Sketch of the Life of Annie Agusta Logie Clark

She came with her parents to Utah in 1856

In far away Sidney Australia, May 24, 1853, Charles Joseph Gordon Logie and Rosa Clara Friedlander were married. A year later, 27 June 1854, a sweet baby girl was born to them they called her Annie Agusta.

President Silas Farnham took Rosa Clara to his home. The father, Charles Logie, Joined the church through the teachings of the Mormon Elders laboring in Sydney. When Annie was 1 year old, they prepared to come to America with these missionaries, John G. Eldridge and John Grantham of American Fork, Utah and President Silas Farnham of Provo, Utah.

They took passage on the steamship "Julia Ann" in the late summer of 1855. During a terrible storm on the ocean, the ship was wrecked on the coral reef on the Sicily Islands at about 2 A.M. The father tied his year old baby, Ann, on his back by means of a large brown wool shawl, just as Indians carry their babies. (I have that shawl today - 1958)

In the confusion he and the baby were pushed overboard and would surely have drowned, but one of the sailors (Bully Williams) dove in after them, bringing them to safety by holding on to Charles' long black hair, which he wore in curls to his shoulders. He was a sailor himself but could not learn to swim. They were none the worse for the ducking.

The mother, Rosa Clara, only 18 years old, was the first of the 23 passengers to risk going to the coral reef. Captain Pond of Boston took her there by means of a thick rope stretched from ship to reef. He left her alone in the darkness of the night and storm, waist deep in water while he went back to the ship for another person. Only one could be taken at a time. Morning found them cast on a lonely barren uninhabited island. They watched their ship break to pieces and sink out of sight in the ocean in the cold dawn. They had time to rescue only one chest of tea, one chest of biscuits, one chest of carpenter tools and one trunk of fine clothing belonging to an actress.

Large turtles crawled upon the shore to keep them company. They were too exhausted to push them away. Later they made a small raft of lumber that drifted ashore from their wrecked vessel. There was no fresh water on the island so they set our coconut shells to catch the rainwater. These coconuts were obtained from an island about 3 miles away by means of the raft.

They lived on turtle meat, eggs, and rainwater as a result of this fare many suffered with boils. Only 5 of the passengers were lost and that was because they would not obey orders of Captain Pond and jumped overboard.

After six weeks of this terrible ordeal, on the 3rd of December 1855, they were rescued by an American Fruiting Vessel, "The Emma Packer" on its way to Hawaii, which for some reason had drifted off its course and sighted their signal of distress. They were taken to Honolulu, and after a short time continued their journey to Utah. They arrived in San Francisco in the spring of 1856. The gold rush was on in California, but it didn't interest the Logie family. They were sent to Carson City, Nevada to the home of John C. Nails, a Mormon, to await further orders.

There their second child (my father) Charles Joseph Logie was born, November 18, 1856. They soon were sent to Salt Lake City to Join the Saints and to live the religion they had learned to love.

It seems from birth; Ann was destined to be a pioneer. In 1857, Brigham Young sent the family to Lehi. After a year, they went to Wallsburg, where friendly Indians visited them often.

Their third child, a boy was born, named Silas. In 1860 they moved to American Fork. Here Ann grew to womanhood, sharing with her mother Just 17 years older, all the trials and hardships of pioneer life. She was always a second mother to the growing family of ll brothers and sisters.

She attended Editha Anderson's school. Let me tell you of this school as Aunt Ann described it to me in 1934.

It was located in a one-room log house west of the old Hollendrake home on first north between church and 1st west street. A step stove was on the east side; two beds were on the west. One for Editha and one for Merilla Murdock, an Indian girl who lived with her. A wide shelf was under the window by the door on which pans of milk were set. Rough tables and slab benches with wooden pegs for legs filled the center of the room. Ann and Charles made a small bench Just to fit them. He also cut wood to pay for Ann's schooling, 3 dollars for 3 months. The boy Charley only went one winter, as he was needed to help earn the living for the large family by hauling wood from cedars.

Pupils sat in groups according to age. Each group was named for the smartest pupil. They used slates and pencils and McGuffie's books later Nelson's books. Editha would say, "Ben Greenwood's class come forward." They came, copied lesson, and recited it; then she would say “Now sally back and Hank Parker's class come forward. As a reward of merit for good behaviour, or lessons well done, the picture of a bird on a three-inch Piece of stiff paper was given. Ann received one and was very proud of it, and kept it all of her life. The better the pupil the bigger the picture.

Ann didn't have any shoes, but went barefoot to school all winter. Editha carried her home (one block) on her back every night to keep her out of deep snow. Ester Hindley's father owned a store so she had shoes. Ben Greenwood carried her home to keep her new shoes from getting wet.

Ann went out each week to do a large family wash on the board, which took her all day. She had to carry water, chop her own wood to keep the fire, scrub the floor, black the kitchen stove, then gather in and dampen the clothes. The family would sit down to supper, but did not invite her to eat. (I will not tell their name, you all know them.) For her day's pay she was given a fair sized piece of bacon. She took it home and her mother fried it all for supper.

In the Spring her mother came around with sulphur and molasses as a tonic. When they had whooping cough, granny Johnson's remedy was worm wood tea, made of molasses, vinegar, pepper and butter.

The first Sunday School Ann and Charley attended was in a log room on the corner lot of Main and 1st East (north of the Tabernacle). Charley wore a pair of pants made from his father's old ones. Ann wore a green dress with red peas printed on it. It was made from a silk skirt given to her by Betsy Austin, the actress, who was on the ship when it was wrecked. It was in the trunk saved at the time and used for a tent to shield Ann and her sick mother, Rosa while on the island.

Her second dress was a red merino wool. Ann could still remember the white embroidered pantaloons that hung below. These clothes had to be taken off as soon as they reached home as their parents had lost all their worldly goods, clothing and money in the wreck.

Ann played on the Temple wall when it was about 3 feet high. Her father worked on the Temple even after moving to American Fork. He went each week, begging rides on wagons pulled by oxen.

Ann and Charley witnessed the coming of the railroad to American Fork. It was Sunday afternoon and all the town people were there. They went down the State Road to Alva Green's place. The men had brought an engine and movable track from Draper. They would lay the track down for nearly a block, run the engine along, then take the track up and lay it down again in front of the engine, and so on into town. The loud whistle frightened the children.

In those early days a dear sweet lady asked Ann Logie to be her husband's second wife. Ann said, "No, I want a man of my own." She married Lee Clark in 1878 and lived in the northeast part of town for a short time. Lee was not a member of the church. They moved to Fort Canyon, north of Alpine, and Ann again became a pioneer woman, helping to make homes and settle that place. Later it became a beautiful district. It is widely known for its delicious berries and other fruit, much called for on the Salt Lake market.

Five children were born to them: Eoline, Perry, Lincoln, Dora, and a small son Berrie, who died when very young.

Lee Clark and his brother-in-law, Bob Bennett, took up 160 acres as a homestead in Fort Canyon. Later a number of families settled there. They had their own school and schoolteachers. Mrs. Alberta Bennett has written a history of Fort Canyon that will be published for the "Mountain Ville Camp." In it, Lee Clark and wife Ann play an important part.

Ann enjoyed her life and raised her family in this beautiful canyon. Her log house was always neat and clean. She was a splendid cook and loved to have company. My first week away from home, at the age of 16, was spent in this canyon. I loved Aunt Ann next to my own mother.

Her husband died in 1908. Ann went to live with her daughter, Dora Gore in Idaho, visiting from time to time with her other children. She later moved to Salt Lake. Her children loved her very dearly. Nothing was too good for their mother. Her word was their law. They always kept in close touch with her. She shared their Joys and sorrows. The young people loved her and respected her advice, which is not always true of the youth of today. Some of her nieces and nephews, with husbands and wives, spent many a happy afternoon with her in Salt Lake listening to her humorous stories of the early days in Utah.

She was contacted and had given much help with the history of American Fork, yet I doubt if those writing it will ever mention her name. Bertha Sager received much information for which she was deeply appreciative.

When she passed away on the 25th of August 1938, the whole Logie family knew we had lost the prop we leaned upon. She was 84 years old, yet her mind was keen and bright to the last. Before going she asked Bert and I to be there when they laid her away. She hoped it would be in the summer because she didn't want to cause trouble to anyone getting her up that hill in the snow. God must have heard her prayer and granted it. It was a lovely clear, cool day in August. The Alpine people came to honor her. Edith Young and Darrell Wanless sang beautiful solos and I gave a sketch of her life, also wrote and read this tribute to a wonderful person.

Aunt Ann

Here was her home in the Alpine hills,

Where flowed the clear deep crystal rills.

Here all nature seemed at rest.

Here her children came to bless.

She braved the trials of the pioneer

This little woman we love so dear.

Dear little mother, sad was the day,

When your sweet spirit went away.

It seems a light has Just gone out

For we stumble, and roam about.

Yours was the strength that held us together

Through sunny days or stormy weather.

Tender, gentle, brave and true,

Loving us what’ ere we do.

Your soul was filled with tender grace,

No one else, can take your place.

You never lost faith in the teaching of old.

Your trust in God never grew cold.

You came to me in an hour of need

An angel of mercy in very deed.

You closed the eyes of a dying child,

Then looked up at us and smiled.

“Don't worry, dear, he's not far away,

You'll have him again another day."

So to the family who are left,

And of a loved one now bereft,

Keep the memory of her bright,

May it be a beacon light.

Just reach out and find her hand

"Twill lead you to a better land.

And when the gates you enter thru'

May her sweet spirit welcome you.

Laura Logie Timpson

This little card was given to Annie A. Logie for attendance to Sunday School for 1 year. She gave it to me in 1937. She received it in 1864. On back is stamped American Fork Sunday School. Laura Logie Timpson.