Born: 17 April 1705, Ingolsheim, Alsace, France
Married: 14 December 1733, Mrs. Mary Catherine Bigler
Died: 25 April 1787
Parents: Hans Thomas Bigler & Anna Maria Vogler
Profession: Farmer

Mark Bigler was born “Marx Bigler”, the name appearing on his christening record. it is assumed that when Marx immigrated to the United States that the X was mistaken to be a K.  Since most with the name “Mark” spelled their name with a K, we further assume that Marx changed his name to “Mark” to assist with his assimilation into his new culture.

MARK BIGLER, THE IMMIGRANT 1705 – 1787 by Norman Burns, 1960 with editorial comment in italics by Franklin K. Brough, 1981 and rev. made by Edwin Bigler from research of Mark Bigler and family. 30 December 2006 Mark Bigler, our earliest known ancestor in America, came from Ingolsheim, Alsace, France, which is near the Rine River. Marks father had four sons: Hans Jacob of 1701, Hans Georg 1703, Marx 1705, Hans Michael 1707.

Mark is the forefather of the Presbyterian Biglers of Virginia; Jacob is the forefather of the Mormon Biglers of Utah; and Israel, ancestor of the Baptist Biglers of Western Pennsylvania and the Church of Brethren Biglers of Ohio and Indiana. It is interesting to contemplate Biglers scattered from coast to coast, paying homage to the immigrant Mark Bigler. The relationship of the Utah, Ohio and Virginia Biglers was not known until Norman Burns, a descendent of Israel Bigler, made these discoveries and published them in his book, The Bigler Family, 1960. The origin of the Bigler name is in Switzerland. It is a common surname in the rural area surrounding Bern. After the Reformation, religious persecution was prevalent in Berne, since any departure from the official Reformed Church was regarded as heresy before God and virtual treason to the State of Berne. The anabaptists, known in America as the Mennonites, were subjected to over two centuries of the most severe persecution. Anabaptists men and women were dunked in the River Aare in a scientific way to prolong their torture as long as possible until life became extinct. Others were sold to the Venetians to work as galley slaves on Venetian ships plying the Mediterranean. Great numbers had all their property confiscated and were expelled from Berne as destitute refugees. In the period between 1671 and 1711 several hundred Anabaptists left Berne for Alsace, among them being Grabers, Biglers, Mullers, Lehmanns – names frequently associated together in America. Against this background, it seems likely that Mark Bigler’s grandparents Henrich Bigler of 26 November 1645 fled Muri Bei Berne during the wave of religious persecution after 1671, They settled by the Rine River in Ingolsheim, Alsace, France now called, and that is where Mark was born with his brothers. Beginning about 1720, the “America fever” spread throughout the Palatinate and a growing number of members of the dissident sects in the German Swiss and German Rhine country moved down the Rhine Valley to Rotterdam, the great seaport at the mouth of the Rhine in Holland, from whence so many sailed for the promised land. This great wave of emigration went mainly to Pennsylvania, for William Penn, who thrice visited the Palatinate, encouraged the migration of all those who sought freedom from religious persecution of the Old World in his Quaker land of Pennsylvania. Mark Bigler’s name was listed three times on the list as Marx and was changed to Mark when he arrived at Philadelphia, September 28, 1733 on the Brigantine Richard and Elizabeth. Master Christopher Clymer in command, that sailed from Rotterdam. On ship documents was a list of Palatines (Rhinelanders) on board including Marx Beegler, age 28. Another list of “Palatines imported in the Brign Richard and Elizabeth” and reported as having taken the oath of allegiance to the Province of Pennsylvania included Marx Bigler. No other Biglers were reported on this ship. Family tradition has it that three Bigler brothers came to America, Mark, Georg, and Michael. We do not know where Georg went once in America,The other two came to Pennsylvania from the old country. Many Biglers arrived in Pennsylvania in the decades 1733-53 none reported as arriving before 1733, but of these I have been able to trace relationships only between the brothers Mark and Michael Bigler. This relationship was discovered only through the accidental finding of Michael’s will of September 21, 1763 at Frederick, Maryland: where he mentions his brother Mark. Michael Bigler arrived in Philadelphia, May 30, 1741 on the Snow Francis and Ann from Rotterdam. He and Mark appear to have been close associates all all their lives, and his name has been carried on by some of Mark’s children. The question is asked sometimes whether William Bigler, Governor of Pennsylvania 1852-55, and his brother John Bigler, Governor of California 1852-56, were related to our family. I have not been able to discover any direct relationship. Our meager knowledge of Mark Bigler in the New World comes from a few legal and church records. That he moved about considerably and that he prospered is evident from those fragmentary records. It is a pity that the early Brethren were so little inclined to write about their own lives. From the legal records alone they appear to have marched stiffly through the pages of history, clothed in an austere legal atmosphere, whereas in fact they must have been sturdy and vibrant personalities with interesting stories to tell if only the tale had been told. The first record is that of a land warrant issued to Marcus Bigler by the Province of Pennsylvania, on October 18, 1738, for 200 acres in Lancaster County. This may have been in the Manor of Springetbury on the Little Conewage River, adjacent to the land of Leonard Leyst or Lease. However, neither the Lancaster Court House nor the York County records which I examined personally (York County having been carved from Lancaster County in 1749) indicates that Mark Bigler converted this warrant into a deed of actual ownership. The York County records do not show any land ownership in that county by Mark Bigler from their beginning in 1749. Michael Bigler, Mark’s brother had various land transactions in what is now York County. There is some tradition that Mark was in Bucks Country, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia, for a time, and that some of his children were born there. Henry W. Bigler mentions it, and lists Bucks County as the birthplace of Jacob Bigler in temple ordinances performed in St George. Mark Bigler moved from York County to nearby Frederick County, Maryland, presumably in 1743 the date of his first recorded acquisition of land in Frederick County. In his continuing historical search, Norman Burns in June 1981 discovered a deed for 200 acres known as Hull’s choice that was bought from the Governor of Maryland. The deed is found in the Provencial Court Record of Maryland. The Court House records of Frederick County indicate that Mark Bigler acquired several tracts in Frederick County, Md., in 1743, 1750 and 1761. These tracts Upon his death were passed to his son Mark II-who in turn transferred them (and possibly some Iand of his own) to his brother Israel in a deed of April 13, l802. This latter deed described the various tracts, all contiguous and converted into one tract, that had been acquired by Mark I over the years, namely: “a tract called Mark’s Delight originally on the first day of March 1743 granted Mark Biegler, A tract called Bigler’s addition to Hulls Choice originally on the thirtieth day of October 1750 granted to the said Mark Biegler And a tract called the Resurvey on Hull’s Choice originally on the 29th day of September 1761 granted the same Mark Biegler … Containing two hundred and fifty nine and a half acres of land”for the sum of four hundred pounds current money. The deed was signed by Mark Bigler and Catherina Begeler. Mark Bigler and Mary Catherine had ten children: 3 sons and 7 daughters. Mark 1734, Elizabeth B. 1735, a Daughter B. 1737, Salme B. 1739, Phebe B. 1741, Catherine B.1743, Hester B.1745, Israel B.1747, Julianna B.1
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0, Jacob B.1752, and Barbary b.1754. Mark Bigler made his last will on March 19, 1787, when he was near his journey’s end. Soon thereafter, on April 25, 1787, his son, Israel appeared in the Frederick County court testifying that this document was the true will of his deceased father. Mark Bigler voiced his devout spirit in the words of his will. “I, most Humbly bequeath my Soul to God my Maker Beseeching his most Gracious Acceptance of it.” He showed a tender solicitude for the welfare, of his “dearly beloved wife Catherine in the requests to his son to “keep two Cows for his Mother winter and summer as his own are kept” and to his tenant to harvest her share of the grain and to “Carry it up Stairs for her”. His cherished “plantation …containing two hundred and thirty five Acres (in) Pipe Crick hundred and Frederick County” was bequeathed,in accord with European tradition, to one son Mark. Named in the will were his other nine children, each of whom received specified sums of money namely, Israel, Jacob, Catharine, Elizabeth, Salme , Phebe, Julianna, Hester and Barbary, and two granddaughters. Thus Yeoman Mark Bigler, wandering immigrant from the Rhineland, after more than four score of eventful years, blessed with sons and daughters and many fertile acres came to his last resting place in Frederick County, Md., in 1787. He had lived through stirring times when the American colonies struggled for and gained their independence. Now (1787) they were on the verge of formulating that great document, the Constitution, that made America the kind of country where the descendants of Mark Bigler, and of all others like him, could enjoy a heritage of freedom. Mark Bigler’s descendants are now legion, of many different religious faiths, engaged in varied materials pursuits and living in many states from the eastern seaboard to the Pacific Ocean.

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Elizabeth B. Rinehart

Born: 3 Jan 1795, Coventry, Chester, Pa, USA

Married: 1810/1815, Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania (Benjamin Harley)

Died: 4 Feb 1834

Parents: Martin Rinehart , Elizabeth Switzer

Profession: Homemaker

Personal Relation: Elizabeth is my paternal great, great grandmother.

A LIFE SKETCH OF ELIZA MINERVA PORTER BIGLER In a pioneer settlement in Northern Arizona, on the banks of the Little Colorado River, was a town named Sunset. Across the river north-east from the present town of Winslow, Arizona. On November 2, 1879 was born to Samuel Uriah Porter and Mary Minerva Porter, just as the bell tolled to tell the people that dinner was ready, a lovely baby daughter. She was given the name of Eliza Minerva for her mother, grandmother, and aunt. Her parents were very glad she had come to bless their home even though her mother was very sick and it was feared that she would not pull through. The priesthood was called, and they gave her a blessing, and the Lord saw fit for her to live. They lived the United Order in the Sunset Fort. Each doing his share of the plowing, harrowing, cording wool, making cloth, cheese, and butter. They lived there until Eliza was nine months old, when her father’s eyes got very sore and it was feared that he would lose his eyesight. It was decided that they should go back to Salt Lake City to seek medical aid. With a cow and a horse pulling the wagon they set out for Utah.

The horse was called “Old Knitting Machine” because the rugs made from a knitting; machine were sold to buy the horse. This machine was given to grandmother by her mother, and was the only Knitting machine in Porterville at the time. When they arrived in Porterville, grandmother traded the Knitting machine for a sewing machine.

Eliza’s mother and aunts were very good seamstresses and Eliza grew to be one also. They lived in Porterville until Eliza was seven years old.The doctors had done all they could for her father’s eyes, so they moved back to Sunset to finish the colonizing mission that he had been called to by Brigham Young to fill.They lived again there for one year, moving then to St. Joseph, now known as Joseph City. Grandfather’s eyes were so impaired that mother had to take over the farm. Mother said that their oxen Jim and Jerry were so lazy and her arms often ached from whipping them trying to keep them going. Uncle Nathan Porter said that she was the best harrowing hand in Joseph City. She never quit till the hard job was done and she could see the big clods of dirt like her father could, while he could see.

Her father was always called the best harrower in the fort. She plowed and planted the cane, corn, wheat and grain and weeded it, cultivating it often, to keep the moisture in, when it was ready to harvest, she did her share of the cutting of the corn and stripping of the cane. The cane was striped, cut and ground and the juice was processed and cooked to make molasses for winter.

In later years she helped Uncle Nathan Porter make many a gallon of molasses and though tiresome, mother enjoyed it. She only went to school to the completion of the 7th grade, but her ambition was to be a nurse, so when she could get a book on that subject: she would read it. Her father had a sister who was a nurse and in those days a nurses hours were 8 to 35 hours or more without a relief. Her father didn’t want her to be one because of the hard work and besides she was needed at home.Evan though she was given a chance to get the training by a friend and all it would have cost was her books and clothes, be forbade. Children in those days were taught to mind, but Eliza never forgot this ambition. When she was twenty years old her mother and father were blessed with their ninth child, Cyril Victoria. In those days the midwife had to travel far and so Eliza delivered the baby for her mother. When the midwife did arrive Eliza had her mother and the baby taken care of. From what she had read she decided that cleanliness at this time was important, so she gave her mother a bath every day.

The midwife got word of this and gave Eliza a good chastising telling her that she would kill her mother. Eliza felt bad about this but her mother assured her she felt better than she had ever felt before with the other children, so she continued with the baths. Through hard knocks and hard work Eliza became a licensed practical nurse. She helped under many doctors in the Gila and Salt River Valleys as well as in the northern part of the state. She loved the work of helping those in pain and who needed help.

As Jesus said “Do good to all men in need or suffering.” The Lord blessed her in her labors and with the Lord’s help she never lost a case. Never receiving pay for her work to speak of, her only pay was seeing the happiness that she brought to others in need physically, mentally, and spiritually. The next six years the family moved to Heber for the summers and Joseph City for the winters to school the children. Eliza helped cut the corn and put up the crops each fall before school. Eliza never had much time for play. She had a beautiful black pony when she was about 16 years old. They were real pals. Mother told it all of her troubles and it seemed to understand.

The wife of the doctor (who said he could help father) wanted the horse, so Eliza’s father asked her about it. Eliza was brokenhearted to part with her pal but she knew that her father needed the help as well as the rest of the family and so she agreed to give him up. In the summer of 1900 mother developed insomnia. She couldn’t sleep night or day. She lost weight and got so weak that the doctors told grandfather and grandmother that he advised a change in climate, for sometimes this would cure the disease. So grandfather wrote his sister Nancy Cluff in the Gila Valley and asked if Eliza could come down and live with her for her help. Aunt Nancy wrote back that she would be glad to have Eliza come and stay for the rest of the summer. So on July 20th her Uncle Ira Porter came from Joseph City with 2 riding horses and a pack horse and they started their trip over the old Apache Trail which the pioneers traveled when they settled that part of the country. It was a very beautiful country, streams cold and clear, with trout in them darting to and fro.

They camped on the banks of the White River one night and had a good trout supper. On July 23rd, three days after they had started they arrived in the town of Central in the Gila Valley, tired but glad to get to their destination at the Cluff Ranch at the foot of the Graham mountains. The climate moved to be a blessing to Eliza for she slept through that night and every night after. The next day being the 24th of July a big celebration was held in Central. Several of Eliza’s cousins lived there ,as well as a brother Wilford. So they went and spent the day having a wonderful time.Eliza began to gain weight and the color began coming back into her cheeks. She asked her uncle which was the best ward in the valley as she wanted to join the best one. He told her the Central ward of course. The young people and the old. So on Sunday she and her brother Wilford attended Sunday School. After the meeting the Bishop, Edsil M. Allred asked her if she would teach theology class with her cousin David Cluff.

This was a surprise, and she said, “Why brother Allred, I’m not a member of the ward yet” but he said “That’s alright you soon will be and your uncle and aunt have recommended you and he is a member of the stake Sunday School board.” She accepted and was put in July 29th 1900, serving for four years. It was July 24th 1901 just one year after she went to the Gila Valley that she met a young returned missionary of the southern states who’s name was William Bigler. He asked to be her escort to the dance that night and from this their friendship grew and developed into love for each other. It was during this courtship mother said that she tasted her first banana, oh what a horrible taste. But she, soon learned to like them. William told her that while he had been on his mission, one night he lay on his bed wondering who he would marry. He made it a matter of prayer and he said that that night he dreamed that he saw her, then that day he had gone to see the program and there she was sitting on the stand. He knew that she was the one he would marry and would be the mother of his children. On March l2, 1902 they were married. at his father’s home by president of the stake Gordon Kimball. As the President of the church advised the young people all to be married first before the journey to Salt Lake to the Temple because it was so far away. They went to Utah by train and on April 10, 1902 they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Temple of the Lord.

They honeymooned in Nelphi, visiting his people for two weeks and having a wonderful time. Mother said that “Then his grand-father saw her he stood looking at her for a while and then turned and said “Why, Willie, why didn’t you marry a woman, not a skin-pole.She’ll never be able to stand hard. work and motherhood.” Mother never forgot this. The Biglers are all large people of German descent. From there they went to Joseph City to see mother’s parents. They stayed four weeks then returned home to Central. Nine children came to bless their home.

1. Elva Minerva on October 4, 1903
2. Elm Elizabeth on March 2, 1905
3. William Kenneth on April 19, 1907
4. Leola Mae July 13 on 1909
5. Elsie Pear on November 14, 1911
6. Alma Edwin on November 25, 1913
7. Laureld Arthur on February 9, 1916
8. Loretta Ila on October 26, 1918
9. Athena Marie on April 27, 1921

Their father had contracted malaria fever while on his mission and every summer for 12 years he would have many spells along with enlargement of the liver. He came near to death several times and the doctors would give him up for dead. But through the power of the priesthood and the faith of his loved ones he was restored to health. The doctors advised mother to take him to a higher climate.

The doctor once said, “tell a Mormon he’ll die and he’ll live in spite of it all. In April, 1923 mother and father packed up their belongings in two wagons, sold their home, and started for Heber, where their oldest daughter lived. They arrived in Clay Springs on April 19, 1923, their oldest son’s birthday and spent the night at the home of one of mother’s old friends, Amanda Rogers Brewer and family. They had a party and candy pull to celebrate. The next day they went to Sunday School and Church and visited end enjoyed the day’s rest. Then on to Heber to their daughter Elva’s and family who were very glad to see them.

They lived the rest of the summer and winter in an old log cabin of Brother James Shelley’s, their son-in-law’s father. Mother set to work chinking up the holes between the logs with mud and straw. She dyed burlap sacks for carpets and put dry straw on the sub floors and dirt floors, covering the knot holes with a piece of board. She stretched the sacks she had sewn together over the straw and tacked it down. She tacked cheese cloth and paper on the walls and ceilings, making a comfortable home for her family. Father end Kenneth worked for the forest service using their beautiful span of horses; Old Prince, Colonel, Babe, and Doll. Mother said they were the envy of all who saw them.

The next spring, 1924, father and mother moved their family to the old Levitt ranch, now known as Burger, or Crandall ranch and helped to farm it. They kept their eyes open for a farm to buy. Fathers health continued to improve day by day. He heard of a homestead that two of the Levitt brothers had, but couldn’t seem to make anything grow on the land they had cleared. Father went to see them about it.They told him if he could make anything grow on the land they would sell it to him for 150.00 and half of the first year’s crop. So Father talked it over with Mother and they decided to try it.

The Lord truly blessed them and they set to work clearing off the cedars, Junipers, rabbit bush, Pinion pine, and regular pine trees. Piling and burning the small branches and sawing the large logs for winter wood. Next came the plowing, harrowing and planting of the seed. Late hours and long ones were spent with Mother and all helping as much as we could. Then a fence was put up to keep the cattle out. The Lord blessed them with a bumper crop and half of the crop was given to the Levitt brothers along with the S50.00, and one tenth of the crop was sold for tithing money.

They built a one room house on the ranch with the closest neighbor 3-miles away. They were happy and thankful to the Lord for his blessings to them. Going to church on Sunday was always Observed. On Sunday a wagon was hitched up with all aboard and they drove 5 miles each way to partake of the sacrament and to renew their covenants with the Lord. It was there in this home that sorrow came to father and mother and family.

Their daughter and sister, Elsie Pearl was called to her heavenly home on April 25, 1925. She had contracted the flu during the first world war and it left her with leakage of the heart and inflammatory rheumatism. Mother knew she had suffered long and the Lord’s will was acknowledged. They laid her to rest in the Heber cemetery on April 27, 1925. Mother and Father knew they would see her in the next world because they had been married in the Holy Temple of The Lord. This fact made it easier for them to bare the load of sorrow placed upon them. Mother always wanted a bigger home but she never complained. Four beds in one room with a huge bin for beans and corn storage for winter under each bed springs placed across the top. In the late spring of 1928, Mother’s dream began to be realized. They dug the trench for the foundation of a new home. Mother helped as well as the children.

With a horse team and wagon, sand, water, cement, and lumber were hauled five miles to make the foundation and then the sub-floors. Finishing nails, lumber etc. were hauled from Holbrook some 50 miles distant. They traded beans or corn for these things needed to build a home. It was when the sub-floors were down that another sorrow came to Mother and family. One that seemed too big to bear. On August 15, 1928 just a little over two years after the death of her daughter, her beloved husband, helpmate, and companion was taken from her (killed by lightning).

Mother had always been taught Thy will not mine be done, so she knew the Lord needed him for another purpose. On August 17, 1928 she laid him to rest beneath the ground and sky he loved so well. Mother knew she had a greater load placed upon her shoulders now, being both Father and Mother to seven children. She was determined that the home they had started would be finished, so with the help of a carpenter, Mr. white,whom she hired, and hard work of all concerned, the home was completed.

Many times she would wonder how the materials needed would be obtained, but the Lord was and is mindful of those who keep his commandments and serve him. This Mother always did, and taught her children to do the same. Mother took in washings and ironing’s to get the essential things of life so badly needed. She spent long hours scrubbing on a scrub board and ironing with the wood irons, six days a week, lots of times. Selling eggs, chickens, butter, milk, and vegetables in season. She taught her children the responsibility of helping to make an honest living and to always do their part and duty to each other and to pay an honest tithing to the Lord.

Three years later sorrow came again to Mother. On July 8, 1931 her mother who had been living with her was called to her heavenly home by death,s angel. A short time later Mother’s youngest daughter was taken ill with polio and spinal meningitis, she was near death many times but through her prayers, the priesthood and the prayers of others she was helped. She devoted her patient care to work to keep things going and all she could to make her child comfortable.

Medicine mounted up the bills to be paid. Never murmuring or complaining, for two years Mother made bread, butter, cheese etc. and other things and sold them to the doctor and others to pay for the bills. This child, through the help of the Lord and priesthood, and faith and prayers and medical care, got well and has a family of her own today. I know this to be true because I am that child.

Five years later sorrow came again on November 29, 1936. The angel of death took her Father, the holder of the Melchezidek priesthood that had been so much strength to Mother. She saw that he was laid to rest beneath the cedar tree they had picked just two weeks before her mother passed away. Mother sensed the absence of her father and priesthood keenly. Many times she would get up when sickness arose and get the consecrated oil and rub over the foreheads and pray to the Lord for his healing power, and many times we were made whole and well. She always taught her children to pray night and morning, in family and in secret prayer. A little over two years later Mother moved from the ranch to Heber, not being able to run the farm by herself and letting her two sons Alma and Laureld and their wives live at the ranch.

Her home in Heber needed and took many hours of hard work and labor to fix it up like she wanted it. But she had spent many hours constantly digging, pounding, painting, planting, and watering until it was a garden of Eden and a paradise to all who came to see it. Mother was told that fruit could not be grown in Heber and this was a challenge to Mother. She planted many fruit trees and flowers around the home to prove that it could be done. With her efforts and courage she used smudge pots at night to save the fruit. Many are the buckets of fruit that have been picked, bottled, and eaten from the trees that they said could not be grown.

She enjoyed working in the soil and having beautiful flowers. Life wasn’t a bowl of cherries for Mother, she was near death many times but the Lord spared her life. It was in March or April of 1955, while mother was smudging the trees to save the fruit, that one of the pots was accidentally tipped over, throwing burning oil over her legs from the knees down, but the spirit said “don’t go to the doctor but put cat-tail and Vaseline on it. This she did. Under no persuasion from her sons would she go to the doctor. They were quite put out at her but later her son Kenneth went to see the doctor, to see if he could get medicine for it and was told that they could be thankful that she would not go , for before they could have gotten her there she would have died of stagnation of the blood (blood clots).

She spent three long months in bed and arm chair before this burn healed enough to spend the winter in Mesa doing Temple work again. In the fall of 1955 she sold her home in Heber to a Despain boy and bought a trailer house from her son ,Kenneth. She brought it to Mesa where she could be near the Temple that she loved so much and not bother anyone as she said. Mother longed to return to live at the ranch and the home which she and her help-mate had worked so hard together to make. She said it made her feel closer to her beloved husband and God. So after taking care of her grandchildren while her daughter was in the hospital, she returned to the ranch home she longed for On June 6, 1956.

The children didn’t want her to be there alone and it was decided that one of the grandchildren would stay with her. Mother thought this an imposition on her part. June 9, 1956 she started cleaning the yards, she couldn’t stand filth, she had. only been there three days when the hands of fate reached out for her in fire. The three homes burned to the ground. She was caught in the bedroom of the big house but managed to crawl out on her hands and knees to the outside. Being badly burned over 75% of her body with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns and losing consciousness. Mrs Nunn and son coming from Holbrook saw the fire and went to investigate, found her unconscious with her clothes still smoldering. They put out the fire and wrapped Mother in a blanket and left the son there while she rushed to Heber for help.

Her cousins, Jay and Lavine Crandall, and her nephew Junior (Cyril) Porter rushed her to the Holbrook hospital, she walked from the car into the hospital without assistance. Doctor DeMarse looked at her and shook his head and started dressing the burns as best he could. Her sons, Laureld and Alma, arrived and helped some. Then all the children were contacted, The doctor said that he didn’t think that she could live until they could all get there. Sunday morning June 10th all were there but two and they arrived at 5 and 7 PM. Her heart and will were strong. She suffered much that long week. On June 15, 1956 at 4:30 a.m. her husband’s 83rd birth-day, the Lord called this nobel daughter, mother, and wife to her eternal home and the reward she so nobly had earned.

On June 17, 1956, Father’s day she was laid to rest by the side of her beloved husband, daughter and grandchildren who had preceded her,in Heber cemetery, neath the whispering pines,cedars, and the clear blue sky, at the close of a perfect day for those who awaited her over there and what a multitude waited, Mother did the Temple work for about 6,000 people, what a glorious meeting! She was a mid-wife for 56 years, delivering approximately 500 babies into this world. Administering to the sick, those lain to rest and others too numerous to mention, where ever she was called to labor or live. Mother served as 1st councilor in the Relief Society and YWMIA for four years each. Theology teacher for four years. Religion teacher for two years. Visiting teacher in the Relief Society for 63 years. Sunday School kindergarten teacher for 48 years. Secretary of the Relief Society for 18 years.Temple and genealogy worker for 14 years. She has left behind a great posterity of descendants. May we all live worthy to enter that heavenly and great reward as she has so worthily done and as she said before passing.

“Father make my children worthy to enter thy kingdom and sit and stand at thy throne. The thoughts of you, Mother bring memories of sunset, Of laughter and love at the close of the day. I see a small child with her hands clasped before her, as I knelt at your knee while you taught me to pray. When I think of her smile it reminds me of sunlight, Her sweet tender voice like the song of a bird. Mother still rules in the hearts of her children, We treasure your memory, each look and each word. When I think of your hands, once so soft and so dainty, made rough by the toiling for those you loved best. I know that your burden though sometimes too heavy, Was borne without mummer, She would not do less. With courage undaunted though gentle by nature, She blessed our dear home with refinement and cheer. So now I pay tribute to an Angelic Mother, An angel of mercy I shall always hold dear. Now let us pause for a moment, those memories to treasure. My head bows in renewing my promise. To plant my feet firmly and never retreat.”

Story and Poem by Athena Marie Bigler Rogers.

Jacob G. BIGLER was FIRST president of The JUAB STAKE By Preston Nibley Jacob G. Bigler was a convert to the church, a friend and Confidant of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pioneer of Nauvoo, pioneer of Utah, early settler of Nephi and first President of Juab Stake. Jacob G. Bigler was born on a farm in Harrison County, West Virginia, on April 4, 1813. He was the son of Mark and Susanna Ogden Bigler.

The parents and sisters of Jacob Bigler joined the Church in 1837 and the following year the family moved westward to Missouri to unite with the main body of the Saints at Far West. Jacob was baptized at Far West on June 10, 1838. The Bigler family were among the thousands of Latter-day Saints who were driven from Missouri during the winter of 1838-39. They made their way to Quincy, Illinois, where their father died On September 23, 1839. In the spring of 1840 Jacob moved his mother and sisters to Nauvoo, JACOB BIGLER was married to Amy Loretta Chase, on June 18, 1844. He labored on the Nauvoo Temple until he left for the West in the spring of 1846, when he departed with the first company of Saints.

They arrived on the Missouri River in August and Jacob established a home at Council Bluffs (later named Kanesville) until 1852. In 1850 he was elected Probate judge of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. In June, 1852, Jacob Bigler and family joined a company of Saints who were making their way across the plains to Utah. They arrived in Salt Lake City in October, and the following month moved to Nephi, where they established a permanent home. Jacob Bigler was set apart as Bishop of Juab County, by Apostle George A. Smith.(a brother-in-law) shortly after his arrival in Nephi. The following year he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature and he served in this capacity for six terms, in 1855 he was elected mayer of Nephi. Two years later he was called on a mission to the British Isles. He returned home in 1863, having labored in England, Ireland and Wales. THE Juab Stake Tabernacle was begun in 1860, under the direction of Jacob Bigler and completed in 1865 under the supervision of Bishop Charles H. Bryan.

When Juab stake was organized in 1868, Jacob Bigler was chosen as president. A High Council selected at the same time consisted of the following brethren:

• Samuel Cazier
• David Cazier
• Timothy S. Hoyt
• William H . Warner
• Timothy B. Foots
• Samuel Claridge
• Edward Cokey
• Matthew McCune
• Jacob Bigler Jr.
• Israel Hoyt
• Andrew Love
• George Kendall

President Bigler served as president of Juab stake until 1871, when he was released to join the Southern Mission. He reached St George, where he learned that he had been elected a member of the Legislative Council and that that body was to meet in January, 1872, in Salt Lake City. He therefore returned home and was released from the southern mission. Jacob Bigler was ordained to the office of patriarch in June 1878. He held this position until his death on February 27,1907, at the age of 93.

My GREAT GRAND FATHER JACOB BIGLER  had five sisters, Sarah, Malissa Jane and Bathsheba W. (who married George A. Smith, Grandfather of president George Albert Smith) on 25, July 1841. Matilda, who married John S. Martin,and Nancy, who married Josiah W. Fleming.

Born 26 March 1908, Central, Graham, AZ.

Married 03 April 1934, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT (Elvira Audry Dobson)

Died 12 Feb 1985, Provo, Utah, UT

Parents Clarence Mindel Bigler and Edith Vilate Porter

Profession Rancher

From his journals. Written June 19, 1959:

I was born, March 26, 1908 Central, Arizona, Graham County to the parents of Clarence Meudle Bigler, and Edith Vilate Porter. After I was born my parents moved out to Ash Creek, not very far from Central. I was just getting around pretty good. My folks had a wood pile alone to the house with some stumps in it. when mother let me outside to play I went to the wood pile and was going to climb up on one of the big stumps. Suddenly mother came running out and grabbed me down.

Under the stump was a large rattle snake that was really rattling. She called father to come and kill it. As I recall he had a shot gun and there wasn’t much left of the snake to find afterward. Another time I remember my father set steel traps on stumps of trees to catch crows. I watched him set the traps and knew where they were. After he had gone, I went down to one of the traps and could just reach it on the stump.

I caught my fingers in the trap but made enough noise that they came and got me out. My grandfather came out to the farm to see the folks and was hauling sand with a wagon and terra for my father. I came down where he was shoveling and walked up behind him. He didn’t know I was there and as he came back with the shovel he hit me in the head and made it bleed. My mother came to see what was the matter with me and my grandfather told her what had happened. I was always in the right place at the wrong time.

One time I remember my father came in out of the field with his team of horses, a bay and a black, and took them to the well for water. I wanted a ride, so he put up on one to rids to the correll. He had the harness fixed so T could hang on the harness knobs. When we got part way to the Carrell the horse decided to lay down and roll. As he started down my mother saw him and came running and hollering, but as he started to turn over I could sat my feet on the ground and I got off and ran out of the way. I was one seared kid. The first circus I ever saw I still remember. My father hitched the team to the buggy and drove to town. I don’t remember how many miles it was, but I remember the circus leader coming down the road ahead of the parade telling everyone to hold their horses since all horses mere afraid of elephants, My father and an uncle had a large heard of goats away out on the mountains.

My father took me with him one time and I had a wonderful time with the goat kids. While I was there I came down with the measles and dad made me a bed on a load of Wood and we came home. Mother gut me to bed and called a doctor, and I made it again. As I grew older the folks moved into the town of Central for me to go to school. There they had a store and I got all the candy I could eat untill I made myself sick. I don’t care much for it even today. We didn’t live very far from the church house where they held all the socials. One night my father and mother put me to bed and told me where they ware going. I Woke up later andt didn’t find anyone home, so I left the house and started for the church in my pajamas.

One of the neighbors saw me coming and went in and told my mother, who was dancing. She caught me before I got to the door, so I didn’t get very far at my first dance. Then I started school I made two grades the first year and then two more the second year, but after that they would only let me take one. I was never very big, so I had quite a time with the bullies. I made up the difference a time or two and after that I got along good with them all.

As I grew older I got a job cutting wood for the school, so much a cord. I kept warm twice. Another time the town baseball team took me with them to play ball. They got me a suit and did I think I rated, even if all I could do was chase balls for them. My father and mother both worked in the church. Father was the ward clerk for years. Mother worked in the Primary and religion class, where I learned much. I learned to dance at church, for which I thank my parents. I went to church early and loved it. I remember when I was baptized in my uncle George’s pond it was nice. Brother King baptized me and was confirmed by my grandfather.

Later I became a deacon and got to pass the sacrament and gather fast offerings. Sometimes I would get flour, bacon, sugar or some commodity instead of money to take to the bishop, Edsel Allred. My parents decided to move to Glenbar, Arizona, so of course my brothers Carl, Albert, Woodrow, and I went with them. I had one brother, Ralph, next to me, who died from diptheria October 8, 1913.

We liven in Glenbar for three years and farmed . After a while my father sold Rawleigh products and traveled a lot. Sometimes he would take me with him. One time we stopped at a farm house overnight and had supper with the family. The people liked to joke, and in their sugar bowl they had a teaspoon with a hole in the bottom that let the sugar out. I gave it a try and didn’t get much. Another time I was helping a neighbor with his bees, extracting honey. I got in the wrong trail and the bees really gave me a run for my money. I fell down and I’m sure none of them went by without stopping. Finally the neighbor care with the smoker and got them off. I was sore a long time from that experience.

In the fall of 1921 we sold our stock except two teams and wagons and one saddle horse and headed for New Mexico across the Apache reservation where they tried to trade their horses for my saddle We traveled 3 to 4 weeks passing through the Zunia reservation and others. We passed through the White Mountains., a beautiful trip. It was there I saw my first flying squirrel, which I shot to make soup. we never killed anything unless we needed it for food. I was taught never to kill anything needlessly, for God made animals for people to eat, that really needed food.

In the late fall we arrived at Kirtland, New Mexico where we stayed until school was out. I was In the eighth grade there. While in Kirtland us kids would go to Primary and religion classes as well as Sunday School. It was here that I was ordained a teacher in the Aaronic priesthood, and my sister, Bessie, was born. I got a job with a Mr. Palmer, he made adobe bricks and burned them into red bricks like they have in a lot of older homes. We would make sometimes 7,000 a day. That’s where I learned to love ,the Indiana, the Navajos. This was at ShipRock, the Indian Agency. I had lots of fun with them. They gave me the name of Mountain Bear and Mountain Lion.

Another time I lived at Farmington, New Mexico, a place where lots of indians traded for goods. Some of them could drive four little horses on an empty wagon. It looked like they were always on a trot. I’d go down by the tracks and listen to them talk. I worked for a fellow named McClucus, who read water meters on the river for the government. There I trapped and helped him and went to school. One time I was out for a week because I surprised a skunk and he surprised me. Finally I led him to the river and drowned him.

Mr. McClucus had some nice horses and I would run horse races with the Indians on their Big Day. One day a neighbor boy wanted to ride the mare that we were going to run against the indians, so. the boss let him try. He started second at the starting line and held the mare back. The Indians got a big lead on him, but finally he loosened up on the reins and she began passing them up and was only half a neck from the lead at the finish.

We moved on into Colorado (Kline), where I met the most remarkable family. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Glispie, better known the country around as Uncle Bob because of his friendliness and hospitality. He taught me that the great pleasures of live Come from helping other people. To do unto the other fellow that which you would have him do to you. I have tried to follow his example and have received much pleasure in doing it.

We moved again, this time into Utah in 1928 where we lived in Bountiful. We kids did farm work while dad sold mattresses for a company in Salt Lake. Our darling mother kept house and got our meals and lunches with the rest of us helping her when we could. She was such a wonderful mother kind, patient, gentle and sympathetic with us all.

I got a job before and after school working for Dip. Carter. I would got up at 4 o’clock in the morning and cut asparagus until train time, then go to school. In the evening we would gather all kinds of vegetables and wash then bunch them for the Central Market in Salt Lake City. We helped build a church and a recreation hall in bountiful, then later we moved to Delta where we had a cream station and did other odd jobs while we went to school. We helped build another church here. My sister Christa was born in Delta.

Finally we left Utah in an old car and came to Wyoming in 1928 and settled in Burlington. We farmed there and that winter was very cold and stormy. The old house we lived in was like a barn, Every time a storm came streaks of snow were across every floor about a foot apart. The rugs would flop and the curtains would blow. We stayed one season, then left and went to Oregon and Idaho. I came back, but father has never been back since.

It was in Burlington that I met my wife, who was teaching school. We worked in the Mutual together and later became engaged. While we were engaged she decided she wanted to become a nurse, so we waited five years before we were married at the Salt Lake temple. Our wedding date was April 3, 1934 and we have been together most of the time since then, except when I had to go away to work.When we were first married I worked at Emmett Idaho on a ranch. Ella took care of an apartment house for us a place to live. That was in the depression of the 1930′s. Top wages were $30 a month with board, but the Lord has blessed us all the way through with the necessities. In 1935 Charmayne was born in Emmett, Idaho. Ella’s mother had come out from Burlington and took care of us. She was one of the most beautiful persons in soul you would ever meet. Unselfish, kind, cheerful and patient. In all my acquaintance with her I have never heard her speak an unkind work to anyone or about anyone. Her whole life has been one of service to others.

Later we moved to Basin, Wyoming where Ella’s mother was. Grandma was very ill and they called us to come. We’ve never gotten away since, not enough money. We stayed with Ruth and Clarence Eastman and I worked at Woodruff & Bon beanery. Here at Basin on January 13, 1937, our second girl was born, Alice Gayleen. She contacted the flu and died 11 days later on January 24, 1937. It was a great loss to us, but understanding the gospel as we did we knew she would still be ours in the next world. We feel proud to have such a wonderful daughter that God loved her so much that he called her back home when her life was in the bud.

I was put in as second counselor in the superintendency of the Sunday school and in charge of the ward teachers of the Basin Branch of the church. Brother Clinton Black was bishop, Elden Kinghorn and Alfred Whyte were counselors. February 28, 1937 we moved south of Basin 6 miles and started work on a ranch for William Spencer. We went to our first ward teachers meeting, Mar. 3, at Eldon Kinghorns home. We had good attendance. In looking over the years of life and counting blessings, I can say that very little sickness have I had in my life due to the teachings of my parents to keep the word of wisdom. by example they taught moderation in all things is essential in keeping good health.

As a boy my favorite sports were horseback riding, baseball and swimming, basketball and dancing. We all had work to do at home after school and my first chores were to carry in little buckets of chips and wood for the fire. Later I milked the cows and fed the pigs and chickens. As I grew older I helped do general ranch work with father. March 11, 1937, made a frame for my wife’s mirror and played with the baby, who was always ready to help do things in her way. I was a lover of animals, especially dogs and horses. I would take all the stray dogs home with me that I could find and feed them. One time I picked up a valuable trail hound that got lost on the river from a man who used him for trailing fox and coyotes. He was glad to get him back. I traded a little dog I had one time for a ticket to the circus because the manager wanted him.

March 12, 1937 – Helped clean the yards and straightened things up around the house so people could tell someone lived there. We are judged lots of times by the way our place looks and our yards. March 18 came up to the place where I lived and burned weeds, hauled manure. March 20 had Charmayne’s foot lanced at the doctor’s in Basin. It had a gathering on it. Also helped my wife plant her garden seeds in hot beds. March 22 – Butchered a hog at Mr. Spencers place and hauled manure. Tuesday we spread fertilizer and put a drag together and a harrow. March 28 – My family and I went to the Sunday Easter program then brought my two sisters-in- laws and families out, and also my wife’s mother, for Easter dinner which we had in connection with a birthday party for my sister-in-law, Ruth Eastman, and myself. After dinner I took Ruth’s families back to town and then went to sundayThermopolis mineral springs where I left my wife and baby, sister and mother-in-law, to take treatments for their ailments.

My nephew Richard Eastman went with me. Coming back we were so sleepy that we got on the wrong road and had to turn back 24 miles to get on the right one, but we made It all right anyway even if it was late at night. On the road we saw one of the most beautiful pictures – a mirage of the moon, It was something very unusual to see. The moon coming up threw a reflection on a line of clouds a short way above the horizon that made it look as though we were going to drive into a lake. Finally the moon came up and spoiled the scene. March 29 I started batching with Ella gone. I didn’t care much for it because it was lonesome, so I bought a good dog for company.

April 1 – Received a paycheck and went to town to pay my bills and tithing. The Lord pours out great blessings to us if we pay our tithes and offerings. If you pay your bills when you agree to you make friends and can get help when you need it. Honesty is of very great importance in our lives. It wins strangers, for they will trust you. Appreciation goes a long way as you travel along life’s highway. Truthfulness goes hand in hand with these other factors which make or help to make great characters. A thing which all admire in a person. So let it be said of me that I am honest, appreciative. truthful and considerate of others.

April 5 – went to Thermopolis to see my wife and baby. I took Ruth and family with me. Wednesday went to ward teachers meeting at Bro. Kinghorns where we had refreshments after meeting.

Friday April 9, my wife and baby came home after being gone for two weeks. I certainly was glad to have then back after batching that long. Sunday went to sunday school and church where they held a special meeting to see whether or not we build a church house. We voted for one, as God asks nothing but what he prepares a way to accomplish it.

April 13 – planted potatoes

April 12 – made a scrap book with the help of my wife.

April 24 – helped the boss plant sugar beets. Thursday we set an old hen. Saturday night corralled my neighbors horses for him until morning.

May 4 – Planted potatoes and garden. We had Grandma Dobson and Ruth and family out for Mother’s Day dinner, also a deaf and dumb man. I had to irrigate, so I didn’t get to go to the program, but stayed home. Brother Kinghorn’s daughter got me a carnation just the same.

May 17 – started planting beans for Mr. Spencer.

May 13 – took an unfortunate man in who was deaf and dumb and gave him a bed for a night and his meals for a day or two and let his rest up. He had an assortment of things to sell for his living. I bought 82.50 worth of stuff to help him. I get a great deal of pleasure out of being able to help someone.

May 22 – helped put the new roof on. Fixed the sprinklers that irrigated bean ground.

May 27 – I bought a heifer from Mr. Kinghorn for $80 and she freshened

June 1. She brought we a nice black heifer calf. I gave Mr. Spencer a dollar for hauling her home.

May 30- Went up to Lou and Lotties. They gave the baby a bum lamb that we took home. My cow gave about 8 gals. of milk a day her first calf. which was very good.

The latter part of May and up until June 11 it was quite unsettled weather. Lots of farms got their hay rained on.

We started haying June 14 and finished June 23.

June 14 – Started doing chores for Mr. Glen Small for a week while he went to Billings Montana for treatments from a doctor there. He hasn’t felt well for some time. He is also a ditch rider on the Big Horn canal and a very good neighbor.

June 23 -. I came after my wife to take care of their mother who was very ill. Grandmother Dobson came and kept house for my baby and I until she returns. We sure miss her, but doing good to others and helping others gives her great pleasure. She has always been liked and appreciated for nursing work, which she enjoys. I haven’t written for several years, so will make a few notes to fill in the gap. After working for Mr. Spencer for a year we went to work for Mr. Pete Pederson close to where we had lived. We worked for him for-four years then quit for various reasons. Later we went to Lovell to the Brick and ‘file company, but came back to Basin where we are still staying. We rented different places and tryed farming but didn’t do so well. Even with all my mistakes and ups and downs my good wife stayed by and helped though it was hard on her. I am thankful for her help and counsel. She always held up her part.

After renting several years we bought a small place close to Manderson, Wyoming, which we still have. It isn’t big enough for us now because the Lord blessed us with a large family and the best children he had. We are proud of them all. Thus far all the children have gone to Manderson school. Charmayne graduated, went to the “Y”, for a year and is now married and has a nice family. Edith Mae graduates this year, 1958, and planed on going to BYU this fall. She is a great leader in Mutual or wherever she is.

Our prayer is that she will marry a boy of her own faith and be married in the temple. One who lives his religion and honors his priesthood, who can give her the spiritual protection she needs to work in the church and get the most pleasure out of life. If she doesn’t her life will not be so happy and successful. We are proud of the others – Donna who works for St. Claire down by Worland, A fine girl. The boys are scouts and deacons. Dale is a very fine boy and is working for his individual awards in priesthood and scouting. Perie and Bill are scouts now, March 28, ’88. I have been working for Jefferson Lake Sulpher Co. for 3 years, not far from home. The boys and mother run the place. We raise and some hay.

9th October, 1957 I was made secretary of the Mutual and also of the Elders Quorum. In 1958 I was made second counselor in the Sunday school, also snout committeeman for the scouts and welfare representative for the elders quorum. I was thankful for these jobs. When I do the Lord he will help me when I need him.

Edwin, who represents us in the Navy and in the church, is doing a fine job.

1958 has been quite a year. I had my first operation at Worland hospital, Edith got married, I got to go to the scout camporee and jamboree in the big horn mountains, Tom and Charmayne had another daughter giving us two granddaughters. All the boys were in 4H this year. Dale started in FFA this fall. I was put in the Sunday School superintendency for the second time. I have a fine group to work with – Ross Wardell and Lester Snider, Lova Kinghorn and Iva Henderson.

I am also a ward teacher with Dale along with other jobs. I was also 4-H leader for 4 years. I go tomorrow for a check-up at Worland. Andy Anderson is my doctor. I was going to California to see the folks there when my vacation came, but it got too stormy. We had a very nice Christmas, 1958. All were home except Charmayne and family. Edwin and Helene came from California, Donna came from St. Clair’s at Worland. We all got lots of nice presents. The Lord was kind to us and protected us through the holidays. Mother and Donna went after Edwin and Helene at Rawlins, but they had taken a plane by the time they got there. It was a hard drive for mother and Donna. Helene was ill most of the time she was here. I took any vacation and used one week doing things around the place and going to Burlington with mother to genealogy and the other week I went to Lovell to Aunt Mae Faith Porter’s genealogy on my mothers side. June 15, 1959.

I am still working at the sulpher plant. Charmayne & Tom and family came out from Calif. to help me spend a happy vacation and will stay a week with us. I wish they were closer so we could see them more often and the dear children. We are thankful for them and also for the kindness of Tom’s father and mother. We are proud of their fine church record and the records of each of our children this far in life. Today we plan on goigenealogyng up Tensleep canyon, June 19, 1959. We will have a picnic and the kids who want to can fish. I plan to go on the 20-21 to see my stepmother in Salt Lake, who is ill. At 90 years old She has had to slow up a little. She has been a good mother. I plan also to get all the geneology I can concerning her and her family.

Jacob G. Bigler, a Patriarch in the Juab Stake of Zion, was born April 4, 1813, in Harrison County, Virginia (now West Virginia), the son of Mark Bigler and Suzanna (Ogden) Bigler. Patriarch Bigler wrote:

My boyhood days were passed at home with my parents at the place of my birth. I remained there till I was twenty-five years old. My father and I were farmers to which he also added stock raising on a small scale. During this time I heard “Mormonism” taught and was a believer, but did not join the church until I went to Far. West, Missouri in March, 1838. There I investigated the principals more fully and was thoroughly convinced of their truth. On the tenth of June, 1838, I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. After I had been in Far West a while, I bought a farm of 240 acres for my father and myself. We were to give $2, 000. 00 and paid $200.00 down to bind the bargain.

In July, 1838, I returned to Virginia. We sold our land and property, and I took my mother and unmarried sisters (I had no brothers) viz. , Sarah, Jane, Bethsheba and Melissa, and returned to. Far West. In the meantime, Governor Boggs had issued his exterminating order and we with the rest of the Saints were compelled to leave the State of Missouri or deny the faith.

We left Far West, February 11, 1839, traveling through deep snow, and arrived in Quincy, Illinois about the Ist of March. My first acquaintance with .the Prophet Joseph Smith was in March, 1838. I became intimately acquainted with him and his family also his father and mother and family from that time till his martyrdom. I helped to move he and his family also his father and family from Quincy, Illinois to Commerce (now Nauvoo).

The Egyptian mummies were part of my load. My father became ill and on the 23rd of September, 1839, died. Mother and I administered on the Estate and when we got that settled in the spring of 1839, we moved to Nauvoo.

In March, 1841, I returned to Virginia and on the 19th of April, I was married to Mary Ann Boggess.In May, I with my wife returned to Nauvoo, and later that year, on October 29, 1842 my wife died with fever. In March, 1843, I returned to Virginia on business. May 24, 1844, I returned to Nauvoo and on the 18th of June, I married Amy Loretta Chase. I worked on the temple at Nauvoo from that time, nearly continuously, until its completion. I remained in Nauvoo from that time, nearly continuously, until June 10, 1846, when I crossed the Mississippi River and made a start for the West with a poor outfit for the journey, but was greatly blessed of the Lord and arrived at Winter Quarters on the 18th of August, 1846.

There I remained until the spring of 1848 being on the Indian reservation, we had to recross the river, not having means to continue our journey west; we settled near Kanesville, Iowa and afterwards, moved into that town. In the spring of 1849, I was called to take charge of the general tithing office of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, receiving the tithing from the seventeen Bishops wards or branches of the Church, and looking after the poor. There were many poor that could go no further. I acted as Bishop of Kannesville and also as a member of the High Council.

I left Salt Lake City on April 25, 1861 and landed in Liverpool, July 25, and was assigned to labor in Ireland and to take charge of the Irish Mission. Arrived in Belfast, August 1, 1861.1 remained in Ireland till the 9th of May, At the August election of 1849, I was elected Justice of the Peace and the following August, 1850, was elected Probate Judge of Pottawattamie County. From the spring of 1849 until the spring of 1852, my time was almost all taken up with looking after the duties of my office, both in church and state capacities. In 1850, I was preparing to start to Utah, but Apostle Orson Hyde wanted my services in Iowa, so I remained there till 1852. On June the 10th, 1852, we started west.

We crossed the Missouri River with a moderate outfit for the journey and were organized in Captain Gardner’s company, it being Company 10. I was, captain of the first 10 families. We arrived in Salt Lake City in September. After remaining in the city a.short time,. I left for Nephi, Juab County, Utah, ,arriving there October 18, 1952, where I have lived ever since until the present time (1907). This settlement was commenced in 1851. In November, 1852 I was ordained Bishop of Juab County by Apostle George A. Smith which position I held until 1861, when I was called on a mission to Europe. In June, 1853, the Indian War broke out, we had to tear down some of our houses and move into closer quarters; we had to do all our work in companies. At the August election 1853, I was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly and between then and 1868, was elected and served six sessions in the Legislature. In 1853 and 1854 we built a wall in Nephi, 205 rods long, 12 ft. high, 6 ft. wide at the bottom and 2 ft. wide at the top.

In 1859, I was elected Mayor of Nephi and in 1861, called on a mission to Europe. In 1862 I was called to Liverpool by George Q. Cannon to take charge of the European Mission during his absence in Washington, D. C. While in Europe, I traveled in Ireland, England and Wales, and preached the gospel. Being released to come home I left Liverpool, March 18, 1863, and arrived in New York, April 1 st. Left there on the 7th and arrived in Omaha on the 17th. On the 24th I went to Florence, remained there about three months and assisted with the emigration, crossed the plains with ox teams and arrived in Salt Lake City on the 24th of September and at home in Nephi on the 26th late at night. February 24, 1864 I was elected by the Legislature to fill the office of Probate Judge and held off ice by election continuously until August, 1876. The last two years being elected by the voters of Juab County. In 1863, I was called and set apart to preside over the Juab Stake.

In 1869, I was a member of the Legislature to represent Juab and Millard Counties. I held the Presidency of the Juab Stake until October, 1871, when President Brigham Young came along and requested me to join him and company on a trip South. I expected to go to Old Mexico, therefore I resigned the Presidency of the Stake and went as far as. St. George, but on account of having been elected to the Legislature council, I was released to return and attend the council which convened on the second Monday of January. In June, 18T8,. I way ordained a Patriarch, I have given over 200 blessings for which I have not received any remuneration whatever. Freely I have received, freely I gave. My scribe received what was given for her services.

Patriarch Bigler died in Nephi in February, 1907 a few days after he had written the above sketch of his life.

Born 11 Nov 1848, Kanesville, Pottawattamie, IA

Married 23 May 1868, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT (Hannah Elizabeth Harley)

Died 20 Jan 1914, Central, Graham, AZ

Parents Jacob G. Bigler Sr., Amy Lorette Chase

Profession Rancher

Born: (not published)

Died: (living)

Parents: Orville Edwin Bigler and Elvira Audry Dobson

Profession: School Teacher

Born 03 June 1881, Nephi, Juab UT

Married 05 June 1907, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT (Edith Vilate Porter)

Died 28 March 1961, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT

Parents Jacob G. Bigler, Jr., Hannah Elizabeth Harley

Profession Greenhouse owner/operator

From his journals. Written June 3, 1939 while living at 812 O’Farrel Street, Boise, Idaho:

I was born June 3, 1881 at Nephi, Utah. My father was Jacob Gee Bigler, Jr. And he was born in Pottawattime County, Iowa on November 4, 1848. My mother was Hannah Elizabeth Harley. She was born May 16, 1848 in the same county and state as father. At the time of my birth, my father was on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Kentucky.

My name, Clarence Mendal, was suggested to him by some of his friends and he sent it to mother. (On various records Mendal is spelled Mendell, Mendel, Mendall.) Mother told me when I was a baby I had sores all over my head and face, except the end of my nose. She said a girl named Ann Jackson was the only neighbor girl who could bear to handle me and she would help mother wash and dress me and then would kiss the end of my nose. Bless her heart, she must have been a dear, good girl. I made a visit to the city of my birth in 1904. I made a special effort and found Ann Jackson and told her the story as my mother told me.

She said she remembered me as a baby. When I was three years old our family moved to Central, Arizona (so named because the town was located in the central part of the Gila Valley. The earliest event of importance that I remember was my baptism on July 4, 1889, by my bishop, George M. Haws. I was confirmed the same day by my father. I can see clearly now in my mind the place where I was baptized in the canal. The canal was about 10 ft. wide and four feet deep and ran quite swiftly. About this time I used to swim with the other boys in the canal and catch fish and clams. The farmers who owned the canals cleaned them once a year with shovels. I would borrow their pocket knives and cut down the willows on the banks so they could throw out the mud more easily, then they would praise me for doing such a good job of it.

The farmers owned the canals and operated them cooperatively. One time my play fellow, Nathan Eugene Coombs and I made a boat which we expected to use in the canal. We made it of scrap boards nailed together. It was about eight feet long and two feet wide. The sides were one ft. by twelve inches and the bottom was of one inch boards nailed on crosswise. It was full of cracks and when we slid it into the canal it immediately filled with water, and that was the end of our boat manufacturing business. It might have been a success as a submarine. Nathan and I used to have lots of fun together. Our mothers used to make our clothes from father or brother’s clothes. All the small boy’s pants were made with drop seats and buttoned on the sides instead of in front as now-a-days. My mother used to leave a small hole in the seam in front, but Nathan’s mother didn’t do that with his. So of course we just had to make a hole with our pocket knife in every new pair of pants he got. Finally mother got me a pair of overalls from the store, ready made, which was a great event. Nathan thought it was so important.

When we went over to his home to play, he said to his mother with delight, “See, Clarence has got a pair of real store pants.” And I was sure proud. Nathan’s mother was a woman of Norwegian birth. Her name was Pauline Goldbranson Coombs. She and I got along well together. Some of the young folks had planned to go about eight miles to a dance along way in those days. Sister Coombs was hesitating about letting her daughter go with us, but when she asked who was driving the team, and was told it was Clarence Bigler, she said, “All right. If Clarence is going to drive, Mattie may go.”

We got home the next morning just before sunrise. Had a fine time at the dance, going and coming. I think the only licking my father ever gave me was for stealing some watermelons. He laid me over his knees and taking a small willow from a bird cage he was making, he laid it on the seat of my pants pretty heavy. When I was about fifteen I fell in love with most of the girls my age. One in particular was named Mary Ann Beecroft. One May Day celebration we had a program where we were paired off “lads and lassies” and Mary Ann was my partner. As we marched from the church, I held her hand and though that was really neat. She moved with her parents to. Old Mexico and I never saw her again. In school we were divided in grades by the reader we used.

I completed Appleton’s Fifth Reader and the corresponding work in geography, history arithmetic and spelling. We used to have spelling bees in school and usually I was the last one standing. I remember the last spelling wee we had, I missed the word, “fatigue,” but I was the only person left. I remember my primary president, “Grandma Clemons” as she was familiarly called. She was from England, about 4 ft. 5″ tall and about 100 lbs. She was a convert to the church and had lived in Nauvoo and knew the prophets Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and Heber C Kimball and many other early church leaders. She told of being in the meeting in which Brigham Young, as president of the Quorum of the Twelve, was chosen to succeed President Joseph Smith. she said, “I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and Brigham Young was his legal successor. I saw the mantle of Joseph fall on Brigham.”

I thought she meant she really saw a cloak fall down from the sky and land on Brigham. Later I realized she meant figuratively. When I was about ten years old my brothers used to take loads of fruit and vegetables, chickens and eggs in a team and wagon to Fort Grand, which was over a mountain pass. On one of these trips I went with my brother, George, who was about fourteen. A storm came up just as we reached a steep rock rise in the road. It was real hard to pull and our horses were tired. The rain came in a torrent and we couldn’t get to the top of the hill. I was scared and said to my brother, “Let’s pray.” He said to go ahead, and I said, “You, too.” He misunderstood and thought I had said, “Who to,” so he said, “Why to God, of course.” But I prayed alone anyway. Pretty soon the rain quit.

We left the wagon right in the middle of the hill, unhitched the horses and fed them and went to bed in the wagon. The next morning it was nice and clear and we went on our way and sold our load. Sometimes we traded produce to the soldiers and officers for blankets, coats, halters, bacon, beans, etc. On one trip we bought a set of furniture of solid oak, which pleased mother. A few years later I made the same trip to Fort Grand to take an old man named Prothers, and a lot of books he was selling. We had a covered wagon. and the first night out it rained and we had to sleep in the wagon. It was my habit to sleep straight, and his to curl up. He complained, “You stretch straight out like an arrow.”

I said, “Well, that seems to me just as good as doubling up like a jack knife.” We had to laugh at that. When I was about sixteen there was a brother Lorenzo Watson who gave about fifteen of us boys and girls singing lessons free. He invited us to his home. He told me I didn’t have a voice to become a real singer, but I could learn to sing the songs of Zion. I have enjoyed singing them all my life. Brother Watson and my father had a tuning fork. The only ones I have ever seen. They used it to get the correct pitch to start a song. It was a two pronged steel instrument about 3 1/2 inches long with a handle. When you pinch the two prongs together and release them, it gives the tone of the key of C, I believe.

When I was about 17, my brother, Joseph and I got the idea of going to Imperial Valley in California. We had received literature telling of great possibilities for agriculture in this valley and thought we could make a go of it. But before we were to leave, we both contracted very bad cases of small pox. During my illness I was out of my head, much of the time and could see quite a number of single beds set around a room. In each of them was a sick person. No one came in to see us except mother and our bishop, Edsel Allred. One evening Bishop Allred and anothe

r brother, administered to us. I had a very high fever and had not slept for 2 or 3 days. It was about 9 PM and the last I remember was feeling the oil and their hands upon my head. I went to sleep and did not wake up until about 11 the next day. I completed the District School, as we called our public school then (1895). I was out of school until 1899 when I entered the LDS Academy at Thatcher, Arizona, where I completed a two year commercial course. During this time I had a very inspiring experience. Brother John F. Nash, an adult convert to the church, and the stake president, Andrew Kimball were having a debate with an elder of the reorganized church.

As brother Nash closed his remarks, he looked straight at the elder and said, “Brother Rice, I’ll meet you in the great beyond and you will remember the testimony I have borne you tonight, that Brigham Young was the true and legal successor to the prophet Joseph Smith.” As he spoke, his countenance lit up in a remarkable manner, unlike we had ever seen before. A group of young people had attended the debate and on the way home I asked them if they had noticed anything different about Brother Nash when he bore his testimony. They said they also had seen the fighting up of his countenance and felt the spirit of the Lord. On March 26, 1904, at the age of 23,I was ordained an Elder by Francis U. Moody.

On 10 AM on March 28, 1904,1 left home to go to Salt Lake City, Utah, with some friends. We started our journey on the G.V.G. & W Railway. The car was crowded and I rode on a milk can and a trunk most of the way to Bowie, arriving there about 2 PM. Met Brother Lambrow and Sister Dodge and their folks there. I paid $55 for a ticket to Salt Lake. The train was an hour late, but by 6 o’clock we passed through Wilcox, on through to Yuma. We crossed the Colorado River into California and passed Palm Springs and San Bemadino and finally arrived in Los Angeles were I changed cars for San Francisco. Passing through San Jose I felt that it must certainly be the garden city of the world. Beautiful hedges, parks and flower gardens. Beautiful cemeteries, evergreen orange trees and eucalyptus. The ground was covered with grass and filigree.

The hills and hollows had been sown to grain or planted with fruit trees. I arrived in San Francisco about 8 am on March 30. I took a street car to the ferry and started across at 9 o’clock on a boat to Oakland; arrived there about 9:30. Rode several miles in the ocean and saw two boats fishing with nets. We passed small towns situated in swampy land caused by overflow of the Sacramento River. The levy had been broken by heavy rains. We stopped for 20 minutes at the depot in Sacramento. Signs of the flood were evident. We passed many orchards of walnuts, plums, peaches and oranges planted on the hills. They had no irrigation. There were green pastures and many small red, yellow and blue flowers. As we went along we could see placer mines where hills had been washed away for the gold.

These were worked in 1849. They are now prohibited because of filling up the Sacramento River with sand. We stopped at Rocklin, a town at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The round house had eleven engines. From there we had two large engines put on our train to pull it over the mountains. Near the top of the Sierras we saw snow. We stopped there for a while and Eph, Brig, Delos, Walter and I and several others got out and threw snow balls for about 20- minutes. When we started down the other side, 7 or 8 cars were added to our train. We traveled rapidly then and got out of the snow in about 40 minutes.

At Bird Eye we stopped for a freight train to pass us, then on through Battle Mountain, Nevada, Palisades, Carlin and Wells. Crossed the Humboldt River several times. It is a very small, winding stream; no trees. Passed several snow fences built to prevent snow from drifting onto the track. At one point we had to wait for a freight train of 49 cars and two engines to pass us. We stopped at Terrace, where I ran to a lunch counter and bought two loaves of bread for 20 cents. The northern extremity of Great Salt Lake appeared and we arrived at Corrine about 6:30 PM. We passed the lights of Brigham City and arrived in Ogden at 8 o’clock, Pacific time. The Cluff family and several friends had come with me. Brother Cluff found a policeman who helped him secure hotel rooms. We went to the hotel to leave our luggage, then went out to see the town. We were excited by the beautifully decorated show windows with Easter eggs and hens, rabbits and guinea pigs. When we returned to the hotel we found the women and children asleep in the beds, so we boys had to sleep on the floor. I slept very well. The next morning about 5:30 am we returned to the depot to take the train to Salt Lake City, where we arrived about 9 AM.

Brig and I took a street car to First South and Main, where we met Mr. J. S. Stevens, whom we had agreed to meet. He took us to his rooming house at 149 South State, where we bargained for two rooms, one for Brig and his wife, Eliza, and one for Mrs. Dodges and her folks.. We bought provisions and cooked and ate our dinner in the room. After dinner we went out to look around the town, returning afterwards to our rooms. I slept soundly, but others were bothered with bed bugs. On April 3 we attended the 74th annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where we heard President Joseph F. Smith, first counselor John R. Winder and second counselor Anthon H. Lund speak in the tabernacle. Later, at a Sunday School meeting, about 250 children from Granite Stake sang, “Have Courage My Boy to Say No.” How grand it looked and sounded! On April 4 it rained, but we went to conference all day. After conference I went to Dr. Snow’s office and had my eyes treated, then down to Sister Dodges folks room. As we started up town we came by a railroad auction of unclaimed baggage.

I bought a telescope for $2 and a suitcase for $2. It contained an overcoat worth about $7 to $10 and other articles worth $2 or $3. At conference on April 6, apostle George Albert Smith spoke. He prayed for moisture in Arizona and wherever needed. Elder Charles W. Penrose spoke and said, “Do not speak evil of the Lord’s anointed. If you cannot speak well, do not speak at all.” President Smith admonished us to be faithful to our families, our farms and our vocations. He wished we had more skilled workmen.

On April 7 I went through the temple to receive my own endowments. We had enough of bedbugs, so on Friday we moved to the Sydney House at 242 West First South. On April 22 we went to Nephi and visited Uncle Abner Bigler, Susannah Goldsbrough, Alice Garret and Grandma and Grandpa Bigler, who gave me a patriarchal-blessing. (Included at end of history.). We went to a dance with Abner Bigler, Jr. and Lillie and had a nice time. Visited Aunt Maggie Hinckley and spent the evening playing games. I had a great time in Nephi and surrounding areas visiting relatives, but on May 2 we came back to Salt Lake.

On the 7th Brigham and Eliza and Brother Kerby and his folks started home. I went to the depot to see them off. I went to the temple frequently and visited other sites. Went to see the LDS hospital, which was under construction. At night I listened to several speakers-an elder of the reorganized church, someone from the Salvation Army and a woman preacher who preached hell-fire for everybody unless they followed her. On May 12, I called upon Mrs. Lucy B. Young, wife of President Brigham Young, and talked with her and her daughter, Susie Gates, about our genealogy. Sister Young was afflicted with rheumatism and had just returned from California. She said she thought the name Bigler was originally Baguley, which was the name of a certain place in England. Lord Richard was lord of the place and he took the name of Baguley upon himself. One of his two sons, whose name was John, emigrated to America. Her maiden name was Bigelow.

On May 28, I went to Salt Air beach and watched the sunset. The water is from 1 to 16 inches deep. On the 29th I visited the city cemetery, which is a beautiful place. A lot of people were there decorating graves. On the 30th, Decoration Day, they had a parade of city police, fire department, national guard and soldiers. On June 26, I attended funeral services for apostle Abraham Owen Woodruff and his wife, Helen, in the tabernacle. They had both died of smallpox in Mexico. Their lives were said to have been as nearly perfect as is possible.

On July 4 I went with some friends and my girl friend to Lagoon to see fireworks. We had a hot time, boat riding, dancing, etc. Had to stand up in the train coming home, there was such a crowd. On July 6 I left Salt Lake to return home. Took the train at 1:30 PM and arrived in Ogden at 2:30. Rented a room for the night and rested, then walked east to the foot of the mountains. I am here at 6 o’clock writing this by an old orchard. I have a fine view of the valley and city, but am quite tired. Went back to my room and slept until 3AM, as the train left at 4 AM for San Francisco. At 12 noon we were stopped at Wadsworth, Nevada. Everywhere I could see was green vines and yards with fences. We reached Reno at 12:40 and changed train crews. When morning dawned we were at the top of the Sierra Nevada among the pines. There is over 40 miles of snow slides. Arrived at Sacramento at 8:06 AM, then Tracy at 10:30 where I changed cars for Los Angeles.

We went down the San Joaquin Valley, which is covered with grain, mostly barley, unirrigated. Berenda Junction City, the road to Yosemite Valley and Fresno, has nothing but barley as far as one can see, but around Fresno there are large vineyards, orchards and packing houses. We arrived in Los Angeles at 8 o’clock the next morning, where I checked my baggage and went to see the city. Bought some oranges, went up the angels flight and looked over the city. The highest building in the city is eleven stories. Visited three curio and souvenir shops, bought an orange wood Spanish Bowie knife for a nickel. Street cars run in any direction and are very narrow. At 9 o’clock the train left the station, passed through Yuma at 7:30 PM. Changed crews at Gila Bend where the temperature was 125 degrees. It was so hot that when I got my lunch out of the basket, I had fined cheese for dinner,. I had worn a hole in the sole of one of my shoes, so when I got off at Maricopa Junction, I had to stand on one foot. When I got tired of standing, I hopped back on the train. I was going to eat an orange, but they had become so thoroughly cooked that they didn’t taste good without bread. I got the bread and had stewed oranges and bread for lunch.

Arrived at Bowie at 9:3 5 PM and got a room for the night. Sat around the depot until 3:50 PM the next day, July 11, and arrived home at 5:30 PM. I had been gone three and a half months On June 5, 1907,1 was married to Edith Vilate Porter in the Salt Lake Temple. She is a sister to my brother William’s wife, Eliza Minerva Porter Bigler. I well remember our first meeting. She had come to visit her sister and the next morning I came to their kitchen where they were eating breakfast. I had come to borrow my brother’s buggy to go to the county seat on business. When they introduced us I asked her if she would like to go to Solomonville, the county seat, with me. I took her by surprise, but her sister helped me out by suggesting favorably. We had an enjoyable time going in the buggy with my fast trotting mare, Fanny. It was a pretty nice outfit in those days. A few months before our marriage I had filed on a homestead about three miles from town (Central) on Ash Creek.

I owned the little brick house in town where my brother William lived, but when we got back from our honeymoon trip to the temple, we moved into a little back room at my parent’s home. We lived there about a year and during this time, on March 26, 1908, our first baby was born, Orville Edwin. A short time after Orville’s birth we moved out onto our homestead, which was 160 acres, 80 acres of which was desert. We raised sorghum cane to make molasses to sell. We mortgaged the house and lot in Central to improve the homestead and later sold the lot to my brother, George. I built a one room lumber house, about 14 x 16 ft. on the homestead. We never did get it finished inside, and a few years later we moved it to Central and used it for a little grocery and notions store, which we leased to my brother, George.

We sold the homestead to James Smith and bought 300 head of goats and went into business with my wife’s brother, Wilford, who had 1,000 head. We later sold out to John Lee, taking credit on 40 acres of land at Lebanon for our equity in the goats. As the land was unprofitable, we turned it back at a loss. We moved to Glenbar, Arizona, and bought a farm, but was unable to pay it out, so turned the equity to my creditors and moved. On May 1, 1910, our second child, Ralph, was born at Central, Arizona. He was a fine little fellow, smart and talkative. When he was 3 years old, he contracted diphtheria and died on October 8, 1913. Our third child, Carl Samuel, was also born at Central on May 29, 1912. While living on our homestead on Ash Creek, I worked part time for my brother, George, selling sewing machines and Raleigh products-a line of medicines and household articles. I had a lot of interesting experiences going to the homes of people in the area. One time I called on a very poor family of renters quite early in the morning. The night before the mother had given birth to twins, but she had only been prepared for one and only had clothes for one. She had to wrap the other one in a flour sack.

In another area I stopped at a house at lunch time where a well driller and his family lived. The only food they had was red beans and bread on a tin plate. The beans were good, but when the lady got through with her dinner, she licked her plate clean. She had such a meek and browbeaten look and her husband such a mean and domineering look, that I thought she was just doing what she had been told to do. We couldn’t get enough irrigating water to raise much crops, so it was rather an uphill proposition trying to farm in a hot country. I had cleared about 20 acres of sage brush and mesquite and had a few head of stock and chickens. We stayed on the old dry farm until 1914, when we moved the house into Central and bought one acre of land and opened a little store and soft drink business.

Mother (Edith) tended the store most of the time while I was out on the road selling my Raleigh products, going from house to house. At this time I drove a horse and wagon, but about a year later I bought a half-ton truck. The day I bought the truck a funny incident happened. After the salesman had shown me how to operate the truck, he asked me to drive it back to his place of business. As I was doing so I came to a patch of sand in the road and the truck began to slow down. I unthinkingly chirped to it as I had been used to doing to my horse. The salesman apparently didn’t notice, but I had to laugh to myself. It was the first time I had driven an automobile.

Our third child, Albert Edsil, was also born at Central on September 25, 1914. Our fourth child, Woodrow Wilson was born on August 17, 1917, during the time of the world war. He was named after President Wilson. In 1916 we sold our land on Ash Creek to James Smith and bought seventy acres at Glenbar, Arizona.

In 1919 I sold my crop of wheat at $4.50 per hundred. It brought me over $2,400. However, I owed it all to the man from whom I purchased the farm for payments, interest and money borrowed for seed and water assessments. So-the $2,400 only lasted few minutes and I went home with $1.65 in my pocket. I had no money with which to operate the farm the next year, so on November 16, 19211 sold my equity in it, or rather turned it over to my creditors, and left for Kirtland, New Mexico, with four horses and a wagon. We arrived there on December 11.

We rented a small farm in Kirtland and I also hauled coal from the mine there and sold it in Farmington. Our first daughter, Bessie Minerva, was born on March 14, 1922 and our second daughter, May, on November 7, 1923. While living here I had an experience I would like to mention. I had a habit of indecision as to attending Sunday School and Church. It seems I often wished something would happen so I could excuse myself for not going to these meetings on Sunday morning. I would get up on Sunday, knowing I ought to go, but not wanting to. If the water turn came and I had to water the crops, or the pigs got out or some other thing came up, I would fool around until it was too late to go. Then it would be all over until the next Sunday morning. I had this feeling for several years.

I knew it wasn’t right, so I determined to pray and ask the Lord to help me get rid of these feelings. I began fasting on Sunday morning and continued to fast until Tuesday evening, when my wife asked me if I didn’t think I ought to eat. I replied, “No, I haven’t received an answer to my prayer.” But in the night, about 3 AM, the thought came to me as contained in the Bible: “Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth,” and “Those whom I love, I will rebuke and chasten.” I arose and found these scriptures in the Bible and considered them an answer to my prayer. Since that time I have not been bothered with the feelings of indecision.

We moved from Kirtland, New Mexico, to Breen Colorado, then to Farmington, New Mexico. In August, 1924, we loaded all our earthly belongings in our Model T touring car and started driving north, we thought perhaps to Washington, Idaho or Utah. We were undecided, but were on our way. We arrived in Nephi, Utah, the place of my birth and visited with relatives. I was out of money, so I worked on a public building for two days for $6.00 and then proceeded to Salt Lake City, Bountiful and Centerville, where I got a job threshing onion sets for Porter Walton, mother’s relatives.

I wrote in my diary:

“We think we will stay here permanently, as we have received a kindly welcome from Bishop Quale Cannon of Bountiful East Ward and the people generally. Also, we like the country real well and feel we will be able to establish ourselves where. We enjoy the religious and educational advantages. We feel the Lord has blessed us in our journey and will continue to bless us to establish a home in this goodly land.”

During the summer of 1926 I worked for Pioneer Mattress Factory of Salt Lake City and came to like the owner, Brother James Billings, real well. My work was soliciting homes asking if they would like their old mattresses remade or to buy a new one. I covered the territory surrounding the city, going west to Grantsville and Tooele, south to Fillmore and Delta and east to Park City. I did pretty good at it. On Thanksgiving Day we moved to Delta, Utah, to operate a cream buying station for Nelson Ricks Creamery Company. I found I had been misled, as there was not enough cream brought in to make it profitable for me. I had to sell different household articles house to house during the winter to try to earn some money. Our last daughter, Christa, was born while we lived in Delta, on December 2, 1926. In March we returned to Bountiful where I started selling for Salt Lake Knitting works.

I left home on April 6, 1927 and went to Rock Springs, Wyoming, then covered most of the central portion of the state to Yellowstone Park. I had to borrow $10 to get started, but later became the company’s top salesman by selling $5,000 worth of clothing in six months. While selling in Lander, Wyoming, I called at a home and when I told the lady of the house who I was representing and where I was from, she said, “And you are a Mormon, aren’t you?” I replied that I was and she said, “And so am I. I’m so glad to see you!” Her name was Faith May Karlinsey, a convert, along with her four children. She had no contact with the church for a few years she told me, but she was carrying on as best she could by reading from the Juvenile Instructor. I was impressed with her faith and earnestness and felt that I should administer the sacrament to her and her family. Her son, who was a deacon, assisted me. Her area was in the Colorado Mission and ordinarily I should have gotten permission from the Mission President in Denver, but I felt the Lord approved my action and they appreciated it very much. She later moved to Lovell, Wyoming so she could be closer to members of the church. I took her to visit Patriarch Berthelson, who lived in Penrose.

He was a very kindly and spiritual man and gave her a blessing. About a year later my wife’s aunt died and some months afterward Sister Karlinsey married my wife’s uncle, Myron M. Porter. In October, while I was selling for Utah Woolen Mills, I called at a farm house in Burlington and the lady of the house told me her husband wanted to rent the farm. I went out in the field, found the man, and contracted to rent the farm. In a few weeks I returned home and moved my family to the farm. I did very well at Burlington, although I didn’t like the climate.

Then I started thinking about owning my own farm. I had always had that desire since I left Arizona. In the fall of 1930 I made a trip with my sons, Orville and Carl, to Harper, Oregon to see the Vale Owyhee Federal Immigration Project. We bought 40 acres for $1,200 and returned home and sold our crops and stock for $200, which we sent as a payment on the purchase price. The first year we had pretty good crops. Mother and the county commissioner, Mr. Fairman, gathered some specimens and took them to the county fair. She won first prize for one farm exhibit and received $12 as the prize. The second year considerable alkali arose on portions of the farm, caused by seepage water from the main canal. The mortgage was due, crops were not good, times were harder. There was no church organization within 50 miles of our home and the schools were not good. Mother had not been in favor of moving to Harper and I promised her that if things didn’t work out I would be willing to move.

I rode with a neighbor to Emmett, Idaho where I tried to rent a farm. I worked a few days cleaning ditches, etc., when the owner decided it would not, be practical for me to rent it, as I had so little equipment and no reserve for living expenses. So I rented a small house in Emmett and returned to Harper, where I disposed of what equipment I had and gave the grocer a deed to the farm in payment for $100 I owed on a grocery bill. I borrowed a trailer and loaded up our old Buick with all our earthly possessions and moved my family to Emmett. After I got them settled I went to Salt Lake City, hoping to find work with the Pioneer Mattress Factory for whom I had worked in 1926. However, it seemed that people didn’t have money to have their old mattresses remade, though many of them needed it. Times were very hard. I tried selling canned wheat for Utah Pure Food, but I couldn’t sell enough to make a living, so I returned to Emmett. For the first and last time in my life, I hitched a ride on a freight train, because I had no money to get home. The date was August 20, 1933. Times were very hard during the depression and work was hard to find. On October 23, 1933, my son Carl, married Inez Park. They are living in Caldwell. On May 10, 1935, they had a sweet baby girl named Sylvia Marie. On April 5, 1934, my son, Orville, married Elvira Audrey Dobson in the Salt Lake temple, then they moved to Emmett. Albert joined the Citizen’s Conservation Corps and went to Garden Valley camp. I am now working on the Citizen’s Work Administration and also selling a new kind of light bulb called a “mushroom lamp.” June 5, 1934 was our 28h wedding anniversary. We celebrated by eating lunch in the city park with the family. Here is a poem Clarence wrote to his wife:

Dearest wife, thou art kind and gentle, Sweet and tender as a rose. All the joy your presence brings me None but your own husband knows. Fairer than the flowers of Eden, True and constant as the light, If deprived of your dear presence, Life would be a dreary night. You have made our home an Eden, Sweet to me as Heaven above, Can a man do aught that’s evil With so true a heart to love? So I’ll cherish you, my darling, Keep you free from every ill, And I pray that God will keep me Safe with you on Zion’s hill.

As of April 25, 1936 we were living at 641 East First Street in Emmett. We had bought a house from Mr. Moore at Letha, Idaho and moved it to this location. Orville and Ella had a fine baby girl on July 5, 1935. They named her Charmayne. On Christmas, 1937 we had a good Christmas dinner with a tree and presents. Mother and I, Albert, Bessie, May, Christa, Carl and Inez and Sylvia celebrated together. June 5, 1938. Mother is working for Mrs. Spencer, whose husband is sick. She bought some dishes with the money she earned. We had planned a dinner for our wedding anniversary, but I had a chance to work some overtime on my job on W.P.A. so I stayed and earned $3.50 extra. I got home about 6 PM and had supper without the family.

I have had considerable extra work the last two weeks, for which I am very glad. Summer of 1938. I made a trip with my brother, George, to his home and my old home in southern Arizona, going by way of San Francisco to visit the World’s Fair there. George is a foreman on a CCC camp in Mt. Pleasant, Utah and was going back to his home to look after it.. We had a very enjoyable trip. Stopped to visit my brother, Joseph, who lives in Sacramento, California, then went on to Arizona where we visited Mother’s folks and mine. January 1, 1939: I began work as janitor at the Boise Stake Tabernacle.

Times are pretty tough this year. My boys Albert and Carl are not working much of the time. Bessie’s husband only has work part of the time. She was married June 23, 1938. Christmas 1939. We are now living at 712 Washington Street. For Christmas there was mother and me, Albert, May and Christa, with Carl, Inez and their daughter, Sylvia and son, Ralph. We had a nice dinner with some gifts and a little tree which May had brought from the hills. We are in better circumstances this Christmas than ever before, I believe. Albert bought us a nice lounge and chair and I got a nice floor lamp and an oil heater. We are quite comfortable, but I can’t make my salary go far enough to pay all the bills, it seems. I have not paid a full tithing this year, although I wanted to. I will try again next year. I grew some tomatoes in the back yard of this house. One vine grew 11 ft high and produced several tomatoes which weighed one pound each. I called them “Bigler’s Bigger and Better.” I had my picture in the local paper, reaching as high as I could to pick a tomato.

Excerpt from a letter written by Inez to Clarence and Edith on March 11, 1940

“I had a tooth pulled this morning and being no good for anything else, decided this would be a chance to tell you my news. I have a job for you, Dad on the first Sunday in April. I want to join the Church and would like very much to have you baptize me, if you want to do it. Carl though you would enjoy it. I want the babies blessed, too. I only wish it had been done when they were tiny. There are so many things to say that I won’t write any of the now, except that I am very happy. ..Don’t have any misgivings that I might change my mind. There is no other way for me now-being baptized is a thing that I must do, a love inside of me.”

Christmas 1940

We are very sad this year. Mother passed away after a short illness on the 14′h of December. We miss her cheery smile this Christmastime. We all went up to Carl’s home for dinner. All the family were there, except Orville and Woodrow and their families. Orville had come for the funeral. In 1941 Clarence wrote this poem:

The trials and troubles I’ve had, I’ve left them all behind. I’ll look ahead instead of back, I know the Lord’s my friend. I’ll strive to keep a pace With men who are good and true, And serve my Lord the best I can, And more I cannot do.

May 15, 1941. We moved to a 5 acre farm at Colliser, Idaho. Didn’t do very well at that, so I got a job as janitor at C. C. Anderson store. On Thanksgiving day, 19411 moved back to Boise, locating at 114 North 17 Street. I got a better job as custodian at the Young Men’s Christian Association, where I worked until October 20, 1945. I had the opportunity to attend the dedication of the Idaho Falls temple. Our stake had chartered a bus and about 30 of us went. The services were wonderful and very inspiring. Afterward I took the bus to Salt Lake to attend general conference. In Salt Lake I used my time trying to find out what I could about my mother’s line of genealogy.

I visited with my sister-in-law, Eliza Porter Bigler and Donette Kesler, who is secretary of the Bigler Surname Association. They suggested that I should get acquainted with Dr. Lyman Merrill Home, who was president of the Association. I visited him at his home and told him I wanted to learn what I could do to help in genealogical work on my paternal line. He smiled and said, “Have you any time to spare?” I replied, “I suppose that’s about all I have, is time.” “Well,” he said, “We have been thinking we ought to send someone to Pennsylvania to do research work.” I said, “I know my heart is right, but I don’t know if my head is so good.” To make a long story short, he took me to Margaret Fisher, who was treasurer of the Association. They decided that evening to call a meeting, at which they decided that I should go to Pennsylvania to do research work and the Association would pay my expenses.

I told Dr. Home that when I got back from Pennsylvania I would come and be their gardener. He said that would be swell. I want first to get acquainted with what genealogy information is here before I go East to find more. I earnestly seek the blessing of the Lord that I shall have His spirit to inspire me in my work; to bless me spiritually and mentally that I will be able to do effective research work. (Clarence did not go to Pennsylvania, but spent many years researching family genealogy in Salt Lake.) I returned home to Boise, Idaho, worked about ten days at the YMCA and returned to Salt Lake to begin what I considered would be the most enjoyable work of my life.

Brother and Sister Home offered me a room in their beautiful home where I could work on genealogy. It is a very nice room with private bath and it is warm and cozy. It has gas heat. This is one of the finest homes in the city. I presume it must have cost about $15,000 or more. Strictly modern on two floors besides the one I use in the basement. There is a garage for two cars. I am grateful for all their kindness to me. I am treated as a member of their family and made to feel welcome. Their children are Harriet, whose husband is in the Army, and Carolyn and Marilyn, twins, beautiful young women who attend the University of Utah, Alice, Robert, David and Jonathan, twin boys. I help Sister Home all I can with the garden and around the house.

I helped take up her gladiola bulbs and plant tulips and rake up and burn the leaves. They have a beautiful front and back yard with tennis court, large lawn, fish pool, lots of flowers and shrubbery-about one acre of ground. I have cleaned the storm windows and straightened up the food storage room, and do the dishes anytime I can. I cleaned the ceiling and walls of the laundry room in the basement and vacuumed the rugs. I want to show my appreciation for their kindness to me. Dr. Home is very busy and Sister Home has so much to do to care for her family and the home, inside and out. I also helped Dr. Home at the hospital by cleaning the pharmacy, front windows and venetian blinds for $55 per month.

February 25, 1946: Sister Home has decided she needs me to pay $35 a month for my room and board. That is too expensive for me, so I will try to find another place to stay. On February 28 I moved to Gibbs Apartments at 69 North State. Rent is $10.50 per month, and it is on the same block as the genealogy building and only three blocks from my work, so I will save $5 car fare per month. I was going to pay Sister Home for my back rent, but she has decided she wants me to work for her instead, so the Lord is blessing me.

I get paid 85 cents per hour when I work for her, and am slowly reducing my debt. Inez (Carl’s wife)’s brother was in a military hospital in Kearns, Utah (outside of Salt Lake). He was in the Army Air Corps and had been injured by a fall. Inez came to see him and we had a nice visit. Clarence loved doing genealogy work and spent all his spare time doing research and visiting people to try to get more information. Two of his favorite quotes were: “A man who takes no pride in his ancestry is not likely to have his descendants take any pride in him.”

On one occasion he talked with James Bigler, a third cousin. He wasn’t interested in genealogy, but said, “You know we Biglers north of Farmington don’t know nor care about genealogy, but the Biglers down south are regular maniacs about it.” Clarence laughed and considered himself one of the “maniacs.”

On June 3, 1946, his 65th birthday, Clarence wrote

Today I enjoyed myself very much. I went about 10 AM to the genealogy library and checked work on some family group sheets. AT 5 PM I came home and got a double ice cream cone and bought some groceries. Had a good supper of calf liver and peas, then went to a show. I contrast this birthday with my 52 d birthday, which I spent in Salt Lake City. I had earned about $20 in a month, trying to sell canned wheat door to door. Times were hard in 1933 and I could not find work in this city, so I returned to Boise on a freight train. Now I do work I enjoy-I work about 4 hours each morning cleaning a pharmacy and get $55 per month, which more than pays my expenses, so I can help my daughter, May, some while she is attending Utah State Agricultural College at Logan. She is doing well and I’m very proud of her. She works in the dean’s office and earns enough to pay her living expenses.

I have been paying her tuition. I hope to save enough to pay some for next school term, about $100 or less. I bought her a nice black short coat and a bag recently for $26.50. I spend the afternoons doing research and temple work. The Lord is blessing me wonderfully and I am grateful to Him.

September 7: I attended the Ensign stake conference and priesthood meeting. After the evening session Brother Jesse Perkins took me to ice cream in the café next door, then we came to my room and listened to our church program, which was a talk by Elder Franklin S. Harris on the Book of Mormon. We also listened to a good talk by the Catholic Bishop of Salt Lake, Dwain G. Hunt, on the dangers of communism and the position of the Catholic church on this menace,. Their teaching and advice is identical with that of our church-that it is subversive of good government and dangerous to our Christian way of life.

October 14: Today I began working for the druggist, Mr. John B. Heinz at $40- per month as a stock room helper. I bring the different articles from the stock room to the sales room and keep the stockroom in order. I am already cleaning the pharmacy for Dr. Home, who owns the building. I have also recently began cleaning the building lobby, salary not yet determined. I am now earning $99 per month, for which I am grateful.

October 20: Today I spent all day with Brother Jesse Perkins. We had lunch in my room. He brought some ice cream and we made a stew. About 5 PM we administered to Sister Olga Hartman. We have performed this ordinance for her several times in the past weeks. She has an inward cancer from which she suffers a great deal. She is always relieved when we lay hands on her and bless her. Her mother, Sister Pederson and I, as well as Olga, have asked the Lord to heal her, but if it is not his will, to take her unto Himself so she may not have to suffer the intense pain to which she is subjected. The only relief she gets when the spells of pain come on is through the administration of the oil and blessing by the priesthood, or by the morphine the nurse gives her.

Nov. 7: May’s birthday. I sent her a pair of nylon anklets. She had written me a few days before saying she would like a pair of white angora anklets. She thanked me graciously a few days after. She is doing well at college.

Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day. May came down from Logan with her friends to see a football game between her college and the University team. Orville and Ella had sent us a cooked chicken and we had a very good dinner all by ourselves in my bachelor apartment. I enjoyed very much having her with me. We talked bout her going on a mission and about her getting married. She is corresponding with a young man whose home is in Logan and who is attending a dental school in Chicago. She will finish her schooling about next August All the children had left home to get married or to go to college, so Clarence felt he could move to Salt Lake. In December, 1945, Clarence went back to Boise to visit. Albert and Max were home from the Army-Albert from the Philippines and Max from France.

Excerpts from a letter written by his son, Albert from Luzon, Philippines dated Sept. 2, 1945

“Well, today is VJ day. I am going to listen to the broadcast of the surrender meeting in a few minutes. Quite a day that everyone has been waiting for. Things are pretty quiet here, especially for us, as we happened to be in combat at the time of the news. Those doughboys were really happy, more so than anyone else. It is all over now ….I may not get home until after the first of the year, nothing is definite. (He got home the middle of December.)

I was down to Manila for five days last week. Conditions are getting better. Much different than when I was there the day it was liberated. The city is really ruined and burned. It will take many years to rebuilt it, but it will be the prettiest city in the Pacific when they do.” (From a letter Bessie (Jo) sent to her father when her husband, Max, came home from the service) ‘Max got home yesterday. He hasn’t changed very much. We are so happy. I love that man! It is wonderful having him home again and he thought I had the house fixed up real nice. He really appreciates a home and family. He even appreciates just being in this country. He thinks he is so lucky to have a wife and home like he has.

I’m glad he thinks that, but I think I’m the one who is lucky to have such a great husband.” May was also home from Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, UT. She works 4 hours a day, which pays for her board and room. She and another girl have a cozy apartment in a home at 373 E. 5`l No. in Logan. Christa was in New York, having married William B. Manning. Carl and family were in San Diego, California and Woodrow and family at Emmett Idaho. Orville and his family were at Basin Wyoming. I worked 14 days at the YMCA and earned $70. Clarence always found time to be of service. He states on Jan. 17, 1946, “Helped box shoes in the evening at Yale Ward chapel to be sent to our LDS people in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe. There were about 1600 pair of shoes, all from ward members.” Poem he wrote in June 1946:

When the world looks brown and upside down Do something for somebody, quick. It will bring you a smile, making life worth while, Do something for somebody quick. It will help you most, just to be the host, So do something for somebody quick. AND Life isn’t always so smooth as we’d wished And friends may not prove to be true, But give them a smile, ‘Twill make their life seem worthwhile And double your happiness too.

From a letter written to his son, Orville, dated Nov. 18, 1946

Brother Erickson lives near me. I worked with him in the beet field yesterday. Our stake has 11 acres of beets and we have them all in but about 30 ton. I have worked several afternoons. You see, I make my living before noon and then I have all the afternoon and night to work for “the building up of the kingdom of God on earth and the establishment of Zion.”

I was helping a sick lady do her housework and washing dishes. She was expressing her appreciation and I said, ‘My wife is up in heaven patting me on the back for doing this.’ Well, mother would be more than glad to do more than I was doing. I know she approves of my helping people who need it.”

Clarence and Brother Perkins were home teachers to a Sister Olga Hartman, who was suffering from cancer. Her husband had deserted her and her daughter, Betty some years previously. They were called on frequently to give her blessings and they spent a lot of time there talking to her and her mother, Tabitha Pedersen. They had all become close friends and it was a very difficult time for him when Olga passed away on Christmas day, 1946. As Olga had requested, Clarence had Olga and her daughter, Betty, sealed to him.

December 31: Spent most of the day with May. She had bought material and made curtains for my window and cupboard and a table. She changed the position of my furniture and fixed up my room very nice. It seemed so good to have her with me during the time of our bereavement. Over the months they had been sitting at the bedside of Olga, Clarence and Tabitha had become good friends. He also enjoyed Betty, Olga’s daughter, who lived with her grandmother since her mother’s death.

They decided to turn their friendship into marriage, so on February 19, 1947, Clarence and Tabitha, were married. Tabitha had been a widow for 20 years, and Clarence for six. She had thirteen children from her first marriage and Clarence had seven.

June 22, 1947: My daughter, May visited with us on Sunday, with her fiancee, Gaylon Caldwell of Brigham City. He seems to be a very fine young man and was gracious enough to ask me for permission to marry my daughter, which I readily gave. He suggested I might ask him about his family background, but I declined to ask him questions, trusting to my daughter’s judgment in the matter. May has told me they plan to be married in the temple.

On August 1, May (she nick-named herself Vickie), was married to Gaylon Caldwell. He is a promising young man who has been given a scholarship at the University of Nebraska to study political science. They were married by President Christiansen in the Logan temple, then went on a honeymoon trip to Yellowstone Park.

August 17: Yesterday my granddaughter, Charmayne (Orville and Ella’s eldest daughter) stopped over to visit us. She stayed overnight and left today for their home in Basin, Wyoming. She is a dear, sweet little girl of 12. She and Betty became attached to each other and enjoyed themselves. We showed Charmayne the interesting things of the city.

October 23: About the 15th of September we moved from 4517 Holladay Circle to our present home at 1790 Siggard Drive. Tabitha’s son, Woodrow, bought the house for $12,000 or a little more. We pay him $35 per month rent. Our monthly benefits from old age security has been increased so that we get $45 each per month. We have been working hard digging up lawn and planting flowers and arranging the household goods.

November 7: I have been working the past three weeks for Woodrow, helping his carpenter remodel an old house and building an addition to it, about 15 miles south of here. I work 9 hours a day, 5 days a week for $45, or $1 per hour. I do other odd jobs as I find them. Sometimes I help Brother Bolton on his farm. Worked one day uptown remodeling a basement.

November 9: A few days ago I phoned the city Humane Society to find someone who wants dog. Betty has a nice little dog, but mother wants to get rid of him because he gets in her flowers and ruins them. They sent a man over and we gave him the dog, whose name was Honey. He took him late in the evening and the next day bout 11 AM he was back. Mother saw him from the front door over in the neighbor’s yard. She called him and he came right over the fence in a bound and ran through the door past mother. He wasn’t use to coming in the house, but he was so glad to be back he forgot his manners. Mother said, “Well, I guess we’ll have to let him stay. We can get some dog repellent powder to keep him way from the flowers.”

Christmas 1947: Many thoughts are in my mind and heart at this time. I think of the fact that it was in December that my dear wife, Edith, passed away, seven years ago. It was on Christmas last year that Olga passed away. I am happy to have a companion again so that my life is not so lonely. My children are scattered across the country, with Christa in New York, May in Lincoln, Nebraska, Orville in Wyoming, Albert and Woodrow in Washington and Bessie and Carl in Idaho. The Lord has been good to me.

February 6 1948: We had a wedding reception at our house-Tabitha’s sister, Tranquilla Triplet, and my good friend, Jesse Perkins were married today.

February 20: Yesterday was our first wedding anniversary. Many of Tabitha’s family came, but my family is too far away. We had our pictures taken by a Salt Lake Telegram photographer and today we had a nice write-up in the paper. It was fun. Tonight I am enjoying Betty’s practice on the piano. She is a dear, sweet girl. She is very diligent in her music and her school work. Here is a poem I wrote for our anniversary: A year has passed and my sweet lass Is sweeter than before. She says she loved me then, But now she loves me more. Of all the flowers I ever saw, She is the sweetest ever. She raises flowers and chickens, too, And that’s a great endeavor. Tabitha is a real flower wizard. She studies her catalogs and likes to plant different kinds of flowers. She likes to see things grow.

August 1948: Our flowers look gorgeous. They are all in full bloom. We have a fine garden of vegetables, especially tomatoes of several types-climbing, tree and bush. We have had several dozen ripe tomato already. Mother has put up 109 quarts of apricots and some jam and jelly. We received 100 pounds of white beans from Orville and Ella. Mother grew and sold about $50 worth of tomato plants and a few cabbage.

We bought 50 Leghorn pullets, (chickens) white, at 80 cents each. They are looking fine and we are getting 38 to 42 eggs per day. That’s about 80% and that is very good.

We also bought 25 New Hampshire red cockerels (another kind of chicken) at 50 cents each and they have done fine. (Clarence was allergic to chickens, and after struggling for a few years to raise them, had to give them up.)

I have been working for Tabitha’s son Woodrow building houses. He has suffered some losses in his business and things aren’t going too good right now. He and his family are going to live with us for a while to help with expense. He may have to sell this house and try to get another one.

Got news from Albert and Mary Ellen that they have a son, named Duane Albert and Bessie has a girl born July 11 named Gloria Jean.

June 3, 1949: My birthday. I worked all day for Woody. Arriving home about 7 PM I found the electric power was off. Betty had made me a fine birthday cake, but dinner was half cooked on the electric range. We waited for some time for the power to come on and for Woody and Mary to come home, but I was so hungry I ate some bread and milk by candle light. We waited a while longer because Betty didn’t want to show her cake until Woody and Mary came, but mother and I persuaded her to bring it out. It was a lovely angel food cake. It was the first time Betty had made one, and we were proud of her cooking. AT 10 O’clock Woody and Mary came, but electricity was still not on, so we ate the ice cream and cake by candle light.

September 4, 1949: My daughter, May and her husband, Gaylon came yesterday for a visit. Gaylon is a student at Stanford University at Palo Alto, California. May works in the library of a school there and helps in that way. Mary drove us all around to show the kids the town, including This Is The Place Monument. I have asked them to write in my journal.

Gaylon writes:

“This is Gaylon. We are here over Labor Day weekend on our six day trip to Utah. The folks have been fine to us, lots of wonderful food, sightseeing and a visit at Sunday School and Fast Meeting. Life with us at our home in California is mighty “usual” and will be for a few more years then I’ll get my degree and we’ll settle down and begin having those 9 children. In the meantime we expect you folks will visit us so we can do something nice for you.”

May writes:

“This is May. Did my husband say 9 offspring? Well, time will tell. We just finished having one of mother’s famous Sunday feasts and it was surely a treat for us. This has been a very nice visit for Gaylon and me, but much too brief. We think our folks in Salt Lake are a mighty fine couple.”

January 1952: Clarence records a story told in a Sunday school class he attended. President Wood of the Canadian temple was sealing a family of children to their mother, who was there, and their father, who was dead. After beginning the ordinance, he stopped and asked the mother if she had listed all her children. She replied she had them all on the list. He started to proceed again, but stopped and asked the mother if she was sure she had all the children. She replied she was sure. He began again, but stopped the third time and asked if she had not forgotten one of her children. She then replied that there had been one little girl who had only lived a short time after birth and they hadn’t named her.

When asked why he had stopped three times to ask the question, he said, ‘Each time I began the proceedings, I distinctly heard a little girl’s voice say, ‘Don’t let my mamma forget me. “‘

December 1950: (From a letter Inez wrote to Clarence) “I am sorry I have not written for so long. I was operated on in July for goiter and since then my hands have been so numb from nerve reaction that I haven’t been able to hold a needle or a pencil until just lately. It’s been pretty bad for all of us, but I’m getting better now.”

August 1952: (From a letter Clarence sent to his children) I have been turning this matter over in my mind for several days, trying to formulate an approach to you with regard to your adopted sister, Betty’s wedding, and how you could do something for her and for me to help us both. Our financial circumstances at this time are not very good. Mother and I are not making much just now from the flowers and hens. The hens are not laying so well and flower sales are slow. Betty has been working since school closed, but she only gets beginners wage at ZCMI and it doesn’t go very far. She has practically all the work to do to prepare for the wedding, though mother will see to the cooking. She is an excellent dressmaker and is making her own dress, but there will be so much other expense, about $25 or $30 for invitations and about the same for photos and $25 for the chapel for the reception and other items. You have all been so good to me since you left home. Any money you could send to help with expenses would be greatly appreciated. She has no other brothers or sisters, only you.

February 18, 1954. Our wedding anniversary. It snowed last night and today about 10 inches.

Here are a couple of “cold” jokes Clarence had recorded:

• “It was so cold the flame on the candle froze and we couldn’t blow it out, we had to break it off”
• “It was so cold our words froze and we had to fry the congealed words before we could tell what we were talking about.”

This is also our Red Letter day in our flower business. Last June we got four African violets and now we have about 500, including planted leaves. Also, last Monday we started growing orchids. That day we received two orchid plants from Tropical Flower land in Los Angeles.

We subscribed for a course in orchid culture and this course included one air plant and one soil plant. We received a letter from the president of the company which said, “If your little greenhouse and your wife’s kitchen and living room are already crowded with plants, your orchids will soon run you out altogether.” We are remodeling our little greenhouse, which is a lean to type, on the south side of our home. It is about 12 x 30 ft. And is full now of about 1400 begonias, 100 primulas, plus coleus, petunias, fuchsias; ferns, geraniums, Christmas cactus and various others. We all say mother has a green thumb-and sometimes I say both thumbs are green because she has such good success at growing flowers. I think we will sure “go to town” growing orchids and African violets. She says you have to love flowers to succeed with them.

June 8, 1957: Salt Air Beach, Great Salt Lake: Just 50 years ago today my wife, Edith and I were here and went in swimming. We had been married the day before in the Salt Lake temple. Today I am here with our eldest child, Orville, and his children, Dale, Perie, Bill, Donna and Edith. I gave them admission tickets, a drink and a ride on the auto scooter. We had a lot of fun. 50 years ago is a long time. She was with me for 33 of those years and we raised 5 children. Clarence spent as much time as he could at the genealogical library working on his own lines and also as a paid researcher. The bus line didn’t run close to the house and he didn’t have a car, so he usually got a ride into the library with a neighbor. After Betty married, she visited them frequently with her family. One time they were talking about going to climb Mount Timpanogos. “I’ve never done that,” Clarence exclaimed, “I’d like to go.” So he went with them and kept up all the way. In the guest book at the cave he entered, “not bad for man 80 years old.”

On March 28, 1961, as he was riding to town with a neighbor, Clarence suddenly developed an asthma attack. He couldn’t catch his breath, and by the time the neighbor could get him to the hospital he had passed out. The doctors tried everything they could, but he was gone. So came to an end the earthly trials of a man who is remembered for his cheerful disposition, histories and stories for every occasion, his helpfulness to neighbors and those in need, his dedication to genealogy research and his activity in the church. His life exemplified what he tried to teach his children-that happiness comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. We close this history with his testimony:

“My testimony of the gospel has grown from day to day and I rejoice therein and thank my Heavenly Father for his goodness to me. I’m sure the Lord loves me, for during my lifetime, as a whole I have felt His influence to chasten me when I have gone wrong and to bless me when I have followed his prompting. God grant it shall ever be so.”

Born: (not published)

Died: (Living)

Parents: Orville Edwin Bigler and Elvira Audry Dobson

Profession: Secretary