A Pioneer Story: Life Sketch of Josephine Mauchley Bauman

A Pioneer Story: Life Sketch of Josephine Mauchley Bauman

In honor of the upcoming Pioneer Day I have transcribed the following life sketch of Josephine Mauchley Bauman, born November 30, 1844 in Switzerland, died February 13, 1935 in Driggs, Teton County, Idaho, buried in Providence City Cemetery, Cache County, Utah.

LIFE SKETCH OF JOSEPHINE MAUCHLEY BAUMAN

By Her Daughter, Josephine B. Jensen

(Transcribed 7/9/14 from an unknown volume by Gayle B. Tingey, daughter-in-law of Mary Bauman Tingey)

Josephine Mauchley Bauman was born November 30, 1844 in Straubenzell Ct, St. Gallen, Switzerland, the daughter of Serge and Maria Kathrine Mauchley. Her childhood days were spent happy and contented on her father’s farm and in going to school. But, when she was twelve years of age her mother died leaving three children; Mother who was the eldest one, and a brother and sister. But, there were five other children in the family left from a former wife of her father which made eight children in all. And, in short time her father married again—a sister of her mothers’ who also had two sons. Now this is when Mother’s troubles began, as the step-mother was a very stern and harsh woman, and her two sons caused much harm among the older children; and in consequences one after another left home, which made it hard for the younger children to see their peaceful home thus broken up.

Their father, however, was very kind and indulgent with them, and did all he could to make home pleasant and saw to it that the children did not want for bread; for he owned a small farm and was able to make an independent living. Mother received a common school education and was brought up in the Catholic church, but when she was eighteen years of age, she, in connection with her father, step-mother, brother, sister, and one half-brother accepted the Gospel, and just as the bells were tolling the old year out and the new in, in 1863, they broke the ice of the river and were baptized and confirmed as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The people around there in those days were very prejudiced against the Saints and missionaries, and they had to hold their meetings in secret at the homes of the Saints and often had to abandon the singing for fear that they would be overheard and their meetings broken up by some lawless individuals. So they decided to emigrate.

The following May they started on their journey to America. They were over fifty days crossing the Atlantic, landing in New York City. From there they traveled by rail to Florence where they equipped themselves with ox teams, wagon and provisions, preparatory to crossing the great plains to Utah. After they had traveled three days they were called to part with their dearly beloved father, and with sorrowful hearts, they buried his body by the wayside, feeling that they had lost their best friend.

Now mother’s whole time was taken up in caring for her poor step-mother, for she had already taken sick on the ocean and continued bedfast the whole journey until, just three days before their arrival, she was also called to join the father on the other side. Thus, the children were left without father or mother in a strange land among strangers, and without any means of their own for support, for their father had been too liberal with his means in helping others to emigrate. Consequently, the children were separated and each had to go to strangers to seek employment.

Mother went to live with a family in Payson, Utah where she worked for her board and a few clothes for one year. Then, she was married on September 22, 1964, in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, and lived in Sugar House Ward where Father worked in the woolen mills. Then, under the supervision of President Brigham Young, Mother was also employed there in winding bobbins. But, wages were so low and produce so high that it was very hard to keep the wolf from the door and get the bare necessities of life. Wheat was $7.00 a bushel, and, of course, everything else sold accordingly, and to make matters worse, Father was stricken with what was then called mountain fever and was bedfast for six weeks. Had it not been for a few bushels of wheat that Mother had gleaned herself the previous summer they would have had practically nothing to subsist upon, as the winter was a very severe one and what few potatoes they had were frozen. They suffered much from the cold also as wood was scarce and green at that.

January 2, 1865, their first son was born, and when he was seventeen months old they had the sorrow of having him drown in a pool of water near the house. They lived there three years and then moved to Midway, Wasatch County, where Father put up a loom to weave clothing for the destitute little children in the down.  And, here they were called again to part with their second son when eight months old, leaving them for the second time bereft of children. In those days they build their little huts in a circle in order to make a corral for their cattle, as the Indians were very hostile and would drive off and take whatever they could get hold of. But, later they became more friendly, and the people began to scatter out and build little cabins for themselves. These little cabins were very rude in the extreme, for the roof would let the rain in and the wind could be felt through the cracks of the wall, and nothing but the ground for a floor. Later they lived in a dugout which was somewhat warmer. They lived in Midway nine years, but a the winters were so severe they decided to move to Salt Lake and in the spring of 1877 moved to Cache County where Mother has lived ever since with the exception of two years that were spent in Ogden.

Mother was obliged to move a great many times until the home that she now occupies was purchased and in which she has lived for over thirty years. She is the mother of nine children, three having preceded her to the other side. She was left a widow February 28, 1904. She was a faithful wife and devoted mother, strictly honest and industrious, and always ready to give a helping hand wherever needed, and often going without herself to help others. She was first called as a teacher in the Relief Society in 1881 and has labored in that capacity off and on ever since. She bears a strong testimony to the truthfulness of the Gospel, has enjoyed having great manifestations through dreams in regard to her kindred dead, and has helped in obtaining a large record of her dead ancestors. She will have the joy when she meets her loved ones on the other side of having done the work for them. And, now at the age of seventy-one, she feels well and hearty and enjoys life and the association of her children and brethren and sisters. She has twenty-two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.