OCR Text |
Show ‘were’ “THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 11 February 1, 2006 The Moffet Place, Part I Please note: The following is the third in a series of accounts by Howard Stallings of his life growing up in Ogden Valley e Utah Power and Light Company built the ae dam at Pineview in 1896, they bought the land along the bank of the new reservoir that might be damaged by the high water. Because of the high water table, it was good land for growing hay, especially, Timothy and Red Clover, which was good food for horses. My father rented from the power company about 200 acres of hay land. The lease included a home. A two bedroom, red brick structure, built by a man named Moffet, who was one of the early settlers in the valley. My father must have had a long term lease on the property because he decided to remodel the home and move his family to the new location at the forks of the Eden/Huntsville road. Two rooms were added. A large dinning room and a kitchen. The family was quite comfortable at first, but as we continued to grow, both in stature and in number, the house eventually became too small. Like most pioneer children, I was born without the services ofa doctor or the comforts ofa hospital. My mother was attended by a midwife named Elizabeth Froerer Wangsgard. A grand lady who delivered hundreds of Ogden Valley babies. I was born on a cold 29th day of December, 1908. It was, no doubt, a great shock to my parents to learn that they had produced an offspring that was less than perfect. My left hand and arm, almost to the elbow, was missing. Later on, when I became conscious of my condition, my mother told me that several months before my birth, she had tripped on a rug and fallen to the floor. The umbilical cord had wrapped around my arm and cut off the circulation causing the hand and arm to wither and disappear. I was not greatly handicapped in childhood. I could do most things as well as other children and some things I could do better. As I grew older, however, I became self-conscious and spent much of my time on the side lines rather than in the mainstream. t remember mother ever telling me what prompted them to name me Howard Joseph. I think I found the answer to that question in my history book. I discovered that William Howard Taft was elected President of the United States in November, 1908. I was born on the 29th of December, 1908. Now that doesn’t prove anything until you know something about my father. He was a staunch Republican. He always voted a_ straight Republican ticket and had nothing but contempt for any one who ease himselfa Democrat or espoused a liberalc: When William ‘Howard Taft, 300 Ibs. of staunch Republican, was elected, my father was overjoyed. Now, he thought, the problems of the world would soon be solved.I don’t know how he rated the performance of Taft and Hoover but I feel sure that the performance of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal nonsense hastened his death in 1935 President Taft visited Utah in 1910, and was the guest of Billy Wilson, owner of the Hermitage Resort. My father provided the mountain trout for the dinner in the Presidents honor. I have the honor of being named after the largest president ever to occupy the White House My sister, Ann, put in her ans two years later on December 24, 1910. Our baby sister Florence, as though reluctant to crowd us further, postponed her arrival for six years. She was born September 22, 1916. We now had nine people living in the red brick house. The arrangement changed periodically, but here is a plan for housing 9 people in a two bedroom house. My earliest recollection places me on three straight backed chairs facing the wall. This bed had to be made up at bedtime and torn down in the morning because we needed the chairs. Later, I slept on a canvas camp cot. My brother and I slept in the same room as my parents. My four sisters slept in the other bedroom. Later on, when I was six or seven years old, my brother and I slept in a tent in the back yard. We slept there from May until October at which time we moved back into the house. My very earliest recollection was the death of our neighbor, an old lady named Mrs. Wilson. As the funeral procession, which consisted of four teams hitched to bobsleds, passed our home, I stood on tip toes to watch them pass. A terrible blizzard was raging and I could see the sleighs, indistinctly, as they silently passed through the flying snow on their way to the cemetery. September 22, 1916, was not one of my better days. It had been a prettygood day up until I returned from school. In between bites of head cheese sandwiches, | noticed my mother grimacing and aT, her a “What’s the pee mom?” | a: waited a moment r the pain to — an a said “nothing.” i. she bent over again placed her head on the table and I could tell she was in great pain. I was a mother’s boy and I could not stand to see her in pain. I got up and went to her put my arm around her and could feel the tension in her body. I was afraid and asked her what the trouMOFFETT PLACE cont. on page 12 Historical Photo Eden Takes County Cage Honors In the last issue of the OGDEN VALLEY NEWS, we asked our readers to help us identify the basketball players from the historical photo. Several individuals called us with this information. Thank you for your olp Jim, Howard, and Maude Stallings. ber county basketball honors for 1924 have been captured by the Eden team. They gained the title by defeating Plain City in the play-off after both teams had tied for honors. The players pictured left are: Phi oto courtesy of Rik Stallings of Logan. Ogden Valley is Where Families Come to Play Back row, left to right: Howard Stallings, Adrian Burnett, Wilo Graham, Coach Layton Galbraith Front row, left to right: Avery Gardiner, Omar Burnett, Clyde Ferrin The Lucky Ones Get to Live Here in Paradise. Celeste C. Canning PLLC Attorney at Law wis 2590 Washington Boulevard, Suite 200 Ogden, Utah 84401 Local: 801 791-1092 Office: 801 612-9299 Email: ccanninglaw@aol.com : 2 Meeting the Legal Needs of Small Business and Their Owners opps fies Lan on "i Nes if FREE Initial Thirty Minute Consultation. Appointments in Ogden Valley upon request. Sy Real Estate Sales & Service COLDWCLL BANKCR © » 4 RESORT PROPERTIES Dick Payne Broker Barry J.Van, CRS,GRI, ABR 940-4040 (800) 853-7414 a fo Le aN Re ; ’ & Jim Simmons “No Payne No Gain” Sales Agents 791-1206 Visit our new Junction Office location in the Eats of Eden retail plaza. Our team is made up of three friendly professionals with more than. 25 years of combined experience selling resort properties. We'd love to help your family find your piece of paradise. Open daily except Powder Days!! Carolyn McLean (801) 528-8742 www.OgdenValleyHomes.com The Right Choice in Ogden Valley a» J K\\ 77 Jacqueline “Jaci” Hoff (801) 920-8853 Linda ae ifag ' > } j Wf Geek Dick Payne ’ Sj e. PY he A i, Hi fz ? j rat Ga Ss , |