margaretcondiesharp,b1839

Margaret Condie Sharp, b 1839

By Her Granddaughters, Lucile Barker and Gladys Barker Westwood,

Daughters of Cecilia Sharp (1863) and Frederick E. Barker (1861)

Who are Also Parents of Al Sharp Barker (1897)

This story was probably written about 1935, the year of Gladys Barker’s death.

Grandma Sharp never looked her age and was never one who talked of it. I remember particularly how amused she was that Brother Brown was so proud of being so spry; that he did just what the rest of the party did, although he was 74. She was ten years older [than he], but never mentioned it. This was when she went on a trip to Cedar Breaks, Zions Canyon, Fish Lake, etc., with a party from the BYU, led by Harrison R. Merrill. Grandma did everything that everyone else did on that trip. Brother Brown did not go down the trail into Bryce Canyon, and after persuasion, Grandma Sharp remained to talk to Mrs. Ramsey, the artist’s wife, while the rest of us went down into the canyon. The only other thing she missed was going fishing, and she had her part in that. Harrison Merrill and I were the only ones of our party who went fishing. Grandma Sharp saw that I was awake at 4:00 am, so that I could meet Mr. Merrill and the guide on time. I caught the limit—three large Mackinaw trout. We had them for dinner that same night, here at home.

One day, Grandma Sharp came home from the Temple very much excited. She asked if I had written an article for a magazine telling the story of her life. I hadn’t. She went up to Uncle Joe’s to ask Lavon if she had written it. She hadn’t. The magazine just said in its title of the article, “My Grandmother, by her Granddaughter”. In no place was her name mentioned, but details in it led Mrs. Susie Y. Gates to recognize it as telling of Grandma. Sister Gates read sentences from the article to Grandma and said, “That’s you, isn’t it, Sister Sharp?” Grandma admitted that it was. Beginning then, they wanted to have her rest between times more and more at the Temple, because they now knew how old she was.

My sister, Gladys Westwood, had written the article, and sent it in and had gotten quite a number of subscriptions to the magazine which she used as Christmas presents that year. She came down proud as punch to show it to Grandma, who was up to Uncle Joe’s, asking about it at the time. Grandma felt better about it when she read the whole article through and saw that Gladys had not mentioned her name, nor even signed her own name to it.

This is the article: January 1927 issue of Correct Eating, a national health magazine, pp. 30-31, 54. Acquired by ebf, 2011.

My grandmother was eighty-seven years old this November, but you would never believe she was more than seventy years. Her hair is only slightly streaked with gray, and she has a fresh, rosy complexion with but few wrinkles. She is the marvel of all who know her. I have wondered many times how she keeps so well, and so young looking and active. Since I have been reading “Correct Eating Magazine”, the mystery is solved.

Scotland and Utah

Grandma came from Scotland with her parents and brothers and sisters to St. Louis when she was [a young girl]. At the age of [twelve years] or in 1852, she came by ox team across the plains to Salt Lake City. She walked [barefoot] a good part of the distance, and endured many hardships. There were about fifty teams in the company, and at night, the wagons would form a circle for protection from the Indians. The people and animals would camp in the center. A big bonfire was made, and all hands helped with the supper; and then they had singing, dancing, and story telling. This helped to keep the people in good spirits. Needless to say, they went to bed early.

Food on the Pioneer Trail

Their food was very simple, through necessity, and very different from the type of provisions that most people take with them on camping trips now-a-days. The only kind of flour they had was corn meal. They had no white sugar, and just a small amount of molasses for sweetening. Dried fruits were light and easy to carry, and so they were used a great deal. There were about two milk cows to the company. Once or twice along the way, a buffalo was killed, and then everybody shared in the treat. When they reached Salt Lake, the settlers already there gave them a hearty welcome and fed them. The first meal they gave them was coarse whole wheat bread, green onions, and some young greens. It tasted wonderful to them.

Living in Great Salt Lake

Every family brought their own seed and farm implements, and every member of the family worked hard at tilling the soil. The children gleaned the wheat and ground it in their own homes, and for years, the only method they had of preserving fruit and vegetables for winter use was by drying them in the sun. Sage roots were dug to help out, and young tender pig weed (red top) and wild mustard plants formed an important part of their food as greens. Wild berries, such as service berries, currants, strawberries, and choke cherries were gathered from the canyons or exchanged with the Indians. Molasses was made from carrots.

Tea, coffee, tobacco and liquor were almost unheard of, as the source of supply was a thousand miles away, and it was an important part of their religion to abstain from all hot beverages and strong drinks. Their hot drink in the winter time was half hot water and half hot milk or burnt-toast water. This is Grandma’s preference today. Chocolate or cocoa was unknown here until after the railroad came [in 1869], and then it was quite a luxury for those who learned to like it. When the first chocolates were sold out here, they peeled the chocolate coating off and ate the inside. White flour and white sugar were unheard of luxuries. Brown sugar was used when they could afford it.

Utah War

When Johnston’s Army [1857]… came out here to conquer the Mormons… and then was recalled, [the army] exchanged their surplus bacon and supplies with the pioneers for fresh vegetables and fruits. After going so long without meat or bacon and then having so much of it, they say it caused a great deal of sickness and disease which had been very scarce before. There were no doctors here, and everyone had to stay well.

Shoes to Wear

It was very expensive and hard to get supplies from the nearest eastern point, so everybody was, of course, very careful. Grandma tells of how careful they would be with their one pair of shoes. When they went to church or places where they needed to look their best, they would carry their shoes to within a block or so of their destination, and then put them on.

As I see it now, it was a blessing in disguise that the pioneers could only obtain the coarse-grain foods, little meat, sweets and beverages, and that they used the green foods so much. They probably would not have made out so good on present-day foods.

Salt Lake Theater

Grandma attended the initial performance at the famous old Salt Lake Theater [which was the main theater in Salt Lake for many years.] It has since been torn down. This theater was noted for its wonderful stage and good acoustic properties, and the preference famous actors gave for it; although the new theaters in Salt Lake City are expensive and fine ones. The tickets were paid for in provisions, such as molasses, all kinds of vegetables and grain.

Tending Children and Treating Disease

Grandma was made a widow at the age of twenty-five years, and was left with two small children of her own and four adopted children, the children of her dead sister, [Janet]. She took up the study of medicine from an eastern doctor who came out here, and she used to go out among the sick a great deal. I have heard her tell about going to houses where there was smallpox or scarlet fever; and coming home, she would change her clothes to the skin out in the snow before coming in to her children. Even now, she has lots of sick people come to her for advice, and she always warns them against rich food, sweets, and overeating. She suggests plain foods and plenty of greens.

She, herself, eats very little and is very careful of what she eats. For years, her breakfast has consisted of a dish of cooked whole wheat with a little milk on it. She eats very little meat, but is fond of fish, vegetables, fruits, and especially, buttermilk. Pie, cake and ice cream and candy are eaten very sparingly and seldom. She likes to eat about five in the evening, and then nothing more until breakfast. We have never had tea or coffee in our house. The first Sunday in the month is observed in our Church as Fast Day. The money that would be spent for food is given as a donation to the poor of the Church. Grandma never misses fasting until she comes from church in the afternoon, about four o’clock. People who have observed her eat, think she doesn’t eat enough to keep a bird alive, and cannot understand how she accomplishes so much hard work on so little food.

Temple Service

For over twenty-five years, she has spent her time in the Temple, doing work for the dead and influencing all she comes in contact with for good. She walks about six blocks to the Temple by seven o’clock in the morning, and gets home about two or three o’clock in the afternoon. After a little rest and a nap, she is ready for anything, a trip to town, a party, a show, visit to the sick, or any housework there might be. She has always lived with us, and we wouldn’t know how to get along without her advice and help. She is always ready for anything that comes along.

Lots of Energy

The weather doesn’t stop her from going out. As a rule, she retires about seven or eight o’clock. I have never in my life heard her complain of a headache or admit she didn’t feel well. She considers it a disgrace. If she doesn’t feel quite up-to-the-minute, she quietly disappears upstairs to bed without anything to eat, and in the morning, she is all right. She allows nothing to interfere with her work at the Temple, which is gratis.

Grandma never tells her age to anybody, but wants everybody to think that she is just as able and strong as they are, and can do anything they can. And, that is just about right. She does her own shopping and selecting of clothes and is always trying to do something good or help somebody else.

Grandma is a great walker and often walks rather than wait for a street car. Often, people go to help her in or out of an auto or street car, but she is too quick for them. She hops in or out as light as a feather, before they know it.

Grandma is a firm believer in correct eating, and is always trying to learn something of benefit. As long as she can do good and help the other fellow out, Grandma will continue her active life as long as she possibly can.

By Gladys Barker Westwood, daughter of Frederick and Cecilia Sharp Barker

Updates by Editor: Margaret Condie Sharp lived until age 89. She died in 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in the Sharp family plot in Salt Lake City Cemetery. She was buried near her husband, Joseph Sharp, her sister, Janet, and their two little girls who died as children. Margaret Condie’s grandson, Clarence Sharp Barker, and his wife, Maurine Christensen, are also buried in this family plot.

Lucile Barker, born 1892, one of the authors of this piece, became a stenographer and then taught school as a life-long occupation. Lucile was very shy, good-hearted and family minded. She remained single, living with her widowed mother and grandmother until they each passed away. Lucile died of cancer in 1949 at age 57. Lucile was buried with her parents, and her brother, Ira, who died soon after graduating from the University of Utah as a mining engineer.

Gladys Barker Westwood, born 1894, the other author of this piece, became a stenographer and a school teacher before she married. Gladys had a bubbly personality and had a talent for drawing others to her. She lived a short life and died of pneumonia in 1935 at age 40, as a young mother, in Salt Lake City, Utah, leaving her husband and three young children. Gladys was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Editor: Marjorie Cecilia Barker Sorensen, April 2005.

End Notes:

1. At one time, the introduction to this history was thought to be written by Clarence Sharp Barker, their younger brother. But, an earlier manuscript from Ruth Davis Barker says the writer of the beginning of this history is Lucile Barker, a sister of theirs. See a short sketch of her life, above.
2. This document contains many small stories of Margaret Condie’s life that she probably told her granddaughters.
3. The narrative illustrates Margaret Condie’s personality and her various interests, mostly her family. Margaret was very spiritual and worked hard all her life.
4. The document contains the magazine article that Gladys Condie wrote about her grandmother, which was published in the magazine, Correct Eating, January 1927 issue.
5. This history was amended and computerized in April 2005 by Marjorie Cecilia Barker Sorensen. [It has been perused and proofread three times by MCBS.]
6. Also, see Excerpts of a Letter Written by Lucile Barker to Bishop Wayne Barker, which has selected Barker and Sharp ancestor histories.
7. We also have a single page, legal size, Page 1 of this document and one complete, hard, carbon copy of this document on letter-size paper in the file.

Joe Allred read and appreciated this history.

Source: Marjorie Cecilia Barker Sorensen