Sketch of the Life of Ida Woodyatt Ida Melissa Pettingill was born in Willard, Box Elder County, Utah, October 28, 1867. She was a daughter of Elihu Pettingill who was born April 3, 1821, in Jefferson County, New York, and Jane Marsh, who was born June 6, 1827, in Randolph, Cattaraugus County, New York.
Jane Marsh and Elihu Pettingill were married in New York, and had two children before they joined the church and came across the plains in 1852.
Ida Melissa and Ada Cerissa were twins and were the thirteenth arrival in the family. Elihu and Jane Pettingill had fifteen children – twelve girls and three boys. Thirteen of these children grew to man and womanhood and were married. The twin girls contracted the whopping cough and Ada Cerisa, being the weaker of the two, passed away at the age of three months. Ida was a very sensitive, nervous child, and she developed St. Vitis dance. She continued to suffer with this for about seven years, and was unable to feed herself or help herself. At the age of seven, she was taken by her parents to be baptized for this affliction. She was baptized in the Cold Springs south of Willard by Bishop George Facer. In a very short time she completely recovered and the disease never returned.
Ida vividly recalls the firs primary organized in Willard, and at the age of twelve years was called to sing in the Willard choir by Professor Evan Stephens. She sang with his choir until he left for Salt Lake City and continued on singing in the Willard choir until she was sixty years of age.
Ida was brought up in an exceptionally happy home. Her parents were fond of entertaining people and were always ready on short notice to entertain their friends. Her father was an expert at all kinds of dancing, and taught tap and all types of square dances. He played the fiddle for dances for miles around. The Pettingill girls were attractive girls and were taught to sing and dance and many happy hours were spent in their home. They were also taught to sew, knit, make soap, and candles, card wool and cook.
Ida went to school in Willard and finished the grades as that was all the schooling obtainable at that time. She became acquainted with a young emigrant from England by the name of Harvey Woodyatt and married him when she was seventeen. They were married in the Logan Temple by President Merrill, January 22, 11885, and on their return home were entertained with a fine wedding supper. Many guests were present. They started housekeeping in Willard and in the following December their first child, a girl, was born. Shortly after this they moved to Elba, Cassia County, Idaho, where Ida’s two sisters and a brother were living. They lived in Elba for about four years where two more girls were born. They moved back to Willard in 1889. In the next four years two boys were born. In April 1892 Harvey Woodyatt was called on a mission to England leaving Ida with five children. They had very little money. Ida’s father gave her two rooms in his home and Ida worked very hard to keep her family while her husband was away. She was very happy when he returned home.
By the year 1900 their family had increased to eight children and they had moved into the big new house. Two more children came, making a total of ten children, six girls and four boys. All of these are still living with the exception of two – Richard Harvey died at the age of ten with appendicitis and Hilda Jane died at 27 years of age leaving three little boys. Ida cared for the youngest little boy until he was 3 ½ years of age.
They were proud to be able to send two missionaries into the mission field. William went to England on a mission and later Ada went to the Eastern States. Fred served in World War I. He enlisted in the 145th Field Artillery and went to France in 1917.
They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary January 22, 1935. Harvey was ill at that time and lived only until the following October. He was 73 years at the time of his death. Ida was a wonderful nurse for him, giving him loving tender care until the last.
Ida has been an active church worker all her life, serving in all the organizations. She was chorister in Relief for ten years and always helped with the sewing and was block teacher as long as she was able to go.
She was a good wife and mother and did the best she could at all times. It was not easy to raise such a big family and times were not easy. She remembers each month to send money to Harvey’s widowed sister who lives in England. She tells many interesting experiences she had in early days – stories about the Indians and of going to dances on horseback with some wheat tied on the back of the saddle to pay for the dance ticket. She has 29 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren.
