The house where I was born was a one room log, dirt roofed cabin on a farm. My Father had filed a homestead. The country was cold and snowy, we had very short growing seasons. Besides my parents, I had two sisters and six brothers. My parents were sturdy pioneer stock, and so were we children having very little sickness in our lives, with the exception of measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, but other than that we were blessed. No one of us ever had a serious accident, or any broken bones. We were raised with several other families close by. All of us children grew up together. Our amusements consisted of a dance at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve, a celebration on the 4th of July. The rest of the time we spent roaming the nearby hills and in the winter we all learned to ski. We always had horses to ride.
My Father having no religious desires, what religion we had in our home was due to my good mother, and our grandfather. Money in our home was always scarce. We always had cows, chickens and Father always raised a large garden, so food was not scarce for us. I remember I used to, as a child receive the extra egg money one week to buy shoes and material to make into clothes, and my brothers and sisters had their turn at getting the eggs. We sure took good care of those hens.
My school days were happy. I loved school and most always I liked my teachers. I was given parts in school and church plays which I loved very much. My task in our home was most everything in homemaking, so I learned to cook and take care of a home at an early age. As a youth I had many close friends, but one stands out in my life, she was Eva Kilpack. Our birthdays were the same day. We were the same age and we were very close. Our amusements were limited, but we lived in the out of doors as many months as possible. I loved to ride horse back. We used to have horse races on the 4th of July, and I used to ride in them every year. I loved to roller skate also.
My courtship was not outstanding. I went with several of the home town boys, but not until we moved to Oregon did I meet my husband. We were young but seemed to have a mutual understanding, and we liked the same things. I was always looking for a young man who did not smoke or drink or swear and I found all of this in my husband.
We have seven beautiful children. Three of our girls had beautiful voices and did a lot of public singing. Our oldest son seemed to do his best in home dramatics. He is now a successful businessman. Our younger son is in demand as a builder, but he holds a responsible job at Standard of California. Our younger daughter could do anything she sets her hand at homemaking. All the girls are superior housekeepers. My husband, being a builder of homes, we have moved many times but it was always easy for me to adjust.
Tragedy, Thank the Lord has not invaded our home. The only comedy I can think of is letting my husband think he was the boss.
I have had to live a life of economy most of my life. I made over clothes and did lots of patching. Mother used to make our panties out of flour sacks and sometime? it was hard to bleach out the printing. One particular pair still had the big eye on them. My Father teased me about it, so I would not wear them.
I have never taken part in politics, but not that I haven't been interested. We have always gone to Church and taken our children. Our children were taught to pray. I have read many books probably not the best, but when I read them I thought they were. My reading now is confined to the Church Works and Church Publications. We have always tried to have good literature in the house, the Church magazines and not the trash you find in the stores. I have always loved to sing. I haven't an outstanding voice, but its been easy for me to sing harmony. I love to dance. My husband and I have always done a lot of dancing. We went with our children. Now that they are all married and gone we still dance.
I have moved a lot in my life; from Idaho to Wyoming, from Wyoming to Oregon, from Oregon to Utah, from Utah to Wyoming, from Wyoming to Utah, from Utah to Wyoming, from Wyoming back to Utah, where we now live. We have done some traveling through the giant redwoods in California to the desert in Arizona.
My Church activity has always brought me joy and satisfaction. While I was in the Relief Society in the Jackson Ward, I used to go quite a lot with Dr. Huff, when he delivered babies. I could be of service there, because I often found families in need. We went to the Temple twelve years after we were married and took our seven children with us.
I have tried as I go along to make my life fuller and better. I hope my health stays as it is and I can have many more years of happy living. My Patriarchal Blessing tells me the Lord desires me to do much good among the sick and those who are called to mourn which I have tried to do.
My Grandparents came across the plains. My grandmother a year before, and grandfather a year later. She came with the “last handcart company” Grandfather cooked and was camp helper to pay his passage to Utah. They later pioneered in Teton Basin, Idaho which they homesteaded, lived, and died there, and are buried in the Victor Idaho Cemetery.
My Mother and Father were married at Rigby Idaho, where Mother homesteaded on a 160 acre farm which we all grew up on. Father was engaged in saw milling, which took him away from the ranch a lot, but Mother and us children farmed and milked cows for our living. Mother later moved to the sawmill in Summers and lived at the ranch in Winters to put we children in school. They sold the ranch and the remainder of their lives were, spent in Jackson, Wyoming, where they lived and Father died June 4, 1925 and Mother Died August 20, 1947. They are both buried in the Victor Cemetery.
(Signed Ed Blair and Effie Eynon)
From Notes on “Personal Record” Sheet
I attended school in Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. If I have any talents at all it is sewing, cooking, and general home making. Church positions; are many from responsible ward jobs to Stake Relief Society. I have held positions in all the organizations. My business experiences are as follows: We built and managed a motel in Jackson, Wyoming. Later came to Utah, built and are now managing a trailer court, which we have operated for the last ten years.
Faith promoting experiences: When I was a child of nine years of age, I was raised from my sick bed by my Grandfather, who administered to me. The Gospel has meant much to me all of my life.
Travel: We have done quite a bit of traveling on the west coast and through the deserts of Arizona. We have been to six of the temples and have done work for the dead.
It has been my privilege to have David O. McKay, when he was General Superintendent of the Sunday School, sit at our table. Since that time, he has become President of the Church and I have had the pleasure of shaking his hand. I have also shaken the hands of many of the General Authorities.