Joseph Moroni Jensen

  Generelle notater:

Joseph Moroni Jensen Compiled by Phyllis (Jensen) Butler

Compiled from interviews conducted by Ethel J. (Chamberlain) Jensen and Phyllis (Jensen) Butler
with Ethel's original notes types by Audrey (Jensen) Garner, and computerized in 1999 by LaMar’s children.

I was born August 27, 1888 in Pleasant View Weber County, Utah the eight child of James and Karen Sophia (Hansen) Jensen who had emigrated from Denmark following their conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1897 when I was nine years of age, William Ellis published a little booklet about Pleasant View called "Pocket Magazine" Vol. 1, No. 1, May, 1897 and published in Ogden, Utah. In it he describes Pleasant View in a letter addressed:

Dear Judge: Pleasant View, Utah 3/25/1897
A ride on the motor or a drive northward from Ogden of eight miles brings you to Pleasant View, a suburban town of the "Junction City" which is all and more than implied by its name, as it is beautifully and commandingly seated on the flank of the Wasatch Mountains, from which its overlooks an empire of orchards and fruitful fields that reach to the water's edge of Great Salt Lake a stupendous and superb sheen to the west, which is shrouded in mystic romance. Whilst the mountain on whose side its rests, climbs upward from the town's back door to such a height that it invites and eternally entertains snow.
Pleasant View and vicinity are famed for their fruits and because the product of vine and tree mature considerably sooner than they do a few miles further north. Reason for this partiality of nature is voiced in the fact that the community's location at the center of a half crescent circling to the northwest shields the place from the north winds, the sun the while warming the fruit into premature ripening. This of course would not be so were the soil not exceedingly rich and rendered pregnant with proper tilling and irrigating. Pleasant View while a tiny town is an important fruit and grain center as well as shipping point. It is only a long step from the Utah Northern railroad and that step can be saved if you wish, by boarding the motor which passes through Pleasant View goes straight to the depot at the renowned Utah Hot Springs two miles distant---miraculous pools of water to whose divine gifts thousands owe restored health---especially those rheumatically or pulmonarily inclined. ***
The population is 360 souls *** indeed its society wears a refined air and it is quite a cultured center, the town enjoying the distinction of having furnished more public educators than any town in the county, outside Ogden, or of its size, in Utah. ***
The price of land is and around Pleasant View range from $25 an acre for gazing land to $250 per acre for first class fruit lands.
The town enjoys a daily mail service and has telephonic communication with the outside world. ***
The first public school in Weber Co. was started in Pleasant View.

Mr. Ellis titled the series of letters in the Pocket Magazine "Lost Letters of Col. Sago West, of New York to Judge Reasoner, of Boston.

Earl B. Cragun in his Master Thesis "A Type Study of Community Backgrounds for Education in Pleasant View, Weber Co., Utah" gives other interesting facts about early Pleasant View:

Indians pitched their tents and found food in Pleasant View long before the first trappers, explorers or pioneer settlers arrived. Many relics found indicate some may have at one time lived here for extended periods of time, in fact older residents remember them staying all winter on Bailey's Hill. The many springs of water together with good feed for ponies and hunting nearer the mountains offered the necessary incentive for Indians. The Hot Mineral Springs to the west was the scene of periodic visits by various Indian tribes. This hot steaming mineral water was accepted by them as possessing supernatural healing powers.
For the most part, however, especially during and since pioneer times, this community has served the Indians mainly as a stopping place while en route to their summer hunting areas. Each spring and fall thousands of Indians passed through Pleasant View. They would camp at various sites: Cutler's, Ferrin's, in the meadows and at the east end of town. Plenty of water to drink, sagebrush for firewood and feed for ponies were found at these locations.

Probably the most common tribe that came regularly through Pleasant View, as remembered by Rufus Rhees, was a Ute tribe, led by Tobe, their chieftain. While camped they visited every house in the community and begged for something, especially food. They would eventually move up through North Ogden Canyon to Ogden's Hole to fish and hunt during the summer. On their return in the fall they camped again in Pleasant View and dried fruits to take along to eat with jerked meat. *** George Humphrey related that both he and his sister, Bertha, well remember Indian faces peering in the windows and prowling around the house at night. Indians every fall camped on the hillside northward in the Humphrey and Rhees fields. Their wigwams thickly dotted that area. They would steal from the granaries and pick up other things at night belonging to the settlers.

As a youngster I remember running down to the highway to see the Indians pass. They had two long poles extending from their horses to the ground loaded with their earthly possessions. They also camped under a large cottonwood tree across the road from the Rhee's. It was an exciting event when they moved through our town.

While working in my fields, I have found Indian grinding stones and arrows. In face just this spring (1974) I picked up an arrow in back of the one room home where I was born. Phyllis in the 1960's picked up an arrowhead on the hills above Pleasant View, so they can still be found.

Gypsies also made annual visits to Pleasant View. They were considered much more undesirable than the Indians, because no one could trust them. They also canvassed the town. They were a colorful group. The big cottonwood tree across from the Rhees's was one of their favorite camping sites. They also camped by the flowing well on the main highway at the North Ogden Intersection. The big cottonwood tree was eventually removed to discourage them from camping there which it did. I remember them as late as the 1930's.

On the 31 October 1887, my father, James Jensen, purchased a 15 acre farm from Hyrum and Jannetta Brown of Eden, Utah in Pleasant View, Weber county, Utah. The Browns obtained it from the railroad who had been awarded it as part of the land incentive to build the railroad across the United States in the 1860's. The property was covered with mostly sage and oak brush. I remember the large size sage that covered the land from where our barn now stands (1960) to the top of the 15 acres. This was a favorite place to play when we could.

Charles and Orson Hickenlooper were hired by Father to build a one room brick home on the place. It had a cellar with dirt floor and rock walls where we stored vegetables and apples for winter use. Shelves held bottled and preserved fruits, chili sauce, catsup, pickles, butter, cottage cheese and many other things. The main room was kitchen, dining room, living room and bed room for Mother, Father and the babies. The unfinished attic was used for sleeping quarters with steps inside to go up and a lean to ladder outside. The boys slept in the barn on hay when the weather permitted. This building still stands where it was built and is in good condition. (1974). It is now owned by my son, J. LaMar Jensen.

There wasn't any shade by the house and no screens on the doors or windows. Cooking on a wood burning stove as people did in those days in this 13 foot square room, together with the not summer sun was very warm. Besides the stove there was a large box for wood and a bench for the washbasin and a bucket of water, a dish cupboard and place for groceries. There was a table, chairs, bed, shelves for clothes and bedding. It doesn't seem possible that a family of nine could get into what little space was left.


I and a younger sister, Florence were the only children born in this little one room home. Florence was born March 18, 1891 and died in April 1891. I was born on a hot summer day in August and arrived before the midwife, Mrs. Simeon Cragun came. Mother knelt on the floor by the bed and there I was born with the umbical cord wrapped around my neck and my face purple. Mother managed to take care of this to get me to breathing. She often told me she didn't expect me to live. Mrs. Simeon Cragun suggested the name, Joseph Moroni, which my parents gave me.

About 1892 father was awakened about 2 o'clock in the morning and looked out the door to see his mercantile store in flames. They reached high in the sky. Mother awaked all of us children so we could see it. It was a case of arson. A can of coal oil had been tipped over and ignited. Father moved the post office which had been in the store into our little home. A space next to the door was used with pigeon holes on the walls to sort the mail into. My brother, Eph, riding a horse and with our little black dog, Rover, went to the Hot Springs every day to pick up the mail for the town of Pleasant View. It was common to hear folks say, "Here comes little Rover opening the way for the mail."

Father let Wilson and Wiley Cragun rebuild the store and take over the business, then he started in the shipping business, handling mostly fruit grown in Pleasant View. He also bought some fruit from growers in North Ogden and vegetables from Plain City and other nearby towns. Wiley Cragun worked with Father for awhile, then Wilson wanted partnership in the business and Father through it best for he and his boys to carry his share without other help. This they did with good success for many years, continually increasing the fruit orchards, berries and vegetable gardens. The produce was shipped by train to Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and to the Eastern United States.

The first peach orchards that I remember Father planting were started from peach pits. We all thought the fruit from these trees good. Later he budded trees with bugs taken from his best quality trees and in this way improved the fruit. One year we loaded 10 freight cars of peaches. If we were a little short, we let some of the other growers in Pleasant View of North Ogden help fill the cars. We used 50 to 55 pound bushel baskets.

Lifting and loading them was hard work. We also picked in canvas bags with straps that fit over our shoulders which held about a half bushel. These aren't used anymore because of the great weight which they held causing the fruit to bruise if they ripe.

A good portion of the peaches we shipped were packed in small cases which help about 20 pounds. The peaches were wrapped in squares of tissue paper and laid in rows. Then lids where nailed on top with a cleat at each end so when the box was full it held two layers. I never wanted anyone to pick or wrap peaches of any other kind of fruit faster than I did. I became good at this. There are few today who can pick faster than I can even in my 85th year. My sister, Sue, was one of the hardest to beat of any of those who worked for us. She was also one of the fastest wrappers. In memory I can still see those wrapping and sorting stands. Usually two would sit on bushel boxes at a stand with two or three peach boxes in front of each to put two or three different sized peaches in. Each started out with a bushel of peaches that the pickers helped replenished. Each wrapper had a good stack of peach paper (tissue) and a rubber thumb to pick up the paper quickly. As the peach was picked up, it was examined fro imperfections and if there were none, it was almost tossed into the paper helped in the right hand and with both hands securely wrapped and placed in one of the peach cases. This went on at full speed with only a break at noon for lunch. If the wrappers ran out of peaches, they would usually call "peaches" loudly, then while waiting, pick a few and wrap them so as not to waste time. Sue and Julia were the only ones of the sisters that helped with the fruit. Other than berries, they would help mother in the house. At the end of day there was always a large pile of cull peaches at each side of the sorting stand. Some of these were given to people who came to the orchards and others to the pigs we kept by the barn.


As near as I can remember, it was around 1911 when we first started to spray fruit trees. It wasn't too effective during those first years, but we learned. At first a man from Harrisville, Utah who owned a sprayer did most of the spraying in and around Pleasant View, until he quit. In later years Glen Ellis did our spraying bu he was ill for four or five years and his wife, Adelle, did our spraying. She went back to school so she could qualify to teach and this was when Clarence Summers started spraying for us. He came early in the morning or after his days work for Weber County and did a really good job. He knew just when to spray for whatever pest there was, so his reputation soon got him spraying for growers not only in Pleasant View, but in North Ogden and elsewhere. He decided to quit his job for the county and just do spraying, but before he could do this he was hurt on his county job and died. Everyone missed him and the good work he had done for us. We didn't know where to find someone who knew when and what to spray for like he did. My son, LaMar, heard of a man who wanted to sell his sprayer which we bought. LaMar has done our spraying with this ever since. For 40 years or more we have produced fruit with little of no worms or defects except one year when a lard hail storm hit after the fruit was formed and left some of it in bad condition. Our fruit has usually passed inspection without sorting.

Through these 40 years since we stopped shipping by rail, one trucker has bought most of our fruit. Norma and Phyllis used to take turns selling fruit by the side of the highway. One day when Norma had her turn and was about sold out for the day, a truck stopped to take what she had and came to the orchard to see if I would let him have more. This man was Elwin Seeley, a school teacher from Brigham City, Utah. Since that day he took all the fruit we could let him have, Cherries, Apricots, Peaches, Pears, Plums or whatever produce we had. He brought us the picking boxes or baskets and one of his sons or a hired man usually loaded his truck unless it was one of the days his wife and daughter came for the fruit. Then we helped. He had two trucks. He was a good paymaster and we enjoyed them as friends. He often told us of driving into towns and stopping at the stores that had ordered produce from him and a crowd would be waiting. They would call to ask, "Do you have some of those peaches from Jensen's?" If he did he had to wait until help came from the store before telling them as they practically unloaded the peaches themselves. If he said no, these are not from Jensen's, they wanted to know when he would be back with Jensen's peaches. In Jan. 1966 Elwin went int o his bathroom to shave before going to Priesthood meeting Sunday morning, he had a heart attack and died before the doctor could get there to help him. We miss him and his family. His wife died in June 1974.

Through the years we have gradually increased the group of friendly folks from surrounding towns and even into Idaho, Wyoming and Montana who come each year for fruit. Many of these are now children or grandchildren of those who originally started buying from us. Many of them send their friends and relatives. This way truckers such as Joe Sardo and Jess M. Santoro got fruit from us for many years. When they were younger they wanted to pick their own, now Jess likes most of his picked and Joe is dead. If we ever had extra peaches or apricots the cannery at North Ogden of the fruit stands in Willard would take them.

When we reached the age where we were more helpful on the farm, father, kept us busy, especially during the spring, summer and fall. After the usual farm work was done during the daytime, we made hundreds of boxes by lantern light to have ready for the next days fruit picking. We never dared to ask to go anywhere when we were busy unless it was on Sunday. We missed some meetings even so and the time used for recreation with some of my friends. We often longed to go to the circus, but we had to keep still. Even at work we feared the result if we did something wrong. One day Wayne Hosmer and I were trying to learn to ride Susan's bicycle and Mother called me to get some wood for the kitchen stove. I didn't go as quickly as Father thought I should (his temper always rose fast), I have never forgotten the buggy whip he held of the whipping he gave me with that cutting whip. The razor strap and riding or buggy whips were kept handy in most homes as all but a very few home owners had horses and without electric shavers of blades as we have today, the old fashioned razor had to be sharpened by strapping each time it was used. It was hung on a door knob usually in the kitchen near the wash basin and towel so it was handy for use on disobedient children too.


I don't remember father ever picking much fruit. He always carried the boxes to the pickers and pointed out where they should pick. He watched what was put in the boxes, took care of the buyers that came to the orchards and of the money they paid for the produce. In order for me to get any of the money back, the need had to be one he approved of. Often I got along without asking for money. Father's intentions were good. He thought if he managed all the money, we would get ahead faster, Even after I was married and we worked together farming, he took care of the money. If I wanted any I had to ask him for it. This wasn't easy to do.

The year Father died in 1934, I had the best crop I'd ever had. I sold all the peaches for $3.00 a bushel. It was a God-send to us because we didn’t have anything. From that time on as soon as the Apricots were harvested and before the peaches came on, we would try to take a trip with our children. We usually went to Mirror Lake or to Yellowstone Park. The children helped good on the farm. Later I raised several acres of peas, and during the harvesting of them, we would get up at 3 am I'd cut them with the mowing machine, then we'd pitch them on the wagon and take them to the pea vinery.

Before the birth of my sister, Vera, January 11 1994, the 10th and last child born to my parents, Father had a carpenter draw plans for a six room brick home, with a large kitchen, large dinning room and the same size living room with adjoining bedroom, a nice pantry and closet for clothes, with two bedrooms upstairs and large closet. Father was only able to complete the kitchen and dining room at this time because of the loss of his store and inventory. It was further delayed by the panic of 1896 which affected most people. We and our friends had fun playing on the foundation which was laid for the other rooms. Vera was about 14 or 15 years old when the rest of the house was completed. When it was all finished, it was a big help to our family even though we still had to carry water which we pumped from the well. Then only toilet was still outdoors. These were just two of the inconveniences which they didn't recognize as such until later when some of our acquaintances had running water and bathrooms in their homes. Later there were refrigerators and other electrical appliances. Father was one of the first to have a telephone in Pleasant View.

Father always went into Ogden with Mother for groceries every week on the electric car or "Dummy" as it was called. He helped her carry her basket of eggs and home made butter to her customers in the city. He enjoyed talking to them and helping Mother buy her groceries. He was happy to have her buy whatever she like and she loved nice things. They usually had dinner at the old Palace Cafe before returning home on the street car. Occasionally one of our older girls was invited to go with them, which was really a red letter day for them. Even though Mother sometimes came home tired, she and Father looked forward to these trips. Something very unusual had to happen to prevent them from going. Later about 1921 Dad and I bought a used Dodge 1910 model panel truck. If had heavy wire sides and there were weather proof sides that pulled down in bad weather. It had belonged to the sugar company. After we bought this, I tool Mother and Father to town each Saturday. I'd drive about 10 miles an hour and Mother thought this was too fast. We climbed into the back with the help of willing hands and sat on bushel boxes or sometimes even a chair. Later we bought other and more modern cars, but this truck served us in many ways until after our children where all married. We took the side panels and top off to use in the orchards for hauling fruit. I took my parents into Ogden for shopping as long as they lived.

About the time that I was married (1913), Father discontinued raising vegetables. None of us enjoyed picking and sacking peas and beans or washing and bunching radishes, turnips, carrots, pulling and sacking sweet corn all of which kept us working by lantern light far into the night especially for orders going into Montana which we had to haul by team and wagon to the Hot Springs after such long hours. We had to flag the Express Train down by lantern light at midnight so the produce would arrive fresh. The men on this car loaded our fruit and vegetables into the box cars. Other express trains leaving at different times took our produce to Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Colorado. A railroad below the Hot Springs tool all the orders going East by Express. It seemed our time was spent rushing to harvest and preparing orders, then going and coming from trains. Cragun brothers shipped produce in this same manner for awhile.


One time Ash Rose and I took two loads of fruit by team and wagon to Wyoming to sell. It took us ten days to make the trip. We slept under the stars and always stayed where our horses could have water. We first went to Evanston, but had to wait a couple of days until pay day to sell anything. From here we went to Kemmerer and to Diamondville, all mining towns. While we were gone I had a terrible tooth ache. Ash told me to take a chew of his tobacco and it would stop. I felt so badly, that I did. It stopped the ache, but made me sick. It was the only time in my life that I ever used tobacco in any form. “Tobacco is a filthy weed and from the Devil it did proceed. It robs the pocket and burns the clothes and makes a chimney of the noses.”

Another time I went fishing with Ash and his son, Lloyd to Wyoming. When we got there they wanted to go to the brewery where free drinks were handed out. They got so drunk I wouldn't let them drive home. I never indulged and never believed in it or tobacco.

Father while in the shipping business became so wrapped up in his work, he didn't have much patience with us. He could really give us "Hale Columbia" when upset. One day my brother, Henry, and I were helping in the packing house when he became angry with me. He said if I didn't want to do the work as he wanted it done, to get out. I decided I had taken about all I could so I just walked out. I stayed away a couple of hours until Henry came and said that Dad would like me to come back, that he had sobered down. I went back and he never said anymore about it and this was the last time he ever lost his temper with me. Father got out of the shipping business after the trucking business started. Shipping express via the trains almost disappeared after the trucks came. Father changed completely after this. He began to want to go to baseball games so I took him to one almost every Saturday someplace in the county during the baseball season.

I was voted by both water company members as President in 1926. I still hold that position this year of 1970. The responsibility of this job has changed greatly since I became President. There is no more figuring out water turns and deciding on yearly assessments, cleaning ditches, putting in pipe and repair work and taking care of the annual meetings. The past three or four years we have installed a sprinkling system which everyone uses when and as other as desired. I make out water certificates to the many people building homes on property owning shares of this water and give information and that is about all. This is much better than having water turns at night in both the Alder Creek and the Little Missouri streams. It was necessary to check it every hour or so to make sure it didn't break out of the ditches someplace. Also it needed to be put in other rows two or three times a night. Many, many times I stayed in my orchard for Father's most of the night. Sometimes on a warm night I'd lay on the soft turned ground and sleep a few minutes after setting the water. Sometimes I'd sit on the ditch back waiting for the water to get where I was and I'd watch little animals going hither and yon. A weasel moving quickly through the night or a Badger or sometimes a Porcupine, each taking their own time. The most interesting of all happened on al moonlight night while I was waiting for the water to come through a new ditch. I was sitting on the ditch back when a skunk with five or six little ones following her came toward me. I was the one that moved quickly that time, but I watched from a safe distance as the mother led her little family past the spot where I had been a few moments earlier and down through the orchard until they were out of sight, a beautiful family.

While a young man at home I feed the pigs and other animals, gathered the eggs and chopped the wood after school hours. Father didn't think we could strip the cows while we were young, but later in life we learned to do this. Of course during the spring, summer and fall there was always lots of work to do in the fields. We always had plenty to do with seldom time for recreation. We were so tired at the end of the day we just went to bed.


During my childhood we had some happy times with boys about my age. We made our own toys, sleighs, stilts, balls were made from yarn we unraveled from old socks and if we were lucky enough to have a small rubber ball for the center, it was the best ball that could be had. From spools we made tops of different sizes. One spool make two tops with a pointed stick in the middle, they could be made to really spin fast. We made Tic Tacs and Whistles and a Cat was made from a four to five inch piece of broom handle sharpened at each end back about 1 ½ inches. A three foot circle was drawn in the dirt, and someone pitched the cat from about 20 feet. If it landed inside the circle you were out, but if it landed on the edge and touching you got one lick and if clear outside you had three licks. With a wood paddle about two feet long, you hit the cat on the tip to make it jump. While it was in the air you either hit it out as far as possible or while in the air carefully jump it up and down on the paddle, then knock it away as far as possible. This determined how the one that pitched the cat would measure the distance the cat went, the way it was hit first: no bouncing up on the paddle is running strides, one bounce is a long step, two bounces is heal to hoe steps, three bounces is with the paddle, four bounces a half paddle, five bounces with the cat, then one half cat, etc. The person that knocks the cat out says to the pitcher, "I'll give you 10 jumps, 5 paddles, etc." according to the distance etc. If he does it as you say, he is credited with the number he knocks the cat and the other one pitches it.

Many other games were played. We often fixed our lunch and roamed the hills. I have always had a great love for the beauties of nature, hunting flint and other rocks.

Some of my playmates were Heber and Myron Crandall, John and Robert Wade, Parley and Orlando Wade. I later had Harvey Embling, Hyrum Cragun, Lewis Budge, James Berrett, George Humphrey, Wayne Hosmer and others. These friends have long ago left our town. Six of these and brother, Henry, have returned to their maker. Myron invited Ethel and I to come to his home last Sept. of 1969 and to bring Lizzie (Maycock) Jones and Florence (Hickenlooper) Jensen with us. This we did and he played the piano with his feet, played the violin and mouth organ all at the same time. His wife played their new piano and Myron sang a dozen or more songs he had composed both the words and music for. His home and patio are a museum. Orlando Wade and wife were there and we all had a great time. In Feb. 1970 Orlando had a stroke which resulted in his death later on. Brother Henry and I often went to help the Crandall boys pull weeds. They were required to pull so many thousand before they could go with us to the pasture to bring the cows home. If we all worked good, Mrs Rosy Crandall would give us something. One time she gave each of us a tie she had make from scraps of material. We thought these were very nice.

I had a good home life as a boy even thought my parents were stern. I remember Mother teaching me to pray at her knees and we were always well provided for. Mother was always very shy and afraid to take part in anything away from home. Dad was involved in many civic affairs and on the finance committee for our ward. They didn't fully understand the Word of Wisdom and it wasn't made a commandment until later. When they prepared themselves to go to the temple about the time Henry left for his mission, they put aside their coffee and other things that were not in accord with the Word of Wisdom and never touched them again.

Mother was an excellent cook. Whenever there was a stormy day, she made a big batch of "fried cakes" or doughnuts was we call them today. She also make delicious hot cross buns, home made bread, wonderful cakes, potato dumplings with chicken and many other things.

One night when I was sleeping in the loft of the one room home with Moroni Helm, Mother found me in the middle of the night outside by the well trying to get a drink of water. I had to bring the bucket up with the windlass. She discovered I had done this and I was still asleep. When I woke up, I couldn't think what had made me do this.

We used to keep our butter, milk and other perishables in the well because the water was cold. Father said it had a lot of lime in it. It was only 27 feet deep and never went dry. Craguns had a well 70 feet deep as did Maycocks all of whom lived close by and both of their wells went dry during droughts.

Dad and I used to go up the hill to my sister Julia's to play cards with she and Ash. This was before my marriage. After I was married, they sometimes came to our home to play as did my sister, Vera and husband Ray Hickenlooper. When the church advised us against card playing, we discontinued this.


Clarence Story was one of our best neighbors. He lived just east of us. He and his wife were later divorced. We have had many good neighbors over the years.

My first and only public schooling was had in Pleasant View, in a two room brick building that stood across the highway from Pleasant View L.D.S. Church where our ball park is now located. I attended all eight grades. I think there were three classes in each room. The first and second grades met in the back room of the first Pleasant View L.D.S. Church.

My first teacher was Florence (Wade) Johns. I guess I wasn't any angel in the third grade because I remember her punishing me by having me stand in the corner holding a book at full arms length for a long time, also being hit over the head with a ruler. Other grade teachers where Ellen Rhees, Dora Shaw, Mrs Kelly, Hilda (Larsen) Cragun and husband Wiley G. Cragun, Joseph Bidwell and for the eighth grade Frederick Barker. When we completed the eighth grade we were required to go to the Ogden High School where we were given tests in all our subjects. I was lucky in getting highest percentage in the class. Later exercises were held in the Tabernacle where we received graduation diplomas. There programs were as elaborate and special as the High School graduations programs are now. Those graduating in my class of about 1907 where Hyrum Cragun, Bertha (Packham) Cragun, Friend Alvord, Lyla Wade, Alma L. Ellis and myself.

The fall of 1907 I registered at Weber Stake Academy at the Monche Building. There were a great many students enrolled there for the size of the building. Classes were large. The more forward students participated in the class discussions, but the silent majority of students probably didn't get as much from our schooling as the others. David O. McKay was appointed principal of Weber Academy, 17 Apr. 1902. He was chosen as a member of the council of the twelve apostles 8 Apr. 1906. He remained as principal for a year or two after becoming an Apostle and so I was privileged to attend while he was there. He was a great disciplinarian and an inspiration to all of us who attended and knew him. My brother Henry, served as Student body President in 1906.

David O. McKay's sister, Janette (McKay) Morrell was my English teacher at the Academy and a very good one. Her husband Dr. Joseph R. Morrell was my parents Doctor. He was very kind and considerate. They drove to our home often during the summer time for fruit as they loved to have it fresh. They are now 91 years old this year of 1970. Two years ago they drove to my 80th birthday open house at Audrey and Spencer Garners home in Pleasant View. This was a very enjoyable Sunday afternoon which our children sponsored for me. So many of our friends and neighbors came. All or our children and their families were here, but Ruth. This was the wrong time of the year for Wilson to leave his job. Last year (1969) Ethel and I received a special invitation to an open house for Dr. Joseph R. Morrell and his wife. We enjoyed this very much.

I completed there years at Weber State Academy. One year more and I could have graduated from the scientific course I was taking. Many students started to teach after four years at Weber. I decided to go to Smiths Business College so the fall of 1910 I enrolled and graduated the next spring from a general business course that has helped me in many ways. I had several good job offers. Mr. Smith of the school invited me to work for him. Henry was on a mission for the Church in England and Father said he didn't know how he could get along without my help so I worked with him until Henry returned, married and moved to a ranch in Robertson, Wyoming that Father had purchased.


While attending the Academy my first year, I rode my bicycle when the weather was good, they stayed in Ogden during the winter months. I lived on 23rd Street above Harrison on the second floor of Mr. Stratford's home with the following Pleasant View students: William Arthur Budge, Hyrum Cragun and his sister, Pearl (Cragun) Brown, Sadie (Wade) Jones. All of us were attending The Academy. There was always a commotion and lots of fooling especially by Hyrum. This didn’t help to be prepared for classes. The next two years at Weber Academy and my one year at Smiths Business College, I rode my bike in good weather and the "Dummie" (a small sized steam engine pulling a passenger car) in unfavorable bike weather. Ten miles is a long ride twice a day on dirt roads, but I really enjoyed this rode and it was good for me.

I worked at the Hot Springs one winter about the time I got married. Dr. Martin was in charge. He married a Ballentyne girl. I bought the piano from them that we had in our home for so many years and which the children practiced their piano lessons on. Norma has this piano now.

When I was old enough to go to the dances, it was hard to get the fifty cents from Dad to go. One of the popular places to dance was at the big dance hall on the east side of the highway at the Hot Springs. For a change we would go to Willard, Far West or to North Ogden. I took many different girls to dances and picture shows (the silent kind you had to read what was said). I used to go with a different one every time. Some of the girls would try to tempt me to do wrong. One night I was visiting a girl and she turned the light out. I asked why? I didn't see her again. I never fell for any of them until by chance I met Ethel Chamberlain one evening at a get-together. on Reuben T. Rhees's front lawn. She was one of the sisters Vera's best friends and had been at our home many times, but for some reason this evening seemed to be the first time that I had seen her. She had worked for us several times picking peas. She said I never hardly spoke to her and at that time she didn't appeal to me.

This evening Ethel, Emily Packham, George Chamberlain and I were down by Rhees's gate. We were talking and one of them suggested we go get some strawberries. George grabbed hold of Emily and I asked Ethel if she would go with me. She said "sure" and that was the beginning! I went with her pretty steady. There was a girl from Southern Utah staying at Matthews who I took out a few times. Ethel in her diary wasn't very pleased about this. At time passed I saw more and more of her. We had many good times together. If we went farther that our church for entertainment, it was with someone who had a horse and buggy which wasn't hard to find. She enjoyed hiking on the hills as I did and we not only hunted for flint, but for many different kind of flowers that grow there. We was some live plays that were very special and memorable such as "The Lion and the Mouse" and "Ben Hur's Chariot Race" on a revolving stage with well trained real horses in.

We took part in some of the ward plays although I was always so dagoned scared. We went with our plays to Hunstville in Bob-sleighs where we all stayed with Huntsville families after putting on our play. We also went to Harrisville and North Ogden with our shows. Most of the shows I participated in were produced after the Pleasant View Second Church was built. Some of the Pleasant View players I remember well are Thomas Budge, Arthur Budge, William and Emma M Wade, Susannah M Johns, Florence W. Johns, Lettie H. Marshall, Henry L. Jensen, Elizabeth M. Jones, Harvey L. Taylor, Orson and Lizzie Hickenlopper. I especially remember Orson and Lizzie and the large dripper tin of beautifully baked red apples Lizzie took for their part of the lunch one time.

I went to Boise, Idaho for a couple of months with my brother, Eph. I didn't go out at all while there, but Ethel did. In her diary she states how glad she was when I got back. Several times I received warnings to stay away from rock, a large cliff-like formation near the Chamberlain home. These were sent by Harvey Taylor, Arthur Pledger and Frank Hickenlooper who were younger that I. They tried to get her to go with them. One night after choir practice, Ethel was coming down the stairs. I had told her I would meet her there. Harvey grabbed hold of her on the stairs and asked her to go with him. She said "I'm sorry, I can't. I've promised otherwise." It seemed that no one else appealed to me after I started to go with er. In everything I like her. I thought she would be a good companion. She was very active in the church. She was teaching a Sunday School Class at the time as well as singing with the choir.


I began going with Ethel in 1911 and we were married in Dec. 1913. We had talked some of getting married, then one evening at her home I asked her if she would accept a ring from me and she said "Yes". It wasn't a very expensive one because I didn't have much money. I think I paid only $60 for it. It was the one that was lost when our home burned down in 1928. I bought her another one, not a diamond, but it didn't hold up very well.

The first part of December 1913, we watched for an evening when we knew most of Bishop Reuben T. Rhee’s family would be away from home, then we met with him and received our recommends and his blessings. Then 9th of Dec. 1913 we took the Bamberger Train to Salt Lake City and the following day, Dec. 10th we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. We went to the temple at 7 am and left it at 2 p.m.

With our parents being converts to the Church, there were many things of the gospel that they hadn’t fully incorporated into their lives as yet. They hadn’t had family prayer and tea and coffee was still being used. When Ethel and I were first married we talked these things over and decided we wanted everything as right as possible in our home. We started off by having family prayer and continued this throughout our lifetime. We never had coffee, tea or liquor in our home. This has been a great influence in the lives of our children.

When Norma and Phyllis were older, they would stay with their grandparents. As my mother learned where they did in our home, she said to father, “I think you ought to be ashamed of yourself for not having family prayer”. They started then and had it from that time on.

After our marriage we lived in the house where Susannah Johns has since lived for many years which is just below the canal south-east of the church. Next we moved into a little home near Dad’s that Lester Chamberlain later bought. This is where Phyllis was born. Mrs. Clarence Story and Dr. Osgood helped in her birth.

The most we ever paid a Doctor to help deliver one of our children was $30. Dr Emmett and Dr. William McKay always had me make out a check for $25 and they would give me a receipt for $30.

When Henry and Florence Jensen went to Wyoming to run the ranch, we moved into his place across the street from where Bothwells Lived. Aunt Jane Ellis, a midwife, and her daughter Nora (Alvord) Bothwell owned this home across from us. It is now in the possession of Mrs. Edward (Lettie M. Berrett and son, Ralph). While living in this frame home I raised between one and three hundred leghorn hens each year, which was a successful project. With my own incubator and eggs I was able to produce young chicks very cheaply. After the chicks were hatched if the night was cold I took a piece of canvas, a blanket and pillow and slept in the chicken house nearby to keep the chicks from bunching up and burning by the charcoal brooder stove or smothering to death. I also raised a few pigs each year. The first one I had was a runt given to me by my neighbor, Frank Moore. She did so well I kept her for a brood sow. The next spring she had five beautiful piglets that I took to the Ogden Stock Yards in late summer which brought an even $210. This was a great blessing to us at that time. I also kept one or two cows which furnished us with milk, cream, butter and cottage cheese. There was also butter and eggs to sell to neighbors and to exchange for groceries. I also had enough eggs that I sold them by the double case (30 dozen) to Ogden Egg Co. Their truck picked them up twice a week. Things worked out good for us.

Norma and Ruth were born during the few years we owned and operated this four acre farm. Phyllis was afraid of our two cows when they came to drink from the cool spring water that ran near our home, but she never hesitated to bring Norma to the house if the cows came near. When I worked in the field near our home, these two little girls were always near. This is the way it was on Armistice Day, World War I. The North Ogden Cannery’s whistle blasted forth, the trains whistled and all kinks of noise was heard. Our little girls couldn’t figure out the cause of so much noise -- they really hung onto my legs. Ethel came out where we were and we just sorta celebrated the rest of the day like other folks were doing. We were glad the War was over.


About 1922 Father sold me the old home where they were living, 12 acres of land that it was on, including the one room home where I was born and the barn, for $10,000.00. I paid Father $2000 when we sold the home across from Bothwell’s. I planned to pay him so much out of what I made, which wasn’t very much. Each year he kept the income from this property, except for taxes and a few other expenses. He went with us when we wanted to buy anything that took dollars. He carried the money. I worked about 20 years for the place and managed to get along with very little. I figure I had about earned the place when I finally got it. Dad cam over one morning with the note that I had signed for an additional $2000 shortly before he became to ill with cancer to visit us. He said for me to burn it, that he felt I had earned the place. At the time of purchase he figured I would work out the $6,000. It was indeed a joyful occasion when I knew the place was all ours without any obligations. I continued to work with father as long as he was able, but we each took what was mode on our own places. He owned the property across the street to the west. I am still working my farm at the age of 86 years. LaMar helps or I couldn’t do it now. I have divided the place up and given each of my six children part of it. We love these few acres and having a hand in making things grow. I have wondered if I could have been as happy doing some other work?

After buying the place from Father we didn’t lose much time getting moved into it. We worked cleaning and repairing the old home which was so much nicer than any home we had yet lived in. Later we brought the water into the kitchen and made a bathroom from the pantry with bath, inside toilet and washbasin. We had cabinets built in the kitchen with inlaid linoleum in the kitchen, hallway and bathroom. We made some other changes and were very happy with our home. Audrey was born here on June 30, 1923 and LaMar, our only son, June 23 1927. When he was just nine months old in March 1928 a fire started in the attic of our home. Ethel was in the kitchen bathing LaMar at the time and I was in the orchard. I happened to look toward the house and saw flames devouring the roof. I ran to the house and got Ethel and the children out. The older girls were in school. Neighbors, passersby, school kids and the Fire Department helped move most of the things out. Virnetta Roberts had some furniture stored in the upstairs which we were unable to get out. We also lost some of our keepsakes, etc, The Fire Department was handicapped when it arrived because the closest water was the canal about two blocks down an unimproved narrow roadway which we used to bring our cattle to and from the pasture on. Our home was a total loss. Rufus Rhees almost lost his life when the ceilings began to fall in and he was bringing some things our. We are thankful that no one was hurt. We moved into the basement of Father’s home until the warm weather came, then we fixed the two east rooms so we could prepare our meals there until the basement of our new home was so we could move into it.

We borrowed $3,000 from the Ogden State Bank and with $1,000 insurance money we hired George Wade and sons to built the home we now live in. It had a full basement with one large bedroom, toilet and fruit room and space where we later made a family room and laundry room. This tragedy happened to us at the time of the depression, so I had a hard struggle paying off this dept.

Prior to our moving into Father’s old home, he had employed Henry Hall, Sr. to build them a new home across the street to the west. I remember so well how happy Mother and he were when Mr. Hall announced that their home was completed and ready for them to move into. Father demonstrated how to turn the water on and off in the kitchen and the bathroom with his face beaming with pride. This was the first time they had these conveniences. We were happy to see them settle so comfortably. They have been wonderful parents and I thank them for giving me birth and the opportunity to have such wonderful experiences.


During the depression I tried selling for Baron Wollern Mills with Curtis Marshall. This lasted just two weeks. We went to Southern Utah and the people were so poor there wasn’t much business to be had. I also helped with road work using my team under the W.P.A. program that was instituted under Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide work at this critical time. There were so many people without employment and even in Ogden those without the means for buying food stood in line to receive help. We were fortunate to live on a farm where we could grow and produce the necessities of life. Ethel was a good manager and prepared wonderful meals and kept the children and us in clothes we were proud of because of her adeptness at sewing.

The panic bringing on the depression came in 1929. We had a hard time selling fruit because people didn’t have money to pay for it. I was unable to pay the seven percent interest on our taxes for a couple of years so I sold two acres of our place at the top of our farm to Lawrence J. Harris for $600. Later we sold 10 acres below Joseph S. Roylance, my share of Father’s estate, for $2000 to Lawrence and Elmer Harris.

Glena our last child was born 16 Sept. 1929 in our new home. When our children were old enough to help on the farm, they were very willing to do their part and were helpful. When I felt they were able to work effectively in the areas where we made our money, I paid them what I would have had to hire someone for. They then bought their clothing for school which helped out in this way too. They helped hoe corn, tomatoes, the vegetable gardens and flowers, hauled hay and gradually worked into picking all the kinds of tree fruit and berries that we had. Later when we raised peas for the cannery, they helped load these because they had to be at the cannery by sun-up. Eventually they and our grand-children where the only helpers we hired. They knew how I wanted fruit picked ant they did it with a minimum of fooling around and wasted time. When old Joe Sardo bought fruit from me, he always had to rearrange his load and was late getting to our place. Ruth was a good helper because she would stay right with us until he was taken care of even though much of the time it was late at night.

About 1941 I had a very good crop of fruit. Most of the fruit around the country had been frozen with the late spring frosts. I received a good price for mine and was able to get out of dept and have been able to stay out since that time.

Brother Eph and family of Boise, Idaho often drove to visit my folks and us. Their children usually were with our children all the time they were here. After my folks were gone, then they stayed with us and we still have visits from them. Also my sister, Sue and husband, Henry Chamberlain have stayed with us many times these last few years.

We always planned for recreation along with our work. We all enjoyed our Ward ball games on Saturdays, hiking in the hills and into the mountains which we did quite often. Each of the children also enjoyed doing things with their friends. When we tool the few trips that we did while Phyllis was still at home, we would go up in the mountains to camp out, or near a good fishing stream where I could fish. We’d set up a tent and cook our meals over the open firs. In the evening we’d gather around a bonfire and I’d take my mouth organ out and all would enjoy singing together. George and Oles Rhees’s family, my brother, Henry and family and others sometimes shared this fun with us.

Later on when we were doing better, after the apricots were harvested about the first part of August we would take trips to Yellowstone, Mirror Lake or some other place. We had some wonderful times along with some problems. On one of our trips to Yellowstone in a new super Dodge Sedan, the vacuum tank sprung a leak going up Teton Pass. All of our family except the baby and I, the driver, had to walk to the summit. I had many stops to flag down cars and ask for a small can of gasoline to take the car a few miles further on. Those walking seemed to think this was a fun part of the trip because they was so many different kinds of flowers, rocks and other things they would have missed if riding. The friendly things people sais to us as they passed by kept all of us in a happy mood. We were fortunate to be able to buy a new vacuum at about the second service station after reaching the summit. We will always remember this trip.


Another time we first pitched our tent at Madison Junction because we were told the bears wouldn’t bother us there. We had hardly gotten into bed until a black bear pulled a wooden box open on the running board of the car, spilling fresh fruit onto the ground. We drove it away but it was soon back standing on the foot of the bed. This time a hard hit on it’s nose with my heavy shoe sent him away for the rest of the night. Next morning we could see him sleeping by a large rock across the river, but it soon awoke and swam back to our side. Several dogs from near our camp drove him away. At another camp we watched a bear tare open the trunk of a car just like cardboard. It threw loaves of bread and other food supplies and clothes on the ground. A large circle of people watched it from about 40 feet away, but no one was brave enough to do anything about it. At still another part of the camp we saw a tent laying flat on the ground with all kinds of supplies, cooking utensils, clothing, bedding, etc. all well mixed up and scattered. Now only an occasional tent is seen in Yellowstone. Those who don’t have campers usually rent a cabin.

After Norma married Reinhart Kowallis, who lived the outdoors, we found ourselves usually going with them for frequent camping, fishing and hunting trips they enjoyed. I really became interested in fishing and hunting now that there was someone in the family who liked it so much. We had some good trips to many parts of Utah. We went up Temple Fork for Deer and to Davenport for fishing and hunting. One fall it was snowing when we went to Davenport early in the morning. It was still quite dark when we got there only to find a big truck mired down in the mud in the middle of the road. We were all anxious to be on top of the mountain by day-light even though Reinhart was driving his Jeep we had a lot of trouble getting past this truck. Another time Reinhart and I started hiking up the mountain before day-break near Davenport. It had been raining and had now turned to snow with fog. We had flash lights, but got off the trail and by the time we reached the top of the mountain we were a mile from where we wanted to be and wet and cold. Reinhart never let a little thing like being wet keep him from hunting. He hiked through the mountains about as fast and sure footed as the deer he hunted. I teamed up with another wet hunter and we built a fire where we dried our clothes before doing and hunting. I have been to Marsh Lake and to Carter Creek with Reinhart, Norma and family for fishing. We usually came home with our limit of fish. If we didn’t get our full catch, it didn’t take Reinhart long to get enough, so we all took our limit home. I not only caught fish in Carter Creek, but caught two striped squirrels, One of them bit my finger. We have had several trips with the Kowallis’s to the new Flaming Gorge Dam, Sheep Creek and other places. Sometimes just Reinhart and his sons took me along. We always caught plenty of fish and had lots of fun.

In 1969 I went with LaMar, his sons, Brian and David on a camping and fishing trip for a couple of days to Lucern Valley. Brian and even David caught fish. This was their first fishing trip and a thrill for them.

Before and after my marriage, I went duck hunting many times with different friends: Ray Hickenlooper, Walter Chamberlain, Leonard Mathews and others. I also had several trips to the High Uintas where we packed in several miles for fishing. These trips have been with Stephen Jensen, LaMar, Brent Marriott, Wilson Johnson and Reinhard. One time Stephen Jensen and I went to Mirror Lake late in October, Steve had a bucking horse that we rode up Hades Canyon (there is a road there now) and a big bunch of deer frightened the horse causing it to begin bucking. I reached around Stephen for the saddle horn and help he and I on, but our bedding and supplies all came off. We arrived at our camp site about dark. Steve said, “I’ll gather some wood and you can try fishing”. I threw in my line at Granddaddy Lake and caught one the first throw, then five or six more right in a row. It was a real thrill.


Ethel gave me a new shot gun for my birthday about three years after we were married. I still use it. She saved money she made sorting fruit to but it. I always had to borrow a rifle for hunting deer and sometimes coyotes. One fall I spent several days hunting in Rich County with Mormon Cragun, William M. Wade, Ellis Wade and others and came home without a deer. I had borrowed and old 38-55 from George Sanders, so I got on a horse of Dads and started up the road. William Wade asked me where I was going and I said, “Oh, just up the mountain”, then I remembered I didn’t have a knife so Will loaned me a loose blade pocket knife he had. I spent considerable time climbing from one canyon to another and eventually located a deer down in the bottom of one of them in some oak brush. I took my time and aimed well, but could hardly believe it when the deer fell with the first shot. It was the first deer that I had ever shot. I dressed it the best I could with the poor equipment that I had, then rode home to get Ray Hickenlooper and Dad to help bring it down. Father was as happy about it as I was. This was awhile after we moved into our new home. Not long after this I bought a rifle and took many trips to Southern Utah with different fellows. Mormon Cragun was one that went and we usually had good trips and brought home some deer. In all these trips my wife was very cooperative. She always prepared good lunches for us and many times did the milking until I returned. We haven’t always agreed on everything, but she has been a good companion, devoted to her family and to the Church. In all my work she has given we great support.

Before our home burned down, one morning early at the beginning of summer, Henry and Florence Jensen, Ethel and I took our lunch and hiked up to the mountain. We went up Pine Canyon to the old mine and from there over the rocky ledges to Ben Lomond Peak. It was a very hard climb. There were no trails as there are today. We wrote our names in the book provided, admired the beautiful white columbines, other wild flowers, the farming land in the valley and ate our lunch. Coming down was harder on our shoes and clothes that going up. Florence’s shoes wore our so we wrapped her feet in some burlap that we found at the mine. While going through some evergreens on the mountain I saw a Blue Grouse setting on a limb. I threw a rock at it and it fell. I took it home and Ethel cooked it. It was delicious.

After our children were married, we saw a goodly part of the United States with them. Wayne and Phyllis took us to Cambridge, Mass. to get Ruth when she was released from her mission. We visited Niagra Falls and New York City and some of the Church points of interest. They took us to the New York World’s Fair and to a reunion in Maine of the Blaisdell Family, then to the pageant at Palmra, New York. Phyllis and boys took us to California to get LaMar where he was released from his mission and we did some sight seeing then. We had another trip with Phyllis to Wichita, Kansas to another Blaisdell Reunion, returning via Phoenix, Arizona and the Navajo Reservation where we visited Stella Bryant, a Navajo, who had been living with Phyllis and family.

Ethel and I went to North Olmsted, Ohio to visit with Glena and her family, Brent Marriott, her husband and family took us to Canada and to see the great pageant at Palmyra again. We’ve had other trips with them, one to California while LaMar was on his mission. Audrey with husband Spencer Garner and family took us to the Pacific Northwest and into Canada, then to the World Fair in Seattle and to Yellowstone. While in Seattle we visited with Ethel’s sister, Bertha and husband Magnus Nielsen and Bertha’s daughter, Thelma. We have had many trips to the Temples with our children. The Lord has been very good to us. We have had good health and our children have been a great source of joy and happiness to us. Ruth and Wilson Johnson and family have taken us camping with them. We are indeed blessed.

When I was about 16 or 18 years of age I had bone to the Hot Springs one day and began having severe chills. I decided to get on the hot water to see if it wouldn’t make me feel better, but I was just as cold in there so I came home. There was a dance in Pleasant View Recreation Hall that night and I wanted to go so I got ready. I walked to the front door of our home and fainted away. The next morning I was broken out all over, even my feet. Harry Hosmer who lived across the road came up when I was beginning to heal. He had had the Small Pox and said that was what I had. I don’t know exactly what is was. No one else on our family had it and it never left any scars on me.

When anyone heard of someone having Small Pox, everyone was frightened because we didn’t know how to avoid getting it. One of the remedies used was called asaphidity. They made little bags which we wore around our necks to keep the Small Poxs away -- it was stinking stuff!


My cousin, Peter Christofferson, had been working on the railroad near Pocatello, Idaho. His whole camp had Small Pox. They could only have but very little water while they were ill. They didn’t think is was good for them. Peter would sneak out of the tent at night to bring water to the men. When he got over having the Small Pox he came to the folks. He said they were the only parents he ever really knew. (His father was killed before he was born in the was between Germany and Denmark, then his mother remarried while on the high seas en route to Utah.) He called to the folks from the highway to see if it was alright for him to come to the home. Our home was quite a distance from the road. Dad said, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I will get you some clean clothes and you go to the pond nearby where you take a good bath. Then put on these clothes and you will be alright.” This was what Peter did and none of us had the Small Pox as a result.

At a New Years party, George Mower, broke out with measles exposing every kid in town. All who hadn’t had them came down with them. Five or six children died from them.

When I was about 35 years of age, I wore a truss to keep a hernia from bothering me. Sometimes the pain would become quite intense so I would hang from a tree to get some relief. It finally went away and hasn’t bothered me since. I have never been in a hospital in my 86 years. I enjoy good health for my age. My nerves sometimes keep me awake at night, but I am thankful to be able to do the things I want to do.

I’ve had some fun teasing some of my friends and family. I used to pay George Humphreys to get grasshoppers. He said they tasted just like fish. He would pull the head off and eat the rest. I’d tell how good they were with cream and sugar. I also told how good angle worms were for pie. One time I told Phyllis that Mountain Lions cried just like a baby and she believed me. One day while I was in the orchard, she came walking toward where I was. She hadn’t seen me so I started to cry like a baby and really frightened her.

I also enjoy memorizing and still remember verses that I learned years ago. One of them is:

“The boy stood on the burning deck eating popcorn by the peck,
the flames rolled up and tickeled his chin but still he shoved the popcorn in.”

When I travel with Wayne and Phyllis, Wayne like to talk about the gospel and this brings to mind many scriptures that I have learned. We have fun quoting them.

At the age of 12 years on Sept. 2, 1900, I was baptized by Samuel S. Ferrin, our neighbor. This was done in a pond of very cold water on a farm owned by Wilford Cragun, a close neighbor. I was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the 21st of Sept. 1900 by one of my school teachers, Joseph Bidwell. My brother, Henry and also Friend Alvord were baptized the same day and confirmed. Ward authorities didn’t seem to keep as accurate records as they do today. Brother Henry was 1 ½ years older than I. We were both ordained Deacons in the Aaronic Priesthood after being baptized. While in the Aaronic Priesthood especially as a Deacon we had many good times. As we did our work assignments together it was fun. Our duties were to sweep and dust the meeting house (the first one built in Pleasant View), fill and clean the 14 or more kerosene lamps, polish globes or chimneys, and trim the wicks of the lamps. There were four lamps in brackets on each side of the hall, three on the stage and three in the class room behind the stage. We removed the ashes from the two pot bellied stoves which burned wood and coal. One was in the hall and the other in the back room. We cut and gathered enough kindling to last one week. In the winters we built the fires long enough before meetings on Sunday, dances, meetings and other activities during the week so the building was warm fro these. Gathering fast offerings was more complicated than now. I and other boys were often given eggs, home made butter, bread, vegetables and Mrs. Andrew often gave home made soap. I was a deacon until Dec. 7, 1907 when I was ordained a teacher by Orson Hickenlooper, Charles A. Hickenlooper was Bishop. My responsibility now was to prepare the sacrament. Our Sacrament service consisted of two silver trays with beautiful handles over the top. There were two silver cups with gold inside and fancy handles on each side of the cup. Everyone drank from the same cup. I think most folks drank from the side over the handle thinking that no one else would think to drink there.


Feb. 8, 1909, I was advanced to Priest by Reuben T. Rhees. Charles A Hickenlooper was still Bishop. Then on Apr. 11, 1910 Thomas Budge ordained me an Elder. Reuben T. Rhees was Bishop at this time. Jan. 17, 1915 Elder J. Golden Kimball ordained me a Seventy. Several young men were ordained Seventies on this same day. Elder Kimball of the first seven Presidents of the Seventy said, “Being a Seventy won’t save you. You can go to hell just as easy now as before being advanced in the Priesthood.” Dec. 16, 1934 I was ordained to the office of a High Priest by Samuel S. Ferrin, Henry L. Jensen, my brother, was Bishop.

The first Pleasant View Church and recreation hall was a busy place. The large hall was our Chapel on Sunday with Sunday School in the morning and Sacrament Meeting at 2pm MIA was held in the evening with group meetings in between. During the week there was Relief Society and Primary during the day. Choir practice was held one evening and almost every week there was a show being rehearsed one or two nights during the week. There was a dance every week end where both old and young participated. What fun! The small room at the back of the building was used for Bishopric meetings, class room for all organizations, dressing room for actors in the many plays put on by our ward and other exchange plays brought in by surrounding wards.

Day school was held in this small back room for the younger classes with Julia (Cragun) Douglas as one of the teachers.

It was in the hall of this first Pleasant View Church that a popular girl from North Ogden came and sat by me at a dance. She asked me to dance with her. I had never danced and she pulled me on the floor. I told her if she would let me go I’d dance the next dance with her. I headed for home at full speed. It was in this same hall, not too long after, that I got the courage to get on the dance floor with some of the girls and learn. From that early age on I always enjoyed dancing and still enjoy doing the dances we know on the rare occasions they are played. There are few dances for older ward members now in 1970.

I guess I was really bashful as a young man and especially about girls. I remember when John Packham would bring a load of fruit for Father, he often brought two of his daughters with him. I would try to keep out of their sight by pretending to be busy in the buildings we boxed fruit in which was also my birthplace.

One Sunday a photographer came to take a family group picture of us. There was an old apple tree up near the chicken coop and nearby was a patch of black and yellow currants. I hid in the currants because I didn’t want my picture taken. I’m sorry now because there wasn’t any picture taken.

After I was made a Deacon I didn’t feel it necessary to go to my meetings. My Deacon’s advisor, David J. Johns came to see why I wasn’t attending. I told him “we don’t learn anything and just come for the fun of it.” Brother Johns said, “you wouldn’t talk like that if you had a testimony of the gospel.” This set me to thinking and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I decided I wanted a testimony.

One of the first positions that I held in the Church was secretary in the Y.M.M.I.A. George Chamberlain was appointed chorister at the same time. The first teaching I ever did was as a Sunday School Teacher with Margaret J. Orton. August 13, 1913, just before my marriage, I was sustained asa second counselor to Edward Hall in the Y.M.M.I.A. Presidency. Frank Hickenlooper was first counselor. I don’t recall how many years I held this position. During the time I was in, we organized the first Boy Scout Troup in Pleasant View. I did a lot of work with them and tool some interesting trips, etc. Some of the boys in the troup were: George and Raymond Maycock, Walter Chamberlain, Curtis and Freeman Marshall, Paul B. Cragun, Donald Rhees (Horace’s brother) and Lloyd Rose.


The first basketball team in Pleasant View was organized about this time with five players as follows: Frank and Karl Hickenlooper, Arthur Pledger, George Maycock and myself. We played teams from surrounding towns and enjoyed it very much. Each of us played the entire game. I don’t recall anyone going out on fouls. I still have one of the large pictures taken of this team and M.I.A. President Edward Hall. I also have a small picture of the first Pleasant View Scout Troup. When Edward Hall left Pleasant View, we were all released and a new organization took place.

In November 1917, William M. Mckay, our Stake Sunday School Supt., came to our home to ask me to be Superintendent of the Pleasant View Sunday School. This was on a Sunday morning and I was out duck hunting. He came again the following Sunday and found me out duck hunting again, so he asked William M. Wade, a counselor to Bishop Reuben T. Rhees to contact me. This he did the following Sunday. I told him I didn’t know one thing about Sunday School and he knew I wasn’t attending regularly. Will said if I would accept that I would get along alright. I told him that I would try. He gave me Lee Barber and Will Johns as counselors. I certainly felt very humble and unworthy, but I enjoyed this responsibility very much. I never went hunting on Sunday again, and only missed attending Sunday School three times in the 15 years that I was Superintendent.

We did a lot more work then than they do today in the Sunday School. About two months before Christmas time we would start work on a pageant or Christmas play to present on Christmas Eve. We had a Santa Claus and canvassed the ward for money to get toys for the children and then had to go buy them. Christmas afternoon we obtained an orchestra for a kids dance and at night a dance for the older folks. We had all of this responsibility for many years. We never received any complaints or suggestions from the Bishopric. We just went ahead and did this.

When we had our Sunday School Conference in the Ward, we had a morning and afternoon session so the Stake visitors usually had dinner with some of us. Some of them came to our home where Ethel and the girls prepared a delicious meal.

I told my brother, Henry who was now Bishop, that 15 years was a long time to hold the same job, so I was released. Horace C. Rhees was sustained as Superintendent and he asked me to be one of his counselors. Earl J. Rhees was the next Superintendent and he also asked me to be one of his counselors so I served about ten years as counselor to these two men. I was then called by Stake Sunday School Superintendent, Sidney L. Wyatt to be his second counselor in the Ogden Stake. I held this position for five years with Victor Hancock as first counselor and a wonderful group of board members.

President Arthur H. Budge of the Ogden Stake Presidency had asked Brother Wyatt to make a list of those he would like for a counselor. Brother Hancock related to my daughter, Phyllis, that Brother Wyatt put my name down and that is as far as he could go. He tried several times, but was unable to add any other names. Brother Hancock also related that the reason I was considered was because our ward and the Eden ward were the best Sunday Schools in the Stake. I also served for awhile as second counselor to Stake Superintendent Miles Jones with Merle Allen as first counselor. These two groups had a reunion in June 1974 and it was a joy to visit with these good people.

After I was released from the Stake, I taught a Sunday School class of 10 & 12 year old boys and girls in our ward for six years. This was one of my most enjoyable callings.

Roland L. Anderson was set apart as our Bishop and he called me to be General Secretary of the Aaronic Priesthood the 4th of Jan 1959. I received much praise from the Stake Secretary for the well written reports I gave and for being the first to have mine in each month. I was released by Bishop Earl B. Cragun Feb 3, 1963.


Ethel and I have worked on the ward Budget and the Building Committee for several Bishops. When the new Home Teaching Program came out Dec 31, 1964, Ethel and I were among the very first in Pleasant View to participate in this program and are still visiting ward members this year of 1970. At first we visited Lettie Ferrin and Stella Lewis, Annie B. Cragun and Lucille Tams. Then wen Annie moved to a rest home in Ogden we still went to see her, but we were asked to visit Sarah Call. When Annie came home she asked Bishop Earl B. Cragun to have us visit her again regardless of which of her children she was with. This we did as ling as she could talk to us or cared. We visited Mary Call until she moved to Ogden. We are now visiting Sarah T. Call and the Leon B. Jones family. This is our first family with children and we enjoy them very much. We still visit Lettie Ferrin quite often. She is 94 years old and very alert, attends Sunday School and Sacrament meeting most every Sunday. After Ethel died I was released as a home teacher and just enjoy going to the temple.

When LaMar went on his mission he went without purse or script. There were only two months that we sent him money. Ruth went during the depression. Many said we were foolish to send her when money was so scarce, but I told them I thought the Lord would see that we took care of her. I had made $300 that year. The ward gave her a party and raised about $200. This paid her way to her mission headquarters in Cambridge, Mass with some to spare. At the mission home they told her she would need $70 a month. Clarence Story was good to me Every time there was work to be done on the roads he would give me a job. We always had the $70 though I don’t know how we make it.

I know very well that if you pay your tithing and your offerings and do the things the Lord has commanded, there isn’t any question but you will be blessed. I’ve had so many incidents in my life, that I could almost write a book about the blessings we have received. Ethel was always very particular that we paid a little more tithing that we were obligated to give. She wanted to be sure that we paid every penny. Every time I’d tell her that I had paid some, she would say “that is really good”.

Norma after teaching school for awhile decided to go on a mission. She went in 1940 to the mission where Chicago was the headquarters. She had planned to just go for six months and she had saved enough money for this but as the end of the six months approached she phoned to ask if we would help her so she could serve a full mission. This we did and again were blessed.

When she was about 18 months old, she had erysiplis. We had medical doctors in to take care of her and then when they were unable to help, we called in a Chiropractor. All finally told us they had done all they possibly could and there was nothing more that could be done. We had Dad and my brother, Eph administer to her. I don’t know why we hadn’t thought of this before. She had laid on a pillow in her crib for six weeks with the infection slowly climbing up her little body. We couldn’t touch her, but carried her on the pillow because of her being so sick. The day following the administration she started to try to raise herself up and by the third day we could take her out of the crib. She had to learn to walk all over again. We saw the inflamation recede down and out of her feet. This was a great blessing which the Lord gave us. Audrey also had erysiplis, but we called on the Lord early and she wasn’t so bad.

The Lord must have had a purpose for us to live. I remember when we drove our old 1910 Dodge closed in truck to Salt Lake to bring furniture we had bought from my brother Jim. It was the first time I had driven to Salt Lake. Norma and Phyllis were in the back near the front seat and the furniture packed in back of them so they wouldn’t fall out. As we approached the Riverdale Railroad crossing I looked both ways and thought the tracks were clear so began to pull onto the tracks when I noticed someone in a car on the other side of the tracks waving us back. I shoved on the brakes and as the train whizzed by it dented the front fender of the truck. If we had gone a few inches further we would all have been killed. I still don’t understand why I couldn’t see the train coming.


Because of my timidity I gave up the opportunity to bless and baptize most of my children. The first ones I baptized were LaMar and Glena. I regret this now. It was an awful obstacle for me to begin giving prayer in Church, but it doesn’t bother me to do it now.

I regret that I didn’t become much of a public speaker because of my fear. Maybe it was something I inherited from my Mother who always said she would go to Relief Society if they wouldn’t call on her to pray. I’ve always been backward this way until the last few years. In June 1974 I was finally asked to give a talk in Priesthood meeting. I worried about it a great deal, but everyone seemed to think it was good.

Some of the lessons I have learned in my long life is the importance of loving each other, doing good to those who despitefully use us and that we should support the Church in every way possible. My advise to my posterity would be what the Prophet said, “Trust in the Lord with all thy might, lean not unto thine own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths”. I thing if we will live the principles of the gospel, pay our tithes and offerings and other requirements in the ward as the Lord has told us to do, he will dot deny us those blessings which we need. Put yourselves in tune with the Lord — that is the only way to find real joy. If we don’t do these things we can’t expect to be blessed. I have surely been blessed. I can’t go any place but people come to me and say what a wonderful family I have.

I hope I can server the Lord and keep his commandments so that I will be privileged to be united with my lovely wife and family when I leave this life. I pray that our children will teach their children to love the Lord and to keep his commandments.

The year 1970 started very well for our family. Our fruit crops looked good. Ethel had been having some digestive troubles and sometimes she was seen trying to push her hernia into place. She never complained and always said she was alright. As the year went along she had more trouble with her digestion. She would say there were only a few foods she could eat. Finally she asked me to get her some bottled baby food. One day while I was harvesting the peach crop I happened to come back to the house and Audrey was helping here into her car to take her to the doctor. She had been helping me with the orders and never complained. She was more interested in my health than hers. The doctor ordered her to the hospital for an emergency operation performed by Dr. Bruce McQuarrie. For nine days she was fed through her veins. She fought to pull the tubes from her that were helping to sustain her life. They finally had to tie her hands. The doctors tried in every way to help her, finally doing a second major operation. She had at least four hernias and three of them were perforated and gangrene had set in. She was just to sick and departed this life Sept 22 1970 in the new David O. McKay hospital in Ogden, Utah. Her death was the greatest calamity of my life. She was such a wonderful companion and we loved each other dearly. I fell badly that we didn’t insist that she see the doctor earlier, be she was always so reluctant to go. She loved life and was always so interested in everyone, especially her children and grand-children.

Ethel has been a wonderful wife and mother. Her fine example and teachings has had great influence on the lives of all who knew her and especially our family. Our children all have a great deal of faith and the desire to do the will of their Heavenly Father. We continually thank our Father in Heaven for them, their kindness to us and their love for the Gospel and their willingness and ability to help in furthering the Lord’s work. It is a great satisfaction to me to know that when I depart this life I will have her for time and all eternity.

Ethel had so many friends. At her viewing and funeral a great many came and our chapel was filled for the funeral. Patriarch Karl Story who was in the Stake Presidency when Ethel served as Stake Primary President came to see me after Ethel was gone. He said, “We’ve never had anyone in the Stake we thought so much of. She was always prepared with her work and she put her whole soul into it”. Since her death it has been a very lonely life for me. Our children have been so good to me and have tried to make it as pleasant as possible. Our friends and neighbors have been wonderful to me also.

Wayne and Phyllis took me with them to spend Thanksgiving with their daughter, Lynette’s family in Kirkland, Washington my first trip without Ethel. I enjoyed it very much. I have been on other trips with them since. They met me at Ruths in March 1973 and we went to Modesto, California to visit some of Wayne’s folks, then to Kirkland to visit Lynnette and home by way of Boise Idaho where I visited with Eph’s family. Again in March 1974 they met me at Ruth’s in Palos Verdes Pennusula, California and took me to Mexico for me first time in this country. We were in Tijuna and then in Juarez. We went home this time through New Mexico and saw the interesting old city of Santa Fe, then into Colorado where we ran into snow, then into Wyoming and home.

My family and friends persuaded me to take a plane trip to visit Glena and family. I never wanted to fl, but I finally decided to try it. For Christmas 1970 I flew to Cleveland, Ohio to visit Glena in North Olsted. The flight was very interesting and I enjoyed it very much. With the help of a man and a kind stewardess I got along just fine.

I enjoyed 16 days with them. We went to their meetings and parties and met many wonderful people. Brent and Glena took me to Johnstown, Pa., to see some friends, Ethel and I had met ten years ago coming from Chicago on the train and whom we have corresponded with ever since. They greeted us with open arms. They were wonderful to us. It took us four hours to make the trip there and four back. The roads were good. Coming home on the plane we were detained in Chicago for one hour to let the men loading the luggage get warm. It was several degrees below zero.

Walter Chamberlain and Helen have invited me to come to St. George to visit with them during the winter, but I haven’t yet. Norma and Reinhart have taken me with them on their camping fishing trips. I have spent the last three winters in California with Ruth and family. I have flown down every time and it is a quick easy way to get there.

I had an unusual experience during my visit with Ruth the first time in 1974. Ruth was assisting one of the classes at the Pedregal School near where she lives. I went with her one day and was given the opportunity to help the second grade. The kids were wonderful and poured out so much love and appreciation for all I did. They all wrote letters and drew pictures for me when I left. I had been there about six weeks. Since returning home I have had more letters and pictures from all of them. As a result of my experience they are trying to recruit a retired person to help as I did. It was something I shall never forget.

I usually have one good meal a day at either Norma’s, Audrey’s or LaMar’s, because they live so close by. All my children are good to me.

In January 1974, I was elected to my 20th term on the Weber County Mosquito Abatement Committee. I have served as secretary for 17 of the 20 years. January 1977, I was elected to my 23rd term and am continuing as secretary. There are some fine men on the committee and it has been very satisfying to work with them. The last few years Lu Fronk has usually come to take me to our monthly meeting and Arthur Campbell of North Ogden brings me home. I can’t drive after dark anymore and only short daytime trips. I was released in January 1980.


Since about 1923 I have also served as President of the Alder Creek and Little Missouri Water Company. I own 10 shares of each which I together with others owning stock rent to the town of Pleasant View or exchange for water rights in the Pine View Canal. We don’t meet regularly.


August 24, 1974, I accompanied LaMar and my tow Grandson’s Brian and David Jensen, on the Pleasant View Ward Fathers and Son’s outing. We drove to Willard Basin the night before and following breakfast the next morning hiked to Ben Lomond Peak. It was a hard climb for me at 86 years, but I make it. I wonder if anyone else at this age has make it?

It is nice to know that the Bishop hasn’t forgotten me. He asked me to be a greeter at the door on Sundays in July 1974. Ethel and I used to do this together.

The fall of 1975, Wayne and Phyllis Butler, took me east with them. We went as far as Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, over 200 miles by boat in the open sea, attended the Blaisdell National Reunion in Portland, Maine, and visited many early historical Church sites. We make a special trip to Johnstown, Pa, to visit my long-time friends, John and Debbie Nobel.

I’ve been to California with Audrey and Spence Garner a few times. A highlight of our trip the spring of 1977 was a day in one of the younger school classes in Los Angeles area. Vicky Johnson took me and I really enjoyed the young people. Later the mail brought a large envelope with letters from all the school kids. I also went with Glena and Brent Marriott’s children, Kent and Kevin, for their piano lessons. Their teacher, Mrs Kimball who is a professional musician, had me play my mouth organ for her then she and her husband had us back. Mrs Kimball says she could teach me to play in two months time on the piano because my sense of timing is so good. She charges 10 to 12 dollars a lesson, but it is still tempting because I have always wanted to play the piano.

About 10:45 pm the evening of July 18, 1977, as I was retiring for the night, a lightening bolt hit the huge pine tree at the back of my home. I was sitting on the edge of the bed and it knocked me on the floor. It was just like a bomb had gone off. It started the pine tree on fire. It is only about 15 feet from my bedroom. It also blasted a hole in the roof of the garage and split a large two by size inch beam besides blowing boards from the garage door loose. The garage is next to the tree. Fortunately it began to rain following the lightening and thunder. This put out the fire but not before some alerted the fire department. I had the police arrive too besides members of my family who lived near by. Robert Garner came before the fire was quenched to photograph it. We found that it had blown all the fuses in the house. I am thankful I wasn’t hurt and that the fire didn’t get any further.

June 18 and 19, 1982 Pleasant View celebrated Founder’s Day, 100 years since the town was set off from North Ogden. I was honored as the oldest native born member of the town. Mary Roselia Watson was also honored, but had only lived here in her old age with a daughter. On the 18th we rode in a beautiful red convertible near the front of the Parade held late afternoon. I enjoyed waving to everyone and then playing my mouth-organ to entertain our driver and his wife. In the evening a historical pageant was given at Weber High School. One of the main segments featured the Jensen-Chamberlain families. Members of my family had painted the back-drops and many of them took part in it. I was in one part and had the opportunity to play my mouth-organ again. The Jensen’s and Chamberlains were among the early settlers of Pleasant View. The following evening on the 19th we were further honored at the Grand Ball. I even danced briefly with Audrey and Phyllis. I have always like to dance and only wish I could have danced more but at 94 I am thankful to be able to do what I can.

On the 6th of Oct. 1982 my children who lived here, cleaned out my home so I could turn it over to my son-in-law, Reinhart T. Kowallis. I hadn’t spent much time there the last year and I can save on lights and gas. It was hard to let my home go. I’ve worked so hard to have it, but know that I can’t care for it anymore. Much history and many good times have taken place here.


In June 1983 while Joe was staying with Phyllis and Wayne Butler he fell during the night. This gave him his first every stay at a hospital and his only stay in one. X-Rays disclosed he had fractured his spine and broken a rib, but while there was some urinary problems and further examination disclosed Prostrate Cancer. The children were assured by the Doctor that it was slow growing, it would never be problem.

Earlier in March of 1983 Wayne and Phyllis had flown his to Houston, Texas to have a little time with his daughter, Ruth. Although he had agreed to go, he didn’t want to be left there. We all thought it would be good for him, but after a month, Ruth flew him home. His attitude and unhappiness in being away from familiar surroundings was hard on him as well as everyone. He continued to have good days and bad days, but Sunday’s usually found him in Church. The fall of 1983 Phyllis was no longer able to help care for him because of a badly deteriated hip. He required considerable lifting when baths were taken, or if he just didn’t want to walk alone. LaMar and Mary Jensen, Audrey and Spence Garner, Glena and Brent Marriott took turns having him with them. It was while at Audrey’s he suddenly took a turn for the worse. All of his children who were visited with him the 11th of June 1984, but it was difficult to understand what he was trying to tell us. It was the first day he hadn’t slept though most of the day. His Grandson, Dr, Jeff Johnson examined him that evening and said his lungs were filled with water and that if he laid down he would drown. About nine o’clock he insisted on going to bed so Audrey placed several pillows around him to hold him up. She checked him at 10:30 pm and he was sleeping good. About 2 am she went in again, but he was gone. He had pushed all the pillows away and straightened himself on the bed with his arms at his sides as though he knew he was going. Dad always wanted to look nice and we feel that he had this in mind. Jeff said he died of Congestive Heart Failure, June 12, 1984.

Dad loved to be with people. Two weeks before he died, he insisted on attending Sacrament meeting. So many came to talk with him and this gave him great pleasure. He gave us a wonderful heritage, and left many friends and relatives. He loved parties so much, it became a tradition to have one for his birthday each August 27th. It will take a long time to forget this when August comes back each year - - perhaps it will never be forgotten!

he Life Summary of Joseph Moroni
When Joseph Moroni Jensen was born on 27 August 1888, in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah Territory, United States, his father, Jens Pedersen, was 35 and his mother, Karen Sophie Pedersdatter, was 36. He married Ethel Jane Chamberlain on 10 December 1913, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 5 daughters. He lived in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States in 1965. He died on 12 June 1984, in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah, United States, at the age of 95, and was buried in Ben Lomond Cemetery, North Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States.

  Begivenheder i hans liv:

• Bopæl, 1910, Pleasant View, , Utah.

• Draft Registration, 1917-1918, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington County, Wayne County, Weber County, Utah, United States.

• Bopæl, 15 Jun. 1965, Ogden, Utah.