WILLIAM HAINES HAMBLIN

In a quiet valley, Clover Valley, Nevada, a son was born to Edwin and

Hannah "Ann" Cook Hamblin on July 8,1872. He was named William Haines

Hamblin, possibly after his uncle by that name who had died two months

Earlier who was known as Gunlock Bill.

William was the youngest son, the tenth child. He had one younger

sister and a brother who died the day of his birth. There was also

another brother who died at age 6 months. (This is according to the

Hebron Ward records).

The family then lived on a farm in Clover Valley. It is a long narrow

valley in Southeastern Nevada, in Lincoln County. It was a long way from

any other town. As a child a lot of Will's friends were Indian children.

In 1870 there were about 12 other families living there in the valley.

John Pulsipher baptized Will into the LDS Church in July 1881. Will

was confirmed by Thomas Terry.

Will's father,Edwin, is a brother of Jacob Hamblin, peacemaker to the

Indians for the LDS Church. He was also known as the Lamanite Apostle.

Edwin went to Santa Clara, Utah with Jacob and others to help settle it.

Edwin's father was Isaiah Hamblin and his mother was Daphne Haynes.

William's mother was born to Hannah Maria LeChevalier and Joseph Cook.

Hannah joined the LDS Church in Cheltenham, England in October, 1848.

She, with her Sister Catherine, her mother and brother Peter left

Liverpool, England in April, 1854 and arrived in New Orleans, La. on May

8th. Peter stayed in St. Louis, Mo. "Ann" and Catherine came on to Utah

with the William A. Empey Co. arriving in Salt Lake City in October1854.

It isn't known if the mother came to Utah or is she died enroute.

The only time Will ever remembered seeing his uncle Jacob was when he

was a small boy. Will and his sister Ella were home alone, playing at the

house. Will was outside, when Uncle Jacob rode up on a horse. He had

several days growth of whiskers and looked rather bedraggled a result of

his long ride. Jacob asked Will where his father was. Then jokingly he

said to Will, "Well, hadn't you better beat it?" Will turned and ran to

the house rather frightened, telling his sister that there was a crazy

man outside who wanted to kill their father. They quickly put furniture

in front of the door to keep the man out. Later everyone had a good

laugh at Will's fright.

Will's Mother died March 15, 1884 and is buried in Clover Valley.

Will was nearly 12 years old at the time of his mother's death. His

sister, Kate took over the responsibility of the family then.

Drawing and music were Will's favorite pastimes. He enjoyed the usual

childhood games and pranks that other children enjoyed. He was never able

to receive any training in music or art. He wanted to go to High School

very much. The High school was far away in another town and the students

who went had to leave home and board with someone to go on to school.

The family couldn't afford to send both Will and Ella off to school so

Ella got to go. He always felt bad to think he missed out on more

education. He was also a very good writer, having a very interesting way

with words and ideas.

When Will was quite young his father made him a small violin which he

dearly loved. He had it hanging on the wall. One day, for some reason,

some of his brothers were shooting the gun and shot at a hat that had

been hung over the violin. The violin was ruined, bringing great sorrow

to a young boy. Will cried over the loss of the treasured violin.

Sometimes his drawings got him into trouble at school. Once he drew a

funny picture of his teacher on his slate. The teacher saw it and gave

him a few whacks on the head with a ruler. Another time he drew a

picture of a dog chasing a deer. He wrote underneath the picture, "Sic

"um to Hell, Fido." When the teacher saw this he got a few more whacks.

The first school was held in homes. Then a small log house was built

where both school and church meetings were held.

As Will grew up he had to help herd the cattle, probably helped in the

garden, carried in wood and water and did other chores around the house.

As he reached young manhood he must have helped with the threshing by

placing sheaves of grain on a canvas to be beaten off with a flail. He probably helped tie and haul the sheaves, too. The straw would them be thrown off, leaving grain and chaff. That would be tossed into the air. to The breeze would blow the chaff away and the grain

would fall back to the canvas. That was quite a job to do the thrashing

that way. Later a horse powered thrasher would come. The horses would

be attached to the thrasher. They went in a circle around the thrasher,

turning the wheels to run the machine. This was still a big job but much

faster. Quite a few men were required to run it, too.

Hay also had to be put up, garden raised, food stored, firewood

Gathered from the nearby hills. There was much work to keep a young man

very busy. There were also a few fun times, too, picnics, games, a visit

to neighbors, programs at the school.

Will always had a great sense of humor. One time it backfired on him,

when he tried to play a trick on the old mule that he rode to herd the

cattle. One day while herding cattle Will killed a rattlesnake. They

were very common in those days. He decided to have some fun with it.

Putting it on a stick he shook it under the mule's nose. Nothing

happened, so he did it again. This time the mule came awake, gave a loud

snort and ran as fast as its four legs could carry it. Will had to walk

home with the cows. He was barefooted, too. They seldom wore shoes

unless it was cold weather. It was so funny to hear Will tell this story

because he would make the sound of the mule as it smelled the snake. Will

really enjoyed telling funny and interesting stories. It's too bad that

someone didn't write them down as he told them. We'd have had a much

more interesting history of him.

As a young man Will made a trip to St. George, Utah, about 80 miles

away. He accompanied a man who liked to drink. By the time they stopped

to make camp for the night the man had become quite drunk. They stopped

at Mountain Meadows Massacre sight. Some people had been murdered there

several years before. There was a superstition about the place being

haunted by those who were killed. All through the night the drunk man

moaned and groaned. The noise made Will dream of spirits and ghosts. He

spent a horrible night out there and was happy when morning finally came.

A guardian angel must have been watching over will. He told his

grandson Duane Hamblin, the following story. One time he and a companion

were out riding horses when a hard rainstorm came up. They took shelter

under a large tree. As they were waiting a voice spoke clearly to them

telling them to move. They had so sooner done so that a bolt of lightning

struck the tree they had sought shelter under. ( A similar story is

told by Joshua Jones. I wonder if they could have been together and

shared this experience in Idaho.)

Another time Will was returning from the hills when he noticed mountain

lion tracks in the trail. The trail came to a thick bunch of trees. Will

felt as though he should go around the trees even though it was a lot

longer way. When he came back to the trail again there were no more

tracks. The lion must have still been in the trees.

A railroad was built through Clover Valley in the early 1890s. This may

have given Will and some of his family some work.

The land was being overgrazed and the timber cut, times were getting

very hard. Will and some other members of his family left Clover Valley

in 1895 and went to Teton Valley in Idaho to live. They were active in

settling Victor, Idaho. Will's Brother Joseph Peter, some of his

sisters and their husbands went. Sarah and David Raymond Sinclair, Emma

and Andrews Edwards , Ella and Alonzo Johnson and Kate lived in Victor

for awhile. The first ward there was called Raymond for the first Bishop

David Raymond Sinclair. David was the son of Catherine Cook and Peter

Sinclair. The ward was later changed to Victor. Alonzo Johnson was also

a Bishop of Victor Ward. Will was the first Ward clerk of the ward. Some

of the family later left Victor. Their father, Edwin lived on Clover

Valley a few more years, later moving to ST. George, Utah. He built a

home there.

Will did some farming and timbering. He sometimes helped his sister

Kate run the hotel in Victor. At one time President Joseph F. Smith, of

the LDS Church stayed at the hotel. The hotel was moved to a new

location. It was put on log skids and moved along on them.

One of Wills best friends was Ira Jones, who had moved to the Victor

area not long after the Hamblins did. They worked together sometimes.

Ira had a sister Mary. She was very shy and didn't go out very much, but

that didn't stop Will from noticing her. On October7, 1902 Will and Mary

were married. There was a triple marriage performed because Ira Jones

and Sarah Alice Allen and Amanda Jones and Heber Beddes were also married

at the same time. The weddings were performed by Bishop Naham Curtis at

the Jones home.

For awhile after his marriage, Will helped his sister Kate run the

hotel. Then he homesteaded a farm West of Victor and built a small log

home there. It was a very pretty place with trees, grass, streams.

chokecherry bushes and wildflowers around. There were fish in the

streams. The winters were long and often very harsh with lots of snow,

wind, blizzards and below 0 weather.

Long evenings were often spent sitting around the fire to keep warm,

and listening to Will tell stories.

Will always made haying time fun when he was the stacker. He would

swing on the derrick ropes, joke and clown while he was working. One

time Will and his brother Pete were walking along. They saw a piece of

paper on the ground. Pete said, " Oh, a dollar bill." Will kicked it

with his foot and quickly replied, "Yeah, with a white belly."

At programs Will often gave comical readings which he wrote himself.

One reading he wrote when he was hauling metal culverts over to Jackson

Wyoming. In the reading he called the culverts tin cat holes because the

cats (Bobcats ?)along the road went in them to hide. According to his

nephew, Cyril Hamblin it was a very comical reading.

Carrying the mail up Jackson Pass was a job which Will did quite

often. In the winter snow drifts up to 20 feet deep were common. They had

to wear snowshoes. Usually two men went together for safety sake. They

went as far as birches mill the first day, about 10 miles from Victor.

They camped there in a small cabin for the night. The next morning they

would go on to the top where they would meet the carrier from Jackson who

took the mail on to Jackson, Wyoming. One time in the very early spring, before the snow had melted, Will had to go alone with the mail. When he got to

the cabin that evening he saw bear tracks all around the cabin. The snow

had drifted so deep that a tunnel was dug through the drift to the cabin

door. The tracks worried Will, but he decided to go into the tunnel and into the cabin. The next day he went on his was without ever seeing the bear who made the tracks.

A new Dam was being built on the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming.

Will was one of the first men to work on the dam. They used teams of

horses to pull the scrapers to move the dirt.

The winter snow came many times before the grain thrashing could be

finished in the fall. The thrasher had to be put on a sleigh and moved

from farm to farm to do the threshing. The grain and previously been cut,

shalked and stacked to await the thresher.

One summer Will had been so busy that he didn't get enough wood hauled

from the mountains. That winter he and his sons had to go to the creek

banks and cut willows and haul them home to burn for the winters wood.

Their home was about 1/4 mile from the road at the bottom of a hill.

In the winter the snow would blow off the hill and drift between the hill

and the house filling the road. Sometimes the drifts would be se deep

that it would take several days to shovel a trail out. Often the next

morning it would be blown full again and need to be done again.

The water came from a big spring flowing from the ground in the middle

of their farm. Will's son James remembers fishing in a creek about 20

rods from their house. Pine and Quaking Aspens grew around the house. Will

cleared the trees off to plant grain. Tall grass grew all around. It

was a very beautiful place to live, it if just hadn't been so very cold

and the winters so long.

Joshua Jones, Wills Father-in-law, was doing a lot of freighting then.

Sometimes Will would go with him. One very cold January night with about

30' below zero weather, Will and Joshua stopped near a roadhouse to camp

for the night. They usually camped near the roadhouse instead of going

in because they didn't have the money to stay in it. It was very late

when they got there. They stopped at the river to water the team. They

had to chop a hole in the ice so they could water the team of mules. As

they were working Will Slipped and fell into the icy water. Joshua

helped him out and quickly went to the roadhouse. By the time they got

there Will's clothes were frozen solid and he nearly was. The owner of

the roadhouse wouldn't let them in because they hadn't paid to stay

there. Will was nearly frozen to death. Joshua finally told the owner

he'd give him a beating if he didn't let them come in and get warm, so he

let them come in.

For awhile Will worked in the sugar factory in Sugar City, Idaho. It

was a real treat when he could bring home a little raw sugar for the

family.

In the Teton Valley News in 1909 there are some items that are

interesting to read, Quote: There is a sugar famine in Victor. One sack

arrived the other night. The hotels were limited to $1 worth and private

families to 25 cents worth. Hay for sale-$5-$7 a ton SE of Victor. Hogs

are bringing 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 cents on foot."

Other items are, The first gasoline light system was installed in the

Stake Office building June17, 1909. Men's suits from $8 up, boys suits $1

to $10. These suits have fine tone and character that a modern suit

requires. Latest style photographs-25 cents per dozen, Walt Durrant

Studios. 25 Cents per pound for butter fat at the Driggs Creamery.

Outing flannel, 8cents per yard- fruit jars 85 cents pints, qts. $1.

Feb. 1910: Flour $1 per sack, men's fine dress shirts, 50 cents, mens

Corduroys $2.50, wood $2 a single wagon box.

October27, 1910: The Teton Telephone service: resident phones $2

Per month- business $3 a month.

Feb.2,1911: shoe soles 25 cents a pair, breakfast bacon 22 cents ,

beans, corn, peas and tomatoes 11 cans $1. Ladies fine hose 10 cents a

pair, men's canvas gloves 5 cents a pair, beef cattle about $10 a head.

July17, 1913- moving picture shows at the Driggs Theater every evening.

January 18, 1917: Ford cars for sale-$420 1917 Model.

Will's wife Mary did sewing for most if not all of the family's

clothing needs. She knitted stockings and mittens, made dresses and

shirts. She made her own patterns.

They had seven children born to them while in Victor.

A few families had moved from the Victor area to the Montwell, Monarch

and Neola areas in the Uintah Basin in Northeastern Utah. Two of Mary's

sisters had moved to Monarch, Lovina and William Blanchard and Amanda and

Heber Beddes. Later the Beddeses moved away. Will and Mary had listened

to the tall tales about the wonderful land, water, climate etc. of this land. They were convinced that it would be better than the cold harsh winters

of Teton Valley. In late August, 1917, Will, Mary and their seven

children left their home in Victor and started for their new home in

Monarch, Utah. They left on a Thursday evening, because Joshua, who was

going with them to help, wouldn't start a trip on Friday because it would

be bad luck. So they went a little way on Thursday.

They left with two covered wagons driven by Will and Joshua. Mary

drove a small 4 wheeled buggy pulled by one horse. Most of the children

rode with her. Marley was the youngest of the family. The second night

out they camped at Alpine Hot Springs and caught fish for their supper.

The third night out they camped on the bank of the Snake River. The next

morning they had gone about a quarter of a mile when James noticed smoke

coming from the canvas on one of the wagons. The canvas was smoking, and

beginning to burn. They soon got the fire out. The canvas was slightly

damaged. They kept the coal oil lantern on very low for Mary to use in

the night to care for the children. They'd forgotten to turn it

completely off before loading it on the wagon.

For supper they sometimes had Sage Hen or a water fowl. Mary did most

of the cooking on a Dutch oven, or over the campfire. James said it was

very delicious food. The trip took 19 days.

James describes what their life was like after coming to Monarch to

live on the 40 acres Will had bought. "I imagine the contrast to leaving

that beautiful valley, coming into this dry, dusty, sandy, sagebrush,

prickly pear infested desert, and having to dig ditches and canals, and

clear off the brush. The wind would blow the sand and dirt off the

plowed ground and the clothes hanging on the line were filled with

prickly pear needles.

That first winter we lived with the William Blanchard family, an aunt

and uncle. We lived principally on dry beans, which were a treat for a

while, because of the short growing season in Idaho we had not been able

to grow them there. But this diet got monotonous after while. "

They were disappointed with the dry sandy land. The Indians had first

water rights. For twenty years they farmed without much water. It was a

real struggle. They ate mostly potatoes and beans.

The Spring after arriving in Monarch we had to clear the brush off from

the 40 acres that a man had charged Father too much for.($900) Father got

sick and had to have an operation. The neighbors came and helped clear

and plant the land. The next winter we moved onto the land and lived in

a tent until we could get a house built. That was the winter that the

Flu killed so many people back in Idaho, an uncle, two aunts several

cousins, also our good doctor. I have often thought what would have

happened had we been snowed in with the flu and couldn't have gotten out

for help.

Father had a mail contract carrying mail from Cedarview to Monarch

three days a week which brought about $35 a month. The job lasted 8

years. (1918-1926) About that time a real drought came along with the

Depression. The Government bought our cows and calves --$3-$5 for calves

and $10-$12 for the cows. Then they would slaughter them and allow us

the meat from the best ones. As we didn't have electricity for freezing

the meat the only way to preserve it was to bottle it."

A lot of the crops burned up for lack of water. James said that beans

were their first serving and for desert they had beans again. Most of

their clothes, during their first years in Monarch were second hand sent

to them from relatives in Victor.

When Will drove the mail he used the little buggy that Mary had driven

from Victor. They traded a lamb for it. Will was also on the board of

directors for the Dry Gulch Irrigation Co.

In June, 1926 Will and James were ordained Elders in the Mormon

Church(LDS). On July 26th Will, wife Mary and their 10 children went to

Manti, Utah and were sealed as an Eternal Family in the Temple there.

They went in James's school bus. This was a very special experience for

them. It was the longest trip they'd had since moving to Utah.

Will's oldest son James had married Reita Hunt 13 June, 1930 in the

Salt Lake Temple. In 1933 James was called to serve a mission for the

LDS Church for 9 months. At this time James and Reita had two children,

Ila and James. The Depression was on and times were very hard. James

went to the Western States Mission, Colorado and New Mexico.

Will wrote several letters to James at this time. In them he showed

some discouragement with the Depression and the Drought. He was still able

to keep his sense of humor. These are shown in the letters he wrote. The

following are quotes from some of the letters: June7, 1933 "Mama's leg is

so sore she is having an awful time with it. Her leg is in an awful

condition. She suffered worse with it last night than ever, it pains her

all the time. (She has had trouble with her leg since she broke it when

she was a young girl). Remo is doing fine with his chickens and I am

doing fine with Ma's turkeys. I have got 5 little turkeys so far from 6

hens, almost 1 apiece."

"JULY 23,'33 We cut what little grain we had with the reaper. I figured

we'd have somewhere between 800-1,000 bushel but I guess we will have 50

bushel or less. Yes, I want to tell you I sure was glad to get that Big

Injun card. It gave me an idea. If I live to be 110 years old I think I

shall change my politicks and instead of voting for the Democrats or

Republicans or Uncle Sam I shall just vote for Uncle Bill (himself)

once.ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Dad

Oct.10,33 Mama feels fine now. We have to hobble her and keep her tied

up some of the time to keep her from tearing things up and then she gets

so sassy I have to whip her nearly every day. (of course he is joking)

She can use her new teeth fine, but I don't get along with mine very

well---- we remain your Pa and Ma

Will also gave readings here on programs, usually writing his own. The

following is taken from one he gave Mar.29,1934 for a Ward program about

people living there:

A--Anderton And Gines, Two curious species of Dear found nowhere, only in

the wilds of the Unitah Basin.

Anderson and Adams: These two chemicals united to form a combustible

compound which may be very easily ignited, therefore great care should be

taken to prevent sudden jar or domestic flare up.

B-Bishop, a chemical compound generally used as a cure all, believed by

some to be absolutely infallible and supposed to withstand unlimited

criticism without the least change in temperament.

Browns- A chemical remains of a former civilization in the Monarch Museum

Hamblin and Hunt--Two natural compounds having a tendency to mix together

forming a matrimonial complex. Scientists have been unable to account

for this curious phenomenon. (Two of Will's sons married Hunt sisters)

Hullinger and Hamblin--Two distinct chemicals not yet united. Yet it is

known by the scientific world that there are forces at work to bring

about such a union. Scientists are very anxious to note results.

O--Ovaltine for the stomach----ah.

P--Parry, Joel and Alma, a chemical substance used for the purpose pf

keeping good food from spoiling.

M--Money.. a mysterious substance to have existed in the Uintah Basin

ages ago.

N--Nine thousand miles from nowhere, a term used by scientists to

indicate the location of the Uintah Basin.

Q--Question.. whether the author of this foolishness is crazy or

chemically decomposed.

In the 1940s some of Will's and Mary's family moved to Susanville,

California to find work. Bill bought a home there, I think Lora and Ed

may have too. Letah and Cliff, Marley and Jean lived there, also Wanda,

Jess and Nila. Will and Mary Spent some time living there with them.

They were there When Jess was drafted into the service. The country had

entered World War II Dec.8,1941. Bill and Remo were also in the service

during the war and all saw active duty. Will and Mary were worried about

their sons. They were very thankful when they all returned after the war

ended in 1945.

On June 2,1942 Will's sister Ella Johnson died in Victor, Idaho. Will,

Mary and other family members went to Idaho for her funeral. They

visited with their many relatives who were still living there, including

Mary's Mother, Susan Jones. While there Mary's mother became ill. The

trip had been hard on Mary and they returned to Monarch. On June10th

Susan Jones died. Because they had just returned from Victor they didn't

go back for the funeral. Gas was rationed because of the war and it was

hard to do much traveling.

On July23, 1942 Will's sister Hannah Logan died. They were living in

Nevada, near Reno, I think. That made three family members to die in a

very short time.

Grand daughter, Ila Vee remembers one time at a party in Montwel Ward

that her Grandpa Hamblin was playing a Harmonica, James E. Bacon was

playing a violin, and Laura Roberts was playing chords on the piano while

a few people dance. After awhile Grandpa and Mr. Bacon traded

instruments. She remembered thinking "Now all Grandpa has to do is play

the piano" which he did soon after. He played by ear, never having had

any lessons. The family had an organ for many years.

Twice, that I know of their home was struck by lightning on the south

side. One time a pair of scissors were knocked across the room by the

lightning. No one was hurt.

Will used to draw on the round postmarks on letters making faces with

them.

Will had a hard time learning to drive a car. Mary told of one time when

he decided to drive someplace. He got the car in reverse by mistake and

couldn't get it out. He couldn't stop the car until he hit a fence. She

also told of getting a needle broken off in her finger. She needed to go

see the doctor so Will decided to take her. As they went down the Huff

hill about a half a mile away they were going to fast. Mary said she

knew they would go off the road at the curve. She said all at once

something stopped the car before it ran off the road. It stopped very

quickly. They walked back home. Later when one of their sons went to

get the car he said the frame was bent like something had grabbed it to

stop them, but there was nothing in the road to have caught the car to

stop it. Mary felt that the Lord had protected them that day.

Will always raised good gardens, watermelons and many vegetables.

They usually had some chickens, cows, maybe a pig or two, a team of

horses to do the farm work. They sold cream to a creamery in Roosevelt

every week or two. They had a nice orchard with apple trees, plums and

apricots. They also had currents and gooseberries and probably other

berries as well. They had a lawn in front of the house that the grandkids

loved to play on. There were rosebushes and lilacs growing along the path

to the house from the road. There were rosebushes in other parts of the

yard also, the old fashioned yellow roses. I remember Hollyhocks ,too.

They had a pond in back of and a little way from the house. The

grandkids liked to sit on the catwalk and pretend they were

sailing. It seemed they were sailing as they watched the ripples come

in. They had a shallow well sometime which helped furnish water for

household use. Also some pond or ditch water was used for washings

etc. Drinking and cooking water had to be hauled from wells in Montwell

in cans.

The family got together often for big dinners and picnics.

Will served as Superintendent of the Montwell Sunday School and YMMIA.

When he was in the Sunday School he often walked to the meetings which

were three or four miles away. Will was ordained a High Priest Oct.

29,1939 by Bryon Colton.

During the years that James and Reita were building their new house in

Montwell Will helped on it a lot. Most of the family helped on it in

some way. It was always fun to work with Grandpa.

On 22Feb.1946 Will had a serious heart attack. It was doubted that he

would pull through. There was a lot of faith and prayer for his recovery.

He did get better and helped Bill build a new home just south of his son

James. He, Mary, and Bill lived there for quite a few years. Nila lived

with them some too.

Onetime when Will was in the hospital, before moving to the new house,

someone put a heating pad on him and left it on too long, and he recieved

some bad burns from it.

We all loved to visit them in their new home. Mary always had

something good to eat and Will always had something good to tell. Will l

oved to lisetn to the radio. I think his favorite program was The Judy

Canova Show. She had Hill Billy parents who talked with slow drawls. He

liked to imitate Pa and often talked to Mary to the Grandkids like that.

They all thought he was very funny.

Their new home had indoor plumbing in it which the rest of us didn't

have then. It was fun to go over to their place for the Saturday night

baths...any day of the week.

On March 26, 1950 Will bacame a Great-grandfather when Ellen Larsen was

born to Ila Vee Hamblin and Jim Larsen. He was very happy that he was a

Great-grandfather at last. He gave Ellen her name and a blessing in his

home on May4,1950. He had cancor and didn't feel like going out to

Church.

Will suffered a lot from the cansor that he had. He loved life and

hung on as long as he could. He kept saying he was going to get well and

play ball again. He told his stories to all who came to visit him. No

one thought to write them down. He had had surgery in 1949. One day when

he was feeling very bad his son James, a nephew, James E. Larsen and

James E. Bacon came to give him a blessing. After they finished they

thought he was asleep. He opened his eyes and said, "Well, here are the

three James E.s".

He gave many of us good advise. He gave his son James sa father's

blessing. He was concerned about James because at that time James was

the Bishop of the Montwell Ward. He was concerned about all of his

family.

Will died at his home 20May, 1951, on his father's birthday. He was

nearly 79 years old. He was loved by many. A lot of people not related

to him called him Uncle Will. He is burried in the Roosevelt Cemetary,

Roosevelt, Utah.

The following is taken from the Journal of James E. Hamblin:

"Our dear Dad passed away after a long, lingering illness. He was

nearly 79 years old. He hadn't recognized any of us that day. The day

before he did. The last thing he asked me to do was to releive an

itching place between his shoulders. Then the last thing I remember him

saying was that Mother was a good old hen when it came to scratching. He

could still could joke about things a little even though he was about to

cross the bridge between life and death. All men have their faults and

failings. He had his. Every man has his goodness. He had his. Honesty,

peacefull surroundings was his desire. He went more than halfway in

dealing with anyone. Of this worlds temporal goods he owned only his

clothes. What did he leave me? More than any other man could do. My

life, guided by his desire for me to do what is right by my fellowman,

and a father's blessing of which I had no way of recording except in my

forgetful mind. I loved him more that I realized I did before his

illness. I will always regret that I didn't be with him more than I did

during his suffering.

In the blessing Father gave he wanted me to be protected from the evil

one that I might stand the trials that came before me, to keep up my

labors and fill my calling as a Bishop, to have the means to do the

Lord's work.