Journal of Elijah Charles Clapp
Remembrance of Father
from the history of Joseph Clapp
I can remember Father walking from Sanford and came home while were having
meeting in our old log house. Father had walked all the way (from Manassa)
and packed a big load on his back and hadn't had anything to eat. I remember
father telling Bishop Jensen that he was sure long winded. Bishop just
laughed and went on speaking. He had been speaking for a full 2 hours and
went on for another hour and a half.
Our parents did their best to raise us all up under a knowledge of the
Gospel. Many times me and father have been traveling between Eastdale
and Manassa, we would be walking beside the wagon when he would turn to
me and say, "Joseph, I do hope and pray to God that you will live a better
life than I have done." feeling his own weakness.
I have father's picture hanging on the wall just above my head. At night I
can see a look on that face that was there many times when he would give me
advice and tell me whenever I was in trouble or had anything on my mind that
wasn’t just right to bow down in secret prayer and ask the Lord for comfort
and help on the way of life.
Some of the earliest things I can remember in my life are at the time I was
eight years old and Father and Mother moving to Eastdale and first living
in a tent until we could get more permanently settled and of the hardships
they went through before they could get out logs and enough rough lumber to
build a house. It was a large house 18 by 28 with a fireplace in one end,
which served both for heat and light, as oil for the lamp was very hard to
get. What little we did get was bought with butter and eggs. We lived in
this house all the years we were in Eastdale. I remember helping father haul
some ant gravel to put on the house to keep it from leaking, then we were
blessed with plenty of ants to pester us at night. The house became filled
with them and they would sting anything in their path. Yet we enjoyed life
despite the trials. I remember hearing father say he didn't make $2.50 in
cash the whole year but he had a few cows that helped with the living.
I remember very well when the house was dobed with mud, also of helping cut
willows that were used for lath, they were nailed slant wise on the wall and
then plastered over. These willows father and I cut and carried out of a
box canyon that was three hundred feet deep, along the Rio Grand River. When
the house was built onto, the family was as comfortable fixed as circumstances
could allow.
At times father went away 25 miles to work at the mason trade. On Saturday
night after work father would put fifty pounds of flour and some other
groceries on his back and walk the 25 miles home. At that time there was
no bridge across the Rio Grand River so he either had to wade or swim with
the groceries on his back.
This brings to mind the time father was moving from Sanford to Eastdale.
He and Sanford Holman went back after a load of hay and grain. Holman had
the load of seed grain and father had the load of hay. Father tried to
ford the river but found he couldn't make it so he turned around in midstream
and came back. He took one horse and swam across on it to leave a note for
mother telling her they had to go up and around to the bridge. Mother
became worried when they did not get home as expected so she got Rile Owens
to take her to look for them. Because she was worrying so, Rile told her
she needn’t think father was drowned and gone down stream because he was to
contrary to go down stream. When they found the note saying they had gone
up stream to the bridge, Rile laughed and said, "I told you So." This became
a joke and was often told on father.
Mother and the other town women used to take the old team and wagon and go
down on the banks of the Rio Grand to pick wild currants and chokecherries.
Sister Owens found a well loaded bush and after picking all she could reach
on one side she went around to the other side and there sat a big black bear
just eating and enjoying the berries.
Father had the credit of being the best tithe payer in Eastdale.
I remember very well me and Father digging a 70 foot well two different
times on our lot in Eastdale and both caved in from the creek seeping in.
We took a contract of digging a 80 foot well for Ammon Mortensen for $2.00
per foot. I dug a great share of the well myself, then father would change
off and dig and I would indlest the dirt up in a large bucket.