Afton took great pride in everything she did. There were times when she would can more than 2000 quart and two-quart jars of fruit, vegetables and juice in a summer. She insisted that it look beautiful in the jars. Afton was famous for her sewing as well. She made clothes for her children, knitted, crocheted and spent hours with her embroidery and tatting. She made hairpin lace, knitted lace, pieced and sewed quilts, and taught her daughters many of these skills. She was a perfectionist. Afton won several blue ribbons at the Utah State Fair for her quilts, and quilted professionally for 25 years. From time to time, neighbors would come and quilt with her, but if their stitches weren't perfect, after they left, Afton would unpick them and do them over. When I was young, I wanted more than anything to quilt with my grandma. She took a large hoop and set it up just like a quilt, with fabric scraps and batting, and then drew a pattern on it for me to follow. I would quilt it the way she showed me and then she would inspect my stitches. After going through this process over and over, year after year, I finally passed. I was a teenager by then, but still so honored to be able to sit at a quilt with Grandma. She died 4 Sep 1995 from congestive heart failure at the age of 89. She had been a widow for 31 years. I have so many memories of her- I'll work on posting them off and on throughout this blog.

This picture is (L-R) Billie Darleen Clark Facer (my mother), Afton Madsen Clark (my mom's mother), Shirley Clark Bona (Afton's step-daughter), and LuDean Clark Payne (my mom's sister). I'm guessing that this was taken about 1980.
Now a little more about Afton: In Springville, from 1930 to 1950, Afton taught Mutual, Primary, was co-ordinator of the Junior Sunday School, taught homemaking in Relief Society, and was the Relief Society secretary. She and Frank also served on the stake geneology committee from 1953 to 1956.
Just after the beginning of World War II (summer 1942) Eddington's Cannery needed help. All the boys had gone to war, and there was no one to help with tomatoes. The Relief Society stepped in and asked women for help. Anyone who could spare any time at all was urged to help out at the cannery and do their part for the war effort. Afton responded, as did many of her neighbors. As a result, she worked there for 8 summers. Then in 1950 she went to work for Champ Allen at Allen's Dry Cleaners, and from 1954 to 1962 she sewed draperies for Dixon Taylor Russell Company in Provo.

This post is about Afton Madsen Clark, my mother's mother. Most of the following was written by my mom's older sister, LuDean, and read by me at Afton's funeral.
Afton Madsen was born in Summit, Iron County, Utah on 30 Mar 1906. Her parents were Nels Christian Madsen and Norah Dean Hulet. Two years later twin boys were born on her birthday, Ardell and Bernell, and 7 years after that her youngest brother Elmer was born. The picture posted here is Afton at 6 months. Summit, located 12 miles north of Cedar City, only had an elementary school, so when it was time for high school, Afton moved to Cedar City and lived there with several of her friends as was the custom in those days. She went on to college and graduated from the branch of the Agricultural College in Cedar City in 1925. She was planning to be a teacher like her mother and three aunts, but after substituting for her cousin for 6 weeks, she decided very quickly this was not for her.
In 1924, while at Zion's National Park, Afton rode across the canyon (from Angel's Landing to the bottom) on a load of logs used for the construction of the lodge.
The Escalante Hotel in Cedar City was hosting a special banquet, and called the school in search of girls to help out. Afton was recommended, worked at the banquet, and was immediately offered a job. She worked in the hotel business until she met her husband, Frank.
Southern Utah was a popular place for the movie industry during the 20s, and in 1926 when the movie "Stagecoach of '76" with Tom Mix was filmed in the area Afton went to Zion's again with a group of girls to work in the dining room for the crew. In 1927 when "Ramona" with Dolores del Rio and "Shepherd of the Hills" with Molly Malone were filmed all the stars stayed in the Escalante Hotel where Afton worked.
After this, Afton went to Delta, Utah, where the Pavant Hotel was being opened. There she met Frank Huntington Clark, a widower with 2 small children- Jack Owen and Shirley. They were married on 6 May 1929. A year later they moved to Springville, Utah to take care of Frank's father, John Lafayette Clark ( see earlier post on John and his trek to Utah from Iowa).

More on George

Another section from George's son- "George eventually became the bishop of the Willard Ward. He was instrumental in getting the ward meeting house. After about 7 years he was released as bishop, only to be called back for a second term. He was one of the committee which laid out the Willard Cemetery. He helped build the Logan Temple and afterward served on the Temple board of directors. He was superintendant of the cooperative sheep herd in Brigham City under the direction of Lorenzo Snow. He was strictly honest with the tithes and offerings. When poor cattle, hogs, etc, came in he did not waste; he fed the vegetables to the animals and fattened them. Often he cooked the vegetables and fed them to the old cows that had no teeth. The Presiding Bishop told him he could throw the old stuff away, and then said, 'You are a very honest man.' George taught his family that Joseph Smith was a prophet and seer, and that the Doctrine and Covenants was the revelation from the Lord. One Sunday they were just going to Sunday School when a great swarm of grasshoppers came and settled on a patch of wheat that was green. George H. (his son) and John Roberts got a rope to run through the wheat. Father said, 'Come, we will go to church.' They came home to find the wheat unharmed. It was my duty to keep Father's shoes shined, every Monday morning for immediate use. His mother had required it of him, too. To me he was a man of God, true to his calling and ordination. His testimony was the foundation on which he stood and God was his buckler and shield. George died on the 22nd of February, 1903 in Willard, Utah, and was buried in the Willard cemetery. They said his sickness and death were caused by gallstones."

George, the man

This final bit on George Facer is quoted from his son's journal. I love the detail about George's character and habits.
"Father was a man of faith and integrity. Very clean in person and language. True to the living oracles or authorities, strictly honest and trustworthy. He was firm in his testimony of the gospel. Very careful in his dress. He had a head of curly hair and always wore a moustache. He was about 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight, about 165 pounds. He was intelligent, a good provider and a good economist.
Ordination: ordained a seventy the 23rd of September 1860 by J.W.Brewerton.
Ordained a high priest 9th of September, 1877.
He received his endowment in the Salt Lake Endowment House in November 1863, and was sealed there to Mary by Heber C. Kimball. He received 3 patriarchal blessings: 27th of September 1860 by Isaac Morley, 10th of May 1871 by C.W. Hyde, and the third by John Smith, date not known. The blessings all told him that it was not his privilege to go to the world to preach the gospel on a mission, but that his work was in Zion.
President Lorenzo Snow taught Father the celestial order of marriage, or polygamy. He was instructed to marry more women, and married 3 more. His wives: Mary Prior (English), Sarah Roberts (English), Susannah Nebeker Lechtenburg (Dutch), Harriet Shumway (Danish). He built each a home and deeded it to them. He was true to them. He spent 3 months in prison and was fined $300 because he would not set them aside or deny them."
In the next post I'll share some personal experiences that George had.

More on George

In Salt Lake City, George and Mary stayed with Mark Lindsay for one night, then left for Centerville on August 28 where they stayed with John Ford, Sr. Arrived in Willard on Aug 30. In Willard they lived on what is known as Old Wells Corner. George worked for Bishop Virl Dives, and lived in a one-room house. William Facer was born here on July 13, 1861. George Q. Cannon told them to go to North Willard and they would succeed, but earning enough money to buy property was difficult. They had no change of clothes. Mary washed them every night so they would be dry in the morning. Benjamin Taylor gave them their Christmas dinner. They had no shoes or boots, but wrapped their feet in burlap and tied it on with a string. They had no soap and no matches. when they needed a fire, they wrapped a cloth tight on a stick, then went to the neighbors, set it on fire, and carried it home. Sarah Ann was born March 26, 1863, and died January 13, 1864.
Bishop Dives gave them a cow, and they continued to save. George was finally able to buy the Bankhead property in North Willard. It's now called the old Facer Homestead. Mr. Bankhead was a slave owner at the time, but moved to Wellsville after the property sold.
Next week I'll include some personal information about George.

George Facer

George Facer was my great-great grandfather. A brief history was written about him by one of his sons, so here are some excerpts and facts.
Born 4 Jul 1834, Eynesbury, Huntingdonshire, England
Died 22 Feb 1903, Willard, Box Elder Co., Utah
Parents- Henry and Mary Jarvis Facer
Baptized by J.B. Price in August, 1854
Married 6 Sep 1857 to Mary Prior in Eynesbury, by the Parson Mall.

George's father died when he was 2 years old. After George was baptized, he worked on the farm of Edward Peck, saving his money and making payments to an emigration fund for Church members to come to Utah. He gave all of this emigration money to the Church, by request, and then sorted onions for Peck to earn more to come to Utah himself. George and Mary started their journey on March 27, 1860 with their 16-month-old son George Henry. They arrived in Liverpool the next day and sailed for America on March 30 on the ship Underwriter with 594 other Church members. James D. Ross was president of the company. The journey was very rough, with much sickness on board. They arrived in New York after 32 days, landing on May 1, 1860. They continued to Florence on the Missouri River by boat and also traveled by rail. In Iowa, George worked for a Mr. Ford digging post holes for which he received some food. At Florence a handcart was prepared. It was a two-wheeled outfit with a tongue at which 2 people could pull. The box was about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide, with a cover, containing bedding and 1 week's provisions for 5 people. On June 14, 1860 the company started for Utah. Captain Dan Robinson was president of the company from there. It was the first company of the season, consisting of 233 people, 43 handcarts, 6 wagons, 30 oxen and 10 tents. The trek was difficult with blistered hands, bloody feet, and food shortages due to feeding the Indians. It was either feed them or fight. George shot and wounded a buffalo, but didn't kill it so it got away. The Indians were determined to have Mary and another woman in the company, Hannah Slater. They offered 3 ponies for the women, and caused a lot of trouble when they were refused. The company finally arrived in Salt Lake City on August 27, 1860.
More next week!