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Dr. Thomas Ray Gledhill

Dr. Thomas Ray Gledhill

Male 1883 - 1955  (72 years)  Submit Photo / DocumentSubmit Photo / Document    Has 2 ancestors and 9 descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name Thomas Ray Gledhill 
    Prefix Dr. 
    Birth 13 Feb 1883  Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Initiatory (LDS) 28 Nov 1906  SLAKE Find all individuals with events at this location 
    FamilySearch ID KWCG-Q92 
    Death 18 Feb 1955  Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial 21 Feb 1955  Richfield City Cemetery, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Headstones Submit Headstone Photo Submit Headstone Photo 
    Person ID I396  mytree
    Last Modified 25 Feb 2024 

    Father Thomas Gledhill,   b. 17 Apr 1856, Oldham, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Dec 1933, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years) 
    Mother Lillie Belle Ivie,   b. 13 Oct 1865, Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 May 1929, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years) 
    Marriage 10 Oct 1882  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F412  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Rebecca May Eames,   b. 28 Dec 1886, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Jul 1955, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years) 
    Marriage 18 Jul 1907  Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Ora Mae Gledhill,   b. 17 Jun 1908, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Jan 1988, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
    +2. Preston Ray Gledhill,   b. 19 Mar 1915, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 May 2003, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     3. Utahna Gledhill,   b. 10 Aug 1917, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Apr 2009, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 91 years)
    +4. Evelyn Gledhill,   b. 26 Aug 1919, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Oct 1997, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
     5. David Eames Gledhill,   b. 17 Aug 1921, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Nov 1965, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 44 years)
     6. Ilah Dean Gledhill,   b. 29 Oct 1923, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Aug 2000, Thatcher, Graham, Arizona, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
    Family ID F411  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Apr 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 13 Feb 1883 - Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsInitiatory (LDS) - 28 Nov 1906 - SLAKE Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 18 Jul 1907 - Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 18 Feb 1955 - Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 21 Feb 1955 - Richfield City Cemetery, Sevier, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Headstones
    Gledhill, Thomas R b1883, Eames, Rebecca M b1886 - Headstone
    Gledhill, Thomas R b1883, Eames, Rebecca M b1886 - Headstone

  • Notes 
    • AUTOBIOGRAPH OF THOMAS RAY GLEDHILL

      April 2, 1931

      I was born of goodly parents on February 13, 1883 at Mt. Pleasant, Sanp e te County, Utah. My father was Thomas Gledhill the son of Edward Gledhi l l and Betsie Hague Gledhill of Oldham, Lanshyre County, England.

      My father immigrated to Utah when he was twelve years old, his family h a ving joined the L. D. S. Church in England in 1849 (his Mother) and 18 5 0 (his Father).

      My mother was Lilly Bell Ivie Gledhill. She was born in Mt. Pleasant. S h e was born and raised in the church.

      I am the eldest of six brothers and two sisters. Three of the brother s a re now on the other side with Mother. Ivo, Herbert,; Frace, and Hug h Lafa yette. God bless their memories. Alden is now in Salt Lake City, F red i s in Los Angeles, Ida Belle and Millie May, the two sisters, and fa ther a re here at Richfield, Utah.

      My parents moved to Vermillion, Sevier County, Utah, where I lived an d g rew to manhood. The first ten years of our time there we lived on a f ar m at the foot of the large dark volcanic mountain, just one mile nort h o f the Rocky Ford Dam in Sevier River. For about ten years we lived i n a o ne room log house, 28 by 40 feet. Here four of my brothers were bor n. Th e room was petitioned off into bed rooms with calico. We soon outgr ew thi s house and built a nice three roomed family house and used the ol d one f or a granery.

      We boys helped on the farm and herded cows during the summer. In the wi n ter we went to school. First we went to Sigurd in a little one room fra m e building. We often rode a horse the distance of nearly three miles. L at er we went to Vermillion school which was held in the meeting house. T h e last three years of the eight grades I attended, I attended at the Ri ch field Public School. While attending school at Richfield I did chore s fo r my board and room at the homes of Dr. H. K. Neill. I was taken int o the ir home and treated with very much kindness and courtesy. I shall a lway s remember them and their good wives with gratitude and thanksgivin g fo r the help and support they gave me.

      When I finished my course at Richfield (the eighth grade and first ye a r of high school) I left school not being sure at all that I would eve r a gain go to school.

      Being the oldest child in a large family I felt it my duty to leave ho m e and rustle a job for myslef. In my efforts to earn a living, two expe ri ences I had during that summer had much to do in molding my life.

      I was sent on a trip to the Milford Desert to help with a herd of shee p . This was a distance of about 100 miles from home and I had to go on h or seback and alone. I got lost on this desert without food and was almos t f amished for water; night and darkness found me in great despair. Ther e wa s nothing to do but to pray and Oh how I did pray to God for help . I wa s lead by a small light to a sheep camp at midnight and from ther e I foun d the herd of sheep which I was hunting, but not until God had t ested m y faith again by losing my horse and finding him after a very ear nest pra yer.

      After five weeks I was no longer needed at the sheep camp so I took t h e money which I had received from here and went to Clear Creek, a coa l mi ning camp, hunting for work. I was only eighteen years old and becau se o f this I was turned down everywhere I asked for work. I wasn't a ma n yet . Finally and luckilly I got work chopping timber in the mountainou s par t of the mine, by contract, at the rate the men averaged. I choppe d for o ne month and made as much again as the men who worked by days pay . Afte r this I was called a man, but did not make as much.

      They often sent me to pitch coal in a closed box car with an Italian (t h ey called them greacers). He could not speak English and the work wa s s o hard I could hardly stand it. As I contacted myself with this Itali an , I discovered that at that kind of work he was as good or a little be tte r than I. Every hour I asked myself if I was going to remain in his c las s all my life. My one year in High School did not help me shovel coal . Ea ch Sunday I would climb the beautiful mountain, make sure I was alon e, th en I would pour out my soul to God in prayer for help and guidanc e and st rangth. This was a great turning experience in my life, for I re solved o n that mountain and with each shovel of coal that I would do som ething wh ich my dark skinned, dirty, Italian friend could not do. Oh, ho w I resolv ed to go to school and make a man of myself in the world. I ha d, by thi s time, worked two months.

      I had saved $75.00 the two months and to show how unwilling I was to sp e nd it for anything except for an education, I walked thirty miles ove r th e Mountain to Mt. Pleasant alone to save Railroad fare. Took the tra in t o Salina, Utah and from there I walked another ten miles home becaus e I w as so homesick for my family.

      My father went with me to Salt Lake City and we tried to find work fo r m e to do for my board. For three days we looked everywhere, but were u nsuc cessful. Father said to me: "You'd better go home and give it up." H is ti cket was up and he had to return home, so he left me alone to conti nue m y search. To fortify my courage and burn my bridges I went the nex t morni ng to the L.D.S. College and asked the price of their courses. Th ey sai d they were from $10.00 to $40.00 year. I took the forty dollar co urse . I paid this out of my seventy-five dollars befire I even had a pla ce t o stay. Two days later I found a job three miles west of the city . I milk ed twelve cows at night and six in the morning for my board. I r ode a bic ycle to school and also drove a horse and buggy. I was delighte d and happ y. A better and closer job was secured after two months. I di d chores a t Nephi L. Clayton's place just three blocks from the school . Here, I liv ed in a barn and ate my meals out in the outer kitchen, bu t they were kin d to me and I only had to tend the furnace and tend fo r a cow and two hor ses. They gave me old clothes and shoes which I wor e in place of my old a nd shabby ones and I sent a sack or two home to th e folks.

      I did janitor work at the L.D.S. (tended Barrot Hall) and I was also do o r keeper in the old gym so that when school closed the next spring I h a d still thirty dollars out of the thirty five left after paying my tuit io n. I attended the L. D. S. four years which was as happy a time as an y i n my life. In my junior year I was chosen as class president and in m y Se nior year I was elected President of the student body. When my frien ds fo und I had been elected, they carried me from Barrot Hall Basement i n my j anitor clothes, on their backs. These friends were J.B. Harris, Jo seph M . Mills and others about the school.

      Some of my choicest memories cluster around those dear old school day s a nd some life long friendships were made and for two years four boys-- Jose ph B. Harris, Oscar Harris, J.B's brother and my brother, No and I l ive d as batchelors, cooked our own meals and lived a very happy and heal thfu l life together. I have often thanked God for sending these two fin e youn g men to us.

      Later I lived in the Sugar House ward doing chores for Samuel Paul, a c i vil engineer. I lived in his barn and ate my meals in his shanty, but t he y were kind and helpful to me for whicHishall be thankful for. While l ivi ng there I formed some more very dear friendships. They were: F. Haro ld R obinson, now Dr. Robinson of Los Angeles and his wonderful family. T he Ar tist Edwin Evans and his very fine family contributed to my growt h and ha ppiness. Especially did I enjoy the friendship of their daughter , Eva, wh o I often spent the evenings with. Here I met the Fairbanks fam ily and Br other Thomas Yates, all of whom I greatly admire.

      I sold shoes on Friday nights and Saturdays in Robinson Bros. Shoe Sto r e and distributed the tribune papers over a route for two winters ridi n g a bicycle.

      The idea of being a Doctor came to me gradually. First my grandfather , C ol. John J. Ivie, whom I dearly loved, was a bone setter and wanted t o b e a Doctor himself and said he would be one if he were me. Then a s I thou ght of all the things I could do, nothing I could do other tha n this woul d render more services to mankind. I then felt that my natur e was a sympa thetic and helpful nature that would fit me in a measure, t o render comfo rt and strengthen those in distress. I did not know or se e how I could ac complish my ambition, but finally I made up my mind tha t God had always h elped me. At the end of my second year at the L.D.S . I had decided to bec ome an M.D. with God's help.

      When I mentioned my determination to two of my beloved professors wh o I d id greatly admire and respect, they in good faith, said a lot of di scoura ging things to me. They said I would lose my faith in God if I stu died un der certain Godless Professors which they mentioned. They advise d me to s tudy for a teacher in a Church School instead of Medicine. I wa s disturbe d in my feelings, so I called at President Joseph F. Smith's o ffice for a dvice. I would have rather given up my ambitions to becom e a doctor tha n to lose my faith in the Church and my God. Brother Spenc er, I believe , asked me what I wanted and I told him briefly the missio n I was on. H e shortly returned and said that President Smith was busy f or an hour an d suggested that I see President Antone H. Lund and do as h e advised. I p ut the matter up to president Lund. He fatherly put his ha nd on my should er and said: "My good Brother, the Churchs needs good L.D .S. doctors. Yo u go right ahead and study medicine if you desire and ser ve God faithfull y while doing so and you will not apostatize and God ble ss you." I left a s happy as a child and never hesitated another minute f rom then on. Late r when I studied medicine, I never saw a thing that eve r disturbed my fai th a particle.

      After graduating from the L.D.S. my dearest friend, Joe (Joseph B. Harr i s) and I landed in Preston, Idaho, looking for work. We had a letter o f i ntroduction to Thomas Cleaves, better Uncle Tom. We helped him Saturd ay i n his store and Sunday went with him to Sunday School and there I sa w fo r the first time the beautiful little girl who latter (two years lat er) b ecame my wife. Uncle Tom made us acquainted with David Cullen Eame s and h is good wife and family, including their daughter, May.

      I first fell in love with Mother Eames and then later with her daughte r , May.

      It is wonderful and beautiful story, our courtship. That I have lived a n d lived again in memory. How I grew to love her until she was almost ho l y and sacred; so pure and holy was my love for her that I could hardl y st udy or do aught but hold her in the center of my brain and adore. Fi nall y after two years acquaintance I persuaded her to become my wife . I led h er to the alter in God's Holy Temple where we were sealed for t ime and et ernity on July 18# 1907 at Logan, Utah.

      I had taken out my own endowments two years before in the Salt Lake Tem p le. This came about thus: I walked home with Bishop Clawson of the 18t h W ard one night from Priesthood meeting. He asked me if I would like t o hav e my endowments in the Temple for the protection and blessing. "Ind ee d I would" was my reply. He gave me a recommend. I went to the Temple.

      After my marriage my dear old pal Joe (whom I loved as much as any brot h er I had) married our mutual friend Lucy Ashton one of the finest girl s f rom one of the finest families I have ever met in all my life. I lov e t o think of the many and happy times I have spent in their company an d the ir home.

      After my marriage, my wife and I spent our honeymoon at tear Lake and l a ter at Fish Lake, soon after which we landed in Chicago where I complet e d my medical course.

      While in Chicago we had many ups and downs. We moved five times in abo u t six months being run out because we were Mormons. Other times becaus e o f rats and cockroaches. However, my good wife was 100% loyal. I too k a fe ver for three weeks in which she nursed me back to health.

      On June 17, 1908 our darling baby came to bless and cheer us in our str u ggles. We were living at the Leman Flats, 2323 South Wabash Ave. wher e sh e was born. Never was a child more welcome and appreciated than ou r firs t born, Ora May.

      While a student at the Northwestern University I often had a chance t o d efend our church and people. Dr. Mix, Secretary of the faculty an d a ver y fine man, called me into his office twice to talk about the Boo k of Mor mon. I gave him one with my compliments which he read and commen ted to m e on after. I was always proud to be a Mormon and to defend ou r people.

      I started to practice my chosen profession in Richfield on July 3, 19 0 . I have been there ever since with the exception of two three month' s pe riods spent in the east and three weeks in the West doing post gradu ate w ork. I have met, personally, most of the big medical and surgical m en i n the U. S. and a few from Europe. Locally I have been County Physic ian s ince 1909, almost half of that time City Physician. I was one of th e firs t doctors in the State to operate lights and electricity treatment s. I wa s one of the three who drafted the constitution and by-laws for t he firs t body of Doctors in this State to use and advocate physiologica l measure s other than medicine and surgery. I read a paper before its fi rst meetin g on the value of electrocoagulation of disease tissue. I wa s the first c harter member and the first President of Center Utah Medica l Society. I w as the D. & R. G. W. R. R. Surgeon and War Veteran's Burea u Examiner duri ng and since the war. As I recall I had about the sixtyt h automobile in t his valley, but not until I had driven a horse and bugg y all over the val ley and mountains for several years and tussled throug h storms and snow-b ound lands at all hours of the night. I have made man y a trip which endan gered my health and life when I knew there was no fi nancial reward, bu t I have felt sure God would bless me, and he has abun dantly done so.

      Happiness is great love and much service. It is comforting to know so m e day we will be judged justly and everything made up to us we have lo s t here. Therefore, no one but ourselves can really make us unhappy or s ou r or can our souls unless we allow them to.

      On the whole as I look back over life I am partly satisfied and I thin k t hat through all of these experiences I have had, I have learned ther e i s only one thing that needs concern me or my good family much. Ther e is o nly one thing that really matters. There is only one road to happi ness he re and hereafter and that is the road of Righteousness. On this s econd da y of April, 1931, my really great desire and prayer is that I mi ght liv e a righteous life and that my family might do the same and avoi d the err ors made by their father, which may God grant.