"Our Legacy" by Garry Flake

Our Legacy

by Garry Flake

The great-great grandchildren of  Bruce and Irene Flake are the Eighth Generation members of The Church of  Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints.  Great personal sacrifices were made to accept and remain faithful as members.

James Madison Flake and his wife, Agnes Hailey Love Flake lived in northern Mississippi.  In the
winter of  1843-44, they opened their door to Elder Benjamin Clapp.  They learned his message was of the gospel of  Jesus Christ.  They learned and felt the Spirit testify of  the truth.  Their relatives turned against them.  They became outcasts when they were baptized.  They gave up their good land, their quite prosperous conditions, freed their slaves and joined the saints in Nauvoo.

They remained in Nauvoo less than two years before crossing the Mississippi, driven out by the mobs, beginning their trip west in February 1946.  Three of  their six children died before they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1848.  Two years later, in 1850, James was called to leave his family and go with an exploratory party to find locations where the Saints could settle in California.  He was thrown from his mule in the San Joaquin Valley and died.  He was wrapped in a blanket and buried at the side of  the trail.  He gave his life in the service of  God having always remained faithful to the decision he had made to join the Church just six years earlier.

In 1851, Agnes and her three remaining children went to San Bernardino, California fulfilling the assignment she and her husband had received.  It was a difficult time for them.  With the Gold Rush, her brother came to California.  He visited Agnes and told her if  she would return back to North Carolina with him, she have a nice home, good land and education for her children.  However, there was one condition, she had to give up Mormonism.  She said to him, “You don’t think you are asking much do you?”  “No,” he replied, ‘very little.”  She replied, “I would rather wear my nails off  on the wash tub to support my children than to take them away from the Church.  I know it is true.”  In 1854, ten years after joining the Church, Agnes passed away leaving three children under the age of fifteen.

Her final words to her eldest son, William (our direct descendent) was, “I will hold you responsible for your every act.  You must set an example for your brother and sister, worthy of  your standing.” 

James and Agnes knew the Church was true and always stayed faithful despite the challenges.  They gave their lives. William and Lucy kept the trust as did James and Martha following them then, in their turn, Bruce and Irene did the same. Will we pass the same legacy to the next generation?  Are we worthy of  our standing?

James M Flake Nauvoo Temple Recommend

This is a copy of a temple recommend given James M. Flake (William J.
Flake's father) to perform ordinances in the Nauvoo Temple dated in 1846
and signed by William Clayton who wrote "Come, Come Ye Saints."  James M.
Flake is Lavona's great-great grandfather.  Garry Flake still has the original copy of this
document.

Our Australian Legacy, by Garry Flake

Our Australian Legacy

In 1852, my great-great grandparents, Henry and Sarah Wills Gale, were among the first join the Church in Australia.   Within a year, they departed with their four children and other Church members to America.  The oldest child, Elizabeth, my great-grandmother, was eight years old. 

            After nine weeks on the Pacific Ocean, they arrived in Los Angeles where Church leaders met and took them to San Bernardino.  On the second day of travel, one of the women took the children out to gather wildflowers while others prepared the evening meal.  After the meal, someone said, “Where is Jim Gale?”  They realized he had not returned to camp with the other children.  The search, with torches and lanterns, continued all night and until mid-morning the next day but they couldn’t find him.  They thought that he had been eaten by wild animals. The water supply was very low and the decision was made for the wagons to move on. 

            Jim’s mother, Sarah, said she wouldn’t go on without her son.  Trying to persuade her, they unloaded her trunk and moved on.  Later, some of the company returned to try and persuade her once more that it was no use to hunt longer.  They saw her kneeling in prayer by the trunk.  She arose with confidence and asked the brethren to go out once again up a gully a short distance where they would find him.  With an unwilling attitude, they went.  There they found six-year old, dirty, tear-stained and sunburned Jim still holding a wilted bunch of flowers in his hand.  They took him back to his mother where they all knelt in a prayer of thanksgiving then hurriedly moved forward catch up with the rest of the party.

            The Gale’s stayed in San Bernardino until 1857 then moved to Beaver, Utah.  Henry and Sarah remained in Beaver for the rest of their lives until he died in 1891 and she in 1905.  When the St. George Temple was dedicated in 1877, they went by team and wagon camping out nearby until they could do the work for all their ancestors for whom they had the information to do so.  Their son Jim wrote, “They were always true and faithful to their religious convictions going through the trials and persecutions that were required of them in those days.” 

Their daughter, Elizabeth, married William Decatur Kartchner and were among the first pioneers in northern Arizona.  Their daughter, Minnie Kartchner Stratton, was my grandmother, and mother to Irene Stratton Flake. 

Our family legacy ties back more than 160 years ago to Australia, to Henry and Sarah Gale that had the courage to hear the truth, withstand persecution, join the Church, and move halfway around the world to be with the Saints where they faithfully kept their covenants for the rest of their lives.  Surely the Lord will bless us, as their posterity, as we strive to keep the commandments. 

                                                                                     Garry R. Flake          

                                                                                     June 2014

A Deal is a Deal by Garry Flake

William J. Flake, who founded Snowflake 135 years ago, believed a deal is a
deal. A handshake was as binding as a written contract.

In 1878, he bargained for the land and water rights of James Stinson
in the Silver Creek Valley. The purchase became the town site for
Snowflake. With a handshake, Flake agreed to deliver, over three years,
Utah grade cattle - 200 cows, 150 two-year olds and 200 yearlings. In
exchange, Stinson agreed to sell the land, the water rights, farm equipment
and six mules.

In 1881 when the last cattle were delivered, Stinson wanted to keep a
special saddle mule. Flake said, “No, the mules was in the trade and now
belongs to me.”

Stinson acknowledge that was right and invited Flake to cut five cows out of
the delivered herd so he could keep his special mule. Flake told him, “No, a
deal is a deal and the mule is mine. Pull off your saddle.” With tears in his
eyes, Stinson pulled off the saddle and bridle, patted the mule on the neck
and handed the end of the rope to Flake and walked away.

William J. Flake stopped him and said, “Stinson, we have done a lot
of business in the past three years. For a long time, I have wondered how I
could show you my appreciation. I want to present this mule to one of the
most honest men I have ever met.” Stinson saddled the mule and rode off
without a word.

Does our word or a handshake continue to be honored by each of us?

Our Legacy: by Garry Flake

Our Legacy

by Garry Flake

The great-great grandchildren of  Bruce and Irene Flake are the Eighth Generation members of The Church of  Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints.  Great personal sacrifices were made to accept and remain faithful as members.

James Madison Flake and his wife, Agnes Hailey Love Flake lived in northern Mississippi.  In the
winter of  1843-44, they opened their door to Elder Benjamin Clapp.  They learned his message was of the gospel of  Jesus Christ.  They learned and felt the Spirit testify of  the truth.  Their relatives turned against them.  They became outcasts when they were baptized.  They gave up their good land, their quite prosperous conditions, freed their slaves and joined the saints in Nauvoo.

They remained in Nauvoo less than two years before crossing the Mississippi, driven out by the mobs, beginning their trip west in February 1946.  Three of  their six children died before they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1848.  Two years later, in 1850, James was called to leave his family and go with an exploratory party to find locations where the Saints could settle in California.  He was thrown from his mule in the San Joaquin Valley and died.  He was wrapped in a blanket and buried at the side of  the trail.  He gave his life in the service of  God having always remained faithful to the decision he had made to join the Church just six years earlier.

In 1851, Agnes and her three remaining children went to San Bernardino, California fulfilling the assignment she and her husband had received.  It was a difficult time for them.  With the Gold Rush, her brother came to California.  He visited Agnes and told her if  she would return back to North Carolina with him, she have a nice home, good land and education for her children.  However, there was one condition, she had to give up Mormonism.  She said to him, “You don’t think you are asking much do you?”  “No,” he replied, ‘very little.”  She replied, “I would rather wear my nails off  on the wash tub to support my children than to take them away from the Church.  I know it is true.”  In 1854, ten years after joining the Church, Agnes passed away leaving three children under the age of fifteen.

Her final words to her eldest son, William (our direct descendent) was, “I will hold you responsible for your every act.  You must set an example for your brother and sister, worthy of  your standing.” James and Agnes knew the Church was true and always stayed faithful despite the challenges.  They gave their lives.  William and Lucy kept the trust as did James and Martha following them then, in their turn, Bruce and Irene did the same.  Will we pass the same legacy to the next generation?  Are we worthy of  our standing?

Hold Tight to the Willows

Hold Tight to the Willows

Story frequently told by Bruce Merlin Flake

(As recounted by Garry Flake)

In a small Utah town when they did the spring plowing with horses, a farmer could hardly wait until he could start plowing and getting the ground ready for a crop. Finally, the ground was ready and he started plowing with little desire to stop. To help him out, his wife sent lunch down to the fields with their small son. The son looked down the long row and saw his father coming then when he was at the end made a turn to plow another round. The son, disappointed that his father didn't stop and bored, went over to a small stream with a rushing Spring runoff. He started to play at the side of the bank that gave way and he slid down into the icy water grabbing the willows on the creek bank and holding on until his dad would pull him out. He shouted for his dad who was now nearing where his son was but was so intent on his plowing that he shouted to his son, "Hold tight to the willows, son, while I plow one more round."

What are the "willows?” They are family heritage, tradition, the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and especially those in the temple that bind us together eternally. So, when temptation, doubt, frustration, family challenges, and discouragement come into our lives - HOLD TIGHT TO THE WILLOWS!!