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I suppose that because of my red hair, freckled face and hot temper, and the fact that I was teased by so many, my father often sympathized with me, with kind words and gentle treatment. I have always felt a debt of gratitude to him for this. He frequently took me with him to Salt Lake City and elsewhere.

My father was always good to me, and my mother was an angel. Much I owe to her for guiding me away from temptation and sin. I remember her telling me how wrong it was to use profane language. My father was a noble example also. I have never heard him take the name of God in vain. Neither did he allow his hired men to swear. I heard him tell a man that he never allowed anyone to damn anything he had asked God to bless. Father and mother both were anxious about the religious training of their children. A number of younger children were sent to Provo to attend the Brigham Young academy.

I commenced going to school when I was quite young. I now have a reward given me by John S. Gleason and dated 1867. I cannot remember all my early teachers but some of them were: John S. Gleason, Sarah Harrod, Hilda Kimball, a Miss Bebee, Jacob Miller, James T. Smith, Jos. E. Robinson and L. H. Kennard.

My first recorded blessing was given me by Philamon Merrill, June 5, 1860. Perhaps I was blessed by my father, when I was eight days old, as was the custom in those days. I have followed this custom with my own children, giving them a fathers blessing when eight days old.

The next ceremony, and the first one I remember, was being baptised by Truman Leonard, April 21, 1867. As I remember, the ordinance was performed in Big Creek, just north of the Joseph S. Clark home. I was confirmed a member of the Church on the same day.

As a boy, I used to attend the general conferences in Salt Lake City with the family. We first traveled by wagon, then by carriage.