(An account about Alvaretta Jane Tolman, George Smith Grant, and Henry Albert Belcher. Contributed by the Thomas Tolman Family Organization).
The lone grocery store in the little town of Oakley was owned by George Smith Grant, who later fell in love and married Alvaretta Jane Tolman January 20, 1883. They journeyed the two hundred miles from Oakley, Idaho to Logan, Utah less than a year later to have their loved sealed August 21, 1884 in the Logan Temple. Alvaretta gave birth to their first child, Alvaretta M. Grant, November 18,1883 in Oakley.
In the year 1884, all the farmers in the Goose Creek Valley suffered severe losses from the ravages of wild rabbits. With the determination to overcome the enemy, all the men and boys who could handle a gun met at a designated place. Then they divided into two companies and went out to kill the rabbits. The company killing the greatest numbers were the lucky ones and the losing side had to give a supper and dance to the victors. This bit of competition encouraged even the businessmen to take part.
On the morning of January 13, 1885 more rabbits than ever before had been killed. Then they prepared to go back to their homes. But alas, fun and laughter can soon be turned into sorrow. When George S. Grant went to climb into the wagon to return home he placed his gun in first. The trigger caught on a seat spring and the gun discharged, killing George instantly. What a terrible shock this was to my mother. The grief and shock to my sister seemed to be more than she could bear. But she must live for her fourteen month old daughter and her baby yet unborn.
Another room was added to the home of her parents so that Alvaretta could live with them. Her little baby, Georgia Stella Grant, was born May 7, 1885, almost four months after her father’s death. Those two baby girls grew into young womanhood and were lovely girls who were a great comfort to both their mother and grandmother.
Alvaretta married Henry Belcher October 5,1898 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Henry was born in West Virginia, August 20 1838. They bore four daughters together: Winnie Belcher and Minnie Belcher (September 10, 1899), who were twins, and Amy Jane Pearl Belcher (November 22, 1903), and Mary Ruby Belcher (July 30, 1906). All the children married except for Mary Ruby who died when she was ten years old in Burley, Idaho. Alvaretta married Lyman Carlos Severe; Georgia married Leon Robbins Mathews; Winnie married Ralph Paul Stewart; Minnie married Horace A. Roylance; and Amy Jane married Leonard Parley Okelberry. Alvaretta Jane died near Twin Falls, June 18, 1934 in Murtaugh, Idaho and was buried in Oakley.
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