Sarah Ann James (1886-1935)

In Logan, Utah, on 8 October 1886, Sarah Ann James entered the world. She was one of eleven children—six boys and five girls. Sarah was beautiful, and at the age of twenty-three married the dashing six-foot-tall Luke Smith on 7 May 1909 in Pocatello, Idaho. (They were sealed together in the Logan Temple on 29 June 1921.)

Their marriage produced three daughters and one son. When Luke's power and light company transferred him to Preston, Idaho the whole family packed up. It was there that Sarah, who had been ill previously with some heart disease, took to her bed. Despite the inherent busyness of family life, Luke's employment, and her own sickly state, Sarah "never raised her voice and was always patient." Still, Sarah expected her children to work. The youngest girl, Afton, remembers her mother in her sick bed giving orders to clean the sugar bowl and shelving.

Luke enjoyed the modern conveniences that the twentieth-century produced. He always saw to it that they owned a Dodge car and a radio. The first radio purchase was memorable. Preston store owners would often let potential buyers "test" products overnight before purchases were finalized. Luke took a radio home, but in the early morning hours of the next day the store owner came by the Smith home to collect the product. Luke "was so angry that the man didn't trust him to bring it back that he went out that morning and bought a radio from a different store."

The happy home met with sadness when Sarah, at the relatively young age of 49, died in 1935. He legacy of patience, despite debilitating illness provides for us an example to follow.


Source: Joyce Syme Mills, "Sarah Ann James Smith," and "Luke Smith," both available at FamilySearch.org>Sarah Ann James (KWZQ-SJM)>Memories>Documents.