In the early 1920’s Mr. George G. Carson met a young man by the name of Oather Hopper and brought him to the Carson Ranch in the Grouse Creek Area.

He was a good and dependable worker and soon learned every part of being a cowboy and ranch hand. The Carson’s raised sheep and cattle so young Oather learned a lot from Mr. Carson and his sons Lester, Augustus, and Randle. He knew every acre of the land they owned and leased and was capable of doing any chore or task given to him.

There was very little contact with his family. He was born on April 22, 1903 in Lyon, Kentucky, a son of William and Biddy Fowler Hopper. He never married. A sister Marie was the only known relative. Oather would work all year and save all of his earnings. He would take a vacation and meet Marie and her family, then return to the Carson ranch to work for another year.

There is no one living at this time to help us learn how he came to Utah, nor how come Grandpa Carson met him and decided to take him to the ranch to live. He became part of the family and stayed at the ranch for over forty-five years.

Grandpa Carson died, but the sons kept Oather on as a ranch hand for several years, in fact until they sold the ranch in 1965 to J.R. Simplot from Boise, Idaho. Oather was left alone at the ranch after Simplot purchased it. He was then about sixty-two years old.

Oather decided to move to Burley, Idaho. Ann and Cline Preston were very close friends of Lester and Leona Carson and they befriended Oather and kept close tab on him for several years.

On May 3, 1978, Oather died in Burley of emphysema. He was seventy-five years old and had lived a rough but good life. Lester, Leona, Randle and Orpha Carson, along with Cline and Ann Preston provided for his final expenses and he was buried in the cemetery in Grouse Creek, Utah.

Brief History as recalled by Venice Ann Carson Flygare