Temple to be married. There was no electric service, except in Afton, until 1937, so all the little chores were done by hand. We drew the water from the well with a rope and bucket. What a glorious day it was in about 1906 when Father drove a pipe for a well through the kitchen floor and clear down to good water. Then of all miracles, we had a pump right in the kitchen. A little later I saw Uncle Wilford's pump in his kitchen in Montpelier, only he had an electric motor with his pump.

The reason I am saying so much about Star Valley in my narrative is that Star Valley and Father, in my thoughts, are largely synonymous. It was here that Father really started--about the time that Star Valley was getting started; it was here that he built his empire--and it was quite an empire; it was here that he reached his zenith in power and influence, in property and wealth, and then into decline.

When Father went to Star Valley, he acquired squatter's rights to 160 acres with a log house on it. This house was home until 1900. Several of the children were born here. I was the last--1899--so I have one distinction in common with Abraham Lincoln: we were both born in log cabins.

About four years after arriving in Star Valley, Father started buying more land. It seemed that he wanted to get all the property that "joined him" and then the property that joined that, etc. All the while his family was growing; there were nine children by 1900. He was growing financially; he was growing in influence in the community and the church. He was a county commissioner, a counselor in the Bishopric; later he was on the Stake High Council and acting in the Stake Presidency. As a child, I can't recall ever seeing my father seated in the congregation, he was always on the stand. In 1900, he built a large two-

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story house--one of the largest and most prestigious in Star Valley--where he had room for his large family (Mother had thirteen children) and a place for visitors and church dignitaries (some of the Apostles stayed there when on assignment).

His policy of "buy more land to raise more hay to feed more cattle to buy more land to raise more hay to feed more cattle" resulted in his having a spread of about three thousand acres and a thousand cattle.

I want to interject here, some about the ranch. Soon after Father's arrival, the land surveys were made and Father was squeezed out of half of his meadow land and had to take foot hill land instead, so he was very cramped for hay land. He bought 160 acres from Ben Perry that joined him on the east. He then bought 320 acres on the east of that from Mark Bigler. This place was long north and south and straddled the Salt River, about two miles of river on this place, the game warden told me is some of the best stream fishing Wyoming. It also had a full complement of ranch buildings including a huge barn. The barn has been gone for twenty or more years, but it is still referred to as "Clark's barn". Hack Miller, in his fishing column, mentions "Clark's Barn" area on Salt River. Father then bought two Leavitt ranches, side by side which were a mile long east and west, one had a house and out buildings on it. He then tried to buy the Sessions place which joined on the south, but Sessions and bought the next 160 acres from Hebe Smith. He also acquired a lot of foot hill land for grazing.

At one time, Grandfather Clark, noting that Father had a large debt at the bank, decided to go to Star Valley to see if everything was all right. He got to Montpelier when he conveyed

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