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March 29, 2024

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Life Story of Francis Astle
Written by his granddaughter, Sarah Astle Call

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Grandmother said it was a little difficult to do the shopping in America, especially for groceries, as some items were known by different names than in England. For instance, she went to a shop and asked for paprika. After much explanation, the clerk finally said, "Why you want cayenne pepper, do you not?" After this, she said to her family, "In America, when you want paprika, say cayenne pepper."

In August or September, 1862, they decided to continue their journey to Utah. Grandfather and his three eldest sons had worked hard in the mills at Germantown and saved every dollar possible for the trip. The journey across the plains was made with ox teams, and although it was a slow traveling caravan, they arrived in Salt Lake City 13 September 1862. His family were members of the Joseph Horne Company.

They were sent on immediately to Hyrum, Cache County, Utah. This was a new community, just being organized and settled by immigrants from various foreign countries and of many different nationalities. Grandfather had been trained in the vocation of Lace Maker in the mills in Nottingham, England, but he found no employment in this training in the new country. But, they had come with a determination to work at whatever labor it required for them to live in the land of Zion, where they could worship as they desired, among the people of their choice, when they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and left all former hopes and aspirations behind in their long-loved land, "England", because they were sure they were right in joining this Church and coming to America. There were many hardships to be met and endured. They missed the comforts and what had seemed necessities in their former home. Here all was changed - a new land, unfamiliar surroundings, strange people. They soon rejoiced to find that the people were one in purpose, for they had the same faith and belief in their Heavenly Father.

Grandfather, having a liberal education for that time, became one of the first school teachers at Hyrum, Utah. A Mrs. Liljenquist, an early settler of Hyrum, said to Sarah Astle Call, "I knew your grandfather, Francis Astle, and family very well, and he was one of our very first school teachers in Hyrum." Mrs. Liljenquist was then living in the McKinley Ward, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also worked at the business of mending shoes for the people and was know as both teacher and shoe cobbler. He did his work well.

In 1867 or 68, he and Grandmother decided to join two of their sons (Joseph and John) who had been called to help pioneer the Bear Lake Valley in Idaho, another new country. They were now getting along in years but had a desire for their family to live close to each other; so with the other two sons, James and Thomas, they made the trip with ox teams and very few possessions, over trails and dangerous roads to again begin life anew in a much colder climate and under more primitive conditions.

They all settled at Montpelier, Idaho, and entirely new place to everyone. They became farmers as that seemed about the only way of existing, by wrestling a living from the soil. The climate was extremely cold and more often than not the grain was frozen just before harvest time. Through all this, Grandmother, that beautiful, lovable person, remained at his side, never complaining or wishing they were back in England. She, too, was true to the faith that they had embraced. She was a very dainty, clean, and well bred little woman. Even in death, it was said of her, "A most beautiful woman." The last two years of her life were spent in bed, or a chair, with what was termed at that time, shaking palsy. She passed away 18 January 1884, age 70 years, at Montpelier, Idaho, and is buried there. Grandfather was very lonely after her death and lived alone except for a small grandson, James Astle, the son of his son James who had been killed by the kick of a horse. Grandfather lived only eleven months after Grandmother's death. He died 13 December 1884, age 74, at Montpelier, Idaho, and is buried there. A courageous and faithful life came to a close so far as this mortal existence is concerned, but in the hereafter his labors of usefulness will continue on among his ancestors who have gone before, and they will rejoice in his association.

Side Note: His daughter, Mary Astle, left England for America in 1856 with her intended husband, William Severn. They were married on board the ship in mid-ocean. Both were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and immigrated to Utah with the Hand Cart Company of 1856. They, too, had lived in Hyrum, Utah, and later moved to Montpelier, Idaho, as early settlers.

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