Dear Aunt Rose, sons, daughters and grandchildren, members of the Tolman family and friends,
It is an honor to have been selected to say a few words at the service for one of our brothers who has fulfilled his allotted time on this earth.
I would like to take a few minutes and recount some genealogy of the Tolman family. Benjamin Hewitt Tolman 1st was born in Maine in 1829. He was one of the sons of Nathan Tolman and Sarah Hewitt. Very little is known of his life except that he joined the Church and came to Utah with two brothers, Cyrus and Judson, who had also joined the Church.
In 1851 he married Sarah Jane Angell, daughter of Truman O. Angell, architect of the Salt Lake Temple. They moved to Brigham City and lived in the Old Fort until his untimely death in 1857. He left his widow and three children, namely, Benjamin Hewitt 2nd and two daughters, Polly Jane and Emma Mariah. She later married Jarvis Johnson of Beaver Dam and they were the parents of seven children.
Benjamin Hewitt Tolman 2nd married Eliza Belle Grant who was a daughter of Mary Hunsaker Grant, who was a daughter of Abraham Hunsaker.
Grandfather Tolman and Eliza Belle were blessed with the following children; Sarah Jane, Benjamin Hewitt 3rd, David (who died in infancy) Abinadi, Jaren, Truman, Nathan, Theda, Emma, Claudius and Twila who died in infancy.
Grandfather believed in the ordinance of plural marriage and with the consent of Eliza Belle, he married Mary Elizabeth Neely Smith, a widow with one child named Myrtle. To this union was born a son, Austin S. Tolman and a daughter Polly Belle Tolman. Aunt Mary as we affectionately called her was as concerned about “Aunt Belle’s” family as grandmother was about “Aunt Mary’s” family. We consider each other as brothers and sisters under the covenant.
Grandfather was a carpenter by trade and built many homes in the Bear River Valley. Having a large family he had the foresight to buy the General Merchandise Store in Honeyville and from approximately 1906 until 1940, Tolman & Sons, Inc. furnished employment for many members of the family, including myself.
During the Nathan Tolman Family reunion, which included families of Benjamin Hewitt 1st and his two brothers Judson and Cyrus, held in Lagoon several years ago, I met an elderly gentleman who asked me which branch of the family I belonged to. I told him the Benjamin Hewitt Branch. He said he lived in Oakley, Idaho, and many years ago he was hauling a large wagon load of grain from Oakley to Ogden to sell it. He recalled that during the long walk across the curlew valley his shoes had worn out and upon reaching Snowville had asked the owner of the small store to let him have a pair of shoes on credit until he returned from Ogden. When he gave the store owner his name, the owner asked if he was any relation to Benny Tolman of Honeyville. When he stated he was Benny’s cousin, the store owner said, “If you are a cousin of Benny Tolman, your credit is good for anything in the store.” Naturally I was proud to hear the report.
I retain many experiences in my mind of the pleasant times we had playing with my many cousins, of trips uncle Claude took me up into the mountains and also one to Bear Lake when I was a scout. As a youth most of my summers were occupied working for Uncle Bin, and it seemed like there was plenty of work for all who needed a job.
I also recall the happy times we had when watermelons, cantaloupes, peaches, apples and other fruit were in season. Uncle Bin always had a long bladed knife with which to slice watermelons.
Uncle Claude also worked occasionally for Abinadi until he purchased some land of his own and between his farm land and managing Tolman & Sons Store from 1929 until it was sold to Conrad Johnson in 1940, he had plenty to keep him occupied. Claudius thought working in an office was child’s play, and when I started working in the Court House in 1950 he had plenty of jobs lined up for me for after hours and Saturdays.
Claudius was called to the Australian mission in the Fall of 1921 and returned home in May 1924. He also filled a six-month mission to the Eastern States during the winter of 1925.
A rose is one of my favorite flowers. They are beautiful, fragrant, and grow on sturdy bushes. Claude met his “Rose” while on his mission to Australia. The friendship blossomed into marriage a few months after she and her sister Dolly emigrated to Salt Lake City. To this union has been born the following children: Alice, Sterling Banks, Valmai, David Claudius, Harvey Banks and Melvin Bryant.
We all recall the helicopter crash that took the life of Harvey while serving in the Air Force October 11, 1957. He was reported missing on a flight in New Mexico. We were living in hopes he would be found alive and safe, but the second day Uncle Claude told me he had dreamed that Harvey was dead and he would be found under a large cedar tree. I knew the dream would be true, and the next day they found his body. Upon inquiry of the sergeant who brought his body home, the crash was in a desert area and there were no trees around. The following Memorial Day we met at the cemetery to decorate the graves, and while talking to Claude, tears came into his eyes as he looked up at the large cedar tree planted on the lot, and said he just realized that was the tree he had seen in his dream.
A second tragedy struck three months later with the death of Melvin in a sleighing accident. Losing their two youngest children was almost more than anyone could be called upon to bear.
Their faith in the teachings of Jesus Christ and their knowledge of a continuing life after this one helped them through the double tragedy Claudius has been a guiding light not only to members of the family, but to many people. He was influential in my going on a mission and during the illness of mother and after her death his letters were regular and full of encouragement. I am sure he was also influential in behalf of my brother Caseel’s desire to go on a mission as he has been for other members of the family.
Claude has always been a missionary. I don’t know of any person in Honeyville who has worked more with the adult Aaronic members than he has, and some of the results of his labors can be seen in many of your present leaders.
He has been a guiding light and a confidant to many family members. Since his illness they have all been concerned how he was feeling. Nathan’s grandson, Dave Tolman, has been working in Zundel’s Clothing Store during the past few months and every time I went into the store to consult with the Mayor, Dave would inquire about Uncle Claude. His comment one day that “Uncle Claude and Aunt Rose were “The Greatest” can be echoed by all of us.
May we pledge to try and do better each day, to follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to love one another as brothers and sisters. If we do this, we will be paying our departed uncle the highest compliment. He has set us a wonderful example.
May the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ be with Aunt Rose and the family I humbly ask in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Visit FamilySearch to learn more about Claudius Tolman. Visit the Thomas Tolman Family Organization to find out how you can get more involved in family history.