Bodily, James Richard, 1872-1967

James Richard Bodily (1872-1967) was a farmer and Latter-day Saint missionary.

James Richard Bodily was born on February 1, 1872 in Hyde Park, Utah, to William and Sarah Talbot Bodily. He married Margaret Charlotte Cole, the daughter of Joseph and Celia Cole, in the Logan Temple in Logan, Utah, June 2, 1897. Fifteen days after their marriage, James left home to serve an LDS mission to the Southern States. He spent most of his mission in Kentucky; he returned home September 2, 1899.

In 1902 James and Margaret bought a 160 acre farm in Cherryville for $3000.00. While in Cherryville, James taught school. He purchased additional farms and homesteaded 160 acres at Bancroft in 1912. They lived there fourteen months before selling it and purchasing additional acres. In the early twenties they purchased their first electric milker.

The couple had five children, all of whom were educated in the Whitney Grade School and Preston High School. James was clerk of the Whitney School Board and took an active part in the construction of the school in 1924.

James served diligently in both the LDS church and his community. After spending the last 19 years of life in Mesa Arizona, he passed away April 12, 1967 at the age of 95 in the Preston Hospital and was laid to rest in the Whitney Cemetery beside his wife who had died three years before.

From the guide to the James Richard Bodily LDS mission diaries, 1897-1900, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)