Daughter of John Druce and Julia Ann Jinks

Married Charles John Lambert, 26 Oct 1867, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

History - On the banks of the Hudson River in the village of Harverstraw, New York, on March 20, 1848, was born the third daughter of John and Julia Ann Jinks Druce. Her parents had lived in England, but in 1846 the Garnerville Printing Co., one of the largest printing works of New York, sent for her father to come and act as foreman in the factory. He was an expert engraver. This factory designed the pattern which was then engraved on the brass or copper rollers. The cloth was rolled around these rollers and the pattern transferred onto the cloth. About a year after coming to New York he sent for his brother, Henry to come to help in the factory as a designer.

The printing works were about two miles back from the River. Riverside steamers would go to New York City and return each day, and it was on this steamer one of the men would go to New York about once a month for a supply of groceries for the two families.

They had a beautiful home in New York, everything in harmony. It had 8 rooms, two of these basement rooms, well built and very well furnished. It was at this home that Elmina Taylor, former president of the Y.L.M.I.A. of the Church and Bishop George Taylor were married.

Mother’s mother and Aunt Harriet had melodeons in New York and both played them. These were brought to Utah with them and were some of the earliest instruments brought here. The family still have then in their possession at the present time. Her oldest sister, Julia, was one of the first and best musicians of Salt Lake at that time.

Mother was baptized August 24, 1856 at Haverstraw, N.Y. She was baptized and confirmed by the name of Lilly Harriet Almira altho when blessed it was Harriet Almira. A woman and her baby named Lilly were there for a while just before mother was born. When she was born her sister, Mary, two years older, said she was Lilly came back again. While the others at first called her Harriet, Mary still claimed she was Lilly and would not call her anything but Lilly until gradually they all called her Lilly and when she was baptized Lilly was added to the names and she has always gone by that name.

She attended school in Haverstraw, New York. The schools were mostly known by colors; mother attended Yellow school and Red school, both one-teacher schools. They lived about one-half mile from school. Lilly and her sister, Mary, together with their cousin Thomas Druce, would go to and from school and Tom says the girls used to defend him and help him more than his own sisters. They also attended Episcopalian Day school, a private school, for about a year as it was closer to their home.

Lilly always made friends and had lots of them altho always very quiet. We often heard mother talk of having to go through the woods on her way to school and of gathering all kinds of nuts, hazel, butternuts (like Walnuts), walnuts, filbuts (like a pecan). She also said they often helped to gather nuts in the Fall and store them for Winter in large barrels. Flour, apples, nuts, etc. were stored in barrels, their cellar being like a store house of provisions.

Mother, with her parents, left New York March 1861 and came to Utah in the Ira Reed Independent Company, arriving in Salt Lake City, Sept. 16, 1861. Mother told us that her mother wasn’t very well and rode in the wagon, but that she liked to get out and walk along when there was anything of interest to see as it was tiresome riding all the time. While she did not need to, she rather enjoyed it until she was tired. She did not feel that it was a hardship, but a novelty, so different from what she had experienced, and often at night gathered buffalo chips or sagebrush, etc. for the campfire and enjoyed being with the other children when they camped.

Before leaving New York they bought nice clothes, shoes, and other wearing apparel of excellent quality and style, even a beautiful pasely shawl. These were stolen from their wagon in route.

When they came to Utah the had to endure the hardships of this pioneer country; but soon through energy and hard work they were enabled to build a nice a home as anyone. They settled in the Twelfth Ward, living on the corner of 1st South and 5th East Streets, having a lot 20 rods square. On this lot they built other nice houses besides their own which they rented.

When her father came to Utah he had to learn a new trade, so became a architect, contractor, and builder and was very adapt at designing houses. He was 43 years old when he learned his new trade, but was very successful at it and built many fine buildings in and around Salt Lake. He also built houses in Battle Creek or what is now known as Pleasant Grove in Utah County. Later his two sons worked with him, the eldest son, John, as a partner. The younger boy, Edwin, followed this trade after his father and John died.

Mother’s mother had one of the first sewing machines here in Utah and took it to the Salt Lake Theatre and made costumes and did alterations. They wanted to rent it from her but it was such a choice piece of furniture she felt she did not care to risk anyone else using it so consented to run it herself and help with the costumes there and was paid well, while at the same time Grandfather was only making 50 cents a day as an apprentice.

A furrier, who rented of Henry Druce, used to cut out gloves of buckskin. These Mother’s mother with the help of Aunt Harriet and their daughters made and sold to the Officers of Fort Douglas and others. It was one of the few ways for the women of earning money at this time. These gloves were sewed with a glove needle; the needles were three-cornered and the sewing was done by laying the edges together and stitching it over and over.

Mother used to do millinery work and worked at Colebrooks Millinery, also for Mrs. Ramell who was a milliner. At that time she braided straw and where it needed to be joined she could splice it so neatly one would not notice it; she had done it for her daughters when they wanted to add a few more rows on the hats they were making at home.

The Druce boys and girls used to attend the dances in the 19th Ward. They usually had dances twice a week from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. For tickets they would take two candles, one for the Hall and one for the fiddler. They also went to the Social Hall; here they paid 50 cents a couple. Picnic was taken and all put together. Brigham Young attended all of them and was one of the prettiest waltzers at that time. Everyone knew each other, and all had a wonderful time.

At the Salt Lake Theatre they would take anything for a ticket, a bushel of carrots, cabbage, grain or anything they had. Everyone also too a picnic. They would have the main show; then one-half to three-fourths of an hour intermission for the picnic. Then there would be a farce. Dr. Pyke at one time took a two-bushel sack of grain to pay for tickets for himself and Cousin Harriet.

John Druce, Lilly’s father, was called on a mission to the Eastern States in June, 1876 and returned June 19, 1877. On June 21, 1877 he was chosen first counselor to Bishop Pyper, later first counselor to Bishop Clawson, serving in this capacity for 20 years. He was released on account of poor health, having suffered a paralytic stroke. On Sept. 29, 1897, he was ordained a patriarch by Joseph F. Smith, assisted by George Q. Cannon and Franklin Richards.

Both mother’s mother and her sister Harriet were highly educated and talented musicians. Aunt Harriet sang in the “Messiah” in Manchester, England as a girl. Mother’s mother was an excellent judge of Art. Prof. Lindsay, the artist, always came to her for criticisms on his artwork. She was expert with her needle as were most of her daughters and also did some of the most beautiful hand embroidery. Mother’s sister, Eliza was an artist and painted many pictures as well as hand-painted china.

In the year 1867 father was called by Pres. Brigham Young, his name being called out from the stand at Conference in the Tabernacle to get married and go and settle Dixie. He was not even engaged, but had called on mother a few times. They had only three weeks before he was to leave. She married Charles J. Lambert on Oct. 26, 1867. They went to St. George with horses and wagon and with very little to do with. Mother even had to comb her hair with out a mirror and in after life could sit down in a chair and comb her hair and it looked as good as anyone’s. In all my life I never remember seeing her hair untidy. While in St. George they lived with Aunt Willie, Uncle David Cannon’s wife; she was a wonderful housekeeper and mother learned many things of value from her. Father worked on the St. George Tabernacle and returned home in 1868 on account of his health.

After returning from St. George to Salt Lake they lived with Grandmother Druce, and for a short time with father’s mother. They then went to live in a log cabin on the corner of 1st West and 5th South. Later they built a large adobe house on 1st West and 3rd South St. In this they lived for a short time.

About this time, 1869, father became connected with the Paper Mill in Sugar House, acting as Superintendent, so the family moved to Sugar House. The family moved back to the adobe house and lived there a number of years. About 1883 or 1884 mother had a sick spell which resulted in her having to have her beautiful hair cut off as the hair became matted so badly it could not be combed out on account of her head being so sore. She had had thick long brown hair hanging to her knees before this time.

In 1882 the mill was taken to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon where he was in charge until the fall of 1888, when failing health forced him to retire to his farm in Granger. Here he was engaged in farming, and mother, although not used to it, did her share of the work. She was always very systematic with her work and even had a certain day she spent with her mother each week. She made very good butter, which she took to Salt Lake along with eggs and other things from the farm, selling them to the family and friends in Salt Lake.

They were the parents of the following children: Lilly L. Woodbury, born in Salt Lake; Mary Alice L. Hussey; Julia L. Eldredge; and Charles D. Lambert, born in Sugar House; Nellie L. Rawlins and Ethel L. Bawden, born in Salt Lake; Hattie L. Woodbury; Nettie Lambert; and Elizabeth L. Petersen, born in Butlerville; and Joseph D. Lambert, born in Granger. Hattie and Nettie were twins, Nettie dying in infancy. The youngest son, Joseph, gave his life for his country in the World War, dying in France. Most of these children are now living in Granger; one is living in Ogden, and one, in Lewiston, Utah.

While Sister Mary Porter was President of the Relief Society here in Granger, mother was chosen along with Jessie Tanner as visiting teacher in that organization. Their duty was to visit Relief Societies in other Wards in Granite Stake. Sister Tanner said she enjoyed the work with mother in this capacity. Mother was very quiet and unassuming and did not care for public offices.

She was always neat and tidy and used good judgment in dress and everything about her home. An Aunt once told me she never saw mother wear anything that needed mending without it was neatly mended and was never left to get a larger place to mend.

She had a wonderful knowledge of the stars and could often forecast the weather by her observations of the sky and elements. She seemed to know especially if an electric storm was coming and they always made her sick and nervous.

She was very even tempered and never seemed to get angry, always trying to make peace with everybody.

She died at the home of her daughter, Lilly in Salt Lake after a lingering illness, Jan. 1, 1908, mourned by a host of relatives and friends.

The funeral was held in the Seventh Ward Chapel in Salt Lake City. John Henry Smith, one of the Twelve Apostles, a very dear friend of the family spoke of her at the funeral as “One of the Great Mothers.” Nellie Druce Pugsley, daughter of Aunt Harriet, was the soloist at the funeral.

--Prepared by daughters, Ethel L. Bawden and Hattie L. Woodbury
July 16, 1931