Life Story of John Francis Astle Written by his sister, Sarah Astle Call

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During the farming season, they all lived in a summer house out on the ranch. On January 16, 1914, a baby girl was born, but lived only a very short time. He name was Jane. She died April 19, 1914. The 14th of July 1915, a little son was born, but passed away shortly after birth. He was blessed and given the name of Isaac. This was the first child of the family to be born in a hospital. All the other children were born at home, and Lauretta was attended each time by a mid-wife. At home, mother and babies were doing fine; but at the hospital it was altogether different. The baby died, but through the blessings of the Lord, the mother was saved, and her life spared for the sake of her family. John F. said that Isaac was the largest baby he had ever seen.

Our mother used to remark, "When trouble begins, it seldom comes alone." This proved the case as far as the John F. Astle family was concerned at this time. John F. had acquired another 160 acres of land his father-in-law once possessed. It was here that Lauretta lived previous to their marriage and here John F. courted her. In all, John F. was now owner of 480 acres of ranch land. They were living in their summer house, when one day in May 1916, the house was razed by fire. John F. and Vernon had left shortly after breakfast to work in the field about half a mile away. All of a sudden, they noticed the house afire - the roof was all ablaze. They both got on horses and rode as fast as they possibly could to the place, but when they got there, the roof was falling in. All they were able to save was a sewing machine and half of one bed. Everything else went up in smoke. All their clothing, with the exception of a Sunday suit belonging to John F. which he had left at the town house in Grover, was destroyed by the fire; also a large tent that happened to be in the house. Everything that it takes to keep house was gone and for a family of twelve.

Just as the fire was under control, but the ruins were still smoking, the banker, Mr. Lynch, of Afton drove up in his car. He was there to sell John F. a car. John F. remarked to Mr. Lynch, "Well, this going some, for you to come here to sell me a car when my home and contents haven't quit smoking yet." But Mr. Lynch was kind enough to take some members of the family in his car to Afton to buy clothing, dishes and food; also to make arrangements for a range. The family spent the remainder of the summer living in a tent. They lived in town during the coming winter, and John F. worked a great deal of the time in the canyon, getting out logs for lumber, preparatory to building a new house. A little later John F. purchased a new seven passenger Overland car.

During the time of World War I, John F. had a beautiful new home constructed and a large barn out on the ranch. Both were strictly modern in every way. The house was one of the first in that vicinity to have hot and cold water and a bathroom. The large barn held 100 tons of hay and 50 head of stock. They were milking at that time from 30 to 35 cows. Each month the milk averaged $300 in cash. The nice home they owned in Grover was sold and the family lived permanently in the new home out at the ranch.

During the fall and winter of 1918-1919, the whole country was visited with influenza and many died. John F.'s home did not escape this dreaded disease. It brought great distress and sorrow. Vernon, the 20 year old son was the first to go. He died December 23, 1918, and then the next day - Christmas Eve, Lauretta, the mother, passed away. Others of the family were seriously ill, but recovered.

John F. had been ordered to bed, as he was sick and running a temperature. A special nurse from Denver, Colorado, was there to care for them. She said to John F., "Mr. Astle, if you don't go to bed you will be the next one carried away." But he felt that he couldn't give up, because his motherless family needed his attention now, more than ever. The Lord was with them in their sickness and in their trials, which to John F. especially seemed so hard to bear. Relatives and friends did all possible for them and for others in similar conditions. It seemed to John F., in the passing of his dear ones, that no one could be so sorely tried, and even Satan himself, taunted him in his great sorrow by saying, "Now do you believe there is a God? And if there is a God, do you believe He is just?"

At this point, John F. was prompted to read in the Doctrine and Covenants, and he let the book open at random. Therein he read about the Prophet Joseph Smith while in Liberty Jail being greatly distressed in both mind and body, and he cried out unto the Lord: "Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions?" The Lord answered, "Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." In reading this passage of scripture, John F. was greatly comforted and a feeling of peace came over him in his great affliction. He felt that God had not forgotten him in spite of the fact that his faith in God had been severely tried.

Of course, that Christmas (1918) was a sad one, but the family of nine motherless children carried on very well with the eldest daughter, Klea, taking the lead and management of many household duties. She proved very efficient, with the aid of her sisters, Arstanie and Pearl. Grace, six years of age, was the youngest of the family.

Astle home in Providence, Utah

In 1920 John F. decided to move to Providence, Utah, thinking to improve conditions for school so the children could live at home and not have to travel such a distance to elementary and high school and for other advantages. A well-built, large and spacious brick home was purchased for $14,500. It was surrounded by 12 ½ acres of excellent farm land located on the north edge of town presenting a lovely view of the valley. In the years that followed, the landscape was made beautiful with lawns, shrubs, flowers, and different kinds of trees. On the farm land was grown beets, and abundance of fine strawberries, raspberries, blackcaps, and currants, both English and red. There were also fruit trees, such as cherry, apple, peach, plum and prune. At times, beans and cherries were picked for the canneries. There was a fine family garden too. Abundant crops of alfalfa and some field corn were grown. Most of the time horses, cows, and sheep were kept. For many years, John F. engaged in poultry raising, maintaining the white Leghorn chickens. In this he was very successful financially, supplying eggs to the Utah Poultry Association of Logan, Utah, for more than twenty years.

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