Description

Nothing Else To Do

The following is one pioneer’s perspective on courting, love, marriage, and family. It comes from the autobiography of Zadok Knapp Judd. He wrote:

In the spring of 1851, a man by the name of John Dart came to Parowan with his family; a year later one of his daughters, Mary Minerva, began to show preference for me above all other fellows, and as I had no housekeeper but an old widow, Obanks, I thought a good deal of Miss Mary. Threshing time came and I was one of the hands threshing for Mr. Dart. He spoke of his going to the City soon after that work was done. I wanted to ask him if I might go with him. I planned several ways in which I might ask him for his daughter, but each time my little heart thumped so hard that I was totally unable to do so, and he went away and I had not his consent to marry his daughter. While he was away one day while in Mary’s company, we were talking about another couple who were to be married soon, and I said simply: “When shall we be married?” Not a very, very romantic proposal, but it served the purpose. Mary said, “Just as soon as you are ready.” This settled, we went to the Presiding Elder to get him to perform the ceremony, but he refused to do so without the consent of Mr. Dart, so we had to wait until his return from the city. We were married soon after on November 14, 1852, in the log house I had built, with a house full of friends as witnesses. Here is the whole story as I have learned it lately:

The summer was over, my flocks were all shorn,
My fields were cut down and I have harvested my corn.
To the cottage of sweet Mary, so neatly to view,
I straightway went to courting, for I had nothing else to do.
‘Twas down in the valley together we sat.
We passed away the hours in curious chat.
I told her that I loved her and hoped she loved me too;
And we’d love one another, for I had nothing else to do.
So to the next village together we roamed,
In search of the clergy. We found him at home.
I paid him his fee; he made one of us two.
We were married straightway, for we’d nothing else to do.
Years have made a change since we came to this place.
Our table is too small, our cottage wanted space.
We have healthy rosy lads and lassies too;
And we loved the little rogues, for they have caused us else to do.

Isn’t it interesting how, now and forever, children and family change us in so many wonderful ways?

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWNN-2K3