Twilight Years

On Christmas day, December 25, 1900 the family of Charles Henry John West and Eliza Dangerfield West met at the home of his son, Bishop Jabez West. The party was held in honor of their golden wedding anniversary. Most of the family except those in the Big Horn basin was there to celebrate this special occasion. Charles in his journal mentioned the names of those who were present and the expressions of love and gifts given to him and Eliza. Charles says, “We had a very enjoyable time with our families and friends that day. Jabez and Jessie made us all welcome and spared no expense to make us all feel happy. It was a time long to be remembered by us. We ask Father in Heaven to bless all those present and absent for kindness and good wishes. We visited all our children on our return home with the exception of those living too far away.”

Charles and Eliza moved to Clearfield, Utah in Davis County. They became members of the Syracuse Ward, Davis Stake October 15, 1909. (Clearfield at that time did not have a ward organization). They lived in the home just a short distance from the home of George H. and Eliza Alice West Draper and family.

In the fall of the year 1906, a very important event happened. William, the youngest son of Charles who lived in the Big Horn Basin, and who had been a bachelor for a number of years married the talented Maud Houston June 6, 1906 at the home of his sister and brother-in-law Joseph Neville. They had come to Salt Lake for their marriage to be solemnized and to receive their endowments on October 10, 1906. This event made Charles and Eliza extremely happy because now everyone of their children had been married in the temple. To celebrate this important event, a number of the family of Charles and Eliza met at the Draper family home for an evening of enjoyment. The evening was spent so happily --Grandmother Eliza giving readings and Grandfather Charles singing so many of the songs they love.

After the party, they said good-night and walked home. Zilnorah Draper walked with them. Zilnorah D. Barnett tells the story of grandfather's death. A few minutes after grandfather had shut up the chickens for the night, he came into the house coughing. Grandmother had him sit in a chair and he held his handkerchief to his mouth and spit up some blood. He had had asthma for many years and perhaps had exerted himself that

evening. Grandmother cried out excitedly, “Run Norah, run for your mother quick.” I ran, but before Mother (Eliza West Draper) arrived, he had passed away. Some of the other members of the family came before my mother arrived, so witnessed his death. He was taken to Salt Lake for the funeral, and he lay in state at Bishop Jabez W. West's home. Many sorrowing friends and relatives came to look upon his handsome bearded face for the last time. His funeral and burial was October 15, 1906. How the family would miss

this wonderful, kind and friendly man.