Section 2 contains two PatriarchalBlessings of Lola May Peppers, one in 1906 when she was anO'Barr, and the other in 1932 as a Clevenger.
Section 3 contains some of Lola MayPeppers' favorite sayings and writings.
Section 4 is " This Is Your Life,"written and read by daughters Ida O'Barr Verney Francom and AliceO'Barr Sliger at a Relief Society's opening social in 1962especially honoring Lola May Clevenger as their beloved andoldest member. She was almost 88 years old at this time.
Section 5 is the funeral address written by daughter Alice O'Barr Sliger and was read by RandyWhite, a grandson.
Chapter 2: Section 1.   Life story of Lola May Peppers (O'Barr)(Clevenger)
Began this 8 Feb 1941 Our Life Story of Lola May Peppers
I Began this life on 26 November 1874 at Strafford Green Co.Mo. My Father name was Austin Jackson Peppers, who were born 25Aug 1845 and Died May 6 1926 at Wilburton Okla his Father namewer Austin Peppers born about 1825, lived at Greenvill Kentuckey Died about Aug 1865 at Greenvill Kentuckey Muhlinburg Co alltheir Temple work dun in Ariz Temple My mother name was JudyAnn Anderson born 27 Feb 1851 at Strafford Green Co Mo died at Wilburton Okla 4 Feb 1938 her Father name James PAnderson Born about 1820 of old Virginia died about Aug 1872 atStrafford Green Co Mo her mother Doshie Ann Campbell Born about1830 in Tennessee Died About 1895 at Strafford Green Co Mo herFather name James Campbell born about 1790 North Carolina diedabout 1860 he married Lucy Campbell maiden name unknown bornabout 1791 in North Carolina Died about 1861 their Temple workDun in the Ariz Temple
My Fathers Family Idela Peppers was born 27 May 1872 atStrafford Green Co Mo she died Sept 1873 at Strafford Mo shewer sealed to her parence 15 Mar 1939 in the Ariz Temple LolaMay Peppers born 26 Now 1874 at Strafford Green Co Mo Wer sealedto parents while living, in Ariz Temple 15 Mar 1939 James Arthur Peppers born 10 Mar 1877 at Strafford Green Co MO MaryAlice Peppers born 9 Oct 1879 at Strafford Green Co Mo Died 6Dec 1890 Muldro Okla she babtised and endowed 27 April 1915 inSt George Temple, St. George Washington Co Utah she wer sealedto parents in Ariz Temple 15 Mar 1929. Lillie Ann Peppers born29 June 1882 at Strafford Green Co Mo still living Jossie JainPeppers born 8 Sept 1885 at Strafford Green Co Mo still living Robert E. Lee Peppers born 30 Sept 1888 at Strafford Green Co Mostill living Wilam Walter Peppers born 29 Mar 1894 at WilburtonOkla died at Hot Springs Arkansas he wer babtised 3 Dec 1927Endowed 13 Apr 1928 sealed to parence 15 Mar 1939 in the ArizTmple Mesa Ariz Maricopa Co.
So I will began my life story. I wer the second child ofmy Fathers family of Eight children I began school at eightyears of age had to walk 3 miles and as it is cold in that partof the contery I did not get to go very mutch we lived on afarm and I had to help with the work in the hous and out ofdores. I wer raised in the Free Will Baptes Church and they did not bleve in Joining the Church till old enuff to choose whatChurch you waited to Join I never joined eny of them and when Iwer about 15 years old my Father became dissitifide of where hewer living sold out and went to Arkansas but did not find justwhat he wanted so he began to moove a round and we all Picked cotton whereever we could find eny. So went to Eureky Springs Arkansas and Iwent to school we did not pick cotton while there and I got togo to school more that ever, but we only staid one winter. so Inever got to go to school eny more is the reasion I have notgot a better Edecation. I never went to school as mutch aschildren get to go in one year here in my hole life, so if thingsare not spelt coroct Pleas excuse it hope it will be plain andsimple so eny one can understand it
well after we left Eureky Springs we came out to the cottonfields again. Picked cotton from place to place Father hearingof a Better Place in the Indin Tirortory now Okla. So we wentthere 7 miles across the Riber from Fort-Smith Arkansas there iswhere I first met Augustus Barto OBarr, He wer the cotton weighorso we fell in love at first site.
he wer a widower with too little Boys they wer in Arkansaswith his mother So our love making or spooning wer dun in thecotton patch or at the wagon where the cotton wer waid therewer no place to go and if there had of been my Parence would notof let me go they thought I wer Ingaged to a Fellow Back Clostto Strafford Mo befor we left there. his name wer HarisonStratton but they did not like him so he did not come to ourhous. So we would meat at other places there wer a notherfelow that they did like his name wer Clay Bars but I did notlike him I only went with him so I could get to Places whereHariss wer we thought a lot of each other in so much that henever did marry eny body. So I heard a bout 60 years he hadentbut as I wer yong when we left Strafford I soon forgot him andwhen I met Guss it wer all off with him
I never will forget the first time we met it wer at alittle place called Cottonwood about 5 miles from Muldro Okla. it had been raining and they wer not picken cotton . We got tothis Place late in the afternoon. the men folks wer gon but thelady let Father have a hous and we wer unloding our things whensome men came up one wer the owner of the cotton fields and theother one wer Guss O'Barr they wer Inspecting the Bunch ofcotton Pickers we had: 2 wagons 4 head of horses and 8 of us, sowe maid quite a shoing. they wer out in the yard talking toFather not far from the well. mother sent me for a bucket ofwatter
the well wer covered over with big pieces of timber calledrails and as they wer hevy to lift Guss asked if he could helpeme get the watter but I said no thank you but seeing he werwatchin me I got the watter and left in a hurry leaving the well open and he had to cover it up he has laughfed meny a timeabout it how I blushed and went a way leaving him to caver thewell so next day we all picked cotton and he did the waying
cotton only grew about 2 or 3 feet high in that contry enyone could see all over the fields there wer other yong menpicking in the same field they would try to pick clost to meand kept talking and teasing me I told them if they did notquit I wer going to leave the field so I started and Guss werpickin clost by says come over and helpe me I have too rows andyou can have one of them so I crossed over and helped him then the fun began the other yong men said to him you willtake our girl a way from us will you and he said I did not takeher she came to me in place of you. I liked his ways betterthan theirs he wer so kind that I could not keep from lovinghim so we picked all the rest of the season side by side sometimes we did not pick very mutch and he would give me his so Iwould not get laught at ar a scolden from my Father so on the18 Dec 1890 we wer married at Fort Smith Ark and staid at Fatherstill the 24 of Dec then we went to Atkins Ark after thechildren
we only staid about 10 days then came back to Muldro I.T. orOkla Guss had a lees on a peice of land there and my Father andfamily wer there all so Guss first wife people wer there. Their names wer Jerry Pollard and Jane Gaber Polard they had alarge family and where they are at this writing I do not Know
well Guss had a hous on the land and we went rite to keepinghous I sure did have a Job on my hands all rite. 2 children tocare for and keep hous but I loved the children and taken goodcare of them and they loved me too Guss people in Ark thoughtlots of me the children name wer Frank and Joe the trip toAtkins Ark wer the first time I had ever rode on the train,
well we planted a crop there and a garden but sold it outand went to Atkins Ark we sold it for a horse and a wagon wehad one horse that maid us a team so we had a way to go westaid with Guss folks and Guss helped his step father bild abridge and make some bords and gether his crop then Ida werBorned, so we wanted to go Back to Okla, so Guss got to tradinghis horses for yoke of oxen so had 2 yoke and 2 wagons and whenIda wer 10 days olde we went back to Cottonwood Okla. Then wenton father up in Okla and lived in a tent and Guss halled logs fora man till Christmas
it rained and snowed and we lived in a tent sure did havea Bad time my folks had gon on fether up and wer at work at asaw mill so we went to them and I drove a ox team we workedat the mill or halled logs or lumber for 2 years. then tradedthe oxen for a mule team and wagon and then we went back toAtkins Ark where Guss Folks lived and Bought a farm of 80 acersand went to farming I sure wer glad to quit mooving a round.
well I think I will Put in Guss Genelogy befor going enyfuther with my story and give a briff history of Augustus and hisfolks a bout 20 years ago I got to thinking I would like ahistory of Guss So wrote to his mother while she lived at AtkinsPope CoArk and this is what I got
Augustus Barto O'Barr Born 25 Dec 1862 At Springvill St.Clair Co Ala he wer Born in a Big framed hous he wer the sonof Jessy (jesse) Obarr better known as Pike OBarr he wer Bornsome place in Georgia about 1832 died at Huston Miss the 7March 1869 Augustus mother name Susan Anett (Anette) Whorton.Born 4 May 1842 at Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 14 July 1923at Atkins Pope Co Ark they wer sealed 25 May 1928 in the MesaArizona Temple
thes are they children Missouri Florence O'Barr Born 4July 1860 at Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 26 Jan 1888 atMuldro Okla Sealed to her Parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple all so sealed to Husban Bill Pollard and children all that werdead at that time Augustus Barto O'Barr Born 25 Dec 1862 atSpringvill ST Clair Co Ala Died 6 March 1910 at Mesa Maricopa Ariz sealed to his Parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple all sosealed to his family in the St George Temple 29 Apr 1915 CamnaDuncan O'Barr Born 12 Dec 1864 Springvill St Clair Co Ala Died 7Feb 1868 sealed to parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple Ica DoraO'Barr Born 26 Aug 1868 at Springvill St. Clair Co Ala Died 20Oct 1884 sealed to parents 25 May 1928 in Ariz Temple
After Augustus Father died his mother married John WesleyJohnson Born 1 Aug 1846 at Macon Georga Died 24 Dec 1923 atAtkins Pope Co Ark Indowed 25 Apr 1925 in Ariz Temple but didnot seal to eny one their children Beulah Benton Johnson Born26 Nov (1874?) at Springvill St Clair Co Ala. Nancy Lula JohnsonBorn 8 Aug 1877 Springvill St Clair Co Ala Joseph Lauzo JohnsonBorn 30 July 1879 St Clair Co Ala Died 18 Jan 1979 at PhoenixAriz Indowed 23 Apr 1928 in Ariz Temple sealed to mother andJessie O'Barr in Ariz Temple 25 May 1928 sealed to first wifeDeller Raill in the Ariz Temple
Well I will began Guss life story when he wer borned hismother said he wer a fine looking baby boy his father thought hewer all boy he wer his first boy, and he wer fair skined andBlack eyes and red hair his father died when he wer only sixyears old leaving him to the care of his mother and when Guss weronly a little baby a bout 6 weeks old his Father went to war andwer in it for 3 years then came home and had contractedBroncitus and that caused his death. they had gon to Hustin missfor his helth but he died
then she came back to Alabama to her father and motherThomas Whorton they were farmers and he wer quite old so Guss andhis mother made the crops I have heard Guss tell how he plowedfor a crop when he wer 10 years old his mother maried John W.Johnson who wer as good to him as a step Father could be theyworked together making birles tubs Buckets churns Bred trays andeny thing of that kind and farmed too till Guss wer about 19yeara old then the Mormon Elders came amd his mother and stepFather Joined the Church Sold out and left Alabama and went toManasa Colorado became Disatifide bought them a ox team andwagon put what they had in it and started for Arkansas Gussliked the Elders but did not Join church then
that wer in the fall of 1882 when they left Colorado andcold as could be but they wanted to get to Arkansas in time to make a crop and they new it would take a long time to make thetrip. they sure did have a hard time all kind of wether andBlizereds come all most freezen some times the Ground wer forzeso hard they could not put up ther Tent
there wer 10 of them I will name them Mr John W. Johnsonhis wife Mrs Susan A Johnson and their 3 children Beulah Nancyand Lonzo Johnson Bill Pollard and his wife Missouria andtheir Baby Ira Pollard I think he wer about one year old andGuss and Ica-dora O'Barr.
they had to walk the most of the way the men walked andhunted for meat it taken them about 4 months to make the tripand one of the oxens died and they had to stop and sell the otherone. and Guss and Bill Pollard went on a foot 3 or 4 hundredmiles or more to Green Bryer Arkansas where Bill Pollardfolks lived that wer where they wer trying to get they werneithbors Back in Alabama Pollards left there and come to Arkansas about the same time that they left and went to Colorado.Bill wer sick a lot on the way and Guss and him had a hard time to get there they had to hobo it the most of the way but finly got there.
so Guss and Bill had taken his team Guss rode one horseand Mr Pollard the other one with the Harness on them and cameBack to where Guss had left the rest in the Indan teary now Okla.and while they wer gon Mr Johnson cut wood and made rails, for aIndian for things to live on and a little money. Mr Johnsononly had one hand he got the other one shot off in the war buthe could do eny thing he wanted to do I have heard him say thehardest thing for him to do wer to tie his shoes.
so on with the story Guss wer a good obedent boy good tohis mother and Step-Father he grew up to be a man of all tradeshe wer a good Farmer a carpenter I have heard him tell how hehelped Mr Johnson go into the woods cut Trees down and split outpeices to make eny thing they wanted to make when he wer just aboy and he wer a good saw-mill man could do most eny kind ofwork at the saw-mill and after we left the mills and went toArkansas he worked in rock- he wer a rock masen he biltchimneys or fire places out of rock cut them out and dug themout of the ground or side of the mountain hughed the rock thesize he wanted and could handel hall them for miles to the placewhere a chimley wer to be bilt he bilt chimles all a roundAtkins Ark and out on Pearige where we live meny of them isstanding to day.
well I will finish my story a bout Guss after they got toGreen Bryer Ark he wer about 21 years old he went to work forhisself and fell in love with one of the Pollard Girls, Billssister Huldy. her full name wer Sarah Francis Huldy Pollard they wer married about 1884 she wer born about 1862 in Alabamaand died 21 Apr 1890 at Muldro I.T now Okla, Guss and her Templework wer dun in St.George Temple 29 Apr 1915
3 Children blessed this union Jessy Walter O'Barr Born 8 May1885 at GreenBruer Ark died 18 Aug 1886 at GreenBryer,ARk, hewer sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 in the St George Temple
Andrew Franklin O'Barr born 10 Aug 1887clost to GreenBryerARk he wer Baptized by Joseph Larson 16 Sept 1899 at Atkicns Arkdied at Los anglas Calif 10 Dec 1938 his Temple work dun in theAriz Temple 9 May 1941 he married Ethel Staton 7 May 1924
Joseph Henry O'Barr Born 21March 1890 at Muldro I.T. orOkla. Babtized the 16 Sept 1899 byJoseph A Larson at Atkins Ardk
Well I will began his story again when Frank wer a baby they all left Green-Bryer. Went to a saw-mill and worked a whilethen went to Atkins Ark and Mr Johnson Bought a Place and staidthere. Mr Pollard and family and Guss went to the IndianTeraetory or Okla that is where Huldy died and soon after herdeth Guss taken the children back to Atkins Ark to his Motherstaid ther a while then went Back to Cotton-wood I.T. a littleplace 3 or 4 miles from Muldro. that is where I met him and whenJoe wer about 9 months his Father and I wer maried as I haveallredy toled in my story and we wer only maried 9 months and 4days when Ida wer Borned her full name is Susen Idella but wecalled her Ida.
9 children blessed this union Susan Idella O'Barr born 22Sept 1891 at Economy a little place clost to Atkins Polk Co Ark she maried John M Verney 28 Mar 1909 they did their own Templework in the Ariz Temple she wer Baptized 8 Feb 1901 by ElderSmith at Economy Ark Benjaman Arthur O'Barr Born 5 Apr 1894 atAtkins Polk Co Ark he maried Ruby Lee Horn the 18 Mar 1932 whower Born at Beach Ga 25 June 1915 they did their own Templework
John William O'Barr Born 8 Nov 1895 at Atkins Polk Co Arkdied Atkins Polk Co Ark 8 Oct 1896 sealed to Pairents in StGeorge Temple 29 Apr 1915 Lewis Austin O'Barr Born 19 Oct 1897at Atkins Polk Co Ark his Temple work dun 28 Nov 1922 at StGeorge Utah Temple Wanda McConnel wer sealed to him as wife 26June 1930 St George Temple sealed to Parents 29 Apr 1915 StGeorge Utah Temple while liven he died 6 May 1917 at Leveen Ariz
Dora Benton O'Barr born 13 Aug 1900 at Atkins Polk Co Arkshe wer sealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 St George Temple she werBaptiz 3 Aug 1909 at Mesa Ariz she maried George William Smith18 Jan 1920 Parley Parker O'Barr born 3 Sept 1902 at AtkinsPoke Co Ark he wer Baptized 11 Sept 1910 at Mesa Ariz he wersealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 at St George Utah Temple. He mariedRuth Ester Boyer 3 June 1928 at Los angles she wer born atHerington Dickonson Co Kansas the 2 Sept 1911 Birtha AnnO'Barr born 6 Feb 1905 at Mesa Ariz died 2 Apr 1906 at Mesa Arizsealed to parents 29 Apr 1915 St George Temple Alice AnettO'Barr born 24 Dec 1906 at Mesa Maricopa Co Ariz she wer sealedto Parents 29 Apr 1915 in the Temple St George Washington Co Utahshe wer Baptized 6 Feb 1915 at Mesa Ariz she maried TheodoreWilliam Sliger 10 Sept 1935
Augustus Barto O'Barr Jr Born 21Dec 1909 at Mesa Maricopa Co Ariz he wer sealed to Parents 29Apr 1915 in the St George Temple Washington Co Utah he werBaptized 1 June 1918 Mesa Ariz he maried Edith DePrest 1 June1935
Began the story a gain and when Joe wer a bout 9 months oldhis Father and I wer married as I have all redy told in my storyand we wer only married 9 months when Ida wer Born maby you dontthink I had a job and hand, but we all come through all O.K. andafter we went to Arkasas to Economy or Atkins all clost to getherand Bought the Farm Guss worked Building Chimleys and sellingFruit-trees and we and the boys made the crops with him to helpget it Planted and tell us what to do
we soon would of got our Place Paid for But about 6 Nov1897, our hous Burned down and all most every thing we had burnedup, so we Bilt back the neighbors wer good to help get BiltBack we staid at Guss Mothers and at Beulah Wright. till we gotit so we could live in it. Guss Bilt too rock chimleys to it one at each end of the haus. it wer a nice place porch allacross the front and a hall through the midle. it had a bigPeach orched on it when we Bought it and Guss Put out a lot ofPears and Apels trees and a lot of other kinds of fruit trees onit. and they wer began to Bare when we left there
It wer a timbered coutry lots of big Pine trees on the land,and mountain country too we lived the one we lived on wercalled Pearidge and a lot of Land wer rough and could not beformed but wer good for the timber and range for cattle So Gussand the boys with the help of some of the neighbors cut thetimber halled it to the saw-mill thar wer clost by and gotlumber to bild the hous with then Guss hired a man to make theShingles out of a big oake tree to cover it with the man givehim the making of one thousand Shingles I think it taken 12thousand to cover it it took quite a while to get it dun in-fack it wer not dun when we sold it. yes the house wasfinished. it sure wer a good hous and Guss and the boys with alittle hired help had made Pailens and Pailevd (Pailens arecalled picket fences here in Ariz.) in the yard and a big gardensure did make it look nice we lived there a bout 10 years justa mile from Gussie mother Place
we had lots of good times together we caned fruit anddried fruit together lots of times killed Pigs and beeves andallways helped together. We could grow all most eny thing to Eatin garden stuff. we could make a good living on the place. ifit would rain enuff and it most allways did it made us a goodhome and I loved it because we made it with our owe hands.
I Sure did hate to sell it and come west would not of dunit - only for the gospel. it wer a great sacrifice to all mostgive our things a way and come away out here from my people andGusses too thoe he hayd too aunts and famils that lived here Uncle Philup Coleman. and Uncle John Mc-fryer. fine old people Ithought lots of them and they of us. all Ded and gone to theother side and the most of their familys to sure makes me feelI am not long to stay here.
so must hurry on with my story. as we lived happy backthere. not very far from a school house and the school hous werthe church house too. it wer called the cove school hous.Berenett Township. and Guss wer one of the Trustees that iswhere we wer confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ ofLaterday Sants.and where some bad men throde some eggs at uswhile one of the Elders wer up a talking.
well I am getting a head of my story that is where Frankand Joe and Ida and Arthur all started to school at first. and aswe lived on Pearidge the children would wald down a trail toschool only a bout half of a mile but to go a round the mountainthe way the road went it wer a bout 4 miles. there wer anotherschool house a bout 2 miles the other way out where it wer levelcontery the people had church and sunday school all most everysunday and Guss wer one of the sunday school teachers. they onlyhad 3 months of school and that wer in the summer time July andAugust and september and some times a winter school 6 or 8 weeks.
well in the summer and fall of the year wer the times forthe people to get to gether and hold a Pertracted meating sometimes at a schoolhous or under a arber Bilt of breash, and 3 or 4diferent Denomations would get together and hold meatings bothnite and day for 2 or 3 weeks they sure would have a time. havewhat they called a morners bench where the people that werentmembers of the church would go up and kneel down to be praid forand some times they would get religen as they called it and jumpup and slap their hands and Haller Glori to God I have foundJesus, he has saved me sole
and then the folks would go to them and pound them on theback till it looked like they would knock the breth out of them,and Holler and shake all over the place the people and thePreachers would all get mixed up some would be singin andothers praying and some crying and some just Hollering as loud asthey could and saying nothing and what a time they would have andcall it a good meating.
I rember one time they wer having one at the school hous 2miles from our place and we could here singin and shouting andHollering the mormen Elders were at our place, and they saidgoing to next mite so Guss and the boys and the Elders went but the preachers tride to get up a shout but could not get thepeople to start one so he said Devil must be there. then one ofthe felours says yes 2 of them is here. so Guss and the Eldersleft and come home and befor they got home they could here them ashouting and caring on a gain.
I have heard the Elders say that they have heard themshating and caring on some thing allfull the Elders come in andthey would quit and as soon as they would leave they would startin a gain. Well Pore People I feel sorow for them sence I havelearnt Better. but I us to say to Guss less go up for a mornerand get Religen and Join some church but he would only laugh atme and say there wer nothing to it, so we never Joined nun ofthem he would say the true church would come a long sometime. he rembered what the Elders had tought him back in Ala. when hewer a boy, and he would tell me what they Bleved in till I havelots of times when we would be tending one of these meating thatI heard a better serment going home than I heard at the meating, it all ways seemed to me like they wer not rite. they did nothave the orgensation that the Savor set up on Earth when he werehere, and something wer liken so I never joined eny of them
I wer raised a free-will Baptis. most all of my People isBaptis some free-wills and some mishenary Baptis. I never couldtell eny diference in them. they all teach deth Bed repentencent,that is you say just befor you die, you bleve that Jesus is theSon of God and that he had saved you wer all you had to do to getto hevan and that the theif that wer crusfide with the Saveyerwent to heven rite with him into heven. whether you had lived agood life or ever been Baptized or not just bleve.
well one day a bout Apr 1899 Guss wer in Atkins in one ofthe stors when a man came in and said 2 mormen Elders wer in theneighborhood had staid all nite with a family there clost andhad went off next morning a little while and came back and saidthe Lord had sent them back to stay a whil with them and the mansaid did he send eny money to pay with and they said no. just about then Guss spake up and said, they wer mormen Elders and saidthat, and he said yes, then Guss said they wer not mormen Eldersor they would not of said that, so in a little while Guss wer ina nother store and a croud of men around 2 men and he went upcloster and lisented to what they had to say and soon found outthat they wer mormon Elders so he began to take their Part andsoon the crout left. and Guss went to them, and invited them outto our Place and they told him they would come soon as they gottheir work dun there, so Guss come home and told me that he hadseen the Elders in town and that they wer coming out to see us.
So I praid if they wer the true Church that they would sooncome to our Place so they did come I never will forget theday they came and how happy we wer to keep them. So they soonmade our place mishen headquarters and held meatings all a roundther and at our place too. we have had as meny as 6 and 8 Eldersat our place at once the neighbors would say how can you feedthem. but we allways had Plenty and some to spair I never feltwe lost a thing by keeping the mishenarys.
well on the 21 of June 1899, we wer Baptized by ElderLorndzo C. Leavitt that nite they held meating at the CoveSchool haus and Elder Allen S Miller confermed us at the meating they wer the first Elders that came to our Place and the first Iever saw. Elder Levaitt wer from Pangeth Utah seemed like wehad a testimoney of the Truthness of what the Elders taught usfrom the first. we wer sure thankfull for the Gospel and whathapeness it did bring to us to know we had found the true church.
Began this on Feb 4 1945
I wer Born at Strafford Green Co. Mo. My Father name AustinJackson Peppers My mother name Judy Ann Anderson I wer the secondchild in the family I had 6 more Brothers and sisters, Arthur, Alice, Lillie, Jossie, Lee, and Walter. we lived in Mo for anumber of years then Father sold out and we all went to Ark. forawhile then to the Indan-teorary now Okla. where I met and mariedGuss O'Barr he had been married befor and had 2 little BoysFrank and Joe their mother wer ded my folks went on furtherin Okla and we came to Economy Ark clost to Atkans Ark where welived for a number of years where Ida and Arthur, Dora Lewis andParley wer Born. then the Elders came and we Joined the Churchand come out to Mesa Ariz where we lived happy for a fue yearsand where Alice and Gus wer Borned. then a turble thing hapenedwhen Gus Jr were 2 months old his Father taken sick and died onthe 6 March 1910 leaving me with the care of children and notmutch to live on I had a Prety hard time of it; So I did thebest I could for 3 years
then I met Andrew Benton Clevenger and we maried on the 25Jan 1913 by Bishop John Riggs here at Mesa Ariz. So in a year orso I wanted to go to the Temple so we taken the Children and wentto St. George Utah, where we did our Temple work I wer sealedto Gus O'Barr for Eternety all of the children sealed to me andhim but Frank and Joe and Ida, I were sealed to Mr Clevenger fortime. then thinking we could find a place we would like to havebetter than Mesa so went to Cedar City Utah
it wer too cold so Come back home Lola wer Born in CedarCity on 1 Apr 1916 then Ernest at mesa on 25 Dec 1919 a fueyears latter the Temple here wer completed and I did all of mypeople work I could get and a lot of names gethered eny Place Isure like Temple work I wer a relief socity teacher for a bout35 years I have did quite a lot in Genolgie work but there is alot to be learned yet,
I hve met Joseph F. Smith when he wer President of theChurch and Presadent Grant a number of times I do love mychurch and to work in it. on 31 Oct 1938 Mr Clevenger Died hewer 88 years old and I wer left with only Ernest at home hesoon married Dorothy Shill and they come and lived with me. Ernest wer into the servis of his country in 1944 and is overseas at this writin 4 Feb 1945 he has too little boys Andy anDavid, we live here all together the war is very bad kilinglots of our boys. Ernest got his Discharge Jan 6 1946 come homein a fue days which I am very thankful that the war is over andwe won what they wer fiting for. Freedom and a rite to live inpeace.
well I will finish this began March 25 1947
I canot think of mutch to write a bout I can rember livingin Mo and living in a little log haus on Fathers home stid andwalked 3 miles to school we had a little one room school hausand one teacher it wer a lumber Bilding and we had Desks to putour Books in we caried our watter in Buckets a half of a mile and all Drank out of one cup or Dipper. in the winter it got socold I did not get to go wery mutch. I wer 8 years old when Istarted to school me and my Brother Arthur started together
that country wer a timbered country. we grode fine gardensand corn and wheat and oats and sargum cane and made molases outof it me and my Brother helped with. we put the corn throughthe mill and ground out the juice the mill wer Pulied by horsesFather cooked the juice. we did it for the neighbors formiles around on the Shears. me half so I did not get to go to schoolvery mutch is why I havent got my better Edgation.
I have beento Calf 4 times to Los angles, Bannings and Burbank and out tosee the oshen and in October 1946 I went to Salt Lake with Idato see Johney saw the Lake and the Temple.
"I Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger will try to write thisstory about a Great-Great Grandfather O'Barr.
As best as I can find out they came from Ireland to thiscountry many years ago. They were in a sail boat coming across tobuy a boat load of tobacco. The captain owned the ship and had afew servants on it to help run the boat and a few passengers.
There was a beautiful Russian girl on the boat; she was goingto pay her passage with a sack of diamonds and trade them formoney when she got here. But someone stole the diamonds and putrocks in the sack; so she found herself penniless and the captainmade her one of the servants.
The captain and Mr.O'Barr got to gambling on the boat andO'Barr won the ship and the money to buy the tobacco too! Thecaptain said "You have all I have got",and O'Barr said, "One morething, and that is the Russian girl." So he staked all he hadwon for her and he won her in a play of cards. The Captain madehim promise to marry her when they got to the United States so hedid and they stayed here. They bought the tobacco and sent itback. This all I have heard about them."
"I Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger will try and write thislittle story about one of my ancestors as best as I remember It.It has just been handed down from generation to generation andthere is nothing written about as far as I know.
My Great-Great Grandfather Anderson came to this country whenit was just beginning to be settled, way back when there were buta few white people here. He met a beautiful Indian maiden andthey fell in love, so Grandfather Anderson traded his horse toher father for her, and they were married. They had a big Indianceremony and a big time. They lived and raised a family. Ithink her name was Annia and his name was James Anderson, but Ihave no records of this, just tradition."
Chapter 2: Section 2.   Patriarchal Blessings of Lola May Peppers(O'Barr) (Clevenger)
Lola May O'Barr, I lay my hands upon thy head and do giveunto thee a Patriarchal Blessing in as much as you are of theseed of Israel, through the loins of Joseph. It is yourprivilege to all the blessings that pertain to all the faithfulin as much as you are faithful in keeping the commandments ofGod. It is your privilege to all the blessings pertaining to thefaithful.
I say unto thee that you shall be able to go forth and dogood in your day. Your posterity shall become numerous upon theearth in your day and generation. many of your sex shall come toyou for advice, you will have the privilege of going into theTemple of the Most High and there do a work for your dead thathas gone before you and there will be great rejoicing among themwhen they see you enter the great Temple and they will call youMother for no doubt you will be the first one to do work forthem. In all probability you will leave the work in the hands ofyour daughters. The spirit says that they don't think you willget through with that work in your day and in as much as you arefaithful in keeping the commandments of God, these things willsurly come upon thee.
He has a great work for you to do and when he comes to makeup His Jewels you will be caught up in the midst of heaven andmeet Him. Now I seal these blessings upon you and seal you upunto eternal life in the name of the Lord Jesus. Even so, Amen.
(Taken from writings of Lola Mae Peppers O'Barr Clevenger byWylene O'Barr, wife of Donald O'Barr, her grandson. Spellingsand punctuations were changed where thought to be appropriate.)
A blessing given by John F. Nash upon the head of Lola M.Clevenger, daughter of Austin J. Peppers and Judy Ann Anderson.Born 26 Nov 1874 at Strafford, Green Co., Mo.
Sister Clevenger I lay my hands upon your head as aPatriarch and bless you and reconfirm upon you your formerblessings.
The Lord is pleased in the way in which you have ordered your life. With your faithfulness and integrity he hassanctified to you all of your trials and the hardships you haveunder gone. Your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life andthe blessings of the Lord shall be upon you both here and hereafter. Your last days shall be full of peace and happiness,influenced by the inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord, and youshall take great pleasure in laboring in the house of the Lordfor your kindred who have passed to the other side. You shall beable to receive the records of hundreds of your ancestors thatshall come to you in ways that shall seem marvelous. You shalleven be visited by personages from the Spirit world who will giveto you information that can be had in no other way.
The Lord is pleased with your mission of motherhood, and hasgiven you an influence over your children that they shall neverforget, but will rise up and bless you, and zealously care foryou in your declining years. The example you have set before thechildren has been worthy of admonition for you have lived a lifeof a Latter Day Saint: all these are recorded in the archives ofHeaven and shall stand as a witness for you for your exaltation.
I bless you with health that you may live upon the earth aslong as life is desirable, and when the Lord sees fit to call youhome you shall go and never taste the pangs of death. I sealupon you the blessings of earth and the blessings of Heaven andPower to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection torule a queen over your posterity forever.
These blessings I seal upon you through your faithfulnessin the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Chapter 2: Section 3.   Lola May Peppers' favorite sayings andwritings.
(Taken from writings of Lola Mae Peppers O'Barr Clevenger byWylene O'Barr, wife of Donald O'Barr, her grandson. Spellingsand punctuations were changed where thought to be appropriate.)
he Best kows how to obey Being forced to work and forced to doyour best will bread in you temperance, self controll, diligence,strength of will, content, and a temperance and a hundred otherthings the Idle never knows
Is life worth living
Is life worth living I asked a friend weary of toil andstrife He answered me thus, it will all depend on what youdemand in life If Pleasure is all you could have Oh, then,life Isen't worth living at all For you will find at life'sgreate end that pleasure is worm wood and gall if the gaining ofriches great is your aim Its a selfish game you play and youmay find as others have found that riches will melt awayIf living the life of sin is your wish you are treding adangerous path For He who is master of all hath said that the wages of sin is death But if you are living the bestyou can as you tread lifes up hill road if you're helping yourfelow man and leading his steps to God if you go with a smileinstead of a frown as you work to this great end Of Preparingyourself for Eternity then life is worth living, my friend.
A Mothers Prayer
Dear children of mine I wish I could tell you the Joy that Ifeel when success comes your way the thrill that it Brings whengood fortune is yours I know that your problems air varied andmany and sometimes the goal that you seek seems too high butstill I have faith that you'll keep right on climbing the heightsyou'll attain in the sweet by-and-by
Dear children of mine my Sons and Doughters How oft I wouldshield from evil forseen or lend you the vision matured throughexperince but still you must tred where my foot steps have beenPerhaps in Gods infinite wisdom and mercy he sends you forth intothe thicks of the Battle when I with less vison would fear foryour safety and cramp your activities day after day if youwill remember that through your attainments I have lived andrejoice but when you slop I fell I have failed but you'll doubleyour efforts and plant your feet firmily and keep right onclimbing life ventures one trail
God grant that you'll reep where the harvest is heavy andcast from your life all the teres in your way that you may livericher and better than I have is the wish of your mother
Prayer of Parenthood
I thank thee O God for being for what and for why I am for wedded companionship without end for a life Blended with the lives that thru me came help me O God to know thes lives as they are to companion them each day and hour to live befor them that faith which carries On and on even toward divinity that mine may be that Joy unutterable A Sweet uplifting presence to each life then mine and unto thee be all prassis for ever Amen
My Testiomy of the Gospel
I want to leave with you my Testiomy of the Gospel I wantto Bear it to the world and to you that it is true I know thatGod lives and that Jesus is Christ the Son of God the Savor ofthe world and that they do hear and answer our Prayers and thatJoseph Smith was and is a true Profit of the Liven God. andthat all of the Presidents of the church has been true Profets ofthe Lord and if we live as we should we will be a happy Familysome day
I do thank my heavenly father that he did send the Elders of the Church to us and that we did Join the church andcome out here where we could raise you children up in the churchfor that wer your Fathers gratest wish that his children beraised up in the church it has been a grate blessing to themost of them- it is true that some of them hasent lived as Iwould like. I hope and pray that they will never go to far a wayand that they will come Back to the fold befor it is to late--forthey wer good children and I do Love you all so much it wouldBrake my Hart to loose one of you so Pleas dear children live theGospel as I have tride to teach it to you. the rite way to livethe rite way of life and to live the Gospel for you as best Iknode how and hope and Pray you will falow,
Chapter 2: Section 4.   This Is Your Life.
Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger. You were born 26November 1874 at Strafford, Missouri, the daughter of AustinJackson Peppers and Judy Ann Anderson. Your childhood was spentwith your parents, brothers and sisters, and your folks movedaround trying to get a start in life. In the Fall of 1890 theydecided to go to Ft. Smith Ark., to pick cotton that Winter. Youwere then a young lady nearing your 16th birthday.
It was there you met Augustus B. O'Barr. He had come to Ft.Smith from near Atkins, Arkansas, to weigh cotton as the pickersbrought their sacks in from the field. He seemed to like youright away and you thought he was o.k. when he'd come out in thecotton field picking hands full of cotton and dropping them inyour sack. One day he said to your father that he had a sonabout the age of your little brother. You were very indignantthen and when you went to the well to get a bucket of water, Mr.O'Barr came to draw the water for you. But you let him know inno uncertain terms that you were not fooling with a married man.
Then he told you he was a widower and had two small boyswhom he had left with his mother and stepfather in Atkins. Yourfriendship ripened into love. Your father gave his consent foryou to be married if you would wait 'till you were 16. So on the18th if December, 1890, you and Augustus Barto O'Barr weremarried and left Ft. Smith to go to his folks home to get hisboys.
While you were there they talked him into staying there andmaking a crop with them that year, which you did. The latterpart of September, 1891, your first child was born. You namedher Ida. She was born before the doctor arrived so he chargedyou two dollars and fifty cents, which was half price.
When Ida was nine days old, the crops were gathered, andyour husband decided to go to a place called Cottonwood, aboutseven miles from Ft. Smith. You left with two yoke of oxen, thetwo little boys and the baby girl, on a journey of about onehundred and ten miles.
You settled awhile in Cottonwood, then went to the ChoctawNation where your father and mother and the other children hadsettled. It was a sawmill town, timbered country. You livedthere and he worked for the sawmill, sometimes pulling the logs to the mill with the oxen. Then in 1892, you returned toArkansas and settled at a small place called Economy, nearAtkins. Economy no longer exists. It had a general store, ablacksmith shop, a cotton gin, church and school house combined.
To you and A. B. O'Barr, as he was known, were born ninechildren and you also raised your two stepsons into fine men. One of these sons is yet living in Phoenix. He is Joe. Frankthe eldest died in California several years ago. Your childrenare Ida, present here today, Arthur living in Mesa, Dora, inChandler, also present, Alice of Buckhorn Minerals Wells, alsopresent. Parley lives in California, Gus lives here in Mesa inyour own Alma Ward, Williams and Bertha died when babies, Lewislived to be 19 years old. Yours and Mr. Clevenger first childnamed Ruth died shortly after birth. Your other children by Mr.Clevenger are Lola White living here in your own Ward, presenttoday, and Ernest Clevenger in Lehi.
Parley was the baby when you left Arkansas. The others wereborn in Zion. In the year of 1898, you had been seeking a churchto join, and had gone to revival meetings. Preachers preachedand sang songs and every one jumped up and down shouting: "GloryHallelujah! We've found Jesus!" You didn't like religion likethat, with people jumping and screaming. Once you said youdidn't think the spirit of God made people act like that.
One day a man on horse back stopped at the gate and told youand your husband that down in Atkins were two funny looking menpreaching on the street. They had on derby hats and wore long-tailed coats. It was customary for neighbors who went to town tostop along the way back to tell any news they might hear. Sothis fellow was quite pleased to tell of the funny dressed men hehad seen. Mr. O'Barr had lived in Alabama and knew Mormon Eldersand two of his aunts and their families had joined and moved toMesa, Arizona. They were his mother's sisters, Sarah Coleman,and Phillip, her husband, and their children; and Jane McBrayer,and her husband, John, and their children. Many of theirchildren and grandchildren still live around Mesa and in theValley.
After the neighbor rode on, Mr. O'Barr said "I believe thosem*n are Mormon Elders and I'm going to Atkins in the morning tosee if I can find them." He did, and they were being heckled bysome people and he brought them home with him. You and yourhusband and the Elders talked most all night that night. You readThe Book of Mormon. I can remember you reading it while youchurned the butter for the family. When you were reading aserious part you'd churn real slow, and when reading aninteresting part you'd churn real fast. You and your husband andthe two boys were baptized in 1898. (Other records show 1899.)
While you lived there in Economy, Mr. O'Barr was a farmer,sold fruit trees, was a rock mason, and built chimneys. Many of his rock chimneys are yet in use. Once a man trying to find usasked another man where Economy was. The man looked at him andsaid, "Don't that mean to be saving."
We've often said the Mormon Elders didn't find us, we wentafter them. Some of the Elders who stayed at your home were:Elder Miller, Leavitt, Larson, Webb, Benion, Fosson, Masters,Hodgerson, Peirce, Wallace Riggs from Arizona, Taylor, Call,Smith, McMullen, and Williams. Elder Duffel was DistrictPresident. We only saw him once.
After we joined the church the people started to mistreatus. Once a friend told Daddy that a bunch of men were going toburn him out for keeping Mormon Elders. That evening we saw abunch of men on horse back gathering up at the end of our lane. We had two Elders with us then. We had prayer and Daddy told usto all stay in the house and he walked right out and up the lanetowards the men. Daddy was a large man and tall. He walkedstraight and tall, unafraid. Before he got near enough to themen to recognize them or their horses, they turned around androde off into the timber and didn't bother us.
Once we took two Elders to a revival meeting. They wantedto see people shout, but the meeting just couldn't seem to getstarted. No one would go to the mourners bench. A fellow camein and whispered to Daddy and he told us all to go to the wagonas fast as we could. We did, but just as Daddy got the teamuntied and got in the wagon, men on horse back came after us. Weleft as fast as our horses could run but they overtook us andcovered us with rotten eggs. It took all next day to clean theclothes. The Elders always carried benzine to clean theirclothes.
Another time Daddy got the Cove school house to hold ameeting in. A good crowed came and the Elders started themeeting. All at once the windows opened from outside and someonethrew in rotten eggs. I often wonder where people get rotteneggs to throw at people they don't like. Even tho it smelled badthe Elders finished the meeting. None of our friends orrelatives joined the church so in 1903 Daddy sold out but left usthere while he came West to find a place in Zion for us.
He went to California and other places. He had Wyoming inmind, but came to Mesa to visit the uncles and aunts, and fellfor Mesa. In January 1904 we arrived at the North depot. Youare here yet, have been all this time except for awhile you spentin Utah. A.B. O'Barr died March 6th 1910. You had it very hardtrying to get along. There were no state pensions for widowsthen, no tax exemption or welfare plan, no Bishop store house tocare for the poor.
You took in washing and ironing, raised chickens andanything else you and the boys could get to do to get along. Guswas a baby two months old when his father died, and times were hard for you. Yet you never faltered in your love and duty toyour children or your church. When we first came we were notmade welcome, we were ten years too late to be pioneers. We weremade fun of and called "Arkansawers! Arkansawers!" It was hardfor you to see your children unhappy and teased, but you alwayscounseled us to behave ourselves. Once Daddy decided he would goto Old Mexico where the Saints were, and there maybe we'd behappier. He went and got as far as Juarez, across the river fromEl Paso, Texas. He came back home and said that was enough ofOld Mexico for him.
As we grew up we got along better. You remained a widowthree years. You were a handsome lady with eight acres of landand children enough to work it, so several fellows started tocall. One said to you, "Why, with your land and your boys and meto manage them we could build a cannery and all get rich." Wesoon got him to quit calling. Just as we thought we had them allscared off, one came along we couldn't keep away. He thoughtmore of you than your land. He was Andrew Clevenger. The kidsled him a merry chase for your heart and hand, but he won.
The kids played lots of tricks on you and Mr. Clevenger. Heused to come courting you in his buggy. His horse was named OldSlocum. One Sunday while he was in the house waiting for time togo to church, they changed the buggy wheels. The back wheelswere larger than the front wheel, so they put one back wheel onthe front of the buggy, the little front wheel on the back. Youcame out so engrossed in each other you didn't notice it. Thebuggy rocked from side to side, pulled sideways. You blamed itall on poor Old Slocum.
In 1915 Mr. Clevenger and you decided to go to Utah. Yourented out your little place in Alma Ward and with a family namedKaze, and one named Ray Merrill you all set out in covered wagonsto go to Utah as you all wanted to go through the Temple at St.George. There were five wagons in the train, with one buggy.
This is Dora's version of the trip; Ida was married and didnot go to Utah with you. The trip took six weeks, sometimes foodand water were scarce, our supplies ran low, the biscuits andbacon were rationed out, once we were out of water as a waterhole was dried up when we got there. The boys took the buggy andwent and brought water back for us. The children walked most ofthe way always looking for pieces of leather to nail on the wagonbrakes. Once they saw a whole shoe. They picked it up and itwas fastened to a leg on a body in a shallow grave. They run totell you of it, but you all went on and turned it intoauthorities at the next place. You never heard any more aboutit.
You crossed the Colorado River on a raft at a ferry calledGriggs, "poled" the raft across, were way down stream when yougot over. It took all the horses, mules and men to get the wagons up and down. Over the Buckskin Mountains were the worstas they had to take one wagon at a time with four to six horses,all the men and boys, then come back and take over another wagon.
It was a real hard trip, but we all enjoyed it. Around the campfires at night we visited and talked, we had prayers, especiallywhen the going was rough.
We made it into St. George all O.K. You went to the Templeand did some work and met Elder Webb there. He was one of theElders who had stayed in your home in Arkansas. He invited youall to his home to visit and have dinner. You also visited atElder Leavett's home and ate with them. He lived at Santa Clara,Utah. After you had gone through the Temple you rented the HoltRanch at Enterprise and farmed that Spring and Summer, raised agood crop and also garden stuff, string beans, tomatoes, andother things.
The Kaze family had gone on to Cedar City, and that Fall youdecided to go to Cedar City so Dora could go to a college there. When you reached Cedar City you bought a log house, rough logs onthe outside but lined with cloth on the inside. In this housenext Spring, April 1916, Lola was born. During that Summer somefriends, the Harvey family, came to visit you. They were ontheir way to Salt Lake City to the Temple there. They had twocars and told how much money could be made in Arizona growingcotton, where they had settled in Laveen. So that Fall you cameback to Arizona and rented land in Laveen to grow a cotton cropin 1917.
It took only five weeks to come back. the Kaze family cameback when you did, but the Merrill family had gone somewhereelse. You crossed the colorado River on the way back at Parkeron Nellie Trent Bush's ferry. After you grew the cotton and soldit, you bought a car and moved back to your little place in yourown beloved Alma Ward. In 1919 on Christmas Day, Ernest, your12th child, was born; the son Bro. Clevenger had always wanted. He had two daughters by a previous marriage; Malinda Guthrie,living in colorado, and Gertrude Cooper of Gilbert. (Gertie andtwo of her daughters and daughters-in-law and some of theirchildren are here today.)
Alice gives an example of one of your lessons in honesty andtells of a trip with you, in her tribute as follows:
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(Tribute by her daughter, Alice, in "This Is Your Life.")
My Mother has always been a great inspiration in my life,for she taught us children the true values of life. Lessons ofhonesty and integrity and worth were always being planted in ourminds. Words she spoke had a way of coming back into our mindsto help us at the right time. One instant that brings out thisquality happened to me, as we traveled from Mesa to Cedar City, Utah. I was nine years old at the time, and was riding on thelast wagon behind the train of wagons. Mother was on the frontwagon.
As we passed a ranch house I saw a freshly rolled newspaperin the drive way. Remembering how my Mother loved to read (Ithad been many days since she had any news) my only thought was toget that paper for her. So I jumped out of the wagon and ran andgot it, then I ran to the front wagon, and climbed up to her. You could jump on and off wagons without the horses having tostop if you were careful and the horses were not going too fast,so when I got on I breathlessly said "Mother, I have a nicenewspaper for you." She asked, "Where did you get it?" I said,"Way back there in a drive way." She said "Well it isn't ourpaper so you go right back and put it where you got it and thewagons will not wait for you either."
I ran and it seemed miles back to that drive way. By thetime I got the paper put back the wagons were way ahead of me andI sure was afraid. I ran and ran and had to wade a small streambefore I caught up with them, but I sure learned never to takeanything that didn't belong to me.
Years ago when I was still a little girl, I could see mymother was lonely to go visit her mother, who lived in Oklahoma. I told her that I would get an education, then get a good job,and I would take her to see her mother. I was able to keep thispromise to her. After my first year of teaching we had awonderful trip together and I had the privilege of meeting forthe first time and getting to know my Grandmother. I found herto be a very lovable person, full of wit and laughter. It helpedme to know my own dear mother better.
Mother had a day of worry before we left on this trip. Themoney I had earned teaching school I had saved for our tripdepositing it in a bank in Mesa. I had enough for our trip andfor a new kitchen stove as well, which we needed badly. Motherhad the stove selected from a store in town to be delivered theday before we left. It also was to be paid for. I had been goneall day and came home to find Mother very worried. She met me atthe door and said, "Alice, the bank has closed, it's gone brokeand you can't get your money, and we won't be able to take ourtrip." I was so happy I could tell her I had already taken outthe money, for I knew I would have to pay for the stove and getour tickets.
My brother Gus was present and he said, "No wonder the bankwent broke if you took out your money!" (We were always kiddingeach other and saying things like that, enjoying companionshipand joking with each other.) We had a wonderful trip and I gotto see the home where my parents had lived when the missionaryElders brought them the gospel and they were converted to thechurch.
She told me of many hardships there and interestinghappenings and things they endured to get out to this land ofZion. As we rode along on the train coming home from this trip Itold her how thankful I was that they had the faith and courageto make the change and come to Mesa. It took many years ofhardship and adjustments to do this, bringing us close to thegospel and better opportunities for education. I am thankful fortheir unselfish love and devotion to their children, to thechurch, and to God, and I'm happy I was sent to such a grand andwonderful Mother!(End of tribute by daughter Alice.)
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(Daughter Ida continues with "This Is Your Life.")
Your children have grown up and call you "Blessed" as yourPatriarchal blessings said they would. You never spoke evil ofany one. Once I told you of some gossip I had heard. You said,"Ida, let our ears, heart, and tongue be the burial ground forsuch tales, don't ever repeat them." Each of us could writepages of your integrity and worth. Your council and advice to uswas always, "do right."
There was never any difference of your treatment of thechildren. I ask you once if Frank and Joe were my half brothers.You answered with, "We don't have any halves in this family." Frank and Joe's dead mother's parents came to visit them in yourhome and you always treated them like they were your own, andyour children called them grandpa and grandma too. You lovedyour daughters-in-law and sons-in-law like your own, also BrotherClevenger's daughters, their children always called you grandma. They said because you were always like a grandmother to them,with always something to give them such as cookies or candy, andthey loved you.
It was Malinda who came from Colorado and stayed with Bro.Clevenger and the small children when you and Alice took the tripback to see your mother and to the old home and Daddy's sistersfamily. In your early life you had many hardships, you never letthem get the best of you, but went along hand in hand with them,doing hard work. Now in your later life you have enjoyed manyhonors which those you love and love you have bestowed upon you.
In your daughter Lola's home you were honored with an openhouse on your 80th birthday, where friends and loved ones came ingreat numbers to greet you. With several members of your familyyou got to go to New York City, and West Point to see one of yourgrandsons, Gerald O'Barr, graduate from West Point. You enjoyedseeing the sights of the big city, your family enjoyed having youwith them and visiting in the hotel room at night, resting andtalking over events of the trip and the beauty of it all. You have seen two grandsons go on missions, John Verney and AndrewClevenger. Andy is yet in the Mission Field.
Two of your daughters have been Relief Society Presidents,Ida and Lola. Through Ida's children (because she is the oldest)you have seen your posterity grow to five generations. Every oneof your children are happily married and no divorce among them.(On the comment about divorce, to the best of my knowledge, thisis true for all her direct children. For the numbers involved,this is a most remarkable record. Even down to the grandchildrenand beyond, divorce has been rare, and almost always "honorable"on the O'Barr-Clevenger side.)
You have gone to the Temple with many of your children andgrandchildren to see them sealed and married in the House of theLord for time and eternity by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Wehave gathered many times for family reunions at Thanksgivingtime, and there is about a hundred of us now. You have beenhonored by your Ward on Mother's Day for your large family. You've done lots of hard work never complaining, making quiltsand rugs, canning fruit, making jelly and jams, and doing everykind of work there is to do.
You have traveled by every mode of transportation we have:walking, horse back, ox team, covered wagon, buggies, model TFords and all other kinds of cars, and a boat trip up the HudsonRiver when you went to New York. You flew to New York byairplane, the commercial airlines, trains, and a bus trip to SaltLake City. (You may yet fly in a space ship, who knows?)
Your present little home is a joy and comfort to you, aplace of peace and contentment where your children and theirchildren can come to visit you and leave filled with the richnessof your spirit. Yours has been a life of blessings andfulfillment, and although you had many difficulties and almostunsurmountable odds, you took them in stride.
Your beloved Relief Society President asked your daughtersto help in this story, and we your children and grandchildrenappreciate her for it. We want you to know we love you andappreciate you for all you've done for us. There are 27 membersof your family here today, daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters, and great-great-grandchildren. Your staunchfaith in the gospel, your wit and humor, philosophy of life,steadfastness for truth and right, will always be a joy to usall.
You had your 12 children, raised your two stepsons, have 27grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, and 16 great-great-grandchildren. We will try to always honor you by keeping yourcouncil and advice and teachings ever with us. Our Mother,
Chapter 2: Section 5.   Funeral of Lola May Peppers.
A Brief Life History of
Lola May Peppers O'Barr Clevenger
Nov. 26, 1874 - Aug. 7, 1969
Lola May Clevenger has lived a long and fruitful life. Sheis known as "Sister" in the church. She is known as "neighbor","friend" and "loved one". She is known as "mother","grandmother", "great-grandmother", and "great-great-grandmother".
Her patriarchal blessing says: "The Lord is pleased withyour mission of motherhood, and has given you an influence overyour children that they shall never forget, but will rise up andbless you". This they have done, for they believe no mother hasever shown greater courage, love, faith, and works than their owndear mother. Kindness, understanding, patience, and longsuffering (the attributes the Savior asked us all to have) havebeen hers in abundance. Just to spend a few minutes with her outof a busy day, renewed ones spirit and seemed to impart courageand thankfulness for the day at hand, for her spiritualityoverflowed into your own heart.
Sister Lola Clevenger was born November 26, 1874, in a loghouse on a 40 acre farm located about 3 miles from Strafford,Missouri. She was the 2nd of 8 children born to Austin JacksonPeppers and Judy Ann Anderson. Her father was a farmer, raisingcorn, sweet potatoes and sorghum cane, and from these crops theymade their living. They also sold molasses which they made fromthe cane. The mill used in those days to extract the juice fromthe cane was pulled round and round by horses. The juice thenwas cooked, made into sorghum, and sold to neighbors for milesaround. they also milled the cane grown by other farmers on the"halves". Lola and her older brother Arthur helped in thefields, and in the sorghum mill.
The one room school which Lola attended was a 3 mile walkfrom her home, and since the winters were very cold and there wasso much work on the farm, she got to attend very little. Thechildren carried the drinking water to this school from a well ahalf mile away, and all drank from the same dipper. Lola was 8years old before she started to school, and she said that if allthe days she attended school in her lifetime were added up, therewouldn't be as many as children now get to attend in one year. Yet this young girl learned to read and write very well, andalthough she often apologized for her lack of education, shebecame truly self educated through her habit of reading andstudy. She especially loved to study the scriptures, and churchbooks and magazines, and was well versed in them.
When Lola was 14 years old her family moved to EurekaSprings, Arkansas, where her father and brothers operated a feedstore. She was able to attend school again while they lived inEureka Springs, but they were there only one Winter.
Her father heard stories of how well the farmers were doingin the cotton fields of the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) andhe left Eureka Springs and moved his family in covered wagons tothe Indian Territory where all the family worked in the cottonfields. The farm on which they settled was located inCottonwood, about 5 miles from Mildro, Oklahoma. It was whilethey lived and worked here that Lola met and fell in love withAugustus B. O'Barr who worked on the same farm as a cottonweigher. She met "Gus", as he was called, at the well where shewent to get water, and at the wagon where the weighing was done. Although Mr. O'Barr was a widower with two little boys, Lola'sfather gave them his blessings, and they were married on December18, 1890 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
About a week after their marriage, they went to Atkins toget Mr. O'Barr's two little boys, Frank and Joe. They made thetrip by train and it was the first train ride the young bride hadever taken. They brought the children back to the IndianTerritory with them. Here Mr. O'Barr leased some land and raiseda cotton crop of his own, and Lola was kept busy keeping houseand caring for her two little step-sons. She loved these littleboys from the beginning and took good care of them, making alltheir clothes by her own hands.
After his first crop was completed, Mr. O'Barr traded it fora wagon and team and took his family to Atkins where his folkslived. It was here that Lola's first child was born on September22, 1891. It was a little girl and they named her "Ida".
When Ida was just 10 days old they moved again, back toCottonwood, making the trip with 2 ox teams. Lola drove one andher husband drove the other, and she often told of the experienceof driving a yoke of oxen. Mr. O'Barr hauled logs and worked ata lumber mill for two years, then they went back again to Atkins,Arkansas and bought an 80 acre farm. Here, Mr O'Barr farmed,sold fruit trees, and built chimneys. Here on April 5, 1894,Lola's second child was born, a son who was named "Arthur". Herthird child John William, was born November 8, 1895, but thislittle boy died when he was 11 months old. On October 19, 1897,her fourth child was born. They named him, "Lewis". Her fifthchild, "Dora", was born August 13, 1900, and Parley was born September 3, 1902, making six children born to Lola and GusO'Barr during the 10 years they lived in Atkins.
They experienced many hardships during these years, such asthe loss of their home by fire, but Lola often told of theseyears and said they were very happy. They had many goodneighbors and Mr. O'Barr's people lived just a mile away. Shetold of many good times they had together, and how they helpedeach other in such tasks as: drying and canning fruit, killingand dressing pigs, and planting and harvesting the crops. theyall grew fine gardens and made a good living. After the fire,which destroyed their home, the neighbors helped them to buildback a nicer house than they had before. The children attendedschool nearby and Mr. O'Barr was a trustee of the school.
It was here that the Mormon missionaries came and convertedthem to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lolatells of how she and her husband (prior to the coming of themissionaries) would attend the churches there, and still in theirhearts seemed to be searching for something more. She said Mr.O'Barr had listened to the Mormon missionaries when a boy inAlabama, and often told her about the things they said as theyreturned home from attending the various church services. Shetold him she always heard the best sermon on the way home.
So when the Mormon missionaries finally came to the area in1899 they were invited to make the O'Barr home theirheadquarters. This the Elders appreciated for they were notalways made welcomed. Lola said she had prayed that if they didrepresent the true church that they would come, and she said shewould never forget the day they came and how happy they were toreceive them. Sometimes they had as many as six or eightmissionaries at a time staying with them. Meetings were oftenheld in their home too, as well as in other places in theneighborhood, and on June 21, 1899, they were baptized by LorenzoLeavett, and Elder from Utah.
This brought great joy and happiness into their lives. Italso brought "changes" for with it came the desire to come Westwhere they could bring up their children in the church, and havebetter opportunities for education as well. the fruit trees theyhad planted on their farm were beginning to bear, and this landhad been good to them, always supplying their table in abundance.
Lola wrote in her history, "I hated to sell out and come West,and would not have done it, except for the church. It was agreat sacrifice to almost give our things away and come out hereaway from our people, but we felt in our hearts that our familywould be better off in the long run if we made the change." soin January 1904 they arrived at the old North depot, to maketheir home in Mesa, Arizona.
Mr. O'Barr farmed, grew large crops of sugar beets andhelped to build a beet sugar factory near Glendale. He also helped established a mercantile store in Mesa. To them were bornon February 6, 1905 their first child to be born in Mesa, alittle girl to whom they gave the name of "Bertha Ann". But thislittle child died with whooping cough when only 14 months old.
Lola's 8th child was born on December 24, 1906. they namedher Alice. Her ninth child, Augustus Barto, was born December21, 1909.
When little Augustus (or Gus as he was called after hisfather) was only two months old his father took seriously ill anddied on March 6, 1910. This left Lola, a young woman of 36, awidow with seven children of her own and two step-sons to carefor. But in spite of terrible grief, she faced the future withcourage and hard work. She and her children raised vegetablesand peddled them over the city. She raised chickens, and washedand ironed and did housework for neighboring families. There wasno "welfare program" or "aid to dependent children" in thosedays, and this brave soul had to be both "breadwinner" and"mother" to her large family. But she never lost sight of thetrue values in life, and taught her little ones fairness andhonesty. She taught them to work and to pray.
Three years later she met a good man by the name of AndrewBenton Clevenger, and they were married in January, 1913. Mr.Clevenger was also a farmer by trade, and the family continued tofarm their little place.
The first child born to this marriage was a little girl whomthey named Ruth. She was born on March 30, 1914, but only livedone hour. this little girl was Lola's 10th child.
There was no temple in Mesa then, but it had always beenLola's desire to go to the temple and do the temple work forherself and her family. It was also Mr. Clevenger's desire togo, although the closest one was located in St. George, Utah. Sister Clevenger sold the homestead which she had in the Chandlerarea, and with the money from it they purchased a team and wagonand supplied it for the long trip to Utah.
Two other families joined them (the Kazes and the Merrills).
There were five wagons and one buggy in the wagon train, and ittook six weeks to make the trip. As was expected, many hardshipswere encountered on this trip, for roads were poor and wateringplaces hard to find; but the faith and determination of the threefamilies was strong and they made it through.
Once when a watering place was found to be dried up at theend of a hard days travel the strongest horse was given theremaining water, and sent with the buggy to return and time tosave them all. The group felt that this was in answer to aprayer circle they had held while they waited. They crossed theColorado River on a ferry and went over mountains so steep thatthe teams had to be doubled up, and one wagon taken over at atime. Before the trip was over they were pooling their foodtogether to have enough.
In April of 1915, they went through the temple in St.George, Utah. There they met several Elders who had stayed intheir home in Arkansas. Lola even met Elder Leavitt who hadbaptized her, and she and her family were all invited to beguests in his home.
That Spring and Summer they settled in Enterprise, Utah,where they made crop, and the next Winter they moved to CedarCity, where they made another crop before attempting the longtrip back to Mesa. It was while they were in Cedar City thatLola's 11th child was born, a girl whom they named Lola, afterher mother. She was born April 1, 1916.
Mr. Clevenger heard that the cotton farmers were doing wellin Laveen, Arizona, so after the long trip back from Utah bywagon and team, the family settled in Laveen and grew a cottoncrop. This was a fine crop which paid well but tragedy cameagain to them that Spring when Typhoid Fever struck the area. Three children, Parley, Dora and Lewis all came down with thedisease. Parley and Dora recovered but Lewis passed away on May6, 1917. This was a sad blow to the family as Lewis was a fineyoung man of 19 years old. they brought him to Mesa for burial,and soon after the family moved back to their old home in Mesa.
On Christmas day, 1919, Lola's 12th and last child was born.This was Mr. Clevenger's first son. He had two daughters by aprevious marriage, Malinda, and Gertrude, and of course hislittle Lola who was just 3 years old, but he was happy to finallyhave a son. They named him Ernest.
Mr. Clevenger always feared he would not live to help rearhis children, but Ernest was 19 years old when he died on October31, 1938 at the age of 88. Sister Clevenger was again left awidow but her children were all grown and married except Ernest. Heartaches came to her again that same year when on December 10,1938 her stepson Frank died of a heart attack in Los Angeles.
Ever since the Temple was built in Mesa, Sister LolaClevenger has been a devoted worker there. She made severaltrips back to Oklahoma and Arkansas gathering genealogy of herpeople, and of Mr. O'Barr's people, and she has done "a greatwork" on both these lines. She often said that it was not allcompleted, and that there was research and work yet to be done,but she has contributed much to its completion, and has collectedfamily records that, but for her efforts, might have been lostfor all time.
She has been a faithful and diligent worker in the church. She was a Relief Society visiting teacher for 40 years. She toldinteresting accounts of how she would go to the field, get herhorse and harness him to the buggy, pick up her partner, and govisiting for the Relief Society. Her skill at making beautifulquilts is well known to all her Relief Society Sisters and herhelp could always be depended upon when they needed hand madeitems for their annual Bazaar.
In her later years many honors have come to her as fruits ofher long and productive life. Her Sunday School has commendedher for her perfect attendance, and she has been honored on manyMother's Day programs for her large family and for being theoldest mother present. Her beloved Alma Ward Relief Societyhonored her on October 3, 1962, with a "This Is Your Life"program. Her daughters told of her life, and showed slides.
Her children honored her 80th and also her 90th birthdayswith open house birthday parties. These were happy occasionswhere scores of friends and relatives came to shake her hand andextend their best wishes.
Both sons and grandsons have said good-by to her as theyleft to serve their country through two world wars, but allreturned safely. She has seen four grandsons fill missions (JohnVerney, Andy Clevenger, Randy White and Joe O'Barr) and twodaughters, Lola and Ida, serve as Relief Society Presidents. Shehas watched children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildrengraduate from high school and college, and even flew to New YorkCity to see a grandson, Gerald O'Barr, graduate from West PointMilitary Academy. Through her daughter, Ida, and son Arthur, shehas seen her posterity grow to five generations.
She was always proud of the fact that she had met andconversed on several occasions with President Grant, andPresident Joseph F. Smith. She also saw Teddy Roosevelt when hecame to Mesa to dedicate Roosevelt Dam.
The yard of her little home where she spent the last 12years of her life has been a garden spot of flowers, grape vinesand bearing fruit trees. She planted them all herself and caredfor them until she was almost 90 years old. She loved to workwith growing things and plants flourished under her care. Mostall her life she has had a lovely vegetable garden, andconstantly shared its produce with family and friends.
A great deal of sadness has also come to Lola during herlater years. Her daughter, Dora, died suddenly of a heart attackon May 8, 1963. This was a great shock to her for Dora gave hera lot of companionship, visiting her almost every day.
On June 24, 1967, her stepson, Joe, whom she raised from asmall child and loved as her own, passed away in Phoenix.
Then came the accident in her home on January 17, 1968 whenshe fell and fractured her hip. Although 93 years old, shesurvived the surgery that followed but never completelyrecovered. She was able to spend short periods of time in awheel chair but for the most part was bed fast. But in spite ofher long suffering, her concern and interest in her family andloved ones remained keen until the end. She passed awayThursday, August 7, 1969.
She is survived by 7 children. They include 3 daughters:Mrs. Ida Francom, Mrs. Alice Sliger, and Mrs Lola White, all ofMesa; and 4 sons: Arthur O'Barr, Gus O'Barr, and Ernest Clevengerof Mesa, and Parley O'Barr of Burbank, California. Alsosurviving is a step-daughter Mrs. Gertrude Cooper of Higley, anda sister, Mrs. Lillie Jones of Wilburton, Oklahoma; 29grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren, and 28 great-great-grandchildren.
She loved the church and believed in it with all her heart. In her testimony on the gospel which she has written in her bookof remembrance she testifies that it is true, and asks herchildren to live its teachings. She expresses her thankfulnessfor the Elders who came to her in Atkins so many years ago, andfor the faith that brought her West. She also confirms her greatlove for her children, and expresses in a beautiful "Mother's Prayer" all her hopes and desires for them.
Today, in loving farewell, her children wish to say: "Thankyou dear mother for all you have taught us, for the shiningexample of your life to guide us, and for all you have sufferedand endured to help us." Her children also wish to express todaytheir thanks to God for the privilege they have had of being bornand reared by such a noble mother.
