Marguerite Brennetta Smith

Marguerite Brennetta Smith Byington Born July 3, 1889 in Nephi, Juab County, Utah, to John Perry Smith and Loulia Brennetta Allen Smith. She was the youngest of 10 children. Maggie was a very beautiful person. When she was a teen she was voted the most beautiful girl in Lehi, Utah… although, her physical beauty was no match for her inner beauty. She met Parley Byington in 1903 when she and her mother were cooking for the miners near Minnedoka. It was love at first sight. However, Parley had to leave and the couple didn’t see each other for a year and a half. Then Maggie once again was reunited with her life long love and married him in Laguna, Utah in December 1904. She was only 15 years old at the time. Though 15 was not an uncommon age to be married in 1904. Maggie left her family and moved to Idaho with her new husband.

In 1905 he and Grandma moved into a little house at Broxom where he worked helping build a canal for irrigation. Prior to this as a young man he had helped build the Island Canal at Annis. In June they moved to Annis Idaho on his mothers old homestead. Times were hard, but they were used to it, since things never had been easy for either him or Grandma. They had a cow, wagon team and 4-10. They planted a garden and Grandpa got a job at anything he could do, as it was too late to plant a crop.

Parley and Maggie were blessed with fourteen children. Maggie used to say that the way the Lord could punish her most was if he sent her twins! Since she never had twins she was OK. Maggie was sixteen years old when she had her first child Lena, in 1905. Bert was born in 1907 and Theao in 1910. Gene came along in 1912 and Merrill in 1914. Glen made his grand entrance in 1916 and Frank was born in 1918. Keith joined the family in 1920 and following him was Ivan in 1922. Carl was born in 1925, Murry in 1926, Doug in 1929, Neva in 1931 and last of all was Gary in 1934. The average spacing of the children was two years. She gave birth to fourteen children, eleven boys and three girls!

When Maggie had nine children, the family lived in a three-room house with one bedroom. No sidewalks, imagine the mess when it rained! They were out of money most of the time. But the family never went hungry and they always seemed to be happy. For the most part they got along OK.

Maggie would rise early every morning and make bread (12 loaves, and a pan of rolls). She would stoke the fire in the old cook-stove and get the temperature just perfect for baking bread. This bread was the main food of the family. Dad told me that in the fall the family would take wheat to the granary and trade it for Germade (wheat) cereal (enough to last 6 months). Then in the spring they would get oatmeal to last the next six months. He said it wasn't much for variety but that it took care of the needs of the family. They also raised potatoes and a large garden and farm animals for food and milk. One of the family favorite treats was to pour the heavy cream off the top of the milk onto a slice of homemade bread and sprinkle sugar all over it.

Maggie took pride in her flower garden. She was known to walk around the yard when the flowers were in full bloom with her hands clasped behind her back, and breathe deeply the sweet scent of God's creations. She loved flowers. I remember the huge "Bleeding Heart's" that grew on each side of the front steps to the house. They were so beautiful! Grandma loved her flowers. And Grandma loved her family. She must have been broken hearted when her little son, Carl, contracted whooping cough when he was about 18 months old. He coughed so hard and so long that his little lungs just gave up and he died. It is so hard to lose a child. It takes a part of you away that you are never able to get back. Little Carl had left a small handprint in the cement when the family added a few steps to the front porch. That little hand print was a memory that lasted for many years.

Neva Byington Peterson (daughter) wrote: We lived so close to the school that we walked home for lunch each day. That was why the sack lunch was special. I know now that my dear mother would have also sent me a sack lunch, if I'd have told her how much I loved that. She was always cooking and making things that she knew we loved to eat. She worked hard, night and day, caring for all the family as well as grand kids and others. It makes me sad to remember how life was so hard for her. Her enjoyments and compliments were few and far between. I don't think any of us ever appreciated and loved her like we should have. We should have made a point to tell her. And it would have been better if we had helped her more. I know she is one of Gods choicest Angels in Heaven. She is much loved there.

My mother and Father were much loved and although they had so many hardships in life, (mostly before I was born), they took good care of all of us and we never went hungry or lacked for love. They were very hard working all their lives and did sacrifice so much for all us kids. It makes me sad to remember how much they both went without so that we could all have more. They worked hard to help their kids. My mother worked both day and night to keep up with her large family. She was always up working, long after the rest of the family had gone to bed. Mom and Dad were the first up in the morning getting started on the days work.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Mom and Dad and miss them and know how hard life was for them. I sure do appreciate how much they taught me and the values they gave us all. They gave us their love, their honesty, and kindness and thoughtfulness for others. These are lessons that will always be with us. Their love and concern for others was always first in their minds. They also taught us love and concern for the less fortunate among us including animals and birds and other creatures. I find these values lacking in society as we know it today.

Stanley Smith (grandson) wrote: When Grandpa moved the family to the Anderson Canal head gate, times were terribly tough and challenging. The available properties were generally isolated from the more developed properties and communities. The land made available to him was located in the greater Poplar, Idaho, region. It was 'dry land' property which meant he had the added risk of depending on Mother Nature for rainfall to make his crops grow. His land was far from markets for his produce and far from meaningful commerce where he could conduct his business needs.

Undaunted by the isolation and the attendant hardships it would bring, he and Grandma set their course. Land cultivation and harvest drove the activities of these pioneers. The endless daylight-to-dark demands of farming inspired the need for large families. Grandpa and Grandma were no exception to this tradition. As they succeeded agriculturally, they 'pushed the envelope' by expanding their family nearly every year. Sacrifice was a by-word to them as they struggled to endure.

The family lived in a one-room house with a semi-basement dug into the hillside approximately a 1/4 mile above the Anderson head gate. There were no trees, no in-door toilet facilities, no electricity, no water well, no improved roads, no doctors, no stores, and no close neighbors. The family had only basic necessities and few material possessions -- even windows with glass panes and curtains were pure luxuries in those times. Their existence was void of all worldly pleasures and nice things that are now taken for granted in our more modern age.

Fortunately, though, Grandpa and Grandma seemed to have an abundance of character, love, and determination. Their bedrock features forged the nest for the Byington children as they sought to till the unplowed ground and prosper from their backbreaking work. Not much is known by my generation about how members of the family spent each day, each week, and each month as they grew up on the 'dry farm., Without doubt the boys worked hard along side of Grandpa to plow, plant, and harvest the crops. However, female members, traditionally cared for the babies and young toddlers and did the household chores.

Sharon Tyler Linville (grand daughter) remembered when Grandma asked her to go out to the garden and get her an ear of corn. She loved corn on the cob but, she liked to eat it raw! She also remembered that Grandma loved flowers and babies (all kinds of babies!) She remembered a family film of Maggie holding baby chicks and talking to them.

Fay Anthony wrote: My association with the Byington family and with Ivan goes back 70 years. In 1929 my folks purchased the Poplar Store and we moved up to Poplar. 1 don ‘t think that there are any friendships that are so solid and enduring as those that you form as a youngster growing up. This was my experience with the Byington family. Parley Byington was a true friend to my Dad When we moved to poplar it was during the time of the great depression, and Parley Byington did everything that he could to help my folks make the little country store produce a living.

Parley and Maggie had a large family often boys and three girls, so they had their hands full trying to keep food on the table and clothes on the backs of all Even though he could have saved money by going to town for groceries, Parley made it a point to buy everything that he could from Dad I don‘t remember Parley Byington being a great church goer, but I do remember him coming into my Fathers store on several occasions and telling him to take an order of groceries to the home of a widow in our community that had a rather large family. He would always say just put it on my bill and don‘t say anything about where it came from. If any family had serious financial problems, Parley Byington was the first one there to help. This attitude toward other people has been carried on by his family. I will never forget the great Love and Respect that my folks had for Parley & Maggie Byington I guess that’s why I have had the same feeling about them. The Byington’s have been some of my dearest friends and business supporters throughout my life. And I have had a great respect for their integrity because I found that their word was as good as their bond.

Funeral services for Maggie B. Byington were held Monday, September 14, at 2 p. m. from Ririe Second ward L.D.S. Chapel, with Bishop George L. Lovell, presiding. Family prayer was offered by Murry Byington and the prelude and postlude was by Marilyn Lovell. Opening song was "Sometime We'll Understand," by the Singing Mothers. Invocation was offered by Herbert S. Poore. Life history was given by Harriet Lovell and a vocal solo, "We'll Meet at the End of Trail," was sung by Jesse Nield.

Harold Freeman was a speaker and a vocal selection, I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go," was sung by the Singing Mothers. Closing remarks were made by Bishop George L. Lovell, and Ray Crystal sang the closing song, "Bury Me Near the Old Home". The Benediction was by Doug Byington. Interment was in Annis Little Butte Cemetery with the dedicatory prayer by Dan Tyler.

Pall bearers were Rodney, Spencer, Dale, Donald Byington, Wayne Robinson, Terry Tyler, Bob Hall, Harry Groth. The flower bearers were Grandchildren.

Flowers were under the direction of the Ririe Second Ward Relief Society. The funeral was directed by the Eckersell Funeral Home.

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Mrs. Maggie Byington, 64, of Ririe, died Thursday in an Idaho Falls hospital after a lingering illness.

Born July 3, 1889, at Nephi, Utah, daughter of John and Loulia Brennetta Smith. Married to Parley Byington, Dec, 12, 1904, at Laguna, Utah. Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Besides her husband, survivors include 13 sons and daughters, Mrs. Lena Smith, Bert, Eugene, Merrill, Glen, Frank, Keith, Ivan, Douglas, Murry and Gary Byington, and Mrs. Dan M. Tyler, Ririe, Mrs.Dwain Peterson, Rigby, and two brothers and two sisters, 57 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Parley (Maggie B.) Byington, 64, resident of Ririe for the past 43 years, died Thursday afternoon at an Idaho Falls hospital following a lingering illness.

She was born July 3, 1889, at Nephi, Utah, the daughter of John Perry and Loulia Brennetta Allen Smith. She was married Dec. 12, 1904, at Laguna, Utah, to Parley Byington and the couple immediately came to Idaho, living first at Annis and moving to Ririe a short time later. She was a member of the LDS Church. Survivors include her husband and the following sons and daughters:

Mrs. Lena Smith, Bert Byington, Eugene Byington, Merrill Byington, Glen Byington, Frank Byington, Keith Byington, Ivan Byington, Douglas Byington, Murry Byington, Gary Byington, and Mrs. Dan M. (Theao) Tyler, and Mrs. Dwain (Neva) Peterson, Rigby.

Also surviving are 57 grandchildren and two brothers and two sisters, Mrs. Albert (Ruby) Hansen, Annis; Mrs. Elvin (Loulia) Wilbur, Vallejo, California; John W. Smith, Boise; and Frank A. Smith, Santa Rosa, California.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 2 p.m. in the Ririe Second LDS Ward Chapel with Bishop George L. Lovell officiating. Interment will be in the Annis Little Butte Cemetery under the direction of the Eckersell Funeral Home of Rigby.