watercolor painting

Letter about family in 1937

A local woman had told us long ago, and discussed with mother, that she had known the Starks in the coal mining town of Spring Canyon. Mother remembered her.  Marian Monsen wrote this letter so that we could have her memories of the Stark family preserved.  At that time, the coal mines were only open during the part of the year when there was a market for coal, the fall and winter.  The mines closed and the miners were laid off every summer.  The miners and their families usually lived in company provided housing while the mines were open and then lived elsewhere during the summer.  This letter gives a little peek into the living conditions and lives of our grandparents and their young family.

"stark" origins

These are a few pages from "The Stark Story" a special publication of "The Bulletin "  September, 1966, Missouri Historical Society.  Read the part, "For Bravery a New Name"  and then notice the family crest and house on the next page.  These people (from Stark Nurseries) claim the Revolutionary War hero John Stark as a cousin to their progenitor, but I think that my mother thought we were direct descendants from him.  I will need to see if I can make the connection.  Anyway, we are all descended from a very "stark" or strong person!

I am seeing that this is difficult to read so I will type it in
The first to bear the name was born John Muirhead.  How he acquired the name Stark is an interesting story.  John Muirhead was bodyguard to King James IV of Scotland.  While hunting one day, he noticed that an angry bull was about to attack the King, who was standing under a group of oak trees.  With no thought to his own safety, young Muirhead sprang forward and grasped the bull by the horns, in his great strength almost tearing the animal's head from its shoulders.  In gratitude for having thus been saved from almost certain death, King James decreed that henceforth John Muirhead and his descendants should bear the name of Stark, meaning strength in their ancient homeland of German Gaul, and should have on their coat of arms the head of a rugged bull, three acorns symbolizing the oak trees under which the King had been standing, and the motto: Fortiorum Fortia Facta (brave deeds of brave men).  The King also gave Muirhead a grant of land in the Cumberland area of Scotland, near Loch Lomond, and there for nearly 200 years the Stark family live and prospered, the eldest son traditionally bearing the name of John Stark.

Mid-July Celebration

Family outing at the lake.

Tailgate picnic

Farm style amusement park ride

Parade 

Visit with the Millers

The new grandson

These guys became really good friends.

The new baby from California

The smallest candy grabber

Wild Flowers

Marie and I took Austin, Olivia, and Brecon on a Mule ride to see the wild flowers.  The cactus flowers were the most dramatic. We also loved this little moss-like plant with the crown of white blossoms.

The Horseman

Austin was determined to ride a horse during his visit.  He rode Robison's pony Peanut Butter in the corral for a very long time and then Gary graciously invited him to go on a trail ride along with Hannah who was visiting.  Austin was on the end of a lead rope when they left, but was riding all by himself when they returned!

Farm visitors

A crowd on the Mule

Irrigating

 I

 Swinging on the horse walker.....

                                         and dancing on the hay stack