read 1 BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS RICH Came to Utah in 1850 Written by ADRIA RICH RGRTER, His daughter FOR DAUGHTERS OF UTAH PIONEERS Of Utah MORGAN COUNTY, UTAH September 21, 1936 read 2 Thomas Rich Jr., my father, is the fourth child of a family of fourteen children, of Thomas Sr. and Henrietta Peck Rich. My grandfather Thomas Rich Sr. is a cousin of Apostle Chas. G. Rich, their fathers being brothers. Grandfather was born in Floyd County Indiana, November 29, 1817. His father was in the war of 1812, and moved with his family to Kentucky where my grandfather was reared. He married Henrietta Peck, who was born in Chanango County N.Y. They joined the church and were subsequently sealed in the Nauvoo Temple. They passed thru the persecutions of the saints in Missouri and Illinois, and he was a participant in the Crooked River Battle, and also acted as body guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith. They left Nauvoo during the summer of 1847 with the Pioneers enroute to Utah; by the time they reached the Missouri River the season was so far advanced and the condition of the mother would hardly permit further travel, so they stopped at Winter Quarters, and on October 11, 1847 Thomas Rich, my father, was born. They reamined at Winter Quarters until the spring of 1850, when they continued their tramp across the continent with a group of pioneers in Joseph Young's Company; my grandfather was made Captain of ten, in the company. On the way grandfather shot and killed a large buffalo, which furnished them meat for sometime. They arrived in Salt Lake City in September 1850, and remained in the city for a few days, then went on to Centerville, Davis County, where they lived until 1861. While here they raised flax; and the job was given to father to swingle 3 it (which means to cleanse it and beat it in pieces) then his mother spun it into thread with which to sew their clothing. They also made towels from the flax fibers. In the year 1857 the leaders of the church decided that the saints all move south. At that time the government thot that the Mormons were not law abiding citizens, so Johnson's Army was sent from the East to Salt Lake City to see that the people lived up to the law. When the order was given, the saints left their homes and started on the tramp south. Before leaving, however, they prepared their homes to be burned at the cammand. They decided to go as far south as Fillmore, Utah, but a hault was called when they reached Provo. My father made this trip all the way from Centerville to Provo, a distance of fifty-five miles, barefooted, and drove the loose cattle. He was then a lad of about ten years. They lived in Provo, in a bowery, until they returned to Centerville in the fall of 1858. That fall he yoked a pair of oxen and plowed ten acres of land. While at Centerville he made many fast friends; some of whom are still living and are still very dear friends. In April 1861 the Rich family moved to Morgan County and together with other families which followed, settled the little town of Richville, so called in his honor as they were the first ones to settle there; and grandfather was the first presiding Elder of that Ward. He built the first house in Richville. Father walked all the way from Centerville, Davis County to Richville, Morgan County and drove two pigs. One circumstance that happened while at Richville was 4 when his father asked him to go into the hills and hunt an ox that he had never seen. A very slight description was given of the animal and the lad set out very early in the morning with two biscuts in his pocket for his lunch. He tramped and tramped all day, up hill and down dell, but no trace of the animal could he found until the sun was sinking below the horizon. Thankful and happy he seized the animal by the tail and said, "Get up Darkie, lets make it home before dark,"- which they did. During the winter of 1867 the people did fairly well; every one seemed to have all of the necessities of life. Spring came and from all outward indications a very prosperous year was before them. Farmers planted their crops, and as usual they came up looking very promising. But this seeming prosperity was to be of short duration for a trial awaited the people. Without any warning and like a black cloud, came the grasshoppers by the myriads,. They swept downupon the green vegetables, and in less than twenty-four hours there was scarcely a sign of anything left; even the grass was mewed to the ground. The people fought the grasshoppers with all the skill and power they knew; but the more they killed the greater the number that came. Some would drive them into trenches until they were six and eitht inches deep and bury them. Father and his brother Landon dragged a rope across the wheat field, back and forth, all day for days, to keep the grasshoppers off. The only means of gaining their winter's sustinance seemed to have left the people. 5 The western section of the mighty trans-continental rail¬road was pushing its way westward and by this time had reached what was called "Great Echo". This proved to be the salvation of those whose winter supply had been devoured by the plague of grasshoppers. The coming of the Railroad opened new avenues for nearly every type of workman. Every one had a job. By 1870 the farmers were dong well. Their crops were generally good, and the people were to large extent independent. They withstood many hardships as did all of the pioneers at that time. At times they were forced to grind grain thro a hand coffee mill to make bread. Later on in life Grandmother Rich, a noted biscut maker, her buttermilk biscuts could hardly be equaled, and would almost melt in the mouth. Grandfather Rich becam almost totally blind before he died. Grandmother died in August 1896, while her son Thomas, my father was on a mission in the Southern States. The Rich family moved to Porterville, a small town three miles south of Richville, in 1871. Father married Adria Elizabeth Brough, December 4th, 1876. The ceremony was per¬formed by Willard G. S. Smith at Morgan, and a year later in the Endowment House. The early part of their married life was spent in the canyons, getting out lumber and ties for the Railroad. He was present when the first train cme thru Morgan; this was a sight to all present. Money was scarce in those days, and every conceivable method was resorted to, to meet conditions. A few of those methods were: making soap from grease scraps, and lye from wood ashes, (they used the same kind of lye for washing), spinning wool into yarn and weaving it into cloth, tanning deer hides 6 into buck skin to be made into coats, shirts, trousers, and gloves. They used straw for padding under the carpets and their mattresses were made of straw. The bare floors were scrubbed as white as a table and their houses were kept scrupulously clean, they were poor. Father helped to make five different canals in Richville, and most of the bridges in Morgan County. He and mother were very hospitable, and many a weary traveler sought refuge under their roof. As a father he has been an affectionate and patient one. Nothing was too good for his family. They enjoyed the best be could give. His church activities extended over the greater part of his life as he was early called to the Priesthood, being or¬dained an Elder at the age of sixteen, by J. McCallister. He was ordained a Seventy, February 17th, 1884, by Danial Bertosh; ordained a High Priest November 15th, 1884 by Geo. Teasdale. He has held positions of note in Ward and Stake capacity. He was chosen Counselor to Bishop Jos. R. Porter, February 1884, which position he held for twelve years. Was chosen Counselor to Bishop Jos. Durrant in 1897, at the uniting of the West and East Porterville wards. Was 1st counselor to Wm. Hemming who was President of the High Priest Quorum of Morgan Stake. In Jamuary 1896 he was called on a mission to the Southern States. When at the Mission Office, before his assign¬ment, he had hoped he would not be asigned to Miss. and sure as fate he was sent to Miss. He reported the people in the South as being very poor and very primitive in their methods of farming and also household duties, but they had hearts of 7 gold. He and his partner traveled without "purse and script", and were compelled to ask for free lodging. The Lord was on their side as they never had to lie out a single night. He never asked for food but was always well fed. The President of the Mission at that time required the elders to do such continuous fasting that father's health became impaired and the Maleria Fever struck him. He became very sick and after weeks and weeks of suffering he was given an honorable release to return home before the allotted two years had passed. The chills and fever remained with him for years after his return home. His schooling was very limited. He attended a few weeks in the school taught by John Seaman, a few weeks with Harriet Potter as teacher, and a few weeks in Joseph R. Porter's school. In the last named he paid $10.00 tuition but was compelled to discontinue to help with the support of the family. In all of his appointments if he promised to be there he was there, and made it a point to always be on time. In his dealings with the people his aim has always been to give his brother a square deal, and honesty has been his rule. So prominent was this rule emphasized in his life that he earned for himself the name of "Honest Tommy Rich", and he was called by this name for some time and always, by some people. He is the father of ten children, one pair of twins included. Five girls are now living, but he had the mis-fortune of loosing all of his boys and one girl. The night be¬fore the death of the boy, twin to myself, who was then two months old, mother had feed us and said, "Well, if either 8 should die before morning they won't die hungry". The boy died without a struggle on mother's arm a little after day break. About twelve years later an incident happened that is proof that the spirit world is very close to us. My brother Benjamin was very sick and it seemed evident that death was near. Father with others had remained up all night watching over the sick child. Early in the morning he went out to milk the cows and as he sat milking he heard a voice say, "You'll have to give him up" His hands dropped to his side and he answered, "Yes, I'll have to give him up". He at once returned to the house and quickly washing his hands, went to the bedside. At family prayer that morning he told the Lord if it was His will to take him. Shortly after the prayer Benjamin called our attention to some beautiful flowers he could see on the opposite side of the room and wondered why we couldn't see them. He also heard footsteps outside and recognized them as Grandfather Rich's. He had never seen grandfather in mortality, Benjamin died a few minutes after the above incident happened. In the death of this child as in the death of all the others father said, "Thy will be done", and kept the same attitude with all other trials that came to him. The children in the order of their births are Henrietta, Emily Jane, Joseph and Adria, twins, Emeline, Benjamin Thomas, Arnold C., Samantha, Hosea, Ruth. One incident happened I'd like to relate. He was called to administer to a very sick child who was not ex¬pected to live, but a few minutes. They had hurried to give him a name and a blessing. In the administration he promised 9 the child he should live. On his way home he was accosted by a voice who said, "Now you have done it," He replied at once, "I said it and it will come true". It did and the boy is still living. For the past four years he has suffered extremely with a Neuraligia pain in the side of his face and head, and has had to have Alconolie Injection operation performed five dif¬ferent times, which gives relief for a short time. He has been true to the faith all thru and using his own words he says: "I'm still holding on to the old Ship Zion, and want to endure to the end". Which he did. He died December 8th, 1940 at the ripe old age of 93. He was buried in the Porterville cemetery by the side of his father and mother.