History of Samuel Clifford Bowles

Samuel Clifford Bowles - 1891-1970

Samuel Clifford Bowles was the third son of Thomas Edward Bowles and Louisa Bale. He was born on the15th of September 1891 in a log house in Nephi, Utah. He received his schooling in Nephi going as far as the seventh grade. His Mother did not have any girls at this time so she kept him in dresses until he was five years old. He was baptized on the 3rd of November 1899 and ordained a Deacon on the 29th of January 1906 by Robert Winn. He was ordained a Teacher on the 10th of January 1910 by T. H. G. Parks.
Clifford’s Father was a butcher so Clifford worked early and later helping him. When he was about sixteen he went with some other men to catch wild horses. It was exciting as well as hard work. The summer of 1910 he worked in the plaster mill East of Nephi. That fall he went to Idaho with his sister-in-law. He joined the Milo Ward.
He was ordained an Elder on the 20th of November 1911 by Robert M Newman. Clifford worked at farming and clearing off sage brush, disking the ground, thrashing and helped stack hay. He helped Tom Doman dig wells for different people.
He married Sarah Elizabeth Stotter Campbell on the 6th of March 1912 in the Salt Lake Temple. That summer he worked for Sam Eames on his farm. The next summer he farmed Tom Doman’s farm and run it until 1917. In the year 1917, he bought Joe Pitman’s forty acres in Milo and that fall we moved on it. The ground was partly covered with sagebrush. We left the Rigby First Ward and joined the Milo ward. He was chosen Counselor to Frank Newman in the YMMIA. He also helped Wallace Wright run the dances in Milo. He was a trustee for the Leorin School for several years.
He was ordained a Seventy on the 27th of November 1921 by George F Richards. In the spring of 1924 he was chosen Second Counselor to Bishop George Cook. He was ordained a High Priest on the 24th of May 1924 by James E Talmage in the Idaho Falls Stake. He served in this office seven years. He took children to the Logan Temple for baptisms for the dead and went on Temple excursions. He also worked in the Sunday School as Superintendent for several years. In 1929 he sold the 40 acres and bought 80 acres from Harry Moore. The depression hit the next year and we had tough times for three or four years.
In 1931 was released from the Bishopric in Milo. We joined the Rigby Second Ward and Bishop C J Call chose him to be First Counselor in March 1942. He served six years and went out in December 1948. In 1949 he was chosen as Aaronic Priesthood Committee in the stake.
In 1947 he bought 46 acres from Lee Phillips just North of the Sugar Factory. Then we moved and joined the Rigby Second Ward as it had been divided and was in the Third. He served two years on a Stake Mission from the 27th of November 1957 and Brother Fred Rogers was his companion. He was released on February 1, 1960. Then he was Chairman of Genealogy in 1956 and at the present time he is working in Adult Aaronic Priesthood.
He has served as director on the Rudy and North Rigby Canals for over 25 years. He has driven school bus over 15 years and also drove horses on the school wagon and sleigh when the roads were impassable, going in and out of people’s fields. He has hauled many a load of wood and chopped it to keep the home fires burning.
He is the Father of two boys, nine girls, and Grandfather of 57 living grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren. We celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary on the 10th of March 1962 and all 11 children were in attendance, the families, a host of friends and relatives. There was a very large crowd and it was such a bad day out. He is an Adult Aaronic Teacher and a Home Teacher.

Speakers at Samuel Clifford Bowles Funeral

Life Sketch by Lona Fox, a granddaughter
My Grandfather, Samuel Clifford Bowles was born September 15, 1891, Nephi, Utah. He was the 3rd son of Thomas Edward and Louisa Bale Bowles. His formal schooling ended with completion of the 7th grade. After which, he participated in activities to supplement the family income. He became and excellent butcher while assisting his father in this trade. He hunted rabbits and coyotes for the hides the bounties paid at that time, captured and sold wild horses, worked in the plaster mill and accepted any other work that was available.
In the fall of 1910, he came to Idaho and became a member of the Milo Ward. He worked for farmers in the area clearing land, developing irrigation systems, hand digging wells, as well as regular farm work such as thrashing wheat and stacking hay. His life really began March 6, 1912 when he married Sarah Elizabeth Campbell in the Salt Lake Temple. They rented a farm for a time then bought a farm in the Milo Ward in the Rigby area. They became the parents of 9 daughters and 2 sons. In order Wanda Phillips of Rigby, Verla Wilding of Milo, Thelda Turner of Farmington, Utah, Alice Curtis presently in Western Samoa, Lois Killian and Arzella Wheeler of Idaho Falls, Phyllis Beesley and Jay Bowles of Rigby, Mildred Madson of Kearns, Myrna Armstrong of Rigby and Aldon Bowles of Leadore, At the time of his death there are 60 grand children and 80 grandchildren.
My grandfather as well as my parents and Aunts and Uncles have told many stories about the tough times. Grandfather fought blizzards and snow drifts to get the children to school with team and buggies and sleighs. The time they tipped over 5 times in one day getting water from the canal near by for the livestock and finally having to give up. The time when the kids slept in the fruit cellar and grandfather had to dig them out, dig the snow away so the children could get out in the morning. He also told us about the good times too. The temple excursions with their young people going to Logan before the Idaho Falls Temple was built. The pheasant hunts when some times he’d shoot 3 with one shot. The fishing trips to Beckler Meadows. The time when 32 went on a hay wagon behind a car and they threaded donuts on a rope to pass to the kids in the trailer behind the car. Grandfather taking care of grandmother and bathing and dressing the babies when there was a new one. Also being skilled enough to deliver two of his grandsons, one of them I know was my brother, when the babies arrived before the Doctor did. Like being blessed by the Lord when a little grandson had a long time in the canal so that he was able to breath life back into this little one. The 40 connective years he went to Utah after peaches for the family. Sometimes hauling grain to trade and getting 2 bushel of peaches for a bushel of grain. I know some of my fondest memories of grandpa; I can’t say grandpa with out including grandma as they were always together; were the family reunions that we had. We haven’t had any the last few years by they stand out in my mind for always grandpa was at the head of his family as he should be. He enjoyed having his family around him. I know my children were so excited when whey would see grandpa’s car pulling into the driveway for a visit. To me it seems that grandpa was a successful man, not so much that he was a successful farmer, he was President of the Rudy irrigation district and on the board of directors of the North Rigby canal and the great Feeder canal at the time of his death. Along with Hyrum Campbell he was instrumental in setting up the Milo Cemetery district. We recognized his responsibility to the work of the Lord. He served in nearly every organization in the Ward. He was counselor in 2 different Bishoprics, served on a Stake Aaronic Priesthood Committee, and filled a Stake Mission. He saw all 11 children married in the temple. He lived to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren profit from his example that he set. I really think his success was assured way back when he married grandmother because she stayed by him and loved him to the end. He was so lonely and unhappy since grandma left last spring. I know that when we talk to him again that he will say that this trip home has been one of the good times and I’m sure it’s a good time for grandma too.

Speaker William Sperry, A Long Time Friend
In 1904 Clifford and I were deacons in the city of Nephi, Utah and passed the sacrament. I remember how much afraid I was. He and I little knew that we would be in Idaho now and choose a companion and make a home here in this beautiful country. Our Folks all lived in Nephi and his and mine were good friends and it was wonderful to find Clifford here when I came. We came to Idaho in 1913. Clifford was married in 1912.

Here is a poem I want to read:
It is my joy in life at the turning of each road,
To find the strong arm of a comrade to help me with my load,
And since I have no goal to give, love alone must make amends
My humble prayer is while I live, God make me worthy of my friends.
Clifford and I have, since 1904, been friends and that friendship has continued over the years. This young lady said something of success. President McKay said, "No success in life can compensate for failure in the home." I was thinking these 11 children, 60 grandchildren, and 80 great-grandchildren a success. No way of measure what you’ll do – these children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I’ve always admired this family. President McKay was a man who loved his family.
I have worked in the temple many years and have kneeled at the alter and heard the ceremony sealing families. Clifford and his wife were sealed and know they will receive blessings promised because they have been faithful. I see Clifford dressed in robes of the Holy Priesthood. Only those being married in the temple can be buried in this clothing. I’ve had many of my friends in the temple speak to me about Clifford and Sarah. They have expressed this is the way I wish my wife and I could go, quickly and together. Faith produces that kind of people. We don’t know just exactly what is on the other side but we can study the scriptures and believe them and we know that Sarah is a spirit, left her body and went into the spirit world and now her companion follows a few weeks later. Her companion of her younger life is with her and they will be resurrected with a perfect body.
When I came to Idaho in 1914 Clifford came and asked me to work for him, as I was looking for a job. So I did go to work for him. Some of the things we did, I had a horse and saddle and I went to see my girlfriend (my wife now) and I rode this horse to see her, and took her on the horse to dances, this was not very nice so I traded the horse and saddle as a down payment on a buggy. Many might say how can I pull a buggy with no horse but Clifford and I had talked this over. He said you can use a horse from here. He and Sarah would use his horse and my buggy during the day. At night I would use his horse and my buggy. Just like the poem I read, Clifford and Sarah were and are my friends.
One day on the farm we were hauling hay with a family by the name of Lemon who lived a short distance away. We hauled with 3 wagons. I was helping pitch with a Lemon’s boy on the other side and a girl on each wagon. One of the teams broke and run away. I hollered to the girl to jump off and she did, the team went up to the stack and tangled with the other wagons but got things straightened out alright. This is one of the things Clifford overcome trying to make a living on a farm.
I’d like to give some comfort and blessing to this family and want you to know I love you dearly and admire you. These girls and boys were with their mother while in the hospital constantly and they have been with their father. Clifford and Sarah have both said, "What would we do without this fine family." Success in life is a wonderful thing. All of us have lost loved ones. When Jesus was about to leave this life he told his disciples and they could not believe it. He explained that he was giving his life for the salvation of mankind and he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God and ye believe in me. In my house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. Jesus said, "I am the truth the light. This comforted his apostles and I know this does you too to know your father and mother are alive and in the kingdom of God. As in Adam all men lie and in Christ all will be made alive, every man in his own order. We have a prophet today that Jesus the Christ is the Lord. I pray the Lord will bless this family. We know their mother and father have lived a good life and are entitled to the blessings that have been pronounced upon them. They are happy now. They are together; their marriage is eternal and they’ll always be together. May you boys and girls be successful as Clifford and Sarah. Some of you have big families and are doing as our prophets teach and will receive the blessings for it. It is wonderful for these girls to be here and surround their mother and father when she was ill and when he was ill. My wife and I consider them friends we know their stamina and strength and their testimony. We know Clifford kept the commandments of the church and paid his tithing and other things to keep the kingdom of God. We appreciate the blessing that comes to us for his activity and this I pray for humbly in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.