Lydia Maria Fisk Stout
submitted by: Maddox Hulet
SUP CC Chapter 4th Grade Ancestor Awards |
By: Maddox Hulet
Fiddler's Canyon Elementary First Place
Mrs. Lindford
Lydia Maria Fisk Stout my 4th great grandma was born on April 16th 1849 in St. Joseph Buchanan, Missouri. As a young girl, her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and travelled to Utah to join the saints. As a child crossing the harsh plains to Salt Lake City, Lydia recalls:
"So vivid in my mind, that I will never forget, was the sickness of both my parents, the hunger and cold of winter, the heat of summer, the loss of Father's oxen, the broken-down wagons. While father was so ill at times, he always thought of mother and tries to give her the best of everything. I well remember when we would camp at night and the scant meal would be prepared, he would hand up to mother in the wagon, the first and the best, then if there was any left he and we children would eat. Many times, my childish eyes will watch and wish that we can all have enough to eat, like he would give to mother. Father always thought of his family first. Father grieves and at times all but go frantic over the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum. I am very happy when we reached Salt Lake City and I saw my sick mother carried into Uncle Hosea Stouts house."
Not quite 17 years old, she was influenced to marry Charles Griffin in polygamy. She was very young, shy, and sensitive of the humbling surroundings of her parents. She was treated very poorly by Charles and was never allowed to eat at the same table with the Griffin family and was basically a slave while living in the harsh climate of Rockville, Utah. She was starving, pregnant with her first child and living in a dugout when her Uncle Hosea Stout, who was Utah's first attorney general came to visit. Seeing her poverty, he wrote up a divorce decree for Lydia to sign. Lydia replied, "What will I do to keep from starving and I expecting a baby?" He replied, "I'll take you to my home and give you work." Lydia went to Salt Lake and weaved cloth all day for his family.
Lydia made her way back down to Long Valley, Utah to care for her sick mother. "Lydia's Canyon" is named after her there. In Long Valley she had her first child, Allen Joseph Griffin, alone with no husband. For days neither Joseph or Lydia were expected to live due to malnutrition. Lydia cut apricots, peaches, and apples, spreading them on rocks and on the roofs to dry for winter food. They also saved all their cottonwood ashes, pouring water over them in a tub and letting it stand for a day or two to soften the water for washing their clothing. Lydia and her newborn baby were i a very needy condition so Uncle Hosea Stout sends for Lydia and her baby to come back to Salt Lake City for work. He tells Lydia she just needs to get to Cedar City and he will have transportation waiting for her. Lydia starts on foot with her son on her hip and a knapsack filled with just a change of clothing for her baby, a small sack of corn bread and parched corn. Ann Dalton also walked with her bringing a pig to help pay for her way to Salt Lake City.
Lydia and Ann reached Tocquerville at dusk and were drawn to a home with a beautiful garden and lots of fruit trees. Probably because Lydia was always starving since a child! They asked a man named Norman Ingles Bliss to help them journey to Cedar City. Norman was a widower father of 3, professional gardener, and farmer who supplied fresh fruit and vegetables to restaurants in the mining town of Silver Reef. He said hs team of mules were not very safe and he was very busy so he could not take her. Instead, he invited Lydia to stay and work for a few months. Lydia worked for 6 weeks and the two got married. Lydia stayed in an adobe home surrounded by Dixie's vegetables and never went hungry again!
Lydia washed and ironed white shirts for the business men of Silver Reef, made kegs of brined pigs, pickled grapes, cucumbers, and peaches preserves in molasses. She weaved carpet for people. Lydia and Norman had 5 children.
Ehen she was pregnant with her 5th child, Alfred, Norman was in a terrible accident when his runaway mule team ran away throwing him off the load and under the horses heals and wagon wheels on December 18th, 1880. Norman lived 5 hours and passed away. Lydia gave birth alone 3 days later to Alfred. She was left with 6 children to take care of ranging in ages from 14, 10,7, 5,3, and a newborn. The family deeply struggled to survive and were in shock.
Lydia's brother, Allen came and cared for her farm, but with water being so scarce, and it was hard for her to care for her lot with a young family and baby, her farm went to weeds in 2 summers.
A year after her husband Norman passes, Lydia made hot biscuits and pinched of a bit to eat and there was a very fine sharp needle lodged crosswise in her throat. Many doctors nearly killed her searching for it. She was at deaths doors for 11 days. Sister Eliza R. Snow gave her a blessing that "her life would be spared and you will be healed and live to do all that you came here to do." That very evening Lydia said she was so hungry especially for not eating for 11 days and got out of bed and walked towards the kitchen giving a quick cough and the needle flew out of her throat! This was a powerful testimony to her and her children of the power of faith. In 1882, Lydia's 2 1/2 year old son, Sanford Bliss, passed away tragically to diphtheria.
Lydia was a very religious person, who always attended her meetings and was a devoted Sunday School Teacher. Lydia tried to be very faithful and never did any cooking or sweeping of the floor on Sunday. She loved and always read the bible and the Book of Mormon.
Lydia moved back to Rockville and married into polygamy again to Cyrus M. Jennings. Together they had one child named David Stout Jennings. When David was 6 weeks old, along with Lydia's 3 youngest children went into hiding with Cyrus during a raid of polygamist families for a year. Her remaining children stayed with other families and it was heartbreaking for her. Aunt Lizzie Cox would tell Lydia's children "You children known nothing about the poverty and hardships your mother endured, uncomplaining at this time living in exile."
Lydia returned from hiding and found her home and surroundings in such sad condition. Lydia's husband, Cyrus Jennings ended up divorcing her in fear the marshals would arrest him. This was a terrible trial to both families.
Lydia died at the young age of 39, with her youngest being only 3 years old at the time of her death. Lydia's oldest girl, Fannie at the age of 17 was left to care for 5 children alongside her husband John Terry.
My great grandma is a very strong person who worked hard to take care of her family. She loved her family a lot just like I love my family. What I learn from Lydia is I have to be strong and keep being good even when I have hard things happen in my life. I can love and help my family more. Lydia was true to her religion and I like that she read her scriptures because I try to do that too. I am happy to be related to Lydia because she teaches me to do hard things and be a great husband in the future!