Carl Ferrell Anderson (1903-1967)

Carl Ferrell was born January 5, 1903 in Brigham City, Utah to Martin Emanuel Anderson and Mary Jane Lillywhite. Star Athlete Ferrell was an all-around athlete in his high school days. He had many medals and trophies from his track, football and basketball. His hair was very blond, wavy and evidently it used to stand up in curls as he was nicknamed 'Snowball'.

He went to four different schools in Brigham City, Utah by the time he was in eighth grade.  His father was builder of homes and would move his family as a new home was built.  Ferrell was ordained a deacon at Brigham City 3rd Ward and was Secretary and then President of his Quorum.

• 1917-18 Freshman  at Brigham City and ordained a  Teacher in November 1917.
• 1918 Moved to Salt Lake City and was out of school one year because of the flu epidemic.
• 1918-1919 Worked in Saddle Dept of Salt Lake Hardware
• 1919 Spring moved to Blackfoot, Idaho to work on Stakehouse (Tabernacle) with father and brothers Lorin and Arlow
• Fall 1919 Sophomore at Granite in Salt Lake City--Lettered in Basketball and Track
• lst Store Experience in December 1919 for two weeks at Golden Rule Store
• Received Patriarchal Blessing February 18, 1920 in SLC by John Whitaker
• Returned to Blackfoot May lst before end of school term to work on Stakehouse (Tabernacle)
• 1920-21 Junior in Blackfoot, Idaho--lettered in Basketball and Track, Elected 1st Student Body President
• Ordained as Priest in Blackfoot 1st Ward
• 1921-22 Senior in Blackfoot, Idaho--lettered in Basketball, Football, Track and was Student Body President as well 

After graduation in 1922 (Age 19) he moved to Ogden, Utah to work in the shoe department of the Golden Rule Store. He met Ethel Larson there and married her on Nov 6, 1923 by Bishop Terry of Ogden 10th Ward.  He would be 21 in January, 1924.

• Dad's great grandfather Anders Petterson of Kalmar, Sweden was a student and lover of the bible. His wife had died when she was 44 in 1865 and left him with 10 children. He was converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along with some of his children and came to America in the late 1880's.  Dad's father Martin Emanuel Anderson was a contractor and builder and built homes, church buildings, civic buildings, schools and tabernacles.
• Dad's great grandfather and great grandmother Lillywhite joined the Church in London, England in the early 1840's and they came to America in 1847.  His grandfather Benjamin Jr. traveled to Utah from Missouri with the Millers, after his father died.  His mother and brother were in another wagon train, Mr. Miller died on the way and Benjamin Jr. at 9 yrs of age drove the ox team to Utah in 1852.
• Dad's grandmother Mary Lewis was baptized at 8 in Wales and emigrated to Utah when she was 18.  Her family called her "Star of the West" as she was the first of their family to emigrate in 1863.  She married Benjamin Lillywhite Jr.  Their daughter Mary Jane married Martin Emanuel Anderson.

Ethel and Ferrell resided in Ogden 4th Ward and Richard was born on August 24, 1924 and was blessed by Ethel's father Eric W. Larson.

In the spring of 1925 they moved to rent the home of Ethel's father Eric W Larson.  He had been called on his second mission after the death of his wife in December 1924.  Ethel's brother Carl and his children Harold and Mildred lived with them for awhile.

In January 1927 Richard was very ill with a walnut in his lung.  He was treated at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.  Many spiritual blessings were received and he was brought home in February for home treatment.  However, finally Ethel and her sister Erica had to take Richard to the Jackson Clinic in Philadelphia.  While they were in Philadelphia, Ferrell was transferred to the Golden Rule Store in Evanston, Wyoming.

Dick improved rapidly after returning home and in May 1927 they joined Ferrell in Evanston.

Then Ethel was back to Ogden and David was born at the Dee Hospital on June 25, 1927.  He was blessed by Eric W. Larson, who was back from his mission, at the Soderberg home (Ethel's sister Erica and husband Theo) and then his record was forwarded to Evanston.

In Ocober of 1928 J C Penney purchased the Golden Rule Chain and in March 1929 Ferrell was appointed Assistant Manager.

Ferrell was ordained an Elder on March 12, 1929.

Jeanne was born July 27, 1929 at the Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah and was blessed by Ferrell the 3 November 1929 in the Evanston ward.


Ethel and Ferrell were married in the Salt Lake Temple in June 1930 by Joseph Christiansen.  Ferrell was called to serve as the YMMIA president in August of 1930.  Ethel served as a Sunday School teacher and then Primary president.

Marilyn was born April 4, 1931 in Evanston.  While living in Evanston Ferrell and Ethel and family had many good times with their good friends Vincent and Marge Ord.  Vince owned a Ford coupe and they would all go together on picnics and Ferrell and Vince had good deer and pheasant hunting.

In addition Mom's nephew Harold Larson was living with them. Both parents had passed away and his sister Mildred was living with Aunt Erica.

By now there was concern about the depression and possible job loss as salaries were cut and employees were beginning to be laid off. Erica and Ellen wrote for them to come back to Ogden and Erica's husband offered Ferrell a job so in October of 1932 the family moved back to Ogden, Utah and Ferrell began working for O T Soderberg in the Meat and Grocery business.


Janet Ethel was born January 22, 1933 at the Dee Hospital and was blessed March 5th, 1933 by Ferrell in the 10th Ward where they moved in December of 1933.


Ferrell was not happy in this new type of work so when his brother Lorin wrote asking Ferrell to manage a Karl Johnson store in Glendive, Montana and Lorin would be managing a Karl Johnson store in Miles City, Montana, just 80 miles away, Ethel and Ferrell were elated.

In 1934, during the depression, Ferrell brought his family of five (before Carole) from Utah to Glendive, Montana where he was to manage a department store.

Dick was now the oldest at 10 years old and Janet was the youngest at 15 months.


The store opened March 24, 1934 .  However this was a serious drought year and the most difficult of the depression years.  Nearly all labor in the area was for the government program WPA and a skeleton crew for the Northern Pacific Railway.  Business was at a very low ebb until the start of the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project in 1937.

In the summer of 1937 the first missionaries visited Glendive and David Martin and Jeanne were baptized by Elder Ray D Smith in the Yellowstone River and confirmed by Elder Clarence Stanger.

The first Church meetings were held in 1937 and the first missionaries to reside in Glendive were Newell Tingey and David Smith.  Branch meetings were held with the missionaries in the homes and Ferrell was appointed as the Presiding Elder.  Primary and MIA were also organized and held in the homes.  At that time there was the Neeley family and the Pepper family along with the Anderson family and Norene Hoff was an investigator.  The Neeley family would soon be transferred to Williston, North Dakota so this picture was probably about 1941 or 42.

Previous to this Ethel and Ferrell saw that all the family attended the Congregational Church and Bible School and they quickly became not only a part of the community, but Ferrell was a leader in the community and Ethel was a friend to all.

The Karl Johnson store had a Float in the 4th of July parade, and the family attended all the band concerts, went to the Elk's picnics and Christmas party which Ferrell helped to organize and the children were taught to mow lawns and garden and work in the store.    

Ferrell took his family on picnics,  fishing,  hunting, and saw that  he always had a hunting dog and the children had a pet dog.

He loved the hunting of pheasant and deer  near Glendive and fishing in Intake and later Silver Gate near Yellowstone Park.  Here he is with Dick and Dave.

Ferrell would not own a car until about 1937 or 1938.  It was a Nash.

Dick had a paper route and a bike which David later inherited.

All of the children were active in school activities, track, basketball, band, drill team or cheerleading.  Ferrell and Ethel rarely missed a concert or a game and neither did the family pets, Star and Poika, to name a couple.

Ferrell was a leader and involved in Elks, Chamber of Commerce, School Board as well as being the leader in the local Latter-day Saint Branch.

While living in Glendive, Lorin and Ferrell opened department stores in Idaho and North Dakota as well as the ones in Montana.

Ferrell retired in 1959 and Dick took over the Miles City and Glendive stores.  David managed Ferrell's in Idaho Falls and later Ferrell and Ethel moved there.  Most of their summer's were spent at Silver Gate near Yellowstone Park.  He built his cabin there in 1960 with the help of friends and his son-in-law Stan Thayne.  He died on August 14. 1967 while on a fishing trip with his son-in-law Arky.


Ferrell's daughter Marilyn shares a memory of Dad's last day on earth.  He was at his beloved Silver Gate cabin.

We were a few days late getting to the cabin.  Randy and Bobby both were getting over the flu.

Jeanne and her family had been to the cabin the week before and Mom and Dad had taken a few days to go back to Idaho Falls before we came.  Dad had worked a day at the Church Farm and had felt like he had a heart attack.  They went to see Dr. Lyman Knutson, Lorin’s son-in-law.  I think he wasn’t sure but he did give Dad the nitro pills. 

We arrived Sunday late afternoon and as soon as we had eaten Arky and Dad went into the park to fish.  I think it was around 6 PM. 

Around 8 PM a ranger came to the door and said there had been an accident and would Mom and I follow him.  Sherry was about 11 and we left the kids with her.  I had never driven into the Park so fast.  Mom was very quiet. We followed the rangers to the curve in the highway where the Soda Butte meets the Lamar River.  The ranger stopped right at the curve and we also.  I jumped out and left Mom and I ran across the Soda Butte (not too deep) and ran across the field and trees to the Lamar River where I could see Arky waiting.  Since we had just arrived from the low altitude Texas, it was a hard run. 

The second I saw Dad with a smile on his relaxed face and a full creel, I knew his Spirit was already out of the body and I felt his Spirit and it was a most wonderful, peaceful feeling.  It was a big testimony to me of life after death.  Dad was there but I felt so peaceful and strangely calm.  I have never had that same feeling again.  Mom already knew also and was calm and peaceful.  It is strange to think that now but it was so. 

We drove more slowly back to the cabin and Arky talked to the rangers and made all the arrangements.  The rangers took care of all the details and of the return of the body to Idaho Falls.  The Ranger Station was actually very close and Arky had asked another fisherman to stay with Dad while he had gone to them for help..  Arky and Dad had separated while fishing and both returned at the same time.  Dad came around the corner and when Dad  saw Arky he waved and fell to the ground. 

Mom and Arky and I got the kids and everything we needed and drove right away to Idaho Falls.  I am not sure how we called Dick but I had left my purse at the gas station at West Yellowstone and I called them at midnight when we reached Idaho Falls. I  informed them that my brother was coming through the next day and would they please take a little money (I didn’t have much in it) and give the purse to Dick.  They did and Dick brought it to me.   

All our Sunday clothes had been packed in Texas but that suitcase was accidentally left behind a door.  Mary went to the store before leaving Glendive and brought us all clothes to wear for the funeral.  It all fit!  Mary has always been such a great help to anyone in need. 

Mom was something else wonderful.   She was up when I woke up and had written the eulogy and made plans and had called everyone. 

Dad was very special to all of us.  Carole had such a hard time accepting his death.  Dad was so young and looking forward to many years at the cabin.  He was only 64! 

The rest of the family was thankful it was Arky to be there for him as he doesn’t get too emotional. It was so strange for Mom and I to feel peaceful and calm.  Sherry’s words to the kids as we came in to the cabin were “I told you so.”

Arky, son-in-law of Ferrell, describes what happened prior to his death:

Late afternoon Ferrell and I drove the Toyota down to fish the upper Lamar River.  We parked the Toyota across the road from the spot where Soda Butte Creek runs into the Lamar River.  We took our fishing gear and waded across the Soda Butte, headed upstream on the Lamar, fishing along the way.  I went quite a distance ahead and fished till it was getting late and headed back toward the car. 

I had walked some distance in the meadow beside the Lamar when I spotted Ferrell some thirty or forty yards ahead of me.  He seemed to be looking at me, but before he could say a word he collapsed.  I rushed to him and couldn’t feel a pulse so did mouth to mouth resuscitation with no sign of breathing or pulse.  After a short period I spotted a fisherman coming down the trail and I asked him if he would stay with Ferrell while I ran back to the car and drove to the Lamar Ranger Station to get help.  They had the Silver Gate Rangers get in touch with the family at the cabin. 

The rangers brought the body back to the highway.  I think an ambulance came from the Lake Station hospital and took him to Lake Hospital.  We returned to the cabin.  This was a sad day but Ferrell did catch his limit of fish.


Janet shares memories of her Dad:

When I was in high school he always drove my friends and me to out of town basketball and football games. My friends were always treated as part of the family.

He taught us the value of work. We worked at the store with him doing whatever he felt we could handle. (I remember making price labels, unpacking boxes, fringing scarfs and later taking inventory long before I was old enough to clerk.) Later I worked as cashier and organized and paid invoices. His great teaching which always stuck with me was "to always be worth more than you were paid".

Dad was a very kind and gentle man, he never raised a hand in discipline or said unkind things. Once when he was tired of a record I played over and over and over he just walked over and softly turned it off. I got the message.

In Junior High when I wanted to understand the Virgin Mary bit he found a chapter in "Jesus the Christ" which I could read and understand before he discussed it with me.

When I had my first car accident (car slid into another at the stop sign) he was called and came right down. He did not criticize or yell or make me feel badly. He did, however, insist I drive the car home, instead of him. I think he wanted me to know he trusted me and I needed to regain my confidence.

 We used to eat dinner at home every noon instead of at night. And always I remember Dad dancing around the kitchen with my Mom and giving her a big kiss before he went back to work. Dad loved us and he loved our Mom and we knew it. My aunt Erica once gathered us together and told us to be careful what we asked our Dad to give us as he would want to get it for us.

I have long since forgiven him for selling the Shirley Temple doll that was to be my Christmas present. He just did not understand the significance of a Shirley Temple doll over just a doll.

 Dad had about three children in college at a time for quite a long time. He always wanted us to have a job but this usually just took care of spending money. Lucky for us, he owned a store with great brand name clothes and we never felt deprived. But he worked long and hard to see that his family was provided for and educated.

Being the leader in our little Branch of the Church for so many years could not have been easy. He had to prepare so many talks and guide so many people while he ran a store, was a leader in the Elks, on the School Board, Chamber of Commerce, etc. He was a leader who served well but never for his own glory, always modestly, doing whatever was needed.

 A kinder, gentler, more caring father could not be had. A better example for his family and community does not exist. I only wish my children could have known my Dad as their grandfather.

He died when my youngest was only 2 and my oldest was only 8 but not before he had instilled in John a great love for fishing and Montana.

Here John is at two plus sitting in the beloved truck that Grandpa Ferrell used to have at the cabin.  John  joined Grandpa Ferrell and Grandma Ethel in heaven in 2004.