THE LIFE STORY OF ARTHUR CURTIS JOLLEY

By Leland D Jolley

Arthur Curtis Jolley was born November 29,1885 in Mt. Carmel, Utah to William Jackson Jolley and Elisabeth Jenkensen Stolworthy. He was baptized July 4, 1892. The family lived in Mt. Carmel until 1897. It was here Arthur received his early education. Arthur was 12 years old when the family moved to Tropic, Utah—a quiet little town of about 500 people nestled in a small valley just east of Bryce Canyon. His father was an aggressive businessman. He owned large herds of sheep and operated a general merchandise store.

Arthur spent most of his younger years herding and caring for the sheep. His father often said “I can trust Arthur with the sheep more than any of my crew!”

The Jolley family were some of the first settlers in Tropic and they all had to work on the water development project. The water had to be brought across the top of the mountains some distance. Arthur worked on this project and was paid 25 cents per hour. They were required to take stock in the water for part of their pay.

Arthur was a great lover of sports. He always actively participated in such things as horse races, foot races, broad jumping, wrestling, and just playing ball with the children.

Arthur was always taller than most of the boys in town, and as a result he was given the nickname “Stubb.” He was known by the name of “Stubb” The rest of his life by the Tropic people.

On October 19, 1907 he married Harriet Emeline Adair. Soon afterwards, they moved to Salt Lake City. At that time, their first baby, Jewel was just a few months old.  While in Salt Lake, Arthur was employed on the construction of Hotel Utah. This work lasted a little over one year.. This was just about one week before their second baby, Dot Althea, was born. It took two weeks to make the trip one way by team and wagon.

Arthur was a man who loved to sing. He and his wife Hattie, as she was called, sang together as a duet. Such songs as “After the War” and “Tell Mother I’ll Be There” were some of their old favorites. Arthur was always loved by the younger people. He would go out of his way to help them.

AFTER THE WAR IS OVER

            Heroes are marching, marching to the war

            Transports are sailing from shore to shore.

            With Old Glory waving proudly as before

            Yankee hearts are saying we will win the war.

            Chorus:

            After the war is over when the battle’s done

            Everyone’s heart will be joyful after the victory’s won

            Liberty’s flag will be flying no matter where you may roam

            And I know we’ll all be happy when the  boys come marching home.

            Echoes of vict’ry, reach us from the Marne,

            Pershing is marching he’s marching on,

            Bravely he is fighting and we know he’ll win.

            Yankees are sweeping onward onward to Berlin           

            Chorus:

____________________________

TELL MOTHER I’LL BE THERE

            When I was but a little child how well I recollect
            How I would grieve my mother with my folly and neglect;
            And now that she has gone to Heav’n I miss her tender care:
            O Savior, tell my mother, I’ll be there!

Refrain

Tell mother I’ll be there, in answer to her prayer;
This message, blessèd Savior, to her bear!
Tell mother I’ll be there, Heav’n’s joys with her to share;
Yes, tell my darling mother I’ll be there.

Though I was often wayward, she was always kind and good;
So patient, gentle, loving when I acted rough and rude;
My childhood griefs and trials she would gladly with me share:
O Savior, tell my mother, I’ll be there!

Refrain

When I became a prodigal, and left the old rooftree,
She almost broke her loving heart in mourning after me;
And day and night she prayed to God to keep me in His care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I’ll be there!

Refrain

One day a message came to me, it bade me quickly come
If I would see my mother ere the Savior took her home;
I promised her, before she died, for Heaven to prepare:
O Savior, tell my mother, I’ll be there!

                                                Words and Music: Charles M. Fill­more         

After returning to Tropic, he became involved in hauling freight from the end of the railroad in Marysvale, Utah to the stores in Tropic. This trip usually took ten or eleven days. In the winter he would have to walk nearly all the way to keep from freezing to death. On one occasion, he had his feet frozen. When night came on he had to bed down on the cold ground.

He used to tell of the horse trading that took place in the evenings. On one trade, he got a beautiful horse that turned out to be balky. It took a couple of extra days to get home. By now you may have guessed that Arthur was a great horse lover. He always owned a beautiful team of horses and a good race horse. Among the many teams he owned was a pair named Queen and Prince.

In 1924, Arthur’s brother, William T. Jolley, suggested that he consider moving his family to Utah County. After a lot of careful consideration, he sold most everything he owned. They loaded what personal belongings they could in the old buck board wagon and the buggy which was tied behind it, and started the long trek to Utah County. It was a very hard trip for all.

The two horses, Queen and Prince, were able to pull the load about twenty miles per day. At night, the family of ten would prepare the meals over campfire and bed down on the ground for a night’s rest. When they left Tropic, they tried to bring a few cows. The older children would drive the cows along behind the wagon. After a few days, they were forced to give up the cows. 

After twelve hard days, the family arrived in Elberta which is a small farming community in the south end of Utah County. It was here that Arthur’s brother, William, was operating a large ranch known as the Jessie Knight Ranch. Arthur and his family moved in and lived with William. Here they stayed for about one year, after which he leafarm nearby. And thus was the beginning of a new life for the Arthur Jolley family.

In 1945 he sold the farm and cattle and purchased a nice home in Payson, Utah. It was at this home where he died August 21, 1947. It could be said, to sum it all up, that Arthur Curtis Jolley could be characterized as a hard worker, a good provider, a wonderful father and husband, and one loved by many friends.