HISTORY OF LUCY EYNON (CURTIS) (RIGBY)
As told to Alma Dahlgrud DeLoney, February 1958
Lucy Eynon Curtis Rigby |
I was born September 29, 1870 in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah. I was the seventh child of twelve born to Eliza Lewis and John Eynon. I lived In Hyde Park until I was seven years old. My father was a carpenter and he worked In a shop. He joined the United Order and he turned-in everything he had and he went to work as a carpenter. However, our family didn't receive enough to live on. I remember getting just one pound of sugar at one time. W hen the United Order was discontinued we didn't get anything back.
I can remember when Brlgham Young died. I was just seven years old. I can remember the crepe on the church doors and I didn't like to pass there because it was "spooky".
When I was about seven years old my Father went out to Curlew Valley and took up some land and we lived In Snowvllle, Boxelder County, Utah. There I attended school for the first time. Ester Goodliffe was the teacher. She was English and we picked up an English accent.
I was baptized when I was eight years old In Snowville by H. J. Hansen. I was baptized with two converts, Mr. Nelson and his son. My Father was the Superintendent of the Sunday School from the time we went to Snowvllie until we left there, and I used to go to Sunday School, Primary and most of the meetings. Mr. Goodliffe was the Bishop. We had a good time in Snowville, and I loved It there. They used to put on plays and I always had a part in them. I was quite an actress. I used to sing in public and when I was twelve yeers old I started to sing in the choir. That's where I first learned the song, "Master, The Tempest is Raging". Later, when we moved to Newton, I sang that song as a solo at the Sunday School Union. I wore a white dress with a tucked waist that I tucked myself, and a white full skirt and a six Inch blue ribbon at the waist with a bow at the back.
When I was about 14 we moved to Newton. We hadn't been there long when my Father was again made Superintendent of the Sunday School. I taught a class of girls when I was about I6. The girls were about 10 or 12 years of age. Even now when I see them, they mention that I used to be their teacher.
I was in Newton when I had my first real sweetheart. We arrived in Newton just shortly before the 4th of July and Joe Rigby asked me to go to the dance with him to celebrate the 4th of July. From then on I had myself a real beau. Joe and I went together for three years. Then things happened and we didn't go together any more. For about a year I went with different fellows.
Then I started going with Hyrum Lysander Curtis who later became my husband. We went together for about three years. We were married in the Logan Temple on the 5th of February 1890. Lysander and I lived on the Curtis Farm about a mile and a half south of Newton. In May we went up to Teton Basin, Victor, Idaho and took up some land and built a house. My first child, Jean, was born there on the 19th of November 1890. We stayed there a year and a half and then went back to Newton and stayed 13 years. During those years I had six more. children; Urshel, Ruby, Lewis, Pearl, Vernon, and Hazel. During those years I just lived and worked, raised chickens, made butter and raised my children and I was a busy woman. We raised grain. We had 300 acres of land.
In July of 1904 we sold our farm for $10,000 and moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We bought another 300 acre farm and lived on It. My son Arlo was born In 1908. There weren't Mormons in Jackson, but we took our family to church and we were active. Our ranch was five miles from town and a good many times I rode this distance on horseback to attend Relief Society meeting. I had a horse of my own and her name was Martha. Every Sunday we would take our family and go five miles to church.
Now that my family was grown up a little I started doing church work. I was counselor to the President of the Relief Society. I taught the Primary and Kindergarten classes in Sunday School for years. I was chairman of the Genealogy committee for years. Then I was President of the Relief Society for about 5 years. We left Jackson and came to Salt Lake for 5 years and when I came back I was again called to be President of the Relief Society. We went to California for a year and when we came back I was again made President of the Relief Society. Altogether I was President of the Relief Society for about 20 years.
I was quite an actress. I was in lots of shows when I was a girl and in Jackson when I was in the Relief Society we put on some really good shows and I always had a part, sometimes a comical one. The town always supported these plays well and the Relief Society made good money. I well remember one occasion when the Relief Society was to present a show the man who owned the theater in Jackson (he was not a Mormon) closed the theater the night of our Relief Society show to help assure us a good crowd which we certainly did have.
After we had been in Jackson about 5 years, Lysander was called on a mission. None of the children were married. They were all good to work and help. We raised very good crops and got along fine. Lysander was called to the Central States Mission and he was gone for about two years. He worked around Kansas City, Missouri and Joplln quite a lot. He enjoyed his mission.
About a year after Lysander returned from his mission, Letha was born. This was in 1912. After her birth I was very sick for about seven weeks. My neighbors were very good and helpful. It seemed that there was someone there all the time. A Doctor from Philadelphia cured me with the help of the Lord -- the Lord did most of It.
During most of my adult 1ife I spent a great deal of time helping those around me who were sick and who had death in their family. I made a lot of burial clothes and helped dress the dead. At the death of Lil Reese (a woman of questionable reputation) there was no one who wanted to do anything for her. The banker of the town, Mr. Weston, and I took over. I made her clothes and dressed her and I even sang at the funeral. The banker acted as the minister and he often said to me, "Mrs. Curtis, you and I sure put on a good funeral, didn’t we?" It seemed that everyone in town knew whom to call on when they had a death in the family. I can't say how many dead I have made and purchased clothes for and dressed, but it is a great many. Of course, I never received any pay for these services.
We sold our ranch In Jackson Hole and bought the Jackson Hotel which we had for 10 years. The first year we owned the Hotel, I cooked and worked from early morning until late at night. After that I didn't cook but I managed the Hotel. It was good lively work. I met lots of interesting people and made lots of friends and we made good money. We had 30 rooms.
Lysander died while we owned the Hotel In July of 1935. He died of a kidney infection. Lysander was a good man and a man of great and powerful faith. He was good to me and let me do about as I pleased. We had a happy home. My fondest dreams are to be with him and my people in the next world.
About a year after Lysander's death I sold the Hotel. I bought a house in Jackson a half block below DeLoney's old store and I remodeled that and made me a nice home of it. At this time my children were all married and I lived there alone. After about two years I had a chance to buy the Smith Hotel in Jackson, so within a week I was moved out of my home and into the Hotel. I kept the Hotel a year and then sold it for a good profit. Then moved back into my home. I lived in this home nine years. I built another little home on the same lot, and I rented that. I was in the Frontier Parade one year in Jackson and I won a prize, a lovely Navaho rug.
I had three of my sons pass away after the death of my husband. Lewis met with accident in Alaska and passed away February 5, 1937. He was buried up there. Arlo died with Pneumonia, February 28, 1948. He was buried In Riverton, Wyoming. Vernon died of a heart attack January 12, 1955 and was buried in Jackson, Wyoming.
After Lysandar passed away, I lived in my home in Jackson for 9 years and then I married Henry Rigby. I was 73 and Henry was 74. We had known each other since childhood – In fact, Henry was a brother to my first sweetheart. I was married to Henry In the Salt Lake Temple for time. We made our home in Salt Lake.
Henry and I made several nice trips together. We went to Washington, D. C., to California three times, and to Old Mexico — even to 460 miles below Mexico City to Ohawka. (I think she means Oaxaca, Mexico. Pronounced like Huahaka) We made several trips to Jackson, to Thermopolis Hot Springs, and to Riverton, Wyoming.
While living in Salt Lake I belonged to the Wilson Ward. I was a Relief Society Block Teacher for three years and I was the Theology Class Leader for five years – the first two years the Life of Christ was the subject and the next three years the Book of Mormon was the subject.
When Henry and I had been married ten years, he took sick and died. He was 84. He was buried in the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery by the side of his wife. Henry’s seven children were always good to me and they have many times expressed appreciation to me for having married their father. My children all liked Henry too and he liked them. After Henry’s death, I didn’t want to keep up my big home in Salt Lake so I moved to Caldwell, Idaho to make my home with my daughter, Pearl. My daughter, Jean tried to get me to stay in Salt Lake but I thought it was best to go to Idaho. Right now, I’m in Salt Lake spending some time with my daughter Jean. I’m also spending some time with Dr. Cowen. I’m 85 now and still going strong.
(Picture added by Marilyn Oviatt Cowley)
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