Joshua Parker Chidester

Joshua Parker Chidester, son of John Madison Chidester and Mary Parker, born February 1, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois. . .

At the age of eight years old, Joshua Parker Chidester came to Utah with his parents, in 1848. At the age of eight years old he was baptized into the Mormon church.

During their school days Joshua Parker Chidester and Juliette Burgess became school day sweethearts. And at the age of nineteen Joshua and Juliette age fifteen were married. 6 Sep 1862 at the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was ordained an Elder in the L. D. S. Church.

Their first child was born 25 November 1864, Deseret Springs, Utah. One of the Colonies of 1859.

Joshua Parker Chidester taught school at Provo, and during his life he was considered a great speaker and could speak before a congregation of people on any subject. At one time they his friends ask to choose his text. He was handed a folded piece of paper, he looked it over, it amused his friends. To their surprise he began speaking, My friends, I am here tonight according to agreement, to preach from a text as these gentlemen might select for me. I have it in my hand. I don't wish you to become offended at me, for I am under promise to preach from the text selected; and if anyone is to blame, I knew nothing of what text they would choose. But all the texts this is my favorite one. You see the paper is black. He therefore with proceeded to preach a sermon on the subject dear to his heart.

While working in a sawmill, Joshua had the misfortune to cut off the fingers of one hand. The wound did not heal so rapidly and the pain was intense. A physician advised that he take his mind off the pain by studying mathematics. Having always been an avid student, he took up the study and soon became an expert mathematician. During this time of healing he also attended the Brigham Young Academy in Provo and taught school in the city. He also taught in the communities south of Provo and in Kanosh, Utah. He was constantly studying.

A carpenter and a furniture builder by trade, which he learned under the tutelage of his skilled father, he moved his family rather frequently, seeking better working opportunities. He built houses whenever he could. Some of the chairs he built were used in the old Semloh Hotel in Salt Lake City.

He loved to bring gifts of dishes to Juliette his wife whenever he was away. He brough her gifts and a pretty dish or dishes, of his selection.

During their early years the family went through Indian troubles with the Pa hute tribe of Indians. Chief Panguith George 1866 or Whit Horse chief, he and his tribe were very disagreeable with the settlers and demanded food and would steal and prowl at night. While Grandfather Joshua was away and Grandmother Juliette and children were home alone. They had to be on guard at all times. Grandmother heard sounds outside the house that sounded like marauding Indians. She took the gun down oiff the wall and went to the door and shot into the darkness. Next morning there was a trail of blood that had been left by a fleeing Indian.

During the years in Bear Lake Grandfather Joshua Chidester carried mail and supplies over the Shoshone Indian trail between, Bear Lake and Logan, Utah. Traveling in the winter on snowshoes over the rugged mountain terrain. He thus established the first line of communication between the two communities.

They raised a family of eleven children. John William, Josephine, Alfred Guddion, Lafayette, Joshua Parker, Juliette, Esther Violate, Joseph Harrison, Enoch, James, and Charles Ray. Juliette, d. 1875, James D. The children were still quite young when Juliette became critically ill with consumption and the doctor told her there was nothing more could be done for her. But she herself had great faith, and if she could be lifted from her sick bed where she was bedfast and taken to the river, this was in the midst of the cold winter to have the ice broken which was very thick here at Pine Valley and be baptized and then taken soon after to the St. George Temple and be prayed for, She knew she would get well. Two weeks later her wish was fulfilled and she was restored back to health.

They spent some of their years in Pine Valley and children were born her a daughter Josephine and a son named Alfre Guddion Chidester. Juliette's parent William Burgess Jr. lived here. During the years they lived here they were other relatives and pioneers made their home. They like others felt the pioneering spirit to try something better and moved to Bloomington, Idaho and many other places.

Bloomington, Idaho is located in Bear Lake County, west of the settlement lie low, rolling foothills which gradually increased in height and ruggedness until about twelve miles distant they form a divide between Bear Lake and Cache Valley s at an altitude of about nine thousand feet. The foothills are covered with short sage-brush and other plants which can endure extreme drought, and are dotted with aspen groves in the more favorable ravines, In the spring these hills are covered with many varieties of beautiful flowers.

Lafayette Chidester was born 28 Sep. 1871 in Bloomington, Bear Lake, Idaho. Son of Joshua Parker Chidester and Juliette Burgess Chidester. Other children born at Bloomington, Idaho, another son Joshua Parker and a daughter Juliette Chidester, the years of 1873-1875.

Lafayette Chidester son of Joshua and Juliette Chidester left Wayne county and places he had lived and went to Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake Co. Utah. A mining town, at the age of sixteen and was interested in the early development of the land and mineral ore and coal development, at this time a very busy mining camp

The Chidester family began to marry and move from place to place as they became of age to scatter to make a start in life.

Alfred Gideon Chidester b. 13 Aug 1869 Pine Valley son of Joshua and Juliette Chidester. Married Sarah Susanna Hunt. B. 13 aug 1870, at Paragonah, Iron Co., Utah, Moving to Giles until the year 1896 he moved to Huntington, Utah.

Josephine Chidester dau of Joshua and Juliette, married Jonathan Hunt b. 25 Sep. 12845. Son of Amos Hunt and Nancy Garrett Weldorn, Jonathan was married twice before.

During the later years o f grandfathers Joshua Chidesters their were also a number of leather factories operating on a smaller scale in many of the towns throughout the territory. From 1868-1870, box elder, Salt Lake, Mildred and Sanpete, Weber, Utah nad Beaver counties had leather industries working at good profit. Joshua Parker Chidester, he also built harnesses.

Hebron Washington Bounty. In 1862 the Joshua Parker Chidester family lived here.

During the month of February 1878 Joshua Parker Chidester and his father John Madison Chidester did baptisms and endowments for friends and relatives, in the St. George Temple.

When a child, Juliette had the misfortune to have lye spilt in one eye, of course it took the sight of that eye and left her handicapped to an extent. In spite of this, she was a fine seamstress. She like to embroider and to make beautiful quilts. She spun yarn and knit garments from wool and the boys were able to gather.

During the later years of Grandfather Joshua Parker Chidester life was stricken with cancer of the stomach.

Joshua Parker Chidester died 17 Apr. 1896 and was buried at Manti, Sanpete Co. Utah. Juliette Chidester her sons had her move here and their with them. She went to Giles, or Hanksville. She had three sons who were home, Joseph Harrison, Enoch, James and Charles Ray Chidester. Her father, brothers and sisters and many other relatives, and friends she knew.

During this time the ground in Hanksville was beautiful, many things could be raised their. In trying to get the water out over the land a reservoir was built and a flash flood caused flooding, washing away farms, beautiful fertile soil and ausing quick sand bottoms in the Dirty Devil river.

A man was sent on horseback warning the people to run climb the hillsides, and take what they could run with. Juliette, her sons, son Charles being the youngest grabbed a loaf of bread and a quilt all that was time for to get to higher ground. It took every thing before its cutting channel.

About 1899 Juliette went to Huntington, Utah to take car of her invalid father, William Burgess Jr. Who had been bedfast with rheumatism. His body was so ravaged with pain he was bent double and really suffered. She helped care for him until he did 14 Mar. 1904.

About 1899 Juliette Burgess Chidester went to Huntington emery Co, Utah to take care of her father William Burgess Jr. who was bedfast all crippled in a serious condition of pain, with rheumatism, causing his legs and body to be bent double. Juliette married (2) Zenos Wing Dodge and moved with him to Mesquite, Nevada. Where they raised a large garden and made yearly tips to Utah, to sell produce. In 1806 they moved back to Thurber, no (Bicknell) Utah, for a short time.

In about 1910 leaving their at the invitation of Juliettes three sons, James dieing in 1888. Joseph, Enoch and Charles who had taken homesteads on the Reservation in Duchesne county Utah. She and her husband Zene Wing Dodge moven on Enoch ground and built a log cabin their. She now lived here in the Uintah Basin at Altonah, having her married children wives and husbands here also, her daughter Esther Burgess, brother Raymond, and other relatives. All who were good to her

They lived in a neat little log house that later was moved over by her daughter's when Enoch moved to Price. They were cozy in their little home. Two big rocking chairs set in front of the fireplace. Juliette and Zene Dodge were really nice people.

Grandmother Juliette died October 29, 1917. Zene Dodge lived alone in their little log cabin with a fireplace and coal-oil lamps for lights, Aunt Esther Burgess and other loved ones took car of him. They finally moved his cabin and him to town in Altonah where he could get around, he walked with a cane being very feeble. He needed to visit with others and walk to the store, and the grandchildren were good to go and get fresh water, for him and carry in his wood for this fireplace each day.

One day he fell and broke his hip, this was very sad as he never was able to walk again, he was so thin and feeble. His relative a lovely person James Powell and others sit up with him at night. James Powell was with his when he passed away. Good old man, lonesome and alone. Note: James Powell a relative told me Aunt Esther burgess and Grandmother Juliette Chidester were a lot alike Mother and Daughter, They had a very sweet personality and you really couldn't help but love them.

This history written by -Virginia Chidester Smith, Granddaughter of Juliette Chidester Dodge.