Sarah Maude Griffin

Sarah Maude Griffin  (GGM, 1913 - 1967, as recalled by Paulene Berge her daughter,

1996 and as recorded in the Thomas Griffin Family book, pages 196 & 197, published 1997) -

 

     Sarah was born April 16, 1913 and raised in a small Mormon farming community called Clarkston in Cache Valley, Utah (located at the western base of the Rocky Mountains).  She was the third child and only daughter born to Albert William Griffin and Ida Ann Clark.  She had two older brothers and two younger brothers.   

     She was raised in a strict home of English parents and much was expected.  Many relatives lived in Clarkston on both her father and mother’s sides of the family.  She grew up associating with many aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.  Sarah’s Grandfather Griffin had two wives and so there were many relatives from these marriages.  She had many cousins about her age on the Griffin side of the family.  Many of them became close friends and the bonds of friendship continued throughout their lives.  In particular Sarah had numerous girl cousins with whom she had many girl parties.

     Albert, Sarah’s father was a farmer.  He had cows, pigs, chickens and horses.  He also had an interest in a dry farm located about 5 miles north of Clarkston.  This area was called “Dirtyhead.”  During the winter of 1919, a flu epidemic broke out in Clarkston, and Sarah’s father became ill and died on January 13, 1919.  Albert’s funeral was held on the front porch of his parent’s home because of the contagious nature of the flu.  Very few people attended.  Sarah was six years old at the time of his passing.

     Ida, Sarah’s mother, was left with five young children under the age of ten to provide and care for.  She was a very industrious, hard working, talented woman.  She was an excellent cook and made a meager living by cooking, sewing and running the farm.

     Sarah attended Clarkston Elementary School, and was a fun loving, athletic energetic individual.  She was friendly, outgoing, daring, enjoyed people and loved to have fun.  Sarah’s cousins were here best friends.  Her Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Rhoda were extra special.  They had daughters her age, and she spent a lot of time in their homes.  She was also very close to her Uncle Dewey who took a special interest in her after her father died.  Times were hard in her youth and growing up in the 1920’s was a challenge with meager finances.  With so many relatives and family members in the community, life was more fun and enjoyable.

     Work was to be done before play.  Sarah was taught to cook and sew as well as help out in other ways.  Sarah and her brothers delivered the Deseret News to the people of Clarkston for many years.  They had a horse which her oldest brother La Mont rode to pick up the newspapers in Trenton (about 5 miles away) and then Sarah and her two younger brothers would canvass the town delivering the papers.  Sarah being the youngest delivered her papers on horseback while the boys walked.  When ever there was someone hard to collect from, Sarah was the one that could get the money owed them.  Sarah was taught to sew by her mother and showed a natural ability as a seamstress.  

     Sarah went to live with relatives in Logan to finish high school.  She lived with the Malmbergs just west of Logan High School.  She graduated from Seminary and had a great interest in swimming and diving while attending Logan High School.  She didn’t complete high school but went to work as a clerk at Squires Laundry and Dry Cleaners in Logan.  Sarah learned well how to iron shirts and loved to iron which she did throughout her life.     

     Flapper style clothing was the in-thing.  After all, this was the Roaring Twenties.  Sarah had dark, black hair and brown eyes and was average build and about 5’ 6” in height.  She wore her hair in a bob.  She was naturally athletic as a teenager.  She was the fastest girl runner in all of Cache Valley.  Sarah attended at North Cache High School during her freshman and sophmore years.  During one winter, the people in Clarkston were snowbound for several weeks.  Milk couldn’t be taken out or mail and supplies couldn’t be brought in except over the top of the snow.  The high school students missed several weeks of school because of the snow.   

     Sarah’s daring and adventuresome nature continued throughout her youth.  When she was 16 (prior to moving to Logan), she and a bunch of her girl friends and cousins took her brothers car without his knowledge or permission.  Their joyride ended when she lost control of the car, totalling it at the bottom of the steep Trenton hill.  She wrecked the family car and several girls were seriously injured.  She spent time in the hospital and carried a dramatic scar on her wrist and arm the rest of her life.  Her mother had a difficult time earning a living and eventually moved to Logan where she could work too.

     Sarah’s best friend in North Cache High was Martha Peterson, who was Mariners niece.  Martha introduced Sarah to her Uncle Mariner.  She was 20 when she got married to her best friends Uncle Mariner “Luke” Anderson, age 30, on June 7, 1933 in the Logan LDS Temple.