WHAT MADE THE MAN
CHARLES LEONARD HEATON
A Compilation of His own writings
FORWARD
This is a compilation of the writings of Dad copied on to computer
disks by his grand daughters. I am not sure who they are but I
think they all belong to Maxine, if there were others they should
get our thanks also.
I want to give them a special thanks for
their efforts in making it possible to have this available for the
family now and for future generations. Not only from me but from
all that have access to this compilation. With out their efforts
this would have been a much longer job.
I received the disks from Sherwin last summer (1994) and have been
struggling on how to present this data. There are many more pages
of data on the disks but it deals with the Heatons and Cox's on
the Muddy Mission, St George and Grandfathers missionary diaries.
I hope to have this put together sometime for the family.
(Lowell H. Heaton,
JULY 1995)
2
INDEX
THE BEGINNING............................................... 11
CHARLES LEONARD HEATON * BIRTH *YOUTH....................... 12
EDNA HOYT ROBERTSON * BIRTH YOUTH........................... 16
YOUTH AT HOME
BELLY ACHE!............................................
A CHALLENGE TO GRANDMA HEATON..........................
CUTTING WILLIAM ESPLIN'S HAIR..........................
MY CRIPPLED RIGHT HAND.................................
MORE ABOUT MY RIGHT HAND...............................
STILL ANOTHER STORY OF MY RIGHT HAND...................
SEEING BUFFALO AT PIPE SPRING..........................
RAISING DOGGY LAMBS....................................
HARVESTING GRAIN AT MOCCASIN...........................
CUTTING HAY............................................
MY FIRST RECOLLECTION OF THE SACRAMENT.................
MY AARONIC PRIESTHOOD DUTIES...........................
SAVED FROM FALLING OFF SOME CLIFFS.....................
EARLY SCHOOL DAYS AT MOCCASIN..........................
GRANDMOTHERS TURKEY GOBBLER............................
WILD SHEEP AT HOME.....................................
FATHER GETS THE LEATHER................................
LEFT AT HOME WHILE FATHER WAS ON HIS MISSION...........
BITS OF PERSONAL HISTORY...............................
WILD CAT CAVE..........................................
OLD PORK THE MILK COW..................................
MY FIRST TRIP TO GRAMMAR CANYON........................
KICKED BY OLD BENNY....................................
THE OLD SWIMMING POND..................................
MY FIRST BIG THANKSGIVING..............................
SLEEPING IN A TENT FOR FOUR YEARS......................
A TRICK................................................
A HEN AND A HAWK.......................................
OLD DOG TIG............................................
FUN GAMES
LINERS............................................
DARE BASE.........................................
WOOLEY............................................
STEAL THE STICKS..................................
THROW THE PICKET..................................
RUN SHEEP RUN.....................................
THREE MAN BASE....................................
HOP SCOTCH........................................
THREE HOLE PURGE..................................
MUMBLE PEG........................................
18
18
18
19
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
25
25
26
32
32
33
34
36
36
37
37
38
38
39
39
40
40
40
42
42
43
44
44
44
45
45
46
46
3
PIT...............................................
ROOK..............................................
POMP, POMP PULL AWAY..............................
PRINNEY...........................................
MARBLES...........................................
47
47
47
48
48
FUN GAMES (continued)
FOX AND GEESE.....................................
HORSE SHOES.......................................
STICK PEG.........................................
SHINNY............................................
KICK THE CAN......................................
JUMP THE ROPE.....................................
ANTI-I-OVER.......................................
DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF.............................
WHEEL ROLLING.....................................
OLD WITCH AND HER STAFF...........................
FORFEIT GAME......................................
CHARADES..........................................
POP THE WHIP......................................
JACKS.............................................
BASKET BALL.......................................
TOADY TOADY.......................................
BALANCING SKILLS..................................
PULL UP...........................................
GRIP THE STICK....................................
THREE DEEP........................................
HAND WRESTLE......................................
WINK..............................................
WE USED TO SAY.........................................
A HEATON REUNION AT MOCCASIN...........................
AN EASTER SUNDAY OUTING................................
SOME HEATON REUNIONS AT ALTON..........................
49
49
50
50
50
51
51
51
51
52
52
53
53
53
53
54
54
54
54
55
55
55
56
56
57
58
TEEN YEARS
A SUNDAY HIKE..........................................
THE JULY 4TH CELEBRATION...............................
A TRIP INTO THE KANAB GULCH............................
WINTER PASTURE.........................................
A WAGON TRIP FOR LUMBER................................
A TRIP TO ORDERVILLE JULY 22 TO 26, 1914...............
A WASP NEST............................................
A WAGON TRIP TO ORDERVILLE.............................
MT. CARMEL DUG-WAY BRIDGE ACCIDENT.....................
A PUNISHMENT...........................................
THE WOLF OF MOCCASIN AREA..............................
HERDING SHEEP AT MOCCASIN..............................
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
69
72
-12 -
AN OUTING AT THE SAND HILLS............................
CUTTING LOGS FOR AN ICE HOUSE..........................
GRANDFATHER HEATON AS ROAD BOSS ON THE RESERVATION.....
HUNTING WILD STEERS FOR BEEF...........................
HAULING LUMBER FOR FATHER'S HOUSE 1917.................
CIGARS.................................................
MUMPS AND HACKS CANYON DAM.............................
A LOST STEER...........................................
72
74
74
75
76
77
79
80
BEFORE MARRIAGE
A DONATION TO THE BUILDING FUND........................ 82
GETTING MY FIRST AUTOMOBILE............................ 83
WORKING AT WILL RUST SAWMILL........................... 84
WORKS ON BUCKSKIN MOUNTAIN 1923........................ 85
SOME HIGH SCHOOL STORIES AT DIXIE...................... 89
FIRST YEAR 1919-20..................................... 89
1919-1920 A FEW AMUSING INCIDENTS..................... 90
A DOG STORY............................................ 91
SECOND YEAR 1920-21.................................... 91
THIRD YEAR 1921-22..................................... 92
FOURTH YEAR 1922-23.................................... 93
WORKING ON THE FARM FOR L.D. COX....................... 94
ROAD WORK.............................................. 96
WORK AT ALTON IN THE FALL OF 1925...................... 97
MEETING EDNA ROBERTSON................................. 98
MEETING * COURTSHIP * MARRIAGE..................... 100
A MARRIAGE LICENSE.................................... 103
BEGINNING A LIFE TOGETHER
HEAD OF THE HOME......................................
104
A MOON LIGHT RAINBOW.................................. 104
GEESE AND A FULL MOON................................. 104
CHILDREN
MAXINE................................................
CLAWSON...............................................
DEAN .................................................
LEONARD...............................................
LOWELL................................................
SHERWIN...............................................
GARY .................................................
OLIVE.................................................
CLAREN................................................
MILLICENT.............................................
-13 -
106
106
106
107
107
107
107
108
108
108
MEMORIES.............................................. 108
NEWS REPORT 1976...................................... 111
ACCIDENTS
MOTHER................................................ 114
OLIVE................................................. 115
EARNING A LIVING
FREIGHTING FROM CEDAR CITY MAXINE WITH ME.............
HERDING SHEEP FOR GEORGE HEATON.......................
FAWN HUNTING ON THE KAIBAB............................
PLASTER BUSINESS......................................
116
116
117
118
HOMES
PIPE SPRING........................................... 119
DEDICATORY PRAYER OF OUR HOME......................... 124
CARS * PETS * ETC.......................................... 126
NOTES FROM PERSONAL JOURNALS............................... 129
ACCOMPLISHMENTS....................................... 130
CHURCH
POSITIONS.............................................
GRANDMA'S CHEERY TREE.................................
SUNDAY DO'S AND DON'TS................................
A PARABLE OF TWO TRAVELERS............................
A NO-MAN'S LAND CHRISTMAS.............................
132
133
137
134
135
INDIAN MISSION............................................. 136
THE SUPAI MISSION CALLING............................. 137
SCOUTING
THEY WILL OBEY........................................
THE SCOUTER...........................................
MY DIARY OF A BOY SCOUT JAMBOREE, 1937................
A LOST WALLET.........................................
AT A BANQUET..........................................
FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH............................
LEONARD EARNED THE SILVER BEAVER AWARD................
139
139
141
151
152
152
153
THE COWBOY
COWBOY DAYS...........................................
RANGE BRANDING........................................
COWBOY TRIP TO THE BIG RESERVOIR TO BRAND CALVES......
COWBOY DAYS HEATON AND FINDLEY RESERVOIR..............
ANOTHER TRIP WITH FATHER ON COW RANGE.................
154
156
158
158
160
-14 -
WILD HORSES...........................................
CATCHING A WILD MULE..................................
WORKING CATTLE WITH A MUSTANG ........................
CATTLE STAMPEDE AT ORDERVILLE AND MCFARLANDS..........
THE COW THAT SLID OFF THE FLAT ROCKS..................
166
CATTLE OFF MOCCASIN MOUNTAIN..........................
CLEAR WATER AT ANTELOPE SPRINGS.......................
GENE RUSSELL AND THE DEAD LIZARD......................
MY LAST BIG CATTLE DRIVE..............................
THE JOBS NEEDED DOING AFTER THE CATTLE WERE ROUNDED UP
DRIVING THE LAST HERD OF CATTLE FROM ALTON............
TRAPPING WILD HORSES AT SCOTT'S HOLE..................
GEORGIE GEORGE AND CATTLE ROUNDUP DAYS................
THINK FASTER..........................................
162
163
164
165
l
166
167
167
167
168
169
170
171
171
NOTES ON DADS FAMILY
INFORMATION ABOUT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA HEATON
CHARLES AND MARGARET
FATHER IS CALLED AS STAKE PRESIDENT...................
FATHER AND HIS KANAB STAKE MIA........................
NOTES ON DADS FAMILY (continued).
FATHERS AND SONS OUTING...............................
FATHER AND THE CHURCH WELFARE PLAN....................
MEN CALLED TO CHURCH POSITIONS........................
MISSIONARY CALLING....................................
MOTHER TAKES A HORSE BACK RIDE........................
HARD TO CONVINCE......................................
AN OWL AND A PISTOL...................................
PLANT BEANS...........................................
FATHERS JUSTICE OF PEACE JOB..........................
MOTHERS STORE.........................................
TAX ASSESSOR FOR MOHAVE COUNTY........................
MACK HOYT AND LAMOND HEATON.(WORD OF WISDOM)..........
HEEDING THE PROMPTING OF THE SPIRIT...................
GRANDMOTHER STANDS UP TO DAVE RUST....................
COUNTING SHEEP........................................
BEAUTY AND DESOLATION IN THE DESERT August 15, 1957...
SECURING PROPERTY TITLES..............................
MANAGING THE ROUNDUP..................................
PURCHASE OF PIPE SPRINGS..............................
THE FLOOD AND MOCCASIN................................
A STORY FATHER TELLS OF MISSIONARY WORK IN CANADA,
1944 & 1955......................................
FATHERS CATTLE TRIP TO KANSAS CITY....................
-15 -
173
173
174
175
175
176
177
177
178
178
179
179
181
181
182
183
183
183
184
184
185
185
186
188
188
MELVIN BEING PLOWED UNDER............................. 189
MOTHER AS A PAPER HANGER.............................. 190
LIME STONE FOR WHITE WASH............................. 190
AS TOLD BY MARGARET COX HEATON........................ 190
COFFEE FOR A SUPERINTENDENT........................... 190
MELVIN................................................
191
DUCKED BY A BUCKET....................................
191
GRACE................................................. 192
RICHARD............................................... 192
JENNIE................................................ 192
SHEERING SHEEP........................................ 193
A INDIAN AND BLANKETS................................. 193
A LOST DIME........................................... 194
BIG JOHN'S BURIAL..................................... 194
A SHORT PRAYER........................................ 194
SEE WHAT I HAVE MISSED................................ 195
GRANDMA TEACHES A LESSON ON PRAYER.................... 195
REPORT ON MOTHERS PROPERTY 1976 - MOCCASIN ARIZONA.... 196
A LETTER.............................................. 197
TO DAD................................................ 199
LOST ON CEDAR MOUNTAIN................................ 199
STORIES LIKED BY MARGARET COX HEATON
A Peace offering...................................... 201
A College Priscilla................................... 207
A Rocky Mountain Santa Claus.......................... 211
The Highwayman........................................ 220
The March Hare and the Brain Specialist............... 224
To Be Shot at Sunrise................................. 226
STORIES LIKED BY MARGARET COX HEATON
The Telegram.......................................... 227
The One Legged Goose.................................. 229
The Revolt of "Mother"................................ 231
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS
EDWARD T. LAMB Jr.(MY FIRST RECOLLECTION OF)..........
SOME VISITS OF L.D. COX AT MOCCASIN...................
A STORY ABOUT GEORGE ESPLIN...........................
MY MEMORY OF DAVE FROST...............................
ANGLE GABRIEL.........................................
A MEAN TRICK..........................................
NOTES ABOUT TEMPLE WORK BY AUNT ABBIE COX HEATON......
MEMORIES OF DR. U. R. NORRIS..........................
238
239
240
240
241
241
242
243
MAIL
CARRYING MAIL FROM MOCCASIN TO KANAB..................
MAIL CARRYING EXPERIENCES.............................
-16 -
245
245
OLD SEAMAN AND THE MAIL............................... 247
COPY OF A LETTER TO DEAN R. HEATON
from Asa W. Judd - May 1941 - Fredonia Arizona....... 247
THE RECOVERY OF THE RUNAWAY MAIL SACKS................ 249
HORSES
BENNY THE WORK HORSE..................................
OUR HORSES............................................
HORSES................................................
THE LOCO WEED.........................................
MORE AND MORE HORSE STORIES...........................
OLD BENNEY............................................
UNCLE CHRIS' SORREL MULE..............................
251
251
252
255
255
260
260
INDIANS
INDIAN HISTORY........................................ 263
MY INDIAN PLAYMATES................................... 264
THE LAZY AX........................................... 265
INDIAN AND DOUBLE-BITTED AX........................... 266
INDIANS AND LIGHTENING-STRUCK TREES................... 266
LIGHTNING STRUCK LOGS................................. 266
INDIANS WERE DEPENDABLE............................... 266
MY GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS GIFT........................... 268
THE CONCERN OF AN INDIAN FOR A CHILD.................. 268
A MEAN TRICK.......................................... 269
THE FIRST INDIAN FUNERAL I REMEMBER................... 269
INDIAN NAMES FOR WHITE MEN............................ 270
A TEACHER TRADED FOR A BLANKET........................ 270
A LEASE ON KAIBAB INDIAN RESERVATION.................. 271
BUILDING FENCE WITH CAPTAIN GEORGE.................... 272
SOME MEMORIES OF INDIANS AND THE TELEPHONE...
272
MORALS AND STANDARDS.................................. 273
INDIANS (Continued)
RED ANGEL............................................. 274
OLD MIKE AND QUAGENTS................................. 275
INDIAN WOMEN WORKING FOR MOTHER....................... 275
PART OF A TALK BY ELDER STEWART SNOW.................. 276
AN INDIAN'S DESCRIPTION............................... 276
NAVAJO AND HORSE TRADING.............................. 276
AN INDIANS REVENGE.................................... 277
THE GRAND CANYON INDIAN TRADITION..................... 278
IVY SAM............................................... 279
MY INDIAN FRIEND GEROGIE GEORGE....................... 280
MOCCASIN
TALKING THINGS OVER...................................
KILLING PIGS .........................................
-17 -
282
283
MAKING MOLASSES AT MOCCASIN...........................
NOTES.................................................
BUILDING THE SCHOOL HOUSE AT MOCCASIN.................
HAULING LUMBER FOR THE SCHOOL HOUSE AT MOCCASIN.......
SOME EASTER SUNDAY TRIPS AT MOCCASIN..................
FATHER'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE 1940 FLOOD...............
TELEPHONE COMES TO MOCCASIN...........................
POST OFFICE AT MOCCASIN...............................
IRRIGATION AT MOCCASIN..............................
284
285
286
286
287
288
288
288
290
THE REGION AROUND MOCCASIN
PIPE VALLEY........................................... 294
PEOPLE................................................ 295
UTAH - ARIZONA CATTLE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION........... 297
HOMESTEADING IN PIPE VALLEY........................... 299
THE TWO MILE RANCH.................................... 300
THE OLD INDIAN PASTURE................................ 301
STATEMENT OF DR. HERBERT E. GREGORY................... 303
APOSTLE BALLARD'S PROMISE TO KANAB STAKE LIVESTOCK MEN 303
CATTLE RUSTLERS....................................... 304
A DANCE AT CANE BEDS.................................. 323
BITS OF WISDOM
LISTEN TO OUR MAKER...................................
THOUGHTS..............................................
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTERS...............
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR MY GRANDSONS....................
A GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE POLICY....................
PERSONAL INTERVIEW BY MAIL............................
A PRAYER FOR PARENTS..................................
FOLLOWING THE PROPHETS COUNCIL........................
MAYBE I'LL MAKE IT....................................
MARRIAGE..............................................
JUST A LONELY OLD MAN.................................
FENCES................................................
THINK FASTER..........................................
KEEPING THE SABBATH DAY HOLY - TESTED.................
BITS OF WISDOM (Continued).
WELFARE...............................................
TEN FARM COMMANDMENTS.................................
ARE YOU A LEADER?.....................................
COPIED FROM NOTES ON LOOSE PAPERS - C. Leonard Heaton......
DATING................................................
THE SCRIPTURES SAY....................................
MARRIAGE..............................................
WHAT IS A GOOD STANDARD OF LIVING.....................
-18 -
307
307
308
309
311
312
313
314
315
315
315
316
317
317
319
319
319
320
320
321
321
321
SECRET OF A LONG MARRIED LIFE.........................
FROM THE McELWEE FAMILY...............................
A BLACK SHEEP.........................................
TESTING THEIR WINGS...................................
NOTES TO REMEMBER.....................................
322
322
323
323
325
POEMS AND VERSES
WHEN GRANDPA LOOKS AT GRANDMA.........................
A LETTER..............................................
I LIVE HERE...........................................
BLESSING..............................................
BACKWARD! TURN BACKWARD!.............................
COUSINS...............................................
SISTER GEORGE A. SMITH'S NOTE TO HER HUSBAND 1851.....
326
326
327
327
328
329
329
STORIES WITH A MORAL
A DIFFERENCE A TICKET MAKES...........................
LINDEN STREET HOUSE SETS GOOD EXAMPLE.................
MANUEL AND THE MILKMAN................................
A GOOD CITIZEN........................................
I TRIED...............................................
SCHOOL BULLIES.......................................
SISTER OF JIM CORBET AND BULLIES......................
A CONDEMNED KILLERS ADVICE............................
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES
HOW TO LIVE A HUNDRED YEARS...........................
KILL FEAR.............................................
YOUTH.................................................
THE TRUE STRENGTH.....................................
CHALLENGE.............................................
AMERICANS ARE LUCKY...................................
THE OPTIMISTS CREED...................................
NOT AN AMERICAN RACE?.................................
338
339
340
340
341
342
342
343
OTHER THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY
MAHATMA GANDI'S SEVEN GEMS............................
DEAR ABBY'S NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.....................
A COLLECTION OF SAYINGS...............................
TAKEN FROM A WARD BULLETIN............................
COPIED NOTES..........................................
LEGS WHAT WERE THEY...................................
A CHICANO FATHER SAID OF HIS FATHER...................
A COMMENT.............................................
ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAYS..................................
OTHER SAYINGS.........................................
A TERM KINGS X........................................
344
344
346
349
349
350
350
350
351
351
351
-19 -
WHAT AM I.............................................
WHAT WE SENT TO JAMES ROOSEVELT ON SOCIAL SECURITY....
PAYING BILLS..........................................
A GOOD WILL GESTURE...................................
REFERENCE MARK........................................
351
352
352
353
353
TALL TALES OF THE WEST
DRINKING WATER........................................ 354
A LONG JUMP .......................................... 354
CHASED BY A BULLET ................................... 355
FAST WORK ............................................ 356
THE BIG GRIZZLY BEAR.................................. 356
MR. FLANAGAN.......................................... 357
OLD MOLLEY............................................ 357
-20 -
THE BEGINNING
In the beginning of time God came down to earth and took the
minerals, water and particles of dust, mixed them together and
formed a man like unto himself. Then he breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life and he became the man Adam, a living soul.
That is why since that time man has enjoyed playing in the
dirt, taking it and using the things he has found in it to invent
so many wonderful things for his use and for destruction.
When God found man was lonely without someone like unto him
on the earth, he decided to make a woman for his companion.
Instead of taking the same materials of the earth like he did
to make Adam, he decided to improve upon his skills of creation.
So he caused a deep, deep sleep to come upon Adam and removed a
rib from his side and formed a woman which was more refined and
beautiful to look upon, more loving, caring, considerate and gave
her to Adam for a companion and helpmeet as they journeyed here
upon the earth. He endowed her with creative powers to reproduce
the human being, to become like unto God, having all powers like
unto God if he keeps God's commandments.
The time has come to
Hear again the
Echoes from each heart.
Composed by loving memories
Life does to us impart
Eternal life to be our goal
Oneness is word and deed
Now is the key to the passage way
A long which we must proceed
Righteousness is our watch word
Dare each one to be true
Help those with whom you travel
E'er you may need help too
Always moving forward
Till Christ we will surely meet
On the resurrection morning
Nothing to be more sweet.
(who wrote it?)
-21 -
CHARLES LEONARD HEATON * BIRTH * YOUTH
Charles Carroll Heaton born December 4, 1880, in Enterprise
Washington County, Utah, married Margaret Cox, born July 19, 1881
in Orderville Kane County Utah, in the St. George Utah temple
November 28, 1900.
This young couple lived at their ranch in
Dairy canyon near Orderville Utah in the summers and in Moccasin,
Arizona in the winters.
Before the birth of their first child
they moved to Orderville into part of Edward Lambs home, east of
the old rock school house. Margaret, or Maggie as she was known
was awfully sick for 2 or 3 month. She didn't know if she would
live or not so Maggie asked Aunt Elvira Blackburn to take care of
the baby if she did not live. However, Maggie did live to care
for her new born son; although, this baby was passed around to
different women for his meals. Every morning and evening Charles
would take his new son out for his feedings, mostly to Aunt Elvira
as she had just had a baby daughter herself. This son was named
Charles Leonard Heaton, born November 15, 1901, Orderville Kane
county, Utah.
The next spring this new little family moved to Moccasin.
There they lived in the 'big house' on the hill. For 2 years they
lived in the south room upstairs.
There was a granary out back
that wasn't being used very much so Maggie asked if it could be
fixed up enough to live in.
This was their home for nearly 4
years.
The following are the brothers and sisters of Charles Leonard
Heaton: Jennie, born August 15, 1904; Clifford "K", born July 19,
1907; Richard, born June 30, 1909; Kezia, born October 30, 1911,
Jonathan Grant, born August 1, 1917; Grace, born June 30, 1919;
Melvin Kelsey, born December 6, 1921, died May 9, 1959; Margaret
Alice, born September 8, 1924, and LaVina Ann, born April 11,
1928.
Leonard remembers living in the old granary house. He tells;
"In the fall there was a herd of sheep kept right there depending
on how many were used for mutton. Sometimes as low as 20 head and
sometimes as many as 70 to 80 head. One was killed about every
week.
One night we heard the bells on the sheep as they were
running back and forth.
My Dad went out to see what it was.
Uncle Gilbert and Uncle Sterling came up and we stood at the back
window watching toward the barn and corrals.
It was a moon lit
night and we could see two or three fellows standing out there.
Then Sterling said, "The Indians are after those sheep and they
will kill your Dad out there." I wondered if Dad was ever going
to come back. He did, and he said an 'old Indian named Freeman
was over there trying to catch a sheep to take home to mutton it.
-22 -
I picked up a board and hit him over the back and told him never
to come back'."
After Charles and Maggie moved into the granary, two other
families were living in the 'big house'. It was divided into two
living quarters. Leonard's Uncle John and Aunt Em were living in
the south two rooms and Leonard's Grandmother living in the north
two rooms and the upstairs. Out on the porch to the east were a
couple of bedrooms for family members. Pearl and Vera, two of the
girls there had a bunch of dolls out on the porch.
One day
Leonard went out and stole them, and took them to his house. His
mother said, "Where did you find them?" Leonard answered, "Oh I
just found them down there."
His mother said, "well you had
better take them back..."
Just before Clifford was born they built a dining room,
pantry and 2 other rooms of the "new big house" just down off the
hill. This house wasn't finished until Leonard's father got home
from his mission in 1917.
When Leonard was about 4 years old his toes were cut off in
the mower. Leonard recalls this about the incident: "We had been
swimming in the pond.
Dad was cutting the hay where the old
orchard is now. He had already cut the piece down below and we
decided he was about through, so the older boys got up and went
down in the already cut hay to catch cotton tails. With the hay
just cut the cotton tails couldn't run very fast and the boys
could catch them.
I went down through the part that wasn't cut
and Gilbert and I laid down and went to sleep, right in the
alfalfa.
Dad got through and started on the piece we were
sleeping in, and had made two rounds, but didn't see me laying
there in the hay asleep.
Charley Allen was working for Dad and
was following around behind the mower.
On the next round the
mower hit me. Charley saw me and I yelled and he yelled to Dad to
turn off the mower. It had cut off two toes, Dad took me up to
the house and my mother sewed the big toe back on with a needle
and thread. She was going to sew the other on too but decided not
to. She did a good job with the one toe, it was still hanging on
by a piece of skin. I can't bend that toe except at one joint."
Leonard made his first trip to Alton with a cattle drive. He
was 5 or 6 years old. That fall while the men were putting up the
hay in the big barn with a crane, a pulley and a horse, Leonard
and Mercy were playing around and got playing around the pulley.
It was a big grass
There were told several times to get away.
rope. Leonard's says, "I thought I would help the old horse pull
the hay and I grabbed hold of the ropes, the pulley came down and
the ropes went through and burned my hand.
As the rope slides
through the pulley and with my hand there the rope pulled against
my hand and pulled and skin and flesh away. As the finger started
to heal they were growing together and down in the palm of hand.
-23 -
They bound it up but I wouldn't keep the bandages on. About two
years later Paul Seegmiller had the same thing happen, so Dad took
us over to Panguitch to Dr. Middleton.
The doctor cut fingers
open and straightened them out (three fingers) and bandaged them
up, but I still wouldn't keep the bandages on- I had to go play,
go swimming, play in the water."
Leonard's tells of a time just after they moved into the
house down the hill; "It was conference time and Mother had gone
to Kanab to conference the night before with some of the other
Early the next
folks.
Dad had to stay and do the chores.
morning, Sunday, when Dad finished the chores he saddled the horse
and took me up to Grandma's house (up on the hill). I guess he
thought he slipped out so I didn't see him, but I started for the
door, Grandma locked the screen door, I ran for another door,
Grandma beat me to that one and locked it. There were three door
and she beat me to that door too, I started yelling, 'Grandma, you
sure make by belly ache.'"
Leonard remembers being spanked once, and that was for not
weeding the garden like he ought to have done. He recalls; "some
cousins were visiting and we went to weed the garden. I started
down one row and half way through I quit and we all went swimming.
We saw Dad coming so we hurried and got dressed, pants and
shirts, (skinny dipping) and ran off down to the field. When Dad
caught up with me he gave me a couple of swats with the 'square'.
It didn't hurt much, but I went and finished the weeding in the
garden."
Leonard was a pretty daredevil kid.
He would jump off the
top of the big barn onto the "one load" of hay scattered on the
ground.
The first day of spring he went swimming in the sand
springs whether it was warm or not, but the water was usually
warm.
Leonard was 12 years old when his father left to go on a
mission. He was the oldest of 5 children at home.
One incident that happened while Leonard's father was away is
this. Leonard was getting the garden ready for planting. Trying
to lay out the rows. He was having a hard time making the rows
straight.
An old Indian was sitting up on the hill watching
Leonard work.
Finally the Indian came down and said that you
can't make a straight row if you keep looking where you've been.
You have to pick out a marker in front and walk right to it. It
worked! Leonard now makes straight rows.
The responsibilities of the boys while Leonard was a youth
were to get up in the mornings and milk 3 cows, shuck corn for the
pigs, 3 to 12 pigs, and 3 or 4 horses. During recess they had to
'beat' down and turn the cows and horses out for feeding. After
school was out they must bring in the cows and horses and back in
and feed them, shuck corn for the hogs again.
-24 -
One time Leonard went with others to get lumber for their
house and had to camp out one or more nights. When they awakened
the next morning they found 6 inches of snow on their tarp. This
happened many times.
Leonard tells of the cattle drives and life on the range.
"If you left early you could make it to Alton by sundown on the
same horse. Usually you would stop in Orderville to rest. It was
about 50 miles to Alton, through Orderville then Glendale.
The
road then was just about the same as it is now. You would have to
keep jogging to make it.
My grandfather owned a ranch up above Alton under the pink
cliffs. Every spring we would drive 500 head of cattle, cows and
calves to pasture and in the fall drive them back.
It usually
took 6 days to do it. A small bunch of cattle can be moved faster
than a big bunch. It was always longer and harder when in the oak
trees, because the cows would get up in the oaks and without dogs,
you would have to get off your horse and chase them out by foot.
You would get one bunch out an in would go another cow, etc. Then
men liked the boys to do that part.
Sometimes the cattle would
get out on a stretch that looked like good green grass, but it
would be boggy and they would get out in there and get mired down,
sometimes covering their backs, and we would have to get the team
of horses to pull them out.
Each man would usually have 2 saddle horses, and change off
at noon. On the desert you would have 4 or 5 horses to change off
with.
A typical day would be for one bunch to get up before
daylight and go round up the horses while the rest of the fellow
would cook breakfast unless they had a cook, eat breakfast and be
ready to go before sun up.
Sometimes they wouldn't get back to
camp until 3:00 or 4:00 pm in the afternoon, with nothing to eat
or drink. If we had a big bunch of calves to brand, some of the
fellows would go in to get dinner while the rest would gather in
the cows. When they got back the second bunch would go eat dinner
while the first bunch gathered wood and got the branding fires
going. Then all would brand calves the rest of the afternoon. It
was usually dark by the time they got the horses hobbled up and
then eat supper. Then they would get up the next morning and do
the same thing again. This type of work started the first of May
and last for 6 weeks.
The cattle work covered the area from
Hurricane fault to Kaibab Mountain and from the Utah line to Mount
Trumble. After the cattle were branded they would be turned loose
and the men would move to another water hole, work a few days and
move on.
When I first started to ride there were several outfits, from
Orderville, the Esplins, Carrols and Clarks.
From Kanab, the
Riggs, Lambs and Findlays.
There was the Heaton group and
-25 -
sometimes the Carrols worked with them. From Cedar City, Bullits,
Jones, and Higbys, and from St. George there were the Foremasters,
Fosters, and Andrews.
Each group had about 15 to 30 men riding
over the range, gathering their own cows and branding their own
calves.
They wouldn't touch another's cattle.
They were all
riding different areas at different times.
When I was 8 or 9 years old we gathered 500 head of yearling
steers and took them to Alton in May and sold them for $7.50 a
piece.
We usually didn't' sell any off the range until 3 years
old.
There were a few problems with cattle rustlers.
A big drought came and drove a lot of cattle off the Kiabab
to Mexico. My Dad said that if you laid the cows the died from
the Bar Z outfit and the others, end for end you could have walked
from there to the rail road. After that drought quite a few of
the cattle men went out of business. Some only had 100 head or
so. Later all the outfits that still had a few cattle rode and
branded everyone's cattle together."
The last time Leonard was out riding was in 1923. About 15
men came from Yellowstone (not Yellowstone Natl' Park) to gather
up all the cattle from the head of Pipe Valley and drove them to
Pipe Springs to be branded.
They ended up with 700 head of
calves.
-26 -
EDNA HOYT ROBERTSON * BIRTH * YOUTH
John Franklin Robertson, born September 18, 1870, in Mona or
Fountain Green, Juab County Utah, was a very young boy when his
parents were called to Kanab to be a Blacksmith and to help settle
area.
Nella Avelia Hoyt, born February 15, 1878, in Orderville,
Kane County Utah grew up in the United Order there, as her
father's family had been called to go to Long Valley to help carry
on the Order.
John Franklin Robertson and Nella Avelia Hoyt were married
September 18, 1897 in the Manti Utah temple, and made their home
in Orderville, Utah.
While living there three sons were born:
Dean Hoyt Robertson born December 8, 1898, died February 18, 1899;
Wells Hoyt Robertson, born June 26, 1900, died January 6, 1966;
and Von Hoyt Robertson born May 10, 1902.
After Von was born
Frank moved his little family to Kanab again to be a Blacksmith.
They were not happy in Kanab and stayed only 3 or 4 years.
Edna was born while the family lived in Kanab Utah. Edna's
Grandmother, Hannah Elizabeth Cook Hoyt was living in Orderville
and several of her grandmothers sisters, one of whom was a
midwife, Aunt Harriett Bowers.
Edna tells this about the circumstances of her birth; "Mother
had been with her mother, Grandma Hoyt, for each of the earlier
babies, so wanted to go to Orderville again.
As the time drew
near, father took her to Orderville, for a while, but nothing
happened, so they returned home. It was a full days trip because
of heavy sand and narrow tired wagons or buggies, and team of
horses, one way.
"Later when they started the trip it was too late.
I was
born in the wagon, at the top of the Mt. Carmel Dugway about 3
miles south of Orderville.
They went on over and mother stayed
for a time at Grandma Hoyts."
Four more children were born to this family. The are: Olive
Hoyt Robertson born May 18, 1908, died April 24, 1929; Wayne Hoyt
Robertson born September 6, 1912; Helen Hoyt Robertson born July
28, 1914; and Homer Hoyt Robertson born September 18, 1918.
Edna was named after a girl who "worked" for the family, Edna
Johnson, now Daniels.
The family moved to Alton, Utah before the next baby after
Edna was born.
Alton was called Findlay Ranch as it was a
homestead then. Their family lived on Findlay Knoll for several
years until the house was finished in town. Edna's father worked
for her Uncle Jonathan Heaton.
-27 -
Edna was a sickly child for the first eight years of her
life. She had pneumonia almost all of the time. For which they
used mustard plasters, with axil grease rubbed on the chest first.
Some of the things Edna remembers about her childhood are:
hearing the coyotes howl, a dog named Ring because it had a white
ring about its neck and the rest black, she played paper dolls.
The boys played with bone animals, such as cows and horses etc.
Sometimes they used sagebrush as dolls or animals. In the winter
or when it rained she would play paper dolls under the old treadle
sewing machine.
Edna would help gather pine gum and pine nuts.
She carried her lunch to school in a 10 lb. lard bucket with a
lid.
Edna helped her father irrigate the fields, make dams and
pull the thistles and sunflowers out of the grain fields.
Her
father was a blacksmith by trade but didn't do too much blacksmithing because Uncle Ike did most of the jobs.
Christmas remembrances consisted of a belief in Santa Claus.
But one year after she was a little older her mother asked her to
help put a ball and some other toys out for Helen and the others.
Edna's father was not home that Christmas. It was a real jolt to
find out about Santa.
It ruined Christmas a little after that.
They always used pine trees for Christmas trees.
They used real
candles, there were never any fires as the candles would be lit
only for a few minutes and they had to watch them closely. Edna
says "we had stockings, made doughnuts, honey candy, and had
peanuts and hardtack candy."
One year Edna got a bisque china
doll with kid glove body. Her sister Olive got one too. Edna's
was the first one broken. She had a straw doll buggy too.
Edna always wished she could have all the ice cream she
wanted. On July 4th or 24th one year she got her wish. Edna says
"I don't know how much I ate, but I got sick and lost it all."
"I had a small brass ring once and lost it. I thought I had
swallowed it so they gave me raw egg white, warm milk, lots of
liquid. We found the ring afterwards, under the bed I think. I
sure had a hard time getting the raw egg white down."
Before the family moved into town Edna wanted to go into town
one day. Her mother said "No." Edna fussed and teased and went
anyway. Edna tells, "I got half way there and something told me
to go back, so I did. I don't remember if anything happened, but
I was impressed to go back."
The first time Edna saw President Heber J. Grant was after he
had been down to conference. The main road from Kanab north was
through Johnson Canyon and by Alton. President Grant stopped to
hold a meeting in Alton. This was during the time he was trying
so hard to learn to sing and to prove to them that he could sing
he sang "Come Come Ye Saints" during the meeting.
-28 -
YOUTH AT HOME
BELLY ACHE!
Shortly after Father had built the new home down at the foot
of the hill from Grandmother's home, Mother went to conference on
a Saturday, taking my sister Jennie who was the baby. Father and
I stayed to take care of things so I thought.
Early Sunday
morning before the sun was up we were up and did the chores and
had breakfast and Father got on his Sunday Clothes and took me up
to Grandmothers where we saddled a horse. I realized Father was
going to leave me.
He took me into Grandmother, who locked the
screen door so I could not follow Father who was going to Kanab to
conference.
As there were four outside doors, I tried to beat
Grandma to them all to get out, but she managed to outrun me and
get them all locked, and when I got to the last one and it was
locked, I turned to Grandmother and said, "Grandma you make my
belly ache!" I was about five years old.
A CHALLENGE TO GRANDMA HEATON
One day I was feeling very good and went up to Grandma
Heaton's to see her. She gave me a piece of bread and butter and
She said he had gone off
I asked her where Uncle Gilbert was.
somewhere, so I went outside not knowing just what to do. I was
about ten years old. Grandma came out to feed some chickens, and
then came over to where I was standing by the fence.
After talking a little while, I turned to Grandma and said,
"Grandma, I'll bet you can't catch me." She was quite fleshy and
large, so I thought she could not run very fast.
Well, she
started after me and I ran up to the corral about 100 yards and
was cornered where she caught me and said, "There are not many
little boys who can get away from me." I said "If it hadn't been
for the fences you wouldn't have caught me."
She put her arm
around me and we walked back to the house where she gave me
another slice of bread with jam on it.
CUTTING WILLIAM ESPLIN'S HAIR
William H. Esplin was the son of Kezia Heaton Esplin and
William Esplin, (who died while on a mission.)
He lived in Moccasin quite a bit of the time. He had thick
curly hair so his Mother kept it in curls down to his shoulders.
He was dressed as a little girl, which was quite common in those
days for boys until they were two to four years old.
-29 -
One day the women of Moccasin were at Mother's home quilting
and I was told to help watch the children as they played outside.
I was about eight or nine.
William was about three years old.
Some of us older kids began to make fun of him looking like a girl
and one thing lead to another. Someone said, "Let's make him look
like a boy!" So we sent one of the smaller kids in for a pair of
scissors. Then I proceeded to cut off two or three of his longest
curls, next to his head. Aunt Kezia came running out, grabbed up
William, gave me a swat and asked why I did it. I told her he was
big enough to look like a boy and not a girl.
I guess Aunt Kezia cried for a week for having to cut all
William's curls. Anyway he was more boy than girl after that.
MY CRIPPLED RIGHT HAND
It first started when I was but a small child some where near
the age of 4 or 5 in the summer here at Moccasin.
Father and
Mother with my sister Jennie were living in the old granary at the
time. Russ Allen and family were hired to help with the farm work
by my grandfather Jonathan Heaton. So there was several boys age
4 to 12 on the ranch to help wherever they could, also during the
summer the big round reservoir was the boys swimming hole during
the hot summer days.
As it was haying time, Father was assigned to cut the hay
with the team and mower south and east of the big reservoir. As
the hay fields were surrounded by brush land a lot of cottontail
rabbits would come into the fields to eat the tender alfalfa
stems. And when the hay was cut it was hard for them to run over
the new mown hay and a fast boy could usually catch most of them
and when they were caught usually they were killed and eaten for
breakfast the next morning.
For this reason when ever the hay was cut all the boys and
some times the men would be handy to try and catch the cottontail
rabbits as they came out of the hay.
In the afternoon this particular summer day while Father was
cutting hay, second fence below the reservoir, we bunch of boys
went swimming until father had the piece about half cut, all the
older boys got dressed and hurried down to catch the rabbits that
were in the field. Leaving my Uncle Gilbert a year older than I
to come along as best we could.
I remember following the older boys down through the first
hay field, we could hardly make our way through the tall alfalfa
and did not get very far. I stopped about 15 or 20 feet from the
edge and Gilbert quit some distance away, we both laid down and
went to sleep in the hay.
-30 -
Father finished cutting the lower piece of hay and had made
one round cutting the hay and was starting the second round. Not
seeing me asleep in the tall alfalfa until the mower knife had hit
me, cutting my clothes, and big toe and second toe off, right
foot, as well as cutting my little finger and the next two, but
not off enough to take most of the flesh off them on the right
hand. Charlie Allen age about 12 was following the mower and saw
me at the same time Father did and yelled for Dad to stop.
Of
course this stopped all hay cutting for the day. I was taken up
to Grandmas for medical help. My big toe was hanging by a small
piece of skin, so it was decided to sew it back on rather than
have me a cripple.
I seem to remember being held by someone and was shown the
funny papers that come once a week to grandpa to help keep me
still while my grandma was doing up my cuts on the hand and foot.
I was later told she sewed my big toe back on with silk thread
and needle, using turpentine as a disinfectant which was most
generally used at that time.
My other toe was not found till sometime later and my Aunt
Lucy said years later she found it and alone held a simple burial
service and buried it under the big apricot tree where the old
blacksmith shop used to stand.
The next morning Father and Mother took me to see Sister
Harriet Hoyt who was the midwife and doctor in Orderville.
My wounds healed speedily tho I am still missing the second
toe on my right foot. The big toe is stiff and only bends at the
joint next to the foot. My right hand and fingers had healed but
some what bent and drawn, but not enough to hinder their use.
Two or three years later I went to the Heaton Ranch east of
Alton that grandfather and sons had purchased from A.D. Findly,
with father to help harvest the wild hay and bring cattle and
horses to Moccasin for the winter.
To stack the hay near the barn a big hay derrick was used to
lift the hay from the wagon with a Jackson fork, tied to a big
inch and a half rope through pulleys at the top of the derrick to
the bottom where a horse was hitched to the other end of the rope,
thus lifting a fork of hay from the wagon to where the big stack
of hay was being made.
My Aunt Mercy Heaton a little older than me, and I was
playing around the barn, hay stack and when father brought in a
load of hay we went to play out around the hay derrick.
Father and some of the others told us to stay away from the
ropes and derrick like most kids we just did not mind. I finally
got over to where the rope was going through the wooden pulley and
letting it slide through my hands. Then Mercy would try it. Then
my turn came and horse, old Ket, with Uncle Dan (I think) ridding
her, had started to pull up a fork full of hay.
I grabbed the
-31 -
rope with my right hand and did not let go quick enough, my hand
was caught between the rope and pulley. My hand stopped but the
rope kept sliding through taking the skin and flesh from my
fingers and hand before the horse could be stopped.
Of course I was rushed to Aunt Amys house for help. My hand
was bandaged as best they could. What was done after that I do
not remember. But I remember up to that point.
The next remembrance was Father stopping at Aunt Emma
Seegmillers place in Orderville on our way home for her to look at
my hand and to change the bandages. Her son Paul 2 years old had
also got his right hand hurt the same as I had, the same year.
About all I remember about my right hand was holding it in
hot water to soak off the bandages so a clean one could be put on.
It seemed like it took hours for them to come off as each finger
was wrapped separately then all together. As my hand healed the
fingers began to close, until the little finger was tightly
against the palm of my hand and mother could hardly trim the
fingernail, the other three fingers also part way, the third more
than halfway.
So you see it doesn't pay to disobey your parents. They know
best even if you don't think so while you are growing up. You may
get a physical handicaped to carry with you all your life.
So it is with our Heavenly Father if we don't keep his
commandments at all times we may get a spiritual handicap to carry
through life.
Signed, Charles Leonard Heaton, Sept. 24, 1978
MORE ABOUT MY RIGHT HAND
I guess Father and Mother worried a lot about me going
through life with a club hand as I could not open it very far or
hold any object secure.
So they began to inquire about Doctors
that could help straighten out my fingers.
Hearing about a Doctor in Panguitch several years after it
was injured by the rope and pulley at Heaton Ranch, it was decided
to take Paul and I to Panguitch and have our hands opened up. I
don't remember much about the trip except stopping at Aunt Emma
Seegmillers place in Orderville and them getting into the buggy
with us.
The next recollection was setting and playing on the front
porch of a big house, facing north, so it seems, waiting for my
turn to go in and see the doctor. I remember seeing someone carry
Paul out of the house he was asleep and had a funny smell with him
and being given to Aunt Emma Seegmiller. And I wondered what they
had done to him as Father and Mother took me into see the Doctor.
The end of my memory.
-32 -
My next recollection was back home with splints on my fingers
and hand which had to be taken off and cleaned once every two or
three days.
Again the soaking in hot water and played in the
ditch water till the bandage came off and I would not go and get
the splints and bandages put back on.
So as my hand began to heal the two first fingers became
almost straight again. But the third finger grew normal but half
open. Wile the little finger first two joints only grew to about
half size and is short and three fourths bent. As they are today.
Tho I have become used to them, there are times they get in
the way. Like shaking hands, giving the scout sign, lifting flat
things and not being able to let go or using the lasso rope. Many
times I have had them jerked and felt like they were being pulled
out because I could not let go of the rope or board.
I have felt quite embarrassed at times when I used to dance.
My little finger sometimes would get hooked on the girls dress
and I wondered what she thought was happening. After a few times
like that I kept my right hand pretty much closed.
I am still paying for my disobeying Father some seventy years
ago. Will we ever learn.
Charles Leonard Heaton, Sept. 24, 1978.
STILL ANOTHER STORY OF MY RIGHT HAND
The next summer after Father returned from his mission he and
Mother must still been concerned about my crippled right hand as
they decided to go the St. George temple to do some work in the
St. George temple. Kezia being 3 years old they took her and I
went along to help take care of her and have the doctor look at my
hand.
I was then 15 years old.
All I remember about the trip
going down was crossing the Virgin River which seemed to be some 2
or 3 foot deep and was worried about being washed down the river.
We stopped at the home of Sister Carters a widow with 2 or 3
children.
While Father and Mother were at the temple during the day it
was my duty to look after Kezia, go up to the ward tithing barn
feed and water the horses. Some days father would give us 10 or
15 cents to buy candy and gum. After the horses was cared for we
would walk to the temple about 5 blocks play on the temple lawns
and wait for Father and Mother to come out and then we would walk
home with them.
One afternoon Father and Mother took me to see
doctor Lorenzo McGrager and Woodberry about getting my two little
fingers on my right hand straightened out.
After they examined
them Father and Mother was told it would be an interesting
-33 -
experience to operate on the fingers, but could not guarantee a
success.
After talking it over that night they decided they did not
want them experimenting on one of their children. So my hand was
left to grow in tis crippled condition for the rest of my life.
Returning home was my first auto ride.
Driven by my Uncle
Arthur Cox of Orderville we left early Saturday morning going by
way of Leeds, Andersons Ranch, Tourquoreville, up the Laverkin
hill to Virgin, crossing the river, then to Gouls sheering corrals
on south to antelope then east to Pipe Spring. There I left the
car and walked to Moccasin getting there past sundown. Cox went
on to Kanab for the night. It took us about 13 hours to go from
St. George to Pipe Springs.
Charles Leonard Heaton, Sept. 24, 1978.
SEEING BUFFALO AT PIPE SPRING
I was bout five years old when Mr. E.D. Wolley of Kanab and
others brought in a small herd of Buffalo, driving them from the
railroad to Houserock Valley. When the herd reached Pipe Spring,
Father took all the children in a wagon to Pipe to see the
Buffalo. The cowboys had them up in Heart Shaped Canyon one-half
mile north of Pipe Ranch, so we had to walk up over a hill to see
them.
We weren't allowed very close, for fear the buffalo would get
scared and run. They would not be driven like cattle; just herded
along trying to keep them headed the way the should go.
As I
remember it took them about three to four weeks to get the buffalo
from Lund, Utah to Houserock Valley about 200 miles.
Some days
the buffalo would not go forward but would be back along the trail
a few miles when night came.
This was the beginning of the
Buffalo herd now in the south end of Houserock Valley.
RAISING DOGGY LAMBS
One early spring when I was about six or seven years old,
Father was helping with the lambing herd, upon the Moccasin
Mountain.
As the weather was cold and stormy, the old mother
sheep would not claim their baby lambs, and many were dying of
hunger and cold. Father decided to try and save some of them by
bringing them to Moccasin and have the children feed them on cow's
milk. He got two pack horses, filled the alforjas and some gunny
sacks on the horse he was riding. He arrived at Moccasin in the
-34 -
evening during a snow storm with 40 little lambs.
him; all these 40 lambs lived to be large sheep.
Luck was with
HARVESTING GRAIN AT MOCCASIN
I must have been about 7 or 8 years old when I first remember
the men cutting grain here at Moccasin with a team of three horses
hooked to an old binding machine that cut the grain and bound it
into bundles. It was up on the dry land west of the sand spring
that I recall the men trying to get the bundle tie to work. Try as
father and grandpa and Uncle Isreal would they couldn't get it to
work and one of them had to walk along beside the machine and trip
the lever to tie the bundles.
I remember two big stacks of grain back of the old barn at
grandpas.
Sometime later in the fall the Judd brothers Asy and
Eli who owned a horse powered thrasher in Fredonia Arizona brought
their machine out to thrash the grain here at Moccasin.
One day while they were at work a telephone call came for one
of the Judd men and mother sent me up to tell him to come to the
phone (the only one on the ranch was in our home) when I got up to
the place where the men were working I couldn't remember which one
of the men that was wanted on the phone.
So I said "George
Washington was wanted on the phone."
Father asked "which was
George Washington?" and I pointed to Eli Judd because he had a
beard and said "That one over there."
The thrasher was parked in the old wagon shed for the winter
and used the next fall before it was taken back to Fredonia for
use over there. Bro. Asy Judd took it back, I have learned many
years later.
CUTTING HAY
My grandfather was a man who taught his boys how to work,
using horses and machinery and I was included in this training.
The first time I drove a team of horses hooked to a hay mower
was the summer when I was 10 years old. There was a field of rye
called the dipping pen field, at the north and of the farming land
her at Moccasin about 4 or 5 acres.
When grandpa wanted it cut he took me along to help. He had
me stand on the mower in front of him the first 3 or 4 rounds as
he cut the rye, showing me how to turn the horses at the corners,
step on the lever that raised the cutter bar so it would not drag
in the dirt as we turned to start down the side. Then grandpa got
off and told me to go a round which I did without any trouble.
-35 -
As I stopped where grandpa was he got the oil can and oiled
the several places on the machine and told me to be sure and oil
the pitman rod bearing every 5 rounds as it sometimes would get
very hot and might break. Those instructions have stayed with me
over the many years I have cut hay.
I have always oiled the
pitman bearing every 5th round.
How long I was cutting the rye patch I don't remember. But
grandpa was watering the upper peach orchard from a pond of water
from a spring just west of the rye field and he came and took the
team and mower home. So ended my first day of hay cutting without
an accident.
MY FIRST RECOLLECTION OF THE SACRAMENT
I do have a faint recollection of a meeting or Sunday School
being held in my grandmothers living room before the school house
was built.
There were two or three men setting on the west side of the
room the long oval dinning table on the south side of the room.
Some grown folks and we children setting on the east side of the
room and near the fire place.
There must of been some singing and prayer but I don't
remember.
On the end of the table toward where the men were
setting was a pitcher of water and two glasses and a plate with a
slice of bread. These were covered with a white cloth.
I seem to remember seeing my grandfather going to the table,
standing there for a little while then kneeling down, raising both
hands and arms up, bowing his head in prayer then getting up and
passing the glass of water to those setting on the east side of
the room. And mother instructing me to take only one swallow of
water.
After the school house was built Sunday School and Sacrament
meeting was held there as the school house was a joint project the
county of Mohave School Superintendent furnishing the money to buy
the lumber, nails, shingles and other materials and the Heaton men
doing the labor. But that is another story.
MY AARONIC PRIESTHOOD DUTIES
My first recollection of Aaronic Priesthood duties was when I
saw my Uncle Gilbert passing the Sacrament in Sunday School held
in the old school house and I wondered why I couldn't help.
I
don't ever remember of being instructed regarding the Aaronic
-36 -
Priesthood how we got it or the duties one was expected to do
afterwards.
I do remember one Sunday my Uncle Isreal H. Heaton, his
family and other men from Kanab were out to visit the people in
Moccasin and after meeting as I was going out the door someone
called to me and asked that I come over to where three or four men
were standing in the north west corner of the school house. They
had been talking for several minutes about what I don't know.
Anyway when I went over to them I was told they were going to
ordain me a deacon and to set down in the chair. Then they placed
their hands on my head and Uncle Isreal ordained me to be a
Deacon.
The next Sunday I passed the glass of water to the people
present.
Passing the Sacrament was the extent of my priesthood
until I was
activities here in the Moccasin dependent branch,
ordained a Priest when I was about 18 years old and was asked to
assist Uncle Sterling Heaton with the Sacrament.
I remember we had The Book of Mormon open to Moroni, chapter
4 verse 3 which gives the prayer for administering the bread and
chapter 4 verse 2 for the prayer on the water.
Which we read
after the second Sunday.
Father told me we should memorize the
sacrament prayers and not read them.
I remember by the fourth
time I had them memorized and until the last few years I always
said them from memory and sometimes I still do it.
It wasn't until I was about 15 or 16 that I attended any
aaronic priesthood class held just for boys.
Then only
occasionally. Mostly we boys met with the men in what priesthood
meetings were held.
As I remember it was not until the Moccasin Branch was made
an Independent Branch in April 1926 with Uncle Fred C. Heaton
president, Uncle Christopher C. Heaton first counselor and I as
second counselor was the aaronic priesthood class held just for
the boys with me as teacher. A position I held almost continuous
till I was made Branch President of the Kaibab Indian Branch in
1961 most of my work was with the Deacons.
SAVED FROM FALLING OFF SOME CLIFFS
One summer my Uncle Gilbert was asked to herd a bunch of old
ewes 100 or so and their lambs here at Moccasin. We were about 15
years old and every morning we would let the sheep out of the
corral by the big barn and with our lunch take the sheep up in the
hollow to the flat rocks or up in the canyon, maybe out in the
pasture to graze during the day and in the evening bring them back
home to the corral for the night as the coyotes were bad and would
catch and kill any lambs left outside.
-37 -
One day we were herding the sheep up in the canyon near some
high ledges on the south side of the canyon.
As we had very
little to do in watching the sheep, I became restless and was
exploring the ledges.
I saw a hawks nest near the top of the
ledges which looked like from the ground I could get to it. There
was also a pair of hawks flying around, I decided there might be
some hawks eggs or young ones in the nest.
I told Gilbert I was going to climb up to the hawks nest. He
said "You can't." But anyway I started up finding cracks in the
rock for hand and toe holes it was easy going most of the way.
When I got near the hawks nest a narrow ledge led to a large sandy
spot just under the nest. Which was about 10 feet up on a small
shelf which I thought I could get to. So across this narrow ledge
6 or 8 inches wide I made my way to the sandy spot. When I got
there no way could I reach the hawks nest.
Now the problem was getting back down, which is a lot harder
than going up as one can't see where to always put ones toes or
feet, and the hand holds are down instead of up.
I started back across the narrow ledge when I looked down and
Gilbert was driving the sheep toward home. There I was alone upon
the face of that high cliffs some 200 feet or so above the bottom.
I took a few more steps offering a silent prayer to my
Heavenly Father that I might get down safely. Just before I got
to a more safe and easy place to go down my hands lost their grip
on the small hand holds and I started to fall over backwards with
only my feet on a 6 inch ledge. I thought nothing could save me
now.
But for some reason I seemed to feel a hand at my back by the
shoulders blades that steadied me a moment and I was pushed back
against the ledge and my hand again got their grip in the hand
holds. I held on there for a few moments before trying to decent
any further. I was shaking and had to set down when I reached a
place large enough to do so.
Then I slowly made my way to the
bottom.
All through my years since when get to thinking about the
near accident a feeling comes on my back like some one is gently
pushing on it. I am sure the Lord answered my prayer by causing
me to fall back against the face of the ledge and to safety.
EARLY SCHOOL DAYS AT MOCCASIN
My first memories of school at Moccasin was in Father's home.
Miss Flagg used on bedroom for a classroom the first three or
four months.
The school was later moved up to what is now May
Heaton's home (1965) for the rest of the year of 1906.
-38 -
In 1907 September when I started school, it was held in the
back living room or parlor of Grandmother's home on the hill.
Laverna I. Heaton was the teacher.
School was held here until
Christmas. The one room school house was being built just south,
across the road from Grandmother's.
It was ready for use at
Christmas. So we moved into the new building for school the first
of the year.
Some of the students my first year were Erma, Gilbert,
Sterling, Ella, and Lucy Heaton, and Charles and Zepha Allen.
There may have been others I do not remember.
The room was heated by a fireplace. I remember this because
it was just before Christmas, we all wrote letters to Santa Claus
asking him for things we would like.
About a week before
Christmas, we tossed the letters into the fire and they were
sucked up the chimney. I remember one letter just would not go up
the chimney and fell back into the fire and burned up, so that
child wrote another letter to Santa Claus.
The outstanding school event of the year was the Christmas
program held in the new school house. A tree reached the ceiling,
filling one corner.
Some of the kids sang songs and recited.
Bedtime stories were told and children put to bed around the tree.
Then Santa Claus with his two little elves, dressed in brown
suits from head to toe, came into the room dragging a sleigh full
of toys and goodies. Father was Santa and Gilbert and I the elves
and we passed out the presents as Santa read off the names.
Some of my school teachers were Miss Hoyt (second grade
teacher), Mrs.
Leverna I. Heaton (third grade), Mr. Joseph
Wilkinson (fourth and fifth years), Mr. Dalley (sixth year), Miss
Luella Adams (seventh year), Miss Jones and Miss Arlarton (eighth
year).
I never did graduate from the eight grade though I did attend
school parts of three years when in the eighth grade. Because of
farm and cattle work that needed doing in the fall and spring I
was kept out of school some four to six weeks in the fall and
again early in the spring.
The last year I only went three
months.
There were not many outstanding events in school for me. Our
usual recess game was liners, a form of baseball. We knocked the
ball and ran back and forth between two lines without getting hit
by the ball.
If we were hit our side was out.
We also played
steal the sticks or prisoner base; top spinning marble games, hop
scotch, pony pony (this may have been 'toddy toddy), and pullaway.
The boys took turns keeping the old tin stove stuffed with
wood.
It sat in the center of the school room.
Several times
through my school years the stove pipe fell down while there was a
big fire and school was let out in a hurry as the room filled with
smoke and fire. After a few such experiences a one-half inch pipe
-39 -
was fastened to the floor and ceiling and the stove pipe was wired
to it.
We held plays, dances, parties as different holidays came
around and sometimes in between.
The phonograph provided our
music for dances and everybody in town came out for the fun.
School Year 1909-1910
Teacher - Emma Hiatt
Students - Grade
Ella Heaton
7
Sterling Heaton 6
Gilbert Heaton 3
Leonard Heaton 2
Erma Heaton
2
Amy Heaton
1
Jennie Heaton 1
Delaun Heaton 1
School Year 1910-1911
Teacher - Joseph T. Wilkinson
Students Grade
Ella Heaton
8
Sterling Heaton 7
Lynn Heaton
7
Harrold Heaton 7
Gilbert Heaton 5
Leonard Heaton 4
Erma Heaton
4
Amy Heaton 2
Jennie Heaton 2
Delaun Heaton 2
Linden Heaton 3
School Year 1911-1912
Teacher - Isreal H. Porter
Students - Gade
Isaac Carling 8
Sterling Heaton 8
Gilbert Heaton 6
Leonard Heaton 4 A
Erma Heaton
4 A
Amy Heaton 3
-40 -
Jennie Heaton
Delaun Heaton
Orlin Calvin
3
3
1
School Year 1912-1913
Teacher - Joseph J. Wilkinson
Students Grade
Gilbert Heaton 8
Leonard Heaton 6
Erma Heaton
5
Amy Heaton 4
Jennie Heaton 4
Delaun Heaton 4
Orlin Calvin
3
Lola Heaton
1
Clifford Heaton 1
Annie Willkinson
1
School Year 1913-1914
Teacher - Joseph J. Wilkinson
Students Grade
Gilbert Heaton 7
Leonard Heaton 6
Jennie Heaton 5
Amy Heaton 5
Erma Heaton
6
Delaun Heaton 5
Orlin Calvin
4
Lola Heaton
3
Clifford Heaton 2
Annie Wilkinson 2
William Esplin 1
Luzene Wilkinson
1
School Year 1914-1915
Teacher - Luella Adams
Students Grade
Gilbert Heaton 8
Leonard Heaton 7
Amy Heaton 6
Jennie Heaton 6
-41 -
Delaun Heaton 6
Clifford Heaton 3
Edna Heaton
1
Delmer Spencer 5
Richard Heaton 1
Lula Heaton
1
School Year 1915-1916
Teacher - Arnie Ollorton
Students Grade
Leonard Heaton 8
Amy Heaton 7
Jennie Heaton 7
Clifford Heaton
Richard Heaton
Gilbert Heaton 8
Edna Heaton
Lula Heaton
School Year 1916-1917
Teacher - Julius S. Dalley
Students Grade
Leonard Heaton 8
Gilbert Heaton 8
Amy Heaton
Jennie Heaton
Clifford Heaton
Richard Heaton
Edna Heaton
Lula Heaton
Mande Rust
Edna Rae Rust
School Year 1917-1918
Teacher - May Jones
Students Leonard Heaton 8
Amy Heaton 7
Jennie Heaton 7
-42 -
Clifford Heaton 5
Richard Heaton
Edna Heaton
Lula Heaton
Edna Rae Rust 3
Mande Rust 8
Kezia Heaton
1
LaVerna Heaton 1
Alice Elliott 6
School Year 1908-1909
Teacher - LeVerna J. Heaton
Students - Leonard, Erma, Gilbert, Sterling, Ella, Lucy
School Year 1907-1908
Teacher - LeVerna Isom
Students - Gilbert, Vira, Perl, Sterling, Ella, Lucy,
Ed, Chris
School Year 1906-1907
Teacher - Ella Flag
Students - Chris, Ed, Lucy, Ella, Sterling, Charl
Allen, Zelda, Carl
-43 -
GRANDMOTHERS TURKEY GOBBLER
When I was going to school at Moccasin and in the sixth or
seventh grade, my grandmother received some turkeys. Two or three
hens and one gobbler that grew to be an extra large bird. And as
it grew larger and older it began to think it owned the yards,
corrals and about the house if it did not get what it wanted even
from dogs, cats, pigs, chickens even larger animals it would fly
at them, pecking with its beak and using its claws to drive away
those animals and birds from its feed. And when it got its fill
would walk away as if to say "You can have what is left."
Finally it got so children were not safe outside if they had
something to eat in their hand.
Several of us children were
chased into the house and one or two got knocked down by the old
gobbler.
One fall Grandpa had his brother Will Heaton working for him
at Moccasin at odd jobs, fixing up the house and painting the roof
of the house with hot tar. As Uncle Will came off the roof for
dinner one day the old gobbler must of thought Will had something
in the tar bucket good to eat as the old turkey flew at Uncle Will
almost knocking him over and then second time the turkey came at
him Uncle Will swatted the turkey on the head with a brush loaded
with the hot tar. The second swap he hit the turkey on the other
side of the head. Well that ended the fight. About three weeks
later the old gobbler's head all pealed off of tar.
Also his
dominating spirit was greatly reduced as he did not bother
anything or children. After that impact he kept out of their way
and minded his own business as a good turkey should.
WILD SHEEP AT HOME
It was the custom here at Moccasin to keep on the place some
20 to 60 head of sheep so that we could have mutton every two or
three weeks. At first they were owned by Heaton and Sons, but as
division of property was made in 1916, the sheep were also
divided, and each family had five to ten head.
In the bunch Father had, was a ewe that liked to stay alone,
always giving us trouble getting her back to the corral after
having been turned out to graze. One spring she ran off up the
hill south of the place and I was unable to get her back. Wild as
a deer, every time she saw us coming would head further back on
the hill into rough areas of rock and trees. Along in May she had
twin lambs, black as could be. This we did not know until in July
-44 -
when she came down off the hill one day to get a drink of water
and we saw her going back to the hill tops.
Sometime later I
decided to try and get them home, so I went alone up on the hill.
I found them about halfway up the hill and gave chase. Up and
down the hillside we ran for about three or four hours.
I was
determined to catch the ewe and lambs! They determined not to be
caught!! I could run over the rocks and brush ledges just about
as fast as the sheep. Just about sundown the old ewe decided she
could not get away from me so headed for the corral. She took a
long way and was always looking for a place she might escape.
The
We seldom, there after, let them out of the corral.
lambs grew very fast and always wanted to run back to the hills.
About a year or so later when the two lambs were fully grown,
I decided to train them to pull a small wagon. Getting the lasso
rope from one of the saddles I went into the corral where the
three wild sheep were.
After two or three trials, I caught the
largest of the black sheep.
When he felt the rope tighten up
around his neck, he jumped up into the air, jerking the rope from
my hands. Then over the bars of the corral he went and headed for
the hills.
I knew with the long lasso rope around its neck it
could easily get tangled up in the brush and rocks and choke to
death. So I started out after the sheep. Up one ridge and down
another, around the side of the hill we went.
He could always keep just enough ahead of me so that I could
not get hold of the rope, though several times it got caught on
sticks of wood or rock.
But just before I could get to it the
rope would come loose and away the sheep would go.
I was getting so tired I was ready to give up. Let the sheep
go choke itself to death if it wanted to. I stopped and watched
it climb up over some rocks and out of sight. Then I thought of
kneeling down and asking the Lord to help me catch the sheep.
This I did. When I stood up I could see the wild sheep standing
out on a rock. He had no way to get off but back towards me and
so I walked slowly out toward the sheep, it just stood there
watching me as I got nearer and finally picked up the rope. We
were about three-quarters of a mile from home and both give out.
The sheep had enough and took little urging to head for home along
an old trail. She seemed glad to get back with the rest of the
sheep.
FATHER GETS THE LEATHER
A year or so before Father left for his mission we as a
family were visiting Grandma Cox in Orderville during the 24th
celebration which was always a big event with brass band and
explosions of the anvils at daylight in the morning. Parades and
-45 -
floats of the different church organizations, cowboys and Indians,
marshals of the day all decked out in military uniforms and sword.
Queen of the day, meeting at 11 AM, childrens games and races at
2 PM followed by grown up games and races.
With horse races
coming last and a big dance in the ward hall all attended and took
part old and young.
Uncle Charlie Carroll operated the Orderville co-op that was
organized during the United Order days.
At that time you could
buy most anything that could be gotten anywhere, a lot of leather
was sold for shoes, harnesses, saddles, bridles, and a lot of
other uses.
Well there had accumulated a lot of scrap leather tho no one
seemed to want and it got so large and in the way of the leather
department.
Uncle Charlie decided to clean the place up the
morning of the 26th as there was not much business. Gathering up
all the scraps of leather, all shapes, sizes and length that had
been cut off from what customers wanted, he rolled into a bundle
and placed on the counter near the entrance.
There was several men in the store visiting and discussing
town and country affairs as well as the winners of the 24th
events. One of the men asked Uncle Charlie "What are you going to
do with all that leather, don't look like it is worth much."
Uncle charlie said, "I am going to give it to the first man who
walks through that door into the store, you fellows don't count as
your are already in."
The man inside began to bet or guess who would be the next
man to come in as there was several men outside by the hitching
rail and on the sidewalk. Four or five minutes went by and no one
entered.
We were getting our wagon loaded and ready to start for home
at Moccasin. When Father asked Mother if there was anything she
needed from the store as he wanted a few things before going home.
And while she was finishing packing and getting the kids in the
wagon he would run down to the store and get what they needed. As
he came to the store he stopped and passed the time of day with
the men outside working his way to the store door.
Another man also started for the door, then saw Father and
stopped to say hello and shake his hand, then stepped back and let
Father enter first. He thus was the next man to come through the
store door and Uncle Charlie handed him the big roll of leather
scraps.
There was quite a bit of good natured joshing about the man
who let Father in first as he considered himself a extra lucky man
and to let Charlie beat him to such a bundle of leather.
Well from that bundle of leather Father and Mother mended or
made shoes and sandles for us children, fixed harnesses, saddles
and it lasted for years.
-46 -
LEFT AT HOME WHILE FATHER
WAS ON HIS MISSION
In the summer of 1913, Father received a letter from Box B,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
When any man got a letter in those days
from Box B, it meant a call from the President of the Church to go
on a mission.
Father's call was to the Northern States Mission
with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Mother was in Salt Lake
City attending a two weeks class in Home nursing given by the
Relief Society when the call came. Father left home in the fall
of 1913. We took him to Orderville in a wagon with Grandma and
Uncle Christopher to drive the team and wagon back home. Father
then traveled on with the mail to Marysvale where he got on the
train to Salt Lake city, then on to his mission.
Before Father went away he rented to his brother, Edward C.
Heaton, the farm on a share crop basis.
He took two-fifths and
Mother and family three-fifths.
Uncle Ed kept his cows and two
horses in the west end of the barn and we used the east end for
our milk cows and horses. We also had pigs and chickens to care
for. I was the oldest in the family so it was my job to see that
the cows were milked, and all the animals fed, to help haul hay
and corn in summertime, work in the garden, and cut wood for the
kitchen and fireplaces when needed.
Mother did hire Old George to come up and saw the cedar wood,
so all I had to do was split it up.
That was the first year
Father was away.
The second year I was 12 years old. Mother thought I could
manage the farm without hired help. So with the advice of Grandpa
Heaton in the spring of 1915, I started the farm work. By hauling
manure from the corrals and stables on to the garden and fields
with old Lay and Benny.
Then came the plowing, harrowing,
planting, furrowing, and watering of the fields and garden.
It seems like I was on the go all the time, up before sunup
doing the chores and to work about eight a.m. and most all day.
Usually it was nearly dark before the evening chores were done.
Usually supper was ready at 6 p.m. After that I had maybe an hour
or two of evening play with the young folks before bed at 10 p.m.
During the summer, besides the watering, there was weeding,
first with the horse and weeder, then the hoe; then hay cutting
and hauling.
all came, and we gathered the corn, potatoes,
carrots, and garden stuff.
There was fruit to be bottled and
dried, always work and more work. Sometimes I would be taken with
some of my Uncles to help a few days riding for horses and cattle,
Then I had a job of mail carrying a few times
but not often.
during school time and Saturdays.
-47 -
Because of the farm work in the fall of 1914, I did not start
school until about October.
This put me behind.
So the last
three years I attended grade school, I was in the eight grade and
never did graduate because farm and cattle work kept me from
school.
I was large for my age, so I was given the heavier work to
do which has been my lot most of my life. Although the work was
hard and I got tired, I did enjoy it, and learned to work the good
earth and to see what I could make it produce.
Even to this day
I would rather work the land then anything I know of. I have more
joy and peace of mind out in the garden and fields than anywhere
else.
At home in the family Mother controlled us children with a
gentle but firm hand. She saw that we attended church, had family
prayer, and did our share of the work at home. I did most of the
work. My sister Jennie helped in the house and garden at age ten
and eleven. Clifford was seven, Richard, five and Kezia, two.
Father came back from his mission in the fall of 1914 and
Mother went to Salt Lake City to meet him.
By the time he got
home, I had most of the farm crops in, still the carrots to get up
which we fed to the cows and pigs.
BITS OF PERSONAL HISTORY
While Father was on his mission, Mother took over the
operation of a small grocery store, that Grandfather Jonathan
Heaton had started a few years before in the old granary west of
the old home.
In which Father and Mother and I lived from about
1903 to 1906. My sister Jennie was born there. We fixed up the
room over the cellar. Father made before he left for his mission
for the store and was called the store house.
My brother Melvin moved it across the road west of fathers
home and just east of the school house shortly after he returned
from the Army, World War II. Grant has moved it back south west
of the old home uses it as a tool shop.
To get supplies for the store mother did a lot of purchasing
from different merchants in Kanab and Orderville as well as orders
by mail.
Some of the merchants in Kanab were Halladay store,
north of the present grade school, Bowman Merc. South side of main
street building still stands.
In the Bowman Merc was a jewelry case in which a lot of cheep
jewelry seemed to collect and couldn't be sold.
The Mr. Bowman
kept dropping the price over the years. No one seemed interested
in.
-48 -
One day he decided to get rid of it and was cleaning out the
case of this unsalable jewelry when Mother and some of the
children were in Kanab buying supplies for the store at Moccasin.
And Mother asked Mr. Henry Bowman what he was doing and he
said he was going to get rid of it as he could not sell it.
Mother asked what he wanted for it. Bowman said "I will sell it
for a song." Mother asked "What song," and Bowman said, "(?) with
a melody of love." Whether mother sang the song or not, I don't
know, but she brought home the box of jewelry and sold most of it
to the Indians or gave it away to the children here at Moccasin
and as Christmas presents to family members.
WILD CAT CAVE
I am writing this to show how impressions stay with one
throughout life.
I must have been about six or seven years old
when this happened.
In the spring, there was always a bunch of
sheep kept around Moccasin so the families could have fresh mutton
about once a week. At lambing time we let the sheep run in the
fields and one morning it was discovered a wild cat had killed one
of the lambs and dragged it up into the mouth of a cave or broken
ledges near the south side of the field. My Uncle Ed and Father
trailed it and found the lamb in the cave. Uncle Ed went to the
house and got two coyote traps which were set at the entrance of
the cave.
Next morning I went with them to see if Mr. Cat had come back
and sure enough he had and had stepped in one of the traps and was
caught. It looked to me like the wild cat was as big as a lion,
and ever since that place has held fears and I don't like to go
near it even today, always looking for wild cats to come jumping
out of it at me.
Though I have been in it alot since, I still
don't feel easy being around the place.
OLD PORK THE MILK COW
Old Pork was an old spotted cow. Father received her as part
She was so mean
of his interest in Heaton & Son's property.
before Father got her that every time the men went to milk her,
they had to tie her head to a post and tie her hind legs so she
could not kick. Everyone was glad Father took her. As Father had
to be away from home alot, riding and such, it fell to mother to
help with milking as I was not old enough to do it all. Mother
had not milked Old Pork four times before she was standing still
-49 -
eating grain and feed and within a week, Mother was milking her
without hobbles, and it was not long before Old Pork would come
when Mother would call her. She gave us alot of milk and became
one of the gentlest milk cows we ever had.
MY FIRST TRIP TO GRAMMAR CANYON
It was part of the business of running cattle and horses of
the Heaton and Son's Company, to pasture extra saddle and work
horses for the winter down in Grammar Canyon some 15 or 20 miles
south of Pipe Spring Ranch. When I was about eight years old or
nine, my Grandfather Jonathan Heaton and Father, Charles C. Heaton
and I drove the heard of horses that were not needed at home on
the farms and ranches down into Grammar Canyon. There were about
75 to 100 head, old saddle horses, work horses, brood mares, and
young unbroken horses. Things were run down when we arrived a the
spring at the lower end of the Canyon, which empties into the
Kanab Creek and Gulch.
We camped across the canyon from the spring in the wash
bottom near some high ledges.
After building the campfire of
drift wood and unpacking the horses, Grandfather and Father took
the horses to hobble them out for the night and left me in camp.
They were gone longer than expected and I became frightened as the
reflection of the fire on the ledges revealed the eyes of a wild
cat or what I thought was a wild cat. I began to yell and cry and
was pretty shaken up by the time Father got back. I was very glad
to see them again.
After supper of potatoes, meat and fruit we
made our bed on the sand of the wash bottom. I slept between my
Fathers.
The next morning Father and I went out and got our horses
while Grandfather got breakfast. After breakfast we repaired the
spring and water trough.
We also rode on down the canyon and
repaired the fence across the mouth so our horses could not get
into the gulch. Then we rode up Kanab Creek coming out at Bull
Rush wash and rode on home.
From then on for several years I
helped with pasturing the horse in the fall and getting them in
the spring.
KICKED BY OLD BENNY
While Mother was in Salt Lake City meeting Father who was
returning from his mission in October 1915, we children were left
to look after the place.
A school teacher, Miss Arlorton, was
staying with us.
-50 -
One Saturday morning I thought I would have some fun and
teach our work horse, Benny, a lesson or two. He was in the cow
stable and I got in the manger and started to poke him with a
stick. The next thing I knew I was laying in one corner of the
stable on my back and Benny was jumping around.
I told my brother Clifford to open the door and let him out.
How long I lay there I do not know. I was dazed, could hardly
breathe, and blood was running out of my nose and mouth. I washed
myself off at the water trough and my nose quit bleeding, but my
tongue was swelling so I could not talk. I had hoof marks on my
face and right shoulder where Benny had kicked me with both feet.
It happened so fast I never saw or felt for quite sometime.
I did make it to my room which was a tent to the east of the
house. There I stayed the rest of the day and night.
I had nothing to eat or drink because my tongue was too
swollen. The next morning I discovered I had bitten a chunk out
of the center of my tongue.
I left it hanging there.
When it
healed, the piece stayed on my tongue and looked like a wart. It
stayed there until I had a hernia operation in 1942 when Dr. L.
McGranger cut it off.
THE OLD SWIMMING POND
Just south of Father's home was the round reservoir which was
built to store the irrigation water in overnight and sometimes for
two or three days. When full it was about 12 feet deep.
During the summertime, it was an ideal swimming hole for the
young people. The boys usually used it right after dinner before
going back to work in the afternoon.
We used the plum trees and current bushes on the west side as
a dressing room. Bathing suit was nothing, an I guess many a time
we were seen by the town people running around the banks, chasing
geese, ducks or animals trying to get them into the water, or
laying in the hot sand on the south and west of the pond.
We
usually stayed until the hay wagon or the men to hoe weeds came
along in the corn and cane fields. Many a time our backs would
become sunburned in the springtime from staying naked in the sand.
The girls and women would use the pond in the mid-afternoon
wearing long dresses. Seldom did the boys and girls go swimming
together. When we did the boys wore old bib overalls.
I spent many hours in the old pond, about as much as the
geese the first 16 years of my life, just as soon as the water was
warm enough in the spring, all summer, and late fall.
Mother started me swimming before I can remember. She liked
to swim very much she told me. She would tie a rope around me and
-51 -
the other end to a post on the bank so I would not go too far out
in the deep water.
We had rafts, boats, logs to play with on the pond, and at
times would get our riding horses in swimming with us.
In my youth, if I could find a pool of water large enough to
get into, I usually went swimming in it just to get wet, whether
it was clear or muddy, as long as it was water I got into it.
They were carefree and happy days.
MY FIRST BIG THANKSGIVING
The first Thanksgiving that I remember was when I was about
five years old (1906). I remember the folks set up a long table
made of boards out under the big black locust trees to the east of
Grandmother's home on the hill.
I seem to remember the older
folks talking about how we should all get together each
Thanksgiving as a family. It seems to me there must have been 20
or 30 at the table. Father and Mother were living in the granary
to the west of Grandmother's home. Father took a picture of this
gathering showing the table and most of the folks.
SLEEPING IN A TENT
FOR FOUR YEARS
Our family had grown too big for our home. It has a pantry
and kitchen, a living room where Mother and Father sometimes used
to sleep. Clifford and Richard slept on the north porch. Kezia,
the baby, and Jennie slept in a small room on the east end of the
North porch. This room was originally built for Leverna Isom, a
teacher in 1906 and 1907.
Before Father left for his mission, he bought a white twelve
by twelve foot canvas tent. We placed it on a board floor with a
one foot board at the base of the walls. I was moved out into the
tent which was placed just south of the house.
This tent was my room both summer and winter. In the summer
it was so hot I about roasted and winter I about froze. To keep
warm I would take a hot rock, wrapped in paper, to bed with me.
One time the snow came so deep at night it broke one side of the
tent down and fell on the bed.
If we had company I gave up my
bed. In winter I would sleep in the store house, in summer on the
lawn by the house.
I found mice, lizards, snakes, bats, spiders and all kinds of
bugs in the tent at different times. Before Father came home from
his mission, Mother and I moved the tent to the east of the house,
-52 -
where it stood until the remodeling of the old home was finished
in 1917. Then I moved in the upstairs northwest corner bedroom.
It was quite a task to get up early on winter mornings,
especially during a snowstorm when the wind blew snow in through
the cracks of the boards. It covered the floor and bedding. My
jobs included getting the milk pails and slop for the pigs, then
go to the farm and feed four horses, a dozen sheep, ten or fifteen
cows and calves, three or four pigs, and a flock of chickens. At
night I did the same farm chores and went to bed in a cold tent.
A TRICK
A saying and a trick with it we children used years ago. We
would go up to a person and say, "Adam and Eve and pinch-me-quick
went down to the river to bathe. Adam and Eve got drowned, who do
you think got saved?"
If the person said, "pinch-me-quick" we
gave them a pinch on the arm, face or any other place as we took
they wanted to be pinched when they said "pinch-me-quick" to our
question.
A HEN AND A HAWK
As most anyone knows living on a farm and ranch in the spring
time always bring a batch of little biddies. Sometimes that old
mother hen would steal her nest away and be gone for three weeks
or so and then one day proudly lead new brood of 8 to 14 newly
hatched chicks to the house or hen coop.
Well this particular day about 10 o'clock in the morning we
children and some grown ups were at grandmothers when we saw an
old black hen coming along the stockyard fence with a dozen little
chicks and as we watched them come toward the house they had just
reached the fence corner.
Suddenly out of now where a chicken hawk swooped down for one
of those little chicks. But he was not quick enough to get one
and back into the air.
That old black hen let out a squawk,
flapped her wings and had that hawk in the fence corner and for a
few moments hen and hawk feathers were flying in every direction,
as well as the little chicks.
The hawk finally made his escape minus a lot of feathers,
injured wing which made him fly side ways from one part to another
with the old hen trying to get at him again.
But failing she
called her brood together and made her way to be fed by
grandmother.
When they say one is chicken hearted they don't know how a
hen will fight for its little ones.
-53 -
OLD DOG TIG
I do not remember when old Tig first came to Moccasin but he
was an old dog then. I rather think he had been a sheep dog and
had become to old to follow the sheep herd so he was brought to
Moccasin as a ranch dog. He was a light brown with a white ring
around his neck, white throat and face.
Liked to pick a fight
with other dogs or cats.
One day the Indians came up to Moccasin from their village 1
1/2 miles south. They had a black and white bull dog. Of course
Tig challenged him for a fight, at first Tig could out maneuver
the bull dog.
But finally it got Tig by one front leg and
shoulder.
How he did it I never know but slowly the bull dogs
jaws kept sliding up Tigs throat until he was almost choked to
death. The Indians tried to pull their dog off but could not make
him let go. Finally the Indians got two sticks about a foot or so
long and thrust them into the bull dogs mouth one on each side and
pried the dogs mouth open so Tig could get away.
But he was
almost dead and laid in the shade of the fence for quite some time
before getting up. From this fight he lost one eye and part of an
ear.
Another trait Tig had was to kill any kind of snake he saw.
He would bark and snap at the snake to make it crawl then he would
jump in grab the snake by the middle shake his head a time or two
letting the snake fly through the air and when it landed grab it
again for a few more shakes until its head or tail popped off
until he was sure it was dead. He would also kill rats and mice
in this manner.
One spring as Father an other men were taking cattle to Alton
for the summer it was in June rather hot. He took Tig along to
help drive the cows and calves. Leaving Pipe Spring with 400 or
500 head going north by point spring onto Chris's corral, the sand
hills, over the divide to yellow jacket, past monument knoll, clay
flat, Mt. Carmel dug way to Orderville creek up Orderville canyon
through Mt. Carmel, Orderville then to Glendale past hidden lake,
Liddie's canyon. Here on the west side of the road some one had
dug out a spring and tunneled back into the hill some 10 feet or
more and had timbers and boards on the sides and roof to keep it
from caving in and a board was on the bottom one could walk to the
back for a cool drink of water.
When we got there Old Tig was hardly walking, so tired and
hot he decided to take a cool drink from the spring. In he went
and never came out again as we moved on with the cattle.
As we were returning home to Moccasin some 5 or 6 days later
I stopped to see if Tig was still there. There he was, had died
-54 -
laying partly in the water and on the board.
for several days we left him in the tunnel.
As he had been dead
FUN GAMES
Recreational games the young people of Moccasin used to play
during school days and summer evening when the weather was good.
They would take place in the street and around the homes or at the
head of the lane between the barn, correl, wagon shed and west of
the one room school house on the hill. Also winter evening games
and others.
LINERS
This was a ball game.
Usually played during school hours.
The ball field was inside the fences, wagon shed, correl fence and
barn.
The base line between two points either fence corners,
posts or a line drawn in the dirt some 100 feet long, a rock or
board for the base. About 150 feet apart or so was another line
parallel to the base line. To choose up sides we usually counted
off 1 and 2. All the ones on one side and the twos on the other
side. This was done so that all the big kids would not be one the
same side. The teams were more evenly matched.
The ball was home made by winding strings or yarn tightly
into a ball. Then covering it with carpet backing, stitches like
sewing a button hole, sometimes different colors.
The bat was
most anything two feet long, a stick, shovel handle, but usually a
flat board 2 to 4 inches wide with one end whittled down for a
hand hold.
There was a pitcher and a catcher on both teams. The rest of
the team were fielders, scattered out between the two lines or out
in the back field.
To play the game, the in team stayed behind the base line.
If a player got between the two lines, he was subject to being hit
with the ball by any player of the out team who had the ball, the
one hit was out of the game, when three players were out the teams
changed places.
The object was to hit the ball as the pitcher
threw the ball to the batter. He had 3 strikes if he could hit
the ball he was to run to the other line without being hit by the
ball. Once across the line he was safe. Then he was to try and
get back to the baseline without being hit.
If the batter missed the three strikes he could wait until
the next batter made a strike then make the run to the other line
and back. But he had to make the round trip before he could come
up to the base to bat again. If the ball was knocked outside the
-55 -
ball field some one would yell "side out" and both teams would run
to try and find the ball. The one who got the ball his team was
in.
If one of the fielders caught a fly ball the batter was out
and catching three fly balls the team was out.
There seem to be no score of runs made, just to see how long
a team could stay at the bat.
DARE BASE
This game is played by two teams. It didn't matter how many
was on a team or whether they were evenly matched. Usually 4 to 8
on a side depending how many kids wanted to play.
To play the game two large circles were made about 100 feet
apart. Each team stayed with in its circle. When the game began
a player would leave his circle and dare the opposite team to come
out and catch him.
The player leaving the circle last was hot. That is he could
touch any player who had left the opposite circle before he did,
who was cold, and had to go back to his circle to get hot again.
The object of the game was for the hot players to catch the
cold player. When that was done the cold player had to go to the
hot players circle.
Another part of the game was for a hot player to try and get
inside of the circle where one of his team mates were he could
bring him home.
The game was finished when all the players were in one
circle.
WOOLEY
Wooley played by any number of kids, big or little and
usually after sundown and dark and can be played anywhere outside
and sometimes small children played it in the house.
To start the game a home base was chosen. Part of the lawn,
inside a few trees, just so you had a boundary, large enough to
hold the all players.
To decide who would be Wooley the first, we used this saying
pointing to each player as the words were said as the last word
was said the player receiving it was Wooley.
"Enie, Mennie, Miney, Mo, catch a nigger by the toe, if he
hollers let him go, enie, mennie, miney, mo." Mo is Wooly.
To play the game Wooley was to decide where he was going to
hide. Then tell the players in home base to count to any number
up to a hundred by one, or two or five, what ever. As Wooley said
-56 -
count to a hundred by, we would run and get out of sight, to hide
in some dark place. As the kids in home base finished counting to
a hundred, they would say "kick him out."
Then all would leave
home base to try and find Wooley.
When Wooley was found the finders would yell, "Wooley" and
everyone would try and get back to home base before Wooley could
catch them, he only had to touch the player.
All those Wooley caught would become Wooleys for the next
game.
Which was started in the same way by the first Wooley,
calling the count number and all the Wooleys were to run and hide.
Sometimes the Wooley would take to long to hide and when we
opened our eyes and saw them we could holler Wooley and he had to
come to base. But the rest had to be found.
Sometimes Wooley could get into base without being seen and
would catch the players as they came in.
The last player caught would then become Wooley to start the
game over.
The object was to see how long you could go with out being
caught.
________________
We had other methods of counting to a hundred as: "Ten, ten,
double ten, forty five and fifteen, hundred." "Ninety nine cows
and a bobtailed bull."
STEAL THE STICKS
Steal the sticks game is about like dare base, two teams of
any number with the home base of a large circle some hundred feet
apart or what they want.
Out to the right, 25 ft., is a small
circle up to two foot across in which a stick is placed for each
player.
Object is to use the hot or cold method. That is the first
one out become cold when a player form the opposite side who is
hot leaves his circle after him.
The hot player tries to touch the cold player or steal one of
the sticks form the small circle.
No one can touch the player
after he has picked up one of the sticks which he takes and
places with his own sticks.
If the hot person touches the cold player he goes to the hot
players circle and stays until one of his team mates can get into
the circle and touch him thus releasing him from captivity.
When all the sticks have been placed in one of the small
circles the game is over.
THROW THE PICKET
-57 -
Throw the picket game is started by choosing one member to
guard the picket which is a stick or board about four feet long,
leaning up against a tree, post or fence which is the goal.
The leader of the rest of the players tells the goal keeper
to count up to a hundred by one or two or what ever he decides.
As the goal keeper starts counting all the rest of the players run
and hide. At the end of the count the goal keeper opens his eyes
and says "here I come", starts out to find those hidden, as he
finds one he returns to the goal post and touches it. That player
is considered dead or in prison.
If one of the hidden players can get to the goal post before
the guard does he can grab the picket and shout, "Throw the
picket." Then all those who were tagged can run and hide again.
The object is for the guard to catch all the players when
this is done and no one has thrown the picket the game is over.
The last one caught is usually the next guard.
We try to give
everyone a turn as guard, even the smallest kid.
RUN SHEEP RUN
Run sheep run is an evening game in all the players are
divided into two groups by one method they want as counting off 1
-2.
Ones in one group, twos in the other, or two are chosen
leaders, and they take turns choosing his team until all are
chosen.
A goal is marked off a small area that a team can get in.
One team is left in the goal, the other team is taken by its
leader and given 10 or 15 minutes to hide them within a given
large area from the goal. When the team is hid the leader comes
back to the goal and says "go find my sheep."
The leader of those at the goal then starts out to find the
lost sheep, this team must stay pretty much together, until the
sheep are found then the leader shouts, "run sheep run" which is a
signal for everyone to run back to the goal, and the first team
there wins the game and has the privilege of hiding for the next
game.
There are several tricks the leader of the lost sheep can do
as whistling at times to let the sheep know where the hunters are,
they then can move a short distance, some 10 or 20 yds, toward to
goal. This may go on for some time, as the shepherd tries to keep
his sheep form being found by the hunters.
If at any time the shepherd thinks the sheep can get to the
goal before the hunters, he can shout, "run sheep run" of course
everyone heads for the goal to get there first.
I have known one game to last an hour or two, as the shepherd
keep moving the sheep out of the way of the hunters.
-58 -
THREE MAN BASE
This is a type of ball game for 6 players: 3 batters, 3
pitchers and catchers.
The field is laid out in a triangle, the bases at the points,
close enough for the pitcher to throw the ball from one base to
the other.
To play the game, the three batters stand on the bases. One
of the pitcher then start the game by throwing the ball to a
batter, if he hits the ball all three batters run to the right to
the next base. If one of the two catchers can get the ball and
throw it to one of the catchers on base before the runner gets
there. That team is out, and the catchers become the batters.
If a catcher catches the ball a batter misses, he becomes the
batter and the batter becomes the catcher. Or if a fly is caught
the teams change places.
We also played this game with 4 players, called Four Man
Baseball.
HOP SCOTCH
This game can be played by one to five or six. The skill of
hopping into a certain area to retrieve a small block of wood,
stone, stick of whatever the player chooses to use.
The field is laid out most any where the ground is level and
large enough to make the field. I don't know how to describe the
field so will draw it:
The game is played by tossing your block into the area marked
1 through 10 as in number 1 you hop into the area pick up the
block then hop out.
You keep playing until the block does not
land in the next space or you touch a line as you hop to number
one, two, three and so on. You hop back the way you came. When
you miss, the next player tries his skill. The one who gets to
number 10 and back first wins.
We have added another skill, after you reach number 10. You
start with no. 10 and instead of picking up the block you try and
kick the block out without it stopping on a line and the least
kicks to get the block home wins. You must hop out of the field
as you hopped in following the numbers.
THREE HOLE PURGE
-59 -
This is a marble game two - or more players. The ground must
be quite hard so that marbles will roll a ways.
The field is laid out by making three holes the size of the
marbles being used.
The holes can be any distant apart usually
about 10 ft. a line is also drawn 10 ft. from the end hole or taw
line.
The players stands behind the taw line and toss his marble
trying to get into the first hole. The one who gets closest to
the hole has the first shot.
The other players follow in that
order. The one furthest away has the last shot.
This game is won by your skill at marble shooting with your
thumb.
You must hit one of the other marbles to become hot before
If you miss
you can try for the first hole or into any hole.
hitting a marble or getting into the hole after getting hot you
loose your turn and the next player takes over to try his luck.
You can keep playing as long as you keep hitting a different
marble or get into the hole. After which you can go for the next
hole after becoming hot again.
The one who gets into the three
holes and back to the first hole wins the game.
There are several things that can or can't be done. You must
keep your hand on the ground behind the spot where your marble
stopped last or you can shout "stilt" this means you can place
your other hand or finger at the place where the marble is before
you pick it up and shoot with your other hand from the wrist
leaned as far forward as your can. The other players may say "no
fudging" which means you can't shoot the marble beyond the point
the marble was on the ground.
You can knock the other players marble as far as you can from
any of the holes as long as you are hot and don't miss a shot.
If one of the other players hit your marble after you are hot
you become dead and must get hot again before going for a hole.
MUMBLE PEG
This is a knife game played on a soft board so that the
points of the knife blades will stick up in the board.
Two or
more players each has a pocket knife with two blades in one end
and a long one and a short one.
To play the game both blades are opened. The long one half
way. The short one all the way. you place the long blade on the
board also the back end of the knife. Place your pointer finger
under the back end of the knife, flip the knife up.
The object is to try and made the short blade stick up in the
board for the highest point.
Points are counted by the way the knife lands.
-60 -
1.
If it lands on its side no points.
2.
If it lands on its back, long blade sticking up, 5
points.
3.
If it lands like it was when flipped, 10 points
4.
If it lands with the long and short blades in the
board, 15 points.
5.
If only the short blade is sticking in the board, 20
points.
The one who reaches 100 points wins.
PIT
A card game. Any number of players up to 10. The cards have
printed on them wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn and other crops.
Each crop has 10 cards with different points.
The cards are shuffled and mixed so that each player will
receive a mixed hand.
When the card dealer has dealt all the
cards the players decide which crop he wants to get all the cards
of. The dealer gives the signal to start playing by saying "go".
You then offer for trade any number of cards, one, two, three, or
more by saying one, one, or three, three, until some one else has
the same number to trade with you, and the trade is made in hopes
the cards are the ones you want to get a corner on. When a player
gets all ten cards of the same crop he hollers "corner" and he
wins that hand. There is also two extra cards, a bull and a bear.
The bull card can be counted as a card for any crop, so you only
need nine cards and the bull to holler "corner".
The holder of the bear card can never win a hand. The player
who scores a 100 or 500 which is decided on before the game
starts, wins.
This is a very noisy exciting game and sometimes almost gets
out of hand. It is like the stock market in New York.
ROOK
A card game, any number of players, in which so many cards of
one kind makes a book, and when a player gets a book he calls out
book. This is played by drawing a card from another players hand
until a book has been made by the player.
POMP, POMP PULL AWAY
Pomp pomp pull away a group game. We usually played it in
the street in the evenings or on school days.
Two lines were
-61 -
drawn on the ground about 150 to 200 feet apart and across the
street, depending how far we wanted to run.
A person was chosen as "It", who was to stand between the two
lines about half way. The other players behind one of the lines.
When "It" called pomp pomp pull away the other players were
to run to the other line with out being tagged by "It". If any
one was tagged they became a pomp, when all had gotten safely
across the line "It" and those he tagged moved back to the other
line and the call was made again.
Pomp pomp pull away, the
players would try and run back to the other line without being
tagged. Thus the game was played till all players were tagged.
The last one tagged became "It" and the game would start
over.
The object was to see how many times one could run between
the two lines without being tagged.
The more players the more
fun.
PRINNEY
Prinney is another night game we played in the street between
home and Grandmothers house. One person was chosen to be Prinney
the rest of the players stayed at home base, until they had
counted to a certain number by any method.
Prinny would say at
the end of the count they would scatter out to find Prinney, who
in turn would watch his chance to get into the home base without
being seen.
Then holler "Prinney".
All those not at home base
when Prinney was called were caught and became Prinneys.
If any one found or saw Prinney he was to holler "Prinney"
and everyone made a run to home base. If Prinney got to home base
before anyone they became a Prinney. Object was to see how long
it would be before Prinney caught all the players. The last one
caught away from home base became the next Prinney and the game
began again.
MARBLES
Any number of players two or more, a large circle was drawn
on rather hard ground about 5 to 6 feet across with a small circle
in the center about twelve inches across.
In this smaller circle was placed the marbles you wanted to
bet that you could win back as well as some of your opponents.
Now the marbles had different value depending on their make
and markings and some time colors.
1.
Commie was the lowest value, usually made of burned clay
smaller than others and many colors, real cheap.
-62 -
2.
Aggies a little larger, more smooth, usually a brown or
blue and worth 5 commies.
3.
Glassie a marble made of glass with different colors,
stripes inside. It was worth 5 aggies or 10 commies.
4.
Then there was a steely, it was not used very much as it
was heavy and hard to shoot or knock very far, mostly they were
for show or trade for other marbles.
To play the game your bets were placed in the small ring.
The players would stand at the edge of the large ring and toss his
taw at the small ring, trying to get into the ring or as near as
possible. The closest to the small ring got the first shot.
Which is to see if he can knock any of the marbles in the
small circle out of the big ring, if he succeeds he can keep
shooting until he fails to get a marble of the big ring or misses
hitting a marble or goes out of the big ring himself.
The other players take their turn in like manner trying to
knock all the marbles he can from the big ring.
A player can knock the taw of another out of the big ring, if
this is done, the player whose taw was knocked out has to give all
the marbles he has won to his opponent. When his turn comes he
must toss this taw to the small circle to start playing again.
If your taw follows a marble out of the big ring the marble
knocked out goes back to the small ring for someone else to shoot
at. He loses his turn. When the last marble is knocked out of
the big ring the game is over.
FOX AND GEESE
This game was usually played in the snow as trails could be
The play area was any
made in which the players were to run.
size, usually about 100 feet square with trails from each corner
to an opposite corner and from each side to the other side.
The one chosen to be the fox stood in the center of the
block. The geese along the outer lines or trails. No one was to
go off the trails, as the fox tried to catch the geese who in turn
became a fox until all the geese were caught.
The last goose
became the fox for the next game.
HORSE SHOES
We played this game with real horse shoes. Some new ones or
old ones that had been used and about worn out. Some of the shoes
-63 -
were small, used on pony feet, some large and much heaver used on
work horses.
Two pegs were driven into the ground about 30, 40, or 50
apart feet depends on who is playing.
Two or four players
usually play together.
The object is to see who can pitch two horse shoes from one
peg to the other getting them the closet.
You stand with on foot against the peg. Take one step and
toss the shoe to the other peg. To count who wins the game the
shoe that is the closest, or a leaner, the shoe leans against the
peg, or a ringer, the shoe encircles the peg.
If a player can make a ringer on top of the first players
shoe he wins the game. To win the set one must make or win nine
tosses.
STICK PEG
This game was not played very often because for the
facilities for the game was seldom available.
Usually in the
early winter or spring and at the barn yard.
Where there was
large stacks of hay which was fed to the cows and horses. A hay
knife was used to cut sections of hay form the stack as needed.
This left a smooth wall of hay from top to bottom when the section
was used up.
We boys would get a stick about 5 inches long, sharpen it on
one end.
Holding the sharpened stick in one hand from a short
distance from the stack of hay, we would run to the stack running
up the face of the stack to see how high we could place the stick.
The one who could place his stick the highest won.
SHINNY
Shinny is an old Indian game given to us.
When? I don't
know, and it is a lot of fun and excitement at times as everyone
old, young and children can play.
Two goals are chosen any distant apart, 50 ft, 100 ft, 200
ft.
You need a stout stick of wood, 2 to 3 ft. long for each
player, but anything will do to knock the ball, can, block of wood
or bone that are about 3 or 4 inches through. Two teams line up
in the middle of the play ground, at the word go each side tries
to knock the object to the goal of their opponent with the stick.
The team or players that gets the ball to the other sides goal
wins.
Now this game can be played just two or as many who wants to
play.
-64 -
I have seen the game start with only two or three, when
someone sees one side about to win he or she will grab a shinny
stick and go help the loosing side. And by the time the game is
over most of the people are in playing, old men and women on down
to small children. It didn't make any difference which side you
were on, everyone played that wanted to.
KICK THE CAN
Kick the can is a group game played between two goals and any
number of players. You start in the middle between the two goals,
usually with an old can.
At the word go each team of players tries to kick the can to
the others goal and wins the game.
Just another form of shinny
only you don't have sticks just your toes to move the can the way
you want it to go.
JUMP THE ROPE
I guess most children has learned to jump the rope sometime
or other.
With a rope 10 ft. or longer tie one end to a tree,
post or other solid object, catch hold of the other end and start
swinging rope around making a big loop.
If there is several
players we usually start by running through the swing, next time
take one jump then out, then each time increase the jumps till you
reach ten, on the eleventh jump you call out salt and pepper,
which means for the rope to be turned as fast as they can, until
you miss a jump.
If you at any time are hit by the rope, or don't jump over it
as it passes near the ground you are out and have to take a turn
at turning the rope for others to jump. So the jumping goes on.
ANTI-I-OVER
Anti-I-Over is a lot of fun if you have a building you can
run around on all sides.
Two or more players and a small soft
ball, more fun if there are several players on a side.
To start the game, the players get on opposite sides of the
building, one side has the ball. The other side when it is ready
calls "Anti-I-Over." The side with the ball then tries to toss or
throw the ball over the roof of the building so it will roll down
-65 -
the other side. Those who called "Anti-I-Over" tries to catch the
If it touches the ground they
ball before it hits the ground.
then throw it back over the building to the other side.
If the ball is caught the one who catches it with his team
mates runs around the building trying to tag or hit as many of the
opposite team as he can before they get to the other side. Those
tagged or hit are then on the side who caught the ball.
This can go on for some time or until all players are tagged
in to one team.
DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF
This is usually an inside game but has been played outside.
Everyone can play age makes no difference.
A large circle is
formed and one is chosen to carry the handkerchief around the
outside of the circle and as he goes around drops the handkerchief
behind someone then runs around and get in the place of the person
who had the handkerchief dropped behind him, as he is to pick up
the handkerchief and try and catch the one who dropped it before
he gets to the place of the chaser.
A lot of fun and exercise for everybody.
WHEEL ROLLING
This is just a one man game if it can be called that.
We
usually got an iron band from a old wagon wheel hub, which is
about 1 1/2 inches wide 12 inches through and 1/4 to 1/2 inch
thick.
Then with a stick or narrow board 2 ft. long we would
start rolling the iron band along the ground, guiding it with the
stick in any direction we wanted to go or where we had to go.
Sometimes we would nail a 3 or 4 inch board on the end of our push
stick to give us more area to keep the wheel rolling.
In the sand here at Moccasin it was a challenge to keep it
rolling all the time.
OLD WITCH AND HER STAFF
This is a parlor game.
Usually played when the group is
resting and quite after some exercise games.
One is chosen to be the old witch and is given stick or broom
which is turned up side down. The group is set in a circle and
the old witch with her staff picks one who she approaches tapping
the staff on the floor and says as she approaches the person,
"Here comes an old witch with a stick for a staff" and you must
neither smile nor laugh, but say, "I will".
The witch can pull
-66 -
faces, walk crippled or any other movements she wants trying to
get the one to smile or laugh.
Then ask any question that might cause the one to smile or
laugh, if he dose, he then becomes the old witch. The witch can
only ask two questions, if the person doesn't smile or laugh the
witch goes on to another until someone smiles or laughs. Usually
the game goes on until all has a turn at being an old witch.
FORFEIT GAME
This takes place at near the close of the evening party. At
the start it is decided that if one does not do things just right,
fails to respond to a question or do a task different they can be
asked to pay a forfeit of some object they have on them, money,
knife, pin, camp ring, watch just anything, and it is put into a
hat or pan.
When the party is about over one person is chosen to be the
judge, another one the lawyer. The judge is usually seated with
arms folded so he can see what the forfeits are. The lawyer takes
the hat with the forfeits and stands behind the judge, picks one
of the forfeits from the hat and holds it over the judges head.
The Lawyer says "Heavy, heavy, hangs over your poor head."
Judge: "fine" (meaning a boy), "super fine" (meaning a girl).
Lawyer: Then says "fine" if the object belongs to a boy or "super
fine" if it belongs to a girl. "What shall the owner do to redeem
it?"
Judge then tells what the person must do to get his forfeit
back, like a song, mother goose rhyme, dance, any funny little
stunt to cause laughter, but nothing embarrassing to the person.
Sometimes the judge sets his own punishment.
CHARADES
I can't remember what we called this form of entertainment.
Anyway two or more teams were formed with any numbers of players.
They would withdraw to another room or in a far corner, where
each group would decide on a word or short phrase that they could
act out in pantomime action and when all was ready people were
called together and each group would do their act. And the others
would try and guess the word or phrase they were acting.
This was quite a fad among us during school days at Moccasin.
All ages took part. One time my Grandfather was taking part in
our fun and came in with cat holding it by the front paws, walking
it forward then sideways, then backward, after a few of this
action, he handed the cat to Grandmother.
(Jonathan and Lucy
-67 -
Heaton) who took the cat in her arms, trying to teach it to place
a paw on one eye. No one could guess what
the word was even when Grandpa pointed to his eye then at the cats
actions. The word was "cataract" a disease of the eye.
POP THE WHIP
In playing this game, a strong leader is required all take
hold of hand forming a line. The leader says "lets go" and all
start running following the leader where ever he wants to go in a
few moments he makes a sharp u turn. Game is to see how many are
able to make the turn with out losing hand holds.
Usually the last few go tumbling on the ground because they
can't make the turn.
We didn't do it to much as some of the kids got hurt falling
on the ground, especially if they were small.
JACKS
We didn't have the 6 pointed jacks the kids now have.
We
used marbles or sand stone marbles we could get from the ridge
back of Grandma's or on the hill by the old Indian camp ground.
There was plenty of the marbles in these two places. Always find
small marbles and a larger one for the taw.
You scatter the five marbles, toss the taw, pick a marble and
catch the taw. If you miss the taw or marble you miss your turn.
One marble at a time, then two, three, four and five. Then you
collect the marbles between your fingers or any other movement you
wanted as a challenge to playing jacks.
BASKET BALL
No, not while I was going to school.
One year our school
teacher got a basket ball and we put up a hoop on the old wagon
shed, over the door to the tool shop.
The second day we were using the ball someone threw it
against a nail and punctured it and our basket ball days were
over. In those days the balls were made in two parts, out side of
leather and a rubber balloon inside, which you pumped up, tied the
stem tucked it inside the ball and then laced the slit in the
leather so the rubber balloon would not show.
We tried to get some patching, did get a tube of rubber
cement, but no patches as we didn't know what was needed.
-68 -
So I never played Basket ball till I got to high school in
St. George. I was 18 years old.
TOADY TOADY
We would play this game indoors or out, summer or winter, any
number of players. Everyone squat down on their feet, one or two
started the game by hopping like a toad and saying toddy toddy how
art thee?. Up to another toad. He would respond by saying "Fine
as fine as can be."
First toad, "how's the neighbor next to
thee?" Second toad, "you stay here and I go see." And he takes
off hopping like a toad, and the first toad takes his place.
The fun comes in when two or more toads are hopping about the
room, some falling over.
BALANCING SKILLS
To this skill, the player with his feet, toes on a line, in
his right hand a stick 6 or 8 inches long.
He would then bend
down, reach his hand with the stick around the outside of his
right leg out between his legs and see how far out in front of the
line without stepping over the line or falling over.
The next fellow tries to best the mark. The game is to see
who can reach the furthest from the line.
PULL UP
This is between two contestants.
They set on the ground,
knees up and feet against each other. A broom handle is grasped
by both hands by each contestant.
The object is to see who can pull the other off the ground
from a sitting position. A test of strength. This we did quite
often while playing on the lawn in the summer evenings.
GRIP THE STICK
Two contestants stand facing each other.
Holding a smooth
stick or broom handle with both hands high over their heads. They
grip the stick and they pull their hands down, try and keep the
stick from turning in their hands, but have it turn in their
opponents hands.
-69 -
THREE DEEP
Three deep is a large group of players. To start the game
all payers stand in two circles, even numbers, one player behind
another. Then two players are chosen to be its one in the circle
and one outside.
The one in the circle tries to catch the one
outside at the same time.
Try to prevent him from getting into
the circle and stopping in front of someone in the circle, making
three deep. If this happens there is three standing together or
three deep. The it in the circle then tries to catch the person
at the back before he can get in front of another couple.
If the one being chased is tagged he becomes it and tries to
catch the one who tagged him. So the game goes on and on till the
players are tired out.
HAND WRESTLE
Hand wrestle is played by two contestants who place their
right or left elbows on a flat surface, grip their hands and try
to force their opponents hand backward until it touches the board
or table without using the other hand.
It tests your arm
strength.
WINK
An amusing game usually played at an indoor party with a
group of boys and girls. The chairs are placed in a circle with
either the girls or boys setting on the chairs and others
standing behind the person. There is one or two empty chairs with
someone behind it.
The object of the game is for the person behind the empty
chair is to send signals to someone setting in a chair by winking
his eye to get the attention of a girl or boy to come and set in
his chair.
The one behind is to keep the girl from going over to the
winker. But he must not touch the girl until she starts to go,
then you can catch her shoulders.
He must try and determine if
the winker is trying to take his girl by his eye contact and wink.
The winker may have to try several girls before he gets one
willing to make the break.
There is no words spoken, all conversation is spoken by
winking of the eyes, one or both. So one should know the meaning
of eye winks.
-70 -
WE USED TO SAY
Twice
Twice
Twice
Twice
around
around
around
around
your
your
your
your
thumb will go around your wrist.
wrist will go around your neck.
neck will go around your waist.
waist is the length of you.
Hooked-and crooked-notched and straight.
If you can guess
this riddle you could get a gold plate?
Stillards or scales of
years ago.
Patch upon patch upon patch and a hole in the middle?
brick fire place and chimney.
A
There stands in the field by the straw stack an old red bull.
He eats and he eats and he eats but never gets full? A thrashing
machine.
You eat over a bushel of dirt every day?
dirt under you when you eat.
There is always
Why is it a black cow, eats green feed, gives white milk,
with yellow cream on top and you make white butter?
What goes around a button?
A billy goat.
(The persons name) __________ is mad and I'm glad.
I know
what to please her or him, a bottle of ink to make her wink and
two little indians to squeeze her.
April fools past - you are the biggest fool at last.
A HEATON REUNION AT MOCCASIN
Jonathan Heaton had all his sons and daughters with their
families come to Moccasin for a family reunion in the Fall of
1912, when the Fall harvest was ripe and ready to gather in.
They came from Alton, Utah, in covered wagons and buggies and
on horse back. All came prepared to stay several days to pick and
dry peaches, gather in garden stuff such as carrots, onions, and
sweet corn.
Moccasin would produce the fruits and vegetables,
molasses and honey, while Alton would raise potatoes and grain for
the Jonathan Heaton family. The Alton boys tended sheep herds and
the Moccasin boys the cattle herds and horses.
-71 -
Each fall the men folk would get together and settle up
accounts of the family and plan new projects. Every two or three
years the wives and children would come and a day was spent in
celebration with games, races, sports for everyone and a big
dinner.
This year there were close to 100 in attendance at the
reunion.
The sports were held in the land which had been leveled and
flooded with water to pack the sand.
The dinner was held on
Father's lawn, which was one of the first lawns in the Kanab
Stake.
The young people also spent a lot of time at the round
reservoir either swimming or on a float boat Father had made.
At another time the day's celebration was held out in the
meadow just below the sand spring.
The outstanding event I
remember was a basketball game (the first I'd ever played in)
between the teenage girls and boys.
I don't remember who won.
Also there was a game between married men and older boys in which
Uncle Israel Heaton was standing under one basket and threw the
ball to the other end of the court. It was a perfect pitch, and
the ball went through the basket without touching the rim.
I saw Grandfather do a stunt that no one else could do, nor
have I seen it done since, though many have tried. He placed a
handkerchief on the ground in front of a rawhide chair. Then he
placed his hands on the top of the front legs, his knees on his
elbows, then reached down with his mouth and picked the
handkerchief up off the ground. The height of the chair about 16
inches I would guess.
Dances were held in the school house in the evenings and
everyone came--from babies to grandparents--and most everyone took
part. The music was phonograph, and the light came from the coal
oil lamps brought from the homes. The dances usually started by
dark and let out at 11:30 p.m. so everyone could be home and in
bed by midnight.
There were horse races up the lane.
Fast and slow horses,
pulling matches of saddle horses and teams.
Always something
doing.
The first Jonathan Heaton Reunion I remember was about 1906
with 54 in attendance. A picture was taken with all at Father's
front porch.
No other group picture was ever made of other
reunions that I know of.
AN EASTER SUNDAY OUTING
I don't remember the year this story took place. It was on
an Ester Sunday at Moccasin and as long as I can remember the
people of Moccasin always spent the day going to some place where
there was some sand in which we children could roll our eggs,
-72 -
slide down the sand banks and washes or hills. In those days we
went by covered wagons, pulled by a team of horses, some of the
older boys rode horses.
This particular Sunday there was three wagons and 4 or 5
horseback riders. I must have been about 8 or 9 years old. It
was decided to go up the canyon to the Buck pasture, some 2 miles
to a very pleasant side canyon that had a cool, clear spring of
water and just above the spring was a box canyon room some 50 feet
across, some big rocks laying on the bottom which was covered with
clean sand, we children would play in a very pleasant spot to be
in.
Of course everyone went. The school teacher, an old maid and
plump.
On our way back to the wagons the path way was over a
large rock at the bottom a drop of one or two feet into some sand.
The teacher had watched us children as we jumped off the rocks in
the sand, so when she came to this particular rock in the path she
decided to jump off the rock like we kids.
She said, "watch me." So she stood on the edge of the rock
and said the little saying we kids always said as we jumped. "The
rooster crows, the bumble bees and the way she goes,"
and then
jumped. The teacher jumped her feet just off the rock and she set
down with a jolt that almost made her cry, so everyone had a good
laugh at her.
On the same outing another jump incident happened after
dinner.
The man folks got a large wagon cover, the men stood
around holding the edges and some of the braver children would get
on the cover one at a time. The men would pull on the wagon cover
and toss the kid up in the air several feet and catch him on the
cover as he came down.
The kids were having so much fun being tossed into the air
and being caught on the canvas some of the older people wanted to
try it and several did.
Father had a young cowboy Jess Ramons from Rockville, Ut.
working for him. And of course he wanted to try the toss. The
men let him on and gave him a toss and when Jess came down,
instead of stopping on the canvas like the rest of the kids, he
split the canvas and went on through and landed on his back in the
sand. This ended the tossing game.
About 4 PM the outing was over and back home to do the many
farm chores and get the tired dirty children cleaned up and ready
for bed.
The Easter outing continues 'til about 1930 when the date was
changed to the Saturday before Easter.
And Easter Sunday was
spent in church meeting, commemorating the birth of Christ.
SOME HEATON REUNIONS AT ALTON
-73 -
The first Heaton (Jonathan) reunion I remember at Alton was
shortly after Alton was established as a town about 1909 or 1910.
We at Moccasin hired some men to come out to tend the place while
we Heatons were away for the week. Leaving home by wagon, buggy
or horse back, we traveled to Orderville the first day.
As we
were leaving Mt. Carmel a heavy rain storm come up and caused
floods to come out of the washes. When Uncle Israel Heaton tried
to cross a small bridge the planking had floated so that when the
horses and wagon got onto them they shifted and let them drop
through onto the stringers. We had to wait until the flood went
down to get them out.
The next day at Seamon's Ranch, Father let me buy some fire
crackers and sulfur matches which later caused me to get burned.
I had several bunches of matches in my trouser pockets and while
playing or standing by a stove, the matches caught fire
unbeknownst to me and burned quite a hole in my clothes before
Father got the matches pulled out and the fire put out.
I don't remember much what took place other than a dance was
held in the new ward hall and music was furnished by some men and
women up in a balcony built on the north wall of the hall. Quite
a crowd of Alton people were present.
At a later reunion about
1914, most of the fun and dinner was held up at the Water tank
above Alton among some tall pines. It seemed that as the family
grew and scattered so all could not get to the reunions as in the
past, very few were held.
It was about this time that the
'William Heaton Organization' was talked of and started. It had
some success over the years, but now seems to have almost passed
out of existence as the third generation has passed away or lost
interest in keeping it alive.
-74 -
TEEN YEARS
A SUNDAY HIKE
One Sunday after Sunday School, no Sacrament meeting being
held and there were several relatives from Orderville out to visit
us here at Moccasin and not much to do. Someone suggested we take
a hike up to the peeks west of town and up on the hill. There was
12 or 15 of us young folks 10 to 20 years of age in the group.
Our first stop was at the sand spring where the large volume of
clear cool water came boiling up through the white sand. So much
no one could sink in the spring, such force it would lift you and
on to the side.
From here we started up the hill following the old horse and
cow trail that led over the mountain to Canebeds. As we wound our
way over sand, rocks and among the scattered cedar, pine trees and
squaw bushes, we reached the peeks one large one about 30 ft high
and 2 smaller ones, we climbed on these scratched our names or
initials on the rock.
Some of the Orderville kids had not been to the flat rocks a
half a mile further on up the hill so we decided to go to them.
Here we found a pool of clear rain water in rock pockets which
refreshed us from our climb. This flat rock is about 300 yds wide
and reaches from the bottom of the hill coming up 3/4 of the way
up the hill then going back over rather flat and level area 100
yds where it meets another rise of the hill, mostly sand covered
with Elder berry, squaw bush, cedar and pine trees and sage brush.
After resting by the pools of water and it was only 2 o'clock
someone suggested that we go on over the hill to the head of the
canyon some 1 1/2 miles. This canyon goes west of Moccasin about
2 miles.
With nothing more to do we went on following the horse trail
which had been worn deep to 6 to 15 inches in the sand till we got
to an old pasture fence. This pasture was used during the summer
month to run horses with colts. There were two small springs that
supplied water for 10 or 15 head of horses. Sometimes cows would
be put there in late summer by the Heaton men.
Walking around the head of the canyon we came to the trail
leading into the canyons north fork rather steep in places and
rocky also sandy. At the bottom is another small spring of water
coming from a box canyon or room some 100 ft. square no way out
but down the stream bed.
Here is also some large trees, sand banks that made ideal
spots for picnicking and outings.
Many a time the folks of
Moccasin spent Easter Sunday or 24th celebration at this beautiful
spot.
After exploring the box canyon we headed for home 2 1/2
-75 -
miles to the east following down the bottom of the sand wash as it
was easier walking than through the sage and old man brush on the
banks.
We were getting tired but happy from the 4 or 5 hour hike and
instead of staying together the group was strung out some 200 yds,
older in head and the young following.
I don't know how the others felt about our Sunday hike, but
to me it was most enjoyable and it is remembered of being the best
because our friends and relatives both girls and boys from
Orderville were with us to enjoy our hills and valleys here at
Moccasin.
THE JULY 4TH CELEBRATION
One July 4th celebration the young folks decided to stay home
and invite some of our friends from town to come to be with us.
We had planed a dance that night before then setting off an anvil
at day break, a public meeting in the school house at 10 AM
followed by a public dinner under the trees at grandmas then races
foot and horses in the lane. The evening for fun gathering with
games and roasted marshmallows and punch.
There was a good crowd at the dance, music furnished by the
phonograph from grandmas. Everybody came some of the Indian young
people were there.
The lights were coaloil lamps brought from
homes set on small shelves between the windows on each side of the
one room school house. All took part, grandparents dancing with
grand children, parents with their children at times. The dances
were the Waltz, Virginia Reel, fox trot, square dance and scottish
which lasted till 11:30 PM.
The next morning Gilbert and I were up early setting off
sticks of dynamite about town, then we decided to go down to the
Indian village and wake those people so we set off two charges on
the reservoir banks. Later the Indian Reservation Superintendent
Dr. Edgen A. Farrow threatened to have us arrested for disturbing
the peace.
By the time the public meeting started I had began to have a
sick headache from handling the dynamite power. We had chosen my
grandmother to be goddess of Liberty with an Uncle Sam, at her
side, and another attendant. A few days before I had shot a young
eagle by the chicken run just wounding it, it could not fly so we
had a live American eagle at the meeting, which lasted about 1 1/2
hours. There was speeches, songs, skits and stunts.
My head ache became worse so I missed the afternoon sports.
As I lay on my bed all afternoon. The evening program was fun for
all but me.
-76 -
Another July 4th was spent at Pipe Springs while Jennie and
Ella Palmer was living there. That day there was 3/4 eclipse of
the sun even the shadows of the leaves were 3/4 in shape. After
dinner the boys and men rode their saddle horses out into Pipe
Valley between Bullrush and Cedar Knolls and chased wild horses
just for the fun of running them. Caught two with our ropes then
turned them loose as we headed for home.
Such was our fun to
celebrate the Independence Day.
A TRIP INTO THE KANAB GULCH
When it was time to go get the extra saddle and work horses
from the winter pasture in Grammer Canyon and on the Granite Rock
just above the Colorado River, two to four men and boys were sent
down for them the latter part of April to bring the horses out.
There were four or five horse pastures in the Kanab Gulch claimed
by different cattlemen who wintered their extra horses not needed
for winter work.
There were the Heaton Brothers in Grammer Canyon, Ed Lamb and
Brig Riggs in Hacks Canyon, Dave Esplin on the red rock, Jessie
Palmer and Bill Bowers down on the Granite Rocks.
About 1917 in April Jessie Palmer and Will Bowers were on
their way to the Gulch to get their horses and others as they
would pasture a number of horses for their neighbors for the
winter. As these men came to Moccasin and stopped for the night,
Father decided to sent me with my Uncle Gilbert along with them to
get our horses from Grammer on the way back.
Early in the morning we got our horses saddled and our pack
horse loaded with the grub and bedding and went along with Palmer
and Bowers.
As we had an early start we rode to Pipe Springs 6 miles on
past Scotts Hole about 10 miles to head of Grammer, where we
stopped for dinner at the spring near the Kanab Creek on past the
mouth of Hack Canyon following down the Kanab creek with red
ledges a few hundred feet high. The creek bottom covered with cat
claw, mesquite, cottonwood, cactus and other brush.
Then at
Dave's Canyon we left the creek for three or four miles till we
came to Dave's spring where we camped for the night. The spring
was in a cave large enough for a camp that several men could be
out of a storm. Why I remember this place was that on the face of
the rock above the cave was Indian writing and a painting of a man
in red. The rock had over the years had weathered away from the
-77 -
painting so that it stood out about a half an inch or more so it
must of been there a long time.
We put the horses on the side hill to graze for the night and
closed the gate across the trail so they could not go back up the
canyon.
The next morning after breakfast of potatoes, beans, fruit
was went on down the canyon onto the Granite Rocks where Palmers
and Bowers horses were. There are several small springs of water
on the granites also rock pockets of water for the horses. As we
were riding we would come to a deep narrow canyon we could throw a
rock across but to get to the other side we had to ride a mile or
so to the head of this canyon then back to where we first came to
it.
On the other side there are several such canyons in this
pasture.
We went on down to where the Kanab Creek empties into
the colorado river then on a few miles to where there is a rock
slide that blocks the way on down the Colorado Canyon.
It is
called "The son of a bitch" so called by the first man who tried
to cross it with horses many years ago.
We then started back gathering up the horses. We saw a big
buck deer and I tried to get a shot at it but the horse I was
riding was tender footed and the ground covered with small sharp
rocks it would not travel very fast.
By night time we were back to Daves spring where we camped
for the night, letting the horses down into Kanab gulch.
As we
were getting supper the frogs a small almost white started to sing
and kept it up for five or ten minutes with out a let up. And the
four or five kept it up till we went to sleep. We also heard what
Palmer said was the mountain sheep, rams butting their horns
together a loud bang that echoed up and down the canyon.
The next morning we saddled and packed the horses, gathered
Then before we got to Hacks
up the Palmer and Bowers horses.
canyon we found the cave "Red Angel" lived in for 3 or 4 years.
Where he came from or where he went no one ever knew. He had long
bright red hair and claimed communication with God and had
visions! Then up through Grammer Canyon where we gathered up the
Heaton saddle and work horses on up the canyon back the way we
came. Scotts hole, Pipe Springs and to Moccasin by the middle of
the afternoon. Have always wanted to make the trip again.
WINTER PASTURE
I do not know when or why the Heaton Brothers started to use
Black Grammer Canyon for a winter horse pasture. They were using
it when I came along.
It is a side canyon from the Kanab Gulch that empties into
the Colorado River about 15 miles south of Pipe Spring Cattle
-78 -
Ranch. The canyon is some 6 or 8 miles long, a half a mile wide
in places with several small side canyons covered with grass, with
And by
small springs about half mile from the Kanab Creek.
putting a fence just below the spring where the red rock ledges
start about hundred yards and one at the head of the canyon where
Because of the high
the trail comes down the lime stone slid.
ledges and a few deep side canyons horses can not get out. Snow
does not stay in the canyon very long at a time, an ideal winter
pasture for animals.
In the fall after the fall farm work is done and the cattle
has been gathered, steers sold, and delivered to the buyers,
calves taken from their mothers and weaned, cows driven to winter
pastures, winter wood hauled, all the extra work horses, saddle
horses and any not needed around the farms during the winter would
be gathered up at Alton or Heaton Ranch and at Moccasin.
Some two or three men and boys were usually sent from
Moccasin to the ranch for the horses up there, horseback to get
the extra horses sometimes as many as 20 to 30 head, a four or
five day trip. Stopping in Orderville going and coming usually at
Uncle Fred W. Heatons.
At Moccasin all the extra horses would be added to the band
of horses then the drive to Grammer canyon a days trip with some
50 to 60 head.
Leaving home here at Moccasin going to Pipe Spring on south
across Pipe Valley, Bullrush wash up Grammer point flat to the
head of the canyon.
Just for the record, at the head of Grammer Canyon are some
flat rocks half an acre or so in which some Indians years ago had
left picture graphs also cut some small ditches or drains to
collect water into some pockets at the lower edge of the flat
rocks.
On with the drive. Dropping down into the canyon through the
gate, then to the spring for the night camp. Turning the horses
loose starting them back up the canyon where they will stay for
the winter.
We always had a pack horse with our bed, grub and cooking
equipment.
While one was preparing supper of fried potatoes,
meat, hot water for coco, the other men or boys would take our
riding horses up on the red rocks and hobble them for the night.
Supper was usually ready by the time they returned. Supper
over, dishes washed and put away, we would sit around the fire
made of sage brush drift wood along the wash, talk of the trip,
need of fixing the fences and general camp fire talk before bed.
The next day was spent repairing the fence at the lower end
of the canyon then back up the canyon to the head where the fence
Sometimes we
needed repairing, then on home the way we came.
would see bands of wild horses, burrows, maybe see an unbranded
-79 -
calf belonging to us which we would catch and put our brand on it.
Getting home about sun down. This job usually took place later
part of November.
The pasture would be visited two or three times during the
winter to see how the horses were getting along and the fences
were in good shape.
A WAGON TRIP FOR LUMBER
One early spring day in April I believe the Heaton men had
ordered some lumber from John Browns saw mill in Le Fever canyon
on the Buckskin Mountain a four day trip.
So they sent Uncle Price W. Johnson, Sterling Heaton and
myself with three teams and wagons for the lumber. We striped the
wagons of their wagon boxes, load hay for three night on the back
hounds our grub boxes and bedding on the front hounds as they were
called just the axles, standards and part that held the wheels in
place and tongue a long pole 3" diameter and 6 ft. long in the
brake lever with a rope attached to the top end.
We left home after dinner and traveled to Fredonia by way of
Two mile, Riggs flat, cross cottonwood wash and into Fredonia on
the east side of Kanab creek. We camped that night in Eli Judd
barnyard.
Being early in the evening we visited with the Judd
family and played games with the young folks.
Early the next morning Uncle Price had us on our way before
sunup as he wanted to get to the saw mill and the wagons loaded
before dark. As we headed east across the Johnson wash 8 miles on
our way on to the mouth of Le Fever Canyon where we stopped for
noon to let the horses rest a bit.
Then winding our way up the
canyon first sage brush, cedar trees, pinion pine, as we went on
long leaf pines were by the road.
About 3 o'clock we came to the saw mill located in a wide
spot in the canyon.
After we were shown where our lumber was
stacked, pulled our wagons to the stacks. We began to load each
wagon with 2 x 4 - 2 x 6 - 1 x 8 - 1 x 12 and I guess some other
sizes. By evening we had the wagons loaded and a binder put in
place which was a long chain, first one wrap around the wagon
each, then up around the lumber, around log some 4 ft long and 6
in through a plank 2 x 10 x 12 was placed one end on the log. The
chain over the plank then the plank was lifted up from the front
of the wagon tightening the chain over the 6" log until the plank
was laying over the back of the load of lumber.
This way the
chain squeezed the lumber tight to keep it from tipping forward or
backward as we traveled home.
-80 -
When we woke up the next morning there was over an inch of
white frost all over the ground our bed and things.
After
breakfast we loaded our bedding, hay, grub box on the load of
lumber, harnessed our horses and hooked them to the wagon. Being
cold my team did not want to start home pulling the load of lumber
and I had to start them two or three times before they would start
our even to move the wagon but finally we got going.
About two miles down the canyon I was following Uncle Price,
I noticed he turned off the road in one place but didn't know why.
When I come to that place I continued down the road which passed
under
a big pine tree with a limb only 10 or 12 ft. above the
road. As I went under the limb the tie down plank hit the limb
and the plank broke in two. For some reason the bottom peace did
not flip over and hit me but stopped when it was almost straight
up. Uncle Price heard the plank break, stopped his team and come
back to see if I was hurt. He said, "You have got to watch those
low limbs or you might get killed, your lucky this time." Another
lesson to watch out for danger places.
After fixing my load again we were on our way stopping at
Johnson wash for dinner then on to Fredonia. As it was only about
3 o'clock we decided to go on home where we arrived just before
dark only a three day trip.
I think most of the lumber was used to build a small 2 room
home just south of Uncle Chris's home for Aunt Esther and her
family of boys. A small spring was found to supply house water.
A TRIP TO ORDERVILLE JULY 22 TO 26, 1914
As there was seldom anything done at Moccasin for the 24th of
July the young, people usually went to Orderville to celebrate
this holiday.
My sister, Jennie, went with some of the other
girls in a buggy. I drove old Lay and Benny hitched to the light
wagon to bring back some flour and other things for Mother's
store.
Father was on his Mission to the Northern States at the time
and I was trying to run the farm. After spending three days at
Orderville and Glendale in sports, dances, plays and many other
things, I loaded the wagon with 1500 pounds of flour from Ike
Black's grist mill in Glendale. (The building is still standing
at this time, October 22, 1968.) While in Glendale, Sister Burham
who ran an ice cream parlor in Orderville, had me bring ten galls
of cream and milk down for her. Having two or three other boys my
age, (thirteen) we got to playing, driving fast and having fun.
Before we got to Orderville (five miles) we had slopped out some
cream and milk and the rest had almost been churned to butter.
-81 -
After loading up some groceries and candies from the
Orderville Co-op, run by Uncle Ed Carroll, I intended to go along
But
with Uncle Chris Heaton, who also had a load of freight.
Uncle Gilbert told me I could not travel with them as I did not
have any bedding or feed for the horses.
So early of the morning of the 26th, I picked up my sister
and headed for home without telling anyone we were traveling
alone. The road was dry and sandy, and lonesome for us, as it was
the first time I had been alone on this 34 mile road from
Orderville to Moccasin.
We stopped at Yellow Jacket and swiped some corn stock from
Dave Esplin's dry farm to feed the horses at noon. Having quite a
load on the wagon it was slow going in the sand.
As the sun began to go down we got to Chris's spring where we
watered the horses and were just starting out when we saw some one
coming up the road on a horse, which also added to my worry turned
to relief and joy as it was Mother riding the horse. Some one in
Orderville, after finding out Jennie and I had started out alone
intending to drive through in one day, called Mother about noon
and told her what we were doing.
Mother tied the horse to the
back of the wagon and rode the rest of the way home with us, nine
miles or so getting, there about midnight. Both horses and kids
were very tired but happy to be home.
A WASPS NEST
One 24th July celebration the Moccasin people went to
Orderville to have a good time some on horse back and some in a
wagon. One day several of us boys decided to ride up to Alton for
the day. I can't remember all who were riding beside myself was
William Esplin, Easten Blackburn, and two other boys from
Orderville.
When we got up near Spencers Ranch we saw a big wasps next
hanging on a birch limb high up over the road. It was one of the
largest nest I have ever seen and also a lot of wasps were flying
around.
Someone said lets knock it down.
But I said, "Not on
your life, we can't out run a mad wasp."
So we went on up to
Alton.
Another incident that happened was up past McDonalds Ranch as
we were trotting our horses along the dirt road.
The horse
William Esplin was riding, stepped in a hole about 6 inches deep
that kind of threw it off balance and when it caught itself its
right hind leg was broken at the stifle joint. The horse was old,
-82 -
20 years or more, we left the horse by the side of the road, a
pick up truck came by and took the saddle and William rode behind
me on my horse on to Alton.
Well when we were coming back to Orderville that evening,
Easten Blackburn and I decided to see if we could spear that big
wasp nest that was over the road.
We each soon found a long birch stick some 10 or more feet
long, holding the spear in our right hand we would charge our
horses down the road trying to spear that wasp nest as we went by.
It took us several passes before we succeeded in knocking it to
pieces, and when we did we went on the run on down the road with a
few of the mad wasps after us.
I don't know if any one ever got stung by the wasps.
But
heard later some people were put out because we had destroyed the
big wasps nest, it was at least 12 inches through and as long.
Gray in color, paper thin layers, the entrance at the bottom.
A WAGON TRIP TO ORDERVILLE
In the summer of 1914 we planned to spend the 4th July in
Orderville. I was to take the team Lay and Benny a light wagon
and bring back some supplies for mothers little store here at
Moccasin.
The school teacher at the Indian village that year was a Mr.
Weaver from Panquitch Utah. He had his wife and a 2 year old baby
girl who wanted a way back home.
So instead of leaving for
Orderville the day before the 4th I took the Weavers on the 2nd.
Early that morning I hooked Lay and Benny to the light wagon which
had two spring seats in the wagon box for us to set on, put the
wagon bows on and then doubled the wagon cover twice and tied it
on top of the bows for shade.
Went down to the Indian Village
loaded Weaver's trunk, suit cases, bedding and headed for
Orderville by 8 AM.
We went on the old Pioneer road started in 1870's from Pipe
Spring and Moccasin to Orderville.
Past the point springs road
partly clay so the team traveled on the trot most of the way to
the Blue knolls.
Then into sand canyon where the travel became
slow because of the deep sand.
We stopped at Chris's spring to
water the horses and give them a rest for half an hour or so.
While stopped clouds came up and a sudden clap of thunder with a
spring of rain began to fall also some wind that was blowing the
rain into the wagon wetting the Weavers and their things.
I tried to unfold the wagon cover to drop it down on the
sides of the bows but could not get it down. A gust of wind came
up and blew the cover off the wagon. So Mr. Weaver and I each got
-83 -
a corner and soon had the cover over the wagon bows and tied down.
The storm was soon over and we were on our way.
A very sandy
road for the next 6 or 8 miles, past the sand hills, over the
divide, stopped at yellow jacket for dinner, and to water the
horses and feed them. After an hour or so we hooked up again, was
sandy in places but easier traveling on past the monument knoll,
then clay flat to the head of Mt. Carmel dugway. There were three
of them before we got to the bottom and Orderville Creek (Virgin
River).
From here the travel was easy over clay roads.
Up
through Mt. Carmel to Orderville three or four miles up the canyon
where I left the Weavers at Uncle Fred G. Carrols. I stayed at
different relatives during the 3 days of 4th celebration.
MT. CARMEL DUG-WAY BRIDGE ACCIDENT
I don't remember the year, but think it was about 1912. It
was one of the 24th celebrations.
The young people of Moccasin
went to Orderville to spend the three-day holiday, usually
returning on the 26th. This time my Uncle Sterling Heaton and I
were riding horses. The rest of the folks were either in a twoseated buggy or heavily loaded wagon, pulled by four horses. In
the Buggy were Grandfather and his two wives Amy and Lucy and the
younger girls.
We on horseback and in the buggy went from
Orderville to Moccasin in one day, some 32 or 34 miles. The wagon
carrying Uncle Christopher Heaton, the driver of the teams,
Gilbert Heaton, Kezia H. Esplin and her son William and Evelyn
Esplin, and its load would be two days on the way.
At this time the road came down the west side of the
Orderville Creek, as it was called at that time, and crossed a
wooden bridge at the foot of the Mt. Carmel Dugway.
The bridge
was old and quite broken up. As Sterling and I were on horses and
left Orderville about the time the wagon did, we were quite a ways
ahead when we crossed the bridge. Riding up the dugway, I turned
to Sterling and said, "I hope Uncle Chris doesn't cross the bridge
as it may not hold them up with such a load." He said, "Oh, its
all right," and we rode on. Again something prompted me to say,
"Don't you think we should stop and see that Chris gets across the
bridge OK?" and I almost stopped my horse and I looked back to see
if they were close, but could not see them. Sterling kept riding
on, being only 11 or 12 years old, I reluctantly followed, but all
the way home I kept wondering if the wagon got across safely.
When we got home there had been a phone call from Orderville
telling us the bridge had broken, letting the four horses wagon,
people and load drop some 15 feet into the creek bottom along with
the broken bridge.
-84 -
The wagon was loaded with 20 feet lenghts of pipe, grain,
flour and other supplies for Moccasin.
As the bridge broke the
people and horses were thrown together along with loose boxes and
sacks of flour. In the excitement and fright things were quite a
mess.
Aunt Kezia Esplin broke her right leg. Uncle Chris sprained
and broke his left foot.
Gilbert was bruised and sustained
internal injuries.
William had head cuts.
Evelyn Esplin was
mostly scared.
A small colt broke legs, and the work horses
bruised and scared.
Dot Meeks was the first person to come along after the
accident. He ran his horse back to Mt. Carmel to give the alarm.
Teams and buggies from Mt. Carmel and Orderville answered the
call, and the injured were taken back to Orderville and cared for.
The only doctor, Uberirin Morris in Kanab, was called.
It
took him four hours or more by team and buggy to get to
Orderville.
Grandpa
and
Grandma
Heaton,
on
receiving
the
word,
immediately took a fresh team and returned to Orderville. It had
been reported that the bridge was not safe for loaded wagons
earlier in the summer but nothing was done about it.
Why did I not have the courage to stop and warn Uncle Chris
of the danger at the bridge. He could have crossed at the dirt
crossing up stream from the bridge as I had been prompted to do
twice.
A lot of suffering would have been avoided.
It is a
testimony to me that God does send messages for the protection of
his children. Some we heed and some we don't.
A PUNISHMENT
When I was in my teens and growing up we boys had a
punishment for any one who would do something not according to our
standards of conduct as swearing, using certain slang words,
When
spitting at another person or some other foolish thing.
someone would catch the offender in the act he would holler
"Renalds" and try to catch him, all others in hearing distance had
to come, drop everything they were doing.
Each had to stand on
his left foot, right foot off the ground, right hand a hold of the
offenders hair, hold his nose with his left hand and the one who
hollered "Renalds" would say "Up Shag." "Down Shag," "A kick or
box." The offender was to say which he wanted. Up shag, was a
jerk of hair up, down shag was a jerk of the hair down, kick with
the right foot on his bottom, box a slap on the side of the head.
If some one failed to show up when called or did not preform
as to custom, drop his right foot to the ground or did not hold
-85 -
his nose or have a hair hold, someone would holler "Renolds on
you" and the punishment would be done over.
This helped us boys to have more gentlemen like manners and
watch our actions.
As sometimes the punishment would hurt, but
mostly it was fun.
THE WOLF OF MOCCASIN AREA
This story covers about 12 years of a lone wolf that roamed
the area round Moccasin, 50 miles radius. The story begins when
two young wolves came off the Kaibab Mountain to the Kanab Creek
area in the Spring of 1912. One of them was caught in a trap set
by Dan Button.
The other one made its home west of the Kaibab
until it was killed near the Blue Knolls, north of Moccasin 12
years later.
Father, Charles C. Heaton, was manager of the Pipe Springs
Cattle Company and it was his business to be on the open range
quite a lot looking after the cattle, especially in the
springtime.
He watched water holes and creeks and washes, that
might be drying up and become muddy so poor cows would get stuck
in the mud and die, and to drive the cattle to where there was
plenty of water. He branded calves belonging to the company.
Sometime in May he was looking after the cattle along Kanab
Creek near Fredonia, Arizona. On a Friday he had been along the
creek and branded a calf near the Steam Boat Knoll. Saturday he
went out again, taking me along to help drive some cattle to
another watering place. Father was riding a big bay horse called,
Jack, and I rode a small mustang horse called Rocket, as we came
down by the Steam Boat Knoll. Father said there was a cow whose
calf I had branded the day before. She was standing on a small
rise and as we rode over to her, we saw what we thought was a
coyote standing over and eating on a calf. It looked bigger than
any coyote I had ever seen and Father said it is a wolf. It has
just killed the calf I had branded the day before.
Father took down his lasso and we started to run after the
wolf. Our horses seemed to be afraid of it, so we could not get
close to the wolf though we could keep about 25 to 50 yards behind
until it got into some foot hills and cedar trees and got away.
From then on reports came in from cowboys seeing big dog
tracks and dead calves over the ranges. They came from the White
Mountains in Utah to Hurricane Fault, west from, Kaibab Mountain,
to Mt. Trumble in the east. As time went on the area seemed to
center around Pipe Springs and Moccasin ranging in all directions
some 20 or 30 miles. It was finally decided that a wolf was doing
-86 -
the cattle killing instead of a dog, as he would seldom come back
to a kill after he once had his fill.
In the fall of 1913, when I was out in the pasture getting
the milk cows down at the Seeps, I rode into the Seep Wash, and
the wolf ran up the other bank and soon disappeared in the tall
brush. It looked just like it did a year or so before when I saw
it at Steam Boat Knoll, only larger. As far as anyone knows I was
the only one besides Father to see the wolf alive and loose, all
the time it was in the area.
There was never any evidence of two wolves or it mating
because there was only one big track traveling alone through out
the country. As time went on, the wolf got larger and smarter and
began killing larger animals.
At first it just killed small
calves, then those about a year old and finally it had been found
to kill grown cows, heavy with calf. Another habit was to catch a
yearling or two year old heifer. How it would do it no one knows,
but quite a number were found still alive with their bag and hind
quarter eaten out, one or two young horses were also found in the
same condition.
So many cattle and young horses being killed by the wolf,
that at first a $100 reward was offered to anyone who would get
rid of it. Several trappers tried, but had no luck. Finally a
$500 reward was offered by the cattlemen. We at Moccasin began to
carry guns and a bottle of strychnine, hoping the wolf would come
back. We did get a lot of coyotes, foxes, and cats but never the
wolf. Trappers followed his trail setting traps everywhere around
his kills, watering holes, using all kinds of bait and lures.
Once he did step on the edge of the trap and it looked like he
turned a somersault getting away from it. After this close call
and almost being caught, he would smell out the trap, carefully
dig to the side, turn the trap upside down, and spring it. Oh, he
got smart.
The wolf had the habit of following along behind travelers,
just out of sight. He would come quite close, and howl as only a
wolf can, scaring the horses and people. He would go up a head,
then on either side, howling though always keeping out of sight.
Many a morning campers would get up and find the wolf tracks
within 50 feet or so of his bed, where the wolf had visited him
during the night.
Finally an old man came to Moccasin who claimed to be an
expert trapper by the name of T. Gilby. He came in a buckboard
wagon and a team of small bay horses, Maggie and Greegs. He said
there was no wolf he could not catch within a month. We showed
him the wolf tracks and his usual routes through the country.
Gilby soon found the places he was sure to catch the wolf and set
five traps at each place with the exception of one fence across
Sand Canyon a mile above the blue Knolls. There was a pole fence
-87 -
on up the hillside.
Where the two fences joined, the wolf
sometimes went under the barbed wire fence and Mr. Gilby set one
lone trap there.
When Gilby found his traps dup up and sprung,
some drug several yards from where he had set them, he knew he had
met his equal in trapping a wolf.
He tried everything in the
books and out, but still the wolf outsmarted him.
Gilby had been at Moccasin almost a year and had, had very
little income to pay his expenses or his horse feed bills.
In
fact, most of his living was given to him by Father and
Grandmother. Long about May first, he decided to go gather in his
traps and leave the country as a failure at trapping. He took my
brother, Clifford with him on horseback and would be gone all day.
They started gathering up the traps near the Point Springs, Cedar
Ridge, and on up to the fence across Sand Canyon.
They said
something had been caught in the lone trap where the two fences
joined as the posts had been clawed, pulled down and the ground
dug up. When they got up there, they found the skinned body of
the wolf. Gilby was so mad he did not stop to look for the wolf
hide, but turned his horse around and ran most all the way eight
miles back to Moccasin to get the officer as he was afraid someone
else was going to collect the reward of $500.00.
When they returned to the scene they found the wolf hide
stretched over a tree limb, which satisfied Gilby. When they got
back to Moccasin with the hide and body, they measured and weighed
it.
The skinned body weighed 98 pounds after being dead three
days. The length of the hide from nose to tip of tail just under
ten feet.
His four inch tusk teeth were broken off.
One was
almost gone and the others about half gone. There was a picture
taken of the wolf and hide hanging in a tree with Gilby holding
the trap standing nearby.
As it turned out, John Margeats, an Indian and some others
were on their way to Long Valley to work, came up on the wolf
caught in the trap and shot and skinned it leaving the hide in the
tree.
All the reward money Gilby got from the cattle men and
sheep men was the $50.00 Father gave him. Neither Gilby or Father
could get any one else to contribute to the reward. Some three or
four weeks later Gilby left but came back the next winter with the
head mounted on a board. He tried to sell it for $75.00. So ends
the last of the timber wolves in this area.
None have been
reported being here since.
HERDING SHEEP AT MOCCASIN
While I was about 14 or 15 years old, Grandpa Jonathan Heaton
kept about 150 or 200 head of old sheep at Moccasin to lamb. My
Uncle Gilbert and I were told to herd them during the day.
We
-88 -
turned them out of the corral in the morning and took them up on
the hills and up the canyons to feed. We would take our lunch and
stay with the sheep all day. Sometimes we would go two or three
miles from home to find feed for the sheep and little lambs. The
lambs were all colors, black, white, brown and spotted.
When
Grandpa asked us what we wanted for pay, after six weeks of
herding sheep, we each chose two of the spotted lambs, worth about
$2.00 each. So we got $4.00 in lambs for our six weeks of work,
rather cheap labor.
AN OUTING AT THE SAND HILLS
It was nice summer days in 1916 and not much to do on the
farm for the young folks in mid August.
We decided to take a
wagon trip for 2 or 3 days up to the sand hills. These were the
following that went:
my Aunt Kezia H. Esplin, her son William,
Lucy, Ella, Amy, my Aunts, Sterling, Gilbert Heaton, Uncles,
Jennie, my sister, Maude Rust, a Johnson girl two three more I
don't remember.
Early on a Tuesday morning while the girls were getting the
bedding, grub to eat, dishes, we boys got the team hitched to the
double bed wagon, filled the bottom with hay to ride on and feed
the horses, put the wagon bows 6 of them and a wagon cover, hunted
up the bake ovens and buckets, gathered some green corn and other
fresh vegetables and fruit, by 9 AM we were ready to leave.
The girls setting in the back of the wagon on the hay and
bedding, Sterling rode a horse, Gilbert and I driving the team old
Lay and Benny, Dads team. We headed for the sand hills over the
dirt road out past the point spring 2 miles, on up to the blue
knolls, where the girls spent half hour climbing to the top then
on to Chris's spring corral where we stopped for noon and dinner.
After dinner it was decided to hike up the mountain where the
spring water came out of the rock seeping out along the back of a
cave. The water had been collected into a wooden box then piped a
mile or so to the corral and watering tanks for cattle, sheep and
horses. (Chris's spring discovery another story)
We were about two hours making the climb to the spring and
back to the wagon and team. We were soon ready to be on our way
to the sand hills. From here the road is all sand and the girls
had to get out and walk up the small hills as the horses could not
pull the load.
About 2 miles from Chris's corral we turned off
the old road into the sand hills, where there are some tall long
leaf pines and a well that had been dug into the sand some 6 or 8
-89 -
feet, a wooden box made of 2 x 12 x 4 ft with a cover over it.
The water is clean and cool, many a traveler stops here to refresh
themselves and horses traveling the sandy road form Moccasin to
Orderville or back.
Here we made our camp for two nights. The girls had their
camp near some of the pine trees and we boys settled for a
sheltered place over a small ridge covered with sage brush and
sand sun flowers. After taking care of the horses for the night
we sat around the camp fire to a supper of fried potatoes, meat
and fresh fruits. Dishes cleaned and for the rest of the evening,
sang songs and told stories. The night was clear with the heavens
full of stars the moon late coming up, to bed by 10:30 PM.
It was late having breakfast then we spent several hours
roaming over the sand hills and over to the mountain to the east
about a mile. We found a few places where we could find water in
the sand by digging with our hands at the bottom of some of the
sand hills.
As the prevailing winds are from the south, the sand hills
have a gentle slope from the south, but the north side is as steep
as dry sand can lay. On these high sand hills is where we had our
fun.
If we would run and jump down the steep side when we landed
some 14 or 20 feet down the sand would shift and sound like
distant thunder.
Then we would lay down and roll down the sand
slopes individually or in pairs.
We would lay down apposite
locking our arms around the other persons legs and feet. We would
also lock our arms around our knees and roll down head over feet.
Because of so much rolling and tumbling some of us got sea
sick and didn't eat much dinner or supper that night and a few
lost their supper. We were all covered with sand in hair, eyes,
ears, mouth, cloths, sand everywhere. But it was clean and fun to
be in.
That night the camp fire was not as noisy as to many were
feeling the effects of our play and some went to bed early.
The next morning as we had, had our fun we loaded our camp
gear and headed for home some 12 miles south.
As the road was
mostly down hill the traveling was easily, arriving home about
noon in time for dinner. Some sun burned kids, but happy for the
outing.
CUTTING LOGS FOR AN ICE HOUSE
The summer following Father's return from his mission in
1916, we decided to build an ice house, out of hewn logs as there
were quite a few long leaf pines in the sand hills, (now called
Pink Coral Sand Dunes) some 12 or 15 miles north of Moccasin.
-90 -
Father, Mother and the younger children went camping for three or
four days to locate the trees and get started.
The next week I was sent with Clifford and Richard, my
younger brothers, and a team and wagon to stay about a week. We
camped in the sand hills by the pine trees. We had a tent made by
stretching a wagon cover over a rope between two trees.
We had to take the horses, Old Lay and Benny, to water either
at Chris's Spring (about four miles to the south) or Yellow Jacket
(five miles to the north). Sometimes I would ride the horses to
water and sometimes Clifford and Richard would take them. We also
took turns getting the meals.
Usually I would get breakfast of
fired potatoes and meat in the bake oven, fruit, butter, jam. The
other boys would get dinner, of fruit, bread, jam and some stuff
mother cooked up for us. Once I shot a rabbit for supper.
We would select a pine tree that was about 15 to 20 inches
through, cut it down then cut it into lengths of about 20 feet and
some 12 feet which was the size the ice house was to be. Then we
would hew off two sides until we had a log about eight inches
thick, 15 or more inches wide. It took us about one day to cut
one tree and trim the logs to size.
The second week we boys were up after logs again going up
Monday and coming home Friday or Saturday. This week while hewing
the logs, the ax glanced off a knot and cut into my left foot,
between the little and next toe, making a split about an inch
long. I bound it up tight and as we only had five logs ready and
three more over half done, I decided to finish the three to make a
load. We went on working the rest of the day, had one more to go
the next morning.
As my foot was hurting from the cut, I was hurrying so as to
get home. We had the log about done when again the axe glanced
off the log and into my left foot, this time splitting my big toe.
Wrapping it up the best I could, we loaded the wagon with the
logs and camp equipment and came home.
Though I expected to be laid up for week or so the cut healed
soon and was no trouble at all.
GRANDFATHER HEATON AS ROAD BOSS ON THE RESERVATION
Along about 1912 or 1913 the Kaibab Indian Reservation
Superintendent, Mr. Maxwell, hired my grandfather, Jonathan
Heaton, to supervise and boss a road construction crew made up of
Indians. There were a few cars traveling the road from Fredonia
past Pipe Spring an onto Short Creek and Hurricane. As the road
was only a wagon road, crossing washes and rough, a repair job was
started on the reservation.
Grandfather had under him some 20
Indians.
They began with teams, scrapers, plows, and a wooden
-91 -
grader or drag Grandfather had made form some planks to grade up
the road. He was on this job about six weeks. Mr. Maxwell said,
"Of all the foremen I have ever seen handling Indians, Jonathan
Heaton can get more accomplished from these Indians than any man I
have ever seen." Grandfather's ability to get men to work started
when he was about 16 years old at Orderville when he was put in
charge of digging the ditch to bring the water from the creek to
the town of orderville an its fields in the 1870's.
HUNTING WILD STEERS FOR BEEF
In 1903 or 1904 Father and his brothers took some cattle to
Alton for the summer.
Along the way they lost several yearling
steers.
They found several that next fall and spring at Yellow
Jacket.
There was one light red, bobtailed steer they did not
find until later. Then he wouldn't be caught. He usually lived
in thick trees or oaks and in broken canyon country where saddle
horses could not catch him. After some four or five years, some
cowboys from Orderville happened to come upon him and other wild
cattle in a corral watering. As there were four cowboys and only
a dozen wild cattle, they caught the Pipe-brand steer and cut its
horns (some four to six inches long) thinking they would gentle
him down.
Taking their own wild cattle, they turned the rest
loose. The treatment made the Pipe steer more wild.
In the latter part of November or December of 1919 my
Grandfather and his boys decided to try and get the bobtailed
steer. Grandfather, Father, Ed, Fred, Gilbert and I loaded some
camping equipment in a light wagon. With our guns and individual
saddle horses we left Moccasin at noon.
We camped in the sand
hills where there was water for the horses.
Early the next
morning we saddled up, took our guns and headed for Lamb Point.
We found several head of wild cattle but the bobtailed steer was
not among them.
We covered most of the area and were ready to
turn back when Father found the fresh cattle tracks of six or
eight head heading east around the head of a deep canyon.
We
followed them to the ease side of Lamb Point and way out on the
longest point of the mountain we saw the cattle.
The old steer
was with them. Father and I got off our horses and took our guns,
(Father had a large gun and I had a 22 Long). We split up, Father
walking on one side of the ridge and I on the other. We had not
They came
gone very far, when something frightened the cattle.
running towards us as fast as they could and on my side of the
ridge. Father took one shot at the steer but missed and I started
to pump 22 bullets at the steer. I think I hit him two or three
-92 -
times as he went by, being only 100 feet or so away. But he only
ran faster.
The rest of the men heard the shooting and came our way when
they ran into the bunch of cattle which scattered.
They about
cornered the steer and a young cow, but because of thick trees
they missed them; and the chase continued down a long ridge to
another corner (we thought) but the steer and cow jumped off a ten
foot ledge into a sand bank and off down a canyon. The weather
began to turn cold so instead of staying another day to try again
we went home that evening with our beef.
The next day it was
snowing.
As far as anyone knows the old steer died of old age
somewhere on Lamb Point at the age of at least twenty years, as he
was seen about 1917 fat and fast.
HAULING LUMBER FOR FATHER'S HOUSE 1917
About a year after Father came from his mission, he and
Mother decided that their family was getting too large and grown
up with three boys and two girls, for the house with only one
bedroom, living room, kitchen, pantry and aboard up tent. Plans
were made to enlarge the house by adding a kitchen and pantry
storage to the south. Then use the old kitchen as a dining room
and old pantry as a bath, hallway and stairs for new rooms above,
including four bedrooms and large porch on south and east.
Lumber was ordered from E.J.
Croft's saw mill in Stouts
Canyon some 15 or 20 miles north of Orderville, Utah and he was to
deliver it half way up the Mt. Carmel Hill.
The first loads were delivered by Crofts in January 1917 and
the forepart of February.
Father sent Clifford and Richard, my
younger brothers, and I with two wagons. They drove one team and
I the other. We left early Friday morning clear nice weather and
got to the Mt. Carmel hill, loaded the two wagons and started back
home. The top of the hill was very sandy and our teams could not
pull the heavy loads, so we unloaded part of the lumber and still
could not go. So we left one wagon and put the four horses on the
one wagon and got it to the top of the hill and onto the harder
ground by night. We made camp there tying the horses to the wagon
wheels, where we fed them hay and grain. We made our beds and ate
supper. Then we went to bed. I do not remember of seeing the sky
lit up so brightly with stars. They seemed to close and bright.
I thought we would have a good day on the morrow.
When we woke up there was eight to ten inches of snow on the
ground and quite wet.
-93 -
We went back with the two teams and got the wagon left the
night before, then loaded our camp equipment and started home.
With the deep snow and soft sand underneath, the horses could not
pull the wagons very far without stopping so we unloaded some more
lumber. It was still hard going, so I decided to leave one wagon.
We put the four horses on one wagon, loaded all our camp
supplies, in the wagon and started home.
Clifford and Richard
bundled up in the bedding and I wrapped up in a horses blanket.
This was the first time I had ever driven a four-horse outfit. It
was a blessing that my lead team had been broken as leaders for
such conditions. Even with four horses the going was slow in the
snow. About a hour or so before sundown, we were met by our Uncle
Sterling Heaton who had been sent from home by Father to ride out
horseback to help us home. Though most of the going now was down
grade and the snow had settled a lot, it was still eleven o'clock
before we arrived, tired, cold, and hungry from our first trip for
lumber.
Because of the bad weather the next few weeks we did not haul
any more lumber. Father hired Georgie George, an Indian my age,
to help with the hauling. We would make one trip a week during
the cold weather. We would leave home about noon, camp at Yellow
Jacket, then be up early and go the Mt. Carmel Hill, get our load
and be back to Yellow Jacket for the night. Then we would be home
the next day.
We would unload the next day and get the wagon
ready for the next trip.
When the snow began to melt and frost went out of the ground
we would travel early in the morning. When the road got soft and
sticky during the day we would camp for the rest of the day and
night. Then we would be up and going early the next morning to
take advantage of the frozen ground. It wasn't till June that we
got the last of the lumber all hauled for the house.
To haul lumber with wagons, the wagon box was taken off so
just the wheels and running gears, were used. Lumber was placed
on the standards until there was 500 to 800 feet of lumber on the
wagons. A chain was placed around the lumber and wagon. A short
round log, four feet long and six inched through was placed across
the top of the load. A 12 or 14 foot plank was stuck under the
chain and over the log and the chain was drawn tight. The planks
were then lifted from front to back thus rending the lumber tight
and tied to the wagon, this plank was tied down with a rope so it
would not flip back over and hit the driver, who set usually on
his bed roll on the front end.
We had lots of fun on these trips as well as lots of trouble;
like a wheel coming off or tie coming loose that needed wiring.
Perhaps we became stuck in the sand or mud or snow. The horses
sometimes became sick, or developed sores on their shoulders or
were just balky on cold mornings.
Loads slipped forward and
-94 -
backwards because we did not load it right, and harnesses broke
because of the heavy loads, or the single tree broke, or some
other trouble. But we managed to always get home some way.
CIGARS
One spring during the month of June about 1916 or 1917 the
cattle men were out branding the spring calves on the Arizona
strip and as was the custom a lot of young boys in their teens we
on such branding trip as schools were out and they wanted to get
away from home. And I guess their parents were glad to have them
go.
There must of been some 12 or 15 men and boys in the roundup
crew this year and we were having a good time branding calves,
chasing wild horses, donkeys and on several occasions coyotes.
Sleeping under the stars and full moon. Finally we camped for two
or three days south of Fredonia at the Dobson old homestead to
gather up and brand the long eared calves along the Kanab creek
and in Johnson run.
One afternoon we finished the ride a bit early in the
afternoon with nothing to do for the rest of the day decided to
ride into town to see what was going on and visit friends we knew.
So we cleaned up the best we could and rode up about 1 1/2 miles.
When the young folks saw us cowboys ride in and stop at the
Brooksby-Jensen store they started to collect about the place to
visit with us.
There was quite a few inside the store when a stranger came
in and announced his daughter was getting married that afternoon
and to celebrate the event he bought a large box of cigars. Now
in the group were a bishop, a stake president, other church
leaders as well as us teenage boys, and some town people.
This stranger (to me) opened the box of cigars and started to
pass them to the crowd.
To my surprise and astonishment these
By their
church men reach into the box and each took a cigar.
example most of the boys also took a cigar or two. Before the box
got to me the looks on my face seeing those church men accepting
the cigars caused one of the adult women clerks to point her
finger at me and said, "Just look at him," and everyone laughed
which embarrassed me alot. I turned and walked out. After a few
minutes some of the other boys came out and started to make fun of
me for not taking a cigar. I soon got on my horse and rode back
to camp alone.
The next morning the outfit moved to Pipe Spring ranch to
finish up the spring branding. Four of the boys were sent down to
Kanab creek to brand any unbranded calves that might be in that
-95 -
area.
Then come to Pipe Spring by way of Bullrush wash up the
seep wash to Pipe and bring the calves and cows unbranded in that
area.
Now in June it got rather hot in Kanab Creek. The four boys
had their cigars with them and being away from the older men
decided to have a good smoke on their ride which they proceeded to
do. The smoking made them thirsty. Now in the Kanab creek canyon
is some very clear cool springs, but the good looks end there.
The taste and effect are a lot different.
They are so full of
minerals and salts it is best to go thirsty if possible. The boys
couldn't resist a cool drink. They got along fairly well until a
few miles from Pipe Spring. Some got dizzy, headache, and sick.
When they got into camp about all they could do was to get
into bed. Of course everyone was concerned and wondered if they
had food poisoning or what made them so sick. Then one of them
said, "I guess it was the cigars we smoked and the clear water we
drank." At that the older men laughed and said, "Let them sleep
it off."
We had to take care of their horses that night.
The next
morning only one of them went out for the morning ride, the other
three stayed in camp in bed or just laying around nursing a sick
headache and stomach most of the day. What a price to pay when
you are taught different. What the church leaders did with their
cigars I never knew. How greatful I am for the teachings of my
father and mother in regards to the word of wisdom.
MUMPS AND HACKS CANYON DAM
In February 1917 the cattle men who ran cattle in Pipe Valley
and surrounding areas decided to rebuild the dam across the head
of Hacks Canyon some 25 miles south of Moccasin so that their
cattle could get out away from permanent watering places and to
better feed when the reservoir had water.
My Uncle Gilbert and I were sent out from Moccasin to help as
We were
the Heaton Brothers part in constructing the dam.
outfitted with teams and wagons built with planks three inches by
four inches on bottom and 16 inch side boards. This was to haul
the dirt from a pit to the dam site. We loaded our wagons with
hay and grain for the horses, our bedding and grub enough to last
three weeks, and left home on a Monday morning.
There had been quite a lot of snow in January but the usual
February thaw came the first week causing the roads to become very
soft and muddy, especially in the afternoon. The first few miles
the roads were good as there was some frost in the ground to hold
-96 -
up the wagon.
By noon, our teams could hardly drag the loaded
wagon through the mud. Then we had to cross washes with sometimes
rather deep running water. We had expected to get to Hacks Canyon
in one day but stopped at the Old Canaan Reservoir five miles from
our destination.
We did find a small gravel knoll to camp on.
Next morning drove on to Hack's Canyon being the first of some
fifteen teams to arrive.
Now back before we left home, there as a few cases of mumps
in Kanab, but none at Moccasin. When we were loading our wagons,
I had heavy feeling in my neck and face when lifting bales of hay
or grain. I thought nothing of it. At our first camp out my jaws
ached at times, but still didn't think anything was wrong.
But
when I got up the second morning, I knew I had the mumps as my
jaws and neck were swollen and I could hardly open my mouth. My
Uncle Fred Heaton had come out the second day with more supplies
and to help get the work started. Seeing how I was, he sent me
home and he took my place working on the Dam.
The only way to go home was to ride the work horses without a
saddle, so I put the two harnesses on Old Lay and put a quilt on
Benny and started home. I did get along pretty good the first few
miles, but the jogging-walking of the horse caused my jaws to give
me so much pain I walked about one-third of the way home taking me
all day.
Father and Mother and rest of the family had gone to
Kanab and had not returned so I tried to milk the cows and feed
the animals. I was so dizzy and faint I fell from the hay into
the alley way some 12 to 15 feet, where I lay for quite some time.
I finally managed to get to the house and into bed without
undressing.
Father and Mother were very surprised to find me home. For
the next week I did not get out of bed, my jaws, neck and chest
were too swollen. To help take the pain and swelling out, Mother
made hot poultices of half cooked ground white beans, which I kept
on for several days.
For years after when I walked on certain
types of ground that were soft my jaws and neck had the feeling
that a bean poultice was again on them. It was two weeks before I
was up and around very much and nearly a month before I was fully
recovered from the mumps sickness.
A LOST STEER
One fall about 1918 I am not sure, the cattle men had sold
their steers to Joe Cumeral of Richfield Utah and were to be
delivered at Gravel Spring about one mile south of the divide that
heads the Virgin River running south and the Sever River running
north in Utah now known as Todd's Service Station. The cattle men
had gathered some 400 to 500 steers and Mr. Cumeral had been to
-97 -
Pipe Spring to pass on those he wanted and they were dabbed with a
paint stick on the left hip which was to show he had excepted that
steer and would pay for it at the delivery point Gravel Spring.
As I remember the prices for the steers was $30.00 two years old,
$36.00 for three years or older.
Among the sellers were Father, Charles C. Heaton, Edwards T.
Lamb, Heber J. Meeks, there were also a few head belonging to
other fellows, who only had 2 or 3 steers to sell maybe 10 or 15
different brands.
After the inspection and dabbing of the cattle the younger
cowboys were selected to drive the cattle herd on the 4 day drive
from Pipe Springs, Arizona to Gravel Spring, Ut., some 65 miles
north. Up by Chris's Spring were we camped the first night. Mt.
Carmel dug way the second night. Alton road turn off at McDonalds
there was an old school house we night herded the cattle around
and the next day about 10 or 11 AM we met Mr. Joe Curamel and his
cowboys who would take the herd onto Marysville Ut and load them
on car for shipping.
The herd was counted and found we were out one head rather
than try and sort out each brand to see which owner was short.
Most of the men decided that each one would take a cut of $7.15 in
his cattle check that is of those who had 10 or more to sell and
if the lost steer was ever found its owner would reimburse the
other men the $7.15 except the one who had only one or 2 steers in
the herd. The big owner would forget their lose.
Sometime later 3 or 4 weeks we found the steer and it had
Fathers brand on it so he got his check book out and wrote checks
for $7.15 to the following men, Edward T. Lamb, Dave Esplin, Heper
Meeks, Fred C. Heaton and Brigham Riggs.
This story goes to show how trusting the older cattle men
were of each other. And their concern for men who only had one or
two steer to sell.
C.L.H.
-98 -
Sept. 4, 1981
BEFORE MARRIAGE
A DONATION TO THE BUILDING FUND
In the years 1922 and 1923 the Kanab ward built a meeting
house and there was a lot of donation labor asked of the ward
members and the church members living at Moccasin at that time
were part of the Kanab ward.
We were asked to help on the
building.
To help with the construction of the building the bishopric
had rented or borrowed a powered planer from a Bro. Cottom of St.
George, Ut to plane the lumber for doors, floors, and finishing
the interior as the building was completed in 1923. The Moccasin
people were assigned the task of getting the planer home to Bro.
Cottom.
As I had finished high school in St. George that spring and
not much work to do at home Father asked me if I would take the
planner back to Cottom on a Monday morning. I hitched the team of
horses, Lay and Benny to a wagon with just a wood rack on it, put
a horse blanket full of hay on to feed the horses noon meal and
went to Kanab for the planer. Traveling over the dirt road, past
the point spring, then the cedar ridge on to the sand wash, Riggs
flat, cottonwood wash, where there was a small spring where one
could water the horses.
Then the Kanab creek up the Kanab lane
some 20 miles taking about 4 hours.
Here I found John Ford head carpenter doing some clean up
about the church. I told him I had come for the planer. He said,
"there it is help yourself."
Well the planer was made of cast
iron and weighted over 1000 lbs.
How to load it was the next
question. Mr. Ford said "that is easy just put these 4 planks on
the side of the wagon and we will slide it up. While I was doing
this Ford went to the Jury room, a gathering place for men on the
south side of the old Stockman store just east of the church and
collected some 8 or 10 juries. (A place where all questions,
church, political, local and national, city business, kids and
teenagers were discussed, convictions passed and settled, but
little action was taken)
With the help of the four we soon had the planer on the wagon
and I was on my way back on the road to Moccasin arriving about
sundown a bit slower with the load than going over in the morning.
Tuesday morning I traded old Lay for one of grandfathers work
horses Berry and soon on my way to St. George some 70 miles of
sand, clay and rocky road. With my bed roll, grub box, hay and
grain for the horses. Going to Pipe Spring over a very sandy road
here I watered the horses filled my wooden water keg with cool
-99 -
water then went to the head of Pipe Valley where hundreds of
cattle were grazing up over cedar ridge across Canebeds valley to
Short creek with more cattle good grass and few cedar trees along
the foot hills of the red mountains. At Short Creek I nooned and
watered the horses. Was soon on my way hoping to get to Hurricane
before dark. Across the big plains where acres of corn and wheat
was grown on dry land, down rattle snake gap where I watered the
team, to old Gouls shearing corrals where in 1918 and 1919 more
than a million head of sheep had been sheared in the spring time.
Then on to the Hurricane hill a very steep rocky road, one had to
have good brakes and gales on the horses to help hold the wagon
from going to fast.
I arrived at my Uncle Jode Heatons home at sundown. Where I
had a good supper of bread and milk and fresh fruits and spent the
night with his boys and girls.
Next morning after a good from
breakfast went on my way, crossing the Virgin River, into
Purgatory Flat, where very little vegetation grows, red hills on
the north and south, white shale bottom, very dusty when dry.
Then to the black ridge, city of Washington, where the cotton
factory the Mormons build in 1880. Then over another black ridge
into St. George. That evening delivered the planer to Mr. Cottom
who was glad to have it home because his business was suffering
for the lack of planed lumber.
As there was an MIA convention going on in St. George I
decided to stay over Thursday and Friday to attend the meeting and
especially the Friday night dance in the Dixie College Gym which I
enjoyed very much meeting my high school buddies and friends.
Saturday morning loaded some hay, grain, bedroll and grub
box. When a Sister Cottom asked me if I could take a dozen white
chickens out to her brother Bro. Judd. I said there is plenty of
room if we could find a box to haul them in. From these chicken I
had all the eggs I could eat on the way home.
Back on the road I had come, stopped at Uncle Jode Heaton
Saturday night.
Reaching home late Sunday night.
The chickens
were delivered by the mail carrier Monday about noon.
What credit I received for my trip in returning the planer
from the Kanab ward church. I was never told but was thanked for
the job completed. Which was my donation to the building of the
church.
GETTING MY
FIRST AUTOMOBILE
In the spring of 1923, the year I graduated from high school
in St. George, not having much to do, I spent a lot of time at
-100 -
Brigham Jarvis's outdoor auto shop, helping him repair cars and
trucks. He sold me an old Model T Ford and the new parts needed to
fix it up for $100.00. Under his direction I took the Ford to
pieces and reassembled it putting in new parts where needed. The
time school was out it was ready to run, though it was without a
seat or top. It had a flat bed behind the gas tank, which I loaded
with the household goods and school things my sister Jennie, four
cousins and I had used while attending school.
Two days after school was out I started for home early in the
morning. The road was graded dirt, with gravel on sandy spots. We
drove to Anderson's Ranch, then to Hurricane. Driving up the
Hurricane Hill I began to wonder if I was going to get up or not
as the car got hot going in low. After the hill, my trip took me
over ungraded dirt roads up through Rattlesnake Gap, over the big
flats, into Canyon Gap, over Lost Spring across Point of Rock Lake
bottom, down Cedar Ridge into Pipe Valley, across the valley to
Pipe Springs, north to the Indian School, onto Seep Wash and then
home. The whole trip was some 95 miles, taking me a good eight
hours getting from St. George to Moccasin.
The old Ford did not prove very profitable, though I did make
one trip to Alton, Utah, for some furniture in July and several
trips to Kanab carrying the mail for Ed Heaton. It was used to run
around in for fun, lasting about three years. My brothers Clifford
and Richard finished it off the year I was in Idaho.
WORKING AT WILL RUST SAWMILL
As my brothers Clifford and Richard were getting old enough
to help Father with the farm and cattle, I began to look for work
other places.
Mr. Will Rust and son Woodruff were running a tourist ranch
at V.T. Park on the Kaibab Mountains and needing lumber to build
cabins, he set up a small saw mill at Mile-on-Half Lake powered by
a Ford tractor. This was in the summer of 1923. In late August I
went to work for Rust at the Mill. There was Justin Chamberlain,
his wife, Helen, and two small girls ages three and one. Woodruff
Rust, boss, and I ran the mill.
Mrs. Chamberlain was cook.
Justin and I were put to cutting the long leaf pine with a two man
handsaw about six of eight feet long. The trees had been marked
by a forest ranger to be cut. After cutting the trees down, we
would trim off the limbs, then measure the tree into 12 foot
lengths and make cuts. After a day or two cutting trees, we would
get the Ford tractor, hook it to a two-wheeled contraption, load
one or two logs on to the cart leaving one end to drag on the
ground. In this way we would drag the logs to the mill about onequarter to one-half mile. It would take us a day or two to get
-101 -
the logs all to the mill. Then Woodruff would show up, as he was
sawyer or mill operator.
Justin helped roll the logs onto the
carriage that took the logs to the saw. It was my duty to carry
away the slabs and boards, stack them in piles according to size.
We would usually get the logs all cut by Saturday afternoon.
Then we would all get in the truck and Rust would take us to Kanab
for Sunday.
We would come back out Sunday evening.
We worked
this way till about October when the mill was closed down for the
winter. I was them taken to V.T. Park where I helped build two or
three small cabins. I stayed there for four weeks.
While at the mill, I spent my extra time in wandering through
the forest gathering the different plants that grew on the Kaibab
Mountain and seeing how close I could get to the deer that were
always present and in sight of our operation.
WORKS ON BUCKSKIN MOUNTAIN 1923
Following the forest road works I went to work for Neill Rust
and his son Woodruff at mile and a half lake on the Kaibab at a
sawmill they had set up during the summer to cut logs and lumber
for cabins at V.T. Park where they had tourist, trade concessions
from the Forest Service.
Bro. Justin and Sister Helen
Chamberlain, they had a little girl, Ra Mar, were camp cooks and
managers.
The saw mill was powered by a Ford tractor that was
also used to drag the logs to the mill after Justin and I had them
cut down and cut into lengths, mostly 12 foot and 14 foot.
Woodruff Rust run the saw when he was at camp, he also had the job
of truck driver for his father to supply him with the supplies at
VT Park.
Besides running a eating house they were building one
room cabins for rent. So Woodruff was kept busy with freight and
was not at the mill but about two days a week. We would manage
to get most of the logs sawed up with Rust running the saw,
Chamberlain turning the logs and I the off bearer and stacking the
green lumber as to size, which was a back breaking job at times.
Rather than go home Saturday morning and back Sunday night I
stayed at the saw mill spending my time alone in the forest
gathering the different plants found around the lake and saw mill
also stalking the deer. Sometimes I could get to within 20 feet
before they would run away.
The deer soon got so tame I guess
hungry that by throwing left overs from meals the deer would come
within 50 feet of camp if we kept still, and seldom run away while
the mill was going.
Then we had chipmunks and rats, two white
tail squirrels at constant camp visitors even while eating.
In
fact we had to keep all our food inside wooden boxes or these pest
would take everything in camp. Sister Chamberlain was a good cook
-102 -
over a coal fire as we lived in tents and no stove. She cooked
all kinds of dishes, pies, cake, gravy, bread, potatoes and meat.
There's no deer meat in this camp.
Woodruff Rust was engaged to Bell Luke up in Utah somewhere
so at times he did not get back when he said he would.
And we
rather teased him of having a Bell to listen to while away. One
night after a hard days work at cutting lumber, Woodruff shut the
tractor off and as the night were frosty to keep the motor from
freezing he had an old wagon cover to cover up the tractor. This
time the cover caught fire from the hot exhaust pipe and Woodruff
run and jerked the cover off in doing so pulled off the gas cap,
the gas caught fire and flames shooting two foot in the air. It
looked like we had a good fire on our hands.
I grabbed the
shovel, Chamberlian ran for the water buckets.
Woodruff seeing
the gas flames pulled out his red handkerchief and stuffed it in
the gas tank hole the flame died out. It kind of shook us up a
bit as thoughts of a forest fire and mill loss.
That night about 1 PM I awoke with a start, the tent was
shaking, Woodruff beating on his side of the tent and yelling
fire, fire, of course I jumped out of bed to see what was going
on, yelled at Woodruff to find out the trouble.
Justin came
running from his tent as he thought the tractor had caught fire
again. But as soon as I called to Woodruff he let out a groan and
dropped back into bed and I guess a sleep as he did not remember
of anything happening the next morning. I learned later that he
was subject to night mares after hard work and excitement.
Rust closed the mill about the second week in October and I
moved from the mill to V.T. Ranch to help Will Rust and a nephew
Dexter Rust on the building of the cabins. Before we closed the
mill I said I would take lumber for pay to build a picket fence
around fathers lot so we cut the lumber 1 x 3 x 12 - 1 x 8 x 12
and 2 x 6 x 12 a wagon load.
While at V.T. Governor Hunt of Arizona made a visit to the
Kaibab Forest and Grand Canyon and the party stayed at V.T. Park.
All through the summer two big buck deer would come to the
back of the cook shack and eat up the leavings from vegetables
and two day before the Governors party Will Rust decided he as
going to have one of those bucks as he had fed them all summer.
So he shot and dress one of them and shortly after he got word the
Governors party would be staying overnight with in at V.T. Park.
There was also State Game Wardens along with the party. What to
do with the deer he had killed out of season and on the forest.
We buried the head, legs and insides at the garbage pit. Meat was
cut up and hid in a stack of lumber. He forgot the hide laying
back of a shed until the morning the party was to come.
That
night there was 3 inches of snow and Rust asked me to take the
deer hide and get rid of it, so I lit out through the forest about
-103 -
a quarter of a mile away I found an old burned out stump into
which I dropped the deer hide and then came back another way.
The next morning after breakfast and the cars were being
warmed up and ready for the trip to Grand Canyon Governor Hunt
asked me if I couldn't get him one of those big buck that was out
in the V.T. Park.
And I said sure could if you will give me a
permit. I looked over at the State Game Commissioner and Forest
supervisor. Both turned away, and Hunt said, "I guess I don't get
the deer." As both these men had heard the Governor's request.
I stayed at Rust's for about 2 weeks, one day he sent me to
the saw mill in an old Model T Ford with a ruxel gear which give
it more power going up hills. A fellow from Kanab was coming out
for lumber, well when I was going up out of Pleasant valley south
end there was quite a steep dugway. Just before I got to the top
the car started rolling back down the hill, I stepped on the break
and it would not stop, grabbed the emergency brake, still rolling
back, then off the dugway into a grove of small quaking asp trees
which stopped us from going over some small ledges and rock. The
motor was still running. I got out to see if the drive line had
broken, but could see nothing wrong. I got in and pulled on the
ruxel gear leaver and stepped on low gear but the car just would
not move. Shortly after I went off the road Taylor Jackson and a
Judd with 2 or 3 small boys came along and with their pushing we
got the car back on to the road and as I started out again the
darned thing started rolling backwards again. I had never driven
a car with the ruxel rear gear.
And we decided the gear when
pulling quite hard slipped out and one had free wheeling either
way which was down hill. From then on I kept my right foot on the
gear lever and made the trip to the saw mill and back ok. When I
told Rust what had happened he said "Oh I forgot to tell you the
ruxel slipped out of gear going up hills."
The were several small snow storms and Rust decided to close
up his tourist camp for the winter along about November 10th. So
I was out of a job for the rest of the year. After I got home the
weather cleared up no more storm, roads were mostly free of snow.
To get the lumber I took for my work at the saw mill and Rust
said to take what other lumber I wanted for my work at V.T. Park.
I borrowed Father team Benny and Susie, loaded bedding, grain,
hay and grub for me on the running gears and headed for Rusts saw
mill some 60 miles away on the Buckskin Mountain. The first night
I camped at Jacob Lake, next day arrived at the mill where I found
Justin Chamberlain working alone at cutting out a few more logs to
saw and getting things put away for winter. He and Woodruff Rust
had loaded a big log on the 2 wheel cart used to drag the logs to
the mill but the tractor could not pull it. Rust could not see
why a 40 horse tractor could not pull it and bet no team of horses
could either. Well after we had loaded my wagon with the lumber I
-104 -
had coming to me, that evening we took Benny and Susie a chain and
hitched them to the cart with the log. The first try the horses
hardly moved it as the wheels had sunk into the ground 2 or 3
inches.
By digging out in front of the wheels the next try we
begin moving the log toward the mill. It was a good quarter of
mile away and we had to make a few stops for the horses to rest,
besides old Benny was not feeling well.
The next morning I headed for home, and had to keep prodding
Benny to make him pull at all he was so sick and I tied Susie's
side of the double tree back to the front axle so she did most of
the pulling. That night I camped at Elwin Pratts reservoir at the
foot of the mountain. Some how or other Father got word that I
had a sick horse and needed help as I had a big load of lumber so
he sent Uncle Sterling with a team and wagon to meet me at
Fredonia but as Benny seemed to be better the next morning I was
across cottonwood wash before we met.
Sterling took about one
third of my load and (late) after noon got home.
Father, Richard and I shortly began to build a new picket
fence around the lot and as there was still lumber left over
mother suggested we build a fence by the grape patch to the school
house.
Still a few pickets left over we gave to my Grandfather
and mother to build a picket fence on their side of the street
from the stack yard down to Ed Heatons lot.
Then Uncle Fred said one day, "I don't think its fair to make
such improvement like Charles is doing as it makes others have to
spend money to improve his place.
Uncle Fred had only an old
board and barb wire fence in front of his place. But by Grandpa
giving him most of the lumber left over from his fence Fred did
build a picket fence in place of the wire one.
That is how the white picket fences in Moccasin got started.
I gave half the lumber for them and helped put them up during the
month of November, December and January 1923 and 24.
-105 -
SOME HIGH SCHOOL STORIES AT DIXIE
FIRST YEAR 1919-20
One day the fore part of September the men folks of Moccasin
had collected at Grandma's place, which they did about once a day
to discuss the affairs of the day and work.
Grandpa was there
having come down from Alton the night before. He asked Father if
he was going to send Leonard and Jennie to St. George to attend
the Dixie High School.
Father said Jennie was going and that I
was going part of the year at least. This was the first I knew
Father and Mother had ever planned on my getting any more
education. I had spent parts of three winters in the eighth grade
and never graduated.
Father then asked me when I wanted to go, now or later in
November. I said, "Well, if I am going to get part of it, I would
just as soon take it all." He said, "Get your things ready Harold
will be out in a few days with a team to haul your things to St.
George."
The Heaton's going to school were my Aunts Amy and Mercy and
Uncle Harold from Alton, Jennie, my sister, and I. Harold and I
drove a team and wagon loaded with bedding, food and our
belongings.
The first stop was Short Creek, next Hurricane and
the third day we arrived in St. George.
We stayed at Grandpa's
brother's, Uncle Will Heaton.
They had a house with several
rooms, and a granary over a cellar for us boys. The girls came
down with Grandpa and my Aunt Kezia. After unloading, making beds
and eating supper we all decided to take in a show the first night
in Dixie.
Upon returning Harold and I turned the lights on to go to
bed. Our room was almost black with cockroaches running in every
direction.
The only way out was the door which we shut.
We
picked up some small boards and while Harold guarded the door, I
proceeded to kill the cockroaches taking apart everything to be
sure we got them all.
The funny part of it was we never found
another cockroach in that room the rest of the school year. They
were, however, in the other house quite often.
My Uncles Gilbert and Sterling came down to school in
November. Sterling quit at Christmas time and Gilbert in February
for different reasons.
-106 -
We were soon known as the noisy Heaton corner of town, always
singing, playing, hollering at one another and having a good time.
This attracted quite a few other young people who became close
friends.
This year's Freshman class had more in it than all the other
three classes in high school. About 120 registered, but several
dropped out.
As we lived in the East St. George Ward, we attended the
church services in the tabernacle. The first Sunday we were about
the only young people at Sacrament Meeting. But by our continual
attendance and our friendship with others our age, by November the
young people were outnumbering the older people.
To help with finances, I worked sweeping out several of the
classrooms at fifty cents per hour. I also checked hats and coats
at the dances and took tickets at the shows, plays and other
functions of the school.
In February the flu hit the town and several people died,
among them was the college President, Brother Romney a good and
friendly man. At the same time all the Heatons were down with it
except Mercy who tended the girls and a friend. Grant Snow looked
after the boys for about two weeks. My Aunt Amy got pneumonia and
instead of coughing which hurt her so, she would sneeze.
This
lasted about three weeks. We attended all activities, dances and
parties in groups. We went together and came home together--just
one big happy family. The school was operated under the direction
of the church, with a devotional meeting every morning at 10:30
followed by a religion class. We studied from the Book of Mormon,
Church History, Bible and other Church works.
Each Friday
included an hour and a half program of church services.
It was
most enjoyable.
There were only three high school basketball teams in
Southern Utah; Dixie, Cedar City and Beaver. In February some 15
of us hired Leo Whitehead who had an old sightseeing bus to take
us to Cedar City and Beaver when our ball team played these two
teams. We lost them both, but had fun.
We went home for Christmas holiday in cars. But as there had
been storms and roads were bad, Jessie Palmer, brought us back in
a covered wagon drawn by four horses. We were three days coming
back to school.
We stopped at Colvins in Short Creek and
Going home the girls went by car and Harold and I
Hurricane.
-107 -
drove the team with our belongings.
high school.
So ended the first year of
1919-1920 - A FEW AMUSING INCIDENTS
There was in the basement of the E.B. Snow furniture building
catecorner across the street from the tabernacle a restaurant that
had an electric player piano. To start it to play one had to buy
a slug nickel at the cashiers desk. An ordinary nickel would not
work in the slot box.
Some of the high school kids was always
trying metal washers and other things to make the piano play but
could not accomplish the trick.
One evening a group of us boys were there for ice cream and
pie when one kid stuck the rounded case knife in the slot box and
the piano started playing. He said look what I done. Pulled the
knife out, piano stopped, in went the knife, piano started up
again, another kid said keep still and hung his hat over the slot
box and knife and we had music all evening never costing us a
cent.
This happened two or three nights before the manager saw
the knife in the slot box, of course they were changed soon.
_______________________
A DOG STORY
Another time several of us boys were on the street by the
E.B. Snow building in the evening with nothing to do.
When a
large brown dog with a white face came to us very friendly. We
were playing with it when someone suggested tying a blown up paper
bag to the dogs tail with some loose gravel in the bag. One guy
went into the restaurant got a large paper bag and some string.
The manager asked what we were going to do with them and was told
we were going to try an experiment. Well we proceeded to tie the
paper bag on the dogs tail and turned him loose. At first he did
not pay any attention to the bag and our experiment seemed to be
over. All of a sudden mister dog saw the paper bag following him
and heard the gravel in the bag. He whirled to bite the bag but
it disappeared to the other side of him this was enough for the
dog. Down the street he ran yapping and howling, whirling trying
to bite the thing tied to his tail. At this moment the people who
were to the show at the Gaity movie house were coming out and
quite a crowd was out in front when someone saw the dog acting up.
Cried out "look out for that dog" as it ran right through the
crowd yapping and howling women screamed and everyone runoff the
side walk.
-108 -
Of course we boys was laughing at what was happening and
thought what fun we could have some other night. When we saw the
town marshal standing at the corner of the building.
Of course
that scared all the laughter and fun out of us for a moment. When
he said "now boys don't do that again as someone might get hurt."
"But it was a good show" laughingly he went on his way.
SECOND YEAR 1920-21
This year began with Aunt Mercy and Amy Heaton, Jennie and I
boarding at Brother and Sister Smith's home on the South West
corner of St. George. They had a large family of seven children.
They also had their other boarders, Arch Climan, his sister, and
Rex Neglie from Tocquerville.
They only stayed for about six
weeks.
They couldn't put up with the home life, crowded
conditions and food. I again took up janitor work at school and
helped with other functions about the school.
Shortly after Thanksgiving Mercy took sick.
We wanted to
call Dr. McGranger but Brother Smith would not let him in the
house because he was a polygamist.
Mercy became worse, so we
finally got old Doctor Woodbury to come down.
After a short
examination said she had to go to the hospital. I carried Mercy
down a narrow flight of stairs out to a car, then from the car to
the hospital. We were told Mercy had appendicitis. Grandpa and
Aunt Amy were called to come down. But Mercy died the next day.
Just before she passed away she said, "Don't let the kids stay at
Smiths any longer." The college held a funeral in the Tabernacle.
It was full.
Jennie and Amy packed their things and went home
and did not come back to school. I stayed at school.
On days off from school I helped the Snow boys on their farm.
With the school janitor job I was able to pay most of my way this
winter.
I did not participate much in special activities this year
outside of regular classes, plays, dances, ball games and a few
outings.
I did not date any girls. I just did not care for them that
way, though did enjoy dancing; but other than that was not
interested in them.
My interest was in trying to keep up in my classes. Usually
my marks were C's, B's, and D's so I had to study a lot. I also
helped out at the school and church work. My closest friend was
Arvel Webb and we spent much time together.
Try as I would, I
never was good enough to be on any of the athletic teams of the
school, always someone better.
-109 -
For a second year class party, it was decided to go to Dutch
Town, or Santa Clara. I was asked to get a team and wagon with a
hayrack on it.
I borrowed Joe Snow's team and a wagon from
Clarence Webb. Going over to Dutch Town, we lost a burr off the
left front wheel which came off which almost wrecked the wagon,
throwing some of the girls and boys off. There were some 20 or 30
on the wagon. Two or three of the boys, who had cars, shuffled
back and forth taking the kids on to the party, which I missed. I
had to get the wheel back on and a burr to hold it. It only took
two boys coming back to St. George as the rest found car rides.
This year ended and I went home in a wagon to Pipe Spring
with Bishop Ben Hopkins and his son Benny and daughter of
Glendale.
THIRD YEAR 1921-22
Father brought me back to school in September for my third
year of high school and this year I boarded with Joe Snow, and his
daughter, Inez.
The rest of the family were in Salt Lake City
where Glen and Grant were attending the university and their
mother was taking care of them.
For my keep and board I milked the cow, tended the horses and
did farm work, putting up the fall crops and in the spring doing
the spring work.
The janitor job at the school earned cash for
spending money. Board was $35.00 per month and about $10 spending
money a month and for school work. Being janitor and usher I got
to see all the plays, musicals, dances, games and other events at
school without paying a ticket.
This year I was asked to help
with scouting in the East Ward with Brother I. Y. Biglow, Scout
Master.
After New Years's a group of older men and a few high
school boys started Scout Troop No. 2. Some fifteen men went
through the scouting program beginning with First class. Some of
us earned the Eagle rank years later.
I carried on in Scouting
for about thirty years; one year in Idaho and the rest at Moccasin
and Kanab Stake.
There were not many outstanding events this year, as I was
too busy trying to keep up with my classes, and earning money to
stay in school.
Girls did not interest me that year except to dance with when
I felt like it.
Don't remember dating one all year.
I walked
home after church and dances with some if they were going my way.
I did take Inez Snow a few times as a sister as I was staying
at her home.
On one outing our class went up to the red hills two or three
miles north of town on a wagon. Again I was the teamster. When
we came back I left four boys and four girls to walk home as they
had gone off by themselves.
-110 -
This year I rode Joe Snow's gray horse home for Christmas,
going to Hurricane the first day, then before daylight left
Hurricane for home in a cold wind with about six inches of snow on
the ground. I stopped in an old homestead house on Big Plains to
get warm by a small stove.
I had to break up an old table for
wood. Then on by Short Creek, to Cane Beds where I stopped awhile
to let the horse rest and made a small fire to warm up. I pushed
over the Moccasin Mountain, seven miles to home. The snow was ten
inches deep on the mountain and the trail was not plain. I had no
trouble finding my way as I was well acquainted with the trail.
The horse and I were getting tired and the sun was down by the
time we reached the top of the mountain.
I arrived home after
dark. The clouds had come up and started to snow shortly after I
got home. It was Christmas Eve.
The next morning my Uncle Leonard Cox came in from Shelley,
Idaho. He had left Hurricane an hour or so after I did, but could
not catch up with me and spent the night at Cane Beds.
I spent a delightful ten days home, with a foot to 18 inches
of snow and horses to chase rabbits, quail, and coyotes. I helped
with the chores and there were parties.
I took the horse Uncle
Leonard Cox had ridden out from Hurricane back to school.
When
school was out, I went home with Bishop Ben Hopkins of Glendale.
They left me at Pipe Spring where I waited for Mother and Clifford
to come for me in a wagon.
FOURTH YEAR 1922-23
My sister Jennie and I, our cousins Erma and Delaun Heaton,
Charlotte and Nancy Blackburn of Kanab and Orderville, boarded
together in an old house just across the street from the school
building. There were quite a few noisy parties this winter about
the place; just good clean fun. By the end of the year though,
feelings became strained between Charlotte and the other girls.
She was some ten years older and couldn't go along with such
cutting up.
I again took janitor jobs and worked as ticket taker at
entertainments put on by the school.
I was property man for
shows, and was one of the school policemen that year. I had a few
cases of discipline to handle.
I was asked to help with Brother I. Y. Biglow with the
younger group again. I was also a member of the old Boy Scout
troop under Scout Master Brig Jarvis. He did a lot for the boys.
We built a Scout house in his back yard, half dugout and covered
with bulrushes for roof. We put on a scout play in five towns to
raise money.
We took trips to Zion Park and Hurricane Hot
Springs. There were some 20 or 25 boys in our troop.
-111 -
I was very poor in English class and took three classes the
last half of year to graduate with a class of over 60, largest
ever to graduate up to that time. Our class put on some plays to
raise $300 to buy a flag pole and place it between the college and
Gym buildings with our graduation announcements placed on top of
the pole.
During the final assembly I was one of four people given the
highest award offered by the college; the Social Service pin. It
is a Block D with a pearl set in the center. This pin was stolen
several years later while living at Pipe Spring along with a
number of other things.
The night of our graduation as we were waiting outside the
St. George Tabernacle for the services to begin, Miss Mable
Jarvis, came up to me and handed me four red roses and was gone
before I could thank her. I did later in the week.
Brother B. Jarvis was a mechanic and repaired cars.
I was
active in scouting with him.
I became interested in cars and
bought an old Ford Model T for $100. He bought the parts needed
to fix it up and under his instructions, I stripped down and
rebuilt it. It had a windshield, home made seat, box for the bed
and fender on the front. I drove my new car home, taking things
we had used while at school. It took me all day to go from St.
George
through
Washington,
Leeds,
Touquerville,
LaVerkin,
Hurricane, through Rattle Snake gap, Big Plains, Cameron Gap,
Gagler Dugway, Point of Rock Cedar Ridge, Pipe Valley and Pipe
Spring and finally home getting there about sun down.
This ended my four years of High School and formal education.
WORKING ON THE FARM FOR L.D. COX
In the spring of 1924, Father did not have enough work here
at home for three grown boys. Clifford and Richard were then in
their late teens and still in school. Mother got me a job with
her brother Leonard Delaun Cox in Shelley, Idaho for the summer.
In February 1924, I hitched a ride to Hurricane from there helped
take two cars of sheep to Idaho for Cox. Upon arriving at the Cox
Farm, I found my Aunt Abbie Cox Heaton and her daughter,
Winnifred, working as cooks for Cox's hired hands. He always had
four to eight men on the farm, depending on the work to be done.
In the fall there were 15 or more.
I was first put to doing repair jobs on fences corrals,
machinery, tending horses and any other job that came up. Some of
the men who were there most of the time were Grover Wilson, A.
Young, and W. Young, Easton Blackburn and Walter Eager.
I was
given an old ice house to bunk in after I had cleaned it up and
-112 -
stayed alone most of the time. Breakfast was at 7:30 a.m. dinner
at 12:30 and supper at 6 p.m. All hands ate together. The meals
were good. Aunt Abbie was a good cook. They left Cox's in the
fall to do the cooking in the LDS Hospital in Idaho Falls when it
opened up for business.
The first job in the morning was getting up at 5:30, getting
the horses up from the pastures into the stables, grained and
harnessed ready to go to work as soon as breakfast was over.
There were twelve teams to care of. Each hand was assigned two or
three teams to look after and use in his work. My spring work was
hauling manure, cleaning ditches and planting grain. when it came
time to irrigate the fields, I was relieved of most all other jobs
for the summer. At first I had one stream of water and managed it
so well that I was given another stream of alfalfa, and finally a
third stream. These I had going night and day most of the summer
on different fields. The land was level and there were good head
ditches. I spent an hour or so channelling water settings, then
move to the next field and on to the third field.
Most of the
fields would take three to four hours to get watered.
At haying time, three cuttings in the summer, I did some
cutting, but mostly worked in the barn and on the stack, and
hauled hay a few times. Usually there were three wagons, going to
and from the fields and three men loading with two at the barn and
hay stack. This summer we put 240 tons of hay in a barn and some
500 tons out by feed lots, where Cox kept his sheep in the winter.
In the fall potato harvest, I hauled potatoes to the two
storage cellars.
There were about 200 feet by 30 feet wide, 12
feet high.
I piled potatoes almost to the top.
It took four
horses to pull the potato digger and six to ten men and teenager
came along and picked up the potatoes and filled the sacks half
full.
The beet harvest came next. First came the beet puller drawn
by a team of horses, which lifted the beets out of the ground.
Then came the toppers, some six to ten men with long hooked knives
which they would hook into the beet. They would then lift it up
to the free hand then cut off the leaves. Then came the haulers,
with a special built box on the wagon, which could be tilted when
unloading. This wagon was pulled by four horses. The beets were
hauled to the scales along side a railroad track, cleaned and
weighed, and the load was dumped into a railroad car.
I hauled
beets for some three weeks and brought the largest loads of anyone
that fall; about three tons of beets with a team of horses, two
Bays and two small blacks. One of the blacks was a worker and if
I was not watching she would try and pull the entire load.
One time I was not watching the team going up a ramp to dump
the load into the car. She took most of the load. Just as the
wagon got to the dump area the horse became choked and lost
-113 -
consciousness.
She fell about ten feet off the ramp landing
between it and the car. If it had not been that the harness was
hooked to the wagon, she would likely have fallen into the
railroad car. As it was, she fell hind feet first slipping out of
the harness as she went down. No damage was done, except a broken
rail on the dump.
When November came most of the farm work was done. Cutting
the grain and thrashing was the last job I did. Cox had his usual
winter hired help so I decided to go home for a few months with
the intentions of returning next summer.
Cox wanted to make a
world tour with his family and asked me to take over his farm
I left Cox's place in November just before
while away.
Thanksgiving, came home on the train to Marysvale, then to Kanab
on the mail and on home with some of the folks.
ROAD WORK
There was a road project to improve the road from Fredonia
east to the Johnson Run Wash in 1925 about 6 miles and there was
several bridges and culverts to be built along the roadway. A sub
contract was given to Mr. Albert Anderson of Anderson's Ranch at
the Junction of the 91 Highway St. George and Hurricane.
I got a job with Mr. Anderson for $2.00 per day as a laborer
to help build the bridges and culverts.
Rather than drive from home to Fredonia to work each day I
set up a wagon cover tent at the lower end of Old Brother Brooksby
lot underneath 2 locus trees without asking his permission and
brought my bedding and grub box and set up house keeping. I would
ride a bike from home Monday Morning use it to go to work along
the road construction then home Friday nights.
If I got off work early I would ride my bike out to Steamboat knoll and explore the area for Indian ruins and arrow heads.
There was only one place one could get on top at the north end.
Then only a very small area. The Indians years ago had built a
rock wall at the top of the trail for safety, also there were
several ruins of small building on the top of Steam Boat.
Also
some picturegraph writing on some of the ledges.
It was at the
south end of Steam Boat about a quarter of a mile where Father and
I came upon the wolf which had just killed a small calf. Father
had branded the day before. We tried to catch the wolf but our
horses would not get close to it, this was in August 1913.
One trip coming from home early Monday morning the front
wheel bearing locked on the bike just east of sand wash and I had
grub for the week tied to the bike.
So I had to walk 9 miles
holding the front wheel off the ground all the way to Fredonia. I
was late for work half day.
-114 -
There was 6 men working on the bridges part of the time. We
would set 4 large cedar post on each side of the wash then cut
them off so the bridge timbers would be road level. Place a 8 x
10 inch timber on the post drive a 12 inch spike through and into
the post top on this timber we placed stringer 3 x 12 inches that
reached across the wash. Then the floor decking of 3 x 12 long
enough to reach across the road.
Then we would place 2 x 12
blanking back of the post to keep the dirt from caving in. There
were 3 big bridges and 10 or 15 wooden culverts in the road. We
were about 6 weeks or 2 months on the job. Other men who worked
was a Mr. Negley of Raveskin, R. Little, Elmer Judd and a Robinson
of Kanab.
Another incident that happened when May Judd and Mr. Mevlin
Judd, no relation, were married.
It was a custom to keep the
newly weds separated the first night after they were married. The
boys would take the groom where they went I don't know. And the
girls would take the bride.
This night the girls walked the
streets of Fredonia trying to decide what to do with May Judd.
When they came along the street where I had my camp, Olive
Brooksby said, "Lets put May in bed with Leonard."
But knowing
the girls could not climb over a 6 ft wire fence and the other
opening was on the north side of the block by the Brooksby home it
did not bother me at all.
Mr. Anderson left me to finish nailing the bridge planks on
several of the culverts.
After he had gone home I never did get
all my wages.
The last I did get was taken in grapes from his
farm at Anderson's Ranch about $15.00 worth.
I was short about
$25 or $30 for my summers work
WORK AT ALTON
IN THE FALL OF 1925
Having nothing much to do at home after the crops were in and
two brothers that were about grown to help Father, Grandpa Heaton
asked if I could go to Alton, Utah to help him get in his crops
and work on a sawmill in Main Canyon run by Wells Robertson.
Gilbert Heaton, my uncle, and I rode horses from Moccasin to
Alton the later part of October. Our first work took three days
hauling grass hay from the big meadow at the old Heaton Ranch some
three or four miles up the canyon from Alton.
We had to wear
boots as the meadow had water on it. Next we built a cellar under
Then we made other improvements
the house making cement walls.
around the lot, dug potatoes, helped gather cattle and horses to
take to winter pastures and fixed fences.
All this time I was
staying at Aunt Amy's home, Grandpa's first wife.
-115 -
The later part of November, Grandpa took Aunt Amy, their
daughters, Elsie and Harriet on a two week trip to California and
left me to do the chores and some late farm work. His son, Uncle
Dan also stayed home and went to school. My cousin, Rita Roundy,
and Edna Robertson cooked for us. Not having much to do, one day
they took Dan's trousers and sewed up his pockets so he could not
get his wallet, keys, etc. They tied up the laces on a pair of
lace trousers of mine. This type of play went on the two weeks
Grandpa was away.
About December first I was sent up the canyon to help Wells
Robertson rebuild the saw mill and to get it operating. I would
stay at the mill during the week and come back to town for Sunday
meetings and for MIA meetings and parties when they came around.
I took part in two or three plays and other entertainments.
Alton was a great place for such things as dances, parties
and fun and everyone took part. Mothers would bring their babies
and put them to sleep under the benches and young and old danced
till midnight.
So it went until New Years 1926.
After the
sawmill engine run away. At Christmas time Jessie Palmer, who had
married my Aunt Ella Heaton, asked me to come and stay with them
for a while, partly to help him with his work when I was not
working at the sawmill. Shortly after the New Years as there was
no more work to be done at the mill until new parts could be had,
I came home for the rest of the winter helping Father around the
place with cattle and such.
MEETING EDNA ROBERTSON
I first heard of Edna Robertson at a dance I attended in
Fredonia Ward hall in the late summer of 1925.
As I was a
stranger to most of the girls there, I did not dance very often.
My Uncle Gilbert was with me. Knowing the girls, he introduced me
to a few with whom I danced.
I noticed one girl and asked him who she was. He said, "Edna
Robertson from Alton. Do you know her?" I said, "No." He then
asked if I wanted to meet her and I said I was not ready to yet
and forgot all about her for the time being.
On the second day Gilbert and I were in Alton the fall of
1925 we were cleaning up the sidewalk in front of Grandpa's place.
I saw a young lady coming along the street and I asked who she
was.
Gilbert said it was Edna Robertson.
As she passed by, I
said good morning to her. She had more to say to Gilbert, then
went on her way.
At a missionary farewell party for William Cox, my Mother's
half brother, the next Friday night I met and danced with Edna a
time or two. I then had no more interest in her than any other
-116 -
girl there. At the close of the dance several of the young people
were standing at the hall entrance, when someone said, "Who wants
to take some of this cake home and eat?" I said "I'll take some"
and Gilbert said "I'll take the girl" (meaning Edna). I said, "I
would rather take the cake to see if she is a good cook." Gilbert
walked home with Edna.
Some other boys and I ate the cake.
A
week or so went by before any other event took place, though I did
notice Edna at Sunday School and meetings. Then on November 15th,
being my 24th birthday, and MIA night a group of us met to
serenade Glen Heaton and his new bride home.
After MIA meeting several of us young folks hung around the
church (then the school building) and the streets killing time.
By eleven they had not come, so the crowd began to break up and go
home.
Edna was baby sitting Art Glover's children for a few days.
As she had to go alone three or four blocks from where we were I
took the pleasure of walking home with her without asking her
permission. But she seemed to have no objections. I took her to
the door and we stood and talked a few moments about MIA and Glen.
Hub Glover, age seven, came to the door and said, "Why don't you
just kiss her and go home?"
I said, "Not this time." and soon
left. From then on our friendship increased to love, and finally
marriage.
It was at Christmas time I asked her to marry me and she said
"I guess so."
MEETING
*
COURTSHIP
* MARRIAGE
In the fall of 1925, Leonard went to Alton, Utah to work for
his grandfather, Jonathan Heaton. Jonathan Heaton happened to be
Edna's Uncle. Edna had to go over to Aunt Amy's to get some yeast
or grease for bread making and she said "Hello" to Leonard while
he was cleaning ditches out in front of the house. From then on
There were two or three
they met quite often at dances.
missionary farewell dances held that fall, which were Alton's
"long suits" as everyone from all over the county would come. The
second dance must have started the real friendship. Edna had to
go over to Harold Heaton's to get the chocolate or hot cocoa to
serve for the drinks and Leonard went with her to help carry it
back. There was a cake walk contest at the dance. Edna's cake
was not used so after the dance a group of young people were
walking home and Leonard said, "I want to taste the cake and see
if she is a good cook before I'll walk home with her."
The first time Leonard walked Edna home was the day Glen and
Nina Heaton were married.
They waited up that Tuesday night to
shiveree them, but the married couple didn't show up.
The kids
waited until twelve or one o'clock walking the streets waiting for
-117 -
them to come home from the temple.
Edna was staying at Art
Glover's home with the kids that night baby sitting.
On Leonard's birthday, November 15th, Edna invited him to
come over for Thanksgiving dinner at her home.
Someone told Edna, "You had better take that Leonard Heaton,
he's the best man around.
He gets up earlier than Gilbert
Heaton."
Leonard remembers seeing Edna before that, at a dance in
Fredonia.
Edna had gone to Fredonia to work for Sister Parker.
At this dance Leonard asked Gilbert, "Who is that girl standing
over across there?"
Gilbert said, "It's Edna Robertson, do you
want to meet her?"
Leonard said, "No, not now.
I'm not ready
to."
At that time Leonard did not dance with her.
He did not
care for girls much. During the four years he was in St. George
going to school, Leonard walked only one girl home, and that was
because she was afraid and wouldn't walk home by herself. A bunch
of boys and a bunch of girls would walk down the street together
but never on a date.
At one time Edna went to St. George for a leadership meeting.
While there she got pneumonia and stayed with the Heatons, Jennie
and Richard. Edna says, "The kids took care of me. Dr. McGregory
would come and check on me. It was hot and someone wanted to open
the windows, Dr. McGregory said, "Go ahead... her temperature is
so high you could take her out and lay her in the ditch and it
wouldn't hurt her any."
I was delirious, I thought I was in
Prison. I went to the window and shook the bars (they were small
window panes) I couldn't open it so I put my fist through and
broke it."
In the spring of 1926, Leonard contracted typhoid and had to
go home to Moccasin. Edna thought she might not get to see him
for a while, so she went to Kanab and Jennie, Leonard's sister met
her and took her to Moccasin.
Edna stayed there 2 or 3 days
caring for Leonard. Later Edna found out that that was the first
time Jennie had ever driven a car.
The proposal came one night after a dance. Leonard wanted to
know if Edna would marry him. Edna said "I don't know." She must
have said "Yes" sometime, because, the announcement was made.
Edna didn't know much about making or writing announcements, so
when she was in Moccasin someone told her what to write:
Mr. & Mr. Frank Robertson
announce the marriage
of their daughter
Edna
to
Leonard Heaton
son of
Charles and Margaret Heaton
118
June, 25, 1926
About 10 to 20 announcements were sent out.
The
Leonard went up to Alton to get Edna and her mother.
stayed in Moccasin that night and left early the next morning for
St. George, Utah.
It took almost all day to go down.
They
stopped at Gould's ranch for dinner. The road then, went by Lost
Spring Mountain, Galliger's Hill and generally wound around. The
car went about 20 to 30 miles per hour. The car wouldn't go much
faster than 30 mph, but it went 'fast down Hurricane Hill'.
They arrived in St. George early enough to go to the court
house to get the marriage license, at the price of $2.50.
A
Brother Brooks was one of the county clerks whom Leonard had known
in school. Ellis Picket came in and Brooks said, "Ellis, here's a
couple that needs your business. "
Brother Picket said, "That
ain't my business, that's temple business." Ellis Picket was the
JP.
Leonard was 25 and Edna not quite 20.
Edna's mother went
along because "Mamas always went along". Leonard' parents didn't
go to the wedding, but Gilbert, his uncle, went to help out.
Leonard was just getting over the siege of typhoid. He had had it
since about the 10th of May, and was in bed 10 days or more just
before their marriage.
They don't remember if either of their
parents gave them any advice about getting married, "we didn't
talk about things like that in those days."
President George F. Whitehead performed the ceremony in the
temple, he was the president of the temple.
Edna was scared to
death, it was the first time for both of them.
President
Whitehead also took the part of Satan.
Edna says, "I'll never
forget him, he was the best satan I ever saw.
He was little,
quite good looking and quite an actor."
After the wedding they were invited to dinner at Joe Snows.
The family Leonard lived by and with while attending school in St.
George. Before dinner was over there was a phone call saying that
they had forgotten something down at the temple. I was Grant or
Glen, the Snow twins, trying to lead them on a merry chase. There
was nothing at the temple when they went back.
There were only 5 or 6 at their wedding, Levern McGregor,
some of Leonard's friends from school but none of Edna's friends.
Leonard knew all the temple hands from being in St. George for
school. Edna remembers a man named George Miles who had a 'twotoned' voice. He would start to talk way down low and end up way
up high, then he would just grin. He couldn't control it.
Leonard and Edna stayed at Joe Snows home that night.
Her
mother stayed with her sister.
Edna told her mother that they
would pick her up at 8:00 the next morning.
The friends her
mother was staying with left a little before eight for Cedar City,
so she sat out on the front step waiting for them.
She waited
119
until 10:00 that morning. "People always said Leonard always got
up early, so get him; but, he never did after getting married,"
said Edna.
The newly married couple went back to Moccasin that day. The
next morning as they got up for breakfast, everyone else was
finishing up. Leonard's Dad looked at them and said, "Are you up
for the whole day?"
A party was held for them in Moccasin and also in Alton. A
game that was played at the party was "Farm Animal Game."
Standing in a circle, everyone is given an animal name and you are
to make that animals sound at the signal, except the person on
whom the joke is to be played, in this case Leonard, is the only
one given an animal - a donkey - then at the signal he is the only
one to make a sound. Sometimes they would place an egg on your
chair when you bray like a donkey. Rita Roundy was directing the
game and when it was time to bray "I didn't bray because I already
knew what was going on, so no joke on me," said Leonard. Another
game was "Do what I say, but do not do what I do." You're doing
all kinds of contortions and exercises while saying something like
"Boots without shoes".
Some of the gifts received were, a little white enamel kettle
with a handle; crockery jug; a big oval willow basket, used for a
baby bed for all their coming children, a note attached to the
basket said 'For you know who?' from Leonard parents; a quilt made
out of old underwear quilted by Leonard and Aunt Pursis, a
marmalade dish with spoon, lid and plate and a silver plated tray
with handle.
The first Sunday in July, July 4th, the Moccasin branch took
their turn for a stake mission preaching conference at V T ranch.
They all got up early Sunday morning and went out to the Grand
Canyon, had lunch, then came back to V T and held the conference
services in the lodge. V T was a church cattle brand, the ranch
was the tithing cattle land on Kaibab Mountain, later it became a
tourist place.
After the meeting Leonard and Edna climbed the
Jacob Lake fire tower. This was kind of like a short honey moon.
A MARRIAGE LICENSE
When Edna and I went to the old Court House in St. George
Thursday afternoon July 25 to get our marriage license we were met
120
in the main hallway by Brother Will Brooks and I asked him where
we were to get our marriage license.
He said "come with me."
Then we started on down the hall. Bro. Brooks called out to the
clerk, Bro. Jack Wadsworth, "Get your tall hat and bible as I have
a couple here for you."
When Brother Wadsworth looked out the
office window and saw me he said "These are temple people and I
can't do anything for them, but give them a license." It cost us
$2.50.
121
BEGINNING A LIFE TOGETHER
HEAD OF THE HOME
When I first came to Pipe Springs to live in February 1926,
and was building a rock service station by the side of the road,
Father came down one day to help get up the rocks. As we set down
to dinner, I waited for him to take lead. But he said this is your
home, to do as you see fit, so I asked the blessing on the food.
Father has advised me at times on home management but has
never once tried to tell me what I should do in my own home or run
it for us; even though he and Mother lived with us part of two
summers.
A MOON LIGHT RAIN BOW
We were living in the north part of the old fort 1927 in the
fall. Edna and Maxine were in Alton with her Mother for a visit.
I alone sleeping on the upper porch was awakened by a cow bawling
for her baby calf. I got up went to the east end of the porch.
The full moon was going down in the west a cloud over head was
giving us a light, sprinkle of rain.
There was a pale bluish
light every where.
And there appeared to the east a rain bow.
The south end resting on the ground by the plumb trees. North end
some distance up near the north monument boundary. I just stood
there wishing I had a camera to get this on a picture.
I had
never seen a moon light rain bow before, nor since.
The whole
area to the east took on the silver or pale blue light. It lasted
for five minutes or more when a cloud covered the face of the
moon.
GEESE AND A FULL MOON
Most of us have seen pictures of a big full moon, shocks of
corn in the field and a flock of wild geese flying south in the
fall of the year. But did you ever see it in real life? Well I
have. One late fall I had been to Alton to harvest some crops of
corn, hay, grain and coming home in the evening as I was coming up
the road from Mt. Carmel over what we call the divide. I could
see the big full moon was on its way up in the east.
The moon
looked so big, so clear was the air.
I imagine it to be three
122
foot across. As I topped the divide and started down grade there
appeared a flock of wild geese flying in their usual formation of
a > and came between me and the moon as the road was dropping and
headed southeast a bit.
Those geese and moon seemed to be
stationary for several minutes. But gradually the geese flew out
of the moon the two last geese was just coming in the front of the
moon. They almost covered the moon. I have seen the geese and
moon almost together at times but never covering the moon as it
did this night. Again needed a camera to catch the scene.
123
CHILDREN
The "having a family process" was all new to this new couple.
Edna had never had a heart-to-heart talk with her mother.
She
didn't know anything about how babies were born.
Edna tells, "I remember that I just couldn't eat breakfast
(morning sickness time) so finally I got sick and tired of trying
to fix breakfast, so I got Dad to let me go milk the cow and let
him fix breakfast. I had morning sickness all the time, though I
didn't loose many of my meals, just miserable.
MAXINE
Kezia Maxine Heaton was born June 16, 1927 in Moccasin,
Arizona.
Maxine was named for a girl Edna went to school with,
Maxine Froyd, and the Kezia for the babies great, great
grandmother, Kezia Giles Carrol.
Maxine was the first great,
great grandchild, five generations; Kezia Giles Carrol, Lucy
Elizabeth Carroll Heaton, Charles Carroll Heaton, Charles Leonard
Heaton and Kezia Maxine Heaton. Great, Great grandmother Carroll
died 4 days before Maxine was born.
She just hung on and on
hoping to live long enough to see that child.
The practice for new mothers, at the time Maxine was born was
that the mothers had to stay in bed for 10 days, then they were
permitted to sit on the edge of the bed. The next day they could
sit on a chair while someone else made up the bed. For two weeks
after the birth they could not go outside, get cold, put their
hands in cold or hot water. Leonard and Edna stayed with Leonard
parents at the time of Maxine's birth.
Edna's mother was there
also.
Edna says, "Maxine was 3 or 4 days old when Leonard took her
to church to be blessed. He was to bring her home right after the
blessing but he forgot. My mother got all upset and went down to
church and got the baby and brought her home."
CLAWSON
Charles Clawson Heaton was born November 20, 1929 in Kanab,
Utah. Clawson was named for his grandfather Charles Carrol Heaton
and for Rudger Clawson an apostle in the church. Rudger Clawson
had ordained Leonard an elder in the church. Clawson was born in
Sister Minnie Adams' nursing home. A home to take care of women
and their babies at birth. Doctor Norris was the doctor.
DEAN
124
Dean "R" Heaton was born July 29, 1930, in Kanab, Utah. He
was born in the same nursing home as was Clawson. Dean was named
for Edna's oldest brother who died a couple of months after birth.
Also Leonards Aunt Myrtle was in the nursing home at the same
time and gave birth to a boy shortly before Dean was born. Edna
and Myrtle decided that since they were so near being twins they
ought to name then twin names.
Myrtle was going to name their
baby Eugene and call him Gene so Edna could still name her baby
Dean and they would have twin names.
LEONARD
Leonard "P" Heaton was born August 12, 1932, at Pipe Springs
National Monument, Arizona. Leonard was born in the fort and was
named for his father Leonard. The "P" was meant for Pinkley, for
Mr. Frank Pinkley of South Western Monument, Park Service.
Leonard and Edna didn't know whether Mr. Pinkley would like that
or not and they never did get to see him to ask him so they just
made it "P" for Pinkley or Pipe, cause they lived at Pipe. The
kids would always say "Leonard "P" Heaton for Pinkley or Pipe."
Later he was called 'Pinkey'.
LOWELL
Lowell "H" Heaton born, April 9, 1934 at Pipe Springs
National Monument, Arizona. Lowell was the last baby in the fort.
His name was chosen by Miss Mangelsen. When he was born in the
fort. His name was chosen by Miss Mangelsen. When he was born
all of the women folk in Moccasin wrote a list of names, about 50
of them, and Miss Mangelsen went down the list and chose Lowell.
Edna says, "We let her choose the name, she was really nice, the
school teacher when there were so many kids, ninth grade and all.
When Leonard took the baby in church to give him a name and a
blessing he put "H" in it. When he came back I asked him what the
"H" was for and Leonard said, "I don't know". I had wanted the
name Hoyt, so I guess the "H" is for Hoyt."
SHERWIN
Sherwin Heaton was born November 10, 1936 in Kanab, Utah.
Edna found Sherwin's name on the fort registry.
She had never
seen the name before and quite liked it. Sherwin was the biggest
baby born to Leonard and Edna. Dr. Norris didn't weigh him but a
day or two later somebody asking about how much he weighed and the
Dr. said, 'I guess he weighed about 11 pounds.'
GARY
125
Gary "A" Heaton was born August 14, 1939, in Kanab, Utah.
The are not sure where the name Gary came from but the "A" is for
Chief Anderson, used to be A.A. Anderson a scout man in the Utah
Parks Council in Provo. Leonard used to go to Provo every month
or so for scout meetings.
When Chief Anderson came down to
Moccasin he always made such a fuss over the kids, he liked being
at Pipe Springs and all the family like his so well.
Leonard
liked him so well we were going to call the baby Andy or Anderson
or something like that.
OLIVE
Olive Heaton was born November 21, 1942 in Kanab, Utah. Olive
was named for Edna's sister Olive and for a cousin, Olive Porter.
"Olive just about didn't make it when she was born.
After the
birth the nurse or doctor laid her on the counter or wash stand
and was looking after mother, and Olive quite breathing. Dr. Akin
turned to her and took her and said "Keep a coming" and worked
with her, spanked her to get her breathing again.
Edna had the
measles when she was first pregnant with Olive. It may or may not
have had anything to do with it but she never had been quite as
robust as the others," said Leonard.
CLAREN
Claren Robertson Heaton
Arizona, in his grandmother
They saw the name Claren in
and liked it. They had seen
any boy named Claren.
was born June 24, 1944 in Moccasin,
Heatons home. (In the dining room).
the newspaper when looking for names
and known Clarence's, but didn't know
MILLICENT
Millicent Heaton was born May 20, 1947, in Kanab, Utah. She
was named after a lady that worked with the CCC camp, Millicent
Bowlsby. They just about lost Millicent too. One Doctor worked
on the baby with a syringe to clean the mucus out of the nose and
mouth and used mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (blowing through the
mouth and into the lungs). He worked for half an hour while Drs.
Akin and Covington were sewing Edna up. The Dr. said, "We've lost
her. Couldn't get her to cry, guess she's gone." Dr. Akin said,
"Get the hell back there and get to work, we're not through yet."
He went back and after another few minutes Millicent started to
bawl.
MEMORIES
126
Leonard was with Edna during the births of all their babies.
He administered to Edna before each birth.
Edna wasn't sure how babies were to be born until she
experienced the birth of Maxine.
She says she wasn't scared,
because she didn't know enough to be scared. "I didn't have any
medication at all and can't remember much pain, just a few hard
ones. They did use a little bit of chloroform with each of the
babies after Maxine. I remember they would say now "relax" "just
relax". Dr. Norris didn't make it to Moccasin for Maxine's birth
until 1/2 hour before she was born.
They sent for him at 7:00
that morning, or tried to get word to him and he was on his way
when he was stopped in Fredonia to help Harold Jackson's wife who
was also having a baby. Dr. Norris got to Moccasin about 5:00 in
the afternoon and Maxine was born by 6:00 PM. Maxine was not a
very good natured baby. She cried until 11:00 and 12:00 PM every
night. (Some of the home steaders would hear Maxine cry at night).
Clawson got so he would go to bed by 11:00 PM, Dean would go to
bed by 10:00.
With Maxine, no matter what you did for her she
would cry 2 or 3 hours. When she learned to walk, all the crying
stopped.
Birthdays for the children consisted of a cake, but not many
parties. "When Maxine was 2 years old I made a cake for her on
Saturday and iced it that night with the 7 minute fluffy icing.
Sunday while we were at church the wind had blown quite hard.
When we came back to have dinner, after the wind had been blowing
and blowing, the cake was the 'prettiest pink you ever saw, just
the color of the sand', and about a 1/4 inch of dust all over. We
couldn't eat the icing at all, just had to scrap it off," recalls
Edna.
The reason for not many parties is that the kids from
Moccasin didn't like to come to Pipe for them.
The Indian
children were better about coming.
The kids played mostly with themselves or the Indian kids.
The boys and Maxine would walk up to Moccasin and stay all day for
They played on the hill,
a while and then walk back again.
rolling rocks off. When they found old tires they would roll them
up the hill and off the ledges watching them bounce and roll for a
long ways into the flats. Often they would take tourists on hikes
and show them around the place.
If Leonard was not around they
could take the people through the fort and tell its history. Not
any of them had broken bones as kids, which is very amazing
considering the life they led. All had their appendices out (most
of them anyway). Gary had his out at Christmas time. Dean had
his taken out in the summer time, in the days when they kept them
flat on their backs for 10 days, 'but Dean wouldn't keep'.
Leonard tells, "He'd got up the first day and looked out the
window and could see the kids playing out on the street and the
127
nurses would come and find him and have a 'tizzy' and put him back
to bed. He would get up again and the nurses would find him and
put him back to bed.
Then one day, Merrill Brooksby came in a
little later, in the same room and the nurses came in two or three
times and found them squatting down playing marbles (squatting
Indian style), oh the nurses would have a fit."
The kids had all the childhood diseases, mumps, chicken pox,
measles, whooping cough (it was before there were vaccinations for
it), scarlet fever, and Maxine had typhoid. She probably got it
from Jacob Lake with a group, and had had several cases of typhoid
in Moccasin. Didn't ever know where it came from. Leonard (Dad)
had it and Gilbert, and Kay also had it. They decided there must
be a carrier, because one would get it and after a while someone
else would get it.
Some thought Leonard was the carrier but it
was never pinned down.
Maxine had the mumps when Dean was the
Dean
baby, Clawson got them and Edna had them along with him.
never did have them that they could tell. He even slept out in
the porch bedroom with half a dozen kids who had the mumps at
different times but never got them until after married and living
in Mesa, Arizona. He had his chance at home.
Clawson was always a real skinny boy. Could never keep his
pants up let alone his shorts.
So his parents had to get
suspenders for him to wear.
At this same time there was a man
named Scott Thomas who used to live in Pipe Valley who always wore
suspenders - so - Clawson was called Scotty Thomas or Scott
Thomas.
Clawson never did tear his clothes or get very dirty, but
when Dean came along, Dean couldn't go anywhere without coming
home minus a button, a few tears in his clothes and dirty.
Leonard "P" was the same way. Clawson could go through the very
same fences as Dean and Leonard "P", but he never tore anything,
the other two sure did. Lowell was quiet, never got dirty or tore
his clothes. Sherwin and Gary were the same as Dean and Leonard
"P". They could get dirty, greasy, snagged or torn just as bad as
Dean and Leonard "P".
"When there was fresh fruit around for bottling, I never had
any trouble with Olive eating any or only very little, she would
stand around and watch me peel it, bottle it or eat it, she would
never take a bite. Once in a while she would eat a bite or two,
maybe a half of a peach but never a whole one. But, with the rest
of the family 'we'd have to fight tooth and toe nail' to get have
enough to bottle.
One Sunday afternoon just before time to go to Moccasin for
church, Dean went out to get in the green pick up and he noticed a
bullet hole in the top of the cab.
By this time everyone was
ready to go to church; but, Claren wasn't around.
They looked
high and low for him (He must have been the culprit).
He was
128
finally found under the army cot in the blue bedroom shaking like
a leaf because of the hole he shot in the pick-up with a gun.
Another time Claren was cleaning or just fooling around with a gun
and shot a hole in the freezer, which was a good thing the freezer
was there because his Grandma Robertson was in the next bedroom.
Leonard used to make 'mustard plaster' for Edna's pneumonia
every winter. The plasters were made from dry mustard, corn meal,
or flour and water. He would spread it on a cloth and put a cloth
over it and lay it on her back or chest. The cold would draw the
blood to the surface, then the heat would penetrate. The plaster
would blister the skin if left on to long.
Edna was never
blistered but it sure smarts and burns.
They would always rub
olive oil on before putting the plaster on. When Edna was a child
she was rubbed with axle grease, the kind put on wagon axles, and
then plastered all up around the neck. "It would either kill or
cure."
"Lowell was hit by a car when he was 5 years old. All the
kids had gone outside to tell their Dad goodby, he was going down
to Pipe Springs to work, at the same time Van and Edith Church and
kids came out to go to school. They were driving a car without
brakes on it and came down the hill and across the wash, going to
fast.
Somebody yelled to Lowell to get out of the road and he
went the wrong way or was going across the road to show somebody
something and hit the car or the car hit him with the fender. He
hemorrhaged for a while and had bad dreams for quite a while
afterwards.
When Olive was little and Claren was the baby, Leonard had
taken the school kids up to Moccasin to school and was on the way
back home when this occurred.
Leonard tells "Olive was about 2
years old, and coming back she was in the front seat. The back
door was rattling and she reached back to pull it shut, but opened
the handle at it pulled her out the door. The door opened from
the front, with the hinges on the back. It pulled her out on the
ground. I didn't notice it - when she went out, Claren was on my
lap. I went down the road about another 100 yards and noticed the
door was open. I looked back through the mirror and saw her lying
on the ground. When I saw her I stopped the car and laid Claren
on the seat. Olive had a red coat on and it looked from the way
she was laying, by a big rock by the road, like she was all
smashed and pieces and blood running all over the coat and her
head. I got up to her and could see it wasn't, so I picked her up
and went back to the car.
I didn't know what to do if the car
wouldn't start, I would have to carry her and Claren too. The car
was hard to start and I usually had to park it on a hill and roll
it to start it. But, it started! The first time in weeks the car
had started when you first stepped on the starter. It was about
22 hours before Olive came to from the head injury."
129
While living in the fort Maxine fell over the railing on the
walk way between the two buildings. She was near the steps coming
down to the front building. At this time there was no railing by
the steps. It was dark and Maxine got too close to the edge and
fell off. No broken bones either.
Maxine fell in the pond as she was just learning to walk.
Leonard recalls, "Maxine and I were down at the service station
and I had to go to the house for something and told her to stay
there 'you stay right here'. We had a big collie dog at the time.
I went up to the house. Before I got back the dog came running
into the fort, I didn't pay much attention, the dog went running
back down to the pond. When I went out I found Maxine floating
out in the pond about 6 or 8 feet from the edge. She was floating
on her back. Nearly all the kids fell in one time or other, most
of them fell in on their heads in the mud while cleaning out the
ponds.
Lowell stood on his head once.
Mother never learned to
swim in spite of it.
I built the pond down in the meadow at Pipe, for a fish pond.
I thought it would be pretty, I built two of them to start with
and then when the CCC camp came they put rocks in the bottom so it
wouldn't be so muddy and made one big one instead of two and
planted the trees around it. The water would stand long enough to
warm up for swimming.
One of the kids waded in and thought he
could swim so he kept on walking and went in over his head.
Finally Mother had to go in a fish him out."
NEWS REPORT
1976
At the close of fifty years of married life C. Leonard and
Edna R. Heaton wish to share their joys and happiness that has
come our way this past year with our many friends and relatives.
On June 25, 1926 we exchanged vows in the St. George temple
to love and honor and keep the covenants we made to each other
through out eternity.
And on June 25, 1976 our family gathered
from many lands and cities to celebrate our golden wedding
anniversary her at our home in Moccasin Arizona.
Three days of
very active events took place, sight seeing trips, hikes on the
near by hills, banquets, story telling, pictures here at home and
Pipe Spring National Monument where we spent 38 years as guardian
of the old fort and raised our 10 children.
Our activities now are two days each week working as
ordinance workers in the St. George temple.
A half day as
librarians at the Kanab Stake Genealogical Library in Kanab. Some
gardening and farming in summer, making of quilts for our grand
130
children who were getting married, for babies as they came along.
Visits to our children in California, Idaho and Arizona. The old
Rambler car has 152,000 miles and due to retire soon.
As far as our children who are very special to us we can
report some of their outstanding accomplishments.
Maxine Heaton Brady living in Rigby, Idaho (Wells runs the
radio station in Idaho Falls), a family of 2 boys and 5 girls has
had the most changes this year. Luke marrying Francine expecting
a baby or babies in March. Louise graduating from BYU in December
and getting a Welfare Service Mission call to Switzerland, leaves
March 3rd. Annette marrying Jens Fugel and they have a baby boy
born ______. Jean marrying Ron Arnott expecting a baby in May 77.
Carol the top news paper carrier in Idaho for 4 years, she has a
big labrador dog to help carry the paper. Arthur and Evelyn in
school. Arthur top debater in Rigby High.
Charles Clawson Heaton living in Concord California.
Busy
with the youth programs. Diane past president of Relief Society
and a part-time nurse in one of the hospitals.
Gayle in her
second year at college in Logan Utah. Rex at Dixie college in St.
George.
Elaine, Coleen active in school and church positions.
Brad first year in school.
Dean R. Heaton of Mesa Arizona (he was released from stake
high council, has been living with us.
Is supervisor for
construction of building campground on the Kaibab Indian
Reservation. Also building new homes in Fredonia Arizona. Nedra
is holding down the homestead in addition to her being with the
help of Cindy, Brenda, Gini, Lance, Alison and Brett.
Leonard P. Heaton has quit the Arizona State Highway
Department where he spent some 16 years caring for the road from
Fredonia to Shortcreek, Utah line and is now doing carpenter work.
Yvonne teaches in R.S., and takes care of the school house. Duke
graduated from Fredonia High School last May and expects a mission
call next February.
Jolene is organist in Sunday School and
chorister in meeting.
Also active in school.
Julie and Kim
attend school in Fredonia. Kathleen, Juanitta attend school here
at Moccasin and Margaret is home with her mother.
Lowell H. Heaton became bishop of the 24th ward in Mesa,
after having served as a bishops counselor, stake clerk, high
counselor the past few years.
As well as his engineer job with
the Bureau of Reclamation for Arizona.
Glenda teaches spiritual
living in R.S. and is in MIA. Lowell and Glenda made a two week
trip to Hawaii in Oct. Mike finished his High school this spring
and football playing, now doing carpenter work while waiting for a
mission call in Mar.
Janece busy with her music and school.
Lianne with school and paper route, Kelli likes school and
dancing, Sean first year in school, keeps everybody busy - leaving
Glenda home to take care of things.
131
Sherwin Heaton in Snowflake busy with his FHA supervision job
and church work.
Margo has her hands full trying to keep home
with 5 boys and 3 girls all in school. Shawna, Jennifer, Kevin,
Ronald, Daniel in athletics and scouts, Robert, Brent and Shellie.
The boys active in scouting and the girls in their different
church classes.
Gary A. Heaton executive secretary in the Fredonia ward has
been made general supervisor of the planning operation at the
Kaibab Lumber Co. at Fredonia. Advanced from general maintenance
of the saw mill. Karen is President of Primary and cub scouting
which with the housework and hair dressing for some friends in
town keep her busy. They expect a baby next summer. K'Lyn has
her paper route each day. She along with La Mar, Lorel play in
band just loves school.
Tiffany and Jonathan still at home to
help their mother.
Olive Heaton McElewe busy with R.S. as 1st counselor and her
family of 2 boys and 2 girls. Jim was released as elders quorum
president and called as ward clerk this fall.
They expect an
addition to the family in Feb. 77. Jimmy and Mori busy attending
school while Amarillys and Clorinda stays home when not visiting
Grandpa and Grandma. Jessalee walks and is on the go.
Claren Robertson Heaton changed jobs three times this year as
a mechanic with a Conoco Service Station there managed it till it
changed hands now working as a mechanic at Kaibab Lumber Truck
shop. He has now completed his schooling as an airplane pilot and
instructor. He and Wanda now live in Alton Ut. Wanda has primary
assignment and gives piano lessons to several students in Fredonia
and Alton.
Shannon and Brian keep mom busy at home.
Bian has
been quite ill with the flu.
We plan to spend a few months in St George and Dean will
bring his family up here to stay.
Millicent Heaton Turley lives in their new home in Mesa with
At times doing planning
her husband Alan, who is an architect.
for church buildings.
Millie has been part-time teacher in day
school as well as Primary and R.S. Shelley who was a hand full
but has settled down now that a new baby arrived at the home Nov.
10, 1976 by adoption.
132
ACCIDENTS
MOTHER
Edna had an accident with a cow once. The boys had gone down
to milk and came back and said they couldn't get the calf put in
the pen so they didn't get much milk. Edna went down to see if
she could get some more milk.
The calf got out while she was
trying to turn the cows out to pasture, then was trying to get the
calf back when the spotted jersey cow started to chase her. Edna
started to run and fell down, the cow started to bunt her and
tromp her, finally she had sense enough to lay still and get out
Edna got up and came home.
of the way when the cow went off.
Leonard was in bed with a sick headache. Edna was in the hospital
for a week for observation. It was the last time she milked cows
for awhile. Edna would go down to the barn; but, never got far
enough in as to not make it to the fence incase the cow decided to
chase her again.
Dad went home from the hospital and caught the cow and tied
it up and proceeded to cut off its horns with a hack saw. From my
memory the cow was never mean after that. (dehorn note added by
Lowell so am not sure of the details).
Dean had his teeth knocked out diving into the pond in the
meadow.
The boys would play with blow snakes and king snakes. They
would let the snakes crawl down into their shirts, wrap them
around their waists for belts, throw them into to the pond and
watch them skim across the water. At one time Dean was bitten by
a Red Racer. There was a cage between the pond and the fort to
keep snakes or animals in and the boys would feed the animals.
Dean was feeding it or trying to put the red racer in and it
turned around and bit him on the eyebrow. Dean must have jerked
back because it bled and bled.
The kids would sleep outside as early as possible.
They
always had a canvas over their beds.
If it looked stormy they
would pull the canvas clear up over the beds.
Many times they
woke up to find 2 to 6 inches of snow on the ground and their
beds. Maxine was going to sleep out one night up near the pond
and heard a rattlesnake. Her Dad found it and killed it; but, no
one would sleep up there for a few days.
"One morning," says Millicent, "Daddy got up early as usual
to go milk the cows and feed the pigs. As he got down to the barn
he happened to look into the chicken coop, maybe because it was
awfully quiet. And there under the nests sat a 'bob cat'. It had
come in through the little door in the wall (for the chickens to
go in and out through) but after biting the necks of all 24
chickens and killing them he was too fat to get back out the hole.
133
So Daddy quietly closed the door, went back to the house and got
a gun and killed the bob cat. Needless to say when Mama got home
we spent the whole day plucking 24 chickens and cleaning them.
Millicent's job was to clean the gizzards."
OLIVE
The worst accident that ever happened to Leonard and Edna's
children happened June 9, 1951 to Olive. Olive tells the story.
"It was hay time. Sherwin, Gary and I were up early so we could
get started on the hay. Being eight years old and having a mind
of my own I went along too.
The hay was cut with a tractor driven by Gary and Sherwin
rode on the mower.
This particular morning we had cut a few
rounds, then went to the house for breakfast. Before we left to
go back to the field after breakfast, Mom told me to stay home
because I would get hurt if I didn't. I went anyway, but on the
way I had the feeling that if I went on I would have an accident.
I didn't pay much attention to it.
There were lots of rabbits in the field and we stopped quite
often to chase the rabbits.
Sherwin told me to stay off the
mower, and stand by the side so they could get the hay cut.
I
stood by the edges of the hay but not back far enough. The cutter
bar came along and knocked me down, grabbing my right foot and
mangled it. After 20 or 30 feet Gary stopped the tractor. Gary
ran to get Mom and Dad. Sherwin carried me to the garage where
Dean was working on his car. Dean was working on the brakes, when
he realized the situation he put it back together in record time.
Put me in the car and picked up Mom and Dad who wrapped me in a
blanket. Dean drove us to Kanab to the hospital, without brakes.
Dr. George R. Akin decided he could not save the foot, it was cut
and broken just in front of the ankle bone... Later my foot was
fitted with a shoe, without the front just the heel, so I could
walk.
Sores developed and several years later in a hospital in
Salt Lake City, Utah the rest of my foot was taken off to just
above the ankle bone. I now have an artificial leg." Olive has
since filled a full time mission and is raising a family.
One summer there was to be a big gathering or meeting of the
Park Service official at Pipe Springs. A platform had been built
in the middle of the meadow.
The Platform had a railing built
around it. Before the day of the meeting, Claren, Millicent and
Olive were walking around the railing. One side broke with Olive
on it and as she fell she ripped a big long gash in her leg.
Other than two major accidents with Olive, Leonard and Edna's
family have been blessed with good health and minor accidents.
134
The discipline used by Leonard and Edna on their children was
simple. If the child didn't do what was right, if their manners
were not what they should be at the table, after about the 3rd
time spoken to about it their parents would take the child's plate
out side and make them stay there until ready to behave.
The
children were spanked when it was needed.
Church activity and participation was expected by the
children. Leonard and Edna always went to their meetings and took
their children along.
It didn't matter how late their children
got home on Saturday night, the boys were expected to get up and
attend Priesthood meeting.
135
EARNING A LIVING
FREIGHTING FROM CEDAR CITY
MAXINE WITH ME
I made regular trips to Cedar City to obtain gas and supplies
for the Service Station at Pipe Spring National Monument, which we
operated from 1926 to 1932. Edna, Maxine, Clawson and I came down
to St. George and stayed over night.
The next day Edna took
Clawson, the baby, and went home in a car.
Maxine, being about
three years old, wanted to go with me to Cedar City to get the
freight and then home.
Loading supplies was a bit slow and we were late starting
home. When we got up in the Rattle Snake Gap, about sundown, the
truck (a two-ton Graham Brother) started to sputter, stopping and
rattling like it would come to pieces.
I stopped several times
and tried to figure out what was the matter. I had not traveled a
mile in an hour.
Maxine finally dozed off to sleep.
We were
miles from any place or help as there was very little travel on
the road at this time (1929). I did not know what we would do if
we had to spend the night on the road.
After sitting in the stuck wondering what to do, I decided to
get out and pray.
Kneeling on the ground by the side of the
truck, I humbly asked the Lord for his blessing on the truck. I
asked that it would run so we could get home to Edna and Clawson
who were staying at Pipe Spring alone some 40 miles away. After
asking for the blessing and thanking him for all I had received,
without another thought how the truck had been, I got in and
started it.
The motor ran perfectly.
I put it in gear and
started out. It rolled along without a rattle. In less than an
hour we were home with no more trouble. We found everything safe
at home. I know this was a direct answer to prayer.
HERDING SHEEP
FOR GEORGE HEATON
In the spring of 1925, having nothing to do except help with
the feeding of animals at home, my cousin, George Heaton, who was
herding sheep for our grandfather on the Cedar Ridge area, wanted
to go to see his girl, Jennie Palmer, who was attending high
school in St. George, Utah, and asked me to take his place for two
weeks, which I did in March.
This is the first and last time I herded sheep at a regular
sheep camp. Jim Bennett, a bachelor, was camp boss and cook. I was
to watch the sheep day and night. Three or four times the sheep
136
left the bed ground on a moonlit night and I would get up and
bring them back. As usual in the spring we had storms of rain and
snow which made herding very disagreeable, walking in mud and
water.
One day the sheep would not be content in staying close to
camp during the storm and wandered off to the west. When I caught
up with them we were three or four miles from camp and it was
snowing so hard I couldn't see the lead sheep. I couldn't tell in
what direction I was going, though I thought I was headed back to
camp, but it did not show up. Finally when the snow storm let up,
I found myself and sheep between two other herds of sheep about
one and a half miles apart that I did not know were in the Cedar
Ridge area. After a little more clearing so I could see the hills-I saw what I thought was the west end of Yellow Stone Ridge,
which was six miles west of camp. I wondered how I could get over
this rock and not know it. I stopped the sheep and waited for half
an hour trying to decide which way to go, hoping the clouds would
soon clear away. They did and the sun came out about 4 p.m.
With the clearing of the skies I could see that the rocks and
ledges that I thought were those north of Yellow Stone Ridge ended
towards the south instead of the north. This meant that I was near
Point of Rock about eight miles north and west of camp.
During the storm I had gone completely around the sheep and
was driving them away from camp, instead of toward it. I soon had
the sheep headed to camp and it was just getting dark when we got
in. It was the only time I was lost on the desert in any kind of
weather.
Jim Bennett was a good cook and agreeable to be with. All I
got from the sheep herding experience, was the knowledge sheep
herding and the loneliness one can get. I was never paid a penny.
FAWN HUNTING ON THE KAIBAB
The deer on the Kaibab Mountains were protected by Federal
law, so they soon became so numerous they were starving to death,
especially on their winter ranges.
They were eating cedar and
pine trees as high up as they could reach. All brush was eaten
up. Yet there was enough grass for cattle and sheep, as deer do
not eat grass unless starved to it.
To get rid of the surplus deer the government tried several
plans before opening it up for hunting in the fall.
The first was to trap the grown deer and ship them to areas
where the mule deer were scarce.
This failed because the wild
deer would hurt themselves trying to get out of their crates, even
killing themselves.
137
Another scheme was to drive the deer down a canyon and force
them to swim the Colorado River. One drive started with a hundred
men on foot and on horse back ringing bells.
It netted one
crippled buck at the river's edge.
Then the idea of catching the fawns when they were two to
thirty days old and raising them on cow's milk for three or four
months was set in motion.
Farmers in the area were told $25.00
would be paid for each fawn raised. That was good money in 1928.
The Moccasin men decided to try it. So with all the boys and
several dogs they went out on the Kaibab Mountain in the spring,
We would
about May and June when the fawns were being born.
scatter out, walking up and down ridges, looking for does and
fawns. A fawn that was not too old could be easily caught by the
dogs or man after running 200 yards.
If it was lying down we
could usually surround it and catch it before it started to run.
In this way we got about 125 one spring. All went well until a
disease hit them which took all but about twenty. Other men lost
all they had caught. There seemed to be nothing we could do to
stop the disease. This program by the forest service was carried
on for three or four years until pressure was brought on to allow
to hunt on the forest. At first a man could get a permit to kill
one buck and two does.
This lasted for five years or so.
The
herd was soon thinned out. Where there were thousands, there are
only hundreds now, and the numbers continue to decrease.
PLASTER BUSINESS
A new industry was started sometime in the early 1920's by
John Ford of Kanab.
White gyp dirt (gypsum) that is found in
several places on top of the conglomerate formation was put in
containers over a fire and heated until all the moisture is driven
off, then cooled. It makes pretty good plaster, much better than
the old blue clay first used by early settlers in Kanab Stake.
To earn a few dollars, I got Brother John Ford to teach me
how to burn, as it was called, the gyp.
After burning it was
called Morrel Plaster. Near my homestead was a bed of this white
gyp of very good quality. In 1925 I started to burn and sell the
Morrel Plaster to people who were building new homes in Moccasin,
Fredonia and Kanab for $1.00 per hundred pounds delivered. Some
of the homes built with my plaster are those of Ed Heaton in
Moccasin, Elmer Jackson, Per Robinson, Rider in Kanab and the old
Fort at Pipe Springs National Monument.
The first vat I used was one of the old molasses vats used at
Moccasin to cook the cane juices into molasses. I first built a
furnace with rock sides and a chimney. Then I would set the vat
over the fire pit and shoveled some 400 to 500 pounds of gyp into
138
the vat, build a fire and then with a hoe or shovel stir the gyp
which when hot enough would boil like mush until all the water was
out.
If it was not stirred continually the gyp would burn and
become dead or not good for plaster or if all moisture was not out
it was not good plaster.
When cooked just right, a good hard smooth plaster could be
made, usually free from cracks. The plaster business was a dirty
job and one became white form the dust. I imagine one could have
lung trouble after a few years of steady work at it. Though I did
not make much money at this business, it did keep me in ready cash
for three or four years.
139
HOMES
Pipe Springs
Leonard had been living in the fort at Pipe Springs before he
was married, so the day they returned from the temple they moved
into the fort together. Edna did not find it scary. The first
time she realized anyone was scared about living in the fort was
when lots of people would come and go through it and would say she
ought to be scared because Indians used to be there and because
they had seen Indians in town. Leonard cousin, Zola Cox came to
stay with them after their first baby was born, and she was afraid
to go upstairs alone and would not sleep upstairs alone. Edna's
sister Olive was afraid too.
After they were married some of the Indians would come and
visit.
Old Jake, Minnie came often, Old Dave came to the house
once and said, "Aren't you afraid of the Indians, Edna?"
"No, Should I be?"
"I thought white folks were afraid of Indians."
"Well Indians are just as nice as anybody."
Old Dave was always nice, visited often, even when he was
drunk he was nice.
Old Jake stayed on the hill after his wife died, when he did
come down he came to Leonard house, Edna fed him breakfast and he
always appreciated it. Minnie Jake used to visit, and talk about
beads and kids. She made Edna a beaded money pouch, Edna didn't
have any money to pay her then; but, later paid her $2.00 for it.
Minnie and Monkey Frank were always friendly.
Isabel, their
daughter said her mother wanted Javene named Edna.
These first
associations with the newly married couple started a tradition of
being friends with the Indians.
Leonard and Edna lived in the downstairs of the upper part of
the fort. During the summers all of that part was used for extra
beds for tourists that would get stranded or wanted to stay
overnight.
"We ran the eating house there in the fort the first summer.
We used the same stove that is still in the kitchen. We slept on
straw or corn shuck mattresses.
Leonard mother, Maggie had a
feather bed at the fort and several ladies that came were tickled
to get to sleep in that feather bead, as they hadn't slept in a
feather bed for a long while.
We lived in that downstairs part through the first winter;
but, it got so dark and cold with no sun coming in that we moved
upstairs in the front building, and lived there for about 5 years.
Before we moved upstairs it was one big room with lots of museum
items and pictures. Before the fort was made a national monument
it had been used for cattle and other animals. The top floor was
filled with hay and the bottom stabled the animals.
140
We built a little rock building service station and store out
front. The next year we plastered the inside of the walls in the
lower rooms and put a new floor in the upstairs. The next summer
Leonard's mother came down and stayed there most of the time and
ran a little eating house, the next two summers also.
Gas at the station was 35 cents to 40 cents a gallon. The
highest we ever sold gas for was 45 cents a gallon and it got down
to 3 gallons for $1.00.
To eat at the eating house it cost 50
cents to 75 cents per meal. Mother handled the business part."
Leonard says, "We lived off the garden, as we didn't get any
of the money. Mother handled the store and I handled the gas. I
would go to Cedar City, Utah twice a week to get supplies in a big
truck. I sold more gas at Pipe than they did in Kanab. All the
traffic had to go either over Cedar Mountain or down to Hurricane
and up the Hurricane hill and up around through Clear Creek and
Lost Spring Mountain. If they had a good car they could make it
up Rockville hill, but most of the cars then couldn't get up that
steep hill, so we got most of the traffic.
By the time they
reached Pipe they would need gas, as the cars held only about 10
gallons. So I was hauling more gas than Kanab was. I didn't fix
many cars. If they needed repairs I would send them the Fredonia
to get fixed. Wilford Brooksby had a station there. We would go
out and drag the cars in from either side in the flats, out of the
mud, snow and etc."
Edna tells "Our first Christmas was spent in Alton. I bought
a scarf and tie set from the store for Leonard.
Leonard bought
the same thing for me, only a different color.
Somehow I found
out about it.
Leonard wrapped for me the set I had bought for
him, so I took it and took the tie out and put the extra tie in
the set and wrapped it for him. I don't know if he ever knew the
difference.
We always had pine trees for Christmas as I was growing up,
but, when I moved to Moccasin quite often we had cedar trees. I
never thought you could use cedar trees, and I have never liked
them as Christmas trees. They smell nice but are not very easy to
decorate.
In the fort that Christmas we had a little tree on a table
and put candles on it. That's all we had (candles) until we got a
little light plant. We had tinsel, pictures hung up with threads,
pictures of angles (with wings), popcorn of different colors,
sometimes cranberries and paper chains."
Edna said "One time in February, Dad went out to ride with
the cattle drive and there was such a thaw, that the mud and
everything made it so Dad couldn't get home that night. I stayed
all alone. My mother was here but she had gone up to Moccasin and
no one had come to bring her back to Pipe so she had to stay up
there. Mother had a fit because I had to stay alone down there in
141
the fort at night. I can't remember being scared, it was a pretty
night, as clear as it could be and the snow knee deep. The thaw
had filled the washes clear full so the horses couldn't get across
them."
President Heber J. Grant came to the fort after Leonard and
Edna were married and visited with them.
After he left, in the
mail came a wedding present of 5 little books.
"His Many
Mansions," "Little Problems of Married Life," "Up from the
Hill,"... all signed and autographed.
George A. Smith used to
come by and stop to see them, and President David O. McKay stopped
there several times too.
While living in the fort and before Leonard received a salary
they raised baby chicks, fryers, roosters and eggs for 5 or 6
years. A coop was built where the camp ground is now and another
where the garage is now.
In the fall of 1935 the Civilian Conservation Corp was to
move to a camp below the fort, however, they didn't arrive until
the next spring. That was when Leonard and Edna started building
a house in Moccasin, and moved in the following February.
The
move to Moccasin was to get away from the CCC boys. The boys came
from Indiana, Ohio and many other places. There had been reports
of CCC camps in other places, and it wasn't a very good
environment especially to raise little boys.
The CCC boys were
taken out of dirty slums etc. Leonard talked to some of them and
learned that some of the boys had killed two or three kids back
home in the slum areas. Instead of putting them in prison or in
juvenile hall they put them in the CCC camps. Some of the boys
were pretty decent boys, but mostly from poor families that didn't
have enough to eat.
To build the house in Moccasin they took the old service
station down and used the rafter or logs that were on the roof for
the walls of the house. They did have to get a few more logs, and
used slabs for the back. Chicken wire was put over the inside and
plastered it.
The house had four little rooms.
The kitchen on
the north, a front room on the south and two bedrooms in the back.
Later they built a porch on the back, a cellar and a room over
the cellar. Leonard drove to Pipe Springs every day to work after
that. Leonard had started to work for the Park Service in 1926.
In the fall of 1940 there was a big flood in Moccasin. The
'flood wash' south of town had not yet been made. Jennie and Ren
Brown, Leonard's sister and husband were building a house out in
the field. They had the basement walls nearly laid up with rock
when the flood came and filled it up.
The CCC camp at Pipe Springs had been abandoned the year
before; but, wanted to come back in the spring of 1940. Officials
came back to look it over and decided it wasn't good enough, and
they would have to tear the buildings down and build again. The
142
Park Service said if you are going to tear it down you might as
well move somewhere else. So the CCC camp moved four miles south
of Pipe Springs just off the reservation. At this time there were
about 200 boys, the biggest town north of the Colorado River at
that time. The CCC camp had an infirmary with 7 beds previous to
this move south; but, with the move south and the tearing down of
the buildings, the Park Service bought the infirmary and Leonard
remodeled it into a house for his little family. A lot of the CCC
buildings were later torn down and moved to Kingman when an air
based was being built in Kingman. Another part of the buildings
went to Flagstaff for the Navajo Ammunition Depot.
Some lumber
was left with which Leonard later built on the south porch and
kitchen. The family lived in this home until 1959 when the Park
Service built new homes for them.
While living in the fort they did have running water indoors.
Leonard had put a hand pump to pump the water upstairs. This was
a lot better than running up and down the stairs carrying a
bucket.
They bathed once a week in the old tin tub.
Edna
scrubbed on a wash board for a while, or until the washing got
bigger with added children, then she would go up to Moccasin and
use her mother-in-laws washer.
Edna says, "Finally we got a
washer of our own with a gasoline motor, we were still living
upstairs in the front part of the building.
Dean was the baby
then. After that we had washers of one kind or other. We also
had a sewing machine, a treadle one. We were living in the lower
part of the fort then. The old stove in Alton, or heater as we
called it, we got when Clawson was little because it got so cold
in the fort, and couldn't keep warm by the fireplaces, and they
smoked so bad. About the time we changed from using the old big
stove and put it back, we got another stove with the water tank on
the back.
The tank was a 20 gallon copper tank, plus a water
jacket so we could have hot water from the stove without having to
heat it up on the reservoir on the end of the stove.
One Sunday morning Dad was not in the house. My sister Helen
was staying with us and heating up the water to have a bath and
the water jacket exploded.
Water was all over and it blew soot
all over us.
We spent all day Sunday cleaning house and
ourselves."
The family had indoor plumbing when they lived in Moccasin.
The first summer they had a 30 gallon barrel up on a post with a
tap on the bottom. "We'd fill the barrel with a hose and during
the day it would get warm enough to stand under it an take a
shower."
After building the back bedroom and porch they added a
bathroom with a toilet and tub.
Edna tells, "We had an electric plant down to Pipe until we
bought one from Jack Harris. It didn't run very good so we only
143
used it for awhile.
We had a little tiny one you could carry
around that we fixed up for the house in Moccasin, when we had
Christmas tree lights.
When we moved back down to Pipe the
government got us a 'coal oil plant' (Kohler).
We had so much
trouble with that one day when the 'big wigs' came to make an
inspection and couldn't find Dad they hunted all over for me. The
knew someone was around because the fort was open. Finally they
wandered down by the corrals and found me fiddling with the Kohler
plant trying to make it run so I could finish my washing. We got
a new electric diesel plant!!
It was scheduled to go to Cedar
Breaks; but, they said the 'man at Cedar Breaks could get along
without it, Pipe Springs was going to get the plant down there.'
(There were a lots of fireworks when we got it instead of Cedar
Breaks). The Kohler plant was used only at night for lights and
on wash days. The day I was trying to fix it, the officials said,
'Don't try to fix that, you'll never get it fixed. We'll see that
you get something else.' It wasn't long 'till we did."
Edna tells the story that while living in the fort at one
time, 'I would set a pan of milk outside the door, and at night we
would hear a strange sound outside on the porch. It as a 'thump
thump swish swish.' We didn't think much about it at first, but
the next morning the milk was gone. This happened several nights.
One night Dad got up to see what it was and there thumping down
the stairs was a 'big old porcupine`."
When Leonard and Edna lived in the fort the road went between
the buildings and a main road came in front between the fort and
the ponds.
Lots and lots of tourists wanted to know where the
"pipe" was, Pipe Springs, "The water was supposed to come out of
the pipe, where was the pipe?" Some of the people were so picky
that they wanted a drink of water but not the water that came out
of the ground.
So they would go over to the corner of the
building and get a drink of the water that came through the fort.
(They couldn't see it come out of the ground.)
Zola Cox was at Pipe Springs for a party one night and Archie
Ballard from the Indian Service was there also. They got into a
water fight by the water trough, it was just big enough to lay a
person down in it. Archie tried to put Zola down in it. She had
been working so hard in the fields with her Dad that she was as
strong as a man.
Zola picked Archie right up off the ground...
Later Archie said that was the toughest fight he ever had for
about 15 minutes, and didn't want to give up.
There were always water fights. When the homesteaders were
coming into the area there was a party a Pipe about every night
during the summers.
Leonard and Edna went to Alton in 1941.
Edna's mother had
rented some of her land to Jessie Palmer, but she never got
anything out of it except he paid the taxes of about $30.00 to
144
$40.00 a year. Plus he used her cows and horses. Leonard tells:
"We talked of taking the place and letting the boys take care of
it so we went up in the summer of 1941.
First we went to see
about things. Harold Heaton had just plowed up the lot, because
he didn't think Nella, Edna's mother would be using it.
I paid
him $5.00 for plowing the lot, then borrowed Grant Heatons Power
Horse tractor and plowed the fields, planted grain in part of
them.
We farmed that for 8 or 9 years before we bought Jack
Silers' place in 1951. We took over his land and paid him $12,000
for the house and lot in town, 120 acres of planted land and 120
acres of grazing land. It was a high price at the time. Siler
was moving to Salt Lake City as he couldn't make enough money to
live off of and he wasn't well and not responsible for it. We had
quite a time getting the deed straightened out on that property.
Siler had sold us land that wasn't his. I had to hire a lawyer
(Kent Chamberlain) to straighten up the deeds. I paid $2,000 down
and $2,000 a year for 5 years. The first few years we made a lot
of money off the wheat. Later quite a few fellows said, 'You're
not making a lot of money off it, why don't you sell it and get
rid of it? Living out to Pipe, you can't be up here very long.'
I told them, 'Well, I didn't buy it to make a lot of money on, I
bought it to raise my family on.'"
Leonard believes he has made more that way than what money he
would or could have made if he had lived right there the entire
time.
Leonard boys would go up and stay with their Grandmother
Robertson after they got old enough to do so. She wanted to live
in her home in Alton as long as possible, so the boys would stay
with her. Later on Leonard youngest girls would stay during the
summers.
Leonard finally bought his mother-in-laws property after
Edna's youngest brother Homer got married. At this time Leonard
daughter Maxine was working in Oak Ridge Tennessee and had come
home for a vacation. When Maxine went back to work she took her
Grandmother Robertson on the airplane with her.
Grandmother was
scared to death going and coming on the plane but she did enjoy a
visit with her son Homer and his new wife Elsie.
Since the
purchase of Grandmothers property, Leonard and his family saw to
it that Grandmother had a place to live, something to eat and
someone to care for her when needed. Edna's mother lived with the
family until her death January 10, 1964. After her death Leonard
sold the property and house back to Edna's brother, Wayne's sons.
The money from this sale took care of the funeral expenses and
also kept two of Leonard children in the mission field, Olive and
Claren. Leonard says he didn't know where the money was going to
come from to keep two children in the mission field at the same
145
time, and send another child to college. He didn't doubt the Lord
in taking care of you or making it possible to do His will.
One time when Lowell and Leonard P. were working in Alton,
they were cutting grain with one of the Roundy brothers and
something broke down.
Dee Roundy came along and said, "Do you
think you can fix it?"
Lowell answered, "If we can't, nobody
can." They fixed it and went on with the work.
Alton is where the boys learned to do so many jobs, handy
man. The boys did the work because it had to be done, and no one
else was around to do it for them.
They learned to take
responsibility.
Soon the boys were liked by everybody there
because they could be counted on.
Edna usually took the family to Alton during the summers to
care for the garden, and then to harvest the garden. To do the
bottling of beans, peas and etc. It was nice to go to Alton in
the summers as it was a little cooler that in Pipe Springs.
DEDICATORY PRAYER OF OUR HOME
Our Father in Heaven the giver of life here on earth,
salvation and exaltation to thy sons and daughters who are
faithful in keeping they commandments. We call up on thee at this
time as a family, descendants of faithful men and women who
accepted the truths of the Gospel shortly after it was revealed to
they servant Prophet Joseph Smith in its fullness and left their
homes in foreign lands, enduring the hardships of crossing the
mighty seas, traveling across the plains with handcarts and ox
teams enduring sickness and death to establish thy church and
kingdom in this goodly land.
To build solid and lasting
foundation of love for each other, honesty in business,
industrious in gathering the necessities and comforts of life.
The desire to answer thy call to send their sons and daughters
back into the world to preach thy restored gospel to the honest in
heart that they might also enjoy the blessings of eternal life.
Following the council and pattern established by thee through
thy appointed leaders here on earth.
That of dedicating a
building or home unto thee when it is free of debts.
We now
dedicate this home unto thee with all its parts, asking thy
protecting care to always be over it. Bless the foundation that
it may sustain the building thereon.
The walls and all parts
pertaining thereto. The roof that it may protect the contents of
the home, both the material and the people who shall reside
therein. Protect them from the storm and winds of any destructive
nature.
The floors partitions and all pertaining to them.
The
fixtures such as water, lighting and heating that they may
146
function for the good safety and enjoyment of they children who
may dwell herein.
Especially Father in Heaven bless this home that it will be a
home of peace, a home of love, a home of faith, a home of prayer,
a home of forgiveness, a home of service to others, a home where
peace and rest may be found from the conflicts of sin and strife
of the world, a home where thy Holy Spirit will abide in rich
abundance and a home dedicated unto Thee and thy purposes here on
earth.
More specially, Father, bless the family or families that may
reside herein.
The Father that he may have the spirit of his
calling as head of family to teach, direct, and lead his wife and
children into the paths of all righteousness, through love,
kindness, consideration, prayer and faith. That he may be able to
provide the necessities of life as well as the spiritual needs.
The Mother thou gave to man to be a companion and helpmeet that
she will understand her responsibility to the Father and her
children, teaching the gospel of truths in all she does, caring
for the home in a neat and orderly manner, showing love and
kindness to all.
The children that they will grow to respect
Father and Mother and honor thee through their goodly lives,
having faith in thee, strong enough to protect them from the evils
and temptation of the Devil.
Cause that the spirit of missionary service will ever be
found in this home as long as it may stand. We are grateful for
the testimony we have of thee. That as many of us have been able
to fill mission calls in the past, and we pray as our sons and
daughters grow to man and womanhood they will be found worthy to
accept mission calls positions of responsibility in the church to
live clean, pure, virtuous lives, worth of the temple blessings.
Thanking thee for all that we have, the blessings of material
things. For the gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in thy
church.
Help us to be faithful in keeping thy commandments and
covenants we have made with thee.
Asking thee to forgive us of
our sins and weakness of the past. More forgiveness more love for
each other and thee.
We ask in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ, Amen.
147
CARS * PETS * ETC
Before 1920, the mode of transportation in Moccasin was by
horse back or by wagon. In 1920 Leonard's father bought a Nash.
Leonard tells, "A fellow from Richfield Utah brought a car down
and drove it out to Moccasin and sold it to Dad. The man said, "I
want to take my wife out to Grand Canyon then you can have the
car." So I went to Grand Canyon with them. It took all day to
drive from Moccasin to the Grand Canyon. Dad paid $1,100 for the
car and gas was about 50 cents a gallon.
We went out to Grand
Canyon and stayed the night and drove back to Kanab where the man
left his wife. On the way out to Moccasin the man asked, "Do you
want to drive?" We were on the hill where the Buckskin Tavern is
now. I said, "I guess." The man raised up and said, "Slide under
me." I slid under and he moved over and said, "Here's the wheel
take it. This was my first time at driving a car. If you got up
to 45 miles an hour in a car you were really flying. There were
only wagon roads then.
In 1926 Leonard bought a Dodge pickup, it would now be called
a panel truck; but, it had screen wire around the sides.
They
thought it would be big enough to handle the business there to
Pipe; but, only kept it about 1 year, then bought another Dodge
truck.
Leonard paid about $600 new for the first one, the next
one bought for about $1,000.
Both were on time payments from
Bradshaws in Hurricane Utah. (They never had to travel by horse
and buggy after their marriage.) In 1928 Leonard bought a Model A
Ford.
Lowell remembers the family buying a car. A 1938 Chevrolet.
This car had a heater in it.
They could get warm without a
blanket.
Lowell was fascinated with the heater.
He couldn't
understand how the heat would come out.
He was always sticking
his fingers in the back and getting them cut on the fans.
One of the cars the family had, had sort of a floor board or
'step-up that flipped up inside when the door closed.
Dean
recalls going over the cattle guard just north of Pipe Springs
going to Moccasin a little bit to fast and fell off the seat and
hit his head on this floorboard thing. Dean got quite a gash on
the side of his head and it bled for quite awhile.
Leonard
immediately removed the floorboard.
To take their own children and the Indian children to school,
Leonard and Edna had a pick up with a plywood camper type building
on the back with built in benches, and a canvas on the back to
keep the exhaust out.
They were paid for 8 miles a day for
transporting their own children but not for the Indians.
There was an old collie dog running around the fort when
Maxine was little. It just wandered in. The dog was very tender
148
footed and scared to death of guns. If anyone got out a gun she'd
go under the table or under the beds or up in the corner and just
shake until the gun was clear our of sight. If someone shot a gun
she would nearly have fits.
The dog loved most was old 'dishrag'. When Leonard and Edna
were married Leonard brought him to Pipe from Moccasin. Dishrag
didn't look like a very big dog, but he was heavy. His ears would
stand up then lop over.
Dishrag was good with the kids; but
didn't have much sense. He'd run all day long. You would take
him out to chase a cow and he would chase anything else. Dishrag
was good to chase fawn and catch them, once he caught on. Leonard
tells, "We took Dishrag out to the mountain to catch fawn and
raise them.
There were so many deer on the forest and the forest
service wanted to get rid of them so they would pay $20 for any
deer that was raised from a fawn to 6 month old then they would be
shipped somewhere else.
The first trip out, it was three day
event. One day out 2 days to work and come home the last evening.
Dishrag wouldn't do anything.
He would just look at the fawn.
We had decided we wouldn't bring the dog again.
Just before we
left for home we caught a little fawn just learning to run. One
of the little boys let it go and dishrag saw it and saw the boys
run after it trying to catch it again, the boys fell down and
dishrag ran with it and caught the smell of it. The boys decided
to try it again, and let the fawn go again.
This time Dishrag
caught it and after this you couldn't stop dishrag. He wouldn't
bite them he would just run over them and knock them down, again
and again then stand on them if they tried to stand up he'd push
them over. After that he'd be out of the truck before it stopped
and be going in ever which way. He'd spy a little fawn and catch
it.
The does would come back after a dog; but, if a man were
around they would leave.
One year the group in Moccasin caught
about 400 fawn. The fawn are awfully hard to raise. Unless you
were very careful in scalding their dishes and bottles they would
get diarrhea and in 2 or 3 days would die.
The first year we
raised 8. The following year about 30 to 40. The first group of
fawns were flown across the canyon and planted on the South rim."
Edna tells of the fawns that became pets, "Bambi, Peggy and
Pete were three that we kept at Pipe. Pete jumped over the fence
and went off towards Cane Beds, lived about a year and died. The
Indians caught one out in Riggs flat and brought her back.
Another one we kept hauling away and she kept coming back. It was
interesting that after the deer got used to the bottle all you
would have to do was yell "come on Pete or come on Bambi" and they
would come on a run. The deer would just run loose all over the
flats. The Jake boys caught one and it got to be such a nuisance
and Lucille Jake told them to bring it down to Pipe. We kept it
until it got real grown up. This fawn got so it would come in the
149
house. One time it went into the pink bedroom and tried to climb
out the window and couldn't.
It jumped on the bed and turned
around and around and tore the bed all up, the sheets anyway. We
had a real sad time getting him out.
The deer got so it would
climb the fences and eat the garden stuff and go up to Moccasin
and eat the garden stuff there. When people came around an try to
pet him, if he didn't want them to, he would slap at them with his
front foot.
We finally tied him down, and decided to take him
off. The first time we took him over in the hills near Fredonia
and the deer came back. In fact it came back two or three times.
Finally some one in Fredonia killed it." (After 1929 or 1930 the
'deer hunt' was opened on the Kaibab Mountain to get rid of the
excess deer, as this other way wasn't working.)
The family had 2 or 3 little dogs. One little one they had
had for 3 or 4 months and one day Leonard was carrying some posts
and didn't know the dog was following him and he dropped a post
and it landed right on the dog, killing it.
They had another "dishrag", but it was not spotted. This dog
got so it would bark at everybody that came around so Leonard took
her to Zion and left her.
Racky was the pup in the picture of the snow lady. This dog
followed the boys, Clawson and Dean or someone as they were going
to St. George. It was muddy and it followed them out about 2 or 3
miles along the road, and even swam a muddy stream. At Langstons
the boys had stopped to help somebody out of the mud and the dog
jumped up in the car, on the seat where all the clean clothes
were. It made the boys so mad, they yelled at it and as they put
it out of the car one of the kicked it and later it died.
Cats were never a favorite of the boys in this family;
however, Millicent did have a big yellow tom cat. The cat spent
most of its time at Alton, where Millicent contends that her
brothers would put the cat on the spark plugs and watch it jump.
Claren and Millicent had a pet lamb that would follow them
everywhere they went. It was very sad when the lamb lost its life
when the barn burned down. Edna, Olive, Claren and Millicent were
the only ones home when the barn burned.
Millicent recalls her
mother taking them into the house and kneeling down by her bed and
asking their Heavenly Father for protection. There was no way the
fire could be put out, no hoses long enough and Fredonia was too
far for a fire truck to come. Many farm animals were lost in this
fire also. However one good thing did come of this incident. The
Park Service immediately sent out a water pump and some long fire
hoses. Fortunately they never had to be used on a dangerous fire
at Pipe, but the kids had fun several times in the summers with
the hoses.
The last dog the family had was 'Blondie'. There was a man
camping in the camp ground and working with the Indians, Blondie
150
belonged to him. This man had a heart attack and had to be taken
home without the dog. Millicent had to feed the dog "gravy on her
finger" to get the dog to stay with her the day the man left.
Millicent was very attached to this dog. They kept her for many
years.
Blondie was a good watch dog but eventually she started
getting into the chicken coops and eating eggs.
It was decided
that Blondie would have to go. A family in Short Creek wanted her
so Millicent had the job of taking Blondie up to the fort to meet
the mail man who was to take the dog to Short Creek.
It was a
very hard thing for Millicent to do.
151
NOTES FROM PERSONAL JOURNALS
In the beginning God commanded Adam to keep a book of
remembrance which is recorded in the Pearl of Great Price chapter
6 verses 5 and 6, this was religion.
God commanded to get a
In The Book of Mormon 1st Nephi.
record for Lehi children. Nephi also commanded to keep a record.
1935 June 1.
Indian Service made an offer to buy Moccasin for
$200,000.00
Oct. 13
Father gave us a sand patch to build a home 250 x 225.
1936 Feb. 23
Moved from Pipe Spring to Moccasin.
July 12
Set apart as 1st counselor to Chris Heaton in Branch
Presidency by Apostle (??).
1937 Branch Presidency started talking about a new building
Mar. 7
for church.
1939 Conference report in Kanab, 1939 - 68 marriages in Kanab
Feb. 10
Stake, 14 in temple. 50% were girls to non-members.
1940 Apr. 21
Called and set apart as one of the 85 quorum of 70's by
(?) K. Hardy.
Oct. 9
Ren and Jennie and family moved into one old home at
Moccasin.
Dec. 25
Big power plant was first in use at Moccasin.
1945 Mar. 16
Dec. 23
Frank Drye died last night.
Gary appendix operation.
1946 Aug. 28
Lowell went ward teaching for the first time with me to
Eds and Fathers homes.
152
Nov. 28
Ren and Jennie moved into Gilberts home.
1947 Jan. 7
Olives accident falling out of the car on way home from
taking children to school.
1947 notes on conference. There are 3 kinds of people.
1.
Those who make things happen.
2.
Those who watch things happen.
3.
Those who wonder what happened.
Aug. 24
Released from 85th quorum of 70's.
1949 June 8
Edna and I got stake mission call to the Indians.
Dec. 5
Claren said we don't need soap to wash with now we have
a new tap. The water was aerated and it looked like it had soap in
it.
1951 Sept. 2
Mother released as ward R.S. president and Leona C.
Heaton sustained in her place
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Leonard and Edna are very proud of their family, and their
many accomplishments. They with their children and their families
total seventy-seven.
Some of the talents, accomplishment and abilities of their
family members are:
Elders Quorum Counselor * Camp & Sports Director * Ward, Stake
Region Sports Official * Scoutmaster * Visiting Teacher *
Genealogy Ward Director, Chairman & Advisor * Stake mission * APYW
Laurel Advisor * Branch President Secretary * Waitress * Stake
High Council * Cougar Band * H.S. Student body Reporter * Farming
* 1st Counselor in Bishopric * Mountain Climbing * Jack-ofall=Trades * Seminary Secretary * Master Instructor in US Army *
Licensed Private Pilot * Seminary Vice President * Sunday School
Organist * Sunday School Chorister * Young Adult Representative *
Stake Sunday School Organist * Drama Director * Laurel Class
President * Mission Assistant Chorister * Dance Director * 4-H
153
member * Speech Director * Relief Society 2nd Counselor * Choir
Director * Pianist * BYU Music Awards * Branch President * Branch
Clerk * Finance Clerk * Guitarist * MIA President * Priest Quorum
Advisor * Teachers Quorum Advisor * Secretary * First convert
Baptism in Thailand * Army Captain * Bookkeeper * High Priest
Group Leader * PBX Operator * All State Band * High School Band *
Registered Civil Engineer * Mormon Youth Symphony * High School
Drum Major * Surveyor & Laurel President * Jr. Sunday School
Chorister * Chicken Farmer * Primary President Counselor &
Electronic Engineer * Electronics Teacher * H&R Block Tax Auditor
* Organist * Radio Announcer * Amateur Operator Radio Announcer *
Repair man * Meat Cutter * Baby sitter * Paper Carrier * Deacons
Quorum President * Paper Supervisor * Chemist * Math Teacher *
Teachers Quorum President * Election Judge * Den Chief * PTA
Secretary * Teachers Quorum Secretary * Scout Patrol Leader * Year
Book Staff and Photographer * Priests Quorum Secretary * First
Aider and Teacher * Home Nursing * Priests Quorum Secretary *
Physical Therapy * Genealogy Research * Store Clerk * Elders
Quorum Teacher * U P Laundry * H S Substitute Teacher of Math &
Chemistry * Home teacher * Mass Spectrometer Operator * Painter *
Welder * Ward Clerk * Sunday School Teacher * Jr. Sunday School
Coordinator Assistant * Primary Teacher * Elementary School
Teacher * Ward Librarian * Child Care * Photography * Beehive
Advisor * National Honor Society * Eagle Award * Electronics *
National Scout Award for Life Saving * Duty to God Award * Mission
* Lettermen for Football & Basketball * Cheerleader * Oboist *
Dutch LTM Teacher * Clarinetist * Dancing * Acrobats * Ballet * A
Clown * Built Sound & Light System * Letter lady in Tennis *
Racquet Ball * Relief Society Teacher * Architect * Assistant
Venturer Leader * Carpentry * College Orchestra * Music Recital
Award * Bee Hive 1st Counselor * Beehive Class President * 1st
Place in Deck Tennis & Soccer * Quilting * High School Orchestra *
Professional Dancer & Teacher of Dance * Artist * Little League
Baseball * Commercial Pilot * Mechanic * State Debate * Relief
Society President * John Phillip Sousa Band Award * Mother *
Relief Society 1st Counselor * Citizen of Brazil * Arrow of Light
Award * 100% attendance at Kindergarten * 1st Chair Tuba Player *
Book Worm * Sunday School Superintendent * General Contractor *
Home Economics Teacher * Sewing * Construction Supervisor and Area
Supervisor of Church Building in Brazil * Crocheting * PTO
Treasurer * 1st Place Math test & 10% of State Math Test *
Gardening * Bee Keeper * Played Saxophone * Flutes, Trumpets, Alto
Sax * Nurse * Trombone Player * Tenor Sax * Stake MIA Board *
Mechanic * Honor Roll * Father * Cub Master * Inventor * Relief
Society Secretary * Woodworking * Can Pronounce His Full Name *
Den Mother * Rainmaker Operator * ETC. ETC. ETC.
154
CHURCH
POSITIONS
Leonards first church position was in 1925 when he was put in
as Second Councilor to the Moccasin Branch Presidency.
The
President was Fred C. Heaton, Christopher C. Heaton first
councilor and Ed Heaton as clerk.
After that position he took
over teaching the deacons and all the Aaronic priesthood, until he
was released from the ward to become President of Kaibab Indian
Branch in the 1950's. Leonard taught all 7 of his own boys in the
Priesthood quorums at one time or other.
Clawson and Verdon
Heaton were the first boys to earn the individual awards. Until
1965 the Moccasin Ward had received 100% awards and the only ward
in the church that had that long of a continuous record.
Leonard was put in as ward clerk when Ed Heaton was made the
Bishop. There were very few records when he took the job and it
took nearly a year to get everything straightened up to where they
should have been. The reports had not been kept.
After Leonard's Dad, Charles, was sustained as Kanab Stake
President, Leonard was made Junior Seminary Director of the Kanab
Stake for 2 years. His duties were to see that there were Junior
Seminaries organized near the schools in Fredonia, Kanab,
Glendale, Orderville and Alton.
Prior to this time the classes
were called Religion classes then changed to Junior Seminaries,
for 2 year courses and later 4 year courses.
After being Junior Seminary Director Leonard was put in the
Quorum of 70's, Seven Presidents of 70's in the 85th Quorum of
70's in the Kanab Stake for 10 years.
During this time he was
called on a stake mission.
The circumstances surrounding Leonard being made a seventy
are related by him, "John H. Taylor was in Kanab for a conference
and had ordained several men as seventies. For some reason I went
to where Elder Taylor was, as I had met him in St. George before
and wanted to visit with him a few minutes. I was sitting there
after all the other men left, except my Dad and Brother Taylor
said "Why is Leonard sitting there?"
I said, "I just wanted to
say hello to you." Brother Taylor turned to my Dad and said "Is
he worthy to be made a seventy?" Dad said "Well I guess he is, he
is my son."
Brother Taylor said, "Well come up here and I'll
ordain you a seventy. We can't ordain him a seventy unless there
is someplace to call him on a mission." Dad said, "He's working
out to Pipe." Brother Taylor said, "That's just as good a place
as anywhere."
So I was called on a mission and ordained a
seventy.
Leonard was also in charge of the mutual during his time in
the branch presidency.
155
The problems in the ward or branch then are much the same as
the present. Some people will do all the work and some won't do
anything. The biggest problem was getting the men to come out to
church on Sunday instead of going out to ride the range. During
the spring and fall round up they always choose to start the ride
on Sunday Morning.
Leonard father as cattle inspector tried to
quit going out and inspect cattle on Sunday.
It took a lot of
years to accomplish this.
GRANDMA'S CHEERY TREE
In a Sacrament and Testimony meeting one spring day, shortly
after we had moved from the old school house into the mostly
finished new chapel down the lane.
Your Grandmother Edna R.
Heaton got up and described a cheery tree across the road in Uncle
Fred's field.
It had been left to grow by itself into a tall perfectly
shaped tree from the ground to the top, a straight trunk, limbs in
perfect order and every year at blooming time the tree was but a
Very few green leaves could be
mass of white cherry blossoms.
seen. But as the season progressed the cherries formed we hoped
would be large juicy red cherries.
To our disappointment the
cherries turned a bright red with only the red skin and a large
pit inside. Not even the birds would eat.
Grandma likened the cherry tree to a lot of us who dress
beautiful, had good manners, like to be seen but would not put
forth any effort in church work, community projects, or become
useful to others around us, just going our individual ways. And
being of no benefit to our brothers and sisters.
We must prove ourselves good for something or be cast out as
rubbish.
SUNDAY DO'S AND DON'TS
When I was growing here at Moccasin in the teenage years,
there was a set of rules we lived by.
I don't think they were
ever written down and they must of been handed down from my
Grandparents and sometime before to our parents and on to us
children. Some of these rules started Saturday night.
Like getting our shoes cleaned, then polished black by
turning the stove lid upside down, putting a little water on the
black soot, taking a brush that had set of bristles round about
three or two inches across which we dipped into the soot and water
156
blacking our shoes with the mixture then turning the brush over
and using the other side three by six inches bristles to polish
them. Then take a bath in the old number three tin tub.
Sunday morning doing the chores, milk the cows, feed the
horses, pigs, sheep, cows and chickens, while ma and the girls got
breakfast and the family knelt around the table for family prayer.
Dishes cleaned up, change clothes to our Sunday best.
Then to
the school house for Sunday School from 10 to 12 at first we only
had two classes, adults and children grandma was the children's
teacher.
For a while sacrament meeting was not held so we boys were
free for the afternoon.
To do mostly as we pleased, but no
swimming or going near the water, leave your gun's in the closets.
No hunting, no work unless a fence was down and cattle getting
into the field. But we could go hiking on the hills, in canyons,
field's, ride our horses out in the pastures, chase wild horses or
cows. In the evening the chores were done, gather at home, play
games of many sorts even rook or pit. Or we would read stories
form church magazines or juvenile instructor, Era, children
friend.
Anyway our Sundays were always closed with family prayer
around the supper table.
A PARABLE OF TWO TRAVELERS
There was once two men living in the country side by side who
knew each other well and often spoke of their desire to visit a
foreign country together.
They were industrious, honorable
citizens, well respected for their truthfulness, honesty in all
their dealings with other people. Just good men.
In time they had saved enough money to make their trip to the
foreign country.
One of the men went to the embassy of the country they
intended to visit to get his passport filling out the forms that
were required, the kind of person he was and that he would cause
no trouble for the government and the citizens during his visit.
Thus he had the stamp of approval by the official of the country
on his passport that he was an acceptable citizen and welcome to
the country. He then went to the transportation ticket office and
bought his plane ticket he had thus met all requirements for an
enjoyable vacation and visit.
The other man in his rush to get his place in order to leave
forgot to get his passport of approval before leaving, hurriedly
got his plane ticket and both men boarded the plane together.
But when they arrived at the airport in the foreign country
they were both checking through customs everything was ok except
when asked to show the official their passports.
The first man
157
drew his from his coat pocket, the official checked it and found
it to be in order in every signature of the official stating that
he was acceptable and worthy to visit into the land.
The second man who had forgotten to get his passport was also
asked for the passport of approval and said he had forgot but said
he had lived with the first man who could vouch for him. But the
official said we need the signature of our official in your
country to verify your statements. Then you will have to return
home for the passport or stay in this detention home until we can
secure the needed signature and passport from your country.
How like this is with people here on earth and when the time
comes at death they expect to go back into the presence of Christ
and God. They may have lived a very honorable life avoiding evil
and sin of all kinds, have been honest and truthful in their
dealings with their fellow men. Some had met all the requirements
God has placed here for us as a passport into His presence as
baptism, priesthood ordinances, temple marriage, tithing and
offering, which entitles him to a passport stamped by those in
authority God has appointed to here on earth.
Others have lived just a good life among his fellow men, but
did not get his passport so to speak stamped by Gods authorized
authority to enter his Kingdom. The first person the guard ok'd,
the second has to wait in the detention home until the authorized
passport is received from earth.
A NO-MAN'S LAND CHRISTMAS
During world war one when the American "Dough" Boys were in
the trenches in the winter of 1918 facing the German army of Hun's
(these terms were used to describe the two opposing armies).
It was cold, stormy Christmas season, soldiers on both sides
in the trenches some places only 50 or 100 yards apart and could
hear voices of each other.
Men lonely and thinking of home and
loved ones. To pass the time away the dough boys started to play
the harmonica and sing Christmas carols.
Shortly over no man's
land came the same carols sung in German.
After a few songs were sung between the two groups a flag of
truce was waved above the trench banks from the American side.
Not long after from the German side was seen a flag of truce.
Both being white.
Leaving their guns in the trenches the dough
boys climbed out and from the German side also soldiers came to
meet the Americans. So in the middle of no man's land a Christmas
party was held in which soldiers rations and other personal gifts
were exchanged, more songs sung.
A signal from the German trenches was received in which the
Huns bid goodbye. Saying "Hurry back to your trenches because we
158
have to begin shooting at you, for this is war. But I don't think
we will hit any one." So a friendly Christmas was had between to
celebrate the birth of our Savior by two different nations at war.
This story I heard a veteran of world war one tell years ago
some 10 or 15 years after the party.
159
INDIAN MISSION
Leonard and Edna's mission to the Indians started long before
they were called formally. While living at Pipe Springs Leonard
was on the school board. There was a school for the Indian at the
Indian village; however, a couple of the little kids decided to
build a fire in the 'play' fireplace in the play house, and burned
the entire school down. They wanted to sent the Indian children
to Moccasin to school but the folks in Moccasin wouldn't hear of
it.
They were very bitter.
The Indian kids finished school in
the commissary or old church building. The following year all the
Indian Children were to be sent to White Rock in Roosevelt Utah
for school. Two or three of the children did not go because they
hid out and the parents wouldn't find them.
The children were
very tiny and the parents just didn't want their little kids being
sent off. After the bus left to take the others to Roosevelt the
2 or 3 kids came out of hiding. So... Leonard and Edna would stop
and pick them up and take them to school along with their own
children. When Edna was put in the Primary association and had to
take her own kids too, she would pick up the Indians and take them
to Primary also.
Their formal mission call came in about 1948,
and was supposed to be for 2 years.
No one ever got around to
setting them apart for a 2 year mission and they have never
officially been released from it.
They were called on a stake
mission at that time.
When Leonard and Edna started taking the Indians to church
there was a strong objection. (They were too dirty). Before that
the Indians did not go to church except for the Bible classes held
by a Mr. Wyant. No missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints had gone to the Indians before.
After
Leonard and Edna were called to work with the Indians, 1 or 2
years after, two other couples were called to work with the
Indians, 1 or 2
years after, two other couples were called to
help them but had very little success. Sometimes the missionaries
would come and sometimes they wouldn't.
No one else had much
success at getting into the Indians homes.
Leonard can go
anywhere and can get along with no trouble at all.
Even today
there are a few white people from that area that can't get into
their homes.
The Indians will come out and shut their doors to
talk.
Isabelle told Leonard that Claudina, her daughter, said,
"When Leonard dies we're going to have a 'big sing' for him, he is
just as much one of us as anyone else."
One of the many incidence to show the trust the Indians have
in Leonard, happened while he was living at Pipe Springs.
The
Indians were having a drunken brawl in their village.
Several
160
officers were there Owen Johnson, Slim Lathem and 2 or 3 other
fellows. None of the officers would go into to the village, they
stood and argued back and forth. For some reason Leonard went up
to Moccasin and stopped to see what was going on. Someone asked
what he was doing up here. Leonard told them he was on his way to
Moccasin for something, then he turned and walked over to the
Indians and asked them what the trouble was.
They answered
something about going to be locked up and they started to fight.
Leonard said, "Well let's all go home and forget about it. Pretty
soon they all went home and Leonard told the officers to go on
home too, the Indians won't be bothering anyone else tonight.
Other times the Indians would be in a fight and Leonard would
walk up to them and talk to them and they would quiet down and
leave.
Whenever an Indian died Edna was always asked to make bread
for after the 'sings'.
They would furnish the flour and grease
and yeast and Edna would spend all day before the funeral making
10 to 12 loaves of bread for them.
Charlie Chasis was old and sick just before he died. It was
cold and stormy and his family couldn't find him.
Glendora and
Claudina had been hunting for him as he had left home. Charlie's
wife, Maggie, said he had gone out to die. Leonard and his son
Gary went out and tracked Old Charlie down.
They found him
against the fence by one of the south fields, south of Moccasin.
He had tried to crawl through the fence and got his clothes caught
and stayed there overnight. Leonard and Gary took turns carrying
him back, then took him to the hospital in Kanab, where Charlie
Chasis died 2 or 3 days later of exposure.
THE SUPAI MISSION CALLING
About the first of June 1973, a Sunday morning, Brother Green
called Leonard and Edna and asked them to be in Kanab at 2:00 PM
for a meeting with the Stake President. At that meeting President
Washburn said, "We are looking form someone in an emergency to
fill in the Supai Arizona for agricultural work. How soon can you
be ready?" Leonard asked, "How soon do you want us?" "By the end
of the week," answered President Washburn. "How long do you need
to think it over?"
Leonard and Edna sat a few minutes then
Leonard said, "I guess we can do it."
President Washburn said,
"OK, I'll call President Tingey."
Leonard and Edna were ready and left the following Wednesday
or Thursday. They drove to Page Arizona and met President Tingey
and President Washburn for instructions on how to get to their new
assignment. Leonard asked, "Will this be a full time mission or
just a fill in?" They were told just a fill in as a substitute
161
until someone else could be called, and that they would be there 6
weeks to 2 months.
This call was part of the Brigham Young University Farm
Program, to help the Indians learn to provide food stuff for
themselves and not have to depend entirely on the small store.
After Leonard and Edna arrived in Supai they discovered that
they would be staying longer than they were told. They stayed 5
months that first summer, from June 7 to November 1, 1973.
Leonard had no tractor to use, as he had to spend most of him time
trying to fix up the old one that was there and that had been run
into the river a few times; because, it had no brakes. The next
spring a new tractor was in and Leonard and Edna went back for one
month, March 1st to April Conference. They were replaced by
Brother and Sister Holdaway.
The time spent on this call to the Supai Indians offered many
experiences. It is a very long and dry drive to the edge of the
Grand Canyon and the trail down into the little village. There is
only one trail down and only two ways to take the trail, by foot
or by horseback. The only other way down is by helicopter. The
trail starts off on very steep switchbacks then levels off some in
the bottom of a dry creek. It takes about 4 hours to reach the
village. Leonard and Edna's first trip was on horse back. All of
their belongings, which included a portable Hoover washer were
packed in on pack mules. This first trip was the only trip in or
out they made on horses. They were more comfortable and found it
easier on themselves to make it by foot. Their house was a small
4 room house with plumbing for a kitchen sink and shower, but they
had an "out house" out back. Edna took a toaster oven and learned
to bake bread and anything else that needed baking in this small
oven. They had a two burner hot plate and an electric fry pan.
There was a refrigerator in the house so it was a fairly
comfortable little house.
There were two missionaries in Supai
and they were very happy to have Leonard and Edna there.
They
especially were happy about the washer. The missionaries had to
wash their clothes in the river before this time.
The scenery down in the canyon is extremely beautiful. Edna
commented that it seemed to her like the Garden of Eden must have
been. Lush green growth, a beautiful blue watered river, and the
red cliffs rising high above them.
One interesting happening Edna tells is about an old mule.
Probably the biggest mule she has ever seen. When this particular
mule is coming down the trail or where ever it is and its starts
to bray, it sounds like a train, it starts soft and gets louder
and louder and then it echoes off the canyon walls and sounds more
and more like a train.
Three of Leonard and Edna's family came for a short visit
while there in the canyon.
Labor Day weekend Millicent and her
162
husband Alan hiked in and stayed overnight. They didn't fair as
well as Leonard and Edna did on their first walk in. A couple of
weeks later Claren "ran" down the trail to bring the sad news of
their son Sherwin's wife, Naina's death.
Luke, their oldest
grandchild came down with a group and Duke another grandson came
down with the Moccasin scouts once.
Due to Leonard health and concern of their children they
requested that they be replaced as soon as possible.
One of Edna's desires is to have as many of her children as
possible take a trip with them back down into the canyon and see
the beautiful place they enjoyed for those 6 months.
163
SCOUTING
THEY WILL OBEY
This incident happened Sunday at the base of the Washington
Monument, where all the Scouts at the Jamboree had assembled for
church services. There had been several speakers on the platform,
I do not remember them all. Scout Director James E. West, John D.
Gilds, LDS some other denomination speakers. When the Arch Bishop
of the American Catholic Church was called upon to address the
scouts.
For some reason some one started to clap when the Bishop
stood up and soon the majority of the scouts were clapping and
shouting. The Bishop let it go for a minute or two, but when he
tried to quite the scouts it only increased. Mr West stood up to
quite the scouts, then another man got up but the clapping and
shouting had got out of hand.
Setting in the back row of those on the platform was a man
from Utah, LDS, Brother Oscar A. Kirkam, the LDS Church director
of scouting at the time. When he saw that they were not listening
to the other men, he stood up and walked to the front and said in
his deep base voice that could be heard by everyone, "Boys."
Looking out over the congregation holding up his hands.
Those
boys up in front quieted and the silence spread to the back of the
crowd, not a word was heard. Brother Kirkam then said, "We have a
program we would like to finish, so lets be quiet and listen." He
then sat down and the service continued.
I have always felt it was the power of the Priesthood that
Brother Kirkam held that spoke to the boys that Sunday afternoon.
So live boys that the Priesthood can speak through you when it
moves you to do so.
These four stories and events were the high light of my 1937
Scout Jamboree to Washington D.C. in June and July.
They have helped me to know that scouting if lived and
practiced will get you by in most any situation. I have tried to
pattern my life after the scout oath and law.
You do the same
boys and girls and you won't go far wrong.
C. Leonard Heaton
March, 20, 1987
THE SCOUTER
Leonard starting in the scouting program in 1920 in St.
George. While he was in Idaho with the Coxes, he helped with the
scouts and when he returned home from Idaho he started a troop in
Moccasin.
Leonard earned the eagle scout award, as did his son
164
Clawson. Since then Clawson's son Rex and Lowell's son Michael,
have both attained the eagle scout award.
A little background that led to Leonard position as scout
commissioner is this. Leonard got a lease from the Park Service
to build a service station, and he was also to look after the
place. To make it legal Leonard was paid $1.00 a month, to show
on the government roll that there was an official there.
This
continues until 1931.
The Mt. Carmel road was finished and all
the travel went that direction. There were many days that Leonard
did not sell any gas, and sometimes 10 to 15 gallons just to the
homesteaders. The Park Director came to Pipe Springs and Leonard
told him that if you want me to stay here you will have to pay me
a wage. The Park official said "We'll get you the money and you
can work it out." The first year Leonard received $500.00 to buy
materials and for his own labor on the fort. The next fiscal year
he started receiving $75.00 a month. It seemed a lot of money in
those days during the depression. At this time Leonard was made
Commissioner of the Kanab Scout District.
The Stake President
called Leonard over to the High Council Meeting to talk about it.
Brother Meeks said, "He's (Leonard) got the biggest salary in the
country, income from the government and more time to spend than
anybody, so we'll put Leonard Heaton in as commissioner of the
scouts."
That was the biggest money to hear anybody say, you
would have thought no one else in the world had ever had a salary.
They thought we had chiseled somewhere to get that money.
Leonard had scout training, and always went to scout meeting
with his father. While he was in school he was a scout master,
assistant scout master, a first class scout before going to
school.
He took training courses and went back to the Scout
Jamboree in 1937.
Leonard was gone on the Jamboree for about 3
weeks. The last part of June and over the 4th of July. (Edna got
along fine with all the kids at home, 6 children.)
There was to be a world jamboree in Washington D.C. in 1935,
but an epidemic of polio stated in the East and the President,
President Franklin Roosevelt canceled the jamboree. He was afraid
that polio would spread all over.
Later it was learned that he
canceled the jamboree just to show that he could do what he wanted
to do in the United States. There was no epidemic in Washington
at all. President Roosevelt had polio himself. Kanab had had 32
boys registered to go back to the Jamboree in 1935. Grant Heaton,
Owen Johnson were to represent Moccasin and Leonard was to be the
scout master. There were boys from every troop. But when it was
decided to try another jamboree, Leonard was the only one from the
Kanab district that would go. He tried to get the boys to go, but
they were disappointed in the other one and wouldn't even try to
prepare to go this time. Leonard was the scout master of Troop 32
of the Utah Parks Council that went back to Washington D.C. The
165
trip fee was $225.00, $35.00 was refundable when they returned
home. "The finance man for the trip was a railroad man. Because
of his job as a railroad man in Provo he knew how to make short
cuts on the schedule and could get up where we wanted to go,
quicker than otherwise. He had arranged the train schedules all
the way back going and coming, so we got to see a lot of different
places, that we couldn't have otherwise. Some of the sights and
towns were, Provo to Denver, Chicago, Detroit, across Canada to
Niagara Falls, by boat to Albany, to New York City, stayed 3 days
in New York. We went to Palmyra and saw the first pageant on Hill
Cumorah ever staged. The pageant was not held on the hill but on
the roof of the information center building.
I met two lady
missionaries there and later one of them came to Kanab and taught
school. From Palmyra we went down to Washington D.C. and stayed
about 5 days.
Our route back took us into Kansas, Independence
Missouri, and straight to Denver. All the boys in my troop were
LDS, there were a few non-mormon boys with us; but, they went to
the church history sights along with the rest.
One incident that occurred while in Washington D.C. that was
surprising, was at a Sunday service where about 7000 scouts met
There were different
around the foot of Washington Monument.
religious speakers to talk, but the most prominent were James E.
West, scout executive and the most prominent Catholic Bishop in
the United States. When they got up to announce that the Bishop
was to talk, those that were Catholic started to clap and shout.
James E. West got up and tried to quiet them down, so as to go on
with the program, two or three others tried to quiet the group,
but to no good. Oscar A. Kirkam was setting on the stand towards
the back and he got up and picked up the microphone and said "All
right boys lets quiet down..." by the time he got through speaking
there wasn't a sound among all those boys. Oscar Kirkam was the
most outstanding scouter in the United States and in the Church.
We saw President Roosevelt as he passed down the street. He
had the boys line up on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue and the
President went by in a car. We visited the Lincoln Monument, the
Washington Monument, the statue of Liberty and climbed clear up to
the torch. We spent a lot of time sight seeing around Washington.
At the Smithsonian Institute we lost 2 or 3 boys. We were told
that if you spent just 10 seconds at each display in the entire
museum it would take us 10 years to see all of it.
Leonard brought home a little silver donkey toothpick holder,
from Denver Colorado and he wrote cards to Edna and the boys about
every day from the different places. It took the letters about 1
week to come to Moccasin, and about 5 days to 1 week to come from
Washington D.C. to Salt Lake City.
Leonard took his scouts on many outings. One particular time
Leonard recalls, "We had planned to go on an outing at Duck Creek
166
or the Cave Lakes on Cedar Mountain, but couldn't get any of the
men to go.
I was going to take the boys form Moccasin and
somebody called from Kanab to see if I was going and I said, "Yes,
I'm taking my boys up." "Well can my boy go to?" "Yes if he wants
The word got around in Kanab and as result 'If Leonard
to."
Heaton is going up then my boys can go and before we got to Cedar
Mountain I had all the boys from Kanab too, alone. The men would
bring them up and leave, so I was there with boys from Alton,
Kanab, Orderville, and Fredonia, as well as my own troop.
MY DIARY OF A BOY SCOUT JAMBOREE, 1937.
(copied from a loose-leaf notebook, March 12, 1987.)
AN ACCOUNT OF A BOY SCOUT JAMBOREE TRIP.
June 20. Left home at 8:00. Wife and children drove to Kanab
where I caught the bus at 10:00. Arrived at Provo at 5:35. Had my
pack and duffle bag full. Was a hot trip up. Only 10 most of the
way. Called at Chief Anderson's place and was invited to stay with
him tonight. We talked of some of my experiences.
June 21. Was up at 5:30 and took a walk around town to get some
exercise. Everybody busy getting things ready and in shape to go
at 1:30. Scouts assembled at the BYU where we set up our tents to
give the boys an idea of what they are to do at Washington. All
duffle bags were hauled to the train at 4:00. We put on our packs
with stuff, marched to the train some 10 blocks. Started to rain
just as we got there. It was sure a thrilling sight to see 130
boys and men walking down the street carrying tokens of peace
rather than of war.
Well we got away at 5:10 and a happy bunch of boys. Some of the
boys first train ride. Swell cars and one troop to the car.
June 22. Visiting hours, 10:00 to 11:00.
Moral period at 10:00 to 12:00.
Patrol Leaders Council, 9:00.
Troop Officers meeting.
Dinner.
Moral staff, 10:00 to 10:30.
Staff, 10:30 to 11:00.
Rest till 2:00.
Patrol time, 2:00 to 3:00.
Road show to
Visiting hours, 3:00 to 4:00.
Moral period, 4:00 to 5:30.
167
Moral committee, 5:30.
June 23. Arrived in Chicago at 9:00 a.m. Had breakfast on the
train. Went directly to the stockyards where we spent the forenoon
looking at the plant. Then ate dinner at The Libby Restaurant.
From there we got on the busses and took a ride around Chicago to
see the sights and to the National Ball game between the Cubs and
Giants. Cubs won 8 to 4. Supper at one of the depots. Then to a
show till 11:00. Chicago Theater not a very good show for my back.
Back to the Central Union Station where we had to wait till
after 1:00. We picked up Salt Lake City and Ogden and Idaho boys.
June 24. From 11:30 p.m. last night we travelled from Chicago
to the Ford Museum & Auto Plant at Dearborn where we arrived at
7:00 a.m. Spent the forenoon in visiting the Greenfield Village
some 300 acres of land on which is being located a lot of old
buildings of history as well as relics of all kinds in one big
building. Showing the progress of industry. Then we went to the
Ford Cafe for lunch. At 12:30 we started on a tour of one of
Ford's assembly plants and saw how his cars were made and
assembled. Back to the train at 2:00 when we counted Troop 28 we
found 1 boy short and until we got to Detroit we thought he had
been left. But he had gotten on a car at the rear and could not
get through the baggage car.
We left Detroit about 2:30 passing under the river into Canada
where we were for 3 hours till we got to Niagara Falls. Stopped on
the Canada side for 5 minutes then on to U.S. for supper. Gave the
boys their freedom for the evening. Staying at a hotel tonight.
Had a good bath.
The country through which we travelled today was covered with
grass and trees. I have tried to imagine how this looked 73 to 100
years ago when the white men first came into this part. We passed
several wooded sections that looked like it might be as it was a
long time ago and I can now understand why one had to blaze a
trail if he wanted to come this way again. So much undergrowth and
grasses as well as rain. No high hills by which one can be
directed.
June 25. Was up early this morning out of the hotel. Just about
left my glasses there and had to hurry to catch the train. Stopped
at Rochester and went through the Kodak factory. Was there 3
hours--a wonderful place, only wished I could stay longer. Had
lunch then went to Palmyra where we were met by the Scouts there
and marched into town where we were given instructions for the
rest of the day. Was loaded into cars and trucks and taken out to
Joseph Smith's farm where I saw the room in which the angel
168
appeared to him, also the fireplace where the plates were hidden
(Book of Mormon) and a lot of articles he used.
Then we went to the Sacred Grove for a meeting and heard some
very inspiring talks from our leaders. Walked back to the farm for
lunch, then started out to the Hill Cumorah by walking which is 2
1/2 miles from the farm. Was picked up by a car before we got
there. Went immediately to the top and what a beautiful view of
the hills and valleys around. Such a place could only be selected
for the resting place for sacred records as the Book of Mormon.
A wonderful sunset we witnessed. Just a ball of golden fire
sinking in the West. Had always thought the hill was round, but it
is some 240 yards long running north and south covered with grass
and a lot of new trees planted a year or so ago.
About 8 p.m. a meeting was begun with several speakers. Then a
pageant given by the Elders of the Eastern States Mission on the
life of the Prophet from boyhood to the organization of the
church. At the close the flood lights was turned on. And what a
sight it was to see that marble shaft with the figure of the Angel
Moroni standing out in the clear sky. One feels more deeply the
greatness of the vision and work the Prophet received. I surely
wish that I could live a better life.
Eleven years ago today I with my wife were married in the St.
George Temple. 11 years of joy and a little sorrow, lots of
happiness. I hope we can have many more years of such joyous life.
June 26. Boarded the train at 11:00 p.m. at Palmyra and headed
for Albany where we took the river boat "Robert Fulton" for New
York. Got on the boat at 9:00 a.m. with some 800 people. Had a
good time, just turned the boys loose and what fun they had going
from one end to the other. Arrived in New York at 6:00 where some
scouts on special duty met us, as well as Merrill Christopherson.
We went directly to the Automat where each boy was given 50 cents
to buy what he wanted to eat by putting a nickel in a slot (out
came the eats). Then to the Victoria Hotel carrying our bags,
about 16 blocks. Some got a bath, then up to Radio City, where we
saw how radio was produced and sent out on the air. Back to the
hotel and to bed at 12:00 p.m.
June 27. Held a staff conference most all morning so did not
get to go to all the places we wanted to. But was given $23.00 for
each patrol for the day's expenses. We took in the following
places with Scout Edwards as guide.
(No record kept for rest of June 27 or June 28.)
June 29. Left New York this morning at 9:00 a.m. by bus for the
B&O Railway. Had a 20 minute ride on the ferry to the station.
Then boarded the train at 11:00 a.m. for Washington. On the same
169
train we had some French scouts who sang some of their songs and
we sang some of ours as well as practiced songs we are to sing
while in camp.
Arrived in camp at 3:30 a new location, section J, which is
said to be a better place as it does not get so muddy when it
rains.
We started to set up our camp placing the boys in patrols as
shown in the diagram on the following page. Before camp was all up
it started to rain and some of the tents leaked so most of the
boys moved into the kitchen. All the stuff was not ready for us
and we got started off on the wrong foot, only one table and we
tried to feed the boys in patrols. Lots of dissatisfaction. But we
finally got them fed and to bed about 11:00 p.m.
June 30. Spent most of the day resetting camp and cleaning our
camp after the rain last night. Indian patrol has charge of the
kitchen today and have managed very well with only one table and
everyone grumpy and don't want to work.
Was all day getting things straightened out so we could get
going.
Rules were made so that boys should not leave camp without a
pass and with a scout. Some other rules were made to help with our
camp life. Missed out on some of the hikes as the boys would not
do what they were told to--get ready.
Tonight all scouts met at the foot of the Washington Monument.
Some 26,000 boys and men. One grand opening program...speeches and
fine opening ceremony by Indians. Gee but it is thrilling to see
all these young men on peace parade.
July 2. Rained a little this morning and one or two of the boys
got a little wet. Some of their tent pegs pulled out. Also the
strings broke. Otherwise most of the boys are in good spirit and
wanting to do things.
The arrow patrol has the work of getting the meals ready today.
They have done a fairly good job. One or two of the group will not
do as told and I had to get after them to see that they did their
share of the work.
In the forenoon, part of us took a hike up by the Lincoln
Monument and some of the government buildings. We were quite
disappointed in this trip as we did not get to see inside or get
much information about them.
I don't blame the boys for feeling that they are being cheated
and don't want to obey the rules and regulations that they have
for us here. They are not getting what we thought they would get.
The boys surely are a problem for me and I don't know just how
I am going to come out with them. I sometimes think I am a
complete failure.
170
We put up the Utah National Park Council entrance sign today
after many days of delay. Still have a bit of work to do to finish
up.
Went to the 2 and 4 region scout display last night which was
thrilling to see 1 or 2 thousand boys going through scouting
stunts and activities. There was pageants of early settlements of
America, Washington's time, first aid, games, camping and last the
making of a flag with the boys, some 200 boys.
July 3. Another very pleasant day.
(Things that did not come back from the laundry for our troop.)
Ray--1 shorts, 1 towel, 1 pr. pajamas.
Glen Snarr--2 handkerchiefs, 1 pr. socks, 2 towels.
Ellis Watson--1 towel, 2 shorts, 2 shirts, 1 pr. socks, 1
washcloth.
Howard Brown--1 handkerchief, 1 pr. socks.
George Beardall--1 sock, 1 shirt, 1 towel, 1 neckerchief.
Dan Hunter--1 pr. socks, 1 shorts.
Keith Ercanbrach--1 sock.
Kay Jacobs--1 pr. socks.
Mark Edikings-Leonard Heaton--2 pr. socks, 1 unionsuit, 2 towels, 1
handkerchief.
July 4. A very nice Sabbath Day got the boys up and left 3 here
to guard camp while the rest went to the Mormon Chapel for Sunday
School. Some 350 scouts attended. Bro. Kirkam, Bro. Ballard and
Pres. Clark were the speakers. Had a picture taken of all scouts
and scouters taken by the church and home by 12:00.
Didn't do anything in the afternoon as all my assistant S.M.
are away so had the boys to take care of.
At 6:30 we formed in line and marched to the arena for a
religious meeting which was very good. Pres. (Reuben J.) Clark
sure knew how to preach to the people and make them like it. Back
to camp by 9:00. Had a lecture of Utah Council about our part on
the closing pageant, July 8.
Last night someone wanted our neckerchief fence more than we
and took 18 from us. We took the fence down tonight.
The boys sure are noisy and will not mind very well. Guess I
don't know how to handle boys the right way.
July 5. Rained in the night and up to about 10:00 a.m., making
everything wet and muddy so that we couldn't do much. The boys are
getting so that I don't know what to do to get them to see the
city and do their work. They all want to go different ways or they
won't go at all.
171
In the afternoon I with 3 other boys went uptown to look around
and into a museum walking for 2 hours in the building and did not
get to see all of it. Just too much to see in this city when I
have to see the boys get their wishes partly filled. Don't feel so
good tonight so didn't go over to the arena for the fireworks at
first. Walked over later. They sure have a lot of them every
night. Can't see how they make them burn the way they do.
Everyone in bed and happy. One boy has his tent down so that he
is now sleeping with another boy because his can't be put up
again. I sure hope we have some good weather from now on.
July 6. Cloudy most all day, threatening rain part of the time
but didn't rain. Had to rush things this morning to get ready for
the Mt. Vernon trip by boat. Left here at 7:45 a.m. some 3 to 4
thousand scouts went to Mt. Vernon. There was so large a crowd
that I did not enjoy myself very much. Couldn't see things as I
would have liked to. The place surely is a wonderful place and is
well planned for convenience to control.
Back home for dinner. Some of the boys forgot to do their dish
woshing, before taking the heater stake back. So just about missed
out on the dinner. I have a lot of trouble with the boys issuing
them passes. It sure will be a relief to get home where I won't
have the responsibility of the boys.
Afternoon I went uptown and called on Bro. Thomson of the
N.P.S. for a few minutes. Enjoyed the visit very much. He asked me
out to lunch tomorrow at 12:15. I want to get to see more of the
park officials.
Went over to the arena tonight to see some of the scouts do
their stuff. They were good only they made it to long showing off
their bands in marching. The last scene was great. Woodsmen,
pioneers, Indians and scouts in one great campfire. And then some
fire to end it up.
I hope we have some good weather the last 3 days so that we can
enjoy ourselves more.
Clear tonight and all is well.
July 7. After the morning work was over we got the lunch
together and went up to the F.B.I. building by special invitation
of a Utah man and was shown how records were kept of criminals and
the way that were used.
I left the group early as to get ready for the luncheon with
Bro. Thompson and George Carlson and another man. Had a good
dinner then went to the Interior Building where I spent about 2
hours visiting park officials. Called on Miss Story and Directors
Tollson and Demeray, Dr. Pinell and a lot of other officials.
Back to camp in time to take part in the practice of our part.
172
Got a call from Director Camerer but could not get to talk with
him as I was too late in getting to the phone. Will call tomorrow.
Sure want to meet him.
The arena show tonight was very good, all well and happy.
July 8. Was up early this morning getting the boys up and ready
for the President's review at 10:00. It sure has been hot today.
Some 26,000 boys and men in scout uniform stood at attention on
Constitution Ave. while the president and some 20 odd officials
drove between the ranks. Then we marched to the arena to practice
our part for the show tonight.
Boys and men just about blew up it was so hot. Could not hardly
get anything done. A lot of boys ran away, hunting the shade.
I got some cloth for our Indian part and had the boys wait till
after supper to get ready. And there was a lot that refused to
take part till they saw the rest getting made up and then we could
hardly hold the boys back.
We made up most of the boys, just had breech cloth and
feathers, here in camp and moved to the arena some 3/4 or 1 mile
away.
Had to wait till almost 10 before we came on the stage. The
Utah National Parks took the part of Indians attacking the Mormons
and Pres. Young making peace by feeding them. There was a grand
parade of the World Jamboree Scouts. 878 boys and the visiting
scouts from foreign nations. Sure was a grand sight.
Had a slight touch of sore throat tonight. So took a good
shower and to bed at 11:30.
Fireworks tonight were not so good.
July 9. Was up before the rest getting my things packed and
things gathered up. The boys started packing as soon as they woke
up and wanted to go uptown. As I had promised that they could go
after we had the camp cleaned up. Took us till 10:30 to get out of
camp. Cleaned equipment, checked in and ready to go. Trucks came
for our packs at 10:00. Ate dinner at 11:00 a.m. and then most of
the boys went uptown to see a few more places that they hadn't got
around to see. Told them that they must be back at 2:00 or they
may get left.
I made a call to Director Camerer for a few minutes. He is a
nice, pleasant man. Would have liked to stay longer but he really
is busy. We got away from camp at 5:00 p.m. One boy was almost
left as he did not get back until we were loading on the busses.
Left Washington at about 5:00 p.m. on a fairly good train with
some Colorado scouts.
I have had a fairly good time at the Jamboree but would like to
see more of the city but I guess any of the S.M. didn't get to see
much more. One thing one does not want to go to Washington with a
173
crowd if he wants to see the sights, especially as a scoutmaster
of a troop of boys.
July 10. We surely had a tough trip last night and today lots
of stops and a slow train was only 7 hours behind time and missed
the ball game of St. Louis. Just had time to eat supper and then
we went to a show which was very good. Lots of fun and good morals
in them. Back on the train at 11:45.
The country from Washington D.C. was wooded and quite hilly.
Some rocky bluffs about 40 to 70 feet high. But most of the land
was covered with vegetation. Not so much farming as I expected or
fruit trees. Didn't see many cattle or sheep.
Some of the boys let their roughing get the best of them and
began to hit in earnest. I got them to stop, but before it was
over one of them knocked my glasses and broke one of the sides
off. I can still wear them but will not stay on very well. There
has been an undercurrent of unrest and teasing getting hold of the
boys and I hope we can stop before any fights really occur.
Otherwise we are o.k. Wishing things will be better on the next
trip.
July 11. Had a better train last night and today. Stopped at
Independence for breakfast given by the Relief Society of the LDS.
A very fine breakfast. Then we were conducted on a tour through
the city by President Woodruff. Saw the printing press where the
first D & C was printed and destroyed by the mob. The courthouse
where Joseph Smith was tried several times. Also the temple lot
and square. Went through the Reorganized Church building, is
large, uncompleted and barn-looking.
Had some Sunday services in the temple lot then back to the
train and to Kansas City where we went in swimming and 2 hours
seeing the city. It surely is a wonderful planned city, the new
part. Back on train at 3:40 and headed for home.
Cars a bit better but the food about the same, ham and eggs and
a potato for every meal.
This evening we had an amateur hour in which most of the boys
gave some songs or stunts, sure went over good. Boys are getting
tired of just riding and anything is good now.
Two or three of the boys let their play get the best of them
and a fight developed in which I was called to stop and in doing
so my glasses broke. There has been trouble brewing for the last
few days but I have not learned who is at the bottom. I asked Ray
McGuire who has a better way of getting at the boys to do what he
could to smooth things over.
There was talk of making a Jamboree organization of us.
Jamboreers will probably discuss it more tomorrow. Getting back to
174
the open country with less trees and grass. More rolling fields of
wheat and corn.
July 12. Woke up this morning with desert country surrounding
us and the good old Rocky Mountains to the west. It seems good to
get back and breathe good clean air again, even clothing seems to
get more life in them. Changed trains at Pueblo, got very good
cars and dinner better eats.
The forenoon we leaders spent in organization of the Jamboree
scouts and it was decided that Chief Anderson would be the head
with the scout masters as directors, Ray McGuire as secretary and
treasurer. We keep our troop identity and meet once a year.
We had dinner before we got things settled so continued on
after dinner.
We are to meet tomorrow at 10:00 to make up laws and agreements
to carry on our organization.
The chief told us that we S.M. were to get our group together
as soon as possible and hold them in our car till he got there as
he had something to tell us. (Which was) "That 2 spoons had been
taken by some of the boys as souvenirs but the boys names were
known and if the spoons were not returned by night they would be
arrested as he was not going to have any of his scouts get away
with thievery if he knew it. " Another thing someone of the boys
in the last car had pulled the cord that set the air breaks and
for some time the wheels had been sliding along the track. If the
train had been going faster it more than likely would have wrecked
the whole train.
My the chief sure can tell us where to head in and I am told
that the boys that had the spoons were not long in getting them
back. A good lesson. We stopped at Glenwood Spring for 2 hours to
swim in the hot water. Lots of fun even if it did keep a fine rain
most of the time. Back on the train and supper for the last time
and not a very good chair for sleeping.
July 13. Arrived in Provo after a frightful night of no sleep
as some of the boys were getting off at most every stop.
But what a surprise for the boys at 5:10 when the train stopped
for nearly every boy had either his parents or some friend there
to meet him. Just a few of us most southern fellows were left out.
Gee it was a thrill to see the boys get off and be swallowed by
relatives. A very fitting climax to our trip.
I went up to Jim and Ray's for breakfast, then back to the
scout office for a meeting at 10:00 where we formed bylaws and
outlined for a permanent organization of the Jamboree Scouts.
Tried all afternoon to get a ride south but couldn't so took the
bus to Kanab. While in Provo I tried to find some of my old school
teachers and friends but couldn't locate them.
175
July 14. After traveling all night and sleeping most of the way
I got in Kanab about 8 a.m. Had breakfast with Clifford Heaton and
than at 9:30 came on to Pipe with him where my family came down
and got me in the car.
Sure was glad to see them again. Had to tell all about my trip
and everything I could think of.
The End.
I have decided to add to this account the names of my troop
with their addresses and a few outstanding events that took place
on the trip as I consider them faith-promoting stories.
C. Leonard Heaton, March 16, 1987
Names of Troop 28 that attended the 1937 National Scout Jamboree
June 21 to July 14 and addresses:
Scoutmaster : C. Leonard Heaton
Moccasin, Arizona
Assistant Scoutmaster : George L. Beardall
Springville, Utah
Assistant Scoutmaster : James A. McGuire
468 No. Univ. Ave.
Provo, Utah
Senior Patrol Leader :
Denton Mahoney
Heber City, Utah
Indian Patrol :
Edward Taylor
Byron Belstrom
Keith Ercanbrach
Max Macforlane
Howard Brown
Dan Bedifoes
Ellis Watson
J.R. Warner
Arrow Patrol :
Jim Ludlow
Paul Stringham
Provo, Utah
Nephi, Utah
Provo, Utah Troop 52
Pleasant Grove, Utah
Thistle, Utah Troop 58
Salem, Utah
171 S. 3rd W., Cedar City, Utah
358 W. 2nd W., Richfield, Utah
Rt. 1, Spanish Fork, Utah
Vernal, Utah
176
Dan Hunter
Kay Jacobs
Richard Reynolds
Raymond E. Brim
Thorpe Waddingham
Buffalo Patrol :
Jack Barter
Glen Snarr
Lloynel Harding
Reid Gardner
Jay Jeffers
Maurice Clothier
LaMar Paxman
Louis Siddouwly
645 E. Center St., Provo, Utah
Pleasant Grove, Utah
101 E. 2nd S., Springville, Utah
Dividend, Utah
Box No. 263, Milford, Utah
Spring City, Utah
860 E. Millon Ave., Provo, Utah
570 W. 2nd N., Provo, Utah
332 S. 2nd W., Cedar City, Utah
Milford, Utah
Minersville, Utah
46 East 2nd South, Nephi, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Frontiersman Patrol :
Armis Ashby
American Fork, Utah
Neil Morris
Box 14, Picahi, Nevada
Wally Ripple
Mark Eddington
85 W. 4th S., Springville, Utah
Norman Tuellerbach
Richfield, Utah
Jimmee Belliston
Nephi, Utah
Richard Monsen
Fillmore, Utah
Jerry Olsen
Price, Utah
These stories of my Scout Jamboree 1937 may be written in some
other of my notebooks.
A LOST WALLET
Our Utah National Park Council of Boy Scouts were traveling by
train from Denver to Chicago, five cars, one baggage car and four
passenger cars, one for the staff and one for each of three
troops.
Somewhere in Colorado or Kansas when the train had stopped to
take on water it was evening. A tramp, as men were called in those
days who bummed their way from one place to another, got on to the
car where Troop 28 was assigned. The tramp stayed in the smoker
room and visited with some of the boys, also some of the staff
members as they passed by.
During the day one of my boys who had been playing in the
smoker room had lost his wallet, not knowing it, until bed time
about 10 p.m. About this time Chief A.A. Andersen was making an
inspection tour of the train and as he was passing the smoker room
177
the tramp stepped out and said to Anderson. "You seem to be in
charge of this group and it appears I am not the type of man to be
associated with the boys. When I got on the car, I found this
wallet in this room. I have not opened it so don't know who it
belong to. A while ago I looked into the passenger car and saw a
small boy kneeling down by his bed in the attitude of prayer. If
that is what you are teaching these boys, I am giving you this
wallet to return to him who lost it. I could have lifted several
wallets tonight from those boys. I am getting off the next time
this train stops."
The next morning Chief Anderson called all the boys into one
car and told them of what the tramp had said and done. Then he
called Jerry Olsen a 12-year-old scout from Price, Utah and one of
my troop to come up and see if the wallet was his, which it was.
It contained all the spending money Jerry had for the Jamboree.
So one never knows what scouting will do for you or others.
AT A BANQUET
As we were in New York and had some time due the good luck of
having a railroad dispatcher from Provo who was able to make
shortcuts in travel time, it was decided to give the boys a
banquet in Albany. So word was sent to a large hotel for the
arrangement. When we arrived at the hotel, Bro. Baird went ahead
to see if things were ready. On going into the banquet room he saw
that there was 4 or 5 wine glasses at each plate. He called the
manager and asked that the glasses be removed and only two glasses
be placed, one for water and one for milk as these boys do not
drink tea, coffee or liquor. The glasses were removed.
Later as the banquet progressed and the waitress was standing
at the kitchen entrance one of the young girls was heard to
exclaim, "If that is the kind of young men they raise out West
there is where I am going to live."
Your example has a powerful example to those you meet.
FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH
When we arrived at the Victoria Hotel in New York City the
manager met Bro. Baird and told him he was about to cancel the
scouts reservation as the day before there was a group of scouts,
older boys, staying at the hotel and did several hundred dollars
worth of damage. Pulling out wash towels, breaking up furniture,
beds, tearing bedding and spilling things on the carpets, some
needed replacing.
178
Bro. Baird told the manager he could deposit $400.00 to cover
any damage his scouts would do to the hotel and promised to cover
any additional damage cost.
Reluctantly the manager accepted the money and we were
permitted to stay there 3 nights. Before anyone left their room on
the third day the manager with Bro. Baird and Chief Anderson came
and inspected the room.
As we were leaving the manager called Bro. Baird to his office
as he had something to give him. He went to his desk, opened a
drawer, took out the $400.00 check Bro. Baird had given him and
gave it to Bro. Baird. Then said your scouts can come any time and
are welcome and here is another $400.00 as I know that it is
expensive for you to come so far with such a large group. Take it
and help the boys have a good time.
Another example of good teaching and living the scout oath and
law that paid off.
LEONARD EARNED THE SILVER BEAVER AWARD
Before George A. Smith became President of the church he came
to Pipe Springs as the president of Utah Pioneers Trails Land
Marks.
He was the one who put in all the brass markers on the
Mormon trails.
Edna remembers when President Joseph F. Smith was president and
seeing many pictures of him. Leonard remembers him personally as
President Smith stayed in Moccasin once.
All the church
authorities that came to Kanab, councilors, Quorum members etc.,
and made a tour of Southern Utah would have to go to from Kanab to
St. George and stayed at Moccasin as the half way place. One time
President Smith came to visit with Leonard's father and President
Smith repled, "Well I've got a girl up in Salt Lake just your age
for you." The kids used to tease Leonard about that, about 'his
girl friend in Salt Lake`. (Leonard never met her.)
179
THE COWBOY
COWBOY DAYS
I was asked to write an account of a day spent on the cow
range. I will try and write what took place one June day as the
cow outfit moved from Yellow Stone a small spring of water at the
south end of yellow stone ridge to Pipe Spring cattle ranch.
I can't remember the year, maybe 1917 or 18.
We had been
riding and branding spring calves at different water holes as
Canebeds, Antelope, Clay holes, Heaton & Findley Reservoir, then
to Yellow Stone and the next move to Pipe Spring. In the outfit
as I remember, myself, Gilbert Heaton, Fred C. Heaton from
Moccasin who was the boss, Ensign Riggs, a Haycock boy, Dot and
Mason Meeks, Young who was working for D. Wooly from Kanab, Gene
Russell, Fern and Lee Esplin, Earl Lamb from Orderville, Dan and
Paul Seegmiller also another man who was working for Bullocks from
Cedar City. There were also the cook and horse wranglers. There
were two or three other cowboys I don't remember.
A typical cowboy day usually began about an hour before
daylight. The cook getting up starting the fire to cook breakfast
of potatoes, meat, dried fruit, hot water for coco, or coffee.
But very few of us ever drank coffee, as we were Mormon boys, some
with church jobs at home.
Shortly after the fire was started the cook would wake the 2 or
3 horse wranglers who were assigned the night before by the boss
to bring in the saddle horses in the morning.
These wranglers would get dressed, pick up their bridles and
head out the area the horses had been hobbled the night before to
get what grass and feed the could find during the night.
The first horse that was found we put the bridle on it, unhobbled it, put the hobbles around the horses neck which he
carried all day to be used the next night. Then the hunt for the
rest of the horses, which would be scattered over the small hills
and flats.
When they were all found and un-hobbled they were
driven back to camp.
By the time the wranglers had the horses into camp usually by
sun up the other cowboys had had their breakfast, dressed in their
spurs, shaps and hat.
They would take over holding the saddle
horses, catching the one they would be riding that day. Usually a
cowboy had four horses, maybe five if he was breaking one to ride
as a cow pony. He would ride one in the forenoon, then change to
a fresh horse for afternoon work.
A horse got used every other
day. If the grass and feed was not good some of the horses got
rather poor before the six weeks roundup was over as we seldom
carried grain on a roundup.
180
By the time the three wranglers had there breakfast the sun
would be coming up over the distant hills and the boss was making
the days assignment for the cowboys to go in different directions
to gather in the cows and calves for branding.
If it was moving day the day horse wrangler would help the cook
load the chuck wagon with the bed rolls, bake ovens, other things,
catch the team, harness them and hook them to the wagon.
Then it was the wranglers job to drive the loose horses along
with the chuck wagon to the next stop. He was in charge of the
horses all day, have them near camp when a rider comes in for a
meal.
There is usually some exciting moments early in the morning if
it is cool as some unbroken horses do not like the saddle put on
its back and the two cinch tighten up under his belly, he may
stand still till the cowboy gets on board, then the horse to show
his mood will drop his head and start bucking trying to rid
himself of the saddle and rider. Or if a broke horse dumps his
pack, take a few short crow hops as we call them, one never knows
on a cold morning when his mount will act up. I have seen a well
broke horse a kid horse act up on a cold morning.
A noon stop is decided on depending on where the night camp is
to be and the number of cattle in the area. As the morning drive
is under way each assigned group of cowboys head the way the boss
has directed them and try to be at the noon stop by noon, where
after dinner all the long eared calves are roped and branded.
The cowboys change horses for the afternoon drive which ends at
the camp sight for the night. If it is a permanent watering place
they may stay there three or four days depending on the size of
range and number of cattle using the area at the time.
After the cook has fed the cowboys their supper of beef,
potatoes, onions, baking powder bread, rice, if the cook happened
to be Fleet Jones from Rockville, we might get an apple or peach
pie or a dutch oven cake, he was the best range cook I ever had.
And my father Charles C. Heaton always tried to get Jones as cook
as long as he was range boss for the Pipe Spring cattle company
some 10 years.
After supper near sundown and dark most of the cowboys would
take the saddle horses, ridding bareback some distance from camp
where the feed for the horses was the best there they would hobble
them, then walk back to camp.
If there was a full moon we would set around the camp fire
talking of the days activity and the work of the next day.
Or
just lean back against our bed roll and listen to the night noises
that came out of the desert. The yapping of the coyotes as they
can make a chorus of what most people would think six or more.
There the call of the little screech owl calling its mate, or the
mocking bird, which could be close by. The crickets by the dozen
181
all around us. Then there would be the distant call of the desert
nightingale if one happened to be in the Bull Rush area where the
wild donkeys range.
It might be heard the most of the wild
stallion bring his band of mares and colts in to the watering hole
for a drink.
Then there was the mice and rats scurrying around
camp hunting for scraps of food the cowboys had thrown away.
As we prepared for our night rest, leveling the ground for the
bed roll, digging a little hole for our hips. Laying looking up
into the starry sky listening to the night noises. Thinking how
lucky we were to be out in the cow camp, a quiet night and a
peaceful sleep.
What a life for anyone to enjoy.
RANGE BRANDING
When I was riding the cattle range on the Arizona strip to
brand the spring calves there was usually 10 to 15 cowboys in the
outfit.
Early in the morning the days activities was decided
which area we would gather the cows and calves and riders were
assigned their ridding circle to bring all cows and calves back to
camp.
Which usually way around noon.
All cattle were put into
one bunch, 2 or 3 riders would be assigned to guard the cattle
while the rest went to camp for dinner and get a fresh horse,
their roping pony. After dinner and all cowboys were back to the
cow herd, a fire was started all branding rings and irons were put
in it to get hot for branding of the calves.
Usually three men were assigned the branding and work on the
ground.
Two or three men good ropers was assigned to find the
unbranded calf, sucking its mother or following her through the
herd and then dragging it up to the fire to be branded. The rest
of the cowboys were to keep the cattle in a loose bunch so the
calves would stay by their mothers and keep the cattle from
scattering.
As the calves were brought up to the branding area the roper
would call out the brand to put on the calf.
The branding men would then take over, one man setting on the
calves neck and shoulders, holding one front leg up, another
cowboy would set on the ground behind the calf one foot against
the calf leg next to the ground and he would grasp the calf upper
leg with two hands pulling it straight back in this way to calf
could not get up.
The third cowboy would then get the hot
branding iron on ring from the fire and put the brand on the calf
as the roper had called out. The two cowboys holding the calf was
to see that side to receive the brand was up. After the brand was
put on the brander would put iron back in the fire and come and
182
put the ear marks in the calf ears the matched the brand on the
calf.
Usually because I was large and strong and could handle most of
the calves I would be assigned to help hold the calves down while
branding. If the calf was 5 or 6 months old and wild sometimes we
would use the horse to help hold the calf down with a rope on both
hind legs. Grown animals two horses with rope on the head and one
front leg would be needed.
Branding was usually a dirty, bloody and dusty job but we had a
lot of fun doing it.
When all the calves were branded the cattle herd was turned
loose.
When a cow and calf was found off to themselves a mile or two
the cowboys sometimes branded the calf rather than drive it to the
central place for branding.
Other times if there was a corral large enough to hold the
cattle we would corral the herd and brand in the corral.
When I was about 9 or 10 years old I remember at Pipe Springs
one spring when three or four outfits were camped there and the
branding of the calves that day was in three different bunches,
west, southwest and south of Pipe spring.
The outfits that were there were from Cedar City and St.
Geroge, Kanab, Orderville and Moccasin. Each outfit had a chuck
wagon and cook. Two of the cooks got into an argument and fight
and had to be kept apart.
Brand that I remember as a youth
_____
L,R.
Charles C. Heaton
Moccasin
_____
L.R.
Dave Esplin
Orderville
_____
R.R.
Dave Esplin
_____
L.H.
Fred C. Heaton
_____
L.R.
Edward C. Heaton
_____
L.R.
Jonathan Heaton
_____
R.H.
Christopher C. Heaton
_____
R.H.
Edward T. Lamb
Orderville
_____
R.R.
Eaf. Formaster
St. George
"
183
Moccasin
"
"
"
_____
L.R.
Charley Foster
"
_____
L.R.
Dave Bullock
_____
L.R
Rob Bullock
_____
R.H.
Lehi Jones
_____
R.R.
Heber Meeks
Kanab
_____
L.R.
Dee Wooley
"
_____
R.H.
Brigham Riggs
_____
R.R.
Henry W. Esplin
_____
L.H.
Pipe Spring Cattle Co.
_____
L.H.
_____
L.R.
Dan Seegmiller
_____
R.R.
Fred W. Heaton
_____
L.R.
Merrel Clark
Cedar City
"
"
"
Orderville
Moccasin
"
Orderville
"
Panguitch
COWBOY TRIP TO THE BIG RESERVOIR TO BRAND CALVES
Father was appointed as foreman or manager of Pipe Spring
Cattle Company, also of the Jonathan Heaton and Son's Company, to
look after the cattle running on the open range; form the Utah
line on the North, Grand Canyon on the South, Buckskin Mountains
on the East and Hurricane Fault on the west. Thus it was his duty
to spend considerable time on the range, drifting cattle from one
watering place to another when water became low and to brand
calves between spring and fall roundup.
One of these summer trips he took me along. I was about ten
years old at the time. We left early one morning with a pack of
our bedding and foodstuff on old Jinks, a gentle black mule.
I
was riding a horse called Mix as he had a small white spot on the
end of his nose. We were headed for the Big Reservoir or HeatonFindlay Reservoir, built by these people to catch water for cattle
and sheep so they could get farther south for better feed in the
summer and winter.
This reservoir was at the head of Hack's
Canyon and when full covered an area over a mile across and bout
184
12 or 15 feet deep at the dam. It has been reported eight or ten
heards of sheep watered at the same time around this man made
lake.
Arriving at the Reservoir about dark we camped by the
corrals, taking our horses up on the hill south of the corral to
graze during the night. We found two men camped under some cedar
trees half a mile or so back from the top. They were from Cedar
City out looking after their 'father's cattle.' The men were Lehi
Jones and Dave Bullock. The reason their names have stayed with
me is, while visiting at their camp, I saw for the first time men
wipe their noses on the back of their hands instead of using the
handkerchief and I told Father about it after we left for our
camp. We spent three days riding round this area branding a few
calves and one day Father roped a mustang colt, which we brought
back to camp and tied up in one of the corrals that night. The
next night tried to take it up the hill to graze with the other
horses but it would only go about half way up no matter what we
did so we tied it to a tree for the night. The next morning it
had broken the rope and was gone, which made me feel bad as I
wanted to take it home. We saw lots of wild horses on the desert
between Pipe Spring and the Reservoir.
COWBOY DAYS HEATON AND FINDLEY RESERVOIR
One fall when Father was foreman of the Pipe Springs Cattle Co.
and also Range Boss of the cowboys gathering the cattle for fall
sale, he decided to take me with him for a few days between bring
cattle to the Pipe Springs pasture from the roundup. The outfit
had moved to Yellowstone spring end up cedar ridge.
I remember
riding over Cedar Ridge going south and seeing cowboys gathering
cattle off to the west and as we rode on we came to a small herd
being driven toward the cow camp.
I remember seeing a cowboy
chasing a yellow cow toward the herd quite some distant away and
Dad saying "That must be June trying to get that old wild cow into
the herd. Well she wont come unless some one goes and helps him.
I know the cow." I was about 7 or 8 years old.
I don't remember about the camp here at Yellow Stone but when
the cowboys left for the next camp sight at the Heaton Findley
Reservoir some 10 or 15 miles to the south I helped drive the herd
of cattle and coming to a large pond of water with a big corral
under the reservoir bank in which we put the cattle for the night.
Next day in the afternoon the cowboys talked of trapping wild
horses as they came in at night to get a drink of water as all the
water was enclosed by a wire fence from the north side of the
corral going west a few hundred yards then south across the pond
another 2 or 3 hundred yards then along the south bank back to the
south side of the corral.
When this large area around the pond
185
was full it covered an area half to 3/4 mile wide and one and half
miles long.
I will state here just to show the size of the pond 5 herds of
sheep have been seen watering there at the same time. Well this
wire fence was down in places and had to be fixed and I remember
my Uncle Ed and another cowboy taking off their clothes and I
along with them to go out in the water to repair one of the holes
in the fence. The mud in the pond was as deep as the water and we
had a hard time fixing the fence. We sure had a hard time washing
the mud off our legs and feet it was so sticky.
That night some of the cowboys set up to guard the gate when
the wild horses came in to get a drink. The next morning all they
had was an old mare and colt that was branded. This day while the
cowboys were out riding they decided to catch a wild horse for me.
Tho I did not know it till night. About noon they saw a band of
wild horses and gave chase to them and saw a bay horse about 2
years old that looked good, so the cowboys kept up the chase
running them in a wide circle until Uncle Dan Heaton rode in and
roped it and said he was going to keep it himself.
The others
said we agreed to catch it for Leonard, but Dan wouldn't give it
up. So the fellows rode off and left Dan to bring in the horse
alone.
Shortly after they left the wild horse got away from Dan with
his rope. A cowboy without a rope is not a cowboy anymore. The
cowboys see that the horse had got away and Dan hollering for help
started after the wild horse before they would help catch the
horse they made Dan promise to give the horse to Leonard. After
they caught the horse, they put Dan's saddle on it and he rode it
to camp.
Father and I had been out in another direction looking for
cattle but did not find many. So when we saw the other cowboys
coming with a herd of cattle we rode out to meet and help them to
the corral. Someone said we got a horse for you and another said
not until we get to the corral. I did not know which horse it was
until all had unsaddled their horses and then Uncle Ed lead the
horse Uncle Dan had ridden over to me and handed me the rope. Of
course I couldn't handle a wild horse only about 8 years old. So
Father and some of the other men put the horse in one of the
corrals for the night.
The next day the horse was necked or tied to an old mule jinks
with a rope around the horses neck and hackamore then about 3 feet
of rope between it and Old Jinks neck and the two of them turned
with the saddle band of horses and was left that way a few days
until we got home. I had been gone from home about a week.
Father had got the horse partly broke, could lead it and put a
saddle on it, but had not ridden it any. About 2 or 3 weeks went
by and several Navajo Indian's came with horses loaded down with
186
their blankets to trade for horses and silver money.
And when
they saw my pretty light bay horse, fat and slick, they wanted it
very bad. When they offered 2 saddle blankets and 2 others much
larger Father suggested I made the trade as we did not need the
horse for ridding and could not turn it out during the winter as
it would run away and not likely to be found again.
Uncle Ed was some what put out because I traded the horse for
so many blankets after the trouble he and others went to catch it
out at the reservoir. He mentioned it a number of times in later
life. I think he was jealous because I got more blankets that he
did from a horse he traded to the Navajo's
ANOTHER TRIP WITH FATHER ON COW RANGE
This story happened when I was about 11 years old and Father
was still range boss of the Pipe Springs Cattle Co. and was
gathering cattle in the fall to sell and again took me for a weeks
trip on the range this time the cow outfit was camped at Flattop
out west of Pipe Springs some 20 or 25 miles.
This place was
called Flattop because of a round hill with ledges all around the
top except a small place on the north side about 50 or 75 feet
across where cattle and horses could be driven through. A fence
and gate had been placed in this opening and top was flat some 200
or 300 feet above the rest of the land and some 20 or 30 acres in
size.
This place was used as a corral at times when the cowboys
wanted to hold their cattle.
When Father and I got there the cowboys had finished riding and
gathering the cattle at Antelope, White Pockets, Clay Holes and
was ready to move on to Cane Beds.
The cattle were all driven
onto the Flattop corral for the night. The next morning there was
a few calves to brand and some cattle to be turned loose.
I will break the story to recount an organization the cattle
men in Southern Utah and Arizona strip that run their cattle on
the Arizona strip. They had organized an association called Utah
and Arizona Cattlemens Association which was to promote cattle
industry, prevent cattle rustling, improve watering places,
provide salt for the cattle and bulls for them all.
To raise
funds to finance these projects, it was agreed to sell at auction
any unbranded animals to the highest bidder that was found on the
range over a year old or a doggy calf if the mother could not be
found.
As father was range boss it was his job to see these cows and
calves as they were found at this time there were 3 or 4 such long
ears as they were called, as no one could claim them without their
mothers brand.
Father could not bid on them because he was the
187
boss. So after the smaller animals were sold for $10 or $15 they
brought out a two year old heifer and after some bidding Father
asked me to bid on it for $28.00 of course no one else bid against
me and Father had them put his brand (I) on the left ribs with a \
on the left thigh to show it was mine. I don't remember of ever
seeing the cow again.)
Well when the herd was ready to move to Cane Beds Father asked
me to help the horse wrangler with the saddle band, there was over
100 horses to drive and keep from running away.
Going from
Flattop up by the Black knolls a place where black lava rock had
pushed up through the ground, some of the cowboys begin to chase
wild horses and when one band of horses starts to run soon all the
wild horses are running.
This day headed east but instead of
going on over to the wild band pocket area they turned north near
the black knolls.
The horse wrangler Iven Ford, a boy about 14
years and I had the saddle horses in that area and we had quite a
time to keep our saddle horses from running with the wild ones
until we got them down in a low place where they couldn't see the
wild horses. Then we rode up on top of a small hill to see the
wild horses. By this time these was a line of horses running in
wide half circle around in front of us, I always said a solid line
of horses over 1 1/2 miles long, of all sizes, colors and ages.
The horse I was riding wanted to run so Ford said he could take
care of the saddle band if I wanted to chase the wild one. So I
took after them and was soon in the line fanning most of them
until only a few were ahead.
An old brown mare and colt and
several others grown horses. I guess I run for about 2 or 3 miles
just for the fun of it.
I remember stopping at the point rock
lake for dinner and arriving late at the lower corrals at
Canebeds.
The country we traveled over was mostly level, very few washes
a few rolling hills covered with grass and salt bush. It didn't
matter which way you looked one could see small bunches of cattle
or singly on most ever hill and swail. Also off in the distance
bands of wild horses some running others watching to see if riders
were coming their way.
The cook Father always tried to get was Fleet Jones of
Rockville Utah. He was a extra good one beside the usual meal of
fried beef, potatoes, baked beans and baking powder bread he
always had pie, or cake or some puddings and every one liked his
cooking. And camp area was always clean and neat. Not only that
he was a good man to have around. I think at one time he was a
Bishop of the Rockville Ward.
WILD HORSES
188
One summer when we were quite busy driving cattle from one
watering hole to another as the hot summer winds dried up rain
water pockets. Wild horses also moved to more permanent watering
places as Scotts holes, Bullrush, Clayhoes, and other places.
At Scotts hole's was a natural ready made trap corral to catch
wild horses.
The water was in a deep wash with trails into from the east and
both north and south banks. To get to the water the cattle and
horses had to go up the wash some fifty yards or so where high
banks 10 to 20 feet arose from the pools of water. On up the wash
from the water was a ledge of rock with only one or two places
animals could get up. By placing some poles at these areas nothing
could go that way. From the south and west was a narrow wash some
30 feet wide and 15 ft deep and 200 ft long. No trail out of it,
some one had made a pole fence across the lower end with a narrow
gate.
To catch the wild horses in the corral we would hide down the
wash a ways and wait till the band of wild horses came in for a
drink. Which would take half an hour or so if the stallion band
leader suspected something unusual about the place and could smell
other horses or men close by a number of times I have seen the
stallion lead his band of mares and colts away from the water and
go several miles away to other water just because he could smell
us around.
The one day after getting the cattle to water and branding a
few calves being early afternoon and we could see several bands of
wild horses to the west and south out in the open flat country.
We decided to wait to see if some band would come in to water.
There was Paul Seegmiller, Gilbert Heaton, Dan Seegmiller two or
three other men from Kanab. I don't recall their names. Anyway
we hid our saddle horses in two or three small washes below the
water hole. We had only waited a little bit when a band of wild
horses led by a pretty iron grey stallion with two bay mares, two
small colts and three two year old bay horses came down the
Bullrush wash which run south and west. One can not see far up
the wash because of the many turns it makes also tall brush of
black greece wood. They came on a fast trot no hesitating on the
banks before going in for a drink. When we saw them all at the
waters edge. With a cowboy yell ropes swing and saddle horses on
the run we charged up the wash toward the wild band of horses. Of
course they whorled and run up the wash to avoid being roped and
caught but no escape this time as they run into the trap corral we
had made ready to receive them. When the old stallion saw he was
cornered he would and came charging back down the wash to get out
but we had the gate closed and our horses was against the fence as
he hit the gate before he could stop. But this did not stop him
189
from trying to escape the cowboys ropes we were trying to put on
him.
As was the custom among the horse trappers we would draw cuts
to see who had first choice of the wild horses and so on. While
the cuts were being made the stallion kept charging around the
enclosure trying to find a way out. Trying to jump up over the
wash banks but kept falling back, straining ever effort he managed
to get his front feet on top of the banking, feet clawing the
sides of the bank managed to pull himself on top and before anyone
could get a rope on him he was up and running for freedom.
Stopped on a small hill quarter of a mile away and looked back to
see if his band was following but they could not jump as hard or
as high and were still in the trap corral. The trappers seeing he
was alone also as cowboys were on horses, gave a snort and whistle
one could hear a mile and whorled and disappeared over the hill.
When we got to looking at the horses in the corral the older ones
were branded and no one wanted two small horses, so they were
turned loose a few days later.
CATCHING A WILD MULE
About
this
same
time
mid-summer,
Gilbert
Heaton,
Dan
Seegmiller, Paul Seegmiller, Earl Lamb, Dal Meeks and I were
riding in Bullrush Wash area, branding calves when we met with the
Cuttler boys Scott, Runel and Dean who were also out looking for
their calves and any older calves that were not branded they would
put their brand on it and drive them to another area (cattle
russeling). Well we ended up at Scotts hole water all to gather
as we were resting our horses and visiting we saw a band of wild
horses coming to water, so to have some fun we decided to try and
trap them. So we stationed ourselves in the hiding places waited
for the band to come in.
The stallion a black seem to suspect some was wrong and would
not let his band go get a drink. There was some 10 or 15 head in
the band also a mouse colored mule about 2 years old which
everyone wanted. Finely one of the old mares with her colt went
in for a drink, others soon followed. But the stallion and mule
would get almost to the wash bank then go away.
But I guess
seeing the rest of his band drinking he decided it was safe so
into the water the mule and stallion went.
For some reason Dean Cuttler's horse gave a snort which of
course was a signal for the wild bunch to run. Out of the wash
they came also we cowboys were running our horses to head them
off, no luck.
Everyone swinging his rope hoping to get to the
mule first. Three or four got within throwing distance and let go
their rope. Two of them settled over the mules head at about the
190
same time the other two missed.
Dan Seegmiller and Russell
Cuttler's ropes were around the mule's neck. Question who's was
on first, each claimed his first.
To settle the dispute and
ownership if the mule was not branded we soon had ropes on it
front feet and laid on the ground with Dean Cuttler setting on it
head holding the mule down.
Then we began to examine the two
ropes of Dan and Russel and Dan Seegmiller rope was the first one
on so he was owner if the mule was a slick ear or unbranded. As
we began to examine for a brand the mule doubled himself up
bringing his hind feet legs up to it head and his right hind foot
caught Dean Cuttler back of the neck and when the mule
straightened his legs out and back.
Dean Cuttler made two
complete (somersaults) down the flat about 50 feet or more. Well
there was no brand on the mule and Dan Seegmiller came its owner.
The mule never was broke to ride or easy to pack. To show how
mean this mule was to use, one front leg had to be tied up that is
bending his foot up at the knee and tying it to his upper leg.
Head snubbed to a post or another hoarse before a pack saddle and
alpogs (bags) and rest of the pack could be put on. Then the mule
had to be necked to another horse all day to keep him from running
away. Laying down to try and get the packs off or he would kick
at anything that moved close to him, horses, cattle, man. At one
time a jack rabbit jumped out of a bush as the mule passed which
the mule was quick enough to kick and of course the jack rabbit
was sent tumbling over the ground dead when it stopped.
Dan Seegmiller did not keep the mule but a year or so because
of its meanness.
WORKING CATTLE WITH A MUSTANG
One day I was sent with Earl Lamb, Dot Meeks, Lee Esplin and
Ensign Riggs, to ride from Lyttle Springs up through Short Creek
Gap, across Spring Mountain to Cane Beds to gather the cows,
calves and steers, an all day's ride. Thinking I would be sent
with the cow herd, I rode Creamy that day. When I joined the
others for the long ride, Ensign Riggs made a slurring remark
about "someone on a small horse would be carrying his saddle and
walking into camp." I said, "I'll take my chance and when that
time comes the rest of you will be miles behind." We gathered up
some 50 or 100 head of cattle in this drive. It was getting near
sun down as we came out of the cedar trees and headed up the Cane
Bed Valley to camp some five miles away. With small calves and a
few wild cows and steers it was rather hard to keep them together.
We were kept on the lope swinging our ropes and shouting at the
cattle to keep them all going toward camp. Driving a herd of
cattle up hill even though it be slight isn't easy as they don't
191
like walking up hill in the evening. We were still two or three
miles from camp when some of the men got off their horses and
walked as they could not get them off the trot to head any cattle
that tried to get away. The boss seeing we were having trouble
driving the cattle, sent three or four men to help. By the time we
got to the corral, I was the only one on a horse with life enough
to keep the cattle headed to camp.
Though a lot has been said about wild horses being small and
good-for-nothing and could not be depended on, they had more
endurance, could get along on less feed, and stayed in better
condition than the blooded horses on the cow range, which had to
have some grain to keep them going. From Cane Beds the cow outfit
went to Pipe Springs where the steers were sold and that year's
round up was over.
CATTLE STAMPEDE
AT ORDERVILLE AND MCFARLANDS
When I first started to ride and help gather and sell cattle,
each buyer would come to Pipe Springs Ranch, pick out the ones he
wanted, then drive them either to Lund, Utah or Gravel Spring near
the divide north of Glendale, Utah.
In the fall, about 1917 or 1918, Father sent me to help drive
the steers from Pipe Spring to Gravel Spring for five days. Some
men and boys followed us with the herd of about 800 head of two,
three, and four-year old steers.
The men included Dave Esplin,
his son Lee, Earl Lamb, Gilbert Heaton, Mason Meeks, Ensign Riggs,
Ed T. Lamb, Toby John and Little Johnny (two Indians), and some
younger boys I do not remember. We had pack animals to carry our
grub and bedding.
All went well until we camped and corralled our herd of steers
in Dave Esplin's big corrals in Orderville. The Indians slept in
an old wagon box by the barn. Lee Esplin and I slept in the barn.
The cattle were to the south and west of the barn. About 4 a.m.
a small dog came by the south side of the corral and began to bark
at the steers. About the second yap from the dog the steers were
running.
They knocked down one fence, ran through two gates by
the barn and were out in the street, across a bridge and down the
road through town.
Of course every cow hand was up and on the run; dressing,
saddling horses and riding after the runaway steers.
They were
finally caught just as they entered Mt. Carmel. By this time they
had quit running.
Bringing them back was a job because at every sudden noise they
would try and run. By evening we had reached the fork of the road
192
that led to Alton and camped at McDarland's Ranch.
We did not
have a corral that night. Night guards were called; each took his
turn of two hours, three men to the turn.
One man guarded the
lane to Alton and the other two the west side. The steers were
gathered around an old school house at the road fork.
I was on the twelve to two shift riding a brown high-spirited
horse named Spangler.
We started singing to the steers because
they had been nervous and were moving about a lot and were quite
hard to hold. They finally settled down and did not give us much
bother for awhile, and soon they began to lay down and become very
quiet.
This is when the danger point comes in the night cattle
stampede. We should have known. One of us should have ridden in
and stirred the cattle up but didn't. I was riding north on my
side, a bit sleepy and my horse was slowing down. I touched him
with my spurs which made him jump, striking a rock with his iron
shoe and causing a spark and sharp report.
Things happened so
fast one didn't realize just when the cattle started to run all
together. All I know was that my horse was running at the head of
the cattle down the canyon and I was trying to stop them. We had
gone about one-fourth mile and off to the side of the road a few
rods. We were going through oaks and service berry brush when my
horse and I dropped off into a wash about ten feet deep and eight
or ten feet wide. I was followed by six or eight head of steer
falling into the wash beside me.
It took me several minutes to
find a place to get out and by this time other riders had gotten
on their horses and were helping stop the steers that kept trying
to run. All the rest of the night it took four or six of us to
keep them together.
We started them on the trail as soon as
daylight came.
One comic incident was when the steers first ran, two men, Lee
Esplin and Earl Lamb both tried to climb a Cedar Tree about eight
feet tall when they thought the steers were coming their way.
They were without pants, socks and boots.
That day we turned the cattle over to the buyer and his hands
at Gravel Springs, Utah.
THE COW THAT SLID OFF THE FLAT ROCKS
Early one spring when I was about 15, the men and boys of
Moccasin gathered up about 200 cows and calves to take up on the
Moccasin Mountain for summer grazing. We went up the trail by the
peaks taking two days getting them to the pasture.
The first
night we stayed about half way up the mountain, where there was
natural corral.
A place where cattle could be held was made by
placing logs across the trail. The next day we drove the cattle
on up the mountain. Near the top the trail lead over some bear
193
slick rocks, known as "The Flat Rock" which sloped to the East and
finally dropped 1000 feet or more to the bottom of the Mountain.
This nearly one-quarter mile long stretch was such that if the
animals got too close to the slope they could slide off. One old
cow belonging to my Aunt Kezia Esplin did just that sliding down
about 100 or so feet landing on a small knob that stuck out from
the face of the rock.
It seemed as though she knew her
predicament for she did not try to get up or move, tho unhurt. We
left her there that day and night.
The next day Father and Uncle Fred went up to try to get her
off. They made a trail along the side of the rocks she could have
come along. But instead when Uncle Fred went around her to start
her along the trail, she took after him and the only place he had
to go was out on a projecting rock some 15 or 20 feet long and
rather narrow. He ran to the end, the cow following. The old cow
slipped and fell some 2000 feet to the bottom, about ten feet from
Fred or they both would have gone over. It so scared Fred he had
to lay down for half an hour before Father could get him to try to
come back to safety along the narrow trail.
CATTLE OFF MOCCASIN MOUNTAIN
The next fall after taking the cattle up on the Moccasin
Mountain, there came an early snow storm in november leaving snow
about a foot deep.
Rather than bring the cattle down over the
flat rocks we brought them down a trail at the head of the right
fork of Moccasin Canyon.
At one place the trail was rocky and
steep for about 30 or 40 feet, but ended up in a sand bank. Being
snowy on the ground, only the first few head made it along the
rock before the trail became packed and slick. The rest slid off
the trail down the 40 feet or so into the sandy bank some times
piling up three or four deep. Even some of the saddle horses slid
off the trail. No one and none were hurt.
CLEAR WATER AT ANTELOPE SPRINGS
Antelope, a spring, located on the lower end of Clay Hole Wash,
before it breaks through the Hurricane Fault it is so clear and
transparent at time, that the bottom looks like it is only a few
inches from the surface of the water. As a bunch of us cowboys
were coming into camp from the south after branding a few calves,
we decided to ride by the water to give the horses a drink. Earl
Lamb rode his horse into the water as it looked so shallow. His
horse had not gone six feet when it dropped into a hole so deep
194
both Earl
swim some
So don't
thing, if
Lamb and the horse went completely under. They had to
20 or 30 feet before they struck bottom and climbed out.
always go by the looks of the
you don't want to get a ducking.
GENE RUSSELL AND THE DEAD LIZARD
Gene Russell was a cow boy from Rocksville who hired out to
large cattle men during spring and fall roundup.
He was also a
man who liked to sleep and took every chance that came along, even
to sleeping in the shade of his cow pony. This he was doing while
waiting for other cowboys to bring up some cattle to the main herd
he and others were watching.
Again Fern Esplin comes into the
picture.
As Gene lay asleep with his hand half closed, Fern
killed a big black colored lizard and gently slipped it into
Gene's open hand. When Gene awoke enough to half realize what was
in his hand, he gripped the lizard so tight it was almost
disemboweled. He let out a yell of fright that even scared Fern
for awhile. Gene thought it was a rattlesnake as they were quite
plentiful in the desert. Never again did you catch Gene Russell
going to sleep except at night.
He would always take his bed
apart to see if any snakes and lizards were in or around it.
MY LAST BIG CATTLE DRIVE
In the spring of 1922, after I had returned from school in St.
George, Father sent me out to help brand calves with other
Lee and Fern Esplin, Earl
cattlemen. Some of the cowboys were:
Lamb, Dot Meeks, Ensign Riggs, Gilbert Heaton, Dan Seegmiller, Don
Price, Gene Russell, Fred Heaton, Dave Esplin, and Lindon
Foremaster.
The men came from Moccasin, Kanab, Orderville, St. George and
Cedar City. The gathering place was Antelope Springs on the west
boundary of our cattle range. Each man had four to six head of
horses to ride, two or three old broke horses and one or two
horses being broke to ride and learn his job as a cow horse. We
had a cook, whose job it was, besides doing the cooking, to drive
the chuck wagon from one water hole to the next. Also a horse
wrangler whose job was to herd the horses during the day and move
them along with the chuck wagon from place to place.
We would stay two to four days at the watering holes depending
on how many cattle were in the area and how long it took us to
gather up the cows and calves and get them branded. As we left one
water for the next we would ride gathering the cattle. We stopped
195
at noon, branded the calves, turned them loose and then rode on to
the night camp. Places we would stop were:
Flat Top, a high mesa with only one narrow place to get up. It
covered some 20 to 40 acres, and was used mostly in the fall to
hold cattle for sale. White Pockets, a small seeps in the Clay
Hole wash where a limited number of cattle could water. Clay
Holes, on the wash with considerable water that handled several
hundred animals; cattle, wild horses, and bands of sheep in winter
months. Yellowstone, a spring at the southern end of the Cedar
Ridge formation, an ideal place to trap wild horses, being partly
enclosed by ledges and a Rift Git fence on the outside. Then there
was Heaton and Findly Reservoir, a large lake covering some three
or four square miles when filled by flood waters. Bull Rush was
another spring in a wash, caring for a lot of cattle and horses.
Next was Nail's Crossing on the Kanab Creek, five or six miles
south of Fredonia and Corral Canyon just west of the old Short
Creek Lakes. Until Short Creek was settled, the water from Short
Creek kept the lakes full. Cane Beds, a spring developed and piped
down from the Moccasin Mountain, was some six or more miles by the
old Z Cattle Company. The Z Cattle Company had used it as a
stopping place for their cattle drives from Buck Skin Mountain now
called Kaibab Mountain. Then the final camp and wind up scene was
at Pipe Springs, now Pipe Springs National Monument.
THE JOBS NEEDED DOING
AFTER THE CATTLE WERE ROUNDED UP
Usually four or five men were needed to hold the cattle in a
loose bunch, one or two ropers whose job was to find a calf with
its mother so they could decide the brand to put on the calf, one
to tend fires and branding irons, and two or three to hold the
calves down, brand and mark them as the ropers on horses drug the
calf up to the branding fire.
A lot of the time a good roper could tell the calf's mother by
the way the cow looked at a calf, or the calf looking so much like
its mother and the calf following the cow around through the herd.
He would usually try and catch the calf by the hind feet. Often
the calf's mother would object to her calf being caught and
branded and would try and fight the men off, and a lot of
excitement could happen.
196
When night came, several men were sent out to help the horse
wranglers hobble the horses for the night. This was done by either
a leather strap or rope which the horse carried round its neck
during the day and used to tie its front feet together so he
couldn't travel very far or fast. Usually the horses were within a
half-mile of where they were hobbled, though I had one horse
called Meeks Dolly, who would get lonesome for his home range, The
Moonshine Ridge, and would head out for it. One time he was gone
for a week with the hobbles on.
The cowboys took turns getting up before daylight (two or three
of them) and gathering in the horses. Unless the horses had been
taken quite a ways from camp to good feed, we would walk, carrying
our bridles, catch the first horse we came to and ride it to find
the rest. We always tried to have the horses to camp before sun
up, most all the cowboys had the horses saddled and ready for his
assignment for the day, day-herding the cattle being held for
sale, moving to another area, or gathering in more calves to brand
and such.
DRIVING THE LAST HERD OF CATTLE FROM ALTON
The last herd of cattle Heaton and Son's grazed in Main Canyon
east of Alton was in 1917.
This was before the company was
dissolved and each owner in the company received his share in
cattle, land, sheep, horses and machinery.
That summer about 300 head of cows and calves were to be
brought back to the Pipe Spring range for the winter. Uncle Fred
C. Heaton was foreman of the cattle. I was asked to go to Alton
and help bring them down in the month of October. At Alton, Uncle
Juneous Heaton and Glen Heaton, a cousin about my age, and few
other men gathered up the cows and calves from the many canyons
that branched off the main canyon. It took us three days to get
the herd ready to drive to Pipe Spring.
We agreed that Uncle Fred and June would do the cooking and
camp chores while Glen and I would tend the horses night and
morning.
The first day we drove the cattle to what is now
Carroll's Ranch in Orderville Canyon. The next day we made it to
Mt. Carmel Dugway where we corralled the cattle and camped for the
night. This night we were told to take the horses down the canyon
about one-half mile put them through the first gate, hobble them,
shut the gate there so they would stay there and feed for the
night.
When we got to the pasture, after dark the gate was open so we
proceeded to hobble the horses. When I went to shut the gate I
found there was no fence but shut and fastened the gate as we were
197
told. The next morning most all the horses had come back almost
to camp during the night.
The third day we got the cattle to Chris's Spring south of the
sand hills. Again Glen and I were told to take the horses to the
first little bench, just around the bend of the sand wash for the
night.
This we did.
The next morning there were most of the
horses in plain sight of the camp. Our Uncles chided us for being
afraid to get away from camp after dark.
But we were just
following instructions. Anyway we had a lot of fun.
The fourth day out , Glen and I got a bit bored driving the
slow moving cattle through the cedar trees and big sage,
greasewood and old man brush. So to liven things up we would ride
up near the head of the herd and hide behind some brush. When the
cows came along we threw sand and hollered at them, scaring them
so they traveled faster.
Even Uncle June got into the game.
After two or three scares the old pack horse, Meeks Jinkes and XN
got wise and would go way out around us then they saw our horses
standing beside the road. This evening we arrived in Moccasin.
The next day the calves that were old enough to wean from their
mothers were taken up the canyon where they stayed for two weeks.
The cows were driven to Pipe Spring and turned loose on the Pipe
Desert for the winter.
TRAPPING WILD HORSES AT SCOTT'S HOLE
One of the enjoyable entertainments the cowboys had while
riding the range in the Pipe Valley and Clay Hole areas was
chasing and trapping wild horses. Sometimes we would get one that
turned out to be a pretty good saddle pony. Usually though they
were too small or hard to break for use and they would be trade
off to the Navajo Indians for blankets.
Scott's Hole was a watering place south of Pipe Spring some six
or seven miles in the Bull Rush Wash. It was formed by floods.
The bank was steep and narrow, with only three places an animal
could get down to drink. One was fifty yards down wash from the
water and two more within a hundred yards up wash. By putting a
fence across the wash above the water and between the trail into
the wash, we had a corral cows and horses could not get out of.
To trap the wild horses, we would close the gate up the wash.
We hid our horses down the wash below the trails and water and
waited for the horses.
Sometimes we would have to wait several
hours, especially if the leader was old and wise to the ways of
man. If the wind was right and they could smell man, the leader
would take his band to another water hole three or four miles
away.
198
Night time when all other animals were away form the water
hole, was the most successful time to trap the wild horses.
The leader stood guard on the bank of the wash or water hole to
see if there was any danger before he would go in to drink. When
all the horses were in the water hole, we came out on the run to
prevent the wild horses from coming back up the trails and to
scare them up the wash.
Seeing the fence closed, they would
sometimes try and break back past us, especially the old and wise
leaders.
We would herd them into a side wash some twelve feet
deep, eight feet wide fifty yards long. The upper end was closed
by falls, and the lower end by a good gate.
Enclosed in this
small area we could climb on the banks and from there put our
ropes on the horse we wanted. Then taking our saddle horse into
the enclosure we would place a hackamore on the wild horse.
We
snubbed it close to the horn of the saddle to begin the training
lesson.
We would go for a half to a mile run to teach the
captured one he was to follow everywhere our saddle horse went.
Some horses were easier to break, others took longer.
Then
followed the job of breaking them to ride and teaching them to be
useful in handling cattle.
The following are some of the wild mustang horses I used to
ride and use:
Creamy, raised from a colt of four days old on milk.
Billy, a big bay horse, tough as a nail.
Snip, a gentle brownish color, good cow pony and roper.
Scott, a big sorrel, stood logs of work, hard to catch.
Meeks Bally, a white faced bay, not too good except riding.
Chippy, a kid's horse, good for riding.
Jeff, an old lazy horse, dependable but slow.
Rocket, a fast runner, but small.
GEORGIE GEORGE AND CATTLE ROUNDUP DAYS
One fall Georgie George was hired to herd the saddle horses
during the day for the cattle roundup and I was asked to help for
the Pipe Spring Cattle Co.
After the first day or two we were
sent to day-herding the cattle being held. There is not much to
do herding cattle and horses except keep them from straying from
the herd, so Georgie and I had a lot of time together. To pass
the time away, we would hunt rabbits, run races, hop brush and
chase coyotes if they were found near our herds, also weasel, play
mumbly peg or just sit and talk.
Thus we became close friends.
Our friendship has lasted throughout our lives. Georgie went to
Cedar City and worked ont he railroad for over 30 years and I
worked at Pipe Spring National Monument but we always enjoyed
199
meeting each other. He is a very honest and dependable man and I
am grateful for his friendship.
THINK FASTER
I want to leave with the family an experience I had many years
ago when I was learning to be a cowboy on the Arizona Strip. I
with three or four other cowboys were driving a herd of cattle
from one watering hole to another and some of the cows kept trying
to get away. First on one side then on the other side of the herd
which kept some of us on the run to keep them together.
It was then Uncle Ed Lamb as he was called by all us younger
cowboys said to me as we were driving the last of the herd,
"You've got to think faster than a cow to be a good cowboy." He
then went on to point out certain cows that kept working to the
outside of the herd off to the right or left then reaching for a
bunch of grass or browse a little bit further from the herd each
step as we moved along, finally taking off on a trot from the herd
and we had to gallop after her and bring her back into the herd.
Uncle Ed said to always watch for such cows and be there to head
her off before she got started away from the bunch.
So it is with us in life. We have to think fast to be prepared
to prevent us from being led in the wrong direction by those who
do not have or live our standards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Think fast when someone suggests drugs, tobacco, drinks.
Think
fast when standards of dress and conduct conflict with your ideas
you have received from your parents.
Think fast when you are
offered a few moments of pleasure that might cost you eternal joy
with your loved ones and family.
Think fast on the virtues and blessings God has for those who
keep his commandments. May our Father in Heaven help us all to do
His will.
Grandpa
200
NOTES ON DADS FAMILY
INFORMATION ABOUT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA HEATON
CHARLES AND MARGARET
FATHER IS CALLED AS STAKE PRESIDENT
While on his mission 1913-1915, in the Northern States Mission
and laboring in Chicago, Illinois, Apostle George Albert Smith
came to visit them at one of their conferences. While walking to
meeting one day, Brother Smith caught hold of Father's arm and
said, slowing to his walk so the others passed on out of hearing,
"Charles, before you are released from your mission you will be
appointed to work with the young people of your stake.
Shortly
after you get home you will be called to the Stake high Counsel,
later will preside over the stake as Stake President." About two
months before Father was released from his mission, he was
appointed Superintendent of the Kanab Stake Young Men's Mutual
Improvement Association, a position he held for some 20 years.
About a year after arriving home he was called into the Kanab
Stake High Counsel, this position he held till called as Kanab
Stake President in 1934 as Stake President until 1946.
Father
told no one of Apostle Smith's prediction until after he had been
called to these church positions.
This was told by Father after he had been serving as Kanab
Stake President several years. While he was on his mission in the
Northern States and Conference President in Canada, Apostle George
Albert Smith made a visit to the conference hold meetings and
visiting with the Elders. One afternoon as the elders and Apostle
Smith were returning to the church for meeting, Apostle Smith
asked father to drop behind the others with him as he had
something to tell him, and this is what he said.
Among other
things, "You will be appointed superintendent of your stake MIA
before you are released from your mission, also you will set as
one of the Stake High Counselors in your stake. You will also be
chosen as Stake President." This has all come to pass as Apostle
George Albert Smith told him in 1915 in Canada.
I want to add my experience to his being called as Stake
President. It was a practice of Stake President Heber J. Meeks to
hold a mid-month meeting, the second Saturday evening. First with
the Stake High Counselors, followed by a meeting with Bishops and
counselors and stake leaders. At this particular fall meeting, my
Uncle Israel H. Heaton, who was first Counselor to Brother Meeks,
brought word to the meeting that President Meeks was unable to be
with us tonight as he had a cold and the doctor advised him to
stay home take care of it.
201
When Uncle Israel made that statement, this knowledge flashed
to my mind. President Meeks would not get better and would die in
a few days and that father would be the next Stake President of
Kanab Stake.
This I knew from that time on.
He was chosen as
Stake President at the next quarterly conference in Orderville,
Utah, with Fred G. Carroll and Woodruff Rust as counselors.
This position Father filled with honor and trust, having the
good will of the people as no other Stake President has ever had.
And Mother never let anything in the home stand in the way of him
fulfilling his calling. Everything was taken care of so he would
not have to wait for a thing. She saw to it the children did the
chores and house work.
Father was away in some ward of the Stake about four nights
every week or calling on some member encouraging them to a better
life.
FATHER AND HIS KANAB STAKE MIA
Before Father was released from his mission and while laboring
in Canada at a Kanab Stake Quarterly Conference he was sustained
as Kanab Stake Young Men's Superintendent about two and a half
months before he got home in October 1914. Also about this time
he was chosen as one of the Kanab Stake High Counselors.
After Father got home he chose George Mace and Homer Spencer as
counselors and Edward C. Heaton as clerk.
As this was before there was any autos in the country, Father
spent considerable time away from home visiting the several wards
of the Stake organizing and directing the MIA of the stake.
He
traveled by buggy or horseback, leaving home early in the morning
to visit the wards of Mt. Carmel, Orderville, Glendale and Alton,
and be gone two to four days and sometimes a week. When visiting
Kanab and Fredonia he would leave home at noon, sometimes coming
back at night after meetings or early the next morning. Sometimes
he would go by way of Kanab and pick up his two counselors when
visiting the wards north of the divide.
I don't remember him ever missing a Stake Conference in all the
years he was MIA Superintendent.
Nor do I remember his missing
the General Church MIA June Conference in Salt Lake City, going by
horse and buggy to Marysville Rail Road Station then on the train
to SLC. Later when he owned a car he drove instead. I have known
him to come home late at night, in order to be home in the morning
to instruct us boys what to do in the garden and fields then at
noon get on his horse and go gain to visit the ward MIA. Devotion
to Church duties was his first concern. As he often said in his
talks to Church members, his cows never gave sour milk or dried up
if they were not milked each night and morning nor did he ever
loose a cow or horse because the boys left the gates open so the
202
animals got into the hay, grain and yards.
He always said, "If
you did the Lord's work with a willing heart first, the Lord will
look after your families and property."
The MIA program developed more men and women as leaders in
Kanab Stake than at any time since. As Father seemed to be able
to get close to every young man of the stake. He made it a point
to get personally acquainted with the boys when they came into MIA
at the age of 12, and followed them on until they were men. Many
a mother of a wayward son came to him and asked, "Can't you do
something for my boy?" Father would go out of his way to find the
boy, whether it was in the Pool Halls, back alleys, fields or any
other place, just to talk to him, and many a boy blessed his name
for what Father did for him.
Father's tour as MIA Stake President was from 1914 to 1934 at
which time he was made Kanab Stake President with Frederick G.
Carroll and Woodruff Rust as counselors.
FATHERS AND SONS OUTING
While Father was Stake MIA Superintendent he initiated the
first Church MIA outing for the Fathers and sons. This continued
for several years in Kanab Stake until he, with others organized
the Scouting so that boys were taken on Scout Camps for three or
four days.
The places outings were held were V.T. Park on the Kaibab, Duck
Creek on Cedar Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, with two or
more such outings at each place through the years.
The usual
attendance consisted of men and boys of all ages. Very seldom was
there fewer that 125 men and boys and occasionally over the 200
mark. I remember once at Duck Creek 300 attended.
The programs included baseball, races, stunts, hikes to
interesting points and nature studies. During one or two nights
out the evenings were filled with songs, stories, and talk around
the bonfire till bedtime. Such good times were had that everyone
looked forward to them each summer.
FATHER AND THE CHURCH WELFARE PLAN
Father and I were at General Conference when President Heber J.
Grant announced the Welfare Program in Salt Lake City, and when
Brother Harold B. Lee was first in charge and traveled about the
Church getting the program set up in the stakes and wards.
He
found the most FRUITFUL field of people willing to cooperate in
the Kanab Stake among the descendants of the United Order who
lived in Orderville. As father was Kanab Stake President at that
203
time it was not long until several of the wards and welfare
gardens, farms, dairies, cattle herds, sheep herds and other
projects going; later a cannery in the old school house in
Orderville along with a Bishop's storehouse.
Some of the ward
projects were: Moccasin - 15 head of cattle, gardens of tomatoes,
(one day we canned over 150 cases), an dry beans: Orderville Ward
- dairy herd of fifty to sixty cows: Alton Ward - potatoes and a
cheese factory:
Glendale - wheat and fruit: Mt. Carmel tomatoes, fruit and corn: Kanab Wards - tomatoes, cattle for
canning; Fredonia - wool and gardens.
For the first few years everything worked very well as it was a
new church undertaking. But later some dissatisfaction and
opposition began to be made known. Mostly by those men who had
lots of property in cattle, sheep and lands. they could not see
the need of giving and giving when very little was given back to
them or members of the Kanab Stake. However it was very fortunate
not to have very many on relief or needy.
Because of the complaints and changing conditions of the
church, our cannery was taken away.
All garden stuff was
discontinued, the farm produce was stopped, and the sheep were
sold. The Church turned to buying cattle which were run on several
different ranges.
Though Father tried very hard to keep the
production of the several projects going, it was a loosing battle
for him after Fred G. Carroll, his first counselor, died and
Woodruff Rust, his second counselor, moved away.
One honor that did come to Father above all else was the
statement made by Brother Lee, later an apostle, who still headed
the Church Welfare Plan. Brother Lee said, "I have learned more
from President Charles C. Heaton than any other man on how to
manage the Welfare Program;
this because of President Heaton's
training as a young man living the United Order in Orderville."
Kanab Stake led the rest of the stakes in fulfilling their
welfare assignments as long as Father was Stake President.
MEN CALLED TO CHURCH POSITIONS
During Father's calling as President of the Kanab Stake Mutual
Improvement Association after his return from the Northern States
Mission there were also returned young missionaries in late teens
at different times.
As Father was trying with the help of the
bishop of the Kanab ward to officer the ward MIA, he called on one
of the returned young men from the mission field about taking the
job as Ward MIA president. After sometime the young man came to
Father and said something like this "I have been offered a good
job herding sheep this winter, also I feel like I have done my
duty to the church and want a rest."
Father said, "I wish you
204
would reconsider your decision." But the young man said, "My mind
is made-up so forget me."
Which almost really happened.
He
become very inactive, even criticized the church leaders. Became
a drunkard for a while. Died not married in the temple, his life
was miserable most of the time.
The other returned missionary also was approached about the
Ward MIA presidency "I would like to find a good paying job as I
have no income except from my parents. But if you think it best I
stay home this winter and work with the young folks I will."
Father said, "I am sure if you fill your calling the best you can
as you did in the mission field the Lord will supply your
financial need."
This man did accept the MIA Presidency, found a job in town,
eventually became a leader in Kanab in church and civic affairs.
Married in the temple, raised a good family and I have heard him
say, "How greatful I am President Heaton on insisting so to speak
that I accept the Ward MIA Presidency. It has made me a better
man."
So children do not turn down a call made to you by church
authorities no matter how small.
The pay is great and ever
lasting.
MISSIONARY CALLING
Told at Rolin Brown's reception party February 11, 1961 by
Charles C. Heaton.
I am very grateful for my Stake President (William W.
Seegmiller) and the interest he took in me when I returned from my
mission 46 years ago, by giving me something to do in the Church
in our wards and stakes.
And I suggest that Brother Rolin be
given something to do in our MIA, Sunday School. or Primary, so
that the testimony and spirit will not grow cold.
One time at a High Counsel meeting, (I was a high Counselor
then) as the meeting was dismissed and I was leaving the Stake
President tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to say a few
minutes, as he wanted to talk to me privately.
When we were
alone, he said, "I want you to go to the Glendale ward and convert
them to missionary work."
So I went up there and spent Sunday
with those good people and told them my missionary experiences.
After the meeting, an elderly man came up and asked me if I
thought they would take lady missionaries. I said try them, and
it was not long after that he sent two of his granddaughters on
missions. That ward has led the Stake in keeping missionaries out
on full time missions unless it could be our ward here.
205
MOTHER TAKES A HORSE BACK RIDE
One summer evening after father had returned from his mission
and I had been on old Jeff, our saddle horse, after the milk cows
out in the pasture, and the cows in the corral, but had not
unsaddled the horse.
Mother cam out to call us all to supper,
there was Kezia, Richard, Clifford, father and myself out in the
street or at the barn at the time.
Mother said "guess I'll take a ride" and before I knew what she
was doing she took the reigns from me and climbed in to the
saddle. And was away on a gallop down the road by the barn, the
round reservoir, past the fields, on down to the indian camps.
As she went, Kezia, age 3 and Richard, 5, saw mother ride off,
started to run down the road crying and yelling for their ma. Of
course I started after the kids to bring them back but before I
could catch up with Kezia we had gotten to the south of the
fields. And we could see mother coming back. Dad also came out
the barn to see what was the matter of the children, followed to
the reservoir banks, when mother came with Kezia on the horse with
her and said to us. "Can't I go anywhere without all the family
following." Mother often rode a saddle horse, just for the fun of
being on a horse.
HARD TO CONVINCE
Years ago about 1920's Father and other men were called as
jurors to Kingman Arizona on a murder trial.
As the jury was
called to the jury box and they gave the place of residence.
The defendants lawyer looked over the prospective jury.
He
turned to the defendant and said, "You had bettered pled guilty,
as those bull headed Mormons are going to be hard to convince,"
which he did.
I heard my Grandfather Jonathan Heaton tell this incident in
his life.
"The last time I drove a yoke of oxen was in the summer and we
were hauling hay from the field to the barn. (Now whether it was
here at Moccasin, Orderville or Cotton Farm he did not say). We
had the wagon nearly loaded when something spooked the oxen and
they ran away down through the field over ditches, scattering the
206
hay, wrecking the wagon. After taking the yoke off the two oxen
turning them loose, we never did hook them up again."
This must of been in the 1890's.
C.L. Heaton
AN OWL AND A PISTOL
My grandmother liked to tell this story about a hired man
working her at Moccasin on summer.
It seems that the owls were
more plentiful than now and came to the trees in the evening,
hooting their love songs to each other close by the home of
grandmother. Sometimes the owls would get into the chicken coop
and take a chicken which grandmother did not like and said she
would give anyone a $1.00 if they would kill the owl.
The hired man decided he wanted the dollar.
About 10 PM the
owl was heard to be hooting in a tree nearby. So the hired man
got his pistol, loaded it and softly crept out of the house,
located the tree the owl was in then slowly made his way toward
the tree. When he finally located the big horned owl it was just
above his head and he could almost reach up to it.
Slowly he
raised his pistol, pointed at the owl and just as he was ready to
pull the trigger the old owl reached out with one of his claws and
grabbed the barrel of the pistol and let out an owl screech. The
hired man let go the gun and ran. The next morning they found the
They always said the man was
gun at the bottom of the tree.
afraid the owl was going to shoot him.
PLANT BEANS
When I was but a small lad and living at Moccasin, I was sent
to plant beans with my good old Uncle Christopher Heaton. He would
plow out a row and I was to follow along behind dropping four to
five beans every 12 or 14 inches, and after awhile it grew
tiresome and I was trying to think of something whereby I could
plant them faster and get the job done when I remembered seeing my
father plant grain by broadcasting. That was the answer, so I
proceeded to broadcast the beans, two or three handfuls.
207
When my Uncle got back to the top of the field and saw what I
had done he gave me one of my greatest lessons in life. One of
doing the work I was assigned to do as instructed. While he
instructed, I picked up all the beans I had broadcast. This lesson
was taught in kindness and patience.
"Told by Charles C. Heaton in Kanab Stake Ward Teachers Meeting
Feb. 3, 1954."
Nov. 7, 1953, 6 p.m.
"The same thing that destroyed the United Order and ancient
orders will destroy our welfare plan. That of the idler eating and
wearing the fruits of the laborer."
--Brother Clark at Orderville
FATHER'S JUSTICE OF PEACE JOB
I can't remember how Father came to be Justice of the Peace for
northern Arizona in Mohave County, though I do remember him having
to hear several cases.
I will record some cases as I remember
them.
There was quite a lot of feeling between the cattle men and
sheep men of the Arizona strip as the sheep owners would take
their sheep to water regardless who owned or claimed it.
The
grazing privileges were usually free to whomever got his livestock
to the feed first.
At Cane Beds, seven miles over the hill to the west of
Moccasin, lived Sam Beal who was hired to look after the Bar-Z
ranch. A great cattle company, they had piped water from a spring
to two cattle corrals that had storage ponds.
One spring two
sheep herders, taking their sheep to the summer range, watered
their sheep at one of the corrals.
When Sam Beal found them
there, he ordered them out, but they refused to go. An argument
started which ended up with Beal hitting one of the herders over
the head with his six gun which knocked him out and cut his head
quite badly.
I don't know how the trial came out, but no more
sheep were watered at the Bar-Z corrals without first getting a
permit.
Another case was the rustling of cattle by one Scott Cuttler
and his boys. Their home was in Kanab. At one time he was Bishop
of Kanab Ward, but because of personal troubles between ward
members he became very bitter toward them. He and his boys spent
a lot of time on the cattle range branding long eared calves of
six months to a year old, and weaning them by driving them to
other parts of the range. Once he took a calf from some Indians
so the Indian Service brought charges against the Cuttlers. But
as no one saw the Cuttlers brand the calf they were turned loose,
208
and the calf given back to the Indians who established ownership.
The Cuttlers were finally bought out by local cattle men. After
the older man Scott passed away, two of the boys moved to
California, one became a policeman, another lives in Kanab and
became quite active in Boy Scout work for some 10 or 15 years.
Another case, Sam Beal, living at Cane Beds, usually put up
travelers going through the country as they traveled either by
horse or on foot.
This time a man on foot stopped for several
days as he claimed he had been traveling a long way and wanted to
rest before going on to southern Arizona.
One day he asked Sam if he had an old horse he could have,
which he was denied. That evening when Sam came in from work he
got an arm full of wood for the stove. As Sam opened the kitchen
door he was met with a rifle shot which hit the door case instead
of Sam, who dropped the wood at the same time dropping to the
floor rolling around away from the door. Getting to his feet he
ran through another room for his new six gun. The tramp shot two
or three times at Beal through the walls each time missing him by
inches.
After Beals secured his gun, he quietly returned to the kitchen
door. The man had his back to him trying to get another cartridge
into the gun.
Beal ordered him to drop the gun, but the man
whirled around and raised the gun as if to shoot.
Beal, not
knowing the gun had jammed shot once hitting the man in the neck
and killed him almost instantly. It later turned out the man was
an escapee from Utah State Prison.
Beal was let off in self
defense.
Sam Beal could neither read nor write, though he got quite a
lot of mail.
He would always wait until someone he could trust
came to read his mail and make answers for him. He later moved to
Nevada where he lived for quite some time.
209
MOTHER'S STORE
Before Father left for the mission we had built a cellar to
store our fruits and vegetables. There was a room on top to hold
flour, sugar, and grain.
After Father left for his mission in 1913, to help care for the
family and to have a small income, Mother took over Grandfather's
little store that had been housed in the old granary back of
Grandma's house.
Mother moved the store into the room above the cellar, which
was just south of our house some 20 feet.
I went to Kanab and
Orderville a number of times to purchase supplies for this store.
A lot of the supplies came through the mail, as parcel post was
cheap in those days. Besides local merchants, Mother was supplied
from ZCMI, John Scrowoff and Sons and Start Y Candy Co.
She carried mainly things to eat (dried and canned goods), and
a few pieces of clothing.
Most of the customers were Indians, sheep men, and cowboys.
Though the business was never great, it did furnish us with a
small amount of cash and goods.
This added to the small amount
Mother received from having the Post Office. She managed to keep
us children clothed and fed.
And she sent Father a few dollars
each month.
Mother kept the store until 1926 when I went to Pipe Spring and
built a small rock house south of the ponds and road. I was joint
partner with Mother in moving the store to Pipe along with a gas
station, which we operated until 1934.
The store was then returned to the northeast room in mothers
home in Moccasin for a few years.
Later an old homestead house
was hauled in from Cedar Ridge and Mother moved the store into it
for a few years. As everyone had cars and could or did go to town
to do their shopping as the roads got better, Mother closed the
store in the 1950's.
TAX ASSESSOR FOR MOHAVE COUNTY
For several years father acted as county tax assessor for
Northern Mohave County.
As a boy I remember especially in the
spring he would ride horse back and count the sheep as they were
driven from their winter range in Arizona to Utah for summer. He
would get the number, owners' names and how long they had been in
Arizona, and send this information to Kingman, Arizona our county
seat. A Mr. Fraines of Kingman would come up once a year to make
210
property assessments and give Father instructions of assessments.
What he got for his work I do not know.
MACK HOYT AND LAMOND HEATON
WORD OF WISDOM
Just before World War II Mack Hoyt and LaMond Heaton were
called on missions for the LDS Church. As most young men do at
times, they wondered about the word of wisdom and its real
meaning. After their missions they were called into the defense
of their country and were in training together. My father, then
the Stake President, had them speak in one of the meetings at
stake conference in Orderville while they were on leave from the
army. This is the substance of their talks.
It was not until we were in the training camps, that the full
meaning of the Word of Wisdom come to us. Particularly that part,
'They who keep and do these things shall run and not be weary and
walk and not faint.' Mack and LaMond, because of their living the
Word of Wisdom, were always out in front at the end of the day
marches and hikes going strong, while the rest of the men were
falling by the way, a living testimony of living the Word of
Wisdom. God keeps his promises to his people. Mack Hoyt died in
the service of his country in the South Pacific. LaMond returned
home to raise a large family.
211
HEEDING THE PROMPTING OF THE SPIRIT
I recall that we used to haul wool from the old sheering corral
up in the sand. One spring there was 18 or 20 wagons loaded with
wool. I was in my early teens probably 12 or 13 years old and my
Father had me driving one of the teams and going down what we used
to call the Carmel Hill and when we got to the big turn where we
looked down into the creek. The man in front of me stopped and
got off his wagon and looked it over very carefully but found
nothing wrong. So he got on and started up again, but stopped his
wagon again and looked his wagon and load over very carefully, but
found nothing wrong. He then came back to my wagon on the upper
side, and said to me, "Charley, I feel something is wrong." Going
on the left side, he found the burr of the hind wheel had come
off.
Going back about five yards or so from where we first
stopped we found the burr. I am sure as anything if that man had
not been living the Gospel so that the Holy Spirit could come and
manifest his spirit to him something was wrong, I would not be
here today, as going down the hill that wheel would have come off
and I would have fallen over the ledge to the bottom of the
canyon.
As told by Charles C. Heaton, Sept. 23, 1956 in Sacrament
Meeting.
GRANDMOTHER STANDS UP TO DAVE RUST
Quite a number of years ago, when the Governor of Utah, Earnest
Banberger, was making tour of Southern Utah in a White Top Buggy,
to get from St. George to Kanab they had to come into Arizona by
way of Moccasin and being a long hard drive, the Governor and his
party of 10 or 15 stopped over night with my Grandmother at
Moccasin, (who, no matter how many came to her place could always
find a place at the table and a bed for one more.)
Among the
party was one Dave Rust from Kanab, who was also quite a
politician in Kane County, Utah and well over six-foot-two.
Grandmother was about five foot eight.
As the evening wore on and the conversation passed from one
subject to another and the men were getting ready for bed,
Grandmother came in to tell where their rooms and beds were. Dave
Rust stepped up to Grandmother, stuck his thumbs in his vest
pockets and said boastfully, "See what Utah produces."
Not to be outdone, Grandmother pulled herself up straight and
said, "We raise men in Arizona," turned and went about her
household duties.
212
COUNTING SHEEP
One time while sheering sheep at the old sheering corral at the
top of the Mt. Carmel dugway. Where were two Danish men working
in the corral keeping sheep in the pens for the shearers.
The
shearers one afternoon kept calling to the Danish men, Abner
Sheets and his brother, wanting to know how many more there were
to do. Finally Abner, got tired of trying to count them each time
the shearers called out, so he called back, "I counted them all
but one, he keep running around the corral so fast I could not
count it." There were no more calls from the sheep shearers after
that.
BEAUTY AND DESOLATION IN THE DESERT
August 15, 1957
Story by Charles C. Heaton in Sacrament meeting.
First to
illustrated the place members of the church have in this world
among the children of God.
The second one to show how foolish
people sometimes are to be attracted by bright lights.
First, during one of our summer droughts in this country when
many of the watering holes had dried up and a lot cattle choking
and starving to death. We were out trying to move the cattle to
more water and better feed if it could be found. A way down in
the break of the Colorado River, we found a very poor old cow and
calf, that could hardly get around, among the barren rocks, brush
and cactus. Off to one side a few hundred yards were some coyotes
howling their hungry cry waiting, we guessed, for the cow or calf
to die. We were driving the cow and calf back along the trail,
and as we turned a corner in the trail around a group of rocks,
nestled in a crevasse and shade of the rocks was a patch of
beautiful desert flowers telling a different story of nature and
life here on earth; one of love and beauty contrasted with one of
starvation and death.
Second, O, how often have I set around the camp fire in the
evening watching the flames leap high and bright, attracting the
night insects to it, the moths and millers come in great numbers;
some came to close to the flames and were burned to death, other's
wings were singed and fell into the fire or ashes. Others stayed
away, avoiding the bright light that blinded them and led them to
How like the moths attracted by the bright
their destruction.
fire light, so many of the members of the Church are drawn in to
the ways of the world by the beer halls, and places of outward
pleasure, to be destroyed spiritually and lead down the pathway of
darkness and misery and loneliness.
213
SECURING PROPERTY TITLES
We were having trouble with the Indian service and in
particular Dr. A.E. Farrow, a Mormon hater, over property rights
at Moccasin.
The Indian Service was trying to move the Heatons
off using every means they could.
Father was asked to take the
lead in the fight to secure titles to the property. The land had
not been surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey, nor would be
until 1913.
Boundary lines were not established.
Father made
several trips to Phoenix, Arizona at his own expense, no help from
his brothers with money, and hired John H. Page and a firm of
lawyers to handle the case.
To make these trips, Father would leave home on horse back,
riding over the mountain to Cane Beds and on to Hurricane one day.
The next day he would catch the mail north to Cedar City, then on
to Lund, Utah; catch the train in the evening going to Barsto,
California, change trains there in the morning for the train to
Phoenix arriving about evening on the third day. These trips took
him through four states, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California to get
to our state capitol.
One trip he stopped at Adams Hotel.
As he was dressed like
country folk, he was not given a very good room.
Before he
arrived at Phoenix he had notified Governor Campbell, first
Republican Governor of the state, when he would be there.
That evening the Governor called the hotel asking for one
Charles C. Heaton of Moccasin. As Father was out to supper when
the call came, a message was left for Father to come to the
Governor's office at 9 a.m. next morning.
When the manager of the hotel learned of this, Father was moved
in one of the coolest rooms, as it was in August, before air
coolers were in use, and given every courtesy anyone could ask
for.
With the help of Governor Campbell and John H. Page, Father
secured three -180 acre homesteads at Moccasin, one in his name,
one in Grandma's (Lucy E. Heaton) and one in Fred C. Heaton. The
cost some $4,000, court and lawyer fees. This money came from the
sale of Pipe Spring, 40 acres. But that is another story.
MANAGING THE ROUNDUP
After Jonathan Heaton and his sons with other men purchased
Pipe Springs and cattle belonging to Alex Findlay of Kanab, Father
was put in charge of managing the cattle herds of Pipe Springs
Stock Growers and Jonathan Heaton and Sons brand. As manager he
214
was foreman of the roundup crew which usually consisted of ten to
20 cowboys mostly form Orderville Carrolls and Esplins.
One
roundup time in the spring there were ten men and they were out
for six weeks. No tobacco, tea, coffee or liquor and no cussing
were used in the entire time.
PURCHASE OF PIPE SPRINGS
The following is what Father says took place in the transaction
when the Heaton's purchased Pipe Springs. A.D. Findlay offered to
sell all his holdings, cattle horses and ranch for $30,000 without
counting, take them just as they were running on the range.
Father's advice was to accept it as it was a good buy. But some
of the others did not believe there was $30,000 worth of cattle
and horses on the range. So a price of $116.00 per head was agreed
on everything a year or older.
Each critter with a brand was
counted and branded with a bar before the old brand called 'Tally
Pipe.'
By the time the last cow had been tallied they paid
Findlay almost $100,000. This shows that the cattle men did not
know how many cattle they really owned on the Arizona Strip
country.
THE FLOOD AND MOCCASIN
In the fall of August and September 1940, the weather was very
hot and at times thunderstorms would come over the country. This
year, Father had worked very hard to produce a good crop of hay,
corn and apples, doing things as weeding, cultivating, watering,
and thinning, on this particular day he had spent the forenoon in
the field, coming home for dinner, he stopped on the round
reservoir bank and looked out over his field and said to himself,
never have I raised such a good crop and should harvest all we
need this year. The corn is 10 feet tall with three to five ears
of corn per stock, the hay ready to cut almost two feet tall, the
apple trees loaded and some branches touching the ground with
their fruit almost free of worms, the melon patches, carrots, and
other garden stuff extra good.
About noon heavy storm clouds began to gather at the head of
the canyon three miles to the west. By one o'clock it had begun
to rain then turned into a cloud burst.
Within an hour seven
inches of water had fallen.
A flood came out of the canyon four
to six feet deep, uprooting giant poplar trees, cedar and pine
trees in its wake. Within the hour the fields in the bottom of
the valley were washed up or covered with sand, not a stock of
corn left standing straight, hay under two feet of sand. Three-
215
fourths of the apples knocked off the trees and washed away, all
the gardens gone, the barn and corrals two feet of sand in them,
some livestock drowned.
From all this loss hardly a word or
complaint escaped Father's and Mother's lips. Tho Father did say
later that Mother could not sleep and spent the night up writing
and reading.
The next day Church Welfare in Kanab Stake was put into action
as some 40 or 50 men from all the wards came out to help salvage
crops and repair the damage the best they could. By two p.m. a
lot of work had been done. Then another heavy storm hit the same
area and another flood roared out of the canyon undoing all the
work the men had done, tho the flood was about one-half as big as
the first.
Since that time the field have never produced as well. Seems
like the life of the land was taken our of the soil. Of 100 fruit
trees or more, only some 20 are still alive, with the fruit not
very good since.
The only relief give to Father and three of his brothers was
$50.00 each from the Mohave County commissioners in the form of
road work at Moccasin and some 10 or 12 men did the work.
Contrast that loss with similar losses today.
The U.S.
Government would have declared a disaster and thousands of dollars
spent to repair the damage free of charge. No wonder incentive to
rebuild on one's own ability is lost here in the U.S.A. Thank God
the Mormon Church teachings are to rely on our own selves for what
we have, as the day will come that outside help will be cut off.
216
A STORY FATHER TELLS OF MISSIONARY WORK
IN CANADA, 1914 & 15
There was a quite a bit of agitation and resentment among the
Canadian people against the American people not sending their
young men to war with Germany, especially the Mormon missionaries
were often called slackers for not joining the British army.
There was one particular young elder who delighted to get
into argument over the war U.S. history and such mostly just for
the fun of it. At one time it got so hot the Canadian said when
this war is over the British Army would be sent over and teach the
Americans a good lesson etc. The elder thought a moment then said
without cracking a smile "We licked the pants off you twice when
we were just babies. Now we are full grown."
At another time the two were arguing over the war (World War
I) and how it was being carried on.
The Canadian said, "The
British has something in the London Tower if they would use would
wipe out all the German army in one shot." The elder came back at
him with this answer "If the king don't get it out and use it the
German's will drop a bomb on it." Surprisingly three days later a
German airplane did drop a bomb onto the Tower of London, tower
and building were destroyed
FATHERS CATTLE TRIP TO KANSAS CITY
In the spring of 1909 Jonathan Heaton and sons decided to try
their hand at shipping cattle to the Kansas City Stock yards to
see if they could get better prices than selling to local cattle
buyers.
At the end of the spring roundup and branding of calves they
had gathered a herd of steers two and three year old and some old
cows. I do not know the exact number but is must of been close to
500 head as the number of cowboys that went with the drive to Lund
Ut, the rail road shipping point.
From an old account book of fathers Charles C. Heaton, dated
July 4, 1909, he listed the following as hands, Jonathan Heaton,
June Heaton, Chas Heaton, Edward Heaton, J.W. Clark, J.L. Bowers,
Dan Seegmiller, Carlos Stevins cook, Jerry Burnham wrangler, J.
Heaton an sons team.
They were on the trail to long 10 or 11
days. Produce purchased on the way $47.95 to Lund, Ut.
An incident that happened as the cattle herd neared Lund, was
a black bear was spotted out on the desert and the cowboys gave
chase and roped it, took it to Lund where it was locked up in a
217
old jail cell made of old wagon tires to hold men instead of
animals.
I seem to remember that the bear died the next day
because of the heat and treatment it had when caught by the
cowboys.
Father does not tell of the number of cars the cattle were
loaded in on the trip, but it does show the expenses. He and J.W.
Clark had on the way and back home the places stopped to feed and
water the cattle.
Places stopped.
Left Lund, Ut. on the 15th, a stop at
Milford, Ut. 15th - Glenwood Spring, Colo. 18th - Slade, Colo.
19th - Pantac, Kans. 21st - Tean, Kansas 22nd - They seem to have
arrived at Kansas City about July 26th 1909. The expenses for the
trip and back, home is listed as $86.94. Personal expenses J.W.
Clark $45.26 - Chas. Heaton $56.10.
Nothing is recorded of the
price they received from the sale of the cattle. Father does not
list the cost of transporting the cattle. I suppose that was part
of the over all charges made by the railroad.
They seem to have returned home about August 2 or 3 as they
last expense entry is Aug. 1, beds at Panguitch and ticket to
$12.70.
There are two other stories connected with this cattle trip I
wish to record.
After the herd was on its way, father came home one night as
my brother Richard who was born June 30 had not been given a name.
The next morning after father had saddled his horse and was ready
to go grandma and some others on the ranch came to our home and as
I remember it they were standing outside by the front porch. When
father and someone else took the baby in their arms and gave him
his name of Richard. Then father got on his horse and rode over
the Moccasin mountain to Canebeds where he caught up with the
cattle drive.
Father said as they rode the rail cars and the train hand
found out they were Mormons quite frequently religious discussions
would develop. Now J.S. (Bud) Clark was an old bachelor and not
very active Mormon would sometimes defend the church teachings
when needed. He was an honest, truthful and considerate of others
always helping those in need.
MELVIN BEING PLOWED UNDER
One spring Father was plowing in the Indian land south of the
barn and corral to plant corn and melons in. We called it Indian
land as one time the Indians farmed it when the church got the
Paiute Indians to come and live at Moccasin in the 1880's and
90's. They were given 15 acres of land and 1/3 of the sand spring
218
water and after the U.S. Government moved them down to their
present homes and Father got the farm land as part of his interest
in Moccasin we still called it the Indian land. I guess some of
us still do at times now in 1982.
Anyway, as Father was plowing the land with old Lay and
Bernie the team of horses and a walking plow, Grace and Melvin
went over to watch him and play in the new plowed ground. Then
they got to following along behind dad. Finally running ahead of
the plow and dropping into the furrow behind the horses and being
partly covered up with the dirt as the plow turned it over.
One time Melvin fell flat down in the furrow and was
completely covered up by the dirt and Grace seeing it franticly
began to dig him out with her hands.
Of course dad stopped the team and came to help Grace. When
Melvin pushed himself up, after wiping the dirt from Melvins face
and clothes, he looked up at Dad and said, "you would of had a lot
of little Melvins if I had stayed their wouldn't you."
And Dad
said, "I sure would of."
MOTHER AS A PAPER HANGER
When Mother was telling us children some of her early
happenings while a young girl in Orderville she related this. As
we had a large family everyone had to help earn our living at what
ever job we could find, either for money, food or clothing. As a
little girl I had helped paste news paper on board to help keep
out the wind and cold as well as make the rooms look nicer. And
soon people were asking her to come and paper their homes, as she
seemed to have a knack of arranging the news papers, so they could
read and looked so much better than other people.
She said, "I
guess I have papered in most of the homes in Orderville when I was
a girl.
LIME STONE FOR WHITE WASH
Another industry she and her sister tried was to walk the
lime stone hills south of Mt. Carmel and dig out the almost pure
lime from the cracks in the rocks, carry it home or have her
brother Leonard come down in the evening on a horse to take the
lime home. Then they would cook or burn the lime to make white
wash which they used to white wash fences, homes and even some of
the rooms in the homes. This was done mostly during her teenage
years.
219
AS TOLD BY MARGARET COX HEATON
When Mother was growing up it was the women and girls that
had to milk the cows, care for the chickens, pigs, and other
chores at the barn and corral. One time her father Delaun M. Cox
brought a new cow into milk. It didn't like women around her new
born calf. When her mother, grandmother Cox, went into the corral
the cow bunted her down and run one of her horns in mothers side.
If her brother Leonard had not been there the cow would likely
killed mother. But Leonard picked up an old wagon spoke, jumped
into the corral hit the cow breaking one horn, then the cow took
after him, he hit and broke the other horn, which took the fight
all out of the cow and they were able to carry mother out and to
the house.
COFFEE FOR A SUPERINTENDENT
A few months after Dr. A.E. Farrow came to the Indian
reservation as Superintendent he had some Government inspectors
come to look over the reservation. His wife ran out of coffee for
his guests and they sent an Indian up to get a can from Mothers
little store. When the Indian asked for the coffee he said Farrow
did not have any for the people that was staying with them and
needed the coffee very bad. When mother heard this she told the
Indian she did not have any in the store and to tell Farrow that.
Later another Indian women came up for coffee for herself so she
said and mother knew she did not use coffee and guessed Farrow had
sent her for the coffee, so she told the Indian woman she did not
have any coffee in the store.
Mother did this in retaliation to what the Farrow's were
trying to do to the Heatons Moccasin.
They were trying to take
the post office from Moccasin to the Indian Village.
Said he
would have the Heatons out of Moccasin in six months and the
Indians living in their homes. Also trying to start false story
of how the Heatons had treated the Indians even causing death to
some of them and could prove it in time.
So when the opportunity came to cause them embarrassment
mother could not resist the temptation tho she knew it was not
just right.
MELVIN
When Melvin was three to five years old at bed time there was
a ritual he had to go through before he could be put in bed. What
started it no one seem to know or at least I did not ever find
220
out. Sometime when he was about three he must of seen a bucking
horse trying to throw off a saddle and for a long time just before
bed time Melvin would get down on his hands and knees going from
the living room to the dinning room bucking like a wild horse,
twisting and turning, kicking up his legs and raising up, trying
to dislodge an imaginary saddle off his back. This would last for
10 or 15 minutes.
This seemed to please Dad a lot as when Melvin started his
bucking Dad always stopped what he was doing and watched every
move Melvin made.
DUCKED BY A BUCKET
In 1926 when I took over managing Pipe Springs National
Monument, Father would come down to help with the building of the
gas station and the kids would come down on Saturdays.
One day
Melvin came with Father. At dinner time, I was living in the old
fort, we were out of water, so I asked Melvin to take the bucket
and go to the spring, which was on the west side of the fort. One
had to step down two or three steps to get the water.
Well he
went for the water and came back with half a bucket full and was
soaking wet from head to foot. I asked Melvin what happened and
he said, "The bucket pulled me into the spring."
GRACE
One fall we were late getting the carrots, beets and onions
dug out of the garden and a hard frost came and froze the ground
so it was hard to get them out. In the afternoon Mother had us
children go out and try to dig the carrots out.
We were using
shovels, picks to break the frozen ground around the carrots.
When Grace, age about 4 years old came to help us, as we were
close to the wood pile, she went and got the ax and started to
chop around the frozen ground. When someone told her to come over
her and help us. Well I was stooped over pulling out some of the
carrots we had gotten loose. When Grace raised the ax to chop the
frozen ground and it landed on the back of my head (Leonard)
cutting a 2 or 3 inch gash which mother had quite a time stopping
the bleeding.
Of course Grace was scared and started to cry.
Feeling bad for what she had done, she wouldn't come into the
house where mother was trying to stop the bleeding. But went over
across the lane and climbed up in one of the peach trees where she
sat and cried for an hour or so. And I had to go over to show her
I was alright before she would come down. I still carry the scar.
C.L. Heaton
221
RICHARD
I don't remember to much about Richard as a baby but I do
recall when he was given a name and a blessing. While he was just
a few days old the Jonathan Heaton and Son's Company had decided
to ship by railroad some 300 or so cattle to Kansas City to sell
and Father was to go with them. Richard was born while the cattle
were being gathered and made ready to trail them to the railroad
at Lund Utah.
Father had helped get the cattle on the way and
came home to say goodbye and was to catch up with the cattle herd
at Canebeds the next day. In the morning he left. Whether I was
sent up to grandma's or not, I do remember walking back down with
grandpa and some others to our home. Father and mother were out
by the front porch with the baby and other children. After we had
come from grandmas I remember seeing father take the baby from
mother and three or more men standing around the baby and gave it
the name and blessing. The name was Richard.
C.L. Heaton 6/12/82
JENNIE
This how Jennie got her finger hurt and the finger nail grew
crooked.
She and I were playing in the house running through the rooms
trying to get away from each other and hide if possible. Mother
had told us to stop or we would get hurt. As we would go through
the doorway we would try and slam the door shut so the other one
couldn't catch us.
Jennie was chasing me and ran from the kitchen into the
living room and she was right behind me.
So I headed for the
bedroom going through the door slamming it shut and holding it so
Jennie could not get in. Jennie had reached the door her hand on
the door casing when the door came shut it caught the end of her
finger.
When mother saw Jennie's fingers mashed and bleeding she
became frightened, picked Jennie up in one arm and me in the other
arm and ran outside calling for help.
Of course grandma and
others came running down to see what was the matter. Since then I
have always been afraid of children getting hurt when playing
around doors, opening and shutting them in their faces.
C.L. Heaton
222
SHEERING SHEEP
Spring time always brought many activities that could only be
accomplished in the spring and sheering sheep was one of them.
There were several locations for the sheering corrals.
This
spring of 1903 was at Chris's Spring just south of the sand hills.
Father was one of the shearers and Mother went along to help cook
for the sheers and help at the corrals.
At that time men had to use hand clippers like a pair of
scissors to cut the wool from the sheep while he held the sheep on
a canvas or board platform to keep the wool out of the dirt.
In years past Father had been able to sheer 70, 80 or 90 in a
day, a good days work for any man.
This spring he said "I am
going to try for a 100 head in one day." But as the days went by
he did not quite make the 100. With only two or three days left
for sheering Mother said, "One morning Dad woke up and said I am
going of the hundred today, so he started shortly after sunup and
at sundown he had sheered 104 head of sheep a record for hand
clipping wool from sheep in this area."
He never did that many
again.
______________________________
A INDIAN AND BLANKETS
Where this story came form or where it happened I do not
know. But is was told at my grandmothers home when I was in my
teen years. It seems there were discussions of Indian customs and
their needs when grandfather said, during the winter camp trip an
old Indian came in one evening and was given some supper and as
they prepared for bed they gave the Indian a quilt to lay down by
the fire for the night . He leveled off the ground, folded the
quilts a time or two then proceeded to lay down on them nothing
over him. He did not have much clothing. Thinking he wanted the
quilts to make a softer bed they gave him another quilt which he
also folded an lay down on it. When asked if he did not get cold,
the Indian said "Your face gets cold?" when told it doesn't, he
said "Me face all over" lay down and went to sleep for the night.
How tough some humans can get.
A LOST DIME
223
My Uncle Ed Carrol of Orderville told me this story. He and
his fathers family were living at the section a mile south of
There was also some
Ordeville late 1800's and early 1900's.
Indians living in Long Valley during the summer months to work for
the white people at times. Uncle Ed's story "One day mid summer
he was standing by our yard gate when I saw Big John coming up the
road from Mt. Carmel some quarter of a mile away. He stopped and
picked something up.
Seemed to be examining what he had in his
hand, when Big John got up to where I was he came over and said
"Ed you loose a dime?" Ed, "No, why." John, "You know somebody
who loose a dime." "Why?" John, "I find this dime down road."
Ed, "Keep it."
John, "Not my dime, you take it.
Maybe so you
find who lost a dime give it to him." He handed me the dime and
walked on up the road as if nothing had happened.
Honesty in the truest sense.
_______________________
BIG JOHN'S BURIAL
It seems as Big John was living in Mt. Carmel at the time of
his death and there arose among the people of Mt. Carmel a
division on whether he could be buried in the Mt. Carmel cemetery
or not.
Finally decision was no.
So he was taken to the
Orderville cemetery for burial.
"Years later a headstone was
placed marking his grave."
When one of the leading citizens of Mt. Carmel came home a
few weeks later and heard what had been said and done, he in
highness indignation and with anger said, "Big John's heart was a
darn sight whiter than a lot of the white men's heart. And it is
a damn shame."
A SHORT PRAYER
Father has told this story many times about a conference in
Orderville, Utah.
A stake conference was held in Orderville one hot August
Sunday and the talks in the afternoon were long and not to
interesting at times. When the visiting authority from Salt Lake
City got through his sermon in which he had chastised the members
of the stake for not keeping all the commandments as they should
he was tired and sweating along with the congregation, he asked
224
the stake president to call on some one who would not give a long
prayer.
As the brother came to the stand to give the closing prayer
the stake president whispered make it short.
The brother stood at the pulpit looked over the congregation,
bowed his head and said, "O Lord Make something of us sinners if
you can, Amen" and the meeting was over.
SEE WHAT I HAVE MISSED
There has always been in the church men that were honorable
and trustworthy, lived rather clean lives and raised large
respectable families. These men had word of wisdom problems that
kept them from going to the temple, to be married for eternity and
have their wives and children sealed to them by those who have the
authority.
One such man was Hazen Harris who grew up in Glendale, spent
a lot of time at the sheep herd away from home and church, was not
active as a young man.
When the time came to be married he
promised his girl if she would marry him now "I will clean up my
bad habits and we will go to the temple later."
Well that later stretched into years, their children most of
them were married in the temple.
Marriages which he could not
attend and which disappointed him very much.
Charles C. Heaton, Stake President had spent many hours
talking to Hazen about the church and in the course of time Hazen
did drop the bad habits that kept him from keeping his promise to
his wife. They did go to the temple and were sealed as husband
and wife and had their children sealed and become an eternal
family in the St. George temple.
As they were leaving the temple he realizing the blessings
that were his and his families he said "I'm the happiest man on
earth. But see what I have missed all these years." He and his
wife did a lot of temple work afterward.
GRANDMA TEACHES A LESSON ON PRAYER
Shortly after the one room school house was built we were
holding our Sunday School Sacrament meeting and all other public
gatherings in it. As my grandmother Lucy Elizabeth Heaton was the
225
Sunday School teacher for children age 2 to 10 here at Moccasin we
had quite a mixed group of some 8 or 10 children most of the time.
After the opening exercises of Sunday School a blue curtain
would be drawn across the school room to separate the old folks
from the children. We had the north end of the room and we sat in
the north west corner on two low benches painted red that would
hold 5 or 6 kids.
This particular Sunday there must of been quite a lot of
noise by the children as soon as classes were divided grandma
started to talk about prayer and how hard it must of been for the
angles to hear what was said in the prayers that had been said
that morning. As she talked about prayer and what it was for some
of the things she said that has stayed with me all these years
were: The Father in Heaven always sent his angels to listen in on
all our church meetings to see what was said. And if we keep our
eyes open they may not come. So meeting was so noisy they just
looked in the window then went away and would return to Father in
Heaven and report what they saw. But if we set still folded our
arms, bowed our head, keep our eyes shut, then the angels would
stay for the meeting before going away. From then on I have tired
to follow grandma's advise of being reverent during prayer.
REPORT ON MOTHERS PROPERTY
1976 - MOCCASIN ARIZONA
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
As Mother has requested that I make a report each year of the
handling of her estate for the year I sent this to you for 1976.
Renters - Mr. & Mrs. Lark Flanigan were living in the home
January 1, 1976 and stayed til June 6, 1976. Left the place in
good condition, but did not pay the water bill of $35.00.
Michael and Cynthia and children moved into the home. June
17, 1976 and is living there at the end of the year. The renters
are paying $100.00 per month and utilities.
April 4, 1976 - Michael Heaton came and wanted to buy the
home and lot. The price set was $20,000.00. He then applied for
a loan from FHA for several reasons the loan was not approved for
that amount only $18,500.00 if I would put in a new septic tank
and disposal area, repaint the house inside and out, insulate the
attic, install kitchen cabinets, a larger water heater, estimate
cost of $1,500.00 or more if hired someone.
Termite inspection and treatment.
226
In Sept. Mike came to me and said they had decided to build a
new home on some of his mothers land and would not want the place.
So it is now for sale to anyone else.
Mike has told me
recently they plan on moving out in about 2 months.
Expenses, money paid out, 1976:
April 19 Mitchell Salvage - clean septic tank
$45.00
May
10 Bill Mathew - termite treatment
90.00
To Missionaries:
Heber Heaton
140.00
Ingo Heaton
20.00
Brigham Johnson
20.00
Taxes 1976 house and lot
197.94
Total
expended
512.94
Income 1976
Rent
Interest on savings
1,000.00
72.15
Total
income
1,072.15
Total in savings account
1,903.08
I would like to if any of you or your children would like to
buy the home and lot if not I will put an add in local paper for
its sale. By February first $20,000 cash.
The 5 acre is up for sale and I have a buyer at $200.00 per
acre. The proceeds goes to the missionary fund. Reason for the
sale is that I could not make a land trade with Owen Johnson or
Sterling Heaton for a community park. Mother wanted that could be
used or would be used and taken care of the closest to a deal was
1/2 to one acre back of the old barn and west of the long
reservoir.
Kay, Grace, Alyce and La Vina would like to have some land
here at Moccasin and reinstate the first division of the 5 acres
mother made into 7 parts. What is your idea of this?
I have mostly got mothers papers sorted and hope to get them
finished this winter. As well as getting diaries and notes copied
for those who would like a copy.
Edna and I are moving to St.
George for a few months this winter so we can get caught up on our
personal histories and records.
Love, your brother
C. Leonard Heaton
227
A LETTER
October 3, 1977
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The other night I lay awake several hours thinking about
Father and Mother's life and the problems they had to meet and how
they met them with patience and kindness to all that might have
Also how they wanted to live and have their
done them wrong.
family live the teachings of the gospel as practiced and lived
when they were children in the United Order.
As one big loving
family.
Now the church is trying to get us to organize as families
such as they experienced as children. Sharing our love, means and
what have you for the welfare of others. Training us to be about
to live the law of consecration which the Saints will have to live
if they are happy and contented in the presence of God.
I know that Father and Mother would of turned to the Church
all that they owned, home, lands, cattle, horses, you name it if
the General authorities had asked it of them. You might remember
how they worked to get the welfare program going here in Kanab
stake.
The cattle produce and even some land and hours of time
spent just to answer the call of the church and how it hurt him
when others would object and turn down the instruction from the
church welfare committee because they said we are well enough off
in our area we don't need the welfare program. But all this was
for our training for something greater for our blessings and good
to live and work together as one big family.
When Father returned from his mission, he and mother decided
the old home was not large enough to raise their family even tho
they only had 5 children then. With the store house and a tent
for us boys to sleep in and I guess could of gotten along some
way. But their plans were for our enjoyment and some privacy, a
place where we could be alone or call ours. So the room upstairs
was added by the time Grant came and the other 4 children.
We older children practically had a room to ourselves which
was ours. Yet it was part of the big house belonging to Father
and Mother and all who directed our lives while we were there.
Even as we started to go out on our own and sometimes returned to
the old home we had our room to go back to which we could sleep
in, be alone for a while and yet it still belonged to the entire
house and Father and Mother and we surly enjoyed the peace there.
Later the other 5 children had their turn at the rooms.
228
After we had gotten places of our own and started our own
family circle I think they talked of and planned for something
they could leave for us children. A place where we could continue
to live as a family as we did at the old big house.
I am sure when they bought the ranch it was not in their mind
for such a place, but as the years went by and they spent as many
summers there the idea began to develop it being the ideal place
for such a family gathering place.
To hold us together as one family unit which could if we will
let it.
Train us and our children and grand children into
accepting the teachings of the Church in Family organization
principles.
We all have our homes, our income from our work and business,
none has come from the ranch.
So we really don't need the
property for ourselves or our children for living and getting
along in this life.
My hope, longing and prayers are that we can keep the ranch
like father and mother keep their homes, a place where we can
build each a small room as cabin, we can call our own.
For
privacy when we want to be alone.
But the ranch as a whole is
ours, as we used to call the home father and mother built while we
were children.
Let us not put any material value on the ranch. But let the
value be of love and concern for each other as father and mother
would have us do. Make the place a bit of heaven for our children
and grand children to come to and find peace, quietness, love and
kindness toward each other as they gather together and renew our
acquaintance with each other and make our family an eternal family
here on earth.
Love and best wishes to you and yours,
Your brother,
C. Leonard
TO DAD
I follow a famous father, his honor is mine to wear.
He gave me a name that is free from shame.
A name he is proud to bear.
He lives in the morning sunlight and marches in the ranks of right
He's always true to the best he knew
And the shield that he wears is bright.
I follow a famous father and never a day goes by
But I feel that he is praying for me.
To carry his standard high
He stands to the sternest trials as only a brave man can.
229
Though the way be long, I must never wrong
The name of so good a man.
I follow a famous father not known to the printed page
Nor written down in the world's renown
As a prince of his little age.
But never a stain attached to him and never to stooped to shame.
He is strong and brave and to me he gave
The pride of an honest name.
I follow a famous father and him I must keep in mind
Though from him I am gone, I must carry on
Till my mission is left behind
His name was mine and on the day he gave it
It shone as a monarch's crown.
And as fair to see as it came to me
It must be when I put it down.
(Sent to Charles C. Heaton by his daughter Kezia Heaton, April 12,
1936 while on her mission.)
LOST ON CEDAR MOUNTAIN
Father tells this story about being lost at strawberry valley
while herding sheep on Cedar Mountain.
One stormy day the clouds
were among the trees and the sheep were bedded down among the tall
pine trees. He decided to ride over the ridge to duck creek to visit
with some of his friends who were herding sheep in that area. He had
been over the ride many times so getting lost never entered his mind.
After traveling an hour or so he came out of the forest into a wide
beautiful valley, a clear stream of water with lots of fish in it. A
valley he had never seen before.
So instead of going on to duck
creek to see his friends he decided to explore the valley and started
riding up it. A mile or so he saw a tent and a few sheep. He could
not imagine who could be camped so close to him and not know who it
was.
And as most sheep herders do they want to know who their
neighbors are. So Father says he rode almost up to the tent before
it became a bit familiar to him. And when he came from around the
back of the tent he recognized it as his own camp. Being only about
mid forenoon he decided to go over to duck creek for the afternoon
and headed that way. As he came out of the forest the second time,
again the beautiful valley and stream of water and off in the distant
was a sheep camp. He realized he had been lost twice in the forest
because of the low clouds and mist among the trees. And had traveled
230
in a circle twice taking about 3 or 4 hours to make the trip.
Decided to wait for a clear to make his visit
231
STORIES LIKED BY MARGARET COX HEATON
A PEACE OFFERING
by Julia A. Farnsworth-Lund
From the "Young Woman's Journal" Vol. XIV
In a quiet little home in San Francisco George Hamilton and
his mother sat together.
A suppressed emotion, a gentle sadness
was manifest in both, tho each made a great effort at cheerfulness
for the other's sake.
When war with Spain was declared and President McKinley made
his call for volunteers George had been among the first in his
state to respond.
His mother was not surprised for she knew her
boy's inclination and had ever felt that sometime the army would
claim him.
That afternoon when his duties were over George had
obtained permission to spend this last evening with his mother.
They had always lived near to each other and parting was hard
indeed.
"Mother, of course I have some knowledge of you past and it is
a subject that is painful to you I know. For this reason I have
ever been delicate about broaching it to you. This may be the last
opportunity we shall have of talking together for a long time at
least, and I do want to know something of my father and the reasons
for your separation. Forgive me, mother dear, if this pains you,
but don't you think it is right for you to tell me?"
Mrs. Hamilton turned very white as she replied: "George, my
son, I am greatly relieved that you have made this request. I have
long felt that I ought to talk to you about this but have never had
the courage to begin.
"As you know I was born in Colorado. My father died when I
was a babe, so I received all my mother's love and attention. I
grew up vain and selfish and considered my wishes of paramount
importance.
"Our home was not far from the United States military post. I
suppose I was pretty for I received marked attention from several
young officers. When I was seventeen I met your father who was the
first and only love of my life. After a delightful acquaintance of
Mother did not wish me to be
about six months we were married.
married so young but I had my own way in this as in all else.
"Your father was then second lieutenant.
He was young,
affectionate, handsome, and intelligent. He was in every sense a
good man except for a very fiery temper over which he did not have
the best control.
"Soon after we were married clouds began to gather. I could
not leave my mother for I was all she had, and while I know she
232
would have given her life for me, she was the cause of my greatest
sorrow. Your father and I were both unwise but had we been left
alone I am sure our little difficulties might easily have been
adjusted. But mother always took sides with me whether I was right
This made my husband very angry and hot words were
or wrong.
exchanged between them. Things finally reached a crisis. I had to
choose between my mother and my husband.
My heart cried out for
him, but what I considered duty said, 'Stay with your mother. She
has devoted her whole life to you and you are all she has.' For
the first time I considered another's happiness before my own, and
I remained with mother.
"Whether my course was right or wrong I have never been able
to decide.
If wrong, my justification is that I thought mother
needed me most, and I was angry at my husband for forcing me to
choose between them.
"About this time your father's regiment was ordered to another
post.
I refused to accompany him.
I have never seen nor heard
from him since.
"I need not tell you how I suffered.
The great barren
mountains reflected the loneliness of my heart.
I never knew,
until your father left me, how much I loved him. I had started a
new course of life, however, and was determined to follow it to the
end. I never reproached mother for her share in my trouble and I
tried not to let her see how unhappy I was.
"Mother's health was not good in Colorado. I was eager for a
change of scene, so two months after your father left we sold our
home and moved to this city where we have lived ever since.
"Your grandmother died when you were five years old. I do not
know if your father is still in the army or if he is yet living.
He may have tried to find me and if he had done so I should have
gone back to him. I know you could have made peace between us. My
pride forbade me to seek him-for you know he left me-and I was not
sure that he would still love me.
"It has been very hard to live alone, but I have done the best
I could for you, and you will never know how dear you are to your
mother.
I have not persuaded you to abandon your chosen
profession, for it is your inheritance; but remember, my son, your
mother trusts you to be a good man, and to honor your father's
name, even if he does not know you."
The next day George sailed out of the "Golden Gate" on one of
the large United States transports.
After a voyage of a little
more than a month, the transports were escorted into the harbor of
Manila by the United States cruiser "Boston."
In the difficult
task of landing the guns at Manila, George displayed remarkable
skill for one so young in the art of war. In fact, he attracted
233
the attention of an officer of the regular army who had been
detailed to superintend this work. Calling an aide to him he said:
"See that young fellow over there?
He'll make a soldier!
We'll hear of him in the future! Find out who he is. I want to
know."
In the stirring days that followed however, all attention was
centered in the great struggle that proved so brief, yet so
decisive. But when alone for a few moments the colonel's thoughts
always returned to the volunteer and the guns.
"It is strange how the sight of that boy affected me!
I
wonder who he was? I must find out!"
The lights battery to which George belonged had done excellent
work.
Through his skill in handling the guns in the trenches he
had quickly risen from the ranks to second lieutenant.
The victory at Luzon had caused the heart of America to swell
with pride, and now both sides were preparing for the final
engagement which took place at Malate.
Dewey's fleet poured a fire on the fort from one side, while
on the other, the land forces succeeded in driving the Spanish from
their last stronghold. The work of the Western volunteers in this
engagement is a bright page in the country's history.
The colonel who had seen the guns landed was in command of the
regiment that attacked the enemy's left. The struggle was nearing
a most satisfactory end when the colonel saw something that caused
a fierce tide of indignation to sweep over him.
Just beyond the
range of the American field pieces was a low hill covered with a
dense growth of underbrush; on it's summit was a high pole from
which the Spanish ensign floated.
Several feet below this the
American flag hung upside down and at intervals it was torn by a
volley of bullets. For any American to attempt the rescue of his
beloved flag meant certain death. It was evident that a cowardly
foe were concealed in the bushes and would unhesitatingly shoot
anyone down if he came within the range of their weapons.
It was a
The colonel grasped the situation at a glance.
fearful chance to take, but for the honor of his country he hoped
an attempt would be made to stop such a sacrilege. He dared not
leave his post, there was too much at stake, or he would have gone
himself.
Yes! There was a boy in blue going toward those flags! What
was it that made the colonel's cheek flush, then pale, and his
heart beat almost to suffocation? Was it the splendid patriotism,
the daring bravery of the act? Yes, and more. He had seen that
form before. Distant as the boy was, he knew that. Where had it
been? He remembered! The day the guns were landed in the harbor
of Manila!
He would stake his life on it!
"Heavens!
Will he
reach the flags before he is shot down? He has been wounded! See
his left arm drop! Oh! What a craven soul it be who can shoot at
234
such a hero! Will he turn back? Poor boy! That last ball must
have struck him in the shoulder! But see, he is still going on!
Splendid!
Glorious!
He has almost
His hat has been shot off.
reached the pole!
Will he do it?
Another shot!
Did it strike
him? Why doesn't someone see and go to help him? He has reached
the rope-and-yes, he has cut it!
There falls the Spanish flag!
Now, if he can only save the "Stars and Stripes." God cannot let
such magnificent courage fail!
Another volley!
He must be shot
almost to pieces!
But see how he tugs at the rope with his one
arm! -and yes!! -With super-human strength he pulls his own flag
down! It shall no longer be so insulted! Nothing on earth except
that flag is worth such precious blood."
The colonel stood up in his stirrups, waved his arms wildly,
and shouted in his excitement.
Just as the boy fell, however, a
party of horsemen passed before the colonel, and when he could
again command a view of the hill, the boy was no longer there.
The colonel was determined to find him and, as soon as the
battle was over and he was relieved from duty, he began the search.
He told the story to everyone he met. In the intense excitement
of the fight, few had seen the chivalrous rescue of the flag,
though many had seen the insult to it.
The day after the battle of Malate, the colonel sat in his
quarters, very much disheartened.
He had sought unceasingly for
some trace of the young hero, but had found none. He was tortured
by the thought that perhaps the desperadoes had captured him.
"Surely, God is too merciful to permit such a thing as that!
I can't understand how the sight or even the thought of that boy
has so strange, so powerful an effect on me!"
Just then an orderly entered and saluted.
"Colonel, a messenger is waiting outside.
He is from the
hospital corps and has been here several times before in search of
you. He says there is a young man who wishes very much to see you.
He is terribly wounded and the nurse said if you delayed coming it
would be too late."
The colonel went out at once and accompanied the messenger to
a kind of hut where some of the sick and wounded soldiers were.
The nurse was waiting for him.
"Colonel, I am so glad you have come. This boy was brought in
after Malate, and is so frightfully wounded that he cannot possibly
recover.
His suffering is awful, but he bears it with the most
remarkable patience and fortitude that I have ever seen. He clings
to a tattered and bloodstained flag as if it were the dearest thing
in life, and his only anxiety seems to be that he may die before he
sees you."
She led him to the rude cot where George Hamilton lay. There
was something inexpressibly pathetic in the scene.
George was
scarcely twenty years of age and he looked much younger now. His
235
face was white and drawn. His heavy brown hair fell over a whit
forehead. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be resting. It
seemed a pity to wake him.
The colonel's heart beat fast and he regarded him closely.
But as George opened his large, dark eyes so full of suffering, and
fixed them on the colonel, the officer started and turned pale as
death.
"Who are you boy? No-no-it can't be! It is impossible! You
look so much like one I knew years ago that it quite upset me! But
forgive me; you are very ill and I must not excite you. You wished
to see me I believe. What can I do for you, my boy?
Such a scene was not new to the colonel for he had seen much
active service.
He was a sympathetic man and suffering always
distressed him, but never had he experienced such emotion before.
Who could the boy be?
He was positive he had seen him twice
before, yet how he knew it he could not tell.
George's voice was weak and with evident effort he spoke.
"Yes-I-wished-to-see-you.
I-shall-not go-home-to-my-mother-here.
Please-nurse,-give-me-a-little-stimulant.
I only-wish-to-say-afew-words-to-the-colonel.
Thank-you.
When-you-go-back-to-SanFrancisco-please-go-to-my-mother.
Nurse-has-her-address.
Tellher-that-her-son-never-betrayed-the-trust-she-had-in-him,-and-giveher-this-flag.
Those-dark-stains-in-it-are-my-blood.
Say-that-Idied-to-save the 'stars and stripes'."
The colonel's face worked convulsively and he was shaken by
the emotion he sought to control.
"So you are the boy who tore down the ensign of Spain and
saved your country's flag! Now,God be praised! I have found you!"
A look of great joy came into the boy's sweet brown eyes.
"You-saw-it? Then-you-can-tell-mother! I-can-die-content!"
"Yes, I saw it! In my life I have seen splendid achievements,
glorious deeds, but never anything that equaled yours!
It was
worth living a lifetime to see. It will be the pride and pleasure
of my life to do anything you may ask of me!
You speak of your
mother. Have you not a father also, who can claim the honor of such
a son?"
(A faint smile, sweet as an angle's, lighted the boy's face
for an instant.)
"Yes, I-have-a-father,-but-he-does-not-know-me-nor-did-I-knowhim-until-I-came-here.
Now-I-have-found-him-to-be-all-that-isgood-and-true-so-I-am-sending-him-as-the-messenger-to-my-mother!"
"I knew it! I knew it!! No-no! You don't mean-! It can't
be! I never had a son!"
"Not-that-you-of.
You-are-colonel-George-Hamilton-are-younot?"
"Yes."
236
"That-was-my-father's-name-and-mine-also.
My-mother-wasFlorence-Howarth.
I-was-born-seven-months-after-my-parent'sThe-first-time-I-saw-you-I-was-drawn-to-you-byseparated.
something-I-could-not-understand.
I-watched-you-and-found-out-allI-could-about-you.
The-moment-I-heard-your-name-I-knew-you-weremy-father. Mother-once-said-that-as-I-had-been-the-sole-comfort-ofher-life-I-would-be-her-peace-offering-to-you-if-you-ever-found-us.
Perhaps-that-was-my-mission-in-life-and-if-you-will-take-me-assuch-I-am-reconciled-to-die.--The-wish-of-my-life,-that-I-can-tellyou-father-for-once,-is-gratified.
My-mother-will-be-all-alone-inthe-world-except-for-you,-whom-she-still-loves-with-all-her-heart.
If-I-have-done-a-little-service-for-my-country-and-reunited-myparents-that-is-all-I-wish-for!"
His voice was but a faint whisper, and his father listened
with intense eagerness for each precious word.
"Oh, Florence, and I did not know of this priceless gift from
heaven! I have loved your mother, my boy, and have wanted her,
every hour since we parted. I went back to the old home as soon as
I could leave my post. It was never my intention to leave except
for a very short time.
But I could find no trace of her.
My
search was in vain for so long that at last I came to the
conclusion that she wished to conceal her whereabouts from me. But
I will go back to her and devote my whole life to her! Every wish
of yours shall be sacredly respected.
Thank God, I was not too
late! Oh, my darling boy-must you go?" Deep sobs shook the frame
of this powerful man.
For a time George lay quiet with his father's hand in his.
Suddenly he opened his eyes wide, and in a clear, strong voice, he
said: "Father, my pain is all gone! I can see mother! Kiss me once
for her-and now-goodby!"
Even as his father caught him in his arms, his soul passed
into the great eternity.
The grief-stricken father pressed the
cold form to his heart with passionate tenderness, and pressed kiss
after kiss on the sweet white face, which was wet with tears.
All the love and longing of the lonely man's lifetime seemed
to burst forth now and demand expression. Then, with more than
woman's gentleness he laid the dear form back on the rude bed, and
brushed back the soft brown hair, from the noble brow.
"Yes, Florence, this is our boy! I see you in every line of
his dear face! It would have been cruel to prolong his agony-but
he was so young to die! And what glorious possibilities there were
in life for such a soul as his! Oh! If I could have had him with me
for just a little while!"
Then he picked up the tattered flag and placed it over the
dear form. "Oh, my God! It was too much! The sacrifice was too
great!
Nothing in all the world is worth such precious blood as
this!"
237
When at last the storm of grief subsided it was evening, and
as the colonel walked forth into the soft moonlight, a gentle peace
stole over him.
"My soul claimed him the first time I saw him!
He is not
lost, for his sweet memory will be the glory of my life! Florence!
Florence, the love of my youth, the mother of my son! I will come
back to you, and together we will share the sorrow and the splendor
of our boy hero!
This will be our pleasure, this will be our
punishment, 'a peace offering'!
Oh!
Heaven, yes!
It is always
so! The blood of earth's purest and best must ever atone for the
follies of others! Must ever, ever be-'A Peace Offering'."
238
A COLLEGE PRESCILLA
by Annie Pike
Steerford stood before the great fire, his feet wide apart,
his head thrown back, and a smile upon his face. He was enjoying
the affect of his recent announcement to an audience of four
fraternal college men lounging among numerous sofa pillows and in
the comfortable recesses of leather chairs.
One man, called "The Lady," because of his small white hands,
gazed at Steerford for a moment and then said, "Don't you think
that's a little tough on a fellow?"
"Tough?
Well," with a broader smile, "It is what I should
call a mild form of hazing which the authorities of the University
cannot reach.
You fellows would have him haul a wagon,
blindfolded, at midnight around the boulevard, but I have a more
delicate means of torture--I merely have him ask his best girl to
go to the Junior Hop with me. I tell you it takes brains to think
of a form of hazing which would reach that fellow, Harper.
You
might dump him to the bottom of the Huron below the dam in a
nailed-up barrel and he wouldn't care."
"Who is his girl?"
"Bessie Fuller, a peach, and a swell dresser; sings like a
bird, and is as bright as they ever get."
"We have never met her!" sighed "The Lady," wringing his hands
in mock grief.
"Will he do it?" asked Denny.
"I never knew him to refuse to do anything yet. You know it's
part of his initiation into the fraternity to do anything we
fellows ask of him. It will be a good test to find out whether the
fellow is game."
"Hum!" grunted Denny, "I should think so. Just ask me and see
me refuse!"
"Oh, well, you're as good as engaged," answered Steerford.
Denny flushed, "Nothing of the sort."
One of the fellows struck a few cords on the banjo. "Toodlede-dum-dum-dum! Put me down for a waltz and a two-step, Steerford.
Toodle-de-dum!"
"I intend to have most of them myself," laughed Steerford.
"Will he do it?" asked the "Ice Man" (a pet name given by the
boys.) The "Ice Man" was so quiet that whenever he spoke it was as
though he had suddenly emerged from his shell.
"I can try him," said Steerford, "and I don't think he'll do
the baby act."
239
Denny, for some reason, was about to retort, but the banjo had
been struck vigorously and a strong voice led the chorus:
"Oh, Josephine, my Jo!
Don't tease your baby so!
If that's your o-o-oh,
Speak love and let me know;
Now don't you vex me, Jo,
Or else I'll surely go,
So, honey, say, was that your o-o-oh
Josephine, my Jo!"
The men who were in the secret watched the development of
Steerford's plan with a great deal of interest and amusement.
Would Harper be game? That was the question. If he said "no," the
matter was practically at an end although it would mean a
difference in the feeling of the fellows toward him, not in his
favor. If his answer were affirmative there was fun ahead which no
college man despises.
After all, it was a great joke that
Steerford would take this young lady out of Harper's hands, using
him as the instrument of invitation.
It was soon after this that Steerford called out to Harper as
he passed through the hall of the fraternity house, "Here, you
fresh. I have a note to send by you. I am preparing to take in
the Junior Hop in the gymnasium--swell ball, you know--carriages,
flowers, and everything to match. Will you take this? Of course
you will."
"Certainly."
Harper advanced and took the envelope. Then came the sentence
which was to try his metal.
"My note is to Miss Dessie Fuller. You will find her at 119
South Ingells. I believe you know the lady." Steerford added the
last sentence non-schalantly as though it could have no possible
interest to Harper.
Harper stood stalk still; his eyes flashed; then for that one
glance was his only answer, he turned upon his heal leaving
Steerford, who immediately went into the hall, aroused all the
fellows and succeeded in attracting them all to his room for the
news.
"He took it calmly," said Steerford, evidently much amused at
Harper's acceptance of the situation.
"The only place he showed
fight was in his eyes, but it isn't his turn yet. He'll have to
take it out on the next Freshman."
It may be that he
"Are you sure he'll take the invitation?
will destroy your letter, or ask the lady himself."
"No," said Steerford, "I have a feeling about the man. He has
too much honor for that."
When Harper knocked on the door of Miss Fuller's room, he
heard the same gentle, "Come in," which had welcomed him during all
240
the past semester, but it was with a reluctance he had never felt
before that he turned the knob. It was not without a struggle that
he had come. There are a good many things to consider when a man
is in love and a rival threatens to rob him of such advantages as
he may have gained. Steerford was handsome, and a general favorite
with the college girls. Supposing Dessie should go with him, would
it be the last time? Or would this engagement lead to others until
her time would be filled by Steerford and there would be no room
for Harper?
Such things had happened through a different set of
circumstances. There was
"The Lady," bearing up without a whimper under the desertion of his
late sweetheart who had seen fit to show a decided preference for
Denny, which was reciprocated. There thoughts made Harper a little
savage by the time he entered the room.
With a short, "Good evening," he handed her the note.
There was a pretty pink flush in her cheeks, and her hair
shown like gold under the gas light. He noticed how slender her
hands were as she opened the envelope.
"Delta Chi!
Who do I know in the Delta Chi fraternity?
What's it about, anyway?"
By this time her eyes had seized the contents of the note.
"Pray, to whom am I indebted for this invitation?"
"To Steerford, of course."
"Who told him to ask me?"
"Was that necessary?"
"Oh, I suppose it is my own superior attractions!" she laughed
merrily. "Did you ask him?"
"Of course not!" he answered indignantly.
She hummed a little tune and sat down at her desk.
"Please
take that rocking chair; you look uncomfortable." (As if a fellow
wouldn't look uncomfortable under such circumstances!)
"I know
him--that is I have been to a good many dances where he was nice to
me, but I didn't suspect I had made an impression!"
She smiled, gnawing daintily at the end of her pen holder, and
poor Harper squirmed. He was convinced that worse was to come, and
had made up his mind not to show that he cared--therefore he was
looking more concerned than he ever had before in his life.
Our
faces are books which sometimes flop open at certain places just
when we most desire that they should not, and they always open to a
chapter which we have read in secret many times, pressing back the
leaves so often that they separate most naturally at that
particular spot.
"You're glad, of course?" she smiled.
"Oh, it's part of my initiation," he said with a studied
carelessness which was too apparent.
241
She narrowed her eyes and gazed at him thoughtfully, all the
time smiling--some of these kittenish women are wiser than they
look.
"Shall I accept?"
"Do as you please," he said stiffly, examining very carefully
a photograph which, unconsciously, he help upside down.
"When I had that picture taken I sat down, I didn't stand on
my head," she observed quietly, "Am I better looking that way?"
Harper flushed and laid the picture back on the shelf.
"You're glad I'm going, aren't you? What shall I wear? You
like me best in pale green, don't you?
Shall I wear roses?
It
will be swell, won't it?" she babbled on, and Harper prayed for
relief from his misery.
At last he could stand it no longer. He rose and made ready
to go.
"Will you kindly give me your answer?" he asked coldly.
"I wish you would open the register.
I thought I felt a
draft," she said.
Harper felt sure that she was making fun of him and he longed
to escape from the room.
She wrote the note, addressing it very
prettily and deliberately.
He noted this with a feeling of
bitterness toward Steerford rising in his heart.
His hand was on the knob, the note in his pocket, when he
heard a low voice from the desk, "Why don't you ask for yourself,
John?"
His name was not John, and yet he stopped as though he had
felt a sudden shock of electricity.
He was in a desperate place
and he took his cue.
Did he speak for himself?
Well, I should
say.
What is fair in poetry is fair in life, and, after all,
everything is fair in love and war.
That is why Steerford read the following note, good-naturedly,
to "the crowd," confessing himself fairly beaten:
My dear Miles Standish:
Of course a dance is not of as much importance as a
wedding, but I suggest that next time you desire the
presence of Priscilla you do not send John Alden!
242
A ROCKY MOUNTAIN SANTA CLAUSE
by Emerson Hough
The story of a mail carrier and his wife that is still
told in the cabins of the Rockies.
I
They have their own large
The Rockies are laid out large.
holidays and care nothing about the feasts of the insect, man. But
Christmas comes there, and in low-eaved houses mothers tell the
story of the babe to other babes in surroundings difficult and
rude.
In such a low-eaved house lived Nels Anderson and his wife,
Hilda and their daughter Mary, aged five. Nels, sometimes known as
"Snowshoe Pete" among the miners, carried the mails from Vanberg on
the railroad Tellwine???, a mining camp twenty miles back in the
mountains.
Equipped with his long, wooden skis and his snowshoe
pole he made the journey regularly. In order to do this he had to
climb five thousand feet up one side of the divide and to descend
six thousand on the other, reversing this journey once a week.
Nels did not live at the railway town, although obliged to
call there for his mail packet. He had a tiny ranch of his own at
a point five miles from the railroad where he had an orchard and
some hay and grain land. It never occurred to Nels and his wife
that they were not as rich as the richest. Nels made fifty dollars
a month out of his mail route in the wintertime.
They owned a
flock of hens and had a cow in the barn. Always they had enough to
eat; and theirs was the blessing of all blessings:
perfect
physical health.
Hilda and Nels planned for a great Christmas celebration with
a real Christmas tree for Mary.
"Are you sure Santa will come mama?" asked Mary more than a
week before Christmas.
"How can he come when the snow lies so
deep?"
"Sure he can come," replied her mother. "Snow is what Santa
likes. He comes with a sled."
Meantime as Christmas drew near, Nels and Hilda had their own
conversations.
"This is Christmas, too, for the boys over at the mine," said
Nels. "This time I carry fifty-five pounds and not forty; for sure
the boys would want everything I could bring to them on that day.
243
And then I get the things for Mary. I bought them at Whitman's and
cached them this side of the summit a week ago."
"Look out for yourself Nels," said Hilda.
"Fifteen pounds
extra is heavy on the back."
"Pshaw!" said her husband, "The boys know 'Snowshoe Pete' can
do it.
I will not disappoint either them or Mary, be sure of
that!"
"Only bring me yourself back, Nels," said Hilda.
And in
return he kissed her once more.
He stepped outside the door and took down his twelve-foot skis
from their resting place against the eaves of the cabin, kicked his
feet into the straps, settled his pack on his shoulders, and then,
waving his hand, stepped out along the narrow trail which no feet
save his own had known for sixty days.
Hilda stood looking after him for some time after he had
disappeared. Then she looked around her and above her at the sky.
The weather was fair enough, but some instinct, as of a wild
creature, caused her apprehension, as yet unformulated.
"Will papa come back to see Santa Clause?" demanded Mary.
"Sure he comes," reassured her mother. "Your papa comes and
Santa too."
But Hilda, even as she spoke, felt that same uneasy, restless
feeling of the wild creature sensing danger.
"Santa must always have a Christmas tree, mustn't he, mama,"
demanded Mary.
"Sure, my child," replied Hilda, "Only he does not bring the
tree himself. We fix it for him by-and-by."
"And will he bring candy, do you think, mama, and a wooly dog
that squawks, and a doll that will open its eyes, and a hood?"
"Who knows?" said her mother. "We cannot tell what Santa will
bring, for that is for him to say."
"But he'll come?
You'll cross your heart that he'll come,
mama?"
Hilda went to the door once more.
On the summit of the
Her eyes
distant mountains there lay a faint thin blue film.
rested on it a second time. "If God wills, Mary," said she. The
horror of the mountains was upon her. She felt small.
III (No. II excluded)
At the little cabin on Birch Creek one night almost have
thought it already Christmas, such were the preparations making for
that event.
By the morning of the day before Christmas Mary had
become unfortunate.
"Hush, Mary!" her mother reproved; "all the time you make such
a foolishness. Couldn't you wait, then?"
244
"Well, I could, but I'd rather not. Anyhow, we could go get
the tree and fix it up."
"Ya," Said Hilda, "I suppose. Well, first we feed the cow and
get in our wood and do our baking."
Great deeds in baking did Hilda achieve:
extra loaves, two
kinds of cake, many cookies with holes in them and filled with
raisons.
Then they cast about for ends of candles and bit of
tinfoil and pieces of cotton with which to decorate their tree; so
that at last even Hilda was obliged to admit that the time had come
for the tree itself.
"Come then Mary," said she, "now we get the tree. It is noon
now already."
She looked about in search of ax or hatchet, and
picked up the light ax which Nels usually carried on his pack.
"So!" she exclaimed, "your papa has forgot his ax.
But no, I
forgot; maybe he left it because his pack is extra heavy, on
account of Christmas."
Inside of half an hour they had found a grand Christmas tree
as tall as would stand up in the cabin. They trimmed it off and
nailed it upright on the floor and then began to decorate it with
the bits of tinsel and colored papers and the pieces of cotton,
wool, and ends of candles.
Now, mama, we're ready for Santa Clause!" said Mary finally,
her eyes shining. "When does he come? You said not until night."
"Oh, never before dark, Mary. It is when little children go
to bed and go to sleep.
We must wait, my child," and Hilda
Anderson fell silent.
Could Nels make it in time? It was going to storm, nay, even
now it was storming up above there in the mountains. The interior
of the cabin darkened slightly, although it was still early in the
afternoon.
Mary looked out of the window.
"Oh, pshaw, now!" said she
petulantly; it's getting cloudy and it was so nice."
The film on the sun grew deeper.
The sky went gray.
A
sighing passed acrose the chimney-top, the first breath of wind
after two days of absolute calm.
"Will papa be back for supper, mama?" asked Mary. "I want him
to come to see our tree."
"Well, papa may not be back right to supper, Mary," answered
her mother, "but he comes. Sure now, we'll go get plenty of wood."
They went out and brought in one armful after another of
firewood, and at every trip Hilda looked up at the mountain. After
a time she stopped, wide-eyed her head raised like some wild
creature's.
A thin flake of snow passed gently through the air.
To her it was a thing of menace.
"What makes you cry, mama?" said Mary suddenly.
"Hush, child, what you mean? It is the wind in my eyes. But
listen! Are you afraid to stay alone just a little time?"
245
"But if you must,Mary? If your papa is not come at dark I must
He must not be late for
go out to meet him, don't you see?
Christmas."
"But if it storms, mama, you wouldn't go."
"Wait a little," was all Hilda could say.
They did not have to wait long.
In less than an hour the
little valley was full of a dancing, blinding, swirling veil of
snowfall, the snowfall which blots out all sense of direction,
which leaves the wanderer confused, which taxes the keenest wit of
even nature's strongest wild creatures. And somewhere up above in
the storm, Nels Anderson was alone!
Had all gone well he would have returned before this hour, for
this was the easy side of the trail. Why did he not come? Hilda
answered the question for herself. Something was wrong with Nels
up there in the snowstorm. he was in need of help, and none in all
the world could help him except herself.
The horror of the
mountains left her. She felt larger. Against the cold malice of
the giant hills she invoked one other power as large, as
indomitable as their own--the power of love!
"Mary," she said, "your mama must go now to find your papa.
Maybe I go just a little ways and find him; I don't know.
But
listen,Mary; keep the fire going and make a light on the window.
If they do
Now stay here until your papa and mama come back.
not..."
"But what you mean, mama?"
"Oh, just we come back pretty soon, of course, Mary; but if we
didn't you stay here.
No matter if it is all night and all day
tomorrow, do not go away from the house."
"Mama, I'm afraid you'll get lost. It's storming hard."
It is bad to be afraid, and I do not get lost.
"No, Mary.
Would you have your papa out alone in the snow, perhaps? No, Mary,
you stay till I come back. When I go maybe you could lie down and
go to sleep a little. When we come back we wake you up."
Mary, tears streaming down her cheeks, turned toward her bunk
as she was bid. Tears, too, stood on Hilda's cheeks as she went
out the door, concerned for the wanderer as well as for the one in
the fold of her home--and herself but a woman.
The mountain squall was at its height. The air seemed turned
to something soft and fleecy and cold. Hilda gasped as she reached
for her skis. One moment she stopped and looked through the window
at Mary, sobbing alone. The next she turned, stooped, and pushed
out into the storm.
The blades of her skis felt the trail beneath her. So long as
the snow did not fill the shallow little trough of the old trail
she could get on--for a time at least.
She traveled slowly,
sometimes hesitatingly, for an hour,two hours. How long she could
246
not tell; only vaguely she felt that night all too soon would be
upon her, night in the mountains.
She was not sure that she could find her way back to the
cabin; and at last another doubt assailed her mind. She was now at
the foot of the steep incline where the trail zig-zagged upward.
To the left, where the gorge of the Black Canyon came down, ran a
steep trail, so difficult and dangerous that Nels himself rarely
used it. Had he tried it today in the teeth of the storm? Only
one thing could have made him do so. Hilda remembered that he had
left his Christmas pack for Mary somewhere this side of the summit,
and the impression came to her that he had told her the cache had
been made on the Black Canyon trail. If so that had probably been
his course from the summit down towards home. If not then there was
no use looking for him on that trail. But if she looked and did not
find him there in all likelihood that she herself would not see the
light of her own home again that night, or any other. She had one
choice, to be made quickly; a choice which meant her own life
perhaps, if not that of her husband. She paused and called through
her cupped hands loud and long, but got no answer. Then she made
her choice with a large courage and calm decision born as much as
instinct as of reason, for she was backing with her own life her
belief in her husband's loyalty to the spirit of Christmas and
their child's faith in it.
Turning from the main trail, a vague figure bending in the
blur of snow, she passed within the gateway of the rocks which
fenced in the defile of the steep canyon.
She knew well how
sharply the only practical trail dropped in its descent. It took a
good ski-runner to make it without accident in the daylight. What,
then, of toil did it demand of a woman going upward in the darkness
and the storm?
Night was fast coming on. But now, toward dark, by some swift
freak of the storm, its fury lessened little by little, and then
suddenly , as though relenting of its mood, almost ceased. Hilda
had been praying that the snow would stop; and did not God answer
prayers--prayers offered in great need and great belief?
Prayers
in behalf of little children of a Christmas eve? It seemed natural
enough to her that the storms should cease, that the sky presently
should clear, and that far above, over the black forest hung in the
notch where the Black Canyon dropped down from the mountain summit-there should shine a great white star. She could almost see the
trail now, or see where it ought to be, for no fixed trail at all
existed in this defile.
Slowly, steadily, little by little,
slipping backward, falling often in the deep, soft snow,
struggling, panting, sobbing, this woman, piteously wearied, pushed
on up the ascent.
How long she climbed she did not know; perhaps for several
hours.
But her eyes at last searched; first with curiosity and
247
then with decision along a strange band of light! Hilda, waiting
for her sobbing breath, cupped her hands to her mouth and again
gave a long, clear call, the call of a woman to her mate. She got
no answer. Nonetheless her heart leaped, she redoubled her efforts
on the skis. Nels, then, was somewhere in the canyon. Whether now
alive or dead it was he who had built that fire, who alone would
have built it; and it could not have been very long ago. Pausing
from time to time she called again and again.
At last to her
unspeakable joy, she hear a faint hello far off in the woods.
"All right!
Ay kom, Nels!" she cried; and then panting
happily, her eyes shining, she settled down silently to the task of
covering the remaining distance.
IV
Nels had been returning home. When he reached the top of the
divide early that afternoon he saw the long impending storm just
upon the point of breaking. None better than he knew the danger of
leaving the beaten trail at such a time. He was within reach of
the little hut which he had built at the summit as a rest house. He
could lie there for the night and be safe; or by taking his
customary trail, the easier one, he might perhaps reach home,though
only by great good fortune. But on this alternate trail, the steep
pitch down the Black Canyon--ah! There under a shelving rock was
the little packet which he had left against Mary's Christmas Eve,
cached ten days ago when, belated and seeking the shortest way
home, he had found even that slight weight an incumbrance in making
the Black Canyon run for the first time that winter. Ah! How he
now wished he had carried it through or left it at the rest-house.
He stood for a moment in the full sweep of the icy wind at the
summit of the pass. Then he hitched his little ruck-sack higher on
his shoulders and turned up his coat collar.
"Santa Claus shall
kom!" he muttered and turned down into the canyon.
When the first white blanket of the snowsquall swept around
him he was only far enough into the Black Canyon to make it
difficult to reascend to the summit. He did not yet begin to worry
over the situation.
He only smiled contentedly in his frosted
beard, under his snow-filled-cap, as he dropped down into the
storm. For now, safe in the little ruck-sack on his shoulders, was
the Christmas packet which held Mary's gift.
But in his eagerness in unearthing his little Christmas packet
Nels had forgotten to fully fasten one ski strap after stooping
down at the rock cave.
The snow was moist and balled under his
feet.
Impatiently he kicked it free - too impatiently.
All at
once there came on him, skilled man as he was, one of the most
serious accidents on the mountain.
His ski slid sideways in the
248
snow.
His foot slipped from the toe strap.
The ski, gliding
forward and downward, sped away like a bird!
He
Nels uttered one swift exclamation at his clumsiness.
dared not leave the
general line which he had followed in his
trail.
It meant death to drop down there to the tangled, rockpiled forest along the stream. The snow lay deep, white and fluffy
with no carrying power. No man could walk here without snowshoes.
Once more he stood erect and sighed. He put his hand over his
shoulder to reach for the handle of the little ax which usually he
carried on his pack.
The ax was not there.
he remembered then
that he had left it home to lighten his pack. He felt at his belt
and drew his stout-balded knife.
Advancing to a pine tree,
methodically he began to trim of some of the thinker branches. He
lashed them into a bundle with his belt, kicked his toe under the
strap of the supporting fagot, and so kept on, shuffling downstairs
as best could. He must plod now, lifting one foot after the other.
At length he stopped, pushed a hand across his sweating forehead
and looked about him. Surely he was off the trail. It must lie
above him somewhere. How he was on the edge of a thick wood, and
below him lay the rocks of the little river-bed.
"Ay -- shall be late," muttered Nels stubbornly. "Ay - ban
late now! How can I make it through?"
And then came the remaining thing to handicap beyond hope the
brave man whose courage had carried him on thus far.
Stumbling
wearily he fell, his left foot under him in such a fashion that his
weight strained against the remaining ski-strap as he plunged
forward, his head and arms deep in the snow. Nels heard as well as
felt, a bone snap in the arch of his foot.
He resolved to live only as long as he could.
Stubbornly,
crippled as he was and frowning with pain, he crawled and wallowed
downhill until he found himself within the edge of the forest. By
good fortune he came close to a dry-wood tree. Here he kicked off
his foot supports, beat down a hole in the snow and breaking off
some dried, resinous branches, began to whittle a little pile of
kindling. Woodsman that he was, he was able to build a fire and
keep it going. Half buried in the snow he sat, his back against a
tree, his broken foot ahead of him.
He was faint.
He began to
chill.
He did not know [how] long he had been there before he
heard, coming up the canyon from far below, the sound of a voice he
knew well.
His eyes kindled, he drew himself up, and through his own
cupped hands shouted an answering hail. "Hilda", he called. "Oh
Hilda! Ja! Kom har!"
V
249
"Hello, Nels!" remarked Hilda as she panted up the slope
toward him as he sat at the fire.
"Hello, Hilda!" answered Nels calmly. "So. You Kom."
"Ja, Ay kom," replied Hilda simply. She slipped down beside
him, glowing, and freeing her feet, stuck her skis upright in the
snow.
"What iss, Nels?" she began.
"No, but you must not sit on my pack; it is Mary's Christmas
in the pack.
You batter look out as you'll hurt that doll.
So
pratty soon you go down to Mary. So. You show her here iss Santa
Clause and the doll. But it iss not me -- not me, Hilda; you must
be Santa Clause tonight. Mary will miss her papa."
"What you mean, Nels?" asked Hilda.
"Always iss risk in the mountains.
A man must die someday.
But you shall carry the mail, Hilda; there iss no man in the
mountains can do it so well. But I am sorry for Mary and myself,
for so much I want to see her have her Christmas. You must go and
be Santa Clause to her. Tell Mary I loved you both!"
"So.
You love me, Nels Anderson!"
cried Hilda fiercely,
brushing her heavy dark hair from her eyes.
"Then what for you
talk that way?
I won't have it!
We bring now the Christmas to
Mary -- both of us!"
Nels smiled at her. "I suppose you carry me on your back, eh,
Hilda? Batter you carry Mary her Christmas and leave me alone."
"No," said Hilda in a matter of fact way. "I shall not carry
you, for you ban too heavy, Nels. I sled you down the hill."
Hilda replenished the fire, made Nels wrap himself in her
sheepskin coat, and busied herself cutting down a fir tree six to
eight inches in diameter. This she logged into a ten-foot length
and drug to the fireside. She then split it in halves and handed
one piece to Nels who hacked it out in long slabs until it began to
look something like the blade of a ski.
Then, drawing the keen,
heavy-bladed knife once more from his belt, he worked at the rough
chips.
"She don't turn up on the end much, Nels," said Hilda as at
length he handed her his rough handiwork.
"No," said Nels. "And suppose we had straps, how could I walk
with my foot broke?"
Hilda stood looking at him in disgust. "Ay told you, Nels, "
she said, "Ay would sled you down. So. Ay fix me two runners -your one ski and this new one.
You lie on your back on the two
runners, Nels, so, you carry Mary's Christmas on your stomach and
not your back. Yoost so Santa koms, what difference where he carry
his pack?"
"All right," said Nels calmly. We ban make a sled for Santa.
Only we haff no bells." he chuckled.
250
Working together they finally contrived a sort of two-runner
sled without any body, the runners loosely joined by short
spreaders, none too safely connected with thongs and burlap strips.
"That's all right," said Nels at length. "Ay hold them with
my hands. Ay bat you she don't get away from me this time. So.
Now, Hilda, tie my belt on the front end.
It will plow in the
snow. Ay tank, this sled of Santa Clause."
"Ja," said Hilda, "Ay tank so. How iss the foot?"
"Ay tank maybe she's froze, now. Maybe not bad yet."
"We fix it at the house," replied Hilda, "In an hour or two we
give Mary her Christmas.
It iss down hill from here, Nels. So.
are you ready?"
"Ready," said Nels.
"Go on, Santa Clause!
You shall kom
through all right, by Yimminy!"
At length they wallowed down through the snowbound defile and
reached more open country. With the main trail close before them.
It was now far past midnight.
"Can you stand, Nels?" asked Hilda as she found the packed
trail under her feet. "Here runs the trail easy now."
"Sure I can stand," said Nels bravely.
"Take, then, my skis," she said.
"I can't pull you on the
level - only down hill. Can you walk, Nels?"
"Sure I can, Hilda," he answered.
"My foot is froze, so it
don't hurt now. Please put it in the strap."
Stumbling, shuffling, they moved on, the crippled giant
leaning part of his weight on his wife's sturdy shoulder. After a
time they saw the shadow of a figure standing in the window and
peering out.
"So," exclaimed Nels, lifting his head, "it iss Mary waiting
for Santa Claus. Go on, Hilda, and tell her to get to bed. Give
me my pack. Tell her Santa Clause kom. But she must not see him."
Hilda glanced at him, saw that he could at least crawl in on
the trail, and so left him and hastened on to the house.
She
caught her daughter in her arms.
"Where's papa?" demanded Mary.
"And who's that out at the
edge of the yard?"
"Your papa kom all in good time, Mary, I saw him yoost a while
ago. But what you saw in the yard was Santa Claus. Hush, you must
not look, for Santa must not be seen. Go in the bed now, Mary, and
cover up your face for a little while. Soon comes Santa to bring
Christmas things for the tree, Mary.
Did we not tell you Santa
would kom?"
Mary danced up and down as, aided by her mother's cold
stiffened fingers, she undressed and made ready for bed.
"Goody
for you Mama," she said, "I knew you'd find papa, and I knew Santa
would come!"
251
"Cover up your eyes, Mary," her mother warned, "What? Would
you see Santa kom with his pack?"
"But you saw him."
"Yes, but I could not help it."
"What did he look like, mama?"
"Well, he was big, and his beard was white, and his hair and
his coat was full of snow, and he had a pack on his back, and he
was on a sledge; yes, Santa always kom on a sledge, Mary. Hush!
Cover up your head."
In the night Mary heard the door open, heard smothered voices
and shufflings in the cabin, and saw the fire brighten up all the
interior.
But, faithful to her promise, she did not look.
Breathless, excited, her little heart panting with eagerness, she
felt the presence of Santa Clause there in the little cabin, while
at the edge of her bed, almost within reach, the green boughs of
her Christmas tree began to bend beneath their load of precious
things, the most precious things that fortune can bring to any
human soul - the gifts of all-guarding and all-conquering love.
252
THE HIGHWAYMAN
by Alfred Noyes
The wind was a torrent of darkness
among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed
upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight
over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding-riding--riding-The highwayman came riding, up
to the old inn-door.
He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead
a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and
breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his
boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jeweled twinkle,
his pistol butts a-twinkle,
his rapier but-a-twinkle, under the
jeweled sky.
Over the cobbles he clattered and dashed
in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the
shutters, but all was locked and barred.
He whistled a tune to the window, and who
should be waiting there.
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her
long black hair.
And back in the dark old inn-yard a
stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the hostler listened; his face
was white and peaked,
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair
like moldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he
253
heard the robber say-"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after
a prize tonight,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold
before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and
harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight though
hell should bar the way."
He rose upright in the stirrups;
he scarce could reach her hand.
But she loosened her hair in the casement!
His face burnt like a brand.
As the black cascade of perfume came
tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight.)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight,
and galloped away to the West.
II
He did not come in the dawning; he did not
come at noon;
Out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of
the moon,
When the road was a gipsy's ribbon,
looping the purple moor,
A redcoat troop came marching-marching--marching.
King George's men came marching, up to
the old inn-door.
They said no word to the landlord, they
drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound
her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with
muskets at their side!
There was death at every window,
254
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the
road that he would ride.
They had tied her up to attention, with
many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket beside her, with
the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed
her. She heard the dead man say-"Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell
should bar the way!"
She twisted her hands behind her; but all the
knots held good!
She twisted her hands till her fingers were
wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness,
and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of her finger touched it! The
trigger at last was hers!
The tip of one finger touched it; she
strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the
barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she
would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood in her veins in the
moonlight throbbed to her
love's refrain.
Thlot-thlot; thlot-thlot! Had they heard it?
The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Thlot-thlot; thlot-thlot, in the distance:
Were
they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the
brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding-riding--riding-The red-coats looked to their priming! She
255
stoop up, straight and still!
Thlot-thlot, in the frosty silence!
Thlotthlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like
a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she
drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shatter the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight
and warned him--with her
death.
He turned; he spurred to the westward;
he did not know who stood
Bowed with her head o'er the musket,
drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face
grew gray to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight
and died in the darkness there.
Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking
a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him,
and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs in the golden
noon; wine-red was his velvet
coat,
When they shot him down in the
highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway,
with the bunch of lace at his
throat.
And still of a winter's night, they say,
when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed
upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight
over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding-riding--riding--
256
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old
inn-door.
Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs
in the dark inn-yard;
And he taps with his whip on the
shutters, but all is locked and barred.
He whistles a tune to the window, and who
should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her
long black hair.
257
THE MARCH HARE AND THE BRAIN SPECIALIST
A FABLE FOR FUTURISTS
by Oliver Herford
A March Hare wearied of being held up and cited as the very
pattern of madness, resolved to consult a brain specialist.
The nearest Brain Specialist had an office and consulting
room in a Dutch colonial house situated on the edge of the woods
where the Hare lived and thither, after having made up what
passed for his mind on the matter, the Hare repaired without
delay.
By good fortune finding the specialist at home and
disengaged, the Hare came to the point at once.
"I am a March Hare," he said, "and I desire to have my brain
examined and to learn from a competent authority whether the use
of my name by human beings as the synonym for hopeless dementia
is justified by my mutual condition; if it is not justified,
that is to say if after a careful examination you pronounce me
perfectly sane, I shall apply for a court order enjoining the
world from making in future any improper use of my name."
"Well," said the Brain Specialist, "the sooner we look into
the matter--the gray matter, I mean--the better for the world.
But first I must take an x-ray photograph of your brain." The
developing of the photograph occupied only a few moments, but to
the Hare every moment seemed an hour.
At last the Brain
Specialist emerged from the developing room. He was regarding
intently a small piece of celluloid.
"Don't keep me in suspense," cried the March Hare; "tell me
the worst. Am I mad or am I not?"
The Brain Specialist held out the photograph.
"This," he
said, "proves conclusively that you not only are not insane, but
that there is no possibility of your ever becoming so."
The March Hare examined the film. "I don't understand it,"
he exclaimed at length. "There's nothing there! What does it
mean?"
The Brain Specialist laughed.
"That's it exactly--there's
nothing there--to put it as tactfully as possible it means that
you can never become insane because you have nothing to become
insane with."
"But that won't prevent your giving me a certificate of
sanity, will it?" asked the March Hare anxiously.
"Not at all," replied the Brain Specialist, "and what's more
you will be in excellent company. The majority of human people
258
are only sane because they haven't brains enough to become
insane with; but before I sign the certificate attesting to your
sanity I must warn you that once you have been officially
declared of sound mind your madness can never be restored to
you--however much you may desire it--"
"But why," asked the March Hare, "should I desire anything so
deplorable as that/"
"It's all according to how you look at it," said the Brain
Specialist.
"To some people even madness is preferable to
oblivion."
"Oblivion?" echoed the March Hare.
"For centuries you have been a household word," continued the
specialist; "every great writer from William Shakespeare to
Lewis Carroll has mentioned you in a book or a play or a poem.
Mad as a March Hare is in every anthology of poetry or prose
that has ever been compiled. As far as literary publicity goes,
I should say that, with the possible exception of Hamlet, you
are the most famous case of dementia in existence."
"And what if I am pronounced sane?" asked the March Hare.
"Without your madness your occupation," said the Brain
Specialist, "will be gone.
You will have nothing to attract
attention
to yourself.
You will be obsolete as a futurist
without his sense of ugliness--you will cease to exist--oh, here
it is."
While he was talking the Brain Specialist had been
searching among his papers for a blank certificate form--he now
placed one of these upon the table before the March Hare.
"Here," he said, indicating a dotted line, "is where you sign
your name. I will fill out the rest of the paper myself."
So saying, he dipped a pen in the ink and turning to hand it
to the March Hare discovered, to his amazement, there was no one
there.
"No wonder he couldn't find my brains," laughed the March
Hare as he bounded over the fence of the Specialist's garden.
"My brains are in my legs."
259
TO BE SHOT AT SUNRISE
by Carolyn Wells.
And the worst of it was, he didn't know it--he had no idea of
his impending fate!
Such a handsome young chap--curling chestnut hair, big deep
blue eyes, and a manly bearing not to be concealed by the fact
that he was confined to his hospital bed.
Yet it was all true--to be shot at sunrise was the impending
fate of the brave Chauncy Garrison. And it was now after six
o'clock and the sun would rise at seven.
Only one more hour of the calm, peaceful life he had known
for his brief span of twenty-two years. Yet all unconscious of
what awaited him, he glanced up at his nurse as she came towards
him.
Nurse Deane was skillful and efficient, but she was plain-almost painfully plain.
This had bothered young Garrison a
little, for he thought tradition called for beauty in trained
nurses.
But his broken arm was still painful, and he forgot Nurse
Deane's looks in his relief at her ministrations.
"I'm ravenously hungry," he informed her. "It seems ages to
seven o'clock. Can't I have an early bite of something?"
"No," said the nurse, who was thinking of something else.
"And anyway, Nurse Graham will bring your breakfast this
morning. I'm shifted to another case."
"And she won't come till seven! Oh, Lord!"
A little before seven, Nurse Graham came in with the
breakfast tray. And the sun was rising. And Garrison was to be
shot at sunrise! Shot through the heart at seven o'clock!
The eager boyish face brightened as he caught the aroma of
coffee, and then he saw Nurse Graham come through the door.
She was of the roseleaf type, exquisite, smiling and a bit
shy.
She raised her big, violet eyes to his, as she drew nearer.
And just then the sun rose in it's golden splendor, and
Cupid, perching on the low footboard of the hospital bed took
careful aim, straight at Garrison's heart--and the arrow sped
true.
260
THE TELEGRAM
by Beatrice Herford
A telegraph operator (to a lady who is telephoning a
telegram): Telegram, please.
Lady: As I am recovering from a severe cold-Operator: I don't get it, madam.
Lady (to herself): I hope not. As I am recovering from a
severe cold--.
Operator: I don't hear you, madam.
Lady: That's the reason. As I am recovering from a severe
cold I am going to be-Operator: See?
Lady: No, be.
Operator: B, in Boston?
Lady: No, no, operator. I didn't say anything about Boston.
Operator: I said it was like B in Boston.
Lady: Well, there's nothing about being in Boston. As I am
recovering from a severe cold, I have decided to be sensible and
take your advice.
Operator: What's that word?
Lade: Which word?
Operator: The last word.
Lady: That's not the last word, operator.
Operator: I mean the last word you said.
Lady: Oh, operator, I've forgotten. Now let me see. As I
am recovering from a severe cold I have decided to be sensible
and take your advice-Operator: Your Address?
Lady: Why operator, I gave you that in the beginning.
Operator: I said, did you say take your address?
Lady: No, advice.
Operator: Spell it, please.
Lady: Well, of all things, can't you spell advice?
Operator: I can if I know it.
Lady: What is it you want to know?
Operator: I want to know what the word is after take your--.
Lady:
I said, take your advice, or do as you suggest,
operator.
Operator: I can't tell you what to put, madam.
Lady:
Of course I didn't mean as you suggest, operator;
that's the telegram, instead of take your advice-Operator: Well, which do you want to put, madam?
261
Lady:
I don't know.
You've got me all mixed up now,
operator. Where was I?
Operator: I'll repeat it. As I am recovering from a severe
cold-Lady: I think just a cold will do, operator, you can leave
out the severe.
Operator: As I am recovering from a cold, I have decided to
be sensible and do as you suggest.
Lady:
I think I'll leave out sensible, operator, it goes
without saying (the operator has her doubts) and stay till
Saturday. Love to everyone. Is everyone all one word operator?
Because all will do just as well.
Operator: It doesn't make any difference, madam.
Lady: Well, everyone then, that's all, and sign it Em.
Operator: N?
Lady: No, Em; it's a name--E M.
Operator: Like the first part of embrace?
Lady: Yes, but it is for Emma.
Operator: All right, madam. Now this is going to Mr. U.R.
Wright, 222 F. Street, Washington, D.C. As I am recovering from
a cold, I have decided to do as you suggest and stay till
Saturday. Love to everyone. Signed Em.
Lady:
Yes, that's all right, but I think I won't send it
now, operator. I think after all I'll wait and see how my cold
is in the morning.
262
THE ONE-LEGGED GOOSE
by F. Hopkinson Smith
"Wust scrape I eber got into wid old Marsa John was ober
Henny.
Henny was a young gal dat b'longed to Colonel Lloyd
Barbour, on de next plantation to ours. I tell you she was a
herricane in dem days. She came into de kitchen one time where
I was helpin' git de dinner ready an' de cook had gone to de
spring-house, an she says:
"`Chad, what yer cookin' dat smells so nice?'"
"`Dat's a goose', I says, `cookin' for Marsa John's dinner.
We got quality,' says I, pointin' to de dinin'-room doo'."
"`Quality!' she says.
`Spec' I know what de quality is.
Dat's for you and de cook.'"
"Wid dat she grabs a carvin' knife from de table, opens de
doo' ob de big oven, cuts off a leg ob de goose, an' dis'pears
round de kitchen corner wid de leg in her mouf.
"For' I knowed whar I was Marsa John come to de kitchen doo'
an' says, `Gittin' late, Chad; bring in de dinner.' You see,
major, dey ain't no up an' down stairs in de big house, like it
is yer; kitchen an' dinin'-room all on de same flo'.
"Well, sah, I was scared to def, but I stuk dat goose an'
laid him wit de cut side down on de bottom of de pan for' de
cook got back, put some dressin' an' stuffin' ober him, an' shut
de stove doo'. Den I tuk de sweet potatoes an' de hominy an'
put 'em on de table, an' den I went back in de kitchen to git de
baked ham. I put on de ham an' some mo' dishes, an' Marsa John
says, lookin' up:
"`I tought dere was a roast goose, Chad?'
"`I ain't yerd nothin' 'bout no goose.' I says. `I'll ask de
cook.'
"Next minute I yerd old Marsa a-hollerin:"
"`Mamy Jane, ain't we got a goose?'
"`Lord-a-massy!
yes, Marsa.
Chad, you writhless nigger,
ain't you tuk dat goose out yet?'
"`Is we got a goose?' said I.
"`Is we got a goose? Didn't you help pick it?'
"`I see whar my hear was short an' I snatched up a hot dish
from de hearth, opened de oben doo' an' slide de goose in jes as
he was, an' lay him down hefo' Marsa John.
"`Now see what de ladies 'll have for' dinner,' says old
Marsa, pickin' up his carvin' knife.
"`What'll you take for dinner, miss?' says I. `Baked ham?'
263
"`No,' she says lookin' up to what Marsa John sat; `I think
I'll take a leg ob dat goose'--jes so.
"Well, Marsa cut off de leg an' put a little stuffin' an
gravy on wid a spoon, an' says to me, 'Chad, see what dat
gemman'll have.'
"`What'll you take for dinner, sah?' says I. `Nice breast o'
goose, or slice o' ham?'
"`No; I think I'll take a leg of dat goose' says he.
"I didn't say nuffin', but I knowed berry well he wan't agwine to git it.
"But, Major, you oughter seen ole Marsa lookin' fer der odder
leg ob dat goose! He rolled him ober on de dish, dis way an'
dat way, an' din he jabbed dat old bone-handled carvin' fork in
him an' hel' him up ober de dish an' looked under him an' on top
ob him, an den he says, kinder sad like:
"`Chad, whar is de odder leg ob dat goose?'
"`It didn't hab none,' says I.
"`You mean ter say, Chad, dat de gooses an my plantation o'ny
got one leg?'
"`Some ob 'em has, an some ob em havn't. You see, Marsa, we
got too kindo in de pond, an we was a little boddered to-day, so
Mamy Jane cooked dis one cause I catched it first.'
"Well, dar I was shiverin' an' shakin' in my shoes an'
droppin' gravy an' spillin' de wine on de table cloth, I was dat
shuk up; an when de dinner was ober he calls all de ladies an'
gemmen, an' says, `No come down to de duck pond. I'm goin' ter
show dis nigger dat all de gooses on my plantation got mo' den
one leg.'
"I followed 'long, trapassin' after de whole kit an' b'ilin',
an' when we got down to de pond'--here Chad nearly went into a
convulsion with suppressed laughter--`dar was de gooses sittin'
on a log in de middle of dat ole green goose pond wid one leg
stuck down--so--an' de udder tucked under de wing."
Chad was now on one leg, balancing himself by my chair, the
tears running down his cheeks.
"`I dar, Marsa', says I, `don't ye see? Look at dat ole gray
goose! Dat's de berry match ob de one we had to-day.'
"Den de ladies all hollered an' de gemmen laughed so loud de
yerd 'em at de big house.
"`Stop, you black scoun'rel!' Marsa John says, his face
gettin' white an' he a-jerkin' handkerchief from his pocket.
`Shoo!'
"Major, I hope to have my brain kicked out by a grasshopper
if ebery one ob dem gooses didn't put down de udder leg!
"`Now, you lyin' nigger,' he says, rainin' his cane ober my
haid, `I'll show you--'
"`Stop Marsa John!' I hollered; `'tain't fair, 'tain't fair.'
264
"`Why ain't it fair?' says he.
"`'cause,' says I, `you didn't say "Shoo!" to de goose dat
was on de table.'"
265
THE REVOLT OF "MOTHER"
by Mary E. Wilkins
"Father!"
"What is it?"
"What are them men diggin' over there in the field for?"
There was a sudden dropping and enlarging of the lower part
of the old man's face, as if some heavy weight had settled the
rein; he shut his mouth tight, and went on harnessing the great
bay mare.
"Father!"
The old man slapped the saddle upon the mare's back.
"Look here, father, I want to know what them men are diggin'
over in the field for, an' I'm goin' to know."
"I wish you'd go into the house, mother, and tend to your own
affairs," the old man said.
"I ain't goin' into the house till you tell me what them men
are doin' over there in the field," she said.
Then she stood waiting. She was a small woman. Her forehead
was mild and benevolent between the smooth curves of gray hair;
there were meek downward lines about her nose and mouth; but her
eyes, fixed upon the old man, looked as if the meekness had been
the result of her own will, never the will of another.
The old man glanced doggedly at his wife as he tightened the
last buckles on the harness. She looked as immovable to him as
one of the rocks in his pasture land, bound to the earth with
generations of blackberry vines. He slapped the reins over the
horse, and started forth from the barn.
"Father!" she said.
The old man pulled up. "What is it?"
"I want to know what them men are diggin' over there in that
field for."
"They're diggin a cellar, I s'pose, if you've got to know."
"A cellar for what?"
"A barn."
"A barn? You ain't goin' to build a barn over there what we
was goin' to have a house, father?"
The old man said not another word. He hurried the horse into
the farm wagon, and clattered out of the yard.
The woman stood a moment looking after him, then she went out
of the barn across a corner of the yard to the house.
The
house, standing at right angles with the great barn and a long
reach of sheds and outbuildings was infinitesimal compared with
266
them. It was scarcely as commodious for people as the little
boxes under the barn eaves were for doves.
A pretty girls face, pink and delicate as a flower, was
looking out of one of the house windows. She was watching three
men who were digging over in the field which bounded the yard
near the road line. She turned quietly when the woman entered.
"What are they digging for, mother?" she said. "Did he tell
you?"
"They're diggin' for a cellar for a new barn.
"Oh, mother, he ain't goin' to build another barn?"
"That's what he says."
"I don't see what father wants another barn for," said the
girl in her sweet, slow voice. She turned again to the window
and stared out at the digging men in the field.
Her tender,
sweet face was full of a gentle distress.
Her mother said nothing more. She went into the pantry, and
there was a clatter of dishes. The girl went to the sink, and
began to wash the dishes that were piled up there. Her mother
came promptly out of the pantry, and shoved her aside.
"You
wipe 'em," said she; "I'll wash.
There's a good many this
mornin'."
The mother plunged her hands vigorously into the water, the
girl wiped the plates slowly and dreamily. "Mother," said she,
"don't you think it's too bad father's going to build that new
barn, much as we need a decent house to live in?"
Her mother scrubbed a dish fiercely.
"You ain't found out
we're women-folks, Nanny Penn," said she.
"You ain't seen
enough o' men-folks yet to. One of these days you'll find it
out, an' then you'll know that we know only what men-folks think
we do, so far as any use of it goes, an' how we'd ought to
reckon men-folks in with providence, an' not complain of what
they do any more than we do of the weather."
"I don't care; I don't believe George is anything like that
anyhow," said Nanny. Her delicate face flushed pink, her lips
pouted softly, as if she were going to cry.
"You wait an' see.
I guess George Eastman ain't no better
than other men. You hadn't ought to judge father, though. He
can't help it 'cause he don't look at things just the way we
do."
"I do wish we had a parlor."
"I guess it won't hurt George Eastman to come to see you in a
nice clean kitchen.
I guess a good many girls don't have as
good a place as this. Nobody's ever heard me complain."
"I ain't complained either, mother."
"Well, I don't think you'd better, a good father an' a good
home as you've got. S'pose your father made you go out an' work
267
for your livin'. Lots of girls have to that ain't no stronger
an' better able to than you be."
Nobility of character manifests itself at loop-holes when it
Sarah Penn's showed itself
is not provided with large doors.
today in flaky dishes of pastry.
So she made the pies
faithfully, while across the table she could see, when she
glanced up from her work, the sight that rankled in her patient
and steadfast soul--the digging of the cellar of the new barn in
the place where Adoniram forty years ago had promised her their
new house should stand.
The pies were done for dinner.
The dinner was eaten with
serious haste. There was never much conversation at the table
in the Penn family.
Adoniram asked a blessing, and they ate
promptly, then rose up and went about their work.
Adoniram went to work out in the yard unloading wood from the
wagon. Mrs. Penn went to the door. "Father!" she called.
"Well, what is it?"
"I want to see you just a minute, father."
"I can't have this wood nohow. I've got to get it unloaded
an' go for a load of gravel before two o'clock."
"I want to see you just a minute."
"I tell you I can't, nohow, mother."
"Father, you come here." Sarah Penn stood in the door like a
queen; she held her head as if it bore a crown; there was that
patience which makes authority royal in her voice.
Adoniram
went.
Mrs. Penn led the way into the kitchen, and pointed to a
chair. "Sit down, father," said she; "I've got somethin' I want
to say to you."
He sat down heavily; his face was quite stolid, but he looked
at her with restive eyes. "Well what is it, mother?"
"I want to know what you're buildin' that new barn for,
father?"
"I ain't got nothin' to say about it."
"It can't be you think you need another barn?"
"I tell you I ain't got nothin' to say about it, mother; an'
I ain't goin' to say nothin'."
"Be you goin' to buy more cows?"
Adoniram did not reply; he shut his mouth tight.
"I know you be, as well as I want to.
Now, father, look
here, I'm goin' to talk real plain to you; I never have since I
married you, but I'm going' to now.
You see this room here,
father; you look at it well. You see there ain't no carpet on
the floor, an' you see the paper is all dirty, an' droppin' off
the walls. You see this room, father; it's all the one I've had
to work in an' eat in an' sit in since we were married. It's
268
all the room Nanny's got to have her company in. It's all the
room she'll have to be married in. What would you have thought,
father, if we had had our weddin' in a room no better than this?
An' this is all the room my daughter will have to be married
in. Look here, father!"
Sarah Penn went across the room as though it were a tragic
stage. She flung open a door and disclosed a tiny bedroom, only
large enough for a bed and bureau, with a path between. "There,
father," said she--"there's all the room I've had to sleep in
forty years.
All my children were born there--the two that
died, an' the two that's livin'."
She threw open another door.
A narrow crooked flight of
stairs wound upward from it." There, father," said she, "I want
you to look at the stairs that go up to them two finished
chambers that are all the places our son an' daughter have had
to sleep in all their lives. It ain't so good as your horse's
stall; it ain't so warm an' tight."
Sarah Penn went back and stood before her husband.
"Now,
father," said she, "I want to know if you think you're doin'
right an' accordin' to what you profess.
Here, when we were
married, forty years ago, you promised me faithful that we
should have a new house built in that lot over in the field
before the year was out. It is forty years now, an' you've been
makin' more money, an' I've been savin' of it for you ever
since, an' you ain't built no house yet. you've built sheds an'
cow-houses an' one new barn, an' now you're going' to build
another.
Father, I want to know if you think it's right.
You're lodgin' your dumb beasts better than your own flesh an'
blood. I want to know if you think it's right."
"I ain't got nothin' to say."
"You can't say nothin' without ownin' it ain't right,
father."
Mrs. Penn's face was burning; her mild eyes gleamed. She had
pleaded her case like a barrister; she had ranged from severity
to pathos; but her opponent employed that obstinate silence
which makes eloquence futile with mocking woes. Adoniram arose
clumsily.
"Father, ain't you got nothin' to say?" said Mrs. Penn.
"I've got to go off after that load of gravel. I can't stan'
here talkin' all day."
"Father, won't you think it over, an' have a house built
there instead of a barn?"
"I ain't got nothin' to say."
The barn was all completed ready for use by the third week in
July. Adoniram had planned to move his stock in on Wednesday;
on Tuesday he received a letter which changed his plans. "I've
got a letter from Hiram," he said. "He says he thinks if I come
269
up country right off there's a chance to buy jest the kind of a
horse I want. If them cows come today, Sammy can drive 'em into
the new barn, an' when they bring the hay up, they can pitch it
in there."
Adoniram set his shaven face ahead and started. When he had
cleared the door-step, he turned and looked back with a kind of
nervous solemnity.
"I shall be back by Saturday if nothing
happens," said he.
"Do be careful, father," returned his wife.
Mrs. Penn hurried her baking; at eleven o'clock it was all
done. The load of hay from the west field came slowly down the
cart track, and drew up the now barn.
Mrs. Penn ran out.
"Stop!" she screamed--"Stop!"
The men stopped and looked.
"Don't you put the hay in the new barn; there's room enough
in the old one, ain't there?" said Mrs. Penn.
"Room enough," returned the hired man, in his think, rustic
tones.
"Didn't need the new barn, nohow, far as room
concerned."
Mrs. Penn went back to the house.
"I ain't goin' to get a regular dinner today, as long as
father's gone," she said to Nanny as Sammy came in to see if
dinner was ready. "I've let the fire go out. You can have some
bread an' milk an' pie. I thought we could get along." She set
out some bowls of milk, some bread, and a pie on the kitchen
table.
"You'd better eat your dinner now," said she.
"You
might just as well get through with it. I want you to help me
afterward."
Nanny and Sammy stared at each other.
There was something
strange in their mother's manner.
Mrs. Penn did not eat
anything herself. She went into the pantry and they heard her
moving dishes while they ate.
Presently she came out with a
pile of plates. She got the clothes-basket out of the shed, and
packed them in it. Nanny and Sammy watched. She brought out
cups and saucers, and put them in with the plates.
"What you goin' to do, mother?" inquired Nanny, in a timid
voice.
"You'll see what I'm goin' to do," replied Mrs. Penn.
"If
you're through, Nanny, I want you to go up-stairs an' pack up
your things; an' I want you, Sammy, to help me take down the bed
in the bedroom."
"Oh, mother, what for?" gasped Nanny.
"You'll see."
During the next few hours a feat was performed by this
simple, pious New England mother which was equal in its way to
Wolfe's storming of the Heights of Abraham.
It took no more
genius and audacity of bravery for Wolfe to cheer his wondering
270
soldiers up those steep precipices, under the sleeping eyes of
the enemy, than for Sarah Penn, at the head of her children, to
move all their little household goods into the new barn while
her husband was away.
At five o'clock in the afternoon the little house in which
the Penns had lived for forty years had emptied itself into the
new barn. At six o'clock the stove was up in the harness-room,
the kettle was boiling, and the table set for tea.
Toward sunset on Saturday, when Adoniram was expected home,
there was a knot of men in the road near the new barn.
The
hired man had milked, but he still hung around the premises.
Sarah Penn had supper all ready.
There were brown bread and
baked beans and a custard pie; it was the supper that Adoniram
loved on a Saturday night. She had on a clean calico, and she
bore herself imperturbably. Nanny and Sammy kept close at her
heals.
Their eyes were large, and Nanny was full of nervous
tremors. Still there was to them more pleasant excitement than
anything else. The inborn confidence in their mother over their
father asserted itself.
Sammy looked out of the harness-room window. "There he is,"
he announced, in an awed whisper. He and Nanny peeped around
the casing.
Mrs. Penn kept on about her work.
The children
watched Adoniram leave the new horse standing in the drive while
he went to the house door.
It was fastened.
Then he went
around to the shed. That door was seldom locked, even when the
family was away. The thought how her father would be confronted
by the cow flashed upon Nanny. There was a hysterical sob in
her throat. Adoniram emerged from the shed and looked about in
a dazed fashion. His lips moved; he was saying something, but
they could not hear what it was.
The hired man was peeping
around the corner of the old barn, but nobody saw him.
Adoniram took the new horse by the bridle and led him across
the yard to the new barn. Nanny and Sammy shrunk close to their
mother. The barn doors rolled back, and there stood Adoniram,
with the long mild face of the great Canadian farm horse looking
over his shoulder.
Nanny kept behind her mother, but Sammy stepped suddenly
forward, and stood in front of her.
Adoniram stared at the group.
"What on earth you all down
here for?" he said. "What's the matter over to the house?"
His shrill
"We've come here to live, father," said Sammy.
voice quavered out bravely.
"What?"--Adoniram sniffed--"what is it smells like cookin'?"
said he.
He stepped forward and looked in the door of the
harness-room. Then he turned to his wife. His old bristling
271
face was pale and frightened. "What on earth does this mean,
mother?" he gasped.
"You come in here, father," said Sarah. She led the way into
the harness-room and shut the door.
"Now, father," said she,
"you needn't be scared. I ain't crazy. There ain't nothin' to
be upset over. But we've come here to live, an' we're goin' to
live here. We've got just as good a right here as new horses
an' cows. The house wa'n't fit for us to live in any longer,
an' I made up my mind I wa'n't goin' to stay there. I've done
my duty by you for forty year, an' I'm goin' to do it now; but
I'm goin' to live here. You've got to put in some windows and
partitions; an' you'll have to buy some furniture.
"Why, mother!" the old man gasped.
"You'd better take your coat off an' get washed--there's the
wash-basin an' then we'll have supper."
Adoniram tried to take off his coat, but his arms seemed to
lack power. His wife helped him. She poured some water into
the tin basin, and put in a piece of soap. She got the comb and
brush, and smoothed his thin gray hair after he had washed.
Then she put the beans, hot bread, and tea on the table. Sammy
came in, and the family drew up. Adoniram sat looking dazedly
at his plate and they waited.
"Ain't you goin' to ask a blessin', father," said Sarah.
And the old man bent his head and mumbled.
After supper he went out, and sat down on the step of the
smaller door at the right of the barn, through which he had
meant his Jerseys to pass in stately file, but which Sarah
designed for her front house door, and he leaned his head on his
hands.
After the supper dishes were cleared away and the milk pans
washed, Sarah went out to him.
The twilight was deepening.
There was a clear green glow in the sky. Before them stretched
the smooth level of field; in the distance was a cluster of haystacks like the huts of a village; the air was very cool and
calm and sweet. The landscape might have been an ideal one of
peace.
Sarah bent over and touched her husband on one of his thin,
sinewy shoulders. "Father!"
The old man's shoulder's heaved: he was weeping.
"Why, don't do so, father," said Sarah.
"I'll put up the partitions, an' everything you want,
mother."
Sarah put up her apron to her face: she was overcome by her
own triumph.
Adoniram was like a fortress whose walls had no active
resistance, and went down the instant the right besieging tools
272
were used. "Why, mother," he said hoarsely, "I hadn't no idea
you was so set on't as all this comes to."
273
RELATIVES
EDWARD T. LAMB Jr.
My first recollection of Edward T. Lamb Jr.
When Father I were returning from attending the June MIA
Conference 1916 in Salt Lake City, we had traveled to Alton in a
wagon and horse back. (The conference trip is another story.)
We left Alton early one morning, the wagon loaded with grain and
other supplies for the people at Moccasin. Father driving and I
rode old Dixie a stallion he had gotten from my Uncle Leonard
Cox the past winter for $200.00. Dixie as a fine saddle horse,
chestnut brown, a small white spot in his head, high life, but
gentle. We stopped in Orderville first night.
Next morning leaving Orderville passing through Mt. Carmel
then on to the Mt. Carmel dug way, a rather steep rocky road.
The first steep hill of three before getting to the top of the
hill.
As fathers wagon was quite heavily loaded, the team,
Benny and Lay were having more than they could pull up the last
200 ft of the first dug way. I was off my horse placing rocks
behind the wheels to keep the wagon from rolling back when the
horses were stopped pulling to give them a rest and breathing
spell.
It was then that Ed T. Lamb came along on his way to one of
his cow ranches in the Sand as it was called the country between
the Orderville gulch and White mountains on the north and
Moccasin Mountain on the south.
Seeing that Benny and Lay couldn't pull the wagon on up this
last steep part of the road, he Lamb offered to use his saddle
horse and ropes tied to the wagon tongue.
So we blocked the
hind wheel of the wagon. He tied his lasso rope to the wagon
tongue, also the rope I had for me, rapping the ropes around the
saddle horns, we got out in front of the team and when father
hollered get up to the team we started our saddle horses and it
was all the four horses could do to get the wagon rolling up the
last rock patch. In going up a bale of hay fell off the wagon
and over a ledge some 10 or 15 ft, I saw it fall and said,
"There goes the bale of hay," and Ed Lamb said "Let it go, keep
your horse pulling, we'll get it latter." After we got on top
and found a rather level place to stop, Father and I and Lamb
went back and got the hay, the bale had broken.
The main topic of the time in this country at the time was of
a young man released from the Utah State Prison who was found
guilty of killing a young girl.
He had taken the blame for
others.
Some thought he should not have been released from
prison. But he had been a model prisoner, in fact had been a
blessing to other prisoners in getting them to change their
274
attitude and life for good. I don't remember to much of what
Father and Lamb said tho this statement has remained with me to
this day, 1980.
Ed. T. Lamb said as he rolled himself a
cigarette from a Bulldurm tobacco sack, "I know the Lambs are
not angels, but I have never seen wings on a Heaton yet."
Shortly after this maybe 2 or 3 years Father and Ed Lamb were
called to the Kanab Stake high counsel.
Lamb one of the
outstanding aaronic priesthood and boy scout leader Kanab Stake
has ever had.
We often said, "You can't have a good scout
unless you have a good Deacon."
As they go together to make
good men. He also was Bishop of Mt. Carmel ward, lived to be 99
years old. And I feel greatly blessed to have been associated
with him.
Scouting, Aaronic Priesthood and other church and
civic positions.
He was one of Fathers closest friends in
church and cattle business.
C.L. Heaton, April 24, 1980
SOME VISITS OF
L.D. COX AT MOCCASIN
My uncle Leonard D. Cox owned several hundred head of sheep
here in Southern Utah and had them rented out to different
people and would make two or three visits a year to collect on
his interests.
The first time I remember him coming was one winter night
while Father was on his Mission. I was out after dark getting
in when I saw a man ride up on a horse and tie it to the fence
and come to the house, where I was waiting to see what he
wanted. I did not know him. He came up to the porch and asked
if Maggie Heaton lived here. I told him she did, then he said,
"Who are you?" I said, "Leonard Heaton, what do you want?" He
then said, "I am going to kiss you as I am your Uncle." Which
he did. Just then Mother came to the door and recognized her
brother.
Another time at Christmas time 1921, I came from St. George
on a horse, leaving Hurricane at daylight. It was cloudy and
looked like storm, and it was cold with some snow on the ground.
I pushed the horse as fast as I could so as to get over the
Moccasin Mountain trail before dark and the storm.
It was
snowing when I got home about nine p.m.
The next morning while we were eating breakfast, Uncle
Leonard Cox came in, said he had tried to catch me all day but
his horse was not fast enough and had got lost coming up the
trail over the mountain.
So he went back to Cane Beds and
275
stayed all night.
I took the horse back to Hurricane when I
went back to school after New Years.
At one time in the early spring about 1917, L.D. Cox came
down to see his sheep and do other business. He came by way of
Cedar City on the train, and purchased a two year old stallion
in Karnaville, a chestnut color, Kentucky Daddler, and brought
out also a saddle. When he got to Moccasin, Father bought the
horse and Uncle Leonard gave me the saddle, because he said I
was named after him. I used the saddle for as long as I rode
the range or had anything to do with cattle. Father kept the
stallion for some 15 years.
The last time he was at Moccasin in the spring of 1925, he
brought most of his family down on a short outing to see the
National Parks. They stopped at home early in the morning for
three or four hours. That was the last time I saw him.
A STORY ABOUT GEROGE ESPLIN
As I write this account for Sister Emil Roundy one of George
Esplins daughters who has asked me several times for everything
I knew about her Father.
I do remember him stopping here at
Moccasin on his way to and from the sheep herd during the winter
months as his Father Bishop Henry W. Esplin had a herd of sheep
and a few cattle running on the range around Pipe Spring and
other grazing areas. George may have rode for cattle at times.
Where this saying came from I am not sure, I have the
impressions from what I have heard Mother and my Aunt Charlotte
talk about it originated while they were attending grade school
in Orderville and George Esplin was one of the students.
It seems some of the children were having a hard time to
spell GEOGRAPHY. Who formulated the saying is not known. It was
put together like this to help them remember the letters in
Geography.
G. George E. Esplin O. Old G. Grandmother R. Rode A. A P.Pig
H. Home Y. Yesterday. George Esplin old grandmother rode a pig
home yesterday.
C. Leonard Heaton
MY MEMORY OF DAVE FROST
276
Here at Moccasin, Jonathan Heaton and Son's Company had a lot
of hired help in running their vast cattle and sheep herds.
Also on the farms and ranches in the Arizona strip and at upper
Kanab or Findley and Seegmiller ranches they bought in the early
1900's.
One of the hired men was Dave Frost of Kanab who helped as a
cowboy on the range south of Pipe Springs or on the farm as
needed. There was only one incident that happened in my life
that I remember of Dave Frost, and I was about 4 or 5 years old.
Sometime in the early spring or summer Grandpa decided the
irrigation pond needed cleaning out, so it was drained and
allowed to dry up enough so the dirt could be scraped out onto
the banks.
There were several teams and men to drive them hooked to the
old wooden scrapers which had long wooden tongues.
Dave Frost was driving a team called Hack and Dave. Hack was
a speckled gray and Dave a brown and they were quite spirited
animals and liked to go. Hack was on the left side and Dave on
the right side and as they would drag a scraper full of dirt out
of the pond bottom up the bank to the top they would be going on
a fast walk.
As I remember the incident the pond was about cleaned out and
fellows were quitting for the day, and as Dave Frost was taking
a load up, something happened to the team, and it got tangled up
some way. Anyway old Hack fell down and that pulled his mate
Dave off balance and both horses and scraper came tumbling back
down into the pond off the reservoir bank which broke the
scraper tongue and Dave Frost let go the lines and the men in
the pond managed to catch the horses and get them untangled.
The horse called Dave I have had the impression Grand Father
had bought it from Dave Frost thus the name Dave.
The above is my only recollection of the man Dave Frost I may
of been around him quite a lot as he worked for the Heaton
family when I was a small boy.
ANGEL GABRIEL
One late summer evening here at Moccasin about 1925.
When
the melons were getting ripe the young people from Kanab and
Fredonia would pay the melon patches a night visit for a melon
or two, sometimes they would be caught by the owner who would
usually ask for a few dollars give them the melon and send them
home.
One night a young couple come out after a dance in Fredonia.
While they were visiting the melon patch, some of the Moccasin
277
boys put by a barrier across the road so they could not drive
home. When the couple found the road blocked. The young man
stopped the car got his saxophone, as he played for the dance,
and started to play some music. Not to far away a home in which
lived Uncle Ed and Aunt Leon and family.
It was past 12
o'clock, Aunt Leon was awakened by the music.
Startled by
hearing the loud music from the saxophone, she grabed her
husband and shouted Ed wake up, wake up, The Angel Gabriel is
blowing his horn, we got to go."
A MEAN TRICK
This is not a very pleasant incident in my life as a child of
about 10 or 11 years old.
It happened one summer day at my
grandmothers when most of the children on the ranch was gathered
for an afternoon fun.
Those I remember being present was myself, sister Jennie,
cousins Erma and Delaun, Sterling, Gilbert and Edward, Uncles
and Aunts, and Jerry Burnham a hired hand. There may of been
others. In the course of games, trick on each other some that
were fun and some that were rather rough on some.
That made
some of the children cry a bit.
When Ed and Jerry suggested we have a fight at first it was
just a few shoving and punches among the children. When Ed and
Jerry said to Delaun you can lick your sister Erma, who was four
years older.
So the two men got them, Delaun and Erma into
hitting, pulling hair, kicking and such. Erma had a lot of her
red hair pulled out, Delaun had scratches on his face and both
were crying when grandma came out to see what was going on. Of
course Ed and Jerry immediately stopped the fight and sent us
children home.
I have always though Ed and Jerry were a bit
ashamed of themselves tho they did encourage the fight telling
them what to do.
Ed was always doing mean things to us boys and girls and even
to some grown ups if he could get a laugh out of it. But could
not take a joke pulled on him. He always got angry and hit back
tho he regretted it after.
NOTES ABOUT TEMPLE WORK BY AUNT ABBIE COX HEATON
Endowment for Mrs. Ursilla Mancke No. 123 July 11, 1946. She
is of East Prussia, dark skin, had 1/2 of forehead and mouth
278
covered as the women of the east used to do.
Dark brown,
beautiful eyes a long straight well built nose.
She was
beautiful.
More endowment records, last endowment Oct. 21, 1952.
1948 - 31
1949 - 35
1950 - 106
1951 - 93
1952 - 83
Aunt Abbie died Oct. 22, 1952 at St. George Ut.
From Aunt Abbie C. Heaton's notes, April 14, 1937
While she was in the St. George temple doing the endowment
for Jane C. McFarland, she recorded the following. "During the
prayer I saw this beautiful woman, she was round faced, with
light golden curly hair.
She was looking at me and standing
about three benches in front of me, she gradually receded until
reaching an alter, where I saw her kneeling her arms on the
alter and right hand reaching across.
Her robe was so
beautiful. There was aline of men and women on the left of me
and seeming by going to witness her wedding. The scene was so
holy and beautiful that I could not restrain the streaming
tears.
Another recording experience in St. George Temple.
Oct. 5, 1938 After we were through this mornings work Pres. Snow asked us
to stay in the celestial room for a short testimony meeting. HE
asked us first to close our eyes for a few moments and
contemplate our mornings work. I closed my eyes and bowed my
head thinking of the sacred pageant given this fall by the
temple and genealogical workers, as Pres. Snow suggested we do.
Soon I saw a white robed lady standing in front of the marriage
room and then gradually others, so many I did not try to count
them, but Elizabeth Pratt is the 106th one I've done endowments
for since I left the State Hospital at Provo to come here to
work in the temple, and I felt she was the one that was
standing.
Of course I cried I was so full of joy.
My
determination was made stronger to do this work of those that
cannot do it for themselves. Signed Abigail Cox Heaton.
She did the endowment work for Elizabeth Pratt Oct. 5, 1938.
Endowments done by Aunt Abbie in St. George temple.
1938 - 165
1940 - 231
1941 - 232
1942 - 127
1943 - 66
1944 - 29
1945 - no record
1946 - 74
1947 - 55
1948 - 65
Total 1230 endowments - 267 sealings.
279
SOME MEMORIES OF DR. U.R. NORRIS
I do not remember when Dr. Norris first came to Kanab, but my
recollection is of him in Kanab driving a brown horse on a small
buggy as he went about his business of making sick people well.
He was our county Doctor and a good one for over 40 years,
until he became so old and shaky he could not write
prescriptions. After Dr. R. Akins came in and got established,
Dr. Norris moved to California where he died in the 1950's.
1. Dr. Norris was not a Mormon and did not take any part of
it though he encouraged his only child, a boy, to attend church
functions. He said that anything the Mormons teach won't hurt
anybody. He was asked a few years before he died why he had not
joined the Mormon Church, living so long among them. His answer
was, "No one ever asked him or tried to teach him the Gospel."
2. In later years, he came to respect the faith and prayers
of the Mormons. His comment, "I do the doctoring I can do for
a dying person, then the Mormon Elders come along and pray over
them and they get better," or, "I have done all I can for him
or her, go call the Mormon Elders to come and pray for them,"
or,
"When I get so sick doctoring will do no good I want
Brother Knap Judd to pray for me, because he talks directly to
God."
3.
When my Grandfather Heaton was sick at Moccasin with
obstruction of the intestines and hiccups that lasted three
weeks or more, Dr. Norris came out several times to see him and
each time he expected to see Grandfather die, and told him to
make out his will which he did. But Grandfather always said,
"I will yet live to take care of my obligations." Dr. Norris
said later, "Jonathan Heaton was the most determined man I ever
saw.
As sick as he was I don't see how he could live."
Grandfather lived some 20 years more.
4. Dr. Norris traveled all over Kane County and to Fredonia
and Moccasin giving aid and comfort to the sick never charging
more for one place than another.
After the auto became more
common he got a small car as, "It is faster than his horse and
buggy."
Edna and I had him attend the birth of most of our
children at home, as well as motel rooms in Moccasin, Kanab, and
Pipe Springs. The most we paid him was $35.00.
280
MAIL
CARRYING MAIL
FROM MOCCASIN TO KANAB
While Father was on his mission from 1912 to 1915, my
uncle, Israel H. Heaton had the contract to carry the mail from
Moccasin to Kanab on Wednesday and Saturdays each week. Since
he had moved to Kanab before his mail contract ran out, he got
some of the men or boys at Moccasin to take the mail for him.
During the summer of 1914, I was assigned to carry the mail.
So each Wednesday and Saturday morning after breakfast I would
either saddle up a horse or mule, or harness a team of horses
and hitch them up to a light wagon or buggy depending on the
amount of mail and freight there was to take to Kanab or bring
home.
I would leave home for Kanab about eight in the morning. If
I was on horseback, I would tie the sack of mail on the back of
the saddle, and if needed, a second one in front. There were
four or five gates to go through. Our horses had been trained
to side up to the gates so I could usually open and shut the
gates without getting off. On horseback I would travel the old
road out past the Point Spring, Cedar Ridge over Riggs Flat to
Cottonwood Wash, then to the east boundary of the Kaibab Indian
Reservation, then go northeast through several Dry Farms, across
the Kanab creek, and enter Kanab near Brigg Rigg's home, at the
southwest end of town then ride up to the post office.
It was located in the center of the block on the south side
of the street, across the street from the Church lot about where
Aken's Lodge is now (1968). It was a small building, about 12
by 20 feet. Not only did it house the Post Office, but also the
telephone switch board.
The Post Mistress, Sister Persus
Spencer handled both jobs very well. After delivering the mail
about 12 noon, I would go down to Uncle Israel's for dinner and
let the horse eat. Then at 1 p.m. I would ride back and pick up
the mail, do some buying at Bossman's Merc, and head back home,
getting there about five in the evening. If I had to take the
team and wagon I traveled over the same road that led across
Kanab Creek at a better crossing for wagon. It is called the
Half-Way Place. It is on the Arizona-Utah line about half way
between Kanab and Fredonia.
It usually took about four hours
travel one way with horse or buggy the 20 miles between Moccasin
and Kanab.
I will now relate a few experiences in carrying the mail.
281
MAIL CARRYING EXPERIENCES
One of my summer trips was on a white horse we called Vingin.
He was gentle for kids to ride.
There was not much mail to
take to Kanab in the morning, but there was a lot to take back
to Moccasin and I should have taken a buggy. I was wondering
how I was to carry all these sacks of mail on the horse. There
were five sacks, so I took the two with the least in, tied one
on each side of the horse back of the saddle so they hung down
about half way; took a full one and tied on top of these two,
then tied another partly full in front of the saddle. I then
climbed into the saddle and had the Post Master hand the fifth
sack up to me which I held in front. I was pretty well held on
by the mail sacks, so I started for home loaded. It was a hot
summer day and the horse could not travel very fast and I became
sleepy by the time I got to the half-way crossing.
With the
horse plodding slowly home along the sandy road and across the
creek, I went to sleep riding. When I woke up we were headed
back to Kanab, but at first I did not know where we were. The
horse had come to the Reservation gate, and since I did not open
it, he turned around recrossed the creek and was near the lower
end of Kanab Lane. He had traveled about three or four miles
with me asleep. It was late, almost sundown when I got home. I
must have slept one and a half to two hours.
Another trip was on a Saturday, early in the spring after the
winter snow had melted and the ground was full of water which
made roads muddy. Mother was keeping a small Grocery Store to
help out with our living and to send Father a few dollars each
month. We took the team and an old White Top buggy. Going to
Kanab, the road was frozen and Old Lay and Benny made good time,
but coming home in the afternoon, the ground had thawed and was
very soft. We got along pretty well until about one half mile
after crossing the Cottonwood Wash.
There we came to Riggs
Flat, a very sticky blue jumbo clay, about a mile or so wide.
As we started to cross, the mud would stick to the wheels in
great balls. The horses could only pull the buggy about one or
two turns of the wheels then Mother and I would get out and with
shovel or sticks, pry the mud off, and then go another turn or
two. It was so hard going! The horses pulled so hard that both
single trees broke.
Later the double tree, a tug on both
harnesses broke. We used ropes to patch up the broken parts.
By the time we had crossed the flat it was nearly sundown, and
the tugs on the horse had been tied directly to the axles of the
buggy.
After we got across the flat we hit one sandy road,
until we came to the east slope of Cedar Ridge, where we got
into more mud. This time it was not so sticky but it was soft
and the wheels sank into the mud several inches. Anyway, it was
282
almost midnight when we got home so tired we could hardly
unhitch the horses and unload supplies.
I would not be
surprised if one could still see today the small mounds of clay
where we pried the mud off the wheels. They were there about
ten years ago, but were becoming little and washed away.
Another trip was with an old black mule called Jinks.
We
used him for a pack animal. We had the pack big and high with a
baby walker tied on top. Mother had bought that for my sister,
Kezia, who was a baby when Father left for his mission.
Another trip I made was with a wagon for supplies for the
store along with taking the mail. I had to buy things at three
places:
Kanab Equitable, Bossman Merc, and Sister Halladay's
(on the corner just north of the present elementary school in
Kanab). As I was driving from one place to another to pick up
the supplies, three boys, all larger than I, climbed on the back
of the wagon, where I had some boxes of goods. They were Marvin
Pugh, Atawell Robinson and Si Hicks.
It was not until I got
home that I discovered that they had taken a dozen sacks of Bull
Duram tobacco, matches, candies, and other groceries.
Mother
called the police in Kanab and the boys owned up to taking the
things and had to pay for them. For a long time after, whenever
they saw me, they asked if I had any Bull Durum they could have,
or to go buy them some Bull Durum.
OLD SEAMAN AND THE MAIL
Sometimes it was hard for the men to get away to carry the
mail from Moccasin to Kanab so they would get an Indian they
could trust to take the mail bag, take it to the Post Office and
back.
One time Old Seaman was hired to do the job. They gave him a
horse to ride and he got to Kanab all right.
But during the
hour lay over for the horse to rest, some white man got him
drunk and the post master, Sister Purser Spencer would not give
Seaman the mail to Moccasin. He said, "What I do when I get to
Moccasin and Chuck no see mail bag, maybe he think I steal it,
and put me in jail." Seaman hung around the Post Office an hour
or so trying to get the mail bag, but Sister Spencer would not
give it to him.
Finally he left for Moccasin, getting there
about dark.
When Father, who was Post Master, asked Seaman
where the mail bag was, he said, "Old woman in Post Office no
trust Indian, no give me mail.
You want mail go get it
yourself".
He got off the horse and walked home.
Of course
Sister Spencer had called Father and told him Seaman had been
drunk and she would not give him the mail long before he got to
Moccasin.
283
COPY OF A LETTER TO DEAN R. HEATON
from Asa W. Judd - May 1941 - Fredonia Arizona
Answer to prayer. True Pioneer stories. Seek and ye shall
find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Ask and ye shall
receive. Again, suffer the little children to come unto me and
forbid them not for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Among the many saying and promises of Jesus the above are
spoken by him to and about children and to show that he loved
children and blessed them and to show that God hears childrens
prayers. The following true story s given so that children may
believe and pray for any blessings needed.
When only a very small boy when I went to bed and shut my
eyes to go to sleep. I used to see faces of men who would peek
over the side of the trundle bed where I slept look into my eyes
then as I looked into their faces they would go away another
would come and look and go away then another and another.
Why they came I didn't know and I was too young to be afraid
for they never hurt me. Just looked into my eyes and go away.
As I grew older and larger they used to keep me awake even when
I wanted to go do sleep. The one night I had a bad dream - some
called it a "nightmare". I thought a mad fighting bull chased
me and trying to run away from him. I fell over a tall ledge, I
was scared I was glad to wake up and find it was only a dream.
But when I'd shut my eyes and try to go to sleep I just couldn't
for those faces one after the other by the hundreds it seemed
kept coming and coming - I got so tired. I did not know what to
do. Then I heard my mother yawn and I could tell the way she
breathed she was awake and because mothers seems always to know
what to do to help any child in trouble. I said, "Ma." "What
is it son." Then I told her about the faces that kept coming to
look into my eyes and then she said "You just pray to the Lord
in the name of Jesus Christ and you can go to sleep."
Jesus said "Ask and you shall receive" Well I must have been
to young to know about Jesus's promise, but when my mother told
me to pray and ask the Lord in the name of Jesus I believed she
knew, so I prayed in the name of Jesus and went to sleep.
I don't know how old I was when Ma told me to pray in the
name of Jesus and I don't remember what words I used in my
little prayers.
But every night I would pray in the name of
Jesus for ever night when I went to bed and shut my eyes to go
to sleep those faces always came, but when I prayed I would
always go to sleep. But a strange thing happened to me when I
got to be 12 years old and was ordained to the office of a
deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood.
Those faces never came to
284
bother me anymore but once and that was when I dreamed of
getting mad and cussing an old Indian. I didn't like because he
made me think he was going to sell me his sineau backed bow with
some arrows and he took bread and corn and potatoes from me to
pay for the bow and then he wouldn't let me have it and when I
grabbed the bow he held it tight and took me up under one arm
and started to carry me off, but when he put me down I was
willing to go back home without the bow. This happened when I
was only 5 or 6 years old. But because of bad stories they told
us about him we did not like him. So Jesus (who tells us to
love our enemies and pray for Heavenly Father to bless those who
hate us) sent me a dream to teach me not to hate anybody and not
to cuss even an Indian but in this dream us Kanab little boys
about 12 or 13 years old was having a mud-switch battle with the
Indian papooses.
We started to beat them and they were running away from us
when this old Indian came and helped them and we got whipped and
run away and this made me sore and I cussed him.
This was
after I had been ordained a Deacon and when I tried to go to
sleep after the dream woke me then those faces again came to
bother me. But only this one time.
THE RECOVERY OF THE RUNAWAY MAIL SACKS
During the early years of 1886 and 87, when Pahreah ward was
served by a bi or tri weekly mail it was probably during the
summer months of 1883 the mail was carried on horse back one
rider leaving Kanab Utah with mail for the Pahreah settlement
8:00 AM another rider would leave Pahreah for Kanab usually
meeting about noon at Telegraph Flat, so called because of the
dead cedar trees without branches. At a distance resembled or
looked like telegraph poles which was about equal distance or 22
or 30 miles from the place the riders started from. On meeting
saddles were usually taken off to rest and cool off the horses
backs.
Mail bags exchanged and after lunch the riders would
return to their respective starting points.
The particular day of the experience here in below related I
left Kanab on a partly broke horse and the continued jog, jog
trot of the horse my leg muscles become some what tired. But
fearing the horse might shy and jump if I tried to ride side
ways with one leg up over the horn of the saddle and because of
the very strict orders to be very careful with the United States
mail for we had to make affidavit or a sworn statement that we
would exercise due care to guard the mail and keep it safe from
time of receiving it from the postmaster until it was returned
to him.
285
I never dared trying to rest my legs by riding sideways. But
after lunch and I was going back to Kanab by flopping my legs
and raising them out and up for a while I decided the horse was
all right and it would be safe enough to throw one leg over the
saddle horn and thus sort of lounge in the saddle with both feet
out of the stirrups. So I did just that and all went fine and
the horse jogged along and I was singing "I'm lonesome since I
crossed the hills, and oer the moorland saggy.
With heavy
thoughts my mind was filled since I parted with Peggy." A jack
rabbit woke from his noon siesta jumped out from under bush in
the middle of the rode. My horse "Old Dave" jumped the opposite
way and Asa rolled off on his back on the bush the rabbit had
just vacated and the suddenness of the whole thing frightened
the horse who run off at a keen gallop with stirrups and mail
sack flopping.
As I jumped up unhurt and tried to sense the terribleness of
the calamity the lone horse and mail sack disappeared over a
rise in the ground.
Of course up and after him to gain if
possible the top of the ridge before the saddle turned under the
horses belly to be kicked to pieces and the United States mail
and sacks lost somewhere in the desert below Seamon's Point.
Such were my fears as I run at top speed to get a last look
at the horse before such a sad end. But winded as I slowed down
my mothers advice and teachings about Gods power over things and
always pray in time of need. As these thoughts found lodgement
in my soul, I dropped on my knees and in a few hurried words
asked God in the name of Jesus to stop the horse and make him
easy to catch, Amen.
Then up and on the run a few minutes
brought me on top of the raise of ground in the road where I had
last seen the running horse and flopping stirrups and to my
great relief and gratitude to the Lord for answering my little
prayer to stop the horse.
There sure enough at about the
distance the horse had run when I kneeled to pray the horse was
off to one side of the road grazing peacefully. Next thing was
to catch him. So slowing down to a cautious walk. I circled
out around him and to my great joy caught him without a bit of
trouble. But you can well believe I didn't try to ride sideways
any more on that trip home.
And this I know in all my life to
me God has been kind especially if I avoided strife and his
commands would mind.
In day or night time, storm or shine, in sickness or in
health, He's heard and answered of my prayers which I valued
more than wealth.
So if to me a simple boy, his blessings he confers.
If
you'll have faith He'll favors give and all true worshippers.
Asa W. Judd
Fredonia Arizona
286
287
HORSES
BENNY THE WORK HORSE
When Jonathan Heaton and sons divided up their property about
1917, Father received the two horses he had been working with,
Old Lay, a broke horse, and Gray Colts, a two-year old.
We
named Benny and Saucy.
The first time Benny was hooked to
anything he pulled a buggy to Kanab and back taking the mail.
He was a gentle horse, but always getting where he should not
be. He learned how to open barn doors, either by rattling the
door until the latch slid back or if the latch had a handle on
it he would push it back with his nose. We had a barn door that
had a weight on it to keep it closed. Old Benny found out that
by banging against the door with his nose, it would come open
far enough so he could get his nose in the crack, then push it
open and get in the hay and grain inside the barn. He also got
so he would jump over bars or fences five feet or so just to get
into hay and corn yards. One time I had milked the cows and had
three gallon buckets of milk setting on a shelf and along came
old Benny and drank all the milk in the buckets. He was rather
lazy and had to be prodded to make him do his part, though once
started he usually kept up with the other horses.
He was tough and could stand a lot of hard work, and he died
in the harness. Father was scraping out a cattle water hole at
Pipe Spring and filling in a trench that had been cut to drain
the water form the hole when Benny stepped or fell in the trench
side ways. As he lunged to get out he broke a blood vessel or
something and fell back into the trench and was dead before
Father could get the harness off.
OUR HORSES
Some of the horses I rode were: Jeff, Snip, Creamy, Bilby,
Bar Seven N, Spangle, E.H., Bay, Fox, Scott, Meeks Balley, XN -a mule, and Chippy. The horse I learned to ride on was Rouzy, a
black, who was a kids horse and would carry all that could stay
on him, five or six or seven. He never stepped on anyone when
they fell off or ran away. XN the mule was rather mean. He would
buck for no cause at all, was hard to catch and finally got the
habit of stumbling, falling, and rolling over the rider to get
rid of him, then walk back to camp. He fell with me two or three
times. The last time we were coming to camp late one evening
after corralling some cattle in the Upper Cane Beds. Loping
along with the other cowboys XN rolled over me on level ground
and the saddle cantle hit the small of my back so that I could
not ride for two or three days. XN also was used to pack our
288
bedding and grub, but had be watched or he would try and scrub
the packs off on trees, posts if handy, or lay down and try to
roll over so the pack would turn under him. Then he would
scatter things "from Hell to breakfast" as we would say.
Another mule, Jinks, a black, was just the opposite. A gentle
kid's mule, easy to catch, dependable, never causing any
trouble. Creamy was named because of his cream-colored hair.
Father caught it on Low Point, from a band of wild horses and
carried it on his horse as Creamy was only one or two days old.
He gave the colt to my brother Clifford, who raised him on cow's
milk from a bottle until he was old enough to eat hay and grain.
As Creamy grew he had the run of the place. We boys used to make
him swim in the pond.
One day he jumped off the reservoir bank and caught his hind
legs in a tree that pulled them out of place. That was called
hipped, when the hip bones are out of place. It made the horse
look bad, but did not interfere too much in the horse action
after they healed. Creamy never did grow to be a big horse, only
about 800 pounds which was the average size of a mustang or wild
horse. He was so small I could touch my toes together under him
when astride bareback. But he had more life, go, nerve and
endurance than any of my horses when it came to working cattle.
HORSES
For the past year or so I have thought about leaving some
history of the horses that I grew up with and used on the farm
and cow range in my early life, with some of the traits and
things that happened to me and them while working or having fun:
I do not remember the first contact with horses as they were
the means by which my father and mother traveled from one place
to another; plowed the fields, gathered in the cows or harvested
the crops in the fall; horses were as necessary as cars and
trucks are today to gain a lively hood and convenience to move
about from place to place. A horse in the stable was a car in
the garage today; so come and take a wagon ride or horse back
ride with me with the horses I have known:
1.
Old Lay : a grey, with white mane and tail, weighing
about 900 lbs.
He was one of the horses father got when the
Jonathan Heaton and sons company was divided in 1911. Lay was
gentle and easy to catch by us children, put the harness on and
hook him to the lizard or sled with a box three by four foot, in
which we kids could ride, haul fruits, melons, our lunches,
trash or what ever. Some times we used it to serenade the tours
289
with ten fans, tag horn's, flush on the 47th, 24th or first for
a time.
Old Lay was Fathers stand by work horse, on wagon, plow or
ever was needed Lay did the work.
He was so dependable at
farming, one hardly needed to bridle to guide him up and down
the corn rows, in weeding and furrowing, he understood his
duties. When being hooked to a wagon he always had the right
side of the wagon tongue and he was seldom led to his position
he knew where to go, always did more than his share of the work.
Lay had one stubborn streak, that I never seen him give up
on. If he did not want to go, no amount of whipping, yelling,
pulling could get him to move except pump up and down on all
four feet in the same place some times as long as half an hour:
to be left at home by himself for 10, 15, or 20 minutes seemed
to satisfy him. When spoken to Lay would take off as if nothing
had happened, five or six times that I know of. Old Lay, lived
to be about 20 years old. One hard winter he with other horses
not needed on the farm were taken to Gamer Canyon South some 20
miles and was never seen again:
2.
Jeff : our kid riding horse. On him I went for the milk
cows out in the pasture or up in the canyon and hallow, gathered
the heifers and calves from the fields; chased rabbits, cats,
coyotes, quail in winter when the snow was on the ground.
Played cowboy and indian with the other boys both white and
indian; the fun we had on Jeff.
As he grew older and became
stiff in one front leg, I traded him to an old prospector
passing through the county for an old riffle 25-35 Winchester
that I used for years.
3.
Bennie : the mischievous horse if ever there was one.
Always doing or getting in to things he had no business.
An
iron grey, 1100 lbs, well built for a work horse, took to a
harness as if he was born with it on, tho he had to be prodded
quite a bit to keep up his end of the double tree, a bit lazy;
but a good horse. Some of his pranks : if you set a bucket of
milk where he could get at it he would come up and drink it when
you left.
He learned to open gates by nudging them till the
latch came unlocked from a low fence, find his way into the
garden; open the barn door, get into feed barrels, pull things
out of wagons in search of things to eat, help himself to your
dinner if left while he was around. Was quite a nuisance if not
tied or locked up tight, but a good worker. He latter died in
the harness while father was clearing out a cattle watering pond
at Pipe Springs cattle ranch. A trench had been cut in the pond
banks to drain the water and mud out, while filling in the
trench Old Bennie slipped and fell and rolled into the trench on
his back and before father could unhook the horses, Bennie died.
290
4.
Susie : a mate for Bennie and a work team, same age, but
some 100 to 200 lbs. larger, more life, a steady worker, with
other horses she was a iron grey like Bennie. When father got
these two young horses unbroken from the Heaton and Son's Co.,
he and mother could not think of names for them until my aunt
Susie Cox and Ben Wilson stopped at our house on their way to
the St. George temple to be married.
After they had left on
their way, mother said lets call the horses Susie and Bennie.
Susie became a cripple in the right hind leg, while I was out
hunting rabbit, on the hill South of home and fired a shot with
my 22 which unknown to me hit her in the leg joint, also shortly
after she got tangled up in a barb wire fence, nearly cutting
her right hind foot almost off, causing her leg to swell and
become stiff. It was almost 2 years before the leg healed up
and we could use Susie for heavy work. Tho she did her part in
pulling the load the leg always gave her trouble. She did give
us two fine saddle horses to ride and latter to work in the
harness; she became sick one winter and died in late spring, age
14 years.
5.
Fanny : a horse we did not keep but 3 or 4 years, a
small bay mare, used her on the wagon a few times, but with the
other three work horses she was not needed. While father was on
his mission, 1913 to 1915, mother sold her to Swift Maxwell of
the Kaibab Indian Reservation for $150.00 I believe.
6.
Snip : a bay horse with a white spot on his forehead and
his nose; he was a wild mustang caught down by the Bullrush wash
as a colt. As he grew, was broke to ride and we used him on the
cattle range, a good tough cow horse, seemed to watch them
closer than his rider. If the cow started to leave the heard he
was there to turn it back, if he needed to run he would run, a
steady horse for roping calves, for branding. Once you spotted
a critter to cut from the heard old Snip would stay with it till
it was out: I do not know what became of Snip, as he was still
alive when I went to school in St. George, 1919-23:
These six horses were what father got form the Heaton and
Sons Company when it was dissolved in 1911.
The rest of the
horses we owned were purchased, traded for or were caught on the
Arizona Strip from wild bands of horses.
7.
Spangle : a high spirited, chestnut brown, long slender
legs, fast, hard to catch, had to use a lasso alot of the time.
Once caught easy to handle, good saddle horse for riding, not
much good as a rope horse, always shied away from the swinging
rope.
I used him mostly for long rides in gathering in the
cattle. He was a fence jumper if he could see a stick or rope
on top of a barbed wire fence. I have jumped him as high as 4
ft. while riding him after cattle around farms.
291
Father got spangle from Dan Seegmiller a cousin living in
Orderville. I don't remember what we gave for him. I traded
him and two other horses to a Mr. Russell of Rockville for 3
horse I will later describe.
8.
Billy : another mustang horse, comes from the wild bunch
at clay holes. Father got him from Johnny Heaton a cousin; a
fearless horse, go anywhere you wanted, take little urging, tho
he was a little awkward in running, he always staid on his feet.
A dark bay weighing 1000 lbs, easy to ride, gentle and
dependable. When he ran he sounded like a steam engine.
9.
Meeks Bolly ; a light bay with a complete white face,
also a mustang bread horse, raised on the moonshine and yellow
stone ridge. And if he even got out of a pasture corral, or on
the roundup, having a good chance he would find his way back to
his old home range. Many a time I have had to leave the cow
camp and go get Meeks Bolly on the Moonshine range. He was not
much good except for general range riding, as some time in his
early life he had eaten to much loco weed and it made him a bit
unsteady on his feet especially after a long ride. I guess he
died of old age.
292
THE LOCO WEED
Just for the record and your information I will describe the
loco weed and its effects of animals when eaten, especially in
the spring. As it is one of the first plants to come up on the
strip, and if horses, cows and sheep are poor, not much else to
feed on, the animals will eat the loco weed. But with plenty of
other feed it will seldom be touched.
The loco weed is a plant similar to a alfalfa plant, does not
grow as tall, about 12 to 18 high, blossoms a deep blue almost
covering the entire plant, a dark green leaf. It seems to grow
in cycles of 8 to 4 years ; a few plants one year then increases
each year until almost the entire country is a mass of blue as
the plant flowers.
This may stay a year or two then almost
disappear, then it begins the cycle over again. And it is in
the top of the cycle that the animals become effected by the
loco weed drug ; it is most productive in wet years.
The effects on animals :
animals do not normally eat the
loco weed. Probably does not taste to good or they have a sense
it is not good for them. I never have taken the time to ask
them. but during a hard winter, very little grass and brush to
be found and horses and cows and sheep will eat most woody
plants when hungry. So in the spring when the loco weed comes
up, the horses and cows fill up on it. How much it takes of
this drug to effect the animal I don't know. The effect I have
seen.
Usually the animal becomes poor, looses his sense of balance,
direction, movement, loss of appetite and thirst. If startled
from their apparent sleep standing; they appear wild, throwing
head in the air, take off on the run, stumbling, falling, going
in circles, coming back to the place they started from. The may
stand for hours in a patch of green grass and never take a bite,
or when they get to the water tanks or pond, will stand by it or
in the water for hours never taking a drink.
Then all of a
sudden thrusting their nose into the water up to their eyes
seeming to want all the water at once. When they are in this
condition they live only a few days, starved and choked to
death. Very few ever survive a dose of loco weed poisoning. A
few do but they are undependable in their actions, can't be
rushed, over heated and such, as they may go crazy, fall down,
walk like a drunken man, have fits. I have only known of two or
three horses that could be used after eating loco, Meeks Bolly,
Uncle Israel Heaton mail horse Taft, used to carry the mail from
Moccasin to Kanab. Cattle and sheep most of them died that got
the loco weed or were killed by the cowboy and sheep herders to
get them out of misery.
293
MORE AND MORE HORSE STORIES
10. Scott : a sorrel bolly faced mustang I caught at Scotts
water hole in Bullrush wash.
He was about a 2 year old, his
disposition shows as well as his size, 1200 pounds or more to
have come from a blooded stock, that had gotten away from a
rancher. Was not hard to break to ride and handy around cattle,
easy to ride and could go all day, a tough horse. Rather easy
to catch and liked to be around men. Turned him over the Grant
when I quite riding the range.
11. Creamy : A tough, full of life, on the go, bit small
about 800 pounder. One spring father was riding on loco point
looking for long eared calved that was missing during the spring
branding, and came upon a newly born cream colored colt, just
beginning to get around on its wobbly legs. Being the color it
was, he put the colt across the saddle in front of him and
brought it home some 10 or 12 miles, and give it to Clifford if
he would care for it, this was about 1911.
It was kept in the lot, fed milk from a bottle for a few
weeks, then it had the run of the place and field the rest of
the year. The next summer it had two accidents that caused both
hip joints to get jerked out of place ; which was called, hipped
or hips kneed down. One was when the boys tried to make it swim
in the round reservoir.
Creamy jumped off the South bank
getting one of its hind legs caught in a log and limb.
Creamy was about 3 years old when I started to break him to
ride and was soon using him as a regular riding horse. I could
set on him bare back and touch my toes under his belly, so you
see he was not a big horse.
His main fault and a bad one, he wanted to run when ever
ridden along with other horses and if he could not run he would
jump up an down first one side ways then the other making it
very tiresome to ride him. If you had cattle to drive he was
all cow horse and liked his job. He was fast on his feet and
had more endurance than most blooded, grain fed, bigger horses.
I will relate one story to show his endurance.
The cow
outfit was camped at Lydle spring and when the move to Cane beds
was made I thought I would be assigned to help drive the cattle
that day, so I saddled Creamy.
But after getting the outfit
started and I was with the cattle the boss called to me and said
I think you had bettered go with Ensign Riggs, Fern Esplin, Earl
Lamb, and another fellow, all who were riding blooded large 1200
lbs or so horses, and had started on the circuit assigned and
when I caught up with them they all seem to agree, Riggs said,
294
"Well it looks some one will be carrying his saddle to camp
tonight," and all began to talk how far we had to go.
The scout we took was from Lydle spring North to canyon gap,
some 7 or 8 miles. Here we gathered a few cows, the canyon gap
5 miles or so, then back on to Last Spring ridge, over looking
Lydle spring. More cattle was found which was well afternoon.
No water or dinner for us this day, and at least 12 miles all up
grade. Tired cows don't like walking up hill, and they would
try and turn back or just stay walking, so it was a job for
horse and cowboy to keep the cattle bunched and headed to Cane
beds corral and camp.
Finely we came to a homesteaders fence which controlled the
cattle on one side. Horses became caked with sweat and dust,
thirty, tired and some responding to head cattle only when
spurred or whipped. Riggs was the first to get off his horse
and walk, soon some of the others had dismounted and leading
their almost given out blooded horse. Creamy, tired and covered
with sweat and dust but kept his part of line riding to keep the
cattle also tired headed to the corral. About sundown, men from
camp came out to help us I was the only one on a horse. Creamy,
this shows that the mustang horse has more endurance, life, can
get along on less feed on the Arizona Strip cow range than any
of their blooded, thoroughbred animals all which had to have
their oats every day. Creamy finally died of old age in Grammar
Canyon winter pasture.
11. Bar Seven EN : a brown horse father raised but got out
of the Moonshine pasture, with some other horses and before we
could get then back Lee Esplin caught him and put his brand on
it.
So we called him Bar Seven EN.
This horse was gentle,
quite hard to ride, a little fox trot, a slow walker, hard to
turn, seemed to have a stiff neck, big feet that pounded the
earth when he ran and blew like a steam engine, used him mostly
for day herd and gathering cattle.
12. Boyd : a 1200 pound horse, light grey. Father purchased
from Boyd Lemons after Bennie had died at Pipe Springs while
cleaning out the cattle pond. A good work horse, willing to do
his part as a team. We only had him two or three years. Had
turned him out in the Moonshine pasture, as we did not need him
on the farm. Somehow he got his foot over a strand of barbed
wire and almost cut his foot off. He became so week from blood
loss, could not travel, had come to water up the Moonshine
spring down a rocky tract and could not get back up.
When
father found him, tried to bring him home could only get him
further down the rocky trail. For two weeks we took turns carry
hay horse back the 14 miles from home and water from the spring,
doctoring his foot, hoping Boyd would get better. While no one
295
was around he had made one last effort to go on down the trail,
fell with his back down hill and died.
13. Herchi : a dark bay saddle horse I traded for at the end
of a spring branding roundup. Which was a bad deal tho father
said very little to me about it. But I could tell he was not
pleased. I gave three horses for three. I don't remember just
what three I traded, but I got the bay.
14. Tall long legged Yellow. Father gave to Price Johnson
when he was moving his family from Short Creek to Lee's Ferry
one summer.
15. Little Brown Mare. I don't remember what became of her.
16. Black Mule : this animal father caught at Scott's water
hole when it was about 3 months old and we kept it about the
farm for some time sending it to Grammar Canyon for winter.
When about three years old I tried to break it to ride and pack,
about mid summer a band of Navajos came over to trade blankets
for horses and mules, so father let them have the mule for 3
saddle blankets and a small rug, so we never did use Black Mule.
17. A Mustang Horse. It had no name, not ever broke before
we traded it to the Navajos. The story about this horse is, one
fall when I was about 6 or 7 father took me with him out to the
cow camp to be gone several days.
They were camped at the
Heaton Findlay Reservoir some 20 or 25 miles south of Pipe
Springs.
There were 15 or 20 cowboys at the camp gathering
cattle to sell and calved to brand. We were there for two or
three days.
One day the cowboys decided to catch a mustang
horse for me while they were out west of camp and as they did
not have many cattle to bring to camp they found a wild band of
horses in which a two year old stallion, a light bay, white spot
in it head, fat and not to big. First one cowboy would chase it
then another would take up the chase, running the wild band in a
large circle until the band began tiring.
Then my Uncle Dan
Heaton being on a fresh horse cut in and roped the horse.
Claiming it because he had caught it and was not going to give
it up. So the other cowboys rode off leaving Dan to bring the
horse in by himself. Somehow or other the wild horse got away
with the rope on as the cowboys were leaving. Dan yelled for
them to go catch it "but not unless you give the horse to
Leonard as we planned."
After some bickering he agreed as
otherwise he would loose his rope. So the cowboys took up the
chase again, soon catching the horse and then they put Dan's
saddle on it and he rode the horse back to camp. Father, I and
some other men went out to meet the bunch, and when we saw Dan's
saddle horse coming to camp without its saddle, Bridle or Dan on
it, we wondered if he had been hurt. But we soon saw him riding
the mustang horse. Being held by my uncle Ed, who said, "This
isn't your horse, 'til we get to camp." of course I couldn't
296
thing of anything but the horse and how I use it. That night we
tied it to the fence in the corral. Next day we tied or necked
it to an old black mule, as the camp moved to Pipe Springs.
About 3 weeks later a band of Navajos came on a trading trip.
Blankets for horses and seeing the mustang a pretty light bay.
They wanted it, at first father would not listen, but when the
offer was made 1 large rug 4 x 8, 2 saddle blankets, double size
rugs and one single blanket and a small one 18" x 20" we made
the trade. The Navajo rug lasted for years on our floor. I may
have part of it yet.
18. Jinks : the old faithful black mule that would let all
the kids get on him that could hang on, go anywhere, but when he
got tired of them and their chatter, kicking and whipping to
make him go. We would mosey toward a fence or loose branches of
a tree and deliberately scrub the kids off as they fell to the
ground stop look at them seem to say "How do you like it."
But let a man get on him he became a good riding mule, an
easy, fast gate and could go all day. Jinks was our main stay
to carry our camp and bedding packs out on the cow range or
other places we stayed overnight. His last days were after I
left the ranch.
19. XN : the ornery mule. Hard to do any thing with, but he
got a lot of use. Tough for carrying a big pack all day. Named
XN because of the big brand from his left shoulder to his left
hip. He had black mane, a 2 inch black strip down his weathers,
dirty colored hair. Would buck with out any warning, not hard,
just enough to make the rider angry. Also rolled over with the
packs to get if off his back and scattered it from "Hell to
Breakfast." So one had bettered be sure the pack was on good
Later years he got the habit of
before XN was turned loose.
stumbling with the rider and rolling when he had a good chance.
He did it twice with me and once it took me 5 or 10 minutes to
wake up. My Uncle Gilbert Heaton traded him off to the indians.
20. Fox : a large grey horse belonging to Uncle Gilbert, who
when he left for his mission let father use him the two years he
was gone. A very good horse and dependable in any condition.
Seemed to know which cow you wanted out of the heard, or the
calf to rope, could get you there in a hurry. Stand when the
rains were dropped. He was about the best all around cow horse
we ever used.
We gave him up when Gilbert returned from his
mission.
21. Dixie : the Kentucky Saddler. A chestnut brown, white
strip down his face. We got him from my Uncle Leonard Cox of
Shelly Idaho.
On one of Uncle Leonard's trip to this area,
where we had a large heard of sheep rented, to check on the
sheep and water. He purchased this horse at Pintora and gave
297
the horse to father, the saddle to me. The saddle is still here
and badly worn out.
Dixie was fathers favorite horse and rode him where ever he
went for a day. Dixie was tall, large, 1400 lbs, strong legs,
and a good walker which made him easy to ride.
Could walk
almost as fast as some horses could trot. Very gentle and easy
to manage. Was kept on the place for breeding and used at home.
Many a fine horse came of him. But he was dads horse the rest
of us stayed off when dad wanted to ride.
When he became too old to ride, father turned him out in the
Moonshine pasture, where he died from sliding off the rocky
trail going down to the spring of water.
22. Old Rousy; the last horse I will mention. A lazy black
who turned gray in his last few years. Was never considered a
cow horse. He was owned by my Grandfather Jonathan Heaton who
used him to ride from Moccasin to Alton or back about every two
weeks.
A place which Grandpa liked and he would make the 50
mile trip in a day.
What a joy it was for us kids when grandpa would come to
Moccasin on Rousy. It was on him we learned to ride a horse not
just one but all that could climb on up and down the lane we
would keep him going almost all day. I remember riding Rousy
when on the cattle drive from Pipe Springs to the Heaton ranch
above Alton.
Rousy was a kid horse, it made no difference how many times
the kids fell off right or left side, under, behind or front I
never heard of Rousy stepping on any children and always waited
for the kids to move, before he did. Then he would be lead to a
fence, stump, wagon, anything kids could climb back on Rousy and
off we would go again.
One short story about Rousy and me. One morning the horses
were being let out of the stables and corral at the big barn to
go get a drink at the tanks by the school house, then brought
back to the stable for their grain. As some of the horses came
out of the corral gate, Sterling and Gilbert got on and rode to
the tanks to head them from going down into the field after
getting a drink.
I thought I would help so when Rousy came out the gate I
climbed on him, but had no rope or bridle on him. I was just
holding onto his mane.
When Rousy got about to the tanks he decided to go to the
field an down the lane, quarter of a mile we went at a fast
lope. I trying to stop him by pulling on him mane, hollering
whoa! Did we stop, no, not until we got to the hay field. He
stopped, turned and looked at me, with a horse laugh stuck his
head down and started to eat alfalfa. I had a long walk back to
the corral.
298
OLD BARNEY
23.
This horse belonged by my grandfather Jonathan Heaton
and used at Alton almost entirely. He was raised on the farm, a
brown black mane and tail, gentle, almost 1800 lb horse, good
natured, slow of movement when broke to work, could move great
loads of hay, grain or what ever there was to move. But he had
one bad fault, that of quitting work when he got tired and night
came and it took some pursuing to get him to keep going.
When those times came Old Barney would lean against the
collar tighten the tugs. Would make out like he was pulling for
all he was worth and groan and groan, but never move out of his
tracks until the other horse had started the wagon or what ever
they were to pull.
One cold winter night no one knew how it happened Old Barney
was found dead on his back in the stable manger. To get him out
they had to cut him up in little pieces.
The funny thing about Old Barney was his faking hard pulling,
groaning and leaning to the collar as if he was trying his best
to pull the load and that is what we remember him by.
UNCLE CHRIS'S SORREL MULE
24.
I do not know how his mule came to be called Chris's
mule. But his I do remember, Chris claimed it and took care of
it when it was a very little animal without a mother.
I was
rather gentle and the kids could play and climb on it when it
was around the house. As it grew older and larger, Uncle Chris
began to break it to ride and used as a pack animal. When about
3 years old it was sent down in Grammar Canyon for the winter
with the other riding and work horses not needed for winter
work.
These horses came from the ranch (Heatons) and also some from
people in Longvalley who had extra horses, for summer work,
sometimes there would be 75 to 100 head in the winter pasture of
Grammar Canyon, which emptied into the Kanab Gulch some 15 miles
south of Pipe Springs.
When spring came some of the older horses would want to come
home and usually found a way out of the canyon pasture and get
mixed up with the few bands of wild mustang horses that ran
around the head of Grammar Canyon, to Hacks Canyon and Bullrush
wash, water at Scotts hole and Bullrush wash springs.
Sometimes we would have a hard time getting our tame horses
separated from the wild bunch.
Several times as cowboys were
riding the range in the Bullrush wash area, they would spot
299
Chris's mule in a wild bunch of horses and would try and catch
it but it always seemed to get away.
One day during a spring roundup, while moving camp from
Bullrush springs to Hacks Canyon, someone said if we see that
sorrel mule today lets catch it just for fun. A plan was made
for the cowboys to scatter out over the range and when the band
of wild horses in which the mule was found, would be chased in
relays, one or two cowboys would follow the band of horses a few
mils, then others would take up the chase. In this way it was
hoped to tire the mule so she could be roped.
Somewhere near the head of Grammar Canyon the horses and mule
was sighted and the big chase was on.
After many miles the
younger or weaker horses began to drop out of the band and left
behind until only the lead stallion and the mule were left
leading the chase. And not a cowboy came close enough to put a
rope on the mule.
The stallion must of decided he had had
enough of the cowboys and their horses went with the mule
following.
The last they were seen going over the hill into
Wildband Pocket flat and drainage area. The mule either died of
old age or was killed by a rider with a gun some years later.
It goes to show a gentle animal can become wild and unruly if
left with a wild bunch.
How much more should we try and guard our children in
becoming associated with those who would lead them from the
teachings of the church and family.
25. Lady. While we were living in the Old Fort in 1930 a man
came by with several horses. Some to trade for feed or lodging
and supplies. He was traveling in a light wagon. To pay for
the things he needed to continue on his way. I took a bay mare
as payment as the mans name was Lovelady, we called the horse
lady.
She was quite gentle and nice to ride and I kept her at Pipe
two or three years. Used her to go get our milk cows that I
turned out on the range each morning or into the two mile
pasture north of the Fort.
One fall I sent her with some of
fathers horses to Grammar Canyon for the winter.
There was
usually good grass for the horses all winter and I did not need
her. She came out with a colt the next spring. Two years later
I returned Lady to the Grammar winter pasture. This year she
did not return home in the spring.
Whether she got with the
wild horses or was killed by someone I don't know.
26. Whistle. Lady's colt. A horse that turned out to be a
very good cow pony, easy to ride and got to be about 1100 pound
horse.
Understood his work around cattle after being taught
what was expected of him.
I did not ride him very much as I was tied to Pipe Spring
National Monument as custodian.
Only when father and Grant
300
helped with their cattle for a day or so did I do much riding.
So he was used and cared for by Grant most of the time.
I do not know what became of him.
27. Jack, was a black mule belonging to the Heaton Brothers
and Pipe Spring Cattle Co. He was used mostly as a pack animal
either on the cattle range or at the sheep summer range on Ceder
Mountain. Also was used as a riding animal. He was not very
handy around cattle, stiff neck, hard to turn and make go, lazy.
One had to use sharp spurs and a good whip to get much work out
of him. When we kids would ride him he had his own way most of
the time, unless we were driving cows then he would follow along
behind the cow heard ok, but a good pack animal, no trouble.
301
INDIANS
INDIAN HISTORY
Mr. and Mrs. Sears was sent her in 1907 or 1908 to supervise
the construction of buildings for the Kaibab Indian Agency
headquarters 1 1/2 miles south of the Moccasin ranch.
Which
consisted of a one school house, with a kitchen and dinning room
combined, a bathroom and a large store room. Also one residence
building, 3 bedrooms, living room and kitchen and store room.
Also 6 one room houses for the Indians. The Indian homes were
built in a straight row one door and window facing north, one
window on east end. Space between buildings about 100 ft. The
school house and residence was east of the Indian homes, 200
yards. Between the store houses and residence was a large barn
for keeping horses and a cow. Also a small building for storage
of grain and supplies.
Just south of the barn was a rock
building for a jail. But was never used as such as the Paiute
Indians were law abiding only one man was ever sent to jail and
that was for robbery of one monthly check of the superintendent
Mr. Ward about 1912.
The road from Moccasin to Pipe Springs passed just north of
the Indian homes then east south of the barn and corrals between
the residence on the north and school house on the south.
Another road forked just west of the Indian homes going south
till it met the road south of the school house.
A large irrigation holding pond was south of all these
buildings from which water was turned to irrigate the gardens
and fields, which was to the east some 15 or 20 acres. As 1/3
of the Moccasin sand spring was given to the Indians by the
Mormon Church years before if they would come to Moccasin and
settle down also 15 acres of land south of the spring along in
1880's and this water was piped to their new homes and outside
tap to each home. Before this the Indians lived on the south
side of the little valley called Moccasin in a small cove hills
on east, south and west.
They
had one rock building facing
northeast, one room, and 10 or 12 tepees at times.
The fore going is to let the reader know the back ground of
the Indians and their being moved from original home to the new
location.
When Mr. Sears came here to supervise the construction,
Father let him put up two tents. One for the Sears's and one
for the help that came at different times on the south side of
his garden in the chicken run.
We had a small chicken coop and chicken run made of 1" x 2" x
10' slats inclosing an area about 20 x 50 feet. The front part
302
of this run was taken down for the Sears tent. Mrs. Sears did
the cooking on a small tin stove just inside the tent.
A Mr. Runkey was the construction foreman for the project.
Semor McAllister was the surveyor. There were other men I do
not recall here at different times.
We called the new Indian homes, Runkey town because he was
building it and Moccasin only had 3 homes, one barn and school
house and to distinguish the two we named it Runckey Town.
It seems to me Mother was always sending me to the Sears tent
with milk, or eggs or fruit or vegetables about dinner or supper
time, which I grew to dislike as Mrs. Sears was it seem always
telling me I did not do things as I should.
I don't remember what I did but it upset her quite a bit as
she said if I didn't ask for forgiveness she would have the
Sheriff from Kanab come out and take me to jail. Well I didn't
and ran home to mother and told her what Mrs. Sears had said. I
can't remember what Mother said to me or did.
I do remember
seeing Mother and Mrs. Sears coming into the house and I guess I
must of asked forgiveness as Mrs. Sears said she had sent word
by the Indians to meet the Sheriff and tell him he could go back
to Kanab as the trouble had been settled. And that the Sheriff
was about 1 1/2 miles from Moccasin when he turned around and
went back.
I have a picture Father took of the Sears and McAllisters
standing in front of their tent in the chicken run, and we never
did get the run fixed back so the chickens could not get out
after the Sears left that fall some time in November.
Follow up Superintendents were Maxwells, Wards, Farrows. The
last Farrow moved to Cedar City and was given charge of 3 or 4
other reservation in Southern Utah.
And this reservation was
headed by Stockmen, Jack Harris, Jack Johnson, Paven Church and
other men who stayed only a few months.
MY INDIAN PLAYMATES
I do not remember when I first started to play with the
Indian children. When Father and Mother moved from Wild Rose or
Upper Kanab in the fall of 1902 and lived with my grandmother
Lucy E. Heaton in the big house at that time the Indians were
living across the small valley south in a small sandy bench and
cove opening to the north.
They had one rock house facing
northeast, one door and a small window in front. There were 10
or 15 large tepees made of 10 or 12 long slender poles 12 or 15
feet long. Tops ties together, bottoms spaces in a circle some
15 or 20 feet across.
These were covered with canvas or old
wagon covers. One flap door, fire was made in the center of the
303
tepee. There was a hill to the east, south and west. A rather
cold place in winter as the sun did not shine there very long
during the day.
Between the tepees and the hill east was a
horse corral and a feed yard.
During the spring, summer and fall months most of the Indians
would leave to find work at Kanab, Orderville, ranches, also to
hunt and gather wild fruits and pinenuts for winter.
Then
return to Moccasin for winter. There was always two or three
men with their families stayed at Moccasin summers to tend their
fields and gardens which lay between the Indian homes and the
Heaton homes and corrals. There was 15 acres of farm land in
which hay, corn, squash, melons, potatoes were raised.
It was with these summer farmer's children that I made
friends with and spent a lot of time playing on the hills in
fields, swimming in the big pond and about the homes.
My closest friends were Georgie George, Tomy Tom, Stanly
Sampson, Fred and Dan Bullets, George Isreal Sampson, Stewart
Snow, Moroni Frank, Joseph Johnny, Andrew Jake, Theodora Drye,
Ray Mose, Teddy Pickavitt. These boys were all about my age.
The fun we had as we grew up together riding our stick
horses, carrying our flippers and rocks and bows and arrows we
were always hunting wild animals or bad Indians and white men.
There were two places we could find small round sand marbles
just right for our flippers and our browny pockets was usually
full of them.
One place was on top of the hill east of the
Indian camp and the other north on a ridge from the Heaton
homes.
We also enjoyed the warm water in the round reservoir almost
every day during the summer without any clothing on.
Then
laying in the hot sand on the reservoir bank. There was a plumb
thicket and a patch of current bushes and a row of poplar trees
to the west and north side of the pond that cut the view from
the homes.
Then as we grew older our horses became flesh and bones we
would ride out in the pastures on our wild imaginary chases of
cattle, horses, and outlaw men. Except in winter when there was
snow on the ground. Then it was for keeps, even the men joined
in this sport of running down jackrabbits, cottontail, quail,
which was used to supply our tables with meat. occasionally a
bobcat or coyote could be caught if the snow was 10 to 15 inches
deep.
THE LAZY AX
Before we got a hand wood saw and all the wood had to be cut
with a ax for the stove kitchen or fire place, Father would hire
304
one of the Indian to come up from the Indian village and chop up
quite a lot of cedar wood.
This particular day one of the older Indians came and cut
wood all forenoon with rather dull ax and when he quit for
dinner Father took the ax and sharpened it up so the Indian
would not have to work so hard.
A little while after he started chopping in the afternoon he
came to Father said he was going home and wanted his pony.
Father asked him if he was sick or tired or what was the
matter.
The Indian answered. "No sick, no tired, ax lazy no want to
come back, sticks to wood all time. Indian have to pull it up
all the time, no like lazy ax."
So father paid him the wood
chopping for the day was over.
INDIAN AND DOUBLE-BITTED AX
One time when Father had hired Old Mose to help get wood and
posts, he gave Mose a double-bitted ax, which he had sharpened
very good. Old Mose picked it up, turned it one way and then
the other, swung one way as if cutting wood, put it on his
shoulder, looked around at the ax, and then handed it to Father
saying, "You take it, maybe so have it on shoulder, stub toe and
fall, then cut neck off." He then picked up the single bit ax
and went to work.
INDIANS AND LIGHTENING-STRUCK TREES
I remember one Fall, Father hauled on two or three sticks of
wood and trees that had been struck by lightening, and he hired
some Indians to cut the wood up for winter use. This was before
I was able to do too much wood cutting.
I noticed the lightening struck logs were rolled to one side
and not cut up and I asked why.
The Indian said, maybe so
later. But he never did cut them up. It was sometime later I
learned the Indians were afraid of them. They said, "Maybe so
hit them just right and they go boom, and Indian not here any
more." I guess it was the Indians thought the thunder from the
lightening was trapped inside the tree and could not get out,
and when chopped in two the thunder would come out and kill
them.
LIGHTENING STRUCK LOGS
305
We had old George (captain) cutting wood for us one fall and
as he came to a certain fire log he rolled it aside and went on
Soon another log was rolled aside by the first
at his work.
one. When evening came, Father went out to the wood pile to pay
the Indian and saw the two logs out to one side. They had been
struck by lightening that had left lightening scares down the
side. When Father asked George why he did not cut them up, old
George said, "Maybe so, Indian chop right place, tree go boom
and Indian no more."
Old George never did cut up a stick of
wood that had been struck by lightening.
INDIANS WERE DEPENDABLE
While I was acting custodian of Pipe Springs National
Monument during the 1930's I received a phone call from the
Superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park asking if there was
six of eight men in Moccasin he could hire to build a fence
between the park and Kaibab Forest lands on the north side of
the park. The job would be four to six weeks.
I told him I did not know of any white men in this area that
could be had as most of them had farms and cattle to look after.
But there was several Indians that needed work and could go.
He said, "What hire those lazy black. S.O.B. we would have to
have as many bosses as Indians to keep them working." Said he
would look some place else for the men.
About 10 days later he called again and said "Do you think
they would be dependable and do the work." I said the ones I
could get and sent out would do the work and if not I would pay
back to the Government what it cost them.
I then went up to the Indian Village and talked to Monty
Frank, Levi John, and some others about them going out to work
for the Parks Service on Kaibab Mountain and the wage they would
get. They decided to go and be at work next Monday.
Well about 6 or 7 of the Indians went out to work building
the fence.
The Superintendent at first had 3 or 4 supervisors go out the
first day to see that the Indian understood the fence building
work.
Showed them where to start and the fence line, how deep to
dig the post holes and line up the post in the straight line,
build corner braces, how to stretch the wire and everything that
goes with fencing. Not knowing the older Indians were old hands
at building wire fences for men in this area.
Things went
fairly well the first day, so the next day only 2 supervisors
306
went out to work with the Indians.
By noon one of the Park
bosses left as he was not needed. The third day only one went
out and he soon left after showing the Indians the fence line to
follow.
I did not hear much from the superintendent except they did a
good job until the next summer he had another job he wanted done
and called me and asked me to send those Indians he had last
summer working for the Park Service.
As they are the best
workers and dependable men he had working for him. All you had
to do was to show the Indians what was wanted and supply them
with the material and forget about the job so to speak.
This happened for 4 years that the Parks Superintendent had
the Indians working for the Park on the Kaibab Mountain.
I can say those Indians were just as dependable as any
workmen I ever knew. They did not stop to argue about how the
work was to be done, but did the best they could.
I am proud to have grown up and acquainted with such men. I
have found them to be most honest and trustworthy of my friends.
I have often said to people when asked about the Indians that
I trusted the Indian so much or more than some white people in
this area.
MY GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS GIFT
When the custom began I do not know but more likely soon
after my Grandparents moved to Moccasin from Orderville in
1890's and they became acquainted with the Indian women of the
Paiute tribe that lived south across the valley from their home.
Their custom was strictly between grandma and two or three of
the Indian women, Sally Ann, Sarah William and one I can't
remember.
But on Christmas morning the Indian women would come to
Grandmothers home and try and enter the house without
Grandmother seeing them and call out Christmas gift.
If they
said it first Grandma was to give them a present of some sort,
but if Grandma said it first the Indian women had to give
Grandma the Christmas gift which usually was a small sack of
pinenuts, or things they had made and Grandma always had
something for them, bread, bacon, flour or dried fruit.
Then for 10 or 30 minutes they all set down and chatted about
their families and wished each other well as they were great
friends and loved each other very much. Even today I try and
keep the custom alive among the Indians on Christmas morning but
307
I don't think they know where the custom came from nor do they
respond to this greeting of Christmas gift of Grandmas.
THE CONCERN OF AN INDIAN FOR A CHILD
A year or so after the Indians had moved from their old homes
at Moccasin 1 1/2 miles south and east to a new settlement the
government built for them in 1907, they still claimed their
farms at Moccasin tho they did not have water for them all the
time and cut one or two cuttings of hay for several years.
Usually they had father cut and raked the hay for them.
On one summer day Father was cutting the alfalfa which was
quite tall and thick this took him most of the day as there was
about 10 acres to cut. As he started to work in the afternoon
unbeknown to him my sister Jennie age about 3 or 4 followed him
to the fields and got lost in the tall alfalfa hay, laid down
and went to sleep. Father finished on piece and was about to
start on another when he heard an old Indian hollering and
shouting from up on the hill south of the fields. Thinking he
was yelling at someone else he commenced on the new field to
cut. Then he saw the old Indian running down the hill waving
his hat and gun and could hear him yelling to stop.
So Father stopped on the south side of the field till the
Indian came to him and asked him what was the matter.
The Indian said "You got a papoose?"
Father said "Yes."
Indian, "You know where papoose is?"
Father, "Home, I guess."
Indian, "You come with me" and he led father to the other
side of the alfalfa patch to where Jennie was asleep. "This your
papoose?"
When he saw Jennie asleep, I guess thoughts run
through his mind of a similar accident he had with his oldest
child getting cut up by a mowing machine a few years back.
The indian had been out hunting rabbits upon the hill and had
seen my sister Jennie come to the field and lay down in it.
Realizing father had not seen Jennie come to the field, he felt
it his duty to warn father whose child was asleep. How greatful
we are for such thoughtfulness for the safety of children.
A MEAN TRICK
My Uncle Ed was always teasing, playing tricks on some one
when he saw a good chance to get a laugh on them. In the summer
time the Indian women would walk up from their village to get
308
fruit and vegetables or help do the washing and cleaning for the
white women or help get fruit ready to dry.
My Grandmother usually had 2 or 3 old chairs setting out in
front of the house for people to stop and rest and to visit for
a while.
One day two of the older Indian women had been up to my Aunt
Charlottes place a half a mile north of Grandma working and was
going home in the evening carrying the fruit and vegetables and
decided to stop and rest at Grandmas and visit as most of the
family was outside sitting on the lawn or rock wall and chairs.
Grandma told Ed to get two chairs for the Indian women.
He
placed them quite close together, but still stood back of the
chairs. It seemed both of the women started to set down at the
same time and as they did Ed jerked the chairs away and the old
Indian women both sat down on the ground rather hard.
Of course the women were embarrassed and hurt, vented their
surprise and anger on Ed in Paiute also Grandmother got after Ed
for doing such a thing. Ever after, the Indian women never set
on a chair always set on the rock wall or on the ground. They
never had a good word for Ed after that.
THE FIRST INDIAN FUNERAL I REMEMBER
When I was about 5 years old, and the Indians were living in
the cove south of our home. Along in the last summer during a
stormy spell some of the Indian men were working in Kanab and
one afternoon a young Indian decided to ride his horse to
Moccasin.
To get home he had to cross the Kanab creek just west of
town. There had been some small floods down the creek and men
on horseback had crossed the stream.
As the young man started across either the horse got
frightened of the flood or something in the water hit the horse
and he made a lunge then turned quickly to get out. Anyway the
Indian fell from the horse and became frightened and was carried
down the stream and was drowned. There was people standing on
the creek bank and saw the accident.
The Indians brought the body to Moccasin and for 2 or 3
nights they held their sing as it is called, which we could hear
at our house.
When they started to the cemetery they now use, with the
coffin on a wagon one or two men driving and all the rest of the
Indians walking behind weeping and wailing.
I and a number of others were standing on the round reservoir
banks watching them leave their camp going down the road toward
309
Pipe Spring to the ridge about a half mile away. Their wailing
got louder as they neared the grave site.
Since then I have witnessed and participated in a lot of
funerals for the Indian people.
Tho the Indians still hold a night or two sings for their
dead. They still want a funeral service like the Mormons hold
just prior to the burial.
And I have conducted many of the
funerals even tho I was not the Bishop or counselor. Also while
I was Branch President and the Kaibab Indian Branch and after
the Branch and Moccasin Ward were combined.
INDIAN NAMES FOR WHITE MEN
My Uncle Fred was nicked named Biscuit because the name Fred
sounded so much like Bread and Biscuit was bread to the Indian.
Uncle Fred went by that name even among the white men for
years.
My Grandfather Jonathan Heaton was called by the Indians
Sheepnaab. What it means and why the name I do not know. But
it was spoken with respect by the Indians.
A TEACHER TRADED FOR A BLANKET
This incident happened one Sunday afternoon at the old school
house which we used also as a church. At that time sacrament
meeting was held at 2 PM. As we were gathering for meeting a
young Navajo Indian came up to trade blankets for a horse or
two.
The men folks tried to make him understand we did not
trade on Sunday. Our school teacher Miss Lulia Adams of Parowan
a pretty young woman with long brown hair was there, also Price
Johnson who had married my Aunt Esther.
How the talk got started of trading the teacher for Navajo
blankets I don't know. But it seems to me the trade was about
made when the bishop or rather the presiding elder called us
into church. Of course the indian was invited to attend. He
Ever little
and Miss Adams sat on the back bench together.
while the Indian would move over closer to Miss Adams who would
also move away a little this went on until the meeting was about
over and Miss Adams was about off the end of the bench.
She
became a bit sacred and wondered what she should do.
As the
Indian started to make a move Miss Adams put a songbook between
them, which I guess the Indian got the message from her. The
310
trade was off as he soon got up and left the building gathered
up his several blankets and went on his way. This was in the
fall of 1914.
A LEASE ON
KAIBAB INDIAN RESERVATION
The Heatons of Moccasin for several years had leased the
west-end pasture of the Kaibab Indian Reservation. But as time
went on relations between the Heatons (because they were
Mormons) and Dr. A.E. Farrow, the agent on the reservation,
became somewhat strained.
This particular fall it was not certain whether we could get
the lease again. We made the written application as usual, but
rumors said we would not get the lease. We had gathered the
cattle off Moccasin Mountain, about 400 to 500 head and took
them to Pipe Springs, as we owned the place and water. Uncle
Fred and Ed rode to the Indian Agency office where they paid for
the lease and got a receipt from the agent's wife as she was
clerk when he was not at home. He had gone to town and would be
back within an hour or so. She told us to hold the cattle until
he could come and count them before turning them into the
pasture.
When Dr. Farrow came home and was told about the Heatons
paying for the lease. He got mad at his wife declaring, "Those
damn Mormons won't turn their cattle on the reservation. I'll
cancel the lease." So picking up the lease money, he got two
guns, a 22 rifle and pistol, saddled his horse, Abbie, and ran
her all the way to Pipe Springs, two and a half miles away. He
told his wife to have Jack Harris bring his gun and come to Pipe
as soon as he came in. Harris was a hired hand on the
reservation.
While we were waiting for Dr. Farrow to come and count the
cattle, LeGrand Heaton, Gilbert Heaton and I were sent to take
three head of cattle, "that belonged to other cattlemen" off the
reservation some two and a half miles south of Pipe. We scared
up two jackrabbits which did not run, but hopped a few steps
when tried to hide behind bushes. We each pulled our guns and
started shooting at the rabbits.
At this particular time Jack Harris, coming from the agency,
was about a half a mile north of Pipe. Hearing the gun shots and
thinking Dr. Farrow's life was in danger and trouble had turned
into a gun fight, he pulled his 30-30 from the scabbard, loaded
it and ran his horse as fast as he could on to Pipe where he
expected to see Dr. Farrow dead and lying on the ground. But
311
instead saw him and Uncle Fred recounting the cattle as they
could not come up with the same number after four trials. Dr.
Farrow would count "ten" and then mark "one" on his book. Then
add up the ones after the count. Always having 20 to 40 less
than Fred, finally Dr. Farrow got disgusted and said, "Oh well,
let them go." Never once did he try and cancel the lease and
tell the Heatons they could not have the pasture. The Heatons
held the lease on this part of the Indian reservation until
about 1930.
BUILDING FENCE WITH CAPTAIN GEORGE
While Father was on his mission, Mother rented a small piece
of ground next to our corral from Old Tom Indian.
In it we
could put our calves, sheep, and pigs. We had to build a fence
on two sides of the field about two and half acres.
Mother hired Captain George to help me because I was only 12
years old. We got one fence built and started setting post on
the long side. I stepped off the distance to put the posts and
would sight back along the post trying to get them in line.
When we got about half way. I had the fence out of line by two
feet and I did not know what was the matter because the post
were in line.
Mother came over to see how we were doing and noticed the
fence was out of line and asked what was the matter.
Then
Captain George, a wise Indian, said (and I have never forgotten
it), "Leonard pretty good worker but always look back, never
forward to keep fence going straight." How this lesson is so
true to life. One must keep his eyes and mind on the goal ahead
if he wants to reach it without getting into trouble or going on
the wrong road.
SOME MEMORIES OF INDIANS
INDIANS AND THE TELEPHONE
I remember shortly after the telephone was installed in
Father's home an Indian in Cedar City wanted to talk to one of
the older indians here at Moccasin. so Father went down to the
Indian Village and got him to the phone.
He called back to
Cedar City, and told the Indian there, the party he wanted to
talk to was ready.
Father showed the Indian how to hold the
receiver to his ear and talk into the mouth piece. then told
him to say hello. Knowing the other Indian was in Cedar City,
two-days horse ride away, he let out hello you could hear a mile
away. Then the Indian in Cedar said something which caused our
312
Indian to let out a yell and out the door he ran, muttering in
Paiute. Of course Father was startled and ran out to see what
was wrong. It took quite a little while to calm the Indian down
and get him to tell Father what the trouble was.
When he did tell Father the trouble, he said something like
this, "Phone, he maybe kill Indian and take his voice away from
Indian. Phone, he only talk white man, not Indian. You talk
and tell me what phone say." So Father would talk on the phone
to the Cedar Indian, then would go outside tell the Indian what
was said, then take the answer back and repeat it to the Indian
in Cedar, which took several trips before the talk was finished.
It was a long while before the Indians would use the phone
freely, always having the white man do the talking for them.
They thought the phone was possessed with some evil power to
make it talk white man talk and Indian talk.
MORALS AND STANDARDS
Before the white man came among the Indians and gave them the
evils connected with the white man, such as the use of liquor,
profanity, immorality, and lying these were known but little
among the Indians.
The use of liquor brought on the breaking down of practically
all the Indians high standards of living. I will now write a
few things I have observed among the Indians.
There are no words in the Paiute language of profane nature,
and people were looked down on who became angry and were thought
of as a baby or a woman. Even today the Indians use English to
express their swear words.
If a man told a lie, he was spoken of as a snake having a
forked tongue and was to be scorned. It was common to say when
one doubted someone's word, "White man's lie or Indian lie"
meaning if it was a white man's lie he was saying two things, or
speaking with a forked tongue.
If it was an Indian lie, you
might doubt it, but it was usually the truth.
Immorality was hardly known among the Indians and if any man
had wronged a woman, it was the privilege of her brother to kill
the man if he could catch him and the fellow was to give no
resistance.
One time after a big dance, where Indians from nearby tribes
came to participate, a young Indian from Moapa stayed a few days
to visit and apparently to get better acquainted with one of the
young girls of the Moccasin Indians, Katy Frank.
A few days after the dance, my grandmother had Katy and
another young girl helping clean the house.
The Indian from
313
Moapa decided to go home, riding his horse over the mountains to
Cane Beds, (a short cut rather than ride around the mountain
along the wagon road). He came by Grandmother's at noon. As
young people will do the two girls walked up the trail leading
over the hill with the young Indian.
They went up the hill
about one-third of the way and stopped to talk.
While they were talking one of the older Indians came up to
Grandmother's for something.
While he was there, Sterling
Heaton then about 16 years old, told the Indian he had better
keep watch of their girls because they might run away with the
other men and pointed to the three young people on the hill
side.
The Indian jumped on his horse and ran it back to camp and in
about 20 minutes about 15 older Indians on horses and armed with
guns came. Before they got to Grandmothers the two girls had
come back down the hill and were about to Grandmother's house.
When they saw the men coming on their horses, they were scared
and ran to hide, but the men surrounded them talking loud and
fast. The girls were really scared.
Pretty soon the girls started for their camp about two miles
south. They ran with the men riding behind yelling at them and
threatening them with ropes if they did not run, and I guess
they ran all the way to camp.
Sterling Heaton later told the Indian he did not want to
cause any trouble.
The Indian answered something like this:
"It is no good for young girls to go off with young men alone.
They get in trouble."
Since that time their moral standards have become so low more
than 50 percent of the girls have babies before they are
married, only a few stay married without leaving each other.
RED ANGEL
My recollection of Red Angel began when a man came to
Moccasin as a tramp.
As men who traveled on foot alone from
place to place bumming something to eat and wear. I was near 10
years old when he first came here in the fall of the year and
Grandfather Jonathan Heaton, let him stay in the blacksmith
shack for a few days.
He did not have very good cloths, a small pack in which he
carried his food, a few cloths, a quilt or two and wore his
bright red hair almost to his waist. He never did tell us his
real name, but said he was an angle sent from God to warn the
people of Judgement Day.
Didn't talk to much to grown ups.
Thus we children went to the shop a few times to see him.
314
When he left we didn't know, but the next time we heard of
him, some cowboys had seen him down in the Kanab qulch that
winter. But they didn't see his place of living. In the spring
he came out, seen in Fredonia, also here at Moccasin one day.
Then he left without saying where he was going.
Red Angel stayed in the country for about 2 or 3 years, was
seen a few times.
Then vanished.
What became of him no one
knows. But years latter the skeleton of a man was found under a
ledge on the Red rocks in Kanab qulch, also near the Kanab Creek
below Hacks Canyon that goes into the gulch. Behind some thick
oak and other brush was found his living quarters he had built
of rocks and mud a two small rooms in a cave. The remains can
be seen today I suppose.
OLD MIKE AND QUAGENTS
They were
I do not know how old Mike and Quagents were.
rather small, bent over or stooped, wrinkled, had gray hair, and
were slow at walking.
They were always together when they were away from their
camp. Many a time they would walk up from the Indian Village
about two miles south of Moccasin asking for something to eat
from the families there.
Usually they were given a few
potatoes, dried fruit, a little meat and other things. By the
time they headed for home they would have 15 to 30 pounds of
food stuff. Though I was never really afraid of the Indians, I
would never get too close to Mike and Quagents. The other kids
and I along with some of the Indian boys, would tease these two
old men in many different ways.
They were always going to
Grandma and telling her what bad boys she had and asked her to
whip us to make us be good. Grandma never did whip us, but we
did get a lot of talking to about being good to the Indians.
INDIAN WOMEN WORKING FOR MOTHER
I don't remember when the Indian women first came to work for
Mother on wash days and cleaning days. The one that was at our
home the most was Maggie George, a tall thin woman and about
Mother's age. She was the wife of Captain George. They had two
children. Georgie George and Helen George. Mrs. George would
315
bring her two children with her when she came to work and we
would play together.
Georgie was a year younger than I and
Helen was my brother Clifford's age.
In those days the washing was done on the scrubbing board and
wash boiler, using home made soap. If the weather was good, all
the washing was done outside, boiling the clothes in a large
brass kettle over the open fire. It would take most of the day
for Mrs. George to get the washing done, but when it was
finished she had all the dirt and grease out of the clothes.
Though they lived in dirt and filth at home, the washing was
always spotlessly clean. When the spring and fall cleaning time
came, Mother would usually have three Indian women up to help
her.
When they were through, the house inside and out was
almost perfectly clean. The women took pride in their work.
Mother would ask them what they wanted for pay, money or food
stuff. Pay was usually 50 cents or a dollar, some bacon beans,
dried fruits, or other food stuff, sometimes clothing we didn't
need.
Then in the fall, when the peaches were ripe and ready
to dry, Mother would have two or three of the Indian women up to
help cut, pit and put the peaches and apples, on the dryers out
in the sun to dry.
Names of other Indian women who worked for Mother: Maggie
Dick, Minnie Tom, Sariah Williams, Minnie Frank, Mable Drye,
Katty Mayo. There were others, too.
PART OF A TALK BY ELDER STEWART SNOW
The following are excerpts from the talk of Brother Snow, an
Indian, at the Funeral Services of Angela Drye, age one year
three months, November 24, 1958, in the Moccasin Ward Chapel.
"I belong here to Moccasin and a raised her. My father was
buried in Mt. Carmel.
I belong to the Johns, Bushheads,
George's families. My father and mother were separated when I
was a boy. But I belong to Moccasin.
I am proud to be called to speak to my people like this. We
must repent if we want to meet our relatives.
Walk in the straight and narrow path. A lot of work for us.
Got be ready for the resurrection to meet our Father in Heaven
and our fathers and mothers. Got to learn how to live from bad
to good. Lord will bless those and strengthen their thoughts.
I ask this in name of Jesus Christ."
I only wish that I could have gotten down on paper all that
Brother Snow said as he spoke.
A very humble talk.
Brother
Snow has taken his wife to the temple and had their endowments
and sealings.
316
AN INDIAN'S DESCRIPTION
As told by Charles C. Heaton, Feb. 1, 1959
When I was a young man I met Frank Harris, an Indian, who
asked me if I had seen John Smith. I told him I did not know
John Smith. "Well," Frank Harris said, "If you see a noise
coming around a bend in the road and follow it a mile and come
to a face, that is John Smith."
NAVAJO AND HORSE TRADING
I don't remember the first time I saw the Navajo Indians when
they came to Moccasin to trade their rugs and blankets for
horses and silver. They used to come in the spring and fall,
usually six to 12 or more. With their horses loaded down with
their blankets of all colors designs and sizes.
The men at Moccasin usually had two or three horses which did
not suit them, so when the Navajo came, trading would start.
The Navajo could not talk much English, so sign language was
used.
The white man would lead out the horse for the Indians to
look at which they did very thoroughly, looking for any
blemishes or scars.
Then they would go to their blankets,
select what they would give for the horse, one, two, three or
four, depending on the color, marking, age, size and condition
of the horse. If the horse was spotted, yellow, or pinto it was
worth more blankets.
A plain, black, bay or brown horse was
only, one or two blankets.
A mule of good size would bring
Then there were differences in the
about five blankets.
blankets. Some were just simple designs, others more elaborate,
and pretty. If what the Indian offered did not suit the white
man, he either shook his head or picked out another blanket.
When both parties were satisfied there was a nod of the head,
then crossing of the hand back and forth to indicate the trade
was completed. The Indian then would put his rope on the horse
and the next horse was brought out, and so the trading would go
on.
The Navajo Indians were great lovers of silver and always
wanted silver money if they could get it. I have seen some of
the men wearing silver ornaments on shoes, belts, coats, saddles
and bridles, which would be worth hundreds of dollars.
One summer I was given a wild mustang bay horse good looking
and a bit mean to handle so when the Navajos came trading,
Father traded it for three saddle blankets and two small rugs.
For a rather small, wild mule we had once, we traded four saddle
317
blankets worth about $10 each at the time.
By the time the
Indians had all their blankets traded off they would have about
two to four horses each to take home and quite a bit of silver
money to make into jewelry as rings and bracelets.
After the cars came into use, horse trading for blankets
gradually stopped and the Navajos traded for silver which they
made into jewelry and sold to tourists. Mother still has on her
floors a few of the rugs Father traded some fifty years ago.
AN INDIANS REVENGE
This story as I remember was told and written in the life of
Jacob Hamblin.
It seems there was in early days the indian lived a strict
code of morals among the indians.
Paiute tribes, penalty of
death could be inflicted.
There was living in or near Santa Clara Utah a band of Piaute
Indians there were several young girls becoming marriageable
age. And at one of the inter-tribal festivals a young indian
from another tribe wronged one of these young girls so that she
was going to have a baby. He refused to marry her.
As the custom was her brother could then take the life of the
wrong doer, if he could catch him. No matter how long it might
take, and he was not to resist in anyway.
Well the young Indian who refused to marry the girl he had
wronged fled the country before her brother could catch him. He
hid out in the hills and among other tribes for a year and a
half. Thinking her brother way away, the young indian came to
Santa Clara for food at the white settlement and was met by the
girls brother.
Seeing he could not escape the girls brother he sat down on
the ground and started to sing his death song.
Shortly the
brother came up to the indian and thrust an arrow into his neck
till it penetrated his heart.
So strict were the laws of chastity among the indian in early
days.
THE GRAND CANYON INDIAN TRADITION
Many, many moons ago in olden times the country was smooth
and level, a few rolling hills and small streams which gave the
indians their fish and animals to eat, shelter form the cold and
hot winds in the forest. The Indians were a happy people all
over the land.
There was one band of indians living in the
318
north part who became wealthy in horses, trinkets of beads, fine
buckskin cloths and great warriors.
To the south another band of Indians lived because the hot
winds kept the rain away they did not have the many horses or
other fine clothes as those in the north, who did not think the
south Indians were as good as they were and did not associate
with them tho they were relatives.
As time went on other differences arose and some battles were
fought until a boundary line was established which neither band
was ever to cross.
As time went on there was born to the chief of the north band
a baby boy who grew up to be a handsome, fearless hunter a good
leader among his people.
About the same time a baby girl was born to the southern
band, she became very beautiful, could make beautiful cloths,
keep a clean home, very helpful to all that came her way. One
day as the young hunter was out in the forest hunting deer for
the camp meal he came upon the beautiful maiden picking berries
for her people.
Now this happened near the dividing line between the two
bands of Indians.
The young hunter decided to take the Indian maiden for his
wife and she was willing to go.
When the leaders found out what was being done by the young
hunter and the maiden they declared war on each other and
preparation was hastily made. The battle was to be fought on
the boundary line.
The young hunter and the beautiful maiden prayed to the great
spirit to do something to prevent the two bands from killing
each other in this terrible battle as was planed.
Then they
fled the country to the west. That night a great storm of sharp
lightening, thunder that shook the ground lot of rain and so
dark no one could see a thing.
The storm lasted for several
hours.
When morning came to the surprise of the two indian
bands a great chasm had been formed along the boundary line, so
deep and a great stream of water flowing at the bottom no one
could ever cross. And it was soon called the canyon and stream
of no return.
So we have the Grand Canyon and Colorado River which you go
down but never come back today.
IVY SAM
This an sad story of an Indian that was born here at Moccasin
area to a family called Sampson in the year 1900.
They were
well acquainted with the Heatons and Cox families, their young
319
people became quite friendly and took part in their social
affairs.
At this time Charlotte Cox was going with two young men,
Isreal H. Heaton and George Esplin all living in Orderville most
of the time, though the Heatons owned Moccasin and during the
summer months a lot of the young folks would come to Moccasin
for vacation and outings, to get away from home for a few days.
It was on such an outing Charlotte and Margaret Cox and other
young women were here at Moccasin in the summer of 1900, when
the Sampson baby was born. A beautiful copper colored baby boy.
The Indians lived just south of the Heaton homes across the
valley quarter of a mile in their tepees.
Of course the young women wanted to see the new born baby and
Mrs. Sampson was pleased to have the white women come to see her
son.
Someone asked what its name was "Oh we haven't named it yet."
One of the white girls said, "I know, name it George Isreal, as
Charlotte has two beaus and she does not know which one she
wants."
Mrs. Sampson seemed pleased with the suggestion and
that became the baby boys name.
As time went by and George Isreal grew to boyhood he was
something of a loner, seemed to want to be alone most of the
time.
Tho he was included in our boyhood games, swimming in
the round reservoir and other sports of that time.
But as George Isreal grew into his teens he seemed to be
changing physically and expressions more like a girl. Finally
he began to dress like a girl, comb his hair like the girls and
everyone began to call him a girl.
He then changed his name
from George Isreal to Ivy Sam, lived alone, and moved to Kanab
where he did housework for a Johnson family during the summer.
But was brought back to Moccasin to attend the Indian school at
the Indian village during the winter.
There was so much controversy as to whether George Isreal or
Ivy Sam was a boy or a girl that the Indian Superintendent Dr.
A.E. Farrow decided to settle the question by giving him or her
a physical examination to determine his sex.
After the
examination Dr. Farrow issued the statement "He is neither a boy
or girl but a fully developed man" and ordered George Isreal to
wear mens clothing and act like a man.
The next summer Ivy donned her womens clothes and moved to
Kanab to work for the Johnson family in the home.
She had a
small room just back of the house over a cellar which she kept
very neat and orderly.
Everyone wondered how she kept very clean and neat, never
seemed to take a bath.
Then one late evening the town water
master was up checking the irrigation ditch north of town where
there was a large cistern to supply the town with house water.
320
When he saw some cloths laying at the foot of the ladder at the
cistern.
Investigating he found they were girls clothes.
Hearing splashing from the cistern he climbed the ladder and
discovered Ivy Sam taking a bath in the towns drinking water.
What an uproar in Kanab. The following few days saw a cover put
on the towns cistern with a lock, no more baths there.
As time went on Ivy became more like a woman in dress and
action, speech and expressions, to the extent that she had boy
friends take her to the shows, car rides and celebrations. One
of which led to marriage and lived together until Ivy Sam or
George Isreal, death two or three years later and buried at the
Kaibab Indian cemetery.
She or he was in the 30's.
Ivy was
about two years older than I and was a boy when we played
I have often wondered what caused
together as youngsters.
George Isreal to change from boy to girl Ivy Sam.
C.L. Heaton - July 9, 1986
MY INDIAN FRIEND GEROGIE GEORGE
Today Edna and I spent an enjoyable hour with Georgie George
at his home, living alone in one of the new houses built for the
Indians at their village.
He has trouble with his knees and
sets in a wheel chair while in the house. He does drive a car
and gets out some.
His helplessness is his hearing, hard to
communicate with, but does manage for himself mostly.
Some of the things he told us:
He was born at Ute Mountain, is 84 years old and believes his
birthday is in September, which would be 1898 year. His father
was Captain George, mothers name Maggie, had one sister Helen
several years younger, died when in her teens.
Family moved to the Gap, Arizona to live with a sister of his
Father. Then they moved to a place near "Ed Lamb point." Now
on the Kaibab Reservation later moved to Moccasin on the south
side of the valley lived there till the 6 rock houses were built
for the Indian. (This was about 1906-07.)
He worked for Bar Z Cattle Co., drove cattle across the
Colorado river at Lee's ferry, some they swam across and some
taken across on a flat boat that would hold 30 head of steers
when crossed the river were turned loose, till all the steer
were brot (brought) over. At the Little Colorado they drove the
steers across a swing bridge as there was quick sand in which
the steers got stuck and could not get out.
Places he worked was in California on a road job near Barstow
driving a 4 and 6 mule team on scrapers, very hot, low pay, 18
cents per hour and eats.
321
He then worked Apex mine for some time. One day the miners
all left for dinner at the eating house and while at dinner the
mine caved in, leaving the ground on top level, no one was hurt.
Georgie then went to Washington and worked at a lumber mill,
mostly cutting trees into logs for making boards, didn't pay
them very much.
Did work around here every time he could find a job. While
in Washington he sent most of his money to his Father and Mother
as he thought they needed it more.
Says the young people don't want to work any more but go to
Fredonia and get drunk which is bad very bad. The old people
used to have good gardens and fields of alfalfa and horses.
Talked about the old people Adam, Frank, William, Jim, Jake and
others.
He got a job on the railroad at Cedar City and retired from
this job with a good railroad pension which keeps him, has money
in the bank and is not spending it now.
His dad worked a lot for Eric(?) Findley a lot in the summer
time.
322
MOCCASIN
Moccasin was first started in 1858 along with several other
towns in the area. The fellow by the name of Alexander was the
first one to settle at Moccasin sometime before the Indian
trouble started.
He was there about 2 or 3 years and the
Indians drove him out. Then a man by the name of Winsor settled
and tried to stake a claim. Some how Allen and Webb got hold of
the property, maybe as claim jumpers.
When the United Order
started Allen and Webb joined and donated the Moccasin area in
1875.
When the United Order broke up the Heaton brothers bought the
Moccasin property and the old Greene about half way between
Orderville and Mount Carmel and 3 or 4 pieces of land in the
Orderville area.
There were five Heaton brothers married,
Chris, Jonathan, Alvin, Fred and Will.
Chris was called to
Mexico to help settle that area so the 4 remaining brothers
bought his share of property in Orderville and Moccasin. They
made a list of all of the property each brother owned, including
all the cows and animals by name.
During the dividing of
property Alvin got Moccasin and Jonathan got the 'Greene'.
The details are not clear; but, Alvin and Jonathan's families
were both living in Moccasin at the time of the division. When
the division was made Jonathan loaded up his family and started
to the 'Greene'. After they had gone about 6 or 8 miles, Alvin
rode up on horse back and said, "Jonathan I want to talk to
you." The two men went off down in the flats a little ways for
about 2 hours. When they returned, Jonathan said, "Well boys I
guess we'll go back to Moccasin. Alvin wants the 'Greene'. The
only thing Alvin said about it was Moccasin was too big a place
for a man with a bunch of girls to look after. Jonathan has a
lot of boys and he can make something out of Moccasin. Alvin
had only 3 boys at that time.
The deal was never recorded.
With the Heaton brothers their word was as good as bond.
As far as value is concerned, Moccasin was worth 3 to 1 over
the 'Greene'.
TALKING THINGS OVER
A story told in Sacrament Meeting at Moccasin Ward at 2 p.m.
on February 1, 1953, by Father, Charles C. Heaton.
"After receiving a letter from Annie Porter Seaman who is
writing up a history or story of her grandfather, asking for
some information and stories of his early life, I have
recollections of the first and would like to tell two stories
323
that happened that stand out in my life and impressions Uncle
Alvin made on my life.
While Father, Jonathan Heaton, and Uncle Alvin were working
together as partners in caring for their interest here and at
the Green, (Between Orderville and Mt. Carmel, Utah) it fell to
my lot to live here with Uncle Alvin while father was up on the
Cedar Mountain looking after the sheep and some cattle during
the summer. During the winter I was elsewhere going to school.
As time went on it became apparent that Uncle Alvin could not
compete with his brother who had a large family of boys who were
becoming of age to draw men's wages in the business or work out,
as he had only a few small boys.
So when the two brothers were here at Moccasin one time,
Father and Uncle Alvin set down and for two days talked over the
problems of dividing the property. My brother, Will, was here
with us at this time and maybe some of the other boys, I do not
remember.
Near sundown the second day, Will and I walked out of the
house and said, 'Well they are now to decide who will take
Moccasin.' All the Heatons that ever lived here had a fond
liking to the place.
Shortly after Father and Uncle Alvin came out of the house
and together walked down the road, always talking and when they
came back, Father announced that Uncle Alvin would keep Moccasin
and we would go to the Green.
There was no misunderstanding between the brothers, love and
unity existed at all times.
Next morning we got our wagons and teams and other things and
left for the Green and Orderville. When we were about between
the Cedar Ridge and Blue Knobs, (five or six miles from
Moccasin), Uncle Alvin caught up with us on a horse. He and
Father walked a short distance from the wagons and talked. I do
not know what they said but in about 30 or 40 minutes they came
back and told us that we would go back to Moccasin, and Uncle
Alvin would move to the Green as Uncle Alvin thought that caring
for Moccasin was too big a job for him and his family of girls
and that Father with all his boys could take better care of it.
Again there was perfect harmony, love and devotion between
the two brothers because they talked things out and understood
each other perfectly.
So it is with life. If we would only stop long enough to talk
things over so that there will be no misunderstanding and get to
know each other better, there would not be so much trouble in
this world."
KILLING PIGS
324
Feb. 13, 1982
I once heard father say, when some men were talking about
killing pigs in the fall for winter supply of bacon and ham. "He
and two or three of his brothers were left on the ranch to
finish up the fall work, and butcher 15 or 20 pigs. They had to
catch the pig hold it down and cut its throat to bleed it to
death.
All the while the pig was kicking and squealing,
fighting to get up and away. After they had killed two or three
it was more than he could stand, so went to the house and got
the single shot 22 gun and proceeded to kill the rest by
shooting. To finish the story of the butchering. A large iron
barrel was placed over the fire till the water was boiling, then
placed against a board platform.
The pig was then submerged
into the hot water till the hair was scolded and would come off.
Then it was pulled out placed on the platform, scraped clean by
butchers knives. Then hung up, washed scraped, then cleaned of
insides. After cooling over night the pig was cut up into hams,
shoulders, bacon, sausage, fat render for lard, head and feet
were cleaned for meat, for head cheese.
Hams, shoulders and
bacon were salted or put in brian to cure so they would keep for
the winter or until the next fall.
I remember in the loft of the old granary we lived in from
1903 to 1905 and after was where the cured hams and bacon was
hung to keep from the cats, dogs and flies.
Now instead of
scalding the pigs they are skinned like cattle and sheep, but it
is a miner job and there is not the bacon rind as in the other
method, not so much work now.
C.L. Heaton
MAKING MOLASSES AT MOCCASIN
What a happy experience the children looked forward to each
fall, as the old molasses mill and boilers were cleaned up and
loads of cedar wood were hauled and stacked near by. We knew
molasses time had come and that we would get all the sweet
molasses we wanted at the boilers.
The job of making molasses was long and tiresome for the men.
First the canes had to be stripped of leave. This was done
with two double edge wooden swords, about one and half inches
wide and 30 inches long. The men would walk down between the
two rows of cane stripping the leaves from one row then the
other.
325
Second was cutting of the cane with a long knife about 24
inches long. Usually the cutter would take three rows, making
neat piles of cane, with the tops laid together. The tops of
the next three rows laid opposite direction, so that the two
rows of cut cane lay with tops together. This was done for two
reasons.
One, all of the tops had to be cut off and put in
piled to be hauled into the barns and granaries to fee cattle,
sheep, pigs and chickens for the winter; and two, to have a
place for the team and wagon to drive between the rows without
being run over.
Third the cane was hauled to the mill and stacked in long
rows near the mill.
Fourth the squeezing of the juice from the cane between three
big iron rollers which were turned by a horse. I remember Old
Kit hooked to a long beam of wood. She would go round and round
turning the rollers as one of the man would feed the cane
between the rollers, the juice being caught in a 50-gallon
wooden barrel.
It was one man's job to keep the feeder supplied with cane
and to carry away from the mill the bogus or the squeezed cane
stocks.
Fifth, another man or boiler, would get some fifty or more
gallons of cane juice and put it in the big vats which were
placed on rock fire pits with a chimney at the other end. He
would make a fire under the vat and thus start the juice to
boiling. He now had to stand by with a scoop with holes in it,
usually made of tin and nail holes punched in it, to skim off
the pulp from the cane stock and scum that came to the top.
As the juice boiled it became thicker and clearer.
At the
right time it was transferred to a second vat by a big scoop,
where it was slowly cooked for another two or three hours. Just
before it was ready to be taken off a spoon full of soda was
thrown in to take out part of the acid of the cane.
When the juice was boiled to the right thickness and a gold
brown it was drained into a big wooden barrel to cool.
From
there it went into containers the women folk had and stored and
cleaned for use.
Sometimes gallon and five gallon cans were
purchased and the molasses sold at nearby towns from fifty cents
to a dollar a gallon.
We children would hang around the mill to get a taste of the
molasses or ride the sweep or beam the horse was hooked to. The
bogus was spread out to dry and used to feed cattle during the
winter as it was rich in sugar fattening for animals.
Sometimes the skimmings were used as bait to catch coyotes as
they loved the smell of the molasses mill and at night would
come and eat the skimmings.
326
NOTES
#1 Moccasin was part of the United Order of Orderville, Utah
and was assigned to raise fruit and molasses for the Order, and
my Great Uncle Christopher Heaton was foreman at Moccasin for
the Order. He was a great agriculturist selecting some of the
best of all crops grown and Moccasin was known for its
outstanding garden stuff, fruit and molasses because of his
selection of the best seed.
#2 I remember two big wooden barrels setting just east of my
Grandma's house. As a boy of ten it was all I could do to climb
in and out of them. I would say they held 500 gallons or more
and were used in the Order.
327
Moccasin was settled in 1863 by Alexander as land was developed
and brought under cultivation. Water turns to different fields
had to be established. It seemed that every 15 days was about
the best of field crops and 7 days for garden crops. This is
what finely determined how the Heaton brothers decided their
rights to water for their irrigated fields in days hours and
minutes from the different springs.
BUILDING THE SCHOOL HOUSE AT MOCCASIN
In 1906 the residents of Moccasin decided to have school
there, rather than send their children to Orderville to live
with relatives. That fall William Heaton was employed as school
teacher and since there was no regular school room, it was
taught in different homes.
First in one of the rooms of
Father's house, then moved to the home where Aunt May Heaton now
lives, then back to Father's home.
A school board was elected in 1906 or 07, and working through
the Mohave County Commission, funds were granted to purchase the
materials for a one-room school house measuring 30 by 50 feet.
The Church supplied the necessary labor to for construction. In
mid summer of 1908 trips by wagon were made to Jacob Lake to get
lumber from the John Brown Saw Mill and that fall construction
was started with Ira H. Heaton as head carpenter. Rock for the
foundation was hauled from Point Springs about two miles to the
east. This was my first year of school, and we met in the north
living room of Grandma's home while the school was being built
across the street to the south. Miss Laverna Isom was the teach
that year.
The building was completed in time to hold a Christmas
program with a tree that reached the ceiling.
The building
faced north with four windows on each side, was set back from
street some 15 feet. It was heated by a tin stove (wood put in
The first lights
at the top) set in the middle of the room.
were coal-oil lamps set on small shelves, three on a side
between the windows.
The blackboards were on the south end.
The walls were covered with wood the first 40 inches up from the
floor.
The rest of the wall was blue mud plaster and wallpapered as was the ceiling. The space in the walls was filed
with sand. Many holiday parties, dances and meetings have been
held in this building since it was built by the people of
Moccasin.
328
HAULING LUMBER FOR THE SCHOOL HOUSE AT MOCCASIN
In the spring of 1906 funds had been appointed to buy
An
materials for the erection of the Moccasin school house.
order had been placed with John Brown of Kanab who operated a
saw mill at Jacob Lake on the Kaibab Mountain.
When it was
ready several teams and wagons were sent out to get the lumber.
Father was in charge of the group, of course I went along with
him.
A Charley Carpenter of Glendale was working for the
Heatons at Moccasin. He stayed at Father's home quite a bit and
I learned to like him a lot and we had many rough and tumble
times. At this time I was still carrying bandages on my right
hand from having it hurt the fall before. We were camped at the
mouth of Jacob Canyon the first night.
As we boys got to
playing and scuffling with Brother Carpenter, my hand got
tangled up in a small root and bandages pulled off with a lot of
scabs and caused my finger to bleed for a long time, which ended
my playing for the rest of the trip.
It was quite a sight to see men hauling in big logs to the
steam saw mill and seeing them cut up into lumber.
As I
remember the first night out while feeding the horses, father
lost a gold watch his father had given him. The next morning he
found it where the horses bedded down for the night.
It had
been stepped on and was wet. It was not until he went on his
mission that he got it fixed.
I now have the watch in my
possession.
The watch has been passed on to Charles Clawson Heaton, the
oldest Grandson as of November 1993.
SOME EASTER SUNDAY TRIPS AT MOCCASIN
I do not remember when the custom began at Moccasin to make
Easter Sunday a day of outing. It may have started before my
time when no church services were held at Moccasin on any
Sunday.
Anyway, it was carried on for 30 or 40 years that I
remember.
The first one was up in the canyon west of Moccasin.
We
traveled by wagon and horse some three miles up to a nice clear
spring of water with plenty of sand banks to roll eggs, which we
children did. Older people played games, climbed the ledges or
made a trip up to the big room the water had carved out in a
narrow side canyon. This was the most-used Easter outing spot.
Some of the other places we used were at the head of the
hollow a mile north and at the foot of the flat rocks, the upper
flat rocks a mile farther north, the Blue Knolls on the old road
to Orderville about seven miles east and north, one of the many
sand hills along the road, or at the Pipe Spring area. For a
329
few trips when cars could take all the people we went to the
Four Wheel Valley and Moonshine Ridge. In all these outings the
entire community went along for the day.
After Father became Stake President, he asked the people in
the Kanab Stake to make Saturday before Easter their day of
outing and stay home in their respective wards and hold church
services having programs commemorating the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
Since then, Saturdays have been "outing day" for
Easter. it was no longer a ward affair; each family or maybe
two or three would go together. No services were held on these
outings.
FATHER'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE 1940 FLOOD
Father made this statement after the big flood in September
1940. "I had just been down in the orchards and corn fields
getting the last of the weeds out, when I stepped on the
reservoir bank and looked back over my fields of ripening
apples, peaches and corn. I said to myself, "Never has the farm
looked so good for a bounteous harvest of every thing.
I am
well pleased with my labors this year".
Three hours later a
flood swept over his fields uprooting trees and covering his
farm with sand up to three feet deep. He lost everything but a
few apples. Even his barn was flooded.
TELEPHONE COMES TO MOCCASIN
In 1871 the Deseret Telegraph line was completed from Salt
Lake City south into Kanab, Utah, coming by way of Rockville,
Utah and Pipe Spring Fort, Arizona. It passed within two and a
half miles of Moccasin. In 1886 or about that time, C.E. Wooley
attached the telephones to the line between Kanab and Pipe
Spring.
It was not until ---- that the telephone service was extended
to Moccasin, with the phone being placed in Father's home, until
he left for his mission in 1912.
It was then moved to my
grandmother's home for two years and returned to Father's home.
In 1927 a new line was constructed from Fredonia to Moccasin
and Pipe Springs and three new phones added to the line. Now we
have nine on one line. It is sometimes inconvenient to get the
use of the line.
330
POST OFFICE AT MOCCASIN
The first I can remember about mail and post office, was when
I was about six or seven years old. I do not know who carried
the mail, but he came from Kanab in a one horse buggy to
Moccasin and left what mails there was in a wooden box nailed to
a poplar tree in front of our home.
He would leave the buggy,
saddle a horse, take the mail sack and ride up over the Moccasin
Mountain to the Cane Beds Ranch and on to Rockville, Utah,
coming back the next day. He would change to the buggy and ride
back to Kanab.
About this time Father was appointed Post Master.
He kept
post office supplies in the top drawer of the bedroom dresser.
I remember one summer day Mother and Father were cleaning
house and had moved the furniture all out of the house. I found
a yellow ten cent stamp on the lawn, which I proceeded to lick
and fasten it on the back of the dresser. About a week later
Father made out his Post Office report and was out ten cents or
short the one ten-cent stamp. I don't know how long he worked
to find his mistake, but one evening he and Mother were talking
about it while I was present. Father said "We must have lost a
ten-cent stamp." When I realized I had caused the shortage I
told him I had found a yellow stamp on the grass and stuck it on
the back of the dresser. He went and looked and there was the
stamp.
When Father left for his mission, Mother was made Post Master
and the office was moved into the little room on the east end of
the porch.
After the house was remodeled the office was in the large
bedroom. The mail was sorted out in the living room for many
years.
When Mother moved to St. George to be with some of her
children attending high school in 1925-26, she gave up the
store. She tried to find a replacement but it was not until a
year later that a change was made in Post Masters.
Leona C. Heaton was appointed Post Master, and the office was
moved to her home in a small room on the north end of the west
porch. She kept it until the 1950's when she became 65 years
old and retired.
At one time, for a few months in the 1960's, the Moccasin
Post Office was done away with and drop sacks were made up at
the Fredonia Post Office.
There were so many complaints and
sacks of mail to the Moccasin area that the Post Office was
again established with Alma B. Heaton as Post Master.
Sometime in the 1920's a mail route was established between
Fredonia, Arizona and Hurricane, Utah. Frank Johnson was driver
331
for four years. The first year he made a trip from Hurricane
one day and back the next.
It then became a daily mail both
ways.
LeRoy Johnson received the contract for the next four years
and mail service was cut from Short Creek to Hurricane and daily
mail from Fredonia to Short Creek.
Later for a few years the trips were cut to Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday.
Clifford Heaton of Kanab, Utah was the carrier
for four years. Other contractors were Reed Laurtzen of Short
Creek, Dale Fineman, Cane Beds, Arizona and present contractor,
Walter Judd of Fredonia.
Contractors for the Post Office when the mail came from
Moccasin to Kanab were Israel C. Heaton of Moccasin and later of
Kanab, and Christopher C. and Edward C. Heaton of Moccasin.
When mail business became heavy due to homesteaders in the Pipe
Valley, Cane Beds and Short Creek areas, the mail route was set
up between Fredonia and Hurricane, Utah.
When the homesteaders moved out because they could not make a
living on 640 acres, the mail service made several changes.
IRRIGATION AT MOCCASIN
Sept. 16, 1976
To who it may concern I Charles Leonard Heaton wish to leave my knowledge and
experience of the irrigation of the several springs and lands at
Moccasin, Mohave Co. Arizona.
I came to Moccasin with my father Charles C. Heaton and
Mother Margaret Cox Heaton in the fall of 1902 when I was but
one year old.
And have lived at Moccasin or near by the
remainder of my life with the exception of the four winters of
1919 to 1923 while attended high school in St. George, Utah and
one summer of 1924 which I spent on a farm near Shelly Idaho.
I spent 37 1/2 years, 1926 to 1964, at Pipe Springs National
Monument, as laborer, caretaker, ranger, custodian and acting
superintendent which is 4 miles south of Moccasin. During this
time I lived in the fort except for a short time I resided with
my family at Moccasin from February 1936 to September 1940.
From then until retirement I lived in a house on the Monument,
just south of the fort.
My father resided at Moccasin with his other 5 brothers and
families from 1896 to 1987.
Being farmers and livestock men,
boys as they grew up were set to work in the fields as soon as
they could handle a hoe or shovel or drive a team.
The account I leave was gained first hand working on the farm
with my father and his brothers, Fred C., Christopher, Edward
332
C., Sterling and Gilbert G. Heaton. As well as my Grandfather
Jonathan Heaton who also owned a farm and ranch at Alton Utah.
Jonathan Heaton and his four brothers Christopher, Alvin,
Fredrick and William, received as part of their interest in the
Orderville United Order organization when it was dissolved in
1886 with other property in and near Orderville Ut or Long
Valley.
Jonathan Heaton became owner of Moccasin when the five Heaton
brothers divided up their interest in the United Order about
1896 and it has been in the Heaton family from that date unto
this date. There has been some increase in water due to wells,
flood washes and tunneling.
Also a few acres of land bought
under irrigation due to increase of water and sprinkler system
being installed.
With the foregoing as an introduction to Moccasin I will now
proceed to describe the water, land irrigation and changes that
have taken place since I can remember.
There were in 1900 five springs of water at Moccasin of
different flows namely 1st, upper spring - flowing ____ gal. per
min.; 2nd the sand spring, the largest flow 150 gal per min.
boiling up out of sand; 3rd the long reservoir spring - flowing
____ per min.; 4th the dipping pen spring - flow ___ per min.;
5th a seep used by a family of Allens for house use only.
In 1940 there was a destructive flood that covered up a lot
of the fields so a diversion flood way was made on the south
side of the fields and over the years the floods have cut the
channel down to water table and in low places this seep water
into the wash is diverted or pumped onto irrigated fields. One
stream averages 60 gal. per min. depending on stormy seasons.
The other stream half a mile down stream 30 or 40 gal. per min.
In the 1960's a well was drilled on the hill back of the long
reservoir spring for domestic use 24 gal. per min. Other wells
have been drilled on private land. J. Grant Heaton an 8" well
tested at 300 gal. per min. Gilbert G. Heaton an 8" well tested
at 450 gal. per min.
When it is pumped the long reservoir
spring domestic well dipping spring and seep at the old Allen
home is dried up.
Owen H. Johnson two horizontal wells and a domestic well.
Landell J. Heaton and brothers at Dipping Spring dug a the last
horizontal well that took water from well just west of the
dipping spring. Melvin Heaton, 250 gal. per min.
Then in 1975, the Kaibab Paiute Indians drilled wells south
of Moccasin 250 gal. per min. one north 2 miles 500 gal. per
min.
Very little use of the water in the well is being used
except the domestic well which supplied water to some 14 homes,
church and school and the horizontal wells.
333
There was also 3 wells 6" 100 ft drilled into the quick sand
that has under 85 ft rock strata.
That has been abandoned.
Watering turns taken during 14 day period.
Irrigated land:
will list them in plots and tell of their
use 1st the upper field, 5 acres, watered from the upper spring,
1 day of the water period, until 1925 when a destructive flood
came out of the canyon to the west and deposited 2' to 6 ' ft of
sand on the field so that water could not be gotten on to the
field.
A change was made using the upper spring for domestic use for
3 homes, a 4" steel pipe was laid to transport the water to the
home, in place of an old wood pipe 2" from the sand spring. One
third of the upper spring going for domestic use the other two
thirds for field water.
The upper field is now used only as a dry land pasture and a
20 ft. deep wash.
2nd, in 1872 or 73 the Mormon church acquired one third
interest in the sand spring and fifteen acres, east of the upper
field and south side of the valley. Then in 1880's the Mormon
church turned their water and land rights over to the Paiute
Indians if they would come and settle on the place. This they
did until 1907 when the Kaibab Indian Reservation was
established and the Indians were moved one and a half miles
south and east of Moccasin. At this time the one third water
right of the Moccasin sand spring was piped to the Indian
Village for house and field use and is still used today.
The Indians before 1907 took the water from the sand spring
in an open ditch to the west end of their land, 15 acres, for a
5 day period.
In 1918 this 15 acres of land was included in Charles C.
Heaton homestead and it was farmed by Charles C. Heaton until
1940 when this land was covered with 2 to 5 ft sand by a flood
that also destroyed most of the cropland in the valley floor.
The east 3 acres have been reclaimed for irrigation the rest
planted to dry land rye.
3rd, meadow garden, about 3 acres, this piece of land lay
north of the Indian land, 15 acres, a long narrow strip of land
south of the irrigation ditch from the sand spring used for
garden crops being rich meadow bottom land, watered once every 7
days.
4th, East of the Indian land and roadway to Pipe Spring was
fields laying in the bottom of the valley about 15 rods wide and
half of mile long on which was grown alfalfa, corn, cane and
beans, irrigated from the sand springs at times in spring and
fall water was brought from the long reservoir spring to
irrigate dry land grains to the east of south of the main
fields.
334
5th, there was the bench fields, just north of the bottom
lands, also irrigated from the sand spring as well as the long
reservoir water these fields lay south of the road and lane
going to Kanab and Orderville, some ___ acres.
6th, the fields north of the lane and road and east of the
long reservoir was irrigated from long reservoir which was
mostly fruit trees, peaches, apples, plumbs, apricots, pears,
also a vineyard of several varieties of grapes. A garden spot,
corn and cane fields along a hillside a new peach orchard was
planted about 1904 half irrigated from long reservoir.
The
other half from dipping spring water which was also used to
irrigate a small garden for the family living in the Allen
house.
7th, there was about 3 acres of irrigated land just east of
the dipping spring reservoir. Raised small grains and corn.
8th, there were dry land fields to the northeast and south of
the irrigated fields that were irrigated during fall, early
winter and early spring when other fields did not need the water
for field crops mostly for pasture feed or small grains, rye,
and wheat.
9th, there was a dry land field of 5 acres just west of the
sand spring never irrigated being to high to get the water on.
Culinary water before 1906 was either carried in buckets from
the tunnel spring or hauled in 50 gal barrels on a lizard drawn
by a horse. Then in 1906 the Heaton family purchased from the
Ryon Capper Min. Co. some half mile of 2" used wooden pipe
rapped with a steel band. They had to go to Ryan Canyon west
side of the Buckskin Mountain now called Kaibab Mountain and dig
it up. This pipe they installed from the sand spring to the 3
homes, grandmas, Charles C. and Fred C., and the school house.
10th, from this pipe line a grape vineyard, a few peach and
apple trees, a small garden was watered east south and west of
the one room school house, also live stock was watered at the
old barn and corral.
This old wooden pipe line was abandoned in 1927 when a new 4"
steel pipe line was laid from the upper spring to the homes at
Moccasin which later supplied water to new homes as they were
built. Edward C. Heaton, Gilbert G. Heaton, Fred C. Heaton, C.
Leonard Heaton, Owen H. Johnson, a new LDS church, Melvin c.
Heaton, Charles C. Heaton, 3 trailer homes.
About 1924 a new spring was developed just south of the old
Allen home enough for house use and Jonathan Heaton built a home
for his daughter, Esther Johnson and her 6 small sons and has
been in use since.
Attached to this report are pictures of Moccasin taken by
Charles C. Heaton about 1908 showing the fields with main
irrigation ditches from the different springs and pipe lines and
335
latter developments.
Also road changes and newer homes.
No
attempt has been made to be accurate in measurements just a
general idea of the systems.
Exhibit A: showing irrigation main ditch lines in (?) and
road ways, picture of 1908.
Exhibit B: showing latter development of irrigation system
roads and homes.
336
THE REGION AROUND MOCCASIN
PIPE VALLEY
In writing about Pipe Valley one must include other areas to
the south and west that is part of the vast area used by Indians
and White settlers in their search for livelihood.
So I am
giving some description of them.
In the north central part of the Arizona strip lies a small
fertile valley some 12 miles long to 4 miles wide running from
the north west to south east. Bordered on the north by the high
red cliffs and on the south by cedar and pine covered low hill
of the shinarump formation.
The east end of the valley joins into the Bullrush valley
that comes in from the southwest also the seep wash from the
north which drains the Moccasin Mountain area.
There is no surface water in Pipe Valley, a few small springs
along the foot of the mountains or the north. Wooly and Meeks
spring west end. Pipe Spring at the point of the Mountain. The
largest spring found on the Arizona strip accessible to the
desert on the east in the seep wash a limited amount of water
during the summer months on the south is Moonshine spring.
Bullrush valley heads to the west and south of Pipe valley
some 15 miles. It is more of a level plain, shinarump formation
on the north.
The breaks of the Colorado on the south.
No
water except pockets after rain storm, until after Pipe Valley
and Bullrush Valley joins. This water has minerals, hardly fit
to drink.
To the west is Cedar Ridge plateau.
A gentle rolling low
hills covered with grass and brush, going to the north east.
Draining into the Shortcreek wash near the Utah Arizona state
line. There is no live water in this area, but several lakes
after heavy rains and from melting snow in spring.
Usually
lasting 3 to 6 weeks.
South and further west is the broad Antelope Valley heading
at the brakes of the Colorado on the east. Mt. Trumble on the
south running northwest.
The Short creek wash joins it just
before it cuts through the Hurricane Fault on its way, to become
the Fort Pierce Wash to join with the Virgin River in Utah.
The Moccasin Mountains to the north of Pipe Valley are high
Vermillion cliff formation cut with several deep canyons.
Moccasin canyon running east at the mouth where the small
community of Moccasin lies. Thence the canyon and mountain gets
it name. Pather canyon going south, Sand canyon running south
east and Canebeds and Paraschont running south west.
This
337
mountainis covered with cedar, pinion pine and few ponderosa
pine, sage, old man brush and grass.
338
PEOPLE
The earliest evidence of human occupation of the area are the
Pueblo ruins and cliff dwellers that are scattered through out
the valley dating back to the 5th century.
There is cliff dwelling in Bullrush canyon where remains show
they were farmers as corn cobs, beans and squash has been found
in jars of clay pottery. The Pueblo ruins largest located just
south of Pipe Springs National Monument where many arrow heads
and pottery have been found.
Through the valley one finds
remains of the foundation of small buildings or camp sights of
forgotten people.
The Paiute Indians a nomadic type of people came into the
area from the Ute People from the north a few hundred years ago.
Making their homes in the mountains in summer and the canyons
in lower elevation in winter. They had no permanent residence,
tho they seemed to deem what is now known as Moccasin, Kanab and
Johnson canyons as being home, as there was good spring of water
and grass and game.
In fall 1776 an exploration party of Spaniards from Santa Fe
New Mexico looking for a shorter route to California traveling
north through eastern Utah as far as Utah Lake then south up the
Sevier River a ways then over the mountain into another large
valley running north and south, continuing south till they came
to the Virgin River being late in the fall.
They decided to
return to Santa Fe, so turning east up a valley coming from the
south east, through the Hurricane Fault into antelope valley
making a dry camp near the head of the valley an Indian guide
found a pocket of water a few miles to the south of camp, for
the horses, where it is believed some one in the party painted a
cross in white on the blade rock over the pocket of water. The
next day the party turned north east passing through Bullrush
valley, lower end of Pipe Valley on their way east to the
crossing of the Fathers on the Colorado River and home to Santa
Fe.
The next group of people to enter Pipe Valley that left a
record were likely mountain men and trappers.
As on a ledge
south of the Moccasin Spring near top of the mountain are the
initials and date F.A.N May 8, 1839. The last figure is so worn
away it is not readable more like a nine or eight.
It was 20 years later that we have record of another class of
people coming into the sarea on an exploration trip. These were
Mormons sent out by Brigham Young under the leadership of Jacob
Hamblin in the fall of 1858. Leaving Santa Clara most southern
settlement in Utah at that time. There were 10 men in the party
coming east stopped at Pipe Spring for night camp. And to pass
the evening away wagers were made on who was the best marksman.
339
William Hamblin, or "Gunlock Bill" more commonly known was the
best shot. Then Duddly Rivelett made him a wager he could not
shoot a hole in center of a silk handkerchief 50 steps away with
The wage
the handkerchief hung from the two even corners.
accepted handkerchief hung and Gunlock Bill took the shot hit,
no hole appeared in the silk, the bullet or ball, Lifted the
silk as it went by. Being razzed on the poor marksmanship to
turned to Duddly who carried an Indian peace pipe for use with
the native Indians and said, "Duddly place that old peace pipe
on that rock by the spring with the bowl toward me and I will
shoot the bottom out of the bowl without touching the rim." The
pipe was laid on the rock. The rifle was laid on the rock. The
rifle brought into play, the bullet hit the pipe and from that
day the Spring is known as Pipe Springs. The Indian name was
Yellow Rock Spring for the yellow colored rocks by the spring.
Jacob Hamblin and party continued east across the Colorado
River into the Navajo and Hopi country returning in January 1859
having to kill one of their horses for food as travel was slow
over 2 feet of snow on the ground.
There were several trips made by Pipe Springs through the
next few years.
Among them was a man named Dr. James M.
Whitmore a cattle man from Texas so they say. Seeing the fine
grasslands as far as one could see and the abundance of good
water at Pipe Spring. He said, "This is the best cattle country
I have ever seen and here I am going to make a ranch."
Where he got his cattle is not clear. But in the summer of
1863 he arrived at Pipe Spring with some cattle and a herder
named Robert McIntire. Proceeded to build a small dugout east
of the spring to live in. In 1865 Indian war with the Navajo
broke out and all settlers east of St. George were told to move
to St. George or Cedar City and to Seiver Valley for protection.
But Whitmore and McIntire stayed on and in January 8, 1866 the
Navajo and few Paiute Indians raided the ranch taking sheep and
cattle, the ranchers tried to recover the stock and were killed
by the Indians.
For the next 3 years the only habitation of the area by white
men were the military who spent several weeks at times trying to
bring the raiding Navajo and renegade Paiute Indians under
control.
There were 4 Indian and white clashes during this
period in the area. First the Whitmore and McIntire killing.
The Benny Brothers and wife 2 miles south of Short Creek Arizona
to the west. The attack on a group of people leaving from Long
Valley to St. George and the Elephant Cove 12 miles north, a man
by name of Stevens seriously wounded and at the junction of Pipe
Valley wash and Bullrush wash were a band of Navajo were all but
wiped out. And Captain James Andrews horses had caught a arrow
meant for the captain.
340
Because of so many Indians from across the Colorado River,
Brigham Young and other Mormon church leaders decided to send
Jacob hamblin to the Navajo nation to work out some peace
treaties with them.
In 1869 Anson Perry Winsor was sent to build a fort a t Pipe
Maintain a small garrison of men for protection and
Spring.
double as herdsman for the Mormon church cattle herd in Pipe
Valley. The next year 1870 other settlements were established
in the area north and east.
From this time Pipe Springs became the head quarters for
extensive cattle industry and Pipe Valley the grazing pastures
during the summer dry seasons. The cattle were moved south for
winter or when rain storms left enough water in natural pockets
and small lakes that would last a few weeks.
As the land was open range to anyone who wanted to start a
cattle or sheep herd could do so it was not long until men form
Utah towns had cattle and sheep grazing on the Arizona strip.
No one claiming any land tho a few did claim some of the
watering places and tried to keep their cattle located near
their watering holes.
As there was abundance of feed that seemed never to run out,
cattle herd increased sheep herds of two to three thousand in a
band came from Utah for winter grazing and wild horses and
burrows also increased, until the 1900 teen and twenties there
were thousands of cattle horses and over a million head of sheep
wintering between Utah and Arizona line and the Colorado River.
This heavy grazing and changes in weather conditions soon
brought about shortage of feed.
To save the cattle and sheep, cattle and sheep men began to
kill the wild horses and burrows. The are all gone now. The
depression caused a bit of sheep men to go broke.
The large
herds of sheep began to disappear, until today only one band of
sheep is grazed on the strip during the winter months.
UTAH - ARIZONA CATTLE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION
I do not know when the Association of the Cattlemen living in
Utah and Arizona was formed or how long it lasted. But it was
of the cattle owner that run their cattle on the Arizona strip
most particularly south of the Utah - Arizona border. Buckskin
Mountain on the east. Grand Canyon on the south and Hurricane
Fault on the west.
341
It consisted of such men as Jonathan Heaton and his older
sons - David Esplin - Brigham Riggs - Edward Lamb and sons Thomas Chamberlain and sons - Heber Meeks - Ef. Formaster - Dave
Bullock - Lehi Jones - Charles Foster - Scott Cuttler - Sorensen
- Lytle are a few I remember who run cattle on the Arizona
strip.
The purpose of the association was to improve the cattle
herds - range and watering places to prevent cattle rustling,
all working for the good of all members.
Some of the projects was the building of the Hacks canyon
reservoir - maintaining the Cannon Reservoir on the Bullrush
wash. Fencing water holes - holding pastures at Two Mile Spring
and Pipe Spring for cattle to be sold. Purchasing good grade of
Bulls for breading.
To finance these projects it was the policy to sell all long
eared cattle that was on the range. That no one could claim, to
the highest bidder and as there were several thousand head of
cattle on their range there were always a lot of calves being
separated from their mothers either through death of the cow,
their mothers or some other reason. Considerable money could be
raised by these long ears as they were called.
I remember one spring I was with Father on the spring
branding roundup. We were camped at Flattop when a 2 year old
heifer was found in the herd. As Father was camp boss it was
his job to sell the longears.
As bidding started somewhere
around $20.00 dad told me to bid $25.00 then some one went
$27.00 and I was told to bid $28.00 no one else bid any higher.
So the heifer was mine, we put Fathers brand on it (I on the
left ribs, thus I became a cattle man at the age of about 9
years.)
It was not long after that the cattle man's association
gradually dissolved and the disposing of longeared cattle was
taken over by the Arizona Livestock Association and run as part
of the Arizona Government Agency and inspection to see no one
shipped cattle off the strip that did not have his brand on it.
A small fee 5 cents per head was charged for all cattle going
out of the State of Arizona.
There was also men who when they were riding the range alone
and found a longeared calf or critter would put their brand on
it and not report it to the Association or pay for it as he
should.
One of these men was Scott Cuttler of Kanab and when he was
called before the officers of the Association to explain his
actions he said, "It could be mine as well as any one's else's."
He was asked to stop this kind of work, which he failed to do.
In a few years the members of the Association decided if
Cuttler would not stop his membership would be withdrawn. Which
342
was finally done. When Scott Cuttler heard of it, he said "You
fellows will pay dearly for this." And from then on he and his
boy were riding the range looking for longeared calves.
Some
large ones that were sucking their mothers were found having the
Cuttler brand on them.
This continued for several years. After Scott Cuttler died,
his boys continued to carry on as their father as taught them,
until the cattlemen had enough and threatened them with arrest
and it was strong enough that Scotty the oldest moved to
California and become a Policeman. Russel, Heber Meeks bought
him out of the cattle business telling him to stay off the
range. And found him a job in Kanab. He later became a very
active in the Kanab Stake Boy Scout Program and a good leader of
boys. I worked with him in Scouting for several years. We were
very good friends.
Dean Cuttler the youngest son moved away
shortly after his brother sold to Meeks.
343
HOMESTEADING IN PIPE VALLEY
It wasn't until late teens that residence were taken up in
Pipe Valley other than at Pipe Springs itself.
A man of
questionable character a Mr. Jameson moved into a small canyon
at the head of Pipe Valley for a few years, seemed to be there
out of the way. Latter Mr. Thomas Rough and wife came west for
Mrs. Roughs health, a dry aired climate and took up a 640 acre
homestead in the middle of the valley, In the late twenties and
early thirties people in California and other places were lead
to believe Pipe Valley and Cedar Ridge area were exceptional
land for agriculture.
Raise anything little or no irrigation
dry land, farming. To back these claims pictures were shown of
the irrigated field at Moccasin of fruit, corn, gardens, grapes,
hay, that grew abundantly but the advertisement failed to say
they only grew that way because of irrigation.
By 1936 every section of land 640 acres was taken up by some
homesteader.
Tried dry land farming for several years, but seldom raised
enough corn, grain to pay for the seed planted.
Some tried dry land farming very little success if any.
Others turned to other jobs off the land, staying on their
claims three to five years as required by law to prove ownership
and making improvements necessary.
When the depression of the 30's came there was some WPA work
projects started for a year or so. Then the CCC camps offered
employment for some of the men as supervisors for the boys that
came from Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, for the next 4 years.
When World War came high wages in other areas induced the
homesteaders to leave, selling their lands to local cattlemen.
Until today only one of the original homesteaders is still on
his property.
He , Bicose (Bruce) McDaniel has 4 section of
land and runs of few cattle.
As the number homesteaders with families increased their
children needed education and the closest public school was at
Moccasin some 8 miles to the north which was attended by a few
of the early friends.
As more settlers came in and children
increased the Pipe Valley residence petitioned the county school
superintendent for a community school which was granted and a
one room school house was built on a Mr. Wrights homestead and
children from the Wrights, Wolverins, Harris, McDaniel, Carroll,
Thomas, White and Birds families attended.
Also at this time
another school was started as a commodation school some 10 miles
west on the cedar ridge area for families living in that area
called Jack Harris school his wife was the teacher.
During the depression some of the people became discouraged
and moved away.
The Pipe Valley school and the Jack Harris
344
school were combined and the Pipe Valley school house moved west
some 4 miles to the Cedar Ridge to be more central located. By
1940 this school was abandoned and Owen H. Johnson of Moccasin
bought the school building to build him a home at Moccasin.
Only 4 of the original homestead buildings still stand and
only the McDaniel place is being occupied. The rest are fast
falling to pieces. Soon the evidence of the latest people to
occupy the valley will be gone as are the fine white mans
culture to leaving only some household foundations, iron
implements, broken plates, car parts, tin cans, etc.
THE TWO MILE RANCH
In writing about the Two Mile Ranch one will have to go back
to the early settlement of this area and bring in other places
to give the reader some idea of conditions and customs of that
period of time.
My Grandfather Delaun Cox was telling some of us children
some of his experiences while living in Orderville and his
travels through the country. One of them was the road from St.
George by Fort Pearce, Pipe Springs to Kanab or Orderville. He
said traveling from Pipe Springs to Orderville the old road went
by way of Moccasin then east to Point Springs where the road
forked the left fork going by Chris's Spring, Sand Hills, Yellow
Jacket on to Orderville about 33 miles. The right fork to Kanab
by Wolf Hole, Cottonwood Wash about 25 miles.
Rather than drive to Moccasin on the sand road then point
spring they took a short cut and drove to point spring about two
miles from Pipe Spring they found a small spring of water in a
wash and called it Two Mile Spring.
From Pipe Spring to Moccasin is 4 miles the road is at the
base of the red sand stone mountain rather sandy. Then the old
wagon road goes east across two miles of open flat brush covered
ground at Point Spring at the base of the red cliffs. South for
half a mile from point spring is a low rocky ledge a mile long
to two mile spring.
This circular 2 by 2 mile surrounded by
hills on three sides and fenced originally by a cedar post fence
called stake and rider or hip gut fence.
Was called the
Moccasin pastures. I do not know have never heard my father or
grandfather talk about when the two mile ranch was established.
It seemed to have been under the control of Brigham Riggs,
Edwin D. Wooley of Kanab and Edward Lamb of Orderville, from the
first around 1890 maybe earlier, late 80's. They found a small
spring about 1 1/2 miles south and east of two mile spring.
That was run to a level grassy piece of ground about 1/4 mile
south of the spring. A small reservoir was built to hold the
stream to irrigate a small garden and alfalfa field of an acre
345
or so. A small one room cabin facing south was built just north
of the pond, size I would say 12 x 14. Two large corrals built
east of the garden and south of the cabin with a large holding
yard north of the corrals.
A barbed wire fence was made from Pipe Spring ranch starting
on the north side of heart canyon going east about two miles a
little north of south then north 1/4 mile to the corrals then
onto the second point of low hills some 1/2 mile or so. This
enclosure was called the two mile pasture.
The only person I know of ever living at this ranch house
more than a month at a time was Alson Hamblin a son of Jacob
Hamblin the Mormon apostle to the Indians. Alson was a small
man not much over 5 feet and had taken up a ranch claim at Riggs
Spring some 6 miles east of the two mile ranch house where he
ran a few head of cattle of his own. Lived there in a cedar log
cabin most of the time and came to Two Mile during the summer
months to tend the place for Riggs and Wooley.
This Two Mile Ranch pasture was a holding pasture for cattle
being held for sale mostly in the fall of the year and
occasionally saddle horses or brood mares were held for a few
weeks at a time. But usually the pasture was empty to save the
feed for fall gathering.
When the Kaibab Indian Reservation was fenced about 1912 to
1913 the Two Mile pasture was abandoned by Riggs and Wooley as a
holding pasture. Tho the cabin was used by the cowboys as they
passed through the area up to about 1918. Local cattle men did
for a number of years hold grazing leases on the Reservation but
with the fussing of time were finally pushed off the reservation
to the south.
The cabin was taken down in late 1920's by the Indians and
Long Valley Frank and family and boys did some farming of the
garden and alfalfa field in the 20's and early 30's.
This is my recollection of the Two Mile Ranch, its owner and use.
There are two corrals rebuilt by the Indians and seldom used
any more.
C.L.H. July 17, 1981
THE OLD INDIAN PASTURE
The old Indian pasture lies east of Point Spring main source
of water. Boundaries north of point spring high hills of red
sand stone, north about 3 miles to sand canyon a pole fence
across the narrow canyon hills of sand another mile to the
346
bluffs on Ed Lamb point then east along the foot of the bluff
some 3 or 4 miles to the east point and mouth of cottonwood
canyon. Then south some 4 or 5 miles where the sand canyon wash
went out through the low gravel hills with ledges on the south 2
or 3 hundred feet high.
No place to get up or down with a
horse. Then along the rim of the ledges to Two Mile Spring and
north to Point Spring.
A large enclosure the east side being fenced by barbed wire
(when I don't know).
This pasture must have come into use shortly after the United
Order of Orderville became owners of Moccasin property and the
Mormon church induced the Indians to settle and try farming at
Moccasin under the direction of the order as the Moccasin
pasture was used by the manager of Moccasin for the Order for
their milk cows, stock and horses.
The Indians usually had a lot of horses and the small
Moccasin pasture would not support theirs and the Moccasin
animals. As father tell this story which indicates the Indians
had the pasture for keeping their horses separate from the
people of Moccasin.
About 1890 or 92 after the Heaton brothers became owners of
Moccasin and my Uncle Chris Heaton was in charge of the place,
several of us young boys were here helping on the ranch.
The Indians lived just south of us across the valley and this
year they were holding a big pow-wow. Indian from all over were
invited to come, Grass valley, Moapa, Cedar City, Santa Clara,
and upward of 200 or 300 had gathered bringing their horses with
them as the Indians wealth was measured in horses as they
gathered they turned their horses in the Moccasin pasture. And
Uncle Chris one morning sent us boys on horses out to the
pasture together up the Indian horses.
Shortly after a large
number of Indians came riding out to where we were angry and
mean looks on their faces. Uncle Chris seeing the Indians going
out where we were got on a horse and came to our rescue. There
were angry words spoken by the Indians and Uncle Chris for a few
minutes.
Then jumping off his horse rolling up his shirt
sleeves, he turned to the Indians and said, "I'll fight every
one of you one at a time, beginning with Captain Frank here."
Now Uncle Chris was a small man 5'8" or so and weighing 160 or
170 lbs. While Captain Frank was well over 6 feet and weighing
over 200 lbs or more.
For a moment the Indians just set on
their horses silent, then Captain Frank let out a big laugh and
rest of the Indians followed. Then Captain Frank all business
gave a command in Indian and the other indians drove their
horses out to the Indian pasture at Point Spring. Captain Frank
and Uncle Chris talked a few minutes then all went home. Two
347
days later my father, Jonathan, came out from Orderville and was
told what took place.
Captain Frank and a few other leaders were invited to come
over and have a talk with Father and Chris about conditions here
and to settle differences between the Indians and white men.
While they were talking, father had sent us boys up in the
canyon to get two big steers one white one and one red one,
which we brought to the corral.
At the end of the talks Father spoke to captain Frank, saying
you have alot of people here, and it is hard for you to keep
them fed and happy. There are two big steers out in the corral
and you can take either one of them to help feed your people as
a gift from us. They took the white one.
From that time on Chris and Fathers word was law unto the
Indians and lasting friendship was made.
All because people
were willing to sit down and talk things and conditions out to
each understanding.
C.L.H. July 1981.
STATEMENT OF
DR. HERBERT E. GREGORY
We all, or at least we older ones, are acquainted with Dr.
Gregory, a government employee and geologist, as he visited a
number of times, looking the country over in his studies. He
told us, "There is enough water going by under this ground to
water all this valley east and south if you would go after it."
(Told by Father in meeting on 3-7-54)
APOSTLE BALLARD'S PROMISE
TO KANAB STAKE LIVESTOCK MEN
There was trouble between cattle and sheep owners over the
range rights on the Arizona Strip. (This area is between the
Utah State Line, Colorado River in north-western Arizona.) This
trouble developed because sheep became more profitable than
cattle and quite a few cattle men in addition to running cattle
started to raise sheep.
At this time, one sheep would bring
almost as much as one cow. Wool was about $2.25 a pound, a lamb
$10 to $12. Each old sheep $20 to $30, or about $40 income for
the sheep. A cow with a calf $35.00 to $45.00. Herds of sheep
of two to three thousand (close to 1,000,000 head total) would
348
winter on the Arizona Strip.
With about 100,000 cattle and
hundreds of wild horses, the range was fast becoming overgrazed.
Sheep men soon began to quarrel over grazing areas and rights
to watering places, which were also cattlemen owned. At times
water became too scarce for all the animals. When the sheep men
started to summer their sheep on the Arizona Strip by the
thousands, it was more than the cattle men could stand. So they
started to protest the use of cattle men owned water by the
sheep men. They went so far as to use guns to keep the sheep
away. Law suits and court actions were held, even arrests made,
because threats of murder if sheep men did not stay off certain
areas and away from water holes. Charles C. Heaton (my father)
and Ben Sorenson were two of the cattlemen so arrested because
Ray Esplin, a sheep man, left a threatening note at the sheep
wagon with Heaton and Sorenson's names signed to it.
It was during all this trouble between the sheep and cattle
men that Apostle Ballard came down and held a conference in
Kanab Stake in the old ward hall and made the following prophesy
or promise. After speaking on brotherly love and getting along
with your neighbors, he said, "I promise you in the name of the
Lord, as an apostle, if you cattle and sheep men will get
together and divide your range agreeably, there will be enough
feed and water for all your livestock. And if you don't someone
else will divide it for you and few will benefit by it." The
above is not the exact words, but about what he said.
The result was a tentative agreement of land division. The
sheep would be moved off the Arizona Strip during the summer.
It was also agreed to get rid of the wild horses to conserve
feed and water.
The range was divided about as follows:
beginning at the Seeps Wash south of the Kaibab Indian
Reservation going southwest to Bull Rush along road to Hack's
Canyon Reservoir, some 10 or 15 miles then west to Heaton
Reservoir, then northwest to Clay Holes some 20 miles then north
easterly to Black Knolls on to Point of Rocks then on to Cane
Beds, and Utah State Line.
The sheep were to use Bull Rush,
Heaton Reservoir and Clay Holes as watering places.
The area
inside these lines were strictly for grazing of cattle.
But because of some selfishness among the cattlemen who
claimed a little property outside this cattle grazing area, they
refused to go along with the majority, wanting their own areas
included. One of the men was Kanab Stake President, Heber J.
Meeks.
Well, the agreement was never reached, droughts came,
sheep increased until the depression came in 1928 and 29 when
most of the sheep men went broke.
The area was over grazed.
The wild horses were being killed off. The Federal Government
passed the Taylor Grazing Act in which the range was divided
between individuals and a lot of stock men were put out of
349
business. Others, because of selfishness and greed, got most of
the lands and their herds increased.
Hard feelings followed
that have never been resolved because of the dishonesty of
certain cattle and sheep men and the Government officials who
ran the Taylor Grazing Act.
This is one time the people
suffered because they did not follow the counsel of God's
authority and Apostle.
CATTLE RUSTLERS
With the settling of home steaders on the Arizona Strip and
the building of the Hoover Dam in the late teens and early
twenty there was some cattle rustling of beef to supply meat on
the black market at the Dam sight from the Arizona strip. The
cattle would be driven from the open range to Tasie near the
Colorado River where they were butchered and then taken by boat
down the river to the Dam. Also some of the home steaders would
kill a beef and divide it up among themselves as there was very
little work in this area for common labor and when cash was
short for supplies a beef was the answer for their dinner table.
So one summer the local cattle men decided to have some range
riders to see if they could put a stop to the rustling.
Dal Meeks of Kanab and Clif Markham a transient from Texas
were hired as the Range Riders. They were to spend their time
riding along the outer fringes of our cattle range. Hurricane
Rim, Mt. Trumble and Tourweep, changing camp ever two or three
days so that the cattle rustlers would not know where they were.
Everything went fine the first three or four weeks then Dal
and Clif got tired of the job and began to hob knob with the
home steaders and failed to move as planned, also they to chase
wild horses to kill time. After three months of Range Riders
were called in the cost to the cattle men was $500.00 to pay the
two Range Riders.
It may of stopped some rustling in the area for the one
summer. One or two homesteaders were questioned about cow hides
that were found on their place also some arrests were made over
the years.
To my knowledge no conviction of cattle wrestling
were ever made.
I do know because father was cattle inspector for a number of
years. In certain areas on the open range where cattle could
drift from one water hole to another we seldom found cattle with
his brand on it (I left shoulder). When all the other cattlemen
could find quite a few of their cattle. I have always thought
fathers cattle were the first to be taken.
350
A DANCE AT CANE BEDS
During the height of the homesteading movement on the Arizona
Strip, there were a lot of people living in the Cane Bed area,
families with children and youth. It became a custom to rotate
dances between Cane Beds, Short Creek, Cedar Ridge and Pipe
Valley, as these areas grew in population.
One Friday we of Moccasin were invited to a dance at Cane
Beds. Rather than take a wagon or buggy and drive around the
road some 25 miles we decided to ride horse back over the
mountain the eight miles.
Those going were my sister Jennie,
Aunt Amy, Miss Greenough of Kanab also Miss Cram and Uncle
Sterling. Leaving home about 4 pm we went to the sand spring,
up the trail past the peeks onto the flat rocks to the top of
the Moccasin Mountains, which is covered with cedar pine trees
and tall sage and sarvis berry brush, along the deep trail out
in the sand across the mountain, down a long ridge on the west
side of the mountain to the old Z ranch houses and corrals, then
a mile or so to the school house, where the girls changed from
their riding clothes to Sunday best.
The dance started at about 8 pm. Music was from a piano
played by Mrs. Annie Wilkson, and two violins played by Isaac
Carling, and Joseph Wilkson. There were some 40 or 50 people
We dances the waltz, two-step, square
present, a house full.
dance, and Virginia reel until midnight. The floor was rough,
being unplaned pine boards. But a good time was had by all. No
drinking.
After the dance, while the girls changed clothes we boys got
the horses ready and were soon on our way back along the trail
for home. We had tied some eats to the saddles, but as we went
by the Z ranch houses we saw some chickens roosting by a shed so
we decided to have a chicken roast. Taking two of them along
with us to the top of the mountain where we stopped and roasted
the chicken and ate our lunch. Then we headed on home down the
East side of the mountain as day light was coming up over the
Kaibab mountains some 40 miles to the east. This was about the
summer of 1918.
351
BITS OF WISDOM TO LIVE BY
LISTEN TO OUR MAKER
I would not listen to my master
So he turned us out you see
I would not try to understand the things said to me
I am lost forever now because I would not obey.
So take advise from one who in sorrow will agree
Tis better far to listen to Him from above
He knows what is best for you
It will bring you safely to your home above.
--------------------One day for church, six days for fun
Odds on going to heaven, six to one.
______________________
Whenever I pass our little ward
I linger for a visit
So when I'm carried in
The Lord won't say "Who is it."
_______________________
We are rightly known as chapel builders.
I hope we will also become even better known
As family building people
Do not neglect your own families, brethren.
Pres. Kimball
________________________
Paul wrote "This is true saying if a man desires the office
of a bishop he desireth a good work." Today we might add - a
good work out.
Elder Monson
THOUGHTS
Thoughts become words
Words become deeds
352
Deeds become habits
Habits become a character
Character is what we really are
If that is true then,
Bad thoughts become bad words
Bad words become bad habits
Bad habits become bad characters
A bad character makes an unhappy life
This is also true,
Good thoughts become good words
Good words become good habits
Good habits make a good character
A good character makes a happy life.
Always think good thoughts.
_____________________
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTERS
1. I would want them to have strong healthy body, a clear active
mind, a spirit dedicated to God throughout their life.
2. I would want them to have parents that were strong in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, loving and kind, firm in righteousness,
but considerate, loving and kind.
3. That she
learning.
would
have
a
good
education
in
many
fields
of
4. I would want them to gain a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ early in life.
5. They should have been taught the true meaning of womanhood.
Their mission here on earth given them of God, that of being a
helpmate to their husband and mother of his children.
6. They should know how to cook, sew, can fruit, be thrifty and
industrious about the home.
353
7. They should learn in life to serve others unselfishly, with
love, kindness, and consideration of others feelings.
8. I would want them to be clean and neat in dress and habits
and speech at home, school, church, parties and work.
9. That they would do nothing they would be ashamed to share
their experiences with their fathers.
That they would find a clean, virtuous young man worthy
10.
to take her to the temple to be married for all eternity. That
they would keep the temple vows very sacred.
11.
They would be honest, truthful, in all their doings.
Paying their tithing and offerings to the church.
12.
I would want them to have sisters with which they could
love, share their joys, problems, rich experiences of childhood
youth and adulthood.
13.
They should have brothers from whom they could learn the
good qualities of manhood, honoring their priesthood and respect
for womanhood.
14.
I would want them to be active in church organization
have responsibilities of leadership as they grow to womanhood.
15.
They should be able to set down with their father or
mother, brother or sister or husband or friend and discuss their
problems, joys, heart aches, and happiness in an understanding
way.
16.
I would want them to teach their children faith in God,
love for the gospel, honor their parents, cherish virtue, honor
womans calling given by our Heavenly Father.
17.
I would like them to plant flowers about their home and
have them in the home to help bring peace and love therein.
18.
I would like them to keep a diary either daily or weekly
of the happenings of their lives, of the blessing, sorrows,
joys, fun, and spiritual testimonies that comes into their lives
for their children and grandchildren to use as guides for a
fuller and richer life, to help them over the rough roads of
life.
354
19.
And above all to so live that we can all be one big
family in the presence of God for eternity.
Charles Leonard Heaton.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR MY GRANDSONS
1. I would like them to have a strong healthy body, a clear
active mind and a great spirit.
2. I would like them to have parents that would set them
examples of love, kindness, firm in righteousness, honesty and
love of God.
3. That he would have other brothers to grow up with to share
the joys, dreams, and experiences of youth.
4. That he would have sisters from whom he would be taught to
respect womanhood in the light God intended they should be by
men and boys.
5. I would want them to be worthy of the priesthood at the age
of 12 and receive the added responsibility of the priesthood as
he grows in knowledge of the Gospel even through to the highest.
6. A two year mission to give them the experience of unselfish
service to others as well no thought of being paid in money for
such service.
7. That he would accept and fill to the best of his ability
positions in the church where he would grow in greatness in the
eyes of God.
8. That he would always be able to discern between right and
wrong, truth and falsehood, light and darkness, resist all evil
and deceit.
9. That he would treat others as he would like others to do unto
him. Be honest in his labors, no matter how disagreeable they
may be, never take unjust advantage of anyone, even tho he may
appear to be his enemy.
355
10.
That he keep himself clean in body, mind and spirit.
That he would not be ashamed to share his inner thoughts and
experiences with his mother.
That in his early years he would find a clean, virtuous
11.
woman he would be pleased to spend this life and through all
eternity with, to be the mother of his sons and daughters and be
married in the temple.
12.
I would want him
provide the necessities
provide guidance to his
lead them back to God in
to be very considerate, loving, able to
of this life, but more particular to
wife and sons and daughters that will
the celestial kingdom.
13.
That he would put his family and church first above
personal pleasures and wants.
14.
I would hope he would share and be ever mindful of his
duty to the mother of his children, in her care, training, and
teaching them Gods plan here on earth for men and women.
15.
As he grows older he would and will tell his wife she is
the sweetest women on earth to him. That his love would grow
for her as they years go by.
16.
That he would never criticize, belittle or find fault
with his wife or children before anyone, but always esteem them
as the best there is.
17.
When problems arise he take counsel with God in prayer
his
wife
and
family
in
love,
appreciation,
humility,
understanding.
18.
I would want him to be industrious, keeping his house
neat and in repair, outside and in, not leaving it to his wife,
take pride in his home and family.
19.
I would want him to be honest with God in his tithes and
offerings, proving his unselfishness by giving willingly.
20.
I would like him to start in his early life to keep a
diary of his life, so that his posterity would know of his
success, trials, joys, problems and happiness he experienced in
life, so that their testimony of the Gospel and of Jesus Christ
would be strengthened because of him.
356
21.
And above all that he would live so that we can be one
big happy family in the presence of God for eternity.
Charles Leonard Heaton
A GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE POLICY
This policy is guaranteed for life eternal and benefits upon
the conditions set forth herein to every one with out any
special condition and cannot be canceled except by non-payment
of the premiums and can be reinstated upon full payments of
premiums and penalties.
Premium No. 1: Prayer.
Benefit: Guidance by the Holy Spirit, comfort and solace to
a broken heart.
Premium No. 2: Faith.
Benefit: Knowing God lives and cares for the insured.
Premium No. 3: Baptism by one having the authority from God.
Benefit: One is numbered among Gods elect family.
Premium No. 4: Word of Wisdom.
Benefit: More free from ills and pains in the body and mind.
More able to do ones work, enjoy life more fully, shall run and
not be weary, walk and not faint.
Premium No. 5: Offerings, tithings, fast donations, welfare
assistance.
Benefit: Peace of mind knowing you are helping the work of
the Lord to take the place of evil and wrong doing, also
assisting your fellow men to a better and happier life.
Premium No. 6:
Attending Sunday School, Relief Society,
Primary, MIA, Sacrament Meeting.
357
Benefit:
Here you receive recharges to your batteries of
prayer, faith, word of wisdom, tithing and offerings, etc. so to
speak.
Feeling the friendship, love and concern of fellow
members.
Premium No. 7: Follows the keeping of the first six. That
of taking a pure, clean, virtuous man or woman to the temple of
God, there being sealed for time and all eternity by one holding
the keys of this sealing power as husband and wife to bring
forth children in purity and walking in the ways of God, that
your joy may be full throughout all eternity.
Benefit: You live in the presence of God and become as He
is. Gods and creators of worlds.
This I know and testify to my family.
C.L.H.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW BY MAIL
Today in Sacrament meeting while Bro. Banks, "the new Park
Ranger at Pipe Spring Fort" was talking I had the feeling I
wanted to hold a personal interview with all the members of my
family, to let them know that I love and appreciate them a great
deal for the honorable, upright lives they are trying to live.
Their willingness to listen to the truths of the gospel and its
importance to us for our exaltation in the presence of God.
So I am going to ask a few questions for each to answer in
their own way as if I was there with them. Some of the children
may need help from their parents or older brother or sister.
1.
Have you formed the habit of morning and evening sincere
prayer to our Heavenly Father?
2.
Do you kneel regular with the family prayer? Make it a
habit it will strengthen the bonds of love and concern for each
family member.
3.
What commandments that God has given us is the most
difficult for you to keep?
Tithing, word of wisdom, welfare,
reading church books, etc. Make a list of them and pick out one
or two to start with and promise yourself, I will keep them for
a month, two or maybe three months, until it becomes easy to
live by them.
4.
Are the books, TV shows, paperback novels, magazines,
theater, in your home leading you away from the teachings of the
church? They have a great influence on how you look, act, speak
and how you do your homework, whether it is for good or bad,
peace or crossness, happiness or sorrow.
Don't think you can
always hide your inner most feeling for long from your family
358
members or friends. They soon can tell whether we are sincere
or a fraud.
5.
Do you criticize or make fun of the failing mistakes of
the members of your family before others? Don't.
6.
Show only love and respect for Father, Mother, brothers
and sisters where ever you are and who ever you are with. If
you don't like what you see others do, pray for them, show more
love and kindness and let them know you trust them.
7.
Be willing to listen to problems family members might
want to discuss with you in spirit and keep them sacred just
between you both.
8.
Do you speak gently and kindly to family members?
9.
Are you doing your share in the home to keep it a place
of love, where the spirit of the Lord can always abide?
Husbands do you help with the house work so Mothers can get some
rest and relaxation from tending the children all day? That is
part of your responsibility.
A PRAYER FOR PARENTS
Oh God make me a better parent. It is the most important job
in the world and one for which there is no prior training.
Help me to understand my children, to listen patiently to
what they have to say and to respond to their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting and contradicting them. Help me to
be as courteous to them as I would have them be to me.
Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children
and the generosity of spirit to ask them for forgiveness when I
know I have done wrong.
Forbid that I should laugh at their
mistakes or resort to shame and ridicule.
May I cease to nag.
Oh Lord, reduce the meanness in me.
When I am out of sorts, help me, please, to hold my tongue and
keep my temper under control.
Blind me to the insignificant shortcomings of my children and
help me to see the good things they do. Give me a ready word
for honest praise.
Make me ever mindful that they need the
nurturing that comes with encouragement and appreciation for
their small successes.
Help me remember that my children are only children so that I
my not expect from them the judgment of adults.
Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity to wait on
themselves, to think for themselves and to make their own
mistakes.
359
Forbid that I should punish them as a means of ridding myself
of anger and frustration.
Help me to exercise reason and
control.
May I grant them all wishes that are sensible and give me the
courage to withhold a privilege when I know it might do them
harm.
Make me fair and just, considerate and companionable, so they
will have genuine esteem, respect and affection for me.
Make me fit to be loved and imitated by my children, for this
is the greatest complement of all.
FOLLOWING THE PROPHETS COUNCIL
When I was living and working on my Uncle Leonard Cox's farm
in Shelly Idaho in the summer of 1924 this story was told me by
some of the men I got acquainted with.
There was a Jew who lived just east of the Cox farm by the
name of Pet Cockatella.
Prospered in raising wheat, potatoes
and beats (sugar) and everyone around him wondered why he was so
successful in having crops to sell in the fall when prices for
farm produce was the highest.
This had been going on for a
number of years.
Pet was not a member of the LDS church but lived a true
Jewish life. Every spring after the annual church conference in
Salt Lake City and when the LDS Church leaders returned from
conference, Pet would ask in a casual way what the President of
the church had instructed them to do in the way of farming as
well as other things.
If it was to plant wheat, beats or potatoes Pet would
remember it and would increase his acreage in the crop the
Presidency had mentioned.
While the church members usually
followed the Government for cost of wheat crop would be the
following fall.
One day Pet Corkatella was asked by some of the church
leaders in Shelly area how he always seemed to have planted the
crop that got the best prices and had the larger acreage than
most farmers.
"Well," Pet said, "You have a prophet that you believe gets
revelation from your God and he tells you what to plant.
I
follow his advice in my farming and you fellows don't." A true
example our Prophet knows when to give advice and we should
follow that advice.
360
MAYBE I'LL MAKE IT
If I quit hoping he'll show up with flowers, and
He quits hoping I'll squeeze him an orange, and
I quit shaving my legs with his razor, and
He quits wiping his feet with my face towel, and
We avoid discussions like
Is he really smarter than I am or simply more wise
Maybe we'll make it.
If I quit looking to prove that he's hostile, and
He quits looking for dust on the tables, and
I quit inviting Louise with the giggles, and
He quits inviting Jerome with the complex, and
We avoid discussions like
Supposed I died, which one of our friends would he marry
Maybe we'll make it
If I quit cleaning the plates while he's eating, and
He quits clearing his throat while I'm speaking, and
I quite implying I could have done better, and
He quits implying he wishes I had, and
We avoid discussions like
Does his mother really love him, or is she simply one of
those over possessive, devouring women who can't let go.
Maybe we'll make it.
MARRIAGE
A marriage can be a bud that opens once and dies.
A Celestial marriage is a bud that blossoms time after time.
Eternity is a long time to be alone.
Be worthy to be loved Forever.
I'd rather own that cart Sir
With Peggy by my side
Than a coach and four with gold galore
And a lady for me bride.
(From a card sent to Kezia by Dad 1914, on mission.)
JUST A LONELY OLD MAN
Not because the lack of having a good wife
Who cares for his every needs and mother of his children
361
Not because the children have left the home empty
To build honorable homes of their own. It should be.
Not because of the lack of food, clothing and shelter
There is plenty to last him for years
Not because there are no friends to visit
As they have been gathered over the year.
Not because the birds have ceased to sing and coyotes to howl,
Cattle to bawl, horses to stomp their feet.
Not because the fields, orchards, gardens are gone
Flowers around the house and in the windows.
All these things still exist to gladden the soul and brighten
ones
Life.
Just a Lonely Old Man.
Because: his wife and children have to speak louder even with
hearing aid for him to understand.
Because: songs of the birds, howl of the coyote, lowing of
the cattle are not heard by him but seldom.
Because: his eyes fail to see as clearly and are dimmed after
reading the printed pages a while.
Because: his steps are shorter and slower, not so sure on his
feet as in the past.
Because: so many of his boyhood friends has passed beyond the
end of the road of life.
Because: his memory has began to close on things he would
like to recall at times.
Because: as he nears the end of the road of life he has to
walk alone. Tho others may be near.
Because: he alone must pass over the end.
FENCES
Today in Sunday school some thoughts came to me when
discussion were on watchmen over the church and keeping tracks
of it members, and knowing where each one is. I thought often
parents assumed things are all well with their children as they
go out to school and society, not really looking to see what
temptations and problems the children faces and do not give the
children the protection of love, caring and guidance they need
and some of they become lost to the church.
The discussion brought to my memory of a cattle drive I was
on with my father Charles C. Heaton and others in taking some
cows, calves and steers to the Heaton ranch east of Alton. I
was only about 10 years old. It was early evening when we came
over the hill into Alton, and instead of corralling the cattle
my Uncle June told father to turn the cattle in his homestead
362
pasture as the fence was good and they would be alright as he
had been around the fence two days before.
Father said
shouldn't we see that all the gates are shut good. But Uncle
June said they are ok. Well we put the cattle in the pasture at
sun down and went to camp and bed.
The next morning there was not a cow in the pasture as some
boys had left a gate open and all the cattle had gotten out and
scattered over the hills and fields north and east of Alton. We
were all day gathering what we could find and on up to the
summer pasture a few head we did not find.
The same thing
happens to the family or ward when the parents and ward officers
don't take the time to check the fences of the church to see
that the children is given the instructions to safe guard them
against the temptations of the devil. So many may be lost.
THINK FASTER
I want to leave with the family an experience I had many
years ago when I was learning to be a cowboy on the Arizona
Strip. I with three or four other cowboys were driving a herd
of cattle from one watering hole to another and some of the cows
kept trying to get away. First on one side then on the other
side of the herd which kept some of us on the run to keep them
together.
It was then Uncle Ed Lamb as he was called by all us younger
cowboys said to me as we were driving the last of the herd,
"You've got to think faster than a cow to be a good cowboy." He
then went on to point out certain cows that kept working to the
outside of the herd off to the right or left then reaching for a
bunch of grass or browse a little bit further from the herd each
step as we moved along, finally taking off on a trot from the
herd and we had to gallop after her and bring her back into the
herd. Uncle Ed said to always watch for such cows and be there
to head her off before she got started away from the bunch.
So it is with us in life.
We have to think fast to be
prepared to prevent us from being led in the wrong direction by
those who do not have or live our standards of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. Think fast when someone suggests drugs, tobacco,
drinks. Think fast when standards of dress and conduct conflict
with your ideas you have received from your parents. Think fast
when you are offered a few moments of pleasure that might cost
you eternal joy with your loved ones and family.
Think fast on the virtues and blessings God has for those who
keep his commandments. May our Father in Heaven help us all to
do His will.
363
Grandpa
KEEPING THE SABBATH DAY HOLY - TESTED
This story relates to the commandment of the Lord to keep the
Sabbath day holy and do no unnecessary work on that day and you
will be blessed.
There was a man living in a mining area in Colorado that was
operating several mines and hired considerable number of men in
his business. For some reason he became concerned about the ten
commandments and the blessing and failures the Lord had promised
those who obeyed or disobeyed.
After some thought on the
subject he decided to put the Lord to the test.
Having three mines that were about the same in employees,
distant from town, working conditions about equal, he chose
these three for the test.
Mine number one the men could set their own work schedule
come to work when they wanted to, go home any time but careful
records were to be kept of their time on the job, accidents,
health and production.
Mine number two were to work 6 days a week no work on Sunday,
attend church if they wanted, records were also to be kept as
in mine number one.
Mine number three, the mine was to be worked seven days a
week, no time off for Sunday, with records being kept as in the
other two mines.
At the end of a year the three sets of records were carefully
compared and the one most productive and such would be followed
by all his mining operations.
The comparison of the three mines were : Mine number one, at
first exceeded the other two in production as the men worked
longer hours at times when they wanted more money, a few stayed
away longer, accidents increased slightly because fewer men were
on the job all the time to keep machinery in running order.
Mine
Their health record also showed signs of being lower.
number two, the production dropped at the first two or three
months, but there were fewer absentees, less sickness, all
machinery was closed down on Sunday. There were fewer repairs
to be made, men were more happy with their work at the end of
364
the year they were producing nearly twice what the other two
mines were.
Mine number three that worked seven days a week the
production rose drasticly at first but by the end of the year it
had dropped to 60 percent as there were more sickness, more
accidents, more breakdown of machinery. The men became sluggish
in their work habits, a lot more resentful feeling toward other
and the work, a lot more expensive operation. In fact the seven
day work was abandon before the year was over.
It has been a long time since I heard this told, so it is
poorly written. I hope you get the meaning of the story. No
work on Sunday, always plan your week so that you are free for
rest and church duties on Sunday.
C.L. Heaton
WELFARE
"Any man who has a garden plot ground and water, who does not
attempt to raise a garden on it this summer (is not worthy of
help from the Church and) shouldn't be given help from the
Church if he can't do it himself, or get someone else to do it
for him."
President Charles C. Heaton
TEN FARM COMMANDMENTS
1. Thou shalt feed the soil otherwise the soil cannot feed thee.
2. Thou shalt be careful in the selecting of seed thou plantist,
for on this depends much of the success.
3. Thou shalt take interest in thy work for no good results can
come from an indifferent disposition.
4. When thou borrowist from thy neighbor thou shalt return to
same promptly and in good condition.
5. Thou shalt at all times be kind and gentle to thy horses and
all other livestock.
6. Thou shalt keep thy machinery well oiled while in use and
always well sheltered from the weather.
7. Remember thy man servant and thy maid servant are human and
should be treated as would thyself wouldst be treated.
365
8. Thou shalt treat thy wife and thy children with such respect
that they will not wish to leave the farm.
9. Shun not the wisdom of others in practical farming for thou
cannot learn to much in thy occupation.
10.
Remember the Sabbath is a day of perfect rest and aside
from doing the necessary chores it is not one for repairing
fences, sheds and paid finance.
ARE YOU A LEADER?
1. The boss drives his men - the leader coaches them.
2. The boss depends upon authority - the leader goodwill.
3. The boss inspirers fear - the leader inspires enthusiasm.
4. The boss says "I" - the leader says "We."
5. The boss says get there on time - the leader gets there ahead
of time.
6. The boss assigns the tasks - the leader set the pace.
7. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown - the leader fixes
the breakdown.
8. The boss knows how it is done - the leader shows how.
9. The boss makes work a drudgery - the leader makes it a game.
10.
The boss says "go" - the leader says, "let's go."
COPIED FROM NOTES ON LOOSE PAPERS - C. Leonard Heaton
Matrimony is a bargain and somebody has to get the worst of
the bargain.
What shall avail a nation to save the whole of a miserable
trade and loose its liberty - Henry Clay.
366
A long life may not be good enough - but a good life is long
enough.
Always change your clothes after having been in a room where
there was much smoking if you are going into society and
particularly if you have to meet ladies.
Give a child owl broth to cure the whooping cough.
If a maiden spreads a white cloth under an oak tree on a
midsummer eve at midnight and in the morning, gather the dust
left from the blossoms and places them under her pillow, her
future husband will appear in her dreams.
DATING
Any boy dating our daughter would have to have respect for
her and the rules we have set up for her. We would expect him
to come into our home to pick her up.
"No honking outside."
Let us know where they will be going and be sure to have her
home at the time we say. Call to let us know if you're going to
be late or if there are other problems so we won't worry.
THE SCRIPTURES SAY
Husbands love you wives But I say
Husbands tell your wives you love them every day.
Wives love your husbands But I say
Wives tell your husbands you love them every day.
Parents love your children But I say
Parents tell your children you love them every day.
Children love and honor your parents But I say
Children tell your parents you love them every day.
If you do this you will be one happy family forever.
367
C.L.H.
MARRIAGE
It has been said that a civil marriage just gives a man and a
woman the right to sleep together until death do they part. If
children are born to them, civil authorities do not give them
assurance they will be happy with them, in fact they are on
their own.
In a temple marriage God commands the man and woman to have
children that they may have joy in their posterity and assures
them of their blessing and help in this obtaining joy and
happiness, not only in this life but through out eternity. So
make your choice wisely for success or failure when you marry.
WHAT IS A GOOD STANDARD OF LIVING
We have been told the American Standard of Living is the
highest in the world of any nation and we must bring that
standard even higher.
Now I am wondering by what means the
standard of living is measured. These questions come to mind:
Is it the amount of money one has to spend?
The fine expensive cloths one can get?
The highly seasoned and fancy fast foods one gets at the
super market and eating houses?
The quick reception on news over TV and radio?
The fast travel one can take to go and come back?
The higher education that seems to be a must if one amounts
to anything in this world?
The costly homes and furnishings that seem to be set for high
standards of living?
The leisure time one has to spend in sports, out door
recreation?
There are many other things that could be mentioned. But I
am wondering if these many things were not achieved a few years
ago and could be classed as excess today and the measuring stick
has become top heavy and the cause of so much unrest and
wickedness in our nation and world.
Such as lying, cheating, dishonesty, robberies, killings,
envy, burning, no sense of responsibility for ones own acts,
loss of love for each other, especially families, our personal
wants comes first, regardless of the other person or his needs.
These seem to be expressed in all forms of government,
business, societies organization formulated by men and women.
It is my thinking if we as American people but most
particular we Mormons if we want our high standard of living we
must return and soon to the basic of true love of God and fellow
368
men and the commandments God has given to us. As having respect
for others property, their feeling of being needed, loved,
trusted, and to be trusted.
As the old saying our word is
better than our bond. Treat others like we want to be treated.
Live so the world, nation, city or community is a better place
for one to live because we helped make it so.
I believe the high standard is not measured by the amount of
money and things it buys, but by the love and concern one has
for his fellow men and in dealing justly to all and living God's
commandments fully.
C.L. Heaton
___________________
SECRET OF A LONG MARRIED LIFE
When a man and woman has spent 60 to 70 years living together
in the same home and has been asked what made their lives
together so sweet, congenial and happy all these years.
A good answer would be that they never let their differences,
problems "and they have had them" get so high they could not
look over them in to each others eyes and see the sparks of love
still shining in them.
It is when the differences get so high one can not see over
them real trouble begins in the home. So always be tall enough
to see into each others eyes over your differences and happiness
and love will always be yours.
FROM THE McELWEE FAMILY
Olive's letter May 28, 86. Jared said after watching a fly
rubbing it's front legs together to his mother. "how come the
fly rubs it legs together while it says its prayers?"
Jared was talking about brothers and sisters and said
"Grandma was his sister."
Olive "I told him that I was his
sister to." He thought a minute and then said, "then that means
I 'm my own brother."
When my 7 years old grandson Jimmy was teasing his younger
brother and sisters one day they knocked over a vase of flowers
and when his mother came to see what had happened, Jimmy said
"You can't blame me cause I am not 8 years old yet."
A BLACK SHEEP
There are these sayings among the people of the world.
369
"I'm the black sheep of the family" or "There has got to be
one black sheep in every family" or "He just the black sheep of
us all."
Now the term "Black sheep" has a lot of different
meanings, as applied now day, as, not dependable, going with the
wrong crowd, failing to attend church, or keeping the word of
wisdom, or just no good at anything.
I would like to put an interpretation on the value of a black
sheep, which I think was used by men to relieve their minds and
concern about loosing property or live stock.
In the early days of this country there were large herds of
sheep. 2000 or 3000 head each with that many sheep scattered
over the plains, hills and forests it was a constant worry of
loosing a few head every day. To help keep track of the number
it was a common factor to have one black sheep for every 20 or
30 white sheep in the herd.
Every day or two the shepherd would count the number of black
sheep in the herd. If none were missing he would know most of
his sheep were there. But if one or two black sheep were gone
he immediately knew that quite a few of his sheep were gone.
With one black sheep gone it could mean some 20 or 30 white
sheep were also gone from the herd. Another term is black sheep
were markers to help tell the numbers missing.
Now lets put another interpretation on the meaning of a black
sheep in the family. He is a leader, the family members look up
to him or her as an example in which is the best way to go.
Their faith and confidence in them as leaders keep them living
as our Father in Heaven directs. To me the black sheep is the
best person one can be as so many want to follow after them. So
don't be just an ordinary sheep be a black sheep and be proud of
your position as a leader and one to be counted.
C.L. Heaton 5/29/83
TESTING THEIR WINGS
As children grow from childhood where they mostly depend on
their parents for their daily needs of food, clothing, shelter
and protection into teenagers, where they begin to want to do
things by themselves. With no help from anyone. "I can do it"
attitude and will not listen to their parents advice and
sometimes they fall into trouble that is hard to get out of and
some don't make it.
This reminds me of a nest of Robins I once saw while living
and working at Pipe Springs National Monument in an old apple
tree at the head of the meadow.
370
There were 6 little robins hatched to this home of birds. As
they grew it seemed as tho the mother and father birds were
continually on the go catching bugs and worms to feed the six
hungry little birds.
As they little birds grew and wing
feathers developed they would perch on the edge of the nest and
flap their wings. I thing the parent birds were a little bit
worried one of them might fall out of the nest as they would
come flying to them, talking to their babies as only birds can
talk. Telling them they were not ready to fly yet, to wait a
while longer till your wings became stronger.
One day one of the little birds must of decided to try his
wings as he had seen this parents do. So off the edge of the
nest he dropped, spread his wings, but missed the limb a few
feet below the nest. Then tumbled on down through the branches
to the ground.
Of course he was calling for help and his
parents came to give him encouragement, but could do very little
to help him.
Shortly a hungry cat came by.
The mother bird tried every
way to drive the cat away from her fallen baby. First it dived
at it pecking at it. Then fluttering on the ground as if she
had a broken wing, trying to lead the cat away, but of no avail.
The little bird lost it life because it would not listen to its
parents advice and instructions.
How some of the teenagers are like this little bird.
The other five little birds stayed in the nest a few more
days.
Finally their parents decided it was time for them to
learn to fly. After much coaching and calling one after another
four of the youth flew halting from limb to limb as they gained
confidence and experience flew further at each attempt.
Kept
safely off the ground from the old cat who was watching them.
The other little bird was afraid to try his wings, set on the
edge of the nest crying for help, not wanting to be left alone.
For a day or so the mother bird keep trying to teach it to fly,
but it would not leave the nest. Finally as a last resort the
old mother bird had thought of a new trick to get her child to
leave the nest. She knew he was afraid to try on his own. She
would fly close to him pleading for him to come and fly with the
rest of the family then as she made ready for another pass
instead of calling and flying by, bang the mother bird hit the
reluctant bird from behind knocking him off the nest and as he
started to fall he spread his wings in fright and to his
surprise found he could fly as well as his brothers and sisters.
The moral to this story is boys and girls listen to your
parents follow their council and advice as you grow from
childhood in to teenagers and on into adulthood. And you will
371
find life more enjoyable and pleasant as you take your place
among the people of the earth.
C.L. H. 1/7/83
NOTES TO REMEMBER
I know the Church of Jesus Christ is true and that God and
Christ lives.
If you doubt this go and ask them humbly in
prayer for the truthfulness of my statement and they will tell
you.
372
POEMS AND VERSES
WHEN GRANDPA LOOKS AT GRANDMA
When Grandpa look at Grandma
Somehow he doesn't see
Her wrinkled brow, her hair white as snow
Her aged serenity.
He doesn't see her fatter
When night its darkness begins
That she is slow, he'll never know
Or any of those things.
When Grandpa looks at Grandma
Somehow he doesn't hear
The broken tones that she now croons
Her voice seems firm and clear
Her eyes that smile warmly then
Are faded blue and dim
Though time has ranged, they have not changed
They look the same to him.
When Grandpa looks at Grandma
Forgetting she is old
He sees his bride cling by his side
Her hair is shining gold.
He sees her in the splendor
Of love that grows and grows
If she is gray and bent today
Grandfather never knows.
A LETTER
A letter is a gypsy elf.
It goes where you would go yourself.
A letter what is it?
An on paper visit.
No boats to paddle
No highway to tramp on
Your letter is "you"
373
With a five cent stamp on
It travels as cheaply
As cloud or bird
A trip for five cents
It's almost absurd.
So we can visit each other after all
And I thank you for calling in
Via letter two weeks ago.
- by Aunt Amy Carroll Stacks
I LIVE HERE
A garden, a perfect mosaic, deep green,
'gainst the blackest of loam.
Spread out near a little log cabin Obsure but immaculate home
I paused to admire - who could help it?
The weedless expanse near the door.
Where, pleased with my pleasured inspection.
Stood a "Mommy" of years that were yore.
"A beautiful garden" I ventured.
She cupped a brown hand to her ear.
"Fine garden" I shouted.
"O golly, it ought to be fine - I live here."
I went on my way with a sermon as great
As I ever had heard
The highest paid preacher existent
could never have added a word.
Were every human who cumbers the tiniest
Spot of the earth
To see that the place he inhabits The work began of fingers five at birth
Stood perfect as e'er he could make it.
Dear God, what a different sphere.
Let's borrow our motto from "Mommy"
"It ought to be fine - I live here."
Strickland Gilliland
_____________________
374
BLESSING
The blessing on the food and water
Is a simple thing to do.
But it teaches children to be thankful
For the things our Father does for you.
The blessing on the food and water
May not mean much to you
To those who love our Savior
His commandments we will simply do.
BACKWARD!
TURN BACKWARD!
Backward, turn backward.
O time in your flight.
Bring back the saloons
Bring it tonight.
O bring back the bum
With his tarp,pack and filth.
The Pompous proprietor
Rolling in wealth
The rum politician
The bold talk
The row of dead beer kegs
That cluttered the walk
O bring back the jugs
And the bottle to drain
Give us our bed in the gutter again.
Backward, turn backward
Restore us again
The dreary, dark, hovel
That stood in the land
O fill up the yard
With old bottles and bags
And break out the windows
And stuff them with rags
O bring back the nakedness
Bring back the fright
That once took the place
Of the childrens goodnight
The box wood make empty
The cupboards make bare
375
Hooray for the misery
What do we care
For the heart broken mother
The life in despair
The son in jail
And the daughter in worse?
Backward, O time
Bring back the old curse
Backward, Turn backward
What care we for light
Away with the sunshine
And bring in the night
Away with the hope
And the Sabbath School song
Away with the right
O give us the wrong
O bring back the whiskey
The beer and the gin
Kids "risking the groailer"
And learning to sin
Backward, Backward O bring.
COUSINS
Can and Will are cousins
Who are never out of work
Will is the son of Energy
Can is the son of Pluck.
Can't and Won't are cousins
But always out of work
Won't is the son of Never-try
Can't is the son of Shirk.
SISTER GEROGE A. SMITH'S NOTE TO HER HUSBAND 1851
A present of my dear husband
When you find this you may be
Perhaps far away from me
And instead of a sweet kiss
I give it unto thee
But I would give more for one kiss
From two such sugar loafs as this.
376
For be sure it is true
It comes from a kind heart to you
And you will use it for my sake
In your tea or in a cake
Or just as you may think fit
So you only do use it.
It is a present unto me
Now I give it unto thee
That comfort you may in this
My Great Larger Sugar Kiss.
377
STORIES WITH A MORAL
A DIFFERENCE A TICKET MAKES
The other night while trying to get back to sleep after a
restless few hours with aching arms and back, I began to think
of all the good, honorable men and women in the world that has
never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how they conducted
their lives in trying to raise their families to be good honest
citizens and what their reward would be after death or if they
have heard of the Gospel and it's reward.
The I thought of the difference between them and members of
the LDS church and what was the difference in the rewards
received by both groups of people. As I know there are just as
good a people out side the LDS Church as there is in the church
and maybe a lot of them are better.
The idea came to me the two groups of people are like two
travelers going to a far country that required certain types of
tickets to get into the capital city where the King lived or
just into the country itself. One had secured the first class
ticket to the Kings presence.
The other had only gotten a
general admission ticket to the country.
So it is between members of the LDS Church and non-members
tho each be equal in good living. No one better than the other.
but the ticket they hold says where their destination will be.
The one says general admission into the glories of God and His
Kingdom.
The other church member has a ticket into the
Celestial Kingdom where God lives. Because it is stamped by the
sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood that all condition
have been met by the holder of this ticket. Baptism, offices in
the Priesthood, tithing and offerings, marriage and ceilings in
the temple and endowments have all been preformed by the
authority of God's agents here on earth and acceptable in any
Glories in Gods Kingdom.
So it depends on the ticket you hold and the ordinance you
preform and covenants you make with our Heavenly Father's agents
here on earth will be the type of ticket you will carry with you
as you leave this mortal life. And the station you will arrive
at in one of God's Kingdoms. Let it be the Priesthood stamped
ticket into the highest degree in the celestial kingdom.
It is yours if you will put all your trust in God and His son
Jesus Christ, doing all that our church leaders instruct,
council, advise and teach us to do.
It is my testimony to you my children that only by keeping
God's commandments will we find true and lasting happiness. May
378
God bless you with an understanding heart, a firm determination
to live honestly and loving one toward another.
Love and blessings,
Your Father and Grandfather.
LINDEN STREET HOUSE SETS GOOD EXAMPLE
Papa and Mama Gonzales had come into town with all of their
furniture and all of their children in the wagon drawn by Don
Juan, their donkey. There was not very much furniture but there
were quite a number of children -- seven to be exact.
They were happy about the new home and also about Papa's new
job.
His new job was to help keep the streets clean.
Papa
Gonzales was very good at that.
The children were all quite
sure that in no time at all Papa would get to be head of the
street-cleaning men.
They were also very happy about the new home.
It was on
Linden Street and Papa had said that it had three rooms and
almost a room on the back that would be good to store wood and
vegetables.
Three rooms, and almost another was a very big
house. There had been only two rooms in the last house.
The children, especially Rosita and Pedro, the two eldest,
had hoped that the house might be painted white, or even brown,
so they were a bit disappointed to find that the house had never
been painted at all, was a most dreary looking gray.
"Never mind," said Pedro. "We can all get to work and paint
the house. Besides, none of the other houses on the street have
any paint."
"But first we must clear all the tin cans and rubbish from in
front of the house," said Rosita. "It would never do for the
Gonzales family to have so dirty a yard."
They put the table and chairs in the kitchen and made beds on
the floors in the other two rooms. "One of these days we shall
all have real beds to sleep in, now that I have so good a job,"
said Papa Gonzales.
The very next day Rosita, Pedro and Tony started to school.
They were all who were old enough to go.
Rosita had a new
skirt. Bright red, it was with a ruffle around the bottom. She
was very proud of it and her black eyes were shining. The boys
didn't have anything new, except the patches on their shirts.
School was not quite so pleasant as they had hoped. Some of
the boys and girls teased them. They called them "greasers" and
tossed Tony's hat up into a tree.
379
"They do not mean to be unkind," said Rosita. "It is only
because they do not know us. Later they will be our friends -perhaps."
Each day after school they worked on the yard. All of the
Then
tin cans and rocks were picked up and put into a pile.
Papa and Don Juan hauled it away in the wagon. When it was all
nice and clean, Mama Gonzales said, "Wouldn't it be lovely to
have a green lawn in front of the house and out on the parking?
It would make the house look so pretty."
The boys dug up the ground and papa put in the seed. It was
It was a
Mama who planted the hollyhocks and other flowers.
long time before they could get any paint and then they could do
only the front part of the house.
The Gonzales family was very happy. But the best was yet to
come. One evening a young man came to the house and asked for
Papa. "I understand that you are the one who started all the
improvements on this street," he said.
"Well," replied Papa Gonzales, "I guess I was the first to
take away the cans and plant a lawn, but that is all."
"That was all it took," said the man, "and now you have made
it one of the best and cleanest streets in the city. We have
been conducting a 'clean up' drive and we want you to come to
the meeting in the city hall tomorrow night and get the award of
$100.00 for doing the best job."
Thank you very much," said Papa Gonzales smiling.
"I will
come and bring all the children. They all helped."
After the man had gone Pedro said, "now we can paint the
house all the way around." Mama said, "I shall plant some rose
bushes," and Rosita said, "The girls at school will all know
what a fine thing our Papa has done."
Before long something very strange began to happen.
All
along the street people cleared the tin cans and rubbish from
their yards and parking. Soon green lawns were springing up to
match the lawn in front of the Gonzales house. Many of their
neighbors also planted flowers.
Linden Street became just as
pretty as its name.
MANUEL AND THE MILKMAN
Manuel jumped out of bed. It was morning again. He opened
his door and looked into the patio. It was just like all the
other rooms of the house, only it didn't have a roof and it
380
didn't have a floor, there were red-tile walks. And all around
the walks flowers were growing. The patio was a garden inside
the walls of the house. And it had a gate at the front.
Slap, slap. Splash, splash. Manuel heard the cleaning rag
hit the tiles. Mimi was cleaning the patio walks.
"Good morning, Mimi," Manuel called. "I'm coming out to help
you."
Manuel filled a pail with water. He put the cleaning rag in
it to make it wet. Then slap, slap, splash, splash. Manuel's
gray rag hit the red tiles too. The walks began to look clean
and shining.
"I'm hungry," Manuel cried. "Where is our milkman?"
"Listen," Mimi said. "Don't you hear his horse coming?"
Clamp, clamp, came the horse's four hoofs. Clack, clack went
the milk cans.
They were tied over the horses back.
The
milkman was sitting there. He hit the covers against the cans clack, clack.
"I'm bringing the blue pitcher," Manuel shouted. He ran with
it to the patio gate.
He stood on tiptoe close to the brown
horse.
The milkman leaned down.
He poured white milk into
Manuel's blue glass pitcher.
"Too heavy for a little boy," the milkman laughed.
"I'm big," Manuel told him.
He carried the pitcher to the
dining room table. "But where is the bread?" he cried.
"Here comes the bread boy," Mimi called. "Where is the green
plate?"
Honk, honk came the bread boy's horn.
The bread boy was
riding his bicycle to the patio gate. A big basket rode on his
head.
"Fresh hot bread!" he sang.
Manuel came running with the green plate. He filled it with
hard rolls and sticks of sugar bread.
"Thank you," Manuel said to the bread boy.
"Thank you," the bread boy said to Manuel.
"And I say thank you too, Manuel," Mimi added.
"The patio
tiles are clean. The milk is on the table. The bread has come.
How you have helped. And breakfast is ready, you see."
____________________-
A GOOD CITIZEN
Elizabeth, called Beth, had just come to the little town of
Merriville, that is, to live; she had visited her Auntie Jane
who lived there.
381
"Now," Beth said to herself, "I'm a cit--citizen of
Merriville, that's what Uncle Joe calls it when you live in a
place."
Just then Beth noticed, once more, the big piece of paper
that had been blowing along the sidewalk.
She skated right
along beside the blowy, swirling paper, and never stopped
skating to do anything about it.
The Graham's house, and
everything about the place was spotless, just like her Auntie
Jane's place next door, where Beth was staying for a week.
What to do? She wasn't afraid, exactly to stoop and pick up
the messy-looking paper while she was on roller skates, for she
could hold on to the fence, but it was such a nuisance to stop
her fun, and skate to the waste-bin on the corner holding the
paper trailing along beside her.
Helping to keep the streets
orderly. So Beth picked up the paper by one clean corner and
skated away.
She did not see Uncle Joe looking out of the window.
But
that night at dinner Beth found at her place at the table a box,
and written on it was 'for a good citizen."
Beth knew it must be for her because it was at her place, so
she breathed a big "oooo" And when the ribbon was untied and
the box-cover lifted, there lay in its silk nest, a silver
bangle, and with it a card which said on it "To Beth Browning
from Uncle Joe.."
Beth quickly gave him a nice thank you, and after dinner a
big hug.
"But why, Uncle Joe, why?" Beth asked. "I was only doing my
little bit as a citizen, to help keep Merriville a clean place."
"And that's just why I wanted to give you something, Beth."
"And I shall always remember, Uncle Joe, how important it is
for every citizen to do his or her part. That makes a lovely
town to live in."
And upstairs that night, Beth thought of something else.
Why, this will help me keep my bureau drawers in order. It's a
fine idea.
Just be a good citizen inside as well as outside
your house in Merriville.
I TRIED
During the early days when people traveled by horse and wagon
there lived a young family on a small farm a mile or so from
town. The husband had a job in town that supplied some cash for
382
their needs he also milked 4 or 5 cows and the milk was sold to
families in town to help with the needed cash.
It was the wifes responsibility to have the cows at the barn
in the evening so they could be milked when the husband came
from work she also was to turn the cows out into the small
pasture near the barn each morning.
This arrangement went fine until the baby came and needed a
lot of attention at times so that when evening came she could
not always get the cows to the barn when her husband came from
work. This he put up with for a while but as time went on the
cows were not taken care of as he thought his wife should do,
and he started to complain that his wife was not very good
manager in doing her work and said things that hurt her feelings
very deep, but she kept trying to do as he wanted.
One cold
stormy day the baby was not feeling well and would not stay in
bed without crying. Time came to get the cows to the barn, the
baby finally went to sleep so the mother put on a light jacket
before going for the cows. They were not at the gate as usual
as the storm had caused them to hunt shelter on the far side of
the pasture among the trees and shrubs.
What should she do
leave the baby and go hunt the cows, the baby was asleep and the
cows wouldn't be very far away she decided.
Night came early and she hunted in several areas and found
the cows in the far corner of the pasture. They did not want to
leave their shelter. But finally the wife got them going toward
home and the barn by this time it was nearly 10 o'clock.
The young husband was late getting home, no light in the
house. The baby was crying the wife gone, but where. He went
to the barn calling his wifes name, no answer. He soothed the
baby the best he could. Then went out to find its mother. In
the pasture he did not see his wife and cows coming home and
spent an hour looking for them, before he decided to go and get
help to find his wife.
As he entered the kitchen door, there on the floor lay his
wife exhausted, near death from exposure and unconscious. A note
scribbled lay on the table "Take good care of the baby, "I tried
to be of help, Love."
How greatful he was that after a few days his wife and mother
of his child recovered. But never again did he complain about
his wifes work habits.
SCHOOL BULLIES
In a small town in eastern Arizona some years ago about 1925
more or less the school board was having trouble keeping a
school teacher the full year as there was a few of town tough
383
who delighted in teasing and playing mean tricks on them to the
extent they left soon for other places. Finally a man was hired
that because of the troublesome boys he got a hand gun for
protection as he had been threatened.
One night he was
approached by this tough bunch, thinking they were going to do
him bodily harm, he pulled the gun and shot the leader.
But the trouble did not stop between the teacher and boys
even the girls got involved. It was then the school board hired
a young man fresh from BYU to come and take over the school. He
had been told of past experiences of teachers at the school and
to be prepared for the worst.
The first day Mr. Kellbourne went early to the school house
to look over the place and prepare for school.
At 9 AM the
school room was filled with students and some town people were
in the fields nearby.
Mr. Kellbourne welcomed the students and said he hoped the
rest of the school year would one of pleasant memory for all.
He had decided that the first class of the day would be outside
in the play ground. So the school moved outside where a large
box was opened with a few sets of boxing gloves.
Killbourne
invited all the big boys to put on the gloves with him and he
would box with them.
Which was agreed to as there were boys
larger than Killbourne. As the first boy stepped up and made a
swing at Killbourne it never reached its mark. As the boy hit
the ground about as quick and woke up a few minutes later. Then
Killbourne told the other boy to come all at once if they wanted
to a few accepted but they hit the ground all most before they
got started. As Mr. Killbourne was the champion boxer at BYU.
Before the school year was over Mr. Killbourne now had all the
boys active in MIA and priesthood in this little western town
and some of them later filled missions. This story is to show
there is good in most all people if the right leader can be
found.
SISTER OF JIM CORBET AND BULLIES
There was a one room school in the western part of America in
a small town among the cattle ranchers. The parents of the area
had tired to get teachers for their children but the older boys
had become known as the bullies who tried and mostly succeeded
in having their way own way. If they liked the teacher she or
he would stay three or four months or until the bullies got
384
tired of the teacher then they made so much trouble the teacher
left without a word or goodbye.
There was a young lady who heard of the school and the
reputation the students had and decided she would like to try
for the teaching job. So she wrote the school authorities that
she would like the job. They wrote back telling of the problems
she would likely encounter but they would be pleased if she
would take the job.
In due time she arrived at the school and was introduced to
the students some of which was almost as old as the teacher and
a lot bigger. She gave her address of what would be expected of
the students and what she would try and teach them and after a
few more 'whats', school was dismissed for the day and told all
to be at the school house at 9 AM the next day as she had a
surprise for them.
This gave the bullies a chance to put
together the surprise they would give the new teacher.
At 9 o'clock the teacher called the school to order for the
opening exercises, then invited them all outside for a
demonstration of skills.
The small children were fearful of
what the bullies were going to do to the new teacher. Outside
by the school house was a large cardboard box which the teacher
opened and drew out several pairs of boxing gloves and told the
bullies to put them on as she was challenging them to a boxing
contest one at a time and when they had, had enough they would
go inside and hold school.
At first the leader did not want to hit a woman but the
teacher kept at him, "Hit me if you can."
That was a good
punch, to slow, your chin is open" and she landed a light punch
on it, or, "your left ear is not protected" and planted a glove
on it, which riled her opponent and he did try and hit the new
teacher. Then she said "Your turn is over" and planted a punch
on the right jaw that put him to sleep for a while.
Seeing what had happened to their leader the other bullies
refused to fight the new teacher. Seeing her activity they said
"Who are you?" She called the students all back into the school
room and said, "I am a sister to the great American athlete, Jim
Corbet and have been his boxing sparing partner for several
years, and I know how to defend myself in most all games."
I would say the school year was much better after that.
A CONDEMNED KILLERS ADVICE
The man who was sentenced to be shot because he kidnapped and
killed a 2 year old boy of Charles Lindberg, who flew a small
airplane the first from America to Paris France. Was asked just
385
before he was executed what if any advice he would give to the
young people of America. Replied, "Fill your lives so full of
good, evil will have no chance to creep in."
386
COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES
The following 8 short articles were taken from papers I had
collected. C.L.H.
HOW TO LIVE A HUNDRED YEARS
Of course there is no recipe for living a hundred years. What
we mean in sober and careful language is how to keep the body
machine in such good condition that barring accident we shall
round our appointed term of life in health and vigor.
To accomplish this there is nothing new to suggest, either in
nostrum or health program. But we need to be reminded of those
established rules that are the result of universal experience
and the application of intelligence to life. Hence, observe the
following:
1.
Eat intelligently. Learn the nutritive values of foods,
eat what you need, let the diet be simple, avoid salt, quit
eating before you are seated, chew well.
2.
Drink only pure water. Water contains certain salts and
minerals may be beneficial, ask you physician.
Drink plenty,
water is mans greatest friend in nature.
3.
Keep clean, bath regularly.
4.
Sweat often.
If you cannot afford turkish bath get a
bath cabinet of your own or make one and perspire freely at
least once a week.
Thorough perspiration is the salvation of
the kidneys.
5.
Take regularly no alcohol in any form. There is no use
to opening this subject again. The regular drinker of alcoholic
beverages is a foolish person.
6.
Be out of doors as much as you can. Fresh air, sunshine
and water are natures three cure-alls. Sleep with your windows
open summer and winter.
7.
Exercise systematically.
Modern life is as a rule no
routine that the muscles and organs of the body are not
harmoniously developed.
There are many books and teachers of
exercise, but the principles are few and usually the same in all
systems.
It is regular, not occasional and violent exercise
that counts.
8.
Avoid constipation, one of the most prolific sources of
bodily derangement.
Take the matter up seriously with your
physician.
9.
Avoid excesses of any kind. Be temperate in all things.
10. Maintaining the body in a state of efficiency is largely
a matter of thought training. This truth is being emphasized a
great deal nowadays and rightly so.
387
11. Don't worry. It is mostly a matter of habit. Don't get
into the way of it. Worry is the prime life shortener.
12. Don't indulge in hate.
Don't allow yourself to
What the use,
entertain a grudge against any human being.
forget it.
13. Don't give way to regrets for the past, nor to
premonitions of evil for the future.
14. Keep the mind cheerful. Play and laugh as much as you
can.
15. Have some part of the worlds work to do. Feel that you
are earning your salt. Be interested in some constructive and
useful activity.
16. Work at your life by the day, and not by the job. Be
satisfied with each days results.
17. Marry, have children, the most wholesome class of people
in the world are grandfathers and grandmothers.
18. Believe in the almightiness of goodness and shun any
success that involves a troubled conscience.
19. These probably sound like preachy attitudes to you they
are. But it is necessary to keep repeating them because we are
constantly overlooking or discounting them.
We need to be
reminded that they are the best we yet know about the art of
living a hundred years.
- by Frank Crane
KILL FEAR
Of course fear is at the bottom of our present worries, and
what an old fork tail he is. But the worst fear of all is the
fear of the unknown. To be aware of a fear and yet not to know
what it is that is the very worst terror in the world.
When you feel worried, or fearful, or tense, stop and ask
yourself "Lets get to the bottom of this, what am I worried
about? Just exactly what am I afraid of?"
Try to find the right answer.
If it is "I am afraid I'll
lose my job." then say to yourself "Well that isn't so bad, I
still have my health.
There are jobs to be had.
I'll get
another."
The very act of resolving a question to its rock
bottom and find an answer reduces your fears to an astonishing
extent. Here are eight ways by which you can be a little braver
these troublous days.
1.
Analyze your fears, ask yourself just what am I afraid
of. When you realize the basis of your fear you will be on the
way to conquering it.
388
2.
Determine what your next step will be.
A soldier who
knows where his second line of trenches is, is not defeated.
3.
When
your
friends
talk
discouragement,
talk
encouragement and you will begin to feel it too.
4.
Determine how much of your thinking is directed toward
solving your problem and how much of it is going over and over
the same thing.
5.
Act as if you were not afraid.
Basil Ring who wrote
"The Conquest of Fear" said go at it boldly and you will find a
(?) of unexpected forces coming to your aid.
6.
Don't think about your troubles at night.
7.
Keep physically fit. The more discouraged you are the
more golf you should play.
8.
Remember the present difficulty will pass.
Others
always have.
Follow these and I guarantee instead of being
tortured and wrecked you will meet it boldly and courageously
and triumphantly.
- Dale Carnegie.
YOUTH
Youth is not a time of life - it is a state of mind. It is
not a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a
temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the
emotions, it is a freshness of the deep springs of life.
Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over
timidity of the appetite for adventure over love of ease. This
often exists in a man of fifty more than a boy of twenty.
Nobody grows old merely living a number of years.
People
grow old only by deserting their ideals.
Years wrinkle the
skin, but the give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
Worry,
doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair these are the long years
that bows the head and turn the growing spirit back to dust.
Whether seventy or sixteen there is in every beings heart the
love of wonder, the sweet amazement of the stars and star-like
things and thoughts, the undaunted challenge of events the
unfailing childlike appetite for what next and the joy and game
of life.
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt, as
young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear, as young as
your hope, as old as your despair.
In the central place of your heart there is a wireless
station so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer,
389
courage, grandeur and power from earth, from men and from the
infinite, so long are you young.
When the wires are all down and all the central place of your
heart is covered with the moss of pessimism and the ice of
cynicism, then are you grown old indeed and may God have mercy
on your soul.
- Anonymous
THE TRUE STRENGTH
To have strong people we must have well instructed people.
This has been fully realized in all ages of the world.
The
leaders of ancient Israel knew this and made provisions for the
teaching of the people.
It is well for a land to have its strong, unassailable
fortresses, its well garrisoned towns, it frontier of streams,
mountains or precipitous rocks.
But the strength of a nation
does not reside in such defenses as these.
It lies in the
intelligence, the vigor, the courage, the patriotism of its
people. All material, munitions will fail to keep out the enemy
when the people are corrupted and enfeebled.
Nothing enduring
can be built out of ignorance.
Knowledge is power.
All power needs to be rightly guided.
Misguided it is the source of the greatest evil.
It is therefore important that the people be instructed in the
truth. It is here that the school becomes a vital power. It
seeks to give a young man or a young woman not simply a chest of
tools but a spiritual power that shall enable them to use the
chest of tools to the best possible advantage. The sound basis
of true character is the education that rests upon Christian
faith.
- Author unknown
CHALLENGE
When men are determined what can stop them?
1.
2.
3.
George
4.
Cripple him and you have a Sir Walter Scott.
Put him in a prison cell and you have a John Bunyon.
Bury him in the snow of Valley Forge and you have a
Washington.
Have him born in abject poverty and you have a Lincoln.
390
5.
Load him with bitter racial prejudice and you have a
Disralli.
6.
Afflict him with asthma as a boy he lies choking in his
fathers arms and you have a Theodore Roosevelt.
7.
Stab him with rheumatic pains until for years he cannot
sleep without an (?) and you have a Steinmetz.
8.
Put him in the grease pit of a locomotive roundhouse and
you have a Walter P. Chrysler.
9.
Make him second fiddler in an obscure South American
Orchestra and you have a Toscanni.
Let life challenge you and be confident in your reply. For
you are a man and the hardships of life are sent you not by an
unkind destiny to crush you, but to challenge you.
Our
"humanity~ is not our weakness, but our strength. Despite much
of the artificiality of life around us the two greatest words in
the English language still are, "I can."
- by Paul Speicher.
AMERICANS ARE LUCKY
Suppose the mythical man from Mars came up to you some day
and asked you if you were an American.
You'd say "yes of
course." Then suppose he asked you another question. "What is
an American?" Perhaps your answer would be something like this
or merely you can improve on it.
I'm an American you'd say. When I hear an airplane I don't
look around for the nearest bomb proof shelter. I know that its
carrying people and goods for the purpose of peace time
progress.
I'm an American, I know that my newspaper and my radio will
give a fair picture of what's happening in the world to the best
of their ability.
I send my children to a school where the teachers aren't
merely vessels of the state - where the facts that are taught my
children help to make them better, more intelligent citizens.
I'm an American, I can talk freely with my friends expressing
my own opinions on both political and non-political subjects
without the fear that there are spies who listen to my every
word and then report it to some high and mighty tribunal.
You'd probably say these things and many more besides. And
saying them would in these troubled times make you realize
something else, so that you'd come to say just one thing more.
I'm a lucky individual. I'm an American.
391
THE OPTIMISTS CREED
Promise yourself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you
meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in
them.
To look on the sunny side of everything and make your
optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to
except only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you
are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater
achievement in the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every
living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you
have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong
for fear, too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
- by Christian D. Larson.
NOT AN AMERICAN RACE?
In five generations we have produced on this continent a
race. You think there's not an American race? Its funny. Here
we are made up of every stock in the world, and yet you can tell
an American if you see him on the streets of Berlin or Vienna or
Paris.
What is an American?
An American is a fellow whose
grandfather was a forty eighter who settled in Wisconsin and
married a swede, whose mother's father married an English woman.
Whose son met a girl at collage, whose mother was an Austrian
and whose father was a Hungarian Jew.
And their son in the
twentieth century right now is six feet tall (we are perhaps the
tallest race on earth) goes to a state collage, plays football,
can't speak a word of any known language except American and is
doubtful whether he ever had a grandfather.
This American has several characteristics.
He doesn't like
to take orders. If you speak to him in a friendly way he will
do almost anything you ask him inside reason. If you once get
him into a war he is a good fighter, but he has a very low
opinion of war and except when he is dressed up for a festival
392
of the Elks or the American Legion, a pretty poor opinion of
uniforms. He doesn't like to commit himself to stay forever in
one place.
He is restless and an eager traveler in his own
country or elsewhere if he can afford it.
He is incredible
ingenious. He can devise more ways to save himself work than
any other known race of human beings. That's probably why he
has invented so many gadgets. He will wear himself out playing
golf or tennis or football, but he won't walk to get to the golf
links. He is enormously inventive. This is one of the greatest
races of inventors ever produced. He was born free and he shows
it by the way he moves.
- by Dorothy Thompson.
393
OTHER THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY
MAHATMA GANDI'E SEVEN GEMS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Wealth - with work
Pleasure - with conscience
Knowledge - with character
Commerce - with morality
Science - with humanity
Worship - with sacrifice
Politics - with principle
DEAR ABBY'S NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS
Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and
not set far reaching goals to try to overcome all my problems at
once. I know I can do something for 12 hours that would appall
me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today I will try to
"Most folks are about as happy
be" He was right. I will not
me.
I will chase them out of
happy thoughts.
be happy, Abraham Lincoln said
as they make up their minds to
dwell on thoughts that depress
my mind and replace them with
Just for today I will adjust myself to what is. I will face
reality. I will try to change those things that I can change
and accept those things I cannot change.
Just for today I will try to improve my mind. I will not be
a mental loafer.
I will force myself to read something that
requires effort thought and concentration.
Just for today I will do something positive to improve my
health. If I'm overweight I'll eat nothing I know is fattening
and I will force myself to exercise - even if it's only walking
around the block or using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Just for today I will be totally honest. If someone asks me
something I don't know I will not try to bluff. I'll simply say
"I don't know."
Just for today I'll finally write that letter, make that
phone call, clean that closet or straighten out those dresser
drawers.
394
Just for today before I speak I will ask myself "Is it true?
Is it kind?" and if the answer to either of those questions is
negative, I won't say it.
Just for today I will make a conscious effort to be
agreeable. I will look as well as I can dress, becomingly, talk
softly, act courteously, and not interrupt when someone else is
talking.
Just for today I'll not try to improve anybody except myself.
Just for today I will have a program. I may not follow it
exactly, but I will have it, thereby saving myself from two
problems, hurry and indecision.
Just for today I will have a quiet half hour to relax alone.
During this time I will reflect on my behavior and will try to
get a better perspective on my life.
Just for today I will be unafraid. I will gather the courage
to do what is right and take the responsibility for my own
actions.
I will expect nothing from the world, but I will
realize that as I give to the world the world will give to me.
P.S. Have a happy healthy new year and pray for peace.
Just for today I will do a good deed for somebody without
letting him know if (If he or she finds out I did it, it won't
count).
395
A COLLECTION OF SAYINGS
I've a darling little wife
She's the comfort of my life
And her I'll always will adore
I'm setting by the fire
With my children by my side
What can a poor man ask for more
C.L. Heaton
It is said "The sins of the parents will be visited on the
heads of the children into the third and fourth generation."
We could reverse this and say "The blessing of the parents
will be on the heads of the children unto the third and fourth
generation."
C.L. Heaton
_______________________
Man has three friends on whose company he relies. First his
wealth, which goes with him only while good fortune last.
Second his relatives, who go only as far as the grave and leaves
him there. Third, his good deeds which go with him beyond the
grave.
A saying that was common among us children when we were
beaten in a race for something and we came in last. To show our
feeling of loosing, we would say or shout, "first the worst,
second the same, the last the best of all the game."
I used to have a cook you see
And paid her quite a fee
She was as sweet as she could be
I over stepped my bounds one day
And she up and ran away
Now she is glad to cook for me
For I married her one day
And she now cooks for free
C.L.H.
_____________________
396
Keep minutes of home evening, diary, and record most
important events and past week in the lives of each one of the
family - T. Crosby.
__________________________
Home evening has a promise that most children will not depart
from the church, our most precious jewels are our children.
_______________________
Talk is pretty cheap, action is worth more, gets results.
_______________________
Fathers are the real leaders of the church.
Home teachers
are helps.
All other officers are to help Fathers and Home
Teachers.
-------------------Home teaching is love and caring, not so much giving a
lesson.
________________
Nothing is going to happen until the head makes it move.
Action is the only thing that counts.
_________________
The lifters and the leaners are the two classes of people in
the world. - H.C. Fred R. Mayers
_________________
MIA theme this month: These words open hearts with ease,
thank you and if you please.
__________________
Do it now, don't wait, takes less time.
time for other things.
__________________
Budget your time and responsibilities.
397
Less to worry about,
______________________
Choose well the leaders for your organizations and recognize
the ability of people.
_________________
Scouting - make it apart of our church activities.
____________________________
Is the work you do a challenge or a drudgery.
______________
Do you really communicate with your Father in Heaven.
__________________
There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in
the best of us. That it hardly behooves any of us from speaking
about the rest of us.
_______________________
When praying don't give the Lord instructions.
for duty.
-------------------------If you would not be forgotten
As soon as you are dead and rotten
Either write things worth reading
Or do things worth the writing.
Ben Franklin
________________________
Two little kittens one cold stormy night
Lay by the fire so warm and bright
Soon they began to quarrel
Then they began to fight
Grandma opened wide the outside door
Took the broom and
Swept them both outside.
_____________________
398
Just report
Once there was a little girl
With a curl right in the middle of her forehead
When she was good, she was very very good
When she was bad, she was horrid.
_____________________
Christmas is a coming
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
TAKEN FROM A WARD BULLETIN
We must never become so busy slapping at Mosquitoes that we
walk into the quicksand - R.L. Evans.
The hardest trial of the heart is whether it can bear a
severe failure without triumph - Aikin.
Good men have the fewest fears - B. Over.
Success is never final - Anon.
No one needs a smile so much as the one who has none left to
give - Anon.
____________
Who said it? If you want to keep good neighbors return that
you borrow when you are through using it.
Return it to the
owner in as good condition or better than when you got it with
Thanks.
This includes your brothers and sisters.
_______________________
If you want to be close to your family, spent more time with
your children and give them less money to spend.
_________________
COPIED NOTES
After a bitter quarrel at breakfast the husband and wife were
riding to town in the buggy drawn by a fine team of horses. As
the horses were trotting along Mary said, "John why can't we
travel together like these horses do?
They don't quarrel or
399
fight." John said, "Mary we could, if there was only one tongue
between us."
_________________
Oh the kind things we say to those we love
We have kind words for the stranger
And smiles for the sometime givest
While oft to our own the bitter love
Though we love our own the best
A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content
And help for the cares of tomorrow
But a Sabbath profaned, whatever the gain
Is a sure forerunner of sorrow.
LEGS WHAT WERE THEY
One cool evening two legs sat on three legs eating one leg.
Along came four legs, took one leg from two legs. Up jumped two
legs grabbed up three legs and threw three legs at four legs to
make four legs bring back one leg, so two legs could finish
eating one leg.
Answer:
dog.
One leg of meat, a man, three lagged stool and a
A CHICANO FATHER SAID OF HIS FATHER
I try to keep my eyes open when I see a child of mine saying
something wrong. Making a mistake I speak up. I don't enjoy
what I have to do, it is my job as a Father. "My sons are me, I
know no other way to say it.
My daughters they are not only
mine, they belong to others - to the men they will marry, to the
children they will bring into this world, to our people, Mexican
American."
________________
Bro. William Bennett "A good leader always : 1. visualizes 2.
analyzes 3. organizes 4. departmentizes 5. supervises 6.
energizes 7. spiritualizes his work.
400
________________
A COMMENT
It seems to me that the Government leaders are trying to make
the American people like doggy lambs.
Sucking their rubber
nipples getting everything for nothing, making us so pot
bellied, we haven't the guts to stand on our own two feet like
real American men and women.
Man's answer to poverty is public welfare through food
stamps, loans, guaranteed income, public financed housing and
other things.
The Lords answer is to teach self reliance, to help people
help themselves. Man's answer to the problems of immorality are
birth control pills, homes for unwed mothers, venereal disease
clinics, sex education and divorce counselors.
The Lord's answer is to teach the virtues of chastity, love
and purity. The Lord's approach to problems probably would not
make headlines nor the 6:00 news but, nevertheless, his approach
would solve our nation's problems.
________________________
ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAYS
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You
cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You
cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class
hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You
cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You
cannot build character and courage by taking away initiative and
independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them
what they could and should do for themselves.
___________________
OTHER SAYINGS
If you want your bread to land butter side up, butter it on
both sides.
401
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
In other words keep your values in balance with spiritual and
material things. If you must place one above the other, let the
spiritual be on top.
As the scriptures say, If a man gain the whole world, but
loose his soul what does it profitith him.
One good thing about being deaf you never hear the command of
"retreat" so you just keep going until you have accomplished
your assigned task.
A TERM KINGS X
In some of our games and else where we would use the phrase
"Kings X" which meant everything was to stop as of now. This
could be used if we fell down, shoe came untied, or dropped
something we were carrying or what ever, from being caught or
tagged.
Everyone in the chase was to stand still until the
person got things fixed or in order, then when ready would say
"Broken Loose" and the game or chase was continued.
WHAT AM I
I belong to the U.S., remove one eye and I belong to a horse,
curtail me and I belong to the human race, curtail again and I
am a childs best friend, curtail again and I am best known to
the printer, curtail again and I become invisible.
Answer: Maine.
------------------------You don't look very good to me.
has got and I will have to use you.
But your the best the Lord
__________________________
WHAT WE SENT TO JAMES ROOSEVELT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
It seems like to us the ones who squeal the loudest are the
ones who have the most money or income about loosing a few
pennies.
402
We would like to see all wages from top to bottom frozen
until our nation is out of debt, and law making a balanced
budget a fact each year.
Also that the
companies who get contracts to supply the
Federal Government would sell like they did 60 years ago. Less
than what they sold to the public. But not now. The Government
is rich double the price if we can. Make the government pay
higher taxes. It seems like our officials wishbones are where
their back bones ought to be.
PAYING BILLS
During the depression days of 1930's there was a cattle man
who turned to tourist trade on the Buckskin Mountain at VT Park
by providing horse back trips through the forest to points along
the Grand Canyon. He had quite expensive budget caring for his
horses and those who took the horse back trips. And there was
not always enough money to pay the many bills that keep coming.
He received a rather curt letter from one man demanding his
account be paid up. After a few days the cattle man sent this
letter to the supplier.
"I know our accounting system isn't the best but at the end
of each month we only have so much money to pay our bills. To
make it fair and just to all our creditors. We just write their
names on a slip of paper and put them in the hat, shake it good,
then start drawing out one name at a time until all the money is
used up. If you don't like our method of giving all an equal
chance of getting paid, I won't put your name in the hat.
Sincerely Haden Church.
_____________________
A GOOD WILL GESTURE
One day I was in the grocery store in Fredonia talking to the
manager when a stranger to me came in and offered each of us a
cigar, which is a custom when some special event happens in a
family such as marriage, birth, or other good fortune comes. We
declined the cigars but thanked the gentleman for his offer.
The manager of the store then asked the man, "What is the
special occasion?" His answer, "My daughter has just had a baby
boy." Manager, "And who is the lucky father." Stranger, "We
don't know she just got into a corral with a bunch of boys."
403
REFERENCE MARK
A manager was asked by his laziest employee for a
recommendation for another job. The manager thought all night
for something that would be honest without hurting the young
man's chance. He finally wrote, "You will be lucky if you can
get him to work for you."
404
TALL TALES OF THE WEST
DRINKING WATER
By Hint Silar
One hot summer I was herding sheep down in Tuweep Valley and
ran out of drinking water and there was none to be had closer
than Pipe Springs cattle ranch, 50 miles to the north except the
Colorado river at the bottom of the Grand Canyon a quarter of a
mile below my camp.
The camp rustler had gone to Kanab for
supplies and a 55 gallon barrel of drinking water. He should of
been back three days ago, that is why I ran out of drinking
water.
The only thing I could think of was to take by 55 gallon
water barrel and go down to the river and fill it up but how?
Then I saw a tree growing close to the edge of the ledge, which
I could tie a rope to and I could take the barrel on my
shoulder, slid down the rope to river, fill the barrel with
water and then climb back up. So I gathered up all the ropes in
camp I could find, still I did not have enough to reach the
bottom of the ledge. So took the camp quilts and made them in
to ropes enough to reach the river.
Well down I went with the 55 gallon barrel on my back, using
my feet as a break to keep me from going to fast and burning my
hands.
There I was on the river bank, the water so thick with mud it
would hardly run. So I dug a hole in the muddy river and set
the barrel in it so a little clear stream could run in the
barrel hole. Finally the barrel was full. I put the plug in
the hole, hoisted the 55 gallon of water on my back and started
climbing back up the rope to camp and what a climb. As I came
near the top where the rope hung over the edge of the ledge, I
could see it was about to break, first one strand would part,
then another. Was I scared almost to death because if the rope
broke I would fall into the river and I did not know how to
swim.
I could only think of one thing to do, that was to throw the
barrel with such force and hang onto the stopper and have it
pull me up over the ledge. Just before the final strand of rope
broke, I swung the barrel of water around my head three times as
hard as I could, grabbed the wooden stopper that was in the bung
hole and the momentum of the barrel pulled me up over the edge
of the ledge and I was safely in camp when I woke up from an
afternoon sleep.
405
A LONG JUMP
By Hint Silar
One time when I was riding the cattle range for wild cattle
along the breaks of the Grand Canyon near Mt. Trumble we came up
on a bunch of very wild cattle at the head of Tuweep Valley,
among the bunch was a big red steer. Would judge he weighted
1800 pounds or more, horns three feet long and could run and
jump better than a deer.
As we took after them they started to scatter in every
direction and the boss yelled for us to rope any one we could,
so down came our ropes and a way we went. My horse being the
fastest I took after the wild steer down the Tuweep Valley we
went. Going so fast the steer couldn't make a turn into the cow
trails that lead into the hills and trees, so kept going
straight ahead.
The valley ended on the brinks of the Grand
Canyon, the river half a mile below and a mile across.
I thought surely the old outlaw steer would stop when he came
to the edge of the canyon, but no he just seemed to gather
himself to go faster and as he came to the canyon edge he gave a
mighty jump and across the canyon he went landing just on the
edge of the canyon rock on the south side almost fell back into
the canyon, but managed to pull himself up and took off running
again.
I was going so fast I could not stop my horse so urged him
faster to make the jump, he could made it across if I hadn't
been riding him. So when I saw he was going to fast to get to
the other side we just turned around and came back to the North
side and to safety. And as far as I know that old outlaw steer
is still running south.
CHASED BY A BULLET
By Hint Silar
When we were living on Navajo Mountain one winter the snow
got so deep no vehicle or horse could get out to town and we
were running short of grub. To stay alive we had to depend on
my hunting for wild game, deer, bear and elk. One day I went
out to get some fresh meat on my shelves. An soon found a fat
buck deer that would last us a few weeks.
I hadn't any more
that got the deer skinned and ready to take home, when along
came the game warden, who knew I had been killing deer out of
season and been trying to catch me for several years. It being
so far from town and he did not know just what to do, whether to
tie me to a tree while he went for help or shoot me on the spot
406
as that is what he felt like doing. As I had out guess him so
many times in the past. After talking with him a while I said,
"You can shoot me if you will give me 4 seconds start down this
snow bank. Count three then shoot." I got set, he said go, and
off I went. I heard him say one, two but by the time he said
three and he fired his gun at me I was long gone. Then I heard
a whistling noise that seemed to be following me. Looking back
I could see that bullet headed straight for me. I put on more
speed, then I saw a four strand barbed wire fence right in my
path.
Now what should I do, jerking out my hunting knife,
stooped down and cut all four barb wires in one swift slash
upward and the bullet was getting closer.
Then away I went
again down the snow bank, and I never heard that bullet anymore.
FAST WORK
By Hint Silar
During hunting season and just after the first snow storm
with a foot of more of snow on the ground, I decided to go get
me a big fat deer, so I put on my shoes and headed for the
hills, and the deer country. There was plenty of does and small
bucks around, but I wanted a prize one this year. As I climbed
the long ridge away from my mountain home, I spied the biggest
buck in the country, a quarter of a mile away standing under a
big pine tree. And as it was getting late in the after noon and
I had a long way to go to get home. I shot the deer and took off
on my way to the deer and had it bled, cleaned and ready to go
home when I heard a whistling noise and then a thud into that
pine tree. Looking up just inches above my head I saw that the
bullet I had shot at the big buck deer just getting to where it
had stood.
Another time when I was out hunting deer. I found a extra
large buck, a beauty, spread of horns four feet across. So I
started to stalk him. As he slowly wandered in and out among
the thick pine trees, just keeping out of sight so I could not
get a clear shot at his head. We finally came to a round knoll
and around and around we went.
The deer just keeping out of
sight for a killing shot. Seeing I could not catch up with him,
I decided the only thing to do was to bend the barrel of my gun
the angle of that round knoll. So I found a big pine tree on
which I swung the barrel of the gun and bent it just right. The
next time I saw that deer I fired my gun and that bullet went
407
around that knoll and hit the deer right in the center of its
forehead and what a feast we had.
THE BIG GRIZZLY BEAR
The winter I lived in the north country we ran short of meat
and to restock our supply I took my muzzle loader, as elk, and
deer were plentiful and close at hand.
I did not expect any
difficulty getting the needed meat.
Well for some reason the shot for the gun was not in the
bullet pouch as I expected, so I headed back to the cabin. When
I came face to face with the biggest silver tipped grizzly bear.
His eyes were as red as fire. When he opened his mouth, it was
as big as a number 3 tub. Claws on his feet a foot long and
when he stood on his hind legs he could reach in a second story
window. My he was big and there I was with an old muzzle loader
with only power to shoot with. The temperature was at least 40
below. As we stood staring at each other the sweat came out on
my forehead in great drops, which froze to ice balls. I quickly
pounded in a hand full of power, wiped a handful of those sweat
ice balls, rammed them into the barrel of the gun, took aim at
the bears head and pulled the trigger.
The friction of heat
from the powder and gun barrel turned the sweat ice balls into
water and as it left the end of the gun the temperature froze it
into an ice cycle, which pierced the skull of the bear and the
anger of bears brain melted the ice cycle and that big bear died
with water on the brain.
MR. FLANAGAN
Mr. Flanagan was hired as freight engineer on the Denver Rio
grand railway for Salt Lake City to Marysville, Utah and was
told to make a detail report of any accident he had with his
train.
As time went on he rounded a bend going to fast and
there on the tracks was cow. There was no chance to avoid an
accident of killing the cow.
In his report he made a detail report taking 12 pages and
sent it to the head office. After some few weeks a reply from
the superintendent came, commenting on his thoroughness in the
report but a note saying it was to long to leave out certain
details as they were not needed.
A year went by before another accident happened to Mr.
Flanagan and his train.
This time de derailed a few of the
cars. His report this time was down to six or less pages, he
408
sent to the superintendent. As at first he was thanked for his
timely honest report as to how the accident happened, also a
note to shorten up the details, and send in the bare facts.
Some time later Mr. Flanagan ran his train off the track.
After the wreck was cleaned up and Mr. Flanagans train was again
in operation, he began to worry about his report to the
superintendent. He would write one report then decide it was to
long and then another making it shorter. His final report was
"Off again - on again - gone again - Flanagan."
OLD MOLLEY
There was once long ago in this country a most beautiful
horse called Molley and perfect in shape from head to tail, iron
legs for running, well shaped head showing intelligence, easy to
ride, but had to be told everything she had to do. Sometimes
she obeyed and sometimes not, she just couldn't remember the
commands and what they meant except one.
This Molley always
executed most promptly and that was when her rider said, "Wo,
Molley", she could stop instantly no matter if all four feet was
off the ground. There she would be right up in the air until
she was told to do something else.
One day while out looking for cattle, a large party of Indian
warriors came in sight and seeing the rider and horse they gave
chase. Trying to catch them, but no matter which way the rider
and horse turned there was another war party there to head them
off and as the chase wore on they came near and near to the
grand canyon until there was no escape except over a 1000 ft
cliff. Knowing that the indians would surely kill him if they
ever caught him he decided it would be better to die at the
bottom of the grand canyon out of reach of the indians. He made
Molley jump over the cliff. You know what just before Molleys
feet touched the ground at the cliff bottom, he hollered "Wo
Molley" and sure enough old Molley stopped dead still and no one
was hurt.
But to his surprise a larger war party was there
waiting for him and he was captured and tied up. Waiting till
all the indians got there.
The indians being hungry decided to kill old Molly and have
her for dinner. The rider did not know what to do knowing he
was in for torture and fun for the indians.
After old Molley had been killed and cooked all the indians
gathered around the fire each grabbing a large piece of meat and
the same time took a bit.
Just at this time, the rider of
Molley gave a big shout "Wo Molly" and do you believe it, those
pieces of meat from Old Molly just stopped going down those
409
Indians throats and they all choked to death. That is why the
rider is alive today to tell the story of Old Molley.
410