john harvey woolf - BYU Idaho Special Collections and Family History

JOHN HARVEY WOOLFIn sincerity and I think fitting, I would like to use a Book of Mormon saying, “Having been born ofgoodly parents.” This is verily true. I don’t ever remember seeing mother angry, and father was that waytoo. An honest and good manager. A hard worker and in his life accumulated a small fortune and finallygave it all away helping others. Father’s ancestry originated in Germany and mother’s in England. Therewas an amusing incident, when they were courting; Father took mother horse-back riding in the muddyspring, and not many other ways of taking your intended. This happened in Hyde Park, Utah. When theyarrived at her home they both sat side-wise on the horse, and as the horse changed feet to rest, they both felloff. They were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah before the temple was finished.I was born 1 Jan. 1889 about 3 p.m. in Hyde Park, Cache, Utah. There was a total eclipse of the sun thatday. Mother said they had to light the lamp. We moved to Riverdale 5 miles North of Preston on the BearRiver, when I was about 1 ½ years old. There I remember how we used to visit grandfather Woolf and digsegos on the side of the hill. I commenced school at about 6 in a little log room school and church. Fatherhad a team of mules and we kids used to drive them to school, turn the outfit around, and they would goback home alone. The next 3 years I was the cow herder. We would take them out on the hill, and in theevening would go get them. I used to have a lot of trouble finding them and then my pony got wise andwould jump sidewise and throw me off, so he could stop and rest. By the time I quit crying and was readyto get back on, the pony would be asleep.thI was baptized on June 6 , I had turned 8 in January. I remember it as if it were yesterday, how we wentdown to Bear River. Our dressing room was behind a bunch of willows. I have some very fond memoriesof the little settlement. I never heard the name of the Lord taken in vain, until we left there a year or sostlater and came to the Snake River Valley. We left Riverdale in 1898, about the middle of April or the 1 ofMay, for Cardston, Alberta, Canada, about 1,000 miles. It took us about 6 weeks on the road. I rode ahorse most of the way and drove a bunch of loose horses. They would bet tired and hungry and would goin every direction to feed and I sure had a time. Sometimes 3 miles behind the wagons. Northern Montanawas mostly inhabited by Indians. I remember Lowell and I were out in the woods gathering some wood tomake a fire, when an old Buck Indian came toward us. Lowell screamed like he was getting killed, but hedidn’t drop his wood, but ran for dear life.stWe arrived in Cardston about the 1 of July. That is what they call dominion day. They had a littlecelebration and sang “God Save the King,” of course to the tune of America, which didn’t set with me atall. I was just 9 years at the time. Dad settled on a new farm and we couldn’t see another house or a livingsoul from there. Dad finally said this is no place to raise a family, so about the last of August of the sameyear, we came back to the Snake River Valley, for which I am very thankful. (Other Woolfs stayed inCanada and did very well and were active) We had an accident on the way up. One of the men in ourcompany fell down between a team of partly broke wild horses. They swung down the hill and meadow.The hired man fell through and the wagon ran over him. Of course, we thought he was a gonner. Theyadministered to him, and he was driving his wagon the next day, as I remember it. As we were comingback in the exactly same spot, we met a group going to Canada and one of their men had been struck withlightening, but apparently not fatal, although bad.After we arrived here Father looked all over the valley before he finally bought the old home place,known then, as the Marshall ranch. The price was $21,00 an acre. Things went on as normal life, school,church and a good community. That was the only mortgage that 100 acres ever had on it, until after fatherdied. He didn’t have enough cash to pay for it at that time.I was ordained a Deacon at 12 and for some reason they advanced me to a Priest at the age of 14. I had aPatriarchal Blessing at 15 years by James Stokes from Menan, which came true to the letter. I was chosenas Sunday School chorister at, about the age 15 years and have been in some office of a musical kind eversince. Even while I was in the Bishopric, I led the singing quite a lot. When I was about 12, I joined the,then, only brass band in the valley. I first played the valve trombone, but later changed to the clarinet. Wealso organized an orchestra and I played in that about 15 years. We played in every ward and town fromLabelle to Idaho Falls.

In 1906 I worked in the old Simmons-Woolf store in Ucon, till fall and then attended Ricks Academy thru1906-7-8-9, going on a mission to the Southern States, North Carolina Conference in 18 April 1909,spending 2 ½ years there. It was a wonderful experience and I baptized 12 people. Because of myunderstanding of music and meager singing ability, I traveled a lot over the state with the conferencepresidents. I even gave music lessons on the organ to 2 twelve year old girls, and they were playingordinary hymns ver well. I returned home 14 Oct 1911I went to a dance at Milo, Id. Shortly after, and met my first wife, Docia Lott. It seemed to be love at firstsight. She said she fell in love with my hair. I had a lot of long hair, as we wore it in those days. We weremarried 6 June 1912 in the Salt Lake Temple, just 15 years, from the time I had been baptized. I was againleading the singing as ward chorister.On 4 May 1913 I was chosen counselor to Bishop James C. Godfrey, and was ordained a High Priest 4May 1913. I was ordained by Apostle Hyrum M. Smith, and was the youngest High Priest in the stake.When I went in the Bishopric I said to myself, I must have a good time piece. So I loaded up 18 sacks ofwheat and took it to Idaho Falls. I just had enough wheat to pay for a $20.00, 17 Jewel Hamilton watch,which I have on me today 13 April 1957. There is quite a story about it too, I was stacking hay up at DanTylers, having contracted to haul it, and while so doing, lost my watch in the hay stack. I told brother TylerI wanted that joint of hay, because my watch was in it. Along in the winter, LaMar, Rex, and Victor, 3 ofmy sons, went up to get some hay. Victor said “I’m going to find dad’s watch,” and started jabbing his forkupo and down in the hay. He felt the tine hit something hard, and sure enough, he dug down, and the tineof the fork had hit the glass crystal on the edge and slipped off on the case, and the mark was there forpossibly 10 years.Bishop Godfrey passed away in about 1 ½ years and Hyrum R. Kirkham (Brother-in-law) was madeBishop, and I was chosen his first counselor. Brother Kirkham moved away in about 2 years and RobertAndrus was made Bishop. I was retained as first counselor. He was in for about 18 years, when his healthfailed. He was released and Samuel A. Hill was put in as Bishop. I was still retained as first counselor.We were all released 31 July 1938, making a total of 28 years and 3 months that I spent in the Bishopric ofthe Willow Creek-Ucon Ward. It would scare me to look forward to serving that long now. I am glad forhaving had the privilege. A distinct honor, I think.During these years a lot of things happened. Docia died of the flu and childbirth 23 Oct 1938, Josephbeing the baby. How he happened to be named as he was. Bishop Andrus came to the home the day afterhe was born and we thought it best to bless him, because we were not too certain of him living. His motherwas not responding at all good, so Bishop said, “What do you want to name him?” The first thing thatcame to my mind was Joseph Hyrum, after the prophets. Those were trying days. Docia seemed to senseshe was going to die. She said to me 2 or 3 times, that, when she died she wanted me to marry someone,who would be good to the children.In 1919 Henrietta Sanders came out here from North Carolina to see her brother, John, who lived in IdahoFalls, and I met her rather miraculously. I had been praying to meet the right party, and when I first lookedat her, I said to myself that she was the one. We were married 3 Sep 1919 in the Salt Lake Temple.The ensuing years were glorious to me. The children all coming along, and it was wonderful. The sadthing is not having time, or taking time, to love and enjoy things as they come along. The hardest thingI’ve had to do is to try to fill the vacancy left by you children, and yet there is a great joy in seeing each onesuccessful and staying firm in the faith, for that is my greatest desire. When one has traveled the road, it iseasy to see the mistakes. It is of great importance to tell each other of your love, not just taking it forgranted. So I can see, where I’ve missed a lot. I have said to myself several times, “I don’t think there wasever a father, who loved his kids more than I.”I’ll give you a poem I like very much.Learn to make the most of life, lose no happy day.Time can never bring thee back, Chances swept away.

Leave no tender word unsaid Love while life shall last;The mill will never turn again with water that is past.A loving and thankful father,John Harvey WoolfChildren born to John Harvey and Docia were:Harvey LaMar Woolf born 6 Aug 1913 at Ucon, Id. Mrd. Margaret Erickson 27 Jan 1944 at Cambridge,Quincy, Ohio—divorced #2 Kathleen Eleanor Martin married 6 Aug 1966 at Taxco, Mexico. LaMar died 2thOct 1988 Downey, Los Angeles, Ca. Buried 5 Forest Lawn Cem. Cypress, Los Angeles, Ca.Rex Lott Woolf born 19 April 1915 Ucon, Id. Mrd. Bernice Frandsen 21 Oct 1936 Salt Lake Temple, Rexdied 27 July 1983 at Salt Lake Hospital Buried 30 Iona CemeteryVictor Dermont Woolf born 28 Jan 1917 Ucon, Id. Mrd Marjorie Eilene Terkelsen 21 Nov 1942 LongBeach, Los Angeles, Ca. Died 30 Nov 1998 Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada Buried Bunker Eden DaleCemetery at Las Vegas.Joseph Hyrum Woolf born 21 Oct 1918 Ucon, Id. Married Lola Kathleen Jardine 7 Nov 1940 at LoganTemple Living as of 20 Sep. 2002Patriarchal Blessing of John Harvey Woolf,, A Patriarchal Blessing given 29 March 1905 at then, Ako, now Ucon, near Idaho Falls, by Peter HenryStokes.A patriarchal blessing pronounced upon the head of Brother Harvey Woolf, son of John Anthony Wooland Amelia Rachel Hancey. He was born 1 Jan. 1889 at Hyde Park, Cache Co., UtahBrother Harvey, in the name of Jesus Christ, and by power and virtue of the Holy Priesthood, I lay myhands upon they head and pronounce thee a Patriarchal Blessing.By the obedience to the gospel thou hast been adopted unto the fold & family of God.The Lord is well pleased with thee in that thou hast received and obeyed the Gospel in thy youth. Thouart one of God’s chosen ones. The Lord has called thee out of the wicked world into the glorious light &liberty of the everlasting gospel. Thou art of the faithful seed of Abraham, and thou art entitled to all theblessings & promises of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. Thou also entitled to the gifts and blessings of thegospel, and the Lord shall bless thee with such blessings that thou mayest desire in thy heart, and that Hemay deem thee worthy to receive and I bless thee now with the knowledge, wisdom and understanding ofthe Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ.And I say unto thee now in the name of Jesus, receive thou a renewal of the Holy Ghost, which shall be aguide, and a monitor unto thee in thy future life.Vw thou humble and faithful before the Lord. Honor and obey the Holy Priesthood placed over thee inthe church. Magnify the office thou hast been ordained to and shalt be blessed with the Melchezedek orhigher priesthood. Thou shalt be called and sent forth to the nations of the earth as a messenger of thegospel and thou shalt call the wicked and the ungodly to repentance, and then shall find the honest in heartand the meek among them to whom thou art sent.Thou shalt bring many to the knowledge of the truth and return to Zion, bringing thy sheaves with thee. Itshall be a privilege to go into the Temple of the Lord and receive thy endowments and have some goodfaithful sister sealed unto thee, as thy companion for time and eternity, and the Lord shall direct thee inchoosing thy companion.

Thou shalt do much good in thy day and generation and thou shalt live long upon the earth and enjoy thendblessings and privileges of the Kingdom. Thou shalt live to behold the 2 coming of Christ, when He shallappear in the Heavens with His 10 thounds of Saints. Thou shalt live and reign with Him upon the earth athousand years.Thy name shall be foiund written in the Lamb Book of Life and thou shalt haave part in the 1 stresurrection after which thou shalt live with God thy Father forever. I seal these blessings upon thy head onthe condition that thou wilt love God and keep his commandments.Amen.Typed into the computer Oct. 2002 Kathleen Jardine Woolf Idaho Falls, IdahoInformation taken from Ucon Ward Records and his own history, which he wrote.

Docia Lott WoolfDocia Lott was born 28 April 1894 in the little town of Joseph, Sevier Co., Utah to a humble goodthhome, to her parents: Adelbert Franklin and Susan Jane Farnsworth Lott. Docia was the 5 child of thefamily of eleven children.: Clarissa May, Amelia Jane, Adelbert Peter, Margaret Ann, Julia, John Taylor,David Alonzo, Lareen, Franklin Leroy and Athene.When Docia was young she was a very ambitious child, always willing to do her share and more. Herparents moved about quite a lot, where her father could get work. They moved between Joseph, Beaver andFrisco, Utah a number of times. Father Lott chopped wood for the Horn Silver mine in Frisco. Uncle PhiloFarnsworth, (Mother Lott’s half-brother) was superintendent of the mine. When Father Lott hauled woodfrom the cedars, he never liked to go alone, so he took members of his family along with him. Docia and Iwent with him many times and loved to go. As we traveled to and from the woods Father Lott told us manyinteresting stories.Docia and I used to carry lunches for the miners from the boarding house to the mine, so they could havehot drinks, thermos bottles, weren’t known of in those days. The miners would pay us 5 cents-thos nickleswere worth a lot to us. Docia attended her first school in Frisco. We had to walk about a mile and a half toschool. Sometimes the gullies we walked through were so dense with fog we could hardly see our way.Mother Lott tells this stoiry about Docia: She had been to Sunday School and had learned some of theArticles of Faith, she put her finger in the mouth of one of the little ones and was bitten, Docia said, soindignant. “You’ll half to answer for your own sins and not for Adams transgression.” That became quite asaying with the family. When we lived in Frisco, Uncle Philo, owned a private railroad car and wouldcome from Salt Lake toi Frisco. He would let us children ride over to the town. We had to walk back, butwe were real happy about it.