Sarah Alice Bishop Smith Written by her granddaughter M. Jean Smith Vandiver

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Sarah Alice Bishop Smith

Sarah Alice Bishop, daughter of James and Sarah Stanley Bishop, was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, July 25, 1857. She was the 5th child and eldest daughter. Her father was a baker, and she being the eldest daughter of a family of 11 children, did not get a chance to go to school after she was 8 years old. Her mother helped in the bakery so there was always a baby to care for. She had only six weeks of actual schooling, doing her share of taking care of business. She taught herself to read, write and do simple arithmetic. Sewing came easy to her, and she became a very capable dressmaker.

The following was written by her just prior to her death:

"About the first thing I remember is going to meetings with my parents. My parents were Mormons when I was born having joined the church in 1851. I was born in 1857, so have been a Mormon all my life. There being such a few Saints, there were not enough children to hold Sunday School, so we went to the Church of England for Sunday School. I still have a Bible that was given to me by the Pastor of the church for being the most attentive pupil in the class and for good attendance. My father was a baker and kept a grocery and bake shop. As I grew up, I helped mother with the housework, cooking and other work I could do. I also helped in the store. Being the oldest girl, I had plenty of experience in housekeeping as in later years my mother was very sick and the whole responsibility of the home, family and store depended on me, but it was good experience and helped me very much."

Her parents kept the mission home for LDS missionaries for 18 years in Cheltenham giving the missionaries food and shelter when there was a need. She had many exciting and dangerous experiences while attending meetings with the missionaries, as at that time the Mormons were always being mobbed or molested in some way.

She was ill at the time they decided to come to America. It was an anxious time. The doctors told her parents that she could not stand the voyage, and they would bury her at sea. Exercising their great faith, the decision was made to go. They sold their bakery business and household things. A large trunk was made to hold two feather beds. They set sail October 21, 1884, on the "S.S. Arizona" and arrived in New York November 1884. Alice survived the trip and lacked five weeks of being 83 when she died.

The Bishop family - consisting of James and Sarah, Alice, Ellen, Joseph, Clara, John, his wife and 3 children - went directly from New York by train to Kaysville to join 3 sons (brothers of Alice) who had come earlier. Upon arriving there, James and Emma Smith invited them into their home until a home could be located for them.

After being re-baptized, as was required at that time, she joined the Young Women's Retrenchment Association on March 21, 1885.

Arthur and Alice Smith Farmington, UT - about 1912

Arthur Smith fell in love with Alice, and they were married in the Logan Temple May 26, 1886. They lived in a house close to his parents until 1893 when they bought the John Weinel farm on which she lived until her death. In her early married life when her family was small and sickness of family or neighbors and friends came along, she would tuck her children in bed and go at midnight and sit up with those who were sick till 4 a.m., when she would come home and have only an hour's rest before starting her own daily tasks. These tasks were many since she had a large home and bore 11 children, 9 of whom lived to maturity. Besides this she took care of her mother who lived with her and who had many serious sick spells with asthma and pneumonia.

Alice worked hard at her job as a farm wife. She kept an orderly house, organized and managed family life very well. She raised turkeys, chickens, and geese to help out and often awakened at 4 a.m. to help her husband load pigs to take to market. Her carpets had to have new straw under them once a year, and the bed ticks had to be refilled with straw. She had one bedstead that had pegs placed about 6 inches apart all around the frame. Rope was woven back and forth both directions. This made pretty good springs. The geese were plucked every 6 weeks during the summer. The feathers were used to replenish the pillows and feather bed. For many years she managed a large raspberry patch. Her skill as a dressmaker came in handy many times. Her cooking was known among relatives, friends, hay-hands and threshing crews. Arthur had no trouble getting hired hands as men liked to eat at the Smith home. She had crowds of relatives for Thanksgiving and Christmas and set bounteous meals before them.

Alice had a good sense of humor and entertained her children and friends with English stories. Alice taught Sunday School when young and was a Relief Society block teacher. She worked in the John R. Barnes home for a long time. Her home had two big rooms that could be made into one room. Dances were held there. She was known as "Aunt Alice" to the young and old.

Alice died June 16, 1940, five weeks short of her 83rd birthday.

Memories of M. Jean Smith Vandiver - granddaughter:

Whenever I smell petunias, I think of my grandmother. She had a large bed of them between the house and the outhouse. She had a large patch of peonies which she sold for Memorial Day. I have seen tubs full of them in warm water forcing them out so they would be ready for sale. She never forgot us on Christmas. Although finances were short, she always sent a package. I remember the candy rocking horses that were included. She was sick in bed when I was married in Salt Lake. She felt badly because she couldn't have a family dinner. As we were leaving for Colorado, she called me into her bedroom and gave me a wine glass and jelly dish and wished me well. She died 4 days later.

After my grandmother died, the farm was sold to Hod Saunders of the Clover Leaf Potato Chip Company. The house was razed, but the rock barn was made into a club house.