A Tennant Family

Charlotte Agnes Housley was born 1 April 1863 at Draper Utah, the daughter of George Frederick Housley and Maria Christina Jacobsen. She was a very pretty little girl with reddish brown hair and dark blue eyes. When she was old enough to attend school, the family had moved to Paradise, Cache, Utah, and she attended grade school there when yet a very small girl she had a great deal of responsibility in helping with the family, she being next to the oldest child and there being a large family and her mother being ill the greater part of the time.

While going to school in Paradise, she had a young boy by the name John Clark Jackson were mutually attracted to each other. He used to carry her books home, and if he was ever fortunate enough to have an apple (which anyone seldom got in those days) he always saved half of it for her.

This childhood romance grew as the years passed and on 11 May 1882, they were married in the old endowment house in Salt Lake City by Wilford Woodruff. Before going to be married they were re-baptized and reconfirmed members of the church, as was the custom in those days. Whether their previous dates were lost or not I do not know, but this was done on the 4 May 1882 by Orson Smith at Paradise, Utah.

To them eight children were born. Clark H. Jackson, born 17 November 1883 at Paradise, Utah; Jesse H. Jackson, born 15 July 1886 at Paradise, Utah; Avilda H. Jackson, born 20 February 1892 at Avon, Utah; George H. Jackson, born 89 may 1895 at Hiatt Ward, Fremont, Idaho; Wanda Loverne Jackson, born 10 November 1897 at Parker, Fremont, Idaho; Evay May Jackson, born 7 January 1361 at Parker, Fremont, Idaho; Grace H. Jackson, born 18 September 1364 at Plano, Fremont, Idaho; Alma Wayne Jackson, born 8 July 1910 at Plano, Fremont, Idaho.

After their marriage, they lived a few years at Paradise, Utah, where "Clark" worked in the timber or forest camps and "Lottie" cooked for the men in the camps. Their first two children were born in Paradise, Utah. A short time after this, they decided to go to Arizona to try their luck. While everything went very well for them in a financial way, things seemed to just come their way, and Clark like the country very much, but the extremely warm climate was very hard on his young wife Lottie and her health began to break. So they returned to Utah again to make their home, this time in Avon, a little town near Paradise. Here their third child was born, a little girl. This little valley was completely surrounded by hills and Clark and Lottie felt to cramped up in this place and longed to build a home in the wid open spaces and so in the year 1893, they moved to Idaho coming by team and wagon. They first settled at Hiatt Ward in Fremont County were their fourth child, a boy, was born. Later, they moved to parker, Fremont, Idaho where they built a home of their own where Lottie could raise the beautiful flowers she loved. Others she gave lovely bouquets to those who passed by. They lived there for some time, Clark still working the timber a great deal fo the time. Here, their fifth child was born, a little girl. Here also extreme sorrow came in their lives as this dear sweet little girl passed away at the age of two years and 11 days, and it left hearts sore and their home empty indeed, and it was very hard for them to readjust their lives. A short time later, their sixth child, a girl, was born at Parker. In the year 1363, they sold their home in Parker and bought an acreage in the little town of Plano, Fremont, Idaho where they planned on building a home. At this time, Clark was working as foreman on a very large farm north and east of Rexburg and Lottie cooked for the hired men. During this time they built a brick home in Plano on their acreage. At about this time, Clark became very ill with rheumatism and was bedfast for sometime. Lottie cared for him devotedly until he recovered and was able to be about again, and they were happy in their new home. Here another daughter was born and soon after they bought a farm of 160 acres nearby, and went to farming for themselves. Their eighth child was born here also in the year 1910

Lottie was a very good nurse and in time of sickness gave much of her time in going about helping neighbors and friends or anyone who was ill. The women for miles and miles around thought they must have "Sister Jackson" there with them when their babies were born, or if they had sickness in their homes. Especially she was blessed in helping those having pneumonia, and many times in the middle fo the night Clark would hitch the horses to the buggy and take her miles to help those who were ill. In those days doctors were very few. They were very charitable also and often fixed up boxes of food to take to those in needed who were less fortunate than they. They also lived exemplary lives and taught their children honesty and integrity.

In the year 1916, great sorrow came to them as their eldest son, Clark, passed away, leaving a wife and four small children, this was very hard for them to bear, and again in 1919 they were called upon to suffer greatly when their daughter, Avilda, passed away leaving a husband and three small children. These things took a toll on their health and during the year they rented the farm and moved to Portland, Oregon to obtain special medical attention. They were also caring for the infant son of their daughter. Both underwent serious surgery during the following year. During the almost two years they lived in Oregon, their home was always open to the LDS Missionaries who were serving there, and much joy and happiness and comfort came through this association.

Their health improved and they again returned to Idaho and began running their farm again, but the years were beginning to tell on them and their health was not so good anymore. In 1930, Clark's health failed for almost two years and he suffered terribly. Lottie waited on him devotedly giving him every attention and care. He passed away Christmas morning 1932. This was a very sad day for the family, and the separation was indeed hard for Lottie as they had always been so devoted to each other going always together wherever they went. She remained on the farm, her youngest son running it for her until he married, then she spent most of her time at the homes fo her two daughter visiting with the others occasionally. In 1944, she was called on to lose her next oldest son, Jess. This too was very hard for her to bear, he leaving a wife and six children though most of them were grown at this time.

All of her life, Lottie has been active in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and taught her children to honor and respect the church. She served in many ways among them as counselor in the Relief Society and always attended meetings etc. as much as her health permitted even in her old age and was very particular and "fussy" about herself and her appearance, always wanting to look just right up until her passing which came suddenly from a heart ailment on 27 October 1947. She was a cheerful kind and loving mother and grandmother and loved by all who knew her.