"James George Davis" by Esther Parker Robb

"James George Davis" 
by granddaughter Esther Parker Robb
from book "Together Again", edited by Sophia Parker Stapeley

James George DAVIES / DAVIS

Grandpa Davies was a Welshman, very sociable, a lover of music and had a very good voice and was always invited to sing whenever an occasion presented itself. The Welsh used to get together, often holding regular singing festivals (Wales). There were many good singers among them. Grandpa was always the leader. When Grandpa was leading the singing, he would always take off his hat and fold it three-cornered like and whip it back and forth across his leg, keeping time to the music, so the singers ould stay together and follow the beat of the music. One of everybody’s favorite songs that I remember him singing was the Mormon song. There were two versions. This is how they went: The Mormon Song (Sung by James George Davies) First Version:
First Verse Come Brethren and come sisters dear, I’ll sing a song your hearts to cheer; For I’m a Mormon to the bone, I’ll stick to Mormonism. Chorus For we are right and they are wrong, Truth and right to us belong; Let us all join in the song, For the Mormons shall be happy. Second Verse Sectarians say “We’ll go to Hell” And with the Devil we shall dwell; If that is so and all is well, We’ll make of Hell a Heaven. Third Verse The parson said the other day, That Miracles were done away; But poor old parson’s gone astray, So never mind the parson. Fourth Verse The hypocrits may grunt and groan, Because we sometimes sing a song; How can the Mormons hold their tongue, When we are all so happy. Second Version: First Verse Come Brethren and come sisters dear, I’ll sing a song your hearts to cheer; Though hypocrits may laugh and snear, But never mind their chanting. Chorus For we are right and they are wrong, Truth and right to us belong; Let us al join in the song, For the Mormons shall he happy. Second Verse According to sectarian creed, Of gifts and blessings there is no need; They’re satisfied on husks to feed, But ‘tis not so with the Mormons. Third Verse The parson said the other day, That miracles were done away; But poor old horse he’s gone astray; So never mind the parson. Fourth Verse Beyond the times of time and space, They think there is a Heavenly place; Where modern Christians run their race, But they never end their journey. Fifth Verse The gifts they can’t all endure, Because they are beyond their power; The grapes you know were very sour, When Reynord could not reach them. Sixth Verse Sectarians they may grunt and groan, And never cease to sigh and moan; But I’m a Mormon to the bone, And I’ll stick to Mormonism. Seventh Verse The people say we’ll go to Hell, And with the Devil we shall dwell; If that is true and all is well, We’ll make of Hell a Heaven. Another of his favorite songs was “To Zion We will Go.” I only have one verse of it. To Zion We will Go I was so very pious once, I scarce could take a joke; You see how pious I have been, By my religious coat. To Zion we will go, to Zion we will go, We’ll leave the old sectarian, And to Zion we will go. They were a happy group and it was a regular jubilee, with wine as the popular drink. Some liked it. Others drank but very little if any. Grandpa liked his wine. I recall once when I was a very small girl and Grandpa was feeling the effects of his favorite beverage, he called me to shingle his hair. I took the scissors and cut off a lock here and another there and he kept letting me cut it shorter. I kicked and gouged, obeying his orders as he called out ”Shorter! Shorter!,” So I cut it all over as short as I could. The next day when the effects of the wine had worn off and he looked at himself in the mirror, he was so ashamed of the way his head looked, he tied a red bandana handkerchief around to cover it and would not let anyone see his hair. Everybody had a good laugh. Grandpa was a missionary among the Indians. He visited with them to bring about friendly relations and learned to speak their language so he could converse with them quite friendly. They called him “Jim Davies” and were very fond of him. I remember poinkum, his squaw blind Mary, and his two Sons Wiley and Posy. When they came to town in the fall of the year they brought along their pine nuts (piñon) which they had harvested. They had the pine nuts and buckskin to sell. My father always bought a buckskin from them for use in his cobbler work, mending shoes for the family. Mary Squaw used to call at our house to ask for food, always a biscuit. Although she could not see, she recognized mother as “Jim Davies’ Papoose” and spoke of him being “Wino” (this was the Indian word meaning “Good”). Mother learned some of their language from Grandpa, and could converse with them some. “Wino” and “Tuwige-wino” were some of their expressions. I remember very well the day of my Baptism, when I was eight years old. My Grandpa was waiting there at the edge of the pool, with his team of horses all ready to take me to the ranch with him. Just as soon as I was baptized and dressed, and my extra clothes were hurriedly rolled up into a bundle (as I had no suitcase to pack them in), we took off. Grandpa didn’t have a wagon or buggy, just the team of horses and a running gear. That is where we rode, seated on the running gear behind the horses, with Grandpa singing to the top of his voice, all along the way up to the ranch. Just before we arrived, it poured down rain and we both got soaking wet, so I had my second dousing in one day. It was just like being baptized all aver again. Grandpa organized a quartet, in which he had the lead. The other three singers were Martha Williams, John D. Williams, and Henry Davis. They were very popular and almost every social occasion called for the “Welsh Quartet” to entertain the crowd. It pleased the singers to be active, as there was nothing they enjoyed better than using their voices to make harmonious music together. Later when John D. was called back to Wales on a mission, by co-incidence he met up with an elderly lady there who was a former friend of Grandpa’s. She asked John D. about “the little white curly-haired boy who was such a good child singer”. John told her that he was still living, but he was an old man with grey curly hair now, and still a Singer.
Grandpa and I used to get together for our own little singing sessions, which we both enjoyed. I played the organ e he sang, and then I would join in the singing too. Our favorite song was “A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight”. He wanted me to make a promise that I would sing that one at his funeral.

Ancestry Chain: TR, Lark, Kirt DeMar WOOD, Laura Elizabeth PARKER, Elizabeth Ann DAVIS, James George DAVIS / DAVIES and Polly WILLIAMS.

Polly Williams Davies, By Esther Parker Robb

Polly Williams Davies, 
By granddaughter Esther Parker Robb

from book "Together Again", edited by Sophia Parker Stapele

Polly WILLIAMS DAVIS

Grandma Davies was born in Springfield, Illinois, May 28th 1838, the daughter of John Williams and Marcy Lucas. She was baptized July 10, 1857 by S. J. Holdaway and confirmed by I. C. Riddle. She and Grandpa had a large family of eleven children, six and five girls, mother being the second. Her first died at two years of age, the same year that mother was born (1859). Grandma was always ambitious, a hard worker all of her life. She ran a dairy business on her ranch on the Kanarra mountain where she made cheese and butter. Then Grandpa hauled the dairy products to Pioche, Nevada where he used to freight. I remember Grandpa and Grandma in the early days. He peddled produce of the ranch and farm to Pioche. This is the means by which they made living. Grandma left the ranch after her garden was planted. She also planted a summer garden of small vegetables as carrots, radishes, onions, peas, and pepper-cress. What vegetables they were, superior to any raised in the country. fall she always returned from the ranch with a rich supply of cheese and butter to be stored away for future use. It was such a pleasure when she opened up a section of the bedroom floor, which they used as the cellar door, and we were invited to go the storage cellar beneath their home. There she kept her cheese and butter which she stored in the big crock jars; also fat pigs which they had raised and killed themselves for their winter meat. It was such fun to see all that good food; also raspberries and gooseberries in the old glass jars, which she had worked so hard at preparing for the winter ahead. While she was living on the mountain she had many visitors dropping in on her to stay overnight. She always welcomed them with good meals and good beds to sleep in. She was always charitable and sociable. One very strong characteristic was her attentiveness toward the sick and her visits among them. It used to cheer me up when I was sick with severe sore throat and Grandma would come to see me. I always looked forward to her visits. Grandma did lots of walking over the mountain, picking berries and visiting her neighboring ranchers or sheep herders, also living on the mountain. Her worst weakness was profanity, as she was often heard swearing at the cattle and used pretty rough language at times. She had no tolerance for laziness nor immorality. She did all the work for the family, and was ambitious to the end. Until the last of her days she did her own laundry, before her last sickness. One of Grandma's big delights was to come over at dark, after her evening chores were done and scare us nearly to death with the most hair-raising stories. Some were true wild Indian stories. Others were made up ghost stories. Sometimes she got us children so upset that we were afraid to make our final trip to the outhouse before going to bed so we just ran out, with our hair standing on end, into the grass or behind the nearest bush we could find to hide behind, so we wouldn?t have to walk that long trip up by the garden in the dark. Many evenings were spent with her, listening to these stories while we sat crunching on big juicy apples while she, having very few teeth, sat scraping hers with a knife in order to eat it. Grandma didn't have the artistic talents that most women do, such as sewing, art, or music. Her talents, besides being an excellent cook, were her great ambition and her attention and generosity toward people. She made many friends during her lifetime and lived a full and happy life, with a successful and happy family.

Ancestry Chain: TR, Lark, Kirt DeMar WOOD, Laura Elizabeth PARKER, Elizabeth Ann DAVIS, James George DAVIS / DAVIES and Polly WILLIAMS.

"My Grandparents, James George Davies and Polly Williams"

"My Grandparents, 
James George Davies and 
Polly Williams" 
from book "Together Again", 
edited by Sophia Parker Stapeley

James George Davies [Davis]

Born:November 6, 1831

Place: Llanelly, Carmarthen Co., South Wales

Died:April 3, 1909

Place:Kanarraville, Iron Co., Utah

Baptized: January 6, 1845

Endowed: October 21, 1880

Polly Williams

Born: May 28, 1831

Place: Springfield, Illinois

Died: August 12, 1914

Place: Kanarraville, Iron Co., Utah

Baptized: July 10, 1851-7?

Endowed: October 21, 1880

Sealed to Husband: October 21, 1880

Events:

-Ordained teacher and Elder October 5, 1880
-Filled a Mission among the Indians

Together 

Married: 1855 or 1856
Place: Not Known
Children: 11, all born in Utah; the first three in Old Fort Harmony, the last eight In Kanarraville.

[Note: because the name "Davis" had been spelled Davies in Wales and mispronounced in America James changed the spelling of his last name to Davis so it would not be mispronounced.]

        As with our other grandparents, we have different stories about each of Grandfather and Grandmother Davies. Let me tell you my story of the both of them first, much which came from my mother and sisters, and then let you hear Esther’s story of them separately. Bear with us if some of the comments are repetitious. Esther and I shared many of the same feelings and experiences.

        James and Polly were among the first settlers in southern Utah, settling first at Kan Creek. Later, Brigham Young, President of the Church and leader of the settlers, had the people move to a settlement of Old Fort Harmony. The Navajo Indians often attacked them there, so they built a fort to defend themselves. The walls were several feet thick. The homes inside were built close together and along the walls. All the settlers were Mormons and they got along well together. The building material for the walls was sun-dried clay brick. They lived there for several years but in 1861 the rains were so heavy that the clay got wet and soft and the walls began caving-in. This forced people to move away from Old Fort Harmony. Some went to New Harmony; others, including James and Polly, went north to the town known as Kanarra.

        James and Polly were dairy farmers. Polly became the manager of the ranch, in effect, running it with her children, and producing the food products. James developed a freighting business, carting the food products by wagon to various mining camps in Utah and Nevada. They worked long and hard. Polly and the children had to hand-milk 50 cows twice a day, for milk, cheese and butter. They raised chickens for meat and eggs; pork for fresh meats, headcheese and scrapple; vegetables; and animal feed. James was on the road quite a bit, going back and forth, delivering supplies and returning for more.

        In those days, all merchandise was paid for in gold coins, and James often carried a great deal of money on his way home from his trips. Travel by wagon and team was not very fast either, and there was always the danger of being way-laid by robbers or bandits. One notorious gang leader of stage-robbers in the area, at the time, was one Ben Taster. James believed that Ben was close on his tail, on one trip. But somehow, by being very careful and using out-of-the-way trails and places to rest, he never was held up.

        They were very charitable people, and came to be known by every one as ‘Uncle Jim” and “Aunt Polly.” Many, many people stopped at their home on their travels through Kanarra, getting hot delicious meals with biscuits and butter and coffee, and staying the night. Polly was an expert at preparing jams and jellies, and she always had “bricks” of head-cheese and scrapple packed in crocks for quick cold lunches. No wonder people loved to stop in and visit! James and Polly developed a ranch in the “Upper Basin” part of the Kanarra Mountains, where they stayed and worked during the summers, and even there they had callers by the dozen. Polly, in particular, had a good sense of humor, and much genuine empathy for helping others with their sorrows and problems. They loved being around her and “Uncle Jim” as well. If wealth was measured in friends, James and Polly were very wealthy people.

        There was another fascinating part of Polly. She had a very deep appreciation for beautiful articles. China was her special interest, but she also had a keen eye for oil paintings, glass dishes and ornaments, and tea sets. Her only brother, William George Williams, was the owner of the Kanarra Co-op Store. Whenever salesmen, or “drummers” as they were called, came to the Store to wholesale supplies to George, as he was called, either he or they learned to call Polly to the Store to get her advice on the type of products to buy, and their quality. She had an eye for the finer things and for knowing what people wanted. There were lots of stories about how she would order the finer things, while her brother would order the heavier “more practical” appliances, and the shelves would soon be sold clean of her orders while his “collected dust.” They say that when the ordered, crated goods would arrive at The Store, Polly would get word to her friends to get there early in order to get the best choices, and that often her orders would be sold or spoken for before George could finish uncrating. When big orders were sold to the Store, the drummers would give Polly complimentary articles or gift sets. Her pantry shelves at home were filled with the beautiful china, glassware, and other gifts that had been given to her! Many years later, when she had passed away, her beautiful sets were divided among her children.

        Spending time with them on the Kanarra Mountain ranch, at “Upper Basin,” was a special treat for those of us who, as “grandchildren” of James and Polly, got the chance. My sister, Laura Parker Wood, enjoyed telling of how they would invite one a grandchild at a time to spend a couple of weeks with them during the summer. One event that everyone looked forward to was going with “Grandpa” on his trips up into the timber to get logs that he sometimes needed to fill orders. He drove his team with just the “running-gears” for this purpose. The children took their turns sitting on the running-gear as the teams hauled the logs along the long stretches of narrow dugways through the tall timbers -- with Grandpa singing at the top of his voice all the way! He was Welsh, remember, and just loved to sing. And when they got back to the ranch, Grandma was always there to give them a hearty welcome! How they loved it, when it was their turn to “go to the ranch.”

        One autumn in 1884 after the summers work had been completed at Upper Basin, James and Polly were on their way back to their home in Kanarra for the winter, with their wagon loaded with the harvested supplies and food. Polly was pregnant at the time, and went into labor while they were still on the trail. They delivered their own baby in the wagon, making the best of the situation. Everything turned out well. The baby was a beautiful, lovely girl. They named her Alice May and she was their last child. Alice May lived a full life and married Henry Pollock.

        There are many other stories which could be told about Grandfather Davies. He was called on to help protect the settlers against many of the Indian raids that were common in those days, but refused to participate in destructive, vengeful attacks against the Indians. Later, he was sent on a mission to work among the Navajos, in order to promote better relationships between the Indians and the settlers. He learned to speak Navajo and developed some close friends among them. Esther had some stories about this, so I won’t go into them here. James built a brick yard in Kanarra and produced the bricks that were used to build the homes in that day; and his sons Lorenzo and George took over the business when he retired. He is credited with having built the first bridge across the creek at Kanarra, and built one of the first homes. It was built in 1863 and still stands in Kanarra!

        The same with Polly -- many other stories to tell. She was a great story-teller, and never seemed to run out of interesting tales. She called faithfully on the homebound, usually taking a dish of their favorite food to them to make them feel better. In her last days, she was bedridden most of the time, but even then refused to have anyone help her with her washing -- which she liked doing. My sister Zina Ett Parker Pollock tried to help her, to no avail, and said, “I think no one could wash her clothes to look so white and clean as she could.”

Their children, and dates of birth, were: 1.Rachel Davies, April, 1857 2.Elizabeth Ann Davies, my mother, January 8, 1859 3.James Lorenzo Davies, February 14, 1861 4.William Rees Davies, March 2, 1863 5.George Alma Davies, February 14, 1866 6.Myron Thomas Davies, March 17, 1868 7.Rees Davies, February 4, 1874 8.Nora Davies, December 24, 1874 9.Eleanor Matilda Davies, January 26, 1877 10.Albert Davies, May 13, 1880 11.Alice May Davies, August 18, 1884

Ancestry Chain: TR, Lark, Kirt DeMar WOOD, Laura Elizabeth PARKER, Elizabeth Ann DAVIS, James George DAVIS / DAVIES and Polly WILLIAMS.

PARKER-DAVIS Family Group

CORRECTIONS:
Wife Elizabeth Ann DAVIS (DAVIES) father was James George DAVIS (DAVIES) not John.
Child #4 Laura Elizabeth PARKER and John Andrew WOOD were married in St. George, UT not Kanarraville.

("Together Again" 1976, by Sophia PARKER STAPLEY [1894-1986], p107.)

Childhood Memories of Kanara

These written and shared memories should inspire us to write down our own life and times. I will type this up as time permits so check back again and again to see how the story unfolds. Elaine ROBB is a older first cousin to Kirt DeMar WOOD.

back left: Zina Ett (1882-1962), John Davis (1891-1960), Sophia (1894-1986), Ray Cecil (1901-1994), Charles Jr. (1884-1960), Laura Elizabeth (1889-1970), center left: Charles PARKER Sr. (1853-1935), Bruce Fayette PARKER (1903-1983), Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER (1859-1927), front left: Samantha Ahlena (1897-1981), Esther (1886-1975). See: PARKER family photos

Written by Elaine ROBB SMITH [1911-2007]
Published in "Together Again" 1976,
by Sophia PARKER STAPLEY [1894-1986]
pages 193-205
Photos added here by Lark

p193

The PARKER-DAVIES SIBLINGS
10. A Niece's Memories - Elaine Robb Smith

Esther's [Esther PARKER ROBB 18586-1975] daughter, Elaine -- my niece -- wrote a beautiful memory piece about her experiences with many of us, and it is problably the best way I know of to bring our part of the book to a close. Here is what she had to say, in her own words:

Charles PARKER's Kanarra Home
with grandchildren Elaine and Parker ROBB
and son Bruce "Fay" PARKER about 1914

When I was a little girl I always loved to go to Kanarra. When I was a big girl I loved to go to Kanarra. Now that I'm getting to be an old lady I still love to go to Kanarra. It brings back so many memories and fun things to think about that it makes me wish that I could start all over and do it again.

Kanarra hasn't changed. That is why it is fun to go there. My grandparent's [Charles PARKER Sr. 1853-1935] home still stands there by the stream where I used to wade and get my feet wet on a hot summer day. Seeing that house makes me remember a lot of things that otherwise might have been forgotten.

[BIG KITCHEN]
First, I remember the big kitchen where my Grandma [Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER 1859-1927] always sat very patiently, hour after hour, with the biggest table I've ever seen and the oldest wood range where all the many good meals were cooked; such an inconvenient way to cook as compared to our electric push-buttons of today. It meant my Grandpa getting up at daybreak, chopping wood, and starting a fire hot enough for the cooks to take over the job of baking bread, cakes, pies, roasting meat, heating water for hand washing and dirty clothes. I well remember seeing these large heavy boilers filled with water and having to be lifted, emptied into wash tubs, and refilled, all through the day to keep the hot water supply going on, wash day or bath day. We took our baths in little round metal tubs while hiding behind a curtain to get a little privacy.

Behind the old kitchen stove was a little nest of kittens and Uncle Fay's [Bruce Fayette PARKER 1903-1983] mama cat. He was very proud of his cat and he gave us to understand that we were not to play with the kittens or the mama cat would eat them up!

We all loved Uncle Fay and Cecil [Ray Cecil PARKER 1901-1994] . They were always so good to us. They were pals to all the kids, playing games, babysitting,

p194while our mothers were busy at work. They always took very good care of us and even let us go riding on the horses. 'Old Button' and 'Bert' were our favorite horses. We also got to ride Aunt Zina's [Zina Ett PARKER POLLOCK 1982-1962] 'Old Yardley' and Uncle Dee's [John Davis PARKER 1982-1962] 'Stamps'. They were all so well behaved and loved by all of the children. We all enjoyed the horses.

Uncle Cecil and Uncle Fay
on horseback about 1904

[LITTLE GIRL]
I remember one day when I was very lonely and my mother [Esther PARKER ROBB 1886-1975] was too busy to be bothered. I wanted to go to Hilda's to play with her, but mama wouldn't let me. So I kept whining and pestering her, saying 'I want a little girl to play with!' Finally Uncle Fay became tired of listening to my whining so he decided to do something about it. As I looked up the stairway, coming down was a funny looking kind of fat girl with blonde, golden, silky hair. I had never seen anyone who looked like her before and I didn't know what to think. The girl said to me, 'You wanted a little girl to play with so here I am'. I looked at her funny boyish shoes and I listened to her odd sounding voice -- at first I just couldn't figure her out. Then gradually it dawned on me that this little girl was only my Uncle Fay, dressed up to fool me. I became so mad at him for trying to trick me that I screamed and yelled, calling him bad names. He pretended to have his feelings hurt so much that it brought me to my senses and I told him that I'd never call him a bad name again. I decided from then on to call him 'Uncle Fay Dear', which I did -- even until the time we were both grown up. Incidentally, the golden silk hair he wore was a wig made from my mother's silk worm crop, several years before.

[SNAKE]
It was at my Grandpa's that I saw my first snake. I was about five or six. I was wading in the ditch and as I looked down, beside a big cottonwood tree at the edge of the stream, I saw what appeared to be a beautiful, shiny silk glove at the base of the tree. It did not move and as I was just putting my hand over it to pick it up something told me 'No'. I jumped back and instinctively I screamed 'SNAKE'!!! (I had never seen a snake before.)

I ran crying to my Grandpa who immediately took his shovel and went with me to see it. Sure enough it was still there, all curled up asleep. My Grandpa shoved the sharp shovel down upon it, cutting it into many pieces and carried it away to bury it. Before he buried all of it, he cut off the tail end and showed it to me. It had ten rattles. Since then, every time I have ever thought of this true story I have become panicky all over again.

[COWS]
Our annual summer visits to Grandma's and Grandpa's farm were something we always looked forward to. Grandpa used to let me ride on the back of the saddle and take me to the field when it was my turn. We used to ride down each morning to take the cows from the barn to the fields, then in the evening we would go and

Grandpa - Charles PARKER Sr.

p195

bring them home to be milked, where they then stayed in the barn overnight. When we grew to be a little older he let two of us go on the horses together without him along. Then we thought we were pretty smart 'cowboys'.

One time in the cold part of the year. I remember my Grandpa having to take this trip alone on horseback. When he returned home from his morning trip, he was so cold that his mustache had long white icicles hanging from it. He looked just like 'Jack Frost' in person.

Grandpa's present to the new-born babies in his family was a cow; that is, if the parents of the baby would give him the honor of naming rthe baby. I remember a few of my cousins who were the proud owners of their very own caws. He named 'Ruth [Lurena]' [POLLOCK REYNOLDS 1912-2011], 'Gerturde' [PARKER COSSLETT 1915-2000], 'Diana' [PARKER MILLER 1920-1995], and 'Dorothy' [WILLIAMS STUKI.1921-1999]. Some of the others I don't recall. I always thought my cousins were very lucky to have a pet calf to grow up with them. I never owned a calf or a cow. But we moved around so much [that] I wouldn't have had a place to have kept it anyway.

Others in the family to whom Grandpa gave cows were the newlyweds. That was always his wedding present to a son or daughter just married. Of course Mama had her cow, but as we were always on the move she had to let Grandpa keep it and take care of it for her. Mama would never part with her cow, although she could have sold it and used the money. She thought that someday she would be settled and have her own home where she could keep it.

One year I do remember, though, that she did take care of a cow herself. It was when I was in the third and fourth grade. We were living in Cedar City, with Fay and Cecil staying with us while they were attending their first year of college at B.A.C. It was a rather sever cold winter, with lots of snow and freezing weather. One day a big blizzard came up. It really made us worry, because Mama's poor old cow was standing out int he back yard with no shelter of any kind and we were just afraid she was going to freeze to death. The snow was coming down fast and the wind was blowing terribly. Fay or Cecil had not arrived home from school yet and Mama could not stand any longer to see her cow suffering in the cold. So she carried down our old canvas tent and set it up over the cow. It was a nasty job, her struggling with no help to set up this cumbersome tent in such a terrific snow storm and high wind. I was too little to give her any help. (In fact, she made me stay inside.) So I just looked out of the upstairs window and watch her. I shall never forget that day or how my mother looked, pitching a tent over her beloved cow. The cow survived through the night and we were all happy.

p196
We had a cow down on the Farm, E - I - E - I - O !
It gave milk without alarm, E - I - E - I - O !
One day it drank from a frozen stream
And it froze her tail like an iron beam,
And ever since then she's give ice cream, E - I - E - I - O !

"Grandma was confined to her wheel chair"
Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER 1859-1927

[SEWING]
Grandma and I kept each other company many times. After lunch each day, everyone except the two of us would go off to their bedrooms and take a nap. But grandma sat in her chair wile I usually stood at the big table sewing on doll clothes. She could teach me quite a few things about sewing even though she was confined to her wheel chair. It was at one of these sewing sessions that I made the first dress for myself. I was only seven years old. I went to the Kanarra Co-op Store to buy my material. There was not much choice in yardage but I bought about one yard and a half of light grey printed percale, at 10 [cents] per yard, and proudly carried it home even though it wasn't my favorite color. I was all excited and could hardly wait to get home to start cutting it out. Grandma had dozed off into a cat-nap in her chair, but I went ahead, spreading it out on the big table and cut it out just as thought I were making a doll dress. It was a 'Butterfly' style just like all the doll dresses I made. (That is, a one piece, without sewed-in sleeves or any set waistline.) I had no pattern so just whacked away until I had it all cut and half sewn before Grandma woke up. It was sewn by hand with big running stitches, almost like basting. By the time everyone had returned from their naps, I had the dress all finished and ready to wear. It was lucky that I could even get it on, as I knew nothing about measurements -- I just cut it by 'guess'. I thought I had done a real good job. Grandma was always very proud of my sewing. Later on she let me use her old [treadle] sewing machine. One of the first times I tried it I ended up running the machine needle all the way through my finger, white thread and all! It took a major operation to get me detached from the sewing machine.

[EGGS]
Grandma gave the grandchildren the chore of gathering her eggs. We would search all over the farm looking for eggs. It was just like a big Easter Egg Hunt, as we found eggs in some of the most unusual places: in the barn, tucked down in the hay; in the stables; down in the manger; even out on the bare earth in the corral; around the bushes; and in other unusual places. Sometimes we nearly stepped on an egg before we saw it. Grandma warned us not to go into the chicken coop as most of the hens had deserted it. One day my brother [Parker ROBB 1912-1999] and I didn't mind Grandma's warning, and we went in anyway to see if we could find a few more eggs. As soon as we were in there for just a short time we both began to itch like fury. It was one of the worst itches I have ever experienced. We ran out like we had been stung by hornets,

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But the itch kept right on. So we ran to the house yelling to our mother. When she saw us she just about had a fit! We were both just swarming with little tiny black chicken mites and they were driving us both crazy. Mama would not allow us to enter the house. She hurriedly stripped us of our clothes, to the nude, and turned the hose on us full force to try and wash the insects off our bodies. It wasn’t much fun having that swift stream of ice cold water on the bare skin, and ending up with a soapy shampoo too. But we got what we deserved after not having listened to Grandma’s advice. From then on we stayed out of the chicken coop. Mama had to boil our clothes in lye water; I’m glad she didn’t have to boil us too.

I remember Grandma used to save eggs. Then when she had quite a few she sold them for money to buy things with. Many times she sent me to the Co-op Store with a half-dozen or dozen eggs to trade for something she needed. Or she would sell them to the store for money. One year she saved up her egg money until she had enough to buy yardage to make a new plaid gingham dress for each of her granddaughters. We all had a different color plaid, and each of us was so proud of our ’Egg Dress’ from Grandma.

[ICE CREAM]
Aunt Sophie [Sophia PARKER STAPLEY 1894-1986] used to let me ‘lick’ the cream skimmer after she had skimmed the cream from the big pans of milk. The cream rose to the top of the milk after sitting for awhile, and was thicker than whipped cream. I can’t remember anything tasting better jam the Bread-n-Sugar-n-Cream’ that all of us ate for treats. It was almost better than Aunt Effa’s [Effa Mariah MULLINER (adopted by WILLIAMS) PARKER 1885-1969] home-made Carmel ice cream. Every year when Grandpa went to the mountain he brought back a wagon load of ice and snow and then we would have a big family party. Aunt Effa made the ice cream. Everyone took turns turning the freezer handle. Some of the extra ice cream was frozen in gallon buckets. We always had plenty to go around for as many refills as we could hold. It was sometimes pretty late in the evening before the ice cream was ready to be opened, but the children waited so anxiously and patiently. When it was finally ready to dish out, some of the children were so tired that they fell fast asleep before they could finish eating their first dish. Others were already asleep before the freezer was even opened. But those who did stay awake sat up and stuffed themselves until they could hold no more, and were on the verge of being sick. I remember very well about some of my cousins eating so much that they really were sick, and maybe the next morning even had to miss school because they had a belly-ache.

[TREATS]
Before Aunt Effa and Uncle Dee had any children they spent all their time thinking us ways to spoil their nieces and nephews. One year they lived upstairs, over the kitchen. Any time any of the children went to see them they always got treats. It must
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Have been from them that the original ‘Trick or Treat’ term began, They used to say to us: ‘Open your mouth and close your eyes, and I’ll give you something to make you wise’. We always opened our mouths wide; then when we opened up our eyes again there was something good to eat in our mouths. Sometimes it might be raisins, dried fruit such as apples, apricots or maybe a prune, or whatever they had on hand. One day Aunt Effa led me to the top of the stairway and stood me right below the attic hole. She then told me to close my eyes and hold my hands, cupped, high over my head. Then I heard her with her ‘Hocus-Pocus’, saying weirdly ‘Old man, Old man! Come on out! I waited excitedly. Then she repeated: ‘Old man, Old man! Come on out! After another short wait I heard a rumbling, funny noise and then suddenly I could feel something dropping into my hands. When I opened up ;my eyes and looked into my hands, what a surprise! My hands were full of nuts and candy! Each time a child would visit them, the ‘Old man’ would drop treats into their hands -- but only while their eyes were closed. If any child ever dared to peek the ‘Old man’ was sure to disappear back up into the attic where he was supposed to live. It was a long time before the children were smart enough to realize that there was no ‘Santa Claus’ in the attic.
One day DeVere [William DeVere POLLOCK 1910-2004] came upstairs while Aunt Effa and Uncle Dee were away, He stood at the top of the steps, under the attic opening and closed his eyes holding his hands as he usually did, in a cup about his head, and used their call. He could not get any response. No candy came pouring into these hands. Nothing happ4ened, although he had used the same 'Hocus-Pocus' that Uncle Dee or Aunt Effa used. He continued to stand there calling 'Old man, Old Man', pleading, almost as though he were praying. Still nothing happened. After quite a while he became discouraged and gave up. He was so puzzled as the 'Old Man' had never disappointed him before. It was much later that DeVere and all of the other children became wise to the game of Uncle Dee and Aunt Effa continuing to play 'Santa Claus' all year round.

[MOUSE TRICK]
Aunt Effa was such a jokester, always clowning. If she wasn’t surprising somebody, she was trying to play tricks on them all the time. She sued to chase Uncle Dee all over the house and then out into the yard, telling him she had caught a mouse in a paper sack and that she was about to let it escape. Uncle Dee was frightened to death of mice, so he would run all over the lot with Aunt Effa hot on his trail But she could not catch up with him. She pulled this same trick on him several times before he finally found out that all she had was an egg rolling around in the sack.

[CHILD BIRTH]
Aunt Effa played a trick on me too. It was the middle of August. I was five years old. Mama and I went down to visit with Uncle Dee and Aunt Effa while they were living in their little…
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House down behind the meadow, beside Grandpa’s big barn. I was having a good time playing with the toads and enjoying myself, as my brother had stayed in town with Grandpa and Grandma. One night August 18, my mother woke me up and bustled me out of bed. Hurriedly she helped me dress and said I had to go back to Grandma’s house. Uncle Dee saddled the horses, at nearly 2:00 a.m. I hopped on the back of his saddle and we trotted across the meadow into town. That morning, when I woke at Grandma’s, I learned that Burns [living] had been born just a few minutes after Uncle Dee had hustled me out of there. I was so disappointed because I had always wanted to see a new baby arrive, and here I had just missed the best chance of my life by only a few minutes. I just thought Aunt Effa had played a really dirty trick on me...
[HAIR DO]
Aunt Sophia, another favorite of mine, used to fool me sometimes too. I remember when I used to coax to comb her hair. She wasn’t always in the mood to be pestered, but usually gave in to me. So nearly every day I would stand behind her chair and comb and comb. Her hair was not too thick and about medium length. One day I had to go upstairs to get some ribbons to finish the hair style. While I was upstairs a neighbor of ours Mrs. Balser, came to visit. Aunt Sophia got up and gave Mrs. Balser her chair. When I returned with the ribbons I did not know that Aunt Sophia had traded places. When I started to tie in the ribbons I couldn’t believe my eyes. Instead of Aunt Sophia’s rather skimpy head of hair, there was a heavy thick head that rather looked like a ‘Danderine’ ad. I was very confused, thinking that Aunt Sophia’s hair had really grown fast. Everybody laughed at me. I was so embarrassed that I felt like crying as I could not see the humor in it at the time.

[The brick for the PARKER home were all hand made by the PARKER men
at Grandpa James George DAVIS' brick yard in Kanarra.]

[RICH BEAU]
I was always proud because my Aunt Sophia's first Beau was so rich. At least the kids thought so. as he owned a big team of about eight well-groomed mules which pulled a big classy wagon. I remember seeing him driving in front of Grandpa's house every day to 'show off' himself and his mule team to Aunt Sop0hia. The kids would run to the front window to watch him pass by, as though it were a big parade. He would throw his long whip up into the air and snap it! The mules would pick up their pace, trotting past the house and nearly galloping across the stream, splashing water all over themselves and each other, proudly pacing as they too enjoyed showing off.

He had mules down on his farm, E - I - E - I - O !
They had beauty; He had charm, E - I - E - I - O !
'Us Kids' were always looking for
Team of mules or an old Ford car,
We hitched our wagons to a star, E - I - E - I - O !

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Mr. Aldus was his name, E - I - E - I - O !
He hoped Aunt Sophia to claim, E - I - E - I - O !
But she had feelings for her own,
The ‘Stapley’ name she chose, alone,
From him she made a happy home, E - I - E - I - O !

[SCHOOL BOYS]
I spent my first grade at school in Kanarra. Miss Rhoda Bryant was my teacher. In that class were my two best friends, Hilda and Alenna. I looked forward to each day at school; it was interesting and I thought it was fun learning Reading, ‘Riting and Rithmaticc;. The alphabet was in big letters, thumb-tacked across the front blackboard, We learned them from ‘A’ to ‘Z’, forwards and backwards One of the most impressive lessons that we learned was that of drawing and coloring the United States flag with color crayons. Drawing was to me one of the ‘fun’ things in school. There were some very mean boys who threw rocks at me and wouldn’t let me go home. The two meanest that I remember were Nelpher Graff and Nello Williams. I hated those two, especially because they were always picking on me. Sometimes the boys would even gang up and wait until they saw me go to the outside toilet at my Grandpa’s. (It was a good long walk from the house.) Then they threw rocks against the out-house while I was in there. I would be stranded there, afraid to come out.
There were a few good boys though. I always said that Leonard Davis was the best boy in the Kanarra School; then there was Willard. They never did anything bad. Blair Williams was a pretty good boy too, but his little brother Clark used to make me very mad! He tried to pattern himself after the ’Gangsters’ and wouldn’t let me cross the bridge in front of their big house.

[PHONOGRAPH]
After school sometimes I would go up to Aunt Lena's [Samantha Ahlena PARKER WILLIAMS 1897-1981] home on north Main Street and play with Carter [Carter Basil WILLIAMS 1914-1950] and Hilda. Aunt Lena had a wind-up phonograph, which stood on four legs, with a record storage cabinet below. (It would be classed as an 'Antique' now a-days, but then it was one of the few musical instruments of its kind in Kanarra). We played that thing nearly to death. My favorite record then was 'I'll Take You Hojme Again Kathleen', with a man's voice (I can't remember whose). That is the only record I remember but I played it over and over until I nearly wore it out. Maybe it was the only unbroken record that Uncle Noel [Noel Basil WILLIAMS 1893-1979] and Aunt Lean had' maybe that's why I played it so much.

[KITTENS]
Of all of Aunt Lena's children, Gordon [Gordon WILLIAMS 1916-1999] was the littlest Devil. We never knew what was coming next from him as he was always surprising us with some kind of a trick. I rmember oncew when he decided to drown the kittens in Grandpa's rain barrel. It was a large barrel, filled to the brim with water. Gordon was...
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so short that he could that he could hardly reach the top but he managed somehow to get the kitten in. Someone saw him just in time to rescue the poor little kitten before it was too late, and it was dragged out ‘meowing’ and dripping wet.

[HUGS]
Aunt Lena’s children were very shy about making friends with me. After I had been away from Kanarra for a long period of time, her children would peek around the corner of the house and when they was me they would take off like little rabbits and run away. I ran after them trying to catch one. If I ever did catch one , I just hugged him so hard that he screamed, scrambling to get away from me.

Wally and Zina POLLOCK

[DRY CREEK FARM]
Many happy memories were those of the days spent visiting with Aunt Zina and Uncle Wally [William Wallace POLLOCK 1875-1924] and their family. They lived on a farm down at Dry Creek. During the days they let us ride the horses. Their horse, I remember was a pretty red-colored horse named ‘Old Yardley’. He was a nice gentle one. The children could do anything around him and never fear getting hurt. One day several of us went riding down by the Wash where there was a big drop-off, I was bareback; it was one of the first times I had ever ridden a horse by myself. As we were trotting along, somegh9ing spooked one of the horses and they all began to run. I couldn’t stop my horse. He kept bolting and running so fast that I was very scared. I couldn’t control him at all and could hardly hang on. He ran and ran until he finally came to the edge of the Wash, where there was a deep drop-off; and suddenly he stopped short, as he wasn’t anxious to jump across. I shall always remember that as the most exciting and dangerous ride I ever had, as I was nearly scared to death and was shaking with fear after we finally stopped.

Aunt Zina's farm was the most fun for the kids. Aunt Zina worked very hard -- cooking, washing, and even making her own soap. At mealtime there were so many of us that we had to eat in shifts. There weren’t enough chairs to go around so the children all stood at the table while they ate. Besides that, there weren’t enough dishes either, so when the firs shift finished eating the second shift had to wait or else wash a clean plate.

After a late supper we went to bed all over the farm. They had beds set up outside the house. Some slept in the sheep-wagon (we thought that was a real privilege) and some slept out on the ground at the foot of the big windmill. The nights were warm and the sky was a beautiful deep blue, with millions of stars. We would lie on our backs and look up into the Heavens and see the shooting stars and try to pick out the Big Dipper and other noted star formations. Uncle Wally entertained us every evening by playing his guitar and singing many beautiful, romantic songs. We would hear his serenading late into the night, until all had…

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dropped off to sleep. We always hated to see our visit at Dry Creek Farm come to an end.

[COOKIES]
Ruth was the youngest cook in the Parker family. She learned to make cookies at the age of five or six. At each baking she made enough to fill a flour-sack. Which she sent tout to the men who were herding sheep or working away from home. Her cookies always tasted good. She spent hours and hours rolling and cutting the pastry into pretty shaped cookies. I never saw such patience. Her patience and her interest in cooking paid off, however, as she later became one of the best cooks in the Parker family.

left: Laura Elizabeth PARKER WOOD and John Andrew WOOD, unknown women, Charles PARKER Jr. is in the buggy.

[BLACK RIDGE]
Another annual trip that I shall never forget was that one from Kanarra to Hurricane, where Aunt Laura [Laura Elizabeth PARKER WOOD 1889-1970] and Uncle Andrew [John Andrew WOOD 1883-1932] lived, We traveled in Grandpa’s buggy over the most dangerous of all roadways. It was called the ‘Black Ridge’ and it nearly frightened a person to death to travel it. On one side it was a steep drop-off with a river winding away, many many feet below us. On the other side of the narrow road was a steep mountain, so if we ever net anyone coming toward us it was nearly impossible to pass. The horses were spooky and ready to jump or run away at any time. Grandpa used to pull his horses and buggy up on the steep side-hill and nearly tip the buggy over. We kids and women creamed with fright, butterflies in our stomachs and our hearts pounding in our throats. It was such a relief to get off that road, which we traveled for nearly the full day, and to see the bridge crossing the Virgin Riber where the road finally widened out again. On our way to Hurricane we usually stopped off to have a natural Warm Springs bath, in a big cave back under the rocks in the hills. The water came flowing out from between those big rocks, settling in a deep hole where we bathed. Our Sulpher Springs bath was something we always looked forward to on our way to visit ‘Dixie Land’ and Aunt Laura’s family.

"Aunt Laura was one of the most beautiful women I knew, with curly thick brown hair and a ‘peachy’ and ’cream’ complexion."

[PEACHES]
Aunt Laura and Uncle Andrew were the owners of a most delicious peach orchard, which was one very good reason to visit them. We made this trip at the height of the ripe peach season, and the visit was spent in picking and drying and canning peaches all the time we were there. Delna [Delna WOOD EAGAR HANSEN ALVEY 1907-1983], Roland [Roland 'Parker' WOOD 1913-1983] and Iris [Iris WOOD PETERSON 1915-2004] took us out to the orchard where we picked and ate as many peaches as we could stuff into ourselves. Them after wards we would go to the house and watch our mothers peeling tubs full to get ready for canning. It was hard work, as all the fruit in those days was canned by the ‘open kettle’ method, (that is, it was cooked in big pans on top of the stove, then transferred to the glass jars and sealed while boiling hot). The temperature of the wather was nearly boiling hot also and, besides, the old wood cook stove did not help to cool it down any. There was no air conditioning nor even a fan in the house. Every peach had to be peeled. This job lasted several days, until all the ripe fruit had been saved for winter. Each

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day, after a full day of work, we all sat down to a hearty supper of good vegfetables, fresh raw milk and, to top it off, 'peaches and cream' for dessert. A few of us may have ended up with a belly-ache besides. Whenever I think of ‘peaches and cream’ I think of Aunt Laura and the good times we enjoyed in Dixie Land, Utah. Aunt Laura was one of the most beautiful women I knew, with curly thick brown hair and a ‘peachy’ and ’cream’ complexion.

[REMODELING]
Uncle Charl [Charles PARKER Jr. 1884-19160], Aunt Emiah [Emiah Venita EVANS PARKER 1888-1974] and their family lived up on the East hill. They had the ‘view property’ of Kanarra. As soon as we were settled at Grandpa’s house, after our arrival, we ran up to Uncle Charl’s to see what new had been added to it. They were always fixing things up to beautify their house and yard. Aunt Emiah lived having pretty furniture and decorations in her home. Uncle Charl was always building and remodeling. His carpenter work was not professional, but it was different and he carried out his own ideas. I don’t think he owned a ‘T-square’ or a ‘Level’ but he owned a hammer and plenty of nails and lumber and he made good use of them. The yard also was one of the prettiest in Kanarra, as he had planted climbing roses and all kinds of flowers. Also he cemented together yard decorations from pretty stones and pieces of colored glass that he had gathered. It was interesting to see the new improvements he had made each year to beautify his home.

[DANCE]
Another memory is that one of the summers I taught dancing in Kanarra. I was fifteen then. I only had five or six pupils and three of those were my cousins. Dorothy, Gertrude and Diana [full names given above]. They learned quite a few balley steps and by the end of their six weeks course they had learned enough to perform several combinations and two dances for their parents. I was very proud of my first ballet class and my first recital. Hilda [Hilda's full identity unknown at this time] played the piano for my classes and after the recital she and I split the proceeds -- which amounted to about $1.20 for each of us, for our whole summer's work. Big wages! (but no income tax).

[FORD'S RANCH]
One more of my later memories in Kanarra is of Milford and our horseback trip up the old Indian Trail, on the way to Ford’s Ranch on top of the mountain. We traveled all day through the most beautiful Utah scenery -- red rocks and green trees and pastures. Ford’s ranch was in a beautiful setting, close to the mountain, with a background of Evergreens and Aspens. When we visited Uncle Cecil there at his sheep-wagon, he cooked dinner for us on his funny little camp stove. I was so stiff from riding the horses the day before, that I could hardly walk. Uncle Cecil said ‘Go out and ride some more! So I did -- all over the mountains all day until my stiffness had disappeared. That ride had limbered me up again. I learned my lesson that day from Uncle Cecil’s advice that if every you are stiff ‘ just ride some more!

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This I have always remembered.

Last but not least is a short story about my serious brother, Parker, and my good-natured cousin, Rhea. He has been holding the longest grudge ever held, and for this reason: Parker spent several days or a week gathering Squaw-Bush gum. Now Squaw-Bush gum is very scarce and very hard to pick. He added bit by bit until he had collected enough for a good chew. He was so proud of his big chew of gum that he tried to save it after each 'chewing session'. One day he took the gum out of his mouth and rolled it into a neat ball and stuck it on the old iron bed post. The next time he went to look for his gum it had disappeared. He was very unhappy, as he had worked so hard to get it and there had never been a chew of Squaw-Bush gum that large in history. A few minutes later Rhea woalked in. Guess what! She was chewing a mouth full of Squaw- Bush gum. Parker has never forgotten to this day.

“Food for Thought”

Things to eat can make one glad
Memories should mot be sad;
Ruth made cookies, by the peck,
Effa’s recipe, by heck.

Effa also made ice cream
Carmel flavor; it was keen.
Molasses cookies, Taffy chews,
She did lots of sugar use.

When Sophia learned to cook
Potato salad, from a book;
We had picnics by the score
Fresh sweet corn and even more.

Uncle Cecil loved raw eggs,
They put strength into his legs;
Cecil also watched his health,
Cottage cheese and lettuce; Wealth!

Zina’s milk and Apple Pie,
Oh so tasty, one could cry;
Peaches ‘n cream were Laura’s dish,
Uncle Noel would furnish fish.

Mama [Esther] made both bread and cake,
With all the fruit that she could bake;
Dear Aunt Lena made good stew,
Shelling peas she loved to do.

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Uncle Fay just loved to eat,
Bread and sugar was his treat;
Then he added bits of cream,
That to him was like a dream.

Squaw-bush gum is hard to chew
Many don’t or seldom do;
Rhea found hers on a post
Parker hates that story most.

I would rather dance than eat,
Riding horses can’t be beat;
This is all I have to say;
Hope you haven’t run away!

[by]- Elaine Robb Smith

Family Adventures

Charles PARKER Sr. (1853-1935)

“Escape From The Desperadoes”

From: Stories and early memories by Esther PARKER ROBB (daughter) and Together Again pp. 102-104.“Additional information to Esther’s account of the time when father was being pursued by robbers when carrying a large amount of gold back from the trip to Pioche.” by Sophia PARKER STAPLEY (daughter).

[As a young man]

Esther:
…he [Charles PARKER Sr.] worked for the Co-op herd, where they rode after and tended the Co-op cattle. He was subjected to much exposure in the Kanab country where the winters are very sever, having heavy snow storms and extreme cold weather. He used to relate about the life at the herd. How their meals consisted of the campfire variety, such as could be cooked in the frying pan and coffee pot. Often they had to sleep in wet blankets and in spite of the exposure he underwent, he had good health all through his life until the last few years.

While he was working for the Co-op, he was sent on some very responsible errands: One time they sent him to Pioche to receive a Pay roll ... which amounted to a very large sum….

Sophia:
…when he left the bank that day he found lodging at the hotel. The hotel also ran stables for the travelers to keep and feed their houses. Charles took care of his horse in the stable, taking particular care that the saddle could be put on the horse without losing time because he was worried about carrying so much money and being alone and strange. The money he carried was for the Kanarra Co-op herd….

Esther:
…When he arrived at the place where the business was to be transacted, he engaged a room and ordered his meal.

Sophia:
He went into the hotel and ate his evening meal,…

Esther: While eating, two fellows entered the tavern. They actions aroused his suspicions and set him on guard….

Esther: …He wasted no time in retiring,..

Sophia: …because he had seen those two stranger that were in the bank…

Sophia: ... pretending to stay for the night. He locked the door and put his light out and crawled into the bed with his clothes on,…While he lay there, a couple of times someone tried his door but nothing happened….

Esther:…was not able to sleep...

Sophia: …Charles waited until everything was quiet…

Esther:…outside his room…

Sophia: Then he quietly crept out to the barn, quickly saddled his horse and began to travel for home -- Which was a long trip…

Esther:…he was not far along when he discovered he was being followed…There was no doubt [about] the motive, so he gave his horse a [kick] and rode on as fast as he could…

Sophia: …He rode all night without stopping. The next morning, sometime in the forenoon, he was riding up a quiet narrow canyon that he had to pass through. He noticed two men riding horses above the canyon -- one on each side, on the top of the cliffs. Charles was suspicious of these men. One was riding a white horse and the other a brown. Charles had rode through this country many times and knew it well. So he took another road that he felt perhaps he could throw them off his trail, if they were following him for a purpose. Charles made time just as fast as he possibly could, and he did not see the horsemen again. There was an inn along the road and he made it there by night fall. He was tired and the horse was tired so they stopped for the night. He had dined at this inn many times on these trips before. The next morning, bright and early, after breakfast, he headed for home. It was still quite a long ride by horseback, but he made it home alright, safe and sound. But he informed the C0-op Herd that he would never tackle an experience like that again, alone. A short time later, on another trip, he again stopped at this little inn along side the road: and the owner of the inn told him that the morning he had left for home on the previous trip there were two horsemen following him. The inn man threw them off Charles’ track. He also said that one was riding a white horse and the other a dark horse. But they heard no more about them. Charles carried a lot of gold along many trips to this market, but he never ventured it alone again.

Esther:…This true story is called his “Escape From The Desperadoes.”

More Memories of Mother - Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER

[more images will be added]

Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER
about 1910

Additional stories about
Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER
By Sophia PARKER STAPLEY - daughter of Elizabeth Ann DAVIS and Charles PARKER

Elizabeth always knit wool stockings and socks for each member of the family. Everything she made was very neat. When she got too crippled, father bought her a knitting machine, the only one in town. This was a real treat for Mother. Now she could knit a sock in a day at least. It took longer to thread the machine than knit the stocking! Charles bought Elizabeth the first range stove in the town. They also owned the first electric washing machine in Kanarra. She never did own an electric sewing machine but she wore out two treading-sewing machines.

Our family dog, named Rover, was very thoughtful of Mother. When the [grand] children would scuffle in their play, Rover would go stand over Mother’s feet to protect them from being trampled on. They were so tender she hated to have anything come near them, and believe me Rover knew this. Rover would round-up the horses or cattle when he saw Charles going after them. When the daughters and sons came home with their families, rover showed as much glee as any person. He lived to be very old and was a real friend to every member of the family. There was another dog the family had a short time, that would take a bucket of water out of Mother’s hand when he would see her try to carry it in the house and do it for her! They had to dip water from the barrel or spring in those days, for household purposes. It was hard work.

I well remember the wedding receptions father and mother gave to most of their children. They would invite all the people who were adults, from the age of 14 years up, who lived in the community. The crowd would range from 150 to 200 people. The dinner spread was exquisite: places carefully set; table decorations; and all the delicious food cooked by members of the Parker family. There would be three or four varieties of meat, hot potatoes and gravy, several kinds of vegetable, three or four varieties of pies and cakes, with other deserts such as puddings. There was always a large wedding cake, and a highly-decorated bridegroom cake that stood about 18 inches high. The bride’s cake was a white cake and the bridegroom cake was a dark fruit-cake. Everybody had a piece of these cakes, which were very special. After dinner, sweet wines were served to the ladies, a very choice brandy and sweet Dixie wine served to the gentlemen, if people so desired. People brought wedding gifts to the couple. Then that evening a free dance would be given to the public in the community dance hall. The dance orchestra consisted of a violin, guitars, piano, and often a horn or two. An enjoyable day and night for everyone.

The last story I would like to leave you with has to do with their loyalty and patriotism. Charles and Elizabeth often told their children of their love and appreciation fro having been born and privileged to live in the United States of America. They felt extremely blessed for the necessities of life which were stored in the cellar, barns and elsewhere. Although this was the case, I recall that during the First World War their household observed meatless, wheatless, and sugarless days as requested by their Country. Their love for the Stars and Stripes I shall never forget. The flag was hoisted up the Liberty Pole in Kanarra three times a year -- July Fourth, July Twenty-fourth, and election Day and would remain on the Pole for two or three weeks at a time. The flag was whipped by the wind until the end was torn into ribbons. But it was still used in this way. I remember one year the flag was used and was finally in shreds. The town had needed a mew one for some time. Charles, with his own money went to the store and bought the very best of cotton material for a new large flag: and Elizabeth, though she was crippled and her hands and fingers twisted out of shape by arthritis -- having a difficult time using the needle and sewing machine without a lot of pain -- made every stitch in this flag. and an artistic piece of hand and machine work it was! When it was finished she and Charles presented it to the community. This flag was used for many years and was still bright and beautiful the last I knew.

Mother died on February 26, 1927. On every Decoration Day and Fourth of July, Charles would place a flag on her grave. One of his nieces, Juanita Davies, once asked him why he placed a flag on her grave. Charles answered her, “If any soldier lying in the graves of this cemetery is deserving of decorating in this way, Elizabeth is one of the bravest.” He then related to Juanita how Elizabeth had made every stitch in the large flag which flew on the Liberty Pole on every patriotic occasion. Charles continued this tribute to his wife, as long as he was able to visit the cemetery.

Two beautiful parents and we loved them dearly!

(Together Again An Autobiographical History, sophia Parker Stapley, pp 102-104)

[click on label DAVIS Elizabeth Ann to see family photos]