The Life History of

URMINA TRYPHENA GRIFFETH (HYDE)

by step-granddaughter in—law

Violet Ruth Lancaster (Hyde)

Urmina Tryphena Griffeth was born January 12, 1860 at Lehi, Utah, the sixth child and the fifth daughter of Patison Delos Griffeth and Elizabeth Carson.

Very little is known of Urmina’s girlhood days as she was such a reserved person and did not talk about herself. She was one and a half years old when the family moved to Hyde Park, Utah to make their home. Here the family saw hard times. They were among the first settlers in Cache Valley. It is known as a young woman she taught school before she was married.

She met Heman Hyde of Kaysville, Utah, the son of Rosel Hyde and Maryann Cowles. They were married the Hay 9, 1878 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, she being eighteen years old. Their children were, Heman, born April 14, 1879, who married Elizabeth Ashdown; William A., born Kay 4, 1861, who married Lucy Wheelock; Dora 3., born August 8, 1885, who married Robert Porter. Six other children were born and died in infancy, no names given.

Her first home was in Fairview, Idaho. Her husband was the first bishop of the Fairview Ward when it was organized. In 1885 the family moved to Auburn, Wyoming where her husband worked as a trapper of beaver. They bought a farm from Joe Nelson by trading horses for it. It is reported in family history that their first store in Auburn was on this property. On this farmland was built a one-room log cabin. They lived there until Urmina was forty years old. They built another home and moved the log cabin two and one half miles north to the sulphur springs and used it as a granary.

Their first years in Star Valley were hard ones. The first winter was known as the hard one. Many of their cattle starved to death. The ones that survived were driven from knoll to knoll to try to graze where the wind had blown the snow off. They shoveled the snow from the slews and let the cattle eat the dry grass on the edge of the streams. This left them in bad circumstances. They wondered if they could even continue to survive.

Urmina was a good homemaker. She provided for her family the best she could. She always made butter and sold it for ten cents per pound. She had her own spinning wheel and spent many hours spinning wool into yarn. Being that her fingers were nimble with knitting needles, she knit all her children’s socks and mittens.

She was generous, helping and feeding others the best she had. When she only had enough of certain food it was given to the company and the family didn’t eat any. She was always willing to help those in need and those who were sick, many times going into the homes where there was the dreaded diphtheria when others refused to go.

She had the ability to create things. Well I remember her diphtheria powder, and her salve that she made from mutton tallow and carbolic acid, which was as excellent remedy for sore chapped hands. The diphtheria powder was very nasty. The grandchildren would never tell their grandmother they had a sore throat, if they did out would come the diphtheria powder and she would blow it into their throats. The grandchildren often made the remark that a germ couldn’t stand the smell of the stuff so they never came near it.’ Nevertheless it was good for sore throats.

She was kind but firm with her children and grand children, loving them and counseling them for good. Family prayer was always a part of their home. Grandfather officiated whenever he was home, and Grandmother taking over when he was absent. She respected her husband’s position in the church. She never complained when her husband was Bishop for many years. At times he would be called away from home to help those who were ill, or needed help. Their home was one of order and complete harmony and love. Finding fault with other people was not allowed. If there was any confusion in the home the hired help or the children were never aware of it.

She had a beautiful voice and sang in the Auburn Ward choir. She was secretary in the Relief Society for many years. Her records were exact and neat. She was prompt with her meals and home work. She always helped with the burial clothes for those who died.

Music was part of their life. Her husband played the violin and would often play a tune after their meals while he rested. He was very considerate of his wife and family. I heard him say one time that if his family failed to do what was right he felt that it would be his fault.

In their later life they built one of the better homes in Star Valley at Auburn. They lived there a few years and moved to Afton, Wyoming where they lived for several years. In their later years they moved to Payson, Utah where they lived with their daughter, Dora. She died in Payson April 15, 1938 at the age of 78. She was taken back to Star valley where she was buried in the Auburn Cemetery. She died as she lived—-a faithful Latter-Day Saint.