LIFE STORY OF JOHN EDWIN BOICE
(Some punctuation and spelling were corrected -
I made some notes in parenthesis when I have
questions or observations - Linda)
I, John Edwin Boice was the seventh child of Benjamin
Boice and Eliza Philpot. My mother was stricken with
T.B. and passed away when I was 3 years of age, and
about two or three (no indication of the time frame)
later my two sisters Julia and Elnora were called by
death leaving our family grief stricken and forlorn.
My father met and married Samatha T. Brimhall, soon after which event the family, complying with Doctor’s
orders, started on a migration to an unknown destination. We traveled with ox teams and wagons, driving
about 20 head of cattle. This journey was not over paved highways we know today, but over dirt roads and
mountains and winding trails, both tiresome and dangerous.
After many months of travel we settled in the Savaoia Valley in New Mexico, where we lived about 2 years, then
moving to Fruitland, New Mexico for about one year. My father was a “freighter” hauling supplies from place to
place, which meant we had to move from one location to another as the work was available. My father moved
his family to Manassa, Colo. where a comfortable home was built.
At the tender age of 14 yrs., I was forced to leave home and make my way alone in the world. This meant hard
work, oppression and meeting of temptation, but I was industrious and frugal, working from 10 to 14 hours a
day, for the meager sum of $1.00 per day. In about 3 years I had saved the sum of $500.00 and decided I
would go home and visit my father’s family, while home on this visit I received a call to fill a mission.
I was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, under the hands of my Bishop
Samuel Jackson Sr. on the 26 day of July 1896. On the 11 of Aug. 1896, I departed for Salt Lake City, Utah,
spent a few days there, and then made a short visit to my old home in Oxford, Idaho. I returned to Salt Lake
City, went through the Temple receiving my Endowments on 2 Sep. 1896, and on the same day I was ordained
a Seventy by Geo. Reynolds, leaving on this day for my field of labor in Wisconsin, where I labored for 2 years
and filling an honorable mission was released, returning to my home 18 Sep. 1989.
I engaged in farming with my brother Shade until he received a call to do missionary work in the Central States
Mission. During Shades missionary labors, I operated the farm helping to support my brother and his family.
Shortly after Shade’s release, I met and courted Miss Alta Ball, and on 20 Feb 1902 we were married in the
Salt Lake Temple. Immediately after our marriage, we started a home and inheritance. We purchased 80 acres
of land from the state of Colo., making yearly payments we were successful in this venture being blessed with
health and strength and receiving the blessings of the Lord in temporal affairs as well as spiritual.
Having been married five years and having three small children, a second call came for missionary service.
Leaving a wife and 3 young children with a home partly paid for to go into the world for 2 years or more at your
own expense, requires faith, courage and a testimony of the Gospel. I answered the call without hesitation, I
left my home and loved ones 30 Mar 1907 going to Salt Lake City, where I was set apart and assigned the
California Mission. I labored in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles and was to go to San Bernardino
but received word that my aged father was very ill in Old Mexico, and as I had been in the mission field for 20
months I was given an honorable release. I spent some time with my father till his recovery was assured, when
I returned to my home and loved ones 14 Nov 1908.
In the late fall of 1909, to better my condition, I sold my home and farm in Bountiful, Colo for the sum of
$6,000.00, investing in an 80 acre farm 3 miles N.E. of Manassa, Colo., and during that fall and winter I built a
bungalow home in Manassa, Colo and on Feb 10, 1910, we moved into our new home, we now had 4 children.
We lived in this home till 1924 when I sold for a 4 bedroom house one block west, we resided here until 1931
when, decided to build a new home on my farm as it would be more Convenient to operate the farm. After
living there till 1940, I was not able to carry on the farm work longer, and I decided it best to sell and retire from
hard labor.
We moved to the Manchester Ward in the South Los Angeles Stake for 5 years, when my health was not too
good as I had contracted asthma and had to go to a higher climate and decided to move to Kirtland, New
Mexico, near Fruitland where my father’s family left in the late fall of 1879.
I have labored all my life since returning from my first mission in 1898. I have bee First and Second Assistant in
the Sunday School for several years, also have been a teacher in this organization in different wards and
branches where I have resided. I was sustained as one of the Seven Presidents of the 92nd Quorum of
Seventies in the San Luis Stake of Zion in 1909 and held this position until 1928, when I was ordained a High
Priest by Elder Melvin J. Ballard.
I have been abundantly blessed beyond my fondest expectations through out my life. Through the kind and
protecting care of my Father in Heaven I have miraculously been saved from death on several occasions. I
have tried to live a good honorable and upright life and answered the call at all times from those over me in
authority in the church. I have been blessed with good health and strength, and the necessary comforts of life,
and an abiding testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Savior. I trust
and pray we may all prove true and faithful to the end, and meet in the Celestial Kingdom of Our Heavenly
Father. The Lord has been good to me and whatever befalls me I will never complain. I know I am nearing the
end of my life’s Journey and wish to express my gratitude for the privilege of rearing a family of 7 children, four
noble sons and three sweet and lovely daughters, who have always been very obedient and kind to me and
their mother.
We are so thankful they were permitted to come to our home and bring so much sunshine and happiness to
us. They are all so precious and dear to us and we love them more than words can tell. My prayer is (that)
they never drift away from the Church and go into (by and ?) forbidden paths, and bring sorrow and disgrace
on themselves or their parents or their Father In Heaven. These are the desires of my heart, I wish most of all
and I ask that my dear wife make a record of what I have told her since we returned from attending the funeral
of our dear grand daughter Verla Ruth Boice who died of Balbar Polio 6 Oct 1951, and funeral held 8 Oct
1951.
(His wife Alta finished his story)
My dear husband John had a paralytic stroke on 24 Oct 1951 lived till 23 Nov 1951 when he departed this life,
leaving to mourn his passing a loving wife Alta and their seven children, 20 grand children, great grand
children, and a host of relatives and friends.
John Edwin Boice was the son of Benjamin Boice and Martha Eliza Philpot, Benjamin Boice was born 7 Oct
1839 Pike co. Ill. Martha Eliza was born 12 Apr 1844 Southampton, Hampshire, Eng. They were baptized by
Geo. Lake. He was ordained an Elder by W.C. Nelson, (and) died at El Paso Tex 9 Aug 1909. My grand father
was John Boice born 20 Feb 1814 in Fredricksburg, Ontario, Canada. (He) married Martha Jane Hearn 7 June
1835. He was a Patriarch and farmer, (and) died 31 Mar 1886, Oneida, Idaho. He was the son of Benjamin
Boice, born abt. 1778 (in) Dutches (Duchess?), New York. His wife was Margaret Bartley.
My grand mother was Martha Jane Hearns, born abt. 1817 in Laboro, Canada, (she) died 14 Feb 1840 in
Hudson, Ohio. Her father was Thomas Hearns born abt 1793 in Fredricksburg, (Ontario) Canada. His wife was
Martha Jane Cronk, born abt 1790 Fredricksburg, (Ontario) Canada.
(Some punctuation and spelling were corrected -
I made some notes in parenthesis when I have
questions or observations - Linda)
I, John Edwin Boice was the seventh child of Benjamin
Boice and Eliza Philpot. My mother was stricken with
T.B. and passed away when I was 3 years of age, and
about two or three (no indication of the time frame)
later my two sisters Julia and Elnora were called by
death leaving our family grief stricken and forlorn.
My father met and married Samatha T. Brimhall, soon after which event the family, complying with Doctor’s
orders, started on a migration to an unknown destination. We traveled with ox teams and wagons, driving
about 20 head of cattle. This journey was not over paved highways we know today, but over dirt roads and
mountains and winding trails, both tiresome and dangerous.
After many months of travel we settled in the Savaoia Valley in New Mexico, where we lived about 2 years, then
moving to Fruitland, New Mexico for about one year. My father was a “freighter” hauling supplies from place to
place, which meant we had to move from one location to another as the work was available. My father moved
his family to Manassa, Colo. where a comfortable home was built.
At the tender age of 14 yrs., I was forced to leave home and make my way alone in the world. This meant hard
work, oppression and meeting of temptation, but I was industrious and frugal, working from 10 to 14 hours a
day, for the meager sum of $1.00 per day. In about 3 years I had saved the sum of $500.00 and decided I
would go home and visit my father’s family, while home on this visit I received a call to fill a mission.
I was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, under the hands of my Bishop
Samuel Jackson Sr. on the 26 day of July 1896. On the 11 of Aug. 1896, I departed for Salt Lake City, Utah,
spent a few days there, and then made a short visit to my old home in Oxford, Idaho. I returned to Salt Lake
City, went through the Temple receiving my Endowments on 2 Sep. 1896, and on the same day I was ordained
a Seventy by Geo. Reynolds, leaving on this day for my field of labor in Wisconsin, where I labored for 2 years
and filling an honorable mission was released, returning to my home 18 Sep. 1989.
I engaged in farming with my brother Shade until he received a call to do missionary work in the Central States
Mission. During Shades missionary labors, I operated the farm helping to support my brother and his family.
Shortly after Shade’s release, I met and courted Miss Alta Ball, and on 20 Feb 1902 we were married in the
Salt Lake Temple. Immediately after our marriage, we started a home and inheritance. We purchased 80 acres
of land from the state of Colo., making yearly payments we were successful in this venture being blessed with
health and strength and receiving the blessings of the Lord in temporal affairs as well as spiritual.
Having been married five years and having three small children, a second call came for missionary service.
Leaving a wife and 3 young children with a home partly paid for to go into the world for 2 years or more at your
own expense, requires faith, courage and a testimony of the Gospel. I answered the call without hesitation, I
left my home and loved ones 30 Mar 1907 going to Salt Lake City, where I was set apart and assigned the
California Mission. I labored in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles and was to go to San Bernardino
but received word that my aged father was very ill in Old Mexico, and as I had been in the mission field for 20
months I was given an honorable release. I spent some time with my father till his recovery was assured, when
I returned to my home and loved ones 14 Nov 1908.
In the late fall of 1909, to better my condition, I sold my home and farm in Bountiful, Colo for the sum of
$6,000.00, investing in an 80 acre farm 3 miles N.E. of Manassa, Colo., and during that fall and winter I built a
bungalow home in Manassa, Colo and on Feb 10, 1910, we moved into our new home, we now had 4 children.
We lived in this home till 1924 when I sold for a 4 bedroom house one block west, we resided here until 1931
when, decided to build a new home on my farm as it would be more Convenient to operate the farm. After
living there till 1940, I was not able to carry on the farm work longer, and I decided it best to sell and retire from
hard labor.
We moved to the Manchester Ward in the South Los Angeles Stake for 5 years, when my health was not too
good as I had contracted asthma and had to go to a higher climate and decided to move to Kirtland, New
Mexico, near Fruitland where my father’s family left in the late fall of 1879.
I have labored all my life since returning from my first mission in 1898. I have bee First and Second Assistant in
the Sunday School for several years, also have been a teacher in this organization in different wards and
branches where I have resided. I was sustained as one of the Seven Presidents of the 92nd Quorum of
Seventies in the San Luis Stake of Zion in 1909 and held this position until 1928, when I was ordained a High
Priest by Elder Melvin J. Ballard.
I have been abundantly blessed beyond my fondest expectations through out my life. Through the kind and
protecting care of my Father in Heaven I have miraculously been saved from death on several occasions. I
have tried to live a good honorable and upright life and answered the call at all times from those over me in
authority in the church. I have been blessed with good health and strength, and the necessary comforts of life,
and an abiding testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Savior. I trust
and pray we may all prove true and faithful to the end, and meet in the Celestial Kingdom of Our Heavenly
Father. The Lord has been good to me and whatever befalls me I will never complain. I know I am nearing the
end of my life’s Journey and wish to express my gratitude for the privilege of rearing a family of 7 children, four
noble sons and three sweet and lovely daughters, who have always been very obedient and kind to me and
their mother.
We are so thankful they were permitted to come to our home and bring so much sunshine and happiness to
us. They are all so precious and dear to us and we love them more than words can tell. My prayer is (that)
they never drift away from the Church and go into (by and ?) forbidden paths, and bring sorrow and disgrace
on themselves or their parents or their Father In Heaven. These are the desires of my heart, I wish most of all
and I ask that my dear wife make a record of what I have told her since we returned from attending the funeral
of our dear grand daughter Verla Ruth Boice who died of Balbar Polio 6 Oct 1951, and funeral held 8 Oct
1951.
(His wife Alta finished his story)
My dear husband John had a paralytic stroke on 24 Oct 1951 lived till 23 Nov 1951 when he departed this life,
leaving to mourn his passing a loving wife Alta and their seven children, 20 grand children, great grand
children, and a host of relatives and friends.
John Edwin Boice was the son of Benjamin Boice and Martha Eliza Philpot, Benjamin Boice was born 7 Oct
1839 Pike co. Ill. Martha Eliza was born 12 Apr 1844 Southampton, Hampshire, Eng. They were baptized by
Geo. Lake. He was ordained an Elder by W.C. Nelson, (and) died at El Paso Tex 9 Aug 1909. My grand father
was John Boice born 20 Feb 1814 in Fredricksburg, Ontario, Canada. (He) married Martha Jane Hearn 7 June
1835. He was a Patriarch and farmer, (and) died 31 Mar 1886, Oneida, Idaho. He was the son of Benjamin
Boice, born abt. 1778 (in) Dutches (Duchess?), New York. His wife was Margaret Bartley.
My grand mother was Martha Jane Hearns, born abt. 1817 in Laboro, Canada, (she) died 14 Feb 1840 in
Hudson, Ohio. Her father was Thomas Hearns born abt 1793 in Fredricksburg, (Ontario) Canada. His wife was
Martha Jane Cronk, born abt 1790 Fredricksburg, (Ontario) Canada.
