Last Name: Park
First Name: Andrew Findley
Age: 76
Gender: M
Cemetery: Ririe-Shelton, Idaho
Birth Date: 2 Nov 1861
Birth Place: Little Cottonwood, Utah
Date Died: 23 May 1938
Death Place: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Father: James Pollack
Mother: Agnes Findley Park
Spouse: Annie Young, md 22 Dec 1884,Salt Lake, Utah
Sources: Post Register 23 p8, 24 p3, Rigby Star 26 p1, Eckersell Mort.

Andrew Findley Park, was born 2 November 1861 at Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah. He was third of the four children born to James Pollock Park and Agnes Findley Park. Siblings; James Findley Park (1859-1929), Janette Findley [Park] Carson (1864-1943) and Agnes Jane [Park] Young (1852-1910). His parents were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his father was a polygamist and had another wife so Andrew also had six half-siblings; Marion [Park] Covert (1858-1931), John Pymm Park (1862-1924), Anne Maria Park (1863-1863), Henry Pymm Park (1865-1923), Seth Austin Park (1868-1930) and Fredrick Pymm Park (1870-1870). Andrew and his brother and sisters grew up in Mill Creek and then in 1868/1869, his father relocated his first family to Fairfield, Utah, Utah formerly know as Camp Floyd. This was the place where Johnson's Army was sent to keep the Mormons in line. Andrew was baptized a member of the church on 17 July 1878 and ordained a Deacon and later was ordained to the office of an Elder. In Salt Lake City, Utah on 22 December 1884, he married Annie Young whom he had known since school days. Andrew was then 23 and Annie was 21. Later on 14 April 1887 they received their endowments in the Logan Temple in Logan, Utah. Andrew and Annie had ten children born to them; Alfred Henry Park (1886-1961), Lorin Andrew Park (1887-1961), Elizabeth Esther [Park] Perry 1890-1970), Leonard Grover Park (1893-1965), Vernal George Park (1895-1982), Clarence William Park (1897-1964), Archie Robert Park (1900-1919), Leah Agnes [Park] Durrant (1902-1978), Cora Marie [Park] Howard/Brown (1904-1987) and Eva Ann [Park] Hulse (1907-1935). All of their children were good upstanding citizens and church-going people.
Andrew Park was a farmer and stock raiser, but with such a large family, it was necessary to find other means of feeding and clothing them. They had a herd of about 8 to 10 cows which were milked by hand. The milk was then taken to a cellar and poured into shallow pans. The cream would raise to the top of the milk and then Annie would skim the cream off to make butter. She used a large barrel-type churn which turned with a crank. She often made 30 pounds of butter at one time which Andrew would sell in the nearby town of Manning and Merker, Utah.
The family had the usual farm animals; chickens, sheep and pigs. The pigs would be fed the skim milk and sold or butchered for the family's use. Andrew sheared the sheep himself and the wool was sold, but the chickens and their eggs were kept for use by the family.
They had a camp house which was often used by men who drove their sheep through between their summer and winter ranges and to the shearing pens which was located about 2 miles from the Park home. Andrew often had extra bales of hay to sell to these man for their animals.
Andrew was always active in the church and in civic affairs. He was the Justice of the Peace in Fairfield and served on the school boards in Fairfield, Utah. In the Fairfield Branch Sunday School he was the clerk for a time, the Assistant Superintendent and then an 13 January 1892, he became the Superintendent of the Sunday School. He held this office until 31 December 1899. Many times he would be the only priesthood bearer present. Not only did he conduct the meetings, but he would also bless and pass the Sacrament. In 1903, he was ordained a High Priest and set apart as Presiding Elder of the Fairfield Branch.

Andrew made several trips to Idaho and liked the area very much. He bought an acreage in Buhl, Idaho and also in the Perry area close by Ririe, Jefferson, Idaho. He and Annie decided to settle in Perry where they had friends and relatives. He felt his family would have more advantages in Idaho. The family traveled by train and arrived at their new home on 12 April 1909. They stayed at Annie's sister, Charlotte Fillmore's home until they were able to get their furniture from the Rigby Railroad Depot. Andrew bought into the store business with his brother-in-law, James Fillmore, but he soon bought James out and became the sole proprietor of the business. Andrew was again active in church and civic affairs. The Bishopric of the Perry Ward knew that he was coming and waited for him to arrive to be the Superintendent of the Sunday School. He held this position for several years and in 1918, he was chose as second counselor to Bishop Richard Dutson. He also served on the school boards in the Perry and Ririe, Idaho school districts.
Andrew was a good father and enjoyed his family. Often he would be down on the floor wrestling with them even when most of the children would be on top of him. He could get the best of them in water fights and how he loved the water fights. Evenings at home were spent with the kids gathered around Andrew to listen to him read. They would pop popcorn and always had pinenuts to roast and shell in the winter. When Andrew would go to Utah, he would bring back gunny sacks full of pinenuts that he bought from the Indians. The family had one of the first phonographs of the day with cylinder records or someone would play the organ and the family would sing. They made their own entertainment and they enjoyed being together.
Brother Park filled a short term mission for the church in the North Western States in September 1927. He was faithful and sincere in everything that he undertook. In 1938, Andrew had been in failing health. After he was persuaded to see a doctor in Idaho Falls, He was sent to the hospital. Although he was very ill, he returned home. He didn't improve and had to go back to the hospital where he died on 23 May 1938. (Biography information taken from Park Family histories)