Samuel Chandler Parkinson, son of Samuel Rose Parkinson and Arabella Ann Chandler, was born February 23, 1853 in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents left their homes in England - their [crossed out, replaced with "his"] mothers birthplace being Chethem [crossed out, replaced with "Cheltenham"] and his father Lancastershire for the Gospels sake. They were married in St. Louis, Missouri and both secured work so they could get enough money together to bring them to Utah. Like most of the Saints, that was their greatest desire, to make their home in Zion. It was during this time in Missouri that their first child Samuel was born. Soon after this event they journeyed to Utah, he was two [crossed out, replaced with "1"] years old and of course shared the struggles and hardships of crossing the plains with his parents.
They settled at Kaysville, Utah in 1854 where they stayed several years. Several of their children were born there. From there they came to Franklin and like most of the early settlers here lived in ["a" crossed out] small log cabin with a dirt roof with very little to get along with. The schools as we all know were very primitive, but both his father and mother were very interested in education and gave the children every advantage possible. His father had very little education but was a very hard worker and a good provider. He taught his children to work hard and earn an honest living.
When grandfather was quite young he married Mary Ann Hobbs in the Logan Temple [crossed out, replaced with "Endowment house Dec 9-1872 - '19 Age'"]. He was always religious and took an active part in the church at all times. It was after he was married and had a family [of 6 children] that he fulfilled a mission for his church in the Southern States. As a child I remember him telling many interesting things about his mission. [1885-1886 filled another mission to Northwestern States in 1898 with his brother.]*
He and grandmother raised a large family of six boys and seven girls. One girl died when she was very young. He was very kind and considerate of his wife. He provided her with a good home and plenty of the necessities of life. She was a wonderful woman, how well I remember her, she was a wonderful housekeeper and a good cook. She had a good voice and they had much singing and music in their home.
Grandfather gave his children all the advantages of higher education, and sent the boys on missions and the girls took music lessons, sewing and etc. He homesteaded the farm where Uncle Rowland is living now. All the land in the river bottom was sage ["sage" crossed out] brush [and sloughs] which he cleared and made a fine farm of it. In addition to his farming he was also in the sheep business. At times he had as many as 1500 [crossed out, replaced with "4,000 or 5,000"] head. Father has told us many of his experiences with the sheep when he was but a boy.
Samuel was a lover of animals especially fine horses. He raised horses and matched teams to sell. He took great pride in caring for them. They were well fed and were fine looking. He loved to ride a nice horse. I can see him now out for his daily ride. He also had a surry and a cutter that he took pride in hitching a good team to and driving around the country. As one time he made a present of a beautiful black horse to Joseph F. Smith who was the President of our church at that time.
Besides his beautiful horses and other farm animals, he had deer, elk, and some beautiful peacocks on his place. This was really an attraction for passer-bys. The hi-way passed his place at that time and it was not uncommon to see tourists park their cars and watch the animals. It was a beautiful sight, the animals by the water in the mill race.
He owned a meat market at one time located where Cottle's store used to be. He enjoyed giving to the widows and helping the poor. He helped many of his friends and relatives out of financial difficulties and many times without security of any kind.
Grandfather was a fine looking man, with dark brown curly hair and beard and brown eyes. He was very neat and always well dressed. He stood erect and proud and usually he would wear a flower in his lapel of his coat. He always had candy in his pocket for the children and I can remember the many gifts he used to bring to us when he came home from one of his trips.
When he was young he like to box and wrestle and he loved dancing and good music. He played the accordian. He also loved to hunt, in the fall he usually went deer hunting and on one occasion he was hunting with Jim Handy and Arson Broadbent up in Cub River on the cliffs above Deer Cliff Inn. The deer got excited and wild and some of them plunged over the cliff where the Inn now stands. That is how it got the name of Deer Cliff.
He had many dealings and experience with the Indians of Cache Valley and he was good to them and learned to understand their language. He had many of their beautiful Navajo blankets in his home. After the terrible battle of Battle Creek his father took one of the children (whose parents were killed) into his home and raised him as one of his own. His name was Shem and he stayed in their home until he got restless and dissatisfied so he left and went back to his own tribe and there he died. Grandfather also remembered the occasion when Mary Ann Alder was run down by a drunken Indian on a horse and Ben Chadwick over took the red man and shot him. They had many exciting adventures with the red man both good and bad.
In 1906 Grandfather and his father Samuel R. attended the Worlds Fair in St. Louis. My father Albert was fortunate enough to be taken along with them and they had a wonderful time together. They visited relatives of the Parkinson family by the name of Berry. They owned and operated a large bakery in that city.
S.C. Parkinson was Bishop of the Franklin Ward for seven [crossed out, replaced with "thirteen"] years. I have heard it told that during this time he did much good. At Christmas time he always killed a beef and distributed it among the widows, wives of missionaries and those in need, and it wasn't unusual for him to buy a car load of coal and do the same with it. I remember being to his place and seeing twelve butchered hogs laying in a row ready to be cut up and cured to be used where it was needed most and he always had at least twelve barrels of apples in his cellar in the fall. These things I know because I have seen them. He was also a commissioner of the County at the time.
Grandmother Parkinson died Dec. 12 [crossed out, replaced with 22], 1912 and was buried the day before Christmas Myrtle and Roma were just children. Roma was about 11 and she was the baby. Grandfather was both father and mother to them. He later married Lulu Carpenter from Logan and she is still living.
I want to say here that Grandfather had a great sense of humor. He loved a good joke and a good laugh. He owned one of the first cars around this country, a large Studebaker and he later bought a Cadillac. He used to laugh and say he always wanted to take a car load when he went places so if had to get out and push he would have plenty of help.
When I was about 12 or 13 I remember father and I were going to conference in Preston with him, that was when we traveled the old highway to the worm creek hill which was quite steep. It had been raining the night before so when we arrived at the bottom of the hill he drove off the side of the road and said, "All right folks we'll walk the rest of the way." So we all piled out and proceeded to walk. We really felt foolish when along came a car, and picked us up and took us on to conference, and it happened to be my future father in-law and his family that gave us the lift. We have a good laugh about that very often.
When my sister Ella was just a child she used to go over after school and help Aunt Lulu. Grandfather brought her home on night in the car. He said, "Now Ella you get ready to jump when I slow known so I won't have to stop the car." Well she jumped and really took a tumble.
He paid his tithing and kept the Word of Wisdom, including going to bed at 9 0'Clock at night. When company would be there at night and 9 0'Clock would roll around he would say, "Well folks you are welcome to stay as long as you wish, but it is my bed time so I will leave you now."
In 1913 [crossed out, replaced with 1919] he left the farm and went to Salt Lake to make his home.
He died May 23, 1922 at the age of 69. He has five sons and four daughters still living. Albert, Leonard, Raymond, Bernice, Roland, Teress Brossard, Anita Smoot, Myrtle Russell and Roma Crawford. They all honor their fathers name. In our family gatherings it is always a pleasure to talk of the lives of their father S.C. Parkinson and wife Polly.
I am thankful that I knew my grandfather so well because he was an outstanding and very wonderful man.
[Karma's notes continue:]
*In February he labored very successfully and with great pleasure opened up that mission in Baker City, Walla, Walla, Pendleton Vianto, Portland, Oregon city, Salem, Vancouver Astoria and other places. Returned home by way of Calif in April 1898 - This is in L.D.S. biographical Encyclopedia v 2.
Bernice has a small diary of his fathers that says he got a latter from Box B Salt Lake on May 1st asking him if he could be ready to leave for a mission to the South on May 20th and he wrote back that he would go - he had no excuses. He left his wife with six children and a farm to take care of. A hired man named Charlie Peterson helped her. The Diary mentions his mission in 1884 - but the L.D.S. E - says he went 1885 - 1886 so we don't know just when he went.
S.C. bought 3 farms - 1 from Jim Frew, 1 from Henry Perry, 1 from Dave Mc Clain, 1 from Tom Thourson.
Note from Diary "Polly is it is hard for me to study I would rather work." "I've worn my hat out fanning myself." "You know Polly we live very well and now it goes rather hard on me."
"A geat menny of the wimmen in this countrey have children and don' know were they get them." "I wonder if I am mised at home."
There are a lot of things Raymond knows about such as his fine dairy herd. Milking 30 cows at one time sending 100 gal. milk a day to factory.
Shipped thousands of sheep to Chicago and Omaha.
His word was as good as his bond.
He was a good judge of people as well as horses.
Always counciled his children to live within their means - "If you make a dollar save 50 cents". Told his boys one morning he didn't expect them to work too hard but wanted them to get in 20 loads that day.
Told Raymond when he was stacking hay to keep the middle filled up so rain wouldn't get in and wet the stack.
When you put up a fence use good cedar posts put them in straight, tamp them and pull the wires tight. If you are going to catch a train go on time."
If people were going some place with him were not ready on time he would go without them. One time we were driving him to Logan and I was slow getting ready. He started out walking - we over took him down by the R.R. station. I was quite embarrassed. Before going to bed he always took his lantern outside and down around the barns to see if the animals were all well fed and ready for the nite then he washed his face, brushed his teeth and combed his hair like he was going to a party before going to bed. Bernice remembers many years of being told to get a bowl of warm water a clean towel , a bar of castil soap and washing his feet for him.
He never neglected kneeling and having prayers with his family before [after crossed out] breakfast and before the evening meal.
Twice a year before leaving for conference he took out his little red book and asked each member of the family what they wanted him to bring them from the city. Last of all he asked his wife what she wanted and she said, "2 wrappers" or mother hubbard dresses - they were called. It was always a great day when he returned with all the gifts usually a string of bananas included.
[Karma continues with this note at the bottom:]
Dear Viola, This is a sketch that Neva wrote. It contains some interesting personal information that you might be able to use. We made a few corrections. I have written down some things that Bernice remembers.
We would appreciate having this back and when you get your history written why don't you just put a piece of carbon in the type writer and make a copy for us. We could have Diane's husband print copies so all the family could have one.
We found a newspaper clipping - a very nice article that was printed when S.C. ran for County Commissioner. It is pasted in a book so I can't send it but will have Diane make a copy today and will send it in another envelope.