More on Fred Cashmore Kidgell

Utah Journal
12 March 1895

       One of my favorite searches is newspaper search.  It's arduous and very time consuming but, the results are very interesting and rewarding. Even a very small newspaper article can yield valuable clues on an ancestor and usually reveal's the character of the person.
      The following newspaper article is like having your car stolen in our day; Well almost, a car found today would not be sitting in front of your house.
     John Bullock was an older brother of Lily Jane and was visiting her and Fred when this happened:
     "Last Friday evening while John Bullock of Providence was visiting at  the residence of Mr. Fred Kidgell on Logan Island, some miscreant [troublemaker or worse] cut the strap by which the horse with which Mr. Bullock had come from Providence, was secured to a hitching post, and drove the animal away.  Fortunately the horse was gentle and well trained, and headed directly homeward, where the owner found it next morning.  This is not the first time that such a thing has happened in that neighborhood, and Mr. Kidgell is willing to pay a reasonable reward for the apprehension of the perpetrator, example may be made of him by the courts."    Way to go Fred.  Now if we only knew the 'rest of the story';  was the miscreant caught?

      Another newspaper article about Fred in 1929:

Logan Man Injured 

as Auto Leaves Road 

Logan, May 11---Fred C. Kidgell Sr., 55, of Logan sustained two broken ribs Friday morning when he drove his automobile off the highway to avoid crashing into a truck driven by Milton Thomas of Richmond and containing several children.  The accident occurred about three miles north of Smithfield when the truck driven by Thomas, attempted to pass another automobile on a curve.  To avoid colliding with the truck, Kidgell was forced to drive off the highway and into a borrow pit, causing his car to over turn.  He was brought to Logan for medical attention. 

      

      Another clipping from the local paper; 13 May 1929 stated:

Fred C. Kidgell, who had such a narrow escape from death last week when W. F. Jensen Company truck he was driving in Smithfield, overturned  when he had turned far to the road side in seeking to avoid striking a truck loaded with children attending the Health Day festivities, is reported as recovering nicely.  All who have seen the wreck wonder how he escaped death.

     Fred was thrown through the windshield hurting his head and broke several ribs.   From Fred's life history; Many of the children's parents came to the house to see him and thank him for what he had done.  

     Fred and Lily were good people; people you would love to have for a neighbor!  From the life history of Fred Sr.;

"One must realize that Fred C. Kidgell Sr. loved to cook and each Sunday he would send his children with trays of food to older neighbors.  Lily [Fred's daughter Stella Lily] would tell one day after delivering a tray to an elderly neighbor she reported to her father that they really shouldn't take food to this lady because she was sure that the food was thrown out the back door as soon as possible.  To this Fred said, "That is no problem.  We will keep taking food to her anyway."  Lily [mother] always had her children take trays of food to the older neighbors each Sunday; first they took the tray over to Grandmother Olsen and then when Mrs. Petersen died, she included Mr. Petersen.  [The Kidgell] family couldn't begin eating until the trays of hot food had been delivered."

This gracious example was carried into the next generation as shown in this newspaper article printed in 1965 about Fred C. Kidgell Jr.(first son and second child of Fred Sr. and Lily Jane) and Fred Jr.'s wife Luna (Skabelund.)   Dan Valentine's column 'Nothing Serious' was published for more than 30 years in the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake Tribune  Wednesday Morning 24 March 1965

TODAY'S VALENTINE

A double Valentine to two of the finest neighbors in Utah.

They are Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Kidgell of Logan Utah.

The Kidgells are neighbors to an elderly couple -- the wife has been an invalid for many years.  The husband is in his 80s.

And for many years, every Sunday of the year, Mr. and Mrs. Kidgell have prepared and delivered two trays of hot Sunday dinner....not now and then, not on special occasions---- but every Sunday over the years.

TRUE GOOD neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Kidgell 

Two days after Thanksgiving on 25 Nov 1939 Fred Cashmore Kidgell died. 

You will always be remembered.

More to come on the character of Fred and Lily Jane. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Renee

Fred Cashmore Kidgell

Lily Jane is the ninth of eleven children.

     In the life history of Lily Jane written by her daughter Melba it tells about how Lily Jane met Fred.  Remember Fred worked for his step-father at the Logan City Brewery ; "One day Fred came to Lily Jane's home to pick up a beer keg that had been left by some boys.  (One might safely surmise that Lily Jane's brothers were the boys who had left the beer keg.)  Lily went out to show him where it was.  He was a good looking fellow, stoutly built,with blue eves and a healthy complexion and brown hair.  He asked her for a date,  Later on when he asked her to go steady she told him she wouldn't go with a fellow steady that smoked. "

Ariel b1902, Fred b1897, Lily b1895
Logan, Utah

     It was a year later he was baptized into the LDS Chruch and they were soon  married in the Salt Lake Temple.
I am just realizing that other ordinances for the Kidgell family were done that same day, 14 Nov. 1894.  Fred's mother, Sarah Ann had five of her nine children sealed to her and her deceased husband Charles. Sarah Ann and Charles were sealed to each other in the Endowment House on 9 Jun 1866. Three children were born after 1866 so were BIC (Born in the Covenant.) Fred acted as proxy for his deceased father Charles.   Lily Jane acted as proxy for Caroline Loftus Kidgell who died at age nineteen months.  Others in attendance in the Temple were my great-grand mother Sarah Ann (Sadie)Kidgell Hepworth and her young son's James Edward Hepworth and Charles Vern Hepworth who acted as proxy's for three other deceased sons of Sarah Ann and Charles Kidgell.  What a joy full day this must have been.
     Fred was active in the LDS Church serving as Superintendent of the Sunday School as well as other Church positions; in 1935 Fred and Lily Jane were called by the Stake Presidency as special missionaries to do ordinances  work in the Logan Temple during that year. How they enjoyed doing this assignment. 
     Fred was a good cook; one of his specialty was making sauerkraut.  He went to the town of Providence to find out how the German people living there made it.  He had his pretty white barrel and made a tamper.  He would cut up the cabbage he grew in his garden and tamp it tight into the barrel.  Then it had to stand so long in the barrel to ferment.  Just thinking about it makes our mouths water.  (From the history written by Melba)

352 East Firs South, Logan, Utah 

More to come on Fred Cashmore Kidgell.

And I wonder where the time goes.

     This is the second Monday of the Month which means DUP day. (Daughters of Utah Pioneers)  And, today I attended two DUP Camps.  My own Meadow Springs Camp and another immediately after, the Windy Rivers Camp.
     Most member 'daughters' are retirement age (over sixty five) a few are between forty five and sixty, our camp has two daughters in that age bracket.  Many are way over sixty five and are great-grandmothers and gggrandmothers.  But, we have one thing in common, we all have Utah pioneer heritage; that means an ancestor or many ancestors of ours that trekked across 'the plains' (America) to the Utah territory before 10 May 1869 when the Transcontinental Railroad was completed.  The reason for belonging to DUP goes even deeper, it's a way to show honor, respect, and love for what our ancestors went through. They set an example of great faith in accepting the challenges and trials that was put before them. In our camp meetings we hear of personal pioneer histories given by members of the camp and a different lesson each month from a booklet printed by the International DUP.  Today the lesson was on 'Musical Instruments.'  "As soon as possible after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, accomplished musicians organized choirs and brass bands, wrote musical accompaniments for dramas and theater performances, and played music on all types of musical instruments.  Talented individuals sang songs, of joy, hymns, and humorous ballads, and agave professional performances that entertained, inspired, and buoyed up the spirits of the weary pioneers."   
There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of an ancestor of mine.  It helps me to cope with my own trials and challenges.

Summer 2011: Grandson Christopher went on a three day trek with over a hundred other youth in our area.  From the look on their faces it must have gone well.  Actually, I was there to witness these young people come over the hill down into the 'valley' pulling and pushing handcarts.  It did bring tears to my eyes.   Christopher did say how "It was a great experience" !
     I have been thinking of  late, where does the time go?  Again, I am having a hard time posting on a regular weekly basis and for those who follow this blog I am trying to do better because I have a lot of material to blog about however, everyday is a busy day.  So I will say to myself;  JUST DO IT!