Squire and Margaret Ellen Cox Hepworth

The following is from a document obtained from NelLo H. Bassett. It was compiled and edited by Elwood Dennett, Great-grandson, based upon interviewing Gay Hutchinson, Granddaughter, Charles T. Hepworth, Grandson, and Wells and Zelma Hepworth, Grandson and wife.

Squire Hepworth, son of Joseph and Mary Hirst Hepworth, was born 4 May 1843, in Drighlington, Yorkshire, England. When Squire was four years old, in 1847, the LDS missionaries came to their home preaching the gospel. Joseph and Mary joined, being baptized into the Church, Mary on 11 Aug 1847, and Joseph on 19 Dec 1847. When Squire was eight years old, he too was baptized, 11 August 1851, four years to the day after his mother.

At the age of nine, Squire went to work in the coal mines, and it appears that he continued to work in the mines until he was at least twenty years old, for he is listed as a coal miner on his marriage certificate. At the age of twenty, on 8 August 1863, he married Emily Dyson, daughter of John Dyson and Amelia Lambert. Emily was born 28 Jan 1845 at Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. Emily did not join the Church in England.

The following is taken from the emigration records of the British Mission and the Leeds Conference: Squire Hepworth, age 21 ( a miner) and Emily (age 19), sailed May 21, 1864—Ship General McClenan.

Emily was in the later months of her first pregnancy when they landed on the shores of America, a land which was to be their new home, a land of Zion, a land where some of the greatest battles known to man had just been fought, and were still being fought because the great Civil War was still in progress. However, the major battles were shifting farther and farther to the south by the time Squire and his wife landed in America. Undoubtedly, the family saw some of the destruction which had been caused by the war.

The road traveled by many of the saints making their way across the plains was the same as traveled by those who were forced out of Nauvoo. At Garden Grove, the road forked; one road going north, one south, and another west. The western road is mentioned by some as leading western from Council Bluffs, but another western road is also mentioned which leads by way of Nebraska City. It is possible that this is the road which Squire and Emily took, and they were on their way northward toward the other western road when the birth of their son, Thornton, took place, on 14 July 1864, at Wyoming, Nebraska, a little place eight miles up the Missouri River from Nebraska City. The records state that it was a Wyoming, Nebraska, where the family joined with the William S. Warren wagon train which was part of the Samuel D. White Company. Thornton was but five days old when the family resumed their travels toward Zion, and Thornton used to say that he was the youngest child ever to drive an ox team. The family arrived in Salt Lake City, October 4, 1864.

After arriving in Utah, Squire and family joined with Edmund Hepworth and wife and together they went to Smithfield, Cache County, UT to make their home. Emily Ann, first daughter of Squire and Emily, was born in Smithfield, 12 Dec 1865. On 10 Apr 1866, Squire’s wife, Emily, was baptized into the Church. The following spring, 9 Mar 1867, Edmund and his wife, Hannah Cowling, along with Squire and his wife went to the Endowment House to receive their endowments and have their sealings done. Squire was 23 when endowed.

Soon after this, Squire moved to the Oxford Branch in Idaho. Here their third child, Amelia Jane, was born on 11 Oct 1867 and on 22 Apr 1869, a second son, Squire Edmund, was born. On 28 Jan 1871, their fifth child, Joseph Ephraim, was born. He died as a child. On 12 Aug 1872, James Henry was born in Oxford.

On 20 (or 10) July 1871, Squire, at age 28, married his second wife, Margaret Ellen Cox (age 16), the daughter, and 14th of 20 children of John and Eliza Roberts Cox. Margaret was born 29 Mar 1855, in Grantsville, Tooele, UT, after John and Eliza had reached the Salt Lake Valley, after being reunited after John’s trek with the Mormon Battalion. Margaret was baptized at age 11 on 15 Apr 1866. Five years later, 10 July 1871, at the age of 16, she was endowed and married to Squire Hepworth, being sealed in the Endowment House. Squire was also sealed to his parents on this day, 10 July 1871. Margarent Ellen was sealed to her parents by proxy 10 Sep 1931 in the Salt Lake Temple. Margaret gave birth to their first child, John William, on 1 Dec 1872, in Oxford, ID. On 19 Dec 1874, Eliza Ellen was born to them, also in Oxford.

It appears that from here Squire moved Emily and her family to Stockton, ID, a place not far from Oxford, because it was here that their seventh child, Charles Dyson, was born 17 Aug 1874. He died as a child. The eighth child of Emily, Clara Elizabeth, was born in Stockton 14 May 1876.

There were two other sons born to Squire and Margaret by the time Squire moved both of his families to Springdale, Washington County, UT, situated at the entrance of Zion National Park (then known as Zion Canyon). Edmund Hepworth and his wife, Hannah, also moved to Springdale at the same time Squire moved there. The St. George Temple records show that Edmund and his wife and Squire and his wife, Emily, did work there in 1880, when Squire was 37.

According to the Springdale records, Squire was very active in the Church. Some of the Springdale records were burned when Squire’s home burned, but enough of them were saved to reveal that Squire was Presiding Elder at the time Springdale was organized into a ward, 6 Nov 1887, when Squire was 44. The Springdale Branch was organized in July 1864, with Albert Petty chosen as Presiding Elder. When he died 5 years later in 1869, he was succeeded by Zermia Palmer who presided for 7 years until 1876, when he was replaced by Evan Greene. On 27 Jun 1879, Edmund Hepworth became Presiding Elder for a year or so until he left, with his family, to go north to American Fork in the spring of 1880. Squire succeeded Edmund and for seven years was Presiding Elder until the branch became a ward, and William Crawford became bishop. William Crawford asked Squire to be his first counselor and Oliver DeMille Gifford to be his second counselor, and Freeborn D. Gifford as ward clerk. The following is a copy of the original minutes taken at that meeting:

Minutes of meeting held in Springdale for the purpose of organizing Springdale into a ward, Springdale, Washington County, Utah, November 6, 1887. The house was called to order by Squire Hepworth, Presiding Priest. After singing by the choir, prayer was offered by Bishop C.N. Smith. Singing by the choir. President John D.T. McAllister then stated the object for which himself and David H. Cannon, his counselor, had met and presented the name of William Crawford for Bishop of Springdale Ward. The vote was called for and he was unanimously sustained. Brother Crawford, having expressed his willingness to work where he was placed by the authorities of the Stake, and was sustained by the
people of the ward. The subject of choosing counselors was taken up. Brother Crawford wished a month or six weeks to consider the matter and learn the minds of the people of Springdale, as he was expecting to start for Salt Lake on the morrow. President McAllister then showed the necessity of having at least one counselor to preside in his absense (sic). The name of Squire Hepworth was presented and unanimously sustained as first counselor. Freeborn D. Gifford was then nominated and
Sustained as ward clerk. The Bishop and Counselor retired for a short time and returned with the name of Oliver DeMille Gifford for a second counselor. A vote was called for, and he, like the others, was unanimously sustained.

Squire settled on the property later to be known as the Gifford Place, and still later to be known as the Fairbanks Place. He built two homes on this property, one for each of his wives and their families. This property is located up the street a rod or two from where the Springdale Garage now stands.

Bishop William Crawford served as bishop of the ward for over seven years until 25 Feb 1895, and then Oliver D. Gifford was chosen as bishop. Bishop Gifford chose Thornton Hepworth, eldest son of Squire, to be his first counselor. Thornton served in this calling until 1913 , and then was sustained as bishop of the Springdale Ward. He served as bishop until 1 Aug 1926, a total of 31.5 years in these two positions. Thornton was well known throughout the Southern Utah area as a highly respected man. He served his community well in many civic positions as well as in church duty.

Besides farming, Squire was handy in doing many other things, such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and shoemaking. He loved music and place the violin very well. The following item is taken from the Springdale history, written by Nancy C. Crawford, granddaughter-in-law to Squire and Margaret:

Squire Hepworth made shoes for most of the community in the first days of its existence. They were made from any leather available—hand tanned. The soles were fastened to the uppers with whittled wooden pegs instead of tacks. Tacks were not available then. The sewing was done with Irish flax thread and a course hog bristle was used for a needle. To make the pegs, small flat slabs of wood were cut crosswise of the grain and then thinned to the thickness desired for the peg. They were cut off this slab. They were sharpened by hand; the different lengths used for the different thicknesses of leather. Squire was a good carpenter and while still living in Springdale, went about building homes for other people. He helped build homes in Kane County too. One of the homes he built was for the Hack Jolley in Mt. Carmel; a home which has just been torn down. I, Charles Hepworth, was there to see it and talk about a home being well built. In the past few years this home has been replaced with a new one, and by way of information, I helped tear down the old one and helped build the new, doing most of the finish work, such as putting in the door frames, window frames, casing them and hanging the doors. Gay Hutchinson speaks of Squire building homes in Muddy Valley in Nevada.

Squire had twenty-six children by his two wives, 14 by his first wife (Emily), 12 by his second (Margaret). Ten were born before he went to Dixie and fifteen were born in Springdale and one in Shunsburg, a settlement located on the East Fork of the Virgin River which junctions with the North Fork two miles below Springdale. On 7 Nov 1887, when Squire was 44, Squire’s first wife, Emily, died, at age 45, and was buried in the old cemetery plot in Springdale. After Emily died, her children that were not married went into Squire’s other family to live, and Russell says that she did a fine job with them.

At the age of 56, Squire moved his families to Idaho in 1899, settling in Elba, ID – see Elba Ward history, “The First One Hundred Years, Cassia-Oakley Idaho Stake, 1887-1987. His son, John William was married and had two children when he moved. The younger children were still single. Squire’s daughter, Eliza, was married and had a family, as did some of her sisters by Squire’s first wife, and these stayed in Springdale. Eliza reported being quite lonesome for the rest of the family after they moved to Idaho. Eliza made several trips to Idaho to see her family.

Squire first arrived at what was known as Bull Lane in the Raft River Valley, ID, late in November 1900. With him were his wife, Margaret Ellen Cox Hepworth, and most of their children. Also going to Idaho was Russell King, son of Emily and Squire. John William and George, the two oldest sons of Margaret had established themselves in Idaho some two years before their parents left Dixie and were working in the Malta-Elba area.

Squire settled on a farm on the north side of Cassia Creek in Elba Valley. He did quite a bit of carpentry work and shoe repairing as well as running his farm. He built the old original Hall home in Malta and he also helped build the Lynn Hall in Malta as well building several home, barns, and graineries in Elba. Squire was a master with the tools of his day and taught his sons to be efficient workmen. Ira, the youngest of the family was nearing four years of age when they came to Idaho. He recalls that at least two pairs of shoes that he wore were made by his father.

Ira recalled the following incidents: “Dad had the Jones place rented. One day he had a bay mare called Phoebe and another horse hitched to a walking plow when the horses began to run. Dad was dragged head first into the base of a clump of willows, the lines broke, freeing him when he hit the willows. I was so scared. I was afraid his neck would be broken. Another time we were cleaning ditch. Richard had been out to the dance the night before and Dad found him asleep in the ditch, so he turned the water in on him. Richard’s sleep was over.”

A letter from Mary E.S. Hepworth, Edmund’s daughter-in-law from Grover, WY, states that in 1900, Squire went to Grover to visit with his brother Edmund. He built a home for Edmund while there on this visit.

Those of Squire’s children who remained in Springdale were married at the time Squire left there. Thornton married Elzina Draper, daughter of Almon and Amy Draper and Squire Edmund married Cecelia Draper, sister to Elzina. James Henry married Mary Mariah Stout, daughter of Hosea Stout. James and Mariah were married 11 Jul 1894, had three children and then James died 10 Jun 1901. Emily Ann became a polygamist wife to Oliver D. Gifford; and Amelia Jane married Oliver’s brother, Freeborn D. Gifford. Eleanor married William H. Gifford, eldest son of Oliver. Eliza Ellen, eldest daughter of Margaret and Squire, married John Robinson Crawford, eldest son of William and Cornelia Gifford Crawford. Cornelia was a sister to Oliver and Freeborn.

Memories of his home and life in Springdale remained with Squire throughout his life. He made several visits to Dixie to see those of his family who married and stayed there. Thornton’s home was his home on all of these visits.

Squire lived in Elba most of the rest of his life. His wife Margaret died in Elba 10 Apr 1907 at the age of 52. The years and hard work had taken their toll and he had become senile. The writer recalls the last visit he made to Dixie and how he had to be watched to make sure he didn’t wander off and get lost. Not long after he left Springdale to return to his home in Idaho, the family were informed of the incidents surrounding his becoming lost in Idaho. Squire lived until 1920, when he died at the age of 77. The story is related in some detail by Wells Hepworth, a grandson and Ella Beecher, a close neighbor to Squire.

Springtime in the little valley of Elba, Idaho, is never very warm and May of 1918 was no different. It was windy, chilly and sometimes very cold at night, and the night Squire Hepworth left his warm bed and took a long walk towards the mountains was cold and windy. Ella Beecher comments:

Squire Hepworth was a comely little gentlemen with snow-white hair and beard and deep-set blue eyes, a quiet unobtrusive man who always minded his own business. His small farm was located north and east of Elba, near what is known as Conner Creek. He would make a trip with his team and heavy wagon to Elba occasionally to pick up his mail, and he would usually stop at the store
there, and it was at this store where Mont Maxfield would see him. He seemed to like Mont and they would visit together, and he would tell Mont many of his early day experiences.

When one of the boys awoke in the middle of that eventful night and found that his father had left his bed, he hastily awakened the other boys and they searched the house and out-buildings. When they could not locate him, Richard got on his pony and rode swiftly to Elba, to his brothers, George and Russell’s homes, and they with Elihu Beecher and others, took lanterns and hurried back and commenced searching, but the kerosene lights were dim and the night was very dark and sagebrush thick and tall and the wind would blow their lanterns out almost as fast as they would light them, so they agreed it was futile to search longer that night.

Mont Maxfield was Road Overseer of the Elba Road district and a road was being graded near Conner on the Albion Summit. When he arrived at Connor Creek early the next morning, he learned of Squire’s disappearance. A group of men congregated soon, some had come to search for Squire, others, like Mont, had come to work. Among the group was Don Whitaker, Lot Udy, Chester Parrish, Arze Udy, Elihu Beecher, Alonzo Parrish, Jerry (Del) Parrish, and Osmer Ward, with Squire’s sons, George and Russell Hepworth. Most of them got into Mont’s wagon and rode to the Hepworth home, where they left the team and scattered in all directions and soon located the old gentleman about two miles from his home, in a brush and rock filled gully, lying on his back. He was barefoot and had no clothing on except his underclothes. He was still in a coma and blue with cold. His feet were bruised and full of thorns and slivers. Some of the men went back for the team and wagon to move him while others built a fire to try and warm his shivering body. It is a wonder and still a mystery how he survived that ordeal, yet he did and lived for quite sometime afterwards.

The influenza epidemic invaded Elba Valley in the closing months of 1918. The new year of 1919 dawned with much sorrow. Two husky young men succumbed. One on the first day of January, the other on the 9th. Zelma Chandler Hepworth battled with the flu for many weeks. One night, her mother, Eliza Lovina Babbitt Chandler, told her to look out the window. She explained to her that a man was lost and that neighbors were out searching for him. Zelma looked out and saw lantern lights, like giant fireflies, moving about in the darkness. The lost man was Squire Hepworth, who had become senile. He was living with and being cared for by his unmarried sons. He had slipped out of the house in his underclothes with only stockings on his feet.

The following morning when the search party gathered, Wells, the 12 ½ year old son of George Hepworth, was with the group of horsemen. When they arrived at the Twitchell farm, Alma, a lad of 16, joined them. He remarked to Wells that he felt as if he were going to find his father and didn’t want to be alone. Wells and Alma were assigned to ride the area nearest the foothills. As they rode along, they topped a ridge where they could see into the mouth of a draw. There they saw Squire huddled in a clearing in the sagebrush. The boys called to the other searchers and a team and wagon was sent for. Squire’s socks were worn out and his feet badly frozen, but they healed after awhile and he was able to walk on them. He was taken to Russell’s home where he was cared for until sometime in the following year. Clarence, son of Russell, remembers his grandfather living with them when his sister, Fern, was a baby. She was born 31 Dec 1919.

A news item taken from the Elba News on 31 Aug 1920 states:

Squire Hepworth, age 78, died at his home Thursday, August 26, 1920. Mr. Hepworth had suffered for some time. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 28th, at the home of his son, George, at 3:00 p.m.

Margaret and Squire were both buried in the Elba, ID cemetery.