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Show Modern-day pioneer has brought changes to F. H. By TOM BUSSELBERG FRUIT HEIGHTS A storybook story-book beginning still sees the knot tied 55 years later on the marriage of Samuel Raymond and wife Mil-dren. Mil-dren. The couple met when both played play-ed leading roles in a Kaysville church production "and she's been leading me ever since," said Samuel of his wife Mildred. The Raymond name is one well-known in Fruit Heights and by long-time county residents (see related story on Fruit Heights history). He was the town of Fruit Heights' first president "no one else wanted the job," the 80-year old lifelong former-fruit grower quipped. "We held councU meetings meet-ings in my home." "Home" then was in Bair Canyon. The need for a water system led to formation of the city and Mr. Raymond knew all-too-well the difference dif-ference that would make. "We had to carry our water in by hand in winter and summer." Electricity was an earlier modern mod-ern convenience added in 1913 that made life a bit easier. It wasn't, necessary to haul in as much wood to keep the old stoves stocked. Cars were unheard of when Mr. Raymond was young. His first was a Model T and he learned how to drive when he was 12 and has been doing it since. "Roads were just dirt-covered when I was a lad. The main road came right through our property (along the Mountain Road). Years later, as traffic built up, the old Mountain Road, which served as the main thoroughfare between Ogden and Salt Lake City, sometimes was so busy the Raymonds' young children I ' :: f I SAM RAYMOND :ouldn't cross the road. Life wasn't easy for Mr. Raymond or most of the other residents, resi-dents, back then. He didn't hesitate hesi-tate a second in saying he's glad the "good old days" are gone. His mother was a widow virtually virtual-ly from his birth and he, being the only son, had to shoulder much of the burden early in life. It meant milking cows morning and night, riding (by horse) over to the farm in West Kaysville. He recalls working work-ing on a "small orchard when I was a kid." It was a "do-it-yourself" life back then, whether going into the mountains to chop down the family Christmas tree (possible before the Forest Service came in and placed restrictions on access), or repairing the road in front of your property or personally hauling pipes before that water system was installed in 1939-40. "Now we even have to pay for garbage pickup," he said. That pipe-carrying trip almost cost Mr. Raymond his life. As recalled re-called by his wife, he'd gone back for "one last load" after the others accompanying him earlier had "called it a night." Thinking his horse was still up to it, he discovered disco-vered otherwise when she tumbled at a switchback. He steered her so she lit on another trail saving them both. . Active in the LDS Church, "Bishop" is also a title Mr. Raymond carries, having served in that capacity during the 1960's. His sense of humor comes through again when he talks about his missionary mis-sionary experiences in Eastern Canada. At that time missionaries served 2'2 years, even in English-speaking English-speaking areas. But then, the "English" of it all was debated bv Mr. Raymond. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE HHimillJIMHIU. I' II III III III I II ill I II Modern-day pioneer CONTINUED FROM PREV. PAGE "Most of the people where I labored la-bored spoke English if you could understand it." "When we got married, we had no money," Mrs. Raymond recalled. recal-led. She had just arrived in Kaysville Kays-ville from her home in Gooding, . Ida. and had worked only briefly before they were married. In those days, though, it was easier to live on "love" and a lot of hard work. "He'd butcher a pig or beef or deer" for meat, she recalled. recal-led. "We didn't live out of the store. We always had a garden and could live on vegetables. We only had meat occasionally." But those were also the days of frequent bouts with such diseases as pneumonia he had it as a baby and then at age seven and at two other times. In addition to his farming duties, i Mr. Raymond drove a school bus for 27 years. He became a part ol daily life for hundreds of youngsters, youngs-ters, and is still known near and fai even though the county has growr from one high school to six. The Raymonds have three children: chil-dren: Floyd, Wilmington, Del.; Gene, who lives just two house! north; and Barbara Spendlove There are nine grandchildren ant nine great-grandchildren. i Other family members live i home surrounding the Raymonds A granddaughter and her famil live in the old house just south an others are equally as close. So while Mr. Raymond's heall is no longer the best he has sul fered a stroke and heart attack-family attack-family members are close. T prove that fact a great granddaughter stopped by with basket of fruit to check on his wel being while this reporter was there |