Chapter 2: Augustus Barto O'Barr and Lola May Peppers

The Augustus Barto O'Barr and Lola May Peppers Family

HTML Version 2.0

copyright 1995 by Gerald L. O'Barr

Section 2 contains two Patriarchal Blessings of Lola May Peppers, one in 1906 when she was an O'Barr, and the other in 1932 as a Clevenger.

Section 3 contains some of Lola May Peppers' favorite sayings and writings.

Section 4 is " This Is Your Life," written and read by daughters Ida O'Barr Verney Francom and Alice O'Barr Sliger at a Relief Society's opening social in 1962 especially honoring Lola May Clevenger as their beloved and oldest member. She was almost 88 years old at this time.

Section 5 is the funeral address written by daughter Alice O'Barr Sliger and was read by Randy White, a grandson.

Began this 8 Feb 1941 Our Life Story of Lola May Peppers

I Began this life on 26 November 1874 at Strafford Green Co. Mo. My Father name was Austin Jackson Peppers, who were born 25 Aug 1845 and Died May 6 1926 at Wilburton Okla his Father name wer Austin Peppers born about 1825, lived at Greenvill Kentuckey Died about Aug 1865 at Greenvill Kentuckey Muhlinburg Co all their Temple work dun in Ariz Temple My mother name was Judy Ann Anderson born 27 Feb 1851 at Strafford Green Co Mo died at Wilburton Okla 4 Feb 1938 her Father name James P Anderson Born about 1820 of old Virginia died about Aug 1872 at Strafford Green Co Mo her mother Doshie Ann Campbell Born about 1830 in Tennessee Died About 1895 at Strafford Green Co Mo her Father name James Campbell born about 1790 North Carolina died about 1860 he married Lucy Campbell maiden name unknown born about 1791 in North Carolina Died about 1861 their Temple work Dun in the Ariz Temple

My Fathers Family Idela Peppers was born 27 May 1872 at Strafford Green Co Mo she died Sept 1873 at Strafford Mo she wer sealed to her parence 15 Mar 1939 in the Ariz Temple Lola May Peppers born 26 Now 1874 at Strafford Green Co Mo Wer sealed to parents while living, in Ariz Temple 15 Mar 1939 James Arthur Peppers born 10 Mar 1877 at Strafford Green Co MO Mary Alice Peppers born 9 Oct 1879 at Strafford Green Co Mo Died 6 Dec 1890 Muldro Okla she babtised and endowed 27 April 1915 in St George Temple, St. George Washington Co Utah she wer sealed to parents in Ariz Temple 15 Mar 1929. Lillie Ann Peppers born 29 June 1882 at Strafford Green Co Mo still living Jossie Jain Peppers born 8 Sept 1885 at Strafford Green Co Mo still living Robert E. Lee Peppers born 30 Sept 1888 at Strafford Green Co Mo still living Wilam Walter Peppers born 29 Mar 1894 at Wilburton Okla died at Hot Springs Arkansas he wer babtised 3 Dec 1927 Endowed 13 Apr 1928 sealed to parence 15 Mar 1939 in the Ariz Tmple Mesa Ariz Maricopa Co.

So I will began my life story. I wer the second child of my Fathers family of Eight children I began school at eight years of age had to walk 3 miles and as it is cold in that part of the contery I did not get to go very mutch we lived on a farm and I had to help with the work in the hous and out of dores. I wer raised in the Free Will Baptes Church and they did not bleve in Joining the Church till old enuff to choose what Church you waited to Join I never joined eny of them and when I wer about 15 years old my Father became dissitifide of where he wer living sold out and went to Arkansas but did not find just what he wanted so he began to moove a round and we all Picked cotton where ever we could find eny. So went to Eureky Springs Arkansas and I went to school we did not pick cotton while there and I got to go to school more that ever, but we only staid one winter. so I never got to go to school eny more is the reasion I have not got a better Edecation. I never went to school as mutch as children get to go in one year here in my hole life, so if things are not spelt coroct Pleas excuse it hope it will be plain and simple so eny one can understand it

well after we left Eureky Springs we came out to the cotton fields again. Picked cotton from place to place Father hearing of a Better Place in the Indin Tirortory now Okla. So we went there 7 miles across the Riber from Fort-Smith Arkansas there is where I first met Augustus Barto OBarr, He wer the cotton weighor so we fell in love at first site.

he wer a widower with too little Boys they wer in Arkansas with his mother So our love making or spooning wer dun in the cotton patch or at the wagon where the cotton wer waid there wer no place to go and if there had of been my Parence would not of let me go they thought I wer Ingaged to a Fellow Back Clost to Strafford Mo befor we left there. his name wer Harison Stratton but they did not like him so he did not come to our hous. So we would meat at other places there wer a nother felow that they did like his name wer Clay Bars but I did not like him I only went with him so I could get to Places where Hariss wer we thought a lot of each other in so much that he never did marry eny body. So I heard a bout 60 years he hadent but as I wer yong when we left Strafford I soon forgot him and when I met Guss it wer all off with him

I never will forget the first time we met it wer at a little place called Cottonwood about 5 miles from Muldro Okla. it had been raining and they wer not picken cotton . We got to this Place late in the afternoon. the men folks wer gon but the lady let Father have a hous and we wer unloding our things when some men came up one wer the owner of the cotton fields and the other one wer Guss O'Barr they wer Inspecting the Bunch of cotton Pickers we had: 2 wagons 4 head of horses and 8 of us, so we maid quite a shoing. they wer out in the yard talking to Father not far from the well. mother sent me for a bucket of watter

the well wer covered over with big pieces of timber called rails and as they wer hevy to lift Guss asked if he could helpe me get the watter but I said no thank you but seeing he wer watchin me I got the watter and left in a hurry leaving the well open and he had to cover it up he has laughfed meny a time about it how I blushed and went a way leaving him to caver the well so next day we all picked cotton and he did the waying

cotton only grew about 2 or 3 feet high in that contry eny one could see all over the fields there wer other yong men picking in the same field they would try to pick clost to me and kept talking and teasing me I told them if they did not quit I wer going to leave the field so I started and Guss wer pickin clost by says come over and helpe me I have too rows and you can have one of them so I crossed over and helped him then the fun began the other yong men said to him you will take our girl a way from us will you and he said I did not take her she came to me in place of you. I liked his ways better than theirs he wer so kind that I could not keep from loving him so we picked all the rest of the season side by side some times we did not pick very mutch and he would give me his so I would not get laught at ar a scolden from my Father so on the 18 Dec 1890 we wer married at Fort Smith Ark and staid at Fathers till the 24 of Dec then we went to Atkins Ark after the children

we only staid about 10 days then came back to Muldro I.T. or Okla Guss had a lees on a peice of land there and my Father and family wer there all so Guss first wife people wer there. Their names wer Jerry Pollard and Jane Gaber Polard they had a large family and where they are at this writing I do not Know

well Guss had a hous on the land and we went rite to keeping hous I sure did have a Job on my hands all rite. 2 children to care for and keep hous but I loved the children and taken good care of them and they loved me too Guss people in Ark thought lots of me the children name wer Frank and Joe the trip to Atkins Ark wer the first time I had ever rode on the train,

well we planted a crop there and a garden but sold it out and went to Atkins Ark we sold it for a horse and a wagon we had one horse that maid us a team so we had a way to go we staid with Guss folks and Guss helped his step father bild a bridge and make some bords and gether his crop then Ida wer Borned, so we wanted to go Back to Okla, so Guss got to trading his horses for yoke of oxen so had 2 yoke and 2 wagons and when Ida wer 10 days olde we went back to Cottonwood Okla. Then went on father up in Okla and lived in a tent and Guss halled logs for a man till Christmas

it rained and snowed and we lived in a tent sure did have a Bad time my folks had gon on fether up and wer at work at a saw mill so we went to them and I drove a ox team we worked at the mill or halled logs or lumber for 2 years. then traded the oxen for a mule team and wagon and then we went back to Atkins Ark where Guss Folks lived and Bought a farm of 80 acers and went to farming I sure wer glad to quit mooving a round.

well I think I will Put in Guss Genelogy befor going eny futher with my story and give a briff history of Augustus and his folks a bout 20 years ago I got to thinking I would like a history of Guss So wrote to his mother while she lived at Atkins Pope CoArk and this is what I got

Augustus Barto O'Barr Born 25 Dec 1862 At Springvill St. Clair Co Ala he wer Born in a Big framed hous he wer the son of Jessy (jesse) Obarr better known as Pike OBarr he wer Born some place in Georgia about 1832 died at Huston Miss the 7 March 1869 Augustus mother name Susan Anett (Anette) Whorton. Born 4 May 1842 at Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 14 July 1923 at Atkins Pope Co Ark they wer sealed 25 May 1928 in the Mesa Arizona Temple

thes are they children Missouri Florence O'Barr Born 4 July 1860 at Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 26 Jan 1888 at Muldro Okla Sealed to her Parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple all so sealed to Husban Bill Pollard and children all that wer dead at that time Augustus Barto O'Barr Born 25 Dec 1862 at Springvill ST Clair Co Ala Died 6 March 1910 at Mesa Maricopa Ariz sealed to his Parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple all so sealed to his family in the St George Temple 29 Apr 1915 Camna Duncan O'Barr Born 12 Dec 1864 Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 7 Feb 1868 sealed to parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple Ica Dora O'Barr Born 26 Aug 1868 at Springvill St. Clair Co Ala Died 20 Oct 1884 sealed to parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple

After Augustus Father died his mother married John Wesley Johnson Born 1 Aug 1846 at Macon Georga Died 24 Dec 1923 at Atkins Pope Co Ark Indowed 25 Apr 1925 in Ariz Temple but did not seal to eny one their children Beulah Benton Johnson Born 26 Nov (1874?) at Springvill St Clair Co Ala. Nancy Lula Johnson Born 8 Aug 1877 Springvill St Clair Co Ala Joseph Lauzo Johnson Born 30 July 1879 St Clair Co Ala Died 18 Jan 1979 at Phoenix Ariz Indowed 23 Apr 1928 in Ariz Temple sealed to mother and Jessie O'Barr in Ariz Temple 25 May 1928 sealed to first wife Deller Raill in the Ariz Temple

Well I will began Guss life story when he wer borned his mother said he wer a fine looking baby boy his father thought he wer all boy he wer his first boy, and he wer fair skined and Black eyes and red hair his father died when he wer only six years old leaving him to the care of his mother and when Guss wer only a little baby a bout 6 weeks old his Father went to war and wer in it for 3 years then came home and had contracted Broncitus and that caused his death. they had gon to Hustin miss for his helth but he died

then she came back to Alabama to her father and mother Thomas Whorton they were farmers and he wer quite old so Guss and his mother made the crops I have heard Guss tell how he plowed for a crop when he wer 10 years old his mother maried John W. Johnson who wer as good to him as a step Father could be they worked together making birles tubs Buckets churns Bred trays and eny thing of that kind and farmed too till Guss wer about 19 yeara old then the Mormon Elders came amd his mother and step Father Joined the Church Sold out and left Alabama and went to Manasa Colorado became Disatifide bought them a ox team and wagon put what they had in it and started for Arkansas Guss liked the Elders but did not Join church then

that wer in the fall of 1882 when they left Colorado and cold as could be but they wanted to get to Arkansas in time to make a crop and they new it would take a long time to make the trip. they sure did have a hard time all kind of wether and Blizereds come all most freezen some times the Ground wer forze so hard they could not put up ther Tent

there wer 10 of them I will name them Mr John W. Johnson his wife Mrs Susan A Johnson and their 3 children Beulah Nancy and Lonzo Johnson Bill Pollard and his wife Missouria and their Baby Ira Pollard I think he wer about one year old and Guss and Ica-dora O'Barr.

they had to walk the most of the way the men walked and hunted for meat it taken them about 4 months to make the trip and one of the oxens died and they had to stop and sell the other one. and Guss and Bill Pollard went on a foot 3 or 4 hundred miles or more to Green Bryer Arkansas where Bill Pollard folks lived that wer where they wer trying to get they wer neithbors Back in Alabama Pollards left there and come to Arkansas about the same time that they left and went to Colorado. Bill wer sick a lot on the way and Guss and him had a hard time to get there they had to hobo it the most of the way but finly got there.

so Guss and Bill had taken his team Guss rode one horse and Mr Pollard the other one with the Harness on them and came Back to where Guss had left the rest in the Indan teary now Okla. and while they wer gon Mr Johnson cut wood and made rails, for a Indian for things to live on and a little money. Mr Johnson only had one hand he got the other one shot off in the war but he could do eny thing he wanted to do I have heard him say the hardest thing for him to do wer to tie his shoes.

so on with the story Guss wer a good obedent boy good to his mother and Step-Father he grew up to be a man of all trades he wer a good Farmer a carpenter I have heard him tell how he helped Mr Johnson go into the woods cut Trees down and split out peices to make eny thing they wanted to make when he wer just a boy and he wer a good saw-mill man could do most eny kind of work at the saw-mill and after we left the mills and went to Arkansas he worked in rock- he wer a rock masen he bilt chimneys or fire places out of rock cut them out and dug them out of the ground or side of the mountain hughed the rock the size he wanted and could handel hall them for miles to the place where a chimley wer to be bilt he bilt chimles all a round Atkins Ark and out on Pearige where we live meny of them is standing to day.

well I will finish my story a bout Guss after they got to Green Bryer Ark he wer about 21 years old he went to work for hisself and fell in love with one of the Pollard Girls, Bills sister Huldy. her full name wer Sarah Francis Huldy Pollard they wer married about 1884 she wer born about 1862 in Alabama and died 21 Apr 1890 at Muldro I.T now Okla, Guss and her Temple work wer dun in St.George Temple 29 Apr 1915

3 Children blessed this union Jessy Walter O'Barr Born 8 May 1885 at GreenBruer Ark died 18 Aug 1886 at GreenBryer,ARk, he wer sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 in the St George Temple

Andrew Franklin O'Barr born 10 Aug 1887clost to GreenBryer ARk he wer Baptized by Joseph Larson 16 Sept 1899 at Atkicns Ark died at Los anglas Calif 10 Dec 1938 his Temple work dun in the Ariz Temple 9 May 1941 he married Ethel Staton 7 May 1924

Joseph Henry O'Barr Born 21March 1890 at Muldro I.T. or Okla. Babtized the 16 Sept 1899 byJoseph A Larson at Atkins Ardk

Well I will began his story again when Frank wer a baby they all left Green-Bryer. Went to a saw-mill and worked a while then went to Atkins Ark and Mr Johnson Bought a Place and staid there. Mr Pollard and family and Guss went to the Indian Teraetory or Okla that is where Huldy died and soon after her deth Guss taken the children back to Atkins Ark to his Mother staid ther a while then went Back to Cotton-wood I.T. a little place 3 or 4 miles from Muldro. that is where I met him and when Joe wer about 9 months his Father and I wer maried as I have allredy toled in my story and we wer only maried 9 months and 4 days when Ida wer Borned her full name is Susen Idella but we called her Ida.

9 children blessed this union Susan Idella O'Barr born 22 Sept 1891 at Economy a little place clost to Atkins Polk Co Ark she maried John M Verney 28 Mar 1909 they did their own Temple work in the Ariz Temple she wer Baptized 8 Feb 1901 by Elder Smith at Economy Ark Benjaman Arthur O'Barr Born 5 Apr 1894 at Atkins Polk Co Ark he maried Ruby Lee Horn the 18 Mar 1932 who wer Born at Beach Ga 25 June 1915 they did their own Temple work

John William O'Barr Born 8 Nov 1895 at Atkins Polk Co Ark died Atkins Polk Co Ark 8 Oct 1896 sealed to Pairents in St George Temple 29 Apr 1915 Lewis Austin O'Barr Born 19 Oct 1897 at Atkins Polk Co Ark his Temple work dun 28 Nov 1922 at St George Utah Temple Wanda McConnel wer sealed to him as wife 26 June 1930 St George Temple sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 St George Utah Temple while liven he died 6 May 1917 at Leveen Ariz

Dora Benton O'Barr born 13 Aug 1900 at Atkins Polk Co Ark she wer sealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 St George Temple she wer Baptiz 3 Aug 1909 at Mesa Ariz she maried George William Smith 18 Jan 1920 Parley Parker O'Barr born 3 Sept 1902 at Atkins Poke Co Ark he wer Baptized 11 Sept 1910 at Mesa Ariz he wer sealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 at St George Utah Temple. He maried Ruth Ester Boyer 3 June 1928 at Los angles she wer born at Herington Dickonson Co Kansas the 2 Sept 1911 Birtha Ann O'Barr born 6 Feb 1905 at Mesa Ariz died 2 Apr 1906 at Mesa Ariz sealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 St George Temple Alice Anett O'Barr born 24 Dec 1906 at Mesa Maricopa Co Ariz she wer sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 in the Temple St George Washington Co Utah she wer Baptized 6 Feb 1915 at Mesa Ariz she maried Theodore William Sliger 10 Sept 1935

Augustus Barto O'Barr Jr Born 21 Dec 1909 at Mesa Maricopa Co Ariz he wer sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 in the St George Temple Washington Co Utah he wer Baptized 1 June 1918 Mesa Ariz he maried Edith DePrest 1 June 1935

Began the story a gain and when Joe wer a bout 9 months old his Father and I wer married as I have all redy told in my story and we wer only married 9 months when Ida wer Born maby you dont think I had a job and hand, but we all come through all O.K. and after we went to Arkasas to Economy or Atkins all clost to gether and Bought the Farm Guss worked Building Chimleys and selling Fruit-trees and we and the boys made the crops with him to help get it Planted and tell us what to do

we soon would of got our Place Paid for But about 6 Nov 1897, our hous Burned down and all most every thing we had burned up, so we Bilt back the neighbors wer good to help get Bilt Back we staid at Guss Mothers and at Beulah Wright. till we got it so we could live in it. Guss Bilt too rock chimleys to it one at each end of the haus. it wer a nice place porch all across the front and a hall through the midle. it had a big Peach orched on it when we Bought it and Guss Put out a lot of Pears and Apels trees and a lot of other kinds of fruit trees on it. and they wer began to Bare when we left there

It wer a timbered coutry lots of big Pine trees on the land, and mountain country too we lived the one we lived on wer called Pearidge and a lot of Land wer rough and could not be formed but wer good for the timber and range for cattle So Guss and the boys with the help of some of the neighbors cut the timber halled it to the saw-mill thar wer clost by and got lumber to bild the hous with then Guss hired a man to make the Shingles out of a big oake tree to cover it with the man give him the making of one thousand Shingles I think it taken 12 thousand to cover it it took quite a while to get it dun in-fack it wer not dun when we sold it. yes the house was finished. it sure wer a good hous and Guss and the boys with a little hired help had made Pailens and Pailevd (Pailens are called picket fences here in Ariz.) in the yard and a big garden sure did make it look nice we lived there a bout 10 years just a mile from Gussie mother Place

we had lots of good times together we caned fruit and dried fruit together lots of times killed Pigs and beeves and allways helped together. We could grow all most eny thing to Eat in garden stuff. we could make a good living on the place. if it would rain enuff and it most allways did it made us a good home and I loved it because we made it with our owe hands.

I Sure did hate to sell it and come west would not of dun it - only for the gospel. it wer a great sacrifice to all most give our things a way and come away out here from my people and Gusses too thoe he hayd too aunts and famils that lived here Uncle Philup Coleman. and Uncle John Mc-fryer. fine old people I thought lots of them and they of us. all Ded and gone to the other side and the most of their familys to sure makes me feel I am not long to stay here.

so must hurry on with my story. as we lived happy back there. not very far from a school house and the school hous wer the church house too. it wer called the cove school hous. Berenett Township. and Guss wer one of the Trustees that is where we wer confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Laterday Sants.and where some bad men throde some eggs at us while one of the Elders wer up a talking.

well I am getting a head of my story that is where Frank and Joe and Ida and Arthur all started to school at first. and as we lived on Pearidge the children would wald down a trail to school only a bout half of a mile but to go a round the mountain the way the road went it wer a bout 4 miles. there wer another school house a bout 2 miles the other way out where it wer level contery the people had church and sunday school all most every sunday and Guss wer one of the sunday school teachers. they only had 3 months of school and that wer in the summer time July and August and september and some times a winter school 6 or 8 weeks.

well in the summer and fall of the year wer the times for the people to get to gether and hold a Pertracted meating some times at a schoolhous or under a arber Bilt of breash, and 3 or 4 diferent Denomations would get together and hold meatings both nite and day for 2 or 3 weeks they sure would have a time. have what they called a morners bench where the people that werent members of the church would go up and kneel down to be praid for and some times they would get religen as they called it and jump up and slap their hands and Haller Glori to God I have found Jesus, he has saved me sole

and then the folks would go to them and pound them on the back till it looked like they would knock the breth out of them, and Holler and shake all over the place the people and the Preachers would all get mixed up some would be singin and others praying and some crying and some just Hollering as loud as they could and saying nothing and what a time they would have and call it a good meating.

I rember one time they wer having one at the school hous 2 miles from our place and we could here singin and shouting and Hollering the mormen Elders were at our place, and they said going to next mite so Guss and the boys and the Elders went but the preachers tride to get up a shout but could not get the people to start one so he said Devil must be there. then one of the felours says yes 2 of them is here. so Guss and the Elders left and come home and befor they got home they could here them a shouting and caring on a gain.

I have heard the Elders say that they have heard them shating and caring on some thing allfull the Elders come in and they would quit and as soon as they would leave they would start in a gain. Well Pore People I feel sorow for them sence I have learnt Better. but I us to say to Guss less go up for a morner and get Religen and Join some church but he would only laugh at me and say there wer nothing to it, so we never Joined nun of them he would say the true church would come a long sometime. he rembered what the Elders had tought him back in Ala. when he wer a boy, and he would tell me what they Bleved in till I have lots of times when we would be tending one of these meating that I heard a better serment going home than I heard at the meating, it all ways seemed to me like they wer not rite. they did not have the orgensation that the Savor set up on Earth when he were here, and something wer liken so I never joined eny of them

I wer raised a free-will Baptis. most all of my People is Baptis some free-wills and some mishenary Baptis. I never could tell eny diference in them. they all teach deth Bed repentencent, that is you say just befor you die, you bleve that Jesus is the Son of God and that he had saved you wer all you had to do to get to hevan and that the theif that wer crusfide with the Saveyer went to heven rite with him into heven. whether you had lived a good life or ever been Baptized or not just bleve.

well one day a bout Apr 1899 Guss wer in Atkins in one of the stors when a man came in and said 2 mormen Elders wer in the neighborhood had staid all nite with a family there clost and had went off next morning a little while and came back and said the Lord had sent them back to stay a whil with them and the man said did he send eny money to pay with and they said no. just a bout then Guss spake up and said, they wer mormen Elders and said that, and he said yes, then Guss said they wer not mormen Elders or they would not of said that, so in a little while Guss wer in a nother store and a croud of men around 2 men and he went up closter and lisented to what they had to say and soon found out that they wer mormon Elders so he began to take their Part and soon the crout left. and Guss went to them, and invited them out to our Place and they told him they would come soon as they got their work dun there, so Guss come home and told me that he had seen the Elders in town and that they wer coming out to see us.

So I praid if they wer the true Church that they would soon come to our Place so they did come I never will forget the day they came and how happy we wer to keep them. So they soon made our place mishen headquarters and held meatings all a round ther and at our place too. we have had as meny as 6 and 8 Elders at our place at once the neighbors would say how can you feed them. but we allways had Plenty and some to spair I never felt we lost a thing by keeping the mishenarys.

well on the 21 of June 1899, we wer Baptized by Elder Lorndzo C. Leavitt that nite they held meating at the Cove School haus and Elder Allen S Miller confermed us at the meating they wer the first Elders that came to our Place and the first I ever saw. Elder Levaitt wer from Pangeth Utah seemed like we had a testimoney of the Truthness of what the Elders taught us from the first. we wer sure thankfull for the Gospel and what hapeness it did bring to us to know we had found the true church.

Began this on Feb 4 1945

I wer Born at Strafford Green Co. Mo. My Father name Austin Jackson Peppers My mother name Judy Ann Anderson I wer the second child in the family I had 6 more Brothers and sisters, Arthur, Alice, Lillie, Jossie, Lee, and Walter. we lived in Mo for a number of years then Father sold out and we all went to Ark. for awhile then to the Indan-teorary now Okla. where I met and maried Guss O'Barr he had been married befor and had 2 little Boys Frank and Joe their mother wer ded my folks went on further in Okla and we came to Economy Ark clost to Atkans Ark where we lived for a number of years where Ida and Arthur, Dora Lewis and Parley wer Born. then the Elders came and we Joined the Church and come out to Mesa Ariz where we lived happy for a fue years and where Alice and Gus wer Borned. then a turble thing hapened when Gus Jr were 2 months old his Father taken sick and died on the 6 March 1910 leaving me with the care of children and not mutch to live on I had a Prety hard time of it; So I did the best I could for 3 years

then I met Andrew Benton Clevenger and we maried on the 25 Jan 1913 by Bishop John Riggs here at Mesa Ariz. So in a year or so I wanted to go to the Temple so we taken the Children and went to St. George Utah, where we did our Temple work I wer sealed to Gus O'Barr for Eternety all of the children sealed to me and him but Frank and Joe and Ida, I were sealed to Mr Clevenger for time. then thinking we could find a place we would like to have better than Mesa so went to Cedar City Utah

it wer too cold so Come back home Lola wer Born in Cedar City on 1 Apr 1916 then Ernest at mesa on 25 Dec 1919 a fue years latter the Temple here wer completed and I did all of my people work I could get and a lot of names gethered eny Place I sure like Temple work I wer a relief socity teacher for a bout 35 years I have did quite a lot in Genolgie work but there is a lot to be learned yet,

I hve met Joseph F. Smith when he wer President of the Church and Presadent Grant a number of times I do love my church and to work in it. on 31 Oct 1938 Mr Clevenger Died he wer 88 years old and I wer left with only Ernest at home he soon married Dorothy Shill and they come and lived with me. Ernest wer into the servis of his country in 1944 and is over seas at this writin 4 Feb 1945 he has too little boys Andy an David, we live here all together the war is very bad kiling lots of our boys. Ernest got his Discharge Jan 6 1946 come home in a fue days which I am very thankful that the war is over and we won what they wer fiting for. Freedom and a rite to live in peace.

well I will finish this began March 25 1947

I canot think of mutch to write a bout I can rember living in Mo and living in a little log haus on Fathers home stid and walked 3 miles to school we had a little one room school haus and one teacher it wer a lumber Bilding and we had Desks to put our Books in we caried our watter in Buckets a half of a mile and all Drank out of one cup or Dipper. in the winter it got so cold I did not get to go wery mutch. I wer 8 years old when I started to school me and my Brother Arthur started together

that country wer a timbered country. we grode fine gardens and corn and wheat and oats and sargum cane and made molases out of it me and my Brother helped with. we put the corn through the mill and ground out the juice the mill wer Pulied by horses Father cooked the juice. we did it for the neighbors formiles a round on the Shears. me half so I did not get to go to school very mutch is why I havent got my better Edgation.

I have been to Calf 4 times to Los angles, Bannings and Burbank and out to see the oshen and in October 1946 I went to Salt Lake with Ida to see Johney saw the Lake and the Temple.

"I Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger will try to write this story about a Great-Great Grandfather O'Barr.

As best as I can find out they came from Ireland to this country many years ago. They were in a sail boat coming across to buy a boat load of tobacco. The captain owned the ship and had a few servants on it to help run the boat and a few passengers.

There was a beautiful Russian girl on the boat; she was going to pay her passage with a sack of diamonds and trade them for money when she got here. But someone stole the diamonds and put rocks in the sack; so she found herself penniless and the captain made her one of the servants.

The captain and Mr.O'Barr got to gambling on the boat and O'Barr won the ship and the money to buy the tobacco too! The captain said "You have all I have got",and O'Barr said, "One more thing, and that is the Russian girl." So he staked all he had won for her and he won her in a play of cards. The Captain made him promise to marry her when they got to the United States so he did and they stayed here. They bought the tobacco and sent it back. This all I have heard about them."

"I Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger will try and write this little story about one of my ancestors as best as I remember It. It has just been handed down from generation to generation and there is nothing written about as far as I know.

My Great-Great Grandfather Anderson came to this country when it was just beginning to be settled, way back when there were but a few white people here. He met a beautiful Indian maiden and they fell in love, so Grandfather Anderson traded his horse to her father for her, and they were married. They had a big Indian ceremony and a big time. They lived and raised a family. I think her name was Annia and his name was James Anderson, but I have no records of this, just tradition."

Lola May O'Barr, I lay my hands upon thy head and do give unto thee a Patriarchal Blessing in as much as you are of the seed of Israel, through the loins of Joseph. It is your privilege to all the blessings that pertain to all the faithful in as much as you are faithful in keeping the commandments of God. It is your privilege to all the blessings pertaining to the faithful.

I say unto thee that you shall be able to go forth and do good in your day. Your posterity shall become numerous upon the earth in your day and generation. many of your sex shall come to you for advice, you will have the privilege of going into the Temple of the Most High and there do a work for your dead that has gone before you and there will be great rejoicing among them when they see you enter the great Temple and they will call you Mother for no doubt you will be the first one to do work for them. In all probability you will leave the work in the hands of your daughters. The spirit says that they don't think you will get through with that work in your day and in as much as you are faithful in keeping the commandments of God, these things will surly come upon thee.

He has a great work for you to do and when he comes to make up His Jewels you will be caught up in the midst of heaven and meet Him. Now I seal these blessings upon you and seal you up unto eternal life in the name of the Lord Jesus. Even so, Amen.

(Taken from writings of Lola Mae Peppers O'Barr Clevenger by Wylene O'Barr, wife of Donald O'Barr, her grandson. Spellings and punctuations were changed where thought to be appropriate.)

Mesa, Arizona 22 Oct 1932

A blessing given by John F. Nash upon the head of Lola M. Clevenger, daughter of Austin J. Peppers and Judy Ann Anderson. Born 26 Nov 1874 at Strafford, Green Co., Mo.

Sister Clevenger I lay my hands upon your head as a Patriarch and bless you and reconfirm upon you your former blessings.

The Lord is pleased in the way in which you have ordered your life. With your faithfulness and integrity he has sanctified to you all of your trials and the hardships you have under gone. Your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life and the blessings of the Lord shall be upon you both here and here after. Your last days shall be full of peace and happiness, influenced by the inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord, and you shall take great pleasure in laboring in the house of the Lord for your kindred who have passed to the other side. You shall be able to receive the records of hundreds of your ancestors that shall come to you in ways that shall seem marvelous. You shall even be visited by personages from the Spirit world who will give to you information that can be had in no other way.

The Lord is pleased with your mission of motherhood, and has given you an influence over your children that they shall never forget, but will rise up and bless you, and zealously care for you in your declining years. The example you have set before the children has been worthy of admonition for you have lived a life of a Latter Day Saint: all these are recorded in the archives of Heaven and shall stand as a witness for you for your exaltation.

I bless you with health that you may live upon the earth as long as life is desirable, and when the Lord sees fit to call you home you shall go and never taste the pangs of death. I seal upon you the blessings of earth and the blessings of Heaven and Power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection to rule a queen over your posterity forever.

These blessings I seal upon you through your faithfulness in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Taken from writings of Lola Mae Peppers O'Barr Clevenger by Wylene O'Barr, wife of Donald O'Barr, her grandson. Spellings and punctuations were changed where thought to be appropriate.)

he Best kows how to obey Being forced to work and forced to do your best will bread in you temperance, self controll, diligence, strength of will, content, and a temperance and a hundred other things the Idle never knows

Is life worth living

If living the life of sin is your wish you are treding a dangerous path For He who is master of all hath said that the wages of sin is death But if you are living the best you can as you tread lifes up hill road if you're helping your felow man and leading his steps to God if you go with a smile instead of a frown as you work to this great end Of Preparing yourself for Eternity then life is worth living, my friend.

A Mothers Prayer

Dear children of mine my Sons and Doughters How oft I would shield from evil forseen or lend you the vision matured through experince but still you must tred where my foot steps have been Perhaps in Gods infinite wisdom and mercy he sends you forth into the thicks of the Battle when I with less vison would fear for your safety and cramp your activities day after day if you will remember that through your attainments I have lived and rejoice but when you slop I fell I have failed but you'll double your efforts and plant your feet firmily and keep right on climbing life ventures one trail

God grant that you'll reep where the harvest is heavy and cast from your life all the teres in your way that you may live richer and better than I have is the wish of your mother

Prayer of Parenthood

 
   I thank thee O God for being 
            for what and for why I am
      for wedded companionship without end 
              for a life Blended
                with the lives that thru me came

   help me O God to know thes lives 
         as they are to companion them
       each day and hour to live befor them
               that faith which carries 
                   On and on even toward divinity

   that mine may be that Joy unutterable
             A Sweet uplifting presence
                      to each life then mine 
                 and unto thee be all prassis
                               for ever
                                         Amen

My Testiomy of the Gospel

I do thank my heavenly father that he did send the Elders of the Church to us and that we did Join the church and come out here where we could raise you children up in the church for that wer your Fathers gratest wish that his children be raised up in the church it has been a grate blessing to the most of them- it is true that some of them hasent lived as I would like. I hope and pray that they will never go to far a way and that they will come Back to the fold befor it is to late--for they wer good children and I do Love you all so much it would Brake my Hart to loose one of you so Pleas dear children live the Gospel as I have tride to teach it to you. the rite way to live the rite way of life and to live the Gospel for you as best I knode how and hope and Pray you will falow,

Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger. You were born 26 November 1874 at Strafford, Missouri, the daughter of Austin Jackson Peppers and Judy Ann Anderson. Your childhood was spent with your parents, brothers and sisters, and your folks moved around trying to get a start in life. In the Fall of 1890 they decided to go to Ft. Smith Ark., to pick cotton that Winter. You were then a young lady nearing your 16th birthday.

It was there you met Augustus B. O'Barr. He had come to Ft. Smith from near Atkins, Arkansas, to weigh cotton as the pickers brought their sacks in from the field. He seemed to like you right away and you thought he was o.k. when he'd come out in the cotton field picking hands full of cotton and dropping them in your sack. One day he said to your father that he had a son about the age of your little brother. You were very indignant then and when you went to the well to get a bucket of water, Mr. O'Barr came to draw the water for you. But you let him know in no uncertain terms that you were not fooling with a married man.

Then he told you he was a widower and had two small boys whom he had left with his mother and stepfather in Atkins. Your friendship ripened into love. Your father gave his consent for you to be married if you would wait 'till you were 16. So on the 18th if December, 1890, you and Augustus Barto O'Barr were married and left Ft. Smith to go to his folks home to get his boys.

While you were there they talked him into staying there and making a crop with them that year, which you did. The latter part of September, 1891, your first child was born. You named her Ida. She was born before the doctor arrived so he charged you two dollars and fifty cents, which was half price.

When Ida was nine days old, the crops were gathered, and your husband decided to go to a place called Cottonwood, about seven miles from Ft. Smith. You left with two yoke of oxen, the two little boys and the baby girl, on a journey of about one hundred and ten miles.

You settled awhile in Cottonwood, then went to the Choctaw Nation where your father and mother and the other children had settled. It was a sawmill town, timbered country. You lived there and he worked for the sawmill, sometimes pulling the logs to the mill with the oxen. Then in 1892, you returned to Arkansas and settled at a small place called Economy, near Atkins. Economy no longer exists. It had a general store, a blacksmith shop, a cotton gin, church and school house combined.

To you and A. B. O'Barr, as he was known, were born nine children and you also raised your two stepsons into fine men. One of these sons is yet living in Phoenix. He is Joe. Frank the eldest died in California several years ago. Your children are Ida, present here today, Arthur living in Mesa, Dora, in Chandler, also present, Alice of Buckhorn Minerals Wells, also present. Parley lives in California, Gus lives here in Mesa in your own Alma Ward, Williams and Bertha died when babies, Lewis lived to be 19 years old. Yours and Mr. Clevenger first child named Ruth died shortly after birth. Your other children by Mr. Clevenger are Lola White living here in your own Ward, present today, and Ernest Clevenger in Lehi.

Parley was the baby when you left Arkansas. The others were born in Zion. In the year of 1898, you had been seeking a church to join, and had gone to revival meetings. Preachers preached and sang songs and every one jumped up and down shouting: "Glory Hallelujah! We've found Jesus!" You didn't like religion like that, with people jumping and screaming. Once you said you didn't think the spirit of God made people act like that.

One day a man on horse back stopped at the gate and told you and your husband that down in Atkins were two funny looking men preaching on the street. They had on derby hats and wore long- tailed coats. It was customary for neighbors who went to town to stop along the way back to tell any news they might hear. So this fellow was quite pleased to tell of the funny dressed men he had seen. Mr. O'Barr had lived in Alabama and knew Mormon Elders and two of his aunts and their families had joined and moved to Mesa, Arizona. They were his mother's sisters, Sarah Coleman, and Phillip, her husband, and their children; and Jane McBrayer, and her husband, John, and their children. Many of their children and grandchildren still live around Mesa and in the Valley.

After the neighbor rode on, Mr. O'Barr said "I believe those men are Mormon Elders and I'm going to Atkins in the morning to see if I can find them." He did, and they were being heckled by some people and he brought them home with him. You and your husband and the Elders talked most all night that night. You read The Book of Mormon. I can remember you reading it while you churned the butter for the family. When you were reading a serious part you'd churn real slow, and when reading an interesting part you'd churn real fast. You and your husband and the two boys were baptized in 1898. (Other records show 1899.)

While you lived there in Economy, Mr. O'Barr was a farmer, sold fruit trees, was a rock mason, and built chimneys. Many of his rock chimneys are yet in use. Once a man trying to find us asked another man where Economy was. The man looked at him and said, "Don't that mean to be saving."

We've often said the Mormon Elders didn't find us, we went after them. Some of the Elders who stayed at your home were: Elder Miller, Leavitt, Larson, Webb, Benion, Fosson, Masters, Hodgerson, Peirce, Wallace Riggs from Arizona, Taylor, Call, Smith, McMullen, and Williams. Elder Duffel was District President. We only saw him once.

After we joined the church the people started to mistreat us. Once a friend told Daddy that a bunch of men were going to burn him out for keeping Mormon Elders. That evening we saw a bunch of men on horse back gathering up at the end of our lane. We had two Elders with us then. We had prayer and Daddy told us to all stay in the house and he walked right out and up the lane towards the men. Daddy was a large man and tall. He walked straight and tall, unafraid. Before he got near enough to the men to recognize them or their horses, they turned around and rode off into the timber and didn't bother us.

Once we took two Elders to a revival meeting. They wanted to see people shout, but the meeting just couldn't seem to get started. No one would go to the mourners bench. A fellow came in and whispered to Daddy and he told us all to go to the wagon as fast as we could. We did, but just as Daddy got the team untied and got in the wagon, men on horse back came after us. We left as fast as our horses could run but they overtook us and covered us with rotten eggs. It took all next day to clean the clothes. The Elders always carried benzine to clean their clothes.

Another time Daddy got the Cove school house to hold a meeting in. A good crowed came and the Elders started the meeting. All at once the windows opened from outside and someone threw in rotten eggs. I often wonder where people get rotten eggs to throw at people they don't like. Even tho it smelled bad the Elders finished the meeting. None of our friends or relatives joined the church so in 1903 Daddy sold out but left us there while he came West to find a place in Zion for us.

He went to California and other places. He had Wyoming in mind, but came to Mesa to visit the uncles and aunts, and fell for Mesa. In January 1904 we arrived at the North depot. You are here yet, have been all this time except for awhile you spent in Utah. A.B. O'Barr died March 6th 1910. You had it very hard trying to get along. There were no state pensions for widows then, no tax exemption or welfare plan, no Bishop store house to care for the poor.

You took in washing and ironing, raised chickens and anything else you and the boys could get to do to get along. Gus was a baby two months old when his father died, and times were hard for you. Yet you never faltered in your love and duty to your children or your church. When we first came we were not made welcome, we were ten years too late to be pioneers. We were made fun of and called "Arkansawers! Arkansawers!" It was hard for you to see your children unhappy and teased, but you always counseled us to behave ourselves. Once Daddy decided he would go to Old Mexico where the Saints were, and there maybe we'd be happier. He went and got as far as Juarez, across the river from El Paso, Texas. He came back home and said that was enough of Old Mexico for him.

As we grew up we got along better. You remained a widow three years. You were a handsome lady with eight acres of land and children enough to work it, so several fellows started to call. One said to you, "Why, with your land and your boys and me to manage them we could build a cannery and all get rich." We soon got him to quit calling. Just as we thought we had them all scared off, one came along we couldn't keep away. He thought more of you than your land. He was Andrew Clevenger. The kids led him a merry chase for your heart and hand, but he won.

The kids played lots of tricks on you and Mr. Clevenger. He used to come courting you in his buggy. His horse was named Old Slocum. One Sunday while he was in the house waiting for time to go to church, they changed the buggy wheels. The back wheels were larger than the front wheel, so they put one back wheel on the front of the buggy, the little front wheel on the back. You came out so engrossed in each other you didn't notice it. The buggy rocked from side to side, pulled sideways. You blamed it all on poor Old Slocum.

In 1915 Mr. Clevenger and you decided to go to Utah. You rented out your little place in Alma Ward and with a family named Kaze, and one named Ray Merrill you all set out in covered wagons to go to Utah as you all wanted to go through the Temple at St. George. There were five wagons in the train, with one buggy.

This is Dora's version of the trip; Ida was married and did not go to Utah with you. The trip took six weeks, sometimes food and water were scarce, our supplies ran low, the biscuits and bacon were rationed out, once we were out of water as a water hole was dried up when we got there. The boys took the buggy and went and brought water back for us. The children walked most of the way always looking for pieces of leather to nail on the wagon brakes. Once they saw a whole shoe. They picked it up and it was fastened to a leg on a body in a shallow grave. They run to tell you of it, but you all went on and turned it into authorities at the next place. You never heard any more about it.

You crossed the Colorado River on a raft at a ferry called Griggs, "poled" the raft across, were way down stream when you got over. It took all the horses, mules and men to get the wagons up and down. Over the Buckskin Mountains were the worst as they had to take one wagon at a time with four to six horses, all the men and boys, then come back and take over another wagon.

It was a real hard trip, but we all enjoyed it. Around the camp fires at night we visited and talked, we had prayers, especially when the going was rough.

We made it into St. George all O.K. You went to the Temple and did some work and met Elder Webb there. He was one of the Elders who had stayed in your home in Arkansas. He invited you all to his home to visit and have dinner. You also visited at Elder Leavett's home and ate with them. He lived at Santa Clara, Utah. After you had gone through the Temple you rented the Holt Ranch at Enterprise and farmed that Spring and Summer, raised a good crop and also garden stuff, string beans, tomatoes, and other things.

The Kaze family had gone on to Cedar City, and that Fall you decided to go to Cedar City so Dora could go to a college there. When you reached Cedar City you bought a log house, rough logs on the outside but lined with cloth on the inside. In this house next Spring, April 1916, Lola was born. During that Summer some friends, the Harvey family, came to visit you. They were on their way to Salt Lake City to the Temple there. They had two cars and told how much money could be made in Arizona growing cotton, where they had settled in Laveen. So that Fall you came back to Arizona and rented land in Laveen to grow a cotton crop in 1917.

It took only five weeks to come back. the Kaze family came back when you did, but the Merrill family had gone somewhere else. You crossed the colorado River on the way back at Parker on Nellie Trent Bush's ferry. After you grew the cotton and sold it, you bought a car and moved back to your little place in your own beloved Alma Ward. In 1919 on Christmas Day, Ernest, your 12th child, was born; the son Bro. Clevenger had always wanted. He had two daughters by a previous marriage; Malinda Guthrie, living in colorado, and Gertrude Cooper of Gilbert. (Gertie and two of her daughters and daughters-in-law and some of their children are here today.)

Alice gives an example of one of your lessons in honesty and tells of a trip with you, in her tribute as follows:
--------------
(Tribute by her daughter, Alice, in "This Is Your Life.")

My Mother has always been a great inspiration in my life, for she taught us children the true values of life. Lessons of honesty and integrity and worth were always being planted in our minds. Words she spoke had a way of coming back into our minds to help us at the right time. One instant that brings out this quality happened to me, as we traveled from Mesa to Cedar City, Utah. I was nine years old at the time, and was riding on the last wagon behind the train of wagons. Mother was on the front wagon.

As we passed a ranch house I saw a freshly rolled newspaper in the drive way. Remembering how my Mother loved to read (It had been many days since she had any news) my only thought was to get that paper for her. So I jumped out of the wagon and ran and got it, then I ran to the front wagon, and climbed up to her. You could jump on and off wagons without the horses having to stop if you were careful and the horses were not going too fast, so when I got on I breathlessly said "Mother, I have a nice newspaper for you." She asked, "Where did you get it?" I said, "Way back there in a drive way." She said "Well it isn't our paper so you go right back and put it where you got it and the wagons will not wait for you either."

I ran and it seemed miles back to that drive way. By the time I got the paper put back the wagons were way ahead of me and I sure was afraid. I ran and ran and had to wade a small stream before I caught up with them, but I sure learned never to take anything that didn't belong to me.

Years ago when I was still a little girl, I could see my mother was lonely to go visit her mother, who lived in Oklahoma. I told her that I would get an education, then get a good job, and I would take her to see her mother. I was able to keep this promise to her. After my first year of teaching we had a wonderful trip together and I had the privilege of meeting for the first time and getting to know my Grandmother. I found her to be a very lovable person, full of wit and laughter. It helped me to know my own dear mother better.

Mother had a day of worry before we left on this trip. The money I had earned teaching school I had saved for our trip depositing it in a bank in Mesa. I had enough for our trip and for a new kitchen stove as well, which we needed badly. Mother had the stove selected from a store in town to be delivered the day before we left. It also was to be paid for. I had been gone all day and came home to find Mother very worried. She met me at the door and said, "Alice, the bank has closed, it's gone broke and you can't get your money, and we won't be able to take our trip." I was so happy I could tell her I had already taken out the money, for I knew I would have to pay for the stove and get our tickets.

My brother Gus was present and he said, "No wonder the bank went broke if you took out your money!" (We were always kidding each other and saying things like that, enjoying companionship and joking with each other.) We had a wonderful trip and I got to see the home where my parents had lived when the missionary Elders brought them the gospel and they were converted to the church.

She told me of many hardships there and interesting happenings and things they endured to get out to this land of Zion. As we rode along on the train coming home from this trip I told her how thankful I was that they had the faith and courage to make the change and come to Mesa. It took many years of hardship and adjustments to do this, bringing us close to the gospel and better opportunities for education. I am thankful for their unselfish love and devotion to their children, to the church, and to God, and I'm happy I was sent to such a grand and wonderful Mother! (End of tribute by daughter Alice.)

--------------
(Daughter Ida continues with "This Is Your Life.")

Your children have grown up and call you "Blessed" as your Patriarchal blessings said they would. You never spoke evil of any one. Once I told you of some gossip I had heard. You said, "Ida, let our ears, heart, and tongue be the burial ground for such tales, don't ever repeat them." Each of us could write pages of your integrity and worth. Your council and advice to us was always, "do right."

There was never any difference of your treatment of the children. I ask you once if Frank and Joe were my half brothers. You answered with, "We don't have any halves in this family." Frank and Joe's dead mother's parents came to visit them in your home and you always treated them like they were your own, and your children called them grandpa and grandma too. You loved your daughters-in-law and sons-in-law like your own, also Brother Clevenger's daughters, their children always called you grandma. They said because you were always like a grandmother to them, with always something to give them such as cookies or candy, and they loved you.

It was Malinda who came from Colorado and stayed with Bro. Clevenger and the small children when you and Alice took the trip back to see your mother and to the old home and Daddy's sisters family. In your early life you had many hardships, you never let them get the best of you, but went along hand in hand with them, doing hard work. Now in your later life you have enjoyed many honors which those you love and love you have bestowed upon you.

In your daughter Lola's home you were honored with an open house on your 80th birthday, where friends and loved ones came in great numbers to greet you. With several members of your family you got to go to New York City, and West Point to see one of your grandsons, Gerald O'Barr, graduate from West Point. You enjoyed seeing the sights of the big city, your family enjoyed having you with them and visiting in the hotel room at night, resting and talking over events of the trip and the beauty of it all. You have seen two grandsons go on missions, John Verney and Andrew Clevenger. Andy is yet in the Mission Field.

Two of your daughters have been Relief Society Presidents, Ida and Lola. Through Ida's children (because she is the oldest) you have seen your posterity grow to five generations. Every one of your children are happily married and no divorce among them. (On the comment about divorce, to the best of my knowledge, this is true for all her direct children. For the numbers involved, this is a most remarkable record. Even down to the grandchildren and beyond, divorce has been rare, and almost always "honorable" on the O'Barr-Clevenger side.)

You have gone to the Temple with many of your children and grandchildren to see them sealed and married in the House of the Lord for time and eternity by the Holy Spirit of Promise. We have gathered many times for family reunions at Thanksgiving time, and there is about a hundred of us now. You have been honored by your Ward on Mother's Day for your large family. You've done lots of hard work never complaining, making quilts and rugs, canning fruit, making jelly and jams, and doing every kind of work there is to do.

You have traveled by every mode of transportation we have: walking, horse back, ox team, covered wagon, buggies, model T Fords and all other kinds of cars, and a boat trip up the Hudson River when you went to New York. You flew to New York by airplane, the commercial airlines, trains, and a bus trip to Salt Lake City. (You may yet fly in a space ship, who knows?)

Your present little home is a joy and comfort to you, a place of peace and contentment where your children and their children can come to visit you and leave filled with the richness of your spirit. Yours has been a life of blessings and fulfillment, and although you had many difficulties and almost unsurmountable odds, you took them in stride.

Your beloved Relief Society President asked your daughters to help in this story, and we your children and grandchildren appreciate her for it. We want you to know we love you and appreciate you for all you've done for us. There are 27 members of your family here today, daughters, granddaughters, great- granddaughters, and great-great-grandchildren. Your staunch faith in the gospel, your wit and humor, philosophy of life, steadfastness for truth and right, will always be a joy to us all.

You had your 12 children, raised your two stepsons, have 27 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, and 16 great-great- grandchildren. We will try to always honor you by keeping your council and advice and teachings ever with us. Our Mother,

Lola May Clevenger has lived a long and fruitful life. She is known as "Sister" in the church. She is known as "neighbor", "friend" and "loved one". She is known as "mother", "grandmother", "great-grandmother", and "great-great- grandmother".

Her patriarchal blessing says: "The Lord is pleased with your mission of motherhood, and has given you an influence over your children that they shall never forget, but will rise up and bless you". This they have done, for they believe no mother has ever shown greater courage, love, faith, and works than their own dear mother. Kindness, understanding, patience, and long suffering (the attributes the Savior asked us all to have) have been hers in abundance. Just to spend a few minutes with her out of a busy day, renewed ones spirit and seemed to impart courage and thankfulness for the day at hand, for her spirituality overflowed into your own heart.

Sister Lola Clevenger was born November 26, 1874, in a log house on a 40 acre farm located about 3 miles from Strafford, Missouri. She was the 2nd of 8 children born to Austin Jackson Peppers and Judy Ann Anderson. Her father was a farmer, raising corn, sweet potatoes and sorghum cane, and from these crops they made their living. They also sold molasses which they made from the cane. The mill used in those days to extract the juice from the cane was pulled round and round by horses. The juice then was cooked, made into sorghum, and sold to neighbors for miles around. they also milled the cane grown by other farmers on the "halves". Lola and her older brother Arthur helped in the fields, and in the sorghum mill.

The one room school which Lola attended was a 3 mile walk from her home, and since the winters were very cold and there was so much work on the farm, she got to attend very little. The children carried the drinking water to this school from a well a half mile away, and all drank from the same dipper. Lola was 8 years old before she started to school, and she said that if all the days she attended school in her lifetime were added up, there wouldn't be as many as children now get to attend in one year. Yet this young girl learned to read and write very well, and although she often apologized for her lack of education, she became truly self educated through her habit of reading and study. She especially loved to study the scriptures, and church books and magazines, and was well versed in them.

When Lola was 14 years old her family moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where her father and brothers operated a feed store. She was able to attend school again while they lived in Eureka Springs, but they were there only one Winter.

Her father heard stories of how well the farmers were doing in the cotton fields of the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) and he left Eureka Springs and moved his family in covered wagons to the Indian Territory where all the family worked in the cotton fields. The farm on which they settled was located in Cottonwood, about 5 miles from Mildro, Oklahoma. It was while they lived and worked here that Lola met and fell in love with Augustus B. O'Barr who worked on the same farm as a cotton weigher. She met "Gus", as he was called, at the well where she went to get water, and at the wagon where the weighing was done. Although Mr. O'Barr was a widower with two little boys, Lola's father gave them his blessings, and they were married on December 18, 1890 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

About a week after their marriage, they went to Atkins to get Mr. O'Barr's two little boys, Frank and Joe. They made the trip by train and it was the first train ride the young bride had ever taken. They brought the children back to the Indian Territory with them. Here Mr. O'Barr leased some land and raised a cotton crop of his own, and Lola was kept busy keeping house and caring for her two little step-sons. She loved these little boys from the beginning and took good care of them, making all their clothes by her own hands.

After his first crop was completed, Mr. O'Barr traded it for a wagon and team and took his family to Atkins where his folks lived. It was here that Lola's first child was born on September 22, 1891. It was a little girl and they named her "Ida".

When Ida was just 10 days old they moved again, back to Cottonwood, making the trip with 2 ox teams. Lola drove one and her husband drove the other, and she often told of the experience of driving a yoke of oxen. Mr. O'Barr hauled logs and worked at a lumber mill for two years, then they went back again to Atkins, Arkansas and bought an 80 acre farm. Here, Mr O'Barr farmed, sold fruit trees, and built chimneys. Here on April 5, 1894, Lola's second child was born, a son who was named "Arthur". Her third child John William, was born November 8, 1895, but this little boy died when he was 11 months old. On October 19, 1897, her fourth child was born. They named him, "Lewis". Her fifth child, "Dora", was born August 13, 1900, and Parley was born September 3, 1902, making six children born to Lola and Gus O'Barr during the 10 years they lived in Atkins.

They experienced many hardships during these years, such as the loss of their home by fire, but Lola often told of these years and said they were very happy. They had many good neighbors and Mr. O'Barr's people lived just a mile away. She told of many good times they had together, and how they helped each other in such tasks as: drying and canning fruit, killing and dressing pigs, and planting and harvesting the crops. they all grew fine gardens and made a good living. After the fire, which destroyed their home, the neighbors helped them to build back a nicer house than they had before. The children attended school nearby and Mr. O'Barr was a trustee of the school.

It was here that the Mormon missionaries came and converted them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lola tells of how she and her husband (prior to the coming of the missionaries) would attend the churches there, and still in their hearts seemed to be searching for something more. She said Mr. O'Barr had listened to the Mormon missionaries when a boy in Alabama, and often told her about the things they said as they returned home from attending the various church services. She told him she always heard the best sermon on the way home.

So when the Mormon missionaries finally came to the area in 1899 they were invited to make the O'Barr home their headquarters. This the Elders appreciated for they were not always made welcomed. Lola said she had prayed that if they did represent the true church that they would come, and she said she would never forget the day they came and how happy they were to receive them. Sometimes they had as many as six or eight missionaries at a time staying with them. Meetings were often held in their home too, as well as in other places in the neighborhood, and on June 21, 1899, they were baptized by Lorenzo Leavett, and Elder from Utah.

This brought great joy and happiness into their lives. It also brought "changes" for with it came the desire to come West where they could bring up their children in the church, and have better opportunities for education as well. the fruit trees they had planted on their farm were beginning to bear, and this land had been good to them, always supplying their table in abundance.

Lola wrote in her history, "I hated to sell out and come West, and would not have done it, except for the church. It was a great sacrifice to almost give our things away and come out here away from our people, but we felt in our hearts that our family would be better off in the long run if we made the change." so in January 1904 they arrived at the old North depot, to make their home in Mesa, Arizona.

Mr. O'Barr farmed, grew large crops of sugar beets and helped to build a beet sugar factory near Glendale. He also helped established a mercantile store in Mesa. To them were born on February 6, 1905 their first child to be born in Mesa, a little girl to whom they gave the name of "Bertha Ann". But this little child died with whooping cough when only 14 months old.

Lola's 8th child was born on December 24, 1906. they named her Alice. Her ninth child, Augustus Barto, was born December 21, 1909.

When little Augustus (or Gus as he was called after his father) was only two months old his father took seriously ill and died on March 6, 1910. This left Lola, a young woman of 36, a widow with seven children of her own and two step-sons to care for. But in spite of terrible grief, she faced the future with courage and hard work. She and her children raised vegetables and peddled them over the city. She raised chickens, and washed and ironed and did housework for neighboring families. There was no "welfare program" or "aid to dependent children" in those days, and this brave soul had to be both "breadwinner" and "mother" to her large family. But she never lost sight of the true values in life, and taught her little ones fairness and honesty. She taught them to work and to pray.

Three years later she met a good man by the name of Andrew Benton Clevenger, and they were married in January, 1913. Mr. Clevenger was also a farmer by trade, and the family continued to farm their little place.

The first child born to this marriage was a little girl whom they named Ruth. She was born on March 30, 1914, but only lived one hour. this little girl was Lola's 10th child.

There was no temple in Mesa then, but it had always been Lola's desire to go to the temple and do the temple work for herself and her family. It was also Mr. Clevenger's desire to go, although the closest one was located in St. George, Utah. Sister Clevenger sold the homestead which she had in the Chandler area, and with the money from it they purchased a team and wagon and supplied it for the long trip to Utah.

Two other families joined them (the Kazes and the Merrills).

There were five wagons and one buggy in the wagon train, and it took six weeks to make the trip. As was expected, many hardships were encountered on this trip, for roads were poor and watering places hard to find; but the faith and determination of the three families was strong and they made it through.

Once when a watering place was found to be dried up at the end of a hard days travel the strongest horse was given the remaining water, and sent with the buggy to return and time to save them all. The group felt that this was in answer to a prayer circle they had held while they waited. They crossed the Colorado River on a ferry and went over mountains so steep that the teams had to be doubled up, and one wagon taken over at a time. Before the trip was over they were pooling their food together to have enough.

In April of 1915, they went through the temple in St. George, Utah. There they met several Elders who had stayed in their home in Arkansas. Lola even met Elder Leavitt who had baptized her, and she and her family were all invited to be guests in his home.

That Spring and Summer they settled in Enterprise, Utah, where they made crop, and the next Winter they moved to Cedar City, where they made another crop before attempting the long trip back to Mesa. It was while they were in Cedar City that Lola's 11th child was born, a girl whom they named Lola, after her mother. She was born April 1, 1916.

Mr. Clevenger heard that the cotton farmers were doing well in Laveen, Arizona, so after the long trip back from Utah by wagon and team, the family settled in Laveen and grew a cotton crop. This was a fine crop which paid well but tragedy came again to them that Spring when Typhoid Fever struck the area. Three children, Parley, Dora and Lewis all came down with the disease. Parley and Dora recovered but Lewis passed away on May 6, 1917. This was a sad blow to the family as Lewis was a fine young man of 19 years old. they brought him to Mesa for burial, and soon after the family moved back to their old home in Mesa.

On Christmas day, 1919, Lola's 12th and last child was born. This was Mr. Clevenger's first son. He had two daughters by a previous marriage, Malinda, and Gertrude, and of course his little Lola who was just 3 years old, but he was happy to finally have a son. They named him Ernest.

Mr. Clevenger always feared he would not live to help rear his children, but Ernest was 19 years old when he died on October 31, 1938 at the age of 88. Sister Clevenger was again left a widow but her children were all grown and married except Ernest. Heartaches came to her again that same year when on December 10, 1938 her stepson Frank died of a heart attack in Los Angeles.

Ever since the Temple was built in Mesa, Sister Lola Clevenger has been a devoted worker there. She made several trips back to Oklahoma and Arkansas gathering genealogy of her people, and of Mr. O'Barr's people, and she has done "a great work" on both these lines. She often said that it was not all completed, and that there was research and work yet to be done, but she has contributed much to its completion, and has collected family records that, but for her efforts, might have been lost for all time.

She has been a faithful and diligent worker in the church. She was a Relief Society visiting teacher for 40 years. She told interesting accounts of how she would go to the field, get her horse and harness him to the buggy, pick up her partner, and go visiting for the Relief Society. Her skill at making beautiful quilts is well known to all her Relief Society Sisters and her help could always be depended upon when they needed hand made items for their annual Bazaar.

In her later years many honors have come to her as fruits of her long and productive life. Her Sunday School has commended her for her perfect attendance, and she has been honored on many Mother's Day programs for her large family and for being the oldest mother present. Her beloved Alma Ward Relief Society honored her on October 3, 1962, with a "This Is Your Life" program. Her daughters told of her life, and showed slides.

Her children honored her 80th and also her 90th birthdays with open house birthday parties. These were happy occasions where scores of friends and relatives came to shake her hand and extend their best wishes.

Both sons and grandsons have said good-by to her as they left to serve their country through two world wars, but all returned safely. She has seen four grandsons fill missions (John Verney, Andy Clevenger, Randy White and Joe O'Barr) and two daughters, Lola and Ida, serve as Relief Society Presidents. She has watched children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren graduate from high school and college, and even flew to New York City to see a grandson, Gerald O'Barr, graduate from West Point Military Academy. Through her daughter, Ida, and son Arthur, she has seen her posterity grow to five generations.

She was always proud of the fact that she had met and conversed on several occasions with President Grant, and President Joseph F. Smith. She also saw Teddy Roosevelt when he came to Mesa to dedicate Roosevelt Dam.

The yard of her little home where she spent the last 12 years of her life has been a garden spot of flowers, grape vines and bearing fruit trees. She planted them all herself and cared for them until she was almost 90 years old. She loved to work with growing things and plants flourished under her care. Most all her life she has had a lovely vegetable garden, and constantly shared its produce with family and friends.

A great deal of sadness has also come to Lola during her later years. Her daughter, Dora, died suddenly of a heart attack on May 8, 1963. This was a great shock to her for Dora gave her a lot of companionship, visiting her almost every day.

On June 24, 1967, her stepson, Joe, whom she raised from a small child and loved as her own, passed away in Phoenix.

Then came the accident in her home on January 17, 1968 when she fell and fractured her hip. Although 93 years old, she survived the surgery that followed but never completely recovered. She was able to spend short periods of time in a wheel chair but for the most part was bed fast. But in spite of her long suffering, her concern and interest in her family and loved ones remained keen until the end. She passed away Thursday, August 7, 1969.

She is survived by 7 children. They include 3 daughters: Mrs. Ida Francom, Mrs. Alice Sliger, and Mrs Lola White, all of Mesa; and 4 sons: Arthur O'Barr, Gus O'Barr, and Ernest Clevenger of Mesa, and Parley O'Barr of Burbank, California. Also surviving is a step-daughter Mrs. Gertrude Cooper of Higley, and a sister, Mrs. Lillie Jones of Wilburton, Oklahoma; 29 grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren, and 28 great-great- grandchildren.

She loved the church and believed in it with all her heart. In her testimony on the gospel which she has written in her book of remembrance she testifies that it is true, and asks her children to live its teachings. She expresses her thankfulness for the Elders who came to her in Atkins so many years ago, and for the faith that brought her West. She also confirms her great love for her children, and expresses in a beautiful "Mother's Prayer" all her hopes and desires for them.

Today, in loving farewell, her children wish to say: "Thank you dear mother for all you have taught us, for the shining example of your life to guide us, and for all you have suffered and endured to help us." Her children also wish to express today their thanks to God for the privilege they have had of being born and reared by such a noble mother.