Life
History of Joshua Hawkes 1836 - 1914
1839. Father settled our family in the city of Nauvoo at the counsel of the
Prophet Joseph Smith to help labor on the new Temple. He did this for seven
years, until its completion and dedication on April 30, 1846. We suffered much
through poverty and sickness during our stay at Nauvoo, having been driven from
our homes and losing all that we possessed or nearly so.
1841. My step-mother had a daughter, Adalie, and a son, Joseph, born while we
lived at Nauvoo. They both died in infancy. The scepter of death made several
calls to our family from 1842 to 1847. Adalie died Jan. 1842, only two months
old. My oldest brother, Samuel, died April 24, 1843, at the age of 21 of
consumption. Joseph & Hyrum Smith were killed June 27, 1844. My older
brother, Levi, drowned in the Mississippi River July 31, 1845 at the age of 14.
Little brother, Joseph, died Jan 6, 1846, at 2 1/2 years of age. Little brother,
Seth, was born Dec. 30, 1846 at Garden Grove, Iowa, and died January 3, 1847,
four days later. Five of our immediate family and the Prophet had all died in
that brief time.
1844. I was baptized August 10, 1844, by my father.
1846. The Nauvoo Temple was dedicated April 30, 1846. In September the Temple
fell into the hands of the mob. November 19th, it was gutted with fire. What
were the feelings of my father after working seven toilsome years building the
temple, then to know it had gone up in flames?
In 1846, Father and Mother permanently lost their health with chills and fever
as a result of exposure and the hardships they were forced to endure. It was in
the month of October, after a hard battle of the few Saints that were left in
Nauvoo, that we were driven out of the city, west, across the Mississippi River
into the wilderness. Our little affects were moved with the rest of the exiles
into the woods on the Iowa side. Our stock consisted of one three-year-old
heifer.
My older sister, Alzina, had died as an infant Nov. 26, 1835. Out of the nine
children my father and two mothers brought into the world, only my little
brother, Amos, and I were left to care for our ailing father and mother. I was
now 10 years old.
After a few days we were moved down to Montrose, a little town about three miles
below, where we were taken into a house by a friend of Father's, a James Hoten.
Father and Mother were both sick as yet. All the support we got, except for the
charity of our friends, the Hoten family, was that I used to sell the little
milk we got from the heifer to people on the steamboats at that place.
A company of teams was sent back from Garden Grove, about 150 miles west in
Iowa, where we were moved to a settlement of the Saints, where my sister Lucy
was living. My father's health was a little better though he was quite weak. He
decided to go back East to his native land and see if it would help his health.
He also hoped some of his folks would help him out in his hour of need.
1847. The first companies of Saints to cross the plains to Utah, left in the
spring of 1847, and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, July 24, 1847. We were not
able yet to go with them. It would be four more years before we would make the
trip across the plains to Utah.
In the fall of 1847, about October, Father left for Maine. Myself and Amos were
all that were left of our family to care for our mother at Garden Grove. In a
few weeks after Father had gone east, my step-mother became a raving maniac. I
went to live with Pres. Kinkton, and Amos with someone else. My step-mother was
taken care of by the ward until father returned the spring of 1848.
1848. My sister Lucy and her husband, Philo Allen, had moved to Council Bluffs
in the spring of 1847. In the spring of 1848 they came back after us, shortly
after Father returned from the East. Mother was still no better. We went back to
live with Lucy and her family that summer and all farmed together. In the fall
of that year we built a cabin on a farm Father had taken up two miles south of
Kanesville/Council Bluffs. We moved that fall with our mother no better.
1849. Sister Lucy and her family started for Salt Lake in the spring. We stayed
and did our housework until in the fall. Father got a woman with two little
children to do our work and help take care of our mother during the
winter.
1850. In the summer, Father got a widow with three children by the name of Mrs.
Bowen, to come to our home and help us. Father married Mrs. Bowen, August 27,
1850. Mother, Phoebe Ann Baldwin, died in December 1850, still no better until
death relieved her. We were still living at Kanesville. Father and Phoebe Ann
had been married for 13 years. She was 47 and he was 51.
1851. We sold the farm in the spring and came to Utah. I came with a Mr. Kearns,
walking much of the way, driving three yoke of oxen, helping with the animals
and doing what work I could, as we went along. We found the Elkhorn River too
high to cross and made a detour to Fort Kearney, where on the bottoms of the
Platte River were camped nearly all of the immense Sioux nation who were
negotiating a treaty with the Crows.
I celebrated my 15th birthday on August 20th that summer. We went to Ogden. I
worked in Salt Lake until Christmas and then came home and went to school that
winter. Father and Mrs. Bowen separated after they arrived in Ogden, after being
married about one year. Father was now 52 years old.
1852. In the spring, I hired out to work for a man named Green at Kaysville.
Father and Amos rented some land and farmed that summer. I went to sister Lucy's
in the fall where we lived after Father and Mrs. Bowen separated. We boys went
to school through the winter.
1853. On March 20th, Father married my mother's sister, Albina Alvord Murry, a
widow. She was 39 and he was 54. In April we moved near Spanish Fork, Utah,
settling at Palmyra, a new town laid off the fall before. We took forty acres of
land in what was called "The Big Field," and farmed a little of it
that year. I spent the forepart of the season making a ditch and getting poles.
We did quite a large amount of water work on the irrigation canal.
On July 19, 1853, the Indians killed Alexander Keele at Payson, and commenced
what is called the Walker War. On the 20th of July, Colonel Conover from Provo,
in command of a company of militia known as the Nauvoo Legion, called at
Palmyra, and asked for volunteers to join his company and defend the settlements
not provided with sufficient guards. I joined this company, and with twenty-five
others, we started at midnight, and went to the relief of those in Payson.
The next day I went with Major Stephen Markham, John W. Berry, and 14 other men
from Provo, Springville, Payson, and Summit Creek (now Santaquin) as far south
as Manti, to ask for volunteers to fight in the Walker War. We were gone two or
three weeks.
Back home the Legion members were called on to build a fort near Palmyra, which
we did that fall. Many of the local people spent an anxious winter in the
confines of that fort. The next spring Brigham Young instructed us to build
another fort at the site of the upper settlement which was called Spanish Fork.
This fort housed 19 families during the winter of 1854-55. Father was one of
those who lived there during that winter.
Near the end of the war, Brigham Young advised the brethren to erect a house in
the fort area for Peteetneet, one of the remaining Ute chiefs. The house was
built and the warrior chief moved peaceably into it. He remained there until the
settlement was broken up some time later.
I served with honor for fourteen months in this war, and was in several battles
and skirmishes. At times I acted as an interpreter to the Indians.
In November 1853, my stepmother aunt died, at the age of 39, after being married
to Father for only about eight months. She was his 4th wife. So, Father, Amos,
and I were left alone again, without anyone to do the housework, only ourselves.
I went to school that winter.
1854. In the spring I went to Ogden to work for Philo Allen and lived there that
summer, except during harvest and haying, when I went and worked with D. Hendrix
in Salt Lake City. I went home in the fall and went to school that winter.
Father was still living without anyone to keep house. During the winter, it was
not very pleasant with only ourselves to do the work.
I was ordained a Priest at the age of 18 by Bishop Stephen Markham.
1855. In the early spring, I went to Ogden to help Philo Allen move to Spanish
Fork, during which time Father and Amos moved up to the house we had built in
the new fort. I worked at home that summer. We put in about thirty acres of
wheat, but by the first of May, every bit of it was eaten off to the ground by
the grasshoppers, which was a universal thing through the Territory. We
immediately went to work and planted corn on the same land and raised enough so
we had some to sell that fall. I worked with Philo Allen for a while and helped
him build a house. The city of Spanish Fork was laid out so he took a lot and
built on it.
My father married a widow, his 5th wife, Catherine Cole Sterling, September 9,
1855. She had an adopted boy, Hyrum. She was about 30 years old and had come
from New Brunswick. Father was now 56 years old, and I was 19. In the first
municipal election Father was elected to the town council. I was ordained an
Elder by Amos Stiles.
Father took up two lots in Spanish Fork, and I took one lot. They would not let
a single man take but one. Amos and I made quite a number of thousand adobe
bricks to build on Father's city lots. We put up a house of six rooms that fall
and the next spring. It seemed that we were constantly on the move and
building.
I worked at home most of the time, helping to get Father comfortably fixed in
life. His health was poor and he could not do hard labor, so the heft of it fell
on us, Amos and I. I was much larger than Amos, so I had the heavy end to bear.
I did not go to school that winter as there was now at the fort - only a woman
who taught a few little children.
1856. We moved into our new house on the city lots. We labored hard to get out
fencing and to fence the lots of Father's and my own. We raised a crop and got
out lumber to finish our house. Most of my time was spent working in the
mountains, except during harvest time, until winter set in. I went to school
part of the winter and worked some in the mountains. At the age of 20, I was
ordained a Seventy in the summer of 1856 by Pres. Joseph Young Jr.
1857. I worked on the farm a part of the summer. At our municipal election, at
the age of 21, I was elected a member of the City Council of Spanish Fork City,
which place I filled for over one year. I was also called to act as Captain of
Police, which place I occupied until my removal from the city in 1862.
On the 24th of July, news came to Governor Young that four thousand U.S. Army
soldiers and their supply trains were on their way to Utah to destroy the
Mormons. Companies were raised all through the different settlements to go and
stop them. I was called too, as one in our Company from Spanish Fork. I fitted
up with one pony to ride. We started out, but by the time we reached American
Fork, news reached us to go back for one week, which we did.
About three weeks elapsed before we started out the second time. We traveled to
Echo Canyon in two and one-half days. In about a week after our arrival there, I
was selected, among others, to go as a scouting party toward the enemy, who were
then in the vicinity of Green River.
Our orders from Daniel H. Wells were as follows: "Proceed at once to annoy
them in every possible way. Use every exertion to stampede their animals and set
fire to their trains. Burn the whole country before them and on their flanks.
Keep them from sleeping by night surprises; blockade the road by falling trees
or destroying the river fords where you can. Watch for opportunities to set fire
to the grass before them that can be burned."
We first went to Fort Bridger, thence on to Fort Supply. From there to Hams
Fork, we watched them and drove off their stock whenever we had an opportunity
to do so. When the army started down Hams Fork to come into Fort Bridger, we
came on ahead of them and burned the forts, which were built of cottonwood logs.
The LDS Church owned Fort Bridger and Fort Supply.
The weather was then getting very cold with about eight inches of snow at Fort
Bridger. In company with other, we were fired at with grape shot and muskets
several times, but all escaped unharmed. When the army came to Bridger, they
found it in ashes. They decided to spend the winter nearby at Black's Fork,
because of the lack of livestock and supplies. Most of us came home. Our company
got home just before Christmas. I was twenty-one years old at this time.
1858. During the winter and in the spring Governor Young ordered a standing army
to be raised. I was chosen as one of that number from our town. I got a couple
of ponies fit for action and fitted myself for the summer campaign. But, just as
we were ready to start out news came that a compromise had been made. Johnson
army was coming peacefully to Salt Lake City. That news broke up our standing
army.
I received my temple endowments on the 17th of February, as all men that were
going into the standing army were given their endowments by counsel of President
Young.
My brother, Amos, married Agnes Mary White, the 18th of March.
I went back to work on the farm for a while, then went to the soldier camp with
a few others and went to work for wages. They had come in July to settle in Camp
Floyd in Cedar Valley, west of Lehi & Utah Lake. I stayed there working at
different kinds of labor until near winter. I sold my horse and saddle and came
home. With a few others we went back to buy cattle and wagons. I got one yoke of
oxen and a wagon.
1859. I stayed home during the winter. I worked on the farm and in the canyons
through the summer. With my brother married and gone from home now, and Father's
health still poor, I had the heft of the labor to do. Father was elected again
to the city council, May 2nd.
On the twenty-first of December in Spanish Fork, I was married to Mary, daughter
of John A. Lewis and Ann Johns. She was 20 and I was 23. Mary was born November
22, 1839. Mary Lewis had a 2 year old daughter, Mary Ann Redd, from a previous
marriage who came to live with us also. Mary Ann Redd, was born August 28, 1857,
at Spanish Fork, Utah. As a young woman she married Walter Bryant Wickham. They
moved to Wilford, Idaho, where she died September 5, 1911.
1860. I worked on Father's farm as well as tending my own land, he not being
able to labor but little, which made my task much harder and having to build at
the same time. Father had adopted a boy who helped some. On September 27, our
daughter, Lucy, was born. Mary and I joined a dramatic association, helped build
a theater, and were actors in it. I was acting as a Ward Teacher for about three
years.
1861. I farmed and labored in the canyons, still assisting Father in his heavy
labor. I spent some time in freighting grain for the Overland Mail Company, just
opened by Ben Holiday through the Carson Valley, and was gone five weeks. I went
to Ruby Valley also. I was elected to serve on the city council.
I was selected as vice president of our dramatics building association with G.D.
Snell as president. He soon went off to California and that left the
responsibility of president on me. We went on and got the building in a partial
state of completion by the spring of '62. In the fall, we engaged T.A. Lyne of
Salt Lake City to play with us and to instruct us. My wife, Mary, was then
taking the role of the leading female characters.
1862. I made some land trades. I got a piece in the upper end of the Old Field
on the Spanish Fork Bottom, known as the Pace Farm. The water raised very high
early in April, and commenced to overflow our land. My brother, Amos, had bought
a piece of land next to mine. Quite a number of us began to levy against the
rising water. We worked for three weeks in the water most of the time, which was
very cold. We lost a part of our crop, but the land was cut in hollows, and most
of the top soil washed away.
I contracted a heavy sickness by working in the water. It came on during the
summer. In September our eldest son, Levi, was born. A large, fine child,
healthy and strong, until the night of November 28th. He went to bed with his
mother, as well as could be, apparently. In the night, I woke and heard an
unnatural breathing with him. I got up immediately, woke my wife, and commenced
doing all we could for him. I went and got a doctor immediately, found the baby
was suffering in the chest and lungs. In spite of all we could do, he died just
at daylight in the morning. From the time we found out he was sick until he was
dead could not have been more than three hours at the most. So, he died the
morning of the 29th.
My father took sick about the 7th of December with a cold on his lungs and died
on the 12th at the age of 63. He had been married to Catherine Cole Sterling,
his 5th wife, for the last 7 years. Losing my father was the hardest blow on me
of the whole. The loss of our eldest son and sweet babe was hard to bear, but
the long years of toil and trials through which I had spent most of my life,
knowing of his untiring zeal and faithfulness in the Gospel and the welfare of
his family which he was always laboring for, made it quite hard for me to give
up that he was dead. My loss of him as a father can never be replaced this side
of the vale. Thus, inside of two months, I had lost my eldest son, a lovely and
promising child, and my father. My great desire is to live that we can be able
to meet with them beyond this world of strife, toil, pain, and sorrow, and to
dwell in peace forever with all our loved ones.
1863. In the spring my brother, Amos, and I concluded to move up to our farms,
as it was so far to go - about three miles from town. We built a cabin each, and
moved up and put in our crops.
In June I was taken sick with the bilious fever, which settled in my hips for a
while, then in the calves of my legs. For a long time all hopes of my recovery
was given up. My wife's health was quite poor, but she would not leave scarcely
day or night. In my very sick and weak state, I thought nobody could do anything
for me. As soon as I could be moved, I was taken back to town where I could get
assistance without so much trouble. I, or rather the folks who were very kind to
me, employed Dr. Riggs of Provo to doctor me, which cost me forty dollars. He
put a Seton in my leg just above the ankle on the inside to get an issue, which
has troubled me ever since, more or less, by its continuing to run and break out
in different places.
It was when the people were returning home from the October Conference that I
first attempted to walk across the floor. I thought I could go as far as the
door and look at the people as they passed along the road, but I fell on the
floor and my wife had to help me up and to bed. There I stayed until I got more
strength. I was not able to do scarcely any labor through the winter. A great
deal of my crop was destroyed for the want of proper care, making it hard for me
during the winter and the next summer. My wife's health was quite poor, having
so much care on her, and being broke of her rest at night so much. We passed the
winter as best we could with friends and acquaintances.
Idaho became a territory, which included all of Idaho and Montana, and most of
Wyoming.
1864. On March 26, Mary and I went to Salt Lake City to be sealed and get her
endowments.
Having had such bad luck farming, I concluded to try what I could at freighting.
I traded some land and fitted up a four horse team and got a load for Idaho
City. I spent the summer at that kind of labor or a part of it. I was not very
strong. My leg still troubled me. I did some hauling at home, and got my own
firewood from the canyons in the fall. I made one or two trips to Salt Lake
City.
On the fifth day of November our second son, Joseph Bryant, was born, which gave
me great joy, for my thought at the time of my sickness was that I would not
live to have a son to bear my name. We named him after my father, Joseph Bryant.
Nothing of any importance transpired up to the end of that year.
1865. My health was quite poor on account of my leg. My brother-in-law, Philo
Allen, was living at Weber, Utah. He asked me to come and live near them as he
had land enough for all, and would like us to come and share it with them. So, I
sold my little affects, land and house and lot. In the spring, in April, we
started for Weber.
I rented some land from Philo. My leg got worse during the summer, so I
underwent a treatment from Dr. Ormsby, Sr., but it did me little good. I managed
to earn a little grain, enough for bread. My wife made cheese and butter that
summer, as we had several cows. By changing work with my sister, Lucy, she
helped in that hour of need, and did her part, taking care of her three little
children at the same time. I did some labor in the fall, getting other labor, so
we were provided for with the necessaries of life for the winter.
1866. I rented some land again from Philo Allen, and put in a crop, and stayed
at home during the summer. I had not obtained any land, being quite unsettled,
things having taken a great change. Philo had made up his mind by then to sell
out. That would leave me without a home. I had depended on his word, for he had
urged me to come to his place. I did not want to leave although I/we had not
made any special bargain. So, it was left in such a shape that he could sell and
not break any particular bargain. We spent the winter there on the place. By the
end of the year he had sold out.
1867. My brother, Amos, was buying himself a farm at Willard City, Box Elder,
County. He wanted me to go with him and help him. Since I had no place, I
consented to go, which I did, and moved in the spring. My brother went to
Montana, and I took care of the place and raised crops. He did not return until
late in the fall. After my brother's return, we spent the winter in getting out
fire-wood and attending our stock.
On July 23rd, our third son, Lewis Joshua, was born in Willard, Utah.
1868. In the spring, my brother thought he would put out an orchard. So, I went
to Salt Lake City and got $44 dollars worth of fruit trees and set them out. We
raised some corn and enough wheat for our use, although the grass-hoppers were
very bad and destroyed a great deal for us. We went to work and got out logs and
put up a house for me that summer. My leg was not so bad now, so I could labor
quite well. We moved into the cabin in the fall. We were getting along quite
comfortable by this time and thus we passed the winter.
1869. I still worked on the farm with my brother and raised a very good crop of
grain and vegetables that summer. In the fall some of our acquaintances from
Spanish Fork came and wanted us to go with them and take a contract on the
C.P.R.Railroad. They wanted me to take my family and our stove, so that my wife
could do the cooking, which we did. We started with all hands, on the 9th of
November, for Promontory. There were fourteen of us in the contract. R. Hicks
was the foreman. I sold my grain and potatoes to the company for a good price.
The winter was quite mild, and we worked all winter. We finished one job early
the following spring, although we did not get a lot of pay.
1870. My wife's father and her brother, Fredrick, came out to work on the
railroad. I went with them as our company had finished, and took a contract to
put in culverts. My wife and I got some money, and I bought a mule team and
wagon. I paid one thousand dollars for the outfit. Our work was soon broken up,
as the company did not want any more culverts put in.
In April we returned home, as the work in the R.R. had ceased. We had made a
very good winter's work of it, by turning our produce and labor into money and
investing the money into a team and wagon as I had done.
I then went and got the job of keeping the section house at the Bonneville
switch. It then belonged to the C.P. Company. We stayed there all that fall and
winter and until the next spring.
1871. My brother had sold out at Willard and gone to Promontory. I bought a home
and city lot with a small orchard at Willard. We then moved to town and rented a
part of Moses Dudley's house, ours being too small.
On May 12th, our fourth son, Charles Fredrick, was born at Willard. Before the
summer was over we moved into part of the Warner place. In the course of the
season, I did a great deal of hauling for people which helped us in our
living.
In the fall I traded my mules and wagon off for a farm in Wellsville, Cache
County, Utah, of forty acres of farming land and twenty acres of meadow land and
two city lots and three log rooms. In November we moved into our new home, which
we could call our own and which we were very proud of. We were pretty well
provided for with food and clothing for the winter and the ensuing summer.
1872. I had rather kept from public speaking up to this time, but as I knew I
must do my own work, I concluded to bear my portion when opportunity offered
itself. Bishop Maughn called upon me to speak in a very short time after we
moved, so I did the best I could. From that time, I tried to improve my mind at
every opportunity. I worked what I was able to on my farm, but as I was not very
strong, I could do but little. I rented some land, planted my city lots to corn
and potatoes. The grasshoppers came again and took quite a portion of the crops
that season, which made it very hard for me again. We began to get acquainted
with people and had a very good time.
During the fore part of the winter of '71 and '72, my wife's folks, Caroline
Pace and Millie, and Wm. Lewis, my wife's brother and sister, came up to see us
and stayed a good part of the winter, which was greatly appreciated by us.
We raised enough grain and other produce to do us through the season. I was able
to get wood from the canyons, although it was quite a task for me, as my leg was
very bad most of the time. Nothing more of great importance occurred that
year.
1873. My wife and I were invited to join the theatrical troupe at Wellsville,
which we declined, but my wife played with them to accommodate the party. I was
called on a home mission to travel through Cache Valley Stake with Jas. Jardine
and others. We visited nearly every settlement in the Stake during the summer
and fall, which gave me quite an experience in the line of public preaching. I
raised a crop of grain and other produce that year.
At their election, I was elected Justice of the Peace for the city, [Another
record gives this election as the year 1872] which place I filled for one term
or until I moved away in the spring of '75. I was also admitted to the School of
the Prophets at Logan. I also was hired by the trustees of the first district to
teach school for the winter, which I did with good success considering my
limited education. Many events transpired during the year, but I cannot recall
any of them that are important.
1874. On March 5th, our third daughter, Sophronia Amelia, was born. She weighed
12 pounds.
My leg troubled me at times very much, and it was quite a task for me to labor
hard on the farm. I put in a small crop that season and did what work I could
during the summer.
My brother, Amos, had moved to Franklin, Idaho, a year before and put up a
water-powered sawmill. It was at the intersection of Maple Creek and it sawed a
great deal of lumber from Crooked Canyon. It was afterwards known as the
"Gibson Mill." He was quite anxious for me to move up there, as the
prospects appeared good.
An old acquaintance of mine, Andrew Morrison, was also anxious to have me come
there. He had a farm that he would trade to me for the one I had at Wellsville.
So, I thought perhaps it would be the best for me to do, to make the trade,
which I did in the fall. We began to make preparations to move early in the
spring. We spent the winter very nicely in Wellsville.
1875. On the second day of March, having all things ready, we again started to
move to our new home at Franklin, assisted by two of Amos' boys and a team. We
came on a hard snow storm, so we did not arrive until the fifth. I had traded my
hay and potatoes with the tithing, so I got mine at Franklin.
Thus commenced our new life after another move. We formed new acquaintances in
life again. Our home was but one log one, and that, not very stylish. I put in a
small crop of wheat and had some volunteer grain which made us an ample amount
for the season. I labored on the mill with my brother, what I was able to during
the summer.
In May, I think it was, I went to Salt Lake City for the purpose of having my
leg doctored by the National Institute of Indianapolis. I bargained with them
for a treatment for the sum of $100.00. I paid them $40.00, and they took a note
for the remaining $60.00 to be paid in one year. They helped me in a very short
time, and my leg, which had been sore for two years constantly, was healed in
less than two months. This was a great help to me.
1876. We were invited to join the dramatic association at Franklin, which my
wife and I did. A new organization was formed and I was chosen as President, and
I.B. Nash as stage manager. We played a few times in Franklin. The Bishop gave
us a mission to play in all the settlements in Cache Valley for the benefit of
John Biggs, who was then in the Boise Penitentiary, which we did. Thus we spent
the winter very nicely at our town.
In March my wife, Mary had a very narrow escape of her life. She was sick for a
long time. Through the faith of the Elders and the blessings of the Lord, and
with good care, she recovered and was restored to health again.
I was chosen and set apart by Bishop L.H. Hatch to act as a teacher in the
Franklin Ward. I was also appointed by the City Council to fill the vacancy of
L.H. Hatch, as acting Mayor of Franklin, as Brigham Young has asked him to go
open up a new colony in Arizona. He had been Franklin's first mayor and I was
the second mayor in Idaho's oldest town.
Preston Thomas Sr. and myself were appointed as a committee to overhaul and
revise the City Ordinances. As it was found, a great many defects were in them.
This took us some time, and in the summer season when we were crowded with work.
This work, and the amount of other business which we had to attend to in the
council, took up a good deal of time during that whole season. I raised a crop
of grain and did my other work.
Another labor of a public nature now devolved itself upon me by virtue of the
office which I held as mayor of the city as successor of L.H. Hatch. He had
filed on the townsite which consisted of 640 acres of land. That must be looked
after, which took quite a good part of my time, as I had to make final proof on
it, and re-survey the town and make a new plat. This was quite a labor. To raise
the necessary funds within the prescribed time by law was the hardest part of
the business, and a large amount of land that was not occupied besides the
streets, made it appear very high. An amount had to be put upon the land to
cover the amount, and it caused some unpleasant feelings with some people at the
time. It seemed the only course to obtain the required amount and the whole
business was upon me. The City Council were quite indifferent about the matter
and seemed to think it all rested on me. So I commenced upon my field of labor,
which took considerable part of the summer.
1877. In the spring the foundation of the Logan Temple was begun. The building
rock was obtained from Green Canyon east of Logan. The decorative stone for
windows, doors, sills, corner pieces, etc. was obtained from a sandstone quarry
northeast of Franklin. Many men from Franklin were employed in the quarry and in
hauling stone in wagons to the temple site.
I was busy with my labors of the ward as a teacher, and with dramatic affairs,
and the labor for my family. My sons, Bryant, and also, Lewis, were getting old
enough to help me a great deal, which took a great weight of labor and
responsibility off from my shoulders. I established an office and commenced to
take the money for the land. Having apportioned the amount per acre, and not
getting the required money in time, I was necessitated to hire $400, as the
entire proof must be made in the fore part of the summer.
I obtained the money of D.H. Perry of Ogden, and in June, with a number of
others, went to Malad and made the final proof on the townsite. The next thing
was to re-survey all the occupied land and have a plat made of it in order to
get the amount of land each person owned. I hired W.H. Martineau of Logan as the
surveyor. Thus ended the work for the time.
I was helping in the political affairs of the county and territory and spent
some time attending conventions. At the time of President Young's death, I went
to Salt Lake to the funeral. I saw my sister, Lucy, for the last time in this
life.
Our son, Horace Bertrand, was born May 24th, in Franklin, Idaho.
In the fall and winter I did my own labor, all that could be, to prepare for the
next season. We spent most of the winter at home and in visiting with our
friends, and occasionally playing with the theater troupe. By this time, I was
gaining considerable experience in public speaking, having often had the
opportunity to speak.
1878. I now began upon my task of making out deeds for the people, having
attended all the other business necessary for that purpose. In the course of the
summer the Utah and Northern Railroad began to extend on north from Franklin,
its terminus at that time, and since 1875. Not having a very great supply of
grain, owing to the grasshoppers eating our crop the previous year, and seeing
an opportunity to help ourselves a little by boarding the construction hands, we
got a house of W. L. Webster and commenced the boarding business, which we kept
until the next spring. It was the best thing we could do to get hold of a little
cash, and it was quite acceptable to us at that time.
Among other things of a public nature imposed upon me was the office of school
trustee for two terms, which was not lucrative to me. I was elected mayor of
Franklin at the regular election one year after I was appointed mayor by the
council, a term of office which, under the charter, was two years. I held the
office during that term, and again was elected to the same position, which place
I held until our Franklin City Charter was repealed some time before the term of
office expired.
And so it was with me, more or less from the time I went to Franklin. I was
called into requisition in some public capacity as long as I was permitted to
stay at home. It seems that my lot has been wrought with many changes; some of
which I could not control. Others, by moving, which I thought would be, to
better our conditions in life. I struggled hard and under very difficult
circumstances, through ill health, and having to look to someone else to assist
me. I had to persuade them that they could assist me, owing to my being in poor
health and, having no help in the line of field labor.
For many years, both my brother and brother-in-law were anxious for me to come
where they were. Perhaps their intentions were good, but they both changed their
minds, to my great detriment at least. After I had left the little home, I had
almost thrown myself, and my future prospects upon them. Then, for them to turn
around and sell or leave their locality, it left me out-of-doors without a home,
and not able to work but little for the support of my family. For this reason, I
was on the move, more or less, for years, struggling to get a home that had the
prospect of affording me a living in the future. It was not that I liked moving
about, or that I could not find suitable places, but to find a farm that I could
obtain with what means that were within my reach that could sustain my family. I
had quite a number of boys by then.
1879. My boys and I put in quite a crop of wheat and oats and did considerable
fencing in the summer. We raised a very good crop. We were beginning to make
things move in the line of labor very well. My leg was better than it had been
for years.
At a special conference held in Salt Lake City, in August 1852, the doctrine of
"plural marriage" was first publicly declared. The revelation to
Joseph Smith upon the subject was read, and Orson Pratt gave a discourse from
the standpoint of the Bible. The bounds and restrictions of the law as laid down
by modern revelation were clarified. President Young held the keys of this order
of marriage, to enter into its practice. In certain instances the President
urged Church leaders to marry and provide a home for worthy women of the
community, who had been denied the opportunity for the development of
personality which comes from married life.
On August 28th, I married Sarah Ann Smart in the Salt Lake Temple. She was 24
and I was 43. Now, began the persecution against me for living polygamy.
I had made out deeds for a large number of lots and parcels of land in the city
entry, and this afforded me labor for all the spare time I had during the
winter. Together with other affairs such as the theater business, missionary
labor, and ward teaching. Quite a number of changes took place. I was a member
of the convention at Malad to nominate officers for the county.
I was nominated County Commissioner and honorably elected, but later beat out of
it by fraud, through a set of political scoundrels, at the setting of the
District Court, through a few vile apostates, that were doing all they could to
destroy the Saints. They tried to get an indictment against me for polygamy, but
I had a friend in the District Attorney, who soon broke up their little peace
for a while.
We, as a family, spent the winter very pleasantly, and enjoyed ourselves among
the Saints.
1880. My boys and I commenced our labors on the farm again. I attended to my
labors in trust for the city, in making out deeds and a great amount of other
business that had to be attended to in the townsite affairs. We did some work in
getting our fencing and lumber for building.
On June 22, my wife, Sarah Ann Smart Hawkes, gave birth to her eldest daughter,
Alsymina Smart Hawkes.
We had a little building material on hand that we had got out during the summer
and commenced to put up a house in the fall, but not until quite late, as we
were so crowded with work.
On October 30th, my wife, Mary, gave birth to our sixth son, Claudius Eugene
Hawkes.
Everything seemed to prosper in our hands, and we felt that the Lord was
blessing our labors temporally and spiritually. I still worked at the deeding
business and attending to the affairs pertaining to my office as Mayor of the
City. About this time they reorganized the Relief Society of Franklin. Sister
Elizabeth Fox was chosen President, Sophia Mecham first counselor, and my wife,
Mary, second counselor.
1881. After my sons and I had put in our crops in the spring, we turned our
attention to the canyon labor, with the purpose of getting out lumber to build a
new house. We did quite an amount of labor in that direction, and got several
thousand board feet in the fall. We laid the foundation and put up the frame,
16X32 by fourteen feet to the square in height. I hired a few days labor in
putting up the frame. We did all the rest of the work ourselves. We got the body
up, and shingles and rustic siding on before the extreme cold weather came. As
soon as the weather permitted it, we filled it in with adobes which we had made
in the warm weather. I worked in dressing the timber, laying the floors, and
casing the doors and windows through the winter all the time I could get, over
attending to other business and doing the work that had to be done around the
home. So passed the winter - but quite pleasantly at home with my family.
1882. In the spring we resumed our labor on the farm as usual. As soon as we got
our crops in, we again went into the canyons to finish getting out the necessary
material to finish the new home. We all labored hard to get the new house done.
We attended to the other labors we had to do in raising grain, as well as having
to pay for our land and getting deeds for the same. We accomplished a good
summer's work, and got ready to plaster our house in the fall or winter, which
took considerable means and labor, it being quite late and cold weather. We
labored under quite a disadvantage, but through perseverance, we accomplished
our object.
On June 3rd, my wife, Sarah Ann, had her first son, Estes Smart Hawkes.
I was crowded with labor and business all summer and winter. In September I
attended our County Convention at Oxford, being sent there as a delegate. I was
chosen to go to Boise City as a delegate to the Territorial Convention to
nominate a delegate to the U.S. Congress. I was given the proxy of four others.
I was to meet at Boise City on the 14th at 10 o'clock A.M. Accordingly, I
started on the U.N. Railroad. I went to Blackfoot, and there took a stage via
Bellevue and Mountain Home. I arrived at 8:00 A.M. and found Brother Budge of
Bear Lake. We counseled together before going into the convention, and concluded
to vote for George Ainsley. We succeeded in securing his nomination. We started
for home the next day and came home via Kelton. I stopped two days with my
daughter, Lucy, at Salmon Falls, and visited with them.
Back home, I went on with the labor of the house. In a short time I was sent to
Malad to another convention. On arriving, I learned that a bench warrant was out
for my arrest on the charge of polygamy. We met at Bishop Stewart's that night
in counsel. President Preston was there. He advised me to give my proxy to some
of the brethren and not come into the convention, as it was the intention to
arrest me at that time, if it should prove true that a warrant was out for me.
The next morning President Preston sent Bishop Stewart with a note telling me to
get out of the way and keep out. The main object at that time was to destroy all
our votes at the convention, to weaken us all they could in our party.
I went home from there and then to Richmond. I stayed a few days and then went
to work on the Logan Temple. In a few days I was sent for. My eldest son,
Bryant, had pneumonia. I went home, found him very sick, and all the other
children sick with the measles. My wife, Mary, had gone to Heber City with her
youngest son, a mere baby. I sent for the Elders. We had prayer and went to work
anointing every one of them. We commenced to administer to them, beginning at
the oldest and so on, to the last. They soon got better. My wife was sent for,
and as soon as we could, we moved into the new house, having finished the two
lower rooms. We moved in on Christmas Day.
While at Richmond, old Sister Dinis died. The family desired that I should
preach at the funeral. While at the cemetery, Brother Monson said to me, he
thought I ought to take a mission. He was President of the Seventies through
that district, and I knew it meant something.
1883. Soon after New Year's, I went back to Logan to work on the temple. In
February, while working at the carpenter bench one morning, a letter from the
First Presidency was handed to me giving me notice that I was called on a
mission to the Southern States. [The temple was dedicated May 17, 1884, while I
was still on my mission]. I had but two weeks to prepare for going, having to
start from Salt Lake City on the 27th.
I went home that day and began preparations to go. I got all my things ready as
near as I could to start. The Saints assisted me with means to travel to my
field of labor. One little circumstance transpired before I went. My wife, Sarah
Ann, took quinsy a short time before I was to start for Salt Lake. She was very
bad, so I did not go as soon as I would have on that account. At 9:00 P.M., her
quinsy broke, and I started out at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I arrived at Salt
Lake City at 8:00 A.M. I went to the Historian's office and was there set apart
for my mission, to the Southern States Mission, by President Woodruff. I was
blessed also, to go to my father's house in the Eastern States and take the
Gospel to them there, after I had filled my mission in the south.
On the 27th, in company with 23 other Elders, I left Salt Lake City for Ogden. I
was placed in charge of the little band of Elders. We met President Morgan at
St. Louis, who accompanied us to Chattanooga, Tennessee, the headquarters of the
Southern States Mission. I was assigned to labor in Hickman County, Tennessee,
in company with Elder Miner Wilcox. In November we baptized ten persons into the
Church. We emigrated a small company of saints to Colorado and Utah in November.
Brother Wilcox was sick most of that winter. I had a very severe attack of
chills and fever in the fall.
1884. On the 18th of January, I baptized seven more into the Church. In March,
Elder Wilcox was released to return home, on account of poor health. I baptized
two more in May. Shortly after, I started for the East. I left Tennessee June
2nd, on board the steamer, Gilbert, for Cincinnati, Ohio. I was on the Tennessee
and Ohio Rivers for one week. I stayed two days in Cincinnati and took cars for
New York City. I found Brother Hart and Elder Stevenson there. I stayed two days
viewing the city, then took a steamer for Boston, as far as Fall River. Then I
took the train from there to Portland, Maine, then to Sebago Lake.
I arrived in the afternoon, at the place of my cousin, Almon Littlefield. I will
here say that I had never seen some of my father's relatives. The first one to
meet me at the door was my father's sister, 84 years old, who got up and opened
the door for me, a thing folks said she had never done for a great many years,
having been to feeble to get up.
I must be brief in this, as my diary gives a daily account of all my travels
while on my mission, which I design to have written in connection with this
history. I arrived at A. Littlefield's on the 14th of June. In a few days I
began hunting up and visiting relatives which I found were very scattered. I did
not mention to them that I was an Elder in the Mormon Church for nearly two
weeks, but formed new acquaintances with the relatives.
When I told Cousin Almon, and talked with his brother about the matter, they
became quite anxious to hear me preach, which was just what I was anxious to do.
After talking with him about the affair, I told him if they could get me their
church, and give out the appointment, I could fill it. I thought it the best way
to let them take the lead, and I would have a better chance with them in the
beginning.
They obtained the church in two weeks, which gave me ample time to prepare, and
for them to circulate the news. Accordingly, at the appointed time, the people
gathered into a large congregation. I was staying with my uncle, Daniel Smith,
at the time. He and his family were very much concerned about me; they were
afraid the ministers would get a hold on me, as they thought I was not much of
preacher. The old gentleman said to me, I must put my best foot forward, for
they did not want the ministers to get the better of me. I was all alone and had
to do all.
It was quite a hard task for me with a large assembly of well educated people
before me, and all strangers to me, except only a few acquaintances of my
kindred. I spoke for two hours and ten minutes on the first principles of the
Gospel and the apostasy of the Primitive Church, and bore a powerful testimony
to them. After the meeting, many came and shook hands with me in approbation.
Uncle Smith came with the others and said, I need not fear; none could gainsay
anything I had said. Others said it was the greatest discourse that had ever
been delivered in that house. I held other meetings at different places with
good success.
I visited my father's birthplace and saw many things of interest on the old
homestead. I spent a very pleasant summer in the midst of my kindred in Maine. I
visited the old homestead of our grandparents at Old Saugus, where they first
settled in 1630. His name was Adam Hawkes, and he came from England. It is still
owned by a descendent of Adam's, Lewis P. Hawkes.
My father's sister, Sally, 84 years old, died at her home on the seventh of
September at 6:00 P.M. The funeral was on the tenth, as they kept her to give
the friends and relatives time to come from a distance. By the request of the
family, I preached her funeral to a large audience. I took up the subject of the
resurrection. It was strange to most of them, but I proved every assertion from
the Bible and made it very plain that none could gainsay.
I spent a week in Beverly, Massachusetts with a cousin, W. Henry Hawkes, and
came back to Maine on the 15th. On the 21st, cousin Almon's wife and daughter
requested me to baptize them. Thinking it would be best not to let any know of
it, we all went down to Sebago Lake at 9 o'clock in the evening, and I baptized
them. I came back, changed my clothes, confirmed them and felt thankful to the
Lord for giving them His Spirit, that they had obeyed the Gospel order, and were
now numbered with the Saints. My prayers were answered thus far. From the time I
first arrived and long before, I prayed that I might have power to convert at
least some of my relatives to the truth of Mormonism, as it is called.
I counseled, advised, and gave them all the instructions I was in possession of,
to strengthen them after I was gone, to fortify them against the evils to which
they would come in contact, knowing they would be left like sheep without a
shepherd, until they gathered with the Saints.
On September 27th, I started home. I went on a steamship from Portland, Maine,
to New York and was very seasick most of the way. I came via Chicago to Council
Bluffs on the N.Y. & Erie Railroad and the Chicago and Northwestern R.R.
then on the Union Pacific R.R. to Ogden, where I arrived on the fourth of
October. I saw my wife, Mary, standing on the platform at the depot, but lost
sight of her. She gave up that I was on the train, and started for Salt Lake
City that night.
I went to Salt Lake City the next day, and found her at the Globe with a lot of
friends taking dinner. I attended the General Conference and had an interview
with President G.Q. Cannon and reported myself to the Deseret News Office. I
spent a pleasant time meeting numerous friends. My wife and I returned home to
the rest of the family, and found all well. I visited among the Saints, and on
the following Sunday, gave an account of my missionary labors to the Saints in
Franklin.
1885. I spent the winter at home with my family, and in talking to and with the
Saints. I attended the Oneida Stake Conference at Oxford in February with my
wife, Mary.
On March 17th, myself, and wives left home and went to Smithfield, Utah. I went
on to Salt Lake City and worked until late fall. Many unpleasant things took
place, owing to my situation. There was much persecution against the Saints, or
those that were living polygamy. Deputy marshals were now in nearly all the
settlements, commencing their hellish work, hunting and harassing those they
thought were in polygamy. Idaho was more troubled than Utah, as there were but
few compared with the number of officers. I spent most of the summer in Utah,
knowing the bitter feeling against me.
We now come to the end of Joshua's journal/record. We will switch now from first
person reporting, to narrating the rest of his history from various written
sources listed in the bibliography at the end of this history.
From 1884 to 1892 the anti-Mormon forces completely dominated the Idaho State
government. During this period the postmaster, constable, justice of the peace,
and all other influential offices were held by non-Mormons in Franklin. The
school board, which consisted of three trustees, were all non-Mormons and they
employed their own teachers. None of the Mormons were allowed to teach school
during this period of disfranchisement, and legally no Mormon could hold a
political office or was allowed to vote. At this time, too, Franklin was
disincorporated as a city and was finally made a village in 1897.
In 1890, the church sustained the Manifesto to discontinue polygamy. In December
1891, the church petitioned for amnesty or a general pardon for their
"political offenses." Utah became a state, the Edmunds Act became
inoperative, the church property was returned, and the restrictions against the
Mormons by the government were removed. The Idaho State Legislature finally
withdrew its restrictions against the Mormons in 1893. The Latter-day Saints
then split up into the two leading national political parties, and have since
enjoyed equality in their citizenship with no feelings of animosity.
On July 12th, [1885] my wife, Sarah Ann, had another son born in Franklin, whom
we named Acil Smart Hawkes.
1887. Sarah Ann gave birth to William Thomas Hawkes on October 4th, at Franklin,
Idaho.
1888. Joshua's son, William Thomas Hawkes died January 7, at the age of three
months old. Joshua's older sister, Lucy Hawkes Allen, died February 22, at the
age of 59.
From the diary of Joshua Hawkes dated September 1888 we find the following
quote, "I concluded to give myself up to the officers on the charge of
unlawful cohabitation. So, on the 25th, [probably August] surrendered to Le
Hanson, U. S. Marshall. Went to Blackfoot on the 8th [September] and on the 9th
pleaded guilty. Went home until the 16th, on the 19th was sentenced to go to
Boise [Territorial] Penitentiary for four months and pay a $100.00 fine. Started
for the Pen at 8:PM - arrived at Boise City on the 20th at 9:AM. Got breakfast
at the hotel. Got to the Pen at 10:00 A.M. Also, Bros. Buckley, Jacobson, and
Johnathan Smith - four month each - no fine on Buckley, $100.00 on Jacobson, and
$200.00 on Smith."
While imprisoned there he wrote his life history from memory up to that date.
One source says that because of his excellent horsemanship, he was assigned
prison duty to work in the horse stables. He was in charge of seeing that the
horses were groomed, harnessed, and ready to travel when needed by the prison
officials.
1889. Effie Smart Hawkes was born to Joshua and Sarah Ann Hawkes, March 20th, at
Franklin, Idaho.
1890. On July 3, Idaho became the 43 state of the Union.
1892. Percy Smart Hawkes was born to Joshua and Sarah Ann Hawkes, December 2nd,
at Richmond, Utah.
1894. LeGrand Smart Hawkes was born to Joshua and Sarah Ann Hawkes, April 18th,
at Franklin, Idaho.
1896. By now, Sarah Ann had lived in Franklin and vicinity for seventeen years
as a second wife to Joshua, and in connection with his first wife and family.
Sarah had six living children of her own between the ages of 16 and 2 years of
age.
Sarah encouraged Joshua to move her and their children north into the upper
Snake River Valley. They had heard of some choice land that could be homesteaded
up there. So in the springtime a trip was made to go and look at the new
prospects, and then make a decision. Joshua was now 60 years old and Sarah Ann
was 41.
On May 4, Joshua and Sarah Ann Hawkes filed on homestead land in a place that
had been called Leigh Valley, Houston Flat, Mountain Dell, and finally Horseshoe
Flat. It was 20 miles east of St. Anthony, Idaho, in Fremont County. Later a
nearby Post Office called Lillian was established two miles to the north. They
filed separately so as to be able to obtain more acres of land. Joshua filed on
160 acres. Sarah filed on 160 acres. Joseph Bryant, Joshua's oldest living son,
now 32 years old, married with several children, also filed on 160 acres nearby
at the same time. Two or three years later on Lewis Joshua, another married son,
filed on 160 acres nearby.
Before returning to Franklin for the winter, Joshua and others organized the
Conant Creek Canal Company with O. L. Packer, President; Joseph Bryant Hawkes,
Secretary; with members Joshua Hawkes, Oscar Pope, Nathan Packer, Sarah A.
Hawkes. June 20th, a surveyor was enlisted to survey the new ditch. That summer
some of them worked making a 3 foot wide ditch in the open country.
In October Joshua, Sarah, and a few others of the family left Franklin to go
north again to the site of the homesteads. (They were required by law to live
one day out of every six months of the year to legally prove up on it.)
1897. Early in the spring Joshua moved Sarah Ann and all her children, except
Elsie, by horse drawn wagons, up to the new homestead in Horseshoe Flat. Elsie
stayed home to go to school so as to be able to begin teaching. Mary Lewis and
most of her children stayed and continued to live in Franklin and nearby. [For a
detailed account of these first few years on the homestead, read LUXURY IN A
COVERED WAGON, by Acil S. Hawkes]
Here are some excerpts from the above mentioned book:
"With covered wagon...we came to the crest of the hill overlooking the
place they had called Horseshoe Flat...
a very beautiful place, covered with a sea of tall grass intermingled with
flowers of blues and yellows...what a quietness... and peace."
Spring 1897...Joshua & Sarah Ann Hawkes & children, Estes, Acil, Percy,
Effie, & LeGrand. "On the homesteads...without gun or tent...
build a cabin...use snow from the bluffs...posts from the groves...dig a
ditch...build a bowery...dig a deep water well by hand...
plow one or two acres of sod per day...we will make something of this
place." (memories of 12 yr. old Acil S. Hawkes)
"For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and
of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)
Joshua and Sarah Ann found that some of the people that had come the year before
had become discouraged and left. So, they moved into an abandoned cabin in the
middle of Horseshoe Flat until they could construct a two room cabin of their
own near the south end of the property they had filed on.
1898. They worked most of last year and this year building their cabins and
getting things in order to make a living in this new land. Joshua was elected
President of the Conant Creek Canal Company and served there for several years.
Not only as president director, but helped along with his sons to do the actual
digging and business to get the water down to the farms.
Joshua and Sarah Ann's daughter, Elsie, came to teach the first school in the
Farnum area.
1900. The first Sunday School in the Conant LDS Branch was organized with Joshua
Hawkes as president. Winter was so harsh that in each of these early years the
family would take their kitchen stove by wagon and move to a small house in
Rexburg until spring. By making this move the children could attend school in
the winter. In 1903 the Hawkes family started the Academy boarding house to
supplement their income.
Some of the families who came in this early era in addition to the Hawkes family
were: O.L. Packer, J.E. Morrison, Lorin Mendenhall, Nathan Packer, Oscar Pope,
Thomas Pratt, Billy Moss, Silas, James, & Wilmer Green, Thomas & Brigham
Murdoch, Newby family, Hans Neilson, Daniel Gibson, Ferrins, Hills, Orrs, Wades,
Simon Saunders, Tom Houston, & others. William Pratt lived in Wilford, Idaho
and was instrumental in advising many of the above people to settle in the
Farnum/Drummond area. Many of them were related to the Hawkes/Smart
families.
For a number of years the families hauled water in barrels from Conant Creek.
Mr. Morrison finally suggested they dig a well in front of Joshua Hawkes' house
as it looked like a likely place. With the help of several men, water was found
at only 18 ft. in one day. This became a popular place for neighbors and
travelers to come by and replenish their water supply.
North of the Hawkes two-room cabin was a salt lick. Herds of antelope and other
game could be seen there at times pawing the dirt away to obtain a few licks of
salty mineral. Buffalo skulls were still to be found occasionally lying about on
hill and vale.
Out of necessity, Joshua selected the cemetery site on top of the hill in the
middle of Horseshoe Flat, as the young son of Tom Houston passed away and there
was no place as yet designated to bury anyone. He was the first one. This was
the beginning of the two fenced cemetery sites now found on the hill.
1901. Most of the summer and fall through these years were spent working on the
Conant Creek Canal to get the water down and on the farm land. The water was
finally brought down the nine miles from Conant Creek to the first terminus in
1903. There were still many miles of lateral ditches to be dug to get the water
to the individual farms.
It was thought that no crops could be raised without the practice of irrigation,
as that had been the pattern in the places they farmed in the past in Utah and
southern Idaho. As a result, not much land was broken up because their first
effort was to obtain the water. In the years that followed, it was found that
very good crops could be raised by summer fallowing one year and raising a crop
the next. So great tracts of land were broken up that did not lay under the
ditch and farmed in this dry farm method.
Many of the farmers later gave up their water stock and relied solely on the
blessings of rain. After all the years of toil and sacrifice Joshua and his sons
put into getting the water down, it turned out to be more of a blessing to other
farmers who used it than to his own family. However, the Hawkes family
descendants continued to dry farm and have had a fine prosperous family business
through the years.
There is not much information available about the last 10 years of Joshua's
life. His health deteriorated with the running sore in his leg, his advancing
age, and the rigors of life he had experienced. He returned the last few years
of his life to Franklin to the care of his first wife and family. He had a
desire to work in the Logan Temple as much as was possible and rest from the
cares of world.
1914. Joshua Hawkes passed away at the age of 78, March 5th, in Logan, Utah, and
was buried March 8th, in Franklin, Idaho.
1920. Mary Lewis Hawkes died at the age of 81, and was buried in Franklin,
Idaho, near her husband, Joshua. She was born November 22, 1839, and died August
9, 1920.
1934. Sarah Ann Smart Hawkes died at the age of 79, and was buried in Franklin,
Idaho, near her husband, Joshua. She was born October 24, 1855, and died
November 3, 1934.
There are several of Joshua's children and descendants buried nearby in the same
cemetery.
We do not have a history of Mary Lewis except to say that she was born November
22, 1839, in Cardeff, Glamorgan, Wales, the daughter of John A. Lewis and Ann
John. Her father came from Wales to Utah in 1854, bringing 21 people with him.
He followed the trade of a mason and died at the age of 75 in Utah. She was
married to a Mr. Redd and had a daughter Mary Ann Redd, who was later adopted
and became Joshua Hawkes' oldest child. Mary Lewis and Joshua had nine children
counting Mary Ann.
Sarah Ann Smart was born in American Fork, Utah, the daughter of Thomas Sharratt
Smart and Ann Hayter on October 24, 1855. She grew up acquiring a talent for
sewing, dancing, and homemaking. At the age of 22 she was sustained as a
counselor in the first Young Ladies Association in Franklin. Mary Ann Hawkes was
President.
A grand-daughter of Sarah Ann reports that her grandmother fell deeply in love
with a wonderful young man and he turned all his attention to her. But following
a lovers quarrel she refused to be humble and meet him halfway. On a quick
rebound he married someone else. It was a tragic heartache that became her
constant companion.
As time went on Sarah Ann undoubtedly visited the Hawkes home on occasion, with
her friend and associate, Mary Ann Hawkes, and there became acquainted with
Joshua. On August 28, 1879, Sarah Ann at the age of 24, became the plural wife
of Joshua Hawkes. Sarah Ann and Joshua had 7 children.
In the course of life and times while living in Franklin, the two families had
some good times and some misunderstandings. It is reported that if there were
any hard feelings between the wives that they were reconciled in the later years
of their lives.
It would be well to note, however, that according to the 22 March 1912 Endowment
House Records #183402, that Sarah Ann and Joshua were temple divorced by order
of Pres. Joseph F. Smith. This was just two years before his death.
As his posterity, we will have to leave judgement to the Lord. These are noble
people. Our worthy ancestors. We love and appreciate them. The hereafter will
resolve all our concerns. We honor them. We respect them. May we live worthy of
God's approval and blessings.
As we conclude this report let us remember how Joshua grew from a pioneer boy
who's humble family had practically nothing of this world's goods, to a
prominent citizen in the community and church. We watched him repeatedly move
from one place to another, constantly striving to improve his lot in life. He
was always building, learning, and willing to serve his family, community, and
the Lord. He taught us great lessons by his example and effort. His greatest
growth and success may have come in Franklin.
A Franklin, Idaho, pioneer newspaper editor named five main characteristics, and
his description might well have been used as a fitting epitaph to have been
inscribed on a future monument in memory of those early builders.
First, every family in the community had available for its study the official
publication printed and circulated under the direction of the pioneer leaders.
This publication served both as a newspaper and as a medium through which they
obtained the counsel and instruction from their leaders whose utterances they
considered inspired and of unquestioned wisdom. From its pages they were able to
satisfy in part their desire for knowledge and learning.
Second, they had the reputation for paying their debts promptly.
Third, they were public-spirited, as evidenced by the fact that in the nine
years since their settlement they had built a fort as protection, a school, a
church, a cooperative store, a post office with pony express routes to other
communities, a sawmill, a telegraph, and a brass band.
Fourth, the man who had been named as their leader, or bishop, as he was called,
had so distinguished himself as to be given the title "a working
bishop." Of him it was said he worked until he was tired, then rested by
changing jobs.
Fifth, they did not forget their poor.
In their teachings and by their example they fathered a new concept of religion
and patriotism. For them a place in the celestial world could be won not merely
by being good, but by doing good.
As Joshua and his families grew up in this environment it molded them into
strong people who have given us a great heritage. They have given us the
ambition and opportunity to also be of great service to our families,
communities, and the Lord.
NOTE:
We have found additional recorded evidence that some of Joshua's and Sarah Ann's descendants have re-sealed them together again in the temple in the 1990's.
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This history was compiled in 1998 by using the nearly thirty reference materials listed in the bibliography, by Joshua's grandson, Percy Blaine Hawkes. Please email any additional information, journals, corrections, suggestions, etc., so we may make a more accurate record.