About 3: PM I learned that my brother Heber had been found dead in his garage. He had been working on his car with the motor running and the gas fumes killed him. Will & Afton and Lona and I went down about 6: PM found Lola (Heber’s wife) in pretty bad shape.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Monday, March 29, 1954
Lona had a big dinner in my honor. Sixteen of the family were present. After dinner we were shown a lot of slides.
Sunday, March 28, 1954
This is my 51st birthday. Celebrated it by teaching Sunday school in morning, working at service station in afternoon and talking at Center Ward at night. After which I attended correlation meeting in our own ward.
Sunday, March 21, 1954
Today I was appointed group sec. of the High Priests of Heber 2nd Ward. Fireside at our home.
Wednesday, March 11, 1954
Grant and Burt stayed at station in afternoon and we drove to Salt Lake, shopped a while, had lunch and then went to the temple. Had a very nice session but when we came out it was snowing and blowing. We had a ruff time getting home.
Sunday, February 21, 1954
Stake Conference today and last night. Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Council of the twelve and Eldred G. Smith, Patriarch to the Church were representing the General Authorities. They gave some most wonderful talks on tithing, chastity and Temple marriage or “Celestial Sealings” as Elder Smith called it. I was an usher for all sessions. After the afternoon session we drove to Morgan to see the folds and show some pictures we have. We have just purchased a new projector and screen and Paul bought the camera.
Wednesday, February 10, 1954
Today we received word that our son Kenneth Jr. had been set apart as an L.D.S. Group Leader aboard the USS Rendova.
Monday, February 8th, 1954
I forgot to mention that for the past 10 days there has been a blanket of fog covering the Salt Lake Valley and light planes cannot land, so they land in Heber. Another landed today and again the people walked into my station, and again I made the trip to Salt Lake. The weather has been just beautiful here all the time it has been foggy in the valley below.
Friday, Feb. 5th, 1954
About noon a plane landed on the air strip south of town and a man walked into my station from it and wanted me to take he and his party to Salt Lake, which I did. Was just two hours making the trip and received $17.00 for it. After I returned Lona, Bryan and I drove to Morgan and took mother Turner a lovely bouquet of flowers for her birthday. We stayed all evening and most of the family came in to see the folds. We had a very nice visit with all.
Friday, Feb. 4th, 1954
It has been beautiful sunshine weather all this week. A little cold in the morning but nice all day. We are getting along fine with Bryan. Tonight Burt and I went to a father and son’s banquet. It was quite an affair. There were 400 men and boys present. Bro. Carl Buchner of the Presiding Bishopric was the speaker of the evening. He gave a most wonderful talk. He said (among other things) that “The signs of the times point to the nearness of the coming of the Savior. He said no fewer than the heads of 13 nations have to sit across the table from Pres. McKay, seeking advice from a prophet of the Lord for their troubled country. The gospel is being preached everywhere, people are recognizing the truth. Elder Benson is teaching people how to live through his activities in Washington D.C. Pres. McKay is visiting the peoples of the world. Three temples are being built all at once. It is the opinion of Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith, he continued, that the Savior will come and usher in the millennium within the next 20 years.” No one knows the hour nor the day nor the year.
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1954
Grant and Ruth left on a trip yesterday and left Bryan with us. We get quite a kick out of him. Will and Afton came over to see us today. Afton doesn’t look at all well. Seems to be very nervous or something.
Sunday January 31, 1954
After Sunday School we drove to Morgan to see the folks. Had a nice visit with them. On our way home we stopped at Hoytsville and attended Missionary farewell of David Hillier. He is going to Norwegian Mission.
Thursday, Jan. 28, 1954
Went ward teaching. Have six families at hailstone to visit. Couldn’t get my partner (DeVar Batty) to go because of basketball, so I went alone.
Wednesday Jan. 27, 1954
Lona and I attended a quarterly High Priests party at Charleston Ward Chapel. It was well attended and a very nice evening was enjoyed in program and dancing.
Sunday January 3, 1954
Today the Bishop called Burt to be Pres. of his Deacon’s quorum, and I was given a Sunday school class to teach. Lona has a mutual class. Now I know at least three reasons why we were not to go to Calif. for the winter. This was also tithing settlement day. We found that we had paid $461.00 and Burt paid $24.00. We feel that we have been well blessed in 1953.
January 2, 1954
We had everything fixed up to turn the station over to Baird and go to Calif. for the winter. We had been praying earnestly whether or not we should go and the Lord gave us a definite answer this day that we should not go. So that is just what we are going to do, feeling that that is best for us.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
December 29th, 1953
Son Ken Jr. Left Long Beach Calif. on Carrier USS Rendova for cruise in the Far East.
December 25th, 1953
Christmas day and we have had every one of our children and grandchildren home and together for the first time in a long while. Even our son Ken Jr. was home on furlough from navy. We exchanged many nice gifts and had a good time. After they had all left Lona, Burt and I drove to Salt Lake by way of Provo Canyon, ate dinner and went to a show at the Center Theater, “Easy as Love.”
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
December 23, 1953
It is now Dec. 23rd. Prophet Joseph Smith’s birthday anniversary. All summer I have failed to add any to this record. In fact, not much has happened, except of course long hours and work at the service station. Oh yes, we have done some remodeling on our home, a new roof and porch, a new door and walk. It is now all decorated up for Christmas and really looks nice. We also bought my sister Mary Elizabeth’s bedroom set. It is a beautiful thing.
On Aug. 26th, having worked long and hard mother and I decided to take a day or two off. We drove to Cheyenne Wyo. And a nice day we had just taking our time. Next day we went up into the Black Hills of South Dakota. Visited Rushmore National Monument, the presidents monument carved in the mountain side. It was a thrill. That night we attended the great Passion play at Spearfish South Dakota. Words cannot describe this marvelous production of the Crucifixion of the Savior. Next day we drove through Northern Wyo. and stayed at “Old Faithful” in Yellowstone Park. There is much beautiful scenery in northern Wyo. Next day we drove home, stopping at Morgan on our way. Burt and Allen Baird took care of the station while we were gone. It did us a lot of good.
From Aug. 29th until Dec. 2nd it was all work and no play again. On that day at seven in the evening, mother, Donna and I left for San Francisco Calif. to pick up Bert Fisher who is returning from Korea. Traveled all night and arrived at Chas and Iva Turners in Oakland at 5: o’clock next day. We, however, had spent some time in Sacramento going through the capitol bldg. and also at Travis Air Force Base where Bert was supposed to land, but he wasn’t there. This was Thursday and he didn’t get in until Midnight on Saturday, having flown all the way from Japan in about 24 hours flying time. Almost the same length of time that it took us to drive from Heber to Oakland. This is truly a day of miracles. He had traveled 7,000 miles and we 800.
Sunday Dec. 6th
Lona and I attended church with Iva and enjoyed it very much. In the afternoon we drove over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco and took in some of the sights. We went to the zoo but it was so cold we didn’t enjoy it very much.
Monday Dec. 7th
Left Iva’s about 7: A.M. and drove to South Gate near Los Angeles. Had a very nice day. Arrived at Mae and Leo’s about 5: P.M. and found them and their two little boys, Larry and Ray, very well.
Tuesday Dec. 8th
Bert, Donna, Lona and I drove to Santa ana. Visited with Mr. and Mrs Rone turner and Mr. and Mrs. Faye Van Wagoner. Also some of the Donna and Bert’s friends. Drove out to El Toro Air Force Base.
Wednesday Dec. 9th
We all drove up through Los Angeles to the new Mormon temple that is being built. Watched work on it for a while. Went through the new mission home that occupies part of the temple block. Sister Alvin winters, who is cook there, showed us through. It is certainly a nice place. This visit is just two days before the cornerstone laying ceremony took place there. We visited with Jim and Verla Simpson at Inglewood, Verla is my niece. At about 6:30 we left for home. Drove all night and arrived home about 1: P.M. after visiting with Jay and Monta in Provo for a short time.
We found everything at home in very good condition. Betty had tended Donna’s children and Burt had stayed with Grant and Ruth.
Sunday Dec. 13th
In Sunday School Bro. Rulon Carlile asked me if I would give a talk in Sacrament meeting that night, which appointment I filled. Told of our trip through the black hills and attending the great Passion play.
Tuesday Dec. 15th
We put on the play Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. I took the part of Scrooge. Everyone seemed to enjoy it very much. Bert Fisher took a picture of me in my makeup.
Sunday Dec. 20th
We put on “The Christmas Carol” again for the stake Relief Society.
Thursday, June 11, 1953
Betty and Burt stayed at the station while Mother and I attended Mary’s funeral. All of her brothers and sisters were there. They had very nice services. I dedicated the grave. Came home with sick headache.
Monday, June 8, 1953
My sister Mary E. died this morning at 7:30. May her soul rest in peace. She has suffered much in this life.
Friday, June 5th, 1953
About 10 A.M. I received a phone call from my brother Will saying we should go to Salt Lake General Hospital to see our sister, Mary Elizabeth, who was very ill so he and I went down. Just saw her about 5 minutes before they took her to the operating room.
May 30th, 1953
Mother, Burt, Betty, Donna and Kids & I drove to Morgan, took care of our graves and visited with the folks. Had a very nice dinner. Dean and Helen were there with their kids which made a very nice crowd. Had to hurry back in the afternoon and work at the station. It was a big day there.
Sunday, May 17th, 1953
In the afternoon we drove to Salt Lake to visit. We first went to Amy’s and then Lizzie’s (My sisters) Then we went up town and had dinner at the new Canton Café, a very nice place. Rudy Vallee and Co. occupied the table next to us but he didn’t recognize us. After dinner we visited with Helen & Dean & family. It was late when we got home. The hours at the station now are long and tiresome from 5:30 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Friday, May 15th, 1953
This week has been cold and wet and business has been very poor. Tonight we attended the “On Stage America” show. Miss Wilma Mair(?) won the talent contest.
Sunday, May 10th, 1953
This is mother’s day. The children gave mother some very lovely gifts. After we attended Stake Conference in the afternoon I took her to the Homestead for a chicken dinner. It was very nice. At night we went over to Park City 2nd ward where I was the speaker of the evening. My brother Will is bishop of this ward. Betty went over with us. After meeting we drove down and saw Afton who was laid up with a bad back.
Monday, May 3rd, 1953
During the past week we have had quite miserable weather. It has been snowing and been very cold. Wednesday we were down to the Salt Lake Temple all day. Our son Kenneth Jr. was married to Betty Jean Fillmore by Robert D. Young. We had a very lovely time. Several people from Midway went with us, as did Paul & Anna. Ken took our car and we came home with Paul and Anna. Burt was out to the station from 6:30 A.M. until 7:00 P.M.
Saturday night there was a reception for the newlyweds and we had a very good crowd and there were many lovely gifts.
Sunday at the request of Sister Chas. Broadbent I taught the missionary class in Sunday School.
Saturday the fishing season opened on Deer Creek Lake so business has been a little better at the station.April 27, 1953
During the past week we were on the job as usual. Monday morning our daughter had a baby boy in the Heber hospital. They are naming him Bryan Grant. I went to see them Wed. afternoon. Donna took the kiddies and went to Salt Lake Wed. until Friday. Ken Jr. came home on leave Saturday morning the 25th. He is going to get married on the 29th. Saturday night Lona and I drove to Devil Slide to Walt and Thora Ulrich’s to a birthday supper in honor of Lona’s Father’s birthday. We had a very nice supper and a good time visiting. Sunday afternoon we drove to Coalville to see LeRoy McMichael’s family. Sister McMichael having passed away. Drove around by Will & Afton’s on way home. Went to sacrament meeting, offered the benediction. Went to Ruth & Grant’s after meeting.
Forgot to mention that on Sunday April 19th we went over to Hoytsville to attend the dedication of their new chapel. We really had a lovely time. Pres. J. Ruben Clark Jr. was there to talk and offer the dedicatory prayer. Donna went over with us. We met many old friends.
Wednesday April 1, 1953
Procrastination is a terrible thing and that is just what has happened to this history. As you can see, it has been almost a year since I made entry. Now I must go back over the year and try to tell some of the things that have happened from memory, and my memory is the thing I forget with. On April the 20th all my family met at my brother Will’s place. The occasion was his birthday, or close by (his birthday is 23rd). All the family living was there except Dell. Tom Bingham brought my cousin’s Mable Howell and Lois Wilkinson with him. We had a very nice day together.
At April Conference of the church I attended the Saturday night Priesthood Conference.
On May 15th our son Kenneth Jr. Came home on leave from the Navy. Also I took my vacation. During that week I heard that the “Y” service station was for lease so I went out and talked to Mr. A. D. Baird about it and made arrangements to lease it. I went to Mr. Ashton and told him I wouldn’t be back to work. He didn’t like it very well after working for him years he figured I couldn’t quit. I am happy to get away from him (to put it frankly).
On May 29th in the afternoon, mother (should I call her mother in this record or Lona? I believe it would be a compliment to her to call her mother. Anyway I have no earthly mother living and she is the mother of my children, so it’s mother), Ken Jr, Burt and I left for Calif. Ken’s leave being about over we wanted to take him back. We arrived at Leo and Mae’s early in the morning. Rested that day and next day we took Ken Jr. to San Diego to the Naval Base. The next two or three days we had a very good visit with Leo and Mae. (By the way, Mae had a new baby on March 7th to everyone’s surprise they named him Larry).
June 3rd we arrived home from Calif. and took over the service station on June 4th from then on during the summer it was work day and night with very little time off. But did very well financially.
On July 4th the Durrant family met in a reunion at a park in Sugar House. We had a very lovely day. When we got home Bert and Donna and Kiddies from Kansas were there, they being on a leave from the Air Corp. Bert is making Military his life work and has been in about seven years now. We were very glad to see them.
On July 24th the Turner family met in reunion at Dean and Helen’s in Salt Lake. A good time was had by all. Chas and Iva were in from Calif.
August was a big month in the station, selling nearly 20,000 gallons of gas. Work was heavy. Almon H. Clegg worked for me. Also our son Burt.
Sept. 10th we were getting a little weary of working all the time so Jay came and took over for us for 3 days and Mother and I took off. We went out through Colo. and Rocky Mountain National Park. Stayed at Lyons Colo. that night after seeing some very beautiful scenery. The leaves were turning and it was very beautiful over the Continental Divide.
Sept 11th We drove to Denver on our way we drove over to Boulder and saw the College. We shopped around Denver most of the day and then went back to Colo. Springs and then over hiway #24 heading home. Night overtook us at Leadville, a mining town about 10,000 feet u pin the Rocky Mountains. Couldn’t get a cabin as there were only four in town and they were filled so we had to stay in an old hotel. Went to a show down the old boardwalk to pass away the evening. Next morning when we awoke there was 6 ins. of snow on the ground that had come during the night. We came home by way of Grand Jcts. and arrived home about 5 P.M. Sept. 12th.
I forgot to mention that the Wasatch Chamber of Commerce was organized in March 1952 and I was a charter member. Some good times were had sponsored by the Chamber, particularly the breakfast at Wolf Creek Camp and the Press breakfast at the power plant.
October was a pretty good month in the station, with hunting season and all. I can’t just remember the date but it was somewhere about here that mother and I drove to Delta to witness the opening of the last link of hiway #6, a new transcontinental hiway, longest in the country, extending from Cape Cod on the East to Long Beach on the West. It was quite a ceremony with all the dignitaries from Utah and Nevada.
About the 10th of November Bert and Donna and family came in from Kansas. He having his orders to go to Korea. Donna and the kiddies to live with us. During the remainder of the month Bert worked on Television for Storm McDonald. Television having reached Heber by virtue of large transmitting towers having been built on tops of mountains west of Salt Lake City. Bert put an antenna on our house and I bought a set for $255.00 One of the first sets installed in Heber. We have always been blessed and had everything modern and up to date. We have always paid a full tithing, which brings the blessings of the Lord.
All our family were together for Thanksgiving and we had a most enjoyable time together and a nice dinner, turkey with all the trimmings, and gave thanks to our Heavenly Father for his many blessings to us. There was only one note of sadness and that was the fact that Bert Fisher had to leave for Korea. But we prayed the Lord to bless and protect him, which I know he will. Thanksgiving was on the 27th of Nov. and that night at 6:30 after all the folds had gone home, Bert and donna and Lona and I and Burt left for California in Bert’s car. We had a lovely ride during the night and arrived at Mae and Leo’s in South Gate Calif about 8:30 next morning. We visited around there until the 1st of Dec. then we drove to Oakland. Bert had to report to Camp Stoneman on Dec 2. We had quite a time finding Chas and Iva’s as it was raining and I became confused in my directions. We were at Oakland 4 days during which time we went to San Francisco, over the famous Bay Bridge and took in the town. While eating dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf Bert looked at a salad that Iva had ordered and said “Iva, are you going to eat that salad or did you.” After that Iva didn’t know whether she was going to eat it or not. On our way home that night we got on a free way and a wreck occurred ahead of us and we were tied up for 1-1/2 hours.
While at Chas and Iva’s we got a telephone call from Mae in South Gate telling us that our son Ken Jr. had landed from a cruise to ________________(?) Island so the next day we said goodbye to all at Oakland, took Bert Fisher to Camp Stoneman and left him then drove to South Gate. It rained almost all the way. The next day we all (including Mae and Leo) drove to San Diego to see Ken Jr. Found him well. Had the privilege of going through the ship he was on (the Rendova a carrier) After we had dinner in beautiful Coronado we drove to Tijuana Mexico. Had quite an experience there trading with the Mexicans. We found that it is much better to be in the U.S.A. While things are cheaper and there is no tax there, neither do they have the conveniences of life that we have here. No lights in stores, no water, no good streets. When we tried to leave we were tied up in traffic for two hours because there wasn’t any officers to direct traffic. Finally made it back to San Diego about 8: o’clock and left Ken at the Y.M.C.A. and drove to South Gate. It was quite a large day.
The next day Donna, Burt D, Lona and I left for home, arriving late at night.
Christmas was next. We had a very nice Christmas with all the family coming home and we received many nice gifts. Ken Jr. Came in for an 8 day leave. His ship now in dry dock at Long Beach Calif.
Business has almost ceased at the station so we decided to close it up for the winter and go to Calif. We left on the 27th of Dec. taking Ken Jr. with us, leaving Donna and the Kiddies to live in our house. We took our T.V. with us as T.V. is very good in and around Los Angeles. A day or two after we arrived I started working with Leo and Gene doing carpenter work. We invested $5,000 with Leo in some building lots, one in South Gate and one in Lynnwood. Secured a building loan from First Federal of Long Beach and started building a duplex on lot in Lynwood about Feb. 20th. Up to this time we had been working on odd jobs. Quite a bit of the time during February we were out of work which made it a little rough on us, but we enjoyed the winter very much. Especially we have enjoyed the church, South Gate has a wonderful ward and everyone treated us just grand and made us feel at home. We went to everything, which was quite a change after being tied up in a service station all summer. I might say that we had quite a lot of trouble finding a place to live, finally found a one room apt. in the back of a garage at 8981 San Miguel. The people who owned it were members of our church, their names P.D. McArthur. The apt. was quite comfortable only a little dark. Had a good bed in one corner and a kitchen in another. A couch to make into a bed between the two. Had a toilet and shower in an offset. It also had a T.V. antenna on the roof. We paid $48.00 per month for the apt. and $5.00 per month for T.V. hookup.
During Jan. Ken Jr. was sent to school at Alameda which is close to Oakland. After that he would come in and stay with us about two days out of every three. He is able to come into church on Sunday most of the time. All in all we have had a very lovely winter to say the least. Leo wants us to sell out and come down and join with them in the building business. It is quite a temptation.
We came back to Heber on March 14th. Everything looked very drab and discouraging. Ken Jr. came home with us for a weekend stay. He hitch hiked back. Everyone seemed quite happy to see us back. Next day after we got back Lona and I talked in sacrament meeting and told of our experiences during the winter.
Since returning I have been tied up in the service station about 14 hours per day, Burt comes out and stays a little while in the evening. Business is not very good.
FYI
LM notes: I found this website that has a description of the ceremony that Grandma and Grandpa attended in Delta. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/us6.cfm It is about half way down the page. Grandpa's memory is not as bad as he me makes it out to be, the celebration was on September 21, 1952.
I also found a wikipedia page about the carrier that Ken Jr. was on, as described in Grandpa's writings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Rendova.jpg
Tuesday, April 15, 1952
The usual work week. The weather has been quite nice, some rain. The snow is about gone. I didn’t think we would ever see the ground again but it has happened. Sunday afternoon Burt, mother and I went Eastering, drove up Echo Canyon a ways and ate our lunch. It was quite cool, then drove to Morgan and visited Lona’s mother and father.
Sunday, April 6, 1952
The sun has shone all this past week and we are quite encouraged that we are going to have spring. Last Sunday we had all of my family to dinner. The 28th was my 49th birthday and April 1st was Heber’s 70th, thus the get together. We had a most wonderful day and a good dinner. There were present Heber and Lola, Emma, Mary Elizabeth, Amy, Ida and her new husband Lawrence Porter, Will and Afton. Tom and Dell came later in the evening after the rest had gone home. Jay and Monta, Paul and Anna, Don and Susan, and Grant and Ruth & Scott were also here. During the week we have performed our regular duties. Friday General Conference of the church started in Salt Lake. Saturday night Lona, Burt and I went to Salt Lake. I attended Priesthood meeting and they watched T.V. at Helens and Deans. There were 16,769 men in attendance at the Priesthood meeting. I stood for 2-1/4 hours, but the time didn’t seem very long. I was so thrilled with the messages of the First Presidency of the Church.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 26, 1952
This has been a very snowy week. The roads east and west of here have been blocked and there is only one way traffic on some of them now. We went to Morgan Sunday the 23rd and had a nice visit with Mother and Dad Turner. Today we had a little sunshine, first we have had in a long time.
March 19, 1952
Another week has passed. The basketball team finally won consolation honor after playing some pretty lousy games. We went to Provo Sunday afternoon to see Jay and Monta. It snowed and rained and was bad getting home. The weather has been terrible again this week. Snow almost every night and bad wind. The garden fence is just showing a little now. We are getting pretty tired of winter. Last night I stayed home from mutual and installed mother’s new Bendix Dryer. It is quite a dandy. During the past two or three weeks we have also bought a comb. radio and phonograph and a new chrome kitchen set. Monday night we went to Salt Lake to visit Helen and Dean. Received word that Lona’s mother was very ill. Mother is helping cook a banquet for the Lions Club tonight.
March 12, 1952
Well we have had more snow all right. It has snowed almost continually the past two weeks. Up to date we have had about 13 feet and it has been cold too. The stake Gold and Green ball was held last Saturday and was a very lovely affair. The Wasatch High School basketball team opened the B Journey today and lost to Springville. Everyone in town is pretty sick.
Monday, February 25th 1952
I am going to keep a weekly account from here on if possible. Believing that it might be more accurate.
The past week has been quite a busy one. Besides my regular job at Ashton Lumber and Hardware, our son Kenneth Jr. has enlisted in the Navy. He is leaving tonight for San Diego, California. Tuesday at mutual I was in a fashion show and wore my father’s top hat and long coat, and carried a cane made by my great grandfather over 200 years ago. Wednesday I went ward teaching with my new companion for this year, Brother Ferron Van Wagoner. He is Principal of Wasatch High School. We had a most enjoyable evening. Friday was supposed to have been a holiday for us at the yard but the boss called about 7:15 a.m. and informed me that our long shed had caved in under the weight of the snow, so we had to work all day and clean it up. Forgot to mention that Thursday night Lona and I went to a Farm Bureau Banquet in the social hall annex. Friday night we had our family together for supper. Jay and Monta came up from Provo and Paul and Anna and Grant and Ruth and Scott were here. Saturday night we attended first session of Stake Conference. A most inspiring meeting held for all men and wives. Elder Marion G. Romney of the Council of the Twelve was there and gave a most wonderful talk on Priesthood and marriage. Sunday of course was spent in morning and afternoon sessions of conference. At one of the sessions Elder Romney made a prophecy. He said “You young people should remember to keep yourselves clean and pure for you will be the ones to welcome the savior to earth when He comes and it won’t be very long”. He also said to the young boys going into service, “Most of you will come back, some will not. But it will matter not so long as you are living right when you are taken.”
After conference we took Ken Jr. to Salt Lake as he had to be at Fort Douglas at 9: o’clock Monday for further examination. We decided at park City to go by way of Morgan so Ken could see his grand parents before leaving. We had supper there. At Helene and Deans we watched T.V. until 11: o’clock. It was late when we arrived home. Grant and Ruth and Scott made the trip with us. I might add that the weather this week has been ruff. 24 degrees below zero. We still have mountains of snow. Our garden spot is level with the top of fence. Have had better than 10 ft. this winter and look for more.
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4: End of introduction
My brother-in-law, Adam Hettrick, got me a job where he worked at the old Utah Fire Clay Company, making brick and sewer pipe. This was some contrast to the other job as it was so hot in the kilns we could hardly stand it, especially when we first opened the kiln after the fires were out. This was hard work also. Worked there all the rest of the winter into the spring of 1921, then went back to Porterville and worked for Frank Porter all summer. Nobody ever worked harder than Frank Porter and he expected all who worked for him to keep up, so I did. Thinning and hoeing sugar beets, hauling hay, milking cows, cutting brush, and many other things. I lived right with he and my sister Emma and their small children. When all the crops were in that fall I went to Snyderville with Golden Carter and we worked on the ranch of John Riley Porter all winter milking cows, hauling hay both before it went in and after it came out of the cows. The snow was fence high, wind most of the time, and 50 degrees below zero at times. One time I remember, for a solid week it only got up to 12 below zero in the daytime, got frozen fingers and ears. About March I took a week off and went to Salt Lake and had my tonsils out. During that time I went to Ogden to see a girl that lived close to us in Porterville when we were younger, by the name of Mathel Allen . I had a terrific case on her, but she was not so much of the same mind. I guess I was too rough for her. She was very refined and a good musician.
When spring broke, about May or first part of June, I quit the ranch and went back to Porterville to help Frank Porter with his work. All this work was mostly gratis, there was not much money around at that time. The first time I attended church after I returned from Snyderville (I hadn’t been to church all the time I had been up there) the Bishop, Hyrum K. Porter, took me around the northwest corner of the old Porterville church house and asked me if I would go on a mission. This was a great shock to me, a mission, at that time, was not very popular among the young boys. I had picked up the habit of smoking, had not even been ordained a Priest. Some home missionaries, Brother Harvey Richins and a companion from Henefer had contacted me and convinced me to quit smoking. And I had prayed for strength to be able to live a better life. I pondered the call of the Bishop for some time, I thought of the hardship it would place on my father and mother. As I said, there was not much money around at that time, the Great War was just ended and times were tough. I finally told the Bishop I would go if my parents agreed. He called us together and asked them how they felt about me going on a mission. Father thought for some time and then said that there was no way he could support a missionary at this time. Mother spoke up, she was in tears, and said “Pa, I supported you on two missions to England, if you can’t support this our last son on a mission, I will.” And she probably did, God bless her for her strength and courage and faith, she knew that I would never amount to anything in life if I didn’t fulfill that call. My call came from the President of the Church, Heber J. Grant, in July. I was to leave on October 15th, 1922 so I was able to help Frank with all of the fall harvest. I was going fairly steady with Leah Giles. We had been a friend of their family for many years as my oldest brother Heber had gone with the oldest daughter for many years, but they did not marry. This was a happy time for me, she was my first true love. (I will say here that she was killed in an auto accident soon after I got out in the mission field.) My call was to the Central States Mission, Headquarters in Independence Missouri. Samuel O. Bennion was the President. October came, I left with father and mother for Salt Lake on the 13th in the 1917 Ford Modle T., for the first three miles Brother Will Pulled us with a team of horses. (I will say here that all my courting up to this time had been done with a horse and buggy). October 14th we met with some of the General Authorities, George Albert Smith did most of the talking, told us if we didn’t think we could live a clean life and serve the Lord from that moment on, we could be released and go home. Most of us determined to do well. There were not many of us there (less than 2,000 missionaries in the whole world at that time.) I was set apart that day by Richard R. Lyman. We stayed that night and the night before with Heber and Lola, my brother. Early on Oct. 15th we went to the temple to get my endowments. Didn’t get out of the temple until about 3:00 p.m. Went directly to train and said our good bye’s. (This is all the missionary training we had at that time, the rest came the hard way.) We road the train, on hard seats, all night that night and all the next day and arrived in Denver Colorado. This was on the D&RG Railroad. Layed over there a while, changed railroads, and road all that night, all the next day and most of the next night and arrived in Kansas City at 4:30 a.m. Washed up and got breakfast, there caught a bus for Independence. The mission home at 302 South Pleasant St. Four of us, myself, Donald T. Berrett of North Ogden Utah, Leo Hauson of Roosevelt Utah and Arthur A. Day of Nampa Idaho, received our assignment to go to Baton Rouge Louisiana, which was about as far away as we had come from Utah. That afternoon we took the old LR&N Railroad fired with pine knots, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, to Baton Rouge Louisiana, arriving there five days later, a very hard trip. All the missionaries of the Louisiana district were holding conference. President Bennion was there and gave us our assignments. I was assigned to travel three months with James L. Purser of Salt Lake City. There were only eight elders in the whole district, two of which had arrived one month before us. A day by day account of this mission is in a set of small books elsewhere. Many experiences and much conversion in myself took place in the next 2-1/2 years I spent there. I witnessed miracles that gave me a strong testimony that the Church was truly the Church of Jesus Christ, that he lived and directed his Prophet and the Holy Ghost was with us. We tromped the muddy roads and trails through the back woods, with our little hard pan suitcase with all our belongings and books and tracts in it. It was our chair, our desk and sometimes our pillow, but we were happy. We held meetings in cottages and shacks, with the light of oil lamps without chimneys, walking sometimes 30 miles a day and holding meetings at night. We loved the people and they loved us and were eager to hear our preaching. I was told that I was the best preacher that they had known, but of course, that was to encourage me.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
3: Introduction continued
When a very small boy my mother took my sister Bertha’s son, Leo Carter, to raise as Bertha had lost her husband, Benjamin Carter, in death when Leo was two years old. We were then raised together for several years. What fun times we had together, I had not had a close brother. My brother Will was seven years older than I. We would sleigh ride down the hill on the crusted snow in the late winter time, then when spring was starting we would tromp the hills to find the first sugar flowers and buttercups and snow drops. Mother had a tin spoon that both of us liked to eat with, and we would quarrel over it, who was going to eat with, the tinun, as we called it. One day my brother Heber said he was going to end that so he took the spoon and bent it up and threw it in the trash. What a tragedy that was. We played threshing machine with our little red wagons, threshing sand, and did many pleasant things together. In later years he married my wife Lona’s sister Mae. So he is now my nephew and my brother-in-law. We have been very close over the years. They moved to California to live and we have made many trips there, almost every year, to see them. We have had some treat times together. They now live in Richfield Utah, this being march 1978.
In 1908 when the Porterville chapel was dedicated by President Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I was present, being a little over 5 years old. President Smith stood by the door at the close of the meeting and shook hands with all the primary children. The impression and thrill of shaking hands with a Prophet of God has stayed with me all during my life. I have shaken hands with every Prophet President of the church since that time, Spencer W. Kimball is President at this time, 1978. Our birthdays are the same day, 28 March. He is eight years my senior.
In 1919 the boys came home from the war. Will and I worked at home and for our brother –in-law, Frank Porter, until the beets were (sugar beets) harvested, then he and I went to Ogden to work in the sugar factory all winter. It was a cold, nasty winter. Our room had an inch of frost on the walls all winter. I had a joyous time there going to dances and shows. Will was conservative, he was saving money to get married, I spent mine. Will was married in June 1920. That summer I went to Snyderville and helped Mr. Jim Dahl in the hay. It was a hard summer, he was somewhat of a Simon Lagree, and he had a couple of boys that were miserable to work with. In the fall of 1920 I went to work at “the arsenal” near Ogden, they, the government, was building great powder storage magazines. This is now Hill Air Force Base. The winter was cold and windy. The work was hard, pushing wheel barrels full of concrete up schaffolding 20 feet high. I was only 17 years old but was very used to work. (Work has been my whole life, I never learned to play anything except a little base ball). I stood this work quite a while until one morning we were walking up the hill to work, the wind and snow howling around us. Me and another fellow said that was enough, so we went back to the shack and quit. From there I went to Salt Lake. Father and Mother had gone to Salt Lake for the winter to do research work, they were living on 7th south near West Temple. I stayed with them all winter.
2: Introduction continued
My mother was one of the best cooks of all time. And a good manager too, she had to be with such a large family and small home. I can never remember a time when there was not food a plenty and some to share for the neighbors children who were always dropping in, to, Aunt Sarah’s as she was called. There was always a crowd in our home, of good jolly people. Mother worked continually in the primary and Relief Society. When I was right young she would hook old Nig. to the buggy and we would be off to Primary, that was before I started school. There was never a fast meeting passed without her standing and bearing testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel and thanking the Lord for his goodness to her and her family. She lived her whole life for her family and taught them all the principles of the gospel. Which some of us have failed to live up to fully.
I will remember November 11, 1918 when the Armistice was signed ending World War #1, how happy father and mother were (along with everyone else) that their boys had been spared and would now return. Had the War kept up another year I would have gone in myself. Though young I was as large in stature as I have ever been in my lifetime. At 15 years I was 5’ 11” tall and weighed 145 pounds. I was head and shoulders above anyone of my age. This abnormal height made me very self conscious and bashful. (I have over come this a little by now) I wasn’t much in a crowd but when the girls got me alone “You’d be surprised”. However I always got along pretty good at a dance and ere I was 18 years old I would rather dance than eat, and many times did.
In June 1917 my father bought a modle T Ford. At that time there were very few cars on the road (and in fact no roads) We really thought we were somebody.
I should go back here a ways and say that when I was 5 years old my father was called on a mission to England, his homeland. My oldest brother Heber, who had been away working, came home to run the farm. And he, with my other brother Will who was 12 years old, made the living for the family and enough besides to keep father in the mission field. It was a great sacrifice for my mother. But then she had done this before when she had only three small children. Now she was the mother of 12, I being the youngest. Three had died young. I well remember the night that father left. Mother and I had been to Salt Lake with him and as the train went East on the Union Pacific we got off at Morgan and he stayed on. My brother Heber was there to meet us in a big heavy wagon, and it took us most of the night to reach home six miles away. The roads were hub deep in mud and we kept getting stuck.
When we bought the Model T Ford, only my brother Will learned to drive it, one day later on my father said to me “son come with me, we are going to learn to drive this contraption if it’s the last thing we do” so away we went. I was afraid at times that it was going to be the last thing we would do on earth, at one time it headed for a barb wire fence and instead of applying the brake father hollered “Whoa” “Whoa” as he would to his horses, but the Ford didn’t stop. Luckily one of the wires caught the radiator cap and killed the engine, so we got out and cranked the engine, got it started again, backed onto the road and away we went again. From that day we both knew what to do and what not to do in driving a car.
Work on the farm was always hard, I always had the job of tromping hay while two pitched it on. Sometimes would get completely buried in the hay, but when we got back to the barn mother would be there with a jug of lemonade to refresh us. When real young it was my job to ride the horse to cultivate acres of potatoes. About the only cash crop father raised. He kept us all fed on 30 acres of ground. However he was a share holder in a threshing machine company, and got some grain for flower to make bread. They would thresh for everyone in the community. Each would help each other. Six teams of horses furnished the power going around and around all day long tied to big sweep stakes. Uncle Hyrum Phillips was a large man and he sat in the center of the horses and knew just how to keep them going steady so the power and speed of the thrasher would be steady. When I was little I thought it was great if I could be around the machine and get a little dust on my hat. When about 15 I followed the machine each fall and became so good at knowing just how to fork the bundles of grain from the stack to the feeders table, so the feeder could feed the machine evenly, that they always gave me that job. One thing I liked about threshing was the great meals we would get. Breakfast, dinner and supper. Sometimes we would sleep in the straw stack if we were too far from home, as we would have to be up early.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Grandpa Durrant's Journals
I have decided to set a goal for myself. I want to get Grandpa's journals typed and available to my family. It is important for everyone to have access to them. I will be putting them also into a Word document so if anyone ever wants a copy I will be able to e-mail them.
I would appreciate any input on how to make this easy to read. I think I will number each entry I make and then put a date if there is one. The first few pages of the book aren't dated, but just a starting history which he began on February 25, 1952. I hope this is something that my family is interested in, but if nothing else I am excited to see what these precious pages hold. Enjoy!
1: February 25, 1952 (Introduction)
Life History of Kenneth Norwood Durrant.
Son of Lorenzo Heber Durrant and Sarah Jane Norwood. Born at Porterville, Morgan Co, Utah on the 28th day of March 1903. This record being commenced Feb. 25, 1952 at Heber City Utah. Having lived almost 49 years and knowing that my life must be at least half over I feel that I should put in writing, for future generations, a few of the things that have happened in my life. I suppose one of the things that has inspired me to do this more than anything else is the fact that when my father died on 29 of June 1951 all of his records fell into my hands, and the things that he told about himself were the things that I enjoyed the most, and were of the most worth to me. I found there no record of his life, as I intend to make here, but just little sketches in notebooks and on pieces of paper. And I have hungered for a more complete record of his, and my mothers, lives. They were so full and accomplished so much more than I will ever have to tell here but I feel that what little I have should be preserved. There will be no fancy words used here because my education has been very limited.
I remember as a young boy of six years I started school in Porterville and had to walk a little over a mile night and morning 7 years of what constituted most of my schooling. While I was in the 7th grade World War #1 came along with its many trials. I was forced to stop school and help my father on the farm. My two brothers, Heber Lorenzo and Richard William, having both enlisted in the service of their country. Heber in the Army and Will in the Navy. Then in 1918 “The Flu” epidemic as it was called, came and there wasn’t any school held for quite some time. By this time I thought I was too old to go to school, except for two months I spent in Morgan High School prior to my contracting the flu. I have been sorry all my life for this lack of education, but I have only myself to blame. Had I had more ambition for an education I would have gotten it.
I was the youngest of 12 children my father and mother had. Three died in infancy. Those whom I know in life in their order were Heber, Bertha, Emma, Elizabeth, Amy, Ida, William, Adelphia.
I have many pleasant memories of my childhood days on the farm. Coasting down the hills and skating in the wintertime. And picking flowers and wandering over the hills in the summer time. From the time I was 8 years old until I was 14 I had the chore (along with other things) of hunting the cows in the hills each night which took me some two hours. Had about 8 or 10 miles to go. We lived about 6 miles from a store and food was stored up for almost a year in advance. Father and mother wouldn’t go to town very often. The only means of transportation was a big heavy wagon. It would take a big long day to make the trip. Sometimes when they went they would bring us home some bananas or oranges or maybe a piece of candy. The kerosene can would have a green gumdrop on the spot to keep it from spilling and we would draw lots to see which one got it. There were no electric lights, only the old kerosene lamp. Our home consisted of three rooms made of logs. Then when I was about 8 years old my father built two more rooms on which was of frame construction. Some of us slept up in the hay loft in the summer time.
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