A history of Jemima Clark Wilde

Jemima Clark Wilde

Jemima Clark Wilde, the seventh child of Samuel Clark and Mary Ann Hoyland was born 26 January 1859 at Barrow-Hill, Derbyshire, England. (A certificate of birth received from England shows her birth recorded in the Registration District of Chesterfield and the Bus-district of Eckinton). Jemima had light red or sandy colored hair, brown eyes, fair complexion and was short in stature, a little on the chubby side. She had six brothers and four sisters; three little sisters died in infancy.

Jemima’s parents responded to the teachings of the young Mormon missionaries from America while Jemima was a small child and when she was nine years old, she and her thirteen year old brother, William, were put onto the ship “Minnesota” and sent to America, being among the first of her family to migrate to Zion.
They arrived in Coalville, Utah in 1860 and later were joined by other members of the family who were able to come because Jemima found work, saved her money, and then sent the money necessary to pay the passage for the other members of her family.

When Jemima was thirteen years old [in 1872] she went to work for Fredrick Wilde whose wife [Louisa Farnsworth] had passed away [earlier that year] leaving him with two small boys to care for. [These two boys were John William age 5 and George Fredrick age 3. Fredrick’s third child Hannah Eliza had passed away that same year

as an infant.] Fredrick was most impressed with this charming and efficient young lady. He found her to be an immaculate house-keeper as well and being able to prepare delicious meals. It wasn’t long before he fell in love with her and asked her to become his wife, although he was much older that she. [They were almost 25 years apart in age.]

They were married 14 July 1873 by Joseph F. Smith in the Salt Lake Endowment House, when Jemima was only fourteen years old.

Fredrick and Jemima were blessed with nine children, five boys and four girls; two of the children died in infancy. [Their children were as follows: Mary Elizabeth 1874-1874, Emmelia Jane 1875-1958, Sarah Ann 1877-1960, Samuel 1879-1964, Priscilla 1881-1957, Joseph Edward 1884-1967, Willard Heber 1888-1966, Albert 1892-1892, and Clarence Reuben 1895-1960. ]

Her home and her family were the two delights of Jemima’s life. Her heart was happiest when her family was around her, either sharing the work that had to be done or in circling the organ and singing songs together. The organ was something special that Jemima had saved for , partially to satisfy her own love of music and partially to teach her children to love the things that were dear to her. All of her daughters took organ lessons but Sarah Ann became particularly adapt and talented, playing the organ in the church organizations, which pleased her mother very much.

As one of her grand-daughters, I remember vividly how much I enjoyed eating at grand-mother’s. Her raisin cakes, custard pies, rice pudding, suet rolly-poly and Yorkshire pudding had a flavor no one could even duplicate. She seemed delighted to make her food and everything she created very attractive as well as tasty and delicious. Her taste and beauty were expressed in other ways also; I remember all the beautiful quilts she made were pieced and sewn with the same care and love as her meals were prepared for her family. In grand-mother’s front bedroom, back of the door, were some shelves covered with pretty creatonne curtains. Here she kept some mint candy in a jar; she called them Humbugs and nearly every time I went to visit her she would take me in the bedroom and give me a Humbug.

I remember my father, Samuel, telling the following incident about his mother. (As gracious and lovely as Jemima was she possessed one characteristic that she was not particularly proud of, but it was her way of showing unhappiness and disagreement with her husband and the family when things went wrong. She refused to speak and would sulk rather than get into an argument and have harsh words.) On one such occasion after a little disagreement with her husband, she busied herself in her morning chores, cleaned and tidied up the house, churned some butter and gathered in the eggs then prepared to go to the store with the butter and eggs in exchange for groceries or dry goods that she might need. When she returned, the house was turned upside down --- the beds she had made up so carefully were all messed up, drawers were opened and articles were strewn all over, tables and chairs were turned upside down and everything was disorderly. It looked as tho’ a cyclone had swept thru’ the house. Jemima stood staring at all the disorder in stark surprise, then suddenly cried out, “Who in the world has done all this?” Fredrick, who coming in at that moment, had been watching and waiting for her return to see what her reaction would be, stood in the doorway smiling. She turned around facing her husband and exclaimed, “What has happened here since I left to go to town?” Fredrick than declared, “Jemima I have been search for your tongue, I thought you had lost it but now I have found it, I’ve found it at last. It’s all right now my dear and I will help you get the house back in order.”

But if Jemima sulked a little, she made up for it in love, consideration and kindness to her beloved family and to those less fortunate than herself. She was grateful for the abundance with which she and her family were blessed. She frequently took milk, eggs, butter and meals or some goodies to a neighbor or sick friend. She loved life and the good people around her and everyone loved her. Perhaps one of the most touching show of affection and regard shown to Jemima was shown by her own sons who enjoyed taking their mother to the dances, along with their dates, and then taking turns dancing with her. Jemima loved to dance. [I assume that this was after her husband died, as she was a widow for some 15 years. At the time that Fredrick died of pneumonia in 1910 their sons ranged in age from 31 down to 16. ]

On a Thursday morning September 10, 1925 while talking to her son, Heber, on the back porch, she suffered a stroke falling from her rocking chair onto the ground. She died instantly not even knowing what happened to her. It was an easy way for her to pass away, but hard and sad for those left behind. She was buried Sunday, September 13, 1925 in the Coalville City Cemetery [at the age of 66].

This story was written by Jemima Clark Wild’s grand-daughter Louise Wilde Ballantyne and was prepared for the Wilde Organization Reunion 12 July 1969. Some additions to the text were made by Mary A. 30 October 2007.

[Note that Joseph F. Smith, who performed Fredrick and Jemima’s wedding, later became the 6th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was the last president of the LDS Church to personally know the martyred prophet Joseph Smith, for Joseph was his uncle. Joseph F. Smith’s father was Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith’s brother.]