Autobiography

Autobiography of Robert Kingsford

I have been asked by my granddaughter to write a sketch of my life.

Well, to me a sketch doesn't mean much, neither do I. However, I have been told that I was born on the 27 of Nov., 1873, at Franklin, Idaho, but not having a very good memory, I can't remember the occasion, but guess it must be so, for here I am. About the first thing I do remember is when my sister was being weaned. I helped to relieve my mother's aching breast. My next recollection is that of praying at my mother's knee for President Brigham Young. It has been my privilege to see all the Presidents of the L.D.S. Church from President Young down to the present time (1947). Like all other kiddies I wanted to be big. My step brother called me his sounder, and had me whistle for him. I would stand under the door knob and make a hard blow. I next drove a team for him while he held the plow. That was my first farm labor, so my vocation began quite young as I was about five or six years old at that time. At the age of eight, November 27, 1881 I was baptized into the L.D.S. church by Levi Allen, and confirmed a member of the church by Thomas Duce November 28, 1881. At the age of eleven I was driving a team for my brother while building a reservoir. It being my birthday I had the privilege of shooting my first gun, a muzzle-loading shot gun. The hunter had loaded it so heavy, he was almost afraid to shoot it, and let me do so. I was kicked over by it, which caused a big laugh. About this time I was ordained to the office of a deacon, which gave me great joy, I tried to look my very best by washing clean, combing my hair, and paying attention to my clothing. In a short time I was chosen to be Pres. of the quorum, which place I held until I was ordained a teacher. Being the youngest boy in the family, it fell to my lot to gather the cows from the hills. They would go up four or five miles into the canyon, which meant a long walk. Bears were quite plentiful and often I would see their tracks, and believe me I would hurry to get home before dark. I saved all my earnings until I got enough to buy a calf for which I paid six dollars. I never owned many cattle but still have one from that strain. I worked on my father's farm until I was twenty-five.

In April 1898 I homesteaded 160 acres of land in Gem Valley, Idaho. I had already bought a small farm and home in Cove, Utah for $750. I borrowed the money at the rate of 12 1/2 % interest to buy this home. I now owned ten cows, three horses, and an old wagon, a hand plow, a set of harrows, and a mowing machine to commence farm work with. On November 30, 1898 I was married to Martha Mildred Ormond in the Logan Temple. At first we lived at the little home at Cove, Utah. During the summer we would go to the Gem Valley farm several times. On January 4, 1900 our first baby, a girl, was born, whom we named Diantha. On March 9, 1902, a son came whom we called Ephraim. In November 1902 we sold our little home and went to Gem Valley for life. It was a dry farm and I hauled water four and a half miles for house use and animals. The first few years I spent my winters in the canyon hauling out weed, chopping it up, while my wife packed snow into the house and melted it for house use and to feed the animals. Our income was a few pounds of butter which we sold at 10 cents per pound and a few dozen eggs at 8 cents per dozen. Also $10 a month from the sale of our little home at Cove. The first summer was spent working on the canal, grubbing sage, and plowing. I planted rye which was cut for hay. I now had one cow, three head of horses, and two year-old heifers, having sold the other stock when we left Cove. The second summer the water came out on the flat and I make a cistern in which to store water for winter use. When it went dry I would borrow a water wagon and haul water for days, then go to the canyon again. I logged and had sawed lumber to build my home, barn, and all the out-buildings. In 1906 I had a well drove on my farm, a depth of 214 feet; that finished the hauling water job. It was no small job to pump water for my team and cows before going to the canyon on such frosty mornings the mercury was down to 20 or 40 degrees below 0. The second winter I had a windmill erected to pump the water for me, and yet many times I had to pump all the water for a week or more at a time because there was no wind. When the mill was worn out I bought a gas engine to replace it. Later when the electric line came thru I had a pressure pump attached to the well and water put into the kitchen and bathroom. Oh, what a change, from melting snow to turning a tap for cold pure water.

When I moved to Gem Valley there was one ward at Grace, where now there is Grace 1st and 2nd, Turner to the northwest, Bench to the southeast, and Williams to the south. My farm is in what is now Williams Ward, four and one half miles from Grace. The first winter or the winter of 1902 I was chosen as President of the Y.M.M.I.A. and almost always went on horseback. In 1904 the Bench Ward was organized and I was again chosen President of the Y.M.M.I.A. where I labored for two or three years. In June 1921 a branch to the Bench Ward was organized known as the West branch. I was chosen as Presiding Elder. On September 16, 1923 the branch was organized into the Williams Ward and I was sustained as the first bishop with J. Alfred Toone as first counselor and Joseph Miles as second counselor. I was set apart as Bishop on November 18, 1923 by Hyrum G. Smith, presiding patriarch of the Church. I was released from being Bishop in the Williams Ward Aug. 25, 1929. During the winter of 1937-8 I, with my wife, spent two months in Mesa, Arizona working in the temple there. The following four years we spent most of the winter at Logan, Utah working in the temple. We rented in various homes; finally in March 1943 we bought a home in Logan, where we now live. I spent my winters working in the temple but went back to the farm some during the summer although I have now sold my farm and expect to spend the remainder of my life here at Logan fourth ward, where I labor as a block teacher.

We raised a large family, having ten children in all, seven of whom are still living, nine of them lived to go through the temple for themselves and also for others. One baby girl passed away at the age of five weeks. The oldest daughter served as an officiator in the Logan Temple, three sons have filled missions for the L.D.S. Church, three sons are college graduates and all but one have had college training. At present we have seven living children, nineteen living grandchildren. I left many friends when I left Gem Valley but have made many new ones since coming to Logan. I hope this little sketch will interest all those who may chance to read it.