James Orson Talbot 1900-1986 Father of Brent Talbot

Grandpa in his farm clothes

Grandpa taking a nap 

James Orson Talbot

Started by Orson in 1976 and continued by Judy (with the help of mom and other family members

I was born October 2, 1900, in Paragonah, Utah, in the house that William Williamson lives in now. My father and mother, Robert Dennis Talbot and Elizabeth Watts Talbot, originally owned it.

My father owned a farm and a ranch located nearly six miles north of Paragonah. We called it the "Five-Mile Ranch." I spent my boyhood days working with father on the farm and the ranch. My brother, Robert Walter, had a ranch in Bear Valley, and I spent a lot of time there helping him fence and take care of father's sheep. I also herded sheep for different men after I graduated from school. I herded on the desert, in Beaver Mountains, and in our own mountains.

I attended school in the big schoolhouse that was on the square where the tennis court now stands. I attended the first year school was held there.

I first met my wife to be on the square in front of the old school house, which had been turned into a store at that time run by Joe and Merrill Lund. We went together off and on after that and then were married October 18, 1927. When first married, we lived at Sulphurdale, north of Beaver near Cove Fort. I worked at the sulphur mine and mills. We moved from there in April 1928, to Paragonah where we bought our home from George Hanks. It was known as the Hanks home and has been our home ever since. I rented farms for quite some time and my father gave me some farm ground.

I was placed on the town board of Paragonah on January 6, 1930.D. Amasa Stones went in as mayor. Milton L. Dailey, Joseph J. Jones, Richard h. Land, and myself were board members. I served as a board member for two years and I was reelected board member again and went in office January 3, 1938. I was reelected board member again in 1940, 1942, and 1944.I took the job of reading and collecting on the light meters from Herbert Topham on April 1, 1956. On January 8, 1966, I took the job of reading water meters from Homer Boardman. I held both jobs until August 1, 1974. I was put in as Street Supervisor in the spring of 1956.

 I was Second Counselor in the Paragonah Ward Bishopric with Bishop Gilbert Robinson and Victor Robinson as First Counselor from May 1, 1951 to May 1, 1953. Then I was Second Counselor in the Paragonah Ward Bishopric with Bishop Victor Robinson from May 1, 1953 to 1959.  I was set apart as High Priest Secretary on September 1, 1966.

(The above history was written by Orson. The history given after this point was compiled by Annie and Judy until Annie passed away and by Judy with the help of other family members after that time)

I, James Orson Talbot, was born on October 2, 1900, in our family home in Paragonah, Utah, with the assistance of a midwife, Liza Barton. I was the seventh of twelve children. My father was Robert Dennis Talbot and my mother was Elizabeth Watts Talbot. After all the children were born, there were six boys and six girls.  See Family History sheets.

I liked to play with my friends of the same age when I was young. Some of those I remember were: Gene Davenport, Nathan Bozarth, Buress Barton, Nolan Openshaw, Arnold Barton, Rulon Barton, Elbert Robinson, Merlin Hunt, Clifton Stones, June Topham, and Lowe Barton. We often played baseball and stick horses. We would also pretend we were hauling freight by tying twine on cans and dragging them. In the winter, sleigh riding was very popular.

The 4th and 24th of July were also big events. The committees in charge of these events would collect donations around town to pay for the prizes for the races and sports which were held on those days and which were my favorite part of the activities. A program was always held in the chapel with the sports and races in back of the chapel. Food was served following the sports and races. On the 24th, a parade with covered wagons, buggies, horseback riders, and a band was held prior to the program. Gunpowder was collected and a heavy anvil was placed on top. When the powder exploded, it would make a loud noise because of the heavy weight. "Shooting the Cannon," as it was called, was done before the program. I also liked to watch the horse races held on these holidays on the old dirt road to Beaver north of town.

 When I had grown big enough to help, my chores were to feed the pigs the pigs and chase the calves while Dad milked the cows.  I also fed the chickens and gathered their eggs.

In the evenings at home, we played games - usually checkers. Mother and father would also read stories to us. Occasionally, we would have prayers together before going to bed.

Mother and father expected obedience from me and the other children and disciplined us when we didn't obey. Mother always attended church and made sure we were there, too, even though father didn't attend. Much of his time was spent at the Five-Mile Ranch north of town on Sundays, plus he would sometimes be away hauling freight from Milford to Paragonah for the "Peoples' Union Store which stood where the cur rent: "Shopping Corner" store is located. Father just wasn't very active at attending church.

Father always used clean language and expected his children to do the same. He kept the Word of Wisdom and taught us to be respectful to him and mother. Also, he was always kind in his treatment of the animals in his care.

Shortly after his marriage, father bought a lot in the northeast corner of Paragonah, and he and mother built a two-room log home on the property. To accommodate the growth of their family, father built another log room on the east side and later added a two-story building. William Williamson currently lives in the original two-story portion of our home.

Father and mother were both natives of Paragonah with their parents being among the first to settle in the valley. My grandfather, Benjamin Watts, and his wife, Grandma Ellen, lived in a home where Errol (Bub) Lamoreaux has his house at this time. Mother would walk to their home to visit and would take us along. Grandpa Watts passed away while I was still quite young. After his death, I would occasionally stay with Grandma Ellen overnight.

I also remember my father's dad, Robert Talbot, and his second wife, Betsy. His first wife, Jane, died before I was born. Grandpa's two-room home was located where the Robert Watt home currently stands. I was more familiar with my Talbot Grandparents because I stayed with them more often. I would stay overnight with them and go to school from their house. I remember Grandpa Talbot as being a short, heavy-set man with a full beard. He was kind-hearted and pleasant.He would often go with Dad us to the field and the Five-mile ranch. We always called Grandpa's second wife, Aunt Betsy.

I received all of my schooling in a two-story, four-room brick building located on the church square on the southwest corner (about where the fire equipment building now stands). The first year I attended was the first year school was held in this building. My Dad hauled gravel and sand with a team and wagon to help in the building of the school.

My teachers were: Maggie Owens, Ethel Stones, Nim Olerton, and Fred Fawcett. I started school in 1906. Three grades were, taught in each of three rooms: Beginners, first, and second in one room; third, fourth, and fifth in another room; and sixth, seventh, and eighth in the third room. The fourth room was used for books and supplies. I loved school and did well enough to finish two grades in one year. I believe it was the fifth grade that I skipped. Math was one of my favorite subjects.

A wood stove in each room during the winter heated our school building. The teachers and students kept the stoves going during the day and a janitor did at night. Our restrooms were two out houses behind the building. Each classroom performed a program during the year. Parents were invited to attend and watch us recite poems and do other things. I walked home each day for lunch.

During the summer breaks, I worked with Dad in the field and at the five-mile ranch. When we weren't busy, I played with friends in the street by our house. In later years, the new owners, Joe and Merrill Lund, converted the school building into a store.

We were kept attending our church meetings by Mom. We always walked to our meetings, school, and other things in town. When we needed to attend meetings in Parowan, Dad would take us in a buggy pulled by a team.

Dances were held at least four times a year in the Town Hall located on main street on the corner of the second block north from center street. Everyone attended the dances. Some dances were held in the afternoons following primary for the children. The Town Hall was a large frame building with windows on the north and south sides. The front faced Main Street. Inside the hall, there was a stand for the band located on the north side. Seats were located under the stand and on the south side. Two wood stoves in the east corners heated the hall.

Schooling in Paragonah continued only through the eighth grade. When I was thirteen years old, I graduated from the eighth grade and my schooling ended. Father could not afford to send me to Parowan or Cedar where advanced schooling was available. Most other parents were in the same situation at that time. I have a large certificate signifying my graduation from the Paragonah School and the eighth grade. I borrowed books from some of those who were going to high school in Parowan and Cedar City. Some of those who continued on were: Nolan Openshaw, my cousin, and Rulon and Lowe Barton.

I remember my baptism, which was held on Saturday, the 6th of March in 1909. Even though my birthday was on October 2, it was a practice at that time to wait until several baptisms could be done at once. Therefore, my baptism was delayed until March and the following people were baptized with me: Clifton Stones, Merlin Hunt, and Nathan Bozarth. I was baptized in a ditch across the street from Homer Boardman's home (1st south near main street). The ditch was damned off with a canvas so the water would back up making it deep enough to baptize. Thomas Robinson, a member of the bishopric at that time, baptized me. My dad hadn't done it much and it was the usual practice for the bishopric to do it. I dreaded the baptism somewhat but remember it as a special experience. I also remember that the water was cold, but the weather must have been good then because I walked to Aunt Betsy and Uncle High Robinson's home (Betsy was a sister to my mother) to change. They lived where the Errol Lamoreaux home is now.

Alfred W. Lund confirmed me on Sunday, March 7, 1909. Those being confirmed set on a bench near the front. The confirmation was performed on the stand at the front.

After graduation from school I spent most of my time working on the farm in the big field and at five mile. I hauled hay to five mile by horse and wagon, especially in the fall in preparation for winter. After the snow covered the ground, I would go with other boys in the sleigh pulled by a team. We would go there three times a week to feed. While there, if the pond was frozen, we would ice skate. During good weather, we rode our horses to five-mile. We owned four horses - two riding, "Flax" and "Smoker'," and a team, "Dick" and "Roan."

Later, I was able to get work doing shepherding.  I herded for Doyle and Ren Robinson and Hyrum B (High B) Robinson. I herded for year round -- summers found Buckhorn flat and Bear Valley and winters on Buckhorn flat the north end of the valley. I stayed in a sheep wagon. I quite enjoyed sheep herding but did get lonesome. I stayed out herding from six weeks to three months depending on whether it was lambing season. Those who owned the sheep would bring a team of horses and move the wagon when it was time to move to another location. I saved some of my sheep herding money putting it in the Bank of Iron County. As I recall, I earned about $50.00 or  $60.00 a month sheep herding.

Father taught us to work hard and do a full days work. Honesty was a trait that both mother and father insisted upon in the children. Quarreling and arguing were not tolerated. Unsettled disputes were to he brought to them.

I advanced regularly in the priesthood during my teenage years. My priesthood line is listed later in my history. I served as Assistant Secretary in the Sunday School from 1923 to 1925. Pamola Boardman and I served together in this calling.

I continued to herd sheep, even more so now, and work on the farm. I worked on the main road from Paragonah to Beaver. It was a graveled road. I worked in the gravel pits as well as on the road itself. During this time, a new brick schoolhouse was built east of town. As stated earlier, the old school building on the town square was converted into a store. Merrill Lund and his Uncle, Joe Lund, were the owners of the store. They turned one of the large rooms on the bottom into a general store. They called it the "Lund Store." However, this was not the only store in Paragonah. There was already a general store on the corner of center and main (where our present store and gas station stands). It was called the "People's Union Store." It was given this name because quite a few people in town owned stock in it. The People's Union Store was not in operation when the Lund Store was open. I believe my father owned stock in the People's Union Store. Our post office was in the home of Alice McBride directly east and across the street from the church.

The Lund Store was a common meeting place. On one of the occasions when I was at the store, I had the opportunity to meet Ina Topham and her friend from Beaver. I had dated Ina before and since we were acquaintances, she introduced me to Annie Gale, who was visiting with her. This was the first time I met the woman who was to be my wife. The yea r was 1925.

For the first while, our associations were only as part of the group activities. After meeting together like this for some time, I decided I wanted to see more of Annie and so I began dating her. This meant getting to Beaver, so I bought a Model-T Ford (for about $500.00, as I remember) with money I had saved from sheep herding. My Model-T was a two seater - black in color. It was the first car in our family. As I recall, I bought the car in Cedar City from Thorley Ford. I could drive it a swift speed of fifty miles an hour.

During the year, 1926, Annie and I dated quite often. I did some sheep herding in Beaver for Tom Gunn in 1926 which was to my benefit for dating Annie. My brother, Ren, drove my car a lot while I was gone, so in 1927, I drove my car to Beaver and stored it. Of course, the family wasn't too happy and blamed Annie for me taking the car. During the early part of 1927, it began to get more serious between us. We began to talk of marriage, and I gave Annie a ring during the summer. We then set our marriage date as October 18, 1927.  There was never any question but that our marriage would be temple. The closest temple was in St. George, so our plans were to marry there.

I was ordained an elder during the summer. of 1927 before I talked to the Bishop about my marriage. I was serving as Assistant Secretary of the Sunday School at this time.

Annie, myself, my mother (Elizabeth), Jennie (Annie's sister), and Ernal (Jennie's husband) rode to St. George in the Model T on October 17. We rented rooms in the Arrowhead Motel for the night. I roomed with Ernal, Jennie and Annie roomed together, and mother roomed by herself. Jennie and Ernal had married civilly and were going to the temple with us to get their endowments and be sealed eternally.

On the morning of  the 18th, we were to be to the temple by 8'00 a.m. Annie and I were married by the temple president, Brother  Snow. Following the temple session, a tmple worker and good friend of Annie and Jennie (Will T. Morris ) took us up  to the temple roof to look out over St. George. We had our picture taken while still on the temple grounds. We drove back to Paragonah to bring Elizabeth home. As we came into town, a group of friends was waiting to shiveree us. We drove up the north street and our friends drove down the next street south -- just missing us.

Dad told us our friends were looking for us, so we drove to Beaver with Jennie and Ernal in our Model-T Ford.

Our wedding night was spent in Beaver in Annie's parents home. We moved a bed into the parlor for the night.  We wanted to go to Salt Lake for a honeymoon, but Annie's Dad had hurt his leg and she didn't want to be gone. His leg prevented him from attending the temple with us. A few nights later, we had a reception in Annie's parent's home.

Within the next few days, we moved to Sulphurdale where I had a job working in the sulphur mill. I had been working there about a month before our marriage. Sulphurdale is a small mining community twenty miles north of Beaver. I helped to process the sulphur from the tailings dumped in earlier mining.

We lived in the back part of the schoolhouse after first moving there (in October). Annie taught school in Sulphurdale for a year in 1925 so she was somewhat familiar with it. Our housing consisted of a two-room-area behind the room where school was held. One room was the living room and bedroom and the other was the kitchen.

I worked a night shift most of the time (4:00-12:00 p.m.). I rested during the day. Annie did handwork during this time. In the month of December, we moved into a house. We shared a house with another couple. We each had two rooms of our own. During March, the work slowed down and I came to Paragonah and checked into renting a farm. I made arrangements with the Hanks family to rent their farm. There was also a home owned by the Hanks family for sale. I was able to get a loan to buy this home and we moved to Paragonah in April of 1928. This home located on main street was to become our home for the rest of our lives. .

Nellie my sister, and her husband, Harvey, encouraged our move to Paragonah. They lived in a house on the east side of town (currently owned by Ren and Delsa Talbot). Nellie and Harvey owned a small store, "General Merchandise," located on Main Street just across the street from our home. Nellie would often eat lunch at our house because they lived so far up the street.

There were a few items of furniture in the house when we moved in, and we brought a few pieces with us. The very back room was our kitchen and our present kitchen was the dining room. Our living room was bare. Even the floor was bare board for the first year. Most of our money was spent on house payments. Annie was expecting a baby due in October.

We soon made friends with our neighbors: Joseph and Jane Jones (living in a house on the south), an older couple; Willie and Edith Davenport (living across the street and a little to the north). They were also older and had a large family of six girls and one boy. An old dance hall was just north of us on our block. Others nearby were: Ephraim Dalley's garage across the street and a block to the north; an adobe house across the street and to the south (next to the store) owned by Sarah Jones. (Clark now directly across the street, built Clark Lamoreaux's home, which is later.)

My parents came to visit us often, especially mom. She helped Annie with the bottling in the summer. Of course we visited at their home too. My brother Walt and his family also lived in Paragonah in a small frame home on the east corner of the block just north of us.

The Hanks farm was located north of Paragonah just west of where the Dalton field is now I farmed about 60 acres for the Hanks family for the first three years of my marriage. Our first summer in our home we planted a small garden The back yard and to the north was alfalfa so I had to work that up before I could plant a very big garden. I moved our granary from where the garage presently stands to its present location near the southeast corner of the cow corral. Our garage was part of the old town hall and was moved over to our yard when the hall was torn down in later years.

We started out with the following animals in our first year: two milk cows, "Daisy and Red," given to Annie as a wedding present by her Dad (it was his traditional wedding gift), some laying hens (also from Annie's parents), a horse, "Dick," purchased from Grant Jones and some wiener pigs given to us by my Dad.

In the late summer and early fall I hauled enough wood to make a large wood pile that stretched from the west end of the present clothes line all the way up to the granary. We had three wood stoves (living room, kitchen, and dining room) and therefore needed a lot of wood for winter.

My Mother, Elizabeth, was seriously hurt in a car accident as she was turning onto the highway just north of our home. She died on October 1, 1928. My sister Sarah who had not married lived with my Father and took care of him.

Our first baby, a girl, arrived on October 28, 1928. Annie went to Beaver to her Mother's home to have the baby. She did this so she could have doctor help with the delivery. I suggested naming the baby Beth. Annie had no objection so we did. Bishop Thomas Jones blessed Beth - I felt quite insecure for this first blessing.

Our first few Christmases and Thanksgivings were spent with our families. We either went to their house or they came to ours. We often had our Christmas tree on a round table in the center of the living room.

Our next baby, a boy, was born on March 1, 1930. He was born in our own home with the help of a midwife and neighbor, Edith Davenport, and the doctor from Beaver. The doctor brought Annie's mother along with him. It took us a long while to pick a name. We finally decided on Brenton Gale.

During the early thirties, I was called to serve in the M.I.A. Men's Presidency as second counselor. Ben Openshaw was president and Ernie Topham was first counselor. I served three years in this calling. During these years I continued to farm to support my growing family.

Our third baby was another boy who arrived on November 29, 1931. He was given the name of Gordon Leon. Gordon was blessed in our home by the bishopric and myself because he was sick at the time and we felt it best to not take him out. Gordon was sick often as a baby. He was sick with pneumonia before he was one year old. At nine months we noticed that he was not doing the usual things of babies that age. He was slow at sitting up and walking. He never learned to talk. Gordon demanded a lot of time because of his slowness. We thought at first his many sicknesses as a baby had caused his problems, but then decided he was handicapped from birth because the doctor used instruments during the delivery and placed them in the wrong place (on his forehead and the back of his head and neck). The doctor was also very drunk during the delivery,

I was worried about Gordon, but I loved him and helped to give him the best care possible. Annie took him to several doctors. We even traveled to Salt Lake City with him. The doctors didn't offer much advise or help. We took him home and did the best we could. Our county nurse insisted that Gordon should be taken to the American Fork Training School where he could receive special care. Annie didn't want him taken there, but I felt it would be best after talking to the nurse. It wasn't easy to raise Gordon with the rest of our family because of the time he demanded. It was very difficult to make the decision to take him to American Fork There were those who helped us make the arrangements, and we took him. He was about ten years old at the time. He still used diapers and was quite a handful. It was hard for me to leave him but was especially hard for Annie. After we left Gordon, she cried all the way home and for several days after; but getting back to the rest of the family and taking care of them helped. Thoughts of him were always on our minds however. Annie always carried the feeling that she wasn't doing her part as his mother by putting him there.

We tried to visit Gordon several times during the year. I had a blue Ford pickup that I drove on our trips to American Fork. In the summer the entire family would go to see him. We would spend a full day with him. We would pick him up and take him up American Fork Canyon for a picnic and the other children would play with him. He always knew us and would get very excited to see us. He always cried when we left him, and his mother always cried too. He was never able to talk and could only make noises while with us, but was able to communicate some by using his hands. Annie was always sad for several days after our visits. We mailed gifts to him between our visits. These visits continued through the years. Then in February of 1952, we received a call from the training school informing us that Gordon was very sick with pneumonia. They said we should come right away. Gordon passed away before we could get there. This was on February 3, 1952. Gordon was 20 years old. We were upset that the school had not called us sooner to tell us of his illness. The funeral was held in Paragonah where we also buried him

I served on the Paragonah Town Board for two years from 1930 to 1932. Amasa Stones was the Mayor, and the other board members were Milt Dailey, Jinkin Jones and Richard Lund It was tradition for our family, Martha (my sister) and Albert (Annie's brother) Gale's family and Ren (my brother) and Delsa (Annie's sister) Talbot's family to spend an Easter outing together each year. We did this until our families were grown. We traveled to such places as the Waterfall at the Five-Mile Farm also  Leeds, Utah, and Iron Mountain, Utah. These were just a few of the places we went. Annie's parents would sometimes go with us. My dad was always involved with the farm.

It was also a tradition for Annie to take the children to Beaver to stay for a week with her mother during the summer.

Our fourth child, a boy, came on June 28, 1934. He was born at home with the help of a midwife and Dr. Burton. We named him Bobby W.

During these early years of our marriage, I made a living for my growing family by farming my own land and renting the Hanks Farm. I also raised and sold cattle. A team of workhorses, Dick and Mac, pulled our farm machinery. Pearl was our riding horse.

In the early thirties my father divided his farmland and deeded sections to his living sons. I was deeded land at the Five Mile Ranch and in the Paragonah Field as was Walt. Bill and Ren received land in the Paragonah Field. Dad continued to help us farm. Our winters were cold and snowy. Our house was kept warm by wood and coal stoves in the living room, kitchen and back room. Even though we had electricity, we did not yet enjoy the convenience of an electric range. There was a continuous need to carry wood and coal into the house and ashes out. Each fall, I would haul wood from the mountains to prepare a supply for winter.

I milked cows and raised chickens for our own needs. I shipped the surplus milk to a dairy in Parowan and later to the Brooklyn Creamery in Beaver. Pigs and cows were also raised to supply meat for our family.

Our next child, a girl, was born on November 20, 1935. This was also my father's birth date. We named her Anna Marie. She was born at home with the help of a midwife and the doctor. Our family had grown to five children.

During these years, Annie worked long, hard hours each day.  The demands of family and farming were great and she often missed getting the rest she needed. In her run down condition she began to suffer pain in her joints. As the pain increased and we visited with the doctor, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. From this time on she suffered a great deal with pain. Many remedies were tried over the years to relieve the pain. The best relief came from Cortisone (a drug that relived the symptoms of arthritis but had harmful side effects). There was no stopping the crippling caused by the disease. Her hands and feet became disfigured and she had difficulty walking and doing things with her hands. She had continuous pain. Our children Jim, Ardell, Neil, and Judy were all born after she developed arthritis. Annie said the arthritis didn't bother her nearly as much while she was pregnant. Over the years she developed a determination to withstand the pain. She became an example of cheerful endurance to others. By her example others gained courage to meet their trials. Eventually she was taken off Cortisone and given a high dose of aspirin because of the damage Cortisone could do to the body

Our next baby, a boy, arrived on July 15, 1938. We named him James Rex but called him Jim. He, too, was born in our home.

In May of 1939, my father passed away. He had been bedfast for a while prior to his death

In 1939, I was asked to fill the position of ward clerk. I held this position until 1947 and served under Bishops' Doyle Robinson and Leonard Topham. I also taught a class of adult Aaronic priesthood with Willard Lund during this time. Some of the men in the class were Horace Edwards, Cliff Stones, and Austin Barton. Many were older than Willard and me and had not advanced in the priesthood beyond the office of a deacon.

Our next child, a boy, arrived on February 27, 1940, We chose the name Ardell for him. He was born a month early and only weighed about five and one-half pounds. Annie had been working too hard causing the baby to come early. He was small in the beginning but soon caught up in size. The doctor and midwife were there for the delivery.

In 1940 I was again elected to the town board as a board member and was reelected for the next two consecutive terms (1942 and 1944).

In the early 1940's I made a bid to drive the mail between Paragonah and Cedar City. I was awarded the bid, which included mail pickup and delivery for Paragonah, Parowan and Summit Post Offices. I would pick up Paragonah's mail at 9:00 am and then pick up mail in Parowan and Summit dropping it off at the Post Office in Cedar City. I would then return with the days mail for these same communities. I would leave Cedar City around 11:00 am. I soon started carrying freight in my truck with the mail. A grocery supply store, Riddle, Inc., would send freight to the various stores in Parowan and Paragonah. I also hauled freight to these stores from the train depot in Cedar City. People from Paragonah and Parowan would often catch rides to Cedar City with me. I drove the mail route until about 1950. During this time I also continued with farm work on my own land and rented farms.

Our next child, a boy, was born on August 5, 1941. We named him Neil Dean. He, also, was born in our home with a doctor and midwife. This was a very hard delivery (see insert at back of history). Annie hurt from head to toe when it was over.

My farming was hard work and didn't supply us with a lot of money It was a struggle to make ends meet and there were times when I wasn't sure we were going to make it. Our circumstances were humble. Much of the food on our table came from our garden, fruit trees and animals. Our heat in the winter was still provided by wood and coal stoves. Annie made soap for use in her conventional washer. We milked three to four cows for our milk and butter and to help with our income. We put the milk in a large milk can and placed it on the front lawn to be picked up by the truck from the dairy.

There was always plenty of work for our children. The boys helped with the farming -cleaning ditches, hauling hay and grain, weeding, watering (in daylight and dark), milking, feeding, etc. The girls worked hard too. They had to help with the laundry, cleaning, cooking, ironing and bottling several hundred bottles of fruit in the summer. With five boys there were lots of shirts on the clothesline and in the ironing basket.

I purchased my first tractor from Annie's brother, Elmer, in the early 1940s. It seemed a real luxury after using a team of horses for so many years. My second tractor was purchased in 1952, and is still in use as I write this history.

In 1947 was called as a counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency. I held this position until May, 1951

Up until the birth of our son Neil our children had been born at two or three year intervals. After Neil's birth the years passed with no more children. It appeared that our family was complete. Seven years had gone by without a new baby. Then we learned there was to be one more. Annie thought the other children would be upset when they found out, but instead everyone was excited about it. This baby was quite unexpected. I would be forty-nine years old and Annie would be forty-six when the baby arrived.

On December 13, 1949, our last child, a girl, arrived. She was the first baby in our family to be born in a hospital. I took Annie to the hospital in Cedar City in the morning with the mail and the baby was born in the afternoon. Annie spent ten days in the hospital -- the usual length for hospital births at that time. The family discussed the name at length with the final decision being Judy. Our family now numbered nine children -- six boys and three girls with the arrangement being, a girl, three boys, a girl, three boys, and a girl.

In May, 1951, was called as second counselor to Bishop Gilbert Robinson. Victor  Robinson was called as first counselor. In 1953 Victor Robinson was called to be the bishop. I was called to be his second counselor with Clark Lamoreaux being called as first counselor.  I served in this calling until 1959.

From 1951 to 1955, I worked as the janitor of the Paragonah School. On April 1, 1956,   took the job of reading the electrical meters on each home for the town of Paragonah. I also collected the money that was owed. Herbert Topham held the job previously and ask me to replace him. The small income from this work helped with our finances. This job made it possible for Annie to visit with the members of our town because most of them came to our

home to make their payments. Later on January 8, 1966, reading of the water meters was added to my position. I kept both positions until August l, 1974. I also served as street supervisor for a few years starting in the spring of 1956. This entailed keeping the streets in repair, mowing the weeds along the side of the road in spring and summer and snow removal in winter. Sometimes people who couldn't pay their power and water bills would work with me to earn money to pay these bills.

Dad remained active up until about two or three years before his death. He spent his time doing chores, raising a garden, keeping the yard free of weeds, and helping Bob's family and Judy.   He remained a Home Teacher in the Priesthood and faithfully fulfilled this calling.

Dad died on October 15, 1986, and his funeral was held on October 20. He was buried in  the Paragonah Cemetery.

Annie Gale Talbot - mother of Brent

Annie as a girl, wife and mother

Annie's home, family and 50th Anniversary

Grandpa and Grandma Talbot in their living room in Paragonah. This is the way I will always remember them

Orson and Annie had 9 children; Beth, Brent, Gordon, Bob, Anna, Jim, Neil, Ardell, and Judy 

In the picture Gordon has passed away and Brent's wife Sherlie is on his left. 

My Testimony

I know with all my heart that there is a Heavenly Father and that he is a father to us all and I believe that Jesus is his son and that he died for us and was resurrected, so we can some day do the same. I believe in prayer and that prayers are answered every day for us if we are faithful and believe.

I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for my family: -- My wonderful husband and the Priesthood he holds.  My sons and the Priesthood they all hold and the daughters being office holders in their church callings that they are called to perform by the Father in Heaven.

I pray we can always be one great family in the Church of Jesus Christ.      Mother

My memories of Grandpa and Grandpa Talbot include lots of love and fun.  Every time I went to visit, I always felt so loved and supported. They were both always so interested in what I was doing.

As I think back on things, Grandma was usually in her chair by the stove crocheting, and Grandpa was outside working.  I remember always stopping to visit with Grandma and watching her do her handy work.  It was always so amazing to watch her crinkled fingers make those beautiful stitches.  It made me sad to see the ridges that the thread left in her fingers as she crocheted.  Grandma encouraged me to always do needle work.  I made 25 pairs of pillowcases and several dresser scarves as I was growing up through the years .  Grandma put beautiful crocheted lace around everyone.  She also made me 2 afgans and 3 beautiful doilies .  These two doilies,  have beautiful flowers around the edges, and are some of my favorite things.  They sit in a place of honor in my living room and they are a daily reminder to me of how much my grandma cared for me.

I also remember grandma cooking dinner for us when we came to visit.  She made delicious white bread.  I was always so excited to eat her bread.  I can taste it, as I type.  She always had preserves and fresh milk too.  I loved to help her in the kitchen.  The kitchen was a little old fashioned and everything was such an adventure.  I remember the old washer, and hanging up clothes.  I remember the old stoves, mud pies and feeding the cats.  I remember the benches she used around her kitchen table and the boys getting ready over the extra sink in the kitchen.  I remember the shower in the back room that we would borrow for a bathroom when the boys were in the one bathroom.  I remember the tons of people that were always there, coming in and out.

I remember Grandma at the end of the table, without her false teeth, trying to eat, always happy and never cross .

I call one of my own daughters Annie, because of the pleasant memories I have of Grandma.  Grandma was an example to me of hard work and determination.  I hope by calling Andrea, Annie it will remind me to instill some of the qualities of Annie Gale Talbot into my family.

Visiting Grandpa was always such fun.  We city girls did not know much of farm life, and so we had so many questions and wanted to help grandpa with all the chores and going ons of the farm.  I remember watching Grandpa milk and feed the cows.  I remember feeding the pigs and watching the baby pigs.  I remember climbing in the barn and looking out the window.  I remember going with grandpa to get the mail, go to the store, do errands, or visit Uncle Walt.  I remember going horse back riding, and shooting gophers in the field.  I remember bringing in the hay and the big wagons.  I remember helping in the cellar and the old grain house.  I especially liked to pretend to drive grandpas old truck that set in the back lot.  Grandpa had a beautiful garden and lots of apple trees.  We used to play in the long rolls of corn and eat green apples.

Grandpa was always so kind and patient with us.  He often had several bunches of grandkids with him and all of us were quite young.  I also enjoyed watching the relationship that grandpa and grandma had .  He was always so kind and never seemed to complain of the extra work that he had to do for grandma and her arthritis.  As we grew up in St. George, we did not get to see Grandma and Grandpa as much as we wanted.  It was always so fun to have them come down.  When they did come down, grandpa always had his car full of things from his garden.  We enjoyed this produce so much!!!  I still love summer squash.  I remember as a child thinking that we were going to end up eating those dang,, big, summer squashes all winter.  They seemed to last and last.

I having nothing but love for these two humble, kind loving individuals in my life. They didn't leave much materially behind, but they left me a "legacy of love" .  Before my dad died he often reminded me of  Grandpa Talbot.  I felt good about that, and hope that some day someone will say that some part of my life reminded them of my Grandpa and Grandma, Orson and Annie, Talbot.

As I grew older, I was probably impressed with Grandma's ability to keep going even with all her arthritis. I remember her making bread and kneading it with her poor hands. It made me so sad. When I was there I always ask her if I could please knead for her. I remember her trying to cut the apples. I always tried to help her sweep and wash the dishes when I was there because I could tell it hurt her feet to walk. 

I remember sitting on the couch and watching her crochet and talking with her. I know that grandma tended us several time through the years. She would not have been able to come and find me on the farm. . . . how did she do it? I know that Judy was a great help, but somehow grandma was able to get us to keep checking back in with her. I think that grandma was always so interested in what I was doing that I kept wanting to check back in with her and tell her what I was doing. When I was living in Salt Lake, grandma always wrote me and remembered my birthday and my family birthdays. Grandma also gave me many handmade items and encouraged me to work on my handwork. Grandma put edges on all my handwork that I completed. 

Grandpa and Grandma were great people. I just knew it. I could feel it. I do not ever remember them telling me how to act or what to do. 

By Judy Henrie

I wrote down a few things about dad and mom. I, too, learned to drive at Five Mile with dad. We had the little
white car with a round back. My friends called it the Baracuda. I learned how to drive in this car at Five Mile -
grinding the gears and working the clutch. I was really grateful for this practice because when I started driver's
ed, I didn't act like a deweeb. Of course, I remember Dad's bib overalls. They were his trademark. He wore
them all the time, except on Sundays. Dad liked to work in the garden. He took pride in having a garden that was
weed free. He planted gardens each year until he was too old to do it. When it was his water turn, he would be
up all night and work all day, making sure the water covered the field. He was so amazed later in his life when
he saw the sprinker system in the field. He couldn't believe there was something that put water over the entire
field. He taught me how to drive the tractor. I always went to the field with him to haul hay. It was fun having
the responsibility of driving the tractor. I did toss a few people off the wagon when I popped the clutch. Dad
always had respect for mom and expected me to do the same. He didn't allow talking back. I can remember a few
spankings from dad. He used a little stick out of the rose bush. His scoldings hurt more than the spankings. I just
couldn't stand him to be mad at me.
Dad taught us to do a good job and be honest - to give it your best and be honest.
Mom's crocheting was one of her trademarks. Crocheting was her salvation. She often told me it kept her from
loosing her mind. She was always excited to get new yarn in different colors. She thoroughly enjoyed making-
afghans for the grandchildren. I remember Mom's homemade bread and the sacks of flour and sugar in the upstairs
bedroom. She made bread on a certain day of the week. It was kept in a can in the kitchen. The lid was always
.: banging, as we all loved to eat it. She loved to write to the family. She was excited to have the family come horne.
Mom's bottling in the fall is another of my memories. Everything was bottled and put in the cellar in the fall.
Very few things went to waste. Even the apples were sorted and placed in the bins in the cellar. Morn had a
wringer washer for doing the laundry. She resisted the newer, electric washers for a long time, but when she did
get one she loved it. Morn always worn dresses and an apron. It was late in her life before she started wearing
pants. Mom sustained the family with a strong faith and testimony. Having the family active in church meant a
lot to her. Of course, there was the arthritis. I remember how her joints in her knees ground together when she
got up and down, and the constant pain. She was admired for her strength and endurance.

Remola Chadburn Smith mother of Sherlie

This is the way I remember Grandma

Remola and Eldon first date in the PV chapel and had their reception at the Veyo pool

At the Snow Canyon Sand Dunes

These are some cute pictures I found that showed the great love Eldon and Remola had for each other. My grandfather Eldon died when I was 1 yr old.

The Life History of Remola Chadburn Smith

I came into this world by the help of a midwife Julia Ford on the 19th of August in 1913, at Central, Washington County, Utah at my home.

My mother got my name from the book "Romola". Mother liked it spelled with an "e" better so it was Remola. I was blessed by William Gardner my bishop.

I was the first of seven children born to my parents, Benjamin Roe Chadburn and Martha Elizabeth Hunt ( sealing Jones) Chadburn. I had two brothers and four sisters; Ashby B. born 2 Feb 1916, Melba Mary born 23 Jan 1919, Fern 2 July 1921, Lois and Lloyd born 1 May 1925, SherWon born 13 June 1931.

I started school at the age of six. The first morning I went the teacher asked me what grade I was in and I said sixth. I meant I was six years old. Everyone laughed at me, I sure felt dumb.

I went to a one room school house. When I was in 5th grade they huge 4 curtains up and divided the room in 4 spaces. I went to 6th grade two times.

I was baptized Sept 4th, 1921 in the Santa Clara Creek just below the Veyo by my father. Benjamin Chadburn.

When I was young I someone wanted to know my name and I said, " Mola and Ash" So the kids called first daughter Mona)

I graduated from 8th grade in Veyo and attended the Moapa Valley High in Nevada my freshman year. I lived with Uncle Robert Chadburn. My Dad paid my room and board with produce. The only time I went home was Christmas. I caught a bad case of scarlet fever after Christmas. I graduated from Moapa Junior High May 23rd, 1929.

I went to St. George for high school. I lived at A.B. Andrues home all 3 years. I graduated from Dixie High May 19th 1932.

I met my husband Elden Orton Smith when he was twenty-two years old and I was eighteen. We met at a dance at the Veyo Swimming Pool. We almost won the dance contest the first time that we danced together. Everything that we did together was so fun. We enjoyed dancing, talking, walks in the gulch and swimming at the Veyo Pool. We had our first date at Pine Valley at the Fathers and Son's Outing. We met at the dance at the church . He took me back to the Gardner barn, where my father was the chaperone for all of us girls from Veyo. It was raining and my father let us sit in the car and visit awhile. My father cooked breakfast for all of us, over a campfire, in the lane, the next morning.

At Christmas 1933, Elden asked me to marry him. He had some bills to pay off so we had to wait awhile. We were planning to get married June 1934, but Melba and I go a chance to go on a special trip so we waited until July. We were married July 3rd, 1934 at the Salt Lake Temple. We Honeymooned in Salt Lake for three days. We saw a Shirley Temple movie and liked it so much we decided to name our first child Sherlie, so we did.

Elden had had car trouble so he had hired someone to take him to Salt Lake to be married. Nelse Madson picked us up after our honeymoon and then we drove back to Summit. We lived at Summit with his parents until Elden got his money from building a road at Buckhorn Flat, then we took the bus to St. George and my parents picked us up. They had a reception for us at the Veyo Pool.

We made our first home in Summit, Iron County, Utah. We rented from Elden's Uncle Harold Smith. We had our first child Sherlie there. Sherlie was born May 22nd, 1935. On our days off we built our first home. Melba, Fern, Lois and Lloyd all lived with us though the years while they were going to school, so Dad bought us a lot for our home and provided a cow, pigs, chickens and produce for us.

It took us a long time to build the home and our next two children, Sheldon, born Oct 7th, 1938 and Omah Lee , born May 26th 1942, were born while we lived in the two room home. Finally our home was finished and then we decided we needed to move to Cedar. We tried to sell our home, but we couldn't. So we hired Ketchum's Builders in Salt Lake to move our home to Cedar. We built a basement in Cedar and then we moved the home to Cedar. It only took one hour.

Our last child was born Oct 16th, 1946, it was a little girl. We named her Joan.

We lived in Cedar for two years and sold our home for enough money to buy a home and service station in Parowan, Iron County, Utah. We lived there and improved the house. By this time our two oldest children had married, so we bought the old Relief Society building from the church and proceeded to build a duplex . Sheldon and his wife Luella were going to live in one half and Elden, Joan, Omah Lee and I on the other side.

Elden had a heart attack on January 8th, 1958 and died. He was just 48 years old.

Two months after the funeral Joan, Omah Lee and I moved into the duplex. I lived there for 7 years. Omah Lee got married and Joan moved to Cedar to become a beautician.

I married Preston Williams from Kanarraville, Washington, Utah 7 years after Elden died. Preston and I lived in Kanarraville for 2 years, then Preston died of a heart attack. I lived in Kanarraville for another year then I moved to St. George. I lived in a small house that was behind Bishop Willard Milne's house, 143 E. 200 South.

While in St. George, I married William T. Jackson. We went to Cooke, Montana for the summer and when I came back I got divorced. I married Claudius Newburry Morris April 16th, 1976.

The church callings that I have had are; Secretary of the Relief Society, Primary teacher, Mutual Teacher, Visiting Teacher, Young Women Councilor, Relief Society Councilor, Homemaking teacher, Sunday School teacher, Young Women President, Single adults representative, and I worked in the temple for 6 months doing sealings.

I had many wonderful experiences in the temple. I loved the temple.

G. Grandpa Eldon Orton Smith

History of Elden Orton Smith By Max L. Maxwell
Elden was born 17 Nov. 1909, in Summit, Iron, Utah. He was the son of Charles Clarence Smith and his mother was Rebecca Taylor Orton. His mother's father Samuel T. Orton was the first family to settle and build in Summit, in the spring of 1857, where they lived in a dugout during the first winter. His father's father William Hoy Smith at one time was one of the most well-to-do men in Summit and kept his boys and others in jobs. William worked on the farm, herded sheep and hauled freight to Delemar and Pioche, Nevada.
Elden's father's family had to move around quite a bit in order for his dad to find work and the family moved with him so they could stay together.
Elden was their first of four children, Elden - 17 Nov. 1909; Clara - 1 Oct. 1913; Charles Orton - 13 July 1918, and a baby daughter, who was bom dead, his mother called her Rhea - 22 Oct. 1925. They lived in Parowan, Summit, Iron Springs and Delta.
Elden's family was not too active in the church and when Elden was baptized and ordained to the Priesthood it was not by his father. He was almost 14 before he was ordained a Deacon.
Elden was a better than average student in school, he graduated from Parowan High School on the 4 May 1928. ' Elden then went on to collage at Branch Agricultural Collage of Utah, in Cedar City, Utah. He graduated on 5 May 1933. He also completed a Special course in Automotive Mechanics. The course consisted of 680 hours training on the following units of the automobile: Running gears and body, power transmission and control, power generation and electrical system. On the 20 May 1933. He completed many course in National Guard of The United States and of the state of Utah. A few or Field Artillery, Common Sub-Course and Auto Mechanics. He Completed his Vocational Training at Branch Agricultural Collage, He completed the W.P.A. Worker, (Semi-skilled) course on 3 Aug. 1941.
Elden's father would occasionally drink and when he came home he was very abusive to Elden and mother Smith. When Charles Orton (called Ort) was old enough Charles Clarence would take Ort with him on his drinking partys, they were mad that Elden wouldn't go with them so when they got home at times Dad Smith would have Ort hold Elden while he beat him. Elden held fast to what he believed in and never held hard feelings against either of them.
Things were hard for this family during the Depression and because of this Elden went to the C.C.C. (Civilian Conservation corps which at it's peak employed 500,000 young men. It was part of the "New Deal", which Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt put together to help the nation get out of the Depression.) to work. This helped his family out a great deal. He Enrolled 30 June 1933 at Camp F-17, Pine Valley, Utah. (Elden O. Smith, CC9-107278.)
It was while Elden was in the C.C.C. and working in the Pine Valley area that he went to a dance at the Veyo Swimming Pool. Here he met Remola for the first time. He was 23 and she was 20 years old. They knew that they were meant of each other. Elden was a strong 6 foot 2 inches tall and not a pound of fat on him and a good looking young man. Their first date was at a dance at the Pine Valley Chapel. It was a fathers and daughters outing in the afternoon with a dance that night. Elden met Remola at the dance. The Veyo group was staying in Gardner's Barn. Elden took her back to the barn after the dance. It was raining so Remola's father let them sit in the car and visit a while before he left.
Elden and Remola went together for nearly two years and were engaged quite a while before he had money to buy a ring for her, as Elden had to help his father meet his family debts. When Elden asked Remola to be his wife, they were out on the lawn at her home in Veyo, it was dark and the stars were bright. He said, "As soon as I can swing it, do you think it would be heaven on earth to spend the rest of your life with me"? Remola put her arm around him and said, "Oh Yes".
They planned to get married in June but because of a trip that Remola had the opportunity to go on they moved the date back to 3 July 1934, in the Salt Lake Temple. The St George Temple was closed and the Salt Lake Temple was closing on 3 July too. So Elden met her in Salt Lake City, and they went through the temple alone. They were married by George F. Richards. They went into the temple at 6 a.m. and got out at 2:30p.m. Their Honeymoon was in Salt Lake City, for 3 days. After they got out of the temple they went to a Shirley Temple movie. It was the first movie that either had ever been to and they liked it so much that they decided to name their first daughter Shirley. This they did, but Remola changed the spelling to Sherlie.
Elden's car was an old Essex, and just before he left for Salt Lake City, it broke down. So he hired Nelse Madson and his son Elmer to take him to Salt Lake. Madsens stayed at his daughter's home in Springville and then came and picked up the newly weds and took them back to Summit.
Elden and Remola lived with his family in Summit until they had money to move to a home of their own. Remola camped with Elden out on Buckhom Flat north of Paragonah and south of Beaver, while he was working with a crew to widen the road. When they had a break they took a bus to St George, where Remola's family picked them up and took them to Veyo for a wedding reception at the Veyo Swimming Pool. Clark Chadburn (a cousin) came and played for a dance. They had a large crowd. Ma Hopp made a beautiful Wedding cake and brought them a present too. After the lunch Elden and Remola sit up in the Band Stand and unwrapped all of the presents and showed them and told whom they were from. They got a lot of lovely things.
They made their first real home in Summit, Utah. They rented a place from Elden's uncle, Harold Smith. Elden still had to work at Buckhorn Flat so they would have some money to get house keeping setup. They went into debt and got a cook stove and a linoleum rug to go on the front room and bedroom floor, from Leighs Furniture in Cedar City. Mother Smith loaned them a bed and there were cupboards, a rocking chair, an old sofa, a table and an old bench already in the place. The bench was fixed for a wash bench by putting a curtain around it.
Sherlie was born while they were living in this home.
Elden built a home in Summit on his days off and after work. It was at the west end of town. Remola's sisters and brother came and lived with them while they went to high school in Cedar City. In return for this Remola's parents paid for the lot and fuunished them a cow to milk, a pig to fatten and chickens to eat that also furnished them eggs. The folks also gave them fruit and vegetables to bottle and anything they could to help them. Elden and Remola also had a garden.
The second child Shelden, their only boy, and the third child Omah Lee were born while living there in this home in Summit.
Sherlie - born 22 may 1935 - Cedar City, Utah (Iron Co. Hosp.) Shelden Chadbum - born 7 Oct. 1938 (Iron Co. Hosp) Omah Lee - born 26 May 1942 (Iron co. Hosp.)
On the 7 Dec. 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The USA was at War.
Lloyd, Remola's brother, who was living with them couldn't join the service fast enough. He was so set on joining the military, that he finally convinced his father Benjamin Chadbum to sign to give his permission, because he was not yet 18 years of age. He lost his life in this war, and he was home and buried, before he was even old enough to have been in the war. It wasn't long until the National Guard unit that Elden was in for 15 years was called up. (Elden O. Smith Sergeant Battery. "F" 222nd Field Artillery, Cedar City, Utah.) But Elden was not able to go, because of his family responsibilities. (This really hurt him.) With the war on, Elden was working in Cedar City for Lunt Motor Co., he was their front end and alignment man. (Best in the Country.) It became necessary for the family to move to Cedar City. They tried to sell their home in Summit but didn't even get a bite. Maser Dalley whom they borrowed money from every now then, suggested they build a basement on a lot in Cedar City and get Ketchum's Builders and Movers in Salt Lake to come and move the home from Summit to Cedar City. This they did. There was no damage to the home. All that needed to be fixed was a new flue.
By now they were expecting another little one. Joan was born 16 Oct 1946 in Cedar City, Iron, Utah. (Iron Co. Hosp.)
It was a special treat when Elden stayed home a little later than normal and fixed breakfast for the family, he made very special pancakes.
They lived in Cedar City a little over two years and then sold their home and made enough to buy a home and Service station/garage in Parowan. This gave their son, Shelden, a job as well as the rest of the family. The kids loved to go out with Elden when he took the wrecker out to pick up a car that had stop running. By this time Sherlie had married Brent Talbot from Paragonah, Iron, Utah, and Shelden had marriage on his mind. When Shelden married Luella Phillips, from Parowan, Elden and Shelden bought the old Relief Society building from the LDS church. This building had been donated to the church by Brigham Young. They proceeded to add an extra bedroom and carport on each end of the building with a basement to the north for furnace and storage for two families. Elden with his family on the east side and Shelden on the west side.This property is at 116 West Center, Parowan, Utah.
Elden was made a Seventy by EIRay L. Christianson, 13 Nov. 1954. He was one of the seven Presidents of the Seventy in the Parowan Stake. He was also called as a Stake Missionary and very active.
Elden took his family on a number of trips. One was to Wayne Wonderland, (Capitol Reef Natl. Park.) On this trip they were afraid that they might get caught in a flash flood. The road going through Wayne Wonderland at that time was just a dirt and gravel road. It cris-crossed the river bed dozens of times, and they were in the bottom of a very deep canyon when the storm hit, and on top of that the car stalled and Elden and Shelden had to hike out for help, leaving the rest of the family in the car as it was raining very hard. They were ready to spring out of the car, if they heard the flood sound and climb to higher ground. Remola said that it was a terrible time, but the children remember it as quite a thrill, but also frightening. They also went to the Giant Redwood forest in Northern California. Another trip was to Disneyland--also to the "Parade of Roses" on New Year's Day. Many short trips to the mountains and canyons, like Cedar Breaks, Navajo Lake, Bryce Canyon, and the sand dunes.
Elden had a heart attack on 8 Jan. 1958 when he was just 48 years old. He was working as a mechanic in his service station/garage in Parowan, when he dropped his wrench and the man waiting for his car said to Shelden, "I think
something is wrong with your Dad". When they pulled him out from under the car he was dead. This was just two months before they moved into the new home that they had been remodeling with Shelden. His funeral was on 11 Jan. 1958, and he was buried in the Parowan Cemetery.
I would like to quote from a talk that Grace Burt gave at Elden's funeral. "It's eleven years ago this June since they came to live in our neighborhood. Of course it's always been Elden's home more or less, but it was new to
Remola.... But from that time on we have enjoyed their deep friendship, association and their wonderful understanding." "We have watched their faith in what they did carry on in their lives. I remember when he decided to close the Station on Sunday. He said to me, "The few dollars I would make on that day could never make up for what I am losing by being away from my family." And he has been blessed by so doing. He has been a devoted husband and a kind and patient father."
"He kept one or two good cows in his back yard. He enjoyed them very much and he took such wonderful care of them. And May always admiring those cows and hinting around how she would like a calf and so on, and they were so fine. So. He says, "Well I'll tell you what I'll do May, when a steer arrives on the program, you can have it." But you know May never did get that, those cows went right on producing heifer calves to the number of eight. He, Elden and Remola and T. Taylor have virtually kept us in cream and milk."
"Elden was a mediator for peace and love among his people. He wasn't a perfect man, for who of us here is perfect? He was working hard on trying to live the Gospel and be a friend to all his fellow men. He told me one day that his hardest task had been to bring his fiery temper and his cranky attitudes under control, that he would be a better person for people to live with."
The real value of the kindly friend or neighbor who loves you with all your faults and failings thrown in, is priceless, and isn't bought with money. Fortunate indeed are those who know such fine people. We are told that the wealth o£ a man is the number of things he loves and blesses, which in return love and bless him.
We are going to miss Eldon a lot from our neighborhood and in our lives. Every morning he went out to the pasture to milk the cow. Every morning he drove away in the wrecker and we heard him come home at all hours of the night. And just grew a part of our lives, for having him come and go. But we'll always keep in our hearts the happy memories of a lasting friendship with him. The kingdom of heaven, we are told, is not a place but a state of mind. And we can all enjoy that if we put ourselves in tune and I pray that this family will remember all the fine things of their

I would like to take a Quote from Wm. Randolph Grimshaw talk also. "I have known Brother Elden a long time, but have been more intimately acquainted with him in the Quorum of Seventy, where he has been one of the Seven Presidents, and where he has been active and faithful and has taken care of his responsibilities. I have had experiences that indicate to me that they had a great deal of faith. And if they had faith, they will be all right. I asked Sister Remola if she was ready for a test of her faith, (This was just a few weeks ago.) But I had no idea and I'm sure she didn't that it would be such a great test as this. But I have no fear that she shall not loose her faith because it's pure and well grounded. She will hold fast to it. The Lord will buoy her up to carry on until her work is fmished and then she may join her husband again."
Elden spent a good share of his life in times that were hard. The Depression, then World War II. In spite of this he did well and provided for his family very well. He was a God fearing man that had a strong testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-he always taught his children to stand for the truth and not to be ashamed of being a member of the LDS church.
By Max L. Maxwell
The information in this history is right as for as I know. I never met Elden and went only on the history of others and the records of the family. To my knowledge there is no history written on Elden. If I have left something out that needs to be in or if something is wrong, just let me know. Max L. Maxwell, 1197 Baneberry Dr., St George, Utah
Source: Remola Chadbum History; Charles Clarence Smith History; History of Summit, Utah; Family record of Omah Lee Smith; Stories from family members, Transcript of Elden Smith Funeral Service; and Microsoft Home Encarta Encyclopedia.

Grandma Sherlie Smith Talbot

Sherlie has a conductor of the PHS Band, Cheerleader and Senior High School picture.
A Happy Birthday Wish to Sherlie Smith Talbot
A am sending out a special tribute to my Mom. Mom you have been such a great support in my life. I appreciate all your love and concern through the years. You are the glue that keeps us together. I appreciate your listening ear and your sounding board. I love you so much! I also appreciate that you taught me how to work and to get satisfaction from doing a good job. I also remember you making sure that I was always honest in my dealings. I hope to carry on your legacy and teach my posterity about you and your values. With Love Mitzie





These pictures are of Grandpa and Grandma Smith mom's parents. The collage has pictures of mom's siblings, mom's kids, and her young family. Notice the twin dress! Mom made all of our clothes until I was married. She was an excelant seamstress and made many of our clothes out of old drapery and upholstery samples from the store.

Sherlie Smith Talbot

Born: I was born May 22, 1935 in the Iron County Hospital at Cedar City, Utah. My folks were living in Summit at the time. I was the oldest of a family of four children. My father was Elden Orton Smith, and my mother was Remola Chadburn Smith. I had 1 brother and 2 sisters. Sheldon Chadburn Smith, my younger brother was born 7th, Oct. 1938. OmahLee Smith was born 26, May 1942. Joan Smith the youngest was born 16, Oct. 1946.
Living conditions as a child: Throughout my childhood my parents had to work hard. Daddy held down three jobs most of the time; National Guard, front end alignment mechanic for Lunt Motors, and he drove the school bus to Summit. Mom took care of her 4 brothers and sisters while they went to school in Cedar. Grandpa Chadburn gave us a cow and other animals to help out with the food and things.
Just after I started the first grade, we got the petitions, floors, and roof on the new part of our house in Summit. Before that time, the 7-9 of us, Mom, Dad, Sheldon, OmahLee, Lloyd, Lois, Melba, Fern and I were living in a two room house. (Mom’s brothers and sisters, Melba, Fern, Lloyd, and Lois were going to school in Cedar.) There was no indoor toilet, so Mom fixed a little potty between the two bookcases for us kids. Lloyd, Lois and I slept across the street in Aunt Clara and Uncle Ellis Bryant's spare bedroom.

Just before I started into the sixth grade we moved from Summit to Cedar. We took the house with us. The movers jacked it up on truck with poles under it and away they went. They couldn't take the house across the Cedar Creek Bridge as it was before they had widened the bridge, so they had to take the house clear around Cedar bottoms to get into Cedar with it. We moved to Parowan at the end of 7th grade.
I graduated from High School in 1953. I have very outstanding memories of high school. I helped to decorate all the special dances and helped with the floorshows by either dancing or singing. Sara Ward, Merna Halterman, and I were cheerleaders our junior year. My senior year I was photo editor for the yearbook and Drum Majorette of the High School Band. My girl friends and I sang all around the area and I did real well in the Solo Festival. Along with all the school activities, I taught tap, and was the Jr. Sunday School organist and danced in the regional all girls dance and the Gold and Green Ball.
Work: I worked for Daddy at the station in Parowan. I pumped gas, washed windows, checked oil just like everyone else. I had to use a ladder to get to the big diesels. I surprised many customers when I could give them good service. My senior year I worked at LaRoma Café in Parowan.
When the kids were young I tried to stay home. However I have helped my husband with his furniture business quite a bit throughout the years with the deliveries and collections. As he moved into business for himself, we worked hand-in -hand for many months several different times remolding the store and preparing for business. I have done a lot of accounts, statements and cleaning throughout the years. When Brent moved out to Kemp Korners Shopping Center, I worked at least part-time every day. When Beckie is in school I work 9-3:30p.m.
Marriage: I first met my future husband, Brent Gale Talbot, at my girlfriend Anna Talbot's house. Brent was outback fixing his car. It wasn't until my junior year, however that we met officially. He was 22 and I was 17.
One night he honked his car horn several different times outside the house. My father would not allow us to answer to horns, so I went to MIA. After MIA ,Brent was waiting to take me home. We had 5 dates before he went in the service. We went steady for 14 months. ( He was in Germany) Brent sent me a diamond in his parents Christmas parents present. Brent called me from Germany and ask me to marry him.
Brent really impressed me from the start because he had standards and was clean cut.
Brent came home Aug 2nd and we were married August 22nd, 1953 in the St. George Temple. President Harold S. Snow officiated. The St. George Temple was closed for fall cleaning, so we went to Salt Lake and got our endowments. Then we went to St. George Temple and we were married among all the cleaning tools, ladders and etc.
Vision: During the delivery of Natalie the doctor administered a spinal, which did not take. When the doctor began to cut it threw me into shock. I remember feeling so peaceful and tired and I did not hurt anymore. The doctor kept yelling my name and I wished he'd just leave me alone. My Father Eldon appeared to me and I was talking to him. When I finally came to, the doctors ask me whom I was talking to. When I told him he said, I am sure glad I didn't know how near gone you were. I know the Lord wanted me to be here to take care of the girls. That's why he let me stay.
Trials/Blessings:
During this time Brent was on the road for Leighs all the time. He only came home on Sunday. He was trying to start a store for Leigh Furniture in St. George. He had the one in Kanab doing well.
When Natalie was three years old, we decided to move to St. George. Brent had been asked to manage the Leigh Furniture Store in St. George.
Brent lived in the top of the old Arrowhead Hotel, while we were doing the lobby for the Leigh Furniture Store. He came home Sundays for a while, then for 6 months I picked up the kids after school on Friday and drove to St. George. Saturday and Sunday we worked on the house we were building and helped Brent with the store. Monday morning we got up early and drove back to Parowan. After six months, I could not take it so we camped out in the hotel with Brent. We had no sink, so we washed dishes in a washbowl. We cooked on a hot plate. Brent and I slept on a hide a bed. It took us another 6 months to build our home in St. George.
Our move to St. George was good for the girls, they have had a lot of advantages that they could not get in Parowan. All of the girls really improved in their schoolwork too.
Travel: Mom and Dad were lucky to travel across the world to meetings or to go on trips that Dad won trough selling home furnishings. Some of the places that they visited were; California, Mexico, Hawaii, Germany, Hong Kong, Egypt, Israel,China, Canada and many places in the USA.
Church positions: Sunday school teacher, Primary secretary, 1st counselor in the Primary, 26 yrs in the nursery, and a Primary teacher for 18 years, I was a 1st counselor in the mutual, Pianist, Chorister, and Stake Primary Nursery Leader.
I really enjoyed all my callings, but have enjoyed especially working with the children. I also really enjoyed working with the tiny little ones in the new consolidated nursery program. It is a lot of preparation but the little ones are so special and cute.I also have served in 4-h program for 25 years. I have taken all my girls through their programs and have been in charge of the County Community Pride Project for 14 years, and served on the County 4-H Council.

I read Mom’s journals and it is basically years of running, running, running.  It seriously made me so tired.  Mom always had so many irons in the fire.  I feel guilty that I ask her to tend my kids so often. Whenever I ask her to tend she always was so willing, but now I can see that it was a real sacrifice for her to tend.  

        Mom worked at Dad’s store throughout the years.  She started with cleaning, building, organizing, running errands, then she helped with the billing, filling and collecting. With all of Dad’s illness, Mom eventually learned everything about the store. Mom never enjoyed working at the store. She always felt like she needed to be home helping and guarding the girls. 

        Everyone needed Mom and so she ran around trying to help everyone.  Mom also helped Grandpa and Grandma Morris and Grandma Thomas and many neighbors.  Mom always had a t least one church calling.  Mom served in the Stake Primary and as a nursery worker for 26 years.  Mom loves kids and especially nursery age kids.   Mom also served with the local 4-H as a leader and advisor and then on the Washington County Board for 25years also.   Throughout her time in 4-H she helped teach and she organized 4-H community aid and service projects. 

        Mom was pretty independent and could do almost everything around the house.(inside and out) She worked very hard to keep a clean organized house and yard.   She also worked hard to make sure that her children had every opportunity to explore and build their talents. 

If she had a fault it was spoiling and indulging her children to much.  She tried hard to make sure that everyone had all they needed and wanted.  Mom sacrificed her time and talents to make sure that her children had the things that they desired.  

Family tradition included working hard, eating together at lunch and going on trips. Also if anyone in the family had a big assignment we would all try and help the person with the problem or project. 

Dad had a lot of illness and arthritis and so this required him to go to Salt Lake City to see doctors and get treatments.  Dad also sold many lazy-boys rockers and so he went back and forth to Tremonton to get them.  The independent businessman is a hard life.  One has to do as much as possible for one’s self.   The money is hard to come by sometimes.  Life for Mom and Dad was work, work, work.

Mom has all of her children off and on their own.  It has not been without much struggle on Mom’s part.  There has been illness  divorce and money troubles.  All of Mom’s children are active in the church and most of her grandchildren.  Mom has 4 daughters and 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren at this time. 

Mom has a good relationship with all of her family.   She is a true matriarch.  It has been 16 years since Brent passed away of a massive heart attack and many secondary illnesses.   Mom has been strong in Dad’s absence and kept everything going.  Beckie and Bruce bought the store a few years before Dad’s passing.   Mom sold her big house and moved into a condo when Dad passed.   Mom continued to help at the store and then slowly tapered her assignments off to just tending for Beckie.  Mom has been totally retired for a few years now.  

Mom is still active in church and has been extremely active in Relief Society humanitarian work for years now.  She goes and helps for several hours every Monday. 

        Mom also makes all of the gifts that she gives away and has been very thoughtful and caring. She has shared her talents with all of us.  It usually takes her 7 to 8 months to make her Christmas gifts every year.  

        Mom also has a good friend base. She has 6 or so friends that get together 1 time a month to go to dinner and talk.  Sometimes they go to a movie.  

        Mom feels bad that Brent missed out on so many things that the kids have participated in an accomplished.  (he probably didn’t) I think that she misses talking and discussing the things with him. Since Brent’s death Beckie has had 4 children. Brent and Sherlie now have 17 great-grandchildren.   

Talbot Family traditions:

Dad developed a special way of doing Christmas trees with non-bonded quilt batting.  It was laid across the Christmas tree as if snow fell on it and then the entire tree was sprayed with canned snow.   We always had lights on our house and we had a Santa and his reindeer (There was a red light on the end reindeer for Rudolph) on the roof and a BIG nativity on the lawn.

Dad would make yummy homemade pancakes on Sunday sometimes. He had a really thin batter and the pancakes where really light and good.

Dad also made a hash brown cakes with grated fresh potatoes and eggs?  He made the potatoes into a patty and fried it.

At Easter we had hardboiled egg wars.  We would hit eggs until there was a winner.

The 5 pecan trees in the yard played a big role in our lives.   We had to knock the nuts down from the trees that were too tall then dry them and crack them and store them.  

Mom’s story of getting her driver’s license:

Sherlie wanted to learn to drive. She was more than 16 and did not know how to drive.  Her little brother Sheldon 4 yrs younger who worked at the service station was driving all the time.  Sherlie complained to her father and told him he was not fair. So after work Eldon, her father brought his stick-shift truck out and told her to jump in and drive it home. She had had no previous driving instruction. Sherlie jumped in and drove the truck in first gear all the way home.  When she got home she did not know how to turn it off.  

The next day Sherlie called one of her friends and the friend came over and helped her practice driving.  After a short time Sherlie hopped in the truck and took it to get her license. 

Officer Barton gave her the driving test and he thought it was amazing that she could drive the dumpy truck and double clutch etc., so the officer let Sherlie pass and gave her the drivers license.  Officer Barton gave Sherlie’s dad, Eldon a $40 dollar ticket for the truck not passing a safety inspection.  Eldon’s service station was a designated safety inspection place. 

Eldon was kind of upset.

Desert Mound night guards:

Brent was working regular hours at Eldon’s service Station during the week.  He was learning to be a mechanic.  On weekends when Desert Mound was closed, Brent and Sherlie were the watchman. 

They took pillows and blankets and whoever was not watching could take a nap.  Sherlie said it was ok during the day as you could read or walk around but at night it was dark and scary and boring.

Most of the time it was uneventful, but one night a big boss came and tried to get in without papers.  He got mad at them at first and then he was grateful.