Melvin Castleton

• Name: Melvin Castleton
• Born: March 14, 1900 Salt Lake City, Utah
• Died: June 2, 1998 Tremonton, Utah
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

I was born March 14, 1900, to Arthur Robert and Ellen Woolley Castleton at the home of my mother's sister, Aunt Stella Snowball, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

My father, Arthur Robert, was the seventh child of James Joseph Castleton and Francis Sarah Brown. James Joseph was born January 25, 1829 in Lowestoft, Suffolk England. He was a rope maker and fisherman in England. Francis Sarah Brown was born in Pulham Market, Norfolk England, the fourth in a large family of fourteen children. It was necessary for her to work out as a servant girl in Lowestoft where she met and married James.

They were converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in 1863, immigrated to America. They sailed on the ship Amazon to New York Harbor, and took a train to Florence, Nebraska where they joined the Ricks Company to cross the plains. It was a hard trip with four little boys and Grandma expecting her fifth little one; there were very few wagons and they walked every step of the way. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley on October 4, 1863, and Grandma gave birth to her fifth son in December.

Grandpa (James) became a gardener for Brigham Young. Father (Arthur), their seventh child, was born May 16, 1868 in Salt Lake City. He often told of seeing and speaking with Brigham Young and taking vegetables to his wives, who he said were "fine" women. Grandma Castleton and her older boys opened the first Castleton Store in their home, with the help of her very young son Arthur Robert. At first they just sold things that women use in sewing and some dry goods. Later a store was built on the corner of L Street and 2nd Avenue which supported them after Grandpa's death in 1882. They also had a family orchestra and played for dances. This love for music carried over in my parents' home. Grandma was a wonderful woman, very strong in the Gospel.

My mother, Ellen Woolley was born in Leicester, Leicestershire England to Emanuel Woolley of Leicester and Ann Cheney of Blaby, Leicestershire England. Emanuel had been raised Catholic and joined the LDS church when he was seventeen years old. Ann and her mother Mary Goodman, who was a widow, had joined the church when Ann was a young girl.

Emanuel and Ann married and had a large family. Mother remembered that they always had missionaries in their home in England. She also remembers that their relatives disliked the "Mormons" but one uncle was friendly to the daughters of the family and would give them fruit from his fruit stand. I remember Grandfather as a real student of the Bible, and Grandmother as a sweet quiet little lady.

The Woolley family emigrated from England in 1880. Grandpa Woolley worked at the shoe store at ZCMI. They lived in a little house on 27th and L Street set in the back of a yard full of roses. Although mother was only twelve years old when she came to America, her speech reflected prominently her English background. She was a refined, cultured lady who read a lot and held spiritual values.

This pretty English girl walked past the Castleton Store where Father worked, and finally they met. They had a lot in common; they both loved music and sang in the Tabernacle Choir when Brother Evan Stevens was director. They loved the gospel and had a happy courtship. Arthur and Ellen or Nellie as she was called, were married May 29, 1890 in the Logan Temple. Grandma Woolley was a wonderful cook and gave a nice little reception at the Woolley home.

Soon after their marriage, Mother and Father bought a lot that was at one time part to Brigham Young's apple orchard. It was near 7th East and 12th South. (21st South is now where 12th South was then) They build a lovely little brick home and lived there about ten years. They attended the Forrest Dale Ward where Dad was the choir leader.

Art, Harold, Ruth and Wilford were born there. I was born at Aunt Stella Snowballs' home in Salt Lake City. As Mother's health was poor, the doctors advised her to move to a high, dry place. Father had always desired to farm so we sold our home in Salt Lake and moved to Idaho.

I was about a year old when our family moved to a small farm in Pleasantview, Idaho, about eight miles west of Malad.

My first memory of the farm at Pleasantview was a brick home to which we added several rooms. It was a pretty area with a pond, green meadows and trees. We bathed in a round bathtub in the kitchen; Mother mixed bread; we played games of hard ball and horseshoes and we caught crawfish and frogs from the pond. We had chores of feeding livestock, milking, and carrying water to the house from a fresh spring by the creek. When we were real small we went to the little white one room schoolhouse on the hill.

When I was about three years old, Mother took me visiting in Salt Lake City. Mother was a good friend of a daughter of Wilford Woodruff. We went to visit her in her home and she insisted that we spend the night. Mother was always so proud and felt it such an honor that we slept in Wilford Woodruff's bed.

Mother often told of an incident concerning me that took place at Pleasantview. I had fallen into the pond and when I was finally pulled out, was given up for dead; my family had great faith and through the power of the Priesthood my life was preserved.

It was here in our pond that I was baptized March 14 1908 by William Camp into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.

A salesman came along and wanted to sell us a piano for $500. Mother said she would buy it if he would throw in a violin. Ruth took piano lessons and I got the violin. Art played clarinet, Harold the trumpet, and Leonard the sax. Later Ruby and Don played the piano also. We had some great times; we really brought music into those hills of Idaho.

Father was the choir leader in this ward, also. It's often told how he would tie his horses to the fence at the church, go in and teach the Primary children a song, then go back to his plowing. Another story tells that as he led the singing he would pump the organ with one foot while Ruth played, as her legs were too short to reach the pedals.

In my younger years before I graduated from the eighth grade I spent some summers in Salt Lake City where I helped in the Castleton Brothers Store. I stayed with my brother Art at Uncle Frank's home. I remember that my Uncle Jimmy was caretaker at Liberty Park, and he taught me to ride a bike there. During these summers I was able to take some violin lessons from a Mr. Shepherd. He gave me a lot of encouragement, as he felt I had a lot of potential as a violinist. I really enjoyed playing with an orchestra of young people in the Forest Dale Ward while there; I loved playing the violin and I've always had an interest in good music.

Father worked hard to give us the necessities; we were always clean and dressed neatly. We were not poor, but we were not the most prosperous. Father's endeavors as a farmer were not very successful, so he spent several winters in Salt Lake working at the Castleton Brothers Store. He was also employed at Waldron’s Store at Samaria, Idaho, his family still trying to run the farm. Harold was Mother's right hand man, as my oldest brother, Art, was going to school and working in Salt Lake City.

I have such fond memories of Pleasantview; three babies were born there; we had good friends and of course our music, we had some wonderful times.

In 1913 Father sold the farm in Pleasantview and bought a dry farm at Holbrook, about 20 miles west of Malad. This was a very isolated area, so we also had a home in Malad and attended school there. In Holbrook we didn't irrigate but had a well. Our home was a frame lean-to with a windmill in back; we had a few sheds and a stable.

My best memory of that place was a pony which I claimed as my own. It was born kind of immature; it was a scrub and we didn't think it would live. I babied it along and finally got so I could ride him. I was with him every chance I had; I really loved that pony. On the picture of the Holbrook house, I am on my pony.

I remember the entertainment at the church; again we had a little orchestra where I enjoyed playing my violin. Being an isolated farm community, we were very close and had great times together.

We sold the dry farm in Holbrook in about 1918. Malad was our home from then on. We lived in a house on the hill about four blocks north on the east road leading from town. There was a steep hill with poplars growing on it leading to the gravel pit where we often played as kids.

It was about 1913; I was the oldest going to school and was to take Ralph, Leonard, and Ruby to school for the first time in Malad. We were just green kids from the country, so I took each of them right to the class where they looked about the age of the other pupils. Then I went to class where I thought I belonged. Very soon E. M. Decker sternly called me out of class, demanded to know who I was, where I came from, and where the other kids were that I had brought with me. He put us each in the right classes and all turned out well.

In my school I was never a star, but I was an above average student. I went to school with Herbert Thomas, Mary Ward, Annie Evans, Eva Jones and I guess my best friend was Owen Howard. He lived just a few blocks from us; I knew him all my life. He was a reliable guy and we did a lot of things together. My brother, Harold married his sister, Hilda.

I remember a fad of the girls wearing hobble skirts. One girl in particular always liked to be in style and was one of the first to get a tight hobble skirt. She came strutting along and fell flat. A bunch of us boys sat and couldn't help but laugh before we finally helped her up. One day after school I had to stay in and draw a map. When I finished I went running down the stairway when out of nowhere E. M. Decker appeared. He grabbed me by the back of my collar and every button popped off my shirt. I was really nervous about going home, I didn't know how I would explain this to my mother. I still remember how it felt when he yanked on your hair right at the back of your neck. We always liked to play marbles, when the girls didn't bother us.They always came around begging to play with us.

After eighth grade I spent a summer at Brady, Montana working for the Great Northern Railroad, with my brother Art. He was the agent and taught me telegraphy. I thought I wanted to be a teacher, so I returned to school that fall. After high school money was scarce, so there was no thought of further education or a mission. I went back and worked on the railroad.

Our home was a place where our friends always felt welcome. Each Sunday night friends would gather after Sacrament Meeting and sing, eat, and have a good time.

Our family had a lot of fun; we had very high standards and were religious. I will always remember that when I was a young man, Joseph F. Smith came to speak in Stake Conference in the old Malad Tabernacle. He was the President of the Church, and walked in slender and tall in a white suit, with his long white beard. The congregation stood and sang "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet". I felt very impressed that he was a Prophet of God, this has always stayed with me.

Father was a strict disciplinarian who liked things in order, but was very cheerful and a lot of fun. He kept a beautiful garden and yard, umpired baseball games, and called out the numbers each Wednesday night at the picture show on bank night. He was Justice of the Peace for thirteen years. He inspired people to sing; when he got up to lead you'd better sing! He was an honest religious man. Mother told how he gave our milk cow to the Bishop for tithing. The Bishop credited him for the cow, then told him to take it home and use the milk for his family. Later they were able to buy the cow back and complete their tithing. Father loved music, sports, gardening, his family, but most of all he loved my mother.

Mother was a gentle gracious lady. She had a delightful sense of humor and always took time to give us her attention. She read to us, told us stories and helped us whenever we needed her. She was a clean person, but things didn't worry her; people were more important. She loved everyone and never ever said an unkind thing about anyone. She was always cheerful and when she felt that Dad was worried or had a lot of pressure she would leave the family to eat their supper and meet him at the gate with a picnic lunch for two. She always kept her genteel English ways; we loved to tease her because she never caught on to a joke.

It was about 1920 when I left Malad. Jobs were hard to find, and I hired on at Union Pacific Railroad. I started at Garland and lived at Bishop Munns' home. Art was the agent there at that time. It wasn't long before I was bumped and moved on to another place. I worked at Garland, Utah, Emmett, Idaho, and Glenns Ferry, Idaho. I liked to take my violin with me but my practicing wasn't appreciated at some of the boarding houses. I believe the Railroad gets into your blood, as I still get a kick out of playing with a telegraph or seeing a train.

In the spring of 1928 I came down to visit Leonard, who was living at Landvatters and working for O.P. Skaggs in Tremonton. Leonard played saxophone with an orchestra at a dance in Corrine at the Masonic Hall. This is where I first saw Ruth. She was wearing a red dress, and she was the most beautiful girl I think I'd ever seen. She and Grace Thompson had come with Ben and Gladys Elleson. When they walked in, Ruth asked who the guy was with Herman Landvatter. Grace said, "Oh, just some traveling salesman." During the evening Ted Hone, an old friend from Malad who with his wife Lena, was now living next door to Grandma Getz went over to Ruth and told her that there was a guy over there who wanted to meet her. We met and danced several dances. After that we corresponded, and I came down more often to visit. Two years later we were married.

Sunday February 16, 1930, was our wedding day, I came down on the train to Deweyville, where Ruth and Ike met me. There to surprise us were Ben and Gladys Elleson, Ben and Mamie Winzler, Grace Thompson and Ann Miller. Ben Winzler was wearing a ten Gallon hat and tried to lasso me; I came very near running right in front of a big freight train going at high speed on the next track. I was pretty nervous that day.

We drove Ike's car back to Malad and we were married at my folks' home by Bishop Thomas D. Evans. Mother cooked a lovely family dinner. We returned to Tremonton the next day where Ruth's friends had a reception for us. Thursday we left on the train for our new home at Glenns Ferry, Idaho. I had rented an apartment, but in the meantime had been bumped, so we went to a one room apartment in Minadoka. I worked nights for the railroad, but was soon bumped again and was sent to Nampa. We were in Nampa three days when I found there was a vacancy in Emmett so we packed up and moved again. We were there two and a half months when we were bumped again. We had a pass to use up our vacation, so we went to Utah for two weeks and had no idea where we would be after that.

We were pretty tired of railroad life! On our way back to Emmett we had a layover in Boise, so we went to Safeway's head office. Fortunately they had an opening the next day in Ontario. We went back to Emmett, packed our things, caught a train to Ontario, and walked the streets looking for a place to stay. I even worked a few hours that night! We enjoyed three months at Ontario; then Safeway transferred us back to Emmett. We loved Emmett and were happy to be back among friends again.

On January 7, 1931 Melva was born, and on May 26, 1932 Maxine arrived. There was no hospital in Emmett, so they were delivered in our little apartment by Dr. Cummings. With each baby Grandma Bertha Getz came and helped us for a couple of weeks. Our recreation was putting the babies in the buggy and walking down to the depot to watch the trains. We couldn't afford a show; which were 25 cents each, plus 25 cents for a babysitter. We made some lifelong friends there.

After two and a half years in Emmett we moved down to Tremonton, Utah where I worked for Safeway again. The depression had hit hard, Grandpa Getz and Mary, Ruth's sister, were out of work. Ruth was able to get on at J.C. Penny's, so Grandma and Mary cared for the children, Ruth and I paid for groceries and house payment, while Erv and Ike paid for coal and lights. They had a large home and garden so we made out very well. Times were so bad. Many weren't able to make their house payments, therefore losing their homes. We were happy to make it through and keep the house.

The Getz’s were of Swiss-German descent, and spoke the German language a lot in their home. They were members of the Apostolic Christian Church, but had no regular minister as most of their people had moved back East where they had come from. Ministers often came from the east, and church was held in the Getz living room, the sermons and songs were in German. They were strict living, good Christian people.

Grandma Getz was a large, good-hearted woman. She had a lot of boarders and worked hard cooking big meals and keeping up her big home and garden. She loved our children and they loved her. Grandpa Getz was a softspoken, kind, white haired gentleman, reminding me of a distinguished senator. He kept busy with a large garden, a cow, and chickens. They cleaned many eggs and sold them to the Poultry Plant.

After living at the Getz's for two years, we bought a small home south of town from Aunt Hulda Meister for $l,500.00. I was making $20.00 a week and, our house payment was $20.00 a month. In those days a loaf of bread cost 4 cents, eggs were 15 cents a dozen, butter was 30 cents a pound; bananas and oranges were a real luxury. I was working until ten or eleven o'clock at night six days a week at Safeway. I was offered a job at Gephart's for $80.00 a month, and I thought I'd like the change. I was working with Fred Gephart and his son Wes.

On June 1, 1938 Gary arrived. He was delivered by Dr. White in the Getz home. I finally got my boy and I thought I was about the happiest guy on earth.

About this time, I wanted to get back into grocery business, so I went to work for Gus Forsberg in Garland. We bought Getz's 1934 Plymounth; this was our first car. After driving or riding my bike to and from work about a year we bought a lovely home in Garland. We enjoyed our neighbors Art and Ruby Felsted, Gus and Margaret Forsberg, Charley and Bell Woods, and the Elmer Jenson family. The kids made a lot of friends and enjoyed school there. We were close to Gus; we picnicked together, and our girls tended their babies. I was known as Shylock and Gus as Little Ceasar. We did a lot of practical joking and I enjoyed my work a lot.

I remember well the Sunday the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Many friends and nephews were called to serve in World War 11. The U.S. had joined the Allies against the Central Powers of Europe. Our lives changed; war was everywhere, in the newspapers, movies and radio, causing much fear and hatred. Our business was affected. There was a great shortage of tuna, marshmallows, bananas, pineapple, and many other luxuries we had become accustomed to. Rationing of sugar and gas was put into effect.

In 1943 I decided I would like my own grocery store, I thought if I could make money for someone else, I could make money for myself. We bought a store in Logan on 4th East and Center. The family lived in the back and again we made many friends. However things were not on the up and up; there were legal entanglements, back taxes and payments, therefore we were unable to get a clear title. Realizing the overwhelming problem, we got out of it and moved back to Tremonton.

Back in Tremonton I managed American Food Store until the former manager came back from the war. Then I started working for John Laub and his sons Merrill, Max, and Rex at O.P. Skaggs. The store was located a few blocks west on Main Street. The Laubs were great people, making this the best move I ever made. We had such good times. As always Ruth pitched in and helped, going to work at J.C. Penneys again.

I believe the whole family enjoyed being home in Tremonton. We lived in an apartment in the back of Burgess Plumbing Shop, one door south of the First Ward Church. The kids enjoyed school and being with old friends and their Grandma and Grandpa Getz.

The war was still raging. Many foods were scarce so I would keep my eyes opened bringing Grandma Getz coconut or pineapple on occasion and she would make me a pie. The war finally ended in Europe in May 1945 and in Japan, August 1945. There had been no fighting on our shores, but there was much fear and many lives lost. Harold's boy Stan was killed and many friends and neighbors lost their lives. Some of the men had been in prison camps and many returned wounded. It was such a wonderful feeling to finally be at peace again.

In 1945 we bought our home at 352 N. Tremont St in Tremonton. It was located across the street and up the block from the Getz home and just through the block from Sam. We agreed to pay $5,700 for it without even seeing the bathroom, as Mr. Olsen was taking a bath when we were going through it! This has been a wonderful home for us.

The next few years brought a lot of changes to our lives. Ruth left Penney’s and started to work at the Post Office, her parents passed away. Grandma died on the 24th of December 1945 and Mary moved from Peoria, Illinois to live with Grandpa and Ike. February 23, 1950 Grandpa died and Mary returned to Peoria. Ike built a small home on the lot in back and to the north of the old home. He became more and more crippled, then he was hit by a fire truck on Tremont Street in front of our home and was in braces and in a wheelchair until he died. Ruth helped him a lot with canning, mending and laundry. I helped him in and out of bed and with his bathing, he would sit in a wheelchair all day. Sam's wife, Mary died in 1949 so Ruth helped him a lot also. The kids all finished school at McKinley and graduated from Bear River High School. They played in the band and orchestra, and Gary and Maxine sang in the choir. Melva received a scholarship to the Nursing Program at the Thomas D. Dee Hospital in Ogden and has lived there since.

On June 21, 1950 Maxine and Gary were baptized in Tremonton, and on March 4, 1951 Melva was baptised in Ogden. For several months Melva's missionary friends from Ogden, Clifton and Maurine Rhead, drove to Tremonton each week to teach Ruth the missionary lessons. They were wonderful people and taught the gospel beautifully. I will always remember the night Ruth asked for baptism; Gary threw his arms around his mother and sobbed, "Now we will be a family!" I had always known this would come about some day. On August 1, 1951 I baptized Ruth and on February 16, 1955 we were sealed in the Logan Temple for time and eternity.

Father (A.R. Castleton) and Mother were in poor health for several years. Don and Elaine lived with them and cared for them; as their children came, they moved to a place of their own, but were still close enough to help. Ruth and Roy moved back from California to live with Mother and Father, and care for them along with Roy's Mother, Victoria Davis. Mother and Sister Davis did a lot of reading together and enjoyed each other a lot. Each Wednesday Harold went up to Malad and each Saturday I would go up to give Ruth a hand. On January 31, 1956 Dad passed on, and on November 4, 1960 Mother joined him. We felt much love and peace in their passing; they lived good lives and were sweethearts to the end.

After graduation Maxine married Roger Taylor, and the next year they gave us our first grandson, Jay. We were thrilled, and enjoyed him so much. They moved to California and Barbara and Bruce were born there.

Melva graduated from the University of Utah, with a bachelor of science degree from the nursing program. On March 4, 1955 she married Lynn B. Crookston, a dentist from Logan. They live in Ogden and have twelve children: Wendy, Becky, Miriam, Sarah, Peter, Wayne, Paul, Elizabeth, John, Emily, James and Michael.

Gary served in the Southern California Mission. On June 28, 1963 he married Marilyn Call. He finished school at Utah State University with a degree in civil engineering. They moved to California where nine children have been born to them: Amy, David, Laura, Denise, Heidi, Melissa, Daniel, Rachael, and Deborah.

In 1959 I was hired as City Clerk. After a few years I went out to Thiokol and retired when I was 65. I couldn't stand retirement so I got on at D&B Electric, where I've worked part time in the last few years. DeVerl Payne, the owner, says he'll tell me when I can retire.

We have enjoyed many nice trips and outings with our friends. One summer we went back to Michigan with Les and Dee Garfield to pick up their new car. On the way back we stopped to visit the relatives in Peoria.

In 1965 we went to the World's Fair in Calgary, Canada with Grace and Mel Homer, and in 1967 we went to Hawaii with the Bunnell Travel Agency. We had such a great time seeing the sights with Frank and Ada Chadaz and Lee and Evelyn Fuhriman. We have been on several outings with Wes and Lois Dustman, including one to Elko, Nevada, and one to Evanston, Wyoming. We drove to California with Duane and Ellen Crompton one summer. In November, 1973 we took the train to Peoria and drove on to Akron, Ohio with Henry and Bert. Once there Henry celebrated his 70th birthday. We went on with Henry and Bert to Levittown, Pennsylvania for Joan Maria Contento's wedding. In 1982, Elizabeth flew to Peoria with us to Helen's funeral. Most of our traveling is to visit our children. I don't think we have missed a year going to California since Maxine lived there. We have gone with Melva's family to California several times. Lynn and Melva go on a lot of short trips to the mountains, Bear Lake and around in Utah and Idaho so we get to tag along. Roberta Fronk called to see if we would like to send anything to Peoria, we jokingly said "just us," We went along and had a wonderful time.

Back in Tremonton we don't have much time to get lonesome. We have always been very close to the grandchildren. We spend most holidays with Melva's family and it is a tradition to bring a bunch of the grandkids home to Tremonton with us during Christmas and Thanksgiving vacation and also during the summer. Maxine's children visited almost every summer when they were younger. Gary's family has visited each summer and we have been able to enjoy and feel very close to each of our grandchildren. Now we are also able to enjoy great grandchildren.

June 28, 1983 Maxine married Tom Boots in California. Gary married Ruth Robinson on May 8, 1986, so now there is another Ruth Castleton.

Throughout the years we have kept busy and active in the Church. I served as a Sunday School Superintendent when we were newlyweds in Emmett, Idaho and again here in Tremonton First Ward for many years. I have served as a Stake missionary, ward clerk, High Priest group leader, and secretary to the High Priest group leader. Apostle Harold B. Lee set me apart as ward clerk. He looked around the room and said he felt the wives needed a blessing. Ruth was always so pleased to tell she had a blessing from Harold B. Lee, especially when he became president of the church. I was always a Ward Teacher or Home Teacher.

I love my wife Ruth, she is beautiful, fun and she was such a great support in every way. I love my children and grandchildren. I am proud of them and their accomplishments, and encourage them to keep the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ and love one another. If they do that it about covers everything.

I (Melva) will finish Daddy's last few years.

Mama passed away May 15, 1987. This was rather sudden and Daddy missed her so much. He was independent and lived alone and worked for several years after. He was always in high spirits and had fun with everyone. One day he told me that someone remarked on how well he had taken her passing. He said he missed Mama so much and he hoped we realized how he missed her. He said no one really knows but it wouldn't bring her back if he were bitter and moped around. It seemed he wanted to make others comfortable rather than complain.

He was with us most of three winters. He would call someone in Tremonton almost every day and so many friends called him. He had a lot of visitors, Carl King even brought his mail down to him. Many friends came to see him they almost all brought candy. I would take him up for a visit and to go to church and bring him back again. He was so much fun with the kids and their friends. Our neighbors and members in church made a big fuss over him. Several guys in our ward had known him years before, they had delivered bread to grocery stores and some had even lived in Malad years before and knew him there. Everyone got to know him and enjoyed talking to him. He seemed like a part of our ward.

In June of 1994 Maxine and Tom moved to Tremonton to care for Daddy. He enjoyed being in his home, he became more and more frail.

He finally passed away on June 2, 1998 after being in the hospital 28 days. As we cared for him at the end I told one of my friends that he was so polite and appreciative, how he expressed his love to us even when he was in great pain and not really with it. My friend remarked that this showed his natural goodness to the very core, as he was concerned about our feelings, and tried to make us comfortable. His attitude reflected his love for his fellowman and his Savior.

His funeral truly reflected his life, as friends and grandchildren prayed and spoke. Emily sang "O MY Father" and the Castleton Men, Uncle Don, young Don, Doug, Lowell, Jerry and Gary sang "Jesus Lover of my Soul." Uncle Don remarked that he could imagine Mel, his brothers and his Dad singing along with them from the other side. This was memorable, as the Castleton's always loved to sing when they were together.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for sharing with historty with us.

Arthur Robert Castleton

• Name: Arthur Robert Castleton
• Born: May 16, 1868 Salt Lake City, Utah
• Died: January 31, 1956 Malad, Idaho
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Arthur Robert Castleton was born May 16, 1868, in Salt Lake City, at 736 Second Ave. They lived in the 20th ward in the LDS Church.

His mother was Francis Sarah Brown of Pulham Norfolk England. His father was James Joseph Castleton of Lowestoft Suffolk England. Their home where he was born was a sun dried adobe made of dirt from the same lot on which it stood. It was on the corner, the first Castleton Store was part of the same building. Arthur was the seventh child of the family. Arthur's mother and father had crossed the plains, walking every step of the way. His mother rode only one-half of a day in a wagon drawn by oxen. They arrived in Salt Lake in October and Dec 29th of the same year (1863) Jim was born, while the neighbors held umbrellas over the bed because rain washed the mud through the dirt roof above the bed.

"We were a wonderful family. We really enjoyed each other. We'd sing together, work together, pray together and play together. Father would sit on the old back porch and listen to his family until midnight. All would sing, even I though a very little boy." Arthur played a tuba and alto horn, Jim played baritone, George played violin (he died at age seventeen), Will played flute, Frank played cornet, Charley played bass fiddle (He was one of the best in his day) and Wall played the triangle in the band and the organ. "We had a good time."

As a little boy Arthur carried vegetables from the garden into Brigham Young's home. Arthur's father   was Brigham Young's gardener. Arthur said his wives were, "Dandy women." He remembers Brigham Young ruffling up his hair and asking whose little boy he was. Grandfather said he was James Castleton's boy. Brigham Young said, "You're Jimmy's boy, well he's a fine man."

Brigham Young had upper and lower gardens. His lower gardens were west of State Street, down to the tithing offices, where the church offices now stand. The upper gardens, east of State Street were mostly apple orchards, they raised hundreds of bushels of apples. He also owned an apple and cherry orchard and a walnut grove down on 12th South. Arthur wound pick the fruit and he and Jim, his brother would carry it to market.

Arthur first went to school in a small room taught by Mrs. Tollet, then the free school was started at the 21st Ward, his teacher was Hyrum Barton, he was crippled. He used slates to write on and he got to the third reader. They had to buy their own books. He learned the multiplication tables under Mrs. Tollet and he had never forgotten them.

They went to Lindsay Garden or Fuller Hills on school excursions. They had swings, croquette sets and dances, all of which they paid for. Mark Lindsay used to make ice cream and Arthur would help him freeze it for a dish full. He said Mr. Lindsay was a good saint; he had two wives and always went to church. The boys would ask him for beer. He would yell that he wouldn't sell beer. Then he would motion to them to come in the back and sell it to them. If they wanted to play ball on Sunday, they would have to go way up in the foothills, where they had a good ball diamond which they called the Ben Brickeny flat, Arthur loved to play ball.

Arthur was baptized in the old Endowment House in 1877 by John Keddington and he thinks Andrew Burt confirmed him. The old Endowment House stood on the northwest corner of the Tabernacle block. He was baptized again April 29, 1890 before he went through the Logan Temple at the time of his marriage.

He went to Sunday School in the 21st Ward for eight years and never missed once. He mashed his toe during this time but he went to church anyway so he could keep his perfect record.

Arthur attended the old University of Deseret when it was located on West Temple. He went to school two or three years, but didn't finish as his father became ill and he was needed at home.

He said he always had a lot of girlfriends. He said if there is such a thing as love at first sight he had it when he saw Nellie. He told Jane Rackham, an English girl who made her home with them, that he was going to make a "mash" on that little English girl, whom he hadn't met, and some day he would marry her. Ellen (Nellie) Woolley used to go past the store and he would watch for her every day. If she came into the store, he would give her a piece of candy. He didn't really meet her until she moved into the 21st Ward with her parents. They became friends as they always went out in gangs. He finally got the courage and asked if he could take her to a dance at Lindsay Gardens. He played baseball that same night so he changed his clothes at her house. As soon as they left, her sisters dressed up in his baseball suit, they were always cut-ups.

Arthur said up until the time he was married, he had to get home by ten o'clock. He stayed a little later for a dance, never until midnight. He remembers Grandma coming up to Grandpa Woolley's place to see why he hadn't come home. Grandma Castleton got him out of bed to go with her to find his brother Jim several times.

They had a happy courtship, belonging to the same ward. They both loved music and sand in the ward choir. They also sang in the tabernacle choir.

Arthur proposed to Nellie by her old gate, they had gone together four years when he asked her to marry him and were engaged another year before they were married. He gave her a ring shortly after they were engaged; it was a single garnet with two pearls in a gold setting.

They were married in the Logan Temple, 29 May 1890. They went to Logan by train. The officers at the courthouse wouldn't issue them a marriage license because they thought Nellie was too young. They called Salt Lake City to prove she was old enough and so they had to wait until the next day. They hired a horse and buggy and rode up Logan canyon on what they called their honeymoon before their marriage. Brother Marriner Merrill was president of the temple at the time of their marriage. This was a happy day, they knew they would be together forever.

When they returned to Salt Lake City, the 21st Ward brass band of which Arthur was a member was at the railroad station to meet them. They took Nellie and Arthur didn't see her until the reception, which was held at Grandma Woolley's home. It was a wedding dinner, a hot meal, ham, roast beef and chicken, vegetables, puddings and pies, with ice cream and cake before the guests went home. Everyone was invited, friends, neighbors, relatives and the brass band. Nellie's dress was a thin white material with orange blossoms for her bouquet, and Arthur gave her a gold necklace as a wedding present.

Arthur worked all the time at Castleton Brother's Store, 736 Second Avenue and received $40.00 per month as wages. They rented Mrs. Dover's house for six months and then built their first home on 12 South and 7th East on a piece of ground that was part of Brigham Young's old apple orchard. It was a three room brick house to which they later added a frame kitchen. There were large trees in front of the house and a white picket fence all around the yard. It was in this house that their first five children were born, Arthur Jr., Harold, Wilford, Ruth and Melvin. Ralph was born at Grandma Woolley's home.

They felt their wages enabled them to live in comparative luxury. They bought a beautiful bedroom set for $55.00 and used the chest of drawers all through the years of their married life. Their first stove was a small Charter Oak stove (not a range) with a reservoir, but it was a good cooker. However, a story is told of one of the cakes that came from this oven was so hard that Uncle Tom Woolley who was visiting them threw it against the wall and it bounced back and mother began to cry. I believe they were all a bunch of jokers.

It was while living in this house that Arthur received a call from the First Presidency of the Church to go to Canada to help build the canal from Lethbridge to Cardston. Bishop Jenson of their ward did not want him to go because of what he was doing in the ward music, and all his friends told him he must not go. He believed in being obedient to the call of the authorities, so he went to Canada.

Uncle Art remembered the preparation to go; he wrote that he had a companion, Angus Davis. "A wagon, horses, and a lot of other equipment were all loaded in the box car at a siding on the D. & R. G. Western Railroad not far from our house. It was all very exciting for us kids. Finally everything was loaded and a freight car was picked up by a passing train with father and Mr. Davis in the car. Mother and we kids who were left behind were rather sad that night.

Dad thought Canada was the most beautiful country that he had ever seen. The grass was abundant and he said he got sea sick walking in the waving grass. The ground was most fertile, the vegetables were delicious, and the potatoes were the largest he had ever seen. Arthur thought that he would like to live here always.

They arrived in Canada late Saturday night and expected to unload their horses and cows from the freight cars early Sunday morning. Bishop Bradley sent word that this must not be done, because Canadian laws would not permit anything to be done on Sunday. The Red Coats would arrest them if they did. They arrived in Canada in April and worked during the summer months. The Stake President with them was Ted Wood, he was a very fine man.

Arthur was filling slush scrappers when one of the horses gave a lunge and the scrapper handle hit him in the side and he was plunged forward and hit a large boulder injuring his spleen. He lay for about six weeks in his tent.

One afternoon, the other six men had gone into Sterling, it was Saturday and they wouldn't be back until Sunday afternoon. They had killed a beef and left it hanging in a well to cool. Not twenty feet away, Dad was lying in his tent; he could hear a pack of wolves at the well trying to get the meat. Dad lay on his elbows watching the wolves fight, scared to death wondering what would happen to him. They fought for the meat until they killed each other, he felt very blessed as they could easily have killed him.

He sold his horses and all his equipment so he could have money to live but, he didn't have enough money to get home. Dr. Young came from Salt Lake City, looked at Arthur and said he must get home at once. Elder John Taylor said he must go home but did not give him the money to go. (Arthur had idolized John Taylor, but became a little bitter and it was many months after he returned home before Nellie could get him back to church) An English convert, a Brother Schut came to his tent and told him he could lend him the money to go home but needed to be paid back soon because he wanted to build a house before winter set in. Dad said he would send the money to him the day he got home, and he did. Dad was sick for better than a year. Bishop Jenson was wonderful to him, he told him that he should never have gone to Canada. Dad still felt good about obeying the call.

In Salt Lake City, each child of the family could tell of many incidents about living there. They had a great bull mastiff dog that played with the children. Dad looked out on the lawn one afternoon and the dog had Ruth's arm in his mouth. Dad immediately gave it back to Uncle Tom and the dog was sold to the circus for $50.00. The family was accustomed to taking rides into the pleasant surrounding country with their horse and buggy. On one of these rides Harold fell out and lay in the road. They went on some distance, then asked, "Where is Hallie?"Artie explained, "Oh he fell out way back there." They went back for him and found him just lying on the road, unhurt. On another occasion, when the boys were climbing trees in the front yard, Art fell and was caught by the seat of his trousers. A passerby rescued him and took him to the house with the remark, "Why do you have children if you can't take of them?" About this time Arthur and Nellie celebrated their tin (10 year) wedding anniversary. Relatives, friends and neighbors came from all around to help them celebrate.

It's funny to think of herding sheep down the streets of Salt Lake City. What is now 21st South was at that time 12th South Street. This street extended East up through Parley's Canyon and was the road that led up to Heber City. Grandpa told how he and another man drove his first herd of sheep down this way from Heber City in 1896.

In 1903, Arthur sold his home in Salt Lake, and with much prayer but without seeing the place first, moved the family to Pleasant View, Oneida County, Idaho. He was sorry afterward and would have returned to Salt Lake City, but Nellie would not hear of it. She said she liked it there; they made the move and must stick to it, besides it was a good place to raise a family. They lived in one log room and slept in a tent until they could build one large brick room, a pantry and a closet. They bought the land from Billie Price, a cattle buyer in Samaria. John Thorpe originally owned the ground. Jonathan Hughes from Farmington, Utah helped lay the brick for the house. Dad gave the bed to the set they had bought when they were first married, to a very poor family in Pleasant View. Dad also gave this family a cow. According to mother, Dad said he had just lent it to them but the cow never came back. When it came time for Dad to pay his tithing, he had no money so he took the only cow the family had and gave it to Bishop Hyrum W. Jones. The bishop credited him with the cow, and then told him to take it home and use the milk for the family. Later things opened up in such a way that Dad was able to buy the cow back from the Bishop and this completed the paying of his tithing.

Grandpa returned to Salt Lake City and worked for Castleton Brothers Store during the winter months to aid with the family finances. Nellie went back to Salt Lake for the birth of their son Ralph. She stayed at Grandma Woolley's home.

They had many hard times in Pleasant View. Crops were destroyed by frost; life was hard in this desolate area. Arthur often became depressed and his dear Nellie always knew ways to cheer him up, she was a constant support all their years together. Their ward was small in numbers and covered a wide area. They met in the one room schoolhouse. Grandpa donated part of his land for a new meeting house and practically the entire male membership pitched in to build it. It was brick and cement and the young boys and men put in some real hard days mixing cement. They were all proud when it was finished.

Many members traveled a long distance by horse and buggy on poor roads. Arthur and Nellie always had quests for dinner so they wouldn't have to drive back and forth between meetings. They always had plenty of chickens, eggs, milk and butter. Arthur had a wonderful garden full of vegetables.

They didn't have an organ or piano in their church so Grandpa would often haul their organ to the church. He would pump and lead as little Ruth would play; her legs were too short to pump the organ herself. Often he would be working in the fields, tie his team to the fence at the church and run into the primary to lead singing.

When he was chorister on the Stake Board he would visit all the wards. Riverside, Utah was part of the stake in these early days. It was 25 miles away so when he visited there they would leave early in the morning, about 3:00 a.m. They would heat rocks in the oven, wrap them in paper and quilts, put them in the sleigh and drive in the cold and snow to be there for Sunday meeting. He was always prompt. "If you're a minute late, you're stealing the Lords time."

In about 1913 they sold the farm at Pleasant View and homesteaded a dry farm at Holbrook. Holbrook is few miles west of Pleasant View and about 20 miles west of Malad.

At first there was no water on it, they hauled water in barrels from a mile away. After the barrels were full, a board was placed across the top of the wagon box. On one occasion Dad sat too close to the end and fell off the wagon, hit the wheel, and broke a number of ribs. It was twenty miles to Malad to the doctor and we had to wait until the doctor could drive out to us. Dad really suffered and was some time recovering from this.

Soon we dug a well and put up a windmill. Our home was a frame lean-to, we had a few sheds and stables. We had some fine neighbors, the Vanderhoofs and the Charley Wilcox family. We had some good times in this little farm community. We had our family orchestra, the church and our music brought us all very close together.

Holbrook was a real isolated area so they also had a home in Malad and the children attended school there. The home in Malad was on the hill about four blocks north on the road leading to town. This was a home where friends were welcome, and he had a beautiful garden. Here the children went to school, Dad was Justice of the Peace for 13 years, he worked in a hardware store, called out numbers each Wednesday night at the picture show on bank night, and I thought he must have the loudest voice possible.

Grandpa loved sports. He loved to play horseshoes; he was exceptionally good and took the game seriously. Even when he was too old to pick up the horseshoes, one of the boys would pick it up for him to throw and he could usually beat the game. His sons would rather go to a baseball game with their father than any other person, because he was so much fun.

His son Melvin said "Dad taught us children to sing and was happiest when he had a group of young folks around him singing. He was choir director in every ward he was in. He inspired people to sing and when he got up to lead, you'd better sing!"

Granddaughter Melva Castleton says, “As little girls, Maxine and I would visit them for a summer vacation. This was such fun as Grandpa and Grandma would meet us at the train station and take us to their home in the rumble seat of their little one seated coup, Model A Ford. They were jolly and fun loving, they made us feel like they loved having us there. Grandpa would always get up early, he would always be singing loud and call out to us and get out in his garden early. Grandma would giggle and they always joked around. While we were there we played a lot of Pollyanna, would go to a movie, go out for ice cream and visit all the cousins.

Arthur around 1940

They used to come to visit us in Tremonton. Grandpa worked in our yard which he thought was a lost cause. (It was) He would chop out all the hollyhocks, he said they were weeds. I loved them and told him our Heavenly Father made them.

He always went over to see our other Grandpa, Grandpa Getz, who lived across the street from us. He called him Brother Getz which always tickled us because we knew their differences about religion. Grandpa Castleton was very friendly and jovial, and Grandpa Getz very quiet and serious. They were so different but I believe really enjoyed each other. They would talk and go to the pool hall where Grandpa Getz would have his beer and Grandpa Castleton soda pop. They visited a long time, now I wonder what they talked about.”

Aunt Elaine wrote that Grandpa stands out because of the way he treated grandma. To him she was a delicate beautiful queen to be loved and cherished. He always kissed her every time he left the house and again when he returned. He could be very harsh and stern with any wrong doers but with her he was very gentle and kind.

He had great self-discipline and desire for perfection. His yard was so well cared for and beautiful. He wanted things done right and set a good example.

Uncle Leonard says his best memory of Grandpa was that he was such a great gardener; he had wonderful vegetables and the most beautiful flowers imaginable. He loved roses and had all kinds. I remember he had babies breathe which he would put in with the other flowers, making gorgeous bouquets. He always watered with the irrigation ditch and sometimes had words with neighbors as they would sneak water on his day.

Dad said caroling at Christmastime and New Years Eve was always a special occasion. We would practice for weeks on the carols and then pile into a big bobsled, filled with hot rocks to keep us warm. We would go to Samaria, Cherry Creek, Pleasant View, and then back around Malad. Mother always went with us. Dad was the happiest one on the sleigh.

One of his greatest qualities was his complete honesty and respect for justice. Uncle Leonard said one time when Grandpa was Justice of the Peace he and another young man were brought in before his father for breaking the speed limit. Leonard said he was fined a stiffer sentence than the other young man. Grandpa said, "He would never let it be said that he was any easier on his own son, who should have known better, than he would on anyone else."

Grandpa became quite senile and needed a lot of care the last few years. Dear Aunt Ruth and Uncle Don carried most of the load but the family rallied round to help. I know Uncle Art who lived in Salt Lake and Daddy regularly sent a check to help out. Uncle Harold and Daddy went up each week to spell off Aunt Ruth. They said he had hardening of the arteries of the brain; it may now be diagnosed as Alzheimer’s. He was unable to get around so at least he didn't run away. He was very mixed up; he would often go on about outrageous things.

He loved to talk a lot about living in Salt Lake and his father being Brigham Young’s gardener, how he as a little boy talked to him and delivered vegetables to his wives, who were "dandy" women. To the very end he loved to brag that he sang in the Tabernacle Choir and had seat #84.

He passed away January 31, 1956. I will always remember Grandma being held up to his casket, scolding him for leaving her. They were wonderful sweethearts to the very end.

Life story as told to Hilda Howard Castleton. Grandma Melva Castleton made some additions. Thanks to Grandma Melva for sharing it with us.

Marie Sommer

• Name: Marie Sommer
• Born: March 18, 1839 Heiligenstein, Germany
• Died: June 25, 1918 Gridley, Kansas
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

 This article was written by Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton. Thanks Melva.

It was recorded in the old family German Bible that Marie Sommer Isch, known as Mary in America, was born March 18, 1839, in Heiligenstein, Germany. This Bible belonged to Mary Isch Shaffer, a granddaughter who lived in Gridley, Kansas. Later her birth record was found in Barr, Bas Rhine, France.

I corresponded with a genealogist, Madame Perez, She wrote the following." Her birth record reads as follows, birth record of Barr Civil state archive: 1839 the 18th of March was born Marie Sommer daughter of Michel Sommer, 36 years old, wine-grower in Barr and of Anna Erb aged 35 years, without profession. Witnesses: Jacques Gerber, 22 years old, shoemaker, Frederic Jost, 23 years old, weaver in Barr."

However, this doesn't mean they lived there. They were Anabaptists, a religious group thought to be radical and not tolerated by some. They may have found a tolerant vicar who would register their records in his parish.

The village of Heiligenstein is in Alsace close by the small city of Barr, 30 km (20 miles) southwest of Strassburg (today called Strasbourg), which is in France.

Her father was Michel Sommer, a farmer of Anabaptist faith, born Feb 3, 1803 in Mussig, Bas Rhine, France. Her mother was Anna Erb born in Lorquin, Meurth, France. She was the 6th of 7 children we have been able to find in that family."

As a child she probably played in the beautiful rolling hills of Heiligenstein with her brothers and sisters. Franz Rink, editor of a genealogical column in Strasbourg, wrote to me "The area from which your ancestors came is one the loveliest in Alsace, lying at the foot of the "Holy Hill" of the Odilienberg."

This little area in Alsace had long been a prize in wars between Germany and France. In the A.D. 300's and 400's Teutonic bands drove out the Celtic tribes then living in the region. Alsace-Lorraine became part of Charlemagne's empire in the late 700's but it fell to Germany when his grandsons divided his empire.

Alsace and Lorraine (Historic Provinces) remained under German rule until the 1500's, when France gained control of them in slow stages. The people fought all efforts to turn them into Frenchmen. But the French Revolution of 1789 brought a change of heart. The Alsatians became so French in spirit that more than 50,000 of them moved to France when Germany got the territory in 1871.

The Germans resented the loss of Alsace-Lorraine after World War I. They regained control of the area in World War II. The Germans moved thousands of the people out of the region, and replaced them with Germans, Poles, and Russians. The Allies drove the Germans out of Alsace-Lorraine in 1944-1945, and France again took control of the entire region.

When Mary was 14, a terrible epidemic of cholera came to their land. On October 1, 1854, her 21 year old brother, Jean passed away. Then Mary's mother became ill, not a soul would come to help her because it was such a dreaded disease. Whole families were dying. Five days later, October 6, 1854 her mother died also. She wept and kissed her dead mother, hoping she would contract the disease and be able to go with her. As she was dressing her dead mother she looked up, there was a lady standing in the doorway who kindly asked if her mother had gone too. Mary always remembered this kind stranger and told how she came in and helped her finish dressing her mother. A few weeks later on the same day, October 31, 1854 her 19 year old brother, Jacque and 10 year old little sister, Madeleine both died.

Mary was very lonely and went to live with her married sister in Frankfort, France (Not sure) who had a large family (12 children?) She was happy there and felt a part of the family, when her father came and said they were going to America. She didn't want to go, but her father being headstrong and authoritative insisted on her coming. At the age of 15, in 1857, she and her father immigrated to America." (Grandma told Melva much of this, dates came from research of Madam Perez.)

I was told by Grandma, Bertha Isch Getz that her father's brother in America had sent them the money, that his name was Jacob and they lived in Peoria, Illinois. (I have not been able to find them in cesus records.) Her father, Michel remarried, but again according to my Grandma, Bertha Isch Getz, knew nothing of his second wife or Mary's half brothers or sisters. Mary later heard that her father fell off a wagon and broke his neck but she was unable to attend his funeral in 1868, in East Peoria.

Mary met and married Nicholas Isch on January 18, 1862 in Metamora, Woodford, Illinois. They were members of the Apostolic Christian Church, and made their home on a farm in Metamora. Nicholas was a hard working farmer, he had very strict principles, they spoke German in their home.

Mary was very busy keeping a nice home, and raising a large family. She was a good cook, made a lot of cheese and butter, and made beautiful quilts. While in Metamora, she gave birth to Anna, Dena, Emma, Bertha, Leah, Joe, Samuel and Mary (twins) and Ida. In 1879, they moved to another farm in Gridley, Coffey County, Kansas. Here John and Ann were born. Their first girl Anna died in 1881 at the age of 18, just a month before the last little girl was born so they named her Anna also. In later years Mary suffered terribly with arthritis and became very crippled, but kept busy with hand work and quilting. She was in a wheelchair.

Mary was remembered as a kind woman who loved the Lord and served others. On a visit to Utah as they passed a buggy with some Japanese people in it she exclaimed, "Eh Bertha, I tell you the Mormons do look different."

Nicholas passed away at the age of 72 on May 6, 1915. On June 25, 1918 at the age of 79, Mary joined him in death. Their graves are in the Apostolic Christian cemetery in Gridley, Kansas.

Much of the above information was told to me (Melva Castleton Crookston), as we lived with Grandpa and Grandma, Philip and Bertha Isch Getz, in Tremonton, Utah. Some of the history and information was from the World Book Encyclopedia, published by Field Enterprises, 1963, and correspondence with several genealogists in France who did some of the research.

Philip Getz

• Name: Philip Getz
• Born: May 19, 1868 Tremont, Illinois
• Died: February 23, 1950 Tremonton, Utah
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Philip Getz was born May 19, 1868 to Henry and Hannah Wenger Getz, in Tremont, Illinois. There were four daughters and seven sons, Louis, Peter, Sophie, George, Philip, Henry, Elizabeth, Daniel, Katherine, William and Emma.

His father, Henry Getz was born to Georg Peter Getz and Eva Katharina Kress in Bonfeld, Necker, Wurtemburg, Germany where his occupation was dying materials. Many problems arose with the government as their family tried to pull away from the state church and follow a religious group known as the "Baptizing Congregation," later known as the Apostolic Christian Church. He came to America at age 19 in 1894 with the George Wenger family.

His mother, Hannah Wenger was born September 21, 1840 in Helmhoff, Hesson, Germany to George Wenger and Eva Katherine Hagner. She also came to America with her family in 1854. They married in 1858.

Philip was reared and schooled in Tremont, Illinois until he was nine years old when the family moved to Greenwood County, Kansas, where they lived for five years. They returned to Tremont and lived on the farm later owned by J. C. Schweigert.

As a boy, Philip worked hard on his father's farm. Each Sunday they traveled by horse and buggy to the little wood frame Apostolic Christian church house. In this church he was baptized by immersion and truly dedicated his life to Christ.

A young girl, Bertha Isch came to work in the Getz home. She was a good hard worker, had a happy disposition and loved the Lord. They became acquainted and as was their custom Philip talked to his minister who spoke with Bertha and her parents. Arrangements were made and they were married January 1, 1893 in Tremont, Illinois, in the Apostolic Church.

They made their first home on a farm in Tremont, Illinois, where three sons were born, Samuel Gottlieb, Fredrick William and Elmer Nicholas (Ike). In 1901 they bought land in Utah. With a few families from their church they ventured west. They arrived in Deweyville in a boxcar. It was cold and raining, mud came to the hobs of the wagon that came to pick them up at the train. They had many hard times ahead, but were welcomed in the Gene Brenkman home until they had their own home built.

They built their home in Utah on 40 acres four miles west and one mile south of what is now Tremonton, on what is now called Rocket Road. They built a nice two story, six-room frame house. In 1902 soon after they moved into this home Ruth was born. Henry, Mary and Ervin were also born here.

The land where Tremonton now exists was covered with sagebrush and called Sagebrush Flats. About 100 German families came from Tremont, Illinois and wanted it named for their home, our family included. In 1803, Jacob Hoerr (Hare) met with the settlers and our town was named Tremont after Tremont, Illinois. For four years there was confusion with the mail being sent to Fremont in Wayne County Utah, so the name was changed to Tremonton.

Until that time their mailing address was Point Lookout. The post office was located two miles north of their home where Bothwell is now. After 1903, their mail was delivered on rural route out of Tremonton by a cart and team of horses.

The land they lived on was alkali and very poor for farming. This same land is very good farm land now that they have modern equipment and have drained it. In 1910 they moved to the Matthew Baer Place which they rented for 10 years. It was two miles west of Tremonton and was called Sommer Sommer Place, because it had been built by Grandpa Sommer and Uncle P. J. Sommer.

Here they went through the hardship of having two baby boys that died: Rueben and a stillborn boy who wasn't named. Grandma always remembered those little babies and talked of them often. They were buried at Salt Creek Cemetery just east of their first home. The land for this cemetery was donated by Grandpa Sommer, it's known as the German Cemetery and is still owned by the Apostolic Christian Church. In later years it wasn't well cared for so each spring we would weed and clean off their graves for Decoration Day. There is now a sign naming it the Apostolic Christian Cemetery.

In 1919 Phlip moved his family to a farm called the Reese Place in Elwood. They lived there one year. When I (Melva) was growing up the McMurdy family lived there.

In 1920 they moved into town. They lived in a little house in the back of the lot while their home was being built on the south-east corner on 4th north Tremont St. They had four lots so they had a barn and corral, chicken coops, pig pen and a big garden.

Grandpa was very proud of his fine team and wagon. He built up a good business as a drayer. Soon he was outdated by a younger man with a truck. They had a couple of cows to milk, pigs to butcher, and a lot of chickens which provided eggs to the poultry plant and lots of fried chicken and chicken noodle soup.

The great depression hit hard but they stuck together as a family and were able to make house payments and pay their bills. Grandma cooked for men working out on farms and construction and took in boarders and roomers. Many lost their homes at this time.

Grandpa was a soft spoken, kind, white-haired old gentleman. My sister and I followed him around, watching him feed the animals, work in his yard and garden and he let us help him gather and clean eggs. We played in the wheat bin, on the hay rack, in the barn, climbed trees and each spring we helped plant their huge garden from which many flowers and vegetables were shared with friends and neighbors.

Each spring I remember looking forward to Uncle Ike getting baby chicks. We would go to the train station and pick them up in cardboard boxes, I believe like a 1,000 or more. The fluffy little things made such a racket with their tiny little "peeps." We were so excited standing next to the wall in the chicken coop so we wouldn't step on one, watching Grandpa and Uncle Ike unpacking them. They put them in incubator trays warmed with light bulbs and water to drink.

Grandpa never said much, at mealtime we would bow our heads in silent prayer. I never ever heard him offer a prayer aloud, I had wondered if it was hard for him to pray in English.

I remember when we had a church just west of town across the canal. It was a white frame building. The sermons were always preached in German. The meetings seemed so long, probably because we couldn't understand. I'll always remember church in Grandma's living room when ministers came to Utah, after the church was gone. Maxine and I often hid as we were always asked to sing our German song, "Esgipt ein wunders shane as landt."

Grandpa always read the scriptures, I often think of him when I read in St. John. I believe it may have been his favorite as I remember him reading it a lot. I believe it is my favorite, probably because of this.

On Christmas Eve in 1945 Grandma passed away in her bedroom at their home. Grandpa seemed so quiet and lonesome after that. Aunt Mary came home from Peoria to live with Grandpa and Uncle Ike. On February 23, 1950, five years later Grandpa joined Grandma in death.

One of my greatest blessings has been the privilege of knowing each of my Grandparents very well. I remember the long quiet evenings in their home. Grandma would be sewing or doing some kind of handwork. Grandpa would read and take out his watch and look at it often. We just always felt loved and cared for.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for writing this history and sharing it with us.

Johanna (Hanna) Wenger

• Name: Johanna (Hanna) Wenger
• Born: September 21, 1840 Helmhoff, Germany
• Died: September 6, 1910 Monte Vista, Colorado
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Hanna was the third child born to Johann George and Eva Katherina Hagner Wenger, September 21, 1840 in Helmhoff, Heppenheim Starkenburg, Hessen Germany.

She came to America in 1854 with her family, and settled in Illinois, probably around Peoria. They were of the Apostolic Christian faith.

She married Henry Getz February 9, 1858, he had traveled to America with their family. She was mother to 11 children. They raised their large family in beautiful Illinois and Kansas. She was remembered as a hard working, happy lady.

Through the years they visited in Utah a few times. Mother remembers her as very cheerful and kind. We have a cute picture of her smiling with a sunbonnet on, shaking a cup telling someone not to take her picture.

She died September 6, 1910 at age 70 on a train coming to visit her family in Utah. She was buried in the Old German Cemetery at Salt Creek near Tremonton, Utah. She was later moved to Mt. Hope Cemetery in Tremont, Illinois next to her husband, Henry. He died in 1914. There is still a big block of cement where her grave was at the Salt Creek Cemetery, just north of Grandma's babies, Rueben and baby Getz.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for writing this history and sharing it with us.

Bertha Isch

• Name: Bertha Isch
• Born: March 23, 1870 Woodford County, Illinois
• Died: December 24, 1945 Tremonton, Utah
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Bertha Isch was born March 23, 1870 into the home of Nicholas and Mary Sommer Isch, in Woodford County, Illinois.There were eight daughters and three sons, Anna, Dena, Emma, Bertha, Leah, Joe, Samuel, Mary, Ida, John and Anna. The first daughter, Anna died a month before her youngest sister was born so the new baby was named Anna after her sister.

Her mother, Mary Sommer was born May 18, 1839 to Michael Sommer and Anna Erb in Heiligenstein, Germany (Alsace Lorraine area in France.) They were affiliated with the Anabaptists. After her mother, two brothers and a sister died of cholera, Mary and her father came to America in 1857 to live with a brother.

Her father, Nicholas Isch was born July 7, 1836 to Johann David Isch and Maria Haeuselmann in Oberwill, Bern, Switzerland.

Grandma was raised in a good Christian home. They were devout members of the Apostolic Christian Church and spoke German. They dressed very plainly and were strict living sober people, who tried to live the teachings of the New Testament as nearly as possible. Grandma often talked of her conversion to live her life for Jesus.

They lived on a farm in Woodford County until she was nine years old when they moved to a farm in Gridley, Kansas. Bertha was a good student; however she only went to the 4th grade in school.

She went to work in the home of Henry Getz, where she met Philip whom she later married. She was married at the age of 23, on January 1, 1893 in the Apostolic Christian Church in Tremont, Illinois.

Their first home was on a farm in Tremont, Illinois. Here Bertha gave birth to three sons, Samuel Gottlieb, Fredrick William and Elmer Nicholas (Ike.)

In 1901, with a few families from their church they sold their farm and moved out west to Utah. They traveled by railroad to Deweyville in a boxcar. It was cold and raining, mud came to the hubs of the wagon that came to pick them up at the train. They stayed in the home of Gene and Ida Brenkman until their home was built.

In this home, four miles west and one mile south of where Tremonton exists, Ruth, Henry, Mary and Ervin were born. The soil was poor in the area so they moved to another farm where they had two more little boys who both died. This was very hard on Grandma, she talked of them often. They were buried in Salt Creek Cemetery which still exists and is known as the little old German Cemetery. The land for the cemetery was donated by Grandpa John Sommer and is owned by the Apostolic Christian Church.

In 1920 they built a nice brick home in town and Grandpa had chickens, pigs to butcher and a cow, Grandpa ran a business as a drayer. They had a beautiful big garden; they grew wonderful vegetables and gorgeous flowers. We loved to help them plant it every spring.

The great depression hit hard but the family stuck together and they were able to pay off their home. Grandma cooked for men working out on farms and construction and took in boarder and roomers.

Grandma was a large, hardworking Swiss-German lady, she loved us a lot.She could do anything from making the beautiful fine lace to work in the garden and care for the farm animals. She gardened, cooked, canned, sewed, quilted, did her own wall papering, helped butcher their meat, and did about anything that needed to be done.

She was an excellent homemaker and cook; she made her own cottage cheese, bread, pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, delicious ice cream and lots of fried chicken. We had our own cow and she cooked a lot with cream and real butter.For supper we usually had meat, fried potatoes, cottage cheese, homemade bread, jam, canned fruit, and always peppermint tea. She had a lot of boarders and construction workers for dinner at noon and she always baked pies for them. The train ran close to their property and even the beggars knew where they could get a good meal.

We always lived close, and in their home almost every day. We were always her helpers. We scrubbed her floors, cleaned the bathrooms, did the vacuuming and dusting and loved baking days. My favorite was rhom kuchen (Cream cake).

In 1943 we moved across the street from them. Mother always looked after Grandma and Grandpa. I was at their home nearly every day even if just see how they were. In high school Maxine and I scuffed the floors every week and did Saturdays cleaning. We were never paid, it was our job and we just did it.

Grandma had a fun happy disposition. She worked hard and fast and would often scold in German when we needed it. She was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church. They dressed very conservative and plain; many people thought we were Amish. She often told me of her family and childhood, and of her conversion to take Jesus into her life.

We always had a lot of company from back east. Relatives and ministers would come and we had church in the living room after most of our people went back east. The minister, Henry moved back to Peoria and they sold their church which was west of town across the canal and railroad tracks.

Grandma died on Christmas Eve in 1945. This was one of my first experiences with death and I missed her so much.

This article was written by grandaughter Melva Castleton. Thanks Grandma Melva for sharing it with us.

Henry Getz

• Name: Henry Getz
• Born: December 19, 1935 Bonfeld, Wurtemberg, Germany
• Died: September 13, 1914 Monte Vista, Colorado
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Our first ancestor to come to America from the Getz family was our great grandfather, Henry (Heinrich) Getz. He was born in Bonfeld, Wurtemberg, Germany, son of Peter and Katherine Kres Getz.

In Germany, his occupation was dying materials. On November 7, 1854, he came into Peoria, Illinois on the "Rocket," a wood burning locomotive which pulled the first passenger train into Peoria, from Rock Island, Illinois. He was 19 years old and traveled to America with the George Wenger family. They were of the Apostolic Christian religion; he married their daughter, Hanna, February 9, 1858.

After coming to America, he became a farmer. When he was first married, he and his wife lived near Roanoke, Illinois for a short time, and from there they moved south of Morton, Illinois, to the farm now owned by Frank Hoffman (this book was compiled in the 1940's by Hanna M. Koch, of Tremont, Ill., she probably knew all the farms in the area) Next they lived south of Tremont, Illinois on the Benjamin Getz place. About 1879 they moved to Greenwood County, Kansas, and lived there five years, and then they came back to Tremont again and lived on the farm now owned by J. C. Schweigert. In the year 1906 he and his wife moved to Monte Vista, Colorado, and spent their remaining years there with their son, Peter.

Henry died September 13, 1914. He was buried back in Tremont, Illinois at the Mount Hope Cemetery. He was known to be an easy going, quiet, gentle, loving man.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for writing this history and sharing it with us.

Michel Sommer

• Name: Michel Sommer
• Born: February 3, 1803 Mussig, Bas Rhin, France
• Died: 1868 Peoria, Illinois
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Michel Sommer was born February 3, 1803 in Mussig, Bas Rhin, France to Ulrich Sommer and Maria Baechler. He married Anna Erb, daughter of Jean Erb and Madeliene Herby or Hertig.

Michel was a farmer and they were of the Anabaptist Faith. They had seven children, among them our great grandmother, Maria (Mary), who married Nicholas Isch.

Their little daughter, two year old Maria died July 8, 1831. On March 5, 1854, Michel died at the age of 16. In 1854 a terrible epidemic of cholera came to their land. He lost his wife Anna (age 50) and three children: Jean, 21, Jacque, 19 and Madeliene, 12.

His daughter, Maria (Mary, our ancestor) went to live with the oldest daughter Anne, who was married and had a large family. In 1857 Michel and Maria immigrated to America. Michel's brother sent him money to come and live with him in Peoria, Illinois. I have heard his name was Jacob but have not been able to find him in the records. We think he was remarried but we haven’t found a second wife or death date of Michel. He fell off a wagon, died and was buried in East Peoria in 1868. Grandma, (Berth Isch Getz) told how her Mother, Mary Sommer Isch related her sadness at not being able to go to his funeral in Peoria, as she was living too far away.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for writing and providing this article.

Joseph Castleton

• Name: Joseph Castleton
• Born: May 23, 1804 Lowestoff, Suffolk, England
• Died: March 26, 1860 Lowestoff, Suffolk, England
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Joseph Castleton was born May 23, 1804 to James and Martha Powels Castleton. They lived in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England.

Joseph became a fisherman. Lowestoft ranks next to Yarmounth among the most important fishing stations on the Eastern coast. The city has lovely market places, a seaport and beaches for bathing, beautiful hanging gardens, richly planted with trees and scrubs, with alcoves and summer homes descending to the foot of the hills. The soil is not damp as in many places in England; the air of Lowestoft is clean and wholesome. There are many delightful walks and drives in the adjacent country. Pleasantly situated on the most easterly point of England, Lowestoft when viewed from the sea, has the most picturesque and beautiful appearance of any town on the eastern coast.

Joseph had two brothers James and John, and four sisters, Mary Ann, Hannah, Suanna and Elizabeth. Another little boy, Joseph died before our Joseph was born. They enjoyed music and reading poetry in their home. We have poetry written by their father, James, and know he wrote music and played a musical instrument.

As a boy Joseph probably spent many hours with his father James, who was a cabinetmaker and did fine woodwork on the interior of sailing ships. At that time they spent many hours carving beautiful intricate designs on their woodwork.

Joseph became a fisherman very young. They fished mostly for herring and mackerel, men and young boys were employed on their boats. If they didn't catch enough fish in one night they would continue on the fishing ground for two or three nights salting the fish as they were caught. They worked hard for their living. Worried wives and families were often waiting at home, praying for the safety of their men. Often lives were lost, in fact we know of their sadness when the news was received of a cousin, son of John Castleton, also a fisherman drowned while visiting family in East Lynn.

At 24 years old on February 21, 1828, Joseph, married Mary Smith, who was 21. She was a lovely young girl also of Lowestoft, daughter of Thomas amd Susanna Crane Smith. They worked hard together raising a large family of ten children: James Joseph, Charles, William Joseph, Martha Ann, Charles (who died when 1 year old), Charles, John Samuel, Mary Ann and John Charles. Five of their children were lost when very young.

Their oldest son, James Joseph was our ancestor. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and sailed to America, where he lived in Salt Lake City and became a gardener to Brigham Young.

Joseph died in Lowestoft, March 26, 1860 at the age of 56. After 25 years as a widow, and at the age of 77 his wife Mary joined him in death on, August 31, 1885 in their home in Lowestoft, England.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for providing this article.

George Peter Goez

• George Peter Goez
• Born: December 14, 1803 Bonfeld, Germany
• Died:  July 16, 1873 Dillon, Illinois
• Related though: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

George Peter Goez was born December 14, 1803 in Bonfeld, Wurttemberg, Germany. He was the only child of Johann David and Catharina Barbara Wacker Goez.

Peter, as he was known, married Katharina Kress on January 20, 1829. She was born February 22, 1802, also in Bonfeld, Germany. She was the second of seven children of Johann Gottlob Kres and Johanna Elisabeth Strassner.

Peter was a farmer in Germany and owned 40 acres of land. This land was not all in one tract, but a few acres here and there. He was also mayor (burgermeister) of his town.

Many problems arose with the government as they tried to pull away from the state church and follow a religious group known as the "Christian Congregation," also known as the "Baptizing Congregation." Their desire was to follow Jesus Christ entirely upon biblical principles. Later on they were known as the Apostolic Christian Church. They were persecuted by the people and some of their members and leaders were imprisoned.

Because of these problems, all of their children except one daughter, Hannah, whose husband, the Rev. George Welk and was in prison, had immigrated to America. When George got out in March 1859, they sold all their possessions. Peter, his wife, Hannah, son-in-law the Rev. George Welk and small granddaughter, Katherine began their journey to America to join their family.

After coming to America, Peter and Katharina retired and made their home with their daughter Katherine (Mrs. Kasper Koch) on a farm near Dillon Illinois. In this home Peter and Katharina lived and passed away July 16, 1873. He was buried in the little German cemetery near Dillon, Illinois next to his wife Katharina, who died six years earlier in 1867.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for providing this article for us.

Nicholas Isch

• Name: Nicholas Isch
• Born: July 7, 1836 Oberwil, Bern, Switzerland
• Died: May 5, 1915 Gridley, Kansas
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Nicholas Isch was christened July 17, 1836 in Oberwil, Bern, Switzerland to Johann David and Maria Haeuselmann Isch. One history says he was born July 7, 1836.

He was of the Apostolic Christian faith, becoming a believer in 1858 and was baptized in Switzerland, at the age of twenty two. He came to America in 1859, settling in Illinois. Here he married Maria Sommer, January 18, 1863 in Woodford County, Illinois. On the marriage license Woodford is crossed out and Peoria written above.

They moved to Kansas in 1879 and located on a farm northwest of Gridley. Nicholas was a hard working farmer, he had very strict principles, they spoke German in their home.

On January 21, 1884, at the age of 47 years, he became a citizen of the United States in Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas. On his citizenship papers, the word sworn was crossed out and affirmed was written above.

Nicholas and Mary had 11 children. There were three sons and eight daughters including our ancestor Bertha.

He was quiet, a hard worker, very small and stooped with bushy eyebrows. Some of the boys teasingly called him, "Old Nick." He died in Kansas on May 5, 1915 at the age of 78.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for providing us this history.

Frances Sarah Brown

• Name: Frances Sarah Brown
• Born: December 13, 1834 Pullham Market, Norfolk, England
• Died: June 14, 1922  Salt Lake City, Utah
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

Frances Sarah Brown was born December 13, 1834 to Robert Brown and Mary Ann Booty in Pulham Market, Norfolk, England, in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene. She was the fourth of fourteen children and the oldest girl. She was known to her family as "Fanny." She worked hard helping with the large family in her home, but it became necessary for her to go out to work as a servant girl.

She left her home and went to Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, about twenty-two miles away. There she met and eventually married James Joseph Castleton. He had been seeing the Mormon missionaries and was anxious for her to hear the gospel also. Together they studied and became converted. James was baptized in January 1853, and she embraced the gospel and was baptized October 12, 1853.

January 2, 1854, they were married in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Frances was busy keeping an orderly home and giving birth to four sons. They were very active in the church affairs, and found much joy and love in the gospel, but they weren't completely satisfied. The longing to be in Zion with the main body of the Saints continued to grow. On June 4, 1863 with the first company of Saints to leave the London docks, they started for Zion. The family sailed on the ship Amazon, directed by William Bramell with 891 Latter-day Saints aboard. Six weeks and three days at sea was a long trip for the young couple and four active little boys, Charles, Will, George and Frank.

July 18th, they were so happy to arrive in New York City, but a hard part of their journey was still ahead. In several days they made it to Florence, Nebraska by train, where Thomas E. Ricks met the company and became their leader. It was late in September and very cold when they arrived at Fort Bridger, Wyoming. They were cold and weary; the soldiers took them in to warm up and fed them buffalo stew for supper. Their little boy, Will said, "it was the best I ever ate."

Frances who was expecting her fifth baby in December walked every step of the long hard journey. Even the little boys walked except two year old Frank who was occasionally boosted upon a wagon or on his Father's broad shoulders. Times were hard, their bodies ached, and they longed for a fireplace or a warm soft bed. They were a cheerful happy people and I'm sure this and their love for music and their God helped make the journey easier.

"The whole company arrived in Salt Lake City, and encamped on the Union square on Saturday and Sunday October 3rd and 4th, at the time of General Conference of the church. They were in good health and fine spirits. After attending General Conference, they distributed themselves among the people of the territory, like the water of a river as it empties into the sea, and could now be found only by searching 25,000 square miles of country." (March 1980 Ensign)

Our grandmother walked across the plains, arrived in Salt Lake October 3, 1863, and on December 29, 1863 she gave birth to her fifth son, James Samuel. It was cold, Frances was living in a tent, and far from her cozy cottage and family she left across the ocean in England. Still, they knew it was true and were so happy to be in Zion with the Saints. Those that knew her said they never heard an utterance of regret or discontentment.

Soon they moved into a small house with a mud roof on Second and "D" Street. When it rained, an umbrella had to be placed over her and the new baby to keep the mud and rain off them. Everywhere they went they made things beautiful with lovely yards and gardens, and the gift of music, with which they were blessed. As soon as they were able James bought the corner of Second Ave and "L" Street. It was ten rods square, and they constructed a two room adobe house, which was afterwards the store warehouse for many years.

She later had a beautiful little girl, Martha Ann. They were able to have her for only a short time. When little Martha Ann was two years and five months, she was called back to our Father in Heaven. Grandmother said this was the hardest trial she ever had to bear.

After coming to this country her dear husband, James was a gardener for Brigham Young for many years. My grandfather, Arthur Robert, told how he delivered vegetables to the wives. He said, "They were dandy women." One day when he was about nine years old, Brigham Young ruffled his hair and asked whose little boy he was. Grandpa told him and Brigham Young said, "Oh you're Jimmy's boy, well he's a fine man." Grandpa was pleased and told us this many times.

James’ health began failing him and he became very ill. As always Frances pitched in and with her boys opened a store in her home. Her boys all played musical instruments; they organized a band and hired out for dances. They gleaned wheat from below Liberty Park which they threshed and had ground into flour. Coal was out of the question as it was so expensive. Their fuel consisted to a large extent of brushwood, which was gathered off the foothills by the boys.

They even cooked the bulbs of Sego Lilies to eat. In later years their mother often had the beautiful Sego Lily flowers in a vase on her table, she loved them so much and she felt they had helped them to sustain life.

After suffering for several years, her beloved James finally passed away on 26 November 1882. After 48 years of marriage, she was left with her six boys.

Frances was a widow for forty years, and was known for her goodness to everyone. She was first counselor in the Relief Society for many years. When she was over 60 years old, she was released but this didn't stop her. She was always there to help the sick or anyone she thought needed something. She went to the Temple often. On June 14, 1922 she finally joined her husband in death.

Thanks to Grandma Melva for writing and providing this history.

James Joseph Castleton

• Name: James Joseph Castleton
• Born: January, 25, 1829 Lowestoft, Suffolk, England
• Died: November 26, 1882 Salt Lake City, Utah 
• Related through: Dan's grandmother Melva Castleton

James Joseph Castleton was born January 25, 1829 in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England to Joseph Castleton and Mary Smith. He was the oldest of ten children.

His father was a fisherman. As a young man he served an apprenticeship as twine and rope maker for a Mr. John Gall, a ship owner. This was a good trade at that time, but rope making by machinery became general, he then became a fisherman.
 
He was 24 years old when he was approached by the Mormon missionaries. He became very interested and after much study and prayer he knew the gospel to be true. He was baptized on January 18, 1853 by Elder John Gibb, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England.

On January 2, 1854 he married Frances Sarah Brown who had been converted and baptized into the church October 12, 1853. Together they fully embraced the teachings of the Gospel, they took an active part in the local church affairs in England. But the spirit of emigration or gathering took hold of them and they wanted to join the body of the church in Zion.

On June 4, 1863 they started for Zion with their four sons, Charlie, Will, George, and Frank. The family sailed on the ship Amazon with 882 or 895 other Saints under the direction of William Bramall. After six weeks and three days at sea they landed at New York Harbor. From there they traveled by train as far as Florence, Nebraska. They then took up the laborious journey to cross the plains. Thomas E. Ricks met them and directed the Company from Florence. Although they traveled with the ox-teams it can be truthfully said that they traveled almost the entire distance on foot.

They arrived in Salt Lake City on Sunday, October 4, 1863. The first cold winter was spent in a tent on Second and "D" Street. Despite the hardships incident to such a labor at that period of the settlement of these valleys, a murmur of complaint or regret was never heard. They had left all for their religious cause they had known to be true and truly endorsed that scriptural utterance, "No man having put his hand to the plow and looketh back is fit to go to the Kingdom of God."

Soon they moved into a small house with a mud roof, located on the same lot. A son, Jim, was born in this house while neighbors held umbrellas over the bed because rain washed the mud through the dirt roof above the bed.

As soon as he was able to do so, James bought the corner of Second Ave. and "L" Street, ten rods square, and constructed a two room adobe house. Later it became the store warehouse for some time.

After coming to this country James was a gardener for Brigham Young for many years. He also had a fine home garden, from which the family was supplied with abundant vegetables and fruits, especially grapes.

When his health started to fail, the family decided to build a small store onto the house, which was to be handled by his wife Frances and son Arthur. They became so busy, another son Will left his position with S.P. Teasdale to help out.

For many years James Joseph was sick and unable to work. On the evening of November 26, 1882 he passed peacefully away, leaving Frances and six sons. It was said by one of their son Frank, "Father and Mother were stalwart Latter-day Saints, were good citizens, were true and honest and left us a priceless heritage, a good name, sterling characters. May we always honor and revere their memories."

Taken from sketches written by his sons Wallace C. and Frank M. Castleton. Also from "Church Chronology" By Andrew Jenson. Thanks to Grandma Melva for sharing this history with us.