Box 3 FD 19.pdf HISTORY OF THOMAS PHILLIPS PIONEER Arrived in Salt Lake City, November, 11, 1864. Written by his Granddaughter Maud M. Clay Hayward. HISTORY OF THOMAS PHILLIPS 56 read Thomas Phillips was born December 16, 1849 at Glowcester, England, son of Edward Webb and Ann Drinkwater Phillips. He was born and lived during the early part of his life on a cabin boat owned by his father who freighted coal and other things between Staffordshire and London. His parents joined the Latter-Day Saint Church in 1850 when he was one year old. They tried to arrive at Cosgrove on Sunday in order to attend church services which were held at the home of William and Phoebe Hoar Durrant. The two families were very close friends the rest of their lives, working in the fields together as well as in church. Living and raising a family on a boat was rather a dangerous undertaking and often the children fell into the water and had to be rescued. At one time grandfather fell overboard and his father had to dive three times before he found him on the other side of the boat clinging so tightly that he had loosened all his fingernails. They had a hard time reviving him. He always felt that the Lord had preserved his life so he could fulfill the mission for which he was placed on this earth. May 5th, 1864 at the age of 15, with his parents and four brothers and two sisters, he set out for Zion on the sailing ship "Hudson," taking advantage of the church immigration fund. They were on the water nearly eight weeks. It took another six months to cross the plains with ox team. They arrived in Salt Lake, November 11, 1864. Oscar O. Stoddard was Captain of the Company. The first winter they worked digging ditches on the Jordon bottoms, often sleeping with their boots under their pillows to keep them from freezing so hard they could not get them on. 57 Their fire was mostly green willows which produced far more smoke than heat. It was a trying experience to them, but their faith was built to last and by another winter they had learned much and were quick to put it into practice. In 1868 they moved to Porterville, Morgan County, Utah to work the Musser farm on shares. Later they bought it and grandfather lived there nearly sixty years. One brother died of small pox. (Lorenzo) The plague was so severe that it was necessary to wrap him in quilts to keep the flesh from falling from the bones. Grandfather helped build the railroad through Echo canyon. He was an expert at cutting ties. The Phillips family grew the first lucern in Porterville cutting it with a sythe. He married Esther Dillie of bountiful, November 13, 1871 in the Endowment House. They lived in a log cabin with a dirt roof and white-washed walls. The furniture was home manufactured, made of pine. The first child, Esther Louisa (my mother) was born December 3, 1872 in that home. For a short time they lived at Hilliard, Wyo., where Ann Stella was born. They moved to Curlew Valley on the Utah-Idaho border where they spent five years pioneering what is now Holbrook, Idaho. Through the treachery of a supposed friend they lost the crop of grain he expected to harvest for the sustenance of his family, so was obliged to find work elsewhere. He cut stone for the Logan Temple. Grandmother stayed home on the farm with three small children seven miles from the nearest settlement, thirty five miles from the nearest store. She had no means of travel as the yoke of oxen had gone with grandfather to Logan. The only visitors were cow punchers and Indians who often camped in the vicinity. 58 Grandmother made cheese from milk, spun yarn for their stockings and carded and spun cloth to make dresses and shirts and a suit of jeans for grandfather. Later a few other families took homesteads near and things were better. At the death of his father Edward Webb Phillips, grandfather returned to the Porterville farm at his mother's request. This was in 1882. My Mother, age 10, was obliged to walk and dirve the cows the entire distance of over 100 miles. Grandfather was an expert at hewing logs for building houses and could make them fit perfectly so it was not long before he built a very comfortable five room home for his family. He was the overseer for the work and cut the saddles for 20 homes of neighbors and friends, so was a great help in building up his community. His only tool being an ordinary axe. Some of those log homes are still in use having been remodled on the inside. He went through the grasshopper war and a great many other hardships incident to pioneer life. Though he received no education, having to learn to read and write, while on a mission, he was a good business man and with some of his neighbors and a brother form¬ed a company which bought the first binder and threshing machine to take care of the community crops. Grandfather was the manager and was an expert at feeding the machine. He could tell by the sound just how fast to feed the machine. This same company consisting of Thomas and Hyrum Phillips, Joseph and Lorenzo Durrant, later Jim Florence and John Riley Porter formed an irrigation and grazing company and a saw mill to take care of the water and timber supply so it would be put to the best use for the good of the community. Grandfather took care of the business and while Lorenzo H. Durrant took care of the books. This company lasted fifteen years before other machines came in to help with the harvest. 59 In 1896 grandfather was called on a mission. At first the stake presidency doubted the wisdom of the call as he could neither read or write but the call was given to him anyway. He bore such a humble and sincere testimony that he made many staunch converts to the church. Professor J. H. Paul, one of his mission companions said that grandfather made many more converts while in England than he did with his learning. After his return he was second counselor in the Sunday School seven years. Later he was President of 35th quorum of Seventies. To his marriage to Esther Dille was born nine children, Esther Louisa born December 3, 1872 in Porterville; Ann Stella, February 27, 1875, Hilliard, Wyoming; Josephine Maud, January 22, 1878, Porterville; Thomas David, March 7, 1879, Curlew Valley; Edward Lorenzo, August 3, 1881, Curlew Valley; George William, January 29, 1884, Porterville; Hyrum Hugh, May 16, 1886, Porterville; Lillian Glorinda, June 27, 1889, Porterville and Henry Raymond, February 3, 1894, Porterville. Grandmother was born December 23, 1851 at Ogden, Utah and died December 2, 1907 from an operation. She was of a very lovable disposition, a veritable home bird. It was said when she died she was never known to speak disparagingly of anyone whether friend or foe. After her death grandfather married Emma Terry of Hyrum, Utah. She died 13 months later and November 1910 he married a widow Elizabeth Robison Adderly. Two children were born to them, Emma, November 2, 1911 and Dennis both born on the old homestead in Porterville. He also raised three of his wife's children. He was an ernest church worker and an all around community man, always ready to lend a hand in any public enterprise. About 18 months before he died he sold the old homestead and moved to South 60 Salt Lake. He died March 17, 1927 on a street car while returning from the theatre with a ward Relief Society group and their husbands. He was veritably changed in the twinkling of an eye. He left a wife and ten children. I am indebted to Lorenzo H. Durrant (89), a life long friend of grandfather's for part of the information in this sketch. Written by grand-daughter Maud M. Clay Hayward.