Story of Two Tools that Belonged to Edward Lloyd Parry

Some time ago we posted about some of Edward Lloyd Parry's tools. We have subsequently discovered more about two of those tools. Here is a recent picture of the tools (click on the photo to enlarge):

And here is the story about those tools, as told by George Peacock to Sharon Jewkes in December 2009:

Dear Sharon,

A friend who is part of the Church Education System, whom I first knew in Springville just before he left to serve a mission in 1971 or about, had these and other tools. His name is Alan Maynes. After he left on his mission, his family moved to Springville from Manti. I never knew more of them until in the late 1980s when Alan was assigned to teach seminary in Circleville.

During the next few years, we met in in-service activities while discussing local history. Alan mentioned that he had some tools which belonged to ELP. I was astonished! I was looking at ELP because of his work as the chief stonemason on the Manti Temple. Alan’s family had purchased the ELP home in Manti and on the premises were the stone tools.

I was wanting to know what kind of a drill they used to drill stone in those days and Alan replied that he could show me one. When I saw his tools, I expressed interest in having one. Alan thought for a while, then bargained for a possession of mine which he had greatly desired. Well, we made the trade and I got the two tools – one chisel and one drill bit.

I had them until I gave them to you and Creig. I liked them, but just the thought of putting them into the hands of a descendant of ELP swayed me enough to make the gift. My assumption is that the tools were used on both the temples, but that may be poor deduction – because most of the remaining holes that are in the sandstone quarries do not fit the size of that drill bit. They are smaller. The oolite stone of the Manti would yield itself to the drill, I believe, but the red stone required on the temple was not near as exacting as the stone for the Tabernacle in St. George. But at least I think we can be assured that they are indeed the tools of ELP and the softest rock on which a drill would be used are the stone for the Manti, St. George Temples and the St. George Tabernacle, all of which ELP was stonemason or chief stonemason.

I hope your family will cherish these tools. I would imagine that the museums of any of those three structures would “give their right arm” for them if they had a chance. My great-great-grandfather, George Peacock, was one of the early settlers of Manti, its first postmaster, and a member of the first territorial legislature held in Fillmore and later in SLC. His son moved from Manti to Orangeville with the Jewkes, and my Grandmother Peacock was a Jewkes. She was a daughter of Joseph Hyrum Jewkes, born on April 6th, the son of Samuel Jewkes.

I am George Morris Peacock, son of William Morris Peacock, son of William George Peacock, son of George Peacock who settled in Orangeville.

My grandfather, William, who married Jennie Jewkes, built his home, in which I was born and raised, across the street and south of the home of Alma G. Jewkes, who was a brother to Joseph Hyrum Jewkes. Later, my mother and my stepfather built the white-bricked home directly across the street west from Uncle Alma’s home.

We knew him as  “Uncle Al,” since my father was taught that title by his mother who was indeed Uncle Alma’s niece.