Sarah Hegsted was born on March 30, 1867, at Harrisville, Utah. She was the third child and first daughter in the family of ten children born to Hans Christian Sorensen Hegsted and Maren (Mary) Borglum Hegsted. Her parents were converts to the Church in Denmark and settled in lovely Huntsville, Utah after immigrating to the United States. Sarah was their first child born in the new country.
Her girlhood days were spent at Huntsville, Far West and Harrisville, Utah. She was taught the principles of the LDS Church by her parents and was baptized a member by Frank A. Hammond when she was eight years old. She grew to womanhood in a very spiritual home where the family knelt together in prayer and where services were given humbly to the Lord’s work and tithes were paid.
While living at Harrisville, she met Warren Chancy Taylor, son of Pleasant Green Taylor and Clara Lake Taylor. On December 22, 1886, they were married in the Logan Temple and in the next year their home was blessed by the birth of a son, Warren Elmer, September 29, 1887.
The family moved to Idaho to seek a new home. They arrived at Lewisville in March of 1889 and three months later Horace was born on June 28, 1889. They took up the task of homestaking on a sage brush tract where E. B. Hunter’s home now stands. On October 17, 1891, their third son, George Alvin was born.
An early winter set in upon the settlers in the fall of 1892. Men with teams and wagons could be seen going towards the hills and canyons for wood and fuel to give them warmth over the long winter months ahead. While returning a wagon accident befell them on October 10, 1892, and her husband, Warren, was carried home lifeless. Sarah was left with three young boys, the oldest just five years old. Warren was killed in Wolverine Canyon, Idaho and buried at the Lewisville Cemetery.
On October 10, 1895, Sarah’s life joined with Welby Holmes Walker, son of William Holmes Walker and Mary Jane Shadden Walker. Welby had passed through a similar trial. His wife, ?adamia, had passed away leaving three young girls and one boy: Theodocia May, Welby LeRoy, Ada Jane and Anne Lyle. Theodocia, the oldest was only eight years old.
Sarah and Welby were married in the Salt Lake Temple on October 10, 1895 and came back to Lewisville where they lived the rest of their lives. Sarah and Welby lived in a two-room home with a lean-to kitchen on the back located on the northwest corner of 1st South and either 1st or 2nd West in Lewisville. The home was small, but clean and cozy. It had a large yard on the street sides that was great for playing games. There were outbuildings to the northwest of the house where they kept animals and a large garden plot where they raised vegetables. They also had fruit trees on the property. In the back there was a root cellar with a dirt roof. Seven more children were born to this union: Oral Holmes, November 14, 1996; Sarah Violet, April 16, 1899; Mary Verna, September 11, 1902; Olive Fay, May 25, 1904; Mayor “W”, February 26, 1906; DeCarl, December 17, 1909; and Eugene, November 29, 1915.
The year of 1918 brought new trials to Sarah. On April 20, 1918, her nine-year-old son, DeCarl, died from injuries received in a freak pitch fork accident while playing in the home yard. The same year she also bade farewell to her two sons, Horace and Oral, as they wore the similar khaki uniforms and marched away to their country’s call to France in World War I. She experienced anxious days of waiting for letters or word from overseas. With a prayer of gratitude she welcomed their return to the old home before the year closed.
One example of her unselfish character is the faithful care and love she gave to her afflicted brother, Jake. Jake was a cripple from early childhood. His hearing and speech became impaired as his years advanced. For many years he was a well known figure in Sugar City. He was a cobbler of shoes and made many friends far and wide by his pleasing cheerful personality. Everyone who knew Jake loved him. He responded to praise and kindness as a little child and his faith in God was childlike, too. His last fourteen years were spent as an invalid. When his sister with whom he made his home passed away, he came to his sister, Sarah’s home in Lewisville. Jake found a place in all of their hearts, especially the little grandchildren who came often to visit Grandmother Walker.
Sarah made his last years most pleasant for him, caring for him some seven years. She bore his most trying days with him with patience and defended him when others thought him a burden. He passed away, February 7, 1931, at the age of fifty-seven years. Sarah was alone with him when the end came. He realized his hour had come and he threw his arms about her and cried, “Awful good mama, awful good man.”
Sorrow was once again to be felt by Sarah. On October 2, 1932, her eighteen-year-old baby boy, Eugene, drowned while fishing on the Snake River by the Buttes. In 1937, two of her sons passed away. George died on April 8, 1937 and Horace on June 23, 1937. Indeed, the years had been full of heartaches and trials.
Sarah was a real companion to Welby. She met the many demands of her family in a manner few could excel. She was a wonderful mother, answering their call regardless of where they were or how often her children needed her. She was a gracious neighbor and a true loyal friend. Enumerable are the times an extra plate had been laid at her table or an extra bed made. This was so true at harvest season when old time threshing crews and harvest hands gathered. The radiant hospitality of their home drew the young crowd, too – the friends of her boys and girls. Many are the happy times held in their home. (It was always a delight to have Grandfather Walker play his accordion.
In her earlier years, she devoted services to the MIA and Primary. Later, she served as a Relief Society visiting teacher for several years. She was a faithful member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She enjoyed a good garden and enjoyed canning the produce from it.
She was stricken with a partial stroke in 1946 and was confined to her home and later her bed after that time. Loving care was given by members of her family. On January 1, 1947, she passed away at Oral’s home in Rigby, just three months before her eightieth birthday. Thus, as the new year came in, her life was ushered out to greet her loved ones who died before her. She was buried along side her first husband, Warren Chancy Taylor, in the Lewisville Cemetery.
