A Father and A Family

American Fork, Utah
December 29, 1888
"My Dear Father,

We received your kind and welcome letter and was glad to hear that you was well and hope that you will be so all the time. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We was pleased to hear that you had such a good time on Christmas and hope you will have a good time on New Year Day.

The baby (Aunt Mima) she is growing very nice and is beginning to chatter very nice. Lucy (Aunt Luetta) says she wants you to come home.

It is quite a deep snow and the big sleighs have been out today.

Mother has had so much work to do that she could not spare me to start to school on Wednesday. I read in the third reader and go to William Robison's school now. Katie goes to Martha Nelson's school and is going to be put in the second reader.

I have not much more to tell you. So good bye from your loving daughter. 

May Durrant 
Write soon.
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Good Bye

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Salt Lake City
August 17^th, 1889
to E.J.D. (Elizabeth Jane Durrant)

"Dear Wife,

I now take this opportunity of dropping you a few lines to let you know that I am quite well, and I hope this will find you and the children the same. I have not heard from any of you since Rennie (his third son) was here. But no news is generally pretty good.

I was out gathering choke cherries a little over a week ago and I heard Jemima's (his 1^st wife) voice clear and distinct calling me by name. I answered and said, "Yes, here I am. Is it you, Jemima?" And I went back a little ways through the brush and shouted. But no one could I see or hear any more. I concluded it was a turn with the baby (Aunt Mima) for the better. At least I hope so. Porr little thing.

I suppose Johnny (2^nd son, John Edward) is still working at the Point of the Mountain. And what is Willie (William, 1^st son) doing towards getting something around him for a rainy day? I hope he is not spending his means and time in the saloons, for winter will soon be here.

I am very pleased to state that I have many privileges this time in here to what I had when I was here before. And I thank my Heavenly Father for it.

The weather is very warm and dry at present, but I think it will soon cloud up and give us a good rain.

Our new warden seems to be a good, kind, fatherly kind of man. He takes it upon himself to get us a change of something to eat. He will have our beef good and fresh. He starts off to town at 5 o'clock in the morning to get it fresh. He says, "We can't starve the men if they will behave themselves."

They have just made a search among the toughs and found an iron bar in young Hibbert's cell, the same young man that tried to get away before. They called him in the bunk house to them, but I do not know what they said to him yet. I think they missed all of ours. I mean us Mormon boys.

I would like for you to make me some sleeves to put over my shirt sleeves to keep them clean while I am making my fires. I have worn out two pair. I am without new until I can get some.

I will send home two pair of my garments to get them mended the first opportunity.

Last week's letter got delayed, I understand. Well, that is all right. It is safe all the same. But our postmaster is away for a little while.

Kezia (3^rd wife) says I have sent you all a good walking stick. [He carved them in prison] If she needs one of them real bad, let her have one. And the children have told her that I've sent you both a good and very handsome comb case. [He carved them.] Well, I shall have one for her when Ada (Aunt Ada, Kezia's daughter) comes again. (I think one comb case was for Elizabeth Jane and one was for Jemima, the 1^st wife, who lived in the other side of the house.)

[Note: Parenthetical additions came from the copy shared by the family.]

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Salt Lake City
November 3^rd, 1889

"To Miss Mairy Durrant - 

I have just received your kind and welcome letter and was much pleased to hear from you once again and to hear that the baby was much better. [Aunt Mima was sick for two years after her birth.] I have no doubt but what your mother has had a very hard time of it. But God has engaged by firm decree that as our day our strength shall be. We do not know what we can stand until we are placed under trying circumstances.

I received a letter from Grandma Miller (Elizabeth Jane Ginger's mother) saying that Katey (his daughter) was gone home. 

Homesick I have made . . . . [page missing]

I have a nice little chest of drawers for you nearly completed. So you must be a good girl and help your mother all you can. Tell John Edward (his son) I don't know about James Sprattling owing me anything.

You must do the best you can for the cow. Tell Luetta (his daughter) I shall come and see her someday and bring her something. I will send her a little picture

in your letter this time. Give my kind love to Aunt Lizzy (Aunt Lizzy Cullom, his brother Edward's wife). Tell her I am well and I hope she is the same. I must now conclude.

From your loving Father. John Durrant

Recalling the memories of his boyhood home, John Henry, Kezia's second son, remembered the teachings that were a part of the daily walk.

"I was taught from the beginning the importance of being born under the everlasting covenant and that it was a blessing to have parents that knew the gospel teachings. I was taught the importance of prayer in the home. When sickness came the elders were called in to bless us in our hour of need.

"Father was a man who showed the bright side of life in his conversations. When he stayed at our house, every night and morning he called the family together for family prayer except in the summer when he made it a habit of getting out of bed at 4 a.m. to perform his duties as the city water master, a position he held for 30 years.

In 1900 began a yearly tradition began of Salt Lake Temple nuptials for John's sons and daughters. John Henry married Ida Peay 28 November 1900; Lorenzo James married Agnes Priscilla Lewis 19 June 1901 and John Edward was sealed to his wife the same day; Tryphena Rushen married Veranus H. York 17 May 1902; Sarah Ann married Christian F. W. Olsen 10 August 1904. Sadly, Aunt Mima passed away just 10 days following Sarah Ann's wedding. Her adopted "son," Joseph Smith Durrant married the following June (28 June 1905) Edith Lenora Holding. Lucy Hetty married John W. Wright 12 Sep 1906; Kezia's last daughter, Charlotte, married Fredrick W. Wood 8 January 1908 and Jemima married George Emil May 25 November of that same year. Rosa Emmeline, the last to marry, became the bride of Charles Gaston Hill 15 October 1914 - five months after her father's death. She was the only one of his children which he did not live to see marry.

The American Fork Citizen, May 9, 1914 carried an obituary for John Durrant. Inasmuch as the notice was on the inside edge of the newspaper, the microfilm copy is very hard to read.

"John Durrant, another old-timer, went to his reward last Wednesday [6 May 1914] .... p.m. He had been ailing ... months, but did not give up ... before his death. The ..., as well as old age, ... 7 years of age the 8^th of [April.]

Mr. Durrant was born at Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, England, April 8^th [1837]. Joined the Mormon church at Boxmoor in 1858; emigrated to [the United States] in 1861; shortly after [settled in] American Fork, where he made his home.

He lived his religion faithfully, ... neighbours and just citizen ... his family leaves a large ... Those who survive are [his] wives Kesiah (sic) and Elizabeth ... living children, a large [number] of grandchildren and two [great] grandchildren.

John Durrant was laid to rest in the American Fork City Cemetery on 9 May 1914 - Block 2 Lot 11 B. The cause of death was "superlative gastria."

Just three years later (28 September 1917), his third wife, Kezia, died at her daughter, Ada Smith's, home in Salt Lake City of a "dilated heart." (Deseret Evening News, 28 Sep 1917, p. 7) She is buried in American Fork City Cemetery. His wife, Elizabeth lived eighteen years after John's passing. She died 18 February 1932 in Salt Lake City.