My First Home

In 1935, three years before I was born, my parents had purchased a big home to replace the log cabin they had lived in. It was the Plano Railroad Depot, located two miles north of our place. 

Dad paid $200 for it, and $300 to have it moved (which took about three weeks). Mom cooked three meals a day for the movers and did most of her cooking out under the trees, as it was so hot in the cabin.

(Hemsley Home: Railroad Depot)

This Depot was like a castle to me growing up. I loved it. Dad remodeled the main room into a big kitchen with a dining room, sitting room, and two bedrooms downstairs. Upstairs had three bedrooms.

There was no bathroom, but off the kitchen through a door at the left of the sink was a large, well-equipped wash room (now a laundry room) with benches, which held large washtubs for washing and rinsing clothes. It was like a dream come true for my family.

(Hemsley Home: Plano Remodel)

We lived on forty acres, which my Dad had inherited from his father, Richard Hemsley. It was located two blocks southwest of the Plano, Idaho town site.

(Apple Orchard 1942)

We had a big apple orchard of over forty trees. Dad grew potatoes and grain, and raised Duroc pigs, horses, cows, chickens, dogs, cats, and even mice.

Mom had a huge garden with a big raspberry patch and even cantaloupe and watermelon. One night my Dad saw some boys out raiding the watermelon patch, so at church the next morning he asked them how his watermelon tasted. They sure felt silly, not knowing he had seen them.

Many Rexburg friends and relatives drove out every summer to get produce from Mom's garden. I spent endless hours helping my family pick berries and apples, and weed the garden.

I remember when I grumbled once about all the work, Mom replied, "Just think how much visiting we can do out there." And since I loved to visit, I decided working in the garden wasn't bad at all. Besides, Mom would always let me have my play time in the old pig houses after I would clean them up.

Dad made our back yard like a play ground. It even had a merry-go-round! He and Ellis dug a 3 foot hole and buried a wagon wheel half-way down. We spent hours on the merry-go-round. He also made a swing set, and anything to make life absolutely grand!