THE PROCTER & GAMBLE OF YESTER-YEAR ~~~Leo C. Larsen Mt. Pleasant, Utah ~~~Saga of the Sanpitch 1981, Senior Citizen Division, First Place Personal Recollection

 

As the correct amount of the "New & Improved" laundry detergent, manufactured by Procter & Gamble, was measured into the automatic washer, I asked myself, "I wonder how and when this giant corporation first began operation?" This opened the floodgate, and childhood memories of long ago came rushing to the present. I recalled the first commercial laundry soap I had seen. It was a sample box that Procter & Gamble had placed in the new electric washing machine that had been delivered to our home a quarter of a century ago. 

Then my mind flashed back to still earlier years when as a self-sustaining family, Mama made our own laundry soap. Soap-making at our house was usually a late spring, once-a-year operation. As a lad, it was my assignment to assist my brother in preparing for this important day. Early in the morning we took the blackened wash tub, hanging on a nail on the side of the granary, and set it on a steel tripod which Papa had fashioned out of a discarded steel wagon tire. This was merely a round iron rim a little smaller than the bottom of the tub. It had three legs about a foot in length which permitted a fire to be built under the tub to heat the contents.

 After this was all in place, a supply of fuel was needed. This we took from our year's supply of kindling that was neatly stacked in the woodshed. We placed it near at hand to be used when all else was in readiness. Mama then assembled the ingredients needed. This included all the unused lard, kitchen grease, and other animal fat that had accumulated during the winter. She carefully weighed it and then measured out the correct amount of water and other ingredients. Then she warned us, kids, to stand back. Apprehensively we watched as she opened the correct number of cans of Rex Lye and carefully poured them into the tub, constantly and gently stirring as she cautiously mixed her special recipe for homemade soap. Then the fuel was placed under the blackened tub and the fire was lighted. The contents of the tub must not fluctuate in temperature. It must not boil too vigorously, nor it must not be allowed to cool. Constant stirring and frequent skimming was necessary to assure that the end product was smooth, clear, and without foreign matter. It was a long, cautious process. 

After hours of careful attention, the solution had become the correct consistency, which was thick and "gooey," and Mama said with a sigh, "It's done! We'll let the fire die out, cover the tub, and let it stand overnight." The next morning the tub was removed from the tripod and turned upside down on a four-foot square board, and the solidified, but soft, contents were removed. This was cut into squares and set on a board in the sun to cure and dry. As a reward for helping Mama, she let us each autograph a bar of soap by scratching our names in one of the squares. To us, it was as great an honor to have our names "engraved" in a bar of Mama's homemade soap as to have had it chiseled in a slab of marble. When the soap was dry, it was boxed and stored ready for use on the weekly Saturday wash day. 

It was my assignment as a lad on that morning to grate a bar or two of this soap into a powder. To do this I used a gadget Papa had made which was a discarded rolling pin with a piece of galvanized tin nailed around it that had been punched full of holes with a large nail. This was placed on a frame with a hopper over it and a crank 40 attached to turn the cylinder. The soap was placed in the hopper; and as the soap came in contact with the sharp edges of the tin, and as the cylinder turned, the soap was grated into a powder similar to today's "New & Improved" detergent and was easily dissolved in hot water. 

These and many other recollections rushed through my mind as I stood watching this "New & Improved" detergent do its duty. I wondered if, in truth, it was any better, or even as good, as Mama's homemade soap of long ago. I wondered again, perchance did a "Johnny Procter's" mother and a "Billy Gamble's" mother pool their resources and expertise in soap-making and form a company to make soap for other people which later became known as Procter & Gamble? If Mama had done this, I wondered what the name of Mama's company would have been. But even so, I would emphatically say today that Mama was the "Procter & Gamble" of OUR FAMILY of yesteryear. 

Source: Personal recollection of the author.

Mansion House Admired ~~~ 1976 ~~~ (From Louise Johansen's Scrapbook)

 

Making News This Week ~~~ Britain Has A New King

 

Teacher Appreciation Week ~~~Jon Hafen

 This last week was Teacher appreciation week, so I want to thank the teachers of NSSD for all that they do for students. Being in the school allows me to see what may be those on the outside don’t see. I can tell you teachers care & give up a lot of personal time for our children. They aren’t paid after 3:30, yet they still continue to work hours beyond this time by helping students after school, & responding to phone calls & messages from parents and students long after they’re home with their own families. They aren’t compensated for the assignments they grade on weekends because students may have turned in assignments at the last minute on a Friday. I can assure you that many are giving so much of their own time to our kids. They care for our kids, they worry about our kids, they devote, sacrifice, & lose sleep at night for our kids. We have good teachers in this district.

Teachers, thank you for your efforts! You are now at the end of another quarter & another school year. Thank you for the things you do when you truly shouldn’t have to. Some of you show a great amount of grace when you accept end-of-quarter work that is actually late & should have been turned in weeks/months ago. That is extremely kind of you! Others of you hold your students more accountable & won’t allow late work from your students. That too should be commended! You’re teaching valuable lessons about accountability & punctuality. No matter which teacher you are in these examples, you care about your students well being & success. Thank You! I personally don’t think we show enough gratitude for all that you do.

Students, one of the best things you could ever do at this crazy time as we close out another school year would be to not wait until the very last second to submit your assignments, (we’re actually already there, but don’t delay any longer) Doing this can be one of the greatest things you will ever do for your teachers, I promise.

Thank you again teachers for all that you do, seriously.

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Funeral Service for Annie Wilcox Madsen (from our archives}

 

You may wonder how the entire funeral was recorded.  Annie's daughter Alice Panier was a court reporter and took the entire funeral down in shorthand.

  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxi4weeKfbhegX6O7QUFA26MyFVKFIXjtLTmOSwDMMbiuieaH5_V9c2mjfFSdtGtszRAcnjd5G_eZefwADpE1fNpDNeOUpT1sWH5zTc_8YppTWvFUNdD8vxfhmzp3P3IWyz3LdpQyXRQ/s1600/Panier,+Alice+reporter.jpg

19th Century Farm and Household Equipment

These photos come from the book:

"History of Andrew and Johanna (Widergreen Anderson) Madsen

written by David Reed Gunderson 

 

Lyle Rigby Prisoner of War in Germany WWII

Still going through my parent's documents.

Lyle Rigby, my dad's brother

Lost in Germany

Kathy Rigby Hafen

 

Uncle Lyle was one of those who dropped from an aircraft

on skis during WWII.  I posted the following a few years earlier.

Sources:
National Archives and Records Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, Victoria State Government, Florida Division of Elections, Transparent California, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Victoria Australia Death Index, 1836 - 1985, Social Security Death Index, Victoria, Australia Birth Index, 1836-1920, Ohio Birth Index, 1908-2011, Missouri Death Index, 1910 - 1963, and California Birth Index, 1905 - 1995.

The full name of this camp is Stalag 6G Bonn Rheinland, Prussia 50-07, and it was controlled by Nazi Germany. The National Archives has records for 468 Allied prisoners held here, 438 of whom were liberated, and 29 of whom did not survive their captivity. Compared to Nazi Germany’s other camps with at least 10 prisoners, Stalag 6G held more than the average number of 86 prisoners. For context, Japanese camps held an average of 65 prisoners.

Additional Details:

• Camp Name: Stalag 6G
• Stalag is an abbreviation of the German word "Stammlager" and was the label for camps that housed non-officers.
• Latitude - Longitude: 50 - 7
• Nearest City: Bonn
• Region: Rheinland
• Country: Prussia
• Location Today: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Redick Allred ~~~ A True Story

 

Mayor Candland Appeals For Interests Of The City (from our archives)

 

Mayor W.D. Candland 

1918

Also see:

1918 flood 

https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=9054792&page=6&q=Mt.+Pleasant+flood&year_start=1912&year_end=1950&facet_type=%22article%22&facet_paper=%22Mt.+Pleasant+Pyramid%22 1918 flood

Home of Claus Anderson and his wife Hannah Jensen ~~~ Researched, Compiled and Updated by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

 

Hans Peter Olsen Family Photos and History

More Photos from my mother's collection. Helen Olsen Rodgers Rigby.

Back Row L to R: Laura, Trena, the others I'm not sure of. Sena was the youngest and so I would guess she is in front second from the Left. 

 

Mary Ann Dallin Wheelock ~~~ Pioneer of the Month May 1, 2023

 
Mary Ann was the wife of Cyrus Wheelock who was Pioneer of the Month, 

August 1, 2008.  Not much was said about his wife Mary Ann.  So now we can

learn more. 

Mary Ann Dallin Wheelock 

ORIGINAL NAME

Mariane Dallen

BIRTH27 May 1831
Devon, England

DEATH13 Mar 1892 (aged 60)
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah,

 USABURIAL
Mount Pleasant City Cemetery

Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, USA PLOTA_ms_109_5

~~~~

Her parents were Tobias Dallin (Dalling) and Anthena Finch.

Mary Ann was the firstborn of ten children.  She was the caregiver in the Dallin family.  Her mother died while the family was still living in England.

 

After her mother's death, Tobias joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

 

 Tobias Dallin moved his family across the Bristol Channel to the area of Newport, Monmouthshire.

 On May 27, 1848, Tobias was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by W. Hemshaw.

 His children who were old enough were baptized in the months that followed: Mary Anne, Thomas, Robert, and Anthea on Oct. 5th and John and William on Jan. 30th of 1849. Catherine is listed as a member of the branch in the Newport branch records, but no baptism date is given for her.

Family tradition says that the Dallin family was converted to the LDS Church by Cyrus Wheelock, who later married Mary Anne Dallin. 

Newport records and the history of a neighbor in Springville who also joined the Church in Newport confirm that Cyrus was a missionary in that area at the time the Dallins were baptized, though he did not personally baptize any of the family. No mention is made of Tobias' wife, Anthea in the Newport records.  

One more child was born after the family moved to this area. Louisa was christened in August of 1849 at Hartland, Devonshire, but Tobias’ residence was listed at Newport in Monmouthshire.  Anthea’s name did not appear on the baptismal record. It is possible that Anthea died just after Louisa's birth.

Anthea was buried back in her birth parish of Clovelly on 24 August 1849.

The four oldest brothers of the Dallin family, John, William, Thomas, and Robert, sailed on the “North Atlantic” from Liverpool on 4 September and arrived in New Orleans on 1 November 1850.  Evidence from genealogical records suggests that the brothers traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in 1851.  However, further research is needed to determine the exact company they traveled with.    

The rest of the Dallin family traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in 1852 with the Abraham O. Smoot Company.  

The brother’s father, Tobias, and the rest of their siblings, Mary Ann, Catherine, Eliza, and Edwin, sailed from Liverpool on the “Ellen Maria” on 10 February, and arrived in New Orleans on 5 April 1852.

Mary Ann's birth and death dates are confirmed by the Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database and Find A Grave website.

Mary Ann married Cyrus Hubbard Wheelock on December 11, 1853. They were the parents of seven children and they were living in Springville, Utah.

 

They moved to Mt. Pleasant, Utah December 1863. Then they moved to North Ogden where Cyrus was called to be a bishop.  At this time Mary Ann taught school.  Then they moved back to Mt. Pleasant.

Mary Ann was a small woman, but a woman of strength, as was displayed in the many trials of endurance faced in her life.  She had a keen mind.  She was able to discern, foresee, and counsel family and friends. Her husband traveled a lot making life difficult and lonely at times. 

Mary Ann passed away on March 13, 1892, in Mt. Pleasant at the age of sixty-one.

Tabias Dallin
Father of Mary Ann Dallin 

Anthena Finch Dallin

Mary Ann Wheelock's Timeline

1831
May 27, 1831
Birth of Mary Ann Wheelock
West Bromwich, Sandwell, UK

June 19, 1831
christened on 6/19/1831
Ilfracombe, Devonshire, England

June 19, 1831
christened on 6/19/1831
Ilfracombe, Devonshire, England
1850
October 1850
Birth of Kate Ethlinda Wheelock
West Bromwich, Stafford, England
1858
1858
Birth of Julian Russell Wheelock
Utah Territory
1861
February 17, 1861
Birth of Cyrus Alberto Wheelock
Springville, Utah, Utah, United States
1863
October 26, 1863
Birth of Marion Ella Wheelock
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah
1865
October 16, 1865
Birth of Hannah Ellen Maude Wheelock
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah

Marian Dallin Wheelock 
Grave Marker 

Cyrus Wheelock is one of my favorite Mt. Pleasant Pioneers 

 

Sanders Saga ~~~ 1981

Have been going through some of my mother's things and found this old Saga.

It had been mailed to my Grandma, Sarah Rigby.  I thought maybe someone 

might enjoy it.  I will include more pages if there is more interest.

Kathy Rigby Hafen

 

Martha Brown Sanders Knight