Brief History of Rosa Bell Smith Birch

ROSA BELL SMITH BIRCH HISTORY

Rosa Bell Smith Birch--born in Wilford, Idaho, March 18, 1889, of pioneer parents who were some of the first settlers of Wilford. Here Grandfather was the first bishop in Wilford. Rose was born on what Grandma Smith called the homestead--down by Margarite Bauer's home. Quoting from Grandma Smith's own Story she says that Rosa "was a beautiful baby." When Grandma Birch was 4 years old, her folks took their 3 children and made the trip by wagon to the Logan Temple to have their children (3) sealed to them.

Soon after this they moved to Sand Creek and bought a place and stocked it with cattle. Here we had a good two room house. We made butter and sold it in St. Anthony, 20 miles across the sand, where we got no more than 20 Cents a lbs. and usually 10 cents or. 20 cents. We never got over 20 cents a dozen for eggs. We had a nice flock of chickens. We picked chokecherries, serviceberries, huckle berries and Oregon grapes in the hills. This is how we got our fruit for canning and drying.

There were 8 families out there and Grandma Birch always re­ferred to each of there people as Aunt and Uncle--they were such a closely knit group and the Smith's were such affectionate people. Everyone was always greeted with a kiss.

Every fall the Indians went through on hunting trips and camped on Blue Creek--just above their home. Grandma Birch often told of how frightened she was of them, but the never molested anything but begged for food and wanted trade gloves and things. All the years they lived on Sand Creek they never had the services of a doctor. Three days before Grandma's brother Clarence was born the children built a bonfire. Rosa's dress caught fire. Her mother tried to smother it but Grandma was so frightened that she began to run which fanned the flame. Again her mother running after her threw a pan of starch water over her. By this time the screams brought Grandpa Smith who caught her and threw her in the ditch.

She was very badly burned-­-the only place not burned was where the starch water hit her down the front. She had to lie on her stomach 6 weeks with only the remedies of her mother. Grandma always remembered this terrible experience but as a testimony to the loving care she received, and the administration, she never had a scar on her body.

Now the children were in school and as a result of living in such an isolated area, only 3 months of school were held per year and the family moved back to Wilford where they bought land that was all in sage brush. There again the family started a new home. The one fear of Grandma's life was fording the raging streams in the springtime.

To help supplement the family Grandpa Smith worked at many tasks. He contracted taking the mail to Marysville. Grandma Birch used to tell many times of what a privilege it was to her to get to go with her mother who used to take the mail when her father had other things to do. How important she felt in helping her mother drive their horses and maybe to receive a treat of a stick of candy at the end of the journey.

In those days people had to provide their own entertainment. Grandma Smith gave readings. She had a favorite one where she was "Aunt Patience" and Grandma Birch would take a part in her dialogue. Later each of the girls would learn this part and help with the reading.

Grandma tells of how it seemed as she walked to school at North Wilford. She attended Ricks Academy for a short time as she left elementary school. Her sister Millie had been going to Ricks and told her of this good looking curly headed young man who lived with some of us down at Rexburg and later this young man began courting Grandma at the ranch in Wilford which was down by Wrights place. Grandma tells of how dashing. He was as he came all dressed up with a pink rose in his lapel, driving the best looking, high stepping, team in the valley and clean and they had a wonderful time. The buggy was shinny and clean and they had a wonderful time.

They went to the Logan Temple to be married. Grandma always had to laugh as she told how when they went to get their license Grandpa lacked a month of being 21 and they wouldn't give it to him without his mother's consent. So they had to stay around down there until they got word back from Grandma Birch.

They lived at the home place every day of their married years except a couple of years in Canada.

When Marie was born, Grandma almost lost her life--lying at death's door for many man weeks. As a result, for many years her health was poor. Her Children all remember the years whenever they saw the old Model-T drive up near the side of the house after they had been somewhere, Grandpa would go carrying Grandma into the house. She couldn't stand much. She had such terrible headaches for many years. In her later life, she has always been so thankful that she has felt so much better and just a day or two ago she said she was so glad she didn't have any pain.

Grandma loved her home and all the things connected with it. She was always busy. She loved to take care of her chickens, old setting hens and little chickens; always canning everything she could get a hold of. Her children tell about the song she always had on her lips. She was always humming or singing a hymn. She loved to sing the hymns and for a year sang in the choir, as long as her health permitted. She loved flowers with a passion. She never passed a home with pretty flowers that she didn't comment on them. Her window sills always were, and still are filled with flowers which she tenderly nourished. If anyone wanted to delight her, they just brought pretty flowers.

She loved her children so much and the loss of three of her babies was the sorrow of her life. She was just never reconciled to there loss. She was always so patient with her children and worried so over them when they were sick. Lyle having trouble with his eyes, Elva with her bad leg--trouble hurt her badly. All her family remembers Grandma Birch always being home, no matter when they came. Always a pretty clean house, plenty of good food ready, cleans clothes and a loving sympathetic ear. As Aunt Elva said—“she always spoiled us.”

The highlights of her life were when her children would all come home bringing their families. She loved her family and wasn't lacking in words in telling them so. She especially loved this last year with Gary and Renee and their Children especially the twins. I am sure everyone who talked many minutes with her heard about these babies.

The whole family wants to pay tribute to Renee and how wonderful she has been with Grandma. We all appreciate it.

The last few years Grandma's health hasn't been the best but she always said "Oh, I guess I’m just lazy" and she just didn't complain

She did love to attend her meetings: Sunday school, Relief Society, and Sacrament meetings and did so whenever she could. She worked in the Primary and Relief Society Presidency and has been a visiting teacher most of her married life and was yet a teacher up to the present time. She was never satisfied until her visit was made. She had a strong testimony of the Gospel and bore it many times. She believed in the power of the Priesthood in administration and felt that her life had been spared many times by that power.

Grandmother will always be remembered by the respect and love that she had for others, especially the love and devotion she has had for her loving husband throughout life and during the past two years while grandfather’s health has been so poor. It has been a blessing to Grandmother that she and Grandfather could be together and help each other to have happiness the last days of her life on earth.

Love characterized Grandma Birch’s life on earth. Whether it was love for a devoted husband, a mother in Canada, or a grandchild's achievement.

I remember how Grandmother used to await a letter from her 98 year old mother in Canada. Each day she would anxiously check the mail to see if she had received a letter from her so much loved Mother and when one came, it added new joy to her life. Yes, love was Grandmother's life and I’ll never forget the many wonderful times I've spent at .such a fine grandparent home, where no matter when you arrived, or how many relatives came, you were all welcome and made to feel at home.