My father,
Robert Moroni Michie, was born 11 November 1861, in Salt Lake City, Utah, son of
Robert Michie, who was born in Rubslaw, [Aberdeen,] Scotland, and
Frances Potts, who was born in Barton, [Kent,] England.
Father was the third child, but first son, and was born shortly after his parents arrived in Salt Lake City, after crossing the plains by ox team in the year 1861. His parents first lived at Sugar House. They moved several places and finally settled in Heber where his father ran the first grist mill, he having learned that trade when a young man in Scotland. Later his father took up a homestead in Woodland, Summit County, where he engaged in Farming. It was while living here he met my mother,
Elena Dorothy Lambert, who lived in Kamas, about seven miles northwest of Woodland. The Michie place was on the Provo River. Later the Michie family moved back to Heber and his father engaged in milling again assisted by father. Heber was 18 or 20 miles from Kamas so it was a long way to go in that day to see his best girl. They kept company for six years before they finally married.
This event took place in the Logan [LDS] Temple on the 7th day of January 1886, as the Salt Lake [LDS] Temple was not yet completed. It was a double wedding. Mother's brother
Joseph married father's sister
Alice at the same time. Two wedding receptions were given in their honor, one at mother's home in Kamas, the other at father's home in Heber. All friends and relatives attended and many useful and lovely gifts were received.
One event that transpired during their courting days I've heard my mother relate was this: A dance was given at Kamas on Valentine's Day, or evening. Father had gone to Kamas to take mother to the dance. She said that old "Hen" (Henry) Walker was furnishing the music. He was a wonderful old-time fiddler who always played by ear, but he had music in his soul and often improvised music for a waltz. People from all around came to the dance when they heard Mr. Walker would be there. He always called for the qualdrille, French Four, etc. They all had a wonderful time.
It was snowing but not very cold. At about 2:00 a.m. the wind started up and [the storm] soon developed into a terrible blizzard. Usually they danced till daylight. This time they closed [early] so people could get home. They had walked from mother's place.
When they started home the blizzard was so fierce it was almost impossible to face it. Father carried a lantern, he had to hold it under his overcoat to keep the wind from blowing it out. The road was filled with snow, so sign of a trail. Father went first, mother walking close behind in his tracks, even then she could hardly wade through the snow which was knee deep. She said she never was so tired in her life and thought she couldn't have taken another step if it was to save her life when they finally got home. Her mother was up and had a hot fire for them to get warm by. She had been worried and prayed for their safe return. Some boys got lost and took refuge in an old log cabin till day light and were nearly frozen.
Mother said they usually danced till day-light. Shortly after midnight they would go home, cook a big supper of fried beef steaks, mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuits with plenty of butter, etc., eat a hearty meal and then return and dance till morning.
At this Valentine dance, mother received a beautiful valentine from father. (Each young man brought a valentine for his sweetheart.) [While they were] going home that night in the blizzard, the wind snapped up mother's valentine and blew it away. The next spring when the snow melted it was found. Mother was sorry to lose her lovely valentine, they were so precious in those days, and then father had given it to her which added to its worth, but they were too thankful to get home safe to worry about a valentine.
Father had but very little schooling, but he liked to read and became fairly well educated, especially in the gospel. He had a good memory and could relate a story read or heard in a very interesting way. He was a Sunday School teacher and a good one. For years he was a ward teacher and very faithful in his calling.
I well remember one day in spring, he came into the house and said he should go ward teaching but there was so much to do he wondered if it would be wise to go. He said to Mother, "What shall I do?" She said, "Suit yourself, you know what's right." "Yes," he said. "The Lord says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you." "That's right," said mother. He went teaching. Father had great faith and was often called upon to administer to the sick.
The Bishop, who was my mother's brother,
Ephraim Lambert, often called on father to visit certain families to settle difficulties or ease heartaches and bad feelings, etc. He always eventually succeeded. This same uncle once said of him, "You could travel thousands of miles and meet thousands of people and you wouldn't find one who would equal him."
Father and Mother began house keeping in a log cabin on part of the homestead belonging to his father in Woodland. He later secured the land for himself. He built a new two story house which they moved into when their third child,
Genevieve, was a baby. All eight [of] the rest of the [eleven] children were born in this house. They lived in the Woodland Ward, Summit Stake, Utah. All [the children in] the family were blessed here and all but three were baptized in the Provo River.
In looking back I realize we had a wonderful home life. We were very happy. Father was so kind to us and to all children. In his spare time he often made playthings for us when he could have been enjoying a good book. He was the most unselfish person I've ever known. I think he was one man who truly loved his neighbor as himself.
On long winter evenings mother allowed us to play games in the house, such as Hide and Seek, Blind-man's Bluff, Frog in the Meadow, Here comes three Old Irishmen seeking for a trade, Pussy wants a corner, and many others. Father often played with us or looked on and seemed to take an interest in what we were doing. It was much more fun when he did this. We built houses of sticks father cut for us, and went sleigh riding on a hand sled father built for us. What fun we had with our sled early in the spring when the snow was crusted over. We would climb a hill near our place and coast clear down to the road in front of our house. We [children] had to get the wood in at night but if the weather was very stormy and cold Father did it for us.
Christmas was the day of days. We knew Old Santa would be sure to come for he always had made his visit. We got so much joy from helping Mother clean the house and do the cooking to get ready for Santa Claus. We usually hung our stocking on the back of chairs, placed in a row in the center of the large living room. Things too large for our stockings were put on the chair. Some times we had a beautiful Christmas tree.
Christmas morning we always woke early. My sister would whisper, "I wonder if Santa Claus came." "Don't know," I said. "Sneak out of bed and feel the stockings," she said. I being on the side of the bed nearest the stockings quietly stepped out of bed and gingerly reached out to feel the stockings, sure enough they were stuffed. Yes, Old Santa had come. Quickly my other two sisters climbed out to make sure there was no mistake.
Then we ran to the bedroom shouting, "Pa, Pa, wake up! Make a light! Old Santa Clause has come!" Father would say, "What?" We would repeat it. "Well, well, well! For the Land's sake! Are you sure he came?" "Yes, sure," we said. Father meanwhile was out of bed pulling on his trousers and lighting the lamp. We followed or ran ahead to show him the wonders and prove the fact. Father stood and gazed in pretended surprise and wonderment as he said, "Sure enough, he has been here, that silly old man!" "No, he ain't silly. He's a nice old man," we said. He had teased us by saying Santa would bring us a pig's ear and a stick. Father shoved us back into bed while he built the fire and it got warm enough so we could inspect the wonderful things Old Santa had left us. By this time Mother would be up and dressed and we would show her all the lovely things.
We girls often got a fascinator (a combination scarf and hood) to wear to Sunday School, also new ribbons for our hair. Each got one nice toy and a story book and all got candy and nuts. We were too excited to eat much breakfast, and mother was busy getting us ready to go to the childrens' dance. We always had a new dress for Christmas. These were worn for all occasions, dances, parties, and Sunday best all winter and until warm weather came.
Christmas Day everybody came out. All parents danced with their children and taught them how to dance. Sometimes we went to
Grandma Michie's house for Christmas dinner, where all the family were assembled and we had much fun playing with our cousins and feasting on the good things Grandma cooked, including English plum pudding. In the evening at home Father would read stories to us from our new story books after the chores were done. These were indeed happy times.
Father owned a set of sleigh bells which were the largest, nicest sounding of any I have ever heard. It was such fun to go sleigh riding on the way to Sunday School. We girls didn't like it at all when
Uncle Will, father's younger brother borrowed the bells when he took his best girl for a sleigh ride.
Father helped build a small school house where we three oldest sisters first went to school, ages ten, eight and six [about 1896]. The next year we rode three miles to school. Father furnished the sleigh (he built it himself) and our neighbors, the Coes, furnished and drove the horses. The following year we were transferred to a school across the river which was much nearer. Father took great interest in what we were learning in school and often helped us with our lessons, gave out words for us to spell and helped us with our arithmetic. Mother also helped us when she could find time.
We were often after him to make something for us. Through the years we collected a cupboard, table, chairs, bedstead, and other things. When mother was busy he tucked us into bed and heard us say our prayers. We were punished, too, when we had been bad. We were never allowed to "sass" or speak disrespectfully of anyone or say bad words. Father always had us all gather around the breakfast table for family prayers, and again at supper time prayers were said. As we children grew older, we, too, took part in family prayer.
Home
Family
Ancestry
Histories
Utah Pioneers
Views of Utah
Views of Wales
Danish Photo Links
Welsh Photo Links
Warm Fuzzies