David Roy Hartt Narrative

Note: The following narrative was dictated in 1977. Except where indicated, the information was current at that time.

Our Ancestors

Several of the Hartt clan emigrated from England to the New England States in the middle 1600’s - some settled in the neighborhood of New York City (some of these, in fact, owned Staten Island) and others went into shipbuilding. You will remember that the famous “Constitution” was built in Hartt’s Ship Yard. However, at the time of the Revolution, several of the Hartt clan became Loyalists and, rather than take up arms against England, gave up their holdings in the States and moved to New Brunswick, Canada. Included in this group are the ones who owned Staten Island.

Grandparents

My grandparents, on my father’s side, were Aaron and Susanna Hartt (nee Dayton); he was a schoolteacher and taught in a little one roomed school - just out from Woodstock, New Brunswick - but he was badly afflicted with asthma in his later years. My father had to go to work at an early age and was first apprenticed to a printer but, later, went to work keeping books for one of the lumber companies in that area and worked up to the position of head surveyor.

My grandparents were born-again Christians who truly believed God’s Word, and my father told us that when he was in his late teens his father had been reading a Christian publication and he came to an article which mentioned that the “latter rains” had started to fall, again, in Palestine. He called the family’s attention to the article and stated that as sure as these “latter rains” had started to fall, just so surely would Israel start to re-gather back to Palestine, for God had so stated in His Word. This must have been in the late 1860’s and now we see them, as a nation, back in their land. Truly, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh!

On my mother’s side, the Wilson clan and the Davidson clan came over to Canada from either Scotland or North Ireland and settled in New Brunswick on, or near, the Miramachi River. My Grandfather, John Wilson, married Eliza Davidson and my mother was the eldest (I believe) of six children - two boys and four girls. Grandfather Wilson ran a store and a gristmill near the river at Derby, which is not far from Newcastle, and here my mother, was born and brought up. She finished her Normal training at seventeen, started to teach school and continued for some years.

Mother

When she was about thirty, one of her sisters (who had married Jim Bruce) went over to Hungary with her family and husband. He had been commissioned to set up, and put into operation, a factory for the firm with which he was connected and, later, they arranged for Letitia, my mother, to come over and help at the time of the birth of their next child. Letitia stayed for about one year, after which she returned to New Brunswick, then my father and she met; they were married in, possibly, July 1885 (I am not sure of the month for Allen Hartt has the family records) and Eliza was born in May 1886. H. Bruce was born June 15, 1887, both children were born in New Brunswick, Canada.

The Family Moves To Tacoma

In 1888, the family moved to Minnesota where Father served as Head Surveyor for Mussers-Sauntry Company in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. C. Frederick Hartt and Frank Leslie Hartt were born, I believe, in Minnesota; Katherine Margaret Hartt, Paul Allen Hartt and I were all born at White Birch, Wisconsin - it was later called Solon Springs, Wisconsin.

In February, 1898, my father (after applying for, and being promised, a transfer to the West Coast with Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, the parent company) sent Mother and us six children - Eliza having died March 16, 1894 - together with Mother’s sister, Mary Wilson, all the way to Tacoma, Washington, while he remained until the transfer could be effected. We took the train from White Birch to St. Paul, where we stayed for a day or so with Mother’s cousins, the Scotts. Mrs. Scott was Mother’s first cousin - her mother and my Grandmother Wilson were sisters.

From St. Paul, we traveled, via Northern Pacific, all the way to Tacoma, Washington. I was just under four years of age and I do not remember very much of that trip; however, I have often heard my brothers tell of seeing the bears in Montana, or in Yellowstone, I am not sure which.

Upon our arrival in Tacoma we stayed, briefly, with our aunt Annie C. Hartt, my father’s sister, who was Acting Matron of the “White Shield Home” in Tacoma. When Mother was able to locate a house for us, we moved into 3211 North 25th Street and the children entered the Sherman school (with which Mother was not satisfied). This house had running water and plumbing, but I do not think that we had electric lights.

Within a year or so we moved to 415 North M Street, where the children could attend the Bryant School which had the best rating in Tacoma, at that time.

About a year after our move to 415 N. M Street, Father quit his company and came out to Tacoma; he had been unable to get a transfer to Weyerhaeuser. He started looking for work at various lumber companies but, owing to quite “hard times” in 1900, he was able to obtain part time work loading cars with lumber - and that only occasionally. We were offered a house (rent free, I believe) at Lake City, some seven miles south of South Tacoma; this house belonged to Chaplain Stubbs and he had named it “Sherwood Place.” We moved here the fall of 1900 together with our aunt Annie, who was the schoolteacher for the next two years, who lived with us and was, for some months, our principal means of support. This arrangement was very hard on my mother, for her two brothers (who were medical Doctors) and her sisters (who had married prominent businessmen looked down on my father. They esteemed him to be just a poor “Lumberman” and this situation would only add fuel to their ridicule. Father then got work at the Northern Pacific shops in South Tacoma, sorting scrap metals, and rode his bicycle to and from work.

In the summer of 1901, my brother, Bruce, was able to get work on Dr. Fisher’s farm over near DuPont (which was about five miles from Lake City) at $5 per month and worked the summer months.

In late March of 1902, we were able to move over to the Hannah Place, which was about two miles due west of South Tacoma. This place consisted of 39 acres - 660 feet wide and a half-mile long, stretching east and west - and here we were able to have several cows, a horse and buggy (Father called it only a spring wagon) and some chickens. I failed to mention that we had at least one cow and some chickens at the “Sherwood Place” and we brought these with us when we moved over to the “Hannah Place.”

By this time, Father had been able to secure better, and more steady, work with the Northern Pacific and Bruce, who had graduated from the eighth grade in January of 1900, was able to get work in the N.P.’s Machine Shop running a drill press. They were able to walk to work quite easily as it was just under two miles from home, although they worked ten hours per day - from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM.

My father and mother were real examples of faith and trust in the Lord, and I owe very much to their godly examples when they were under stress and strain. Only the Lord could uphold them as they stood during many trials and difficulties, as I recall them.

It was at the “Hannah Place” that we first met H. A. Ironside – who was, later, known as Dr. Harry Ironside - as he and his wife came to our place in 1903, and it was here that we had our first Brethren Conference of Tacoma, in 1904. All six of us Hartt children were baptized in “Brewer’s Creek”, which ran through our meadow; my brothers had dammed up the creek to make a swimming hole, and Brother Ironside baptized us. At these conferences - which were held on our farm for four years, as I recall - the men folk all slept in the hay of the hay mow and the women folk were billeted in the house, many on straw ticks on the floor. Later on, these conferences were held in South Tacoma, in a hall that we would rent for the occasion.

As there was no school located in the district in which the “Hannah Place” was located, and as the city schools demanded $1 per month per child for tuition, five of us children were unable to finish grade school; however, about spring 1906 - owing to a new State grant to the cities - they offered to take us tuition-free, so Katherine, Paul and I went to the Oakland School for six weeks and finished out the term. Katherine and Paul did not go back the next term so I did not, either, and it was not until the fall of 1908 that I decided to return and finish my grade school education. This decision was reached through the godly advice and influence of Miss Anna Jepson, sister of Dr. Annis Jepson, and I went back to the Oakland School that year and then to the Bryant School for my 9th grade and graduated in June 1910. During that school year, we had moved from the “Hannah Place” in November to 5616 South Warner St, South Tacoma, where my parents lived until the Lord took them home; Father in May, 1940, and Mother in February, 1941.

Starting To Work

In November 1910, I went to work for the South Tacoma Feed Co., driving a one-horse delivery wagon, delivering feed, grain and hay in the South Tacoma area. During this month my brother, Fred (who had been suffering from a very severely damaged heart due to having overworked after suffering inflammatory rheumatism), died. He was nearly 22 years of age. Fred was the most godly of us children, in my estimation.

On December 1st, I was offered the opportunity to go to work for Balfour, Guthrie & Co., in Tacoma, and I was with them until March 31, 1915, when they reduced their forces due to the war in Britain. They were a British firm.

In April, I went over to Seattle and joined my brother, Bruce, who was driving “Jitney Bus” for Will McLean. Bruce taught me to drive and I had to learn the streets of downtown Seattle in order to obtain a Chauffeur’s License; this done, I started to drive “Jitney.” I drove Will’s 1913 Model-T Ford touring car in opposition to the street cars - at 5 cent fare - on the East Union run which started at First and Pike and went up Pike Street to Seventeenth Avenue, then south on Seventeenth to East Union and then east on Union to Thirty-fourth Avenue. There, we turned around, loaded and went back down Union to Eighteenth Avenue where we turned north to East Pike Street then west back to First and Pike.

Bruce and I boarded with Will McLean, and here I became better acquainted with Jennie Roach (who was Mrs. McLean’s helper in the house). I had seen her a number of times at conferences, as well as having met her parents, also. I only drove for the McLeans less than three months when he decided that the old Ford would not stand so many drivers and I was laid off. I then drove for several other owners - principally, Gilbert Kennedy with his Maxwell car - while Bruce was driving Will McLean’s Dodge, by this time. Both Bruce and I quit driving “Jitney” the summer of 1916; Bruce went to work for Sears, Roebuck & Co and I, after several jobs, went to work for the National Grocery Co., as Billing Clerk, where I remained until December, 1917, when I went to work for the Puget Sound Navy Yard as a Machine Operator, operating Punch and Shear machines.

Picture from Roy's ID Badge

(Click on picture to see full size)

Engagement To Jennie

It was while I was working at National Grocery that Jennie and I became engaged, in May 1917. Came 1918, wedding plans began to be formulated and April 7th was set.

In March, we searched for a house and were able, under God, to locate a little house at 339-1/2 - 9th St., in Bremerton, which we rented. It consisted of two rooms - kitchen and living-bed room – plus a front porch, enclosed with canvas, and a 9 X 12 tent that had wood floor and two-foot walls of shiplap, which was attached to the front porch. This house had electric lights and a faucet by the back door - no sink or plumbing.

We were married April 7th, 1918, at the Roach residence - 602 North 65th Street, Seattle - with Rev. Peter Klein as officiating pastor. Mother’s sister, Gladys, was Maid of Honor and my brother, Frank, was Best Man. It was Sunday afternoon, and we had very few guests. After some refreshments and goodbyes, Jennie and I walked up the hill, in the rain, and took the “Phinney” car (#21) down to Marion Street, went to the Coleman Dock and caught the boat to Bremerton, then walked to our little house at 339-1/2 – 9^th Street, where we spent our half-day honeymoon. I had to report to work at noon on Monday, the 8th, as the country was at war. We had some blessed times, there in that little house and the Lord wondrously protected us from the “Flu Epidemic” of September 1918; five different men who were assigned to help me on the punch press were stricken down with the flu.

David and Dick are Born

In January 1919, we were able to rent a nice little house, complete with plumbing, just over the fence from ours at $20 per month and it was here, at 1131 Cogean Avenue, that David was born.

In October 1919, we bought a place in the outskirts of Bremerton, at Rolph and Marguerite Streets, with nearly 1/4 acre of ground and several fruit trees. It had an old four-room house with no plumbing (but water on the back porch) and no electricity. Our neighbor coached me and I wired it with lights in every room and an outlet in the kitchen; it was here that Dick was born on February 11, 1921.

In July 1921, I was laid-off at the Navy Yard and the Lord enabled me to obtain work for Sears, Roebuck and Company in Seattle, during a quite severe depression, taking over their repair shop for Department 30. We were able to rent a small house in West Seattle, on West 49th Avenue near Admiral Way, where we lived for about six months. Then we were asked to move into the home of Mr. Arthur DeLacey (whose wife had passed away) who needed help in taking care of his little son, Arthur Jr. This arrangement lasted some four or five months, then Mr. DeLacey became engaged to a Miss Christian and they were to be married.

Jean, Margaret, and Brad are Born

We were then able to obtain a house at 6033 - 4^th Avenue N.W., in Seattle, which is where Jean was born October 19, 1922; later, while we were living in this same house, Margaret was born at the Norwegian Hospital August 3, 1924. About September 1924, we were able to arrange to buy the house next door – at 6037 - 4^th N.W. – from the Mattisens and it was here that Bradford was born July 27, 1926.

About the time of Jean’s birth, the Lord enabled me to get transferred from the shop to the buying office of the Auto Supply Department and I was there until April of 1925, when arrangements were being made to open their first retail store on the Pacific coast, Chicago having opened their first retail store January 1925, and this store was opened May 4th, 1925. Here, I was in charge of the Auto Accessory Department.

There were many who predicted that Sears was making a big mistake in opening a retail store away out south at Utah and Lander Streets, even though they provided a large parking lot for their customers’ cars, but the Saturday before the 30^th of May, 1925, the Auto Accessory Department took in over $1,200; on the Saturday before the 4^th of July following, we took in over $2,500 and the next year on the Saturday before the 4^th of July, we took in over $5,200. On the 14th or the 15th of July 1926, I was asked to move to Stockton, California to act as pick-up buyer for the store there and to leave on the 17th, which was done.

On October 4th, Mother and the family were able to join me at Stockton - Bradford having been born while I was away - although I was able to arrive home a couple of days after his arrival and remain home for a week. The Company arranged for Mother’s sister, Ruth, to accompany her and help with the children; all at Sears’ expense. I had been able to rent a house, at 327 North Locust Street in Stockton, and we had very sweet fellowship with the saints there and the Sunday school work there was very encouraging.

In February 1927, we were asked to move to Los Angeles, where I was to be buyer for a temporary store which was soon to open there (prior to the opening of their large mail-order retail-store combination) and their Vermont Avenue Store. Here, I was able to rent a satisfactory house in Monterey Park, at 331 North McPherrin Street, and the family joined me about a week, or so, later. Again, the Firm sent Ruth along to help Mother with the children - at their expense. About August 1st, I was transferred to the Boyle Heights plant to serve as Merchandise Supervisor for the retail stores of the Los Angeles district. July 1928, it was decided that we were to move to Reno, Nevada, to open the store there as Manager.

We left Monterey Park July 10th and arrived in Reno late the next night, having driven up in our 1922 model Dodge car. We stayed in a hotel for a couple of days, looking for a house, then moved into an apartment for about two weeks when we were able to rent the Lenecke house for $50 per month. It was a two-story affair, large, and a brute to heat. We lived here for nearly a year, then the Lord opened the way for us to lease a house at 38 Mary Street, at $35 per month, for one year.

The store was opened July 23rd, I believe, and what an awful building it was; the electrical system was very poor and there was a hotel above us which housed a good many immoral women. Quite often, we had the unfortunate experience of someone vomiting into the washbowl then turning on the water to flush it down, then going to sleep - without shutting off the water - and we received a flood which could be very damaging.

This store was at 360 North Virginia Street but we were able to move to a re-conditioned building at 215 North Sierra Street about November 1, 1929, and things looked quite rosy - for a time. The depression struck in December and business dropped off very rapidly during January, February and March; we were in the red each of these months. It was during April that the new District Manager came into the store, on a Monday morning, and we were offered a lesser position in the Sacramento store, if we would accept it, which we gladly did.

Now, in Reno, we were able to fellowship with the Alliance Church group in Sparks, Nevada, but a group of us who lived in Reno met at Lake Tahoe on Labor Day, 1928, and prayerfully discussed the possibility of starting sort of a Mission Sunday school and church work in Reno. This we did, and we were able to get the use of one of the school houses for our Sunday School and, once a month, we remembered the Lord together; there were only 12 to 15 of us, so gathered, but there were some 50 or so at the Sunday School.

We left Reno from the McClure home fairly early in the morning in our 1924 Dodge car, with our pots, pans, clothing and blankets packed in the car, driving up via Susanville - Red Bluff route to Sacramento, arriving there about 4 p.m. that evening. We had arranged for the transfer company to ship our furniture via rail the following day - which was the last day of our year’s lease at 38 Mary St. This is how accurately the Lord times things!

Sacramento

Upon our arrival at Sacramento, we went directly to the Sears store, where I met the new manager. He told me that he had been looking for three weeks for a suitable apartment, without success, and, when I told him that I wished to locate a house before coming to work, he remarked that I would not, likely, show up for two weeks, or so.

I went out, bought two newspapers and searched the “For Rent” columns with Mother, after prayer, and then started checking the three likely looking addresses. Number one was totally unsuitable; two was a Real Estate office, which was closed; the third address was a hotel and I went in to enquire. The clerk said, “This is a hotel, this is not a Real Estate Office, there must be some mistake.” But, when I showed him the ad in the paper, he was nonplussed. Then, one of the residents of the hotel spoke up and said, “The owner has some houses and might be advertising one - why not give her a call?” The clerk did, and Mrs. Davidson (the owner) came down from her apartment upstairs. She was the one who was advertising the house; five rooms on 1/4 acre of land with fruit trees, water supplied, at $25 per month.

We accompanied her out to the house - here there were beds, springs and mattresses in each of the three bedrooms, a dining table, chairs, gas range connected and electricity still connected. We paid her a down payment on the rent and unloaded our bedding, clothing, pots and pans. We lacked any bed linen or we could spend the night right there; however, upon hearing this, Mrs. Davidson said, “Look, I have lots of linens there at the hotel, and dishes, and I would be glad to loan these to you until your goods arrive from Reno.” Thus, we were able to take her back to the hotel, pick up these things, buy some groceries at the supermarket and move in, that evening. The next morning, I was able to place my deposit on the gas and electricity and was able to report to work at noon, to the amazement of the store manager. We truly thank God for this and the many other definite answers to prayer, which He has given us, through the years.

We had sweet fellowship with the little assembly there in Sacramento; also, with the Shepards and Roy Moyer in a Sunday school and mission work which they carried on in another part of town.

Charlotte was born here October 22, 1930, at the Sacramento County Hospital. When I was ready to take Mother and Babe home, I checked on my bill and the Lady asked me, “How many children do you have?” I told her that this one made six, then she asked what my salary was, and I told her $30 per week; she then said, “There will be no charge.” I praised the Lord, but nearly collapsed from shock! This was such a contrast from Reno, where - as Store Manager - I was expected to pay well for everything.

Two days before New Years, I was notified that we were being transferred to San Francisco and that I was expected to report for work on January 2nd, which was a Friday. I drove over to San Francisco on New Years Day, leaving Mother feeling poorly but hoping that it was not serious, met with the saints that evening at the Brethren Hall and was invited to stay with the Sherratts until the family could move over.

I went to work Friday morning and the Assistant Manager sent me out, with another employee, to look for a house and we located two possible houses. Saturday morning, when I went to work, I was told that Sacramento long distance was trying to get in touch with me. Upon contact, I was told that Mother had taken very sick Thursday evening and had been rushed to the hospital on Friday morning for surgery - removal of a ruptured appendix - and seemed to be resting comfortably now; the children were parceled out to various homes, and for me to come as soon as I could to make arrangements.

I left at noon and drove to Sacramento, counseled with friends there, then telephoned Tully Roach, in Seattle, and arranged for Letcher and Grace to come down and keep house for the family in Sacramento until Mother would be back on her feet and able to look after things. I returned to San Francisco and they arrived in Sacramento a few days later and were able to bring the family together and look after our home while I boarded with the Sherratts and worked at the store.

About two weeks later, Mother was able to return from the hospital and I was there to pick her up. Again, I asked what my bill was and was given the same answer, “There will be no charge.” Praise the Lord! Truly, His mercies are new every morning.

When Mother began to gain strength I started, again, to look for a house and was able to find one at 351 Orizaba Avenue; we moved about the first of February 1931. I should mention that in all of these moves, Seattle to Stockton to Los Angeles to Reno to Sacramento to San Francisco, Sears paid all the moving expenses. We thank the Lord for causing them to do this. We lived here a little less than a year, when we had the opportunity to buy a place at 710 Lakeview Avenue for $3,500, at $25 down and $75 per month. It was while we lived here that Joseph was born June 27th, 1932, some weeks after we had taken a vacation near Petaluma, California. We had come into contact with a lot of poison ivy, intertwined with blackberry vines that were loaded with berries, and in picking these berries we all contracted the poison ivy. Although Mother had contracted this, in the mercy of the Lord, Joe did not get infected.

While in Sacramento, I had been selling on the floor, mostly, but did a fair amount of service and repair work; however, in San Francisco, my work was service and repair of all appliances as well as installation and adjustment of gas and coal ranges. This required that I obtain a gas plumber’s license.

Here in San Francisco, we became greatly concerned about the housing situation, with relation to our children, for the houses were built directly one against the other and the only place for play and recreation was on the streets. I searched all the way to Palo Alto for an old place with one or two acres where we could have a cow, some chickens, etc., but could find nothing.

It was during these years that David became very interested in “Ham” radio and obtained his Class B license at 15 years of age, and his Class A license at 16, but was drifting farther away from the things of God and made his boast to Dick that, when he was 17, he would throw off “all this religious stuff.”

I should have mentioned, before, that in June 1929, we made a trip up to Seattle to attend the Mumford’s wedding although we had been notified, too late, that the wedding was postponed for a week or so. On this trip, we used a 1924 Dodge sedan with “Pullman Facilities” -- a little toilet and a gallon of water. We left Reno early in the morning and, that evening, we stopped at Jackson’s Hot Springs Motel at Ashland, Oregon, some 400 miles distant. The next night at a motel east of Vancouver, Washington, then to Tacoma at noon the next day.

On our trip in 1932, we carried a tent and camped each night. I just recall that, coming home in 1932, we came east of the mountains past Yakima and Grandview and ferried across the Columbia River at a point where there were many signs warning of quick-sand; then down the Oregon side of the river to Springdale, where we visited with dear Brother Crowston. He was suffering from cancer and died shortly after our visit. Then, at Portland, we joined Highway 99 and, thus, went south.

Front L to R: Margaret, Jean, Brad

Back: Dave, Roy, Charlotte, Jennie, Dick

Hartt family - early 1932

In September 1932, we received word that my mother had had a paralytic stroke and was not expected to live, so I went, by bus, to Tacoma and visited for a few days. When I was assured by Dr. N.A. Jepson that her heart was strong and that she might live for a number of years, I returned to San Francisco.

In July of 1933, we made the trip up to Seattle in our 1928 Dodge-Graham screen-side truck with two extra sedan seats mounted in the cargo space. We followed the Coast Highway up to Eureka, then cut east to the Trinity River, turned north on a one-way road on the cliff over to a bridge where we crossed the Trinity to the east side, shortly before the Trinity runs into the Klamath River. We then followed up the Klamath, crossing it to the north bank and on up to Happy Camp where we turned north up a little stream. There we camped over night amidst many gnats and mosquitoes - and no fish! The next day, we followed up the Klamath River to the junction of Highway 99 and followed 99 north to Seattle.

In Tacoma, we found my mother able to sit up in a chair and walk, a little, pushing a chair before her for support.

Our return was via Highway 99 all the way to Davis, California, where we turned west to San Francisco.

In April 1934, we bought a 1926 Marmon Big 6 Sedan car, a seven-passenger model, and, about the first of July, we took Grandpa Roach (who had come down to be with us) and went up to Lake Tahoe for a good holiday. Here, we climbed to the summit of Mt. Rose and played in the snow but, on our return to the car, which we had driven to a point on Incline Pass, we discovered that the engine was in bad shape. The next day, we “limped” the machine home and prepared the Dodge Coupe for a trip to Yosemite Valley, which Father Roach had hoped that we would see on our way home from Lake Tahoe.

The next day, David, Father and I made the trip up to Yosemite and, on our way, were able to make a wonderful find in the way of Del Monte Peaches - we were told to help ourselves. It was a lovely trip and Father enjoyed it to the full.

That fall, I rebuilt the Marmon engine, for less than $20, with used parts. Then, during the winter, we built a sleeping trailer in which we could sleep seven - four children with their heads to the front across the width on an upper level and two adults crosswise below them with Joe, the “baby,” between the wheel boxes. It also had food compartments on the under sides, in front of the wheels.

In 1935, we again made a trip up to Tacoma and Seattle in time to attend my mother and father’s Golden Wedding Anniversary, taking the Marmon and the trailer, but experienced considerable trouble with the engine heating up in the Sacramento Valley. We stopped at Cottonwood to have some welding done on the trailer hitch (which I had improvised) and had supper there. Then, we put Mother and five of the children to bed in the trailer while Dave, Dick and I were in the car. Dave was sleeping in an improvised bed in the back seat assembly, while Dick watched as I drove the car. As we got into the cooler mountain air, we had no trouble with the engine heating and we were able to hold 50 mph up and down hill. Dave woke at Ashland and I turned the car over to him while I slept. We got the family up at Eugene, Oregon, and had breakfast. That day, we arrived in Tacoma and had a nice visit with my folks.

We then went on to Seattle and Emander (where Father and Mother Roach had moved) and had a nice visit with them. We returned via Centralia and stopped with the Nelsons, where we loaded up one or two boxes of Black Republican cherries and a 15-gallon can of honey. We had to cook the cherries at the California border and I scorched them, in the cooking, but I believe that most of them were eaten.

Spokane

It was while on this return trip that the Lord started to stir us as to transferring out of San Francisco and we decided to look into the possibility of obtaining a transfer. Now, shortly after this, the Pacific Coast Vice President of Sears was in our store and I was able to have a good heart-to-heart talk with him regarding a transfer and the possibility of withdrawing my profit-sharing money to enable me to buy a home, with some acreage, for my family. He took the matter up with Chicago and also contacted Spokane. It was through this that the Lord enabled us to make a transfer to the Spokane store.

Dave and I drove up to Spokane, arriving there Friday evening, and contacted the store Saturday morning. Before leaving our motel, we had prayed that the Lord would guide us to a suitable home to buy and that His will regarding a transfer would be done. The house we were directed to that morning was the one we later bought (though we looked at many other places) but this was God’s choice for us and we were accepted for a transfer. We praise the Lord for His mercy and guidance.

The word of acceptance was given us Saturday evening and we left Sunday morning, driving to Tacoma and carrying a sack of apples from the place we had seen. Sunday night there was a very severe frost (October 26, 1935) that killed half of the fruit trees throughout the Spokane Valley and including the place we had seen.

We left San Francisco late Thursday afternoon and got to San Rafael where we spent the night and decided that we had to get rid of our stuff. The trailer on which we were trying to haul our goods was not road-worthy. On Friday, we sold most of our stuff, shipped some, and were able to leave San Rafael Saturday noon and drive up past Klamath Falls, Oregon, onto an Indian Reservation, where we spent the night.

After much car trouble, some of which was my fault, we got away from there at 6:00 PM Monday evening and drove up to Wasco, where we spent the rest of the night at a motel. We were off early in the morning and on to Spokane where we arrived at 7:00 PM, spent the night in a motel, and I went to work the next morning - serving as Shipping Clerk.

For nearly two weeks, Mother and the family searched for the proper place for us to buy in Spokane, checking with the various Real Estate agencies, but the Manny Place - which Dave and I had seen on our scouting trip - was the favorite and we were able to buy and move in in February 1936.

This property consisted of two acres, a lovely solid house, full plumbing, etc., and the purchase price of $2,900 included many boxes of apples, several cords of wood, the farm tools and so forth. Later, we were able to buy eight acres that lay around our property, making a total of ten acres, and were able to have Mr. Hughes (later, our brother-in-law) build us a barn, which was quite a help.

In July 1936, we bought the 1936 Model 85 Ford V-8 Sedan, trading in the Marmon for $83. We also took over the Yardley Sunday School, for the American Sunday School Union, as Superintendent. Also, in July, David went to the Conference at Lake Sammamish with Grandma Roach - and was gloriously saved, for which I have never ceased to thank God for it revolutionized his life completely. At Lake Sammamish, Dave was thrown in contact with a number of Prairie students, who influenced his life, and later led to his going to Prairie Bible Institute. After his conversion, Dave and Dick would both take their Bibles to high school where they would witness for the Lord, and it was in 1937 that Dave graduated.

We were attending the Sunday evening services at the First Brethren Church and, during the summer of 1937, Dave Hartt, Ray Staley and Lloyd Lessler started up a Sunday school at Deer Creek, near Mount Spokane; when Dave went to Bible School, in the fall of 1938, Dick, Jean, Margaret, Bradford and I carried this on until we moved in 1940. We thank God that we will meet some in glory who were led to Christ through this work.

In the fall of 1939, Prairie Bible Institute opened a high school for other than staff children, as well as staff children, and our Jean and Margaret were able to attend - Jean for grade 12 and Margaret for grade 9.

In March of 1940, I suffered a sort of nervous difficulty, leaving me unable to express myself verbally, so I took ten days of my vacation and went over to Seattle for treatment by Dr. N.A. Jepson. He termed it extreme exhaustion and urged me to stop most of my preaching activities, which I did.

In May, my father went home to be with the Lord and we all attended the funeral, in South Tacoma, which was a time of glorious victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In late May, I took Father Roach up to Prairie to attend Jean’s graduation from high school and, while these few days off had been arranged back in March for this purpose, yet (owing to the pressure of work) the management did not want me to leave and I went against their will. Upon my return, the resultant discord was such that I resigned about 10 AM that morning but, later, wondered if I had been too hasty. However, about 11:15 AM, Dave (who had an early noon hour there) came out onto the shipping platform to eat his lunch and stopped me as I went by, and said, “Daddy, I think it is time for you to quit Sears.” I looked at him and said, “Son, I resigned at 10:00 AM this morning. He jumped up and hugged me and exclaimed, “Praise the Lord, for I have been praying about this for some time.” This convinced me that God had led me in the matter of resigning.

May I digress to say that when Father Roach and I drove up to the Music Building, at Prairie (which was then Main Dorm) there were two girls sitting on the front steps, watching, and suddenly one of them just flew down the steps and we were engulfed by Margaret, who took us over to Mr. Maxwell’s house where the seniors were being entertained; suddenly, Jean burst out of the house and we were again engulfed. It was so good to see them again and be with them. Graduation was the next day and the following day we drove home.

Bremerton Area

It was a week or more before I was able to get away from Sears, Roebuck, but on a Tuesday evening I was able to ride over to Seattle on the Eckert truck and then went over to Bremerton Navy Yard, where the Lord enabled me to get on as a Machinist’s Helper - for a 44 hour week at a dollar more, per week, than I had been getting at Sears for a 54 hour week.

I immediately started looking for a place for the family and, after much searching, sent Mother some maps and requested her to study them and decide just what area she would like to have me locate.

About a week later, there was an ad in the paper, “Large old log house on 4 acres of land, $750.” In following this up, I discovered that this was an old place that we had visited when David was 6-months old, and we had often talked about it as an ideal place. Of course, it was quite run down by this time but had many possibilities. I wrote to Mother concerning this and suggested that I should offer $700 cash for it, but stated that I would do nothing until I heard from her.

At this time, I was boarding with the Roy Bear family and imagine my surprise, upon reaching the house, to be told that I had a letter from Mother and she told me that she had the maps and would like me to locate a place somewhere between Tracyton and Silverdale, and said, “You remember that large log house near Silverdale, where they had the lovely strawberries on the hillside? I would like a place like that.” She enclosed a check, from Sears, closing out our profit-sharing money, which I could use for “earnest money.”

The Real Estate Company who had advertised the property discovered that they could not sell it to us; they had not foreclosed on the man, who was way behind in his payments. However, the Lord arranged that we were able to buy from this man and get immediate possession. At this same time, the Lord sent a buyer in answer to prayer to purchase the Spokane property. We were very grateful, and we were able to have the family moved over the fore part of July 1940.

This place proved to be a very satisfactory location for us, being only two miles from Silverdale, where we could fellowship with the saints at the Silverdale Bible Church and there were stores, a post office, etc.; also, there was bus service to and from the Navy Yard from just below our house.

That fall, we lined up with the Sunday School Union and they arranged for us to work at Lone Rock Sunday School, which we did until we left for Prairie in June 1944. Jean and Margaret both helped me in opening the Sunday School work at Lone Rock and we thank God for this contact, for we believe that some souls were saved during that time.

It was during February of 1941 that my dear Mother went home to be with the Lord at South Tacoma, Washington, after having suffered a stroke some nine years before; now, she is in the presence of her loving Savior whom she is praising together with my Father who went on before, in early May 1940.

About a year after coming to the Navy Yard, I transferred to the Drillers and stayed with them for about six months, then received a call as a Machinist and served with them for about two and a half years. It was during this time that they organized a “Trial Engineer Crew” under Jimmie Segari and the Personnel Director suggested my name for this crew, for which I was very thankful. This gave me valuable experience in preparation for service at Prairie. This work included operating turbine-powered generators plus nearly every other equipment in an engine room of a ship.

Prairie Bible Institute

It was the fall of 1943 that Mother and I felt called to come to Prairie Bible Institute as students, but felt that we would have to wait until the following spring to sell the property. This the Lord enabled us to do and we were able to sell for cash, including all our various personal equipment and furniture. The folk who bought our place wanted possession by June 1st but we could not move until June 15th for Margaret and Bradford were up at Prairie, Bradford would not graduate until June 8th and would have to drive home. We paid the buyers rent for the half-month.

The Lord opened the way for us to move over to Lake Sammamish Bible Camp on the 15th, which was a real answer to prayer, as I had promised Margaret and Brad that they could have a full month in the State of Washington before we would move up to Prairie and the Lord enabled us to spend three months there at Lake Sammamish as the Mumfords (who were moving up to Prairie together with us) were unable to sell their property, in Olympia until about September 8th.

We finally got started for Prairie September 16th, in the late afternoon, and we arrived at Prairie September 27th after various difficulties - including two split wheels and several flat tires. We had started from Lake Sammamish with about 3,500 lbs. load in the trailer but, at Cle Elum, we shipped about 1,000 lbs. of books, etc., by rail freight to Three Hills. Even with the lighter load, we split two wheels and had many flat tires. This trailer, which we bought for $140, had near-center-mounted tandem axles and 600 x 16 tires. The body was 14 ft. long, 8 ft. wide and 6 ft. high with a removable back panel - a veritable “van.” Some time after our arrival at Prairie, Mrs. Frost bought it and used it as a sleeping room for one of her girls.

I should mention that, in 1944, the United States was in the midst of “gas rationing” and upon my resigning from the Navy Yard I applied for rations on the basis of 11 miles to the gallon, pulling that trailer. The clerk changed my papers to a 12-miles-to-the-gallon basis, stating that that was the best they were allowed to do. I prayed that the Lord would see us through and, when I went and picked up my ration book, I discovered that the Lord had caused them to give me over 30% more gallons than I had originally asked for. When Clarence Mumford and I, with our families, filled our gas tanks at Babbs, Montana, before crossing into Canada, I had one ration ticket over and Clarence lacked one ticket of being able to fill his tank. Thus, the Lord had taken care of us even to the last detail. Praise the Lord!

I should have mentioned that Bradford was to graduate from high school at Prairie in early June 1944, so I came up by train for the graduation and rode back with Bradford and Margaret (who had remained as a summer worker since the close of Bible School) plus three other students. We were in the 1929 Plymouth car that we had bought for the children’s transportation and the Lord gave us a very pleasant trip home.