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Joseph Henry Wood
Anna Lillian "Lillie" Decker
Decker Log Cabin in Bluff
Battle of El Caney in Cuba
Joseph Henry Wood
Born: 8 Mar 1875 at Cedar City, Iron, Utah, USA
Parents: Samuel Wood and Josephine Catherine Chatterley
Married: Anna Lillian Decker, 17 December 1902 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Died: 1 July 1942 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Autobiographical Sketch
"I was seven years old when we first arrived in Bluff [1882] and remained with the family until I was of age, working on the farm and range, and attending school. In 1895-1896, I attended the Brigham Young University at Provo, Utah. This school money was earned making bricks in
Moab in the summer of 1895. The next summer was spent gathering ancient Indian relics in Utah and Arizona and taking them to Salt Lake for display and sale.
Spanish American War
While in Salt Lake I was invited to join a Utah group of soldiers on their way to Cuba where the Spanish-American war was going on. I had received an L.D.S. Mission call and was undecided
what to do, but finally decided to go to Cuba and postpone the mission to a later date.
I served as a Packer in the Rough Rider Division under Theodore Roosevelt. Because I knew how to properly tie a pack on a mule so it would stay on until taken off, I was put in charge of a Packer Division to teach the others. I sure got a kick out of watching green men trying to handle bronco mules.
Taking part in the task of making everything ready for the departure of the largest expedition ever undertaken in the United States Army was all very thrilling and thoroughly enjoyed by me. The loading of guns, supplies, animals, and men onto vessels and the maneuvering of those huge transports and battleships was extremely interesting to a boy, who prior to his leaving home a short time before, had seen nothing larger than a ferry boat. This fleet consisted of 35 transports and was escorted by the Battleship Indiana and other war vessels which took the lead and others following in three columns, presenting a most beautiful picture. The trip over to Cuba occupied eight days.
Cuba was the most beautiful country I was ever in. It is quite hilly, with some mountains of considerable size covered with all kinds of trees and vegetation and tropical fruit, the soil being very rich and productive. Large sugar and tobacco plantations could be seen here and there over the country though many areas had grown up to grass and underbrush, having been uncultivated for a number of years past owing to the war which had been going on between Spain and Cuba.
Immediately the Pack Trains began a night and day service of carrying food and supplies to the troops along the firing line. This firing line being advanced each day, until on July 1, the firing line reached the foot of San Juan Hill. Here the enemy had built fortifications and had made preparations to make a determined stand. The main engagement commenced in the morning of July 1 and in a very short time the American and Spanish forces all along the line of battle were fighting fiercely. The enemy was mostly protected by trenches and fortifications while the Americans had to fight pretty much out in the open. The Americans, however, soon gained ground driving the Spaniards from their trenches back into the town of El Caney, where they were surrounded by American troops who captured a great number of prisoners and killed about two thousand Spaniards. During this time, the Packers were working day and night trying to keep the troops supplied with ammunition and food. Each day in making our trips from the commissary to the firing lines we would pass over the battle field. Some of the wounded soldiers lying on the ground would ask for water. My heart ached to have to pass them by; however, our orders were to deliver our supplies direct to the troops at the firing line. When delivering the supplies we were under the necessity of passing within the range of the enemy guns. Some of our mules were killed and wounded, but the Packers escaped unhurt.
While thus engaged, we were brought face to face with the realities and horrors of war. Almost continuously we were meeting wounded and disabled soldiers being taken back to the hospitals, and by the wayside could be seen men lying dead as they had fallen in battle, many of whom had their guns still gripped in their hands. Up to this time, the Packers had not been supplied with fire arms, so they took this means of supplying themselves arms for their own protection and having in mind keeping them as a souvenir. Some of the boys lost their rifles, they having been called in by government orders. I was one of the few who retained a rifle, a Kreg Jorgensen [ Krag–Jørgensen] Cavalry gun, a 30-30 U.S.
On the morning of July 3rd, while packing our mules at El Caney, we could hear heavy bombardment out toward Santiago Harbor and supposed it to be an engagement between the Spanish and American fleet, which proved to be true. The Spanish fleet, having attempted to run the blockage, were attacked by the Americans stationed just outside the harbor and in the short period of three hours every Spanish ship was destroyed. This fleet, consisting of seven war vessels, Spain's greatest fleet, was completely destroyed with a loss of 600 men killed, 400 wounded, and 1,100 taken prisoner. The American loss was one man killed and not a single ship seriously damaged. Thus, ended one of the most notorious Naval victories in history, equalled or surpassed only by the victory of the American Fleet in Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.
The Packers continued their work of supplying provisions, etc. to the troops at different points. Our work began to ease up so that we could return to headquarters and get some sleep at night. For the space of several days, the only sleep we had had was in the saddle. Our work continued until August of 1898 when the Spanish formally surrendered the island, and headquarters of the American land forces was established in Santiago.
I had contacted malaria and for the next few months was in one hospital after another — first at Santiago, then in NewYork, but not getting any better I decided to go home. I took a train to Salt Lake City arriving exhausted. After checking into the Whitehouse Hotel, I slept solid for two days and two nights. When the manager found out I had been in the war they took me immediately to the St. Mark's Hospital. An article was published in the paper telling of my return from Cuba and of my experiences. All those at the hospital treated me with great kindness and when I asked what my bill was they said it would be nothing because I had been to war.
Having recuperated sufficiently to stand the trip, I decided to start home, and arrived in Bluff about December 28, 1898, and to my surprise the whole town turned out to welcome me home. Later on, the people of the town cooperated in giving me a very exceptionally fine welcome home party. I was very happy indeed to return home and find my parents well, and happy to welcome home their wandering son. I have many times felt it was the prayers of my mother that directed me to return. It gave me a great deal of pride and joy in receiving the honor and respect of my friends.
Thus ends the story in brief of my war experience, and after taking everything into consideration I have no regrets for having gone to Cuba, but on the contrary, I take considerable pride and satisfaction in the thought that I have taken part in a small way in gaining freedom for the Cuban people and forcing from the American shores the most tyrannical, treacherous, and altogether unhuman nation — the Spanish government.
After the thrill of being welcomed home had subsided and I was settling down into the home life again, I discovered I had not gotten rid of my malaria fever. So my mother, who had been serving in Bluff as the only doctor and nurse the town had had for years, took me in hand and gave me a treatment that completely eradicated the disease from my system. I have often thought what a wonderful thing it would be if all the government nurses were as capable as my mother.
Mission
About this time, I received another letter from the Presiding Bishop's Office asking if I was now ready to go on my mission and I replied that I would go whenever they wanted me to. It was while I was out gathering wild cows that a letter came to Bluff telling me to report to Salt
Lake City April 14,1900. My folks immediately sent a runner out to find me. I made preparations and left immediately for Salt Lake, going from Bluff to Moab (approximately 115 miles) in two days on horseback, riding the same horse, arriving just in time to get off with my company. I was told to report to the Northern States Mission Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Upon arriving in Chicago, I was assigned to the Missouri Conference and sent to Springfield. Elder Moulton [Thomas Henry Moulton] of Heber [Heber City, Utah] was my first companion and our missionary experiences began immediately. About the second day, we met up with a Methodist Minister and it made my heart rejoice the way Elder Moulton wound him up. About the 17th of December President Larsen, our Conference President, sent word for us to go out into the country and travel without purse and script. Here we had a pleasant experience as we were able to get into more homes, especially at night, and therefore had a better opportunity of explaining the gospel. We made many fine friends and some investigators.
After having been on my mission a little over a year, I was called to act as Second Counselor to Brother Thomas A. Hamilton, who had been chosen President of the Missouri Conference. We had a very definite program each day of doing so much tracting, then visiting saints and investigators in the afternoon and holding street meetings at night. On Sunday we would hold Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. and services at night.
We had the pleasure of meeting many friends and relatives as they were passing through Kansas City. I very much enjoyed the visits of James B. Decker, Joseph Nielson, L. H. Redd, and Hansen Bayles--all of Bluff and my employers of a year or two before--who had come to Kansas City with a shipment of sheep. This was the last time I saw Brothers Decker and Nielson, they both having died before I returned home. My folks at home were having many sad experiences in my absence. My dear little sister, Bernice, the youngest of the family and blessed with an exceptionally sweet disposition, was attacked with spinal meningitis and died. This was a very hard blow to my mother as she was especially fond of Bernice and took a great deal of pleasure in her company. She was seven years of age when she died. Later in the same year, diphtheria broke out in the family of James B. Decker, father of Lillian Decker with whom I was corresponding and afterwards married. This terrible disease caused the death of five of the Decker family--the father, three sons, and one daughter. These were very severe experiences and caused us all many a sad moment.
It was a sacrifice for my parents, who were not very flush with means, to furnish money for my missionary expenses especially since my brother, Arthur, and I were both in the mission field at the same time for about one year, but they were glad and willing to perform this service.
I received my release from my mission on July 12, 1902. I had very much enjoyed my association with the Elders and Sisters at headquarters, so receiving my release was both a happy and sad experience. Happy for having had the honor and experience of a mission, and sad in the thought of having to leave the work and friends I had learned to love. After having been given an affectionate farewell, I took the train for home arriving July 22, 1902.
Establishing Home and Family
It sure did seem good to get back home and enjoy the dear old folks again, notwithstanding the sad remembrances of the past few months. My welcome home party and the general feeling of welcome and good will was all very fine. It did not take me long to fit into home life again. I soon began working on the farm and range for my father and others--Mr. Monroe Redd, Nielson Brothers, and Al Scorup. I assisted Mr. Scorup in drifting his cattle from the summer range on the Elk Mountains to their winter range.
It was while working for Mr. Scorup that I decided I would try to get started in the stock business for myself, so when drifting was over I came home and with the cooperation of my brother, Arthur, who had agreed to join me, we made arrangements and started out to find a bunch of cows. I had heard of some cattle for sale to get some money and so I got a pack outfit together
over in Wayne County, so thither I wended my way a distance of about 200 miles through a rough, uninhabited country without having passed a single ranch or residence. This hardly seems possible but true, and this unsettled condition exists to this day. After a long and lonesome journey, I finally arrived at Enoch Larsen's ranch. Here, I learned that a George Brinkerhoff was offering a bunch of cows for sale and soon after getting in touch with him, a deal was made. It was agreed that the cattle were to be turned over to me at Brown's Ferry on the Colorado River. I sent word to Arthur to bring money and meet me at this place at a certain date with horses and provisions. We began immediately to undertake the job that had been worrying us considerably-—that of crossing our cattle over the Colorado River. After the cattle had been
counted and delivered over to us, we drove them up the river bottom to where the bank of the river and the cliff came together and forced them to take the water, which they did after considerable persuasion, f few of the leaders leading the way and the remainder following in a long curved line.
They presented a very beautiful picture. Arthur was mounted on his beautiful black horse named Jock, who was a wonderful swimmer. He followed the leaders into the river, swimming just below them to prevent them from turning back. They took a course a little downstream, but reached a good landing and went out on the opposite side in good shape. We considered ourselves very fortunate in getting them over so successfully. Oftentimes, a bunch of stock of this kind will get confused and go in all directions. The swimming distance was about 300 yards. This being accomplished, we began distributing our cattle, locating them where we thought they would winter best. Having done this, we left the cattle to themselves and returned home for the
holidays.
This whole proposition of going so far away and buying cattle in the wintertime and gathering them from their old range and driving them to a new range, swimming them across the Colorado
River in December, and then gathering them in the spring and driving them again 150 miles, was more of an undertaking than I had thought. But, we were lucky in reaching our destination without any serious misfortune, and through it all, we enjoyed the romance that goes with such experiences. Arriving home we found the folks all well and we soon settled downto our future business of livestock farming.
It was not long after this that I was asked by the County Commissioners if I would accept a position of supervising the County Experimental Farm that had been recently established at, or near, Verdure, Utah--about six miles south of Monticello. I decided to accept this position and immediately moved to Verdure and rented a three-room house and began the operation of clearing, fencing, and plowing a 40-acre tract of land which had been purchased by the county. The Experimental Farm was under the direction of John A. Widstoe of the Utah Agriculture College at Logan, whovisited the farm on several occasions.
I have mentioned before in this narrative that I had been keeping company with Miss Lillian Decker. We had been raised together—-that is, in the same town--since we were about eight years old, having associated together in all the activities of the town, but not feeling any special attachment for each other until about six months prior to going on my mission. We went out
together during the winter of 1900 and when I received my call for a mission, we decided to continue our relationship and correspond during my mission, which we did. This correspondence was very much appreciated by me, as her letters were always full of faith and encouragement and were a very great help to me in my missionary work.
When I returned from my mission, we soon arrived at that stage in our courtship when we decided that single blessedness is not the best thing in life, so we decided to meet the problems of life together and get married as soon as circumstances would permit. So, upon my return from purchasing our cattle, we decided that now was the time, that we were both old enough--both having passed our 27th year--and having all the other qualifications, except money. We decided to pass that objection and get married without it, so we immediately made arrangements to leave for Salt Lake City. The Woods furnished one horse, the Deckers the other. We borrowed a set of harness and buggy and away we went—arriving in Salt Lake and getting married December 17, 1902. This was a rather hurried up arrangement, but we enjoyed the thrill of it all. Our honeymoon trip of short duration was our trip back home, arriving there for the holidays.
We enjoyed a very pleasant holiday season and on January 2nd, our wedding reception was given and I believe every person in town was out and did everything they could to make this the best party of the season. The stage of the dance hall was covered with presents and the expressions of good will were many.
We then gave our attention to fixing up a three-room log house, which had been built by James B. Decker early in the history of Bluff and served as a home for the Decker family for many years, in fact, up until the time the diphtheria had played such havoc in their family. This was to be our home for a while. Owing to the good management and economy of Lillian during the
time she had been teaching school, she had saved enough to furnish our home, which she did very nicely.
About this time I was asked by Bishop Nielson to act as President of the YMMIA; Lillian had been acting as President of the YWMIA, thus making us both Presidents of the Mutual. We enjoyed the experience of this winter--our Mutual activities, the fixing up of our home, and the experiences of newly married life.
Our first child was born October 11, 1903 and proved to be a big, fine, dark-haired boy, apparently perfect in physique and altogether a beautiful and healthy baby who brought joy and happiness into our home. I remained home until the 20th, having blessed our son, giving him the name of Joseph Earl. I then returned to Monticello, giving my attention to farm and livestock interests until about holiday time when I returned to Bluff and found “Mamma and baby" doing fine, due to the very fine care they had received from Grandma's Wood and Decker.
Move to Monticello
It was about this time that the Stake President, Walter C. Lyman, told me he would like me to take my permanent residence in Monticello and use my best efforts in the development of the ward-—socially, religiously, and civicly. So, in the spring we returned to Monticello with the intention of making that our home. It was this year (1904) that I was elected to the office of
Sheriff and Assessor combined, the Commissioners uniting the two offices to cut down the salary to two-thirds of that of two. I fixed up our two-room log house as best I could and prepared to spend our first winter in Monticello, 1904-05. The first part of the winter was quite open, but the latter part we had lots of storm and deep snow. OnFebruary 12th, our second son was born and we named him Francis Clair. Grandma Wood (my mother) had already come from Bluff to be present on this occasion and help with the birth of the baby, and we were certainly thankful to have her with us. She remained about three weeks and then decided to return home to take care of her family. I had intended to take her to Blanding in a sleigh as there was about three feet of snow, but a sudden thaw came and made the snow so soft and slushy that we had to abandon the sleigh at Verdure, just six miles from Monticello. We stayed overnight there with the Hott's who treated us very nicely. Mother was always welcome wherever she went.
During the night we had decided to make the remainder of the trip on horseback, so we mounted Old Rube and Toney and away we went. This proved to be a very tiresome and rough trip for "Grandma Wood". There were many deep drifts of snow and our horses had to lunge through them, making it extremely hard riding. We arrived safely, however, and were welcomed by Brother Joseph A. Lyman and family who seemed happy to take us in and give my mother the care she so much needed. So after having our pictures taken while on our horses, we dismounted and partook of the Lyman's hospitality. My father arrived the same day from Bluff to take my mother the rest of the way home.
Mother was blessed with an especially pleasant and congenial disposition, with a desire and qualification of being of service to her fellowman, which service brought untold blessings to her associates and endeared her to all to whom she came in contact. She was affectionately known all her married life as "Aunt Jody". For about twenty years she was the only doctor and nurse in Bluff, having served as midwife to about 350 children, besides taking care of countless others who were sick and injured.
Prior to its settlement, Monticello and all the country around the Blue Mountains was occupied by cattlemen and had the reputation of harboring some of the toughest men in the country. Outlaws from all over the west would drift in there and get jobs from the cow outfits and they ran the country just about to suit themselves, and after the town was being settled, they seemed to take a delight in coming in every so often and running it over the people. They would ride through town shooting off their firearms and terrorizing the people by holding them up and making them dance by shooting at their feet and by shooting into public buildings.
It might be interesting here to relate just one of the experiences that townspeople had with the outlaw cowpunchers. The only merchant of the town, Mr. Monse Peterson, had had some trouble with the cowboys and one night, while under the influence of liquor, they decided to come in and clean up on Mr. Peterson. He had been warned of their coming and upon arriving at the store they found him gone. Being thus disappointed, they took Mr. Peterson's brother and made him open the store, they then forced him to take things off the shelves and hold them up while they shot holes through them, then they made him pile bolts of cloth on the counter and place canned goods on top of the cloth. They then shot through the cans, letting the contents run down through the cloth. Then they would get on their horses and ride through town shooting and yelling. Finally, when they could not find Mr. Peterson, they returned to his store and took sacks of sugar and coffee, rice, beans, etc. and cut them open and mixed them all together on the floor. This happened before my time in Monticello, but I have often wondered how the people were able to stand such carrying on.
For many years the people of Monticello had this lawless element to contend with. Finally, a U. S. Deputy Marshall by the name of Joe Bush was sent down from Salt Lake City to break up this gang of outlaws and it was chiefly through his services that many of the outlaws were apprehended and the end of cowboy rule in San Juan was accomplished.
This was pretty much the situation when we moved to Monticello. I began making trips out through the country attending to my assessor's and sheriff's duties. I enjoyed this work very much—becoming quite congenial with the county officials.
I had already taken a homestead of 320 acres and during the summer of 1905, I purchased 80 acres of choice land for $1.50 per acre. Thus began my land interests in and around Monticello,
adding more acreage every year until the total amounted to about 1,400 acres—mostly agricultural land. My cattle and public offices kept me pretty busy, but I managed to raise a good crop of grain and some hay. Arthur and I still owned and ran our cattle together. During the summer of 1906, however, we thought it would be better for us to give our whole attention to farming and so we sold our cattle.
On September 3, 1906 our first daughter was born and we named her Anna Bernice--she being named after her mother and her Aunt Bernice. Two years had rolled around and another election was at hand. They nominated me for County Commissioner and I was elected. I had been very well satisfied with my administration as sheriff and assessor and had given good satisfaction as far as I knew. I had decided to let my name go up for the office of County Commission er, thinking the experience would be worthwhile, and so I began to take an interest in the politics of the county.
I might say here that the county seat had been located in Monticello for a number of years, it having previously been located at Bluff. Monticello was centrally located and the most business town in the county. It is the second oldest town in San Juan and was settled about 1896 by people who were called from Bluff to go there and make their homes, among whom were the
families of F. I. Jones, Nephi Bailey, Charles Walton, J. E. Rogerson, George Adams, Parley Butt, Benjamin Perkins, James B. Decker, and Samuel Wood.
On November 1, 1907 our second daughter was born and we named her Fern. We began realizing the responsibility of our young family who were all fine, healthy, and strong children. During the summer of 1907, however, our family was called to pass through another very sad experience. My brother George--commonly known as "Budd"--received a call to go on a mission to Texas. He had been in the mission field but a very short time when he contracted typhoid fever and before we hardly realized he was sick, word came that he had died and that his body was being shipped home. This was another very hard experience for my parents, my mother not having had very good health for some time never did recover from this shock. Arthur and I went to the railroad at Thompson,Utah and brought his body home and he was buried in Bluff.
In the county election in November 1, 1908, I had been re-elected as County Commissioner and continued serving as Chairman of the Board. Also, at this time, the LaSal National Forest had been established which included most of the territory surrounding both the LaSal and the Blue Mountains. A call was made by the Forest Department for young men to take the Ranger's examination. Being thoroughly acquainted with every part of this forest and personally with most of the people, especially the stockmen, I decided to take the exam and proceeded to Moab for that purpose and passed with an 83 percent. I was offered the job and in the early part of the summer of 1909, I began as a Ranger on the LaSal National Forest and served in that capacity for one year.
My father and mother had decided to make their home permanently in Monticello the previous year, 1907-08 being their first winter spent there. My mother's health was far from being normal during the next winter, but was able to be up and around and frequently visited my wife and kiddies, which they so much appreciated. In the latter part of January 1909, while I was in Logan attending a special class for the Forest Rangers, I received a telegram that mother was very sick and asked that I come home at once, which I did. On my way from Thompson to Moab, I received a phone call that mother had passed away. This was a severe loss to all of us. She had certainly performed a noble service in not only rearing her own family, but in rendering valuable service to her grandchildren. She indeed had a host of friends. I believe she made a friend of every person with whom she became acquainted. Her body was taken to Bluff and buried as she had requested. After the funeral, we all returned to Monticello. Aunt Emma,my father's second wife, came with my father and kept house for him.
In the spring of 1910, my father became suddenly ill. I was in Bluff at the time and was called home to his bedside. It developed that a complete stoppage had taken place in his intestines. A doctor whom we had brought from Colorado advised taking him to the hospital in Salt Lake for treatment. Upon examination it was found that an operation was necessary. This was performed at Holy Cross Hospital. It was claimed by the doctors that the operation was successful but father never recovered, but passed away a few days later. Aunt Emma had gone with him from Monticello and was with him until his death, then returned with the body. I met them at Thompson and brought them to Monticello. The family all met again at Monticello and
proceeded on another sad mission to Bluff, where my father was buried by the side of my mother. My father as well as my mother had many friends and while they experienced a good many hardships I think it can be truthfully said of them that their lives were successful. They were both faithful and active workers in the church and had made a name for themselves of being honest, straightforward, progressive citizens. They were both strict observers of the Word of Wisdom and the example of loyalty to their church and country were qualities appreciated by their children.
On Thanksgiving morning of 1909 we celebrated the advent of our third boy and fifth child. We gave him the name of Clark Marden. During the fall of 1909 I built another room on our house which was much needed and appreciated when finished.
In 1910 I was re-elected as County Commissioner for a third term. It was during this year that we had an epidemic of typhoid break out in the town, which caused the death of many of our townspeople. This severe experience caused us to take immediate steps to obtain a better water supply, which up to this time had been nothing more than our irrigation ditches and the creek nearby.
A petition was presented to the County Commissioners asking that Monticello be given a town incorporation. This was done. I was elected Mayor of Monticello and we began working out a plan to pipe water from springs at the foot of the Blue Mountains, a distance of about six miles, and finally persuaded the Blue Mountain Irrigation Company to undertake the job. The stockholders of this company were mostly our townspeople. This was a huge undertaking for the people of those times, as they were not very flush with means. However, we went at it with a determination to win and we not only provided ourselves with the purest of water direct from springs but we also built a power and light plant in connection. I now take considerable pride in the fact that I took a prominent part in bringing this about.
Our son, Merrill James, was born November 3, 1911. Although we were slow in getting started, you will agree that we were making up for lost time.
The Spring Conference for the Church [San Juan Stake] was held in May of 1912 at Mancos. At this conference the San Juan Stake was divided, the territory located in Colorado to be named the Young Stake and the territory in Utah was to retain the old name of San Juan Stake. I was not present at this conference being out of town at the time, but one evening as I came in from the field to the farmhouse I received a telephone call from Charles Walton addressing me as Bishop Wood. He then told me I had been chosen by the Stake Presidency to be Bishop. Brother Dan Perkins and Chris Christensen were chosen as counselors and we continued together in the Bishopric until 1917 when we were released at a Stake Conference in Blanding. During our term of office we had many happy and profitable experiences and enjoyed our labors very much together.
Up to this time the family had enjoyed comparatively good health except for Mama who was having trouble with ulcerations in her stomach. In the spring of 1913 she had a severe hemorrhage of the stomach and was nearly overcome by the loss of blood. We called in Brothers George Adams and Wayne Redd of the Stake Presidency who administered to her and promised her she would live and get well. We felt that through blessings of the Lord her life was preserved. Her stomach is now entirely well, for which we are most truly grateful.
Our third daughter Josephine, named after her Grandmother Wood, was born August 9, 1914. It was on this same day that a telephone call came from Salt Lake notifying us all that war had
been declared in Europe. This was World War I and before it was over the devastating effects were felt even in our little town of Monticello. Our last child, and fifth son, was born December 11, 1917 in my parent's home where we were temporarily living until our new home was finished. We named him Mark Decker. We now had a family of eight beautiful children.
The years 1915 to 1917 were busy years for me. Acting on war committees, taking an active part in politics, having the responsibility of looking after county affairs as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners; the management of my farm and livestock business, which consisted of about 300 head of Hereford range cattle and 1,400 acres of land, all of which I fenced and partly cleared and irrigated. The building of ditches, hog pastures, farm houses, granaries and corrals, clearing and breaking new land and fencing, all required a huge amount of time and labor. And then, the responsibility of presiding over the Monticello Ward which was most important of all, and which I enjoyed very much.
In 1916, we voted a county bond to build roads, but I persuaded the Commissioners to use the money for a courthouse instead, and this proved to be a very wise move as the county was sadly in need of a courthouse and later we were able to get money from the state and government for road construction which more than equalled the amount of our bond. I had the responsibility of supervising the building of the courthouse, which was no small job in itself.
In 1917, I commenced building our new home in Monticello (a two-story, one bath; large front porch, also barns, corral, ice house, etc.). This home cost in the neighborhood of $12,000 and proved to be too much of an undertaking for our finances, which were reduced to a minimum during the depression which followed the war when the prices of land and livestock dropped to almost nothing. However, we finished our home and furnished it in good shape and enjoyed it until 1923. (Today this home is still one of the beautiful homes in Monticello).
It was while on a trip to Price on county business that I met and arranged with the officials of the Sunnyside Mine to bring some men and boys from San Juan and put them to work in the mines at Sunnyside. There were about 35 in all, my two boys being among the number. Most of the boys had never seen a mine but were anxious for the experience and eager to work and earn some real money. Soon after returning home from this trip the Republicans of the county were called together for the purpose of selecting someone to try for the nomination for State Senator at the District convention to be held in Price later on an thus secure for San Juan County the Senatorship in this session of the Legislature, as San Juan had never been represented in the Senate by one of her native sons.
The selection was made in my favor and my name was placed on the Republican ballot for State Senator. Mr. Oscar McConkie's name had been placed on the Democratic ballot. This action insured for San Juan a representation in the State Senate as both of us were from Monticello. The campaign was interesting and exciting. I had the honor of campaigning with such men as Don B. Colton, Ernest Bamberger, Walter Monson, President Horseley of the Price Stake, Senator Smoot, and others. Although we had made a strong clean fight, the returns showed that the county and district had gone Democratic and Mr. McConkie won by a small margin. Don B. Colton won out as Congressman, while Ernest Bamberger lost to Senator King for the U. S. Senate.
Move to Salt Lake City
In 1921 we turned our home into a hotel and gave it the name of the Hyland Hotel. We did very well at the hotel business but the responsibility and work connected with it proved to be too great for the profits, so in the fall of 1922 we decided to sell our Monticello property and take our family to Salt Lake City where we could have the advantage of better schools for our children. After Christmas I decided to go to Price to visit the boys and then on to Salt Lake to see what could be done by way of getting a position of some kind. I soon discovered that fat jobs were not hanging around all ready to be plucked. I had a letter of recommendation from Senator Smoot to James H. Anderson, head of the U. S. Internal Revenue Service but as nothing was available at that time, and learning that the Utah Copper Company was advertising for carpenters to work at construction work in the mill at Magna, Utah, I went there. I had never worked at the carpenter trade except as a handyman about the farm in building granaries, ice houses, and other farm buildings. W. Bronson, my neighbor in Monticello, was working there and I thought I could do as well as he, so I purchased a set of tools and sent out with a bold front to put over the biggest camouflage I had ever undertaken in my life. I didn't know the names of many of the tools that carpenters use, much less how to use them, nor the names or use of the materials used in construction work but by close observation and by burning the midnight oil in studying the guide books I had purchased for the occasion, I managed to get by. I took pains to make friends with the fellows on the job and received a lot of help from them. I started on this job the middle of March and stayed until the first of June, working every day in the week making from $7.00 to $9.00 per day.
I arrived back home June 3 and found my family all well and ready to leave the country that we had grown up in since we were about six years old, where we courted and married and where all our children were born, and take our chances with city life in the great Salt Lake City. I made arrangements to sell our home, part of my land, and all of the livestock, equipment, and furniture. As there were some of our household belongings we wanted to take with us we hired a truck to take what we could with us, and after loading our truck to its capacity there were many things we had to leave and give away. Our truck had every appearance of an emigrant prairie schooner. Bernice and Fern had gone to Salt Lake some ten days before. Mama, Josephine, and Mark went by stage to Thompson, while I, with Clark and Merrill went with the truck.
This move was not made without some sad reflections. To pull up stakes and leave a country where we had grown up from childhood to middle age, over a period of 40 years, where we were married and where all our children were born, where we had been active in church and civic affairs and where nearly all our closest friends lived, was not the easiest thing in the world to do. (The townspeople said, "Henry Wood was as white as death as he said goodbye to Monticello and his friends.") However, we felt that under the circumstances it was the best thing we could do for the welfare of our growing children. So, on July 1, we boarded our schooner and bid farewell to Monticello and our friends, leaving behind our home, the courthouse, both of which had required so much of our time in construction, passing on through town and alongside of my 600 acre farm, and then on to the railroad which would carry us to a new and novel experience of city life.
For two days, Mama and I canvassed the town for a suitable place to locate. The place selected was at 134 E. Street, a seven-room frame house with hardwood floors, a very homelike place and a good location. After getting moved and settled in our new home we were happy to find that we had located in the 20th Ward, Mayor C. C. Neslen as Bishop. I had met Bishop Neslen while he was on a trip to San Juan and the Natural Bridges, he being a member of a party of about 20 state, church, and city officials, including Governor Maybe and Richard R. Lyman.
New Career as Carpenter
Fortunately, at this particular time, the D. &R. G. Railroad had decided to build a new roundhouse and machine shops and needed carpenters and as I had a set of tools and had some previous experience, I decided to make another try at it, and we were very grateful for it as it provided a livelihood for the family for our first year in the city. We were especially grateful for the health of the family and that the kiddies were all able to attend the fine schools of the city, thus accomplishing one of the main objects of coming to the city.
In the spring of 1925, our daughter Fern, while attending the L.D.S. High School, was stricken with an eye trouble. She had been studying hard and late, and upon a medical examination it was discovered that a growth was forming in the eye which was giving her considerable pain and affecting her sight. This was a sad day for Fern as she was enjoying her school work and making excellent progress. Her case proved to be a baffling case for the doctors. About this time, a doctor's convention was being held in Salt Lake, Dr. Snow invited about 10 of the leading eye specialists into a consultation and examination of Fern's case. The results of this consultation were very discouraging and disappointing to us. The eye trouble was called a sarcoma (a malignant growth) and none of the doctors could agree on how to treat it, though one doctor by his treatments was able to ease the terrible pain which was a great relief to Fern and to all of us. One of the saddest moments of her long illness was one night while sitting in the living room with the rest of the family, Fern, looking up asked “who turned off the light" and upon being informed the light had not been turned off she realized that it was her own light that had gone out of her own dear eyes. We had the Elders call a number of times to give her blessings from which she received temporary relief, but it seemed that her time had come and the Lord was willing for her to go. Fern gradually grew weaker until on June 28, 1925 she passed quietly away. Bishop Neslen arranged a beautiful funeral service, and many of our loved ones came from Monticello and Heber to be with us for which we were very grateful.
In October of 1925, I went to work at Saltair Resort, rebuilding the resort up again after the fire. This proved to be a good job, often making $12.00 to $14.00 a day. During this year Earl was married to Lenore Cannon. We were very pleased and impressed with her personality and qualifications. They both continued their school work, Lenore as a teacher in the L.D.S. College and Earl following up his engineering course at the University of Utah. Clair continued with his office work, later being employed by the Union Pacific Railroad, being promoted and advanced over the years until he was made one of the Vice Presidents of U.P. Railroad. Bernice had finished her schooling at Henegar's Business School and later was employed by the United States Bureau of Public Roads, acting as secretary to several of the main "bosses" in that department. The other kiddies continued on with their schooling, all seemingly happy and doing well.
In the spring of 1927 I took a job at the Yellowstone Park as a carpenter, remodeling the Old Faithful Hotel building, amusement centers and tourist cabins. This was a pleasant and interesting job. I had belonged to the carpenters union for about two years, and the pay scale was $8.00 an hour, $9.00 and $10.00 with overtime. Earl and Clark came up and worked on the Yellowstone job during their school vacation. We enjoyed our hikes and fishing trips together. About November1, I returned short stay before leaving for the North Rim of Grand the Union Pacific was building a million dollar lodge. home for a Canyon where While on the Yellowstone job I had become acquainted with John U. Webster, formerly of Cedar City, a brother-in-law to Bert Wood, who was foreman over the Grand Canyon job. On our way to Grand Canyon we spent a day in Cedar City visiting friends and relatives. I met many of the Woods, Walkers, Parrys, Corletts, Chatterleys, and others--most of whom I hadn't seen since about
1896. Arriving at Grand Canyon we met Bert Wood, a cousin of mine. He put us to work the next day and we both stayed on the job for one year. This proved to be one of the most pleasant jobs I ever worked on, and also one of the best paying, averaging $230.00 per month. Our work on the lodge was right on the brow of the canyon where we could at any time during the day enjoy the wonderful scenery of the great canyon of the Colorado. The eye would never tire in viewing the ever changing picture of the combination of the elements, the clouds with their wonderful coloring banked above and below those huge massive canyon peaks, walls, and gorges.
On May 28, 1928, Bert Wood's father and mother celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in Cedar City. Plans had been made to make this a big event, as Uncle George and his wife "Set" had lived all their lives in Cedar and had taken a very prominent part in its progress and development. Bert of course planned to be present and asked me to go with him. I accepted the invitation and decided to send for Mama to meet me there and visit together while attending the wedding anniversary.
Upon arriving in Cedar I found Mama had arrived a couple of days sooner and had been visiting with relatives and friends, both in Cedar and Parowan, the latter being her birthplace. People from many settlements in the southwestern part of the state had come to do honor to these fine people and the church was filled with a happy group of relatives and friends. Mama and I had an extremely pleasant visit and enjoyed meeting many relatives and friends and visiting the homes in which we were born. After spending about four days in one of the most pleasant experiences of our lives, we parted, I returning to the canyon and Mama to Salt Lake. The Wood family, under the leadership of George Wood, an emigrant from England to Utah in 1849, were among the first pioneers in this part of the state. They settled in Cedar and took a prominent part in the affairs of the city and the surrounding country. Lillian and I had left this part of the country when she was about four years old and I was seven. We went with our parents to San Juan, she going in 1879 and our family in 1882."
Henry stopped writing in his journal at this time (1928) which is too bad. His narrative had been very descriptive, historical, and informative of the early history of San Juan. His telling of the experiences and adjustments of a family moving from a small country town to the big city of Salt Lake, was most interesting and enlightening.
Henry continued with his work as a carpenter for a few more years, some of that time was spent at the beautiful Yosemite Park in California.
From about 1934 until the time of his death, Henry was employed at the Deseret News as the "Night Editor". The news from around the world would start coming in to Salt Lake soon after midnight. He had the responsibility of turning on various machines at different hours of the night so the news could be recorded and ready for the newspaper staff when they arrived for work in the morning. Henry also made sure the place was neat and clean for the incoming workers.
By working at night, this gave him the opportunity he was looking for--something he had always wanted to do--that of working in the Salt Lake Temple. This assignment given him was one of the most enjoyable of his lifetime. During this time as a Temple worker he had the opportunity of taking the part of each of the characters portrayed. Several of his children remember seeing him as he performed in his various assignments. Henry was always a very handsome man, always dressed meticulously, however, when dressed in a white suit, he looked even more handsome. When his son, Clark, and his wife to be, LaVon Marquardson, were married in the Temple, Henry was taking the part of the most important character, which made their day even more special for them. Genealogy and temple work were very important to Lillian also, so for them both to be engaged in this very important work brought great happiness and a feeling of fulfillment into their lives at this time.
On July 1, 1942 at the age of 67, Joseph Henry Wood passed away from complications of bronchial pneumonia. He was truly missed by his wife and family, as well as friends and church members. During his lifetime he had always been an active, faithful, and dedicated member of the LDS Church. He had been rugged and resourceful pioneer in the early days of Utah history and was always very progressive in his ideas and desires to better the community around him. His life had not been an easy one, but it had truly been an interesting and fulfilling one. His children and posterity will ever be proud and grateful for the rich heritage he left them.
Source:
Samuel Wood Family, December 1982. Joseph Henry Wood Chapter.
Harpers Pictoral History of the War with Spain
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Joseph Henry Wood
Anna Lillian "Lillie" Decker
Decker Log Cabin in Bluff
Battle of El Caney in Cuba