5th of October, 1860. We camped on the square where now stands the city and county building.
During the winter of 1860 and 1861 we lived in the sixth ward Bishop Hickentoper was a fine old man, everybody had a good word for him. We enjoyed that winter very much, the first thing to do was to get up the winters wood. There we found the snow much deeper than the canyons on the east of the valley. It was waist deep and I, never being in snow, was in poor shape to take care of myself. We made our bed on the sidehill, cutting oak brush and piling it up against standing brush on the lower side to make a place level enough to lay down on. Oh what a night, my feet were frozen so I could not get my shoes on and to make matters worse there was 1 foot of snow that night. Next morning we started. If I recollect right, it was 30 or 35 miles to S.L. City. It took us until after dark to get home. I walked all the way with a few rags on my feet and after I got the feeling of on fire. My feet seemed to burn just like I had them in the stove. Oh what a wonder I did not loose my feet.
In the spring of 1861 my father bought a place in Kaysville and we moved up there. It was located on the state road leading to Ogden. The Bishop of the ward was Allen Taylor. He seemed to have no influence over the young people. The young men seemed to do as they pleased, very uncouth and disorderly in their way. In short time the ward was reorganized with Christopher Layton Sr. as Bishop and things began to change for better. The meeting house that was begun years ago was soon built and many other things, schools, roads and better order. So it soon became a much better place to live in but we still had to use oxen to do our work.
Along about this time Alfalfa hay was introduced by Bishop Layton and it was not long before stacks of hay could be seen up and down the valley where before nothing of the kind could be seen. Before long Alfalfa began to make things better. In fact I don't think there ever was anything introduced that has done for Utah that Alfalfa has done. This improved things very much. The teams could be fed better and were more able to do the work in the spring. The climate has entirely changed as it would sometimes in the fall freeze. The peaches and sugar cane and corn would be caught by the frost.
In the winter the people would amuse themselves in dance. There being no money, we would have to pay for the ticket in some kind of trade such as grain. The boys and girls would go to the dance with a pair of oxen as team but we used to enjoy ourselves just the same. Our mode of dress was different from what it is now. If a girl had a good calico dress and a pair of home made shoes that was pretty good. There was not fine clothes and shoes to be had by most people. They had not the means even if they were to be had. Most of the exchanges were made by trading products for such as one needed. Wheat was about 50 cents a bushel. I have seen men haul wheat from Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. The boys were the same as the girls. It will not be out of place to mention here how things were in regard to money matters. There was no money. When we paid taxes, it was paid with grain.
One thing that I must not forget to mention is that one night at a dance I saw a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age, I was about 17 or 18 years of age, I thought what a nice girl. We used to associate as friends and meet in the dance or at school. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. There was a feeling came with it I cannot describe. Of course nothing particular happened at the time, but later as things happened I have often thought of that time. It seemed as if she was pointed out to me by someone unseen as my future wife.
In 1862 a call was made on the different wards to send teams and haul rock from big Cottonwood canyon to the Temple at S.L. City. I was sent for one, and hauled rock for sometime with 3 or 4 yoke of oxen.It was slow work at that time but year after year that work was continued. After the railroad came then it went on much faster.
I often think of things that happened while living in Kaysville. We used to go to a dance and instead of having money we would pay for the ticket with wheat or cedar posts or any other trade that would be made. In the winter about Christmas time a bunch of young people would get into a sleigh and go around the ward and serenade the old people of the ward, sing songs, tell stories and play games. What a grand time we would have and how those old friends enjoyed it and would invite us to come again. They would always have something, pies, cakes and some root beer.
In the spring Bishop Layton bought another train of mules and wagons and my father bought 3 pair of mules off him. My youngest brother and myself took the mules and worked them and paid for them. Father gave me one pair. In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad from the East and Central Pacific from the West were getting close to us. We put in a nice crop and raised about 750 bushels of grain and other things. After harvest I took my mules and wagon and worked on the U.P. all winter. It was awful cold but I stayed with it until spring. Some of the time I hauled rocks to the bridge at Devils gate in Weber Canyon,and sometimes hauling lumber from the saw mill. Sometime I was hauling anything that was landed at the mouth of Echo Canyon as that was the terminal at time for the chief Engineer Wm. Bates, Groceries and all manner of stuff. About the 20th of January I quit work and went home having previously appointed a date to get married. On the 2nd of Feb. 1869 we were married. That little girl I mentioned as seeing some 6 or 7 years before. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. We were married in the Old Endowment House, President Daniel H. Wells officiating. In working on the R.R. I had earned about $600 and my father was about $300 in debt so I gave him $300, and we took the balance and bought a stove, home made table, bedstead and 3 chairs and a few other things and started in life. We stayed with father and mother for almost a year. I bought a lot in East Kaysville. Through the summer I farmed on shares for one of the neighbors and at odd times I made the Adobes and got other material together to build a house. Father, being a mason, he willingly put it up for us. By spring it was ready to move into, and I set out an orchard. Before this on Nov. 11th we had a little visitor come. We were still living at fathers. She seemed willing to stay and so we called her Mary Ann Bodily.
About this time the railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake City was built so we built it through fathers field. I forgot to mention soon after the U.P. and S.P. roads met a great many people had never seen a railroad, my wife being one, so we went into the mouth of Weber Canyon to see it. In the spring of 1870 we moved into our little house! Oh, my it seemed good to have a little home of our own. Not that the folks were not good to us, just as good as they could be, but we had a little home of our own, 3 rooms and quite comfortable. I previously traded my mules for 10 acres of land and a pair of oxen and that spring the Bishop wanted myself and another young man to take a herd of Coop cattle up Marsh Valley and herd. We took it and moved up there and took up a ranch on Marsh Creek and was doing fairly well. It was on an Indian trail and they would be coming along almost any time and I was off on the range riding and my wife and baby alone. It was more than we could stand so I quit and moved back to our little home in Kaysville. That was in the fall.
On Nov. 28, 1870 we had another little visitor came. We called him Levi Robert Bodily. We wintered in Kaysville that winter and the next spring there was an opening to get land in Cache Valley. Being anxious to get a farm so we could grow with the country, I went and investigated. I went and worked on the canal and in the fall of 1871 we moved to Franklin and wintered there that winter. To be doing something I carried mail over the Bearlake Valley with another young fellow. We traveled on snow shoes and skis. It was a pretty hard job and very cold too but we got along alright. Our living was mostly on raw bacon and bread frozen at that and plenty of good water.
After moving up to Franklin in the late fall and early next spring I had built a house over on my land. Through that summer I logged and in the fall I ran a threshing machine for another man to get food for winter. That fall on Nov. 25th we had another little girl born. We called her Emma Jane. In the spring of 1873 we moved 1 1/2 miles to another place and it was much better, not so muddy. There was some hay land and we raised some grain without water. The work on the canal kept us at work year after year and no water to speak of so in the fall we would have to log and thresh and fence our land. I recollect while we were working the canal a sewing machine agent came along with a machine. I had him leave it right there and when Saturday night came I took it home and surprised my wife. This was the first one we had. I had got her a washing machine. They were not as efficient as now but they helped considerable.
The same old program continued, logging, fencing and threshing. We had got a little water but not enough to do any good. It got to be very discouraging to me. It was just living and that was all that could be said. Our family was steadily increasing, for in the year 1874 Sept. 6 we had another little girl born. We called her Lucy Matilda Bodily.
Things kept on as usual. In the year 1876, April 1, Joseph Henry Bodily was born. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground but it was very soft. Horses would go clear to the ground at times. There was some small patches of snow way into April,but the crop around the country were pretty good that summer.
The railroad from Ogden started North to Montana. In 1876 February 3rd Delecty Bodily was born and about that time there was quite a talk of Ashley Valley. Being nearly discouraged, myself and Richard Blakey came to look at the country. It was quite late so we did not stay long. We could see what people had raised that summer and concluded to come the next fall. So I began to make preparations for coming. To be doing something that summer some 5 or 6 of us took a contract to do rock work on the railroad going to Montana. It took all summer to finish it. We did quite well and in the fall with a small company we started to Ashley Valley. I had put all I could spare into cows and heifers. The winter previous had been so moderate we supposed the next would be the same. It was about the 15th of Oct. when we started. We had rain and snow all the way in and the roads were awful. We crossed Daniels Canyon creek 73 times and some places it would keep right along in the creek bottom for 40 or 50 yards at a time. By perseverance we finally got through Nov. 2nd when we arrived in the valley. That was the time of the Mecker Massacre and the Indians were very uneasy, that is the Utes at White Rock. Those of the Ouray, in Colorado agency that had committed the massacres were on the war path. On that account, the people were advised to gather into a fort at where Vernal now stands. However there were a few up and down Ashley Creek who were not gathering into the Fort. We were allowed to remain at our places in Maeser by those who had charge of church affairs, Jeremiah Hatch and his associates. It was Nov. 2nd, 1879 when we arrived. It snowed a little that day and every little while it would add a little more. It began to be very cold and kept it up. There were 6 or 8 inches in January and then came a thaw and all went off. I thought spring was coming, but instead it commenced snowing and kept snowing until there was about 2 feet on the level.
One winter Scarlet Fever broke out and our family took it. We had 7 down with it at one time. It was a trying time. We had not sufficient room, which made it worse, but I had logs hauled the fall before to build a better house and had already commenced to build when the disease broke out. I had Bro. Stringham help me. I would work as much of the time through the day, as I could and at night, sit up and take care of the children. Together, with anxiety, we were almost worn out.There were not doctors then so we had to do the best we could and ask the Lord to help us. I know he did help us for one of our little girls was near death, so near that she was reported dead.
She did not get any better and it seemed as though she had to go. One day, I sat down and tried to eat something and the thought came to me you better do something. I jumped up and there we had an old doctor book. I picked it up and opened it and read where it spoke of a tepid bath. When I read it, I knew it would save that child. We put her in a wet sheet and wrapped a blanket over it. Before we got the blanket on she was asleep, a thing she had not done for days. We let her sleep 2 1/2 hours and rubbed her dry and the body was covered with scarlet. She soon was alright and I am sure if I had let that quack doctor help her, she would be dead. That was a terrible ordeal to pass through. I was so nervous I could not stay in one place but had to keep moving about all the time, but I got all right as soon as it was over. The Lord blessed us for, all recovered, although some were very sick. In the spring by the time the ground was ready to put in crops we had the house, 3 rooms below and 2 rooms upstairs. That made things much better. About this time Doctor Hullinger entered the valley and he took charge at dryfork. They were quarantined and they came out without any loss of life.
On the 23rd of March we had another little visitor come and we called her Harriett Ann Bodily. The snow was from 18 to 24 inches on the level at that time. A short time after that, the snow started to go off. It went fast and the grass and feed soon started. But instead of our troubles stopping, they were only beginning. Now there was the water to get onto the land and plowing, fencing and all sorts of things. Our teams were so weak and not able to do much. The flour was getting very low, no milk butter or meat or fruit. It looked anything but encouraging. This condition was general all over the valley. Just as soon as the snow was gone in the valley,or as soon as possible, a company was put together to go to Green River City in Wyoming. Richard Blakey had wintered with us. He volunteered to go and took his 2 ponies and 2 of my horses and a load of hides and sold them and brought flour back.
Each year I had plowed more ground so now we were getting along. After putting in the crops, I would go after freight and Levi would attend the crops. It was astonishing how well he succeeded for a small boy of his age for it was sure a hard job to control the water. In February 21st 1882, Isabella Marinda Bodily was born.
On January 20th, 1884 Christopher William Bodily was born. Another incident happened. Mother, that is my wife, had a severe case of Erysipelas all over her face and part of her head and it poisoned her blood. If she would work over a hot stove, it would show large spots on her face. It wore on her system quite visibly but she did not give up and kept going.
In 1885 Oct. 12th Estella Bodily was born. In Jan. 1888 Walton Edwin was born and in Sept. 20 1890 Sylvia Bodily was born. In March 1890 Emma was helping Mrs S.D. Colton over on the old homestead for a few days. I was all loaded ready to go over in the bad lands across Green River in Colorado with some other parties to prospect for Gilsonite. The night before starting, the impression came over me not to go and it came with such force that I stayed. That afternoon Emma was brought home sick with Typhoid Fever. I was standing just north of the gate by the walk, I knew then why I was warned not to go. Try as I would, I could not have faith in her recovery. She went She went to bed and she seemed so nervous I had to lift her out of one bed into another every little while. I often felt thankful for that warning for what could mother have done with her alone. She kept getting worse and on March 31st 1890 she passed away. One thing I am sorry for is we have no picture of her, I had taken the family down to Vernal for that purpose and a few minutes before we got there the photographer had taken down his apparatus. Before we had another opportunity of having it done Emma died.
Children not listed below: Mary Ann Bodily
I was born 9 March 1844 at Oxfordshire, England to Jane Pittam and Robert Bodily.
In the year 1846 I moved with my parents to South Africa. We first settled in Cape Town at the extreme south end of the continent. My father, being a Stone Mason, was employed by the English Government on the fortification of the town. After that work was completed we again moved around the end of the continent to a place called Algoa Bay or Port Elizabeth there my father again followed his occupation and built and contracted building houses and stores and it was there we first became acquainted with my fathers particular friend, John Stock and family, Mrs Jane Rich's father, now of Roosevelt.
I will mention a few things I do recollect while we were living in Algoa Bay. My father was building houses and stores. One day my brother Wm was climbing up on the cupboard, his foot slipped and down came Wm with the cupboard on top of him. The cupboard was made in two sections the upper part came down and such a mess one seldom sees. There was broken dishes, eggs, sugar, and such things as are in the kitchen and Wms nose was bleeding. It sure was a mess. My mother had to write a note to father and have him bring home a fresh supply of everything. One day father was having some plowing done and Wm was leading the oxen when he stumbled and fell down and the oxen were walking over him.
Port Elizabeth was built on a rocky sidehill and a good many goats were used for milk instead of cows, on that account. There were no street cars or other modern conveniences at that time. Everything was done by horses or oxen.
When up in town, one could look down at the ships laying in the bay at anchor. It was a beautiful sight to see. They were all sailing vessels as steam was but little used then. I can recollect seeing men excited running to and fro and looking down into the ocean. I could see the reason. A school of whales came by spouting and before you say cat they were out in boats after the whales and afterwards a great black spot could be seen on the shore. They had 2 or 3 there. They are killed for the oil, and they are very profitable.
My father in a few years concluded it would be better for the family to go on a farm. He bought a farm about 40 miles up country from Port Elizabeth on an old government grant of 640 acres of land. The ones living on said government grant are supposed to keep everything that would be needed by the army moving up and down the country, such as provisions and so on. In addition he carried on wagon making and blacksmithing so us boys were put to learning a trade.
My brother William learned wagon making and I learned to blacksmith and brother James learned to paint. William was a great lover of horses and nothing suited him better than to ride a horse. Each of us had a horse. I seldom cared to ride and the result was William's horse was kept rather thin while mine was fat and I could hardly manage him. I can recollect while we were learning a trade, I, a blacksmith and Williamm a wagon maker, I would coax him to go up the river and look at things, Father would come on top of the hill and call. I would always manage to have William in the front. He would never run from father but would walk right straight up to him and while father was dusting his coat a little I would be getting for home as fast as possible. When father got home I was blowing the bellows like a good boy. I have often wondered why he did not dust my jacket too but I believe he blamed William for it when really it was me that was doing the mischief.
I can recollect the horse,a red roam, we used for all purposes, his name was Prince. We hauled water for domestic purposes on a two wheel tank. We lived about 3/4 of a mile from the river. We would drive into the river, fill the tank and off for home. Once while my next youngest brother James was wheeling a barrow full of green corn, he stubbed his toe and struck a rock with his knee. It commenced swelling and he was a cripple for 18 months. The doctors did not seem to do him any good and he suffered very much pain.
One day some soldiers camped at our place and an old army surgeon asked mother if she bad blistered it and she answered no. He told her to blister it and in the morning it sure was blistered. Mother tapped it and let out the poison and he began to get well. I recollect while we lived at Bushman river my father had a lot of men working for him. It took a lot of meat for their food.
He sold a great amount so he kept cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. I herded the hogs and father bought a pony so I could ride. Things went fine for awhile but after awhile the pony got so used to turning he could turn about as quick as the hogs. Instead of turning on the pony, I would go on straight ahead and of course I would light on the ground. As a general thing, the pony would stop and let me catch him but sometimes he would have special business at home and would make tracks for home, then my troubles began. It was almost impossible to keep shoes on me and there I would be bare footed and there was a grass burr. It had 3 prongs sharp and whichever way it laid there would be a sharp prong sticking up ready to stick into my bare feet.
I can recollect the farming was very much different from the modern way of farming. We used to plow the ground with a large awkward looking thing called a plow and 4 yoke of oxen hitched to it. We would then sew the wheat broadcast then go over it with a brush drag. That was all that was required until harvest, then the same ground was again plowed and sowed with corn, mellon, and squash seed sown broadcast then gone over with a drag and that was all that was required until it was harvested. Melons, squash and corn you seldom see, it would be amusing to see how it was done.
A boy or man would have raw hide straps on each of the head oxen heads and he would lead them. It would take two of the native men to hold the plow, a great awkward thing with a long beam. Where we lived there were for our neighbors Boer farmers. Then there were Kaffirs, a race of people with fine physical forms and curly hair endowed with the power of endurance. Then came the Hottentot a small race of people copper colored with curly hair. Then came the Bushman, a still smaller race of people with curly hair, copper colored.
These people did a good deal of the labor such as farm work and herding cattle and sheep. Africa was a great place for wild animals of all kinds and a great number of snakes, many kind of animals corresponding the deer, but with smooth horns, buffalo and elephants and several kinds of monkeys and baboon and animals like a monkey but much larger, the Orangutan. There was also the Alligators and Crocodile. Africa abounded with all kinds of wild fruit and wild honey, it was a tropical area. All kinds of fruit grows there without fear of frost. The hot winds come from the north off the Sahara Desert. Winter here, is summer there, for we are across the Equatorial line. The sun is in the north instead of the south.
My parents were of a religion called the Church of England which believed in a God without body, parts or passions. Mother taught us to pray, and although we were praying to a God that did not exist, I feel thankful that my mother taught me to pray because it was a good habit. While we lived in the city we always went to church on Sunday and when we moved into the country mother and father would have us gather together; there being no preacher. Mother would have us read a few verses in the Bible and she would tell Bible stories such as Abraham's life, and Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, especially Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the children of Israel and all their journeys, and of Moses who was raised up to deliver them.
I recollect how interesting they were and the impressions they made on me, for I have not forgotten them yet. And this is about the way things went until the year 1858. It was reported there was a very curious sect in town and what bad people they were. They were gaining converts, quite a few, and this particular friend of father's had joined them. A short time after this, who should come but this friend, John Stocks, and an Elder from Utah to pay our folks a visit, with the result that the whole family joined the church. When they joined they had no idea of coming to Utah, but soon after joining the spirit of gathering came over them and father commenced making preparations for leaving.
March 22, 1860 we started for Utah. There must have been between 50 and 60 in the company. We sailed on an old wooden vessel called the Alacrity and we had not been going long before something began to happen. We began to be sick. You are so sick you would just as soon die as live, but as a general thing, in a few days we were alright. Then how hungry one would get, you could eat anything and never get enough. In a few days we called at Cape Town where we took on more passengers, here I could see the works my father helped to build about 14 years before. Well we now leave Africa for America, our next stop being the Isle of St. Helena. This island is under British control and here is where Napoleon was banished by the British government.
Some of the passengers went ashore and some more were taken on board. While laying in the harbor we could see fishermen catching fish. They would take a hand full of minies, very small fish, and throw them into the water close to the boat. The fish would come right up to the boat to get the minies and the men would soon fill a boat. The water seemed to be alive, there were so many fish. A lot of coconuts were raised there. This was the last place called at until we reached Boston, U.S.A. The morning we caught sight of the Isle of St. Helena my youngest sister Lucy was born. It took us about 75 days to make the trip from Port Elizabeth to Boston. This ship was a wooden sailing ship. The wind was coming from the course we wished to go making it slow work. It took a great deal of time. Once we were in a blizzard for two or three days. We drifted along way out of our way. It was a long tedious journey especially for the older people. At Last, we came to Boston, U.S.A.
Well we now start on our journey across the great American continent. We start from Boston by railway. Railway then and now, are two different propositions. They were not so efficient as today, not so accommodating and comfortable to ride in, and not as well organized. We frequently had to wait sometime to make connections. We kept on going until we struck the Mississippi River. We then went up the river on boat and arrived at a place called, Anable, and there we lay for hours. As we lay there, there was another boat laying along the side of us and the passengers knew that we were Mormons. On that boat was a man cleaning the paddle wheels of the boat and of all the cursing that ever came out of a man's lips, his was the worst I ever heard. All at once he slipped off and everything was quiet. When we left they were dragging the river but had not found him.
We continued up the Mississippi until we got to the mouth of the Missouri River. We disembarked from the boat and took a train again until we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we took the boat again up the Missouri to the Latter-day Saint outfitting station. Here we rested for sometime allowing more emigrants to arrive and also to gather an outfit such as wagons, oxen and other things needed for the journey across the plains. It was not safe for a few individuals to travel alone on account of Indians. By this time some of our company began to be short of money, so much so they thought they would have to stop. Father, having some money, helped 4,5, or 6 families and made it possible for them to continue their journey, much to their joy.
We finally got organized with William Rudger as Captain and a man by the name of Lyman Johnson as a guide. We pulled out to the first water and camped. While there one of our company's small children took sick and died. There was no lumber to be had to make a coffin, so father took the case his bass violin was being carried in and made a coffin. After laying it away we again got started. It was a comical sight to look at that outfit moving, the oxen were awkward and the drivers knew but little more than the oxen about that kind of work.
The roads were very bad but the country was pretty level so we got along fairly well. The days were quite long and there was plenty of food and water for the cattle it being July 20th when we started from Florence. We would get into camp early and have plenty of time to rest. Just before camping you could see those not engaged in driving the teams out gathering fuel to burn. There being no wood in most places they would gather buffalo chips which consisted of the dry droppings of buffalo and cattle to burn in place of wood. As we traveled along we could see a great many buffalo feeding at some distance from the road. There were also quite a number of antelope, a small animal of the deer family. It had a white patch on its back and when it jumped this white patch would open and show white at a long distance.
As we traveled along we would see a piece of paper stuck on a stick of something, saying such and such a train had passed along on such a date. Occasionally we would see a grave where some poor soul had laid down their life for the truth sake, caused by the hardships endured on the way. It sure was a hard trip especially for those having large families, cooking, washing and all the things that pertains to housekeeping. As we drew near the end of our journey the days got shorter, grass, and water more scarce. Sometimes as we got put to bed and fed it was a wonder how those old mothers did it, but the Lord made the back for the burden and they seemed to be cheerful about it. As we crossed the plains we always laid over on Sunday and had meeting. That would comfort the people's hearts. We looked forward to the day when we would arrive in Salt Lake City and that day finally arrived on the 5th of October, 1860. We camped on the square where now stands the city and county building.
During the winter of 1860 and 1861 we lived in the sixth ward Bishop Hickentoper was a fine old man, everybody had a good word for him. We enjoyed that winter very much, the first thing to do was to get up the winters wood. There we found the snow much deeper than the canyons on the east of the valley. It was waist deep and I, never being in snow, was in poor shape to take care of myself. We made our bed on the sidehill, cutting oak brush and piling it up against standing brush on the lower side to make a place level enough to lay down on. Oh what a night, my feet were frozen so I could not get my shoes on and to make matters worse there was 1 foot of snow that night. Next morning we started. If I recollect right, it was 30 or 35 miles to S.L. City. It took us until after dark to get home. I walked all the way with a few rags on my feet and after I got the feeling of on fire. My feet seemed to burn just like I had them in the stove. Oh what a wonder I did not loose my feet.
In the spring of 1861 my father bought a place in Kaysville and we moved up there. It was located on the state road leading to Ogden. The Bishop of the ward was Allen Taylor. He seemed to have no influence over the young people. The young men seemed to do as they pleased, very uncouth and disorderly in their way. In short time the ward was reorganized with Christopher Layton Sr. as Bishop and things began to change for better. The meeting house that was begun years ago was soon built and many other things, schools, roads and better order. So it soon became a much better place to live in but we still had to use oxen to do our work.
Along about this time Alfalfa hay was introduced by Bishop Layton and it was not long before stacks of hay could be seen up and down the valley where before nothing of the kind could be seen. Before long Alfalfa began to make things better. In fact I don't think there ever was anything introduced that has done for Utah that Alfalfa has done. This improved things very much. The teams could be fed better and were more able to do the work in the spring. The climate has entirely changed as it would sometimes in the fall freeze. The peaches and sugar cane and corn would be caught by the frost.
In the winter the people would amuse themselves in dance. There being no money, we would have to pay for the ticket in some kind of trade such as grain. The boys and girls would go to the dance with a pair of oxen as team but we used to enjoy ourselves just the same. Our mode of dress was different from what it is now. If a girl had a good calico dress and a pair of home made shoes that was pretty good. There was not fine clothes and shoes to be had by most people. They had not the means even if they were to be had. Most of the exchanges were made by trading products for such as one needed. Wheat was about 50 cents a bushel. I have seen men haul wheat from Cache Valley a distance of 100 miles and exchange it for a yard of calico. The boys were the same as the girls. It will not be out of place to mention here how things were in regard to money matters. There was no money. When we paid taxes, it was paid with grain.
One thing that I must not forget to mention is that one night at a dance I saw a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age, I was about 17 or 18 years of age, I thought what a nice girl. We used to associate as friends and meet in the dance or at school. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. There was a feeling came with it I cannot describe. Of course nothing particular happened at the time, but later as things happened I have often thought of that time. It seemed as if she was pointed out to me by someone unseen as my future wife.
In 1862 a call was made on the different wards to send teams and haul rock from big Cottonwood canyon to the Temple at S.L. City. I was sent for one, and hauled rock for sometime with 3 or 4 yoke of oxen.It was slow work at that time but year after year that work was continued. After the railroad came then it went on much faster.
I often think of things that happened while living in Kaysville. We used to go to a dance and instead of having money we would pay for the ticket with wheat or cedar posts or any other trade that would be made. In the winter about Christmas time a bunch of young people would get into a sleigh and go around the ward and serenade the old people of the ward, sing songs, tell stories and play games. What a grand time we would have and how those old friends enjoyed it and would invite us to come again. They would always have something, pies, cakes and some root beer.
In the spring Bishop Layton bought another train of mules and wagons and my father bought 3 pair of mules off him. My youngest brother and myself took the mules and worked them and paid for them. Father gave me one pair. In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad from the East and Central Pacific from the West were getting close to us. We put in a nice crop and raised about 750 bushels of grain and other things. After harvest I took my mules and wagon and worked on the U.P. all winter. It was awful cold but I stayed with it until spring. Some of the time I hauled rocks to the bridge at Devils gate in Weber Canyon,and sometimes hauling lumber from the saw mill. Sometime I was hauling anything that was landed at the mouth of Echo Canyon as that was the terminal at time for the chief Engineer Wm. Bates, Groceries and all manner of stuff. About the 20th of January I quit work and went home having previously appointed a date to get married. On the 2nd of Feb. 1869 we were married. That little girl I mentioned as seeing some 6 or 7 years before. Her name was Harriet Ann "Hattie" Roberts. We were married in the Old Endowment House, President Daniel H. Wells officiating. In working on the R.R. I had earned about $600 and my father was about $300 in debt so I gave him $300, and we took the balance and bought a stove, home made table, bedstead and 3 chairs and a few other things and started in life. We stayed with father and mother for almost a year. I bought a lot in East Kaysville. Through the summer I farmed on shares for one of the neighbors and at odd times I made the Adobes and got other material together to build a house. Father, being a mason, he willingly put it up for us. By spring it was ready to move into, and I set out an orchard. Before this on Nov. 11th we had a little visitor come. We were still living at fathers. She seemed willing to stay and so we called her Mary Ann Bodily.
About this time the railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake City was built so we built it through fathers field. I forgot to mention soon after the U.P. and S.P. roads met a great many people had never seen a railroad, my wife being one, so we went into the mouth of Weber Canyon to see it. In the spring of 1870 we moved into our little house! Oh, my it seemed good to have a little home of our own. Not that the folks were not good to us, just as good as they could be, but we had a little home of our own, 3 rooms and quite comfortable. I previously traded my mules for 10 acres of land and a pair of oxen and that spring the Bishop wanted myself and another young man to take a herd of Coop cattle up Marsh Valley and herd. We took it and moved up there and took up a ranch on Marsh Creek and was doing fairly well. It was on an Indian trail and they would be coming along almost any time and I was off on the range riding and my wife and baby alone. It was more than we could stand so I quit and moved back to our little home in Kaysville. That was in the fall.
On Nov. 28, 1870 we had another little visitor came. We called him Levi Robert Bodily. We wintered in Kaysville that winter and the next spring there was an opening to get land in Cache Valley. Being anxious to get a farm so we could grow with the country, I went and investigated. I went and worked on the canal and in the fall of 1871 we moved to Franklin and wintered there that winter. To be doing something I carried mail over the Bearlake Valley with another young fellow. We traveled on snow shoes and skis. It was a pretty hard job and very cold too but we got along alright. Our living was mostly on raw bacon and bread frozen at that and plenty of good water.
After moving up to Franklin in the late fall and early next spring I had built a house over on my land. Through that summer I logged and in the fall I ran a threshing machine for another man to get food for winter. That fall on Nov. 25th we had another little girl born. We called her Emma Jane. In the spring of 1873 we moved 1 1/2 miles to another place and it was much better, not so muddy. There was some hay land and we raised some grain without water. The work on the canal kept us at work year after year and no water to speak of so in the fall we would have to log and thresh and fence our land. I recollect while we were working the canal a sewing machine agent came along with a machine. I had him leave it right there and when Saturday night came I took it home and surprised my wife. This was the first one we had. I had got her a washing machine. They were not as efficient as now but they helped considerable.
The same old program continued, logging, fencing and threshing. We had got a little water but not enough to do any good. It got to be very discouraging to me. It was just living and that was all that could be said. Our family was steadily increasing, for in the year 1874 Sept. 6 we had another little girl born. We called her Lucy Matilda Bodily.
Things kept on as usual. In the year 1876, April 1, Joseph Henry Bodily was born. There was about 2 feet of snow on the ground but it was very soft. Horses would go clear to the ground at times. There was some small patches of snow way into April,but the crop around the country were pretty good that summer.
The railroad from Ogden started North to Montana. In 1876 February 3rd Delecty Bodily was born and about that time there was quite a talk of Ashley Valley. Being nearly discouraged, myself and Richard Blakey came to look at the country. It was quite late so we did not stay long. We could see what people had raised that summer and concluded to come the next fall. So I began to make preparations for coming. To be doing something that summer some 5 or 6 of us took a contract to do rock work on the railroad going to Montana. It took all summer to finish it. We did quite well and in the fall with a small company we started to Ashley Valley. I had put all I could spare into cows and heifers. The winter previous had been so moderate we supposed the next would be the same. It was about the 15th of Oct. when we started. We had rain and snow all the way in and the roads were awful. We crossed Daniels Canyon creek 73 times and some places it would keep right along in the creek bottom for 40 or 50 yards at a time. By perseverance we finally got through Nov. 2nd when we arrived in the valley. That was the time of the Mecker Massacre and the Indians were very uneasy, that is the Utes at White Rock. Those of the Ouray, in Colorado agency that had committed the massacres were on the war path. On that account, the people were advised to gather into a fort at where Vernal now stands. However there were a few up and down Ashley Creek who were not gathering into the Fort. We were allowed to remain at our places in Maeser by those who had charge of church affairs, Jeremiah Hatch and his associates. It was Nov. 2nd, 1879 when we arrived. It snowed a little that day and every little while it would add a little more. It began to be very cold and kept it up. There were 6 or 8 inches in January and then came a thaw and all went off. I thought spring was coming, but instead it commenced snowing and kept snowing until there was about 2 feet on the level.
One winter Scarlet Fever broke out and our family took it. We had 7 down with it at one time. It was a trying time. We had not sufficient room, which made it worse, but I had logs hauled the fall before to build a better house and had already commenced to build when the disease broke out. I had Bro. Stringham help me. I would work as much of the time through the day, as I could and at night, sit up and take care of the children. Together, with anxiety, we were almost worn out.There were not doctors then so we had to do the best we could and ask the Lord to help us. I know he did help us for one of our little girls was near death, so near that she was reported dead.
She did not get any better and it seemed as though she had to go. One day, I sat down and tried to eat something and the thought came to me you better do something. I jumped up and there we had an old doctor book. I picked it up and opened it and read where it spoke of a tepid bath. When I read it, I knew it would save that child. We put her in a wet sheet and wrapped a blanket over it. Before we got the blanket on she was asleep, a thing she had not done for days. We let her sleep 2 1/2 hours and rubbed her dry and the body was covered with scarlet. She soon was alright and I am sure if I had let that quack doctor help her, she would be dead. That was a terrible ordeal to pass through. I was so nervous I could not stay in one place but had to keep moving about all the time, but I got all right as soon as it was over. The Lord blessed us for, all recovered, although some were very sick. In the spring by the time the ground was ready to put in crops we had the house, 3 rooms below and 2 rooms upstairs. That made things much better. About this time Doctor Hullinger entered the valley and he took charge at dryfork. They were quarantined and they came out without any loss of life.
On the 23rd of March we had another little visitor come and we called her Harriett Ann Bodily. The snow was from 18 to 24 inches on the level at that time. A short time after that, the snow started to go off. It went fast and the grass and feed soon started. But instead of our troubles stopping, they were only beginning. Now there was the water to get onto the land and plowing, fencing and all sorts of things. Our teams were so weak and not able to do much. The flour was getting very low, no milk butter or meat or fruit. It looked anything but encouraging. This condition was general all over the valley. Just as soon as the snow was gone in the valley,or as soon as possible, a company was put together to go to Green River City in Wyoming. Richard Blakey had wintered with us. He volunteered to go and took his 2 ponies and 2 of my horses and a load of hides and sold them and brought flour back.
Each year I had plowed more ground so now we were getting along. After putting in the crops, I would go after freight and Levi would attend the crops. It was astonishing how well he succeeded for a small boy of his age for it was sure a hard job to control the water. In February 21st 1882, Isabella Marinda Bodily was born.
On January 20th, 1884 Christopher William Bodily was born. Another incident happened. Mother, that is my wife, had a severe case of Erysipelas all over her face and part of her head and it poisoned her blood. If she would work over a hot stove, it would show large spots on her face. It wore on her system quite visibly but she did not give up and kept going.
In 1885 Oct. 12th Estella Bodily was born. In Jan. 1888 Walton Edwin was born and in Sept. 20 1890 Sylvia Bodily was born. In March 1890 Emma was helping Mrs S.D. Colton over on the old homestead for a few days. I was all loaded ready to go over in the bad lands across Green River in Colorado with some other parties to prospect for Gilsonite. The night before starting, the impression came over me not to go and it came with such force that I stayed. That afternoon Emma was brought home sick with Typhoid Fever. I was standing just north of the gate by the walk, I knew then why I was warned not to go. Try as I would, I could not have faith in her recovery. She went She went to bed and she seemed so nervous I had to lift her out of one bed into another every little while. I often felt thankful for that warning for what could mother have done with her alone. She kept getting worse and on March 31st 1890 she passed away. One thing I am sorry for is we have no picture of her, I had taken the family down to Vernal for that purpose and a few minutes before we got there the photographer had taken down his apparatus. Before we had another opportunity of having it done Emma died.
Children not listed below: Mary Ann Bodily
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
Children
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Mary Ann Bodily Jones
1869–1929
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Levi Robert Bodily
1870–1941
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Emma Jane Bodily Jones
1872–1890
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Lucy Matilda Bodily Wamsley
1874–1956
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Joseph Henry Bodily
1876–1974
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Delecta "Delecty" Bodily Nielson
1877–1935
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Harriet Bodily Hacking
1880–1965
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Isabell Marinda Bodily Hacking
1882–1978
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Christopher William Bodily
1884–1958
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Estella Bodily Moulton
1885–1907
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Walton Edwin Bodily
1888–1975
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Sylvia Louise Bodily Richens
1890–1984
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