Willard Fredrick Rasmussen - Part Three

Willard wrote a short life sketch in his own hand.  Due to his lack of education and probably the many years  between that education and the time he wrote his history, his writing is very hard to read - misspelling, childish penmanship, sentence structure, etc.  Thankfully, Garth Rasmussen transcribed those few pages, otherwise I don't think I would be able to understand much of what Willard wrote. Plus parts of each page are very light, making the writing even harder to read.  Garth left a note at the end of Willard's story saying that he transcribed things the way they were written.  All words or phrases in parenthesis were added by Garth.  I sure wish Willard would have included the date when he wrote his life sketch.

The first story was originally on page 3 and page 2 was missing so we enter the story in mid sentence with the dog not going to let the cat (a wild cat or Bobcat) have the sheep.

was going to let him have a seep and the cat was determed to have one wheather are not and the cat was getting the best of the dog so I did (not) have my gun with me so I got a rock and hit the cat in a glancing lick and to my supprise he came after me and spring up at my face  at first I held my own but at last he bit me on the left ank(le) and my dog wouldent help me as he had been trained not (to) help as long the fight was to him but when I took a hand in it then Was my fight   as thing(s) turned a real exciting pitch  As the cat bit me on the left akle (the) cat found the (way to) hut (hurt) me   he cant inuld (?) to trmy (?) (try) and bit again in the Same Place but I was able to kick him in the stummack and While he was yet stunned I munueverd some Way to get my left foot on his neck and thenkick him to death With my other foot

   One time I come home frome the Sheep Camp and our Bishop spok(e) to me about me ging on a mission   That was the suprise of my life a I been out School qite While then and I Was certanly qite rusty  I doubt if I could pass a six grade examination.  Of all the thought that came in my mind Wich was meny But one that never entere(d) Was that I never thout of Was to Refuse  One that Was that the Church Was certainly getting scarce for meteral (material)   But my bishop Soone Put my Mind at Rest on that schore (score) By telling me that the lord Would use those that Would be used and ask me if I (would) be used  Of case (Of course) I told him that I would if the Lord could us me  and there (was) nothing I ever did in my life that brogh(t) to me so much Plesure and Blessings of the Lord that going on a mission brought to me
   I like lots of others had to go in the mission field to gain a testimony of truth  I and my Wife Was engage(d) befor I went on my mission  She Waited for me to return and If I (had done as She Wanted me to I had (would have) a history of my mission and life and Wouldent had to Wait till I had forgotten half   At about 14 or fifteen years ago I had new Monia (pneumonia) and azma and my Health hasent been back to narmal since  By (the) Way my Wife Helt(h) isent very(y) good either   I end this now

Sometime before his mission, Willard went to Wyoming to work along side his 2 older brothers David and Alma.  The oldest brother, John, had died of a bad heart in 1898 when Willard was 14 years old.  David and Alma were a bit rowdy, you might say.  In 1887 all three of the older brothers were arrested for cattle rustling and David served a term in the state pen.  According to Willard's twin sister Elizabeth R. Nash

David and Alma were in the rough atmosphere of the young unsettled West.  They got into the use of tobacco and liquor.  They even got into the cattle rustling business and spent some time out in the state prison.  When Willard went to Wyoming Mary (their mother) felt she would just as soon have buried him.  However, he did not stay long enough for it to hurt him.  he came home and went on a mission and she never had to worry about Willard again.

David Rasmussen 3rd from left

Brent Collett has a sketchy memory of  a story when Willard was caught in a blizzard. He was not in the safety of the sheep camp and had to kill a sheep and drink its blood in order to survive.  (I wonder how he was able to keep warm enough and not suffer from frost bite, or maybe he did.)

Willard broke his hip while on a sheep tour and didn't come into town to get it checked.  He always limped afterward.  After breaking his hip and developing asthma, Willard was unable to continue earning money as a sheepherder.  I don't know how old he was at this time.