all are safely gathered in

The Sad Story of Aunt Jennie's Death

2012-02-11T14:00:00.005-07:00

Ida Jane "Jennie" Kimball was second daughter of William and Sarah Kimball, and the sister of Martha Amanda Kimball Wisemiller, who was Louis Butler's great-grandmother. She was known to the Butler family as Aunt Jennie, and as evidenced as some family pictures I have, enjoyed a close relationship with her nieces and nephews including Jesse Butler, Lou's father.

This past week with the help of one of Lou's cousins I've not yet met, I've discovered a very interesting, yet very sad story about Aunt Jennie's death. Family stories told of Jennie's last husband poisoning her, but until this week we had no proof of that happening. But now we know the rest of the story.

Aunt Jennie Kimball Matheson with Butler nieces
Susie Belle - Beulah Alice - Ida Amanda
circa 1913

Does this look like an authentic suicide note?

             Aug. 9, 15
Dear Artle
   I Will son be
   go on I Cant stand this pain
   dont worry you
   Will be better of
   good by Dear
            Jennie
   I Cant get wel
   god will for give me

Or how about this one?

you are not to blame for anything I took it all alone.

Those notes were evidence produced by the grieving husband of our relative, Ida Jane "Jennie" Kimbell McCormick, when he was put on trial for her death. Jennie had been in poor health since shortly after their marriage (her third marriage) in June of 1914, and Arthur had hired a nurse and consulted a physician in an attempt to diagnose her mysterious illness. However, his efforts were to no avail and she died leaving an estate of $100,000. The initial coroner's report determined that "she came to her death while seated at dinner August 9 from strychnine poison taken with suicidal intent." (article from Grand Rapids Press, 17 August 1915).

Jennie was buried in her family plot in White Cloud, Michigan, but concerns about her mysterious death were not buried with her. Public opinion demanded that another inquest be held after the "women of Ladysmith, Wisconsin" shared their interpretation of the tragedy - which included their impressions of Arthur as a smooth talking, suave rascal who seemed to be very interested in Jennie's money.

During this investigation, Arthur (or Astor) McCormick claimed that Jennie had appeared to him on after her death and instructed him where to find her suicide note that would surely exonerate him. He appeared at the district attorney's office with the first one, and when that didn't seem to be convincing enough, Jennie conveniently came to Arthur in a "vision" in the middle of the hearing telling him of the second note under the rug in her bedroom.

However, after convincing testimony from a handwriting expert, John Tyrrell, Jennie's notes were found to be phony and Mr. McCormick was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, having killed his wife by poisoning.

To read the article that brought all this to light, click here.

Merry Christmas - 1939

2011-12-25T09:18:00.001-07:00

To a young and starry eyed 14 year old Leona, Lou's Christmas gift of a cameo bracelet was thrilling.

But even more exciting was the accompanying card which gave her real status as his "girlfriend."

70 years of Christmas memories

. . . so many wonderful memories

2011-12-19T15:16:00.002-07:00

A request to the Davis grandchildren for Christmas memories brought several responses. These are from Alice Bell Higgs.

I have so many wonderful memories of Grandma and Grandpa Davis I hardly know where to start.


Early style Cracker Jack box

One Christmas I remember we went to Haswell and to the ranch and Grandma Davis had made a bushel basket of Cracker Jacks. I have tried to make some for my kids and I end up with a whole bunch of very soggy popcorn not even the birds would eat!

She also had saved a lot of spools and made whistles for all of us.

I've never been able to make those either.

One time she was making taffy for us to help pull, and Hubert was just tall enough to reach up and put his fingers into that hot candy. Grandma grabbed him up and sent one of the boys to the shop for a small can of kerosene. She sat and rocked that baby with his fingers in that kerosene until he went to sleep. Grandma always knew what to do. I guess when you raise 14 kids you have to! I don't remember if we made the taffy.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-16T20:38:00.002-07:00

. . . for some great memories!

Christmas 1977

Leona - Lou

Jim - Don - Tom

Leona - Lou

(Lou and his family must have been home in Utah)

Lynn - Tesi - Carol

Leona - Lou

Butler Grandchildren

Beth (niece) -Kristie - Kari - Emily - Tommy - Chuckie

Nathan - Jamie - Jeremy

Enjoy the Christmas Season!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

In December of 1958 we decided that we would get a permit and go to the mountains to get our own Christmas tree like we had read in so many stories about people doing. We would have sloppy-joes to eat (because we could take it up and keep it hot) and hot chocolate and wouldn’t need to have a fire.

Five men on a mission!
Lou, Jr - Don - Tom - Jim - Lou, Sr
blurry picture, but it documents the infamous day

We had our tree hunting expedition in the mountains near San Isabel, above Rye, Colorado. It was a cool, crisp day with snow on the ground and a lot of sunshine. It was a great day for a Christmas tree hunting party!

Leona has always been very particular about her Christmas tree. It had to be of excellent shape with well filled out limbs in the right places, etc. So as soon as we got out of the car, the four boys went in four directions - each going to find the perfect tree that would suit Mom. As they each would find one, they would call for her to come see it. Since they didn’t stay together, she was having to run all over the mountainside to inspect the finds of each boy.

Naturally the boys never found the same tree, nor were their trees together, so she had a long walk between them. They were not finding very good trees that were satisfactory to her. As time went by, and after many trips across the little valley between the two ridges that the boys were on, she became less critical and finally said, “Just take any one; I’m tired!” Jim and Don carried a tree in from the forest, and we tied it on top of our station wagon. Leona got the lunch ready for us; we were all starving.

Christmas tree lunch
Jim - Don (front)
Lou, Jr - Tom - Leona (back

We had a good time, and the tree was satisfactory, but for some reason we never went back to the mountains for another Christmas tree!

Same old story

2011-12-06T14:55:00.002-07:00

You've probably realized by now that present life sometimes gets in the way of preserving the past - and I've reached one of those sometimes this week. As a result, I'm taking a Christmas break from blogging and will be back in 2012 with more stories, pictures and memories to share.

For the remainder of this month, I'll re-post some memories from previous Decembers. Because really, our memories just get better with time!

Enjoying Junior High

2011-11-29T20:14:00.003-07:00

The Carpenter family moved to Pueblo, Colorado where Leona finished her years in elementary school and received this certificate of completion on 2 June 1939.

Certificate issued 2 June 1939

She was in the 8th grade in 1938-39

and the 9th grade in 1939.

She obviously took part in Western Days at Risley Junior High!

Leona Carpenter - 2nd row, far left

I love this picture of Leona and her dad.


Leona with her father, Ream Carpenter 14 years old - 1939

Elementary School Days

2011-11-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Although she was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Leona's family moved to and from Colorado several times during her elementary school years, as her father followed work.

In March, 1934 while living in Cañon City, Colorado, Leona was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder Arthur Chapman, a missionary from Heber City, Utah.

Elder Arthur Chapman

She spent some of her early school years at Washington Elementary School in Cañon City.

E. Leona Carpenter - front row, center
Fifth grade

She looks a little older in this picture - probably 6th grade.

Leona Carpenter - middle row, 3rd from right

Leona was obviously a good student in Edna Wheeler's 6th grade class, as evidenced by this report card. Not only did she have straight A's, but Mrs. Wheeler consistently gave her check marks for "Excellent attitude and progress". A model student!

6th grade report card - Washington School

1937 - 11 years old

November 17, 1943

2011-11-17T09:55:00.005-07:00

68 years ago a young girl boarded a war time train filled with troops in Pueblo, Colorado and rode to Seattle, Washington to meet her own special soldier. Because Lou was only 20 and Leona was still 17, she carried with her letters of permission from both of their mothers, just in case they got married before they reached the legal age.

A few days after Leona's arrival in Seattle - and 3 days after her 18th birthday so she didn't have to use her letter of permission, they were married and began their long and happy life together.

Leona - Lou
November 17, 1943

Happy Anniversary!

You can read Lou's account of the wedding here

and Leona's side of the story here.

The Birthday Girl

2011-11-14T05:30:00.005-07:00

Birthday Celebration - 1996

A rare photo of the Carpenter women together
Pinkie - Tootie - Leona

Happy Birthday to You!

To read the post about Leona's birth, click here

Military Service Remembered

2011-11-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

Radio School Graduate - 1st tour of duty
2 August 1943

Leaving the family behind - 2nd tour of duty
18 August 1950

For the years you served

and the sacrifices you made

- a Veteran's Day thank you.

To read about Lou's military service, click the military service

link in the labels column to the right

Little girl Leona

2011-11-08T06:47:00.013-07:00

In my process of sorting and processing pictures of Leona's family, I've discovered a few more photos of her early years. I hope that before too long, I will have some narrative to accompany these pictures, but for now, enjoy this cute little girl!

* * * * * * *

I've posted this picture before, but I wanted to include it again in this series of posts. The other woman is Florence Carpenter, wife of Ream's brother Ralph, with her daughters Mae, Maxine and Betty. I love this picture of Tootie as a very attractive young mother, just 17 years old.

Baby Leona and her mother, Lorene Carpenter (back left)
early 1926

This picture of Leona and her younger sister, Charlotte, needs a professional restoration, but if I wait to post this until that's done, we may never enjoy it!

Charlotte, about 6 months old - Leona, 3 years old

Leona's grandmother, Mary Parker Carpenter, died when Leona's father, Ream, was 16 years old. Ream's oldest sister, Effie, who was 12 years his senior, took over the mothering duties - especially after Ream married and had children. She adored her two little nieces and happily took the role of doting grandmother in Grandma Mary's absence.

"I and 2 dolls"
Leona - Aunt Effie - Charlotte
about 1930

Remember this post about the family resemblance?

Leona, about 7 - Lorene, about 24
circa 1932

People will not look forward to posterity

who never look backward to their ancestors

- Edmund Burke

All dressed up

2011-10-31T17:17:00.002-06:00

It wasn't Halloween, but Leona dressed up for the

senior class "Kids' Day"

Centennial High School

May, 1943

Leona in front of the high school

Her sidekick was Lou's younger brother Chuck, who was the same age.

Leona - Chuck

Happy Halloween!

Dell Holland, missionary

2011-10-28T07:43:00.001-06:00

In April, 1997, Lou received a letter from Dell Holland, then 92 years old, the missionary who had married Florence and Evan Callaway. In the letter he recounted the excitement of that wedding day.

Wanda - Dell Holland in 1992

". . . later in the fall Florence asked me if I would perform the marriage ceremony for her and her fiance. I told her I would be happy to. Florence went out to her folks place a week early to prepare, and we accompanied the groom and best man in a 1925 Pontiac - what was then a sedan with wooden bows over the top covered with plastic leather and plastic glass windows. There was no hard surfaced roads or seat belts. Ha! It was beet harvest time and deep ruts in the road. About half way, the groom pointed to the clock in the rear vision mirror and said, 45 minutes (45 miles). We would be there by 1 p.m. Scarcely saying that, and we and the car was leaning against a light pole, the car top was flattened out and we were on the ground. The only body physical damage was a slight scratch on my wrist. The groom caught a ride back about a mile and obtained another car identical to it and rolled on to a hysterical family about 2 hours late.

"The next day en route home, your dad [Jesse Butler], in viewing the wrecked car, stated that there was no doubt that God with his protecting arms was wrapped around the occupants of that car and that there was a man of God in the car. I was told that he soon joined the Church and was placed in the Branch as clerk."

The Wedding Crasher

2011-10-25T11:59:00.050-06:00

I know this post and the next one aren't about Leona, but since today is the 81st anniversary of this wedding story, I'm posting it now.

Florence Davis Callaway was a younger sister to Mable Davis Butler, Lou's mother. Lou had a copy of Florence's personal history, and I've shared her account of sheep shearing previously. Florence's history is an entertaining read, and includes the following memory that is too good to leave unpublished! We pick up the story after Evan and Florence were engaged, and Florence had returned to her family's ranch to make final preparations for their wedding on October 25, 1930.

Mary Florence Davis and Evan Callaway

Time flew by, and I wanted to spend a week at home with Mother and Dad. Elma, my good friend, and now my sister in law, and her sister helped me plan the wedding, which I wanted at home. They were so good to plan with. Minnie made angel food cakes for the dinner, and Elma, Mother and I planned the dinner. We planned to have the wedding at 11:30 as the Callaway family planned to come at 11:00 a.m. They did, but the groom and his party did not arrive. Time passed and everyone became worried, me included. The boys began to tease me that the groom stood me up. The folks assured us that they left soon after they did. We waited, and at 12:00 we knew something had happened. No phone, no way to get in touch with them, but to wait. Sometime after that, as everyone was watching the hill where they would show, someone said, “Here they come!” As the car came close enough to recognize, I said, “That is not Tag’s car!” My brothers, Johnnie and Richard, grabbed me and shut me up in the garage, for they said the groom should never see the bride before the wedding. I was FIT TO BE TIED and Mother or Elma let me out. When they arrived they were really tozzled up, but looked good to me. We learned they had an accident just out of Ordway. It seemed they had a terrible rain and the roads were so cut up with beet haulers, that Evan got in their ruts, lost control of the car, and it rolled over twice and hit a telephone post. The Elders were thrown clear, but the back seat landed on Zelna. Elder Holland’s arm was cut, but not too badly. They were all shaken up. They had been able to right the car and have it pulled into Ordway and rented a car and came on in.

Not exactly a promising start!

Mother decided to have the dinner first as it was past ready and all would be better to get settled. They said if they hadn’t had the preacher along they wouldn’t have been so lucky. I was so upset; I hardly remember much about the dinner except Dad Callaway asked Elder Holland how tight he tied the wedding knot. Elder Holland said, “I only tie the strings and it is up to them how tight they pull the strings.” That was a very good answer. I don’t remember now who was at the dinner or wedding, but it was a big dinner and a house full.

We had rented a little house off Fourth Street on Fountain, and we were real happy to be let out. Tired, Evan sleepy because he had to work double days to get two days off. We had put all our things we got at the shower and moved everything we had before I left for the ranch. Well, everything was not as we had thought! Zelna and Alta had gotten in and mixed things up just a bit to let us know someone had been there, and sewed up my gown and his pajamas, but good. Well, I got mine unsewed, but he got disgusted and said he didn’t need them anyway. We soon crawled into bed.

The next morning he had to rent a truck to pull the car back to Pueblo. So he and Tag went after the car. They were real late getting back as they had to make arrangements to have it repaired, and as you may guess, we started in debt. Well, that’s another story.

Happy 81st Anniversary,

Aunt Florence and Uncle Evan!

It's a Girl!

2011-10-21T06:57:00.004-06:00

The first daughter of Etta Lorene (Tootie) Boling and Ream Everett Carpenter, Eleanor Leona was born on November 14, 1925 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Eleanor Leona Carpenter

She was a tiny baby and weighed only weighed three and a quarter pounds at birth. As typical for that era, Leona was born at home, but there was a doctor and a nurse or midwife in attendance. The doctor (surely joking) said, "Do you think it's worth keeping?" Grandma Tootie said she was furious with him since she had just gone to a lot of work to have that baby!

Leona - mid 1926

Do you see some family resemblance?
Do you or your children look like this chubby cheeked baby girl?

At the time of Leona's birth, her parents Lorene and Ream, along with Ream's sister Effie, were investigating The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and meeting regularly with the missionaries. One of the missionary sisters was Eleanor Bills, and Leona was named for her.


Bessie Williams - Eleanor Bills

The picture back

The back of the picture reads: (in Effie's handwriting) "the first missionary girls I ever met. Sr. Bessie Williams and Sr Eleanor Bills". Both good as gold"

And in Ream's handwriting below: "Leona, you were named after Sis. Eleanor Bills, the one on the right."

The Other Half

2011-10-18T10:08:00.003-06:00

How do you tell a story without featuring one of the main characters?

It's impossible!

Louis Edward and Eleanor Leona (Carpenter) Butler
51 years of marriage - 1994

In the process of sharing Lou's history, I have known that his story wouldn't be complete without recounting the story of his other half - his wife, Leona. Married almost 62 years, their life together was a great blend of two distinct individuals who lived and loved life hand in hand. So in the coming posts, I'm excited to share pictures and stories from Leona's life and weave them together with Lou's so we get the whole story.

I think I know where I'm going. Stay tuned!

61 years ago . . .

2011-10-14T05:21:00.001-06:00

. . . these pictures were sent to a serviceman daddy in Alaska.

Don - Tom

Jim - Lou, Jr.

Bicycle built for two
Don - Tom

Lou - Jim - Tom - Don

Those cute boys (and their brave mother) survived the separation,

but they were sure happy to see their daddy come home again.

First Church Building - revisited

2011-10-11T04:27:00.005-06:00

Remember this post about the LDS Church buildings in Pueblo, Colorado?

The first LDS Church building in Pueblo, Colorado - circa 1908

My recent wanderings have unearthed this picture of that same building, taken about 1929. The women's hats, the shape of the glasses, and the little girls' haircuts all contribute to what I consider a classy historic photo. I love it!

With Leona's help, I've identified the following:

Mable Davis Butler (Lou's mother) in the 3rd row from the back - light colored hat and holding a young child, probably Eldon, close to her face
Florence Davis Callaway (Mable's sister) standing right next to Mable to the left
Louis Butler - kneeling in front row, 4th from right, holding a flower in front of his face
Chuck Butler - maybe kneeling in the front next to Louis

Do you recognize anybody else?

Hegler Pool Update

2011-10-07T07:03:00.000-06:00

In the process of going through more notebooks, Leona came across a picture and another account of Hegler's swimming pool which I posted about a couple of years ago. I've updated the post (purple text) and added a little more information.

Click this link and check it out. You've probably forgotten what it said, anyway, so it'll seem like a new post!

Cowboy Up!

2011-10-04T08:30:00.000-06:00

How cute are these little cowboys?

Jim and Lou, Jr. - early 1950s

"I sure hope I was good to you"

2011-09-30T16:06:00.000-06:00

Lou became the principal of Parkview School in Pueblo in 1960. On the first day that he met with the teachers, he talked with Dorothy Ritchey who had been his 3rd grade teacher in 1931-32. As they chatted, Mrs. Ritchey said to him as her new boss, "I sure hope I was good to you!"

Lou wrote about her: "She was one of my most remembered teachers and still one of the best liked teachers on the staff, so all went well. After she retired, we continued to exchange Christmas cards until I received a card from her husband informing me that she had passed away."

And do you realize that those little third graders pictured

above are now close to 50 years old!

Getting my bearings

2011-09-30T08:07:00.004-06:00

Could you think in the middle of this mess?

I've got a lot of names, dates, places and events rattling around in my head and all over my desk. While I regroup and figure out the next direction I want to follow, I'll be posting some random pictures, stories, and memories. Don't be looking for continuity or predictability over the next few weeks, or you'll be sorely disappointed. Just enjoy these snippets of history and glimpses into the Butler family history, because sometimes memories just can't be categorized!

Now, how are we related?

2011-09-27T04:54:00.026-06:00

I'm My Own Grandpa

by Dwight Latham and Moe Jaffe

Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,

I got married to a widow who was pretty as could be.

This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red.

My father fell in love with her, and soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life.

My daughter was my mother, for she was my father's wife.

To complicate the matters worse, although it brought me joy,

I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad.

And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother

to the widow's grown-up daughter who, of course, was my stepmother.

Father's wife then had son who kept them on the run.

And he became my grandson, for he was my daughter's son.

My wife is now my mother's mother and it makes me blue.

Because, although she is my wife, she is my grandma too.

If my wife is my grandmother, then I am her grandchild.

And every time I think of it it simply drives me wild.

For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw.

As the husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.

Scout Master's Heaven

2011-09-23T08:47:00.006-06:00

Chuck with his Boy Scouts - circa 1970's

Scout Master's Heaven
by Charles Lee Butler

St. Peter stood there at the Pearly Gate

Determining each of the applicant's fate.

When up the path came a quiet man

With a thoughtful look and a suit of tan.

"Come in, come in," St. Peter cried,

"Nothing to you will be denied.

"Your life below we've watched with joy

"As you spent your time with each new boy."

"We've watched you work with real delight

"As you camped beneath our stars at night.

"So here's your harp; it's our golden best,

"And there's your cloud, so take your rest."

Now the Scout Master stood with a doubtful grin.

"I guess I'm not sure I want to come in.

"The cloud and the harp are pretty to see,

"But to ride and to play isn't heaven to me."

"Just give me the boy that was hit by a car,

"And the one who went out in the lake too far,

"The boy that was felled by an illness grave,

"And the one that was lost in the lonely cave."

"Give me the boys who were called back here

"Before they saw their first wild deer,

"Before they hiked on a mountain trail,

"Or found the nest of a hawk or quail."

"A harp and a cloud may be fine for some,

"A welcome rest for a job well done.

"But give me some boys who are just eleven,

"And for me, this will be a Scout Master's Heaven!"

Chuck's life was taken suddenly when he was killed in a car accident

on his way home from work on August 25, 1977.

This poem that he had written sometime earlier

was read at his funeral.

Scoutmaster Chuck

2011-09-20T08:03:00.006-06:00

Charles Lee Butler - serious Scouter

The Boy Scout program was one of Chuck's great loves. Together with Lou, he was involved with his sons and nephews and helped each one of those boys achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

In 1964 he served as Scoutmaster of Jamboree Troop 52 and attended the Boy Scout National Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania where there were more than 50,000 Boy Scouts and leaders in attendance. He took his sons, Steve and Gary, and nephew, Don, and had a great adventure.

He began whittling while attending Boy Scout camp as a leader, and through the years taught countless young boys how to carve.

Pueblo Star-Journal April 27, 1967

He was the Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 12 in the Pueblo, Colorado Ward for 10-12 years.


Scoutmaster Chuck with his Koshare carving

In 1970 he was awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest honor that a local council can present.

What a great legacy of service.

Spare-time Sculptor

2011-09-16T06:47:00.002-06:00

In 1959 Chuck took a group of Boy Scouts to summer camp and sat in on a merit badge class on wood carving. He started "whittling" then and enjoyed carving as a life long hobby. His artistic ability really shows in the details of his carvings.

Article from Pueblo Star-Journal
June 3, 1965

Koshare - Indian Dancer

Collection of animals

Boy Scout

Mary and Joseph

Mary, the mother of Jesus

And my personal favorite is the letter "B" Uncle Chuck carved for the back of the rocking chair Don gave me for a wedding gift.

Rocking chair "B"

Wedding gift chair - 1973

[Don't] Keep your comments to yourself!

2011-09-13T12:05:00.014-06:00

Cute cousins - 1968
Cindy Butler (Delbert) - Beth Butler (Charles)

After journaling my comings and goings and plans to return to blogging in this post of August 7, I got a comment that has thrilled me beyond words. Some of you may have read the comment - if you're nosy like me, you often click to a comment to see what others are saying even if you don't want to add your own remark. But just in case you didn't click through, here is what has me so excited:

"I felt compelled to comment when you said nobody else may be reading.  I  am Delbert Butler's oldest grandson; I have a brother, sister, and one  female cousin on the Butler side.  I found your blog while Googling my  grandfather's name in an attempt to find out more about him.  What a  gold-mine of history and photos you have shared!  I deeply appreciate  it.  I had never seen my grandparents' wedding picture, nor many of the  photos of my grandfather in his youth, and of his parents and brothers.   I was able to flesh out my Ancestry.com tree using the family pedigrees  you made available, and I uploaded a few of your photos to my tree  (which I hope you don't mind.)  

"I saw my grandfather only once in  the last 3-5 years of his life, when I was a young teenager.  I saw him a  bit more in the late 80s and met Great-Grandma Mable one time at his  house.  Since we did not maintain contact with the Butler family, being  able to learn about them through this blog has been a real gift." 

Can you believe that?  Because of this comment, I was able to make contact with a branch of the family tree that we had lost track of.  We have corresponded several times, and I recently sent a number of Delbert's family pictures to Andy who is now sharing them his mom and her sisters - Delbert's daughters.  I feel like those pictures have finally made it home!

Isn't the internet wonderful?  I find it amazing that just a simple search for a name has created a new family connection and added leaves on the family tree.   

So, stand up and be counted!  If you're reading, feel free to add your thoughts.  What do you remember about any of the people or events that I've recorded here?  This history belongs to all of us, and I hope you'll add to it. 

Thanks for speaking up, Andy!

Chuck's marriage and family

2011-09-09T11:33:00.009-06:00

The sister of his classmate, Leona Carpenter (who was also his big brother's girlfriend), Charlotte Carpenter caught Chuck Butler's attention sometime in the early 1940's.

Charlotte "Pinkie" Carpenter - early 1940's

They went together through his high school years, and during the time he served in the Navy.

They both look a little young and shy about this "going together"!

A little older and more confident
(note the classic car they are leaning against)

I wish I knew what they were saying!
September, 1944 - in California during Chuck's leave

They obviously got it worked out!


A picture for her sailor - 1945

High School graduation - May 1946

After his discharge they were married in Pueblo, Colorado.

Wedding Day
30 August 1946

And became the parents of three children - shown in their senior pictures!

Charles Steven - born 1948

Gary Lee - born 1951

Beth Lorene - born 1965

Naval Service

2011-09-06T08:35:00.016-06:00

Chuck graduated from high school in 1943 and like his brother, Lou, he went right into the military serving in the Navy as a Radioman from November 1943 - May, 1946.


Chuck Butler (left) "on watch" March, 1946


A handsome young man in his Navy uniform

Also like Lou, Chuck left behind a girlfriend - who was also Leona's sister!

She told him goodbye.

Lorene Carpenter (Charlotte's mother) - Chuck Butler - Charlotte Carpenter

She sent him lots of letters and pictures.


Charlotte Carpenter - about 1944

She was glad to see him when she got a chance.


On leave in California - Fall, 1944

And he was a typical American serviceman.

(I think this picture looks like it belongs on the cover of Life magazine as a quintessential image of World War II)

undated, but probably early 1944

from the "kid bro", Chuck

Charles Lee Butler

2011-09-01T06:08:00.018-06:00

If you've been reading here for long, you know that Lou was the oldest of four sons of Jess and Mable Butler. Charles was the second son and was born 1 September 1925 in Pueblo, Colorado.

As with the other brothers, I don't have much written about Chuck, so these pictures will have to tell the story.

1928 - 3 years old
Don't you love the socks?

School pictures are serious business

Teenager

Chuck Shelhammer - Chuck Butler
unknown - Delbert Butler
Tommy Shelhammer
early 1940's

Mother and son
early 1940's

In the yard at the family home
1806 E 5th Street, Pueblo

High School - maybe his senior picture

August 25 marked the 34th anniversary of Chuck's death,

but today is the 86th anniversary of his birth, and that's a much happier day to celebrate!

See you in September. . .

2011-08-07T21:35:00.000-06:00

Reading microfilm (for the first time) in the basement of the library
in Ashland, Nebraska

I know I've been very AWOL from blog posting over the past months. It's not that I've abandoned genealogy or don't think it's important to continue to record the family history, but without even making a conscious decision, I seem to have transitioned to a research phase. And as I've said before, research doesn't make very good blog posts!

A lot of good things have been happening, but I haven't yet figured out how to turn some of them into blog posts. For example:

* took a great family history trip to Missouri.

* visited graves of ancestors we knew about, and discovered others with whom we weren't yet acquainted.

* learned how to obtain vital records from California, Nebraska, Indiana and California and Missouri.

* sent for and received the death certificate for Lydia/Eliza Ruth Winger and discovered she is buried in Missouri - not in California.

* sent for and received the death certificate for William G. Boling and learned his parents' names.

* bought a money order for the first time (at least the first time I remember) to send for aforementioned death certificates.

* requested information about the Winger family graves in Maitland, Missouri - and am still waiting for a response.

* sent email requests to various contacts made on ancestry.com and have received some information in return.

* realized that I have a lot to learn about using ancestry.com.

* filled in a number of blanks on family group sheets with information I've discovered.

* organized notebooks on the Carpenter/Boling side of the family.

But now I'm working on getting back in the blogging routine - because even if nobody else is reading, I love the process of putting the pieces together and "publishing" the family history. So with that in mind, I've chosen September as the target for my re-entry when I will return to my regular schedule of posting on Tuesday and Friday. I'm brainstorming, creating a list of future posts, and getting pictures and documents ready to share. So if you're interested, check back in a few weeks as we gather more of the family in.

. . . see you when the summer's through.

The Muddy Cemetery

2011-07-19T10:45:00.000-06:00

While on our family history trip through northern Missouri in May, we visited Pattonsburg - a very small community located just off Highway 35, kind of in the middle of nowhere! Our goal for this stop was to visit the Muddy Cemetery which is where James and Mary Carpenter were buried. I had located this little cemetery using mapquest, but we stopped in Pattonsburg to confirm that our directions were correct.

In spite of its small size, Pattonsburg prides itself on its genealogy society, "The Pattonsburg Tree Climbers." Our stop at that little store front on Main Street was rewarded with discovery of this brief notice in the Pattonsburg Call newspaper:

March 28, 1916

"James Carpenter, of St. Joseph who was a resident of this place along in the early 80's was a very pleasant caller at this office [newspaper office], Friday afternoon. His wife had died a day or two before and he brought her remains to Santa Rosa for burial."

It was exciting to see an ancestor's name noted in an old document, and to realize that he really had been in the area. In addition, the simple explanation "probably at Muddy" added in someone's handwriting at the end of the article confirmed that we were on the right track.

The locals we visited with at the genealogy society sent us on our way with directions to the cemetery which included instructions to follow the "Santa Rosa blacktop" which I finally figured out was the paved road that runs to Santa Rosa - a neighboring community that doesn't really exist anymore. A couple of dirt roads and several turns later brought us to the cemetery located right at the top of a hill.

And in the first row of graves, just left of the arch, we were delighted to find these stones:


Mary A. Parker Carpenter September 20, 1863 - March 21, 1916

James Buchanan Carpenter
1856 - 1941

We all felt a little sad to see that Grandpa Carpenter had such a plain and deteriorating stone marking his grave. I hope to find out how we can have a nicer headstone placed at his grave.

This little cemetery really was a jackpot for us, as we found many more family graves that we didn't even know we were looking for! Those discoveries will come in a future post.

James L. Boling

2011-06-19T11:50:00.004-06:00

James L. Boling
January 30, 1884 - March 11, 1942 

I've never  seen a picture of Leona's maternal grandfather, and information about his life is sparse, but the little bit of information in his obituary printed in the Ashland Gazette, March 18, 1942, gives us a look into his life.


Home of James Boling at the time of his death 1919 Boyd Street, Ashland, Nebraska

"What is believed to have been a cerebral hemorrhage caused the sudden death of James L. Boling at his home about 7:00 Wednesday night.

1918 Boyd Street
Home of S.E. Merford Family in 1942
 "Mr. Boling had returned from his work at the National Guard Camp and had been at the SE Merford home – 1918 Boyd Street to do a piece of work.  He started for his own home directly across the street and when he reached his yard was heard to utter a scream.  Mr. and Mrs. B.A. Greenslit heard his cry and helped him into his house where he lived about 10 minutes.

"James Leonard Boling was born at Seymour, Jackson, Indiana on January 29, 1876 and passed away at Ashland March 11, 1942 at the age of 66 years, 1 month, 10 days. Thirty-four years ago he was united in marriage with Ruth Winger. She passed away March 1, 1928. To their union 11 children were born – all of whom are living. They are Mrs. Lorene Carpenter, Mrs. Bernice Bergerman, Mrs. Velma Reed, Miss Lydia Ruth Boling and Donald Boling all of Pueblo, Colorado. Nelson, Merrill and Robert Boling of Ashland, Charles Boling of Los Angeles, CA, Billy Dean Boling of San Diego, California and Sergeant James Boling Jr. of Camp Roberts, California.

"Mr. James Boling and his family came to Ashland from Graham, MO in May 1936 and had made this their home since that time.  The family had resided some years at Valley and Freemont before going to Missouri.  Mr. Boling was an industrious man, well liked by all with whom he came  to during his residence of nearly 6 years in this city and will be  greatly missed by a wide circle of friends in addition to his family and  other relatives.

James Boling's grave just inside the gates of the 
Ashland Cemetery

James Boling
Final resting place
"Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, March 16 at the Mercy Chapel and was conducted by Bishop Bell and Elder Abbott of the Church of Latter-day Saints at Lincoln.  Pallbearers were Lewis R. Burley, Walter Buskirk, Elmer M. McFarland and Arthur Robinson and Jesse Roger and Virgil Shields.  Interment was in the Ashland cemetery.

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa Boling! 

The birth date on his headstone was a point of "discussion" between Toodie and her brother, two of James' children.  Because the brother was in Ashland and had the final say, the head stone reflects his opinion.  However, Toodie insisted he was born in 1884, and his Draft Record for WWI confirms that she was right!

James Boling's draft record which he would have 
completed in his own handwriting.
Signed 12 September 1918

Remembering

2011-06-01T21:51:00.000-06:00

Memorial Day

2011

Sunset Memorial Gardens

Greeley, Colorado

Mother and Daughter

2011-05-08T05:26:00.000-06:00


Leona with her mother, Etta Lorene Boling Carpenter circa 1932

Happy Mother's Day!

Looking for the pieces

2011-04-19T16:33:00.004-06:00

Pedigree Chart - Leona Carpenter Butler

Just because I haven't been posting, doesn't mean I haven't been gathering information. Lately I've been spending all of my available time researching the Carpenter and Winger/Boling lines. I've found these family names on many census records. I've found lots of death certificates, but not so many birth records. But unfortunately, I haven't hit any more picture jackpots like this one. And although I find it very fascinating, research doesn't make very interesting blog posts! Keep checking back, and eventually I'll have some stories to tell.

Genealogy really is like a puzzle,

and I'm still looking for a lot of the pieces.

Family Photo Shoot

2011-03-31T13:30:00.001-06:00


James and Mary Carpenter family circa 1903

back row: James Buchanan - James - Effie - Claude - Marion

front row: Iva - Ralph - Ream - Mary Adeline Parker

This is the other Carpenter picture I found - the entire Carpenter family taken when Ream was just a young child.

I'm impressed with the number of family pictures I have found in this adventure. I know that money was not always abundant in our ancestral families, but somehow they found a way to dress the entire family in their "Sunday best" and sit for a formal photograph from time to time. And when I think about what cameras were like during that time period - slow to shoot and leaving little room for error - I'm even more impressed!

Mary, the mother of this family, died in 1916 only about 12 - 13 years after this picture was taken. How fortunate to have this in our history.

When did you last gather your family for a picture taking session? Don't wait any longer!

James Buchanan and Mary Adeline (Parker) Carpenter

2011-03-25T16:00:00.003-06:00


James Buchanan and Mary Adeline Carpenter

James and Mary Carpenter are Leona's paternal grandparents; Ream Carpenter, Leona's father, was their youngest son. Mary died in 1916 when she was just 53 years old, so Leona never knew her. In fact until we found this photograph, Leona had never seen a picture of her. This grandfather lived with Leona's family when she was a little girl. I'll be sharing those memories in future posts.

Today I found their marriage certificate. The couple was married on 27 March 1883 in Maysville, Missouri - Mary was 20 and James was 27.

I know this is hard to read. The following is what I'm able to transcribe:

This license authorizes any Judge, Justice of the Peace, licensed or ordained preacher of the Gospel or any other person authorized under the Laws of this State to solemnize Marriage between James. B Carpenter of _____ in the County of Dekalb and State of Missouri who is over the age of twenty-one years and Miss Mary A. Parker of ____ in the County of Dekalb and State of Missouri who is over the age of eighteen years.

Witness my hand as Circuit Clerk and Ex-Officio Recorder, with the seal of office hereto affixed, at my office in Maysville the 27 day of March 1883

* * * * * * *

State of Missouri

County of Dekalb

This is to certify that the undersigned a regularly ordained Elder of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ did, at the Residence of Joseph H. Parker in said County, on the 27 day of March A.D. 1883 unite in Marriage the above named persons.

Rev. Samuel King

If you want to read about how we came across this picture and

another of the whole family, read this about my serendipitous experience.

The other side of the family

2011-03-22T14:30:00.003-06:00

This week, I'm looking at Lou's family history from a slightly different perspective. In preparation for a trip we'll take to Missouri in May, I've been spending all of my time compiling names, dates, and documents for Leona's side of the family. We've made some interesting discoveries, and we're excited to visit some places where she and her family lived.

Here's a bit of what I've learned.


"Just sink your teeth in one of these donuts" Ream Carpenter - circa 1933

From Leona's memories:

My father was a baker by trade. As a young adult in Missouri, he worked in a bakery with his father and brother, Ralph. He was working there when my parents got married. I can remember going to the bakery and getting great big gumballs. My father was the baby of the family and had been spoiled all of his life, so it was only natural that his first child would be fussed over also.

After we moved to Florence, Colorado, my father had a room in our house that had a big oven. He ran a baking business from home. At a fairly young age, I learned how to fry and glaze doughnuts as well as other baking jobs. My father would take a big metal tray with a strap that went around his neck and fill the tray with baked goods. He went to the mining camps in the area and sold breads and pastries to the men living there.

After we moved to Pueblo when I was about 12, I have memories of taking baked goods in boxes and going door to door selling. I was embarrassed to be seen by my school mates or neighbors, but I had to help bring some income to the family.

This is your life!

2011-03-16T07:57:00.004-06:00

The following was a presentation honoring Dad when he was released as the Bishop of the Pueblo Ward in 1966.
It was written by Verda Kay Gibson who obtained the information from
Mom and Uncle Joe and Aunt Fern. Although Verda didn't get all the facts quite right,
I thought it would be a great way to honor Dad's birthday.

As the late winter sun cast its final rays of the day on the tiny, two room white house, the population of the small eastern Colorado town was increased by one. The newcomer made his arrival known by a loud, lusty expansion of his lungs. The date – March 16, 1923, the place – Haswell, Colorado.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE, BISHOP LOUIS EDWARD BUTLER!

The first child of Jesse and Mable Davis Butler, you and your parents moved to Pueblo while you were still a small child. In the next few years, you were joined by three brothers, Charles, Eldon and Delbert. While you boys were still small, your parents became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Although you and your brothers did have the usual brotherly fights and arguments, and a few trips to the woodshed were necessary to help mold your characters, the bond of brotherly love was very strong among you. Following Eldon’s graduation from High School, tragedy broke up this brother quartet. While driving down a California street, a large truck ran a red light, hitting Eldon’s car broadside. Our Heavenly Father called him home before any members of the family could reach his hospital bedside.

You started your first year of school at Parkview Grade School, where in the past few years, you have managed to advance to Principal - after 36 years, you’re at the same school. You attended Park Hill Junior High School, and were graduated from Centennial High School in 1941. During your high school years, you were employed at the 11th Street Grocery.

You and an attractive young girl, who would someday prove to be the biggest asset in your life, first met at M.I.A. Leona Carpenter knew you were for her the first time she laid eyes on you and only had to convince you of the same. She did succeed in getting you to take her to the show once, the summer before she started high school. You played the field for a while, dating several girls. Romeo Butler, you were known as in those days.

Leona finally succeeded in ‘landing’ you, and on November 17, 1943, you were married.

Since you had joined the Navy shortly after graduation from High School, you were stationed in Seattle and this is where your marriage took place. You and Leona lived in Seattle for five months before the Navy sent you to Adak, Alaska, and Leona returned to Pueblo. After twenty-one months in Adak, where you served as a communications technician, you were released from active service and returned to Pueblo where you attended Pueblo Junior College from 1946 to 1948. You were active in sports – football, baseball, basketball, etc.

Your ability to concentrate while trying to study was tested by the arrival of Louis Edward Jr., September 27, 1946.

Having once located your place of residence, the stork brought you another gift the following year, when on November 9, James Alan joined your family.

You taught PE at Minnequa School one year, and then desperately trying to lose the big white bird, you moved your family to Greeley where you attended college for one year.

Then once again the Navy had plans for you. “Join the Navy and see the world!” But where did the Navy send you this time during the Korean War? Why right back to good old Adak, Alaska, where you remained shivering and dreaming of Hawaii until your discharge several months later.

You once again returned to Pueblo, and once again the stork located you and in making up for ‘lost’ time, she presented you with not one, but two sons, Charles Thomas (Tom) and Donald Eldon (Don), July 3, 1949.

You were a principal at Bessemer School for seven years, before returning to your present position at your childhood school.

By returning to Greeley to study during the summer months, you were finally able to obtain your Master’s Degree in 1955.

One of the highlights of your life was having your family sealed to you for time and eternity when you went to the temple on August 5, 1963.

You have always been active in church work and civic affairs. You are a member of the Pueblo Business Men’s Club, Lions Club, and have been a Single Fund representative for District 60 for several years.

You served the Church as counselor under Bishop Evenson; you have been Scout Master, Seminary teacher, and with able understanding, patience and love, served as our Bishop from August 1963 to February 1966. You are presently High Councilor for the Adult Aaronic Priesthood.

A good, clean, God-fearing citizen of high moral standard – an asset to any community.

What better can be said of any man?

Happy 88!

Someone has to watch the sheep

2011-03-11T11:53:00.001-07:00

While serving their mission at Haskell Indian Junior College, Mom and Dad spent a lot of time with the students and learned a lot about their home life on the reservation. The students faced obstacles to their education that most of us would never even imagine.

Haskell Junior College Centennial Convocation
September 1984

to the family

from Dad

3 October 1984

Last evening about 6 p.m. one of the students came in and asked me if I could take him to the bus depot right away.  He got a call from his father saying that he needed him to come home and help get in the wood and coal for winter, because someone had to watch the sheep and the father couldn't do it all by himself.  So Martin had dropped out of school and was going to make two trips walking to the bus depot - about 3 miles each way.  Fortunately the LDS Student Association President saw him and told him to come see me about a ride.  When I talked to Manuel about going home, he didn't seem to resent it nearly as much as I did!  He just said that someone had to do it, and he would come back in January and start again.  Martin was looking forward to our volleyball tournament, and he loves basketball.  He hopes to be back and if so, he will play basketball in January.

Martin turned 20 last May, and he really is a good young man, and we will miss him around the Institute. The parents of these kids really don't understand what it means for the students to have to drop out and go home like this. I really felt bad to see him leave.

Can you imagine interrupting your semester

to go home and tend sheep?

DEAR Grandma and Grandpa,

2011-03-08T08:19:00.001-07:00

Fancy stationery for the missionary grandparents

to Grandma and Grandpa

on a mission in Lawrence, Kansas

from Mark

21 September 1984

I HOPE you are happy that I have BUNKBEDS.  I am in school now.  My teacher's name is Mrs. Baden.  I have P.E. every Tuesday.  I have library every Wednesday.  Nathan and Emily are in 2nd and 4th grades.  I hope you have been feeling well.  For my first time I have jumped off a high diving board.  Maybe we can go to Cherry Hills together again.     MARK


Mark and Grandma at Cherry Hills water slide - June, 1984

Grandma willingly "volunteered" to take Mark on the water slide,

because he was too small to go alone. Yeah, Grandma!

Facing the Music

2011-03-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

I was told by several friends that when I became principal I would have to work with a music teacher who was the mistress of one of the most influential and powerful men in the city. She lived with her husband in a neighboring town, but it was difficult to drive home each night, so she had an apartment in town and spent most of the week there. Mr. Big paid for it and was seen there often.

Previous to my time, he often came to the school, bringing her things, picking up her car for washing or repairing. But thanks to R.B. Flemons, a School Board member, he was told to stay away from the school.

The previous principal’s schedule had this teacher teaching music to the four 5th and 6th grades, and having her home room class the rest of the time except for the gym class which was her preparation time. But she wanted to just teach music all day. She just played while the children sang, and that was what the music classes consisted of. After school had been in session a couple of months, I noticed that other classes were going to music and her class was moving every thirty minutes to a different teacher. She had changed everyone’s schedule behind my back!

I checked with the other teachers, and they said she had just told them that she would take their classes for music and they were to teach such and such to her class. I called her on it, and told her that I would not cause another move for the students now, but in December I would make a new schedule going back to just the four music classes a day, resuming in January.

She didn’t think I would do that, and when I did, she came into the office and threw the new schedule down and said that she would not teach this schedule. I told her that it was going to be the schedule, and that she needed to go to see the Assistant Superintendent over Personnel for a change of assignment if that was her decision.

I don’t know if she went to the Admin Building or not, but the next year she was transferred to two other schools where she could teach music all day.

We don't live here anymore.

2011-03-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from letters, here's a funny school story:

Mrs. Salas’ First Grade was going on a field trip this morning and everyone had permission slips except for one little girl. So the teacher sent her to the office with a note asking if I could get permission for her to go by a call on the telephone.

I grabbed her enrollment card to get the phone number, but they had no phone! So I took the card and the little girl and we took off for her house as she said her mother was home. I had the address on the enrollment card, so I drove quickly to the house, and we got out and walked up to the porch.

Two doors! I knocked on one and no one came to the door, so we moved over and I knocked on the second door; still no one came. So I said to the little girl, “Your mother must not be at home.”

She replied, “We don’t live here anymore.”

So she showed me where they moved, and we got the mother’s permission and got back to school just as the class was getting on the bus.

few people enjoyed letter writing like I do

2011-02-25T11:38:00.001-07:00

Mixed in Dad's papers were several letters written by Aunt Lorena in the mid 1950's. The following excerpt fascinates me, because she gets so much information into so little space. Granted it's a little disjointed and wandering, but it gives me some names and possible family relationships to pursue in my effort to get to know the family.

I've left the spelling and punctuation as she wrote it. It's open for interpretation! And if you can shed any light on any of these people, please leave a comment.

October 4, 1954

to Florence (Mable's sister)

from Aunt Lorena

October 4, 1954

I do not know of great grand fathers family but always understood he was from a ____ family he was Jerimiah D. and I think his oldest son was too then there was Nancy, George, Linda, Jack and a little dwarf girl. Becky, Rebecca, I guess.  She never grew tall.  I do no know why, some sickness she had when she was small, I think.  She was about 4' or 3' 11 " I believe.

Another of the family then he married again but she was mean to Becky so he left her. I never heard of a devorce and they weren't common then maybe he just quit her but I remember Granny Overturf she was small and quaint and had a family by her first man. There may have been ones between but I don't think so her family got scattered in the war and in hunting then they got west to Dennison, Texas. I don't remember any more if she and grandpa were married or the girl and Jerry Overturf, but they found them at Dennison and she was married to grandpa's oldest son you remember Aunt Melinda Bullock don't you. Grandma's sister then Geo and Jack at Freewater. Jack only had one girl and she is married and I don't know what become and Geo married a sister to Aunt Fanny. Aunt Belle Patterson and he had two girls and a boy his girls moved to Portland and last I knew of children Eva had had a boy before she was married not her husband's and he died. Jennie never had any and Jim married one of the coffee girl and raised two girls Gwen and Amy I think. Jim was sort of a never to well when he was a youngster as I remember but he got a well drilling outfit and became a pretty well to do man and was considered all right. It was rumored at one time he had bootlegged some though but never was prosecuted for it. So Gwen is the last of the line I guess and she didn't write to one . . . I guess she is in bad health and few people enjoyed letter writting like i do.

Luck go with you - 

My love to you

Aunt Lorena


Lorena and Nathaniel Shockley

I'll bet she had some great stories to tell!

. . . E mail - whatever that is

2011-02-22T15:15:00.012-07:00

I laughed when I thought about the beginning of email and that none of us knew how to use it!

to the Family

from Jim

February 1996

Well, if you have not guessed by now, Tesi bought me a new computer for Christmas.  I am really just learning how to use it.  It is a Macintosh Performa 5215 CD.  It is really neat and does many things I cannot.

If it looks like I am having a lot of fun with it you have guessed right.  It does know how to spell, but I do not have a grammar check in it so you will have to forgive the long sentences and never ending paragraphs.

A great newsletter - colorful and newsy

I am anxious to learn all that I can about his computer.  It does have a modem, Don.  I know you asked me about that.  It also has E mail, whatever that is.  I just need to learn how to use it.

I do know how to print in color and use the clip art that came with it. As you can see it can be a lot of fun. I guess my letter will be over when I run out of pictures.

Our computer skills have come a long way!

Jimmy, Tesi, Jim, Brittany
May, 1997

You'll graduate today

2011-02-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Eldon at high school graduation - May 30, 1946

to Eldon

from his father, Jesse Butler

May 1946

Your High School days are over.

Your books are laid away.

Your troubles and worries are over -

You'll graduate today.

We wish you every happiness,

and may the years unfold

a bright and happy future

and your clouds be lines with gold.

But if the time should ever come

when the sun don't shine as bright,

and the storm clouds seem to gather,

and your days are dark as night.

But always remember this my son

and hold your head up high.

The sun is bound to shine again

and the clouds go floating by.

Oh never, never do a thing

to darken your fair name

or cause your mother or your dad

to bow their heads with shame.

But always strive to do your best 

even when your skies are gray

and may we always be as proud 

as we are of you today.

Keepin it cool

2011-02-15T11:00:00.004-07:00

Davis home on the ranch near Haswell

to Davis Families - Round Robin

from Lou Butler

28 February 1999

in response to a letter and pictures

compiled from sharing memories at a Davis family reunion

Looking at those pictures of the ranch site really brought back a lot of memories. One of my memories which I have told about often, was the summer I was there when Grandpa Davis and Uncle Johnny built a "refrigerator" of sorts north of the back porch of the ranch house. They built a frame out of 4 x 4's and 2 x 4's and put in a few shelves and then covered it with several layers of wool sacks. They then piped the water to it from the line that came down from the well up on the hill to the south of the ranch house and let it fill a top shelf and drip down all sides. The breeze then went through the wet burlap, and it was surprising how cool it kept the butter, etc. in the refrigerator.

I am amazed and fascinated by their ingenuity!

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

2011-02-11T11:15:00.001-07:00

News from an 11 year old granddaughter in Germany

to Grandma and Grandpa Butler

from Amy - granddaughter

Fall, 1989

Dear Grandma and Grandpa

How are you?  Im fine!!  Chucky's bike got Stolen again.  And Tom got his nose stuck on the car Door window.  And Jeremy was playing at boyscouts And bumped his head hard.  And me and dad Are sick and my mom is taking good care of us.

* * * * * * * * *  

I can't wait until you come And have cristmas with us.  It will be like old time.

* * * * * * * * * 

 Im so proud that my Grandma and Grandpa are in the MTC it sounds Wonderful.

by, love you,

Amy

Amy - Grandma - Carol - Beth
May, 1990

Bet this letter made Grandma's day!

"We come from great people."

2011-02-08T06:06:00.001-07:00

Grandma Della with Callaway grandchildren
Velda (on lap) - Nyda Dell - Delvin - Lowell
circa 1943

to Round Robin

from Nyda Dell Marx

(daughter of Mary Florence Davis Callaway)

1 June 2009

Dear Cousins,

Did you know that Grandmother Davis was working in her parents' restaurant on roller skates when she met Grandpa? One of the men slapped her on the behind, and she dumped a plate of spaghetti on his head. Grandpa was working cattle and had stopped for a meal. Grandpa was impressed with this spunky, pretty girl. This is part of our family history - we come from great people.

Wouldn't that have been fun to see?

I wish I had a picture of a young Della Davis. . .

. . . too busy to even breathe

2011-02-04T11:27:00.002-07:00


Della and Harker Davis (center) 50th Wedding Anniversary 30 October 1939

Lou Butler is 3rd from right in the third row (just in front of the window)

I hope you can enlarge the picture on your screen

to Della and Harker Davis

from Lorena Arnold Shockley (Harker's half-sister)

1 January 1940

I surely am proud of the picture you sent me, and for an outdoor picture of a group it is extremely clear and nice.  I always thought you had a lovely family and then too, I think it almost more wonderful to raise so many to maturity and to still be here to rejoice in your golden wedding, than the Golden Wedding itself and that is something to be proud of.  I think it is marvelous to be spared to each other for the full 50 years and then to have never lost but the one child is quite as rare.

I intended to write and congratulate you on your Golden Wedding Anniversary but right then we were too busy to even breathe except that it was natural and necessary. I had a bunch of beet toppers and potato pickers to board - from 10 to 17 for five weeks and while they were here we were extra busy - maybe you can imagine. I did enjoy it even if it was a lot of hard work for us. Then after they left we were behind with some of our other work and the letter was just put off from day to day. I had that present wrapped and ready 3 or 4 days before we got it mailed. Please do not think hard that I did not write.

With love, Most sincerely, your sister

All washed up

2011-02-01T05:34:00.015-07:00

Canyon Picnie - Spring, 1967
Don is 2nd from left on front bench

to Mom and Dad

from Don - a new BYU freshman

18 September 1967

 Yesterday Steve and I washed all of our dirty clothes.  It was much easier than I thought it would be, and I don't think it will be a problem at all.

9 February 1968

Friday afternoon I washed my clothes and studied health at the same time. This was fine except for the fact that I forgot to use soap. It took me about four hours to wash that particular day.

Does this look like a guy who could get confused about laundry?

57 years later

2011-01-28T13:27:00.033-07:00

This letter was stuck between the pages of the memory book from Jess and Mable's 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. It must have come as quite a surprise to them.

to Jess and Mable Butler

from Almee Sires Johnston, Mable's former school teacher

February 2, 1972

Mable with younger siblings - circa 1916-17

"Dear Mable and Jesse,

"Do you remember Almee Sires who was the teacher in the Intermediate Room at the Haswell School in 1915-16?  Well, I am she, and we read in the Pueblo paper of your 50th anniversary on Feb. 5th so wanted to send congratulations and good wishes for many more happy anniversaries.  

"A good many years have passed since that year at Haswell, when you, Lemmie and Garnons were in that room.  While teaching in Haswell I was invited to stay overnight in your home.  It was winter time, and I was shown the meat room - meat stored on shelves around the room.  I have never seen so much meat in a private home and such good looking meat.  At that time it was a common practice to stay overnight one night, during the school term in the homes of the pupils.  You had a nice, congenial home in which to live.

"Many changes have taken place since you were here, and new people live in and around Haswell.  

"I wish all teachers could have had as nice pupils as I had!!"

Post script:

A Google search for "Almee Sires" brought this interesting result:

Appleton City Journal

Appleton City, MO

11 April 1913

J.A. Sires and family, who for a number of years have been residents of this portion of St. Clair County, left last Tuesday for Haswell, Colorado, where they anticipate making their future home. Their daughter, Miss Almee Sires, who is teaching the Prairie Home School near Monegaw Springs, will finish her term of school before joining the family in Colorado. (Osceola Republic)

Appleton City Journal

Appleton City, MO

16 April 1914

Prairie Home:

A party was given at home of L.A. Morris on last Saturday night in honor of Miss Almee Sires who leaves for the Western countries this week. Quite a crowd was present and all had a nice time and plenty of good music was rendered.

* * * * * * *

Last Friday, April 3rd, was the last day of school. Had it not been for shortage of funds, school would not have closed until April 17th.

Miss Almee Sires has been teacher here for the last three terms, her first and last terms taught in Missouri. She anticipates leaving for Haswell, Colo., soon for her parental home. Her parents moved to above named place last December. She will be greatly missed by Missouri friends as well as Prairie Home pupils. We can gladly say she has reached with much success during the three terms.

They, teacher and pupils, were planning for an entertainment on the night of the 17th, but on receiving the sudden word that on account of shortage of money school would be two weeks shorter the program then was sadly put aside. Consequently a "'Big Dinner"' was planned by patrons instead. In which every one of whom were present of such an eventful occasion to partake of the many delicacies - dishes too numerous to mention, did ample justice to all. They presented her with a quilt made by friends and pupils of the district, with name of each on block. The pupils also gave her a beautiful locket. They felt as though they could not do too much to show her how much they have appreciated her genial and liberal kindness shown during the three successful terms.

It is regretted to the utmost her leaving the State of Missouri entirely. However, such being the case, we will all join in extending our sincere wishes to her in getting along just as nicely in her future western school teaching as her past.

She not only has the name of being the kind of a teacher any school would be glad to have as an example before their children, but also is a perfect lady, with her mild, sweet disposition.

"'One Who Knows"'

She was obviously a well loved teacher.
I would love to have talked to Grandma Mable about her.

It gets a little bit wild around here . . .

2011-01-25T08:53:00.019-07:00

to the family

from Mom (Leona)

August, 1978

Kari, Jamie Ann, Kristi - September 1978

I just finished a two week stint of taking care of Jamie Ann, followed by a two week period of taking care of Kristi and Kari.  During this time we had Tommy, Chuckie, Jeremy, and Amy several times for two day periods.  It gets a little bit wild around here, but it's fun.  I usually look a bit haggard and wonder if this can really be vacation.  

Jeremy and Jamie Ann - Spring 1978

One morning I had Jamie, Jeremy and Amy all by myself.  I took Jamie out of her bed and bathed her, and then let her play while I got Amy up and bathed her.  Then I put Amy in the crib with a toy while I gave Jeremy a bath.  About that time Jamie got in my lipstick and put it around her mouth like a little clown.  It must have been hard work, because she broke a brand new lipstick in three parts.  At that same time Amy decided she had been good long enough and started yelling.  I couldn't leave Jeremy alone in the bathtub, because he kept standing up.  I was happy to see Uncle Don [Carpenter] come in the door.  Between the two of us, we managed to get all three babies ready for the day.

Jamie Ann- 1978

 Jamie does exactly what she sees us do.  She got her mother's eye make up and put it only around her eyes.  She looked so funny!  She managed to get Dad's paint brush when we were out of the room.  She only painted on the walls where her grandfather had painted.  She had big blobs of paint on two walls where she had dipped the brush in the paint and painted the same spot many times.  She got hold of the window cleaner and sprayed my clean sliding glass door just as she had seen Cordy clean the windows.  We have to be pretty careful of what we do in front of Jamie.  We have to be even more careful of where we put things and how long we leave her when she is quiet.

Jeremy, 21 months - Amy, 9 months (early 1979)

That Jeremy is a darling little baby.  He wants to do everything the big boys do.  He really figures out how to get what he wants.  He never makes the same attempt on something more than once or twice; he always tries something else.  I feel like I have done a day's work when I take care of him for a couple of hours.  He adores Amy, and he is very gentle and careful around her.  He hits anybody else if he doesn't like what they do, but he kisses Amy all the time.  I don't know how a child that age can realize that another child is his baby and show such unselfish love for her.  The only time he hits her is when he tries several times to put a little toy in her hand and she doesn't take it.  He loses patience!

Aren't grandkids wonderful!

" . . . grateful for what we have"

2011-01-22T10:35:00.029-07:00

This letter was written over 25 years ago but sure sounds familiar.

to Don, Lynn, and family

from Dad (Lou)

October 13, 1983

Lou canning in the kitchen at 39 Meadowbrook - 1983

"We really feel like we have been blessed to have all four of you boys working hard in the Church and all employed in these very difficult times.  The "Today Show" has been running a series on the "new poor" for the last week or so.  It showed and interviewed many people who are now living on the streets, in cars, parks, etc.  Also showed people who are now getting their food from the trash dumpsters behind the stores (and being run off by store employees), gleaning in the fields this fall for all left over crops, soup kitchens being overwhelmed by the numbers of people, and church groups and clubs trying to help, etc.

"So, this helps us to be especially grateful for what we have.  Speaking of what we have - Mother and I have canned lots of tomatoes, apples, peaches and pears this fall and should have canned a lot more, but at least we got started.

"We bought a neat gadget to make juice from tomatoes, grapes, etc and to make apple butter. We also bought a steam canner which is a lot easier. We made a lot of jelly and jam also. You know how much I like them! We should have plenty for fall this year without buying any."

And this is what Leona did following the canning!

Corresponding with the past

2011-01-18T15:30:00.001-07:00

In the process of sorting this week - yes, I still have a bookcase that is almost full of notebooks - I came across a collection of letters written to and from Lou. None of them was particularly remarkable, and it was a hodgepodge group of authors and dates. Most of them contained nothing more than a summary of daily activities, highlights of trips taken, or thanks for a gift received, but I was drawn to them in spite of, or maybe because of, their ordinary contents.

A hand written letter is becoming a memory of the past. In this era of email, instant messages, webcams, and cell phones with unlimited minutes, the idea of writing ones thoughts on paper and mailing it to another person is all but obsolete. But letters offer an insight to family history that is different from more formal writings. Sharing routine details about daily life, personal letters allow us to vicariously experience life in a different time and place. It's hard to imagine a time when a radio would have been an exciting purchase, but it 1941 it was certainly newsworthy.

"Did I ever write and tell you we traded in our old Radio and paid in the money Harker gave me on a new R.C.A. Victor?  Well I did and we do enjoy it so much and it makes a nice remembrance of him, too.  He said what was left to use for something for myself and the children that were home and we decided we would rather have a radio than anything else for our old one was completely worn out and we enjoy a radio so much.  I wanted you to know what we used it for."
 to Mable and family
from Aunt Lorena (Harker's half sister)
January 5, 1941

I've posted before about the Davis family Round Robin letters and recently got this information from Donna Mae Bagby (Lou's cousin) about its origin.

"You asked when the Robin was started.  Uncle Norman started it in the l940's sometime to go to his brothers and sisters (13 of them).  It has gotten lost quite a few times and we have had to restart it but hopefully it will continue.  All of the siblings are gone now so is a cousins' round robin and many, like you had not read it until after their parent passed away so is quite new to many but thankful so many are interested and willing to keep it going.  Thanks to my mother - she laboriously typed off the letters on a manual typewriter starting with Don and My marriage in 1951 and I have all those copies and am trying to get them bound in booklets for our daughter Pamela who will keep them." 

So this year I'm going to focus on letters, posting excerpts from Lou's large collection.  His grandparents, brothers, sons, and other assorted family members are represented in the letters, and I'm hoping we can get a glimpse into history as well as the not so distant past. 

Still here - still researching

2011-01-07T12:45:00.007-07:00

Obviously, I've been taking a break from this blog. Although the hiatus wasn't planned, regular blog posting got lost in the midst of Christmas plans, preparations and celebrations! But don't worry, I haven't abandoned this project and am planning what to post in 2011. I hope you'll be patient with me.

On a high note, as usual, January brings me a renewed energy and passion for family history. During the past week, I've spent many hours entering family names into a new genealogy program for my computer. I'm entering each name with its accompanying details individually, rather than importing all the data from another source. As I enter the names, I also enter any sources, references, or vital records I have that document or prove the names and dates. It's painstakingly slow, but also very rewarding as I become more familiar with family names and places. I'd love to put together a timeline or migration map. . . . I easily get drawn into more and different projects.

And just because I find it fascinating, here is a treasure I've happened on during my research.


Michigan Birth Record of Cora Melvina Wisemiller

It's hard to read on the screen (click on the image to get a bigger picture), but the last entry is for July 3, 1872 - Cora Melvina Wisemiller. Moving right across the columns it states that she was born in Brooks, Newago County, to parent Wm. H. Wisemiller - born in Ohio and Martha A. Wisemiller - born in Michigan.

I love to see family names on old documents - it's a great reminder that all these names are real people and have a story to tell. And I plan to keep telling it.

. . . so many wonderful memories

2010-12-19T20:48:00.019-07:00

A request to the Davis grandchildren for Christmas memories brought several responses. These are from Alice Bell Higgs.

I have so many wonderful memories of Grandma and Grandpa Davis I hardly know where to start.


Early style Cracker Jack box

She also had saved a lot of spools and made whistles for all of us.

I've never been able to make those either.

Alice Bell and others sent more memories that I will share in future posts.

Thanksgiving on the Davis Ranch

2010-11-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

Lou - 7 years old - 1930

One of my earliest memories of a Thanksgiving was at Grandpa and Grandma Davis’ ranch. We arrived on the day before Thanksgiving and everything was very exciting as families began arriving; it was great fun to greet them as they came in.

We could spot the cars as they came down the dirt road several minutes before they would arrive. Everyone looked forward to seeing the cousins, aunts and uncles. Many of them we had not seen since the previous Christmas or Thanksgiving.

After supper Grandpa would get out the cards and the men would play “High Five.” They would laugh and joke and rib one another about things in the past. I loved to watch them play, and once in a while they would need one more player at one of the tables and I would get to play.

During one game, Uncle Johnny was shuffling the cards and they scattered all over the table and some on the floor. He was laughing about it and said, “Man, I need a basket to corral all of these cards! Louis, run out and get me a basket.” I didn’t know what he meant – but I knew I wanted to help, so I ran out into the yard and got him a basket! For many years – if anyone dropped the cards, they would yell for me to go get them a basket.

Early Thanksgiving morning the women would be in Grandma’s huge kitchen getting both breakfast and preparing the dinner. The men and boys would be eating and then going outside where they were getting ready to go coyote hunting.

Uncle Johnny, who lived on the ranch, would be getting the two greyhounds ready and most of the men were getting their guns ready. They would be talking about previous years’ hunting experiences and comparing guns and ammunition.

Some of the men, mostly the ones who lived on or close to the Davis Ranch or those who lived on or near the Harriman Ranch in Fowler, had “coyote cars or pickups.” They took great pride in having these tuned up to get a quick start and to be able to go over rough prairie lands. They preferred vehicles in which they could stand in the back and shoot over the cab while the vehicle was going full speed. The coyote cars also had to be able to turn very sharply and double back whenever the coyote felt they were getting too close to him.

Can you imagine what it is like in the back of a pickup (with sideboards) when three or four men are all trying to remain standing, aiming their guns at the coyote when he decides to stop and go the other way? The driver jams on the brakes and cranks the steering wheel around to follow the coyote. Men have been known to be thrown out onto the prairie grass and cactus plants and then roll over and over trying to stop! Clark Harriman rolled out once and they spent hours picking the cactus out of him! For some reason the wives are very much against their husbands taking the family car coyote hunting!

By noon the hunters would return and the big Thanksgiving dinner would be ready. The tables would be set up all over the house for the meal. After the meal the dishes were taken to the kitchen and the card games would begin again.

What will your children and grandchildren remember about Thanksgiving holidays?

Eighty-five

2010-11-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Guess who celebrated 85 years today?

Flowers, pies and balloons make a great celebration.

(And a cute great grandson in the background doesn't hurt.)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

and may you have as many more as you want.

Rachel Caroline Davis

2010-11-07T08:07:00.001-07:00

Rachel Caroline Davis

14th child of Harker and Della Davis

born: 7 November 1915 - Haswell, Colorado

died: 4 January 1982 - Pueblo, Colorado

Rachel about 3 years old

With nephew Delbert Butler and son, Richard Steele

With children Janet Freeland, Earl Freeland, and Richard Steele - circa 1945

Rachel and Carl Freeland

School of Choice

2010-11-03T14:54:00.001-06:00

Because the Davis family lived so far out in the country, getting the children to school was an ongoing challenge. Obviously Harker and Della were committed to education, and they tried a variety of school settings in their efforts to allow their children to gain an education.

Birdie - School was quite a problem. The first winter [after moving to Kendrick] it was decided that Mother and all the children would move to Pueblo [about 90 miles away] for the winter and attend school.

Birdie's simple statement doesn't really do justice to the challenging situation this would have been. At this time there were 7 children in the family. The four oldest - Birdie (12), Norman (9), Augusta (8), and Floyd (6) went to school. The younger ones - Lemuel (4), Mable (3), and Garnons (1 1/2) kept their mother Della busy at home, and Johnny was born in October of that year. No phones or email would have made communication with Harker who had stayed on the ranch, slow and infrequent, and I suppose he was only able to visit on rare occasions.

Norman - . . . Dad moved us all to Pueblo for school. It was a 90 mile move. Dad rented a town house [a house in town, as opposed to the country]. It was a new experience for us country kids, and we had lots of new experiences. For one thing, I was run home from school every night by a gang of bullies. Birdie had to take my part [defend me] lots of times. One night Dad happened to be there, and was cleaning the barn in the alley when he saw those big toughies chasing Floyd and I. I had picked up a wire with a bolt tied to the end and was swinging it around and around over my head to keep them off. As we neared the barn, Dad stepped out and invited the boys to come on, one at a time, and he would see a fair fight. But the boys very quietly slipped away.

Johnny was born in October, so there was another one to take home in the spring when Dad came for us. The moving was a big task as the children were too small to be a big help, and Mother was far from well. Birdie worried a great deal about it. But dad had to hurry to get the moving over as lambing time was close at hand.

Next they tried a neighborhood school:

Birdie - The winter of 1907 we drove to school. Mr. Deming/Denning had two children ready to go, so he and Daddy hired a teacher, and he taught us in a nice two room cottage just east of the Deming residence. It was five miles for us to drive, but we had a nice two seat spring wagon and a team of little bay mares to drive.

This arrangement didn't work out so well. The Demings were well to do people, and their children had everything and were spoiled terribly by Grandpa and Grandma who lived with them. One day Grandpa did the washing as usual and had the lines full of white sheets. We were out playing baseball at noon, and Ned got mad at Floyd and picked up a ball of mud and threw it at Floyd who ran into the school house; Ned's mud hit a sheet. He ran in to tell his Grandpa that Floyd threw the mud on his sheet. The old man was short and pudgy; here he came on the prance, mad and talking as fast as he ran. He called Floyd a nasty name and said there was always a black sheep in every family, and he was the one in our family. This made me mad, so we hitched up our team and all went home and told our daddy. Well, Daddy took me and back we went to see what the rumpus was all about. After some time Daddy said he never had caught me in a lie, and if I said Floyd didn't do it, he knew he didn't. The old man apologized, and we went to school the rest of that year, but I never felt just right toward the old man again.

School transportation was also an issue while living on the plains.

Norman - I well remember when Richard was born, April 1907. At that time we were going to school at Denning's and driving old Roanie. Although it was April, we left school that day in a storm. It was snowing and blowing so we could hardly see where we were going. About half way home, we could no longer see the road, but Roanie knew where he was going, and he plodded right along. When we got home we felt nearly frozen. The hired man took charge of the horse, and we went in the house and saw the new baby.

Private school was the last hope, but obviously the children were not happy with the teacher.

Birdie - The next year Daddy built a little one-room cement house and hired a teacher who was proving up on a homestead by the Post Office. He had no transportation so some of us went for him Sunday evening and took him back Friday evening. We put a folding bed and a dresser in the school room so he slept out there, but ate with us. We kept him for two years. By that time I could hardly tolerate him. He began to feel like he owned the place and was so attentive to me, wiping dishes, setting the table, just always in the way.

Mable - [In Kendrick] Daddy built us a school house, and we were taught by Mr. Wiley. He was single and didn't care for a very curious little girl, so I got spanked every day. If I could see him today, I'd kick him on the shins!

Undated, unlabeled picture of some of the Davis girls.

After this, Harker decided his family needed more social life and a better school situation. He had a chance to sell the ranch and all the sheep, so it let it all go.

image

Was that in the job description?

2010-10-29T09:47:00.004-06:00

15 March 1985 - We usually get here to the Institute building by 8:00 a.m. and then at 11:30 we go get some lunch and take care of errands and are back by 1:00 p.m. Then we usually have just a sandwich or a bowl of soup or something light for supper here at the Institute, and then we go home around 10:30 - 11:30 p.m. In between times, we manage to keep busy being very poor janitors, bookkeepers, and host/hostess. We have most of the time to ourselves in the morning, and only a few kids now and then in the afternoon on school days.

15 March 1985 - Mary L. got a letter Thursday that if she had her application in by today, Friday at 4:00 p.m. she could have a job with General Motors in Oklahoma City this summer. So she asked if we would we pick her up at 5 a.m. and take her to the Kansas City Airport so she could get home in time to get this job which pays $10/hour. Leona said we would.

We closed the institute at 10:30 last night and got up at 4:00 this morning and went over to pick up Mary. But she had gone back to sleep after being called. We left just before 5:30 and the plane was to leave at 6:40. We thought we knew where it was, but we didn't. Needless to say, we missed the plane! After several calls to her uncle in Oklahoma City, we found out that she didn't have to go down there anyway; she could just mail the stuff in. So we got back about 10 a.m., went to the trailer and had a nap and lunch. Then we went back to the Institute in the afternoon.


Leona working her magic with the Bernina

31 January 1986 - A boy that I had never seen before brought a pair of brown pants in. He was going to start a new job that evening, and he wanted me to take an inch off each side and hem them. It was already 3:00, and I had to teach a class at 6:00. I told him that I didn't have any brown thread, so he told me to use black. My black thread was gone too, so he said for me to use blue. I used my blind hemmer, so they did get hemmed, but the stitch was terrible. The thread could be pulled out like a basting stitch, so I told him not to catch his toe in the hem! There's another pair of pants here that I've go to take some out of the waist. I don't know why these kids don't buy things to fit. They don't seem to understand or care that I don't know how to do these things. [That attitude] is catching too. When Lou broke the zipper in his jacket he just gave it to me to put a new zipper in it. I can remember the day when I would have taken it some place and had it done . . .

8 February 1986 -We have been trying not to get the flu and sore throat that almost everybody in Lawrence has had. It has really made a lot of the Indian kids sick, but they keep coming in. It's a wonder the authorities don't get me for dispensing medicine without a license. The students go to the med center down the street, and then they are afraid to take the medicine they are given. So they ask me for salt to gargle with, throat spray, aspirin, and cough drops. They only use the throat spray once, because they don't like the taste, but I had to start buying cheaper cough drops so I could afford to share them. Amelia has been asking for them for three weeks, and she's still sick. I must not be much of a doctor!

Helping Madonna learn to sew

14 February 1986 - This day has not gone as I had planned it. I had it all figured out on paper by 8:00 this morning. I was going to make Valentine cookies to serve tonight,m take the hood off of Molly's coat and get a hair cut. By the time we bought pop (8 cases) at the Food Barn, bought candy bars (20 packages) at Wal-Mart, mailed some things at the Post Office, ran some things off at Kinko's, and bought my dancer pads at the shoe cobbler's, I was out of steam.

". . . when ye are in the service of your fellow beings,

ye are only in the service of your God."

Mosiah 2: 17

Nursing duty

2010-10-26T16:35:00.004-06:00

15 March 1985 - Tuesday morning we took Ethelyn to the KU Medical Center Hospital in Kansas City and got her admitted for the purpose of patching her right ear drum which had been 1/3 eaten away. She was really scared.

When we were getting her admitted to the hospital, we had to help her a lot with the many questions they asked her, but when we got her up to her room and the nurse started asking her another series of questions, it got rather difficult. When she said she didn't know what the nurse meant by "When did you have your last bowel movement?" Leona just sat there, and the nurse and I had a heck of a time explaining that one to her! When we left her at 12:30 as we had to get back to the Institute, she started to cry - 21 years old and never been in a hospital before. She had a TV and a private room, Leona bought her some magazines, and she was in no pain, but was just scared of this strange new world she was in. It sure looked good to us, all that quiet and an opportunity to relax and sleep!

We hurried back over to the institute - about 40 miles away. About 6:30 she called to say that she just felt like crying and wanted to talk to us, so I talked to her (collect call) for a while and reassured her that all would be well. Surgery was to be the next morning at 10:00.

Ethelyn in May, 1986 -- she survived the surgery!

At 8:15 a.m. the next day, I got another collect call from the hospital - 1 hour and 30 minutes until operating time and, "I'm scared." So we talked for about 15 minutes. The surgery went well. In the evening, Leona took her sister over to the hospital and visited her. Ethelyn said that whenever she got scared and wanted to cry, she just said a prayer and everything got better. She came home about 9:00 on Thursday.

image

We're in the right place

2010-10-20T20:16:00.003-06:00

Lou teaching Institute Class

4 November 1985 - I'm always studying for our institute classes now. We each teach one at Haskell and one at the KU (University of Kansas) Institute. We really only prepare two lessons a week, but it keeps us busy. I only prepare Relief Society in addition to that. Lou always does the Family Home Evening lesson. Of course I do games and songs, and I have to be ready for that.

Leona sitting in on Lou's class

8 February 1986 - Our institute classes went well this week. We picked up one more student, and we have a chance to pick up four more this week. We never really know [who will come] until they show up, and then from week to week we wonder if they will keep coming. Right now we have ten who seldom miss. For Haskell, that is really good. In fact, according to people around here, it may never have happened before.

Haskell Institute Class

21 February 1986 - We have fifteen in our Haskell class now. It's really great to have that many kids coming. I had such a good feeling - a sense of accomplishment I guess - when the class was over. One of our problems is that the students don't understand a lot of terminology. One of the more vocal girls asked what I meant by "iniquity." If all the kids would ask, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure Dad does a better job of explaining than I do. We just about have to start out with the idea that they know nothing [about the Gospel] and take it from there. However, when new student comes into the class, then we realize how much the others have learned. After an experience like last night, we know we're in the right place and doing the thing we ought to be doing.

10 September 1986 - We thought the new Catholic Center would take some of our kids, but they're concerned because they are not having many kids. Lisa said that Father John is wondering what they are doing wrong. I guess our popcorn is better! We have twenty-four kids enrolled in our New Testament class, and we're still growing.

Leona studying

20 February 1987 - I spent most of yesterday getting ready for my institute lesson. My lesson was on Galatians. I read it through the first time, and it didn't seem like much. Then I started reading the institute manual and Paul's Life and Letters, a symposium book on the New Testament, and found out it was a very interesting lesson! I'm really enjoying reading the writings of Paul. I'm just beginning to appreciate what a great man he was. I can understand why we are told to read our scriptural reference three times before we give the lesson.

". . . teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness . . .,

to love one another and serve one another."

Mosiah 4: 15

"Willful" Aunt Sadie

2010-10-15T12:00:00.001-06:00

In about 1903, one of Della's sisters came to live with the Davis family. Sadie must have seemed very glamorous to the Davis children who were growing up in a large family on the Colorado plains. She was just 7 years old when her mother died and had been living with another sister, Cannie. Moving to the ranch must have been a real shock to Sadie as the contrast in lifestyles was evident even to 10 year old Birdie.

Birdie - Aunt Sadie Schafer, one of Mother's sisters, came to visit us about this time. She was fifteen, very nice looking and real well dressed. She had lived with her other sister in Raton, New Mexico ever since her mother died. She became willful, and Aunt Cannie couldn't handle her (so we learned later) so they sent her to live with us. I remember the day Daddy brought her home. She was dressed so nice and had such good luggage and carried a new banjo. We children really thought Aunt Cannie must be a real rich person to give her so much. She stayed three years and ran off with a boyfriend and went back to Aunt Cannie.

Norman - Aunt Sadie Schafer was sent to live with us as her sister, Aunt Cannie, was having trouble with her. At 15 years of age she had a mind of her own and was not easily directed. After two or three years, she took off with her boyfriend and never came back, though we did hear from her occasionally.

I love the descriptions - "willful" and "not easily directed." Obviously she was a handful for her sisters! But I wonder what life was like for 7 year old Sadie when her mother died. I can't really imagine how lonely and displaced she would have felt when she went to live with her sister even though her father was still living. I wonder how hard it was for all of them (Aunt Cannie was just 23) to adjust to the new family situation.

I'd sure like to read her journal . . .

Have you any wool?

2010-10-12T12:01:00.001-06:00

With the addition of two more children, Mable Elsa - born 20 July 1902 and Garnons Hughes - born 12 January 1904, Grandpa Davis decided to change his line of work from farming to raising sheep. Note that as the oldest daughter, Birdie was very aware of the details of the living conditions and household responsibilities. Norman was much more involved in the work of handling a sheep ranch. More about that later.

Birdie - With doctor bills and so much expense, Daddy thought he had to get into more money than farming, so he sold the homestead and bought a place a Kendrick, Colorado where he could run sheep. He had bought a few sheep already, but really went into the sheep business and bought two bands. We had to start all over again to build a home. There was only a two room shack on this place besides some sheds and corrals. There was a well in the creek and long trough to water the sheep. It was a hand chain pump deal and we kids had to see that the trough was full of water when the sheep came in. In the evening we also had to help the herders pump the water until both bands were watered.

As I mentioned, the house was a shack of two rooms. These became our kitchen and dining room. Lumber had to be bought from Calhan, Colorado and hauled to add on to the shack. Through a busy summer and herding sheep they finally completed four bedrooms which were built on the north side.

We were ten miles from the Post Office and a little store run by Mr. and Mrs. John Mortimer. It was five miles to the nearest neighbor (the only neighbor.) These were busy days, lonely days and trying days, for the only entertainment was made by the family. Mother hardly ever went to town. I was only 12 and with chores, cooking and care of six children to be responsible for, she couldn’t see herself leaving over night. There can be lots of things happen to that size family in 24 hours. Rattlesnakes were plentiful, too. We never went out with the sheep without a hoe or long stick to kill them with. We never wanted any to get away.

All our trading was done at Calhan which was 30 miles away. It took two days to make the trip for groceries, coal and lumber. It was only made about once a month after we got our lumber to build. We bought everything by the case, 100 pounds of sugar, oatmeal and flour by the 500#. We made all our own clothes so yards and yards of print and overall denim for boys’ jeans and jackets. I went with Daddy most of the time; though I was only 12 I could help make some of the choices. One time when Daddy went to town alone, he came home with a big box of shoes – all sizes, boys and girls – it was all the odds and ends the store had. All of us picked one pair of shoes and the rest were kept for later use. It was an exciting time.

One of our biggest chores was to haul water to the house. On wash day especially it was a big chore, and another big water hauling day too was Saturday, for each had to have their Saturday night bath. We did have a power washing machine run by gas motor. One time when it was real cold Mother let too much gas fumes come back into the house and we all got sick. She had put the exhaust pipe out the window and the wind blew it back into the house.

Norman - With the increased responsibilities Dad began to realize he had to do something more for a living, so knowing the sheep business, he decided to try that. He knew a man by the name of Matheson who lived somewhere east of Limon, Colorado. Dad went to see him, and made a deal to buy a thousand old ewes, on time.

Our house was only a two room affair, and much too small for the growing family. Dad took the lumber wagon with a four horse team and made a two day trip to town and brought back lumber and supplies to build on badly needed bedrooms.

photo from Wyoming Tales and Trails

Why I've been AWOL

2010-10-04T20:42:00.000-06:00

I didn't take a month off just for vacation. . . I didn't ignore the piles and files of family pictures just to read a novel. . . I didn't miss birthdays just to be mean (Happy belated, Lou, Jr.!) . . . I didn't neglect the family history just because the weather was nice . . . and I didn't abandon this blog just because I felt like it.

But we've been busy around here.

After an unexpected hospital stay at the end of August, Leona left her townhouse and moved a mile down the street to a new home with me and Don. We've all been busy sorting, purging, packing, unpacking, saving, giving away, and generally settling in to our new surroundings. Finally, Leona's beautiful pictures are hung, her clock (although not yet on the wall) is chiming down the hall, and the pile of boxes to be processed is dwindling.

I think I'm about settled enough to return to the blogging world. Check back soon!

We have a lot of kids in here

2010-09-03T12:29:00.002-06:00

A glimpse into the daily routine at the Institute Building. It sounds exhausting to me!

3 October 1984 - We spent the last two Saturdays over at the Topeka Stake Center with Haskell's two volleyball teams. We give them breakfast here at the institute building and then buy their lunch at Burger King after the games. We took 1st and 2nd place in the Stake Tournament and will play in another tournament on October 20. The kids really have enjoyed it, and they are looking forward to basketball season, both a girls' team and a boys' team.


It could be a late night - they've just started!

Group activity on the keyboard

4 November 1985 - It's after 10:00 right now, and we should be closed, but they're watching football on TV. There are also kids working a puzzle, playing the keyboard, playing Asteroids, and playing pool. Two boys just came in and asked me to get them some pop. We sell 25 cent pop and candy bars. Since pop is 50 cents in the dorm, we have a big business. It brings a lot of kids in, and I guess that's what we're supposed to do.

Asteroids expert

31 January 1986 - It is 4:30 in the afternoon, and we have a lot of kids in here. There's always somebody playing asteroids and somebody waiting to play Asteroids. There are also some kids playing pool, and somebody playing the keyboard. Several come over and watch TV every afternoon -- "Benson," "The Jeffersons," "Three's Company." Some of the girls come over earlier and watch their soap operas. I have to get out so I won't get hooked on them. They do look interesting!

The kids are watching Johnny Lingo. I can just about recite it because I've seen it so often. I still enjoy it. Of course, I had hoped that someone would turn to the "Wheel of Fortune." I still like game shows. I don't watch them anymore than I did when I taught school.

I wonder how many pounds of popcorn she popped in three years . . .

16 February 1986 - Church is over, and I'm a little bit ahead on popping corn, so I'll write awhile. I'm over in a corner, so maybe everybody will go to Lou when they need something. There's a video on that I really enjoy - "Man From Snowy River." I've seen different parts of it at least two dozen times, and I still enjoy it. Well, I've already had to pop more corn and sell pop and candy. Lou must have found a better corner. He's probably in playing pool or Asteroids. I'm afraid the way we keep the Sabbath Day holy leaves something to be desired! These kids have come a long way, but we still need to work on our Sunday evenings. They're just better off in here than in other things they find to do.

Skating like a pro

I get by with a little help from my friends!

2 March 1987 - Friday evening we took eleven of our kids over to Manhattan to the Stake Young Adult party. They played games at the institute and then went ice skating. Some had never skated before. They really had fun. Jeff said he rode two hours just to get his "butt" wet. It kind of bothered those kids who are really good at several sports to be such novices at ice skating.

". . . and they did fellowship one with another . . . and did have great joy."

Helaman 6:4

Getting to know you

2010-08-31T14:24:00.001-06:00

December 1984

30 August 1984 - We are beginning to get to know the students who come over to the institute pretty well, at least on a first name basis. We usually have 15 or 20 of them in during the evening, and they visit, read, listen to the stereo, and play ping-pong and pool. They are very friendly. They are dressed in casual clothes, running shorts, and tee shirts. They are not real fancy clothes, but always clean. So far, even in some rather exciting games, we have yet to hear a cuss word among them. As is so typical of us, we seem to have a lot more boys than girls, though there are some girls.

at Institute Graduation - April, 1995

Some of the girls asked Leona if we would teach them to slow dance and wanted to know what it was like to be married so long!

3 October 1984 - We now have 43 members coming in fairly regularly and about 30 non-members, but a few of our members we have yet to meet. Mother is going in to pop popcorn for the evening since she and some of the girls are going over to the Lawrence Ward for a Relief Society meeting. The girls are really taking to Mom now and are coming to see her a lot about everything.

Leona and girls after a pie baking activity - February 1987

30 October 1984 - I'm certainly having trouble getting the words on paper. There's a stereo blaring behind me and the ball bouncing in front of me. I'm amazed at our tolerance level where music is concerned. I even go around singing, "Purple Rain -- Purple Rain." I can almost tell who is in the lounge by the music on the stereo. If I hear country-western, I know that Cora or Lana are around. I really enjoy country western, but some of the lyrics embarrass me if there are a lot of students around!

14 February 1986 - Dad's barber really cuts his hair short. The other night we were talking to Darlene and Lorraine. I said I needed to get a haircut. Darlene said, "You don't need a haircut." I assured her I did, because my hair was too long. Lorraine said, "Well, I guess we'll hae two bald heads around here instead of one.

16 February 1986 - I just went over to the house and got a wire hanger for a boy who locked his keys in his car. I sure do hope he has a car!

Institute girls - October 1984

Molly Yazzie and Kaye Begay went with us to a fireside. They always wear dresses to church now. I never thought dresses would look so good! Most of my girls still wear blue jeans.

". . . wilt thou make thyself known unto me . . ."

Alma 22:18

School Days

2010-08-27T10:35:00.001-06:00

Birdie - When I was ready for school I had to go to the “Lone Star” school which was three miles southwest of our place. Daddy bought a little high-spirited pony, and I rode horseback for three years. Lots of mornings I would be so cold I couldn’t walk when I’d get there. A boy about 15 years old always was there to build the fire and get the school house warm. Many times he would carry me in and set me by the stove, and if it was stormy he would get my pony and put me on her to go home at night. There were 7 kids riding horseback to school, only two going my way, but we did enjoy it when it wasn’t too cold.

Uncle Jim and gotten married by now, and Aunt Fern was sure I’d get hurt riding that pony. No wonder she worried, for we would go by her home on a dead run, dinner pails rattling and girls giggling, talking and yelling like three little Indians.

After I went three years horseback, Norman was ready for school, so Daddy bought a cart and we drove to school two years. Then Augusta (born 5 August 1897) was ready to go. She had to sit down front in a basket at our feet. We had one gate to go through if we went by Uncle Jim’s place. This particular evening we had to give Uncle Jim a note from Daddy, so we went that way. Norman opened the gate, but he couldn’t shut it, so I got out to help him and the pony started off on a trot. We couldn’t run fast enough to catch her, so we told Gusta to jump out. What did she do? She threw out lunch pails, quilts and everything else in the cart before she jumped out! So besides walking on home, we had all those things to carry. Imagine three unhappy tired children lugging all that down the road. When the pony arrived home without her passengers Mother sent Uncle Jack back to pick us up and were we ever glad

Norman - As time went on there were three of us going to school. Birdie, as the eldest, was our driver, and things do happen! [One time we had] a broken buggy shaft by bumping a cow that was too gentle to move out of the way. [Another time] there was a barbed wire gate to pass through. It was tight and hard to close. Augusta was too small to be of much help, so I had to call on Birdie. Augusta was left in the buggy. The horse became impatient to get started and headed for home while we were shutting the gate. Birdie shouted to Augusta to get out. She did, but first she emptied out the robes, dinner pails and books. So we were loaded as we started to trudge home. When the horse and empty buggy got to Uncle Jim’s place, he turned it around and came back and got us.

image


James Boling's draft record which he would have completed in his own handwriting.