Life History of John Davis Larson
Written at Mesa, Arizona on January 29, 1962.
I, John Davis Larson, born the 28th of June 1894, at Marion, Cassia County, Idaho to Erick John Larson & Pauline Ely Larson. I hereby give a small sketch of my life. I am 67 years, 7 months and 1 day slow or late. I don't remember much of my first days on earth. Mother died before I reached the age of four. She was an English woman who was turned away from home because she joined the Mormon church or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and today I am enjoying the blessing of the sacrifice she made and I thank my Father in Heaven for the courage she had. Father came from Sweden but did not join the church until after he came to this country at the age of 11 years. I was blessed the 14th of October, 1894, by John Alexander and Baptized the 6th day of July 1902 by Harvey Sessions; confirmed by Alvin Tolman the 6th day of July, 1902.
I started school at a small place called Island that is in the Marion war. (Now, 1-29-62 I think they call it trout.) Never over six months of school and some years less. I remember one year we only had three months of school. There was only one year that I nine months schooling and that was when I was in the third grade. We lived in Oakley that year. Passed to the 4th grade that year but by the time school started that fall we were back to the Island and I had in the third grade what they were giving in the 4th grade so I skipped the 4th grade and took the 5th well as a kid or child. I thought that was alright for I did like to be out in the open and ride the little pony but today I see where a mistake was made. Would have been much better if I'd had more schooling, so will say to my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on; take advantage of all the schooling you can get and there is only one time to get that and that is when you are young for when you are older there are other responsibilities to look after like that of a livelihood. I was ordained a deacon in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Harvey Sessions, 18 April, 1910, ordained a priest by Bishop L. W. Robbins of Burley First ward; Elder by M. L. Scott the 22nd of January 1917, and on January 31st, 1917, I took the sweetest little girl in all the world to the Salt Lake temple and was married for time and all eternity and after 45 years I have not changed my mind for I still think so far as I am concerned. Well, I almost forgot to tell you her name, Leona Smith England, and when you put Larson on to that it makes something to hang on to. Married by Alvin F. Smith we were blessed with six children to our home. Vera Pauline, Floyd Davis, Vaun, Florence, Cleo J., and Dick D., and they have families of their own. Five of whom are still living, Vaun passed away at the age of 16. Our family now consists of three sons, 2 daughters, 3 daughters-in-law, 2 sons-in-law and 29 grandchildren. And her I want to say a word about one whom has been a real Mother to me as my Mother died in 1989 and Father married again 21st of August 1900 Florence Catherine Samuelson; and when she came into the house she was a real mother to three small boys from that time on until the time of her death 4th of October 1935. I pay tribute to her this day as one who has been a mother to me. Thanks. We lost our daughter Vaun on the 25th of June 1939, and she was buried the 28th day of June 1939, my birthday. I was called to the Bishopric of the Burley First ward the 10th of August 1924 and ordained a High Priest and set apart a 2nd counselor in the Bishopric by Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith; a position I held until July 1928 and then released and from that time on I was a member of the Genealogical committee and a ward teacher as my part of the ward activity, until 22nd day of August, 1937 when I was called back in the Bishopric as 1st counselor to Bishop Earl Oliverson and set apart to that office on the 29th of August 1937, by Albert E. Bowen, an apostle in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and on account of ill health was released on 11 January, 1942.