James Hepworth Written by his granddaughter, Iris Hepworth Moon, May 1974

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James played the violin, and he always held the "fiddle" as he called it, against his chest, never under his chin. He also played the Bass Viol. This instrument was a three string bass. In the early days, James played for many dances at Hales Hall. Hales Hall was located on the southwest corner of 2nd West and 5th South in Bountiful. He played for admission tickets for his boys to dance. He would carry his bass viol on his back and walk from his home on 11th West to Hales Hall, play all evening, then walk back home after the dance. He enjoyed walking through his fields. After the dances he would walk West on 5th South to the Denver Rio Grande tracks, North on the tracks to his fields, then west to his home. One night he was walking home on the tracks, with his instrument on his back, when he saw a man coming towards him. The stem of the viol was on his shoulder, and as he approached the man, he said, "Good evening," and at the same time he pulled up on the neck of the instrument. The stranger broke into a run and ran like mad down the tracks! The dance combos of those days consisted of one bass viol, two or three violins and a drum.

James' chair that he sat in, in the evening had its back to the door, and Melina's chair faced the door. In the evening as Melina knitted or sewed, James would read scriptures to her, or read stories to her, play his violin or sing old English songs with her. This was a ritual enjoyed by one grandson, Evan Taylor, as he would slip in the front door and sit quietly behind his grandfather's chair. Melina would wink at Evan as he came in. Evan learned the gospel in the home of his grandparents. In the summer evenings the family would gather on the back porch or back yard, and James would teach them the gospel. Grace Hepworth, Samuel's wife said that the finest sermons she ever heard were preached by her father-in-law, James, in his own back yard. James was a good speaker.

Many times he was called out of the audience, with these words, "Brother Jim, would you please come to the stand and wake people up?" No one slept while he spoke! He bore his testimony often. He had a strong testimony of the Gospel and spoke with conviction of the Celestial Kingdom and what it would be like. He was made a High Priest, 23 June 1878, in Salt Lake City, before he moved out to Woods Cross. He was a member of the first High Priest Quorum organized in West Bountiful.

He blessed many of his grandchildren, both children of Nephi and Alice, and seven of eight children of Nephi and Rilda. He confirmed many of the grandchildren also. James and Melina sent two boys on missions: Samuel to the Southern States Mission, and Nephi to the North Western States Mission.

When James was a young man and beards were stylish, he grew a beautiful black wavy beard. Some of the grandchildren remember when his beard was graying. Most remembered was the white walrus mustache he wore the later years of his life. He was a courteous, very loving, kind, patient man.

Melina died when she was 86, leaving James alone. He lived alone for two years, then he went to live with Nephi, Rilda and family. This family has many fond memories of James, their father and grandfather. Delia, the youngest would sit for the longest time on his lap and comb his mustache. He would sit very still and patient during all this affectionate combing. He would shine the shoes on Saturday afternoon in readiness for Sunday, taking great care to polish them well. He walked a lot, from 8th West to 11th West, to visit the families of Alma and Dolph. He still sang the old English songs in his last years. It was enjoyable to listen to him talk with that wonderful English accent. He was loved very much by all of his children and grandchildren, and will be remembered always as a gentle, kind and very dear man.

He lived the last six weeks of his life with his daughter Maude and her husband, Bill Harman. James died 22 March 1937 in Salt Lake City.

My thanks to the following relatives for their memories of Grandfather: Rilda Hepworth Andrews, Leonora Hepworth, Leonard Hepworth, Josephine H. Dobbs, Lucy and Evan Taylor, Theresa Hood, Rena Page, and thanks to Robert Hepworth for his history of Grandfather, written when he was a teenager, to Faye H. Davis, and Delia H. Armstrong for their help with records and certificates.

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