Thomas Lloyd

History of Thomas Lloyd
Written by his son George Lloyd

It is a pleasure, indeed, to contribute what I have heard, seen, or read concerning my father, Thomas Lloyd, who was born, June 15, 1833, in Woverhampton, England. He was the son of Benjamin Lloyd, who was born in 1805 and died in 1844, and Mary Ellidge. The dates of her birth and death are not known to me, but my father said his mother died when he was but two years old. His father passed away two years later.
Father had several sisters (three, I think). He had several aunts and soon after the death of’ his father he went to live with one of them. However, he soon discovered he was actually living with his aunt’s cruel husband, and from my memory I shall record some of the outstanding experiences with his uncle. His aunt had been married but a short time. She was very kind and would have made him very happy and comfortable had her husband not been a very cruel, over-bearing person.

Father was constantly underfed. On one occasion when his aunt and uncle left the house after tying him up with a rope to keep him out of mischief, he managed to untie himself and hurried to the cupboard where he found some cheese. He took as large a bite as possible, and then retied himself in the hope he would not be detected, and then waited the return of the aunt and uncle. When he heard them coming, he was fearful and crying. When asked the trouble, his reply was “Toothache”. Later, when the cheese was discovered bitten into, they called on Tommy for an explanation. He had none, so the uncle fitted the cheese into that perfect hungry pattern. His guilt was obvious end Tommy had to be punished.

I do not know how long Father lived with this tyrannical uncle, but even a short time, I would say, was much too long, except for the fact that these experiences and hardships endured developed a sterling character. These hardships and discipline must have awakened in our Father the finer elements of justice.

Father’s maiden aunt, Mary Lloyd, later became his guardian and really his Guardian Angel. She was successful in business, became a large property owner, and had plans for her nephew. She provided for his necessities and paid for his training in harness and saddle- making. She had dreams of his future, and even planned for his romance with a young lady. However, he had accepted the Gospel, and neither the young lads nor his aunt would accept it. They did all they could to persuade him to leave the Church. Finally, they gave him his choice of either giving up the girl and his aunt’s money or him leaving the church.

Father was about twenty two years old at this time. He had completed training for his trade, and his aunt was prepared to set him up in business. This would have been the fulfillment of his ambition. However, father had the courage of his convictions and remained firm in the course he had taken.

Finding that he was now cut off because of his acceptance of Mormonism, Father prepared to go to Zion, and he emigrated to Deseret in the year 1855 by driving an ox team across the plains. He was always modest in relating to the hardships endured in his crossing. However, from the fact that he was a high class English gentleman whose training had been in harness-manufacturing, driving an ox team across the plains must have taken courage and fortitude.

The details of Father’s history from the time he left England in 1855 and came to Deseret are not familiar to me, but our Mother came the following year, 1856, and found Father in a modest harness-shop in Farmington. I shall now relate other’s description of Father and some of the details of their romance and impressions of each other at their first meeting.

Our Mother, Susannah Stone, was born in Bristol, England, on Christmas in the year 1830. Mother crossed the plains in a hand-cart company in 1856, walking the total distance of one thousand miles and suffering the hardships of the most perilous journey ever recorded in hand-cart history. She was single, having lost her fiancé on the perilous journey to Zion.

Father had heard there was a company of saints expected to land in Salt Lake and was impressed to go to meet them, thinking that it was impossible that he might know some of them. In spite of Mother’s being very thin and tired from her journey, when Father saw Susannah, he was no longer interested in the others who had arrived. He proceeded to sell himself to this beautiful Miss Stone. According to Mother, he had no difficulty on that score, providing his character was as fine as his looks. Father was able to settle this matter at once by referring to their file leaders.

Father was a real salesman. He proposed on the spot to share his harness with Susannah. So she went to Farmington the next day. Father was looking for a ring. Their bishop, Brother Hess, suggested that the blacksmith would take care of that. Then father gave Mother the yoke he had left over after having driven the ox-team across the plains.
It was in Farmington that Thomas William, Joseph Benjamin, Jesse Willard, Sarah Susannah, and Daniel David were born. Father continued in his trade, and Mother became Farmington’s first school teacher. They later moved to Wellsville where Mary, Charles, Brigham, Annie, Heber, Ezra, John, Olive and George were born. Brigham and Heber died in infancy. Heber was a twin of Annie. Now, since I was the last born, I can’t recall from memory all the history of each member, but my father said he had plenty of trials and tribulations.

While living in Farmington, our parents had heard of the very beautiful Cache Valley with its’ rich farming land. Father was no expert ox- driver, nor was he an experienced farmer. Grasshoppers, crickets, frosts and scarce seed were the worry of all the early farmers in Cache Valley, while Indians were the worry of the women. Father continued to combine his trade with farming, but the small farm he had at south Wellsville was not adequate for his many boys, and therefore it was necessary for some of the older boys to go to adjoining states and assist in lumbering and building of roads. Jesse was one of the great lumber developers with Stoddard and Eccles in the sawmilling business in Oregon. Thomas and Joseph B., developed lumber in Wyoming , Dan was a freighter to Montana and a road-builder. Charles was the first-born in Cache Valley. Indeed, he became a wonderful man.

During the time the insects were so bad, in order to provide for his family, Father went to Ogden and worked for a Mr. Biddle at his trade of harness-making, and on the week-end he walked the mountain trail from Ogden to Wellsville, carrying a fifty pound sack of flour. This he did not once but several times.
Previous to going to Ogden to work, when flour was so scarce due to the devastation caused by the crickets, Father one Sunday morning had a conference with Mother. He said, “Tall”, (his pet name for Mother) This is a Sunday. W e are threatened with hunger for our family. Suppose that you fast and pray, and attend Church. I will exercise my faith and works with your prayers and I shall go out and hustle some flour. Mother went, prayed and fasted, and when she returned home Father had a sack of flour.
Father’s motto was “Wash your hands thoroughly before touching food. Never tell, nor ever listen, to a story that is rude.”

Father was recognized as one of the finest speakers in the vicinity, and I recall when Bishop Maughan called on him unexpectedly, Father remarked “This reminds me of Brigham Young when he said, “it is up to Yankey-Doodle-Do-it”.
Father was very hospitable. Mother insisted he was a great tease, as evidenced by the following incident; Mother occasionally made some remark regarding the proposals received from a number of the brethren among whom were Strain, Hewlett, Stravello, etc. and at on time during the busy season George Hewlett rode up to Cache Valley and payed them a visit. Mr. Hewlett had heard of the superior products of Cache Valley and purchased a good amount of butter to take home. Father insisted he would like to take this guest for a drive to see some of the sights of the valley in his light wagon. They went out, harnessed the horses, and then Father exclaimed they would be unable to go as they needed some wagon-grease. He made quite a fuss over it, and finally exclaimed they could use some butter for the purpose. I remember the fun that followed.

Our parents were always true to the faith, and worked assiduously in the Church, Mother in the Relief Society and Father as a missionary.

I was about two years old when Father left Wellsville to go to the Southern States to fill a mission, he was in the state of Georgia at the time the missionaries were being tarred and feathered. A friend of his was actually murdered near where Father was laboring.

Father related one experience when a mob gathered in Georgia and declared they would exterminate the missionaries on sight. Father found himself in great danger, and was having to flee to safety. He met one particular preacher who had professed friendship and Father hesitated long enough to say, “They are after me; here are two roads I shall take the left; when the mob comes, you tell them I took the right.” The preacher folded his hands, looked skyward and said, “I cannot tell a lie,” Father said, “Can’t you? Well, to save a man’s life, I could lie”.

During the raising of us fourteen children, Father was our only Doctor. Brother Jess, when a little boy, was endeavoring to unload some poles from a wagon. One of the poles fell on his head, nearly scalping hint. Father picked him up and with the assistance of Uncle Deakin, father literally sewed Jess’s head with his harness needle, thus saving the life of our brother Jess.

During the time father was in the mission field, he had an accident where a mole on his face was scratched and became irritated. Later it developed a cancer. Father later came to Salt Lake City where a famous Dr. Bennedict endeavored to cure the condition. He removed the left eye, but the cancer continued to grow and continued to be a tormenting sore.
Just before the close of Father’s life, when it was seen that he had but a short time to live, Charles showed him a letter from Box B calling him on a mission to Great Britain. I heard father say, “I am proud of you and want you to go on that mission; and though I know I will depart this life before you can return, it is my desire and prayer that you shall go. Preach the Gospel to my native land. Call upon my aunt who is still living and tell her I made no mistake in giving up everything for our gospel. Tell her you are in my likeness and I think she will recognize you.”

A few weeks later, while the snow was deep upon the ground, I saw my brother Charles say good-by to Father. They were both in tears, and never shall I forget the impression when these men expecting only to see each other in the next life and both save utterance to this hope, gave me. The sleigh then skidded brother Charles from Wellsville to Mendon where the train was to carry away a son who was a replicated of his father.

Soon after this, while Father was on his death bed, I took to him a letter just received from Charles in England, wherein he said he had just seen Aunt Mary. She recognized him at once, calling him Tom, and listened to the message from her nephew. For some days prior to this letter, Father had lost his speech and part or his understanding. However, when our brother Tom held up this letter, explaining it was from Charles and Aunt Mary, Father showed a keen interest. After reading the letter, Tom asked Father if he had heard and understood. Immediately up went Father’s hand, fist-first. The letter further explained that the Aunt had again reinstated him in her will; and while she had lost most of her means, there would still be something for Tom. This something was realized by our Mother.
Several of our brothers, Charles, Thomas, Jess and Ezra and sister Mary with her daughter lrene and also Ezra’s wife, Jennie, have been in England and, reported that upon contacting our relatives there have found them to be clean, industrious, and worthwhile people.

Picture of Thomas and Susannah Lloyd and their family. The picture contains all of their children except Daniel David, Brigham Samuel (died at 7 mos.), and Heber Lorenzo (died at 16 days). Standing: John Ephraim, Charles Edward, Jesse Willard, Ezra Timothy, George Francis. Sitting: Joseph Benjamin, Sarah Susannah, Olive Marguerite, Thomas Lloyd, Susannah Stone Lloyd,

Annie Elizabeth, Thomas William, and Mary Diana.