William
Thomas Tew, Jr. was born in Springville and spent several years in other
localities—but he always considered Mapleton his home. He entered this life
January 2, 1885, the first child of William T. Tew and Clara Elizabeth Snow,
with four brothers and two sisters joining the family later.
When he was
about six months of age, William moved with his parents to Mapleton, where they
settled on a 20-acre farm on the east side of town. His father engaged in
brick-laying and farming to provide for the physical needs of the family.
Of his early
years in Mapleton, William recorded in his autobiography: “We had no
amusements, only visiting our friends and relatives. These were days when all the
“Union Bench” or Mapleton was without fences; roads followed the course of
least resistance. I remember that the main road to Springville took a diagonal
direction from the old school house towards the Barlow Hill this side of
Springville. A baseball diamond was laid out on the east part of Richard L.
Mendenhall’s farm. Here, on the Fourth and Twenty-fourth of July, all the
citizens assembled and sat around under the cedar trees to watch the baseball
games.”
These
conditions soon changed and social life was centered around a small school
house. This building was used for religious gatherings, socials, plays,
road-shows, etc. It was in this school house that William and his family saw
their first Minstrel Show, a real thrill in those days.
William
attended school in Mapleton a few months each winter, progressing from reader
to reader, as was the custom. In the fall of 1901 he and another student, John
Bent, decided to complete their education, even though they had to travel on
horseback to Springville for instruction. Final examinations were conducted in
Spanish Fork and graduation exercises took place in Lehi. Ninety-two students
obtained certificates from the Grammar School of Utah County on May 23, 1902.
Brigham
Young Academy provided the next educational step, but this was interrupted in
1905 when William was called to serve as a missionary in New Zealand for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He remained there three years and
it took another two years after his return to accumulate sufficient funds to
continue his education. He enrolled in Brigham Young University, then passed
his high school examinations, making himself fully acceptable. In June, 1916 he
was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Agronomy, with a minor in Chemistry.
During his college years, he had the good fortune to be asked to teach
part-time at the university, receiving a salary of $25.00 per month. Low as
this salary was, it made his education possible.
William T.
Tew, Jr. married Jennie Houtz on June 18, 1913. She was the daughter of
Christian Watson Houtz and Mary Esther Waters, early residents of Mapleton.
After
teaching two years in Manti and Springville, William moved his family to Lost River,
Idaho, where he hoped to use his knowledge of agronomy and become a full-scale
farmer. However, a badly-broken leg contributed to severe financial reverse and
he re-entered the teaching profession in September, 1920 at the Butte County
Junior High School in Moore, Idaho.
The
following year a Church Seminary was opened in Fillmore, Utah, and Mr. Tew was
given the privilege of pioneering this new venture. He taught four years in
Fillmore and was then transferred and became Principal of the Springville
Seminary, where he taught until he was called with his family to preside over
the East Central States Mission, with headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. He
served faithfully for three years and in September, 1940, he returned to his
assignment with the Springville Seminary, continuing his work until his
retirement May 24, 1953. Much of this time he also served as a member of the
Kolob Stake High Council, and during the summer months he was frequently
employed as a carpenter.
Being
civic-minded, Mr. Tew was a member of the Mapleton City Council, one year as
councilman and one as mayor. During those years the groundwork was laid for the
installation of a culinary water system. Successive mayors carried through on
the plans and the completion was celebrated Aug. 23, 1919.
Mr. Tew and
his wife were parents to seven children: Merlene, Naoma, Helen, Thirl William,
Roy Eldon, Dean Leon, and Ronald Kay, all of whom are living at the time of
this writing.
Well-versed
in the scriptures, Mr. Tew was an influential missionary, a gifted speaker, a
capable instructor, and a natural leader. He possessed vigor and vitality and
expended it freely in instructing the youth of this area. He was rewarded with
the devotion of students, missionaries, friends, and family, and has left an
enviable mark upon the lives of his fellow citizens.
On January
24, 1954 Mr. Tew passed away quietly at his home in Mapleton, having suffered
for some time from Hodgkin’s Disease. His wife, Jennie, survives him and is
living in Springville, now in her eighty-fourth year.
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