Life of Casper and Carrie Andreasen
To the Best of My Knowledge and Reminiscence of My Childhood life
including
Instances told to me by my brothers and sisters
By Mae Andreasen Cornwall
Casper was born in Orrislev, Fyn, Skeby, Denmark the 15 August 1863. Casper Andreasen came to America by boat in 1869 and by railroad to Bear River City with his parents Jorgen and Marie Catherine Hansen Andreasen and four brothers: Carl, Hans, Nels and Rasmus. Casper coming between Hans and Nels in the family.
Jorgen and Marie had joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Denmark. Their home was always open to the missionaries. They waited to come to America until the railroad was built because grandpa had a hip socket shot out in a war in Denmark between Germany and he had difficulty in walking.
Grandfather was a fine cabinetmaker by trade. So it was not peculiar that my father was gifted somewhat in that same line of trade. The family came directly to Bear River City and made their home. Later grandpa and grandma moved to Brigham City where more work was available.
My father Casper along with some of his brothers ran a freight outlet into Idaho, Montana and Oregon but my father disliked very much the foul language and company that was involved with this enterprise. He found work in and around Bear River City, carpentering and sheep shearing. He tells of the time sagebrush was taller than a horse and that the sheep would range as far north as the Idaho State Line.
Father was industrious and ambitious, hard worker and loved to see a job well done. Excellence was his creed. His hay and grain was stacked with care.
Caroline (Carrie) O'ken Anderson was born 03 February 1865. Daughter and fourth child of Anders O'ken and Gertrude (Pearson, Pherson) Anderson. Hannah, Anna, Carl, David and Caroline being born in Malmo Tryde, Sweden. They left Sweden 12 April 1866 and arrived in America October 1866. They came across the plains in covered wagons where they settled in Mill Creek for the winter and leaving in the spring settling in Bear River City. Caroline, my mother being only 16 months old. Her brothers and sisters in order of birth born in Bear River City, Utah are: Emma Matilda, Nephi, Enoch, Alexander, Nora, Adeline and Nellie. Eleven children a large family.
Grandpa O'kensen was a very particular and neat man, sort of a stern and reserved disposition, a Swedish trait, thoroughly honest in every respect.
Grandma was more gentle and soft hearted, neat and a beautiful dressmaker and weaver of clothe. Industrious and thrifty as a mother with eleven children would have to be. Grandma taught her daughters homemaking skills sewing and weaving most of them were dressmakers.
Mother as a young girl attended school in Bear River City, while there she was a bright student. Later she went to work on the co-op farms for Niels Nelson, Holmgrens, Celia Nelson, Mary Ipson and people from Corrine who came from the East by the name of Torpeys. These people loved her for her cleanliness and lady like manners.
When they learned mother was going to marry my father they said, "Carrie, don't marry a poor Mormon, marry a rich boy from the East, then you won't have to work hard all your life." This seemed good advice to them they were not Mormons.
Each of the little communities held square dances and socials, my parents both attended and enjoyed these activities both belonged to the Bear River City ward choir, singing under the direction of William Powell. My father was in the Bear River Brass Band as a trumpet player.
Evidently mother did not heed the advice offered by Mr. And Mrs. Torpey for on the 30 November 1887 my parents, Casper and Carrie were sealed for Time and all eternity in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Previous to the marriage they had secured a two-room house and had it ready to move into when they returned from the temple that evening. This house was on the West corner of the block where the Bernard Hansen store now stands in Bear River City.
Father and his brothers Nels worked together at the carpentering business. Mother being an expert seamstress took in sewing for two or three years to supplement the income they then homesteaded some land in Elwood, some four or five miles north of Bear River City and later around 1896 built a new home there. In their home they made even the adobe bricks. A pit was made near the site of the house, and then next water was added along with someone on a horse to tramp and mix this to the right consistency. Then they would put this mud into molds and set aside to dry. That is how they lined their home on the outside with those adobe bricks. It made the house comfortable and warm in the winters and cool and nice in the summers.
Father and Mother lived in Elwood with their children Roy 6 June 1889, Howard Maynard 12 December 1891 and Janette (Jennie) Carrie 19 January 1894. These three children were born while they lived in Bear River City.
Howard, the second son rode the horse, Old Doll, to mix the adobe's for their home. Roy and Howard helped father clear the land of sagebrush each year a few more acres were added.
Roy started grade school in Bear River City and David Holmgren was his teacher.
In Elwood, for water a dam was put across the Malad River and canal water ran in front of that first home, this carried the water that irrigated the farm and mother carried from this canal for washing and bathing. She carried many a bucket of water 1 ¾ of a mile from the Bear River for drinking.
My parents were among the first settlers of Elwood. Others were J.P. Christensen's, Peter M. Hansen's, Allen Hunsaker's, Knud Fridal's, James O. Anderson and brother Peter Mortensen's, Elias and Ira Anderson and etc.
That first home my parents built had a kitchen and large pantry, a large front room with a lovely piano and a desk of fathers'. There were also a rocker and one bed in one corner and a beautiful big flower, a pink "Oleander." The house had a porch on the south and west sides. A lovely rock cellar fixed with shelves where milk, cream, cheese, eggs and vegetables and fruits were stored. The house had a large attic; it was divided in half, the boys slept on the one side and the girls slept on the other side.
Mother was a lovely quilter and there was a quilt in the making most of the time.
I remember mother's pillows were fluffy and soft. She always kept the down from the wild ducks and geese. To help keep the bedding clean around our faces, mother would baste a strip of pastel or white cloth 6 or 7 inches deep across the tops of the quilts. Then when this got soiled it was taken off, washed or replaced with new material.
In Elwood on 18 August 1896 another son came to bless the home. He was fair complected and named Franklin Lewis. Lewis after their dear friend Lewis Hunsaker of Elwood.
Another child, a girl born 13 March 1899 was born and was named Grace Cleophia. She was welcomed. Jennie had sister. This made 3 boys and 2 girls.
Up until this time the folks had to travel to Brigham City for Stake meetings and quarterly conferences as Bear River City was just a branch. They traveled by horse and buggy taking hay along to feed the horses at noonday. The team would then be unharnessed and tied to the buggy while eating.
Father was Secretary of the Third Quorum of Elders of the Box Elder Stake for a number of years.
About 12 years after our parents were married or in the spring of 1899. Father was called to fill a mission to Denmark, his native land – Mother gladly gave her consent. He was ordained a Seventy by President Joseph F. Smith, 13 May 1899. He left immediately for his mission. The oldest in the family at this time was Roy, 11 years old and the youngest then was Cleo, 6 weeks old.
The wonderful heritage that had been passed on to our mother came in handy. She was resourceful, hard working, thrifty and had faith that Our Heavenly Father knew the circumstances and would not forsake her and her little ones as long as her husband was on a mission.
Father visited the old home in Denmark. We have some pictures of it.
He returned from his mission in February 1901 with an honorable release. Mother and her 5 little ones had managed well, kept father on his mission and had cleared the farm from debt.
When father came home Roy was out in the yard while father was gone he had grown a beard and mustache. Roy did not recognize father. They began talking, passing the time of day etc. Then father asked, "Do you think your mother would let me stay here over night? I am tired and have no where to go." Quickly Roy responds, "Oh, no sir mother would never allow that." They kept on talking and Roy still thinks this man is a stranger. Again father asks, "I sure need a bed for the night, don't you think we can persuade your mother to let me stay?" Roy replied, "Well, we can go ask her but I'm sure she won't let you." By this time Roy knows the man was his father.
Howard tells me he can still see those big trunks father brought home. There were gifts for all. I, Mae have one of those gifts: beautiful china and a silver cookie jar. It was packed in a trunk by my father in Denmark in 1901 and shipped to America and given to his sweetheart.
Five months after father had returned from his mission, he and mother were called to part with their little boy, Franklin. He died, 8 July 1901 of appendicitis. Very little was known of this disease at the time. This was a sad parting for the folks.
This same year in 1901 our parents began homesteading some land in Cleveland, Idaho about 2 miles north of the summit of Cleveland and Treasureton divide. To prove up on this land it was necessary to live in Idaho 6 months of each year. So in the spring of each year after the crops had been planted on the farm in Elwood all the family, household utensils, bedding, cows, calves, horses, colts, some farm machinery would move to Idaho. The stock would pasture the hills for food in the summer months then in the fall of each year the same procedure would take place to move back to Utah for the winters where the stock would be sheltered and fed over the cold winters.
Some years a family would live in the Elwood home. Irrigate and care for the farm. I have often thought of my mother during these times. Moving is hard work but mother did have a hired girl to help her while her girls were small.
Howard recalls this experience. The time had come to move to Idaho. The night before leaving Elwood preparations had been made so early the coming morning Roy, age 13 and Howard, age 11 would start the trek. The morning sky in Elwood was clear and beautiful, the cows were milked, calves fed, the milk separated and put in the back of the wagon along with the other provisions. Roy and Howard bid the folks so long. The folks were to follow the next day. It was 24 April and they were Cleveland bound. The further north they traveled the more cloudy and blistery the weather became when they reached Clarkston, they were at the halfway mark from Elwood to Cleveland they came upon a terrible blizzard and it was late at night. They did not get the cows milked nor the calves fed. Some of the cows would not let their claves nurse. It was chaos. The next morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. Cows, calves, horses and colts running all over looking for feed. They finally got the cows milked and calves fed and all rounded up and on their way again. They arrived in Cleveland about 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Roy in the meantime had injured his hand and Howard was left to milk, 24 cows twice before help came. After arriving in Cleveland the boys first mended the corral so the stock would be secured, then they went to Aunt Cenie's and Uncle Han's. Just a short distance from where the folks lived. Where Aunt Cenie, mothered them and treat them to bread, biscuits and raspberry jam. She was very considerate of them.
If the riding horses and our old dog, Shep that were used for driving the stock back and forth the 70 mile trip came up missing for more than two days we knew they had gone to the other place, they never got lost.
Father could see arrangements had to be made for a corral and feed for the stock between the two locations. One day as he was going to Idaho he stopped a gentlemen in Clarkston, introduced himself and expressed his wishes, this man was Eph Malmberg. From that first introduction their family and ours were the dearest of friends. On the prearranged dates spring and fall there was corral waiting with managers full of feed for the stock along with plenty of water. A warm bed with supper and breakfast for the two brothers, one coming from Idaho and the other coming from Utah.
By this time the family had increased by another son born 4 April 1902, Golden Rufus, he turned out to be another good farmer. He also took part in these same family activities.
Later Roy married a lovely young lady from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. These years Roy would drive the cattle south as far as Clarkston and Howard; later Golden would meet Roy at the Malmberg home. Howard or Golden would finish driving the cattle to Elwood, then Roy riding back to his home in Idaho. To this day in the fall of the year I can hear the lowing of cattle as they came running in the yard about dusk, hungry and thirsty. The hair around the nostrils and shoulders would be coated with frost. They knew they were home to good feed and shelter for the long winter.
These nights when the brothers would meet at the Malmbergs would be spent telling each other what was new with them in their loving family.
Our parents had a family orchard. In the fall of the year the Malmbergs would come down from Clarkston and load their wagon with peaches, pears, plumbs and apples for the winter, canning and storing. These are dear memories to me, never to be forgotten.
25 January 1905 the twins sons came to the Andreasen home. They were named Norman Jorgen and Herman Richard. These dear little twins brought the family to eight and they kept the older ones happy while hopping for bottles, diapers, diapers and bottles.
Two incidences are inserted here; they are experiences of two of the older ones in the family.
Jenny tells me this story she remembers vividly of a brothers concern for his sister. Some years people would live in the home in Elwood as was stated before. This certain year some folks by the name of Abernathy were living there. It came the fall of the year and the wheat in Elwood was to be harvested. Roy the oldest son was to go and help Abernathy harvest and Jennie the oldest girl was to help Mrs. Abernathy cook for the extra men. Before leaving Gentile Valley. Our folks had given Roy and Jennie permission that after the days work was done they could go visit the Bear River City grandparents and relatives. Now Roy had a sporty buggy and sassy little black team of horses and he was of dating age. So after the work of the day was finished they would clean up and visit their many cousins etc. The Abernathy's were not Mormons and Roy was responsible for Jennie. He took her wherever he went and never left her alone with these people. I'm sure some boys would never think of taking a sister 5 years younger along where ever he went. He was very thoughtful of her.
After Grandpa Jorgen Andreasen passed away in Brigham on the 23 February 1906, Grandma Andreasen came to live with us in Elwood.
Another experience Howard recalls after 70 years as if it happened yesterday. Is the impressions grandparents leave on their grandchildren. One year while the rest of the family were in Idaho. Howard stayed with Grandma Andreasen in the Elwood home. Our folks owned some building lots in Bear River City just west of mothers parents, Grandma and Grandpa O'kenson's home, as they were called Okenson. Howard was 14 years old at the time. In his own words he tells us: I had been down to Bear River the ay before irrigating the lots, our water turn ended at midnight. I did not want to stay there that late, so thinking that Uncle Willard Jensen (our neighbor to the south) would take the water when his turn came. I set the water on the lots and went home to Elwood. Well, Willard did not take the water on scheduled time and by morning the streets south and west of grandma and grandpas were flooded. When I came the next day to Bear River City in the buggy and team and Grandpa O'kenson was waiting for me. He came up to the buggy and waved me to stop. Well, did I ever get a Swedish Blessing for flooding the streets." I tried to explain. I said to grandpa that I, but he did not let me finish saying that I thought Willard would take the water. He stopped me short, saying, "yes, min you tot, dats a hell of a damn note." I thought he was going to pull me out of the buggy and give me a Swedish reminder too but he didn't.
That afternoon I was over pulling weeds and grandma came over to the fence where I was working, she had witnessed the scolding that morning. She said, "Don't mind too bad what grandpa said to you, he will get over it when the water is gone." She then handed me two half dollars and told me to go to the store two blocks away and get me some candy and ginger snaps. She was nice, good and tenderhearted.
The older children were now attending the Elwood District School where we all attended and graduated from school. Howard, and Jennie also attended BYU College in Logan and lived with mothers' sister Aunt Annie Kelley, while working for their board.
In August 10, 1906 another daughter was born to the family, Mae Gertrude, named after Grandma O'kenson. The twins being only 19 months old. This daughter made the family make ten as a total.
Indeed mother was busy sewing, cooking, churning butter, besides the everyday home chores.
I was the only one of ten of the children born in the State of Idaho. Father called me "Little Doll." Mother was truly grateful for her two older daughters who were of good help to her.
The Elwood farm was considered excellent land for sugar beets, grains, hay and pastures along with raising apples. Also there was a pasture for stock running the length of the farm along the east side of the Malad River. The grass was salty but was supplement for hay and a place for the stock to range.
On the 14th of November 1907 Roy the oldest son married a lovely girl, Lula Larsen from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. Mother must have been extremely relieved as all that packing moving and traveling each spring and fall could be history.
When I was about seven years of age my older brother, Howard was called on a mission to Norway. He had made a fuss over me and home seemed so lonesome with both he and Roy gone.
Jennie was now a young lady and was working in around Tremonton, Garland and Elwood. Eva Hansen tells me Jennie was so neat and ambitious she enjoyed her services very much.
Later on she was employed by the L.S. Mann's family who came to Elwood from back east and purchased a large apple orchard one mile east. It was called, The Stacey Orchard. She was employed there until she married. She came home in the cold winter months when there was no work at the orchard for the hired help. The Mann's usually would move back east for the winter's months.
Father and mother both loved music. There was a beautiful piano in our home all my life. Howard could cord to any song and play the trumpet and violin. Never having taken lessons. Jennie and Herman took piano lessons from a lady who had a circuit in the valley traveling for the "Chicago Conservatory of Music." They took their lessons at the parley W. Christensen's home. Walking the two miles each way for their lessons much of the time. Herman won a pin for Excellence, which he prized the remainder of his life. There was a special music book father had mailed to our home each month called the "Etude," anyone who knew anything about music during my lifetime will recognize this book. It was filled with music of the "Master."
By this time Dortha was born 15th of December 1913, bringing the family to ten. She was the last of the family a cute little baby. Mother was 49 years old at the time. Dortha took the spotlight. She went anywhere the car and father went.
We traveled to church, dances and other activities with horses, buggies and sleighs. The winters were bitter cold the snow was deep when we walked to and from school. We could walk over the fences in the fields usually on our return from school on those cold winter days mother would have warm cookies and cake doughnuts for us. She was a loving kind mother. To keep us warm while going to church. Mother would put bricks in the oven before hand to get hot. Then a quilt was put on top clean straw and bricks in the sleigh and another quilt put on top of us to keep us warm while traveling.
While waking to or from school Herman and Norman, my twin brothers were very loving to me. When I would get cold and start crying they would rub my hands and fingers and sing a song or start saying something that we were to memorize or make some kind of fun to take my mind off the cold and sure enough we would soon be home. They are such apart of my growing up years. It would be sad if this life were the end. We would sing the songs our aunts and uncles had taught us.
I remember parties held in the Elwood School. Valentine parties and special parties were held for the schoolteachers. These teachers' parties were pre-arranged. One of the parents would purchase a gift; our father bought several of these gifts, each student bringing a few cents to pay for the gift. Then there was Valentines Day, how beautiful the valentines were. White, frilly paper lace with flowers, swans and birds put together in dimensions with fine gold chains. Oh what fun times in a rural school.
Father was a progressive man he loved people and was concerned with their welfare. He assisted several people coming to America who were to pay him later. More than once he was forgotten. He supported the drainage system and the spring water being piped to Elwood, etc.
The older boys each had a nice buggy with a beautiful team of horses to go sporting with and these horses were used also to drill and cultivate the beets. Their hoofs were small and trim if they did step on the beets it hurt them very little. The boys usually kept the horses tails braided and bobbed. Mother was very neat and clean; our clothes were kept with care. She would see the boys clothes were clean and pressed whenever they went to dances, Bear River City was full of relatives they must look just so.
Grandmother Andreasen lived by us for many years. She did her own cooking except on Sundays she would always eat in our home. When she got older Jennie and Cleo would comb and braid her hair, mother was patient and considerate of her. Grandma sang songs in Danish. She was a short, sort of fat, good-natured Danish lady. She passed away 02 June 1922. She was missed because she was deeply loved by us all.
My father was very fussy about his farming. He loved this farm. I remember him rising at the break of day walking over each piece of land to observe what had been accomplished the previous day then discussing what was necessary to be done this day. Then when he returned to the house after observing his work his overalls pockets would be filled with small bits of wire or sticks that he had picked up while on his walk, like the little pieces that had been hauled out in the manure spreader during the winter.
We children had to work hard at home. The farm consisted of 150 acres of irrigated land plus a 40 acre dry farm to the east of our home and 40 acre dry farm in Bothwell and about 40-50 acres on Little Mountain.
There was usually 50 acres of our own beets to thin and many years we thinned some for other people. These had to be hoed and kept free of weeds then topped and loaded on the wagons by hand and hauled to the beet dump in the fall to be taken when the railroad cars were filled in Garland to be processed into sugar.
We also had fields of grain and hay. Three crops of hay and 20 acres of apples that had to be taken care of. The apples had to be picked before the beets were harvested or they would freeze. Besides our family there was usually others who helped pick.
An assembly table was then built with it used for grading and sorting the apples. The apples were brought from the fields on a flat rack and stacked in the yard. In the yard where the assembly line was at one end of the table there was the wood material for the boxes stacked in tall stacks. The beginning of the table was the box nailer, he would nail the boxes together then send them on down the table to the next lady who would put a piece of wax paper in the box to help protect the apples from bruises. Next comes the sorting of the apples themselves. They would have a box for culls, one for the bigger apples and another for the smaller apples. These three ladies would sort the apples then pass them on down the table to the last stop on the assembly line, to the cleats man. He would hammer the top cleats onto the boxes and set them on the wagon. When the wagon was filled they would haul them to the railroad station to be shipped away. I myself could pick around 100 bushels of apples a day.
Mother would cook dinner for these women sorters. Jack Fronk, a local man bought many apples from our father. Many times Jack Fronk would come in and help mother mash the potatoes if us girls were still busy out in the fields.
When we were young and learning how to thin beets if we left too many doubles we were escorted back to the field and obliged to redo our work. We learned to do it well the first time. The other people we thinned for said we thinned and did the first hoeing at the same time. Other farmers always paid us more than the going wage. In those days thinning, hoeing, topping and loading were all done by hand. It was hard work pulling the beets with the hooks on the end of our knives.
In the summer we would look forward to Sunday when we could visit our relatives in Bear River City and Bothwell. They in return would come and see us. Dear relatives from Idaho would also come down and visit us. There would always be ice cream and cake. I never remember mother ironing or baking on Sunday. Saturdays were for getting the house and clothes ready for Sunday. Baking was also done on Saturday. Sacrament meetings were held directly after Sunday school. It was held in the recreation hall. Separate rooms for the classes were made by stringing curtains by wire going east and west, north and south to make the room divisions complete. We would often hear more of the lesson next door than the one we were to be listening to.
In the early days of Elwood people from Bear River, Corinne, Tremonton, Deweyville and surrounding areas would attend the dances. Elwood hall floor was considered the best. Entire families would collect for the fun and community of the hall, one for the ladies wraps and parasols, rubbers, etc. and one for the men's coats, hats and overshoes. Over on the north and one on the south to get up and down. Up in the balcony or we called it nigger heaven was where the mothers of the ward would fix a bed with quilts for their babies while they danced. We all looked forward to these occasions.
Our Dad always took advantage of an opportunity that would enhance making a good living. He bought part of a coalmine in Wyoming hoping to make some money but through fraud he was cheated out, everything including his initial investment. For years he owned and operated a steam thrashing machine outfit and covered a goodly part of the valley thrashing grain for all the farmers as they came in line. He wore out two thrashing machines while operating his business. Years later the thrashing was done in the farmers own yards. Usually two brothers worked on the thrashing machine. All the men would sleep on the clean straw with their bedrolls. When the grain was thrashed the separator was changed and lucren seed was then thrashed. A cook shack went along with the thrasher. My sister, Cleo did the cooking for several years. This steam engine was powerful. Father and the boys would pull apples trees for people in the winter if the ground was not frozen to hard. Apple tree wood is wonderful and clean burning in our stove and throws off a lot of heat.
Working out for other people as much as they did made it twice as hard on the ones left at home to work.
For years he would operate a part time meat and butcher business. He would rent Brother, N.A. Peterson's slaughterhouse just north of our home, purchase fat cattle and hogs from anyone who had such to sell and then he would butcher them and sell quarters, halves or what ever to the neighbors. This was aside from operating a good size farm.
It was a common saying in Elwood when any new people came into the vicinity and needed work, people referred them to Casper Andreasen's place – saying, they will give you help or work, which was very true. It was seldom indeed that we did not have someone on the place helping with the work that was not of the family. This put an extra burden on our dear mother as very often this help boarded with us and if not they had the noonday meal with us. They did not sleep in our house. They would sleep in the out buildings. In 1917 Howard returned from his mission and he persuaded father to build a new home. After the new home was built hired help slept in the old house.
My mother to help supplement the family income hand churned, molded wrapped and sold butter of many years. She had a special butter wrappings made. In the middle on the outside of the wrappers was her name in this manner:
Made by
Mrs. Casper Andreasen
RFD # 1
Tremonton, Utah
50 of these one-pound packages were placed in a special box and took to the Honeyville Railroad station and shipped to Basfords, Salt Lake City, Utah. Her butter was also in demand in Tremonton stores because the butter was free of brine.
Happy times I remember in the summer time a traveling troup would come into Bear River Valley setting up their huge tent just across from where the LDS Seminary now stands. Our Dad was a High Councilman in the Bear River Stake for 25 years and the entertainment of this troup was church approved. They were called, "The Chatiqua." Father would buy several tickets. The same act was performed two or three nights so that made it possible in a week's time we each could see all the acts. They also sold popcorn and candy. We looked forward each summer to seeing this entertainment.
The new house was started, Howard digging and scraping out for the basement. This was very hard and tiring work for him and the horses. He wore out two scrapers. This home was built near the county road and my brother, Golden and his wife still live there now.
The house had a full basement, two nice large front rooms with built in China closets for the nice dishes of Moms and bookcases for fathers books. A front bedroom, bathroom, three porches on the ground floor and there was also a front hallway. Upstairs there were six nice bedrooms with each a closet for the clothes. One of these bedrooms had a washbasin with cold and hot running water and one had a small porch were bedding could be shook and aired. The carpenters were from Logan. They too ate their meals with us during the week and then returned back to Logan on Saturday evenings.
Father had bought a direct current light plant "The Delco." This plant had 16 or so batteries. The motor would run in the day time on coal oil or gasoline, then this would change the batteries for lights at night.
Our home was the first in Bear River Valley to have electric lights, inside bathroom and a kitchen sink with cold and hot running water and also a bathtub with cold and hot running water. Father had also bought a beautiful oil painting and Wilton rug for the parlor. It was lovely. I'm sure mother and dad were happy about the house but his made a lot of rooms to be kept clean.
At this time Howard married Irene Seager a young lady from east Tremonton on 18 April 1917. They with the money my father had paid Howard for work began purchasing the Jay Ferry farm just across the Malad River to the west of us. Irene was a very good and we all got along very well. I turned out to be baby tender many times.
Now Jennie in the meantime had been keeping company with a young man from Elwood, Eph Hansen. He too filled a mission and upon his return Jennie and he were married on 31 December 1918.
I worked to the side of my twin brothers in the fields. Herman and Norman taught me to do my work well. We would memorize, "The Articles of Faith," scriptures, songs as we worked. They were very sweet to me.
Dortha was 7 ½ years younger than I, she could help mother some but on Saturday afternoon I would help. I stayed in the house as a rule to help with the Saturdays work.
The next several years the American people were to experience a depression of such magnitude that it would never be forgotten. We were part of it; father had many acres of good productive farmland but no price for it. Grain was selling for $0.29 a bushel; 50# of flour was selling for $0.49. Scawof Never Rip overalls sold for $0.98 a pair. Young girls were fortunate to have two good dresses to wear.
For several years telephones had been in the valley. We were so happy when we could talk to our brother, Roy in Idaho. He was asthmatic and the Idaho climate agreed with him much better than did the Utah climate.
The roads were still dirt and gravel but for many years past men were hired to keep them graveled and smooth.
Many in the valley had cars. I think N.A. Peterson was the first in Elwood and my father came in second or third to own a car.
My next sister, Cleo had met a nice young man who later worked for our father for a short time before joining the armed forces in World War I. He was stationed in Seattle, Washington. They were married 12 July 1919. There was no money to be had. Father and mother had lots of land "land poor" but there was no one of the family went to see them married. Mother was sad but I remember some lovely quilts, pillows, pillowcases, dishtowels, dollies, etc. sent with her along with our love. She left another vacancy in our home. Home without each of them was never the same.
My brothers, Herman and Norman along with Floyd Jens, LeGrand Peterson, from Bear River City and Elwood Larsen from Elwood had organized a dance band. They traveled all over the Bear River Valley going as far west as Grouse Creek to play for dances, rallies and community affairs. In some respects this was a blessing they usually took our car and was paid for traveling expenses along with their night wages. This kept them in spending money.
On 19 March 1924 Golden married a nice young lady from Bear River City. For some time Golden worked for father and they made their first home in our old home. She kept it very clean and homey.
December 5, 1925, Mae was married to Chauncey M. Cornwall. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Cornwall of south Tremonton. Herman married Loa Freeman 19 June 1930. A lovely girl from Brigham City. Norman married Orba Davis 10 March 1936. A sweet young lady from Panguitch in southern Utah. Dortha married Kelsey Lee, 8 February 1933. A young man whom worked on our farm in the beets one fall. He was from Springville, Utah.
Our parents had given us much love and lovely home surroundings. They gave us opportunities that would enrich our lives. Some of us did not take advantage of them.
Herman, Norman and their wives stayed close to home to help with the farm. They can never be repaid for their thoughtfulness and goodness to our parents during the depression years. Sticking even to the point of having problems in their own homes. Howard and Irene lived across the Malad River from our parents. They had a large farm but no price for farm products. Father had to hire a lot of help. Some men would work just to put in their time not caring how the job was done. This disturbed our dad very much. Golden lived in Bear River but worked for father. He took over the Walter Green farm in Elwood. Dortha was home during these years. I'm sure mother and father enjoyed the laughter and family lasting spirit she left in our home.
July 3, 1929 tragedy struck our family. Howard and his wife came in contact with a terrible accident and Irene was killed leaving eight children; the oldest about 14 and the youngest 4 months old. My sister, Cleo had a baby girl just 4 months old. Cleo took Howard's baby bay 4 months old and nursed him along with her own baby. Cleo and her husband raised this boy until he was out of high school. Mother and father took care of some of the children and Irene's parents, brother and sister Seager took care of some of them also. At this same time Howard lost his farm. It was a sad time.
Father and mother had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, 03 December 1937 at their home in Elwood. An open house was held form 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Many dear relatives and friends from Idaho, Bear River City, Bothwell and Elwood came to reminisce over bye-gone days and to wish them well.
Herman lived in Elwood and came down to work on the farm. Norman and his family lived in Brigham coming out to help father on the farm quite frequently. Cleo and her family as well as Jennie and her family lived just a few miles from home. Howard had moved to Illinois. Roy was still in Idaho. Golden in Bear River City. Mae in Blue Creek and Dorothy in Springville, Utah.
Mother still having her headaches never once complained. She stood side by side helping father and raising her family, as Heavenly Father would expect her to do. Later years were a bit easier. But there was still a large house to keep up.
Herman is divorced and leaves his two little girls in mom and dad's care while he serves a mission to the eastern states.
The first of June mother became ill, she stayed in bed for a few days. On the morning of June 9th she told father she wanted to get up. He helped her into the kitchen and sat her in her rocking chair and was preparing her some breakfast, she asked for a basin of water in which she could wash her hands. Father was helping her when her life slipped away.
Great grief makes sacred those upon whom its hands is laid, joy may elevate, ambition may glorify but only grief can bring the deepest feelings of life. Mother passed away on 09 June 1939.
For our Dad the zest of living had lost its meaning. He was heart broken. He dearly loved our Mother. He respected her as a queen.
Herman never came home until his mission was fulfilled.
Father lived on the farm for a short time then moved to Brigham City and bought a small home there. Upon Herman's return from his mission his two little girls and our father lived together. Herman was so good to Dad we can never repay him for his lovely loving care for Father. Father traveled from Brigham City to Elwood looking after the farm. A little while later Golden bought the farm and each of us was given a little bit of money.
Father ran a coal business in Brigham City and kept active. Some years later he met and married Hanna Johnston a widow on 20 December 1944. They visited us frequently but at the mention of our mother, tears would roll down our father's cheeks. He worked until a few months before he passed away on the 11 May 1950.
A True Latter Day Saint: Mother's life was one of patience, unselfishness, endurance, dedication and an unlimited amount of love. Father was the only one of his family to fulfill a mission. Mother and father loved their children and it grieved them when any of us failed to live, as we should. They were concerned for our eternal welfare. They taught all of us how to work and feel the joy of achieving excellence in accomplishments. I thank them for this wonderful legacy.
To the Best of My Knowledge and Reminiscence of My Childhood life
including
Instances told to me by my brothers and sisters
By Mae Andreasen Cornwall
Casper was born in Orrislev, Fyn, Skeby, Denmark the 15 August 1863. Casper Andreasen came to America by boat in 1869 and by railroad to Bear River City with his parents Jorgen and Marie Catherine Hansen Andreasen and four brothers: Carl, Hans, Nels and Rasmus. Casper coming between Hans and Nels in the family.
Jorgen and Marie had joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Denmark. Their home was always open to the missionaries. They waited to come to America until the railroad was built because grandpa had a hip socket shot out in a war in Denmark between Germany and he had difficulty in walking.
Grandfather was a fine cabinetmaker by trade. So it was not peculiar that my father was gifted somewhat in that same line of trade. The family came directly to Bear River City and made their home. Later grandpa and grandma moved to Brigham City where more work was available.
My father Casper along with some of his brothers ran a freight outlet into Idaho, Montana and Oregon but my father disliked very much the foul language and company that was involved with this enterprise. He found work in and around Bear River City, carpentering and sheep shearing. He tells of the time sagebrush was taller than a horse and that the sheep would range as far north as the Idaho State Line.
Father was industrious and ambitious, hard worker and loved to see a job well done. Excellence was his creed. His hay and grain was stacked with care.
Caroline (Carrie) O'ken Anderson was born 03 February 1865. Daughter and fourth child of Anders O'ken and Gertrude (Pearson, Pherson) Anderson. Hannah, Anna, Carl, David and Caroline being born in Malmo Tryde, Sweden. They left Sweden 12 April 1866 and arrived in America October 1866. They came across the plains in covered wagons where they settled in Mill Creek for the winter and leaving in the spring settling in Bear River City. Caroline, my mother being only 16 months old. Her brothers and sisters in order of birth born in Bear River City, Utah are: Emma Matilda, Nephi, Enoch, Alexander, Nora, Adeline and Nellie. Eleven children a large family.
Grandpa O'kensen was a very particular and neat man, sort of a stern and reserved disposition, a Swedish trait, thoroughly honest in every respect.
Grandma was more gentle and soft hearted, neat and a beautiful dressmaker and weaver of clothe. Industrious and thrifty as a mother with eleven children would have to be. Grandma taught her daughters homemaking skills sewing and weaving most of them were dressmakers.
Mother as a young girl attended school in Bear River City, while there she was a bright student. Later she went to work on the co-op farms for Niels Nelson, Holmgrens, Celia Nelson, Mary Ipson and people from Corrine who came from the East by the name of Torpeys. These people loved her for her cleanliness and lady like manners.
When they learned mother was going to marry my father they said, "Carrie, don't marry a poor Mormon, marry a rich boy from the East, then you won't have to work hard all your life." This seemed good advice to them they were not Mormons.
Each of the little communities held square dances and socials, my parents both attended and enjoyed these activities both belonged to the Bear River City ward choir, singing under the direction of William Powell. My father was in the Bear River Brass Band as a trumpet player.
Evidently mother did not heed the advice offered by Mr. And Mrs. Torpey for on the 30 November 1887 my parents, Casper and Carrie were sealed for Time and all eternity in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Previous to the marriage they had secured a two-room house and had it ready to move into when they returned from the temple that evening. This house was on the West corner of the block where the Bernard Hansen store now stands in Bear River City.
Father and his brothers Nels worked together at the carpentering business. Mother being an expert seamstress took in sewing for two or three years to supplement the income they then homesteaded some land in Elwood, some four or five miles north of Bear River City and later around 1896 built a new home there. In their home they made even the adobe bricks. A pit was made near the site of the house, and then next water was added along with someone on a horse to tramp and mix this to the right consistency. Then they would put this mud into molds and set aside to dry. That is how they lined their home on the outside with those adobe bricks. It made the house comfortable and warm in the winters and cool and nice in the summers.
Father and Mother lived in Elwood with their children Roy 6 June 1889, Howard Maynard 12 December 1891 and Janette (Jennie) Carrie 19 January 1894. These three children were born while they lived in Bear River City.
Howard, the second son rode the horse, Old Doll, to mix the adobe's for their home. Roy and Howard helped father clear the land of sagebrush each year a few more acres were added.
Roy started grade school in Bear River City and David Holmgren was his teacher.
In Elwood, for water a dam was put across the Malad River and canal water ran in front of that first home, this carried the water that irrigated the farm and mother carried from this canal for washing and bathing. She carried many a bucket of water 1 ¾ of a mile from the Bear River for drinking.
My parents were among the first settlers of Elwood. Others were J.P. Christensen's, Peter M. Hansen's, Allen Hunsaker's, Knud Fridal's, James O. Anderson and brother Peter Mortensen's, Elias and Ira Anderson and etc.
That first home my parents built had a kitchen and large pantry, a large front room with a lovely piano and a desk of fathers'. There were also a rocker and one bed in one corner and a beautiful big flower, a pink "Oleander." The house had a porch on the south and west sides. A lovely rock cellar fixed with shelves where milk, cream, cheese, eggs and vegetables and fruits were stored. The house had a large attic; it was divided in half, the boys slept on the one side and the girls slept on the other side.
Mother was a lovely quilter and there was a quilt in the making most of the time.
I remember mother's pillows were fluffy and soft. She always kept the down from the wild ducks and geese. To help keep the bedding clean around our faces, mother would baste a strip of pastel or white cloth 6 or 7 inches deep across the tops of the quilts. Then when this got soiled it was taken off, washed or replaced with new material.
In Elwood on 18 August 1896 another son came to bless the home. He was fair complected and named Franklin Lewis. Lewis after their dear friend Lewis Hunsaker of Elwood.
Another child, a girl born 13 March 1899 was born and was named Grace Cleophia. She was welcomed. Jennie had sister. This made 3 boys and 2 girls.
Up until this time the folks had to travel to Brigham City for Stake meetings and quarterly conferences as Bear River City was just a branch. They traveled by horse and buggy taking hay along to feed the horses at noonday. The team would then be unharnessed and tied to the buggy while eating.
Father was Secretary of the Third Quorum of Elders of the Box Elder Stake for a number of years.
About 12 years after our parents were married or in the spring of 1899. Father was called to fill a mission to Denmark, his native land – Mother gladly gave her consent. He was ordained a Seventy by President Joseph F. Smith, 13 May 1899. He left immediately for his mission. The oldest in the family at this time was Roy, 11 years old and the youngest then was Cleo, 6 weeks old.
The wonderful heritage that had been passed on to our mother came in handy. She was resourceful, hard working, thrifty and had faith that Our Heavenly Father knew the circumstances and would not forsake her and her little ones as long as her husband was on a mission.
Father visited the old home in Denmark. We have some pictures of it.
He returned from his mission in February 1901 with an honorable release. Mother and her 5 little ones had managed well, kept father on his mission and had cleared the farm from debt.
When father came home Roy was out in the yard while father was gone he had grown a beard and mustache. Roy did not recognize father. They began talking, passing the time of day etc. Then father asked, "Do you think your mother would let me stay here over night? I am tired and have no where to go." Quickly Roy responds, "Oh, no sir mother would never allow that." They kept on talking and Roy still thinks this man is a stranger. Again father asks, "I sure need a bed for the night, don't you think we can persuade your mother to let me stay?" Roy replied, "Well, we can go ask her but I'm sure she won't let you." By this time Roy knows the man was his father.
Howard tells me he can still see those big trunks father brought home. There were gifts for all. I, Mae have one of those gifts: beautiful china and a silver cookie jar. It was packed in a trunk by my father in Denmark in 1901 and shipped to America and given to his sweetheart.
Five months after father had returned from his mission, he and mother were called to part with their little boy, Franklin. He died, 8 July 1901 of appendicitis. Very little was known of this disease at the time. This was a sad parting for the folks.
This same year in 1901 our parents began homesteading some land in Cleveland, Idaho about 2 miles north of the summit of Cleveland and Treasureton divide. To prove up on this land it was necessary to live in Idaho 6 months of each year. So in the spring of each year after the crops had been planted on the farm in Elwood all the family, household utensils, bedding, cows, calves, horses, colts, some farm machinery would move to Idaho. The stock would pasture the hills for food in the summer months then in the fall of each year the same procedure would take place to move back to Utah for the winters where the stock would be sheltered and fed over the cold winters.
Some years a family would live in the Elwood home. Irrigate and care for the farm. I have often thought of my mother during these times. Moving is hard work but mother did have a hired girl to help her while her girls were small.
Howard recalls this experience. The time had come to move to Idaho. The night before leaving Elwood preparations had been made so early the coming morning Roy, age 13 and Howard, age 11 would start the trek. The morning sky in Elwood was clear and beautiful, the cows were milked, calves fed, the milk separated and put in the back of the wagon along with the other provisions. Roy and Howard bid the folks so long. The folks were to follow the next day. It was 24 April and they were Cleveland bound. The further north they traveled the more cloudy and blistery the weather became when they reached Clarkston, they were at the halfway mark from Elwood to Cleveland they came upon a terrible blizzard and it was late at night. They did not get the cows milked nor the calves fed. Some of the cows would not let their claves nurse. It was chaos. The next morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. Cows, calves, horses and colts running all over looking for feed. They finally got the cows milked and calves fed and all rounded up and on their way again. They arrived in Cleveland about 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Roy in the meantime had injured his hand and Howard was left to milk, 24 cows twice before help came. After arriving in Cleveland the boys first mended the corral so the stock would be secured, then they went to Aunt Cenie's and Uncle Han's. Just a short distance from where the folks lived. Where Aunt Cenie, mothered them and treat them to bread, biscuits and raspberry jam. She was very considerate of them.
If the riding horses and our old dog, Shep that were used for driving the stock back and forth the 70 mile trip came up missing for more than two days we knew they had gone to the other place, they never got lost.
Father could see arrangements had to be made for a corral and feed for the stock between the two locations. One day as he was going to Idaho he stopped a gentlemen in Clarkston, introduced himself and expressed his wishes, this man was Eph Malmberg. From that first introduction their family and ours were the dearest of friends. On the prearranged dates spring and fall there was corral waiting with managers full of feed for the stock along with plenty of water. A warm bed with supper and breakfast for the two brothers, one coming from Idaho and the other coming from Utah.
By this time the family had increased by another son born 4 April 1902, Golden Rufus, he turned out to be another good farmer. He also took part in these same family activities.
Later Roy married a lovely young lady from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. These years Roy would drive the cattle south as far as Clarkston and Howard; later Golden would meet Roy at the Malmberg home. Howard or Golden would finish driving the cattle to Elwood, then Roy riding back to his home in Idaho. To this day in the fall of the year I can hear the lowing of cattle as they came running in the yard about dusk, hungry and thirsty. The hair around the nostrils and shoulders would be coated with frost. They knew they were home to good feed and shelter for the long winter.
These nights when the brothers would meet at the Malmbergs would be spent telling each other what was new with them in their loving family.
Our parents had a family orchard. In the fall of the year the Malmbergs would come down from Clarkston and load their wagon with peaches, pears, plumbs and apples for the winter, canning and storing. These are dear memories to me, never to be forgotten.
25 January 1905 the twins sons came to the Andreasen home. They were named Norman Jorgen and Herman Richard. These dear little twins brought the family to eight and they kept the older ones happy while hopping for bottles, diapers, diapers and bottles.
Two incidences are inserted here; they are experiences of two of the older ones in the family.
Jenny tells me this story she remembers vividly of a brothers concern for his sister. Some years people would live in the home in Elwood as was stated before. This certain year some folks by the name of Abernathy were living there. It came the fall of the year and the wheat in Elwood was to be harvested. Roy the oldest son was to go and help Abernathy harvest and Jennie the oldest girl was to help Mrs. Abernathy cook for the extra men. Before leaving Gentile Valley. Our folks had given Roy and Jennie permission that after the days work was done they could go visit the Bear River City grandparents and relatives. Now Roy had a sporty buggy and sassy little black team of horses and he was of dating age. So after the work of the day was finished they would clean up and visit their many cousins etc. The Abernathy's were not Mormons and Roy was responsible for Jennie. He took her wherever he went and never left her alone with these people. I'm sure some boys would never think of taking a sister 5 years younger along where ever he went. He was very thoughtful of her.
After Grandpa Jorgen Andreasen passed away in Brigham on the 23 February 1906, Grandma Andreasen came to live with us in Elwood.
Another experience Howard recalls after 70 years as if it happened yesterday. Is the impressions grandparents leave on their grandchildren. One year while the rest of the family were in Idaho. Howard stayed with Grandma Andreasen in the Elwood home. Our folks owned some building lots in Bear River City just west of mothers parents, Grandma and Grandpa O'kenson's home, as they were called Okenson. Howard was 14 years old at the time. In his own words he tells us: I had been down to Bear River the ay before irrigating the lots, our water turn ended at midnight. I did not want to stay there that late, so thinking that Uncle Willard Jensen (our neighbor to the south) would take the water when his turn came. I set the water on the lots and went home to Elwood. Well, Willard did not take the water on scheduled time and by morning the streets south and west of grandma and grandpas were flooded. When I came the next day to Bear River City in the buggy and team and Grandpa O'kenson was waiting for me. He came up to the buggy and waved me to stop. Well, did I ever get a Swedish Blessing for flooding the streets." I tried to explain. I said to grandpa that I, but he did not let me finish saying that I thought Willard would take the water. He stopped me short, saying, "yes, min you tot, dats a hell of a damn note." I thought he was going to pull me out of the buggy and give me a Swedish reminder too but he didn't.
That afternoon I was over pulling weeds and grandma came over to the fence where I was working, she had witnessed the scolding that morning. She said, "Don't mind too bad what grandpa said to you, he will get over it when the water is gone." She then handed me two half dollars and told me to go to the store two blocks away and get me some candy and ginger snaps. She was nice, good and tenderhearted.
The older children were now attending the Elwood District School where we all attended and graduated from school. Howard, and Jennie also attended BYU College in Logan and lived with mothers' sister Aunt Annie Kelley, while working for their board.
In August 10, 1906 another daughter was born to the family, Mae Gertrude, named after Grandma O'kenson. The twins being only 19 months old. This daughter made the family make ten as a total.
Indeed mother was busy sewing, cooking, churning butter, besides the everyday home chores.
I was the only one of ten of the children born in the State of Idaho. Father called me "Little Doll." Mother was truly grateful for her two older daughters who were of good help to her.
The Elwood farm was considered excellent land for sugar beets, grains, hay and pastures along with raising apples. Also there was a pasture for stock running the length of the farm along the east side of the Malad River. The grass was salty but was supplement for hay and a place for the stock to range.
On the 14th of November 1907 Roy the oldest son married a lovely girl, Lula Larsen from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. Mother must have been extremely relieved as all that packing moving and traveling each spring and fall could be history.
When I was about seven years of age my older brother, Howard was called on a mission to Norway. He had made a fuss over me and home seemed so lonesome with both he and Roy gone.
Jennie was now a young lady and was working in around Tremonton, Garland and Elwood. Eva Hansen tells me Jennie was so neat and ambitious she enjoyed her services very much.
Later on she was employed by the L.S. Mann's family who came to Elwood from back east and purchased a large apple orchard one mile east. It was called, The Stacey Orchard. She was employed there until she married. She came home in the cold winter months when there was no work at the orchard for the hired help. The Mann's usually would move back east for the winter's months.
Father and mother both loved music. There was a beautiful piano in our home all my life. Howard could cord to any song and play the trumpet and violin. Never having taken lessons. Jennie and Herman took piano lessons from a lady who had a circuit in the valley traveling for the "Chicago Conservatory of Music." They took their lessons at the parley W. Christensen's home. Walking the two miles each way for their lessons much of the time. Herman won a pin for Excellence, which he prized the remainder of his life. There was a special music book father had mailed to our home each month called the "Etude," anyone who knew anything about music during my lifetime will recognize this book. It was filled with music of the "Master."
By this time Dortha was born 15th of December 1913, bringing the family to ten. She was the last of the family a cute little baby. Mother was 49 years old at the time. Dortha took the spotlight. She went anywhere the car and father went.
We traveled to church, dances and other activities with horses, buggies and sleighs. The winters were bitter cold the snow was deep when we walked to and from school. We could walk over the fences in the fields usually on our return from school on those cold winter days mother would have warm cookies and cake doughnuts for us. She was a loving kind mother. To keep us warm while going to church. Mother would put bricks in the oven before hand to get hot. Then a quilt was put on top clean straw and bricks in the sleigh and another quilt put on top of us to keep us warm while traveling.
While waking to or from school Herman and Norman, my twin brothers were very loving to me. When I would get cold and start crying they would rub my hands and fingers and sing a song or start saying something that we were to memorize or make some kind of fun to take my mind off the cold and sure enough we would soon be home. They are such apart of my growing up years. It would be sad if this life were the end. We would sing the songs our aunts and uncles had taught us.
I remember parties held in the Elwood School. Valentine parties and special parties were held for the schoolteachers. These teachers' parties were pre-arranged. One of the parents would purchase a gift; our father bought several of these gifts, each student bringing a few cents to pay for the gift. Then there was Valentines Day, how beautiful the valentines were. White, frilly paper lace with flowers, swans and birds put together in dimensions with fine gold chains. Oh what fun times in a rural school.
Father was a progressive man he loved people and was concerned with their welfare. He assisted several people coming to America who were to pay him later. More than once he was forgotten. He supported the drainage system and the spring water being piped to Elwood, etc.
The older boys each had a nice buggy with a beautiful team of horses to go sporting with and these horses were used also to drill and cultivate the beets. Their hoofs were small and trim if they did step on the beets it hurt them very little. The boys usually kept the horses tails braided and bobbed. Mother was very neat and clean; our clothes were kept with care. She would see the boys clothes were clean and pressed whenever they went to dances, Bear River City was full of relatives they must look just so.
Grandmother Andreasen lived by us for many years. She did her own cooking except on Sundays she would always eat in our home. When she got older Jennie and Cleo would comb and braid her hair, mother was patient and considerate of her. Grandma sang songs in Danish. She was a short, sort of fat, good-natured Danish lady. She passed away 02 June 1922. She was missed because she was deeply loved by us all.
My father was very fussy about his farming. He loved this farm. I remember him rising at the break of day walking over each piece of land to observe what had been accomplished the previous day then discussing what was necessary to be done this day. Then when he returned to the house after observing his work his overalls pockets would be filled with small bits of wire or sticks that he had picked up while on his walk, like the little pieces that had been hauled out in the manure spreader during the winter.
We children had to work hard at home. The farm consisted of 150 acres of irrigated land plus a 40 acre dry farm to the east of our home and 40 acre dry farm in Bothwell and about 40-50 acres on Little Mountain.
There was usually 50 acres of our own beets to thin and many years we thinned some for other people. These had to be hoed and kept free of weeds then topped and loaded on the wagons by hand and hauled to the beet dump in the fall to be taken when the railroad cars were filled in Garland to be processed into sugar.
We also had fields of grain and hay. Three crops of hay and 20 acres of apples that had to be taken care of. The apples had to be picked before the beets were harvested or they would freeze. Besides our family there was usually others who helped pick.
An assembly table was then built with it used for grading and sorting the apples. The apples were brought from the fields on a flat rack and stacked in the yard. In the yard where the assembly line was at one end of the table there was the wood material for the boxes stacked in tall stacks. The beginning of the table was the box nailer, he would nail the boxes together then send them on down the table to the next lady who would put a piece of wax paper in the box to help protect the apples from bruises. Next comes the sorting of the apples themselves. They would have a box for culls, one for the bigger apples and another for the smaller apples. These three ladies would sort the apples then pass them on down the table to the last stop on the assembly line, to the cleats man. He would hammer the top cleats onto the boxes and set them on the wagon. When the wagon was filled they would haul them to the railroad station to be shipped away. I myself could pick around 100 bushels of apples a day.
Mother would cook dinner for these women sorters. Jack Fronk, a local man bought many apples from our father. Many times Jack Fronk would come in and help mother mash the potatoes if us girls were still busy out in the fields.
When we were young and learning how to thin beets if we left too many doubles we were escorted back to the field and obliged to redo our work. We learned to do it well the first time. The other people we thinned for said we thinned and did the first hoeing at the same time. Other farmers always paid us more than the going wage. In those days thinning, hoeing, topping and loading were all done by hand. It was hard work pulling the beets with the hooks on the end of our knives.
In the summer we would look forward to Sunday when we could visit our relatives in Bear River City and Bothwell. They in return would come and see us. Dear relatives from Idaho would also come down and visit us. There would always be ice cream and cake. I never remember mother ironing or baking on Sunday. Saturdays were for getting the house and clothes ready for Sunday. Baking was also done on Saturday. Sacrament meetings were held directly after Sunday school. It was held in the recreation hall. Separate rooms for the classes were made by stringing curtains by wire going east and west, north and south to make the room divisions complete. We would often hear more of the lesson next door than the one we were to be listening to.
In the early days of Elwood people from Bear River, Corinne, Tremonton, Deweyville and surrounding areas would attend the dances. Elwood hall floor was considered the best. Entire families would collect for the fun and community of the hall, one for the ladies wraps and parasols, rubbers, etc. and one for the men's coats, hats and overshoes. Over on the north and one on the south to get up and down. Up in the balcony or we called it nigger heaven was where the mothers of the ward would fix a bed with quilts for their babies while they danced. We all looked forward to these occasions.
Our Dad always took advantage of an opportunity that would enhance making a good living. He bought part of a coalmine in Wyoming hoping to make some money but through fraud he was cheated out, everything including his initial investment. For years he owned and operated a steam thrashing machine outfit and covered a goodly part of the valley thrashing grain for all the farmers as they came in line. He wore out two thrashing machines while operating his business. Years later the thrashing was done in the farmers own yards. Usually two brothers worked on the thrashing machine. All the men would sleep on the clean straw with their bedrolls. When the grain was thrashed the separator was changed and lucren seed was then thrashed. A cook shack went along with the thrasher. My sister, Cleo did the cooking for several years. This steam engine was powerful. Father and the boys would pull apples trees for people in the winter if the ground was not frozen to hard. Apple tree wood is wonderful and clean burning in our stove and throws off a lot of heat.
Working out for other people as much as they did made it twice as hard on the ones left at home to work.
For years he would operate a part time meat and butcher business. He would rent Brother, N.A. Peterson's slaughterhouse just north of our home, purchase fat cattle and hogs from anyone who had such to sell and then he would butcher them and sell quarters, halves or what ever to the neighbors. This was aside from operating a good size farm.
It was a common saying in Elwood when any new people came into the vicinity and needed work, people referred them to Casper Andreasen's place – saying, they will give you help or work, which was very true. It was seldom indeed that we did not have someone on the place helping with the work that was not of the family. This put an extra burden on our dear mother as very often this help boarded with us and if not they had the noonday meal with us. They did not sleep in our house. They would sleep in the out buildings. In 1917 Howard returned from his mission and he persuaded father to build a new home. After the new home was built hired help slept in the old house.
My mother to help supplement the family income hand churned, molded wrapped and sold butter of many years. She had a special butter wrappings made. In the middle on the outside of the wrappers was her name in this manner:
Made by
Mrs. Casper Andreasen
RFD # 1
Tremonton, Utah
50 of these one-pound packages were placed in a special box and took to the Honeyville Railroad station and shipped to Basfords, Salt Lake City, Utah. Her butter was also in demand in Tremonton stores because the butter was free of brine.
Happy times I remember in the summer time a traveling troup would come into Bear River Valley setting up their huge tent just across from where the LDS Seminary now stands. Our Dad was a High Councilman in the Bear River Stake for 25 years and the entertainment of this troup was church approved. They were called, "The Chatiqua." Father would buy several tickets. The same act was performed two or three nights so that made it possible in a week's time we each could see all the acts. They also sold popcorn and candy. We looked forward each summer to seeing this entertainment.
The new house was started, Howard digging and scraping out for the basement. This was very hard and tiring work for him and the horses. He wore out two scrapers. This home was built near the county road and my brother, Golden and his wife still live there now.
The house had a full basement, two nice large front rooms with built in China closets for the nice dishes of Moms and bookcases for fathers books. A front bedroom, bathroom, three porches on the ground floor and there was also a front hallway. Upstairs there were six nice bedrooms with each a closet for the clothes. One of these bedrooms had a washbasin with cold and hot running water and one had a small porch were bedding could be shook and aired. The carpenters were from Logan. They too ate their meals with us during the week and then returned back to Logan on Saturday evenings.
Father had bought a direct current light plant "The Delco." This plant had 16 or so batteries. The motor would run in the day time on coal oil or gasoline, then this would change the batteries for lights at night.
Our home was the first in Bear River Valley to have electric lights, inside bathroom and a kitchen sink with cold and hot running water and also a bathtub with cold and hot running water. Father had also bought a beautiful oil painting and Wilton rug for the parlor. It was lovely. I'm sure mother and dad were happy about the house but his made a lot of rooms to be kept clean.
At this time Howard married Irene Seager a young lady from east Tremonton on 18 April 1917. They with the money my father had paid Howard for work began purchasing the Jay Ferry farm just across the Malad River to the west of us. Irene was a very good and we all got along very well. I turned out to be baby tender many times.
Now Jennie in the meantime had been keeping company with a young man from Elwood, Eph Hansen. He too filled a mission and upon his return Jennie and he were married on 31 December 1918.
I worked to the side of my twin brothers in the fields. Herman and Norman taught me to do my work well. We would memorize, "The Articles of Faith," scriptures, songs as we worked. They were very sweet to me.
Dortha was 7 ½ years younger than I, she could help mother some but on Saturday afternoon I would help. I stayed in the house as a rule to help with the Saturdays work.
The next several years the American people were to experience a depression of such magnitude that it would never be forgotten. We were part of it; father had many acres of good productive farmland but no price for it. Grain was selling for $0.29 a bushel; 50# of flour was selling for $0.49. Scawof Never Rip overalls sold for $0.98 a pair. Young girls were fortunate to have two good dresses to wear.
For several years telephones had been in the valley. We were so happy when we could talk to our brother, Roy in Idaho. He was asthmatic and the Idaho climate agreed with him much better than did the Utah climate.
The roads were still dirt and gravel but for many years past men were hired to keep them graveled and smooth.
Many in the valley had cars. I think N.A. Peterson was the first in Elwood and my father came in second or third to own a car.
My next sister, Cleo had met a nice young man who later worked for our father for a short time before joining the armed forces in World War I. He was stationed in Seattle, Washington. They were married 12 July 1919. There was no money to be had. Father and mother had lots of land "land poor" but there was no one of the family went to see them married. Mother was sad but I remember some lovely quilts, pillows, pillowcases, dishtowels, dollies, etc. sent with her along with our love. She left another vacancy in our home. Home without each of them was never the same.
My brothers, Herman and Norman along with Floyd Jens, LeGrand Peterson, from Bear River City and Elwood Larsen from Elwood had organized a dance band. They traveled all over the Bear River Valley going as far west as Grouse Creek to play for dances, rallies and community affairs. In some respects this was a blessing they usually took our car and was paid for traveling expenses along with their night wages. This kept them in spending money.
On 19 March 1924 Golden married a nice young lady from Bear River City. For some time Golden worked for father and they made their first home in our old home. She kept it very clean and homey.
December 5, 1925, Mae was married to Chauncey M. Cornwall. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Cornwall of south Tremonton. Herman married Loa Freeman 19 June 1930. A lovely girl from Brigham City. Norman married Orba Davis 10 March 1936. A sweet young lady from Panguitch in southern Utah. Dortha married Kelsey Lee, 8 February 1933. A young man whom worked on our farm in the beets one fall. He was from Springville, Utah.
Our parents had given us much love and lovely home surroundings. They gave us opportunities that would enrich our lives. Some of us did not take advantage of them.
Herman, Norman and their wives stayed close to home to help with the farm. They can never be repaid for their thoughtfulness and goodness to our parents during the depression years. Sticking even to the point of having problems in their own homes. Howard and Irene lived across the Malad River from our parents. They had a large farm but no price for farm products. Father had to hire a lot of help. Some men would work just to put in their time not caring how the job was done. This disturbed our dad very much. Golden lived in Bear River but worked for father. He took over the Walter Green farm in Elwood. Dortha was home during these years. I'm sure mother and father enjoyed the laughter and family lasting spirit she left in our home.
July 3, 1929 tragedy struck our family. Howard and his wife came in contact with a terrible accident and Irene was killed leaving eight children; the oldest about 14 and the youngest 4 months old. My sister, Cleo had a baby girl just 4 months old. Cleo took Howard's baby bay 4 months old and nursed him along with her own baby. Cleo and her husband raised this boy until he was out of high school. Mother and father took care of some of the children and Irene's parents, brother and sister Seager took care of some of them also. At this same time Howard lost his farm. It was a sad time.
Father and mother had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, 03 December 1937 at their home in Elwood. An open house was held form 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Many dear relatives and friends from Idaho, Bear River City, Bothwell and Elwood came to reminisce over bye-gone days and to wish them well.
Herman lived in Elwood and came down to work on the farm. Norman and his family lived in Brigham coming out to help father on the farm quite frequently. Cleo and her family as well as Jennie and her family lived just a few miles from home. Howard had moved to Illinois. Roy was still in Idaho. Golden in Bear River City. Mae in Blue Creek and Dorothy in Springville, Utah.
Mother still having her headaches never once complained. She stood side by side helping father and raising her family, as Heavenly Father would expect her to do. Later years were a bit easier. But there was still a large house to keep up.
Herman is divorced and leaves his two little girls in mom and dad's care while he serves a mission to the eastern states.
The first of June mother became ill, she stayed in bed for a few days. On the morning of June 9th she told father she wanted to get up. He helped her into the kitchen and sat her in her rocking chair and was preparing her some breakfast, she asked for a basin of water in which she could wash her hands. Father was helping her when her life slipped away.
Great grief makes sacred those upon whom its hands is laid, joy may elevate, ambition may glorify but only grief can bring the deepest feelings of life. Mother passed away on 09 June 1939.
For our Dad the zest of living had lost its meaning. He was heart broken. He dearly loved our Mother. He respected her as a queen.
Herman never came home until his mission was fulfilled.
Father lived on the farm for a short time then moved to Brigham City and bought a small home there. Upon Herman's return from his mission his two little girls and our father lived together. Herman was so good to Dad we can never repay him for his lovely loving care for Father. Father traveled from Brigham City to Elwood looking after the farm. A little while later Golden bought the farm and each of us was given a little bit of money.
Father ran a coal business in Brigham City and kept active. Some years later he met and married Hanna Johnston a widow on 20 December 1944. They visited us frequently but at the mention of our mother, tears would roll down our father's cheeks. He worked until a few months before he passed away on the 11 May 1950.
A True Latter Day Saint: Mother's life was one of patience, unselfishness, endurance, dedication and an unlimited amount of love. Father was the only one of his family to fulfill a mission. Mother and father loved their children and it grieved them when any of us failed to live, as we should. They were concerned for our eternal welfare. They taught all of us how to work and feel the joy of achieving excellence in accomplishments. I thank them for this wonderful legacy.
Life of Casper and Carrie Andreasen
To the Best of My Knowledge and Reminiscence of My Childhood life
including
Instances told to me by my brothers and sisters
By Mae Andreasen Cornwall
Casper was born in Orrislev, Fyn, Skeby, Denmark the 15 August 1863. Casper Andreasen came to America by boat in 1869 and by railroad to Bear River City with his parents Jorgen and Marie Catherine Hansen Andreasen and four brothers: Carl, Hans, Nels and Rasmus. Casper coming between Hans and Nels in the family.
Jorgen and Marie had joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Denmark. Their home was always open to the missionaries. They waited to come to America until the railroad was built because grandpa had a hip socket shot out in a war in Denmark between Germany and he had difficulty in walking.
Grandfather was a fine cabinetmaker by trade. So it was not peculiar that my father was gifted somewhat in that same line of trade. The family came directly to Bear River City and made their home. Later grandpa and grandma moved to Brigham City where more work was available.
My father Casper along with some of his brothers ran a freight outlet into Idaho, Montana and Oregon but my father disliked very much the foul language and company that was involved with this enterprise. He found work in and around Bear River City, carpentering and sheep shearing. He tells of the time sagebrush was taller than a horse and that the sheep would range as far north as the Idaho State Line.
Father was industrious and ambitious, hard worker and loved to see a job well done. Excellence was his creed. His hay and grain was stacked with care.
Caroline (Carrie) O'ken Anderson was born 03 February 1865. Daughter and fourth child of Anders O'ken and Gertrude (Pearson, Pherson) Anderson. Hannah, Anna, Carl, David and Caroline being born in Malmo Tryde, Sweden. They left Sweden 12 April 1866 and arrived in America October 1866. They came across the plains in covered wagons where they settled in Mill Creek for the winter and leaving in the spring settling in Bear River City. Caroline, my mother being only 16 months old. Her brothers and sisters in order of birth born in Bear River City, Utah are: Emma Matilda, Nephi, Enoch, Alexander, Nora, Adeline and Nellie. Eleven children a large family.
Grandpa O'kensen was a very particular and neat man, sort of a stern and reserved disposition, a Swedish trait, thoroughly honest in every respect.
Grandma was more gentle and soft hearted, neat and a beautiful dressmaker and weaver of clothe. Industrious and thrifty as a mother with eleven children would have to be. Grandma taught her daughters homemaking skills sewing and weaving most of them were dressmakers.
Mother as a young girl attended school in Bear River City, while there she was a bright student. Later she went to work on the co-op farms for Niels Nelson, Holmgrens, Celia Nelson, Mary Ipson and people from Corrine who came from the East by the name of Torpeys. These people loved her for her cleanliness and lady like manners.
When they learned mother was going to marry my father they said, "Carrie, don't marry a poor Mormon, marry a rich boy from the East, then you won't have to work hard all your life." This seemed good advice to them they were not Mormons.
Each of the little communities held square dances and socials, my parents both attended and enjoyed these activities both belonged to the Bear River City ward choir, singing under the direction of William Powell. My father was in the Bear River Brass Band as a trumpet player.
Evidently mother did not heed the advice offered by Mr. And Mrs. Torpey for on the 30 November 1887 my parents, Casper and Carrie were sealed for Time and all eternity in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Previous to the marriage they had secured a two-room house and had it ready to move into when they returned from the temple that evening. This house was on the West corner of the block where the Bernard Hansen store now stands in Bear River City.
Father and his brothers Nels worked together at the carpentering business. Mother being an expert seamstress took in sewing for two or three years to supplement the income they then homesteaded some land in Elwood, some four or five miles north of Bear River City and later around 1896 built a new home there. In their home they made even the adobe bricks. A pit was made near the site of the house, and then next water was added along with someone on a horse to tramp and mix this to the right consistency. Then they would put this mud into molds and set aside to dry. That is how they lined their home on the outside with those adobe bricks. It made the house comfortable and warm in the winters and cool and nice in the summers.
Father and Mother lived in Elwood with their children Roy 6 June 1889, Howard Maynard 12 December 1891 and Janette (Jennie) Carrie 19 January 1894. These three children were born while they lived in Bear River City.
Howard, the second son rode the horse, Old Doll, to mix the adobe's for their home. Roy and Howard helped father clear the land of sagebrush each year a few more acres were added.
Roy started grade school in Bear River City and David Holmgren was his teacher.
In Elwood, for water a dam was put across the Malad River and canal water ran in front of that first home, this carried the water that irrigated the farm and mother carried from this canal for washing and bathing. She carried many a bucket of water 1 ¾ of a mile from the Bear River for drinking.
My parents were among the first settlers of Elwood. Others were J.P. Christensen's, Peter M. Hansen's, Allen Hunsaker's, Knud Fridal's, James O. Anderson and brother Peter Mortensen's, Elias and Ira Anderson and etc.
That first home my parents built had a kitchen and large pantry, a large front room with a lovely piano and a desk of fathers'. There were also a rocker and one bed in one corner and a beautiful big flower, a pink "Oleander." The house had a porch on the south and west sides. A lovely rock cellar fixed with shelves where milk, cream, cheese, eggs and vegetables and fruits were stored. The house had a large attic; it was divided in half, the boys slept on the one side and the girls slept on the other side.
Mother was a lovely quilter and there was a quilt in the making most of the time.
I remember mother's pillows were fluffy and soft. She always kept the down from the wild ducks and geese. To help keep the bedding clean around our faces, mother would baste a strip of pastel or white cloth 6 or 7 inches deep across the tops of the quilts. Then when this got soiled it was taken off, washed or replaced with new material.
In Elwood on 18 August 1896 another son came to bless the home. He was fair complected and named Franklin Lewis. Lewis after their dear friend Lewis Hunsaker of Elwood.
Another child, a girl born 13 March 1899 was born and was named Grace Cleophia. She was welcomed. Jennie had sister. This made 3 boys and 2 girls.
Up until this time the folks had to travel to Brigham City for Stake meetings and quarterly conferences as Bear River City was just a branch. They traveled by horse and buggy taking hay along to feed the horses at noonday. The team would then be unharnessed and tied to the buggy while eating.
Father was Secretary of the Third Quorum of Elders of the Box Elder Stake for a number of years.
About 12 years after our parents were married or in the spring of 1899. Father was called to fill a mission to Denmark, his native land – Mother gladly gave her consent. He was ordained a Seventy by President Joseph F. Smith, 13 May 1899. He left immediately for his mission. The oldest in the family at this time was Roy, 11 years old and the youngest then was Cleo, 6 weeks old.
The wonderful heritage that had been passed on to our mother came in handy. She was resourceful, hard working, thrifty and had faith that Our Heavenly Father knew the circumstances and would not forsake her and her little ones as long as her husband was on a mission.
Father visited the old home in Denmark. We have some pictures of it.
He returned from his mission in February 1901 with an honorable release. Mother and her 5 little ones had managed well, kept father on his mission and had cleared the farm from debt.
When father came home Roy was out in the yard while father was gone he had grown a beard and mustache. Roy did not recognize father. They began talking, passing the time of day etc. Then father asked, "Do you think your mother would let me stay here over night? I am tired and have no where to go." Quickly Roy responds, "Oh, no sir mother would never allow that." They kept on talking and Roy still thinks this man is a stranger. Again father asks, "I sure need a bed for the night, don't you think we can persuade your mother to let me stay?" Roy replied, "Well, we can go ask her but I'm sure she won't let you." By this time Roy knows the man was his father.
Howard tells me he can still see those big trunks father brought home. There were gifts for all. I, Mae have one of those gifts: beautiful china and a silver cookie jar. It was packed in a trunk by my father in Denmark in 1901 and shipped to America and given to his sweetheart.
Five months after father had returned from his mission, he and mother were called to part with their little boy, Franklin. He died, 8 July 1901 of appendicitis. Very little was known of this disease at the time. This was a sad parting for the folks.
This same year in 1901 our parents began homesteading some land in Cleveland, Idaho about 2 miles north of the summit of Cleveland and Treasureton divide. To prove up on this land it was necessary to live in Idaho 6 months of each year. So in the spring of each year after the crops had been planted on the farm in Elwood all the family, household utensils, bedding, cows, calves, horses, colts, some farm machinery would move to Idaho. The stock would pasture the hills for food in the summer months then in the fall of each year the same procedure would take place to move back to Utah for the winters where the stock would be sheltered and fed over the cold winters.
Some years a family would live in the Elwood home. Irrigate and care for the farm. I have often thought of my mother during these times. Moving is hard work but mother did have a hired girl to help her while her girls were small.
Howard recalls this experience. The time had come to move to Idaho. The night before leaving Elwood preparations had been made so early the coming morning Roy, age 13 and Howard, age 11 would start the trek. The morning sky in Elwood was clear and beautiful, the cows were milked, calves fed, the milk separated and put in the back of the wagon along with the other provisions. Roy and Howard bid the folks so long. The folks were to follow the next day. It was 24 April and they were Cleveland bound. The further north they traveled the more cloudy and blistery the weather became when they reached Clarkston, they were at the halfway mark from Elwood to Cleveland they came upon a terrible blizzard and it was late at night. They did not get the cows milked nor the calves fed. Some of the cows would not let their claves nurse. It was chaos. The next morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. Cows, calves, horses and colts running all over looking for feed. They finally got the cows milked and calves fed and all rounded up and on their way again. They arrived in Cleveland about 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Roy in the meantime had injured his hand and Howard was left to milk, 24 cows twice before help came. After arriving in Cleveland the boys first mended the corral so the stock would be secured, then they went to Aunt Cenie's and Uncle Han's. Just a short distance from where the folks lived. Where Aunt Cenie, mothered them and treat them to bread, biscuits and raspberry jam. She was very considerate of them.
If the riding horses and our old dog, Shep that were used for driving the stock back and forth the 70 mile trip came up missing for more than two days we knew they had gone to the other place, they never got lost.
Father could see arrangements had to be made for a corral and feed for the stock between the two locations. One day as he was going to Idaho he stopped a gentlemen in Clarkston, introduced himself and expressed his wishes, this man was Eph Malmberg. From that first introduction their family and ours were the dearest of friends. On the prearranged dates spring and fall there was corral waiting with managers full of feed for the stock along with plenty of water. A warm bed with supper and breakfast for the two brothers, one coming from Idaho and the other coming from Utah.
By this time the family had increased by another son born 4 April 1902, Golden Rufus, he turned out to be another good farmer. He also took part in these same family activities.
Later Roy married a lovely young lady from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. These years Roy would drive the cattle south as far as Clarkston and Howard; later Golden would meet Roy at the Malmberg home. Howard or Golden would finish driving the cattle to Elwood, then Roy riding back to his home in Idaho. To this day in the fall of the year I can hear the lowing of cattle as they came running in the yard about dusk, hungry and thirsty. The hair around the nostrils and shoulders would be coated with frost. They knew they were home to good feed and shelter for the long winter.
These nights when the brothers would meet at the Malmbergs would be spent telling each other what was new with them in their loving family.
Our parents had a family orchard. In the fall of the year the Malmbergs would come down from Clarkston and load their wagon with peaches, pears, plumbs and apples for the winter, canning and storing. These are dear memories to me, never to be forgotten.
25 January 1905 the twins sons came to the Andreasen home. They were named Norman Jorgen and Herman Richard. These dear little twins brought the family to eight and they kept the older ones happy while hopping for bottles, diapers, diapers and bottles.
Two incidences are inserted here; they are experiences of two of the older ones in the family.
Jenny tells me this story she remembers vividly of a brothers concern for his sister. Some years people would live in the home in Elwood as was stated before. This certain year some folks by the name of Abernathy were living there. It came the fall of the year and the wheat in Elwood was to be harvested. Roy the oldest son was to go and help Abernathy harvest and Jennie the oldest girl was to help Mrs. Abernathy cook for the extra men. Before leaving Gentile Valley. Our folks had given Roy and Jennie permission that after the days work was done they could go visit the Bear River City grandparents and relatives. Now Roy had a sporty buggy and sassy little black team of horses and he was of dating age. So after the work of the day was finished they would clean up and visit their many cousins etc. The Abernathy's were not Mormons and Roy was responsible for Jennie. He took her wherever he went and never left her alone with these people. I'm sure some boys would never think of taking a sister 5 years younger along where ever he went. He was very thoughtful of her.
After Grandpa Jorgen Andreasen passed away in Brigham on the 23 February 1906, Grandma Andreasen came to live with us in Elwood.
Another experience Howard recalls after 70 years as if it happened yesterday. Is the impressions grandparents leave on their grandchildren. One year while the rest of the family were in Idaho. Howard stayed with Grandma Andreasen in the Elwood home. Our folks owned some building lots in Bear River City just west of mothers parents, Grandma and Grandpa O'kenson's home, as they were called Okenson. Howard was 14 years old at the time. In his own words he tells us: I had been down to Bear River the ay before irrigating the lots, our water turn ended at midnight. I did not want to stay there that late, so thinking that Uncle Willard Jensen (our neighbor to the south) would take the water when his turn came. I set the water on the lots and went home to Elwood. Well, Willard did not take the water on scheduled time and by morning the streets south and west of grandma and grandpas were flooded. When I came the next day to Bear River City in the buggy and team and Grandpa O'kenson was waiting for me. He came up to the buggy and waved me to stop. Well, did I ever get a Swedish Blessing for flooding the streets." I tried to explain. I said to grandpa that I, but he did not let me finish saying that I thought Willard would take the water. He stopped me short, saying, "yes, min you tot, dats a hell of a damn note." I thought he was going to pull me out of the buggy and give me a Swedish reminder too but he didn't.
That afternoon I was over pulling weeds and grandma came over to the fence where I was working, she had witnessed the scolding that morning. She said, "Don't mind too bad what grandpa said to you, he will get over it when the water is gone." She then handed me two half dollars and told me to go to the store two blocks away and get me some candy and ginger snaps. She was nice, good and tenderhearted.
The older children were now attending the Elwood District School where we all attended and graduated from school. Howard, and Jennie also attended BYU College in Logan and lived with mothers' sister Aunt Annie Kelley, while working for their board.
In August 10, 1906 another daughter was born to the family, Mae Gertrude, named after Grandma O'kenson. The twins being only 19 months old. This daughter made the family make ten as a total.
Indeed mother was busy sewing, cooking, churning butter, besides the everyday home chores.
I was the only one of ten of the children born in the State of Idaho. Father called me "Little Doll." Mother was truly grateful for her two older daughters who were of good help to her.
The Elwood farm was considered excellent land for sugar beets, grains, hay and pastures along with raising apples. Also there was a pasture for stock running the length of the farm along the east side of the Malad River. The grass was salty but was supplement for hay and a place for the stock to range.
On the 14th of November 1907 Roy the oldest son married a lovely girl, Lula Larsen from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. Mother must have been extremely relieved as all that packing moving and traveling each spring and fall could be history.
When I was about seven years of age my older brother, Howard was called on a mission to Norway. He had made a fuss over me and home seemed so lonesome with both he and Roy gone.
Jennie was now a young lady and was working in around Tremonton, Garland and Elwood. Eva Hansen tells me Jennie was so neat and ambitious she enjoyed her services very much.
Later on she was employed by the L.S. Mann's family who came to Elwood from back east and purchased a large apple orchard one mile east. It was called, The Stacey Orchard. She was employed there until she married. She came home in the cold winter months when there was no work at the orchard for the hired help. The Mann's usually would move back east for the winter's months.
Father and mother both loved music. There was a beautiful piano in our home all my life. Howard could cord to any song and play the trumpet and violin. Never having taken lessons. Jennie and Herman took piano lessons from a lady who had a circuit in the valley traveling for the "Chicago Conservatory of Music." They took their lessons at the parley W. Christensen's home. Walking the two miles each way for their lessons much of the time. Herman won a pin for Excellence, which he prized the remainder of his life. There was a special music book father had mailed to our home each month called the "Etude," anyone who knew anything about music during my lifetime will recognize this book. It was filled with music of the "Master."
By this time Dortha was born 15th of December 1913, bringing the family to ten. She was the last of the family a cute little baby. Mother was 49 years old at the time. Dortha took the spotlight. She went anywhere the car and father went.
We traveled to church, dances and other activities with horses, buggies and sleighs. The winters were bitter cold the snow was deep when we walked to and from school. We could walk over the fences in the fields usually on our return from school on those cold winter days mother would have warm cookies and cake doughnuts for us. She was a loving kind mother. To keep us warm while going to church. Mother would put bricks in the oven before hand to get hot. Then a quilt was put on top clean straw and bricks in the sleigh and another quilt put on top of us to keep us warm while traveling.
While waking to or from school Herman and Norman, my twin brothers were very loving to me. When I would get cold and start crying they would rub my hands and fingers and sing a song or start saying something that we were to memorize or make some kind of fun to take my mind off the cold and sure enough we would soon be home. They are such apart of my growing up years. It would be sad if this life were the end. We would sing the songs our aunts and uncles had taught us.
I remember parties held in the Elwood School. Valentine parties and special parties were held for the schoolteachers. These teachers' parties were pre-arranged. One of the parents would purchase a gift; our father bought several of these gifts, each student bringing a few cents to pay for the gift. Then there was Valentines Day, how beautiful the valentines were. White, frilly paper lace with flowers, swans and birds put together in dimensions with fine gold chains. Oh what fun times in a rural school.
Father was a progressive man he loved people and was concerned with their welfare. He assisted several people coming to America who were to pay him later. More than once he was forgotten. He supported the drainage system and the spring water being piped to Elwood, etc.
The older boys each had a nice buggy with a beautiful team of horses to go sporting with and these horses were used also to drill and cultivate the beets. Their hoofs were small and trim if they did step on the beets it hurt them very little. The boys usually kept the horses tails braided and bobbed. Mother was very neat and clean; our clothes were kept with care. She would see the boys clothes were clean and pressed whenever they went to dances, Bear River City was full of relatives they must look just so.
Grandmother Andreasen lived by us for many years. She did her own cooking except on Sundays she would always eat in our home. When she got older Jennie and Cleo would comb and braid her hair, mother was patient and considerate of her. Grandma sang songs in Danish. She was a short, sort of fat, good-natured Danish lady. She passed away 02 June 1922. She was missed because she was deeply loved by us all.
My father was very fussy about his farming. He loved this farm. I remember him rising at the break of day walking over each piece of land to observe what had been accomplished the previous day then discussing what was necessary to be done this day. Then when he returned to the house after observing his work his overalls pockets would be filled with small bits of wire or sticks that he had picked up while on his walk, like the little pieces that had been hauled out in the manure spreader during the winter.
We children had to work hard at home. The farm consisted of 150 acres of irrigated land plus a 40 acre dry farm to the east of our home and 40 acre dry farm in Bothwell and about 40-50 acres on Little Mountain.
There was usually 50 acres of our own beets to thin and many years we thinned some for other people. These had to be hoed and kept free of weeds then topped and loaded on the wagons by hand and hauled to the beet dump in the fall to be taken when the railroad cars were filled in Garland to be processed into sugar.
We also had fields of grain and hay. Three crops of hay and 20 acres of apples that had to be taken care of. The apples had to be picked before the beets were harvested or they would freeze. Besides our family there was usually others who helped pick.
An assembly table was then built with it used for grading and sorting the apples. The apples were brought from the fields on a flat rack and stacked in the yard. In the yard where the assembly line was at one end of the table there was the wood material for the boxes stacked in tall stacks. The beginning of the table was the box nailer, he would nail the boxes together then send them on down the table to the next lady who would put a piece of wax paper in the box to help protect the apples from bruises. Next comes the sorting of the apples themselves. They would have a box for culls, one for the bigger apples and another for the smaller apples. These three ladies would sort the apples then pass them on down the table to the last stop on the assembly line, to the cleats man. He would hammer the top cleats onto the boxes and set them on the wagon. When the wagon was filled they would haul them to the railroad station to be shipped away. I myself could pick around 100 bushels of apples a day.
Mother would cook dinner for these women sorters. Jack Fronk, a local man bought many apples from our father. Many times Jack Fronk would come in and help mother mash the potatoes if us girls were still busy out in the fields.
When we were young and learning how to thin beets if we left too many doubles we were escorted back to the field and obliged to redo our work. We learned to do it well the first time. The other people we thinned for said we thinned and did the first hoeing at the same time. Other farmers always paid us more than the going wage. In those days thinning, hoeing, topping and loading were all done by hand. It was hard work pulling the beets with the hooks on the end of our knives.
In the summer we would look forward to Sunday when we could visit our relatives in Bear River City and Bothwell. They in return would come and see us. Dear relatives from Idaho would also come down and visit us. There would always be ice cream and cake. I never remember mother ironing or baking on Sunday. Saturdays were for getting the house and clothes ready for Sunday. Baking was also done on Saturday. Sacrament meetings were held directly after Sunday school. It was held in the recreation hall. Separate rooms for the classes were made by stringing curtains by wire going east and west, north and south to make the room divisions complete. We would often hear more of the lesson next door than the one we were to be listening to.
In the early days of Elwood people from Bear River, Corinne, Tremonton, Deweyville and surrounding areas would attend the dances. Elwood hall floor was considered the best. Entire families would collect for the fun and community of the hall, one for the ladies wraps and parasols, rubbers, etc. and one for the men's coats, hats and overshoes. Over on the north and one on the south to get up and down. Up in the balcony or we called it nigger heaven was where the mothers of the ward would fix a bed with quilts for their babies while they danced. We all looked forward to these occasions.
Our Dad always took advantage of an opportunity that would enhance making a good living. He bought part of a coalmine in Wyoming hoping to make some money but through fraud he was cheated out, everything including his initial investment. For years he owned and operated a steam thrashing machine outfit and covered a goodly part of the valley thrashing grain for all the farmers as they came in line. He wore out two thrashing machines while operating his business. Years later the thrashing was done in the farmers own yards. Usually two brothers worked on the thrashing machine. All the men would sleep on the clean straw with their bedrolls. When the grain was thrashed the separator was changed and lucren seed was then thrashed. A cook shack went along with the thrasher. My sister, Cleo did the cooking for several years. This steam engine was powerful. Father and the boys would pull apples trees for people in the winter if the ground was not frozen to hard. Apple tree wood is wonderful and clean burning in our stove and throws off a lot of heat.
Working out for other people as much as they did made it twice as hard on the ones left at home to work.
For years he would operate a part time meat and butcher business. He would rent Brother, N.A. Peterson's slaughterhouse just north of our home, purchase fat cattle and hogs from anyone who had such to sell and then he would butcher them and sell quarters, halves or what ever to the neighbors. This was aside from operating a good size farm.
It was a common saying in Elwood when any new people came into the vicinity and needed work, people referred them to Casper Andreasen's place – saying, they will give you help or work, which was very true. It was seldom indeed that we did not have someone on the place helping with the work that was not of the family. This put an extra burden on our dear mother as very often this help boarded with us and if not they had the noonday meal with us. They did not sleep in our house. They would sleep in the out buildings. In 1917 Howard returned from his mission and he persuaded father to build a new home. After the new home was built hired help slept in the old house.
My mother to help supplement the family income hand churned, molded wrapped and sold butter of many years. She had a special butter wrappings made. In the middle on the outside of the wrappers was her name in this manner:
Made by
Mrs. Casper Andreasen
RFD # 1
Tremonton, Utah
50 of these one-pound packages were placed in a special box and took to the Honeyville Railroad station and shipped to Basfords, Salt Lake City, Utah. Her butter was also in demand in Tremonton stores because the butter was free of brine.
Happy times I remember in the summer time a traveling troup would come into Bear River Valley setting up their huge tent just across from where the LDS Seminary now stands. Our Dad was a High Councilman in the Bear River Stake for 25 years and the entertainment of this troup was church approved. They were called, "The Chatiqua." Father would buy several tickets. The same act was performed two or three nights so that made it possible in a week's time we each could see all the acts. They also sold popcorn and candy. We looked forward each summer to seeing this entertainment.
The new house was started, Howard digging and scraping out for the basement. This was very hard and tiring work for him and the horses. He wore out two scrapers. This home was built near the county road and my brother, Golden and his wife still live there now.
The house had a full basement, two nice large front rooms with built in China closets for the nice dishes of Moms and bookcases for fathers books. A front bedroom, bathroom, three porches on the ground floor and there was also a front hallway. Upstairs there were six nice bedrooms with each a closet for the clothes. One of these bedrooms had a washbasin with cold and hot running water and one had a small porch were bedding could be shook and aired. The carpenters were from Logan. They too ate their meals with us during the week and then returned back to Logan on Saturday evenings.
Father had bought a direct current light plant "The Delco." This plant had 16 or so batteries. The motor would run in the day time on coal oil or gasoline, then this would change the batteries for lights at night.
Our home was the first in Bear River Valley to have electric lights, inside bathroom and a kitchen sink with cold and hot running water and also a bathtub with cold and hot running water. Father had also bought a beautiful oil painting and Wilton rug for the parlor. It was lovely. I'm sure mother and dad were happy about the house but his made a lot of rooms to be kept clean.
At this time Howard married Irene Seager a young lady from east Tremonton on 18 April 1917. They with the money my father had paid Howard for work began purchasing the Jay Ferry farm just across the Malad River to the west of us. Irene was a very good and we all got along very well. I turned out to be baby tender many times.
Now Jennie in the meantime had been keeping company with a young man from Elwood, Eph Hansen. He too filled a mission and upon his return Jennie and he were married on 31 December 1918.
I worked to the side of my twin brothers in the fields. Herman and Norman taught me to do my work well. We would memorize, "The Articles of Faith," scriptures, songs as we worked. They were very sweet to me.
Dortha was 7 ½ years younger than I, she could help mother some but on Saturday afternoon I would help. I stayed in the house as a rule to help with the Saturdays work.
The next several years the American people were to experience a depression of such magnitude that it would never be forgotten. We were part of it; father had many acres of good productive farmland but no price for it. Grain was selling for $0.29 a bushel; 50# of flour was selling for $0.49. Scawof Never Rip overalls sold for $0.98 a pair. Young girls were fortunate to have two good dresses to wear.
For several years telephones had been in the valley. We were so happy when we could talk to our brother, Roy in Idaho. He was asthmatic and the Idaho climate agreed with him much better than did the Utah climate.
The roads were still dirt and gravel but for many years past men were hired to keep them graveled and smooth.
Many in the valley had cars. I think N.A. Peterson was the first in Elwood and my father came in second or third to own a car.
My next sister, Cleo had met a nice young man who later worked for our father for a short time before joining the armed forces in World War I. He was stationed in Seattle, Washington. They were married 12 July 1919. There was no money to be had. Father and mother had lots of land "land poor" but there was no one of the family went to see them married. Mother was sad but I remember some lovely quilts, pillows, pillowcases, dishtowels, dollies, etc. sent with her along with our love. She left another vacancy in our home. Home without each of them was never the same.
My brothers, Herman and Norman along with Floyd Jens, LeGrand Peterson, from Bear River City and Elwood Larsen from Elwood had organized a dance band. They traveled all over the Bear River Valley going as far west as Grouse Creek to play for dances, rallies and community affairs. In some respects this was a blessing they usually took our car and was paid for traveling expenses along with their night wages. This kept them in spending money.
On 19 March 1924 Golden married a nice young lady from Bear River City. For some time Golden worked for father and they made their first home in our old home. She kept it very clean and homey.
December 5, 1925, Mae was married to Chauncey M. Cornwall. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Cornwall of south Tremonton. Herman married Loa Freeman 19 June 1930. A lovely girl from Brigham City. Norman married Orba Davis 10 March 1936. A sweet young lady from Panguitch in southern Utah. Dortha married Kelsey Lee, 8 February 1933. A young man whom worked on our farm in the beets one fall. He was from Springville, Utah.
Our parents had given us much love and lovely home surroundings. They gave us opportunities that would enrich our lives. Some of us did not take advantage of them.
Herman, Norman and their wives stayed close to home to help with the farm. They can never be repaid for their thoughtfulness and goodness to our parents during the depression years. Sticking even to the point of having problems in their own homes. Howard and Irene lived across the Malad River from our parents. They had a large farm but no price for farm products. Father had to hire a lot of help. Some men would work just to put in their time not caring how the job was done. This disturbed our dad very much. Golden lived in Bear River but worked for father. He took over the Walter Green farm in Elwood. Dortha was home during these years. I'm sure mother and father enjoyed the laughter and family lasting spirit she left in our home.
July 3, 1929 tragedy struck our family. Howard and his wife came in contact with a terrible accident and Irene was killed leaving eight children; the oldest about 14 and the youngest 4 months old. My sister, Cleo had a baby girl just 4 months old. Cleo took Howard's baby bay 4 months old and nursed him along with her own baby. Cleo and her husband raised this boy until he was out of high school. Mother and father took care of some of the children and Irene's parents, brother and sister Seager took care of some of them also. At this same time Howard lost his farm. It was a sad time.
Father and mother had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, 03 December 1937 at their home in Elwood. An open house was held form 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Many dear relatives and friends from Idaho, Bear River City, Bothwell and Elwood came to reminisce over bye-gone days and to wish them well.
Herman lived in Elwood and came down to work on the farm. Norman and his family lived in Brigham coming out to help father on the farm quite frequently. Cleo and her family as well as Jennie and her family lived just a few miles from home. Howard had moved to Illinois. Roy was still in Idaho. Golden in Bear River City. Mae in Blue Creek and Dorothy in Springville, Utah.
Mother still having her headaches never once complained. She stood side by side helping father and raising her family, as Heavenly Father would expect her to do. Later years were a bit easier. But there was still a large house to keep up.
Herman is divorced and leaves his two little girls in mom and dad's care while he serves a mission to the eastern states.
The first of June mother became ill, she stayed in bed for a few days. On the morning of June 9th she told father she wanted to get up. He helped her into the kitchen and sat her in her rocking chair and was preparing her some breakfast, she asked for a basin of water in which she could wash her hands. Father was helping her when her life slipped away.
Great grief makes sacred those upon whom its hands is laid, joy may elevate, ambition may glorify but only grief can bring the deepest feelings of life. Mother passed away on 09 June 1939.
For our Dad the zest of living had lost its meaning. He was heart broken. He dearly loved our Mother. He respected her as a queen.
Herman never came home until his mission was fulfilled.
Father lived on the farm for a short time then moved to Brigham City and bought a small home there. Upon Herman's return from his mission his two little girls and our father lived together. Herman was so good to Dad we can never repay him for his lovely loving care for Father. Father traveled from Brigham City to Elwood looking after the farm. A little while later Golden bought the farm and each of us was given a little bit of money.
Father ran a coal business in Brigham City and kept active. Some years later he met and married Hanna Johnston a widow on 20 December 1944. They visited us frequently but at the mention of our mother, tears would roll down our father's cheeks. He worked until a few months before he passed away on the 11 May 1950.
A True Latter Day Saint: Mother's life was one of patience, unselfishness, endurance, dedication and an unlimited amount of love. Father was the only one of his family to fulfill a mission. Mother and father loved their children and it grieved them when any of us failed to live, as we should. They were concerned for our eternal welfare. They taught all of us how to work and feel the joy of achieving excellence in accomplishments. I thank them for this wonderful legacy.
To the Best of My Knowledge and Reminiscence of My Childhood life
including
Instances told to me by my brothers and sisters
By Mae Andreasen Cornwall
Casper was born in Orrislev, Fyn, Skeby, Denmark the 15 August 1863. Casper Andreasen came to America by boat in 1869 and by railroad to Bear River City with his parents Jorgen and Marie Catherine Hansen Andreasen and four brothers: Carl, Hans, Nels and Rasmus. Casper coming between Hans and Nels in the family.
Jorgen and Marie had joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Denmark. Their home was always open to the missionaries. They waited to come to America until the railroad was built because grandpa had a hip socket shot out in a war in Denmark between Germany and he had difficulty in walking.
Grandfather was a fine cabinetmaker by trade. So it was not peculiar that my father was gifted somewhat in that same line of trade. The family came directly to Bear River City and made their home. Later grandpa and grandma moved to Brigham City where more work was available.
My father Casper along with some of his brothers ran a freight outlet into Idaho, Montana and Oregon but my father disliked very much the foul language and company that was involved with this enterprise. He found work in and around Bear River City, carpentering and sheep shearing. He tells of the time sagebrush was taller than a horse and that the sheep would range as far north as the Idaho State Line.
Father was industrious and ambitious, hard worker and loved to see a job well done. Excellence was his creed. His hay and grain was stacked with care.
Caroline (Carrie) O'ken Anderson was born 03 February 1865. Daughter and fourth child of Anders O'ken and Gertrude (Pearson, Pherson) Anderson. Hannah, Anna, Carl, David and Caroline being born in Malmo Tryde, Sweden. They left Sweden 12 April 1866 and arrived in America October 1866. They came across the plains in covered wagons where they settled in Mill Creek for the winter and leaving in the spring settling in Bear River City. Caroline, my mother being only 16 months old. Her brothers and sisters in order of birth born in Bear River City, Utah are: Emma Matilda, Nephi, Enoch, Alexander, Nora, Adeline and Nellie. Eleven children a large family.
Grandpa O'kensen was a very particular and neat man, sort of a stern and reserved disposition, a Swedish trait, thoroughly honest in every respect.
Grandma was more gentle and soft hearted, neat and a beautiful dressmaker and weaver of clothe. Industrious and thrifty as a mother with eleven children would have to be. Grandma taught her daughters homemaking skills sewing and weaving most of them were dressmakers.
Mother as a young girl attended school in Bear River City, while there she was a bright student. Later she went to work on the co-op farms for Niels Nelson, Holmgrens, Celia Nelson, Mary Ipson and people from Corrine who came from the East by the name of Torpeys. These people loved her for her cleanliness and lady like manners.
When they learned mother was going to marry my father they said, "Carrie, don't marry a poor Mormon, marry a rich boy from the East, then you won't have to work hard all your life." This seemed good advice to them they were not Mormons.
Each of the little communities held square dances and socials, my parents both attended and enjoyed these activities both belonged to the Bear River City ward choir, singing under the direction of William Powell. My father was in the Bear River Brass Band as a trumpet player.
Evidently mother did not heed the advice offered by Mr. And Mrs. Torpey for on the 30 November 1887 my parents, Casper and Carrie were sealed for Time and all eternity in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Previous to the marriage they had secured a two-room house and had it ready to move into when they returned from the temple that evening. This house was on the West corner of the block where the Bernard Hansen store now stands in Bear River City.
Father and his brothers Nels worked together at the carpentering business. Mother being an expert seamstress took in sewing for two or three years to supplement the income they then homesteaded some land in Elwood, some four or five miles north of Bear River City and later around 1896 built a new home there. In their home they made even the adobe bricks. A pit was made near the site of the house, and then next water was added along with someone on a horse to tramp and mix this to the right consistency. Then they would put this mud into molds and set aside to dry. That is how they lined their home on the outside with those adobe bricks. It made the house comfortable and warm in the winters and cool and nice in the summers.
Father and Mother lived in Elwood with their children Roy 6 June 1889, Howard Maynard 12 December 1891 and Janette (Jennie) Carrie 19 January 1894. These three children were born while they lived in Bear River City.
Howard, the second son rode the horse, Old Doll, to mix the adobe's for their home. Roy and Howard helped father clear the land of sagebrush each year a few more acres were added.
Roy started grade school in Bear River City and David Holmgren was his teacher.
In Elwood, for water a dam was put across the Malad River and canal water ran in front of that first home, this carried the water that irrigated the farm and mother carried from this canal for washing and bathing. She carried many a bucket of water 1 ¾ of a mile from the Bear River for drinking.
My parents were among the first settlers of Elwood. Others were J.P. Christensen's, Peter M. Hansen's, Allen Hunsaker's, Knud Fridal's, James O. Anderson and brother Peter Mortensen's, Elias and Ira Anderson and etc.
That first home my parents built had a kitchen and large pantry, a large front room with a lovely piano and a desk of fathers'. There were also a rocker and one bed in one corner and a beautiful big flower, a pink "Oleander." The house had a porch on the south and west sides. A lovely rock cellar fixed with shelves where milk, cream, cheese, eggs and vegetables and fruits were stored. The house had a large attic; it was divided in half, the boys slept on the one side and the girls slept on the other side.
Mother was a lovely quilter and there was a quilt in the making most of the time.
I remember mother's pillows were fluffy and soft. She always kept the down from the wild ducks and geese. To help keep the bedding clean around our faces, mother would baste a strip of pastel or white cloth 6 or 7 inches deep across the tops of the quilts. Then when this got soiled it was taken off, washed or replaced with new material.
In Elwood on 18 August 1896 another son came to bless the home. He was fair complected and named Franklin Lewis. Lewis after their dear friend Lewis Hunsaker of Elwood.
Another child, a girl born 13 March 1899 was born and was named Grace Cleophia. She was welcomed. Jennie had sister. This made 3 boys and 2 girls.
Up until this time the folks had to travel to Brigham City for Stake meetings and quarterly conferences as Bear River City was just a branch. They traveled by horse and buggy taking hay along to feed the horses at noonday. The team would then be unharnessed and tied to the buggy while eating.
Father was Secretary of the Third Quorum of Elders of the Box Elder Stake for a number of years.
About 12 years after our parents were married or in the spring of 1899. Father was called to fill a mission to Denmark, his native land – Mother gladly gave her consent. He was ordained a Seventy by President Joseph F. Smith, 13 May 1899. He left immediately for his mission. The oldest in the family at this time was Roy, 11 years old and the youngest then was Cleo, 6 weeks old.
The wonderful heritage that had been passed on to our mother came in handy. She was resourceful, hard working, thrifty and had faith that Our Heavenly Father knew the circumstances and would not forsake her and her little ones as long as her husband was on a mission.
Father visited the old home in Denmark. We have some pictures of it.
He returned from his mission in February 1901 with an honorable release. Mother and her 5 little ones had managed well, kept father on his mission and had cleared the farm from debt.
When father came home Roy was out in the yard while father was gone he had grown a beard and mustache. Roy did not recognize father. They began talking, passing the time of day etc. Then father asked, "Do you think your mother would let me stay here over night? I am tired and have no where to go." Quickly Roy responds, "Oh, no sir mother would never allow that." They kept on talking and Roy still thinks this man is a stranger. Again father asks, "I sure need a bed for the night, don't you think we can persuade your mother to let me stay?" Roy replied, "Well, we can go ask her but I'm sure she won't let you." By this time Roy knows the man was his father.
Howard tells me he can still see those big trunks father brought home. There were gifts for all. I, Mae have one of those gifts: beautiful china and a silver cookie jar. It was packed in a trunk by my father in Denmark in 1901 and shipped to America and given to his sweetheart.
Five months after father had returned from his mission, he and mother were called to part with their little boy, Franklin. He died, 8 July 1901 of appendicitis. Very little was known of this disease at the time. This was a sad parting for the folks.
This same year in 1901 our parents began homesteading some land in Cleveland, Idaho about 2 miles north of the summit of Cleveland and Treasureton divide. To prove up on this land it was necessary to live in Idaho 6 months of each year. So in the spring of each year after the crops had been planted on the farm in Elwood all the family, household utensils, bedding, cows, calves, horses, colts, some farm machinery would move to Idaho. The stock would pasture the hills for food in the summer months then in the fall of each year the same procedure would take place to move back to Utah for the winters where the stock would be sheltered and fed over the cold winters.
Some years a family would live in the Elwood home. Irrigate and care for the farm. I have often thought of my mother during these times. Moving is hard work but mother did have a hired girl to help her while her girls were small.
Howard recalls this experience. The time had come to move to Idaho. The night before leaving Elwood preparations had been made so early the coming morning Roy, age 13 and Howard, age 11 would start the trek. The morning sky in Elwood was clear and beautiful, the cows were milked, calves fed, the milk separated and put in the back of the wagon along with the other provisions. Roy and Howard bid the folks so long. The folks were to follow the next day. It was 24 April and they were Cleveland bound. The further north they traveled the more cloudy and blistery the weather became when they reached Clarkston, they were at the halfway mark from Elwood to Cleveland they came upon a terrible blizzard and it was late at night. They did not get the cows milked nor the calves fed. Some of the cows would not let their claves nurse. It was chaos. The next morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. Cows, calves, horses and colts running all over looking for feed. They finally got the cows milked and calves fed and all rounded up and on their way again. They arrived in Cleveland about 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Roy in the meantime had injured his hand and Howard was left to milk, 24 cows twice before help came. After arriving in Cleveland the boys first mended the corral so the stock would be secured, then they went to Aunt Cenie's and Uncle Han's. Just a short distance from where the folks lived. Where Aunt Cenie, mothered them and treat them to bread, biscuits and raspberry jam. She was very considerate of them.
If the riding horses and our old dog, Shep that were used for driving the stock back and forth the 70 mile trip came up missing for more than two days we knew they had gone to the other place, they never got lost.
Father could see arrangements had to be made for a corral and feed for the stock between the two locations. One day as he was going to Idaho he stopped a gentlemen in Clarkston, introduced himself and expressed his wishes, this man was Eph Malmberg. From that first introduction their family and ours were the dearest of friends. On the prearranged dates spring and fall there was corral waiting with managers full of feed for the stock along with plenty of water. A warm bed with supper and breakfast for the two brothers, one coming from Idaho and the other coming from Utah.
By this time the family had increased by another son born 4 April 1902, Golden Rufus, he turned out to be another good farmer. He also took part in these same family activities.
Later Roy married a lovely young lady from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. These years Roy would drive the cattle south as far as Clarkston and Howard; later Golden would meet Roy at the Malmberg home. Howard or Golden would finish driving the cattle to Elwood, then Roy riding back to his home in Idaho. To this day in the fall of the year I can hear the lowing of cattle as they came running in the yard about dusk, hungry and thirsty. The hair around the nostrils and shoulders would be coated with frost. They knew they were home to good feed and shelter for the long winter.
These nights when the brothers would meet at the Malmbergs would be spent telling each other what was new with them in their loving family.
Our parents had a family orchard. In the fall of the year the Malmbergs would come down from Clarkston and load their wagon with peaches, pears, plumbs and apples for the winter, canning and storing. These are dear memories to me, never to be forgotten.
25 January 1905 the twins sons came to the Andreasen home. They were named Norman Jorgen and Herman Richard. These dear little twins brought the family to eight and they kept the older ones happy while hopping for bottles, diapers, diapers and bottles.
Two incidences are inserted here; they are experiences of two of the older ones in the family.
Jenny tells me this story she remembers vividly of a brothers concern for his sister. Some years people would live in the home in Elwood as was stated before. This certain year some folks by the name of Abernathy were living there. It came the fall of the year and the wheat in Elwood was to be harvested. Roy the oldest son was to go and help Abernathy harvest and Jennie the oldest girl was to help Mrs. Abernathy cook for the extra men. Before leaving Gentile Valley. Our folks had given Roy and Jennie permission that after the days work was done they could go visit the Bear River City grandparents and relatives. Now Roy had a sporty buggy and sassy little black team of horses and he was of dating age. So after the work of the day was finished they would clean up and visit their many cousins etc. The Abernathy's were not Mormons and Roy was responsible for Jennie. He took her wherever he went and never left her alone with these people. I'm sure some boys would never think of taking a sister 5 years younger along where ever he went. He was very thoughtful of her.
After Grandpa Jorgen Andreasen passed away in Brigham on the 23 February 1906, Grandma Andreasen came to live with us in Elwood.
Another experience Howard recalls after 70 years as if it happened yesterday. Is the impressions grandparents leave on their grandchildren. One year while the rest of the family were in Idaho. Howard stayed with Grandma Andreasen in the Elwood home. Our folks owned some building lots in Bear River City just west of mothers parents, Grandma and Grandpa O'kenson's home, as they were called Okenson. Howard was 14 years old at the time. In his own words he tells us: I had been down to Bear River the ay before irrigating the lots, our water turn ended at midnight. I did not want to stay there that late, so thinking that Uncle Willard Jensen (our neighbor to the south) would take the water when his turn came. I set the water on the lots and went home to Elwood. Well, Willard did not take the water on scheduled time and by morning the streets south and west of grandma and grandpas were flooded. When I came the next day to Bear River City in the buggy and team and Grandpa O'kenson was waiting for me. He came up to the buggy and waved me to stop. Well, did I ever get a Swedish Blessing for flooding the streets." I tried to explain. I said to grandpa that I, but he did not let me finish saying that I thought Willard would take the water. He stopped me short, saying, "yes, min you tot, dats a hell of a damn note." I thought he was going to pull me out of the buggy and give me a Swedish reminder too but he didn't.
That afternoon I was over pulling weeds and grandma came over to the fence where I was working, she had witnessed the scolding that morning. She said, "Don't mind too bad what grandpa said to you, he will get over it when the water is gone." She then handed me two half dollars and told me to go to the store two blocks away and get me some candy and ginger snaps. She was nice, good and tenderhearted.
The older children were now attending the Elwood District School where we all attended and graduated from school. Howard, and Jennie also attended BYU College in Logan and lived with mothers' sister Aunt Annie Kelley, while working for their board.
In August 10, 1906 another daughter was born to the family, Mae Gertrude, named after Grandma O'kenson. The twins being only 19 months old. This daughter made the family make ten as a total.
Indeed mother was busy sewing, cooking, churning butter, besides the everyday home chores.
I was the only one of ten of the children born in the State of Idaho. Father called me "Little Doll." Mother was truly grateful for her two older daughters who were of good help to her.
The Elwood farm was considered excellent land for sugar beets, grains, hay and pastures along with raising apples. Also there was a pasture for stock running the length of the farm along the east side of the Malad River. The grass was salty but was supplement for hay and a place for the stock to range.
On the 14th of November 1907 Roy the oldest son married a lovely girl, Lula Larsen from Idaho. They took over the Idaho homestead. Mother must have been extremely relieved as all that packing moving and traveling each spring and fall could be history.
When I was about seven years of age my older brother, Howard was called on a mission to Norway. He had made a fuss over me and home seemed so lonesome with both he and Roy gone.
Jennie was now a young lady and was working in around Tremonton, Garland and Elwood. Eva Hansen tells me Jennie was so neat and ambitious she enjoyed her services very much.
Later on she was employed by the L.S. Mann's family who came to Elwood from back east and purchased a large apple orchard one mile east. It was called, The Stacey Orchard. She was employed there until she married. She came home in the cold winter months when there was no work at the orchard for the hired help. The Mann's usually would move back east for the winter's months.
Father and mother both loved music. There was a beautiful piano in our home all my life. Howard could cord to any song and play the trumpet and violin. Never having taken lessons. Jennie and Herman took piano lessons from a lady who had a circuit in the valley traveling for the "Chicago Conservatory of Music." They took their lessons at the parley W. Christensen's home. Walking the two miles each way for their lessons much of the time. Herman won a pin for Excellence, which he prized the remainder of his life. There was a special music book father had mailed to our home each month called the "Etude," anyone who knew anything about music during my lifetime will recognize this book. It was filled with music of the "Master."
By this time Dortha was born 15th of December 1913, bringing the family to ten. She was the last of the family a cute little baby. Mother was 49 years old at the time. Dortha took the spotlight. She went anywhere the car and father went.
We traveled to church, dances and other activities with horses, buggies and sleighs. The winters were bitter cold the snow was deep when we walked to and from school. We could walk over the fences in the fields usually on our return from school on those cold winter days mother would have warm cookies and cake doughnuts for us. She was a loving kind mother. To keep us warm while going to church. Mother would put bricks in the oven before hand to get hot. Then a quilt was put on top clean straw and bricks in the sleigh and another quilt put on top of us to keep us warm while traveling.
While waking to or from school Herman and Norman, my twin brothers were very loving to me. When I would get cold and start crying they would rub my hands and fingers and sing a song or start saying something that we were to memorize or make some kind of fun to take my mind off the cold and sure enough we would soon be home. They are such apart of my growing up years. It would be sad if this life were the end. We would sing the songs our aunts and uncles had taught us.
I remember parties held in the Elwood School. Valentine parties and special parties were held for the schoolteachers. These teachers' parties were pre-arranged. One of the parents would purchase a gift; our father bought several of these gifts, each student bringing a few cents to pay for the gift. Then there was Valentines Day, how beautiful the valentines were. White, frilly paper lace with flowers, swans and birds put together in dimensions with fine gold chains. Oh what fun times in a rural school.
Father was a progressive man he loved people and was concerned with their welfare. He assisted several people coming to America who were to pay him later. More than once he was forgotten. He supported the drainage system and the spring water being piped to Elwood, etc.
The older boys each had a nice buggy with a beautiful team of horses to go sporting with and these horses were used also to drill and cultivate the beets. Their hoofs were small and trim if they did step on the beets it hurt them very little. The boys usually kept the horses tails braided and bobbed. Mother was very neat and clean; our clothes were kept with care. She would see the boys clothes were clean and pressed whenever they went to dances, Bear River City was full of relatives they must look just so.
Grandmother Andreasen lived by us for many years. She did her own cooking except on Sundays she would always eat in our home. When she got older Jennie and Cleo would comb and braid her hair, mother was patient and considerate of her. Grandma sang songs in Danish. She was a short, sort of fat, good-natured Danish lady. She passed away 02 June 1922. She was missed because she was deeply loved by us all.
My father was very fussy about his farming. He loved this farm. I remember him rising at the break of day walking over each piece of land to observe what had been accomplished the previous day then discussing what was necessary to be done this day. Then when he returned to the house after observing his work his overalls pockets would be filled with small bits of wire or sticks that he had picked up while on his walk, like the little pieces that had been hauled out in the manure spreader during the winter.
We children had to work hard at home. The farm consisted of 150 acres of irrigated land plus a 40 acre dry farm to the east of our home and 40 acre dry farm in Bothwell and about 40-50 acres on Little Mountain.
There was usually 50 acres of our own beets to thin and many years we thinned some for other people. These had to be hoed and kept free of weeds then topped and loaded on the wagons by hand and hauled to the beet dump in the fall to be taken when the railroad cars were filled in Garland to be processed into sugar.
We also had fields of grain and hay. Three crops of hay and 20 acres of apples that had to be taken care of. The apples had to be picked before the beets were harvested or they would freeze. Besides our family there was usually others who helped pick.
An assembly table was then built with it used for grading and sorting the apples. The apples were brought from the fields on a flat rack and stacked in the yard. In the yard where the assembly line was at one end of the table there was the wood material for the boxes stacked in tall stacks. The beginning of the table was the box nailer, he would nail the boxes together then send them on down the table to the next lady who would put a piece of wax paper in the box to help protect the apples from bruises. Next comes the sorting of the apples themselves. They would have a box for culls, one for the bigger apples and another for the smaller apples. These three ladies would sort the apples then pass them on down the table to the last stop on the assembly line, to the cleats man. He would hammer the top cleats onto the boxes and set them on the wagon. When the wagon was filled they would haul them to the railroad station to be shipped away. I myself could pick around 100 bushels of apples a day.
Mother would cook dinner for these women sorters. Jack Fronk, a local man bought many apples from our father. Many times Jack Fronk would come in and help mother mash the potatoes if us girls were still busy out in the fields.
When we were young and learning how to thin beets if we left too many doubles we were escorted back to the field and obliged to redo our work. We learned to do it well the first time. The other people we thinned for said we thinned and did the first hoeing at the same time. Other farmers always paid us more than the going wage. In those days thinning, hoeing, topping and loading were all done by hand. It was hard work pulling the beets with the hooks on the end of our knives.
In the summer we would look forward to Sunday when we could visit our relatives in Bear River City and Bothwell. They in return would come and see us. Dear relatives from Idaho would also come down and visit us. There would always be ice cream and cake. I never remember mother ironing or baking on Sunday. Saturdays were for getting the house and clothes ready for Sunday. Baking was also done on Saturday. Sacrament meetings were held directly after Sunday school. It was held in the recreation hall. Separate rooms for the classes were made by stringing curtains by wire going east and west, north and south to make the room divisions complete. We would often hear more of the lesson next door than the one we were to be listening to.
In the early days of Elwood people from Bear River, Corinne, Tremonton, Deweyville and surrounding areas would attend the dances. Elwood hall floor was considered the best. Entire families would collect for the fun and community of the hall, one for the ladies wraps and parasols, rubbers, etc. and one for the men's coats, hats and overshoes. Over on the north and one on the south to get up and down. Up in the balcony or we called it nigger heaven was where the mothers of the ward would fix a bed with quilts for their babies while they danced. We all looked forward to these occasions.
Our Dad always took advantage of an opportunity that would enhance making a good living. He bought part of a coalmine in Wyoming hoping to make some money but through fraud he was cheated out, everything including his initial investment. For years he owned and operated a steam thrashing machine outfit and covered a goodly part of the valley thrashing grain for all the farmers as they came in line. He wore out two thrashing machines while operating his business. Years later the thrashing was done in the farmers own yards. Usually two brothers worked on the thrashing machine. All the men would sleep on the clean straw with their bedrolls. When the grain was thrashed the separator was changed and lucren seed was then thrashed. A cook shack went along with the thrasher. My sister, Cleo did the cooking for several years. This steam engine was powerful. Father and the boys would pull apples trees for people in the winter if the ground was not frozen to hard. Apple tree wood is wonderful and clean burning in our stove and throws off a lot of heat.
Working out for other people as much as they did made it twice as hard on the ones left at home to work.
For years he would operate a part time meat and butcher business. He would rent Brother, N.A. Peterson's slaughterhouse just north of our home, purchase fat cattle and hogs from anyone who had such to sell and then he would butcher them and sell quarters, halves or what ever to the neighbors. This was aside from operating a good size farm.
It was a common saying in Elwood when any new people came into the vicinity and needed work, people referred them to Casper Andreasen's place – saying, they will give you help or work, which was very true. It was seldom indeed that we did not have someone on the place helping with the work that was not of the family. This put an extra burden on our dear mother as very often this help boarded with us and if not they had the noonday meal with us. They did not sleep in our house. They would sleep in the out buildings. In 1917 Howard returned from his mission and he persuaded father to build a new home. After the new home was built hired help slept in the old house.
My mother to help supplement the family income hand churned, molded wrapped and sold butter of many years. She had a special butter wrappings made. In the middle on the outside of the wrappers was her name in this manner:
Made by
Mrs. Casper Andreasen
RFD # 1
Tremonton, Utah
50 of these one-pound packages were placed in a special box and took to the Honeyville Railroad station and shipped to Basfords, Salt Lake City, Utah. Her butter was also in demand in Tremonton stores because the butter was free of brine.
Happy times I remember in the summer time a traveling troup would come into Bear River Valley setting up their huge tent just across from where the LDS Seminary now stands. Our Dad was a High Councilman in the Bear River Stake for 25 years and the entertainment of this troup was church approved. They were called, "The Chatiqua." Father would buy several tickets. The same act was performed two or three nights so that made it possible in a week's time we each could see all the acts. They also sold popcorn and candy. We looked forward each summer to seeing this entertainment.
The new house was started, Howard digging and scraping out for the basement. This was very hard and tiring work for him and the horses. He wore out two scrapers. This home was built near the county road and my brother, Golden and his wife still live there now.
The house had a full basement, two nice large front rooms with built in China closets for the nice dishes of Moms and bookcases for fathers books. A front bedroom, bathroom, three porches on the ground floor and there was also a front hallway. Upstairs there were six nice bedrooms with each a closet for the clothes. One of these bedrooms had a washbasin with cold and hot running water and one had a small porch were bedding could be shook and aired. The carpenters were from Logan. They too ate their meals with us during the week and then returned back to Logan on Saturday evenings.
Father had bought a direct current light plant "The Delco." This plant had 16 or so batteries. The motor would run in the day time on coal oil or gasoline, then this would change the batteries for lights at night.
Our home was the first in Bear River Valley to have electric lights, inside bathroom and a kitchen sink with cold and hot running water and also a bathtub with cold and hot running water. Father had also bought a beautiful oil painting and Wilton rug for the parlor. It was lovely. I'm sure mother and dad were happy about the house but his made a lot of rooms to be kept clean.
At this time Howard married Irene Seager a young lady from east Tremonton on 18 April 1917. They with the money my father had paid Howard for work began purchasing the Jay Ferry farm just across the Malad River to the west of us. Irene was a very good and we all got along very well. I turned out to be baby tender many times.
Now Jennie in the meantime had been keeping company with a young man from Elwood, Eph Hansen. He too filled a mission and upon his return Jennie and he were married on 31 December 1918.
I worked to the side of my twin brothers in the fields. Herman and Norman taught me to do my work well. We would memorize, "The Articles of Faith," scriptures, songs as we worked. They were very sweet to me.
Dortha was 7 ½ years younger than I, she could help mother some but on Saturday afternoon I would help. I stayed in the house as a rule to help with the Saturdays work.
The next several years the American people were to experience a depression of such magnitude that it would never be forgotten. We were part of it; father had many acres of good productive farmland but no price for it. Grain was selling for $0.29 a bushel; 50# of flour was selling for $0.49. Scawof Never Rip overalls sold for $0.98 a pair. Young girls were fortunate to have two good dresses to wear.
For several years telephones had been in the valley. We were so happy when we could talk to our brother, Roy in Idaho. He was asthmatic and the Idaho climate agreed with him much better than did the Utah climate.
The roads were still dirt and gravel but for many years past men were hired to keep them graveled and smooth.
Many in the valley had cars. I think N.A. Peterson was the first in Elwood and my father came in second or third to own a car.
My next sister, Cleo had met a nice young man who later worked for our father for a short time before joining the armed forces in World War I. He was stationed in Seattle, Washington. They were married 12 July 1919. There was no money to be had. Father and mother had lots of land "land poor" but there was no one of the family went to see them married. Mother was sad but I remember some lovely quilts, pillows, pillowcases, dishtowels, dollies, etc. sent with her along with our love. She left another vacancy in our home. Home without each of them was never the same.
My brothers, Herman and Norman along with Floyd Jens, LeGrand Peterson, from Bear River City and Elwood Larsen from Elwood had organized a dance band. They traveled all over the Bear River Valley going as far west as Grouse Creek to play for dances, rallies and community affairs. In some respects this was a blessing they usually took our car and was paid for traveling expenses along with their night wages. This kept them in spending money.
On 19 March 1924 Golden married a nice young lady from Bear River City. For some time Golden worked for father and they made their first home in our old home. She kept it very clean and homey.
December 5, 1925, Mae was married to Chauncey M. Cornwall. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Cornwall of south Tremonton. Herman married Loa Freeman 19 June 1930. A lovely girl from Brigham City. Norman married Orba Davis 10 March 1936. A sweet young lady from Panguitch in southern Utah. Dortha married Kelsey Lee, 8 February 1933. A young man whom worked on our farm in the beets one fall. He was from Springville, Utah.
Our parents had given us much love and lovely home surroundings. They gave us opportunities that would enrich our lives. Some of us did not take advantage of them.
Herman, Norman and their wives stayed close to home to help with the farm. They can never be repaid for their thoughtfulness and goodness to our parents during the depression years. Sticking even to the point of having problems in their own homes. Howard and Irene lived across the Malad River from our parents. They had a large farm but no price for farm products. Father had to hire a lot of help. Some men would work just to put in their time not caring how the job was done. This disturbed our dad very much. Golden lived in Bear River but worked for father. He took over the Walter Green farm in Elwood. Dortha was home during these years. I'm sure mother and father enjoyed the laughter and family lasting spirit she left in our home.
July 3, 1929 tragedy struck our family. Howard and his wife came in contact with a terrible accident and Irene was killed leaving eight children; the oldest about 14 and the youngest 4 months old. My sister, Cleo had a baby girl just 4 months old. Cleo took Howard's baby bay 4 months old and nursed him along with her own baby. Cleo and her husband raised this boy until he was out of high school. Mother and father took care of some of the children and Irene's parents, brother and sister Seager took care of some of them also. At this same time Howard lost his farm. It was a sad time.
Father and mother had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, 03 December 1937 at their home in Elwood. An open house was held form 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Many dear relatives and friends from Idaho, Bear River City, Bothwell and Elwood came to reminisce over bye-gone days and to wish them well.
Herman lived in Elwood and came down to work on the farm. Norman and his family lived in Brigham coming out to help father on the farm quite frequently. Cleo and her family as well as Jennie and her family lived just a few miles from home. Howard had moved to Illinois. Roy was still in Idaho. Golden in Bear River City. Mae in Blue Creek and Dorothy in Springville, Utah.
Mother still having her headaches never once complained. She stood side by side helping father and raising her family, as Heavenly Father would expect her to do. Later years were a bit easier. But there was still a large house to keep up.
Herman is divorced and leaves his two little girls in mom and dad's care while he serves a mission to the eastern states.
The first of June mother became ill, she stayed in bed for a few days. On the morning of June 9th she told father she wanted to get up. He helped her into the kitchen and sat her in her rocking chair and was preparing her some breakfast, she asked for a basin of water in which she could wash her hands. Father was helping her when her life slipped away.
Great grief makes sacred those upon whom its hands is laid, joy may elevate, ambition may glorify but only grief can bring the deepest feelings of life. Mother passed away on 09 June 1939.
For our Dad the zest of living had lost its meaning. He was heart broken. He dearly loved our Mother. He respected her as a queen.
Herman never came home until his mission was fulfilled.
Father lived on the farm for a short time then moved to Brigham City and bought a small home there. Upon Herman's return from his mission his two little girls and our father lived together. Herman was so good to Dad we can never repay him for his lovely loving care for Father. Father traveled from Brigham City to Elwood looking after the farm. A little while later Golden bought the farm and each of us was given a little bit of money.
Father ran a coal business in Brigham City and kept active. Some years later he met and married Hanna Johnston a widow on 20 December 1944. They visited us frequently but at the mention of our mother, tears would roll down our father's cheeks. He worked until a few months before he passed away on the 11 May 1950.
A True Latter Day Saint: Mother's life was one of patience, unselfishness, endurance, dedication and an unlimited amount of love. Father was the only one of his family to fulfill a mission. Mother and father loved their children and it grieved them when any of us failed to live, as we should. They were concerned for our eternal welfare. They taught all of us how to work and feel the joy of achieving excellence in accomplishments. I thank them for this wonderful legacy.
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