 1883 - 1955 (72 years) Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors and 9 descendants in this family tree.
-
| Name |
Thomas Ray Gledhill |
| Prefix |
Dr. |
| Birth |
13 Feb 1883 |
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Initiatory (LDS) |
28 Nov 1906 |
SLAKE |
| FamilySearch ID |
KWCG-Q92 |
| Death |
18 Feb 1955 |
Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States |
| Burial |
21 Feb 1955 |
Richfield City Cemetery, Sevier, Utah, United States |
| Person ID |
I396 |
mytree |
| Last Modified |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Father |
Thomas Gledhill, b. 17 Apr 1856, Oldham, Lancashire, England d. 12 Dec 1933, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States (Age 77 years) |
| Mother |
Lillie Belle Ivie, b. 13 Oct 1865, Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States d. 1 May 1929, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States (Age 63 years) |
| Marriage |
10 Oct 1882 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Family ID |
F412 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Rebecca May Eames, b. 28 Dec 1886, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States d. 25 Jul 1955, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 68 years) |
| Marriage |
18 Jul 1907 |
Logan, Cache, Utah, United States |
| Children |
| | 1. Ora Mae Gledhill, b. 17 Jun 1908, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States d. 15 Jan 1988, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 79 years) |
| + | 2. Preston Ray Gledhill, b. 19 Mar 1915, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States d. 13 May 2003, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 88 years) |
| | 3. Utahna Gledhill, b. 10 Aug 1917, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States d. 22 Apr 2009, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 91 years) |
| + | 4. Evelyn Gledhill, b. 26 Aug 1919, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States d. 8 Oct 1997, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 78 years) |
| | 5. David Eames Gledhill, b. 17 Aug 1921, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States d. 27 Nov 1965, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 44 years) |
| | 6. Ilah Dean Gledhill, b. 29 Oct 1923, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States d. 13 Aug 2000, Thatcher, Graham, Arizona, United States (Age 76 years) |
|
| Family ID |
F411 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
3 Sep 2024 |
-
| Event Map |
|
 | Birth - 13 Feb 1883 - Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States |
 |
 | Initiatory (LDS) - 28 Nov 1906 - SLAKE |
|
 | Marriage - 18 Jul 1907 - Logan, Cache, Utah, United States |
|
 | Death - 18 Feb 1955 - Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States |
|
 | Burial - 21 Feb 1955 - Richfield City Cemetery, Sevier, Utah, United States |
|
|
-
-
| 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.
|
|
|
Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors and 9 descendants in this family tree.
English
