Larson and Earl Family History

Joseph Albert Manning Williams was born Sunday, May 20, 1877, at eight A.M. in Salt Lake City. He was his parents’ first child. He was blessed June 3, 1877 by ELder George Teasale.

Father always appreciated being able to stand when original members of the Sunday School in the Twenty-FIrst Ward were called for. At the organization of the Sunday School, October 1877, he was a five month-old baby, and he was present at the ceremony in his mother’s arms.

On Tuesday, June 2, 1885, he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder John Cotham and two days later he was confirmed by Bishop W.L.N. Allen.

On June 30, 1893 he was ordained a deacon by counselor Herbert J. Foulger. Two months later he was made president of the second quorum of deacons of the Twenty-First Ward. On February 19, 1895 he was ordained a teacher by counselor H.J. Foulger and on the same day was ordained president of the teacher’s quorum by Bishop M.S. Woolley. August 28, 1896 he was made a priest and two months later an elder. On October 21, 1896 he received his endowments in the Salt Lake Temple. One can readily see what rapid strides he made in the priesthood and surely he must have been a worthy boy and young man to receive them.

As a boy he attended the Longfellow and Wasatch schools, but being the eldest in the family he had to stop school early and work. For many years he worked with his father in the car barns. But about 1895 grandfather built what is now known as the Gem Grocery and he and the boys ran it. Soon after this, father was called to go on a mission and the family made preparations for his departure. But in September, 1896 grandmother died and everyone thought it best for him, the oldest boy, to stay home. Grandfather, however, insisted that he go.

So on November 9, 1896 he was ordained a seventy and set apart for a mission to the Southern States Mission by Elder Seymor B. Young in the temple annex. At the same time he was given a missonary blessing which is as follows: (Contact me for this blessing)

Ao at ninetten my fathre prepared for his mission. During the first of his experiences he kept a ournal and I am going to include some excerpts from it for he has writtten so interestingly of some of his experiences.

August 20, 1896
I receibed an unexpected call from President Wilford Woodruff, to fill a mission to the Southern States. I was to be ready to leave November 10, 1896. I readily accepted the call, telling President Woodruff, that while I felt very young (19) and weak I was willing to do my best.

Preparations were at once begun and advances made in the priesthood. Brother H.J. Foulger ordained me a priest and after a recommend from the general preisthood of the stake, I was ordained an elder in the eleventh quorum by Joseph S. Williams, my father.

October 28, 1896
The long lapse between entries is accounted for by his mother’s death of which no mention is made in this missionary journal.) A farewell reception was tendered me, the committee in charge being Bishop M.S. Woolley, Brothers W.S. Owen, George A. Hill, George R. Scott and D.A. Affleck. I received a purse of forty-four dollars and also a ready reference from our boys’ theological class, of the Sunday School. The meeting house was filled to over flowing, the program was good and appreciated and all together it showed we had a host of friends.

November 13, 1896
(By this time father was on his way to his field of labor) Another good night’s rest over and St. Louis reached at 7 am. Met Frank Merrill and he showed us all over the town. Theaters, department stores, hotels and restaurants were visited. Also steamers on Mississippi River where several hours were spent. Took street cars and visited city, especially those portions just ruined by the big cyclone. The ruins extended for fifteen miles. St. Louis created a good impression. Was clean and business like. Just before leaving we met the elders laboring there and were well treated. Took train at 9:45 p.m. and soon were sound asleep being very tired after our day’s sight seeing.

November 14, 1896
Awoke to behold the land of the “Sunny South”, our home for two years or more — At night all went to the theater, play — Faust, was well rendered and enjoyed by all bu one of the elders who “wished he had his money back.”

November 15, 1896
Went to fast meeting at 9:00 a.m. and all had an opportunity of expressing our feelings. Also received instructions pertaining to our Missionary Work, what was expected of us. The meeting proved a spiritual feast. The afternoon was spent in sight-seeing, the principal point of interest being Mt. Lookout, famous for its battles of the Civil War. Many were the marks found that indicated fierce wars. Had our pictures taken up on top of Mountain. In descending we went on the incline railway built at an angle of forty-five degrees. At night 7:00 p.m. attended another meeting and received more instructions and our appointments to the different states. My lot, with ELder Woolley fell to the North Carolina conference.

For more journal entries see the BLUE BOOK

Fataher was honorably released from his mission after two and a half years’ labor and returned home Wednesday, May 10, 1899. He often said that the harest part of his missionw as his homecoming and his finding his mother not there. She had died such a short ime before his departure that he had never fully realized her loss.

Soon after his return, his brother Bert was called to the Southern States and assigned to the same field as father. There he labored for about eighteen months when he was stricken with typhoid fever. His life was despaired of. Grandfather decided that my father, knowing the country and people so well, should go and nurse him. Uncle Beert had been promised before going that he would return in safety and grandfather believed this would be fulfilled. Father went and watched night and day over his brother. And although he had one of the most severe cases ever know, he began to recover. Soon he was well enough to return home; the date was set; the tickets obtained; and all arrangements made, when father contracted the dread disease. He told the elders he would go to Chattanooga; fight the disease; and meet them in three days to that Uncle Bert might leave when the authorities said he should. This he did, but as the president of the mission later said, “The methods used to break up his fever rapidly were so violent that his constitution was undermined.” He was never robust again.

When father returned this time from North Carolina, he took charge of the grocery store on K Street. His two brothers, Walter and Bert, worked with him; but when grandfather died, he received the business. Later Uncle Bert started a grocery store for himself on Sixth Avenue. Father worked at his own store from the time of his return until his death in 1908.

On May 31, 1899 father was set apart as a home misionary and on September 3, 1899 was set apart as second counselor to George H. Wallace, president of the M.I.A. On December 2, 1900 he was sustained a teacher in the Twenty-First Ward Sunday School and was given charge of the second division of the second intermediate department. Sunday, October 13, 1901 he was sustained and set apart as second assistant to Elder E.G. Woolley of the Twenty-First Ward Sunday School. The Twenty-First Ward was soon after divided and Brother Woolley went with the new ward. Elder George H. Wallace was then made superintendent of the Sunday School and father was made first assistant, February 2, 1902. Later the stake was divided and superintendent Wallace was made stake superintendent so that on May 2, 1904 father was set apart as superintendent of the Twenty-First Ward Sunday School by Bishop M.S. Wooley. This position he held until a short ime before his death.

Monday, May 9, 1904 he was ordained a president of seventy and set apart as one of the seven presidents of the fourth quorum at the age of twenty-six. In his record book, father traces his ordination thus: “Jesus Christ ordained Peter, James, and John seventies; they ordained the Prophet Joseph Smith; who ordained Edmond Ellsworth, who ordained Joseph Young, who ordained Seymour B. Young who ordained Joseph A.M. Williams a seventy.

About this time father began to seriously court my mother whom he had known practically all her life, for she had lived in the same ward as he for many years. They were married on June 16, 1907. The wedding supper was held at the home of mother’s sister, Mary Ann, on Third Avenue. Mother has often told me of the supper. At that time of the year then tomatoes were a choice delicacy and her brother, Oliver, was severely reprimanded when he began eating the tomatoes on the table, for they were there only as trimmings.

My parents enjoyed married life for only a short time. Father contracted tuberculosis. He was never strong after his fight with typhoid fever, and his work at the store and at the new house which he built at 712 Third Avenue for my mother, and at his church, all weakened him. Hoping to overcome the disease he went to Southern Utah and at the same time applied and took a test for a job as a mail carrier, hoping that being at a job in the air would better him. He passed the test and a letter saying he had been accepted as a postmaster came, but too late. The fight with the disease was useless and he died at his home on Third Avenue, November 7, 1908.

When father died he had been advanced in the priesthood until only Josiah Burrows, Thomas Hull and James H. Anderson were ahead of him in the fourth quorum of seventies. Yet he was only thirty-one, two years younger than Christ when he was crucified.

Father died loved by all I am sure, for never have I heard directly or indirectly one word against him. His life was worn out through his hard work as the eldest in the family, his arduous church duties and his poor health, and it seems to me that he deserves having it said of him, “Greater love hat no man than this–that he lay down his life for man.” And if I could see that father of mine whom I have never seen I would say “I love you and I am proud to be your daughter.” Somewhere now he is laboring “upon the islands of the sea, –commanding the elements of the waves.” (as his patriarchal blessing said) freed of his physical frailities and handicaps.

I was born October 25, 1982, in Tarrs, Hjoring Ampt, (county) Denmark. I am so the son of Jens Andreas and Kjersten Marea Peterson Oveson. My father was a carpenter and joiner. He worked for many years as a contractor and builder, employing many men.

In 1850 shortly after the Gospel was introduced into Denmark, my father heard the Elders preach the Gospel. THe message found an echo in his heart. He was converted and ready to discard the old Lutheran religion he had been born and raised in. My mother could not understand it as readily as he so he deferred baptism. Father continued to investigate; in a few years, mother was ready to accept it. On the 17th of January 1861, they were baptized by J.C.A. Wilby. I had become acquainted with many of the missionaries, as they often made their home at our house and I listened to them. I was quite a singer as a child and soon learned the Mormon hymns. My happiest moments were when the missionaries came and I would sing for them at our home.

I had read the Book of Mormon and believed it was true. December 10, 1861, at the age of nine, I was baptized by Elder J.C. Frost in the pond by our house. The ice was about two feet thick. They cut a hole in it and baptized me. After seventy-nine years, with all my ramblings and mistakes, I have never for one moment doubted the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we live by its teachings, it will save and exalt us in our Father’s kingdom.

I started school when I was seven years old. When I became a mormon I had to take the sneers and abuse of my school mates. My teacher was a kind man. He expressed his regrets that I had been led astray.

In the spring of 1863, father sold his home and made preparations to immigrate to Utah. In the early part of April we bade farewell to dear Denmark, the land of our birth.

After a stormy voyage over the North Sea, we landed in Grimsby, England, and went by rail from there to Liverpool. We went on a the sailing vessel, B.S. Kimble, together with 654 saints from Scandinavian countries and Great Britain. Six weeks later, the 15th of June we landed in New York. We had three deaths on the voyage which was considered fortunate. We were glad to set foot on land again.

That same evening we left by rail for St. Joseph, Missouri. Here we were crowded onto a river flatboat without any railing around the sides. The engine was fired with wood. One night they laid to repleenish their supply. We were aroused from our sleep to clear the way so the sailors could carry on the wood. A boy about twelve got up, I suppose half asleep, and wlaked into the river and was lost. The current was so swift that ahe was swept away in an instant and every effort made to find him was without avail. This was the Missouri River. When we reached Florence, Nebraska, we were met by teams from Utah, a thousand miles away. They were sent with 384 wagons, 488 men, 3,604 oxen and 234, 969 lbs. of flour to meet the saints and take them to Utah (1863). At Florence we stopped a couple of weeks to clean up and rest for the long overland journey ahead. On July 6th, we started with Captain John F. Sanders’ train of about 50 Wagons. Our teamaster was Louis Jacobson of Moroni, later of Pleasant Grove, Utah. He was a kind man. As my mother was not strong and could not walk, he was willing for her to ride. It was crowded as there were three families in our wagon making fifteenn persons with their belongings besides the teamsters. To me this was a pleasure trip. We hadn’t been many days on the road before I had learned the language it took to drive oxen. In two or three weeks I was ready for graduation as a full fledged bullwhacker. After a long and wearisome journey, we arrived in Salt Lake City on the 5th of September. We rested a couple of days then continued our journey to Ephraim, Sanpete County, where we made our home and where I spent the rest of my boyhood days.

A wonderful testimony came to me when I was crossing the plains at the age of ten. Our teamster had gone fishing or hunting and left me in charge of his team. The road was good so I told three girls belonging to our wagon they could ride. After awhile, they wanted to get out. Two of them jumped out safely, but the other one, who was eighteen years old, caught her skirt on the hammer strap on the tongue and was thrown down behind the oxen. A front wheel passed over the small of her back. She rolled over and the back wheel passed over her stomach. She got into the wagon without much help. Brother Wirham administered to her and said that she would get well, go to Utah and become the mother of a large family. This has been fulfilled. She is the mother of fourteen children and still is hale and hearty at the age of 94. She lives in Centerfield, Utah. Her name is Christensen — I don’t remember her first name. This incident has always been a testimony to me of how the Lord hears the prayers of His servants.

Father went to work at his trade, and I did little jobs as I could find them. Father soon brought a city lot and we built the house in which my step-mother still lives. I didn’t like the carpenter trade much — it was too confining. I loved to great out - doors. Hence, my summers were usually spent working in the canyons, hauling timber, and working some on farms. During the sixties we had a lot of trouble with the Indians. It was not very safe in the mountains, and sometimes not very safe in the valleys.

Ephraim, at that time, was divided into four wards or districts. These were presided over by presiding Elders uder the direction of Bishop Caleb G. Edwards. Each of these wards or districts had a school house where Sunday School was held. A testimony or prayer meeting was held every Thursday night during the winter season. I attended my first Sunday School in the 4th Ward school house. My teacher was Thomas Hadden, a splendid old gentleman, who was devoted to his work and had the welfare of the boys and girls at heart. God bless his memory forever.

In the winter of 1864 and 1865 I attended for a term of three months in the same 4th Ward school house. Our teacher’s name was William T. Hyte. He was an eastern man and didn’t belong to the Church. He was a good teacher for his day, and a strict disciplinarian. He didn’t spare the rod for fear he would spoil the child. He was killed by the Indians in the fall of 1865.

In the winter of 1865 and 1866 I attended school in the 1st Ward school house for three months with Samuel Akin of Springtown as teacher. He was a splendid man, but not a teacher. My next and last schooling was in the winter of 1868 and 1869 for three months. Mr. Hudson was the teacher and very good for his time. Here is where I first met the little girl that afterwards became my wife. These nine months ended my schooling with the exception of a short term of evening school in penmanship.

In 1864, my father bought a cow from a man in Moroni. I remember that Father and I walked from Ephraim to Moroni, a distance of twelve miles, and drove that cow home. I think I would know that cow today if I should see her, although I have handled hundreds of them since that time.

My ambition was to get a team of oxen, or as we would then say, a yoke of oxen. Fortune favored me, for the next spring this cow brught a fine red linebacked bull calf. Now I could begin to see a starter for a yoke of oxen. As I went around town, I looked into people’s corrals to try to find a mate for this noted calf. I finally located one as near the same color as two spotted critters could well be. It belonged to Christian Torums. I first ascertained if Brother Torum would sell him, and he told me that he would (I think more to please m than anything else). Father bought the calf and I named them “Tiger and Lion.”

I got them together and took good care of them. I had them broke so that I could drive them anywhere on a small sled. The next winter when they were coming two years old, I hauled all our wood with them. I was then 14 years old and my team was one and a half years, but I would go where the men wnet and bring my load as regular as any of them that is according to the size of team and man. As the steers and the boy grew, we could do biggeer jobs. They became as good a yoke of oxen as ever was put under a whip. I wish I could say the same for the boy that handled the whip.

On the 17th of October 1865, nearly all the men were away from home for we never went away from town any distance except in companies of fifteen to twenty. At this particular time, one company had gone to Salt Lake City and one had gone to the canyons after timber. The Indians made a raid first on the men in the canyon. They killed three men; Ben Black, William T. Hyte, and Soren Jesperson. The first alarm was given by some of the men who came downn from the canyon.

Of course, excitement ran high. We had no telegraph nor telephone. The fastest means of conveying news was by the pony express. That day there wasn’t a horse in town to carry the word to Manti. There was a ban of horses in the fields abuot one and a half miles south of town. If we got a horse, we had to get these and do it on foot. A crowd of us boys started after them. When we got to the outskirts of town, the boys had all fallen back leaving Christian Nielson, Christian Thomsom Balla and myself to get the horses.

We continued on till we reached the horses. We had no ropes or bridles so we had to drive them on foot. When we were about half way to town with perhaps 20 or 25 head, we saw Indians coming down through the sagebrush south of town. I, being on the upper side (or the east side) was the first to see them. I called to the other boys to hurry for the Indians were comsiong. They said, “No, that is some Manti boys sho got the word somehow and are cmoing down.” I told them, “NO! They are Indians!”

At this same time, Andrew Whitlock and Chris Larson were coming from Manti in a buggy with two old ladies by the name of Snow, btter known as Doctor Mariah and her sister. Just south of town they were met by the Indians who surrounded the buggy and began shooting. They got under the seat when the Indians attacked. Andrew Whitlock lost no time in applying the whip and drove at full speed while the Indians were shooting. Whitlock received one wound when he was shot in the shoulder with an arrow. One of his horses was shot through the heart, but it ran into town then fell dead. This attack delayed the Indians long enough so that we got into town with the horses we were driving. Otherwise, the Indians being headed directly towards us, would have undoubtedly caught us and taken the horses we were driving.

We hurried the last half mile and got to town safe. We corraled the horses in the first corral we could find large enough to hold them. We started back towards the west part of town in time to see the Indians coming down through a hollow that was right sought and west of town. Here they met and killed Martin Peteerson Kuhra, his wife and a grown girl by the name of Elizabeth Peterson. A small boy about two years old they didn’t kill. (the man is still living. He has been President, I think, of the West Jordan Stake. He is now Patriarch.) These people had been digging potatoes and were running for town.

The Indians turned west down in the field where the cow herd was, gathered up what cattle and horses they wanted, and brought them up south of town straight towards the mouth of the canyon. The few men that were in town went up above town and tried to head off the Indians, but were unsuccessful. Here William Thorpe was killed. That was a sad and gloomy day for Ephraim.

In 1867 and 1868, I was employed most of the time as clerk in a store belonging to H. L. Southworth. I don’t remember what my wages were, but it wasn’t very much. The experience and training was worth a great deal to me in after years, as my schooling was so very limited. I learned more, I think, working in that store than I did in school. I mention these things to give my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and the young people of today a little glimpse of what the boys and girls of 60 or 70 years ago had to do in Utah, for I was no exception to the rule. We all fared about alike.

From 1869 to 1874 during the summer months, I worked most of the time in the canyons. I had many thrilling experiences in the mountains. Sometimes narrow escapes from accidents and harm, but it was the kind of work I liked. I formed a love for the mountains that still remains with me. In the winter I worked most of the time in the carpenteer shop along with my father. Some of the time I was employed in Carl Uckerman’s furniture shop.

When working in the carpenter shop, I made many useful articles for the home. There wereno washing machines in our part of the country so the washboard was necessary. I made many washboards out of wood that served the purpose well and were used for many years.

We made our own amusements. Dancing and home dramatics were the most popular. Under the direction of Parliln McFarlin, Sr., we put on many plays of the Civil War. Also, many comedies. I was very much interested in that kind of recreation. The greater part of our amusement was dancing. Often two or three nights a week was enjoyed in this recreation. The dances were worked out in this way.

Two, three, or four boys would get together and decide to have a dance. First thing was to get the house. We would go to the presiding Elder who had charge of these ward school houses and get permission to have the dance. The use of the house was rarely denied us and the price was generally a load of wood. Next, we had to get the fiddlers. Their price was usually one bushel of wheat each, likewise the caller, for our dances were mostly square. When all arrangements were made, we would invite crowds of about thirty or forty. No one was allowed unless invited. The race was on to invite our best girl before the other fellow got her. If he beat you, you had to make a second choice. Everyone must have a partner. Girls didn’t go to the dances without a partner. If it did happen that a girl came alone, she was shunned by both boys and girls.

The boys who got up the dance would go in the afternoon, clean up the house, sweep and scrub the floor, whittle spurm candles to make the floor slick and keep the dust down. The dance would commence not later than eight o’clock and continue until our candles (we used them for lights) would burn out. That is the way it went around from one crowd to another. As time went on, we improved in these things. We got better houses for our amusements, and began to get modernized in ourmethods, but we had no better times.

Those were carefree days. We would go to our Sunday School and meeting on the Sabbath Day and usually to testimony meetings on Thursday evening. This was all in the program. We had no Mutual Improvement Association at that time, and we had no Lessor Priesthood organizations till after I was married. My first ordinationn to the Priesthood was to the office of an Elder in the Endowment House onthe 18th day of May, 1874, the day I was married.

In the winter to 1873 and 1874 my cousin, Andrew C. Nielsen, (better known as Mormon Preacher) invited a crows of us boys to join a liteerary class where we studied the Key to Theology. This was really a form of the Y.M.M.I.A>, which was organized in Ephraim in the fall of 1875 with Nielsen as its first president and of which I was a member. Years later when I looked over the members of that class it was a pleasure to see how many of those boys later filled places of responsibility both in religious and civic capacities.

On the 30th of January, 1874, my dear mother died after a long and lingering sickness. Bless her memory forever. Father and I were left alone. I was 21 years of age and the little girl I first met in 1869 would be 16 on the 16th of February. She was mature for her age. After a courtship of over five years, we began to make preparations for marriage. I got busy in the shop that winter and made what furniture we would need, such as: bureau, bedstead, cupboard, chairs, table, etc.

When father learned that he was going to be left alone, he rustled around and found him a girl and decided to get married the same time that I did. We got all preparations made, I hired a team from one of ur neighbors. I had raised some oats the summer before, so I took a load of these and father took part of a load for me. We started, as near as I can remember, about the 10th of May. My father and his girl, my father-in-law and his second wife, known as Aunt Amelia, and my girl and I.

We were a jolly little company. I think we were six days on the road. We reached Salt Lake on Saturday night. On Sunday we got, cleaned up and got our recommends approved. We camped in the old tithing yard. On Monday morning we went to the ENdowment House. It was located in the north west corner of the Temple block. There were about 25 or 30 couples to be married. For some cause, I never knew why unless it was because we were about the youngest couple and perhaps looked the greenest, we were put on lead all the way through. We were the first couple married. This was the 18th of May 1874. We were married for time and all eternity by Daniel H. Wells.

Being the first couple married, we got out about noon. Some of them didn’t et out until about night. When we got over to camp we found Aunt Amelia getting dinner for us. She had found some fresh fish and was frying it. When she saw us coming she began to cry. We wasked her what was the matter and she answered, “Now is when your troubles begin.” In a way she was right for it was the beginning of our real responsibilities. Through life that responsibilitiy brought with it both sorrow and joy, but much more joy than sorrow. It is necessary to taste the bitter in order to appreciate the sweet. I have always looked upon that event as the crowning point of my life and the greatest blessing that ever came to me.

The next day I disposed of my oats and bought things to start houskeeping with. We bought a No. 6 Charter Oak stove, some dishes, a lamp, and a few other things as far as our means would go.

It always seemed to me that the adversary had concluded to end my life at this point of my career. About one week before we left home, I was riding after some cattle through some brush. In riding fast, the horse stepped in a hole with both front feet, keeled over, and came down on top of me and went over again and head first into a deep wash that was full of water. I got loose from the saddle before he went into the water. I was sore and stiff for several days, but no bones broken.

In Salt Lake when I went to unload my oats, I had to drive through a narrow alley between two buildings. I was standing up on top of the load. The one horse was a little flighty and mean. He made a jump ahead. This threw the wagon against the wall on the other side. The sudden stop threw me head first down behind the horses onto the pavement. I got out without a scratch.

The next day my wife and I left Salt Lake and came as far as Pleasant Grove and decided to stop a day and wait for the rest of the company, who stayed in Salt Lake to do some baptizing for the dead. They came the following evening. Pleasant Grove at that time was called Battle Creek.

The next morning when we went to the pasture after our horses and got back to our wagons, I was kicked by one of the horses on the right side of the head. My face was cut badly and blood ran out of my ear. Again the hand of the Lord was over me. My head was sore, but we were able to continue on our way home. In a few days I was all right.

We reached home without further trouble. I mention these things, and many more narrow escapes later in my life because they are testimonies to me that my life has been spared for some purpose and that the protecting hand of the Lord has been over me.

It took us over two weeks to make the trip. That was not so bad for we had our honeymoon trip at the same time. When we got home, we stayed a few days with my wife’s folks. They had a large family without much room so we moved into a room up to my father’s place. We lived together for a few months. That summer I worked in the canyon most of the time getting lumber and other timber. When harvest time came, I worked binding grain and other harvest jobs. I had five acres of grain of my own.

That fall I bought a house and lot. The house was partlly finished and poorly done. One room was plastered (in a way) and the other two rooms were just the rough adobe walls, but we were glad to get a home of ur own. We moved into it as it was and weren’t alone either. There was plenty of company in those rough adobe walls. My wife’s first battle was fought with bugs and she came out victorious.

This is rather long. If you are interested in the rest of the story contact me and I will make a copy for you.

LOUISA ALGANORA OVESON LARSON (NORA)

Nora was born November 18, 1881 in Ephraim, Utah, to Lars Peter Oveson and Louisa Otterstrom Oveson, the third daughter and fifth child (two died at birth).
1887 - the family moved from Ephraim to Huntington, Emery County, where they lived on a farm on the Huntington River about two miles east of town.
August 11, 1890 - her father was made Bishop of a new Ward formed in the Township of Cleveland about five miles east of their farm. Early fall 1890, the family journeyed to Ephraim to visit. Her father promised she would be baptized in the Manti Temple. The family was preparing to return to Emery County when Nora began to cry. Her father asked what the problem was. Her mother reminded him of the baptism promise. Her father then took her to the Manti Temple where she was baptized.
March 1891 - a move to the town of Cleveland. A good part of Nora’s younger life was spent herding sheep, tending cows and working in the fields as well as doing her part in the house work. One time when she was at one of her father’s sheep camps, she wanted to ride a donkey they had there. She was given permission to ride. After she mounted, the donkey immediately took off for the other camp. She couldn’t stop him, so got more of a ride then she wanted.
Nora did her part in church work. As a young adult she served as secretary of the Sunday School and of the Mutual Improvement Association. She sang in the Ward Choir from the time she was thirteen and participated in Road Shows traveling to different wards of the stake.
Although Nora and Peter Larson both lived in Cleveland and were members of the same ward for ten years, they did not start dating until 1903. On Flag Day, June 14, 1903, at Eden’s Grove, the Sunday School was having a picnic. Peter and two other fellows were driving around the Grove in a buggy when they came upon Nora. “Who are you looking for?” Nora asked. “You”, Peter answered. Nora knew he wasn’t of course, but stated, “All right, here I am.” They spent the day buggy riding and he took her to the dance that evening. That was the beginning of a long life together: 57 years, 2 months, 7 days. They were married in the Manti Temple December 7, 1904.
After their marriage, Peter and Nora lived in Cleveland for ten years. He managed the Co-op store and built a beautiful home. They had six children: Eric Cleon, Ena (died at birth), Onslow Peter, Roald Oberlin, Clovis and Noral. When Noral was 11 months old the family moved to Salt Lake City. Peter first worked at the Jewel-T Co. Six months later he was hired by Nord’s Clothing Store. His experience at the Co-op had taught him much about running a business. His first year at Nord’s was as a collector, then as a salesman and later manager in its Men’s clothing.
1918 - Three years after moving to the big city, the family again experienced a blessed event - Lanol’s birth. It took place January 7, 1918, at the family’s third Salt Lake home, 1051 East Fifth South.
1920 - the family moved again in late summer to a home Peter bought at 807 West 8th South. Here Bland was born December 18, 1920, their eighth child. This was the family home for the next seven years. The area will always be referred to by family members as the Twenty Sixth Ward. Those years brought a lot of changes in society; Peter changed employment from Nord’s to Collins Clothing. Eric Cleon completed two years at the University of Utah, then moved to California to pursue his art career. Onslow Peter and Roald entered LDS High School.
1927 - the family moved to 27 J Street and became members of the Twenty First Ward (Ensign Stake). Everyone was active in the ward organization and its activities.
1920-1934 - although the family had five different addresses during this period, they continued to be active in the Twenty First Ward and Lanol and Bland continued to attend schools in that area (Longfellow and Bryant Jr. High). Address changes were: 1920-30 - 30 J Street; 1931-32 - Swallow Apartments (First So. Between Third/Fourth East); 1932 - Delmar Court; Kuster Apartments (North side Fifth South between Third/Fourth East) - winter of 1932-1933. Peter left Collins the summer of 1932 and moved to Los Angeles. The depression of 1929 had reached the West and Peter felt Collins would have to cut back which would include him. Summer of 1933 - moved from Kuster Apts. to 712 Second Avenue. Late summer 1934 - Nora with Lanol and Bland moved to Los Angeles to be with Peter.
August 1934 - Nora and Bland (Lanol having gone ahead with Eric and Gertrude), left Salt Lake City for Los Angeles. They were fortunate in obtaining a ride with a man also en route to Los Angeles. They traveled in a new 1933 Plymouth. Unfortunately, in that year Plymouth and Ford came out with models where the front doors opened from the front and hinged on the center post. Unfortunate because Nora was almost pulled from the car. While crossing the desert, Nora had a newspaper up at the window to keep out the sun. The newspaper was wedged between the top of the door and the roof. The paper had slipped down and Nora was trying to get it back up. In doing so, she unthinkingly opened the door. Going at about 60 miles-per-hour, all the wind needed was a little crack in order to catch hold of the door and swing it out and back. Had she not let go of the door as it swung out, she would have been pulled out of the car along with the newspaper.
California family members settled in the Wright Apartments at 1343 Wright Street. It was there that Betty Lou Peterson came to live with them. They attended Adams Ward, the first ward built in Southern California in 1913, until Lanol and Bland were married. Their second home was a year later just across the street at the Thoma Apartments. After Lanol married, the family moved to 11th street where they remained until Bland left to get married a year later.
Nora and Peter then moved to the Highland Park area: one home had a train track running in their back yard. Later, on Avenue 52 their home was on the side of a hill. The only level ground was around the house. It was there Nora had an injury that bothered her the rest of her life. As she was walking on the front yard, in an uneven area, her left foot gave way and she fell on it and broke the ankle. The ankle was set and put in a cast. A short time later the ankle became very painful after which it was necessary to rebreak and reset the ankle and put a pin in it. It never healed properly and continued to swell and hurt the rest of her life. She managed to get around on it quite well.
1951 or 1952 - They moved to a court, still in Highland Park area, on York Blvd. By this time, Betty Lou had married. Here Nora began to have back problems (probably because of her earlier fall) and started to see a chiropractor, Dr. Allred, who was Bishop of their Ward. This was another physical problem she had to live with the rest of her life.
Although Nora loved living in California, a big part of her heart remained in Utah where many of her relatives still lived. She always wanted to visit Utah.
After Peter was killed in 1962 (died February 17, 1962), Nora lived alone on York Blvd. Her neighbors, very dear friends, kept an eye on her at all times. Nora was in daily contact with her son Eric who called her every night. One night he couldn’t reach her. She was getting ready for bed when her neighbors heard a thud through the common wall which separated their units. The neighbor lady went to the front door and called to her to see if all was well but got no response. She then went to the court manager to get her to open the door. Upon opening the door they called again. Receiving no answer, they entered and found Nora on the bathroom floor where she had fallen when she died. Although her sudden passing (March 25, 1964) was a shock, that she had not suffered a lingering death was comforting to all who loved her. She lead a life of love in her heart for everyone and all who knew her loved her as well

Isadora Adeline Brown was born in Greentownship Erie Co., Pennsylvania the 13th of Aug, 1842. She was the youngest child in a family of seven children. Two boys and five girls. She was the daughter of Ezekiel Brown and Catherien Slauson. Isadora was sickly as a child, and often ill. She was very afraid of the dark and when she went to bed always asked her sister with whom she slept to stay awake till she fell asleep. When she was a baby she slept in a trundle bed by the side of her parents bed and in the day time her bed would be pushed under the big bed.

She grew to be 12 years old in Greentownship and could remember how he father and uncles cut down the forests, cleared the land, built fences and buildings. She recalled that the wood shet was always full of stove wood from the large trees from the forest.

Her playmates were her cousins and she was the smallest of them all. She recalled how they would go with their buckets picking wild straw and raspberries. Often their buckets would be full. In the fall they went gathering hazel and wall nuts. Isadora told of th time they were all in the woods busily picking berries when they heard the grunt of a wild boar. Immediately they were filled with fear and began running for their lives. She was the smallest one so the largr ones helped her run fast. Fortunately they reached the fence and got over it just in time to save their lives.

One thing that impressed Isadora very much was a little plot of ground that was chosen for a burial place for the Browns. It was over a fence not far from the house. She remembered that grand parents and uncles were burried there before she came to Utah. Naturaly her father who died when she was six was burried there.

When she was about six the circus was coming to Erie City and her father said to her if you will promise to keep well I will take you to it. She promised. At that time highways were called thoroughfaraes, and because of the mud getting so deep the Township had layed a plank surface on the thoroughfare to Erie City. They all went to the circus but before the day was over Isadora was sick to her stomach. She remembered so well the sound the horses hoofs made on the plant surface as they were traveling. She said her father and uncles drove the bet horses and carriages on the road and no one could pass them.

Isaodra said one day a man living two or three miles from their place sent word for her mother to come and see him. Caatherine went. His wife had died and left a baby boy and he wanted her to take it. She took the child an the father never came for it so when she came to Utah they brought him with them. His name was Meredith Ames, and he was a little older than Isadora.

Isadora often recalled another time when her mother went ot a funeral. She and Meredith stood at the window wishing she would bring a baby home with her. It was very cold and they were all eyes trying to see if she had something under her long full cloak. When she got in the house and the front of the cloak was turned back there was a baby boy. Isadora being the baby in the family she was very happy.

One day they got word that her father had fallen from a building he was working on. He is brought home but passes away. She was six years old. She told how some low stools were placed in front of the casket so she and the little boy Meredith Ames could go and look at the body any time they wished. Isadora said Meredith was always asking to go see his papa. This boys mother had died when he was a baby and his father had given him to the Browns.

In 1855 when 13 years old she leaves the place of her birth and starts for Utah with her mother and four sisters. They take the boat at Erie City and travel by way of lake Erie and the Missouri River to Atchison Kansas. Three of the daughters continue on that year to Utah.

Isadora and Eliza were baptized in a pon of water in Mormon Grove that winter on the 18th of November 1855. The dampness from the river caused her to have chills. Brother James McGaw told her if she would never have another chill he would buy her a new dress. Sister Eliza heard him make Isadora that promise so she gathered herbs and gave Isacora the tea from them and she never had another chill and she got the dress.

Isadora starts for Utah the next spring, 1856 with her mother and sister Eliza in Phileman Merrills Cmpany.

To save the animals the children walked most of the way so we find Isadora walking most of the way to Utah. She said they had good times often bathing in the streams of water. She said the larger boys got so they would jump on the head of the rattle snakes and pull off their rattles. When night came and camp was made the children would gather buffalo chips for the fires. (Buffalo chips the droppings from the buffalos)

The captain of the company often took Isadora on his horse with him to ride. No doubth he thought she looked delicate. He told her he had a fine young man picked out for her when they got to Utah. He joked with the children and said I know which one of you girls is going to boss your husband. Naturally they were very curious to know how he could tell. They often went bare foot to save their shoes. Then the captain said your second toe is longer than your big one. The Captains name was Phileman Merrill.

When they reached Salt Lake City they went to live in Centerville but only for a short time when they move back to Salt Lake.

When Isadora was sixteen she goes to a church dance with a young man. When the dance is about half over she sees that her escort has had too much cider. She decides she will get her raps and leave the dance hall unnoticed. When she get to the door of the dance hall she finds Thomas Campbell Beck there. He tells her he noticed the young man she came with had gotten too much cider, and he asked if he might take her home. Isadora accepted his offer to take her home and after that occasion she went with Thomas at different times.

At this time Thomas goes to Cache Valley as his father advised him to do. Isadoras mother has a chance of marriage to a brother McCaw who has a store in Wellsville. She accepts the offer and goes to Wellsville to live and she takes Isadora with her as she is the only daughter that is not married.

Isadora often wnt to the meadows for the cows and one day when she went Thomas was there to meet her. There was a tree that had fallen down and they would sit on the trunk of it and talk. This went on for a short ime and they decided to marry. On the 21 of June 1860, they were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. He was twenty and she was eighteen.

Thomas began to build a house on the land he and Jonas had gotten in Wellsville and while he was building they lived in a covered wagon. Isaodra said it was very comfortable for the short time they lived there. She said they placed the bed in the back end, and she had a lovely counterpane on it. In the front end was the stove, cupboard, table, and chairs. It was their home and they were not in debt for it.

The house ws finished and they moved in. Thomas farmed for a living and they raised most everything they ate. People helped each other with exchange of work to get things they did not have. There pleasure came from simple amusement and associating with the best of people.

They did not live long in Wellsville for when their first two children came they were born in Salt Lake City. Elizabeth born 6 April 1861, and Catherine born 10 Oct. 1863.

A year later they move to Clarkston Cache Valley. Here Thomas was put in counselor to Bishop Rigby. Isadora was called to be president of the first Relief Society in Clarkston, with Sister Mary Rigby and Elizabeth Quigley as counselors. This was in 1868.

At this time Bishop Rigby organized a store (coop) and Thomas was made second superintendent. Isadora clerked part of the time in the store.

Elizabeth the oldest child of Thomas and Isadora told the following:
“She said produce was being taken out of the store that was not being paid for. It worried Thomas for he could see where those who had put money in would loose it. He put Isadora in as a clerk and told her to see that every one who got merchandise paid for it.

Then all one winter he hauled goods from Slt Lake City in the cold and snow to replace the goods that had been taken dishonestly. Then Thomas severed his connection witht he coop store.

About this time Brigham Young was making a visit to Clarkston and when he got out of the carriage he asked, “who lives in this town”, and some one said Tom Beck. She he went to Tom Becks home. On more than one occasion he ate dinner at theri home, and he showed Isadora how to place a box in a window with a set cloth over it to keep things cool.

While they lived here the indians became very hostile and they had to leave their homes till the troops under Colonel Corner from Ft. Douglas came and dispersed them. Then the family returned to their home.

Two childrn were born here. Thomas Jospeh and Ellen Amelia

From Clarkston they move just a short distance to Newton Cache Co. Here he builds another house and engages in farming. James William and Franklin Edwin are born here.

At this time they move to Payson which is about two hundred miles quite a distance to go by team. By this time work is getting more plentiful and with some farming he manages to keep his family which consists of seven children and wife. George Andrew is born here 2 November 1876. They stay here about wo years.

Their next move is to Burville Sevier County. Burville is located in a sage brush desert and at that time there were twelve or fifteen families living there. How were they going to make a living. They had hardley arrived in the Berg when one of the residents came to Thomas and asked if he would take over his large heard of milk cows and have all he could make from them for taking care of them. The man would furnish the feed.

It should be explained that the man was ill and not able to do the work. This was a great blessing to Thomas and the family. The children were large and able to do a good portion of the work. (Most of them)

Some of the neighbors gave them some chickens and a pig. They made cheese and butter to sell; had the whey to feed pigs and chickens besides having all they needed for themselves. They had eggs, chickens, pork for meat for the family and they raised vegetables.

While here Thomas was made Presiding Elder and organized the first Sunday School. Another child Hattie was born here 10 Jan 1879.

About this time the rai roads were being extended west and the Union Pacific Company were letting contracts for building rail road grade and Thomas took a contract to build fifteen miles of th rail road grade in Colorado.

Colorado ws a wild and rough country and not a desirable place to take a family. Up to this time they had always stayed together so they all went and worked together. They had to live in tents and half dugouts. Horse thieves were working and sever times drove away some of their horses. This meant that Thomas and his son Thomas or John Waters who worked for him must go and hunt for the horses and bring them back.

One time when they were hunting they came to a little valley with mountains surrounding it and when they looked won in the valley they could see their horses grazing on one side of the valley and on the other side the thieves had a fire and were busy getting some thing to eat. Thomas and whoever ws with him went in the little valley rode over to the horse and took them out and the thieves sat and watched.

Thomas’es faith was ‘never carry a gun and you won’t get killed.’ Another time he was out hunting: night came and they put their blankets down for the night so they could get some rest and in the middle of the night he was awakened with one of the thieves having his face directly over and quite close to Thomas’es. The thief ws likely looking to see if Thomas had a gun.

When he was out hunting for his horses the women were alone and it was not safe for them. They bought a pistol and learned to shoot it and they had a large faithful dog they would tie to the tent post. At different times men would come to the tent and tell the dog to lie down. The older ones in the tent were immediately awakened and were on their guard for a batte if it came. They would tell the dog to go after him, which the dog did as best he could being tied. Finally the person wherever he was would leave and they would hear no more that night.

Thomas had about twenty men working for him. Isadora, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Ella did the cooking, etc., for the outfit. Thomas had always siad the blesing on the food before eating. He did the same at this time. Some of the men were very surprised and had never seen it done before. Others were heard to say “I like that custom, it gives us all an even start at the table.”

One day two head men of the rail road drove up to their camp and ask if they could get someone to wash their underwear. Said they were having a hard time to get someone to wash it. Isadora did not like the idea very much and hesitated. Then the official said he will pay any price, if you will do it for us. It was against Isadora will be she told him to put his bundle of clothes in the fork of a tree and she would accomodate him.

When she was ready to wash the underwear she examined them and to her disqust whe found body lice. In those days body lice were quite common with people who were not careful. When the officials came for the clothes she charged a big price and then doubled that because of the lice. The men were very satisfied when they saw how nicely the clothes were laundred and insisted Isadora continued to do themm as long as they were out there.

Thomas and family did very well on this job. When the contract was finished he with his fmaily went to Pleasant Grove, Utah County, Utah. He bought a lot with a house on it in the center of town. But the family had been in the wide open spaces where they had plenty of room and they were not satisfied with so small space. They wold the city home and bught the little farm one mile north of Pleasant Grove. This was in the year 1883.

This farm had about nine acres of choice apple trees just begining to bear. Alfalfa was planted between the trees, which were small and it grew very tall and while the trees were not too large they raised quite a lot of hay.

Thomas raised wheat, corn, potatoes, squash, oats, and a vegetable garden. There was eighteen and a half acres with a fence dividing it and on the fence grew isabel grapes. There was a few peach trees and a small locust tree grove planted to furnish timber for wagons parts such single trees, neck yokes, tounges if necessary and so forth. They had cows, chickens pigs, and for a while they had some rabbits that run loose and when they wanted one ot eat one of the boys would go out and shoot one. As time went on a raspberry and strawberry patch was planted, a few cherry and peach trees.

One peach tree in particular was planted by the side of the large apple cider. Thomas and his sons built to store apples in. When the peaches were ripe all one had to do ws to stp up on the celler roof and there was the peaches handy to pick. We ate them as they ripened.

Thomas and his sons dug a well about thirty feet deep, and they had the old oaken bucket, the moss covered bucket, the iron bucket hanging in the well. The water was clear as a crystal and cool. All liked to draw up a bucket of water and sit on the well curb and eat Isadoras sugar Cookies and drink that cool clear water.

One year three thousand bushels of apples were picked and put in cellers barns, etc. In the winter every evening a pan of apples was brought up from the cellar to eat that evening. It was on the farm that Isadora commenced to make her famous mince pies. In the winter they would be piled his ready for eating.

One year three thousand bushels of apples were harvested. They sold for twenty five cents a bushel by the load. Before the well was dug the culinary water was dipped up early in th morning, before the bugs got active, and put in a large barrel that stood under a lilac bush that grew by the side of the front gate. A whie cloth was stretched over the top of the barrel to keep the water clean. This was done every morning.

A little stream of water from the canal ran in a ditch outside of the fence in front of the house, just for the purpose of furnishing the water for the house.

At the South East corner of the house stood the rain barrel and when I Hattie Beck Johnson was young I can remember that the rain barrel was always full of rain water ready for the washing. Why the rain water, because it was soft and would make the cothes shiter. Women at that time always wanted soft water for their washing. As the years came and went there was not so much rain fall so a different method must be found not so soft.

In the winter time one ton of coal was brought and the other means of heat was from apple wood that was trimmed from the apple trees every year. Isaodra would take the wood ashes from the apple wood and when she filled the barrel full of well water she would sprinkle the wood ashes on top of the water in the barrel and the ashes would carry every bit of hardness to the bottom of the barrel. In this way she made her water soft.

One by one the children married. James and Frances, Frank and Hattie, and Georgea nd Mamie came to live at the farm for a short time. Tom Beck and Howard Beck. So now there was Hattie, Ethel, and Edward at home.

At Pleasant Grove Thomas was Trustee of the Pleasant Grove district Number 15. He was bishops counselor to Bishop Warnic. Isadora was counselor and president in the Relief Society and Mutual in the Manila Ward Pleasant Grove. Every winter a dinner was put on for their choicest friends in the ward. It included the presiding officers in the ward. Brother and Sister Willam D. Atwood were there very choicest friends.

Isadora wanted to try her hand at something thinking she could make some money for the family. They bought a building located South of Pleasant Grove at Lindon, about a half acre ground and an old discarded two room school house on it. The one room was turned into living quarters and the other in a store. For awhile we went back and forth to run the store and then we moved in. If we had chosen a better location we would have had a better chance to make good. The store was run about a year and then closed and the property was sol. They made no money but got experience which is more valuable.

They moved back to the farm and it was not long when Thomas passed away, very quickly. The Doctor said it was either his heart or a blood vessel burst in his brain. In those daysthe Drs. did not understand the different ailments so well.

Isadora stayed on the farm one year and then rented it. Then she decided it was best to sell it, and locate in Salt Lake City with her three last children. Ethel and Hattie ahd gone to Salt Lake a little ahead of their mother and brother. Hattie had taken a job at the Paris Millinery Co. and Ethel had one more yaer at the University before graduatuion.

In the fall of 1906 she sold part of her house hold goods, horses and cows, and on the 17 November with her son Edward they left the old home and made their way to Salt Lake City. She sold the farm.

Isadora lived with her three last children till they were married and then she lived by herself. She had good health and worked in the Temple for the dead. When she was eighty eight years old she passed to the spirit world at her son Georges home at Jerome, Idaho, 17 June 1930.

Thomas and Isadora are buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Laura Camille Forsgren …..March 30, 1883
Her Life History by Daughter, Beverly Earl Robinson 1968

Laura Camille Forsgren was born to Oscar Forsgren and Othelia Margret Eliza Anderson on March 30, 1883 in Brigham City, Utah. She was blessed in the 2nd Ward in Brigham City. She had asthma as a baby and a young child. Many of her asthma attacks were taken to be heart trouble and interrupted her activities in Primary and Sunday School.

The family lived on a farm and mother remembers when they had the hay in the barn all the children would be ut there playing. She would go out to be with them, but would end up going back into the house with a severe asthma attack. Her baptism was put off because of this illness, but being afraid that she might die during the winter, she insisted on being baptized on November 8, 1891. They all gathered at Johnson’s Pond in Brigham City Park, the eleders broke the ice, and there she was baptized. Her ddress was stiff and frozen as they walked home, but she never became ill from it.

Laura first attended school in a lady’s home, ( one room for all ages) at the age of 6 years. Here she learned her ABC’s. Later at about 8 or 9, she went to school in a room above Fishburn’s store with about 4 or 5 grades in one class. Finally a school was built east of Second Ward Chapel and she attended there until she graduated at age 17 which was the 9th grade.

After Laura’s graduation the Forsgren family moved into the home on 5th West in Brigham. Grandpa built it himself with the help of some traded labor. Her close friends were Lottie Horsllley and Ethel KElly, both of whom she outlived. She was active in church; taught in Sunday School, Primary and sang in the choir of which her dad was chorister. In Salt Lake City in later years she served as Relief Soceity visiting teacher for 35 years, also as a visiting teacher supervisor.

At the age of 10, something happened to a lady in Brigham City that has been faith promoting to mom. A sister Ella Jensen as a young lady was dying. She was blessed by a brother in the church and told to come back, that her mission here was not fulfilled. To much astonishment of those around who thought she was dead, she did come back and told them it was such a beautiful place that she would like to have stayed. She did live for many more years.

As a young girl, mom remembers going on bob-sleigh parties and to church dances for entertainment. Her first date with dad was to a Decoration Day Dance. She married him on April 21, 1910 in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in Brigham for 2 or 3 years and it was htere they built their first home. Dad was so pleased to be able to have indoor plumbing, but mom wouldn’t use it at first so he had to build her an outhouse. By the 2nd winter she gave in and became modernized too. When they moved to Salt Lake City, they lived in the Kimball Court, which was where the new Deseret Gym (now the Conference Center) is now. Here, Don was born in March of 1914. Mom remembers wheeling Don in the buggy from Kimball Court to Sherman Avenue when they were building that house, and then on to McClelland St. to visit her sister Aunt Lucretia. She was worried about the walk back but dad said he would never walk –they would ride the bus and put the buggy on the back outside. They did. Sherman was home for 9 years at which time Ruth, Alice, and Glen were added to the family. In 1925 the home on Denver Streeet was bjuilt and in 1927 the last of the family, Beverlyl was born. Mom had each of her children at home with a doctor in attendance and then a nurse stayed with her for 2 weeks. She couldn’t bear to leave her other children and go to a “dreadful” hospital.

After the birth of Beverlyl, Mom says her asthma cleared up, but I can remember her burning Asmador Powder quite often because it smelled terrible. In February of 1f965 Mom had pneumonia and was hospitalized for 1 week. This was her first experience with a hospital. At age 82 she was a good patient, but impatient to get back home. Our home during the years was open to many family boarders — mom’s sisters and dad’s brothers. I remember that Uncle Hy had an apartment (room) in the basement on Denver Street and mom did his laundry and cooking until dad put a stop to it. Mom was a hard worker all of her life, at home before marriage and in her own home after. Things were always neat and clean, food was very delicious, she bottled all of her own fruit, made over clothing as well as making new things. She certainly was industrious, and still is.

At age 85 now, Mom still is very independent and does things for herself — all of her housework, laundry, cooking, shopping and gardening. The latter has been her hobby for many years and she is known by her family, friends and neighbors for having one of the most beautiful gardens in the city. She has served herself and family well. As as grandchild has been born she has been there to give help as needed and aslo in times of sickness with her married children. Mom kept the commandment to honor her mother and father too. She visited them in Brigham often, had them come to Salt Lake, took them on trips with her and ad and when he father was left a widower she wuld go to Brigham to get his laundry, clean the house and give him some food. During his hospital stay she went often to visit him and attend to his needs.

On July 30, 1967, McKay Ward held a sacrament meeting to honor Laura F. Earl. Her family presented the following program:
Invocation — Glen Earl
Introduction of family members –Don Earl
Introduction of program –Raymond Earl
Verses by grandchildren, written by Beverly;
Mark: I”m thankful for my Grandma Earl
And all the things she does
She remembers all our birthdays
And blesses us with love
Nancy: Sometimes when we go visit her
The kitchen smells so sweet
Her sugar cookies are the best
That anyone could eat.
Keith: In the early springtime,
Through summer days and fall,
My grandma grows in her garden
The prettiest flowers of all.
Sharon: Grandma has a special drawer
For things that interest me.
I like to choose a story book
And climb upon her knee.
Wayne: We hope to make her happy,
That she may see and know
We’re glad she is our Grandma
Because we love her so.

Song: “A House Becomes a Home” by girls: Ruth, Elaine, Peggy, Jill, Judy, Martsie, Marge, Lauarene, Beverly, Janet, Janice (Susan had a wisdom tooth out) Alice accompanied them.

Remarks by Quentin - He paid tribute to Mom, told briefly of the Forsgren heritage and how the testimony has filtered down to the grandchildren. By kind, simple example Mom and Dad have influenced the lives of their posterity. Of 5 children and 3 married grandchildren there is 100% married in the temple. May we live our lives as to always make them proud and carry on the fine example to us given.

Organ Solo by Kathy - “Open the Gates of the Temple”

Remarks by Calvin Robinson - Is there revelation in the Church Today? While it may not be written down, there is indeed divine guidance through our prophet President David O. McKay for the Church; and through the Stake Pres. for his stake, the Bishop for his ward; the Head of the family for his family if he prays and lives clost to Heavenly Father.

Benediction - Warren

All family memebers were in attendance except for Jack, Brent, who was in Scout Camp, and Gary who was on a mission.

Don- Mary Raymond, his wife Elaine and son Douglas
Julie her husband Mike, and their daughters Laurie Ann and Nanette
Joan and her husband, Lee
Ralph and Jill
Ruth - Warren (Brent), Paul, Elaine, Peggy, Mark
Alice - Quentin: Kathy, (Gary), Laurene, Janice, Judy, Wayne, Keith, Alan
Glen - Marge: Linda (Jack), Craig, Martsie
Beverly - Cal: Jim, Susan, Janet, Nancy, Sharon

Mom and Dad’s progenitors number 43 to date, April 3, 1968. We are pleased with the life mom has lived, with the principles of life that she has exemplified and taught, and hope to be a credit to her always.

My Remembrances
Julie Ann Earl Larson

As I read about my grandmother I enjoy the feelings that come back to me. I realize that I didn’t know her as well as many of the cousins. I looked forward to going there on Christmas Morning. We would open up our gifts, and then take something like my favortie doll over to share with the cousins. Everyone would gather all the families, and the house felt so warm, and it smelled so good in the kitchen. Everyone sat in the living room and just shared being family together. Sometimes we would go downstairs and play, it was fun in the basement. I remember the cookie drawer and how fun it was to get a good cookie each time we came to visit. As I write this I can hear my grandmother’s voice, which I haven’t even thought about for a long time. The voice I hear is in the kitchen, and is the voice of an older grandmother. It brings me joy.
I have grandmothers voice on tape, which anyone is welcome to borrow at anytime.

For years my father would ride his bike to “Dee’s” a fast food hamburger place, and pick up a hamburger for his mother. She loved them, and he loved serving her. He would bike it over and while she ate he would mow the lawn, and putter around the place. Grandmother took a fall down the stairs and was not quite the same after that. She became very quiet. I remember one time my dad asking me if I would go with him to grandmas and sit with her while he mowed the lawn. It was a pleasant visit in the living room. She didn’t say much of anything. I felt sorry for her. It was hard for me to see her suffering. Grandmother died in her own home on the 9th of October 1979. I was living in Livermore, California at the time, and remember the call. Her family had been careing for her, and she now was finally released from this mortal struggle. I was unable to make my grandmother’s funeral. I was in the beginning months of a pregnancy and didn’t want to take a chance on travel. At that time, we were not the air travelers that we are now. That much time in the car they thought might not be good. I later miscarried that child. My mother told me of the services, and I felt the strength of family.

Thomas Campbell Beck born 23, March 1840 was the son of James Beck and Elizabeth Yates. He was born in Wolverton Buckinghamshire, England.

When he was four years old he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and came to America with his parents. They landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then took a boat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis Missouri. Here they lived four years

In 1848 with his parents he crossed the plains by ox team to Utah arriving in August the same year. It seems they had two wagons, two yoke of oxen and a cow when they started across the plains. They came in Lorenzo Snows company. They first camaped near the old fort square. Then in the fall they moved onto a lot in the 17th ward.

As Thomas was growing up he helped raise garden, farmed, went to the canyon for wood and for a short time he helped his father make adobes which were selling for one dollar per hundred. He also spent much time hunting which helped with the food.

When he was about sixteen years old he was called, with abut twenty other young men to go on a mission to Deer Creek to open up some coal mines. He was away from home about six or eight months.

Thomas was among those who were called to stand guard at the Beehive House, the home of Brigham Young.

In the spring of 1859 Thomas father thought it best for the two sons Jonas and Thomas to go to Wellsville Cache Co., Utah and get homes. So with a wagon, 3 yoke of oxen, a cow, seed grain, etc. they go to Wellsville. Peter Maughn was the bishop there. He gave to each one twenty acres on the bench north of town. They broke it up and sowed wheat but did not raise much the first year. Crickets were bad and there was not enough water.

Before leaving Salt Lake City, Thomas had made the acquaintance of Isadora Adeline Brown. Isadora’s mother had come to Utah as a widow with her four daughters. After the older daughters were married it was hard for her to make a living as she was getting old. Catherine, Isadoras mother had a proposal of marriage from a man that had a store in Wellsville Cache, Co.

She accepted the proposal and married and took her only unmarried daughter - Isadora with her. It was Isadora’s job to take to and from the meadow the milk cows. In the morning she would take them to the meadow and in the evening she would go for them to take them home.

In the meadow was a large tree that had fallen down and one day as she neared the pasture she saw Thomas Campbell Beck sitting on the log. He greeted her and no doubt they did some of there courting in the meadow. They married young - twenty and she eighteen. She was in a home with a strange father and Thoms was away from his parents home trying to make a home of his own.

Thomas began building a little house. During the time of building they lived in a covered wagon. Isadora told how they had the wagon fixed. In the back end they put the bed. On it was a lovely counterpain. In the front of the wagon was a cupboard, stove, table and chairs. Isaodra said they lived quite comfortabale till the house was finished. It was their home.

Some difficulty in where Thoms and his family went from move to move. The one journal records that now they lived in Payson two years and then moved farther South to Burville Sevier Co. Burville was located in a sage brush desert and had twelve to fifteen families living there. The ground was rich and they had water so they raised everything they could eat also cattle of all kinds.

One would think how was Thomas going to keep his family there. Well they had hardly arrived in the village when one of the residents of the place came to Thomas and asked if he would take over his large herd of milk cows. Thomas could have all he could make from the cows for miling and takeing care of them. The mad had plenty of hay to feed them, but was in poor health and unable to do the work.

This offer was a great blessing to the family. The older children were grown and able to work as hard as their parents which they did. The older girls and boys milked the cows and the girls helped make the cheese and care for the milk. They sold cheese and butter. Had the whey to feed pigs and chickens besides all the family needed. The neighbors brought them a start of chickens so they had eggs, chickens, port for the family and they raised there vegetables, part of which they would store away for winter.

While here Thomas was made Presiding Elder and he organized the first Sunday School. It was here their eighth child was born Hattie Losetta, 20 Jan 1879.

At this time the rail road was being extended West and the Union Pacific was letting contracts for building rail road grade, in Colorado. Thomas took a contract to build fifteen miles of grade.

Colorado was a wild and rough country and not a desirable place to take a family. Up to this time they had always stayed together so now they all went and worked together. They had to live in tenets and half dugouts.

Horse thieves were stealing and several times drove away some of their horses. This meant that Thomas and his son Thomas or John Waters who was working for him must go and hunt the horses and get them back.

One time when they were hunting they came to a little valley and when they looked down in the valley they could see their horses grazing on one side. On the opposite side from the horses were the thieves with a fire busy with getting a good meal. Thomas and the man with him rode to the horses and took them out and the thieves sat and watched. Thomas’s faith was ‘never carry a gun and you won’t get killed.’

Another time he was with another man went out hunting, and whn night came they lay their blankets down for the night to get some sleep. In the middle of the night he was awakened and when he opened his eyes a mans face was immediately over his. Thomas always felt the thief was looking to see if he had a gun.

Thomas always found his horses and was never shot at.

Thomas had about twenty ment working for him. Isadora and her daughters, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Ellen did the cooking for the outfit.

Thomas had always said the blessing on the food before eating so at this time he continued the same practice. Some of the men were very surprised and it gave them something to think about. A few were heard to say I like that custom it gives us an even start at the table.

One day two head men of the rail road drove up to their camp and ask if they could get some one to wash their underwear.
Said they were having a hard time to find some one to wash it. Isadora did not like the idea very much and hesitated. The official said we will pay any price. It was against Isadora’s will but she finally told him to put his bundle in the fork of the tree and they would do it this time. When she was ready to wash the clothes she examined them carefully and to her disgust she found some body lice. In those days men that were camping out if they were not careful they would get them.

When the officials came for the underwear Isadora charged a big price and then doubled it because of the lice. The men were very satisfied with the work and insisted that they wash the articles as long as the men were there.

Thomas and familiy did very well on this job. When the contract was finished he went back to Utah with his family and located in Pleasant Grove, Utah. First he bought a house and lot in the center of Pleasant Grove. But the family had been in the wide open spaces and were not satisfied with so small a place. They sold the city place and bought the little farm one mile north of the center of Pleasant Grove. This place was their most permanent home.

This farm had nine acres of choice apple trees just begging to bear. Alfalfa was planted between the trees and it grew very tall, while the trees were small, and it made two large hay stacks.

Thomas raised wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, squash, and a garden. Between the apple orchard and the plowed ground was a fence and on it grew Isabel grapes. There was a few peach and apricot trees on the place. A very small grove of locust trees were planted to furnish hard wood for broken single or double trees or any broken part of machinery or wagons. Later on Cherry trees, a few peach trees and a straw and raspberry patch were planted.

When the family first moved on the place a small stream of water always ran from the canal down in front of the house. Early in the morning the first thing Thomas would take a bucket and fill a barrel, that stood by the front gate under a lilacs bush, with water. Over the top of the barrel was stretched a white cloth to keep leaves or dust from falling in the water. This water was for drinking and cooking.

At the South east corner of the house Isadroa kept a rain barrel to catch the rain that fell. This water she used for washing.

It seems the seasons began to get drier with less rain and the population increased which made it harder to get drinking water so Thomas decided to dig for water. He and his boys dug a well about thirty feet deep. They walled it up with rock and on the top built a well curb and farther up a roof. And the old oaken bucket, the iron bucket, the moss covered bucket hung in the well with clear cool water in it. Many times the family sat on the well curb; eating sugar cookies and drinking water (in the summer)

Finally there was not enough rain for washing. Then Isadora would fill the barrel with well water and to soften the wtaer she would take wood ashes and sprinkle over the top of the water and the ashes, as they were sinking down to the bottom would take the hardness in the water to the bottom of the barrel.

One by one the children married. James and Frances, Frank and Hattie, and George and Mamie, when they were first married came to the farm to live for a short time.

Howard Beck was born on the farm. So now Ethel, Edward, and Hattie were the three children not married and living home on the farm. Ethel and Edward were born on the farm. The farm was bouth in eighteen eighty three.

Thomas was called to be bishops counselors in Manila Ward and held that position for years. Thomas was voted to be trustee of the Pleasant Grove School district number a5.

Thomas passed away very quickly. The doctor said it was either his heart or a blood vessel burst in his brain. In those days the Drs. did not understand the different ailments so well.

Isadora stayed on the farm one year and then rented it out. She decided it was best to sell it, and located in Saslt Lake City with her three last children. Ethel and Hattie had gone to Salt Lake a little ahead of their mother and brother. Hattie had taken a job at the Paris Millinery Co. and Ethel had one more year at the University before graduation.

On Novermber 17, 1906 she sold the farm and all that was on it.

My grandfather Jonathan Earl was a tall stately man. At least when I was a child I thought of him that way as he would walk up the driveway of our home. He would tweek my nose with his thumb and finger and make me believe that he held it in his hand. He was a plastering contractor and well known for his work in the Salt Lake Valley. My father Don Roy Earl, and his brother Glen Earl worked with my grandfather in a company known as Earl and Sons. My father would tell me that he never regretted working with his father and brother. He said others would say to him “How can you work with you brother and father”? He was grateful that they enjoyed their time together. The family of brothers and sisters have remained very close.

Jonathan Earl was born in Salt Lake City and was the oldest of eleven (11) children. At age six the family moved to Brigham City. When he was twelve the family home burned down and Jonathan went to work to help out. He started to date Laura Forsgren when he was eighteen.

He went to Salt Lake for work and when he returned to Brigham at twenty-two, his mother died the very next day. He again helped with the family until he married Laura two years later in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in Brigham where he built their first home. Later they had to move to Salt Lake for work. He became a plastering contractor and was well known for his honesty in his business. He built two more homes in Salt Lake for his family and was a super provider in every way of the family needs and wants!! The homes were on Sherman Avenue and 1412 Denver Street.

Being a member in good standing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was given work to do on several of the temples: Salt Lake, Idaho Falls, St. George, Manti, and Mesa. He was a generous contributor to the church in money, time, use of his truck and any help that was neededed, and it was all quietly done as the scriptures tell us it should be.

He lived to see the invention of automobiles and loved the opportunity he had of owning many, the last one being a chrysler imeprial. I remember traveling with my grandparents once to Yellowstone. Grandfather stayed dressed up for the entire journey. Grandmother was in a dress of course all the way.

He had a great sense of humor and loved to tease as he would tell a grandchild that he wasn’t born, he just slid down the moon. On Holidays he made the best Ice Cream when the freezer had to be hand-turned, as his dad had done before him, and as my dad did after him. We had a hand crank freezer that we would make ice cream with. I could tell it was a good memory for my dad.

My grandfather developed sugar diabetes, which soon took his eyesight, and then his life. It was hard to see him become invalid with this disease. He would sit on the couch in the livingroom when we went to visit, covered with a blanket.

I remember him as a very kind generous man.

Dear Aunt Hattie-Vermilla-Mary-Jack and Margaret;
A milestone was reached on the 12th of this last March, 1963. The patent expired on the Beck Automatic Welding Helmet:

In the manner of a final accounting to you all - I will recap the important facts involved.

Time will not permit a letter to each personally, so must address you jointly and use carbons where possible.

The patent was issued to Edward R. Beck, his heirs or assigns, on March 12, 1946 and was for a period of seventeen years. I have been advised by legal council that a renewal under certain conditions is possible. I personally can make no move in this direction, but have carefullyl filed away all records for any future negotiations.

Through the years dating back as far as the Whitehall apartments and the parking lot operation, I have had considerable faith in the helmet and its potential. I encouraged Dad in the move to the double garage behind the Peterson furniture store, and it was while Dad was selling for Fred A. Carlson that I moved the helmet operation to the North Temple Garage building.

The probate proceedings in 1954, while Dad ws unable to act for himself, and in which Vermilla assisted are familiar to you all. In February 1955 - following Dad’s passing, Walker Bank and Trust Co., was set up as guardian of Dad’s estate and a half interest in the busuiness was sold to Mr. L. F. Ure for $5,000. A complete set of books wa drawn. The business was capitalised at $10,000 - Broken down as follows, $5,000 tools - equipment- patent rights etc. and $5,000 cash provided by Mr. Ure.

We immediately started a full scale program. Advertising (a complete catalogue and descriptive literature etc.) - new tools were ordered and a full stock of materials purchased. The cost of this expansion program was approximately $2,000. Before we could complete our expansion program or get off the ground in a business way, Mr. Ure decided he had made a mistake and asked to dissolve the partnership. I stopped action immediately with lawyer D.E. Brayton. Legal proceedings to this plint has cost 300 dollars and if we were to have trouble in the partnership, I had to conserve available capital. After many days of wrangling the partnership was dissolved on the following basis. Mr. Ure to receive all cash on hand, a total of $2780.00 for a full and complete release. We would hold all new tools and materials for a complete release to Mr. Ure. The partnership lasted less than ninety days.

The new tools and materials made possible some of the new procedures Mother, Dad and myself had wanted for so long and I continued to work the business through November of 1955. My progress was slow however because I had to learn to handle die and punch press work, a highly specialized field. Dad had looked into the future and had left me a manual of instructions. With few exceptions it answered my every question and I felt Dad’s presence and guidance in the days following.

In March of 1956, I found myself physically unable to work two jobs at the same time and closed the shop. I had burned the candle at both ends for a considerable length of time. I knew I could not return to the shiled business and at this point, with Aunt Hattie’s consent I turned the large punch press over to Salt Lake Stamp to settle all outstanding accounts with them. Aunt Hattie originally provided the punch press. The bill owing at Salt Lake Stamp at this point was $242.50, some of it dating back many years. I felt that to be fair settlement with Mr. Cannon in view of past considerations to Dad. In addition to S.L. Stamp, all outstanding bills were paid in full, and I prepared to leave the North Temple Garage building.

At the time the books were drawn for the partnership, the tools- patent rights and machinery were all set up on a straight line method depreciation schedule. This made a greater dollar amount possible, but it had to be spread over a ten year period. Mainly for this reason, I have kept the books open and have taken a $500 income tax deduction each year since dissolving the partnership. The official books of the company are here for your inspection at any time. They show a loss for every year of operation from 1954 through 1962. This mainly a bookkeeping loss covering depreciation schedules, for I have made and sold a small number of shields each of these years. This necessary of course to be able to take the income tax deduction.

In June of 1957, we purchased our home in Bountiful and shortly after I moved all remaining equipment to our basement. All that is left of the business is in our basement. Although I do not expect to make any helpmets in 1963, it is still possible to make them using the old hand operation.

The helmet has never lost its appeal. I still have calls for the helmet from many areas. Most of the calls from people who ask, please just one more helmet. I’m lost without it. If this is so, why? Why was it not a great success? The public never knew it was available. If it had been given national distribution as soon as it was first marketed, and permitted to grow with the deman, then I am certain it would have been a monetary success.

With Mom and Dad struggling so in the last few years - the money was basic of course, but for me the whole operation was a marvelous success as was. Not one of the countless hours would I have spent otherwise. I learned to know our Dad and Brother for the truly great person he really was - God rest his soul. Mother’s constantly encouraing words and my wife’s generous understanding of the long tedious hours were so much a part of this story.

With a very large lump in my throat, I look back and give thanks that I was permitted to be a part of Dad’s invention.

For my small part, I can only say - I gave it an honest effort.

God bless you all

Edward

To all who have made it possible for me to live and know the joys of living I lovingly dedicate a brief story of my life.

I was born on an early winter evening of December 19, 1912 at our home on Conway Court, between 6th and 7th South and 3rd and 4th East in Salt Lake City, Utah, to my mother, Vermilla Smoot Beck, and my father Edward Robert Beck.

I had a sister Vermilla Beck Pope who would be two years old the following March 1st.

Because it was so close to Christmas and a Mother’s stay then, was 15 days in the hospital my father asked my mother to deliver at home. Her sister Edna Smoot Iverson was a practical nurse and lived only a few houses away. They put the brass bed in the living room by the fire. My father was so pleased he had Z.C.M.I. a department store, send to mother a beautiful dusty rose satin down quilt.

Aunt Edna called Doctor Gil Richards who had his offices at the Salt Lake Clinic, then located on South Temple between State Street and 2nd East. Being a friend of the family, it was suggested he come for dinner. I was told he was dozing in the big black leather chair, the great fire burning bright, when came the dear patter and “Millie” the mother gave birth to Mary Isadora another daughter.

I was told, I was born with a veil on — a thick covering of skin over my whole head. The doctor put his fingers under my chin and lifted it off. He said to my Aunt Edna, ‘Millie will want this, save it for her.” They put it on a newspaper on top of a hot water heather, and of course it dried up and could not be saved. Because I was born at home the doctor, nor my parents ever registered my birth– only a poem written by my mother, in her own handwriting, which says “and her big sister was not even two,” gives me the date of 1912. My sister Vermilla was born at the L.D.S. Hospital and her birth recorded the 1st of March 1911.

Two years after my birth a brother Edward Robert Beck was born. Two years later another brother Jack Campbell Beck, and two years later a sister Audrey Margaret Beck Lieberman. The last of five children.

Being born only a few days before the New Year, with no birth certificate they forgot and put the year 1913 on my Baptismal record, also school and my marriage licence carries 1913.

It was a shock when I was older to add another year.

Mother and Father moved to a duplex on 7th South between 4th and 5th East on the North side of the street. They lived in the East side of the duplex. Her sister Jen Smoot Spetique and her husband Will lived in the other half of the duplex. Must of been a good time for them. Mother said they put Vermilla in her buggy and would push her over to town for a day together. She remembered watching her mother as she joined them for the fun. The little puffs of dirt that her long dress made as she walked for it was not until they reached the City and County building that there was side walks. Mother would dress Vermilla in what they called a white Maderia dress. Aunt Jen and Aunt Edna would take her to the other side of the duplex, feed her bread and Jam, smear it over her face and then return her for mother to clean her up. You would have to know my family to understand this was a way of expresing their love and fun for each other.

My first memory is of living on the Avenue’s on L Street at the top of the hill on the East Side. Mother read us stories of the Sand Man from a book. I can still see in my minds eye the picture of him a little elf of a person with a bag of sand thrown over his back. He sprinkled magic sand in little ones eyes and then they would go to sleep. I can remember pulling the curtain aside so I could see him coming up the hill.

Mother loved horses, and had one named ‘pinto’ as a child. When we lived on the Avenues someone had ordered a load of coal and it was always delivered by horse and wagon. It was winter, the streets were covered with Ice and snow. Mother looked out the window and saw a load of coal being brought up the hill. The horses had a hard time on the ice. The street was covered with snow and ice and no matter how the courageous animals tried they could not get a footing and pull it over the top. The driver was cold and angry and sat on the seat, beating the horeses with a whip over and over and over again. Mother could take it no longer and flew out the front door and ordered the man to stop. Her father, William C.A. Smoot, was a police man in Sugar House and before she left the house she called him. In a short time he was there with other men to help the animals pull the load over the top. I can remember how proud I was of her.

She, my mother was a little person, five feet with beautiful auburn hair and always a warm glow about her…Not thin, just a round soft figure…her cooking was so special. I can remember as a child with five children buttering a whole loaf of bread, putting it on the broiler and toasting it for breakfast. She always made us hot chocolate and we were aloud to “dunk” our toast. Mother and Father were always very strict with our table manners. I can still at 77 years of age recall her words “Mary elbows off the table, put your napkin in your lap. They were not paper. Sit up dear and lean over, put your knife and fork and spoon across your plate.” She explained, “now dear you can go anywhere, eat with kings and queens and not worry about your manners.” We always had to say “May I be excused” before we could leave the table.

My father was a white collar worker. I can’t remember of him ever sitting at the head of our dinner table without a white shirt, tie and suit coat on. He was tall and handsome. My girl friends used to ask me if he was my brother. I can remember him taking me in his arms and teaching me to dance. I loved to dance and do to this day of 77 years. We always had a lovely home. In my father’s business of selling cars, Cadillac’s, Lincoln’s and worked for Ford Motor
Company for many years. He was able to make certain deals for we enjoyed a Persian rug, a beautiful baby grand piano, lovely large dining room set and wicker furniture in the living room. Mother had a gift for sewing and so we were always dressed in fashion.

I can remember I had a girl friend Norma Packer, we were in school together. One day I asked teacher and Norma to come home with me to dinner….because of a program at school it was dinner time. They accepted an can remember how gracious my dear mother was. Two guests unannounced, the home always clean. Our dining room was a long beautiful room, with dark woodwork, a china closet built in one end and by window on the south, with a window seat. A large oval shaped dining room table with a beautiful Tiffany light over the table. I can still see the purple and dark red grapes and green leaves that made up the design. Mother always had a white linen table cloth on and she welcomed us with open arms. She had us sit down, bless her heart she opened 2 cans of pork and beans, cut up frankfurter and heated them together, fixed a green salad, opened a bottle of her canned peaches, can still see them in the fruit dish. She cut up slices of her home made bread and jam. Can’t remember the dessert she served if any but what a blessing to have such a beautiful mother. The best part was after they were taken home she never once said to me “not again Mary.”

When mother did her house cleaning I remember the dining room with curtain stretchers. What a temptation to run my fingers over the clean stretched material

They were wonderful parents.

I remember a birthday party mother gave for one of we girls, Vermilla or I. She ordered from Snelgrove Ice Cream. It was a strawberry Cupid doll made of a mold. Oh how I hated to eat my doll.

It was about this time that mother bought our first talking dolls, cloth bodies and if you laid them on their backs and then turned them over they said “ma ma”. She would take every one into her beroom to see them. We could hear the “ma ma”, but could not see them until Christmas.

Because of mother’s health, having been born with asthma she was told a lower climate could help her breathing. We moved by Union Pacific train and lived in Sautell and Ocean Park, California. Returning to Salt Lake as soon as her health would permit.

Because of moving so many times I attended many schools. Highland Park Elementary, Forest School was on 21st South and 9th east, has been torn down. Woodrow Wilson in Sautell Californa, close to where the L.A. Temple is built. Irvine Junior High just above 11th east on 21st south. West High, South High which will close this year. We attended the first year South opened.

I started school while living on Parkway Avenue in a lovely home. We attended a two room school house set in a field. No other homes were in the area, somewhere by where our daughter Joan Patricia Earl Iverson now lives on Glenmare Avenue. There was a coal stove in each room and in the winter it took all day to dry our shoes and long stockings.

I was there when Highland Elementary was built, and attended classes. It is now a Private School called “Cardizon” on 27the South.

Friends were easy for me to make and were an important part of growing up. Patricia Roberts in California, Gladis Rag, Norma Packer.

We had all the conviencences in our home but can remember of living on Vine Street just off of 21st south in Sugar House. We had a coal stove in the kitchen. My mother had beautiful dark auburn hair and always braided it each morning. As she lifted the lid on the stove to pour a little grease from the frying pan, it caught fire and her braid, that had fallen over her shoulder was burned. When I returned from school that day I saw my mother for the first time with short hair. My father had her buy a new hat with the hopes it would make her feel better.

My older sister Vermilla found great delight in having treasure hunts. We lived in an apt. in Sugar House at the time. She would know of things she had that I wished I could have. In a metal can she lovingly placed them, took them to the Sugar House Park back of the Library in Sugar House, which is now a huge Auto Parking Place and burried them. She would return home draw a map an then ask me to find it. I really enjoyed the fun times we had together.

Mother saw an ad from Mamie Torkelson that she needed a job. Mother hired her to help with the chores around the house, and then in the evening we girls would do the dishes and mother would sit at the kitchen table and help Mamie with her school studies.

When we lived on Parkway Avenue in Sugar House I would walk to Sugar House to do the shopping. We had a little wagon. During those days the grocer did all of the filling of the goodies for you. You would tell him what you wanted and he would put it into the wagon for us. If you wanted a couple of oranges he would pick them out for you. We could stop at Grandma Mahali. She was a sweet lady in the neighborhood. Everytime we stopped she would give us something to eat, and arrange our fruits in the wagon.

While we lived on Parkway I was very fearful. Mother would leave Vermilla and I in charge. I remember that I sat in the front of the fireplace very frightened. The fireplace had book cases on either side of it. Many times people had tried to break in, because we lived so close to the prison. It was where Sugar House Park is today. The prisoners would come and try to get in so whenever mother went anywhere I was very frightened.

When we lived on the cosrner of 21st South and 9th East I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade. I lived upstairs on both corners. We moved a great deal. School was hard for me. As we traveled back and forth from California I found that the schools in California were behind the ones in Utah, and it was so hard for me to keep up on my studies. I was a dummy.

When we had Chicken Pox, I remember how we had to be quarenteened. It was dreadful. We had to stay in for such a long time. As we began to get better mother would let us go out onto the porch. On the porch was a sign about how long we had been in with the Chicken Pox. Mother would let us go out and tear a letter off the sign.

We moved from Sugar House to 1625 South on 5th East. It was owned by a doctor L.A. Stevenson and we rented it. The home was next door to Waterloo Ward (which has been torn down). A new building has been built in its place. My father was a member but never attended any of the meetings. Mother worked in the M.I.A. She made a big hit with the young girls and the boys felt important and needed. They taught them how to dance.

It was when we lived next door to the Waterloo Ward that I first met and fell in love with my husband Don Roy Earl. He lived at 1412 Denver Street and his mother who is 94 this 1977 year still lives there.

We attended West High together and South High the first year it was opened. After graduating from High School I worked for J.G. McDonald Candy Company. Later at the Paris Company a department store in Alterations. I always enjoyed sewing. After graduating from South High my husband Don served as a missionary in Hawaii, two years for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Returning in March we were married the following December on my birthday.

After work we would go looking for a place to live. Each apartment building smelled of all the evening meals that were being prepared and it really turned us off. We asked mother and father Earl if we could move into the home they were renting at 440 Sherman Avenue. The home belonging to my husbands father and mother.

It was while living there on November 18th, 1937 that our first son Raymond Don Earl was born in the Latter-day Saints Hospital. My husband was making $100.00 a month. He was a Lath and Plastering contractor for his father who owned the business. Bread was .05 a loaf, butter .25lb., milk .10 a quart, rent $25.00 a month.

After five years we had saved enough to buy a piece of property at 427 Edith Avenue. Fifty feet by 120 feet for $500.00. Paying cash we were able to borrow enough from the bank 7,000 to build us a home. It was while living here at our new home that our second child was born. A daughter Mary Julie Ann Earl Larson, in the Latter-day Saints Hospital, June 8, 1942. Four years later a third child, Joan Patricia Earl Iveerson was born, July 25, 1946. Four years later a fourth child was born Ralph Jonathan Earl, on February 24, 1950. Four years later our Fifth child was born, Jill Janette Earl Anderson, on June 11, 1954. The growin up years with our family were choice and happy years. Always told our children peace at any cost. Quarelling was never a part of my growing up years. Also that they all came from good Pioneer stock, so nothing was impossible.

In the future, this site will be a ready reference for geneological information concerning the Larson and Earl lines.