Joseph Eugene Barrus

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Joseph Eugene Barrus was the last of eight children. The first five kids were born before their Dad left on his mission, Joseph came after he came back from his mission in 1908. Joseph’s mother took over the farm when her husband left and managed the farm just as well, if not better. Joseph’s Mom was a school teacher in Afton, Wyoming and started many programs at the school, such as the lunch program. She got sick and died when Joseph was only 11years old. From that age on he was bounced around and never had a place to stay. In his teenager years he was known somewhat as a hooligan. Joseph was also known for his amazing strength. One time, some people from the track team asked him to throw the shot put. Joseph casually bent down and tossed it and threw it farther than any of the guys on the team when they were trying.

He married his sweetheart Ruth Tolman, who was extremely shy. Ruth was the oldest child of seven. When Joseph and Ruth got married, he and Cy Balls, his brother-in-law (married to Joseph’s sister Luella) went to work together and farmed. They had one of the very first tractors (steam tractor) in the area Star Valley.

Joseph during the 1940s changed his focus from farming to raising turkeys. The Afton, Wyoming weather was not good for raising turkey’s so in 1946 Joseph and his family moved to Wendell, Idaho. Out of his seven children, only Alfred and LeAnn were born in Idaho. On the day they moved it was in the middle of the winter, he was driving one truck and Ruth and his kids were in the other. Joseph was in the lead. Joseph stopped and waited for his family to catch up. He soon found out that the truck Ruth was driving had flipped and that it was a horrible accident. Luckily, no one got hurt.

Once they moved to Wendell they began to build their own house. They first built it as a basement house. They lived in basement for many years then later built the top on. They raised turkeys in Wendell and then changed to raising chickens. Joseph had many nicknames, he was known as ‘Joe’ in Afton and as ‘Gene’ in Wendell, Idaho.

He was always so kind and loving, very sweet. Unless you did something to disrespect his wife then he could get really tough.

“I was probably about 12 or so. I thought I was pretty smart. Dad had just left the house, or I thought he had. I had my foot on the chair and was tying my shoe. My mom wanted me to take my foot off the chair. I said something snotty back to her. My Dad was there and kicked me in the butt clear across the room. He picked me up and said “Don’t you ever talk to my sweetheart like that. You get to your room.” I went down to my room and my Dad came down to me about an hour later and said “My wife is the most precious thing to me. Don’t ever treat her like that.” It just always stuck with me how important it is to love and take care of my wife. -Alfred Barrus, son

Spouse:
Ruth Tolman (Hopkin) Barrus

Children:
Beverly Barrus
Marilyn Barrus
Brent Barrus
LeAnn Barrus
Carolyn Ruth Barrus
Patsy Lavoy Barrus
Alfred Emery Barrus
Parents:
Emery Freeman Barrus
Martha Ann (Tolman) Barrus

Siblings:
Emery Milton Barrus
Benjamin Marriner Barrus
Orlando Tolman Barrus
Foster Junius Barrus
Osmond Wendell Barrus
Margaret Lovina Barrus
Leulla Barrus
Joseph Eugene Barrus