Life Sketch of Squire Hepworth

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Those of Squire's children who remained in Springdale were married at the time Squire left there. Thornton married Elzina Draper, daughter of Almon and Amy Draper and Squire Edmund married Cecelia Draper, sister to Elzina. James Henry married Mary Mariah Stout, daughter of Hosea Stout. James and Mariah were married July 11, 1894, had three children and then James died June 10, 1901. Emily Ann became a polygamist wife to Oliver D. Gifford, and Amelia Jane married Oliver's brother, Freeborn D. Gifford. Eleanor married William H. Gifford, eldest son of Oliver. Eliza Ellen, eldest daughter of Margaret and Squire, married John Robinson Crawford, eldest son of William and Cornelia Gifford Crawford. Cornelia was a sister to Oliver and Freeborn.

Memories of his home and life in Springdale remained with Squire throughout his life. He made several visits to Dixie to see those of his family who married and stayed there. Thornton's home was his home on all of these visits. The writer recalls the last visit he made to Dixie and how he had to be watched to make sure he didn't wander off and get lost. The years and hard work had taken their toll and he had become senile. Not long after he left Springdale to return to his home in Idaho, the family was informed of the incidents surrounding his becoming lost in Idaho. The story is related in some detail by Wells Hepworth, a grandson and Ella Beecher, a close neighbor to Squire.

A news item taken from the Elba News on August 31, 1920 states:

"Squire Hepworth, age 78, died at his home Thursday August 26, 1920. Mr. Hepworth has suffered for some time. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 28th, at the home of his son, George, at 3:00."

The following item was submitted by Wells and Zelma Hepworth: "Squire Hepworth left Springdale, Utah arriving at what was known as Bull Lane in the Raft River Valley, Idaho, late in November 1900. With him were his wife, Margaret Ellen Cox Hepworth, and most of their children. Also, going to Idaho was Russell King, son of Emily and Squire. John William and George, the two oldest sons of Margaret had established themselves in Idaho some two years before their parents left Dixie and were working in the Malta-Elba areas.

Squire settled in the Elba Valley on Cassia Creek. He was an able carpenter and built a log house that still stands in good condition in Elba, although it has been moved from the original home-site and reassembled. He was a master with the tools of his day and taught his sons to be efficient workmen. Ira, the youngest of the family was nearing four years of age when they came to Idaho. He recalls that at least two pairs of shoes that he wore were made by his father."

The following incidents were recalled by Ira: "Dad had the Jones place rented. One day he had a bay mare called Phoebe and another horse hitched to a walking plow when the horses began to run. Dad was dragged head first into the base of a clump of willows; the lines broke, freeing him when he hit the willows. I was so scared. I was afraid his neck would be broken. Another time we were cleaning ditch. Richard had been out to the dance the night before and Dad found him asleep in the ditch, so he turned the water in on him. Richard's sleep was over."

The influenza epidemic invaded Elba Valley in the closing months of 1918. The new year of 1919 dawned with much sorrow. Two husky young men succumbed: One on the first day of January, the other on the 9th. I, Zelma C. Hepworth, battled with the flu for many weeks. One night mother told me to look out the window. She explained to me that a man was lost and that neighbors were out searching for him. I can still remember the lantern lights, like giant fireflies, moving about in the darkness. The lost man was Squire Hepworth, who had become senile. He was living with and being cared for by his unmarried sons. He had slipped out of the house in his underclothes with only stockings on his feet.

The following morning when the searching party gathered, Wells, the 12½ year old son of George Hepworth, was with the group of horsemen. When they arrived at the Twitchell farm, Alma, a lad of 16, joined them. He remarked to Wells that he felt as if he were going to find his father and didn't want to be alone. Wells and Alma were assigned to ride the area nearest the foothills. As they rode along, they topped a ridge where they could see into the mouth of a draw. There they saw Squire huddled in a clearing in the sagebrush. The boys called to the other searchers and a team and wagon was sent for. Squire's socks were worn out and his feet badly frozen, but they healed after a while and he was able to walk on them. He was taken to Russell's home where he was cared for until sometime in the following year. Clarence, son of Russell, remembers his grandfather living with them when his sister, Fern, was a baby. She was born December 31, 1919. Squire passed away at this home, August 26, 1920.

Mrs. Ella Beecher was asked by the family to recall some of the experiences she had as a neighbor living next to Squire and family. She contributed the following bit of information:

Springtime in the little valley of Elba, Idaho is never very warm, and May of 1918 was no different. It was windy, chilly, and sometimes very cold at night, and the night Squire Hepworth left his warm bed and took a long walk towards the mountains was cold and windy. This was in May of 1918 or 1919.

Squire Hepworth was a comely little gentleman with snow-white hair and beard and deep-set blue eyes, a quiet unobtrusive man who always minded his own business. His small farm was located north and east of Elba, near what is known as Connor Creek. He would make a trip with his team and heavy wagon to Elba occasionally to pick up his mail, and he would usually stop at the store there, and it was at this store where Mont Maxfield would see him. He seemed to like Mont and they would visit together, and he would tell Mont many of his early day experiences.

When one of the boys awoke in the middle of that eventful night and found that his father had left his bed, he hastily awakened the other boys and they searched the house and out-buildings. When they could not locate him, Richard got on his pony and rode swiftly to Elba to his brothers', George and Russell, homes; and they with Elihu Beecher and perhaps others, took lanterns and hurried back and commenced searching, but the kerosene lights were dim and the night was very dark and sagebrush thick and tall and the wind would blow their lanterns out almost as fast as they would light them, so they agreed it was futile to search longer that night.

Mont Maxfield was Road Overseer of the Elba Road district and a road was being graded near Conner on the Albion Summit. When he arrived at Connor Creek early the next morning, he learned of Squire's disappearance. A group of men congregated soon, some had come to search for Squire, others like Mont, had come to work. Among the group were Don Whitaker, Lot Udy, Chester Parrish, Arze Udy, Elihu Beecher, Alonzo Parrish, Jerry (Del) Parrish and Osmer Ward with Squire's sons, George and Russell Hepworth. Most of them got into Mont's wagon and rode to the Hepworth home where they left the team and scattered in all directions and soon located the old gentleman about two miles from his home in a brush and rock filled gully lying on his back. He was barefoot and had no clothing on except his underclothes. He was still in a coma and blue with cold. His feet were bruised and full of thorns and slivers. Some of the men went back for the team and wagon to move him while others built a fire to try and warm his shivering body. It is a wonder and still a mystery how he survived that ordeal, yet he did and lived for quite some time afterwards.

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