Washington County News - November 13, 1913
Santa Clara, November 9, - Again our little town is grief-striken by the sudden death of Mrs. Lenora Knight Hafen, wife of John Hafen, which occurred Friday, November 7, 1913. While Mrs. Hafen had not been in perfect health for some time, having occasional fainting spells, she appeared to be in her usual state of health when last seen alive, which was previous to going out to sweep the back yard. A few hours later she was found lying dead in the yard with the broom lying on top of her. In the meantime those of her children who were at home supposed her to be visiting a relative or neighbor; the shock to them under the circumstances can well be imagined. The cause of death was the bursting of a blood vessel in the head. Members of the family were scatted at the time death called; her husband being at Modena, one son, in Germany fulfilling a mission; her daughter, Jessie, and two twin boys being at home. Another son Arthur K. was at Toquerville. Her husband, four sons, and one daughter survive her, three children having preceded her to the great beyond.
Sister Hafen was born at Santa Clara, February 8, 1862, a daughter of Samuel and Caroline Beck Knight, and was married to John Hafen in the St. George Temple, February 9, 1887. She was a true and devoted wife and mother, and a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the auxilliary organizations of which she was a willing worker.
Funeral services were held at the meeting house, Sunday, November 9, the house being beautifully decorated for the sad occasion. The largest congregation that was ever in our meeting house, numbering 265 souls, came to pay their last respects to the dear departed. Among these were Academy faculty, the Academy 4th year class, of which Miss Jess Hafen is vice-President, the Stake Relief Society officers, members of the 70's quorum, a number from Washington, Gunlock. Bunkerville and other places, which shows the esteem in which Sister Hafen was held.
The services were opened by Elder Joseph T. Atkin and closed by Elder George F. Whitehead. The speakers were Elders Jacob Frei, H. H. Cannon, George W. Worthen, H. M. Woodward, Thomas P. Cottam and Edward R. Frei. Their remarks were of a consoling nature to the bereaved, and they bore testimony to the high esteem in which the deceased and her family were held by all who knew them. The Santa Clara choir furnished beautiful music, a quartet, "Nearer, My God, To Thee", being splendidly rendered. Twenty-five vehicles and a number of people afoot followed the remains to their last resting place, and the grave was literally covered with bouquets of choice flowers. The bereaved relatives sincerely appreciate the kindness of those who came from outside points to pay their last respects to the departed.
Lenora Knight Hafen History
Mother died before she was 52. She died as she lived - at work. Records state she was born in Santa Clara, February 8, 1862, the third of six daughters born to Samuel and Caroline Beck Knight. At what place in Santa Clara I do not know, as the home of her parents had been at the Fort since they were married until December of 1861, when the flood washed the fort away, and the new town-site was located and dedicated on the 22 of December. Settlers were given their building lots. Grandfather's home was at the west end of the town, about one or two blocks east of the Jacob Hamblin home. Perhaps a temporary dwelling had been made at that place.
A recent sketch of Grandfather is available to all of the members of the family, so little more of his life need be said here.
Grandmother Knight is the daughter of Herman and Kirstine Due Beck. She was born May 12, 1831 in Orter Larkster, Bornholm, Denmark. In 1853, she heard Mormon missionaries preach, and, as a result, was later baptized. In November, she started for Utah with her brother, his wife, and daughter, and the wife's cousin. They left Liverpool, England, January 3, 1854 and reached New Orleans, February 10th. Joining the Peter Olsen Company in Kansas City, they started for Salt Lake City the latter part of June and arrived October 5, 1854. She worked on the Church Farm on the Jordan River and there became acquainted with Samuel Knight. They were married May 23, 1856 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.
The children and their families, and the children of Grandfather's second family and their marriages are listed in the sketch of Grandfather's life.
Grandmother, evidently, endured many hardships. To adjust to frontier life among strangers and the warm climate, and the prevalence of malaria with little medical help and lack of nutritive foods, required faith and courage. Aunt Mary, her daughter, writes: "it was a great journey for this Danish woman to leave her home and go to a new country where she had to learn a new language, then to go down among the Indians. When her first child was born, she took cold from the lack of care and help. She was sick the rest of her life, thirteen years. All that time she was not able to sit up a day at a time. Notwithstanding her sickness, she was cheerful and pleasant. It would have been difficult to find a woman with better management in the home than she. For the first few years she had no help but an Indian girl whom she had raised. She died in Santa Clara in 1870, leaving six little girls, the oldest thirteen."
The struggle of the settlers in Santa Clara is a long and interesting story. In 1861, a Swiss Colony, who had been called by President Brigham Young to raise cotton and grapes in Dixie, settled in Santa Clara. By previous arrangement the original settlers who had lived at the fort, called Fort Clara, west of the present town-site, agreed to sell their land to the new colony. Grandfather and Lemuel Leavitt of the early missionary group remained. Marius Ensign, called to serve as bishop of the ward, and later the Alexander Findlay family, foined the community and lied among the Swiss families. The Bunkers lived there for a time, but in 1877 some of the Leavitts and the Bunkers moved to Nevada and established the town of Bunkerville. The Bunkers remained devoted friends of the Knight family, and often visited with them as occasion required them to make trips to St. George
Grandfather married about two years after the death of Grandmother. He married Laura Melvina Leavitt March 4, 1872. Their children are Carlos, Edward, Melvina, Edith, Wilford, Thomas, Delmay, and Inez. Others died in infancy.
For a year or two after Grandmother's death, Grandfather and the girls, though young, carried on the household tasks. Caroline, being the oldest, assumed the greatest responsibility. As grandmother had been an invalid, Caroline had already learned to carry responsibility. The work was organized and each of the girls helped as she could. As the second family increased in numbers, and as the girls grew older, adjustments had to be made. The home was now under management of the new mother, and , naturally, some friction would result. Grandmother was cultured, but she never complained about the crude life of the frontier she was forced to meet. She was cheerful about it all, and her daughters met the new situations without too much complaint. I never heard Mother speak of "Aunt Laurie", as we called her, or of her children, in any way but respectful. I remember as a child going to their home for family dinners and gatherings, and of the pleasant associations we had with the children, some of whom were about our age.
Aunt Laurie served as a midwife in the town and spent much of her time away from home giving aid which today is given in hospitals and by doctors. Mother and the girls worked for other families to earn a few sorely -needed dollars. They were given the elementary education the day afforded, and were also taught at home by their mother.
Mother was frugal and neat. She must have enjoyed her girlhood days, as none of her friends had much more than she. They provided their own amusements in groups and in community gatherings. Self-respect and honor were emphasized in all their teachings. In school very strict discipline was used. Some of Mother's girlhood friends have told me how neat she was in her dress and in her work. I know how she worked to make a pleasant home for us and keep us dressed properly.
Julia Roulet, who married Emil Graf, was one of Mother's closest and dearest friends. "Aunt Julia" told me of their life in Santa Clara and dictated some memoirs to her son, Grant, from which some thoughts were gathered. Children, as soon as they were able, had to work thinning cotton, picking cotton, watering fields, cutting grain (by hand), stripping cane, gleaning grain, herding cattle, and doing all kinds of work there was to be done.
Food was scarce, and children were always hungry. Their bread was made from bran and shorts, or cane seed, or corn. They ate wild cabbage stalks, sour dock stalks, sego bulbs, tender young willows, squawbush (sumac) berries, and pout berries.
Education was limited. The teacher would board round with families as pay for teaching, according to the number of pupils he taught - one day per pupil. sometimes the parents couldn't afford to have all the children go at the same time, so those who could't go one winter were allowed to go the next. There were no grades, and often one book had to do for the whole family. Discipline was rigid. Willow after willow was worn out on unruly pupils - usually boys. Some of the teachers were: Josh Crosby, (Sam?), Miles, Mr. Peck, Mrs. McClellan, Mr. Church, Mr. Berger (?Bergen), and Kate Granger. Mr. Berger was the cruel one. When Mother and "Aunt Julia" were grown girls Levi Harmon was their teacher. He often told me of his teaching in Santa Clara and of the regard he had for Mother. "Aunt Julia" said he went with Mother some, as his b est girl-friend, but as she didn't pay too much attention to him, he would often be critical of her school work.
Amusements were provided at home by the group. They would often go caroling on a wagon with several spring seats. Sometimes the girls would sit on the cows while herding or on the fence and sing. She lists the group of sigers: Mother, Julia, Selena Gubler, Sopranos; Mr. Nieder, Traug Graf, George Staheli, and Mr. Frehner, bass; John Staheli, tenor; Emma Graf and Barbara Staheli, alto. They would often ride calves in the field. Mother went with Julia's brother, William, to Silver Reef to get Julia, as she had been working there for some time. They stayed in Washington on returning for a dance and danced all night. The dance closed just at daylight, and they went to the home of one of their friends there for breakfast. Mother at that time was nineteen; Julia was eighteen.
Cousin Caroline F. Roundy tolls of an incident Grandfather told her of Grandmother. When she came to Santa Clara she had two pairs of shoes. The women in Santa Clara were moccasins, so Grandmother bought some moccasins, too. The shoes were kept for special occasions, such as dances, and then they were worn by each of the women as needed and as they could be made to fit their feet.
Some of the customs of our home life might be interesting. The home was lighted at night by kerosene lamp. Around it we would gather to tell stories or to listen to Mother read such books as "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Black Beauty", and others. To have light in any of the other rooms we would carry the lighted lamp. Cooking was done on a stove with wood for fuel, polished by hand and moved outdoors in the summer where it would be cooler to do the cooking, then back into the kitchen for winter, where it also furnished the heat. Small heaters were used in the other rooms at times, but the open fireplace was usually preferred. Irons to do the laundering were heated on the stove. The soot underneath the stove lids furnished the polish for our shoes. Saturday night, rows of shining shoes were made ready for Sunday. Mother usually did this for all of us.
Another interesting feature was the Saturday night bath. Most homes had no bath tubs except the regular wash tub. Our home had a built-in bathtub, so we ciykdm at keastm get ubti ut, The water for bathing was heated outside in a large kettle hung, or set over, a wood fire. Water was carried to the tub in buckets where it could be tempered with cold water carried from the ditch. Mother usually saw to all of this for each one of us, so we could have our weekly bath without any effort on our part. Perhaps it was easier for Mother to do all these menial tasks that it was to see that we did them for ourselves.
A few years before Mother's death, Father, Grandmother Hafen, and others of the family went to California to visit Grandmother's people in Los Angeles. They went by team in the white top bufggy to Moapa and there took the train, leaving the team of mules in a pasture until they returned. Telling of some of the wonders in California, Father told of the home with running water, both hot and cold. For a bath all that they had to do was turn the tap and the water was ready for them. Mother facetiously said, "Well, Johnie, you don't even have to turn a tap at home."
Another thing I remember, with chagrin, is lying in bed early in the mornings and hear Mother get the milk pail and go to the corral to milk the cows and feed the pigs and chickens. She wanted us to rest if we could and thought she would like to wait on us as much as she could. This wasn't always the case, for we felt duty bound to help part of the time.
Mother spent her life in service to her family and to others. She was kind to us. I never remember her whipping one of us, although it was deserved many times. She died suddenly one sunny November afternoon while sweeping the door yard.
She was thoughtful of others. Many times she would go quietly to the back door of her sister or other relative with a small gift which she would bestow with the least demonstration, usually tossing it inside the door or handing it without a word. She thought of those in need. One summer she and Fater lived at the ranch in Bull Valley. When I went out to see them she asked me to take 25 cents with me and buy a package of tea for one of the neighbors, an English woman, used to drinking it while she lived in England, but whose husband couldn't and wouldn't afford it for her. Many neighbors told of little acts of kindness of which no one but she and they knew.
She tried to have some delicacies in the home which she prepared for us. Most of our food we raised and prepared in the home. Purchasing bread was unknown in that day. Each household kept yeast and mixed and and baked bread. It was a common custom to borrow a loaf of bread of get a cup of yeast from a neighbor when the supply at home was exhausted. We always had our own milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and pork and beef. Curing ham and preserving other food stuffs was a tedious task. One favorite desert was pickled grapes, kept by placing the grapes in vinegar with certain flavors and preservatives added. Drying fruit was a common method of preserving it.
Mother usually had the boarders, such as the school teachers and workmen who came from outside communities to work in Santa Clara.
There were no labor saving devices. Washing was done largely on a wash board. When a washer was introduced it had to be turned by hand, as there was no electricity at that time. Floors were cleaned in the hard way. I think of one of the annual tasks of being the most boresome. That was house cleaning. The old rag carpets were taken up and cleaned and fresh straw was brought from stacks where the grain had been threshed, then came the stretching and fitting the carpet before it could be fastened with tacks driven with a hammer. Minor items, such as churning the butter, mending the clothes, and all the household tasks called for time, patience, and skill. It seemed there was no time for rest and not much for recreation for Mother. Vacations, as such, were rare. Outing on holidays and socials in the evenings were enjoyed by all members of the town, old and young associating together. It seems now in retrospect that Mother's joys and pleasures came from seeing the rest of us having a good time.
Father went on a mission to Switzerland when three or four of us children were under eleven years of age. He was gone two years, but Mother managed some way as she always did when there were adjustments to be made.
One experience came into our home which affected Mother more than any one else could realize. It was the tragic death of little sister, Carrie. She was about 10 months old, so could not walk, but she could crawl. One evening Mother put her on the floor on the rug in front of the fireplace while she ran to do outside chores. The pig pen and the chicken coop were not far from the house, so she hurried to give the pigs and the chickens their feed. She tought she heard me come in, so she hurried across the lot to the hay stack to get hay leaves for the pigs. When she returned to the house the little girl had crawled into the fireplace where live coals were smoldering and where her little legs were burning. The baby lived a day or two and suffered intensely. Mother blamed herself for the tragedy, and suffered for years as a result. She was naturally one to assume more than her share of responsibility for anything that went wrong.
Her third child had died when she was but two weeks old, and the next baby after Carrie died when he was nearly a year old. Father was in Switzerland at this time.
"The instruction received at the mother's knee, and the paternal lessons, together with the pious and sweet souvenirs of the fireside, are never effaced entirely from the soul.." Lamennais
"A man never sees all that his mother has been to him till it's too late to let her know that he sees it." W.D. Howells
A recent sketch of Grandfather is available to all of the members of the family, so little more of his life need be said here.
Grandmother Knight is the daughter of Herman and Kirstine Due Beck. She was born May 12, 1831 in Orter Larkster, Bornholm, Denmark. In 1853, she heard Mormon missionaries preach, and, as a result, was later baptized. In November, she started for Utah with her brother, his wife, and daughter, and the wife's cousin. They left Liverpool, England, January 3, 1854 and reached New Orleans, February 10th. Joining the Peter Olsen Company in Kansas City, they started for Salt Lake City the latter part of June and arrived October 5, 1854. She worked on the Church Farm on the Jordan River and there became acquainted with Samuel Knight. They were married May 23, 1856 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.
The children and their families, and the children of Grandfather's second family and their marriages are listed in the sketch of Grandfather's life.
Grandmother, evidently, endured many hardships. To adjust to frontier life among strangers and the warm climate, and the prevalence of malaria with little medical help and lack of nutritive foods, required faith and courage. Aunt Mary, her daughter, writes: "it was a great journey for this Danish woman to leave her home and go to a new country where she had to learn a new language, then to go down among the Indians. When her first child was born, she took cold from the lack of care and help. She was sick the rest of her life, thirteen years. All that time she was not able to sit up a day at a time. Notwithstanding her sickness, she was cheerful and pleasant. It would have been difficult to find a woman with better management in the home than she. For the first few years she had no help but an Indian girl whom she had raised. She died in Santa Clara in 1870, leaving six little girls, the oldest thirteen."
The struggle of the settlers in Santa Clara is a long and interesting story. In 1861, a Swiss Colony, who had been called by President Brigham Young to raise cotton and grapes in Dixie, settled in Santa Clara. By previous arrangement the original settlers who had lived at the fort, called Fort Clara, west of the present town-site, agreed to sell their land to the new colony. Grandfather and Lemuel Leavitt of the early missionary group remained. Marius Ensign, called to serve as bishop of the ward, and later the Alexander Findlay family, foined the community and lied among the Swiss families. The Bunkers lived there for a time, but in 1877 some of the Leavitts and the Bunkers moved to Nevada and established the town of Bunkerville. The Bunkers remained devoted friends of the Knight family, and often visited with them as occasion required them to make trips to St. George
Grandfather married about two years after the death of Grandmother. He married Laura Melvina Leavitt March 4, 1872. Their children are Carlos, Edward, Melvina, Edith, Wilford, Thomas, Delmay, and Inez. Others died in infancy.
For a year or two after Grandmother's death, Grandfather and the girls, though young, carried on the household tasks. Caroline, being the oldest, assumed the greatest responsibility. As grandmother had been an invalid, Caroline had already learned to carry responsibility. The work was organized and each of the girls helped as she could. As the second family increased in numbers, and as the girls grew older, adjustments had to be made. The home was now under management of the new mother, and , naturally, some friction would result. Grandmother was cultured, but she never complained about the crude life of the frontier she was forced to meet. She was cheerful about it all, and her daughters met the new situations without too much complaint. I never heard Mother speak of "Aunt Laurie", as we called her, or of her children, in any way but respectful. I remember as a child going to their home for family dinners and gatherings, and of the pleasant associations we had with the children, some of whom were about our age.
Aunt Laurie served as a midwife in the town and spent much of her time away from home giving aid which today is given in hospitals and by doctors. Mother and the girls worked for other families to earn a few sorely -needed dollars. They were given the elementary education the day afforded, and were also taught at home by their mother.
Mother was frugal and neat. She must have enjoyed her girlhood days, as none of her friends had much more than she. They provided their own amusements in groups and in community gatherings. Self-respect and honor were emphasized in all their teachings. In school very strict discipline was used. Some of Mother's girlhood friends have told me how neat she was in her dress and in her work. I know how she worked to make a pleasant home for us and keep us dressed properly.
Julia Roulet, who married Emil Graf, was one of Mother's closest and dearest friends. "Aunt Julia" told me of their life in Santa Clara and dictated some memoirs to her son, Grant, from which some thoughts were gathered. Children, as soon as they were able, had to work thinning cotton, picking cotton, watering fields, cutting grain (by hand), stripping cane, gleaning grain, herding cattle, and doing all kinds of work there was to be done.
Food was scarce, and children were always hungry. Their bread was made from bran and shorts, or cane seed, or corn. They ate wild cabbage stalks, sour dock stalks, sego bulbs, tender young willows, squawbush (sumac) berries, and pout berries.
Education was limited. The teacher would board round with families as pay for teaching, according to the number of pupils he taught - one day per pupil. sometimes the parents couldn't afford to have all the children go at the same time, so those who could't go one winter were allowed to go the next. There were no grades, and often one book had to do for the whole family. Discipline was rigid. Willow after willow was worn out on unruly pupils - usually boys. Some of the teachers were: Josh Crosby, (Sam?), Miles, Mr. Peck, Mrs. McClellan, Mr. Church, Mr. Berger (?Bergen), and Kate Granger. Mr. Berger was the cruel one. When Mother and "Aunt Julia" were grown girls Levi Harmon was their teacher. He often told me of his teaching in Santa Clara and of the regard he had for Mother. "Aunt Julia" said he went with Mother some, as his b est girl-friend, but as she didn't pay too much attention to him, he would often be critical of her school work.
Amusements were provided at home by the group. They would often go caroling on a wagon with several spring seats. Sometimes the girls would sit on the cows while herding or on the fence and sing. She lists the group of sigers: Mother, Julia, Selena Gubler, Sopranos; Mr. Nieder, Traug Graf, George Staheli, and Mr. Frehner, bass; John Staheli, tenor; Emma Graf and Barbara Staheli, alto. They would often ride calves in the field. Mother went with Julia's brother, William, to Silver Reef to get Julia, as she had been working there for some time. They stayed in Washington on returning for a dance and danced all night. The dance closed just at daylight, and they went to the home of one of their friends there for breakfast. Mother at that time was nineteen; Julia was eighteen.
Cousin Caroline F. Roundy tolls of an incident Grandfather told her of Grandmother. When she came to Santa Clara she had two pairs of shoes. The women in Santa Clara were moccasins, so Grandmother bought some moccasins, too. The shoes were kept for special occasions, such as dances, and then they were worn by each of the women as needed and as they could be made to fit their feet.
Some of the customs of our home life might be interesting. The home was lighted at night by kerosene lamp. Around it we would gather to tell stories or to listen to Mother read such books as "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Black Beauty", and others. To have light in any of the other rooms we would carry the lighted lamp. Cooking was done on a stove with wood for fuel, polished by hand and moved outdoors in the summer where it would be cooler to do the cooking, then back into the kitchen for winter, where it also furnished the heat. Small heaters were used in the other rooms at times, but the open fireplace was usually preferred. Irons to do the laundering were heated on the stove. The soot underneath the stove lids furnished the polish for our shoes. Saturday night, rows of shining shoes were made ready for Sunday. Mother usually did this for all of us.
Another interesting feature was the Saturday night bath. Most homes had no bath tubs except the regular wash tub. Our home had a built-in bathtub, so we ciykdm at keastm get ubti ut, The water for bathing was heated outside in a large kettle hung, or set over, a wood fire. Water was carried to the tub in buckets where it could be tempered with cold water carried from the ditch. Mother usually saw to all of this for each one of us, so we could have our weekly bath without any effort on our part. Perhaps it was easier for Mother to do all these menial tasks that it was to see that we did them for ourselves.
A few years before Mother's death, Father, Grandmother Hafen, and others of the family went to California to visit Grandmother's people in Los Angeles. They went by team in the white top bufggy to Moapa and there took the train, leaving the team of mules in a pasture until they returned. Telling of some of the wonders in California, Father told of the home with running water, both hot and cold. For a bath all that they had to do was turn the tap and the water was ready for them. Mother facetiously said, "Well, Johnie, you don't even have to turn a tap at home."
Another thing I remember, with chagrin, is lying in bed early in the mornings and hear Mother get the milk pail and go to the corral to milk the cows and feed the pigs and chickens. She wanted us to rest if we could and thought she would like to wait on us as much as she could. This wasn't always the case, for we felt duty bound to help part of the time.
Mother spent her life in service to her family and to others. She was kind to us. I never remember her whipping one of us, although it was deserved many times. She died suddenly one sunny November afternoon while sweeping the door yard.
She was thoughtful of others. Many times she would go quietly to the back door of her sister or other relative with a small gift which she would bestow with the least demonstration, usually tossing it inside the door or handing it without a word. She thought of those in need. One summer she and Fater lived at the ranch in Bull Valley. When I went out to see them she asked me to take 25 cents with me and buy a package of tea for one of the neighbors, an English woman, used to drinking it while she lived in England, but whose husband couldn't and wouldn't afford it for her. Many neighbors told of little acts of kindness of which no one but she and they knew.
She tried to have some delicacies in the home which she prepared for us. Most of our food we raised and prepared in the home. Purchasing bread was unknown in that day. Each household kept yeast and mixed and and baked bread. It was a common custom to borrow a loaf of bread of get a cup of yeast from a neighbor when the supply at home was exhausted. We always had our own milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and pork and beef. Curing ham and preserving other food stuffs was a tedious task. One favorite desert was pickled grapes, kept by placing the grapes in vinegar with certain flavors and preservatives added. Drying fruit was a common method of preserving it.
Mother usually had the boarders, such as the school teachers and workmen who came from outside communities to work in Santa Clara.
There were no labor saving devices. Washing was done largely on a wash board. When a washer was introduced it had to be turned by hand, as there was no electricity at that time. Floors were cleaned in the hard way. I think of one of the annual tasks of being the most boresome. That was house cleaning. The old rag carpets were taken up and cleaned and fresh straw was brought from stacks where the grain had been threshed, then came the stretching and fitting the carpet before it could be fastened with tacks driven with a hammer. Minor items, such as churning the butter, mending the clothes, and all the household tasks called for time, patience, and skill. It seemed there was no time for rest and not much for recreation for Mother. Vacations, as such, were rare. Outing on holidays and socials in the evenings were enjoyed by all members of the town, old and young associating together. It seems now in retrospect that Mother's joys and pleasures came from seeing the rest of us having a good time.
Father went on a mission to Switzerland when three or four of us children were under eleven years of age. He was gone two years, but Mother managed some way as she always did when there were adjustments to be made.
One experience came into our home which affected Mother more than any one else could realize. It was the tragic death of little sister, Carrie. She was about 10 months old, so could not walk, but she could crawl. One evening Mother put her on the floor on the rug in front of the fireplace while she ran to do outside chores. The pig pen and the chicken coop were not far from the house, so she hurried to give the pigs and the chickens their feed. She tought she heard me come in, so she hurried across the lot to the hay stack to get hay leaves for the pigs. When she returned to the house the little girl had crawled into the fireplace where live coals were smoldering and where her little legs were burning. The baby lived a day or two and suffered intensely. Mother blamed herself for the tragedy, and suffered for years as a result. She was naturally one to assume more than her share of responsibility for anything that went wrong.
Her third child had died when she was but two weeks old, and the next baby after Carrie died when he was nearly a year old. Father was in Switzerland at this time.
"The instruction received at the mother's knee, and the paternal lessons, together with the pious and sweet souvenirs of the fireside, are never effaced entirely from the soul.." Lamennais
"A man never sees all that his mother has been to him till it's too late to let her know that he sees it." W.D. Howells
History of Pinto by Rulon Knell
HISTORY OF PINTO, UTAH
BY RULON KNELL
Pinto, with its lush meadows and clear stream of good water, was a natural stopping place on the Old Spanish Trail. The chief products carried over this trail, before the coming of the Mormons, were Indian slaves and peltries. When the Mormons first arrived in southern Utah they found a well-beaten trail through the streets of Pinto.
At the April conference in 1854, President Young called a group of missionaries to the Indians of Southern Utah. Under the leadership of Rufus C. Allen, they commenced operations at Harmony, Utah. About the end of May, the same year, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others of the General Authorities, visited there, President Young gave much instruction regarding conducting the mission and building up the settlements in southern Utah.
In December 1854, Jacob Hamblin with Ira Hatch, Samuel Knight, Thales Haskell and A.P. Hardy went down the Rio Virgin and settled Santa Clara. In the summer of 1855, Isaac Riddle, Jehu Blackburn and Robert Richey left Harmony and settled Pine Valley.
In the fall of 1856, six or eight Indian missionaries camped on Pinto Creek by a hay stack owned by Brother Gould, who, however, was not a permanent settler on the creek, but had come out from Parowan to cut hay. The missionaries, who were in charge of Rufus C. Allen, were on their way from New Harmony to Santa Clara. Benjamin Knell, one of the missionaries writes: "Rufus C. Allen was our president, or captain, and was with us most of the time, trying to get the Indians to come to our camps that we might let them know we were their friends. A few of the older men would come in, but were very shy. From our visit to the Santa Clara we went to Pinto and camped at Gould's hay stack in the summer of 1856. Brothers Dixon, Richard S. Robinson, Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman and David Wilson Tullis were a part of the company. That year we made our homes on the Pinto Creek hauling hay from the Mountain Meadows for our stock. The winter of 1856-57 was quite mild. Jehu Blackburn and I went on horseback up Pinto Creek to ascertain if we could get a team up the Canyon as he wanted to get into Pine Valley from New Harmony. We found the pass impossible. We drove two yoke of oxen and a heavy wagon on the trail to the head of the middle fork of Pinto creek and then climbed the ridge, getting into Pine Valley that night. Heavy freight teams enroute from Los Angeles, California to Salt Lake City would frequently camp on the Pinto Creek. The mountains were covered with grass. Jacob Hamblin was appointed our captain in a short time and he frequently came to Pinto to give us council.
Another account says that a meeting was called in the fall of 1856 by Rufus C. Allen who proposed, on account of the shortage of water, that the settlers at Harmony should take the water out from the Kanarra Creek, and the missionaries take the water from Harmony as this arrangement would give enough water for both parties. John D. Lee was opposed to this plan and the company divided, some going to the Santa Clara and others to Pinto. The following named brethren went to Pinto:
Rufus C. Allen (captain), Samuel F. Atwood,Lorenzo W. Roundy, Richard S. Robinson
Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman, Benjamin Knell, Robert Dixon
BY RULON KNELL
Pinto, with its lush meadows and clear stream of good water, was a natural stopping place on the Old Spanish Trail. The chief products carried over this trail, before the coming of the Mormons, were Indian slaves and peltries. When the Mormons first arrived in southern Utah they found a well-beaten trail through the streets of Pinto.
At the April conference in 1854, President Young called a group of missionaries to the Indians of Southern Utah. Under the leadership of Rufus C. Allen, they commenced operations at Harmony, Utah. About the end of May, the same year, President Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others of the General Authorities, visited there, President Young gave much instruction regarding conducting the mission and building up the settlements in southern Utah.
In December 1854, Jacob Hamblin with Ira Hatch, Samuel Knight, Thales Haskell and A.P. Hardy went down the Rio Virgin and settled Santa Clara. In the summer of 1855, Isaac Riddle, Jehu Blackburn and Robert Richey left Harmony and settled Pine Valley.
In the fall of 1856, six or eight Indian missionaries camped on Pinto Creek by a hay stack owned by Brother Gould, who, however, was not a permanent settler on the creek, but had come out from Parowan to cut hay. The missionaries, who were in charge of Rufus C. Allen, were on their way from New Harmony to Santa Clara. Benjamin Knell, one of the missionaries writes: "Rufus C. Allen was our president, or captain, and was with us most of the time, trying to get the Indians to come to our camps that we might let them know we were their friends. A few of the older men would come in, but were very shy. From our visit to the Santa Clara we went to Pinto and camped at Gould's hay stack in the summer of 1856. Brothers Dixon, Richard S. Robinson, Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman and David Wilson Tullis were a part of the company. That year we made our homes on the Pinto Creek hauling hay from the Mountain Meadows for our stock. The winter of 1856-57 was quite mild. Jehu Blackburn and I went on horseback up Pinto Creek to ascertain if we could get a team up the Canyon as he wanted to get into Pine Valley from New Harmony. We found the pass impossible. We drove two yoke of oxen and a heavy wagon on the trail to the head of the middle fork of Pinto creek and then climbed the ridge, getting into Pine Valley that night. Heavy freight teams enroute from Los Angeles, California to Salt Lake City would frequently camp on the Pinto Creek. The mountains were covered with grass. Jacob Hamblin was appointed our captain in a short time and he frequently came to Pinto to give us council.
Another account says that a meeting was called in the fall of 1856 by Rufus C. Allen who proposed, on account of the shortage of water, that the settlers at Harmony should take the water out from the Kanarra Creek, and the missionaries take the water from Harmony as this arrangement would give enough water for both parties. John D. Lee was opposed to this plan and the company divided, some going to the Santa Clara and others to Pinto. The following named brethren went to Pinto:
Rufus C. Allen (captain), Samuel F. Atwood,Lorenzo W. Roundy, Richard S. Robinson
Amos G. Thornton, Prime T. Coleman, Benjamin Knell, Robert Dixon
Samuel Knight History
Samuel Knight was born in a log cabin in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri on October 14, 1832. His father, Newel Knight, had been born in 1800 in Vermont, but had spent most of his life in upstate New York until his move to western Missouri in 1831. His mother, Sally Coburn Knight, born in 1804, was likewise a native New Englander.
Soon after his parents joined the "Mormon" church, they moved to Kirtland, Ohio, then to Independence, Missouri. In Missouri, Sally had their child, which she named "Samuel", because she had "asked him of the Lord." During the persecutions they camped on the banks of the Missouri River, in shanties. Most were soaked by the rain that poured down and Sally became sick. Samuel was 13 months old. His mother was expecting their second child. Both Newel and Sally came down with malaria. In the midst of these awful circumstances, on Sep. 15, 1834, Sally gave birth to a son who they named Eli. He did not survive the day. Tragically, Sally also died.
His father Newel had received a mission call, so his Aunt Esther (his mother's sister) cared for Samuel. Samuel did not see his father for another year. While Newel was in Kirtland on his mission, he met Lydia Goldthwaite, and they were married in November, 1835 by Joseph Smith. They arrived back in Missouri in May 1836. Lydia was the only mother Samuel ever knew, and many years later, he said that Lydia treated him "better than her own children."
After Joseph Smith was killed, 11 year old Samuel was in the conference when he "was surprised to hear the voice of Joseph Smith. He arose in astonishment and beheld the transfiguration of Brigham Young...."
The family departed Nauvoo, Illinois for the trek west. At the age of 13 Samuel would be considered a man and would be expected to perform a man's duties on the trail. They missed the spur trail to Garden Grove and traveled for two days off track before realizing their error and retracing their steps. The entered the camp at Mt. Pisgah on May 25th. Soon they caught up to Brigham Young's train and he recruited Newel and his family to be a part of the vanguard company.
This company detoured about one hundred miles northward to winter on the Ponca Indian lands, they arrived there August 23rd. Rations became short and Newel took ill. His condition grew progressively worse and on January 11, 1847 he died, probably of pneumonia. In March, Samuel drove his sick, pregnant mother and family back to Winter Quarters.
Because Lydia was worried that once Samuel's relatives found out that Newel had died, they would force him to return to them, she decided to send him to the valley as quickly as possible. Lydia stayed in Winter Quarters (Ponca Camp) for several years. Samuel entered the valley in September. There he was put in the charge of a man named Dickerson, a fisherman from Cape Cod, rough in his manner and unkind in his treatment of Samuel.
With limited rations, they almost starved waiting for the harvest months. His guardian married and left the church and joined the flood of gold seekers on their way to California, leaving him without anything for his support. He wandered around until nightfall and then went to sleep in a small stack of hay belonging to John Smith. He was taken in by Mr. Smith's son-in-law, Thomas Callister, who was kind to him.
Lydia and family arrived in the valley in October, 1850. He was very happy to be reunited with them. Later, in 1854, he was called to go as a missionary among the Indians in Southern Utah. In 1856, he went to Salt Lake to visit his family and there met a young Danish girl, Caroline Beck. Their courtship was brief and they were married in the Endowment House. She returned with him to the Indian Mission.
Caroline had to learn a new language and build a new life with no help except an Indian girl. Because of the extreme heat in the summer the families went to Mountain Meadows for the summer and it was here their first child was born. Caroline Kirstina was born in a covered wagon with Jacob Hamblin's wife, Rachel acting as midwife. From the lack of proper care, Caroline took ill and was an invalid the rest of her life. They were here at the time of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
They went to Provo, where his mother lived for the birth of the next child. Samuel built a home for his family at the edge of a hill near the west end of the town, some two or three blocks east of the old Hamblin home.
There is record of his assignment with Dudley Leavitt to protect a company enroute to California. They overtook the company on the Muddy in the heart of the Indian country. A large group of Indians were preparing to destroy the travelers. It was impossible to control the Indians, so the matter was compromised. The Indians agreed to take only the loose stock of the company and not meddle with the teams and wagons and not make any effort to take the lives of the emigrants. The loose stock amounted to four hundred and eighty head.
Samuel worked with the Indians all his life. He made trips to the Iyats on the Colorado river, the Moqui in the Kanab area, and many others. Many Indians sold their women and children to the Mexican's for slaves, so the settlers bought many Indian children and raised them as their own. Samuel and Caroline raised an Indian girl they called Jane. She died at maturity without marrying.
Samuel held many church positions during his lifetime, 1st counselor to Jacob Hamblin in the Indian Mission 1857-1859, second counselor in the bishopric 1872-1877, and first counselor in the bishopric 1877-1884. He also served for a long time on the Stake High Council.
His mother later married again and moved to Santa Clara, then St. George. His sisters, Sally and Lydia lived in Orderville, Newel, and later, Jesse, lived in Provo. James also lived in Provo. Artemisia lived in Payson, and Hyrum died in Payson unmarried. Joseph died in Arizona.
Soon after his parents joined the "Mormon" church, they moved to Kirtland, Ohio, then to Independence, Missouri. In Missouri, Sally had their child, which she named "Samuel", because she had "asked him of the Lord." During the persecutions they camped on the banks of the Missouri River, in shanties. Most were soaked by the rain that poured down and Sally became sick. Samuel was 13 months old. His mother was expecting their second child. Both Newel and Sally came down with malaria. In the midst of these awful circumstances, on Sep. 15, 1834, Sally gave birth to a son who they named Eli. He did not survive the day. Tragically, Sally also died.
His father Newel had received a mission call, so his Aunt Esther (his mother's sister) cared for Samuel. Samuel did not see his father for another year. While Newel was in Kirtland on his mission, he met Lydia Goldthwaite, and they were married in November, 1835 by Joseph Smith. They arrived back in Missouri in May 1836. Lydia was the only mother Samuel ever knew, and many years later, he said that Lydia treated him "better than her own children."
After Joseph Smith was killed, 11 year old Samuel was in the conference when he "was surprised to hear the voice of Joseph Smith. He arose in astonishment and beheld the transfiguration of Brigham Young...."
The family departed Nauvoo, Illinois for the trek west. At the age of 13 Samuel would be considered a man and would be expected to perform a man's duties on the trail. They missed the spur trail to Garden Grove and traveled for two days off track before realizing their error and retracing their steps. The entered the camp at Mt. Pisgah on May 25th. Soon they caught up to Brigham Young's train and he recruited Newel and his family to be a part of the vanguard company.
This company detoured about one hundred miles northward to winter on the Ponca Indian lands, they arrived there August 23rd. Rations became short and Newel took ill. His condition grew progressively worse and on January 11, 1847 he died, probably of pneumonia. In March, Samuel drove his sick, pregnant mother and family back to Winter Quarters.
Because Lydia was worried that once Samuel's relatives found out that Newel had died, they would force him to return to them, she decided to send him to the valley as quickly as possible. Lydia stayed in Winter Quarters (Ponca Camp) for several years. Samuel entered the valley in September. There he was put in the charge of a man named Dickerson, a fisherman from Cape Cod, rough in his manner and unkind in his treatment of Samuel.
With limited rations, they almost starved waiting for the harvest months. His guardian married and left the church and joined the flood of gold seekers on their way to California, leaving him without anything for his support. He wandered around until nightfall and then went to sleep in a small stack of hay belonging to John Smith. He was taken in by Mr. Smith's son-in-law, Thomas Callister, who was kind to him.
Lydia and family arrived in the valley in October, 1850. He was very happy to be reunited with them. Later, in 1854, he was called to go as a missionary among the Indians in Southern Utah. In 1856, he went to Salt Lake to visit his family and there met a young Danish girl, Caroline Beck. Their courtship was brief and they were married in the Endowment House. She returned with him to the Indian Mission.
Caroline had to learn a new language and build a new life with no help except an Indian girl. Because of the extreme heat in the summer the families went to Mountain Meadows for the summer and it was here their first child was born. Caroline Kirstina was born in a covered wagon with Jacob Hamblin's wife, Rachel acting as midwife. From the lack of proper care, Caroline took ill and was an invalid the rest of her life. They were here at the time of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
They went to Provo, where his mother lived for the birth of the next child. Samuel built a home for his family at the edge of a hill near the west end of the town, some two or three blocks east of the old Hamblin home.
There is record of his assignment with Dudley Leavitt to protect a company enroute to California. They overtook the company on the Muddy in the heart of the Indian country. A large group of Indians were preparing to destroy the travelers. It was impossible to control the Indians, so the matter was compromised. The Indians agreed to take only the loose stock of the company and not meddle with the teams and wagons and not make any effort to take the lives of the emigrants. The loose stock amounted to four hundred and eighty head.
Samuel worked with the Indians all his life. He made trips to the Iyats on the Colorado river, the Moqui in the Kanab area, and many others. Many Indians sold their women and children to the Mexican's for slaves, so the settlers bought many Indian children and raised them as their own. Samuel and Caroline raised an Indian girl they called Jane. She died at maturity without marrying.
Samuel held many church positions during his lifetime, 1st counselor to Jacob Hamblin in the Indian Mission 1857-1859, second counselor in the bishopric 1872-1877, and first counselor in the bishopric 1877-1884. He also served for a long time on the Stake High Council.
His mother later married again and moved to Santa Clara, then St. George. His sisters, Sally and Lydia lived in Orderville, Newel, and later, Jesse, lived in Provo. James also lived in Provo. Artemisia lived in Payson, and Hyrum died in Payson unmarried. Joseph died in Arizona.
Johann Rudolph Frei and Anna Margaretha Nageli Frei's Another History
Edward Rudolf Frei History with information about his parents Johann Rudolph Frei and Anna Margaretha Nageli Frei included.
(History contributed by Vicki Lasswell, who lives in Santa Clara, Utah. Story collected by Katie Webb. History copied by Georgene Cahoon Evans, February 1993).
Switzerland
From the year 1854, missionaries were sent to all parts of Switzerland, especially to the German-speaking parts of Switzerland. Many were ready to accept the gospel. Of those humble people, among them were my parents. As soon as they were baptized they had a desire to emigrate to Utah to mingle with the Saints. They would sell everything they owned to get the means for the trip. They would leave their country in small companies. It often took them two to three months to cross the ocean. And that was not the hardest, by no means. The hardships began by crossing the Plains. The earliest ones came with handcarts, later with ox teams. Some who had spare money were able to buy their own team of horses or mules.
Salt Lake City, Utah to Santa Clara
In happened by 1860 there was quite a large company of Swiss people in and around Salt Lake. No doubt, the leaders of the Church were concerned how these people could best make a living, not being able to speak English. In 1861, during conference, a proclamation was given by President Brigham Young that all the Swiss people in and around Salt lake were called on a mission to go to the extreme part of Southern Utah and make homes for themselves.
This part of the country had been previously explored by some of the Church leaders, and about twenty were sent ahead. Among those in the company was Jacob Hamblin, who was the head of the mission. This settlement was about 350 miles from Salt Lake.
The church furnished the teams for those who didn't have any. The trip took about three weeks. Among those in the company was my father, Rudolph Frei and my mother Margarette Nageli Frei, who came from Switzerland as a young girl with a company the year of 1861. My father came to Salt Lake in 1850, a year before.
Marriage of my Parents
He met my mother in Salt Lake and they were married in the old Endowment House. My father bought his own team to come to Santa Clara. There were 93 members in the company.
My father was born in Lutisburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland; and my mother was born in Altnau, Thurgau, Switzerland. To them were born 7 children, of which 3 are living. My brother, Jacob, was the oldest. He married Lena Reber when he was 22 years old. Next comes my sister, Mary. She married Fredrick Reber when she was 20 years old. I am next and I married Agnes Wilson in 1893.
My Parents, like all the colonists in early days, had to go through many hardships and exposures. My mother had a pair of twins, of which one died, also three other children who died in infancy, on account of the hardships mother had to go through.
When they first settled in Santa Clara they lived in a covered wagon until a dugout was made to live in. A few years later they built a log house where they lived many years, then thy built an adobe house, in which they lived to the end. My father died in 1902. My mother was a widow for 10 years.
The house was then remodeled, and her oldest grandson, Vivian, took it over. I remember when I was a boy living in the log house. Every time it rained, we had to put pans on the bed at night, so the bedding wouldn't get wet.
I also remember when we had no bread in the house. One day Father learned that Brother Leavitt had come home from a trip up north and brought five sacks of flour. My father was a very reserved man, but seeing us children hungry as we were (bread and molasses was our best meal in those days), took courage and went to Brother Leavitt. When Brother Leavitt saw him coming, he knew what he wanted. He said, "Brother Frei, all the flour is gone except a little more than half a sack, and you are welcome to that." My father had tears of joy in his eyes. He thanked him and left his blessings with them as he walked out. His wife called him back and said, "Here, take these warm biscuits for your children." She turned a dripper full of nice warm biscuits on a napkin. You bet we thought we had a feast when father came home with those good biscuits.
My father was the first postmaster in this town. He held that position for 20 years. He was school trustee for many years. They worked very hard to make a living. I remember when we children were small, we would all go with Father and Mother to St. George field to plant the crop. Taking our meager meal with us, working hard all day, and walking both ways.
When I was young, everbody made their own wine. My father had some, but we used it very sparingly. When I was young, somebody game e a drink, and it made me stick. That taught me a lesson for life.
Mission, Marriage and Housekeeping
When I was a student at the B. Y. U. I was called to go on a mission to Switzerland and Germany. I left school and came home to get ready to leave. Since I was engaged to my future wife, we decided to get married before I left. This was done, but she stayed with her mother until I cam back. I was gone 2 1/2 years.
When I came back we started to keep house. We sure were poor. We lived upstairs in mother's house and for a while we had a room in my brother Jacob's place. I taught school for a couple of years but didn't like the job. I liked to work in the open, so I started to freight from her to Milford.
Church Activity
I was engaged in Church activity. I was ward clerk for a number of years. I was class leader in Sunday School for 12 years. I was first counselor to Bishop Hafen for 10 years. I was bishop of Santa Clara for 15 years. When released I was ordained to the High Council. I was first counselor in the State High Priests Quorum. I'm class leader for the adult class in Mutual, also chairman of the genealogical committee. I was called on a six-month mission in 1930 to California
Community Service
I was constable for two terms. Trustee for a long time. i was County Commissioner twice. I was at the head of the Town Board twice. I was on the Board of Education for many years. I was Justice of the Peace two terms, and other jobs. I always was willing to help build up the community. I have been and am still Commissioner for the Farm Adjustment Deparment.
Vocation
My work is farmer and stockman.
(History contributed by Vicki Lasswell, who lives in Santa Clara, Utah. Story collected by Katie Webb. History copied by Georgene Cahoon Evans, February 1993).
Switzerland
From the year 1854, missionaries were sent to all parts of Switzerland, especially to the German-speaking parts of Switzerland. Many were ready to accept the gospel. Of those humble people, among them were my parents. As soon as they were baptized they had a desire to emigrate to Utah to mingle with the Saints. They would sell everything they owned to get the means for the trip. They would leave their country in small companies. It often took them two to three months to cross the ocean. And that was not the hardest, by no means. The hardships began by crossing the Plains. The earliest ones came with handcarts, later with ox teams. Some who had spare money were able to buy their own team of horses or mules.
Salt Lake City, Utah to Santa Clara
In happened by 1860 there was quite a large company of Swiss people in and around Salt Lake. No doubt, the leaders of the Church were concerned how these people could best make a living, not being able to speak English. In 1861, during conference, a proclamation was given by President Brigham Young that all the Swiss people in and around Salt lake were called on a mission to go to the extreme part of Southern Utah and make homes for themselves.
This part of the country had been previously explored by some of the Church leaders, and about twenty were sent ahead. Among those in the company was Jacob Hamblin, who was the head of the mission. This settlement was about 350 miles from Salt Lake.
The church furnished the teams for those who didn't have any. The trip took about three weeks. Among those in the company was my father, Rudolph Frei and my mother Margarette Nageli Frei, who came from Switzerland as a young girl with a company the year of 1861. My father came to Salt Lake in 1850, a year before.
Marriage of my Parents
He met my mother in Salt Lake and they were married in the old Endowment House. My father bought his own team to come to Santa Clara. There were 93 members in the company.
My father was born in Lutisburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland; and my mother was born in Altnau, Thurgau, Switzerland. To them were born 7 children, of which 3 are living. My brother, Jacob, was the oldest. He married Lena Reber when he was 22 years old. Next comes my sister, Mary. She married Fredrick Reber when she was 20 years old. I am next and I married Agnes Wilson in 1893.
My Parents, like all the colonists in early days, had to go through many hardships and exposures. My mother had a pair of twins, of which one died, also three other children who died in infancy, on account of the hardships mother had to go through.
When they first settled in Santa Clara they lived in a covered wagon until a dugout was made to live in. A few years later they built a log house where they lived many years, then thy built an adobe house, in which they lived to the end. My father died in 1902. My mother was a widow for 10 years.
The house was then remodeled, and her oldest grandson, Vivian, took it over. I remember when I was a boy living in the log house. Every time it rained, we had to put pans on the bed at night, so the bedding wouldn't get wet.
I also remember when we had no bread in the house. One day Father learned that Brother Leavitt had come home from a trip up north and brought five sacks of flour. My father was a very reserved man, but seeing us children hungry as we were (bread and molasses was our best meal in those days), took courage and went to Brother Leavitt. When Brother Leavitt saw him coming, he knew what he wanted. He said, "Brother Frei, all the flour is gone except a little more than half a sack, and you are welcome to that." My father had tears of joy in his eyes. He thanked him and left his blessings with them as he walked out. His wife called him back and said, "Here, take these warm biscuits for your children." She turned a dripper full of nice warm biscuits on a napkin. You bet we thought we had a feast when father came home with those good biscuits.
My father was the first postmaster in this town. He held that position for 20 years. He was school trustee for many years. They worked very hard to make a living. I remember when we children were small, we would all go with Father and Mother to St. George field to plant the crop. Taking our meager meal with us, working hard all day, and walking both ways.
When I was young, everbody made their own wine. My father had some, but we used it very sparingly. When I was young, somebody game e a drink, and it made me stick. That taught me a lesson for life.
Mission, Marriage and Housekeeping
When I was a student at the B. Y. U. I was called to go on a mission to Switzerland and Germany. I left school and came home to get ready to leave. Since I was engaged to my future wife, we decided to get married before I left. This was done, but she stayed with her mother until I cam back. I was gone 2 1/2 years.
When I came back we started to keep house. We sure were poor. We lived upstairs in mother's house and for a while we had a room in my brother Jacob's place. I taught school for a couple of years but didn't like the job. I liked to work in the open, so I started to freight from her to Milford.
Church Activity
I was engaged in Church activity. I was ward clerk for a number of years. I was class leader in Sunday School for 12 years. I was first counselor to Bishop Hafen for 10 years. I was bishop of Santa Clara for 15 years. When released I was ordained to the High Council. I was first counselor in the State High Priests Quorum. I'm class leader for the adult class in Mutual, also chairman of the genealogical committee. I was called on a six-month mission in 1930 to California
Community Service
I was constable for two terms. Trustee for a long time. i was County Commissioner twice. I was at the head of the Town Board twice. I was on the Board of Education for many years. I was Justice of the Peace two terms, and other jobs. I always was willing to help build up the community. I have been and am still Commissioner for the Farm Adjustment Deparment.
Vocation
My work is farmer and stockman.
Jacob and Lena Frei Family
Middle: Claude, Rex, Jacob, Newell, Lena
Front: Claude
Not pictured: Cecil
Neg - Denise Webster
Lena Reber and Jacob Frei Family Photo
Back, left to right: Claude, V.J., Newell, Jacob, Clark, Cecil, Rex
Front: Effie, Lena, Elsie, Della
Johann Rudolph Frei on Find a Grave
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