From The Past 1920 – Cedar Fort

Unnamed Poem

by Fannie Berry

In a pretty little village
Far away in Utah’s vales
nestling close to lofty mountains
With there forests, brooks and dale
With God’s sunny sky above them
Glowing with celestial truth
In this peaceful little village
Lived a maiden and a youth.

In childhood, they played together
And as now they’d older grown
Each had recognized the spirit
They in former childhood had known
And their love was pure untainted
As the crystal water there
BubeUng from the spring above them
Flowing through the village fair.

Soon those two young lives were blended
By God’s servant they were made
One, in holy bonds of wedlock
God’s eternal plan to aid

Ten years she was our president
Then was called upon to take
StiU a broader field of action
And to labor in the stake
Those with whom she labors love her
For her great heart and good cheer
To this place, she’s been a mother
And we’ll hold her memory dear.

He has labored in his quorum
With humility and prayer
And in union and devotion
He has sought to do his share
And their children grown around them
Friends and comrades dear will leave
We are both to lose our neighbors
Your departing now we grieve.

But we hope that when you leave us
Our great loss will be your gain
If the change will make you happier
Surely we should not complain.

And the dear old white-haired father
In that village far away
Praised God that his son had accomplished
That for which he’d went away.

Soon to this devoted family
Came another mission call
To build up the stakes of Zion
In a far off land, that’s all
But oh, the steady courage
That this mission would entail
Dauntless faith and courage only
Were the traits that would prevail.

Twelve long years they now have labored
In this far off land of ours
And altho here they’ve been happy
Yet their path was not aU flowers
He was chosen in the bishopric
She ReUef Society work
And the years they’ve labored with us
Neither one was known to shirk.

But though God had called their loved one
Took him back to dwell on high
They acknowledge still his goodness
And unto him did draw nigh
Soon they turned their footsteps homeward
Back again to Bear Lake’s shore
There they labored in His kingdom
Just as zealous as of yore.

Thence he went to fill a mission
The true gospel went to preach
Unto aU who hearkened to it
He the words of God would teach
While his dear wife toiled and labored
Nobly did she do her part
And performed as great a mission
As did he who claimed her heart.

Proud and happy to that couple
Was the ne’re forgotten day
When to those he loved so dearly
He at last had come to stay.

Not in this life and this only
Will they keep that sacred vow
But through all the future ages
Will be one, as they are now.

Soon they left their native village
Went their life work to perform
To a new unsettled country
Buffeted by winds and storm
Pioneers to Bear Lake valley
All the hardships they went through
Of the rugged life and labors
All thos sturdy settlers knew.

Children came to bless their household
Came to share their home and love
And for them they gladly labored
And gave thanks to God above.
Then once more they sought a new home
In the broad Snake River land
Where again they bravely labored
Here they felt deaths heavy hand.

Cedar Fort

By Fannie Berry, about 1920

cedar fort was a little town
was built close by a hill
and it was sitting on a slope
just above was a mill

The streets were sloping to the field
a jolly place for costing down
when winter came with snow

and there were lots of boys and girls
we’d see them every day
down by the swings and whirlygigs
a lovely play to play

Sometimes they sit upon the ground
when tired of the swing
each one tell a story
or maby all would sing

and when the moon was round and big
almost as light as day
they’d mn and play at hide go seek
or pomp pomp pool away

sometimes they clime upon the hill
There there are plenty berries
and maybe clime all thru the mill
or hike across the prairies.

above the town there is a spring
a bailing you would think
and running down a mossy crick
for use and cows to drink

Every family has an orchard
with peaches clings and breaks
and every kind of plumbs and apples
a wheigh down the trees

Picking tubs and tubs of peaches
and piles of apples too
they always have a jolly crowd
to help the work put through

they take their knives and gather round
Each one of them would try
to see which one could pear the most
and spread them out to dry

They never heard of car riding
or the whistle of a train
men would hook their oxen up
to hall their wood and grain

But those slow times are gone and past
over sixty years ago
and now we’r flying mighty fast
and talking with a radio

when looking back on years ago
compare them with today
wich is the best I do not know
and so I cannot say.

These photos were found on the website https://utahspresenthistory.blogspot.com “Are there actually cedars in Cedar Fort?”