Saturday, August 23, 2025

REMEMBERED YET ~~~ SAGA OF THE SANPITCH ~~~ VOLUME 27

 REMEMBERED YET

Lousie B. Johansen


Senior Division First Place Poem








An old Snow College yearbook can

Reveal so very much.

About one understanding student

With whom I keep in touch

He was the student body president

in 1933 and 34.

‘Was their representative man

who won honors galore.

He received letter in football

for being an effective end.

Music awards in the orchestra,

singing and band.

He sang as a soloist

and in quartet.

Some students may be forgotten,

But Gerald Ericksen is remembered yet.

Personal Acquaintance,

Snow College Year Book---1933-34

Friday, August 22, 2025

ELISHA KEMBUR BARTON AND HIS WIFE CELESTIAL ELIZA McARTHUR BARTON (from our archves)

 






Celestial Eliza McArthur got the name "Eliza" from her mother, Eliza Rebecca Scovil, who had been named for her Mother's first cousin, Eliza R. Snow. Celestail's grandmother, Lury Snow, was daughter of Franklin Snow and Lydia Alcott. Franklin was a brother of Oliver, father of the prophet of Lorenzo Snow, and his sister, Eliza R. Snow. Celestial Eliza McArthur, daughter of Duncun McArthur an Eliza Rebecca Scovil, was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah, on February 10, 1860. She was the oldest of four daughters in the second family of Duncun McArthur, three of whom lived.
Duncan McArthur


There had been fourteen children in the first family, five of whom lived. Grandmother was actually part of four different families. She was half-sister to her father's first family; to her step-father's family by his first wife; and to his second family by her mother as well as being a member of her father's second family. Since she as the oldest in a large family, she grew up used to responsibility and hard work. Her step-father, Washington Perry McArthur, who was also her half-brother, was first counselor to Bishop W.S. Seely when the first ward was organized in Mt. Pleasant in July 1859. He was also active in the town government. Elisha Kembur Barton, son of John Barton and Susannah Wilkinson Barton, was born December 22, 1856, in Bountiful, Davis County, Utah. He was the youngest child in a family of eight children--four boys and four girls.


The other children--in order of their birth--were: Mary Catherine, William Gilbert, Elizabeth Jane, Phebe Elen, John Oscar, Emely Alice, and Sylvester Aaron. At age 16, Celestial married Elisha Kembur Barton, age 20, son of other early settlers in Mt. Pleasant, John Barton and Susannah Wilkinson. They, too, had joined the saints form Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the early days of the Church, and suffered persecutions and hardships before coming with the company led by Brigham Young across the plains to Utah. IN 1850, Brigham Young asked the Barton family to settle in Bountiful, Davis County, Utah, near Salt Lake City. They lived there nearly ten years, during which time their three youngest children were born, including Grandpa Elisha K. Barton, their youngest.
John Ivie 

After John Ivie of Mt. Pleasant met and married Grandpa’s (Elisha’s) oldest sister, they decided water was more plentiful in Mt. Pleasant, and that farming would be better there. They came there in the year 1860. Most of the people were living in the fort then. Mt. Pleasant had been settled only a year. Celestial Eliza McArthur and Elisha Kembur Barton were married on the 29th of November, 1876, in Mt. Pleasant. They went to Salt Lake City and were married, or sealed, in the Endowment House, a little over a year later, on March 14, 1878. They made their home in Mt. Pleasant.

 For a while they lived on Main Street, until they moved down on the 20 acres of farmland, where they stayed for several years. Later, when their family was larger, they built a large red brick home close to the center of town, on e block east on Main Street. The children helped with the building of this home. They stayed there until their children were grown, and and until both of them passed away. 

I will describe it as I remember it. The Plan of this home was a good for the rearing of a large family. There was a huge square kitchen on the southeast with a handy little pantry just off the south side. A nice south window let in sun just about the sink in this well-arranged pantry, where Grandma kept her dishes, utensils, and equipment for cooking. A small, but complete bathroom was just off the kitchen in the southeast corner, and a big window, which was on the east, gave them lots of sunshine. There was a large dining room, which was used more for a living and sitting room than anything else, on the west side of the kitchen. We would call it a family room today. A large bay window on the south side of this room was always filled with beautiful green plants, ferns, and flowers. There was a parlor on the northwest, and a bedroom on the northeast. The parlor contained a piano and an organ, which were used frequently by this music-loving family. On the west side of the dining room was a porch that led to lawns and fruit trees surrounding the house. 

There was a huge garden spot, and a place for cows, horses, chickens, and pigs. Leading from the kitchen on the north was a hallway which led to the upstairs and to the basement room. The upstairs had three large bedrooms and a balcony porch off on of them, on the west side. These rooms were not only used by the children, but by relatives, and guests. The basement room, well finished with brick, was a good, cool, place for the storage of fruits, vegetables, and meats. The walls were flat rocks. 

Thirteen children were born to them--six boys and seven girls. They were-- in order of their birth--Offa Celestial (who died when she was fourteen months old from choking on a pit), Alice Loretta, Kembur LeRoy, Henry Lawrence (my father), John Amos, Noah (who died two days after birth, from an overdose of paregoric), Eva Eliza, Williard “W” (named from a story in the “Juvenile Instructor”), Lloyd McArthur, Hazel Ermina, Sarah Elizabeth, Susan Mildred, and Grace Adelaide. Shortly after Kembur and Celestial were married, he took a load of wheat to Salt Lake in a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen. Then he bought a charter oak stove, which was about half the size of an ordinary cooking stove of later days. They considered it very fine. Cedar wood, from the cedar hills, was used to burn in it. There was no coal then. People hauled wood all winter long, while the snow was deep. They pulled trees down with oxen, or cut them down. Sylvester and Kembur had their farms together, and worked together for years, until Kembur’s boys, Roy, Lawrence, and Amos, became older, and wanted their farm separate. 

Grandpa Kembur Barton was a good farmer and stockman and a very hard worker. He is always had a nice herd of cattle. Like the Bartons before and after him, he loved good well-bred horses, and always kept an excellent team. For seven generations, the Bartons had been farmers. At one time, Grandpa owned a large sheep herd, but sold it and went into the creamery business. He and his family gathered milk and cream all around town. Celestial, first person at the left in row three, is shown with other members of the “Sunshine Club,” an organization similar to the Relief Society.
Sunshine Club


Retty is second to the right of the man in the back row. The third child from the right in the first row looks like Grace. Grandpa was a short, stocky-built man, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with black curly hair, and grayish blue eyes. He was a natural-born musician. After hearing any tune two or three times, he could play it well on his accordion. He played his accordion frequently for the old time dances they had. He also played the harmonica, and chorded on the organ for the whole family to gather ‘round and sing.’

 They had many happy times together as a family. Most of the children were talented in music. All of them had the natural talent to sing well, as did their mother. Willard stood on the stage when he was three years old, and played tunes on the harmonica. Perhaps the thing I remember most about family gatherings was the brothers and sisters gathering around the piano and singing many beautiful songs. I love the harmony and the rich soprano voices. 

Briant Jacobs told me some time ago how he remembered my Grandmother and the way she bore her testimony in the ward. She would go up to the piano, pick up the hymn book, and sing a favorite hymn, then return to her seat without saying a word. One hymn that she sang was “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” Grandma proved to be a wonderful homemaker and helpmate. She was very skillful and economical at managing the home under any conditions. She was an excellent cook, housekeeper, and seamstress. 

The whole house reflected not only good housekeeping, but the expert handiwork of Grandma and her girls. There were nice covers on the couches, beautiful cushions, and a general feeling of comfort and well-being, as well as orderliness throughout the house. Grandma seemed to possess an ability to make little go far. She made several hundred quilts, which were skillfully done, from scraps of material. She did a great deal of sewing of clothing and other articles. She was efficient in all that she did, and could accomplish a great deal of work in a minimum amount of time. Many people have told me that she could whip up a meal faster and better than anyone they had ever seen. Grace said that she never saw her mother come to the breakfast table without her hair combed and a clean apron. 

Every tramp that came into town stopped at Grandma’s house to be fed. SHe would fix lunch for them while they chopped an armful of wood. Grandma kept boarders part of the time to help feed the family. She and the family sold butter and milk. The children used to pick and help dry apples up at Aunt Lib’s (Libby Everett, Will Everett’s wife) for their family and Aunt Lib’s. They took care of lodge halls also.

 Grandma spent part of her time as a nurse caring for the sick people around town and she went over to the Jacobs family (just through the block) who were all down with flu and helped them. She also helped to bring Dr. Bryant Jacobs into the world. When his mother was having a difficult delivery, Grandma retired to an upstairs bedroom to pray, and came back down to complete the delivery. Everything went better after that and Sister Jacobs was able to successfully deliver her youngest child. Another time when she was riding with President and Sister Jacobs to the temple, the car broke down, and Grandmother went over in the sagebrush and knelt pray. She returned to the car and said, “Let’s go.” They all got in and the car worked fine. Every day she combed her invalid neighbor’s hair. This was Mrs. Hannah Reynolds. Every time she baked, she sent her a little cake or pie. 

About 1900, the family considered moving to Canada to live. On April 9, 1903, Grandpa Barton, and two of his sons-- Lawrence and Amos-- with Ossy Barton and his family, left for Canada. When they left, all that they owned in Mt. Pleasant was promised away. With a company of 17 men, cattle, horses, and car loads of furniture, they traveled to Canada--to Lethbridge, Alberta. When they reached there, they stayed with a Mrs. Heninger, who wa Oscar Ivie’s sister. 

After three or four months stay, they bought a place west of Raymond. In May, a terrible storm arose, which lasted three days and nights. Half of the cattle were lost in the storm. Some were found in the mountains. A bit discouraged, but still determined, Grandfather Barton returned to Utah to get his family and to go back to Canada. Amos became homesick while waiting, and also returned to Mt. Pleasant. Lawrence stayed there (in Canada). On November 9, 1903, after his return, Kembur Barton died suddenly from a quick stroke and heart attack while doing the chores at his home. From then on the older boys, Roy and Lawrence, helped run the farm, and Grandma carried on hearing her family alone as a widow. 

The family did not go to Canada, but stayed in Mt. Pleasant. After Grandpa’s death, Grandma helped clean the sacrament cups each week, and applied the labor on her tithing, which she always paid. Aunt Grace and all helped. I remember Grandmother Barton very well. I think her most outstanding quality was her “serenity.” She did not say much, but was always calm and patient. Her hands were always busy. Around her was order, cleanliness, good food, and cheerfulness. I never saw anything in her house untidy, although there were always relatives there. She is no longer with us, but her spirit continues to influence our lives, and “the ears of the children are turned to those who gave them life.” By June Barton Bartholomew



Thursday, August 21, 2025

THREE CLASSMATES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY ~~~ Too Many Too Soon

 




Sally Vee Tippets

December 6, 1947 — November 29, 2024

Kaysville, Utah

In the early hours of November 29, 2024 shortly after midnight, Sally Vee Tippets (née Anderson; born: December 6, 1947 in Salt Lake City, UT) bravely let go of her body and crossed through the veil at the age of 77 in Layton, UT. 

Though death is a journey we face alone, vigil was held on both sides. On this side, by two of her faithful daughters and, on the other, by her loved ones who have already crossed over. These include her husband Terry Lynn Tippets, her parents, and many others. Although the bulk of the work was in her hands, she was never alone on her journey.

For those who knew her, forgetting her is literally impossible. The immensity of her heart and spirit was the first thing one noticed about her, the second her fiery red hair, followed closely by her intense green eyes and her bewitching smile. 

When Sally got her heart set on something, nothing could stop her. Her brother taught her to read at the age of three and from then on she was a force to be reckoned with. She skipped grades in school while growing up in Wales and Spring City, Utah, graduated at seventeen and then went to college, where she obtained her Bachelor’s. Eventually she met her first husband, Calvin Grotepas, at the publishing company Deseret Press, where she was a typesetter and he ran a printing press. 

She was a hopeless romantic and fell in love at first sight, and eventually landed him—because she was that unstoppable. Five daughters later—all given the most romantic names she could possibly think of (French)—she once again harnessed that unsinkable-Molly-Brown nature and divorced Calvin in 1987, when divorce was almost unheard of, to save herself and her kids. 

At the time, she ran her own type-setting business, Characters, Inc, in Salt Lake City, while balancing the responsibilities of raising five daughters and somehow never faltering. During this time, she kept close ties with her mother in central Utah, and her sister, Linda, who lived next door. Together, Sally and Linda managed to raise what felt like forty thousand kids, many animals, and even a slew of bees. 

A year or so later, she met the love of her life, Terry, with whom she eloped in 1988. They shared a mutual love of reading and the arts of all kinds. They were both passionate about family, hardback books, and drives through the mountains on Sundays after a big family dinner. They were mad for the opera and ballet and they both loved friendly competition over who would get to read the newest Terry Brooks book first. They were always going to run away together, and eventually they did, when all the kids were grown up and had moved out of the house.

Sally will be sorely missed. We believe that she is now with her deceased family, including her husband of 32 years, Terry Lynn Tippets, her mother, father, and three brothers. She will never be forgotten by her eight children: Kelly (Mark), Danielle (Jason), Nicole, Anjanette (Nathan), Lynn (Melissa), Jana (Brett), Cassi (Aaron), and Leslie (Justin). She will also be remembered by her sister, Linda (Larry) and her 6 children, as well as 22 grandchildren. 

A preliminary viewing will be held on Thursday, December 5th at Russon Brothers in Farmington (1941 N Main) from 6 - 8 pm. Another viewing will take place on Friday, December 6th at the LDS Church in Kaysville (1449 S Thoroughbred Dr) from 9:45 - 10:45 am. After a family prayer, services will commence at 11 am, followed by the graveside dedication at 12:30 pm in the Farmington City Cemetery (500 S 200 E). 

~~~~~~~~~~



Diane Patrice Jensen

December 31, 1946 — July 26, 2025

Diane Patrice "Pat" Downard Jensen was born December 31, 1946, in Spring City, Utah, to Judith Renee Pedersen Downard and Joseph Coyde Downard. She was the third of four children and enjoyed a very happy childhood in Spring City, surrounded by her family and many dear cousins and friends. She graduated from North Sanpete High School and went on to become an exceptionally gifted seamstress, working in various sewing plants for 35 years.

 

Pat married Larry Jensen on June 26, 1971. Together, they raised two children, Angela and Jeff, who were the center of her world. Pat’s greatest ambition was to be a mother, and she excelled in that role. Her home overflowed with love and her children always knew they could count on her for anything. Times were often difficult and she would sacrifice or go without so that she could give her children the things they needed. She used her sewing talents to make most of her family’s clothing by hand, including beautiful dresses for her daughter, and western shirts for her husband and son. Every Christmas, she created matching outfits for her daughter and her dolls, and each Halloween, her children wore the most imaginative costumes, always lovingly sewn by their mom. As her children grew into adulthood, Pat became their best friend and confidante throughout the entire rest of her life.  Through her example, she taught her children to be loving, kind, compassionate, and selfless. She was also incredibly patient, a virtue her children are still working on. 

 

Pat lived for her family; she didn’t want to leave us. She shared a special bond with each person in her life, and especially with her grandchildren. She wasn’t just a grandma—she was a best friend, a secret keeper, a playmate, a late-night movie buddy, and a quiet, steady comfort in hard times. She gave her love freely and completely, and made sure they each knew just how much they mattered.

 

Outside of her family, Pat’s greatest passion was reading her beloved romance novels, and she always carried one with her. Even when an eye condition left her nearly blind in the last 15 years of her life, and made it impossible for her to continue reading, she just adapted and replaced her romance novels with romance movies.

 

Pat was kind to everyone and she had the biggest laugh in the room. She made you feel better just by being near her. Kind, gentle souls like Pat are very rare. If there were more like her, the world would be a better place. She was our steady rock, our very best friend, and the heart of our family. We will carry her love with us always.

 

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Joe Downard; and sisters, Jane Spicer and Wendy Clark. She is survived  her children, Angela (Jason) Johnson and Jeff (Deziree) Jensen; grandchildren, Rhett, Noah, Beau, and Sophi Johnson, Isabella (Dylan) Green, and Leif and Ada Jensen; great-grandchildren, Adysin and Dallin Green; sisters-in-law Judy Fowles, Merlene Peterson, and Marilyn Jensen; brother-in-law Bob Clark; and many nieces and nephews.

~~~~~~~~

 


Linda Zabriskie Obituary

Linda Zabriskie
1946 ~ 2015
Linda Muriel Zabriskie, 69, passed away December 26, 2015 due to a massive stroke, surrounded by loved ones. She was born December 12, 1946 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah to William Marland and Maxine Maxwell Zabriskie. She attended Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, North Sanpete Junior High, and Wasatch Academy, where she excelled in academics and was double promoted, graduating High School a year early in 1964. She is a former Miss Mt. Pleasant and attended Snow College where she was Editor of the Snow Drift and runner up to Snow Queen. While at Snow she met Harlo Newton. They were married in 1967 and later divorced in 1980.
She graduated from Utah State University in 1968 with a Bachelor's Degree in English and Minor in French. She taught at Delta High School, Wasatch Academy, North Sanpete High School, Beaver High School, Milford High School, Roland Hall, and 20 years at Kearns High School. She found her true calling in teaching and touched many lives over the years. She continued her studies, switching her focus to United States History, and received her PhD from the University of Utah at the age of 66, showing her passion for life-long learning. She was proud of her history with Wasatch Academy and received academic accolades for her research paper while in graduate school about the history of Wasatch Academy. She also contributed to the book "Presbyterians in Zion: History of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Utah," writing a section about the history of the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant, for which she held a special affection. She was active in the Democratic Party in the 70s and supported many liberal causes throughout her later years.
Linda excelled at everything she did - an excellent cook and housekeeper, a woman of impeccable taste and extraordinary intelligence. She was proud of her family and especially adored her grandchildren who called her "Mimi."
Linda's family would like to thank the West Jordan Emergency Response team and the caring staff at Jordan Valley Medical Center for their compassionate care, especially nurses Ashton and Teresa and Dr. Reiser.
She is survived by her son Patrick Newton of Salt Lake City, daughter Nicole (Gavan) Holmes of West Jordan, sister Mary Ellen (Orson) Cook of Moroni, brother David (Cindy) Zabriskie of Farmington, New Mexico, grandchildren, Madison and Jackson Holmes and a grandson on the way.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

CANDACE ISABELLE WILCOX IVIE

 






Name:
CANDACE ISABELLE WILCOX IVIE
Birth:1/1/1871MT. PLEASANT, UT
Death:12/14/1947BNTFL, UT

Relations

Father:Joseph Wilcox
Mother:Candace Blanchard Rowe

Burial Information

Burial:12/17/1947Bountiful City Cemetery, Bountiful, Davis, Utah, United States
Grave Location:B-E-48-6
Headstone Transcription:
Headstone Material:
Headstone Condition:
Date Inspected:
Stone Carver:

information taken from below: 

http://www.namesinstone.com/ViewMap.aspx?deceasedId=372835

Details For Marriage ID#246502
Groom Last Name:IVIE
Groom First Name:Justin T.
Groom Residence:Mt. Pleasant
Bride Last Name:WILCOX
Bride First Name:Belle C.
Bride Residence:Mt. Pleasant
Place:Manti
Date:17 Apr 1895
County of Record:Sanpete
State:Utah
Volume:3
Page:
The above information can be found:  http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/westernStates/westernStatesRecordDetail.cfm?recordID=246502

Monday, August 18, 2025

SALT OF THE EARTH ~~~ GORDON B. HINCKLEY ~~~1948

 

Gordon B. Hinckley

Salt of the Earth by Gordon B. Hinckley

THE CHURCH NEWS, SEPTEMBER 15, 1948 Salt of the Earth: Fruits of Bitterness, Hate Are Eternal Salvation for Many By Gordon B. Hinckley It is a remarkable thing that in the case of Adolph Merz the fruits of bitterness and hate have become eternal salvation for scores now living and for thousands of the dead. For this quiet, inconspicuous man was, as a child, torn from his mother so that he might not become a Mormon; yet he not only became a member of the Church but he has done missionary work, both for the living and the dead, that is almost without parallel in our time. He was born seventy-nine years ago in Zurich, Switzerland, where hatred for the Mormons knew few bounds. With the death of his father, the Merz family became the victims of that cruel bitterness. The mother needed a little assistance, and the community answered with an order that her two eldest children should be placed in an orphanage lest they grow up to become Mormons. Adolph was nine, his sister eight. There was no recourse. When the mother was afforded an opportunity to go to America and requested that her children be permitted to go with her, the official replied, “You are a Mormon. You can go, but you will have to leave your children.” It is easy to imagine that in that dark hour she must have known something of the heaviness of Abraham’s heart when he was commanded to offer up as a sacrifice his son, Isaac. But she left in the faith that somehow in the providence of the Almighty the family would again be reunited. It goes without saying that those were hard days for the orphaned boy. The impress of those years probably accounts for the quiet manner of the man today. He was apprenticed to learn the marble cutting trade, but always care was taken to see that he was kept away from members of the Church. But as he grew he came more and more to appreciate the quality of his mother’s sacrifice, and when he was released from the jurisdiction of the orphanage he determined to find out for himself the truth of the philosophy for which his mother had paid so heavily. The result was that he became active in the Church, and at the age of nineteen, while he was yet a priest, he was called to serve a full-time mission. When the authorities learned of what he was doing they were infuriated. Seven years in the orphanage had been in vain so far as indoctrinating him away from Mormonism. He was arrested and tried, but without avail. When released from his mission, he was penniless and threadbare. Then to his room one day came an aged woman, a member of the Church. “For twenty years I have tried to go to America,” she said, “but I have never been quite able to make up my mind. Now I am old. Here is the money I have saved for the trip. You take it and go to Zion.” Tears and rejoicing were unrestrained when the boy’s mother again put her arms around him after eleven years of absence. When he had been taken from her he was a child. Now he was a man, but her prayers had been answered. And through his efforts, his sister was able to come to America. To this reunited family the valleys of the mountains were verily Zion. In the spring of 1890, Adolph Merz married Ida Rutishauser. They had lived within thirty miles of one another in Switzerland, but had never met before coming to America. A few years following their marriage he was called to a second mission which lasted from 1897 until 1900. Eight years later he returned again to Switzerland and Germany, and remained there until 1910. During both of these missions, his wife worked at home to sustain him. In the course of these missions, he was banished from Germany on three different occasions, under severe penalty not to return. But each time he risked imprisonment to preach the gospel. While serving as president of the Frankfurt-on-Main conference, he took two new missionaries to police headquarters for registration. The police commissioner called him into a private office. With fear in his heart that he was detected, Elder Merz expected the worst. The man reached in his desk drawer, and to the Elder’s surprise took from it a copy of the Book of Mormon. “I have read part of it,” he said, “and I know it is the truth.” “Then why don’t you join the Church?” the Elder countered. The man then explained that he could not afford to lose all that he had and become a Mormon. He then went on to explain that he knew who Elder Merz was and of the banishment decree against him, but told him that neither he nor the other missionaries had anything to fear in that district. Following his return to Mount Pleasant, Utah, Elder Merz was sustained as bishop, and shortly thereafter as president of the North Sanpete Stake, a position he filled with honor for eight years. But by nature, he is not robust, and his health broke under the heavy responsibilities. He was asked by the General Authorities to fill a mission at the Salt Lake Temple. That was twenty-five years ago, and he has been there ever since, for several years as supervisor of the archives. This work was confined largely to his daytime hours, and for more than seventeen years, he served also as president of the Liberty Stake Mission. It has been said that for nearly every year during that period, the missionaries under his direction brought more people into the Church than were converted in any of the full-time missions. That example gave great impetus to local missionary work in the Church. Not satisfied with their labor among the living, this man and wife have never rested in their work for the dead. Since their marriage fifty-eight years ago, they have labored continuously at genealogical and temple activity. Assisted by good friends, they have completed the record of fifty thousand of their kin and have completed work in the temple for them. They have never computed the cost in time and hard-earned dollars, but they know that in the aggregate it has been tremendous. The years have now come upon them. At best they cannot be very far from the other side. And in talking with them about this magnificent labor of love, one feels that when they pass over to the other side, there will be a tremendous welcome awaiting this quiet man and woman, while thousands of others who sought instead this world’s honors are largely forgotten and disregarded.