On a Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1852 at Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts, along with turkey and dressing and all other good foods and garnishes to make a Thanksgiving Dinner complete, a precious gift came to the home of William and Mary Ann Barker Bond. A lovely baby boy was born, who was the second son and sixth child of their family. The parents were especially proud and thankful their baby arrived on this glorious day. This lovely baby was given the name of Joseph William Bond.

Joseph’s parents had accepted the Gospel message given by the first early Mormon missionaries who had been sent from America to Manchester, England. And for the sake of this religion had left their home and loved ones, crossed the deep blue sea and landed in Boston Harbor, USA. They later located in Fall River where they stayed for almost eight years. Joseph’s father, William Bond, was called to serve as Presiding Elder of the Mormon Church while here. Then they moved to Iowa Camp grounds to await the time for them to be sent to the far west, the long wished for “Promised Land of Zion.”

When Joseph was but four years of age his parents and members of his family, with others in camp who made up this Company, crossed the plains with ox teams and wagons with the William B. Hodgetts Handcart Company. After months of strenuous strife and trouble, sadness and joy, this long, yet glorious journey was ended. They had arrived in the long looked for Promised Land—the beautiful Valley of the Great Salt Lake.

In 1864 the Bond family moved on north eastward to a small village called Heneferville, where they had purchased 25 acres of land from Colonel Curtis Appleby. Joseph, only twelve years of age, drove 25 or 30 head of sheep from Salt Lake City over what was called Big Mountain to the newly purchased farm land.

For his watchful care and help with the sheep on this journey, Joseph’s father presented him with a young steer calf. Joseph then proceeded to trade about with other things to acquire a mate for this calf. He was successful in doing so and raised the two animals until they were full grown. Joseph himself broke them to wear the yoke and harness, and with this yoke of oxen he plowed much of his father’s farm. The first plowing was done with a beam or hand plow, one man driving the oxen, the other holding and guiding the plow in the furrow.

Here in this village Joseph received his early education, Joseph Foster and his own father, William Bond, being his teachers. School in the 1860’s consisted of a few months of their time and the subjects were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. Joseph went as far into arithmetic as long division.

Joseph was very musically inclined. He became interested in learning the concertina and purchased the instrument from Charles Burton for the sum of $25.00. Stephen Beard gave him his first lessons. He practiced much and mastered playing the concertina well. Then he wanted to learn the violin. Going to Salt Lake City he visited the music store where he found a certain violin that he loved. As the dealer, Joseph Dayn, drew the bow over the strings of the instrument, the sweet, mellow tones penetrated his soul. He purchased the violin for the sum of $50.00. Sometime later he traded this violin with $50.00 for his brother, William’s violin. This he kept throughout his life, which is in the possession of his daughter, Naoma B. Ball. His violin instructor was James Lythgoe.

The young folk of Heneferville had a great love for dancing. A violin, organ, cornet, concertina, or even a harmonica was all that were needed for a dance orchestra. Joseph was an early dance musician, he with his teacher, James Lythgoe, played for many a dance to add to the joy and merriment for both young and old. Dancing followed by a supper at 12:00, and often danced until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., sometimes sunrise. The musicians were paid $2.00 to $3.00. The dances were held once a month.

Joseph remembers the emigrants coming into Salt Lake City from Iowa Camp grounds and camping on the Eighth Ward Square. The mail to loved ones and friends was carried in covered wagons drawn by ox teams and delivered by a Mr. Charles Beaumont, a French trader. The first post office was established in Heneferville in 1867, and was in the Bond’s General Store (Joseph’s parents). In a lean-to room built onto the Bond home, Joseph Foster was the first postmaster. He was followed by William Bond.

At the age of fifteen Joseph carried the U.S. Mail by horseback from Heber City to Heneferville. He would sleep over night in Heneferville, on to Ogden, staying overnight and back to Heneferville. The round trip covered 180 miles.

In his early manhood Joseph met the girl of his choice, Prudence Priscilla Richins. Blonde and blue eyed, she was the lovely daughter of Bishop Charles W. and Louisa Shill Richins. Joseph loved this young lady and with months of courtship asked her to become his wife. They were married August 7, 1877 for time (later sealed) in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, by President John Taylor of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was then Joseph placed upon the third finger of Prudence’s left hand a gold wedding band. The ring Joseph had made by a silversmith from a five dollar gold piece. Joseph was then twenty-four years of age and Prudence just “sweet seventeen.” The gold ring Prudence wore throughout her earthly wedded life 55 years. Always did this gold band remain shinning and bright, as did their love and happiness.

Joseph remembered the first two dollars he earned after leaving his father’s home. He drove George Roberts’ pair of mules and wagon into the nearby canyons and hills, chopping tree limbs into posts and loading them on the wagon, bringing them to Henefer for fencing purposes.

Joseph was employed by Bishop Charles Richins on his large farm. Then a contract was signed by Bishop Richins to furnish all the ties for the U.P. Railroad which was to run from Echo to Henefer. Men from Henefer and Coalville were hired to fill the jobs of chopping, hewing, hauling and laying of the ties which were to be brought out of the canyons. Joseph was one of the men hired. Upon completion of this U.P. Railroad contract, Bishop Charles Richins was paid the sum of $1,000 in a currency bill. He let Joseph hold and look at it. This was the only $1,000 green back Joseph ever saw or held in all his life.