- This is a brief life sketch of Vaughn James Barney written by his daughter, Diane. More detailed stories about him are found in the memories section.
Vaughn was the oldest child of James Henry Barney and Effie Malinda Nebeker Barney. His name was spelled "Vaughn" on early records, but he wrote his name as "Von J. Barney" for most of his life. He was born in Annabella, Sevier County, Utah, on May 5, 1907.
Von started school in Annabella at age six. He skipped a grade when the family moved to Sutherland and back between third and fourth. He spent three days in sixth grade and was promoted to seventh. The flu hit hard and after a few weeks, schools were closed for the rest of the year. The school house was condemned, so the next year he went to seventh grade in Central. At Christmas time, he was promoted to eighth and went o Richfield Junior High School.
Von was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on July 3, 1915, in the clap hole of the canal in Annabella when he was eight years old.
As a boy, Von had chores to do and worked with his family in the garden and fields, both his father's and others. Some years, he felt like he hoed sugar beets all summer long. He loved to read and read everything he could find.
Von had measles, whooping cough, and chicken pox. When he was about 12, his parents learned he had a hearing problem. A specialist said it was caused by bad tonsils, so they were removed, but that didn't help. He had trouble with his hearing for the rest of his life.
When he entered Richfield High School, Von was younger and smaller than the other students and his high school years were not happy ones. He attended the first seminary taught in Richfield. He took seminary for three years and was among the first graduates. He graduated from seminary and from Richfield High School in May, 1924, at age 17.
Von attended the University of Utah for two years, laid out for a year and a half, then went back for two quarters. He majored in speech and minored in physical education. He entered the ROTC in October, 1924, while at the U of U. He made the wrestling team his second and third years, won his letter, and joined a fraternity. These were happy years. He loved all his studies and made many friends.
After the first two years of college, Von went home and helped on the farm until his asthma got so bad that he went back to Salt Lake City. He worked as a counter boy in Shay's Cafeteria all winter. In the fall, he went to Idaho and worked in the potato harvest and a sugar factory. He went back to the U after Christmas. During these years, he worked at various jobs such as second cook in the beanery for the Union Pacific Railroad, digging post holes for guard rails in Sevier Canyon, and again in Idaho for a fruit company.
The great depression hit hard in about 1930 and Von was unable to get work of any kind for about four years. He wanted to go back to school, but his father died in 1935 and Von needed to support his mother and younger sisters still at home. He couldn't get a job any place else, so he joined the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) which was under the army. He was in Salina for a year and in Mayfield for a year with the CCC. He learned to operate a bulldozer which opened up the opportunity to work construction at skilled labor prices. This helped him financially and took him to Wyoming where he worked on road construction.
In July, 1937, Von went to a dance in Afton, Wyoming, and met Mildred Grace Crapo, known as Grace. They dated and fell in love and Von asked Grace to marry him. In November, he left with the construction company and went back to Utah. They wrote letters to each other and planned to marry in the spring when he could get a break from work.
The spring of 1938 was a wet one in Utah. Floods and rain disrupted the road work and kept postponing the wedding. He finally got away and arrived in Fairview, Wyoming, on June 4. On June 6, he drove Grace and her mother to Paris, Idaho, to meet his mother who was visiting there. Then they drove on to Logan. His car had only one seat, so there was not room for his mother, too. Von and Grace were married in the Logan Temple on June 7, 1938. He was 31 and she was 23 years old.
That summer, they lived in Randolph, Utah, in a little trailer house. They moved it to Provo Canyon when Von worked on the road above and below Deer Creek Reservoir. He pioneered that road. Next, they lived between Moroni and Mount Pleasant, Utah, and again in Provo Canyon.
In May, 1939, they moved to Annabella and lived in two rooms of Von's mother's home. He still worked construction, but was home for about a week when their first child, Diane, was born in June.
In 1941, Von worked in Wendover for L.A. Young Construction on a Caterpillar tractor as a "catskinner." He drove the first cat on the job. They built runways for a new air base which became important during the war. Grace and Diane stayed in Annabella. In the fall, Von decided to go to Annabella and build his house. It was a good thing he did for when the war started, it was impossible to get building materials for four or five years.
Grace's mother died December 5, 1941, and two days later, Pearl Harbor was bombed and the USA was at war. Von built two rooms of his house that winter and they moved in and Von began farming in the spring. In July, he went to work at Tooele Ordinance Depot driving a cat, smoothing down the dirt where they were building the igloos. Pay was very good: $1.50 an hour.
Von's second child, Kim, was born in October, 1942, while he was at Tooele. Grace sent a telegram and letter to let him know. In the spring of 1943, Von decided to go home and farm so his kids would have food. He raised crops and pigs and milked six or eight good cows. The cows saved him.
In 1947, Von bought the first John Deere tractor that came to Richfield. The year 1948 was a bad one for the farm and he lost his shirt. In the fall, he went to work at the Western Gypsum plant in Sigurd. Later, it became Bestwall, then Georgia Pacific. He worked there and also farmed until he sold the farm in about 1964.
Between 1944 and 1955, Von and Grace were blessed with four more children: Mack, Sherman, Joyce, and Wendy. Grace's father came to live with the Barney family for a few years before Wendy was born.
Von and Grace were active in the Church and taught their children well. Von served on the stake Sunday school board, stake MIA board, and taught the adult Sunday school class for many years.
In 1955, Von was elected president of the local 160 chapter of the United Cement, Lime, and Gypsum Workers Union. He was working at the gypsum plant and did many good things for the workers. They voted to strike and the strike lasted 55 days, but was settled to the men's satisfaction.
In 1959, Grace became ill. Von took her to the hospital in Salt Lake City where she was told she had leukemia. She died one month later on August 18, 1959, at age 44. The following years were difficult for Von, but his mother lived across the street and she helped him and his children immensely.
Von eventually met Julia Michaelson Burr, a widow from Monroe. They were married on February 5, 1963, in Manti.
Julia's three older daughters were married, but her youngest daughter, Bonnie, moved into Von's home in Annabella with her.
Diane was also married by this time and Kim was serving a mission in Brazil. Julia was a good mother to all the children at home and a good wife to Von. They had 30 years together.
Julia encouraged Von to see a new ear specialist. Others had not helped him, but this one did and enough of his hearing was restored that he could enjoy life again. He served as stake mission president for five years. Julia often went with him to teach investigators. He served in other Church callings, too.
In 1980, Von and Julia were called to work in the Genealogy Library in Richfield. After Von retired from Georgia-Pacific, they went to the temple often, every week when they could. They also traveled together to visit family and friends in California, Washington, Colorado and Utah. They raised a large garden every year, preserved much of it, and gave much away.
Through the years, Von had trouble with skin cancer and had treatments for it in Provo for a time. At age 86, he felt he was wearing out and he was ready to go on to that "last great adventure." He died in the hospital in Richfield on October 11, 1993. He was buried in the Annabella cemetery beside Grace.
Julia continued to live in the home in Annabella for a few years. She was active in Relief Society and Church, even after she became ill with pancreatic cancer. She went to live with her daughter Juleen and son-in-law Van L. Dalton a few weeks before she died at their home on April 12, 1996. She was 84 years old.
Von was a loving husband to two sweet wives, a wonderful father to six children of his own and to Julia's four, and a kind grandfather to 30 grandchildren and several step-grandchildren. He was an exemplary and righteous man. We loved him and we still miss him.
This is a brief life sketch of Vaughn James Barney written by his daug hter, Diane. More detailed stories about him are found in the memorie s section.
Vaughn was the oldest child of James Henry Barney and Effie Malinda Ne beker Barney. His name was spelled "Vaughn" on early records, but h e wrote his name as "Von J. Barney" for most of his life. He was bor n in Annabella, Sevier County, Utah, on May 5, 1907.
Von started school in Annabella at age six. He skipped a grade when t he family moved to Sutherland and back between third and fourth. He s pent three days in sixth grade and was promoted to seventh. The flu h it hard and after a few weeks, schools were closed for the rest of th e year. The school house was condemned, so the next year he went to s eventh grade in Central. At Christmas time, he was promoted to eight h and went o Richfield Junior High School.
Von was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Da y Saints on July 3, 1915, in the clap hole of the canal in Annabella w hen he was eight years old.
As a boy, Von had chores to do and worked with his family in the garde n and fields, both his father's and others. Some years, he felt lik e he hoed sugar beets all summer long. He loved to read and read ever ything he could find.
Von had measles, whooping cough, and chicken pox. When he was about 1 2, his parents learned he had a hearing problem. A specialist said i t was caused by bad tonsils, so they were removed, but that didn't hel p. He had trouble with his hearing for the rest of his life.
When he entered Richfield High School, Von was younger and smaller tha n the other students and his high school years were not happy ones. H e attended the first seminary taught in Richfield. He took seminary f or three years and was among the first graduates. He graduated from s eminary and from Richfield High School in May, 1924, at age 17.
Von attended the University of Utah for two years, laid out for a yea r and a half, then went back for two quarters. He majored in speech a nd minored in physical education. He entered the ROTC in October, 192 4, while at the U of U. He made the wrestling team his second and thi rd years, won his letter, and joined a fraternity. These were happy y ears. He loved all his studies and made many friends.
After the first two years of college, Von went home and helped on th e farm until his asthma got so bad that he went back to Salt Lake City . He worked as a counter boy in Shay's Cafeteria all winter. In th e fall, he went to Idaho and worked in the potato harvest and a suga r factory. He went back to the U after Christmas. During these years , he worked at various jobs such as second cook in the beanery for th e Union Pacific Railroad, digging post holes for guard rails in Sevie r Canyon, and again in Idaho for a fruit company.
The great depression hit hard in about 1930 and Von was unable to ge t work of any kind for about four years. He wanted to go back to scho ol, but his father died in 1935 and Von needed to support his mother a nd younger sisters still at home. He couldn't get a job any place els e, so he joined the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) which was unde r the army. He was in Salina for a year and in Mayfield for a year wi th the CCC. He learned to operate a bulldozer which opened up the opp ortunity to work construction at skilled labor prices. This helped hi m financially and took him to Wyoming where he worked on road construc tion.
In July, 1937, Von went to a dance in Afton, Wyoming, and met Mildre d Grace Crapo, known as Grace. They dated and fell in love and Von as ked Grace to marry him. In November, he left with the construction co mpany and went back to Utah. They wrote letters to each other and pla nned to marry in the spring when he could get a break from work.
The spring of 1938 was a wet one in Utah. Floods and rain disrupted t he road work and kept postponing the wedding. He finally got away an d arrived in Fairview, Wyoming, on June 4. On June 6, he drove Grac e and her mother to Paris, Idaho, to meet his mother who was visitin g there. Then they drove on to Logan. His car had only one seat, s o there was not room for his mother, too. Von and Grace were marrie d in the Logan Temple on June 7, 1938. He was 31 and she was 23 year s old.
That summer, they lived in Randolph, Utah, in a little trailer house . They moved it to Provo Canyon when Von worked on the road above an d below Deer Creek Reservoir. He pioneered that road. Next, they liv ed between Moroni and Mount Pleasant, Utah, and again in Provo Canyon.
In May, 1939, they moved to Annabella and lived in two rooms of Von' s mother's home. He still worked construction, but was home for abou t a week when their first child, Diane, was born in June.
In 1941, Von worked in Wendover for L.A. Young Construction on a Cater pillar tractor as a "catskinner." He drove the first cat on the job . They built runways for a new air base which became important durin g the war. Grace and Diane stayed in Annabella. In the fall, Von dec ided to go to Annabella and build his house. It was a good thing he d id for when the war started, it was impossible to get building materia ls for four or five years.
Grace's mother died December 5, 1941, and two days later, Pearl Harbo r was bombed and the USA was at war. Von built two rooms of his hous e that winter and they moved in and Von began farming in the spring . In July, he went to work at Tooele Ordinance Depot driving a cat, s moothing down the dirt where they were building the igloos. Pay was v ery good: $1.50 an hour.
Von's second child, Kim, was born in October, 1942, while he was at To oele. Grace sent a telegram and letter to let him know. In the sprin g of 1943, Von decided to go home and farm so his kids would have food . He raised crops and pigs and milked six or eight good cows. The cow s saved him.
In 1947, Von bought the first John Deere tractor that came to Richfiel d. The year 1948 was a bad one for the farm and he lost his shirt. I n the fall, he went to work at the Western Gypsum plant in Sigurd. La ter, it became Bestwall, then Georgia Pacific. He worked there and al so farmed until he sold the farm in about 1964.
Between 1944 and 1955, Von and Grace were blessed with four more child ren: Mack, Sherman, Joyce, and Wendy. Grace's father came to live wi th the Barney family for a few years before Wendy was born.
Von and Grace were active in the Church and taught their children well . Von served on the stake Sunday school board, stake MIA board, and t aught the adult Sunday school class for many years.
In 1955, Von was elected president of the local 160 chapter of the Uni ted Cement, Lime, and Gypsum Workers Union. He was working at the gyp sum plant and did many good things for the workers. They voted to str ike and the strike lasted 55 days, but was settled to the men's satisf action.
In 1959, Grace became ill. Von took her to the hospital in Salt Lak e City where she was told she had leukemia. She died one month late r on August 18, 1959, at age 44. The following years were difficult f or Von, but his mother lived across the street and she helped him an d his children immensely.
Von eventually met Julia Michaelson Burr, a widow from Monroe. They w ere married on February 5, 1963, in Manti.
Julia's three older daughters were married, but her youngest daughter , Bonnie, moved into Von's home in Annabella with her.
Diane was also married by this time and Kim was serving a mission in B razil. Julia was a good mother to all the children at home and a goo d wife to Von. They had 30 years together.
Julia encouraged Von to see a new ear specialist. Others had not help ed him, but this one did and enough of his hearing was restored that h e could enjoy life again. He served as stake mission president for fi ve years. Julia often went with him to teach investigators. He serve d in other Church callings, too.
In 1980, Von and Julia were called to work in the Genealogy Library i n Richfield. After Von retired from Georgia-Pacific, they went to th e temple often, every week when they could. They also traveled togeth er to visit family and friends in California, Washington, Colorado an d Utah. They raised a large garden every year, preserved much of it , and gave much away.
Through the years, Von had trouble with skin cancer and had treatment s for it in Provo for a time. At age 86, he felt he was wearing out a nd he was ready to go on to that "last great adventure." He died in t he hospital in Richfield on October 11, 1993. He was buried in the An nabella cemetery beside Grace.
Julia continued to live in the home in Annabella for a few years. Sh e was active in Relief Society and Church, even after she became ill w ith pancreatic cancer. She went to live with her daughter Juleen an d son-in-law Van L. Dalton a few weeks before she died at their home o n April 12, 1996. She was 84 years old.
Von was a loving husband to two sweet wives, a wonderful father to si x children of his own and to Julia's four, and a kind grandfather to 3 0 grandchildren and several step-grandchildren. He was an exemplary an d righteous man. We loved him and we still miss him.
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