--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 29 number: 8 published: 1926-06 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Westerners in Action,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 8 (June 1926): 755–764." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2908unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2908unse start_page: 755 end_page: 764 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2908unse publication_year: 1926 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Westerners in Action m mRhB H i F 5 * 1 SAMUEL JEPPERSON A Pioneer With a Singing Soul WESTERNERS IN ACTION Samuel Jepperson, a Pioneer With a Singing Soul By Professor H. R. Merrill, Brigham Young University Samuel Jepperson was never known for his singing, but he has a singing soul, so say the pioneers who have known him, man and boy for nearly three-quarters of a century. Coming to Salt Lake City when but two years of age, Samuel Jepperson soon became enamored of the mountains which surrounded him. When but little more than an infant his parents trekked south with him to Provo, Utah county, where they secured a home on the shore of Lake Utah, built a house almost among the reeds, where the queer sounds of the water fowls at evening lulled the boy to sleep, and where the snow-capped Mt. Timpanogos, more than two miles above him, greeted his light-blue eyes each morning. In this place, backed by generations of music-loving Scandinavian ancestors, Samuel 756 IMPROMEMENT ERA Jepperson developed the soul-power that has enriched his people and his nation. He was a farmer; was, because he sold his farm only last fall to his son. He is over seventy years of age, but like Rabbi Ben Ezra, he feels that, with the press of labor gone, the end of life promises to be the best. His enthusiasm is youthful. Yes; he was a farmer, but the soul-power developed among the reeds by fifteen thousand Utah sunsets, gorgeous beyond description, over Utah Lake to the west of his home, and an equal number of sunrises, over the Wasatch to the east of his home, had to find ex- pression through other channels. This farmer, therefore, listening to his singing soul, began to paint, began to play, began to sing. As a boy, in a community where tubes of artists' colors were unknown, he gathered his color from the wild cherry, the wild gooseberry, the mustard, and a score of other growing plants and began to paint pictures with these crude colors to satisfy the longing of his soul for expression of the beautiful things he felt. Then one day a scene painter came to his frontier town. Young Jepperson followed him about, helping him, hindering him, plying him with questions, and worming from him the source of his paints and, his skill. Later a portrait painter came to be the idol of the growing boy. He found his colors and set to work upon the scenes that had made his soul sing. While wresting a living from the soil to support a wife and a large family of small children, this man ;gave much of his time to his art. No doubt his neighbors laughed at him, as they have done at the prophet in his own town from the days of Adam, but he kept on; he still keeps on. The critics come and say, "The pictures are too realistic;" or, "The picture lacks imagination." The pioneer smiles and continues to daub, for he isn't painting pictures for the critics; he is painting for his soul. Nearly all of his pictures, and there are a thousand or more of them, are of pioneer scenes connected with the history of the West. Many of the critics disregard his pictures, but there are a few who recognize that this man has written a chapter in American art that some day may be worth while. There are scores of people who love the man and his work. Many are like the secretary of the Provo Chamber of Commerce, himself a pioneer* and a son of a pioneer, who said: "I don't care a what the critics say, I like Sam Jepperson's paintings, and I'm not afraid to say it!" But this man with the singing soul did more for art than to paint. He wrote a chapter in the musical history of his state, and his children are adding to the story. Finding his town practically without music, he organized a band and an orchestra. Finding them without instruments, he supplied them by making them. He worked four days with an ox-team, bare-footed in the canyon, when but a boy of fourteen, for his first "fiddle." This he loved and learned to play WESTERNERS IN ACTION 757 as few pioneers learned to play by themselves. He played by note, and played with a fluency and finish that was surprizing. He led the first band and the first orchestra organized in the Brigham Young University, then the Brigham Young Academy. During his career he made fifty violins, one hundred eighty guitars, ten or twelve cellos, several violas, and six double bass viols. Included among the guitars were many of original design with harp string accompaniment. In a nut shell, this is his contribution to his civilization: One thousand paintings (there are probably many more) valued at from $25 to $300, worth in money, not counting their artistic value to his community, at least $50,000; fifty violins worth at least $5,000; ten cellos worth $1,500; six viols worth $900; and six double bass viols worth probably $600; and one hundred eighty guitars worth at least $1,800. In all he has created in the neighborhood of $60,000 of wealth, all of which will increase rather than decrease with the passing years. But, of course, he didn't get this sum of jnoney, as most of his pictures are not sold. But the best thing he did cannot be counted in money. ( He was a light shining in the wilderness to many other artistic souls who might not, except for him, ever have been developed. He gave to a raw and more or less uncouth frontier a little soul-heat from which whole communities have been warmed. In addition he has given to the world a daughter who is loved from Boston to Utah for her soulful voice and her matchless feeling for music; another daughter with a dramatic soprano voice that is decidedly promising; a son whose fingers can draw from stringed instruments their secrets, and whose lips can extract sweetness from brass instruments. I saw this pioneer the other day. He is planning to have the greatest Summer of his life this Summer, even though the clock has ticked off nearly three-quarters of a century since his birth. "I am going to Zion Canyon," said he. "There I am going to spend the Summer and paint. It is nearly fifty years since I painted my first pictures in Utah's Dixie, and I want to go back there and see if I have improved." As he talked, his blue eyes lit and his hands trembled. I knew he was listening to his singing soul. This is Samuel Jepperson, artist, farmer, musician, instrument maker, but above all, lover. He has lived a simple life, urisung, unappreciated, but not unloved. To know him is to love him. Provo, Utah. Orangeville Pioneers, Showing Five Generations These are all members of the Orangeville ward, Emery stake, Utah. Baby Rena Van Buren is the nucleus of the picture, and with the baby in the front row are its father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. 758 IMPROMEMENT ERA Vernon V. Van Buren. Center row, left to right: Mrs. J. L. Killian, a great-grandmother of the baby; Mrs. Andrew Van Buren, a greal- grandmother; Mrs. S. L. Jewkes, great-great-grandmother, 92 years of age; Mrs. Hyrum H. Taylor, a great-grandmother; and Mrs. A. G. Jewkes, also a great-grandmother. Back row: Mrs. J. Frank Killian, .1 grandmother of the baby; J. Frank Killian, a grandfather; Flyrum H. Taylor, a great-grandfather; A. G. Jewkes, a great-grandfather; A. A. Van Buren, a grandfather; and Mrs. A. A. Van Buren, a grand- mother. The first three in the center row all crossed the plains during ORANGEVILLE PIONEERS, FIVE GENERATIONS the 60's. The old lady, the baby's great-great-grandmother, was 96 years of age on February 19, 1926. She has sixty living great- grandchildren, and fifteen great-great-grandchildren, all but three liv- ing. She was a convert from England to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The two men in the center of the back row took very active part in the Black Hawk Indian war in Sevier and Sanpete counties; and, with their wives, answered the call of the Church to go from Sanpete county to Emery county, or Castle Valley, to take part in the settlement of that country. All these people were alive in April, 1926.— A. Gladys Carron Wins Trip to New York Gladys Carron, a first-year student in typewriting at Richfield high school, won the coveted trip to New York in the Second WESTERNERS IN ACTION 759 GLADYS CARRON AND GEORGE HOSSFALD Annual Shorthand and Typewriting contest which was held at Brigham Young University in March. Miss Car- ron was a post-graduate of Richfield high school, but under the rules of the contest, she was eligible to participat2 in the contest since she was taking her first-year of typewriting and was reg- istered for a sufficient number of hours 2t the high school. Miss Carron will have a free trip to the national contests which will be held in New York next fall. She will go as the guest of the Underwood Type- writer Company. She is shown in the picture with George Hossfald, for five years world's champion typist, who was present at the contest. Mis9 Carron made a record of 62 words oer minute. — H. R. Merrill. Provo, Utah. A Pioneer Family A picture of Fred A. Rindlisbacher, wife and family, of Ban- croft, Idaho. The father and mother were born in Switzerland, in 1871, and 1876, respectively. They immigrated to Utah in 1883. and located in Providence, Cache county. They were married in the Salt Lake temple August 3, 1894; and removed to the place then known as "Squaw Flat," and filed on a homestead near the Bancroft station, Idaho. Here they were instrumental in organizing the Lund ward, from which Bancroft, Central and Turner wards are out- growths. They pioneered the wild sagebrush country, brought the water from Bear river to the parched soil, and besides this took leading part in religious matters. Brother Rindlisbacher acted for twelve years in the superintendency of the Lund school, and for 26 years as a ward teacher. He filled a mission to Germany in 1902-3, and for a number of years was a stake High Councilman. The mother is a member of the Relief Society, and has done much good among the sick and the afflicted. The eldest son filled a mission in the Southern states. The four married daughters and one son, were all married in the temple, and are all giving service in the Church. Brother Rindlisbacher and wife have thirteen children, averaging in age from six to thirty years; eleven grandchildren living and four dead. The splendid work of this family is a sample of what Latter-day Saint families are doing 760 IMPROMEMENT ERA FRED A. RINDLISBACHER AND FAMILY in different parts of the West, in subduing the soil, building the country and the commonwealth, and at the same time rearing honor- able families, and acknowledging the blessings of the Lord, in all they enjoy. — A. Zion Park Mountaineers CLIMB TO SUMMIT OF LADY MOUNTAIN Officials and scouts who made the climb were: Scoutmaster Royal Chamberlain, Assistant Scoutmaster Alfred Riddle, Troop Committeemen Andrew M. Anderson and Nephi Christensen, and scouts Joseph Fife. Verdel Lunt. Mont Rosenburg. Claude Smith, Reed Petty, Harry B. Leigh, Thorley Cox, Richard Thorley, Conway Parry and William Dover. WESTERNERS IN ACTION 761 Andrew M. Anderson, chairman Troop Committee, Cedar City Boy Scout Troop No. 2, with the troop, made the first recorded climb to the top of Lady Mountain in Zion National Park during their Spring hike, on Saturday, April 17. This mountain rises straight above the valley about three thousand feet, and overlooks! the Great White Throne, and also gives a magnificent view of. the surrounding country as far as the Kaibab forest. The climb is made almost straight up the face of the cliff, with hundreds of steps cut into the rocks Several thousand feet of cable were stretched to assist the climbers^ Those who made the climb are eligible to membership in the Inter- national Organization of the Zion Park Mountaineers. Another fea- ture of the hike was a swim at La Verkin hot springs. Indians at Conference More than fifty years ago, President Brigham Young, always a great friend to the Indians, ordered a community of Indians established in Box Elder County, Utah, and named the community "Washakie." This unique colony consisted of a band of roving Shoshones, to whom Photo by George Ed. Anderson, Springville, Utah The picture shows, left to right: Kin Nolagau, Posetz Nolagau, Hay Timbimboo, Yampitch Timbimboo, Yeagah Timbimboo. Mr. arid Mrs. Tim- bimboo are grandparents of the little girl: their son, Moroni Timbimboo, father of the girl, is superintendent of the Sunday school at Washr.kie. missionaries were sent by the great pioneer. They practically all joined the Church, were organized into a ward, which is functioning at present under the direction of Bishop George M. Ward, and his full-blooded Indian counselors, Yeagah Timbimboo, and another In- 762 IMPROMEMENT ERA dian whose name we did not obtain. The Bishop and his family 2re the only white people residing in the colony. Mostly all the Indians are members of the Church, although there are a few who are not. The Sunday school, M. I. A., and various other auxiliaries of the Church are officered by Indians, and this is likewise the case with the priesthood quorums. They have a school directed by a white teacher, where the children of the Indians art taught the waysi of the white man. The younger Indians, for the most part, speak the English language, though many of the older people are not able to do so. Automobiles, sewing machines, and other modern conveniences are found among the Indians, many of whom dwell in regular build- ings, though a number still insist upon housing themselves in their tepees or "wiki-ups." The Indians live by farming and working on the farms in various parts of Box Elder county; and, as with the whites, some are prosperous and some are in poverty. At the recent 96th annual conference of the Church, Yeagah Timbimboo, who is 75 years of age, spoke in the great tabernacle, his remarks being interpreted by Bishop Ward. The members of the colony who visited the conference consisted of ten civilized red men and women of Washakie, who were interested listeners to the talk that Timbimboo gave to the people, and which talk is printed in the April Conference Report. Two of the Indians who came to conference were not members of the Church, but they attend Church regularly every Sunday, and are interested in the organizations of Washakie. Bishop George M. Ward is a son of Moroni ward, who was one of the founders of the Indian colony. Faith is this Man's Wealth By Lowry Nelson A resident "minister of the gospel" in the Church of Jesus CJhrist. of Latter-day Saints is very extraordinary, to say the least. In fact, I had never heard of one, except the missionaries, until I met the subject of this sketch. In the course of my interview with him, I recalled that when I sent a questionaire to stake presidents recently there was one who reported his occupation as "Minister of the Gospel." I thought this must be a facetious remark, for I could readily understand how a stake president, because of his many duties, might consider his main vocation as working for the Church, and his incidental work that of making a living . But now, I discover that President William Thomas Jack, of Cassia stake in Idaho, spends his entire time in religious duties; and his manner and address impress one with the idea that he is a worthy and capable servant of the Lord. WESTERNERS IN ACTION 763 Over his three score and ten years, President Jack has witnessed the enactment in the Snake River valley of a tremendous pageant. He was sent to Oakley to preside over Cassia stake in May, 1900. He had been home just two days from the Central States mission where he was president. His resources dapleted by two missions, he was hard pressed at that time for means to get him to his Idaho destination. A widow who lived neighbor to him in Salt Lake City came to him and offered some small assistance. He declined, feeling that what she had to offer him would not be of much aid, and might cause her to suffer. This good woman came each day for three days, each time raising the amount which she wished to have him accept, until finally PRESIDENT WM. T. JACK, CASSIA STAKE she offered to let him have three hundred dollars. This was just the cmount which he needed to take him to Oakley and purchase a house, which cost him one hundred dollars, so he accepted it. In 1900, Cassia stake included the territory now involved in .the stakes of Boise, Raft River, Twin Falls, Burley, Blaine, Minidoka, and Cassia. In order to make the rounds of his stake, it was necessary 764 IMPROMEMENT ERA for him to travel 150 miles north from Oakley, 80 miles west, 40 miles south, and about 30 miles east: "I have worn out several buggies, and several span of horses," remarked President Jack, "and in making the trips in the winter. I frequently ex- perienced much discomfort. The cold seemed to get right into my bones. But my motto has always been, 'The Kingdom First,' and so I did not mind discomfort so long as I was in the line of my duty. "When I came to this country I did not have much money, but I had a good store of faith. I had learned the goodness of the Lord on my mission, and my testimony always remained with me to strengthen me in time of need. I took much comfort from the statement of Ncphi, that the Lord never makes a requirement of people, without making it possible for them to fulfil it." President Jack reports that he did not have an opportunity to attend any college or university, except that he has been a life-long student in the "University of Hard Knocks." He has taken advantage of his experience and let it teach him. He has, of course, been a close student of the scriptures all his life, and has enriched his store of knowledge from wide reading in the world's literature. President Jack with his counsellors have been in office longer than any other living stake presidency in the Church. He has seen the remarkable development in the Snake River valley, due to reclamation by irrigation of the vast stretches of fertile soil, which at the time he first came to Oakley was entirely barren of human, habitation. His great life's message and the ideal which has led him on might well be summed up in the injunction of the Savior: "Seek ye first the kingdom; of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." , Ptovo, Utah. June JUNE is the sixth month of the year, The promise of MAY is fulfilled; The garden of Eden again is in bloom, for — ■ Now we have roses and JUNE. JUNE is the month of perfection, She's the beautiful sister of MAY; Her garments of roses, her arms filled with roses, Almost she is fairer than MAY. Rogers, Arkansas MRS. OTIS GEISE