Martha Ann Tolman Thurgood recorded some wonderful detail about her life and relationship to her parents, Judson and Zibiah Jane:
I was born 1 Jan. 1870 at Bountiful, Davis, Co., Utah in a two room adobe house a daughter of Judson Tolman and Zibiah Stoker. My mother, or “Ma” as we always called her, was [one of] the first school teacher[s] in Bountiful. Many people who couldn’t read brought their mail to her to read for them.
My father, or Pa, was the first Patriarch in the L.D.S. Church in the Davis district which extended as far south as Salt Lake. Once Pa went to dedicate a certain home. The owner was deaf and there was another man there who started speaking in tongues. Pa received the gift of interpretation and he walked over and placed his hands on the man who couldn’t hear – interpreted what had been said in tongues and commanded that the Lord “make that man to hear.” He heard Pa say that and his hearing was restored. Pa had a saw mill just below the mouth of Ward Canyon which was water- powered. He cut many logs which were used by local builders.
Our home was in the eastern part of Bountiful near the mountains in what they called the bench. I was the oldest of 11 children and my childhood was spent helping Ma with the family. I remember one day the folks sent my sister and me to take their tithing honey down to Waites. They lived on the corner east and south of our home and had a small hat shop there. On the way we stopped under some bushes at the side of the road, took the lid off the bucket and sat there dipping our fingers down into the honey then licking them off. We had our fill before we delivered the honey.
Our main recreation was dancing and sleigh riding. We really used to have hard cold winters with lots of snow. The roads were just dirt roads and weren’t cleaned off like the roads are today so the snow packed down hard and we had several weeks of right good sleigh riding. Our dances were mostly square dances as we weren’t even allowed to waltz in those days. I remember how strict Pa was. He wouldn’t allow us to curl our hair or fix up like that. Sometimes if we had a chance we’d do it on the sly but he’d come to the dances and check up on us and if we had our hair curled he’d make us go home, wet it down and comb it out straight.
Mother
I count as Golden Hours those quiet times when you have talked and smiled and understood as mothers do. And could I give them one by one to you, You would possess a chair of Golden memories — a Crown of Happiness.
We remember the many many times when our home has been opened to relatives, friends and even beyond that. Ma has always been found near her home and has spent her life there. She has never been active in public affairs—never sought praise or glory outside her home. She has fed and entertained many people who came and stayed overnight or longer. There were two men from Pock Creek, Idaho, Thomas and Willie Barnard, who used to bring bands of horses down for Pa, Uncle Willie and the boys to break. They always stayed at our home and Ma cooked for them, washed and ironed and took care of them…And we kids always had to give up our beds and sleep on the floor. Leo was young and his little short legs couldn’t reach very far down the horses side but Uncle Will used to put him up on the horse and if he got bucked off he’d put him back up to try again and again.
When ever folks from Bountiful came up tho (sic) they visited around they always stayed at our place. Ma’s brothers used to come up and stay over the weekend—then they brought their sweethearts, then their wives and then their families. At Christmas time they all came up and always stayed at Ma’s. We girls were taught to help outside as well as inside and often worked in the fields. Many times when we were working away up at the top of the field (a mile) Ma trudged up there with sandwiches and water for us. She milked cows, fed pigs and chickens and such chores. Although she never took part in Ward affairs or such if there was something she could do for anyone she did it and she did it for the joy of doing always giving of herself. If any of us had sickness we’d either send for her or take it home to her and she always took care of us. At Christmas time, she and Pa used to get in the car and visit each of our homes early in the morning to see what Santa had brought and enjoy watching the kiddies with their toys and when one of us had a new baby you could always depend on them coming each morning to see us and help out if needed. She loved her home and really made it home sweet home. (Life Sketch of Martha Ann Tolman Thurgood. Copy made available through the International Society of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah).
(Contributed by the Thomas Tolman Family Organization. Excerpt taken from Judson Tolman: Pioneer, Lumberman, Patriarch compiled by E. Dennis Tolman, Second Edition, 2004, pages 60-61).