I suppose one of the advantages of writing about my youth when I have little recollection is that I can only image I was the perfect child. While out children have a large store of photographs to help keep their memories fresh, I have only a few pictures during my youth. The early memory I have was when I was my 6th birthday and I was giving a balsa wood version of the paper airplane. I only remember going to the upper story window in our house and throwing it out to watch it glide down.

During my tenth year, my parents purchased a summer home near Sterling Utah, a small town approximately 130 miles south of Salt Lake City. The “ranch”, as it became known, became a place where there were unlimited possibilities for manual labor.

The place evolved into varying types of businesses, centered around a resort type atmosphere. Initially we spent only the summertime at the ranch, but once a furnace was installed we also went down in the wintertime. Leaving on Friday afternoon and returning early Monday morning became a particular problem for a high school boy since it left little opportunity for a social life.
I recall spending Sunday mornings watching the water flow down the self made irrigation ditches. I really disliked doing this type of work, but then I wasn’t too disappointed about missing the Church meetings. I never understood the purpose in spending all weekend working on a place if there was never time for other activities.
Maybe I am painting a somewhat inaccurate picture since there were times for recreation. We had horses and later a boat.

Next I will write about my teenage years, when I am quite sure I was the perfect teenager.

Categories: Franz Family History
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I finished updating our family history website and felt that a accompanying blog would be useful so I started this new blog. I have many different websites and blogs I have created and keep up, but none of them deal with my past life or my ancestors. So I felt it would be useful to start a new blog where I can write about my past life and about what I am able to discover about my ancestors. This entry starts with the very early part of my life. It is not that I have very many memories of this period of my life so much of the information is what I have been told by others.

The Early Years

My life on earth started in 1948, in Salt Lake City, Utah, when I was born as the fifth of nine children to Clarence O. Kelsch and Rhoda May Draper Kelsch. The above photo is when I was about 3 years old. My first years were spent at our home on Preston Street, so I am told, but I have no recollection. Soon after my birth my sister, Jody, died of leukemia. I am sure the experience was traumatic for my parents and most certainly had a major effect on their relationship with me as a new baby, especially considering that Jody was only three years old at the time.

This photography is the only one I have when I was an infant.  It is with my other brother, Ron.

Rhoda May Draper

My mother, Rhoda May, was born August 20, 1916 in Moroni, Utah. So she was 32 years old when I was born. I am sure it was a difficult experience to lose a child and at the same time have so many other children to take care of. She often mentioned that she had a very difficult time holding me when I cried at this emotional time in her life. Besides Jody, I had two older sisters, Jana Kay and Myrna, as well as one older brother, Ron. At the age of three we moved to a new home at 1411 Laird Circle, also in Salt Lake City.

It was at this home that I have my earliest memories. During the next eleven years, my parents had four more additions to our family, three girls, Kathy, Susan, and Kristine, and one boy, Michael. That brought our family to 8 siblings. Unfortunately my older brother and younger brother were separated by nine years and eleven years in age from myself. It was only my younger sister Kathy who was approximately my age.

I never thought at the time about being part of a large family. The children were so spread out in ages that seemed at times as different families.

Clarence Keslch April 11, 1934

My father, Clarence, was born May 15, 1915 in Orem, Utah. Maybe it was because he descended mainly from German lineage that he was a firm believer in the work ethic and was always focused on being productive with his time and efforts. The times that I spent with him were mostly restricted to those when I was working along his side.

Later I will write about my youth.

Categories: Franz Family History
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