David Amanuel Smith Encounter with Clearfield Police

1948a = The first reunion that Joseph Stewart remembers. This picture of the Sheppard family reunion has several of our Smith descendants included which was held at Hyland park in Idaho Falls about 1948. Thanks to Collins for sending it to be distributed to the family. I recognize several people. It would be more interesting if each of you would identify as many people as possible and send the names to me to consolidate into one document displayed next to the picture.


David Smith’s Encounter with Clearfield Police
By Ruby Smith

After Grandma Rosie Smith passed away in 1967, Grandpa David Smith planned a trip to Clearfield, Utah to visit his daughter Beulah Hardy. She was working at the Clearfield Military air base and was not home during the day to let him into her house. They talked by telephone and Beulah told David where her house key was hidden in the back yard.

While driving to Utah David was pulled over by the police because he was driving to slow on the freeway. David went to Beulah’s house and found the key in the back yard secret hiding place. He let himself into her house and made himself comfortable.

A neighborhood girl watched this activity and went and told her Mother that she had seen an old man get into Beulah’s home. The Mother called 911 and reported the activity to the police department.

While David was relaxed on the couch, a policeman burst into the front door of the house with his gun drawn and pointed at David. Another policeman entered the back door of the house with his gun drawn and pointed at David.

A Policemen asked David his name.

David answered “Smith”.

Policeman asked “first name”.

David answered “David”.

Policeman asked “where are you from”.

David answered “Idaho”.

Policeman asked “do you know whose home this is”.

David answered “yep”.

Policeman asked “Whose home is it”

David answered “my Daughter”

Policeman asked “who is your daughter”.

David answered “Beulah”.

Policeman asked “do you know Carroll Smith”.

David answered “yep”.

Policeman asked “how do you know Carroll”.

David answered “he’s my son”.

Both policemen then put their guns away and introduced themselves to David. One policeman’s name was Porter Isaacs who had attended school in Ammon a class or so ahead of Carroll. The other policeman was a Japanese boy from California who had been in a Japanese internment camp. He was sent inland to Idaho. He had worked for William Nielsen, (Carroll’s wife) Ruby Smith’s parents.

The two policemen and David spent the next couple of hours visiting and getting acquainted until Beulah returned home from work. She was surprised to return home and find such a reunion taking place.