Wilford and Dora Boyce were married in July of 1919, after which they moved to Croydon, a small town in northeastern Utah that was close to the town of Morgan. A little over a year later, their daughter Marné was born, the first of nine children.
The family moved often as Wilford went from job to job, a common pattern during the depression for families who did not own a farm. After working for two years in the Magna Smelters, he became dissatisfied with the work and moved back to Kanosh. In 1927 Wilford tried to go into the soft drink business. When that was unsuccessful, he rented a 325-acre cattle ranch in Lamoille, Nevada, and the family left Utah. When the lease on the ranch ran out in 1932, the family moved to Elko, but jobs were hard to find.
Wilford decided to leave Nevada and asked his former mission president, Elder Melvin J. Ballard, where they should settle. His advice was to go to the Pacific Northwest. They packed everything they owned into a large truck, including their piano, and headed north. There were seven children ages three to seventeen. They stopped in Springfield, Oregon, but when they realized the land they hoped to farm flooded almost every year, they continued until they finally settled in town of Wapato in the Yakima Valley, Washington in 1938.
During the war period, Wilford worked in the ship-yards at Bremerton, WA as a riveter. They stayed in Washington until the early 60's when they returned to Utah.
Wilford and Dora Boyce were married in July of 1919, after which they moved to Croydon, a small town in northeastern Utah that was close to the town of Morgan. A little over a year later, their daughter Marné was born, the first of nine children.
The family moved often as Wilford went from job to job, a common pattern during the depression for families who did not own a farm. After working for two years in the Magna Smelters, he became dissatisfied with the work and moved back to Kanosh. In 1927 Wilford tried to go into the soft drink business. When that was unsuccessful, he rented a 325-acre cattle ranch in Lamoille, Nevada, and the family left Utah. When the lease on the ranch ran out in 1932, the family moved to Elko, but jobs were hard to find.
Wilford decided to leave Nevada and asked his former mission president, Elder Melvin J. Ballard, where they should settle. His advice was to go to the Pacific Northwest. They packed everything they owned into a large truck, including their piano, and headed north. There were seven children ages three to seventeen. They stopped in Springfield, Oregon, but when they realized the land they hoped to farm flooded almost every year, they continued until they finally settled in town of Wapato in the Yakima Valley, Washington in 1938.
During the war period, Wilford worked in the ship-yards at Bremerton, WA as a riveter. They stayed in Washington until the early 60's when they returned to Utah.
Family Members
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Orson Adelbert Whitaker
1877–1953
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George Washington Whitaker
1879–1879
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Sarah Jessie Whitaker Ray
1880–1959
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Clara Whitaker Salisbury
1881–1966
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Charles Warren Whitaker
1883–1920
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Milton Homer Whitaker
1886–1975
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Paul Whitaker
1888–1888
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Mose "Moses" Whitaker
1889–1965
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Herman Ellis Whitaker
1891–1977
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Grace Eveline Whitaker Staples
1895–1981
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Paloma Marie Whitaker Stott
1900–1979
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Melba Whitaker Staples
1902–1982
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Lowell McClellan Whitaker
1902–1917
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Leah Whitaker
1904–1904
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Carroll Douglas Whitaker
1906–1908
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