Journal of Sarah Matilda Bright

Aportado por

TamaraleeStolp

1. Sarah Matilda Bright

300 South 3rd Street, Sunnyside, Washington

2. Born 26 February 1900 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah.

3. Born at home a four room house two bedrooms upstairs, one bedroom downstairs with a kitchen and dining room. Doctor Adams traveled by horse back or in a horse and buggy. There was a Midwife in Lewiston by the name of Mrs. Jenson but our Doctor, Dr. Adams was from Richmond, Utah. A few years later when I was still small a Dr. Farketson came over he seemed more like a Horse Doctor but we were glad to have him when we were ill.

4. My Father Isaac Preston Bright was born 13 October 1844 in Hancock Co., Illinois.

My Mother Matilda Adaline Craghead was born 7 January 1869 in Oxford, Franklin Co., Idaho.

My Sister Harriet Bright was born 8 December 1887 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah. Died 9 April 1890, buried in Richmond, Cache Co. Utah.

My sister Elda Bright was born 18 August 1889 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah

My brother George Bright was born 25 November 1890 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah. My sister Zora Bright was born 25 July 1897 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah.

Died December 1918 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah and buried there.

My sister Zola Bright was born 25 July 1897 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah.

Died 25 July 1897 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah and buried in Richmond, Utah.

My sister Nettie Bright born in 6 October 1903 in Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah

5. John Bright and Susan Pugh

Grandfather Thomas Laudway Craghead was born 3 May 1842 in Franklin Co., Virginia.

Grandmother Harriet Wilson was born 19 September 1850 in Pottawatomie Co., Iowa.

Great Grandfather John Henry Craghead was born 36 June 1808 in Franklin Co., Virginia.

Died 16 June 1864 in Brigham City, Box Elder Co., Utah.

Great Grandmother Martha Jane Ferguson was born 10 August 1819 Pittsylvania, Co., Virginia.

Died 9 November 1901 in Brigham City, Box Elder Co., Utah.

I was blessed on my 8th day by my Father Isaac Bright in Lewiston, Utah. I was Baptized 30 May 1908 by Isaac P. Bright in the canal running through our place. I was Confirmed on 31 May 1908 by Franklin M. Stephenson Jr. a cousin in the first ward chapel.

The Stove pipe from the kitchen use to run through the ceiling into the upstairs bedroom which was very nice in the winter time. We use to hover around the pipe in the early morning after Mother lit the fire. We lived on a eighty acre farm. I don't remember my older half sisters and brothers living at home they were much older than I but I did enjoy them coming to visit with their babies to play with. Father Homesteaded his farm in Lewiston. They use to call Lewiston "Poverty Flat." Father said that before they went there to live they use to feed their cattle there on a range. We always raised Beets, Oats, Wheat, Alfalfa, Hay, Raspberries, some Apples, Pie Cherries, Strawberries and Rhubarb(pie plant).

Father use to raise Onions in large patch, Cantaloupes, Mush melons and Watermelons. He also raised Cows, Horses, Chickens, Ducks and Geese. Father always raised his own Colts from a Dapple Belgium Horse named Dutch and Star her daughter, we had some beautiful Colts. At one time he was breaking one of his Colts to drive Charles sleigh. My half brother Ike was breaking him, he was a Brute. One night the Colt was stolen out of the barn when they found him they fired one of the Bournan boys who were mixed up with Horse thieving. He and a Brower boy went back to jail for a time.

We always had plenty of Horses, Colts and Calves to feed. We had to milk our quota of cows both night and morning, separate the milk, wash the cooler before going to School both Winters and Summers, also feed the Calves and Cows. When my brother George left it was left up to Zora and I or Father would have a hired man do it. We sent our milk to Richmond, Utah. It was hauled by horses and a long wagon for the Haulers would have a long route. Our Hauler as I remember was a Brother Revens an elderly man which we loved as a good friend and appreciated him very much. When Father died I was left with five cows to milk and tend. I milked them in the coral, I took a stool and walked up to them. One time I saw a Jap because the railroad tracks were right beside the coral and there was tall weeds growing there. He had a black cow I liked very much which told me he was there one morning. Brother Benew came and talked to him. After that I didn't milk in the mornings until he came to pick up the milk which was his request and I appreciated it very much. I was taught very young to milk cows by my Mother. She had a cow named Pink, a red cow with large tits it took two hands to milk two of her tits.

Mother would get on one side and I on the other for she milked on either the left or right side. Mother taught us children to milk but Nettie never chose to milk so she never learned to milk. We would have to pull weeds from the garden and potatoes or beets to feed the pigs at night and in the morning. We would pack them in our arms. We often wished for a horse and wagon or a wheelbarrow to haul them in. Then when the Alfalfa was high enough to cut with a scythe either Father or George did it when we got large enough to swing the scythe sometimes and pack large armfuls of alfalfa to the pig pens. One pen would have six or more pigs in them. When the beets were large enough to dig up we would pack them partway and if we could not pack them we would drag them by the leaves.

We never bought Meat or Lard, Potatoes, Cereal or Flour. Father always fed the Chickens, Geese and Ducks by broadcasting the wheat on the ground. We had a Gander that was a sassy one, every time Nettie would go outside toward the coral with a cookie or anything to eat and he would get a hold of her dress, drag his feet and hit her legs with his wings and frighten her terribly someone had to go to her rescue. We use to have to haul our pig feed across a two board bridge over a large canal. We had a beautiful farm and a lovely home, we had a shanty (shack) that we used for a kitchen in the summer. We had a large bin Father built with a shelf inside that we use to keep our flour and cereal in all year round. We had a large canal behind the shanty a few feet away which made our place cool all the time and we had lovely box elder trees around our house. Father built two more rooms and when I was about 9 years old he built a lovely porch between the shanty and kitchen. I can recall Mother in the shanty putting Peaches, Plumbs and Pears by bushels ito n the shanty.

Father would go to Brigham City every Fall and went to a Company of covered wagons to get our Grapes, Peaches, Pairs and Plumbs for the Winter. We had a half a pasture on the south side of the house and our coral was on the north side with the machine shed. Our water was an open well or pump. The coral well was dug before they had the canal water drain by bucket. We had a large Cellar to put our spuds when we had a lot for seed to sale in the Spring. Winter spuds were put in a cellar under the house in the front room we loved to smell the New spuds in the Fall through a hole. The leftover spuds were taken out in the Spring. We hated going down there in the Spring because of the spiders. Mother would tell us about one time she came in the house and a snake was on a chair so she took her babies out and stayed outside until Father came home and killed It.

When Father cut Hay, Uncle Jack Bright and he would cut Grain and Hay, they also Harvested Potatoes and Beets together on his and Uncle Jack's place. I use to look forward to this time of the year for we always fed the men that would Thrash the Grain and Hay with Pies, Cakes and plenty of all foods with the beautiful long tables and benches made with boards and quilts on them for the men to sit on. Dill Wheeler, a half sister use to come and help and Mila her housemaid or Dr. Wheeler always came and helped Father they lived in second ward. When Father thrashed in the Fall we would go with him to the Flour Mill on Cub River and bring back our Winter supply of cereal and flour then leave wheat there for flour and cereal for the year. I use to love to go the Mill with Father and Mother in the Buck board wagon with a load of Grain for Grits. We liked to watch the big wheel that the water turned to grind the flour and grains. The dane gate was also interesting I played on the long porch across the front of the Mill which they wheeled the flour or Grain on to load on the wagon or put in the Mill.

When the big Steam Engine of the Thrasher came it was a thrill for we children knew them they were the Smith boys or the Wiser men and we liked them, they were our neighbors. Mother would go at that time and renew her dishes which had been broken. We also enjoyed the time of Haying as I got older I run the Mower in cutting the Hay then driving the team on the wagons for Haying or Grain. We drove through the large canal sometimes and we were afraid of tipping over the wagon. I did tip over a load of hay and a load of Grain at one time into the field. George told me to come down with the load so I did so I didn't get hurt but it was a thrill. We were up at five in the morning which we didn't like but it wasn't so bad after all I had the pleasure of driving Derick's horse to raise the fork and when they thrashed Grain. It was brought into the two log cabins.

Father use to live in he had one behind the other. The front one was for our wheat and cured Meats, Salted Pork cured in the Fall and dried Beef. The back one was for the Oats for Feed, some Barley but not too much for Feed. Then we had to also push the Grain down into the Bins. We use to take off our shoes and stockings and swivel it back into the corners, the Wheat was fun but the Oats hurt our feet. We use to go swimming in the large canal but never unless our Mothers watched us for they were afraid we would in the deep holes and get drowned.

Ike Bright a brother lived on part of the Farm he did not run any of the Farm for he had land in Winder, Idaho but his Family was there all of the time except for Harvest time in the Fall and mid summer. One time we were swimming and Ray, one of Ike's boys went down into the canal and on his third time his Mother Rilda ran out and grabbed him and that was the end of swimming for that Summer. Sometimes the water would get so high when they had all of the pumps open from the Bear Lake it was a thrill to hear the roaring of the water come down into the Spring, it usually came at night or early morning.

My Father use to run the Ox team they had with Hugh Stocks's Rakes and Ditcher to clean the canal every Spring and to keep weeds and moss out. Hugh was the Ditch rider, a brother in law of mine also Frank Stephenson my cousin. Father use to raise Watermelons, Cantaloupes and Mush melons. People from all over use to come to get them. Father always gave them away also all kinds of Vegetables. Even the Indians would stop on their way to the Reservation in Preston, Idaho. Father always loaded them down and he enjoyed talking Indian to them. Our home was open to everyone.

A Watkins Dealer by the name of Mr. Simpson from Logan, Utah use to stay with us when when he was up in that part, also a Mr. Chapman from Preston, Idaho. He use to drive a Wagon Store pulled by Horses. he use to stay all night with us. Mother would buy from him and he would pay her with cloth to thank her for her kindness. There was a Negro Ministry in Lewiston which was once a year in the Fall. They would pitch their Tent on our place. We enjoyed having them come in and play and sing. They were very kind to us. When the Indians came to talk to Father we children we're frightened and would hide or keep close to Mother. I can remember one time a Tramp came late at night and wanted to sleep in the barn and Father was afraid he would set things on fire so he set out two bed springs with straw in the house. He sent us to bed upstairs and slept in the room with the Tramp. Father was a Minute man in his young life so he only slept part of the night. As a Minute man Father went back to get the poor in 1864 with Ox teams he landed at Battle creek the morning after the War was over between the Indians and the White men. We always had to get up early and get the milking and feeding done so we could have Family prayer before Breakfast then go to School or work. When we thrashed we also had new filled licks of new straw to sleep on for mattresses. Mother always made our licks, our quilts also our new carpets were sewed by rags and weaved by Aunt Emma, she would yarn them. We would sew the strips together to make carpets after tearing our rags into strips and roll it into large balls.

We also plucked our Ducks and Geese every summer to use the feathers for pillows and mattresses. Our chores for when we were small was to fill the reservoir on the stove top, the Tea Kettle and the bucket with water from the pump. The water in the Well in front of the house became not so good so Father and other men dug a Well for a pump and drove pipe into the ground. After the Well was dug so deep then the water was hard and rusty but better so we hung our milk and butter in the Well in buckets so they would keep cool and keep the butter hard. We enjoyed the Well until about 1912 we got Spring water piped from a Spring in Franklin and a Spring from High Creek and enjoyed life with running water from a outside Hydrant.

The chores of packing in the Coal and Kindling was to be done before dark and if we didn't then we had to go out alone in the dark that was very spooky with no light at all. Our outdoor toilet was across the canal about a block until Father built a three board bridge half way between the House and Barn. Father took Nettie and Mother with him in the Fall to take his Tithing of Grain to the Tithing house just East a few miles from our home now owned by Mark Tagert family for after they stopped taking Grain for Tithing the church sold it for a Dwelling home.

We always had an Elderly man living with us Uncle Isaac Pugh lived with us as he was a Bachelor Grandmother Bright's brother. We sure loved and respected him I remember he always walked with a cane. We use to pile a large pile of beets for him, he would sit in a chair which had the legs sawed short to sit on top of the pile of beets. He always smoked a pipe. He had a room by himself and we would go visit him and he read a lot. He had piles of papers on a trunk, before he died he promised me I could have his pocketknife. He had cut lots of snakes heads off with it for when we walked down the field he would hang them on the fence. We always knew when we came home from School through the Pasture that Uncle Isaac had been through there that day. Uncle Jet Merril would spend the Winters with us he was a Nephew to one of Father's first wives he was a cripple and walked with crutches and would always come with his Cart and beautiful Pony we were glad to see him come he always read a lot of Books but did no work.

Uncle Lib Bright stayed with us after his wife died. Mother always took good care of them as well as her Family she was kind and patient to everyone. It was also a thrill for us when Grandfather Craghead would come driving in from Smithfield with his black Surrey (small buggy) with the white fringe on top and beautiful Ponys prancing along. As a Minute man Father went back to get the poor in 1864 with Ox teams he landed at Battle creek the morning after the War was over between the Indians and the White men. We always had to get up early and get the milking and feeding done so we could have Family prayer before Breakfast then go to School or work. When we thrashed we also had new filled licks of new straw to sleep on for mattresses. Mother always made our licks, our quilts also our new carpets were sewed by rags and weaved by Aunt Emma, she would yarn them. We would sew the strips together to make carpets after tearing our rags into strips and roll it into large balls.

Uncle Lib Bright stayed with us after his wife died. Mother always took good care of them as well as her Family she was kind and patient to everyone. It was also a thrill for us when Grandfather Craghead would come driving in from Smithfield with his black Surrey (small buggy) with the white fringe on top and beautiful Ponys prancing along.I loved Grandfather Craghead very much and also his wife Aunt Mary. She died and Grandfather lived alone for sometime. We would go to Smithfield once or twice a year to see them. It was like going to Heaven especially for the 4th of July. The sprinkled streets smelled of old men's cigars and there were Apple blossom Flowers. The streams of beautiful clear water in the Creek ran by Grandfather's place. The path from Grandfather's to Aunt Rose Coleman had mint on the side of the path and a beautiful large Creek ran through the City. Grandfather had a lazy cellar in the back of his house which he put his Vegetables and lovely Apples in. We would see apples all winter long until new apples were ready to pick in the Fall. He had a long barn to put his Corn and Hay in for his Horses. His Chicken coops were out standing by wire fencing to keep the Chickens in and if one got out he killed it so it wouldn't bother his neighbors.

Grandfather had the loveliest apples which we took home it was our supply for the winter. He had trees of apples planted on the outside of his fence so the boys that drove their cows to pasture on the west of town would not go up the trees inside and waste his apples. He was a honest upright person and didn't bother his neighbors and did not want his neighbors to bother him. He liked People and always had a beautiful home in Smithfield also such beautiful flowers.

I remember Aunt Mary also I loved her and she loved children. She didn't have any children of here own she and Grandfather raised Rose Gittens after their family left she was treated very well. I remember when he died it was February the snow fell all day, George Magil and I went down on the street car and the snow fell so heavy that the street car was late It could hardly run in the deep deep snow. I was put in charge of the flower arrangements. It hurt me very hard to lose my dear Grandfather but he had suffered so long after having a Stroke. He couldn't speak for over two years which hurt me very much. He was buried in Smithfield with his Family and wives.

I also remember Aunt Rose Coleman would play with Iva often she was a great loss to us for Mother and she were very close. I played with Aunt Ligre Gitten's children, Marguerite and I were close. Uncle Tom Craghead's Family and I were close. We also loved Aunt Sarah, Ellen Gittens and Family. I was glad that I knew my cousins on both sides of the Family.

Father fell off of the Hay stack backwards, he was very ill. The Elders were called in and he was soon well. Father also had walking Lyployd when I was small. We always had plenty of food Corn and Vegetables and what we raised ourselves on the Farm. We did not bottle Vegetables but they were dried and pitted for winter and of coarse fresh in the Summer. We had plenty of Wool socks that Mother knit for us, Mother always made our dresses we had a new dress for Christmas, Springtime and for the 4th of July. We always took good care of our clothes and always wore our old clothes after Sunday School or after School so our New ones kept nice to wear.

When I was thirteen Mother could not get our shoes in Lewiston so we used the buggy and horse to travel to Preston, Idaho and buy shoes. The sand was so deep it come up on the wheels in the buggy then fell down. We went with Father in the cart and horse to the desert between Preston and Lewiston to gather sagebrush for our morning sage tea. We drank a glass every morning before Breakfast. We started to celebrate Veteran's Day on Mountain Smart off from Franklin, Idaho where they fought Indians on Mountain Smart. The Light on the mountain could be seen for a long distance every June and we celebrated Declaration (Memorial) day, we would go in the white top to Richmond to see the graves we would stop and pick wild flowers to put on the graves in Richmond. It was also a thrill to celebrate the 4th of July they called it Pioneer day. Sometimes we got to ride in the Covered wagon as the Pioneer children and they would fight the Indians on the park behind the first ward's church house. Mother, Father and some of the older people would gather and tell Pioneer stories. Of course Uncle Jack Bright was among them also Uncle Merion Stephenson and Frank Stephenson. One 4th of July Father had bought me a red coat with small white pearl buttons down the side half way and on the belt. While celebrating after the Pioneer fight it began to snow and my coat got wet and it faded all over everything. Our crop was not good that year, I think I was nine years old.