Ellen Jorgensen Dahl - Chicken Story

(Alexander Paulsen Dahl & Ellen Jorgensen Dahl)

Ellen raised a few chickens for her family's use. During the day, the chickens would run loose in the yard and surrounding fields, but each night would go to their coop to roost. 

A man in the area called "Chicken Charley" was the cook at the smelter's boarding house. He got into the bad habit of stealing chickens and one night he got away with a dozen of Ellen's chickens. Ellen was infuriated! One night, Ellen waited for Chicken Charley in the alley-way with club in hand expecting to see him. She watched from him in the moonlight thinking that she would "crack him one if he came through." But he never came. 

Ellen's husband was disgusted to think of what Ellen could have done, so she gave up the fight. However, one night she found that there was no meat in the butcher's shop. She said, "I'm afraid Chicken Charley will be around tonight." Again, Ellen set up to watch for him. But again, her husband was not happy about her behavior so Ellen gave up the hunt. Sadly, that very night Chicken Charley came and go the rest of the chickens.

I love Ellen's determination to fight for her property. She didn't even flinch at the thought of danger but also respected her husband's wishes to back down from the fight. Ellen was a strong woman, ready to fight!

(Dahl Dairy - 1501 Spring Lane, Murray, Utah

Ellen Jorgensen is the 2nd from the left, standing along the buildinghead bowed)