Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-04
PIONEER FIDDLER
DIES OF OLD AGE
"Hop" Fender. known by All Early
Corners 10 Utah. Succumbs to
General Debility.

HOPKINS e. Pendcr. age So years, the
pioneer FIDDLER" OF Utah, who in his
younger days delighted to help furnish
music in the Old Social hall while tho
pioneers "tripped the light fantastic
died Of old age saturday afternoon at
1874 west South Temple. where he had
lived ten years. The services will. be
held AT the Seventeenth ward meetins
house Tuesday afternoon. and the bur
ial will take place In city cemetery.
Hop Ponder, az he was affectionate-
ly called, was born at Knoxville. Tenn,
oct. T. 1874 He coined the Mormon
church In Illinois ia 1888. and his
property was burned by the mobs at
Caithagc. lie moved TO Iowa. where
I lac mot and married Miss Jeanetta
Drake. with his wife he moved to
Utah In 1850, and he has resided here
since ttat time living for many years
in the Thirteenth ward lie spent most
I W MS time at sucials and In various
church capacities and for years at the
/ sunday afternoon tabernacle services he
never failed 10 occupy a seat on tho
'front.' bench to the loft Of the aisle, di-
rertly I'm front Of the stand Next 10
MIN and as regular as be. were thre a
old ladies' Mary a. Long. age 20 years
Mrs Norman, age 20. and Mrs Ker-
shnw, age SIS years
The ola pioneer fiddler has been dy-
I ing for "a month SIX days before his
! death the trio Of lettering old women
visited the feeble man in his little room
on the second floor They were as
eager To hear something favorable In
his condition as II they had been youths
Of 20, inqulring after one Of similar age.
With tears in their eyes they ap.
preached tho bedside whore the dying
man lay In a half stupor
Pioneer Ponder was an extremely
sensitive man -Four years ago he
hung up his ancient fiddle and has
mover touched II since when asked
10 play. he would say laughingly. II
broke my finger. and can't play any
more" The real reason seemed to be
his failing hearins, as he had found
he was unable longer TO tune his faith
ful old instrument on account of his
poor hearing. and 10 attempt to play
with his eddie out OF tune and his be-
ing unable To detect IT, and thereby per-
haps subject himself TO criticism or
dersion would have broken his good olc
heart.
In the olden days. he was closely as
ISOLATED with Billy Foster. Billy Ritter,
s Olson. Dan Olson and Billy Godbe
When asked. week before his death
II certain old pioneer was a friend
Of his he quickly replied: "All the good
Saints were my friends"
In the early days in Utah he endured
many Of the trials OF the pioneers
passing through the cricket eN-
through trials with the Indians At
one time he was sheriff Of Weber
county.
ono Of his most trying experiences
was down Mt Los Vegas. New, where
he had been sent by Brigham Young
Ia
was met by q band Of ferocious In
dians. and all the property was stolen
or burned. Even their clothing was
stripped from their backs They were
several days IN the hlisternR sun
without clothing. and little 20 eat. but
finally found n suit OF dirty old un-
derwear. which to them seemed
worth more than a gold mine" Three
Of them divided this UP. and father
took the sox" said Mrs Croft. his
daughter who had come from Idah o
to be ut the bedside at the end. when
they reached the outskirts OF one Of
the pioneer settlements. one OF the
three donned the entire OUTFIT, nothing
hut old underwear, mind YOU, making
as respectable an appearance as pos
sible and gingerly approached the
town. The inhabitants thought scare
crow was coming. But when the people
found who they were and their con-
dition the place possessed nothing too
good for them"
The deceased is survived bv children
as follows Mrs Melissa Groot of
idaho Falls Mrs Emma Delaney OF
San Francisco. Phil Fender Of Stock
ton. Cal. and LaSella c. Fender OF
Salmon city. Ida: granddaughter as
follows Mrs. Helen Langford OF Salt
Lake. Mrs. Ruby F1aherty of Ogden
and Mrs. Jeanette Davidson OF
Montello, New.
For the past five years. the pioneer
fiddler made his home with Mr. and
Mrs. Edward Cherpillid, at 1921 west
South Temple. who were very kind to
him. fully approaching the sterling
worth OF the old man