Orson Clark-11/30-81 - Pg 10

Interviewer: He was in prison for six months wasn't he?

Orson Clark: I think so. Something like that.

Interviewer: Did he ever tell much about his prison experiences or did any stories come out of that in the family?

Orson Clark: I've never heard anything much, no. Of course I never did know Ezra T., I was only about three or four years old when he died. It was a great thing when the polygamy was going on and the government was after them. My folks had to hide out in their house. In the main room there was a trap door. When there were people coming around they would just push the rug back and life the trap door and go down and close it back up. Nobody would know or suspect it.

Interviewer: Were some of the families still being persecuted or bothered when you were young?

Orson Clark: I don't know of any. They just lived.

Interviewer: Just lived their lives out.

Orson Clark: There is one thing right in our own line. Nathan you know.

Interviewer: Why do you think he went into polygamy?

Orson Clark: I don't know. But he did and that family was one of the bright families of the church. You go right down through those kids and I taught nearly all of them. Ezra was in the ninth grade when I went to Bountiful to teach. I never had Ezra but from there on down I had them. The ones at the end, I didn't. But they were good kids and smart youngsters. You take it right now, they are smart and they are doing well financially.

Interviewer: Are most of them active in the church?

Orson Clark: As far as I know, they are all active.

Interviewer: I was wondering if any of them had became unhappy because of their father.

Orson Clark: Not that I know of. It was too bad there, of course he was excommunicated. My father used to try and work with him and get him to get back into the church. I think he finally did.

Interviewer: How did the rest of the townspeople regard Nathan when he went into polygamy?

Orson Clark: I didn't hear much about it.