Historical Context
This letter was written by Bishop Franklin Richards Gardner (1888–1972) to Evan, who was serving in the New England States Mission (headquartered near Brockton, MA).
The Great Depression
The letter is dated January 14, 1932, which was the height of the Great Depression. This context explains Bishop Gardner’s comment about young men wanting to serve missions but being unable because "finances would only permit." During this era, families had to self-fund their missionaries, and the economic collapse made this nearly impossible for many rural families in Wyoming.
Public Health and Daily Life
The "Flu": Before the widespread use of vaccines and modern antibiotics, the "regular old flu" was a significant seasonal threat that could shut down small communities like Afton.
Social Life: The bishop mentions showing a photo of Evan at the "Brockton fair." This highlights how important visual updates (photos) were for connecting distant missionaries to their home congregations before the age of digital communication.
Franklin R. Garner
At the time he wrote this letter (January 1932), F. R. Gardner was serving as the Bishop of the Afton Ward. His writing reveals a man deeply concerned with the spiritual and physical well-being of his community during a particularly difficult era.
Key Facts about Frank R. Gardner:
Church Service: He served as Bishop in Afton for 20 years. His letter mentions the heavy administrative burden he carried, such as "tithing settlement" and "annual reports," which he completed even while suffering from the flu.
Family Heritage: He was the son of Archibald Gardner, a well-known pioneer and mill builder in Utah and Wyoming. Frank was the youngest of his father's 48 children.
Community Role: Beyond his religious duties, he was a figure of stability in Star Valley. During the 1918–1919 flu pandemic, he was noted for his service to the sick, a commitment that clearly continued into the 1932 outbreak mentioned in your letter.
Missionary Experience: Before becoming Bishop, he served his own mission to South Africa from 1909 to 1912. This personal experience likely fueled the empathy he showed toward Elder Evan Call, encouraging him that his "two years will have slipped by" before he knows it.
Professional Life: Records indicate he was involved in various local industries, including bookkeeping for the family mills and serving as a Water Commissioner for nearly two decades.
Reflections from the Letter
The letter highlights Gardner’s personal touch as a leader. He hosted youth parties at his own home and kept photos of his congregants (like the one of Evan at the Brockton Fair) to share with their peers. His mention of the "gloom" following a local death and his gratitude for the "plenty of snow" (essential for the valley's water supply) paints a picture of a man who was the heartbeat of his small-town community.
Long Time Service
Finally, Evan would later serve in the Afton North Ward bishopric with him. In the photo below, Bishop Gardner is on the left and of course Evan is the second from the right.
