John Francis and Lauretta Hepworth Astle Family: From the Memories of Grace Emily Astle Frank

More Options   Print/Save More Documents View Pedigree View Photographs

PREVIOUS   1   2

Evelyn Vilate Astle lived only a few years. She was born January 4, 1904. She died March 23, 1911 in Grover, Wyoming. Her father was serving another mission for the Church, but was released because of the hardship of his family. Evelyn was very sick and she died shortly after her father returned home.

The Astle family was blessed with a baby girl, Doretta Alta, born 17 March 1906. She was the eighth child and the fifth daughter. The family now lived in a large house in town. They had larger acreage. Their house was across the street from the school. When the next baby was born, Doretta was just a baby of 15 months. She was a little jealous of the new baby (Agnes), but Arstanie said she soon got over it. Doretta married Donald Smith. He worked for the railroads. He contracted pneumonia and died leaving Doretta to raise her son Don Junior. Doretta moved back home and lived at David's house. She went to a dance and met her future husband, Wells Hoskin. They lived in Wellsville, then moved to Filer, Idaho and farmed. Doretta had four sons with Wells. She died at the age of 95 at her home in Filer, Idaho.

On July 3, 1907, a rather dark stormy day, much thunder and lightning surrounded the Astle farm house. In the early evening Grandma Hepworth came from the bedroom where Lauretta was and said, "You have a new baby girl in there". Agnes Lenora was that new baby girl. Agnes grew up healthy and strong. She married Jess Cook and they worked on many cattle ranches during their marriage. Agnes and Jess lived in Brigham City, Utah, later moving to Avon, Utah.

Elva May Astle made her appearance on May 23, 1909. As with all of the girls in the family, their mother taught each of the girls how to work. All of the girls became good seamstresses. Elva used her talents and worked many years at the Mode O'Day. She married NeVear Jones Kendrick and they raised two sons and two daughters.

February 19, 1912, another girl joined the family, Grace Emily. One day in May 1916, when Grace was 4 years old, the farm house caught on fire. The fire burnt everything except the clothes they were wearing. The members of the Ward and surrounding neighbors came with bedding, food and supplies, helping with what they could. The family lived in a tent until a new house was built.

In 1918, when Grace Emily was 6 years old her mother died on Christmas Eve. There was so much sickness and so much snow that no funerals were held. The family had to look out the window and watch the grave being dedicated.

When Grace was 8 years old, the family sold the family farm and moved to Providence, Utah. Agnes and Doretta lived in the Providence home for about a month before the family arrived. The family worked on the farm in Providence. Grace went to school in Providence. Her favorite teacher was Mr. David Fuhriman. He was her teacher in 5th and 6th grade.

Grace and her sisters rode the Bamberger Train to South Cache. When her father remarried most of the Astle children were grown and married. However, the children did not get along with the new Mrs. Astle (Clara Steen). After Grace graduated from South Cache, she moved out of the house and lived with David and Doretta. Grace Emily married Seth Clinton Frank in 1932. They are the parents to 7 children: 2 boys and 5 girls. Seth died in 1966 and Grace worked at a dress shop in Logan and then as a school cook at Providence Elementary. Grace Emily Astle Frank is the last surviving member of the original John Francis and Lauretta Hepworth Astle Family.

Jane Hepworth Astle was born January 16, 1914. She died shortly after in the month of March 1914.

The thirteenth child of John Francis and Lauretta Hepworth, Isaac Astle was born and died on July 14, 1915.

"I was baptized on my birthday in the Salt River in Star Valley by Brother Martin Thompson. He was the one assigned to do all the baptizing of the kids. Dad confirmed me the next Sunday."

"I saw coal for the first time when we moved to Providence. We'd always used wood in Star Valley. What a treat it was being able to turn on a light switch and to have mattresses not made out of straw ticking."

"Doretta (14 years old) and Agnes (13 years old) were left at the new house in Providence by themselves while Dad came back to Star Valley to move the family down."

"We had to wear long cotton stockings to school, with garters to hold them up."

"When Dad went on his missions, it was hard keeping the family going. But Dad always made us 'toe-the-mark' when he was around."

"Agnes and I would pull each others hair because she thought she was always right. Then in a few days she'd confess she wasn't."

"Pearl always wore black shoes with a little heel. I don't know why. One time Doretta gave her money to buy a new pair."

"Aunt Pearl was sure glad she didn't go by Aunt Clara, since her Dad married Clara Steen."

"Doretta was a member of the first graduating class at South Cache High School."

"Arstanie said Dad would play with the kids. He'd stand and straddle us on an old pump swing, and pump us up high."

"Arstanie would play with her boy, Roy, for hours on end. He was spoiled. Roy just idealized his mom."

"You need to have Arstanie or Doretta here to tell things…I was just a kid when they were experiencing life."

"When we got old, we just liked to visit with one another. We didn't talk about anything special, just 'visited'".

PREVIOUS   1   2