We took our team and wagon with sufficient hay and grain, food, bed quilts and blankets. The older children could ride the extra saddle horses. We generally went via Daniels Canyon, then left the main road at the head of the canyon (near Ace Bethers station) then we drove as near as we could to Strawberry Peak before we stopped to camp. The next day, on the range, the horses would all be pressed into service. Sarah and I would take the smaller children on a horse with us. Sometimes, we would wind up the trip by going fishing in Strawberry River. Such trips helped the family to like the mountains and especially Strawberry Valley. I have been very surprised at times to see how far and how easy Sarah could ride a horse in one day’s time.
JULY 16, 1911 - HAROLD’S BAPTISM
The Sunday that Harold was eight years old,
I had obtained permission from Bishop Ritchie to baptize him. We first went to Sunday
School with the family. After Sunday School we took our lunch to eat down by the old saw
mill. We held a little meeting with the children and then I led little Harold into the
water and baptized him. I baptized all my own children, most of them on their 8th
birthday, and also little Stella Gardner.
I likewise had the privilege of baptizing Elmer
Kohkonen. We tried to teach our children so that each would look forward to the time when
they could be baptized.
Most always our family could be seen at Sunday
School and Sacrament Meeting. Sarah would always see to it that the children would get a
bath and clean underwear the night before. Most likely my shoes would be cleaned and
polished. I had much work to do. Nearly always a stream of water to take care of before
going to Sunday School. The most help I gave my wife on Sunday morning was to tell her to
not prepare any breakfast for me, and the children soon became accustomed to going without
breakfast. If the youngest ones were hungry they were satisfied with something easily
prepared. I used to be proud to drive a nice team hooked to a white top buggy and take all
the family with us.
Sarah taught a class in Sunday School. In
Relief Society she was one of the counselors. Often she would ask me to take the children
with me when I went to the post office to get the mail, when I was to distribute on my
route. I was to leave them with my sister, Sarah Price. Sarah would pick them up there at
sister Sarahs. It was not easy to carry little Van and lead Harold by the hand and walk
that one and one third mile to Charleston. Of course, that was before she got the baby
buggy and could put both children in and push the buggy.
After I discontinued carrying mail, my
brothers, Moroni, Fred and I concentrated our efforts in farming and raising cattle.
Harold, our oldest child, was then nearly seven years old. While I held and farmed my
private owned land, Moroni and Fred farmed together. Our cattle we owned conjointly as