On Sept. 14, 1852 upon the arrival in Salt lake of Sarah B. Fiske Allen, she was met by Joel Ricks (my father) who had previously known her in 1846 when she and her husband, Ezra H. Allen traveled west in the same company from Nauvoo.  He had been in Salt Lake Valley four years when she arrived.  Hearing of her husband’s death he proffered her his aid and provided a home for her in Centerville, and on 26 Oct. 1852 they were married.  In the summer, July 1853 a son was born to them whom they named Ezra Varnum.

Soon after this my father engaged in the tanning business in Farmington, Davis County, and removed my mother there in 1855, their home being one of the first adobe houses built in that place.  It was during this period that they passed through the famine caused by the grasshoppers and the crickets.  When all of their produce was about destroyed, thousands of gulls came from over the lake, pounced down upon them and destroyed them all.  Enough crops were saved to sustain life for another year.  In Farmington on 17 Feb. 1855 a daughter was born to them named Sarah B.  My father continued in the tanning business, also farming and stock raising until he became quite prosperous, helping many of his less fortunate neighbors.

On Sunday March 30, 1856 another daughter was born whom they named Ellen.  In 1856-7 our people were so grossly misrepresented in the East as being disloyal that the government in the spring of 1858 the territory was threatened with invasion by the United States army.  The suffering of former persecutions in Illinois and Missouri were still fresh in their minds.  Rather than submit to further trouble they decided to again leave their hard earned homes and trust to the mercy of the hostile Indians than to that of civilized humanity.  They hurriedly gathered together what they could and just as the Johnston Army entered the Salt Lake Valley they moved southward.  The new governor Cummins urged them to remain and promised them protection.  At this time my father’s family moved as far south as Mt. Nebo, Juab County, where they remained for six weeks.  Upon receiving the word from President Young to return, the people gladly returned to their homes.  The government was finally convinced that the episode was a mistake.  My father’s family returned to Farmington early in July and the last of the same month a son Joel was born.

In June 1859 my father in company with two other men, visited Cache Valley, 75 miles north with a view to obtain land for farming and stock raising.  Being impressed with the beauty of the valley and natural resources he at once determined to move there.  At this time not a house was standing in the valley.  He returned to Farmington and immediately proceeded to move.  There were many hostile Indians in the valley and the greatest care had to be taken to avoid trouble with them.  There were also in the nearby mountains, the bear, lion and wolf and other wild animals, from which was had to protect ourselves and the domestic animals.

Through kindness to the Indians and following the injunction of Brigham Young, "Better to feed them than fight them," they soon learned to regard us as their friends.  In this new valley we had to learn to be self sustaining.  There were no resources nearer than the Missouri River.  Our mother washed, cared and spun the wool then wove it into cloth which served for both summer and winter wear besides supplying bedding.  The flax was made into cloth and supplied us table linen and underwear.  Braid was made from straw and sewed into hats.  Mother was an expert at this, and father with crude tools made her a block to press them on.  In the winter time we wore hoods and capes made from the woolen cloth and the men and boys wore caps made from the same material.

Thus necessity the mother of invention and we learned to devise and economize under those trying circumstances.  My father built a tannery in Logan and worked at the tanning business for many years, which supplied leather for shoes, which were made by some of our neighbors who had learned the trade in their country.  Saw mills and flour mills were built, and what we lacked in machinery men were dispatched to the Missouri River to secure.  We raised sugar cane from which molasses and brown sugar were made.  Orchards were set out, grain fields planted, but on account of late and early frosts very few apples and peaches were raised.  It was impossible to raise corn for some years.  There were many discouragements in those early days such as drought, (until we learned the art of irrigation) for frozen up grist mills in winter scarcity of flour etc., but so generous were those who had a quantity in store, that all shared alike and none suffered.

My father owned a farm on the banks of the Logan river and kept a ferry boat, and later built a bridge which he presented to the county.  (Location, Bensen Ward).  He was treasurer for Cache County for more that thirty years.

Oct. 24, 1860 a little daughter was born to mother.  She named her Adelia.  She lived to be three years and one month old: died 22 Nov. 1863.

On 25 Dec. 1869, Mother’s eldest daughter by her first husband, was married to Lewis Ricks.  She lived to be the mother of seven children; died Jan. 1874.  Her husband died in Paris, Idaho 2 Jan 1894.

On 28 Oct. 1862 mother’s tenth child was born.  She was named Esther Adaline.  When the babe was two years old mother was attacked with inflammatory rheumatism and suffered greatly through the time.  The following summer she was able to pay a visit to my sister Amorette in Paris, Idaho, remaining for several months.

In 1865 father built a large comfortable house and she moved into it in the spring of 1866.  This was a delightful change from the log cabin of three rooms that had sheltered them in the past with the bare necessities of life.

From this time on, her life changed, and her health was fairly good.  Her labors were less arduous, she gathered about her the comforts of life, her sons and daughters were growing up about her, and indeed life seemed to have put on a new phase to her; but as trials present themselves in various forms, a new and severe one was in store for her, the loss of her daughter Sarah B.  She had [been?] a gentle, tender, loving girl and had almost reached her 15th year.  She was a great comfort to her mother.  She died of typhoid fever 9 Dec. 1869.  It was a long time before mother recovered from the shock, but finally reconciled herself to the will of God, as she felt it to be.  In May 1870 she identified herself with an organization known as the Female Relief Society and was chosen as its secretary.

On 1 May 1872 she went East to pay a visit to her relatives residing in Ottowa Co., Michigan.  She had three brothers still living who were most anxious that she should visit them, her two sisters having both died a short time previously.  Thirty years had passed since they had parted, and still they were not reconciled to the course she had chosen to pursue, and the faith she had espoused.  She spent two months visiting them.  Her manner and influence while among them called forth such expressions as these:  "Sallie you are a true Christian:  your every day walk and conversation tell me so."

On the 7th of Jan. my mother’s eldest daughter Amorette died, leaving an infant babe five days old, and six other children.  This was indeed a severe blow to her, falling double hard.  She assumed entire care of the babe, she spent much of her time providing for the needs of the other children also.  The babe died of cholera Infantum when 8 months old.

18 May 1874 mother was chosen as president of the 1st Ward Relief Society work and the following ten years of her life were spent in visiting the sick, caring for the needs of the poor and comforting those who were in sorrow.  Oftentimes her ambition to do good exceeded her strength.  She made many warm friends during these years and was commended for her acts of charity for many years after her death.

About 1885 her health began to fail.  Mother was busy with taking care of Father, and resigned as President of the Relief Society and busied herself in light home work.  Her eye sight was unusually good for one of her age and she read considerable until her memory began to fail.  She was conscientious and devout in her religion and a faithful church member.  Naturally she was not a public spirited woman but she was modest and retiring except from where duty called her.  She possessed a fine spiritual nature, was a Latter-day Saint, heart and soul and was blessed with great faith; sufficient often times for the restoration of the sick.  She was also prophetic to a degree and many of her promises to others were fulfilled.  She was very poetic and left many verses telling of her feelings and desires.

In April 1890 health failed and from then on she never regained it.  The last few months of her life her mind seemed occupied with the salvation of her dead relatives.  She often made requests that the work be carried on after her death.  She lingered on until 12 June 1891 then passed to her rest after a well spent life.

She left a large posterity, and they call all be proud of the way she conducted her life and bore the hardships that came her way.