Seeking Sarah

Started 1979 Finished 1985  - 1999

It was a beautiful and warm day in the Summer of 1979. The drive to Smithfield in Cache Valley Utah had been peaceful to the ears and gorgeous to the eyes. I felt excited as we turned in the direction of the Smithfield Cemetery. Very soon I would be looking at my Great Grandmother's grave and hopefully find answers to questions I had in my heart and mind. Why I thought I would find my answers in a cemetery; I do not know. All of a sudden we were headed out of town. I was surprised but it didn't bother me. Weren't most cemetery's on the outskirts of a town? Soon I saw signs announcing a different community coming up and advertisements to see the home of Martin Harris, (one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon), but no signs for or of a cemetery. I decided I would stop at the next home and ask directions. That home had cars in front, but, no one answered my knock or ringing of the doorbell. So we drove on until I saw a house with several cars outside, the front door open, and I could hear music coming from inside the house. I rang the doorbell sure that someone would respond. No one did. So I knocked louder this time. Again, no response. Next I opened the screen door and I pounded with my fists several times on the open door. No answer. I called into the home asking if anyone was home. Again no answer. By this time I was ready to listen to the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. It was hard to tell if it was the jitters from being in the car all day with three roudy little boys or from the smell of wet clothing. Which came from sleeping in the rain the night before. Or could it be the Holy Ghost telling me to get away from this house. I didn't know what excitement or what caused it; but I was ready to leave. Andy, my husband, wanted to go back to town but I wanted to keep going the way we were and seek directions one more time.

We had to go quite a distance before I wanted to try another house. The house I picked was off the road and there was no sign of anyone being home. As we pulled into the yard; I jumped out of the van, but before I could even get to the gate a woman came out and ran down the sidewalk asking what I wanted. I felt a bit uncomfortable and quickly tried to assure her I only wanted to know where the Smithfield Cemetery was. She suspiciously asked me why I wanted to know and informed me that I was miles out of the way and in the wrong direction. I felt some what on the defensive and wanted to tell her I felt she had bad manners. Instead, I took a deep breath and explained that my paternal grandmother was from Smithfield and her parents and several other relatives were buried there. I didn't go into the details that I wanted to know who they were, and what they were like? Did they love each other, and were they happy? She suggested I just go back to town and follow the direction signs and started back into her house. I got back into the van and Andy was turning the van around when she shouted for us to stop. She wanted to know if we were doing genealogy work and were we members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I got out of the van and answered, "Yes.", to both of her questions. From the distrustful woman she first appeared to be she smiled then asked me to come into her home for a moment. By the time I got to her door she was on the telephone and beckoning for me to come inside. She motioned for me to sit down and continued to talk on the phone. Soon she asked me if I had some time to spend in Smithfield. I said I did and she continued to talk on the telephone. After she hung up the telephone she informed me that her husband's secretary, Theoda Downs, was the Historian for Smithfield and was at home on medical leave from her job in the school district . She had called her husband and gotten the woman's home number and called her. If we would go to the court-house she would meet us there and take us to the cemetery. I thanked her very much and we went back to Smithfield. I didn't realize at the time just how much I had to thank her for.

When we met up with Theoda Downs, Historian, she had a few questions regarding my relationship to Joseph and Sarah Hill. She then took me into the town council room and showed me a portrait of my great grandfather, Joseph Hill, who had been mayor of Smithfield for two terms. Next she took us to the cemetery and directly to the Hill's graves. It was like she went there every day. I was very surprised to discover how big the cemetery was and knew instantly we wouldn't of found their graves on our own. She proceeded to tell us stories of each of them and Great Grandfather Hill's other wife Betsy Ann. She identified the graves of the children buried next to them and other graves around them. One was Joseph and Sarah Crosby Hill's youngest child, Rosetta Hill, the others were infants and young children of Joseph's number two wife, Betsy Ann Harper. By the time Great Grandfather died he had seventeen children and six of them had preceded him in death.

What a delight it was as she took us through town showing us buildings and homes still in use that my great grandfather had built. He built the Rock Tithing Cellar and Grainery, Rock House where UIC /depot stands now and Union Mercantile Store, the Abe Smith Store, Miles Store, the Commercial National Bank, Smithfield's City Hall, and other stores and temples in Smithfield, Logan, and other areas. All I had known for sure was he was a brick mason and had built several buildings and helped on a few temples. I was thrilled to hear so much about him and Betsy Ann. My heart still cried out, "What about Sarah?". She took us to the family home. Which was still in very good condition. It surprised me that it was a frame house and not stone or brick. She pointed out the tree in front that Great Grandfather had planted. It was a huge tree and looked very healthy. I couldn't identify the type except to say , "Yes indeed it is a tree".

Across the street we talked to a 100 + year old man who had known my great grandfather and was a distant relative on Betsy Ann's side of the family. I believe he was a nephew. Mr. Hillyard's mind was very clear and alert. He had a real twinkle in his eyes. The first thing he told me was that my great grandfather had a great sense of humor. My great grandfather always referred to him as the little boy with the big name. After all the boy's name was a yard longer then his. Mr. Hillyard told me how devoted and caring he had been to his plural wives and all their children. They shared the same home with their husband and Sarah's children. Not out of necessity but because of love. The wives were very devoted to each other and Betsy Ann took care of Sarah before she died. At that time Betsy Ann became the mother of 6 children the youngest being 3 months old. It was said that she treated all the children as her own.

Many a evening would find Joseph playing not only with his own children but with several neighborhood children in the front yard also. This reminded me a lot of my brother Jack and how he is so good to play with his children. He also told me about when the tree was planted. Because I have waited so long to write this experience down; I don't remember any particular thing about the planting. Maybe it was significant because it was still alive and doing well.

So why did the Lord direct me to that particular home in the country? My great grandparents work was already done. Or so I thought. All their children's work was done. Or so I thought. I believe the Lord answers heart questions too. I had felt troubled for years about this family. Wondered why so much had been written about my Great Grandfather and his second plural wife Betsy Ann and so little was known of my great grandmother Sarah. I had worked my self up over it. I kept going over the records and praying wondering what could be wrong. I felt jealous of Betsy Ann and defensive for my great grandmother.

My great grandmother never kept a journal and so I don’t t know how she felt. Through the spirit, Mr. Hillyard, and Miss Downs , and a letter I received from a niece of Betsy Ann's; I discovered the answer to all my questions asked and only thought of in my heart. There was no reason for my jealous and defensive feelings. They were mine alone. There was only love and devotion in life, in death, and even now I believe they are all three together working and waiting for their progenitors to come to them.

Thanks to my dear sister-in-law, Brenda Hoopes Shipley and her dedication to genealogy. Brenda, Jack Joseph Shipley, Corinna H. Shipley, (oldest daughter of Jack and Brenda), Andy Anderson, (Charles), and I, (Bonnie Madge Shipley Anderson), were able to finish up the baptisms, endowments and sealing to parents for three of their children. On August 20,1985, in the Idaho Falls Temple; Corinna was baptized for Mary Maria Hill, I was the proxy for her endowments, and we adults participated in having Mary, Joseph Crosby Hill, and Rosetta Hill sealed to their parents. At that time they were an eternal family with all their children at last sealed to them.

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