Person:Sarah Wiltbank (1)

A Life Sketch of Sarah Ida Wiltbank Foremaster written 23 Mar 1935

Sarah Ida Wiltbank, daughter of Spencer Watson Wiltbank and Annie Sanders (was) born 16th Aug. 1860 at Farmington, Davis Co., Utah. She was the sixth child in a family of eleven children.

Her parents joined the Latter Day Saint Church in Delaware. Her father was called on a mission to that place in the year 1844, or soon after. Possibly her parents were in Nauvoo before starting to the Valley because they traveled in Heber C. Kimball’s Co. Her mother drove a horse team across the Plains when she was about nineteen years old. Her father drove a team across the plains for Orson F. Whitney, thus the two young people who afterwards became Ida’s parents, were in love with each other while traveling to the Salt Lake Valley. The were married in Salt Lake City about one year after their arrival, 20th Dec. 1848.

They lived in uncle Schuyler Everett’s house when Sarah Ida was born. Soon after her birth they were called to settle Dixie, her gr-father Sanders, his sons and sons-in-law were all called at that time. About the first thing she remembers was living in a tent and her mother was making cookies, when she climed (sp) on the table, a fall leaf table, and down it went giving them all a great scare, but no damage to dishes for the perhaps were tin.

They arrived in December 1862, it seems, and lived in a tent until her father made adobies(sp) and built them a house a little South of when Dick Atkins now lives (March 1935). Her gr-father Sanders lived a little north of them and uncle Schuyler Everett a little South of them. They had no fences so they could visit back and forth very easily. Uncle Oliver B. Huntington lived on the N.W. corner of the block where Buntings now live. Most of her schooling was obtained from her uncle Schuyler’s step-mother Orpha M. Everett. Sister Everett taught school in the old fashion way by having her pupils stand around her while she pointed out the letters of the Alphabet in her own little home. Her mother taught her to pray and it became a lasting habit with her through life.

Their first Sunday School was held in the building now used for Foster’s store, all in one room and each Teacher had her Class right around her and all the Teachers talked at once requiring great concentration. It was there they studied the Catechism and learned about God.

Henry Iring was the first Bishop in St. George as she remembers it. The Day School Teacherd that she remembers were, George Jarvis, David Roger, Stephen Wells, John Mathis, Father Wallace, B. Mathis, Joseph T. Atkin’s father and others.

When they were sick they called in the Elders, Charles Smith, Frederick Foremaster, or the Bishop, who ever he might be, like George Jarvis, Walter Granger, James Andrus, Thomas Cottam, etc. After being Administered to they were invariably made better. Her oldest brother was healed of a severe fever by administration, also her younger brother was near to death when healed by the Priesthood of God.

Her mother was quite health until late in life and went to the Temple a great deal. She died with consumption the 22 Jun, 1879. Her father came all the way from Arizona by horse team to do temple work for a few of his relatives. His wife died before he moved to Arizona, so she did not live there at any time. Frederick William Foremaster, her father-in-law built the red rock house now owned by Sister Sina Bunting, he bought the lot from Oliver B. Huntington.

The first wife of Albert C. Foremaster was Mary Ann Lang, and after she and her child died and were buried in the same coffin, her husband waited three years and four months before he married Sarah Ida Wiltbank the 7th May 1880 in St. George Temple. They had both received their endowments before that so they were only sealed that day. Then had a family dinner and dance at his father's home, but it was not the custom to give presents then, as it is now.

Her husband's one room house was rented so they went to the mountains to live for the Summer, where he was employed by the Canaan Co-op Herd Co. They stayed in the Mountains until November and lived with his folks through the winter. The next Spring they went to the mountains again as it was ideal for Summer living. Later they milked cows and made butter and cheese for the market.

On April 23rd 1881 out first child was born in St. George at his mother's home, with Jane Barnes in attendance as Mid-wife, we had few Doctors then and relied on the Lord through the Priesthood, gr-mother acted as Nurse as well as General House Keeper, the Mid-wife calling for ten days. As soon as the baby was a little older they went to the Herd for they had a good log house there so they lived quite comfortably. They spent their Summers in the mountains for ten or twelve years. Bro. Nephi Faucett built their first home, an adobie (sp) house for himself and later sold it to them.

On the 28th Sep 1916 Sister Sarah Ida Wiltbank was called to the Temple as an Ordinance Worker being set apart by Pres. David H. Cannon. That same year was called as 2nd Counselor to Henrietta A. Morris in the East Ward Relief Society. She was called to the Office of Matron in St. George Temple about 1926 being visited by Thomas P. Cottam and George F. Whitehead concerning the matter. She offered excuses, saying she did not feel worthy, but they encouraged her to take it and she consented saying she would do her best, was given to understand that there was no pay in it, of a material nature. Before that time the Sisters took the main part for a term of two week each. When Sister Foremaster had taken the part a while Pres. Cottam asked her if she needed help, and it was then that Sarah Jane Atkin was appointed to help. A while after that Sister Amanda R.R. Williams was also appointed to help that part.

She acted in the East Ward Relief Society until the Bishop, Isaac MacFarlane, was released as Bishop then they too were released. She has had spiritual impressions at times and has been healed by faith at different times in her life. She says her faith grows stronger with the years and that her knowledge of her Father in heaven is worth more to her than anything else in the world.

Lately (1935) she feels that she cannot go through the temple as much as she used to do, because of a week heart. She had taken the main part in the Temple hundreds of times and has gone trough for the dead thousands of times. She take the part very, very well, the main part, I mean.

She had four girls, did not have her children very close together, she feels satisfied with them even if she was not given a boy for the four girls are perfectly formed in mind and body and that they all have faith in the Gospel. The one (Florence) has filled a mission of twenty one months in Calif.

She made a splendid missionary and came home on account of the illness of her father. He was in California part of the time that his daughter was there, in care of a Doctor, he tried a great many Doctors in the hope of recovery, but nothing could help for his disease was cancer of the face, he suffered a great many years, went Calif. twice and to Salt Lake City but could not be cured and was at last resigned to go, because even his trips to the Temple availed his little and he concluded he must go, he was 66 years old when he died. He was a good husband and father and did all he could for the comfort of his family, was a hard worker and a great sufferer even before cancer developed, had gall stones, in all probability, his pain was so severe. He always had family prayer and paid his tithing and tried in every way to serve the Lord. She is happy with the thought that he was the father of her children, and his honesty and dependability was unquestioned. If Mormon girls understood the advantages of marrying in the Church they would be more determined to choose faithful L.D. Saints for companions.

Sister I.W. Foremaster has an outstanding personality and congenial nature. She is kind, well controlled, perfectly groomed and with the gift of wisdom thoroughly developed, is unasuming (sp) and retiring in nature, and seems entirely unaware of her noble and God given talents. She is a perfect Matron in the House of the Lord. A stranger entering the Temple would at onece single out the Matron even though he had never a hint of the individual before. No Temple ever had one more fitted for the work, by looks, nature, demeanor, disposition or faith that Sister Sarah I. W. Formaster.

1. ↑ Died of heart troubles.
2. ↑ Sarah was 5' 7" tall, weighed 160 lbs., had gray eyes and brown hair.