Life Story of Clara Ann Farnes

8/12/2019 Life Story of Clara Ann Farnes

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Life Story of Clara Ann Farnes

Compiled in 1972 by Marilyn Austin Smith, a great granddaughter

Clara Ann Farnes was the first of two children born to Mary Ann Barham and George IsackeFarnes. Clara Anns mother was born February 7, 1837, in Stepney, Middlesex, England, and was

twenty-nine years of age at the time of her arrival. Her father was born April 29, 1838, at St. George,East London, Middlesex, England, and was twenty-seven years of age at the time of her birth. Theywere married December 6, 1863, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Clara Anns parents lived in Logan, Utah, in a house described by her mother as a dugout. It wassaid to have been the fifth dugout built in Logan and was located on the bench in the present FifthWard area. Her uncle Matthew Farnes had a two-room, log house with a dirt floor and dirt roof.Attached to the house was a wheat bin. This house was located in the Logan Third Ward area onFirst North between Third and Fourth West. It was on the north side of the street next to the canal.

In The History of a Valley by Joel E. Ricks, page 47, a dugout was described as follows. ...a littleone room, part clay and part log house. We dug a square hole in the ground about three feet deep

and then built logs around that hole 3 logs high. We built up to the gables with logs then put acenter roof log and one on each side of that, halfway down to the wall. On top of these logs we laidsmall quaking aspen poles not larger than my wrist. On top of these we put straw and then coveredthat with a thick coat of dirt...

In Matthews house four of the earliest births in Logan took place. Matthews wife gave birth to ababy girl on December 13, 1864. In 1866 both Matthews wife, Mary Ann French Farnes, andGeorges wife were expecting at the same time. Because of this they agreed to help each other. MaryAnn Barham Farnes lived with her sister-in-law long enough to give and receive assistance. OnMarch 15, 1866, Mary Ann French Farnes gave birth to twin boys. Twelve days later, on March 27,1866, Mary Ann Barham Farnes gave birth to her first child. A spare bed had been made on top of

the wheat bin and it was there that Clara Ann Farnes was born. She was named after hergrandmother Clara Ann Stewart.

When Indian Charlie saw the new baby with her thick, black hair and dark, olive skin, he declaredshe was a papoose. Indian Charlie, a good friend of the family, made frequent visits to their home.He was still coming to see George I. Farnes and sit on his back step after Clara Ann was grown andhad children of her own. The settlers were pestered a great deal by the Indians who prior to 1864were considered very dangerous. In order to win their friendship the pioneers fed them andperformed numerous acts of kindness. Clara Ann and her mother acquired some faithful Indianfriends. They always made a fuss over the young Clara Ann.

In 1868 father George I. Farnes bought a lot and a one-room, log house in the Logan Second Ward.He and his family lived here for some time. Then he built a four-room, adobe house on this sameproperty. It was located at 164 South Fifth West. This was his home for the remainder of his life.

George Barham Farnes, Clara Anns brother, was born June 24, 1868, in the one-room, log house inLogan. He and Clara Ann got along well together. Through the years they were very thoughtful ofeach other.


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Life Story of Clara Ann Farnes Page 2

Clara Ann was a typical pioneer girl. She wore brown and blue denim dresses and knit stockings; butmost of the time she went barefooted--even to Sunday School. She always said that was the reasonher feet were so broad. September 5, 1875, at the age of nine, Clara Ann was baptized and laterconfirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1863 Logan was divided into five school districts which corresponded to the wards of the city.Clara Ann Farnes attended the grade school in the Second Ward. There she mingled with her fellowclassmates. Her daughter Alice said she did not have much schooling--possibly through the fourthor fifth grade. Instead, in order to help support her family, her youth was spent working for otherpeople. When washing clothes at the homes of large families, she sometimes rubbed all day on theboard. Lacking modern conveniences, it was necessary to work very hard. Clothes were washed onthe scrubbing board and ironed with heavy flat irons heated on the kitchen stove. Water was carried,crops were harvested, cows were milked, butter was made etc.--all by hand. Clara Anns father hadfive to six cows they milked. He also owned a white horse called Fly that had a colt named Bess.After Clara Ann had married and had young children, her husband purchased Fly from her father.Thus her children also rode and loved Fly.

When Clara Ann was a young lady she attended corn husking parties. Those socials, which includedthe making of molasses candy, sometimes ended with a dance on the rough floors of their homes.

Living in the Second Ward in Logan in a little, old log house was William King, his wife ElizabethAnn Catmull, and an adopted boy Ernest Catmull. Ernest had been given to the childless couplebefore they left England by Elizabeth Anns sister. It appears he was born out of wedlock. They hadjoined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and had come to America in1877. At the time of their arrival Ernest was classified as an infant. After all their sacrifices ElizabethAnn Catmull King was stricken with cancer of the uterus from which she slowly and painfully died.During her illness her sister, who lived in Benson, Utah, and married a Mr. Hobbs, came andclaimed and took Ernest Catmull from them. William and Elizabeth had grown to dearly love Ernest

who must have been five years or older when he was taken away. Elizabeth Ann could do nothingabout it for she lay dying and William remained silent although he opposed their taking the child. Hedidnt kick up any fuss because they didnt have any adoption papers. But their great loss wasapparent for they never spoke of it, nor did Clara Ann Farnes who nursed and became very fond ofElizabeth Ann during that time.

Clara Ann went into William Kings home and cared for and comforted Elizabeth Ann until herdeath on July 27, 1882. William King was thus left alone without any family ties in America. In hissorrow and loneliness he observed the compassionate, willing service of youthful, attractive ClaraAnn and was deeply impressed with her. She, on the other hand, was concerned about him andsought to comfort and cheer him. Thus began their courtship in spite of the fact that he was

nineteen years her senior. On August 2, 1883, William King, age thirty-six, and Clara Ann Farnes,age seventeen, were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Clara Ann was a tall, beautiful woman with long, pretty, black hair, blue eyes, an attractive, kind face,and lovely teeth. William was a handsome, broad shouldered, stocky built man. He was about fivefeet nine inches tall and had dark brown hair and grayish blue eyes. William was born January 11,1847, in Offord, Darcy, Hunts, England, to Mary Ann C. wills and George King.


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During their early married life they would go to parties and operas together. After their childrenarrived, Clara Anns brother George would come and look after the children while they were outtogether. Iduma, their daughter-in-law, said she never saw them show affection, but said they gotalong well together. William loved Clara Ann and was very concerned about her welfare as exhibitedduring her illness following the birth of her second child.

At the time of their marriage William was a fireman for the Utah Northern railroad company andreceived a very good salary. He liked to invite his railroad co-workers to his home for dinner. ClaraAnn enjoyed serving choice meat to her guests, which sometimes consisted of large platters ofoysters. She spent the money William brought home on little extras for herself and others. AfterWilliam had worked as a fireman for almost twenty years, he and most of the crew were fired. Thesummers of 1901 and 1902 William rented some hay land in Oxford, Idaho, from Alphonse H.Brossard. He took his wife, Clara Ann, and his two children, William F. and Elizabeth, with him toOxford. With the help of his son, William F., he put up 308 tons of good Lucerne and Timothy hay.When the hay was sold they received a fairly good wage for their share of the crop. About 1904William began work as a janitor at the courthouse in Logan. His salary there was much less than hehad previously earned. When William became unable to walk to the courthouse due to rheumatism

in his knees, he was forced to retire. He was seventy-seven years of age the spring of 1924 when heretired after working at the courthouse for eighteen and one-half years. Hard times followed forClara Ann. Because she and William had not saved part of their money during their profitable years,Clara Ann had to wash and iron for others in order to earn a living. Also added to her regularhousehold duties, garden work, and care of the sick and elderly, was the work William hadtheretofore done--that of milking the cow and doing the chores. That was a great burden on ClaraAnn who turned fifty-eight years of age the spring of 1924.

On June 6, 1884, about ten months after William and Clara Ann were married, William bought one-half acre of land from Thomas Arbon for $50. A little later that same month he purchased the tenacres of land where stood the old, log house he was renting and living in. That dwelling was located

two blocks southwest of the depot and three blocks west of the home of Clara Anns parents. Onthat newly acquired property at 133 South Seventh West, he built a four-room house where the oldlog house stood. Their new home was completed in 1885. It consisted of two rooms upstairs andtwo rooms downstairs. Then William built a large room and a porch on the back of the house. In1906 he, aided by his son William F., added a kitchen, bathroom, and cellar to the house. In thatcool cellar, with an outside entrance, was stored a variety of food. Previous to that time they hadused the shanty at the back of the house for a kitchen during the summer time. Clara Anns brotherGeorge would often bring in wood for them.

Clara Anns first child, William Farnes King, was born a few days after the ten acres of land hadbeen purchased. He was born June 25, 1884, in George I. Farnes home. Clara Anns mother, Mary

Ann Barham Farnes, took care of her, assisted by Mary Ann French Farnes, the wife of MatthewFarnes. It is also said that Mary Ann House, a sister to George I. Farnes, was with Clara Ann whenWilliam F. King was born. She had a doctors degree and officiated at the birth of countlesschildren.

William F. King related, I was born at Grandpas old home. I wasnt around Mother too much. Iwas up to Grandmas as much as I was at home. If anyone said any bad words, Mother would say,You better get your mouth washed out with soap and water. Mother would put me to bed withoutsupper, but never lick us. She never done it but what uncle George would show up and then I would


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get my supper. He would question, What the (blank) you done, put that kid to bed without hissupper? I would get my supper. George was a good old guy.

When William F. King was a young boy he had a dog named Madge. It was a huge dog weighingaround one hundred thirty pounds. She seldom barked, yet was a very good watch dog. Indians

often came to Logan by catching rides on freight trains and getting off at the depot at Logan.Because the depot was within a block or two from Clara Anns home, Indians would come therebegging. One day a couple of squaws came to the gate. They were met by Madge, who stood thereunwilling to let them in. Several times they tried to open the gate but the dog stood her ground.They poked a stick through the gate to scare her away. This only made the dog furious and shebegan to bark and put up quite a fight. The squaws, seeing she meant business, turned and went ontheir way.

William F. King earned his first wage helping his father farm for two summers in Oxford, Idaho.William F. King liked to go fishing and hunting. He would hunt wild chickens and coyotes whichwere very plentiful. The hides of the coyotes could be sold for $2.50 and $3 a piece. On October 28,1903, at the age of nineteen, William F. King married Iduma Willie of Mendon. For awhile the newly

married couple lived with William and Clara Ann. Then they moved into a two-room house on anadjoining lot. That house and lot were given to William F. King by his father. It was located twoblocks south on Seventh West in the Logan Second Ward. William F. added a large kitchen, apantry, and a clothes closet onto it. After living there for about six years, William F. moved hisfamily to a farm in Buist, Idaho. At that time he returned his home to his parents. The home wasrented, but because the renters sometimes neglected to pay their rent, Clara Ann received littlemonetary gain from it. In 1933 William F. moved to Logan and shortly thereafter built a home in theLogan Seventh Ward at 296 South Fourth East. That was his final home.

Mary Ann Barham Farnes looked after Clara Ann when her second child, Elizabeth Ann, was bornJanuary 12, 1886, in Logan. At her birth Clara Ann had a stroke which left her speechless and

paralyzed on one side. For six weeks she remained that way. William was very upset about hercondition. He made a promise to the Lord that if Clara Ann were made well, he would never smokeagain. Clara Ann had great faith and believed in the power of healing. The ward members fasted andprayed for her and several ladies came from the temple and washed and anointed her. Bishop HenryBallard came every night to visit and bless her while she was thus afflicted. After the elders, GeorgeBaugh and Kay Irvan, administered to her, Clara Ann began to whisper. For several months shecontinued to improve until she completely recovered from the stroke. William gave up smoking,thus keeping his promise to the Lord.

Elizabeth Ann was known during her life time as Lizzie. As a young girl she washed and ironedfor people. When her mother went nursing, Elizabeth prepared the meals for the family. Although

she became quite plump, she could work hard and was attractive in her youth. She lived with herparents the two summers they were in Oxford, Idaho. While she was there she met a young mannamed Albert Walker. He became interested in her, but her father didnt want her to marry Albert.Father William counseled Elizabeth saying if she married him she would never have anything. Inspite of that the two were married on March 27, 1904, for better or for worse. Elizabeth waseighteen years of age at the time. True to her fathers prediction, they had very little materially. Theyspent the remainder of their lives living in her fathers small home at 133 South Seventh West inLogan.


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Clara Anns third and last child, Alice Eliza, was born May 8, 1888, in Logan. Mary Ann BarhamFarnes assisted at her birth. Alice was ambitious and an energetic worker. When her motherentertained relatives and friends, she did the dishes. She kept the house clean and shiny. While herparents lived in Oxford, she stayed with her grandmother and grandfather Farnes so she couldattend school in Logan. During her youth she worked at Teets Bargain Store, Howell, and Cardon.

Alice was quite striking because she was very trim, neat, and clean and always wore pretty clothes.She liked to go out with fellows and attend dances. One Sunday she, accompanied by her two girlfriends Ada Smith and Nell Busby, went for a walk. They ran into Pete Jensen, Sammy Clark, andVick Christiansen, who joined them. Vick made them acquainted with Pete and Sammy. The groupended up at Alices home. Thus Alice met Pete (Peter Hulbert Jensen). He was a very fine fellow.Shortly thereafter he went on a Church mission to Norway. Alice corresponded with him until hisreturn. On June 10, 1914, Alice, age twenty-six, and Peter were married. They made their home inPocatello, Idaho.

After Clara Ann had a stroke, the family members were concerned about her each time she becamepregnant. They feared that hard work could bring on a miscarriage. In spite of this she would go outand chop wood. Clara Ann had one or more miscarriages. When she was three or four months along

during her last pregnancy, she decided to make some soap. She saved fat and also bought scraps offat at times to render down and make into soap. Shortly after lifting a heavy kettle of soap off thestove she became sick. She was in pain all night. Iduma, her daughter-in-law, relates, I waited onher that time. She never even called a doctor. I changed and washed her clothes and bedding andbathed her. She looked pale; she lost quite a lot of blood. It wasnt too long until she got back toherself. At one time a cow or a horse kicked her and broke one of her ovaries.

Mary Ann Barham Farnes was gifted in the care of the sick. She also helped layout the dead. ClaraAnn followed in her mothers footsteps and did a great deal of nursing. Through her home training,experience, and love of people in distress, she became a very efficient nurse. Even when a younggirl, she sat up with the sick. She nursed for twenty to twenty-five years--first for Dr. Parkinson,

then for Dr. Oliver C. Ormsby, and last for the Budges for whom she worked many, many years.When she first began she came near fainting at the sight of blood. The doctor in attendance told hershe would overcome that in time and she did. Alice says, I dont know how well she knew WilliamBudge, but she surely knew his sons. They operated many times on our kitchen table. Aliceremembers her mother sterilizing cloths in the oven to use in operations and for the sick. That wasbefore they had a hospital in Logan. The old Amusson home, on the south side of the street onCenter Street, was turned into a hospital until they built one. Then it became a big garage. Clara Annonly worked as a nurse in her own home and the homes of other people. Whenever Clara Annwould accompany a friend or relative to the hospital, the Budges would reduce his or her fee. ClaraAnn was known all over Cache Valley as Aunty King; even Guy Cardon called her Aunty.

Dr. D. C. Budge and Dr. Ormsby operated on Elizabeth Arbon Griffiths, the mother of the wife ofClara Anns brother George. She was about the first person they operated on. The operation tookplace on Clara Anns kitchen table and necessitated the removal of the breast due to cancer.Elizabeth Arbon Griffiths was nursed back to full health by Clara Ann.

One winter George B. Farnes daughter Hazel met with a serious accident. Hazel had gone toMendon to help care for the railroad agents wife who had just had a new baby. Near the railroadagents house were two small buildings located next to each other. One was a coal house and theother was a privy. On February 22nd, while Hazel was in the coal building getting some coal, the


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wind blew the building over. The coal building had to be jacked up in order to pull her out. Dr. D.C. Budge was called from Logan to care for her. He went over in a cutter (a one-horse sleigh).Enroute he tipped over three times in the deep, cold, wind driven snow and was nearly frozen whenhe got there. Hazels brother Leon went by horse back to Mendon and almost perished in the coldwinter weather. When Dr. Budge arrived Hazel was delirious. Her arm was broken in two places, her

collar bone was broken, and her hip was dislocated. Dr. Budge set her arm, collar bone, and hip.When her sister Eva saw her a number of days later, her eyes were still all bloody with no whiteshowing. On February 23rd they brought Hazel to Logan by train where she stayed at Clara Annshome until Easter Sunday. At that time she was able to leave the bed and get around on crutches.Hazels family would come to visit her at Clara Anns home. During one visit they attempted to haveHazel sit at the table and eat dinner with them for the first time since her accident. They pulled herup to the table as she sat in a big rocker. While doing so they accidentally bumped her leg whichstuck straight out in front of her in a cast. Hazel passed out, frightening everyone except Clara Annwho remained calm. When she came to they had dinner.

If anyone got sick, they either went to her home or she went to their home. Clara Ann would go tothe homes of her poor neighbors when they had babies and help the doctor. Her son William F.

brought her (from his farm) flour, meat, and feed for her cow and chickens. A few other peoplewhom she helped also paid her, but most of them didnt and some were too poor to do so. In spiteof this Clara Ann never made anyone feel indebted to her, nor did she make them feel that sheexpected them to pay her.

The wife and daughter of Henry Ballard, the father of Melvin J. Ballard, stayed at Clara Anns home.The daughter was very sick with cancer. The mother bought beef steak and scraped it to feed thedaughter. In spite of this and the care they gave her, she became worse and died at Clara Annshome. For six weeks Clara Ann took care of a man living on Center Street. When she returnedhome she was almost worn out. She would go on a typhoid case for six weeks at a time.

Clara Ann helped her close friend, Lily Johnson, at the birth of each of her children. Bishop Thainof Benson was staying at the home of Lily Johnson while he attended school. When she startedhaving labor pains at the termination of one pregnancy, he was scared to death. He ran all the way toClara Anns home, a distance of five or six blocks, to get her. Lily Johnson was a complainer andClara Ann was always trying to cheer her. Clara Ann did a lot of cooking for her, especially duringthe holidays, and often gave her garden produce.

Clara Ann took care of her two daughters, Elizabeth and Alice, and her sister-in-law, Mary GriffithsFarnes, when their children were born as well as her daughter-in-law, Iduma, when her first sevenchildren were born. She also took care of her granddaughter Clara Walker, when she was expecting.Clara Walker didnt want her child (at the time) and was a very uncooperative patient. Iduma said

she never knew Clara Ann to deliver a baby alone. Someone else would be there with her. MaryGriffiths Farnes hemorrhaged all the time she was carrying one of her children. For six weeks priorto the childs birth she stayed at Clara Anns home, as well as during and after giving birth. When thechild was born she was named Clara after Clara Ann. Both her daughter Elizabeth and her sonWilliam F. named one of their children after her.

Because the King family mingled with numerous people, many of whom were sick, in an age whenimmunization was not universal, diseases were brought into their own home. Alice contractedtyphoid fever and was very ill. Ten to twelve days later Iduma became sick. Clara Ann was very


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concerned about Iduma, who became very ill. She had Iduma come to her home where she nursedher. William F. King had to come from the farm in Idaho and live with the children in his homenext door. There was a gate halfway between William F. and Clara Anns home. Clara Ann would goto the gate and cry because she didnt think Iduma would live. Iduma relates, My fever was 105degrees. I had it high for a few days and then they gave me medicine to lower it. My fever kept

coming back--higher every few weeks. I was pregnant and they couldnt do to much for me. Both T.B. Budge and D. C. Budge were my doctors. I was sixteen weeks in bed. Then Dad (William F.King) carried me home in his arms. I was skin and bones. I couldnt walk. Two people got a hold ofme at home and helped me learn to walk again. My recovery was one of the biggest miracles thatcould come to anyone. In less than two months after her illness Iduma gave birth to her fifth childwho weighed three and one-half pounds. Her baby, Ina, was so small that she was put in a shoe box.

Two and one-half years [About a half year] later Idumas two and one-half year old daughter Glennacontracted scarlet fever from Elizabeth Anns children. Glenna tells her own story. For severalweeks I was very ill and not expected to live. Two large swellings came on my face that moved upunder my ears and broke. I was rather neglected because the doctors knowledge was limited; andthe few times he came, he merely looked through the window to see me. While Glenna was ill Clara

Ann would go over to Idumas home to care for her. Later on she took her syringe with her andwould squirt boric acid water into Glennas ears every day to wash them. Puss would run out of herears and continued to do so until Glenna had her last ear operation in adulthood. Because Glennasfather, William F., had moved to a dry farm in Idaho, it was necessary for her to stay with Clara Annin Logan for two summers and part of a winter while she received painful treatments for her ears.That illness cost her a partial loss of hearing. But Glenna attributes the fact that her life was sparedto the prayers of her parents and an anointing given by her grandfather William King.

For six weeks Clara Anns niece, Eva Farnes, lived with her while she took a sewing class at UtahState University. Eva tells the following, I got a bad sore throat and I lost my voice. I couldnt say aword. She had me gargle with mustard pickle juice. Aunt Clara said I could go with C. L. Jenkins, a

young man who wanted me to go for a walk with him. Clara first wrapped a scarf around my neckand let me go, but I wasnt to stay out too long.

It was amazing how many people took advantage of Clara Anns and Williams kindness andhospitality. They had a house full of friends and relatives most of the time. Clara Anns relatives andin-laws would come unexpectedly for the day. They would come to her home in a flock and expectto be welcomed and fed. Never losing patience, she would go on as though nothing had happened.Any plans that she had already made were set aside for the day. She did her best to accept themgraciously and see that they were well fed. Her niece Eva Farnes relates, We used to come down onthe train. A half hour after we got there we knew we were welcomed.

Her brother, George, had his wedding dinner at her home. For the occasion Clara Ann made a huge,lovely wedding cake. George Barharn Farnes married Mary Elizabeth Griffiths February 14, 1894, inLogan. The evening of October 3, 1923, Clara Ann went out in her garden and picked her gorgeouswhite and yellow dahlias. The next morning she took the flowers and went by train to Preston whereshe helped Mary Griffiths Farnes cook Eva Farnes wedding dinner. Clara Ann furnished all theflowers.

Glenna King, her granddaughter, tells how Clara Ann and William spoiled and humored her. Shetells, They never scolded or spanked me even if I needed it. Grandmother took me to shows and


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programs, taught me to crochet, and bought me candy and other things. She bought me a lovelyspring hat. It was the first I had ever owned.

Vera King lived with her grandmother Clara Ann while attending grade school two years, highschool four years, and while working as a clerk at J. C. Penney Company for five years. Vera paid for

her board during the time she was employed at the Penney store. While living with her grandparents,Vera became well acquainted with them. She shares the following information about Clara Ann andWilliam. Grandfather King never cut his fingernails. He had the longest, hard nails on his thumbs.He would often play bear around the dining room table. Sometimes he was rough and would hurtthe children. If they cried he would call them a baby. Clara Ann would caution him saying, NoDad! Dont be so rough. He liked to pinch and would untie Grandmothers apron strings andpinch or slap her. Grandmother would say, You behave yourself. He would laugh and go right onteasing. Never once did Grandmother say a cross word to me. Occasionally I deserved to bereprimanded for gallivanting and Grandfather took care of that. Grandfather loved company. Whenold friends came he would hug them, cry, and say you dear girl or my boy, how are you?Grandmother, who thought of their comfort, would warm and feed them. If any of us grandchildrenwere cold upon our arrival, she would take our hands and rub and hold them in her warm, soothing

hands. I can remember being cuddled on her lap. She had the softest bosom and smelled so sweetand good. I recall as a child getting pieces of her good homemade bread spread with butter orpeanut butter. The apples and plums on her lot tasted so good to us dry farmers.

Aunt Matilda Farnes Smith and her daughter Jenny Dean, who was left with a drawn mouth from astroke, often visited Clara Ann. Charles Weston Maughan and his wife Jane came frequently. WhenCharlie would come, their dog Madge would stand at the gate and growl at him. Someone wouldhave to go and let Charlie in. Charlie would snore at night which kept Alice awake. Mary Ann Housecame from Grantsville one time. She and Matilda came and slept in the front bedroom. The roomjoining was the parlor. Alice had her boy friend come to see her while they were there. These twowomen were enjoying visiting each other; then one got up to use the thunder mug and soon after

the other used it. Because the house was very quiet at the time the young couple heard it all.

Clara Ann was one of the first enrolled members of the Eliza R. Snow Camp of Daughters of UtahPioneers. This camp paid tribute to her for her faithful attendance and for the many early historicaland interesting facts she related to them about the community.

Clara Ann attended sacrament meetings (going many times with her granddaughter Vera) and ReliefSociety meetings. She served in the Second Ward as a Relief Society visiting teacher for many yearsand as a Primary teacher. She never went to Sunday School when Iduma knew her. Iduma related,She would stay home and cook up an awfully big, nice meal and make pies. When asked by hergranddaughter why she stayed home, she replied, I have to stay home and get Grandfathers dinner

ready for him. William King liked his meals on time.

One Christmas Eve Clara Ann went to Preston and stayed at her brother Georges home over night.On Christmas day Eva Farnes Jenkins and her husband went and got them so they could see theJenkins children have Christmas and for Christmas dinner.

When the ward had a dinner they always called on Clara Ann to help plan the menu. When they hadbazaars, she was always called on to make the pies. Many people came from far and near to enjoyher cooking. Clara Ann was a master of English and other dishes. She was always trying out new


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recipes and had a lot of food to cook with. Her egg omelets with cheese and dry bread crumbs; suetmeat pie with meat gravy, vegetables, and beef; cakes; pies; bread; and hotcakes were delicious. Shewould try to prepare the foods that pleased people.

Clara Ann made the most marvelous candy. She made it for the doctors wives and other people.

Square marshmallows with toasted coconut on it and candy bonbons were included in the differentvarieties she would make. They were then placed on a big platter and put in her cool, northbedroom. It was really a treat for her granddaughter, Glenna, when Clara Ann would take her intothe bedroom and let her sample them.

Clara Ann would eat bread with ice cream, cake, or pie. When her niece, Eva, would comment,You dont eat bread with ice-cream, cake, or pie, she would respond, Thats the best ever. Evarelated, Uncle Will King always sat at the head of the round table and I always sat to the left of auntClara.

Besides being a wonderful cook she never wasted her food. Batter left over from pancakes wasturned into a cake. After killing a pig they would scrub and scrap the hide with lye water until there

wasnt a hair left on it. Then they would cut up the pig. Clara Ann would take the intestines, whichhad been soaked in salt brine, and scrap and wash them inside and outside and then use them tomake her link sausage. They made faggots out of the liver, heart, brains, and all the small parts.These parts were first ground together, next they were wrapped in a tissue from the pig calledsweetbread and drawn together, and finally they were baked. That made what was called a faggot.They were delicious. After the pig was butchered Clara Ann would spend many days makingsausage, headcheese, and wieners. The rest of the meat would be smoked and kept. When a pig waskilled, she saved everything, everything but the squeal, she would say.

William lived a little over three years after he was forced to retire due to his health. The elderlyWilliam King had a pet chicken that would fly right up on his hand when he called to it. He would

sit out by the granary and stroke this chicken hours on end while he watched the trains go by. ClaraAnn in the meantime had to work like a man. Rather than grumble, she performed the chores in thesame manner as her other taskswith love and concern. She would milk and pet the jersey cow aswell as give affectionate care to the calves, chickens, and the pig. They had about one pig at a time.

Clara Ann had a marvelous vegetable garden and a beautiful flower garden. The first tomatoes EvaFarnes ever saw were in her uncle Wills garden. Mary Griffiths Farnes and Alice would go to ClaraAnns home where they would bottle corn, beans, and vegetables. Clara Ann would dry sacks offruit, corn, and other vegetables. She used ground cherries as we use raisins today. She loved eachone of her flowers and diligently kept them free of weeds.

Growing flowers, knitting, and crocheting were among her hobbies. Another pastime she enjoyedwas conversing with her friends on the telephone and exchanging recipes and ideas with them. ClaraAnn did a lot of handiwork and had pretty books on fancy work. She also had a lot of magazinesand took excellent care of them. If you looked at them you had to handle them very carefully. Theywere kept in a special place in the dining room. For relaxation and entertainment Clara Ann liked towatch shows and read novels. She would take her granddaughter Glenna with her to the theaterabout every Saturday to see a show. Vera King recalled that many a time she had gone with hergrandmother King to the Lyric Theater on Saturday to watch a movie. William King thought theywere a waste of time and money. Vera comments, I never once remember him going. But


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Grandmother loved a good show... We usually walked the seven to eight blocks. Sometimes we rodethe street car for a nickel or dime. William King would retire promptly at 7:30 each evening. Hewould go upstairs to bed. Before sleeping he would take out his lovely set of Church books to read.Because he had never had any formal training in reading and writing (all he could write was hisname) he had to patiently figure out word after word as he went through the Church books. While

William was thus engaged, Clara Ann would crochet and read fiction stories. She read more as shegot older. Some felt that this was her only bad fault and that it was a waste of time.

Her outstanding attributes were helping others, nursing, and cooking. There werent many thingsthat she couldnt do and do well. Although she might not have everything put away all the time, shewas particular in the things she did. Her food and dishes were clean, her washing was extra clean,and she spent a lot of time ironing. Her clothes had to be spotless. It was her practice to always haveon a nice, clean housedress. She went to great pains to ensure the clothes she washed and ironed forthe Knowles, Johnsons, and other people were very clean and very well ironed. She would washsome clothes separately and would iron everything including the sheets. The flowing well water waspiped into the house in a small stream. She would heat the water on the kitchen stove and then carryit through the dining room (which was two steps lower than the kitchen) to the outside porch where

she did her washing. In the winter the washing had to be done in the small 10 by 10 kitchen. EvaFarnes and Clara Ann would often walk to town and take a streetcar back. Aunt Clara, said Eva,would tell me about each pretty home and something interesting about everything. She would makeyour day brighter. Clara Ann was not one to flatter or show outward affection, but she was calm,collected, and the same all the time. She never swore or got angry or cross, but was always kind.Because of this and her genuine interest in each person, children, as well as most people, loved her.

Alice, her daughter, writes the following of her mother. She had always lived a good life, she wastrue to the Church, she believed in its teachings, and she lived them. She was always kind andpatient. I cant remember of her ever spanking me; she did all with kindness. She never interferedwith things that went on in our home. She taught us to go to church, to pray night and morning, to

think clean, to be honest, and to do things to help others. She was a wonderful mother.

When William King left England he drank liquor and tea and chewed and spit tobacco. His use ofthese were especially indulged in while he worked on the railroad. It is doubted that he ever drank tothe point of getting drunk. He was able to quit using all three because of his strong determination todo so. When Eva Farnes knew him he had given up drinking and was quite religious. William wasrough and yelly, but he didnt mean half of what he said. He had a corebuckle on the back of hisneck which was too huge to be a boil. When the core was first taken out, the hole was so big onecould set a walnut in it.

The elderly found refuge in Clara Anns home. In order to relieve Zina Farnes, Clara Ann took care

of her uncle Matthew Farnes when he was ill and a great burden prior to his death. She took care ofher grandmother Ann Isacke Farnes who died July 23, 1891, in Logan. Her own mother was caredfor by Clara Ann the few days she was ill with a stroke before her passing February 18, 1912, inLogan. Her father lived with her for several years and was living with her around the time of hisdeath on February 21, 1923, in Logan. She also gave loving care to her husband, William King, whopreceded her in death thirteen and one-half years.

A short time before the death of her husband she wrenched her knee and had to use a crutch orcane after that. Although she never lost her long hair, it did turn gray when she got older. She was


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tall, quite large, and a little heavy. During the last two or three years of her life she wasnt so heavybecause she had to diet due to high blood pressure. She had several strokes which left her with aslightly drawn mouth and speech impediment. Eva Farnes commented, I cant think of anythingthat hurt me worse than to see her go down hill. She would sit on her front porch and rock.

After Williams death, she received a widows pension of about $24.50 a month. In the 1930s shesold her home to Elizabeth and Albert Walker. In order to qualify for the pension, she had to live inLogan six months each year. So during the last few years of her life she spent the summers in Loganliving with Elizabeth and the winters in Pocatello living with Alice. She had only been with herdaughter Alice a few months when she passed away. Mother, writes Alice, really was not sick along time. She got so she didnt want to go places, but was up and around every day. She neverwanted to stay in bed. The morning she died Pete didnt go to work until 11 oclock. She said to me,You go to town and get the lining for the coat (that I was making); then we will sew all day. I wentto town and left her with Pete and Lois. I hadnt been gone fifteen minutes when she called Pete andsaid she wanted to go to the bathroom. When she sat down she gave a little sigh and she was gone.She didnt suffer. She died March 13, 1941, at Pocatello, Idaho. Her passing occurred fourteen daysprior to her seventy-fifth birthday.

Herald Journal. March 14, 1841. Logan pioneer dies in Idaho. Word was received here today of thedeath of Clara Ann King, Logan pioneer, at Pocatello, Idaho. Mrs. King died Thursday morning atthe home of her daughter Mrs. Alice Jensen. Mrs. King was born in Logan March 27, 1866, adaughter of George I. Farnes and Mary Ann Barham Farnes and spent most of her life here. Shewas the widow of Wm. King. Surviving her are one son and two daughters, Wm. F. King, Mrs.Albert Walker, both of Logan, Mrs. P. H. Jensen, of Pocatello, fifteen grandchildren, and twenty-onegreat grandchildren. Funeral services will be held in the Logan Second Ward Sunday at 2 p.m.Internment under the direction of Lindquist and Sons Mortuary.

Among the many relatives and friends attending her funeral in the Logan Second Ward were her two

granddaughters, Vera and Arlene King. Vera, who said it was a very sad funeral, cried all through it.Arlene sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives. On Sunday, March 16th, Clara Ann was laid to restin the Logan Cemetery.

REFERENCES

Austin, Glenna King: Life Story of Glenna King Austin and personal interview.

Bindrup, Vera King: Narrative of Clara Ann Farnes King, interview, and handwritten notes.

Cook, Loree F.: Life of Mathew Farnes

Family group sheets.

Herald Journal. March 14, 1941.

Jenkins, Eva Farnes: Personal interview.


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Jensen, Alice King: Submitted typewritten and handwritten answers to a list of questions concerningthe life of Clara Ann Farnes King and George I. Farnes.

King, Iduma Willie: Personal interview.

King, William Farnes: Life of My Grandfather George Isacke Farnes and personal interview.

King, William Ronald: William King.

Ricks, Joel E.: The History of a Valley.

Documents

Life Story of Clara Ann Farnes