Glenn Frazier 1937-1943 Monte Cristo Homestead

In mid-August cousins Nancy and Flora Lee took me on a grand adventure on top of Monte Cristo. I'd planned on a mid-week retreat to Randolph to be with them. Flora Lee suggested we might be able to find the remains of the cabin my father, Glenn Frazier built on his Monte Cristo homestead in the late 1930's.  I couldn't resist. 

We visited the Rich County City Hall which is down the street from Flora Lee's Randolph home. Its on the corner of Church and Main Streets. There we poured over land records and found the record and location of Glenn's homestead.  We didn't know where he'd built his cabin. I had this picture of it.

August 2018

Glenn built the required cabin on his homestead before he moved to Oakland, California and married Helen Rex there on November 20, 1937.   

Family history reminds us that Glenn sold his homestead land in 1943 to help his father Frank Frazier pay the taxes on his Woodruff, Utah Ranch.               

Glenn's six-hundred-thirty-six acres and forty-five-hundredths of an acre homestead is part of "Woodruff Park" as the area is called on the Cache National Forest Service Map. Thanks to my cousins' generosity, Jeep, and incredible navigational skills we found our way there.

We located the collapsed cabin in the dry barren sage brush covered hills according to the land description coordinates.  Many years ago Glenn's son Rex discovered the cabin and the "roof was caved in."

It's presumed this 1925 picture of Frank Union Frazier with his sheep camp was taken on land very much like "Woodruff  Park" and his son Glenn's homestead acres.

The FRAZIERS of Woodruff, Utah continue their fathers' and grandfathers' legacy. Patriots All! Happy July 4th!

I just bid farewell to Frank Union Frazier's grandson, cousin Frank Earl Frodsham. Tomorrow he'd have celebrated his 88th Birthday! 

An earlier 4th of July Celebration post is fitting.

Grandma Emily Rufi Frazier (1886-1972)

Frank and Emily Frazier posed for this picture on their 

Woodruff, Utah ranch in about 1947

I recently received correspondence from another Stephen Vestal Frazier descendant. Allen Frazier, son of Dillan Frazier, first cousin to my father Glenn Frazier wrote me,

"We probably have met or at least been in the same room at one time or another.  I attended your grandfather's funeral and stayed in their  home several different times.  I do remember his singing as he went about doing his morning chores.  "I'm forever blowing bubbles," is one I remember.

"One time my parents and I  planned to sleep overnight before returning to Springville. My dad had told Emily he wanted to get away early if possible.  Sometime during the night my dad got up to go to the bathroom.  Apparently Emily thinking we were getting up jumped out of bed, fired up the kitchen stove, and began preparing  a wonderful breakfast.  My dad was too embarrassed to tell Emily why he got up and so we ate that wonderful breakfast and returned to Springville . . . at about 3:00 a.m. in the morning." 

Thank you, Allen, for sharing this heart warming account. 

July 4th Woodruff, Utah ancestors' observance.

Albert Orlando Frazier was Stephen Vestal Frazier’s thirteenth child. He was three years older than my own grandfather, Frank UnionFrazier, who was born August 3, 1884.

Albert Orlando wrote:

“Father built a long log house on his homestead and reared his family. My father held the first 4^th of July celebration on the ranch. I was a very small boy at that time and in commeration [sic] of the day of independence the stars and stripes waved in the breeze in the large hill close to the ranch. Father had just finished some large cattle sheds which were used for a bowery to help keep cool and an ice stand for we little ones. I can remember that day very well and loved to listen to the brass band playing during the program."

“Patriotism was a deep seated characteristic of the people. The 4^th of July was a tradition of older citizens. First raising of the Stars and Stripes, next a parade led by brass band led by W. K. Walton family they contributed so much music and dramatics. Afternoon spent in old Bowery where lemonade was served from large wooden Barrels. Baseball main sport and a few saddle horses races to top off the day, with a big dance at night. “

The long log house Stephen Vestal Frazier first built on his Woodruff, Utah land later became his blacksmith shop which I well remember roaming through. At that time it smelled of old—fire, wood, metal, and dirt. It is pictured beneath the tree to the left in the picture below (about 1990).

Twenty-five years ago my two youngest children and I climbed to the top of the hill across the roadway from Stephen Vestal Frazier's Woodruff, Utah ranch. In the picture beneath we were standing about where my great grandfather would have unfurled his American flag on those early 4th of July mornings.

Note: These two paragraphs were preserved by A. O. Frazier's daughter, who gave a copy to my father, Glenn Frazier. The second paragraph sounds like he was recalling the celebrations later held in Woodruff township proper. The picture of the Walton family band is from the First 100 Years in Woodruff green history book.

Memorial Day, May 27, 2013. Randolph, Utah family gathering.

 Randolph, Rich County, Utah marker, south of Randolph.

 Randolph Cemetery tops the hill west of Randolph overlooking the town. Its where the wind always blows.

The William and Mary Brough Rex headstone has been repaired, stabilized, and now sits atop a cement base. Their six children's footstones are set beside them. All of their children are named here. 

My brother Rex stands beside the gravestone here. He and I and our spouses traveled to Randolph and Woodruff for Memorial Day. I don't recall being in Randolph on Memorial Day since prior to our parents' passing in 1982 and 1992. We had a wonderful day gathering with other Rex cousins on cemetery hill and in Cousin Flora Lee's Randolph home. A big thank you to her and her sister Nancy for all of their work promoting and accomplishing this Rex Gravestone Repair project. Thank you so very much!

The Brough Family Organization also completed (August 17, 2012) this Samuel Brough gravestone project in the Randolph Cemetery in time for Memorial Day.

First thing that morning we stopped in Woodruff, ten miles to the south, to visit the cemetery there and to drive past our Grandfather and Great Grandfather Frazier's Ranch.

My brother and I, our father, and Grandfather Frazier each attended the Woodruff Schoolhouse that stood across the highway from this sign posted in "downtown" Woodruff.

Rex and I, with our spouses, in the Woodruff Cemetery beside the Frazier/Walton

row of headstones. Note Samantha Ann Walton Witherell's broken headstone. 

A project we hope to complete before winter 2013.

1930 SRHS Junior Prom - When Helen met Glenn.

Dance Program from Helen Rex's Scrapbook

Glenn Frazier met Helen Rex while she was still in high school. They each told their descendants the same story. They met at a South Rich High School dance--in those days everyone went. 

After sharing a few dances Glenn asked Helen if he could take her home. She said, “no,” and explained that she’d return home with the person who brought her to the dance—her father. The Rex home was nearby in Randolph, it was just down the street from South Rich High School, the Church, the old Opera House, and almost everything else in town.

Glenn Frazier’s family lived ten miles south of Randolph in Woodruff, Utah.

The Rex and Frazier families were some of the early 1870 Rich County settlers and each family helped settle their respective town; Randolph and Woodruff.

Both families are represented in this 1929 Rich County Fair Report.

Complete List of Winners at the Second Annual Rich County Fair--September 29, 1929

The Second Annual Rich County Fair and rodeo held at Randolph, Utah, Sept. 24 and 25, under the direction of the County Farm Bureau, was a huge success.

The exhibits of fruits, farm products, livestock and home economics were first class. The display would be a credit to a much larger county than Rich.

Interesting programs were held each morning in the ward chapel. Speakers from the Utah Agricultural College, State Farm Bureau and the State Board of Agriculture gave instructive talks.

The Rodeo held in the afternoon was as fine as any held in the west.

The whole affair showed what real cooperation can do.

Following is a list of the premiums and of those in charge: 

[I list only winners I know belong to my families.]

Saddle Horses--3d., Sam Rex—ribbon.

Mare and Colt--1^st A. G. Rex, 1-2--$1.25.

Yearlings--2d., Winnie Rex--$1.00

Boy Pony--2d., Maeser Rex--$1.50.

Dairy Cattle—Holstein

Grade Milking Shorthorns

Cow-1^st. prize, P. H. Rex.

Sheep Department

Harry Smith, Judge, Wm. Rees, Supervisor.

Registered Ramboulilet--Ram—1^st. Frank Frazier

Lincoln--Ram—1^st. and 2d., Frank Frazier

Columbia--Ram—1^st. Frank Frazier.

Grade Beef Cattle--Group 3 steers--2d. P. H. Rex

Bread

Cake—Mrs. Frank [Emily] Frazier, Woodruff, 50 cents.

Nut Bread—Mrs. Sam [Bess] Rex, Randolph, Utah, 50 cents.

Junior Prom February 28, 1930.

Helen's dance program and note at the bottom, A Wonderful time.

Helen was part of the Junior Class that year.

My guess is this is the dance when Helen first met Glenn!

Frank Frazier's journal account. The week of July 24, 1947. Woodruff, Utah.

Grandpa Frank Union Frazier's 1947 Diary/Journal is explained in this earlier post and his biography begins here.

I turned back to the journal yesterday to see how Grandpa Frazier, and the Frazier's in Woodruff, Utah, celebrated Pioneer Day in 1947. This post included Grandma Frazier's birthday that year.

Tuesday, July 22, 1947 

Emily Birthday – 61 years old – we all went up to Delora for supper – Gordon – Aunt Maud came their after supper – Elmer – boys went to show – rain today Arthor I put a bridge across the little creek.

Wednesday, July 23, 1947

204^th day – 161 days follow

May – Gordon – Maudis came down and stayed all night it was good to see them we finished with the hay on the 4^th Island we finished Mowing up in the West field.

Thursday, July 24, 1947

The folks went home this morning. I think they are going to Salt Lake today. Charley V. work in the hay field today – Bruce, Delora, Frankie, Sherley, Mark, went to Ogden to the Rodeo –

Friday, July 25, 1947

Had quite a lot of breake down push rake teeth and the derrick, but we put up quite a lot of hay – Elmer started to mow the big flat below the house – Mary – Harvey brought the boy in last night, he is going to be a fine boy – red hair –

Saturday, July 26, 1947

Fixed up both push rakes and fixed derrick – but finished the field up about the barn

Jim McClure and a Mr. Jensen came to see us –

Sunday, July 27, 1947

The old gan[g] went up to Montie Cristo for the day – had dinner.

Their was Marsh, Lyla, Jake [Rufi], Lottie [Rufi], Albert, Effie, Joshua [Ashton], Sophia [Ashton], Frank, Emily, Aunt Annie [Frazier], Shelby, Lavier, Neville   

As for my group of descendants, we're headed to the parade here in Salt Lake City, with fond memories of earlier gatherings.      

Cousin Mark Frodsham and the Mormon Yankees. 1956.

The Mormon Yankee article on today's Mormon Times front cover, pictured cousin Mark Frodsham, as seen in these clippings. Each time I hear reference to the Mormon Yankees I plan on pulling out my scrapbook. Today I did.

He was pretty famous in Rich County, and my vintage clippings add to today's article.

There is an interview with Mark in the following article.

         Note: Mark Frodsham is Frank Union and Emily Rufi Frazier's grandson.

Frazier: #4 Frank Union Frazier, 1947 journal entries concluded.

Concluding excerpts from Frank. U. Frazier, Woodruff Utah, 1947 Journal. [I retained his spelling, capitalization, and punctuation (he frequently leaves the final “t” off of thought, bought, etc.)]

Continued from previous journal entries here.

Sun., Nov 2--Emily, Tom, Claira, I went up to Evanston to Conference. Emily did fine with her part. We got the battery for the radio. Francis brough it.

Mon., Nov 3--We started to plow over creek this Morning. Plowed quit a piece. Sold 5 crossbread Rom Lambs to Kearl Brothers Laketown Utah for $200.00. Emily, Elmer, Verla went to Barbara weden dance to night. I was two tired.

Sat., Nov 8--I Killed ten old hens this Morning and Elmer and I sheared the Ewes that we are sending to heard- Emily, Verla put the hens in the bottles 15. Charley Smith died to day. “Very fine old Man” snowing to day and night.

Tues., Nov 11--Emily, I took the Putnams to Salt Lake for May Putnam Holbrock funeral. It was sure a Hell of a day going snowed all down canyon just got in line.

Fri., Nov 14--Elmer & I went to Evanston and traded our car on a NEW ONE. We got $840 and paid $1076.50 difference. “Plymouth” It snowed to day. We had dinner with Delora.

Thurs., Nov 27--We all had a fine dinner Bruce, Delora, Frankie, Mark, Serlay, Elmer, Verla, Brent, Stephen Kay, Brenda Dee, Emily, Frank U … Very good time togather.

Tues., Dec 9--Elmer, Brent, I went to Almy after wood with Ray Cox’s truck, got a dandy load- going to Mutual tonight.

Thurs., Dec 4--Every body was sure busy on the ranch to day. Electric line men, 4 of them. The ones that is putting it in the houses- 3 – and we cut the sheep out to shear eyes- to take them to dogholler- Elmer and Vern Hopkins tied in the Election.

Sat., Dec 6--We done some work on Bull shed. Aunt Maud, Delora, Mark, come down and had supper with us- Verla, Elmer, Brent went out to Marry, Harvey to a beef steak supper. June calved- a bull calf. Keith Putnam bought the two bull calves.

Tue., Dec 23--We turned the lights on to night. They are sure swell. Can see any wheere in the chichen. Got them in chicken coop also-

Thurs., Dec 25--Little Steve got a rocking horse, Brent a train, Brendy Dee dolls. We all went up to Bruce & Dee and had dinner, also went the rounds down the lane, got home in good time, didn’t get to call up Glenn could not get through.

Tues., Dec 30--Shelby, Fred, Marrioners, Francis, I went to Brigham City to a Land Management Meeting, had a sweel time and good luck. The folks went up to the show, took Aunt Annie, children.
Christmas card is from Grandmother Bessie Morgan Rex's scrapbook, from the 1930's.

Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier, Part 5

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh!

We lived in Grandpa [Frank Union] and Grandma [Emily Rufi] Frazier’s house the winter of 1949. My brother [Rex] and I were the only children on the Ranch. In the Spring Grandpa Frazier brought runt lambs wrapped in burlap sacks into Grandma’s kitchen. I remember him tucking one into a box and pushing it behind the coal stove. It was wet and limp. After a day or so it perked right up. I helped Grandma feed them from the back porch steps. After milking time, and the cans were pushed up to the house from the barn, the lambs got some warm milk, in pop bottles with black rubber nipples on top. The next Spring Rex and I were given two runt lambs as pets, Buttons and Bows. I don’t remember who suggested those names, but I’m certain they came from a Dinah Shore song that my parents liked.

Only sweet memories remain from those times. I’d walk up the hill with Grandma Frazier to the sheep pens. We’d pull tufts of lamb’s wool from barbed wire fences and fill Grandma’s apron with them. She wasted not a thing. And we gathered up wood chips near the woodpile to fill her apron. She needed them to start the fire in her Monarch kitchen range.

In Grandma Frazier’s kitchen, Grandpa would sit on the reclining caned ship-deck chair Glenn brought him from California. Pulling on his tall leather boots, and lacing them up, couldn’t be accomplished without sitting down. He always had some licorice for us. Dark black hard stuff he liked to suck on. He’d keep a little leather coin purse in the front pocket of his bibbed overalls, filled with licorice chips and pieces,.

Rex and I attended school in Woodruff, as did Glenn and his father, Frank Union. Someone from the Ranch would drive us down each morning. We were able to take our roller skates to school on special days, and after lunch, we would skate around on the wood floor in the 2nd floor auditorium. Sometimes we were permitted to skate in our class room. There were two classrooms; the younger grades in one, the older grades in the other.

The teacher would watch us safely cross the highway to the Church across the street on Primary day. There was a pot-bellied stove in our classroom in the church. Sometimes the ditch running around the school block had skeeters skating across the water. We’d lay along the ditch and try to catch them.

The Frazier's raised sheep, and every other kind of farm animal. And there were plenty of kittens to play with. Glenn Frazier was an apt sheepherder. His son is amazed recalling his Dad’s ability to whistle for his sheep. “The sheep would all be out on the back fence. Dad would whistle and the sheep would come to him.”

Once, some of his sheep became lost. His son remembers “looking out of the house and seeing Dad prepared to go hunt for them. He was sitting on his horse dressed like a mountain man in his sheepskin coat, hat, and saddle bags. He had three or four horses packed up to take with him, and go look for the lost sheep.”

That winter saw 47 degree-below-zero weather. Glenn’s ears got frostbite. There don’t appear to be any surviving pictures of the snow at the Ranch in Woodruff during the winters of 1949 and 1950. I do recall them. After the second winter Glenn declared, “I’ll never spend another winter here!” And there were other reasons for leaving Woodruff.

Helen arranged for tap dance lessons for me. We traveled the ten miles to Randolph, or the twenty-nine miles to Evanston, for lessons and the recital. In the picture above I’m the shortest girl on the far right. We tap danced to Anchors Aweigh my boys, Anchors Aweigh! I thought that was a World War II song. Not originally, according to Wikipedia. The only girl I remember in the picture is my cousin, Kathy Rufi [daughter of Jake and Mary Rex Rufi]. She’s the blonde, two to the left of me. I think the boy in the middle’s last name was Stuart. Our mother’s made our costumes; white satin with red bows and royal blue sequins. There was some misunderstanding about how many inches from the hem the blue sequins were to be sewn. I would like to know who the other dancers are. Can anyone help me with that?

(To be continued.)

The picture of the Woodruff School is on this post.

The picture of the Woodruff Church is on this post.

Author's personal account. Picture from Glenn and Helen Rex collection.

Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier, Part 4

Helen, Glenn, Frank, and Emily Frazier

visit San Francisco about 1940.

When Glenn and Helen lived in Oakland, the Oakland Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grew from 3,700 members in 1935, when it was organized, to 9,000 members in 1946, making it the second largest stake in the Church. The shipyards in Richmond attracted thousands of people to the Bay Area and the various naval bases brought many more. Helen was in the Oakland Ward MIA Presidency. Glenn was called as a stake missionary in 1946, and again in 1949.

Helen worked for Montgomery Wards, and one summer got her younger sister, Flora, work there. Her brother Maeser stayed with them for a time. Sister Winifred was with Helen when her first baby, Bessie, was born in 1942. And a year latter, soon after their son Rex was born, Helen’s father Percy Harold Rex was able to visit.

Helen with her new baby, Bessie, Christmas 1942.

Glenn drove laundry trucks for his Uncle Bill [William] Rufi. He also worked for a furniture company. Rubber was scarce and he drove truck for a company that contracted to pick up all of the tires in Oakland and San Francisco during the war. They stored them in large warehouses in San Francisco. People were permitted to keep only four tires on their cars and one spare during the war years.

Glenn was up for the draft, however he was rejected because he was bothered so with eczema, especially on his hands. He dispatched trucks for an Alameda, California company that sent specialists (carpenters, pipe-fitters, machinists, etc.) to Mare Island Naval Shipyards in the San Francisco Bay to repair boats during the war. He also worked for a company that had the contract to rebuild or fix large passenger ships for war duty.

Glenn and Bessie upon his return from work 1943.

After the war Glenn worked for a refinery that picked up 50 gallon drums of used oil from service stations. The drums were agitated with air. Sludge was dropped to the bottom, further processing produced oil that was better than new. They then sold it to service stations, and for use on large ships.

“These jobs aren’t in order as I worked them,” Glenn explained, as he listed all of the jobs he could remember when he was eighty-one years old, for his son-in-law.

Rex and Bessie

Glenn and Helen had their dreams in California. They purchased an orchard in Walnut Creek [west of Oakland]. The farmer in them pruned, cultivated, and sprayed their budding trees. They harvested almonds. We were still pealing the outer coverings off of their last crop of almonds while were we were living on the Woodruff Ranch.

The work in Oakland, which was plentiful during the war, decreased. The opportunity to return to Woodruff and ranching presented itself. Glenn’s brother and his family were leaving the Frazier Ranch. Glenn and Helen and children would be welcomed. They could move into a home there. It had no indoor plumbing, except the kitchen sink. Saturday night baths were in a galvanized tub in the kitchen near the coal stove. There was a wash stand with a pitcher and basin against one wall. There must have been real compelling reasons, never fully understood by children, that altered their earlier dreams. The chance to live nearer loved ones. Steady work. Building there own place. Helping their folks out!

Glenn and Helen packed all of their earthly belongings in Frank Union’s farm truck. Tucked their two children between them on the seat, tied a suitcase with trip necessities on the cab top, and moved from Oakland to the Frazier Ranch in Woodruff, Utah. They traded a sea breeze, fog horns, and bay weather, and no steady work, for Northern Utah’s sub-zero freezing winters. They loved being nearer their families. There was always work!

The sun streams through the kitchen window

onto Rex and Bessie in their

4130 Terrace Street, Oakland, California apartment.

That's Glenn spraying the trees in their

Walnut Creek, California, orchard.

Bessie and Rex Frazier with Uncle Bill [William] Rufi

in front of his, and Aunt Mabel Rufi's,

Oakland, California apartment.

(To be continued.)

An Ensign To The Nations; History of the Oakland Stake, Evelyn Candland, published by: Oakland California Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Chapter 4. Pictures from Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier collection. Emily Frazier's penny post card shares the family news, and shows us how to get the most out of one penny.

Frank Union and Emily Rufi Frazier, Part 7.

Excerpts from Frank. U. Frazier 1947 Journal, continued . Original spelling and punctuation retrained. The last entry from this journal is posted here.

Fri., Sept 5--I help Emily wash this fore noon and raked this after noon. Elmer got through Mowing. We bought our peaches this morning from Mr. Hasting 7 bu peaches, ½ tomatoe, ½ concord grapes.

Sat., Sept 6—[No entry. I wonder if he helped Emily bottle fruit? Too tired to write?]

Sun., Sept 7--Went up and cut Francis lambs out. Went to Ogden and stayed all night.
Lambs weighed 92 fats
feeders- 74
743 head
got $25.35 for fats
$21.75 for feeders

Fri., Sept 12--Rich County Fair. Elmer took sheep down with Ray Cox’s truck. Jake, Bill went with Me in car- 1 Grand Champ, 4 First, 5 Seconds, 4 thirds. The parade was surely a dandy. Dell Adams was representing Jim Bridger.

Thurs., Sept 18--We came home today, roads was surely bad on the Mountain, got home to Night found All well.

Fri., Sept 19--Elmer, Francis went up to finish Nick with last heard and stayed all night. I cleaned the Coop and put some straw in. Shelby brough his car for Emily to use while our car is in hills.

Sat. Sep 20--I finished the Mowing third crop Lucurn over Creek and raked the hay in R.R.

Sun., Sept 28--The Folks all went to Sunday School but Me and Brenda Dee. Delora’s boy came down for a while. Afternoon Elmer, I, boys went to Randolph to look at some cows- Elmer sold two buck lambs to Tayle McKinnon for $100.00.

Sat., Oct 4--I went out and helped Lyn Huffaker thrash grain in afternoon. Fixed fences in the Morning. Verla folks came out and stayed all night.

Mon., Oct 13--Started to dig potatoes for Arthor Dean.

Fri., Oct 17--I went to Kemmer with Fredricks, Shelby, Will Rex and stayed with them to a banquet, got home at 15 to 12. Dr. Hawkins, Herald came last night, also Dale’s Boys.
Sat., Oct 18--I went with the Dr. up in Deanholler this Morning. Elmer sold 6 bucks to Charley Francis for $300.00. Quite a lot people had their treatments today.

Sun., Oct 19--I went to Union Meeting at Evanston, Gerli, Putman, Dorthy Dean went with me had a flat coming home, got home at 1 o’clock

Picture of Elmer Frank Frazier with dogs on Frank Union Frazier's farm truck in front of the "old yellow house' at the Frazier Woodruff Ranch, about the same time as the journal, from Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier collection. Frank Union Frazier 1947 journal in my possession.

Frank Union and Emily Rufi Frazier, Part 6.

Excerpts from Frank. U. Frazier 1947 Journal, continued here. Original spelling and punctuation retrained. The last entry from this journal is posted here.


Thurs., Jun 26--Leon. Loyal- Boy came about noon. Elmer, Verla, Harvey, Marry went to Coalvill for a check up- Marry stayed down. I raked all day over Creek got done about 6,30 didn’t get Milking done till 9,30.

Wed., Jul 9--Elmer & I went to Sam E. Chornius Funural at Tremonta Nick was sure glade to see us come. 202 miles. Nick has sure got a swell house.. didn’t have a bit of trouble with car run like a top.

Mon., Jul 14--Washed today- had quite a time with washer- Frankie, Mark finished J. Arthor Dean hay- and started Jake Rufi hay- I put the wheels under the derick and got ready to go up after the sheep in Francis heard- Frankie, I.

Tue., Jul 22--Emily Birthday- 61 years old- we all went up to Delora for supper- Gordon, Aunt Maud came their after supper. Elmer, boys went to show. Rain today. Arthor, I put a bridge across the little creek.

Sun., Aug 3--My birthday we had a dandy time togather. First I went to Sunday School and then came back to dinner. Aunt Maudie, Bruce, Delora was here when we came back, Elmer sold some cull ewes to Gale McKinnon for $12.00. 18 head

Wed., Aug 6--Elmer started to Mow the second crop on Island, over Creek, broke oil line on the tractor also three sections we started to put the hay up over creek. I finished Mowing the back south and Island North of the stackyard. Aunt Maude, Emily, Sherlay, Brent, Frankie and myself went to show, Mark came back with us.

Wed., Aug 20--Elmer took Verla to Coalville this Morning to stay. Glenn, Helen went with them, going to stay with Winnie place toNight. I sold three cows for $170.00 a piece or $510.00. May, Nick, Nola. I mowed some hay down in R.R. for Frankie.

Sat., Aug 23--We went up to see some cows of Rowlens Sims, they are Very good Cows. Fixed window in car. Glenn, Helen, children went to Randolph for a while.

Sun., Aug 31--We took Glenn, Helen, children up to Delora’s and had birthday dinner for Elmer and put them on “the train at 9,30” Sure had a swell time while he has been out. Dillon Terell came to see us this Morning.

Picture of Emily Rufi Frazier and daughter-in-law, Verla Madsen Frazier at the Frazier Woodruff Ranch, about the same time as the journal, from Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier collection. Frank Union Frazier 1947 journal in my possession. Are those dresses Emily and Verla wearing made from the same fabric. Who do you think made them?

Glenn Frazier, Part 1

Glenn Frazier
b. Dec 27 1909, Woodruff, Utah
p. Frank Union Frazier, Emily Rufi Frazier
m. Helen Rex, 20 Nov 1937, Oakland, California
m. sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, 18 Nov 1938
d. 4 Jul 1992, Salt Lake City, Utah
b. 8 Jul1992, Elysian Burial Gardens, Salt Lake City, Utah

Glenn Frazier is Frank Union and Emily Rufi Frazier’s middle child, born December 27, 1909 on the Frazier Ranch in Woodruff, Utah. His siblings are Delora, born1907, and Elmer. born in 1913. Growing up on the Ranch, Glenn worked with his father, grandfather, brother, uncles and cousins. They were his teachers, friends, and task masters.

Union, Utah was at about 7200 South State Street, in the Salt Lake Valley. Their family lived there for a few years while Glenn was a boy. In 1917 they packed all of their belongings into a horse-drawn wagon, and walked back to Woodruff, driving their herd of milk cows with them.

The Fraziers raised sheep in Woodruff. Glenn learned branding, breeding, feeding, herding, lambing, sheering. They planted alfalfa. And he irrigated, then mowed and stacked it. In the winter he loaded horse-pulled hay racks with the hay. He drove the racks across frozen fields and pitch-forked hay out to waiting livestock. When spring came the cycle started again. Glenn was always a hard worker, a son and a father you could count on to get a job done.

The Woodruff School that Glenn attended had the world’s largest slippery-slide in its yard. Once you were brave enough to go down it, you didn’t ever want to stop.

Glenn finished high school in Woodruff, before high school was moved north to Randolph.

Upon graduation he worked for a company paving the gravel road between Woodruff and Evanston, Wyoming. He enjoyed the freedom of driving a pickup truck back and forth with supplies for the workers. And he liked receiving money for his work for the first time in his life.

In 1928 he enrolled at Utah State University in Logan as a freshman. Thinking he’d become a veterinarian, he was surprised when he fainted in class at the sight of spaying a dog. Butchering livestock on the ranch for meat was common place. This was different. A dog is an essential companion to a sheepherder. Glenn always had a dog on the Ranch.

Helen Rex was still in high school when Glenn met her at a town dance. It must have been in Randolph. He asked her if he could take her home after the dance. And she told him, “no,” she’d be going home with the person who brought her to the dance, her father. They courted for a long time. He’d ride the ten miles from Woodruff to Randolph on horseback to see her. When she ran for Rich County fair queen, he bought enough “tickets” to win her the title. Bessie Morgan Rex, Helen’s mother, ultimately agreed to let Helen marry Glenn when he was able to beat her at checkers. These tales, retold so many times, are somewhere between truth and family legend.

Glenn went to Salt Lake City and worked for Dooley/Bamburgers. They owned Antelope Island [in the middle of the Great Salt Lake] and kept sheep out there. He worked for them driving herds of sheep down 21st South out to Saltaire, and across dry land [in the 1930’s] to the island. He lived over there in a sheep camp, herding the sheep for a “long time.” There were canyons and valleys, fresh springs, and fields of alfalfa on the island, and he ran into buffalo. It was a noisy place then. He said there were lights on the island to guide the airplanes into the airport before the use of radar.

He homesteaded on Monte Cristo, now part of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest Mountains. He built a cabin, finishing it in 1936, and herded sheep up there.

In 1936 Glenn went to California where he got work and attended diesel engineering school. He graduated from the Hemphill Diesel Engineering Schools at Los Angeles, California, on February 2, 1937.

He planned on working in the engine room of a large ship. Helen came to visit him in May of 1937. He changed his plans and moved to Oakland, California, where his Uncle Bill [William Rufi] was superintendent of the largest steam laundry in the United States (according to Glenn) and gave Glenn a job driving trucks.

In November of 1937 Helen traveled to Oakland, California where she and Glenn were married by Bishop Shields on November 20, 1937. Their first home was at 4180 Opal Street, Apt. 5., Oakland, California.

(To be continued.)
This history was written in 1993 from interview notes with Glenn Frazier. The 1929 Buzzer, Published by Student Body of Utah Agricultural College, Volume XXI, pg. 53. Pictures from Helen Rex Frazier Collection; Glenn Frazier about two years old. Glenn Frazier and Bernice Clayton Purchase on the slide at the Woodruff School yard in 1936. Glenn's high school graduation friends, left to right, [unknown[, Lynn and Myrtle Huffaker (cousins), Vance Moss, and Glenn Frazier. The cabin Glenn built on his homestead at Monte Cristo, 1936. Glenn Frazier and Helen Rex in Los Angeles, California, Spring, 1937.

Frank Union and Emily Rufi Frazier Part 5

A few more excerpts from Frank. U. Frazier, Woodruff Utah, 1947 Journal

Sun., Apr 6--Had no lambs today. 1 last Night. Aunt. Maud- Rex went home this morning had a good visit with them, Harvey, Marry, Kattie Ann, Marie, Huburt, children was up to Verla for Easter, Bruce, Delora, Frankie, Shirley, Beverly came down for a while.

Thurs., Apr 24--Sheep are doing fine over Creek. Would not eat hay, had a yearling, registered Ewe have twins black faced lambs we put here on the Island, the ditch work that the boys done yesterday was a success, drained out the lower end of the other trench. Elmer & Verla went to show to night. I started to brush the Meddow this afternoon.

Sun., May 4--Emily, Verla, boys went to Sunday School. I worked ditch over creek, Elmer took twins, yearling out to Camp. We went down to Mr, Mrs. Heber Cox’s open house this after noon. Married 51 years on May 6th. Harvey, Marry, Kattie Ann are having supper with Verla.

Sun., May 11--Mother’s day. Bruce, Delora, Franie, Sherlay, Mark, Beverly Sims were down for the day. Went to Sunday School and dinner sure injoyed them. It has rained all day and still raining sure a dandy rain.

Sun., May 18--Little Stephen birthday, we went up the creek on a picknick, Marry, Harvey, Kattie Ann- had a dandy time. The shearers has got set up all ready to go.


Fri., May 30--Bruce, Delora- Frankie came down, Dee- Clair also. For Deckeration Day, It rain after noon, their was quit a crowd. Helen Scot had a baby girl at 12,30. Every one is fine

Mon., Jun 2--Washed to day. Emily hung cloths out- I went with Francis over in dogholler and found Charley Francis camped on Sec 21 had been their 13 days. I guess he will have some damage to pay. Fixed pasture fence over creek this after noon.

Mon., Jun 9--Washed to day. It rained of on, all Morning. Larence Johnson left with his yearling this morning. Elmer & I fixed the spring down in pasture. We Killed five hens. Two for Market, 3 for dinner to Morrow- Delora.

Sat., Jun 14--Emily & My wedding anniversery. 41 years. Quite a while to live together in peace- We went to Randolph to have car inspected will have to go back Monday. Elmer, Verla went to Evanston to show, supper with Harvey, Marry

Tues., Jun 24--I finished the rake turing and fixed two neck yokes this morning. We are voting on the $100000.00 Bond for two School houses got the push rake back from Shelbys.

Top picture, adults L-R, Verla Ione Madsen Frazier, unknown, Emily Rufi Frazier, Frank Union Frazier, children, Mark Frodsham, Shirley Frodsham Sims, Frank Frodsham. Bottom picture, L-R Emily Rufi Frazier, daughter Delora Frazier Frodsham holding baby, others unknown. From Glenn and Helen Rex Frazier collection.