Frank was the son of Royal Edwin Tidwell and Jane Margaret Nelson.  Frank married Evaleo Brighton.

 

Frank and Eva, affectionately known to each other as "Teo" and "Leo," were wonderful parents who loved their children.

 

 

Robert Frank Tidwell

 

The following account was written by Frank in 1953 for Eunice when she was completing a requirement for her Golden Gleaner Award.

 

I was blessed October 5, 1889 by Seth A. Langton. Over 64 years have passed since my birth, and some of the events that will be mentioned are things told me by my good father and mother. Mother said when I was born that I had long black hair and dark blue eyes (which have changed considerably now), and when just a few days old, an Indian squaw came to the home asking for food. 

 

Mrs. Sallie Noble, who was the nurse, took me to the window and the squaw thought mother had stolen her papoose.  Well, she wouldn't give me up so I am not an Indian.  I was well fed (but not on a bottle) and taken good care of.  My parents worked hard to provide for their children, although we didn't have the luxuries as we do today.  I slept on a thick, straw tick with a feather tick on top, and I used a candlestick to locate the bed at night.  I never did set the straw tick on fire.

 

I was baptized for the remission of some of my sins on September 5, 1897 by William Coleman in the Smithfield Creek on 2nd East. I was always taught to go to church, and I went.  I never had new clothes or shoes, for my shoes were just blackened on Saturday night and they were quite shiny on Sunday morning.  I remember one pair of shoes particularly. They were made like a pair of overshoes with no laces, just one buckle on them, and I will never forget how appreciated that new pair of shoes was. Well, I was always a little backward about taking part in church, but I was promoted as years went by. I was ordained to the office of deacon in the Aaronic priesthood about 1902 and then in later years was ordained to the office of teacher and priest.  I served as a ward teacher with Ira Noble when a teacher, and I have been a ward teacher all my life except when doing missionary work in the stake and abroad.

 

I was ordained an Elder by George Done, October 31, 1909. I suppose marriage was staring me in the face about this time as Miss Eva Brighton and I were seeing each other quite often although we were having so many fallouts that I wasn't too sure about marriage until we said "I will."

 

We had a nice, clean courtship, and I am happy for everything that transpired in our lives. I do give Robert Thornley (a guardian over Eva) some credit for our marriage.

 

Once Eva got smart, and I quit her so Robert came to me and said, "We like you, and I think you had better come back." That sounded good, so back I went, and here we are together 43 years later and still loving.  [Note by Eunice: I remember my parents telling me that it was at a dance when she was dancing the last dance with someone else instead of with Dad, so he left her to find her way home].

 

Well, on April 19, 1910 we left for the courthouse in Logan to get our license for marriage. When about one mile north of Logan, the old mare fell down and broke the shafts in the buggy, so we walked the rest of the way, got our license and had the blacksmith repair the buggy and went home.

 

The next morning, April 20, I got up early, hooked the old horse up and went for Eva. Everything went fine that day. Got home and they had a fine reception and banquet at Robert Thornley's home. The next morning we got up, helped Thornleys clean everything up and then continued on with my farm work as usual: no honeymoon, no fun.

 

In 1911, I purchased a farm in Blue Creek.  We went over in summer and back to Smithfield in the winter for two years. Then I sold out again and started doing carpenter work. I helped build the Amalga Sugar Factory, the pea factory at Smithfield, the viners in the county and other houses in Smithfield.  In 1918, I traded my home for a dry farm near Arimo, Idaho.

 

Thelma was born January 2, 1918 at home in Smithfield. We also had Alton who was born October 20, 1911 and Ruby born October 1, 1913.  In the spring we moved onto the farm.  We spent six years at Arimo with poor crops or frost each year. Getting discouraged, I sold out and moved back to Smithfield. In 1924 my brother Roy and I rented my father's farm, and my family has lived here ever since.

 

While at Arimo I did some work in the church. Was called to be a stake missionary January 2, 1922 and was given an honorable release December 3, 1923. This was a wonderful experience and a milestone in my life I will never forget. In the fall of 1925, I was asked to go on a mission to the Eastern States. I willingly accepted it this time, although I had a wife and three children to leave now.

 

My farewell was held Sunday, December 8.  I attended mission school in Salt Lake City for one week, then went directly to New York City.  I spent two years in the Eastern States Mission and had many wonderful experiences while there. I was released November 15, 1927 and returned home and took up my former labors as a farmer.

 

On April 1, 1929 we had an increase in the family, and she was named Eva Barbara.  As the family was getting larger, I needed more income and insurance; so in May 1929 I started selling for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and continued doing so for four years, along with my farm work.

 

On July 10, 1931, another little girl with black hair came to our home, and she was given the name of Eunice Jane. She was our last child, and she is still the last in everything, in getting to the table and in going to bed.

 

In 1935 I discontinued the insurance business and stayed with the farm. After returning from my mission, I continued in the church work. Was called to teach in the Sunday School in December 1927 and have been a teacher in this organization up until the present time.  In 1938 I was set apart as president of the High Priest Quorum in the Smithfield Stake; in 1943, I was released and set apart as a high councilman which position I held until 1946 when I was ordained Bishop of the Smithfield Fourth Ward by Spencer W. Kimball of the quorum of the twelve apostles. I served as Bishop for 5 1/2 years.  I was released in February 1952, and was again set apart to teach the gospel doctrine Sunday school class.  This is my calling at present, as well as being a ward teacher supervisor.

 

In 1946, I sold my farm to Dale Nilson.  I started selling life insurance for the American National Insurance Company in 1948, which I am doing at present, as well as being a salesman for the J. R. Watkins Company.

 

I am still going, am well and happy, but sorry that I have neglected keeping a more accurate record of my accomplishments and failure in life which could have made a large volume. I have often said, “If my foresight was a good as my rear sight, I could have avoided many of the mistakes in life,” but I am quite satisfied with the life I have under the circumstances in which it was lived. Probably I should have gotten a better education or should have collected more wealth, but these things cannot be compared with the good wife and the fine children and grandchildren that I have been blessed with, and my greatest desire is to live so they will always appreciate my little part played in life.

 

Eunice Tidwell Merrill continues:

 

I remember my father as an extremely hard worker, loading the hay racks with a pitchfork in the heat of the day. Mom would always prepare a big delicious dinner which was appreciated by the laborers hired by dad. They would then take a little rest under the big trees in the front yard before returning to their laborious work in the hot sun. Barbara and I loved to tromp the hay (except for the occasional mouse or snake that would be thrown up with the hay).

 

Dad suffered a severe heart attack. He went to a specialist in Ogden or Salt Lake, and they put him on some medicine to thin his blood.  But there was no follow-up. This almost ended his life at home in Smithfield.  He began to hemorrhage from every opening in his body. The hospital was called and they were waiting to give him a transfusion as he was driven up to the emergency room door in Logan. He survived this.

 

Dad was also an honest man. No signature would have been required.  His word was as good as a bond. I was told that when he was on his mission, Brother Farr (David O. McKay's brother-in-law) gave him an open-ended note to use what money was needed, and he could settle up after his mission. (Banking practices would not allow this today.)

 

Dad was also a gentle man. I remember receiving one slap on the arm from him when he thought I had given Mom a problem (I received it by mistake) as he honored and respected his parents and expected the same from his children.

 

He was a wonderful example of Christian living. He discouraged the family from doing anything that would be contrary to the teachings of the Sabbath Day, and he was faithful in attendance to the temple and his church meetings.

 

Dad had helped in the care of his father when he died from cancer. He also hoped he would not have that occur in his life but some experiences are not of our choice and he, too, patiently suffered from cancer.