Wednesday, October 15, 2014

It starts with US


Our Family - Summer 2014

Grandpa Virgil Ray Jones - Your Grandpa Jones

Worked hard his whole life.  He did everything in his lifetime from farming to logging to finally running his own construction company.  He got his hands caught in his rock crusher many times.  That's what we all talk about and remember is how bad his hands looked.  When he worked, he worked hard.  When he played, he played hard.


How grandpa lived life.  Full of it.

Carol June LeFevre Jones Shields - Your Grandma Carol

Grandma Carol

Back Row - Your great aunt Lynette, Grandma Carol, and great aunt Marilyn
Front Row - your Great Grandma Rella Beckstead LeFevre

What I know about Grandma Carol.  She is going to straight to heaven someday.  She has spent her entire life caring for others.  She raised a family of 6 (5 boys and 1 girls) pretty much on her own.  When Ray wasn't out working he was out playing.  She was divorced with 2 little kids still living at home. I was 5 and Ryan 7.  She worked 2 jobs to pay for everything we had, which wasn't much.  Grandma and Grandpa LeFevre helped take care of us when we were little and she was working.  After Ryan and I were grown and moved out my older brother Jeff (who had diabetes really bad) moved back home so she could take of him.  He was almost blind and had several strokes making it really hard for him to get around.  He was pretty mean and after a few years he had to go to a care center.  She married Joe and he got sick and she's been taking care of him for years now.  I always wonder when it will be her turn for someone to just take care of her for a change.  She always worked so hard.  I've always been extremely proud that she's my mom.  She was the fun mom that me and my friends wanted to drive us to cheerleading or volleyball camp.

EnaRa Remund Lindsay - Your Grandma Lindsay

Grandma Carol, Dylan, Grandma EnaRa

Things that I think are cool about Grandma Lindsay - there is probably tons more but this is my blog.
She is a GREAT cook.  When I first started dating Dean I loved to come over and eat.  She can cook deer and elk meat better than anyone I've ever met.  She cooks basic foods but she cooks them extremely well.  She loves her grandkids ALOT and she is very proud of them no matter what they are doing.  She knows how to live simply and not extravagant.  I know that sounds easy but it's not.  I'm not sure if I know how to go without.  I usually find a way but she can simply go without.  She use to work for the school district as a secretary.  I worked in the office of THS as a senior and the lady that was the head secretary was always in awe of how smart and fast Grandma was when she worked there.  I think she worked there before she had kids.  One thing that I think is hilarious about grandma is that she has a long fuse but once she blows, it's bad.  Dad remember a sheep that kept getting out when he was young.  He got out a bunch one day.  She was so mad that she was going to beat it over the head with a 2X4 so dad was trying to hide it to protect it.  LOL

Allen Bob Lindsay - Your Grandpa Lindsay




There's so much that I can say about Bob. He tried to come across mean and tough but there was not a kinder gentler man to me that was completely devoted to his family.  He loved spending as much time with them as possible.  He was rough on his kids growing up it sounds like.  But I think that was how he was raised and that's the only way he knew how to do it.  He called me sweet pea from the moment I met him until he passed away.  He was probably the best father figure in my own life since my dad was a flake.  

He was a huge help when we built our first house.  I got to know him really well then.  He and I would work all day together on the house while dad was at work.  He would not use the nail gun only a hammer.  He worked so hard on our house and taught me so much.  Dad would come home from working all day and work on the house in the headlights of his truck trying to get it done.  

In the end, when Bob knew he was getting really sick and wouldn't last much longer he started asking his grandkids that were mission age about life after death.  I truly believe he has learned the teachings and is helping in the spirit world.

Rella Beckstead and Walter LeFevre - Grandma Carol's Parents - Your Great Grandparents

This is how I remember Grandma and Grandpa LeFevre - in fact this is my personal picture of them that survived the fire.  It was taken at our kitchen table.  Just how I remember them.  Grandpa always had on a warm hat in the winter but he always wore his bib overalls.  Grandma looked the same as far back as I can remember up until the day she passed away.

Me and Grandpa LeFevre.  Loved that man!!!
This was taken at a wedding or something because I'm in a dress and he's not in bib overalls. :) 


What I know about Grandma which is quite a bit...  I spent a lot of time at her house growing up.  Grandma had favorites of her grandkids.  She always said she didn't but she did and me and Ryan were it.  While growing up there was never a volleyball game or basketball game that my grandparents didn't go to.  They drove all over the state to attend them all.  The entire trip they would argue about my grandpa's driving.  Funniest thing ever.  He was so laid back that nothing got him mad.  I truly never seen him mad.  He was bald as far back as I can remember.  When he was young a logging a tree fell on his head.  He drove himself home.  When grandma seen him at the door she didn't recognize him.  She said his head looked like a balloon with indents for eyes.  They ended up putting metal plates in his skull because it was so shattered.  He was fine after that.  Whenever we would ask for anything from Grandpa he would say "Well I suppose so"  never heard him say no.  When I was small and stayed at their house he would take me with him to change water.  He would lead me around on a horse so I didn't get dirty.  Grandma always worked.  She was a waitress at Cowan's cafe forever.  I wish I knew how many years.  But one day she blacked out while driving to Duchesne and decided to quit working so far away from home.  After that she started working at Max's Meat wrapping meat.  I went with her sometimes and they let me stamp the meat.  Funnest days ever.  I remember when I was little they would butcher a bunch of turkeys and chickens every year.  Thank goodness I was too little to help.  I remember them hanging the turkeys (I swear by their tongues) and chopping the chickens heads off of a hundred chickens and then they would pluck them all to put in the freezer.  Grandma and Grandpa were no strangers to hard work.  Grandpa LeFevre died of cancer and was buried on my 16th birthday.  That was the only time I ever seen my grandma cry.  I never wanted her to die but I'm truly glad they are back together because there was no Walter without Rella.


This is Grandma Rella's Obituary

RELLA LEFEVRE Rella June Beckstead LeFevre, our beloved mother, grand and great-grandmother, age 94, of Tabiona, passed away February 9, 2010, in Roosevelt. She was born June 9, 1915, in Talmage, to Henry Austin and Sarah Mabel Bowlden Beckstead. She was the sixth child of a family of seven. She married Walter LeFevre, April 5, 1934, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He died December 29, 1988. Rella was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holding many positions. She loved gardening and always had a beautiful yard. She had a wonderful talent for making handmade quilts, doilies, and afghans for each of her many grandchildren. She loved music and played in a dance band for many years and taught music lessons. She is survived by her children, Carol (Joe) Shields, Marilyn (Leo) Foy, Linette Peck, and son-in-law, Jerry Giles, 23 grandchildren, 84 great-grandchildren, and 40 great-great grandchildren with four on the way; brother-in-law, Douglas Carlile. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter, daughter, Mabel Giles, and sons-in-law, Sharon J. Neilson and Stanley N Peck; 3 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, her parents, and six brothers and sisters. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, February 13, 2010, at the Tabiona LDS Chapel with a viewing from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Burial will be in the Tabiona Cemetery. Special thanks to the nurses at the Sr. Villa for the great care they gave to our mother.

Henry Austin and Sara Mabel Bowlden Beckstead - Rella LeFevre's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents



Grandma Carol says she remembers that her Grandma always raise a giant garden and would can everything out of it and not waste any of it.  She remembers staying at their house and their mattresses were stuffed with straw.

Sarah was born on April 21, 1884 in North Point, Utah to William and Sarah Bowlden. She married and was sealed to Henry Austin Beckstead on January 7, 1903. They had 7 children: Rulon Clair, Norma Louise, Laron Elmer, William Gordon, Leah Elzina, Rella June, and Leone Beckstead. The large family lived in South Jordan, Utah until 1909, when they moved to Peoa, Utah and bought a new home. In 1914 they moved again, this time to the Uintah Basin to a settlement called Talmage, where they bought 90 acres of land. During the years, her husband Henry was often away herding sheep to support the family. Sarah was a wonderful homemaker who kept the family and house together. She was supportive to her husband and raised her children to be spiritually strong and well mannered. She was an expert quilter and a very loving person. She died on December 17, 1971 in Salt Lake city, Utah  Henry died February 23, 1972 and was buried 26 February 1972 in the 


Nora McClelland and Jesse Holyoak LeFevre - Walter LeFevre's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents

Jesse Holyoak LeFevre - Your great great Grandpa was on the very first BYU football team.  He is standing on the far right of this picture.  Grandma Carol says that this picture is hanging in some restaurants in Provo.  Seriously never knew this until today.  How cool is that???  BYU was originally BYA Brigham Young Academy.




Nora McClelland and Jesse Holyoak LeFevre



Lydia Lefler and Heber John Jones - Grandpa Ray's Parents - Your Great Grandparents

I know pretty much next to nothing about these two.

She was born August 2, 1893 in Woodland, UT over by Kamas and died December 22, 1973 right before my first birthday.  She would have been 80 years old.  She died of breast cancer.  Grandma Carol said that she worked a lot on genealogy trying to track down her down.

Heber (Grandpa Ray called him daddy whenever he talked about him) was born January 26, 1889 in Woodland, UT and passed away of cancer January 10, 1959 at the age of 70.

I know Grandpa Ray talked about going logging with him and his brothers.  They had a large family but I never knew any of them except for Aunt Velda because she lived in Tabiona.

Eliza Margaret Lucas and Marshall Lefler - Lydia Lefler Jones's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents


Eliza Margaret Lucas and Marshall Lefler are the couple on the far left.

Eliza was born in 1857 in Breckenridge, Missouri.  She died in Park City in 1927.
Marshall Lefler was born in 1851 in Oakland, Canada and died in Woodland in 1933.



Marie Nielsine Adamsen and John Jones - Heber John Jones's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents


I can find no picture of Marie. Sorry.

Marie was born in 1864 in Nebbelunde, Denmark and died in Weber County, UT in 1928
John was born in 1851 in East Dereham, England and died in 1937 in Tabiona, UT.

Unice Angus and Glen C Remund - Grandma EnaRa's Parents - Your Great Grandparents


I never had the chance to meet Grandpa Remund.  From what Dean has said and the stories that he tells I imagine Grandpa Remund to be a lot like Dean.  Quiet, wise and very hard working.  He was a jokester and loved his family.  I think dad looks a little his Grandpa too.  Grandpa owned most of the strawberry river up by the ranch until the DWR took it from him.  He ran cattle up there and was a great farmer.

Grandpa Remund was born in 1914 in Duchesne, UT and died in 1988 in Roosevelt UT

Grandma Unice was the nicest person I've ever met.  I loved to go visit with her.  She was so quiet and easy going.  She loved to go to the mountains.  She was a hard worker and never complained.  Dad use to love going to the ranch and stay with them.  He only got to a few times but he remembers them very well.





Bertha Bell Dennis and John Alexander Angus - Unice Remund's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents


Bertha Bell Dennis was born in 1885 in Marquon, Illinois and died in 1978 in Roosevelt, UT


John Alexander Angust was born in 1862 in Spanish Fork, UT and died in 1951 in Ioka, UT.


I found this history of John Alexander Angus on FamilySearch.org.  Pretty incredible life.

JOHN ALEXANDER ANGUS

John Alexander Angus was born 14 September 1862 at Spanish Fork, Utah. A son of John Clark and Betsy Hislop Archibald Angus. His parents were converts of the L.D.S. Church in Scotland. His father was the only member of his family to join the church. He was a miller by trade and when he had saved enough money to come to America, he did so and was sent by Brigham Young to Utah Valley to work at a mill, eventually coming to Provo to run the flour mill. His mother, a widow with two small children, came to America with her parents and settled in Provo, Utah. Not long after the Archibald family arrived in Provo they met John Angus and after a short courtship John Clark and Betsy were married.

John Alexander was the first child born to this marriage, being followed by Robert, James, Joseph Fielding, Jane Agnes, Archie, Betsy Hislop, George and Wilford. With the half sister and brother, Christeen and Henry, this made a family of twelve children, 4 girls and 8 boys. The parents were so successful in integrating the two families that the older children were in school before they knew they did not have the same father. One day the school lesson mentioned a step brother. One student inquired what a step brother was the teacher used Henry and John as an example to help the children understand. This was a real surprise to the two boys. John was baptized 4 August 1872 in Spanish Fork by William M. Boyack, and confirmed by John Moore. He was ordained a Deacon 14 March 1885 by Charles Monk. He became an Elder in 1882, being ordained by George D. Snell. On 22 September 1912 he was ordained a High Priest by David 0. McKay, and at the same time was ordained a Bishop of the Mural Ward, Duchesne Stake.

John’s Grandmother Archibald, a Scottish lady, called him Jock and the rest of the family called him Jack. This was relevant since his father was called John.

He had very little formal schooling, hardly finished the third grade. What schooling he had was in the one-room home of a Mrs. Woodword. They had to pay tuition to attend, so not all the children in the area could attend school. Their seats were blocks of wood or slabs laid on blocks of wood. They held their slates or books on their laps, and woe be to anyone who inadvertently erased the lesson from the slates before the teacher could examine it.

Those who knew John well knew him as an educated man. He was well read and could measure a stack of hay and tell how many tons were in the stack. He could also tell how many square feet of land in a field and how many bushels of grain in a bin. He made his own survey instrument using a 16 foot 2x4 on a saw horse, with the legs on one end shorter than the other. With this instrument he surveyed the ditches to get water from the Sand Wash to his farm. It worked very well.

John Clark had farms in both Spanish Fork and Lake Shore and also had a grist mill. As a boy John worked with his brothers farming, hauling wood from the canyon to heat their home and to cook and learning and doing all the endless chores associated with farming. He was a fast learner, and whatever he endeavored to do he did well.

He also hauled tithing and donations to Salt Lake City for those who were working on the Temple. At that time it took several days to make the trip from Spanish Fork to Salt Lake City with a team of horses and wagon. The roads were rough and sandy or muddy. In places they were very narrow. He said going around the point of the mountain the road was only wide enough for one wagon at a time. When they got to Salt Lake City they would camp in the old tithing lot located where the Hotel Utah and Church Office buildings are now located. The gates were locked at nine p.m. and if they were not inside by this time they had to spend the night on the streets or elsewhere. John never had to spend the night outside. A man of high moral attitudes, John had no desire to tamper with tobacco or liquor. He also never liked card playing, saying it never led to any good. He had a special abhorrence for profanity and never spoke it and chastised his children if he ever heard them using even mild slang.

When John was 16 years old he had been promised he could attend school that winter at the B.Y.U. A brother who was to go into the mill with his father refused to do so. It then fell to John to go into the mill with his father and learn the trade. He became an expert at dressing the burs. In those days flour was ground on the old bur mills. This trade proved useful to him many times in later years. He knew how to make pearl barley, germade, whole wheat flour and corn meal. He worked early and late hours, occasionally even staying at the mill all night. Although he learned well the skills of a miller, he still preferred to work the land and work with animals. Therefore, when he married he became a farmer.

In 1882 John met Mary Jane Gribble from Paragunah, Iron County, daughter of Robert Gribble and Sarah Losee. She was working at the home of Wiley Thompson in Spanish Fork at the time. They were married 19 October 1882 in the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Their first home was part of his father’s home and was always referred to as “John’s Rooms.” For many years after he left the family called it John’s rooms. To this union was born two daughters and four sons. Mary Jane, the oldest, was born 14 August 1883. On January 2, 1885 Sarah Christina was born. Twin sons, Delbert and Delroy were born 14 April 1887. John Elmer was born 14 September 1889 (on his father’s birthday), and Wilford 18 January, 1896.

In the year 1884 John and Mary Jane decided to go to Ashley Valley (now Uintah County) to make a home and help settle the new area. In the fall of that year he took some farm machinery and other things out to the valley, preparing to move in the spring of 1885 with his family. When he returned to Spanish Fork a letter was waiting from Box B in Salt Lake City, calling him on a mission for the L. D. S. Church. He answered the letter at once telling the first presidency he was willing to go on the mission, but he also told them of his plans to help settle the Basin. He promptly received a reply back that he was to go to the Basin as originally planned, because settling a new area was a mission itself.

In the spring of 1885, with his wife Mary Jane and two little girls, Mary Jane not yet two years old and Sarah Christina just a baby, they moved to the Ashley Valley, on the Green River near Jensen. There was already a house on the land they purchased and John had brought with him farm equipment and cattle, so he began to farm and raise cattle.

Two years later twin boys, Deiroy and Delbert were born on April 14, 1887. On September 14, 1889 another son Elmer was born. Jane was very ill and a doctor had to come from Ft. Duchesne to care for her. When she didn’t get well quickly John’s mother, Betsy Angus came from Spanish Fork and spent several weeks caring for the family until Jane was able to be up and about again.

Hard winters forced John out of the cattle business so he farmed and worked on odd jobs and every fall he worked with a threshing crew with L. Eaton, Frank Watkins and Jabe Taylor, traveling all over the valley doing threshing for the farmers. This was the first steam thresher in the valley. In those days having the threshing crew was a time to remember. They did not have machinery to do the threshing in the fields as they do today. The grain was cut and tied into sheaves or bundles, then stacked in stacks until the threshing machine could come. About 10 to 12 men were required for the entire operation and they began working at daylight and worked until dark. The women were kept very busy those days cooking hot meals and washing dishes for the men. They served breakfast before they began, which was before daylight, dinner at noon and supper after dark before the men went home. Youngsters were kept busy supplying water for the men to drink and water had to be heated before each meal so the men would have hot water to wash up. Whenever the threshing machine came to a neighborhood, all the neighbor men would help, taking turns at each farm until they all had their grain threshed. It didn’t take the men long to figure out which wives were the good cooks. There was frequently a man or two who would show up with the threshers, not to do much work, but to always be around at meal time.

While living in Jensen, John helped build the canal later known as Burns Bench ditch. His wife had very poor health, suffering from rheumatism caused from exposure and hard work as a girl. When water was put on the bench lands from the Burns ditch, the ground around their home became so damp it caused her condition to worsen. They were counseled to move to higher ground, so they sold the farm where they had lived for 12 years, to Snows and Murrays and moved to higher ground south of Jensen and north of Green River. This was in about 1897. The new place had a larger home and in about 1900 John and Jane made a trip to Gunnison and brought Jane’s parents to Jensen to live with them. They built another room on the house especially for them. The Gribbles lived with the Angus family until their daughter died.

In the fall of 1902 the two daughters, Mary Jane and Sarah Christine (Molly and Teen their father called them), were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Mary married Frank Merrell and Teen married his older brother Fuller Merrell. Several of the relatives made the trip to Salt Lake City by wagon for the wedding which took place in the Salt Lake Temple on September 18, 1802.

In the winter of 1904-1905 Jack and his son-in-law, Frank Merrell and sons Deiroy and Delbert had a contract with the Uintah Company to install telephone lines from Dragon to Ouray. In October of 1904 John and Jane made a trip to Spanish Fork to visit. On the way home Jane caught cold and was ill all winter. Near the end of February John went home and started his spring farm work since it had been an open winter, and also to be home for awhile because Jane was worse. One day John was preparing to go across the river for water, when Mary, who was staying with her mother, came running after him calling him to come back. Jane passed away a few minutes after John returned to the house. This was March 16, 1905. The death certificate gives dropsy as the cause of death. Perhaps today that would be known as congestive heart disease. She was buried in the Jensen cemetery. John was left with the four boys still at home. The twins were almost eighteen years old, Elmer 15, and Wilford was nine.
Mary and her small son Angus lived in the home that summer. In August Mary gave birth to a second son, Wallace. That fall Bertha Dennis and her small son Raymond came to the home as housekeeper. She stayed for a year and a half then she and John were married on 31 October 1906 in Vernal, Utah. The winter weather did not permit extended travel, so it was in March 1897 they went to Salt Lake City, Utah. They went to Price by wagon, then on to Salt Lake City by train. On 3 April 1807 Bertha received her endowments and was sealed to John.

To John and Bertha were born two sons, Alton Dennis and Lynn Franklyn and four daughters, Thelma, Edna, Eva and Unice.
John and Frank Merrell hauled the first load of rock for the L.D. S. chapel which was built in Jensen. They also did a considerable amount of work on the chapel, along with Fuller Merrell, until it was completed. That was in about 1906.

In the spring of 1907 John and Bertha moved to Ioka and settled on a homestead Bertha had filed on earlier. At that time it was Wasatch County. Later it was divided and Duchesne County was created. It was also known as the Ute Indian Reservation. John and Bertha were the first L.D.S. family to settle there. There were other men living in the area but the Angus’ were the first family. John was the mainstay in building ditches and canals to get water on the land. They built their home on the homestead and planted a large orchard. As the trees grew and began to produce they furnished fruit for miles around.
In about 1908, Mary and Frank and Teen and Fuller and their families, along with Frank and Fuller’s mother and sister, Helen Richardson, moved to Ioka, taking up land near John and Bertha. Frank and Mary lived just east of John and Teen and Fuller were about a mile west of the Angus’s, with Grandmother Merrell and Helen just a bit west of Fuller.
While living on the homestead a Sunday School was organized on August 8, 1908. John was the first teacher of the adult class. These classes were held in the home of the L.D.S. families.
In April 1910 a branch of the church was organized. This was called the Lake Fork branch. Meetings were held in the school house and then Sunday School was added to their meetings. John was called as presiding elder over this branch.
On 22 September 1912 the Lake Fork Branch was organized into the Mural Ward of Duchesne Stake. John was called as Bishop of the new ward and was ordained a High Priest and Bishop by David 0. McKay. Walter Baird was first counselor and James Evans second counselor and Dell Lambert was ward clerk. During the time John was Bishop he had James Evans first counselor George Potts second counselor, George Evans ward clerk. John K. Lemon first counselor, John J. Benson second counselor, Archie Benson ward clerk. When John K. Lemon and John J. Benson were serving as counselors they were affectionately called “the three John’s”.

It was while he was Bishop that the loka meeting house was built under his supervision. Between the years 1915-1920 John spent many weeks in the mountains hauling logs to the sawmill to be sawed into lumber for the meeting house. He and his sons-in-law, Fuller and Frank Merrell once again hauled rock and were the three highest donors to the construction of the chapel. This building stands today as a monument of hard work and dedication of pioneer struggles in the loka community.

At a special meeting, 27 June 1920 the Roosevelt stake was organized from the Duchesne Stake. The name of the Mural Ward was changed to the loka ward. (This was an Indian name. The Indian lady by that name lived in loka for many years.) At that time John was released as Bishop of the Mural ward after many years of untiring service. He was a very kind a considerate man, liked by everyone, willing to help and donated a considerable amount of time to his people. He was a real sticker for promptness, insisting that his family be on time wherever they were going and always started his meetings at the appointed hour.

John had a special interest in farming, and was always ready to pioneer any new project he felt was good for the community and all who lived and were interested there. He donated many hours on the first stake house in Roosevelt and also helped build the welfare building in Roosevelt. When he was eighty years old he helped remodel the chapel in loka which he had helped build earlier.
He had a special love for every member of his family. He was never too busy to stop and listen to any problem or to give advice. His grandchldren were very special to him. His children and grandchildren all loved him and respected his advice. He always knew just the right thing to say to make them feel good about themselves.

He passed away at his home in loka, Utah 24 January 1951. Much was loved and respected by all who knew him.

MEMORIES OF JOHN ALEXANDER ANGUS
By Thelma Angus Cook (daughter)
I think of my father so often and the influence he had on my life. He always had time to listen to our problems no matter how small they were. He was the Bishop of the ward for about 12 years. It was during this time that the loka church house was built. When the building was near enough to completion that they could begin to hold meetings in it there was a big celebration for the entire ward. The building seemed so large and all the children had a wonderful time sliding up and down the smooth floors. When we got home Father called us all together and said “You children had a good time today didn’t you?” We all assured him we had. He then told us that he never again wanted to see any of us act that way in the church house. Then he explained that we must have a respect and reverence for our church buildings.
One year at tithing settlement time Father asked me if I wanted to pay tithing. I was too young to fully understand the law of tithing, so he explained it to me. My tithing that year was two chickens. It was a great lesson, and it has never been hard for me to pay my tithing.
When I was a child, one Sunday Father was ill. We knew he was really sick because he stayed in bed, the bedroom blinds were drawn and he was unable to go to Sunday School with us. When I returned home from Sunday School mother met me at the gate and told me to go back to the church and ask Brother John Benson to get someone to come with him and come give Father a blessing. At that time Sunday School was from 10:30 to noon. Priesthood meeting was after Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting was about 2:00 p.m. Travel was by horse and buggy so the sisters would visit and the children would play during Priesthood meeting. As I went into the meeting house I was so worried over my Dad that I went right to where they were holding Priesthood meeting. The women tried to stop me but I didn’t listen, I just hurried all the faster. I told Brother Benson my message and then started to run for home which was about a half mile away. All the time I was praying my Daddy would not die. When the Priesthood brethren finished administering to Father, he seemed healed at once. He got up and dressed and went to Sacrament meeting. He said he had promised the Lord if he would relieve him of his affliction he would go to meeting and bear testimony of his healing.
Another great lesson that he taught me has stayed with me all my life. When I was in my early teens, one evening I was annoyed at something that had taken place. I said “Gosh all mighty!” I had said it several times. Dad put down his paper and said to me, “Thelma, if you are going to swear say it. I don’t want to hear you say, gosh all mighty any more. I would just as soon hear you say ‘God all mighty!’ It doesn’t sound any worse and it means the same thing.” I thought about what he had said and decided then I didn’t need to use that expression again. In all my life I never did hear him swear or even use a slang expression.
He never missed an opportunity to help a friend or neighbor. No one ever came into his home and went away hungry and usually they took something with them from his garden. He loved children and had a way with them and they loved him in return.
When my first husband, Asa M. Webb, died my Dad came to my rescue. I was 21 years old and had two children, Maren two years old and John Asa three weeks old. My father was so patient, kind and understanding. I had a small farm, 40 acres. Father was not a young man then but he and my brother Lynn took over the field work, along with their own. He never believed in women or girls doing heavy farm work. He was always there when I needed him. Maren and John really loved him. He loved them and was so kind, just the example they needed.
Four and a half years after Asa died I married James One Cook. One had a great love and respect for father. He always called him “Daddy Angus” very affectionately.
By Edna Angus Anglikowski (daughter)
When we first talked about a biography, my first thought was “biographies are written about people who have made a name in history by something outstanding they have accomplished.” In keeping with this line of thought, I have listed a few of the characteristics of my father which I feel made him a great man.
He was honest, kind-hearted, had a deep religious conviction, was trustworthy, hard working, self-educated and devoted to his family. He was a man of few words, but by his deeds and actions set an example for others to follow. Yes, these are the qualities which made him a great man and a loving father. I soon learned if I really wanted something special, which was within reason, such as spending Sunday afternoon at a friend’s home, Dad was the one to approach and he would almost always say yes. But I also knew what my limitations were and best not to push my luck too far.
I can truthfully say I never heard Mom and Dad quarrel or disagree in the hearing of their children. I feel that this has contributed greatly to the love and devotion we have for each other. I don’t think Dad ever told us we had to go to church, but we went with him. It was just understood that we would go as a family and we did.
By Unice Angus Remund (daughter)
I remember Dad as a quiet, soft spoken man. He didn’t say much, but when he did speak you knew that he meant what he said and you could always depend on him to keep his word. I don’t ever remember seeing Dad very angry or raise his voice. He didn’t swear or use foul language or tell off-color stories and he didn’t like to hear other people doing it. I remember one time when Eva and I were teetering on the corral fence. I got cross at Eva and swore at her. Dad heard me and said if that was the way I was going to talk I had better go to the house.
Dad always had time for us. He would take us with him when he was working. Many times I have ridden on the hay wagon when I was probably very much in the way. I have seen him take a grandchild on the horse or hold them on his lap while he was working. One time he took me with him to get a load of “Quakers” which he used to build a chicken coop. I thought I was really special to get to go camping in the mountains with Dad.
Dad didn’t believe that a woman should have to do a mans work. He never expected us girls to do outside work. We never had to work in the garden or milk the cows, so I never learned to milk until I was old enough to do it for fun. About the only outside chores I had to do was bring in the wood and chips and to herd the cows in the summer. As I was the youngest in the family I didn’t have to do much cooking, so one time when I was left alone to do it I boiled the frying chickens instead of frying them. Dad said they tasted good anyway.
In the winter when it snowed Dad always had the walks swept first thing in the morning. When I used to walk to catch the school bus, if it had snowed much during the night, he would get a horse and pull a “ditcher” to make a trail for me to walk in to the bus.
Dad loved his animals and took good care of them. He always had a barn or shed to shelter them in winter and he saw to it that they were well fed. He didn’t like to see animals mistreated and seldom flicked the whip at his horses. One time I came home from school and found two little puppies that had been abandoned. Dad and brought them home because he couldn’t stand to leave them to die. Those were the first dogs I remember having on our farm.
Dad was a hard worker and enjoyed farming. He went to bed early and got up early. Even in his latter years he thought he should be out in the fields early and do a full days work. Along with the farming he raised chickens and worked with bees. I can still remember seeing him put on his bee clothing so he could work with the bees without getting stung.
Although he was so good with horses, he never learned to drive a car very well. He would forget that cars, unlike horses, would not stay on the road if he looked around the countryside as he was driving.
Dad liked bread and milk for supper with honey or jam. He also liked dry beans. In the summer when it was hot he liked to drink rhubarb punch. He said it would quench his thirst better than water.
I don’t remember Dad with anything but white hair, which he disliked because it made him look older. One time he let us girls put some henna on it. He thought it would be fun to have it turn red again, however, it turned orange. For a long time Dad wore his hat or stayed home until it grew out far enough that all the orange could be cut off. He must have been a very trusting man. He would let us shave him with a blade razor, and comb his hair anyway we liked. When there was a dance at the ward house Dad always danced with his daughters. We could always depend on having at least one dance with him. I think he had a nickname for all of us. He called Eva “Eve” and I was “Un.”
By Harold Merrell (grandson)
I do not remember Grandfather doing much talking, he was a very quiet man, he did do a lot of singing, either Irish or Scottish songs, but he sang them with a brogue.
When I was 12 or so, one night my cousin, Angus Merrell and I had been to Mutual. After I left Angus, I had quite a distance to walk, so instead of taking the long way around I cut through Grandfather’s orchard. As I walked through the trees loaded with ripe peaches I managed to eat several. When I got home I told my father what I had done. He made me go to grandpa and tell him what I had done. Grandpa listened to me and didn’t say a word.
One time he was going to get a load of wood and asked me to go along with him. One of his horses just wouldn’t keep up with the other one. He kept snapping his whip at her and would say “Molly, you old devil you.” I wondered why he kept calling his horse a devil.
One time Grandpa found a beautiful straight-grained cedar tree. He spent hours whittling bows out of it, one for each of us boys, Raymond Angus, Angus and Wallace Merrell myself and my younger brother Ross. They were the most beautiful bows I have ever seen. We used them many times and really enjoyed them.
By Wallace Merrell (grandson)
We were with grandpa a lot of the time when we were growing up because my family lived just a short distance from Grandpa. Uncle Fuller and Aunt Teen lived about a mile west of us, so all us grandkids were around often.
Grandfather was never too busy to pay attention to his grandchildren. He was always doing little things for us. There are two things that really stand out in my memory. Shortly after Ross and I were ordained Deacons Grandpa sent us out to gather fast offerings. In those days a Deacon had to be prepared to bring back a little of everything. First thing was to be sure and take some scales, a lot of sacks and string because among the standard items gathered were flour, dried beans, eggs, butter and often a live chicken, potatoes, grain, etc.
This was in the winter and it was cold. We were on the south side of the valley. We stopped at one home, and the children were cooking sliced potatoes on top of the stove. I can almost smell them now. They gave us a pound of these potatoes for fast offering. When Ross and I got on our way we talked about how good those potatoes looked. We decided that by the time we got to Grandpa’s they would be cold and no good, so we stopped and ate them. When we got back and gave all the fast offerings we had gathered to Grandpa, he checked the list and wanted to know where the potatoes were. We told him we had eaten them so they wouldn’t spoil. He thought a minute, and then told us that we shouldn’t have done that, they were not our potatoes to eat. Then he told us to go to my house and cook some potatoes and bring them back to him. Well, when we got back with the potatoes he looked at them and said “Well, I think you boys have learned a lesson, let’s eat these potatoes before they get cold and are spoiled.” Twill never forget it.
The next thing I remember about Grandpa was in connection with a Ute Indian Sub Chief by the name of Dick Wash. Dick was a friend of Grandfather’s. Each fall Dick and his wives and children (he usually had two or three squaws with him) would come to visit Grandpa. They usually stayed two or three weeks. During this time Dick kept the squaws busy chopping wood. If the pile of uncut wood began to get low Dick would yell “John, haul more wood, Squaws getting lazy.” Well, by the time they left Grandpa had a big pile of chopped wood, and Dick had a pretty good supply of food from Grandpa’s garden and orchard.
One thing we really had fun doing with Grandpa was drowning groundhogs. There were a lot of them on all our farms in loka. We would put irrigation water out on the ground, flood the groundhog holes, and then kill them when they came up out of the holes.
Christmas was always fun. We would open our gifts at home then we kids would all go to Grandpas to play. He would wrestle with us and we would all gang up on him to take him down. He seemed to enjoy these activities as much as we did.
By Nelma Merrell, (wife of grandson Ross Merrell)
I talked to Aunt Mary Merrell to see if she could tell me something she remembered about her father. She said that her father never let her or her sister Teen go out with boys who would whistle or call to them from the road. One time some fellows whistled for the girls and grandfather opened the door and said, “No dogs in here.” and closed the door again.
I also talked to Aunt Jane Banks (grandfather’s sister) about grandpa and she said their mother made their hats by braiding wheat straw. John’s hats didn’t wear out as fast as the others but they would come up missing. One day they found two or three hats hidden by a post in the field. He had hidden them so he could have a new hat. She also told of going to school when George Brimhall was the teacher before he was married. In those days they didn’t have grades; it was 1st and 2nd readers, etc. She said when Brother Brimhall came to school running his fingers through his hair, everything was aright, but when he came well combed they knew they better look out, that was when he was very strict.
I remember one time when we were all over to loka to celebrate Grandpa’s 72nd birthday. My birthday is the same day and I was 27. Grandfather laughed and said “we are the same age.”
Ross remembers when he was a small boy they would always go to Grandpa’s for Christmas. All the family would be there and Grandpa would wrestle with his grandsons, Ross, Harold, Angus, Wallace and with Bertha’s son Raymond.
By Karl A. Merrell (grandson)
When I was small we lived about a mile from Grandfather’s home in loka Utah. My first memory of Grandfather is of the family gathering at his home for Christmas. I remember many presents around, which was a joy to me. I remember Grandfather holding me on his lap and asking me to say all kinds of big words like Hippopotamus. I would try to repeat the words and everyone would laugh at the way I said them. My dad said when I was small I talked like a Dutchman.
Grandfather was the kindest man I have ever known. I was around him a lot when he was farming, and when he and father and others were building ditches and repairing breaks in the canal on the hillside after floods had washed them out, or filled them with sand. These days tested tempers, with teams pulling slip scrapers in the muddiest places and terrible conditions. Some men would get angry and whip their horses. I never did see grandfather get angry at anything. No matter how exasperated he may have been he always held him temper and he was always kind to his horses.
Grandfather was Bishop of the ward we lived in for many years and was appreciated by everyone. When I was eight years old he had me come to his home where there was a nice pond for watering horses and other livestock. There in the pond he baptized me.
We moved away from the area when I was thirteen years old. I have always been sorry that in later life I was not able to see him more often. I still think he was the kind of man I would like to be.
By Mable Merrell Handy (granddaughter)
The first thing I remember about Grandfather is going to loka to a family gathering. It was likely his birthday on September 14. We went from Vernal in a wagon. It was a long trip, but a fun one. Many of the relatives were there. We all loved him, and used his birthday as an occasion for all the family to come together. He always was so full of love for everyone, especially the children. I remember him digging some Jerusalem artichokes, peeling them and letting us eat them.
One of the most hurtful memories I have was just prior to his death. I was down from Alaska, living in a trailer behind Mother and Dad’s store. One day I took Mother, Dad, Aunt Mary and Uncle Frank to loka to visit him. He was in bed, very ill, he didn’t know his daughters at all, yet he seemed to sense that they were there because he rambled on, apparently talking to his first wife, their mother, saying that he would get the wagon, for her to get the children and they would go home. In a few days he was gone.

PATRIARCHAL BLESSING ON JOHN ALEXANDER ANGUS
Roosevelt, Utah
July 26, 1932
A blessing by E. Lambert, Patriarch upon the head of John Alexander Angus, son of John Clark Angus and Betsy Archibald Angus, born in Spanish Fork, Utah, September 14, 1862.
John Angus, in the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands on thy head and give unto thee a Patriarchal blessing. Thou art of the house of Israel and a descendent of the house of Joseph, through the loins of Ephriam and art an heir to all the blessings promised to the sons of Zion, among whom thou art numbered.
Therefore I say unto thee Dear Brother, seek the Lord in earnest prayer and the visions of thy mind shall be opened up before thee, that thou shall be able to commune with those who have passed away, for there are many who are waiting for thee to do a work for them in the Temple of the Lord, in order that they may be liberated from bondage in order that they may be able to go on and accomplish the works that may be required at their hands, and great shall be thy joy and rejoicing when thou shall meet them behind the veil.
And inasmuch as thou shall seek earnestly to do this work, the Lord will prolong thy life and move the stumbling blocks from thy pathway and bless thee with means sufficient that thou shall be able to accomplish all that shall be required of thee for an effectual door shall be opened up before thee, whereby thou shall be able to spend all the time that shall be necessary to accomplish this work, for the Lord loveth thee and will bless and inspire thee with great wisdom that thou shall be able to get out of bondage and be able to prepare thyself for all future events, even as a minister of the gospel. For many shall seek advice at thy hands and thou shall be able to give counsel by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be thy guide if thou be faithful and trust in the Lord and thy mind shall expand that thou shall be able to comprehend many of the mysteries of Heaven and explain them unto the children of men.
Therefore magnify the talent that the Lord has blessed thee with and be not afraid for the Lord shall be with thee, even unto the end of thy days, which shall be many if thou shall trust in the Lord and seek earnestly to obey all his commands.
And all blessings shall be thine, for the Lord shall open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon thy head, and thou shall have all that shall be good for thee in this life, yea and even to spare.
I also bless thee in thy body and mind. Therefore be humble and seek the Lord continuously and these blessings shall be made sure unto thee for the righteous desires of thy heart shall be granted unto thee, for I seal these blessings upon thy head. I also seal thee up unto eternal life to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection even so, Amen.
Note: John Angus was born September 14, 1862 and this blessing was given July 26, 1932, which indicates he was almost 70-years-old when he received the blessing.

Emma Caroline Marsing and Henry Arnold Remund - Glen C. Remunds Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents


Emma was born in 1888 in Salt Lake City, UT and died in 1968 in Roosevelt, UT.
Henry was born in 1883 in Midway, UT and died in 1924 in Duchesne, UT.

Can't find much information on them.  I'll keep looking.

Elizabeth Mae Reynolds and Robert Thompson Lindsay - Grandpa Bob's Parents - Your Great Grandparents


Mae was born in 1915 in Boneta, UT and Died in 2000 in Roosevelt, UT
Bob was born in 1914 in Mt. Home, UT and died in 1995 in Roosevelt, UT.

I remember a few things about these two.  They argued constantly.  For fun.  They weren't really mad at each other but they loved to argue.  They would be arguing and Bob would look over and grin great big and chuckle and go back to arguing.  Mae did needlework.  Like embroidery.  I think she was really good at it too.

I remember being at Bob and EnaRa's for dinner and they would always come for dinner.  They were pretty fun.  They were quite old when I met them so I'm not sure what they were like when they were younger.  One other thing..  Grandma Rella and Grandma Mae knew each other growing up.  I think they were even friends a little.  Kids didn't drive around back then they rode horses so they didn't hang out but they visited when they did see each other.

Jennie Jerusha Potter and Francis Edward Reynolds - Mae Reynold's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents

Jennie was born in 1882 in Callahan, TX and died in 1958 in Salt Lake City, UT

Francis was born in 1874 in Panguitch, UT and died in 1951 in Altamont, UT


I did find out they are both buried in the Mt. Home Cemetery.

Rose Mary Thompson and George Geddes Lindsay - Robert Thompson Lindsay's Parents - Your Great Great Grandparents


Rose Mary was born in 1877 in Granger, UT and died in 1946 in Roosevelt, UT.

George was born in 1871 in Newton Grange, Scotland and died in 1947 in Duchesne, UT.



Original Lineage

Going back through FamilySearch.org our lineage goes as follows:

Grandma Carol's Beckstead lineage is from England
Grandma Carol's LeFevre lineage is from England
Grandpa Ray's Lefler lineage is from Scottland and Canada
Grandpa Ray's Jones lineage is from Denmark and England

Grandma EnaRa's Angus lineage is from Scottland
Grandma EnaRa's Remund lineage is from Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland
Grandpa Bob's Reynold lineage is from England
Grandpa Bob's Lindsay lineage is from Denmark and Scottland