I remember the old log house by the creek and the blacksmith shop. Many times I have turned the bellows for Father as he did his blacksmith work. I remember the well and the windmill by the old house, the sheds, especially the old shed in the dry creek bed where the cattle sheltered in winter and where we would gather mushrooms in the spring.

I remember large stacks of hay and bins full of grain, potatoes, apples and garden produce, fat, well-kept horses and white top buggy that took us on trips occasionally, our pet horse, Baldie and the old black dog, Toby.

I remember the threshing crews we used to feed. The townspeople bought a threshing machine in later years, which they ran with a horse-powered machine. The threshing crew consisted of from fifteen to twenty men.

Father believed in the security of family prayer. We were called together every morning, each one taking their turn at saying the prayer. Many times we were late for school because Father kept us on our knees for longer than we thought necessary. Father took us to our church meetings and taught us that Sunday was a day to worship the Lord.

He was free and generous with his money, and as a result, he was taken advantage of many times. He was stern, but he had his good qualities. He lived the gospel and taught his family the best he knew how. I never saw Father ever use tobacco or strong drinks. He did drink tea for his breakfast and felt justified in doing so.

Grouse Creek had long, hard winters, usually with lots of snow. But we made our own good times, sleigh riding, parties, dances. One winter the whole town was stricken with smallpox. There were some very bad cases, but no deaths. At another time, there was a typhoid fever epidemic. Louisa, the 17-year-old daughter of Father and Mother, became fatally ill with the dread disease and died on October 11, 1899. Their young son, Ether, was also severely ill for three months with the same dread disease.

Two sons, Wellie and Ether, were called to serve their country during World War I. Both were fortunate enough to be able to return home after the armistice.

One by one, the large family left parents and home and were married. Each of the eleven who grew to maturity were married in the Salt Lake Temple, a record to be proud of.

The drought, the depression and the effects of the war, together with his advancing years, slowed down Father's pace so that the prosperity of the old farm and home began to deteriorate.

Father enjoyed really good health most of his life and worked around the place as much as he could. In the fall of 1931 he became ill with a kidney ailment. On January 17, 1932, after some persuasion, he was taken to Ogden to Eliza's home. He passed away on April 26, 1932 and his body was returned to Grouse Creek where the funeral and burial took place on April 30, 1932.