THOMAS X SMITH

Note: He was bishop of Logan Fourth Ward for 46 years.

Thomas X Smith was just 21 years old when he came to America. Margaret was 20. Their folks didn't go to see them off after they joined the church.

He was called on a mission in 1880 to England. While there his dear wife Margaret Gurney Smith died leaving him with a large family, eleven children. In 1869 he married as a second wife Ann Howe in the Salt Lake Endowment House. To this union there were also eleven children born. He was a congenial companion; he never complained or knowingly hurt anyone.

They were like every pioneer man and woman, a great giant in strength. His testimony was truely burned into his soul that he would have surely laid down his life for the gospel. He helped build the Temple and acted on the school board, and was justice of the peace. He would work along side his ward members and not just tell them to do this or do that. He was loved by his ward members, his families and all who knew him. He was respected by them all.

Thomas X Smith was the seventh son in a family of nine born to George Smith and Patience Timpson. His father was an agricultural laborer and his mother was a school mistress. While still a young man he learned the profession of braiding straw for making fine hats. He brought some of the hats from England when he returned from a mission and gave them to his daughters and they were beautiful. He joined the L.D.S. Church and after that his family, neighbors and friends would have nothing to do with him. They lived on High Street in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, England.

He married Margaret Gurney January 2, 1851. One year later on January 5, 1853 their eldest dughter Lucy, was born. In March of 1853 they left all behind to come to America. They were only able to take a few necessities of their earthly possesions. They came on a sailing vessel and had a hard rough trip on the water three months. They signed a note to the church for their passage and paid in full. They landed in New Orleans then went on to St. Louis by boat where they fitted out for a trip of fifteen hundred miles or more to Utah, crossing the plains by way of Omaha, Nebraska. They were in Captain Brown's Company of 60 or more ox teams.

On reaching the plains of Iowa near present city of Keoduk on the fourth of July, 1853 at 3:00 A.M. Orson was born in a wagon. Their wagon and one other were permitted to halt for two days and ordered to proceed as rapidly as possible to overtake the train. For three months they rode in that wagon over plains, rivers and mountains to the uninhabited valleys of Utah. He had no experience in driving ox teams, so this was a trial for him. They were blessed and reached Salt Lake City, Utah October 1, 1853. Friends were very good to help them a great deal.

They settled in Farmington where he procurred an acre of land on which he built an adobe house 16 by 20 feet with a fireplace in the west end. There was a door in the east and a window on the south side. There was a dirt floor and roof of boards. He cultivated the lot and raised a good garden after the first season. Food was scarce and they were forced to eat native greens and sego roots, and wild potatoes that were found on the bottom lands.

Then came the sad word that a U.S. Army was on its way to Utah to destroy the mormons. Men were called to arms. Among them was Thomas X. They drilled as best as could. They hadn't any weapons with which to defend themselves. He acted as a scout during this time. They marched into Echo Canyon to prevent the army from entering the valley. Margaret and three children were left to shift for themselves but good neighbors were always ready for help. They took up the slack and helped to see them through this period. When he returned from Echo Canyon his two children, Lucy and Orson walked up the street to meet their father, in hopes of him having something for them. He kissed them, but what a dissappointment. He was worse clad than they. Ragged shirt, pants, shoes, a powder horn held by a strap over one shoulder, a bullet pouch over the other, an old mussel loader Kentucky rifle, no hat, long beard, a molty sight for a young child to behold. However, his family was thrilled to have him home.

Word came for all to move south as the army was coming. He took his little family and with Tom and Electy Hunt and all their belongings, were loaded into one wagon drawn by one ox and a cow, pig and chickens and everything they owned except some books they had buried they had buried in the ground in a trunk. Away they went, not knowing where they were destined for. The first camp was in Salt Lake City, Utah. Some good friends invited them in out of the rain. They rushed up to a fire with a pan of what they thought was biscuits, in anticipation of eating, only to find a pan of sun dried bricks.

They were on the move the next morning on their way to somewhere. On this journey in some unaccountable manner the pig and Orson fell out of the wagon. The pig was missed and they went back to find it and found them both together. After three days of travel they reached Clover Creek, Utah County, and on Cheney's ranch they pitched their teepee for the winter of 1856 and 1957. They left houses all along the way filled with compustable material ready to set fire to by a squad of men left for that purpose, providing the soldiers undertook to take possesion, or destroy in any manner any of the buildings. They marched through without halting or breaking ranks to a place in Cedar Valley, forty miles south of Salt Lake City, they camped and called it Camp Floyd. At this place they stayed until the Civil War broke out, when they disbanded, some going south and some going to the northern armies. They came with a vow to destroy the Mormons and as a curse they left to be destroyed in that fratricidal war, and left us with a blessing of teams, wagons, merchandise of all kinds. There were foodstuffs and other needful things.

After a hard and cold winter word came that the Smiths could return to their home, which they did as soon as possible. They found their place as they left it although wet got into the books and spoiled them. It was quite a loss. Their neighbors were the Earls, Mannings, Gleasons, Wellings, Letheads, Hunts, Rogers, Smiths their uncle and his family the Clarks, Steeds, Hesses, Leonards, Broadbents, Willcoxes, Elises, Williams and Morgans. They were all fine people, full of faith and helpfulness.

So passed the year 1857, many of those men including Thomas X formed a brass band and made music for the town. In the spring of 1859, Thomas X, went north to Logan, Utah, with others. Here he built a log house, came back to Farmington, and took his family which numbered six: Thomas X. Smith and his wife Margaret Smith, Lucy Smith, Orson Smith, James Smith and Thomas Smith.

James fell in the fire and was badly burned and died. Thomas X. and George took the little coffin under their arms to the cemetery and buried it. There was no ceremony. Thomas Edwin had a similar accident but survived it, but the shock affected his heart ever afterwards until he died at 16 years old.

The Smiths house stood on the west side of what is known as the George Ferrel Block. To reach Logan they had to travel north through Ogden, Brigham City, Deweyville, over the Collingston Hill, into Cache Valley by way of Mendon, and Wellsville, around by Hyrum, Milville and Providence. It was all wilderness then. They forded all the streams and the Logan River near where the River Heights Bridge was later put. It was the north branch of the river and the larger of the two. They arrived at their home in the fall of 1859. It was unchinked and plastered. The wagon box was placed on the east end of the house for a bedroom for the children, and thus they all passed a severe winter. The snow fell 3 feet deep on the level. Their faith was strong and God did make the back for burden.

From this home the children began going to school which was located on the J.R. Edwards lot on Center and Second West Street. It was a log house 36 by 18 feet.

They lived at this house for three years and then moved onto the corner of second north and first east, one and one fourth acres was his lot. Here he built another log house 16 by 18 feet. A door was on the west, a window on the south, and it was fenced with four pole fence. They built stables and sheds covered with willows and straw. The neighbors were Charles Hurst on the west, Charles Barrett on the west, Robert Chambers on the north, and Neile Mickelson on the south with John Dahle who's the closest to them.

Now they had plenty of food. The land was rich and crops abundant. There were fish in abundance in all the streams. Elk, moose, deer and some buffalo came straying into the valley. Some had trouble with the Indians bur not Thomas X. He learned to love them and pity their plight of having their food and land stolen from them by the whites, He always defended them and settled their difficulties. He said" If you just make an Indian your friend he will always be your friend". The Indians respected him.

All these things with roads to build, canals to make, meeting and school houses to build, fencing of lots of farms all kept the people busy day and night. Thomas X was a real leader and constantly on the go. His own and public work took all his time and attention. He was City Alderman for a number of years and then city judge for years. He was prominant in every move for building up the new commonwealth.

At the time of his death he had three wives and sixteen living children, fifty-four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He was the last and youngest of his family. He never sought great honors or public acclaim but was content to go through life a worker, a helper of the needy and discouraged, but always looked at the brighter side of things.
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Cache Pioneer Dead. Thomas X Smith Dies From Stroke of Apoplexy - A Member of the Mormon Church 58 Years.

Logan - January 1 - Thomas X Smith, a pioneer of this section and one of the best known ecclesiasts of Cache County, died here at an early hour this morning. A couple of weeks ago he suffered a paralytic stroke, and he was on the verge of death from then until the final message come.

He was 78 years of age, birthday having been on Christmas Day. He was a native of Bedford, England , but came to Utah in the early days and was one of the first settlers of this section.

He had been a member of the Mormon Church for fifty-eight years, and for forty-six years acted as the Bishop of the fourth Ward of this city, his release coming this year. He had held many minor civil positions too. He leaves two wives and sixteen grown children, one of whom is Orson Smith, formerly President of Cache Stake.

Funeral services are to be held in the Logan Tabernacle at noon on Friday next.

-Salt Lake Herald, January 4, 1907
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THOMAS X SMITH

Funeral of Thomas X Smith. Logan, January 4 - A great throng of people turned out today to attend the funeral services of the late Thomas X Smith, the tabernacle being filled with mourners. Apostle John Henry Smith was the chief speaker and he devoted his time to an eulogy of men like the deceased, who spent their lives in the service of the church, always obeying its leaders and never faltering in faith.

Other speakers were Isaac Smith, Thomas Morgan, Gustave Thomassen and Bishop Newbold.

-Salt Lake Herald, January 7, 1907

First wife: Margaret Gurney
Second wife: Annie Howe

Children not listed below: Frances Fannie Smith Goodsell