• • • WILLIAM TONKS William Tonks was born in Willenhall, Staffordshire, England July 18, 1832, son of George and Martha Tonks. He spent his early childhood in England, where he received some education and later learning the metal trade with his father and brothers in a lock factory. When he was eight years of age he heard the gospel and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. He met and married Martha Darricott, daughter of Charles and Mary Ashley Darricott. Martha was born May 24, 1823, in Willenhall, Staffordshire, England. Their first child was born on December 7, 1854. Little Elizabeth was left with her grandparents, Charles and Mary Darricott while her parents came to United States. In 1856 they arrived in New York where they made their home for three years. While they were living in New York, William Tonks made a living working his trade as a blacksmith and saving what money they could for his journey to Salt Lake City. While in New York a son George M. Tonks was born. Two years later on November 15, 1858 another son William Henry Tonks was born. In the early spring of 1859 the family gathered their humble belongings together and started to cross the plains. They had joined with an old man who later turned out to be very uncooperative. William hired out as a night herder for money or in exchange for food. The journey was hard and treacherous and when the oxen became too poor to travel the old man had to cut the covered wagon in two and make a short box of it. Martha walked carrying her baby a good share of the way. On one occasion she became so exhausted that she sat down to rest, and fell asleep. When she awoke, the company had gone on without her. She hurried to catch them because she knew the dangers of being separated from the company. After running for some distance she came to a stream and stopped to remove he shoes before crossing. While she sat there a group of men on horses came to the crossing, she was frightened and cautious as to whom she befriended. They proved their sincerity and she rode behind one of them across the stream. Their company arrived in Salt Lake City on October 1, 1859. Three months later on January 8, 1860 the fourth child was born, whom they named Martha Jane. Upon arrival in Salt Lake, William Tonks opened up a nail factory, and later took up the trade as a blacksmith. They lived in Salt Lake for five or six years where two more children were born. Louisa was born February 28, 1863 and Mary Elizabeth better known as Polly was born July 20, 1865. Then the church sent them to Farmington to live, but later when they opened a road through Devils Gate into Morgan County, they were sent to colonize that district. Upon arriving in Morgan they lived in a dugout on the land where the Walter Francis home now stands. The dugout was a square hole about five feet deep with logs placed on each side of the banks and ends. The next row oflogs was placed in about two feet with each succeeding row also indented two feet until only one log filled the space in the middle at the top. Willows were then placed all over the roof and then covered with • • • dirt. Windows were made in the gable ends. This was their only light by day. The floors were sprinkled with water each day and swept to keep the dirt and dust down. After the floor became packed it was quite easy to keep the room clean, and to sweep without raising great clouds of dust. On May 23, 1868 another son was born called Charles. On July 9, 1871 another daughter blessed their home whom was named Rebecca. The first blacksmith shop in Morgan County was opened in 1866 by William Tonks. He became very efficient in his work, and also tutored other men in this same line of work. His first shop was on the land where Morgan High School now stands. Their first log home was situated where the L.D. S. seminary Building now stands. While in this home an interesting incident happened. In one corner of the room a huge grain was built. On one occasion while the children were playing near that bin, it broke and their young son Charles was buried under the grain. Martha Tonks served as councilor of the stake Relief Society Board. One of her many duties was to help with the visiting of the other wards. On these occasions she had her young son Charles drive her in the buggy. It took two days to go to the Peterson ward. On the way down they would visit Littleton and Milton wards, one in the morning and on in the afternoon. Then they would drive to Peterson if it wasn't to late in the day, then attend the meeting in Peterson the next day and then back to Morgan. It took two days to visit the Croydon ward . Two concrete homes were built in Morgan by William and then in 1872 he purchased some land in Round Valley. The land was cleared of brush, and a canal was built for irrigation. His sons took care of the farm while he still maintained his blacksmith shop, walking back and forth night and morning. He had to cross the Weber river year round, and many times it was very high and dangerous and there were times when he would be thrown from the horse and have to swim. When the were settled in Round Valley the grandparents came from England and brought Elizabeth with them They lived with William Tonks in Round Valley until their death. Little Mary (Polly) died at the age often on Jan. 2, 1877. In 1890 William and a number of his neighbors organized a stock company and bought a large tract ofland from the Union Pacific Railroad which was used for range purposes for their cattle and horses. William and Martha were loyal Latter-Day-Saints. They worked hard for the Church and their family. Never were there more true or faithful companions than they. God bless their memory, may they rest in peace forever. Their family WILLIAM TONKS 1832-1912 • William Tonks was born July 19, 1832, in Willenhall, Staffordshire (near Birmingham), England, a son of George and Martha Pearson Tonks. He received his education there and grew to manhood, learning the blacksmith trade from his father. When but eighteen years of age, he became converted to the teachings of the Mormon Church. He became acquainted with and fell in love with Martha Derricott, daughter of Charles and Mary Ashley Derricott. She was born May 24, 1828, in Wrockwardin, Shropshire, England. They were married in 1855 and immigrated to America in 1856, arriving in New York after being three months on the ocean. They lived in New York for three years where William made a living by working at his trade of locksmith and blacksmith, and saved enough money to outfit them for the trip to Utah. Two children, George Moroni and William Henry, were born in New York. Their oldest child, Elizabeth (Lizzie) was left in England with her grandparents, Charles and Mary Ashley Derricott. She joined the family in 1868 when she came to Utah with her grandparents, Charles and Mary Derricott. In the early spring of 1859, William and Martha and their two sons took passage by way of New Orleans, up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here they started their long journey of over one thousand miles to Salt Lake. They joined with an old man named Mr. Bucannon, who had an ox team and wagon, but had gone only a short distance when the team gave out. They had to cut the wagon box in two, making a two-wheeled cart instead of a whole wagon, which necessitated them walking most of the way, . artha carrying her baby Henry. William's duty on the journey was to take care of the wagons and at night to stand watch for Indians, wild animals, etc. At one time while the company was camped for dinner, Martha, nearly overcome with fatigue and sore feet from walking, sat down by a stream to bathe and rest her feet and body. In doing so she soon fell asleep. When she awoke, she realized the Company had gone ahead without her. William, supposed she was somewhere in the Company. She became very frightened and started walking thinking she could follow the tracks of the wagon train and soon catch up with them. She had no idea of where she was and the wagons were out of sight. She was terribly disappointed when she came to the Platte River. She took off her shoes and started to wade, hoping and praying she could cross in safety, but the current became too swift and she had to turn back in despair. After what seemed to her to be quite a while, her prayers were answered as she saw two horsemen coming across the river from the opposite direction. They took her to the other side of the river and told her she would find the Wagon Train straight ahead. It was beginning to get dusk as she hurried to catch up with them. It was some time before William discovered she was missing and started looking for her. Finally he met her and. there was a good cry for joy that she was safe and alive. After many hardships and experiences they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in October of 1859, tired and worn out from the long journey, but with thankful hearts that they had reached Zion safely and alive. Here they settled for a number of years, living a few blocks northwest of the Temple grounds, in the old 19th Ward area. While here William • opened up a nail factory, which he operated for a time, making the first wrought iron nails ever made in Salt Lake for Brother John Taylor. He then took up his trade of Blacksmith. Three children were added to the family while they were living in Salt Lake, Martha ~i~ Jane, Louisa, and Mary Elizabeth (Polly). As was the rule in early days, many of the pioneers were called to colonize in other . reas, and in 1866, William and Martha and their five children were sent to help colonize Weber Valley (now Morgan County) in the first year of its settlement. William again worked at his blacksmith trade, establishing the first blacksmith shop in Morgan on the property where Halls shop now stands (1967). He taught the trade to Thomas Geary and Thomas Butters. William always kept his blacksmith shop and after he was too old to run it rented it to others to run. Some time after his death it was sold to Earl Halls who used it for some years and then tore it down and built a more modern structure on the grounds. During the time the Union Pacific railroad was being built from Echo Canyon through Morgan County (about 1868), William had a contract to make shoes for the mules. He shod all the mules and horses receiving $10 for every span he shod. It was a big day when the first train came to Morgan. The whole town was there to see it arrive, some families waiting from about two in the afternoon until after ten at night. The big engine was puffing and belching black smoke as it came from the east around the point of the mountain across from Lake Como. It was a tremendous and marvelous sight and a great curiosity to many. When William and Martha first moved to Morgan they lived in a one-room dugout which was located on the lot that is now occupied by the Homer Francis home (96 South State). It had steps going down into it just like a cellar. Here is where Charles was born. Later they moved to a log house where the L. D. S. Seminary (20 N. 200 E. ) now stands. Their last child, Rebecca Althura, was born here. • A greater area for activity and support for this large family became necessary. In 872, some more pioneering work had to be done when they bought land in South Round Valley for $600. Here they built a large stone home and with his son's help, cleared the land and made a farm. William planted all kinds of fruit trees: plum, pear, cherry, apple, and apricot, besides currents and gooseberries and a garden full of a variety of vegetables. He also had a bee colony. The boys used to work in the fields, take care of the irrigation and feed the animals while their father daily went to work at his shop. William and Martha were the parents of eight children, seven of whom grew to adulthood. Mary Elizabeth (Polly) died at the age of 11 years from diphtheria. Elizabeth married John Clayton. They lived in Coalville and then Salt Lake. George Moroni married Emily Ann Littlefield and moved to the Teton Basin in Idaho. William Henry married Susan Fry and they also moved to Idaho. Martha Jane married Thomas F. Welch and settled in Morgan until her children were older and then moved to Salt Lake. Louisa married Benjamin Jones. They moved to Arizona and then to Idaho. Charles married Margaret Catherine Robison. They took over the farm in Round Valley from his parents (William and Martha) and lived in Morgan all their lives. Rebecca married James Tucker and settled in Morgan. William and Martha lived true to the gospel principles, doing everything they were asked to do. He was very liberal with his means and did much good towards building up the community, giving money toward the erecting of school and meeting houses, ditches, roads and other enterprises for the up building and growth of the town and county. He was one of the organizers and stockholders of the Morgan City Zion Co-operative Commercial e nstitution. In about 1902 or 1903 they moved from the old home in Round Valley to Morgan ~tfO where they spent their remaining days. Martha died September 14, 1911 . William lived to the ripe age of 80 years. He died on March 29. 1912, and was buried beside his dear wife • the South Morgan Cemetery . • •