Autobiography

Autobiography of Martha Mildred Ormond

Having been asked by my granddaughter for a sketch of my life, I will try to write a few things that may be of interest to her and perhaps to a few others.

The home was a little log cabin near the banks of City Creek in Richmond, Utah. It was the third of August 1878. A happy father sat beside a bed in which lay his wife and baby, a tiny baby girl with a lot of dark hair, not black, but very dark and about three inches long. They smiled as they stroked the tiny head. When the baby was eight days old she was blessed by her father and given the name of Martha Mildred Ormond. As time went on another girl came who was named Mary Ellen. Then we moved into a new frame house in the southern part of Richmond, here another baby girl was born and named Susie Etta.

About the first thing I remember is of playing with a neighbor girl by the name of Emma Smith. When I was five years old my father asked me what I would like for a birthday present. I asked for a little china dish, oblong in shape with a lid on which is a little girl holding a baby kitten in her arm and feeding the mother cat from a saucer. The girl has a light blue dress and a pink apron. My playmate had one just like mine except that that the dress was pink and the apron blue. At the age of 68 I still have my present with no chips or cracks.

Soon after my fifth birthday Mother took typhoid and pneumonia, and on September 29, 1883 she passed away. We were indeed a sorrowful little group. We three girls were brought to Logan, Utah to the home of our father's parents to live with them until our father married again. February 25, 1885 he was married to Elizabeth Esther Comish. We girls were then taken back to Richmond, and later to Cove.

On the sixth of August, 1886 I was baptized by Mark Preece, and the same day was confirmed by Edward Kingsford, who at that time was a counselor in the Bishopbric. At 16 I was chosen as treasurer in the Y.L.M.I.A. and was released two years later when we moved to Franklin, Idaho.

Being the oldest one in the family I learned very young to harness horses, milk cows and do other chores, as my father was a carpenter and away from home most to the time. I also learned to cook and sew and do housework. I learned many kinds of hand work, which I still like very much to do. I liked very much to care for a mother in bed with a new baby.

On November 30, 1898 I was married to Robert Kingsford in the Logan Temple. We made our home at Cove, Utah. Here our first two children were born, Diantha "O" on January 4, 1900 and Ephraim "O" on March 9, 1902. While here I was chosen first counselor in the Primary, and when we moved away I was given a surprise party by the primary children and a lovely clock shelf, which I still have.

My husband had entered a homestead claim in Gem Valley, Idaho in April 1898 and on November 4, 1902 we left our happy home at Cove to take up the hardships of pioneering in a new settlement. The first winter I melted snow for house use, also to water three head of horses, one cow and three two-year-old heifers. There was always snow on the stove. We sold butter at 10 cents per pound and eggs at 8 cents per dozen. The first summer I raised about forty Plymothrock roosters, which I kept until Thanksgiving time and then sold them for 25 cents each. Each bird would weigh seven or eight pounds. There was no water nearer than Bear River and so hauling water was no little chore. My husband worked on the canyon during the winter and on the canal during the summer.

By the second year water came out over the flat. There was only one ward organized on the flat and that was the Grace Ward. In June 1903 I was sustained as Assistant Secretary and treasurer of the Relief Society in the grace Ward. On May 12, 1904 the ward was divided and I was chosen to fill the same office in the Bench Ward, that being the name of the new ward. Kenneth, our third child, was blessed the first fast day meeting held in our new ward. I was soon chosen to work as a teacher in the primary, under Mary Boss as President, later as counselor to Mary Peck, and on July 8, 1912 as first counselor to Mae Bassett. I was released June 4, 1916 and sustained President of the Relief Society, was also released as assistant secretary and treasurer in the Relief Society the same day I was sustained President.

Between 1904 and 1916 Marvin, Oressa, Loran, Ellis and Mildred had come to bless our home. Oressa, our second girl, had lived only five weeks, having taken whooping cough from the older children. She had brought us so much joy at her coming but was not permitted to stay long with us, passing away April 3, 1908.

In March 1906 we had a well dug on our farm and oh, the joy of a good drink of water, but it was so hard to pump that I could never pump enough for a drink, as it was 214 feet deep. Soon we purchased a wind mill, but the wind did not always blow. Later we bought a gas engine. I could never start that either so I always had to wait for the men to pump the water and always had a barrel filled while the pump was running.

Our ward became disorganized in 1920 and the Kingsfords went back to the Grace Ward. Then Robert was called back to be presiding Elder in the West Branch of the Bench ward. During the two years at Grace I had labored on the relief Society Stake Board and was released from that position and sustained president in the new branch July 16, 1922. The Branch became a ward September 16, 1923 and I was sustained President of the Relief Society. I was released form the Relief Society presidency September 29, 1940, after serving thirty seven years as an officer in the Relief Society. I loved the work and loved those with whom I labored. My work was never a duty but always a pleasure and there was not a home in our ward that I did not visit many times. When I was released I was given the grandest banquet ever put on in our stake and presented with a lovely brocaded plush rocker, which I certainly treasure as a present from my friends.

When we went to live on our farm we had three rooms, a living room, one bedroom, and a pantry. Later we built an addition to our home that when finished resulted in eight rooms, with a pressure system to our well with water in the kitchen and bathroom. Now we really began to feel we were living in a modern age. Ephraim had filled a mission in Indiana and Marvin had filled one in Colorado. Both were ready for college, both went to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. In February Marvin was hurt while wrestling on the school team and we lost him February 16, 1929, much to our sorrow. Kenneth had already graduated from the U.S.A.C. at Logan and also married.

In January 1936 Loran went on a mission to Texas and in December we decided to take a trip and see him, so with our trailer well packed, my husband and I, with Ephraim, Neva and their two little girls, we left for Texas. We found Loran at Lufkin, Texas, where we spent a few days with him and Elder Evert. We drove out to Galveston and had a fine look at the Gulf of Mexico. After a month's travel we finally reached Mesa, Arizona, where we spent nearly three months working in the temple work, leaving some of our children on the farm to do the chores.

In June 1940 we saw our son, Leornard O. Graduate from the University of Idaho in Moscow and also receive his commission as Second Lieutenant in the services of his country. It was hard to tell him good-by and see him off to war; after some two years in the U.S. he was sent to England and returned when the war was over in December 1945. Our youngest son, Charles, took training in Texas and then was sent to Luzon in the Philippine Islands and never returned: he gave his life for his country June 13, 1945 so sorrow has touched our lives as well as joy.

After renting in Logan for a few winters we finally bought us a modern brick home and moved into it on Marvin's birthday, March 26, 1944. I had loved my home and many friends in Gem Valley and left it with a heavy heart. I now have many dear friends here. At present I am the mother of ten children, seven of them are still living, all are interested in the gospel, nine of them lived to go through the temple for themselves and also do work for others. Our eldest daughter, Diantha, served as an officiator in the Logan Temple. Three sons have filled missions, three are college graduated, and all but one have had college training. Mildred preferred to graduate in Mother's kitchen and learn to cook and sew before getting married. There are many joys and many sorrows omitted in this little sketch, but I hope it will interest all who may read it.

Martha M. O. Kingsford

Pioneering in Gem Valley

Written by Martha M. Kingsford April 1947

The lower end of Gem Valley was pretty well settled with many settlers up along the river thru the section known as Thatcher, Idaho, on the west side of the valley and some along Trout Creek to the southeast, and along the foot hills on the east, but thru the center known as the flat, was used for grazing stock until about 1895 when a few families started to settle at Grace. John Allsop, George Hamp, Oloff Olsen and Harry Heuse were the four men who entered the four quarters which are now the center of Grace, in a few years the whole flat was taken. There was no water on the flat and everybody had to haul water from the river or the foot hills a distance of 4 ½ miles. It was a common site during the summer to see a woman with three or four barrels in a wagon, driving her team to the river for water.

The men were all busy working on the dam and on the canal trying to get the water out on the flat. In the winter many of the men would leave the valley and go elsewhere for work in order tot support their families. Thus it was that my husband and I with our two small children made our permanent move to our homestead, in Gem Valley on Nov. 4 - 1902. We had lived at Cove, Utah, since our marriage Nov. 30 - 1898. We started on our move with all our possessions packed into one wagon and a buggy without a top, Robert (my husband) drove the team on the wagon and I drove the team on the buggy. It was a long drive to make in one day.

As night came on we were driving thru Treasureton when a hind wheel came off our wagon, as it was almost dark we could not find the burr. We asked a man who lived near our breakdown if we could stay with his family for the night, but he said “no” so tying the one team behind the buggy we drove up the creek about four miles to a friend’s home, where we were welcomed in for the night, next morning we returned to our wagon got it put together and went on our way.

Now pioneering began in earnest, there was no water within 4 ½ miles, winter was coming on. Robert went to the canyon and hauled water between times. When the snow came I melted snow for use and for the horses, one cow and three head of two-year old heifers. Always the team was given a drink at the mouth of the canyon, so that they did not require a great amount when they reached home.

One incident that might be of interest is told of my sister. Father was a carpenter and away from home most of the time. He owned but one team. One morning when the family got up one of the horses was found dead, what to do for water was the question. My sister said she could get it - not to worry. It was almost as far to the nearest neighbor as it was to the river. So Ellen harnessed up the horse (which was very gentle) put him in his place on the buggy, staychained him to the buggy, took hold of the neck yoke herself, then walked beside him herself leading him to the river, filled the barrels with water, and lead old Barney home again. This act was never repeated as the neighbors came to the rescue until Father came home and purchased another horse.

Neighbors were from one mile to five miles apart, telephones were never thought of. There was one organized ward at Grace and we all went there to worship, and also for amusements, we all met tin a one room log house, and many a time did we dance to the tune of Little Dog Tray, played on a violin.

Snow would get so deep during the winter that the fences were lost sight of and long willows would be placed along the road tot mark the route.

In 1904 water came thru our farm and on down thru the valley. Now every man was busy getting a cistern dug, this was a big hole dug in the ground and cemented so that it would hold water, then kept full as long as water would run into it without freezing up, then the water would be turned out of the canal, and when the cistern went dry, men would haul water for days in a large tank that everybody would borrow from the man who owned it.

If anyone got sick, everybody soon knew it and all were ready and willing to help.

Soda Springs was our place of trading, although we did have a small grocery store at the river. When going to Soda Springs we would start off early in the morning in order to get home before dark.

At first rye hay was the only feed for animals, but after the water came out alfalfa was started, and soon fall grain was planted. At first the squirrels were very bad and would take much of the crop, but thru constant poisoning reduced them until good crops were raised.

The hand plow, the harrow, and a mowing machine was about the only farm implements on the farm. The farms were all covered with sage brush and it was slow work for a man to clear his ground, plow and plant it, when all he had to work with was an ax, a hand plow, one team, and a harrow.

When fall came and the threshing machine came in, men went from one farm to another helping each other until the threshing was done. The women were much the same, three or four of the nearest neighbors would help each other and it was real fun for all.

One morning a neighbor came to our door with a 12 quart bucket of potato sets. She had cut them for their own planting and had more than was needed, but not wanting to waste them had walked and packed them to us, a distance of over a mile. Such was the love that existed among the pioneers.

In 1904 the Pond and Greeves Store was built in Grace. Then other stores and business places soon followed.

In May 1904 the Grace Ward was divided making Bench Ward which took in the Niter district. A new school house and church house combined was built at Grace, and about the same time one was built at Niter.

In 1906 five wells were dug on the flat. Our own being one of them. Later the water was piped from the mountains into Grace which soon became a thriving little town.

During the winter of 1907-1908 Robert worked in the west hills, getting out lumber to build an addition to our home, camping there in the snow for a week at a time, while I stayed home and kept the home fire burning.

Our nearest doctor was at Soda Springs 14 miles away. Dr. Ellis Kackley who was the first doctor in the country and went thru many hardships along with the people. He served so faithfully and well, often going on snowshoes when the snow was too deep to go otherwise, the horse and buggy being the fastest mode of travel. About 1908 a large dam was built in the river north of Grace and in 1911 electricity was in nearly all the homes in that thriving little town.

In 1915 the telephone line was built by the farmers and later sold to the Bell Telephone Company. One was installed in our home and still remains there.

During 1918 we had a delco light system installed in our home, and so were ahead of many who lived on the far, although the line went into Grace it did not come down the highway until 1937. Then electric lights were installed in nearly all the homes, doing away with the oil lamp and the old smoky chimney. Electric washers and electric stoves moved in and pioneering moved out.

In the early days mail came in once a week, then twice a week. In 1895 a post office was obtained for Grace, and was kept in David Sullivan’s home just north of Bear River. Later one was obtained for the settlers to the south and given the name of Niter, kept in John Dalton’s home, near the ice cave. Still later a daily route saw established mail delivered in the U.S. Mail box at our gate.

Very few are left of the early settlers who first settled at Grace, but many are the lovely modern homes thru the valley which was at first called the flat, and now new church houses are built, new school houses and also high school buildings adorn the lovely valley of the once sage flat.