text:
Minerva & Wilfored Boren
[This document was retyped into my computer February, 1997 from a mimeographed copy provided to Carol Carter Rawlins by the writers in 1952. Stephen L. Rawlins]
We, the last of a family of thirteen children, have complied and arranged these writings of our beloved Mother, Lucina Mecham Boren, written in the eighty-third and eighty-fourth year of her eventful life.
We are unable to express our feelings and gratitude toward her; we here submit these writings to you, Dear Reader, to show to you what a true Later Day Saint she was.
MINERVA BOREN MARRIOTTI & WILFORD WILLS BOREN
MY MOTHER
I am thinking of my Mother
Of my Mother kind and dear
And the many things she did for me
While yet on earth she was here.
She nurtured me in childhood
As tenderly as could be
Of my many needs and wishes
She never failed to see.
My Mother taught me day by day
To have Faith and humbly pray
For God to guard my footsteps aright
The to return my thanks to him at night.
Her face to me was wonderful to see
Her touch beyond compare
Her soul was full of sympathy
For all who needed care
She's gone to her Home in Heaven
I'll always miss her here it's so
Yet oft I feel her presence near
To watch o'er me below.
Oh Lord help me to worthy live
While on this earth I stay
That I may reach that blessed shore
And be with her some day.
The Lord to us a Mother giveth
Then He took you from us away
We know that if we true liveth
We'll meet you again some day.
It is in this world only
Our comfort and hopes die
We'll try not to feel lonely
Or have a bitter sigh.
FORGET YOU NOT MOTHER DEAR
Forget you not when dreams fade from view
Not when Dear Mother I'm thinking of you
I think of you in big and little things
That to me joy and comfort brings.
Forget you not when evening shadows fall
An I think of the joys you gave to all
Nor of the days that have passed and gone
And the tide of time flows steadily on.
Forget not the beauty that life held on store
When for others you were ready to sacrifice more
We honor and love you for that service true
And we'll always keep your noble life in view.
Forget you not for the sacred touch
Of Faith sublime you loved so much
It inspires my soul to follow too
To gain eternal life with you.
Forget not the smile that makes hearts lighter
And makes our lives seem all the brighter
What ever of sunshine or stern life held in store
You always were ready to sacrifice more.
Forget not the seeds of kindness
To lead us forward in our blindness
The seeds to bring blossoms tomorrow
To help lighten our load of sorrow.
You wove a thread in Life's Golden Book
And we are proud when on it we look
You put on the armor of Truth and make it last
May your check be honored in Heaven for deeds that are past.
I wish I could write a poem
That would make you see my dad
Could I picture his face with manly look
Such a dear smiling face he had.
I have tried in vain to portray it
And my efforts make me sad
I can't make you know the dear kind ways
Of the wonderful soul of my Dad.
That's why I wish you knew him
One of the best pals a family ever had
He always shared our joys and cares
To us wonderful was our Dad.
He has gone to his Home in Heaven
And I miss his dear words of cheer
For his love I have a lonely sigh
I do miss him as long as I stay here.
How I would like to see my dear old Dad
Just as he used to be
I wish that you could see him too
So dear he was to me.
Oft times I seem to see him
As when I was a little tad
When he taught me to pray morn and eve
What a blessed Father our family had.
FORGET YOU DEAR FATHER! NEVER!
Forget you Dear Father! Never; in words or thought
Though years pass by and trials brought
Your memory fondly lingers near
And wake sweet memories not forgotten.
Yes, the days go by and I love full well
To recall those days which are not
My heart now with rapture swells
To know that by me you are not forgotten.
Forget you not though Time flies on
And it has many changes wrought
The mingled joys of youth have gone
But still in memory you are not forgotten.
Of all the joys that I have known
There's one that gives me sweeter thought
Than those once known which now are not
Though still in memory not forgotten.
Forget you not, though Death did sever
Some of the pleasure which we sought
Still there is a joy that lingers ever
In the thought that you are not forgot.
Yes, there is a solace to me that is sweet
And always gives a pleasant thought
'Tis the hope though parted yet we'll meet
In a home where we are not forgot.
Anna Marie Boren Bigelow
My Father and Mother belonged to the Methodist Church, but for years I had not really believed in any creed or religion of being of any consequence as there was to my knowledge, none that held to the principles contained in the Scripture. I had heard about the deluded Mormons, but nothing good. My cousin Elain Mecham was going to hold a Mormon meeting and asked me to come, but I would not as I would be ashamed to let people know he was a relative of mine. He left a Book of Mormon with me and ask me to read it: I told him if I got time I would. Soon after, I was too sick to go to the store to work, so I thought I would see what was in the Book, but before I started I kneeled down and prayed, that I might know if there was any good in it. I read all day; at bed time my wife went to bed, and I read on until 1 AM. The next morning when I awakened my wife to tell her that I knew the Book of Mormon was true, when I spoke it was in tongues. It frightened my wife and she sent two of the children to her sister and my brother one and on-fourth miles away. When they came they were very pleased; said I was speaking tin tongues. They had already joined the Church. I was convinced of the truth of Mormonism; I thought I would never speak in my own tongue until I was baptized. I applied to Brother Snider for baptism, but he refused on account of so much excitement caused by the mob, but about the tenth of March 1839 my wife and I were baptized by Elder James Tomlinson and confirmed by Elders James Tomlinson and John Strokes. I was perfectly convinced of the cause of this remarkable occurrence. On April sixth we attended Conference in Quince, Illinois, and was ordained a Seventy under the hands of Brother Joseph Young and others. In a short time, I started on a Mission in company of my brother Lewis Mecham to Montrose, Iowa where my brother was ordained a priest by Elders John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff. We traveled from there to Burlington, changed our course Westward, preaching till we came to an Indian village on the Des Moines River, about 125 miles from its mouth. The Indians were of the Saukee and Fox nations: we were treated very kindly by the Indians. We tarried with them through the night, and on the next day (the remainder lost)
The above was written by my Father, Moses Mecham.
My Father was a successful merchant, having a mercantile business and a hop farm. When he joined the Church, the mob came and destroyed everything he had, leaving him destitute with a large family. He then spent much of his time in the interest of the Church. He served as Church Police for three years. He was at one time a bodyguard for the Prophet; was also a member of the x Legion; he suffered many provocations from his one time friends.
After my Mother joined the Church, her Father would have no more to do with her.
Just a short time before the Prophet was killed, he came to our place. He took me on his knee; I was too young to remember what he said, but I can remember him holding me on his knees, when we were out playing and he happened to pass we would all stop playing and watch him til he was out of sight.
I am the tenth child of a family of seventeen children. My Father Moses Mecham; my Mother, Elvira Derby. I was born March 11, 1941 in Lee County, Iowa. My Father and Mother were endowed in the Nauvoo Temple, but were not sealed as that privilege was not given them.
I shall never forget when Mother took me and my baby sister, Elvira, to see the prophet and Patriarch after they were killed by the mob in cold blood. Mother did not want to take me, as I had no shoes, but I wanted to go. She said " I will take you, so you can always remember you saw the prophet and his brother." The night they were killed the dogs were howling all night; the people of Nauvoo beat their drums to let the mob know we were on the lookout for them, and now I am eighty three years old, I can not help crying whenever I hear a dog howl, or drum beat.
The day we left Nauvoo, we had not had flour for weeks. Father purchased a little white flour and Mother made some light bread. We children were so anxious to eat we would keep asking how long it would be till we could eat. Our dear patient Mother did not get angry with us as most Mothers do, but when we did get to eat, what a feast it was; white bread and milk form Old Muly! Never have I had such a dinner. We soon ran out of food, and none of us could get work. One day while traveling along the road, a man called to us to his field and asked if we wanted some turnips. My Father refused at first, thinking they might make us sick, then he changed his mind and took some. When we stopped that night, Mother cooked some turnips, seasoned them with pepper, salt, and milk. Father thanked the Lord and asked Him to bless it for our good. We ate and was satisfied. The next morning we had the same for breakfast, and again Father thanked the Lord and prayed that he and the boys might find work. We started on our way, and soon came to Bonaparte, Iowa where a man came to our wagon, a bachelor, whose name was Cummys. He gave my Father and two brothers work, and let us live in a good house. He was a Mobocrat; he soon fell in love with my oldest sister Sarah. He gave Father a wagon, and asked my sister to marry him. She told him she would think about it. She knew if she said no, we would all be turned out in the cold. He would take me on his knee and tell me when he and Sarah were married I could live with them and have a lot of nice things and child like I wanted them to marry. My Grandfather died in Bonaparte, also my cousin, Uncle Ephraim Mecham's little girl, both of exposure. One day a woman came to Uncle Ephraim with a pigs ham to sell. Aunt Polly, his wife, said she did not have nothing to pay for it. Afterwards, Aunt Polly said she did not like the look of it. In a few days a friend told Aunt Polly that the pig had died of collory and the woman had said it will be good to kill the Mormon with. The man, Mr.. Cummys, who had falled in love with my sister wanted her to go with him to spend the evening with a neighbor the following night. She said if she was feeling all right. As soon as he left she began to plan, to keep from going with him as she was afraid. So when he came the next time, she was in bed. He looked at her and said she does not look sick. Father said she has a fever. It was reported that he was planning to kidnap my sister, so we prepared to leave. A cousin cam and wanted her to go home with him, said he would bring her back when she wanted to return, but would not go with him, so we left, with out letting Mr. Cummys know. After leaving Bonaparte, we went to VanBuren County, Iowa, where a little brother was born, Moses Moroni, then we went to Pottawattamie County. My little brother William, five months old, died of croup. At Kanesville, now Council Bluff, my father took up some land one and one-half miles from Kanesville. We had just got settled when a flood came and took about everything we had. We then built a house on a hill where we had to carry water three fourths of a mile. I well remember how frightened we were, going through the woods, as some of the men had killed a wild cat. We picked wild grapes, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, elderberries, also walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts and bitternuts. Thus I earned my first pair of shoes. I also got two or three new dresses and a spelling book. Up to this time my Mother had made moccasins of buck skins.
While we were in Nauvoo, I was burnt very bad, then caught cold and was very sick. .Mother sent for the Elders and a Brother Goddard came and administered to me. He told Mother to wilt a cabbage leaf and put in on the burn, I would be all right. I never suffered any more pain and I have had more Faith in the Elders ever since.
We moved to Kayesville in 1847; my Father took very sick with earsciples. The Doctor said he could not live. I went out in a corn field and prayed to my Heavenly Father that my Father would get well. I told my oldest sister that he was going to get well; she asked me how I knew. I told her that I had been praying for him and I knew he would be all right. He did get well, to the happy surprise of all.
My Mother cut her hand, very bad, and her only sister, Aunt Polly Mecham came to see her. She took Mother to her place for three weeks. While she was there my brother made her a cupboard, and we girls bought and filled it with dishes and Oh! how happy she was when she returned.
When I was ten years old, a Mrs. Robinson from Kanesville wanted me to go and tend her baby; she would give me fifty cents a week. It looked big to me, so I went. I was very bashful and a coward, but wanted to work. I was afraid that I would have a bed in a room alone, so I prayed, and when I told her I was and she said to bring my bed in her room. She was very nice to me and praised me for my work. One day she told me to put a beef roast in the oven (it was the first stove I had seen). I did as she told me and in a short time she said to baste the meat. I did not know what she meant, but after she explained it, I knew what she meant; we called it "dipping". I made a cake and it was so good and they liked it so well, I ran all the way home to tell my folks. Mrs. Robinson was a very good cook and made wedding cakes and cakes for grand balls. She needed another girl so my sister Emily went to work for, her but she did not stay long. As one day it was raining very hard we were burning elm wood which takes up much water and Emily could not get the fire to burn. Mrs. Robinson scolded her, she walked home in the rain. When the rain stopped, Father sent for me, which I regretted very much. I wanted to make my own living but I would not disobey my parents; the lady cried and so did I.
There was a hotel just across the street from Mrs. Robinson that need a girl to wait on the tables. She recommended me. I was to work on trial for one week, then I was to get a dollar and fifty cents a week, the same as the older girls. He said that I must dress nice. I had a good dress, but I had to have some shoes, which he said he would pay for. He bought the most stylish shoes he could find. We were to have our Sundays off. One Sunday he needed help, so I stayed. He gave me a dress pattern for staying. He gave me many other things. I stayed for one and a half years. When we were ready to leave for Utah, the proprietor said if I would stay with him he would give me all the things I wanted and a thousand dollars when I became eighteen. My Mother said no. Then he charged me for all the presents he had given me while I was working at the hotel.
My brother Samuel took sick and we all came home thinking he would not live very long, but faith in the power of the Elders' saved him. I then came down with the measles and I lost three weeks of work. I never went to but two meetings until we came to Utah. Some brother came from Kanesville and held a meeting at our place. When they left, they said they would leave a song book until they came again. I learned two songs while the book was at our place; "The Day Is Past And Gone" and "Come Let Us Anew". My Father taught me the tunes. I sang them while crossing the plains.
One day a boy asked me to go with him to a Presbyterian meeting about a mile and a half from out home. I told him I would go if my sister Martha would go with us. She said she would. I asked my sister America if I could wear her bonnet that Mother had braided out of grass; resembled wheat grass, that America had found, and gathered. Artificial flowers were placed around the edge of the bonnet just inside, so it would circle the face of the one wearing it. It was very nice and pretty too. I did not like the meeting nearly so as the one we had at our home. After meeting, our boy friend took us to the grocer store and bought us some brown sugar; we sure thought we were somebody, having a boy friend that could buy us sugar. We were so tired when we got home I said I would never go again.
In the Spring of 1853 we started for Utah. We went a long way on a raft. I was always afraid of water. We crossed the Missouri River on a ferry boat, which frightened me very much, and the water was very high. Then we had to wait several weeks for a Company to arrive. We left the Missouri River July 18th. My father started with two wagons, one yoke of oxen, two yoke of unbroken steers, and four cows. The man that sold Father the oxen had stolen them, and the man that he had stolen them from came and took them from us, so we only had one wagon and the cows. There were thirteen of us children and Mother and Father with one wagon and one tent. John Brown was Captain of one hundred wagons. Appelton Harmon was Captain of fifty wagons, and my Father was Captain of ten independent wagons. Then there were forty wagons they called the perpetual wagons. The Indians were on the warpath, so we all had to travel together for safety. We were stopped once by the Indians, so many I had never seen before; I thought there was one thousand of them! They could have easily killed us all, but they were given provision, robbing ourselves, and suffering from want of food. We had the four cows and would give all the milk we could spare to other people that did not have much and many of them said that Mother saved their lives. The buffalo were so numerous at times we would have to stop and let them pass; there was no going until they had crossed the road.
We children had to walk most of the way. I have heard that the Mormons were dirty and was not clean while crossing the plains, but that was not so, for we stopped one day each week for wash day. We had no brakes on our wagons, but used a chain to lock the wheels when we went downhill. The ten independent wagons were always in the rear. When we camped at night, the first wagon would stop, the next would stop at his side, and so on, till they were all in a circle, with the tongue of the wagon inside, making a corral of the wagons and we would stay inside for safety. After supper, and the animals were taken care of, we would sit around the fire, sing songs, tell stories, and those that were not too tired, would dance. One Brother had a violin and he was very good with it for dancing. My husband came two years before we did. He walked all the way driving their sheep. They were bringing two widows and a boy. Their team got stampeded and one of the women fell out of the wagon and was killed.
Rock of My Refuge is Thee O Lord
Help Me to Live by Every Word
That Proceedeth From Thee
So That Thy Face I May See
Help Me to Serve Thee Every Day
Help me Remember Ever to Pray
Help Me More Humble to be
That Thou Mayest Greet Me When Thee I See
Help Me O Lord to do Thy Will
Help Me My Duties to Fulfill
Help Me Always to Plead Thy Cause
Help Me Obey all Thy Laws.
My Father, my brother, and sister Emily, was all sick when we left for Utah. People said that they were foolish for starting, but by the time we were halfway they were all right. One day we went twenty six miles and we children walked all the way. We would always get to the camping ground before the wagons. My sister Sarah and I stopped to rest one day and the wagons passed us. Sarah said she was not going to go any further. I begged her to come with me, but she said she would rather be eaten by wolves than go on. She tried to get me to go and catch the wagons, but I told her I would not leave her. Then she said I will not see the wolves get you, so come on, let us go to camp. Before we got to camp, we could hear the wolves behind us. It was late, and we went right to bed, but was too tired to go to sleep.
A man by the name of Bray, a non-Mormon, was in our Company. He had two wagons, two buggies, two maid servants, and three men servants. His wife had been sick for ten years. Mr. Bray fixed her bed so she could see as we went along. He would gather flowers, pebbles, and anything that might interest her. She died one day and Mr. Bray left camp and never came back. We stopped and the men folks searched for him, but could not find him. There was seven that died in our Company.
When we were three days from Salt Lake, my cousin, Daniel Mecham, met us with a load of food; flour, meat, and vegetables, and what a Godsend it was, for we were out of food. The next day Brother Allen I. Stout, a friend of ours, came with another load of food. We all rode in the extra wagons to Salt Lake. We arrived October 16th, 1853. No one but those that crossed the plains in those days can ever know the trials and sufferings we had to go through. We stayed in Salt Lake a few days, then my brother, who had come to Utah in 1852, came from Lehi and took us home with him. I stayed with my brother that winter, and my Father hauled salt from the Great Salt Lake. The next Spring, my brother moved to Salt Lake. I never went to school as the children to today, so when Brother Stout came from Session Settlement, now Bountiful, and asked if I would go home with him, and work for his wife and go to school. I loved my family, and it was hard for me to leave them, but I wanted to go to school and learn, so I went. I would get up before it was light in the mornings, so I could get my work done and get to school on time. I was so happy to think I was getting an education. I stayed there for several months. One day the lady told me to kill a chicken. I told her I could not, as I was very tender hearted. She made me do it. I became homesick and could not stay any longer. It was Conference time in Salt Lake, so Brother Allen I. Sto__ took me to Salt Lake; there I got a ride to Lehi with a Mr. Meeks, who lives South of Provo. He had an ox team, and the traveling was very slow, and when I go home, my Father had moved to the Jordan River, to keep Toll Gate. Father sent me to Lehi to buy a few things, and told me to be sure to go to Grandmother's and see how she was. Grandmother was a good woman, but for some unknown reason she did not seem to care much for me. I made up my mind if I ever had grandchildren, they would all be the same to me. When I was ready to go, she gave me a piece of beef pie; I believe it was the best pie I have ever eaten. Grandmother lived with us many years and had the best we had.
I went to work for Mr. Kelly in Springville. I had to do all the work and it was too much for me. I was so young; I stayed four weeks and then went home. Mrs. Kelly gave me two pieces of calico of one and on-half yards each and my Mother made me two smocks. While at Springville and Indian shot an arrow through my dress, which frightened me terrible. I never had a girl friend until we came to Lehi. I had many friends, some very good and some not so good. I remember one girl; her folks were very poor and a better girl never lived! But some of the girls shunned her on account of her poor clothes. I always befriended her, and one day on to the girls gave a party and one of the other girls said "Don't ask Anna, for her folks is crow meat, and she might bring a crow to the party." She came to the party & brought some doughnuts that were very good. My sister, Martha, and I always went places together and one day we went to Meeting. It was a Sunday and Brother Evans spoke of the First Principles of the Gospel. After Meeting, we went to see some people get baptized. Martha said "I think we should get baptized ourselves." I said " I think so too." So we were baptized in our clothes we came in. It was so cold that the bottom of our dress was frozen when we got home, which was one and one-half miles away. Never was I so happy; a peaceful heavenly feeling that I will never forget. Mother was angry, saying I had spoiled my new dress and that we never got sick. For just a moment she had forgotten when she was baptized; it was in March and the ice had to be cut, and she had a baby for one month.
The Indians were bad and it was understood that if the Indians came the drums were to beat and all the women and children were to go to the school house as quick as possible. One morning while we were eating breakfast we could hear the drums. Father said for us to stay in the house and he would go and see what was wrong. He soon returned, said the Water Master beat the drum to get the men out to clean the ditch, knowing they would all come out. Two of my sisters were married; Sarah married Lutottus Burdick and Polly married James Packer. While we lived in Lehi, my Mother's seventeenth child was born; a little brother. He live one year and died in Provo.
In 1955 we moved to Provo. Father husked corn; Samuel and us girls went to Pleasant Grove to dig potatoes. It was a very slow job as we had to dig them with a hoe, but we got our winter potatoes. Father bought a house with a dirt roof. Father went to put a board roof on so he took all the children to my Uncle's. I stayed home to get him dinner. Father climbed on the roof to work and I was standing at the table getting a chicken ready to cook. I walked to the door just as a twelve inch log fell from the roof and broke the corner of the table where I was standing.
We girls gleaned wheat and picked ground berries and any kind of work we could find to do, but people were poor and could not pay for work. I went to work for a lady in Spanish Fork. I stayed with her for several weeks, then she told me she could not pay me unless I would take her wedding ring. She wanted twenty dollars for it. I told her I could not, as I had borrowed the dress I had and must pay for it. I then went to work for Mrs. Bigelow where I learned to spin and weave and I wove on shares and made me a dress. I bought one ounce of Indigo for blue, cottonwood bark and mahogany bark to color the yarn and that was my Sunday dress. My Father taught school, but we suffered for want of bread as there was very little to be had. In 1856 there was a shortage of wheat and few people had any. Coleman Boren, the father of the man I was to marry, had harvested a large crop of wheat and was offered as high as twenty-four dollars for a hundred pounds of flour, but he said "No, the poor around us need it, and I will keep it for them." He sold it for the same price that he got the year before. He never turned anyone away; if they could not pay, he let them have it without pay. I have heard people say that he saved them from starvation. It is said he took much more wheat out of his granary than he put in.
The following is taken from the Deseret News, May 15th, 1858:
"In Provo City on May 12th, Coleman Boren, age of 49 years 6 months and 29 days, died. Brother was born in the State of Tennessee and baptized in Union County, State of Illinois January 3rd, 1840 by Zachari Wilson in the city of Nauvoo. He was ordained a Seventy and organized the Twenty-First Quorum. He moved to this place in the year 1851. He left the oldest and finest peach orchard that we have noticed in Utah County. Evidencing among like testimony his laudable zeal and successful efforts for improving our otherwise nude valleys. He left two wives and fourteen children to mourn his loss."
I went to Judge Bean's to work for my board and room and to go to school, but instead of studying, I had to teach the small children. I took my dinner to school, but instead of eating it I would send it home to Mother for she was sick for the want of bread. One night Judge Bean came home and said to me "They tell me you have never been spelled down. I am going to show you tonight that I am a better speller than you are. I am going to spell you down tonight." He missed the first word that was given to him; everybody laughed. They kept on giving me words to spell until they got tired, but I never missed a word.
Sister Bigelow held a meeting at her home and asked my Father and Mother. Then Sister Bigelow asked my Father to speak. He talked in tongues and Sister Green gave the interpretation. He told of the sufferings and deaths of the Handcart Company that was on the way to Utah. All that was present wept, and the tears came to everyone's eyes to hear what those poor people was going through. Some of the Handcart Company came to Provo to live, and we knew from what they said that all my Father said was true. One day I was gleaning jut outside the fort wall that was built to protect us from the Indians. I took sick and fell to the ground. Someone carried me to Sister Bigelow's home and sent for my parents. When Father came, he administered to me and I was soon well again. My sisters older than I were all married. Martha had been sick ever since she was married so I went to stay with her until after her baby was born. My brother Samuel, and my boy friend, who later became my husband, went to help fight the Johnson's Army in Echo. I felt very bad, but I knew they would come back all right. A friend of ours was accidentally shot and crippled for life. He told me after that if he had obeyed orders, it would never have happened. My oldest brother moved from Salt Lake to Provo when the Saints were told to move South to get away from Johnson's Army. He moved in with my Father. My oldest sister and family came also to live with my folks. There was not a shot fired and it turned out to be a blessing that the Army came, as they brought clothing and all kinds of supplies and money of which the people were badly in need of. The first lady I ever saw drunk came to our house with a soldier and asked for something to eat, but the man was too sick to eat. The woman said to try to try to eat some salt. Salt became a byword in our house from then on.
I was very independent. The first boy that asked to see me safe home, I told him I had come alone and I could go home alone. My sister told Father about it, and he said I should have taken his arm as he was a very nice fellow. My brother and sister had gone back to Salt Lake as the trouble with the Army was over. A neighbor told my Father some falsehoods about my boy friend and my parents were opposed to him. I went to my brother in Salt Lake to weave for them, then I went to West Jordan to spin for a lady. While there, the brother-in-law to the lady I was working for and the step-son had some trouble and the son nearly killed the older man. The lawyer for the son took me to Provo as a witness. I prayed all the way that I would not have to go in Court. We were sent to a house to stay till we were wanted in court. That was another time my prayers were answered.
I can remember three whippings I got from my Father; first was when I was very small. I took the fire shovel and put it in the fire and got it hot, then took it out and spit on it. My smaller brother tried the same thing and burnt his nose quite bad. Father had forbid us to make grapevine swings as we might get hurt. Two of my older sisters and a younger sister and myself went out to the grove and made a swing. Father happened to come by and saw us. We all got a whipping. Another time Father said you must not open the ears of corn, as the crows and blackbirds will come and destroy the corn. One day my oldest sister said "I know the corn is big enough. You open one and I will open one and Father will never know." We were not to tell on each other. I must of looked guilty as he looked at me and asked if I did it. I said I had opened one. The others denied opening any. He turned to me and said you done them all and gave me a whipping. When he was on his deathbed I was with him most of the time. I our conversation one day he said "If I had my life to live over, I would never whip a child." I told him about the corn. I had always wanted to tell him, but for some reason I could never do it before.
I was about seventeen years old and all the girls my age went May Walking. I stayed home to get dinner for my Father. A grass widow came and wanted me to go to the big swing, but Father said he did not want me to go. The Widow said "If I was you, I would show him a trick worth two of that one, I would go anyway." After she had gone, Father said, "I don't mind you going to the swing, but not with her as she is a bad woman." I did not think so at the time but later I found out what she really was. She tried to get my brother, then my boy friend, then she broke up a family, married the man and then ran away with his brother to California. A Mr. Cluff came to our house every Sunday and went to Church with us. He would sit and talk with my Father but he never spoke to me only to pass the time of day. He soon got married and some of his folks told him how sorry I was that I did not get him. It is strange how some people think. As for me, I always considered him a friend of my Father. Soon his brother came to our house and asked for me. He was told I was at my Sister's. He said "I thought I would marry her, seeing my brother would not." He came to my sister's after dark. We had no light, and we could see something white pass and repass the window. One of the girls said "Let us make a light and see if we can tell what it is." So we put some dry willow on the fire. It soon blazed, and he came to the door & asked for my brother-in-law. My sister ask which one, as there was two living in the same house, but they were both away. He then asked for me. I was behind the door. He asked me if I would step outside, he wanted to talk to me. I said if what you want to say to me is too bad for my sisters to hear, I don not want to hear it. He said I would like to marry you. Will you have me? I said "No." He wanted to know why. I said I do not care for you. I did not know he had been to see my folks. He had a white shirt on and that was what we could see passing the window, and after that my sisters called him "Lucinana's Ghost. When my husband ask me to marry him, I did not say no, for I knew I loved him, but would I always be happy? He said he would call the next Thursday for an answer. When Thursday came, Mother and I went to Springville to buy some clothing. We had heard there was a load just arrived. We got there just after sunup. It was a little log cabin and we had to stand in line until 3 PM before we could get in to buy. There was not much to choose from, but I got me two dresses with some other things. When we came out we could not find my brother-in-law. We waited until sundown and he did not come. My sister said if I would drive we would go home and leave him. We did not get home until after dark. I had just milked the cows when Jasper came for his answer and we talked nearly all the night. I told him what I thought about marriage, and how unhappy I would be if he turned out to be other than I think. I am happy to say that I have never had cause to regret our marriage. Few people have ever got along better than we did. On man asked my husband which one of us was the boss; he said we don't have a boss at our home, we are counselors to each other. Not long after I was engaged, a young man came and wanted me to go buggy riding with him. I did not want to go, but Mother insisted on me going, so I went. He drove to a brewery and got some beer, which I would not drink. Jasper came by and saw us. I was very unhappy and went home and cried all night. My sister told me she heard my parents say they hoped Jasper would get so mad he would never come back. I had never disobeyed my parents, but I would this time. I would marry the man I loved and would never marry the man they wanted me to. My brother Samuel came home after being away for some time. He & Jasper were best of friends, and through him my parents were willing for us to marry. We were married July 3rd, 1859 by Jonathan O. Duke in Provo. We went to the Temple later. We got ready to go three times before we finally got there. My parents had nine sons-in-law, but none were higher in their esteem than he. That was another time my prayers were answered. All that we had when we were married was a team, a frying pan, and a quart oyster can. My Father was looking after the toll gate in Provo Canyon. I looked after the garden; my husband harvested his Mother's wheat. I had the top of a quilt, some needles and thread, and pins; I was very happy. My husband then hauled timber from the canyon to the furniture store; the store also owned the sawmill. He worked as much as fifteen dollars a day; sometimes he would let his team rest and work with my Uncle who had a turning lathe. They made me a table, chairs, bedstead, rolling pin, and a potato masher. We had the bedstead painted; it was the nicest one in Provo. We went to Salt Lake and bought material for a bed tick, quilts, sheets, and pillows. I picked milkweed pods to fill the ticks and pillows, which we used for our bed for two years, and then my husband killed enough ducks, geese, and chickens for me to make a good feather bed. While in Salt Lake we bought twelve plates, six teacups and saucers; we could only find six glasses or tumbler; a six quart bucket was the only bucket we could get. When we got home, someone said we should turn the bucket out to grass and let it grow to full size. We bought a small one room house and a lot. There was a fireplace in one side and shelves on the other side. Jasper made me a rocking chair and six common chairs. We had them painted and I was so proud of them. A Mr. King came, got Jasper to sign a note with him. Mr. King would not pay, so jasper had to let the chairs go to pay the note. Mother Boren bought the chairs, and when she died I wanted the chairs. I claimed them, but they were given to Jasper's oldest sister.
On April ____ 1860 our first child was born; William Jasper. My husband made me a cupboard, and we had a nice home. Our second son was born May 8th, 1861. When he was three weeks old, we sold our place in Provo and moved to Provo Canyon. My sister, Emily Kays, had a small son, Billy. He cut off his finger and we put it back in place with splints and bound it. We took the splints off the tenth day, and it seemed to be all right, but the same day he ran and fell, breaking his finger off again. We put in back again with splints and kept praying that it would grow together again. It did, but it was always stiff. We moved back to Provo and lived in Father's house as he and Mother were living in Provo Canyon. My youngest brother, John D. Mecham, was out looking after father's sheep. He had a bow and arrows, and one day while running after one of his arrows, his faithful old dog ran after him and took hold of my brother's leg and tore the flesh. My father, Mother, and my two younger sisters and John D. came to our place. Jasper went to look after the sheep until John D. could go out again. On the ninth day I felt like something dreadful was going to happen. At bedtime they all went to bed, but I stayed up. Father tried to get me to go to bed, but I told him I could not sleep. At about midnight, my brother raised up in bed and howled like a dog. My father said he is mad and tried to hold him.
I ran across the street to Brother Nutall. He asked what was the matter. I could scarcely tell him. He came and administered to John D. and told Mother to give him all the vinegar he would drink, and he would be all right. He was sick for a long time, but did not have any more spells. When he felt a spell coming on, he would go in a room by himself and drink vinegar & the spell would pass off.
Our little boy, Sammy, had a bad ankle. I did not sleep with him all night. I prayed that I might know what to do for him. The next morning I sent for Mother Boren; I was afraid it was a white swelling but Mother Boren said it was a sprained ankle. She pulled the ankle in place and bound wormwood on it. He was soon able to walk again. On the 1st of October 1863, a little girl was born to us; Luciana Isera.
In the Spring of 1864 my husband went to Round Valley, now Wallsburg, to make us a home. We had three small children, and I was afraid to go because on account of the Indians. On 23rd of July, he came back to Provo and spent the 24th, and on the 25th we went to Wallsburg, by way of ox team. Imagine how I felt with an unfinished log cabin to live in without windows or door. There was only four families. It was decided there was room for about fourteen families, as there was not much water. When I first went to Wallsburg, I met Emma Brown. She proved to be a lifelong friend. She moved to Charleston and later became Stake President of the Relief Society. After the crops were taken care of, Jasper put two doors in our hose and a window. On the 20th of September 1864, a new girl came to our house; Melinda Elvira. My husband built us a fireplace. Fine clothes does not make good people. A person in rags can be just as good as one in silk. Fine clothes are nice, but if they go to your head, it would be far better for you to be in rags. My sisters were always well dressed. I had always worked for my clothes and had more than most girls had. I have always taken delight in helping backward children and children that was hard to handle, as a rule I could get along with them just fine. My husband went to Provo to get supplies for the Winter; as George Brown, my Father, and Jasper started for home they did not get far until it started to snow. They could not turn back to Provo; they had to go on as their families were in Wallsburg, and the Winter was on them and they never knew when the Indians would strike. So they must go on at all costs. The made camp for the night. Jasper was the only one that had a lunch, as they should have been home late that night. William Hall and Ephraim Hanks caught up with them and made camp, and the five of them ate Jasper's lunch. Next morning they had nothing to eat & the snow was deep. The oxen could not go through, so the men took turns making a trail and the oxen would follow, but it was slow going. The third day, they saw a porcupine in a tree on a hill side some distance away. Jasper went and killed it with a club; they made a fire and roasted in and all said it was the best meat they had ever eaten, but the poor oxen had nothing but what they could browse. They were getting tired, but there was no stopping, they must go on. One of my Father's oxen fell off the road into the river and was drown. The snow was four foot deep in Wallsburg and the women did not know where their husbands were; if they were in Provo or had started home and perished on the way. My Mother tried to comfort us, but she did not know that my Father was with them. On the fifth day they came to the home of Ephraim Hanks. Sister Hanks made them as comfortable as possible, giving them supper and breakfast. The next night they were home. What rejoicing! We all thanked our Maker for their safe return home.
My husband went to the cedars for wood; he killed a porcupine and asked me to cook it for him. I cooked I the way he wanted it, but he could not eat it, he said it was because he was not hungry enough. We had very little flour that winter; some of the people had none. We lived on potatoes, boiled wheat, and we had plenty of milk and butter. We were very careful with our flour, but we always has some to divide with our neighbors. I had dried peaches and ground cherries; Jasper killed deer and wild chickens for our meat. All the people in Wasatch were living the same way. We took up forty acres of farm ground, forty acres of meadow land, and three town lots. That first Winter in Wallsburg we ran out of hay; as the men folks were busy the Summer before building cabins and had little time to put up enough hay for our stock. We were only five families in the valley; one had plenty of hay for all; he wanted a big price for it and cash for it, but no one had the cash. Brother William Wall, being the Leader, went to this man with the hay, and asked him to divide with the other four; if he would Brother Wall said he would give him the best heifer calf. The man said if you will guarantee a heifer calf. Brother Wall said, in not too pleasant tone, "If that is the way you feel, we don't want your hay, and I tell you it will do you not good." Brother Wall called my husband, Father, and neighbor together and told them what he had done and asked "What shall we do? It looks like a miracle must happen to save our stock. After talking it over, the decided to turn the water from Spring Creek out on the meadow and melt the snow which was over two feet deep. There was plenty of dry grass under the snow. The stock was saved and the stack of hay lay and rotted. The meadow below town was where we got our hay the first few years.
In 1865 my children had the scarlet fever, and our little girl one year old died of canker. We buried her in Provo as we were in Provo when she died. Sister Brown was with me much of the time, trying to comfort me. She was truly a good woman.
The next Spring we put in more grain and other farm crops. They had just started to grow good when word came for us to go to Heber as the Indians were on the warpath, and we went to Heber for safety. When we got there we could find no place to live, so we all went to the brush bowery where the people of Heber held their meetings. I had a new carpet, the only one in Wallsburg. I hung it between us and James Allred. We soon found an empty granary where my Father and Family, Billy Haws and his family and three children lived, where we stayed until my husband was mustered out to the Black Hawk War. We wanted to go to Provo; the road was washed out in Provo Canyon, so we went to Salt Lake, then to Provo. We could not fined a house, so Mother Boren let us have one of her rooms; she was a very good Mother-in-law. My Father had only one room for his family. Billy Haws and family, my oldest sister and family moved in with them. While in Provo we had a new son come to live with us, Moses Marcus. The 1st of September 1866 we went back to Wallsburg to harvest our crops. We had wheat, potatoes, and hay. We had a good crop. We had plenty of deer, wild chickens, and rabbits to eat that winter. I did not like to see the children running around with nothing to do, so told the children to come to our home. We had two rooms and could hold school. I was the first school teacher in Wallsburg. We had no school house or place to hold meetings, so we held all of our meetings in our home. The second week of school Alma Kerby brought a peck of wheat and wanted to enter school. I told him I did not want the wheat, that he was welcome to come to school.
My sister had a hen; I wanted to buy it, but she would not sell it. One day while washing she took sick and sent for me; she said if I would do her washing she would let me have the hen. My husband came home and saw no washing and wanted to know what I was doing washing for other people. I told him my sister was going to give me the hen. He would not let me have the hen. If I had told him my sister was sick, it would have been all right. Brother and Sister Allred lost a little girl, the first to die in Wallsburg. Soon after, three other children died, then there was not deaths for a long time. My husband took sick and I had to look after four oxen, milk and feed three cows, and feed some pigs besides my housework and look after four children. I made a barrel of butter that I put down in salt brine and Sister Brown took it to Salt Lake the next Spring and sold it for forty dollars. To make soap, had to make lye; and to make lye, my husband took a log and split it in the middle, then cut the middle out, put the ashes in the log, and put boiling water over the ashes. Then the ash water would drop off the end of the log. We would test the lye for strength with a feather. If the lye was not strong enough, we would boil it down to get the strength we wanted. Sometimes I would take days. We made our candles out of tallow; sometimes I would sell them. When Lorain was very small, we started to Provo with a hundred pounds of butter. We had just reached the canyon when Lorain fell from the wagon and cut her lip very bad. W would leave home late in the evening and camp in the canyon, then go on to Provo early the next morning so the butter would not melt. In May the Provo River was so high and so dangerous we went to Heber and bought a whiskey barrel, and my husband took a flat rock, cut it to fit inside the barrel. I made salt brine and put it in the barrel, then put my butter in, then placed the rock to hold the butter under the brine, and it would keep indefinitely. In September a man from Midway came and gave me seventy dollars for two hundred pounds. I told a neighbor abut selling my butter; she tried the same way to keep her butter, but she forgot to put the rock on the butter, and when she sold it, she only got half price. She said it was because she was not a Mormon.
One evening our two boys, Jasper and Samuel, went to find & bring the cows home. As a rule they would have the cows home at sundown, but his time they was not home at dark, so their father went to find them. He found them a long way from home, but they had the cows. They would not give up till they found them. The cows belonged to my brother-in-law, Moroni Bigelow. We took care of them on shares. We made butter and cheese, He stayed at our house and hauled poles to fence his farm. The children became attached to him and when he was called on a Mission, they felt very bad and when it was time for him to return the children was sick with the measles, and it made them happy when we told them that Uncle Moroni was coming home. One night after we had gone to bed, a neighbor came and rapped at our window, and said that word had come that Moroni Bigelow had been drown. Zora's eyes were very weak from the measles; she heard the neighbor tell about Moroni, and cried all night. Her eyes were so bad, we had to keep her in a dark room for a long time. Moroni was not drown as reported, but he never came home. His trunk came, and a letter saying he was on a steamboat on the Missouri River when a mob got after him and he jumped overboard, but it was found out after that the boat he was supposed to been on was not on the river at the time. My sister later married Moroni's brother, Asa. Not that she cared for him, but she felt that it was her duty to raise a family. Moroni had three boys, the youngest was always sick; lived to be about forty years old when he died. The two oldest was driven from home by their step-father; the youngest of the two came back, but the other would not come back. He wrote to his Mother for a long time then his letters stopped coming. My sister waited as long as she could, then sent her second son to the ranch where he had worked to find out what had become of him. The man at the ranch said he had been a good boy and a good worker and had left the ranch to go and see his Mother. He had been going to the Post Office nearly every day and to get there he had to cross a river. The day he left to see his Mother, the horse went to the Post Office without a rider, and they never knew what became of the boy, but when he became an old man he came home in time to see his Mother before her death. He said the reason he did not come home, he heard his Mother had died. On October 22nd, 1870, our fourth son was born. It was a cold stormy Fall, and I kept him in the house until he became sick. Nothing seemed to help him. On day while giving him a bath and looking at his arms and legs so tiny, I became frightened and began to cry. I prayed for help and wisdom that I might know what to do for him. A voice seemed to say "Take him out into the fresh air." I dressed him and put a blanket around him and went to Aunt Polly's. She saw I had been crying and asked what was the matter. I told her and showed her his arms and legs; told her how I had prayed; she said the thing to do was to take him out every day, which I did, and soon he was well again.
Jasper was working at the mouth of Provo Canyon. I went to Provo, and he was coming back home with me. Bryant Boren and wife was going with me. I took two sacks of potatoes for Mother Boren. When we got to Provo, I went to my Father's place and Bryant took the potatoes to Mother Boren. When I saw her a few days later, she told me how good Bryant was, said no one else gave her anything. I could not tell her we were the ones that gave her the potatoes. I told Jasper about it; he said he would tell his Mother, but he never got to, as she died soon after. He was getting ready to go and see her when word came that she had passed on. She had been sick for a long time; that morning she felt so much better; Lorain was combing her hair when she said, "I believe I will go and see Jasper and his family and stay two or three weeks. I will go and get ready now." She soon called to Lorain and said "Lorain, I am dying," and in five minutes she was dead. She died of traveling rheumatism that went to her heart. She was considered well off; the children quarreled over the property; Jasper walked to Provo twice to make peace among them, but it was no use. Jasper told them he would not quarrel with them, that they could have everything, and when Alma, Jasper's brother, died, he got twenty dollars. Alma was also well off.
July 16th, 1868 I was called to the bedside of my Father. He had been operated on and seemed to get better after I arrived. He wanted me to go home to my family; said they needed me. I went out in the berry patch and prayed, went back in the house and told him I would not leave him that day. Father said if he lived he would do everything he could for me, and if he died, and there was any chance of the dead helping the living, he would sure help me, and I know he has as I have felt his presence many times. I went home July 20th and on the 22nd he died. After I left for home, Mother left him sleeping, and went out in the garden to get some berries, when he came out, the first time he had walked after his operation; he took a backset and lived two days. My Mother sent us word by a neighbor but he forgot to tell us. My Mother saw another neighbor; he said he would tell us, he forgot too. They were both called good men, but John Cook, a hard working and honest man heard about my Father's death, and put himself out of his way to come and tell us. My Father was a man of great Faith; he visited the sick and needy, comforted the discouraged; when he spoke in meetings or prayed in public, or administered to the sick, he would talk in tongues; he could not help it. His Bishop forbid him to speak in tongues; then went to President Brigham Young to get him excommunicated, but Brigham said he has done too much good in the Church; leave him alone, he is all right. He could not go to meetings, or visit the sick, and soon realized the Bishop was not the Church. Please read I Cor., Chapter 12, Verses 1 to 12.
My sister, Martha Bigelow, came to see us from Arizona in the Fall of 1879. When she was ready to go back to Arizona she went to say goodbye to Aunt Polly, who was sick in bed. When she went to leave, she went to the door, then turned, and spoke in tongues, said the people of the valley was going to have a lot of trouble. That was before the diphtheria epidemic.
When my first boy was very small, we were living near Provo River. My husband built a board fence around the yard, to hold our boy inside. One day while washing, I missed him, and could not find him. I called his father and my brother-in-law; they looked all over for him. I called as loud as I could "Oh Jappie." He raised up out from under some dirty clothes where he had been asleep.
In 1860, my brother Clinton lived in Provo Canyon. His wife took sick; they could not find a girl to work, so I went to help her. I stayed three weeks. I would not take pay; they had a large family. She never forgot me. She always was a real sister. She had a double shawl; she took and cut it in two and gave me one half.
We were getting along very well. We had a five room house; the first home with a shingle roof in the valley. We also had a coal oil lamp. All of our neighbors came to see our new lamp. Most of them were afraid it might explode. Nearly all the meeting dances, and parties were held at our house. My husband had a shingle mill and was also serving on the school board. The town was building a schoolhouse and wanted to have it ready for a Thanksgiving party. Jasper said he could have the shingles ready and on the building. We worked hard and long hours; the house was completed and we had our Thanksgiving dinner and a dance at night in the new schoolhouse. It was built on a lot my Father had built his home when he was at Wallsburg. Our amusements were dancing & coasting down hill. We lived at the bottom of the hill. Sister Brown and Sister Greer would bring their children to our house & we elder ones would ride down the hill and each time we would go in the house and see how the children were.
Loraine and Clinton had the whooping cough at the same time; they were very sick, and I shall never forget Hannah Ford (Nutall) and Lizzie Davis (Pataporth) for helping me in my time of need, & now I am past eighty, I still have a very warm spot in my heart for them; or should I say, for the memory of them.
In 1880, Clinton had the scarlet fever, and when we thought he was well, his father took him to the shingle mill. He did not walk for a long time. The night he got so sick we were afraid we would lose him. We called the Elders and they administered to him. He got better, but was troubled with rheumatism all his life. When Annie had the whooping cough, she was sick for over a year, and when she would cough very hard, she would pass out, and after she quit coughing, she would pass out every time she got mad, and that was quite often. There was an epidemic of diphtheria in our town in 1880; twenty-three children died. Moses [I think she means Alma Lionel. Records show that Moses died in 1944 -- SLR.] was the first. We know very little of diphtheria at the time; he was very sick. No one else came down with it for three weeks, then the other six came down with it. John Ford came to get his boots mended, as my husband made and repaired boots and shoes. He made all of our shoes, and for other people too. We told John not to come in, as we had all small children sick. He came in anyway, said there was no diphtheria but we knew there was. No one come to see how we were; it seemed everyone had sickness in their homes. Jasper and Samuel was not sick. They would take the oxen and go to the cedars for wood; the next day they would cut it up; they were always busy doing chores, getting wood, and taking turns sitting up with our sick children. January 28th 1880, the morning before he [Alma Lionel Boren] died, he was so gay and happy, singing some Primary songs, although he was not quite five years. He did not seem to be very sick, but we could not get him to eat, but after awhile, he wanted me to bake him a potato. We did not have one at the time. My husband went to Moroni's and asked his wife for a potato. She said he would have to wait until Moroni came home. I saw Joseph Ford outside his house; I called to him and ask him if he would give me a potato. He came with three, and put them on the gate; I baked it as soon as I could. I started to fix it with butter, when he said he wanted it jut as it was. He held it in his hands, and did not try to eat. He then turned to his Father and smiled, and passed away; the smile never left his face. I had felt for some time that we would not have him with us much longer. My husband said after, that he had felt the same way. He never liked to be kissed by anyone; just before he died a day or so, he came to me and put his arms around my neck and kissed me, and said "I do love you.: I cannot explain my feeling, but from then on till he died he was very loving to me, kissing me often. I became lost and sick after he died, and did not care what happened. It was awful to be in such a condition, with six children sick. My husband was doing all he could for us, and I was not trying to do my duty. My father had been dead for two years, but I thought he came to my bedside and said to me that I should get well, and look after my children. Said that if anything should happen to them, I would be responsible. My duty was with my children, and I knew he was right, and I began to pray for strength. I was soon able to do my work, but I was not myself. Three weeks later Aunt Polly became sick. Jasper said I should go and see her. When she saw me she put her arms around me and weeped. She felt so bad to see me looking so sick. I broke down and cried good and hard; I felt a lot better after, and I was soon back to myself again.
In 1881, my brother, Moroni, had blood poison, caused by a calf bite. I stayed with him two months. We were using cranberries on his arm and one day we ran out of them.. A neighbor & a cousin sat up with him and said they would warm some of the used cranberries for the arm. I told no, not to do it, as it was already full of poison, and we would do more harm than good. After I went to bed, they put the used cranberries on his arm. The next morning, his arm was black. Mother had a three year old steer; she told the men folks to kill it. We took slices of meat and put it on his arm, and changed it every five minutes. We tried to get a doctor, but he would not come, as it was too far. James Duke, his father-in-law came and said we cannot let him die and leave his family; I have Faith he will get well; and he did get well but it took a long time. One night while I was staying with him, I said I would go home and get a bath and a good night's rest. My husband got up before daylight and went ten miles to get some Indian Nervine for him for him. After he left I had a pain in my arm, & in a short time, it was twice it's size. I had blood poisoning from my brother. The children wanted to send for their Father and I said he will be back just as soon as he can get here without sending for him. I told them to get the Elders and they administered to me and then pounded plantain leaves and put on my arm. It was soon better. My brother kept calling for me, so the third day I went to see him. He wanted me to dress his arm. I tried to but fainted and Louise Mecham carried me out. I never tried to dress it again. He began to get better, but nearly all the flesh dropped from his arm.
In the Sixty, we had a hard time to make a living. My husband would peel tant bark and take it to Salt Lake an sell it and buy the things we had to have. H would buy leather and make boots and shoes. He would make the pegs from a straight-grained maple stick sawing it the right length, then splitting them to the right size and sharpening on end with a knife.
When the high dugway was built in Provo Canyon, Jasper took our two oldest boys to carry water. They had no crowbar, so he made one out of maple stick to pry the rocks loose with. When the railroad was being built to Utah, Jasper went to work for John G. Timothy. He took hay to last for three weeks and when it was all fed out, he asked Timothy for hay for his team. H would not let him have any, so Jasper quit, but Timothy would not pay. We were told after that he never paid any of his men. We never had family prayers, but while Jasper was away, I prayed with my children and when he came home, I asked him to have family prayers. He said he would, and we have always had prayers at our home from then on. Jasper took stock in a tannery that was being built in Heber and lost it all; and when the COOP store was started we took stock in it. R. C. Camp was manager. He seemed to be a very good Mormon, and people liked him very much. I had a cow; I was gong to sell and put the money in the store, but Mr. Camp said he would take the cow, and give me forty dollars for her, & if he could get more, he would give me more. Later, I went to se what he got for the cow. He had only gave me credit for twenty five dollars. He told me that was all he got for her, but his Mother-in-law told me he got fifty dollars. He paid a dividend to the stockholders, but I did not get one. I went to see him; he had not put my name on the books yet, but I would get a dividend next time, but before another dividend was due, the store went broke, and the stockholders had to pay off a large debt that Camp owed. My share was seven dollars and twenty-five cents, besides losing my cow. He apostatized with his family; his oldest son died cursing the Mormons; then he left his wife.
When Ida was a year old, she took very sick. He limbs were stiff and sore. She lay in her crib and could not stand to have anyone touch her. Everyone thought she would die; we had the Elders come several times a day; she was suffering so much that I went to the Lord and begged of Him if He was going to take her from us, to do so, and not have her suffer so much, but if she was to live, to give me wisdom to know what to do for her. Jasper came and said the Elders had held a meeting and was coming to our house. When they came, Brother Kirby prayed using about the same words that I had used in my prayer a few minutes before they came. I felt that she would get well. That night I felt the presence of my Father, and I got the idea to rub Ida with salt and vinegar. My sister Donna come to see me and when she saw what I was doing, she said I should not do it, as it might do her harm. I then told her how I had tot the idea. She then said it must be all right, I would keep right on doing it. A neighbor came and said their child had the same sickness and if I was not so stingy I would get a Doctor and our child would live. I told her she was putting her trust in a doctor; I was going to put my trust in the Lord. My child lived and had a family of five children; she had her child to a doctor for four year, then they brought her home but she could not walk or talk. She lived until she was thirteen years old and then died. When Ida was about twelve years old, I called the children to dinner, but she did not come. We hunted and the neighbors hunted for her, but we could not find her. I was feeling so bad I went to my room to pray, and found her fast asleep.
My Mother, Elvira Derby, died April 28th, 1886, at Provo. My Grandmother, Permelia Chapman died May 19th, 1866, near Heber, Utah. I was sick with a pain in my head and face; nothing seemed to help. My husband said I should go and see Aunt Polly, she would tell me what to do. I started, but I only went a short way, when something seemed to say to me to put buttermilk on my face. I turned around and went home, and put cold buttermilk soaked in a cloth and put it around my head and face, and held cold buttermilk in my mouth. When it would get warm, I would change it, keeping it as cold as I could. The pain soon left me and in a few days I was all right again. I know for myself that if we would only listen to the whisperings of the spirit, we would save ourselves a lot of trouble and we would be a lot better off, knowing what to do in trying times. On one occasion, a lady told me to get a bottle of Winelow's Syrup for my baby, as she cried every afternoon. Jasper got some the next time he went to Provo, but when she cried, I was afraid to give it to her. The next day jasper stayed home, and when she began to cry, he gave her some of the Winelow's Syrup. The baby went to sleep but I could see it was not a natural sleep, so I called my husband; he looked at her; she looked so bad, he took the syrup and destroyed it. I prayed to know what to do for my child; something told me to give her tea made of dill leaves. My husband administered to her, and I gave her the tea. She was soon better and playing with the other children. My little boy that died did not do so well when he was real small. He would sleep for a few minutes, then wake up. I often prayed for wisdom when looking after my children, and I prayed to know what to do for him. My sister, Sarah, came to see me; she was a nurse. After looking at my boy for some time, she said "I think you are starving your son, he needs more and stronger food." She took a cup and put some bread in it, then took two teaspoons of cream and some boiling water. She fed it to him, and he went right to sleep and all right after.
My husband was Water Master for thirteen years without pay. One year it was very dry; my husband had just started to water our garden when a man came, said he was going to have the water. His garden was drying for want of water. Jasper told him that people was all on turns, and he should respect the other fellow's rights. The man said "I don't care for the other fellows, I'm going to have the water." Jasper looked at him, then said, calling him by name, "I don't want you to think for one minute that you are bullying me, for your are not, but you can have my water turn, but don't take the water from anyone else, or I will have to arrest you. Come around later and see if my garden is not far better than yours." He took the water, and we had the best garden in the valley.
We went to Logan to do Temple Work. My sister, America, went thinking she would have her endowments, but when we got there we were told she would have to wait, as her husband was living and had left the Church, and that it would be better to wait. We all felt bad about it; my Mother asked us all to pray that the way might be opened that she could have her Temple Work done. That was in August, and the next July her husband was killed while taming a race horse. The following year we went to the Temple and she had her work done. My husband took me to Provo, where Mother, America, Elvira, and Donna were waiting for us. Leila, Donna's daughter, went to get a hack to take us to the depot, but the man misunderstood her and did not call for us till afternoon, and our train went in the morning, so we had to wait until the next day. When we got to Logan, they told us our papers had to be in the Temple on Monday of each week, so we went on to Dayton, Idaho to see my sister Celestia. While there it seemed the sun came up in the West. We stayed there four days, and my sisters, Polly, America, Elvira, Celestia, Donna and myself, were all sealed to our parents. We all felt the presence of Father while in the Temple. That was my first trip on a train. While waiting, a man came to me and asked for my baggage check; said it had to be transferred to another train. I was about to give it to him when another man came and said if I gave it to him, I would never see my trunk again. Mother went from Ogden to Provo by team. Elvira's little girl eight years old was with me. When a Chinaman asked me to go to a restaurant and eat lunch, I said no. He then offered us some peanuts. I told him no again. It seemed like the train never would get to Ogden. I had left my children at home for the first time; I was only going to be gone one week, and I stayed away two weeks. I had left my baby, eleven months old, with my son, Samuel and his wife. He had learned to walk while I was away. My sister Sarah, came to Provo to visit. Elvira asked a neighbor of ours that she happened to meet if he would tell me Sarah was in Provo and wanted to see me. Later he said he had forgotten. We knew nothing about her being in Provo until after her death. She died very suddenly, and her husband married again within three months. She was a real Mormon. When she wanted to be sealed to her parents he would not let her, but we have now done the work for her. Many years after, Moroni and I went to the Temple in Manti to work, where we met a Sister Alred from Spring City. She asked us to go and see her husband, Lutellus Burdick, a Doctor. We went, but as we entered his house, he said "I am glad to see you, but don't mention Religion," so we felt that our time was wasted. Dona had given me five sheets of names to do work for in the Temple. She told me to take number one, then number two, and so on, but not to skip from on to the other. One night a name, Rebecca Woodman kept running in my mind; when I got up the next morning I looked at the sheet of names, and found her name on sheet three, about halfway down. That day I did her work, and felt that I had done the right thing. Her husband's work had been done before. I was always happy, working in the Temple, but one day I felt like crying. I told Donna about it; she said "Maybe the woman you worked for today killed herself," then she told me how this woman was raised by her Grandparents; how she wanted to marry a non-Mormon, but her Grandparents were against it, and the man's Father was against him marrying a Mormon. He said he had nothing against the girl, but did not want to be disgraced by having a Mormon in the family. He said if his son did marry her, he would not live with her very long. They ran away and got married, and six weeks after, she was poisoned; some thought it was her father-in-law. I asked Donna for a list of men's names, so I could get their work done. When she gave it to me, I looked it over, saw a name that I did not feel just about. I asked Donna if she was sure his work had not been done. She said yes, but we found out after that it had been done, so it had been done twice.
I often gave tea made of dill leaves to children for colic. When May was sixteen months old, I put her to sleep and went to water the garden; I felt uneasy about her, and kept asking the girls if she was all right. They always said she was slipping. After a while, Lorain called me and said May was sick. I ran in the house. Her feet and hands were swelled; looked like they were ready to burst open. My husband had gone to Provo Canyon for a load of lumber. I wanted to send for him; a neighbor said he would send his boy on a horse. I called Brother John Parcell and D. H. Greer; they administered to her, and she was much better. Then I began to worry about my husband coming home in the dark as the canyon road was bad and dangerous. I could not sleep, thinking of him. At daybreak the next morning, he was home; said the boy did not come for him, but he felt there was something wrong; and come home.
When Anna was a very young girl, she got kicked by a cow, & nearly killed; but Faith saved her. Then came the Lagrippe; she was very sick. It had been a wet, rainy winter of 1888, so much mud we could hardly go from one house to another. Nearly everybody was sick, and many died. Mart Batty's little girl died suddenly. My son Moses lost a little girl. There was not enough well people to take care of the sick. Clinton was not sick; he took care of our stock, and helped other people with their work. My husband was not well, but he took care of the children and I was out working with the sick day and night. I became sick, but would not give up until one night, as I was leaving Jon Cook's home, where they had just lost a child, I sat down to get warm, and when I went to get up, I could not. I did not eat anything for two days. When I was a little better, John Sweet came and begged me to go to his home. He had lost one child and another was very low, but I was not well enough to go. Then my son, Moses, took very sick, and sent for me. Jasper wrapped me up in bedding and took me in a sleigh. I think the fresh air did me a lot of good. Moses was feeling better. On our way home, we met John Sweet; he begged again for me to go to his home. He said that his wife said that she knew if I would come, her child would live. Jasper told me to go, but be sure to be home before it turned cold, but as we stopped inside John's house, the child breathed it's last. It was a touching scene. There was no one to help, so I stayed, and with the help of Joe Keller we got the child ready for burial. Jasper was worrying about me; and came and met me. He took me and put me to bed; thank goodness, there was no bad after effects, and I was soon all right again. Anna was not entirely well until after she was married. She went to an entertainment, wore a light dress and no wrapper. She caught cold and was very sick. The Elders came and administered to her. She grew worse; her Mother-in-law said to get all the Elders we could, but I said no, let her husband, father, and brother Jasper, administer to her. They did, and she began to get better. She told me after she was glad when the three administered to her, for when so many lay their hands on her, it felt like they were pulling her apart, and she knew there was no unity among them.
My husband was on the School Board without pay, until a State law was passed to pay the School Board for their work. Then there was so many wanted the job, he stepped aside and let them have it. My husband was Water Master for thirteen years without pay. When they decided to pay the Water Master, others wanted the job, and he stepped out and let them have it. The new Water Master came and asked me for the pay for the water. I told him my husband was not home, and he would have to wait and see him, and he said he could not wait, he had to have the money. I told him my husband had been Water Master for thirteen years without pay, and why should he be in such a big hurry. He said "If your husband was foolish enough to work for nothing, well I'm not." I said, "Well, you can just wait until my husband comes home." We took care of the meeting house for awhile, but when our first pay came, I saw it was not all there; I asked the Brother that gave me the money about it. He said "We took your tithing out." I spoke up a little quick and said "We have always paid our tithing, and this looks like you are forcing us to pay.: Wilford was a small boy when we was taking care of the meeting house. His father was sick and I said I would go and do the work myself. Wilford spoke up and said he would help me. At the meeting house was a step-ladder. He climbed up on the ladder, and it fell over on him. After that he had a pain in his chest. When he was about fifteen years old, I saw him take a cup of vinegar and drink it. I told him he should not do that, as it was not good for him; he said that he had been drinking it for a long time and that he did not have the pain in his chest any more. When he was one year old, I was doing some sewing and had about one dozen buttons on the table. Someone called me and I went to see what they wanted and when I returned, the buttons were gone and I never did find them. I ask him where they were and he just put his finger in his mouth. That Fall, he took sick and bloated so bad he could hardly get up when he was down. We gave him medicine for worms, but nothing seemed to help him. The older boys wanted to take him to Salt Lake to a Doctor, but I was afraid of an operation. I was jut about to give in, when Aunt Polly came and I ask her what I could do for him. She said to rub him with consecrated oil, rubbing down all the time. I rubbed him several times a day; I prayed that he would not have to be operated on and that I may know what to do for him. While I was rubbing him on day, I happened to remember what I gave my older children for worms. I went at once and fixed some, and he was soon well and out playing.
When my husband took sick, we had a few cows, but Wilford was too small to look after them, so we let Jasper Jr. take them on shares for four years. When the four years was up, we decided to sell the cows, and I said jokingly, that I might get hurt if we kept the cows, but if I looked after chicken, I would not get hurt. The next morning I went to feed the chickens. I had a pail of water and a bucket of wheat. I fell on one of the buckets and broke three ribs and sprained my back. Jasper went fifteen miles for a Doctor, but he would not come. I put on my corsets and laced them up tight and left them on for six weeks. We went to Provo & on our return found Wilford was badly hurt; one of the town boys had hit him in the head with a rock. He was unconscious when we got home. We prayed for him and he was soon all right. I told one of my girls, that was nearly grown, to do something; she said she would not do it. I said "You will do it an just as I said," and she did. I left her crying, and came back in a short time. She was gone; no one had seen her; we were afraid she had ran away, but later we found her behind the door, asleep.
When my husband was a small child in dresses, he ran under an ax his father was using to cut wood; it cut a large gash in his head and left a scar that you could lay a finger in. His folks thought he was all right but according to my Doctor Book, it and other troubles caused his sickness and death. The book said fifty years after a bad accident to the head, with other troubles, may cause diabetes. (It is now known that diabetes is not caused by an injury. W.W.B)
My husband and a friend went together on a Homestead. This practice was quite common in the early days of Utah; one would file on the ground, and the other would pay the expenses, each one improving his part, and when the first one got his deed from the Government, he would give the other a deed for his part of the farm. Jasper let Jasper Jr. have twenty acres of his share. We sold some cows to get the deed from the Government, but when he got the deed, he would not give us a deed, saying the land was his. We told the Ward Teachers, they told the Bishop; there was a Bishop's Court, and the verdict was the land belongs to your friend, & he can do as he pleases with it. We should have taken our case higher up in the Church, but we did not. We could have taken it to Law; we decided not to. One of the Stake Presidents came to our house one Sunday and he said to us "He has taken your land from you, and I tell you he will never enjoy it, and I know he never did. My husband felt so he took sick, and was sick the rest of his life. One day while cutting hay for our son, Samuel, he took a Sunstroke and nearly died. We had some milk cows, but no hay for them. We sold most of them, then Jasper and our youngest son hauled hay for Sam Nichols; they were getting the seventh load to bring home. The worked form early morning till late at night. The brought a load home every night. That was the last time he worked. One day my husband was reading in my Doctor Book and read about what it said about diabetes. I had tried to keep him from seeing the Book, as I had already read what it said. I have often had people say to me "It is a wonder you did not apostatize after the way your friend and Bishop treated you; but with us the Church is bigger than any man or set of them.
My husband had been sick three years; we had very little to live on. Sarah M. (Mina) had gone to stay with Jasper's Sister, Minerva Wentz in Provo. For days at a time we did not have enough to eat; for two weeks all the bread we had was made of bran, or shorts; they are by- products of wheat, or what is left after the flour is taken out. A neighbor came and paid us a small sum of money he owed us. My husband went to the Bishop and paid his Tithing. We had bread once more, as Jasper stopped at the store and got some flour and a few other things.
I was very discouraged. I was praying to know what to do. A Mrs. Wilson come to see me; she ask me why I did not sell jewelry; she had just received a shipment, and would loan them to me. I started the next day, done very well around our neighborhood; then I went to Provo Bench. The first place I went to, the man came to the door, and said you look like a tramp. I told him I was not a thief or a beggar, I am only trying to make a living, now can I speak to your wife? She came to the door and I ask if she would be so kind to look at my wear, ribbon, handkerchief and jewelry. She said "I have to work for my living and have not the time to look." We had been very good friends, before my husband got sick, but we were destitute; they were turning their back to us. I went across the road. The lady bought some rings, the first I had sold that day. There was some trees near by; I went and sat under on and cried for a long time. I could not do any more canvassing that day. I started to go to Provo, then I turned and went back to the tree, kneeled down and prayed, as I have never prayed before, asking the Lord if there was some other way for me to make a living. I don't know how long I was there, but when I got up, I went home and found my husband sick.
Shortly after, my brother-in-law came to see us, Joseph Boren. He said to me "Why don't your start a grocery store?" I told him I did not have the money, and if I did have the money, I would not know how to run a store. He said "Sure you can!" I got to thinking it over, and prayed about it. I told my husband and Jasper Jr. what I was thinking about. Next day our milk check of four dollars came and a lady that owed me four dollars came and paid me. Jasper Jr. let me take five dollars. Next morning, I took my son who was about twelve years old, and went to Heber, bought groceries, came home and sold them all out that night for seventeen dollars. My son and I went to Heber again the next morning. I had a talk with Joseph Hatch and Mark Jeffs, of the two leading stores of Heber; they said they would give me twenty per cent off on the things I bought, and I sold them at the same price as they were sold in Heber. The people was very good to us. They would order the things they needed ad we would get them on our next trip. We handled hardware, dry goods, groceries, notions, shoes, and medicine. In a short time, I had a counter put in the room we had been using as a kitchen, then we had shelves put up, and it began to look like a real store, and within the year, we moved to the largest room in our house. I bought butter, eggs & chickens, sold them to John Greer, who took them to Park City. I then started to buy grain, taking it to Heber. We were making two trips a week to Heber. We were doing very well, financially, but my husband was getting weaker, and suffering untold agony, and we were unable to do anything for him. One day he went to Heber with me. On our return, just leaving Heber, he took sick and wanted a drink of water. There was no water until we got to Charleston. He was so sick, I did not think he would live till we got there. When he had a drink he felt better, and we went on home. He got worse on the road; no one can ever know the feeling of riding to the side of one they love, not knowing what minute they may die. We were in a wagon with a heavy load, and was only making about six miles per hour.
One day my husband was waking in the store, and fell as if he was dead. We carried him to bed and he came out of it in a short time; that is the way it was with him; he would take sick all at once, and one would think he could not live an hour, then he would come out of it, and feel fine, in just a short time. I cannot understand how diabetes can be so severe, then so calm like a March blizzard. Elvira came to see us, and while she was with us Jasper drank some milk at six P.M.; he never could drink milk, but he wanted it so bad. He took sick at ten P. M., Elvira thought he was dying; she stayed up till two A.M. He seemed to be feeling better so she went to bed. When she got up the next morning, Jasper was out in the yard walking around.
One day a Doctor Green was in town and heard of my husband and came to see him. He told him to get some beans and roast them and make a coffee and drink it. It seemed to help for a while, but he got so he could not drink it. We got a sack of Robstow flour. He ate it for quite a while and we thought he was going to be all right; then one day it made him deathly sick, and he could not eat it again. I tried to be careful what I cooked for the children, as we did not want to eat food that we knew he craved for.
John Greer, the man who had been buying my butter and eggs, came and told me the market was overstocked and he would be unable to take my butter and eggs until the market got better. I had seven cases of eggs and one hundred pounds of butter and no place to sell them. I was feeling very down hearted, when a lady from American Fork came in the store; I told her my troubles. She said she was sure that I could sell at American Fork. I said if there is any chance of selling we will go in the morning, the lady said she would like to go with us as she wanted to go home. We left the next morning before daylight. When we got to American Fork, the lady took me to E. H. Boley, who had a meat market and grocery store. She introduced me to Mr. Boley. I told him what I had to sell. He said "My good lady, the market is overrun with farm produce, I would like to buy, but I just can't do it." I turned and started out, when he said "Mrs. Boren, are you a widow?" I could not speak, but the lady that took me to see him spoke to him and said, "Mr. Boley, this lady is worse off than a widow; she has a sick husband and a family to keep." Mr. Boley said "I have never refused to help a widow, and I am not going to refuse you; I will take your butter and eggs, and next week bring me some more and I will take all you can bring me." My prayers were answered, & I did not forget to thank my Heavenly Father that night before I went to sleep. We bought a load of groceries from Mr. Boley. The next morning at daylight we were on our way home. That night people came to see if we had sold our butter and eggs; when I told them we had and we could sell all we could get, they were all happy, as there was not other place they could sell. The next week we took a load of butter and eggs and chickens to Mr. Boley and bought some more groceries. He asked me if I could sell dishes and granite-ware. I told him I had no money to buy a stock of dishes. He said he had a large stock on hand, and if I wanted to, I could take them and pay when I had sold them. I thanked him and took a good supply. I soon sold them and made a good profit. Mr. Jackson had a shoe store and hearing of me from Mr. Boley, ask me to sell shoes for him. I accepted his offer, and made good on shoes. Then S. L. Chipman ask me to sell lady's and children's apparel. I accepted his offer. We were now very busy, going to American Fork once and twice a week, taking veal, pork, chickens, butter, eggs, and grain; bringing back the things that was needed in the store, and then we would make one trip to Heber a week.
One day while returning from Heber, the draw bolt that holds the tongue to the wagon, broke while coming down the hill we call McFee Hill. The horses got away. The wagon was slowly running down the hill. I jumped out, turned the front wheels; the wagon went off in the sagebrush and stopped. We had a heavy load and if I had not succeeded in turning the wagon out of the road, it would have went over an embankment and caused a lot of damage. Mr. James Sabey lived at the bottom of the hill. He took his horses and the wagon off the hill and said he would take me until we meet Wilford as he had gone to find the horses. He walked all the way home, about five miles; when he got there, the horses were not home, so he got Clinton and they came back after me. Mr. Sabey and I did not get far, when we saw our horses off the side of the road in some willows. Mr. Sabey got them and put them on my wagon. I told him I could go home along, and thanked him for what he had done for me. It soon got so dark I could not see the road. I had to let the horses go and hoped they would keep on the road and the things I imagined was awful. I saw. I saw a light coming, then soon I saw it was Clinton and Wilford with a lantern; I can not begin to tell how glad I was to see them.
My husband was feeling fairly well one day and said he would like to go with me to American Fork. We had no way to bank our money, so we had to carry it along with us, and sometimes it was a nice sum. When we got part way, in Provo Canyon, a man stepped in front of the horses with a gun and told us to stop. I thought he was after our money sure, but he ask us if we had see some horses, said he had lost his; we told him we had not. He had just killed a wild chicken, and ask us if we wanted it. We took it and roasted it for our dinner; it was one of the best chickens I had ever eat.
One day my little boy and I was on the long dugway and met some wagons. We tried to get them to stop where there was plenty of room to pass, but they kept on coming. I ask them to back up a little ways where there was more room to pass, but they would not, said there was plenty of room. We were on the lower side, and I was afraid we would slide off the road. When we tried to get back on the road we could not. Another wagon cam along; the man came and helped us. He and I stood on the upper side of the wagon to keep it from tipping over, and Wilford drove the horse and wagon down into the willows, went along the river for about two hundred yards and got back on the road. And another time, my little grandson was with me and on a long dugway we saw a wagon coming; I waved my hand for him to stop, as there was no place to pass where we were, but he kept on coming. I kept on the upper side, which was my side. He came and said, "Lady, you will have to take the other side, as I have a load and cannot take the lower side." I told him I had a load too, that he should have stayed on the other end of the dugway and waited for us. He said, "Well, you will have to get on the lower side." I am on the upper side and I am going to stay here till someone comes and we will see who is going to take the lower side of the road." Just then a wagon came in sight. He got in his wagon, got around me, & went without another word.
I had a two-seated buggy and sometimes I would go to Heber in it. My daughter, Zora, went with me one day, and as we were on a long stretch, where there were no houses, we saw a man limping along as if he were in much pain. He stopped us and ask us how far it was to the next town, the he ask us for money saying he had a bad accident and must get to California, where the Doctor said he would get well. I knew he was not telling the truth. Then he said if we would only give him twenty five cents. I said people without money cannot give it. He then said he had left some papers at the house where he stayed the night before and if we would be kind enough to let him ride back with us. He got in the back seat and ask if we were going to Heber to buy supplies. "That all depends if our credit is good," I said. He ask me to stop and let him out, said the people could sent him his papers. As he walked away, he could as good as anyone could, I always thought he had a gun, as his coat hung to one side as if he had something heavy in it. And when we got home that night we were told that he had come to Wallsburg and went to Mrs. Robert Glenn's and ask to stay over night. She told him her husband was not home and he would have to go some other place to stay. He said, "So much the better." She screamed; a neighbor heard her and came running to see what was wrong. The stranger saw him coming and ran away and no one saw him again. Mrs. Glenn said she had learned never to tell a stranger her husband was not home. Another time I went to Heber alone and a man pulled his wagon across the road to stop me, but I drove out off the road going through the sagebrush. I got around him and back in the road. He followed me, but my horses were too fast for him. He soon stopped and turned around and started back. I was afraid he might be waiting for me on my way back home, but I got home all right and said I would never go alone again.
On a Saturday afternoon late in August, 1897, my son Wilford, who was not quite fourteen years old, carried some thirty-odd sacks of grain, weighing about one hundred and twenty pounds each from the granary to a high wheeled wagon, loaded them alone. We were going to American Fork, early Monday Morning, and not wanting to work on a Sunday, he got ready to go on Saturday. The next day he went swimming with some other boys. The next day, Monday, we were in American Fork about two P.M. We got ready to return home the next day, and I could see something was wrong with Wilford. I ask him if he was sick. He said his back was hurting, but said it would be all right in the morning. H would not eat his supper. I wanted to get a Doctor, but he would not have a Doctor. He did not sleep that night. The next morning he could not eat. I said I would get a Doctor. He said no, he want to go home. We started, but his pain was so bad, we had to go slow; instead of getting home at four P.M., we did not get home till eleven P.M. The folks got to worrying, not knowing what had happened. Clinton came to meet us, and I was sure glad to see him. When we got home we carried Wilford to bed, when he stayed for six weeks. I ask him when his back started to hurt him. He said just after he went swimming. I then ask him, why he did not tell me and we would not have gone to American Fork. He said I know how hard you are working, and I want to help you. How that went to my heart! Most boys of his age would play sick to get out of work, but not Wilford; he was always happy when he was working. We had the Elders come and administer to him. He seemed to feel better for a short time, then the pain would return and he got weaker. One night Zora and I were sitting up with him when the pain was so bad; I know he could not stand them for very long. I went to his Father, who was also very sick, and ask him if he could come and administer to him. When I took his hands off Wilford's head, he said, "He is going to get well." There was a swelling on his back, about as large as a goose egg. It came to a head but would not break. After waiting a few days, Bishop F. A. Fraughton came and lanced it. He felt much better and the pain left him, but the wound would not heal. In March 1898, two missionaries came to Wallsburg in the interest of the Y.M.A They came to our home often. Jasper and Wilford looked forward to their visits. One evening, Sarah (Mina) came home from meeting and said the Missionaries were leaving Wallsburg, but they would come and see us before they left. Wilford said to me, "Mother, I have been thinking; if the Missionaries would administer to me and anoint my back, I believe it will heal." After that, it soon healed and he was helping me again, for which we were all very thankful.
My husband seemed to feel better at times, then he would be so sick one would think he could not live another day. One day when he was feeling better, a doctor came to see a neighbor, and hearing of my husband, came to see us. Said he had cured many a person with diabetes. He talked so nice, we decided to try his remedy, but his first treatment nearly cost my husband his life. We all thought he was dying. I hear my youngest daughter crying and went to her. She said "Oh, why did we ever trust that doctor? It is awful that Father has to suffer so. Why did that doctor do this to him? The Ward fasted and prayed for him. Sister Alice Cook came and told me that she and her children were praying for him every day. One day he said "I wish the people would not pray for me to live, for I know I shall not get well." We always had a happy home, but at times I thought he was displeased with me. One day he called me to his bedside and said, "At times I get cross, and at times I can scarcely help speaking cross to everyone. Now if I seem cross to you, I hope you will forgive me. There is one thing I am very thankful for: I have always tried to be kind to you and the children." To hear those words from him made me feel so good, for I always knew he would never hurt us in any way, if he could possibly help it. At one time, tears came to his eyes as he said, "I never thought it would end like this. I should be supporting you and the children, and you have to support us and it hurts to think I can do nothing about it."
I had not been to American Fork for some time, on account of Jasper being so sick and I did not want to leave him. The children had been going and doing very well; but my husband said he was feeling better and I had better go to American Fork and stock up on some things the children was unable to buy. So the next morning I was up at three A.M. getting ready to go. Jasper said he would play lazy and not get up for breakfast. Of course he had not been up for breakfast for a long a long time; but when breakfast was ready, he came to the table and said he wanted to eat with us again. He laughed and talked, like he did years ago, before he was sick. I was so happy to think he was feeling so good and I was dreaming all the way to American Fork and hoping that we might enjoy life together for many more years. The people in American Fork was glad to see me, and they all ask about my husband and I was so happy to tell them how much better he was we got our wagon loaded and was all ready to return home the next morning, when one of the clerks at Chipman's store came and said they had a telephone and my husband wanted me to come home on the night train. I left Wilford to bring the wagon up next day. My son Jasper met me at the railroad Station, said my husband was a little better, but when I got home he did not know me for three days. He lived for six weeks, could not help himself, jut got weaker and weaker. He could not eat, but wanted to drink water all the time. He could not talk above a whisper. At the end he seemed to want to talk, but we could not understand what he was trying to say. I would not let him go. I kept praying for his recovery. My sister, Donna, came from Provo to see us. After seeing how he was suffering and how I was praying for his recovery, she said to me, "Lucina, if Jasper was well and was called on a Mission, would you say he could not go? He has been sick for seven years and his work on this earth is done. He is wanted on the other side. If I was you, I would have him dedicated to the Lord and say 'Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done' and save him from any more suffering." He had been so melancholy and wanted to die. I sent for the Elders W. G. Nuttall and J. L. Parcell. As they prayed, he changed, and looked so happy and died so peacefully, without suffering any more. He was a man of few words and many good deeds. At his funeral it was said there was nothing dishonest about him. He was not made to be a preacher, but when there was work to be done he was always there. Men came to him for counsel and advice; he was a student of the Book of Mormon; few people knew that book better than he did. I felt very bad because I did not kiss him before he was buried, so one night, he came to me and kissed me and said "Don't feel bad any more."
I was now alone with my three youngest children. I felt if I could only teach them the way their Father would have, but I know I had a great responsibility resting on me. Jasper had told me, jut before he passed on, to keep Wilford at home and he will be a good man, but if he leaves home and gets in bad company, he will be bad too, for he is easy lead. His chums told him he was tied to his Mother's apron strings. He started to go out at night, and some times stayed out very late, which grieved me very much. One night I ask him to stay home as it was lonesome for me. He said there was nothing to do at home. I ask him what he was doing when he went out. He said they played cards. I told him I would get some card and we could play at home, which we did. The he began to read books. It was to good to have him home with us. One night he went to Priesthood meeting; I ask him to come home as soon as meeting was over. He said he would, but at bedtime he was not home. I went to bed, but could not sleep. I got up and went to his room thinking maybe he had come in and I did not hear him. He was not in his room; I was hurt to think he had broken his word, as he had never broken his promise to me before. I sat down to wait for him. He soon came and said the Bishop had ask him and some of the other boys to stay after meeting as he wanted to talk to them. He talked so nice to the boys that they would quit using tobacco and leave off their bad habits. Wilford was soon ordained a Priest, then on February 8th, 1904, he was ordained an Elder and later became President of that quorum.
In April after my husband died, I was called to wait on the sick and caught cold. I would not give up, but kept on working. There was a brother came to town with a show. The children wanted to go, but would not go without me, so I went. They had a phonograph, the first one to appear in Wallsburg. I could not listen to it; it made me so nervous. I went home and went to bed and did not get up again for three months. I did not want to live. I did not believe in doctors, so would not have one. I felt my work was don on this earth, that I had had enough trouble. On July 5th, 1901, everyone thought I was dying and sent for all the children. Sister Wagstaff came to see me; said that my kidneys had lost all action. She gave me hot cream tartar tea and put a poultice of flax seed and mustard on my back. It soon gave me relief. My sickness was caused from a bad tooth; came nearly having the lockjaw; could not put a knife between my teeth for months. My face gather and turned to blood poison. All the nourishments I had was milk and liquor. When I was washed with soda in my bath water, the water would turn black, just as it does when a corpse is washed. Later I spoke to a Doctor about my sickness. He said if they had not washed me with soda the liquor would have killed me. One day, Sarah (Mina) came to my bed and said Uncle Louis was in the store and if I wanted him to come & administer to me. I said I did not care to live, I was tire, and lonesome; it would be a mockery to have the Elders, feeling the way I do, but she cried and begged me, so I said all right, send him in. He pronounced a great blessing on me; he said I must live, as I had a great work yet to do. Then I prayed that I might live to do the work that I had to do and to finish the work I was sent on earth to do. The next Sunday two Missionaries came and I ask them to administer to me. They promised me I would live and o the work I was sent to do. From then on all my prayers were to live just as long as the Lord want me to. One night after I prayed for wisdom, I felt that I should send Wilford to school at the B.Y.A. in Provo. When I spoke to him about it, he said he would not go and leave me with all the work, but later we decided for him to go and say with two sons of J. A. Mecham who was going to school. Then the Bishop came and said I should sent May to school too. I told him if I should send May, I would send Mina too. I sold the store and went to Provo to live. I sold the store to Daniel Bigelow. He promised to rent my house. H soon moved the store to another building and Annie, my daughter, and family moved in my home. The following Spring, her children took sick. The Doctor said it was Diphtheria. He was drunk when he come to see them and did not know just what he was saying, for I know it was measles. Four of her children died. The County Commissioner ordered the house fumigated and all contents burned. I left most of my furniture there and it was burned. I was never paid for the damage done; it was a big loss to me. The children and I was quarantined in Wallsburg, as everyone was. When we were turned loose, the children had lost so much time, Wilford would not go back to school. He went to see President Brimhall and told him how it was he was not in school. He said he was sorry as Wilford was a good student and the making of a good man. Ephraim Boren, my husband's brother, took Wilford to teach him the carpenter trade. He paid him a small wage. He worked all summer, but could not get along with Ephraim's wife, so he quit his work. We then decided to go back to Wallsburg. We arrived at our home late at night, and when we went to make a fire, we found the chimney was full of mud that had been put there when they fumigated and we had to go to bed cold and hungry. Arthur Snow came to Wallsburg with us, and the next day my daughter, May, was married to him at my son's place. They went back to Provo to live. My husband told me to keep Wilford with me as long as I could. He wanted to go to Montana to work, but I persuaded him to stay with me, and I told him I would find something for him to do.
Wilford and I went to Idaho. I wanted to see my sisters, Polly and Celestia, and thinking I might find a place to start a store. We took the train to Provo. When we got to Salt lake we had to wait for the train going to Preston, Idaho for eight hours. I stayed in the depot all that time. We arrived in Preston that night at midnight. My nephew, Clinton Mecham, was Sheriff so I called him on the telephone. He came and got us. We stayed at his place that night and the next day he took us to Celestia, who lived on Bear River, just North of Preston. My sister was very happy to see us. We stayed at her place a day or took then took a white-top buggy & went to Marsh Valley, about thirty five miles North. We started early in the morning as it was a long drive for the horses. We stopped at Swan Lake and fed the horses, and had lunch, then we went to Downey. Wilford went in the store and asked about the road to Polly's. They did not know Polly, but told him how to get down on the marsh. We were to take the second road to the left. When we got to the first road, Celestia said it was the right road. Said it was only the first road, but she insisted it was the right road, so we took it. When we got to the marsh it was getting dark. Wilford went to a farm house and asked about Polly. They did not know her. Wilford asked if they could put us up for the night. They said they could not, but the next house had plenty of room and would take us in, but when we got there, they were filled up, and had no room for us, but said the next house would let us stay overnight. When we got there, they had sickness, and could not let us stay, but said to try the next house about a half a mile. It was now dark. Wilford went to the house, asked the man if we could stay that night. He said he had no room. Wilford told him his aged Mother and Aunt were so tired traveling all day, and that we had stopped at the other places, and none of them could take us in for the night. He called his wife, and after talking it over between themselves, they said we could stay and rest, but the lady was to tired to get us anything to eat. But after Wilford had fed and watered the horses, she gave us a cold lunch. We told her it was very kind of her and said if it was all right with her, we would pay her & leave at daybreak the next morning. She said we should stay for breakfast as it was twenty miles to Polly's place. She told us where Polly lived and how to get there. We were to take the bottom road along the Marsh for about eighteen miles, where we would find a small school house. Then turn left and go about three miles and we would be at Polly's house. We went till about ten o'clock, but could not find the school house. Wilford saw some men in a field about a half mile away. He went to ask them about the school house. They said we had passed it about three miles. We turned and went back and got to Polly's in time for dinner. Polly was so glad to see us, and we were very happy to be with her again. Polly's daughter lived next to her and insisted on us going to her place to eat dinner. Polly could not walk very well, so Celestia and Wilford each took her arm and helped her. It was one of the most enjoyable days of my life and the dinner was just grand; not having anything to eat that day, and very little the day before. We spent a few days at Polly's, then went back to Celestia's. On our way back, we took another road along the West side of the valley. I said we should stay on the road we came on, as we might get lost if we tried another road, but we were lucky, we only got lost once, and that was only for thirty minutes. We arrived at Celestia's place in good time that evening. I slept upstairs and Wilford slept on the porch. A bad windstorm came up in the night and I became frightened as a large tree was growing by my window. It did not look safe to me. The next morning the wind changed and came from another direction, and the tree fell over the milk house and broke it down. After a few days rest, we went to Riverdale to visit some of my brother Samuel's children. We had a very nice visit with them. We went to Franklin to visit James Packer, the son of my sister, Polly. Then we returned home after a very enjoyable visit, but I did not find a place to go in business. We cut our visit short as we were looking for my son Jasper, who had been on a Mission and was expected home at any time. I went to Vernal hoping I could find a place to go in business, where I could keep Wilford at home, but could not find what I wanted, so I told the children inasmuch as Mr. Bigelow had not kept his part of the agreement, I felt free to go to business again in Wallsburg. So I started a store; we did very well, and I soon had all my old customers back again. I made one big mistake; I was not careful enough giving credit to people, as I now have a large list of people owing me. On January 9th, 1904, Wilford was called on a Mission to Germany. I felt very worried about it, as he was so young and not knowing the German language. I could not help but wish he had been called somewhere in the United States. He left February 22nd , 1904. I got my grandson to drive my team and I did all my own trading. The Lord was sure good to me, as I never had an accident.
The Ward Teachers came and told me there was a tax put on the Members of the Ward to help build a new building at the B. Y. Academy and told me what my share would be. It was more than was being asked from most of the people. At first I said I would not pay, but after thinking it over, and not ever having refused before to give when called on, I gave what was told was my share. Shortly after, I was asked to donate to build a fence around the Meeting house. I gived more than I considered my share, but they wanted more, saying there was so many that would not pay. It was necessary to those that would pay to pay more than their share. Then the first Christmas after Wilford left on his Mission, President Hatch sent flowers for all the widows and widows and wives and mothers who had sons or husbands on Missions. Jane Percell said to me that I should get flowers for two, as I was a widow & had a son on a Mission, but I told her I would be forgotten. Shortly afterwards, the Ward Teachers came and asked me if I had received my flowers. I told them no. They said that someone must have forgotten me, but it only goes to show that the ones that will give are always being called on to give, but when there is something given away, the ones that are most entitled are the ones seldom receive. The next Christmas again sent flowers, but again, I was forgotten.
The worry and the work of the store was too much for me. I became sick and had to sell the store, and after resting for a while, I went out nursing. There was no doctor closer than fifteen miles, and I went out and waited on the sick at all hours of the day and night. Aunt Polly Mecham was a Midwife in Wallsburg for many years, and when she died, I took her place. I delivered five hundred and three babies, took care of them and their Mothers, and sometimes all of the family. Sometimes I would get a dollar a day, and many times I would get nothing. I had waited on a one-time friend with all her children until her husband took our farm away from us, then she had another woman wait on her, but she lost three or four children and when her last child was expected, she got her sister-in-law to come and ask me to come and wait on her. We had not spoken to each other for years. My children and everyone seemed to be against me going and I could not see how I could go, but she begged so hard, saying they were afraid, and knew if I could come everything would be all right. I put my trust in my Heavenly Father, knowing he would protect me, for I felt that if anything went wrong, some people would say it was revenge on my part. I went and through my Faith in God, all went well, and the child and mother lived. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make, but I have always been glad I went, as I made me a better woman.
I always had a desire to study music, but never had the chance, so after I was fifty years old, my husband went to Heber, and bought an organ. I took lessons and learned to play, and was Ward Organist for six years, then my daughter, Ida, became organist. At about this time, my ten sisters came to Wallsburg, and we had our pictures taken. It was the only time we were all together after my oldest sister was married.
I had a granddaughter born with club feet. I straightened them and put them in splints, bound them, and when she learned to walk, no one could tell she had ever had club feet. I have straightened a number of feet for children, but only one time was there a failure, and then the parents of the child took the splints off because the child cried, and it remained a cripple for life.
The Ward gave Wilford a farewell party before he left for Germany and collected a hundred and twenty-five dollars, enough to pay his fare to Germany. He was away thirty-three months, and it cost me one thousand dollars to keep him. He come home December 7th , 1907 and July 2nd, 1908, he was married to Emma L. Homberger of Leipzig, Germany. Sarah M. was married while Wilford was in Germany so now all my children was married off I felt free to spend my time working in the Temple. Our first six children were not sealed to us, so I got them to go with me, one at a time, all but one, & had them sealed to us. When Lorain was sealed to us, Sarah M. went with us to Manti. When we got there, we had no place to go and while standing deciding what to do, a Brother John Witbeck came and asked if he could help us. He felt sure we had come to work in the Temple. We told him we had come to work in the Temple and was looking for a place to stay. He took us to the President of the Temple where we made arrangements to stay. My Recommend was to have been sent from Provo the week before, but for some reason it had not arrived. Lorain could only stay two days and she wanted to be sealed to her parents, so we went to the President of the Temple and told him the situation. He asked if the two daughters had Recommends. I told them they had. He wrote something on a piece of paper and told me to give it to the doorkeeper, which I did and was admitted; and the next Tuesday, my Recommend came. I had Lorain & my small child that died September 29th, 1865 sealed to me. Brother Witbeck learned that I had been a friend to his second wife, so he came to see us one evening, and I being muddy outside, he tracked some mud in the house. The next morning, the landlady saw the mud and came right in and said we must use the back door and that we could not have any visitors. Sarah cried and said she would not stay and I left with her. We were going to stay a month but only stayed two weeks. I went out nursing for nearly a year, then my sister, Donna, and I went to Manti to work all winter in Temple. Brother Witbeck had told me before I left Manti a year ago that next time I came to Manti, I could have a room at his house. So before leaving, I wrote him. His daughter answered my letter, saying her Father had died. Then Donna wrote to the President of the Temple about a place to stay. He wrote back and said we could stay at his place, but when we got there, we found that the rent was too high. We could not pay as much as they wanted. A Sister came and said she had spoken to a Brother Fikstead and he said he would let us have a room, lights, and cook stove for two dollars a month. We said it was too cheap and we would pay him more, but he said he was only too glad to have us in his house. He was very good to us. We were preparing to spend the Holidays in Provo and it was cold the morning we left Manti and Donna said "If Brother Fikstead offers us coffee this morning, I think we should take it.: I said that I did not want it, but Donna insisted, so I drank some, and when we got on the train we were both very sick all the way to Provo and for a long time after we could not smell coffee without getting sick. When we went back to Manti, Donna took her ten year old grand daughter with her and later her husband came. Donna could not do much as she was crippled and that left all the work for me to do and besides I was doing Brother Fikstead's washing. Donna got tired and went home. I stayed on for three more weeks. When someone started to talk about Brother Fikstead and I going to be married, that made me homesick and I told Sister Burt I was going home. She tried to get me to stay, but I told her I had mad up my mind to go home and I was leaving at once. She then said the Temple Workers were planning to give me a Party. I told her it was very nice to know, that I had made so many good friends, but I must go home. While in Manti, I made quilts and rugs, sewed, and paid for some Temple work for some women who had passed away without having the privilege of doing it for themselves. I gave the two rugs to Brother Fikstead & one to Sister Peterson. I went to several parties in Manti and enjoyed them very much.
When Wilford came home from Germany, he had the names of eight women given him by an aged Brother who was poor and could not pay for their work in the Temple; so I did the work for them and enjoyed it very much. I felt that my people could wait, as there was so many of us to do the work for them and no one to do the work for these women from Germany.
When Wilford was married we had a Reception on the lawn and a large part of the people of Wallsburg was present, and everyone fell in love with his with his wife, Emma. I have often said that if there ever was a woman that was a Saint, it was her; to see her was to love her. She was a firs-class dressmaker; at one time she did the sewing on a gown for the Queen of Saxony. She knew very little of housekeeping, but was very anxious to learn and was very quick to catch on to everything. She had never seen a washing done, or bread or butter made; she only watched me one time, then went ahead and done it all herself She wrote to her folks telling them of her American life. Her brother wrote back and said "I can see you wading up to your knees and barefoot, in the corral, milking cows." She wrote and told him "We do not go barefoot, nor wade knee-deep in the corral, and to tell you the truth, I have never been inside a corral here in Utah; women's place is in the home."
My brother, Moroni, and I went to Manti to work in the Temple. We went to Brother Fikstead for room; he gave us one, but there was an old lady there and we did not get along with her. We returned to Provo for Christmas. After enjoying ourselves, we went back to Manti, but Moroni would not stay at Brother Fikstead's, so we went to Sister Lazenby, stayed for two days, but we were not able to pay two dollars a day, so we hunted all over Manti for a place to stay, but could not fine one. Then Sister Peterson came and said if Moroni would sleep in the hall and I would sleep with her two small daughters we could stay with her. She was very good to us. Mrs. Harmon, a widow and owner of the Hotel, started to go to the Temple one day. She asked us to go to the show with her, but we did not feel like going. Not long after, she asked us to go to a masquerade ball. We went and had a good time; then one evening she came and ask us to go and spend the evening with her; we went and had a very pleasant time, and when we was ready to go, her daughter came in with a lunch, which was very nice. On our way home, I told Moroni to be careful or Mrs. Harmon would get away with him. He said, "Nothing doing!", as he had been fooled by one widow and was not going to be fooled again. He had married a widow in Jenson, Utah. After getting all she could from him, she went to see a daughter in the mine camp. When she had been gone about two weeks, she wrote & said she was not coming back as she was having too good a time where she was. (But he later married Mrs. Harmon.) He had to leave to look after the Spring work on his farm.
Wilford had sold his farm in Wallsburg, and moved to Salt Lake. His wife did not feel well in Wallsburg, and the Doctor said it was too high for her, and advised him to take her away from Wallsburg. He wrote me and asked me to come, and work in the Salt Lake Temple. I left Manti and on the way, the Spring thaw had covered the railroad for a long way with water. The train was going very slow and I was looking out of the window at the water, when suddenly I saw a most beautiful city; it was too grand to be of this world. I may have fallen to sleep and dreamed, but 0 me it is as real, and I hope to see that city again, but not in this life. I stopped in Benjamin to see my daughter, Lorana; when I went to the train, to go on to Salt Lake, it was one hour late, and when it came, two men jumped off; one took my suit case, the other helped me on the train. They said they could not stop the train, for fear it would not start again, and they had to get to Provo before they could get help. On arriving at Provo, I go off on the South side, instead of the North side and walked a long way before I realized I was lost. I stopped and looked around and recognized the East mountains and knew I was going in the wrong direction. I turned around and went back. I was give out carrying my suitcase and not eating much breakfast, and now it was getting dark.
Wilford was in Provo to meet me; he wanted to get back to Salt Lake, so we went on to Wilford's place, but when we got there, the door was locked an no one was home. I stayed alone on the porch while he went to a friend's to get Emma. The next morning I went in the back yard to look around and saw a family of Negroes in their back yard. I am such a coward; I would have never stayed alone on the porch the night before if I had known they were there. When Emma's first baby came, she knew very little of children, so I took care of him, and I got as much pleasure doing so as I would have if he had been my own. One day Emma laughed and said "You are the Mother and I am a Step-Mother." I worked in the Temple and when Emma felt like going, I would stat with the children while she went. Wilford ha not found work and Sister Harmon wrote me saying she would like to have me come and stay with her. I could work in the Temple and when I was not in the Temple, I could answer the phone and she would pay me for it. I needed some new clothes; I went to Manti and stayed seventeen weeks. Wilford and Emma kept asking me to come home with them, so I went to Salt Lake. Wilford had found work and was doing very well. He was renting and paying twenty dollars a month. I saw in the paper a home for sale, and handed it to him to read. He said he would like to see the place, but could not leave his work. The next day, after my Temple work was done, I went to the Real Estate that had the home for sale and asked about it. They said they would call after work and take us all out and see the place. It was nearly new, four rooms and modern, a large lot and lawn. After talking it over, Wilford said he would buy it, and we moved right out. It was just out of Salt Lake, called Forest Dale. We liked it very much, and to see the children playing on the lawn was worth the price of the place. Emma's health was improving and we were all so happy. One day the Elder that baptized her came to see her. She was singing "Love At Home!" She had a beautiful voice. He said "There is no need for me to ask you how your are as hearing you sing that song the way you do tells me all I want to know, and I know that song came from the bottom of your heart!" She said to him "Why shouldn't it come from my heart? I have the best man on earth, the Gospel, and a good Mother. I am very happy and have never regretted leaving my home and friends." When Emma went to the hospital, she did not want to go, said she did not think she would ever come back, but the Doctor said it was the only way her live could be saved. She begged to come home; said if you will take me home, Mother can cure me, but she could not be moved. I stayed with the children until Wilford until Wilford married again.
Wilford was hurt while working in the laundry, and could not do heavy work. He took a job on the forest, near Monticello. He told me to be ready to move if all went as he hoped it would. We would live in Monticello. While getting ready to go to Monticello, I lay on the floor and when I awoke, the children were standing over me crying and one of them said "Grandma, why did you sleep so long?" Wilford and Tella tried to help me, and I got on the couch, and laid there all that night. The next day, my son, Moses, and grandson, Earnest Gleen, came and Moses did the housework. Earnest had a bad leg, and had to have it amputated. He never really got over it, although he lived for some years afterward. Wilford came home after being away about a month. His injury received in the laundry gave him so much pain he was sent home for treatment. One day a man came and said he was the Water Master and it was our turn to take the water. I told him I was home alone and could not take the water. He told me if I would pay him, he would water for me. I asked him how much it would be and paid him. He said he would go and get the water. He went and I never saw him or the water. When Wilford came home, he told me never to pay until the work is done. Later, we found out the man was a Mormon-hater and took delight in beating the Mormons.
A neighbor came and asked me if I would look after her children while she went to the theater. She ask how much I would charge. I told her I did not charge a neighbor for doing a favor. As she was about to go, her sister came with a nine month baby. She said her baby would sleep until they got back and she would go to the theater too. She did not ask if I would look after the child, but just left it. She had not been gone but a short time, when the baby started to cry, and being a stranger, I could not get it to stop. It cried so long I became afraid and called the theater. They said they would be right home. I waited and the baby kept on crying. The last street car passed and they did not come. At Two A.M. they came and the baby was still crying. She ask her sister if she had an old dress, as she could not take her baby with her nice dress. I thought, "You wretch, where is your Mother Love." After the theater they had supper, not caring at all for the baby, and on top of all this, she never even thanked me for what I had done. Fine clothes on a woman of her class is like putting honey on stale bread. Another time I stayed with two children while there mother went to the theater; the three year-old boy cried and did not want to be left; his mother whipped him and put him to bed, and he cried till she left; then went to his bed, put my arms around him, and asked him if I could tell him a story. He said yes, and stopped crying, and soon fell asleep. When the lady came home, she asked if I had any trouble with the children. I told her none at all. A few days later these children asked their mother when she was going to the theater. She wanted to know why they were asking and they said so the good lady could come and tell them a story. I have always found that talking to a child in the right was is much better than whipping. I could always talk to those I loved, but to whip them, no. It hurt me much more than it did them.
I went to stay with Sister Terlink and work in the Temple. Did not stay there long, as she went to Idaho on a visit and when she came back, it was to get married. I then stayed with Sister Rand until she died. Then I went to say with Sister Parchal. When I had been with her a month, I went to pay her for another month's rent, but she would not take rent from me. One day, Wilford came and took me to see ___ niece, Viola Conover. She and her husband were sick, so I stayed with them for seven weeks. I went to the Temple three days each week. I went back to Sister Parchal. She had rented the room out I had, and the only room she had was upstairs without a stove, but I took it, eating cold food, which did not agree with me. Sarah M. wrote me and asked me to come and stay with her. She said she was worried, me living upstairs. The Temple work was done for all the women we had names for, so I went to Provo. I could have done work for other people, but May was sick and when I went to see her, the Doctor said I had done more for May by coming than he could do. I stayed with her and in February a nice, fine boy came to her home, but he only lived thirty hours. I stayed with her for some time after, as she did not feel very good. Zora wrote me from Roosevelt, saying she was coming to go to the Temple and wanted me to go so she could be sealed to her Father and I. Samuel was going too but could not get away. I had a stroke and thought I was dying. I prayed that I might live to see my children sealed to my husband and I, and with the help of Zora and Sarh M., I went to the Temple and had Zora's work done. The next week, Samuel and his wife came and we went to I the Temple and he was sealed to us. Polly, Clinton's wife, wanted to go and do the work for her sisters, so I went with her. I wanted to stay and work in the Temple, but could not find a place to stay. I paid to the Temple for work for twenty men. A Sister B_______ took me home with her, where I stayed all night. The next morning, her husband took me to the streetcar for Sandy, where I caught a stage for Granite to see my Daughter, Lorain. It was a great surprise to her. I stayed with her seven weeks. Then I came to Provo and stayed at Sarah M.'s, May; and Wilford's places. I could not content myself, so I went to Wallsburg and lived with Anna. She had a very nice house and I enjoyed staying there, but there was so many steps to climb. I went back to Provo; there I had a dream that bothered me very much. I dreamed that I died while in Provo and my folks had a very hard time getting through the canyon with me, so I went back to Wallsburg and persuaded Clinton to build a room on the back of his house for me to live in. I had always said that as long as I had a son or daughter that would keep me, I would never live alone. By now I cannot stand the noise of children. I want it quiet. I love to sit in the twilight over since my husband died, thinking of the past and dreaming of the future. I now lived in Wallsburg in the Winter and after the high water is over in the Spring I go to visit my children in Provo and Granite and my grand children in Jordan & Riverton. After I had a stroke I made rugs, quilts, knit and made lace. Clinton's wife, Polly, did my washing and ironing and fixed me lunch every day. Samuel's wife baked my bread, Temp and Anna was too far away to come every day. My children and grand children was all very good to me. Most people never entirely recover from the flu, but three months after I had the flue, I felt better than I had for years. I went to see Lorain, and one day they went to Salt Lake and I stayed alone and picked and put up twelve quarts of cherries. I think that was very good for a person my age. Loraine and Jim took me to Roosevelt to see my daughter, Zora. The trip was too much for me, and I did not feel so good. I had not made my trip to Provo, so I went and stayed seven weeks with my children and Donna. When I went back to Wallsburg, it was storming and I caught cold. It settled in my side and hip; I was almost helpless for two months. Wilford and May came from Provo and The Boren Family was organized for Temple Work:
Constitution And By-Laws of The Boren Family Association
Organized November 30, 1922
Article One: The name of the Organization shall be THE BOREN FAMILY ASSOCIATION
Article Two: The subject of the Association shall be: To perpetuate the Memory of our Parents and to gather Genealogy & do Temple Work for our Forefathers; to cement the ties of kinship between living members by frequent association and friendly relations.
Article Three: Membership; any descendant of the Boren or anyone who has an interest in the Boren Family by marriage is eligible to membership. The entrance and membership fee, also annual donations, shall be voluntary as each feel they can contribute.
Article Four: Failure to hold meetings or elect new Officers shall not disorganize this Association.
Article Five: The officers shall consist of a President, Secretary and Treasurer, Historian, Temple Committee, and Chairman of the Social Committee. The term of office shall be one year, with the election or re-election of Officers at the Annual Meeting.
ANNA B. BIGELOW
Minutes of a Meeting called to Organize THE BOREN FAMILY for Genealogy Work held at the home of Clinton C. Boren at Wallsburg, November 30, 1922.
C. C. Boren was appointed Chairman and called to the Chair, then proceeded to organize. Prayer was offered by Wm. J. Boren. Explanation of why the Meeting was called and the importance of Genealogy Work by Wilford W. Boren. Motioned and Carried, we organized with Wm. J. Boren as President, Anna B. Bigelow as Secretary Treasurer, W. W. Boren Historian, and Matilda Ford, Chairman of Social Committee. Motioned and carried, we adjourned until July 3rd, 1923; meeting to be held at Wallsburg, Utah. Closing prayer by Arthur Mecham. There was twelve present:
Lucina M. Boren May B. Snow
Wm. J. Boren Abbie Boren
C. C. Boren Polly M. Boren
S. L. Boren Matilda Ford
W. W. Boren Ellis Boren
Anna B. Bigelow Arthur Mecham
Wilford asked me to write the memories of my Life: I told him I would try, but I was not sure I could do it, as I am now eighty-three years old. I have decided to give my money to the Church for Temple Work, as my children are all married and self-supporting.
Dear Sister Donna:
Here is the record of my children you asked me for. Wm. Jasper has nine children living; one died at the age of twenty-one. She was a good Church worker. He has thirteen living grand children and two died. His wife, Temperance, is a Teacher in the R.S.. His oldest daughter was Counselor in the Primary and her husband is in the Bishopric. Jasper filled a Mission, was in the Bishopric for years, was president of the Y.M.M.I.A and is now a Teacher in the Parent's class.
Samuel L. is a High Priest, has six living children; his oldest girl died leaving a small baby. He has eleven grand children; his wife Abagail, is a Teacher in the R. S.
Zora has six living children; her oldest girl died a young lady; her second daughter died leaving four small children. She has eleven grand children. She was a Primary Worker; she was married to Austin Gleen.
Moses was a good Church worker as a young man. He has eight living children; one died, and sixteen grand children.
Lorain was Secretary of the Primary; she married James Wall; was President of the R.S. She has seven living children and one died; and seven grand children, and one died.
Clinton is a High Priest; was Superintendent of the Sunday School; had to resign on account of ill health. His wife is Teaching in R. S. They have three children; they were married thirteen years before their first child was born.
Anna has six living children, and five dead. Three grand children and one died. She was a good Church worker and married Don L. Bigelow. He went on a Mission.
Ida died six years ago, leaving five children and one died. Ida was a good Church worker and was Ward Organist for many years. She married George Mecham.
Sarah M. have no children. She was Primary President and R. S. Teacher. Her husband, Omero Marriotti, was Assistant in the S. S.
Wilford is a Seventy; filled a three year Mission in Germany. Assistant in the S. S., President of the Elders, Ward Clerk, and Parent's Class Teacher. He married Emma Homberger. They had three children, one died. Emma died and he married again; Johanna Dworack and they had four children.
May was a good Church worker and Organist; she married Arthur Snow. They had five children, two died.
In February, the Ward had a Community Sleigh ride. They came for me; I said I could not go. The Bishop said no Widow could sty home, but if the ride hurt me, they would bring me back. Don and Anna Bigelow helped me in the sleigh. We had a nice long ride and it did me a lot of good. When we got home, Brother Martin Ford had us to his home for chicken dinner. There was sixteen widows and two widowers. Amber Ford and Susy Greer cooked the dinner for us and it was very good; and after dinner, Martin Ford took all that could go to the theater, but I was not able to go; but I went home. I had to be carried. Sarah M. was in Wallsburg before Christmas. I was very sick, could not help myself She wanted to take a picture of our four generations. My son, Jasper, his daughter, and her daughter and myself; also Samuel's oldest daughter and her daughter and myself; and Anna and her oldest daughter and her two children.
I new wish to add a few things about my husband that I have not already written about. William Jasper Boren was the oldest living child of Coleman Boren and Nilinda Keller Boren. He was born November 30th, 1837 at Peoria, Ill. His father had come from Tennessee. They moved to Nauvoo when he was a small boy as they had joined the Church and wanted to be with the Saints. He remembered the Prophet Joseph Smith. His father was a wealthy man, but it was not long before until they were going through the trials with the rest of the Saints. When he was a lad of fourteen, they were driven from their home and they started for Utah, stopping a short time at Council Bluff. He walked all the way across the plains and drove his father's sheep. When they left, his father had three wagons, eleven oxen, three cows and the sheep. They started with plenty of food and clothes but gave a large part away to those that were in need. They arrived in Utah in 1851. They stayed in Salt Lake for awhile, then went to Provo. Their home was between 1st and 2nd South and 3rd West. He was in the Echo Canyon War. He was in the Black Hawk War; he talked with Chief Black Hawk. When he grew to be a young man he worked as a carpenter, also as a cabinet maker. He made bed steads, cupboards, tables, wash stands and chairs. He also made wooden dolls and sleighs, which he sold at Christmas time. He also made shoes for his family and the people of Wallsburg in the early days. In May 1866 we had to leave Wallsburg on account of the Indians. We went to Heber where my Grandmother Mecham died ad was buried near Heber. Her name was Permelia Mecham. At one time there was a poor family lived near us. Our children said they felt sorry for them, so my husband said "Children, how sorry are you: Will you share what you have with them?" The oldest girl said "I have a dress they can have." Then each one of the children named something they could give. Then my husband said "We will put it all in a bundle, and take it to them." I was proud of my husband and children, and I doubt if there was ever a family happier than we was. When Wm. Wall was chosen Bishop of the Wallsburg Ward, Jasper was his First Counselor; later he worked in the Sunday School and M. I. A.
He freighted from Fort Laramie to Salt Lake. On one of his trips, one of his oxen broke a leg and had to be killed. He borrowed an ox to finish the trip. He was successful in farming and cattle raising. His father had two wives, and when he died, Jasper's Mother, his first wife, divided the property with the second wife. She later married Robert Broadhead and moved to Heber. Jasper said his Mother was the best looking woman he had ever saw, also one of the best. One day while selling some grain he was filling the measure to overflowing and the man said "You believe in giving good measurement!" He said, "When I leave this world, I don't want to come back and pay a few pounds of grain to someone I had beat out of" He was once asked why he did not take Life easy and not work so much. He said, "I would rather wear out than rust out." One day I said, "I wish I had some cucumbers to put up for Winter." He waked to Provo and back to get those cucumbers. A neighbor needed a Doctor; he got his horse and cart and went fort-five miles, got the Doctor and took him back. Whenever there was something urgent to be done, he was always the one to do it. He bought the first surrey in Wallsburg, and how happy we were to ride in it, instead of a cart, or a white-top. I was President of the Primary. We had no place to hold Primary, so he built some benches and would move them in and out for me on Primary Day. One Christmas he surprised us all with a Hanging Lamp. He hung it Christmas Eve after we all went to bed. We were all thrilled the next morning on seeing those glass pendants hanging. No one in Wallsburg had seen anything like it. We went to Heber and came back with an organ, the second one in Wallsburg. He was always bringing something nice home. He built many houses in Wallsburg and one at Deer Creek. When his oldest boys were married, he gave to each one 10 acres of land, a team of horses, cow, sheep, & pig and told them to make the best out of life. He also made for his daughters-in-law a cupboard and wash stand. The youngest boy had to make his own without the help of a father. Jasper was sick for seven years with Diabetes and died May 16th 1900, leaving eleven children and myself.
Of our children, 7 were married in the Temple. We have two sons go to Missions. He was a firm believer in the Church and I want to say to my Family: YOUR FATHER WAS A TRUE MAN OF GOD, AND NONE CAME BETTER. I have always went to the cemetery and placed Flowers on the graves until 1923 when I was unable to go.
In April 1925, Arthur Snow, May's husband, came for me and I went to Provo with him in his car. I went out to Wilford's and he took me to Sacrament Meeting, the first meeting I had been to in a long time. I have always enjoyed going to Church, but for the last few years, I have not been able to go as much as I would like to have gone. I have always been a good tithe payer. One day a lady asked me how much I paid. I told her on-tenth of my income. She said I should take out my living expenses and pay on what was left, I told her if I did that, I could spend it all and I would have nothing to pay.
Let Us All Help Each Other
Try To Help Them Do What Is Right
If We Truly Love Each Other
We Can Make The World More Bright.
If We Teach Words of Kindness
And Shun All Vice And Sin,
Try To Teach Those in Blindness
If You Are Prayerful You Will Win.
There Is None That Can Be Driven
As A Rule They Can Be Led,
Teach Us All The Way To Heaven
And Prepare To Meet Our Dead.
This is the end of Mother's Writings.
W. W. B.
Mimeographed 1952
Sara Minerva "Mina" Boren Marriotti
Mother had been staying at my place for about two weeks. Saturday morning she said she would like to go and stay at May's and got ready to go to Salt Lake the following Wednesday to an Old Folk's Outing. We took her to May's that afternoon. Sunday she walked to John Ford's, one and one-half blocks from May's ate dinner, and walked back. After supper she walked around the yard looking at the flowers. She went into the house to take a bath, but before she was ready for her bath, she took a stroke & died instantly on June 21 St, 1925. When she died she had ten living children, a hundred-and-two grand children, seventy-six great-grand children, and one great-great-grand child.
Her children were William Jasper, Samuel L., Lucina Zora, Moses M., Lorain J., Clinton C., Anna Maria, Sarah M., Wilford W., and Polly May.
The Pallbearers were six of her grandsons: Lawrence Wall, Jasper Snow, Wilford F. Boren, Earl Boren, Alton Bigelow, and Clifford Wall.
The following gave flowers:
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Boren Wallsburg Bishopric
Mr. & Mrs. Alma Peterson Wallsburg Relief Society
Mr. & Mrs. Nels Nelson Utah Company Daughters of Pioneers
Mr. & Mrs. David Strassburg Girls of the Utah Woolen Mills
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hanson Provo Second Ward Relief Society
Mr. & Mrs. Archie Boren The Lazy Daisy Club (May's)
Mrs. Josephine Snow Birthday Club (May's) of Pioneers.
Mr. & Mrs L. Larson Pleasant View Daughter
Mr. & Mrs. David Glazier Mr. & Mrs. Marie Bott
Mr. & Mrs. Lafe Baum Mr. & Mrs. Dell Chipman
Mr. & Mrs. Sharp Celaspie Mr. & Mrs. John Farrie
Mr. & Mrs. Larbert Bigler Mr. & Mrs. Sutherland
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Ford Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Gardner
Mr. & Mrs. John Ford Mr. & Mrs. Boyd
Mr. & Mrs. Ed Snyder