By Thomas S. Thomas

Contributed by Mr. Thomas himself.

(December 1934)

In this paper I mean to trace the passing of time, the onward movement in religious, educational, social and agricultural affairs, beginning with the primitive stages of sixty years ago.

First, I will take our religious life of that-a-day and age. This valley at that time was sparsely settled. Those who had emigrated to this forlorn desert were Mormon converts, mostly from Eruope, flocking to the call of Zion. To get here they suffered untold hardships. These hardy pioneers had taken their religious rites as a most sacred covenant between man and God. Their enduring faith in God, that all will be well, carried them on to overcome every barrier that interfered with their worship. At that time we had no church building in St. John, so services were held in different homes. I recollect their warm handshaking, with kindly greetings to all. They really believed they could commune with God, as they prayed with sincere hearts for his guidance in all things. They came to church in those days the best they could. Some drove ox-teams, a few horses. Most of them came afoot. No barriers of snow, sleet, or rain would turn them back from their religious services.

I feel I should give the names of our sturdy pioneers: Lewis Lewis, David Stephens, John Ellis, John James Sr., D. C. Jones, Matthew Hill, James Larson, Andrew Johnson, Carl Josephson, Peter Peterson, Andrew Monson, Charles Davander, Thomas Stephens, D. Louis Deschamps, Jeremiah Jones, John Mandry, George Kent, John Denning, John Vanderwood, John James Jr., Thomas Reed, Thomas Pierce, Edward Woozley, Henry Jones, Jenkin Williams, Zina Thomas, Thomas Rolland, Joe Astle, John Davis, Daniel Stephens, Daniel Kent, and Sid Kent.

The second generation of old-timers included: William D. Lewis, David S. Thomas, Isaac Isaacson, Joseph Jones, Daniel Tovey, George Tovey, Eph E. Jones, D. S. Jones, John L. Jones, Thomas S. Jones, Louis Baker, Fred Baker, William Anthony, Hyrum Monson, Edward Monson, Eph Monson, John Peterson, Joe Peterson, Peter Peterson, William Larson, Leff Larson, Timothy Woozley, John Deschamps, David Deschamps, Francis Deschamps, David Stehpens, John Reed, Andrew Hill, John Hill, William Hill, Edward Hill, Dan S. Jones, George Jones, Robert Lloyd, John Lloyd, Samuel Davis, Joe Davis, Andrew Anderson, William Jenkins, Frank Bailey, D. H. Jones, Thomas Jones, and Thomas S. Thomas.

These men, with their wives, gave us the foundation stock of St. John. At that time we seemed to be gifted in every line–we had scholars, musicians, carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, and weavers. So taking it in that day and age, I believe we were more independent than we are today. For our trend of life today is towards more dependence on the other fellow.

It was about 1878 the people got together and decided to build a combination church and school house. They started a structure 18 x 30 feet, built to completion by donation. It was a log structure with a dirt roof and rough lumber floor. D. “Carpenter” Jones made the tables. The seats and benches were made from logs split in two and smoothed off with broad-axes, retouched with jackplanes. Four holes were bored in each slab, and long wooden pegs were fitted in the same for legs, giving us a firm, steady seat, but one without a back. I remember the first pow-wow or social gathering we had there. It started right after noon with a big feast, then continued on with a grand ball. The orchestra consisted of James Larson, violin; Hiram Monson, violin; David Stephens, accordion; and Prof. Woozley, organ. The organ we borrowed from David Stephens. Those were the days when the polka, scottish, waltz, Virginia Reel, and many other old favorites were in their prime. With a brand new floor of rough lumber, the house all lit up with candles, the orchestra all tuned up, they started off with a grand march. Every man and his partner stepped in time and the dance was on. The floor next morning looked like a poor job of planning had been done, for it was a common thing for men to wear hob-nails in their shoes. In those days, shoes were made to give long and useful service, not, as today, to be shined up and looked at!

Our church organization now took on a new life. Lewis Lewis was put in charge as “Presiding Elder” of the St. John Ward. He was a man not too radical, and would not condemn those not as religious as he. Because of his wise attitude, we were able to organize for music training under the direction of Prof. Edward Woozley. We had a choir of fifty voices, from every cult and creed in our vicinity. And under his instruction, within three months we had mastered some of Handel’s, Mozart’s and Bach’s works, which would have been a credit to any city of twenty thousand inhabitants. The organist was none other than your humble servant, Thomas S. Thomas. I was but a boy, reared and groomed by a widowed mother, and my chances for an education were like those of many others of my day, very meager. Prof. Woozley gave me the ambition to master the organ, without the aid of a teacher. I was able to play all four parts of anthems, and choruses the professor placed before me. After we got going, our church was packed every Sunday. From this start we organized a theatrical troupe, also a minstrel troupe. We gave free concerts and played every Saturday evening, until we had crowds coming from all parts of the valley. There is an old saying, “You can work a willing horse to death,” As I grew older I could realize we never paid Prof. Woozley one dollar to ten that we received from him. So, according to religious belief, he has a fine checking account to his credit over there.

Then Prof. Woozley organized a flute and piccolo band, ten in number. We sent away for instruments and in thirty days we were serenading. The pep of that little organization was a great thing for St. John. Out of that start I was able, a little later, to organize a brass band of sixteen numbers-another success that carried on for twelve years. From this organization we created an orchestra, which spent many happy evenings practicing all kinds of music. This summarizes our music trend up to the year 1910, since when I have not been a regular member.

To go back to the completion of our school and church buildings. It was placed in the care of Louis Deschampls for all church or social affairs. I remember telling us youngsters at one of the first dances under his supervision “Jump as high as you please, but, by thunder, I want you to light easy!” That little sermon was well heeded from then on. He was sociable and affable, but stern in action. A few years later, as “Bishop” Lewis was getting on in years, they released him, making Bishop Harrison our leader. We got along fine with our new Bishop.

For many years we had a thriving community, and a good following in church matters. Then the bill of Dubois was passed, disenfranchising every Mormon in the State of Idaho for his beliefs. We were, as it seemed, a people without a county. Word came from headquarters, advising us all to withdraw our names from church records, which most of us did. By doing so we were full-fledged citizens of the United States.

Later on, the old church building we had enjoyed for so many years was replaced by a new one, after much effort on the part of Bishop Harrison everybody in the neighborhood backed him in the structure. And now it seems that the old building has served its time, and it is up to the younger generation, as the old builders have all passed, to see that we get a new, up-to-date building, in keeping with the times.

In our Social and religious affairs, everybody took part. People at that time were all poor. But if anybody in the neighborhood was afflicted or suffered misfortune, no question was asked as to his church standing. We all proclaimed him worthy, and went out for his interests, whether to haul his winter wood, plow his land for crops, or get food and clothing for his needs. That feeling of brotherly love was foremost in the minds of every soul in those days. Are we advancing along those lines today? There are such mistakes being made today as to chase dimes and lose track of your dollars. Time is marching on, and in the last sixty years I have seen science make great strides toward bettering our general conditions. Have social and religious reforms kept pace with science? I say “No”. In times past I have seen power increase from the ox and donkey to steam, gas, and electricity. Our lighting system has progressed from the “bitch” to the candle, on up to the oil lamp, then the turn of a button to electric lights.

Agriculture has progressed from the cycle, scythe, and cradle to the self-harvesting machines. Our mode of travel from “Shank’s ponies” to buggies, then from automobiles to flying machines. That’s going some! Our mode of correspondence from the slow passage of a letter, to telegraph, then telephone, and now the radio. We had to make our own amusements in the early days. Now we merely pay a quarter and see all parts of the world, from the jungles in Africa to a prize fight in Malad. Fishing has not changed one iota since I was a boy. I used to find worms, then go down to the Malad River and catch suckers. That’s how we all do it now. We have got no wiser on this point. Neither have the fish!

I wish to speak also of our family circle. When I was a boy, we were advised to make our family circles as large as possible. I see a decided change in this regard. Today they make them as small as possible. In the old days eight to twelve children were a moderate family. Now one or two is the limit, and they are having more trouble caring for them than the larger families of old.

I have to recite to you a little incident that happened in our neighborhood. A widow had an only son, wayward and very hard to control. She used to beg him to change his ways, reminding him of her love. And he would come back with the answer, “There’s no thanks to you, mother, for all this love. The old mother bear thinks just as much of her cubs as you do for me.” This made me think. One day his mother went to the hen house to set two hens. She placed twelve eggs under each. The first hen brought forth twelve plump little chicks, the other hatched but one. He watched their maneuvers through the season. The old hen with one chick was just as busy as the one with twelve. When fall came, he said, “I caught both hens and examined them carefully, and found the hen with one chick had her feet worse worn than the one with twelve, yet the twelve chicks were fully as fat as the one.

Just one more suggestion as to our good fellowship, one to another, as our past generation has practiced it, with many good turns done, I trust we will continue, as their offspring, to emulate their good and gracious deeds.

I sincerely congratulate you on this fiftieth anniversary of your church works. May your days be many, so when life’s work ceases, you can with pleasure proclaim, “It’s the end of a perfect day!” 

I thank you.

(written by Thomas S. Thomas and read by him on the occasion of St. John’s celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its church organization.”)