Lester Gay West

Lester Gay West was the 5th child of Charles Henry West 1846-1912) and Frederikke Claudina Ahlefeldt-Laurvigen (Jacobsen) (1845-1910). He married Margaret Foutz Walker June 29, 1904. Lester was born in the old Harry Wadley Place north of the old Pleasant Grove 3rd Ward Church. At 10 pounds, he was the smallest of 13 children born to his mother. When Lester was 3 days old he was ill and his life was despaired of. He was blessed by his Grandfather David West and recovered. At 3 weeks of age he moved with his family to Stringtown (now Lindon). Charles Henry West built a home of soft rock having 3 rooms and a lean-to kitchen. At that time Charles Henry owned a 100 acre farm in alfalfa, grain and sugar cane. Robert Cobbley ran a molasses mill where the cane was made into molasses. Occasionally the children would get some of the skimmin' and have a real old-fashioned candy pull. Lester was always an early riser, up by 5 AM and up to the sandhill to play. As he grew older he helped the older boys herd cattle. They wore no shoes in summer on the hot sands. They would dig down until they found some moist,cool sand, stand there until the cows move on, then run to the next best vantage point and dig down again. On a cold day while building a fire, Lester on pulling a sagebrush was bitten by a scorpion. His brother, Henry, took him home on a razor back horse. Lester says the ride was more painful than the bite which was treated by his mother with soft mud and blueing.

There was no church held in Stringtown. If they wanted to attend church they had to walk 4 miles to Pleasant Grove. In those days everyone was poor. When Lester was age 9, his father traded their home and farm to Shoemaker Swenson for a small home with 2 rooms, a back porch and 2 acres of land in Pleasant Grove (where the 3rd Ward Chapel was located). Up to this time Lester had not been to school. Their large family and the cost of attendance made the privilege unattainable. In his first year at school he completed the 1st 3 grades. May Robison and Delia Winters taught him in the Pleasant Grove Schools for 2 years. T hen he attended the Presbyterian School which was free with Miss Works and Miss Fireball as teachers. The next 2 years were back to the Pleasant Grove school with Annie Nielson and James L. Brown. On Aug 2, 1885, Lester was baptized by Otto L. Mayhew and confirmed by David Adamson. He along with several other children were baptized in the old mill pond in Pleasant Grove.

In 1888 the family had measles. When their mother's back was turned, the boys would tie pillows on their hands for boxing gloves and what a time they would have. Lester jumped from the bed to the floor causing his feet to swell. The next day he slipped quietly out of doors and his measles "went in on him." For several weeks he was very ill and almost lost his life. In November 1890, Henry (his eldest brother) was working in Bingham Canyon and came home with a sore throat. At first the doctor said it was quinzy and lanced his throat. After a few days some of the other children were ill and found to have diphtheria in the worst form. Five of Lester's siblings died that year (3 within 11 days). Henry was the last of the initial four to die. The house was cleaned, fumigated and many things burned.

In January 1891 the disease claimed Henson, who died on his 19th birthday. Waldemar was very ill but recovered. Lester, Alroy and Nellie never took ill. People were so afraid that they would not come by the house. The town officials gave the family $1,200 for the place and they burned the house and its contents. With the money, the family purchased some land and built a brick home in Lindon. Lester was ordained a deacon by grandfather, David West before 1891. He was assistant to brother Mark Downs in the Deacon's quorum for several years. Duties included: cleaning the meeting house, lamps, helping take charge of meetings, etc.

Lester was ordained a priest 11/20/1899 an went back to school in Lindon under Miss Craig and D.H. Robison - graduating the 8th grade in 1899. Lester weighed 95 pounds at age 15. He was a good runner and boxer and could hold his own with those much larger than himself. At age 15 he went to work for Telluride Power Company in Provo Canyon preparing to put in a turbine power plant on the Provo River. Lester was hired to take over the kitchen. He spent the summer cooking for 40 men and women. That fall he went to Manning to work very hard in the ore mills. He and another man shoveled over 32 tons of ore in an 8 hour shift. It was both hot and cold. They would strip down to their under clothes to work in the sweltering heat then, drenched with sweat they rode the ore cars out on the dump and their wet clothes would freeze to their backs, then back in to repeat the process again.

Later they moved up into the big tanks where 2 men had 150 tons of ore to move in an 8 hour shift. From there he went to work in Mercur in the mines for awhile. On returning home for the Christmas holidays, he took part in a ward play - playing the title role in, "Tony the Convict."

He was ordained an Elder March 5, 1900, by Alfred G. Keetch. In the Early Spring of 1900 he received a mission call to leave in late March. The short notice offered no time for a farewell party, so they just decided to put on the play, "Tony the Convict" again. Thus Lester was the main character at his farewell.

Lester was endowed March 21,1900, and ordained a Seventy by J. Golden Kimball the same day. Elder Kimball promised many blessing which were all fulfilled. He left on March 22nd for South Carolina in company of 7 other Elders on a train the Chattanooga, Tennessee. His mission President was Ben E. Rich. First companion was John S. Mcguire. Lester served honorably for 27 months and came home June 27,1902.

The next 2 years were spent farming and peddling. June 29, 1904, he married Margaret Foutz Walker in the Salt Lake Temple. They made their home in Bingham Canyon where Lester worked for the power company and their eldest sons, Leo and Burnell were born.

Summer 1909, Lester and Apollos Benjamin Walker with others worked with success to get electric lights to Lindon. A few years later, Lester and Horace Culmer started a project to get culinary water to Lindon with later success. Lester taught Sunday School for many years. He served as one of seven presidents of the seventy from around 1903 until May 31,1914. Subsequently he was called as 2nd counselor to Bishop A.L. Cullimore and ordained a High Priest July 26, 1914, by Heber J. Grant. He later served as 1st counselor in the bishopric. He served in the bishopric 13 years. He made every effort to provide for his family of 7 sons and 3 daughters.

January 26, 1949, Lester suffered a heart attack and was very ill for sometime. Through the faith and prayers of many, the skill of doctors and good care, he lived 3 more years until he suffered a final heart attack on June 20,1952, at the home of his son, Julian in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Parents:

Charles Henry West (1846 - 1912)

Frederikke Claudina Jacobsen (Ahlefeldt-Laurvig) West (1845 - 1910)

Spouse:

Margaret Foutz Walker West (1882 - 1956)

Children:

Leo Berry West (1905 - 1970)

Ray Walker West (1909 - 1994)

Rulon Lester West (1912 - 1984)

Farrel E. West (1916 - 2005)

Siblings:

Henry West (1868 - 1890)

Annie Amelia West Thompson (1870 - 1957)

Hensen J. West (1872 - 1891)

David Waldemar West (1874 - 1958)

Lester Gay West (1876 - 1952)

Minnie Fredrikka West (1878 - 1890)

William West (1879 - 1879)

Baby Boys West (1880 - 1884)

Alroy Hooley West (1881 - 1975)

Mary Ellen West (1882 - 1890)

Heber C. West (1884 - 1884)

Nellie Elmira West (1886 - 1897)

Frank Ernest West (1889 - 1890)

Maintained by: Gus Pendleton

Originally Created by: Ray Memmott

Record added: Oct 22, 2007

Find A Grave Memorial# 22376276

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via sister Annie Amelia Thompson (born West) by SmartCopy: Aug 18 2015, 19:48:01 UTC