Leslie Bruce Goodrich

Leslie Bruce Goodrich was the tenth child born to Eliza Ann Taggart and George Albert Goodrich.

In October of 1885 when Leslie was not quite a year old, the family moved to Maeser near Vernal in Uintah County, Utah. Leslie's father, Albert operated the Johnson flour Mill for about three years there and they lived in a log house just east of the mill. During this time his father purchased land and built a home of logs in the Naples Ward. This home consisted of two large rooms on the main floor with some upstairs bedrooms. Since the Saints were still living polygamy at that time, Father Albert Goodrich had three wives. This home was where Albert and two of his wives, Eliza and Harriet, lived with their families. The third wife Rhoda and her family lived in the log home by the mill.

During this period of time the families were stricken with diphtheria and six of Leslie's brothers and sisters died of the disease. Leslie had the disease also and although very seriously ill, he recovered from it, but was to suffer complications from it later.

Leslie attended school in a one-room log school house. it was located nearly a mile from their home, which distance they had to walk all the time no matter what the weather. The school housed from the 1st to the 8th grades all in one small room. A new brick school house was built later in which Leslie attended school for a few years. he them attended the Uintah Academy in Vernal up to 8th grade. Leslie didn't have good health as a child. He had yellow jaundice and other complications caused by diphtheria. As a result he missed a few grades in school. When he was seventeen he quit school to work. With his father having three wives adn thirty-two children it bacame necessary for the boys to work as soon as they were old enough.

Leslie's first job was at the Gilsonite mine. The job just lasted for a couple of months in the fall, so he returned to school for the rest of that school year. Then he got a job herding sheep for S.R. Bennion. He spent the next few years herding sheep and was seldom home. His sister , Dode(Rhoda) scolded him for staying in the hills so much, like a coyote. He said he'd rather stay in the hills like a coyote than be in town with the grey wolves. There wasn't much work around town and the town was full of idle men with nothing to do but visit saloons.

In the summer of 1905 when Leslie was twenty one, he worked at Dragon, a gilsonite mining town building a hotel there. That winter he worked at Daniel's ranch, fifteen miles east of Vernal, feeding cattle.

In March he took an Indian lease on one hundred and twenty acres of land on Indian Bench east of Roosevelt. On this land he raised hay and grain. It was during this summer that Leslie met the girl who later became his wife.

Leslie, and his brother John, his brother -in-law Bert Henry and Elmer Manwaring who later became his brother-in-law attended the first 4th of July celebration held in Roosevelt. People from the surrounding towns came to participate. As the day progressed they decided to find themselves dates for the dance to be held that evening. Leslie spotted a pretty girl in a red skirt and white blouse and told the fellows that he had chosen his date. They were surprised when he took her home that night. Her name was Almira (Mina) Hancock.

After a seven-month courtship they married on February 27, 1907 in Roosevelt, Duchesne, Utah. The newlyweds lived with the bride's parents for three months. They then moved to Vernal. Leslie became very ill sortly after their move and was found to have Rocky Mountain spotted (tick) fever. He was in bed for over a month. In those days a person was lucky to recover from the illness. After Leslie regained his strenghth they returned to Roosevelt and stayed with her parents.

Leslie filed on a homestead in Bluebell and built a two-room home on the homestead. In the spring they returned to Vernal where their first child, a baby girl was born on May 29, 1908, but she died at birth.

During the summer Leslie worked for a short while at the Gilsonite mine and his wife, Mina cooked for the men there. Early in the spring of 1909 they went to Bluebell and lived on the homestead. They were true pioneers of this little community. Their second child, a daughter Reatha Mae was one month at this time. She was born April 30, 1909 and weighed only three pounds, being premature. The doctor didn't expect her to live, but through their loving care she did live. They placed her on a small box lined with blankets, with hot water bottles under them to keep her warm. They told about having to feed her with a eye dropper.Shortly after they were settled in Bluebell Leslie, his father-in-law and two brother-in-laws formed a partnership in farming, raising sheep and cattle. This partnership lasted fifteen years.

On October 6, 1911, their first son, Leland Leslie was born. Then two years later their fourth child, a daughter Elda was born on November 17, 1913.

On May 3, 1916 their second son Owen was born. In 1918 ther was a bad flu epidemic. They were soon expecting their sixth child when the other children got whooping cough. The doctor had mother leave and stay in Roosevlet so she wouldn't get it. Dad Leslie stayed and took care of the children and got whooping cough too. Thelma, a girl, was born in Roosevelt on September 3, 1918. Three weeks later she got to bring the baby home. On April 11, 1921 another daughter, Veda was born. On February 12, 1923 another daughter Velva was born.

Leslie and Mina were called upon to do many things beyond the call of duty, which they did willingly and unselfishly, things like being a janitor, caring for the sick, preparing, dressing and sitting with the dead. There were no morticians available then. Mina served as asssistant to the doctor in delivering thirty-five babies. Several of these she delivered by herself. She also nursed and cared for many of these women and new babies for a period of two weeks. At that time new mothers were required to stay in bed for two weeks after giving birth to a baby.

Leslie acted as a dentist, though not trained as such. He owned a pair of forceps and he pulled an aching tooth for memebers of the community. He said he only found one tooth that he couldn't pull successfully.
Two daughters were born while Leslie was Bishop. LaRene was born June 5, 1926 and Virginia was born on August 16, 1929.

Leslie always possessed a great sense of humor. He never owned a automobile and his children didn't know he could drive until one day when he came driving up the road on a tractor. As he approached our lane he called to Mina in the yard "Hey! Come move that shed quick!"

Leslie's automobile had been his faithful wheelbarrow which he often took to the store to buy groceries. His grandchildren teased him by saying, "Hey Grandpa! Why don't you get in your wheelbarrow and come and see us?"

* Check out the Goodrich Family Organization

Children not listed below: LaRene Goodrich Kimball

Son-in-law: Blaine T. Kimball