Fern Wride (1893-1983)
Autobiography Dated 15 January, 1953
I was born December 20, 1893 at Provo City, Utah, the fourth child of Phebe Truelove Ward and Bishop Evan Wride. Father was Bishop of the Provo 2nd Ward when I was born. Mother came from Leicester, Leicester Shire, England and my father came from New Cardiff Wales. They were both converts to the Church and came to Zion, as they called it, for the gospel’s sake. However, they did not meet until later in Provo, Utah. They were married in the Logan Temple, February 16, 1887 by Elder Marriner W. Merrill who was both an apostle and president of the Logan Temple. I was privileged to be born in America, a heritage I cherish deeply.
We were reared in one of the best homes in Provo at that time – a large, two-story house with a lovely yard, lawn, shrubs, and flowers, of which we were very proud. As I grew older, I realized how fortunate we were as a family. I had five brothers and three sisters. My father had another wife before my mother, but she died and left four children. My mother raised the two families and there were 16 children.
I started to school at the age of six in what was called the Franklin School, named after Benjamin Franklin. They later tore it down and built a new one, but gave it the same name. I pass it every time I ever visit in Provo. It was just three blocks from where we lived. There was a little store in a house just across the street where we used to take eggs to buy candy. Money was scarce in those days. I had many good times at school and took part in different programs. Our music teacher was Professor J. R. Boshard and Florence Jepperson Madsen, now wife of one of the Church officials. She is also a member of the Relief Society General Board in Salt Lake City at the present. We were taught the notes and scales of music and I took chorus. I also sang in the ward choir.
We sang at funerals and also at sacrament meetings.
I was baptized on June 14, 1902 in Provo.
I helped my Grandmother Ward for four or five years, as her health was failing. I would walk to their home every day except Sunday. It was eight blocks from our home and I would then work from 8 AM until 5 APM. I did all of the work except the washing. Grandmother taught me how to make bread and to bake. Grandfather paid me $1.50 a week, of which I bought my own clothes. Things were so much cheaper then. My grandparents called me their Little Fernie.
At home we had our own work to do. I remember my sister Elizabeth and I had to wash and dry the dishes, make our bed, and go to the store every morning before school. Also, we each had to help rub the clothes on washday, as my mother didn’t have a washer. I remember we were so small we had to turn an old dishpan over and stand on it to work. As I grew older I worked in the County Treasurer’s Office for three or four seasons during tax time. When I was 17 years old, I started to work at the Utah State Mental Hospital as an attendant, caring for the patients. That is where I was schooled in practical nursing, which has helped me a lot through my life in caring for my family’s ills and also other people. In the spring of April, 1915, I came with two of my girl friends, Ruby Phillips and Hazel Hawkins, to Rigby for our vacation. We stayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Owens. They were Hazel’s aunt and uncle and they were so nice to us. Hazel and I took a job in a boarding house at Ririe for about six weeks. It was there that I met George Taylor. He and his brother, Elmer, were working at Ririe and George was staying at the boarding house. He took me to shows and dances, borrowing Elmer’s old Model T with no top on it and it would run when it thought about it. However, we had lots of fun and enjoyed riding in it anyway as it chugged along.
I went back to Provo for Decoration Day and took my old job back again at the hospital. George came to Provo to see me for the 4th of July and spent two days in Provo. We went on a picnic with some of my folks and some friends. We enjoyed those two days very much. That was when he asked me to become his wife. On his way back to Idaho, he stopped in Salt Lake and bought me a nice ring with my birthstone, the turquoise, and pearls. We wrote every day to each other. We were married Wednesday, December 15, 1915 at the home of my parents by our Bishop Lars L. Nelson at 12:30 noon. We had a medium sized wedding. I made my own wedding dress. It was white voile with silk lace and white satin ribbons.
We left Provo on Friday and came to Rigby to make our home where George was employed by his brother, Elmer. We had a five room house, but only enough furniture for two rooms, but they were cozy and we were very happy.
As time passed, we became the parents of a lovely baby girl on April 1, 1917. We named her Helen Fern. In 1919, we purchased a farm south and west of Rigby. We lived there for five years. George and I were sealed for time and eternity on February 4, 1920 in the Salt Lake Temple. We took Helen Fern with us and she was sealed to us.
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Lucile, another daughter, was born September 9, 1920 which was my grandparent’s golden wedding day. Two years later our home was blessed with a son, Max Alvin, born September 9, 1922. We worked very hard on the farm, raising good crops, also pigs and chickens. George’s health began to fail, so we rented the farm to Oral Walker, a half brother to George for one year. Then we rented to Walt Hick. Walt later bought the farm and then we bought the home I now live in (137 South 2nd West, Rigby, Idaho). Mary Lou, another daughter, was born February 23, 1927.
I did practical nursing at different times, helping doctors to deliver babies and then take care of the mother and baby for ten days. Several babies were born in my home. I had the experience of delivering one without the doctor or her husband, who was out of town at the time. I enjoyed nursing very much.
I have held different offices in the Church. I was a Primary teacher for several years, and then I served as 2nd counselor to Clea Grover. Margaret Chandler was 1st counselor. While in Primary, I helped as chorister a little and took the minutes when we were short on help.
George passed away April 8, 1937. He had been in poor health for some time. At this time Helen was married to L. Howard Anderson and Arlene was three months old. Lucile was 16 years old and Max was 14 years old. Mary Lou was 9 years old. He was a wonderful husband, a very devoted father to his children. We missed him greatly, but as one author said, “God can calm the stormy water; He can make the gray skies blue. God can dry the tears of sorrow…
As time passed, Lucile was married to Glen Janus Lund on July 7, 1941. He was in the Air Force as a pilot in World War 2 for about four years. Glen Bradford was born to them while he was in the Pacific flying B29 bombers. Lucile came home to live with us. Then Glen came home from the war and another son, Craig Lee came to bless their home. Glen was killed in an accident at work leaving Lucile with two little boys to raise. We all were greatly grieved.
Max was called into the service when he was 19 years old leaving Mary Lou and me home together. She was just starting high school. I worked at the Rigby Frock Shop for two years and then I started to cook on the PTA lunch program for four years. By this time Max had married Corene Johnson. Then Mary Lou was married to McKay Evans, so you see life goes on.
Later I had the privilege of doing work in the Mesa Temple in Arizona. Max and Mary Lou also did baptismal work there. Then I have been privileged to do work in the Idaho Falls Temple and the Salt Lake Temple.
I married Sylvester Call on December 23, 1944. We have been very happy together. He is a wonderful man.
I served as 1st Vice Captain of the Dorian Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Later I served on the Jefferson County Board of DWP as Vice Captain.
I later served as 2nd Counselor in the Relief Society and also as assistant to the Secretary in Relief Society. Then I served two years as secretary in the Genealogy. I have had the privilege of visiting and doing work in the Salt Lake Temple.
Added later: Fern did nursing and midwifing through the years. She was a very good cook, and everyone loved her homemade bread and pies. She loved having family dinners and gatherings at holiday times at her home. She died in Idaho Falls, Idaho at age 89 on 14 October, 1983 and she is buried in the Rigby Pioneer Cemetery.
