Jefferson Tidwell, fourth in a family of seven, was born Oct. 7, 1836, in Charleston, Clark county, Indiana. At an early age his parents moved to Nauvoo, Ill. he was there when Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martred, in 1844.
June 5th, 1852, he left for Utah, in his father's company of Saints, who arrived in Pleasant Grove, Utah, in September of the same year. Here he spent his boyhood until the winter of 1857-8, which he spent in Lot Smith's company in Echo Canyon.
He fought in the Blackhawk and Walker wars, and in June, 1859, when President Smith called on some Saints to settle in Sanpete county, Jefferson, with his father, moved to Mt. Pleasant. Here, on Dec. 16, 1860, he was married to Sarah Seeley. To this union 11 children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The remaining nine, three girls and six boys, survive him, namely, W. J., John F., Hyrum, J. R., Orange and David A Tidwell, and Sarah S. Thayn, Mary M. Strong and Hannah Barnes.
He was the first bishop of Indianola, where numerous Indian families joined the church.
In 1877 President Young called on him to explore what is now Carbon, Emery and Wayne counties, with a view of settlement. When he delivered his message to President Young, the latter told him that if he would settle on White river (now Price river), he would soon be on one of the great thoroughfares of the nation. (A prediction later verified by the construction of the Rio Grande.) In response to this, Bishop Tidwell settled on Wellington townsite in October, 1879.
Jefferson William Tidwell | |
| Birthdate: | |
| Birthplace: | Charlestown, Marysville, Clark County, Indiana, United States |
| Death: | November 21, 1913 (76) Wellington, Carbon County, Utah, United States |
| Place of Burial: | Wellington, Carbon County, Utah, United States |
|---|---|
| Immediate Family: |
Son of John Tidwell and Jane Tidwell
Husband of Sarah Jane Tidwell Father of Justus Hyrum Tidwell; William Jefferson Tidwell; David Alonzo Tidwell and Beatrice Tidwell Brother of James Harvey Tidwell; William Neilson Tidwell; Mary Jane Johnson; Maria Emiline Tidwell; William Tidwell and 8 others |
Mrs. Sarah Seeley Tidwell, wife of Jefferson Tidwell, She was born on the 10th of April, 1841 in Lee county, Ia, and was the daughter of Justice Wellington Seeley and Clarissa Jane Seeley Wilcox of Toronto, Can. she emigrated to Utah with her parents in 1847 crossing the plains in John Lowry's company. Six sons and three daughters, thirty-three grandchildren and three great grandchildren survive her.
The sons are William J., John F., Hiram Joseph R. and D. A. Tidwell, and the daughters, Mrs. Sarah S. Thayn and Mrs. Hannah Barnes all of Wellington and Mrs. Miranda Strong of Twin Falls, Idaho.
Sarah had a varied and interesting experience, being one of the first children to be baptized in Salt Lake City. Some time afterward she was among the party that accompanied President Amasa Lyman to San Bernardino California, and in 1858 was called back with the Saints when Johnson's army was pressing on towards Utah. About that time she moved to Mt. Pleasant in Sanpete county, where she was married to Jefferson Tidwell.
In 1877 President Brigham Young called her husband Jefferson Tidwell to Wellington and in 1881 she followed him there where she resided until death summoned her.
While the family lived at Sunnyside for a short period, deceased was the first president and the organizer of the relief society there. During her long life Mrs. Tidwell was an ardent worker in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sarah Jane Tidwell (Seeley) | |
| Birthdate: | |
| Birthplace: | Nashville, Lee County, Iowa, United States |
| Death: | December 03, 1915 (71) Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, United States |
| Place of Burial: | Wellington, Carbon County, Utah, United States |
|---|---|
| Immediate Family: |
Daughter of Justus Wellington Seeley and Clarissa Jane Seeley (Wilcox)
Wife of Jefferson William Tidwell Mother of Justus Hyrum Tidwell; William Jefferson Tidwell; David Alonzo Tidwell and Beatrice Tidwell Sister of Orange Seely; Don Carlos Seely; Hyrum Seeley; Justus Wellington Seely, II; William Hazard Seely and 5 others Half sister of Eva Rebecca Seeley |
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| Tidwell Luncheon in basement of Wellington Tabernacle |
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| Tidwell Shearing Company |
