Harriet W. Earl Lunn's Life History

This is Grandma Barton's Grandma, Josephine's mother. Grandma said they called her Hattie. She died at a rather young age in childbirth, but what an accomplished woman. It was so neat to find out that she sang in the Tabernacle choir. I have always had a love for music, and it is something that has made me feel connected to a great-great-grandmother I have never met on this Earth. I also didn't know she was a twin before reading this history.

Harriet W. Earl’s Life History

By Harry Lunn (son)

Harriet W. Earl was born April 10, 1863. One of the twins, born to Jane W. and Jonathan Earl, at their home between 4th and 5th south on 9th east. Her early childhood was spent in a very interesting time, in the history and development of our state. They experienced many hardships, and were compelled to utilize whatever nature had to over in the way of food, and other requirements. Much of their clothing was homespun. The old spinning wheel had its place in a great many of the homes. Harriet was taught to sew and knit at an early age. The experience she gained in her early life, in the use of plants, fruits, and other types of food nature had to offer was a great help, and was often put to use in her adult life. One of the experiences she spoke of many times was the swarms of grasshoppers that would come in from the sagebrush covered land and would proceed to devour and destroy much of their crops. Harriet with others of the family would pound them with brooms and burlap sacks, and sweep them into furrows filled with water, where they would be plowed under and destroyed.

Harriet and Josephine were often given the chore of winnowing the grain on sheets of canvas spread at the side of Grandfather’s rockthreshing floor, while the boys were using three head of oxen to stomp the grain from the straw. Harriet attended school in a one room schoolhouse on the corner of eighth east and fourth south. In later years, more rooms were added to it; of brick construction and it was named the Tenth Ward School.

Education in Harriet’s early life was very limited. In her late teens she developed a beautiful singing voice. She became a member of the Tenth Ward Choir and was often called on to sing at ward functions and parties. She joined the Tabernacle Choir, and for a year or two was lead Soprano under the leadership of Professor Kirkman.

At the age of seventeen she went to work for the wealthy Kizer family. She worked for them several years, during that time through her association with these educated people, she learned many of their ways, also speech and manners, to the extent that she was at ease with people of all walks of life. Because of this, her brothers called her lady or laid for short.

Harriet’s first steady was John Saunders, the owner of a bakery, because of this face, and in order to tease Harriet, her brothers called him bun, which of course caused a wordy battle. About eighteen eighty two they broke up and she met and started to go with John W. Lunn. About a year later on July 12, 1883, they were married. They had a comfortable small brick home at 1157 East Fifth South. There was a nice large lot with fruit trees, a garden and a large grape ardor. The grape ardor was the scene of many parties with friends and relatives.
The Spring of 1898, they moved to a homestead ten miles north west of town on what was called the Black Sloughs. Harriet faced many hardships trying to feed and clothe her young family. But, due to her knowledge of ways and utilizing the plants and other foods existing on the lands roundabout, and the advise and good management, she was able to give her husband, they were able to eventually attain a comfortable living.

Harriet loved her brothers and sisters and their families. They were always welcome to her home. The visits with members of her family were always like parties with much wit and laughter. She loved to serve them good fillings and tasty meals.

Harriet had nine children. They were Harry E. Thomas, John William, Harriet Jane, Edgar, Josephine, Charles C, Edna, and Eirline. Harriet died August 20th 1906 at the age of 43. She had been a wonderful mother and during her life had enjoyed a host of friends.

Questions for Grandma

I asked Grandma these questions on the way to the SLC cemetary.

Why was Uncle Charles never baptized?

Benjamin and Jospehine Bright were never members of the church, and many of the family members were upset after Hattie was not given medical help at the LDS hospital because payment could not be given up front. Grandma's mom, Josephine, and Uncle Charles were raised by the Brights. Great Grandma Josephine was baptized around the age of 19.

Was Benjamin Bright like a grandfather to you? Did you see him often?

Grandma said she has one distinct memory of him. They lived next to his farm in South Weber, and one time when she was very small, her mother took her out to the fence where they met Benjamin Bright. Grandma went with him back to his house and he played hide-and-go-seek with her, and gave her some hard candy.

Lunn Family Plot

We took a trip to the Salt Lake City Cemetary to see the Lunn Family Plot on Sunday. I have never been to that cemetary and it is HUGE. We weren't exactly sure where the plot was, but Grandma remembered that is was near center street and knew of a landmark ( a mound of land that resembled a cellar). We drove up and down center street without much luck at first, so we dropped J and T off near President Hinckley's grave and me and grandma kept driving. Eventually, we pulled over for a prayer in help to find the plots, and within a minute we drove right to it!

It is located by going East onto 310 North off of Center Street. The plot is on the South side, just a few plots in from Center Street....and the mound is on that corner of Center and 310 No.

Harriet died after giving birth, and the baby died within a couple of days,
so they were buried together.

The main plot stone.

John and Harriet are my great great grandparents.




John Lunn's parents are also buried here.
Yes, his mother's name is also Harriet.


John Lunn's mother.

John Lunn's father.

Their son, Thomas, who only lived 3 days.

Their son, John, who died around the age of 15 from Typhoid.

Daughter, Hattie, who died at the age of 17. She had suffered heart

damage during an attack of rheumatic rever when she was younger,

and had poor health from there on.

Their son Charles.

This is Grandma's Uncle who was raised with her mother, Josephine.
Grandma told me he had asked to be buried at his mother's feet, and he is.

John lived in California at the time of his death,

but Charles brought his body back to Utah to be buried.

The latest.

Slowly, but surely beginning to understand the steps to finding and completeing family ordinances. I've been able to do some searching for dates and such at home, but I took a trip down to the family history center last week and got familiar with the new program, FOR. This program can only be used at the center, but it will be available to download once each ward family history consultant in the stake has completed the training. I hear the only stakes that are using it so far are in Cache Valley. I hope mine get rolling soon, cause I'd love to have it! Anything I can do at home during nap time is a blessing.

I did download a 60 day trial version of Family Insight, here. This program compares my ordinance records to the church's records. So, that is what I have been working on lately, along with typing up a loooooong family history by Great Great Uncle Charles Lunn about John & Harriet Lunn and their children.

I did find that Uncle Charles (Grandma Barton's Uncle) has never been baptized, although he was born in the covenant. Interesting, I need to ask Grandma more about the Aunt and Uncle he lived with, and why they didn't have him baptized.

History of Josephine Lunn Birt

This history is written by Great Grandma Birt herself. I have only seen pictures of her, but remember staring at one in particular of she and Great Grandpa Birt on a couch, and thinking what a nice woman she looked to be. I am so glad she wrote this. It was very neat for me to read and imagine her life in her own words. She speaks tenderly of her biological mother and father who's home she left at the age of 10, to live with her Aunt and Uncle, since her mother had died. Again, what hard working ancestors I have.

Josephine Lunn, born 1 April 1896, Salt Lake City Utah. I was the sixth child of our family of nine children, five brothers and four sisters. Father moved on a ranch in North Jordan Utah. We enjoyed a free life with lots of animal on our home; cows, horses, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and pigs. Our brothers and father played accordion, banjoes, mandolins, and guitars. We were taught to sing merry songs with Mother and Father teaching. We could ice skate for miles around our home in winter. We used to skate 3 miles to school and sleigh ride after school on ice. Father hauled all our drinking water 4 miles in large wooden barrels, after some time he drove a artesian well. We raised a large vegetable garden and mushrooms patch. Father and brothers rented a farm from Mrs. Augusta Reed on the bank of Jordan River. We moved in part of her house.

Mother died Aug 20, 1906. Our family was scattered far apart. I was sent to South Weber to live with my Aunt Josephine Bright, mother’s sister. I was named after her. One year later my 4 year old brother, Charles Cook Lunn, was sent there to live also. We were taught to do many things on the farm and to be honest and clean. We attended school in a small frame school house. Eight grades in one room. A large stove in the center. We enjoyed a free life there at Uncle Ben Bright’s. We worked real hard, but was fed real well and clothes also. We grew up with many friends and good neighbors. We played games of all kinds in the evenings. I was baptized 9 July 1919, in the Weber River by cousin, Clarence Earl.

I later taught Sunday school but always went to Sunday school before that. Uncle bought me a real good organ I learned to play it by ear and could play anytime I heard. I only reached the middle of the 8th grade in school when aunt took very sick with heart trouble. After her death, August 31, 1920, I kept house for Uncle and his cousin until my marriage to Joseph A. Birt on November 22, 1921.

We bought a farm in South Weber on half with Clarence Birt. We lived there five years, Verla and Arthur were born there. We rented a farm at Roy and really worked hard. But was very pleased with our money in the fall as that was the first money we had to pay our debts. LaVern was born that fall, Nov. 15, 1927. We put our earnings in to buying a farm 10 acres in Clinton ward. Our debt was heavy buying our place so we rented ground. Many times we loaded our little children into a wagon and took lunch to the other farms. Many times after dark we would get back home then the cows had to be milked, which was my job, we had as many as five then. Later, Ileen was born. I took her in a box on the wagon while I helped Joe and the children how or water crops.

Six years later, Sheldon was born and all the children were very glad of a little red head for a brother. Later, after he was 4 or 5, I worked a 2 year turn at Ogden Arsenal. Arthur was called into arm services and I spent many worried days until his return. Verla was married just before he left. Then shortly after he returned, he married, and LaVern shortly after that. So, I lost 3 children in a short time. Then, Ileen went to work and it really left our home loansome. All are married and children of their own. Joe and I are just a pair of grandparents that are very proud of each and wish we could help them more.

History of Joseph Arthur & Josephine Lunn Birt

More great work by Grandma Barton with family history. This tells a bit more about her parent's early life. I love the story of Uncle Ben lighting the bonfire in the drive to deter Joseph from taking Josie out!

My mother, Josephine Lunn Birt, and my father, Joseph Arthur Birt, were real hardworking people. Being farmers, they earned their living by tilling the soil, and making it produce many crops which they either sold or used for their own living.

Mother’s mother died when she was just nine years old, so she was sent to live with an aunt and uncle, Benjamin Bright and Aunt Josephine. Mother named me after this aunt. They lived in South Weber, Utah, where she went to school. My father, Joseph Birth, lived in South Weber and went to school there also, so they knew each other as children.

When Joseph and Josephine grew up to be teenage or early twenties, they started dating. Josephines’ Aunt Josephine died when Josephine was about nineteen or twenty, and so Josephine stayed with her Uncle Ben, helping him on the farm and as his housekeeper.

The story is told of how one night Josephine had a date with Joseph and her Uncle Ben started a big bonfire in the driveway thinking to stop Joseph from coming to see her. Uncle Ben was afraid she was going to marry Joseph and he would lose his helper. But Joseph was not stopped, so they were married on November 22, 1921.

For the first 5 or 6 years of their marriage, they lived and farmed in South Weber where Verla was born in September of 1923, and Arthur was born in September of 1925. Then, they moved to Roy, Utah where they farmed for about 2 or 3 years. LaVern was born while they lived there in November of 1927.

Then came the year of 1929 when the stock market crashed and the banks went bankrupt. Joe and Josie had bought a small ten-acre farm in Clinton, but they lost their savings at this time and had to ask Joe’s father to help them so they would not lose their farm.

Another daughter was added to their family in September of 1930, named Ileen.

This ten acre farm in Clinton, however, couldn’t supply enough income to support their growing family, so they rented land from others, sharing the profits with the landowners. Joe rented farms in the town of Clinton, Sunset, and Roy. The main crops he raised on the farms were tomatoes, sugar beets, potatoes, hay, and grain. He also raised beans and cantaloupe.
Joe and Josie worked these farms with the help of their children and an occasional hired hand, and at this time most of the farming was done with horses.

Joe had a team of Clydesdale horses that he farmed with, and he had a love for horses all his life. He supplemented their income from the farm by working in the gravel pits and helping to build roads with the horses. He acquired a horse trailer that he used to transport his horses back and forth to work.

At one time he worked in the gravel pits in the mountain road in Kaysville, Utah, which was a distance of about 11 miles one way.

I can remember seeing my father leave home real early in the morning with his horses in the trailer and the fog would be very heave and mother would be so worried because the fog was even heavier up on the mountain road.

Another son was added to their family in 1936 on Memorial Day. A red headed boy, and they named him John Sheldon. He brought joy to the family as we all were pleased to have a baby brother to spoil and love.

Well, the years rolled by, and the children grew up. Then, in 1941, our United States was attacked by Japan and several of our ships were sunk at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Arthur was drafted into the Army in 1943 and had to leave soon after Verla was married. This left Joe and Josie with only 3 children at home, Sheldon being only 7 years old at the time.
These war years were hard years working on the farm with only LaVern and Ileen to help them, where Arthur had been such a help before, however, Verla’s husband, Bill Barton helped them wherever he could. Ileen and LaVern worked very hard these war years. Josie went to work at the Ogden Arsenal to help the war effort and to help them financially. Josie also worked at canning factories for several years during the canning season.

After LaVern graduated from High School, she got a job in Seattle, Washington, so that left only Ileen and Sheldon at home.

Arthur returned home from the service in 1946 and was soon married that same year. Then LaVern married the next year in 1947.

Things were somewhat easier by now as Sheldon was 11 years old and able to help some on the farms. Ileen was married in 1950, leaving Sheldon the only sibling at home.
Arthur helped Joe and Josie and they farmed together for several years, then in 1949 or 1950, Arthur moved to Morgan, Utah to farm his mother in law’s farm up there.
Joe and Josie continued to farm with Sheldon’s help and also help from their sons-in-laws whenever they could help. Sheldon was married in 1957 and built a home on the farm next door to Joe and Josie.

Joe and Josie enjoyed their grandchildren as they came along, and they enjoyed going to visit LaVern and her husband, Jim, in California, especially the Christmases they spent there with LaVern and her family.

They spent their lives providing for and teaching us chilildren to be honest and hard working adults. And in death, as in life, they were never separated for long, both of them leaving this earthly life in 1970. Father the 1st of October and mother, just ten days later on the 11th of October.

I am very thankful that they were my parents and hope that they have found happiness beyond the veil.

Verla Birt Barton 1999

Early Life of Verla Ellen Birt Barton

Grandma Barton wrote this life history of when she was a young girl. I am so glad she let me take it and type it up. I can't believe I haven't asked her more questions in the past. I love all the details she gives. Years apart and I find myself relating with her...her beloved kitty she was worried about transporting during the family move, her excitment for a little brother..maybe that's where I got my love for animals and little Brock;)

What have I learned? Well, I've gained a great appreciation for these hardworking great grandparents of mine. I can't believe I've ever worried about having a room for each child or having 2 vehicles or all the other petty and worldly things I can get wrapped up in. They just worked hard and enjoyed the simplicity of life. Also, I need to ask grandma more questions!

I, Verla Birt Barton, was born on September 29, 1923, the daughter of Joseph Arthur and Josephine Lunn Birt in the town of South Weber, UT. Myself, being their first child. We lived in a large rock house with father’s brother, Clarence, and his family living in part of the house. Father and his brother were farming land together there. While we were living there, another child, a son, was born to them, on Sept 25, 1925, the named him Arthur Leroy. Sometime between the years of 1925 and 1927, we moved from South Weber to Roy, Utah, where my father had intentions of buying a farm, they worked very hard to purchase that farm and in November of 1927, on the 15th day, another child was born, a girl, which they named LaVern. They couldn’t acquire a loan to buy the farm because it was the beginning of the depression years. So, Father’s Dad knew of the farm in Clinton, Ut, which was owned by Thomas Parker that was for sale, so Father’s Dad purchased the farm and we moved to Clinton in the Spring of 1929 (white cat story), Father agreeing to make payments each year to pay for the farm. Mother and Dad worked hard to meet the payments, and in the year of 1930 on September 19th, another child, a girl, was born and named Ileen. Mother intending her to be named Earlene, after Mother’s baby sister of that name. The years rolled by with mother, father, and children working hard on the farm with Father having to rent land from other farmers and also working for Davis Co on a WPA in the project in a gravel pit with his big team of horses, King and Duke.

On May 30, 1936, another son was born to them and was named John Sheldon. We were all delighted to have a new little baby brother in our family. The baby being born at home. All of we children were anxiously waiting for the baby to be born, but we were all crying because of our concern for our mother, because of it being Memorial Day, the doctor mother had engaged for the birth wasn’t available, so our neighbor, Kate Summers, got her doctor to come out to Clinton and deliver the baby.
Being the springtime, mother had very little time to stay in with the baby before she was back out in the fields helping with the planting of the crops. All we children had our duties to take care of as well as helping mother care for the new baby.

Verla remembers mother nursing Sheldon and working in the fields. Before she would nurse the baby, she would go down to a spring of water and cool herself.
Growing up, we children had our fun times as well as work times. Our fun times included going down to summer’s corner where all the neighborhood kids would collect after chore time. Some of the chores we had to do at that time was clean out the cow barn, put clean straw in before milking time, feed the cows hay, feed the chickens, fill the coal buckets, cut kindling, fill the water buckets every night so we’d have water to wash our faces and brush our teeth in the mornings. On Saturday nights we had to fill the boiler with water and put it on the stove to heat for our bath night.

After chores were done we could go down and play on the corner. On school nights we couldn’t stay too long, but on Saturday night was our night to howl on the corner with all the boys. We used to play in a big barn and jump off the hay and play hide and seek, kick the can, run sheep run, and tag.

Other things we did for fun were going to the 24th of July parades in Ogden every year. Father had a team of Clydesdale horses that he would take to Lagoon at Farm Bureau days where they held ahorse pulling contest. We also went to the Hooper Tomato days where there was a horse pulling contest also.

Another time, we were up to Grandpa Birt’s in South Weber. There were quite a few grandchildren there at the time. There was a hill off the front yard. Ileen ran off this hill into the path of a car. She was hit and thrown over the hood of the car into the road. Her shoes were missing and we searched the field for them. She wasn’t even taken to a doctor. There was no money for a doctor. I remember how mother sat holding Ileen in front of the oven most of that night. However, Ileen recovered after this accident.

We used to herd our cows to pasture in the morning and bring them home at night. We also herded them along the roadsides. Ileen and Lavern brought a bicycle with green stamps to use in herding the cows later on. Sheldon ran the bicycle in the ditch and wrecked it.

Sheldon had a dog named Shep and mother would never let a dog in the house but when Ileen left to go to work away from home and all except Sheldon had left home, she let old Shep into the house.

When we were moving to the Clinton Farm from Roy, Utah. I had a white cat and I worried how we were going to move this cat until Dad made me a kind of box cage to put it in.

One time I remember when Ileen was just maybe 2 years old. Art and I went to the neighbor’s to get a gallon of milk. We had Ileen in a little wagon with the milk. We were acting silly pulling the wagon back and forth across the road, when we got onto the bridge we tipped the wagon over and Ileen and the milk went into the ditch full of water. I ran screaming for mother, but Art got down in the ditch to pull Ileen out, when we got out there Art was dragging Ileen up the bank. Don’t know what happened to the milk.

Arthur and Verla used to play follow the leader with the Summer’s and other neighbor kids, jump the drain ditches. Also, run barefoot in the roads when they hauled new gravel and sprayed oil on it on the road in front of our home. We also played with the neighbor kids down on the corner in the evenings until after dark most nights.
Father retired from Defense Depot Ogden in 1962, soon after this, Sheldon had his home built just west of the folks home. Father helped all he was able to and was glad the home was being built there. Mom and dad bought a new truck and camper in about 1965 and they went on lots of camping trips with most of their children and grandchildren tagging along on these camp outs also. One of their favorite camp grounds was the Maliboo camp ground up Logan canyon. We enjoyed many good campouts there.

Father, not able now to do much farming, left the farming to Sheldon with Bill Barton helping him. Dad bought an Allis Chalmers tractor that was used on the farm. Father and Mother raised a large garden even in their retirement years and shared the produce with children, grandchildren, and others too.

In their retirement years, they also went to the Temple in Salt Lake City and did endowments. When mother could no longer go because of her health, Dad continued to go and he would take several women from their ward with him. He was anxiously waiting for the Ogden Temple to be built, but it wasn’t finished until a year after he passed away.

Grandma Barton

My sweet Grandma Barton, Verla Ellen Birt Barton, my inspiration for beginning my work on family history. I started with asking her a few questions, which then led to having a lunch date to record dates and names she already had, which in turn led to a plethora of written family histories and stories she had stowed away in her drawer. Grandma has been saying she needs to work on family history, but she has been doing so all along...collecting histories, names, dates, work other family members have done, everything one needs. Now, I'll just do the technological stuff for her!