Post by Jerry Thornton on Sept 8, 2007 17:13:50 GMT -5
Theodore Frelizing Houskeeper Homestead Cabin
as it appeared 1970, now gone
Four generations of Houskeepers lived on the homestead ranch until it was sold to the Hammerschmid family January 1963. It was located in the top of the field between milepost marker 24 and 25.
Theodore Frelizing Houskeeper was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia on June 23rd, 1843. His wife, Sarah Butler was born in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England on May 17th, 1842.
Theodore F. died Jan. 29, 1915.
Sarah died Feb. 12, 1920. They both are buried in the Orangeville Cemetery.
Their children:
Elizabeth Ann b. Jan 8, 1868 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Rosetta b. Dec. 3, 1870 in Payson, Utah.
Theodore Benjamin b. July 30, 1872 in Payson, Utah.
William Henry b. Mar. 29, 1874 in Payson, Utah.
Sarah Emily b. Jan. 12, 1876 in Payson, Utah.
Margaret Rebecca b. Oct. 14, 1877 in Payson, Utah.
David Franklin b. Feb. 5, 1879 in Milburn, Utah.
Annie Eliza b. June 11, 1881 in Orangeville, Utah.
Emma Jane b. May 29, 1883 in Orangeville, Utah.
The Houskeeper family settled in Orangeville in 1880. Nine Mile Canyon was well known to them, as their neighbors, the Burnett family had a daughter Luna Alger Smith that, with her husband Charles, had homesteaded in the canyon on the lower part of the property now known as the Houskeeper homestead.
Charles and Luna Smith built a 'nice little spread' with a two-room log home. Their neighbors to the west, in the mouth of Cow Canyon, the Alger (All-grr) brothers, Lon and Gett, were Luna's brothers. They might be known as ornery and ornerier.
The Smiths had to share a dam with Algers for getting water to their properties. Getting along with the 'brothers' proved too much of a hassle, so the Smiths sold to Kimball, who later sold to Houskeeper. Then Theodore F. Houskeeper homesteaded the two forties across from the mouth of Cow Canyon.
He discovered a nice stand of Douglas Fir noth in what is now called Houskeeper Draw. He found a tar pit there as well, which supplied tar he needed on the ranch. He brought timber from the steep draw to build a cabin and later a large home. Theodore's sons, Theodore B. and William were students at BYU Academy. Theodore was a musician and wanted to study law. William was to become an accountant. The father decided that Theodore should inherit the ranch, and help William with his schooling. Reluctantly, Theodore B. went to Nine Mile Canyon to live out his life as a farmer and rancher.
In 1906, Theodore B. married Clarasee, (Clara) Alger, and yes, sister of the 'brothers'. They were very devoted to each other. Clarasee, also a scholar and teacher, was a musician. For many year they hauled her organ, took his violin, crowed the children in a buggy and traveled from place to place to play for dances, from their place out to the Wells.
Their children:
Luella Fern b. Nov. 20, 1907
Sarah Jane b. Nov. 10, 1909
Theodore Burnett (Ted) b. June 7, 1911.
Clara Evelyn b. Oct. 21, 1914 died at five months old.
Eliza Lucille b. May 21, 1916
John Chester b. July 26, 1918
All the children were born in Price, except Janie was born in Orangeville. All were raised on the ranch.
Clara was as spunky as her brothers and helped Theodore with the relationship. The two families built the Alger Dam together. It still stands on the Mead ranch. However, the 'brothers' were always stealing Theodore's irrigation water. More to torment him than anything else, I believe. Trip after trip he made up to the dam. Then there was a brawl, and because Theodore was a mild mannered man, not given to fisticuffs, the thought prevailed that the Alger brothers had 'cleaned his plow'. The water problems ceased at any rate. Years later, Dave Johnson, a contemporary to these men, tod Ted that Theodore had bested the Alger brothers in the altercation. This put a smile on all our faces.
Kay Houskeeper, Ted's wife, Craig Houskeeper's mother, took the homestead cabin picture. Craig loaned it to the NMCSA for this newsletter issue. Following is a family history written by Craig. He and his siblings were the fourth generation Houskeepers to live on the ranch. Brady and Colby Dalton, great, great, great, grandson's of Theodore Frelizing Houskeeper, prepared the lettering and photo for this issue. Norma R. Dalton prepared the text. There may be errors, according to others, in this text. History changes, according to the recorder and the information available. NMCSA welcomes other views and most importantly an expansion on the short accounting given here. There is much more to tell of these earlier settlers, please share your stories.