My Life Story, Edith Thatcher

By Edith Cardon Thatcher

Photos Courtesy of Doug Whitnell and others.

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Aug 1954

Ancestors — What a wealth of information can be gathered and given under that one short word!  Mine were of such caliber that the very mention of their names gives me thrill.  The CARDON name (and those whom they married, Stale, Tourn, Jouve, Jahier, and others), appear in records back through the centuries.  The Cardon line which was in Lucca, Italy in 1526, dates back to 1040.  The rest were nearly that far back.
They were predominantly Protestant, being members of the Vaudois, Waloon, or Waldense church as it was variously called, as early as 1567.  This church dated back to the 12th Century, and the members had two crusades directed against them.  They were driven by the Catholics to take refuge in France, Germany, Switzerland and the high Alpine territory of the Piedmont Valleys in Italy.  They were constantly persecuted, and were forbidden to keep records, or to take an active part in civil and political happening.  Many were killed, burned, and had their children kidnapped.  The movement was finally stamped out everywhere but in the Piedmont Valleys.  The nature of the country made it easier for them to resist the combined armies of Savoy and France.

Seven generations of my known Cardons were native born in these Piedmont Valleys, being of French extraction.  They resided in Prarustin, Rora pra del Tour, Pramol, and Luzerne.  They understood Italian but not too many spoke it.  Civil and political rights were restored to them in 1848, but they were still restricted religiously.  They were well grounded in sacrificing all for their religious convictions.  They were thrifty and dependable, and while not wealthy, most of them owned their own homes.
It is significant that a year later, in the October 1849 Conference in Salt Lake City, Apostle Lorenzo Snow, and others were called as missionaries to Italy.  Their first convert was a relative of ours, a Mr. Malan.  Great Grandfather Philippe Cardon and his wife accepted the restored Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, 24 Nov 1852, and soon came to America.  They had nine children; one of whom, my grandfather Louis Philip Cardon, married Susette Stalé in Logan in 1857.
Seven known generations of the Stalé line shared the same Piedmont Valley, and Vaudois background.  Great Grandfather, Jean Pierre Stalé and his family befriended the missionaries on a number of occasions, when they were mobbed and stoned.  This family, and their four children were a little more prosperous than the rest, having two homes, the Valley home, usually used in the winter, and the one in the top of the mountains for the summer.  They joined the church in 1854.  The elders were called home by President Brigham Young because of the persecutions, and did not return for about 40 years.  They saw to it that the Stalé family was with them on the ship which sailed 12 Dec 1855.  It was very likely the last one on which the Saints were allowed to leave Italy.
The family crossed the plains with a handcart company (the first).  Grandmother Susette, age 16, and her 12 year old brother, Daniel, pushed the handcart.  Food was scarce, and the suffering intense.  Great grandfather gave his share to the others, and became so weak that he died.  This entry appears in the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Vol. 18, p. 51:  “A Brief Record of the First Handcart Company, by Edmund Ellsworth, captain; A. Galloway, secretary of the company.  Aug. 17, 1856 . . . . . . . Camped at 4:00 P. M., on the side of the Platte, opposite to Ash Grove.  Brother Peter Staley died today.  He was from Italy.” The widow and her young children arrived in Salt Lake in Dec 1856.  Susette married Louis Philip Cardon in Logan.  Their children were Joseph Samuel, Emanuel Philip, Mary Katherine, Louis Paul (my Father) and Isabelle, who died young.  They lived in Utah and in Idaho, and then were called to settle in Arizona, living in Taylor.  I visited their old home this last summer.  It is still called “the old Cardon home”.  Later they moved to the Later Day Saint Colonies in Chihuahua, Mexico, which had been settled in 1885.  They lived in Colonia Juarez, and in Colonia Dublan.  My father who had graduated from the Brigham Young College in Logan was called to the colonies to be Seminary principal, and take care of the grades as principal.                

My mother, Edith Jemima Done came from the English line of Done, Barker, Morby, Parkes, Robinson, and others, who resided mainly in Cheshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Northhamptonshire.  Their background was not on the persecuted side of life.  They were members of the Church of England, mostly.  They were of good substantial stock.  The Done line and name is in Cheshire from the time of William the Conqueror, and played a prominent part in English History.  Sir John Done of Utkinton entertained King James there in 1617.  However, we do not have the direct line back too many generations.
My third great grandfather, Abraham, died I 1835 before he had a chance to accept the Gospel.  His wife, Anne Hancock Done, and her Page 2sons, and their families accepted the truth in 1851 and 1852, and answered the call to Zion.  The family was talented, and many from that time to now have majored in music, singing and instrumental playing.  They shared in the trials and tribulations of the early pioneers, but remained steadfast to the faith.  The other lines joining were also faithful. One great grandfather William Parkes gave his life “crossing the plains” and that is the way his death notice is given.
Grandfather Abraham Done, and his wife Elizabeth Annie Robinson, raised their family in Payson, Utah.  They were Arthur Jesse, Edith Jemima (my mother), Abraham (died young), Joseph Franklin, Mary Brentnall (called May), Eva Sarah, Ethel Cholerton, Robinson Parkes, Jede Barker (died young), Heber John, and Abram Wilford (died young).  They were all active in Church affairs there.  Grandfather had the conviction that plural marriage was revealed of God, so with a number of others, he moved his family to the colonies at Dublan.  Mother left with them before she had a chance to finish her last year of High School at the Brigham Young University at Provo.  They settled at Colonia Dublan.  Here, Grandfather took two other fine women, Louise Haag Abegg, and Nellie Moffett as his wives.
Mother taught school where Louis Paul Cardon was then the Principal.  They were attracted at once, and she accepted his proposal of marriage as second wife, believing the principle was divine, and was permitted at that time.  Although there were many adjustments to be made, they were very happy.  I wish to say here that my family association with my father’s other two wives, and the brothers and sisters, (father never countenanced “half brothers and sisters”) are precious to me, and that I treasure the many memories.
My father’s home was a large, two story brick house.  There was a parlor, living room, hall, dining room, kitchen and pantry and two closets downstairs.  The bedrooms were upstairs.  There was a veranda in front and a balcony over it.  The yard was filled with lawn, flowers and trees.
My parent’s joy at the birth of their first born, a daughter named Louie was soon dimmed when her life faded out at nine months.  She was a beautiful spirit called home.
It was a beautiful moonlit evening.  My parents sat on the porch enjoying the cool breeze.  When the folks came home from choir practice about 11 they went inside and upstairs to bed.  But a big event had been scheduled for 9 Apr 1903, so there was a quick call made for Sister A. J. Thurber, midwife, and I greeted the world enthusiastically at 2:30 A. M., Thursday morning.  And it very nearly meets expectations, when one tries to live their best.
Other children born in Colonia Dublan were Mary, Florence and then the twins, Paul Done and Ellen, then Eva, who died in infancy, just before the Exodus from Mexico in July, 1912.  Ethel, Lucy, Thomas Done, Emanuel Done and Laurence Done were born n Binghampton, near Tucson, then a distance of about five miles, but now a part of it.  Sorrow came again.  Paul died when about 5 ½ years of age, and Thomas and Lawrence when tiny.  So mother raised six girls and one boy, out of her twelve.
I was the first grandchild of the Dones, and as such a great favorite, receiving a lot of attention from the aunts and uncles which was soon shared with the others.  I remember my great grandparents, Joseph and Jemima Parkes Robinson.  He was rather small, but surprisingly active.  She was a talented woman.  I still have the card covered with pansies that she gave me, with the words “A Happy New Year, to you, my dear, And many of them too, With gifts and grace, and a smiling face,  This world you will get through.”   Age four found me enrolled in Sunday School.  Dressed in a red silk dress, ribbon, shoes and stockings, I was held by my great grandfather on the stage, the oldest and the youngest enrolled in Sunday School.
We used to visit at Grandfather Abraham Done’s, and it was always a treat.  There were chickens and ducks to feed, with worms dug in the asparagus bed; delicious honeycomb to chew when extracting was done, and games with the uncles and cousins.  My first Eater remembered was there.  The children, grandchildren and cousins were given the eggs for a week to hide.  Uncle Heber and a cousin, Franklin Harris, being older, found most of those hidden by the rest, and hid them in the bottom of one of the middle beehives.  I saw, and told my aunt.  We left them till the night before Easter, then slipped out and got a bucketful.  It was a puzzled and resentful pair who visited the beehive at daybreak the next morning.  Needless to say all the children came in for a just share.
Christmas celebrated at home in the “Big House” was a wonder-Page 3ful time.  We had carols and stories in the evening, while hanging popcorn strings and colored paper chains.  Santa Claus always came, even though the older disillusioned (so they thought) children locked father, mother, Aunt Ella and Aunt Irene in the bedrooms upstairs.  But when we children gathered in the Hall outside the sliding doors to the “Big” parlor, the tree was always beautiful, from floor to ceiling, with a cherished gift for all.  Other holidays were also happy, and when we had the measles mumps, and other childhood diseases, we were company to each other.
An excited eldest grand-daughter had three trips with her grandmother, Elizabeth Annie R. Done.  First was to Colonia Juarez and El Paso where an Uncle and Aunt lived.  I got lost on one of our shopping trips in El Paso, going on as the others went into a store, but wandering in a circle managed to cross the International Line in the crowds without being noticed.  By the time I managed to get up courage to ask where I was, I looked up, and the Mexican I had asked led me across the street to my Uncle’s lumberyard.  There was a frenzied search on for the five-year old, but the Mexican Police notified the American Police, who relieved Grandmother’s and Aunt May’s minds and anxiety.  One summer month was spent in Canutillo, Texas, where Great Grandfather Robinson lived with his daughter, Josephine R. Harris after great grandmother died.  Mother had taken me to Utah when I was a year old, and I went again with grandmother again when I was 9.  To the envy of the cousins, I went with the adults to see the first “Talking Picture” in Payson.
We always had family prayers as a group in the home and were taught the Gospel, so each baptism was an event we eagerly awaited.  Baptizing was done in the Dublan Reservoir, about five miles west of town, called the long lake.  We made it a big affair, with all the family, grandparents and relatives riding on a hay rack.  We were ready and loading the picnic on the morning of my eighth birthday when Uncle Joseph Cardon came end and told us that Grandfather Louis Philip Cardon had suddenly died.  My baptism had to be postponed and was done on 27 May 1911 by my father with all there.

War clouds came up soon.  Rebels endeavored to unseat President Madero and revolution shook Mexico.  The rebels warned the Latter Day Saints to get out, saying they wanted no more “gringos”.  They came through the colonies one evening in July, 1912 plundering and delivered the ultimatum that all must leave.  It was an exciting time.  We children tried to help and keep out of the way at the same time.  The men tried to round up horses and provisions while the rebels were helping themselves to anything they fancied.  

I remember looking out the window (mother had moved to what we called the “White House”, just opposite to Grandmother Susette Cardon’s, and Aunt Katie Clawson’s.  

One of Uncle Joseph’s big red horses was in the pasture.  Some rebels saw him; one climbed through the fence, walked to Grandmother’s rope clothesline, cut it down and caught the horse.  My plucky little French grandmother went after her clothesline, and gesticulated faster than he did.  He finally shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and left without anything.  It was rather strange that after the trouble had died down, returning colonists found her little home and its contents unharmed. A group came into the corral where Aunt Ella was watching the horses, bowed politely, then roped them and lead them off.  When sent Mary to tell the men, one of them pointed his gun at Mary.
Each family was allowed one suitcase and a bedroll.  Sad eyes bade farewell to homes and possessions.  I wonder who got the doll with real curly hair and sleepy eyes that I kissed goodbye?  The town residents gathered at the station a little after noon.  The rebels were marching and singing in the streets.  We were afraid to move for fear that they would become infuriated before the train left.  It was due before five but loaded long before it reached our colony.  So we were loaded in cattle cars.  It was after dark before it came.  We children became restless and Grandmother Done passed out large chunks of sugared honey to all to keep us quiet.  It was another Exodus of Latter Day Saints.
The people of El Paso were very kind.  A huge lumber yard was turned over to us.  Quilts were hung as partitions.  Food was brought and served in the runways.  We held church there with a lot of the populace curiously watching through the big gates.  Living quarters were found during the next week or so.  We stayed there about 2 ½ months then the family moved to Tucson, Arizona or at the edge at Binghampton as it was called.
Mother found a school to teach at that was about 35 miles from there, then one year at Canoa Ranch, and another at Rero.  It was a group of apostate Mormons living in the mountains.  Some were English and they had hid from worldly things until the state told them that they would have to put their children in school.  Some of the older ones went from the fourth to the eighth grade in the two years.  Their leader had decided that only he and the Prophet Joseph Smith were right.  There were about eight families and he used to get them together  to warn against any religious teachings that mother might mention.  They had copies of the Book of Mormon.  One of the 18 year old boys said that he had read it through eight times and that although he didn’t believe it was true,Page 4that it was the best story that he had ever read.  I have often thought that if he found that much enjoyment in the story we as Latter Day Saints should read it again and again and study that divine book.
We weren’t able to attend our church services so they decided to go back to Tucson when I was about twelve.  Father had a farm there raising melons, onions, potatoes, cucumbers and grain.  He was in the Bishopric of the Binghampton for several years.  My church service began there at the age of 12 when I was asked to be assistant kindergarten teacher in the Sunday School to Sister Stella D. Evans.  I also helped in the Primary and was appointed Sunday School secretary at sixteen serving 2 ½ years and M.I.A. organist.
Times were not too easy and all of us children helped in the home and the fields.  Mother taught her girls the housewifely arts.  I remember making a dress for myself when I was nine.  What a thrill to make a Sunday dress!

My schooling began when I was five years of age.  My parents were both teaching and it was my job to take the lunch so I stayed in the afternoon.  I was in the third grade when we came from Mexico so mother taught me the next two years.  I graduated from the eighth grade at Binghampton.  Aunt Ella, Ralph W. Bilby, and George Clawson were my teachers.  I stayed out one year to help at home.
Mother and her children spent one year in Cloudcroft, New Mexico when her only living son Emanuel was 15 months old and weighted 15 pounds.  We were very happy to have him get well and gain again.  We did enjoy that beautiful mountain resort and being with Aunt May D. Pierce and her family, Mother’s sister from El Paso.

The next fall I went to the Brigham Young University for my first year of High School.  I was with my Aunt Ethel Done and when she was called on her mission I stayed on with my great Aunt Josephine R. Harris.  She and my cousins were wonderfully kind.  It was the winter of the Armistice from World War I and the terrible “flu” epidemic.  There were so many deaths that all schools were dismissed for a time.  We all wore masks, white gauze squares.  I remember that Florence Jepson (now Madsen) and prominent in Relief Society and other music of the church had just come back from studying music in Europe.  Her mask was a beautiful rose colored veil.  We all secretly wished that we dared to wear the same.  My cousin Mary and I worked in a tomato canning factory and then in a candy factory to help with our clothes.  We bought red plush coats and high top shoes reaching nearly to our knees.  

The next three years I attended Tucson High School taking an academic course and art.  My art teacher taught me alone the last period of the day in my senior year as my classes were such that I couldn’t get to her regular classes.  She felt that I was much more artistic than I did, and wanted me to attend an Art School but finances were not there.  I graduated from Tucson High School, in May 1922.  School was easy for me and I was chosen as a Charter Member of the National Honor Society.
Alma Young and C. S. “Farmer” Brown were the two outstanding Sunday School teachers I remember, and I will never forget the Sister Josephine W. Johnson who taught our crowd when we were 15 and 16.  We had Sunday School, Sacrament Meting and M.I.A. the same day.  She was always ready to chaperone our activities and we loved her.  I was bitterly disappointed when family circumstances prompted my father to reply to an inquiry that he would not be able to send me on a mission.  I still have the letter from Gustave O. Larsen of the Sunday School General Board when he wrote me commending me for my work, and expressing the hope that I would someday have the chance to go on my mission.
We discussed College but times were hard so when I graduated I took the Arizona State Teacher’s examination. I was fortunate enough to pass as the exams were made stiffer that year.  I applied for a school in the Gila Valley where I would be in a Mormon community and near relatives.  July came and no answer so Mother and I went to the County School Superintendent’s office to see if she had any schools left.  There was one on the Robles Ranch teaching the Spanish children of the help.  I would be able to come home once during the year. I was interviewed by Mr. Robles and he sent me back to the County School Office to sign the contract.  It was not what we would have liked but then Fate stepped in, or the answer to prayer.  The County School Superintendent had left but five minutes before for lunch so we walked downtown met an uncle who was riding out home.  We went with him rather than wait as he was coming right back.  There was a letter from M. Mickleson of Thatcher with one enclosed offering me the school in Eden, Arizona.
A new life began for me as I met my future husband, Marion P. Thatcher.  My thought as I walked down the aisle of the Eden Ward Sunday School with all eyes on the “new School Ma’am” and met the eyes of the Theological teacher was “Why he looks like he thinks he knows me.”  His, as he told me later was “That’s the girl I am going to marry.”  He had been back from his mission for about 14 months.  Our first date was after an M. I. A. OfficersPage 5meeting.  He was the Y.M.M.I.A. Superintendent, I a counselor to the Young Ladies.  He had been irrigating for 56 hours and came between turns wearing boots.  The Young Ladies President asked him to take the new school teacher home.  We were soon an accepted couple in the young folks group and enjoyed all the thrills of courtship.
One of the teachers failed to show up when school started and the Trustees called Mother in Tucson.  She came and taught the first two grades that first semester then decided to go to Gila College (now Eastern Arizona College at Thatcher) the second semester to obtain the High School Graduation certificate that she had left too soon to get in Payson since she had accompanied her family to Mexico.  She then taught several years in Virden, New Mexico.  Since I helped to keep Mother and the family, I did not save the money I hoped to for my mission.
I was thrilled with my school teaching the third, fourth, and fifth graders.  Oran Williams of Thatcher, the principal, had the seventh and eighth grades.  I loved the church and social life in this little community.  I helped in the Primary and Sunday School too.  We gave plays in M. I. A., taking one to the surrounding towns in the Valley.  When Marion asked the question in March we made plans to get married on his birthday, September 1st.  But postponement was indicated so I could help the family and we decided to wait.  I taught a second year, setting my wedding for April, my birth month.

We went back to Tucson for the summer between.  Grandmother Susette S. Cardon came to me saying “You are what they call it-be-gaged?”  When I said “Yes” she replied “I knew it, I dreamed it!”  She died 19 July 1923 shortly after.  Hers was a wonderfully full life.  She was faithful to the last.  She read her French Book of Mormon and Bible every day.  Her passing was mercifully quick.  She spent the last two hours of her life before she lost consciousness with my sister Florence and I laughing at the differences between her young days and ours, then was struck suddenly and was buried in the graveyard at Binghampton.  I went back over to Eden for the 24th of July holiday.
Now for the family background of my husband, his Mother’s Plumb lines came to America between 1620 and 1642 from England.  The sixth great Grandfather married Elizabeth Norton and it is through this Plumb-Norton line that he traces his Pedigree back through every royal line, the Judean kings, and to Adam.  We have made out our own “Adam Chart” insofar as they can be made out from fact, and then tradition.  His lines go in several places on the “Kinship of Families” chart that Archibald F. Bennett has had put out for Pres. George Albert Smith and others.  The Plumbs joined the church in the early days.
The Thatcher-Taylor line originates in Somersetshire and Devonshire.  The Thomas line while in Devonshire is believed to be of Welsh Origin.  Marion’s father Lorenzo Moses Thatcher was born in Brynmawr, Breconshire, and used to say that his house was half in Wales and half in England, which statement was born out in a clipping from a Welsh newspaper wherein a man by the name of L. M. Thomas (a relative?) wrote in 1952 “I was born in Wales at Brynmawr, but I learned early that the part of Brynmawr south of the old railway line that ran through the market square was in England.  Grandmother Prudence Harding Thomas had 6 children by her first husband, Francis Taylor, recent research has indicated.  Two died in England.  Three of these were sealed to her second husband Joseph Thomas Thatcher and he raised them.  Grandmother and Grandfather Thatcher were members of the Tredegar Branch, Monmouthshire Conference.  They were baptized in Tredegar and came to America 2 Sept 1874 on the Ship “Wyoming” with Lorenzo (Marion’s father) and their daughter Mary Ann.  Grandfather Francis Taylor had come over in 1866 going first to Canada.
Grandmother Prudence H. T. Thatcher died two years after the arrival in America.  They had been planning to go through the Temple.  Grandfather Thatcher worked 15 years in the granite quarry for the Salt Lake Temple.  We have the crowbar that he used in quarrying the granite.  We also have an iron shovel made by Grandfather Merlin Plumb that was used to carry coals from one campfire to another while he was crossing the plains.  Marion was the last child blessed by Grandfather Plumb and he gave him the name of “Marion not because it had been a family name but for General Marion, the Swamp Fox, one of the greatest men that ever lived” as he told them.
His parents families came from Utah to Arizona, settling in Eden which was then called Curtis, in the 1870′ s.  Lorenzo Moses Thatcher and Sarah Judith Plumb were married 24 Dec 1885.  Their first child, Joseph Merlin, was born in Eden.  Then they made the trip by wagon to the Manti Temple to be sealed for time and eternity.  We were happy to have had the privilege of going through that temple a couple of years ago.  Lorenzo Hyrum was born in Payson, and the rest in Eden.  They were:  Elizabeth Prudence, Alva Layman, Sarah Matilda, John Ryla, Marion Plumb (my husband) and Ralph Admiral.
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Edith and May, 1923Marion was born 1 Sept 1899.  He attended school in Coontown as the District west and south of the Thatcher homestead in Eden was called and went one year in Eden.  He did not get to attend High school as his father’s health was bad.  When he was twelve he and his brother John, age fourteen, took over running the farm doing men’s work and they paid it out.  Marion worked for two years as a cowboy on Stanley mountain to the southwest of the home.  Chase Kimball was Bishop when he was called on a mission which lasted from 11 July 1919 to 11 Jul 1921.  It was in the Southern States.  Charles A. Callis was his mission President.  He had a very happy and richly rewarding spiritual time while there performing a number of baptisms and making many lifelong friends.  While he was there his sister Prudence died leaving six children, the youngest a pair of twin girls 18 months old.  The Thatchers took these children to raise.  So he was used to responsibilities.  As before stated, when he returned he was active in the church.  
I taught my second year at the Day School near Duncan, Arizona which as since been discontinued.  I had the first four grades.  Mother was teaching in Virden a few miles away.  Aunt Ella was also teaching at the Day School so I stayed with her during the week then in Virden weekends.  It was an interesting year.  Marion came up during the Christmas holidays.  I worked in the Primary there, and Sunday School, going to Safford for the Union Meetings.

The Wedding Day of Marion Plumb Thatcher and Edith Cardon was 5 April 1924.  It was a Saturday since I was teaching.  Marion came up Friday evening.  Then he, Mother, Aunt Ella and I went to Safford.  I couldn’t get away from my job so that we could go to the Salt Lake Temple but we were married in the Safford Court House by my uncle Harry L. Payne who was Clerk of the Court at the time and also in the St. Joseph Stake Presidency.  He also officiated at the Temple Weddings of two of my sons.  We stayed in Safford that night then went back to my job.  Marion went home the following Tuesday as he was farming.  I moved to Eden the 12 May 1924, moving in with his folks.
Marion had been sustained in the Eden Ward Bishopric 24 May 1923 and was released in 1927, September.  I was Second Counselor in the Primary and acted as teacher, organist and Chorister in the other organizations.
Times were busy.  Marion and the boys had a combine and they did custom harvesting.  It was my first experience cooking for large crews and that type of farming.  Marion’s mother had been blind for three years at one period of her life, taking treatments in Salt Lake.  Her trouble; wild hairs scratching the eyeballs came back and it was decided to send her to Los Angeles for treatments.  She took the twins with her and I took care of the housework and family while she was gone.
We remodeled and painted a little two room and porch cottage that we bought from his oldest brother John and moved it to a corner of the farm next to the highway.  We planted flowers and during later summers the climbing roses, honeysuckle, and others were a riot of color.  It was the talk of the motorists going by to the Indian Hot Springs as we lived above the ditch and had to haul most of the water.  The twins used to help and I gave them music lessons.
Death visited again that September while Marion’s mother was in California treating her eyes.  His father died suddenly, 22 Sept 1924.  The family all came back but his mother and brother Alva didn’t get there in time for the services as they had a wreck.  Fortunately no one was injured.  We couldn’t wait the indefinite several days then as now and we expected them in.  Mother Thatcher moved uptown then to put the children in school.  Elmer, the oldest nephew, stayed with us to help on the farm.

Paul and his Grandmother CardonWe moved into our little home.  It was a happy time.  Our son Marion Paul, who made his appearance at 4:25 A. M. Mar 1925, was the first grandchild and great grandchild on my mother’s side of the family.  He was born in his great grandparents (Done) Golden Wedding Year, choosing the day between the birthdates of his great grandfather, Abraham Done and his grandmother Edith D. Cardon.  He was a lovely child, — had white hair and striking black eyes like “holes burned into a blanket” according to his father.  Aunt Rozella T. Hancock stayed with us.  He had a very narrow call during his second summer.  We had the harvesters again and some of the old fashioned black fly paper go put down where he could reach it while we were preparing the evening meal.  It was really a wild ten mile ride, with a prayer in our hearts.  Fortunately our family doctor Dr. Morris was there and his life was saved.
Golden haired gray eyed Leavitt Thomas decided his father’s birth date was good enough for him, so at 9:00 A. A. on Sept 1, 1926 he lustily announced his arrival.  Dr. Morris officiated again.  He was huskier build than Paul and they were almost the same size before too many years went by.  We were asked if they werePage 7twins.  Leavitt’s hair turned real dark brown when he was about 15 months old, beginning in a circle at the crown of his head.

Marion’ brother John worked in the mines in Globe in the winters while the grain was growing as there was not enough work to keep both going.  We took our turn away the winter of 1927-1928.  Marion helped clear the land for the Ellsworth Brothers at Queen Creek for about six weeks then we went to Phoenix where he worked on Mr. Manson’s well rig for a $1.00 a day.  There was a slight depression on but we managed.  We moved back to Eden when it was time to harvest the grain.  I was glad as I did not like living in a city.  Just out and handy (like I am now) suits me fine.
The Temple was dedicated in October when we lived in Phoenix.  We had not been able to get married in the Temple, so we got ready, and on 21 Nov 1927 we went in with a lot of our folks and were sealed for Time and all Eternity.  Words cannot describe the thrill when they brought us our two tiny sons who were dressed in their little white suits and they were sealed to us.  Our hearts were thankful for this blessing.
Marion was appointed Sunday School teacher and worked with the Scouts when we came back to Eden.  I worked with the organizations as before.  It was during this period that I was a second counselor in the Eden Primary with Hannah O. Kempton, President and Inez H. Carpenter.  We enjoyed the church work and the socials that were held in the new amusement hall.  It had been built partially as well as the new Chapel while Marion was in the Bishopric.  He hauled the first load of lumber when they began the building.

One of the tragedies of our life was losing our only daughter Edith, who was born prematurely in the Mesa Southside Hospital while I was down visiting my parents who lived in Chandler.  This was 24 Oct 1929.  She lived only 3 ½ hours.  She was blessed by her great grandfather Abraham Done, and grandmother, his wife helped me.  Marion’s mother and brother Alva came down with him.  He stayed with me and mother Thatcher and Alva took the baby back to Eden where grave side services were held and Alva Bp ______ & _____ ______ dedicated the grave.  I was very ill for a month.  Faith and prayers saved my life.  It was hard to understand why our only daughter had to be taken.  My Patriarchal Blessing said several times that I would have all that I desired in righteousness and we always wished that we would be blessed with another daughter, but were not.  It was not until my later married life and my first three sons had been married in the Temple that I decided that my prayers had been answered in God’s wisdom, and their wives were the daughters we were to have.

In the fall of 1930 we turned the running of the Eden property over to John and moved to a Grade A Dairy five miles southeast of Mesa belonging to J. G. Peterson.  We had from nine to thirteen around our table the next three years.  Marion’s mother brought Prudence’s children down and they attended the Mesa Schools.  She worked in the Arizona Temple with her sisters, Martha J. P. Tryon, who lived in Mesa and Marilla P. Hall of Boulder Utah.  They hadn’t seen Aunt Marilla for forty years.  It was a wonderful time for the three sisters.  They stayed in Mesa for the Temple sessions at Aunt Martha’s.  Then she came out weekends and the sisters came a number of times to visit.  Aunt Marilla died the following summer, Marion’s mother in the fall.
The twins, Netta and Nina, Were with us all the time, also Woodrow.  Irving, Dewaine and Elmer came part of the time.  The girls graduated from the eighth grade while they were there.  The boys helped with the Dairy work.  The girls and I did the housework.  At first we found it hard to get through in time to keep up with our Sunday meetings, but we decided no job was worth missing our church, so I helped bottle the milk while the girls took care of the house.  All the milking was done by hand then.  This arrangement worked out fine, and we made it.
We did less church work in those busy three years than at any time in our life.  Marion was a Ward Teacher.  The last year we were there, late 1933 and early 1934 Marion was chosen Chairman of the Genealogical Society of the Mesa Second Ward, and I gave the lessons and acted as secretary until we found one.  We did go into the Temple to do Ordinance work whenever we could get in.
Marion’s mother was a wonderful woman.  She made many sacrifices to raise her family, then her daughter’s family.  She worked in the Relief Society and was visiting teacher for a number of years.  Her health was not too good and though she consulted with doctors a number of times, they did not seem to help her too much.  But she kept things going and was always cheerful.  She enjoyed her last winter at the Temple with her two sisters.  When the Temple closed, she took the girls to Eden for the summer.  Two of her sons lived there.  She had a stroke in August 1931, paralyzing her right side and taking her speech.  When she eased up they brought her back to us.  She improved a lot but had to bePage 8helped, and never regained her strength or speech.  She could make her wishes pretty well known though.  Then in November she suffered a relapse and let us know that she wanted to go “Home”.  So the boys took her back to Eden.  Her sister, Aunt Martha P. Tryon, stayed with her and on 27 Nov 1931 she passed away peacefully and was buried there in the Eden Cemetery.

We went on as usual.  But the Depression years came on and it became increasingly hard to keep such a large family going.  Milk sold at 5¢ a quart; our lettuce crop and pig raising failed.  So we decided to return to the Eden farm.  Marion had bought the homestead estate from his brothers and sister after his mother died.  John rented it until we moved back.

We had hoped and prayed for another baby after losing our daughter, so the birth of our third son, Kenneth Cardon, was welcomed by all.  He was born on the Mesa Dairy at 8:10 A. M., 3 Feb 1932.  He was a lively, likeable child.  He was nearly two years old when we went back to Eden in early 1934.
Our home had been accidently burned down the year before we moved back to Eden by some people who were renting it, so we had to fix up and move into the place of his mother.  We got fixed up as well as possible.  Some odd jobs were found until the grain crop came off.  The twins went to live with John and Ellen.  Dewaine worked at the Indian Hot Springs. Elmer and Ralph went to Utah and Oregon hunting work.  Woodrow started with arthritis before we left Mesa.  We had him treated there then put under the doctor’s care at Safford.  However he became increasingly worse.  It was the inflammatory kind.  Arrangements were made to put him in the L. D. S. Hospital in Salt Lake City where he was treated unsuccessfully.  He died 5 Dec 1935.  Dewaine came back to live with us a few months and had a heart attack and died 23 Dec 1935.
Marion and his brother Alva went to Clifton and bought one of the homes that were being wrecked and sold.  They tore it down themselves and trucked the material to Eden to build us a home.  We put this on a lot we bought above the ditch and close to town.  We made three bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bath.  It was finished enough so that we moved into it in October 1934.  It was nice to be in our own home again.
We took up our church activities again.  Marion was Superintendent of the Sunday School; I was a class leader in Relief Society, the second Counselor to Annie R. Christensen and with Hannah O. Kempton in Feb 1934.  I also worked in Primary, some in M. I. A., and as organist and chorister of the Ward and Sunday School at various times.
“It’s another boy” were the words that greeted Dr. Morris as he came through the door.  It was Morris Lorenzo, born at 7:10 A. M. 15 Dec 1934.  Kenneth had broken his leg, a triangular piece in the front of his right shin two days before.  He jumped off a carpenter’s saw horse into the sand.  We were quite busy.  Vinnie I. Marshall and my sister-in-law Carrie P. Thatcher helped us.
We lived in Eden until August 1937.  Then – another move, this time to Chandler, Arizona and where we seem to have settled.  We came to run the 120-acre farm of my father whose health was failing.  He and mother moved to Mesa.  They spent a lot of time working in the Arizona Temple.  Mother cared for Aunt Katie, Father’s sister several years until she died.  Father was a set apart worker for several years.  Mother was helping out with the sealings.

We soon made arrangements to buy the Ranch.  It is devoted to grain raising and Dairy farming.  We fell in love with the Chandler Ward.  The people were really sociable and accepted us with the same sweet spirit always shown in our Latter Day Saints Wards.
Boys being our specialty, we were not too surprised when our family was completed with the arrival of our fifth boy, John Philip Thatcher, born 11:20 P. M. in the Mesa Southside District Hospital.  A long wait made his welcome warm.  17 Jan 1943.
We have been very happy with our boys, — and they are all boy.  I was always amused that invariably when one arrived someone always said, “Well, he’s pretty enough to be a girl anyway”.  Paul Leavitt and Kenneth were born on Wednesdays, Edith, our girl on a Thursday (as was I),  Morris on Saturday, and John on Sunday.  We always took them to church with us even though a large portion was spent on the front seats.
Page 9Paul and Leavitt attended schools in Mesa, Eden, and Chandler, Morris, Kenneth and John in Chandler.  The first four are graduates of Chandler High School.  Paul went one semester to the University of Arizona in Tucson and Morris to the Brigham Young University at Provo.  They were active in school affairs.  Paul tried public speaking and dramatics.  They all four took agriculture being members of the Future Farmers of America.  Several honors were bestowed on them.  They were members of judging teams in Tucson, Flagstaff, and Prescott.  Paul and Leavitt were Presidents of the Chandler Chapter, Kenneth and Morris held Offices.  Leavitt and Kenneth won trips to Kansas City, Missouri with Chapter Representatives given b the Santa Fe Railroad.  William C. Danforth, author of the book “I Dare You” attended the F.F.A. Parents and Sons Banquet when Leavitt was president.  He was spending some time at the San Marcos Hotel.  He gave Leavitt an autographed copy of the book and invited him to attend Camp Miniwanca, a training school for Youth leaders on Lake Michigan near Shelby, Michigan.  Mr. Danforth paid his expenses while there.  He had a wonderful experience and vacation while there for the ten-day training period.  Mr. Danforth was on the Camp Board and in charge.
Paul and Leavitt played the piano some while in Eden and Paul studied the clarinet in Chandler.  Leavitt went on practicing piano and was asked t be the Chandler Ward Primary organist at age 11, and Sunday School at thirteen.  When the Hammond organ was installed he played that.  He has been active in music in Chandler, Alma Ward in Mesa, and Gilbert (where he was choir director too).  He played the organ at the Temple one night a week for two seasons.  The boys were all active in Priesthood work, being officers in their quorums and also did Ward Teaching.  We also had five Scouts.  Morris was an Eagle Scout and took several honors.  Leavitt acted in the Sunday School Superintendency in Chandler.
Morris took a prominent part in Athletics, being track man and a star football player, until he injured his knee, about the middle of his Senior year.  John is now in Junior High School, where he plays the trombone in the Band.  He was quite active in Little League Baseball this last summer.
Paul served in the American Theatre of the Army n World War II, from 11 Apr 1944 till 7 May 1946, when he was released a Corporal.  Leavitt was in the Civil Air Patrol, but not in the regular army because of a sinus condition.  Marion was inducted in World War I but got just as far as Bowie when the Armistice was signed, so the group was returned to their homes.  Paul worked in the Soil Conservation Service after his release, then at a Service Station and on the farm.  Leavitt was in the Harvest sheds at Mesa and for Hulets.  Kenneth worked for Alma Pate south of Chandler.  The three are now in Grade A. Dairy work, Paul and Kenneth with their father on the Ranch, Leavitt on the Fincher Ranch in Higley.  Morris had training in Construction work during his summers.
As before stated my married sons were worthy to go through the Temple of the Lord in Mesa with their chosen mates.  Paul married Melva Bond; Leavitt, Joyce Hunsaker; and Kenneth, Norma Maxine Hunsaker, the latter two being sisters, all three lovely daughters.  And now we have seven grandchildren with hopes of more to watch grow and develop.
Hobbies have no special place in my life.  I did crochet, and do some art work, and textile painting, and canning, and also donated tome folding bandages in World War II at the Red Cross.  I acted as Chandler P.T.A. Historian 1951-1953 and compiled the P. T. A. History from 1912, its organization, getting a lot of information from the Chandler Arizonan Files.  Incidentally, History Compiling may be a hobby as I also compiled that of the Chandler Ward Primary, The Chandler Ward Relief Society, and the San Tan Branch Ward and Organization Histories as well as those I could get of our various family branches.
But on the whole my spare time has been devoted to that most rewarding work of all – Church Service.  We held from 2 to 5 positions in the small wards.  My longest periods of service to date are 27 years in Primary, 26 in Sunday School, and about 17 years as chorister in organizations and Ward.  Eden Sunday School Supt. J. T. Brown really launched a frightened girl into Chorister.  I was organist and was persuaded to lead the opening song.  As I caught my breath after the prayer, I heard him say, “Shall  we put her in”?, and the reply, “Yes”.  Chandler has accounted for 11 years of that time.  Marion was Aaronic Priesthood Director, then called on a Stake Mission, and taken from that to spend six years in the Chandler Ward Bishopric, under Bishop Donald Ellsworth.  He was also Ward Teacher Supervisor.  I worked in the Relief Society, mainly Secretary, and finished my record of holding every office in the Primary when I was made President in 1941, and served 6 years.  Father’s Day, 15 June 1947 will always be remembered as the day my father, Louis Paul Cardon died, and the day I was released as Primary President.
Page 10My church activities began under Bishop Heber E. Farr, Binghampton.  Chase Kimball was Bishop when my husband was sent on his mission from Eden; Heber C. Kempton when I taught in Eden.  When I married,  Marion was in the Bishopric with Bishop Thomas F. Fuller; we also worked together under Heber C. Kempton again.  Then in Mesa it was Bishop Isaac Dana.  Our Chandler Bishops were Ralph E. Brown, Donald Ellsworth, Jesse Shumway, Archie L. Jones, and in San Tan, David W. Hulet, then, now that the Chandler Ward is divided we have Charles H. Willis.
Marion had his third time in the Bishopric as Counselor (making over thirteen years) this time in the Branch Presidency of the San Tan Branch, Mesa Stake, and Indian Branch.  I finally had the mission call which I secretly regretted not being able to answer so many years before.  On Feb 20, 1952, David W. Hulet and Reginald Brimhall came to our home and told us that the Pima Indians living on the Gila Indian Reservation at San Tan were to be organized as an independent Branch in the Mesa Stake and that we were the third couple to be called there.  Marion was to be Second Counselor.  The women; Alice R. Hulet, Ione S. Brimhall, and myself were set apart as missionaries to work in the organizations.  We were appointed 24 Feb 1952 and released Easter 18 Apr 1854.  It was a busy rewarding field of service.  We learned to love, appreciate and understand the problems of our Lamanite Brothers and Sisters.  We completed all the organizations and the executive officers and most of the positions were filled by them.  A recreation program was built up and Leavitt, our son, and Randall S. Hulet, son of Bro. Hulet, were called to take care of it.  They had served six months of their two years term when we were released.  They had three nights a week, with M. I. A. their responsibility.  The Chapel was remodeled and painted and additional class rooms built.  All Branch members were brought back into activity and were very cooperative learning to accept their responsibilities.
The Hulets and the Brimhalls had worked with us in the Chandler Sunday School, Relief Society and Primary.  Sister Hulet was my counselor the 6 years I was Primary President.  We thought we were close friends when we began our Branch Presidency and Missionary work, but we really learned to love and appreciate the abilities and good qualities of our co-workers.  It required the closest cooperation and faith and love to carry on.

When I was asked how I felt about laboring with the Indians, I told them that I would like it, but that I had just one request to make, — That is that I would be permitted to keep Monday for my Genealogy.  I started Genealogical Research 7 July 1941, after taking the Genealogical training Course in Sunday School under the able leadership of Sister Emma M. Skousen.  Mother and I used to go to the Library together, searching the English Parish Registers.  We were truly blessed, as they had large numbers of Registers from the Shires where our ancestors originated.  A count of June 1954 showed that we had over 16,000 relative names on our Done lines.  All but about 3,000 have been processed through the Index Bureau.  An answer to prayers in Research was also given this past month when after over 20 years correspondence by various members of the Done Family, I finally found the marriage of our great-great grandparents, John Baker and Nancy Morby, definitely settling that her maiden was not Morley as some had thought.
We also found a lot of new grandparents on my husband’s line, the Plumb-Norton Line mentioned before, in George Ormerod’s History of Cheshire.  There were 174 of the Pedigree Families with over 5000 members.  Then we had already gathered over 2000 on the Thatcher and Thomas lines of his too.
Working with my mother in genealogy has been a wonderful experience.  It has made me appreciate her even more than before, if that is possible.  I put the families on the family group sheets and mailed them into the Index Bureau.  She took charge of the checking of the baptisms, endowments, and sealings.  This arrangement kept things going smoothly.
Then in October 1947 I was asked by President Ellsworth and the Temple Genealogical Committee to donate one day a week to the Arizona Temple Genealogical Library as a set apart assistant Librarian and Researcher.  I can never express the joy I have received in being allowed to do this.  Thursdays was my day at first.  Then I changed to Mondays.  I also worked six weeks in charge of the Library when it was moved from the Temple dining room to our new Library in the Temple Bureau of Information.  The faculty and Librarians are now representative of the entire Temple District.  We met with the Arizona Temple President, Arwell L. Pierce and the Stake Presidents; Pres D. F. Heywood Phoenix Stake, Harold Wright, Maricopa Stake, and Donald Ellsworth Mesa Stake to be set apart again.  I was set apart by Donald Ellsworth as “Assistant Librarian in Arizona Temple District Genealogical Library”, this indicating the growth of our Library.Page 11The foregoing explanation of my work in Genealogy was the reason for my request for Monday.
We also have completed family groups and histories for all branches of our families, living.  My Father organized the Louis Philip Cardon Family Organization, descendants of himself and two brothers 19 Mar 1947, a couple of months before he died.  Incidentally we have over 1000 members of that group on record.

Chandler Ward was divided 31 May 1954 (the third division) to make Chandler Ward, and Chandler Second Ward.  We are still in Chandler Ward, ward teacher and Relief Society Secretary.
Holidays are usually emphasized, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, with family gatherings, and our Ranch has been the scene of many.  We like the usual recreations.  The first part of our married life did not have too many trips or vacations.  It was usually a trip from Eden to the Salt River Valley or a trip the other way around to visit the folks, depending on where we were living at the time.
My first Conference trip to Salt Lake City was with Primary President Edith H. Eyring, Brother and Sister O.L. Cluff, and a lady from Mesa.  It was in 1939 and we came back by way of Treasure Island and visited the World’s Fair (Calif).  Since then Marion and I have been back a number of times with the Bishoprics of Chandler and San Tan and with our brothers and sister and their wives or husbands.  Our trips were inspirational as well as enjoyable.  Our largest undertaking was a 17-day 5000 mile trip touring eight states, beginning with Utah, then Yellowstone Park and points between, finally down the Pacific Coast.  We took Morris, John and Kenneth with us.  My sister Mary and her husband Charles Clouse had their four younger children.  We had a wonderful time and will long remember it.  We began going on fishing trips, usually to the White Mountains in Northern Arizona, in 1947 and have been each summer since.
Such is my Life’s History.  What are our plans for the future?  More of the same, — association with our family and friends, service in the Church, and Genealogical Research.  Our testimony of the Gospel is a living part of our lives, and we are thankful to our Heavenly Father for being privileged to have lived this part of our lives.
Adding – March 1955
Time marched on and our expected grandchildren arrived.  Kenneth and Norma had their son, Kenneth Cardon Thatcher, born 18 Oct 1954, small but a fine son.  His sister Hazel Maxine’s birthday was 1 May 1952.  Paul and Melva’s third son Darrell Leon arrived 12 Nov 1954, a happy lad.  Melvin Paul, our oldest grandson (their first) was born 8 Aug 1944 while Paul was away in the army and Roland Neil 14 Jun 1946 just after he was released.  Their sister Janell’s birthday was 10 Jan 1951.
Leavitt was in a car wreck the day before Christmas, being seriously injured, brain concussion, chest injuries, and a double compound fracture of the left knee.  He was in the hospital four weeks.  The cast was taken off a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have healed as it should.  The doctor is quite encouraged with it and he will have good use of it so we feel that he ha been blessed considering the seriousness of the injury.

He and Joyce have two girls, Edith Lorraine, born 17 Apr 1947 and Clyda Joy, 18 Apr 1949, and a son, Dennis Leavitt, born 5 Sept 1951.  We rather hoped he would come on his father’s and grandfather’s birth date, 1 Sept, but he chose his own.
On Feb 7 1955, happiness came to them with the arrival of their daughter, Judith Gail, 8 pounds 11 ounces, only to be dimmed when her life started fading in about 8 hours, and sorrow came when her sweet spirit was called back by our Heavenly Father the evening of Feb 8, — 31 hours old.  She seemed much older as she heard and seemed to know when people came in where she was.  She was named Judith Gail for her great grandmother, Sarah Judith P. Thatcher.  The knowledge that she was born under the covenant is a comfort to her parents, and they felt that she was saved for them, and then called back for her mission hereafter.
Morris attended the Eastern Arizona State Junior College in Thatcher for a semester, staying with Alva and Carrie.  He met Norma Youngman there.  They decided to get married Feb 14, and were married in the Globe Ward Church by the Bishop, Heber H. Pace in her hometown. So we had all of life, a birth, a death and a marriage in a week.
After much consultation I was released by Bishop Willis as Relief Society Secretary, and appointed to teach the Genealogical Course in Sunday School, and Marion was made Ward Teaching Secretary.Page 12Mother’s Day, 9 May 1954 was also rather a hard day as Kenneth had a very serious automobile wreck while returning from a fishing trip on the Lakes.  He was thrown from the car on his head causing brain concussion and was unconscious most of the week until Thursday when he roused enough that Dr. Skousen told him what had happened.  He had quite a time until the concussion healed but we are very thankful for his recovery.
Marion had also been in a wreck 19 Apr 1951, which put him in the hospital with three broken ribs, and various bruises.  The three wrecks in our family are the most serious accidents we have had.
ADDING, FEBRUARY 1959 (as assigned activity, Life Story (SAVIOURS ON MOUNT ZION) I bring up to date). 
It has been nearly four years since I added to this life story.  From now on it will be a little more in detail.  Quite a few changes in our way of life have taken place.
Up to the last addition, we had been together as a family at least where it took just a little time to get in contact.  However after Morris’s marriage, he lived in Globe and worked in the mines in Miami as an Assayer in the office.
Paul and Melva decided to buy a place of their own.  He had been running the 30 acres of Leavitt’s and milking his cows here.  Mrs. Verslius, who owned the property adjoining it wanted to buy it to add to theirs so it was sold the first part of March, 1955.  They looked around the Valley, but land values were priced so high that they didn’t feel like they could make the payments that would be required and have enough to live on.
Marion and I, Paul and Melva, and Leavitt and Joyce decided to go to Salt Lake to April General Conference.  We left early, 29 Mar 1955 and went through Nevada, looking at several places along the route and in Idaho.  They thought they had one bargained for in Homedale, Idaho, but it fell through.
We came back by Salt Lake City for Conference and had a wonderful time.  There was a real heavy snowfall, from 10 to 17 inches, and the scenery was a winter wonderland and quite a novelty for us.  Conference sessions were inspirational, as always, and we appreciated having our children with us.  We enjoyed visiting with the relatives too.  One rather unexpected result came from the snow.  Leavitt’s knee had been getting stiffer and Dr. Skousen had told him he would probably have to have an operation on it after we returned, to loosen up the tendons.  While we were visiting in American Fork at Lucy and Raymond’s on April 4th it cleared.  Raymond had some pigs that he had bought at the auction sale in a pen he had made out of bales of hay.  They got out and scattered.  Paul and Leavitt ran out to pen them up.  Leavitt kept slipping on rocks that he could not see under the snow, and really hurt his knee.  However, when we got home to check it, Dr. Skousen asked him what he had done.  The adhesions had all pulled loose, and an operation was not necessary.
We found all well at home when we returned.  On the 25th of April, Paul received a phone call from Edwin Ethington in Homedale, about a farm being for sale, so he and Marion went to see it and bought it.  They took part of his things up in June (19th).  Morris went with them.  Paul got work at the Simplot Vegetable Sheds so he stayed and Marion and Morris came back on the bus.  Paul stayed until the latter part of July and then came for his family.  The move was made 27 July 1955, going through Utah, where they visited relatives en route.  They also went to Temple Square and other points of interest in Salt Lake.
Leavitt decided he would like to invest in property so in May 1956 they went to Homedale and bought a place about a half a mile from Paul’s, which Paul has been running.
It became apparent about this time that Marion would have to leave during the hot summers, by doctors orders.  The undulant fever seemed to be under control.  It was diagnosed 24 Aug 1952, but he had felt badly for some time before then.  His nerves were left in such a condition that the excessive heat made him quite ill and caused him to black out.  The doctor advised the coast, saying high altitude would not be good, but the air there bothered his sinus.Page 13Aug. 3, 1956 we left for Carpinteria, California to visit with Joe and Luella Thatcher, taking John.  We went by way of Bullhead city on the Colorado River where David and Alice H Hulet with whom we had labored at San Tan with the Indians lived.  We had a nice visit with them, and enjoyed looking over their project.  Marion’s sister, Sarah, and her husband, Bill Ford, came to Carpinteria and visited while we were there.  We enjoyed the change, visiting, and the sea, where John swam a number of times.  However the dampness and fog affected Marion’s sinus, so we left.  We went to see Stan and Ellen Carr in Baldwin Park and Emanuel and Ruth at Covina, spent an afternoon swimming in the ocean with them, and then started for Idaho.  We stopped at Live Oak and saw my sister Lucille and her husband Ether Matthews.
We stayed in Leavitt’s house in Homedale.  Marion felt much better by the time we left for home the first week in September.

Kenneth has taken the responsibility of running the farm, with John’s help,  Leonard Ethington ran the cotton ground in 1957 as we had to leave so much earlier.  However we made plans and Kenneth ran it in 1958.
We spent the summer of 1957 in Homedale too, leaving about the middle of June, and returning the middle of September.  Marion and I went alone this time, leaving John to help Kenneth.  On our way in 1957 we visited with the Thatcher cousins in Payson, the Burch in Heber, and Foote in Nephi, and got a lot of genealogical information on the Taylor line from them.  We went by Ralph and Bessie’s and also saw the rest of the Utah relatives.  Marion helped Raymond on his fruit farm in American Fork while I had the wonderful privilege of attending Leadership Week at the Brigham Young University.  I took the Advanced English Research course and also attended classes in Family Relations, living and budget.
January 4th 1956 the Library Staff was set up and organized.  I worked with Gladys L. Busby under Research on Thursdays.  She had to quit because of ill health, and on 2 Feb 1956, I was made a regular Librarian, instead of assistant, in charge on Thursdays.  

When we returned from Idaho in 1957, I was informed by Logan Brimhall, Director of the Arizona Temple Bureau of Information that I had been chosen to the position of Cataloguer for the Library.  It is quite a responsibility, but I really enjoy it.  I have charge of the card files, cataloguing books and films, and making cards for the “buried” material.  It makes it much better, too, since I have to be away summers, and I can work extra time so that I feel I am doing what I should on the job.  As a Librarian, I had to have a substitute in the summers.  The winter of 1957-1958 was spent in keeping books and films up to date, making cards for various books and periodicals, and re-working the films, which had not been gotten into complete carded shape.
We decided to make a Title and Author set of cards to file in our Surname File like they do in Salt Lake.  On our way to Idaho in 1958, I spent 2 ½ days in the Genealogical Library and Archives.  I consulted with Sister Hill and Howard, Library officials on the proper way to make these, and also with several others on questions on my new work, since we wanted to be as much like Salt Lake as possible.  I also spent a number of hours studying the card files, both the style of cards and the system of filing so I could start this project when I returned in the fall.  It is progressing well.

I also got more information on several pedigree lines.  In May 1956 I borrowed a book called the “Daene” (Done) Family from the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, which gave a lot of information and pictures on the “Done’s of Utkinton” (see Marion’s pedigree).  We had tried for some time to connect my pedigree line of Done’s with this with no success.  Some 6 generations are Marion’s pedigree.  While checking the films on 16 Mar 1958, I was thrilled to find in the British Mission Records, Ashton Branch, Manchester Conference the Baptismal records for Anne Hancock Done, John Done and Sarah Barker (my pedigree) also Anne’s sons James and George.  These gave places of birth definitely, the village, parish which it was in.  The villages they were born in were in Wolstanton Parish, Staffordshire, and these proved that Ann’s parents, John and Elizabeth Hancock were the same John and Elizabeth Hancock who had two sons christened in Wolstanton, just younger than she was, and we were able to use another generation too, John Hancock and Anne Barlow.  I had felt for a long time that these were our HancockPage 14line, and correct, but hadn’t been able to prove it, or find Ann’s exact place of birth, until finding this record and proving my pedigree.  In February I found in the New England Historical and  Genealogical Register an article giving the overseas connection of Peter Aspinwall (Marion’s Pedigree) 6th great grandfather, and the Emigrant.  The reference given was “Genealogist” London for April 1916.  I wrote to London asking if the book could be bought, or the article Photostated, and was quoted the price as $27.50, since the article was on the Aspinall and Aspinwall Families of Lancashire” and ran several issues.  I decided to write to the Library of Congress.  They had the books and microfilmed the portions I needed for $2.85.  Ten new generations on the Aspinwall line were in this.
Marion was asked by Bro. Ben Riggs to act as his first counselor in the Chandler Ward High Priest’s Group, Bro. James M. Saye as second counselor, and Frank W. Jones as the secretary.  He began 13 Nov 1955.  He has really enjoyed this position and in his capacity as activity counselor has been in charge of some very fine High Priest’s socials.  The weekly High Priest’s check-up meeting for the presidency were alternated at the four homes, with the wives attending and we had some nice visits during the business portion and enjoy this get-together.  When Bro Jones health became too bad for him to continue, Glendon Lamoreaux was appointed secretary.  Marion has felt at times that being away in the summer, he should be released, but those in authority have asked him to keep the position since there isn’t too much activity during the summer, and he is able to carry on while home.  He also acts as Ward teacher.
I enjoyed my work in the Sunday School Genealogical Training Course, Saviors on Mount Zion, which I began Dec. 19, 1954, and the second year, Proving Your Pedigree.  I had not entirely collected material for a Book of Remembrance, but had it in several books, but I assembled it as the assigned activities took place.  When I had to leave the summer of 1956, they discontinued the class while I was gone, so I told them to get a substitute for the summer of 1957.  Sister Lalome C. Farnsworth was appointed.  Doctor Willard I Skousen, Sunday School Superintendent, called me 11 Oct 1957.  He asked if I would substitute and give the Stake lesson for the course that month as the Stake Supervisor had to resign.  When I told him I was no longer Ward instructor for the course, he asked me if I would consider the Stake position.  This had to be cleared through the Stake High Council and Stake Presidency, and the Bishopric.  On 19 Oct my brother-in-law, Charles I. Clouse a member of the High Council called me to say the appointment had been approved.  I was set apart for this position Tuesday evening, 17 Dec 1957 by Stake Pres. Coun. L. R. Layton; Pres H. Doran Allen, and Haskell V. Stradling assisted.  He gave a wonderful setting apart prayer and blessing.

I helped the Homedale Idaho Ward Genealogical Society with their ward survey for family groups, and I typed 91 family groups for them. They gave me a nice party just before I left, and a lovely pale blue cover for my Book of Remembrance. In 1958 I acted as the censor for their ward genealogical school.

Mother’s health was not good about 6 weeks after the holidays in 1956. Her blood pressure was high, her heart and nerves bad. She finally consented to put herself under Dr. Skousen’s care. 13 Feb 1957 we brought her out to our home to watch her and take care of her until she got better. Her recovery was not too quick, but she was well enough by the time we had to leave the 11th of June for Idaho that she was able to go back to her own home, with Mrs. Maisie Walding to help her. Mrs. Walding left 18 July 1958, and mother has been by herself since. She has been able to go to church, conferences, and a few Relief Society meetings, but does not join us in any of the holiday celebrations. However we all make it a point to go see her. I had quite a hospital the March she was with me as Marion got a bad slash on his ankle from the lever on the tractor, 15 Mar.

Naturally during this period we have had a number of grandchildren. Paul and Melva had two born in Caldwell; Virgil Dean, born 1 Aug 1956, and Jeffrey Dale born 10 Oct 1957. We saw Virgil when he was 3 1/2 weeks old, but Jeffrey was about 8 months old before we saw him.

Leavitt and Joyce had Jerold Lee, born 7 Feb 1956, just one year after Judith Gail’s birth, and also Janis Ruth who was Page 15born 22 Aug 1958. They were born in the Mesa Osteopathic Hospital.

Kenneth and Norma surprised us with twin sons, Merlin Clyde, and Marion Carl, weighing a little over three pounds each, two months premature, 6 Aug 1957.  They did fine.  Dr. Skousen sent them home from the Mesa Osteopathic Hospital when they were five days old.
Morris and Norma had Morris Wayne, born 19 July 1955, and David Ray born 7 June 1957, in the Miami Hospital while they were living in Globe.
You will notice from the preceding that we had during 1957, five grandchildren, while we have only four sons married.  That is a 125% increase, and may be considered something of a record…
Leavitt changed his job, leaving the Warren Fincher Dairy where he had been employed since Clyda was a baby.  They moved the last of October, and seem to like it quite well.  He is working, with Louis Tryon, for the Allen brothers, John A. and H. Loran (Larry), who is president of the Mesa Stake.
Marion has lost a sister and a brother by death during this time. We received a phone call from Bill Ford, Sarah’s husband telling us she had had a heart attack, 20 Apr 1957.  She died the next morning, 21 Apr, Easter Sunday.  John and Hyrum came down from Safford, and rode over to Bakersfield with us. Ralph, Alva also came from then Valley, with their wives, and attended the services.  Irving came with Ralph from their homes in Utah. We came home on the 25th.  Then while in Idaho we got word about Hyrum’s death in Duncan, 9 Aug 1958.  Melva and Virgil and Jeffrey rode down with us, staying with her mother. We picked up Ralph and Bessie on our way.  The funeral was held 13 Aug in Pima, Az.  He was buried in Bryce cemetery.  We stopped in Chandler, to check business affairs, and were back in Idaho on the 16th.
We did some remodeling on the inside of our home in March and April 1956.  The living room was extended to the east wall, and made the book cupboards as part of the arch, which was where the old fireplace was.  I use this “extra” room space for my sewing and especially genealogical room, with my table, typewriter, two 3 drawer chest of drawers, and a three tiered Cosco utility cart.  I keep my genealogical record books on this.  It makes it much handier to do the work I need to. We remodeled the southeast bedroom, refinished the kitchen-dining room, fixed a store room and remodeled the west bedroom, also put in cooling ducts.  In Oct 1957 we put tile in the kitchen-dining room area, and Formica on the sink sideboard and table.
We have also had several trips besides out annual summer migration.  Marion and I attended two family reunions, – the Cardon in Showlow 16 July 1955, also visiting relatives in Eagar, Taylor and Clay Springs; then the Plumb Reunion in Tucson, 19 Aug 1955, and another Plumb Reunion, June 8 and 9 in Mesa.  6 Jan 1956 we went to California, with Charles and Mary, and his brother Bill and wife Edith. We went through the Los Angeles Temple with the crowds 7 Jan.  However, Marion was too sick to go in.  We also saw Cinerama, 20-22 July we attended the Rodeo in Snowflake with Glendon and Viola Lamoreaux.   24 Aug 1957 we went on up to Richmond, Washington where our niece, Netta Yearsley lived.  She and Karl took us sightseeing over the Columbia River, and other points of interest.  We went from there on up through Spokane, staying with James Plumb and his wife (who had visited with us earlier) in Green Acres.  They live in the mountains, 15 miles from Spokane.  Our route was down Highway 95, and we saw the World Famous Spiral Highway going into Lewiston, Idaho.  It is quite a scenic drive. Mary, Charles, Stan, Ellen, and Marion and I went to Tucson to attend the wedding of Ethel’s son Douglas 21 Dec 1957.  We rode out around old Binghampton which was five miles from Tucson during the time we lived there, but is now in the Tucson city limits.  (That is the reason you find on some of the family group sheets “Binghampton, now Tucson” as a birth-place).  We went on out to the cemetery and visited the family graves 14 Feb 1958, we had another trip to California, with Charles and Mary visiting with Emanuel, Ellen and Sharliemae and families. We went out to “Marineland”, and also attended the Covina Stake Conference.  We also had several trips up the Valley (Gila) and to Globe to see Morris and his family, also out to San Manuel after Morris changed his job, to work there in the Assay Office.
Page 16

Leavitt and Joyce came to Homedale, on the 24th of July 1958.  Paul had made a trip to Chandler to get the combine.  John was home from his explorer trip to the Yellowstone Park, so he came back with him.  Netta and her family came on July 26th, so we really had a nice visit.  From July 28 through 31 Leavitt and Joyce (with Jerald and Janis) and Edwin and Norma Ethington went with us to Canada.  We enjoyed every minute, the scenery and all.  We went up Route 93, through Glacier National Park, into Wyoming, crossing the Continental Divide.  We went over the International Border to Carway and on into Cardston, Alberta Canada, where the Temple was.  We arrived there about 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 29, and since they were having baptismal sessions during the day, we went sightseeing and shopping.  Leavitt and Joyce tended the babies, and that evening Edwin and Norma, and Marion and I went through a session in the Temple.  It was a very inspirational time.  We left early Wednesday morning going across Canada parallel to the border, through Alberta, and British Columbia, and on to Saskatchewan, where we met Route 95.  We crossed the Continental Divide again at Crow’s Nest.  Back into the United States, and down 95 which we had traveled the summer before arriving in Homedale about 3 A.M. Thursday having gone 1673 miles.  We had a wonderful time.  Leavitt and Joyce left Friday for home, taking John with them.
The health of the family in general has been good, although Clyda did develop rheumatic fever, being diagnosed 25 Feb 1958.  She had to quit school, and remain in bed for several weeks. However she recovered sufficiently to return to school in the fall, but has to be careful.
John is now a sophomore in High School.  He has been quite active in the Explorer Scouts, Star rank at present. Has had several trips besides the one to Yellowstone, including a deep sea fishing trip to Mexico with the Teachers. He acted as a counselor in the Deacon’s Quorum Presidency, being interviewed 22 Jan 1956.  Since his ordination as a teacher he has gone ward teaching regularly. He was ordained a priest 24 May 1959, by his father.
We had two lovely granddaughters in 1960, April 27, Annette Thatcher was born in Caldwell, to Paul and Melva in Idaho and on 16 June, Doris Florence was born to Kenneth and Norma.

  We had a nice summer in Idaho in 1959, returning home 14 Sep, when I stared back to my duties. Marion didn’t feel too good, so he asked to be released from the High Priests Quorum Presidency which was done 20 Sept 1959.
I had quite a busy winter at the library.  In addition to my regular work of keeping the films and books checked up-to-date, I typed 10,500 cards on surname and locality, files to add to the files between 27 Sept 1959 and 30 June 1960.
During 1960 and until July 1961 I acted as a Relief Society teacher, doing it with Mrs. David Boyce, Regina Jones, and Mary Ethington, and enjoyed it very much. We served lunch twice, the first time at Easter when we had a ham dinner.  The next was a luncheon with sandwiches and ice cream.
Marion’s health was some better after his teeth were out in Feb 1959, and we stayed most of the summer 1960 here at home.  We did go to the 24th of July rodeo in Snowflake with Glendon and Viola Lamereaux, and visited with relatives up there.  The day we came back they had a rain, which broke the 143 days record of drought.  In August we went to Kohl’s ranch with Charles and Mary to Northern Arizona, and stayed overnight.  On August 18 we left on a trip that lasted until Sept 7, and had a very nice time. We went to Ralph’s, over to Irving and Lillie’s, and Lucy and Raymond’s.  Lillie went to the Library in Salt Lake with me, and we went to Brother Henry L. Christiansen’s office, head of the research department, and checked the 11 ICELANDIC BOOKS, on Royalty and nobility, getting many completed family groups.
Then we went to Wallsburg and visited with Deon Taylor Burch, Uncle Heber’s granddaughter.  She and I went onto Salt Lake where we did two days research straightening out some family groups on the pedigree.  It was an enjoyable time, and we really got better acquainted.  I had done research in the Devonshire books here in our Library and sent her 2000 names on the Taylor pedigree names (marriages all on pedigree).  Deon and I went to Bountiful and stayed with her daughter Donna Francis that night then I went back to Spanish Fork to meet Marion and stayed at Irving’s.
Page 17 Then we went on up to Idaho.  Paul and Melva had moved into Leavitt’s house, so we just stayed with them.  Irving and Lillie came up a couple days, bringing Kenneth who was released from the Navy, with them. We visited with George and Etta Perkel, and had a lovely dinner at Edwin Ethington’s place, with the Leslie’s as guests also. This was on Marion’s birthday.  (Incidentally, they came to Arizona, and stayed the night of Dec 26th with us.  We had another turnkey and a nice time).  It was on Marion’s birthday, the day after we were at Edwin’s then we left for California, spending the night with Ether and Lucille in Yuba City, then on into Bakersfield where we picked up Bill Ford, and visited with Phyllis and Jim Augustus, and Norma Holden. (Lucille and Ether’s daughter).  We stayed all night with Bill, and he went on over to Joe and Luella’s with us the next morning.  Found them quite well, and enjoyed being with them.  On Monday the 5th, Labor Day we left for the Ellen, Emanuel, and Sharliemae part of our visit, and stayed a night each with Ellen and Emanuel, then on home Sept 7.  They had had some heavy storms while we were gone.
Library season was busy as usual, and I got into the Stake work again.
In Jan 1961 we went to Bullhead City, with Ione and Reg Brimhall to see David and Alice Hulet who had been in a car wreck several weeks before.  We enjoyed reliving our “SunTan” days.  They visited us later in the year.  We also went to April Conference with Charles and Mary.
Dec 1959 Lavon Payne made verifax copies of my Done Book which he gave as Christmas presents. I gave one to Mother and fixed one for the Library in Mesa. I also fixed the Thatcher Book, and this makes Plumb, Cardon, Done and Thatcher grandparents’ pedigree, pedigree families, with all descendants I could collect for the four sets of grandparents on file in the Library.  I keep these up to date, as my job as cataloguer lets me work with the books.
Kenneth, Kenneth Jr., and Carl had operations for hernias in 1960.  We have enlarged the card file at the Library twice; in Feb 1960 and in September 1961 and now have 84 drawers in the double file.  I had donated in the last three years almost enough extra time to double my regular time.  3 Apr 1961, Logan Brimhall, director of the Library, after talks with Edith M.  Coffee the secretary put me on 16 hours a week instead of 8.  I can do this as I have my extra work and fill in a lot of the cards at home.  We made a count by measurement (1 inch equals 100 cards) of the cards in the file, and it came out 68,000.  Of these I had made 25,351 in the two years and three months between Sept 1959 and Jan 12, 1960 when the count was made.
John continued active in his school work, winning Chapter Diary Award in FFA both in 1960 and 1961.  He took 2nd place in Parliamentary procedure at Casa Grande in Feb 1961.  He graduated from High School May 26, 1961. I helped with the graduation supper from 9:05 until 2:10 A.M.  In July, Paul W. Vance, The Ag Instructor invited us to the University of Arizona at Tucson, to the F.F.A. Convention, where he was made a State Farmer. 2% of the F.F.A. enrollments are allowed this honor.  There could have been 34 in Arizona but 29 made it.  We rode over with Burl and Marva Tarwater, and their son Mack, received a scholarship.  John was president of the Ward Jr. Softball team, and on his 18th birthday I had his team out to a birthday supper.
He worked at the Boyce Diary during the summer, and for a while after school started, then enrolled for part time at the University that is at Arizona State University in Tempe, and changed to working at Laurence Jones Chevron Service in Mesa.  He and Jimmy Hamilton rented an apartment in Tempe and John stays there most of the time as it is closer to both work and school.  I am afraid he is going to quit college as this semester (Jan 1962) ends.  I wish he would go on.
Politics and the 1960 election resulted in John F. Kennedy winning over Richard T. Nixon.
Paul decided to sell his home in Chandler, to help with expenses in Idaho. Arrangements were made in Nov. 1960.  They have pretty good health.  5 August their 8th child, Terry Duane was born. He had a little difficult time at first, with the RH factor, but is doing fine now.
Morris and family also have been quite well.  But Morris Wayne followed his dog into the Pinal Mountains south of Globe 20 Nov 1960, and was lost from 11 A.M. until 8:45 P.M.  They finally had about 200 men with searchlights, horseback, jeeps and walking hunting for him.  These mountains are very rugged, withPage 18lots of cactus; and it was a very cold day and night so we were very thankful when he was found without even a scratch on, which was more than his searchers could say.  His dog had stayed with him, and they had gone about 9 miles in the mountains when they were found.  We went up the next day and he was fine, suffering no ill effects.
Stan and Ellen made a number of trips over to see mother in this time and in March 1961 we planned with them to go to the Hill Cumorah pageant, and on a sightseeing tour, but before the time came Stan and mother both took sick so had to cancel.
Mother had been fine for some time. She attended church and became quite a regular attendant at the Temple.  She really enjoyed being able to go again.  We had quite a celebration on her 80th birthday in 1959, with all the children there, and her health kept up fine.  However, the last Sunday in July 1961 she became overheated as she would not run her cooler.  She had been tired and I was afraid of her old kidney infection, but she didn’t want to go to the doc tor.  But when we had to call him he prescribed for that too.  She was really ill.  Mary, Florence and I took turns staying with her day and night, but finally decided after talking to Dr. Skousen, who said she should not be alone any more, to take her into our homes.  She went to Mary’s July 11 to Sept 2, when she came out to our house for three months, then back to Mary’s.  She got so she could go to Church meetings and on Jan 12, 1962 tried the Temple again.  So looks like she will enjoy things more.
Marion’s health became worse in the summer of 1961.  He was overheated twice in ten days.  He had a three day session with the X-rays and tests at the hospital and doctor’s office, and had to go on a strict diet, with extensive medical treatment.  He was feeling quite badly when we got word about Edwin Thatcher’s, Ralph’s 16 year old son, drowning in the Colorado River at Moab, Utah about 1:30 P.M. Monday, July 10.  His body was not recovered until 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.  We went up 
Wednesday driving straight through and stayed until the next Monday, when we had to get home for more checking.  He gradually got better and looks like maybe he will miss the operation.  Feels pretty good now.
Leavitt and Joyce presented us with out 23rd grandchild, Karen Louise 5 Oct 1961, who was a lovely healthy baby.  Their family is doing fine.  Clyda seems to have recovered completely from her rheumatic fever.  Leavitt and Joyce continue active in the Church, and we are happy about that.  The “Promised Valley” was put on in Phoenix by the combined Stakes, and also in Tempe by the East Mesa Stake.  Leavitt and Edith both took singing parts.  We went to the Aug 17, 1961 presentation, and it was very fine.
We had another trip to the Valley, and to Wanda Thatcher Crum’s funeral, Hyrum’s daughter, a heart attack, on Dec. 9th. Ralph and Netta both had very serious stays in the hospitals, but are out and better now.
Nov. 1967:  Seven years gone by and time to check again on our life story.  Since Marion and I are so close together, I feel it is just as well to continue this as “OUR” Life Story.
Vital Statistics come first, now the grandchildren.
Paul and Melva had Terry Duane, born 5 Aug 1961, and Mark Alan born 3 Apr 1965.  Leavitt and Joyce had Karen Louise, on 5 Oct 1961.  Kenneth and Norma had Willard Ivan, 30 Apr 1962 and Steve Irving 29 Sep 1963.  This makes a total of twenty six very fine grandchildren, twenty four living, all growing and developing into fine personalities.
On 23 July 1967, Brent Wells Thatcher, our first great grandchild, and 31st great grandchild of Charles Marlow and Minnie Bond, the other great grandparents was born.  Melvin Paul, and his wife Tuan Lee Wells are the parents, and they brought him to Homedale, Idaho from Vancouver, Washington where he was born to meet us and be blessed, four generations, the first Sunday (3rd) of September.
Morris and Norma Geraldine, who were living in Globe decided to separate, being divorced in 1963. Both remarried – Norma married Dennis E. Chrisman 14 Mar 1964, and has had three more children.
Morris and Kay Louise Patrick were married in Las Vegas 18 Apr 1964.  Kenneth and Norma went with them, flying in Kenneth’s plane.  Kay is the daughter of Frederick William Patrick and Helen Irene Johnson, and was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   They have a home in Mesa, so are close.Page 19Morris is now Manager-trainer for Standard Stations and has his station in Tempe.
John and Dianne were married 21 Aug 1964, in Mesa by Bishop Bassett T. Wright. She is daughter of Merrel Jason Randall and Marion Boyer.  They went through the Arizona Temple to be sealed 27 Jan 1967. They lived in Mesa, in their new trailer home for a while, but moved out by us New Year’s Day, 1966, where he is raising calves and horses in addition to his work as mechanic for Brown & Hoeye in Mesa.
Melvin, the oldest grandson, filled a mission in the Southern Far East Mission on the Island of Taiwan. We took Charles Marlow and Minnie Bond, the other grandparents, and also Joseph M. Thatcher up to his farewell Testimonial 25 Aug 1963.  He entered the Mission Home, and left a week later.  He returned in March 1966, after his fine mission record and went to the second semester at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho.  He and Tuan Lee Wells, daughter of Edwin Bennett and Evelyn Pearl Lee Wells were married in the Idaho Falls Temple 30 Aug 1966.  We attended the wedding.  They lived in Vancouver where he attended the University, then brought baby Brent to see us at Paul’s in Homedale.
We attended the testimonial for Roland’s mission in Homedale 21 Aug 1966, then back to Salt Lake for work in the Library.  Edith, our grandaughter was also on this trip for us and helped me in the research.  After Roland’s week in the Mission Home, we saw him off to the East Central States Mission, Aug 29, then went on to Melvin’s Wedding.
We have had several deaths in the immediate loved ones.  June 25, 1961 Mother started feeling bad and moved to Mary’s July 11. She decided to give up her home, and stayed alternately with Mary and me.  Florence came out the days I went to the Library to be with her, and also helped when Mary had to leave.  The others came to see her when they could, and called her. Ellen and Stan were over Mother’s Day, 14 May 1961.  Aunt May and Aunt Ethel visited often, sometimes bringing other relatives or friends.  She moved out to our place 2nd of September after we came back from Idaho, then into Mary’s 2nd Dec to 27th when she came and stayed with us until the 30th while Mary and Charles went to Virden and she stayed with them till March 2 to 6 which she spent with us while they went to Virden.
She celebrated her 83rd birthday at our place.  Among other visitors were Leavitt’s daughter Karen Louise and Gwendolyn’s daughter, Julie Egleston, (born Oct & Dec 1961) her 44th and 45th great grandchildren.  After her stay at Mary’s she came back here the 9th of April.  Mother’s Day 13 May 1962 she was called to the stand in Chandler Ward Sunday School, and honored as the oldest Mother present. She was beautiful! She also had the most children, 12, but characteristically did not speak up when the Superintendent asked for the mother with the most children, saying since she was already honored and not a member of the ward, a ward member should be called. Eloise Ethington and Elizabeth Skousen were honored with 11 children each.  With the exception of 4 days in July when we went to a funeral, she was with us until we went on our usual Idaho Trip Aug 14 to Sep. 2.  Hazel went with us this time. Then she moved back with us.
Her health had not been excellent, but other than tiring easily, we did not notice much until 20 Sept she complained with a tooth, which proved to be abscessed, and had to be extracted 9 Oct, her second tooth to be pulled, as her original were all good.  She had some infection which soon cleared up.  On Oct 28th she attended her last Sunday School and Church with us, and seemed to be fine.  The next day she started stomach cramps, which we thought were caused by stomach flu as it had been in the family.  We checked with the Doctor for treatment, but when they became worse he had us bring her in 2 Nov.   After examination, he said we had no choice but to operate.  All of her children came and took turns being with her, during the difficult days after, as it turned out to be cancer, which proved to be the fastest growing kind known, as it doubled in 10 days. She passed away 14 Nov 1962 and was buried 17 Nov.
Our family Doctor, Clifford I. Goodman died of a heart attack 28 Mar 1962 and was greatly missed.  Another shock was the drowning of Edwin Thatcher, age 15, son of Ralph and Bessie.  He drowned in the Colorado River at Moab, Utah, 10 July 1961.  That was the funeral we attended when we had taken mother back to Mary’s .  Marion was quite sick, and on a special treatment for gall bladder stones and ulcer but he made it.  Then 9 Dec 1962, Wanda Thatcher Crum, Hyrum’s girl died instantly of a heart attack in Pima, Arizona and we went there.  Next was Luella Thatcher Ford, our sister-in-law, wife of Joseph M. Thatcher, 28 Apr 1963, in Santa Barbara, Calif.  John and Ellen came down from Safford, and we went over meeting other family members. Then came Netta Hancock Yearsley, Prudence’s daughter, and close to us as the family took her children to raise (Prudence’s).  She was just 5 years old when we were married and lived by us all the time, and was in our home with the others for three years when they graduatedPage 20from High School.  She was living in Richland, Washington at the time.  John and Ellen came again and went with us. Nina her twin rode back to her home in Utah with us.  Netta died 11 July 1963, and was buried 15 July. And the Nation will not forget President Kennedy’s assassination 22 Nov 1963 in Dallas, Texas.
John Ryla Thatcher was in the Veteran’s Hospital in Tucson, Arizona and we made several trips to see him.  He died there, and we went to this funeral in Safford.  The death was 28 Apr 1964, and the funeral May 2nd.  Alva Layman Thatcher went in the Safford Hospital for emergency operation May 9th, 1964.  We went up several times. He had another and died 18 May and was buried the 20th.  Joe was living with us now, and we went up.  These were quite a shock, being brothers, and only 20 days apart.  8 May 1965, Joseph Elmer Cardon died in Mesa.  We called him Cousin Elmer.  He and his wife Lucinda lived by mother and were so good to her.  14 July 1965, Aunt Louisa Haag Abegg Done died in Tucson, age 96 ½.  She was second wife of Grandpa Abraham Done.  Mary and Charles went to this funeral with us.  12 Nov 1965, Aunt Josephine Parks Robinson age 92 died in Provo. I stayed with her one winter while gong to the B.Y.U.  Marion and I went by St. George and picked up my sister, Florence C. Jones and she went to Provo with us.  Lucy came from American Fork and we had a sisterly visit.   22 Mar 1966, Ethel D. Done Payne, Mother’s sister died in Mesa.  She was so good to all of us.  2 Mar 1967, aunt Veoma Done, wife of Uncle Heber died in Provo, and again we went up. Aunt Anne had died 29 Dec 1966, but we did not get work in time to go to hers.   The two latest were Aunt May Done Pierce 3 Aug 1967, and her husband Uncle Arwell Lee Pierce, 23 Oct 1967.  Both were buried in El Paso. We got to go to Aunt May’s funeral, but not to Uncle Arwell’s.
Research on my Done lines was exciting and fruitful especially during the period Nov 1963 – Dec 1964.  Irene A. Duke of Mesa, Ariz. recommended Mr. John L. Hobbs of 4 Elmfield Road, Shrewsbury, Shrpsh.   He had found leads indicating that the brothers of 3rd great grandfather James Done (md. Mary) all had connections with Market Drayton, in Shropshire.  At first I did not write, as I supposed at best I would get partial duplication of what I already had, but she came back to the Library about 2 months later, and asked me if I did.  I said “Not yet”, and she looked me straight in the eye, and said “I wish you would”.  I had a peculiar feeling come over me, and said “I will”.
I wrote 14 Nov, he replied 24 Nov with families of John and George, I answered, and his letter of 29 Dec 1963 he found John Done and Sarah Ferrington, then their 14 children instead of the four brothers we had known about.  The “stone wall” we had on our Done research began crumbling, and we are so thankful.  Details of the research progress are in the “Research summary in the Book 1, of the Book of Remembrance which contains the ancestor part of my Book of Remembrance. We added Ferrington, Brown, and Morgan to our pedigree with several generations, Morgan being finally proved in the early part of 1967.  Mr. Hobbs search in 53 of the registers, most of them microfilmed from the original registers which have not been printed.  No wonder we could not find them!!  Being in the unprinted registers. He died suddenly 23 Feb 1964, still with a few questions, but I am thankful that Mrs. Duke insisted I write.  This would not have been solved, I feel sure.
As Mr. Hobbs searched I asked for all entries of the Done name and variations, and also of the new pedigree names, as they were found.  Salt Lake Gen. Society had me send them all in, and when I told them I was checking, but not sending in the printed parish registers entries, they told me to send them in until all were in the computer.  I suppose they were, but not so, so Mary and I went to work, checking the registers.  This same process was followed with successive searchers, also in Staffordshire.  The Staffordshire research finally proved the correct family group sheets for our 3rd ggf James Done who had been at the top of our pedigree from the beginning, as he as two wives.
I began sending in the sheets from this research in 1965 and from 24 June 1965 to 19 Oct 1967, 677 sheets were sent in.  435 were cleared.  The duplicates were from the printed registers.  There were a total of 833 males and 869 females, making 1702 for which ordinances were performed. Most of these are in the Temple file, but we have done the endowments for the immediate pedigree and close line, and have done some sealings.  Last night we had a sealing session (15 Nov) in which 56 of the line were sealed.  Marion and I, Leavitt and Joyce, John and Dianne, Edith, W. Bruce and L. Claudette Jones, Archie and Ada Jones, participated in the sealings.  Bro. Merrill D. Kennedy also was one witness.  We also had a sealing session, 11 May 1966 in which Marion and I, Mary and Charles, Junius and Sarah Payne, Melvin and Evelyn Jones, and Margaret and Merrill D. Kennedy participated. The other sheets to date that have come have been turned to the Temple sealing proxies as they said they were glad to have them since they were short on families to seal at this time.
Page 21My Staffordshire researcher was H. E. Martin.  Mrs. Irene M. Cross also helped and others.  One example of help was in proving the Morgan line.  When I needed to search on the questions raised in Bishop’s transcripts by Mrs. Cross, I wrote to the Parish Minister of Shawbury, Shropshire asking about a 20 year search.  He became interested in the family and searched from 1564-1760, and the data he sent helped me to find wills and prove the line.
I have also been able to trace lines down from the John Done (Ann Bates marriage) to His Honour W. E. P. Done of Westringes, West Wittering, Chichester, Sussex.  He is in Who’s Who.  Contact with him was made through Mary Done Crosthwaite of Mudeford, Christchurch Hants, who has moved to Australia now.  We did research on all Done’s for several years. She also helped me get in contact with another cousin in the same line, Arthur Robert Done of Small Heath, Birmingham. This was in 1962.  I had previously contacted Vera Done Cheney, who was also in Birmingham, (King’s Norton), in 1956.  When I had an advertisement put in the newspapers in Stok-on-Trent, Stafford. This was sent to her by a friend who recognized her from my description from John Done’s Dairy, as I asked for descendants “of George Done the cheese merchant of Stoke in 1889”.  We have had years of correspondence. She is descended from George and Ann Done. Another of his line of descent who was described in the Diary, is Sarah Emma Done Cleave, who was 14 years old when he visited with her father’s family, Edward Done, the Schoolmaster, in Erdington Birmingham. It was harder to find this but with the cooperation of the Superintendent Registrar, who sent certificates, an interested Postmaster General, who sent 3 of his clerk’s to addresses on death certificates, and then remembered his mother-in-law was one of Edward’s students, and she knew that two of his daughters were living, then went to the man who was writing the history of Erdington, and gave their address.  She just had her 94th birthday, Oct 30.  Her sister Margaret Done Blackburn age 86 is in Kindersley, Sak., Canada.  We have really had some wonderful letters, and exchanges of family history.  Details of this will be found in the history section of the Ancestor’s part of the Book of Remembrance, pages 217-30, so it would probably be best to refer to that, rather than try to repeat here.  But the five lines of cousins I have found from John Done’s Diary are wonderful ones.
All this had a wonderful climax in the spring of 1966. I received a letter in March from Sarah (Sallie) Done Cleave telling me her niece, Dr. Janet M. Done of Coventry. Warws., Eng., daughter of John William Done, and granddaughter of Edward Done, the Schoolmaster of Erdington, and my 4th cousin, once removed was coming to Palo Alto, California with a school friend, Norah E. Taylor, who was to visit with her son, who was getting his Doctor’s degree at Stanford University.  They had checked and found they could get a plane to Phoenix and visit with us, also at the Grand Canyon, before going onto Longmont, Colorado where she was to be speaker at the Soroptomist’s Club, April 3.  I answered, also writing to Janet.  Our letters crossed, but we got plans made when she called from California, 7:30 P.M. March 25. Their plane arrived at Sky Harbor Airport, in Phoenix, about 2:30 P.M., March 30.
We had wondered how we would make ourselves known to each other at the crowded airport.  I went to our Chandler Chamber of Commerce, and got the 3 by 16 automobile stickers saying “Chandler, Arizona’s Sweetest Green Spot in the Valley of the Sun”.  We held them up as our English cousin and her companion came down the plane ramp.
Janet is a quiet, pleasant, unassuming person, who makes all feel at ease. We loved her at first sight.  She is a Doctor in the Public Health Department, New Council Offices, Coventry.  She has charge of the Maternity and Child Welfare Department for children under 5. She is over 25 clinics for mothers and children.  Her responsibilities include that of seeing they are completely staffed with competent nurses and doctors, also seeing that sufficient midwives are on call for the births of babies.  It seems that in England mothers do not go to hospitals or doctors unless complications set in, or seem to be indicated, but have their babies at home, with the midwives in attendance.  They have problems, particularly in keeping nurses as many marry, and quit soon after qualifying to work.
She is also in demand for lectures on health, etc., at many public meeting places, and attends medical conferences in London.  In 1965 she was President of the Soroptomists Club for the County of Warwick.  The Club in Longmont, Colo., was “sister” Club to theirs, so she was invited to speak.
We took Janet and Norah by the Japanese Flower Gardens on the way home and had a nice time getting acquainted in the evening.  Marion’s brother Joseph had been visiting with his daughter Kathleen, and they came from Convent Station New Jersey, the morning of the 31st.  Mary and Charles came out and had dinner with us. Afterwards, Marion stayed with Joe and Kathleen while Charles took the rest of us out in the desert to see cactus and other growth, also up to Canyon Lake, and around the Valley.  We came back by Uncle Arwell and Aunt May’s(Pierce’s) so they could meet.  Aunt Ethel had so wanted to meet Janet, but she died a week before Janet’s arrival.  Her daughter Beth Payne Haws asked us to come by, so she could represent her mother.  Aunt May and Aunt Ethel had helped with finances in our researches and I wanted them together.Page 22We then went to the Genealogical Library, and to the Temple grounds, but were too late for the guided tours.  That evening we had our family all out for the evening, 24 of us.  They seemed to enjoy it.
Friday, April 1st, they packed up.  Joe stayed with us, but Kathleen caught the plane for California at 11:10.  We went into the Temple Grounds, and the guided tour, then walked around and visited.  Janet, Norah and I were in the Bureau of Information, while waiting, and they seemed to enjoy the film on the Book of Mormon.  They were quite interested and picked up some literature.  Norah took more than Janet.  She said she gave it to her son to give to his minister in Cornwall.  The minister had just given a talk on the Mormons, and he thought it would be interesting.  Uncle Arwell officiated at the wedding of his granddaughter, Launa Turley in the Temple that morning. We hoped they would come out before we had to leave but they did not.  However, I explained temple work and marriage, and we did see one wedding party come out, the daughter of Angus Busby, who was one of my 5th grade students in 1922-1923. 
It was on the Temple grounds that Janet told me she well remembered the story handed down in the family about her grandfather’s cousin who had joined the Mormon Church and gone to America, and how they never wanted to see him again.  One wonders if Edward Done, the schoolmaster of Erdington knew about the visit of his granddaughter to me on the Arizona Temple grounds. I hope someday this visit will bear fruit, and she will join the Church.
Richard P. Harris (son of Josephine P. R Harris, sister of my grandmother, Elizabeth Annie Robinson Done), and his wife Anna are on a mission in England, being workers in the London Temple, and in the Bureau of Information.  I wrote to both of them and on 17 Apr 1967, our cousin Dr. Janet Done got her friend Norah Taylor, and they visited with Richard and Anna Harris, having dinner with them.  He showed them the grounds, etc., and gate them several pamphlets. They bought a Book of Mormon, and seemed quite interested.  They told him they had met some of the Mormon missionaries at their door.
Then on 2nd of April 1967 my 4c 1r Marjorie Blackburn Green and her husband John came to visit us.  They were from Branden, Manitoba, Canada.  She is daughter of Margaret Done Blackburn, and also a granddaughter of Edward Done the Schoolmaster of Erdington.  Her mother had told her about me, and our research, and all she remembered was that I was on a Rural Route.  She checked the phone book, and went out William’s Field Road to the Air Base.  On their way back they stopped at Edwin Lamb’s home, one of two families we know on the William’s Field Road, and he directed them to us. We enjoyed their visit although they only stayed two hours.
Joe, as mentioned before has been staying with us.  After Luella’s death 28 April 1963, he stayed about a week with Bill in Bakersfield.  Kathleen had tried to get him to go back to New Jersey with her, but he wouldn’t, then he decided to go later and spend some time with her.  He returned to California about 14th.  Marion called to see if he wanted to go to Idaho with us and Bond’s when we went to see Melvin off on his mission.  He decided to go, and he and Bill came over on the bus.  Bill stayed overnight with us (William Ford) Sarah’s husband.  He then went on to see his brother Guy in Globe. We went on the trip as described before leaving the 25th of Aug.  After we got back we tried to get him to stay with us but he wanted to go back and get his things straightened up. Not too long afterwards Joe had kidney trouble, then pneumonia, and spent quite a while in the hospital. When released, he wanted to go back to his home, so they let him, but in a few days he had a relapse, and had to go back to the hospital. When he was released this time, his daughter, Pearl T. Larson took him to Oceano, where she put him in a rest home.
He wrote and asked us to come and get him, so we got John from Safford and went there 11 Feb 1964, and got him, bringing him to our place 14 Feb. So he was with us at the time of John’s and Al’s deaths, which helped both brothers.  He decided in June that he would go to the Gila Valley to visit a while, but got as far as Luella’s brother Guy’s place in Glove, where he stayed overnight and blacked out, so they called us to come and get him.  He did go up with us and the 19th of July, and on 29th of July he took the plane to stay with Kathleen and her husband, John I. Geary in Convent Station, New Jersey, and was there until the 31st of March 1966, as mentioned before when Kathleen brought him back to stay with us, till April 23, when we took him to Bill (William) Ford’s in Bakersfield where Pearl picked him up and he stayed with her till May 29th, when he came back to Chandler.
June 1-4, we three, and Ellen, John’s widow, went to Wellington as Bessie called that Ralph was critically ill in the Price Hospital.  We made other trips to the Valley, Nov 29 to Dec 1.   Nina H. Moosman out niece, and her two youngest, Rayola and Sidney came from Boulder, Utah and we had a nice visit with her.  It was her first trip back to see us, after she left Arizona, other than when DeWaine died.
Page 23Joe celebrated his 80th birthday with us.  We had a surprise party for him, with a dinner and a large cake. Both his daughters called him so the day was a happy one for him.  We  had 24 here.
He rode up with us, when Aunt Veoma J. Done died, (March 5-8, 1967) and stayed with Ralph, who was feeling pretty good by now. Ralph’s doctor let him come back to Arizon  with us, and the three brothers had a very good time. We went over to Globe, and to the Valley where we stayed all night in Safford, visiting with the folks.  Ralph stayed here a little longer, and was about ready to go home, saying he felt fine.  But Saturday morning, 25 March he had a heart attack.  Bessie came down on the bus Easter Sunday, and the Doctor let her nurse him at our place. March 10-12 we took him and Bessie back home, and he stood the trip pretty good.  We ran into some real bad snow storms coming back, feeling pretty good.  Joe read his mail the next morning, April 13th, then had a slight stroke that put him in the hospital for 5 days.  Fortunately the paralysis wore off, and he was again able to trip with us.  May 26th we took him out to Pearl’s or rather as far as Bakerfield where she picked him up for a week’s visit with her and Claudette. He came back the 4th of June, planning to go onto Kathleen’s, but when he called, she said her husband John was out of work, and asked him to wait until they got things.  We had to take him to the Doctor 19 June for a check and new medicines.
An outline of the research concerning Grandfathers Francis Taylor and Joseph Thomas Thatcher, and Grandmother Prudence Harding Thomas Taylor Thatcher, is given in detail in the history of Father Lorenzo Moses Thatcher, and Grandfather Joseph Thomas Thatcher, written  by Marion Plumb Thatcher in the summer of 1959.
Through the years beginning 1946, we had been in touch with Uncle Alva’s daughter and sons, Beatrice Thatcher Larsen, and Walter and Howard and the other children and grandchildren. After finding the birth certificates showing the correct children for Grandpa Taylor in 1954, Beatrice got us in touch with Deon Taylor Burch, also Maida Foote (Aunt Priscilla’s granddaughter) and Wayne and Emeda Taylor; Uncle Heber’s grandchildren (Wayne and Deon), and we visited with some of them on each of our trips.
However, Ruth Taylor Smith, wife of Clarence and daughter of Uncle Heber Taylor has been the means and the one responsible for bringing together the descendants of Grandmother Prudence Harding Thomas Taylor Thatcher. They had spent some time in Mesa for several years, but knew nothing about us.
We met George and Etta Perkel when we went to Homedale in 1956 to spend the summer with Paul and family, and became very well acquainted with them.  They were spending their winters in Mesa, living in a house on the Walter Haws property in Mesa.  We had the family group sheet of Uncle Heber which had Ruth on married to a Clarence Smith, but had not even thought of a connection.  It turned out that Clarence and Etta Smith Perkel were brother and sister.
17 Dec 1964, Ruth and Clarence, who were spending time again in Mesa went over to the Perkel’s to spend the afternoon, and were invited to come out with the Perkel’s to “visit their friends, the Thatcher’s in Chandler”.  Ruth said that there were Thatcher’s in their family data so they came out.  Immediately we compared notes, got out Uncle Heber’s family group sheet, and found we were cousins!  We have really enjoyed the relationship, and visited back and forth while they were in Mesa. 11 Feb 1965, they brought out Wayne and Emeda Taylor, whom we had met before, and we had a real family research discussion.  Ruth, who had high blood pressure, had a slight heart attack, but she recovered and they went home.
She said that they had been having a reunion in the Taylor family for about 20 years, in Provo. This had been her father’s descendants.  She wanted us to join them at the Provo Memorial Park for a reunion 28 Aug 1965.  About 50 of the Taylors were present, including us and Ralph and Bessie from the Thatcher group.  Everyone enjoyed meeting new cousins.  Ronald Taylor was chosen president.
Ruth and Clarence met us at the Perkel’s in Homedale, Idaho for their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
The second Taylor Thatcher Reunion was held 20 Aug 1966 in the same place, with 54 present.  Irving Z. Hancock was chosen president.  The 1967 reunion was held 19 Aug 1967, with 53 present. While the attendance has been about the same we have had new ones each time, and feel we are getting closer together.  Many more addresses were obtained and we are hoping to have a larger attendance at the next one.  Reported descendants of Grandmother Prudence are 232 families, with 923 members, totaled September 1967.  We visited with Maida Foote in Nephi 23 Aug, to get a check on Aunt Priscilla’s descendants, as we had not gotten in touch with them as much as with Uncle Heber’s.  Aunt Mary Ann has no descendants, as her babies died.
Page 24I am still working in the Library, beginning Oct 1947 and we are now the Arizona Branch Library.  We have grown quite a lot in the last 6 years, and have had to enlarge our files twice and due again.  I have them, the card making, and cataloging of the books and films under my jurisdiction.  I was asked to put in 16 hours a week about March 31, 1961.  I had been officially 8 hours, but actually about twice that.  We have had a very fine group of Librarians during the years.  We had a testimonial for Sarah E. Shumway and Edith M. Coffey, on 25 May 1963, as they retired.  My work brought me especially close to Sister Coffey, as she was the secretary.  I helped her arrange her records before she left for Texas to say with her sister.  She died 6 Jan 1967.
We have had to modify our numbering system, especially in localities particularly in the U.S. as it had not been set up for our growth.  I consulted with Brother Brimhall, and Sister Grace H. Lloyd, Nov 1963, then with the Genealogical Society and Library in Salt Lake City as we went through the next summer.
19 Jan 1965 our long wished for dream came true.  Bro. Archibald F. Bennett visited us to certify our qualifications and we were made a Brand Library of the Library in Salt Lake City, the fifth one.  As of 3 Oct 1967 there are 60. We have privileges, and are especially appreciative and enjoy the right to order films, either on rental or indefinite loan.  This greatly expands our usefulness, and makes our research in the microfilmed records as though we were actually in Salt Lake, which we had to be before.  Brother Ben Bloxham made two trips, while in charge of Branch Libraries to check us, Feb 1966, and 1967.  The first time we had a chicken dinner at Harmon’s in Mesa.
I check each year with the Phoenix Capitol Library for the books they have bought so we will not duplicate.  We give them a Xerox copy of our purchases.
We had another interesting experience in 1965.  Melvin, our grandson was on his mission in Taiwan, so when we went to church in March we were very interested to see four young Air Force Sergeants of the Republic of China introduced. They were from Taiwan. It seems that thirty had been chosen to come, first for three months training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, then to Williams Air Force Base near us for another three months. These four were L.D.S. converts.  We spoke to them and found out they were from places where Melvin had been laboring, one being born in Chai yi, where he was, and also that their home station base was Tainan, where he was at the time.  They were really fine young men.  Chao, Kui-yuan, the oldest was born 2 Dec 1926, Hopei, China. He told us he was away from home, when China was taken over by the reds.  He had joined the Air Force when 18 years of age, and had not heard from his people for 16 years, and since his father was a merchant, and his brother a farmer, he assumed their businesses were taken over.  He had married 10 Apr 1964, Chung, Yu-hsien in Tainan. Melvin tells us his testimony of the Gospel was strengthened by his experiences over here, and that he did a very good job with the Aaronic Priesthood, under 21 in Tainan after he got back.
Chuang, Shun-tien, born 24 Nov 1941 in Chia yi, Taiwan: Huang, Hsuan-Hung, born 20 Nov 1941, at Chang-Hua Hsien, Taiwan (md 29 Oct 1966); and Tsou, Shun Liang, born 10 Jan 1941, Shan-Hwa Tainan, Taiwan (md. 17 May 1967, Su, Jui-chu were the only three born in Taiwan that have been permitted to come to American to date on these training missions for the Chinese Air Force.  They were trained as follows: Tsou = Armament and Munitions: Chao=Aircraft, and General; Huang: Ground powered equipment; and Chuang; Hydraulic equipment, according to Sgt. Kast of Williams Air Force Base who was sent to Taiwan to assist after they went back.  They taught these courses to successive groups on their return to Taiwan.
We had the group out to Sunday dinner the 28th of March, and had a nice time with all getting acquainted, then took them back into church. An invitation was given them to be with us on Mother’s Day 9th of May.  We always have our children and grandchildren together then, and thought they would like to attend an American get-together, before returning home.  They brought us a beautiful Chinese wall painting, and seemed to enjoy themselves.  We really enjoyed them.  We explained Mother’s Day to them – it seems they have Parent’s Day – and told them they could be our sons for that occasion.  It seems we have been “Dearest Parents” to them ever since, and have received many nice letters.  May 16th Kenneth had us all over for Bar B Que steaks, and then took them air plane riding in his small plane. They got a kick out of that.  Then Kenneth and Harry Jones Jr. flew them to Prescott to the horse races on May 31.  May 30th Phiang attended Baccalaureate Services for Edith in Gilbert, the others helped milk.  They had all been to dinner.  June 3rd, Tsou asked to come and help farm a day, irrigated, ran a tractor, etc.  June 4th wePage 25

picked them up at the base to attend Edith’s Graduation exercises.  They gave us two little Chinese dolls that night.  Farewells were said, and the next morning they left for Taiwan, 5 June.  Just a brief resume of a very pleasant episode in contact with those on the other side of the world.
You will remember that I was called to work on the Sunday School  Stake Board, of the Mesa Stake by Mesa Stake Sunday School  Superintendent Willard I. Skousen 11 Oct 1957, being set apart by Pres. L.  R. Layton(2nd couns.) and Pres. Loren H. Allen 1st  Couns., Haskell V. Stradling assisting.  We had our last official connection with the Stake Board at the meeting Sat night Nov 26th, 1966, as our Mesa Stake decided to have the Short Sunday School Board, so the Course Instructors were released.
I had many enjoyable, spiritual, and humbling experiences while working on the Stake Board.  Our members were devoted to their callings, and we came to know and love each other very much. We really appreciated the fine spirit we found in the several wards and branches which totaled 15 at the last. I worked under Bro. Skousen, till the Alma Ward was divided in 1962, then Brother Orin C. Fuller.  We had several members from Chandler during this time, and we usually did our Stake visiting together.  Mrs. Donald D. Hooks, and Mrs. Ward Ray were with us the first two or three years, but were released.  However, Viola P. Jones, Grace A. Pugh, and Grace E. Jones were with us the longest period of time, and about the last half we also had John P. Shill, so we made many visits,. We also had many others from the other Wards, fine people.
I had “Saviors on Mt. Zion” the year I went in. This was alternated with “Family Exaltation” through 1962, and we had “Genealogical Research, A Practical Mission” from 1963 through 1966, when my Course was taken out of the Sunday School.  I averaged attendance of 9 Stake Board meetings, held the last Saturday of the month, each year. We had 62 Preparation Meetings, with an average of 7 in attendance.  I had regular classes in 9 to 11 Wards.  Our Preparation meetings were not as many as we should have had, as Stake Conferences, Mother’s Day, and even Easter fell on the Second Sunday of the month, and we also did not hold them during the summers, as so many went on vacations, and there were substitute teachers.  However, I made contacts with helps in letters, and by phone calls, both ways, when we did not have our meetings.
Since I will probably not make a summary of my Stake Board other than in my lesson and roll-plan book, I think I shall list here the wards and teachers I had contact with in my courses:

Alma:	Elma Jean Masterson, 1958; Patricia N. Croy & Jennis W. Marsden, 1959; Loree C. Naylor, 1959-60: C. K. Walker 1961;Dorothy R. Hancock, 1961-1966.
Alma 2:	Betty J. Jewell & Aaron Smith; May T. Tiffany, 1962; Ester G. Hall 1963-1966; Peggy Brown 1966.
Casa Grande:	Ivan M, Lewis & C. H. Ostler, 1958; Harry K. Nieschulz 1958-1961; Bill Kimber, 1962-1963; Julia C. Dickey, 1964-66.
Chandler:	Lalome C. Farnsworth, 1958; K. K. Skousen, 1958-1963; Reuben M. Wilson,  1963-1964; Leoma P. Shumway, 1964; Nelda Gephart, 1965-1966.
Chandler 2:	Mary M. Farnsworth, 1957-1966.
Mesa 2:	Kathryn Jensen, 1958; Harry F. Hills, 1958-1960; Lola Dean W. Schnebley, 1961; Marion J. Jensen 1961-1962; Roy Harris 1962; Lynn B. Johnston, 1961-1966.
Mesa 3:	Alice M. Newton: 1958-1959; Edna J. Gifford, 1960-1962; Alice M. N. Echols, 1963-1964; Leola M. Hutchinson, 1964-1966.
Mesa 5:	Lora L. Hancock, 1957-1958; Floyd L. Nordin, 1959-1960; Robert D. Brown, 1960-1961; Frank Turley, 1962 -­­­discontinued: Frerderick Haase, 1964-1966.
Mesa 11:	Zelma C. Miller, 1957-1963; Lora L. Hancock, 1963-1966.
Mesa 13:	Philinda K. Naegle, 1957-1958; Nellie P. Rogers, 1958-1960;Harold Millett, 1961; Bert R. Leavitt, 1961-2; Erma Thornton, 1962-3; Alice Lee, 1963; A. C. Leetham, 1963-4; David Haymore, 1964-5; U. L. Russell, 1965-6;Loren Ingalls, 1966.
Mesa 23:	Erma Thornton, 1963; Florence Turley, 1963-1965; John R. Ethington, 1965-1966.
Elroy:	Rudolph P. Schurig, 1964 only.

Chandler 3rd Branch, Maricopa and San Tan Branches did not have the courses, but I visited them once a year.
After Marion’s release in 1959, September, from the High Priest’s he was asked to be the Class Leader for the group, and he served in this capacity, until he was again asked by Brother Riggs (Ben L.) to come back as a Counselor in the High Priest’s Group.  Bro. Merrill D. Kennedy was the other Couns., and Glendon Lamoreaux, still Secretary.  They served until when Brother Riggs was released because of his health, and Devon O. Rogers was made group leader, choosing his counselors.  When Bro. Rogers was released, Merrill D. Kennedy was chosen as High Priest’s Group Leader, with Marion P. Thatcher and Glenn D. Ethington as counselors, and Glendon Lamoreaux as their secretary.
Page 26Adding Sept. – Oct. 1979
Marion has also served as a Ward Teacher, then as a home (teacher?) all the time he has held these other jobs.
In 1969 I totaled up my Church service (approximately) it showed 29 years in Primary, 37 in Sunday School, 18 in Relief Society, 3 in M.I.A.  When I started both Temple and Library together for 5 years I stopped the other organizations.  I totaled 27 years and (_+_?)days in the Library and was released.  My last work was in October 1974.  I was released from the Cultural Refinement class teacher in the Mesa 11 Ward Relief Society 20 July 1969.  I was Ward Examiner here about 7 yrs, Nov 1969-15, October 1972.  I was a Temple worker 9 years, 20 May 1969 – 20 May 1977.
Marion’s health was not too good, so he finally decided to retire.  He leased the ranch to Kenneth, and the cows, in Feb 1967.  Leavitt had been teaching school in Gilbert one year, when he got a position in Chandler in the fall of 1967.  He decided to move closer to Chandler so bought a three bedroom Pre-Fab home, and moved it to the ranch.  They moved in 25 Feb 1967, so we had “Thatcherville” with 4 families.
We have been in touch with Dora and Clayton Thatcher since 1952, in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, and then Newport, Pembrokenshire.  Their son said he was 125 miles closer to John when they moved.  During this time she published 19 children’s books for ages 5-8, “Henry the Helicopter” and “Tommy the Tugboat” series.  She wrote me 22 Apr 1967, asking for Indian material and data on Forest Fire Fighting, as she was having “Henry” visit America. This book was published in the spring of 1968, titled “Henry and the Astronaut” with six stories.  Henry and the Indians were on pages 59-74.  On the page facing the first story she put: “The author wishes to thank Marine-Land Florida, for factual information used in “Henry & the Porpoise”, (following the Indians, and Mr. M. Thatcher of Chandler, Arizona, for verifying details about Apache Indians, and forest fire-fighting.
Another thrill was on my birthday, 9 Apr 1967.  Marion put another diamond in my engagement ring band.  I lost the old one in 1934. For our Golden Wedding he made a complete new ring band and setting as the old band kept breaking. I had brought histories of the organizations I had worked in in Chandler up to date and when Mona M. Rogers was made secretary of Chandler Ward R. S. she came and asked me to help her with the histories, 1940 (when I stopped) to 1964.
Mother’s home in Mesa was sold in 1962, a few months before her death.  Marion told me a few years later that he would have liked to have bought it, but said nothing at the time, as when he heard Ella (Lucinda’s daughter, and Mary talking he thought the arrangements had already been made to sell. Mary had been in charge of renting.  Ellen was quite upset when I told her, as she would have liked to have kept it in the family.  When Erma (Lucinda’s daughter) moved to North Carolina, out of the place early in 1968, Ellen called from California the 18 of February and asked if Marion would like to buy it if she could get Erma to sell. We talked it over and Marion said he would.  The first of March, Erma offered to sell and the place was put in Escrow.  Things moved with breathtaking speed, and on Mother’s birthday 5 Mar 1968, we signed the deed.  It was rented so we let the renters stay until the 12 July. We started the remodeling.  Several lent us a hand. Paul came from Idaho, and helped with the sink and taking out the old fig tree. We moved the screen room used by the folks for a summer sleeping room against the south east corner of the house, and made it into a utility room, washer, dryer, freezer, etc.  Charles I. Clouse helped with this, and Harry [Florence’s husband] helped with the vinyl floor covering in the house and did the major part of the painting.
We had lived in Chandler 31 years, from Aug 1937 – Aug 1968.  We began bringing things in Aug 28th, and slept Aug 31 in our new home.  Our recommends were read in the Mesa 11th Ward on 15 Sept 1968.  It was rather amusing.  One of the Bishop’s counselors in the Ward, when he told (his wife) they were reading the recommends, (she) said “Why they have been members for years.”  I had been on the Sunday School Stake board for 9 years, and we made two visits yearly, and she had seen me in the Library.
Our oldest son Paul, carving faces, and usually couples, on special occasions (weddings) in potatoes when he worked in Caldwell (J.R. Simplot’s) taking care of the machinery.  Someone suggested that he use wood, so he tried, using the softer woods, then walnut. He would take the size piece, and carve by indenting the face, so it was like a frame.  We did not know about this until 5 Apr 1967, when he sent us one, taken from a snapshot we had by our new car. At first he used just a pocket knife, but later he got a chisel and some tools. At first it was just done for family members and close friends.
Page 27He had a two year project carving a set of the Presidents of the United States, which is displayed in the school library in Homedale, Idaho.   He then carved a set of the Presidents of the (L.D.S. Church). In May 1970 he took those he had finished to show a friend as he attended Graduation, at Rexburg, Idaho.  Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith was there to speak at the Baccalaureate Services at Ricks College. He was told to show them to Bro. Haymore, Secretary, who took them in and showed President Smith.  When he showed them to Pres. Smith and he saw the one of his father, Pres. Joseph F. Smith, he said, “It looks just like Father.”  Sister Smith spoke up and said “of course it does”.  They all look like the ones they are supposed to be. His personal Secretary, Arthur D. Haymore asked him to bring the set and show him, when it was completed. So when Paul took one of his children to enter the B. Y. U. he took them down. His picture, with two of the carvings was in the Church News dated 15 Sept 1971, with a half page write up, and the title “Custodian’s Carvings Help Teach History:  Under the picture it says:  “Paul Thatcher, Scoutmaster in Homedale Ward, Nampa (Idaho) Stake is very proud of his carvings of the Presidents.  He had write-ups in two Idaho newspapers, and exhibited at several State Fairs, receiving several prizes.  When carvings are made especially for individuals, he makes the couples.  One was mailed to President David O. McKay, and another to President Richard F. Nixon.  Both acknowledged them by personal letters expressing their pleasure at the likenesses.  He took one to President Spencer W. Kimball this last June after Terry died.  Pres. Kimball had just gotten out of the hospital.  Paul did not expect to see him, so he wrote a note telling about who he was, and the family (Pres. Kimball has been our personal [friend] since Marion was a boy, as they knew each other then, and since both were active in the Church, and Spencer used to come to Eden a lot in his (Stake) Clerk and Stake Presidency [callings] and met in Church capacities.
During the last few years there have been a number of close relatives, also friends die.  Just thought I would include some who were especially close.  I have kept a lot of their funeral announcements along with my hobby of collecting wedding invitations.
About 1968 Aunt Mary (May Done) Pierce died.  Her husband, Uncle Arwell died not long after.  Mary and Charles went with us to El Paso to both their funerals.  Our only trip on a jet airplane was on Bonanza Air West, from Phoenix to Salt Lake City, just 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Percy Taylor Thorvaldson had died, a cousin, daughter of Uncle Heber.  Then we went and took May Smith Field to Provo, to see Clarence Smith, her brother, and who had married Ruth Taylor Smith. We really did think a lot of Clarence.  He and Ruth lived here, or rather came to Mesa for the winters, and we really enjoyed them. Marion and he were regular shuffleboard players for a while.  But he got cancer, and was very bad when we went up 15 Dec 1969.  He died Jan__1970.  We did not get to go to the funeral, but are glad we did get to see him.
My brother Wilford Pratt Cardon died 8 Jan 1969 very suddenly.  He was very well thought of.  Over 700 attended his funeral.  Marion’s brother Joe lived with us the last three years of his life. He was so appreciative and we really loved having him with us. We also lost two brother-in-laws. Ethel’s husband, Jerome D. Whitnell, in 1968, in Phoenix, August 17, and Ethel did remarry, to Butch, or Arnold John Heldt. Sept 3-7, 1968 we went to California to attend Bill Ford’s funeral.  Sarah, his wife died on Easter Sunday, 1957.
I remember that we had had to put Joe in the hospital the day we went to Wilford’s funeral. He did get better then, but was back in again 4-13 Mar 1969 with pneumonia.   Kathleen and Pearl, his daughters came and stayed; Pearl about a week, and Kathleen a month, having to go back to put her girl in school.  We had put him in a nursing home as he was some better, and had to back to Utah as Ralph was very low.  When we came back, Joe was transferred again to the hospital. He died there 27 Apr 1969.  We had very well attended services here, then took him back to California, where he was buried by his wife Luella, as Marion promised he would.
In 1971:
2-8 March we went to Provo to Uncle Heber’s wife’s (Veoma) funeral and visited with relatives.  Feb 1971, Jewell’s husband, Morrill Ivie died suddenly.  I had my first experience driving in snow, and the car went into a skid across and back on the road, turned and caught on a railing going back home, where we came from and we slid several yards down this railing before we stopped, and some people helped us lift the bumper down. I thought we were going to go on over down into the Canyon.  We were really blessed that time.  April 7 Ellen Thatcher’s grandson Charles York, age 2, was drowned in Safford and we went there.  Edith Ferrin and husband rode up with us.  Our sister Isabelle had a trip chaperoning a group to Europe, and when she came back was stuck with cancer.  It was quick. She was in and out the hospital in Pine, where Mary and Charles went with us. They told us it was terminal then, but was brought to Mesa, April 14 and died there 1 June 1971.  She was buried in Pine on 4 June. The town of Pine has built a library there in or as a memorial to her.  19 Apr, Sallie Done Cleave, the cousin in England that I got in touch with and knew about 6 years died.
Page 28I have pictures and data on how we got in touch with her through the Postmaster, and corresponded several years until she died. I have her Father’s Bible which she wanted me to keep. These anecdotes are in other parts of the research data and in the picture section.  She was just a few months younger than President David O. McKay, and would have been 98 in Oct. so was about the same age as Pres. McKay when he died too. We made two trips to see Ralph before he died 4 Sep 1971.  Then Alva’s wife Carrie died 23 Dec 1971, and Joe’s daughter, Kathleen died 23 Sept 1974.  We caught the bus and went to her funeral, and appreciated the Greyhound slogan “Take the Bus, and leave the driving to Us.”  The funeral was in Oakdale, and she was buried in Shafter, Calif.  While over there we went to Covina and saw Ellen and Stan, also over to Mannie & Ruth’s and Morris’s home. These places are about 3 miles apart. 
Lucinda Hurst Cardon who owned the back half of our lot, widow of my cousin, Joseph Elmer Cardon, left on a visit to Colorado and New Mexico to visit with her children 20 July 1973.  She saw all of them, but her son had to bring her home as she took sick the night of 3 Aug 1973 when she died.  She was buried on the 6th at age 92.
Then came a literal “bolt out of the blue” – my cousin, Ella Cardon Goodman, Elmer’s daughter, had gone [illegible] and had a strong premonition to go home, so she did, in time to tell him she was there. [A plane] which had radioed it was having trouble but thought he could make it to the airport had to make an emergency landing.  He was over a school ground so tried to get to a field, but crashed between two houses.  When the plane exploded flames engulfed their garage and kitchen, igniting Howard’s clothing.  Ella tried to drag him away, and put out the fire. Help came, but he was 90% third degree burns, and died the next day.  Charles and Mary went with us to the funeral. Ella was in the hospital burn unit a long time, and then went to her daughter’s home longer. Even now the burns are not entirely healed on her leg, and her hands are very tender.  This was 13 April 1978.  They told her it might take 2 years.
Another close to us was Lillie W. Hancock, our nephew Irving’s wife.  Irving was in Marion’s sister Prudence’s family that we had as our “second family”. She died April 5th and was buried April 9, 1979 (our wedding anniversary #55 and my birthday, respectively.)  Irving had been working in the Temple two days a week for some time, and she had just received a call for 3 months to come with him and help.  It was her first time there helping with sealings and Irving said she was really happy, talking to those in the Temple in Provo. Then they started for home in Spanish Fork, and the severe pain of a heart attack hit her.  She slumped over and he headed for the Payson Hospital.  They worked over her for 1 ¾ hours but could not revive her and she was pronounced dead.  Irving says he feels sure she died when it struck. It really hurt us that we were not able to go to the funeral but Marion’s condition was so bad that we could not even consider it.  However, Kenneth flew his plane to John’s in Oak City, Utah and they drove on up. Annette, Janis and Janell went also with Lucy & Ray. As the burial day was also my birthday we did get a lot of calls and cards.  Bad weather kept Kenneth there an extra day.
Charles Stanley Carr, Ellen’s husband went into the hospital April 8th with Leukemia.  They were married 30 years. He had Leukemic and was feeling very badly when he and Ellen came over and we were all together as sisters and brother on the 100 birthday celebration for Mother, Edith J. Done Cardon, March 4th (she was born 5th).  He was very weak then and extremely thin and on May 1, 1979 he passed away. Of course we could not go, but the others were to the 7 May funeral.  Ellen is trying to keep things together and under control. We can imagine how it is but will realize fully when our turn comes.
The above were family, but will mention a few special friends.  Marion was as close to Glen Lamoreaux as to his brothers. He was our neighbor in Chandler, ten years younger.  They went to the sales together and Marion rode with him to check cattle, and worked together when Marion was in the High Priest’s Quorum Presidency and Glendon was secretary.  Marion misses him very much as he died of cancer 4 Dec 1972.  And two couples/we were neighbors and close to in Chandler the 31 years we lived there came next.  We worked in the church organizations, and they were the ones who were with us on our San Tan Mission.  David was Branch President, Reg [Brimhall] his counselor and we women together.  David W. Hulet died 30 Sep 1971.  Alice [Hulet],Reg Brimhall,  4 Feb 1973 and Ione [Brimhall] 4 Oct 1978.  Thomas F. Fuller who was Bishop when we were married and had Marion sustained as his counselor died 6 Nov 1974.  When James E. Talmage came down to set Marion apart as a High Priest, he told him it was unusual to put a single man in the Bishopric, so Marion told him I was teaching and we were going to get married so it was O.K.
Irene A. Duke was a special friend.  It was she who got me in touch with the researcher John L. Hobbs who helped prove so many extensions on my Done pedigree in Shropshire, England.
Page 29Elsie Plumb Riggs (aunt) who got a copy of my Plumb work died 8 Feb 1973.  And “Aunt” Hannah Kempton in Eden was special to me as we worked in both the Primary and Relief Society Presidency together as well as other places.
Special times were had with our family members.  We had many trips to see them.  Paul was furthest away and since we quit traveling we miss him and seeing his family as they have grown up. We still are hoping he can get down seeing us soon.  Melva got to come down several times while her parents were alive.  I remember one special Christmas when we had them with us for Christmas dinner.  We also proved relationship to Ruth Taylor M. Smith (cousin, Uncle Heber’s daughter, and have had many get togethers with her and her daughter Ellen, now married to James G. (Bud) Johnson, and living in Prescott.  Ruth married Bud’s brother Bert.  She had a stroke one year while here, and also a heart attack so we do not get to see them so much now. For a short time they rented the back portion or rather house, but decided they could not spend the full winters here, as Ellen especially was on the R. S. Stake Board as well as other positions in the ward.
Morris gets over to visit fairly often.  He has his boys close and they can take care of the station, a Chevron one.  He says they do fairly well keeping enough gasoline on most of the time.  John in Oak City, Utah has a little harder time to get away, which is why we were so glad when we bought the trailer up there to spend the summers. However, we have missed two summers.  Marion wants to go and stay so badly, but so far has not been able to.  I surely hope that it works out so we can, as we planned when we bought the trailer.  He gets the blues – I just saw him through another crying spell because he can’t go. I hope and pray that I will be able to be more of a comfort to him.  He does not adjust well to staying and not being able to do what he likes.  Max, in Solomon is real good to keep in touch with us, as also Mannie his brother.  And I do appreciate the way my brothers and sister and all keep in touch.
John and his family were very close to us in space and feelings.  Being our youngest we watched him. He is an excellent mechanic and at one time after he moved to Oak City the people told him they would put up a machine shop if he would work in it.  But his heart was with dairying, and he really worked hard here, living at first on the ranch and milking in the same barn Kenneth did. Then he got a chance to put his cows out at Higley, but this time was particularly hard as he tried to work full time in Val’s service and do the milking otherwise with the cows.  Then he got a chance through the Gale boys who had moved to Oak City from Chandler to take over a diary up there.  It was rather a quick move.  He sold 31 of his cows here, Sept 9, then had a busy time getting everything lined up till he and Kenneth left about 9:45 P.M. with a load of things.  John had to take over the milking and running of the dairy on the 13th of Sept.  Dianne was a big help as she would either haul things up or do the milking while he was settling in.  He made trips Sept 15th, back the 28th and sold more things and cows then back Oct 4 to Oak City, then came right back down to take care.  Clyda and Robbie rode up the next trip he took and it was Dianne’s turn to come back Nov 7th.  She cleared up things and took another load back.  The preceding things were in 1975.
With so many of our families in so many places we shuttled back and forth enjoying the visits and get togethers.  Hazel and her family settled in Flagstaff, and the rest of the grandchildren have grown very fast.  Both of the twins, Merlin & Carl, in 1978 & 9, so Kenneth’s family is about grown.  Young Kenneth has not married yet.  He did fine work on his mission.  Leavitt has his two daughters married and Edith is now in Las Vegas. Leonard is career Air Force.  Clyda lived here for a while, but she and Kelvin have moved to Minnesota.  He has a very good job and she is real active in the Branch.  Robbi is adjusting fine and when they can slip down this way we enjoy it.  Janis keeps on at the work in Utah and enjoys being in her courses at B.Y.U.  Karen is now at Mesa Community College so Leavitt’s are growing up too.  Paul has all but three of his married now and they are happy too.  Darrel is the only one who can get to see us fairly often
We had our only daughter Edith, died the day she was born, 24 Oct 1929, and Leavitt went through that trial (and Joyce) when they had Lynn Marie (stillborn) and Judith Gail, who lived about 31 hours.  Leavitt has the three married now. Dennis and Debbie live about 3 ½ miles from us but are in the Gilbert Ward. They have a boy and girl.
Paul’s families are scattered. Melvin and Tuan are in Singapore, a year now, and will be there two more years. It is a rather interesting place. Their children are now enrolled in school. Her sixth child was born in a Church Hospital, because foreigners can’t go to the regular hospital, and when she was born they were asked to show their marriage certificate. Otherwise the child cannot be taken out of Singapore. They enjoy it, and are active in the L.D.S. Branch over there. Melvin is spending his time in the Malaysian and Indonesian countries and other Far East places, even Borneo, checking records for the Genealogical Society. He can be at home more there, then if they lived in the states.
Page 30Janell is of course, in Provo, and is expecting her 2nd child. We did enjoy visiting with her when we made out trips.  Her baby may be the 26th great grandchild. Virgil was released from the Navy when Terry drowned.  He has two children, and since his release has found a very good job in the selling part of farm machinery.  Had only had it a month or so when they advanced in the company, and he now is in charge at twice the salary.  The only things it takes them away from Caldwell, where they were close to both their families in Idaho, into Wyoming just over the border.  I am not sure of the town.  Terry’s drowning was such a shock to all of us.  He was 17, just graduated from High School.  He was with Mark when they decided to walk or wade in a portion of the Snake River, between Homedale and Marsing where they had ever since they remembered.  Somehow, possibly because of the late floods down the river, he stepped into a hole, or off sort of a ledge, just below the bridge.  Efforts were made to get him, but they had to wait until the body came up, which was on the morning of the third day.  It was a very sad wait.  They said there were over a hundred people on the bridge that morning, as they expected the body to rise – and were hoping he had not washed down the river.  Many people who have drowned in the flood, or even in the Snake River at normal flow have never been recovered, so we were spared that.
Paul says that somehow they felt that is was Terry’s time to go, that he had been loaned to him for that time, and was called to a mission on the other side.  He said that when Terry was born he had the RH factor and had to be left in the hospital, and it was wondered if he would make it.  He realized he could have been gone on a number of times during his life.  I had not realized this part.  Paul also said that when he blessed him that he was impressed to dedicate him to the Lord, and he felt that the Lord had loaned him for the 17 years and then taking him home.  He was talking and planning to go on a mission when he got old enough but was just called earlier for his mission over there.
The people were really wonderful.  They brought mobile homes and campers to his home so anyone coming would have a place to stay.  It was heartbreaking not to be able to go up, but Marion was bad enough that I did not leave him alone except maybe to go to the grocery store.
Probably here is where I should put the vital statistics.  Our grandchildren are marrying and we have 25 great grands.
Melvin and Tuan Lee have had 5 more children: Becky Lee, 28 Jun 1969; Jason Bennett, 16 July 1971; Joseph Patrick, 15 June 1974; Susette Lee 17 Apr 1976; Leah Lee 9 Dec 1978.
Roland married Adah Arlene Ries 9 May 1969, and has: Jana Lee, 11 Sept 1970; Michael Paul, 8 Mar 1974; David Charles, 17 Oct 1975; and Brian Robert 23 Dec 1976.   Janell md. 24 Sept 1975 to Daniel Stuart Miller, and they have: Scarlett 20 June 1977, and we are waiting for their next announcement any day.  Darrel Leon md 24 Nov 1975 to Patricia Lee Hankins.  They have Ila June 30 Dec 1976 and Aaron Pierce, 15 July 1979. Virgil Dean md 10 Nov 1976, and they have Dustin Scott, 21 Sept 1977 and Eric David 8 Mar 1979.
Edith Lorraine md 28 July 1967, and have Thomas Ray 8 Jun 1972 and Lori Rae 14 Apr 1977.  Dennis Leavitt md 3 Jan 1976 to Debra Gibson, and they have Jason Randall “JR”, 31 Aug 1977 and Rebecca Ann, 29 Apr 1979.  Paul’s Annette md. 17 Aug 1979 to Allen Ashby.  Hazel Maxine (Kenneth’s) md 5 Jan 1973 to George Martin Maben, Jr.  They have Jennifer Maxine, 28 Jan 1974, Frank George, 15 Mar 1976 and Clint Jake, 18 Apr 1979.  Morris’ David Ray md Kari L. Hardy and they have Dawn Rachel, 22 Aug 1978. So, 25 for the great grandchildren.  John and Diane Randall were married in 1964, but now have Deanna Christine, 30 Sept 1968, and John Randall, Called Johnny 10 Apr 1970. So we added these two to the grandchildren, and also Morris and Kay got William Frederic, (Bill) born 1 Aug 1968 – and the youngest great grandchild and the 25th in number is from Kenneth’s son, Merlin Clyde md 16 Dec 1978 to Linda Ann Echols, named Barbara Ann, born 17 Aug 1979.  She is tiny, being premature, but both are doing well now.
Kenneth’s son Carl Marion married 16 Dec 1978, Robin Claire Jones and these are the added vital statistics as of 14 Sept 1979!
We have family gatherings on most of the special occasions.  It became the custom that Thanksgiving would be with our son’s wives side of their family, unless some change was made, and then they would get together with us.  But at Christmas time the families would come with us, and we have had many lovely times.  I remember one Thanksgiving though that was quite different.  It was after my operation in Nov. 1974, I did not feel too strong, so the children arranged their own, coming to check with us during the day.  Marion and I decided to get Colonel’s Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken to build our own celebration –BUT when we called found out they were closed for the day –  so-o-o! We ended up by calling Sir George’s Smorgasbord to see if they would fix us some “take-out” chicken, and our Thanksgiving Dinner was one of the best!
Page 31And OUR GOLDEN WEDDING! We really did have a lovely time, both in preparation and then in the actual, so decided to make the memory one to see!
First on 25 Mar 1974, I went to the hairdressers.  Big deal! – well yes for me, as I have just usually gotten my permanents about every five or six months, and take care of my own.  I went or we went down to Newell (Newt) Kempton’s for the pictures. He was son of Heber and Stella Kempton up in Eden who was our Bishop for some time.  He really did a good job, and after he had us pick out the one we wanted finished he gave us the six proofs. So I did have the one I could hardly decide.  We had a lot made up, large 8 by 10 and some 5 by 7 for the kids and special as well as wallet.  I got a long dress, lace top (lined) and polyester knit skirt.  Marion took me to Gunnell’s Jewelry, and bought a new wedding ring; the old one was very thin and had broken a time or so. He also had them fix my engagement ring which I picked up Mar. 31.
We were very happy Mar 31, when Reeves Val Moosman and wife Carla brought Nina to stay a few days.  She could not stay for the actual Golden Day, April 5, but we counted her as our first treat.  Went to some Temple sessions, and she and Zola Fuller Reaves (?) got together, as were old friends.  On April 1, Madge & Jewell, her two daughters came and got her and took her to Flagstaff, so we saw them too.  April 3, I cleaned and vacuumed my rug. Sheila (my neighbor) came and helped me.  The next day did yard work, and had Relief Society teachers.  Paul called from the bus station; Morris came at 11, and John, so all our boys were here.  We had thought about slipping up to Safford where we got married and going to the places, courthouse, old hotel, etc., but when the family started gathering we saw that other plans we made for our Golden Wedding.  On April1 5th, the day Edith and Dianne came about 3 P.M.  Derral went down to the school and borrowed some folding chairs.  The family came in and brought a beautiful tiered wedding cake.  I kept the little bride and groom decoration for the top, also the corsage that Janis made, and during the evening they had us “Cut the Cake” something we did not do on our wedding day.  The family brought a golden tree for small pictures and I put in the boys on one side, with their wives behind on the other side, and had the picture of the roses in bloom on each side for our daughter Edith, then our own was added on each side, so it is a lovely memento. The pictures were taken from her grave.
There were a lot of pictures taken that night.  Paul used my camera whenever he found an interesting combination, and Leonard, who has a hobby in taking pictures, took a lot and gave us a set.  These I have out in an album, which I am adding to now – with pictures of different members of the family for their weddings.  They brought a guest book too and we got the signatures of those here, and now (when I remember) when someone who has not signed comes, I have them sign with name, address and date, so it is also most interesting.
Bud and Ellen came by on their way home, and Bud gave us a very nice poem to commemorate the event. This we put in the Book of Remembrance with our picture.  Morris and Kay stayed here that night and then by Saturday and Sunday went onto Michigan to see her folks.  Sidney and Jane Webb came over on Sunday 7th, and we watched the L.D.S. Conference on TV.  So it was a lovely time for us. I gathered the data together and call the Tribune, and the Spur Shopper put it in their paper as “delayed data”, on May 23, so we did get a clipping for it.  We had not counted on a large celebration, but the children wanted the family.  We are glad they told us. We did ask a few special friends, and our Ward Teachers and Bishop.  Bishop Henry Miller and wife were the first ones to come.  Jesse Gale and his wife came, also Jesse and Leoma Shumway, our neighbors.  Most of the families here came and we counted 91 that honored our home that evening.  This celebration ended with my birthday April 9th.  Marion got me a decorated birthday cake and Sheila and I went to Relief Society the next day.
We did not get the anticipated trip to Safford until April 26th. Marion had first planned to get married for his birthday Sept 1, 1923, but my father decided that since I still had a year good on my teacher’s certificate, that I should teach again, and he got a school for me or rather told mother.  And – since birthdays were thought to be the time we would celebrate we decided to get married on mine, but since my birthday was on a school day we took the Saturday, April 5th and counted it in place of April 9th.  I had to teach the rest of the month, and a few days into May.
We did have a nice time in Safford. We went by the places planned. Safford was having some sort of celebration with markers on all the special and historical places, so we got some nice pictures. We went by and picked up Ellen Thatcher, long enough to have her take our picture on the Courthouse steps, and by Hotel Olive, allowing the signs to show.  Mannie Thatcher was in the hospital then so we visited him there then went around to other members of the family.  Max, and Wanda and Maybelle and Albert, in Eden, and also to the cemetery, and on by Burns and Clark Marshall, that we thought a lot of and had been neighbors to and then on home.  So were glad for that celebration too.
Page 32We had some nice times for Christmas.  I have mentioned before the lovely family times.  And – at one we had the “Organ Hunt”!!!
First Leavitt and Marion went hunting on Dec. 14. Then on Dec 16, Edith, Clyda and Marion went. I thought they were hunting for Leavitt.  Someway Marion and Leavitt decided to get one for me. They had been to Milano’s but did not find what they wanted, so found one at J.C. Penney’s for me, and my name was put on.  I did not go to or suspect them; the grandkids saw it and were really excited. When hunting mine, Leavitt saw the Hammond organ in Milano’s that he fell in love with, but after talking to Joyce, and with Jerold going on his mission, they decided they could not get it, but would get him one when they had their advance pay in the spring. Marion told him that he would give him the down payment, but he said he did not want to do that.  So – Marion got with his family and told them.  They went down and made arrangements for it to be delivered on the 23rd of Dec., as they were booked up for the 24th delivery. They had them just put a sign on it as SOLD, as were afraid he might go back and look at it.  So everybody was happy, Leavitt’s family because of his surprise, and mine in anticipating the surprise. I had mentioned that I sure would like an organ, but did not dream they would get me one.
Well, the 23rd came and here is this delivery truck asking if this was 159 South Mesa Drive, and when I went to the door and said yes, they said “We have an organ to be delivered here.”  Well, I argued with them and told them it was supposed to be delivered to Chandler.  Marion was doing the dishes, and really ticked, then when they said they were right, he finally came and put me aside and told them to bring it in.  Joyce and Leavitt came down, and of course we had a good talk. While talking, they called from the ranch all excited, and Joyce answered. They said that the organ man had come by there and had missed the place and gone on down the road.  However, before they came down, when I called and told them mine had been delivered, I asked Leavitt what he was doing, and would he come down, He said “Oh, I am playing my organ”.  I was surprised and started to say “Why, have they delivered it already?” but bit my tongue and said “Oh what organ”, and he said “The little one that Clyda left here”.  Was I ever glad I did not say anything about it. Then Leavitt started playing mine, and every little while he would say, “I sure wish I had gotten that Hammond.”  I would give anything in the world for it. Oh, it would be sold by now.”  etc.  I’ll never forget how calm she was, when he said it again while she was talking on the phone, and the girls told her they were turning in with the organ. She was so solicitous and said “Well, sweetheart, we will really get it when we get the spring deal!” and she knew it was waiting for him.
Well he stayed a while longer playing mine then they left for home, with his saying again how he wished he had gotten his.  I did not say, but he had not been feeling very well for quite some time, and they said that when he walked into the living room and saw the Hammond organ in the center of the floor he stopped suddenly, went as white as a sheet, and the tears just streamed down his face.  Joyce and the girls tried to get him to speak, and couldn’t and soon all of them were crying.  Then, he went to the organ, put it in place and sat down and played it for four hours without stopping.         
It has been very good for him, as therapy.  Whenever he would get all uptight, he sits down and plays, and still does the same thing.  That along with making the granny squares, afghans, and bedspreads that are used alternately and he has done a lot of the bedspreads, one for each of his children after the first one he made for their queen bed, eight feet square.
We started these afghans, etc., when Marion and I were in Oak City and Leavitt and Joyce came to visit.  He found that it sort of helped him to feel better, and learned the granny squares then.  He has made throws for his couches, etc., so they are really nice.  I took it up too, and when Marion was in the hospitals I usually had one going. I made one for Sheil, after we can back, as she had been so good to take care of the place, and would not take any more as ‘pay’ when we got back. I have given some for Kippe to help her.  I also have done dozens of coat hangers, and am still at it.  Now I am making the hot pads, using the circles from the soda pack with six circles joined and crocheted around. I have used the hangers and hot pads as gifts, and am now making sets to give as gifts for Christmas or otherwise.  Dianne started me on the afghans and gave me a beautiful one she made. Nina started me on the hot pads.  I think that the Relief Society was going to show us the hot pads, but I watched while they were showing what they would teach us the next time, when I could not go, I worked at it and now return to making them regularly. Jake & Emeda Taylor came by and she showed me a few short cuts so that it works fine.  Speaking of music – one of my greatest thrills was the Christmas after my operation.  It is the only time the Mesa 11th Ward came to our front lawn, and there sang carols.  It is the only time I had been serenaded and they really sounded almost like an angelic chorus.  It made us both feel good, and we thanked them so much. They do not always have a choir here in Mesa.  That is one of the things I missed, after moving from Chandler, as Chandler has always had a fine group and has put on many special programs for Easter, Christmas and others.
Page 33Our meeting and getting acquainted with the children of Grandfather Francis Taylor, and Grandmother Prudence Harding Thomas Taylor, and our Thatcher connection through Grandmother Prudence has been told earlier in this history and through the research reports.  And we have thoroughly enjoyed knowing and associating with them, especially with Ellen Jane Mecham and her mother, Ruth Taylor – Smith,  – she was married to Clarence Smith when we met her.  They rented the little house behind Wilford and Vilate’s home just about a few months when Ellen met James Gerald “Bud” Johnson, as she was in the Temple. They got serious quickly, but Ruth had real bad health, and her heart got so bad that she had to be put on the plane for Utah and Provo, her home.  Ellen stayed as she and Bud were planning to get married which they did on 26 March 1971. She came over and stayed with us about a week or 10 days, before the marriage, then they moved to Bud’s home in Prescott. We really kept in close touch.
We did fix up the 157 S. Mesa Drive in the back, thinking that they would like to use it as a winter home and work in the Temple, but both were so involved with their church work in Prescott, she on as Stake Board as well as Ward, so they could not make it work out over a month’s try. So decided just to come down on Temple excursions and work when they could.  Ruth came down a number of times until she and Bud’s brother, Joseph Elbert “Bert” Johnson decided to get married 11 Apr 1975.  Since then we have averaged about six get together’s a year, sometimes more with the two of them although it has been more with Ellen and Bud because they were closer.  We made a number of trips to Prescott until the last two years when Marion’s’ health has been bad that we could not go. 
One trip made by Ruth was to seal Clarence to his parents. It was a very nice session.  He was sort of special to us. 14 Jan 1969, Ruth and Clarence went with us to the Eden Cemetery. It seems that many years ago her father had made a trip down to Eden, and while there their little daughter, Mary Ann Taylor got the measles and died.  Ruth had thought about this and told us she wanted to get a headstone and take it up and put on the grave, so she had it ready and we did fix it up.   We then went and visited Maybell and Albert Carpenter and a few of the relatives before coming home.  Clarence was not very well at the time.  They came down several winters to stay and work in the Temple.  He died in Provo 7 Jan 1970 with cancer.  We did not get to go to the funeral, but we were up on a Utah-Idaho trip and a short time before and had a very good visit (though sad) as he was having a lot of pain then.  He and Ruth had been married about 20 years, I think it was.
As I said Bud and Ellen and we two got together many times, and did try to take some special trips, other than the Temple ones they came to. It was astonishing how many people Bud and Marion had met, and knew.  They talked about all those, and since the Plumb line was settled in St. David and vicinity as well as the Gila Valley, they had a great time talking about everybody. They came down once to go through the Temple, 19th and 20th April 1973.  Then we left about 8:15 A.M. on a trip to check where Bud’s home was. We visited in Pomerene, Benson and St. David. I had corresponded a lot on the genealogy with Margaret B. Coons, a cousin on the Plumb line, so we had a good visit with her, then went on to Bisbee, an interesting mining town, and crossed over into Mexico at Agua Prieta.  It was a much cleaner town than Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, over the line from El Paso, which we visited with Charles and Mary.   Bud said he had to have a haircut in Mexico, so went to a barber, and that barber actually cut about as long as the hair lasted. We really kidded him, but he said he got his money’s worth. We drove back into the States and spend the night in Wilcox, then on 21st, we came home by way of Tucson. A quick check shows that we got together with this couple close to 40 times between 1966 and 1979, so you can see what fun we had.  We called them a few days ago. Bud has just gotten out of the hospital and they were afraid he might have to go back in. So we all get older.
I think about here will make a quick summary of trips:
10-15 Aug 1971, another Utah-Idaho trip & 13-17 Aug 1973, Utah-Idaho with Leavitt and Joyce  2-5 Sept. 1972.  Charles and Mary took us to California.  We stopped in Bannine and saw Lucille and Ether.  Ellen and Stan took us to see Morris, and we went on to Simi Valley and saw Katie.  4-6 July 1969, we went with Charles and Mary to see Ellen & Stan, and then on to the beach.  6-19 Aug 1969, went to Utah, and did some research in genealogy.  We did have a Utah-Idaho trip 14 Aug – 4 Sept 1967.
A special trip was 1968, March 15th. We had a Cardon Family Reunion in honor of Louis Paul Cardon, with family members meeting for a Temple session.  We also had headstones made for the graves in the Binghampton Cemetery.  So we went as a family group over to Tucson, and out to the cemetery, which by this time was in Tucson and placed the headstones.  It was an occasion that touched our hearts.
Marion and Glendon Lamoreaux were as close as “brothers” and really enjoyed their association.  For a number of years Marion would go with Glendon to Vico and other places to help him with his cattle. Also, he and Viola took us to several of the rodeos in Snowflake, noting particularly 25-27 July 1969, and 21-23 July 1967. Viola and I usually took in the program and all the rodeos.  We always went over to check with Ethel Hunt and did attend Sunday School with them once and visited other relatives in Clay Springs.
Page 3421-24 Aug 1967, on our Utah trip we went to the ball games in Salt Lake City, saw Lucy & Ray, then stayed at Irving and Lillies’. We then went to Nephi, and visited with Maida Foote, a cousin, and stopped in Payson to visit Della Larsen Hancock.  4 Sept we went to see Karl Yearsley.  4-6 1969, Charles and Mary took us to Stan and Ellens where we met Lucy & Ray and the group of us went to Sarah Susanna in Simi Valley to see Katie.  We were there when the Church group brought in Sacrament one of the times we visited?? but don’t remember which right now.  This was in July.19 Jan 1969, Ella and I went to Rowley’s to see Veda Rowley Scott, our girlfriend, who had Leukemia. We had a nice visit with her.  Also 29 July 1970, Ella Goodman & I went to see Eva and Albert Farnsworth; Eva is my first cousin.  She died 2 July 1971, and I was asked to pay the tribute to her at the funeral services 6 July.  It was rather hard but I made it!
20-22 Dec 1971 we had another trip to California with Charles and Mary. Ellen and Stan had their Silver Wedding celebration, a lovely affair. We stayed with Morris while there at nights, and Mary and Charles stayed with Stan and Ellen, and we visited with Mannie and Ruth while there.  Bud and Ellen had come down to go to the Temple, so we just had them and they picked up Ruth from the plane from Utah and took her back to Prescott with them.  22-30 Sept, 1970. Ruth and Ellen came down and visited with us, then they rented Vilate’s apartment and spent the winter there. Ruth got sick and had to go back to Utah, so we sent her on the plane, and Ellen stayed with us about a week, before she and Bud got married 26 Mar 1971.  We went through the session with them and she was sealed, as also her daughter Udon, called Donnie was sealed to them the same day.  I fixed a book up to date with the Taylor-Thatcher information in it for Ruth, and got it finished for her 27 Dec 1971.
21 Feb 1970 Ethel and Butch, Florence & Harry, Charles & Mary and us went to the San Tan Barbeque, celebrating their new Church Chapel. It was lovely there was a large crowd there. Were glad they had such a nice place to meet, as had met in much more crowded place when we were there.  However, this burned not too long after, but it has been rebuilt.
Melva made several trips down to visit with her parents, and while here in June 1970, Mark, Terry and Annette came. Her mother died 18 Dec 1970 and her father 10 April 1971.  We really did enjoy our association with them. And we do miss seeing her now that they are gone, as she does not get to come.
When the Webb family moved out of the back 157, we fixed it up and bought a queen size mattress.  Bud and Ellen came to look at it and we got it ready so that they moved in.  Bud & Ellen moved into 157 S. Mesa Drive Nov 28, and stayed until 21 Dec when Ruth came and they went back to Prescott. They (1973) decided that they had too many duties there to stay here as planned.  We had hoped they would.  However have made trips every few months and always came by here.
Albert and Maybelle Carpenter made one of their periodic trips to see us 15 Dec 1972.  We did get to see them each Christmas (I mean Bert and Ruth, and Bud and Ellen, as the Johnson family always has a big Christmas party get together. So it was nice to have them come. It was while they were her in Dec 1974 that Ruth announced her engagement to Bert, Bud’s brother, so we had the mother and daughter married to two brothers. They have all seemed quite happy though.
Reg & Sylvia Blackburn (3 Apr 1972) son of Sallie Done Cleave’s sister (my “Done” cousins from England, who moved to Canada) came to visit us 16 Feb 1976.  They were from Coleville, Canada, and he is a brother to Marge Blackburn Green, who with her husband John,has visited us several times.  I had Mary and Florence come and get acquainted with them. Richard (Aunt Josie’s son) and his wife Anna visited us 7 Dec 1974. Ellen Thatcher has not had good health, and he had been in the hospital when we visited up there April 13, 1973.
April 9-13 was another Utah trip. We went to Ruth’s in Provo about 9:15, then over and stayed in Spanish Fork with Irving & Lillie.  The next morning caught the bus to the Salt Lake Library. Roland works there, and he took time to help and he had us go out to his place where his wife made a birthday cake for me.  Had a very nice time visiting, then went and stayed with Ray and Lucy. We had picked up Bert and met Bud and Ellen, and they went with us. We stayed in Mesquite, Nevada the first night. Bert and Ruth were married April 11th, and we went to her place for a while.  But the crowds and altitude started bothering Marion. We saw Jerold, our grandson, very briefly as he passed us.  He was in the Mission Home, getting ready for his mission. We stayed a while with Lucy & Ray.  Marion decided on the 12th that we had to get out of the altitude. We did stop in Payson, however, on the 11, and went to Mother’s old home in Payson. They let us go inside and see where she had lived.  When we told Irving and Lillie we were having to come home, she said that Irving would go and drive for us.  I was really glad that he did, as was rather uneasy about the long trip.  On the 13th on our way we stopped in Kingman to rest at Larue and Kent Smith’s place then came on home.  Ether Matthews, Lucille’s husband called Leavitt about his death on 12th of April, but we could not go to the funeral, as Marion felt quit done up after the trip.
Page 3516 July 1970, Orpha Hancock from Clay Springs brought her daughter, Orpha Delight Hancock here, to get ready for her wedding in the Temple to Robert Lee Brewer. We went over with them and it was sort of special to help the bride at this time. Nov 10-14, we went to Utah with Bud and Ellen.  We visited back and forth between Lucy’s and Ruth’s and also stayed with Irving and Lillie. Lucy came and we went to the Genealogical Library.  Had some rain and snow. Bessie and Ralph came from Wellington, but we missed them (I did) Lucy had to take Ray to the doctor. Ruth’s girls got dinner and supper for us and we had a nice visit. She came back to Arizona and was quite tired then we came on home. We took the group to Safford and visited them up there.  Ellen was not well.
1975, Sept 22-26, we had another trip to Utah with Mary and Charles.  Hazel and Norma went with us.  Hazel had her baby, Jennifer.  Debbie Gibson (who later married Dennis)went with us to pick up her things. We left her with friends, then Irving, Lillie, Lucy, Ray and us went down to Oak City to see John, on the 23rd. We went back and met Paul and Melva at Janell’s , then went to Janell’s wedding to Daniel Stuart Miller, 24 Sept.  Roland was there and they were married in the Manti Temple. It was very nice.  On the 25th, Irving took us to see Bessie and her family, and then back when we contacted Debbie and were homeward bound.
We had a rather disturbing occurrence on 1 Mar 1975.  Someone driving by on the road fired a 22 shot into Kenneth’s house, it went right by his head then ricocheted, and fell on the floor.  One never knows.
20 Dec 1975, Leavitt and Joyce went with us to Safford and Pima and to the Jeannine Carpenter – George Carpenter wedding, so saw a lot of friends and relatives there.
I seem to have missed one trip that could be called a genealogy research trip, 19-26 Aug 1968!!  Leavitt and Joyce were with us and we took Joe and Mary with us.   We left Joe with Ralph and Bessie.  Mary and I went and got a room at Hotel Little. She, Leavitt, Joyce and I really did a lot of research.  23 Aug, we visited Walter Thatcher, Merle Christensen, Ruth S. Warren, Deon Taylor, Ruth and Clarence Smith, Lucy and Ray, Uncle Heber and Aunt Melba Done, so had cousins on several lines.  March 21 Morris came (1976) in Youngman’s car to deliver to Pima so we went with him and had another Valley visit.  Nina also came early in 1977, and we went with her to the Valley. 
The Prescott couples came over Oct 30 & Dec 17, 1976 so had a nice time, including Temple sessions    .
Now for Oak City Interlude!!:
March 30-31 while visiting John in Oak City, we bought a 40 foot trailer to be used as our summer home close to John from J. B. Lovell, and they fixed a place to move it, so did on Apr 26, getting it partially set up. We came back, and on May 27 I made arrangements for Norma and Doris to come down the week between the regular irrigation and take care of the flowers.  Sheila said that they would run it on the place when we had our water turn.
On June 6, we started for our summer in Oak City.  We stayed in St. George that night. Eldon and Grace Leavitt came over to the motel that evening.   We left early the next morning and were in Oak City by 10:30 A.M.  Marion was cautioned to take it easy for a few days but he would not and started straightening things up. John had the electricity ready to connect so got that done (9).  I took time out fixing things to do some shopping in Delta (10) and concentrated on the yard work.  Marion over did and we got some altitude pills from the doctor.  That evening the ward had a dinner party and we went with John and Dianne, and had a nice time meeting many. Then on Saturday I worked fixing curtains most of the day.  The next day we went to Church and Sunday School, and Marion and John to Priesthood.  The next few days worked on more curtains, varnishing, fixing the cooler and putting up fence.  Made a trip to Delta 21st, and painted the trailer.  Had a load of gravel put in on the 23rd and our first home teachers, Dean and Bruce Anderson came on the 26th.  That evening they went fishing and we had a fish dinner at 10:45 P.M.  Virginia Anderson gave us a lot of purple asters to transplant on the 27th.  Dianne says they are still growing this year.  Johnny and Deanna wanted me to go to Primary with the so I did.
July 1, we went to Utah Valley to see Lucy and found out she had a leg cancer. We went by Ruth’s and found out she was out of the hospital, then on to Irving and Lillie’s.  I had borrowed the book, Royal Families from Bessie’s husband Cliff, and had done a lot of work on it and decided to get my own, so I returned his to him when Bessie and he came over. 
We went over to Janell’s.  Melvin and Roland came down, also Paul, Melva, Terry, Annette and Mark and on the 3rd of July. We all went to Provo and to Church with Dan and Janell, when they blessed the great grandchild, Scarlett. We had a bit dinner in the park, as Dan’s folks were there too, so we got acquainted.  Had a nice time and saw Lucy too.  Went back home to Oak City, July 4th, and continuedPage 36on with getting things taken care of.  Opened an account with the Delta Bank on the 5th, and painted the top of the trailer on the 6th.  By that time I was getting the Plumb set of Royalty Pedigrees lined up so a lot of time was spent this way.
Bessie, Cliff, Scott and Paula with their children visited with us on the 11th of July.    Dianne went to Santaquin, John to Salt Lake and we visited with Lucy.  I returned the Royalty books to Cliff.  Then Leavitt and Joyce came as they wanted to go to the Manti Temple Pageant.  We went on the 15th, but Marion stayed with John as he was afraid of the altitude. We had Sunday dinner with John and Dianne.  We did take a trip with Leavitt and Joyce to Spanish Fork and to Provo, where we visited with Janell, Ruth and Uncle Bob, then back home. Leavitt decided to learn how to make the granny squares in the evening, and they left for Arizona on the 23rd.
Then came the 24th of July, — one day we will never forget. Things seemed to be coming along pretty good.  Kenneth Jr., came by with some of his friends. They had been up to Salt Lake, or Utah Valley at least and were heading for home. We had a nice visit with them, and they headed for home about Sunday school time.  We went on to Sunday school.  That was when Marion started his HEART ATTACK in Sunday school, about 11:00 A.M.  I noticed that he had his head sort of down, but thought he must be sleepy. But he did not even tell us that he was having pain. We came home, and he went in and lay down, but this was not unusual as he usually did that way and rested. I thought he was just resting, so started dinner.  When I asked him about eating he said he was having pain.  I called John, Dianne called the doctor in Delta and she was told to get there to the West Millard Hospital in Delta as fast as we could. It was really a race, and we got him admitted by 2:45, a 14 mile run…I called all the children, and stayed right at the hospital through the 26th of July, when I went home for a few hours, and came back. John of course was in and out.  They watched him very closely on the 26th and by the evening of the 27th he was into another heart attack. His 2nd heart attack in the 3 days was a very close call.  As the Dr. said after working steadily for hours, – he had done everything that was humanly possible and that the outcome was in the hands of the Lord, and we would just have to wait and see what would happen.  I notified the family and we waited.  We know as the doctor said that it was a blessing from our Heavenly Father that he was permitted to recover from this attack.  He eased up some on the 28th.  Stan and Ellen came by the hospital about 1 P.M. on the 29th.  Dianne came over and stayed with Marion while I took them to the trailer.  John and I took turns staying. I would be there 7 A.M. to 11 P.M. when John would come and stay until the next morning. On the 30th Stan and Ellen went to Provo. They moved Marion to a ward, and he had a very bad night.  Paul, Melva, Annette, Terry and Mark came on the 31st, as well as Sharliemae.  Marion seemed to be a little easier.  Ray and Lucy came also, and that night the hospital decided that I did not need to stay at nights. So I was just in and out.  On Aug 3rd, Melvin and Roland came down.  Also Jerald came sometime along here.  They had him walking on Aug 5th, and Paul, his family and Jerold left for home. Butch and Ethel came by and it was nice to see them.
On the 8th of Aug I finished some cucumber pickles I was making. Marion was released from the hospital that day but he did not seem to feel a bit good.  Irving and Lillie came by for a couple of hours.  He seemed a little better on the 9th.  Kenneth and Norma came on the 10th, but stayed with friends in Payson at night, then back to visit.  Kenneth took them to the airport where they picked up their plane and went home. On Sunday the Bishop and several ward members came in, and Nina and Mannie phoned to see how things were coming.  Then on Aug 15th he walked outside and walked a block after the attack.  He gradually got around outside, and when we checked with the Dr. he was very pleased with his recovery so far. Then on the 23rd of August he had a bad medicine reaction. The Dr. was gone, so stopped it, and Bonnie Sheriff, head nurse at the Delta Hospital came by and checked.  Morris and Kay came to visit and while they were there he walked to the end of the trailer.  Butch and Ethel spent two days the end of the month. On Sept 2, went to the Dr. and he decided to see if things were working by themselves, but had to recheck. Mary and Charles came by in the afternoon, but as he was miserable they decided not to stay all night.  By the 5th of Sept. he was feeling better, so I got out my genealogy.
On the 10th, Melvin, Tuan and family came, and all went wood hunting to the mountains but Marion, Tuan and baby with me.  He had a bad problem so took him into the hospital to get straightened out.  Dr. Lyman left and Dr. Henry was not too enthusiastic about treating him so we decided to leave for home on the 14th.   We called Irving on the 12th and he said that he would be glad to take us so we got things packed, and ready.  I wrote a number of letters to relatives telling them so would know where to get in touch.  Irving got there, and we left in the middle of the afternoon, getting into St. George about 7:30 where we had a good rest in the motel, then went on, getting home about 6 P.M.  Harry, Florence, Mary and Charles came by and this is the end of That Oak City Summer.  When we will have another, I do not know. We had planned them to be regular, but the best laid plans of mice and men do not always work out!!!
Page 37

The last little bit has been a bit depressing so think I will try a different train of thought.
I listed these as “Home Improvements and changes, and Plantings!
In 1972:  Kenneth and John moved into the new dairy barn on the 21st.  They had been in the old one together for some time, as John had checked with F.H.A. so he could get away from Higley.  On 24 Apr. I bought 12 sacks of cement and made a triangle “rose collar” to keep the grass out of the roses.  This was on the southwest corner of the lawn. It has worked pretty good, but this past year I have not had time to keep up too good, and do have a grass problem. (’79). Paynter’s son Kippe helped me.
Howard and Gladys helped Lucinda move out of 157 S. M. D. Nov 197_ .In 1973: 2 Aug – about end of the month I did some furniture refinishing, including my dining room set. Also a little inside, retouching of some of the woodwork. We did have some trouble with water pressure, so did some repair work.  We had to put in a new water line and then in about October John helped us make trenches for a new water line.  In November we got material to fix the bedroom and bathroom windows, and on the 8th, Howard came over to fix up the deed for 157 S. Mesa Dr., and we bought it.  In July, Col Weeson made a trap door into the basement, and put up shelves for my canned goods.  
In 1974:  Put up 12 batches of orange jam, and we tore down the old work shed in the back. We fixed up South Mesa Drive, 157, and on 4 Feb. Jane and Sidney Webb moved into it. They stayed until 15-16 Dec 1975.  Marion caught the porch arrangement on 157 with the corner of his truck and pulled it down.  Harry came and measured for a new porch, and finished it up in Feb.  About May 5th Morris came to store some of his things and he and Marion made the tin storehouse in the back.  In August and also in Aug. 1975, I made lots of raisins. I picked 200 pounds of grapes at one time, and made about 55 pounds of raisins.  Derral had gotten a hide-a-bed for the back house that he found at a yard sale. We used it there for a while, and then I decided we needed an extra bed so we moved it into the living room in October.
In 1975:  A big storm blew through the ranch in July, and took the roof off the dairy barn, also part of the roof off of Leavitt’s house so repairs had to be made.   Shortly we had a twister come through Mesa that blew my Bougainvilla down. It was so big it went completely across my south lawn, and almost filled up the part of it. It was a real job to get that finally out.  I have tried to keep it partially trimmed down since then.
In 1976:  In January I watched Sheila when she did stripping and refinishing of her furniture, and decided to do my dining room set, and Mother’s dresser, also the bed in the middle bedroom.  Mother’s dresser was the one that showed up the most.  It was almost black with old coats of paint, but when I finished it 10-16 Jan, it was beautiful. Derral said that I had a $300.00 dresser, but I am not selling it.  17 Mar. I built a dike around the garden so I could control the watering. Sept 4, Harry came and roto-tilled my garden spot and I got it planted.  In Oct. I brought in the Iris bulbs for the tall ones from the ranch and got sweet peas planted.  (They did fine for about 3 years, but since then haven’t been able to get them to grow since 1978).  Kenneth Jr. and Merl, came and fixed a place for me to plant the climbing sugar pod peas.  I had had some lovely ones a couple of years, getting the seed from Reed and Reina Done, but somehow, I could not make the planting grow, and this year I had Kenneth and Dennis roto-till the place out, as have decided not much use to waste time and energy on the garden any more, since Marion eats very simply and when I need a little can  – buy it cheaper than try to raise it.
And in November we had plumbing problems that I thought I corrected, but found out that instead of getting the clog out, it had backed up into the Webb house (by this time Jane and Sidney had moved out, and Sidney’s son Larry lived there (and still does).  He is really a fine young man, retired from the Navy (29 years old now) and has been a very good renter, no problems at all.  We had to have the Roto Rooter Company and it was a real job getting everything fixed up.
1977: I needed more room for my genealogy books, so made a three shelf deal between the two cupboards, where I had used the rollaway little shelf carts, and did some other fixing, had extensions which I attached to my typewriter table, and also used card tables to hold my work when adding to books.  John and Dianne were down and packed a load of our things to take back to our trailer in preparation for our summer (in April).  Then I did one thing I have been happy about, we had bought in 1972, our Dodge. Marion had planned for a long time to buy a smaller car, and to have it green with a white top. But when we got at it, we ended up with the Dodge, which was a Polara so fairly large, and it was blue with a black vinyl top. The vinyl dried and split, so I worked at it and got it all off. Then took it to Brown & Brown for a line –up and paint.  They told me that they could put a new white vinyl on for $150.  I told them I never wanted another vinyl top, but wanted it painted.  They said that would be $75.00. And I am still having people tell me how nice the car looks. I took it in 19 Sep I AM SORY ABOUT THIS***OUR DODGE REPAINTING JUST ABOVE WAS DONE IN 1978.  I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS ALL IN PENCIL BUT HAVE SO MANY NOTES ALREADY. JUST TRYING TO CHECK THE PARTS AND WRITE IT SPONTANEOUSLY!! WOW!!
Page 38The City of Mesa did work on Mesa Drive for quite some time after we got back from our summer at Oak City. When Marion got to feeling better he spent quite a bit of time watching what was going on.  It made easier for him to get around and do a little walking, when the City finally put in the sidewalk on our side of the street on 5 Dec. Also I decided to turn about half of my garden back to grass in October and fixed it up with a head gate so could water better.
In 1978:  I did some cleaning out and had Steve and Willard come down and thinned out limbs on the mulberry trees, as when topped as I had been doing, they put so many new limbs on and the leaves were so thick they shed all summer.  This thinning has worked quite well, as very few leaves were dropped this year (1979).  IN fact, they are just starting to shed for winter now.  I did a lot of knitting and crocheting, also knit-chro as I called it during this time too as Marion was in and out of the hospital in ’77 & 78.  I made me two large afghans, and also made one for Sheila as she had been so good to watch the place while we were gone to Oak City.  I got the lovely fern I have on the porch from Sheila 9 Jan 1978.
In Jan I had quite a time getting things looking better.  The kitchen and Gen Den ceilings peeled very badly, so had a scraping and painting good time on ceilings and walls.  I had a real patched up Gen Den door, (The old screen one, so got Harry to put one in that we got out to the ranch, and painted it.)  Also was so I could lock it with a key, which made me feel safer.  I also went into the living rooms. We did have a real problem, all of a sudden the roof started leaking, — maybe because it finally started raining. I think about Feb 9th was the first time and I checked with Robinson Roofing who had done the job not too many years before.  They did come a couple of times, but did not do anything to really help as said there was no warranty on it. I called another company, but did not come, and then here is where the classic repair swindler came in. It had rained again, and a knock came at the door, where a Jim Hammond came by, and he had some materials, etc. and would fix it.  So I let him and paid him $125.00 to put it on.  I could not climb up to see the job, but when Derral saw he came over.  He went up and said that it was not done at all, just slopped on here and there.  This man had given me a card from a contracting company that he said he worked for, then did their on his own too, so I went out and was told that he had been fired three weeks before and that he had been by just before I came and picked up a few things he had left with them. He was not from them at all and had left for some state back east on the bus.
Charles and Mary then came over, and called Stradlings.  They recommended Robinson Roofing, who I had already had trouble with. So I decided to call Sears and make an appointment for them to come over Feb 21. I waited, then checked the 24th, and they said they would come on the 27th. I told them I had to have it done before it rained again as the ceiling of the kitchen was bulging and another rain would cave it in.  Well as usual they did not come.  The man who came said that he had turned it into the department that did it and so could not do anything more.  Down came the rain again… So I just looked into the phone book and called Mesa Roofing.  They came right out, climbed up on the roof, and saw the crack that Sears had told me about and said it would take $65.00 to fix temporally.  He climbed back down, got a bucket and brush and fixed it, and when I asked how much he said “nothing!”  That stopped, and he said he would fix the roof the first dry day.  He had fixed the crack March 1st, and I called and wrote a letter to Sears, telling them the circumstances and what happened and cancelled their coming out. March 5th, Al Gossett, owner of Mesa Roofing, came out and put on the black part of the roofing, which made it safe, then 10 days later he came out and put on the aluminum coating that sealed it again and insulated so that it was cooler in summer and warmer in the winter. He also said it should last up to 15 years, so sounds like we will have a while without any worry. Not that it is two vital, but think I will put the address and phone number, in case I need to get in touch, — 882 E. Butte, Ph. 986-5511.  Iffound a method to clean carpets. WE had tried the conventional method, and steam but Reed Brothers have a new method, chemical dry clean, and it really comes leave things much nicer.  It takes out the black dust that comes in from Mesa Drive, so will be happier.
Some mix-up in the irrigation schedule made such pressure that my water outlet in the lawn simply blew out, and Kenneth came in and fixed it making a substantial collar of cement around it and it seems fine.  Harry helped again. My screens on the windows were pretty dilapidated, so had taken them down, and we got Harry to make up some so have the complete set.  They are really very nice looking and he installed them – 15 new ones. In November, he measure and made a dish cupboard shelf, which he fit on top of the cabinet that John made for me when he was in high school.  I had made only one shelf in the designing of it. Now my good dishes show off and are easier to take care of. John will have this later.  He did come in once to get this cupboard he had made but I talked him out of it.  Maybe I shouldn’t have but could not find anything that was small enough to hold things that would fit into the dining room.  I tell them I have to literally measure inches when I add anything to my belongings here.  But we are happy with the home here.
It is handy, church, shopping center, post office, Temple and library – all in walking distance, a help in the gas shortage, and now that I do not like to drive so much or leave Marion alone.
Page 39The highlight of this period I believe, to be the call to act as an ordained Temple worker, or maybe I should say a set apart Temple worker.  On May 14, 1969, Pres. Jess N. Smith of the Arizona Temple called Marion and I to come to the Temple for an interview.  We went over on the 15th and he said we were the first couple on the list of 18 called.
Marion’s health was not good – they did not know, and he could not accept the call.  He had for some time worked at the veil, but his undulant fever had affected his nerves, so that the closeness made him threaten blackouts, so had asked to be relieved.  Pres. Smith said that those suggesting the call did not know this, but suggested that, until he felt better, to come and do as much proxy work as he could.  We knew that would be it for him. He asked me to start working as soon as I could arrange it.  I was working at the Arizona Branch Genealogical Library and also teaching Cultural Refinement class in Relief Society, so felt that I should be released from the latter.
I consulted with my Bishop, Eugene Swenson, but he did not seem to want to release me as he felt I was developing my talents in teaching.  Since we were new in the ward, he did not know of my extended experience in teaching in all the organizations of the Church.  I explained this, and told him I felt I needed the Temple work experience. At the next interview he said he wanted to be sure how I felt about the call and said he would release me.  Susan E. Lines was given my Relief Society class to teach.
I had been told that Marion and I had been considered being called to the Temple years before, when Charles and Mary started, but those discussing it decided that my work in the Genealogical Library and Genealogical Research was such that they felt I would contribute more by continuing that.  Of course, I was devoted to this work, but felt a little that I was missing out on a special blessing – so was very happy when this call finally came.  I was set apart 20 May 1969 and released 20 May 1977, just 8 years later, at the time we went to Oak City which we expected to do each summer.  I was able to continue my research, furnishing as I had been doing, many names for the relatives to do Temple work for.  A check in 1970 showed we had had 12 family sealing sessions in five years.  30 Jun 1970 on my great great grandparents, Esquire Morby and Naomi Driver line we sealed another 10 couples and 55 families. Charles Clouse (sealer) sealed 43 families with 64 children on the Glover and Morgan lines, so we were happy.
Marion and I went one night a week for a session together, and then he would go through the nights I was on duty. We also did sealings on our Driver and Mitchell lines, the new one I had just discovered. Our immediate families helped with these as well as descendants of Aunt Mary Jane Done Jones family.
I had searched since 1941 for data on the Barker-Morby short line on my pedigree. Work was done in 1886 for “great grandfather Morby and great grandmother” no given names, dates or places, other than shire in England. Nancy Morby, my second great grandmother had a sister Rachel and two brothers were also on the 1886 Temple work, there the wall stayed until I found that John Barker and Nancy Morby were married in 1816 in Dewsbury, Yorks. In the interim I learned they had raised their family in Thornhill Lees, Thornhill, Yorks and that according to the family, and the 1861 census they were both born in Thornhill, but there was no record of them there.
Uncounted letters to ministers, officials, newspapers and relatives in England were unfruitful as well as those here.  All printed parishes in Yorkshire, and surrounding areas were searched, but no Nancy. Finally the Berthswick Institute of Historical Research in York, Yorkshire recommended Mrs. Murial Thompson to me, as a genealogist.  She searched diligently in the Bishop’s Transcripts of many parishes in a 10 mile radius.  In 1966 she found a Sarah, daughter of Squire and Naomi Morby, all names carried in the family history.  I was interested, but no Nancy. In 1967 three more children of this family were found in East Ardsley.  Research by correspondence is very expensive and she got quite worried because I was sending so much for no help.  I told her I needed to know where Nancy was not, and that when she found Nancy she could stop.  I had prayed all along about this.
Now, I know my prayers were answered, and the answer was NO until 15 May 1968.  It had to be because Squire or Esquire Morby (called both) lived in seven parishes, and had we found Nancy earlier, I would never have found the seven children.  Several times I had thought about asking her to search in Wakefield (I had one inch map to mile) but somehow as each letter got written I found myself putting the names of other places. Then, just as Mrs. Thompson finished in Leeds, with no Nancy, another patron asked her to search in Wakefield—and there Nancy was!!!
Needless to say I was delighted.  But when I sat down to write the letter thanking her I just could not finish it. I wanted her to continue, and find the parents’ marriage and the missing son William in the 1886 TemplePage 40work. I’d write, check my map, put down places and cross them out. The letter was waiting when I got home from the Library, and I tried to answer it until after 11 P.M. then to bed and up at 5, with the same results.  I finally had to stop and get my work done and for Relief Society.  Back home I started in again, finally tearing up everything and starting over.  I knew she was almost as glad to find Nancy as I was, and eagerly waiting for my answer.  Still I could not finish it.
Finally I could actually feel something or someone, and it came to me there was something about Squire Morby.  I stood up, turned to my brown genealogy chest of drawers, where I had literally thousands of family group sheets.  (I gave right at 9000 to the Library here last year ) 1972, –I reached into the Morby section, and pulled out the marriage of Squire Morby and Naomi Driver in Rothwell, Yorkshire, which had been there for 15 years, sealed as “relative”, since that then we did not know these third great grandparents names. The next sheet was the one with the son William on, in Thornhill, also sealed to his parents, in 1950.  I had looked at them many times, wondering just where they fit.
I was writing the above account into a letter to Dennis, Apr 15, 1972, and went on to tell Dennis that Roland’s testimony was strengthened by this too. I wrote to Roland who was then in the East Central States Mission, testifying that I felt I had help from the other side, –his answer was this*** – “I really enjoyed hearing your experience in completing that family, Grandma. You know it is really strange.  I read a pamphlet called the “Three Degrees of Glory” by Melvin J. Ballard. It was a talk on Genealogy and he mentions an experience similar to yours and he felt that when those on the other side accept the Gospel they had someone to complete their records so the work could be done for them. I’ll send it to you—The thing that is coincidental about the whole thing is that I stayed up an hour late to read the pamphlet, – and the next day your letter came.”  I sort of like to know that!
You know, as I mentioned before, genealogy by correspondence is quite expensive, and many a hundred dollars has gone into this.  But somehow, someway, whenever the need came, someone would be by, and look and get and then give so I kept pretty well going with all this.

I checked 1967-1970 on Temple sessions. Marion did 151, and I did 41.  1971-1979 Marion did 378, I did 175. We feel that we were privileged and blessed at this time, especially since Marion had severe health problems at times during this period.
Rognvald and Augusta Frogner, converts of Lottie Player Black (Marion knew her when he was on his mission in South Carolina) came by to get their endowments, 1 Nov 1969, and to be sealed.  Both had been married to others long before, and each had a deceased child, so Marion stood proxy for the children, as their sealing’s to their first spouses was done. It was quite an experience.
Our President and Prophet, David O. McKay died 16 Jan 1970, after 19 years as President of the Church.[ President Joseph Fielding Smith served from 1970 to 1972]. President Harold B. Lee was sustained,[served 1972-1973] and then when he died, was followed 6 Jan 1974 by Pres. Spencer W. Kimball.  I knew Pres. Kimball from the time I was about 15 years old, as his brother Gordon lived in Binghampton when Pres. Spencer came to go to the University of Arizona, and he came out and with his sister Alice got together the teenagers in some sort of musical as I remember.  Marion knew him practically all his life, as Andres Kimball (his father) was the Stake President and his son was made Stake Clerk about the time Marion was in the Bishopric.  Paul’s experience on page [36], and his getting to see Pres. Kimball, was probably because of the close connection in the Safford-Eden days.
1975
We also had a new Temple President, Junius E. Driggs as President and wife Bernice Driggs as Matron.  Pres. Driggs and counselors (one changed) are still in but I understand that Sister Driggs has been released and another Matron put in, because of her health.  The 50th anniversary of the opening of the Temple was celebrated during their time, with 50 sessions in 36 hours (running all night) Friday and Saturday till 4:00 P.M. The Temple was closed for remodeling, and then rededicated in the spring of 1975, so I did not miss too much white recuperating the three months after my surgery 7 Nov 1974.
President Kimball approved the opening of the Temple to the public for viewing, prior to the rededication services.  It was a rare experience, and quite a sight to see the stream of people sometime 4 or 5 abreast, slowly inching forward as they were admitted. Brother Harrington called me (and other workers in for our 10-day assignments) at a different post in the Temple each day.  20,000 went through the first day with similar groups each time. On March 29th, I was able to go through when he took his turn, with him.  Someday I hope I can look forward to seeing him finally go in for himself.  We never know what will happen.  Marion and I feel that though the call to San Tan was given to us as an experience, we were not able to be and guide Morris at the crucial age, as he did not fit in with the things and our Indian schedule time, and got doing other things.
Page 41April 3, 1975 was the last day of the open house for the Temple.  Then it was closed for a period of refreshment, and was reopened with the building being rededicated the middle of the month. I went through the first day of the dedication, April 15th.  Marion and Irving went to Safford Valley that day and through the Temple the next day. My first duty day back in the Temple was getting oriented was on Friday. I did 15 initiatory names that day, and then duties went as assigned as usual. My schedule began with working Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and Friday morning. I did change it later but had three days a week to go, so Marion and our “together” session were on a Thursday night for a long time.
Marion and I have had three Bishops here in the Mesa 11th Ward since we moved here in 1969. Bishop Eugene Swenson was the first. When he was advanced to the High Council, Bishop Henry Miller took his place and Bishop Kay W. Lines was sustained in his place 16 Jan 1977, with Bro. Bentley and Brother Hatch as counselors.  Bro. Peter Frensel was sustained as a Counselor in 1979, when Brother Bentley moved, and this Bishopric is still serving.
On March 1976, I typed up my “Early Converts” on mine and Marion’s lines.  This covered the Thatcher, Plumb, Cardon, Done and Barker.  Our posterity asked about those who first came in, so I did.  I gave copies to a number of the families, also to John, and to the older grandchildren, also to Edith, sent one to Dennis on his mission and to Virgil in the Navy.
Marion had written his life story in 1959, including the story of his mission to South Carolina 1919-1921.  He never would let copies be made, until 1972, when he let the story of his mission be made up.  We gave a lot to the descendants, and several others who had asked.  It is rather interesting that we just got a letter from Irving and Lillie’s son Paul in Plymouth, Massachusetts saying that a short time before Lillie died, she had sent him a copy, and how thrilled, even to say it moved him so that he cried, and that he had been impressed to use it in teaching his Elder’s Quorum class, and that it was very inspiring.  So it still is doing good.  I think that is one thing that helped Melvin to go, as he stayed with us that summer.  We were living in Leavitt’s house in Homedale during the summers then, and Melvin had broken his arm, so came over to stay with us a while.
Melvin’s mission was in Taiwan. Roland’s in the East Central States, Dennis in Peru, Kenneth Jr. in Uruguay & Paraguay.  He was in the mission home and left New York 22 Jan 1975, arriving there the next day.  He reported his return in the Chandler 4th Ward 15 Feb 1977.  Charles and Mary were called on a 1 ½ year mission to Pennsylvania. The Brother and Sisters here got together at Dora and Roscoe’s before they left, 4 Sept 1976, and arrived home 15 Aug 1975. Clyde Merlin was called to the New York Mission. He had to have hernia surgery and did not feel too good when he left. Bishop Farnsworth flew him to Salt Lake City, 4 Mar 1977, and he went on to New York.  However, he had a nervous breakdown and had to come home.  He was released 1 May 1977, and bore his testimony the next Fast Sunday in his ward in Chandler.
I have mentioned earlier that we as a couple have been very fortunate since the 1950’s in taking several trips a year, to visit with our loved ones.  We had quite a nice circle, to Utah, through several towns, then on up to Idaho and back through the circle. We also included Prescott to the cousins, Ellen and Bud Johnson, and later Ruth and Bert Johnson was there. We also made a number of trips to Prescott only. Our Utah trips covered Spanish Fork, to see Irving & Lillie, Lucy and Ray in American Fork, Clarence and Ruth Smith in Provo.  Also Uncle Bob (Robert P. Done) in Provo.  He was mother’s younger brother and also Uncle Heber and Aunt Veoma Done in Provo.  We had a few stops in Payson to see relatives on lines I was researching on.  We especially enjoyed Beatrice Thatcher Larsen and family, and Walter Thatcher, who were Uncle Al’s children.  I was usually allowed a day or more in the Genealogical Library, before we headed on up to Idaho to see Paul and family and the Ethington’s who had moved there.  Twice, I got to stop in Logan and visit those of the Cardon lines of my Father’s cousins.
For quite some time our visits averaged 4 or 5 a year to the Prescott cousins and at least two to Utah-Idaho, and several to California.  Our California trips were usually with Charles and Mary. And we had a lot of return visits from those we saw. Some were genealogical visits from people I had seen or corresponded with from New Hampshire, New Mexico, Canada, Colorado and Idaho. These came close to 2 a year. Our California trips usually included seeing Morris, and Stan and Ellen who usually took us to the ocean, Disneyland and Marineland, or special sightseeing trips. 21 April 1975 we went with Mary and Charles to Louis and Marie Carr’s Wedding, another time Stan and Ellen took us to get Lucille at Long Beach then we took her and went a few times to Simi Valley to see Katie, and then when she was in the Convalarium in California. On one occasion we got there on a Sunday when the Sacrament was brought in and 12 of us partook of the Sacrament.
I could go on and on, but this gives an idea of the lovely times we had on our trips, both alone and then with others.
Page 42I guess here is the time to make a short sketch of the events flavored with genealogy.
Francis and Elizabeth Done Halling (cousins removed) came over from Harbor City, California 14 & 15 Sept 1968.  We had a good time exchanging information and checking each other. We had our Cardon Family Organization every other year. We had one scheduled for this November, we have them the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving.
I was still working in the Genealogical Library. I started 19 Oct 1947 and stopped Oct 1974, 27 years and nine days (as I said “Don’t forget the 9 days)”. I was having surgery 7 Nov 1974, and the Dr. had told me to take it easy for three months so thought it was time to take a rest and do some more checking in the library for myself.  By that time the staff had been enlarged, and it seemed.  I decided to ask for my release from the Library late in Dec. 1974, as things seemed to be so I should.  I did work at both the Temple and Library for about 5 years, but decided it was better to concentrate more on my home and the Temple.  We did have some nice times at the Library.  One was when Logan Brimhall was released. The Library staff went to Sir George’s and we had a lovely smorgasbord dinner, and a meeting with a testimonial.  Little “knick-knacks” were given, including the little ceramic cat that they gave to me, their “CAT-a-loger.”  L. Elmer Peterson was put in his place on 13 Dec 1971.  From March to December I was busy checking, having made up and giving Piedmont Project sets to the family.  Had most of them in October. My last working day at the library was Oct 30, 1974.
Amy did some extensive research in the Handcart Company, the first handcart company which Grandmother Susette or Susanna Stale Cardon and her family came over in. They joined the company late, so did not get their names on the roll, although his death was recorded in the records Aug 17, ‘’Bro. Peter Staley died today”.  She got it worked out, and entered as a correction or addition in the original record.  I have a copy of this in my Book of Remembrance, Book II, Histories, page 380-397.
I finished the index to the Thatcher-Plumb books or pedigree Aug 30, 1974.  I made a recheck on the pedigree books I had given five sons and which is same as the one in the Book of Remembrance and Thatcher Pedigree Index, which includes ALL on both Marion’s and my pedigrees.
I did redo this index again in January and Feb. 1-8, 1977, as had added a lot more. Brother Haase came by Feb 17 with my “official call” to work in the Genealogical Library. They had been doing a lot of gathering of a large staff to work, and included me in the group.
Stan and Ellen came over in 1975 to Thanksgiving.  He checked in my books, and found 57 of the Royalty families that belonged to his lines.  Also we brothers and sisters got together that time.
About here comes quite a find in genealogy. It is on the Parkes-Cholerton line (up from where the Robinson married into the Parks Family). Joseph Robison md 1853 Jemima Parks (my great grandparents. Her parents were William Parks and Elizabeth Cholerton. Elizabeth was born in Chaddesdeb Derby, so we finally got the microfilm but it was so hard to decipher that I decided to see if we could find out anything by writing to the Parish Minister.  Mary my sister, at this time, wanted to help, so I had her write to the Parish Minister 23 Feb 1968, to see if the missing parts could be found or the B.T’s.  She received the reply that we were right, some were missing and the registers began in 1718.  He said he knew a postmaster whose hobby was “perusal and tabulating of old registers”, and that “he had helped in many cases like ours & would reply in a week or so”.
No more word was heard until a letter arrived 5 March 1976 from a Peter F. Cholerton, just about 8 years and 2 weeks after the first letter arrived.  It seems that the Postmaster had done the search and that he had 9 pages of entries, typewritten, on both the Cholerton and Cockayne lines.  “I fear that they got mislaid and have this day come to light, as I am clearing out a large accumulation of papers preparatory to moving house.  I am sorry for such a long delay. Is it a record”?
In the meantime I had researched that Robert Cholerton and Mary Wright were my 6th great grandparents, and Peter F. Cholerton said they were also his 6th great grandparents.  So he sent me a chart showing 4 more generations on the line.  He also sent as Xerox copy of a Cockayne (Cokayne) Pedigree going back 26 generations to 1350 in the time of Henry 3rd.  I know sometimes these pedigrees have weak spots in, but I have since checked and found archive copies of places tying into this pedigree, until I feel fairly certain that it really is ours.  I do not have it all copied in, but have made work sheets for the pedigree families and will see what happens.  I have had some very interesting [correspondence] with this new cousin, Peter.  He said he does not know why the minister did not give it to him in the first place, as his father was still alive, and he feels that he could have shed a lot of light on the problem.  There are sure a lot of “IF’S” and wishing we could have made connections sooner!!!
Page 43I did do checking on this Cockayne data up to until Sep 15, 1976. Also, during this time I checked and brought the boys books more up to date.  Mary typed a lot for her books. I worked on Driver data, checked the C.G.I. for Cardon data as well. Elden and Peggy Millett___Uncle Emanuel Cardon’s line came over and we did a check on my birthday.
I did not do too much in the research in 1977, as that was the time Marion had his heart attack and so much. That is in the regular research. I did run into a lot more of the Royalty lines.  When Bessie and her new husband Clifford A. Palmer came by to see us in Jan 1977, the 20th through 25th leaving during the last day.  Cliff brought his books on Royal Ancestors of some L.D.S. Families, Sections I and II. I did some checking on the Royal Ancestor and families that I had collected from the time that I worked in George Ormerod’s History of Cheshire about 1955, when I found that the wife of John Plumb born 1646, was Elizabeth Norton and that her Norton line went into the Brereton line to Sir Ralph Brereton who married Ada of Huntingdon, daughter of Henry le Seot, a Prince in Scotland.  I did checking until the Genealogical Society shortly took over the Royal Families.  I consulted in the Genealogical Society. Sup. Henry E. Christiansen kept these books, which were called the Icelandic Books in his office 1960-1965. When I was at the Genealogical Library in 1962 I consulted with him, and he told me I could check these Royal families the next year, so when I went in that August, I was at first told I could not, but when I explained to the Library worker she called Bro. Christiansen and he told her to send me in. I was given a stick (after I showed I knew what I was doing) that belonged to an absent worker and was permitted to check.  These family group sheets they were working on were on two long tables, about 8 or 10 feet long, several rows in folders filed alphabetically on each table.  Several workers were busy adding new sheets or adding to the others. I was permitted to copy from these for two days and to go into them on two next trips up that way. Then they were shelved or put aside for a few years. So I just waited until the archive copies showed up, getting as I could. “Gen Soc – HEC” shows approved sheets. 
Michel L. Call started working on these about 1969 or 1970 and by Oct 1972 had printed the Book Royal Ancestors of some L.D.S. families with pedigrees and showing lies which could go in. He went on checking family group sheets, and showing lines which could go in. He went on checking family group sheets, and compiled a set of 519 family group sheets to go with the pedigrees in Section II of Royal Families, pps. 121 through 248, a little further back than those lines showing connections in section.  He did revise Section I, and printed a revised edition for 1975, which I have (with the other) and also several supplements. I have the Supplement B. their revised edition shows several families who could not prove their claimed connections, giving the reason and added a few.  In Supplement B he took the Plumb line and showed where the claimed connection was that there was no child of the name Beatrice on the sheet for Hugh de Keviliock.  This connection was made by following the Cholmomdeley line in the marriage) of William Cholmondeley b. about 1323 and Elizabeth Brereton, about six generations down to Hugh (Keveliock de Meschines md Bertrade de Monfort. Md 13.
By following the line of the wife Elizabeth Brereton about 1354 )she has been estimated as being younger than her husband) we find that her father, Sir William Brereton b. about 1315 married Margaret and the line can be traced back to two places connecting with the Royal Ancestors Pedigree chart. One of these is the Hugh Keveliock) de Meschines and Bertrarde de Monfort, and the other Henry Prince of Scotland md Ada de Warren.
Now, I know I have you thoroughly confused but I feel this is sure connection and a check of the Books Royal Ancestors of Some L.D.S. Families, on their charts 217, 444, 445 with my pedigree charts #38 in the Plumb Book will show how this works out.
At any rate, I bought the set of 519 Royalty Family Group Sheets compiled by Michel L. Call, to go with this Royal Ancestors Book. He worked checking archive sheets approved by the Genealogical Society, about 1969-1972, then made up the set, after asking permission of the Society.  When he made the set he charged $29.50 for it.  I wrote and asked him if it would be alright to just enter my relationship and pedigree chart numbers on them and he wrote 11 Apr 1977 that I had his permission to use them as I wished.  So I added them to my books without recopying. We went to Utah with Charles and Mary at Conference time –we did ride on up to Salt Lake and visit relatives on the way, Bessie and Clifford came over and I talked to him about what I had done. One of the books was coming apart, but I fixed it and bought a new one for him after I had talked to him, also the Supplement B for me (with Plumb in) and the new Supplement E, with more connection in.  I Xeroxed 670 Royalty Family group sheets while rearranging my books, and sorted the new ones in.  On 2 July 1977 I returned Cliff’s Royalty books to him, very gratefully, as they had helped me so very much.
Page 44In 1969, I was made Ward Examiner, and worked at this for several years.  We had quite a number of sheets cleared for ordinance work. As well as 3 generation and 4 generation sheets.
I also had several check with me on various lines, Arthur Done (Aunt Anne’s son) and Beth Done Haws (Aunt Ethel’s daughter) both had Xerox work done. Arthur’s was on the pedigree.  Beth did 97 family groups both in July 1972. My grandmother was Elizabeth Annie Robinson Done, and I did some rechecking on those lines too, and checked with Martha Robinson Stevens as well as on the lines.  Iva Bishop from California, came and checked on the Plumb lines with me in Sept 1970, and has kept in touch.  Also in July 1973, Harold and Oral Tryon came and checked on the Tryon Plumb lines.  I have also mentioned working with Ethel Hancock Hunt so many years on the Plumb work.  We checked our books together from 28 Nov 1972 – 5 Oct 1973. Between us we straightened out 17 books. Her sister Ruby, George Rudgar Adams (husband) came and did a genealogical check after we had dinner together.  Also her son Merlin Curtis Adams had made a beautiful pencil sketch, about 17 by 18 inches of Christ, The Prophet Joseph Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith.  They had it printed up and gave me a picture to show their appreciation of what I had done genealogically on the Plumb lines. I have it just under the large framed picture of the Arizona Temple on my wall. This was July 1974.
In Oct through Dec 1977 Cecil William (Bill) Thompson checked on my Plumb books in the library.  I had gotten a lot of extra on the Royalty lines, and since the library sheets were carbon, I had him check in my personal books.  His daughter Francis Thompson Davidson worked with him. I had her come by here and Nov 7, we took my books over and Bill Xeroxed 1400 sheets.  Then Francis and I sorted and we fixed them in the binders. We finished this project 14 Dec.  Bill was very appreciative – he gave me $120.00 in cash (3different installments) saying he could not repay all I had been out in the work I had done but he wanted to show his appreciation.  Francis gave me two new binders so I divided my books into the 6 Plumb Books, four pedigree and 2 descendant books. Then we fixed the sheets of Bill’s into binders.  He and his wife went on a mission right after this, and should be coming home soon.  Along the middle of 1978 I found new Plumb data so got in touch with Francis again. I had added 33 pedigree charts on the Royalty portion, so Francis came and we added and did some more sorting on their books.  This is when she gave me the second binder, March 17, 1978.  I had also during the years made up sets of the pedigree charts on all the lines for the boys, and when this new Plumb added, I had to call them back and get it all in order again.  I’d give some of the family group sheets along, but it was mostly the pedigree charts.
On May 20 I Xeroxed 670 sheets to bring my books up to date.  I did have the pedigree sheets numbered differently in Books of Remembrance, but had gotten to the point where I could make all the sheets the same, so fixed it that The Combined Thatcher Pedigree and the pedigrees in the Book of Remembrance are the same.  This makes it easier as just can Xerox when I add.
Another Plumb descendant that checked with me quite often on the lines was Opal Lisonbee. She lived here in Mesa for quite some time, but has moved to Oregon, I believe it is.  I seem to have lost her address. William Marion Nelson, a son of Annie Evaline Plumb Xeroxed 119 sheets 5 June 1978 – and to go back a little.  The last time Opal checked she Xeroxed 385 sheets for her line.  She was from Grandfather Merlin’s second family, most of who were in the St. David area.  Elizabeth Moyes Laurtizen, another Plumb descendant decided to gather descendants and print up Plumb descendants. She came by with Thirza Hall Proctor (and Elizabeth)Tom Ayres also came by to pick up Plumb data early in 1977.
We also had periodic checks on the Cardon family lines, particularly in the Piedmont Valleys, you will remember that I did get the set of the Piedmont Project group made up for the families.  I still have a set that I keep in case any of you want to get a set.  Of course we now concentrate mostly on the 4th generation group.  We have had some very interesting family reunions. We have our reunions in the uneven year – that is every two years, Thanksgiving weekend having the meetings and get togethers on Friday and Saturday.  In 1973, Jack and Cherie, Beverly and Bennie and Lucy and Ray were with us. In 1975, Stan and Ellen came in time to stay with us Thanksgiving evening.  We all attended the reunion meetings.  Marriner P. Cardon had been to Mexico and taken movie and slides in Dublan which made a very interesting time, then the next day had a barbeque and program.  Marion had an infected liver, so did not feel like going; I went for a little whlte, riding down with Stan, Ellen and Florence.  In 1977, Ella and Howard Goodman, Harold and Mary Cardon from El Paso attended with Papa’s family.   Marriner had collected movies and tapes from Italy, going over and had the old Cardon and Stale homes etc.  It was very interesting. We met in his ward and his son helped him in the narration part.  Marriner also has been working with Genevieve P. Johnson and the genealogical society, concerning records, microfilming etc. and a program has been set up to get these in some books Marriner got while he was over there, so that the work can be done.  I have been so tied down I do not know whether it is done or being done now.
Page 45Lucille came in from Long Beach, and stayed with us at the 1977 reunion.  I do not know just what the plans are for the reunion this year.  But I understand that the ward Larry belongs to has been spoken for a year ago to reserve it.
When Mary was on her mission to Pennsylvania she wrote me to pick up her books and mail them to her.  So I brought them here, and got them up-to-date, then did so.  Morris and Kay, Stan and Ellen, and Mannie and Ruth spent part of their time here during the 1977 reunion.  Also, Jim Lamoreaux brought his books and did a lot of copying from mine while they were here.  He copied both Cardon and Done pedigrees and families.
I haven’t done too much on the lines the last two years, but I did have a rather interesting experience with Renae and Colvin Tanner.  Colvin is the son of Sarah Done Tanner with whom I did a lot of Done genealogy quite a lot earlier.  He and his wife Renae called me from Casa Grande Dec 12, 1977, saying they were making a tour and would  check with me later. On 14 April 1978 they came to see us and spent several hours visiting.  They live in Payson, Utah.  He told me that he wanted to get into genealogical work, and that he just seemed to have the urge to do so. We had a long discussion and when he said that, I told him not to put if off and recited a couple of times when I had not done some checking I felt I should, and in each had been told that the one the persons in England felt could help me had just died or moved and they did not know where.  Anyway, I leaned forward and said “That’s it.  You must get going before it is too late.”  I had noticed that he had been watching me very strangely as though puzzled, and when I did, he said “Now I know where I have seen you before, you are the woman who came to me in a dream not long ago and told me I had better hurry and get on with my genealogy!”  Seems a LITTLE STRANGE!
Backing up:  IN May 1974 Vilda Brenay, in Uncle Enamuel Cardon’s descendants checked with me on genealogy. She wanted what she could find on the Cardon family, and after checking she brought part of her sisters over, and they checked nine sets of the Cardon pedigree and data, for a total of 1044 sheets. So I did get to share a little.
I think I shall revert to a different part right now, a short summary of health history that I have not recorded (I think!).
Marion’s health has taken quite a bit of the narrative, since it is for both of us now.  I think a pretty good running summary is in the history now.
Our Thatcher research has been at a standstill for a long time.  I wonder sometimes if we will ever be able to do any more on it. We did have Thatcher Heath Fisk call from Keene, New Hampshire 10 Feb 1978.  He had run into Mannie Thatcher when coming through the Valley and Mannie had told him about me. We exchanged information on his line and the New England Thatcher’s that I had collected. He came here, 13 Feb 1978.  His wife was not feeling good so did not come then. However as they came back around, his wife Dorothy, whom he called Dot was with him. She was a Dorothy Cammons.  His line goes back in to the Thatcher line in Massachusetts.  He sent quite a lot of family information at Christmas 1978, and has written since. He also sent a rather interesting story of a Thatcher shipwreck 14 Aug 1635, which I have added to my collection of histories.
By April 1978 I had collected a number of Malan Family group sheets that had been made up before the time that the Genealogical Society found out the genealogical research of Brian Leese was not to be depended on.  It was quite a shock to learn that some of his researchers had put in data on some of the work that could not be proven by going back to the registers they were supposed to have been taken from. The Genealogical Society made quite a check, and decided that they would not accept any of Brian Leese’s research that was done after Jan. 1970. This cut out all of the last part which he sent with such a “lovely” extension on.  However, these Malan family group sheets were all in his research up to 1968, and were sealed, so I have copied the archive sheets for them for myself with the explanation of approved sources on them.
Elizabeth Moyes Lauritzen did a lot of research, she and Thirza Zeroxed a lot of mine as I mentioned, and she put out 2 volumes: The Merlin Plumb Family, Vol 1, 1794-1974 and Volume 2 1794-1978. I made a check of these and unfortunately I find that they needed more proofreading, at least in my own families lines beginning with me – (I was born April 9th on one line and two or three lines later was born April 5th)  And I found others.  I did type up our family group sheets, 19 of them and mailed them to her so if she did print the next ones she was talking about she could refer to them.  And I also sent corrections for the Thatcher’s on Marion’s own line.  She has never answered me. I told her I would like to get the next volume sent out.  I did check what she had but did not change mine where I found conflicts, because of the above. She has now gone a mission for the L.D.S. Church so will have to wait until can check again.Page 46

I know I have mentioned health as I have gone along, but decided to give this concerning Marion: Operations(etc.) Appendix, 9 Apr 1945; Gall Bladder, 26 Sep 1949; Car wreck 16 Feb 1951; Undulant Fever, 24 Aug 1952 for several years; Lipoma off (fatty tumor), 29 Aug 1969; rest of teeth out 23 Feb 1959 (hard as too much poison); Bilateral Mastectomy, 12 June 1970 (non-malignant). Took course of shots as said it was just ready to turn malignant. I personally have had very good health. I remember one time when I was having a check-up, and the doctor said I was OK this and OK that. I made the remark that I guessed I was “disgustingly healthy”. Evidently he had had a bad set of sick people that morning, as I got a lecture and learned that it was not disgusting to be healthy! I did have the premature birth of our little girl and quite a time recovering from that, then had 3 miscarriages between Morris and John about two years apart, and had to spend nearly six months in bed before John was born. My only “operation” was April 17, for the removal of a fatty tumor on the tip of my right shoulder. It had bothered me for quite a while and I finally decided to go to Dr. Nielson. The younger Dr. Nielson said that he would give me a half course of the treatments, as he had been successful in taking off lumps there in all but two cases. So I took 15 courses of the treatments from 28 Feb to March 26 when the younger man put me under lights, but told me that the lump had grown from the size of a pea to the size of a chicken gizzard by that time, and that I would have to go to Dr. Kent and have it operated and taken off. He left me under the lights for his father to take off, and when I told the father, he was quite perturbed. He wanted me to finish out the 30 treatments. I wonder how big it would have been had I done so?!! Anyway, I went to Dr. Kent and made the appointment to take it out April 17, 1951. This was done, I spend one night and part of the next day in the hospital, then went home about noon April 17. The next day Marion started for Phoenix, but picked up a hitchhiker at Baseline [road], the next day and had a wreck there, so instead of getting any sympathy, I had to go to the hospital and watch him with his broken ribs until he was released.
A mole was taken off my shoulder 11 Sept 1972. Marion had a spell of high blood pressure in Sep 1972, and sinus in Oct 1975. I did have while I was quite worried about things a sort of breaking out, not too many red bumps beginning 14 Oct 1972. The Dr. said it was shingles, and they were very painful, but he gave me a prescription and soon cleared up. Marion had a blood clot in his leg 4 Aug 1973, so he had to stay home with this foot elevated at the time of Lucinda’s funeral and he took a series of shots to clear it up.
Now comes my one and only (so far) serious operation. In late 1974 I had a series of not feeling too good. At one time Dr. had me come in and take a metabolism test, but this came out alright. Then I had a spell of bladder infections which were quite miserable. So Dr. Skousen had me come in for some checkups. He said that my organs had sort of dropped from my childbearing days, and that he was going to have a specialist come in and check and see if the infections required kidney surgery, or bladder, and if they did not he would do what he called a repair operation raising and straightening the organs. I was admitted to the hospital Nov 6, 1974 the operation was Nov. 7th. I was in the hospital a week then released Nov 12th. Kenneth Jr. and the family came down Nov 16th to say goodbye as he was leaving for his mission. We had nice time and took a lot of pictures.
I went back Nov 22nd for the check and Dr. told me I should be very careful for three months. This is the time I decided to ask for my release from the library. I got along pretty good. Then 17 Oct 1975 I was cleaning out my Bougainvilla vine as it was quite a large mass of growth. I was using the cultivator for which had 4 prongs about 45 inches long , and put it down, somehow in the pulling and working I stepped on it and ran one prong practically through my foot. I got a tetanus shot, but got bad infection in it for over a week. It was quite a job to fill my Temple assignments.
Carl’s hernia operation on 2 July 1976 and on 4 Aug I was working in my garden and cut a bad gash down my shin on an iron. In 3 days infection set in and it started swelling so I went in and got antibiotics Aug 14th and also learned about Neosporin, which I use to this day. It seems that my healing level is low, so at any injury I put Neosporin on it and heals immediately. Merlin also had his turn in November in the hospital.
I had been felling quite badly during this time as so much worry. Dr. Skousen gave me metabolism tests, 18 May 1977, and some supersonic treatments. And then was my last day officially at the Temple, but did not know it. I have listed Marion’s health at Oak City, and when we came back his heart seems to have healed as we get good tests each new emergency. However, he was in the Mesa Lutheran Hospital for an operation by the Urologist, Dr. Donald B. Frazier 19 May – 1 June 1978, a follow-up on the operation by Dr. J.F. Brown, Nov 11, 1977. After he got out we had a number of problems, including over medication, during which time he did not know what was going on. He has forgotten the experiences during that period, and I am glad as I do not like to remember them either. But we held up through prayer, and our faith of family and he finally got straightened out there.
We went to Dr. Skousen in July for a check-up and seems that the medicines affected him one way or another. Dr. Skousen referred us to Dr. Willcutt, internal medicine specialist. We are confined at home. However, the ward group did bring the Sacrament June 4, Aug 6, Sept 3 and Oct 8. He did learn to feed himself the latter part of August, and then on his birthday he developed depression, doing a lot of praying and constant walking. I had to have locks put on the doors, and watch quite closely. The worst was Oct 19. I had no sleep for 22 hours. At the time, Leavitt, Kenneth and Norma came down a time or so to help while I rested. Harry was also very good to come down and help, especially in getting things fixed up around the place. Several medicines were tried and said we might have to have a bone scan. Leavitt went with me the second time we saw Dr. Willcutt. We started getting the itching under a little control by the end of December (Harry put locks on the doors 17 Sep 1978.)
Then in Jan 1979 it flared up. By the middle of March he had started walking around the house a little, still experimenting on medicines as had reactions and itching so much and was quite vague. They finally and reluctantly tried the Dosepak of Medrol, which upset everything. He started vomiting and I had to take him to the emergency room at Mesa General, 12 June and he was admitted to the hospital again June 13-18. An ulcer formed at the opening of the stomach into the intestine, which they treated. He had come home; but had to go back again 11:45 P.M. June 19. By June 22 the scar tissue around the ulcer had completely closed of[f] his stomach and nothing could go through. So it just kept filling and distending. When told the situation I called the boys, and by June 25 they had to perform the operation which made a new opening at the bottom of the stomach, and bypassed the closure. It was called “Posterior colic gastrojejunostomy with lysis of adhesions”!! Dr. John P Schwartz operated with Dr. Brown first assistant. Several doctors were there. They made a complete check of the liver and organs while inside and after the acidosis test by Dr. Frazier was OK, we were told there was definitely no cancer. The bone scan had been given too, so that was one relief. The recovery was slow, as he could not eat for a long time, and got quite upset but was fed intravenously.
We finally got things straightened out, about the time Terry drowned. Medicines were changed and taken away to find out which he was allergic to. WE decided to go to Levitt’s doctor, a medical doctor Dr. Roger S. Andersen, who lived in Chandler, July 30th and he talked for 2 hours with Dr. Willcutt Leavitt said. I was glad he did as we had wondered what to say or do. Anyway by now, the medicines have finally been checked out. He is taking for his heart, the Lanoxin, for the DES, and Lasix, which Dr. Andersen thinks he will get along all right on. HE does seem to be a lot better, is walking twice a day to the newspaper box by Wright’s (nearly a mile round trip) and does not have so many times being depressed. Of course he has a problem or so along, but I feel that generally he is closer to being his old self now than since his heart attack, or the last two years.
Maybe these reports on health are rather strange in a life story, but I am doing it a little for myself, as when I have to make a report on what happen, I can get it quickly from here. I suppose health and trying to keep things on an even keel will be our lot hereafter. He does enjoy visits now, too and while it looks at present the way things are he will not be able to go back to church – at least not now, we are trying to keep a religious atmosphere in our home. We know that we have been blessed, and he is careful that we get prayers in. For a while he could not kneel, but the last month he has been trying and does not have too hard a time getting up.
I think I have pretty well covered most things by here. It is 16 Oct 1979 today and we are feeling pretty good, considering everything.
I see that I have missed one trip that should be reported. 10 Sept 1973, Ella and Howard Goodman came over and asked us if we would like to go to Mexico with them as a celebration for their 51st wedding anniversary. It was our first trip back to the colonies and Colonia Dublan where I was born, so we were glad to go. We left about 4:45 A.M. on Ella’s birthday, Sept 14, 1973. We drove thru Lordsburg, Deming and Columbus, New Mexico and crossed the border into Palomas, then took the wrong turn and drove almost into Ciudad Juarez, by El Paso, but went back to Neuvas Casas Grandes, about 5:27, and stayed there. Then we got up and started hunting Dublan. We had slept just two miles from it but did not know, as there were no signs. We did go through Old Casas Grandes then back and found Col. Juarez. We did not get on the right side of the river to see the Juarez Academy, but finally got to Dublan. We found Glenna S. Call (Ella knew) then into town and found Jennie Robinson Bowman, and Lucille Robinson Taylor. They are my great Uncle John Robinson’s daughters, (Grandmother Done’s sisters). They showed us the old homes, cemetery, and introduced us to some people. We went back to “ranchito” and that evening the Juarez Stake had their Stake Fair in Dublan . Several wards were represented and they had some of the most beautiful handwork I have ever seen. We had a lovely time. The next das the celebration of 16 de Septiembre, and Howard and Ella’s 51st Wedding Anniversary. We got on our way about 6:30 and had a good travel by the time we got to Cuidad Juarez where the parade was assembling and we got put into a detour. The road was very rough (right in town) and before we knew it we turned into a side street and found ourselves going the wrong way on a one way street. People were calling and pointing to us, so we turned again and thought we were doing fine, but all of a sudden we were on the street leading to the parade. Clear for blocks ahead, and just a short ahead of the procession. And do you know that for 5 blocks before we got the signal from the police that we could turn off. Ella and Howard celebrated their 51st wedding celebration in front of a crowd of estimated 4,000 people. Of course we were with them and did not get to parade before all of these, but it sure seemed like it when we realized what was happening. We finally got lined up at the border and crossed over and to the Farnsworth Motel, owned by Harold and William Farnsworth, Uncle Joe and Aunt Rhoda’s sons. We had a nice visit with them and left about 11:30, did sightseeing and then back to the motel. We got up Sept 17th, packed and then Gladys’ daughter Nadene Jack Esmay took us on a tour of the town of Ciudad Juarez. Marion rested while we were gone. It was about 11:25 when we got started on our way home. We had a good trip back through New Mexico, and by both Old and New Tucson, arriving about 7:30 P.M. It was a WONDERFUL TRIP, AND we loved every minute of it with Ella and Howard.
And now back to now. It is about 6:15 P.M. Wed, Oct 17, and I am thinking about us and our family. Marion has just gotten back from his evening walk and seems to have felt pretty good today. We have been in touch with practically all the family within the past week. All seem to be feeling pretty good. We had out 26th great grandchild, Dan and Janell’ 2nd child, born 21 Sept 1979, Gerrett Stuart Miller. I am waiting for a letter to be sure about the spelling. And our 27th great grandchild was born last night, Oct 16, Doris’ 9 lb. 4 oz. baby girl. Her name will be Sarah Leanne Thatcher, and she is named after Marion’s sister Sarah. Life does go on, and we are thankful all is as well as it is.
Sometimes we wonder a little about things, but know we must all try to do our best to keep going. I think I shall close for now, as I believe I have most of the things that need to be entered. I think I shall first bring up the family information in Book 2 of my family histories up to date, and then decide which part of my genealogy I can work under the conditions as they are right now. 
I have checked, and seem to be a few things I have missed, (I think!!), so will just put them there. In 1953, we got a 4 year old Black and White TV from Lucy & Ray. It still runs but not too clear, however we replaced it for Christmas 1975 with a nice color TV from Sears. We also bought us a new Dodge Coronet from Dana Brothers in Tempe, 10 June 1969. WE gave it to Norma when we got the Dodge Polara, 21 Feb 1972. This was bought in 1975 but it had only 20,000 miles on it. It has run fine and gets fair gas mileage (about 19 per gallon on trips), so it will last us a long time. I had an extension put on our telephone so we have two lines now. It is much nicer as we both get to talk and listen. We bought a Sentry Safe 5 Dec 1977, so keep valuables a little safer. Our refrigeration gave a little trouble, so had to have it repaired Sep 5 and Nov 14 in 1978. Then Sept 10, 1979 it went out and had to have a new refrigeration compressor put on for $712.17. It should last a long time again, (I hope). But we do have to keep things comfortable at this time, as health problems that could be aggravated could be much worse.
I have also had installed one of the Honeywell smoke detectors, as it gives protection (they say!). Sometimes when you have been too worried you sleep pretty heavy at times, and since I am the one to keep alert, and keep things going any little thing can help in an emergency.
We do have different relatives come in on the Cardon, Plumb and Done sides. Olive Done Hall, mother’s half- sister from Salt Lake City was in last week, and again yesterday (Oct 25) checking on Done history and pictures. I had one of Sarah Barker Done she did not have and she has a later one I did not, so we exchanged so we each have both.
Ellen called from Prescott yesterday and said her mother Ruth T. S. Johnson was there and on her way to “Phoenix again.” Ruth has had a pounding heart for years, but a real heart attack several months ago. She married Bert, brother of Bud (Johnson) and sounds like they will be in Phoenix, with Bert’s daughter again this winter. We have enjoyed being in touch with them since we found out about the Taylor connection on our Thatcher Taylor, explained before, so are looking forward to seeing her, or at least talking on the phone. I do not drive enough to want to drive to Phoenix.
We are thankful that things are as well as they are at present. I think I shall quit this right here, and then periodically ­­­bring my history to date in the future. I hope I do not take as long as I did this last time. Maybe set a goal for once every two or three years. WE SHALL SEE!