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Jay ran the farm. The alfalfa was half a mile across the river, but I could hear the mower when he was cutting alfalfa. Daisy was on the loaded wagon one day & slipped or fell off it, injured her back & hip for a long time, making it hard to walk. I enjoyed the dear old farm again, although I missed Moroni & the older children. In the fall Daisy & I sang as we gathered the wild grapes for jelly & juice for the last time at the farm. We enjoyed having a good garden there the good soil & spring water made such good vegetables. After the crop & garden was gathered, Daisy & I stayed in town but Jay at Richville nights & he brought us milk. Golden & Josephine had moved to their own home. During the winter Jay took young folks to & from Ramah for their social affairs in his school Bus. He met Mable James, a sweet girl whose mother died when she was a small girl. Mable & Jay were married May 14th, 1931 at our home & sealed in the temple in Mesa May 22nd, 1931. The home at the farm was furnished, Jay & Mable lived there & Jay farmed. Mable's sisters Bessie & Katie lived with them for some time, Jay & Mable gave them a home. Their Grandmother James was a mother to them & their brothers but had no way of making a living for them & their father had no home for them after he married
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again. Vivian's work at the store was such a help to us, and she helped Daisy through high school. Daisy and I also worked at what we could find to do, and we shared what the farm produced. Clarence Rencher won Vivian, and they were married in the Mesa Temple, 16 March 1934. Vivian was so kind and sweet. We missed her so much. She, Jay, Daisy, and I had been together so long. That left Daisy and I alone together. They gave Daisy the place in the Anderson's Store that Vivian had had. It was such a help to us. The frame of the new house had stood since Hugh had given me material to finish the house when he & Nellie moved to Chandler. That was a help. He also hired a man to lay the adobes that he had and other things he had to build on to his house when he had decided to move, but the man Hugh hired didn't lay the adobe walls. Jay did, and Bessie's husband Biness, when he was out of work, came with two helpers and finished the house. Vivian and Daisy did so much to pay for the finishing of the new house. While Vivian worked at the store she got many things to finish the house. Daisy also got things to finish it when she worked at the store before she married. It was wonderful to have a nice house, and we were so thankful. I wrote this on leaving the old house to move into the new one.
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Goodbye old home. Sad is my heart
to think that forever tonight we must part.
You have sheltered me long from day to day.
'Tis the home where my children played,
Where I first looked on their sweet faces,
And welcomed each in their places,
Where each one came when day was done,
Where each one loved their place at home.
Oh, happy home, when all were there,
And there was not a vacant chair.
When the footsteps of my mate I heard,
Always my heart with love was stirred.
He was loving, loyal and kind to me,
So unselfishly trying to help me see,
That in us was filled his longing so long
For the comforts of wife, children and home.
How hard I tried to do my part,
With all my strength, with all my heart,
That the tie of home would be so strong,
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That none among us would go wrong.
How much I have failed he knows today,
As he looks down on us from far away.
And yet he is not far from here,
For so often I feel that he is near.
He has part of us there & part often came
To cheer me in the dear old home.
What happiness we have had together.
What comfort & joy they've been to their mother.
Now into the nice new house we will move.
That house has not known the dear past love,
Will it seem like home with its beauty & ease?
It will be nice, but I'll leave all these.
These rooms where we were all together.
Where our children looked to father & mother
For their joys, their comfort, their every need.
Will our teaching, council & love bear seed
That will guide them each to the One who gave.
To the One whose power alone can save?
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After Vivian married, Daisy got many things to finish the house, it was so lovely to have a nice house. So often as I enjoyed the new home I wished Moroni could have enjoyed it with us, I enjoyed Vivian & Daisy they were sweet to each other & to me. All our children had been kind & considerate to all of us & to each other. We had much joy & happiness together, we often got together & enjoyed each other with songs & talks of religion & were a blessing & help to each other. I have always been so thankful that my children love to talk the gospel when they get together, it's such a blessing. They are following in their fathers footsteps he loved to talk the gospel with everyone & in our home, or with anyone, even strangers. Daisy & I missed Vivian so much when she married as we had everyone as they found their mates & went into their homes. Then it was such a Joy to have them come home often & bring their little ones. Vivian lived in the old house when their first Baby was born, Alvin was a sweet child & it was nice to have Vivian near us, we enjoyed them so much. Daisy was engaged to Ivan Lewis. As Alvin grew Daisy said, will I ever have a child as sweet as Alvin & she did as time went on. When they graduated from High School her love affairs did not always go
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smoothly, she confided in me. I enjoyed her confidence & love, it drew us close together. After Ivan filled a mission in Samoa they were married, living in Ramah. Then I knew what loneliness was, my other children came & were very good to me & I went to them but that everyday aloneness in the home was hard & I missed her. Daisy had been so diligent & faithful in Genealogy, all my children had worked at it. Leigh had been Ward President & got everyone started. When Jim Lesueur brought books we all got names on our lines, that was when we could do the Temple work for any of our family name but we found many on our lines. We did Temple work, Baptisms & endowments. Then one winter I put all that work on Sealing sheets for we had to use 3 separate sheets at that time. Later we got Family Group Sheets that all information could be put on one sheet. Biness & Bessie lived in Mesa in 1924. I went to Temple excursions & stayed with them & whenever I could I went to Mesa during the fall & spring when it wasn't so hot. Later when I went & Josephine lived in Mesa I stayed with her & at times I stayed with Welcome & Teanie Chapman my cousin. They lived close to the Temple & made me welcome in their home. I am very thankful I could do Temple work for I had such an urge for years to do the work. |
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One time when my sister Lizzie came to Mesa to visit & rented a place, we did research in Phoenix & Mesa Libraries. She came another time & rented a place & we had a visit. I tried to talk the gospel to her & sent the church books & the Era to her but she didn't read & understand the gospel. It's a sorrow to me. |
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I felt much better in the lower climate & went down & stayed two & three weeks spring & fall as long as I was able. I did research in the Temple Library & other libraries & found names on our lines that I am thankful to do. Jay & Mable moved to Mesa. Leigh & Luella did for a time & I would stay with them & gain strength. One summer while Daisy was still home Jay lived in St. Johns. he took Lou & her youngest children & I with him & family to the mountain on the 4th of July, to the old Sawmill setting where Moroni & the Sherwood Richey Sawmill had been at the Little Giant Spring. We enjoyed the outing so much & I could tell them many things about it. Daisy & family always came home to be with me Christmas. At times as his work was so they could, they came & lived here. Dwyn & Ian were born here & I would go & be with them at times. I was with her at Ramah when Sharon was born, Tani was born at Ramah & the only one that I couldn't be there to help her with. I helped all my girls as I could when their babies came & my sons wives too. I love them all & tried to be a help to everyone. I couldn't do it when Moroni was so feeble for the 6 years when I had to feed & care for him so closely. One time when I was doing Temple work staying with Josephine she asked Minnie
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85 Whiting if she would take me with her as she was taking her mother to Los Angeles. Minnie was so good & took me to see my sister Lizzie it was so good to see her & stay 2 weeks. We had such a good visit & it may be our last for we are in our eighties now. We write often, it's a comfort to us. Forest loved Sunday School work, he had been Superintendent when he volunteered for Service, at Richville then Superintendent in St. Johns in 1929 to 1930. He was in Sunday School Stake board until it was moved to Eager in 1939. After he came home from Service he married May & they had four children two boys & two girls. Forest had appendicitis for years being a soldier he was entitled to treatment in a Veterans hospital but our local Doctor kept putting his request off until it was too late. I know he felt that he wouldn't live long from things he said to me, one time he said he wished he could live to raise his family & one time when he & Hugh were working together they promised each other that if one was taken & left their family the other would look after & help the family Hugh & Nellie did so much for May & the children after Forest died keeping that promise, one time a few months before Forest died he came to see me as he was released from the Stake Sunday School Board which was moved from St. Johns to Springerville or then to Eager. He said "Mamma, I will never hold another church office." I knew he would if he was asked to & said so to him but he seemed to know he wouldn't live long. Hugh & Nellie had moved to Chandler sold their home next to Forest & May to Lige Dewitt or rather traded |
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Hugh & Nellie didn't stay long at Chandler they soon came back to St. Johns his business had failed he came back broke but lived worthy & was soon made a Bishop & a good one. He had the Job of remodeling the church & was faithful. |
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with him. Forest & Hugh had enjoyed being neighbors & Hugh had been Counselor to Bishop Albert Anderson but gave that up & his home for the new prospects. Still he felt sad at moving & almost gave it up at the last. We are all so sad to have Hugh & Nellie go away. Forest had the job of driving school bus to & from Vernon. His appendix was bad causing much pain & it broke when he was changing tires. The trip to Whipple Barracks should never have been taken, he was very bad. May phoned to Chandler for Hugh. I had gone down to visit Hugh & Nellie on one of Jays freight trips with Jay. Hugh seemed so happy in the dairy business. We were all so startled & sad about May's telegram to go to them at Whipple, Hugh & I left & traveled till 2 am to get to Forest & May, he was unconscious & didn't know us. May & us got out in the car & prayed for Forest but he died. We had to give him up. May was crazy with grief but a calmness came over me so I could bear it. We all came to St. Johns & had Forest's funeral, I was so sorry for May left with her 4 children. Hugh & Nellie were a great help to them. Hugh keeping his promise to Forest to be a help to his family & felt that if he hadn't moved to Chandler he might have helped to prevent it. We did |
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Hugh was a fine Bishop & as a family we loved & supported him. Everyone loved him & Nellie was fine, a true helpmate & their children were an example to the young.
Frank married Floy
Catherine had married a non-Mormon & Bessie told Alden, it was up to him to convert Lee. He did & baptized Lee. Wayne confirmed him. |
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87 all we could to comfort May & children. On May's Birthday I had her & the children to dinner. While I was making pies I heard Forest say so plain "Mamma, I am glad." It wasn't imagination, I heard him say it plain. When I could go to the Temple for many years I felt like Moroni & Forest were with me as I sat in the Chapel service & I often felt that Moroni was near to guide me. I needed him so much. Life has to go on without our dear ones. Oh the heartaches. We all loved Forest for his willingness to go into service to keep our land Free. His love was strong & true, for us all. After a few years May was elected County Recorder although she was in the office so much of the day her children were at Hugh & Nellies or at home, they were not on the street nor roaming the town. May was a fine mother & Hugh & Nellie such a help to them, so Hugh kept his promise. One time when Bessie was in the Hospital I stayed with the children. Daisy came after working in the store. Wanda was such a help & so kind to the little ones, I knew she would be a kind mother. After Daisy was married I would go at times to visit & help as needed. Lou & Roy lived at the Chilcott Ranch, where Roy was Foreman for several |
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Leigh was Branch President 3 months, District President 18 months in Bend, Oregon. Ramona, a Home Missionary. Luella was choirister in Bend. Jay was not able to do much, he & Mable did whatever they could to live on. My 40 dollars a month was a help & her brother sent 100 dollars to help. Forest was in high school & worked Sat. to help.
Laree's mate was on a mission at the same time, they met on their mission. |
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years before he died at the Veterans Hospital, January 20th, 1949. at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lou was at Biness & Bessie's to be near Roy & had to part with her mate I was with Daisy near Los Alamos where Ivan was working. Wayne & Alden came & told us & we all came to St. Johns for the Funeral. Afterwards Lou, Doris, & Nadine moved to their home in St. Johns, Frank was made Foreman of the Ranch & Earl stayed to work, Lou had to go on living her life without Roy. Its a very hard trial to be without ones mate & go on alone she was so brave Lou gets a pension to help her & the girls got work. In 1955 Earl went on a mission to Texas, he had saved his wages & bought cattle & sold them to keep him on his mission. Who could do more? I visited often with my dear ones when I went to Bessie's she would get me a dress & make it for me they always fit & looked so nice she loved to sew. she was kept very busy in Mutual Relief Society holding many offices as time went on. It was a shock to us all when Dr. said she had Cancer. I would get my family together Sundays & we would pray for her, but she didn't get well. Not |
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89 long before she died she visited & we held our prayer for her. She brought a lovely piece of rayon to me & said someone else would have to make it for she couldn't. I know it was a comfort to her for us to gather & pray for her. Lou's family took me to see her with them. Wanda stayed in the home & took care of her so faithfully. Bessie died October 4th, 1952. How hard it is to have to part with our loved ones, we miss them so much. Wayne and Helen took me home with them to Colorado. I think it was a comfort to Wayne and I enjoyed seeing them in their home. We didn't mourn for Bessie after her suffering. After a visit with them, they took me to Daisy's in Farmington. I had a visit with May and her girls. Then Ivan & Daisy moved to St.Johns & was near me. In 1947 Leigh & Luella moved to Bend, Oregon & stayed two years, they had traded their home here after Thaddeus died to Cole Harris for his home in Bend. Their home furniture, even their saws. Leigh took a trailer behind his car & they took me with them to see Jay who lived in a suburb of Portland, Gresham. I did enjoy that trip although I sprained my ankle the first day out. Leigh was so kind & helped me get around. I loved to travel & enjoyed the scenery. Ramona had stayed here with Hugh & Nellie to Graduate & Leigh was coming back in two months to get her, so would bring me back. It was a lovely trip in the mountains, Bend had big pine trees in the City, it rained so easy & everything grew so thrifty. Jay & Mable & family came & got me as soon as they could, it
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was so lovely to be with them again. When they had gone to Oregon to find work with their car & trailer, leaving their plane in Holbrook, Mable had come back for the plane & flew it up to them alone. She is a very brave girl & a true helpmate to Jay in his weakness & affliction. He got so weak he could hardly walk. Mable worked in a glove factory till she too got sick. Then at a Conference in Bend Apostle Harold B. Lee gave him a blessing, promising him to be healed & he was & got so he could work again. As they took me to Gresham their home, the road was so beautiful. We passed Mt.Hood & in that land there are other mountain peaks so much like Mt.Hood. Their home was their trailer house with a lean to by a grove of pines. In it the moss was so thick & beautiful, I enjoyed it so much in that beautiful land. They took me to Portland where I saw so many beautiful shrubs & flowers & across the river into Washington where they had been. That is such a beautiful land. We went to Mission Headquarters where LaRee was a missionary. I was so happy to see her. Jay & Mable had been a comfort to her. As it was time for Leigh to go to St. Johns, Jay & Mable & children took me back to Bend to come back with Leigh. I enjoyed my visit so much. Leigh had Brother Harris & I in a little car he got for the trip. It didn't work good & he said he was so sorry that the trip wasn't more pleasant for me but we got along & I enjoyed the scenery & being with him. He got Ramona & went back. He was needed in that Branch, was President of it, then made District President. But when he got out
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I hadnt been going to the Temple for some time as Josephines home was broken up for Golden had left her for good & she finally married John Crandall the last names I did work for that I had found were done so didn't have any more to do work for & I wasnt as strong as before but I longed every fall to do Temple work |
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of work he resigned and moved back to St.Johns. I am always glad to have my children in St.Johns so they can come to see me often. They are all kind to me. As the years went Ivan's work took them to many places. They would come at times & live here but hadn't got a home so the others said for them to stay & take care of me as I am getting more feeble & need someone with me. So they built onto my house with only a door between us. It is so nice to have them so close & they are kind to me. They are to have this property when I am gone. I get the rent of the 2 houses that was built on the south to Rent to provide for me. It is enough when they are both rented. Vivian & Daisy did so much to pay for the finishing of the new house that Hugh gave so much material for. Jay helped & it stood so long in the frame work that Biness when out of work came with his helpers & finished & we were so thankful to have a nice home. Vivian has the portion of the lot that is a pasture. She & Clarence lived in the old house at one time & in one of the new houses for awhile. Then Clarence bought a home. I am writing this on Daisy's & Ivan's 20th wedding Anniverary, they are taking their children into the mountains for an outing. I would loved to have gone but don't feel able. I am 85, that would have made me 65 when they were married.
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