Wild Horses Cannot Destroy Faith

Irven

Ruby

I know little about my Uncle Irven Rider, the husband of my Mom’s sister Ruby. I remember him as a peaceful, quiet presence in their home. My most vivid memory is of him sitting down at the piano in their Parma, Idaho, home and playing “Star of the East” for me. As he played, he became emotional and told me that it was his very favorite song. That alone tells me that Uncle Irven was a man of great faith who loved the Savior.

In case you are not familiar with this beautiful Christmas carol, the lyrics include these phrases:

Star of the East, oh Bethlehem star,
Guiding us on to heaven afar,
Smile of a Savior are mirrored in Thee,
Glimpses of Heaven in thy light we see.

Uncle Irven played the song by ear, so after I returned home I found the music so that I could love it too, but I couldn't play it with his emotion and expression.

An oft-quoted scripture in Matthew, chapter seven, states, “Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.” The next verse goes on to ask, “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” That verse leads me to believe that there is also truth in turning the verse, “Wherefore, by their roots shall ye know them.” That sentiment gives me hope as I discover the nobility of my ancestral roots. It also tells me something about my Uncle Irven as I learn of his roots.

Irven’s father, John McDonald Rider, was the oldest in a family of thirteen children, eight boys and five girls. When John was only two years old his father was called by President Brigham Young to help settle Southern Utah in Kanab. As you can imagine, being the oldest son, he was well acquainted with hard work. As a young boy he enjoyed herding cows and would dream of owning his own herd.

Eager to earn his own living, at the age of sixteen years, John gained permission from his parents to work for another rancher herding sheep on the north rim of the Grand Canyon for a salary of twenty dollars a month and his food. After working four years, he had saved enough money to buy one hundred and fifty head of cattle, fulfilling his childhood dream.

He had a strong musical ear, which he would pass on to his son, Irven. In the evenings, after a long day on the range, he and his hired men would gather around a small grass and brush fire, and John would play the guitar and sing in his clear tenor voice. He was also talented on the organ, harmonica, and accordion (an instrument upon which Irven later became proficient). In accordance with his name, he was an excellent rider and a strong contestant in rodeos.

Life was going very well for John. He was successful in his ranching business and felt well rewarded for his hard work.

Chicago World's Fair 1893

In 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World’s Fair) was held to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World. 

President Heber J. Grant

The leaders of the Mormon Church saw this as an opportunity to garner international respect for Utah in its quest for statehood. For reasons I have been unable to track down, President Heber J. Grant asked John, then twenty-five, to round up three hundred head of wild horses, load them on a train and take them to Chicago to the Fair. I imagine they were used in wild west shows and rodeos.

This was a very enjoyable and interesting trip, but when John returned home he learned that his cattle were dying. They were choking to death. Drought had caused the grass to wither and the watering holes to disappear, leaving white alkaline fields of sunbaked earth. John saw the remaining cattle standing motionless, flies buzzing over their bony backs, heads down, their tongues hanging from their partially opened mouths. Many were too weak to stand. It was a sickening sight, but nothing could be done to save the starved animals. Sick at heart, John turned his horse and rode wearily away. For the next two years John worked tirelessly until he was finally able to buy fifty head of cattle and a few horses. He rarely spoke of his loss and saw it as only a small setback.

In the meantime, he met a cute young amateur actress from Orderville who was performing in a play in Kanab. John played the organ in the orchestra for the dance after the show. Consequently lively Rhoda Jensen met John Rider. On a horseback riding date, John let Rhoda ride his best horse “Babel”. When he asked her how she liked the horse, she replied, “It’s wonderful. I would like to have a horse like this for my own.”  John told her that the girl who became his wife could have her. Rhoda replied, ''All right, she belongs to me." And so they were engaged. They were married April 24, 1894, in the beautiful St. George Temple.

My Uncle Irven was the eighth child born to this couple. By the time of his birth the family had moved from Kanab, to Basalt, and then to Woodville, Idaho. His father, John, served as the bishop of the Woodville ward for many years. The family later moved to Blackfoot where Irven was raised and educated.

I know more about Uncle Irven now, from learning about his roots, having grown on a family tree with roots of obedience to the call of the Prophet, hard work, sacrifice, and family values.