The Washburn family, consisting of Jesse, Luella, Verd, Nile, Tom, Don, and Barr had homesteaded on 160 acres of land three miles outside Duchesne, Utah, and had named the location Rooks Nest. The property included a big red barn and was considered fertile land, but the family struggled with not having sufficient manpower to properly care for it and make it productive. The family retained their residence in Duchesne.
Jesse’s ongoing medical problems with his esophagus and the difficulty of swallowing and retaining food had worsened and he was unable to teach school. He instead remained home to help care for the two younger children, Don, age 6, and Barr, age 2. Luella’s mother also lived with them, and helped with the children. Verd, age 14, Nile, age 10, and Tom, age 8 were in school. Luella worked as midwife, sewed all the clothes for the family, ran the millinery shop, and did other work as necessary. On the homestead, the family raised cattle, horses, hogs, bees, and chickens, and all helped on the ranch as they were able.
It was during this time that Victor Fred Washburn was born, April 26, 1911. The summer following Fred’s birth, Jesse had surgery on his stomach. As Luella states, the doctors “seemed to not know what they were doing and his situation seemed only made worse. Luella reports that church members set a date of fasting and prayer for him. They met at the Duchesne home that evening, gave him a blessing by the power of the priesthood, and “he got up from his bed and was able to eat a good, hearty meal, one that satisfied his hunger for the first time in many months.” He was not cured, but was so much improved that by fall he was able to return to teaching. Both he and Luella taught school that following year.
When Duchesne County was created in 1915, Jesse became its first superintendent of schools. This was in addition to his being county clerk, juvenile judge, and holding responsible church positions. Fred reports, at age five or six, witnessing some older boys throwing rocks through the windows of a vacant house. As juvenile judge, Jesse fined the boys to pay for the broken windows. Fred had witnessed the incident and had not reported, so to teach him responsibility he was fined one dollar by his father, who then paid the fine.
As he got older, Fred herded the cows and drove the wagon back and forth between the Duchesne home and Rooks Nest. He remembers hitching the mules, Pete and Mm, to the wagon as early as age six. He would stand on a pole fence to put on the bridle and harnesses. He had a pony which he rode often. The family made frequent trips between Duchesne and Huntington where both sets of grandparents lived. It was a several day trip in the wagon pulled by the mules, camping out on the way. Sometimes, when the children got tired of riding, they ran alongside the wagon.
Fred was eight when the family moved from Duchesne to Huntington, Utah. Luella had a brother, Austin, who had been paralyzed in an accident, and it was Fred’s job to go with Austin each day to do the chores on his farm a few miles outside Huntington. Without the Duchesne homestead to care for, Fred reports that it took creativity to find meaningful things to do. He remembers swimming in the river, and repairing and riding an old tricycle which he found. He believes that riding the tricycle was the beginning of his interest in and love for motorcycles. It was while living in Huntington that the family purchased their first automobile. While the car was a wonderful addition, there is some indication that it had less power to climb hills than Pete, Min, and the wagon.
The family moved to Provo, Utah when Fred was twelve. The hope was that all the children would have better educational opportunities in Provo, attend college. “and get as many and kinds of degrees as their hearts desired.” Jesse worked as the principal and a teacher in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint seminary system. To bring an additional income, the family while living in Duchesne began manufacturing a wheat breakfast cereal, which they roasted then ground and packaged. Following the move to Provo, they continued this project in a building across from the old Provo High School. The endeavor did not prove profitable for the family, so the enterprise was sold and the cereal later distributed as “Grains of Gold” by the new owners.
Once in Provo, the family purchased a five-room house situated on two acres of property on Center Street one mile west of the railroad tracks. There was a big garden and well. Don remembers that the boys all slept in one big room and that they occasionally saw rats in the room. There was no refrigerator, but diverted ditch water ran under the corner of the house, and this was used to store items that needed to be kept cool. There was no indoor plumbing. They purchased a milk cow to provide milk, butter, and cheese. Fred, Clyde, and Roland registered at the Franklin Grade School two miles from home. In good weather, Fred and Roland walked to school. Sometimes, a man named Peters gave them a ride in the back of his truck. Someone had to help lift them into the truck bed. Nile was on a church mission in Canada, Tom in college, and Don and Barr in high school.
Fred’s oldest brother, Verd, was married, owned an automobile repair business, and was the dealer for Star and Durrant automobiles. For several summers, Verd employed Fred pumping gas, cleaning the shop, and helping repair automobiles. Fred began driving a car at age fourteen. There were no driver’s license requirements and few traffic regulations. It was at this time that Fred obtained his first of many motorcycles, a Henderson.
When Fred was in high school, the family purchased a home at 748 West Center Street. They also started a family orchestra with Jesse playing the violin, Verd the saxophone, Tom the drums, and Don the tenor banjo. Fred sometimes played with them on his trombone. When Don left on a church mission to Germany, Fred took his place playing the banjo. They played for dances and earned one dollar an hour, which was very good pay at that time. The dances were well attended in the community with parents bringing their children and many carrying babies in baskets. Eventually, Fred started his own orchestra which included friends and his younger brother, Roland, playing the tuba.
Fred was always interested in mechanics and electricity. While in high school he enrolled in a correspondence course in electricity from the L. L. Cook School in Chicago at the cost of $100. The money was borrowed from a bank with his father co-signing for the loan. Fred took some pride in successfully paying off the loan. Upon graduation from high school, Fred enrolled at Brigham Young University, but was soon offered a job with the Western Electric Company installing telephone equipment. He accepted the employment and worked for Western both in Salt Lake and Cedar City, Utah for about a year. When the Depression hit, his employment terminated, and he returned to school at BYU.
While he was employed in Cedar City, Fred had purchased a 116 Agfa Redyset camera and become interested in photography. Needing to work to pay for school, Fred worked on the BYU campus at 25 cents per hour. The opportunity to work in an on-campus photo lab developing and printing slides for one of the professors presented itself, and Fred spent the following summer working in the photo lab. This resulted in part-time employment for him the next school year, helping other students in the dark room. It also provided the opportunity to use other photography equipment, and to eventually take pictures for the BYU yearbook as a member of the yearbook staff. There were no flashbulbs, just flash powder in a metal trough set off by flint and steel. It produced enough light for wonderful pictures, but it also produced considerable smoke, making taking pictures indoors an adventure. Fred worked in the BYU photo department for two years. It was while attending BYU that Fred met his future wife, a young woman from Vernal, Utah named Theda Showalter.[i]
In 1934, BYU purchased a Multilith offset printing machine that included a photographic process. An image was transferred from a negative to an aluminum plate which could then be used to print copies on the printing press. Fred was asked to operate it. He was later offered a job by a department store in Salt Lake, Auerbach Company, using this same equipment in their advertising department at $90 per month. He left school to take this position. It was while working here that Fred bought his first new motorcycle, a Harley-Davidson 74.
The following winter, rather than returning to school at BYU, Theda enrolled at LDS Business College in Salt Lake City. Their courtship continued, Fred traded his Harley for a 1929 Model A Ford, and he and Theda were married July 28, 1936 in the Logan LDS Temple.
Work in the printing business involved using a cleaner called carbon tetrachloride. Exposure to this chemical caused Fred to experience liver problems. After spending time in the hospital, he was advised to get out of the printing business or risk serious health problems. His brother, Tom, helped him locate employment in a Utah Oil Refining gas station. Theda’s father owned the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury automobile distributorship in Vernal and operated it with the help of his son Don. At her father’s death in January, 1941, Fred was asked to join the dealership as partner, and Fred and Theda moved to Vernal. One of Fred’s duties in the partnership was to operate the tow truck, which necessitated him being available all hours of the day and night.
Their first child, Juleann, was born in Vernal October 6, 1941.[ii] A second daughter, Geraldine was born May 7, l946.[iii] With his business involvement, Fred became active in the Vernal Jr. Chamber of Commerce and was elected president in 1949. While he was president, the organization raised $100,000 to remodel the hospital, build a community swimming pool, and make other community improvements. Philip, their first son, was born May 3, l949.[iv]
Julie had been learning to play the piano and learning the names of the notes. Geraldine, age 3½, had observed the process and had also begun to play the piano. One day when Theda was running the mixmaster with Geraldine playing in the kitchen, Geraldine said to her mother that the mixmaster was playing a G. After some thought as to what she had said, Theda went to the piano and played a G. It was the same sound. It was determined that Geraldine had the rare gift of perfect pitch. Geraldine, upon healing a sound could accurately name the note. This received considerable attention. Whitney, the Washburn’s second son, was born March, 25, 1953[v] and Jeffery, February 26, 1957.[vi]
In 1974, after 33 years in the automobile business, Fred sold his share of the dealership and retired, diverting his energies to other interests. He and Theda have traveled, often to visit family members. One trip was by motorcycle at age 74, when Fred traveled to Canada, Washington, Oregon, and finally California where he visited two of his children. He and Theda have traveled to Europe, Hawaii, Taiwan, and the Bahamas. They completed a trip to England this past summer, where they visited Fred’s ancestral towns of Great Washbourne and Little Washbourne.
Fred has an interest in real estate, and has purchased several properties in Vernal and other areas. He has built and sold some homes in Vernal. He enjoys constructing things, and almost single-handedly built a large garage next to the family home. He has spent many hours making things in his woodshop, and doing photographic work in his darkroom. A favorite project was construction of a replica 1929 Mercedes two-seat convertible car. Fred was appointed by the Uintah County Commission to the Uintah County Library Board, where he continues to serve.
Fred has faithfully served in the LDS Church. In the 1960’s he served in a bishopric. lie taught priesthood classes for many years. In 1988, he and Theda were called on a two-year mission to the Provo Temple, requiring a commitment of two days a week and considerable travel. He presently works in the genealogical name-extraction program, which has required that he learn to use a computer.
The children report that one of Fred’s qualities has been his willingness to quietly do things for his family and others. He has used his talents in carpentry, mechanics, and electricity to do home improvements at the homes of his children and neighbors. He has also built or refinished numerous clocks, tables, chairs, benches, and cabinets as gifts for others. Fred has always encouraged his children in their interests. He built Whitney a large “ham” radio antenna tower when Whit was about 13. He encouraged young Jeff in his interest in photography, letting him use his highly prized and expensive cameras and darkroom. He built Whit and Jeff a mini-bike. The children report he has been a generous and caring father whose example is that of a hard-working, honest, man committed to his family.
[i] Theda Showalter was born October 4, 1916 in Vernal, Utah, the daughter of Clarence and Mary Alice Barney Showalter. When the two youngest children were in high school, Theda returned to college at age 50, completed her degree in education, and taught school for eight years. When Fred retired, she retired from school teaching, obtained a real estate license, and sold real estate for several years. Theda’s interests include people, reading, and writing poetry and prose. She recently purchased a computer and spends several hours per day writing. She has published one book, Head Start For Kindergarten. Another book, Guardian Angel, will be published this fall.
[ii] Juleann, who prefers to be called Julie, graduated with a degree in education and taught high school for two years before moving to Washington D.C. to work for a senator. While in Washington D.C. she met and married Peter Scott Carruth. They now reside in Sacramento, California. Peter is a medical doctor and surgeon. His interests include history, reading, travel, and sports. Julie’s interests include people, travel, reading, and music. She enjoys playing the piano. She has a particular love for Paris, France. She recently started an investment club. Peter and Julie have four children: Geraldine, age 25, attending Fresno State College; Peter Scott, Jr., age 23 attending BYU; Michael Washburn, age 20, on an LDS mission in Colorado; and David Thorsen, age 16, a junior in high school.
[iii] Geraldine graduated from college and worked for a senator in Washington D.C. and the USO before marrying. She is married to John F. Dozier who goes by Jack. They currently reside in Severna, Maryland where Jack works for an engineering company called ARINC. They recently returned from a work assignment in Taiwan, and Jack currently is working in northeast China where his company is renovating an airport. He alternates between three weeks in China and three weeks home. Jacks interests include sports, physical fitness, computer, and reading. Geraldine’s interests include music, sewing, and interior decoration. She teaches piano lessons. They have one son, Bill, from Jack’s first marriage. He is just graduating from BYU. Together, they have a 15 year old daughter, Julie; and a 13 year old son, Elliot.
[iv] Philip and his wife Sherry, live in Vernal, Utah where he owns an automobile repair business called Advanced Automotive. Sherry works as manager for Deseret Generation. They have a daughter, Natalie, age 26, who resides in St. George, Utah, a son, Andy, age 16; and a son, Daniel, about age 2. Phillip has considerable mechanical abilities and enjoys restoring collector automobiles. Sherry enjoys horses, and has at times raised and raced them.
[v] Whitney is married to Connie Olson and lives in Sacramento, California where he is an attorney. His first wife, Jan, died of cancer in 1991. Whitney and Jan had four children: Kristen, age 19, a student at BYU; Paul, 17, who will be a freshman at Snow College this Fall; Gail, age 13; and Diane, age 11. Connie has three children: Kristen (yes, another Kristen), age 23, who is married and lives in Davis, California; Stefan, age 20, on an LDS mission in Chile; and Brandon, age 16. All are involved in music.
[vi] Several years ago, Jeffery returned to school in Seattle, Washington to earn his MBA degree, and then moved to Salt Lake City where he currently resides. He has worked as a marketing analyst and is now brokering, purchasing, and developing commercial real estate that has undervalued leases. When he is not working he enjoys running, bicycling, chess, and hiking. He also enjoys reading, especially in the natural and social sciences.
