Home Tour

Here is the script provided by Shirley Lister used on the hay ride during the reunion.  I've added pictures of the homes for your reference.

Park's Place

George Arnold Parkinson (Park) born in 1891.  He served an LDS mission to the southern states and served in the army during WWI.  After he returned he married Aretta Joseph in 1917.  They had a 220+ acre farm and a fair sized dairy herd (mainly milked by his daughters).  He was a good carpenter, well dressed, liked candy and telling war stories.

 

Park was well liked but had a temper.  Once he got mad at another fellow and chased him through the fields as he hoped the fences along the way.  After hopping one particular fence, his overalls got caught on the top fence rail and he hung there until a family member came looking for him and helped him down.

He loved his grandchildren and would sing to them while holding them on his lap.

Park's first love was horses.  He made sure each of his children learned to ride at an early age.  He provided horses and was an extra in a movie called "The Covered Wagon" filmed in 1923.  During the late 1930's and 40's he would chase wild mustangs and bring them back to Beaver to break them.  He was a member of the Beaver Horse Race Committee in its formative years.  Often led out the 24th parade, showing off his well-bred horses and silver mounted saddles and bridles.

One of the favorite activities the children and grandchildren enjoyed at Park's Place was swinging on a rope from the barn's hayloft.  A fire in 1966 destroyed the barn.

Roma, Josephine, and Donna were married at Park's Place in the living room.

Grandma Joseph's House

Aretta's parents, John T. and Annie Gunn Joseph lived in this house.  John was born in Ohio and crossed the plains in 1861.  Annie was born in the fort at Paragonah in 1866.  Education was very important to their family.  Annabelle (granddaughter) would go clean for her.  She left money hidden around the house to test how well she cleaned and her honesty when she would return it to her.

Foch was born in this home and was with his grandfather when he died there after an attack by a bull.  He was helping Foch drive a few head of cattle when a bull attacked his horse and he was thrown.  Head, back, and internal injuries caused when he was thrown into the air and landed on his head and back.  By the bruising they could tell he was stepped on by the horse or the bull.  He was unconscious when his son came to get him in his car and take him home.  He never regained consciousness.

George Arthur Parkinson

Parents were Thomas and Mary Ann.  Met on ship from Australia and married the day they landed in San Pedro.  Moved to Beaver when Brigham Young requested immigrants to gather in Utah because Johnston's Army was coming.

George A. born while father was gone east to pick up Mormon immigrants.  At 16 he was doing a man's work.  He married Annabelle Frazer in 1888.  They saved money so he could go on a mission.  While he was gone, she died.  When Annabelle died she left three children: Hilda, Arnold, and Ethel.  According to one account, she returned early from the 4th of July activites because she didn't feel well.  Two days later when the doctor told her she had suffered heart failure, she fell back and died.  They tried to keep the body packed with ice until her husband could return for the funeral.  Annabell's sister Jean Hales tok in the children and raised them with her own.  George was working out of town a lot but would visit the children when he returned.

He married Josephine Taylor and she died the same year after childbirth.  Later he married Carrie Stoney.  SHe made life miserable for everyone, especially Ethel when she came back to live with her father after having lived with Aunt Jean.  Carrie would put Ethel upstairs until just before her father returned from teh fields.  She kept a loaded pistol under her pillow at all times and would threaten Ethel with death if she told about anything that happened when her father was gone.  When George A. found out, he grabbed the gun from her and threw it into the marsh across the lane north of the house.  Carrie spent two days and nights traipsing through the swamp trying to find it.

Carrie attacked Hilda when she tried to help Ethel with her assigned chores.  Hilda hit her over the head with a pail of water.  Ethel went to live with Hilda and her husband until Carrie had her divorce.

George A. tried to get her to sign divorce papers but she would back out.  Finally, he got Carrie really mad about something and got her to sign them.

Home built by Frazer in Beaver

Thomas Frazer and his wife Annie Ironside were from Scotland.  When she chose Thomas, her other suitor hung himself.  She was disowned by her wealthy family when she joined the LDS church.  They immigrated to Utah where Thomas worked as a rock mason on the Salt Lake Temple.  Called to settle Lehi; but invited to come to Beaver by friends.  Annie cut up her fine clothes to make clothing for her children.  Daughter Jean run over by wagon, healed by priesthood blessing when they thought she was dead.  Thomas built many homes in Beaber from the volcanic rock.

Messinger Mill

Messinger Mill today

Hilda, Arnold's sister married Clyde Messinger.  She died after 24 years of marriage of a blood clot, leaving 4 children.