Lula Eugenia Hassell
Lula Hassell was born 3 Nov 1895 near Tallahassee, Florida where her mother
died and her father remarried. I think her father moved to Dublan, Mexico
when she was about seven or eight years old. He died in Cloudcroft, New
Mexico of a tree that fell on him. That was 15 Feb. 1903. Her stepmother
brought her and two of her brothers to Bluewater (NM) to live. Her life
was difficult as she had a bad kidney and did not have a mother to nourish
her in her tender years.
While in her teens, she had the opportunity to work at the "milk ranch"
for the Kirks. It was while working at the milk ranch that she met Benjamin
Lewis. He was a handsome, fun-loving fellow and when he gave her his
attention, it was easy for her to fall in love with him. He brought her
to Ramah and they were married at the home of Grandma and Grandpa Lewis
(Daphne Jane and Samuel Edward). They went to live in a small, humble
house west of Ramah. Work was scarce and they had very little of anything.
When it came time to deliver her first-born, the midwife Elva Bond, or Elvie
as she was known came and Ben brought Grandma. After many hours, Lula still
could not give birth. So they sent for Mildred Clawson, known as Minnie,
and still she suffered.
At last they sent for a doctor. After a terrible ordeal, she gave birth to
a son. They named him Ivan Merriman. Lula was bedfast for a long time so
Grandma took her and the baby to her home until she recovered.
The illness left her with a twisted hip and she always walked with a limp.
Ben got work at Bluewater so they moved there, but Ivan stayed with Grandma.
He never lived with his parents. Grandma raised him. One year later in June,
a baby girl was born. Carrie was the name they gave her. Later they moved
to Ramah again, into the little log house by Ben's parents. Once again Ben
was gone much of the time and Lula spent some of the time visiting with
people around town. She never learned to sew, crochet or knit. One time
when Grandma made two dresses for her, she brought them to me to work the
button holes and sew on the buttons, and she did my washing for me. She
really put out a white wash.
When Carrie was about two years old, Lula became ill. Ben was working at
McGaffy. On the day that she died she went to look for Grandma and when
she didn't find her, she came to my door, desperately calling, "Where is
she? Where is she?" Then she fell into a seizure. Uncle Rudger went after
Ben. Ben came bringing the doctor from McGaffy. Lula died about 11 P.M.
Told by Blanche Lewis (Wife of Jesse Lewis, Ben's brother.)
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