Byron Healed

“July 17    We commenced early pulling stumps but at about 10 A.M. I met with what might have proven a very serious accident.  We had placed a long white poplar pole in the anchor cable after twisting or wrapping it about the anchor stump for the purpose of holding the anchor cable.  I neglected to fasten the end to prevent it’s swinging and thoughtlessly stepped in front of this suspended pole.  When the horses pulled hard on the sweep, the pole swung around with such velocity that it could hardly be seen.  Yet I saw it coming through the air and jumped up to avoid it, but it struck my legs just below the knees with such force that I was landed on my head and shoulders with much force, rendering me almost unconscious for a few minutes.  For some time I feared both my legs were broken and we all earnestly prayed the Lord that my injury might not prove serious.  In a short time I was able to move so that we could determine that not more than one leg was broken and perhaps not that.  The children quickly attached the team to the carriage and with dear Evelyn’s and their help, I was placed in it and hauled to the house and onto the bed.  The pain in my neck and shoulders was very bad, so that Evelyn rubbed me with consecrated oil and prayed earnestly for my relief and comfort.  In an instant, all pain left my shoulders and neck and we carefully examined my leg, to find that there were no bones we could discover broken.  Our hearts were indeed filled with gratitude to God for His wonderful blessings in either saving, or so nearly healing me, for it seemed almost impossible that I should be struck such an awful blow without breaking both my legs, and it appeared at first that they were both really broken and now both are sound, except the severe bruise and body is quite free from pain and I now suffer only from soreness and bruises.  I remained on my bed the balance of the day.  In the P.M. the children grubbed brush. 

July 18     I am very sore and lame, yet in the P.M. I was able to be about and cut some tamarack logs for the building of a dam in the creek.  These the three children with horses, dragged from the grove to the hill near the creek.”  
History of the Life and Acts of Byron Harvey Allred Jr., pp. 279-280

Voices Of Women, Rhea Kunz, pgs. 428-429   

This post is part of a series of posts on Women in the Priesthood.

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