Recollections of my Grandparents Charles Parker Sr. and Elizabeth Ann Davis By: Grandson Burns V. Parker

Recollections of my Grandparents Charles Parker Sr. and Elizabeth Ann Davis

By: Grandson Burns V. Parker

1906 Charles and Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER family in Kanarraville, Utah.

back- Zina Ett, John Davis, Sophia, Ray Cecil, Charles, Laura Elizabeth,

middle-Charles PARKER Sr., Bruce Fayette, Elizabeth Ann DAVIS PARKER,

front- Samantha Ahlena, Esther,

This was prepared at the request of our Aunt Sophia Parker Stapley to be included in her autobiographical history - "Together Again". It either reached her after the history went to press or some of the descriptive material was a little too strong. Regardless, it is being re-typed hopefully to give our younger relatives a sense of the wonderful people our Grandparents were.

Grandpa[Charles Parker Sr.] was born December 30, 1853 in Centerville, Davis County, Utah. Grandma [Elizabeth Ann Davis] was born January 8, 1859 at Old Fort Harmony, Utah. They were married March 10, 1880 in the St. George Temple, Washington County, Utah. He passed away May 15, 1935 in Kanarraville, Utah and she passed away February 26, 1927 also at Kanarraville, Utah. "Together Again" gives great detail which I will leave to you to re-read. It is CHOICE!

When this was first written in 1976 I jotted down some tid-bits of memory; little anecdotes and reflections as they came to mind. It brought back some very pleasant and poignant memories. Some of the detail may have been transferred from my parents and others, but as it is written it will sound as it came to me first hand. Recollections are presented as topics as follows:

1. THE BOX: Grandma had suffered with Arthritis for many years and had been non-ambulatory for over 30 years before her death. She occupied the center of attention in the middle of the living room in a chair with a wooden box three sided with a top always placed over her very tender feet. She was always so kind, cheerful and gentle. I sat on the box looking up at her while she told the most interesting stories. She always had a way of encouraging everyone who had troubles and adversities with her cheerfulness and it seemed to always pay off. I felt a great personal loss when she passed away. Grandpa was always very kind and gentle in taking care of Grandma.

2. THAT GLORIOUS PLACE---THE CELLAR: The cellar was a storehouse for the summer's labors and it held a great charm for me with the good smells and delicious tastes it contained. I remember the meats in brine; the rock salted pork; the stored smoked meats including hams, bacon, pork jowls and beef tongues; the pickles in bottles, brined and dilled in casks; bottled and canned fruits and vegetables; dried fruits and nuts; the apple bin with apples in straw or sawdust (what an aroma and taste!); coal for the stoves; cans of sorghum and honey; and GRAPE JUICE which was intentionally allowed to become wine; and ON AND ON. INDEED, WHAT A LOVELY PLACE TO SETTLE DOWN WITH FOR A LONG HARD WINTER.

3. THE PIG KILLING: This was always enjoyed and anticipated by all the youngsters and I think the grown-ups as well. If enough pigs were slaughtered all of the youngsters could have a bladder to blow up and use as a football. What Greasy Fun! The evenings were also Devine with fresh broiled kidneys over the coals in the fireplace of the old kitchen range. A treat to be sure! The mammoth table in the living room kitchen was equal to the task of holding several carcasses while being cut up. The heads furnished meat for head cheese, mince meat, brains, tongues, jowls--you name it. Everything was used except the squeal.

4. THRESHING TIME: Before feeding the threshing machine, the grain had to be cut and bundled by the combine harvester; placed in shocks in the field to prevent rain damage or immediately hauled by team and wagon to the grain stack. I had the distinct duty to tromp and arrange the bundles on the wagon to prevent from sliding off during the trip from the field to the stack. I was too young or too small to feed the thresher from the stack. It took two men to do so and about as many to off-carry the sacks of threshed grain, to the granary, on their shoulders. Getting the dinners ready for all the workers was also a formidable effort, but the great expanse of food, quantity, variety and flavors compensated everyone for the preparation. Both Grandparents seemed to enjoy threshing time as much as the rest of us and Grandpa would let the grandkids play in the grain in the bins. What fun! This privilege usually stopped when the threshers left, however. What s great time--THRESHING TIME!

5. FARMING AND LIVESTOCK RAISING: Grandpa realized the need of fertilizer for better crops and if he wasn't doing other chores you could see him loading manure with a manure fork into the low "truck wagon" then hauling the wagon by a team of horses to the fields or on garden plots in town before spreading it by hand. It was smelly, but produced good gardens and crops.

Hay hauling time gave me mixed emotions. I was normally the tromper and in a single summer tromped over 100 loads of hay. My siblings helped with the tromping sometimes though. I looked with envy to two of my favorite cousins (Gordon & Foch) who seldom had to work in the hay fields since both were victims of hay fever. I still remember how gentle Grandpa and my father were in pitching the hay on the wagon without covering me up. I could not say the same for Uncle Cecil. I doubted if he really cared if he covered me up or not and he was especially careless in pitching the thistle hay from the meadows behind the fields. Guess he had other things on his mind THE SPORTS OR THE NEXT HORSERACE. He has long since been forgiven though. Grandpa gave me a load of hay one summer for my efforts and I sold it for $8.00 which seemed like big money at the time, as I was only 10 or 12 years old. I helped weed the corn and ride a single horse pulling the cultivator in each furrow. It being manipulated by the one following it on foot. These were great and healthy times!

Grandpa was a great livestockman raising fine cattle, hogs and horses, but few sheep, however at one time he and my dad did own over 100 head of sheep. Grandpa was insulted by the name Jersey and prided himself in having some of the best Hereford and durham cattle in the area. I remember his prize Hereford Bull named Riverdale who besides being a great sire could also hold his own in a bull fight with any other bull in town. He also had developed a dairy strain of milch cows and he would be milking them before daylight while smoking his pipe unless he was shucking corn by lantern light, one of his pastimes. Grandma was no slouch when it came to raising silk worms and chickens. I don't remember the silk worms, but remember her saying that noise would cause the worms to spin knots in their filaments. Regarding her chickens she was very proud of her fine minarka hens. She was quite generous in giving me an egg or two to use as barter for candy at the Kanarra Coop Store.

Grandpa was a great horseman. You should have seen him ride one of his favorite mares "OLD RUTH"; a very lively animal and he handled her very expertly. He was a pretty accomplished veterinarian too. I have a vivid memory when he castrated "Old Chess", a Belgian bred station that had sired several colts. I was not much help at my age but was a very curious onlooker. Grandpa had a special way of trussing-up throwing and tying him up with a rope so he couldn't move. He did it alone. I was kind of a scrub nurse getting the materials together and heating up the searing iron. I watched with amazement the cutting, clamping, searing the chords, and rock salt treatment of the incision with NO STITCHES. The recovery of Old Chess was uneventful for a 3 or 4 year old station now a gilden. He was sold to Cox's in Hamilton Fort and was a good work horse for the rest of his life according to Jenny Cox, Mr. Cox's daughter.

6. GRANDPA THE GORMET: Grandpa's eating habits and style were always a delight to me, partly maybe because he was a "South Paw". He tried to introduce me to eating clabber (soured milk in pans or as it is now known as yogurt), but to this day I have no culinary interest in clabber or yogurt. He would pick up a desert spoon in his left hand--scoop up a spoonful from the clabbered milk pan then put about a teaspoon full of sugar then--SLURRP!-- and it was down except for what was caught on his mustache. He would cut thin slices of smoked ham and he would eat without further cooking--very delicious.

7. GRANDPAS SMOKE HOUSE: I was amazed at how well he operated his smoke house. He usually stoked the fire with wet corncobs soaked in a bucket to make the smoke. He saved them after shucking and shelling the corn from them. It took several days for bacons, hams, jowls, and beef tongues to reach their epitome of flavor--very delicious. They stored in the cellar since no refrigeration was available in those days.

8. FAMILY GET TO-GETHERS: I anticipated with pleasure the Summer Vacations and family get to-gethers with the locals and the out of town relatives. I enjoyed them very much when I was not committed to hay hauling, weeding and cultivating. Grandpa and Grandma were extremely good hosts for such occasions. The City Cousins got a chance to ride the horses; and even help in the hay hauling, cow milking and other farm chores. This made it easier for the residents. My recollections of get to-gethers with out of town relatives at Grandpa and Grandma's house took on three stages:

A. GREETINGS: Handshakes, hugs and kisses!

B. SOCIALIZING, FEASTING, FUEDING AND ARGUING: Socializing and Feasting are self explanatory. Feuding occurred with fights among the cousins and their parents in various combinations. Arguing usually involved politics. Lively discussions would occur. The more heated ones would be between Grandpa, Uncles Charlie, Cecil and Fay. Grandma & My father were usually the arbitrators, as I remember.

C. FAREWELL: Almost the repeat of "A"--with all the torments of "B" having been resolved. Finally the goodbye handshaking, hugging, kissing and this time TEARS. We locals always looked to next year's get to-gether again usually during the July 4th or 24th celebrations in Kanarraville.

Charles PARKER home Kanarraville, Utah, later owned by son John Davis PARKER

9. GRANDMA'S PASSING: As I recall there was a feeling of relief when Grandma was spared the agony of suffering and pain when she was taken. Grandpa became very lonely staying in the big house alone. He also began sampling some of Uncle Cecil's and Uncle Noel's labors with the barley, yeast, malt and water--Too Much I'm convinced as it did not enhance Grandpa as a bed partner when I would go down from our smaller house to stay with him at night. He seemed to appreciate my presence and the "Home Brew" smell is only a slight unpleasant memory.

10. PERIOD FROM GRANDMA'S PASSING TO GRANDPA'S DEATH: After Grandpa became reconciled to Grandma's death he seemed to get hold of himself and in my opinion lived a comparatively happy remaining life with his chance to live with his daughters in Salt Lake City and Castle Gate and spending the last few years in his home town, Kanarraville. I became quite concerned with my own growing-up and had less and less time to associate with him. A situation I now regret. I don't think I showed him the respect I should have after he returned to live the balance of his life with our family. He was in pain and agony, but stood up bravely before he died. He reached a period of peace and expired the same way. My father and I believe Van witnessed his passing and it truly was peaceful.

In conclusion, I as a grandson of Grandpa & Grandma Parker feel that the camaraderie and companionship I was privileged to experience in the brief time of 10 years with her and 18 years with him did enrich my life of which I am so grateful for. I look back with nostalgia, satisfaction and unfortunately with regret for not having grasped the opportunity during the fleeting time I was with them to have enjoyed their company more.

P.S. I hope that the foregoing will enrich your heritage & understanding of two of your ancestors.

Sincerely, Burns V. Parker

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.

Aunt Polly's Ranch (Our Grandmother)

Aunt Polly's Ranch by Verlene Smart Ellis

James George DAVIES/DAVIS and Polly WILLIAMS 

with their youngest children Albert DAVIS and Alice Mae DAVIS. 

I always admired the large red mountains east of Kanarraville, knowing they had very special memories of my great grandmother, Polly Williams Davies. She had become a colorful legend to we, her progenitors. She was my grandmother, Alice Mae Pollock's, mother. "Aunt Polly" as she was known, was a fascinating story teller. "Uncle Jim", James George Davies, her husband, and "Aunt Polly", were very charitable people and many visitors stopped at their doorstep in Kanarraville, getting hot delicious meals or a quick cold lunch of head cheese or scrapple packed in crocks. Everyone was welcome! James and Polly developed a ranch in the "Upper Basin" part of those large red mountains east of Kanarraville, where many of her stories come to mind, instilling in me a desire to witness and enjoy some of her memories there. . We were visiting cousins, Joan and Ronald Williams, after a family reunion, and I mentioned my desire to someday travel to the top of those Kanarra mountains where "Aunt Polly" lived. Ronald said, "If you do not mind riding in a truck, I, will take you to "Aunt Polly's" mountain today!" Of course we went on that bumpy little dirt road up and over steep hills until we reached the top of "Polly's" mountain, and to our surprise, we beheld a beautiful green meadow with a cool stream flowing through "Polly's" area. Oh such memories of "Aunt Polly's" stories filled my bosom as I walked the paths she walked. Pieces of broken crocks were picked up and held closely as I envisioned the many crocks of cheese she made during her summer's stay on the mountain. The bushes of berry blossoms gleamed in the sunshine as I strolled in between her little cabin home comer stones, still in place after these many years. Tears in place, pictures taken and a quiet ride, we started back down the mountain. "It was here," I shouted out loud, "just about here", I said With my arms stretched out to the right of the road. "Yes, about here Uncle Jim pulled his buck board wagon, full of harvested supplies of food, cheese and berries to side of this little, dirt road." Polly was pregnant and labor started. "My precious grandmother, Alice Mae Davies was born,right here,on August 18, 1883". Alice was Polly's 11th and last child. Yes, Alice was born on this, Polly's mountain, the same mountains I look at and admire whenever I am near Kanarraville, Utah,and I was there, there on those hallowed mountain areas. By: Verlene Smart Ellis Notes: Polly Williams Davies was 6 years old and living near the Prophet Joseph Smith, when he was assassinated in 1844. She was 11 years old when she crossed the plains by ox team with her mother, Marcy Jane Lucas Williams. Her father, John Williams, had passed away in 1844 and very much against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Polly was 6 years old when he died. Polly, born May 28, 1838, was first baptized June 10, 1847, another date recorded July 10 1851.

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

BLACK ROCK BEACH

Black Rock Beach

As a child my family Mom, Dad, kids and we had 5 then Amy, Leona, me (Camilla), Ensign and Myrle - Would take frequent trips to the great Salt Lake - to go swimming.  I remember thinking how great I was because I could sit up right in the water and not sink.  Dad told us not to splash the water in our eyes or drink it because it would hurt.  We were at Black Rock a beach resort and it had a big wooden tub filled with fresh water.  It was big - or I was small.  One time I got under the water and got salt water in my face and throat.  Dad picked me up by the seat of my swimming suit and dunked me up and down in the fresh water in the wooden tub.  Boy what a relief.  To get all that salt water off.  When we would go home we would all hang our salty swim suits on the clothes line and mom would turn the hose on them to wash out the salt.  [If not rinsed our suits would dry stiff as boards.] At that time early 1930's Great Salt Lake was a wonderful each resort with at least three separate beach resorts to go to.  We went to the beach at Black Rock frequently as a family.  (From hand written Journal History of Camilla Smith Wood.)  

During the Taylor era Heber C. Kimball's old ranch house was used as a hotel, and the resort had swings and a merry-go-round, pulled by a horse.

Black Rock was opened by H.J. Faust in 1876, but this resort didn't catch on for long. Black Rock was located a few miles northeast of Lake Point. It went out of business several time. Alonzo Hyde, President John Taylor's son-in-law and his son David John Tayor took over Black Rock in 1880.  The larger and grander Saltair resort opened in 1893 and put Black Rock out of business by 1895.  But Black Rock was resurrected for a time in 1933 and enjoyed frequently by the Smith family. Saltair was described as the "biggest amusement value in the world" during the 1930s. Camilla's mom and dad had honeymooned at Saltair in 1918.  (See: Deseret News, Resorts flourished at Great Salt Lake During 1800's, March 29, 1989.)

Courtship and Marriage of Wanda Roberson & Lee Reasor

First Installment: The Childhood of Wanda Roberson Reasor

Second Installment:

Courtship and Marriage of 

Wanda Roberson & Lee Reasor

Garland Lee REASOR and Wanda Myrl ROBERSON 

While working in Madison, Indiana as a beautician I met Lee Reasor, the man who was to become a big part in my life. I almost got fired from my job because I wouldn't talk to the customers. I sewed some new clothes, completely by hand and spent my first Christmas away from home all alone. One day I was looking out the second floor window of the shop and saw this short young man walk over to a car. He was all alone, but stood there laughing. I recognized him and remembered that the Reasor boys from near Grantsburg worked in the State Hospital for the mentally ill. This was just before Christmas of 1939. I spent this my first Christmas away from home at the home of my boss' sister, the Chrismans who lived on a farm north of Madison. My boss was Ted Hamms, who was at least seven feet tall, big boned and masculine. I was lonely and miserable even though they were most kind to me.

Twin Reasor boys Gordon Lloyd and Garland Lee

After the holidays, I found enough nerve to call the hospital. This was really something because I was so shy--and I still to this day dislike making phone calls. I asked if they had a Reasor working there and the operator said yes--two Reasors-which would you like to speak with. I said, "It doesn't matter, either one." I talked to Lloyd and found out that they went to English for Christmas and that I could have gone with them if I'd called sooner. Anyway, we made arrangements for them to come down and visit me. Lloyd was dating Hazel East and Lee was involved with a girl named Margie (short and fat) but very sweet, Anyway, they both came to see me, I only had known them slightly from seeing them in town. Lloyd was quite a ladies man or flirt and had often fed we girls peanuts on the streets of English. I was five years younger than they, which didn't make any difference now, but when taking peanuts from him I was too young to know anything except to giggle. Lee and Lloyd were twins. We all three went to shows and out to eat a few times. Lee got me a date with one of his friends and we double dated one night. He was with Margie. I started fixing hazel's hair and some other girls from the hospital so the boys would bring them down. Lloyd was shorter than Lee and since I was quite tall, at lest three inches taller than Lloyd, it sort of worked out that I dated Lee. He quit seeing Margie (I think). At first he made it quite clear (in words) that he was not ready to get serious and I assured him that I was only eighteen and felt exactly the same way. However he tried to kiss me goodnight for several nights. I would get in the door and wouldn't let him. As dumb as I was about men, I sure played my cards right. Not getting what he wanted, kept him coming back. His car had an old fashioned horn that sounded like aw oo ga and I found myself listening for that sound.

Wanda Myrl Roberson

Lee and I were happy just to be together and I found it so comfortable not to feel pressured to talk all the time. He was the first boy I ever went with who made me feel this way. There was a big tree out in one of the fields at the hospital where we parked the car and spent hours together. He also tried parking in the cemetery, which I wouldn't stand for. We would drive around the hospital and listen to the inmates screaming and moaning, I'd get scared and sit close, Lee wasn't making very much money and we had seen all the shows in town so there wasn't much else to do. We went roller skating a lot and that was great fun. My favorite song to skate to was the Woody Woodpecker song. Lee informed me that he preferred brunettes and I was a blonde.

We went on a moonlight excursion on a steam boat up the Ohio River. This was neat. I spent days making a new green skirt, sewn by hand, to wear with a new plaid jacket I had bought. I even had a new turquoise colored hat to match. A hat was very important to finish out my outfit at that time.

I think I only worked in Madison about six months at $10 a week and I decided to move to New Albany, Indiana and work. Lee took me to the bus and I think I knew then that he was in love with me, only he was fighting it all the way. Marie, my sister, had gone to beauty college and was in New Albany so she and I lived together. I started working in the New Albany Beauty Shop in the Liberty Bank building. Hazel Roberson, my cousin, started working too and we managed the shop. It was one of a chain. We did assembly line type work. We advertised a fifty cent permanent which didn't even include a neck trim. We would curl the hair, comb it out and send them on their way all frizzed up. We started a ten cent neck trim and saved up enough to buy a ten dollar radio. Our most expensive permanent was $2.50 . We mixed our own solution. With the $2.50 job we included a little oil in the solution. Hazel would roll the curling rods from one side and me on the other. We could roll a head of hair in a very few minutes. Needless to say we didn't develop our talent very much, only became fast and expert in rolling perms.

Lee came to see me about every four weeks. He had joined the army and I loved the uniform. He gave me a little gold locket and my first wrist watch. He was always so good to me and although I went out with other boys, I managed to be free when he came into town.

Mom and Dad had moved to Louisville (Buechel), Kentucky, and built a new house. I decided to take the Kentucky state board and get a job over there. Lee and Lloyd took me to Lexington to take the state board. I had met Laverne Curtsinger and had lined Lloyd up with her. Lavern and I became best friends and double dated soldiers from Fort Knox. We would meet them at soft ball games and lots of places where we shouldn't have been. She was older and a little more worldly than I. We went into bars in big hotels once or twice on New Year's eve with our dates. We went to Service Club dances and met soldiers there. I had a better job and was living at home, no expenses except for bus fare, so I had some nice clothes. I bought my first long formal. It was lavender satin with a full circle skirt and I felt regal in it. Dad didn't like me going to Service Club even though one of the chaperons took us and brought us home. He really got mad and made me feel like a sinner wearing that long dress. But I went anyway and enjoyed wearing it.

Lee was still writing to me and my big moment was walking to the post office for the mail. He came to see me quite regularly and I found myself comparing every guy I went out with to him and when Laverne and I would talk seriously about the future, it always included Lee. I talked Dad into allowing me to accompany Laverne to Battle Creek, Michigan to see the boys. They were sure they were being sent over seas and we just had to see them once more. The war (World War II) was in full force and there was an urgency in our life. We felt the need to live each day at the fullest. We rode the bus and the boys had arranged for us to sleep at the visitor's center on base. We tried to spend every minute of that week-end together. I am sure that I realized how much I loved him after this week-end. We went back home wondering if we would ever see them again.

Lee and Lloyd managed to pass a test and get transferred to the Army Air Corps. In the month of March 1942, Lee came to see me. On the night of March 28th we were in the living room. Lee had never mentioned marriage except a few times he had asked me if I'd marry a staff sergeant. He was a corporal. I had visited him one day at Fort Knox where he was on assignment. His brother Gerald drove me down. I spent a few week-ends with him at his parents home. Our romance was mostly by mail and visits about every six weeks. As we sat there on the couch that night in front of the fireplace, he reached his hand into his pocket and said here--and gave me a diamond ring. Not a work about "will you marry me" just here. It was a beautiful ring and I was so thrilled to wear it. I kidded him later about forgetting to give me the magnifying glass but it was so dainty and I loved it.

Hazel Roberson and Joe Bye had gotten married and they invited Lee and I to spend a week-end with them. Hazel was sure it would help snare Lee for me, if we could see a happily married couple. This was on Easter Sunday week end and we went to sunrise service Easter Morning. It was this week end that we decided to get married on April 18th.

I had attended churches of almost all kinds and knew Lee was a Mormon. He told me the Joseph Smith story one night long before this April 18th. We were parked out by the barn at his home. I had attended the Free Methodist and Holiness mostly and couldn't believe that their shouting and going to the altar for saving and sanctifying was for me. Still when I heard this Mormon story, it was just a bunch of malarkey (hillbilly word for stuff). I was so confused and couldn't swallow it.

Lee and Wanda's wedding photo with 
Lloyd and Lavern on their right.

But since I didn't have anyone special to do the marriage ceremony, we went to the mission home in Louisville and arranged for a Mormon Elder to do it. It was to be at Dad's house on Saturday afternoon at 3:30. Lee was staying with Amzel and Russel and true to form I wasn't to see him on Saturday until the time of the wedding. I had bought a new suit. A pink silk dress, street length, with little blue bows printed on it. It has a navy blue princess-line coat, called a riding-cote. I wore navy slippers and a pink straw hat with a navy bow. I don't know why I didn't consider a white dress. Probably the expense for something I would wear once. I needed something that I could get lots of wear out of and I wore this outfit for several years and always felt well dressed in it. Lee wore a blue pin stripe suit.

We had asked Lloyd and Laverne to stand up for us in the ceremony. Now, Hazel, my cousin, had been my best friend for years, but Laverne was so much more involved in my present life. When Hazel came over that day I felt so terrible about not asking her to be a brides maid that I asked her to stand in too. Since she was alone, my brother Norman walked in with her. We rented two large candelabra and that was the decoration. I wore a gardenia corsage, my favorite flower. The ceremony was short. I had wanted Darlene Roberson Tellman to sing, but there was no piano so I bought a record of Bing Crosby singing, "I Love you Truly". We walked into the living room as it played.

My first glimpse of Lee was minutes before the ceremony when he came to my bedroom door. He was so white and nervous I couldn't believe it. When I was putting on my make-up I noticed the big clock ticking and I thought it was ticking my life away too fast. An unsure feeling came over me and I hid the clock in the closet so I couldn't hear it tick.

I know my father cried that morning. He always cried when his children were getting married. I had insisted that Lee ask for his permission and when he did Dad's answer was, "Do you want her tagging around after you all you life?" To me Dad had said, "You know he is going off to war, don't you come back here wagging a baby." We knew that Lee would be leaving but we wanted as much time being together as we could get before he went to war.

Lee was the only boy that I ever dated that Dad accepted graciously. I could go any place, stay out all hours and he didn't seem to mind. I resented this at the time and it made me so mad I thought about quitting Lee. Years later I was so happy that my father thought so much of him.

Wanda and Lee After the Wedding

We four, Lee and I, Lloyd and Laverne left right after the wedding. We tried to give the elder some money for performing the ceremony but he refused. This was very unbelievable to me at that time. We went down to a photographer studio and had pictures made, but none of just Lee and I. We four were in all of them. That shows how close we were to each other. They even went on our honeymoon with us. We drove to Paoli, Indiana and ate dinner at a little restaurant. We ate veal cutlets. Then Lloyd drove us up to Bloomington where we spent the night. After noon the next day we drove back to Lee's parent to visit and then on to Louisville to our first home, an apartment on Tyler Blvd. Lee was on leave from the army and since he was only drawing $28 a month, he got a job at Belknaps cutting and binding carpets. We had one large room for sleeping and living, a tiny kitchen and a shared bath in the hall. I had a wringer type washer so could do our laundry. It was great fun shopping and cooking for us. We took long walks in the evening and went to shows. We only lived here a few weeks.

Third Installment:  The Wandering Life of a War Bride

The Childhood of Wanda Roberson Reasor

The Childhood of 
Wanda Roberson Reasor

Wanda Myrl ROBERSON REASOR (1921-2012)

I was born July 30, 1921 to Reuben Russell Roberson and Edna Lula Seaton. I was the fourth child in a family of nine children. Dad grew watermelons this year and he tells me that he fed me watermelon juice at age of three days. We lived in a four room house at Pleasant Hill, a farm community about five miles from English, Indiana. Dad had planted an apple orchard which never did bear fruit. We never did know why but it must have been a great disappointment for him. He had cleared the land of persimmon and sassafras trees but not the wild blackberry bushes had taken over. My family was probably classed as poor folks. We never had much money but I can't remember ever going hungry. Dad worked for the State Highway Department as a good democrat and then we had our garden, milk, fruit and wild berries and nuts. Hickory, hazel and black walnuts all were plentiful. Grandfather Fielding Roberson lived with us and I can remember standing on the rockers of his chair as he rocked. I must have had a deep love for him which was returned. He went to visit his son, Alva and while there fell and broke his hip which led to complications. He died soon from acute nephritis when I was only three years old. One of my uncles came by in a wagon and took me to see Grandpa before he died. I can still remember the wet kiss he gave me. I think these are my earliest recollections. Grandma Seaton also lived with us before she died. My only remembrance of her is when I fell on the stove and burned my hand. She wrapped it for me.

Chester, Marie, Norman, Amzel in back and Wanda at age 2.  

Grandpa Fielding Roberson's home in background. 

Uncle Irvin Roberson and Aunt Lottie lived in Grandpa's old house which stodd where Hubert Roberson now lives. Their children Hazel and Ray were our closest friends. Hazel and I were always running away to the woods to play in the little streams. Mom often came after us and switched us all the way home. On one of these outings I left my new black paten shoes and when they were found, after a big rain, they were ruined. Hazel and I were sawing with Dad's cross cut saw while Norman (my brother) held the stick. The saw slipped and all but severed his forefinger. Hazel ran home and I got tanned good. Seems she was always getting me into trouble, still I loved her dearly. Norman and Howard were born here. I can remember Howard's birth. While he was still a baby we packed up in a small truck, had a sale, and started our journey,

I was almost five years old when Dad decided, almost overnight, that we were going to Great Fall, Montana, or rather to a ranch between Dutton and Power, Montana. We were going to live with my Uncle Grover Roberson and work in the wheat harvest. Eight of us, Mom, Dad, six children and another man made the trip. We traveled in a Model A Ford truck with the truck bed build for we children to ride in. Mom usually rode in the back with the children while Chester rode up front with Dad and the man. There are only a few things that I really recall about this trip. These include my first taste of canned pork and beans and store bought apple butter. The trip was in the fall and we were trying to beat the bad weather. However, it does seem like we still had cold and rain. The roads weren't paved and I still have an embedded fear of winding mountain roads. They were so narrow with drop-offs that seemed to me to never end. We walked up many hills with the bigger ones pushing the truck. I remember one morning waking up in the tent where we slept and they were all gone pushing the truck up another hill. They were to come back to get us later but I thought for sure they had forsaken we small children. Uncle Grover had homesteaded a section or two of land when he went west to teach school and had become very successful. He was very tall and handsome with a gold tooth in front and a big wide Roberson smile.

Grover told us of his first day at school when he took over a room full of teen age boys who had run several teachers away. He took a big buggy whip and dared them to do anything. He never had trouble teaching that year. He must have had mixed emotions about our entry into his life. He was a bachelor and I'm sure we must have been a terrible intrusion. Mom took over as cook. I remember her baking bread in huge pans that held four to six loaves side by side. We

had dried prunes for our only fruit in the winter. We had contests to see who could eat the most prunes. One morning I was so happy--I had had a loose tooth for some time and was sure it had fallen out, however, it was only covered with a piece of prune skin. Dad pulled our teeth regularly. We would all line up and he would pull the loose and nearly loose teeth. This was as bad as everyone getting a whipping for something that no one would own up to.

Edna with four of her 9 children.

  Marie, [Norman], Wanda, [Howard.]

I started school here in Montana. My first teacher was Mrs. Jennie Henn. Marie was in the third grade and Mrs. Henn put her back in the first grade with me. Marie had had pneumonia for three years so probably had missed so much school that she hadn't progressed as she should. Also, I think there was no other third graders.

Wanda in the 2nd Grade second from right mark above head.

That winter we were caught in our first blizzard, Dad came after us early in the afternoon because we had gone to school without coats. It started out as a warm winter day. The blizzard came up so fast that we got stuck on the way home. It was snowing so hard that when Dad would back the car up to get another run the snow would fill up his tracks. We left the car to walk back to the nearest neighbor which was about one half mile. Dad carried me but I still got both hands frozen. They thawed them out with snow and in a few days all the skin peeled off. Dad left us with the neighbor and walked home. he didn't want Mom to worry and do the chores. It was a miracle that he made it home by following the fence.

There were lakes between our house and the school which froze over and Dad would make a short cut by driving across them. One day I fell out of the truck and went sliding across the ice but didn't get hurt. Mrs. Henn had us all make Easter nests our of grass found around the school house and every morning for about a week before Ester we would find a candy Easter egg in our nest. I'm sure this is where our family tradition originated. We moved to Great Falls and lived in a motel. We used one room for living quarters where Mom and Dad slept and we kids slept in the other room. I remember getting up and running barefoot through snow to get down to the warm room. Dad built us a house on second avenue across the road from the motel. Our little brother was born while we lived here. He only lived three days and this was my first real grief.

Wanda, [Howard, Norman,] Marie standing in front of parents Edna Lula Seaton and Reuben R. Roberson. A canvas covers the door to keep the wind from blowing inside. 

One day at school I was standing in line waiting for the bus to take us home and just as the bus arrived, an Indian boy Jimmie Billadeaux came running and shoving and pushed me under the bus. Both front and rear wheels ran over my legs between the knees and ankles. The snow on the ground kept them from breaking. I was quite the important one for a time. A girl gave me a beautiful China doll--my first. My teacher for third grade was Myrl Cody and here is where I got the idea to spell my middle name. No one seemed to to know how it was supposed to be spelled. My first lesson in, "Thou shalt not steal," was learned here. All the kids had money for penny candy and I found where Mom and Dad kept some change in a pocket so i helped myself. Several times I did and kept taking more until I had to own up to stealing. I got a good talking to and I am sure a spanking. I'm sure that as poor as were were every penny was missed. Dad sold our house after a short time and we moved into a tent on Second Avenue South while he dug a basement for a new house. We moved into the basement and never did finish the house. Our basement was curtained off with yards of white material with tiny red boats printed on it. Mom and Dad's bed hung from the ceiling on chains. Here we went to 4H club and I saw my first ventriloquist. We got a nice Holstein cow to produce 5 gallons of milk a day. She kept running away to join the steers that still ran loose on the prairie. I was scared of the steers. We would get a treat once in a while at the root beer stand. It was in the shape of a barrel and the waitresses wore orange and brown uniforms. I think we must have always been a little hungry or maybe things tasted better then than they do now. Rattle snakes were everywhere and occasionally we had sand storms. Dad got a nail in his hand and was sick with blood poisoning for several days. My boy friend was Billy Madison who had a cousin Leroy Johnson. Their fathers ran Johnson Madison Lumber Company in Great Falls. My first remembered embarrassment was Billy seeing my black garters. All the other girls wore supporters which were fastened to loops on their undershirts. I longed for supporters. We wore long cotton socks and some were too short, or my legs were too long. One night we came home from school and were told we were going back to Indiana the next morning. We just left all our stuff except Mom's sewing machine. She had it shipped. We stayed in better motel and some farm homes. Dad was a great personality and would talk people into keeping us for the night. The roads were better and our trip was fun even though we were more crowded because we were larger. We would all lean together and get the car swaying around corners until Dad really laid it on us. Back in Crawford County, Indiana we started living in rented houses. First, we lived in one of Alice Roberson's homes close to Grantsburg. We walked to school at Grantsburg. Joe was born here. Our teacher was Helen Reaor. We were all in the same room at school. Then we moved to a house at the top of Needmore Hill near English. It had three rooms and we went to school in English. Our old house became vacant,the one that I was born in, and we moved back to it. We had to walk two miles to the school bus. Lots of times we carried our shoes to the gravel road, washed our feet in the creek and put our shoes back on. I guess I was getting older and more dreamy. I loved our walk through the woods. Junior Longest carried my books and later my trombone. I took advantage of his mooney eyed love for me.

Wanda in the 8th grade

My first love happened during the eighth grade. I was tall, skinny, and homely as sin. I had started wearing horned rim glasses in the 7th grade and found out how near sighted I was and what the world really looked like. I would wear a pair until they broke and then after weeks or even months of not having any, Dad would take me to Louisville to get new ones. These were special occasions for me to be alone with Dad on the train trip. We would stay for a couple of days. he would get me a couple of new dresses and treat me to a lot of little things that we never had at home. Anyway Earl Cox, a tall dark haired boy with a Roman nose came into my life and for at least two years was constantly in my thoughts. I'd spend the nights with Ester Smith and we would go to night school at Jerico and Earl walked me home. That was the nearest I ever came to dating him. I mean just the sight of him was enough to speed up my heart beat. We wrote love notes which I wore in my shoe to keep the teacher from finding them. I kept them until I got married and then destroyed them.

cousin Hazel and Wanda

(Marguerite Hazel Roberson daughter of Irvin Ember Roberson and Lottie Merry)

I didn't get involved in extracurricular activities much at school because we lived so far away. Mom and Dad went to town on Saturday but we girls did the cleaning and laundry on Saturday. Saturday night was when the kids went to town but we could not go. So since Earl and I couldn't get together our affair slowly wore off. One Saturday night Earl and Dale Cummins and Oscar Teverbaugh came to our house. My cousin, Hazel was there and they wanted us to go to the show. We went in to ask Dad but he had gone to bed purposely and wouldn't answer. So we made arrangements to sneak out after everyone was asleep. This we did and just went and sat in the car with them. I don't think I said a dozen words. I was thrilled to just sit near him. It must have been a boring night. I think he kissed me good-by that night, only at the time I didn't know that it was goodbye. As far as I know we didn't get caught. I never tried it again because it was too scary.

Wanda Myrl ROBERSON 

We walked to town at noon from school, just to walk back with the boys. I even played hooky a couple of times and nearly got caught by Dad. I played 1st trombone in high school band and orchestra. I graduated in 1939, with a class ring and attendance at the prom. Everyone went to the prom since a date was not required. The prom was mostly a big dinner. I won a scholarship to Indiana University but with no encouragement at home I didn't take it. Instead I went to beauty college at Kentucky Beauty College in Louisville. I graduated in three months and went to my first job in Madison, Indiana. I earned $10 a week with room and board. We slept in a third floor room above the shop. 

left: Mary, Joe, Howard, Norman, Marie, Chester, Amzel with mom Edna Lula SEATON (1894-1961) and dad Reuben Russell ROBERSON (1893-1959). Wanda is not pictured. 

Next Installment:  Courtship and Marriage of Wanda Roberson & Lee Reasor

Ensign Family Kettle

Contributed By Donise Price · 20 January 2014 · 

Tale of the Ensigns’ Kettle

This black kettle would have many a story to tell if it could, because it swung beneath the wagon of the Ensigns’ as they made their way across the plains from Nauvoo to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. It belonged to Horace Datus and Mary Bronson Ensign. They acquired it as they made preparations to join the Saints of 1844. The kettle was used extensively in the making of soups, stews, buffalo roasts, baking biscuits and sour dough bread. No doubt this kettle played a big part on their journey as they circled their wagons for the night and prepared their food over the camp fires. This kettle, among other relics, was kept in the family by their son, Luman Ashley Ensign. It’s next home was in Luman’s daughter’s, Mary Emma Ensign. She married Joseph Mahonri Cahoon. The kettle then found a home in Miriam Cahoon’s home, their daughter. From there it was given to their son and daughter, Gordon and Ilene Pyper, children of Marian Cahoon Pyper. Later Ilene gave complete rights to her brother, Gordon. After a time it became excess and he sold it to a friend, Robert Sheldon for $20.00. Robert Sheldon was the ward custodian in Parley’s 3rd Ward, Parley’s Stake. I was living in that same ward, and knowing I was an Ensign, and knowing it was an heirloom, wanted to know if I would like to buy it. Mother and especially Dad, were very excited about acquiring it. They suggested I pay $20.00 or more if it became necessary. The deal of $20.00 was made, and now this Ensign pioneer cast iron kettle is back in the Ensign family where it belongs. I received it 134 years after it entered the Valley. Patricia Ensign Richards.