John W. Byington has been a resident of Hooper since his birth and recalls many of the changes that have taken place in Weber County.

"I was born in Hooper, November 30, 1874," says Mr. Byington, "the only son of Annie Fowers and James Steven Byington." Both parents took an active part in settling Hooper.

"My father was born in Hancock County, Missouri, October 30, 1842, His mother died while he was young and he came west to Cache Valley with an uncle. Later he came to Hooper. He always treated the Indians kindly and became a great friend to them.

"My mother was born in Derbyshire, England, June 19, 1848. At the age of 16, she with her parents left their home in England and cast their lot with others to cross the plains and came to Utah in 1864. They lived at Ogden for several years and finally located in Hooper.

"In 1869 my mother and father were married. During their lives they have related many of the trials and hardships which they went through. They lived at first in a wagon box and later a log house, where eight children were born, seven girls and one boy.

"I remember the time when trenches were dug and willows woven back and forth to make our fences.

"The first school I attended was located in the east part of Hooper. It was made of adobes, had two rooms and a teacher for each room. My teacher's name was Mrs. Parks. Later on I went to school in a one room building in the west part of town. Oftimes the room would get so full of smoke that it would be impossible to have our lessons. I was taught by Nellie Spaulding and later by Joseph H. Bevins. With all our crude buildings and ways of education, I think we all look back with pleasure upon those days.

"My father died when I was about nine years of age and it was necessary for me to discontinue my school work when I was 12 or 13 years old, to do my share in the earning of a livelihood. My mother took in washings and each of we small children did what we could to lighten the load for her.

"I remember the first grain binder I ever saw in operation. It used wire to bind the bundles.

"I have not seen any Indians in Hooper, but while plowing my fields in late years, have found many skeletons of Indians that have roamed these lands.

In the past years I have had lots of sport shooting ducks along the Weber River and the lake. I would rather hunt ducks than sleep or eat and when the first of October came and the duck law opened I was always there.

"I was married on January 30, 1907 to Charlotte Saunders and we now have a family of seven boys and three girls. They are: James, Earl, Harold, Irvin, Lester, and Lawrence Byington of Hooper, Leonard S. Byington of the United States Navy, Annie, Nelda Byington and Mrs. Ruby Read of Hooper. "

Published: Ogden Standard Examiner (Ogden, Utah) on 22 Aug 1934