DEATH TAKES LIFE-LONG ARIZONAN

SAFFORD--Mrs. Lillian Layton Claridge, 79, a native of St. David who lived in the Safford area 77 years, died yesterday in Good Samritan Hospital at Phoenix.

Mrs. Claridge was the daughter of Christopher Layton, who colonized and planned the towns of Thatcher and Layton. The latter became South Safford.

Mrs. Claridge started the Parent Teachers Association at Solonmonville and was its first president. She did extensive missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Safford area.

She held every office in the Relief Society for this LDS Stake.

Her late husband, Edward M. Claridge, establised the first successful cotton gin and cotton seed plant at Safford.

Services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday in the Solomonville Ward of the LDS Church, with Bishop Clyde Kempton officiating. Burial will be in Thatcher Cemetery.

She is survived by two sons, Linton and Alf B., both of Safford and three daughters, Mrs. Ethna Robinson and Mts. Trilba Cherkins, both of Pasadena, California and Mrs. Genevieve Gould of Litchfield Park.

Also surviving are a brother, Leslie Layton of Buckeye; five sisters, Mrs. Priscilla McIntyre and Mrs. Lottie Larson, both of Roseville, California; Mrs. MinnieHatch of Mesa; Mrs. Luella Major of Centerville, Utah and Mrs. Elizabeth Griner of Reseda, California; 24 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

Arizona Republic
July 24, 1964
transcribed by Rhonda Holton
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100 YEARS IN THATCHER
1883-1983

EDWARD MADDOCKS CLARIDGE
LIllIAN LAYTON

Ed always said, "I happened to be the tithing (tenth) child in mother's flock" Edward Maddocks Claridge was born May 14, 1882, in ­Orderville, Utah. Less than a year later he moved with his family to the Gila Valley and he spent the rest of his life there. Ed had very little formal education, quitting elementary school at Thatcher because he preferred to work. He later attended the Academy, but after a few months was "graduated" as the result of a prank.

As a child he was a diligent worker. His first job was digging potatoes for twenty-five cents a day, He soon progressed to a fifty-cent daily wage driving a team of horses in the hay field. When his mother badly needed a set of "store bought" teeth, he promptly sold his beloved pinto pony to pay for them.

On September 3, 1903, he married his childhood sweetheart, Lillian Layton, daughter of Elizabeth Williams and Christopher Layton. Their first home was a two-room adobe with carpeting made of woven rags. Ed and his brother Wilf, formed a joint farming venture and Lillian fed three meals a day to over fifteen farmhands. This close partnership of "Ed and Lil" became well known over the years.

Their first child Luella, was born June 5, 1904, and passed away at thirteen months. Two other children were born, Samuel Linton, March 22, 1906 and Ethna on November 16, 1908.

In 1909 Ed was called by the Church to fulfill a two year mission in ­Australia. He sold his home, teams of horses and farm implements to pay his way and provide for his family. It was also necessary for Lillian ­to borrow $50.00 a month from the bank to finance his mission.

After returning from Australia, he began accumulating property and in ­a few years he sold out and moved to the Salt River Valley. But. after purchasing and re-selling a ranch near Phoenix, they returned to the Gila Valley. Ed began a gradual accumulation of the ownership of "The Big Ranch" near Solomonville.

Tragedy struck when their fourth child, Vance died April 29, 1914 of scarlet fever. On August 3, 1914, a daughter, Trilba was born and another daughter, Genevieve was born October 12, 1916. Alf Bernard was born March 14, 1919.

The Producer's Cotton Gin Co. was organized in 1928 with Ed as President. In 1941, there were seven gins and an oil mill operating in the valley. In 1945 a further expansion resulted in the purchase of the Safford Packing Company.

Ed was president of the Montezuma Canal Board and served as chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Graham County for two consecutive terms. He was instrumental in building an accessible road up on Mt. Graham to Turkey Flat, where many families built mountain cabins to get out of the summer heat. He was a member of Rotary, the International Cotton Growers and the Chamber of Commerce

The most important part of his life was the love he had for his family.

He put implicit trust in his children from their early childhood. Along with this trust and security, he had taught them to be industrious and thrifty. He loved his grandchildren. He took them on corn roasts and watermelon feasts and taught them all to ride a horse and - those old enough - to drive his car.

It is evident that his influence and example touched the lives of many.

The one outstanding quality in the life of Ed Claridge was his compas­sionate service and life-long generosity to his fellow man, such as supporting many missionaries financially, helping students go to college, supplying widows with loads of wood and other necessities of life for their comfort.

Jesse Udall, in eulogizing him related beautifully his relationship with men and God, "There were many things that marked Ed Claridge as being a splended character other than his success in material affairs. His humble attitude toward God was outstanding. Ed had Faith. He had faith in his country. He had faith in people - like those good men who have worked for him for forty years. He believed in them, trusted them, and because of this he was blessed."

Ed served his church in the Bishopric for five years and as a High Councilman in the St. Joseph Stake for five years. Lillian was very active in the church. She served as a missionary when in her seventies. Ed passed away May 23, 1952 and Lillian June 23, 1964.