Lillian Eardley was born 18 July, 1913 in Lyman, Wyoming, the daughter of Josiah Eardley Jr. and annie Widdop. After her marriage in 1933 to Wilson McDaniel, her father and husband built this log cabin in which she lived for the next 23 years. Five of her six children lived in this one bedroom home.
There was no running water or indoor plumming in the house. Until the electricity was available(around 1950), they used coal oil lamps. Lillian washed clothes on a wash board and kept her food in a root cellar near the house. The children bathed in a round tub. They ranched and gardened to provide food for their family.
Lillian's mother, Annie Widdopp Eardley, had a log cabin about 1/2 mile from her daughter, Lillian. Both homes were about three miles from town. For over 35 years, Annie Widdop Eardley was a faithful visiting teacher with her partner, Emily Bluemel. They only missed one tiome in 35 years of doing ther monthly teaching. They would have to spend the entire day as it was necessary to walk to the various sisters homes. They were called the Sunshine Relief Society Teachers.
For 32 years Lillian took the children in the outlying areas to school. For a time, she used a skid, two logs with slabs on the top, similar to a sleigh. The kids would wear coats and caps and keep gunny sacks filled with rocks which had been warmed by the fire to keep them warm in the cold Wyoming winters.
Lillian's youngest daughter, Gwen, is pictured standing in front of the log home. She is the youngest of the McDaniels's six children and the only one that never lived in the log house.
Josiah Eardley Jr. -
Whle living in Evanston, Josiah was elected Sergent at Arms to the legislature when Wyoming was a territory. Then being moved to Fort Bridger, he took up farming and helped to build the city of Lyman, and during this time was in the legislature at Cheyenne, acting as door keeper and also during this time was made water commissioner for the fourth district. When Wyoming was made a state, Josiah was elected a member by a large majority to the House of Representatives. This with other positions he held till the year 1907. Then being called to go on a mission to England he left Wyoming in Dec. of that year and arrived in England on Jan. 12, 1908 and served 28 months in the Shoffiekd Conference, being President 23 months.
We had not as yet found the deserters so concluded to go down the river and find Chief Wasakee and deliver some goods to him that Pres. Young had sent to him as a present. We could only travel very slowly as our horses were very tired. Towards sun down, travelling along the flat country where Mint-pelier now is, we noticed a great dust cloud. We inquired of the Indian the meaning of it. He answered he did not know but tried to get to the rear. Lieutenant Knolwton insisted on him riding in the front and as the dust got nearer, we saw they were Indians on the war path as we noticed them riding the war circle and then they surrounded us. Lieutenant Knowlton told us not to fire as something might happen, and we could be saved. Then the promise came to us all, that Pres. Young, Heber C. Kimball with Daniel H. Wells, met with us at that place and in giving his council promised us in the name of the Lord that if we went and did our duty not one drop of blood would be shed and we should all return home. With this in our minds we were not in the least afraid as the Indians surrounded us and kept coming close to us. Lieutenant Knowltin noticed in the company an Indian he knew, and kept him and his party all winter. Just as the Indians put up their bows and arrows to shoot us he called the Indian by name. The Indian then called to the rest of the Indians, who at once lowered their arms and came up to us, and as our horses were tired, they gave use fresh ones, that we might ride to their camp 5 miles away now known as Benningtion Canyon. We stayed there 3 nights and 2 days and found they were the very Indians we were seeking being 500 in numbers.