Patriarch Richard Jefferies Drops Dead Monday
The life of Patriarch Richard Jefferies of Grantsville, beloved and respected citizen and churchman of Tooele county, came to a dramatic close early Monday morning, while in the act of preparing to serve the community, which attitude had motivated his entire life.
Mr. Jefferies had been asked to act as one of the draft registration agents for Grantsville City, and he with John T. Flinders acting in the same capacity, was just preparing to open the registration room in the Grantsville high school at 7 a. m., when Mr. Jefferies dropped dead.
Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2 p. m., in the Grantsville First ward chapel under direction of the ward bishopric. The body may be viewed at the family home Thursday until time for the service.
Mr. Jefferies was secretary of the high priests' quorum of Tooele stake, and Sunday evening had filled an appointment to the Grantsville Second ward in connection with the high priests presidency, and was one of the speakers.
He has given almost a life-time of service to the Sunday school organization, as a side issue to all of his other important church positions, which have been many and varied.
At the division of the Grantsville ward on March 29, 1914, he became the first bishop of the Grantsville First ward serving until he was honorable released January 5, 1930. On January 8, 1933, he was made a stake high councilman, and secretary of the high priests' quorum, and on October 31, 1934, he was ordained a patriarch.
He served as one of the presidents of the thirty-first quorum of seventy, and filled two missions to Great Britain for the L. D. S. church, being placed in charge of a company of emigrating saints upon returning from both missions.
He left on his first mission October 19, 1893, and left for the second mission in 1907.
At the age of fourteen Mr. Jefferies became a member of the Grantsville brass band serving in the community band organization for 44 years, first under the leadership of James Ratcliffe and later under W. O. Jefferies.
Mr. Jefferies was born November 29, 1867, in Grantsville, a son of William and Mary Frances Ould Jefferies.
Mr. Jefferies clerked in a Grantsville store as a youth, then became interested in the wool growing business, and during his later years was a farmer and stockraiser.
His first marriage was on November 26, 1890, in the Logan LDS temple to Jane Elizabeth Rydalch. To this union eight children were born. She died December 7, 1912.
He was married in the Salt Lake temple September 9, 1914, to Sarah Ann Parkinson. Two daughters were born to this union.
November 4, 1930, he was elected Tooele county commissioner and served two years. In the fall of 1911 he was elected mayor of Grantsville and served until he resigned in the spring of 1913.
Surviving are his widow, ten sons and daughters: R. Calbert and D. Paul Jefferies, and Mrs. Noal Callister, Grantsville; J. Walter Jefferies, Oatman, Ariz.; Mrs. Clarence Briscoe, Port Huron, Mich.; Mrs. Raliegh Johnson, Saltair; Mrs. J. Q. Griffith, Tooele; William Chester Jefferies, Mrs. C. A. Merrill, and Mrs. Ralph T. Brown, Salt Lake City; a sister and four brothers: Mrs. M. M. Stookey, Clover; Murray Jefferies, Salem; Albert Jefferies, Los Angeles; Henry Jefferies, Salt Lake City; William O. Jefferies, Grantsville; 32 grandchildren and one great grandchild.