Samuel Arthur Gordon (1879 – 1938) &

Harriet Louisa Meikle (1879 – 1943) Biographies from: Erma P. Gordon. Anderson (daughter) & Arval P. Gordon (son)

Additions Comments from other family biographies included.

SAMUEL ARTHUR GORDON

Born: 9 Jun 1879 – Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Died: 18 Jan 1938 – Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah

MARRIED: 24 Jan 1901 Logan, Cache Co., Utah

HARRIET LOUISA MEIKLE GORDON

Born: 28 Jun 1879 – Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah

Died: 8 Mar 1943 – Draper, Salt Lake Co., Utah

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erma’s biography: Mother and Father were both born in June 1879. My wonderful father, Samuel A.

Gordon, was born June 9, 1879, in Millcreek, This is an area in the eastern part of Salt Lake County,

about 3900 South in these days. He was the third of ten children, (six boys and four girls) of Foster

Gordon and Mary Jane Park. The family of Foster Gordon lived a long part of their lives in Clover,

Utah, where all the rest of their children were born.

Foster John Gordon biography – Samuel Arthur’s brother: In the early Spring of 1879 my parents (Foster

Gordon & Mary Jane Park) and Uncle Robert (Robert Gordon B; 1853) and family moved to Mill

Creek, Salt Lake County, where they each homesteaded forty acres of land and built one roomed houses

of pine logs which they hauled from the canyon above. Here my brother, Samuel Arthur, was born 9

June, 1879. This land was covered with brush and the men, with what help the women and small children

could give, cleared and planted only a few acres. Having no money, my Father and Uncle Robert went to

the canyon where they cut and delivered logs to a saw mill to support their families. They soon became

discouraged and abandoned their homesteads and moved back to St. Johns (Clover) in the Fall of 1879.

In the spring of 1880 father bought a tract of land in the western or upper part of Clover Creek and built

a log house and other buildings thereon and developed a very productive small ranch, and gradually

accumulated a small herd of Durham cattle. He farmed the ranch in summer and hauled cord wood and

cedar posts in the winter. He sold the cordwood at Stockton and the posts at Salt Lake City. This ranch

was the family home until they moved to Salt Lake City in 1902.

During my early childhood my father also provided for his family by burning charcoal which he hauled

to Salt Lake City where he sold it for a price per bushel. I do not remember the price.

During this period my father and his brother Robert worked together. They cut and hauled large cedar

logs which they stood up something like an Indian Wigwam, putting about twelve wagon loads of logs

standing upright in this round heap, they then covered the outside with a heavy coat of cedar bark, and

then covered the bark with about one foot of dirt. They set the wood afire at the bottom on one side.

They covered the place where they fired it, making it completely covered. After the pit was fired the men

stood guard for four days and nights to prevent the flames from breaking through the covering; when a

flame threatened to break through they smothered it back by shoveling dirt on to it. Now after about

four days burning the pit was uncovered a little at a time and water dashed on to the coal until all of the

fire was extinguished; although I was only around six years old, I can remember this coal burning like it

happened yesterday, and I thought it might be interesting to you as there are very few men living today

who know in detail about this charcoal burning which was the main occupation of the men of Rush

Valley for several years about seventy years ago.

Samuel attended school in Clover, Utah and graduated from the 8th grade. Then he worked, around

Clover area, for several years.

(Notes from Aunt Ivy Jean Gordon, B: 1886, Samuel A. Gordon’s sister, about school in Clover)

When they went to school it was about 2 miles from their home. They always had to walk. In those days

they really had snow and it was bitter cold. The brothers would

take her hand and run as fast as they could so they could stay a

little warmer. She said many times it was so cold that she

thought they would freeze to death.

Photo 1964

Sam (Samuel Arthur Gordon), was out with the sheep a lot of

the time during my Aunt's (Ivy Jean Gordon) childhood. The

school which was also the recreation hall for the town and the

Church, too, was heated with a pot-bellied stove and the teacher

of the school was very strict.

Arval’s biography One day when my father, Samuel, was in

school he did something that disturbed the teacher and the

teacher was going to whip him. My father (Samuel A. Gordon)

thought he was in the right and so he started to fight with the

teacher. Aunt Jean (Ivy Jean Gordon) said the fight was a real

doozy - they really tangled. Then my grandfather (Foster

Gordon b:1850) took my father (Samuel A. Gordon) back to

school and the teacher said that if my father would apologize that he would forget it. But after the teacher

and grandfather talked over the reason for the fight, my father said he would not apologize. So

grandfather told the teacher that my father should be punished and that he could do it. So that nasty

teacher whipped my father until he was black and blue.

When my father (Samuel A. Gordon) and grandfather (Foster Gordon) returned home, my grandmother

(Mary Jane Park Gordon) was so shocked and horrified and angry that she packed up her children and

left home for some time. She said that no teacher should be given the privilege to punish any child so bad.

And she was angry with grandfather to think he had allowed it.

My father (Samuel A. Gordon) said for a long time after that that when he grew up big enough, he was

going to come back and give that teacher just the same kind of a whipping or even worse. He was angry

and after all these years and just hearing of this instance, my heart goes out to one of the most wonderful

men in my life, my father, and I hate that teacher. His name is Lonozo Stokey. (end of Ivy Jean Gordon’

Note)

Foster John Gordon biography – Samuel’s brother In 1888, we sold the cattle and bought sheep. We started

with 500 head and I (Foster John) began herding with my brothers Sam (Samuel Arthur) and Will as

helpers. Sam was about nine years old and Will about seven. We herded the sheep in the mountains west

of the ranch in the summer and kept them on the ranch in the winter.

In 1890 we sold the sheep. […] In the summer of 1892 we hauled ore from the Dugway Mountain to

Stockton. Dugway Mountain is situated about forty five miles west of the Park Ranch, almost in the

center of the big desert. There is no water after leaving the Park Ranch, consequently we hauled barrels

of water for horses and ourselves, to last us four days. In the fall of 1892 we bought another herd of sheep

and was with them summer and winter until the spring of 1896 when we again sold the sheep

Erma’s biography:Samuel, his brothers, William and Foster, all went to LDS Business College in Salt

Lake City. When he finished, he was one of the best penmen that ever wrote a line. He took pride in his

writing all his life.

EXAMPLE OF SAMUEL A. GORDON WRITING, LATER IN HIS LIFE.

Harriet Louisa Meikle Erma’s biography: My beautiful mother, Harriet Louisa Meikle, was born June 28, 1879, in Smithfield,

about 8 miles north of Logan, Utah. She was the eighth and youngest of eight children (six boys and two

girls) of James Joseph Meikle and Harriet Louisa Peacock, who were long time residence of Smithfield,

Utah. Refer to her father’s biography, James Joseph Meikle, for life in Smithfield during years she was

growing up.

June 18, 1897 School Diploma

On 29 Dec. 1897 Samuel A. Gordon’s brother, Foster J. Gordon, married Isabella Meikle, Harriet L

Meilke’s sister. Foster and Isabella were living in Mercur, Utah. For a time brothers Samuel and William

lived with Foster & Isabella. At one time my mother, Harriet Meikle, came (from Smithfield, Utah) to

visit her sister, Isabella, and met my father, Samuel, there. It must have been love at first sight because

soon after that they were married, on the 24th of January, 1901, in the Logan Temple, Logan, Utah.

LOGAN TEMPLE

PARENTS:

Father: Samuel Arthur Gordon, born: 28 Jun 1879 at Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah

Mother: Harriet Louise Meikle Gordon, born: 28 Jun 1879 at Smithfield, Cache, Utah

Married: 24 Jan. 1901 at Logan, Cache Co., Utah

CHILDREN:

Arthur Harold, born: 18 Nov 1901 at Mercur, Tooele, Utah

Samuel James, born: 24 Dec 1903, at Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah

Mary Harriet, born: 19 Nov 1905, at Freemont, Cache, Idaho (according to her biography)

Foster Leroy, born: 20 Jan 1908 at Smithfield. Cache, Utah

Hazel, born: 17 Dec 1909 at Taylor Creek, Bonneville, Idaho (ORIG Taylor, Bingham, Idaho)

William Vernon, born: 10 Jul 1912 at Lincoln, Bonneville, Idaho (ORIG Lincoln, Bingham, Idaho)

Erma Phyllis, born: 22 Aug 1914 at Taylor Creek, Bonneville, Idaho

Vera, born: 20 Oct 1916 at Smithfield, Cache,Utah

Ethel Jean, born: 4 Feb 1919 at Smithfield, Cache, Utah

Arval Park, born: 6 Jun 1924 at Cornish, Cache, Utah

Their first home was in Mercur, Utah where Samuel and William (his

brother) worked in the Mercur mine. This was a silver mine but it was

mixed with a mercury content, this made it very hard to mine.

Their 1st child, Harold Arthur Gordon was born 18 Nov 1901 at Mercur,

Utah

Arval’s biography: When Harold was 6 months old, Mercur burned down.

The buildings were all wooden, and so when the fire got going, it went

through the whole town and burned it down. Harold states that the move

was made so fast that he was put in an open trunk on top of what few

things could be saved, and they moved to Eureka, another mining town.

Things were much better there, and they stayed there until Harold

started school.

http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/m/MERCUR.html

NOTE: From mid 1902 to 1907, the various biographies are contradictory. The family may have lived in

Eureka, Utah; Driggs, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; or Smithfield, Utah. It seems that “grandmother”, Harriet

Louisa, lived some of the time with, or near by, her parents in Smithfield, Utah and “grandfather”, Samuel

Arthur, worked various jobs in Utah and Idaho

Erma’s biography: (After the fire) Samuel and William left Mercur and came back to Salt Lake and

opened a grocery store on the west side of Salt Lake City.

Arval’s biography Genealogical records show that James (2nd

child Samuel James Gordon) and Hattie (3rd

child Mary Harriet Gordon) were born in Smithfield, but Harold's journal puts Jim being born during

the time they lived in Eureka, the 24th of December, 1903.

Mother and Father moved to Salt Lake City and bought a store which they operated for two years. Hattie

had to be born early in these years, November 19, 1905

Erma’s biography Mother returned to her home in Smithfield, Utah where my brother, James, (2nd

child,

Samuel James Gordon) was born, 24th of December, 1903. Then my father moved back to Smithfield,

Utah where he farmed. There my sister, (3rd

child, Mary Harriet), was born, 18th of November, 1905.

Also my brother, (4th

child Foster LeRoy Gordon) was born 20th of January, 1908

Samuel James Gordon biography I was born in Smithfield, Utah, 24th of December, 1903 {… ]. Then my

parents lived in Driggs, Idaho . When I was three years old we left Driggs and came back to Smithfield

where for four years my father worked at various jobs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driggs,_Idaho

Harriet Mary Gordon LeMay’s biography states: “I was born 19th of November 1905 [ …]in Cache,

Fremont County, Idaho”. It appear more likely that she was born at Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont_County,_Idaho

Foster LeRoy biography Born: 20 Jan 1908 at Smithfield. Cache, Utah - My first recollections of any

activity was the 4th of July that used to be celebrated in Smithfield with a 50 gallon barrel of lemonade

set in the middle of the park and us kids used to have a wild time drinking lemonade and eating our

lunch there in the park.

Moving to Taylor, Idaho

Note of interest: Samuel Arthur Gordon’s grandfather, John Henry Gordon, while hauling freight to Montana,

was last heard from and was presumed to have been killed, near Blackfoot, Idaho in 1868.

Samuel James Gordon biography About 1908 Father (Samuel Arthur) took a team and supplies and went

north to Idaho Falls where he planned to homestead a farm. It was a rugged beginning and took at least a

year to get things up there to start farming. Father worked for many farmers and all his extra time he

spent building a home and getting ready to plant a crop of turkey red wheat at the dry farm. About 60

days after Father left to go north to get to Idaho Falls with his team, Mother and four children boarded

the train to go north to get to Idaho Falls.

We lived in a little cabin in the southeast part of Taylor Creek, Idaho, Taylor Creek being named after a

great potato grower named Joe Taylor. I started school in this district at 6 in Taylor, Idaho, and for four

or five years up in that area there were three of my brothers and sisters born, Hazel, Vern and Erma. (5th

child, Hazel), (6th

child William Vernon), (7th

child Erma Phyllis) When Erma was about one year old

(about 1915) we moved back to Smithfield and there secured a farm on which we lived for several years.

Taylor Creek is not a town, instead it is an area approx 10 Mile SSE of Idaho Falls,

IDAHO

Arval’s biography Quoting from Harold's journal, Taylor Creek "We lived in the sod house. Father took

several days off and drove into the hills to the east of us. After about a week he returned with a load of

poles and wood. I will never forget his homecoming. He drove up and got off the load. Mother and us

kids, of course, were right there. He put his arms around mother and said, 'Well, Hat, we'll have a new

home”. He kissed her and all four of us kids and said something kind to us. Shortly after this time, Father

and Mother made a trip to Idaho Falls and filed a claim on 640 acres of land on Taylor Creek, which in

today's measure is 1 mile wide and 2 miles long. It was just below Taylor Mountain, and about 8 miles

from where we were living at that time by the canal.

When they came back from town, they were on top of a load of new pine lumber, roofing, some doors and

two windows for our new home." During this period of time my sister, Hazel, (5th

child Hazel Gordon)

was born on the 17th of December 1909. Early in 1910, Dad and my brother, Harold, who was just 8

years old, went up to the land that they had filed claim to, and at the end of a week's time, Harold says

that they had accomplished everything necessary to move into the new home on the "dry farm" and also

arranged to keep the place in the valley. About this same time, Hazel remembers having an abscess on

her leg. Since there were no doctors close by, Dad had to lance the abscess to get it to drain. She slept, at

least for a short time, in something like a bassinet. She wasn't very big, the bassinet or crib had metal

sides and some rods to support the top rail. It soon healed, and things were OK for her.

Hazel, born: 17 Dec 1909 at Taylor Creek, Bonneville, Idaho (ORIG Taylor, Bingham, Idaho)

William Vernon, born: 10 Jul 1912 at Lincoln, Bonneville, Idaho (ORIG Lincoln, Bingham, Idaho

Erma Phyllis, born: 22 Aug 1914 at Taylor Creek, Bonneville, Idaho

Erma’s biography My mother dug a cellar and fixed it so they had a place to store what food they could

obtain. My brother, Harold's version of their living and food was. They had the finest lamb, the finest

beef, the best smoked bacon and ham, new red skin potatoes and new peas, that were the best ever

produced. Harold also tells of a very dear neighbor there, Mr. Joe Taylor and a fine man. One day Joe's

son, Fred, about 12 years old was dragged to death by a horse. This made a big impression on the whole

family, especially Harold. This was the first funeral that he had ever attended.

Samuel and family were living in Taylor Creek (near Idaho Falls), Idaho. This is where my sister, Hazel

(6th

child Hazel), was born, 17th of December 1909. They did dry farming there. Then two years later my

mother went to a neighboring town, Lincoln, Idaho. She stayed with a half-sister. There my brother

Vernon William (6th

child William Vernon) was born, 10th of July, 1912.

In our family there is a picture of Daddy, Mother, and their children on this dry farm. It was taken in the

dead of the winter and outside, we treasure this picture. Two years later I, Erma Phyllis (7th

child Erma

Phyllis) was born in Taylor, Idaho, 22nd of August 1914. The house where I was born was still standing

in 1963. It had been turned into a grainery.

Hazel Gordon biography I was born December 17, 1909 at Taylor Creek, Idaho but the earliest

recollection I have is of Erma, my sister, being born in Idaho. Then of Daddy (Samuel.A. Gordon) being

operated on for appendicitis in Idaho, somewhere, and my mama (Harriet Louisa Meikle Gordon) taking

me to visit him. At this same place Daddy had a stallion that he was really proud of. I also have a faint

memory of Daddy operating on my leg. It must have been a family affair. My dear father could and

would do whatever was necessary for our welfare.

Arval’s biography Somewhere between 1908 and 1916, Dad acquired a large stallion to raise horses. The

horse was really large and not altogether trustworthy. The kids were kept well away. This must have

been important in their life and work because horses were all that they had to work with. People had

several teams to change off with. Horses were worked a half a day and rested a day and a half. Hazel had

no recollection of where the horse came from or where it went.

The land was dry, the days were hot, the sagebrush dusty. They set fires and burned off 20 to 30 acres at

a time to help get rid of the brush and make it easier to plow. This was ticklish business because of air

currents. If a wind came up it was easy to jump the plowed furrows between the patches of sagebrush.

They were blessed and fortunate and had now accomplished a dangerous part of their work. With two

horses on a hand plow, old Dick and Doll, Father plowed 50 acres of land that summer. Mother and

Harold pulled the sagebrush up that were left and burned them. Father planted 50 acres of Turkey Red

wheat. They moved back to the valley and lived in a log house a quarter of a mile from the schoolhouse.

They lived here so that the children could go to school during the Fall and Winter of the year.

When the snow had all melted, Father and Harold went back up to the dry farm, where the wheat had

come up in good shape. There was a man by the name of Emph, who was a sheep man, and his sheep

were headed for the grain field. Father and dogs went to head them off. After an argument, Father and

Emph fought it out. Harold said that the fight lasted for about 20 minutes. He talked of blood splattering

when they hit each other or when one or the other of them went down. Bare fisted, no show, no put on act

here. It was a real fight and both men were cut to pieces. Father and Mr. Emph talked. Father asked,

"Do you want to go down to the creek and wash up and hereafter keep your sheep off my land, or do you

want to fight on?" "No", he replied, "I think we ought to be friends from now on." So they went to the

creek and washed up. There was no further trouble. I think this shows how hard these times were, when

people had to fight for all that they had.

Early in the Spring of 1911, found Father and Harold and, probably Jim, building fences to protect the

land and in July they harvested the first crop of grain. Harold writes that it was a good one. Lots of hard

work went into it and many trees, willows and sagebrush were cut to provide fuel for the steam driven

thrasher.

As much as was possible from Nature that could be used was. Such as choke cherries and service berries

were used to make chokecherry jelly and fresh service berries were used by mother to make pies.

With the need for additional home space, they decided to build an addition 18 by 24 feet. Father and

Harold went to a large stand of pine called Wolverine which several small saw mill outfits were working.

Father made a deal with the owner and operator of one of them to slab enough logs to build the addition

to the house. That meant he had to cut and half one and a half logs for every slab for him. It was a good

deal for him, he was as strong as an ox and had a good team. So in two weeks from dawn to dusk, we had

the logs ready to take home. It took us a week after to get them all home.

Fall came and the family moved back to the valley, keeping the dry farm for several years. Harold tells of

some of the things he and his brothers did during those years. In his journal he says that Roy liked to ride

the horse. He always rode bare back with just a halter. One day they rode the horse to Taylor's Creek

and caught a good lot of trout. They started home and hadn't got more than a city block and the horse

started to run away with them. Down the ravine and up the other side as fast as it could go. The horse

landed stiff legged and they fell off, but they were glad to walk home. He also states that in 1912 they had

a good crop of wheat. Vern was born the 10th

of July 1912, in Lincoln, Idaho, in a house of a cousin of

mother's. After the crops were harvested, they moved to the valley where father purchased an 80 acre

farm. They raised potatoes and some hay and did well. Erma was born the 22nd

of August 1914.

Samuel James Gordon biography [ … ] while at Taylor Creek my grandfather Meikle (James Joseph

Meikle) came up to visit with us.. My grandfather baptized my brother Harold (Arthur Harold) and

myself (Samuel James) in the Taylor Creek which ran by the dry farm home

Erma’s biography Around this time my father's brother, Hudson and his wife, Jen, came to Idaho. My

father tried to get Hudson to stay on the farm, but he did not like this kind of work so soon came back to

Utah. They settled in American Fork. He worked for Utah Power and Light.

Foster LeRoy biography I started school in Taylor, Idaho, the 24th of September 1914. We lived there for

several years till we moved back to Smithfield. Then I went to the grade school in Smithfield, Utah.

Then we moved to South Jordan and I went to school there. I went to school at Jackson elementary

school in Salt Lake. Then we moved to Cornish, Utah. There I graduated from the eighth grade 22nd of

May, 1924. Then I went to North Cache High School for two years.

Erma’s biography About 1915 Then my father and mother and family moved back to Smithfield, Utah.

Father farmed there. He had cows, grew beets and had a beautiful vegetable garden.

At this home my sisters: Vera, (8th

child Vera) was born, 20th of October, 1916. Smithfield, Utah

Ethel Jean (9th

child Ethyl Jean), was also born here on 4 February, 1919, Smithfield, Utah

This home was standing and being lived in 1963. It has since been torn down.

Arval’s biography In the following November 1915, they

moved from Idaho to Smithfield to a 5 acre farm with a

nice frame house. They also rented several other plots of

ground from 5 to 12 acres, which they farmed. There

were lots of festivities while they were in Smithfield. One

day Mother and Dad, along with Grandma and Grandpa,

had gone to the "Old Folks Day Celebration". Hattie got

Hazel out of school and they were going to do something

special for Mom and Dad. They couldn't get the fire

started in the stove, so they put some kerosene in it, but

still the fire didn't go. Hazel lifted one of the lids off the

stove, which put air into the fire box and caused the fire

to explode and burst into flame. Hazel was burned quite

bad, and had to be taken into Salt Lake for treatment.

Here in Smithfield on October 20, 1916, Vera was born (8th

child) . Then on February 4, 1919 Ethyl was

born (9th

child).

Hazel’s biography I started school in Smithfield, Utah. I remember the death of my Grandmother Meikle

(1915). I also remember the elk that were on the Smithfield Park, I used to love going to visit Uncle Foster

and Aunt Bell Gordon, and all our cousins. Also the little store that they had, on their place. Also the

huge barn and lots of cows they had on their place. We used to visit Uncle Harvey and Aunt Zella and

family. Also Uncle Joe and Aunt Temp. Uncle Jim and Aunt Lou and their families

Erma’s biography Father then moved to South Jordan, Utah, where he farmed and had cows and horses. I

started school there. My first grade teacher was named Mrs. Poulsen. In 1921. My oldest brother (Arthur

Harold) met and married Ruth P. Wardle from South Jordan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_(automobile)

Dad bought his first car, a Franklin, air cooled. Harold said that it was a good car for that day. They had

fun filled days, the family going to Church and they were surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins,

Grandmas and Grandpas.

Arval’s biography In July 1919 they moved from Smithfield to South Jordan. There they lived in a large

red brick house with a large storage cellar in the back of the house that would fill up with water when

they irrigated around the house. The kids had all been told not to play around the cellar. The cellar was

covered with a flat roof which had sand and gravel on it. Erma and Vera were playing around the roof

when Erma said to Vera, "Pour some of the sand in your ear, it sure feels funny." Vera did, but it

wouldn't come out.

Mother had a large cow bell outside the back door of the house. When she

rang that bell, it either meant dinner or that something had happened.

Mother had that bell for many years. When Vera ran back to the house

with the sand in her ear, Mother rang the bell frantically and Dad,

Harold and Jim came on the run. Dad told one of the boys to get the

buggy ready. They left at about 11:00 AM to go to Salt Lake where the

doctor removed the sand and stone from her ear. They got home about

5:30. Father was mad over the incident and told the kids they could now

see why mother had told them to stay away and they had better do it.

At this home one holiday the family was preparing to celebrate. Vern

forgot something he wanted. It was in the cellar. He was somewhere

around 6 or 7 years old. He had to open the door to the cellar which was a

very heavy door. He lost his balance and fell down the cement steps. It

broke his nose. He suffered for many years with his nose because of that.

Vern was my constant companion and pulled me everywhere in his

wagon. Being a girl, I loved it

Abt 1915 Erma & Vern Gordon

There was an irrigation ditch that ran in front of the house in South Jordan, the same ditch that used to

fill up the cellar. It had a foot bridge to get across it, and then it ran free for some distance. Erma, while

playing near the ditch, had fallen in and floated under the foot bridge. Hattie jumped into the ditch and

got her out. This was a close call for Erma.

Erma’s biography 9About 1921-22) We moved from South Jordan to 2118 Green St. in Salt Lake City. I

went to school a while in the school on 9th East and 21st South.

From there we moved to Colton, Utah Daddy ran a big hotel there. Mother and Daddy cooked and served

meals to many people there. It was a railroad stop and, as I remember, they were very busy all the time.

We children played and mostly got into mischief, but once in a while, I remember having to help wipe

dishes. There were stacks and stacks. One day during the summer a spark flew out of the chimney and

set the hotel on fire. Oh, what a fire. It was all lumber and it burned like a match. All we saved were the

things we had on and our new straw hats. Daddy got the safe out of the hotel, then while he was working

at the fire, some boys stole the safe and took it into the hills nearby. With the help of all the men in town

the fire was put out but the hotel and adjacent buildings were burned to the ground. Also the men of the

town helped find the safe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton,_Utah

Arval’s biography When they moved to Colton, Utah, near Soldier's Summit. Just across the street from

where they lived was the only store in the area. One night it caught on fire. The man who owned it lived

quite a ways up the street. Dad sent Roy there to tell him of the fire. When they got back, Dad had a

bucket brigade going. When the fire was out, all that was left was the ice packed cooler room and the

chimney. The man told Dad to take anything he could use, the store itself was a total loss. In the morning

Vera and Erma took their little red wagon and hauled butter and milk home. Dad and Roy dug under the

floor and brought out cases of fruit, salmon, tuna and vegetables. It looked like truck loads according to

Vera. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ut-colton.html

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/USHS_Class/id/23682

Colton; Utah County; Utah

Description Colton Hotel and European Hotel in Colton, Utah. Established in the 1883 as

Pleasant Valley Junction, a junction and railroad siding for Scofield. In th 1890s the name

was changed to Colton after William F. Colton, a railroad official. Colton was abandoned

in the 1950s as longer railroad hauls became more efficient.

Erma’s biography We moved back to Salt Lake City and lived with my oldest brother (Arthur Harold) on

5th East and about 28th South. The house was small and with so many in it, I remember playing outdoors

most all day. Then Father moved us to around 2nd North, 6th West, Salt Lake City. Here I went to the

Jackson School.

Arval’s biography From there they moved to 8th West and 2nd North in Salt Lake. While living there,

Mother and Dad went to Dinwoody's Furniture Store and bought a player piano. Vera said that she had

ringlets halfway down her back. Mother used to do them about twice a week. It was one Saturday

morning when she was doing them that she fainted. Vera screamed for Daddy to come. He picked her up

and put her to bed. The next week when she was curling her hair again, the same thing happened. Vera

said that she got a hair cut.

Vera tells about Dad cutting down a big tree in the front yard. She says that she has no idea why he was

cutting it down, but part of it fell on him, breaking some ribs. Mother got a neighbor to take them to the

doctor. When they came home, Dad was taped from his hips to his chest. Vera started school at the

Jackson School, just over the fence, where Hazel, Erma and Vern were already attending.

Erma’s biography Then we moved to Cornish, Utah. (on the Utah and Idaho boarder) Father farmed and

raised sugar beets. He worked hard from before daylight until after dark every day. I remember very

well going to school in Cornish, where we had about four grades in one room. In the winter, Father

would take us to school in a bob sled. It was fun and bitter cold. During this time we were very close to

our double cousins, Uncle Foster and Aunt Bell. We had so many wonderful, happy times. Ever since

then I feel our family has been very close to this particular family. Probably was before this time, but I

can't remember.

Arval’s biography The family left Salt Lake again and went to Cornish around the fall of 1921 or 1922.

Hazel tells of them raising strawberries. They had a good crop and so mother decided to sell some of

them to the store or anyone else who would buy them so she could buy a new suit for Dad. The store was

a couple of miles away, but a bit shorter if you walked on the railroad track. It was a big effort for Hazel,

who was 14, Vern, who was 12 and Erma, 10, to carry the crates of berries to the store, but Dad did get

the suit. During this time, Dad bought Mother a large silver spoon, which was used to scoop the

strawberries out of the bowl. Mother later gave this spoon to Hazel. This is the only possession that Hazel

has that belonged to Mother.

Arval Park, born: 6 Jun 1924 at Cornish, Cache, Utah

Ethyl standing & Mother holding Arval While in Cornish they raised sugar beets and hay,

which included all the kids. Hazel remembers that it

was hard work growing these crops. When they put

up hay, it was a long hard job, all done by hand.

There were no bailers. The hay was loose and raked

into piles and hand loaded on a wagon. To make this

load ride, it had to be tied in on the wagon as well as

the stack. This was done by overlapping one pile of

hay on another, each forming its binding effect on the

load. Vera was small and was driving the team. Dad,

Harold and Jim and anyone else big enough to pick up

the piles, were loading the wagon. Vera tells of the

team bolting and a fork of hay landed on the corner of

the wagon and on the driver. She also remembers Mother making sheet cake pan size pumpkin pies to

take to the field to rejuvenate the family from the work in the beet fields.

Here, Cornish, I (10th

child Arval Park) was born on the 6th of June, 1924. Vera recalls that the doctor

was drunk, and Dad delivered me, all but the finishing of things. After they were through, Dad took the

doctor outside and beat the "hell" out of him.

The next month, July 24, a big day, we all went over to Trenton to the big parade and day of fun. I

(Arval) started having convulsions and Mom and Dad took me to the doctor. They came back and

gathered up all of the rest of the family, and home they went. Some say that the convulsions were caused

from the root beer that mother was drinking and that I got the gas from it as she nursed me, and others

say that it was from the heat. Daddy went out to the ice house and put a large piece of ice in a tin tub in

water to cool off the house. Mother had made a freezer full of ice cream, so we continued with the

celebration at home.

Erma’s biography We moved back to Salt Lake City and lived with my oldest brother (Arthur Harold) on

5th East and about 28th South. The house was small and with so many in it, I remember playing outdoors

most all day. Then Father moved us to around 2nd North, 6th West, Salt Lake City. Here I went to the

Jackson School.

Arval’s biography From there they moved to 8th West and 2nd North in Salt Lake. While living there,

Mother and Dad went to Dinwoody's Furniture Store and bought a player piano. Vera said that she had

ringlets halfway down her back. Mother used to do them about twice a week. It was one Saturday

morning when she was doing them that she fainted. Vera screamed for Daddy to come. He picked her up

and put her to bed. The next week when she was curling her hair again, the same thing happened. Vera

said that she got a hair cut.

Erma’s biography From here Daddy moved his family to 17th South between 4th and 5th East in Salt

Lake City. Here we as a family enjoyed living. I remember Grandpa Gordon (Foster Gordon) coming to

our home quite often to visit with us.

From here we moved to Milford, Utah. Daddy owned and operated a large apartment house there. It was

one of the best looking places in Milford at that time. We lived here for about a year.

http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/m/MILFORD.html

In an article published in the Deseret News on 8 November 1914, Joseph Hickman claimed that "Milford

has been Utah's most thorough representative of all types of frontier life." This statement describes the

diverse nature of Milford's social, cultural, and economic life.

Arval’s biography Just before Christmas, Dad and Mother had a chance to manage a hotel for the D &

RG Railroad. They sent all of their furniture to Milford. There wasn't room in the car for all that they

had and all the kids, so Mama and Arval stayed in a hotel close to the railroad depot in Salt Lake. That

year we had Christmas on New Years, waiting for Mama and Arval to get there. We spent the rest of the

winter there. Here they rented apartments to railroad workers and had an eating place. Mom and Dad

cooked, Hattie waitressed and the rest did the dishes or whatever.

Erma’s biography From here we moved to Manderfield, Utah, where Daddy farmed and had a herd of

sheep. One day while my Father was haying, he fell off of the haystack on to a fence and broke several

ribs. He was very ill for some time. We as children were very concerned to see our Father so ill. Then

after a while, my Father got into the sheep business to a greater extent. Sometimes we, as children, would

go out on the range and help him herd sheep. I think now it was mostly for company for him. That

summer Grandpa Foster Gordon died (1926).

Arval’s biography In the Spring of about 1925, they moved to Manderfield, where they grew beets and

hay. Somewhere along this time, Dad got into the sheep business. He ran them west of what is now the

freeway and north to Delta. He paid a fellow to feed the bucks and get them in good shape for breeding

time. When he went to get them, they were so poor and weak that it put Dad out of the sheep business.

Earl Baldwin in Background Gordon & Baldwin Parents

Arval’s biography Mother had a very large garden in Manderfield. When Roy came down the first time,

he had a big car filled to the top with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Peaches, pears, apricots, grapes,

watermelons and cantaloupes. Most of these things people in this small town had never seen. Our house

had a porch going around three sides of it. We all had our fill of the good fruit and then Mother had all of

us washing bottles so that she could get some of it bottled for the winter. Vera says that they stayed here

in Manderfield for two or three years.

Erma’s biography Then we moved from Manderfield to 627 Carson Street in Salt Lake City. Daddy stayed

with the sheep for sometime before he joined mother and the family there. This was an old house, one my

Grandfather Foster Gordon had bought many years before. We lived there for about one year. Then

Father sold his sheep herd and joined us. He moved us into a nice home on 3372 South 11th East in Salt

Lake City. He established a chicken business here. He sold eggs and flyers for several years, then the

chickens got a bad disease and so Father went out of the chicken business.

Arval’s biography They moved to a house in Carson Court that Grandma and Grandpa Gordon had.

Grandpa had passed away while we lived in Manderfield. Roy and Loe helped to move us kids to Carson

Court. Shortly after we got settled in Carson Court, Earl came to get Hazel, and Roy and Loe went with

Earl and Hazel to the Salt Lake Temple to get married. We only lived in Carson Court for a short time

While I visited with Hazel and asked why she thought Mom and Dad had moved more than 10 times in

30 years, her reply was, "Look at how many occupations Dad had and was successful at most". She also

says that Dad was only sick two or three times in his life up to this time.

Samjuel Arthur Gordon

Arval’s biography As far as I can remember the house on 33rd South and 11th East was purchased in

1928 or 1929. It was a nice 5 room home. Mother said to Dad, "Sam Gordon, this is going to be our last

move, believe me!" He said, "Yes, Madam". There was on the property a double garage that had only a

one car garage door. The other part was a storage area and it had a tool work bench in it. Not too long

after we had moved there, within a year or so, Dad and Vern built some more chicken coops. I think we

had coops enough for 1500 to 1700 chickens. During this time they raised fryers for "Coon Chicken Inn".

This was a predecessor to the "Kentucky Fried Chicken" business and was really hard work for those

that were home. They had to kill and pick and gut a certain amount of chickens every day. Dad would

dip them into boiling water and everyone else would do the rest. Dad must have had some laying hens

too. I remember Dad loading eggs in his 1928 Chevy car, then I would climb in and we would go selling

eggs door to door. He would sometimes stop at his brother's who had a store. During the time we had

chickens, there used to be what we called a "setting hen". (A setting hen was one that would set on eggs).

I decided to raise some baby chicks, so I set the hen on some eggs and to my surprise on the day the

chickens were to hatch, there was a bottle of peanut butter. Uncle Spence worked for Heinz Co. and

switched the infertile eggs for a bottle of peanut butter. Aunt Jean and Uncle Spence were really good to

me in these early years.

Vern, at this time, was branching off on his own. There was left at home, Erma, Vera, Ethel and me

(Arval). The three girls by 1936 were either working or getting married. Father's sister, Aunt Jean and

Uncle Spence, lived a few houses away. Somewhere along the line, I got a Shetland pony, which I rode a

lot. About this time I was 8 and my sister, Ethel was 12. These years were fun and life was good for an 8

year old boy. Father used to take me to the wrestling match and to many other places that he went.

Having read Harold's journal and talking to my sister, Hazel, Father always took the kids with him.

Hazel has many great memories of the times that she went with Dad. I am sure that this had happened

with all of the kids in the family during some period of their lives and it wasn't any different for me,

being the youngest. For Dad, his most fun came from taking the family to Liberty Park with a picnic.

These were hard years for my parents. There was no Social Security. One always had to provide for

themselves and these days were hard on them. But, hard as they were, I don't ever remember them

complaining. I don't ever remember my parents having an argument or disagreement and, in talking to

my sisters, they don't ever remember a disagreement either.

Also, during those years, Mother's health progressively got

worse. One day as she was going down the basement stairs, she

fell down them. Dad and Harold picked her up and put her to

bed. When she felt well enough to get up, Dad purchased a wheel

chair and from then on, she was confined to the wheel chair. I

don't know what the problem was, but her legs kept getting

weaker and weaker and she couldn't walk. This probably

happened around 1933 or 1934. She accepted this problem in her

life without ever complaining.

Erma’s biography He became very interested in mining. I

think mining had really been an interesting part of his

life. Here, near Wanship, Utah, he worked a mine all by

himself. One day in the summer, several of the family

and their spouses with mother went up there to see him.

When his sons and son-in-law saw what he had

accomplished in the side of a mountain that was all

rock, they were all amazed to see it. To think that one

man could possibly do so much.

Arvel biography We only heated a couple of rooms in the house and Dad would sit at the end of the

kitchen stove. On January 18, 1938, he got up and rubbed his hands and said, "I think I'll go to bed".

This was early in the evening. Shortly after this time, Father passed away. By 10:30 that night, he was

gone. He just laid down and went to sleep.

Erma Biography Soon after this my Father became ill. He would never

complain, but he wasn't well. He would go to Salt Lake Clinic where medical

students from the University would come and study his case. This was over a

period of about 9 months. However, his immediate family did not know of this

study being made. We had no idea how serious it was. Then on the 18th of

January, 1938, at the age of 58, my wonderful Father retired to his bed and

went to sleep for the last time. He passed away very peaceful and content in his

sleep. He was laid to rest in the Elysian Gardens in Millcreek, the same vicinity

he was born in, on a very very cold blizardy day, on the 23rd of January, 1938.

This is a history of Samuel Arthur Gordon, one wonderful man.

Arval’s biography After Dad had passed away, I remember Mom and I (Arval) were the only ones left at

home for several years. During these years, I grew enough to work a little and Aunt Jean and her son,

Clyde, gave me work to meet my needs. I worked for them for 25 cents an hour. Mother and I had lots of

times together through these years. Vern bought me a brand new bike, and I rode that bike a million

miles through these years.

The War was on and I knew that I would be drafted, so I enlisted in the Navy and went to Boot Camp in

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

When I left and went into the Navy, Mother went to live

with Vera and Jack. Vern went into the Army that Fall.

Jim needed some help with Jane and so Mom went to help

them for a period of time. During this time she went back

and forth from Vera's and Jim's.

They went to Jim's for Thanksgiving, 1942, where Mom

stayed and she died there the 8 March, 1943.

1938 GORDON FAMILY

BACK- LtoR: Arthur Harold, Samuel James, Samuel Arthur, Foster Leroy, William Vernon, Arval Park

FRONT-LtoR: Ethel Jean, Erma Phyllis, Mary Harriet, Harriet Louisa, Hazel, Vera

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8PX-2XS

MARRIAGE

1901 Samuel A. Gorden, "Utah, Marriages" groom's name: Samuel A. Gorden groom's birth date: 1880

groom's birthplace: Of St. John, Tooele, Utah groom's age: 21

bride's name: Harriet L. Meikle bride's birth date: 1880

bride's birthplace: Of Smithfield, Cache, Utah bride's age: 21

marriage date: 24 Jan 1901 marriage place: Logan, Cache, Utah

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https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MLHV-69J

1910 Samuel A Gordon, "United States Census" name: Samuel A Gordon birthplace: United States

relationship to head of household: Self

residence: Taylor, Bingham, Idaho marital status: Married

race : White gender: Male

father's birthplace: United States mother's birthplace: United States

Household Gender Age Birthplace

self Samuel A Gordon M y United States

wife Hattie Gordon F y Utah

son Harold Gordon M 8y Utah

son James Gordon M 6y Utah

dau Hattie Gordon F 4y Utah

son Roy Gordon M 2y Idaho

dau Velma Gordon F y 4m Idaho

Velma = Hazel

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https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8P8-8N3

1920 Samuel A Gordon, "United States Census" name: Samuel A Gordon residence: , Salt Lake, Utah

estimated birth year: 1880 age: 40 birthplace: Utah

relationship to head of household: Self

gender: Male race: White marital status: Married

Household Gender Age Birthplace

self Samuel A Gordon M 40y Utah

wife Harriet L Gordon F 40y Utah

son Arthur H Gordon M 18y Utah

son Samuel J Gordon M 16y Utah

dau Harriet M Gordon F 14y Utah

son Foster L Gordon M 12y Utah

dau Hazel Gordon F 10y Utah

son William V Gordon M 7y Utah

dau Phylis E Gordon F 5y Utah

dau Vera Gordon F 3y2m Utah

dau Ethel G Gordon F 11m Utah

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https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XH6Z-GS7

1930 Samuel Gordon, "United States Census" name: Samuel Gordon event place: Precinct 03, Salt Lake, Utah

gender: Male age: 50 marital status: Married race: White

birthplace: Utah estimated birth year: 1880 relationship to head of household: Head

father's birthplace: England mother's birthplace: Utah

Household Gender Age Birthplace

Head Samuel Gordon M 50 Utah

Wife Harriet L Gordon F 50 Utah

Daughter Erma P Gordon F 15 Idaho

Daughter Vera Gordon F 13 Utah

Daughter Ethel J Gordon F 11 Utah

Son Arval P Gordon M 5 Utah

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https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VT4Q-W9Y

1940 Harriet Gordon, "United States Census" name: Harriet Gordon

event place: Election Precinct 3, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

gender: Female age: 61 marital status: Widowed race (standardized): White

relationship to head of household (standardized): Head

birthplace: Utah estimated birth year: 1879

residence in 1935: Same House

Household Gender Age Birthplace

head Harriet Gordon F 61 Utah

son Arval Gordon M 15 Utah

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Your tombstone stands neglected and alone.

The name and date are chiseled out on polished, marbled stone.

It reaches out to all who care. It is too late to mourn.

You did not know that I exist. You died and I was born.

Yet each of us are cells of you in flesh, in blood, in bone.

Our heart contracts and beats a pulse entirely not our own.

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled those many years ago.

Spreads out among the ones you left who would have loved you so.

I wonder as you lived and loved, I wonder if you knew

That someday I would find this spot and come to visit you.

Author Unknown

FIND A GRAVE

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=80680217

Samuel Arthur Gordon Birth: Jun. 9, 1879, Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Death: Jan. 18, 1938, Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Burial: Elysian Burial Gardens , Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Plot: B_15_10

MARRIED: 24 Jan 1901, Logan, Cache Co., Utah

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=80680302

Harriet Louise Meikle Gordon Birth: Jun. 28, 1879, Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah

Death: Mar. 8, 1943, Draper, Salt Lake Co.

Burial: Elysian Burial Gardens , Millcreek, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Plot: B_15_9