SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JOSEPH HANS LUND

By Historian - Nora Lund

Joseph Hans Lund was born in Hebron, Washington County, Utah May 6, 1876. This little town was situated about six miles west of where the town of Enterprise is now located. His father was Wilson Lund and his mother was Ellen Nielson Lund. He was blessed on the 9th of July 1876 by Bishop George H. Crosby. At the age of 8 years on June 4, 1884 he was baptized by Ruffus C. Allen and confirmed the following day by William E. Jones, Bishop of Paragonah. He was a studious boy, eager to learn all he could in school. After completing the grades that were taught in Hebron and Paragonah he was able to attend the Murdock Academy at Beaver, Utah. This was a very fine institution for its time. Joseph was always kind and considerate of his mother. When she died, he continued to live in the old home where his brother Richard and his wife were living. Religion played a great part in Uncle Joe’s life. The church meant much to him . He followed its teachings almost to the letter. He had a clean body and mind. I don’t think that breaking the Word of Wisdom was ever much of a temptation to him.. I’m sure he always accepted any church job he was asked to do as a means in which his character could be strengthened. Records show that he received three Patriarchal Blessings to have as a guide for good throughout his life. One was given December 3, 1899 by Daniel Tyler at Beaver. He received another one from Harrison Sperry on June 6, 1919. The last was given by Hyrum G. Smith, the Presiding Patriarch of the Church, on April 19, 1921 in Salt Lake City. I have no dates of his ordinations into the Aaronic Priesthood, but he was ordained an Elder by Charles Stoney, January 26, 1900 and ordained a Seventy by Charles H. Hart January 8, 1922. He received his endowments at the St. George Temple June 2, 1920. From this date we may figure that it was approximately 1920 that he was called on a mission to California which he fulfilled successfully. Upon his return from the mission field he was set apart as Superintendent of the Paragonah Ward Sunday School . He seemed to sense his responsibility keenly and worked hard to make the school a success. If the financial condition of the association was poor and insufficient to carry on their needs, he never hesitated to pay the expenses out of his own pocket. The children and older people alike enjoyed going to Sunday School with Joe Lund at the head, because he was so kind to everyone. Uncle Joe was a farmer and stock raiser by occupation . He worked cooperatively with his brother Alf, Wils, and Rich . When Wils died the three of them carried on . When Joe wasn*t able to work for some reason or another he always hired a man to take his place doing the farm work. Nels Holyoak, Bill Frances Williamson, and Carl Thornton were some of the men that worked for him.. May I give a little description of him as I remember him. He was about 5 ft. 11 in. tall, weighed about 140 or 150 lbs. and had a chest size of about 40 in. He was quite tall but a bit stooped shouldered. His eyes were blue, and he had what would be called ‘Sandy’ hair. The general condition of his health was fair. I imagine it was about the year 1924 when he got an idea that he could make good in the mercantile business. By this time Uncle Tom Topham, Aunt Annie*s husband had died and Uncle Joe was living with Aunt Annie and her children, Amenzo and Bertha. Uncle Joe acted as manager with his nephew Merrill Lund, Uncle Richs boy, as assistant manager and clerk. His niece, Lola Lund, Uncle Wils girl, was a clerk also. As I understand, the business was bought from Sade Savage, who had moved her store into the east room of the old Town Hall when her building and goods on main street were destroyed by fire. I am not prepared to say why the business venture went on the rocks. Perhaps it was inefficient management, or perhaps the competition of another store ‘which I think was built at this time on main street. The depression hit everyone about this same time, also. The nation was in a pretty bad fix financially. All the banks of the United States closed their doors, and the Bank of Iron County in Parowan was no exception. This worked a hardship on the Lund store business forcing it to close. Of course, the loss was heavy. Uncle Joe being an honest man wanted to do the right thing by his creditors, and I think he was gradually pulling out of his financial upset when he met his death. His death was accidental and very untimely. One day in the latter part of August 1933 Joe was driving a team with his brother Rich, bringing a load of hay along highway 91. It was about noon and they were nearly to town when they were struck by a fast speeding car. It was thought that the driver must have dozed at the wheel. He had been driving for hours without sleep. It was discovered that he was a ‘boot-leggier’ having the back seat of his car loaded with ‘boot-leg’ whiskey. He had loaded up in Nevada and was anxious to get to his destination without a stop before he could be apprehended. As it has been proven many times one cannot push the human body and mind too far without nature backfiring. This fellow paid dearly for his poor judgement. The lawyers, Morris and Matheson, of Cedar City handled the case which was settled satisfactorily out of court. The car ran head on into the team of horses. Uncle Rich’s Bolly mare was working on the near side. It knocked her down and she received a terrible wound in her side. The force of the impact against the wagon caused Uncle Joe to fall to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital at Cedar City where he was given the best possible medical attention, but it was of no avail. He passed away on the 30th of August 1933. He was brought home for funeral and burial services in the Paragonah Cemetery. I*m sure it was a disappointment to Uncle Joe never to have married and had a family. He went with lots of girls, but somehow he just never got around to marrying any of them. He had been quite friendly, however, with a Miss Ruth Lewis, a fine woman in Salt Lake City. After his death, arrangements were made for her to be sealed to him in the temple. The work was done in Salt Lake Temple. His brother Alfred stood with her as proxie for Uncle Joe. He will be assured of a mate in the next world, anyway.

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