LIFE OF GEORGE LEONARD LONGHURST
George Leonard Longhurst was born fourth in a family of six to William Henry Jr. and Betsy Jane Dean Longhurst. Members of the family were Albert, Betsy Jane (Becky), Mary Ann (Myrt), George Leonard, Clara Marintha (Rintha) and Asael Dean. Wm. Henry moved a log home from Charles Dean's place to the homestead that he filed on the fall of 1890. It had a dirt roof and rough boards for the floor with white washed walls. A Dugout was made back into the hill and the cabin was placed in front of it to make two rooms. They cleared the land of sage brush, built fences, and planted crops and vegetables and raised chickens, cattle and horses. They proved up on the homestead and raised a good family.
When Leonard was eleven months old, he had diphtheria and a few years later whooping cough. He played marbles, and rode horses and took part in drama and choir which he enjoyed. He sang bass in a Quartet, and played baseball on the ball diamond east of the church. He remembered the completion of the church house in 1896 as one of his earliest memories. There was the usual accidents and broken bones including thumb, ribs and foot. He had to milk the cows by hand and herded the cows in the foot hills west of their home. He started school at age six but missed a year when he was ten because of rheumatic fever. He graduated from the eighth grade with his sister Marintha in 1908.
In 1916, Ruth Mason came to Woodruff to teach school, after a year of courtship, she and Leonard were married September 6, 1917, in the Salt Lake Temple. A few weeks later Leonard started his military service. He was inducted into the army November 1, 1917. After basic training, he was assigned to Battery E of the 148th Field Artillery and was sent off to France for the next 16 months. Five and one half months of this time was in the hospital with measles, pneumonia, ptomaine poisoning and mustard gassing, which later caused some health problems for him. Their army unit had the 155mm Howitzer which was the largest and newest artillery gun that the army had at that time. He served in many important battles of World War I and was awarded five major battle clasps. He saw action in Chateau Thierry, Argonne Forest, Saint Mihiel Sector, Marne River and Verdun. He was also given a wound stripe for mustard gassing. He would sniff for poison gas and warn the soldiers to put on their gas masks. He was warned of danger on several occasions to move from a fox hole or to move into a trench for protection and safety, this strengthened his faith greatly. He told many of his experiences, but few were ever recorded.
One of his army buddies seeing his obituary in the newspaper, attended the funeral and related this story. One night while on the front in France, Leonard woke up this buddy and several others and told them he had a strong premonition that they should move down to a little clump of trees that was some fifty yards away. Several of the men went to the little grove of trees. They had just laid down again when an artillery shell struck the place they had just left, killing several men and 16 of their horses. He was discharged 25 April 1919, and run into Orley Birch his brother-in-law and together they surprised their wives and 15 month old daughters upon their return to Springville, Utah. Their wives (who were sisters) had been staying with their parents, Fredrick and Christine Mason.
I don't think he liked me going into the army and to Korea, but never said much. His picture in his army uniform upstairs reminded me of his loyalty and patriotism to the good old USA.
He decided to continue his education and passed the college entrance exams and enrolled at Utah State Agriculture College in Logan, Utah. He graduated with a bachelors degree in June of 1924. After graduation, they returned to Woodruff to farm. In 1928, he filed on a homestead of 640 acres southwest of Woodruff in Home Canyon, where they spent several summers on this green aspen covered mountain land. A log cabin was built, along with fences, and other improvements and was finally proved up on about 1930. He finally sold it as it was seventeen miles from their home and not very useful at that time.
Dad had some good Holstein cows and improved the herd with top quality purebred bulls. The cows were milked by hand and the milk was put in ten gallon cans and cooled. Elmer Frazier and later Leo Cornia hauled the milk to the Rich County Coop Creamery in Randolph. During the forties dad bought a John Deere tractor with a buck rake and a DeLaval milking machine which was a relief to his arthritis. The cows grazed on the B L M west of home in wood tick country, Sage Hollow, Grey Hill, and Pat Coughlin Hill. A young man stole some strawberries, then a horse, killed a law man and ended up in Rich County and was executed by a firing squad on that lonely hill that bears his name.
The cows were taken to the meadow after the hay was put up. We would ride with Uncle Asael in his Chev. car or with Albert in his International pickup each morning and evening to milk the cows. The milk was put in the cream separator which we turned by hand during the depression. The cream was sold and the skimmed milk was fed to the pigs and calves along with some chopped barley. Later he raised veal calves putting about four per cow for about six weeks and then weaned them, feeding grain and hay until they were fat and ready to sell. Then four more baby calves would then be put on that cow for the next cycle.
Dad's training at Utah State came in handy when ranchers would call on him to help during calving time. The Vet. shelf is still important for me to sew up a wound, deliver baby calves, brand, dehorn and other medical needs of the farm animals.
Uncle Albert built a two-story (2 rooms up and 2 down) square log house in 1914, on the south corner of his fathers homestead. This home later became our home. Dad built an addition on the house with sawed logs (8" by 8") which was later covered with white shake siding. The two rooms added the much desired space for the growing family and later a bathroom was completed. The cellar was dug with a team and scraper and supported by logs, then covered with straw and dirt to shed the water and insulate it to keep the root crops from the garden and the bottled fruit, vegetables and meet from freezing. The cattle had to be fenced out of the area or they could punch holes through the roof if they walked on it.
William Longhurst and sons (Albert, Leonard and Asael) formed a company and purchased the Neville place which had a larger home and closer to town and got water and electricity sooner. Albert, Effie and family moved into it. Dad, Mother and girls moved into the 4 room home after they returned from USAC at Logan. Dad had studied crops and livestock and obtained a teaching certificate and did some substitute teaching in the schools.
The business houses in Woodruff are no longer the same. They have been torn down or remodeled for other uses. A new post office and grocery store with gas pumps are the only businesses now. Many of the older pioneer homes are still there also the ranches remain in the same families but have had to become larger to stay profitable rasing cattle. The old meeting house was torn down and replaced. The three room school with its bell is gone and was replaced but is used
As a town building now. South and North Rich High Schools have been consolidated into the Rich High School. The students are transported by bus to Randolph.
The Depression and drought of the thirties was a hard time on the farm with little money and doctor bills to pay. The hay was cut with a 5-foot Mc Cormick mower, piled with a dump rake pulled by a team of horses. We hauled the hay on a wagon after loading it on by hand with pitch forks. Dad and his brothers started haying together later and purchased more machinery such a the old Dane Stacker, Farmall Super C tractor etc. to replace some of the horse-drawn machinery we used to farm with.
Dad rented Wilson Dean’s 80 acre farm east of our home for several years and raised hay and grain. Part of the land we owned and called the lots (on Woodruff Town plat) south of our home and east of the highway was sold to the propane company. Several years a semi-truck with cattle wrecked and caused a huge explosion and fire which destroyed several buildings, hay and fences across the highway. Georgia was living in the home at the time.
Dad decided it would be better to use a hand operated, air cooled water pump instead of watering the cattle with a bucket, rope and pulley from the well with a wooden curb. We pulled and repaired the pump from Uncle Milton Cornia’s well as they had city water. Aunt Rintha gave us a chocolate ice cream treat. I was hungry and ate to much and became sick, so chocolate ice cream hasn’t been my favorite ever since. The coop creamery purchased the milk for many years and they made cheese. It finally went out of business and the stock certificates Dad owned became worthless, unless you could use them to paper a wall.
Dad worked for the weed control with our team of horses, Mike and Brownie pulling a duck foot weeder to kill the noxious weeds around Woodruff and also on the road between Woodruff and Evanston. He used to take us to see Grandmother Longhurst who was getting along in years. She lived just a short walk down the road north of our home. Sometimes I would go by myself and she would always make a fuss over me. I got an old Dutch oven with a broken lid from Asael later on which I welded and fixed and still use on camp outs.
Dad served on the water board to assist the irrigation district in the planning for the building of a reservoir and regulating the shares of water for the farms and ranches. Dad spent a lot of time irrigating as we used the flooding method from ditches which ran lengthwise down the fields about 100 feet apart depending on the slope of the land. The dams in the ditches had to be shoveled in by hand and sometimes sacks (burlap) were used also straw and barnyard manure could be used. Canvas and plastic dams were used later.
Dad, Fred and I went to Long Hill late one fall in the forties with the team and sleigh. The snow was quite deep and slow going. Dad used the team to pull over some dead cedar tree. We loaded a big load on the sleigh and started home, part of the way in the dark and cold as it was slow going. Mike and Brownie were wet with sweat and very tired when we got home and were put in the barn for the night. In the morning Brownie was dead probably his heart gave out or a ruptured blood vessel. They were a trustworthy, honest work team that gave all they had and never gave up.
One time Dad, Fred and I went to Argyles to purchase some seed barley with the team and wagon about 6 or 7 miles north of Woodruff and it took longer than expected and we were returning home when it started to get dusk. A car came up behind us and didn't see the wagon soon enough and swerved and the back of the car hit and broke the rear wooden-spoke wheel of the wagon dropping the axle on the road. Another wheel had to be put on the next morning to haul the grain home. Mike and Brownie got loose some times and headed for Buck Springs where they had been raised as colts on the homestead up Home Canyon.
Grandmother died in 1942 and Dad, Myrt and Rintha each received 40 acres on the Dean meadow. Dad bought Rintha ‘s 40 making 80 acres to raise wild hay and pasture for the cattle. We put in a good fence but some years lack of water reduced the yield.
Electricity was put down the highway to our home in about 1948. The house was wired so we could have bright white lights instead of the yellow light of the kerosene lamp. The refrigerator and electric stove were greatly appreciated. Dad had a well drilled and with an electric pump indoor plumbing replaced the W P A (Roosevelt Monument) outhouse which was 100 feet or more behind the house. The thunder mug (indoor pot) was used on cold nights during the winter to save that cold walk or run to the outdoor privy. The battery radio keep us up to date on news of the World War II and we children liked to listen to the Lone Ranger, Shadow and other serial radio stories especially on Saturday morning.
Dad and Mother had the old Ford Model T during the early thirties but it gave out before I can remember. In the late forties Dad purchased a 1938 Ford Pickup with mechanical brakes making it hard to stop. The 1952 Chev. Pickup was purchased and used until the wreck in which Dad was killed in 1963.
Dad had trouble starting the tractor one cold day so he tried to heat up the engine which caught on fire burning the tractor and the open shed that was used for the milk cows. He rebuilt the shed and bought another tractor. The shed was used for several years until a high wind lifted the roof off and set it over in Asael's field upside down. I later removed the metal.
Dad didn't hunt deer very often when we were young but one time he borrowed Uncle Milton Cornia's 270 rifle and we rode up through the cedars to the cutoff ridge. Dad was on the ridge and we rode up through the trees. He killed a nice buck deer which we cleaned and loaded on old Pat to carry home 5 or 6 miles. This was one successful hunt of many in that area west of home and also east of Crawford Mountain.
The mailman (Lynn or Emerson Cox) took the mail, freight and passengers to and from Evanston and we used to ride with them from time to time as we didn't have a car during the thirties and forties. Sometimes Dad would go with uncles to shop in Evanston. The home town of Woodruff isn’t the same any more, the stores are closed and only the post office is open for business. The old adobe opera house was destroyed by fire many years age. The school with its bell and slippery slide are gone. The church was remodeled and enlarged with a gym, kitchen and paved parking lot.
Dad served for many years as general secretary for the Aaronic Priesthood, in the High Priest Quorum Leadership, Sunday School Superintendency, Stake Missionary (Holding cottage meetings in the members homes. I traveled with him and others to Diamondville near Kemmerer to help the branch members hold meetings.) He enjoyed singing in the ward choir. We would walk to church and school. Dad had a running walk, so we had to run to keep up or get a head start. He was a man of sterling qualities, honest, industrious and always willing and ready to help a neighbor in time of need or distress. He was a good husband and father. He was diligent in his church callings and while serving his country.
Birth date 20 Sep 1891 Woodruff, Utah.
Baptism 22 Sep 1899 by William Henry Longhurst
Confirmation 24 Sep 1899 by William Henry Longhurst
Married 5 Sep 1917 to Ruth Annie Mason
Death date 15 Sep 1963 Salt Lake City, Utah
Deacon 28 Feb 1904 by William Henry Longhurst
Teacher 25 Jun 1909 by A C Call
Priest 8 Dec 1913 by John M Baxter
Elder 2 Sep 1917 by John M Baxter
Seventy 13 Apr 1935 by Rulon S Wells
High Priest 11 Jan 1939 by Loraine Rollins
In May 1941, Mother became ill with tick fever (tularemia) and was taken to an Ogden hospital where she passed away on May 22. Her funeral was held on Sunday and burial in the Woodruff Cemetery. Dad suffered fatal injuries on Saturday, Sep 14, 1963 when his pick-up truck collided with a truck-trailer on U.S. 30 S about a mile west of Evanston, Wyo. He was attempting to turn from the west bound land to the freight warehouse where he was going to pick up a pump motor. He was transferred to SL Holy Cross Hospital after receiving treatment for head injuries at Uinta County Memorial Hospital. He died on Sunday at 11:00 AM in Salt Lake City. Funeral services were held Sep 18, 1963 in Woodruff and burial was by his wife. Their children were Georgia, Preal, June Anna, Betsy Faye, Fred William and Robert Max Longhurst. By RML
Friday, August 1, 2008
HARVEY ORSON CROOK
HARVEY ORSON CROOK, (2) the tenth child of William Joshua and Harriet Jane Howell Crook was born in their log home 16 October 1900 in Smoot, Wyoming. His parents were early settlers in Star Valley. They had moved to Smoot from Garden City, Utah with their little family of four children Frances, William, Joshua and Ezra in 1888. They had taken up a homestead of 160 acres on Cottonwood Creek about two miles northwest of the present town site of Smoot. Seven more children were born to this couple after they moved to Smoot-- Seth, Vernon, Sharon, Ray, Rulon, Harvey(2) and Ella.
I was born in the family‘s log home and Sally Taggart was the midwife. My right shoulder was lower than my left, which was caused by an injury at the time of my birth. This has always bothered me. (However, Lee Schwab, the mortician told the family at the time of his passing that he was missing his right collar bone.) I was blessed 2 December 1900, by William Parsons in the new church, the same day as my friend Newell Peterson. Our mothers had each chosen the same two names Harvey or Newell, I was blessed first and was given the name Harvey Orson Crook. I was baptized 6 November 1908, by Charles H. Peterson.
When asked about his baptism Harve said, “ It was too cold to talk about. It didn’t wash my sins away, they were froze away. It is mighty cold weather in November.” I was confirmed 6 December by Thomas Walton.
My oldest sister, Frances was married to Herbert Schwab about six months before I was born and her first child Herbert was born about six months after I was. Three of my brothers died before I was grown. Seth died when he was seven months old. Sharon was 15 years old when he died from blood poisoning. Vernon was 28 when he died and then my sister, Frances, died a year later leaving eight children without a Mother. This was a difficult time for my parents and our family.
My earliest recollection is the time in 1902, when our Christmas tree caught on fire due to the little lighted wax candles that were being used for decorations. I remember Ezra, who was getting ready to go to a dance in his white shirt, grabbing the tree and throwing it outside. My brothers told me that Santa would not come because we didn’t have a tree. But I still believe in Santa, because I can remember the little red chair I received that year. The following summer my sister Ella was born on the 24th of July and our family moved into our new two story frame home that summer. I helped by carrying my little red chair and the thunder mug to our new home. My brothers laughed at me for carrying the thunder mug, which made me mad. One cold winter day, Ray didn't want to get dressed and so Dad put Ray and his clothes outside in the snow, Ray lay there on his clothes kicking and learned a lesson in obedience to his parents.
My school years were not as beneficial as they could have been, and reading was not my best subject. Parley Baldwin was our principal and taught penmanship and many became good penmen. Slates were used to write on. I rode a horse or walked to school. In the winter when the creek was frozen over I would skate and pull Ella on the hand sleigh up to the school in Smoot. I went to High School in Afton for a few months, but I was needed at home to help Dad, which ended my formal education. I enjoyed playing basketball but since the team had already been picked before I went to High School I didn’t get to play (even though I could make a basket with both guards on my arms!). My older brothers were all away from home and for several years my occupation was doing farm work.
Some of my early friends were Warren Staley, Leon Taggart, Bill Johns, and Newel Peterson. In the summer the ward would go up to Cottonwood Lake to have Sunday School outings and enjoy the mountains. Sally Taggart was also one of my Sunday School teachers. For entertainment in the summer we would go swimming, have a rodeo in someone’s cow corral riding calves, cows or bucking horses. We played baseball with teams from neighboring towns In the winter, racing our teams and cutting shiners was enjoyed. But my favorite sport was playing basketball in the winter time. Rulon, Ray and I along with Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, Joe Reeves and Clarence Erickson played on the Smoot team. We played other teams throughout the valley. I enjoyed watching a good game of basketball anytime. I went to a lot of the high school games in Afton when my nephews were playing. Also, I attended some college games in Logan. One exciting game that I enjoyed watching was one of the first games seen on television in Star Valley. It was when Vern Gardner from Afton played for the U of U in Madison Square Garden and won the NIT championship. Saturday night dances were held in Afton and we went to them by sleigh, horseback or buggy until cars came to the valley. I went to Provo and attended a BYU Football game one time with family, but thought it was mighty long.
When I was ten years old, I rode a horse and went by myself to Fish Haven to celebrate the 4th of July with my cousins. As a youth, I made several trips to Bear Lake Valley, once to bring home a piece of farm machinery.
Mother had a spinning wheel and we would pull the sheep's wool from the fences or the dead sheep and she would spin it into yarn to be used for socks, mittens and sweaters. She made quilts and when the frames were not in use they were raised to the ceiling with ropes.
We raised most of our food. For winter storage, Dad would plow a furrow and we put cabbages in it upside down and covered them with dirt, then in the winter we would dig them out and have fresh cabbage to eat. We would leave the shovel where the last one was dug out as a marker. Dad would go to Bear Lake to get our flour. When we had a good wheat crop, we had it ground into flour at the Gardner mill in Afton. Potatoes and carrots were stored in the cellar and we also raised raspberries, currants and rhubarb. Chokecherries and service berries were also gathered in the fall. Pigs were killed, soaked in salt brine and smoked. The hams and bacon were stored deep down in the wheat bins to keep them cool for use during the summer. We had an old coffee grinder that was used to grind wheat for cereal. We always had milk cows. In 1914, while Ray was in Logan going to college and Rulon was on his mission, we were milking quite a few cows. We had a cream separator in the kitchen and would get about a ten-gallon can of cream per week, which was worth about six dollars. Dad would give me fifty cents. The skim milk was given to the calves and pigs. It was also used to soak barley in and fed to the pigs. The calves were raised until they were about a year and half old and then sold to John Tolman. This money was used to keep Rulon on his mission and to pay the property taxes and the note (cattle loan) at the bank. Dad gave me a heifer calf and I traded my steer calves for heifers and started to accumulate a herd of cows. By the time I was ready to go on my mission in 1923, I had twenty-seven head of cattle. Dad sold them as needed to send me thirty dollars a month while I was on my mission.
When asked about what happened in his younger life, Harve’s reply was, “It was a rugged life. I did so d--- many things I don’t want published I’m not going to repeat ‘em.”
One of my most trying experiences occurred in the summer of 1918. Warren Staley and I were up to Cottonwood Lake cutting wood for winter when a call came from Perry Ashdown, a ranger. He needed help to carry an injured girl from Greys River to Cottonwood Lake. He and his sister had been coming from Snyder Basin to the Corral Creek Ranger Station when the horse she was riding fell and broke her leg above the knee. He rode on ahead about five miles to the station and called for help. Warren and I left from Cottonwood lake to help him, not taking anything to give the girl for pain. By the time we arrived there, he had brought her to the station and made a stretcher out of the flagpole. We put her on the stretcher with Perry taking her feet and Warren and I her head and we started up the hill. This was a long, tiresome night, carrying her as she was in so much pain and the hill was so steep in places. Near the top we were met by others who'd come to help, which was a welcome relief. Dr. West met us at Cottonwood Lake and set her leg. She was related to Crossley's and I was told later that she had been disappointed in love, which may have been the reason she had been with her brother.
Ray was in Ft. Deming, New Mexico with the National Guard where there were some problems with Mexico. When he returned, he worked in the coal mines in Kemmerer. World War I was declared with Germany in 1917. He was soon drafted into the army and came home for four days before being sent to France. He served there for fourteen months. Ezra was also drafted but spent his time in South Carolina working in a hospital caring for the wounded. Rulon was in New Zealand on his mission and stayed there five years as there was no transportation for him to come home, because all the boats were used for war purposes. So it left me to help Dad. I stayed on the farm with Mother, Dad and Ella until I went on my mission in 1923.
After the Armistice was signed in November 1918, many of the people in Star Valley were stricken with the flu, which was a worldwide epidemic. I went to the Lower Valley to help nurse Joshel's family and others. At the narrows, a man was guarding the road so that no one could go to the Lower Valley unless they'd had the flu. I just forced my team through. Upon arriving at Joshel's I found all of them sick and his cows had been in the barn for three days, without being milked. So I milked them and then went to Thayne to get Doctor Fink. I slept in the sheep camp, and their old dog came in and slept by me and gave me the flu germ. When I started getting sick, Eliza, Joshel’s wife, had me come in the house and sleep in the kitchen under the table. I recovered quickly after she treated me with her 'hot tautty'. “Moonshine” was used for medicinal purposes in treating the flu and it seemed to help. I was soon able to go out and do the chores. I also helped at other homes. (This was a practice Harve did all his life, assisting family and friends when there was sickness or death. Often leaving his own work and helping others.) While assisting the Hebdon family, I was watching a hawk chase a duck. The duck was flying low and hit the clothesline and was knocked out or broke its neck. So I ran out and caught the duck and finished wringing its neck. It was in the winter and meat was in short supply, so the duck was cooked and plenty of duck soup was made for those ill with the flu. Ras Jensen came down and took Joshel's family up to Smoot. I stayed and did their chores until they got better and came home.
During the summer of 1919, there wasn't much water, we finished haying even though it was a poor crop and had no hope of a second crop. Later that year I went to Cottonwood Lake with Leon Taggart, Joe Reeves and Clarence Erickson. We met some sheep-herders who said we could get a job haying in Big Piney. So we left from there for Big Piney which was a two-day ride on horseback and got a job haying. Leon and I ran the mowers and sharpened the hay knives, Joe and Clarence raked the hay and milked cows. Later I ran the buck rake and stacked hay which was miserable because of the flying ants. The horses we used caused lots of problems, as they were only used two months of the year and ran wild the rest of the time. Several had a run away with their team of horses. I earned $145 and gave Dad $100 to pay the taxes on the farm when we returned.
That fall we shipped two carloads of cattle by train to Omaha to sell. I went with Hugh Findlay and Orson Johnson. We stopped in Laramie and Grand Island to feed the animals. I had purchased a pair of high-button shoes in Montpelier and wore them two days until we got to Omaha and the next morning my feet had swollen so much I couldn't get them on so walked barefoot that morning. We also went by street car over to Council Bluffs. Joshel and Ezra had shipped their cattle and four horses to Nebraska to be wintered. The horses were fed such poor hay (foxtail) that they came back in the spring so thin that the horses didn't make it to the Lower Valley from the railroad in Soda Springs. They sold their cattle the next fall for less than they could have gotten that year. We usually took pigs to Montpelier to sell, however one time, I took a load of pigs in a wagon pulled by a team of horses to Idaho Falls.
The community of Smoot was first known as Cottonwood. It was organized into a Latter-Day-Saint Ward in 1889, with William Parsons as Bishop. Later it was called Belview. About 1900, a ward building was constructed on the south bench above Cottonwood Creek by contributions of the members and the name was changed to Smoot. (Located west of the Daugherty home across the street from the northwest corner of the block containing the Smoot Park). Prior to this time, school and church meetings were all held in a log building on the George Bruce ranch. This large, white, frame building had one large room and a stage. Wood burning stoves were located at each end of the hall to heat the building during the wintertime. It was a well-used building. For church meetings, curtains were pulled to make classrooms for Sunday School. The benches were moved to the side and onto the stage for basketball games and dances.
In the early thirties, members started to make plans to build a new chapel. The plans was to tear the old building down and build on the same site. I suggested to Bishop Hugh Findlay to purchase the lot across from the school (east of the Smoot Park) and build the church there and continue to use the old church until the new one was constructed. The men spent the winter working in the canyon getting logs out. Some would stay at Cottonwood Lake and go on the hill south west of the lake and cut and snake the logs out. Rulon was the cook for that group. After those in town had finished their chores each morning, they would drive up to the lake and help snake out logs while the Cutters were eating their dinner and then all would help load and the Haulers would return home. When the logging was finished, a hot basketball game was played between the Loggers and the Haulers at the old church. Services were first held in the new chapel 14 March 1937, and the building was dedicated 18 September 1943 by Apostle John A. Widstoe. After moving into the new church, the old hall was also used for roller skating and it wasn't long until the softwood floor was ruined for basketball, eventually the building was torn down.
Theda remembers being told:
One time when I (Harve) was hauling a load of logs down the canyon, I was sitting on the load with my new Christmas mackinaw coat beside me. A voice said, “Harve get off and walk.” I got off and walked along beside the load. We went around a curve, when suddenly the load shifted and tipped over into Cottonwood Creek. I had to wade into the creek to recover my new coat. I then realized that if I had stayed on the load I would have been killed under the logs.
Those who served as Bishops of the Smoot Ward:
William Parsons 1889-1904
Frank P. Cranney 1904-1913 Sports and Dancing
Charles H. Peterson 1913-1929 Called me on my mission
Was Counselor to Bishop Peterson after mission.
Hugh W. Findlay 1929-43 Building, depression, released day of Dedication
Dec. 1930 Membership 311
Lawrence Bruce 1943-1952 Genealogy
Elmer Lancaster 1952-1956 Welfare Military Discipline
Leon Taggart 1956-1960 Bought Church Farm
Lavere Anderson 1960-1967 Cemetery Dist. Finances
Donald Johnson 1967-1972
Stanley Reeves 1972-1980
Alan Stauffers 1980-1985
Gary Jenkins 1985-1990
Dale Barnes 1990-1995
Bart Kunz 1995-
I was ordained an Elder 3 Jan 1920, by Rodney Barrus and a High Priest 20 June 1926 by George F. Richards. I served in various church callings some of which were:
Ward teacher when I was old enough and throughout my life.
Counselor to Bp. Peterson 1926-29 three years and three months.
Activity Counselor to Jack Canning 1929-30. This was the first year we had the budget and it was a big help in the activities held in the ward--dances, old folks parties, sports, drama and programs.
President of MIA
Activity Counselor to Spencer Taggart
High Priest Group Leader 1966-68 (Genealogy classes)
Home Missionary and Stake Missionary several times.
Cottage meetings were held in the members’ homes where neighbors (members and nonmember) were invited. The Home or Stake Missionaries conducted the meetings where the gospel was taught and discussed, songs sung and refreshments usually served. Stake Missionaries were also the speaking companions of the High Councilmen when visiting the wards.
A new school with three classrooms was built in 1925 in Smoot, by the Consolidated School District #19. A small storeroom was later used as a kitchen and hot lunches were served at tables set up in the hall. An addition was added by the W.P.A. in the late 30's with a large kitchen and another classroom. There were three long tables in the kitchen where the children ate their hot lunch.
My older brother, Vernon purchased the Annie House homestead in 1913, when she moved to Idaho. It was located northeast of Etna. Vernon enjoyed living in Etna, especially playing baseball and going to dances. Etna was a boom town at this time. Then in the spring of 1918, he was injured (breaking several ribs) while branding and dehorning cattle. He paid little attention to it and kept on working. The inflamed part became infected, and he was operated on in the spring of 1919 and TB of the bone was found. But after suffering about two years, death claimed his life. I was in Salt Lake with him when he died. I always admired him.
A courtship started when a young school teacher Rosella Mallory came to Smoot to teach school for her first time. The first time I saw Rosella, she and Irene Johnson were walking home from school. She was a cousin of my friend Warren Staley. We started keeping company by going to the dances in Afton at Welch's Dance Hall, which had a confectionery, pool hall and barbershop in front. The next year she taught in Bedford, and I often traveled by team and sleigh, about a three-hour drive in the wintertime, to see her. (Often Harve told of his narrow escape from an avalanche one time when he drove his team through the narrows.) Sometimes, after going to a dance, I would put my team in Mr. Mallory's barn and stay overnight and come back the next day.
The next spring we went to a dance and I told her I had something to tell her and she said she had something to tell me. We had each received our mission call. Mine was to Australia and Rosella’s was to the Central States both leaving in June. So any marriage thoughts were delayed to serve the Lord. (Their example and encouragement has inspired the legacy of missionary work to continue in their posterity. All of their grandsons and one granddaughter have filled missions.)
We rode to Salt Lake with Mart and Mary Schwab, riding in the rumble seat of their 1916 Ford car. Prior to 1925, all missionaries when called on missions left from their homes directly for the mission field to which they had been assigned. The majority of them stopped for a few days in Salt Lake City on their way. As the church had no hotel facilities especially for the missionaries, the elders and sisters had to find their own lodging while in Salt Lake. A Missionary Training home was provided in 1925, at 31 North State Street. We went to the Salt Lake Temple, received our endowments on the 13th of June 1923, and we were both set apart as missionaries by Apostle Melvin J. Ballard and went off to catch the train. I put Rosella on the train going east and I ran to catch the train going to San Francisco. I sailed with four other Elders in a state room on the ship “Sanoma” to Australia, and home on the ship “Sierra.”
When Elder Parley Jensen and I landed in Sydney in 1923, there were only 17 missionaries and six branches in all of Australia and less than 300 members. In 1982, there were 16 Stakes and five Missions.(Eighteen years later in the year 2000 there are 100,000 members and soon there well be five temples.) In my first area, I worked on the first Latter-day Saint chapel in the city of Sydney for four months. One year was spent in Hobart, Tasmania, then to Melbourne for six months, and six weeks in Camperdown and my final assignment was in Ballarat. It took mail about a month to come from home.
In Ballarat, Elder Ence and I were each tracting alone, which was common practice and I came to this pretty little street and I knocked on a door. A lady answered the door and invited me in. We visited and I told her about the church and then she said to me, "When I opened the door, even before you spoke a word, I knew you had something for me, which I had been looking for all my life.” Sister Richie was ready to be baptized. This means more to me and strengthened my testimony more than anything else that happened to me on my mission. She and her daughter were baptized.
In 1950, one of my former missionary companion, Elder Edwin James from Rock Springs, Wyoming was on a building mission in Australia. He helped build the first chapel in Ballarat. At the dedication of this chapel, Sister Richie bore her testimony and thanked the Lord for the cowboy missionary from Wyoming who had brought the gospel to her. Serving a mission for the Lord is one of the great highlights of my life and I have enjoyed sharing my mission experience with my family and anyone who was interested.
After arriving home from Australia, I worked at the sugar factory in Tremonton, Utah, from October to December. I worked twelve hours a day at twenty-seven cents an hour, earning $200. On the way home I bought a set of harnesses for $50 in Logan. I bought a nice team of horses, Tug and Bolly from Dave Helm’s wife, Martha for $25 after he died. I should have bought more horses as she had to give them away because she didn’t have enough feed for them.
After returning home from my mission, I began courting Rosella again and we decided to get married. We went to Salt Lake in June 1927 to be married. As we were traveling in my model T car behind Rosella’s father’s car, Mr. Mallory’s rear wheel came off and rolled down the hill. The passengers were all right and after fixing the wheel, we continued our trip. We were married the 9th of June 1927, in the Salt Lake Temple.
We first rented and later purchased the Orson and Mary Crook farm, across the street from my father’s homestead, in 1929 for $3000. We had milk cows, chickens, horses and sheep. We also rented the Peterson ranch the summers of 1928 and 1931. We lived in the log house on the ranch from June to September and milked 22 cows that first summer. In 1931, there wasn't much water and so the crops were poor. The following years were difficult to get ahead because of the depression. I sold one cow and received $1.49 after the freight bill was paid. Later, our milk cows got bangs disease and they had to be sold. The government was paying us to kill them at $10 per cow and $1 per sheep and we had to slit the hide down the back so it couldn't be used.
Our first daughter Nola(1) was born 11 March 1932. John Mallory, Rosella’s brother had a contract with Mr. Rubey, a geologist, to pack and cook for him during the summer of 1933. John didn't want to go out for the summer, so he came and asked if I would like to go with Rubey. John put up my hay and Rosella's parents came and stayed with her and Nola. I spent the summer in the mountains on the Greys River drainage, being camp jack and cook, (every day he wanted boiled potatoes served with catsup.) I earned $50 per month. I also worked on the road when it was built over the Salt River Pass in the south end, with a fresno and team of horses.
My parents had a home built in Smoot next to Rulon’s home and moved there to be close to the church, store and school in the early 30's. A few years later, Dad had been riding a horse one day and chaffed his legs. He soaked them in hot water, a blood clot resulted and caused his sudden death in 1936. Mother was confined to a wheelchair for seven years with severe arthritis and passed away in 1938.
Our second daughter Theda was born 25 November 1935. During the summer of 1936, I drove an oil truck between Rawlins and Casper. Once I took a little white dog with black spots home to the girls, which Nola called Pally.
Up until 1938, the women in Star Valley still ironed their clothes with a heavy flatiron heated on a wood burning stove. The remoteness of Star Valley had kept it separated from major power lines. Afton had a small power plant. The REA was helping people across America form local power cooperatives. Funds from the REA made it feasible for the Lower Valley Power and Light to be established. Lyman Crook and I worked in the Greys River area bringing out poles to be treated and then delivering them throughout the valley where power lines were being built. Dangerous coal oil (kerosene) and gas lanterns were replaced by clean electric lights. Electricity changed lives forever. About this time it became quite the sport to seine for white fish, and it wasn’t uncommon to come home with a gunny sack full of fish that needed to be scaled. (Salt River beckoned Harve on the summer evenings and he usually came back with a mess of fish. He really enjoyed fishing.)
I ran the creamery in Smoot from October 15, 1941, to January 12, 1943, with 12 patrons. We made cheddar cheese and sold it to Krafts in Pocatello. Sam Walton worked for me and lived in the apartment in the creamery. The leftover whey from the creamery was fed to the pigs. Fluctuating prices for milk and cheese, and the consolidating of the smaller creameries in the valley, due to better transportation made it unprofitable to continue operating the creamery. In the early years there was a creamery in almost every community.
We used wood to heat our home, I would get it out of the canyon and let it dry for a year. Rosella's mother was not well in the early forties and she passed away 16 March 1942. Her father died in 1950.
Charles H. Peterson homesteaded his ranch in 1898. His family lived there for several years before they moved to Smoot. Chief Washakie often visited them and they were honored to have him in their home. I told Mr. Peterson if he ever wanted to sell to let me know. This farm had good deep soil and could be sub-irrigated with water from the Salt River. It had large fields with few ditches, and practically rock free. In the early forties he told me he had decided to sell the ranch as his son Newell didn't want it. Arrangements were made with the Federal Land Bank for an $8000 loan for the 200-acre ranch and a cattle permit. The ranch was located two and half miles south of Smoot on U.S. highway 89. The only building was a log house.
We sold our farm to Charles Crook in May of 1943, and moved into my brother Rulon’s home, as his family was living in Salt Lake City where he was working at the time. We camped up at the ranch during the summer months in a small-two room building with the bedroom having a canvas roof, which I had purchased from Bernice Rodgers, and had moved to the ranch. In the fall and winter of 1943, Dale and Verl Halls helped me get about 30,000 board feet of lumber east of Cottonwood Lake to build our home. I had the logs sawed at the Lake for $210 and we hauled the lumber down to Smoot and stacked it to dry. Josh Schwab sized the lumber with his planer. In the fall of 1944, Bill Helm helped me dig the basement using a scraper and horses. The next summer Dale Hall and E. G. Brown started construction. The cement for the basement walls was mixed on site with a little cement mixer. We also used as many rocks as we could find as filler for the concrete, so that we didn’t have to make as much.
While living in Smoot, our third daughter Evelyn was born 26 August 1944. We moved into our new home in the fall of 1946, at this time we were milking about 20 cows. We took them over on the hill to graze on the forest and milked them there using a gas engine to run the milking machine which often was a real challenge. Rosella was teaching school and along with the milk check we were able to pay the carpenters and buy building materials. An oil drilling rig was set up south east of our home in 1948. Drilling was carried on for 1-2 years, but was abandoned when no oil was found or reported.
We raised alfalfa and meadow hay to feed the cattle and sheep and barley to feed the pigs. A stacker and buck rake were used to harvest the hay, and a beaver slide for the meadow hay. A power buck rake was made using parts of an old truck and then driven backwards. It wasn’t used for long. Later a farmhand and then a bailer was used. I learned not to drink ice cold water as it would make me sick, so I always put the water bottle in the sun while we were haying. Having no sons I often hired young men of Smoot to work. Many have told about experiences they had with Harve. Methods in farming have changed with new machinery from horse drawn equipment to tractors. During haying season or when I was working in the field, Rosella would hang a white dishtowel on the corner of the house as a signal to me that dinner was ready. I never wore a watch until many years later.
Evelyn remembers one summer tragedy. Daddy had a bunch of red sows with babies. He had them in pens out in the barn. I think it was some that had been out and had their babies over in the pasture. One day one of Mama’s old red hens decided to go visiting the new babies. She was not a welcome visitor and the old sow ate the old red hen. But that is not the end of the story. The old red sow choked on the old red hen and died. So we had a bunch of orphans to feed. I think the hen had baby chicks. I am not sure who was the most up set Mom or Dad. They both had lost an animal that day.
In the mid-fifties we sold the milk cows and bought about 200 sheep and the reserve right on the Higbee, Snake River allotment on Greys River from Orson Johnson. Later we brought more from Am Linford. We would trail them from our spring range in Smoot to the lower valley taking about four days and go over the Stuart trail to Greys River, the first week in July. We purchased Edlunds place in 1954 that had 320 acres, then Elmer's 160 acre farm in about 1956, and 320 acres from Porter and then sold the 80 acres of hay land to Lynn Hunsaker later.
Most of this land was used for spring and fall range for the sheep. In the fall of 1967, I purchased 800 head of sheep and the Elk Mt. allotment from Art Robinson. We took them to the winter range on the Granger lease out by Little America. The sheep would eat the salt sage and other plants. If there was a lot of snow, we would have to take hay out to them. We would lamb, dock, brand, and shear the ewes on the spring range at Rabbit Creek west of Cokeville and later in the Fossil Butte area west of Kemmerer. Each summer we would truck them over to Greys River the first week in July.
I believed in branching out and accumulating property, it was worth what I lost in the sheep business to get the property in the south-end to give our posterity a place to come and camp and fish. Accumulation is more important than making a profit in the farming business. Make sure you have your business deals in writing. Get something of your own and don't depend on someone else.
I was on the Smoot Cemetery Board for a number of years, and tried to make worthwhile improvements that were needed such as map, fence and locating markers. I had known practically everyone who is buried there.
Nola remembers that with few exceptions, Dad spent his birthday in the mountains on Greys River, Jackson or near our home on a successful elk hunting trips with friends and family. Many stories were told of those happy times. The only time I ever went to Greys River with him hunting was in October 1954, Bob was in the service and on leave before going to Korea and he could purchase a resident license. We were on Higbee mountain, and Dad had gotten thirsty and eaten some snow and it made him sick so we were late coming off the mountain. This delay helped in getting two bull elk on our way to camp. Some of his nephews had gone to camp earlier and missed out on the fun.
Theda remembers that: Dad put my name in along with his for an elk permit on Greys River. I got a permit and he didn’t. So he had to take me. We slept in the wall tent. Before daylight we were saddled up and riding out. We never saw any elk so Dad sent me home with Dude Erickson. He came home the next day--No elk that year.
Evelyn remembers: One fall while I was in high school, Dad and I went elk hunting over on Greys River with the whole Dabel clan. Just before the 15th Red Dabel had flown over by the Blind Bull Mine and they had spotted a big herd of elk. When we went to bed I told Dad that I was going to leave my Levi’s on and he told me I would freeze. I just remember getting up and it was still dark. We drove up the draw and then walked and walked. He was disgusted with himself for letting some of the Dabel’s ride the horses. That is the only time that I can ever remember him hunting on foot. It seemed like we walked forever and ever. We found where the elk had bedded down for the night and fresh tracks but no elk. The men on horses followed the tracks up the hill and down towards Big Piney and out of the country. Dad always said they knew when the season opened and when to get out of the country and they sure did that day.
Dad had a good full head of hair which he never lost and was very fussy about the way it was cut and combed. He wore a ‘butch’ cut for a number of years. He did a lot of barbering in the mission field and also when he came home for neighbors and family. (often on Sunday Morning) But none of us were asked a second time to cut his hair! In October 1933, he had a major sinus operation in Salt Lake. About 1962 he ate some spoiled fish which caused intestinal problems for several years. The medical doctors couldn't help him so he went to Sundance, an Indian doctor and took his herbal medicine which helped and finally he got feeling better. He lost a lot of weight, from about 225 to 180 pounds.
Later in life Rosella and I spent two summers going to Jackson, Wyoming once a week and working in the L.D.S. Visitors Center. Here we explained about the early days of the area and the history of the Indians and the Book of Mormon. We found many people interested and gave away a lot of Book of Mormons.
We made arrangements to sell the sheep in 1975, to Verl Hebdon which gave us a little more liberty which we hadn't had before. So right after the first of the year we went to California, to see Rosella’s brother George who had cancer and was in a hospital. We wanted to be with Bea, (George’s wife) and help her what we could. I stayed with George in a double room at the hospital until he passed away 26 January 1976. His children Kay and Karen had been changing off staying with him at night. After the funeral we went up to Los Angeles and visited a few days with Rosella’s sister Ethel’s daughters, Marilyn and Doris. We went to the Los Angeles Temple a few times and also Disneyland. We also visited Yuma and Mesa in Arizona. While in Mesa we visited the graves of Rosella’s grandmother Caroline LeSueur and her baby. They were some of the first L.D.S. settlers to pass away in Mesa. She left six motherless children, Rosella’s father, Charles Lemuel Mallory, being the oldest.
We attended a Wyoming reunion in Mesa and saw many from Star Valley who were spending the winter there. After staying about a month in the sunshine, we came to St. George via Hoover Dam and Las Vegas and visited John and Gladys. He had just had surgery and we came home when he was feeling better the later part of March.
Our daughters and their families came and visited many times for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In 1976, all the girls and families were here for Thanksgiving. These are some of our happier times when all of our family was together.
We celebrated our GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY July 1, 1977 with an open house at the Gardner Guest Ranch in the Forest Dell. Many friends and relatives came to honor us. All of our immediate family was present except our two oldest grandsons (Regan and Greg) who were both serving on L.D.S. missions. All the family helped make a beautiful quilt with each block depicting events in our married life. An open house was held on our 60th Anniversary and on my 80th birthday at our home. Many friends and family came and visited.
We went to Arizona for thirteen winters and enjoyed being out of the cold. We purchased a small trailer which was parked about a block from the temple and later we bought a larger one. We came home via Oakland once. We attended the temple a lot the first few years, sometimes four sessions a day for several years and then later when we were able. One of happiest times in our lives were those years when we had the car loaded and went to Arizona to spend the winter. We gained many friendships during the winters we spent in Mesa. The last winter we spent in Arizona was 1987-88.
We enjoyed going to the Senior Citizens Center in Afton for dinner and also for the association of friends, and meeting the new people of Star Valley. I enjoyed playing pool. Meals were brought to us by the Senior Center when we were unable to go to Afton. An excellent service was provided by the home nurses that came to our home and gave help rather than having to go to the Doctor. My eye sight was not as good as it needed to be to get a drivers license and on 17 August 1988 both Rosella and I had a right eye lens transplant.
All of the above are stories either from audio recordings of Harve, Rosella’s handwritten autobiography, family records or the remembrances that he has told family or friend.
Rosella died 25 November 1991, after 64 years of marriage. Harve has missed her greatly and spent his remaining winters at his daughters’ homes and generally stayed at his home in Smoot during the summer months. He continued to drive his own car during the summers until August 1994.
In August 1994, while at the Lincoln County Fair, Harve fell in the grandstand while at the rodeo and injured his arm and never got around as well after that. Shortly after this he went to his daughters’ homes. In the spring of 1995, Dad wanted to go home for the summer, and be in his own home. His daughters took turns staying with him. In August he needed oxygen to help him breathe easier. After some restless days, he passed away peacefully in his sleep early in the morning 28 August 1995.
Harve was survived by his three daughters along with their husbands, nine grandsons, four granddaughters, and 25 great grandchildren.
He was proud of his pioneer heritage, as all his grandparents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and had emigrated to America. His parents had come across the plains as children. His father was three years old when he came with his parents in a handcart and his mother was three weeks when her parents came to Utah with an ox team.
Few people are granted a long tenure of years and with them the physical and mental capacity for a rich abundant life. He called his mind his computer, he did have a very keen memory for dates and events all his life. He was particulary spry for a man of his advanced age after ninety years. He is best known for friendly manner and keen sense of humor. He loved to recount thrilling tales to his companions young and old.
I was born in the family‘s log home and Sally Taggart was the midwife. My right shoulder was lower than my left, which was caused by an injury at the time of my birth. This has always bothered me. (However, Lee Schwab, the mortician told the family at the time of his passing that he was missing his right collar bone.) I was blessed 2 December 1900, by William Parsons in the new church, the same day as my friend Newell Peterson. Our mothers had each chosen the same two names Harvey or Newell, I was blessed first and was given the name Harvey Orson Crook. I was baptized 6 November 1908, by Charles H. Peterson.
When asked about his baptism Harve said, “ It was too cold to talk about. It didn’t wash my sins away, they were froze away. It is mighty cold weather in November.” I was confirmed 6 December by Thomas Walton.
My oldest sister, Frances was married to Herbert Schwab about six months before I was born and her first child Herbert was born about six months after I was. Three of my brothers died before I was grown. Seth died when he was seven months old. Sharon was 15 years old when he died from blood poisoning. Vernon was 28 when he died and then my sister, Frances, died a year later leaving eight children without a Mother. This was a difficult time for my parents and our family.
My earliest recollection is the time in 1902, when our Christmas tree caught on fire due to the little lighted wax candles that were being used for decorations. I remember Ezra, who was getting ready to go to a dance in his white shirt, grabbing the tree and throwing it outside. My brothers told me that Santa would not come because we didn’t have a tree. But I still believe in Santa, because I can remember the little red chair I received that year. The following summer my sister Ella was born on the 24th of July and our family moved into our new two story frame home that summer. I helped by carrying my little red chair and the thunder mug to our new home. My brothers laughed at me for carrying the thunder mug, which made me mad. One cold winter day, Ray didn't want to get dressed and so Dad put Ray and his clothes outside in the snow, Ray lay there on his clothes kicking and learned a lesson in obedience to his parents.
My school years were not as beneficial as they could have been, and reading was not my best subject. Parley Baldwin was our principal and taught penmanship and many became good penmen. Slates were used to write on. I rode a horse or walked to school. In the winter when the creek was frozen over I would skate and pull Ella on the hand sleigh up to the school in Smoot. I went to High School in Afton for a few months, but I was needed at home to help Dad, which ended my formal education. I enjoyed playing basketball but since the team had already been picked before I went to High School I didn’t get to play (even though I could make a basket with both guards on my arms!). My older brothers were all away from home and for several years my occupation was doing farm work.
Some of my early friends were Warren Staley, Leon Taggart, Bill Johns, and Newel Peterson. In the summer the ward would go up to Cottonwood Lake to have Sunday School outings and enjoy the mountains. Sally Taggart was also one of my Sunday School teachers. For entertainment in the summer we would go swimming, have a rodeo in someone’s cow corral riding calves, cows or bucking horses. We played baseball with teams from neighboring towns In the winter, racing our teams and cutting shiners was enjoyed. But my favorite sport was playing basketball in the winter time. Rulon, Ray and I along with Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, Joe Reeves and Clarence Erickson played on the Smoot team. We played other teams throughout the valley. I enjoyed watching a good game of basketball anytime. I went to a lot of the high school games in Afton when my nephews were playing. Also, I attended some college games in Logan. One exciting game that I enjoyed watching was one of the first games seen on television in Star Valley. It was when Vern Gardner from Afton played for the U of U in Madison Square Garden and won the NIT championship. Saturday night dances were held in Afton and we went to them by sleigh, horseback or buggy until cars came to the valley. I went to Provo and attended a BYU Football game one time with family, but thought it was mighty long.
When I was ten years old, I rode a horse and went by myself to Fish Haven to celebrate the 4th of July with my cousins. As a youth, I made several trips to Bear Lake Valley, once to bring home a piece of farm machinery.
Mother had a spinning wheel and we would pull the sheep's wool from the fences or the dead sheep and she would spin it into yarn to be used for socks, mittens and sweaters. She made quilts and when the frames were not in use they were raised to the ceiling with ropes.
We raised most of our food. For winter storage, Dad would plow a furrow and we put cabbages in it upside down and covered them with dirt, then in the winter we would dig them out and have fresh cabbage to eat. We would leave the shovel where the last one was dug out as a marker. Dad would go to Bear Lake to get our flour. When we had a good wheat crop, we had it ground into flour at the Gardner mill in Afton. Potatoes and carrots were stored in the cellar and we also raised raspberries, currants and rhubarb. Chokecherries and service berries were also gathered in the fall. Pigs were killed, soaked in salt brine and smoked. The hams and bacon were stored deep down in the wheat bins to keep them cool for use during the summer. We had an old coffee grinder that was used to grind wheat for cereal. We always had milk cows. In 1914, while Ray was in Logan going to college and Rulon was on his mission, we were milking quite a few cows. We had a cream separator in the kitchen and would get about a ten-gallon can of cream per week, which was worth about six dollars. Dad would give me fifty cents. The skim milk was given to the calves and pigs. It was also used to soak barley in and fed to the pigs. The calves were raised until they were about a year and half old and then sold to John Tolman. This money was used to keep Rulon on his mission and to pay the property taxes and the note (cattle loan) at the bank. Dad gave me a heifer calf and I traded my steer calves for heifers and started to accumulate a herd of cows. By the time I was ready to go on my mission in 1923, I had twenty-seven head of cattle. Dad sold them as needed to send me thirty dollars a month while I was on my mission.
When asked about what happened in his younger life, Harve’s reply was, “It was a rugged life. I did so d--- many things I don’t want published I’m not going to repeat ‘em.”
One of my most trying experiences occurred in the summer of 1918. Warren Staley and I were up to Cottonwood Lake cutting wood for winter when a call came from Perry Ashdown, a ranger. He needed help to carry an injured girl from Greys River to Cottonwood Lake. He and his sister had been coming from Snyder Basin to the Corral Creek Ranger Station when the horse she was riding fell and broke her leg above the knee. He rode on ahead about five miles to the station and called for help. Warren and I left from Cottonwood lake to help him, not taking anything to give the girl for pain. By the time we arrived there, he had brought her to the station and made a stretcher out of the flagpole. We put her on the stretcher with Perry taking her feet and Warren and I her head and we started up the hill. This was a long, tiresome night, carrying her as she was in so much pain and the hill was so steep in places. Near the top we were met by others who'd come to help, which was a welcome relief. Dr. West met us at Cottonwood Lake and set her leg. She was related to Crossley's and I was told later that she had been disappointed in love, which may have been the reason she had been with her brother.
Ray was in Ft. Deming, New Mexico with the National Guard where there were some problems with Mexico. When he returned, he worked in the coal mines in Kemmerer. World War I was declared with Germany in 1917. He was soon drafted into the army and came home for four days before being sent to France. He served there for fourteen months. Ezra was also drafted but spent his time in South Carolina working in a hospital caring for the wounded. Rulon was in New Zealand on his mission and stayed there five years as there was no transportation for him to come home, because all the boats were used for war purposes. So it left me to help Dad. I stayed on the farm with Mother, Dad and Ella until I went on my mission in 1923.
After the Armistice was signed in November 1918, many of the people in Star Valley were stricken with the flu, which was a worldwide epidemic. I went to the Lower Valley to help nurse Joshel's family and others. At the narrows, a man was guarding the road so that no one could go to the Lower Valley unless they'd had the flu. I just forced my team through. Upon arriving at Joshel's I found all of them sick and his cows had been in the barn for three days, without being milked. So I milked them and then went to Thayne to get Doctor Fink. I slept in the sheep camp, and their old dog came in and slept by me and gave me the flu germ. When I started getting sick, Eliza, Joshel’s wife, had me come in the house and sleep in the kitchen under the table. I recovered quickly after she treated me with her 'hot tautty'. “Moonshine” was used for medicinal purposes in treating the flu and it seemed to help. I was soon able to go out and do the chores. I also helped at other homes. (This was a practice Harve did all his life, assisting family and friends when there was sickness or death. Often leaving his own work and helping others.) While assisting the Hebdon family, I was watching a hawk chase a duck. The duck was flying low and hit the clothesline and was knocked out or broke its neck. So I ran out and caught the duck and finished wringing its neck. It was in the winter and meat was in short supply, so the duck was cooked and plenty of duck soup was made for those ill with the flu. Ras Jensen came down and took Joshel's family up to Smoot. I stayed and did their chores until they got better and came home.
During the summer of 1919, there wasn't much water, we finished haying even though it was a poor crop and had no hope of a second crop. Later that year I went to Cottonwood Lake with Leon Taggart, Joe Reeves and Clarence Erickson. We met some sheep-herders who said we could get a job haying in Big Piney. So we left from there for Big Piney which was a two-day ride on horseback and got a job haying. Leon and I ran the mowers and sharpened the hay knives, Joe and Clarence raked the hay and milked cows. Later I ran the buck rake and stacked hay which was miserable because of the flying ants. The horses we used caused lots of problems, as they were only used two months of the year and ran wild the rest of the time. Several had a run away with their team of horses. I earned $145 and gave Dad $100 to pay the taxes on the farm when we returned.
That fall we shipped two carloads of cattle by train to Omaha to sell. I went with Hugh Findlay and Orson Johnson. We stopped in Laramie and Grand Island to feed the animals. I had purchased a pair of high-button shoes in Montpelier and wore them two days until we got to Omaha and the next morning my feet had swollen so much I couldn't get them on so walked barefoot that morning. We also went by street car over to Council Bluffs. Joshel and Ezra had shipped their cattle and four horses to Nebraska to be wintered. The horses were fed such poor hay (foxtail) that they came back in the spring so thin that the horses didn't make it to the Lower Valley from the railroad in Soda Springs. They sold their cattle the next fall for less than they could have gotten that year. We usually took pigs to Montpelier to sell, however one time, I took a load of pigs in a wagon pulled by a team of horses to Idaho Falls.
The community of Smoot was first known as Cottonwood. It was organized into a Latter-Day-Saint Ward in 1889, with William Parsons as Bishop. Later it was called Belview. About 1900, a ward building was constructed on the south bench above Cottonwood Creek by contributions of the members and the name was changed to Smoot. (Located west of the Daugherty home across the street from the northwest corner of the block containing the Smoot Park). Prior to this time, school and church meetings were all held in a log building on the George Bruce ranch. This large, white, frame building had one large room and a stage. Wood burning stoves were located at each end of the hall to heat the building during the wintertime. It was a well-used building. For church meetings, curtains were pulled to make classrooms for Sunday School. The benches were moved to the side and onto the stage for basketball games and dances.
In the early thirties, members started to make plans to build a new chapel. The plans was to tear the old building down and build on the same site. I suggested to Bishop Hugh Findlay to purchase the lot across from the school (east of the Smoot Park) and build the church there and continue to use the old church until the new one was constructed. The men spent the winter working in the canyon getting logs out. Some would stay at Cottonwood Lake and go on the hill south west of the lake and cut and snake the logs out. Rulon was the cook for that group. After those in town had finished their chores each morning, they would drive up to the lake and help snake out logs while the Cutters were eating their dinner and then all would help load and the Haulers would return home. When the logging was finished, a hot basketball game was played between the Loggers and the Haulers at the old church. Services were first held in the new chapel 14 March 1937, and the building was dedicated 18 September 1943 by Apostle John A. Widstoe. After moving into the new church, the old hall was also used for roller skating and it wasn't long until the softwood floor was ruined for basketball, eventually the building was torn down.
Theda remembers being told:
One time when I (Harve) was hauling a load of logs down the canyon, I was sitting on the load with my new Christmas mackinaw coat beside me. A voice said, “Harve get off and walk.” I got off and walked along beside the load. We went around a curve, when suddenly the load shifted and tipped over into Cottonwood Creek. I had to wade into the creek to recover my new coat. I then realized that if I had stayed on the load I would have been killed under the logs.
Those who served as Bishops of the Smoot Ward:
William Parsons 1889-1904
Frank P. Cranney 1904-1913 Sports and Dancing
Charles H. Peterson 1913-1929 Called me on my mission
Was Counselor to Bishop Peterson after mission.
Hugh W. Findlay 1929-43 Building, depression, released day of Dedication
Dec. 1930 Membership 311
Lawrence Bruce 1943-1952 Genealogy
Elmer Lancaster 1952-1956 Welfare Military Discipline
Leon Taggart 1956-1960 Bought Church Farm
Lavere Anderson 1960-1967 Cemetery Dist. Finances
Donald Johnson 1967-1972
Stanley Reeves 1972-1980
Alan Stauffers 1980-1985
Gary Jenkins 1985-1990
Dale Barnes 1990-1995
Bart Kunz 1995-
I was ordained an Elder 3 Jan 1920, by Rodney Barrus and a High Priest 20 June 1926 by George F. Richards. I served in various church callings some of which were:
Ward teacher when I was old enough and throughout my life.
Counselor to Bp. Peterson 1926-29 three years and three months.
Activity Counselor to Jack Canning 1929-30. This was the first year we had the budget and it was a big help in the activities held in the ward--dances, old folks parties, sports, drama and programs.
President of MIA
Activity Counselor to Spencer Taggart
High Priest Group Leader 1966-68 (Genealogy classes)
Home Missionary and Stake Missionary several times.
Cottage meetings were held in the members’ homes where neighbors (members and nonmember) were invited. The Home or Stake Missionaries conducted the meetings where the gospel was taught and discussed, songs sung and refreshments usually served. Stake Missionaries were also the speaking companions of the High Councilmen when visiting the wards.
A new school with three classrooms was built in 1925 in Smoot, by the Consolidated School District #19. A small storeroom was later used as a kitchen and hot lunches were served at tables set up in the hall. An addition was added by the W.P.A. in the late 30's with a large kitchen and another classroom. There were three long tables in the kitchen where the children ate their hot lunch.
My older brother, Vernon purchased the Annie House homestead in 1913, when she moved to Idaho. It was located northeast of Etna. Vernon enjoyed living in Etna, especially playing baseball and going to dances. Etna was a boom town at this time. Then in the spring of 1918, he was injured (breaking several ribs) while branding and dehorning cattle. He paid little attention to it and kept on working. The inflamed part became infected, and he was operated on in the spring of 1919 and TB of the bone was found. But after suffering about two years, death claimed his life. I was in Salt Lake with him when he died. I always admired him.
A courtship started when a young school teacher Rosella Mallory came to Smoot to teach school for her first time. The first time I saw Rosella, she and Irene Johnson were walking home from school. She was a cousin of my friend Warren Staley. We started keeping company by going to the dances in Afton at Welch's Dance Hall, which had a confectionery, pool hall and barbershop in front. The next year she taught in Bedford, and I often traveled by team and sleigh, about a three-hour drive in the wintertime, to see her. (Often Harve told of his narrow escape from an avalanche one time when he drove his team through the narrows.) Sometimes, after going to a dance, I would put my team in Mr. Mallory's barn and stay overnight and come back the next day.
The next spring we went to a dance and I told her I had something to tell her and she said she had something to tell me. We had each received our mission call. Mine was to Australia and Rosella’s was to the Central States both leaving in June. So any marriage thoughts were delayed to serve the Lord. (Their example and encouragement has inspired the legacy of missionary work to continue in their posterity. All of their grandsons and one granddaughter have filled missions.)
We rode to Salt Lake with Mart and Mary Schwab, riding in the rumble seat of their 1916 Ford car. Prior to 1925, all missionaries when called on missions left from their homes directly for the mission field to which they had been assigned. The majority of them stopped for a few days in Salt Lake City on their way. As the church had no hotel facilities especially for the missionaries, the elders and sisters had to find their own lodging while in Salt Lake. A Missionary Training home was provided in 1925, at 31 North State Street. We went to the Salt Lake Temple, received our endowments on the 13th of June 1923, and we were both set apart as missionaries by Apostle Melvin J. Ballard and went off to catch the train. I put Rosella on the train going east and I ran to catch the train going to San Francisco. I sailed with four other Elders in a state room on the ship “Sanoma” to Australia, and home on the ship “Sierra.”
When Elder Parley Jensen and I landed in Sydney in 1923, there were only 17 missionaries and six branches in all of Australia and less than 300 members. In 1982, there were 16 Stakes and five Missions.(Eighteen years later in the year 2000 there are 100,000 members and soon there well be five temples.) In my first area, I worked on the first Latter-day Saint chapel in the city of Sydney for four months. One year was spent in Hobart, Tasmania, then to Melbourne for six months, and six weeks in Camperdown and my final assignment was in Ballarat. It took mail about a month to come from home.
In Ballarat, Elder Ence and I were each tracting alone, which was common practice and I came to this pretty little street and I knocked on a door. A lady answered the door and invited me in. We visited and I told her about the church and then she said to me, "When I opened the door, even before you spoke a word, I knew you had something for me, which I had been looking for all my life.” Sister Richie was ready to be baptized. This means more to me and strengthened my testimony more than anything else that happened to me on my mission. She and her daughter were baptized.
In 1950, one of my former missionary companion, Elder Edwin James from Rock Springs, Wyoming was on a building mission in Australia. He helped build the first chapel in Ballarat. At the dedication of this chapel, Sister Richie bore her testimony and thanked the Lord for the cowboy missionary from Wyoming who had brought the gospel to her. Serving a mission for the Lord is one of the great highlights of my life and I have enjoyed sharing my mission experience with my family and anyone who was interested.
After arriving home from Australia, I worked at the sugar factory in Tremonton, Utah, from October to December. I worked twelve hours a day at twenty-seven cents an hour, earning $200. On the way home I bought a set of harnesses for $50 in Logan. I bought a nice team of horses, Tug and Bolly from Dave Helm’s wife, Martha for $25 after he died. I should have bought more horses as she had to give them away because she didn’t have enough feed for them.
After returning home from my mission, I began courting Rosella again and we decided to get married. We went to Salt Lake in June 1927 to be married. As we were traveling in my model T car behind Rosella’s father’s car, Mr. Mallory’s rear wheel came off and rolled down the hill. The passengers were all right and after fixing the wheel, we continued our trip. We were married the 9th of June 1927, in the Salt Lake Temple.
We first rented and later purchased the Orson and Mary Crook farm, across the street from my father’s homestead, in 1929 for $3000. We had milk cows, chickens, horses and sheep. We also rented the Peterson ranch the summers of 1928 and 1931. We lived in the log house on the ranch from June to September and milked 22 cows that first summer. In 1931, there wasn't much water and so the crops were poor. The following years were difficult to get ahead because of the depression. I sold one cow and received $1.49 after the freight bill was paid. Later, our milk cows got bangs disease and they had to be sold. The government was paying us to kill them at $10 per cow and $1 per sheep and we had to slit the hide down the back so it couldn't be used.
Our first daughter Nola(1) was born 11 March 1932. John Mallory, Rosella’s brother had a contract with Mr. Rubey, a geologist, to pack and cook for him during the summer of 1933. John didn't want to go out for the summer, so he came and asked if I would like to go with Rubey. John put up my hay and Rosella's parents came and stayed with her and Nola. I spent the summer in the mountains on the Greys River drainage, being camp jack and cook, (every day he wanted boiled potatoes served with catsup.) I earned $50 per month. I also worked on the road when it was built over the Salt River Pass in the south end, with a fresno and team of horses.
My parents had a home built in Smoot next to Rulon’s home and moved there to be close to the church, store and school in the early 30's. A few years later, Dad had been riding a horse one day and chaffed his legs. He soaked them in hot water, a blood clot resulted and caused his sudden death in 1936. Mother was confined to a wheelchair for seven years with severe arthritis and passed away in 1938.
Our second daughter Theda was born 25 November 1935. During the summer of 1936, I drove an oil truck between Rawlins and Casper. Once I took a little white dog with black spots home to the girls, which Nola called Pally.
Up until 1938, the women in Star Valley still ironed their clothes with a heavy flatiron heated on a wood burning stove. The remoteness of Star Valley had kept it separated from major power lines. Afton had a small power plant. The REA was helping people across America form local power cooperatives. Funds from the REA made it feasible for the Lower Valley Power and Light to be established. Lyman Crook and I worked in the Greys River area bringing out poles to be treated and then delivering them throughout the valley where power lines were being built. Dangerous coal oil (kerosene) and gas lanterns were replaced by clean electric lights. Electricity changed lives forever. About this time it became quite the sport to seine for white fish, and it wasn’t uncommon to come home with a gunny sack full of fish that needed to be scaled. (Salt River beckoned Harve on the summer evenings and he usually came back with a mess of fish. He really enjoyed fishing.)
I ran the creamery in Smoot from October 15, 1941, to January 12, 1943, with 12 patrons. We made cheddar cheese and sold it to Krafts in Pocatello. Sam Walton worked for me and lived in the apartment in the creamery. The leftover whey from the creamery was fed to the pigs. Fluctuating prices for milk and cheese, and the consolidating of the smaller creameries in the valley, due to better transportation made it unprofitable to continue operating the creamery. In the early years there was a creamery in almost every community.
We used wood to heat our home, I would get it out of the canyon and let it dry for a year. Rosella's mother was not well in the early forties and she passed away 16 March 1942. Her father died in 1950.
Charles H. Peterson homesteaded his ranch in 1898. His family lived there for several years before they moved to Smoot. Chief Washakie often visited them and they were honored to have him in their home. I told Mr. Peterson if he ever wanted to sell to let me know. This farm had good deep soil and could be sub-irrigated with water from the Salt River. It had large fields with few ditches, and practically rock free. In the early forties he told me he had decided to sell the ranch as his son Newell didn't want it. Arrangements were made with the Federal Land Bank for an $8000 loan for the 200-acre ranch and a cattle permit. The ranch was located two and half miles south of Smoot on U.S. highway 89. The only building was a log house.
We sold our farm to Charles Crook in May of 1943, and moved into my brother Rulon’s home, as his family was living in Salt Lake City where he was working at the time. We camped up at the ranch during the summer months in a small-two room building with the bedroom having a canvas roof, which I had purchased from Bernice Rodgers, and had moved to the ranch. In the fall and winter of 1943, Dale and Verl Halls helped me get about 30,000 board feet of lumber east of Cottonwood Lake to build our home. I had the logs sawed at the Lake for $210 and we hauled the lumber down to Smoot and stacked it to dry. Josh Schwab sized the lumber with his planer. In the fall of 1944, Bill Helm helped me dig the basement using a scraper and horses. The next summer Dale Hall and E. G. Brown started construction. The cement for the basement walls was mixed on site with a little cement mixer. We also used as many rocks as we could find as filler for the concrete, so that we didn’t have to make as much.
While living in Smoot, our third daughter Evelyn was born 26 August 1944. We moved into our new home in the fall of 1946, at this time we were milking about 20 cows. We took them over on the hill to graze on the forest and milked them there using a gas engine to run the milking machine which often was a real challenge. Rosella was teaching school and along with the milk check we were able to pay the carpenters and buy building materials. An oil drilling rig was set up south east of our home in 1948. Drilling was carried on for 1-2 years, but was abandoned when no oil was found or reported.
We raised alfalfa and meadow hay to feed the cattle and sheep and barley to feed the pigs. A stacker and buck rake were used to harvest the hay, and a beaver slide for the meadow hay. A power buck rake was made using parts of an old truck and then driven backwards. It wasn’t used for long. Later a farmhand and then a bailer was used. I learned not to drink ice cold water as it would make me sick, so I always put the water bottle in the sun while we were haying. Having no sons I often hired young men of Smoot to work. Many have told about experiences they had with Harve. Methods in farming have changed with new machinery from horse drawn equipment to tractors. During haying season or when I was working in the field, Rosella would hang a white dishtowel on the corner of the house as a signal to me that dinner was ready. I never wore a watch until many years later.
Evelyn remembers one summer tragedy. Daddy had a bunch of red sows with babies. He had them in pens out in the barn. I think it was some that had been out and had their babies over in the pasture. One day one of Mama’s old red hens decided to go visiting the new babies. She was not a welcome visitor and the old sow ate the old red hen. But that is not the end of the story. The old red sow choked on the old red hen and died. So we had a bunch of orphans to feed. I think the hen had baby chicks. I am not sure who was the most up set Mom or Dad. They both had lost an animal that day.
In the mid-fifties we sold the milk cows and bought about 200 sheep and the reserve right on the Higbee, Snake River allotment on Greys River from Orson Johnson. Later we brought more from Am Linford. We would trail them from our spring range in Smoot to the lower valley taking about four days and go over the Stuart trail to Greys River, the first week in July. We purchased Edlunds place in 1954 that had 320 acres, then Elmer's 160 acre farm in about 1956, and 320 acres from Porter and then sold the 80 acres of hay land to Lynn Hunsaker later.
Most of this land was used for spring and fall range for the sheep. In the fall of 1967, I purchased 800 head of sheep and the Elk Mt. allotment from Art Robinson. We took them to the winter range on the Granger lease out by Little America. The sheep would eat the salt sage and other plants. If there was a lot of snow, we would have to take hay out to them. We would lamb, dock, brand, and shear the ewes on the spring range at Rabbit Creek west of Cokeville and later in the Fossil Butte area west of Kemmerer. Each summer we would truck them over to Greys River the first week in July.
I believed in branching out and accumulating property, it was worth what I lost in the sheep business to get the property in the south-end to give our posterity a place to come and camp and fish. Accumulation is more important than making a profit in the farming business. Make sure you have your business deals in writing. Get something of your own and don't depend on someone else.
I was on the Smoot Cemetery Board for a number of years, and tried to make worthwhile improvements that were needed such as map, fence and locating markers. I had known practically everyone who is buried there.
Nola remembers that with few exceptions, Dad spent his birthday in the mountains on Greys River, Jackson or near our home on a successful elk hunting trips with friends and family. Many stories were told of those happy times. The only time I ever went to Greys River with him hunting was in October 1954, Bob was in the service and on leave before going to Korea and he could purchase a resident license. We were on Higbee mountain, and Dad had gotten thirsty and eaten some snow and it made him sick so we were late coming off the mountain. This delay helped in getting two bull elk on our way to camp. Some of his nephews had gone to camp earlier and missed out on the fun.
Theda remembers that: Dad put my name in along with his for an elk permit on Greys River. I got a permit and he didn’t. So he had to take me. We slept in the wall tent. Before daylight we were saddled up and riding out. We never saw any elk so Dad sent me home with Dude Erickson. He came home the next day--No elk that year.
Evelyn remembers: One fall while I was in high school, Dad and I went elk hunting over on Greys River with the whole Dabel clan. Just before the 15th Red Dabel had flown over by the Blind Bull Mine and they had spotted a big herd of elk. When we went to bed I told Dad that I was going to leave my Levi’s on and he told me I would freeze. I just remember getting up and it was still dark. We drove up the draw and then walked and walked. He was disgusted with himself for letting some of the Dabel’s ride the horses. That is the only time that I can ever remember him hunting on foot. It seemed like we walked forever and ever. We found where the elk had bedded down for the night and fresh tracks but no elk. The men on horses followed the tracks up the hill and down towards Big Piney and out of the country. Dad always said they knew when the season opened and when to get out of the country and they sure did that day.
Dad had a good full head of hair which he never lost and was very fussy about the way it was cut and combed. He wore a ‘butch’ cut for a number of years. He did a lot of barbering in the mission field and also when he came home for neighbors and family. (often on Sunday Morning) But none of us were asked a second time to cut his hair! In October 1933, he had a major sinus operation in Salt Lake. About 1962 he ate some spoiled fish which caused intestinal problems for several years. The medical doctors couldn't help him so he went to Sundance, an Indian doctor and took his herbal medicine which helped and finally he got feeling better. He lost a lot of weight, from about 225 to 180 pounds.
Later in life Rosella and I spent two summers going to Jackson, Wyoming once a week and working in the L.D.S. Visitors Center. Here we explained about the early days of the area and the history of the Indians and the Book of Mormon. We found many people interested and gave away a lot of Book of Mormons.
We made arrangements to sell the sheep in 1975, to Verl Hebdon which gave us a little more liberty which we hadn't had before. So right after the first of the year we went to California, to see Rosella’s brother George who had cancer and was in a hospital. We wanted to be with Bea, (George’s wife) and help her what we could. I stayed with George in a double room at the hospital until he passed away 26 January 1976. His children Kay and Karen had been changing off staying with him at night. After the funeral we went up to Los Angeles and visited a few days with Rosella’s sister Ethel’s daughters, Marilyn and Doris. We went to the Los Angeles Temple a few times and also Disneyland. We also visited Yuma and Mesa in Arizona. While in Mesa we visited the graves of Rosella’s grandmother Caroline LeSueur and her baby. They were some of the first L.D.S. settlers to pass away in Mesa. She left six motherless children, Rosella’s father, Charles Lemuel Mallory, being the oldest.
We attended a Wyoming reunion in Mesa and saw many from Star Valley who were spending the winter there. After staying about a month in the sunshine, we came to St. George via Hoover Dam and Las Vegas and visited John and Gladys. He had just had surgery and we came home when he was feeling better the later part of March.
Our daughters and their families came and visited many times for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In 1976, all the girls and families were here for Thanksgiving. These are some of our happier times when all of our family was together.
We celebrated our GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY July 1, 1977 with an open house at the Gardner Guest Ranch in the Forest Dell. Many friends and relatives came to honor us. All of our immediate family was present except our two oldest grandsons (Regan and Greg) who were both serving on L.D.S. missions. All the family helped make a beautiful quilt with each block depicting events in our married life. An open house was held on our 60th Anniversary and on my 80th birthday at our home. Many friends and family came and visited.
We went to Arizona for thirteen winters and enjoyed being out of the cold. We purchased a small trailer which was parked about a block from the temple and later we bought a larger one. We came home via Oakland once. We attended the temple a lot the first few years, sometimes four sessions a day for several years and then later when we were able. One of happiest times in our lives were those years when we had the car loaded and went to Arizona to spend the winter. We gained many friendships during the winters we spent in Mesa. The last winter we spent in Arizona was 1987-88.
We enjoyed going to the Senior Citizens Center in Afton for dinner and also for the association of friends, and meeting the new people of Star Valley. I enjoyed playing pool. Meals were brought to us by the Senior Center when we were unable to go to Afton. An excellent service was provided by the home nurses that came to our home and gave help rather than having to go to the Doctor. My eye sight was not as good as it needed to be to get a drivers license and on 17 August 1988 both Rosella and I had a right eye lens transplant.
All of the above are stories either from audio recordings of Harve, Rosella’s handwritten autobiography, family records or the remembrances that he has told family or friend.
Rosella died 25 November 1991, after 64 years of marriage. Harve has missed her greatly and spent his remaining winters at his daughters’ homes and generally stayed at his home in Smoot during the summer months. He continued to drive his own car during the summers until August 1994.
In August 1994, while at the Lincoln County Fair, Harve fell in the grandstand while at the rodeo and injured his arm and never got around as well after that. Shortly after this he went to his daughters’ homes. In the spring of 1995, Dad wanted to go home for the summer, and be in his own home. His daughters took turns staying with him. In August he needed oxygen to help him breathe easier. After some restless days, he passed away peacefully in his sleep early in the morning 28 August 1995.
Harve was survived by his three daughters along with their husbands, nine grandsons, four granddaughters, and 25 great grandchildren.
He was proud of his pioneer heritage, as all his grandparents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and had emigrated to America. His parents had come across the plains as children. His father was three years old when he came with his parents in a handcart and his mother was three weeks when her parents came to Utah with an ox team.
Few people are granted a long tenure of years and with them the physical and mental capacity for a rich abundant life. He called his mind his computer, he did have a very keen memory for dates and events all his life. He was particulary spry for a man of his advanced age after ninety years. He is best known for friendly manner and keen sense of humor. He loved to recount thrilling tales to his companions young and old.
ROSELLA MALLORY CROOK
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ROSELLA MALLORY
Rosella Mallory, the second child of Charles Lemuel and Emily Sophia Stoffers Mallory was born 13 September 1898, at Bedford,
Uinta County, Wyoming. My parents had lived in Cokeville, Wyoming since their marriage and then hearing of places they could homestead in Star Valley they decided to move to Bedford and make their home. They homesteaded 160 acres, built a three room log cabin and began to make preparations to cultivate the land. They also leased a 640 school section. Grandpa Stoffers had given them a couple of cows so they would have milk and butter. They planted a garden and hay and grain for the livestock. Their place was 2 1/2 miles north of the Bedford townsite, and being fertile ground with a few rocks it wasn't many years until they had it producing well and proved up on.
On a beautiful fall day, Father had been cutting grain when word was brought to him that a doctor was needed. He called our neighbor, Mr. Charles Wilkes, and asked him if he would go for Dr. Elise Hemmert (a mid-wife), who lived in Thayne, Wyoming. Father hitched a team of horses to a buggy, and Mr. Wilkes jumped in and was on his way. The dirt road he had to travel over was rough, but he was back in good time. Dr. Hemmert took care of Mother and me and charged five dollars for services rendered, then she was taken back home.
I was given the name of Rosella after my two aunts. One of Mother's sisters name was Ella, and Father had a sister named
Rose, so they decided to join the two together dropping one of the e's. I was blessed 25 February 1906 by John U. Moser. The church membership was 267,251 with 40 stakes and 20 missions.
The day I was born Lorenzo Snow 84, became the 5th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. William McKinley was President of the United States.
Our family consisted of LeRoy, myself, John Charles, Earl William, George Lorenzo, Frank Warren, Harold Lemuel who died when he was 21 months old, and Ethel Annetta. I was baptized by Thomas E. Titensor, June 5, 1909, in a pond used for swimming near Uncle Chet Staley's home, one mile west of our home and confirmed 6 June 1909 by John Fluckiger.
I attended grade school in Bedford in the church house the first year. Of my school days I remember the first and second grades the best because I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. There was one room and one teacher, Mr. Benson for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school. When there was more than one teacher a curtain would be drawn to divide the hall, we often found ourselves listening to the teacher behind the curtain (guess we were learning.) The next grade I remember much about was the fifth grade, we had a teacher who let us do almost anything we wanted to. My seventh grade teacher, Parley P. Baldwin, was just the opposite. We did what he said or else and we learned our lessons well and respected him. Other teachers I remember were Libbie Dustin, Ethel Dustin, Mary Oakey 7th grade 1913-14, Nellie Sprouse 5th grade 1910-11, Adelia Lemon 4th grade 1909-10 and Maud G Mallow 8th grade 1914-15. It was 2 1/2 miles from our place to school. We often walked to school in the fall and spring. During the winter we rode in an open sleigh. We used to have some good times going and coming from school. The parents had to provide the transportation for their own children. We lived on the end of the route, and everyone seemed to think it was our duty to haul everyone along the road, so by the time we got to school, we would have a load. The roads were often full of snow and it took longer to get to school so we had to leave earlier in the morning. Some mornings were bitter cold, and if we were in an open sleigh, our feet and hands were numb with cold and our lunches would be frozen. The school would be chilly on cold days. It was heated with a wood burning stove. Drinking water was brought in the school house in a bucket, with one cup for all to drink from and there were no rest rooms inside.
One morning the wind was blowing and we felt that we had better leave just a little earlier than usual. We started across the open flat with sixteen of us in the open sleigh, and only two quilts to keep us warm. We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All traces of the road were hidden and we had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the road the driver guided them right off the road to go in another direction. We yelled and said, "You are turning the horses off the road." "Oh no, I'm on the right road." The older boys were out walking ahead of the horses, trying to make a path for the horses to follow. NEVER WILL I FORGET THAT DAY! We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the school house about one mile east of us. Mr. Roos, who had been feeding his sheep heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and he helped us get to the school house. The teacher came out to meet us and I can still see the look on her face as se assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. "My" she said, "I've been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here." We were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time. Our prayers had been answered.
We all had plenty to do while living on the farm. Crops had to be put in and harvested, cows milked, chickens and gardens to be taken care of. Every fall we were glad to see the threshing crew consisting of twelve to fifteen men. They would use about six teams hooked to the thresher, these horses would have to go around and around to turn the tumbling rod which led from the horse power to the thresher. When the horses were going around the tumbling rod would turn, thus setting the thresher in action. Men were on the bundle stack pitching the grain bundles onto the table of the thresher. One man would measure the grain, another hold the sacks and usually two would haul the sacks of grain in a wagon to the grainary. The boss would keep the machine greased and see that everything was going alright. They would thresh from 500 to 1000 bushel per day. All the men would stay for every meal and the main crew would bring their bedding and stay all night sleeping near the grain stacks or in the barn.
Grandpa Mallory lived near us for a few years and came to our home quite often, and would relate many interesting stories of the time he spent in Nauvoo, crossing the plains and would sing to us. Many times while Father was still working in the field, I would jump on one of the ponies and go after the cows. Father always tried to get through working early so our evening meal was over and we had plenty of time to play games. We never had a car at this time. The only mode of transportation was in a buggy, wagon, on horse back or walking. We often went to the church to see the three-act plays put on by other wards. Dancing seemed to be one of the main entertainments for young and old alike in the winter. Then ball games and swimming in the summer, sometimes we went to the Sulpher Springs in Auburn to swim. At Christmas the entire family would hang their stockings on Christmas Eve and awakening in the morning to a very special treat of oranges and candy are remembered. Also the Christmas's spent in Cokeville with Grandmother and Grandfather Stoffers and enjoying her good turkey dinners, and the fun we had coasting and ice-skating. Traveling there in a covered sleigh with a stove in it. One year I received my doll Daizy.
Our family went on a fishing trip with Uncle Chet's family one summer to the Snake River, taking our tents, bedding and food in a wagon. We camped in a grove of big old pine trees. Oh, how I hated to hear the wind swaying those trees during the night! I never did like to hear the wind blow. We would ride a ferry boat across the river when we wanted to fish on the other side. We had a lot of fun catching lots of fish and eating them.
I was about twelve years old when my little brother Harold was born, he was a healthy baby with big brown eyes. When he was about 8 months old he got pneumonia, the Dr. prescribed medicine, which seemed to help for a time, then he got the chicken pox and whooping cough, and then developed dropsy and was never well after that. His death filled our home with sadness as he had been given constant care all this time and it was hard to see him go. One Memorial Day, Mother and all our family, except Father, who was at home drilling grain, were on our way to the cemetery in a buggy to decorate little Harold's grave, when a hail storm overtook us. Mother said, "Boys, you had better get out and hold the horses' reins. I'm thinking they may become frightened and run away." The two boys jumped out, and held the horses, as they became very nervous when hail stones as large as quarters began pounding them. Thank goodness the storm only lasted a few minutes. The boys got back into the buggy and their backs were black and blue with welts where the hail had hit them. I've never witnessed such a storm since then.
During the winter months Father worked in the Turnerville Canyon cutting and hauling logs for our new home. Often in the early hours of the evening we would stay out of doors looking and listening for him to come home. We could hear him as he came out of the mouth of the canyon. He would be singing or whistling. He was one who looked on the bright side of life and seemed to be happy. He was about six feet tall and strong and healthy until the last two years of his life. Mother always depended on him.
We moved into our new 7 room home a few months before Ethel was born.
I'll never forget spring house cleaning. Our rag carpets had to be taken up, washed and new straw put down. When the carpets were dry enough, they were put down over the straw. Also the bed ticks (mattresses) were taken out in the fall and the old straw removed and new straw put into the ticks. Some bedroom walls were lined with white muslin. This was taken off the walls, washed and dried, then tacked back on the walls again. Windows and curtains were washed. Our kitchen was a big one and didn't have floor covering for awhile; so, this wood floor had to be scrubbed at least once a week or oftener, as needed. Conveniences such as we have now and electricity were hardly thought of. We didn't have electricity until 1939. Clothes were washed in a tub on a washboard by the push and pull movement. Later we got a washer run by hand. Baths had to be taken in a round tub, water being heated on a stove. Sometimes, I've wondered how Father and Mother endured having none of the modern day conveniences, having a large family to care for. I'm so thankful for the examples they set and for their teachings to always be appreciative of the gospel, of our teachers and others who have tried to help us in getting an education, and to love and respect the country we live in.
After graduating from the eighth grade, John and I attended the first year of high school in Thayne, traveling back and forth each ay in a covered sleigh or buggy. We later lost our credits as they said it was not accredited. We went to the Star Valley High School in Afton. Mildred White and I rented a room, did our own cooking, washing and ironing. John usually had a team so we could go home on weekends or when we were homesick. During the 1917-18 school year the Spanish influenza hit the valley, and the high school was closed for awhile. In just a day or two practically all the students and teachers were down with the flu. Some students, one teacher and one doctor died with that terrible disease. As soon as we were well enough to travel, we went home. It took us a long time to get over the effects of the flu, so when school started, our parents thought it best we stay home for the rest of the school year.
After graduating from high school in 1921, I borrowed $150 and went to Laramie to the University of Wyoming to summer school. Up to this time very few had attended summer school from Star Valley. There were twenty-one from my class that attended school that summer in Laramie. I became interested teaching and received a lot of teaching helps and hoped I would be offered a contract to teach the following school year. When I returned from school, the Superintendent offered me a contract to teach the intermediate grades in Smoot in 1921-22. Irene Johnson was the Principal and Gladys Bagley taught the primary grades, with a little praise and encouragement I was able to get through the first week or so, then I began to manage and enjoy teaching. The pupils I had were nice to work with. The school house was a little a little three room building just west of Bp. Charles Peterson's store. The school house was not much more up to date than when I attended grade school. I received $85 per month and boarded with my cousin, Vivian Johns.
It was during this year and my high school years that I had a lot of fun, dancing going to basketball games, sleigh riding, coasting and parties. Most of the traveling was done in a sleigh or by team and buggy. Few cars were used and only the one main highway was kept open for cars. It was this winter that I met and started going with my future husband. Harvey was one of the Smoot basketball players,along with his brothers, Ray and Rulon, Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, and Newell Peterson. They won most of their games, competing with other teams in the valley. We went to many games, parties and dances that winter.
I returned to school that summer and taught in Bedford the 1922-23 school year, my sister Ethel was in my class with Roscoe Titensor and Marian Gardner. Just as school was nearing the end, Harve and I both received a call to go on a mission. His was to Australia and I was called to go to the Central States. We went to Salt Lake City in June, where we were set apart for our missions by Brother Melvin J. Ballard, an Apostle, a man who has always ranked high in my estimation, as I had heard him bear his testimony at a conference in Afton. With tears running down his cheek, he told of a time he had seen the Savior in the Salt Lake Temple. In my blessing he said-"An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the world. That my testimony of the gospel would cut like a two-edged sword." We went through the Salt Lake Temple the same day, 13 June 1923 and received our endowments. There was a large sessions. We went in at eight o'clock and never came out until three and my train was to leave in about forty-five minutes so we really had to hurry. I traveled with Lucy Houston and Marguriete Thomas from Lovell, Wyoming. Our headquarters were at Independence, Missouri. Samuel O. Bennion was my mission president. Sr. McBride, from Pima, Arizona, was my first companion. She was a very humble missionary and a help to me in getting started to do missionary work, which I found interesting and enjoyable. Some of my other companions were Charity Leavitt, Mary Peterson, Emma Gardner and Lulu Brim. I labored in Kansas City, Kansas, and Joplin, Springfield, and St. Louis, Missouri. Long hours of tracting and revisiting kept our minds busy and it gave us encouragement when we found people who were interested in the message we brought to them. It was our duty to deliver this message and to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the same. We must consider that our own eternal joy, glory and exaltation are reflections of what we bring into the lives of others. God has told us how He values souls and has promised us great joy if one soul is saved and how great the joy if many souls are saved. I was released from my mission on 30 May 1925. After visiting in Chicago, I returned to Salt Lake City. The time spent in the mission field was a highlight of my life, which I will always be thankful for. Meeting so many wonderful saints with such strong testimonies of the gospel and always ready to help and encouraging us and to open their homes and invite us to eat with them. It seemed they could never do enough to make our stay there welcome. All this strengthened my testimony of the gospel. I am grateful for my parents and brothers and sister for the assistance they gave me so I could have this opportunity to help in my weak way to further the work of the Lord and to increase my testimony and knowledge of the gospel.
It was while on my mission I found many new and lasting acquaintances. Also learning the real purpose of life and what it means to me. Those were two of the happiest years of my life.
Prior to my release, my brother, John had said to Father, "It would be great if the family could be ready to go to the temple when Rosella comes home from her mission." Father got in his buggy and went to see the Bishop and Stake President and came home with his recommend.
Roy met me at the train the 11 June 1925 and took me to his home. There was all my family; they had come down to go through the temple, and have our family sealed.
Brother Ray Thurman gave me my Patriarchal Blessing 6 May 1926 which has been a guide and comfort to me.
I spent the summer after my mission at home and then attended Normal Training School the next winter 1925-26 in Afton, and taught in Bedford the following school year. Harve returned from his mission in July and we continued going together. On the 9th of June 1927, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Mother and Father accompanied us through the temple. When we got home to Bedford the kids shivereed us, and we gave them a dance. Harve had been asked to be a counselor in the Bishopric in Smoot before we were married. We lived about a month with his folks and then moved into the Orson Crook home which we purchased. $3000 160 acres. This was our first home, and our two oldest girls, Nola and Theda were born while we lived there. We had a few cows, sheep, and chickens and always had a nice garden and crops to care for. I started teaching school again in Smoot from 1929 to 1931, I resigned in Dec and Nola was born in March. I taught in 1943 after Mrs. Gardner left in Dec. Nola was in my fifth grade. I taught 1943-44 school year in Smoot when we were living in Smoot. Evelyn was born the 26 of August.Then in 1947 the superintendent came and asked me if I would teach that winter in Smoot it was following the war and they were short on teachers. I accepted and taught the next 16 years. After attending the University of Wyoming, USAC, Weber State, and correspondent classes from Ricks College I graduated from USAC with a BS degree in elementary education and minor in social science after getting my credits the hard way, taking correspondent classes, extension classes, and attending a lot summer school. You didn't have to have a degree when I first started teaching. I retired in 1964 after teaching 24 1/2 years. Many changes have taken place during this time. Hot lunches were started in the schools in the 30's. All children were transported to school in well heated buses. I taught in Bedford, Smoot, Afton, Grover and Osmond schools. These were busy years but the girls were good to help. School teaching was a rewarding job when one could see children progressing and developing. The valley schools were consolidated in 1955, which was a big improvement in our educational system, giving elementary teachers one grade. (She made a profound influence on the lives of many young people.)
We sold our little farm about 1942, also the sheep and bought more cows and purchased the Charles H. Peterson ranch which we had rented. It was located 2 1/2 miles south of Smoot on highway 89. There were no buildings on the place except an old log house; so we rented Rulon's home in Smoot across the street from the church while we had a home built on the ranch. Evelyn was born while we were living here. We were milking about 22 cows the years that our home was being build and the money received from the milk that we sold was a great help in paying the carpenter and purchasing building materials. This was during World War II and a lot of things were rationed or unavailable at times. We were happy when it was completed and we were able to move into our new comfortable home the summer of 1946. Here we have been engaged in ranching. First we had a large herd of milk cows, then we sold them and then started running sheep. Harve started sending them to th desert for the winter in 1963.
Some of the church positions I have held--
Mutual as a teacher and counselor and President
Sunday School and Primary teacher
Relief Society Counselor and teacher
Sunday School Stake board 1948-1955, visiting all the ward in the stake. I am a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
We have three lovely daughters who were a help and joy to us. All were married in the Logan Temple to fine young men and have families of their own, and are active in the church.
We have gone through one depression in our married life having to kill some of our cattle, as there wasn't any sale for them. If there was, at times, they didn't sell for near what they were worth. So we've had problems but have found enjoyment trying to accomplish things that were worth while in our lives. Harve has been a great help to me, giving encouragement, seeing that I get to my meetings and work.
(This was all taken from her writing)
Her home was always clean and neat. A place of comfort and warmth, things never seemed to get out of order, even when she was busy with meals and canning. Dishes were always done immediately following a meal and when meal preparation was completed everything was tidy.
She wrote to her grandsons and Kim while they were on their missions encouraging them to do their best and that she was proud all could serve.
Blessing date 25 Feb 1906 by John U. Moser
Baptism date 5 June 1909 by Thomas E. Titensor
Confirmed 6 June 1909 by John Fluckiger
6 May 1926 Patriarical Blessing by Ray S. Thurman Guide & Comfort
1898 Church membership 267,251 40 stakes and 20 missions
Mother's teachers:
1st grade Mr Benson
They had to draw big white curtains to separate the classes as all were in the same building
"Of my school days I remember the first and second grades best because I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. I went to school in a one room nuilding with one teacher for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school.
4th Adelia Lemon 1909-10
5th Nellie M Sprouse 1910-11
6th P.P. Baldwin 1911-12
7th Mary Oakey 1913-14
8th Maud G Mallow 1914-15
We would often walk to school in the fall and spring months of the year and during the winter months ride in a sleigh. The roads were often full of snow and took us longer to get to school.
One morning we started across the open flat with sixteen of us in an open sleigh, and we only had two quilts to keep us warm.
We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All trace of the road was hidden. We had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the old road the driver guided them right off the road to go in another direction. We yelled and said, "You are turning the horses off the road." "Oh no, I'm on the right road. The older boys had to get out and help to make a trail for the horses to follow. Never will I forget that day. We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the school house about one mile east of us. Mr Roos, who had been feeding his sheep had heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and help us get to the school house. The teacher came out to meet us by the door, I can still see the look on her face as she assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. "My" she said, "I've been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here." We too were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time."
Our prayers had been answered. 1922-23 taught in Bedford with Roscoe Titensor & Marian Gardner.
1925-26 Normal Training in Afton
1926-27 Bedford 3-4-5- Frane Wilkes Allie Burton
1929 1/2 year in Smoot
1929-30, 30-3l, 31 in Smoot Quit in Dec as Nola was born in March
Small schools in each community with several grades in each room.
1943 1/2 year in Smoot took Mrs. Gardner's place. Nola was in the 5th grade.
1943-44 Smoot 3-4-5 Evelyn was born 26 Aug 1944 while we were living in Rulon's home across the street from the Smoot church and school. When she was three years old, the Supt of schools came and asked me to teach that winter in Smoot. It was during the war and they were short on teachers. I accepted and taught for sixteen years, they were busy years, but the girls were good to help. I retired in the spring of 1964.
I taught in Afton, Osmond, Grover, Bedford and Smoot the grades -1-6 at different times.
Depression in early married life but found enjoyment trying to accomplish and do things that were worthwhile. Having to kill some of our cattle as there wasn't any sale for them and if there was they didn't sell for near what they were worth.
"Set apart by Melvin J. Ballard, June 12, 1923, in the blessing given me, "An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the world. That my tyestimony of the gospel would cut like a two edged sword."
1983 Xray severe Osteoperosis
1983 at the Mesa Temple endowment work done by HOC 75 and RMC 73
1986 RMC in Mesa Luthern Hospital
Aug 7 1988 HOC & RMC Right eye lens transplant.
ROSELLA MALLORY, (3) the second child of Charles Lemuel(6) and Emily Sophia Stoffers Mallory (7) was born 13 September 1898, at Bedford, Uinta County, Wyoming. My parents had lived in Cokeville, Wyoming since their marriage and then hearing of places they could homestead in Star Valley they decided to move to Bedford and make their home. They homesteaded 160 acres, built a three-room log cabin and began to make preparations to cultivate the land. Grandpa Stoffers had given them a couple of cows so they would have milk and butter. They planted a garden, some hay and grain for the livestock. The homestead was two ½ miles north of the Bedford townsite, and being fertile ground with a ‘few rocks’ it wasn’t many years until they had it producing well and proved up on.
On a beautiful fall day, Father had been cutting grain when word was brought to him that a doctor was needed. He called to our neighbor, Mr. Charles Wilkes, and asked him if he would go for Dr. Elise Hemmert (a midwife) who lived in Thayne, Wyoming. Father hitched a team of horses to a buggy, and Mr. Wilkes jumped in and was on his way. The dirt road he had to travel over was rough, but he was back in good time. Dr. Hemmert took care of Mother and me and charged five dollars for services rendered, then she was taken back home. I was given the name of Rosella after my two aunts. One of Mother’s sisters name was Ella, and Father had a sister named Rose, so they decided to join the two together, dropping one of the e’s. I was blessed 25 February 1906, by John U. Moser. I was baptized by Thomas E. Titensor on 5 June 1909, in a pond used for swimming near Uncle Chet Staley’s home, one mile west of our home. I was confirmed 6 June 1909, by John Fluckiger. Our family consisted of LeRoy, myself, John Charles, Earl William, George Lorenzo, Frank Warren, Harold Lemuel, who died when he was 21 months old, and Ethel Annetta.
I attended grade school in Bedford. I remember going to school in the church house the first year, I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. There was one room and one teacher, Mr. Benson, for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school. When there was more than one teacher a curtain would be drawn to divide the hall, we often found ourselves listening to the teacher behind the curtain (guess we were learning).
The next grade I remember much about was the fifth grade, we had a teacher who let us do almost anything we wanted to. My seventh grade teacher, Parley P. Baldwin was just the opposite. We did respect him. Other teachers I remember were Libbie Dustin, Ethel Dustin, Mary Oakey, Nellie Sprouse, Adelia Lemon and Maud G. Mallow. It was two ½ miles from our place to school. We often walked to school in fall and spring. During the winter we rode in an open sleigh. We used to have some good times going and coming from school. The parents had to provide the transportation for their own children. We lived on the end of the route, and everyone seemed to think it was our duty to haul everyone along the road, so by the time we got to school we would have a load. The roads were often full of snow and it took us longer to get to school so it meant we had to leave earlier in the morning. Some mornings were bitter cold, and if we were in an open sleigh our feet were numb with cold and our lunches would be frozen. The school would be chilly on cold days. It was heated with a wood burning stove. Drinking water was brought in the schoolhouse in a bucket, with one cup for all to drink from and there were no restrooms inside.
One morning the wind was blowing and we felt that we had better leave just a little earlier than usual. We started across the open flat with sixteen of us in an open sleigh, and only two quilts to keep us warm. We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All traces of the road were hidden and we had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the old road the driver guided them right off the road started going in another direction. We yelled and said, “You are turning the horses off the road.” “ Oh no, I’m on the right road.” The older boys were out walking ahead of the horses, trying to make a path for the horses to follow. NEVER WILL I FORGET THAT DAY! We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the schoolhouse about one mile east of us. Mr. Roos, who had been feeding his sheep heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and help us get to the schoolhouse. The teacher came out to meet us and I can still see the look on her face as she assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. “My” she said, “I’ve been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here.” We too were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time. Our prayers had been answered.
We all had plenty to do while living on the farm. Crops had to be put in and harvested, cows milked, chickens and gardens to be taken care of. Every fall we were glad to see the threshing crew consisting of twelve to fifteen men. They would use about six teams hooked to the thresher, these horses would have to go around and around to turn the tumbling rod which led from the horse power to the thresher. When the horses were going around the tumbling rod would turn, thus setting the thresher in action. Men were on the bundle stack pitching the grain bundles onto the table of the thresher. One man would measure the grain, another hold the sacks and usually two would haul the sacks of grain in a wagon to the granary. The boss would keep the machine greased and see that everything was going all right. They would thresh from 500 to 1000 bushel per day. All the men would stay for every meal and the main crew would bring their bedding and stay all night, sleeping near the grain stacks or in the barn.
Grandpa Charles Henry Mallory lived near us a few years in Bedford. He came to our home quite often, and would relate many interesting stories of the time he spent in Nauvoo and of crossing the plains. He would also sing many songs for us. Many times while Father was still working in the field, I would jump on one of the ponies and go after the cows. Father always tried to get through working early so our evening meal was over and we had plenty of time to play games. We never had cars at this time. The only mode of transportation was in a buggy, wagon, on horseback or walking. We often went to the church to see the three-act plays put on by other wards. Dancing seemed to be one of the main entertainments for young and old alike in the winter. Then ball games and swimming in the summer, sometimes we went to the Sulphur Springs in Auburn to swim. Christmas’s where the entire family would hang their stockings on Christmas Eve and awakening in the morning to a very special treat of oranges and candy are remembered. Also the Christmas’s spent in Cokeville with Grandmother and Grandfather Stoffers and enjoying her good turkey dinners, and the fun we had coasting and ice-skating. Traveling there in a covered sleigh with a stove in it. One year I received my doll ‘Daisy’.
One summer our family went on a fishing trip with Uncle Chet Staley’s family on the Snake River, taking our tents, bedding and food in a wagon. We camped in a grove of big old pine trees. Oh, how I hated to hear the wind swaying those trees during the night! I never did like to hear the wind blow. We would ride a ferryboat across the river when we wanted to fish on the other side. We had a lot of fun catching lots of fish and eating them.
I was 11 years old when my little brother Harold was born 3 April 1910, he was a healthy baby with big brown eyes. When he was about eight months old, he got pneumonia. The doctor prescribed medicine, which seemed to help for a time. Then he got the chicken pox and whooping cough, then he developed dropsy and was never well after that. His death 4 January 1912, filled our home with sadness as he had been given constant care all this time and it was hard to see him go.
One Memorial Day, Mother and all our family except Father, who was at home drilling grain, were on our way to the cemetery in a buggy to decorate little Harold’s grave, when a hail storm overtook us. Mother said, “Boy’s, you had better get out and hold the horses’ reins. I’m thinking they may become frightened and run away.” The two boys jumped out and held the horses, as they became very nervous when hail stones as large as quarters began pounding them. Thank goodness the storm only lasted a few minutes. The boys got back into the buggy and their backs were black and blue with welts where the hail had hit them. I’ve never witnessed such a storm since then.
During the winter months Father worked in the Turnerville Canyon cutting and hauling logs for our new home. Often in the early hours of the evening we would stay out of doors looking and listening for him to come home. We could hear him as he came out of the mouth of the canyon. He would be singing or whistling. He was one who looked on the bright side of life and seemed to be happy. He was about six feet tall and strong and healthy until the last two years of his life. Mother always depended on him. We moved into our new seven room home a few months before Ethel was born.
I’ll never forget spring house cleaning. Our rag carpets had to be taken up, washed and new straw put down. When the carpets were dry enough, they were put down over the straw. Also the bed ticks (mattresses) were taken out in the fall and the old straw removed and then new straw put into the ticks. Some bedroom walls were lined with white muslin. This was taken off the walls, washed and dried, then tacked back on the walls again. Windows and curtains were washed. Our kitchen was a big one and we didn’t have floor covering for a while; so this wood floor had to be scrubbed at least once a week or more often if needed. Conveniences such as we have now were hardly thought of. We didn’t have electricity until 1939. Clothes were washed in a tub on a wash board by the push and pull movement. Later we got a washer run by hand. Baths had to be taken in a round tub, water being heated on a wood stove. Sometimes I’ve wondered how Father and Mother endured having none of the modern day conveniences and having a large family to care for. I’m so thankful for the examples they set and for their teachings to always be appreciative of the gospel, of our teachers and others who have tried to help us in getting an education, to love and respect the country we live in.
After graduating from the eighth grade, John and I attended the first year of high school in Thayne, traveling back and forth each day in a covered sleigh or buggy. We later lost our credits as they said it was not accredited. We then went to Afton for the next three years. A girl friend and I rented a room, did our own cooking, washing and ironing. John usually had a team so we could go home on weekends or when we were homesick. During the 1917-18 school year the Spanish influenza hit the valley, and the high school was closed for a while. In just a day or two practically all the students and teachers were down with the flu. Some students, one teacher and one doctor died with that terrible disease. As soon as we were well enough to travel, we went home. It took us a long time to get over the effects of the flu, so when school started, our parents thought it best we stay home for the rest of the school year.
After graduating from high school in 1921, I borrowed $150 and went to Laramie to the University of Wyoming to summer school. Up to this time very few had attended summer school from Star Valley. There were twenty-one from my class that attended school that summer in Laramie. I became interested in teaching and received a lot of teaching helps and hoped I would be offered a contract to teach the following year.
When I returned from school, the Superintendent offered me a contract to teach the intermediate grades in Smoot in 1921-22. It was during this year and my high school years that I had a lot of fun, dancing, going to basketball games, sleigh riding, coasting and parties. Most of the traveling was done in a sleigh or by team and buggy. Few cars were used and only the one main highway was kept open for cars. It was this winter that I met and started going with my future husband. Harvey was one of the Smoot basketball players. Others were his brothers, Ray and Rulon, Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, and Newell Peterson. They won most of the games, competing with other teams in the Valley. We went to many games, parties and dances that winter.
Irene Johnson was the Principal and Gladys Bagley taught the primary grades. With a little praise and encouragement I was able to get through the first week or so, then I began to manage and enjoy teaching. The pupils I had were nice to work with. The schoolhouse was a little three-room building just west of Bishop Charles Peterson’s store. The schoolhouse was not much more up to date than when I attended grade school. I received $85 per month and boarded with my cousin, Vivian Johns.
I returned to school that summer and taught in Bedford the following winter, my sister Ethel was in my class. Just as school was nearing the end, Harve and I both received a call to go on a mission. His was to Australia and I was called to the Central States. We went to Salt Lake City in June, where we were set apart for our missions by Brother Melvin J. Ballard, an Apostle, a man who has always ranked high in my estimation, as I heard him bear his testimony at a conference in Afton. With tears running down his cheek, he told of a time he had seen the Savior in the Salt Lake Temple. In my blessing he said, “An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the would. That my testimony would cut like a two-edged sword.” We went through the Salt Lake Temple the same day 13 June l923, there was a large company. We went in at eight o’clock and never came out until three and my train was to leave in about forty-five minutes. We really had to hurry.
I traveled with Lucy Houston and Marguriete Thomas from Lovell, Wyoming. Our headquarters were at Independence, Missouri. Samuel O. Bennion was my mission president. Sister McBride, from Pima, Arizona, was my first companion. She was a very humble missionary and a help to me in getting started to do missionary work, which I found interesting and enjoyable. Some of my other companions were Charity Levitt, Mary Peterson, Emma Gardner, and Lulu Brim.
I labored in Kansas City, Kansas, Joplin, Springfield, and St. Louis Missouri. Long hours of tracting and revisiting kept our minds busy and it gave us encouragement when we found people who were interested in the message we brought to them. It was our duty to deliver this message and to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the same. We must consider that our won eternal joy, glory and exaltation are reflections of what we bring into the lives of others. God has told us how He values souls and has promised us great joy if one soul is saved and how great the joy if many souls are saved.
I was released from my mission on 30 May 1925. After visiting in Chicago, I returned to Salt Lake City. The time spent in the mission field was a highlight of my life, which I will always be thankful for. I met so many wonderful saints with such strong testimonies of the gospel and always ready to help and encourage us, and to open their homes and invite us to eat with them. It seemed they could never do enough to make our stay there welcome. All this strengthened my testimony of the gospel. I am grateful for my parents and brothers and sister for the assistance they gave my so I could have this opportunity to help in my weak way to further the work of the Lord and to increase my testimony and knowledge of the gospel.
It was while on this mission I found many new and lasting acquaintances. Also learning the real purpose of life and what it means to me. Those were two of the happiest years of my life. Prior to my release, my brother John had said to Father, “It would be great if the family could be ready to go to the temple when Rosella comes home from her mission.” Father got in his buggy and went to see the Bishop and Stake President and came home with his recommend. Roy met me at the train the 11 June 1925 and took me to his home. There was all my family, they had come down to go through the temple, and have our family sealed. Brother Ray S. Thurman gave me my Patriarchal Blessing 6 May 1926, which has been a guide and comfort to me.
I spent the summer after my mission at home and then attended Normal Training School the next winter in Afton, and taught in Bedford the following year. I taught ½ year in 1929, and the following years, 1929-30, 30-31, and 1931 in Smoot. Harve returned from his mission in July and we continued to go together. On the 9th of June 1927, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Mother and Father accompanied us through the temple. When we got home to Bedford the kids shivered us, and we gave them a dance. Harve had been asked to be a counselor in the bishopric before we were married. We lived about a month with his folks and then moved into the Orson Crook home, which we purchased. This was our first home, and our two older girls, Nola and Theda were born while we lived there. We had a few cows, sheep and chickens and always had a nice garden and crops to care for.
I taught school again in Smoot in 1947 the superintendent asked me if I would take a school again as they needed more teachers. I retired in 1964 after teaching 24 ½ years. Many changes have taken place during this time. Hot lunches were started in the schools in the 30’s. All children were transported to school in well heated buses. I taught in Bedford, Smoot, Afton, Grover and Osmond schools. These were busy years but the girls were good to help. School teaching is a rewarding job when one could see children progressing and developing. The valley schools were consolidated in 1955, which was a big improvement in our educational system, giving elementary teachers one grade. I graduated from USAC in 1953 with a B.S. degree in elementary education, after getting credits the hard way, taking correspondence courses, extension classes, and attending summer school.
We sold our little farm in 1940, also the sheep and bought more cows and purchased the Charles H. Peterson ranch, which we had rented. It was located two ½ miles south of Smoot on highway 89. There were no buildings on the place except an old log house, so we rented Rulon’s home in Smoot while we had a home built on the ranch. Evelyn was born while we were living here across the street from the church. We were milking about 22 cows the years that our home was being built and the money received from the milk that we sold was a great help in paying the carpenter and for building materials. This was during World War II and a lot of things were rationed or unavailable at times. We were happy when it was completed and we were able to move into our new comfortable home the summer 1946. Here we have been engaged in ranching. First we had a large herd of milk cows, then we sold them and started running sheep. Harve started sending them to the desert for the winter in 1963.
Some of the church positions I have held include-teacher, counselor, and President, in MIA, teacher in both Primary and Sunday School, Relief Society Counselor and teacher and on the Sunday School Stake board. I am also a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
We have three lovely daughters who were a help and joy to us. All were married in the temple to fine young men and have families of their own. We have gone through one depression in our married life having to kill some of our cattle, as there was no place to sell them. If there was they didn’t sell for near what they were worth. So we’ve had problems in our married life, but have found enjoyment trying to accomplish things that were worthwhile in our lives. Harve has been a great help to me, giving me encouragement, seeing that I got to my meetings and work.
Rosella Mallory, the second child of Charles Lemuel and Emily Sophia Stoffers Mallory was born 13 September 1898, at Bedford,
Uinta County, Wyoming. My parents had lived in Cokeville, Wyoming since their marriage and then hearing of places they could homestead in Star Valley they decided to move to Bedford and make their home. They homesteaded 160 acres, built a three room log cabin and began to make preparations to cultivate the land. They also leased a 640 school section. Grandpa Stoffers had given them a couple of cows so they would have milk and butter. They planted a garden and hay and grain for the livestock. Their place was 2 1/2 miles north of the Bedford townsite, and being fertile ground with a few rocks it wasn't many years until they had it producing well and proved up on.
On a beautiful fall day, Father had been cutting grain when word was brought to him that a doctor was needed. He called our neighbor, Mr. Charles Wilkes, and asked him if he would go for Dr. Elise Hemmert (a mid-wife), who lived in Thayne, Wyoming. Father hitched a team of horses to a buggy, and Mr. Wilkes jumped in and was on his way. The dirt road he had to travel over was rough, but he was back in good time. Dr. Hemmert took care of Mother and me and charged five dollars for services rendered, then she was taken back home.
I was given the name of Rosella after my two aunts. One of Mother's sisters name was Ella, and Father had a sister named
Rose, so they decided to join the two together dropping one of the e's. I was blessed 25 February 1906 by John U. Moser. The church membership was 267,251 with 40 stakes and 20 missions.
The day I was born Lorenzo Snow 84, became the 5th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. William McKinley was President of the United States.
Our family consisted of LeRoy, myself, John Charles, Earl William, George Lorenzo, Frank Warren, Harold Lemuel who died when he was 21 months old, and Ethel Annetta. I was baptized by Thomas E. Titensor, June 5, 1909, in a pond used for swimming near Uncle Chet Staley's home, one mile west of our home and confirmed 6 June 1909 by John Fluckiger.
I attended grade school in Bedford in the church house the first year. Of my school days I remember the first and second grades the best because I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. There was one room and one teacher, Mr. Benson for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school. When there was more than one teacher a curtain would be drawn to divide the hall, we often found ourselves listening to the teacher behind the curtain (guess we were learning.) The next grade I remember much about was the fifth grade, we had a teacher who let us do almost anything we wanted to. My seventh grade teacher, Parley P. Baldwin, was just the opposite. We did what he said or else and we learned our lessons well and respected him. Other teachers I remember were Libbie Dustin, Ethel Dustin, Mary Oakey 7th grade 1913-14, Nellie Sprouse 5th grade 1910-11, Adelia Lemon 4th grade 1909-10 and Maud G Mallow 8th grade 1914-15. It was 2 1/2 miles from our place to school. We often walked to school in the fall and spring. During the winter we rode in an open sleigh. We used to have some good times going and coming from school. The parents had to provide the transportation for their own children. We lived on the end of the route, and everyone seemed to think it was our duty to haul everyone along the road, so by the time we got to school, we would have a load. The roads were often full of snow and it took longer to get to school so we had to leave earlier in the morning. Some mornings were bitter cold, and if we were in an open sleigh, our feet and hands were numb with cold and our lunches would be frozen. The school would be chilly on cold days. It was heated with a wood burning stove. Drinking water was brought in the school house in a bucket, with one cup for all to drink from and there were no rest rooms inside.
One morning the wind was blowing and we felt that we had better leave just a little earlier than usual. We started across the open flat with sixteen of us in the open sleigh, and only two quilts to keep us warm. We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All traces of the road were hidden and we had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the road the driver guided them right off the road to go in another direction. We yelled and said, "You are turning the horses off the road." "Oh no, I'm on the right road." The older boys were out walking ahead of the horses, trying to make a path for the horses to follow. NEVER WILL I FORGET THAT DAY! We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the school house about one mile east of us. Mr. Roos, who had been feeding his sheep heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and he helped us get to the school house. The teacher came out to meet us and I can still see the look on her face as se assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. "My" she said, "I've been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here." We were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time. Our prayers had been answered.
We all had plenty to do while living on the farm. Crops had to be put in and harvested, cows milked, chickens and gardens to be taken care of. Every fall we were glad to see the threshing crew consisting of twelve to fifteen men. They would use about six teams hooked to the thresher, these horses would have to go around and around to turn the tumbling rod which led from the horse power to the thresher. When the horses were going around the tumbling rod would turn, thus setting the thresher in action. Men were on the bundle stack pitching the grain bundles onto the table of the thresher. One man would measure the grain, another hold the sacks and usually two would haul the sacks of grain in a wagon to the grainary. The boss would keep the machine greased and see that everything was going alright. They would thresh from 500 to 1000 bushel per day. All the men would stay for every meal and the main crew would bring their bedding and stay all night sleeping near the grain stacks or in the barn.
Grandpa Mallory lived near us for a few years and came to our home quite often, and would relate many interesting stories of the time he spent in Nauvoo, crossing the plains and would sing to us. Many times while Father was still working in the field, I would jump on one of the ponies and go after the cows. Father always tried to get through working early so our evening meal was over and we had plenty of time to play games. We never had a car at this time. The only mode of transportation was in a buggy, wagon, on horse back or walking. We often went to the church to see the three-act plays put on by other wards. Dancing seemed to be one of the main entertainments for young and old alike in the winter. Then ball games and swimming in the summer, sometimes we went to the Sulpher Springs in Auburn to swim. At Christmas the entire family would hang their stockings on Christmas Eve and awakening in the morning to a very special treat of oranges and candy are remembered. Also the Christmas's spent in Cokeville with Grandmother and Grandfather Stoffers and enjoying her good turkey dinners, and the fun we had coasting and ice-skating. Traveling there in a covered sleigh with a stove in it. One year I received my doll Daizy.
Our family went on a fishing trip with Uncle Chet's family one summer to the Snake River, taking our tents, bedding and food in a wagon. We camped in a grove of big old pine trees. Oh, how I hated to hear the wind swaying those trees during the night! I never did like to hear the wind blow. We would ride a ferry boat across the river when we wanted to fish on the other side. We had a lot of fun catching lots of fish and eating them.
I was about twelve years old when my little brother Harold was born, he was a healthy baby with big brown eyes. When he was about 8 months old he got pneumonia, the Dr. prescribed medicine, which seemed to help for a time, then he got the chicken pox and whooping cough, and then developed dropsy and was never well after that. His death filled our home with sadness as he had been given constant care all this time and it was hard to see him go. One Memorial Day, Mother and all our family, except Father, who was at home drilling grain, were on our way to the cemetery in a buggy to decorate little Harold's grave, when a hail storm overtook us. Mother said, "Boys, you had better get out and hold the horses' reins. I'm thinking they may become frightened and run away." The two boys jumped out, and held the horses, as they became very nervous when hail stones as large as quarters began pounding them. Thank goodness the storm only lasted a few minutes. The boys got back into the buggy and their backs were black and blue with welts where the hail had hit them. I've never witnessed such a storm since then.
During the winter months Father worked in the Turnerville Canyon cutting and hauling logs for our new home. Often in the early hours of the evening we would stay out of doors looking and listening for him to come home. We could hear him as he came out of the mouth of the canyon. He would be singing or whistling. He was one who looked on the bright side of life and seemed to be happy. He was about six feet tall and strong and healthy until the last two years of his life. Mother always depended on him.
We moved into our new 7 room home a few months before Ethel was born.
I'll never forget spring house cleaning. Our rag carpets had to be taken up, washed and new straw put down. When the carpets were dry enough, they were put down over the straw. Also the bed ticks (mattresses) were taken out in the fall and the old straw removed and new straw put into the ticks. Some bedroom walls were lined with white muslin. This was taken off the walls, washed and dried, then tacked back on the walls again. Windows and curtains were washed. Our kitchen was a big one and didn't have floor covering for awhile; so, this wood floor had to be scrubbed at least once a week or oftener, as needed. Conveniences such as we have now and electricity were hardly thought of. We didn't have electricity until 1939. Clothes were washed in a tub on a washboard by the push and pull movement. Later we got a washer run by hand. Baths had to be taken in a round tub, water being heated on a stove. Sometimes, I've wondered how Father and Mother endured having none of the modern day conveniences, having a large family to care for. I'm so thankful for the examples they set and for their teachings to always be appreciative of the gospel, of our teachers and others who have tried to help us in getting an education, and to love and respect the country we live in.
After graduating from the eighth grade, John and I attended the first year of high school in Thayne, traveling back and forth each ay in a covered sleigh or buggy. We later lost our credits as they said it was not accredited. We went to the Star Valley High School in Afton. Mildred White and I rented a room, did our own cooking, washing and ironing. John usually had a team so we could go home on weekends or when we were homesick. During the 1917-18 school year the Spanish influenza hit the valley, and the high school was closed for awhile. In just a day or two practically all the students and teachers were down with the flu. Some students, one teacher and one doctor died with that terrible disease. As soon as we were well enough to travel, we went home. It took us a long time to get over the effects of the flu, so when school started, our parents thought it best we stay home for the rest of the school year.
After graduating from high school in 1921, I borrowed $150 and went to Laramie to the University of Wyoming to summer school. Up to this time very few had attended summer school from Star Valley. There were twenty-one from my class that attended school that summer in Laramie. I became interested teaching and received a lot of teaching helps and hoped I would be offered a contract to teach the following school year. When I returned from school, the Superintendent offered me a contract to teach the intermediate grades in Smoot in 1921-22. Irene Johnson was the Principal and Gladys Bagley taught the primary grades, with a little praise and encouragement I was able to get through the first week or so, then I began to manage and enjoy teaching. The pupils I had were nice to work with. The school house was a little a little three room building just west of Bp. Charles Peterson's store. The school house was not much more up to date than when I attended grade school. I received $85 per month and boarded with my cousin, Vivian Johns.
It was during this year and my high school years that I had a lot of fun, dancing going to basketball games, sleigh riding, coasting and parties. Most of the traveling was done in a sleigh or by team and buggy. Few cars were used and only the one main highway was kept open for cars. It was this winter that I met and started going with my future husband. Harvey was one of the Smoot basketball players,along with his brothers, Ray and Rulon, Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, and Newell Peterson. They won most of their games, competing with other teams in the valley. We went to many games, parties and dances that winter.
I returned to school that summer and taught in Bedford the 1922-23 school year, my sister Ethel was in my class with Roscoe Titensor and Marian Gardner. Just as school was nearing the end, Harve and I both received a call to go on a mission. His was to Australia and I was called to go to the Central States. We went to Salt Lake City in June, where we were set apart for our missions by Brother Melvin J. Ballard, an Apostle, a man who has always ranked high in my estimation, as I had heard him bear his testimony at a conference in Afton. With tears running down his cheek, he told of a time he had seen the Savior in the Salt Lake Temple. In my blessing he said-"An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the world. That my testimony of the gospel would cut like a two-edged sword." We went through the Salt Lake Temple the same day, 13 June 1923 and received our endowments. There was a large sessions. We went in at eight o'clock and never came out until three and my train was to leave in about forty-five minutes so we really had to hurry. I traveled with Lucy Houston and Marguriete Thomas from Lovell, Wyoming. Our headquarters were at Independence, Missouri. Samuel O. Bennion was my mission president. Sr. McBride, from Pima, Arizona, was my first companion. She was a very humble missionary and a help to me in getting started to do missionary work, which I found interesting and enjoyable. Some of my other companions were Charity Leavitt, Mary Peterson, Emma Gardner and Lulu Brim. I labored in Kansas City, Kansas, and Joplin, Springfield, and St. Louis, Missouri. Long hours of tracting and revisiting kept our minds busy and it gave us encouragement when we found people who were interested in the message we brought to them. It was our duty to deliver this message and to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the same. We must consider that our own eternal joy, glory and exaltation are reflections of what we bring into the lives of others. God has told us how He values souls and has promised us great joy if one soul is saved and how great the joy if many souls are saved. I was released from my mission on 30 May 1925. After visiting in Chicago, I returned to Salt Lake City. The time spent in the mission field was a highlight of my life, which I will always be thankful for. Meeting so many wonderful saints with such strong testimonies of the gospel and always ready to help and encouraging us and to open their homes and invite us to eat with them. It seemed they could never do enough to make our stay there welcome. All this strengthened my testimony of the gospel. I am grateful for my parents and brothers and sister for the assistance they gave me so I could have this opportunity to help in my weak way to further the work of the Lord and to increase my testimony and knowledge of the gospel.
It was while on my mission I found many new and lasting acquaintances. Also learning the real purpose of life and what it means to me. Those were two of the happiest years of my life.
Prior to my release, my brother, John had said to Father, "It would be great if the family could be ready to go to the temple when Rosella comes home from her mission." Father got in his buggy and went to see the Bishop and Stake President and came home with his recommend.
Roy met me at the train the 11 June 1925 and took me to his home. There was all my family; they had come down to go through the temple, and have our family sealed.
Brother Ray Thurman gave me my Patriarchal Blessing 6 May 1926 which has been a guide and comfort to me.
I spent the summer after my mission at home and then attended Normal Training School the next winter 1925-26 in Afton, and taught in Bedford the following school year. Harve returned from his mission in July and we continued going together. On the 9th of June 1927, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Mother and Father accompanied us through the temple. When we got home to Bedford the kids shivereed us, and we gave them a dance. Harve had been asked to be a counselor in the Bishopric in Smoot before we were married. We lived about a month with his folks and then moved into the Orson Crook home which we purchased. $3000 160 acres. This was our first home, and our two oldest girls, Nola and Theda were born while we lived there. We had a few cows, sheep, and chickens and always had a nice garden and crops to care for. I started teaching school again in Smoot from 1929 to 1931, I resigned in Dec and Nola was born in March. I taught in 1943 after Mrs. Gardner left in Dec. Nola was in my fifth grade. I taught 1943-44 school year in Smoot when we were living in Smoot. Evelyn was born the 26 of August.Then in 1947 the superintendent came and asked me if I would teach that winter in Smoot it was following the war and they were short on teachers. I accepted and taught the next 16 years. After attending the University of Wyoming, USAC, Weber State, and correspondent classes from Ricks College I graduated from USAC with a BS degree in elementary education and minor in social science after getting my credits the hard way, taking correspondent classes, extension classes, and attending a lot summer school. You didn't have to have a degree when I first started teaching. I retired in 1964 after teaching 24 1/2 years. Many changes have taken place during this time. Hot lunches were started in the schools in the 30's. All children were transported to school in well heated buses. I taught in Bedford, Smoot, Afton, Grover and Osmond schools. These were busy years but the girls were good to help. School teaching was a rewarding job when one could see children progressing and developing. The valley schools were consolidated in 1955, which was a big improvement in our educational system, giving elementary teachers one grade. (She made a profound influence on the lives of many young people.)
We sold our little farm about 1942, also the sheep and bought more cows and purchased the Charles H. Peterson ranch which we had rented. It was located 2 1/2 miles south of Smoot on highway 89. There were no buildings on the place except an old log house; so we rented Rulon's home in Smoot across the street from the church while we had a home built on the ranch. Evelyn was born while we were living here. We were milking about 22 cows the years that our home was being build and the money received from the milk that we sold was a great help in paying the carpenter and purchasing building materials. This was during World War II and a lot of things were rationed or unavailable at times. We were happy when it was completed and we were able to move into our new comfortable home the summer of 1946. Here we have been engaged in ranching. First we had a large herd of milk cows, then we sold them and then started running sheep. Harve started sending them to th desert for the winter in 1963.
Some of the church positions I have held--
Mutual as a teacher and counselor and President
Sunday School and Primary teacher
Relief Society Counselor and teacher
Sunday School Stake board 1948-1955, visiting all the ward in the stake. I am a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
We have three lovely daughters who were a help and joy to us. All were married in the Logan Temple to fine young men and have families of their own, and are active in the church.
We have gone through one depression in our married life having to kill some of our cattle, as there wasn't any sale for them. If there was, at times, they didn't sell for near what they were worth. So we've had problems but have found enjoyment trying to accomplish things that were worth while in our lives. Harve has been a great help to me, giving encouragement, seeing that I get to my meetings and work.
(This was all taken from her writing)
Her home was always clean and neat. A place of comfort and warmth, things never seemed to get out of order, even when she was busy with meals and canning. Dishes were always done immediately following a meal and when meal preparation was completed everything was tidy.
She wrote to her grandsons and Kim while they were on their missions encouraging them to do their best and that she was proud all could serve.
Blessing date 25 Feb 1906 by John U. Moser
Baptism date 5 June 1909 by Thomas E. Titensor
Confirmed 6 June 1909 by John Fluckiger
6 May 1926 Patriarical Blessing by Ray S. Thurman Guide & Comfort
1898 Church membership 267,251 40 stakes and 20 missions
Mother's teachers:
1st grade Mr Benson
They had to draw big white curtains to separate the classes as all were in the same building
"Of my school days I remember the first and second grades best because I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. I went to school in a one room nuilding with one teacher for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school.
4th Adelia Lemon 1909-10
5th Nellie M Sprouse 1910-11
6th P.P. Baldwin 1911-12
7th Mary Oakey 1913-14
8th Maud G Mallow 1914-15
We would often walk to school in the fall and spring months of the year and during the winter months ride in a sleigh. The roads were often full of snow and took us longer to get to school.
One morning we started across the open flat with sixteen of us in an open sleigh, and we only had two quilts to keep us warm.
We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All trace of the road was hidden. We had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the old road the driver guided them right off the road to go in another direction. We yelled and said, "You are turning the horses off the road." "Oh no, I'm on the right road. The older boys had to get out and help to make a trail for the horses to follow. Never will I forget that day. We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the school house about one mile east of us. Mr Roos, who had been feeding his sheep had heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and help us get to the school house. The teacher came out to meet us by the door, I can still see the look on her face as she assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. "My" she said, "I've been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here." We too were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time."
Our prayers had been answered. 1922-23 taught in Bedford with Roscoe Titensor & Marian Gardner.
1925-26 Normal Training in Afton
1926-27 Bedford 3-4-5- Frane Wilkes Allie Burton
1929 1/2 year in Smoot
1929-30, 30-3l, 31 in Smoot Quit in Dec as Nola was born in March
Small schools in each community with several grades in each room.
1943 1/2 year in Smoot took Mrs. Gardner's place. Nola was in the 5th grade.
1943-44 Smoot 3-4-5 Evelyn was born 26 Aug 1944 while we were living in Rulon's home across the street from the Smoot church and school. When she was three years old, the Supt of schools came and asked me to teach that winter in Smoot. It was during the war and they were short on teachers. I accepted and taught for sixteen years, they were busy years, but the girls were good to help. I retired in the spring of 1964.
I taught in Afton, Osmond, Grover, Bedford and Smoot the grades -1-6 at different times.
Depression in early married life but found enjoyment trying to accomplish and do things that were worthwhile. Having to kill some of our cattle as there wasn't any sale for them and if there was they didn't sell for near what they were worth.
"Set apart by Melvin J. Ballard, June 12, 1923, in the blessing given me, "An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the world. That my tyestimony of the gospel would cut like a two edged sword."
1983 Xray severe Osteoperosis
1983 at the Mesa Temple endowment work done by HOC 75 and RMC 73
1986 RMC in Mesa Luthern Hospital
Aug 7 1988 HOC & RMC Right eye lens transplant.
ROSELLA MALLORY, (3) the second child of Charles Lemuel(6) and Emily Sophia Stoffers Mallory (7) was born 13 September 1898, at Bedford, Uinta County, Wyoming. My parents had lived in Cokeville, Wyoming since their marriage and then hearing of places they could homestead in Star Valley they decided to move to Bedford and make their home. They homesteaded 160 acres, built a three-room log cabin and began to make preparations to cultivate the land. Grandpa Stoffers had given them a couple of cows so they would have milk and butter. They planted a garden, some hay and grain for the livestock. The homestead was two ½ miles north of the Bedford townsite, and being fertile ground with a ‘few rocks’ it wasn’t many years until they had it producing well and proved up on.
On a beautiful fall day, Father had been cutting grain when word was brought to him that a doctor was needed. He called to our neighbor, Mr. Charles Wilkes, and asked him if he would go for Dr. Elise Hemmert (a midwife) who lived in Thayne, Wyoming. Father hitched a team of horses to a buggy, and Mr. Wilkes jumped in and was on his way. The dirt road he had to travel over was rough, but he was back in good time. Dr. Hemmert took care of Mother and me and charged five dollars for services rendered, then she was taken back home. I was given the name of Rosella after my two aunts. One of Mother’s sisters name was Ella, and Father had a sister named Rose, so they decided to join the two together, dropping one of the e’s. I was blessed 25 February 1906, by John U. Moser. I was baptized by Thomas E. Titensor on 5 June 1909, in a pond used for swimming near Uncle Chet Staley’s home, one mile west of our home. I was confirmed 6 June 1909, by John Fluckiger. Our family consisted of LeRoy, myself, John Charles, Earl William, George Lorenzo, Frank Warren, Harold Lemuel, who died when he was 21 months old, and Ethel Annetta.
I attended grade school in Bedford. I remember going to school in the church house the first year, I was very shy and bashful and had a hard time adjusting myself. There was one room and one teacher, Mr. Benson, for all eight grades. There were some rough boys in the eighth grade that year and it used to frighten me when the teacher used the ruler on them or made them stay after school. When there was more than one teacher a curtain would be drawn to divide the hall, we often found ourselves listening to the teacher behind the curtain (guess we were learning).
The next grade I remember much about was the fifth grade, we had a teacher who let us do almost anything we wanted to. My seventh grade teacher, Parley P. Baldwin was just the opposite. We did respect him. Other teachers I remember were Libbie Dustin, Ethel Dustin, Mary Oakey, Nellie Sprouse, Adelia Lemon and Maud G. Mallow. It was two ½ miles from our place to school. We often walked to school in fall and spring. During the winter we rode in an open sleigh. We used to have some good times going and coming from school. The parents had to provide the transportation for their own children. We lived on the end of the route, and everyone seemed to think it was our duty to haul everyone along the road, so by the time we got to school we would have a load. The roads were often full of snow and it took us longer to get to school so it meant we had to leave earlier in the morning. Some mornings were bitter cold, and if we were in an open sleigh our feet were numb with cold and our lunches would be frozen. The school would be chilly on cold days. It was heated with a wood burning stove. Drinking water was brought in the schoolhouse in a bucket, with one cup for all to drink from and there were no restrooms inside.
One morning the wind was blowing and we felt that we had better leave just a little earlier than usual. We started across the open flat with sixteen of us in an open sleigh, and only two quilts to keep us warm. We had only gone about one mile when a ragging blizzard hit us. All traces of the road were hidden and we had to cross an open flat the last mile of our trip. Instead of allowing the horses to follow the old road the driver guided them right off the road started going in another direction. We yelled and said, “You are turning the horses off the road.” “ Oh no, I’m on the right road.” The older boys were out walking ahead of the horses, trying to make a path for the horses to follow. NEVER WILL I FORGET THAT DAY! We were so frightened and nearly frozen. Finally the storm began to break, we could see the schoolhouse about one mile east of us. Mr. Roos, who had been feeding his sheep heard our cries of distress and came to break a road for our poor tired horses that were nearly exhausted and help us get to the schoolhouse. The teacher came out to meet us and I can still see the look on her face as she assisted each one in getting hoods and frozen boots off. “My” she said, “I’ve been so worried about you, I am so glad you are here.” We too were happy to get in where it was warm. Some of us could have frozen to death in a short time. Our prayers had been answered.
We all had plenty to do while living on the farm. Crops had to be put in and harvested, cows milked, chickens and gardens to be taken care of. Every fall we were glad to see the threshing crew consisting of twelve to fifteen men. They would use about six teams hooked to the thresher, these horses would have to go around and around to turn the tumbling rod which led from the horse power to the thresher. When the horses were going around the tumbling rod would turn, thus setting the thresher in action. Men were on the bundle stack pitching the grain bundles onto the table of the thresher. One man would measure the grain, another hold the sacks and usually two would haul the sacks of grain in a wagon to the granary. The boss would keep the machine greased and see that everything was going all right. They would thresh from 500 to 1000 bushel per day. All the men would stay for every meal and the main crew would bring their bedding and stay all night, sleeping near the grain stacks or in the barn.
Grandpa Charles Henry Mallory lived near us a few years in Bedford. He came to our home quite often, and would relate many interesting stories of the time he spent in Nauvoo and of crossing the plains. He would also sing many songs for us. Many times while Father was still working in the field, I would jump on one of the ponies and go after the cows. Father always tried to get through working early so our evening meal was over and we had plenty of time to play games. We never had cars at this time. The only mode of transportation was in a buggy, wagon, on horseback or walking. We often went to the church to see the three-act plays put on by other wards. Dancing seemed to be one of the main entertainments for young and old alike in the winter. Then ball games and swimming in the summer, sometimes we went to the Sulphur Springs in Auburn to swim. Christmas’s where the entire family would hang their stockings on Christmas Eve and awakening in the morning to a very special treat of oranges and candy are remembered. Also the Christmas’s spent in Cokeville with Grandmother and Grandfather Stoffers and enjoying her good turkey dinners, and the fun we had coasting and ice-skating. Traveling there in a covered sleigh with a stove in it. One year I received my doll ‘Daisy’.
One summer our family went on a fishing trip with Uncle Chet Staley’s family on the Snake River, taking our tents, bedding and food in a wagon. We camped in a grove of big old pine trees. Oh, how I hated to hear the wind swaying those trees during the night! I never did like to hear the wind blow. We would ride a ferryboat across the river when we wanted to fish on the other side. We had a lot of fun catching lots of fish and eating them.
I was 11 years old when my little brother Harold was born 3 April 1910, he was a healthy baby with big brown eyes. When he was about eight months old, he got pneumonia. The doctor prescribed medicine, which seemed to help for a time. Then he got the chicken pox and whooping cough, then he developed dropsy and was never well after that. His death 4 January 1912, filled our home with sadness as he had been given constant care all this time and it was hard to see him go.
One Memorial Day, Mother and all our family except Father, who was at home drilling grain, were on our way to the cemetery in a buggy to decorate little Harold’s grave, when a hail storm overtook us. Mother said, “Boy’s, you had better get out and hold the horses’ reins. I’m thinking they may become frightened and run away.” The two boys jumped out and held the horses, as they became very nervous when hail stones as large as quarters began pounding them. Thank goodness the storm only lasted a few minutes. The boys got back into the buggy and their backs were black and blue with welts where the hail had hit them. I’ve never witnessed such a storm since then.
During the winter months Father worked in the Turnerville Canyon cutting and hauling logs for our new home. Often in the early hours of the evening we would stay out of doors looking and listening for him to come home. We could hear him as he came out of the mouth of the canyon. He would be singing or whistling. He was one who looked on the bright side of life and seemed to be happy. He was about six feet tall and strong and healthy until the last two years of his life. Mother always depended on him. We moved into our new seven room home a few months before Ethel was born.
I’ll never forget spring house cleaning. Our rag carpets had to be taken up, washed and new straw put down. When the carpets were dry enough, they were put down over the straw. Also the bed ticks (mattresses) were taken out in the fall and the old straw removed and then new straw put into the ticks. Some bedroom walls were lined with white muslin. This was taken off the walls, washed and dried, then tacked back on the walls again. Windows and curtains were washed. Our kitchen was a big one and we didn’t have floor covering for a while; so this wood floor had to be scrubbed at least once a week or more often if needed. Conveniences such as we have now were hardly thought of. We didn’t have electricity until 1939. Clothes were washed in a tub on a wash board by the push and pull movement. Later we got a washer run by hand. Baths had to be taken in a round tub, water being heated on a wood stove. Sometimes I’ve wondered how Father and Mother endured having none of the modern day conveniences and having a large family to care for. I’m so thankful for the examples they set and for their teachings to always be appreciative of the gospel, of our teachers and others who have tried to help us in getting an education, to love and respect the country we live in.
After graduating from the eighth grade, John and I attended the first year of high school in Thayne, traveling back and forth each day in a covered sleigh or buggy. We later lost our credits as they said it was not accredited. We then went to Afton for the next three years. A girl friend and I rented a room, did our own cooking, washing and ironing. John usually had a team so we could go home on weekends or when we were homesick. During the 1917-18 school year the Spanish influenza hit the valley, and the high school was closed for a while. In just a day or two practically all the students and teachers were down with the flu. Some students, one teacher and one doctor died with that terrible disease. As soon as we were well enough to travel, we went home. It took us a long time to get over the effects of the flu, so when school started, our parents thought it best we stay home for the rest of the school year.
After graduating from high school in 1921, I borrowed $150 and went to Laramie to the University of Wyoming to summer school. Up to this time very few had attended summer school from Star Valley. There were twenty-one from my class that attended school that summer in Laramie. I became interested in teaching and received a lot of teaching helps and hoped I would be offered a contract to teach the following year.
When I returned from school, the Superintendent offered me a contract to teach the intermediate grades in Smoot in 1921-22. It was during this year and my high school years that I had a lot of fun, dancing, going to basketball games, sleigh riding, coasting and parties. Most of the traveling was done in a sleigh or by team and buggy. Few cars were used and only the one main highway was kept open for cars. It was this winter that I met and started going with my future husband. Harvey was one of the Smoot basketball players. Others were his brothers, Ray and Rulon, Morg Taggart, Reuben Johnson, and Newell Peterson. They won most of the games, competing with other teams in the Valley. We went to many games, parties and dances that winter.
Irene Johnson was the Principal and Gladys Bagley taught the primary grades. With a little praise and encouragement I was able to get through the first week or so, then I began to manage and enjoy teaching. The pupils I had were nice to work with. The schoolhouse was a little three-room building just west of Bishop Charles Peterson’s store. The schoolhouse was not much more up to date than when I attended grade school. I received $85 per month and boarded with my cousin, Vivian Johns.
I returned to school that summer and taught in Bedford the following winter, my sister Ethel was in my class. Just as school was nearing the end, Harve and I both received a call to go on a mission. His was to Australia and I was called to the Central States. We went to Salt Lake City in June, where we were set apart for our missions by Brother Melvin J. Ballard, an Apostle, a man who has always ranked high in my estimation, as I heard him bear his testimony at a conference in Afton. With tears running down his cheek, he told of a time he had seen the Savior in the Salt Lake Temple. In my blessing he said, “An angel was flying with everlasting gospel sending me to proclaim the gospel to the would. That my testimony would cut like a two-edged sword.” We went through the Salt Lake Temple the same day 13 June l923, there was a large company. We went in at eight o’clock and never came out until three and my train was to leave in about forty-five minutes. We really had to hurry.
I traveled with Lucy Houston and Marguriete Thomas from Lovell, Wyoming. Our headquarters were at Independence, Missouri. Samuel O. Bennion was my mission president. Sister McBride, from Pima, Arizona, was my first companion. She was a very humble missionary and a help to me in getting started to do missionary work, which I found interesting and enjoyable. Some of my other companions were Charity Levitt, Mary Peterson, Emma Gardner, and Lulu Brim.
I labored in Kansas City, Kansas, Joplin, Springfield, and St. Louis Missouri. Long hours of tracting and revisiting kept our minds busy and it gave us encouragement when we found people who were interested in the message we brought to them. It was our duty to deliver this message and to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the same. We must consider that our won eternal joy, glory and exaltation are reflections of what we bring into the lives of others. God has told us how He values souls and has promised us great joy if one soul is saved and how great the joy if many souls are saved.
I was released from my mission on 30 May 1925. After visiting in Chicago, I returned to Salt Lake City. The time spent in the mission field was a highlight of my life, which I will always be thankful for. I met so many wonderful saints with such strong testimonies of the gospel and always ready to help and encourage us, and to open their homes and invite us to eat with them. It seemed they could never do enough to make our stay there welcome. All this strengthened my testimony of the gospel. I am grateful for my parents and brothers and sister for the assistance they gave my so I could have this opportunity to help in my weak way to further the work of the Lord and to increase my testimony and knowledge of the gospel.
It was while on this mission I found many new and lasting acquaintances. Also learning the real purpose of life and what it means to me. Those were two of the happiest years of my life. Prior to my release, my brother John had said to Father, “It would be great if the family could be ready to go to the temple when Rosella comes home from her mission.” Father got in his buggy and went to see the Bishop and Stake President and came home with his recommend. Roy met me at the train the 11 June 1925 and took me to his home. There was all my family, they had come down to go through the temple, and have our family sealed. Brother Ray S. Thurman gave me my Patriarchal Blessing 6 May 1926, which has been a guide and comfort to me.
I spent the summer after my mission at home and then attended Normal Training School the next winter in Afton, and taught in Bedford the following year. I taught ½ year in 1929, and the following years, 1929-30, 30-31, and 1931 in Smoot. Harve returned from his mission in July and we continued to go together. On the 9th of June 1927, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Mother and Father accompanied us through the temple. When we got home to Bedford the kids shivered us, and we gave them a dance. Harve had been asked to be a counselor in the bishopric before we were married. We lived about a month with his folks and then moved into the Orson Crook home, which we purchased. This was our first home, and our two older girls, Nola and Theda were born while we lived there. We had a few cows, sheep and chickens and always had a nice garden and crops to care for.
I taught school again in Smoot in 1947 the superintendent asked me if I would take a school again as they needed more teachers. I retired in 1964 after teaching 24 ½ years. Many changes have taken place during this time. Hot lunches were started in the schools in the 30’s. All children were transported to school in well heated buses. I taught in Bedford, Smoot, Afton, Grover and Osmond schools. These were busy years but the girls were good to help. School teaching is a rewarding job when one could see children progressing and developing. The valley schools were consolidated in 1955, which was a big improvement in our educational system, giving elementary teachers one grade. I graduated from USAC in 1953 with a B.S. degree in elementary education, after getting credits the hard way, taking correspondence courses, extension classes, and attending summer school.
We sold our little farm in 1940, also the sheep and bought more cows and purchased the Charles H. Peterson ranch, which we had rented. It was located two ½ miles south of Smoot on highway 89. There were no buildings on the place except an old log house, so we rented Rulon’s home in Smoot while we had a home built on the ranch. Evelyn was born while we were living here across the street from the church. We were milking about 22 cows the years that our home was being built and the money received from the milk that we sold was a great help in paying the carpenter and for building materials. This was during World War II and a lot of things were rationed or unavailable at times. We were happy when it was completed and we were able to move into our new comfortable home the summer 1946. Here we have been engaged in ranching. First we had a large herd of milk cows, then we sold them and started running sheep. Harve started sending them to the desert for the winter in 1963.
Some of the church positions I have held include-teacher, counselor, and President, in MIA, teacher in both Primary and Sunday School, Relief Society Counselor and teacher and on the Sunday School Stake board. I am also a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
We have three lovely daughters who were a help and joy to us. All were married in the temple to fine young men and have families of their own. We have gone through one depression in our married life having to kill some of our cattle, as there was no place to sell them. If there was they didn’t sell for near what they were worth. So we’ve had problems in our married life, but have found enjoyment trying to accomplish things that were worthwhile in our lives. Harve has been a great help to me, giving me encouragement, seeing that I got to my meetings and work.
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