William Houghton Greenwood History

    [This was written by Frank Greenwood.  Unfortunately the end of this manuscript is missing.]

     Grandfather farmed and worked in the mines in American Fork Canyon.  When he wasn’t farming, he had a lot of faith in the canyon, he always thought he would strike it rich.  When he wasn’t working in the mines for some one else, he prospected and staked claims for himself.  The work on the claims was slow, for in those days it was done with pick and shovel and drilling by hand, as ore veins would show he would pick pieces out and examine them through a magnifying glass talking to himself all the while, saying yup, yup, its there all right.

    He loved the canyon and would show me the outcropping on the Canyon wall showing a silhouette profile of Abe Lincoln. A hole through a peak in the mountain called the eye of the needle.  Small Creeks coming into the main stream with names given by the miners like: the Mary Ellen Gulch, Miller Hill Mine, they Called Dutchman, Whirlwind, Yankee, Milk Maid, Bog and many others.

     Grandfather always was friendly with the Indians and they would camp along the banks of American Fork Creek to catch fish as they came up the creek to spawn.  They begged flour and corn, etc.  His generosity also extended to men who came by from the trains which ran a block or so from Grandpa’s home.  He would say if you would like to cut some wood while Mother is cooking for you.  Most of the time they would oblige and some would walk past the wood pile and leave.  Grandpa would say by George, he wasn’t very hungry.

     His love for the soil would show in his planting from sprouting of the grain to harvest and thrashing.  Standing along side of the bins in the grainery and running his hand through the grain and saying “what a bounteous harvest the Lord has given us.”   The corn in the shock, had in the barn, 100 or so chickens, 2 or more pigs to kill in November, Cow or 2 to milk.  Grain taken to the mill and traded for flour, corn meal, roll oats, and shorts for the cows and pigs.

     He always had some of grandsons with him teaching them the better things of life and respect for the soil.

     He was about 70 years old before he tried to drive a car.  It was a fun thing to watch.  He would drive 15 to 20 miles per hour and kept the same speed straight ahead, or around a corner and expected everyone to get out of the way.

     Grandma and Grandpa with her eggs and butter, when they came to the store he didn’t slow down, he jumped the curb and ran into the front of the store hollering, whoa whoa all the time.  When the car finally stopped Grandma said “Bill I shan’t ride with you any more, you’re dangerous.”

     The times spent to Grandpa’s were enjoyed by all the grandchildren.  Home made pie in the shelf of the flour bin, if we would turn the freezer there was plenty of ice cream.

     The family’s always enjoyed being at Grandpa’s home.

     Grandpa and Grandma were the parents of 10 children.

     I came to visit their home.  I hadn’t seen them in 2 years.  Grandma said Bill, as she called him, was to the barn.  As I went to the barn peering in I saw him milking the cow and talking to himself.  I said Hi! Grandpa, who are you talking to?  He raised his head looking over the cow and said with a grin .....