George Henry Tibbitts is the son of Benjamin Tibbitts and Eliza Moody. Benjamin Tibbitts was born 8 September 1828 in Kidderminister, Worchester, England. He came to the United States in 1852 making his home at Roxbury, Massachusetts. That same year he met Eliza Moody, born 21 April 1831 in Churchfield, Worchester, England. Shortly after they were married in 1852.
George Henry Tibbitts, was born 25 February 1853 in Roxbury Massachusetts. He with his parents became investigators of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the year 1865. On 26 June 1866, George with his parents left their home to come to Utah. When they arrived at the Missouri River, George and his family were baptized in the river on 8 July 1866. George was baptized by Stephen W. Alley and confirmed 8 July 1866 by John W. Bullock. Later he was ordained a Seventy 15 October 1883 by John Stoddard and ordained a High Priest 8 January 1911 by Benj. H. Lewis.
Many interesting incidents occurred during their journey. He saw graves of two generals whom the Indians had shot. He saw the houses where Indians had killed eight persons. As they traveled on they came to a camp of Indians, squaws and children,. They were painted and ornamented with rings and feathers. A little farther on they met the stage coach full of passengers with an Indian riding by their side. There were a few houses along the way where provisions could be had, but were very expensive. Cheese was 75 cents a pound, and bread crust coffee $1.00 a pound.
George remembered a heavy snow storm on the 30 July 1866. They crossed the Platte River on the 13th of August. There were sixty-three wagons crossing the river that afternoon. They counted twenty-three wagons crossing the river at one time. There were wagons with six and eight yoke of oxen. Some got stuck and oxen were sent to help them out. A great noise was made by the teamsters shouting to their cattle.
The roads were very bad in places. A few wagons got upset along the way. Sometimes the oxen would make a stampede. At such times they could not be managed so were allowed to run wherever they desired. Often this resulted in a tip over and passengers were injured.
They arrived in Salt Lake City 25 September 1866 and came to Cache Valley the same year. They settled in Providence. George experienced the hardships of early pioneer life. He worked for many towns people and received for wages: flour, wheat, potatoes, molasses, etc. Vegetables, grain and wood were received for dance tickets.
George graduated from District School and attended high school in Logan. High school in Logan between 1872 and 1873 was called Logan Seminary Church School and all older pupils came from the different parts of the valley. Some came from Southern Idaho to attend this Logan Seminary Church School.
In the spring of 1874, George went to work on the College Farm for President Brigham Young. He worked there off and on for four years. While working there he met Mary Harriet Hold whom he married in the Endowment House on the 28th of December 1877. He taught school in Millville in the winter of 1877-78.
George and Mary traveled to Salt Lake City to get married in the Endowment House by team and horses on the old dirt narrow road through the canyons.
George H. Tibbitts then bought land and became a good farmer working hard to harvest crops of hay, grain, and beets. All farm work was done by horses and a sulky plow which only plowed one row at a time. The disk was used to break up sod and then they harrowed the ground. Also a big leveler was used to smooth off the ground.
Beets were a good paying crop but all beets were topped by hand in those days using a knife with a hook on it to get the beets out of the ground after it was plowed. Children put on warm clothing because much of the beets were in the ground when winter came early. They often went home wet and cold. Some beets were harvested in the spring if all were not out when freezing weather came. After the beets were topped they were then thrown into piles along rows. The beets had to be thrown on the wagons by hand and unloaded by hand. Mud was so deep four of more head of horses were used to get the wagon out of the field.
George H. Tibbitts owned land in Millville, nine acres, in College Ward eleven acres in one piece and fifteen acres in another piece which was used for cattle grazing. He also bought land on the South Bench in Providence, Utah where much fruit and berries were raised. He purchased these pieces of land to help his boys to get a start in life and to keep them busy. It was hard work for him to raise the money in those days to meet his payments and keep his family going. He had nine children. He was a good father with noble character and by the help of his wife Mary they did raise their children in the church, with all of their Priesthood Ordinances as they grew older. These noble characteristics were seen in all of his children.
George and Mary built a home in Providence and raised a family of nine children, six boys and three girls. Their oldest son George Samuel was married 28 May 1902 to Lenora Brown. Three days later he went on a two and one-half year mission to the Tahitian Islands. When he returned home he arrived just two days before his brother Edwin died. He then lived in Cache Valley for ten years, then he went to Montpelier, Idaho working as a train inspector for the railroad. He was Bishop of the Montpelier Ward for ten years. He lived there the rest of his life having four children, two boys and two girls, George Douglas, Owen Holt, Helen Mars, and Evelyn.
Salina met her sweetheart Horace Hammond in Providence, Utah. They were married 19 December 1900, and made their home in Providence, Utah, having five children, four boys and one girl, Horace L., Lovisa, Darvel T., Datus M. and Owen H.. All of their children were well educated and held high degrees. Some of their boys obtained Doctor's and Master's degrees. Salina died in Providence, Utah. She taught her children the gospel and all her children held prominent church positions, which is a credit to their parents. All of the boys received the Priesthood Ordinances and married educated women. Salina was the President of the Primary and taught in the Primary for forty years.
Ernest Henry Tibbitts, the third child was a good looking man. He helped on the farm with his brothers and father until he was eighteen years old. He then went out to work in the valley, Preston, Collingston and Clarkston. It was at this time, away from home, he got kicked in the face by a horse and broke his jaw. He worked in the valley for two years then he decided at the age of twenty to go looking for work farther away from home. He wrote home often and in 1902 he got malaria fever and was taken to the hospital. He was not heard from again until 1916. The letter said, "Is my mother still alive? Let her read this letter. I know there has been a break in the family. (Yes, it was his brother Edwin who died in 1906) He also said "I am well and hope you are all well at home." signed, Your Long Lost Brother.
In 1962 through genealogy research Ernest was located. His death certificate stated he died 25 June 1952 at the Stackson, State Hospital, San Joaquin County, California. His body was cremated. His death certificate said unmarried and was a transient man. In 1966 he was endowed by his brother Ira.
Edwin attended elementary school at Providence, Utah and then went to the Agricultural College (now Utah State University). There he took carpenter work and he made a table, which the family still have in their possession. He was interested in Mary Elizabeth Janes. She died in 1905 and Edwin died in 1906. The parents of both Mary and Edwin had them sealed together but they were never married.
Edwin was working with his father on the South Bench fixing fences when he got bit by a wood tick. It turned to spotted fever and he died 27 June 1906. He was buried in Providence Cemetery.
Marion got his early schooling at the elementary school in Providence, Utah. He also went to the Brigham Young College in Logan taking a general course. He was a farmer and married Verana Theurer 13 December 1911. They had two children, one boy, Marion Elwin and one girl, Mary. Marion took sick with pneumonia and died 7 April 1920. He was buried in Providence, Utah. Verana raised the children alone. Mary died three years after her marriage.
Elmer received his education in Providence School. He never did attend college as he had a bad heart. Although he was born 1890 and died in 1964 he had to be very careful of the work he did. He married Lena Yost on 16 June 1915, a strong lady who helped him all his life. They had two boys and two girls, Dyrene Anne, Jean Mary, Elmer Yost, Marcell George. Lena died 4 February 1955 and he then married Edith Gitten four years later the 25 November 1959. He was ward clerk for Providence 2nd Ward for many years, with Henry M Zollinger, 1928, and Ernest Maughan, 1935 as Bishops. He also held positions in YMMIA as secretary. He died 8 January 1964 at Providence, Utah and was buried in Providence Cemetery.
Ira went to Providence School and loved baseball. He was a champion of the team. He also went to the Agricultural College (Utah State University) having to walk both ways in cold deep snow and in zero weather. He took carpentry and machine work. He went to Salt Lake City, Utah and took a course in brick laying for one year. In 1917, Ira was drafted into World War I. He was in the Army Infantry and came home honorably released in 1918. He married E. Wynona Corbridge 28 June 1928 and they had four children, Wilma C., deceased, Cleo, Ira Don and DeAnna Carrol. Ira died of a coronary heart attack 27 December 1970, age 79, and was buried in Providence Cemetery.
LaVern was a pretty and a lovely young lady. She received her education in Providence Elementary School. She was very talented, patient and kind helping her mother and has always been an immaculate house keeper, making her home beautiful and comfortable. She worked in Logan at the Knitting Factory, having to walk to work. She married Fred W. Blickensderfer and they had one daughter, Marjorie. (Later she was divorced.)
Veda was educated in the Providence Elementary School. She took one year of high school in Montpelier, Idaho living with her brother George Samuel. She went to the University of Utah at Salt Lake City, Utah and took summer school on managing children. She then went to the Utah State Agricultural College (Utah State University) and helped in the nursery of 50 children for five years. She loves children and they all loved her. Veda worked at the Singer Sewing Machine Company, Logan, Utah. She also worked at the Utah General Depot, U.S. Army Ogden, Utah at 2nd street and worked in the office. She also worked at Hill Field for many years then retired. She lived in Providence most of her life but moved to Logan, Utah in 1946. She was a Sunday School teacher in the kindergarten for many years and did an excellent job.
George H. Tibbitts was called on a home mission in Cache Valley in 1891. He labored with Brother Talbot of Hyde Park, Utah. He was a school trustee for two years. It was during this time that improvements were made on the school building as well as on the grounds.
For eight years he was an officiator at the Logan Temple and on 6 November 1901 (Book B 1891-1902, Page 892 Logan Temple Archives) George H. Tibbitts was this day set apart as an Ordinance Worker in the Logan Temple by President M. W. Merrill. Brother Tibbitts being the first Ordinance Worker set apart in the Logan Temple. (Samuel Roskelley Recorder).
George also hauled milk for Borden's Milk Company, in Logan, Utah for many years. It was bitter cold sitting on a high spring seat without any protection from the weather. He always wore a mustache and icicles would form on his mustache for the winters were very cold in zero weather and there was much more snow in those days. However, he could use the bob sleigh in the winter making it easier for him to lift up the heavy cans of milk on the sleigh. When spring came the road had no hard bottoms and was the mud deep. The wagon wheels would sink into the ground up to the hub of the wheels and more horses had to be used and fed. He had a great love for his family to endure this hard work and to provide for them.
He bought in the year 1914-1916 more land which was twelve rods running North and South of block 27 of Township A, Providence, Utah. One third of the block starting at the South-west corner of this block then going to the East corner of the same block twenty-seven. He then gave his three sons, George S., Elmer M., and Ira J., a building lot.
George and Mary went to Brigham City every year in the Ludlow, a double seated canvas covered buggy to purchase fruit for the winter. Mary baked delicious cinnamon rolls filled with raisins and packed enough lunch to last until they came back the next day. They always took the family along and they always enjoyed the trip.
In 1951 Georges' son Ira built a new barn on his lot which adjoins his father's. Children playing with matches set the barn on fire, being dry and filled with hay. It caused a large fire, and sent sparks to Georges' barn and burnt both of them to the ground in 1959. The old Tibbitt home was still standing with improvements in 1974.
He has received all of the ordinances of the Priesthood. He has been sealed to his wife and all his children Born under Covenant and all have been baptized and Endowed.
In the spring of 1922 George suffered a stroke which affected his right side. He wasn't able to walk very good after that but kept going and got along fairly well.
Three weeks before George passed away he had a terrible pain in his arm that was caused from infection which resulted in his death the 6th of September 1924. He was seventy-one years old. He lived a good exemplary life for his family and all who knew him. He was buried in Providence Cemetery, Providence, Cache, Utah.
Compiled by Mrs. Ira (Wynona) Tibbitts