I was born in Farmington, Utah on February 17, 1878 to Ira Richard and Bathsheba Bigler Miller Steed 
being the 2nd child of a family of 15 children. My oldest sister is Malinda and I had plenty to do and was 
brought up to know how to work. I used to help mother to take care of the smaller children that was one of 
my jobs. My father was a very good provider a farmer and cattleman. We had plenty of substantial food 
and nothing fancy but had neat clothing. Mother always kept our clothes our underwear was always clean 
and whole. Mother would sit in the winter evenings and knit stockings for we children. Then in the later 
years we would wear cotton ones in the winter, cashmere in winter not silk ones like they have today. We 
never paid over 15 or 25 cents a pair. As my sister Malinda grew older she would do most of the washing 
and we had very large ones one would take the first suds and the other the 2nd. We did not have washers, 
rubbed them all on the board and used to carry water from the creek across the street. We did not mind it 
though and had lots of fun doing these things. Mother would keep the fire, make the starch and get dinner 
then in the afternoon would have us lie down for 1 hour in the summer time after washing. We also did our 
ironing with stove irons. We would take 2 mornings to do it because we had such large ones.
  Mother would not allow us to go barefoot in the summer like some of the children. I remember one time 
when I was a child I wanted to go barefoot over to Aunt Lebs Millers and play. Mother said, "You can take 
your choice, barefoot and stay home or wear shoes and go play." I often wondered how father kept us all in 
shoes.
  What education I got was mostly in the district school and the Davis County Academy. They built the 
academy just across the street from our home. My sister and I would wash the dishes, make the beds and 
help mother until the first bell rang as they rang one 15 minutes before starting time. Then at night I would 
come home and there would almost always be a sink full of dishes to wash. They taught theology with 
other studies as it was a church school. While attending there W.O. Robinson and I sang a duet in 
assembly. I also took one of the leading parts in the opera called "The Secret" which helped me to get 
started to sing. Miss Wolbery was the teacher of music and she was a beautiful singer.
  I attended most of one year at the L.D.S. College in Salt Lake City. Malinda started there but had such bad 
headaches was not able to finish so I took her place. I often wished I could have gone on with school but 
father having such a large family felt like he could not afford it.
  We had lots of wonderful times in our younger days. We used to go in crowds, did not pair off like they 
do now days. The crowd used to meet at our home almost every Sunday night. One night I remember the 
boys went to Bountiful and got watermelon and we ate so much. They washed on boy's face in one piece 
then put it on a plate and gave it to one of the girls that came in. Mother was always one with us in 
entertaining our friends. Always enjoyed the young people coming there. Father was quieter and did not 
enter in but one night a few of us girls wanted to go to the dance. None of us had a date so father took us 
only a few blocks away. In those days it was almost a disgrace for girls to go to a dance without an escort. 
One of our boy friends came to our rescue at the door of the hall.
   When I was 16 years of age I was asked to join the Farmington Choir. I still belonged to it when we 
moved to Fielding. Uncle Jodie Robinson (we all called him uncle) was the leader. We all loved him. He 
was just like a father to us, there was nothing I have enjoyed so much in my entire life then belonging to 
that choir. I have many fond memories of it. Sadie Compton and I sang a great deal together (we were 
pals). She sang alto and I sang the lead. We sang at many meetings and also at parties and some of our 
choir parties. Uncle Jodie would say, "Come Sadie and Becky I want you to sing my song, " and we would 
sing  "Hope Beyond."
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	On June 15, 1899 I married George Robert Coombs son of Fredrick and Elizabeth Walker 
Coombs. I had a patriarchal blessing give to me on Feb. 7, 1897 by Ezra F. Clark and also James R. Miller 
gave me one on Jan. 16, 1899 they have both been a comfort to me.
	To this union five children were born 2 sons and 3 daughters, which have been a joy and comfort 
to me. They were Lousie, George, Henry, Irene, Ella and Carl Steed. I have tried to do my best in helping 
to raise them, but if it had not been for their father's help it would have been hard. We have tried to work 
united together and as we grow older we realize someday one of us will be alone so we are trying to be 
content wit out lot. In the spring of the year 1903 our two little children, Louise and George and us moved 
to Fielding, Utah to make a home.
	It was a hard move to leave our friends and families, as the first summer we had to live on a dry 
farm. The house was made of logs in which you could see the light through with no shade from trees and it 
was very hot. It was in this little place to an irrigated farm that my husband and his brother John bought, it 
was a 2 room log house but it was much better for the children and us, but for the first year we had to haul 
all of our water. Louise's health was poor as she had a heart condition and took a lot of care. My husband 
worked hard and we later built a big house on the corner and just moved in when we got the word that my 
father had passed away very suddenly (1909). John Coombs had married and came to live in the little log 
house.
   As the children grew up we built our place into a beautiful home. It was on a crossroad and a big 2 story 
white house. With the help of the children we progressed very well, but the disadvantage was that the 
children had so far to go to school. I worried about them as I would see them ride off, 3 of them on a pony 
but George was very dependable and careful and I know the Lord watched over them for me.
  We joined the choir, brother John Burns being the leader and uncle Fred Coombs (George's brother) the 
organist. We would take the 2 older children to aunt Alice Coombs (uncle Fred's wife), and leave them and 
take Irene (the baby) with us and lay her on a bench while we were practicing the songs. We both got a 
great deal of joy and pleasure out of practicing and singing the songs of Zion.
  We have had many wonderful times and enjoyed the many friends in this small community and 
entertained many. A group of us would go to each others house, taking turns and playing friendly cards in 
the winter time sometimes staying all night as the snow was so deep it was hard to get through. We would 
all take our children and put them to bed. We were all like a big happy family and we had many good 
times.
 George and I loved to entertain and a lot of friends came out from the city. My mother would come and 
stay with us for a month or two in the summer time after her family was all married, and we had a lot of 
good times.
  My husband George was always busy in the winter months helping with the recreation of the ward, in 
shows of the ward, in shows and planning dancing parties, masquerades and I generally had to take care of 
the refreshments, then George and I did a lot of singing at the different wards. So we kept busy but enjoyed 
it.
  I have worked in the Relief Society as a teacher. Teachers topic project leader and also as 2nd counsler for 
7 years. I often think I could of done more good in the church if I had lived in town where we could walk to 
our meetings.
  I have a lovely home also a good husband, but I long for company, someone I could talk to over the fence. 
Maybe that day will come for us.
  I was president of the Social Development Club in the year 1926 which was organized in 1921. On my 
60th birthday they held club at my home, the club presented me with a beautiful scarf for my piano also a 
pillow to match. Mrs. Halverson was president at the time.
  !942 and 1943 I am again working in the Relief Society as a teacher. Lavina Holt (Lovinnie) and Violet 
Grover companions in 1942 and Ruby Farnsworth in 1944.
  We celebrated our Golden Wedding in our home June 15th, 1949, a large crowd of friends and relatives 
attended.
  (Note added by daughter Irene:)
   Mother died September 17, 1949 after 3 weeks illness and 7 days at the Logan hospital. She was buried 
September 21, 1949 in the Farmington Cemetery.