John Walters Hyde

   

 

By George Clarence Hyde 

 

This is the way my father used to tell the story.  I’ve heard it so many times, so I thought I better write it down before it’s too late. 

 

He was born 29 May 1865 in Grafton, Northumberland, Ontario to Levi Thaddius Hyde and Adelaide Bradley.   

 

Well, my grandfather (John Walters Hyde’s father) was a professor.  That is what they called a schoolteacher in those days.  Yes, my father was a professor and a rather good manager and as a result he accumulated the necessities of life and a little more.” And from what it sounded like to me, he did not care too much for the occupation my father (John Hyde) chose as a lifetime career.  So, at this early age, he left home and never went back and never communicated with them again.   

 

He went to work for a farmer hauling rock with a team and a sleigh.  The team ran away and apparently Father got run over with the sleigh load of rock, breaking his jaw.  I don’t know what other injuries he received but he had to have all his teeth pulled and he never had any teeth after that.  This is why he always wore a moustache to cover his mouth. 

 

Well (and this is the way his stories all started.)  Well, I was working in  

a logging camp.   I was getting ready to go to town one Sunday and I had a real nice pair of hand made boots.  When I went to get my boots, they were gone so I had to go to town in my old boots.  I was walking the three miles to town and was about halfway there when I met two of the tough lumberjacks on their way back to the camp and low and behold, one of them was wearing my boots.  I told him to take them off and he refused.  So, we went round and round, the three of us, and before long he started to yell, “Pull the boots, George!  Pull the boots.” 

 

My Dad was a trim built man.    I would say about 5’9” but he was so solid he was much heavier than he looked, and he had strength of which I have never seen the equal. 

 

Another little incident was when he was past 75 years old.  There was a young fellow in his shop, about 25, big and considered quite strong., who was making a nuisance of himself.  Finally, Dad said “Boxy, if you don’t get out of here and leave me alone, I’m going to kick your behind.” 

 

Boxy said “Who are you going to get to help you?”   The next thing Boxy knew, he hit the floor and Dad rolled him under the work bench, held him there and kicked him in the hind end till he was happy to get out and leave Dad alone.   

 

Well, anyway, after Dad was 25, he decided to get out and see some of the world.  Being born in Ontario and raised in Ontario and Michigan, he decided to go west across the United States.   

 

As each horse became tired and worn out, it was traded for another bronco and it was ridden as far as it could go and then traded for another.  When he found himself short of cash, he would stop and work for a while at some mining camp or logging camp and then move on again 

 

He told me he stopped in Cheyenne overnight and in those days, this was a pretty wild town and he quoted me a little verse about this town.  It was: 

 

“Stay at home boy 

  Stay at home if you can 

But stay away from that city 

So called Cheyenne.” 

 

He eventually landed in Utah.  I think it was Vernal where he made his home for a while.  When he was here, a girlfriend came out from Michigan and they were married.  Her name was Mary Ann Mahaffey.  They were married 17 June 1895.  The baby was a boy and was born and died in 1896.   

 

This has always been a sad part of my father’s life.  Father was away working someplace and in those days with no telephones or mail service, they could not locate him when his wife met with a serious problem.  From what I can gather from the rest of the family an indigenous man came to her house and she was so frightened, her first baby was born and both she and the baby died.  Friends and neighbors could not find father, so they buried his wife and baby.  When he returned people told him about what had happened.  This would be quite a shock to a man and he apparently just turned and left the house and everything in it and never went back 

 

The Vernal newspaper, The Express, reported on Thursday 26 March 1896 “Just as we are going to press, we learn that Mrs. John Hyde died this forenoon. Her death is said to be the result of a fright she received, and she never recovered.”    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three years later, John married Antoinette May Perkes Davis (3 July 1899). 

Antoinette’s daughter three-year-old Eliza May Davis was brought into the marriage.  She soon took the name, Eliza May Hyde.  There is no record of her being adopted by John, but he accepted her as his daughter.   

 

The Express reported on 6 July 1899:  John Hyde and Nettie Davis of Vernal were married in this city, July 3rd.   

The Express reported on 6 July 1899:  John Hyde and Nettie Davis of Vernal were married in this city, July 3rd.   

 

Unfortunately, John and Nettie’s first month together was not all sunshine and rainbows and on August 24, 1899, the good old Vernal Express reported on page one, the following: “Rumor has it that Mr. John Hyde and wife have agreed to disagree.” 

 

John’s business was also the subject of repeated pronouncements from the Vernal paper/gossip column. 

 

Thursday, August 31, 1899: “D.E. Brown & Company from Monroe, Sevier County, are old and experienced wheel wrights.  They have commenced business at the shop just vacated by John Hyde.”  

 

Saturday, February 10, 1900: “John Hyde who was married last summer and then departed for other parts before their honeymoon was fairly over, returned a short time ago and was rewarded for his return by his wife giving birth, last Monday to twin boys, each weighing eight pounds.  John has already purchased a larger hat and it is barely large enough for him.”   

 

They named their boys William Israel and Ervin Levi.  They were born 2 April 1900. 

 

Saturday, May 12, 1900: “John Hyde has his new shop, which is a building 20 X 10 feet, nearly completed.  John has a splendid set of new tools and a good stock of iron and blacksmith supplies including buggy wheels, shafts, and stubbs.  He is about ready for customers. “  

 

Saturday, October 27. 1900: “One of the twin babies of Mr.  and Mrs. John Hyde passed away Thursday night.  The cause of death of the little one was complications resulting from measles.  The funeral services were held at the residence yesterday afternoon.”   

 

Saturday, December 1, 1900 - page 1: Fourth District Court 

“John Hyde vs. Nettie Hyde, plaintiff was granted divorce on grounds of cruelty and neglect, and defendant awarded care and custody of the minor child and $1 per week to be paid for its support by plaintiff.” 

 

In January 1901, William’s twin brother, Ervin followed William.  complications resulting from measles was also the cause of his death.    

 

Saturday, March 2, 1901 – page3: “John Hyde has gone out of the blacksmith business.  Fredrickson has his shop.” 

  

Saturday, September 21, 1901 - page 3: “G. F. Fredrickson has bought the shop and blacksmithing tools and parcel of land around the building of John Hyde.  The consideration was $700.” 

  

Saturday, October 26, 1901 - page 2: “Horse, Saddle, Guns, etc., Stolen 

John Hyde reported to the officers yesterday morning that sometime Thursday night a horse worth $100 belonging to him and a saddle, rifle 10   90 calibre, shotgun, bridle, spurs, and chaps, belonging to J. H. Arnold have been stolen.  The animal was taken from John Fairchild’s pasture and the other things from Mr. Arnold’s stable. The thief is supposed to be Jim “Dude,” a fellow who has lived a short time in that neighborhood and who is missing.  Sheriff Preece, Mr. Arnold and Oliver Haws started on the trail yesterday afternoon. It is supposed the fellow went toward Colorado.” 

  

Saturday, December 14, 1901 - page 3: “Sheriff Preece started yesterday with his prisoner, Peter Hendricks, for the state prison, where the young man will serve one year for stealing a horse and saddle, the property of John Hyde and Mr. Arnold.” 

  

Saturday, February 15, 1902 - page 7: “Israel J. Clark, to John Hyde 10 acres in section 25, consideration $300.” (Israel J. Clark is Nettie’s grandfather.) 

  

Saturday, October 3, 1903: “John Hyde is in Vernal this week selling his property.  He has been in Magrath, Canada, all summer, and is stuck on the country. He has land adjoining Vincelette, James and Frye.” 

 

It makes one wonder.  Will John and Nettie’s troubles never end?  Would they ever be happy?  But they did finally work things out.     Once again, John came to Canada, set up his business first in Magrath and then in Raymond. Then he returned to Utah to bring Nettie to Canada.   

 

They were both baptized on 3 September 1904.  John must have done a lot of courting of the woman he loved along with a lot of getting his business wrapped up, and property sold during the next seven months.  They were  

re-married on 6 April 1905.  Then John and Nettie and their daughter, Eliza, moved to Canada.   

 

This was a new start for John and Nettie and finally, it could be said, “They lived happily ever after.” 

 

Mary Louisa Hyde was their first child to be born in Canada.