Our mother was born April 15, 1879, in Centerville, Davis County, Utah, the eldest daughter of John Ford and Elizabeth Garn. She had five older brothers, John W., Philip J., Joseph N., Thomas, and Albert, and a younger sister, Mary Ford Parrish, who now lives in Centerville, Utah.
When Esther was a few days old, Grandfather Ford went to see the Mother. He looked at the baby and said, "God bless the baby, and name her Esther." On April 23, 1879, the Grandfather blessed her and gave her the name of "Esther Lauretta."
The family lived in a small rock home in the northwest corner of Centerville, Utah, known as the "Jennings Farm." When the younger sister, Mary, was six weeks old, the family moved to a large home on the highway. They lived in this home until the summer of 1894, then moved to the rock house next door while the old home was torn down and a ten-room, red brick home was built. This home in recent years, has been made into an apartment house.
A happy childhood was spent in this lovely home with kind, loving parents who taught their children to be honest, obedient, industrious and considerate of others. Their early pioneer experiences taught hard lessons of work, courage, determination and resourcefulness. Their religion taught loyalty, love, kindness, and concern for the welfare of others. In this home, the children had tasks to perform without excuses or complaints, and they treated their parents with loyalty and respect. Mother told the story of how she received a life-long lesson on respect and obedience. The family was on an outing in Weber Canyon. When the picnic was over and everyone was ready for ice cream, Mother wanted to serve it. When she was refused, she started to pout. Her father asked for a second helping, and when she replied she did not want to serve it then, she soon learned it was better to obey orders than to refuse.
As a girl at home, Mother always had the half of the kitchen to clean that included the pantry. She also cleaned and polished the kitchen stove. The two girls never took turns, but were given certain jobs to do. Mother always felt that she was given the hardest and heavier tasks because she was the oldest. She always washed the dishes and took the greatest responsibility in home duties.
The Ford family worked hard to improve their land and home. Education was stressed as well as music and other arts. The home had an organ and piano, which the two girls learned to play well. A teacher came from Salt Lake City to give them both organ and vocal lessons. They were invited to many gatherings to furnish music and singing. This talent of Mother's was enjoyed by her all her life, and was a great benefit in her own home in teaching her family. Every one of her daughters took piano lessons, and she would sit down and help count time and pick out notes with each one.
While Mother was young, and because of poor health caused from the recurrence of malaria fever during the hot summer months, she spent most of her time on the Ford Brothers ranch in Mountain Green, Weber Canyon. She often told us about the experiences of trapping carp from the Weber River, which was salted and cured; also, of making and curing cheese to take back to Centerville for use during winter months.
Mother was baptized on October 3, 1889, by Melvin H. Randall in the old Mill Pond in Centerville. Brother Randall also confirmed her a member of the church on the same day.
At an early age, she attended Sunday School and Primary. She was secretary of Primary when her mother, Elizabeth Garn Ford, was president. Primary Conference was held once a year at a different ward of the Stake. Mother told the story, "This time our Primary went to Kaysville. The children were all excited and looking forward to the trip. They were crowded in a large wagon with the officers. At this meeting, while waiting to speak, Sister Louie E. Felt, the General President from Salt Lake City, noticed some of the children chewing gum. She spoke of the subject of reverence and how children should act in the meetinghouse. She asked all to stand up, raise their [hands] and repeat after her three times, 'I'll never chew gum in the House of the Lord'." Esther always remembered the feeling at this meeting house and the promise she made, which she never broke.
School was attended in the little rock schoolhouse, which was later torn down for the building of the North Centerville Second Ward church. Grades in school were determined by the readers. All eight grades were conducted in one room with one teacher. The building had a little entrance room or hall where coats and overshoes were removed. This one large classroom, with a big pot bellied stove in the center for heat, had large desks in rows that would seat two or three children at one desk -- boys on one side and girls on the other. In turn, each class was called to the front of the room to sit on a long bench near the teacher's desk to recite. One of Esther's teachers was Jed Abbot, who rode back and forth from Farmington on a horse.
Mother was not able to attend any more schooling other than what she had attended in Centerville. When she was preparing to go to the University of Utah, she met with an accident. She was with a group of young people on their way to a dance at Hales Hall in Bountiful by bobsleigh. Something frightened the horses, and she was thrown from the sleigh and kicked in the back by one of the horses. She suffered from this back injury for many years.
A certain young man from Farmington, Nathan George Clark, used to pass the Ford home often while taking hay to Salt Lake City. The Clark's owned a seed and feed store at West South Temple. This friendship grew, and on February 16, 1898, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple and a reception at the Ford home followed. Two days after the wedding, they went to Farmington to live in two rooms of the home of the father, Ezra T. Clark. They lived there until a two-story, red brick home was built on Clark Street, east of Amasa (the name Joseph is crossed out with Amasa written above) Clark's home. This later became the Robinson home (the name Robinson is crossed out with Uncle Hyrum written in and below that "now Carla Clark" is written). Because of Mother's back injury, she was not able to do her own housework right after she was married, and a maid was hired.
When Father and Mother were making preparations to move into the home, Father was called on a mission to England. He left on February 14, 1899. The new home was rented and Mother returned to Centerville to live with her parents. Their first child was born on May 31, 1899 and was named Nathan Ford Clark.
Father returned home in 1901 after performing an honorable mission. Part of his mission was spent in Lowestoff, England, where his mother's family had lived before coming to Salt Lake. Father and Mother were very happy to move into the new home with their little son. Two daughters were born there -- Josephine, on October 31, 1901, and LaVaun, on January 25, 1903.
In 1904, the family moved to the northeast part of Farmington into a rock home purchased from Ira Steed. The ten acres of land were planted into fruit trees and berries, which provided a good living as well as employment for all the children. A large barn was built to accommodate the horses and cows and store hay for winter feed. Mother was reluctant to leave her new home on Clark Street and made the move. However, as time went on, the cool fresh canyon air and pure spring water tunneled out of the mountain proved a blessing. She steadily regained her health and strength.
The following children were born in this rock home: Glendon Ford, April 16, 1905; Susan, August 25, 1906; Grace, August 18, 1908, John Ford, March 12, 1910; Wilma, April 26, 1911 and Noel Ford, December 21, 1912.
In the Spring of 1913, a large tract of dry farm land was purchased in Dayton, Idaho. The family lived there for two summers and moved to Preston, Idaho, for the winters so the children could attend school. There was plenty of work on the farm for the boys with clearing, planting and harvesting, Mother kept the girls busy with sewing, cooking, and household projects.
Vera was born in Preston, Idaho, on May 20, 1914. Due to crop failures, after the summers of drought and hailstorms, the family moved to Logan, Utah, where the older children could attend Brigham Young College and the family could avail themselves of better educational advantages. The farm in Idaho was sold and a comfortable home at 451 North Third East, Logan, Utah, was purchased. Norman Rudgar Clark was born there on April 8, 1916. He died on December 2, 1916, of pneumonia and was buried in Farmington City Cemetery.
Ford completed his high school education at Brigham Young College and was called on a mission to the Hawaiian Islands from the Logan Fourth Ward. He departed from Salt Lake City on January 25, 1917.
In June, 1917, the family returned to the rock home in Farmington. Two girls were born: Elna, July 21, 1917 and Erma Esther, June 16, 1919.
A large corner lot with an adobe house was purchased from Daniel Miller, located one block north of the Farmington Ward church. The adobe home was torn down and a lovely dark brick and stucco home was built. Elizabeth was born in this home on April 21, 1923. She was the last of the 14 children in this family. It was in this home that the Helen Mar Miller Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers was organized. Sister Irena Thayne was the First Captain and Mother was the second Vice-Captain.
Our different homes were the gathering places for friends, neighbors, and relatives. Extra places were set at our table for Sunday dinner many times. Mother never tired of doing nice things for her children and their many friends. The family had many good times together -- camping trips up Weber Canyon, when the older children were young, were big treats, trips by wagon to Great Salt Lake; and picnics to Lagoon were always fun for the whole family.
The older children all remember when the first electric lights were put in the old rock home as well as the first telephone; the excursions in the one-seat buggy; the fringe-top, two-seat surrey. The visits to our grandparents in Centerville were wonderful occasions. The hayrides to Great Salt Lake were weekend, special events during the summer. The Clark families built a small bath house with piped clear water where one could shower and wash off the salt after floating around on the lake. As the sun would set over Antelope Island, the box lunches would be eaten on the beach before the ride back home in the moonlight.
Because Farmington was a railroad stop between Salt Lake City and Ogden, it was convenient for box-car or rail travelers to stop off and ask for food. Our home was always open to strangers who happened by. When tramps, we called them hobos, would come to the door for food, they were never turned away. Mother would always show them the woodpile where they could cut wood, or they could do some garden work to earn their meal that Mother prepared for them.
Father was a good dentist, as was his father before him. He owned two pairs of forceps -- one for small teeth and one for larger teeth. He took care of teeth extractions for the family and neighbors. When the first dentist was established in Bountiful, 15 miles away, Mother took us in a surrey for our dental checkup.
The following years from 1923 were very hard and trying. To shoulder the responsibility of providing and taking care of a large family took broad shoulders. Through her wonderful management, Mother performed this responsibility well. Her faith and testimony in the Lord was strong, and she sought Him often for wisdom, courage and guidance in meeting the problems of each day. She taught her children to keep God's commandments. Family prayer every night and morning were a part of our daily life. We were taught the observation of the Fast Sunday and tithing, and she made it a point to make sure we were ready for Sunday School and other church organizations that we should attend.
Mother was always a thrifty and hard-working person. She was always very clean and neat, and never expected anything of her children that she wasn't willing to do herself. I cannot recall ever having seen her come from her bedroom in the morning without first making her bed, tidying her room, combing her hair, and wearing a clean dress, ready to start her day. She was a very good cook and a wonderful homemaker. We remember the big drippers of golden brown, homemade bread. For her large, growing family, she baked ten loaves every other day. For a long time the count was 26 loaves a week: eight on Monday, eight on Wednesday, and ten on Friday. She used 50 pounds of flour a week. All of us can still remember the delicious aroma that greeted us as we opened the door returning from school or play. It was a treat to cut the heel off a fresh loaf and smother it with butter and honey.
Mother learned to sew when very young. She did a lot of embroidery work and was very fussy with her children's clothing. She was an expert seamstress, especially at tailoring, remodeling and making over. Her daughters were known as those among the best dressed in the community, and it was because she took the pride in her work. She used to tell us, "You don't need to tell anyone your dress is a hand-me-down. No one will know the difference unless you tell them." She would tell us that if we acted and behaved as well as we looked, we would always be all right. She not only sewed for her own family, but for friends and neighbors as well. For several years she taught a group of 4-H Club girls in sewing. On October 6, 1933, the exhibit of dresses and articles made by these girls took first prize at the Utah State Fair held in Salt Lake City. While trying to help a granddaughter sew, she said, "If the job is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well."
We will always remember the little verse she taught us whenever we said, "I can't".
"I can't . . ." is a sluggard too lazy to work.
From duty he shrinks, every task he will shirk.
No bread on his board, no meal in his bag,
His house is a ruin, his coat is a rag."
We learned early that it is better to say "I will try" than, "I can't". Mother taught us to work hard and work well -- never to shirk a duty or responsibility and to take pride in a job well done. No back talk, rough language, slang or backbiting was ever allowed in the home.
Our father used to say it was much better to turn the other cheek and never carry gossip. "Never repeat anything you hear and only half of what you see," he said. We were all blessed with a good home and loving parents where examples were taught in areas that really mattered. We were taught always to be very conservative. "Waste not, want not" -- and never waste anything that could be used. We were trained to budget our time and not waste it. We were given tasks to do according to our ages -- all working together like a partnership to accomplish our day's work. At the end of the week we were rewarded by going to the show, making candy, ice cream or popcorn. When we needed discipline, Mother expressed love very easily, but often demonstrated it to impress us of any wrongdoings.
Mother always loved to take care of the sick, and during the depression years, she went to the different homes as a practical nurse. She would assist the local doctor in delivering babies all over the county. She even attended patients in her own home so she could spend more time with her family, but while performing this service away from home, her daughters could carry on, because they had been taught well.
Service is the vehicle of spiritual growth. Christ said, "He who is great among you shall be your servant. "Mother enjoyed a life of service. Her chief concern was surely outside herself, and her service and love far transcended her own household. She was generous with her time and energy to those in need. Her love enfolded her family and encompassed almost the entire neighborhood. When we had a cow, which provided milk for the family, Mother not only shared the milk with another widowed family, but had one of the children deliver it. If she had anything in her home that she felt would make another neighbor feel more comfortable, she shared it. Mother not only loved to serve others in need, but taught her children to do likewise -- never hesitating to send one of the girls to help out when she couldn't go herself. We think Mother as the best example of a good Samaritan -- visiting the sick, sitting up much of the night with them so their family could get some rest.
In the spring of 1935, Ford sent Mother a telegram saying that he wanted her to spend a vacation with him and his family in the Hawaiian Islands. How exciting it was helping Mother get ready for the trip! On April 15, part of the family waved good-bye at the Farmington Union Station as she reluctantly got on the Union Pacific Railroad for Los Angeles and then by boat to Honolulu where Ford met her. This trip was one of the highlights of her life. Ford showed her the most enjoyable time. She visited all the parts of the islands and went to the Hawaiian Temple. She returned home the latter part of August.
Mother realized the importance of an education and she tried to instill in her children the capabilities of a successful life if they would prepare themselves for it. She was anxious for each one of her children to go to college. After returning from Hawaii in the fall of 1935, Mother rented the home in Farmington and moved to Logan with the five remaining children at home, so that that family could be all together and three of them could attend college. Mother rented homes and took in student boarders to help with the expenses. The family was very happy living in Logan where the advantages for obtaining an education and social and church activities were better.
In May 1942, the home in Farmington was sold to Owen and Mary Ellis. The home of Charles Batt, located at 558 East Fourth North in Logan, was purchased and remodeled. This made a very comfortable home. Even after the children had married and left Logan, Mother had students living in the home for their board and room as long as she was able. Some of her grandchildren also lived in her home while they were furthering their education.
When Beth, the last child, received her degree, Mother was honored at the 52nd Annual Baccalaureate services at Utah State Agricultural College. Of nine sons and daughters who attended the college, two gained two-year normal certificates for teaching, and six graduates. President C.G. Adney of the Board of Trustees at the time said, "The story of Mrs. Clark is one of magnificent determination and family guidance on the part of a mother who for the past twenty-two years has had to support twelve children herself." Besides six who received degrees at U.S.A.C., one gained his masters degree at the University of Utah, one graduated from the LDS Hospital School of Nursing, and one received her certificate from the Quish School of Beauty.
Mother's home was a haven to all who lived in it. She gave so much of her time, patience, guidance and love to all her children, grandchildren and young people who lived with her. The inspiration and encouragement to them helped to mold their lives for a better living. Charles Swain said the following:
"Home not merely four square walls
Though with pictures hung and gilded
Home is where affection calls
Filled with shrines the heart builded."
Mother loved to travel and enjoyed visits from her children. She spent two summers with her son, Ford, in Honolulu. She loved the beautiful islands and the travel by boat and plane. She spent two summers in New Jersey with Josephine and family. Here she enjoyed seeing many parts of New York and New Jersey, including the L.D.S. Pageant at Palmyra, New York, and the trip through Yellowstone Park on her return trip west. She spent a winter with Grace in California and many months with her daughters in Idaho and Utah. She was always ready for a ride or trip. She was young at heart and a good sport. She had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed good times in Logan Canyon, fishing trips to Bear Lake and associations with friends and family.
Mother spent a great deal of her time working in the Logan Temple. She was interested in genealogy and was so anxious for the temple work to be done for her ancestors. Through her diligence, a lot of this work was done in the Logan Temple and her grandchildren were there to perform the baptisms. Mother visited other temples in Canada, Idaho, Southern Utah and Hawaii.
Mother was always active in church activities. She was a singing Mother, a teacher, and a work director in the Relief Society organization. She always took the quilts home from a work meeting to bind them. She spent a great deal of time sewing quilts, and working on other sewing projects. While she lived in Logan, she was an active member of the Sego Lily Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. I doubt that her loyalty to the church and its standards ever knew a faltering moment. She was surely a choice spirit who gloriously proved her great worth during this, her second estate.
Mother's home in Logan was sold shortly after she entered the Sunshine Terrace on October 16, 1963. She enjoyed being with people and made many friends in her new home. Many will remember her for her kindness and thoughtfulness to others, her independence to do for herself, and for her beautiful handwork and cheerful disposition.
Mother lived in the Sunshine Terrace for five years. During the last months of her life, she was in poor health. She passed away January 12, 1969, just three months from being 90 years old, and was buried in the family plot in Farmington, Utah, on January 15, 1969.
