Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson
Written by daughter Ada Palmer
Mary Edith was born in Holden, Millard County, Utah on March 23, 1883. She was the 9th child and 5th daughter of William Hardin (1839-1925) and Nancy Maria Badger Ashby.(1846-1917)(LDS pioneers) Her parents were honest, noble, industrious, religious people. She had eight older brothers and sisters in a family of 13 children.
She grew up in Holden, Utah. She enjoyed school and never remembered being late. She attended school at the little long school house by the ditch, where they sat on long benches with tables to write on. She carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep her slate clean. Every afternoon the desks were pushed to the side, and dancing instruction was the order of business. With violin in place, Mr. Ormus A. Bates played the appropriate music, while he taught the instructions on how to do the dance. He could dance the dance, play the music, and give the directions on how to do it all at the same time.
Mary Edith graduated from public school in 1900, the first public school graduation exercise in Millard County. In the fall, her father took her to Provo where she attended the BYU. After two years, she began teaching school and received teachers certificates in 1902, 03, 04 & 05. She taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
In July of 1905, John Bartley Stephenson came home from a three year mission in Melbourne, Australia. She already knew him as they had grown up on the same block in Holden. They were married June 13, 1906 in the Manti Temple. They became the parents of seven children. They were John Carlos, James Williams, Florence, Ada, Louise, Eugene Hammond and Rulon Thomas.
They made their home in Holden; although for a few years they spent several summers at the Duggins ranch. At Duggins, there were lots of grape vines and a large peach orchard, and mother filled many bottles with peaches. A nice vegetable garden was there also and father used to take the vegetables and fruit to Delta and vicinity to sell. There was a spring of clean water a little ways down the hill where the water dripped and kept things cool, like a cave. There were shelves where the milk and food were kept. It was their refrigerator and also where they got their drinking water. There were big corrals where the horses and cattle were kept.
In the winter of 1910-11, they stayed at Grandma Ashby's (Nancy Maria Badger Ashby) house on account of her health. In the summer of 1911, they moved to Delta where they owned a farm, land and a home in town. Later they sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and her husband could be home.
Florence writes; "We lived in a small house on the north side of Holden. One day the gypsies came and camped on our place. Dad was out to the ranch, so mom was alone with us kids. She took us all in the house and locked the doors. They took everything they could get. They took the chickens and eggs. Our fruit trees were loaded with fruit and they stripped the trees of fruit. Mom was sure glad when they moved on. Florence also remembers, "When I was 11 years old, Mom got pneumonia and to go to bed for two weeks. They kept me out of school to tend my baby brother, Bud. I had to make bread and do the washing and all the work. It seemed like I grew up in a hurry.
In the spring of 1918, Mary Edith's father (William Hardin Ashby) was alone as Nancy Maria had died in November 1917. He sold John and Mary his home. They lived there with him until in died in March 1925.
Grandpa William Hardin had a beautiful vegetable garden and a beautiful flower garden. There were lilac bushes by the gate, rose bushes along the path and a big black walnut tree. Grandpa Ashby made a bench where we pounded the nuts through a hole and removed the shells.
There were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on our lot, pears, peaches, prunes, plums, currants, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, boysenberries, grapes both white and purple (grape arbors), tomatoes, radishes, carrots, beets, corn watermelon, cantaloupe, peas, apples, red cherries, dewberries and all good things. Like her father, Edith also had a beautiful vegetable garden. Sometimes she paid for her children's piano lessons with the tomatoes and garden produce.
Mary Edith was a very good cook. Ada remembers her making head cheese from pig meat. Her family enjoyed it very much. She made the best sausage ever. She made delicious pies, cakes and special jelly roll.
Mary Edith made delicious homemade candy. They shelled the black walnuts for the candy. Whipping cream was another treat they always had. They separated the milk and saved the cream to eat. There was a closet in the north bedroom that they used to keep cheese in. Every few days, they had to go and turn the cheese over. Edith also bottled fruit, and made delicious plum jam, molasses, and homemade soap.
On Independence Day they always had homemade ice cream, popcorn and root beer. We had lovely chicken dinners, beef, deer, pheasants, fish, and pork. We always turned our chairs around and knelt down to have family prayers before we ate.
Edith was also a good seamstress, and made their dresses and coats. She is remembered for sewing by lamp light, while the girls sat on their father's lap as he sang songs. He taught us to sing the Books of the Bible. He also told us stories and experiences of his mission. One story was about shooting a possum who was eating and killing the chickens of a Mormon family.
Mother used to dress Louise and Ada alike, and people thought that they were twins. She made lots of beautiful quilts for many years. She gave them to her children and grandchildren. She also taught the girls to crochet and embroidery.
Edith was well organized. She would sweep the floor and keep everything clean. When she came to visit her married children, she always asked, "What can I do for you?" She wanted to mend their clothes and help in any way.
The children often recall hearing their mother singing each morning as they woke up. She was building the fires to warm the house. She loved music. She used to sing songs to us, "Baby boat's a Silver Moon", and "Russian Lullaby." We had a nice pump organ in their home. Later the bought a player piano. All of the children were offered piano lessons. Louise and Ada took lessons from Ezel Phebe Benson Stephenson and T. Leo Jacobs from Fillmore who came to Holden and teach them. They also had piano lessons from Aunt Ethel Ashby at her home. Ada and Louise played many piano duets for the Bennett reunions and they also learned to play hymns. They loved to play the music on the player piano also. You could set the piano to make the keys just dance. Friends would come to their home and they would play the player piano and sing songs.
Edith used to quote poetry to her children. She was a wonderful school teacher and was a good influence on her own children.
Florence worked 29 years for the government and while she worked, her little boys, Bob and Evan went to stay with Edith several summers while school was out.
James William, her oldest son worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Three of her sons served in World War Ii. John Carlos joined the Navy in 1941 and was discharged in 1946 after serving 18 months overseas. Eugene Hammond was the first man drafted in Millard County on Jan. 13, 1941. He signed with the Air Force and flew all over the world. On May 17th 1945, after his father (John B. Stephenson) died, the Red Cross brought him home because his mother was alone. Rulon Thomas was in the Coast Guard and also fought in the Korean War, making the military his career. Her grandson Evan Callister also fought in the Korean War.
Edith's husband, John B. Stephenson was left with all the farm work to do with the help of James, which proved too much for him. He died of pneumonia and so she was left alone.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was very important to her. She says "What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me" She was Primary President for five years from April 1913 to Jun 1918. She was also advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from Jan. 1927 to Jan. 1929 when the class graduated. Later, she spent time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931 and 1937 and 1983. She was also able to do some temple work. She Loves the Gospel.
Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson died peacefully in her sleep at her home on June 8, 1953 in Holden, Utah.
Some other memories see recalled are:
Seeing her father working in the garden so early in the morning and so late at night. I wondered when he slept.
Eating "work Bench" apples. Father's carpenter bench was under a coddling apple tree.
Trying to count the pies and doughnuts that were made for Christmas holidays.
Digging Segos to eat, after hearing the story about father when a boy at Salt Lake. How when he herded cows, he often had for his dinner only the Segos he could dig and a little milk from some gentle cow.
Seeing a Large bucket of eggs Robert brought to the house one Easter morning. He had been hiding a few each day so they would have plenty for Easter.
My older sisters still remind me of the time I said, "I want someone besides our family to dress me" It was on the occasion of a visit from mother's aunt, Kindness Martindale, and this was a childish way of getting a little attention.
I remember there was a large sack of brown sugar stored in the closet under the stairs; from which we were given treats. The things mother was not privileged to have as a child, she made special effort to give to her children.
There was sometimes a pan of cottage cheese we ate; not at the table but from clean hands as we sat on the grass or stood in the door yard. On other occasions it was slices of bread with butter and molasses; or sometimes corn bread, fresh from the oven with plenty of butter. It tasted better out of doors.
One occasion we looked forward to each year was a visit from Uncle Dick, father's brother, and his family, on their way to Salt Lake from Utah's Dixie, their summer home. Their wagons were loaded with dried grapes, pickled spiced grapes, fresh grapes, fresh wine and other products of their summer's work. Except for this visit they would have been strangers as many other relatives are.
Often in the long winter evening, father and the boys would bring their work into the kitchen. Sometimes it was a harness or saddle to be mended. What pretended joy rides we would have sitting in the saddle or in the horse collar. Other times it was a sack of corn to be shelled so it could be taken to the mill and ground into meal or kept and planted in the spring. Father would always give us children, the driest, easiest ears to shell but even then we would blister our hands for we never wanted to quit until the job was finished.
One lesson mother taught us was not to be quitters, and to take interest in our work. She told us how she timed herself in doing her work, when she lived on antelope Island and father would be gone sometimes all day. When we had peas to shell or goose berries to pick over, we would count each one we did by running races to 10, 25, or 100. By making it fun we forgot it was work.
Popping corn or making molasses candy were winter evening pastimes. I liked to parch sweet corn, grind it up fine and eat it with milk. It was one of father's and my favorite dishes. It seemed to me we would always have something good, like black walnuts, or slices of dried venison to eat. I always enjoyed hearing father read a story or magazine article or even the newspaper as he often did in the long evenings.
Although father was a quiet man, he could always give or take a joke. I remember a nice melon patch he had in the garden. One night he decided to take his bed and sleep there as a protection to the melons. Before going to bed, mother went into the garden and finding father asleep, brought his shoes to the house. The next morning he looked very embarrassed as he came to the house in stocking fee, laughing about how much good he was in the melon patch, but rather worried about his shoes.
When Nina and Ada were married and their children were small, I was just old enough to amuse the children or care for the babies. I stayed with either one or the other much of the time. One time when I was away diphtheria came to our home and caused the death of three children – two relatives and our little brother, Clinton. (not quite 4) It seemed like months before I could go home. Those who were home were sent to the farm to stay. This was the second of our number to be taken by death, both being very sad occasions.
The summer of 1896, when I was thirteen, I can never forget. It was a summer of cloud bursts and floods. Floods of thick, black water, carrying with it great trees and boulders in its mad rush; threatening lives and home; and floating most everything in its path down to the fields below town.
Our home was in it's path. The lumber fence was broken down and washed away. The wagon box and hay rake were twisted. Lumber which had been nicely piled was scattered along its path for miles. Gates, and even chickens were taken. The water with its filth rose so high that it started to come into the house, and mother was helped into a big tree in the yard from which she was rescued by Uncle George on a large work horse.
Nor was the home the only thing molested. Floods swept through the farm at White Bush, carrying away or burying with mud the hay cocks and bundles of grain in the field. In one of the downpours the men folk were caught between the farm and home, and lightning struck the horse they were driving killing it instantly, and knocking Harden and Ed Wood unconscious.
When the floods would subside, there would be thick, black mud everywhere that one could hardly stand to smell. This was the summer when there was an epidemic of typhoid fever in Holden, and many people died of this dreaded disease. I think the town was never known a sadder time.
John Wood took Nina and their four children and me to the mountain with him where he was herding sheep. It seemed so far away with so much fresh air and sunshine, we felt almost safe. I never will forget how the sheep would run to the low places and bunch up when the storm would come and the sharp clashes of thunder would echo and re-echo through the canyons. Often we would hear the flood waters rushing down the canyon below. However, it was mostly quiet except for the bleating of the sheep as they came into or left camp for the feeding ground.
I still remember how good the fresh mutton and "sour dough" bread were, baked in a bake oven or skillet over the camp fire. The fresh wild raspberries John would often find and bring to us, how we enjoyed them.
But this peaceful time ended when John took typhoid fever. The problem of bringing a sick man and the children down through those steep rugged mountains on horses was not an easy one. How very slowly and carefully we came, and how thank ful we were to reach home in safety.
Later in Life I went on several pleasure trips into the mountains. One time when father went with us I especially enjoyed. He was a real sport, and always seemed to enjoy a ride or a climb in the mountains any time with the young people. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," was one of his oft-repeated sayings.
We children were busy making valentines from the first to the fourteenth of February. We enjoyed this much more than we did a few years later when we could buy them ready-made. I remember one embarrassing valentine incident; a knock came, I rushed out, to find the ward teachers waiting to be admitted.
There was a big attraction on the 4th and 24th of July; "Ed & Ted" sold ice cream. Theirs was the only freezer in town, and they went to the mountains for snow. There was a lot of waiting between freezing.
With the full moon in July or August came the Sand Hill Roll. There was a lunch at dusk and a frolic on the sand hills in the moon light. I always enjoyed it even though on one occasion I lost my wedding ring into the sand.
When sleigh riding time came, how the snow would fly and the frost air ring with the jingle, jingle, jingle of sleight bells, and the merry shouts and songs of young people. Uncle George Badger made it a rule to take us children for a ride every 30th of January, the birthday anniversary of two of the boys on our block. He would drive by the store and never fail to stop and buy plenty of candy and nuts for us.
Although as children we always did enjoy Christmas, we did not realize the full meaning of the day until war has come and there seems to be no peace among the nations, and our sons are called to help conquer the enemy that peace
may be restored to earth.
Our parents gave us every available opportunity for an education. I enjoyed school and never remember being late. Very often I went half way to meet my teacher and walk with her. I first went to that little long school house by the ditch, where we sat on long benches with tables to write on. I carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep my slate clean. I enjoyed school even though I could not remember dates in history and had trouble learning to spell. I enjoyed an arithmetic problem or a sentence to diagram. I recall with pleasure the school entertainments and the dancing class where we learned to dance.
In 1900 Millard County held it's first public school graduation exercise and I was one of the graduates. That fall I went with father to Provo with a load of provisions, furniture, etc. Here I attended the B.Y.U. After two years I began teaching school. I taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
June 13, 1906 I was married in the Manti Temple to John B. Stephenson. He had returned from Australia in July, 1905, where he had spent three years as an L.D.S. missionary. We made our home at Holden; although for a few years we spent much time at the Duggins ranch where John worked with his father and brothers.
The winter of 1910-11, I stayed at mothers on account of her health. I had two children at the time. The summer of 1911 we moved to Delta where we owned farm land and a home in town. We raised good crops, but later sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and John could be at home.
In the spring of 1918, father being alone, sold us his home that he had built in the early days. This was the home where I was born and raised. We did all we could to make this still a home for him as long as he lived. Seven years later, on March 19, 1925, his life ended in peaceful sleep.
We now had a family of seven children. What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me. I was Primary president for five years, from April 1913 to June, 1918, and was advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from January 1927 to January 1929., when the class graduated. Later I spent some time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931, and 1937 and 1938. I have also done some temple work.
About 20 years ago, I learned to drive a car. It has proved a pleasure and help to me, and on many occasions a great help to the men.
In September, 1940, I took the train for San Francisco and spent a week with Carlos and wife. We visited many places of interest; among them the golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. Such beautiful buildings, exhibits and displays I had never seen before. Among other things I saw a miniature Boulder Dam, and it's workings were all explained. It was wonderful to me.
Our married life has consisted of joys and sorrows, success and failure, health and sickness; problems to meet and solve. We have rejoiced over the many successes of our children in their school and Church work. We have sorrowed at some of the things that have come into their lives. We are proud to know they are all good, patriotic citizens and church members.
Three of our sons are serving with the armed forces in this cruel war. Eugene has served three years; one year over seas. John Carlos and Rulon have each served sixteen months to date. This is a total of 5 years and 8 months service rendered. Our hopes and prayers are for their success, protection, and safe return.
James and his father take care of all the farms. James has a family and is Bishop of our ward. Our girls have married well and are raising good families. So we feel that our lives have not been entirely in vain.
Written by daughter Ada Palmer
Mary Edith was born in Holden, Millard County, Utah on March 23, 1883. She was the 9th child and 5th daughter of William Hardin (1839-1925) and Nancy Maria Badger Ashby.(1846-1917)(LDS pioneers) Her parents were honest, noble, industrious, religious people. She had eight older brothers and sisters in a family of 13 children.
She grew up in Holden, Utah. She enjoyed school and never remembered being late. She attended school at the little long school house by the ditch, where they sat on long benches with tables to write on. She carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep her slate clean. Every afternoon the desks were pushed to the side, and dancing instruction was the order of business. With violin in place, Mr. Ormus A. Bates played the appropriate music, while he taught the instructions on how to do the dance. He could dance the dance, play the music, and give the directions on how to do it all at the same time.
Mary Edith graduated from public school in 1900, the first public school graduation exercise in Millard County. In the fall, her father took her to Provo where she attended the BYU. After two years, she began teaching school and received teachers certificates in 1902, 03, 04 & 05. She taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
In July of 1905, John Bartley Stephenson came home from a three year mission in Melbourne, Australia. She already knew him as they had grown up on the same block in Holden. They were married June 13, 1906 in the Manti Temple. They became the parents of seven children. They were John Carlos, James Williams, Florence, Ada, Louise, Eugene Hammond and Rulon Thomas.
They made their home in Holden; although for a few years they spent several summers at the Duggins ranch. At Duggins, there were lots of grape vines and a large peach orchard, and mother filled many bottles with peaches. A nice vegetable garden was there also and father used to take the vegetables and fruit to Delta and vicinity to sell. There was a spring of clean water a little ways down the hill where the water dripped and kept things cool, like a cave. There were shelves where the milk and food were kept. It was their refrigerator and also where they got their drinking water. There were big corrals where the horses and cattle were kept.
In the winter of 1910-11, they stayed at Grandma Ashby's (Nancy Maria Badger Ashby) house on account of her health. In the summer of 1911, they moved to Delta where they owned a farm, land and a home in town. Later they sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and her husband could be home.
Florence writes; "We lived in a small house on the north side of Holden. One day the gypsies came and camped on our place. Dad was out to the ranch, so mom was alone with us kids. She took us all in the house and locked the doors. They took everything they could get. They took the chickens and eggs. Our fruit trees were loaded with fruit and they stripped the trees of fruit. Mom was sure glad when they moved on. Florence also remembers, "When I was 11 years old, Mom got pneumonia and to go to bed for two weeks. They kept me out of school to tend my baby brother, Bud. I had to make bread and do the washing and all the work. It seemed like I grew up in a hurry.
In the spring of 1918, Mary Edith's father (William Hardin Ashby) was alone as Nancy Maria had died in November 1917. He sold John and Mary his home. They lived there with him until in died in March 1925.
Grandpa William Hardin had a beautiful vegetable garden and a beautiful flower garden. There were lilac bushes by the gate, rose bushes along the path and a big black walnut tree. Grandpa Ashby made a bench where we pounded the nuts through a hole and removed the shells.
There were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on our lot, pears, peaches, prunes, plums, currants, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, boysenberries, grapes both white and purple (grape arbors), tomatoes, radishes, carrots, beets, corn watermelon, cantaloupe, peas, apples, red cherries, dewberries and all good things. Like her father, Edith also had a beautiful vegetable garden. Sometimes she paid for her children's piano lessons with the tomatoes and garden produce.
Mary Edith was a very good cook. Ada remembers her making head cheese from pig meat. Her family enjoyed it very much. She made the best sausage ever. She made delicious pies, cakes and special jelly roll.
Mary Edith made delicious homemade candy. They shelled the black walnuts for the candy. Whipping cream was another treat they always had. They separated the milk and saved the cream to eat. There was a closet in the north bedroom that they used to keep cheese in. Every few days, they had to go and turn the cheese over. Edith also bottled fruit, and made delicious plum jam, molasses, and homemade soap.
On Independence Day they always had homemade ice cream, popcorn and root beer. We had lovely chicken dinners, beef, deer, pheasants, fish, and pork. We always turned our chairs around and knelt down to have family prayers before we ate.
Edith was also a good seamstress, and made their dresses and coats. She is remembered for sewing by lamp light, while the girls sat on their father's lap as he sang songs. He taught us to sing the Books of the Bible. He also told us stories and experiences of his mission. One story was about shooting a possum who was eating and killing the chickens of a Mormon family.
Mother used to dress Louise and Ada alike, and people thought that they were twins. She made lots of beautiful quilts for many years. She gave them to her children and grandchildren. She also taught the girls to crochet and embroidery.
Edith was well organized. She would sweep the floor and keep everything clean. When she came to visit her married children, she always asked, "What can I do for you?" She wanted to mend their clothes and help in any way.
The children often recall hearing their mother singing each morning as they woke up. She was building the fires to warm the house. She loved music. She used to sing songs to us, "Baby boat's a Silver Moon", and "Russian Lullaby." We had a nice pump organ in their home. Later the bought a player piano. All of the children were offered piano lessons. Louise and Ada took lessons from Ezel Phebe Benson Stephenson and T. Leo Jacobs from Fillmore who came to Holden and teach them. They also had piano lessons from Aunt Ethel Ashby at her home. Ada and Louise played many piano duets for the Bennett reunions and they also learned to play hymns. They loved to play the music on the player piano also. You could set the piano to make the keys just dance. Friends would come to their home and they would play the player piano and sing songs.
Edith used to quote poetry to her children. She was a wonderful school teacher and was a good influence on her own children.
Florence worked 29 years for the government and while she worked, her little boys, Bob and Evan went to stay with Edith several summers while school was out.
James William, her oldest son worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Three of her sons served in World War Ii. John Carlos joined the Navy in 1941 and was discharged in 1946 after serving 18 months overseas. Eugene Hammond was the first man drafted in Millard County on Jan. 13, 1941. He signed with the Air Force and flew all over the world. On May 17th 1945, after his father (John B. Stephenson) died, the Red Cross brought him home because his mother was alone. Rulon Thomas was in the Coast Guard and also fought in the Korean War, making the military his career. Her grandson Evan Callister also fought in the Korean War.
Edith's husband, John B. Stephenson was left with all the farm work to do with the help of James, which proved too much for him. He died of pneumonia and so she was left alone.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was very important to her. She says "What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me" She was Primary President for five years from April 1913 to Jun 1918. She was also advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from Jan. 1927 to Jan. 1929 when the class graduated. Later, she spent time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931 and 1937 and 1983. She was also able to do some temple work. She Loves the Gospel.
Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson died peacefully in her sleep at her home on June 8, 1953 in Holden, Utah.
Some other memories see recalled are:
Seeing her father working in the garden so early in the morning and so late at night. I wondered when he slept.
Eating "work Bench" apples. Father's carpenter bench was under a coddling apple tree.
Trying to count the pies and doughnuts that were made for Christmas holidays.
Digging Segos to eat, after hearing the story about father when a boy at Salt Lake. How when he herded cows, he often had for his dinner only the Segos he could dig and a little milk from some gentle cow.
Seeing a Large bucket of eggs Robert brought to the house one Easter morning. He had been hiding a few each day so they would have plenty for Easter.
My older sisters still remind me of the time I said, "I want someone besides our family to dress me" It was on the occasion of a visit from mother's aunt, Kindness Martindale, and this was a childish way of getting a little attention.
I remember there was a large sack of brown sugar stored in the closet under the stairs; from which we were given treats. The things mother was not privileged to have as a child, she made special effort to give to her children.
There was sometimes a pan of cottage cheese we ate; not at the table but from clean hands as we sat on the grass or stood in the door yard. On other occasions it was slices of bread with butter and molasses; or sometimes corn bread, fresh from the oven with plenty of butter. It tasted better out of doors.
One occasion we looked forward to each year was a visit from Uncle Dick, father's brother, and his family, on their way to Salt Lake from Utah's Dixie, their summer home. Their wagons were loaded with dried grapes, pickled spiced grapes, fresh grapes, fresh wine and other products of their summer's work. Except for this visit they would have been strangers as many other relatives are.
Often in the long winter evening, father and the boys would bring their work into the kitchen. Sometimes it was a harness or saddle to be mended. What pretended joy rides we would have sitting in the saddle or in the horse collar. Other times it was a sack of corn to be shelled so it could be taken to the mill and ground into meal or kept and planted in the spring. Father would always give us children, the driest, easiest ears to shell but even then we would blister our hands for we never wanted to quit until the job was finished.
One lesson mother taught us was not to be quitters, and to take interest in our work. She told us how she timed herself in doing her work, when she lived on antelope Island and father would be gone sometimes all day. When we had peas to shell or goose berries to pick over, we would count each one we did by running races to 10, 25, or 100. By making it fun we forgot it was work.
Popping corn or making molasses candy were winter evening pastimes. I liked to parch sweet corn, grind it up fine and eat it with milk. It was one of father's and my favorite dishes. It seemed to me we would always have something good, like black walnuts, or slices of dried venison to eat. I always enjoyed hearing father read a story or magazine article or even the newspaper as he often did in the long evenings.
Although father was a quiet man, he could always give or take a joke. I remember a nice melon patch he had in the garden. One night he decided to take his bed and sleep there as a protection to the melons. Before going to bed, mother went into the garden and finding father asleep, brought his shoes to the house. The next morning he looked very embarrassed as he came to the house in stocking fee, laughing about how much good he was in the melon patch, but rather worried about his shoes.
When Nina and Ada were married and their children were small, I was just old enough to amuse the children or care for the babies. I stayed with either one or the other much of the time. One time when I was away diphtheria came to our home and caused the death of three children – two relatives and our little brother, Clinton. (not quite 4) It seemed like months before I could go home. Those who were home were sent to the farm to stay. This was the second of our number to be taken by death, both being very sad occasions.
The summer of 1896, when I was thirteen, I can never forget. It was a summer of cloud bursts and floods. Floods of thick, black water, carrying with it great trees and boulders in its mad rush; threatening lives and home; and floating most everything in its path down to the fields below town.
Our home was in it's path. The lumber fence was broken down and washed away. The wagon box and hay rake were twisted. Lumber which had been nicely piled was scattered along its path for miles. Gates, and even chickens were taken. The water with its filth rose so high that it started to come into the house, and mother was helped into a big tree in the yard from which she was rescued by Uncle George on a large work horse.
Nor was the home the only thing molested. Floods swept through the farm at White Bush, carrying away or burying with mud the hay cocks and bundles of grain in the field. In one of the downpours the men folk were caught between the farm and home, and lightning struck the horse they were driving killing it instantly, and knocking Harden and Ed Wood unconscious.
When the floods would subside, there would be thick, black mud everywhere that one could hardly stand to smell. This was the summer when there was an epidemic of typhoid fever in Holden, and many people died of this dreaded disease. I think the town was never known a sadder time.
John Wood took Nina and their four children and me to the mountain with him where he was herding sheep. It seemed so far away with so much fresh air and sunshine, we felt almost safe. I never will forget how the sheep would run to the low places and bunch up when the storm would come and the sharp clashes of thunder would echo and re-echo through the canyons. Often we would hear the flood waters rushing down the canyon below. However, it was mostly quiet except for the bleating of the sheep as they came into or left camp for the feeding ground.
I still remember how good the fresh mutton and "sour dough" bread were, baked in a bake oven or skillet over the camp fire. The fresh wild raspberries John would often find and bring to us, how we enjoyed them.
But this peaceful time ended when John took typhoid fever. The problem of bringing a sick man and the children down through those steep rugged mountains on horses was not an easy one. How very slowly and carefully we came, and how thank ful we were to reach home in safety.
Later in Life I went on several pleasure trips into the mountains. One time when father went with us I especially enjoyed. He was a real sport, and always seemed to enjoy a ride or a climb in the mountains any time with the young people. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," was one of his oft-repeated sayings.
We children were busy making valentines from the first to the fourteenth of February. We enjoyed this much more than we did a few years later when we could buy them ready-made. I remember one embarrassing valentine incident; a knock came, I rushed out, to find the ward teachers waiting to be admitted.
There was a big attraction on the 4th and 24th of July; "Ed & Ted" sold ice cream. Theirs was the only freezer in town, and they went to the mountains for snow. There was a lot of waiting between freezing.
With the full moon in July or August came the Sand Hill Roll. There was a lunch at dusk and a frolic on the sand hills in the moon light. I always enjoyed it even though on one occasion I lost my wedding ring into the sand.
When sleigh riding time came, how the snow would fly and the frost air ring with the jingle, jingle, jingle of sleight bells, and the merry shouts and songs of young people. Uncle George Badger made it a rule to take us children for a ride every 30th of January, the birthday anniversary of two of the boys on our block. He would drive by the store and never fail to stop and buy plenty of candy and nuts for us.
Although as children we always did enjoy Christmas, we did not realize the full meaning of the day until war has come and there seems to be no peace among the nations, and our sons are called to help conquer the enemy that peace
may be restored to earth.
Our parents gave us every available opportunity for an education. I enjoyed school and never remember being late. Very often I went half way to meet my teacher and walk with her. I first went to that little long school house by the ditch, where we sat on long benches with tables to write on. I carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep my slate clean. I enjoyed school even though I could not remember dates in history and had trouble learning to spell. I enjoyed an arithmetic problem or a sentence to diagram. I recall with pleasure the school entertainments and the dancing class where we learned to dance.
In 1900 Millard County held it's first public school graduation exercise and I was one of the graduates. That fall I went with father to Provo with a load of provisions, furniture, etc. Here I attended the B.Y.U. After two years I began teaching school. I taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
June 13, 1906 I was married in the Manti Temple to John B. Stephenson. He had returned from Australia in July, 1905, where he had spent three years as an L.D.S. missionary. We made our home at Holden; although for a few years we spent much time at the Duggins ranch where John worked with his father and brothers.
The winter of 1910-11, I stayed at mothers on account of her health. I had two children at the time. The summer of 1911 we moved to Delta where we owned farm land and a home in town. We raised good crops, but later sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and John could be at home.
In the spring of 1918, father being alone, sold us his home that he had built in the early days. This was the home where I was born and raised. We did all we could to make this still a home for him as long as he lived. Seven years later, on March 19, 1925, his life ended in peaceful sleep.
We now had a family of seven children. What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me. I was Primary president for five years, from April 1913 to June, 1918, and was advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from January 1927 to January 1929., when the class graduated. Later I spent some time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931, and 1937 and 1938. I have also done some temple work.
About 20 years ago, I learned to drive a car. It has proved a pleasure and help to me, and on many occasions a great help to the men.
In September, 1940, I took the train for San Francisco and spent a week with Carlos and wife. We visited many places of interest; among them the golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. Such beautiful buildings, exhibits and displays I had never seen before. Among other things I saw a miniature Boulder Dam, and it's workings were all explained. It was wonderful to me.
Our married life has consisted of joys and sorrows, success and failure, health and sickness; problems to meet and solve. We have rejoiced over the many successes of our children in their school and Church work. We have sorrowed at some of the things that have come into their lives. We are proud to know they are all good, patriotic citizens and church members.
Three of our sons are serving with the armed forces in this cruel war. Eugene has served three years; one year over seas. John Carlos and Rulon have each served sixteen months to date. This is a total of 5 years and 8 months service rendered. Our hopes and prayers are for their success, protection, and safe return.
James and his father take care of all the farms. James has a family and is Bishop of our ward. Our girls have married well and are raising good families. So we feel that our lives have not been entirely in vain.
Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson
Written by daughter Ada Palmer
Mary Edith was born in Holden, Millard County, Utah on March 23, 1883. She was the 9th child and 5th daughter of William Hardin (1839-1925) and Nancy Maria Badger Ashby.(1846-1917)(LDS pioneers) Her parents were honest, noble, industrious, religious people. She had eight older brothers and sisters in a family of 13 children.
She grew up in Holden, Utah. She enjoyed school and never remembered being late. She attended school at the little long school house by the ditch, where they sat on long benches with tables to write on. She carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep her slate clean. Every afternoon the desks were pushed to the side, and dancing instruction was the order of business. With violin in place, Mr. Ormus A. Bates played the appropriate music, while he taught the instructions on how to do the dance. He could dance the dance, play the music, and give the directions on how to do it all at the same time.
Mary Edith graduated from public school in 1900, the first public school graduation exercise in Millard County. In the fall, her father took her to Provo where she attended the BYU. After two years, she began teaching school and received teachers certificates in 1902, 03, 04 & 05. She taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
In July of 1905, John Bartley Stephenson came home from a three year mission in Melbourne, Australia. She already knew him as they had grown up on the same block in Holden. They were married June 13, 1906 in the Manti Temple. They became the parents of seven children. They were John Carlos, James Williams, Florence, Ada, Louise, Eugene Hammond and Rulon Thomas.
They made their home in Holden; although for a few years they spent several summers at the Duggins ranch. At Duggins, there were lots of grape vines and a large peach orchard, and mother filled many bottles with peaches. A nice vegetable garden was there also and father used to take the vegetables and fruit to Delta and vicinity to sell. There was a spring of clean water a little ways down the hill where the water dripped and kept things cool, like a cave. There were shelves where the milk and food were kept. It was their refrigerator and also where they got their drinking water. There were big corrals where the horses and cattle were kept.
In the winter of 1910-11, they stayed at Grandma Ashby's (Nancy Maria Badger Ashby) house on account of her health. In the summer of 1911, they moved to Delta where they owned a farm, land and a home in town. Later they sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and her husband could be home.
Florence writes; "We lived in a small house on the north side of Holden. One day the gypsies came and camped on our place. Dad was out to the ranch, so mom was alone with us kids. She took us all in the house and locked the doors. They took everything they could get. They took the chickens and eggs. Our fruit trees were loaded with fruit and they stripped the trees of fruit. Mom was sure glad when they moved on. Florence also remembers, "When I was 11 years old, Mom got pneumonia and to go to bed for two weeks. They kept me out of school to tend my baby brother, Bud. I had to make bread and do the washing and all the work. It seemed like I grew up in a hurry.
In the spring of 1918, Mary Edith's father (William Hardin Ashby) was alone as Nancy Maria had died in November 1917. He sold John and Mary his home. They lived there with him until in died in March 1925.
Grandpa William Hardin had a beautiful vegetable garden and a beautiful flower garden. There were lilac bushes by the gate, rose bushes along the path and a big black walnut tree. Grandpa Ashby made a bench where we pounded the nuts through a hole and removed the shells.
There were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on our lot, pears, peaches, prunes, plums, currants, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, boysenberries, grapes both white and purple (grape arbors), tomatoes, radishes, carrots, beets, corn watermelon, cantaloupe, peas, apples, red cherries, dewberries and all good things. Like her father, Edith also had a beautiful vegetable garden. Sometimes she paid for her children's piano lessons with the tomatoes and garden produce.
Mary Edith was a very good cook. Ada remembers her making head cheese from pig meat. Her family enjoyed it very much. She made the best sausage ever. She made delicious pies, cakes and special jelly roll.
Mary Edith made delicious homemade candy. They shelled the black walnuts for the candy. Whipping cream was another treat they always had. They separated the milk and saved the cream to eat. There was a closet in the north bedroom that they used to keep cheese in. Every few days, they had to go and turn the cheese over. Edith also bottled fruit, and made delicious plum jam, molasses, and homemade soap.
On Independence Day they always had homemade ice cream, popcorn and root beer. We had lovely chicken dinners, beef, deer, pheasants, fish, and pork. We always turned our chairs around and knelt down to have family prayers before we ate.
Edith was also a good seamstress, and made their dresses and coats. She is remembered for sewing by lamp light, while the girls sat on their father's lap as he sang songs. He taught us to sing the Books of the Bible. He also told us stories and experiences of his mission. One story was about shooting a possum who was eating and killing the chickens of a Mormon family.
Mother used to dress Louise and Ada alike, and people thought that they were twins. She made lots of beautiful quilts for many years. She gave them to her children and grandchildren. She also taught the girls to crochet and embroidery.
Edith was well organized. She would sweep the floor and keep everything clean. When she came to visit her married children, she always asked, "What can I do for you?" She wanted to mend their clothes and help in any way.
The children often recall hearing their mother singing each morning as they woke up. She was building the fires to warm the house. She loved music. She used to sing songs to us, "Baby boat's a Silver Moon", and "Russian Lullaby." We had a nice pump organ in their home. Later the bought a player piano. All of the children were offered piano lessons. Louise and Ada took lessons from Ezel Phebe Benson Stephenson and T. Leo Jacobs from Fillmore who came to Holden and teach them. They also had piano lessons from Aunt Ethel Ashby at her home. Ada and Louise played many piano duets for the Bennett reunions and they also learned to play hymns. They loved to play the music on the player piano also. You could set the piano to make the keys just dance. Friends would come to their home and they would play the player piano and sing songs.
Edith used to quote poetry to her children. She was a wonderful school teacher and was a good influence on her own children.
Florence worked 29 years for the government and while she worked, her little boys, Bob and Evan went to stay with Edith several summers while school was out.
James William, her oldest son worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Three of her sons served in World War Ii. John Carlos joined the Navy in 1941 and was discharged in 1946 after serving 18 months overseas. Eugene Hammond was the first man drafted in Millard County on Jan. 13, 1941. He signed with the Air Force and flew all over the world. On May 17th 1945, after his father (John B. Stephenson) died, the Red Cross brought him home because his mother was alone. Rulon Thomas was in the Coast Guard and also fought in the Korean War, making the military his career. Her grandson Evan Callister also fought in the Korean War.
Edith's husband, John B. Stephenson was left with all the farm work to do with the help of James, which proved too much for him. He died of pneumonia and so she was left alone.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was very important to her. She says "What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me" She was Primary President for five years from April 1913 to Jun 1918. She was also advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from Jan. 1927 to Jan. 1929 when the class graduated. Later, she spent time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931 and 1937 and 1983. She was also able to do some temple work. She Loves the Gospel.
Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson died peacefully in her sleep at her home on June 8, 1953 in Holden, Utah.
Some other memories see recalled are:
Seeing her father working in the garden so early in the morning and so late at night. I wondered when he slept.
Eating "work Bench" apples. Father's carpenter bench was under a coddling apple tree.
Trying to count the pies and doughnuts that were made for Christmas holidays.
Digging Segos to eat, after hearing the story about father when a boy at Salt Lake. How when he herded cows, he often had for his dinner only the Segos he could dig and a little milk from some gentle cow.
Seeing a Large bucket of eggs Robert brought to the house one Easter morning. He had been hiding a few each day so they would have plenty for Easter.
My older sisters still remind me of the time I said, "I want someone besides our family to dress me" It was on the occasion of a visit from mother's aunt, Kindness Martindale, and this was a childish way of getting a little attention.
I remember there was a large sack of brown sugar stored in the closet under the stairs; from which we were given treats. The things mother was not privileged to have as a child, she made special effort to give to her children.
There was sometimes a pan of cottage cheese we ate; not at the table but from clean hands as we sat on the grass or stood in the door yard. On other occasions it was slices of bread with butter and molasses; or sometimes corn bread, fresh from the oven with plenty of butter. It tasted better out of doors.
One occasion we looked forward to each year was a visit from Uncle Dick, father's brother, and his family, on their way to Salt Lake from Utah's Dixie, their summer home. Their wagons were loaded with dried grapes, pickled spiced grapes, fresh grapes, fresh wine and other products of their summer's work. Except for this visit they would have been strangers as many other relatives are.
Often in the long winter evening, father and the boys would bring their work into the kitchen. Sometimes it was a harness or saddle to be mended. What pretended joy rides we would have sitting in the saddle or in the horse collar. Other times it was a sack of corn to be shelled so it could be taken to the mill and ground into meal or kept and planted in the spring. Father would always give us children, the driest, easiest ears to shell but even then we would blister our hands for we never wanted to quit until the job was finished.
One lesson mother taught us was not to be quitters, and to take interest in our work. She told us how she timed herself in doing her work, when she lived on antelope Island and father would be gone sometimes all day. When we had peas to shell or goose berries to pick over, we would count each one we did by running races to 10, 25, or 100. By making it fun we forgot it was work.
Popping corn or making molasses candy were winter evening pastimes. I liked to parch sweet corn, grind it up fine and eat it with milk. It was one of father's and my favorite dishes. It seemed to me we would always have something good, like black walnuts, or slices of dried venison to eat. I always enjoyed hearing father read a story or magazine article or even the newspaper as he often did in the long evenings.
Although father was a quiet man, he could always give or take a joke. I remember a nice melon patch he had in the garden. One night he decided to take his bed and sleep there as a protection to the melons. Before going to bed, mother went into the garden and finding father asleep, brought his shoes to the house. The next morning he looked very embarrassed as he came to the house in stocking fee, laughing about how much good he was in the melon patch, but rather worried about his shoes.
When Nina and Ada were married and their children were small, I was just old enough to amuse the children or care for the babies. I stayed with either one or the other much of the time. One time when I was away diphtheria came to our home and caused the death of three children – two relatives and our little brother, Clinton. (not quite 4) It seemed like months before I could go home. Those who were home were sent to the farm to stay. This was the second of our number to be taken by death, both being very sad occasions.
The summer of 1896, when I was thirteen, I can never forget. It was a summer of cloud bursts and floods. Floods of thick, black water, carrying with it great trees and boulders in its mad rush; threatening lives and home; and floating most everything in its path down to the fields below town.
Our home was in it's path. The lumber fence was broken down and washed away. The wagon box and hay rake were twisted. Lumber which had been nicely piled was scattered along its path for miles. Gates, and even chickens were taken. The water with its filth rose so high that it started to come into the house, and mother was helped into a big tree in the yard from which she was rescued by Uncle George on a large work horse.
Nor was the home the only thing molested. Floods swept through the farm at White Bush, carrying away or burying with mud the hay cocks and bundles of grain in the field. In one of the downpours the men folk were caught between the farm and home, and lightning struck the horse they were driving killing it instantly, and knocking Harden and Ed Wood unconscious.
When the floods would subside, there would be thick, black mud everywhere that one could hardly stand to smell. This was the summer when there was an epidemic of typhoid fever in Holden, and many people died of this dreaded disease. I think the town was never known a sadder time.
John Wood took Nina and their four children and me to the mountain with him where he was herding sheep. It seemed so far away with so much fresh air and sunshine, we felt almost safe. I never will forget how the sheep would run to the low places and bunch up when the storm would come and the sharp clashes of thunder would echo and re-echo through the canyons. Often we would hear the flood waters rushing down the canyon below. However, it was mostly quiet except for the bleating of the sheep as they came into or left camp for the feeding ground.
I still remember how good the fresh mutton and "sour dough" bread were, baked in a bake oven or skillet over the camp fire. The fresh wild raspberries John would often find and bring to us, how we enjoyed them.
But this peaceful time ended when John took typhoid fever. The problem of bringing a sick man and the children down through those steep rugged mountains on horses was not an easy one. How very slowly and carefully we came, and how thank ful we were to reach home in safety.
Later in Life I went on several pleasure trips into the mountains. One time when father went with us I especially enjoyed. He was a real sport, and always seemed to enjoy a ride or a climb in the mountains any time with the young people. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," was one of his oft-repeated sayings.
We children were busy making valentines from the first to the fourteenth of February. We enjoyed this much more than we did a few years later when we could buy them ready-made. I remember one embarrassing valentine incident; a knock came, I rushed out, to find the ward teachers waiting to be admitted.
There was a big attraction on the 4th and 24th of July; "Ed & Ted" sold ice cream. Theirs was the only freezer in town, and they went to the mountains for snow. There was a lot of waiting between freezing.
With the full moon in July or August came the Sand Hill Roll. There was a lunch at dusk and a frolic on the sand hills in the moon light. I always enjoyed it even though on one occasion I lost my wedding ring into the sand.
When sleigh riding time came, how the snow would fly and the frost air ring with the jingle, jingle, jingle of sleight bells, and the merry shouts and songs of young people. Uncle George Badger made it a rule to take us children for a ride every 30th of January, the birthday anniversary of two of the boys on our block. He would drive by the store and never fail to stop and buy plenty of candy and nuts for us.
Although as children we always did enjoy Christmas, we did not realize the full meaning of the day until war has come and there seems to be no peace among the nations, and our sons are called to help conquer the enemy that peace
may be restored to earth.
Our parents gave us every available opportunity for an education. I enjoyed school and never remember being late. Very often I went half way to meet my teacher and walk with her. I first went to that little long school house by the ditch, where we sat on long benches with tables to write on. I carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep my slate clean. I enjoyed school even though I could not remember dates in history and had trouble learning to spell. I enjoyed an arithmetic problem or a sentence to diagram. I recall with pleasure the school entertainments and the dancing class where we learned to dance.
In 1900 Millard County held it's first public school graduation exercise and I was one of the graduates. That fall I went with father to Provo with a load of provisions, furniture, etc. Here I attended the B.Y.U. After two years I began teaching school. I taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
June 13, 1906 I was married in the Manti Temple to John B. Stephenson. He had returned from Australia in July, 1905, where he had spent three years as an L.D.S. missionary. We made our home at Holden; although for a few years we spent much time at the Duggins ranch where John worked with his father and brothers.
The winter of 1910-11, I stayed at mothers on account of her health. I had two children at the time. The summer of 1911 we moved to Delta where we owned farm land and a home in town. We raised good crops, but later sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and John could be at home.
In the spring of 1918, father being alone, sold us his home that he had built in the early days. This was the home where I was born and raised. We did all we could to make this still a home for him as long as he lived. Seven years later, on March 19, 1925, his life ended in peaceful sleep.
We now had a family of seven children. What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me. I was Primary president for five years, from April 1913 to June, 1918, and was advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from January 1927 to January 1929., when the class graduated. Later I spent some time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931, and 1937 and 1938. I have also done some temple work.
About 20 years ago, I learned to drive a car. It has proved a pleasure and help to me, and on many occasions a great help to the men.
In September, 1940, I took the train for San Francisco and spent a week with Carlos and wife. We visited many places of interest; among them the golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. Such beautiful buildings, exhibits and displays I had never seen before. Among other things I saw a miniature Boulder Dam, and it's workings were all explained. It was wonderful to me.
Our married life has consisted of joys and sorrows, success and failure, health and sickness; problems to meet and solve. We have rejoiced over the many successes of our children in their school and Church work. We have sorrowed at some of the things that have come into their lives. We are proud to know they are all good, patriotic citizens and church members.
Three of our sons are serving with the armed forces in this cruel war. Eugene has served three years; one year over seas. John Carlos and Rulon have each served sixteen months to date. This is a total of 5 years and 8 months service rendered. Our hopes and prayers are for their success, protection, and safe return.
James and his father take care of all the farms. James has a family and is Bishop of our ward. Our girls have married well and are raising good families. So we feel that our lives have not been entirely in vain.
Written by daughter Ada Palmer
Mary Edith was born in Holden, Millard County, Utah on March 23, 1883. She was the 9th child and 5th daughter of William Hardin (1839-1925) and Nancy Maria Badger Ashby.(1846-1917)(LDS pioneers) Her parents were honest, noble, industrious, religious people. She had eight older brothers and sisters in a family of 13 children.
She grew up in Holden, Utah. She enjoyed school and never remembered being late. She attended school at the little long school house by the ditch, where they sat on long benches with tables to write on. She carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep her slate clean. Every afternoon the desks were pushed to the side, and dancing instruction was the order of business. With violin in place, Mr. Ormus A. Bates played the appropriate music, while he taught the instructions on how to do the dance. He could dance the dance, play the music, and give the directions on how to do it all at the same time.
Mary Edith graduated from public school in 1900, the first public school graduation exercise in Millard County. In the fall, her father took her to Provo where she attended the BYU. After two years, she began teaching school and received teachers certificates in 1902, 03, 04 & 05. She taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
In July of 1905, John Bartley Stephenson came home from a three year mission in Melbourne, Australia. She already knew him as they had grown up on the same block in Holden. They were married June 13, 1906 in the Manti Temple. They became the parents of seven children. They were John Carlos, James Williams, Florence, Ada, Louise, Eugene Hammond and Rulon Thomas.
They made their home in Holden; although for a few years they spent several summers at the Duggins ranch. At Duggins, there were lots of grape vines and a large peach orchard, and mother filled many bottles with peaches. A nice vegetable garden was there also and father used to take the vegetables and fruit to Delta and vicinity to sell. There was a spring of clean water a little ways down the hill where the water dripped and kept things cool, like a cave. There were shelves where the milk and food were kept. It was their refrigerator and also where they got their drinking water. There were big corrals where the horses and cattle were kept.
In the winter of 1910-11, they stayed at Grandma Ashby's (Nancy Maria Badger Ashby) house on account of her health. In the summer of 1911, they moved to Delta where they owned a farm, land and a home in town. Later they sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and her husband could be home.
Florence writes; "We lived in a small house on the north side of Holden. One day the gypsies came and camped on our place. Dad was out to the ranch, so mom was alone with us kids. She took us all in the house and locked the doors. They took everything they could get. They took the chickens and eggs. Our fruit trees were loaded with fruit and they stripped the trees of fruit. Mom was sure glad when they moved on. Florence also remembers, "When I was 11 years old, Mom got pneumonia and to go to bed for two weeks. They kept me out of school to tend my baby brother, Bud. I had to make bread and do the washing and all the work. It seemed like I grew up in a hurry.
In the spring of 1918, Mary Edith's father (William Hardin Ashby) was alone as Nancy Maria had died in November 1917. He sold John and Mary his home. They lived there with him until in died in March 1925.
Grandpa William Hardin had a beautiful vegetable garden and a beautiful flower garden. There were lilac bushes by the gate, rose bushes along the path and a big black walnut tree. Grandpa Ashby made a bench where we pounded the nuts through a hole and removed the shells.
There were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on our lot, pears, peaches, prunes, plums, currants, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, boysenberries, grapes both white and purple (grape arbors), tomatoes, radishes, carrots, beets, corn watermelon, cantaloupe, peas, apples, red cherries, dewberries and all good things. Like her father, Edith also had a beautiful vegetable garden. Sometimes she paid for her children's piano lessons with the tomatoes and garden produce.
Mary Edith was a very good cook. Ada remembers her making head cheese from pig meat. Her family enjoyed it very much. She made the best sausage ever. She made delicious pies, cakes and special jelly roll.
Mary Edith made delicious homemade candy. They shelled the black walnuts for the candy. Whipping cream was another treat they always had. They separated the milk and saved the cream to eat. There was a closet in the north bedroom that they used to keep cheese in. Every few days, they had to go and turn the cheese over. Edith also bottled fruit, and made delicious plum jam, molasses, and homemade soap.
On Independence Day they always had homemade ice cream, popcorn and root beer. We had lovely chicken dinners, beef, deer, pheasants, fish, and pork. We always turned our chairs around and knelt down to have family prayers before we ate.
Edith was also a good seamstress, and made their dresses and coats. She is remembered for sewing by lamp light, while the girls sat on their father's lap as he sang songs. He taught us to sing the Books of the Bible. He also told us stories and experiences of his mission. One story was about shooting a possum who was eating and killing the chickens of a Mormon family.
Mother used to dress Louise and Ada alike, and people thought that they were twins. She made lots of beautiful quilts for many years. She gave them to her children and grandchildren. She also taught the girls to crochet and embroidery.
Edith was well organized. She would sweep the floor and keep everything clean. When she came to visit her married children, she always asked, "What can I do for you?" She wanted to mend their clothes and help in any way.
The children often recall hearing their mother singing each morning as they woke up. She was building the fires to warm the house. She loved music. She used to sing songs to us, "Baby boat's a Silver Moon", and "Russian Lullaby." We had a nice pump organ in their home. Later the bought a player piano. All of the children were offered piano lessons. Louise and Ada took lessons from Ezel Phebe Benson Stephenson and T. Leo Jacobs from Fillmore who came to Holden and teach them. They also had piano lessons from Aunt Ethel Ashby at her home. Ada and Louise played many piano duets for the Bennett reunions and they also learned to play hymns. They loved to play the music on the player piano also. You could set the piano to make the keys just dance. Friends would come to their home and they would play the player piano and sing songs.
Edith used to quote poetry to her children. She was a wonderful school teacher and was a good influence on her own children.
Florence worked 29 years for the government and while she worked, her little boys, Bob and Evan went to stay with Edith several summers while school was out.
James William, her oldest son worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Three of her sons served in World War Ii. John Carlos joined the Navy in 1941 and was discharged in 1946 after serving 18 months overseas. Eugene Hammond was the first man drafted in Millard County on Jan. 13, 1941. He signed with the Air Force and flew all over the world. On May 17th 1945, after his father (John B. Stephenson) died, the Red Cross brought him home because his mother was alone. Rulon Thomas was in the Coast Guard and also fought in the Korean War, making the military his career. Her grandson Evan Callister also fought in the Korean War.
Edith's husband, John B. Stephenson was left with all the farm work to do with the help of James, which proved too much for him. He died of pneumonia and so she was left alone.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was very important to her. She says "What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me" She was Primary President for five years from April 1913 to Jun 1918. She was also advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from Jan. 1927 to Jan. 1929 when the class graduated. Later, she spent time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931 and 1937 and 1983. She was also able to do some temple work. She Loves the Gospel.
Mary Edith Ashby Stephenson died peacefully in her sleep at her home on June 8, 1953 in Holden, Utah.
Some other memories see recalled are:
Seeing her father working in the garden so early in the morning and so late at night. I wondered when he slept.
Eating "work Bench" apples. Father's carpenter bench was under a coddling apple tree.
Trying to count the pies and doughnuts that were made for Christmas holidays.
Digging Segos to eat, after hearing the story about father when a boy at Salt Lake. How when he herded cows, he often had for his dinner only the Segos he could dig and a little milk from some gentle cow.
Seeing a Large bucket of eggs Robert brought to the house one Easter morning. He had been hiding a few each day so they would have plenty for Easter.
My older sisters still remind me of the time I said, "I want someone besides our family to dress me" It was on the occasion of a visit from mother's aunt, Kindness Martindale, and this was a childish way of getting a little attention.
I remember there was a large sack of brown sugar stored in the closet under the stairs; from which we were given treats. The things mother was not privileged to have as a child, she made special effort to give to her children.
There was sometimes a pan of cottage cheese we ate; not at the table but from clean hands as we sat on the grass or stood in the door yard. On other occasions it was slices of bread with butter and molasses; or sometimes corn bread, fresh from the oven with plenty of butter. It tasted better out of doors.
One occasion we looked forward to each year was a visit from Uncle Dick, father's brother, and his family, on their way to Salt Lake from Utah's Dixie, their summer home. Their wagons were loaded with dried grapes, pickled spiced grapes, fresh grapes, fresh wine and other products of their summer's work. Except for this visit they would have been strangers as many other relatives are.
Often in the long winter evening, father and the boys would bring their work into the kitchen. Sometimes it was a harness or saddle to be mended. What pretended joy rides we would have sitting in the saddle or in the horse collar. Other times it was a sack of corn to be shelled so it could be taken to the mill and ground into meal or kept and planted in the spring. Father would always give us children, the driest, easiest ears to shell but even then we would blister our hands for we never wanted to quit until the job was finished.
One lesson mother taught us was not to be quitters, and to take interest in our work. She told us how she timed herself in doing her work, when she lived on antelope Island and father would be gone sometimes all day. When we had peas to shell or goose berries to pick over, we would count each one we did by running races to 10, 25, or 100. By making it fun we forgot it was work.
Popping corn or making molasses candy were winter evening pastimes. I liked to parch sweet corn, grind it up fine and eat it with milk. It was one of father's and my favorite dishes. It seemed to me we would always have something good, like black walnuts, or slices of dried venison to eat. I always enjoyed hearing father read a story or magazine article or even the newspaper as he often did in the long evenings.
Although father was a quiet man, he could always give or take a joke. I remember a nice melon patch he had in the garden. One night he decided to take his bed and sleep there as a protection to the melons. Before going to bed, mother went into the garden and finding father asleep, brought his shoes to the house. The next morning he looked very embarrassed as he came to the house in stocking fee, laughing about how much good he was in the melon patch, but rather worried about his shoes.
When Nina and Ada were married and their children were small, I was just old enough to amuse the children or care for the babies. I stayed with either one or the other much of the time. One time when I was away diphtheria came to our home and caused the death of three children – two relatives and our little brother, Clinton. (not quite 4) It seemed like months before I could go home. Those who were home were sent to the farm to stay. This was the second of our number to be taken by death, both being very sad occasions.
The summer of 1896, when I was thirteen, I can never forget. It was a summer of cloud bursts and floods. Floods of thick, black water, carrying with it great trees and boulders in its mad rush; threatening lives and home; and floating most everything in its path down to the fields below town.
Our home was in it's path. The lumber fence was broken down and washed away. The wagon box and hay rake were twisted. Lumber which had been nicely piled was scattered along its path for miles. Gates, and even chickens were taken. The water with its filth rose so high that it started to come into the house, and mother was helped into a big tree in the yard from which she was rescued by Uncle George on a large work horse.
Nor was the home the only thing molested. Floods swept through the farm at White Bush, carrying away or burying with mud the hay cocks and bundles of grain in the field. In one of the downpours the men folk were caught between the farm and home, and lightning struck the horse they were driving killing it instantly, and knocking Harden and Ed Wood unconscious.
When the floods would subside, there would be thick, black mud everywhere that one could hardly stand to smell. This was the summer when there was an epidemic of typhoid fever in Holden, and many people died of this dreaded disease. I think the town was never known a sadder time.
John Wood took Nina and their four children and me to the mountain with him where he was herding sheep. It seemed so far away with so much fresh air and sunshine, we felt almost safe. I never will forget how the sheep would run to the low places and bunch up when the storm would come and the sharp clashes of thunder would echo and re-echo through the canyons. Often we would hear the flood waters rushing down the canyon below. However, it was mostly quiet except for the bleating of the sheep as they came into or left camp for the feeding ground.
I still remember how good the fresh mutton and "sour dough" bread were, baked in a bake oven or skillet over the camp fire. The fresh wild raspberries John would often find and bring to us, how we enjoyed them.
But this peaceful time ended when John took typhoid fever. The problem of bringing a sick man and the children down through those steep rugged mountains on horses was not an easy one. How very slowly and carefully we came, and how thank ful we were to reach home in safety.
Later in Life I went on several pleasure trips into the mountains. One time when father went with us I especially enjoyed. He was a real sport, and always seemed to enjoy a ride or a climb in the mountains any time with the young people. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," was one of his oft-repeated sayings.
We children were busy making valentines from the first to the fourteenth of February. We enjoyed this much more than we did a few years later when we could buy them ready-made. I remember one embarrassing valentine incident; a knock came, I rushed out, to find the ward teachers waiting to be admitted.
There was a big attraction on the 4th and 24th of July; "Ed & Ted" sold ice cream. Theirs was the only freezer in town, and they went to the mountains for snow. There was a lot of waiting between freezing.
With the full moon in July or August came the Sand Hill Roll. There was a lunch at dusk and a frolic on the sand hills in the moon light. I always enjoyed it even though on one occasion I lost my wedding ring into the sand.
When sleigh riding time came, how the snow would fly and the frost air ring with the jingle, jingle, jingle of sleight bells, and the merry shouts and songs of young people. Uncle George Badger made it a rule to take us children for a ride every 30th of January, the birthday anniversary of two of the boys on our block. He would drive by the store and never fail to stop and buy plenty of candy and nuts for us.
Although as children we always did enjoy Christmas, we did not realize the full meaning of the day until war has come and there seems to be no peace among the nations, and our sons are called to help conquer the enemy that peace
may be restored to earth.
Our parents gave us every available opportunity for an education. I enjoyed school and never remember being late. Very often I went half way to meet my teacher and walk with her. I first went to that little long school house by the ditch, where we sat on long benches with tables to write on. I carried a slate and pencil, a bottle of soapsuds and a rag to keep my slate clean. I enjoyed school even though I could not remember dates in history and had trouble learning to spell. I enjoyed an arithmetic problem or a sentence to diagram. I recall with pleasure the school entertainments and the dancing class where we learned to dance.
In 1900 Millard County held it's first public school graduation exercise and I was one of the graduates. That fall I went with father to Provo with a load of provisions, furniture, etc. Here I attended the B.Y.U. After two years I began teaching school. I taught two years in Holden and two years in American Fork.
June 13, 1906 I was married in the Manti Temple to John B. Stephenson. He had returned from Australia in July, 1905, where he had spent three years as an L.D.S. missionary. We made our home at Holden; although for a few years we spent much time at the Duggins ranch where John worked with his father and brothers.
The winter of 1910-11, I stayed at mothers on account of her health. I had two children at the time. The summer of 1911 we moved to Delta where we owned farm land and a home in town. We raised good crops, but later sold out and moved back to Holden where the children could go to school and John could be at home.
In the spring of 1918, father being alone, sold us his home that he had built in the early days. This was the home where I was born and raised. We did all we could to make this still a home for him as long as he lived. Seven years later, on March 19, 1925, his life ended in peaceful sleep.
We now had a family of seven children. What time I have been able to give to the Church organizations has been a pleasure to me. I was Primary president for five years, from April 1913 to June, 1918, and was advisor to a Seagull class in Primary from January 1927 to January 1929., when the class graduated. Later I spent some time with the Relief Society in the Social Service department as class leader through the years 1926 to 1931, and 1937 and 1938. I have also done some temple work.
About 20 years ago, I learned to drive a car. It has proved a pleasure and help to me, and on many occasions a great help to the men.
In September, 1940, I took the train for San Francisco and spent a week with Carlos and wife. We visited many places of interest; among them the golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. Such beautiful buildings, exhibits and displays I had never seen before. Among other things I saw a miniature Boulder Dam, and it's workings were all explained. It was wonderful to me.
Our married life has consisted of joys and sorrows, success and failure, health and sickness; problems to meet and solve. We have rejoiced over the many successes of our children in their school and Church work. We have sorrowed at some of the things that have come into their lives. We are proud to know they are all good, patriotic citizens and church members.
Three of our sons are serving with the armed forces in this cruel war. Eugene has served three years; one year over seas. John Carlos and Rulon have each served sixteen months to date. This is a total of 5 years and 8 months service rendered. Our hopes and prayers are for their success, protection, and safe return.
James and his father take care of all the farms. James has a family and is Bishop of our ward. Our girls have married well and are raising good families. So we feel that our lives have not been entirely in vain.
Family Members
Siblings
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William Harden Ashby Jr
1867–1943
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Nina Maria Ashby Wood
1868–1958
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Ada Jane Ashby Wood
1870–1935
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Rodney Badger Ashby
1872–1948
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Nathaniel Ashby
1874–1947
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Emma Louisa Ashby Stephenson
1876–1952
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Susan Ashby Bennett
1878–1945
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Robert L Ashby
1880–1970
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Martha Ellen Ashby Stevens
1885–1962
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Florence Ashby
1887–1890
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Austin Garr Ashby
1889–1944
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Clinton Ashby
1891–1895
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