Emma turned 3!

It was a fun day, we had cake, explored a pumpkin patch and played dolls. I can't believe she's already 3, it was so nice to have Shane home from work for the day. I hope you are all enjoying fall where you are!

Iantha, Missouri

Found this picture recently, of particular interest to "some of us". The town is Iantha, Missouri, in southwestern Missouri, and its a real place, not "Photoshopped".

Heber Nephi Folkman Trampled by Horses!

Our grandfather, Heber Nephi Folkman, survived the Galveston, TX 1900 hurricane, but jhis close adventures with danger were not through.

A couple of years after returning from his mission, living in Ogden, Utah, he was out on a date with our future grandmother, Kathryn Nelia King, and got into a tussle with his team of horses that landed him in the Ogden Standard Examiner for August 4, 1905. I've attached the clip here, but it may not be too readable.

Here is the text: "Heber Folkman, a barber, was painfully but not seriously injured at Plain City, Tuesday evening, by being knocked over and trampled by a team of horses that became frightened while he was untying them preparatory to returning to the city. A young lady, who was in the buggy at the time of the accident, fell into a faint from which she was not revived for several hours.

It appears that Folkman and the lady after being out driving for some time decided to call upon Mr. Folkman's brother, who lives at Plain City. At the conclusion of the visit while Folkman was in the act of untying the horses and after he had assisted the lady into the carriage, the horses became frightened and in plunging forward struck the man with their feet knocking him to the ground where they trampled upon him.

The screams of the woman, who became thoroughly frightened, attracted the attention of some pedestrians who were near by and they rushed to Folkman's aid. Folkman was still beneath the horses, from which position he was rescued.

After the injured man had been made as comfortable as possible a physician was telephoned for. Upon the doctor's arrival a hasty examination revealed a dislocated shoulder, a fracture of the wrist, and a number of minor injuries, which, though painful, are not considered of a serious nature. Aside from a bad fright the lady was none the worse for her experience in the buggy."

Things apparently all turned out well, as just about 9 weeks later, Heber Folkman and Kathryn King were married on October 5, 1905, and later moved to Jerome, Idaho, where Dad was born and raised.

Heber Nephi Folkman and the Galveston Storm of 1900

Our grandfather, Heber Nephi Folkman, was called to the Southwestern States mission in December of 1899, and arrived in the mission field later that month. He kept a journal for his entire mission. Some days it was quite detailed, others days less so. As I recently found the missing pages that talked about the hurricane of 1900 that was so devastating, I thought I would share some of the story of the summer leading up to the storm, and his full entries for the storm and its aftermath. Grandfather and his companion, Elder Dana, worked in Eastern Texas for several months, and then were called with Elders Norton and Kirkpatrick to labor in Galveston.

Elders Folkman and Dana arrived in Galveston on the 31^st of May. He had never seen the ocean before. “I seen the Ocean for the first time in my life it is quite a site to see the waves roll up on the shore one after another never seazing like they were mad because they could not go on but had to go back to the Ocean to be met by another which when they would meet the roar would be as loud as many Lions coming to gather in battle.”

After visiting the mayor’s office and the chief of police to get permission to proselyte and a promise of protection, the elders divided up the city and set to work. Their day normally consisted of tracting in the morning, visiting 50 to 75 home on average, then spending the afternoon in studying and resting during the worst heat of the day. In the evening, they tried to hold street meetings, or get the local churches to grant permission to meet in their houses of worship. The work, however, was not productive, and the local ministers turned down their requests. Hardly anyone they contacted while tracting had any interest, and their street meetings drew little attention.

Heber said in his journal on June 6^th, “The people generally in the City don’t care much for religion is all they care for is making money and have not time for to listen to the gospel.” Indeed, Galveston at the time rivaled Houston in shipping and commerce, and had more millionaires per square mile than Rhode Island [1]. Often, in the cooler evenings or on Saturdays, Elder Folkman and his companions would walk down to the wharf and watch the ships loading and unloading cotton, cement, wheat, and other commodities. They also visited the beaches on the Southeast side of the island, landlocked Utah boys fascinated by the constantly rolling waves.

On June 8^th, he noted “They are very wicked in this city they don’t care for religion and especily Mormonism. We receive poor treatment as a rool.” They had taken lodging at a boarding house for $8 a month, with permission from their mission leadership, but were expected to try and find “entertainment”, someone with whom they could stay without charge. This, too, proved difficult. On June 13^th, the elders received a letter from (mission) Pres. Jos. G. Duffin reminding them to “leave their room, and go out and depend on the Lord to open up the way for us to get entertainment.”

One promising lead pointed to a family of Mormons in town that turned out to be “Jospehites”, members of the Reorganized Church, later the Community of Christ. Elder Folkman said “but they did not bleive in any thing we tried to get an invitation to stop with them but we did not get it.”

On June 18^th, Elder Folkman noted that “the people are very bitter they will not talk to us they think we are here after the women…”. A newspaper article later in July called the Elders “pimps” and much worse that Elder Folkman chose not to record.

Tracting on June 22^nd found a 79 year old woman, Mrs. Nunn, who had joined the church many years before. Her last contact with the church had been in 1856, with Elder John Taylor. They spent some time talking with her, but her family did not approve of the Mormon missionaries, and they continued looking for a place to stay for free. She seemed firm in the faith to them, and they occasionally visited with her.

Heat and mosquitoes were also a problem. Elder Folkman and his companions often retreated to the beach to cool off, noting that “it is fine bathing when the waves are large the rougher the sea the nicer bathing.” Often, the mosquitoes made sleeping difficult, and the heat made the work challenging. In August, Elder Folkman talked about being laid up with the “summer complaint”, almost certainly malaria. Later in his mission, he writes about taking quinine to calm the chills.

After July 4^th, they gave up the rented lodging, and got temporary housing with a family for a few weeks, and then found another house that would take them for a longer time a 712 29^th Street, near the high ground at the center of town, and near the water works building. The home was owned by an older woman, Mrs. Daniels. But the work continued to unfruitful, and Elder Folkman’s journal often records reports like “Went out tracting visiting 60 families met with no success” or “Went out tracting finding the people about the same.”

Elders Dana and Kirkpatrick were transferred, and Elders Larson and Hunstman replaced them. In August, they were able to get a few appointments to teach, but little came of them, and on August 17^th, sold the only copy of the Book of Mormon that they were able to place all summer. After a break for the Labor Day holiday, the routine started again, with similar results. On Friday September 7^th, they contacted 83 families, then spent the rest of the day in studying.

Saturday, September 8^th brought a change:

“Could not work on account of storm could not go out of the room and at night the water from the Bay (Galveston Bay was only 7 or 8 blocks north of their house, the water being pushed by a strong north wind [2]) came up all over town we had to get out of the room and move up the stairs it was 4 feet of water in the room and the wind so strong that it was blowing houses down all over town the people all moved out but us Elders and the Lord spared us while the city was half destroyed.

“Sunday Galveston Sept 9. Still on the (curb?) after one of the most terrific storms that ever pased over the country the sight that my gaze this morning was terriable over half the city destroyed and the other very badly damaged the water and wind to geather played havock the report is the loss of life will be in the thousands they are hauling them in by the wagon load food and water scarce as the water works system was destroyed and a good many cisterns filled (presumably with sea water).

“Monday Galveston Sept 11 (certainly the10^th but incorrectly dated in his journal). Went round to see the sights it is terrible to behold they are hauling in dead bodies by the wagon loads they have had to resort to sinking them in the sea to dispose of them they are in such a condition that they can not keep them so they take them by the ship loads and take them out in the sea and sink them rich and poor white and black. I see many bodies lying amongst the timbers and where they had lodged we tryied to get a boat to take us to Houston they wanted $5.00 a head for 25 miles and we desided to wait another day and see if we cant go cheeper we cant walk out for both bridges are washed a way so we have to do the next best.

“Tues. Galveston Sept 11-1900 went to the warf and got a chance to go to Houston by ship went back and got our grips just got back in time to catch the boat we left at 10:30 AM arriving in Houston at 6.30 PM went and got a room at the Capitol House the fare from Galveston was $2.50.”

Word was just beginning to get out from Galveston about the terrible toll the hurricane had taken. The missionaries would have been among some of the first people to arrive from Galveston since the storm. Tuesday also was the first day that officials from Houston were able to see firsthand the destruction and loss of life. The more accurate reports were labeled fantastic and unbelievable in Houston, which had received some wind and rain, but not the full power of the storm. Elder Folkman’s journal continues:

“Houston Wednesday Sept. 12-1900 Went to breakfast then took in the sights met a Mr. Daniels son of the Lady that we was rooming with in Galveston he was glad to see us to learn of his mother he invited us to take dinner with him at the hotel where he was staying.

“Houston Thursday Sept. 13-1900 Went to the PO received no mail spent the day in looking round the excitement is great here yet from the storm they are coming from Galveston (line missing).”

On Friday, Elder Folkman and his companions ran into two other missionaries who were looking for them, and talked with them late into the night. Elder Folkman and his companions were to start for Austin County for a mission conference, a distance of about 160 miles, which took them several days on foot.

The great hurricane of 1900 took an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 lives in Galveston and the surrounding areas. The storm surge, little understood at the time, was magnified by the fast moving northbound category 4 or 5 storm with sustained winds of 150 mph, and gusts of perhaps as much as 200 mph, from the northeast, piling up a huge wave of water. The storm surge was at least 20 feet, and some estimates put it as much as 30 feet or more, surmounting the highest point of land in Galveston by several feet. The surf on the Gulf Coast side of Galveston smashed buildings, homes, and a beachside streetcar trestle into a moving wall of debris that crushed everything in its path as it cut halfway across the island city.[3] No word is given if Sister Nunn, the elderly Mormon woman the missionaries met, survived the storm. Her name does not appear in the list of casualties, either.

Trains were swept from their tracks and all their passengers drowned. Soldiers at one of the low-lying coastal forts on the east end of the island mostly drowned, firing off their cannons at the height of the storm in a desperate cry for help. People who took refuge in the strongest homes and public buildings found the wind, water, and debris destroying even large brick and cement structures.

The storm was only vaguely forecasted as a slight storm by the US Weather Bureau, but recorded as a major hurricane by their Cuban counterparts. Hurricane alerts were not allowed to be declared by local officials, and had to be cleared through headquarters in Washington, DC. By the time the national offices of the Weather Bureau began to be aware of a major Gulf Coast storm, telephone and telegraph lines were already down from Galveston to the mainland. [4].

Elder Folkman finished his mission in March of 1902, still suffering from the effects of malaria. He and his companions found much more fruitful ground in Eastern Texas, baptizing many and working with others who had previously joined the church. By the time he passed through Galveston shortly before his return to Utah, he pointed out to the one or two new members of the church in the city the house where he had survived the storm, one of the few to not be heavily damaged or destroyed. He returned to Utah, married and moved to Southern Idaho, working in various jobs. He died in 1947 at the age of 78.

Source Notes:

1. Isaac’s Storm, Erik Larson, Vintage Books, 2000

2. ibid. A combination of a strong north wind as the hurricane approached and the storm surge from the south pushed the shallow waters of Galveston Bay on the north side of the city to meet the onrushing 20 to 30 foot surge from the Gulf of Mexico.

3. ibid.

4. ibid. Changes were made to allow local offices of the Weather Bureau to give major storm warnings as a result of the lack of warning for this storm.

Peach Days Parade in Brigham City

We took this photo after the Peach Days Parade on Sept 6 in Brigham City. (The peaches are wonderful this year, by the way.)

The Sons of Utah Pioneers have this handcart and usually enter it in the Peach Days Parade. This year Linda and Steve's family agreed to "staff" the handcart, so after Linda ran her 10K in the morning, she immediately changed clothes and joined the rest of us for the parade: Mark, Amanda and friend Frank, Steve, Ethan, Spencer, Grandpa, Linda and Anna. (Kimberly had a conflict and couldn't be there, and Grandma Iantha was staffing her Senior Center booth on the courthouse square.)

Labor Day

Labor Day here was fun. We tried to get everyone together to go hike to the Ice Caves at Big Four, which we have done a few times before. It's pretty spectacular, but the bridge was washed out, which would have required wading a knee deep river. None of us were very prepared to do that, so we hiked to Boardman Lake instead, about one mile up through old growth forests. Carrie and Emma, Zach, Luke and Lindsay, and Kate and I all did the hike. Earlier, we got Pete and Becca to meet us for breakfast, but they could not go on the hike with us.


Emma had a great time, but she mostly did the hike on somebody's shoulders. As you can see, it was fairly cloudy to start, but the day ended as sunny, but never all that warm.

Zach got his Drivers License Back! or "Why Body Shops and Insurance Companies are a diabolical alliance!"

Fortunately, Zach, and the driver of the car he hit, are fine. No airbags deployed, no police issued any tickets, but we do have an appointment with the insurance adjuster today.

For those who have not heard, Zach is completely free of the episodes that caused us such anxiety over the last year and a half. The most recent neurologist says they never were seizures, and he shouldn't have issues ever again.

We've often given our cars nicknames. The 1978 Toyota Celica with bullet hole rust was the Toyolet, the 1992 Subaru we inherited from Peter was the Superpoo. Our Impala was from day one "The Impaler", and now it has lived up to its name!

Meanwhile, we had just fixed the right rear fender. A lady backed into me in the Lowe's parking lot the week before Tom and Jamie's wedding, leaving some scuff marks, and a dent just a little bigger than the palm of your hand. I took it to a body shop for an estimate. They promptly reeled off a quote for $2,400! I couldn't believe it. Her insurance company surely would have paid it, but I just could not bring myself to claim it. One of my coworkers has a body pulling tool, and in an hour on a Friday night, we pulled the dent without leaving anything but the slightest crease, only visible if you get really close and know it's there. I gave Don a $100 Starbucks card, and I'll do some polishing by hand to fix the scuffs, but $2,400? Give me a break. The lady was more than happy to pay for Don's Starbucks card.

My guess is that this one is worth $3,000 to $4,000, and may actually prompt the insurance company to total the car. I've looked online, and I can buy the parts for about $600, and then just need to get it painted. The body shop, I'm sure, will quote over $1,200 for the parts. If they total it, I'll buy it back for salvage, do as much work myself, pay off the loan, and not have to deal with the deductible.

Just doing my part to keep the cost of auto insurance down.

What we've been up to in June

June was a busy month for us! First was Zach's 16th birthday. A couple weeks ago Troy spoke in church, Zach blessed the sacrament, and Josh passed it. I was a proud mom that day! (I should also mention that Josh turned 13 in May, so we've got two teens in the house.)

Then we had Cub Scout Day Camp. I think the scouts all had a great time, and my family and friends made up 1/2 of the staff, so we had a great time too. My mom came all the way from Utah to help out, which I appreciated so much. She taught a craft class every day, Troy taught Chess and Ping Pong Cannons, and Ian taught the Whittling class. I got to boss everyone around and make sure all the classes were running smoothly.

After camp I started my new job. I'm now the Brand Logistics Expert at Gap Kids & Baby, which basically means I'm one of the managers. I love the job, the people I work with are the best.

Then we had Sophie's school play, The Little Red Hen, and her dance recital, which was adorable. She took both tap and jazz this year, and got to dance in 3 of the recital's numbers. She's growing up so fast! (I'm still waiting for pictures from the recital, I'll post them later.)

Then I got called to be in YW, just in time to go to Girl's Camp. The Girl's Camp was in the same place as the YM's Scout camp the week before, and the girls got to do all the things the boys did, which was pretty cool. We hiked Mt. Yale, one of the 14ers in the Collegiate Peaks, and also went rafting on the Arkansas River. When the Scouts climbed Mt. Yale, Josh was the first one at the summit. Our bishop said that Josh practically ran to the top, they were all amazed. I was very proud of him, especially after climbing it myself. It's a tough hike, very steep, and is a Level 2. About half of the YW made it to the top. The group of YW I was with didn't, but it was close, just 500 feet shy of the summit. There were thunderstorms coming in, and the remaining 500 feet was very steep and you had to climb over boulders, so it was a tough call to turn around but we had to keep the girls safe. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, besides giving birth.

Troy came up for the rafting trip, which was on the Arkansas River. We went through Brown's Canyon and about 10 rapids and suck holes. The water was really high from all the snowmelt, but we wore wetsuits so we didn't care. It was so much fun! In most of the pictures I look like a drowned rat, but it's hard to smile and look relaxed as you go through class 4 rapids! I really did have a great time.

Hope you're all enjoying the holiday weekend! Ian's here, we had a BBQ, and we're off to a concert and see the fireworks.

Zach Update

At the risk of alienating Zach, but in the interest of keeping you informed, I'll give you a quick update on Zach's health issues, which is good news. No pictures, though.

After almost a three month wait, we finally got Zach back in with his doctor at the infamous HarborView Medical Center. The doctor apologized (!) for not getting back to us sooner, and also apologized that one of the residents that saw Zach while he was in for his tests didn't call us. I think he also apologized for two or three other things, plus just general apologies as well. That's more apologies from one doctor in one visit than I've heard from all doctorrs in the entire rest of my life, I believe.

Bottom line, he said that Zach was not having epileptic seizures, and the episodes of dizziness, partial loss of sight, etc, probably were related to some anxieties exacerbated by his depression, and that he was often holding his breath, which brought on the heart rate increases. Kate had observed a little of this, but it was a revelation for Zach. Good news, since that day, he has been aware of the breath holding issue, and has controlled it himself, and has not had any episodes for 5 or 6 days now. Needless to say, we are thrilled, and he is too. Driving is going to come back into his immediate future, but he is more excited about that than Kate and I are. He still is in some counseling for the anxieties, but he is happier than he has been for a year, I think.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers over this last year. He is through with school for the summer, and working at the family business, Sears, in their lawn and garden to earn money for school in the fall. We'll keep you posted.

Kevin

Aunt Retta & Ethelyn

Grandma Doris gave me a book of greeting cards she and Grandpa received the first 7 years or so of their marriage. (I think it's an old greeting card sample book from King's that she pasted their cards in.) I love to look through the old cards, and it's fun to see the little notes Grandma and Grandpa wrote to each other. I recognize some of the names, but most of the people who sent the cards are unknown to me.

After reading Dad's post, I knew I had seen Aunt Retta & Ethelyn's names somewhere. So I got the book out and found this little Christmas card. Thought you'd like to see it. If we get together for a family reunion, I'll bring the book so everyone can enjoy looking through the cards.