sensei ee ee 4 LIFE HISTORY OF HAZEL ATKINSON ROSE - BEFORE MARRIAGE written by Hazel Hazel Atkingon Nelson Rose was born November 25, 1919 at home in Clarkston, Cache County, Utah, 2 daughter of Heber Delbert Atkinson and Selma Josephine Christensen Atkinson. Father, Heber Delbert Atkinson was born January 12, 1890 at Clarkston, son of Alfred Henry Atkinson and Johanna Mathilda Peterson Atkinson. My mother, Selma Josephine Christensen Atkinson born to Joseph Mads Christensen and Emma Christensen Christensen, May 21, 1887 at St. John, Arizona. I was blessed and given the name of Hazel Atkinson, December 30, 1819 at Clarkston, Utah Bensen Stake, by Bishop Uncle John Ravsten. I was baptized December 4, 1927 by Wendell Godfery in font at Charkston Church House, ‘confirmed by Uncle Joseph Christensen December 5, 1927. Received Patriarchal Blessing March 17, 1985, given by second cousin, Patriarch John H. Peterson. I was the fourth of five children born to Heber Delbert and Selma Atkinson. I have four wonderful brothers and sisters all very active in the church and all have been married in the L.D.S Temple or have later received their endowments. They are eldest to youngest: Joseph E. Atkinson, Violet Atkinson,Hauser, Grant Atkinson, and Lola Emma Atkinson Campbell. My childhood memories bring back many happy recollections as a child, several sad experiences, but they were few. The first seeds of my testimony that there is a God and he does hear and answer our prayers, was planted at a very early age. ly mother taught me to pray and to have faith in my Heavenly Father as early as I can remember. Family prayer was always a part of our daily routine and the Word of Wisdom strictly observed in our home. Many times when I or someone in our family was ill, Bishop Uncle John Revsten or Uncle Joseph Christensen was called in to administer to us. It was a great source of comfort to have the hands of those in authority lain on our heads and many times ve felt the Lord's healing influence upon us, as my father was so busy with the farm work, most of the responsibility of training we children was-left up to mother. Mother was a quiet intelligent woman filled with faith, love, and devotion. She was very obedient to her father’s wishes and was a wonderful wife and mother. She had a beautiful alto voice and enjoyed music throughout her life. I am grateful for her patience and love and all she has done for me. She was indeed a choice spirit of the Lord. My father was an honest and dependable man, always 4 hard worker, very hospitable and taught bis children these same traits. But he was very determined. and had a strong will, so we were pretty obedient children. Dad always attended to his church duties and loved to watch his boysparticipate in sports. Dad loved the soil, it really became too important to him. He was still farming at the age of 72. When just a little girl I remember my mother being very ill. I felt that she would die if I didn’t do something about it. I remember going out behind the house and kneeling down asking my Heavenly Father so save her, just then the Doctor’s car drove up and I knew the Lord had heard me My father had a ranch in Weston and in the summer he and my brothers spent most of the time at the ranch. A horse was left for me to ride to take the cows down to the pasture across the canal and back at night. I remember one evening when the cows got out and were’ lost in the swamp among the cattails below Clarkston on the edge of Newton Reservoir. I was so frightened as I searched for them in the dark. I prayed for courage as the coyotes howled around me. I especially prayed for my Heavenly Father to guide me to the cows. When I was through praying I heard a noise in the distance. I remember how petrified I was as I decided to investigate. It was another horseman, so I asked if he had seen any strange cows, and he directed ‘me to another section of the field. There I found the lost animals. Soon my father came to help me get the cows home. The man had gone to Clarkston and.told my father where I yas. I felt my Heavenly Father's protecting care and influence with me so much that night. towers fa A. sweet old lady, Sarah K, Buttars... lived across,the.street from us. My brothers and ‘sisters had their turn of doing her chores, also staying with her at night. When my turn came she was 93 years of age. I was so proud to be earning the 25 cents a waek I was paid. I was thrilled with Sister Buttars’ experiences and the wonderful advice she gave me. She had left her home in England when her husband would not accept the gospel. She took her baby and sailed to America leaving her husband behind. Sister Buttars had so much faith and such a wonderful testimony that she was an inspiration tome. At the time I was staying nights with her it was during the depression. Money was so scarce although we did not ask to be paid, she insisted on paying us 25 cents a week. One week she paid me in advance because she had no change so the next week she paid me 25 cents also. I took it home and thought I would keep it because she would never remember she had already paid me. 1 put the money in the érawer but could not get it out of my mind. I could stand it no longer, grabbed the quarter and ran across the street to give it to Sister Butters, explaining what happened. I shall never forget what she said tome, “My dear, always remember honesty is the best policy. I should like to insert something here for my children. “No, my dear children, I do not know how it was to live in the horse and buggy days! ‘We had automobiles in my day and very nice ones, too eeThe Depression days were hard on everyone, but it seemed the farmer either received no price for his wheat or a hailstorm would strike. We always seemed to get enough to eat but clothes and money were a different story. My brother had one shirt to Wear and mother would have to wash it when he came home from high school and iron it before he could go to school the next day Several dresses a year was all we could have. I wae in grade school and how tickled I was when I could have an egg to run to the;store and trade it for a stick of candy. How thrilled I was when I would go to the Post Office and find a case of fruit or nuts sent by my Grandfather Joseph Christensen at Farmington. I would run home and get the little red wagon and rush back, gather all the neighborhood kids and mother would open the case and give us all a treat. We never taeted certain fruite unless my grandfather sent it to us Our winters in Clarkston as a child were something to remember. The sleigh riding was the best and snow drifts were almost as high as our house. Many times we were snowed in and only sleighs could go out on top of the snow. Having no furnaces we huddled about coal stoves to keep warm, cold stormy nights always meant mother would get out the pop corn popper and we would pop corn, make candy and enjoy ourselves as a family. Memorial Day always was a special time,’ when we would pay honor to our relatives by decorating their graves, especially our grandparents - : Lola and I and sometimes Grant, would -go to our favorite hills, “Long Hill," and “Round Knoll,” to pick flowers. Mother would’ fix a lunch and we would start out on our journey After a day of gathering flowers we would go home weary and tired but filled with a happy assurance our relatives would be pleased. Violet went in her earlier years Other fond recollections were those times we went to City Creek and picked choke cherries. We loved the jelly mother made, on hot bread, toast or rolls. Mother was an excellent cook and made everything taste wonderful. Ss