Loila Woolf

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees by SmartCopy: Nov 25 2014, 16:10:38 UTC

Biography of Loila Bates Woolf, Written by Annie B.W. Rasmussen: Mary Ann Atkins, Grandmother of Loila Bates Woolf was born in Hackley Essex England, 20 December 1816. She married William Hymas, 6 Jan. 1834 in England. Charles W. Penrose visited the family often while doing missionary work in England. He taught them the gospel. Mary Ann Atkins Hymas was baptized 26 May 1854. Sarah Hymas, daughter of Mary Ann Atkins Hymas, and mother of Loila Bates was born 6 Dec. 1841 and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5 May 1857. She was just 16 years old. After joining the church it was their desire to come to America. They sailed from Liverpool 23 April 1861. They docked in New York 22 May 1861. They sailed in a company with Milo Andrus, Homer Duncan and Pres. C.W. Penrose. They stayed in Brooklyn for about a year. They then made the great trek across the plains as part of a company known as the James Wareham Independent Company. Mary Ann Atkins Hymas and her daughter Sarah walked or rode behind ox teams all the way. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley 26 September 1862.

On 6 Nov. 1862 Sarah Hymas married Ormus Eaton Bates of Tooele Utah. On Aug. 8, 1863 the first child of the family was born at Batesville Tooele Utah, Loila Bates. When but 9 months old Loila walked and would pick her own clothes off the bushes, when they were put out to dry. Her father Ormus Eaton Bates died 4 Aug. 1874. Her mother then moved to Hyde Park and 5 April 1875 married Bishop Robert Daines. Loila got her schooling at Batesville and Hyde Park. She got what jobs she could doing house work for families in need of help. She often had to scrub bare wood floors with sand to make them white, polish brass kettles, make lye from wood ashes, starch from potatoes, and was often hired to iron the now wealthy families curtains, and was considered to be an expert curtain ironer. For these tasks she got paid 50 cents a week. She wove her own hats and some for others as well. First she bleached the straw and then braided it.

She met Homer Woolf in Hyde Park and they were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House 23 Dec. 1880, after traveling from Hyde Park to the Salt Lake City with a team and wagon, a distance of 100 miles in winter. Their first child Homer Jesse Woolf was born 4 Oct. 1881 at Hyde Park. In the spring of 1883 Loila and Homer with their small son moved to Riverdale Idaho taking up farming land there. They had a one horse two wheeled cart; they took their produce into Preston to sell. Sarah Loila Woolf was born 21 Nov. 1883 at Hyde Park Utah. Orrilla Woolf was born 21 Nov. 1885 at Riverdale Idaho.

On 13 April 1887 her husband Homer Woolf was set apart by Pres. John Taylor and George Q. Cannon to fulfill a mission, at the Southern States mission (Virginia) he returned June 1889. This left Loila with three small children to care for. She milked cows made butter to sell and took the school teacher to board to support her husband in the mission field. Which she gladly did, for it was always her desire to have her family serve the Lord and keep his commandments. She also taught her family dependability and promptness. Andrew Bates Woolf was born 12 April 1890 in Riverdale Idaho.

As Loila’s mother, Sarah Daines had migrated to Canada in 1887 it was Loila’s desire to move Northward and live near her mother. She soon convinced her husband of the many opportunities Canada offered. So they with their four children migrated to Canada along with two nephews Marion Woolf and George Duce and others in the company. The boys drove the cattle and horses, Homer drove a team of horses on a covered wagon and Sarah just ten years old drove a pair of mules on a democrat (small buggy). Loila took turns riding with Homer or Sarah.

One night after a storm, Loila being a far-sighted woman got a pail of water from the river and hung it on the wagon reach to settle. The next morning a Mr. Reeder got up early and took her pail of water. This so vexed Loila she never forgot the episode.

After a treacherous six weeks journey through rugged Indian Territory, thieves shooting off their guns at night, trying to stampede their stock, fording swollen muddy rivers they arrived in Cardston June 1894. They camped in their covered wagon and tent by the side of Mother Daines house until Homer took a homestead ten miles south of Cardston. They then camped on the homestead ten miles south of Cardston, until Homer built them a two room log house. They planted potatoes in June and reaped a good crop of them that fall. Loila told of how good a piece of white bread tasted, given to her by Zina Card.

Annie Bates Woolf was born in November 1894 at Cardston, Alberta Canada, a puny little child not expected to live. Attena Bernice Woolf was born December 20, 1896 at Cardston. Lucille Woolf was born December 16, 1899 at Cardston. Donna Woolf was born May 15, 1909, at Cardston. When Bernice was 4 years old she became very ill with pneumonia. One night her Mother Loila distinctly heard a voice say, “Watch little Bernice at midnight, which she did and from midnight on she began to improve.

Loila loved Relief Society work and was a visiting teacher many years. She always carried her thimble in her purse so she was always ready to assist with quilting or whatever work there was to do. Her son Jesse lost his wife October 6, 1908, so he and his four children lived at the parental home five years. Loila gladly cared for them.

Her daughter Orrilla gave birth to a baby boy and passed away with the flu April 14, 1919, leaving a little boy 10 years and an infant son. Loila took care of her daughters baby for a year and missed him greatly when he was taken from her. Orilla’s death was a very sad occasion for her.

Her husband Homer became partially blind in his later years. As they were very seldom separated it was not difficult for Loila to remain near, caring for him. On June 22, 1933, Homer Woolf suffered a heart attack and suddenly passed away. His sudden death was a terrible shock and she missed him greatly. In two years after a lingering illness Loila passed away February 12, 1935, at Cardston.