November 13, 1959, Brigham City, Utah. Tenth ward, Box Elder county. I am the daughter of Jonathan Ricks and Eliza Jane Eynon. I was born March 27, 1893. - Benson Ward, Cash Co., Utah. I was blessed May 7, 1893, By Henry Ballard, Bishop. I have a picture of the house I was born in. I am the 9th of 13 children.
My folks lived on a farm near the Logan River. My Father and his Father and brothers ran a Ferry Boat. One morning a man came and wanted to cross the river. As he walked toward the river my father followed him and when my father arrived at the river the man was on the other side the same distance away he had been before. It was thought afterward that he was one of the three Nephites or John the Beloved.
We were also visited by another man. He came asking for food. Mother sent him out to chop wood. When Father came and saw him out there he said that man is too old to be chopping wood, so he asked him in and gave him food to eat. He ate a good meal but not a thing on the table had been touched. He then said that our family would never want for food,.
We lived in Utah till I was one year old, then they sold the place and moved to Victor, Idaho, in May 5, 1894. We moved by means of team and wagon, the trip was a long one to travel in that manner.
We had to Pioneer a new country and make a new home. We first lived in a one room log house. Afterward used as a granary. My brother was born March 3, 1895, Lewis Martin Ricks. They built a larger log house with 2 rooms up stairs and 4 down.
While at Victor my parents went for supplies to the town of Saint Anthony about 60 miles away. I was still the baby so they took me along. While they were shopping they sat me down on the floor in the store. A man came in and gave me a stick of candy in each hand then picked me up and ran from the store with the clerk and my parents after him. Crossing the street with me he saw he could not get away with me so he put me down, took the candy and ran to a buggy waiting for him. So I missed being kidnaped. I can remember them telling about it and I would cry every time.
In a few years they built a frame house it still is there. I have a picture taken July 19, 1958.
My brother Delbert was born March 26, 1897, Jessie was born May 15, 1899. Ester Lillian born Sep 21, 1901. She was the baby of the. family, she started to school but only went 1 month, died Oct, 27, 1907, - at Victor, Idaho. My Grandfather, John Eynon, died May 6, 1908, at Victor., Idaho age 76.
The folks traded the place for one in Imbler, Oregon. We left our home in Victor, July 3, 1908. With 5 wagons, 2 buggies, 150 head of cattle. It took us one month to cross the country into Oregon. We shipped part of the things. We stayed over night at Thornton, Idaho with my sister. Left there on July 5, for Oregon with 2 wagons and one buggy, the cattle and horses, We did not take the cattle the whole way. We sold them, at the town of Marland, Idaho. When we arrived at Payette, Idaho, it was real hot 118 in the shade so they decided to go the rest of the way by train. We arrived at Imbler, Oregon August 1,1908. It was here I finished school. It was a one room school house on the bank of Willow Creek. Here I completed the 8th Grade and was awarded a large Diploma.
I was a teacher in Sunday School at Imbler with Sister Annie Westenskaw.
The folks sold their place in Imbler in November 1934 on account of my Father’s sickness. He had appendicitis, it broke. He moved to a place called Porterville, Oregon. It is just across the border from Eatan, Idaho, on November 24, 1914. We had to cross the river on a ferry boat. Some times when the wind would blow it would take an hour to cross. We would sometimes sing songs while we crossed.
We belonged to the Porterville branch of the Weiser, Idaho Ward. I was chosen secretary of the Sunday School September 5, 1915. I was also a visiting teacher in the Relief Society. I received my Patriarchal blessing by Edward Davis, April 3, 1915.
We moved back to La Grande, Oregon, February 11, 1918. We first lived by the Grand Round River,- west of La Grande. I worked for Mrs. William Ash. She lived across the street from the L. D. S. Tabernacle. I worked there for two years. It was close to church so I joined the choir under the leadership of Professor Lewis Edwards, until he died, then David I. Stoddard and Earl Stoddard.
I married Moroni Scott Johnson, September 8, 1920. We were sealed in Salt Lake Temple October 6, 1920. In April, 1921, we all had the flue as the result my 2 sisters and one brother died. The girls both left babies, one a week old, the other 2 months. That was hard on my parents. I was a visiting teacher with Sister Phebie Wilson, also, magazine agent for Relief Society and M.I.A.
My brother died February, 1925 at La Central, California. Johney, My sister Effie Beddes died at Elgin Oregon, October 27, 1916, leaving 3 children; Thora, Alice, and William. William died when one month old. My brother Delbert was called to serve in the U.S. Army August 26, 1918, and was discharged January 27, 1919.
My oldest daughter was born Nov. 8, 1926. In La Grande, Oregon I named her after her two grandmothers and myself. Mable Lu born October 14, 1928, at La Grande, Oregon. She was named after her Aunt and Uncle Lewis and Mable Eynon and Aunt and Uncle Lewis and Mable. Ricks. Mable Lu was real sick in 1929 with some kind of a sore throat. My mother said she thought some of it was spunk because she wouldn't let anyone hold her but me.
We sold our place to Lewis and moved to Ontario, Oregon, February 10, 1929. We lived there for one year. Times were so hard, me and my girls went to Palmer, Idaho and stayed with, my Mother for a while. Then we moved to Brigham City, Utah in October, 1930. We stayed with Moroni's brother William Johnson about 1 month. We then rented a one room house just west of Jensen's store, on 1st west, and 1st south. Moroni Delbert was born in this home January 14, 1931.
In April we bought a home on second north and 1st west. At this place Mildred Josephine was born December 30, 1932. And Marilen Ruth was born September 5,1934.
We did some traveling in 1936. We bought this home that is located at 692 South 3rd West, Brigham.
Mother died June 21, 1939, at Elgin, Oregon. I was at her bed side. Moroni Scott Johnson died January 27,1944 at Fort Lynn, Colorado. His Mother died February 26,1944 (Mary Ann Elizibeth Johnson). I was at her bed side also.
January 11, 1945, I married Delbert Thomas Waters. He was the son of Larkin Waters and Lucy Roberts. He was born November 30, 1888, at Beaver, Utah. He lived there for a long time. He died August 26, 1959, in Brigham City, Utah. He had 3 girls and 4 boys. He had 29 grandchildren and 5 step children. His granddaughter Marilyn Robb lived with us from March 1948, until the present. Also she (Marilyn) had 3 sisters that lived here for a while, Norma Jane, Jolene, and Wanda.
Josephine went on a mission to Mexico in 1955 for 2 years, then Ruth went in November of 1957, for 2 years. Before that Delbert went in the service for 2 years spending some time in Virginia, California, and over seas in Korea. Then he was married in August, 1957. In November about a week before Ruth left for Mexico, Josephine was married.
This is 1962 I am a visiting teacher in Relief Society, I have had for my partners; Alvira Christensen, Ellen Siggard, and now it is Sally Glouser.
I have done Temple work since 1931, in the Salt Lake and Logan temples. I do quite a lot of baby sitting for people that live in Brigham but mostly in this the tenth ward. I am now 68 years old and enjoying good health.
Following written by Josephine Johnson Barfus daughter of Alean
Mother was ill with cancer for two years. She passed away 12 April 1967 at a small nursing home near us in Brigham City, Utah. I cared for her till she needed more care than I could give with 5 children, the youngest 5 months old at they time of her death.
Click here for a printable version