Roda Cowley Breinholt History
Autobiography of
RODA COWLEY BREINHOLT
Written 1964 by Maxine Lund Breinholt, a daughter-in-law
Corrected by Marjorie Breinholt Nelson, a daughter
I was born 30 July 1896 in a little town of Venice, Sevier County, Utah to Franklin Washington Cowley and Sarah Vilate Whitney. I have one great grandfather, two great grandmothers, two grandfathers, and two grandmothers who came to Utah as pioneers (before June 1867). Some of these settled in Salt Lake, some in Logan and Millville in Cache County, and others went to Sevier County. I was glad I had a chance to know personally some of these good pioneers. One was a pioneer of 1847, in the second company to enter the Valley.
I am third of a family of eleven children. They are: Laura, Rodney, Roda (myself), Marjorie, Merlin, Franklin Waldemore, Gail Hamilton, Agnes Adell, Fanny Lucille, Dorothy Maybell, and Carrol Vilate.
I remember when I was a little girl, to keep track of me, all my mother had to do was put a piece of heavy thread around me and tie me to the table leg. I didn’t try to break the thread or get away. I had great joy being close to my mother and feeling the security of her nearness.
There was much to do around a family of children. I, being the sensitive child that I was, worked hard to take some of the load off my mother’s shoulders. I learned the art of homemaking at a young age and helped in every way I could with the work around the house and garden. Also, I tried to take good care of the younger children. I also took my turn milking the cows and doing other farm chores.
I was baptized in the town canal, and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was eight years old. I attended Sunday School, Primary, Religion Class, MIA, and I joined the Relief Society when I was eighteen years of age.
I attended the Venice grade school up to and including the eighth grade, graduating with a class of 1912. The students came from surrounding communities. Rather than go on to high school, I stayed home to help Mother.
