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.
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