' i . ' - MELVIN WILKINS celebrates 91st birthday. Melvin Wilkins celebrates 91st birthday VERNAL SPECIAL Melvin Wilkins celebrated his 91st birthday Sunday among many friends and relatives. His daughter and husband, the Julian(Ellen) Massey's were the hosts of the event. Mr. Wilkens was born August 12, 1889 in Spanish Fork, Utah. When he was 3'2 months old, his parents moved into the Uintah Basin. He tells of an incident where as a baby he was almost lost in the Duchesne River when the wagon they were riding in hit a rock and the jolt pitched him forward from his mother's lap. He was wrapped in a shawl with a pin holding it snug. His mother made a fast grab and caught the fringe of the shawl. By the time she had pulled him to safety, the pin was holding the wrap together around his neck. The month was November and the river was floating with ice. After , camping on the west side overnight, the family pushed forward. Melvin's father was a teamster and he worked on canals and wagon roads. When Melvin was old enough, his father taught him the art of team breaking and handling and was able to drive freight between Dragon and Vernal. He attended schools in Jensen and graduate drom the Uintah Stake Academy. When he was 21 years old, he was called on a mission to California in 1910, where he served for two years. As his parents didn't have financial means to support him on this calling, an uncle in Canada supported him fully. After returning home, Melvin went to Canada and worked for his uncle to pay off the mission debt, as it was called. It was while Mr. Wilkins was in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, that he met and married Miss Winona Brown in 1917. She passed away in 1975. They had five children. The family returned to the U.S. in 1934 where they made their home in Idaho, then in 1938 they came back to Jensen. After leaving Jensen, they moved toSaltLake City where Mr. Wilkens worked on a grain elevator in Welfare Square. He retired at the age of 74. A special birthday cake in the form of "91" was made by a granddaughter, Kathy Stubbs. and the two great granddaughters, Tami and Dawna Stubbs helped with the cake also. About 85 people attended.