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Show • • • LYDIA POND RICH I was born October 9, 1834 at Whiteside, Wiltshire, England and am the daughter of Thomas and Ann Garrett Pond who were of humble birth, but strictly honest and taught their children the same. My father died when I was about eight years old leaving my mother with seven children, I ,being the youngest. In a few years my mother was married again to a man by the name of Isaac Pernell and we moved to his home in Trowbridge, a manufacturing little town with some of the best woolen cloth that is made in England. After a while I went to work in one of these factories belong to the firm of Potter and Heywood, the same firm that my grandparents and parents had worked for. It was there I first heard of the Latter-Day Saints. Another young girl and myself went to their meeting for a little pastime and we enjoyed it very much and went quite often till we became thoroughly convinced of its truth and in November 1850 we went down into the waters if baptism. I was only a girl of sixteen years old. My parents belonged to the Baptist Church, so I had to depend on my Father in Heaven and he has never forsaken me. Soon after I joined the Church, my step-father died. My home was very comfortable, and I could take the Elders there any time and leave them with the family while I worked, as my mother would never allow bad rumors about the Latter Day Saints. She told us that home ought to be the happiest place on earth. Soon after I joined the Church I became acquainted with John H. Rich, and our acquaintance soon ripened into courtship and we were married in 1852 in the Church of England. In January 1853 we left our home and turned our faces Zionward, being the only ones of our families that were in the Church. We left Liverpool on the fifth of February on the ship Jersey; Elder George Halliday was our president. We arrived in New Orleans in March, being six weeks and three days on the sea; then went up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and stayed for two months. My husband went to work while we were there to help get our living, and also to get things for our journey across the plains; many inducements were held out to us to try to get us to stop there; but we had started for the gathering place of the saints. We went from St. Louis to Council Bluffs. I shall never forget how the boat grated on the river bed; and we camped at Kanesville till the company was ready to start. The captains name was Moses Daley. While there a dear sister met with an accident and lost her foot. It was shot off by her husband who had been out hunting and was showing the boys in camp how he had lost his game. He pulled the wrong trigger and shot his wife in the leg. She was getting her baby to sleep at the time, but there was not much sleep in camp that night. It was quit a trial for us to leave her; there was an arrangement made as soon as she was able for her to come on. But she went back to St. Louis with her husband, and they came the next year. • Her name was Emily Halliday. • • In June we started our journey across the plains. August 24th I gave birth to a baby boy we named him Franklin John. We were at that time at what was called the Black Hills; the company stayed over one day for me. We arrived in Salt Lake City, September 29, 1853. A few days after we came in, a Brother Thurston came to our wagon and offered us a home for the winter if my husband would work for our board. We lived in with the family till April the following year. We moved into a log cabin that was about fifteen feet square with no floor or window. It was there I learned to make salt-rising bread, and also butter. Sister Thurston was very kind to us and so were all her family. In August 1854 we moved to the settlement or fort as it was called, my husband working days for our living and the Lord blessed us in our labors and we got us a home, it was a log house. We bought it of Brother Lyman Porter and we were thankful to be in our own house. In January 1855 another son was born to us, James Thomas. The following fall, in October while my husband was hauling wood from the mountain he had the misfortune to break his leg: he was not able to do any work that winter. We had some wheat on hand and had it ground and we sifted the bran and put one fourth bran and three fourths flour and it made good bread and by so doing we had enough bread to last, but that winter we lost everything and had to make a new start. In September 1857, a son was born to us, William Henry and in the spring of 1858 came the call for people to leave their homes and move south; we were among the first ten that left Centerville; we left our home not knowing where we were going; we did not have any team or wagon at the time, but Brother Rollins a man my husband had done a great deal of work for, offered him a yoke of steers and a light wagon, if he would haul some of his things with ours. It was not much we had to haul at that time; we went to Payson and stayed there till the latter part of June when we returned to our home again, and the Lord blest us greatly for the sacrifice that we had made although it looked rather dark at the time and the cloud was hanging low, but there was a silver lining under the cloud. October 31, 1859 a baby girl was born to gladden our home, her name was Lydia Millira; in April 1861 we moved to Weber Valley, now Morgan; my husband took up some land and built us another home; we were among the first settlers; there were many hardships to endure, but it all gave us an experience and taught us to be thankful to our Heavenly Father for the blessings we receive. In January, 1862, another little girl was born to us, Louisa Ann, but she did not stay with us long, not quite two years and her spirit took its flight to the better land . There are many lessons to be learned in settling up new countries and in those days • • • there was not much to do it with, making it all the more difficult to build new homes; now it is comparatively easy to do what was then a great hardship, one can scarcely realize if they have not passed through it. We were glad to have a spring seat in a lumber wagon to ride in but that is almost a thing of the past now and buggies have taken their place. In 1865 another daughter was born to us. In 1868, the Relief Society of Morgan was organized and I have been a member of it ever since; for which I am truly thankful, for it has been a good school for me; it has taught me to rely on my Father In Heaven for strength to do all things. In March 1877, I was chosen President of the Relief Society of Morgan and when the stake organization was effected in 1878, I was chosen President and held both offices until 1889 when I asked to be released from the ward. I am still laboring as President of the Morgan Stake I shall never forget how I felt when my name was called out for me to take that responsible position. When I reached home I said to our dear sister Eliza R. Snow; I fear I am not bit capable of filling that position; she said you will; and fill it with honor, and those words have always been strength to me in the hour of need, and before she went home she blest me; and it has always been a help to me with other blessings that I have received from her and Aunt Zina and many others who have gone behind the veil not forgetting the many kind and encouraging words I have received from many of the sisters that have visited our conferences; among them Sisters Jane S. Richards and E. B. Wells, many words of counsel have been given me by them and they have been as land marks while passing through life. In 1879 my eldest daughter died leaving a baby girl four days old, it lived one week and passed away. In 1886 my eldest son died leaving a wife and six boys, they are all grown up to manhood and are workers in the Church. I have passed through many trials; it has given me experiences, that has been as gems by the wayside; and my faith has been increased and I trust I will be faithful to the truth to the end of my life. By Lydia Pond Rich |
