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.