Ireta Richards Hymas (1902-1974)

Ireta Richards Hymas (1902-1974)

Grandma Ireta Richards Hymas. My great-grandmother through my maternal grandmother.

As I mentioned in my post about her husband, Grandpa Sam, I knew very little about her. I would hear stories here and there about her, but not much.

Growing up, I always knew the Richards side of the family was a big deal, but until I started researching, I did not realize how big of a deal. I knew where my grandma had been born and grew up. But not much more than that. I'm excited to dig into the Richards side of the family.

It has been interesting to read about Grandma Ireta and learn more about her. I did not know she was so involved in music as she was. Grandma Webb always loved music and I can see where she got it from. I looked up information when she participated in General Conference (which I did not know about previously) and was overwhelmed thinking about what kind of experience she had. I remember when I was younger how I wanted to do something similar. I remember the feeling when my kids and I went to General Conference in October 2011. To imagine participating!

For some reason I struggled with this post. I think it was because of the long history she had written. In the other posts, I admit, I cheated some and used my friends, Mr Copy and Mr Paste. I typed the entirety of this history. There were many errors in the original, however I only corrected the basic ones so that the wording and understanding flowed better. While typing this up, I kept thinking how grateful I am for spell check, because I am sure that some of the typos are simply due to not being able to go back and easily correct.

In the beginning of her history, she has documented the histories of both the Richards and the Randall (her mother) sides. I left it out and started with her own history. I will document this information with the posts that I will do in the future.

Smithfield City Cemetery

As I stated in Grandpa's post, I've been to Grandma and Grandpa Hymas' grave many, many times over my life. Its not far inside Smithfield City Cemetery's main gates.

When I had visited the grave over Memorial Day weekend, the yellow mums were already placed on their headstone, also on their son Bruce's headstone. At the time, I did not know who had left them. I found out later that it was Bruce's wife, daughter and son-in-law. It humbles me when I know I'm not the only one that visits these graves. Sammy and I added some white mums before we left.

Gravesite 2017

Ireta Richards Hymas

Personal History

Ireta's family 1949
Back row: Franklin Dewey, Carol, Pearl, Helen, Margaret, Melvin Ross
Front row: Ireta, Mary, Wilford Woodruff Jr, Emily (mother), Laura, Ruth
Deceased: Wilford Woodruff Sr (father) and Clyde Randall

I - Ireta Richards, like Nephi of old, was born of goodly parents 3 March 1902 at Georgetown, Bear Lake Co. Idaho. The seventh child in a family of 12 children. Four boys and eight girls. My early life in Georgetown holds only a few memories, as the family left there in 1906. However I do remember when my sister Pearl was born (four years younger than I) and it was announced to the children that we had another sister.

I recall also, that Carol (two years younger than I) had pneumonia and we almost lost her. I still know the thrill that came when learning that father had bought a piano, and it would soon be delivered from Montpelier, Idaho, to our home, and we would have it to own.

One day father came quickly to the house for the gun. We were excited as he went back to shoot the hawks that were after our chickens.

On another occasion, we children were so curious, because mother and Emma Robison were doing something in the kitchen, and we were not allowed to go in, or even know what they were about. We later learned that they were helping Santa Claus make some beautiful doll furniture which we received for Christmas.

I have only one other recollection of our life in Georgetown and that is a spanking I received. I can't remember why it was given; but sure was given because it was needed.

Father was bishop of the Georgetown ward when he was set-apart as second counselor to Pres. Joseph R. Shepherd (Pres. of the Bear Lake Stake) June 1906. In Sept. of that year the family moved to Paris, Bear Lake Co. Idaho, to the head quarters of the Stake. Pearl was the baby at that time.

The children's names in their order are: Laura born 31st Mar. 1890 Farmington, Utah. Wilford W. born 5 June 1891 Farmington, Utah. Clyde Randall born 17 Oct. 1894 Farmington, Utah. Mary born 30 Mar, 1896 Farmington, Utah. Melvin Ross born 5 Jan. 1898 Farmington. Ruth born 15 Mar. 1900 Georgetown, Idaho. Ireta born 3 March 1902 Georgetown, Idaho. Carol born 25 Dec 1903 Georgetown, Idaho. Pearl born 29 Dec. 1905 Georgetown, Idaho. Franklin Dewey born 7 Aug 1908 Paris, Idaho. Margaret born 21 July 1910 Paris, Idaho. Helen born 31 Oct. 1912 Paris, Idaho.

Mother and Sisters
L-R: Emily (mother) Laura, Mary, Ruth, Ireta,
Carol, Pearl, Margaret, Helen

Such a crowd of us to feed, clothe, educate and care for, and to be taught the gospel. We lived in a large house in Paris 1st ward next to the meeting house. The large lot there as well as our own gave us plenty of room for play. We enjoyed the dandelions and grass, as well as sliding down the banisters, outside of the church door.

Some of my teachers in the ward were John and Henry Stoker, Madge Stucki, Emily Rich, my brother Clyde, the Nye girls, Hayward girls (sisters to J.W. & J.C Hayward) Collings girls, Martha Weileman and Newell Dalrymple. At Sunday School, Primary, and school I played with Hazel Tueller, Leona Rich, Julia, Clark, Celia Wooley, Lillis Dunn, Grace Poulsen and others.

In our back lot where it joined with Wooley's, we made mud hats and decorated them with dandelions and other flowers, then made a counter with a board, and had a hat sale. We also had funerals for dead birds, and buried them, and decorated their graves.

Mother always had a large garden where we enjoyed picking and eating the raw peas. We also dried them for winter, spread on a sheet before the open door in the upstairs hall.

The home was a large square one. Four bedrooms upstairs (2 of them large enough for 2 beds) with clothes closet in each room. There was a large hall between these bedrooms where we stored many books and other things. I well remember the hole in the hall ceiling to the attic. We children had to climb up there frequently to store things away or bring things out. Downstairs we had a good sized living room, a large dining room, and a small kitchen, plus 2 more bedrooms, a short hall and long stairway. Under the stairway was a storage room with shelves of fruit, pans of milk, and large pats of butter, as well as jars of jam and other things were stored there. 

We also had a large hay barn where we enjoyed laying. There was horses, cows, chickens, and sometimes pigs. Before the chicken coop was built the chickens (there were a lot of them) laid eggs in the hay loft. It was the children's job to gather the eggs. We would climb into the loft and throw the eggs down on the loose hay, then gather them into a basket. At one time Carol was throwing them down and I was gathering them up when one struck me on the top of the head. I shall never forget the embarrassment when Leslie Pugmire (husband of my sister Laura) teased me almost to tears, for putting my head in the nest when the hen laid the egg. 

I attended Emerson Elementary School in Paris. A large two story building with class rooms in the basement also, making three floors.

My first teacher was Miss Stewart, whom I admired very much. Other teachers I remember were Miss Weaver, Gertrude Rich, Wilford Tueller and my brother Wilford Richards. Mr Wilford was my 7th and 8th grade teacher, I graduate from 8th grade before entering High School. Held the graduating exercises in the tabernacle. The Emerson school had no inside lavatory. We had a large playground, but I do not remember any play equipment except volley ball. We had our own balls and flat board bats, for soft ball. When the bell rang, we lined up by the steps, and marched into the building with the beat of a drum, marching to the top floor, main floor or basement. The rooms were pleasant and nice, filled with double seats and we sat in pairs.

I remember a brindle cow I saw each time I went to school. As I passed by, her color, and shape reminded me of a huge hot cake, or pancake, as we called them in those days.

In Paris there were two wards. The children seemed to chum mostly with those of their own ward. Sometimes at recess we would ban together in two crowds and argue which ward was best. We would say "Our ward is the best we have the tabernacle" "Ours is the best we have the court house" "Ours is the best we have the Post Office" "We have Shepherds store" "We have the picture show" and so on and on we went. So silly but we were in real earnest at the time.

Our toys were simple, balls, jumping ropes, roller skates and dolls, many of them home made, or a new head put on an old doll body. Our paper dolls were cut from Sears catalogue. But we still had fun. Many of our balls were made with colored string, made by mother winding and winding until it became the size we wanted. Then with another color we would sew or work on design or initials on them.

At one particular Christmas time, I saw a toy sewing machine in Shepherd's store. Oh how I wanted that machine, although I did not think it could even be mine. My sister Laura, who was then teaching school at Fielding Academy bought it for me, and I found it under the tree Christmas morning. I doubt if she knew how happy it made me. I thought it simply wonderful. I said to myself, "If I should die, I want it buried with me." I remember of coaxing mother to let me go to play with Hazel Tuller after school one day. I said "Hazel said to coax and coax" mother replied "that settles it, you will stay at home."

6 September 1912 my father passed away We had been homesteading some land East of Bear Lake called "Poverty Flat". He came home from the farm with typhoid fever. Rose Welker Floyd was the special nurse who came to take care of him. Everything possible was done to save his life.

At the time, there were eleven children, Helen was born two months later. I don't remember much about my father, except that he was kind and a good Latter Day Saint. At one time he was standing by the barn talking to some men, there was a cold wind, mother asked me to take his coat to him. I must have been quite small, for I answered that he had on a sweater, and I was sure he would be warm enough, for I thought a sweater made a person sweat. One time when father was away the sole of my shoe became so worn it was almost off. It was annoying, and when I showed it to mother she said something would be done when father came home. I could hardly wait. I was in hopes that something would be a new pair of shoes. So as soon as he stepped inside the door I lifted up my foot to show him the shoe. Mother was vexed at me for being so impatient, but at the time it seemed very logical to me that father should learn of the condition of my shoes immediately. By the way, the shoes were black lace and came to my ankles.

Father's funeral was held in the tabernacle. It was a rainy day, very gloomy and sad. He was buried in the Paris cemetery. On the 3rd of June 1943, his remains were removed to Farmington (Davis Co) cemetery by Pres. Loyal W. Hall of Hall Mortuary assisted by Wilford W. Richards Jr. and Samuel L. Hymas. Stella Pugmire Rich tells that she was at our home the day of the funeral, and participated with us in family prayer just before the funeral, Uncle Charles C. Richards was mouth. During the prayer he broke down and was unable to finish. She was touched so very much when Wilford took the responsibility and finished the prayer for the family. Fathers sister Phoebe Peart from Salt Lake City, came for the funeral and stayed with us for awhile. She also came again the next summer when several of the children had scarlet fever, Carol, Pearl, Franklin and Margaret were isolated in bedrooms upstairs with mother there to take care of them. Aunt Phoebe stayed down stairs with the rest of the children, and did washing, ironing, cooking and etc. Meals were sent upstairs to the sick by means of a bucket on a rope, through the window. The door was never opened at all, a sheet with disinfectant on hung over the door. One night I became ill and aunt Phoebe felt sure I too had the scarlet fever, and thought I should be put in the room with the rest of the sick children, but mother would not agree to this as she had doubts that I had scarlet fever. Aunt Phoebe was so cautious she gave me no food that day, and I had to stay in bed in my room away from the children that were well. The next morning I was feeling better and very hungry. Aunt Phoebe had been feeding us onions to keep us well, every meal either raw or cooked until I really had my fill of them. The day I was ill and stayed in bed I sang ever song in the Primary and Sunday School song books over and over again. About 5 pm I called to aunt Phoebe that I was feeling faint and needed food. She sent me a slice of bread and butter with a large slice of onion on top, but i was hungry enough to enjoy eating it. Don't know if the onions did it but we who ate them did not get the scarlet fever.

We had music in our home much of the time. With the piano to practice on several of the girls learned to play it well. Especially Laura, who studied in Salt Lake City under Tracey Y. Cannon, then taught music at Fielding Academy. Mary, Pearl, Helen & I also learned to play.

Adeline Spencer was my first music teacher while I was still in elementary school. then at Fielding Academy my teacher was my brother Clyde's future wife Myrtle Rich. At school I played for the Physical Ed. classes in the gym to pay for my music lessons.

One morning while I was wiping dishes before going to school I put my hand on the washer which was running, there in the kitchen, and my finger caught between cogs in the motor. It was fastened to the water tap with a hose, and the water pressure gave the power.

As my finger went between the cogs of the shaft and wheel the motor stopped. It was not painful, but I was frightened. I called to Ross who lifted the lid to the machine, turned the shaft back and released my finger. It did not bleed, but was as flat as could be. It was my index finger on my right hand.

When I ran to mother to show her, she was so shocked she had to lean against the wall for support. She asked some of the children to run for Dr. R. J Sutton who lived a short distance from us, and whose children I had tended many times. It was winter and no one seemed to be able to find his or her coat to go for the doctor. Mother kept asking someone to hurry fast and get the doctor but they were all so excited they couldn't seem to find their coats or caps. Then I became excited and ran to the doctor myself without wraps and quickly asked if my finger could be fixed. Yes it could be fixed by removing the end of it including the first joint.

There was no hospital in Paris, but the doctor had some rooms upstairs in his home, fixed up to take care of emergencies. There the operation was performed, with my brother Wilford, leaving his school teaching to be with mother and I. I was 10 years old.

Mother felt so terrible about it. She was so fearful that it may interfere with my progress in learning to play the piano. The interference was not to great. I did learn to play, and most of the practicing came after that.

Besides the girls playing the piano, Wilford played the violin, Ross the saxophone, and trumpet and Franklin the violin. We all sang as we did our work, and many enjoyable evenings and holidays were spent singing as a family around the piano, and with the other instruments. Several of the girls sang alto, and the boys sang tenor and bass. Clyde and Laura did some public singing. Laura did a lot of public playing, and Ross played his horns with an orchestra that traveled around a great deal playing for dances. Wilford did some playing for children's dances and ward parties. Franklin played with and orchestra at the college in Logan, and we all took part in programs in school and church.

We looked forward to our Sunday School Christmas Eve program which seemed extra special to me. At one time the little play called "Good Fairies and Bad Fairies" was presented by the children. The good ones were little blond girls with white dresses trimmed with gold, colored stars, and tinsel; with white shoes and stockings. The bad fairies were the dark haired girls with black (cheese cloth) dresses, silver tinsel and stars, with black stockings and shoes. I do not remember what we did, but I do remember the costumes an that I was a bad little fairy.

Many times after the Christmas program was over Santa Clause would come to our home, as we lived next door to the church, and mother had the popcorn balls ready.

I shall always remember Aunt Emm Rich (as everyone called her) she was our primary play leader and taught us many little folk dances. At one time as our class teacher, she said she could tell how clean and good a dish washer we were, if she could see and feel the dish pan after we had washed the dishes.

I was baptized 3 March 1910 in the Paris Creek, a little south of town near the old creamery. There was snow on the ground and a hole had been made in the ice for that purpose. I was taken there in a sleigh box all wrapped in quilts. Father always had a nice team and they were used this day. Father took me into the water and first touch of that icy water frightened me. Then I asked for a second to steady myself, which father was kind enough to do, although he was standing in the cold stream, after the pause I was ready, and he baptized me. (Do not remember who the witnesses were, but we were not there alone). I was immediately wrapped into the quilts again, and taken home, about 4 or 5 blocks. I looked forward to the 4th of July celebration. Mother always dressed us up in our white dresses. We saw the small town parade, went to a patriotic meeting, heard the brass band, then went to the fir grounds for foot races, horse races etc. Many times I entered the foot races, and sometimes I won.

When a branch lie of the railroad was completed, from Montpelier to Paris, there was quite a celebration. All the children were lined up along either side of the board walk, with flags in our hands, as the dignitaries left the train on arrival, and walked up town. I remember I found a ladies hand-bag, containing a coin purse with considerable amount of small change, and a roll of bills. I had no idea what the sum was, as I was not old enough to count it. But I did know that the older children and my parents had always said, if they found anything at school it should be given to the teacher.

I knew the celebration was sponsored by the Ward Sunday School, so I immediately found the superintendent, and gave the bag to him. When I returned home and told father, he said if I had o brought it home, we could have advertised and had we not found the owner, then it could have been mine. It looked like such a lot of money, I was so sorry I had been in such a hurry to hand it to another. But as I thought about it I felt sure it had been returned to the owner.

At the time I finished Primary, I was 14 years old. At that time we did not graduate, but entered M.I.A. Lena Fauch was the primary president. She gave me my first church position of responsibility at that time. I was made librarian for the association, and later I was organist for the Paris 1st ward primary. I have always appreciated and loved Lena. When I called on her this summer (July 4 1958) she was mourning the recent death of her husband. She told me again how much she thought of me, and gave me a little gift she had made.

I later became assistant organist for the Sunday School in Paris 1st ward. I was still quite young. Brother Jacob Tueller was the chorister (father of Hazel with whom I chummed). I also became a member of the ward choir.

I went to Fielding Academy for four years and graduated in 1921. The years of High School were happy ones. I made many new friends there. I liked my teachers, and had many wonderful experiences. Some of my teachers were relatives. Two sisters-in-law, wives of my brothers Clyde and Ross. Also a cousin Orrin Bair. Roy A Welker was the principal of the school, as well as president of our Stake. One of his counselors was Morris D. Low who was a very wonderful teacher also. He used to say people called him "more slow". Other teachers were Dan Rich (brother of Myrtle), Edwin Spencer, Algie Barlow (Ross's wife), Louise Richards (daughter of Stephen L. Richards), She was my own age. She taught the year I was a senior. Then there was Violet Petersen whom I found again when we moved to Smithfield in 1938. Dora Roberts (wife of Ira N. Haymard) was also my teacher, Veda Low and many others.

Lillian Transtrum from St Charles, Idaho became my bosom pal. La Priel Stock from Fish Have, Maurine Clark st Charles, besides girls from Liberty, Idaho, and many other places came into my life. Some from Georgetown, Idaho; LaReva Bacon, Julia Clark, Weaver and Wright girls from Bennigton, Idaho.

Some of the boys that went to school at that time were - Tracey Shephard, Ned Russell and Robert Clayton, Lawrence and Robert Caldwell, Spencer and Reed Rich, Everett Evans, Rulon Ketch, Wilford and Louis Budge, Jesse and Ray Hymas, Ezra rosen, Ross Pugmire, Bryant Clark, (a cousin ) Alma Teuscher, Homs Weaver, several Tueller boys, John Parker of Lanark, Twayne Austin, and a number of Kunz fellows from Bern.

Fielding Academy at that time was a High School Owned and operated by the Church. Since then it has become a school of the State of Idaho. When I attended Fielding Academy we had devotional exercises each morning, we sang hymns from the Sunday School song book, and a variety of programs, with student participating. Some times we had testimony meetings. One that I can never forget. This particular day I had decided to bear my testimony. As I made that decision my heart began to pound, oh so rapidly, I was almost overcome with fear. It then seemed worse than fear. I felt that it would be impossible to arise to my feet. But I wanted to do so so badly, I really had a struggle.

Whenever I think of Prophet Joseph Smith being almost over come when he went into the woods to pray; I feel that the adversary was working on me to prevent me from giving my testimony to my friends. It was my first attempt in public, although I had declared my testimony in my Sunday School class. This was different, I was ready to tell of the Lord's goodness to me, and that He lives. But I began to wonder if I would be able to do it. The power working on me was almost more than I could squelch, but I finally made it to my feet, with all the trembling. How happy I have been since that I was able to do so. I am afraid if I had given up at that time, I may never have been able to bear my testimony. My heart still pounds violently whenever I decide to do it, but not to the degree that it did that first time. It was very important in my life, and I feel that I won a victory.

Many times I played the piano for the students to dance in our afternoon frolics. I also played piano solos at the recitals. Our family never missed the recitals, whether we were participating or not. We grew up loving culture of all kinds because of family life. We were taken to all of those kind of entertainments avail to us. I am very thankful that mother made those opportunities available to me in my life. They have been very valuable.

There were so many young people who came to live at our home and attended the Academy. So many of Aunt Alices' children came besides some of their cousins. Also Layne Austin, Conover Wright, Harold Tingey, Charles Hymas and Orrin Baird. With the twelve children of our own family plus two or three extras, we had fifteen people eating at our table many many winters. How mother did it is more than I can see. Of course we helped some, but going to school gave little time at home. We did usually get the breakfast dishes washed. Then we all came home from school at noon to a hot meal. In the evening the meal was usually bread, milk, onions, lettuce and etc. and we washed the dishes before starting our studying, or leaving for M.I.A. or other evening engagements.

Every Friday evening a large batch of bread was mixed to be baked Saturday, so that there need be no baking on Sunday. We girls took turns mixing the bread, and it had to be done before going to the dance, which was always Friday evening. On Saturday we all did our share of cleaning through the house. Some of us cleaned upstairs while others cleaned down stairs. We also helped with the canning of fruit, of which we did much. The fruit was brought from Brigham City, Utah by peddlers with covered wagons drawn by horses. We looked forward to the peddler coming, as we were always hungry for fresh fruit.

We usually all worked away from home in the summer time as soon as we were old enough, to earn what we could toward our schooling. I worked in neighbors homes helping with children, and cleaning etc. I helped in Dr. R.J. Sutton's home, J.R. Pugmire's and Pete Grandy's or rather the home of Leo Baugh whose wife was a sister to Pete. Pete had a sweet wife from Scotland who was bedfast with arthritis and suffering terribly. They had moved in with their relatives as she could not care for the children, and I helped them. There really were two families in the home, with two or three children each. I also worked at a bakery for a while where light lunches were served, and helped in the kitchen in the Paris Hotel washing dishes, saving all I could. Wages were small, but I usually paid my own tuition to enter school, and helped get my cloths. But during the school term there was no money to carry to school as students do now. We had what needed in the way of cloths and food. I didn't have the extra as some boys and girls did. Harold Tingey came from Woodruff Utah to school and lived at our home. He was later married to my sister Mary. Charles Hymas came also and he married my sister Ruth. Charles had come from liberty Idaho. My brother Wilford had made acquaintance with hims family while teaching school there.

Ruth and Mary were married the same day. Ruth and Charles went to Sharon to live, and when I lived with them and taught school there I met Charles' brother Samuel Leo Hymas, whom I later married. I do not remember the first time I saw Sammy as he was called, but I do recall seeing him there at Ruth and Charles home.

Ireta High School Graduation

I had graduated from Fielding Academy, then gone to summer school at Rexburg, Idaho. Several of our graduating class went there to school. I lived with Lillian Transtrum from St Charles and Lillian Fluckeger from Bedford, Wyoming. We had a small apartment in the basement of Mrs. Wolf's home near the school. It was my first time living away from home, and cooking for ourselves. I enjoyed the school, the ride up there on the train, and enjoyed returning home again.

Then I went to Sharon, 19 September 1921 to teach school. It was after dark when I reached Ruth's and Charles' home. They were living at the old Beutler saw mill, a mile north of the school house. When I awoke in the morning I was at loss to know where the school house was located. I had been to it before, but not to my boarding place. Charles instructed me to walk up the road to the top of the hill then I would be able to see the school building a distance of a mile along the road. It really seemed a long walk the first few times, but eventually I became used to it. In fact I enjoyed the walk as long as the weather was good. When it was stormy Charles hooked up the team and took me to school. Some times when the snow was real deep he took me on a horse. He said I rode a horse just like a board. Many times I rode with students whose parents took them to school.

I taught the first four grades - between 20 and 25 students a large coal stove in the room furnished the heat, no drinking water, no inside lavatories. I kept the fire going and the children brought in coal.

The next summer, Lillian Transtrum and I attended the Idaho Technical Institute at Pocatello, and I returned to Sharon to teach again during the term of 1922-1923. I was paid $110 per month for seven months of school. I felt it was a very good salary.

At Sharon Ward we attended church in the school house. I recall sitting in church in front of Sammy, and I thought he was making fun of me, at least he was making remarks to his friends about me, and I found out later that he was giving me a compliment. At one time I asked Charles if Sammy smoked. Oh how he laughed. What a ridiculous question!

Do not remember my first date with Sammy. Saw him there at home frequently as he came to see Charles and Ruth. We sometimes went to Montpelier with them on Saturdays to shop and other places they went. There were sleigh riding parties, bonfires and home parties. If we saw a picture show we had to go to Paris or Montpelier. The dances we attended were in the wards - Sharon, Liberty, Lanark, and sometimes in Paris. The young people would wonder how we had fun, but we did.

In the spring of 1922 we decided to get married, if it met with mother's approval. By this time mother was living in Logan. We approached her on the subject as she was stirring a large pan of gravy for her boarders breakfast. She advised us to wait a while, which we did.

I went to school in Pocatello as stated, taught school again that winter in Sharon, then spent the summer of 1923 in Logan with the rest of the family who were home.

That summer while living in Logan 5th ward, I was asked to be Sunday School organist. George R. Hill (who is now General Superintendent of Sunday Schools 1958) was the chorister for the school. He gave me a very fine compliment, on my playing, which I will never forget.

Wedding Certificate

On 19 September (two years to the day, that I went to Sharon to teach) we were married in the Logan Temple by President Joseph R. Shepherd who was president of the Temple at that time. I have always said I have only seen Sammy blush once, and that was at the Court House when he asked for our marriage license.

(President Shepherd had been president of the Bear Lake Stake, also patriarch in the Stake. On 24th of January 1918 mother had him come to our home in Paris and give several of us blessings. It was a wonderful experience. I definitely felt the Spirit of God in our home on that occasion to a powerful degree. I have since felt that power, but that was the first time, and it left a lasting impression on me, besides strengthening my testimony very much. Many things in that blessing have been fulfilled, others are yet to come. It is a real privilege to receive a blessing from a servant of the Lord.)

The summer of 1923 I spent making some quilts etc for my trousseau. It was only a drop in the bucket compared to the things girls have now days, but we were happy and that was the thing that counts.

Sam's father and my mother went to the Temple to see us married. There was no reception, no trousseau tea. The next day we drove to Salt Lake City (Sam's father going along too). We stayed there a couple of nights. Then back to Logan where we packed all my things in father Hymas' Model T Ford, and started for Sharon. I had an old black metal trunk that mother said I may have, filled with my belongings. Some boxes also. All in all the back seat was filled as well as between the seats. As the front seat was too narrow for three, I sat on my father - law's lap all the way to Sharon, for he had to have Sam do the driving, thus we reached there just before sun down.

Mother Hymas was out helping the boys and girls do the chores. There was no public reception or trousseau tea in Sharron either, for people were not doing those things then. But a little later a shower was given to us in my mother - law's home, and the whole ward was invited. We received many many useful items.

We lived part of the time with Sam's folks, and some time with Charles and Ruth While Sam was working with his team on the Emigration Canyon road. Then we set up house keeping for the first time one large room in the house just east of the one I had lived in at Paris. It belonged to Sister Nye who was elderly at that time. Three big windows at the front formed a nice bay window. I had some pretty lace curtains on them. She had also left her piano there for us. We bought some pretty blue and shite linoleum for the floor, also a white bedstead, a white coal cook stove. Mother Hymas had a dish cupboard she let us use. Charles and Ruth had given us some chairs. Les Pugmire had a large table he had used in his grocery store. We got it and Sam cut it into two, making a small work table and a larger one for eating on. He also fixed a bench for wash basin, and water bucket. We had nice matching oil cloth for it and the tables. A mirror, and a white beaded bed spread. It doesn't sound much, but we were thrilled with it all, and I took pride in making it as homey as possible.

After a few months we went back to Sharon. Sam was to run a farm there owned by Miller & Veile Co. of Salt Lake City. It is now the Reed Hymas farm. The same farm that Father Hymas had when we were living with the family. The house was old, but we put new paper on the walls. Some of the older part had been torn down, so there were now only two rooms and a shanty as we called it for storing things and where we had the cream separator set up. Our linoleum and stove etc. made the kitchen look nice (we thought). We had some home woven carpet for the bedroom, so we were pleased. A creek of water ran past the house which made music for us. I love ed the fields & crops, the open spaces, the wild flowers, and the mountains so near us.

I roamed the country picking flowers and enjoying the sunshine. One day when my bouquet centered on the table, Sam and father Hymas came in and were amazed to see I had made it of noxious weeds (white top).

Nellie Dunn came to stay with us to teach school. We gave her our bed and room, and we got a steel cot with two leaves that could be shut up in the day time. This we put in the kitchen for us. It was a little hard to become used to the coal oil lamps, and ironing with stove irons after having electricity at home in Paris. But I managed pretty well. The water was used from the creek near by, a nice mountain spring, in winter we had to haul it in milk cans from another creek as this one was dry.

I was organist for the ward and we helped build a new church house, which was located on the corner near us.

I recall giving a beautiful heifer as part payment on it. Sam had given the heifer to me, when she was a calf for my birthday, but now she was quite big, but i was glad we had something to help pay our assessment. Sam also worked on the building.

I was organist for the primary, Sunday School, Relief Society and M.I.A. At ward conference when the roll was called I stood up for every organization. At a later date I was also primary play leader and chorister. Quite often I was chorister and organist for primary and put on many programs.

Bruce, Geniel, Leo
Ireta, Samuel
1955

When Leo Dean was born 2 February 1926, we had moved into part (2 rooms) of father Hymas' home known as the Linford place (about 2 miles south of the church). The home has since burned down.

Leo was a round plump baby, a few ounces short of ten pounds. Such fair skin and rosey lips, and oh what joy he brought to us.

Dr. Moore of Paris was the attending physician, and my sister, Carol, the attending nurse. She had recently been graduated from L.D.S nurses training school at the L.D.S Hospital at Salt Lake.

I had a reed organ that Lois Pugmire Passey had given me. I had played and Carol and I had sang, the night before his birth. Then at t2 o'clock in the morning I woke Carol to tell her it was time for the doctor. We had no more sleep, but she did not call the doctor until mid-morning. Leo was born at noon. He had a very hard birth and received a pigeon breast from it. But Carol did not tell us about it until after he had cried all night. Then she said it was a very good thing for his chest to be exercised in that manner, while the bones were still soft, as that took care of the breast. I wondered why the doctor and nurse left me so quickly and stayed in the kitchen spanking him. They had a hard time getting him to breath, and while they were spanking i was having nervous chills, but soon all was well.

When Bruce was born, we were living in a two room home where Ray Hymas now lives. The home has since been remodeled. We were running this farm for Mr. O.V. Harris who was employed with Miller and Veils of Salt Lake City.

The evening before Bruce was born we expected his arrival. We had sent for neighbor Alice Shepherd, who was to help Dr. Moore. She came but we all went to bed and slept well. The next day I did my work as usual with her help. That evening she went to choir practice, and we called the doctor before she returned.

As we checked our lamps for coal-oil we decided it would be better to have more on hand, so Sam walked a couple blocks to borrow some from a neighbor. While he was gone, Bruce Richards was born. This was 11:15 pm 2 February 1928. A wonderful birthday present for Leo Dean on his second birthday.

When I took a look at Bruce I thought, what a contrast in the loos of new born babies. He was not fat at all. 91/2 pounds seemed all bones with skin over them, and not nearly so fair as Leo. But we were just as thrilled.

When Geniel was born it was the day of Sharon's Ward Reunion. held at the church house. We were living in the home now owned by Calvin Hymas. O.V Harris had bought that farm and sold the other one, as the home was so much nicer for us to live in.

Two front rooms, kitchen with build in cabinets, and bed rooms on ground floor. Two bedrooms up stairs, an a part basement. I was really thrilled, and we were comfortable. A small screen porch off from the kitchen, and a well with a pump close to the door.

Leo was six and was to sing a little song at the ward party, I was to play for him. It was a little song about a frog.

Sam wondered if I could go. I felt I could not sit on the hard benches, so he took Leo and he sang without the piano. They came home about 6 pm and as we were eating supper I knew we should get the doctor. The snow was still deep, yet the road was getting soft. Sam had to take team and go to Ovid and bring the doctor from there, as there was no equipment to keep the road open for cars then. The horses could only go on a walk, as each foot sank so far down in the snow. It took a long time to go to Ovid and back. Mrs Hannah Miller came to stay with me and we were very anxious for the arrival of the doctor. He came about 10 pm. Geniel was born as soon as he gave assistance.

At midnight the ward party was over, and all settled at our home for the night, then father Hymas stopped in on his way home. Said he just couldn't go home with out finding out what news we had.

It was really joyous news for our two little boys had a baby sister. She was plump and fat too. This 8 1/2 lb. daughter came on 1 April 1932. So now folks said we had two little ground hogs, and a little April Fool.

The depression struck and Mr. Harris took his cattle to another ranch, and could not keep the one we were on, so now we had to look for something else. When Geniel was six months old we moved to an old house in Liberty, owned by James A. Hymas. Sam went to the canyon for logs which he took to the saw mill, and they sawed the lumber for a share of the logs. Orsen Hymas gave us a corner lot to build on so we began building a home. It went rather slowly as winter was coming on. The old house was too cold, so we moved into the dwelling part back of Liberty Cash Store which was then owned by George Shepherd, but the store was closed up.

Mary Tingey lived with us there again that winter and taught school in Sharon. She had lived with us the year before while we were living in Sharon. Mary was from Brigham City.

In the fall of 1933 we had finished the new home, trading lumber to a dealer (Frank Miles) in Montpelier for nails shingles doors windows and etc. The home was ours. Ten years of married life, now we owned our own home, and it was all paid for.

A nice front room, two bedrooms, a good sized kitchen, and a small room for a bath-to be equipped later when we could pipe the water.

The home was on the corner by the high-way and "Mill Lane" which lead to the home of Grandpa (Alfred) and Grandma (Mary Hymas. Sam's folks then lived about a mile to the west of us, and the church and school were up the road North about two miles.

I had not been too well after Geniel's birth, and soon after we had moved into the new home I had to have my upper teeth taken out. From then on I hardly knew a well day for the next twenty years.

Leo and Bruce walked the two miles to school, except in stormy weather, when Sam or one of the neighbors took them. Mostly it was the neighbors - Albert Miller had a team for his sleigh for when there was snow. We had a team and sleigh also, but Sam was now hauling milk to the creamery at Paris. The milk hauling job had been Sam's fathers, but after he passed away Sam did it.

We later got a truck for the job, then a larger truck. But as time went on wages were low, and sometimes it took all the check to pay expenses of hauling. Then the time came that the check would not cover the expenses. We were getting a big bill each pay day at the service station that we could not pay. We were still having a depression and Sam hauled anything he could with the truck after the milk was delivered each day, making many trips to Ogden and back. We finally gave up the milk job.

He had been trucking produce from Sperry Flour Mills in Ogden and they gave him the dealership for the Bear Lake area. So in the summer of 1936 we moved to Montpelier to go into the feed business. We had a little store we rented, and from there we sold Sperry products and fresh fruit, that Sam trucked in from Ogden and Brigham City. We rented Aunt Net' Wixom's home, two blocks North of main street on the Hi-way going north to Bennington. I took care of the store, and Sam did the trucking. We had great hopes of working into a good business. Cleah Morgan of Liberty stayed with the children during the day time one summer, and Sam's cousin viola Pope from Salt Lake stayed with them the next summer. During the winter months the boys went to school and I took Geniel to the nursery school. During those two summers we furnished feed for over twenty thousand turkeys.

We were members of the Montpelier second ward in the Montpelier stake. I was M.I.A. chorister and primary chorister, and much of the time primary organist also. Sam was away so much of the time, he did not have time, or an opportunity to work in the ward.

He had been first counselor to bishop John Gambling from 1926 until we left Sharon ward in 1932 to live in Liberty while we were building. After we moved into the new home in Sharon he was first counselor to Bishop Albert Miller from 1933 until we moved to Montpelier in 1936.

In Montpelier I made many many new friends, especially with women who worked in the primary. Late in 1937 or early 1938 I was sustained as Stake primary chorister.

In the summer of 1937 we decided to buy a lot there in Montpelier and have our home moved to it. We contacted a company in Salt Lake City who said they would move it for $400.00. We decided to borrow enough money to have it moved and have a full basement under it, and plumb in the bathroom fixtures, as well as kitchen sink, pipe in the city water, and connect with the city sewer. This we did. A back entrance was also built which also lead to the basement.

In February of 1938 Sam and I drove to Logan Utah to see his brother Charles, who was there from his home in Tooele, attending an institute at the college. He was in need of a man to operate his farm located about 2 1/2 miles north of Smithfield, Utah.

We had always wanted to live in Cache Valley, we now we decided this would be our chance, and the feed business had not turned out well as we had hoped. So on March 1st 1938 Sam came to Smithfield and took over the herd of cows and other responsibilities on the place. I came two weeks later with the children and furniture. We camped there in a little house on the west side of the hi-way for a few weeks until the larger home was vacated, then we moved into it.

Leo was now 12 years old, Bruce 10 and Geniel was almost 6. It was quite an experience to move into an entirely new community. We knew no one. When moving to Montpelier things were not quite so strange. We had shopped there over the years and felt quite at home. There was nothing familiar to us in Smithfield.

We learned first of all that the Smithfield Stake was just newly organized, a division of Benson Stake, and that we were in a new ward - Smithfield 4th divided from the Smithfield 1st ward. The latter taking place 13 February 1938. We also learned that Smithfield was larger than we thought, and that much of the shopping was done in Logan, and very soon we learned that the new ward was to build a new meeting house. It would be combined 4th ward and Stake, and that our assessment would be $125 (which we did not have, but knew we could get it some way).

By now my health was very poor, and I needed a minor operation, which I had in June. Then in September I had my appendix removed. But all the time I felt so miserable and could not get well. By 1942 (the day after our new building was dedicated by Pres. David O. McKay) I had another major operation. I grew chocolate cysts in my abdomen which were dangerous and they had to be removed. After the operation in 1942 I nearly lost my life, being allergic to the sulpha drug. But no one could find what was the trouble. But two years later when I went for another operation I discovered it myself, and refused to take the drug. Then my temperature became normal, and I was sent home to get well so I could go back again for the operation. No sulpha drug was used this time and I got better rapidly.

The children attended Summit School in Smithfield, Junior High there, and North Cache at Richmond. They were all baptized when they were eight years old, and the boys received the Priesthood at the age of 12. They all graduated from Primary and attended M.I.A The boys were scouts and etc. Geniel was a Bee Hive girl and advanced along also. She took 4 H sewing classes, as well as sewing in school.

Bruce was the first to receive an individual reward, in the Smithfield Fourth Ward. Leo played the cornet in the band at the Junior High and at North Cache. Bruce played the large horn in the band at both schools.

Bruce also took piano lessons and vocal lessons, as did Geniel. They all learned to play and sing quite well, so again we had much music in our home. Bruce and Geniel have both done a quite a lot of vocal singing in public - separately as solos, and together in duets. They all took part in school activities. Geniel had a leading part in the High School opera her senior year, as well as lead in a ward M.I.A Operetta.

Bruce was on the high school football team, and did well being a letterman. He was also president of his senior class, and sang a solo at graduation exercises.

Leo was the studious one. Has always been seeking knowledge, and still is. He remembers so much that he reads, and puts his knowledge to use. He joined the army in June 1944, and was in combat on German soil. When the war ended there he was sent to Japan to patrol during the winter of 1944-1945. On his return in the spring he accepted a call to the North Central States Mission. We were so proud of him, and felt so sorry when he became ill, and we were not aware of the fact, for he was determined to finish his mission. But this was impossible. His president (Pres. Kilpack) released him when seeing his condition, but with sadness, for he told me Leo was a very good missionary, and that he had planned he would be branch president, or a district president. He came home in April of 47, and on June 30 he married Amy Bybee who had done much to help him regain his health. They now have four lovely children. Launa 10, Neil Dean 7, Merle Maroni 5, Lance Arthur 4. Leo is working at Convair Air Craft Co. and it has proven that his thirst for knowledge has helped to prepare him for his work. He is planning on night school this winter to better qualify himself. He teaches an adult Sunday School class there in San Diego 5th ward. This ward has a membership in the class of 60 people. He is also High Priests group leader, and has been a counselor in the bishopric of that ward.

When he was employed with United Air Lines, he was given tickets for his parents each year, hence we have had several wonderful trips by plane. We shall always be grateful to Leo for the lovely experiences that came to us by him.

When Bruce finished high school, he entered the service also, as a marine. He spent his time in California, San Diego and Santa Anna. The war (World War 2) was over. He had a motorcycle, and came home on it sometimes. He spent a greater part of his time in an office and is very efficient typist. After his service training he went to the B.Y.U. one winter. It was there he decided to become a radio announcer. He was married to Duveen Nielsen June 20 of 1949, and took his bride to live in Los Angeles where he went to a radio school in Hollywood. On completion of the training he started to work at Brigham City, Utah. Then he received an offer at Pocatello, Idaho Then at Rexburg, Idaho. From there he was employed at KVNU in Logan. Then he went to Salinas California, and to Vallejo California. He came back to KSL in Salt Lake for awhile. Then he was asked back to KVNU. From there he went to KLGN Logan Radio station to be manager. There he is now announcing. He is ward teacher in the Logan 1st ward. He's been activity councilor in the MIA there until recently released. In May this year 1958 he was made president of the Logan Junior Chamber of Commerce. He has three lovely children, Sharon Lee 8, Richard Bruce 5, and Paula nearly 4.

Geniel was active in school functions, and worked in the Jr. Sunday School. She sang in a trio with Arlene Meyers and Coy Facer. Geniel had some vocal lessons from Mr. Welti, the teacher at A.C. College in Logan. She developed a sweet soprano voice. She did well with her sewing in school and in 4H, and has taught 4H sewing classes. She worked at the Smithfield Clinic as receptionist for awhile. July 1949 she was married to Leon Webb. She now lives in Richmond. They also have three lovely children, Jenis 5, Reed Leon 4, and Jay Hymas almost 2. Geniel isn't afraid of work either. She does so much sewing for her family, as well as a great deal of canning for them, she runs errands as most farmers wives do, and helps Leon with the Ward records. He has been ward clerk of the Richmond ward since shortly after they were married.

Geniel helps Leon's mother quite a lot, especially since she has not been so well, and if Sam or I become ill she is right with us. She was sustained recently as Jr. Sunday School chorister.

When the children were growing they always seem to have some illness which caused concern. Leo especially had a very bad case of diarrhea. He was a year and a half old and he became very weak, pale and thin. And in those days it was a hard thing to check. It took a long time for him to recover. A few years later he was real sick again. The doctor didn't seem to know just what it was. During the night while I was sleeping with him, I had my hand on his heart listening to it beat. It seemed to stop, and I thought it would never start, I ran to the other bedroom and woke Sam. He administered to him, and it seemed to be alright, but Leo was never a very strong husky child, not a very good eater pale and tired all the time, lying on the floor instead of playing. Then he had his appendix removed just before he was twelve, and he seemed much better. He had a better appetite after that. He had to have his tonsils out when he was about 1 1/2 years old.

Bruce had some sick spells too. The first one frightened me so very much. He was a little over a year old, and I put him tin his little bed for the night. Some time later when I tip toed into his room I heard a very strange sound in his throat. I thought he had picked up a marble or something, and was choking on it. I picked him up, and found that not to be the case. He was stiff with head back, blood had rushed to his head, and make him look so dark. His eyes were rolled back so that only the white part could be seen. I was very excited, it seemed to me he was dying. I took him in my arms and began running as fast as I could to the neighbors (about a block away) screaming "Sammy" as loud as I could. He had just left home shortly before. He heard the screams and hurried back. He administered to him, and as he did so Bruce fell limp and pale, as I held him on my lap. We learned later it was a convulsion, something we had not experience with before.

Later when we had moved to the farm in Smithfield, and Bruce worked so hard in the fields, he limped every night. We thought he had rheumatism, but the doctor said he used his energy faster than he could make it. He was growing very rapidly. Then he had quinsey when he was 13 years old. It was a terrible siege. It would not break, and he was very ill with much pain. After several days and nights working with him, the doctor said he would have to lance his throat, if it did not break by morning. Dr. Reese and Sam administered to him, and it did break by morning and he was much relieved. (No high powered drugs for infection then).

Bruce also had to have his tonsils removed at age of five. We were living in the back of the Liberty Store at the time. He had earache and punctured ear drum. I took him to Logan to have it done, and stayed a few days with mother. It took a long time for the ear drum to heal, with much washing and care.

When Jr. High or High School Bruce had and attack of Arthritis and spent about a week in the hospital in Logan, taking shots which took care of it.

As for broken limbs, we as a family are very fortunate. With the exception of Bruce breaking a little finger playing football, we have had none. The children had measles and whooping cough. We thought at one time they had the mumps, but the doctor there in Montpelier said it was only swollen glands.

Geniel kept pretty well until Jr. High School, when she had her appendix removed. At that time they found she had a chocolate cyst, such as I had had. The summer after she started high school she was very ill with infected tonsils. Was in the hospital about a week, could not eat, or talk. They could not remove them until they and she were better. Later that operation was performed. Soon after her marriage she had a kidney infection, and female troubles, and it appeared that she may never have any children. But thought faith and prayers her desires for children were realized.

The Lord has watched over and protected us, and persevered our lives on numerous occasions. We have had no serious accidents, either in the home, in the fields or on the high-ways. When I was recovering from an operation in 1944, and was still in the hospital, Bruce and Charles Hymas (Ruth and Charles' son) were in a car wreck. Junior was hurt. Our car was demolished. Junior got well, and we bought another car. We were most grateful there lives had been spared. They were then in high school at North Cache.

At one time the tractor tipped over with Leo when he was using it on the foot hills below Crow Mountain at Smithfield. As he looked up from the ground he could see the tractor above him weaving back and forth and he was wondering which way it was going to go, on him or not. But again the Lord was good to him. It came to rest without injuring him.

Sam had the mumps when Leo and Bruce were small, before we had Geniel. He was really miserable with them, but the boys kept well. Then in the summer of 1936 just before we left the new home in Sharon he had his appendix removed. We had gone to a funeral in Paris for a cousin of his Gladys Hymas. But we went immediately to the hospital in Montpelier for the operation, having no time to return home first.

After we moved to Smithfield, he had a few attacks of upset stomach and diarrhea. At one time he was on his way home from Grace Idaho. It was night, and he was so very ill he could hardly make it home. Several times he was ill in this manner.

Back row: Leon Webb, Sam Hymas, Bruce Hymas
Front row: Geniel H Webb, Ireta Hymas, Duveen N. Hymas
In front of the home on 200 North

Then in 1948 we sold the farm, and built us another home in Smithfield, where we now live. It is located across the street North Stake and 4th ward building. The address is 67 East 2nd North, where we now live (Aug. 1958) We moved in 19 November 1948.

We were preparing for a New Years Eve party, and had invited a number of our friends in. The guests were arriving, and the rolls were in the oven, when Sam became violently ill. I could not obtain the services of a doctor for some time. He kept getting worse. Then Dr Reese came, gave him a shot and thought he would be alright. Dr Reese had retired from home calls, but was so kind to come. Advised that if we needed more help to call Dr. Robert Budge who would later be available, and whom we did call to come. By that time Sam was having convulsions. The doctor ordered us to rush him to the hospital in Logan. He hurried ahead of us to prepare for his coming. It was a foggy night Frank Brown was driving the car, Leo was in the back seat trying to hold Sam on the seat, and pleading all the way for Frank to drive faster. The fog was so dense that driving was slow. After a good amount of fluid was given him in the veins he became conscious, and was able to return home in a few days. It really was a frightening experience. It seemed that he was passed away several times. Pres. W. Hazen Hillyard, Leo and Bruce administered to him at home, and the Lord blessed him that his life was spared. Then a few days after a year was up he had another seizure of the same thing. Now the doctors were thinking it was food poisoning, but when it occurred again at the end of another year, they were puzzled, and said it was not poison. As time went on the attacks came every six months, almost to the day. The doctor now calls it porphyria, and if he comes soon enough the hypos keep him from going to the hospital, but if the doctor's coming is delayed it necessitates hospitalization. and many times he has been very close to death. The last time he was in the hospital Sept 1956, Elder Harold B. Lee gave him a wonderful blessing. When the period of six months was up last time, Sam was not ill, and another six months has almost gone, and he is still well. Again we are thankful to the Lord that his life has been spared, and that he is well. Our prayers have been answered again and again.

From that time I was six years old i have been afflicted with a skin disease called psoriasis. Mother took me to different doctors, some were skin specialists in Salt Lake City, and since my marriage I have been searching diligently for a cure, and praying earnestly that I would be healed. I have had it very bad at times, then it gets some better, but have never been free from it in all these years.

At one time when we were living in Sharon in Bear Lake Stake, Elder Melvin J. Ballard was the visitor to our Stake. After the conference I asked if he would give me a blessing. He gladly did so. I do not recall the words of the blessing. But I do remember that when it was finished he patted me on the shoulder and said "Do not forget your blessing sister, and the Lord will not forget you".

Some time after we had moved to Smithfield, Elder Spencer W. Kimball was here for conference, and he gave me a blessing. The words of that blessing were unusual. It was repeated several times that I should study and learn all I could about diet, and it made me realize the Lord is willing to help us, and guide us, if we make an effort to help ourselves.

Samuel & Ireta 1954

In 1951 I was staying with Leo and Amy just after the birth of their son Neil. They were living in Bountiful, Utah. Bro Lorenzo Mitchell, a very dear friend of my brother Ross, came to the home of Leo, and there they gave me a marvelous blessing Brother Mitchell being mouth. Brother Mitchell has administered to me on several occasions, and though him I have been told the Lord will heal me from psoriasis, and stated also that I could call on the Priesthood often, as this pleases the Lord.

In June of 1958 Brother Mitchell attended our stake conference and was a guest in our home. He was mouth at our family prayer, and he made the statement there that although the blessing promised me had not yet been fully realized, he gave reassurance that it would be fulfilled, and this in the face of doctors saying there is no cure.

Sam has administered to me several times, as has Pres J. Byron Ravesten, Bishop Kenneth Webb, Elder LeGrand Richards and others. I am very sure I will someday be healed.

Soon after moving to Smithfield I was asked to work in the 4th ward primary organization. But my health was such that I was unable to do so for a year or so. But later I became chorister for that organization, being sustained 3 November 1940 released Jan 1942.

For a period before that I was Sunday School chorister, while we were still meeting in the Jr. High School. At that time the primary organization met in the First Ward Chapel.

Then I became chorister for the ward Relief Society, and they met in the basement room of the library. In the spring of 1940 I was sustained Ward Chorister. We were holding sacrament meetings in the library at that time, also. This position I filled for seven or eight years.

On 21st Sept. 1945 I was sustained as Smithfield Stake Primary organist. I did not hold this position long, however, as I was made chorister of the Stake Primary Organization. LaVina Deppe was the president, with Lucille Hillyard and Hazel Jorgensen as counselors. I held that position for some time, then became 1st counselor to Afton Cantwell who became the Stake Primary president. I was released in the fall of 1950, when we left to spend the winter in Salt Lake City. Sam had been asked by Pres. Roy Mallory to take charge of his Real Estate business while he filled a mission, as president in the islands of the Pacific.

At that time I was released as coordinator of the Jr. Sunday School where I had worked since spring of 1949. Previously I had been assistant to the Jr. Sunday School coordinator, and chorister for that organization.

After returning to Smithfield in the spring of 1951 I was one of the Sunday School organists. Then on 18 Oct 1951 I was sustained as Smithfield Stake Relief Society chorister. First under the Presidency of Alta Allen, Lillie Weeks, and Marvel Cooley. Now under presidency of Vera Cantwell, Florence Rigby, and Venna Johnson (Sept. 1951).

I have worked in the Stake Relief Society with several different organists. First with Sarah Heggie, Martha Pulsen, Erma Webb, and now Cherrill Clark. Have lead the Stake group of singing mothers in Stake conference several times, as well as Relief Society closing socials, and Stake conventions. It has always been a real challenge and I felt a great responsibility. But always there has come a great deal of satisfaction.

I have also lead the Ward choir in Stake conferences, as well as in the dedicatorial services of our ward and stake building 1942, ward conferences, and have put on some Christmas and Easter Cantatas.

In 1954 the singing mothers of the region in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, furnished music for two sessions of General Conference in Salt Lake City, at the great tabernacle. At the same time we were preparing to sing in Stake conference. We practiced once a week with Sister Florence J. Madson in Logan, with the women of the region. Then eighteen of the women of our stake including myself went to Salt Lake with the group. It was a lovely experience to sing with that group in the tabernacle.

(Note 2017: I have found the report of The One Hundred Twenty-fourth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in spring 1954. Singing Mothers references start on page 102. On April 6, 1954, starting at 10 o'clock for the Fourth Day Morning Meeting, The Relief Society Singing Mothers, under direction of Sister Florence Jepperson Madson, accompanied on the organ by Elder Frank W. Asper, sang, "Oh Lord Most Holy" "O Savior of the World" "I Will Exalt Thee, O Lord." Congregation and Singing Mothers also sang, "Oh Say What Is Truth." During the Fourth Day Afternoon Meeting, starting at 2 o'clock, The Relief Society Singing Mothers then sang, "Seek Ye The Lord" "In His Steps" "Oh May I Know the Lord as Friend" Congregation and Singing Mothers also sang, "Come, O Thou King of Kings."

Referring to the Singing Mothers, President David O. McKay stated during the morning session,

Let us pause a moment. Relief Society Singing Mothers—what that phrase radiates, that title. Singing Mothers, rendering relief to the Church. It is no wonder when they gather as a body that they inspire us as they do with their gracious inspirational singing. With all our hearts we say God bless you.

During the evening session President McKay said,

When we realize that these mothers come in small groups from various, and in some cases distant, parts of the Church, and have had only one or possibly two opportunities to practice as a group, we marvel at the expression and inspiration that Sister Madsen succeeds in bringing out of this wonderful Singing Mothers organization.

What an amazing experience this must have been for Grandma Hymas!)

In Sharon ward Sam was 1st counselor to Bishop John Gambling. He was superintendent of the Ward M.I.A at the time he was called into the bishopric, at the age of twenty six. Before that time he had been the ward scoutmaster.

After coming to Smithfield Sam was made counselor to superintendent of the ward M.I.A, second counselor to Bishop George L. Reese. When Bishop Reese was released Bishop Tidwell chose him as his first counselor. Then he was called to be a High - councilman. Bishop was now to the Stake President. Sam was released the winter we spent in Salt Lake City, but on returning to Smithfield he was again called to the council. Then on 15 March 1953 he was sustained as 2nd counselor to President J. Byron Ravsten in the Smithfield Stake Presidency. In 1956 he was made first counselor to Pres. Ravsten which position he held until 1959 in May.

We have had some of the general authorities as guests in our home at the time of Stake conferences. It has been a privilege, and a joy to entertain them in our home. They are Marion G. Romney, LeGrand Richards, Hugh B Brown, Alma Sonne, Marion D. Hanks, Antone R. Ivans, Sterling W. Sill, Steward B. Eccles, Lorenzo Mitchell, Walter Stover and Bishop Buehner.

My church activities have been in three stakes, Bear Lake, Montpelier and Smithfield and four different wards. I am glad to have the experience of meeting many people, and working in different wards. Experiences have been varied and educational, and my testimony has been strengthened and has grown through the years by these experiences.

In 1948 we sold the farm North of Smithfield, which we had purchased from Charles Hymas. The boys were no longer at home and work was too much for Sam alone. It was then we built the home at 67 East 2nd North, and Sam began selling Real Estate. Warren Staley and Sam did the carpenter work on the house. Sam felt so proud, had many times said "this is the house that Jack built".

The Real Estate was first taken care of in our home, and Sam acted as a salesman for Mallory Investment Co in Salt Lake City. After Pres. Mallory returned from presiding over the mission in the islands, Sam began a business of his own with Bishop Bennie J. Ravsten as partner, and we now have an office for that purpose at 62 West 1st North Logan, Utah. I spend every other week there answering the phone and meeting customers who come. It is a very interesting business. Recently we attended a Real Estate convention at Ogden, where Sam was made 2nd Vice President of the Utah State Organization.

I would like to relate some experiences that came into my life. While attending Fielding Academy I was in the school play. Persha Skinner was the leading lady. I was the old maid aunt. We worked hard on the play, and did some singing as a group between acts. It surely was a lot of fun. We presented it at Liberty, as well as Paris and some other places. I spent several weekends at St. Charles Idaho with Lillian Transtrum, and her family. They were lovely people and so nice to me. One weekend, quite a crowd of us were guests at the home of LaPriel Stock in Fish Haven and had a real nice time.

The first summer after we were married I had a terrible tooth ache. Went to the dentist, he filled a tooth but it still ached. Went to a medical doctor as the pain was in the whole side of my face and head. He sent me back to the dentist. The dentist could not find the trouble, so back to the doctor I went. This continued for about a month. The pain was so terrible I walked the floor nights and nothing seemed to ease it. I heard Wilford (my brother) was going to Logan. We were living in Sharon at the time. I decided to ride with him and see if I could get help at the Budge Clinic. As soon as as the dentist there (Dr. O.H. Budge) looked into my mouth he could see which tooth was giving the trouble. He took x-rays of them all, to be sure. He was right, it was the one i had filled in Montpelier. It was abscessed. He extracted that also a wisdom tooth. I retuned to his office every day for a week for treatment. It surely was a miserable experience. No antibiotics at that time.

My return was with Case Kearl and his family. They had a Model T Ford, and it got so hot before we reached the summit in Logan canyon, we had to stop several times, to let it cool, before we could get over the mountains. It was so good to get home again. The weather had been very hot in Logan, and now I did not have the toothache.

We had a little one seated buggy, and a horse, and when Sam harnessed it and hitched it to the buggy, I could go to Liberty to see Jennie Brown and others I knew. This was real nice, I thought, and in the winter time Sam hooked the horse on to a home made toboggan and I could still go to see my friends. One winter day I had spent at Brown's in Liberty. A crowd of women had been together sewing carpet rags, carding wool, or making a quilt, can't remember which we did this day, but made a day of it, dinner and all.

I was giving Lyman Hymas' wife Nora a ride home in this little toboggan, when the horse decided to go home, whirling quickly around, Nora was dumped into the loose snow, and the way I went for home. We all had a good laugh, even Nora.

When Leo was little his hair was so golden. He talked quite young, and so fast. I knew every word he said, but others asked how I could tell what he was saying, or talking about.

Bruce had no hair for several months, then it came in all at once, so fast and so black. It looked real funny when it first started to grow. Grandfather Hymas was so pleased with the color of it, for the Hymas children (his family) had all had blond hair when small. Bruce had a language of his own. He talked well except that he put s in front of words that began with h. Example; hat was sat, hit sounded like sit, hard was sard and etc. then when he came to words which began with s he left it off, such as, stove was tove, spoon was poon, but we could understand him. One day a stranger came to our home, and asked Bruce where his daddy was, h he answered "out to the bruder souse" (Brooder House).

On another occasion the Forest Ranger came, and was waiting Sam's return. Bruce could smell tobacco, so he asked him if he smoked. The reply was "yes it isnt' very nice is it?" Bruce said "Oh no." This embarrassed Leo very much to have Bruce tell the man it wasn't nice.

Geniel was a real fat plump baby, and it made her slower in walking. She did not walk alone until she was 16 1/2 months old, but she could talk well long before she walked, as did the boys also.

As I had none of my family left in Bear Lake, it almost seem like home to visit with Jennie Brown. I had known her for many years. She had been to our home in Paris, and her older brother Leslie, had married my older sister Laura, so we had much in common. When I felt lonely, or homesick, if I could visit with Jennie I always felt better.

We spent many Thanksgiving days together, as our children were growing up. We also went into the canyons together as families, on picnics and to pick huckleberries.

One evening Charles, Ruth, Sam and I were visiting at the Brown home. The nice warm fire made the men sleepy, one by one they went to sleep on the couch there while we women visited. It became late and the men slept on. We decided to retire for the night. We covered the men with rugs, spreads and anything handy. They did not arouse. We lined our shoes up by the door and went up stairs to bed.

Sam awoke about daylight, got up and went home, leaving me there. We had taken Leo along in his night cloths, so he had to wear some of Bobbie's things all the next day. They were too large for him but we really had a good laugh. Sam came for us in the afternoon.

We lived a mile from the school house, and as I have stated also a mile from the church house. In summer we put Geniel in a little red wagon with one of the boys, and the other boy helped me pull them. Then the boys would charge off riding and pulling, as we went to primary. In the winter time (weather permitting) we used the hand sleigh in place of the wagon. If the weather was severe, we were usually given a ride by some of the neighbors.

After we moved to Montpelier we were close to both school and church. But when we moved to Smithfield transportation to church functions became a problem again. The school bus took the children to Smithfield schools, and to North Cache High School at Richmond. They were always the last children on the bus going to North Cache and most of the time the boys had to stand. At one time it was crowded, and as the door closed it caught Leo's trousers tearing them badly. He was the first one off the bus, walking backwards, he caught a ride back home to make the change.

At one time a car on the Hi-way hit Leo's dog "Duff". It was a pitiful sight, as he carried him to the porch and nursed him back to health. On another occasion Sam was coming home and found Bruce bent over his dog by the side of the hi-way. It too had been struck by a car and was dead. As sorry as we felt for the boys when their dogs were injured and killed, we were always thankful it was the dogs and not the boys. Just so when the animals at the barnyard died, or were injured, we were thankful, even though it was discouraging at times.

Bruce had always wanted a pony, so Uncle Charles gave him one. This particular fall morning he had taken the cows to the pasture below the hi-way, a mile or more, but did not return in time for the school bus. I became anxious and looking down that way I could see him running home through the field. He was crying and very upset. As he stopped to fasten the gate, the pony had stepped backward on a bridge and fallen on to its back into the water. The horn of the saddle had sunk in the mud and the horse could not get up. Bruce quickly took of his shoes and jumped in the water to help, but found he was unable to do so, then ran all the way home bare-footed on the stubble to get dad. He was afraid the horse would drown before he could get help. Sam took the truck down and got the animal out, but Bruce had to be put to bed for the day. He was white, shaken, and exhausted, but a good days rest was a sure cure.

Both of the boys had the responsibility of gathering the fast offerings each month, when they were deacons. In the summer they could do it on their bicycles, but winter time was a different story. So their mother took them in the car, up and down the lanes to the people who lived on the hi-way north of Smithfield.

When the boys were in junior high school I also took them to get their dates for school dances and parties, and then took them home.

I recall an instance that took place not so many months after we were married. We were then living in Sharon quite close to the church. We had gone to Sunday school, and taken Lillian Transtrum Rich and her husband Eugene, who were weekend house guests, with us. As we walked toward home we could see the shanty door open. Then as we drew nearer we saw the funniest sight. The neighbor's pigs came out with plum preserve all over their faces, oh what a mess. They had all been into the jar of jam with their snouts, then rubbed them all over everything that was in the room, floor, cupboard, wooden churn and etc. What mixed emotions, embarrassment, ridiculous, could not help laughing, but felt like setting fire to the place.

On writing pig stories I am reminded of another one; the mother pig had little ones, and the weather was so cold, Sam brought a wee one in a box to the house to keep warm. During the night we heard it get out through the lid of the box and run around the house. Sam got up to catch it, but there was no pig to be found, all was quiet. In the morning I was unable to find one of my stockings (a long black one) left by the side of the bed. Later in the morning I found it in the corner of the room and the pig was way down in the toe of it.

When Geniel was small she wanted deserts at the beginning of the meal, if they were in sight. So usually I kept them out of sight until the children had eaten other foods.

The boys would ask for C A K E spelling it out when they were ready for it, thinking Geniel would not know what they were saying. But she was quick to know what they were asking for, so they began spelling it backwards E K A C. But they could not fool her. "I want some E K A C too," she would say.

I am thankful for my heritage in the Church and Kingdom of God. For the restoration of the Gospel truths, and for the Prophets to guide us. I am grateful for my testimony, that God lives, and that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world. I am indebted to my mother for the training and teachings she gave me at home. I am truly blessed to have a good husband who is active in the Church, and magnifies his priesthood. I appreciate and love my family, not only my husband, children grand children, great grand children and parents, but my brothers and sisters as well.

Hymas Family 1955
Back row: Leo D. Hymas, Duveen N. Hymas holding Paula Hymas, Bruce R. Hymas holding Richard B. Hymas, A. Leon Webb
Middle row: Amy B. Hymas holding Lance A. Hymas, Ireta R. Hymas, Samuel L. Hymas, Geniel H. Webb, holding Reed L. Hymas
Front row: Merle M. Hymas, Niel D. Hymas, Laura Hymas, Sharron Lee Hymas, Jenis Webb

I am so proud of our children, happy that they are striving to raise their children in righteousness. I marvel that we are so blessed to live in this land of America, of freedom, and liberty, and where the Gospel is here in its fullness. I am ever grateful that all of my grandparents accepted the gospel, an were valiant in the cause of truth. My heart is sad when I read of their hardships and privations, but is gladdened when I read of their service to the church and to God.

Although I was small when my father left us, I know he was a man of God. Frequently I meet people who knew him, and their praise for him is always very high. As for mother, if I could live to be as good and useful as she was, and has been these (almost) 90 years, I would have no regrets.

All my life I have desired and prayed that God would grant me the privilege to live to raise my children. That desire of my heart has been granted. The desire I know have, and for which I pray for daily, is the testimonies of my children shall ever increase, In the gospel, and that they shall grow through service in the Kingdom of God, and that we shall all be valiant as our forebears have been. That the grandchildren shall be raised up to the servants of God, and that when we have finished this life here, we shall all be together in a better life, to receive the blessings the Lord has promised to those who love Him and keep His commandments....

At this point, Grandma Hymas' written history ends.

Picture of Samuel and Ireta in the Herald Journal
before leaving for their mission in England.

Samuel served as an officiator in the Logan temple from 1960 until receiving a call to go on a mission in January 1963. Samuel and Ireta were assigned to the British Mission. The mission call was signed by President David O. Mckay, and the mission president was Marion D Hanks. Samuel and Ireta served a very honorable mission and were released 1964.


Not much else is written by way of history for Samuel or Ireta after returning from their mission. Reading their histories, they both had a very strong testimony and love for their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They were both faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.


Ireta passed away February 16, 1974 aged 71 years, 11 months and 10 days.

Samuel passed away January 16, 1979 aged 79 years, 8 months and 7 days.

They are buried in the Smithfield City Cemetery in Smithfield, Utah. 

Ireta's Ordinances Complete
Baptism = 3 March 1910
Confirmation = 3 March 1910
Initiatory = 19 September 1923 Logan Utah Temple
Endowment = 19 September 1923 Logan Utah Temple
Sealing to Parents = Born in the Covenant
Sealing to Spouse = 19 September 1923 Logan Utah Temple

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