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He came singing & baby Daisy would pucker her little face ready to cry at his singing. We were a happy family, loving each other & Daisy was such a wonder to have a baby again in our home. We all enjoyed her so much. I would say she must rest & not be spoiled, then they would say, 'But mamma, I haven't had her in my arms today.' Then of course each had to cuddle & love her, so we all enjoyed our darling Baby.
Hugh was elected Student Body President for next school year but when next fall came their father said we wouldn't move down & Hugh had to give up being Student Body President. I know he felt very sad & disappointed, I was too but he was very nice about it & got work. I would like to see them all get more schooling but we were in hard circumstances & there was school at Richville for the younger ones. Forest & Hugh hauled lumber for lumber & built two bedrooms, we needed them badly & built a Barn too. The boys had been sleeping on the hay in the barn. They hauled lumber to build. They built a fireplace in one bedroom. We enjoyed sitting around it winter evenings, it was so nice for the girls to have a bedroom & the boys enjoyed theirs & there was a place for Roy to stay with the boys when he came to see Lou & for Biness too, when he came to see Bessie. It was three miles back to the Stradling ranch after the boys spent the evening with us. Our children had such good times together & with the Neilson children who lived a half mile south, their & our farms joined. The children helped when the potatoes were gathered or riding on a load of hay.
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When the older girls were out at work & I had big washings I got so tired that Forest would say 'Mamma, how do you feel when you look so tired?' I was too tired to eat. He would stay up & help me with dishes or anything I had to do till I could go to bed. Hugh was very kind & considerate in a different way, so much like my father. Forest was like his father.
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I could hear them coming from the field singing, my heart swelled with joy. They all loved to go to the field & help their father. They, as I, loved the dear farm & when Forest & Hugh in hauling the lumber, would come into the dear home, coming down the hill they came with singing & my heart rejoiced in them & their love for each other. We had so much peace & love but had our trials too. Forest did not always agree with his father & one day the boys came from the field & told me their father had told Forest to leave. I could see Forest was very sad & repentant so I went to meet Moroni as he came from the field later, & I talked to him, telling him he couldn't send Forest away for he is mine too. So peace was made & I could see Forest was more considerate of his father after that. I am so very thankful Forest stayed & was with us. I never could have had any peace with one of my children sent away & I know their father was the same. He loved us all so dearly. He had been without a family so long when all his brothers & sisters all had families & he loved the children so much. Now he was enjoying us all. Lou, Bessie, Forest & Hugh, Leigh & Josephine at times all went out to work, got their clothes & helped with other things. I was always sad to see them have
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Vivian's eyes were bad, she needed glasses badly. We didnt have money to get her any but with what little we had & what the older children had, they gave freely & so she got glasses. I rejoiced that they all helped as things were needed.
Jay was always kind never rebellious.
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to work for others, they were not always treated with consideration for their strength, the girls were overworked. I knew what it was like for I had been a hired girl myself. Dan Sherwood & wife Frone lived two miles south in the Valley, she was Bee Keeper for the girls of the valley - Nellie, May, Lou, Bessie, Josephine. I don't think Vivian was old enough but am not sure but she learned much from the other girls they went to their meetings & enjoyed them so much & will always love & appreciate Frone Sherwood. She is a grand woman.
Everyone loves her. Their boys & all the young folks got together for games & dances at times, & Sunday School meetings. But at times there was hard feelings over water, that wasn't pleasant, & many wouldn't come to Sunday School & meetings. We always went, we didn't hold feelings. Hugh took a team & worked at Springerville with the team & got a new heavy wagon, farm machinery & harness, we had horses, while Forest stayed & helped at home. When Jay was 2 years old he had Pneumonia, after he got well he complained of his legs hurting when he walked. I knew later that he must have had Rheumatic Fever. Later at about 9 years he had Quinsey, it still left him
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weak. He almost choked to death with Quinsey & even as a baby he was not very robust & later in years we find he has a weak heart. When he had Pneumonia, Arthur & Nell Jarvis lived neighbors to us, his parents were druggist & nurse & sent us medicine that helped us so much & we did appreciate it. Daisy loved dolls & the brothers & sisters often gave her dolls till she had 30. She never wanted to part with them no matter how old they were. She was so afraid of a snake whether a water snake or a larger one. We always knew when she could see one for she stood still & hollered Waa Waa. We ran to her for she was like she was paralyzed & couldn't move. She was loved & petted & teased. We enjoyed her so much, our baby among so many older ones to love her. In 1915 the World War was here, many boys volunteered. Forest wanted to but wondered if he waited to be drafted if it would help Hugh to keep out. We all knew Hugh never could stand the training & hardships of war for he wasn't strong. He & Forest had a great love for each other. The day they were examined for service we were in town to hear how they came out. While they were at the Dr.s taking their physical exam I was restless & went uptown. Forest came to tell me that he passed but Hugh didn't have to go into service. He said I feel like throwing my hat in the air & shouting that Hugh don't have to go. We were all thankful. I was glad to see them have that love for each other. They were close as brothers. Leigh
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Oct 4, 1817 Forest left for Service. Forest had many talks with me I knew he felt he wouldn't live long. We were very close, his love was strong for us all & he felt he was going into service to keep the enemy from our homeland & protecting us by being in service & we loved him for his love for us.
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& Jay were close, Leigh told me once that Jay couldn't stand things like he could. We knew Jay wasn't strong but many brothers might have said Jay was a baby instead of knowing he wasn't strong. I rejoiced in all my children's love for each other. Our girls were always kind & considerate & appreciated each other & were helpful. The love & kindness we had in our home gave me much joy. Forest worked that summer for Joy Patterson & Jocie often tells me what a fine boy Forest is. When the time came for Forest to go into service we were very sad. The boys that went when he did gathered in front of the drugstore in main street. There were many sad good-byes, then the boys of the town got them on a hayrack & pulled them three blocks to where the road turned north, where cars waited to take them to the railroad. That was the hardest parting I ever had, to send my Forest into war not knowing what he would have to go through or if he would return. As they went from the hayrack to the cars I felt like my heart would break me. I tried not to cry & send him on with a smile. As I was looking at the other children Forest came up behind me & took me in his arms, it was
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such a comfort. We all wrote often as we got his address. He was moved often till he got to Camp Kearny California where he was in training until he went overseas. We all wrote to him often & he to us. One of his said he knew we on the ranch were missing him so much, & he knew it was harder on us, while he was going through new scenes & meeting people all the time, but he missed us so much. At the fall cattle sale, we sold some young cattle. About the holidays he wrote from Camp Kearny he could come back, if we could send the money, So that from the cattle just came to the amount to bring him home & back. It was lovely to have our Forest home with us again, we took pictures New Years Day, 1918. It was a sad ride back home to the farm without our dear Forest. As we drove up to the house there sat our dear friend & relative Frone Sherwood. How I did appreciate her being there to help our homecoming, I will always love her for that visit. She had come two miles to comfort us. I have often wished I could do something to help her as much as that helped us. When they called for volunteers to go overseas he was the first to volunteer. He said he knew the change of scene & all he did wasn't as hard on him as it was for us at home but he missed us & tried to do his part. I had a prayer in my heart all the time he was gone over and I knew he was in the war. Little Daisy would come up to me & say Smile Mamma. I guess I didn't smile much when I knew what my dear boy was going through.
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I wrote so often & put down her cute sayings & everything I knew would be interesting to him. I knew anything we did would sound good to him. He had his pay sent to us, we saved it mostly. Hugh loved Nellie Neilson, a lovely girl. He worked for a Ford Car to take them to the temple. They were married June 11, 1918. Before they left & as the Salt Lake Temple wasn't open at that time of year they visited my Sister Lizzie & found they had to go to Manti to get their sealings. They got them the 5th July, 1918. Hugh & Forest built a two-roomed cottage by what we called the Middle spring. It wasn't in the Homestead but was fenced in as it came in that way. Lou homesteaded it & lived in the cottage the allotted time to prove up on it. The girls slept in it with her & when Hugh & Nellie were married they lived in it at first. Then cousin Willie Richey & wife Maude lived in it, then Lou & Roy when they were first married. We got to calling it Honeymoon Cottage. Forest went overseas March 22nd, 1918. Forest's Battle Fronts - left home October 4th, 1917 he was at the front at Alsace, May 18th July 2nd, 1918 at Chateau Therry, at the Marne, July 29th August 9th, 1918, at Scossions, Verdune Argonne Muse, September 6th November 11th, 1918 in Army of Occupation A.C.F. April 6th, 1919 May 5th, 1919, Oise, Aisne, August 26th September 6th, 1918, Tag no. 1630002 (or 163002) Supply Company, 128 Infantry, discharged May 20, 1919. We had a reception
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in a few days at our house for him, inviting many of our relatives & friends of our young folks. Our joy was almost perfect to have our Forest home with us again. Lou had an old organ Aunt Em Patterson gave her. It was so nice to have music in our home, Lou & Bessie both played Hymns & we sang so much together. At the party for Forest we sang 'Some Time We'll Understand," it was a favorite with us. We loved many of the hymns & often gathered the young folks of the valley & sang. They had many Sunday evening gatherings, it was their only time to be together. Sometimes by campfire, often at Neilson's or our home, a few times dancing at the school house. Roy & Biness came over from their ranch often to see Lou & Bessie. Lou worked for Sister Stradling when she & Roy became engaged. There was Neva Sherwood & Almeda Richey at Bessie's time. Almeda was not happy in her home & went to Salt Lake City & studied nursing. Neva married a David Overson. Dan Sherwood & Frone's young folks were younger than our older ones.
While Forest was in Service Leigh stayed on the farm to help his father until Forest got home For Moroni was getting too old & needed
his help. Forest sent his allowance to us in my name, we didnt use much of it but kept it for him. The children & I wrote to him. I wrote 2 or 3 times a week. When Daisy would say cute things I put them down so I could remember to tell him.
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We all enjoyed her so much. The things that happened at home were what we had to tell him & that was what he wanted to hear. Once he asked for a picture of a rose, he saw so much to make him sad. Once he woke in the morning & found he had been sleeping with dead oxen. Being one who drove the 2 wheeled carts of France he had to tend the horses, that pleased him. Being a farm boy, that is what they gave him to do, to take the food up to the front lines. Often he stopped his cart under the big cannon that were tilted up & shot 20 miles. The horse didn't mind the noise, stood still through it all. He told us this after he came home & how the enemy bombed the road he had to be on to get water or take food to the front. One fell at his feet but didn't go off. One morning a friend said to him 'Let me hold your hand for you are not afraid' but Forest said only a fool wouldn't be afraid with so much danger. That young man who wanted to take his hand was killed that day.
Forest told us many things after he got home that he didn't write. One letter he said Why don't you write? He wasn't getting any letters.
He had been moved & letters hadn't caught up with him. When he did get the letters he said he knew we hadn't forgotten him. We surely didn't & prayed continually for him. One day Daisy said 'Mamma smile.' I guess I didn't smile as I should for the rest of them when my heart was so full of prayer for my Forest in all that danger. After that I tried to smile more for the others. One letter Forest wrote after the war
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was over, he said I am keeping myself pure. We were so thankful for that because some of our Mormon boys didn't & it hurt him very deeply when he came home & took a lovely girl out & was in love with her, when he asked her father for her the father said No that his daughter was too good for a soldier for he didn't think any of them kept pure. That girl married a man who hadn't gone to the war but he was not true. That hurt Forest badly. After a few trials he did find a lovely girl for a wife. Our dear friends of Richville, the Neilsons, our nearest neighbors had 2 lovely girls Nellie Hugh's wife & May so Forest married May. Brother Neilson being a good man himself believed Forest to be good. The time Forest was in the Army of Occupation in Germany our Soldiers were taken into the German homes. Forest saw that the people didn't want war & were so glad when it was over like we were & the German girls wanted the soldiers to marry them & bring them to America. Forest didn't want a German girl nor to get into sin with them. Guy Richey, Forest's cousin, Ben's son, was in service when Forest was. Sometimes that family would come over to see us & we would hold meetings together & pray for our boys, but we had our Sunday School meetings together in the valley. With Forest driving a cart to the front lines with food he didn't have to fire a shot & has always been thankful. It was a very happy time for us when he came home, we were so thankful he was spared to us.
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His hands always shook, it was very nerve wracking to be under fire so long. He was promised a two weeks rest back from the front but he never got it. We asked him many questions about war. He told us many things & that he had to live all those things over to tell about so many interesting stories & the dangers he had to go through, of his many friends & how terrible to know his Dear friend Morris Smith of Snowflake was killed when they had the last battle of the war. The one the morning of November 11th, 1918 that the officers knew they would sign the Armistice at eleven that morning but let the fighting go on & many lives were lost that morning. Lou & Roy were married March 1st, 1918 at Richville. At first they lived in Honeymoon Cottage then at the Stradling Ranch three miles west of Richville. Finally Roy went into service. Lou stayed with us. When the Flu broke out she was pregnant & was so very sick for so long. Everyone was sick at St. Johns. Neilsons were all down but May, she took care of them all. Hugh & Nellie came to be with us. I was so thankful to have all my dear ones where I knew where & how they were. All but Forest, he was at Camp Kearny in California. The soldiers all had flu too, everybody had it. Moroni & I didn't have to go to bed with it although we were not well. Bessie took it on their wedding day October 22nd, 1918 Biness had it too, every one got over it but Lou in a few weeks, she was very sick. So many mothers had premature babies. Lou carried hers to its full time, then she & I went to St.Johns & stayed at Roy's parents, but when
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Hugh & Nellie lived in St.Johns, later Holbrook then back to St.Johns
Wayne was our first living grandchild
that was before any of them were married
could it be that she was to have heartache
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the baby was born dead & Lou got better I came home. Roy came from France later & Lou got well & strong & had her family. One time when Nellie was sick they came to stay till she got well. I was so glad to have them, they said it was Smallpox but none of us took it from her. We were so thankful when Lou's second baby came. Hugh & Nellie had her come to their house from the ranch & I went to take care of her & baby Opal, born 6, October 1921. I was so glad to be with my girls & boys. I had taken care of Nellie & baby Rolla Dean born 16 Feb. 1921. & taken care of Bessie when Wanda was born 20 Jan. 1921. Just before Dean was born I had been with Bessie when Wayne was born 15 Sept. 1919. Moroni was always willing for me to be with our children to help when their children came, to take care of them till they could care for their babies. Grandmother Richey had helped me so much, I knew how ours needed help. We always had a daughter at those times that could care for the home. I was with Josephine when her first, Norma, was born 12 Aug. 1921. They were living in our house in St.Johns. Bessie & Biness were living in it when Wayne was born. Hugh & Nellie lived in it too, as they lived in town at first.
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Vivian married a good boy Clarence Rencher, Leigh was married to Luella Knudson in 1923, my cousin Susies daughter who lived in Bluewater. All of us who could went to see them married. They lived in Holbrook. Luella's mother said to me 'Be good to my only girl' & I have tried to be good to my sons' wives & I have enjoyed them. Mable being a motherless girl has been very close & I have tried to be a mother to them all, they are very dear to me.
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The winter Bessie & Biness lived in the town home, Leigh & Josephine stayed with them & went to High School. Forest & Lou stayed at the Stradling's & went to High School one winter. Hugh, Lou and Bessie were all married so fast. When Josephine was preparing to marry I had such a sadness I couldn't talk about her marrying without tears. Forest tried to comfort me saying Golden was a good boy but the sad feeling was always there. So she & Golden were married, the same day he & May at Neilson's, Josephine & Golden at our home. We always had an especially fine wedding with friends & relatives. We had dinner at Neilson's & supper at ours, the day Forest & Josephine were married. Leigh stayed on at the farm to help until Jay was older, Leigh going away on jobs to help at times, (very glad for the jobs) stayed on at the farm till we decided it was too hard. Leigh went off to work in 1922. Jay freighted to help us, he drove a truck for Hugh at times. Hugh was the first one here to get freight to supply the stores by truck. It had always been brought in from Holbrook by teams before. There were soon others trucking freight.
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Jay finally bought him a truck, there was hay & wool to freight. Jay's truck caught fire between here & Holbrook & burned but he bought another. At one time he wanted to go off to study to be an Air Pilot but it was when his father was down in bed & I felt so alone. I couldn't get out & work to help mothers with new young babies or do housework for our neighbor Louise Udall, as we had done, so I talked to Jay & persuaded him to stay while his father was so helpless. I hated to see him give up his hope of flying but he got to be a pilot later & I was glad he finally got his desire. Moroni was able to cut wood all the first summer, the year we put up 600 quarts of fruit. Ben & Liza bought a home in town with fruit on the lot. They gave us fallen fruit (two pages over to continue) I want this in so have put in this page.
As I was a counselor to Sady Hamblin who was Stake Primary President, before we moved from the farm, it was my turn to go to Primary
Conference for the June Conference in 1924. Moroni needed to have some sealing done on the Richey line. Forest & May took Lou & Roy, Leigh & Luella hadnt had their sealings so Forest fixed his truck for Moroni & I with very comfortable seats in the back. Leigh fixed for Roy & Lou to go with him & we all went to St. George Temple together, did all the sealings & they all came back home. I went on to Salt Lake
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City to spend a month with my sister Lizzie & visit with relatives. Biness & Bessie were staying in our home & took care of Daisy who was 9 years old. Lou took her father & took care of him for he was getting quite helpless & needed a lot of care. I had a wonderful visit, went through the temple several times. Lizzie got false teeth for me as I had mine all out & did so many nice things for me she had a good job as copyist in the city & county building. I went to the Primary Conference & came home by rail, the Stake Primary paid my fare home. Lizzie always did a lot of things to help me in many ways. & I am so thankful Forest & Leigh helped his father & I, & Lou & Roy to take that trip for the Sealings they got done. That time it was in the St. George Temple where Moroni & I had been Sealed when married. When I got home Hugh had planned to take his father, Daisy & I to the Frisco Hot Springs. They had helped many crippled people. I didnt get to tell Sister Hamblin the message I got at Conference for Primary, for Hugh took us on to the Hot Springs next morning to be there five weeks. There was much to do to prepare for a five week stay away up in the mountains, 14 miles above Luna Valley. When we got there, there were several families from Luna & a nurse Sister Nelsen. The others stayed two weeks but
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Sister Nelsen stayed on with us, she said she wouldn't leave me with my near-helpless husband & I did appreciate her kindness. It was such a blessing to have company. She & Moroni had many good visits while Daisy & I had long walks near the camp. There were houses to live in & a bathhouse with several rooms with bath tubs. I would stay by Moroni while he soaked in that warm mineral water. He improved much the first 2 weeks. We couldn't see any improvement after 2 weeks. When the five weeks were up, Hugh came for us. We took Sister Nelsen to Luna on our way home, very thankful for her company & that Moroni was improved but his paralysis was too settled for the mineral bath to help him much. Although it was nice in the mountains I was glad to get home with my family. When the Stake Primary officers were changed to Eager, Sister Hamblin & her counselors were released that let me out of Stake Primary. I loved to work with Sister Sady Hamblin.
In 1927 Jay took us to the Dedication of the Mesa Temple. Moroni was getting so feeble then. I worked at everything I could get to do before he got so feeble I had to stay with him. Jay wanted to go to an Air school to learn to be a pilot but I begged him to stay & help with his helpless father. He gave it up & was as kind & gentle with his father & everyone & later got
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to be a pilot & own a plane. Aunt Liza & others gave us fruit, it was such a treat for us to have so many apples. Fruit was plentiful that year. Golden & Josephine lived in Holbrook the time I had a serious attack of appendicitis. After I was healed by the Lord, I felt the healing so plainly when Forest & his father administered to me & was healed instantly. Hugh & his father administered to me before & I felt better but the pain came back but that last time I was healed & so thankful that I was spared to my family. After I got some strength Josephine invited her father & I to visit her & Golden we enjoyed the visit with them in Holbrook.
Jay started the foundation for a new house for us before his truck burned. The new truck cost too much for him to also build for us & that trucking is how he made a living. Moroni got more feeble, the paralysis he had got worse. He got so he couldn't walk alone, I helped him wherever he went. One day while I was out hoeing in the garden he got out in the yard & fell injuring his hip badly. Dr said it wasn't out of place nor broken but it was so painful & he was in bed 6 months. I read the news & other things to him every day, he was a great reader, had a wonderful memory & understood the gospel, he taught it to us constantly. He was very tender-hearted, tears came into his eyes often as he read a sad story. He was always so considerate & kind to us. His mind was clear to the last but he
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got so he couldn't talk. I tried so hard to do my part & be kind & patient with him as he had been to me in all our lives. He was so helpless for so long that it wasn't as hard to see him go as if he had been well & a hope of his getting better, but how we did miss his love & kindness. We had a happy life with peace & love for so many years. He was kind to the children too. When he was gone & while he was feeble, we missed his teachings & love. He died 12th February 1930 in the old home in St.Johns. It was hard to adjust our lives without him. He had said to me some years before that I would be likely to live longer than he & said 'Will you raise the children as I want them to be?' I wanted them all to be what we had worked & planned for them, to be true Latter-Day Saints. I felt a great responsibility when he left me alone to guide & teach them & how we wished we could remember all his teachings. As they, Vivian, Jay & Daisy began to go out with the young folks after he left us, I was always praying they would keep pure & find pure mates. Jay took the farm the first year after his father died. Daisy & I went with him. Vivian stayed in town & worked at Andersons Market & went to school. Jay drove the school bus to & from Richville & St.Johns, leaving Richville with school children & bringing them back after school. Josephine & Golden lived in the old house, Vivian stayed with them.
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