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Show The Ogden Valley news Volume XXV Issue XI Page 9 April 15, 2019 Angus William McKay: His story – Part I Note: This biography was taken from “Wangsgaard/Wangsgard Roots & Branches, 1866 1889” compiled by Stanley Ferrin Wangsgaard I was named after my father Angus, and my grandfather William, and I am the third child of Angus and Williamena McKay. My mother was a McKay before marriage and after. She was a sister of Bishop David McKay, and married Angus McKay who was not related. I was born in Huntsville, 10 Jan 1872, in a long log house with dirt roof and floor and not a nail in it. This house was located about 60 feet due north from where my father’s rock home now stands in Huntsville. My growing up was no different than other boys raised in Huntsville. I went up to and including the 8th grade in school. About this time, 1886, my father came home from presiding over the Scottish Mission, his fourth mission for the church. He had been absent so many years and mother had to take care of quite a large family of young children. We were in dire need of means to carry on, so father browsed around a little while and then decided to go into the livestock and dairy business. He bought a few cows here and there, which was a very nice start. This was the beginning of our family life and it was very successful. Bishop Francis A. Hammond was called to settle San Juan County in 1885. He moved everything he owned down to the southeastern part of Utah, and we fell heir to a part of the Hammond herd grounds which was located north of the head of Beaver…. After falling heir to the Hammond herd grounds, the first year we located at the old herd house with Tom Sprague and family, and the next year we moved south one mile to the Badger Springs and built a log house, milk house, and corrals which became our permanent summer home for many years. At that time this land was free grazing to anyone who wished to occupy it. As we continued to live there, my father exercised his pre-emption right. (The right given by the Federal public land laws to citizens of the United States, claiming and buying under certain conditions, a portion not exceeding a quarter section or 160 acres of public lands. This law as repealed 3 Mar 1891.) Father filed on all the land that he could under this law and the Deseret Act, and also persuaded Uncle Hugh McKay and William Christie to do the same. Later, when the law was repealed, father bought ten sections, including the ground that he had acquired as stated above. Matthew Dalton, Grandfather Cole and Mel Holmes had cattle that they wanted summer herded, so father went to Willard to investigate these men and made a satisfactory deal in which we were given the privilege of milking any of these cows that we wished. This started us in the cattle herding and I became a real cowboy. This herding and dairy business paid very well and then father was not satisfied with the prosperity, but wanted to launch out into more activity, so bought one thousand ewes which were put us in the sheep business also. As a youth, I was interested in debating and took an active part in the discussions of the Debating Society. While in school, I debated against my cousin Thomas E. McKay twice and we ended in a draw. Another big activity I enjoyed was a mock trial of a breach of promise suit between Wilhart Schade and Marian Cook. I was the attorney for Miss Cook and Harry Grow was the attorney for Will. This was a real sport and very educational. When the Weber Stake academy was started in the Ogden 2nd Ward meeting house, L.F. Moench was the head and Mr. Walton and John C. Cutler were teachers. My sister Grace, Isaac William McKay and myself were among the first-year students. In the fall of 1886 I went to Logan to college. I was very much interested and majored in Animal Husbandry which helped me very much in the stock business later. I also took blacksmithing. On 6 April 1893, I attended the dedication of the Salt lake Temple with my parents and most of the other children. It had been 40 years in building. In the spring of 1897 I received a letter The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 801-745-2688 or Jeannie at 801-745-2879 if you have material you are willing to share. ... Because life is too short to hate your hair. form Box “B,” Salt Lake City, asking if it would be agreeable with me to be called on a mission. When this letter came I was in the sheep camp and decided to burn it and not say a word about it, but as the days went by, it began to worry me and in the middle of one of those nights while lying awake thinking, Eph Nielsen who was sleeping beside me also awakened and asked what in hell I was lying there awake for. I told him that I had received a call on a mission. He was smoking a cigarette while lying there thinking. Then he said, you are going and I will help out all I can. We had sheared some old ewes up in the canyon and the boys were taking the wool down to Huntsville, so I went along on horseback. My father and mother were milking their cows in the corral on the section when I rode in. I got off m y horse and there in the middle of that corral I told them that I was going on a mission June 17. There were not many days to get ready. That day we told the Bishop, Uncle David McKay, who was mother’s brother. The following Monday, Father and I went to Salt Lake City where I was ordained a Seventy, went through the Temple and was ready to leave for the Southern States Mission 17 June 1897. It happened that the 17th of June was “Circus Day” in Ogden, and many had come to see it. My father took me down and I visited around all afternoon with Miss Christina Wangsgaard. She and Brig Folkman were the last ones to see me off on the train. At the train I met a friend, Fred Hayes, who was going to the same mission. I had taken Christina out on several occasions prior to this day, and we corresponded during my entire mission. From The Past . . . Valley School First Grade 1951 Top Row: Teacher - Mrs Stoker, Lois Ann Clawson, Richard Avondet, Michael Ann Whitely, ?, Barbara Wood, Luana Creamer, and Mary Shaw. Middle Row: ?, Norene Graham, LuAnn Lindsey, ?, Janette Bandell, Kathy Shaw, Louise Jones, Rhea Montgomery, ?, and Colleen Allen. Bottom Row: ?, Craig Peterson, ?, Jay Allen, Eugene Bailey, Darrel Poulsen, Clyde Fielding, Robert Gledhill, and David Crawford. If you can identify any of these missing students, please call Shanna at 745-2688 or Jeannie at 745-2879. Photo courtesy of Eugene Bailey of Liberty. April Special FREE travel-size Hempz lotion with any product purchase. Expires 4/30/2019 5522 East 2200 North in Eden April 18 - Holy Thursday Mass 6:00 pm April 19 - Good Friday Service 6:00 pm April 20 - Easter Vigil 9:00 pm (no 5:00 pm Mass) April 21 - Easter Masses 8:00 am & 10:00 am There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the children after the 10:00 AM Easter Day Mass. Saturday Night 4:30 p.m. Sunday Morning 8:00 a.m. Sunday Morning 10:00 a.m. Tuesday Night 6:00 p.m. Fr. Charles Cummins 801-399-9531 StFlorenceHuntsville.org Before and after any Mass or by appointment. Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary, Middle School, and High School Providing a challenging, college-focused education in the proven tradition of Catholic schools, for the families of the Ogden Valley. We want to teach your children! For information on our program, financial assistance, tours, or application, please call 801-393-6051 or 801-394-1515. 2668 Grant Avenue, Suite #104A, Ogden, UT 801-612-9299 |