Clara Vurtue Barnett, daughter of George Barnett and Mary Ann Mathews, was born 7 Nov. 1857 in Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England. Here she spent her early childhood.

Her father, George Barnett, and her grandfather James Barnett, were also born at Steeple Ashton. They were farmers and worked on the same estate a job handed down from father to son. It was while Clara's father was working there that he met the Mormon missionaries, listened to their teachings, believed and accepted them and was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the 9th of March 1849 and presided over the Steeple Ashton Branch of the church from 1861 to 1864.

It was at this time that Clara's parents decided to leave their native land of England and gather with the Saints in America. On the 3rd of June 1864, George and Mary Ann Mathews Barnett said farewell to the grave of their oldest daughter, ten years old Rosena Sarah Emma, gathered their remaining children together namely: Lorenzo Alma, Georgina Ann Maria, Clara Virtue, 6 years old an Agnes Sarah Ann, a tiny baby about three months old and in company with 863 Mormon Saints set sail for the new World on ship "Hudson" with John M. Kay in charge.

After a voyage of nearly seven weeks, they arrived in New York the 19th of July and went to Wyoming, Nebraska on the Missouri river arriving there the second of Aug. This was the outfitting point for crossing the plains to Utah. Here they joined the Warren S. Snow's company .

The company was organized into hundreds, fifties and tens, each wagon having two or three yoke of oxen, men, women and children walked most of the way. When thy came to streams they could not ford, they made camp. The men built rafts from the cottonwoods growing along the stream. At Laramie and the Sweet Water, there were Ferris to take them across the streams.

Capt. Snows Company was the last to leave that year for Utah. As a result the grass for the teams and cattle and fire wood was scarce. The woman and children gathered dry buffalo chips as they trudged along to make fires.

There were a number of deaths before they reached the valley. Clara's mother died and her baby sister, Agnes Sarah Ann, August 6th and was buried on the Sweet Water, her grandmother Ann Berrett Barnett also died on the Plains. Thus her father was left with three motherless children to continue the journey and provide a home for them in the Rocky Mountains.

The company endeavored to reach water Saturday where they could camp over Sunday and take care of some of the necessary jobs, such as washing clothes etc. before starting out again Monday morning.

The wagons were placed in a circle forming a corral where the cattle were kept at night. This was also a protection against Indians. It was a long, weary toilsome journey they stopped many times to wash the blood from their tired bruised aching feet. But all was not sorrow. Many times in the evening, singing and dancing was enjoyed around the camp fire, especially the beloved song,"Come come, ye Saints", the evening would end with prayer before they retired at night.

On the 2nd of Nov. 1864 they arrived in Salt Lake Valley, where there was a happy reunion with friends and relatives who had arrived earlier in the valley.

Clara's father with his three young children went north about forty six miles to North Ogden where a cousin, Alfred Berret lived. He was located there several years before.

In 1865, George Barnett bought a farm one mile west of North Ogden in what is now Pleasant View. The summers were hot and dry the winters cold with lots of snow something the Barnetts had not been used too in England. Flying grasshoppers destroyed the crops in 1867-68-69. Indians were also a nuisance begging and stealing food and cattle.

Clara was eleven years old when Feb. first 1869 her father married Eliza Miller, the daughter of Chas. James Miller and Harriet Hill. In the Salt Lake Endowment House. There were born to them the following children: George 13 June 1870, Chas. Nephi, 10 Dec. 1871, Mary Ann Harriet 10 Dec. 1874, Joseph 24 July 1876, James 20 July 1878. All were born in North Ogden, Weber, County Utah.

Clara was industrious and thrifty. She worked in the home of John and Rachel Woodfield. She also worked with her father in the Temple where they did work for their loved ones who passed on and who did not have the opportunity to do their own temple work. She was never to busy to take time out to attend general conference of the Latter day Saint in Salt Lake City.

On 20th of December 1875, Clara was married to Joseph Orton, son of John Orton and Mary Ann Ward. They made their home in North Ogden, Weber Co., Utah where he had a farm. Twelve children were born to them nameley George Henry 27 April 1877, Mary Ann 28 Oct. 1878, James Alma 22 July 1883, William Lorenzo 10 Nov. 1884, Delbert 14th May 1890, Clara Virtue 25 Dec. 1892, Leuella May 1st March 1895, and Ellen Alian 4 April 1898.

With this large family, there was much work to be done. Work and pleasure were combined. Clara had many rag and quilting bees where friends came to sew and chat and eat a hot meal. Some of her friends were Elizabeth Evans Spackman, Mary W. Campbell, Louise C. Shaw, Emma Pickford, Sarah Roylance, Jane Norris and Patriarch and sister Olson who owned a grocerey store. She and her sister Georgina Roylance were always very near.

Clara had dark eyes and dark hair, she was nice looking and jolly. She was an active member to the North Ogden Ward Relief Society.

Her daughter (Clara Virtue Orton Spackman) Said when her mother was quite meticulous and liked things done up well, even with her sitff leg she was very industrious, thrifty and ambitious as was Joseph.

She said that when her mother was a little girl, that she was getting water at a well and fell and knocked her knee cap off, and in those days they probably didn't know how to take care of it, and that left it stiff

Virue said that Clara used to sit with her lge out and the little kids would sit on it, and she would let them to some extent do it.

With such a large family, her mother had quite a problem, when it came time to get ready for church, so as she got each ready they were put on a chair and made to stay there until all were ready. Virtue said that she even tried that with her kids.

The last years of their lives were spent in Ogden where Joseph passed away April 1919. Clara soon followed him. She had a stroke, passing from this life 23 May 1919, a month after her husband. They were both laid to rest in the North Ogden cemetery.

Material compiled from her fathers history, her family and friends who knew her. Written by Bessie J Montgomery, Historian of Camp 29.