13 Mar 1902 – 5 May 1922
2nd-Great-Granddaughter of Philip Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Great-Granddaughter of Louis Philippe Cardon and Susette Stalé
Granddaughter of Joseph Samuel Cardon and Selenia Mesenile Walker
Daughter of Salenia Verminnie Cardon and Ernest Guy Taylor
VERMINNIE MCCRAY TAYLOR MORTENSEN
by: Jane McDonald Mortensen
August 1994
I have been asked to write some information concerning McCray Taylor Mortensen who was the first wife of Robert Mortensen, my husband.
Most of the information will be taken from the life history of Robert Mortensen, and some pieces of information Rob related to me during our married life, as well as some memories related by family members and close friends.
Even after all the years that had elapsed following McCray’s death and Rob and I were married, Rob always spoke of McCray using her full name, not the shortened form “Cray”, with love and emotion. Somehow this always gave me a sense of security.
If the situation had been reversed, it would be an honor for me to be remembered in such a manner as Rob remembered McCray.
Rob’s and my son was given the name of “Taylor” which I suppose one could call a dual-purpose name. I had a brother named Taylor and McCray’s family name was Taylor.
McCray’s mother’s name was Salina Verminnie Cardon Taylor and her father’s name was Earnest Guy Taylor.
Guy Taylor had a second family. The wife in the second family was an invalid. Guy spent considerable time with this family especially when the children were young. I was never well acquainted with the second family.
McCray was born March 13, 1902, in Colonia Juarez, Mexico, not the border town of Juarez. Rob’s family was from Colonia Diaz which was directly in the path of the exodus from Mexico in 1912 of all the colonists from Mexico. This exodus was spearheaded by political Mexican rebels. Colonists from Diaz were financially ruined. McCray’s family from Colonia Juarez, along with other inhabitants, fared much better. They were able to salvage more of their possessions. Previous to the exodus, most all the colonists were comfortably fixed financially.
The Guy Taylor family moved during their wandering after the exodus to Virden, New Mexico in search of a permanent home. The Mortensen family had settled in Virden some years earlier.
McCray’s two older brothers, Jesse and Rulon, had come to the Mortensen home the day of their arrival in Virden looking for accommodations for their horses until they could get settled in. A few days later, McCray rode down with Jess and Rulon. Rob’s assessment of the situation was: the Taylors had an eye for good horses and their sister McCray as most attractive, though she must be considerably younger than he.
Rob chuckled when he told me that a few days later, a cousin of his, about his age, had bragged to some of his friends in ear shot of Rob that he had gone with every available girl in Virden; he could take them or leave them just as he pleased. Now he thought he would just take that new girl, McCray Taylor, to the upcoming dance. Rob thought he would call his bluff. Regardless of the age difference, McCray attended the dance with Rob. He found McCray very mature for her age and an interesting, fun-loving person to be with.
During the time of their friendly dating, McCray told Rob she intended to marry a returned missionary but wanted to continue her education first. Rob thought these were worthy ambitions, but they were goals that left him out. They did continue friendly dating however.
Later McCray’s family had an opportunity to buy a small home in Thatcher, Arizona. Guy had decided farming was not a profitable line of work for him. McCray was now able to attend the LDS Church Academy there. The Academy is now known as Eastern Arizona College and is not affiliated with the LDS Church. McCray and Rob did not forget each other, though their dating was less frequent because of the travel distance and Rob’s busy farm schedule.
McCray and Rob were married in her mother’s home May 30, 1921. President Nash of the Thatcher Stake Presidency performed the ceremony.
The Arizona Temple was not completed until the late 20’s. They were both worthy of attending a temple, but they felt they were not financially able to make a trip to a temple, a decision Rob lived to regret.
Robert told me how happy McCray and he were that first short eleven plus months of marriage. Rob had rented an additional farm adjoining his father’s farm from a Mr. George Cosper before he and McCray were married. It afforded a sizeable house along with the acreage. McCray was able to use her homemaking skills to her satisfaction and Rob’s delight.
During that first summer, McCray could be seen taking Rob a mid-afternoon snack as he worked in the fields. She would then ride a few rounds with him on the farm equipment if it was convenient.
Rob’s older sisters remember McCray’s pleasant attitude and her ability to laugh, talk, and tat beautiful lace at the same time. H. Vearl Payne was a young lad at the time, but he remembers McCray’s pleasant outlook on life and her love and concern for the young people in the ward. She seemed to be loved by all who knew her.
Rob told me how happy he and McCray were when they knew they were to become parents in spite of the fact that McCray had been warned by a doctor when she was considerably younger that child bearing could be a difficult experience for her. Rob didn’t know why the doctor had told her this.
Sometime early in her pregnancy, McCray became gravely ill and was taken to her mother’s home in Thatcher, Arizona where she died after three weeks of intense suffering.
As I remember, the doctor was never able to make a positive diagnosis of her illness. It was Rob’s mother, who had much practical nursing experience, who thought the problem was uremic poisoning which is a form of blood poisoning.
McCray’s death came May 5, 1922. She was buried one day later in the burial plot of Rob’s uncle, Martin Mortensen, in the Thatcher Cemetery at that time. Many years later, Rob had McCray’s remains brought to the Virden Cemetery.
After McCray’s death in the spring of 1922, Rob had no interest in life. He could not settle down to his former steady habits. In the fall of 1922, he was called on a mission to the Northern States. He turned his small farm over to his eldest brother, Alvin, who assumed the bulk of the mission expense.
Rob’s life history states, “I left Virden September 29, 1922, a little early for General Conference. I had a short visit with my “Taylor Family” in Thatcher. I then went directly to Logan where I remained two days with relations of my Grandfather Andersen’s great Aunt Annie Nielsen. She accompanied me for my first temple session and was proxy for McCray in the sealing ceremony.”
Rob stated in his history, “The above experience was the first real spiritual experience I had ever had. It was an unforgettable occasion I shall treasure the remainder of my life. But my return home after a busy mission experience brought a flood of sorrowful memories.”
Rob told me that neither dating nor a second marriage had ever crossed his mind.
Again Rob’s history states: “It was not long after my return home that the Virden ward was reorganized. I had been chosen by Bishop Junius E. Payne as his second counselor, which was a shock to me, but it did put me in a thoughtful mood concerning my future. To progress satisfactorily in a position usually held by a married man, a companion seemed essential. Though there was any number of very fine young ladies available, I had no desire to begin dating.”
In the fall of 1925, some of the McDonald family moved to Virden. A daughter, Jane, was a member of the family. She had been hired to teach grade school in the Virden school system.
Robert and Jane became compatible friends from the beginning of their acquaintance. This friendship culminated into a permanent one. Rob and Jane were married on May 31, 1928, in the Arizona Temple which had recently been dedicated. This was six years after McCray’s death.
The entire Taylor family accepted Jane with the same love and respect as the Peter Mortensen family did. Some of Rob’s and my older children remember our visits now and then with the Taylor families. At Rob’s suggestion, our children always referred to Guy and Verminnie as “Grandpa and Grandma Taylor” which seemed to please them.
Robert told me that, shortly after his return from his mission, he heard his father telling a friend that he feared Rob would never consider a second marriage which would leave him without posterity. Most of our large family was born before his father’s death. Rob had a smile of satisfaction when he told this story.
This thought has entered my mind many times. Rob was 31 years old when our eldest son was born. His mature age and the great sorrow he endured after McCray’s death caused him to have a closer feeling for each child who came into our home. He wanted his children to remain close by without hampering the proper growth of each child as he or she grew to maturity. The unusual feat of keeping close family ties while working together harmonically resulted in a family business. This business relationship was not only a joy and satisfaction to Rob, but also a lifelong dream of his. The family business was intact at Rob’s death and has continued to the present.
It is my opinion that the sting of McCray’s death brought out many outstanding qualities in Robert. Among these qualities were patience, understanding, service to others, a desire to know and subject himself to the will of our Heavenly Father, and a broader view of the resurrection and the atoning sacrifice.
On February 25, 1975, Rob suffered a massive stroke. He died on February 27, 1975. Funeral services were held in Blythe, California on March 3 and in Virden, New Mexico on March 5. Rob was buried that day in the Virden Cemetery.
Darl Andersen, a cousin and friend, had this to say at Rob’s funeral service in Blythe. “Rob lived nearly an ideal life in my opinion. The kind of life others hope for. His life had richness and much depth. Rob worked hard for material comforts which he and his family could enjoy, but he was willing to share these things with others. His fellow men had confidence and respect for him. Robert was a leader among men.”
I suppose one could say that the most valuable of all Rob’s possessions was his religious faith which gave enhanced meaning to his personal convictions.
I am grateful for the almost 47 years Rob and I shared and the success of our family. I was proud and honored to be Rob’s wife and the mother of his children. Why then should I not be willing to share my family with McCray, who was the wife he had chosen in his younger years.
Addendum:
The arrangement of graves in the East half of the McDonald Gordon plot in the Virden Cemetery: Rob’s grave is in the extreme southeast corner of the plot. Moving north we find McCray on Rob’s left, space for Jane, then the graves of Dwight and Terril, two of Rob and Jane’s sons that passed away.
-Contributed by Dale Lamar Mortensen on familysearch.org ID K2H5-ZVG, Memories tab.
Virden Cemetery, Virden, Hidalgo County, New Mexico
