23 Jun 1869 – 14 Dec 1930
Grandson of Philip Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Son of Jean Paul Cardon and Susannah Goudin
Liljenquist Patriarchal Blessing
Memories of My Dad – Edna Cardon Taylor
Some Memories of Papa – Ruth Cardon Leonard
My Father and I – Lucile Cardon Reading
Memories of My Father – Rebecca C. Peterson
Memories of My Grandfather – Louis Hickman
(From a book in Cache Genealogical Library, Logan, Utah, entitled “Latter Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia” by Andrew Jensen, Assistant Church Historian. Vol. It pages 420-421. Published 1901. Call number Ut I J )
CARDON, Louis Samuel, a prominent Elder of the Second Ward, Logan, Cache County, Utah, was born June 23, 1869, in Logan, third son of John Paul Cardon and Susannah Goudin. His childhood was spent at home; and at the proper age he began attending the public schools. He was baptized at the age of eight years, and was ordained a Deacon when fourteen years old.
When he was seventeen years of age he accompanied his father (who was obliged to leave home on account of his religious convictions) to Montana, where they worked on the railroad. In the winter of 1887, Louis returned home with the intention of entering school, but circumstances ruled otherwise.
In March, 1888, in company with his fathers three brothers and sister, he left home once more, for Oregon, where they had taken a contract for railroad work. Louis labored there and in Washington until the fall of 1889, when he returned to Cache county, Utah.
In the fall of 1891 he entered the Brigham Young College, at Logan, this being the first school he attended since he was thirteen years of age; he found it very difficult to keep up in the work with his companions, who had enjoyed better advantage; but by hard labor and untiring application to the work, he succeeded in completing a four years’ normal course.
He taught school in Greenville during the school year of 1895-96 with much credit to himself and his patrons.
Jan. 8, 1894, he was ordained an Elder by Thomas Morgan, and during that winter he acted as secretary of the Y.M.M.I.A. of the Fourth Ward, Logan. In March, 1894 he was appointed assistant postmaster in Logan, which position he filled to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
June 17, 1896, he married Rebecca, daughter of Bishop Henry and Margaret Ballard, of the Second Ward, Logan.
In 1896 he was chosen first counselor in the Y.M.M.I.A. of the Second Ward, Logan, and during 1897 and 1898 he was president of said association. Having received a call to take a foreign mission, he left Logan June 7, 1898 to fulfill the same. He was set apart and ordained a Seventy the following day in Salt Lake City, by Christian D. Fjeldsted, and arrived in Berth, Switzerland, July 3, 1898.
Having studied French to some extent at home, he expected to be sent to labor in the French part of the Swiss mission; but the president of the mission (Henry E. Bowman) desired him to labor in the German part, and he was accordingly sent to labor in (Bale) Basel.
He entered at once into the spirit of the work, and through the Blessings of the ‘Lord, soon acquired the German language. Three months later he was placed in charge of the Basel branch. He labored earnestly in that place for thirteen and a half months, when he was called to preside over the Zurich branch, which was the largest branch in the Swiss mission.
Under these several appointments he labored earnestly for the cause of truth, and his whole soul was in the work before him, as witnessed by the improvement of the branches over which he presided. Nov. 23, 1899, he received word from Liverpool that he had been selected to preside over the Swiss mission. This was a great surprise to him, and he keenly sensed the great responsibility; but he went forth humbly, putting his trust in God, and was enabled to perform a good work and bring many honest souls to the light of the gospel.
Nov. 29, 1899, he left Zurich for Bern, and after visiting all the branches in the mission with Pres. Bowman, he took charge of the mission. During his term of presidency, the mission made wonderful advancement in all respects. Baptisms were frequent, tithing was greatly increased, great improvement was made in the keeping of the Word of Wisdom, and missionary labors were extended into new fields.
Elders were sent into Italy, where they tried hard to establish the work once more. Elder Cardon traveled very extensively in his efforts to visit all the Saints in the mission; he also visited a number of branches in Germany, visited Italy and had the pleasure of seeing Paris, France, during the exposition.
Dec. 20, 1900, he and other Elders came down with the smallpox and were compelled to go to the pest-house, where they were confined until Jan. 12, 1901. Feb. 22, 1901, Elder Cardon received an honorable release to return home. He sailed from Liverpool Feb. 28, 1901, and reached Logan, March 15, 1901.
Soon after his return home he was set apart as assistant superintendent of the Second Ward Sunday school, Logan. He also has charge of the lesser Priesthood of the Ward and holds several other positions.
President Louis Samuel Cardon
1900-1901
Mission Presidency from the Austria Mission Website
President Louis S. Cardon
- Age at call: about 31
- Born: Logan, Utah
- Mission: Swiss 1898-1900
- Education: Brigham Young College, in Logan
- Career: taught school in Greenville (1895-96)
- Assistant postmaster in Logan (1896)
Missionaries who served with President Louis S. Cardon.
- Elder John L. Ballif
- *Elder Martin Ganglmayer
- Elder Franz Kortie (served in Hungary)
- Elder Hyrum M. Lau (served in Hungary)
- Elder Mischa Markow (served in Hungary)
- Elder H. G. Mathias (served in Hungary)
- Elder Brigham Franklin McIntire
- Elder Mathias Tedorf (served in Hungary)
*missionaries known to have served in current day Austria. (The others served in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.)
Patriarchal Blessings:
A PATRIARCHAL BLESSING GIVEN BY HENRY BALLARD
January 27, 1905
Louis Samuel Cardon, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood invested in me, I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you a Patriarchal blessing, even health and strength and long life to be a blessing to your companion and family.
You shall be blessed with a good and numerous posterity and have joy with the same. I seal upon you every blessing that will be for your good and advancement in the work of the Lord, and whatever position you are called to occupy you shall have wisdom given you to honor the same and help to advance the purposes of the Lord upon the earth.
Your mind shall expand to be able to grasp every principle of the Gospel and make it plain to the children of men among all of your associates. You shall be an honorable example in your father’s family and a blessing and comfort unto your parents and to all of your brothers and sisters. You shall grow in faith and knowledge and understanding of the gospel and no power shall be able to darken your mind nor your testimony in the glorious principles of the gospel which have been revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith in this, our day.
You shall be blessed in being able to continue faithful in the performance of every duty that is required of you for the advancement of the purposes of the Lord. Now rejoice that you have been blessed to come upon the earth in this day and receiving the gospel and gathering with the saints and receiving your blessings in the house of the Lord.
Now to this end, I bless you with every blessing that will be for your good in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.
A PATRIARCHAL BLESSING GIVEN BY O.N. LILJENQUIST
November 12, 1896 – Logan, Utah
Brother Louis, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood, we place our hands upon your head and seaI upon you your father’s and a Patriarchal blessings with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and of the new and everlasting covenant, with health and strength of mind and body, that you may live to the honor and glory of God. And be a laborer in the Lord’s vinery and even until the Lord and master shall come and receive you unto Himself with all the faithful of His servants. Unto this end we dedicate and consecrate thee unto the Lord and seal upon you the keys of wisdom and of prudence with the attribute of faith, that you may be full of faith, hope and charity, and the testimony of Jesus, and become a leader among your brethren a wise counselor in Zion; a mighty man of God, a preacher of righteousness by precept and by example.
You are destined to preach the Gospel of the Son of God, on the land of Joseph and among foreign nations. And help to gather Israel; to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and if you will be meek, and lowly of heart and listen to the still small voice within, then shall you enjoy the revelations of the Holy Spirit; have communion with holy angels, hear the voice of the Redeemer and behold His countenance in glorious visions and have power over the plagues, over pestilence, sickness and death, and the destroyer shall pass you by, you shall be instrumental in the hand of God to bring many souls unto repentance, and do a great work in the redemption of the dead; and stand as a Savior on Mount Zion.
Be blessed in your family, in your homes and habitations in your fields and orchards and in all your administrations here below. You shall help to build up the waste places of Zion, with temples, towns and cities including the New Jerusalem. You shall travel in safety on land and at sea; and have power to heal the sick and raise up the dying; and cast out evil spirits. The Holy angels shall be round about you, strengthen and uphold you, and give you the victory over your enemies.
You shall enjoy all the blessings and comforts of life that are for your good. Thou art of Ephraim a legal heir to the fullness of the Holy Priesthood, with all its ordinances, sealings and anointings, and to crowns and kingdom and to a numerous posterity, and to become a King and a Priest unto the Most High God, and to reign with the Redeemer on earth a thousand years, and to stand on Mount Zion with your fathers house and all the redeemed of your kindred in the morning of the first Resurrection; and with your fathers house receive a glorious inheritance. These are your blessings through your faithfulness and we seal them upon you with eternal life; in the name of Jesus even so, Amen.
Missionary Blessing:
Given upon the head of Elder Lewis Samuel Cardon, in the Salt Lake Temple Annex, June 8th, 1898, by President C. D. Fjeldsted.
Lewis Samuel Cardon: We place our hands upon your head and ordain you a Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we confer upon you all the keys, powers, authority, blessings and privileges that belong to this high and holy calling in the Melchizedek Priesthood; for you are called to be a servant of the Living God, even a preacher of righteousness, a proclaimer of the plan of salvation to the human family, where you shall be sent.
And inasmuch as you are called to go on a mission to Switzerland to perform labor there as a missionary in proclaiming the Gospel and testifying that the Lord has restored the same and the Holy Priesthood upon man. Inasmuch as you will not fear the face of man, but fear God, the Spirit of this calling shall rest upon you and you shall be able to preach the Gospel both long and loud, and shall have access to the honest in heart, and even the language that is spoken in that country shall come easy to you, even that you shall be able to preach the Gospel of life and salvation in that land with freedom.
The Lord has called you by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit, through His servants, to perform this mission; therefore, we say, may the Spirit of this mission and the love of Christ be upon you, that you shall love your fellow-men and try to save them and do them good. Do not fear to lift up your voice and testify that Joseph Smith was a Prophet in these last days and that he had revelations from God, and the Priesthood sealed upon him. You shall be blessed in this testimony, for it shall be with you in power and you shall be able to proclaim the Gospel long and loud, even to your own astonishment.
When the Lord does bless you and loosen your tongue, give the honor to Him, to whom it belongs, and remember you are a weak instrument in His hands. If you keep yourself near unto the Lord, be humble and call upon His name, His Spirit shall warn you of danger if it comes in your way. You shall be kept and preserved from the diseases that are prevalent among the children of men.
We seal upon you the blessings of life, health and strength to perform this mission. You shall be preserved in traveling upon the sea and land, or wherever you may be. You shall be blessed and prospered in your work, in the work of God, and shall be able to convince many honest in heart of the principles of the Gospel, and shall lead them into the waters of baptism and baptize them for the remission of sins; you shall lay your hands upon them and they shall receive the Holy Ghost. You shall administer to the sick and they shall be healed. You shall escape the sickness and disease abroad in the land, and shall go in peace and return in safety.
We say unto you, receive these blessings and all other blessings that would qualify you for this work that is now before you. You shall return in safety and be blessed with great joy and satisfaction because of the mission that you have performed. These blessings we seal upon you in the name of Jesus, even so, Amen.
Logan Herald Funeral Report
Wonderful Spirit
Pervades Services
of Louis S. Cardon
| With the same sweet spirit of hope and good will, which had characterized the life of Louis S. Cardon, permeating the large audience, inspirational funeral services were held for that beloved church worker and business man in the Logan tabernacle Wednesday. The entire main floor and most of the balcony was filled with friends, neighbors and relatives eager to pay tribute to the sterling citizen who was removed from earthly activities without any previous warning late Sunday afternoon. A remarkable spirit of satisfaction and assurance seemed to pervade the services. This was especially felt during the soul-touching discourse of Elder Melvin J. Ballard. member of the quorum of Twelve of the L. D. S. church and a brother-in-law and former business associate of Mr. Cardon. Elder Ballard forcibly brought out the convincing declaration that the sudden death of his life-long friend was God’s plan rather than accidental, that’ his work had been accomplished and that It was time for him to take up his work beyond the veil. A resolution of respect adopted by the board of education of the Logan city schools was read by , Superintendent L. A. Peterson. BOYHOOD CHUM SPEAKS OF VIRTUES Elder A. E. Cranney, who had been associated with Mr. Cardon since his childhood, spoke of him as a peacemaker, advisor, thinker and student. He told of the high Ideals and the refined personal attributes the departed had inherited from his mother. He recalled the splendid work accomplished by Mr. Canton in all of the various priesthood quorums as well as in the auxiliary organization of the church. | President A. E. Anderson of the Logan stake bore testimony oft he willing service always rendered by Mr. Cardon and his family. He characterized him as a great man who had labored under handicaps which had partly been overcome due to the exceptional backing and cooperation he had received from his remarkable family. Dr H. K. Merrill, for 25 years a co-laborer with Mr. Cardon in stake high councils and for the past five years associated with him on the board of education of the Logan city schools, declared that no man was better prepared to go on short notice than Mr. Cardon. He spoke of the extremely willingness to serve which had always characterized Mr. Cardon both in church and civic work. Although he was always a busy man and had many things to do, he was ever ready to do more than his share of work. STATE FAIR BOARD HEAD TELLS OF ACTIVITIES Mr. Cardon’s activities as vice- president of the Utah State fair board were recounted by W. C. Winder of Salt Lake City, president of that organization. Mr. Winder said he had never known a more lovable and congenial man. He was as true as steel. He was always able to control his feelings and was easy of approach, always having a kind word to everybody. In ringing tones that went straight to the hearts of his listeners, Elder Ballard eulogized his kinsman and spoke of him in glowing terms. “Brother Louis was a courageous willing worker who never shirked,” said Elder Ballard. “He was a volunteer in assuming responsibilities. He has carried a tremendous load. Yet he never complained. Hope never died in his heart. He had a disposition as mild as a woman. If we can go through life with as heavy a | load as he carried and yet remain as sweet as he did we need not fear. “His taking away is no accident. He had accomplished his work. He had learned the lessons for which he had been sent here. He deserves to be a prince, and he is a prince among God’s faithful children. He may not have succeeded in making much material wealth but what he did have he earned honestly. There was not a dishonest hair on his head. While he did not leave any material riches, all of his wealth goes with him today—his character, his testimonies, his knowledge of truth. He has greater riches than most men. “It is not important how long we live but how, well—ah, that is important. Death is not the end. It is but the beginning. Elder Ballard also told how a few weeks ago in Logan addressing the scouters of the local council he had received the impression that the earthly- activities of Mr. Cardon were just about to come to a close. Bishop William Worley of the Logan First ward, who presided at the services, told of the activities of Mr. Cardon at the Sunday school last Sunday just prior to his sudden demise. The First ward choir with Frank Baugh, Jr., directing and Professor S. E. Clark at the console, sang “Oh, My Father,” and “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” Solos were sung by Frank Baugh, Jr., and Fred Baugh. An instrumental trio was played by Mrs. Phyllis Spicker, Hal Farr and Professor Clark. Prayers were offered by George W. Squires and President C. W. Dunn of Logan stake. The speakers stand was covered with an array of beautiful flowers. The grave in the Logan city cemetery was dedicated by H. W. Ballard, Sr. |
Funeral Services for Louis S. Cardon
December 17, 1930, 1 P.M.
“Oh My Father’ sung by the Choir
Prayer: Elder George W. Squires
Our Father, Who ar’t in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; We, Thy covenant children have met this afternoon in honor of one of Thy Servants, Elder Louis S. Cardon, and we do humbly plead with Thee in the humility of our souls that Thou wilt be pleased to open the windows of heaven and look down upon us in tender mercy and compassion, so much so that Thou will cause that Thy holy spirit will flow from heart to heart, as water from vessel to vessel, that there will be a feeling of love and friendship present, that will cause everyone present to know that Thou does love them, and will hear and answer their prayers. We realize that Thou ar’t the giver of all good gifts and that Thou can comfort and bless those who are called upon to mourn; that they might realize that he has gone to prepare a place for them, and that when they go he will be there to welcome them and make them feel at home as he always did here in life.
Bless us all, and help us to appreciate the blessings of this gospel, not only for what it holds for us in this life, but in the life to come.
We invoke Thy blessings on all that is done or said here this afternoon that it may be done to Thy name’s honor and glory, and make us all better and more determined in our hearts and souls to do Thy will and keep Thy commandments and especially do we plead with Thee for and in behalf of the loved ones, who are near and dear to Uncle Lou Cardon.
These blessings, together with all unmentioned ones for our benefit and comfort and especially do we pray for power to walk in the straight and narrow path, as our Brother has done, we plead and pray for by the power of the Priesthood, and In the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.
“HOLD THOU MY HAND, DEAR LORD”, played by Sister Phyllis Spicker, Brother Harrison Farr, and Brother S. E. Clark.
Resolution of Respect was read by Superintendent L. A. Peterson:
Whereas, The Creator of us all has in His infinite wisdom called one from our number; namely, Louis S. Cardon, and
Whereas, The Logan City Board of Education feels deeply the inestimable loss of their associate whose noble character, high ideals, wide knowledge, and whole-hearted cooperation was a constant support and a source of inspiration, and
Whereas, the splendid service done by this valiant worker, stands as a monument to his memory, and as a testimonial to his integrity, his wise counsel, and his untiring zeal for the public welfare, and
Whereas, His associate members grieve with his stricken family and many friends in his sudden passing, realizing the irreparable loss that is suffered by his loved ones, and likewise the great loss to his community and fellow citizens
Therefore be it resolved, That the Logan City Board of Education, its officers and teachers of the City Schools, express to the beloved wife and the bereft family of member Louis S. Cardon their heartfelt sympathy and sincerest friendship in this sad hour, and their desire that God may lighten the burden of sorrow of those who mourn this loss, and
Be It further resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be made a part of the permanent records of the Logan City Board of Education, and that a copy shall also be given the bereft family of our departed member.
Signed: 0. A. Sonne, President
J. H. Watkins, Jr., Vice President
H. K. Merrill
A. G. Olofsen
L. A. Petersen, Superintendent
Dave Tarbet, Clerk
Talk, Elder A. E. Cranney:
My brothers and sisters and friends, I deem it an honor and a privilege to say a few words upon this occasion with regard to the life and labors of my friend and companion, Brother L. S. Cardon.
Brother Cardon received a wonderful heritage in coming into this world. When one knew his father and his mother, as I knew them, we could hardly expect anything from their children, but a life like that Brother Cardon has led. That sainted mother of his, who was an inspiration to all who knew her, and especially to we boys who associated with her, like her own children, left with Brother L. S. Cardon that same high ideal of life which was in her soul and in the home.
I was born and practically reared In the same lot, just across the fence, and associated together with him in all the experiences of youth, I can say here today, and that truthfully, that as a boy in all games, I never have known L. S. Cardon to ever lose his patience, or have anything in his mind, but was of the highest Ideals. There never was a time, if little difficulties arose between the associates, but what the voice of L. S. Cardon would have power to calm the troubled waters. He had such a wonderful influence that he could turn things into the right; this was noticeable both in our association with other members of the family, and in the organizations of the church, our deacons quorum.
If our first Bishop were here today – Bishop Thomas X. Smith, I am sure he would voice the same sentiments as I would. We were as a family of boys under the tuition of our worthy bishop – there never was a request made but what brother L. S. Cardon was always one of the foremost to offer his services. And from then on, into the other organizations as a teacher and as a priest, and as he grew to manhood and began to take upon him the greater responsibilities of life, amongst his associates, thru the classes, I never knew him, as I have stated before, to ever say a cross or an unkind word to anyone.
I never knew him to exercise anything but that wonderful spirit of peace, which was with him in all the affairs of his life, and he was blessed with that heritage which came thru his parents in rich abundance. He was a peace-maker, teacher and student, with the highest ideals of life, and one of the best men I have known all my life. I have been with him under the most trying circumstances, and have been with him in the mountains, slept with him, and prayed with him, and yet I never knew him to say anything but good.
When the call came from his Church to go into the mission field, and there bear his message of truth to the nations of the Earth, did he go? Yes. Has there ever been a call made of him when he has not made the best of the call and that freely, willingly, gladly. So I say, I never knew a man with a stronger and more forceful character to maintain the principles of Justice.
So in conclusion, if I can just turn to a verse in the Doctrine and Covenants, I would like to read it, for I think that it sums up the life of Brother L. S. Cardon in such a way that it would be better than I can express It myself. It seems as though he has not left us, as it was only Saturday morning, as was his custom, to come up the street with his daughter to take her to school, he came into my place of business with that same smile and same good morning brought his car in Saturday evening, and there it stands.
He had finished his mission and a measure in life, that in thinking it over, his kindness to his parents as a boy; never did his mother or father call but what he met that call with a smile; he was a worthy son.
Never have I witnessed any more devotion than he gave to his family and to his children. No matter if a difficulty came up, he had that fine disposition to make the best of things and in all kindness and finest language that could be given, make everything go pleasant. When time would permit him to, and he made that time very often, he was at the House of the Lord when his good wife was called there to officiate in the Temple of the Lord; when he could not be there to officiate by her side, he was there to take her home when she was through.
To me Brother L. S. Cardon has been one of the most devoted husbands and father to his family that I have ever known in my life. He has left with them a heritage that is worth more than gold. In the 84th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, when the Lord was speaking to the Prophet and six elders, he said, “For whosoever is faithful unto the obtaining these two Priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; They become the sons of Moses and Aaron, and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.” He magnified his calling, he officiated in all of ordinances of the Gospel, and therefore he has won the great battle of life; he has accomplished that which he came on the Earth to accomplish, and has won the prize, which is above everything in life. He has found the pearl of great price; he has left a heritage to this beautiful family of his that is more than gold.
I pray that the same spirit which has always existed in this family – never have I witnessed such a fine spirit, – may continue on thru life with this fine family, and when they have finished their course in life may go to their father, who has earned the greatest prize that can come to any man here on earth, I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen,
A PERFECT DAY” sung by Elder Frank Baugh.
Talk, Elder A. E. Anderson:
I am indeed grateful this afternoon for the privilege I have to say a few words over the bier of my dear friend, brother, and comrade in the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
What has been said is very true; never was a man in our counsel loved more than Brother Cardon, and his dear wife. They have fit into the religious and community life of this Stake perfectly always dependable and willing; we always knew when a task was assigned to Brother Cardon, that task would be filled.
The last two days I think I have missed Brother Cardon more than anyone I have missed in my life. At other times, when things of this nature came up, we could call on Brother Cardon and he would arrange details and take care of arrangements as well as giving comfort and consolation to those in need. Yesterday morning Brother Quinney, Brother Dunn and I met and we hardly knew what to do, we have been so used to getting counsel and help from Brother Cardon. We have other men in the counsel who have been, and are willing and glad to take their part in this great work, but Brother Cardon being senior in the counsel was given this work and he always did it faithfully and well, to those in need.
Brother Cardon, to me, has been a great man. For a long time Brother Cardon has labored under a financial handicap I believe very few men could work under. His family has been one with him. Years ago he could have paid his debts like others have done, thru a process of law and been able to give his family the comforts and luxuries of life, which they, with him, have sacrificed. Brother Cardon had an aim in life, a name and honor, and I believe if the Lord had given him a short time more, he could have been out of debt. I had a talk with Brother Cardon a week ago, and he told me of some of these things. He and his family with him, have denied themselves the things which his neighbors and friends have had in order to uphold his name and honor. So I say, he has left his family a heritage that they can be proud of so long as they live.
Brother Cardon never missed an obligation which devolved upon him without a good excuse. I think that is something that we can admire in a man, if he will fill his obligations, or have a good reason for not doing so. Brother Cardon missed less meetings than any one I know. I think the bishop of our ward could say that Brother Cardon was one of the most faithful attendants at meetings, and he always took an active part in the ward. After we are put on the Stake Boards we sometimes feel that we are divorced from the ward, but not so with Brother Cardon, he wanted to work, and as I recollect, he had several duties in the Ward besides his Stake duties. Brother Cardon magnified his calling. I do not know of anyone who has done better.
The Lord has been good to him, blessing him with such a fine wife and family; I believe Brother Cardon appreciated this. His heart was for his family; he did all that was in his power for them, and they, with him, have gone thru a great many sacrifices in order to keep their family name honored and unstained.
Our hearts go out to Sister Cardon and her family; I know the Lord will make up to them what they are missing in the passing of their father and husband , if they put their trust in Him. The Lord will come to our rescue if we do what is right.
In our Stake we have gone thru a great many things the past few months; and yet we are glad to have had the privilege of laboring with the men that we have. I pray that the Lord will bless Sister Cardon and her family, and all who mourn with them, that they shall be comforted and shall look forward to the time when they shall meet again and know that their father and husband has been one of the worthwhile men of the world, and has done his utmost to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ among men.
May the Lord make us equal to the sorrow and burdens which have come into our lives, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Talk, Elder H. K. Merrill:
I trust, my brothers and sisters, that the Lord will bless me with His Spirit that I might be able to control my feelings on this occasion. I feel as his family feel, that I have lost my best friend. I labored with Brother Cardon for twenty-five years in the High Counsel. I have labored with him for five years on the Logan City School Board, and I think I knew him pretty well. I never knew him to appreciate him like I have done the last year and a half. When I have needed counsel and advice and wanted to go to someone who was interested in me, and would advise me as a father, I have gone to Brother Cardon. He has always been willing to devote his time to me, and what he has been willing to do for me, he has been willing to do for others. Brother Cardon was a busy man, he had a lot to do, and as Brother Anderson said, he was prepared to do it. There has been no one on the School Board who has been more willing to visit the schools at the call of the Superintendent or to attend meetings. I know of no man who was better prepared to go on short notice than was Brother L. S. Cardon.
I think in my soul there is no question of a doubt as to where Brother Cardon will go, or what his reward will be. He will receive the reward that the Lord has promised to his faithful children, and I know that he has just gone for a short time to prepare a place that his family can go to him, and we, his friends, if we will live as he has lived, we will be able to meet him. When things like this happen, the thought that it brings is a realization of what life is more than anything else.
When Brother Cranney was speaking I thought of the uncomplaining dispositions of his parents when trials beset theme and brother L. S. Cardon inherited their dispositions. I trust that the life that he led and that the example he set will not be forgotten by his associates and that God will bless his good wife and his children with the same peaceful influence that accompanied their father, that it will always be with them; that these boys of his will follow in his footsteps and do the things which they have seen him do, and they will have joy come to their souls.
May Sister Cardon be comforted and blessed with strength that she can be both father and mother to these children, and guide and direct us aright. And may God bless us with His Spirit to guide and direct us day by day, that we may be faithful to the end, is my prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Talk, Elder W. C. Winder, President of the State Fair Board:
I esteem this an honor, my Brothers and Sisters, to be asked to say a few words on this occasion. My acquaintance with Louis S. Cardon goes back to the time when he was appointed a director on the State Fair Board, and from the very time that he was appointed, I think that we have been very dear friends. I never knew a more lovable man in my life than Brother L. S. Cardon. He was true as steel, and I know that every act he performed on the State Fair Board he did conscientiously. He was a man that I never saw disturbed or confused. He was always able to control his feelings, and always the same. I think that the department he was supervisor over was one of the hardest departments to control on the Fair Board, but he always did it in such a pleasant and agreeable way. He could get along with the class of people he had to deal with better than anyone I knew on the State Fair Board. He was a man anyone could approach and he always had a kind word for everyone; and the longer I knew him the better I liked him. My feelings towards him were that of a brother, just as dear to me as anyone I have had any dealings with.
I never was so upset in my life, as when I read in Monday mornings paper of his passing away, I think possibly that working in a position as a director on the State Fair Board we can judge of the character of the man and the woman possibly better than in any other position as they are working without compensation. They are working and giving their time and energy for the benefit of the people of the State. I can say for Louis Cardon that he never shirked a duty; he was always on time, and he performed his part in a most creditable way. He gained the respect of everyone that he came in contact with. He has many friends among those associated with him on the State Fair Board, and I never heard a person speak of him, but who spoke with the utmost respect and love. I hope we will be able to get someone somewhere near the character of Brother Cardon to take his place, but that is a question, as I never knew a man just like he is.
I do sympathize with those who have been bereft. I know he must have been a lovable man about his home because he was so even tempered. I know it was a great shock to his family, and I know it was a great shock to all who knew him.
I pray that the spirit of the Lord may comfort his dear wife and sons and daughters, that they may ever have in mind the life and character of their husband and father, and if they will emulate him they will have peace and joy In this life, and receive a reward hereafter.
I do not think it would be wise for me to take up any more time. We were late in coming in, we hoped to get here in time to visit the home, but an unavoidable accident prevented us from getting here.
I pray that the Spirit, of the Lord may be with the family, that they might acknowledge the hand of the Lord in taking away Brother Cardon. I pray the blessings of the Lord upon all of us, and I do it in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Talk, Elder Melvin J. Ballard:
A prince has fallen in the house of Israel. He was a prince indeed, and I feel highly honored to be called upon to say something at this time, but it Is hard to express the feelings of my heart in doing honor to this, one of God’s honorable men. I bear witness that what has been said of him is true; from boyhood we were close companions and intimate associates; he was a business partner of mine for many years. I loved him just like I love my own brothers in the flesh, and Indeed he seemed as near and dear to me.
Two weeks ago, when I was in Logan speaking to a group of Scout leaders, he invited me to ride as far as Ogden with him — I had planned on going back on the train, but I decided, because of a very deep impression, to go with him; and that impression was that it might be my last opportunity to have a visit with him, as indeed it was I am grateful for that opportunity, as for many others, that I have had in my association with Brother Louis.
He was courteous and willing to render service, and always willing to carry just a little more. Brother Louis was a willing worker who never shirked, he was a volunteer in assuming responsibilities. He has carried a tremendous load. Yet he never complained. Hope never died in his heart, He had a disposition as mild as a woman. If we can go through life with as heavy a load as he carried and yet remain as sweet as he did we need not fear. He was a friend in every sense of the word.
When I was called from this community twenty-two years ago, to preside over the Northwestern States Mission, there were obligations that had to be taken over by someone, and it was Louis who took them over and handled them but yet he uncomplainingly fought on and on, sword in hand and met every discouragement with a smile. Some men have more than they can bare, such a man was Louis. He was always optimistic that things would come out alright, and so it has for him. Surely he is to be envied, If all of us can go through life, and still remain as sweet and good as he, none of us need to fear the future. I am also convinced that life is very precious, and a life like his, if it is taken away, is no accident. I am convinced that it makes no difference how we go, when the summons comes, we go, and I am sure that Louis had accomplished his work, because of the testimony I received two weeks ago concerning him and the probability I would not have the pleasure of another visit with him. I did not tell him that.
This passing so suddenly is an awful shock to the loved Ones who remain, but how pleasant it is to the man who goes, especially when he has done his work, and done it so well. He has accomplished the purpose of life, he has learned the lesson for which God sent his children into the world. He has kept his second estate, and he is entitled to be a prince and when I say a prince, I mean that he will rule and reign in the House of Israel, for he has earned that title; and so has every man who has received the two priesthoods, and magnifies his calling, and is faithful in the few things, shall be made ruler over many.
He may not have been fortunate enough to have gathered together much of this World’s goods, but what he did have he secured honestly. There was not a dishonest hair on his head. While he did not leave any material riches, all of his wealth goes with him today – his character, his testimonies, his knowledge of the truth. He has greater riches than most men.
Recently I heard an Eastern man say that the older he became the more he was convinced that the man who gathered together goods of this world, was wasting his time in comparison to the man who spent the greater part of his life in preparing himself for that which he can take with him; lessons that he has learned will qualify him for service in the world to come. Knowledge of the truth of this gospel are some of the things that man can take with him, and if he has this, he is rich today.
I am sure that he lives, and that he does not live very far away from us; and that our loved ones are near us, and belong to this sphere; yet they have difficulty in talking to us. If we could meet them, shake their hands, and counsel with them although they operate in another world, but I presume there is a good reason why we can not. There must be some law which prevents the law-abiding man and woman from talking with men in the flesh. I recognize that their law may be broken, just the same as the moral law Is broken by a person taking their own life, their spirit is rushed into the spirit world before their allotted time; so may spirits unlawfully, on their own account come to the earth; but the law-abiding spirits abide the law under which they dwell, and do not come unless there is some very good reason, and special permission given; and occasionally that permission Is given.
I experienced a very comforting thing, that came to me last month while visiting in the Canadian Stakes of Zion. Some time ago a fine young elder had received a call to go on a mission – he wanted to go to the South American Mission, so he talked to me about it, and after conference, it was decided to let him go to South America. On the way he lost his life in the sinking of the Vesperous — I refer to Elder Burt.
I was distressed over his father and mother, and I tried to comfort them, for the assurance came to me was that he was still a missionary and that God needed him and was using him in a more effective way than if he had gone on his earthly mission. But his folks could not be comforted. I learned from the father, while on a trip to the Canadian Temple with some of the saints from the Northwestern States Mission, how the Lord had comforted them.
He is a worker in the temple. After the evening session, Brother Burt had performed his part of the work, and had retired to his room to change his clothing to go home, when this big, stalwart man said, “I heard the voice of my son, I did not see him, but he was standing in this room, and he talked to me and said ‘You must cease to grieve, everything is alright, and you and mother must stop grieving, because your grief distresses me, and you and mother must stop grieving, because as a witness that everything is alright, tonight you will be called upon to speak to the people, it will be out of the ordinary, but it will be a witness unto you”. So, instead of going home, he followed the company until they reached the “Veil”, when President Wood, was impressed to stop the company and have a testimony meeting, or call upon members of the company to speak. Several had spoken, and he had announced someone to be the last speaker, and when Brother Burt had not been called upon he felt crushed, and began to descend the stairs to go home. President Wood said, “I heard a voice say distinctly to me that I should call Brother Burt to talk, which I did, but they said in the room that he has gone home, and I said, ‘send for him’.” They found him near the door, and Brother Wood announced him, and not the other man, as the concluding speaker. When he returned to the room, big, strong and stalwart as he was, he broke down and told the story of his son’s visit to him that night, and how it had brought peace and comfort to his distressed soul.
So I say to every soul that in some manner God will manifest to every man and woman who patiently bear their troubles and worries, that He has not forgotten them, or forsaken them, and he will lift the clouds that death brings, and cause hope to live, and assurance that He has done all things for the best.
So I say to my dear sister, who with my wife and I, and Louis, went on the same day into the house of the Lord, and had a double wedding; all that she was given then of promise and blessing is hers; thank God for that, and for the hope we have and the faith we have, that notwithstanding the discouragements that come, we have the assurance that death is not the end, it is the beginning; it is the one great comfort of my life. It is not important how long we live, but how well we live, ah, that is important. Think of the association which is Louis’ today, with father and mother, and relatives and friends – there are many more than we see here today with us, rejoicing that another soul has won the battle and comes a conquering hero, with his honesty unsullied, and uncontaminated, and they rejoice over it; and when we have fought the good fight and endured death, which are just an idea of what Hell would be like are forever left behind. Even if it is a world just like this, and we can have father, mother and loved ones with us, it will be heaven enough for me; I ask for no more, just give me them – the joy of living forever with them and it will be heaven to me. Thank God we have the privilege to meet them and to have them, and to hold them; let us do nothing that will in any way hamper our opportunity of living together.
May God bring to my dear sister and her children that added strength and wisdom that she may be both mother and father to her children God bless them and guide them, as I am sure he will, that they might have His guiding spirit to be with theme that they might live so that their father may be near them, and safely guide them, and perhaps he can do even more for them than he could have done here; that they might do nothing that displeases him, and then you shall be happy and make him happy.
God help us to do this, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Talk, Bishop Wm. Worley:
My brothers and sisters, I feel highly honored to have the opportunity to say a few words on this occasion. Little did I think last Sunday morning when L. S. Cardon came into our Sunday School that it would be the last Sunday School he would attend. He came as usual with that same pleasant smile, taught his class as usual. When he left us at 11:30, apparently in the same health as he had every day, we did not think it would be the last time we would see him alive. I do not know of anything that has come into my life that has been just as hard for me to bear, outside of losses in my own family. Louis Cardon was one of my closest and best friends. You could go to him at any time and receive good counsel, and he would always give the best he had. I could call on Brother Cardon any time of the day or night to go out into the ward, and he would always say “Yes, I will go”. Everything that has been said of Brother Cardon, I can bear witness of as the truth.
We do not want to overlook that wonderful family of Brother Cardon’s — I know they are a fine family, as I have associated with them in every walk in life. A more devoted mother and wife you could not find, such a lovely family, willing and ready to serve. There is not a family in our ward, or in any ward, that is giving the support to their Bishop that has Brother Cardon’s ‘family. I was talking to one of the ladies of the Ward the other day – Sister Clara Hulme, who has been a worker on the mutual Stake Board, and she said of him – “I never knew a man who was more faithful and devoted to work than Brother Cardon”, and hundreds could testify to the same.
I want to say in conclusion, may the Lord Bless Sister Cardon and her family with that spirit which emanates from him, may he bless them that they may follow the example of their father. Bless them, and bless us all that we may prove faithful to the end.
On behalf of the family I wish to thank you for your presence here, and for every expression of kindness and sympathy you have shown. May He bless us all and help us to prove faithful to the end, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“I’LL GO WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO”, Sung by Fred Baugh
Benediction, Elder C. W. Dunn:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, we are sorrowful today at parting with our friend and brother, the faithful servant, Louis S. Cardon, but our hearts axe filled with gratitude for the long, pleasant and profitable association we have had with him. We thank Thee for the service he has unselfishly rendered to his Church and to this community for these many years; and we praise Thy name that he had in his heart an abiding, unfaltering testimony that Jesus is the Christ, Thine only Begotten Son, and that it is His Devine plan of salvation.
We pray that this testimony may remain with his family and with us all for all time, and that Thy sweet spirit may heal the hearts of his loved ones and assuage their grief and cheer them in their lonely hours.
Let Thy protecting care be with us through the remaining activities of this day, that no harm or accident may befall us, we humbly pray in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
REMEMBERING LOUIS SAMUEL CARDON
The following information was compiled for the Cardon Family Reunion held in the summer of 1980. Each of the daughters of Louis Samuel Cardon wrote some thoughts concerning memories of their father. Louis Hickman wrote on behalf of his mother Margaret.
MEMORIES OF MY DAD
Edna Cardon Taylor
My first memory of my father was when the World War I ended in 1918 – I was just past three years old, but I do remember that when the local soldiers came home from the war, there was a parade in their honor down Main Street and Papa lifted me through a window, onto a lower roof and then up to a taller roof which was that of the office of Cardon Company, so we could watch the parade from up there. How exciting it was for me and how scared I was of falling, but he held my hand all through it, and I was all right then.
It is impossible to put the rest of my memories of him in any kind of chronological order, so I won’t even try, but here are some that flood into my mind now.
whenever I was sick in bed, he would always ask me what I wanted him to bring home to me, and it was always without fail “Nabiscos”. They were “sick, and getting well” food, done up In nice little tin boxes that lasted long after the cookies were gone, and the tin box was used to store some of my childhood treasures in.
Many are the times when I combed his hair with a two edged, fine toothed comb. He would sit and read his paper or his favorite magazine “The Saturday Evening Post” and ask if I wanted to comb his hair. (or did I ask him if I could?) When I would be so intent on “styling” it, all of a sudden he would jerk his head and make a funny noise and I would jump with fright and then we would both laugh about It. Always, too, he would tear a corner off of the paper to show me how it would cling to the comb because of static electricity.
On many evenings or Sundays when he was at home, he would ask someone to play some of his favorite records on the Edison phonograph. His favorites were Harry Lowder, I think. We had “thick” records and “thin” records, each of which took different needle attachments.
Is there anyone who fails to remember seeing Mama and Papa walking home from church together? He was always a few feet ahead of her as they walked along together.
In the spring we usually waited eagerly for his announcement that he had arranged for the man to come with his horses and plow and harrow the garden. That was a sure sign of spring. But I always failed to remember, until too late, that lots of hard work followed that day! Anyone who was big enough, or had any spare time, or could, or would, was expected to help rake and level that garden and help plant it, and weed it, and water it and help harvest it. It was a very big garden – a full building lot on which the house just east of the old family home now stands.
Every few weeks, Mom would announce she wanted a chicken for Sunday dinner, so Papa would select the chicken, get out his old chopping block and his axe and kill a chicken or two. I’ll never forget the bloody mess those headless chickens made flopping around on the ground trying to die. It’s a wonder I could ever eat any of them after watching that!
But, I was always anxious to be awarded at least one chicken foot so I could pull the tendons in it and cause the toes to expand and contract. Oh, the simple joys of childhood.
The pleasures we used to share with all the neighbors in Our car will long be remembered. The first one I remember was a big Studebaker Touring car with jump seats between the front and back seats. We would put a board across the jump seats so more people (usually children) could be accommodated. When we went for a ride it was usually “around a block or two” but almost always down to Rich Land Acres to see how crops were doing down there.
Once when we were coming down the canyon (or it may have been going up), we met a team of horses and a wagon on a narrow curve of the road. It isn’t exactly clear to me now, but I believe Papa had to back up and move our car over, then help the other man drive the team and wagon past us on the narrow road.
When I was in the fifth grade at the Woodruff School, my teacher, Miss Creighton, whom I was deathly afraid of, sent me out of the room for chewing gum. I was so upset aver it I went and sat on the ditch curb and cried. Who should happen along about then, but my Dad. He was pretty upset about it all, but he took me back into the room, and made everything all right for me.
We were beginning the great depression before he died, and times were pretty tough then. Although I wasn’t very old, I realized that he was very worried about money. My friends seemed to have more spending money than I did, and they often urged me to ask for picture show money, etc., but I loved Papa so much I couldn’t stand to see the sadness in his eyes when he had to refuse me money – or when he found a way to give it to me – so most of the time I just wouldn’t ask for any more than needed for necessary school expenses.
Even at Christmas time, I’d cut my Christmas wants and money for gifts to the bare necessities rather than see how troubled he was in trying to get more for us.
One of the things everyone remembers about my Father is his kind, calm disposition and his compassion for other people. I can only remember one time in my life when he even scolded me, and that nearly broke my heart. I guess that is the reason I remember it. It happened at the family dinner table. During a discussion (I don’t even remember what the subject was), but someone said something I didn’t like or agree with, and I began to tell her how I felt about it, and Papa turned to me and said “You had better keep still’ this doesn’t happen to be any of your business”. I felt terrible, because he had seldom ever even rebuked me before, and I thought I had certainly displeased him.
When I was going to the Jr. High school on first east and second north, we always went home for lunch. There was no hot lunch program in the schools then. We (Helen, who was secretary there, Ruth and I) usually stopped off at Papa’s office and he would give us a ride home and back in the car. Other wise we could barely make it in the short noon hour.
Papa usually was the first one up in the mornings at our house. He would build the fire in the furnace and in the kitchen stove and would make a big pot of Germaid mush. Many were the mornings when he would call up the stairs and tell us goodbye as he left for the office, and tell us that it was time to get up and that there was mush on the stove for us.
I never heard my father swear! Whenever he was inclined to cuss a bit, the worst thing I ever heard him say was “the confounded thing”.
Neither did I ever hear my parents quarrel. There is no doubt that they must have had disagreements sometimes, but I never heard it or saw it. That is a tribute to both Mama and Papa. And he didn’t like to see his children quarrel either. Even though we did our share of quarrelling, as children in a big family will do, he usually acted as the peacemaker and settled us down as best he could.
On New Year’s eves, when I was quite young and found it difficult to stay awake to hear the bells, Papa would play games with us to help pass the time and help me stay awake.
How well I remember when a circus would come to town, he would get us up about 4:30 or 5:OO a.m. and take us down to the railroad yard to watch the circus unload. Then later on during the day he would take us to the parade. Tickets into the circus were too expensive for us to go, but we never felt cheated because of his effort to see that we didn’t miss the excitement in town.
I know that my sisters have always said I was Papa’s favorite, spoiled child, but I disagree with them. My view of his helping me with dishes, taking me places with him and taking my side in family disagreements was his way of keeping peace. I was rather pliable and he would say “come on and don’t fight about the dishes, I’ll help you and we’ll do them”. It wasn’t I that got out of doing the dishes, it was Ruth or someone else. Papa and I did many things together, and I practically worshipped him. I believe I would have done anything in the world he asked me to do.
Our playhouse was always a fun place to be. Papa had been able to get a hold of a one room house and had it moved to our lot west of the garage. This was a playhouse for his girls. We loved it and fixed it up with curtains at its two small windows, old furniture and our dolls. I have spent many hours of play in it during my childhood.
I guess the most enjoyable times I can remember though are the many summers we spent in our canyon home. Papa loved it, and I guess we all inherited his love of the mountains. Early each spring we’d all go up the canyon and open the home up and clean it up so we could stay there as soon as school let out in the spring.
Papa and the older girls who were working in town would go to work each day and back to the canyon at night. Mama and the younger children stayed there full time. I loved it! On December 14, 1930 when my Father died, I was 15 ½ years old, and the bottom fell out of my world! How well I remember that day. It was a Sunday and we had all been to Sunday School, except Mom, who stayed home and cooked ‘Sunday dinner’. Papa had taught his Sunday School class as usual.
Following dinner, each of the family settled into his own activity of studying, reading, playing, etc.
During the afternoon, I began to notice him pacing the floor, rubbing his arm and chest and saying to himself “Oh, hum, ” or “Oh, My. Finally I realized something was bothering him, so I went and told Mama that I didn’t think he felt well.
When she questioned him about it he admitted that he didn’t and he thought it was indigestion but he consented to go to his bed and lie down.
I was dispatched to Aunt Lettie Squires’ home to borrow some SaI Hepatica for him. They did not have any, so I went then to Aunt Bessie Ballard’s home next door and was able to get some there.
When I returned home with it, there was great urgency around him. He was much worse and doctor Merrill had been called. Someone was rubbing his arms and hands and others his legs. I immediately began to help with this, and we thought he was still breathing but we know now that it was only air exhaling from his lungs.
He was gone before the doctor arrived. That is the first time I had ever seen a man cry. Dr. H. K. Merrill was not only our family doctor, but he and Papa were best of friends.
That is the last memory I have of Papa, except for the funeral which was held in the Logan Tabernacle on December 17, 1930.
How much I have missed in not having more years with my father! It seems my memories of him are those of insignificant little things, but nothing very big had happened to me by the time I was fifteen years old. I had lived at home and was sheltered in what I feel was a secure, happy family. If major problems arose, I either was immature enough to not see them, – or the family didn’t want me, as a child, to see them.
But – through the years, as I grew up and met the same problems in the world of college, dating, marriage, jobs, etc. as everyone else, I would often wish I could talk to Papa about them. When things didn’t seem to be going right, I just knew that if he would have been here, he would have understood them and helped advise me about how to handle them.
I’m sorry, too, that Tom and our children and grandchildren were never able to know him and love him as I did.
SOME MEMORIES OF PAPA
Ruth Cardon Leonard
I once read in a book some words that have stayed in my memory all these years. They went something like this “Memories are tricky things – fragile and sweet. We look back through the years and often things we find are a surprise”.
As I have thought back through the years about my early life, and particularly about Papa, I have found I remembered things that surprised me; many of them sweet, as the saying goes.
I didn’t realize very much at the time, but certainly do more and more as time goes by, how very kind, patient and considerate Papa was. I only remember once being spoken harshly to, and that was one evening when Papa had a long distance phone call. Mom said “Now everyone be quiet”, but Edna and I had an argument, as usual, and started to chase each other around the room. I guess we were rather noisy, and as I passed by the telephone, Papa reached out and tugged at a piece of my hair. He never said anything – he didn’t need to. It nearly broke my heart to know that he was cross with me.
Nothing was said or done to Edna. SHE was the sweet, round faced, chubby, curly haired baby, especially to Papa. It was often mine and Edna’s chore to clean up after dinner. This we put off doing as long as we could. We would argue about who would clear the table – who would wash or dry the dishes – or who would sweep the floor, etc. Often Papa would stop in on his way someplace and Edna would immediately start to cry. Papa would pick her up (even when she was a big girl) and hold her on his lap and say “What is the matter with my little baby girl?” Then Edna would say, “‘Ruth won’t clear the table, or wash the dishes, or whatever” and Papa would always say, “Now Ruth, you are the oldest and biggest girl. You get this work done”. Then he would sit and rock her while I did the work. Funny, I never felt any resentment toward him. It was always Edna I was mad at.
Our house was always the gathering place for the neighborhood kids in the early evening to play “kick-the-can”, “run-sheep-run”, “Mother, may 1?” or many other games. When the kids were all called home, or most of them, anyway, papa would nearly always say “would you like to go around a block or two?” We would all pile into the Studebaker. A lot of times we would have a neighbor kid or two and would put a board across the jump seats in order to make more room. We would then ride as far as “the dam” which was north and west of Logan; or to the south limits of Logan City – and then we would usually end up with ice cream cones for all.
I also remember how we would take our little tin cup with us when Papa went to milk the cow. We would always get a cupful of nice warm cow’s milk to drink. (ugh!)
One of my fondest memories was how Papa loved the canyon and of how hard he worked to get the house built, little by little each year. I remember how each evening we would go down to the bridge when it was time for Papa to come, and wait and wait for him. Often we would play guessing games while we waited.
One summer day, we all had to go to Logan for the day. We started out early in the morning. After we had gone a little ways, Papa said, “The brakes are gone”. We were all panic stricken, as we were headed down the canyon. Papa, however, remained calm. He stopped us by running into the side of the mountain. Then he slowly and carefully and safely, drove the rest of the way home.
When I was in Junior High School, I remember walking home from school one day. About three blocks from home, Papa passed us. Normally, he would have stopped and given us a ride home, but this time he only waved and smiled and drove on. Then we heard the fire engine sirens and realized it was coming down the street past us. We hurried on, and then when we were about a block from home, we saw the fire engine was at our house. We ran the rest of the way home. Papa said later that he had been impressed to go home, even though it was in the middle of the afternoon. The firemen said that if he hadn’t closed the windows and doors upstairs in our house, the fire would have been much worse.
Papa used to like to watch the lightning. He would go out an the front porch during a storm and watch it. He tried to get us to go with him, but Lucile was the only one who was brave enough to go. I was scared to death and would head for the deep, dark closet under the stairs in the “little bedroom”.
Once Papa took us to Salt Lake with him to the State Fair. He was on the State Fair Board, and I believe I was the proudest person in the world when he took us to the Board dining room and we ate dinner there.
The death of Papa was an extra sad time for me. This was in December just before I graduated from High School. I had secretly looked forward to having my father hand me my graduation diploma. He was then President of the School Board and this would have been his job. It was indeed a sad day for me when someone else handed me my diploma.
As I said at the beginning, “Memories are tricky things – often fragile”- and in my case – mostly sweet!
MY FATHER AND I
Lucile Cardon Reading
When we were growing up, there weren’t classes on parenting to explain to fathers and mothers and children what their needs were and how they could be fulfilled. So we didn’t worry about words like coping and we all just did the best we could.
As a child I felt wholly inadequate to compete with my sisters even though I hadn’t the words to express it. Looking back, I don’t remember being depressed or feeling sorry for myself, but I often wondered why I was such a peculiar member of the family – and the question. continues to plague me at times although I’ve finally learned to live with it.
Early In my life I decided that I must have been left on the family doorstep and that was why I didn’t measure up to the others. And then, one awful day I overheard Mom confiding to a relative that she had wanted all of her children but Lucile and Paul. That made me feel even worse; after all, it was better to have been adopted than not to be wanted!
In our family the girls were lumped together into twos: Margaret and Rebecca, the older ones, who were given extra privileges and responsibilities; Ruth and Edna, the younger girls, who were given special consideration and care; and Helen and Lucile, the middle twosome.
Being lumped with Helen should have been some help, but it turned out to be quite the contrary. My self-image suffered daily because she overshadowed me in every way. She was known as a good girl and I certainly have never been given that appellation. Though I thought our work in the home was divided equally between us and we rotated the tasks from week- to-week-to-week, I never seemed to do well enough to merit any praise while Helen’s efforts were frequently approved.
And Helen was certainly prettier. I began to notice this difference after I heard one of the neighbors compare the two of us one day. “Helen has quite noble features,” she said, “but that poor Lucile is surely a scrawny, awkward kid who is always running around with those awful skinned knees.” I was painfully aware of Rebecca’s justification for labeling me “Ugly, bow-legged, freckle-faced, Billy Goat whiskers.”
Nor did my voice lend any charm to my existence. I found it impossible to pronounce my R’s and Th’s, much to Grandma Ballard’s concern, and early in my Primary days Ruby Mitton urged me not to try to sing with her group. “You always get us off key”, she accused. I didn’t question the validity of her contention since I didn’t even know what key I was supposed to be on.
And besides all these problems, I was not a worthy daughter. Who else was ever caught having a “Show and Tell” sex session with our boy cousins in the loft of our old barn! Although I was only five or six at that time, Mom looked at me mournfully and accusingly for so long afterward that I lived with that guilt for years. In those days there wasn’t help for mothers or daughters to explain that such a situation was not uncommon with preschool children, and so I believed that I must be the only bad girl in all the world. As a result, I was in high school before I learned that a woman has to do more than kiss a boy to become pregnant. No wonder that I always sneaked away from the neighborhood parties whenever the other girls and boys started to play Post office, for I knew that the others might not get caught, but I would!
By Mom’s own admission, I wasn’t wanted in the family, at least not by her, and so I turned to our father for comfort, which he gave in ample supply – not in words but just by being the warm, loving person he was. He made me feel that he accepted me as I was and without apology – except for the time he hid me out in Logan canyon so no one would see me until Rebecca’s carefully executed shingle haircut grew out. My gratitude and love for my father was fierce and overwhelming though never expressed. Any show of affection in either words or touch was not something in which the Cardon family indulged. How much we all missed by being that way!
The only thing I had to offer our father in return for so much that he gave to me, and my only chance to be alone with him, was to pretend I liked those wild and frightening Cache Valley thunder storms that he so much enjoyed. I feared them as much as the rest of the family did, but I forced myself to sit on the porch with him while lightning streaked the sky and thunder boomed and everyone else stayed fearfully indoors.
And the wonderful thing is that eventually I learned to enjoy those Storms as much as he did!
The following story is one that I wrote about those cherished experiences enjoyed by my father and me. It was published more than ten years ago in The Children’s Friend, under the title of “Summer Storm”.
The rounded thunderhead billowed up in the southwest. Rachel watched it and shivered when she saw a far-off flash of lightning and heard the low rumble of thunder. She was alone and terrified.
Rachel knew that her sisters, and even her mother too, would be frightened if they were home, but even a frightened family would be some comfort. It was a fearful thing to be all alone in a summer storm.
Most of all Rachel wished her father were at home, as she anxiously watched the fast-moving black clouds. Father liked to sit on the front porch during a summer storm. Several times he had invited her and other members of the family to join him, and seemed to want their company. But she had always been too afraid to go outside and her sisters and mother must have felt the same way, too, so he’d sit there by himself.
A gusty wind began to bend the trees. Rachel jumped as a window in an upstairs room banged shut. The first big drops of rain pelted down just as her father turned his car into the driveway, jumped out, and ran into the house.
Rachel’s heart turned over with a suffocating love for him as he explained, “Thought I’d better check on you. And now that I’m here, how about a ringside seat with me for an A-No. 1 attraction that’s going on outside?”
Rachel followed her father out onto the porch. He pulled two chairs close together, then reached out to pat one of her trembling hands. “How beautiful this is,” he said. He was quiet for moment and then he added softly, “You know, Rachel, being frightened won’t ever stop a storm, but facing the beauty and majestic power of it can bring a strange and exciting kind of joy – and a deep gratitude for being a part of such a wondrous world. How much people miss in life if they spend their time being afraid!”
At his quiet words, Rachel looked up, letting her eyes sweep across the sky as one streak of lightning followed another and almost constant thunder growled and crashed around them. In all of her ten years, she had never really seen a summer storm before. It is beautiful, she thought in wonderment.
And in that moment, with her father close to her, Rachel decided that all of her life she’d be glad for the beauty in the world, and she’d try to always have courage – even in a storm.
Papa
Helen Cardon Lamb
I can’t think of any really special reason, why I think Papa was the finest, kindest, most patient and best man I have ever known. I thought so when I was younger, I thought so when he died and I still think so, especially when I see some other men.
He was never angry (or showed it at least), and would do anything for Mama, and any of us, or anyone. If we did something wrong (which we all did at sometime or other), or said something we shouldn’t, like swearing etc., he would just look at you and that was all it took. He ‘would never let us talk back to Mama or show her disrespect – just a look was all that was needed to make me feel guilty. I don’t remember of him ever as much as slap me. I remember how patient he was when Mama would call him at work nearly every morning about eleven o’clock – or later- to have him go to Harrison’s grocery store and bring home a pound of butter and some steak for dinner. He always did this no matter how busy he was, and then he would have to wait for the meat to cook – and they didn’t have micro ovens, or even presto pots in those days.
When I went to work for the school board at the Junior High School (he was on the Board of Education at that time) he told me about the job being available, but made me go and get it myself. (I don’t know if he talked to them before hand or not – but I doubt it, for he said I had to get It myself.) When Frank was on his mission he never said a word when I would go with other fellows, but I know he didn’t really approve. Whenever I would get a letter from Frank he would bring it right down from the post office, not even waiting until he came home for dinner. When we were married we both had the feeling that Papa was there in the temple that day.
I do remember that he was always going to administer to someone who was sick. I think I must have been around 10 or 11 years old and he was called one night to administer to a neighbor through the block (Ollie Jean Nibley, I think). When he came home I heard him say to Mama that he really couldn’t bless her to get better – he just had a feeling when he was praying that she wouldn’t get better, and she didn’t. I don’t remember why I often think of this even, but I still do.
It was just the little things that made me feel he was so wonderful!
MEMORIES OF MY FATHER
Rebecca C. Peterson
I have been trying to go back, in memory, to the very earliest recollections of the days of my youth. I do remember that our lot seemed as big as the whole city of Logan to me. And all of it was our play ground with a fence around it. We had apple trees, apricot trees, raspberries, strawberries, garden truck of all kinds, flowers and vegetables. Also, cats, dogs, lambs, chickens, rabbits, calves, pigs, etc. I loved them all.
There was a big frame house on the corner of 3rd West and 1st North, where the Gwen Jones family now live. It was occupied by Uncle Melvin Ballard and his family for a time and then rented to a Reverend Lewis and family when Uncle Melvin went to be President of the Northwestern States Mission. Then it was sold to Uncle George Squires and they lived there until Gretta sold it to the Jones’. Going west of that corner, our house was next. That was the little yellow frame house, built by my father, where Howells now live. Then there was the Morgan house and Aunt Liz Edwards rock house and Tarbets on the west corner. Across the street where Thomsons live was Grandma Hopkins little house. Two of her grandchildren lived with her. They were Susan Roberts and her brother, Eugene. One day he climbed up the telephone pole and took hold of the wires. Our father heard the screaming and went up the pole and got him off of it. I don’t know how, but there was nothing my Dad couldn’t do, I thought.
Going south from the house on corner of 3rd West and 1st North there was the little frame house that Uncle Willard remodeled and Carlisles now own. Then there was Grandma Bakers and Hamps lived in part of that and the old Sarah Card home that June Reading now lives in. So you see that we had most of the block to range in, and we ranged.
In the back of our house was a great huge barn with a big hay loft above it. It was very fascinating. The bottom part of the barn had several rooms and divisions. There was the stable where we kept the cows, the chicken coop and the large fenced off chicken run, a storage room for feed, bran, and wheat and implements and then there was a store room and everything that wouldn’t go in the house, went into the barn and there moldered away. There was also a pig pen and a water hydrant with a large tin tub for the livestock to drink from.
I remember the cows, chickens and pigs, but I don’t remember the horses. We must have had horses because l remember that one of my fondest adventures was to go buggy riding with our Dad, down 1st North to the big ditch and riding right through it. Papa would stop in the middle of the stream and let the water run around us, while we all got excited and sea sick. Mamma did not come with us on these trips because she was afraid of water. I remember Papa accusing her of taking a bath one leg at a time as she was afraid to get into the tub all at one time.
At the front gate of our fenced yard there grew a large bush of dark red roses. We loved them, Papa would go to his priesthood meeting early Sunday morning and then come home for us, to take us to Sunday School. Mamma didn’t go to Sunday School because she always had a new baby. Papa would stand at the front gate and pick a rose bud and pin on each of our Sunday best dresses. We were scrubbed and combed and often painfully rag curled, wearing several petticoats, a gorgeous home-made dress with a large sash around our fat little middles, a huge bow in the back and hair ribbons to match. What a sight we must have been as Papa lined us up and took us into the church (2nd Ward) with love and pride in his eyes. We all loved him, he was so loving and kind.
One Sunday morning we were going to Sunday School. I was holding one of the younger girl’s hand and a wasp got in between our hands and stung us both. Such bawling you never heard. Papa was coming home to get us and met us running and screaming. He came to the rescue, took us over to the big ditch and put cool soothing mud on our hands. We were comforted by a loving father which was the best medicine in the world. But, I wonder how proud he was that day as he ushered two tear streaked muddy handed children into the church house.
I guess I can make Lucile feel less of an outcast, by confessing that I too, have some experiences that I thought were not to be talked about.
I remember that I was smarting off at the dinner table one night, and any Dad said, “Stop that, it is getting a bit too thick”. I said, smartly, “You mean the cheese”, which I was cutting at the moment.
Mom said, in great disgust, “Lou, slap that girl”. And to everyone’s surprise, including me, he did just that. I was hurt (not physically, which I could have endured easier) but my feelings were sore, and I was disgraced for not to my knowledge, did he ever do that to any of this other children. I never did blame my father, my mother made him do it.
I also had a young female curiosity. Aunt Littie came down and brought Walter and got all the neighborhood women in to see Walter’s hernia and the new truss which he must wear. I tried awfully hard to catch a peek at it between women and investigators. I got caught and sent firmly from the room. So, after the side show, Walter told me that I could have a look at it if I would come out to the hayloft of our old barn, which we proceeded to do. We reckoned without my ever watchful mother, who knew about barns and temptation, I guess. She always kept an eagle eye on that old barn and her kids. We forgot that the window in the front of the hay loft was wide and high and straight in line with the kitchen window. She appeared at the most inopportune moment, and yelled us down from the barn, AT ONCE! I never got to see a truss in action, and only in the drug store window, but I always had a certain curiosity about them. Why couldn’t the women have told me that they were medical aids. Instead I went through life thinking that it was a sex symbol. I thought that all men had to wear a truss, or were born with it.
So, Lucile, I join you in being ugly and wicked and guilty. But I was watched pretty well from then on. However, I used to steal a bunch of early radishes and wash them in the hose, and take them, a warm crust of bread, and. a book to the hay loft, carefully keeping out of sight, and read and dream. It was a nice place to meditate and dream, and watch the view, and escape unwelcome chores.
As I write this, my memory takes me back to those hot July days when Papa had to work so hard to provide for an ever increasing family, including relatives who always hung on to him for support and help. How he loved his cold ice water drink. I remember how often he came home, tired and hot, and headed directly for the Ice box. He took the ice pick and chipped off some pieces of ice from the large block of ice that the ice man would deliver every other day, took a long drink of his ice water and said, “there’s nothing so good as a drink of cold water on a hot day”. Then he would see that the drip pan under the ice box was beginning to overflow and emptied it, never saying a word about us neglecting to empty it on time.
One summer he had a bout of diarrhea, and I remember Mamma saying, “Lou, you drink too much of that ice cold water. That’s not good for you and is probably the cause of your trouble”. But he did not stop drinking it, and he eventually was cured. How he would have enjoyed our modern day refrigerators, and ever ready ice cubes, which we now take so much for granted.
As I write this, memories came crowding in and it seemed that there was no end to the things that should be written, recalling our trips to the canyon, living in a tent, at first and then making a wooden floor and part way up the walls, and later a real cabin house which still stands and belongs to Margaret and Louis and his family. I remember that Papa threw away most of our croquet set, balls and mallets, trying to get a sage hen. They were very plentiful in those days. I remember our trips to Salt Lake City to see the Utah State Fair, and how proud we were to be sitting in box seats and eating in the Colosseum, with all the dignitaries, because our father was the most important man on the State Fair Board.
I remember that on one of these trips in our big new “Velie”, with Uncle Joe and his family In their red one, that we got stuck in the “Sand Ridge” and had to get a farmer to bring his horses and pull the cars out of the sand. In the meantime Mamma took all of us kids and all of Uncle Joe’s kids and took the Bamberger (train) into Ogden to wait there for men and their cars. She said that when she got on the cars with all those kids the conductor said, “My goodness, lady, are all those kids yours?”
I remember that no matter what he was doing, at any time of the day or night, Mamma would call Papa and he would come and get her or take her to town, or to meeting, or to the temple, (where she officiated for some years) or to the doctor for her or any of us kids. He never complained, but went steadily on, trying to love us and make a living for us all.
When Mamma was having morning sickness or quinsy, both of which she often had, Papa would go to the B&B Cafe and bring her home a wonderful cooked dinner, on a large platter, hot, and smelling heavenly, while we kids scrambled eggs, or melted cheese or fried mush left from breakfast, for Papa and us to eat. We always hoped she could not eat it all, so we could have a small taste of it.
I remember circus day, when we got up at the break of day and waited for the train whistle which would tell us that the circus train was coming in to the station. Papa would hustle us and some of the neighbor kids into the car and take us down to the station to see the train unload. He always took us to see the circus parade which we viewed from the roof top of the “office” or on chairs in front of the building. We felt very special, even if we didn’t get to the circus unless Papa got some free tickets for putting a poster in his store window.
I remember the great Christmases that he always provided for us. How Mom would work and sew and hide things for months before the great day. When the day came, Papa was as excited as any of us kids and would get up early and have the house snug and warm when we tumbled out of bed. I can still see those big Christmas trees, setting in the Music Room, the den, that we used to have an the west end of the front room. They were decorated with strings of icky candy and candy canes and hard candy animals, and were loaded with multi colored ribbons and sashes for 6 little girls. Also a doll for each one of them, and many other gifts. Piles of them. We were always so excited to see what Papa had bought for Mom. It was always something special and beautiful, a pearl star pin with a diamond in the middle, or a necklace or something wonderful and we were as happy over this as if we had gotten it for ourselves. We knew how very much he loved our mother, and us. I remember Ballard’s subscription to the “Youth’s Companion” and his magic lantern, and slides, which he treasured and he put an many a picture show for us all. I remember Paul’s trains and his “Chemistry Sets”, and how awful the basement smelled for weeks after.
I think we had the best father and mother that God ever gave a family and I thank Him and look back on my childhood as something very special.
In 1918, the World War raged, and so did the flu. Many folks died with it and it was a terrible time of sickness, quarantine and “flu masks” and death. Nurses and doctors were worn out and hard to get. Many of them contracted the disease, themselves, and died. Papa was on the go, morning and night, administering to those who were sick and helping all the friends and neighbors who needed him. All public gatherings were closed and churches, schools, movies, etc. were banned.
Our mother and father came down with it, just hours apart. We kids were stricken with fear. Then our beloved “Teddy Day”, who worked at the Court House, came home and said, “I have gotten off work and have come home to take care of your mother and father”. What a load that lifted from our young shoulders. But our relief was short lived as Edna came down with it and was put to bed in the “Little Bedroom”. They were all seriously sick. So we kids all moved upstairs to live and hung a quilt at the bottom of the stairs so we would not catch it. Some of us did anyway. I remember that Lucile did and I think some of the others did too.
Our family doctor, Dr. Parkinson, finally got us a nurse. Camilla York (now Wennergren) came to help us. Many years later she told my mother of this particular time, among many, which showed the great love my father had for my mother.
Papa and Mama lay in the large downstairs bedroom that was their room, in separate beds, both sick, almost to death, in fact the doctor felt that he my not be able to pull them through. The overworked elders were sent for to give them a blessing. When they placed their hands on my Mother’s head to give her a blessing and plead for her life, Father crawled from his bad, and on his feeble knees he got to her bedside to join in that prayer. He had to be carried back to his bed. The Lord heard and answered their prayers, for they all three, Mom, Papa and Teddy Day lived and got well. How thankful we were that Christmas time in December 1918.
Then when my father died, another Christmas time in 1930, very suddenly of a heart attack, my safe, happy world was severely shaken. I felt that nothing bad could happen to us as long as we had our father to go to. He wouldn’t let it. That was my first real sorrow. I can still feel that sad Christmas, so many years ago, as we all banded together to get on with the rest of our lives.
We were blessed with a wonderful father, kind, loving and understanding, always there when needed, no matter what the cost. Ever ready to do his share, and much, much more. He was my ideal of what God meant a man to be. Moral, honest and true to the end. He was always overloaded with helping his whole family. We always had relatives living with us. Part of Uncle Joe’s family, while he was in Independence, Missouri, on a two year mission. We had Rula, Bart and Carma, I think. Then there was Everett Griffin, Melvin Ballard, Gladys and Miriam Ritchie, and Ida Gubler, to name a few, who lived with us and went to school in Logan at the BY College. (Now the location of the Logan High School). Besides that we had Oriel Griffin, Carmen Ballard and Veda Guild, practicing on our piano daily, so they could take piano lessons. I loved to listen to them play.
We were always having overnight company, shifting beds and making room for them all. Uncle Melvin and Aunt Mattie always stayed with us when they came to Logan. Mamma loved to have them.
I look forward to seeing our parents again, and also to seeing our two beloved brothers, who were so much like their father, loving, kind and a little bit shy.
I hope they will not be too ashamed of us, and our accomplishments, and failures in this world. I know that they still love us, and will welcome us, and that we will each one be a member of that great eternal family.
It is wonderful to see you all here today and to greet you and love you more than ever before. May God be with us all in our lives, and bless us all in the coming year, and forever more. “‘TiI’ we meet Again”.
MEMORIES OF MY GRANDFATHER
Louis Hickman
There is some duplication, but I guess there is in all of ours, but Edna wasn’t the youngest, I was, and it was always, “The youngest will do it”. So, see Teddy?
I remember Grandpa Cardon. I remember him getting up very early in the mornings, with me trotting behind him, badgering him with unending questions. I have retribution now, with mine. I remember him always fixing breakfast, a habit I haven’t been able to break. I remember him working in the big garden, east of the “new” family home, and commenting that the best crop that garden grew, was rocks. He threw so many off of that garden, that when he sold the lot that Walt Raleigh built on, the lot was 18 inches below the driveway.
I remember him stopping by the house and picking me up and taking me on various business trips throughout the valley. I became an expert on irrigation and drainage before I was seven years old, from the time I spent in Rich Land Acres. I remember him taking the family, and a good number of the neighborhood kids for a Sunday evening drive around the towns, and the valley, and we usually ended up in College Ward for an ice cream cone, at the old service station down there.
Grandpa always bought the largest car available with jump seats, in order to get everyone in. My, but he would have loved these three seated station or suburban wagons and these new vans that are out.!
I remember him taking charge of Sunday School, and how proud I was that he belonged to me. I remember his great love for literature and music. As kids, we would go down to the bridge in the canyon and guess the number of cars that would pass before Grandpa and my mother would come. We would look forward to the times when he would bring up a new record for the old crank Victrola. I attributed my love for good music to him. I remember records of Caruso, John Charles Thomas, and Harry Lawder. How many of you remember this? (Louis sang this)
“Oh it’s nice to get up in the mornin’ when the sun begins to shine, at four or five or six o’clock in the good ol’ summer time, but when the snow is snowing, and it’s merky over head, oh, it’s nice to get up in the mornin’ — huh — but it’s nicer to lie in yer bed “.
We would sit around the front room in the cabin, with flickering candle, or lamp lights, and play those records over and over. And sometimes he would read to us until we fell asleep. I remember his mechanical ability. I still have one old broken, rusty brace and bit from his carpentry tools, that I cherish. I remember his ingenuity. As a boy, I was subject to extreme cases of croup, and we were at the cabin one night when I got a bad attack. We had no medicine in those days, at least, not in the canyon, and he knew that getting me to the hospital on the old dirt roads, was too time consuming, or risky, so he took the top off of the lantern and poured some kerosene down my throat. It worked marvelously. The doctor was amazed when we told him what had happened about that trip.
I remember Grandpa’s great love for people, – all people. He would do almost anything to help anyone in need. I can remember him sitting on the front porch of the house and reading letters in French or German to people who were either illiterate or did not know the language. And I remember him loaning money to people, when he knew that he would never get it back.
I remember the day that he had a heart attack and died. We were sent up to Aunt Lettie Squires’ to get us out of the way, and were not told what had happened, but we realized it. Lucile had been teaching us “Silent Night” in German, that year, so we could sing it for Grandpa Cardon on Christmas Eve. He never heard it, but I can still remember the singing words today. My wife has been on a mission to Germany and that is the only thing that she and I have in common in German is “Silent Night”.
I remember his funeral in the Logan Tabernacle. It was probably one of the very last funerals held there before they quit holding them there. I remember the great love and devotion that I have always held for him. In my eyes he was perfect, and after fathering nearly the same number of children that he did, and after comparing my efforts with his, I am more than ever convinced that he was just that! – a perfect father, grandfather, neighbor and friend, church and civic leader.
May we always strive to remember him and these wonderful qualities, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Logan City Cemetery, D-100-12-6
Susette (Susanne Stalé) Staley was born February 12, 1837 in Angrogna, Torino, Italy, in the Piedmont Valleys, and was the daughter of Jean Pierre Staley and Jeanne Marie Gaudin. Her parents, being thrifty became quite prosperous, having two homes, one in the mountains and one in the Valley at Prarustin. They spent summers on the mountain with their sheep and cattle, the winters down where it was warmer. They lived mostly on their own produce.Susette had a long way to go to church. She was religious and learned her catechism so well she was always able to quote long passages from the Bible. When the missionaries came she went wherever she could to hear the Gospel preached. Opposition arose as the Church grew, with mobs trying to break up the meetings. On one occasion in 1855, Elder Franklin D. Richards and two other missionaries were forced to hide in the high mountain passes from the mob, going without food for three days before being found by the Staley family.Elder Franklin D. Richards was instrumental in getting members of the family to emigrate. They were in the company overseen by Elder Canute Peterson and sailed from Liverpool, December 12, 1855, on the Ship John J. Boyd. There were a number of other families from Italy and some 500 saints from Scandinavia and Great Britain. Immediately after their departure, the Italian Mission was closed and was not reopened again for forty years.They arrived in New York on February 15, 1856 and went from there to Florence, Nebraska by rail, stopping at Chicago and St. Louis on the way. They were delayed for three months waiting for the handcarts to be completed, then joined the first handcart company which left on June 9, 1856 with 273 in the company. Many things have been written of the trials and tribulations, acts of faith and heroism of those who came in the handcart companies.The father, Jean Pierre Staley was not well when he left Winter Quarters and became progressively worse. It is said that he did not eat all the food issued for him, saving it for his children. Susette and her brother Daniel did most of the work after he became ill. He told his wife he would never reach the valley, but that she and her children would, and that they would never want for the necessities of life. The second morning that he had to be helped into a wagon, he died. His body was wrapped in a sheet placed between layers of sagebrush, and was buried on the banks of the Platte River, opposite Ash Grove. His death was entered in the diary of the handcart company, August 17, 1856. A bonfire was built over the grave to keep the Indians and coyotes from finding it.The company arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 26, 1856 and was met at Willow Springs by President Brigham Young and many others. The Cardons from Ogden met the widow and her younger children and helped them to get settled in a dugout. Susette and her sister Mary went to work to help the family. The trials and tribulations made her faith grow stronger and dearer. The twenty-fourth of July was sacred to her and took precedence over all other celebrations.Louis Philip first married Sarah Ann Wellborn. No children were born to this union. In 1857 at Logan, Susette and Louis Philip Cardon were married. Their first two children, Joseph Samuel and Emanuel Philip, were born in Ogden. The daughter, Mary Katherine, was born in Logan. They next moved to Oxford, Oneida (now Franklin) County, Idaho where Louis Paul Cardon and Isabelle Susette, who died when about two years of age, were born. They persecution because of plural marriage became so persistent that Louis Philip traveled to Salt Lake City to ask advice from President Brigham Young. President Young arose from his chair, smote the palm of one had with the fist of the other, and said, ”Brother Cardon, it is about time for the Saints to move to Arizona, as I have been thinking about. Be here in a week with your wife and belongings. The Company will be ready to leave.”Again there was a long journey. They settled first at George Lake’s Camp on the Little Colorado in Northern Arizona. The camp was later called Obed. In February, 1877, he and his family moved to Tenney’s Camp. Here they lived in the United Order, being on the first roll taken. This called for sacrifice as the Cardons had ample supplies for two years. They were active in church and building up the community.After two years they moved from Woodruff to Taylor. The Woodruff Ward was organized on September 26, 1879 when the name was changed to Tenney’s Camp. They had hoped to make Taylor their permanent home but peace was not possible for those practicing plural marriage. In 1885 President Taylor advised Louis Philip, his firs wife Sarah and his son Joseph, to move to Mexico. Emanuel and Louis Philip went along to help the families move, but Louis Paul returned to Taylor where he had married and stayed there with his mother, Susette, until 1896 when he was called to go to Colonia Dublan to help with the church school. Susette and her daughter Mary Katherine Cardon Clawson, wife to Joseph I. Clawson, accompanied him and his family The father Louis Philip, had settled in Colonia Juarez, where he stayed until a couple of years before his death.The town of Dublan was blocked out in the Mormon way: A mile square, divided into blocks of ten acres each, minus a large street all the way around. Louis Paul and his sister Katie were able to purchase a block across the street from their brother Joseph, so once more the brothers and sister were together. They were active in church, community and civic affairs, in addition to teaching and supporting the schools. Louis Paul led the choir too.The farms of the colonists were in town. Irrigation was a problem so it was decided to build what was called “The Big Canal.” Louis Paul did all the surveying and his brother Joseph was the chief engineer. The men of the community worked hard to get the project completed. When the new irrigation system was laid many shook their heads saying, “he can’t make water run uphill.” Both Louis Paul and Joseph contracted typhoid fever before the project was finished, and Joseph died. Later, the whole town turned out for a parade and dedication service when the canal was finished. Susette said she felt as though she was going to her son Joseph’s funeral, as to her, the work seemed like a monument to him. The water was turned into the canals and they worked perfectly. Plentiful water made the farms produce more and prospects for the colonist and their future were more encouraging.The industrious and thrifty habits of Susette kept her family well clothed and well fed. She wove her own cloth from wool, coloring it with plants and indigo. She even made suits for her husband and sons. These clothes were durable and beautiful, and some were good thirty-five and fifty years later. She lived to be eighty-six years old and many of her grandchildren remembered her dresses. They were old-fashioned then but on her they looked very beautiful.She always preserved meats, vegetables, and fruits. But her specialty was strawberries and cream. She planted strawberries both in Arizona and Mexico. Her Strawberry Parlor was a popular place to gather. She was successful in drying strawberries and after her move back to Arizona, the University of Arizona Economics Department asked for samples of the, saying they had never heard of strawberries keeping in places like Arizona and Mexico. She was very generous, and many a friend received strawberries from her.Louis Philip Cardon died of typhoid fever and was buried in Dublan on April 9, 1911. Dublan Memorial Cemetery, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico
Susette continued to live near her son, Louis Paul, as she had done since the days in Taylor. Her testimony of the Gospel never wavered, and she always did whatever she was asked by those in authority.When the Saints were driven from Mexico during the Madero Revolution, she had over six thousand dollars in stocks in the Union Mercantile store. One of the greatest trials of her life must have been to be reduced from a condition of easy independence. She never complained or mentioned what she had left behind as so many of us did.When the colonists finally knew they were going to have to leave Mexico and would not be able to take their treasured possessions, many tried in various ways to hide them so they would not be stolen. Some dug holes and buried things that would not rust. Susette was asked by someone if she wasn’t going to try and do something of the kind. She replied, “No, they will never touch any of my things.” Her son Louis Paul’s home, a large two-story home, at one time housed twelve Mexican families, and was badly misused and stripped. The large parlor and living room were used to stable the horses of the Revolutionists, planks being put on the front steps to bring them in. Her home, a neat little three roomed adobe, stood just a few yards away.When the first war storm passed over, Louis Paul sent some teams down to the colonies and told the driver to bring back anything of hers he could find. When he came back that was all he had on the wagons, for nothing had been molested. She had trunks of clothing, bed linen, and table linen, quantities of dried fruit, and preserved fruit. Elmer said that it did not look as though the door had been opened, although it was unlocked.She was a brave woman. The afternoon the Rebels came into town, one of them went to her clothesline, which was made of rope, and cut it so he could lead away a horse belonging to Roy Clawson. Disregarding the fact that the rebel had a gun and a knife in his hand, she went out and demanded that he return it. He did.The Exodus occurred in late July, 1912. The Saints went first to El Paso where they received temporary help. They were then encouraged by the government to go where their relatives were or some place where they could start making a living. Her son Louis Paul moved his family to Binghampton near Tucson, where some of the refugee Saints were making a colony. He built a nice one-room place for her near his own. She didn’t want to be a burden to anyone.Although she spoke English, she did all her reading and praying in French. She was intuitive, and at times would ask us if something had happened. When we asked her how she knew, she would say, “I knew it. I dreamed it.” She died on July 19, 1923 at Binghampton (now in Tucson), Pima, Arizona and is buried in the Binghampton cemetery. Binghampton Cemetery, Tucson, Pima, Arizona
