WILLIAM DAVID CAMPBELL and ELNA BOHNE marriage and family

About 1926 - sharing a chocolate bar 

Married: 22 December 1926
Place: Cardston, Alberta, Canada
Sealed: 22 December 1926
Cardston, Alberta LDS Temple

Alberta, Canada Marriage Certificate 

About 1974 my grandfather wrote a short history of his life. I quote his own words to tell his story.

"I, William David Campbell, met my wife Elna Bohne in 1924, on the street in Cardston. She was with my sister Pearl. It was on a Conference day."

Pearl Campbell and Elna Bohne 1922

In a short biography written about the same time, Grandma Elna says,"In 1924 I came to Hillspring to visit my sister, Annie Orr, who had moved there.  At this time I met William D. Campbell and on Dec. 26 1926 we were married in the Cardston Temple."  From her personal record we learn their first date was 24 July 1924 to the 24 of July celebration in Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada.

Temple Certificate of Marriage, copy courtesy of Allen Campbell and family

She also tells us, "We came to Hillspring and lived on the farm west of Hillspring by the Waterton River for two years.  Then built us a home about 1 mile east from the river.  Here we farmed for about 10 years." In the 90's while visiting Hillspring, my mother pointed out the lot this home was built on and we took a picture of the lot looking SW. An old log building there was falling down but mom did not know if it was something from the past or more recent.

view of lot where home in Hill Spring was built circa 1990

Grandpa Campbell continues, "We were married one year later on December 22, 1926 in the Cardston Mormon Temple. Then we came to live in Hillspring on the farm 4 miles west of the town. Here we built us a home and lived there for about 10 years. Then sold the farm and moved into town as our children grew old enough to go to school. We have ten children, 6 boys and 5 girls. One little girl passed away.
- 

Elna and Bill Campbell

"Our first child, a girl, Laura Ruth [Campbell] was born in Hillspring. My mother and another lady, a Mrs. Meekum were the ones who took care of my wife and child. The roads were blocked with snow and ice. It was a bad storm on the 21st of September 1927. Ruth did her schooling in Hillspring and passed most of her school grades with honors. …

"Our son Walton [William Campbell], born in Cardston, also did his schooling in Hillspring. He likes mechanics, and is now a truck driver [1974]. He worked in the mountains cutting mine props after he left school. …

Elna Campbell with baby Jean circa 1931

"Elna Jean [Campbell], born in Cardston, attended school in Hillspring. She married Garth Forsyth, farmer and carpenter in 1948 Oct 14th. …

"Flora Bell [Campbell] was born on the farm … a very cold and stormy day. She also had her schooling in Hillspring. …

"Allen Garth [Campbell], born in Hillspring … My mother took care of him at birth. He also had his schooling in Hillspring and High School in Cardston for grades 11 and 12. …

"Colleen Alice [Campbell]… also did her schooling in Hillspring. …

buried in Hill Spring Alberta Canada

"Annetta Lou [Campbell] born February 23, 1938 died one year later of pneumonia March 31, 1939…

"David Junior [Campbell] … got his schooling in Hillspring. Then he was trained as a welder by Horten Steel Company. He worked for them for some time, travelling as far north as Enuvic, and East to Montreal, and many places in Alberta. …

"Blaine Bohne [Campbell], born … at home in Hillspring. The snow was so deep cars couldn't move. The roads were all blocked. He went to school in Hillspring. When he was about 12 years old he was thrown from a horse. He landed on his shoulder, mashing the shoulder sockets together. He spent some time in the Cardston Hospital, then in Lethbridge. It took about 6 weeks for it to heal. …

"Darrel Henry [Campbell] …  He attended school in Hillspring and Glenwood.

"Wendell Glen [Campbell] … He took his Junior schooling at Hillspring and Glenwood. Then took his High School at Pincher Creek. He passed with honors. He worked for Palmer Ranch for 2 years ....

Bill and Elna Campbell's 50th Wedding Anniversary with their children.

"We had a good life together, sharing our joys and sorrows all together, with fishing trips and the boys and their father. Camping trips in the summer, was holiday time with the whole family together.

We have been married 48 years and have 48 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren now." [1974] 

In 1989 The Lethbridge Herald published an article honoring my grandparents. They had 101 great grandchildren.

We have had so many fun family camps and reunions.*

Elna Campbell far left, with all her daughters at Westcastle camp

It seemed Grandpa and Grandma could do almost anything they put their mind to - if they thought about doing things and tried them they accomplished what they set out to do.  Grandpa could usually be found in his shops painting or carving when we visited and was always glad to take time to show off his many collections of rocks, bottles, coins, pictures  (he liked to take photographs and develop them), antique tools and other memorabilia.  And always his own paintings - we always looked at all his paintings. He sold many oil paintings but likely gave away almost as many as he sold. He was always giving away something.

Oil Paintings for sale in Grandpa's studio

Their home and yard was a marvel of interesting things to look at, as well as a large garden, many trees, flowers, and works in progress. His humour always delighted me. I will never forget driving into the yard and seeing realistic paintings of birds of prey in the trees or other places. At first I was so surprised - then I realized it was a painting. He loved that - my surprise -  and gave me a similar shaped eagle painting.

Grandpa and Grandma in their yard in front of the garden. about mid 1990's

Grandma made hand embroidered quilts for most of her great grandchildren. Her stitches were even and her piece work skillful. She was a skilled seamstress and almost always wore an apron as she bustled about cooking and cleaning, smiling and serving.

Their posterity consists of 11 children, 54 grandchildren, 165 great grandchildren** and now, an exponential number of great great grandchildren. The yearly camps and reunions each summer in the mountains are a known refuge we carry close to our hearts in sweet memories.

I will never forget standing in the timber with my grandfather next to a tree so large he could not have spanned it with his arms - and he had long arms! It was majestic and so was he. I carry that image indelibly printed in my very soul. We had him and grandma print and sign their own names in some family history books my mother gave each of our children that year. 

Elna with 9 of her 10 living children at her brother Mike Bohne's funeral 1989

They both lived a long time and were relatively healthy and physically active all of their life. Many of their siblings passed away before they did and I particularly remember how Grandma missed her brothers and sisters. She often spoke of them and how she was the last one to go. She outlived each one and was alone left after the last living sister died 2 years before she did.

* Family and friends are invited to share memories you may have of Grandpa and Grandma (and pictures if you happen to have any available). It would be especially nice to have a picture of their family as children. Does anyone happen to have one?

** Last count was taken in 2011. If you can correct or add to these numbers please let me know.

The numbers breakdown as follow: 
     Ruth -      grandchildren 15
     Walton -  grandchildren 12
     Jean -      grandchildren 55 ... great grandchildren 110
     Flora -     grandchildren 10
     Allen -     grandchildren 19
     Colleen - grandchildren 16
     Annetta Lou - died as a child
     David -      grandchildren  4
     Blaine -    grandchildren  5
     Darrell -  grandchildren 19
    Wendell - grandchildren 10
       

WILLIAM DAVID CAMPBELL death

Died:  13 July 1990 Cardston, Alberta, Canada

Buried: 17 July 1990 Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada

Before my maternal grandfather passed away a few circumstances that were a bit unusual occurred. My grandmother had an appointment with a heart specialist. Grandpa, was to all appearances a very healthy 89 year old.  One of my first cousins had driven them to that appointment. Grandpa had a massive heart attack there at the hospital in the waiting room and was quickly attended to and eventually resuscitated.

Grandpa was not expected to live and visitors were limited to his wife and 10 living children. They were permitted to visit with him for a very short minutes each, one or two at a time, for those first few days. He was a man of strong mind and body. He continued to live for several weeks despite minute by minute medical predictions of demise. 

I paraphrase here an interesting story from shortly after he awoke, as I heard it from several sources. It seems that he was ascending a long stairway and at the top of it were his mother and father with their arms reaching out to him. He said that Parley Merlin and Pearl, his deceased brother and sister, were also there and so was Uncle Ted, a brother he was very close to, and many others he knew and loved. I heard several family members say that he kept saying how good Uncle Ted looked, and that he was still wearing 'that same brown suit'. They were all crowding forward in excitement to see him and greet him but he realized the Grandma Elna was not at his side. He wanted her to share that reunion with him but she was not with him. Finally he noticed her at the foot of the stair and motioned repeatedly for her to come and join him. He was very cross with her, and kept asking her why she would not come, because he felt he could not go without her by his side. 

Elna and Bill [William David] Campell

What a wonderful thing to know how deeply he loved and cherished his wife. How wonderful to know loved ones wait there for us with longing and excitement at the prospect of our coming. I think of excitement in our family at the arrival of a new baby. We bring and send gifts and greetings and are delighted to see pictures or hold them in our arms. Our family, that we miss so much now they are gone, surely watch for us to join them there.

During those last few weeks of life his many, many grandchildren were permitted to begin to visit him in ones and twos, oldest to youngest. I am somewhere in the middle. My turn never came and I never felt like I got to say good bye. At his funeral, I lingered at the chapel after the family left the viewing to go next door to Uncle Allen's for supper. Eventually I was alone with him and the potted plants and other flower arrangements. I needed that time there. 

My grandfather was a big man. Years in the timber, and of hard physical labor, made him rugged and strong but he looked slim. He was so tall that you never noticed how broad he was. He filled his coffin end to end and side to side; his white hair touched the top of the casket and his shoulders grazed each side. Someone later told me that a larger custom build casket would have taken weeks to order and been very expensive. I was glad his last moments showed what a big man he was. 

William David Campbell in camp at Westcastle

Grandpa Campbell, to me, was big in every way: he was kind and gentle and soft spoken, except when he threw back his head and laughed. His laugh just boomed out of that man as grand as he was. His sister Elsie told me once that their father laughed the same exact way. 

He had a wonderful sense of humor. As I stood there by his casket, at a loss of how to say good bye, I suddenly heard a sound like water running. Startled I looked around trying to see what I was hearing. It sounded very near. Just then my cousin, Barry, came in. We espied a single stream of yellow water shooting out from the bottom of a potted plant, onto the floor from about waist high. It looked like the plant was relieving itself. We laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was the kind of joke Grandpa might have thrown back his head and laughed about. I felt like we had said good bye but were still connected by the threads of family that can never be broken. 

Funeral Program of William David Campbell

- I came to know because of these things that happened at the time of my grandfather's passing, of the reality of life beyond here and now. I look forward to the day when I leave behind the pains and cares of this world to be greeted by loved ones there. Maybe he will greet me. I can just imagine that: his eyes would light up and a smile would tug the corners of his lips wide. As I think on it I can almost feel his strong arm pulling me close to his side as he sometimes did - and I would need to reach up and up to put my arm around his waist. 

I know, because of Grandpa Campbell, that we do not cease to exist when we meet death and we will live in happiness in that place, 'at the top of the stairway' with those that we love. They wait there for me.

WILLIAM DAVID CAMPBELL history

Born: 17 April 1901
Bentley, Alberta Canada

My mother's father was born on his parent's first wedding anniversary.

He was also born in a hospital. That was so unusual for his time that it was remembered and noted by every person that knew of his birth. That is perhaps the only thing agreed upon. Although his family resided in the area of a small town that became Rimbey, Alberta [called 'Kansas Ridge' in what was known as the 'Northwest Territories' of Canada] I have been told that the nearest hosptial was in Bentley, Alberta, Canada.

Family records and traditions and some more formal records such as marriage and death records state his birth occurred in Rimbey and also Lacombe. His birth certificate lists Bentley, Alberta, Canada. The informant was W. Burris at Lacombe on 17 June 1901 and the return was made the 18 June 1901 at Innisfail, Alberta.

I note that a correction in Grandma Campbell's handwriting on a 'personal record' changes the place of birth from Rimbey to Bentley but on a personal record that I suspect is printed by Grandpa it says 'recorded as Bentley'. Other official records, that he filled out, say Rimbey.

Map from Google maps April 2012

Father:  William Warren Campbell (3 Aug 1871)

Son of  David William Campbell and
             Kizzie Ann Averett

Mother: Phoebe Alice Tolman (21 Aug 1875)

Daughter of William August Tolman and
                     Mirantha Althera Bates

Grandpa William David 'Bill' Campbell [about 1974] wrote: 

"My father was born in Panquitch Garfield, Utah, USA ... When he was 13 years old he started working with his father on the Union Pacific Railroad. He also herded sheep along the Grand Canyon. In 1897 he got a job with a sheepman, William Tolman, whose daughter became my mother, ... My father was with him during the sheep and cattleman war in Idaho. It was during this time that he met my mother...

" My father started to court my mother, Phebe Alice Tolman, and they were married in the spring, April 17, 1900. They decided to take the sheep camp wagon and started for Cardston, Alberta, Canada. In 1900 they were in Cardston for a short time, then decided to go further north to Lacombe, Alberta. Here they homesteaded at Bentley in the same area as the Tolmans that were already there. In September they built a sod house and broke some land. I, William David, was born in the spring of 1901 one year later and my brother Edward was born in 1902."

On page 47 in a book titled 'Pas-ka-poo: An Early History of Rimbey and the Upper Blindman Valley' we find Great Grandpa Tolman homesteading with 3 of his sons, William Cyrus, Ormus Albert, and Erin Layfette.

Grandpa continues, "At that time it was so wet for two years. the grain that was planted didn't ripen so they decided to move back to Cardston.

"In 1905 they started back in the same covered wagon. On the way we camped by a bridge. I wanted to play on the bridge. Mother said if you go on that bridge it will go up with you, that stopped me.

"On the way it seemed like there were a thousand Indians. Sometimes my father was away from the camp to get the horses. That was when the Indians would come into camp to bother mother. She had my brother Edward in a baby carriage. The squaws wanted to take him out of the carriage. Mother always carried a six shooter. She got it out from under the pillow and started shooting in the air.

"We arrived in Cardston in the fall of 1906 and my father started to work as operator of the Card Estate in Cardston until 1907. Then the Tolmans moved back to Cardston and built a new home there in 1907 and also a home on Belly River 3 miles south of where Hillspring is now. My father left the Cardston job and went to work for Grandfather Tolman freighting lumber from the Henery Hansen Saw Mill at Waterton Lakes. In 1909 my father bought 1/4 section of land on the East shore of Strawberry Lake south of Hillspring."

Baptized: 3 July 1910 by Robert Alroyd
Confirmed: William Warren Campbell

On Grandpa's personal record it is recorded he was confirmed in Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake and that his father was an Elder [of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints]. The dates and other particulars for his own Priesthood ordinations and Patriarchal Blessing are also recorded.

Deacon: 4 May 1913

              Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake
              by Thomas Davies - Elder

Patriarchal Blessing:18 June 1913
              Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake 

              by Patriarch Henry L Hinman

Teacher: 15 or 17April 1917 

              Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake

              by Thomas Davies - Elder

Priest: 7 or 17 January 1923 

             Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake
             by W. H. Caldwell

Elder: 20 December 1926 

           Hillspring Ward, Alberta Stake
           by William Warren Campbell - Elder

High Priest:27 August 1978

            Hillspring Ward, Cardston Alberta Stake

            by Raymond Keith Olsen - High Priest

Endowed: 22 December 1926 6:30 pm session
           Cardston Alberta Temple

I again pick up the thread of Grandfather's autobiography, "In 1918 [my father] bought the Walter Caldwell place; 1/2 section North side of the lake. That winter I went to Claresholm Agricutlure College, with Magrath Merrill, Lorenzo Davies, Grant Caldwell.

"In 1919 [Bill is about 18 years of age] the great drought began. We planted 200 acres of wheat and got 300 bu of wheat off the Stawberry Lake bed. That fall Dad bought a new double bedded wagon box. In June we took a load of wheat to Cardston.

"When we forded the river on the way home there had been a heavy rain storm. The river had risen up and was still rising fast and the rain was still pouring down. It was dark and we could not see. We went into the river the wagon pointed straight down and the horses swimming. I could see dad. He had cut the horses loose and I was still in the box which had floated off the wheels and I was floating down river. Father had followed the horses acrossed and came looking for me. I had landed on the right side and was trying to hold onto the box which was on a sand bar. We left it there and went home going back for it the next day.

"There is a funny story attached to this wagon box also. At this time there was several coal mines in the district. As a boy I had been in these mines several times and had saw the miners set the cap and fuse for the dinamite . One day father and mother were away from home so I took some dynamite caps and started using them as firecrackers.

"One two fuses [? original wording retained] I gave it a throw and the wind blew it into the wagon box. It blew a hole about a inch long. I was really scared. I was afraid to tell what I had done. One day Father saw it. He looked at it and came over to the house and said, 'did you see that hole in the wagon box?' and I said, 'what hole?' He said, 'I just can't figure out what done it.' I did not say anything. Every day he would look at the box and wonder how it got there. I never did tell him what I had done.

"There is another story about this dinamite . It was not funny at the time. I had a stick or two hid out under the granary. I heard one day that when it got old it got hard and dangerous. So I thought I had better get rid of it.

"So I was alone this day. Father in hauling firewood from the river had hauled a large grant log or wood almost 3 feet thick. It was so tough he couldn't cut it up with axe or saw. One day I heard him say, 'If I had a stick of dinamite I'd blow it up.' So this day I got a stick of it, drilled a hole in the log centre, tamped it in, put a plug in it, set the fuse, and ran behind the house. The log disappeared. There was nothing left of it. Some was almost down at the barn.

"Then I thought, 'how am I going to explain this?' The log was right by the gate.

"When they returned home I was really scared this time. At the gate he stood looking all around. He said, 'did somebody move that log?' He never did say anything more about it. He must of had some idea."

Grandpa says he often wondered if he was the only young one to play around with dynamite. Later when working with some other men they got to talking and grandpa repeats several dynamite stories they told him from when they did similar things.

"In 1919 and 1920 there was no feed in the country. Father and Marion Brooks each took a team of horses and went north to Cold Lake. All the rest of our animals died. We had 18 head of horses die. Cattle and pigs also. Marion Brooks had one cow. His son Willard Brooks and I butchered her.

"We lost this farm and got another 1/2 section west of Hillspring on the Waterton River and lived there for 6 years. In 1917 my mother, Phebe Alice Tolman Campbell, took a nursing course under Dr. Ellis R Shipley, a lady doctor. Mother was a wonderful person and served in her nursing night and day bringing a great number of babies into the world - while raising a family of 9 children, 2 girls and 7 boys ... Edward [Ted] Lawerence... , Alberta Pearl... , Parley Merlin... , Warren Earl... , Lowell Tolman... , George Albert... , Ray Everett... , and my youngest sister Elsie May..."

-

William David Campbell and Elna Bohne eating chocolate
Aunt LuRay says this is just before they were married. 

Spouse: Elna Bohne
Married: 22 December 1926

               Cardston, Alberta, Canada

Sealed: 22 December 1926 

             Cardston, Alberta, Canada
             by Edward J Wood

Died: 13 July 1990 

           Cardston, Alberta, Canada

Buried: 17 July 1990 

             Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada

ELNA BOHNE history

Born: 26 March 1909 Aetna, Alberta, Canada

Elna Bohne Birth Certificate

My maternal grandmother, Elna Bohne, was the 8th and 4th surviving child of her parents. Records tell us that an older brother, "Samuel Hatcher Cobb, was given by his father William Cobbs to his cousin Laura Elizabeth Carpenter, due to his own mother's death [Ada Cobb].  Samuel was sealed to Laura and Henry at the time of their marriage in the Manti, Utah temple".

Death was common in the early 20th century for women and their babies during and shortly after birth. Five of Elna's ten siblings died at birth or within a few weeks and months.
They are buried in the Aetna, Alberta cemetery.

Henry Bohne Family  - Elna on mother's knee

Anitbiotics and many other modern medicines and marvels were just beginning to be thought out, invented and refined. Grandma Campbell was born into a world where such things as cars, airplanes, telephones, radios and televisions were being developed. In 1939 her own toddler, Annetta Lou, would die because antibiotics were not yet a common solution to simple sickness and infection.

I once asked Grandma what they did when someone had a bad infection. She said they used poultices (or plasters). One of the most effective was made from fresh, whole milk that was scalded (NOT boiled) and mixed with white bread to a thick paste-y consistency. She said just crumble the bread and pour a small amount of the hot milk into it, then let it cool enough to not burn but while still very warm apply to the affected area.

I saw it work for an infected hangnail that antibiotics were not solving. They did know and have many good remedies. Other poultices/plasters were made of raw onions, or mustard and flour.

Campbell home built by William Warren Campbell (original log with additions) 

In1989 my Grandma Campbell allowed me to copy some documents that she kept in a trunk. I called to ask if she could share information she might have. I think my mother and I drove about an hour from her home in Kimball, Alberta to her mother's in Hill Spring, Alberta.

When we arrived she had a large trunk in the kitchen. She said I could take anything in the trunk to copy as long as I brought it back. I worried about getting things back to the places she had them organized at. She laughed, right outloud, and told me she just put things she thought might be worth keeping in the trunk and that when they got looked at over the years they got mixed up many times.

We spent the afternoon visiting, hearing stories about her childhood and family and I went through the contents of the trunk. It didn't seem practical to copy everything. I couldn't lift it and I certainly didn't have enough cash to pay the bill at the copy shop. My mother had handwritten copies of most of the genealogical information and there were not many photographs in the trunk.
  -

handwriting of Elna Bohne Campbell

With my limited budget in mind I sorted and sifted out a small stack of papers, letters, and mementos that gave information I thought might be useful someday. I put everything into one package to keep it all together so that none could possibly be misplaced.

I carefully photocopied the information the next morning, paid the astronomical (for me) bill, and returned it promptly. My greatest worry was if a disaster or accident happened while I was responsible for such precious cargo. Whew - I was so relieved when it was all safely back in her trunk at her house. My copies are appropriately filed for the most part.

From her personal record, written in her hand, I learn:
Blood type - AB
Born at home - weighed 7 pounds.
First home - Aetna, Alberta, Canada.
-

Henry Magnus Bohne

Father: Henry Magnus Bohne (1868-1957)
               born Mr Pleasant, Utah.
(son of: Henry Morten Bohne and Juliett Day).
-

Laura Elizabeth Carpenter

Mother: Laura Elizabeth Carpenter (1869-1928)
               born in Richmond, Virginia 
daughter of: John Samuel Carpenter and
                       Ann Marie Cobb.
-
Blessed by her father 6 June 1909, 
              Aetna Ward, Alberta Stake 
[of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints]. 
-

Henry  and Laura Bohne Family - Elna standing in front of her mother

-
Baptized [a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] 17 July 1917 in the river at Orton, [Alberta, Canada] by George Silito.  Other records say the date was 7 July 1917.

I asked my mother if she knew who George Silito [likely Sillito] is and why he might have been the person that baptized Grandma. She said that many years ago, when she was baptized, that the Ward would wait until there was a load of kids that needed to be baptized and then they would all travel together to the designated place and the Priesthood holder that was available would baptize them all. She said there were many Sillitos in the church in that area. She surmises that the children in the Ward were taken to the river in Orton to be baptized when the weather was warmer than March.
-

ASIDE: When mother was baptized the kids were taken to be baptized in Cardston at the temple because someone had a car and they could go and come back in such a short time. Bubble Gum was a new and wonderful thing and someone (she doesn't remember whose car or who had the gum) gave each of the children a small piece of Bubble Gum. They thought they had the world, she says, and were so thrilled.  She gets car sick easily (but at that time did not yet know that). As she chewed it she became nauseous.  She knew she was going to throw up so she rolled the window down as far as it would go but that is only part way on those old cars. She began to throw up and the driver kept driving. She said she threw up over and over again.  In the temple at that time they bathed  all children before they were allowed to be baptized. She remembers the bathtub there. She was very grateful to get a bath. -

Elementary School was attended in Orten, Alberta and Aetna, Alberta. Her father farmed there for approximately 10 years before returning to Aetna.

In a book entitled 'Range 25 Country, History of a Valley, A River, and a People' about Aetna and Kimball, Alberta and area we read that Elna's paternal grandparent's, Henry Morten and Juliette Bohne, and their family arrived October 8,1898 on the banks of the St. Mary's River after a six week journey in 4 covered sheep wagons from Birch Creek, Utah. They homesteaded on land west of Aetna, later moving to the townsite of Aetna and building a large one room house on the north bank of Snake Creek. Henry kept promising to add more rooms later.  One time when Juliette went to Utah for a visit she refused to come home until they were complete. A carpenter was hired and several rooms and a spacious pantry were finished. Then Juliette came home.

Garth and Jean Forsyth moved into this house in April 1953 and rented the farm with a one year lease. There was no power or indoor bathroom. It had a wood stove in the kitchen. It was  heated with an oil stove but was almost impossible to heat because of the high ceilings. The water came from a well outside just under the South window. They had never been on such a big place. Dad says the 55 acres ran west of the house about 1/2 mile up to the gravel pit. They got a bunch of sheep that spring and fattened them and sold most of them that fall. Tim was born there in Oct. They had planned to stay many years but the deal that Hugh and Zelma were in fell through and they had to move when the year lease was up.

Page 370 of the above book states, "[Henry and Laura Bohne] lived in the old Bohne place for many years, milking cows [a significant part of their livelihood], raising chickens, pigs and running their farm. While milking a cow one day, the cow flipped her tail across Henry's face resulting in the loss of one of his eyes.[It was his left eye.] The Bohne family kept the Aetna stray pound for many years."

On page 371 we read further about Elna's grandparent's. "At their 50th Wedding Anniversary [about 1916] the meeting house was crowded with friends and relatives. Speakers ... paid tribute and Owen Bohne, then a small boy, stood on a chair and sang 'Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet'. All of Juliette's sons danced with her at the evening ball and upon request she tap danced for the crowd. Juliette was a large tall woman possessing remarkable carriage and poise. " Elna would have been approximately 7 years of age.

The book continues, "Henry Bohne [Sr.] had well-groomed horses with polished harnesses. Each Christmas morning all the grandchildren were taken for a sleigh ride, sleigh bells jingling with Henry cracking his whip."

Surely such events were part of Elna's life.

Elna, herself, tells in a short one page typed history, "My first memories: I was told we moved to Orton, a small place seven mile east of Fort Macleod when I was a small child about 1 1/2 years old [I] grew up there till I was nine years old. ... In the fall of 1919-192- father loaded up our two big grain wagones with all our possesions and moved us back to Aetna. Here I went to school till I was married ... I loved to ride horses and helped father on the farm. I drove four head of horses or a plough following father with his bigger one with six head. I also milked ten cows night and morning and took them to pasture before school time in the mornings.

"I loved haying time and the smell of the new mown hay. It was fun to make the big stacks of hay we didn't have bailes then it was stacked loose and we tramped it down as it was halled to the stack. I also stooked the wheat bundles in the fields and then came thrashing time with big crews of men going field to field to threash the grains. At which time each field owner would feed these crews while on his land." [original spelling and punctuation retained]

Elna placed check marks on her personal record sheet to indicate she participated in the LDS Primary, 'Home Builders Program' and received her Blue Bird and Sea Gull awards in Aetna.

represented from link

The Home Builder Program for children included Top Pilots [age 8], and Larks, Bluebirds, and Seagulls were the class emblems [for 9–to 11–year–old girls].

represented from link 

A system of awards encouraged each girl to earn stamps/stickers for her booklet and awards to be placed on her bandlo - originally flapper style headwear for girls.


Elna also checks off  that in the 'YWMIA Program' she received a Beehive award in Aetna in 1924, an Honor Bee award in Aetna in 1925 and her Mia Maid award in 1926. 

Elna Bohne About Age 15 [approximately 1924]

Fur in every form was VERY stylish

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An online history of  the Young Women's program explains the structure of the organization and gives a list of sample goals. To achieve each rank, girls were required to fulfill 14-16 foundation requirements and 36 additional requirements of their own choosing.  At one time there were about 373 choices like:

·           -  Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits.

·           -  Sleep out-of-doors or with wide-open windows.

·           -  During three consecutive months, abstain from candy, ice cream, commercially manufactured beverages, and chewing gum.

·           -  Clear sagebrush, etc. off of a half acre of land.

·          -  Care for at least two kerosene lamps daily.

·           -  Without help or advice, care for and harness a team of horses at least five times; drive 50 miles in one season.

·           -  Identify 12 kinds of lace and tell the reasonable price and appropriate use of each.

·           -  During two weeks, keep the house free from flies or destroy at least 25 flies daily.

Someone else's grandmother blogs what an experience of YWMIA (perhaps a few years later)was like for her.
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Elna Bohne - about 1923

When Elna was 14 years old she attended the dedication by Hebert J Grant of the newly completed LDS temple at Cardston, Alberta on 27 August 1923 at 6pm. She told me that it is one of her most treasured memories. She said her father got all of his children in his family that could go to the dedication tickets and they went. [Only children age 8 and older are permitted to attend.]  In June 1991 when that temple had been refurbished and rededicated by Gordon B. Hinckley she was thrilled to still be alive to witness it. She was age 82.
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memento - ticket to the dedication of the Alberta  LDS Temple

Her next older sibling, a sister named LuRay, had a malformed hip. The youngest son, Hughie, did also. Grandma and Aunt LuRay (and my parents) told me that LuRay and Hugh worked inside the house helping their mother and Elna and their oldest sister, Annie, worked like field hands with their father out-of-doors. Memories from LuRay and Elna often do not sound like they were even in the same family. Grandma told me that at age 8 she could hitch her own team for plowing. She said her father used more horses but she only had 4 Perchons!

Elna about age 17 and LuRay, single sisters,
clowning around with some chocolate.
Look at the fur on LuRay's sweater!

Spouse: William [Bill] David Campbell
Married: 22 December 1926 Cardston, Alberta, Canada
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Sealed by Edward J. Wood, temple president, in the Cardston Alberta, Temple [of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] 22 December 1926.
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Bill and Elna eating chocolate (according to Aunt LuRay)
shortly before their marriage.

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Bill and Elna met in 1924. Their first date was 24 July 1924 to the 24 of July celebration in Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada.

Died: 9 February 2003, Cardston, Alberta, Canada
Buried: 13 February 2003, Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada

I promise that I will get transcripts typed from the fun stories she shared. One of my favorite stories, that I have heard her tell several times was about stopping to rest at THE rock between Hill Spring and Cardston and looking down on an Indian Burial. Does anyone happen to have a picture of THE rock? We all know where it is out on that old gravel road and what it looks like, right? at least all of us over 50 years of age.

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

February is known as a time for 'romance'.

Recently my Aunt Ruth Horne sent me what I think is a very romantic news article. It is also a special tribute to our ancestors. She said the news came from Paul B Skouson's second book 'More Amazing Mormon World Records'.  The children of my grandparent's set the record for the most siblings to see Golden Wedding Anniversaries.

I have a snapshot of the couples taken in 1994 at the Seattle Temple. They attended a session together as part of a celebration of the 80th birthday of the eldest living brother.  Do you happen to have a copy that is more clear?

I quote from the news article dated May 2011:
" The Neil and Chloe Forsyth family have set a remarkable record in LDS living. All 8 of our Great grandparents lived in Nauvoo in the 1840's. Our parents and grandparents on the Forsyth line all celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries. All seven of Neil's [living] children celebrated 50th wedding anniversaries. This year (2011) 3 of them will have celebrated their 65th."

George James and Sarah Sophronia (Snow) Forsyth [my father's grandparents] were married 31 Oct 1870 in Pine Valley, Washington, Utah. He was 26 and she was 18. They celebrated 57 anniversaries. They died within a month of each other in February and March 1927. My father was born that year.

Neil Snow and Chloe Roseltha (Hatch) Forsyth [my father's parents] were married 20 Dec 1911 in Salt Lake, Salt Lake, Utah. He was 32 and she was 25. They celebrated 51 anniversaries. She died at age 76 in 1962 just prior to their 52nd anniversary.

The oldest son of Neil and Chloe, Rex, gave his life in World War II.
His wife Ruth [Chic] made the ultimate sacrifice.
Her husband died fighting for our freedoms.

Thomas Rex and  Ruth Elizabeth (Campbell) Forsyth were married 9 May 1941 at Magrath, Alberta, Canada. He died at age 32 just before their 3 anniversary.

Neil Scott and Gladys Boyce (Butler) Forsyth were married 14 Decemeber 1939. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1989.

George Kenneth and June Hartley (Hinman) Forsyth were married 12 May 1943. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1993, a 60th in 2003 and their 65th in 2008.

Mylo Wilfred and Matilda (Maier) Forsyth were married 12 July 1946. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1996, a 60th in 2006 and their 65th in 2011.

Duane H and Verna (Neilson) Forsyth were married 3 April 1945. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1995.

Robert [Bob] Martin and Ruth (Forsyth) Horne were married 27 December 1945.  They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1995, a 60th in 2005 and their 65th in 2010.

Garth Dean and Elna Jean (Campbell) Forsyth were married 14 October 1948. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1998, a 60th in 2008.

Byrce H and June Doreen (Volk) Forsyth were married 23 Feb 1955. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2005.

My mother's parents, William [Bill] David and Elna (Bohne) Campbell, were married 22 Dec 1926 in the Cardston, Alberta temple. He was 25 and she was nearing 18. They celebrated 63 anniversaries. He died at age 89 in 1990.

That is impressive - and romantic.
My parent's have been married 64 years this year.
They are an example to all of us.

The longest know marriage was an astounding 91 years. He was 12 and she was 14 when they were married. The longest marriage on record today is 87 years. The couple live in the United Kingdom. In New Mexico in the United States a living couple has been married for 83 years.

If you want to have a record breaking length of marriage you may need to live a LONG time. These people have all lived amazingly long lives.

There are some amazing World records for families having the most with the longest marriages.  I found such a record on a random blog when I was searching for some other links.  This family (non LDS) have a large family with 10 of their siblings all celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversaries.

Although many of my ancestors did not live long lives, all stayed married to their spouses. That is a decision. That is work, and tenacity, and determination, and love - love for each other, love for their posterity and love for God and His commandments.