Francillo Durfey Jr. Death Certificate

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Biographies of Amos Benoni Wood

A Biography of and Written by

AMOS BENONI WOOD

April 29, 1908

   I am the son of Wellington Wood and Mary Elizabeth Warner, born Oct. 2, 1884, in Spanish Fork, Utah.  We lived in Spanish Fork until I was about three years old.  At that time my mother and other members of the family, including myself, moved to a place called "The Indian Farm", where we lived till I was old enough to go to school.  After that I just remained there during the summer months, going into town with my father and Aunt Susan to attend school, in the winter.

  On Sept. 1, 1892 I was baptized by my father into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  In my boyhood I was taught by my parents to be prayerful and do what was right, and to attend Primary and Sunday School.  I can today reflect and call to mind many of the things which were taught in those classes.  The lessons taught there seem to have had a lasting impression upon my mind, I believe the younger days in a persons life are the times when a person grasps the simple ideas which all are put together to help built a noble character.  Just for your own satisfaction watch two boys in your neighborhood, one whose parents entertain him at home and teach him right from wrong, give him good books to read, take interest in his welfare, and in general teach him to do right.

On the other hand one whose parents take no particular interest in the child only to be fed and clothed, put to bed, but given no training. What will be the results?

Which will make the better man spiritually, morally, and mentally?  I do not believe I need to answer this question as and fair minded person could answer it.

  I cannot recall any striking events in my life, but will say that until the age of twelve I did nothing of much good for my parents except to obey their council, not out of fear, but out of the respect and love I had for them.  I don't remember of any severe punishments, but will say that I am thankful for the valuable teachings which I received from them in this period of my life.

  Being the youngest boy of the family I wasn't kept home from school nearly so much as my two older brothers.  My growth in an educational way wasn't rapid, but was steady.  At age 15, I graduated from the 8th grade in Spanish Fork. Some of my teachers, starting from the beginning and going up the line were: Agnus Lewis, Amilia Reese, Wells Robertson, Isreal Hayes, Hubbard Tuttle, Mr. uttle, Thomas Creer, Joseph a. Reese and David Prior.

  While in public school I had some sickness and one accident there kept me out of school for some time.  I was also kept out to labor on the farming the busy season.  I recall one accident I had when I disobeyed the council of my sister Mary D, who was a good deal older than I, but of course I thought I knew my affairs best.  I was about to go for cows when she advised me to dress my feet which were bare.  I disobeyed and went barefoot.  When I reached main street I tried to cross, a horse being ridden by an unknown person to me, knocked me to the ground and I was badly bruised. This experience kept me out of school for ten weeks.  From this I learned a lesson I will never forget, that I should be obedient and take heed to council of those who are more experienced and in a position to give that kind of council.

  At the age of thirteen, I thought some of studying music and thus purchased a violin.  I began by trying to play by ear and consequently became discouraged quite soon.  My brother Morris tried to get me to study and offered to give me some lessons, but by then my interest had vanished and his offers were in vain. From then on I always enjoyed the old time music which was played by some in the neighborhood, but being around my brother and hearing him play as gradually he advanced in music, hence my ears were trained to something a little better in that line.  Especially after attending the B.Y.U. Academy at Provo, I came to appreciate a better class of music, but to my sorrow, never learned to play anything myself.

  My father encouraged me at this age very much in the general education line and in different ways he made it possible for me to make some money for myself even when I did stay at home during the summer months.  About the first opportunity I remember of was a patch of beans which when harvested, netted me a small amount which looked pretty good to me then.

  My commencement in the cattle business, on a small scale, was a peculiar one which I will relate.  Hearing of a neighbor who was going to kill a pig on account of his smallness, and practically worthlessness, I asked him if I could have it.  I then saw where I could get one just a little better for fifty cents, which I did.  I took them home and gave them a soap suds bath and began feeding them milk and letting them run at large. By fall the pigs had grown wonderfully and when they were fattened they were a fair size for their age.  I then traded them for a heifer calf which was about a year old.  In a few years the increase began to be noticed and with my added dollars I would buy a calf here and there.  It wasn't long until I had twelve or fifteen head of all ages from young calf to old cows.  This herd was started in a peculiar way, but it goes to show how little things make larger ones when placed collectively.

  The summer following graduation from the eighth grade, I was furnished a team by my father and brother Willy, and with it I hauled milk to the creamery which took most of the time.  After returning home, I would put the rest of the day working on the farm.  During that summer I lived with my brother Willy on the farm, who took a great interest in my welfare.

  In September of the year (1900) I began school at the BYU University, beginning on the normal course I found by Christmas that this wasn't the course which interested me most and changed from that to the commercial college, where I remained until I graduated from the course in bookkeeping.

  Each summer I lived with my brother and worked on the farm, at the same time receiving advantages from my father which enabled me to earn money, such as hauling milk and raising beets.  What I lacked in a financial way to get through college, my father made up.  I am very thankful to my parents, brothers and sisters for the help they gave me in getting through my courses.  In the fall of 1902, I was taken down with typhoid fever.  This caused me to miss one semester and a good deal of another because of the illness.  I did not finish the schooling until the spring of 1904.

  After finishing school, I went back to the farm and worked for about 2 1/2 months until I secured a position as cashier and bookkeeper for the Wasatch Stores Co., in Castle Gate, Utah.  Here I worked until the following spring when I accepted a position with First National Bank of Price.  I went home for a visit and while there I was taken ill again with Typhoid fever, remaining ill for many months.

  I worked in several positions, mostly accounting, between the summer of 1905 until the spring of 1908, when in April I was called on a Mission for the Church.

  After spending time at home visiting family and friends I departed for the Central States Mission, on April 22, 1908.  While on my mission I met my future wife who was visiting her Aunt Nell in Independence, Missouri.  I was released on September 4, 1910.  At the time of my release I was Company C. Leader at Mayberly, Missouri.

  I married Sarah Ann Durfey in the Salt Lake Temple on June 5, 1912.  We moved to Heber City where I worked in the Heber Bank, while living there Lothair Durfey was born August 15, 1913.  We then moved to Logan so Annie could be closer to her family and I worked at the Cache Valley Bank in Logan.  While there Francillo Earl was born March 10, 1915; Thelma, June 28, 1917; and Athene January 14, 1919.

  My Father died on March 24, 1920, making it necessary to move to Spanish Fork to be close to my mother.  We lived in the big corner house next to the new house we built and our family lived in for the rest of Annie and my life, Darrell D. was born in the old home on February 28, 1921.  We then moved into the new house where Kenneth D. was born May 13, 1923; Jay D. September 27, 1924; and Blaine D. January 11, 1929.
  My Mother Mary Elizabeth Warner died on January 16, 1924 in Spanish Fork Utah of Brights Disease.

          Memories as remembered by his children of Amos Benoni Wood:

  During his working years, Dad made a very good living.  Mother said she never realized how bad the economy really was.  After we moved to Spanish Fork, Dad was president of the local Co-Op.  He then started his own Auditing co. and kept books for many of the large companies in the valley, such as Coca Cola Bottling Co., many banks, several school districts.  One of those was in Nephi, Utah.  Blaine recall going with his dad to Nephi many times, and looked forward to it as much as anything he can remember.  His Dad always wanted him to learn to play the accordion  which he never learned to do.  He also remembers his Dad always having round mints for the kids.

  Thelma tells of her father getting up at four o'clock in the morning when they were canning fruit.  He would peel peaches or pears for three or four hours in the morning til it was time to go to work with the Warner family.

  Deb tells of his dad buying a Hutmobil that cost $1800, which was a lot of money at that time, shortly after Lothair and Leah were married in 1934.  Fere had a Model A Roadster.

  Deb was chasing after Jay one time.  Jay headed down the stairs.  He slipped and went rolling down the stairs.  Dad though Deb pushed him so he gave him a couple of whacks.  I think that is the only time he raised a hand to me.  He thought I pushed Jay down the stairs.

  Dad always traveled somewhere else to work.  He went to lehi to work on the city audit.  He would work there a week or so.  He did Payson City, the Nebo School District, Warner Mortuary in Richfield.  He would go to Richfield for about a month and do the city, Coca Cola and Warner Mortuary.  I think about the best he made was about $1 an hour.  Of course he wasn't always working. Sometimes he would be around the house.  But most of the time he kept busy. He could have charged more money but he didn't want to take advantage of anybody. They would just hire him to do their audits.  He put out typewritten reports. They were in detail of what the expenditures were each year.  He was a good penman.

  Dad took us up on those Father and Son's outings at Diamond Fork.  We would pitch tents and we would be up there a couple of nights.  We had bonfire programs at night and play ball, anything to get the Dads and sons together.

  When we went to Dividend (just off from Eureka) to Uncle Harold and Aunt Beth's we would go out rabbit hunting in the sagebrush.  We would eat those jack-rabbits.

  Jay, Ken and Deb slept in the hallway downstairs.  There was just one bed. Dad would come down to bank the furnace at night or come down in the morning to put on more coal and he would sing "Come, Come Ye Saints".  He was always singing a church song doing his chores.  The old place that Grandma Andrus lived in, Dad let that go for part of the payment on the house, probably a couple of hundred bucks.

  I remember the stairs in the old house, going over there when someone else was living there.  Going up them stairs was like a latchet to get in there.  It was constructed out of wooden dowels and square nails.

  Blaine remembers Dad offering to buy him an accordion if he would learn how to play it.  Deb wanted to play the clarinet.  When the salesman came he tried to start him on the violin.  That halted that idea right then.

  Deb had a paper route that was handed down from Fere and Derb.  Dad went to Oscar Carlson's Sporting Goods in Provo and found a nice Iver Johnson bike.  He paid the first $10 and Deb had to pay the last $40.

  Deb remembers Dad would buy loose hay for a cow we had in the 1930's.  He usually paid $10.00 for a ton of hay.  The cow was milked by the older brothers Fere and Derb until I got where I was wanting to learn how to milk the cow. So then who got the job?  You guessed it - me, myself and I.

  Dad had a lot of friends and many of his friends he had for many, many years. He gets along well with everyone, even among strangers.  He seemed to adapt well to what ever came along.

  Amos had a mental breakdown about 1935 and was unable to work after that time. He was admitted to the Utah State Hospital in Provo, Utah on June 19, 1935 at the age of 50.  The cause of the breakdown was unknown, or at least, unstated.  He was diagnosed as Manic Depressive Psychosis, Manic type.  We was quiet and passive as he was admitted.

  For years Amos had been waking up with a "start".  Sometimes he would jump completely out of bed, probably from bad dreams.

  He spent the remainer of his life in a hospital.
  He died 2 January 1955, after contracting Tuberculosis.

                              Other tidbits
  "Remarks from Sarah Ann Durfey June 19, 1935":  Amos graduated from BY as a bookkeeper, through correspondence and other study he gradually worked himself up to an auditor.  He has a very keen mind and was always good in school. He had been a auditor for the past five years.  Before that he was a bookkeeper. He made fairly good money, averaging about $100 a month although work is very irregular and comes in seasons.  He likes his work very well.

  They knew each other about three years before they got married, more of a correspondence courtship.

  A hard working man, Amos spent most of his life working with figures and doing "mental" work.  He worked hard on his books every day, leaving very little time for physical activity.  He put his whole soul into his work.  Much time was spent as he studied and read auditing books or the local paper.  He was always very sensitive, yet frequently irritable in his later years, especially if tired.

  Amos's had his first sign that something was wrong in 1921, 14 years before he was taken to the Hospital. He had a spell of "sleeping" or insomnia which lasted about 2 weeks.  He again experienced the same in 1927 when he seemed to lose all interest in life and seemed more melancholy than he had the first time.  He then would sit around and mope, and could not see the bright side of things.  He seemed sick and discouraged.

  The attack that put him in the hospital happened on March 30, 1935 and he was taken to the hospital two and a half months later.  It seemed he had a complete change of personality.  Before he was strictly honest, reliable and had very good credit.  He also began fearing the someone was following him, and he would do things at the spur of the moment. He was facing several jobs and just "flitting" around with each job and did not accomplish anything.  He would just "pick up and leave" for days at a time and Annie did not know where he had gone.  He was melancholy and could not see the bright side of anything.  He seemed sick and discouraged.   Annie could tell when the spells were going to come on as "he became over-active, up and going, ambitious and gets up early and does things".  Amos reportedly was always self willed and did what he wanted to do.

  He started to lose his memory, but even when he struggled to remember his home address he could add figures, and recite digits forwards and backwards very rapidly. His calculations were rapid and correct.

  In the hospital he had his tonsils removed and he also struggled with varicose veins.

  Amos made very good progress in the hospital and he returned home many times to see how things went.  He was able to stay at home with his family and wife. Sometimes he was able to be at home for months at a time, and once he returned to normal life for almost a year. He was back on the job working in Springville.  He was sleeping better at ights and seemed fairly well adjusted. He also worked in Weber County and Nebo School Districts at this time.

  When he went into the hospital he was a "big, well nourished man".  Tests showed very high counts of sugar, but during his year at home his sugar seemed to be very good.

  After two years he again started having trouble and returned to the hospital. He remained there four months then was again "paroled" for another two years. On January 31, 1941 he was discharged.  Almost a year later, to the day, he was again returned to the hospital. At this time he was using insulin for diabetes. (Diabetes Mullitus).  He had increased psychomotor activity which was uncontrolled, very talkitive and his "departure from normal was beyond his control."

  The second time he was admitted he weighed 177 pounds at 5 foot 9 1/2 inches. His hair brown and his eyes blue.  He had old scars on his left forehead and left shin, and vericose veins in both legs.

  Part way through the year he was again "paroled" to go home with his family. He was doing hard physical labor and made a good adjustment.  His attitude and insights were good and he hoped to get back to his regular business of bookkeeping. Again he remained home for nearly a year before it was necessary to take him back to the hospital (June 11, 1943). He had lost weight down to 161 (but grew an inch?).

  From 1945 on Amos lived in the hospital, coming home only for visits and to eat Sunday dinners with the family.

  His family picked him up every Sunday to spend the meal with him and a few hours with his family.  He would become nervous, especially around children, but his family enjoyed this opportunities to spend time with him.

  In April 1954 he experienced a significate weight loss from "poor appetite". He lost 25 pounds in eight to ten months going from a slight 125 pounds down to 101 pounds.  Previous charts had shown reports of blood sugar as high as 272 mg. back in 1943 with a 3+ urine sugar, but study since about 1947 show normal blood sugars only up to 1+ sugar.  He stopped taking insulin for a time.  His physical examination revealed a cachectic man of 69, too weak to walk.  His chest was emphysematous. (possibly caused by old healed tuberculous process involving this left lung).

  By April 30, 1954 the doctors felt he had active tuberculosis.

  He passed away 2 January 1955.

  This earthly test that he was given was a test for the entire family.
Through it all, they remained strong and his wife Sarah Ann  continued to raise a remarkable family.  They have each, in his or her own way, been pillars in the communities in which they live and the values that Amos and Sarah Ann instilled in their young family carried through into their adult lives.

  It will be a wonderful day, when upon returning back to their Heavenly home they will reunite with their husband/father and find the problems of this earth removed to again be with the man they once had.  The trials of his later life has proven to be an example of enduring to the end, and the importance of their family love.

Biography of Sarah Ann Durfey

UPDATED HISTORY WITH PICTURES;

Sarah Ann Durfey Wood

Written by Leah F. Wood, daughter-in-law July 1998

     
  Sarah Ann Durfey Wood was born 19 September 1885 to Francillo Durfey Jr. and Lucy Sylvinia Fidley.  Sarah Ann was the oldest child of this family.
Francillo was a poligamist and married three wives.  Lucy Findley was the third one.  Lucy's parents were William Findley and Sarah Shaw.  William Findley's parents were William Findley ad Lingey Hannah Hughes.

  These dear ancestors were from Scotland and England.  They came as pioneers to Utah.

  Sarah Ann was the oldest child of nine, born in Mendon, Utah.  Her parents moved to Beaver Dam, Ut where she lived on a large farm with her parents. Francillo Jr. was bishop of the Beaver Dam ward and was also instrumental in the building of the church house there.  It still stands but has been modernized and added upon.

  Sarah Ann enjoyed being a big sister to her siblings.  She helped her mother much in their care.  There were:  Sarah Ann, Henry Oakley Durfey, born 19 Feb. 1888, Lucy Irene, born 30 March 1895 and died 23 August 1956.  Cynthia LaVerne born 1892 and died November 4, 1977.  Elizabeth Findley Durfey (Beth) born 18 June 1897 and died July 30, 1979. Rhoda born 5 October 1899.  Myrtle Iva born 24 August 1903, died 7 April 1960.  William Findley Durfey born 1 Feb 1906 and Joseph Leonard born 3 September 1909.

  Annie was at the bedside of her mother when she died 12 December 1916 and was buried in Beaver Dam.
  Sarah Ann grew up enjoying school and all her classmates.  She was a graduate of the Acadamy in Logan, Utah.  What year is was not given.  It is estimated that Sarah Ann was between the ages of 19 or 20.

  She tended her brothers and sisters and enjoyed knowing the children of her fathers other families. As she grew she would sometimes drive in the horse and buggy with her parents to visit the other children of her father's families and to visit her grandparents in Providence.

  When in the year 1911 she went to stay for a time with her Aunt Lucy Lindsey in Missouri, she met a fine young missionary who was named Amos B. Wood.
Later, their friendship blossomed into romance and they were married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on 5 June 1912.

  Their first home was in Heber Valley where Amos was employed as a bank teller.  He had graduated from BY Acadamy in 1898 (?) as an accountant.
  In Heber, Sarah Ann's first child Lothair Durfey Wood was born 15 August 1913.  Sarah Ann and Amos moved to Logan in six months were Amos was again employed in the bank.  In those days, graduate accountants were in high demand. They lived in Logan for eight years and Sarah Ann bore three more children: Francillo Earl on 10 March 1915, Thelma 28 June 1917, Athene 14 Jan 1919.

  Amos desired to moved to Spanish Fork and in 1919 or 20 they moved there. Amos was employed as Secretary and treasurer of the Spanish Fork Co-op, a large and thriving business - selling groceries, clothing and dry goods and coal and lumber.

  Ann quickly became absorbed in life in her new town.  She made many friends and enjoyed being a teacher in the LDS Primary organization and became a Visiting Teacher in the Relief Society Organization.  She made two new friends who became her life-long companions, Lucy McKell Stone and Mary Wood.

  In February on the 28th day 1921 Ann's fifth child, Darrell D. Wood was born.  Annie had her hands full and also her small house on 2nd South and 1st West.  It was comfortable but not large enough.  Lothair was by then eight years old and she depended on him to help out around the house.  Now was the right time to build a larger place for their growing family.  So they built on a lot of the property owned by Amos' father, Wellington Wood.  It is interesting to note that Grandfather Wellington and his wife Grandma Mary Elizabeth Warner lived on the corner of 2nd South and 1st West and they owned, as did most people of that time, a fourth of a block.  When Amos & Annie wanted their own place, they built on the east side of grandfather Wellington.
Amos's half sister Nora and her husband Maylan Carter built a house just east of Amos and Annie.

  After they moved to the new home, they became the parents of three more sons: Kenneth D Wood born 13 May 1923, died 19 March 1988; Jay D Wood born 27 September 1924 and Blaine D Wood born 11 Jan, 1929.  Sarah Ann was now the mother of eight children and she had all she could do to care for them all. The children took turns having the childhood diseases.  The worst of which was Scarlet Fever.  Some of the kids had a light case of it and some of them had it very bad.  Of course, in those days the family was quaranteened and this bunch was quaranteened for a long stretch.  Annie's neighbor Bruce (Hafen?) and his wife were very kind and helpful to them.  They shopped for the family and would bring in food.  The neighbors would leave the food on the front porch and then throw a rock at the window to let them know it was there.  Everyone survived these dreaded disease.

  By the year 1930, Amos was no longer employed by the Co-op.  He had gone into business for himself working as an accountant for several businesses from Provo on into Richfield and farther down into Southern Utah.
  These years Annie spent every summer taking her children to Beaver Dam. She would catch the Orem train that ran from Payson to Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake she would board the Bamburger train that took them on into Logan.  There she would be met by someone in her father's family to be taken on to Beaver Dam. The children had good and happy memories of these summer visits to Grandma and Grandpa Durfey's home.

  Life not only had some happy times it also gave her some sadness.  Beside the death of her dear parents, Lucy the 12 December 1916, and Francillo on 13 August 1926, her beloved Amos fell sick in the 1930's as a victim of a life threatening nerve disease that also triggered a mental disease for which at that time there was no treatment or cure.  Now there is treatment and anyone who has it can live a normal happy life.

  Amos had at last to be hospitalized.  Of course, in those days there was no Social Security, no state welface and Annie had to work at any job she could get to support herself.  Her older children worked at many jobs too and as the others grew up they too helped with financial support.  Annie worked at cleaning the town theater, she worked in the summer at the Del Monte canning factory.  She rented out three rooms in her basement for $10.00 a month.  She worked for Grace Gardner in her home.  Especially when Grace's husband Henry was at that time the Stake President.  He would entertain the visiting General Authority from Salt Lake City who came to preside over Stake Conference sessions.  Grace was a good but very demanding woman as to her house and Annie was good natured and easy going so they made a good team. Also, Annie's best friends, Lucy Stone and Mary Wood were employed as helpers by Grace.

  There was the time when Athene and Arthur Slater decided to get married.  It was World War II times and Arthur was on leave from the Army.  They had a couple of days and Athene needed her mother to get her temple clothes and recommend ready for Athene - who was working in Ogden for Aunt Beth Marble. Annie really hurried and got everything ready in two days for that wonderful day and was ready to go to the temple with them.  Other times were not so hectic but World War II would see her sons Frances, Darrell, Jay all in the army or the Navy and two sons in law Lynn Ludlow and Arthur Slater in the Army.  They all came home from the war and were not wounded.  Her son Lothair was older and had three children and his company supplied gas to the farmers to run and operate the tractors, hay balers and other machinery.  So Lothair was class 4F for the four years of the war.  He was re-classified the last 18 months of the war to 1G but was not called up.

  Kenneth was classified with a medical disability and Blaine was too young to be called.

  There was the time when Lothair and Leah needed a place to live in Spanish Fork.  They could not find an available apartment for rent so Annie rented to them her basement apartment for $13.00 a month.  During the time they lived there, Leah related that Annie would come to the basement to do the laundry and would sing at the top of her voice.  It was always a little off key but it helped Annie keep up her spirits and keep her mind off her troubles.
She was a good cook and made lemon pie especially tasty.  The crust was always flakey and the filling melted in your mouth.

  Annie's work was demanding and tiring.  Amos's condition did not improve.  He was hospitalized in the State Hospital for the remainder of his life.  Annie and her children, during and after the war, would drive to Provo each Sunday morning to bring Dad home to have Sunday dinner then they would drive him back to the hospital again in the afternoon.  When he died on 2nd January 1955 it was sad for Annie but was also a release for Amos who had suffered much.  His confusion was sad but his reward in Eternity will be great.  He was given a very conforting funeral and burial.

  Annie always kept in touch with her sisters.  They would gather together on each other's birthday and go to that sisters house.  Annie would go to Ogden or Logan, Providence or Beaver Dam and spend a week at her sisters house.
Also all of them would came to Annie's house in turn.

  Her one sister Irene lived in California and when she was able to come it would be a wonderful reunion.  Sarah Ann had helf sisters from her fathers other two wives who would come to visit.  Her brothers wives were also included in this loving circle of woman.

  Annie would go to Beaver Dam to lay flowers on the graves of her family on Memorial Day.

  Sarah Ann Durfey Wood's life was sometimes very hard to bear.  She handled her grief with courage and love.  Many times her life was happy, and she made the most of her happiness.

  She loved to have her children around her whenever they could come.

  Every 24th of July Celebration, it was her custom to have the families all meet together at Mom's home.  They'd have a picnic and the kids would all go to the carnival rides and had a great time.  They would take pictures out doors under the old apple and apricot tree.  That old tree was planted by Amos's father Wellington Wood and it still bares the sweetest, best tasting large apricots ever.

  On Thanksgiving Day everyone was automatically expected to come to a big turkey dinner with fruit, vegatbles, punch, salad and of course pumpkin and lemon pie.

  The grandchildren came to know one another well during their growing up years.  It was a good and fine way for them to know their cousins and a good memory of their grandmother.

                 The Rose Beyond the Well
  A rose once grew where all could see,
  Sheltered beside a garden wall.
  And as the days passed swiftly by -
  It spread its branches straight and tall.
  One day a beam of light shone through
  A crevice that had opened wide.
  The rose bent gently toward its warmth
  Then passed beyond to the other side.
  Now, you who deeply feel its loss,
  Be comforted - the rose blooms there -
  It's beauty ever greater now
  Nurtured by Gods own loving care."
                        Anonymous

  When in her late seventies, she began to be sometimes very forgetful she tried to do the best she could.  By then all her children were married, Kenneth was the only single one.  He never married.  All the children gave him a home to live in by keeping the house up and taxes all paid.  The time came when Annie could no longer live alone and do for herself.  In her eighties years, her daughters, Thelma and Athene cared for her in their homes.  It became too difficult for them to care for her as she had problems that all alzheimer patients have.  They could not cope with these although they tried.

  It began to affect the girls' families life so their husbands Lynn Ludlow and Arthur Slater came to Lothair and Darrell and had a long conversation together.

 They decided to seek help for their mother by placing her in a very qualified nursing home in Orem.  It was a good descision.  Annie was well cared for twenty four hours a day and had good nourishing food.

  Her daughters came every few days to see her as did Lothair.  She did not always recognize them but enjoyed having them there.  Her other sons lived out of state or very far away in another city.  She remained at the hospital for four years.  She became very ill with an operable condition.  I believe on her heart valve.  She was taken to Payson Hospital where surgery was to be performed the next morning.  Lothair, Thelma, Athene, Ken & Darrell all visited her that evening.  The next morning it was confirmed that she was in a critical state and the children were called to come to her.  She died that morning 20th day of May 1971.  She is buried in the Cemetery by her husband Amos on the right hand and Kenneth her son on the left.  Kenneth died 19 May 1985.

                   Spanish Fork, Utah     Mar. 2nd 1922
             PATRIARCHAL BLESSING FOR SARAH ANN DURFEY WOOD
  A blessing given by Patriarch Wm. Jex upon the head of Sarah Ann Durfey Wood, daughter of Francillo Durfey and Lucy Sylvina Findley.  Born Sept. 19th, 1885 a Mendon, Cache County, Utah.

  Sarah Ann Durfey Wood, my beloved sister in the name of the Lord and by virtue and power of the Melchesedic Priesthood, I place my hands upon your head as thou hast desired a blessing, therefore I bless you according to the Spirit of my calling and seal upon you a patriarchal blessing.

  Thou art truly one of the daughters of Eve, brought forth in this day and dispensation by goodly parents and thou hast accepted the Gospel and become a wife and mother in Isreal.  The desire of thy heart is to do the will of the Lord and discharge the duties required of you as a mother and a wife.  Thou hast also become one of the Lord's annointed and received blessings and the Holy anointings of the priesthood.  Thou hast made covenant with the Lord and with your companion in life and in as much as you keep your covenants you will be blessed in the future.

  Thou art blessed with a kind heart and attributes of affection and shall also be a mother to the motherless.  Thou shalt receive blessings and promises that have been made to the seed of Abraham.  Thou art numbered with the House of Isreal, thy lineage is of Ephraim the son of Joseph, that the Lord has reserved and brought forth in these the latter days to carry on His work for the salvation of His children.  And if thou art careful and observe the laws of life and health, thy days shall be prolonged in the land.  Thy influence among the daughters of Isreal shall be for good and you shall be a leader among them. Thou shalt be examplary in life.  Thou shalt live to fulfill your mission upon the earth and the purpose for which you were blessed to inhabit a body upon the earth shall be fully realized.  Thou shalt live to accomplish your mission and when it is accomplished, the purposes for which you were blessed with mortal life, you shall have a part and lot in the first resurrection and be enabled to go onward and upward and obtain the blessings of eternal life and eternal increase in the worlds to come with your companion in life.

  By the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood I seal you up unto the day of redemption that you may not be cut short by the power of the destroyer, but be preserved in mortal life till your work is accomplished.

  You shall live to see the people of God gather and the pwer of God made manifest in their behalf.  I seal upon your head every blessing for your comfort and exaltation that you may enjoy the Spirit of the Lord and that your faith my increase that you may have power with the Heavens.  I want to remind you dear sister the Angels of your presece are watching over you, but you have your agency and your desires are to discharge the duties that are required of you.  Therefore put your trust in the Lord and go before Him in the trials of life and you shall be comforted by His Heavenly influence and also be a comfort to others.

  All these blessings, as a Servant of the Lord, I seal upon your head, dear sister, by the authority of the Holy Priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
                        Approved ___William Jex___ Patriarch.

Biography of Wellington Wood, Sr.

Biography of Wellington Wood, Sr.

by Nora W. Carter

    Biography of Wellington Wood, Sr. 
                               by Nora W. Carter

  Wellington Wood was from a pioneer family.  His grandparents, John and Sarah Thurston Wood came from Massachusetts to Jaffrey, New Hampshire as pioneers All the streams and ponds contained fish.  Wild animals roamed among the trees. Wild fruits were found such as blackberry, raspberry, (chockcherry?)checkerberry, blueberry and huckleberry.

  Land had to be cleared of forests; rye was raised at first; afterwards clover or herdgrass and later corn.  When the ground was in a better condition barley, wheat, oats and potatoes were raised and finally flax for the manufacturing of cloth.

  Cattle were raised and were driven 62 miles to Boston, the nearest market. The farmers hauled pork, poultry, butter and cheese to Boston and brought back salt, sugar, and other necessities

  Daniel Wood, the father of Wellington Wood was born in Jaffrey, New Hampshire 27 Jun 1788.  He was a twin and a tiny infanct, but grew to be a large man.  He lived in Jaffrey until after his marriage.

  He married a neighbor, Abby Wellington, daughter of Enoch Wellington and Sarah Richardson.  They were married in 1813 and had seven children - two boys and five girls.

  They moved to New York state, living in Niagara County where all except the last two children were born.  The last two were born in Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan, where the family moved about 1824.

  Abby Wellington Wood died 8 December 1834 and Daniel was left without a companion.  He was a farmer and stock raiser and was also a soldier in the War of 1812, for which he received a pension for his service in that war.

  The mother of Wellington Wood was Sarah Sweet, daughter of Amos and Dorcas Sweet.  She was born 13 January 1799 in Hoosick, Rensselaer County, New York. She grew to womanhood in New York State.  She was a small woman with dark hair and dark brown eyes.  She met Zenos c. Warren, a pioneer of New Jersey and later became his wife.

  They had five children - four boys and the last a girl.  The family of Zenos C. and Sarah Sweet Warren moved to Oakland County, Michigan where he died 4 March 1836.

  Daniel and Sarah had both lost their companions and a friendship was formed which resulted in their marriage 2 April 1837 in Oakland County, Michigan.

  Daniel and Sarah Sweet Warren Wood had only one child.  Wellington Wood born 17 August 1841 in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan.  He probably received his name from his father's first wife, Abby Wellington as she was also born in August.

  After their pioneer life in Michigan, Daniel and Sarah Wood joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and endured the hardships which followed the Saints on their journey from place to place until they crossed the plains and found a home of peace and rest in the Rocky Mountains.

  Wellington Wood could well remember his childhood days.  he gathered hazelnuts where they grew wild.  He also drove the cows to and from the places where they grazed and did what he could to help his parents.  He had to endure many hardships and was only nine years old when he crossed the plains.

  The children of Abby Wellington Wood remained in Michigan but the time had come for Daniel and Sarah Wood and their son Wellington, also the four children of her first marriage - Charles Wesley Warren, William James Warren, Amos Sweet Warren and Mary d. Warren to join the companies crossing the plains.

  They crossed the plains in the Aaron Johnson Company.  Aaron Johnson was captain of the company of 150 wagons crossing the plains.  They left Kanesville, Iowa on June 12, 1850 and arrived in salt Lake on September 12.

  When they arrived in Salt Lake, Aaron Johnson was met by William Miller, his son-in-law, who told him of Hobble Creek which he had seen.  Not being satisfied to lead the company there without first seeing it, Aaron Johnson rode fifty more miles down to what is now Springville.

  He was delighted with the prospects the new site offered and returned and asked permission of Brigham Young to settle there.  Eight families of the weary travelers then moved on until they came to the place chosen by their leaders for their future home.

  They reached Springville 18 September 1850.  The long journey was ended.

  The next day they sharpened scythes and cut tons of wild hay from the meadow around them.  Axes were sharpened and wagons repaired to prepare to go to the hills for logs to build their home.

  The mothers and children began picking wild berries.  Bushels of ground cherries, choke cherries, and service berries were dried.

  By December of the same year logs had been cut and the "Old Fort" was built in a square with six cabins on each side and only one gateway.  The roofs were covered with clay.  Aaron Johnson was bishop and director in civil affairs for 20 years.

  Wellington Wood was baptized in Springville 30 March 1851.  His parents were re-baptized the same date.  All the family settled in Springville, but all except Amos Sweet Warren and Mary D. Warre, moved to Spanish Fork later.

  Wellington Wood's father was getting old and when he had to assume the responsibility of earning a living for the family.  Like some of his ancestors he also became a farmer and stock raiser.

  At first they lived southeast of Spanish Fork in what is known as the "bottoms"; later at Spanish Fork in an adobe house.

  After coming to Utah Wellington Wood drove a team across the plains to assist others in making the journey to Utah.  When the Indians were hostile he took part in protecting the property and families of the Saints during the Black Hawk War.

  Wellington's mother died 4 July 1863 and was buried in Springville.  Daniel Wood later married a Mrs. Whittemore, who also preceded him in death. Wellington's father, Daniel Wood, lived to be ninety years old and died 12 October 1878.  He was blind the last six years or more of his life.

  While his father's last wife was living Wellington built a four room frame house for her, but she told him she would never live to move in it.  Her words proved true, for she died when the house was nearly finished.  Wellington Wood married Susannah Warner 10 July 1871 in the Endowment House.  She was the daughter of William and Mary Reynolds Warner.  Nine children were born to them - five living to have families.

  The 4th of February 1874 Wellington married in the Endowment House Mary Elizabeth Warner, a sister of Susannah.  By this marriage he became the father of five children - four living to have families.

  His ten living children were Wellington, Morris, Amos, Sophronia, Nora, Mary Violet, Geneva, and Abbie.

  His three sons filled missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  Wellington Wood was among the few who lived the second great commandment "Love they neighbor as thyself." He went about doing good and few, besides the ones he helped, knew anything about it.

  At the funeral of Wellington Wood a tribute was paid him by a friend and neighbor, Enoch Ludlow.  In substance he said, "Wellington Wood was a man who did not preach religion, but lived it in his every day life."  He told of the hardships he endured in coming from England and trying to get a start in a new country, with a large family to keep.  He said one year while with others cleaning an irrigation ditch, he got to telling Wellington Wood what a hard time he was having and happened to say he id not know how he was going to keep his family in flour until harvest time.  Wellington Wood said nothing, but next morning at five o'clock he sacked up some wheat and called to Enoch to come and go to the flour mill and get some flour and he could pay the wheat back in the fall.  This was only one of the many acts of kindness he did for his neighbors.

  Another neighbor, a widow, was trying to support herself and family.  She worked hard, and besides the work, she had to carry the water to use in cooking and cleaning half a mile, as that was the nearest well.  Wellington told her if she would buy the piping, he would see that she had a well.  She did get the piping and he drove an Artesian well for her, paying the one who helped him out of his own pocket.

  Wellington Wood had one of the old time horse power threshing machines and many came to him for work.  He did the best he could for them by letting them follow the machine and asking the farmers to give them work.

  He took no toll from widows who were in need.  An aged negro and wife who lived in Spanish Fork used to come to him for meat and potatoes.  When he had more potatoes than he needed, he would tell those who needed aid to come and help themselves.

  He was always kind to the Indians and never turned them away without feeding them.  He was among the first beet raisers; when farmers used push-hoes to cultivate them, and a four-inch hoe to cut out the beets for thinning.

  Wellington Wood raised hay and decided to try dairy cows.  He bought some good cows and a separator.  He also had a large butter-worker made to mix the butter, ready for pressing into pounds for the market.

  At one time, he made most of the butter sold at the Oran Lewis Store.  Where the butter was sold he requested that it be kept away from onions and vegetables that might cause the butter to be tainted.  He was quite satisfied with his dairy and was successful in selling butter instead of taking the milk to the creamery.

  Wellington Wood worked from early morn until late in the evening.  Each fall found him with his winter's wood and flour, potatoes, beans, meat and vegetables.  He believed in looking out for a rainy day.

  In December 1905 Wellington Wood was at the Spanish Fork Foundry.  While descending the stairs, he tripped on a pebble which caused him to fall, displacing his knee caps and from this time on he was a cripple and had to go in a wheel chair.

  Although a cripple, he carried wood, coal and water on his chair; chopped wood, made trips to town, built fires, and did many other things to pass the time away and keep himself cheerful.

  He taught his children to be honest and truthful, never speak of others unless you have something good so say, help those in need, never get in the habit of borrowing and never make a promise unless you think you can keep it. If for any reason you cannot keep a promise, send word to the one expecting you and make an explanation.  An honest explanation is never outlawed.

  He loved good music, especially violin solos.  he was honest, truthful, kind and generous and was well known and respected in the community where he lived.

  He died of pneumonia, 24 March 1920 after a very short illness.  He is buried in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.