Monday, November 22, 2021

Joseph and Alice Thalman Farnworth ~~~ From our archives

 

                                            Joseph  and Alice Thalmann Farnworth


 

James Coates Jr.
Born October 12, 1812 in Chesterfield, England
Died June 6, 1865 in Mt. Pleasant, UT

Anne Dutton Coates
Born February 24, 1817 in Chesterfield, England
Died March 16, 1876 in Mt. Pleasant, UT

Joseph Coates Jr. was born in England to Joseph Coates Sr and Hannah Cantrell Coates.

His father Joseph was born May 11, 1777 in Chesterfield England. He passed away April 7, 1852 in Chesterfield England.

His mother Hannah was born January 9, 1780 in Chesterfield England. She passed away January 2, 1848 in Chesterfield, England. Joseph and Hannah were married December 25, 1801 also in Chesterfield, England.

Anne was born in England to George Dutton Jr and Elizabeth Coates Dutton.

Her father George was born April 8, 1817 in Chesterfield, England.

Her mother, Elizabeth was born March 13, 1794 in Chesterfield, England. They were married January 24, 1814 in Chesterfield, England.

Joseph and Anne were living in Chesterfield, England when in 1839 the family was taught the Gospel by Parley P Pratt and Brigham Young, who became their first converts in Chesterfield along with Joseph’s brothers James and John and their families. Every member of the family came into the church willing and gladly. A few years after accepting the Gospel, Joseph’s brother James died and his family remained in Chesterfield, but Joseph and Ann had partaken of that irresistible spirit of gathering in Zion. His brother John also stayed in Chesterfield as he was unable to afford the move. So in early 1847, Joseph, Anne and their three children, Susannah, George and Elizabeth set sail for Zion. (6 children had previously died and were buried in Chesterfield. 4 were yet to be born)

Fifteen years after leaving England, Joseph and Anne found the means to assist his brother John and family to come to American where they came directly to Mt. Pleasant.

After nine weeks at sea, they landed in New York and took a steam ship to Dry Hill, MO where they lived for three years. Their twin sons, Thomas and William were born during this time. In 1852, the family came to Utah with the James J Jepson 2nd Company. After living in Salt Lake City for a time, they moved to Battle Creek UT, now called Pleasant Grove. Here they lived for nine years and were quite comfortable. But Brigham Young called for settlers to go south to Mt. Pleasant or Hambleton as it was called then. The Coates answered the call.

They were received with a hearty welcome and given their allotments of one city lot and 20 acres of land as was stated in the Mt. Pleasant History Book.

Joseph was a large man of stature, weighing nearly 200 lbs. He was a mason and builder by trade. He built many of the towns best homes and structures. Some of those may still be standing. During the early stages of Mt. Pleasant, the homes were all built in the fort.

Life was very rough in Mt. Pleasant during the early years. They had a lot of trouble with the Indians. Many of the settlers were killed, and many fought in the Black Hawk War. The peace treaty to end the war was signed in Mt. Pleasant during this time.

Joseph was appointed to preside over the High Priests on March 25, 1860. He held that position until he passed away on June 6, 1865 in Mt. Pleasant.

Anne passed away on March 16, 1876 in Mt. Pleasant. They are buried side by side in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

On March 4, 1917, an act to pension the survivors of the Black Hawk War was approved. Joseph Coates was named to that even though he had passed away years earlier.

Children of Joseph and Anne Coates were……

Charrlotte,
James
Susanna,
George
Mary Ann,
Elizabeth
Everett,
Joseph
Thomas,
William (twins)
Hyrum Levi,
Eliza Jane
Emaline Ann,
John


George Farnworth

Born January 24, 1818 in Landreton, Lenord, France
Died July 11, 1903 in Mt Pleasant, UT

Susannah Coates Farnworth
Born December 12, 1836 in Chesterfield, England
Died November 2, 1998 in Mt Pleasant, UT

George was born in France, even though he was English. He father was in the English Army and stationed in France at the time of his birth. George had one younger brother, William Richard who was born in Ireland on July 3, 1820. His parents were Joseph and Margaret McBride Farnworth.

Susannah was born in England, the daughter of Joseph and Anne Dutton Coates. She was one of fourteen children. Her brothers and sisters are; Charrlotte, James, George, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Everett, Joseph, John, Thomas and William (twins), Hyrum, Eliza Jane and Emaline Ann.

George was a blacksmith by trade. He married Elizabeth Bustard on June 24, 1840. Elizabeth was born in Sheffield England.

George and Elizabeth heard the Mormon missionaries and joined the church. They had one son, Earl in 1847. That same year, they set sail for America. They lived in St Louis, MO where Elizabeth and their son, Earl passed away in 1849.

George then married another Elizabeth, Elizabeth Hitchins in 1850. Elizabeth was born in Glowschester, England. They did not have any children and on March 7, 1853, Elizabeth passed away in St. Louis.

George came to Utah alone, arriving on July 18, 1853. He was baptized or re-baptized as was the custom back then, on October 30, 1853 in Salt Lake City. Here he met Susannah Coates. They were married on December 12, 1853 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, UT. In 1855, they moved to Battle Creek, UT or Pleasant Grove as it is now called. In 1856, they were called by Brigham Young to help settle a new town called Hambleton or Mt. Pleasant as it was commonly called. They were received with a hearty welcome and given their allotments of one city lot and 20 acres of land. George continued to work his trade of blacksmith. He was know to be “an excellent shoer” by many in the town. He helped keep the oxen and horses shod. George and Susannah had 13 children….

Susanna Ellen
George
Joseph
Samuel
Hyrum
James
Moroni
Rosella Anne
Eliza Jane
Un-named twins who died at birth
Herbert
William R.

In 1860 he was chosen to be on the committee for the 24th of July celebration. During the celebration George gave the two following quotes.

“May the people of Mt. Pleasant, like the parts of a well-made machine, work together”

“May Mt Pleasant be noted throughout the world for ingenuity and industry”

George was very active in both civic and church. Many records are found in the Mt. Pleasant History book. He was a major in the Black Hawk War, sent out to track down Indians. He was one of the first Sunday School teachers in 1865. He was elected first City Recorder in 1868. He was ward choir director, Tithing Clerk and Bishop. Many times he was called to help pioneers coming to Utah. He had to deal so much with the disease Cholera. On one trip so many parents died of Cholera, there were 53 children left for him to find homes for.

George wrote a letter that was published in the Deseret News on March 3, 1871. He said that on an account of a very mild winter, fears of the scarcity of water during the coming summer for irrigation purposes have been very general throughout the Sanpete Valley. But all such fears have been dispelled by the abundance of snow which has fallen during the two or three weeks prior to the date of this letter.
On February 22, 1861, George took a plural wife, Mary Jane Allen. They were married in Mt. Pleasant. George and Mary had eight children, John William, Charles Henry, Nephi, Brigham, George Heber, Mary Violet, Alfred Lorenzo and Susanna. The children from George and Susanna treated these children as their full brother and sisters. They called his plural wife, Aunt Mary.

On August 2, 1884 George was set apart as Bishop of the Mt. Pleasant Ward. In 1890 he served on a committee for an old folk’s party.

When the Manti Temple was completed George began doing for his kindred dead. One day on his was to the temple to do the last names he had, a wonderful thing happened. This is in his own words. This morning about 10:00 while traveling between Pigeon Hollow and Ephraim but the graveyard, I felt a very strange sensation, as I have never before experienced. Under this influence, I went along and as I looked ahead, it seemed that right in front of me there was a vast multitude of men. To the right and a little in front stood a large man, who would weight about 242 pounds. He waved his hand and said, “They are your kindred and we have been waiting for your temple to be finished. We want you to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. You have had the privilege of hearing the Gospel of the Son of God. We have not that great blessing.” Just then I looked at them and saw that they were all men and through it strange that there were no women. I tried to recognize some of them, but knew none. I was thinking, “how can I find out their names?” when it appeared that a voice by me said, “When that will be required, it will be made know.” Just then the tears were rolling down my cheeks and in the humility of my soul I shouted, “God help me. God being my helper, I will do all I can.” It seemed as if the whole host shouted as if one voice, “Amen”. I cried and cried aloud while wiping my eyes and face. After I could control myself, I looked ahead and all had gone. When I got to Ephraim I felt so overcome, I had to tie up my team and rest before I could go to Manti.

When George arrived at the temple, the recorder handed him some sheets of names and said, “Brother Farnworth, these are for you.” The recorder was Moses Franklin Farnsworth. He had just received them from England. Some of the names went back to ancient times. He was their representative, to help them attain perfection. George and his family were faithful in performing the ordinances for them. There were 300-400 names on the list.

George lived a full and productive life. He passed away July 11, 1903, and was buried in Mt. Pleasant.





Alice Thalmann Farnworth
Born March 22, 1866 in Thurgau, Canton, Switzerland
Died September 3, 1953 in Bountiful, UT

Alice was born the 4th of six children to Johanes and Susanna Winkler Thalmann in Switzerland. Her brothers and sisters were;

Robert
Albert
Lucetta
Anna Selina
John Jacob

Her parents were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When Alice was seven years old, she immigrated with her family to America. Her family settled in Mt. Pleasant, UT where a lot of other Swiss immigrants had settled. It was a hard life going up here, but they still loved the town. At the time she was growing up, they still had a lot of trouble with Indians, but it was home to them and they were surrounded by members of their beloved church.

On January 23, 1889, Alice married James Albert Farnworth, Sr in the Manti Temple. This was a wonderful union. Alice had a sister named Lucetta who five years earlier had married James’ brother Joseph. So now, they were not only sisters, but sisters in law as well. Alice and James had three loving children;

Florence Susanna – January 25, 1890 – September 26, 1978,
James Albert Jr March 1, 1893 – February 7, 1975
Estella Lucetta March 8, 1897 – February 5, 1927

Sometime before 1897, Alice, James and their family along with Lucetta, Joseph and their family bought a farm together in West View, a town just outside of Gunnison, UT. Here they raised sheep and farmed.

In 1904, the two families decided it was time to move again. They moved to a large, nice farm in Joseph, Wallow Co, OR. Here they raised hogs and sheep. The farm was beautiful. They really loved it here except for the fact there were no other Mormons around. They would have missionaries every once in a while. Alice would read to the children every Sunday from the bible. Alice and James really felt the family needed to attend church so they decided to sell this wonderful farm and moved to Idaho. The lived in Marysville and Ashton ID for may years. Here they regularly attended church services and were involved in many church activities.

Years later, Alice and James decided to sell their farm in Ashton and move to Woods Cross, UT. Here they continued to farm, raise cattle and sell milk to the local dairy.
A few years later, they sold the farm and retired and moved to Salt Lake City.

James and Alice celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 23, 1939 with a dinner and reception in the home at 567 East 5th South in Salt Lake City which was attended by two of their children, Florence and James, Jr. Estella had passed away in 1927.

James and Alice always went everywhere together. Many people have said that he seemed to rely on her help and suggestions. They were very congenial together. So when James passed away four short months after their 50th anniversary, it must have been very hard on her.

Alice passed away on September 3, 1953 at the age of 88. She was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, next to her beloved James.



James Albert Farnworth Sr.
Born January 14, 1864 in Mt Pleasant, UT
Died May 21, 1939 in Salt Lake City, UT

James was the fourth of thirteen children born to George and Susannah Coates Farnworth. His brothers and sisters were;
Joseph
Samuel
Hyrum
Moroni
Rosella Ann
Eliza Jane
Unnamed twins who died at birth
Herbert
William
George
Susanna

James grew up in Mt. Pleasant, UT. His parents were very poor and did not have the money for a lot of things. They also had a very large family to raise. Many times James and his siblings did not even have shoes. They would wrap sacks around their feet to keep them warm. James helped his parents work their farm a young boy. He would also have to help out his mother with the children. In his teens, he also worked at a saw mill.

He married Alice Thalmann on January 23, 1889 in the Manti Temple. James and Alice had three children, Florence Susanna, James Albert, Jr. and Estella Lucetta. The family continued to live in Mt. Pleasant where James continued to farm and work in the saw mill. After a while, the family, along with James’ brother Joseph and his family decided to move to a small town outside of Gunnison, UT. James continued to farm and began working at another saw mill. He along with his brother Joseph also had a herd of sheep.

In 1904, James, his brother Joseph and their families moved to Joseph, Wallow Co. OR where they bought a large farm together and raised hogs and sheep. James and Joseph had married sisters, Alice and Lucetta, which was one reason they were so close and would move around together. In Joseph, OR, there were no other Mormons so they only ones they ever saw other then the family were occasional missionaries. This was very hard on James. He felt his family needed to attend church. So in 1907, James decided to move to Marysville, ID where he bought a farm. After a couple of years in Marysville, James and his family moved to Aston, ID where he bought another farm. Here, their farm prospered greatly.

James took part in many church affairs. He was very active in the church as was his family. He was very happy he moved his family so they had the influence of other members of his church. The family continued to live in ID, where they prospered for many years. Years later, James and Alice decided to move to Woods Cross, UT where they farmed, raised cattle and sold milk to local dairies.

James retired from farming and bought a home at 567 East 5th South in Salt Lake City, UT. James was a very generous man. James would always help others and give them whatever they needed. James and Alice had a very loving relationship with each other. They were very dedicated to one another.

James passed away at the age of 75 of a heart ailment on May 20, 1939. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Relic Home and Hitching Post


Once Common Hitching Posts Are Now Rare.

A hitching post is a post to which a horse (or other animal) may be tethered to prevent it from straying. 



  • Unfortunately, during World War II, scrap drives resulted in many hitching posts being broken up with sledge hammers for the war effort, as were metal flower urns and garden ornaments. “A renewed interest in hitching posts has led to modern USA reproductions cast from aluminum. Some crude imports are also frequently found.” 

see the same hitchin' post from the street.


 

 



Saturday, November 20, 2021

REX LANE

 Kathy: This is a very good friend of mine who went to North Sanpete for five yrs. I wanted to write something about him as there was no obit or anything. I did not know all he done but he had a impact on the Navajos as he was very active with the missionaries program there. He was married but they divorced and I never knew her. He never knew when he was born h told me this.

Thank you-----------Les Seely

 



Friday, November 19, 2021

The Witchery of Sanpete Words ~~~ by Dorothy Jacobs Buchanan

THE WITCHERY OF WORDS

 Dorothy Jacobs Buchanan Richfield,
 Utah Professional Division Second Place Historical Essay 

During my lifetime, I have always been attracted by words—the wonder of words, the excitement, the impact and possessiveness of words, the pure witchery of words, which Mr. Webster defines as "irresistible fascination." 

My favorite quotation on words is from Lafcadio Hearn, a Japanese-American journalist, and author, as follows: "For me, words have color, form, character; they have tints, tone, personalities* I am affected by the whisperings of words, the eccentricities, the weeping and raging, and rioting of words, the rustling of the procession of letters, the tenderness or hardness, the dryness or juiciness of words—the interchange of values in the gold, the silver, the brass and copper of words."


I am ever grateful for my "Sanpete Words," the words of home, the impressionable words of my youth. Of necessity, I have space to discuss only a few of these words of mine. There are many that could be mentioned. The words I shall speak of here bring clearly defined pictures and impressions to my mind, some amusing, others soothing and gratifying, a few disturbing but tender. I am partial to the catch-in-the-throat words like Hilltop, Horseshoe, Horse Heaven, Fiddlers' Green, and Ras Andersons. Hilltop is a place where the panoramic view appears before us with an impact, especially when traveling southward from Spanish Fork Canyon. Suddenly, the white and blue crest appears above the hill, then in another second, it emerges in its entirety, a resplendent and comforting guardian to most of our North Sanpete valley. When passing at that point, I usually leave my car and take time to view that always stirring and familiar scene.

 This quotation comes to me: 14 "I am the master of all I survey. My right there is none to dispute." The words Horse Heaven seem to whisper to me of some magic sanctuary, a haven of peace and quietude. I have never knowingly seen it, but my mother often spoke fondly of it, which captured my fancy. A scenic spot situated in the east mountains not far from Mt. Pleasant, it was a favorite spot for young people and families to visit and enjoy in past years. Sometimes the trip was made on horseback, but when a picnic was planned, or berries were to be picked, the group usually went in a horse-pulled wagon. Here is an entry made in my mother's diary, dated September 8, 1898: "Today the boys invited us to go berry picking, so eight of us went up to Horse Heaven where we had a nice time. We sang songs, ate melons, grapes, and berries. Then we decorated our wagon with the golden leaves of autumn and started home." 

Fiddlers' Green conjures up a rustling of words—a large lumber dance hall in Moroni. It was easy to reach by horse and buggy, or the new cars that were becoming numerous in the early '20s. The picnic goodies were spread on large wooden tables in a splendid array. Everyone circulated and visited. There was a lot of wholesome laughter. Dance at night ended the festivities.

 I must mention another summer retreat, that of Ras Anderson's. It was a small pond of water surrounded by tall trees. The whole thing is done in bright emerald green in my memory, probably because of the shimmering water that reflected the trees and foliage in sunlight and shadow. A worn sign near the gate announced the name as being "Rainbow Fishery," but to us, it was always Ras Anderson's* I think many of the Mt. Pleasant youth learned to swim in that pond. Two worn, mossy boats were tied up near the shoreline for the purpose of fishing for Rainbow trout. I remember our class going there for a glorious outing on the last day of school. We journeyed down Shady Lane, west of town, amidst a combination of odors—wild roses, intermingled with fresh meadow grass, shiny new green willows that flourished along the stream, plus the usual dust of the road which we did not seem to mind. We sat on the back of a lumbering hay rack and dangled our legs, completely oblivious to the woes of the world. 

Leaving place names, I'd like to mention just three people's names that stir me and are written indelibly in my memory book. Some names are strikingly euphonious, which thought brings to my mind the names of two men—Caratat and Conderset. I have often wondered where their parents found those unusual names. Caratat Rowe, a member of the Mormon Battalion, settled in Mt. Pleasant in or before 1861. He later moved to Mountainville. Conderset was his son. These men were true pioneers who blazed trails, grubbed brush, fought Indians, lived ingeniously, and literally chopped and dug their way to a stable form of living. 

They were often in the company of Peter Gottfredson, a young man who was not afraid to involve himself in the struggle for survival that was necessary for those days of beginnings. He took everything in his stride and many of his experiences seemed stranger than fiction. I think most of us are familiar with Peter Gottfredson's book that he edited and compiled, entitled Indian Depredations in Utah. It is a priceless gift to us; it relates incidents and information that existed in the early years of settlement, largely from first-hand experience or primary sources. Many people had the experiences, but so few of them wrote them down or kept any kind of records. In his introduction to Depredations. Peter Gottfredson said: "I had a companion by the name of Conderset Rowe who could talk the Indian language nearly as well as the Indians themselves. It seemed that he enjoyed the companionship of the Indians as much as he did the whites, which drew me into their company more than I otherwise would have done." 

Because he was a Black Hawk Indian War veteran, Peter Gottfredson was able to spend time in the Soldiers' Home in Sawtelle, California. While there, he decided to write his autobiography for his family. This included a valuable account of his pioneer experiences while living in Sanpete and Sevier Counties. Amazingly, 15 he typed his manuscript laboriously on half sheets of type paper and bound it into a good size book representing hundreds of hours of work. I have been fortunate to read that book, owing to the kindness of Mrs, Adele Jensen, his daughter, who resided in Richfield, I should like to add one word from this Gottfredson book to my list of fascinating words. 

It is a coined word, completely original, and yet imbued with character to fit the situation. It challenges one's imagination. This is the quotation: "In a few days, I was sent over to the Sanpitch River to herd sheep with Cataret Rowe. When it was time to put in the grain, I quit herding and went grubbing and burning brush for Oscar Winters. We camped in a field about three miles from Mt. Pleasant. Our food was mostly, as we called it 'Guttamagrowly. It consisted of hard bread cooked in bacon grease and water. I had an appetite like a wolf and could eat anything I could get and all I could get of it." 

The words and connotations I have chosen continue to be of rewarding interest to me. They are meaningful, nostalgic, and glow with life. They strengthen my appreciation for their "irresistible fascination, "—the Witchery of Sanpete Words.

 1 Lafcadio Hearn by Elizabeth Stevenson.
 2William Cowper. DR. CHARLES H. BIRD, EARLY D











 

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Doyce Lynn Coates ~~~ Lifelong Friend

 

Doyce Lynn Coates

7/23/1945 ~ 11/14/2021

Doyce Lynn Coates, 76, passed away on November 14, 2021 at his home in Mt. Pleasant, UT. He was born July 23, 1945 in Mt. Pleasant, UT to Ray John Coates and Annie Burnside.

Doyce is survived by his wife Gloria J. Coates; his two daughters Laura Coates of Arlee, Montana; Brittany (Mostafa) Sargent-Hassan of the United Arab Emirates; his sister, Cheryle (Chris) Madsen of Syracuse, UT; two stepdaughters, Tina Carter of Las Vegas, NV and Robyn (Preston) Cox of Fountain Green, UT; 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Doyce was preceded in death by his parents, sister Utahna Coates, son Doyce E. Coates (Dec), and stepson Alan Nielsen.

Doyce retired in 1998 after a long career with Questar Gas as the Southern Regional Manager. He was responsible for customer sales, system engineering, construction maintenance, technical service, and community affairs. Upon retirement, Doyce built his current home where he managed Coates Land and Livestock. He was an extremely hard worker and was never more at peace than on his farm or on the mountain. A sheep farmer his whole life, Doyce not only built his own sheep camp but helped many others with their builds. Every Labor Day weekend, you could find Doyce on the east mountain with family and friends at his annual barbeque. Doyce will be remembered as a man of honesty, integrity, and as having a sincere willingness to help those around him; a true Cowboy.

Please join Doyce’s family to celebrate a wonderful man and his great life on Thursday, November 18th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. A funeral for close friends and family will be held on Friday, November 19th at 11:00 am, both at the Rasmussen Mortuary. Burial will be at the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021







 In about 1885, Grandpa Ericksen (Henry Ericksen) and his brother Allif started a meat and grocery store in Mt. Pleasant. Grandpa managed the store while Alif ran the farm and livestock; buying, feeding, and slaughtering for the store. They would notify the townspeople that on a certain day they were going to kill a beef in the evening and bring it to the store the next morning so that people could get a "hunk" of meat.


There were steaks, roasts, boils, stews or hamburger - just a chunk of meat. They would start cutting just the back of the ears and end at the hind shank. all the cuts sold for the same price per pound; whether it was the neck or the porterhouse. Then, to carry it home, the customer whittled a sharp stick, jabbed it in the piece of meat, and went home to mama, to have it prepared for the family dinner. There was no paper, twine or plastic to wrap the piece of meat in.

In 1893, they built their store on Main Street and took in another partner; brother-in-law, Judge Ferdinand Ericksen. The store was incorporated as the Ericksen Meat and Grocery Co. Their store was in a two-story brick building with a full basement. It was considered one of the finest institutions in the community.

Ferdinand Ericksen was a lawyer and occupied three rooms on the second floor for his law practice. The town doctor, Dr. W.W. Woodring, occupied the other two rooms on the second floor.

In 1920, Soren M. Nielson and Uncle Harry, Henry's son, bought the store. Then in 1925, Uncle Harry, bought Nielson's half interest and owned and managed the business alone. Uncle Harry put in about forty-five years operating the store. They did their own slaughtering and feed their own livestock such as hogs, lambs, and cattle. Before the meatpackers came into the state, they shipped out daily loads of dressed meat to Salt Lake City, Bingham, Eureka, and also Carbon County.

During those first twenty years of operation, they started to make their own lunch meats, bologna, minced ham, corned beef, head cheese, hamburger and sausage. But when the big packers came into the state that phase of manufacturing was discontinued. Until 1925 they handled the livestock with a first-class saddle horse. After that, motor trucks and trailers were used to move the livestock between range, feedlot, and slaughterhouse.

Ice was used in the store coolers until 1915 when modern refrigeration was installed. Before that, ice blocks were stored in the ice house under sawdust and used to refill the store's ice about once a week. With the advent of electric home refrigerators, the store discontinued using its own ice supply.

After Uncle Harry sold the store, there has been several companies using the Main Street building, including Al and Naomi Berti's Red and White store, Terrel's Red and White Store.
The Ericksen Meat and Grocery Co. had a lot of competitors come and go, but operated for over sixty-two years. And since 1986 it has been the home of the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid, the local newspaper. And now is the Gun Shop. 

Monday, November 15, 2021

Steve Willardsen on COVID Booster

 


Hi All, I just received my COVID booster shot and my annual flu shot. I may well regret this, but I can’t resist commenting on Facebook. I have now joined with more than 96% of all MD’s across America in being fully vaccinated for COVID!!! As I reflect on my life, I have been vaccinated for Smallpox (Now eradicated due to vaccine), Typhoid, Diphtheria, Polio (Now virtually eradicated due to vaccine), Tetanus, Pertussis, Mumps, Measles, Shingles, Pneumonia, Flu and I am sure others I am forgetting. I might add that many of these received less scrutiny by FDA than the COVID vaccine. During my lifetime, the average life span has risen by more than 10 years in America. It is believed by many that a significant portion of this increase is due to vaccines. I am so grateful for the brilliant scientists that made this possible and stopped so much human suffering. I still recall kids suffering terribly from polio…….believe it or not, some refused to let their kids get the vaccine! Spending my working career in animal agriculture, vaccines have been a miracle in providing wholesome, affordable food to the World. I do recognize that unfortunately and sadly there has been some rare negative effects from ALL of these vaccines.
I think one must also remember that supplements are regulated very little by any government agency. You can almost put dirt in a capsule and at least insinuate that it may help with some malady. Sadly, some of the stuff being sold as a healthy supplement is absolute nonsense. I heard a quote the other day that conspiracy theories kill lots of people. I am grateful I had the opportunity to receive the vaccine and I think it is wonderful it was provided to all our fellow citizens for free. Friends, regardless of your beliefs or individual approach I hope you all stay safe and healthy!

Sunday, November 14, 2021

Keen Kutter Recipes 2

 




We had a bundle of interest in the last posting from Keen Kutters.  So here are some more. 









Friday, November 12, 2021

Photos of Pioneer Day 2011

 


Left to Right:  Brandi Brotherson Shelley, Maren Peel, Elizabeth Peel

Left to Right:  Mr. McArthur (a son of Evan McArthur), Steve Monsen, 
Lois  Phillips Monsen, Mrs. McArthur


Center Front:  Mary Louise Seamons,  to her left, her daughter Debra.  The others are children and grandchildren.

L to R:  Peter Hafen and Francis Carlson
(Peter wears his grandfather Azel Peel's Buckskin suit every year)
L to R:  Darlene Frandsen Blackham greeting Doug Olsen

L to R:  Catherine Hawkins, Kathy Hafen, Roxie Washburn

Thursday, November 11, 2021

OIL PATCH WARRIORS OF WORLD WAR II ~~~Submitted by Larry Staker

 Great history lesson not taught in school.  

Fossil fuels will triumph in the end.        

 

THE OIL PATCH WARRIORS OF WORLD WAR II

 

  Seventy-five years ago this month, a Band of Roughnecks went abroad on a top secret mission into Robin Hood's stomping grounds to punch oil wells to help fuel England's war machines.

  It's a story that should make any oilman or woman proud.

  The year was 1943 and England was mired in World War II. U-boats attacked supply vessels, choking off badly needed supplies to the island nation. But oil was the commodity they needed the most as they warred with Germany.

  A book "The Secret of Sherwood Forest: Oil Production in England During World War II" written by Guy Woodward and Grace Steele Woodward was published in 1973, and tells the obscure story of the American oil men who went to England to bore wells in a top secret mission in March 1943.

  England had but one oil field, in Sherwood Forest of all places. Its meager output of 300 barrels a day was literally a drop in the bucket of their requirement of 150,000 barrels a day to fuel their war machines.

  Then a top secret plan was devised: to send some Americans and their expertise to assist in developing the field. Oklahoma based Noble Drilling Company, along with Fain-Porter signed a one year contract to drill 100 wells for England, merely for costs and expenses.

  42 drillers and roughnecks from Texas and Oklahoma, most in their teens and early twenties volunteered for the mission to go abroad. The hands embarked for England in March 1943 aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Four National 50 drilling rigs were loaded onto ships but only three of them made landfall; the Nazi U-boats sank one of the rigs en route to the UK.

  The Brits' jaws dropped as the Yanks began punching the wells in a week, compared to five to eight weeks for their British counterparts. They worked 12 hour tours, 7 days a week and within a year, the Americans had drilled 106 wells and England oil production shot up from 300 barrels a day to over 300,000

  The contract fulfilled, the American oil men departed England in late March 1944. But only 41 hands were on board the return voyage. Herman Douthit, a Texan derrick-hand was killed during the operation. He was laid to rest with full military honors, and remains the only civilian to be buried at The American Military Cemetery in Cambridge.

  "The Oil Patch Warrior," a seven foot bronze statue of a roughneck holding a four foot pipe wrench stands near Nottingham England to honor the American oil men's assistance and sacrifice in the war. A replica was placed in Ardmore Oklahoma in 2001

  It is by no means a stretch to state that without the American mission, we might all be speaking German today.

  Special thanks to the American Oil and Gas Historical Society.

 

"There are no noble wars, just noble warriors!"