Joseph
Amos Christensen on right
Goldie
as a young adult
When Dad and Uncle John Christensen moved
from Central, Idaho to Banida to start a new merchandising venture of
establishing a general store, called the “Christensen Mercantile,” they were
single. Uncle John had the idea of
creating the business and Dad, through his working and saving, had some
(probably most) of the capital to put into the venture. That would be about 1921-1922.
One
night, they attended a Banida Ward talent show on the stage in the basement of
the yellow brick elementary school across the street east from the one-room
rock chapel. The place functioned as the
“cultural hall” for the community. That
program’s performance apparently had a big impact on my Dad. There was a pretty young participant by the
name of Goldie Echo Miles who was then 16-17 years of age. She had a very good singing voice and,
dressed as an Indian maid, sang “Indian Love Call.”
Dad told me that when she finished
singing, he turned to his older brother John and said, “That is the girl I
would like to marry!” Long story
short: They dated, and in December of
1923, Dad proposed and they became engaged.
Goldie was in her senior year at the Oneida Stake Academy and living
away from home in Preston where she roomed and boarded with friends (the Esplin
girls). Dad was offended that Mom
refused to wear her engagement ring while she was still in High School but
after graduation in June, 1924, they were married and began a wonderful life
together. In Mom's personal history she wrote: "I have always said to
myself it was a lucky day for me when I met Joe. No one ever had a better
partner."
The “Christensen Mercantile” had its
challenges and it was not long before Uncle John moved on to Ogden with his
family and to more likely profitable ventures and left Dad with his personal
investment and family. Mom became the
main clerk, and effectively the day-to-day manager of the store, as well as
“Post-mistress” of the Banida Post Office which was located in the store. As Federal employees of the Postal Department
they received a few dollars each month for managing the mail service. Meanwhile, Dad did all he could to patch
together the income to support the family.
They had some cows, pigs, chickens, and a
large vegetable garden which was primarily Mom’s responsibility. Dad started a milk–hauling business and
picked up milk in ten-gallon cans from Banida through Winder and on to Preston
to the Sego Milk Factory there. He would
often get a load of coal to bring back to customers in Banida as well as
deliver other goods as ordered since there were few who could afford to make
the trip to “town” personally. Many
would take advantage of a ride to Preston and back with Dad in the milk truck.
Economically, the “Great Depression” years
(ca. 1929-41) were difficult times for many in the area. Several lost their farms when they could not
meet their mortgage payments. Goods in
the store were often sold on credit to residents of the town. There was little cash flow in the
community. Children and others would
bring eggs to the store to exchange for candy or other merchandise. Each week the eggs were taken from the store
to Preston and sold to the “egg plant,” wherever that was.
As I recall, about monthly, Dad would take
a load of their pigs and other livestock to the auction in Ogden, Utah and then
bring back the goods and merchandise to sell in the store. Dad was an excellent mathematician and a good
accountant to keep all the records straight.
They had regular, though small, income from the milk checks,
milk-hauling, sale of livestock, Postmaster’s salary, some store profits, etc.
As farms became available in the community
due to the Depression, Dad, and I’m sure with Mom’s consent, began to make
offers and acquire land since they did have some savings and were trusted
enough by the bankers in Preston to make loans for the purchases.
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