ARTHUR BIGGERTON CRITCHFIELD
Arthur Biggerton Critchfield
Arthur Biggerton was born in Glover’s Gap, West Virginia in 1872. Arthur's father died in 1877 and the family soon moved to Kansas; then to Salt Creek, Wyoming; then to Denver, Colorado. It was in Denver that Arthur met and married Lettie Conrey born in 1881 near Knoxville, Iowa, in 1897. Shortly after his marriage he joined the Mormon Church, in July of 1897. The couple moved to Bonita Valley with others from their church. Later they were asked to go to Utah and made plans to leave on the midnight train. The men went on the Utah ahead of the women as Lettie had just had their first child days earlier. They settled in Farmington, Utah and were there a few days when Arthur’s sister Eleanor and her family arrived. They rented a house in Farmington and lived there together until Spring. Eleanor's family decided to move to Canada and Arthur and Lettie soon followed after they received a call from their Church to go. They arrived in Stirling by train and stayed at Bishop Bradley’s home the first night then made their way to Magrath and found work. They did not stay long as Arthur's brother-in-law John Spencer came from Kimball and took them there. They lived in a tent made of two wagon covers. Arthur earned forty acres of land that summer and we moved down to Magrath on the 7th of September. Arthur and John bought slabs and built a dugout, one room each with a window in the south. Lettie passed in Magrath in 1961. Arthur lived in Magrath until 1965, when he moved to Cardston. Arthur died in 1981 at 108 years of age.
FAMILY
Arthur and Lettie had twelve children Bonita (Jensen), Mary (Nelson), Clara (Heller), Myrtle (Reber), Arthur Conrey (passed at 3), Clark Conrey, Joseph Conrey, Patricia (Edgar), Earl Jasper, James Loren, Eleanor (Hyde), Jared Bernard.
Back (L-R): Myrtle, Patricia, Clara, Bonita, Eleanor, Mary, Front: Lettie
OCCUPATION AND SKILLS
Lettie, an active member of the community, belonged to the Women’s Institute, and the Helping Hands Club. Arthur worked on the canal, farmed, and learned to be a carpenter. His main occupation was carpentry in which trade he ranked with the best. He was also a gifted entertainer, he is remembered for his comic songs, humorous monologues, and his part in amateur dramatic productions.
INTERESTING
Arthur baptized 8 year old John Rasmussen on December 25th 1899 in the pothole creek, they had to break the ice before they could baptize him.
Photo of John Rasmussen (Left) and Arthur Critchfield (Right) on Arthur's birthday approximately 1976. John would be 85 and Arthur 104.
DETAILED HISTORY
Detailed history of the Critchfield family is found in the Arthur Critchfield history book.
