www.MethowValley.org-2021
- tristanbgilb
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SCHOOL SPORTS
I was in the Latah school for all but one year. When I was fifteen, we moved to Cheney so that Edgar and Veva could go to normal college and study for teaching. Edgar and Veva both taught school. I was Valedictorian of my graduating class of 1925. I was given a scholarship which would really have been a big help if I had gone on to college. I had wanted to be an English teacher, but was married instead. I never regretted it.
I played lots of tennis and basketball. In Cheney the girls played basketball using boys' rules, which was quite rough. After we moved back to Latah, we played using girls' basketball rules, which was much better. We felt very daring in our black bloomers and our white middies. I played center. There were two of us girls competing for the center position. We got very rough. I finally got it as Ruth Moss knocked me unconscious and kicked me.
We had lots of fun in basketball. We went to all of the games in all of the towns around us. We had a feud going against Fairfield. Both teams had great players. Edgar played guard on the Latah high school basketball team. Edgar was a very good player and one year his team won first place in state. His second wife, Marcella, still has a photograph of the team. Edgar was a good looking young man and the girls fought to get dates with him. He did not date very much. Edgar and I played doubles in tennis tournaments in Spokane and we won first place.
One noon hour, a boy named Glen, who had a new car, invited one of my girlfriends and me to go for a ride in it. One of Glen's friends also joined us. We started, but on the way to Spring Valley the car had a flat tire. There was no spare. By the time we got someone to help us, it was too late to go back to school. We decided that none of us would tell Mr. Sterling, the principal, about it.
When I arrived home and told Mama about it, she insisted that I go over and tell Mr. Sterling. All four of us independently went to him and told him what had happened. He said it was a good thing he was told, or we would all have been expelled from school. The four of us were from the English IV Class which was one of the classes taught by Mr.
Sterling.
When Veva was going with Leslie Lamb, he would bring Veva big boxes of candy. Veva would hide these under her bed, but Edgar and I would usually find them. Veva taught in the old Bell School house in Latah. I would teach for her when she was sick and get such a thrill out of it. While we were in Cheney, she married Leslie Lamb, leaving only Edgar and me at home with the folks.
Guy came to visit us in Latah and brought Gene with him. How I loved that little boy. He would walk to school with me and meet me after school. We would have lots of fun. When Gene was nine years old, he became sick and had to have an operation for appendicitis.
Mama went to the door and received a telegram announcing that Gene had died. Veva and I were upstairs making beds when we heard Mama. I can still hear her screaming in shock and sorrow. Poor Guy had to bring Gene alone to Latah for burial. Marie and the other children had to stay at home in Wyoming. What a time of sorrow and loss.
I was in the Latah school for all but one year. When I was fifteen, we moved to Cheney so that Edgar and Veva could go to normal college and study for teaching. Edgar and Veva both taught school. I was Valedictorian of my graduating class of 1925. I was given a scholarship which would really have been a big help if I had gone on to college. I had wanted to be an English teacher, but was married instead. I never regretted it.
I played lots of tennis and basketball. In Cheney the girls played basketball using boys' rules, which was quite rough. After we moved back to Latah, we played using girls' basketball rules, which was much better. We felt very daring in our black bloomers and our white middies. I played center. There were two of us girls competing for the center position. We got very rough. I finally got it as Ruth Moss knocked me unconscious and kicked me.
We had lots of fun in basketball. We went to all of the games in all of the towns around us. We had a feud going against Fairfield. Both teams had great players. Edgar played guard on the Latah high school basketball team. Edgar was a very good player and one year his team won first place in state. His second wife, Marcella, still has a photograph of the team. Edgar was a good looking young man and the girls fought to get dates with him. He did not date very much. Edgar and I played doubles in tennis tournaments in Spokane and we won first place.
One noon hour, a boy named Glen, who had a new car, invited one of my girlfriends and me to go for a ride in it. One of Glen's friends also joined us. We started, but on the way to Spring Valley the car had a flat tire. There was no spare. By the time we got someone to help us, it was too late to go back to school. We decided that none of us would tell Mr. Sterling, the principal, about it.
When I arrived home and told Mama about it, she insisted that I go over and tell Mr. Sterling. All four of us independently went to him and told him what had happened. He said it was a good thing he was told, or we would all have been expelled from school. The four of us were from the English IV Class which was one of the classes taught by Mr.
Sterling.
When Veva was going with Leslie Lamb, he would bring Veva big boxes of candy. Veva would hide these under her bed, but Edgar and I would usually find them. Veva taught in the old Bell School house in Latah. I would teach for her when she was sick and get such a thrill out of it. While we were in Cheney, she married Leslie Lamb, leaving only Edgar and me at home with the folks.
Guy came to visit us in Latah and brought Gene with him. How I loved that little boy. He would walk to school with me and meet me after school. We would have lots of fun. When Gene was nine years old, he became sick and had to have an operation for appendicitis.
Mama went to the door and received a telegram announcing that Gene had died. Veva and I were upstairs making beds when we heard Mama. I can still hear her screaming in shock and sorrow. Poor Guy had to bring Gene alone to Latah for burial. Marie and the other children had to stay at home in Wyoming. What a time of sorrow and loss.
- tristanbgilb
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INVENTIONS
We were very excited and amazed at the appearance of new inventions. I'll never forget when one of our neighbors was the first to buy a new radio. They lived in a small house. They turned on the radio and opened all of their windows and doors. Everyone that could get into the house and within hearing distance was there to hear it. There was a line of automobiles parked along the street. What a thrill it was to see our first airplane. We nearly craned our necks off.
Maxine McCann's family was the first to install a telephone in Latah. The year was approximately 1914. The telephone made many changes in our lives and enhanced our ability to communicate with those more than a few miles away.
A boy named Ambrose lived with his aunt and uncle while going to school in Latah. He bought a brand new Ford and taught me to drive when I was 15. We had sneak day every year at school and quite a few of us went to the Natatorium Park in Spokane for the day. Ambrose and I became separated from the rest and Ambrose became so sick that I had to drive home.
It was very dark as we drove through a driving rain storm. I prayed all the way home. There was one really bad turn just before we got to Fairfield. I prayed about that turn before we got there. There were no cars coming, so we had no trouble at the turn. Ambrose was so sick he just laid in the back seat like he was dead. We stopped at our house and Mama gave him some medicine. I never saw him again. His aunt said he was so sick that he was sent to the Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. I have always wondered what happened to him, as we were such good friends.
We were very excited and amazed at the appearance of new inventions. I'll never forget when one of our neighbors was the first to buy a new radio. They lived in a small house. They turned on the radio and opened all of their windows and doors. Everyone that could get into the house and within hearing distance was there to hear it. There was a line of automobiles parked along the street. What a thrill it was to see our first airplane. We nearly craned our necks off.
Maxine McCann's family was the first to install a telephone in Latah. The year was approximately 1914. The telephone made many changes in our lives and enhanced our ability to communicate with those more than a few miles away.
A boy named Ambrose lived with his aunt and uncle while going to school in Latah. He bought a brand new Ford and taught me to drive when I was 15. We had sneak day every year at school and quite a few of us went to the Natatorium Park in Spokane for the day. Ambrose and I became separated from the rest and Ambrose became so sick that I had to drive home.
It was very dark as we drove through a driving rain storm. I prayed all the way home. There was one really bad turn just before we got to Fairfield. I prayed about that turn before we got there. There were no cars coming, so we had no trouble at the turn. Ambrose was so sick he just laid in the back seat like he was dead. We stopped at our house and Mama gave him some medicine. I never saw him again. His aunt said he was so sick that he was sent to the Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. I have always wondered what happened to him, as we were such good friends.
- tristanbgilb
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FLUE EPIDEMIC
I can't remember what year it was, but we had a terrible flue epidemic. We lost my cousin and her baby. One of my school friends lost her mother. We all became sick at the same time. Daddy Pittman (my sister Bertha's father-in-law) put a sack of oranges at the door and knocked.
One of us would crawl down and get them. That is all we had to eat for days.
We all worried that Papa, in his weakened condition, might become very ill if he contacted the flu. Mama became so ill with her flu that she fainted and fell down the steps. She eventually had to go to bed and remain there until she recovered her strength.
Maxine and I had the flue at the same time. We took our first walk outside on the same day. We would hardly speak to each other because we were angry that the other had not come to visit us. When we discovered what the problem was, we forgave each other.
I can't remember what year it was, but we had a terrible flue epidemic. We lost my cousin and her baby. One of my school friends lost her mother. We all became sick at the same time. Daddy Pittman (my sister Bertha's father-in-law) put a sack of oranges at the door and knocked.
One of us would crawl down and get them. That is all we had to eat for days.
We all worried that Papa, in his weakened condition, might become very ill if he contacted the flu. Mama became so ill with her flu that she fainted and fell down the steps. She eventually had to go to bed and remain there until she recovered her strength.
Maxine and I had the flue at the same time. We took our first walk outside on the same day. We would hardly speak to each other because we were angry that the other had not come to visit us. When we discovered what the problem was, we forgave each other.
- tristanbgilb
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WORLD WAR I
In 1918, I remember World War I being fought. My sister Veva's boy friend was killed, as well as others that we knew. Even though most of the people in Latah were Germans, speaking in German was forbidden. Maxine and I would go to the post office and we would over hear some of the men conversing in German. We just knew that they must be spies.
During this time many commodities were rationed. Sugar and many other commodities were very limited and very difficult to buy. Our sugar was divided into five parts. Although Papa said he did not use as much sugar as the rest of us, he was out of sugar first. Edgar and I often made candy with our sugar and also shared some of our sugar with Papa.
Maxine and I were talking one day, when our principal went running up to the school house. Maxine said, "there goes long legs. I wonder where he is going?" Then we heard the school bells ringing. Everyone was shouting, "The war is over! The war is over!" We strung up an effigy of the Kaiser and burned him up.
In 1918, I remember World War I being fought. My sister Veva's boy friend was killed, as well as others that we knew. Even though most of the people in Latah were Germans, speaking in German was forbidden. Maxine and I would go to the post office and we would over hear some of the men conversing in German. We just knew that they must be spies.
During this time many commodities were rationed. Sugar and many other commodities were very limited and very difficult to buy. Our sugar was divided into five parts. Although Papa said he did not use as much sugar as the rest of us, he was out of sugar first. Edgar and I often made candy with our sugar and also shared some of our sugar with Papa.
Maxine and I were talking one day, when our principal went running up to the school house. Maxine said, "there goes long legs. I wonder where he is going?" Then we heard the school bells ringing. Everyone was shouting, "The war is over! The war is over!" We strung up an effigy of the Kaiser and burned him up.
- tristanbgilb
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MEMORIES OF PAPA
Veva and I enjoyed trying to slip into the upstairs bedroom where Papa was, without him hearing us. We took off our shoes and stepped over the step on the stairs that squeaked. We almost made it into the other bedroom beyond his room and he said, "It that you girls?" Papa had perfect hearing. Mama was deaf in one ear. All four of us girls had some hearing difficulties. Edgar and Guy both had excellent hearing.
Papa was very good to go to all of the events at the school house. Our house was at the bottom of the hill, while the school house was at the top. Papa would start really early so he would be there on time, as it took him longer to walk than the rest of us. But he always went to all of our programs.
Edgar had a difficult childhood. He was the only one who could get Papa to come back home when he would leave in the middle of the night. Papa would get spells when he felt neglected and discouraged. It was a result of trauma from his stroke. Papa had loved to sing in church choir, but his stroke robbed him of his beautiful tenor voice. Papa was so sensitive about being disabled that he refused to go downtown.
Several men from the church often came to visit him.
One man stands out, whom we called Ole. His name was Ole Gersburgerr. When I was little and couldn't speak plainly, I called him "Grandpa Holy." Papa really got after me, but he was sorry after he realized that I thought "Holy" was his correct name.
We had so much fun when we went to Ole's house. He had a big ranch and seven children. He always provided lots of good food to eat. He was a wonderful Christian. Later he suffered terribly with cancer.
Everyone in Latah loved him. We children couldn't understand why God allowed him to suffer so very much.
When I was still in grade school, a girl gave me a darling little black puppy. Papa said that I couldn't keep it because I had my pet rabbits. I cried and felt so bad. The next day when I came home Papa had suffered another stroke and was lying on the floor. That little black puppy never left his side and every once in a while would lick Papa's face. Papa told me that I could keep him.
One end of our front porch of our home in Latah was covered with morning glories. The humming birds just loved the beautiful colored blossoms. Papa loved to watch them dart in and out of the flowers that displayed so many beautiful colors.
I had felt that Papa did not like me as well as the other children. When I was 12, one experience permitted me to feel especially close to Papa.
While Papa was visiting his sister Aunt Eva and her husband Uncle Barnett in Grandview, I picked cherries for Glen and Bertha Cowles. Papa came out to the cherry orchard where I was working and visited with me while he picked up cherries that I had dropped.
Aunt Eva always served bread and milk for supper. Papa did not like bread and milk suppers. To please Papa, I asked Clyde (Uncle Barnett and Aunt Eva Cowles' son) to take me to the store to buy candy and cookies. It was during this time that I best learned to know my Papa. During times when I was away visiting Leonard, Papa could hardly wait for me to return home. It made me feel that he really did love me.
Veva and I enjoyed trying to slip into the upstairs bedroom where Papa was, without him hearing us. We took off our shoes and stepped over the step on the stairs that squeaked. We almost made it into the other bedroom beyond his room and he said, "It that you girls?" Papa had perfect hearing. Mama was deaf in one ear. All four of us girls had some hearing difficulties. Edgar and Guy both had excellent hearing.
Papa was very good to go to all of the events at the school house. Our house was at the bottom of the hill, while the school house was at the top. Papa would start really early so he would be there on time, as it took him longer to walk than the rest of us. But he always went to all of our programs.
Edgar had a difficult childhood. He was the only one who could get Papa to come back home when he would leave in the middle of the night. Papa would get spells when he felt neglected and discouraged. It was a result of trauma from his stroke. Papa had loved to sing in church choir, but his stroke robbed him of his beautiful tenor voice. Papa was so sensitive about being disabled that he refused to go downtown.
Several men from the church often came to visit him.
One man stands out, whom we called Ole. His name was Ole Gersburgerr. When I was little and couldn't speak plainly, I called him "Grandpa Holy." Papa really got after me, but he was sorry after he realized that I thought "Holy" was his correct name.
We had so much fun when we went to Ole's house. He had a big ranch and seven children. He always provided lots of good food to eat. He was a wonderful Christian. Later he suffered terribly with cancer.
Everyone in Latah loved him. We children couldn't understand why God allowed him to suffer so very much.
When I was still in grade school, a girl gave me a darling little black puppy. Papa said that I couldn't keep it because I had my pet rabbits. I cried and felt so bad. The next day when I came home Papa had suffered another stroke and was lying on the floor. That little black puppy never left his side and every once in a while would lick Papa's face. Papa told me that I could keep him.
One end of our front porch of our home in Latah was covered with morning glories. The humming birds just loved the beautiful colored blossoms. Papa loved to watch them dart in and out of the flowers that displayed so many beautiful colors.
I had felt that Papa did not like me as well as the other children. When I was 12, one experience permitted me to feel especially close to Papa.
While Papa was visiting his sister Aunt Eva and her husband Uncle Barnett in Grandview, I picked cherries for Glen and Bertha Cowles. Papa came out to the cherry orchard where I was working and visited with me while he picked up cherries that I had dropped.
Aunt Eva always served bread and milk for supper. Papa did not like bread and milk suppers. To please Papa, I asked Clyde (Uncle Barnett and Aunt Eva Cowles' son) to take me to the store to buy candy and cookies. It was during this time that I best learned to know my Papa. During times when I was away visiting Leonard, Papa could hardly wait for me to return home. It made me feel that he really did love me.
- tristanbgilb
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WORKING IN LATAH
I was afraid of the dark and I had to deliver milk down a dark back alley. I would walk slowly into the alley with the milk, but coming back, I'd run home really fast. We had lots of fun as kids, but we had to do lots of work. We felt abused at the time, but looking back we could have helped poor little Mama much more.
Edgar and I sacked potatoes one year. We had to shake the sacks to get the right weight of potatoes in each sack. Edgar could do a lot more than I could. He would help me with mine. We earned five cents per sack. Edgar was very generous with his money and would buy me nice things. One time he bought me a wrist watch and at another time, a ukulele.
Mama was really worried as summer approached, because she had finished her winter work sorting peas. She and Bertha sorted little white peas from the green ones. My sister Veva knew Mrs. Fred Potratz and when she heard that Mr. Potratz was looking for two strong women to cook in his cook shack while they were harvesting their wheat fields, they immediately applied for the job and got it.
Mama and Veva cooked for 48 harvest hands during harvest in a portable cook shack that followed the horse-drawn combines through the wheat fields near Latah. The cook shack was also pulled by a horse.
The cooking was done on a big wood stove. One of the ranch hands named Fritz Roustabout hauled in the wood for the stove, purchased and delivered the groceries, and supplied fresh water. When we prepared to move to a new location, every dish was taken out of the cupboards, put on the floor, and covered with sheets. When we arrived at a new location everything had to be washed and put back. Sometimes we moved twice in one day. We served three big meals and two lunches every day. Breakfast was served at 6 am, lunch at 10 am,
dinner at 12 pm, lunch at 3 pm, and at the 6 pm quitting time, we served supper. Neighbors helped neighbors. The big wood stoves baked and cooked good food, but it took a lot of work.
Fritz was very diligent and became worried that the egg supply was being consumed too fast. The eggs were kept in crates under the cook shack. He maintained special vigilance over the cook shack and caught one of the crew sucking raw eggs. Fritz solved the mystery of the vanishing eggs.
The harvest required a crew of 48 persons. Thirty men were required to operate ten wagons. Two men pitched wheat on each wagon while one man drove the wagon. The wheat was pushed into rolls and driven up to the combine. It took two or three men to sew the sacks. One year my brother Guy Gilbert and my brother-in-law, Ed Pittmann sacked the wheat. When the wheat was yielding heavy, it took an additional man to help them. It also took one man to keep the sacks coming. Fritz and three women operated the cook shack. Two men were required to clean up around the combine. Two men were required to keep the harnesses ready to go all the time and to feed and water the horses. Four farmers that owned the wheat fields also worked along with the harvest crew.
When a field was finished, Fritz moved the four-wheeled cook shack on to the next location.
Edgar got a job and I also helped as much as I could. Edgar was only 12 years old, but he was strong and healthy. He could do a man's job. I stayed part time at the cook shack and stayed part time with Bertha and also helped take care of my father. My job was to peel buckets of potatoes and carrots, snap string beans, open and clean peas, and wash dishes. Mama and Veva made pies, cakes and cookies, fried meat, and baked big roasts. The work was hard, but the pay was good.
One Sunday I decided to decorate the cook shack. I picked a basket of goldenrods and placed them all around inside the cook shack. When Mama and Veva returned, Mama started sneezing and blowing her nose. She was reluctant to tell me she was allergic to the goldenrods. So we put them outside, but it was fun anyway.
I had lots of fun staying with Bertha during summer harvests while Mama and Veva worked in the portable cook shack. Bertha and Ed raised rabbits to sell. No one could cook rabbit like by sister Bertha. My childhood would have been quite lonesome as Mama had to work so much. Sister Bertha would tell me the most wonderful stories, and played lots of games with me. I can never tell in words what she did for me. Ed was so good to us, too. He built a tree house for me to play in.
He never made us feel unwelcome, even though Edgar and I were there so often, me more than Edgar. When we had pie and basket socials, sister Bertha always helped me.
Once while visiting Bertha, I got into trouble. She told me not to hoe in a certain place, but I ignored her advice. I hoed into the forbidden location, struck some rotten eggs, and caused them to explode all over me. My clothes and my hair were a mess. Rotten eggs dripped from my long curls. I think that Bertha would have gladly given me away at that time, and I wouldn't have blamed her.
Edgar started working at a man's job in the wheat harvest at age twelve. He worked with a crew of 47 men on the threshing machine every summer we were in school. Edgar asked Mama and Veva not to kiss him good night, because the men teased him about it. Mama and Veva agreed and said they wouldn't. They kept their word, but because we are such a kissing family, it was a hard promise for them to keep. But the next day Edgar told them he didn't sleep well, so go ahead and kiss him goodnight. He would rather be teased than not kissed.
Mama's cook shack job continued over a period of about ten years, until I graduated from high school. I spent some of my time with them after I was old enough (about seven or eight) to be of some help. Most of my work was peeling vegetables and washing dishes. Sorting peas in the winter time and the cook shack work kept us with almost enough money.
I was afraid of the dark and I had to deliver milk down a dark back alley. I would walk slowly into the alley with the milk, but coming back, I'd run home really fast. We had lots of fun as kids, but we had to do lots of work. We felt abused at the time, but looking back we could have helped poor little Mama much more.
Edgar and I sacked potatoes one year. We had to shake the sacks to get the right weight of potatoes in each sack. Edgar could do a lot more than I could. He would help me with mine. We earned five cents per sack. Edgar was very generous with his money and would buy me nice things. One time he bought me a wrist watch and at another time, a ukulele.
Mama was really worried as summer approached, because she had finished her winter work sorting peas. She and Bertha sorted little white peas from the green ones. My sister Veva knew Mrs. Fred Potratz and when she heard that Mr. Potratz was looking for two strong women to cook in his cook shack while they were harvesting their wheat fields, they immediately applied for the job and got it.
Mama and Veva cooked for 48 harvest hands during harvest in a portable cook shack that followed the horse-drawn combines through the wheat fields near Latah. The cook shack was also pulled by a horse.
The cooking was done on a big wood stove. One of the ranch hands named Fritz Roustabout hauled in the wood for the stove, purchased and delivered the groceries, and supplied fresh water. When we prepared to move to a new location, every dish was taken out of the cupboards, put on the floor, and covered with sheets. When we arrived at a new location everything had to be washed and put back. Sometimes we moved twice in one day. We served three big meals and two lunches every day. Breakfast was served at 6 am, lunch at 10 am,
dinner at 12 pm, lunch at 3 pm, and at the 6 pm quitting time, we served supper. Neighbors helped neighbors. The big wood stoves baked and cooked good food, but it took a lot of work.
Fritz was very diligent and became worried that the egg supply was being consumed too fast. The eggs were kept in crates under the cook shack. He maintained special vigilance over the cook shack and caught one of the crew sucking raw eggs. Fritz solved the mystery of the vanishing eggs.
The harvest required a crew of 48 persons. Thirty men were required to operate ten wagons. Two men pitched wheat on each wagon while one man drove the wagon. The wheat was pushed into rolls and driven up to the combine. It took two or three men to sew the sacks. One year my brother Guy Gilbert and my brother-in-law, Ed Pittmann sacked the wheat. When the wheat was yielding heavy, it took an additional man to help them. It also took one man to keep the sacks coming. Fritz and three women operated the cook shack. Two men were required to clean up around the combine. Two men were required to keep the harnesses ready to go all the time and to feed and water the horses. Four farmers that owned the wheat fields also worked along with the harvest crew.
When a field was finished, Fritz moved the four-wheeled cook shack on to the next location.
Edgar got a job and I also helped as much as I could. Edgar was only 12 years old, but he was strong and healthy. He could do a man's job. I stayed part time at the cook shack and stayed part time with Bertha and also helped take care of my father. My job was to peel buckets of potatoes and carrots, snap string beans, open and clean peas, and wash dishes. Mama and Veva made pies, cakes and cookies, fried meat, and baked big roasts. The work was hard, but the pay was good.
One Sunday I decided to decorate the cook shack. I picked a basket of goldenrods and placed them all around inside the cook shack. When Mama and Veva returned, Mama started sneezing and blowing her nose. She was reluctant to tell me she was allergic to the goldenrods. So we put them outside, but it was fun anyway.
I had lots of fun staying with Bertha during summer harvests while Mama and Veva worked in the portable cook shack. Bertha and Ed raised rabbits to sell. No one could cook rabbit like by sister Bertha. My childhood would have been quite lonesome as Mama had to work so much. Sister Bertha would tell me the most wonderful stories, and played lots of games with me. I can never tell in words what she did for me. Ed was so good to us, too. He built a tree house for me to play in.
He never made us feel unwelcome, even though Edgar and I were there so often, me more than Edgar. When we had pie and basket socials, sister Bertha always helped me.
Once while visiting Bertha, I got into trouble. She told me not to hoe in a certain place, but I ignored her advice. I hoed into the forbidden location, struck some rotten eggs, and caused them to explode all over me. My clothes and my hair were a mess. Rotten eggs dripped from my long curls. I think that Bertha would have gladly given me away at that time, and I wouldn't have blamed her.
Edgar started working at a man's job in the wheat harvest at age twelve. He worked with a crew of 47 men on the threshing machine every summer we were in school. Edgar asked Mama and Veva not to kiss him good night, because the men teased him about it. Mama and Veva agreed and said they wouldn't. They kept their word, but because we are such a kissing family, it was a hard promise for them to keep. But the next day Edgar told them he didn't sleep well, so go ahead and kiss him goodnight. He would rather be teased than not kissed.
Mama's cook shack job continued over a period of about ten years, until I graduated from high school. I spent some of my time with them after I was old enough (about seven or eight) to be of some help. Most of my work was peeling vegetables and washing dishes. Sorting peas in the winter time and the cook shack work kept us with almost enough money.
- tristanbgilb
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HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
The celebration of the Fourth of July was a major event for us. With 25 cents to spend, we would have so much fun. The celebration consisted of firecrackers, a parade, chasing a greased pig for a prize, sack jump racing, hot wiener sandwiches and ice cream.
One Fourth of July, Edgar and a friend set up and operated a lemonade and hot dog stand. They did really well with it. I really thought my big brother was a good business man. Maxine and I were given free hot dogs and lemonade.
Halloween was sure fun, but Papa wouldn't let Edgar and I go very far. One year Veva went with some older young people and they put a cow up on the roof of a store. If they had been forced to work that hard, they would have really felt abused. Papa was unhappy with Veva for taking part in that trick. Some sign posts were knocked down, but Papa was pleased that Veva was not involved in that.
One Thanksgiving day we skated and kept warm by a big bonfire. We were having so much fun that we forgot to go home in time for dinner. When we got home, Papa was really disgusted with us. We had been very thoughtless. We ate so much that we laid across chairs and got the giggles. For punishment, we had to do all of the dishes and cleaning up.
My sister Bertha gave me a surprise birthday party. It was my one and only childhood party. It really was a surprise. I thought it was strange that, even though it was in the evening, Papa told Mama to curl my hair again. But we didn't argue with Papa. So Mama curled my hair and sent me down to Bertha's house. When I entered the house, the kids jumped up and down and yelled, "Happy Birthday, Bertha!"
Grandma Doty was an elderly lady who lived with Bertha and Ed. Bertha told her we were going to have a party and for her not to come
out of her room. But halfway through the party, here she comes with her chamber pot clutched over her stomach right through our party. I was so embarrassed, but the kids thought it was so funny and laughed so hard, that I enjoyed it too.
I dressed up like a boy to take Maxine to a party. I dressed up in Lyle Farrely's suit. I wore a white shirt and tie. I combed my hair back from my face and I really looked like a young man. We had lots of fun.
When it was time to take Maxine home, I was afraid of the dark. We took a stand in the middle of the block and then ran like mad to our homes. Maxine and I had lots of fun together, except when her cousins came to visit from Spokane and no one would play with me.
We really had fun when there was a wedding in town. These were always followed with a "charivari." Edgar, Maxine, and I always went. Generous amounts of candy, cookies, and other good things were provided. We would always take an old pan and beat it with sticks. The charivari that I most often recall is the one given to the storekeeper when he was married He wouldn't give us anything good to eat. So the men waited until the couple had gone to bed. They broke in the door and made him get up and open his store and give us all some candy. He was surely angry, and his poor little wife was crying. I felt sorry for them. Every Sunday we went to Sunday school and church at the Methodist Church (later the Methodist and Baptist church combined to form the Union Church) and went to someone's house or they came to our house. Then after dinner, we had church again. At night we went to Christian Endeavor and to church again.
We couldn't play any games of any kind on Sunday. We would sit and tell ghost stories, true or made up. One young woman had committed suicide and we were scared of that house. One old man was really cranky. We were afraid of his house because we thought it was haunted.
May day was a big event for us. We made baskets out of patterned and colorful, but stiff wallpaper and carried them up onto the bluffs that surrounded Latah. We picked arm loads of wild flowers. We waited until dark and distributed flower baskets on door knobs of friends' and
neighbors' houses. After knocking on each door, we ran and hid. We would let people try to find out who had left the basket of flowers.
Unfortunately, children don't seem to do this anymore, and it is a shame, because it was so exciting and so much good clean fun. Also, some love was put into each basket. We also used wallpaper for making valentines, dolls, and doll clothes. We also made our own glue using water and flour.
The celebration of the Fourth of July was a major event for us. With 25 cents to spend, we would have so much fun. The celebration consisted of firecrackers, a parade, chasing a greased pig for a prize, sack jump racing, hot wiener sandwiches and ice cream.
One Fourth of July, Edgar and a friend set up and operated a lemonade and hot dog stand. They did really well with it. I really thought my big brother was a good business man. Maxine and I were given free hot dogs and lemonade.
Halloween was sure fun, but Papa wouldn't let Edgar and I go very far. One year Veva went with some older young people and they put a cow up on the roof of a store. If they had been forced to work that hard, they would have really felt abused. Papa was unhappy with Veva for taking part in that trick. Some sign posts were knocked down, but Papa was pleased that Veva was not involved in that.
One Thanksgiving day we skated and kept warm by a big bonfire. We were having so much fun that we forgot to go home in time for dinner. When we got home, Papa was really disgusted with us. We had been very thoughtless. We ate so much that we laid across chairs and got the giggles. For punishment, we had to do all of the dishes and cleaning up.
My sister Bertha gave me a surprise birthday party. It was my one and only childhood party. It really was a surprise. I thought it was strange that, even though it was in the evening, Papa told Mama to curl my hair again. But we didn't argue with Papa. So Mama curled my hair and sent me down to Bertha's house. When I entered the house, the kids jumped up and down and yelled, "Happy Birthday, Bertha!"
Grandma Doty was an elderly lady who lived with Bertha and Ed. Bertha told her we were going to have a party and for her not to come
out of her room. But halfway through the party, here she comes with her chamber pot clutched over her stomach right through our party. I was so embarrassed, but the kids thought it was so funny and laughed so hard, that I enjoyed it too.
I dressed up like a boy to take Maxine to a party. I dressed up in Lyle Farrely's suit. I wore a white shirt and tie. I combed my hair back from my face and I really looked like a young man. We had lots of fun.
When it was time to take Maxine home, I was afraid of the dark. We took a stand in the middle of the block and then ran like mad to our homes. Maxine and I had lots of fun together, except when her cousins came to visit from Spokane and no one would play with me.
We really had fun when there was a wedding in town. These were always followed with a "charivari." Edgar, Maxine, and I always went. Generous amounts of candy, cookies, and other good things were provided. We would always take an old pan and beat it with sticks. The charivari that I most often recall is the one given to the storekeeper when he was married He wouldn't give us anything good to eat. So the men waited until the couple had gone to bed. They broke in the door and made him get up and open his store and give us all some candy. He was surely angry, and his poor little wife was crying. I felt sorry for them. Every Sunday we went to Sunday school and church at the Methodist Church (later the Methodist and Baptist church combined to form the Union Church) and went to someone's house or they came to our house. Then after dinner, we had church again. At night we went to Christian Endeavor and to church again.
We couldn't play any games of any kind on Sunday. We would sit and tell ghost stories, true or made up. One young woman had committed suicide and we were scared of that house. One old man was really cranky. We were afraid of his house because we thought it was haunted.
May day was a big event for us. We made baskets out of patterned and colorful, but stiff wallpaper and carried them up onto the bluffs that surrounded Latah. We picked arm loads of wild flowers. We waited until dark and distributed flower baskets on door knobs of friends' and
neighbors' houses. After knocking on each door, we ran and hid. We would let people try to find out who had left the basket of flowers.
Unfortunately, children don't seem to do this anymore, and it is a shame, because it was so exciting and so much good clean fun. Also, some love was put into each basket. We also used wallpaper for making valentines, dolls, and doll clothes. We also made our own glue using water and flour.
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Re: www.MethowValley.org
CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD TIMES
I had two very special friends in Latah. One was Maxine McCann and the other was Mabel Farrelly. Maxine lived in town only a few houses away from me. Her Father owned a store and kept Maxine and me supplied with candy and ribbons for our doll clothes. When Maxine's mother went shopping in Spokane, she would always bring me the same present home that she brought for Maxine.
One time when Maxine's mother was ill with a headache, we made some brown sugar candy. If you have ever used brown sugar, you know that it moves when it is poured out. We thought it was full of worms, so we threw it out. When Maxine's mother found out what we had done, she looked at us like she would liked to have killed us.
Maxine's mother would send us to the store to tell her father that her mother wanted some candy. He would get a big sack and place a handful of each type in it. They also owned the upstairs of the store which was made into a movie house. Maxine's little sister Eleanor was very special to me, as I was the youngest and didn't have any little brothers or sisters. Maxine's mother would tell me that if I would give Eleanor a bath, dress her in clean clothes, and comb her hair, that I could go free to the movies with them. I am surprised that my parents permitted me to go, but they did.
Exciting memories remain of events that took place in the movie house. One of these occurred during a Chateauguay. The Chateauguays were a combination of songs and dances, and were frequently conducted in the movie house. During this particular occasion, Veva and her girl friend were sitting up in front and Maxine and I were on the other side. One of the actors was singing "Peg of My Heart," a very sentimental song. He came down off of the stage, knelt in front of my sister Veva, held out his arms and sang the words of the song to her. While I was very proud of Veva, Maxine and I also experienced some feelings of jealousy.
Dances were also held at the same place where they had movies. One time I dared to attend the dance. Mama marched in and took me home in high gear. Papa sent me to bed without supper. I made up my mind then, that I would never punish my children with that method. Children are always very hungry.
Papa also used another method to punish me when he felt that I needed to be taught a lesson in growing up. He wrapped sugar into a piece of cloth and made a "sugar tit." I was then required to suck the sugar tit while standing in front of the front window to demonstrate that I had been acting like a baby. This was a very humiliating punishment.
When I was little, I had freckles, and how I hated them. I tried everything anyone told me, to get rid of them. One day the street in front of our house was plowed up and was going to be smoothed out the next morning. That night it had frozen very hard. I started to run to the neighbors to get something. I caught my foot in one of the ridges. I fell flat on my face. I really skinned it up badly, but I did not cry.
Mama asked me if it hurt badly. I said yes, but I did not have my freckles anymore. Mama did not have the heart to tell me that the new skin would freckle even worse.
Mabel and Maxine had straight hair. Their mother put up their hair with white rags to make their hair curly. So I wanted Mama to do mine that way. She tried to tell me it would be a mess, but I coaxed her into doing it. It turned out terrible. My natural curls and the ones created by the rags fought each other. Poor Mama had to wash my hair over again.
Kids never learn.
I wanted my hair cut so badly, but Papa said "No!" All my girl friends had their hair cut. So Papa finally conceded and said I could have my hair cut. It took the barber a long time to cut my curls. And when he got through, I went home crying to Mama because my hair was straight.
When Mama saw me, she laughed and washed my hair. It became all curly again.
Edgar and Richard McCann, Maxine's brother, loved to fight. They were pretty well matched and would wrestle and fight, even when
neither was angry. Maxine and I would become frightened and run home crying. They often chose street corners for their battles. I think they enjoyed the attention that they received.
Mabel lived in the country on a farm. I used to think it was wonderful to go to Farewells. We used to wade and catch crawdaddies in a creek that ran right past the barn. Farrelly's had chickens, cows, and horses. Mabel liked to stay in town, so we lots of time to have fun together at my home.
Mabel and I could not speak clearly. Our parents wondered if we would be able to go to school. I called myself "Emadibut." But as soon as we started to school, we could talk all right. I was spoiled and not forced to talk clearly. My son-in-law, Paul Pickett, said that I have never stopped talking since.
Mabel's Uncle John had four beautiful horses. He would hitch them to a big sleigh and take us sleigh riding. He put straw in the bottom of the sleigh with hot rocks at our feet to keep us from getting too cold. We would sing lots of songs and had a hair-raising time when he made the sleigh skid. We had such fun. We didn't even realize how poor, money wise, we were.
Mama loved to read to us at night, mostly from the Bible and Zane Grey. Mama would skip over the bad words in the Zane Grey books. We always wondered what the bad words were. I would go to sleep crosswise on two chairs. We always had popcorn and apples.
When Mama read to us, she held me on her legs with Edgar leaning up against her lap. Two of the stories were so special and wonderful to me that they remain in my memory even until today.
There was a family of four living on a big ranch with lots of trees all around it. The forest was filled with wild animals. The names of the family members are forgotten, but there was a papa, mama, a boy, and a girl. The girl, age 6, was the youngest, while her brother was eight. They owned a big dog named Chief.
The papa told the children, they would have to give the dog away, because it ate too much food and they could not afford to feed him. The children were heartbroken. The next day the parents went to town, which took them all day. The children were left with food to eat and told to bring the cows in before dark. The children played games and ate the food that was prepared for them. When it became time to bring in the cows, they put the dog in his pen and started into the fields. They walked a long way listening for the ringing sound of the bell attached to a strap around one of the cow's necks. They could not yet hear the bell and decided to search in separate directions. The little girl became lost. Because she was hot and tired, she sat on a log and began crying.
The parents arrived home to find the boy, the dog, and the cows; however, the little girl was missing. By this time it was late in the evening and it had become dark. They rang a large bell that was used to inform neighbors that something was wrong. After finding out what was wrong, a search party was formed and the girl's family and neighbors began to search for the lost girl with lanterns. After searching for hours, with no success, one of the neighbor men told the papa that Chief was trying to help, but couldn't, because he was closed up in his pen. The neighbor man persuaded the papa to let Chief out of his pen and to organize a search party to follow Chief.
As soon as Chief was set free, he put his nose to the ground to pick up the girls scent and began tracking with the searchers following behind. Soon Chief became very excited and began running. With joyous barking he stopped and just ahead was a frightened, but thankful girl, tired and crying.
The papa picked up the girl and carried her home where she was fed and loved. The papa told the children they would never give Chief away. Chief would have a home for the rest of his life.
Another story Mama told us was about a family that had moved onto a homestead. The homestead was so isolated that there were no neighbors. The family consisted of a papa, a mama, two little girls age five years and eight months old. The little girl was told to watch out for rattlesnakes that would rattle, and strike, for their bite was fatal.
The travel to the nearest town for supplies required a full week. The papa dreaded leaving for these occasions, but the family required the supplies. After the papa had left on one of these occasions, the mama went to the wood pile to collect wood. A rattlesnake had crawled under a log. Before the mama noticed it, the snake struck and bit her.
She did her best to get the poison out of the bite, but she knew she had not removed enough. Even though the weather was very hot, the mama built a big fire and brought in lots of wood. She baked bread, washed, ironed and cooked up a big kettle of gruel. She gave the girls a bath, combed their hair, and put clean clothes on them. She knew she didn't have enough time to get everything else finished. She carefully told the oldest girl that she was very tired and would soon have to go to bed and rest. She told the older girl how to take care of her baby sister, to feed her when she became hungry, to change her, and to keep her clean. She told her not to go outdoors at any time and not to put any wood on the stove.
The mama hugged and kissed the children and went into the bedroom and slipped into bed. She was soaking wet with sweat, but she was too weak to change her clothing.
When the papa came home, he was surprised that no one came to greet him. He knew at once that something was seriously wrong. After loving the girls, he went into the bedroom to find his wife in bed. He was not sure what had happened, but to his joy his wife was still alive, weak, then, but alive. She described to him what had happened. He told her that the work she had done so profusely while she prepared to keep her little girls safe, caused her to sweat so much that she had eliminated most of the poison out of her body.
Another story Mama told (my favorite one) was about a little yellow bird. She told this story to all of her children and grandchildren, but now none of us can remember the whole story. Bonnie and Donella helped me to remember the following portions of it:
There was a very ill girl. Knowing she was going to die soon, she became very depressed. Nothing could make her happy. Her mother's
heart was very sad and worried. One day as she lay suffering in her bed, not eating, not smiling, she looked toward the window where she heard a feeble pecking sound. There she saw a little yellow bird. The bird hopped around on the window sill and sang his little heart out.
Each day, as the girl approached her last day on earth, the bird returned to the window and brought her much needed happiness. Soon she quietly passed away. The little bird knew why the little girl was no longer there and it never returned. The mother watched and watched for the little yellow bird to return, but never saw the bird again. It had made her little girl die happy. Jesus had sent the little bird to comfort her and her mother. I cannot remember the rest of the story, but I always cried when Mama recited it to me.
Mama could tell such good stories. Bertha told us lots of stories that she made up but I don't remember all of them. One of them Sis (Bertha) told us that I vividly recall was about a wedding that took place in a castle. The young man and woman of the castle were so very much in love and a beautiful wedding was prepared for them. There were many guests and much food. After some of the relatives had left, the newly married couple and some of the younger couples decided to play "Hide 'n Seek." The couples went to hide, going in all directions. Finally they all returned except the newlywed bride. Everyone began searching for the bride. There was a song that went with the story, but all I can remember, "they hunted all day, they hunted until a week had passed away." The heartbroken groom finally had to give up, but remained in the castle the rest of his life. When he grew to be an old man, some of this great nephews and nieces wanted to play in the attic. They asked if they could wear some of the clothing that was in some old trunks up in the attic.
They were given permission and were soon opening the trunks and taking out clothing. One of the trunks was way back in a corner. Upon opening this one they were shocked to find a skeleton that had been wearing a bridal dress and veil. They called the old man and showed him what they had found. After all those years, he knew she had loved him dearly, but that the lid on the trunk had snapped shut. They had
hunted all around her, but couldn't hear her call. I always cried when Bertha told me this story. Bertha used to sing the whole song.
Whenever I was hurt, Bertha would tell me, "Honey," she'd say, "It will feel better when it quits hurting." This did not help. When Bertha was still living at home, Edgar started coughing and chocking. He just couldn't get his breath. Mama became very frightened. Bertha grabbed him by his little feet, held him upside down, and started shaking him up and down. Out of his mouth flew a little clock which was covered with blood. The family was very thankful and proud of Bertha. Bertha said that she had read somewhere how to do this.
Bertha loved to read. Every time she went to the bathroom, she picked up a magazine or a book. We all teased her, but she didn't mind at all. She was such a wonderful person. I loved her so dearly, she was a beautiful Christian. She died of cancer, but she seemed to suffer very little. Tyra and Nettie Stafford (Cousins in Spokane) came to visit Bertha filled with fear and remorse about Bertha's illness. She laughed and talked with them. They left for home feeling better and comforted. Ed could no longer take care of her and they were planning to move to an apartment in Kennewick where I could help Ed take care of her. But Bertha passed away before they could move. It will be so wonderful to see her again in Heaven. How we will laugh and share! When I was old enough to have dates, Sis (Bertha) would go with us as a chaperone.
My boy friends weren't very happy about it, but I thought it was funny and was grateful for her to love me that much.
When Bertha and Ed had secrets, they conversed in German. Boy, did we ever learn to understand German, but never to speak it in the presence of Bertha and Ed. I now can only remember a very few words. That was a long time ago.
Ed and Bertha operated a dairy with 9 milk cows. They operated a cream separator and delivered door to door early each morning containers of fresh milk, cream, and eggs. Their January 1942 inventory, taken by Bertha included the following:
• Land $7000.00
• House 3500.00
• Barn 1800.00
• Fences 50.00
• Cream Separator 45.00
• Dairy Scales 2.50
• Cans 10.00
• Tools 10.00
• Manure Spreader 25.00
• 24 Sacks of Wheat
• 3 Tons Oats 102.00
• 1 Ton Dairy Feed 41.00
• 10 Tons Hay 1000.00
• 9 Milk Cows 810.00
• 1 Two Yr. Heifer 80.00
• 1 One Yr. Heifer 60.00
• 15 Hogs (1350 Lbs) 161.00
• 14 Hens 17.50
A major source of income for Ed was to purchase a run down place with the purpose of restoring it. He would install new floors, new cabinets, paint, landscape with a fish pond and rock garden, sell it, and start all over by purchasing another run down place. Our family considered Ed and Bertha to be quite wealthy. Ed and Bertha lent money to relatives and used the interest for income.
The Latah mountains were so pretty. Up on the Bluffs back of Ed and Bertha's house were beautiful flowers and so many dandelions that people would come from Spokane with wash tubs, boxes, buckets, and other containers to pick the dandelions. They used them to make wine. It was said that these dandelions made excellent wine. We never made any. We would go into the old houses that had been abandoned in the mountains and try to find something left behind. We would pick lots of
flowers and always stop at the cemetery and put flowers on Phi's grave. I would always cry, though I had never seen him. We would gather big arm loads of Easter lilies. I loved the summers there.
On Saturdays one of my jobs was to clean lamps and lanterns. I did not like this job. I had to trip off the wicks, clean the globes, and fill the bowls with kerosene. Mama always swabbed our throats when they were sore. She took a stick, put a clean cloth on the end, dipped it in kerosene, and swabbed our throats. It seemed like it really helped. One day Edgar wanted to swab my throat. Mama let him do it in spite of my protest. The swab came off the end of the stick and became stuck in my throat. I thought I was going to die from all my gagging and choking.
As children we were assigned a number of jobs. I don't know how much help we really were. I hope we helped to reduce the burdens from our poor parents. The one job I hated the worst was pushing potato bugs into a can of kerosine with a stick. I had some white rabbits. One was a real pet. I dressed it like a doll. One night the neighbor's barn burned down and I sat up all night with my rabbits watching it burn.
Maxine, Mabel, and I spent lots of time together during all of our school days. I have since lost track of Maxine, but Mabel and I still exchange Christmas cards and letters.
I had two very special friends in Latah. One was Maxine McCann and the other was Mabel Farrelly. Maxine lived in town only a few houses away from me. Her Father owned a store and kept Maxine and me supplied with candy and ribbons for our doll clothes. When Maxine's mother went shopping in Spokane, she would always bring me the same present home that she brought for Maxine.
One time when Maxine's mother was ill with a headache, we made some brown sugar candy. If you have ever used brown sugar, you know that it moves when it is poured out. We thought it was full of worms, so we threw it out. When Maxine's mother found out what we had done, she looked at us like she would liked to have killed us.
Maxine's mother would send us to the store to tell her father that her mother wanted some candy. He would get a big sack and place a handful of each type in it. They also owned the upstairs of the store which was made into a movie house. Maxine's little sister Eleanor was very special to me, as I was the youngest and didn't have any little brothers or sisters. Maxine's mother would tell me that if I would give Eleanor a bath, dress her in clean clothes, and comb her hair, that I could go free to the movies with them. I am surprised that my parents permitted me to go, but they did.
Exciting memories remain of events that took place in the movie house. One of these occurred during a Chateauguay. The Chateauguays were a combination of songs and dances, and were frequently conducted in the movie house. During this particular occasion, Veva and her girl friend were sitting up in front and Maxine and I were on the other side. One of the actors was singing "Peg of My Heart," a very sentimental song. He came down off of the stage, knelt in front of my sister Veva, held out his arms and sang the words of the song to her. While I was very proud of Veva, Maxine and I also experienced some feelings of jealousy.
Dances were also held at the same place where they had movies. One time I dared to attend the dance. Mama marched in and took me home in high gear. Papa sent me to bed without supper. I made up my mind then, that I would never punish my children with that method. Children are always very hungry.
Papa also used another method to punish me when he felt that I needed to be taught a lesson in growing up. He wrapped sugar into a piece of cloth and made a "sugar tit." I was then required to suck the sugar tit while standing in front of the front window to demonstrate that I had been acting like a baby. This was a very humiliating punishment.
When I was little, I had freckles, and how I hated them. I tried everything anyone told me, to get rid of them. One day the street in front of our house was plowed up and was going to be smoothed out the next morning. That night it had frozen very hard. I started to run to the neighbors to get something. I caught my foot in one of the ridges. I fell flat on my face. I really skinned it up badly, but I did not cry.
Mama asked me if it hurt badly. I said yes, but I did not have my freckles anymore. Mama did not have the heart to tell me that the new skin would freckle even worse.
Mabel and Maxine had straight hair. Their mother put up their hair with white rags to make their hair curly. So I wanted Mama to do mine that way. She tried to tell me it would be a mess, but I coaxed her into doing it. It turned out terrible. My natural curls and the ones created by the rags fought each other. Poor Mama had to wash my hair over again.
Kids never learn.
I wanted my hair cut so badly, but Papa said "No!" All my girl friends had their hair cut. So Papa finally conceded and said I could have my hair cut. It took the barber a long time to cut my curls. And when he got through, I went home crying to Mama because my hair was straight.
When Mama saw me, she laughed and washed my hair. It became all curly again.
Edgar and Richard McCann, Maxine's brother, loved to fight. They were pretty well matched and would wrestle and fight, even when
neither was angry. Maxine and I would become frightened and run home crying. They often chose street corners for their battles. I think they enjoyed the attention that they received.
Mabel lived in the country on a farm. I used to think it was wonderful to go to Farewells. We used to wade and catch crawdaddies in a creek that ran right past the barn. Farrelly's had chickens, cows, and horses. Mabel liked to stay in town, so we lots of time to have fun together at my home.
Mabel and I could not speak clearly. Our parents wondered if we would be able to go to school. I called myself "Emadibut." But as soon as we started to school, we could talk all right. I was spoiled and not forced to talk clearly. My son-in-law, Paul Pickett, said that I have never stopped talking since.
Mabel's Uncle John had four beautiful horses. He would hitch them to a big sleigh and take us sleigh riding. He put straw in the bottom of the sleigh with hot rocks at our feet to keep us from getting too cold. We would sing lots of songs and had a hair-raising time when he made the sleigh skid. We had such fun. We didn't even realize how poor, money wise, we were.
Mama loved to read to us at night, mostly from the Bible and Zane Grey. Mama would skip over the bad words in the Zane Grey books. We always wondered what the bad words were. I would go to sleep crosswise on two chairs. We always had popcorn and apples.
When Mama read to us, she held me on her legs with Edgar leaning up against her lap. Two of the stories were so special and wonderful to me that they remain in my memory even until today.
There was a family of four living on a big ranch with lots of trees all around it. The forest was filled with wild animals. The names of the family members are forgotten, but there was a papa, mama, a boy, and a girl. The girl, age 6, was the youngest, while her brother was eight. They owned a big dog named Chief.
The papa told the children, they would have to give the dog away, because it ate too much food and they could not afford to feed him. The children were heartbroken. The next day the parents went to town, which took them all day. The children were left with food to eat and told to bring the cows in before dark. The children played games and ate the food that was prepared for them. When it became time to bring in the cows, they put the dog in his pen and started into the fields. They walked a long way listening for the ringing sound of the bell attached to a strap around one of the cow's necks. They could not yet hear the bell and decided to search in separate directions. The little girl became lost. Because she was hot and tired, she sat on a log and began crying.
The parents arrived home to find the boy, the dog, and the cows; however, the little girl was missing. By this time it was late in the evening and it had become dark. They rang a large bell that was used to inform neighbors that something was wrong. After finding out what was wrong, a search party was formed and the girl's family and neighbors began to search for the lost girl with lanterns. After searching for hours, with no success, one of the neighbor men told the papa that Chief was trying to help, but couldn't, because he was closed up in his pen. The neighbor man persuaded the papa to let Chief out of his pen and to organize a search party to follow Chief.
As soon as Chief was set free, he put his nose to the ground to pick up the girls scent and began tracking with the searchers following behind. Soon Chief became very excited and began running. With joyous barking he stopped and just ahead was a frightened, but thankful girl, tired and crying.
The papa picked up the girl and carried her home where she was fed and loved. The papa told the children they would never give Chief away. Chief would have a home for the rest of his life.
Another story Mama told us was about a family that had moved onto a homestead. The homestead was so isolated that there were no neighbors. The family consisted of a papa, a mama, two little girls age five years and eight months old. The little girl was told to watch out for rattlesnakes that would rattle, and strike, for their bite was fatal.
The travel to the nearest town for supplies required a full week. The papa dreaded leaving for these occasions, but the family required the supplies. After the papa had left on one of these occasions, the mama went to the wood pile to collect wood. A rattlesnake had crawled under a log. Before the mama noticed it, the snake struck and bit her.
She did her best to get the poison out of the bite, but she knew she had not removed enough. Even though the weather was very hot, the mama built a big fire and brought in lots of wood. She baked bread, washed, ironed and cooked up a big kettle of gruel. She gave the girls a bath, combed their hair, and put clean clothes on them. She knew she didn't have enough time to get everything else finished. She carefully told the oldest girl that she was very tired and would soon have to go to bed and rest. She told the older girl how to take care of her baby sister, to feed her when she became hungry, to change her, and to keep her clean. She told her not to go outdoors at any time and not to put any wood on the stove.
The mama hugged and kissed the children and went into the bedroom and slipped into bed. She was soaking wet with sweat, but she was too weak to change her clothing.
When the papa came home, he was surprised that no one came to greet him. He knew at once that something was seriously wrong. After loving the girls, he went into the bedroom to find his wife in bed. He was not sure what had happened, but to his joy his wife was still alive, weak, then, but alive. She described to him what had happened. He told her that the work she had done so profusely while she prepared to keep her little girls safe, caused her to sweat so much that she had eliminated most of the poison out of her body.
Another story Mama told (my favorite one) was about a little yellow bird. She told this story to all of her children and grandchildren, but now none of us can remember the whole story. Bonnie and Donella helped me to remember the following portions of it:
There was a very ill girl. Knowing she was going to die soon, she became very depressed. Nothing could make her happy. Her mother's
heart was very sad and worried. One day as she lay suffering in her bed, not eating, not smiling, she looked toward the window where she heard a feeble pecking sound. There she saw a little yellow bird. The bird hopped around on the window sill and sang his little heart out.
Each day, as the girl approached her last day on earth, the bird returned to the window and brought her much needed happiness. Soon she quietly passed away. The little bird knew why the little girl was no longer there and it never returned. The mother watched and watched for the little yellow bird to return, but never saw the bird again. It had made her little girl die happy. Jesus had sent the little bird to comfort her and her mother. I cannot remember the rest of the story, but I always cried when Mama recited it to me.
Mama could tell such good stories. Bertha told us lots of stories that she made up but I don't remember all of them. One of them Sis (Bertha) told us that I vividly recall was about a wedding that took place in a castle. The young man and woman of the castle were so very much in love and a beautiful wedding was prepared for them. There were many guests and much food. After some of the relatives had left, the newly married couple and some of the younger couples decided to play "Hide 'n Seek." The couples went to hide, going in all directions. Finally they all returned except the newlywed bride. Everyone began searching for the bride. There was a song that went with the story, but all I can remember, "they hunted all day, they hunted until a week had passed away." The heartbroken groom finally had to give up, but remained in the castle the rest of his life. When he grew to be an old man, some of this great nephews and nieces wanted to play in the attic. They asked if they could wear some of the clothing that was in some old trunks up in the attic.
They were given permission and were soon opening the trunks and taking out clothing. One of the trunks was way back in a corner. Upon opening this one they were shocked to find a skeleton that had been wearing a bridal dress and veil. They called the old man and showed him what they had found. After all those years, he knew she had loved him dearly, but that the lid on the trunk had snapped shut. They had
hunted all around her, but couldn't hear her call. I always cried when Bertha told me this story. Bertha used to sing the whole song.
Whenever I was hurt, Bertha would tell me, "Honey," she'd say, "It will feel better when it quits hurting." This did not help. When Bertha was still living at home, Edgar started coughing and chocking. He just couldn't get his breath. Mama became very frightened. Bertha grabbed him by his little feet, held him upside down, and started shaking him up and down. Out of his mouth flew a little clock which was covered with blood. The family was very thankful and proud of Bertha. Bertha said that she had read somewhere how to do this.
Bertha loved to read. Every time she went to the bathroom, she picked up a magazine or a book. We all teased her, but she didn't mind at all. She was such a wonderful person. I loved her so dearly, she was a beautiful Christian. She died of cancer, but she seemed to suffer very little. Tyra and Nettie Stafford (Cousins in Spokane) came to visit Bertha filled with fear and remorse about Bertha's illness. She laughed and talked with them. They left for home feeling better and comforted. Ed could no longer take care of her and they were planning to move to an apartment in Kennewick where I could help Ed take care of her. But Bertha passed away before they could move. It will be so wonderful to see her again in Heaven. How we will laugh and share! When I was old enough to have dates, Sis (Bertha) would go with us as a chaperone.
My boy friends weren't very happy about it, but I thought it was funny and was grateful for her to love me that much.
When Bertha and Ed had secrets, they conversed in German. Boy, did we ever learn to understand German, but never to speak it in the presence of Bertha and Ed. I now can only remember a very few words. That was a long time ago.
Ed and Bertha operated a dairy with 9 milk cows. They operated a cream separator and delivered door to door early each morning containers of fresh milk, cream, and eggs. Their January 1942 inventory, taken by Bertha included the following:
• Land $7000.00
• House 3500.00
• Barn 1800.00
• Fences 50.00
• Cream Separator 45.00
• Dairy Scales 2.50
• Cans 10.00
• Tools 10.00
• Manure Spreader 25.00
• 24 Sacks of Wheat
• 3 Tons Oats 102.00
• 1 Ton Dairy Feed 41.00
• 10 Tons Hay 1000.00
• 9 Milk Cows 810.00
• 1 Two Yr. Heifer 80.00
• 1 One Yr. Heifer 60.00
• 15 Hogs (1350 Lbs) 161.00
• 14 Hens 17.50
A major source of income for Ed was to purchase a run down place with the purpose of restoring it. He would install new floors, new cabinets, paint, landscape with a fish pond and rock garden, sell it, and start all over by purchasing another run down place. Our family considered Ed and Bertha to be quite wealthy. Ed and Bertha lent money to relatives and used the interest for income.
The Latah mountains were so pretty. Up on the Bluffs back of Ed and Bertha's house were beautiful flowers and so many dandelions that people would come from Spokane with wash tubs, boxes, buckets, and other containers to pick the dandelions. They used them to make wine. It was said that these dandelions made excellent wine. We never made any. We would go into the old houses that had been abandoned in the mountains and try to find something left behind. We would pick lots of
flowers and always stop at the cemetery and put flowers on Phi's grave. I would always cry, though I had never seen him. We would gather big arm loads of Easter lilies. I loved the summers there.
On Saturdays one of my jobs was to clean lamps and lanterns. I did not like this job. I had to trip off the wicks, clean the globes, and fill the bowls with kerosene. Mama always swabbed our throats when they were sore. She took a stick, put a clean cloth on the end, dipped it in kerosene, and swabbed our throats. It seemed like it really helped. One day Edgar wanted to swab my throat. Mama let him do it in spite of my protest. The swab came off the end of the stick and became stuck in my throat. I thought I was going to die from all my gagging and choking.
As children we were assigned a number of jobs. I don't know how much help we really were. I hope we helped to reduce the burdens from our poor parents. The one job I hated the worst was pushing potato bugs into a can of kerosine with a stick. I had some white rabbits. One was a real pet. I dressed it like a doll. One night the neighbor's barn burned down and I sat up all night with my rabbits watching it burn.
Maxine, Mabel, and I spent lots of time together during all of our school days. I have since lost track of Maxine, but Mabel and I still exchange Christmas cards and letters.
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GROWING UP
When Edgar got his first new suit with long pants, he was very proud of them. Mama told him not to ride his bicycle in his new suit. But Edgar was so anxious to go for a ride that he forgot to change. He went for a ride, ran into a barbed wire fence, and tore his new suit. Mama felt really bad and patched the new suit so that the damages did not show very much. Edgar felt real bad.
Edgar was always very good to me. He would take me to parties and wait outside, because Papa would not let me go alone. We spent lots of time together. Veva was so much older than we were that she no longer enjoyed much of our childish play and we were not able to spend much time with her. Edgar got angry with Veva one day. After we had gone to bed, he took me out and spanked me. The spanking was intended for Veva, but Veva and I had changed sides in the bed. Edgar felt really bad when he discovered his mistake.
Don't ever let your brother teach you how to ice skate! Edgar was very patient with me in most things, but not ice skating. He felt he was wasting good skating time in teaching a baby sister. But one of the boys in my grade taught me. We had so much fun cracking the whip on ice. I was generally at the end.
A boy I went to school with came to our home and invited me to join him in ice skating. Mama wouldn't let me go, and I thought I was really being deprived. But a short time later he returned. He had broken through the ice and was sure wet and cold. I was very happy Mama had made me stay at home. My little Mama was very wise.
Older children in grade school loved to tease me about my long curls. The bell tower in the Bell School was home to many bats that came down out of the tower at night. The bats not only flew around the school yard, but also flew into the school house on evenings when the
door and windows were open during evening programs. I was told that bats would fly onto my head, crawl into my curls, and tear my hair out. To this day I still have a fear of bats.
My parents attended school only through the fourth grade. Mama advanced her education by studying along with us. Papa always seemed to know the answers to our math problems without doing any figuring. He seemed to be very intelligent even though he had not attended school beyond the fourth grade.
When I was in the first grades of school, all the children took time out from doing school work to learn to knit. We knitted sweaters for our boys in World War I.
Bertha was very good to Edgar and me. She was a mother and a sister both to me and to Edgar. One of my teachers, Marion, was a very good looking young lady. She took a liking to me and shared candy and flowers with me that she received from her boy friend. One day she became angry with me about something and gave me failing grades on my report card. Bertha took one look at my report card, marched up to the school house, and showed my other report cards with grades in the 90's to Mr. Starling, the principal. Mr. Starling told Bertha he would take care of it. When confronted by Mr. Starling, Marion cried and said she was so sorry. She made everything right on my grades. I still loved her. She sent me greeting cards and photos of her family after she was married.
When I was in the fourth grade, we were given shots for Scarlet Fever. Our principal, Gus Schlaugh, lived with Bertha and Ed. He teased me a lot. I sure thought he was great. I was terrified while we were getting ready and waiting for the shots at school. I asked, "Gus, do I really had to have the shots?" Gus angrily told me, in front of the class, "Never call me Gus. You must call me Mister Schlaugh, and nothing else."
I never liked him again after he reprimanded me for calling him Gus. He later told me how sorry he was and he told Bertha that he had made a serious mistake by saying what he had said to me in front of the class.
I was in high school before I could forgive him. Even then things were never as they had been before.
One day Edgar and I were walking home at noon for lunch and Edgar got stung by a yellow jacket. I laughed. Edgar said, "I hope you get stung going back to school." I was stung twice. During class I went up the school teacher and told her I did not feel well. She took one look at me and said, "Elma, you are broken all out in hives. Go home and have your mother put you in a soda bath." I was so feverish and so sick, but I had a date to go to my girlfriend's party. I got out of bed and started for the kitchen. I fainted and fell on the floor. When I awakened, Veva had poured a whole bucket of cold water on me. Edgar felt very sorry for me and guilty. That helped some.
One night, real late, someone beat on the front door. Veva and I were afraid, but I opened it to see who was there. There stood an Indian covered with blood. He and his wife had hit the pole that was in the center of the street with his car. He asked to use our telephone. We were very frightened and tried to explain to him that we did not have a telephone. Finally he left. Whenever a blizzard hit, the teachers would send us home. Edgar and I had to hurry home to get in kindling, wood, and coal. We had to work fast, and bring in a lot of it. Fierce blizzards often lasted up to three days. Lots of mornings we got out of bed and found snow on the floor.
Before we left Latah, we lived in a house that was quite roomy. Mama, Veva, and I slept in a large bedroom that had a walk-in closet. Papa and Edgar slept in a smaller bedroom. The house had a parlor, dining room, kitchen, a pantry built under the stairway, a hall way, and a wash room built onto the house. Even though Veva and I knew the pantry had to be cleaned out every Saturday, we still put little dabs of food away. Then on Saturday, we had to clear out every dish and clear each shelf. Kids never learn!
To go to the outhouse, we had to go down a walkway, turn, and then go down another walkway. Winters in Latah were very severe. When we had blizzards, we would get out of bed and step into snow, so cold, and then walk through the cold to the outhouse. The seats were covered
with snow. The catalogues we used for paper were wet and snowy. Sometimes we used newspapers such as the Cappers Weekly which we received monthly. It had very interesting continued stories. We could hardly wait for the next issue to read about what happened next. We even found snow on the floor. Papa was so cold all the time. The down stairs were always warm.
We had prayer meetings in groves of trees. They would last so long that I would go to sleep on a bench. Children were spread around on benches, dirty, tired, and sleeping. Papa kept me awake as long as he could. During one camp meeting, the director chose a new song. The folks couldn't remember the words, so I hummed the tune. They were all very surprised.
My parents were peculiar in some ways. We were not allowed to play Pinochle on Sunday, but we could play Rook and Pit, which was a wild game. We were not allowed to square dance, but we could play the "Virginia Reel" which is similar to square dancing. We were not allowed to play any kind of game, such as tennis, baseball, or basketball on Sundays. We survived, so I guess it was all right. Our neighbors, Mabel and Maxine, were not restricted from playing these games on Sunday.
We had lots of fun growing up at Latah in the summer time. We took numerous walks, picked many beautiful wild flowers, and went on wonderful picnics. In the winter we coasted, skated, and went on sleigh rides. We could ice skate seven miles to Tekoa and come back by train for 10 cents. We would start coasting at the school house, come clear down the hill to the main street, turn right toward the depot, then cut up over the hill and be ready to start again. So many turned out to coast, including grownups and even the teachers. The next day we would find a penny or nickel where people had been sliding down the hill, belly buster.
When Edgar got his first new suit with long pants, he was very proud of them. Mama told him not to ride his bicycle in his new suit. But Edgar was so anxious to go for a ride that he forgot to change. He went for a ride, ran into a barbed wire fence, and tore his new suit. Mama felt really bad and patched the new suit so that the damages did not show very much. Edgar felt real bad.
Edgar was always very good to me. He would take me to parties and wait outside, because Papa would not let me go alone. We spent lots of time together. Veva was so much older than we were that she no longer enjoyed much of our childish play and we were not able to spend much time with her. Edgar got angry with Veva one day. After we had gone to bed, he took me out and spanked me. The spanking was intended for Veva, but Veva and I had changed sides in the bed. Edgar felt really bad when he discovered his mistake.
Don't ever let your brother teach you how to ice skate! Edgar was very patient with me in most things, but not ice skating. He felt he was wasting good skating time in teaching a baby sister. But one of the boys in my grade taught me. We had so much fun cracking the whip on ice. I was generally at the end.
A boy I went to school with came to our home and invited me to join him in ice skating. Mama wouldn't let me go, and I thought I was really being deprived. But a short time later he returned. He had broken through the ice and was sure wet and cold. I was very happy Mama had made me stay at home. My little Mama was very wise.
Older children in grade school loved to tease me about my long curls. The bell tower in the Bell School was home to many bats that came down out of the tower at night. The bats not only flew around the school yard, but also flew into the school house on evenings when the
door and windows were open during evening programs. I was told that bats would fly onto my head, crawl into my curls, and tear my hair out. To this day I still have a fear of bats.
My parents attended school only through the fourth grade. Mama advanced her education by studying along with us. Papa always seemed to know the answers to our math problems without doing any figuring. He seemed to be very intelligent even though he had not attended school beyond the fourth grade.
When I was in the first grades of school, all the children took time out from doing school work to learn to knit. We knitted sweaters for our boys in World War I.
Bertha was very good to Edgar and me. She was a mother and a sister both to me and to Edgar. One of my teachers, Marion, was a very good looking young lady. She took a liking to me and shared candy and flowers with me that she received from her boy friend. One day she became angry with me about something and gave me failing grades on my report card. Bertha took one look at my report card, marched up to the school house, and showed my other report cards with grades in the 90's to Mr. Starling, the principal. Mr. Starling told Bertha he would take care of it. When confronted by Mr. Starling, Marion cried and said she was so sorry. She made everything right on my grades. I still loved her. She sent me greeting cards and photos of her family after she was married.
When I was in the fourth grade, we were given shots for Scarlet Fever. Our principal, Gus Schlaugh, lived with Bertha and Ed. He teased me a lot. I sure thought he was great. I was terrified while we were getting ready and waiting for the shots at school. I asked, "Gus, do I really had to have the shots?" Gus angrily told me, in front of the class, "Never call me Gus. You must call me Mister Schlaugh, and nothing else."
I never liked him again after he reprimanded me for calling him Gus. He later told me how sorry he was and he told Bertha that he had made a serious mistake by saying what he had said to me in front of the class.
I was in high school before I could forgive him. Even then things were never as they had been before.
One day Edgar and I were walking home at noon for lunch and Edgar got stung by a yellow jacket. I laughed. Edgar said, "I hope you get stung going back to school." I was stung twice. During class I went up the school teacher and told her I did not feel well. She took one look at me and said, "Elma, you are broken all out in hives. Go home and have your mother put you in a soda bath." I was so feverish and so sick, but I had a date to go to my girlfriend's party. I got out of bed and started for the kitchen. I fainted and fell on the floor. When I awakened, Veva had poured a whole bucket of cold water on me. Edgar felt very sorry for me and guilty. That helped some.
One night, real late, someone beat on the front door. Veva and I were afraid, but I opened it to see who was there. There stood an Indian covered with blood. He and his wife had hit the pole that was in the center of the street with his car. He asked to use our telephone. We were very frightened and tried to explain to him that we did not have a telephone. Finally he left. Whenever a blizzard hit, the teachers would send us home. Edgar and I had to hurry home to get in kindling, wood, and coal. We had to work fast, and bring in a lot of it. Fierce blizzards often lasted up to three days. Lots of mornings we got out of bed and found snow on the floor.
Before we left Latah, we lived in a house that was quite roomy. Mama, Veva, and I slept in a large bedroom that had a walk-in closet. Papa and Edgar slept in a smaller bedroom. The house had a parlor, dining room, kitchen, a pantry built under the stairway, a hall way, and a wash room built onto the house. Even though Veva and I knew the pantry had to be cleaned out every Saturday, we still put little dabs of food away. Then on Saturday, we had to clear out every dish and clear each shelf. Kids never learn!
To go to the outhouse, we had to go down a walkway, turn, and then go down another walkway. Winters in Latah were very severe. When we had blizzards, we would get out of bed and step into snow, so cold, and then walk through the cold to the outhouse. The seats were covered
with snow. The catalogues we used for paper were wet and snowy. Sometimes we used newspapers such as the Cappers Weekly which we received monthly. It had very interesting continued stories. We could hardly wait for the next issue to read about what happened next. We even found snow on the floor. Papa was so cold all the time. The down stairs were always warm.
We had prayer meetings in groves of trees. They would last so long that I would go to sleep on a bench. Children were spread around on benches, dirty, tired, and sleeping. Papa kept me awake as long as he could. During one camp meeting, the director chose a new song. The folks couldn't remember the words, so I hummed the tune. They were all very surprised.
My parents were peculiar in some ways. We were not allowed to play Pinochle on Sunday, but we could play Rook and Pit, which was a wild game. We were not allowed to square dance, but we could play the "Virginia Reel" which is similar to square dancing. We were not allowed to play any kind of game, such as tennis, baseball, or basketball on Sundays. We survived, so I guess it was all right. Our neighbors, Mabel and Maxine, were not restricted from playing these games on Sunday.
We had lots of fun growing up at Latah in the summer time. We took numerous walks, picked many beautiful wild flowers, and went on wonderful picnics. In the winter we coasted, skated, and went on sleigh rides. We could ice skate seven miles to Tekoa and come back by train for 10 cents. We would start coasting at the school house, come clear down the hill to the main street, turn right toward the depot, then cut up over the hill and be ready to start again. So many turned out to coast, including grownups and even the teachers. The next day we would find a penny or nickel where people had been sliding down the hill, belly buster.
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GRANDFATHERS
Grandpa Gilbert had a wandering foot. Every time the family would get settled, begin to prosper, and have plenty to eat, he would go some place else. That is why Papa was in the gold mines in California when Phi died of diphtheria. When Grandpa Gilbert was in the gold mines, he found a gold nugget that he had fashioned into a broach for Grandma. It is very pretty. My sister Veva has it now. That nugget was about all they found in the gold mines.
Edgar and I never saw either of our Grandpas. Both my Grandfathers, Grandpa Gilbert and Grandpa Tozier died before I was born. My older sister Veva shared many stories about my Grandfathers. She told me she sat on their laps while being told many wonderful stories. I always regretted that my older sister Veva had known her Grandfathers and had loved them so much, but I was not able to know them and could learn about them only through Veva's stories. My great Grandpa Tozier fought in the Civil War and developed severe rheumatism from taking cover from the enemy and sleeping in wet trenches. This caused him to die quite young. Veva said that he was a very sweet person.
Grandpa Gilbert had a wandering foot. Every time the family would get settled, begin to prosper, and have plenty to eat, he would go some place else. That is why Papa was in the gold mines in California when Phi died of diphtheria. When Grandpa Gilbert was in the gold mines, he found a gold nugget that he had fashioned into a broach for Grandma. It is very pretty. My sister Veva has it now. That nugget was about all they found in the gold mines.
Edgar and I never saw either of our Grandpas. Both my Grandfathers, Grandpa Gilbert and Grandpa Tozier died before I was born. My older sister Veva shared many stories about my Grandfathers. She told me she sat on their laps while being told many wonderful stories. I always regretted that my older sister Veva had known her Grandfathers and had loved them so much, but I was not able to know them and could learn about them only through Veva's stories. My great Grandpa Tozier fought in the Civil War and developed severe rheumatism from taking cover from the enemy and sleeping in wet trenches. This caused him to die quite young. Veva said that he was a very sweet person.
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RETURN TO LATAH
When I was about six years old, Mama decided to return to Latah. I felt rather sad at leaving our homestead, but it was too hard on Mama.
Daddy wouldn't permit Edgar and me to bring our arrow heads as we were so crowded for room. I cried because I had a whole coffee can full of perfect ones. I think it is so strange that I can't remember the trip home (only about having to leave our arrowheads), but I can remember all of our trips going to Dubois. Maybe I was in shock. We must have come home by train. Veva couldn't help me to remember. She also didn't remember.
Mama bought Ed and Bertha's house located near the bank in Latah. Mama worked at any job she could get. Mama took in washing and ironing, and worked in the Latah Hotel. She would sort peas all day and wash and iron for others at night. She cooked in a cook shack during harvest and also sewed and took care of sick people. There was no one who could equal my Mama. She worked so hard and always had time for us kids. Any work that was honest she would do, but she would never accept any charity. As I look back, I cannot believe Mama did all the work she had to do. The Lord really gave her extra strength. She was such a wonderful Christian and had so much faith.
We always had enough to eat and always gave our tithe to the church. We had a cow and a garden which helped. We also had chickens and rabbits. One time Mama had saved money for a new dress, but instead gave it to the church as part of our tithe. We wondered why she did that and if we would have enough money for food. The next morning there was a quarter of a beef left on our back porch. Our wonderful Lord provided the food that we needed.
GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TOZIER
Mama had only one little sister, Effie. Effie passed away when she was very young and when Mama was only four years old. Mama's mother died also when Mama was only four years old. Mama wanted a little brother or sister and was brokenhearted when Effie died.
Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Tozier raised Mama. They also took in a little child named Minnie who did not have any parents. I remember Aunt Minnie. She always felt so much better off than the rest of us, because she married a doctor. I liked her husband much better than I liked her.
Mama felt that she made a mistake when she ran away with Papa and married him when she was only 15 years old. She wanted to marry Edgar, but Great Grandfather and Great Grandma Tozier insisted that she wait until she was older. They had been very good to Mama and raised her from the time she was only four years old. Mama was very young when she married Papa, but she seemed older than she really was. She had been a good helper to Great Grandfather and Great Grandma Tozier.
My Great Grandma (Anna Mae Tozier) lived in Rockford, Washington before she came to stay with us in Latah. Edgar and I loved to go on the train to visit her. The one-way fare cost 25 cents for children less than 12 years of age and 50 cents for adults. Edgar was so large for his age that the conductor would not believe him or Mama when they explained that he was not yet 12 years old.
My Great Grandma (Anna Mae Tozier) lived with us for several years. She would tell Edgar and me such wonderful stories. Great Grandma Tozier used to tell us that while crossing the plains they would put the milk in buckets and hang them up. When evening came they would have butter all churned from the milk going back and forth from the movement of the wagons. When they would meet a circuit preacher, they would have wonderful revival meetings and bring out their best food. They used juice from the pies for communion.
The Civil War was before my time and the little I heard about it was from my Great Grandma Tozier. She told about Grandpa going to war with thoughts of winning the war very soon and coming back home, but when he came home he was a very sick man. He had spent so many days and nights in wet trenches, that he had developed inflammatory rheumatism. He died within a few years, after suffering very badly most of the time.
It was a tragic war, brothers against brothers, and fathers against sons. It tore our nation apart. Beautiful homes and plantations were entirely wiped out. People were forced to suffer from starvation and exposure to bad weather. The became discouraged, ragged, and experienced much suffering. There was little or no hope left for the future, faced with loved ones dead, crippled, and dying. Some of them took heart and restarted their lives again. Some families stayed together, but many were never rejoined.
I always hated to have my teeth pulled, and I hated for Papa to look into my mouth. I had a front one so loose that it was just hanging. Papa told me that if I did not pull it before I went back to school, he would pull it. Great Grandma, Anna Mae Tozier, told me she would give me 25 cents if I pulled my tooth. So I would not get in trouble. I finally went outside and pulled it.
Great Grandma Tozier could tat so beautifully. Tatting is somewhat like crocheting, but it is done with a shuttle instead of a hook. Doilies, brassiere covering, table runners, and bedspreads were made by tatting. Tatting is more complicated that knitting or crocheting. Bonnie still has Bertha's shuttle. I can still do some tatting, but I can't draw the thread up into flowers like it is supposed to be done. It is a very dainty and almost forgotten art, but it is gradually coming back.
I learned to knit in grade school. We spent many hours at a time knitting sweaters that were like vests for our military boys to keep their chests warm. We felt so good about it as we knew we were helping the war in our own small way.
Great Grandma Tozier made each one of us a tatted doily. She finished mine just before she died. And how I missed her after she was gone.
She kept all of her things in the parlor where I would dress and undress with her. When she got pneumonia and passed away, it nearly broke my heart. I grieved and cried so hard the day of the funeral that I couldn't eat. I was extremely offended because others ate. My girl friends all loved her too. She was a wonderful Christian woman.
When I was about six years old, Mama decided to return to Latah. I felt rather sad at leaving our homestead, but it was too hard on Mama.
Daddy wouldn't permit Edgar and me to bring our arrow heads as we were so crowded for room. I cried because I had a whole coffee can full of perfect ones. I think it is so strange that I can't remember the trip home (only about having to leave our arrowheads), but I can remember all of our trips going to Dubois. Maybe I was in shock. We must have come home by train. Veva couldn't help me to remember. She also didn't remember.
Mama bought Ed and Bertha's house located near the bank in Latah. Mama worked at any job she could get. Mama took in washing and ironing, and worked in the Latah Hotel. She would sort peas all day and wash and iron for others at night. She cooked in a cook shack during harvest and also sewed and took care of sick people. There was no one who could equal my Mama. She worked so hard and always had time for us kids. Any work that was honest she would do, but she would never accept any charity. As I look back, I cannot believe Mama did all the work she had to do. The Lord really gave her extra strength. She was such a wonderful Christian and had so much faith.
We always had enough to eat and always gave our tithe to the church. We had a cow and a garden which helped. We also had chickens and rabbits. One time Mama had saved money for a new dress, but instead gave it to the church as part of our tithe. We wondered why she did that and if we would have enough money for food. The next morning there was a quarter of a beef left on our back porch. Our wonderful Lord provided the food that we needed.
GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TOZIER
Mama had only one little sister, Effie. Effie passed away when she was very young and when Mama was only four years old. Mama's mother died also when Mama was only four years old. Mama wanted a little brother or sister and was brokenhearted when Effie died.
Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Tozier raised Mama. They also took in a little child named Minnie who did not have any parents. I remember Aunt Minnie. She always felt so much better off than the rest of us, because she married a doctor. I liked her husband much better than I liked her.
Mama felt that she made a mistake when she ran away with Papa and married him when she was only 15 years old. She wanted to marry Edgar, but Great Grandfather and Great Grandma Tozier insisted that she wait until she was older. They had been very good to Mama and raised her from the time she was only four years old. Mama was very young when she married Papa, but she seemed older than she really was. She had been a good helper to Great Grandfather and Great Grandma Tozier.
My Great Grandma (Anna Mae Tozier) lived in Rockford, Washington before she came to stay with us in Latah. Edgar and I loved to go on the train to visit her. The one-way fare cost 25 cents for children less than 12 years of age and 50 cents for adults. Edgar was so large for his age that the conductor would not believe him or Mama when they explained that he was not yet 12 years old.
My Great Grandma (Anna Mae Tozier) lived with us for several years. She would tell Edgar and me such wonderful stories. Great Grandma Tozier used to tell us that while crossing the plains they would put the milk in buckets and hang them up. When evening came they would have butter all churned from the milk going back and forth from the movement of the wagons. When they would meet a circuit preacher, they would have wonderful revival meetings and bring out their best food. They used juice from the pies for communion.
The Civil War was before my time and the little I heard about it was from my Great Grandma Tozier. She told about Grandpa going to war with thoughts of winning the war very soon and coming back home, but when he came home he was a very sick man. He had spent so many days and nights in wet trenches, that he had developed inflammatory rheumatism. He died within a few years, after suffering very badly most of the time.
It was a tragic war, brothers against brothers, and fathers against sons. It tore our nation apart. Beautiful homes and plantations were entirely wiped out. People were forced to suffer from starvation and exposure to bad weather. The became discouraged, ragged, and experienced much suffering. There was little or no hope left for the future, faced with loved ones dead, crippled, and dying. Some of them took heart and restarted their lives again. Some families stayed together, but many were never rejoined.
I always hated to have my teeth pulled, and I hated for Papa to look into my mouth. I had a front one so loose that it was just hanging. Papa told me that if I did not pull it before I went back to school, he would pull it. Great Grandma, Anna Mae Tozier, told me she would give me 25 cents if I pulled my tooth. So I would not get in trouble. I finally went outside and pulled it.
Great Grandma Tozier could tat so beautifully. Tatting is somewhat like crocheting, but it is done with a shuttle instead of a hook. Doilies, brassiere covering, table runners, and bedspreads were made by tatting. Tatting is more complicated that knitting or crocheting. Bonnie still has Bertha's shuttle. I can still do some tatting, but I can't draw the thread up into flowers like it is supposed to be done. It is a very dainty and almost forgotten art, but it is gradually coming back.
I learned to knit in grade school. We spent many hours at a time knitting sweaters that were like vests for our military boys to keep their chests warm. We felt so good about it as we knew we were helping the war in our own small way.
Great Grandma Tozier made each one of us a tatted doily. She finished mine just before she died. And how I missed her after she was gone.
She kept all of her things in the parlor where I would dress and undress with her. When she got pneumonia and passed away, it nearly broke my heart. I grieved and cried so hard the day of the funeral that I couldn't eat. I was extremely offended because others ate. My girl friends all loved her too. She was a wonderful Christian woman.
- tristanbgilb
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HOMESTEADING IN DUBOIS
When I was five years old, Father, Uncle Carol (my Papa's brother), Guy (my older brother), and their families decided to homestead in Southern Idaho, near Dubois. The men went first to build shelters for us and the rest of our family who were coming later. I'll never forget that trip. All of us were loaded down, each with something to be responsible for. It was a hard trip for all of us, with the wait overs and all, but the worst was yet to come.
When we first arrived at Dubois, we were surprised that Father wasn't there to meet us, just Uncle Carol. It was so cold we nearly froze and Uncle Carol kept putting Mama's questions off. We all knew something was wrong. He kept singing, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary." To this day when I hear that song I think of that long, cold trip in a long wagon bed covered with lots of blankets and hot rocks, and still freezing.
When we arrived, we found that Papa had suffered a stroke and his left side was completely paralyzed, all except his heart. It nearly broke our hearts to see Papa like that.
Leslie Nendell and Alma Marie were born to my brother Guy and his wife Marie in Latah before we moved to Dubois. Their third child, Gene, was born after they moved with us to Dubois. We all thought Gene was so wonderful. Edgar and I would take our little red wagon to Guy's and pick up the dirty clothes and Mama would wash them nice and clean; then we would return the cleaned clothes to Guy and Marie.
Edgar and I had lots of fun at the homestead. We hunted arrow heads and found Indian pipes, mortars, pestles, hunting knives, war clubs, spears (sometimes with handles), axes, and scrapers scattered all over the surface of the ground, and often around old camp fire sites.
I was so bashful that I made my own life a misery. One day Father took the team and drove us about three miles to our nearest neighbor's home. After we got there, he said that we would stay for dinner. Our neighbors had two boys who teased me until I ran away.
I started for home, only in the wrong direction. I kept walking until I came to some Indian wigwams and could hear jabbering. I started running. I ran until I finally came to Guy's place and recognized where I was. I think that if the folks had not been so worried and I so frightened, I would have gotten a good spanking. However, Mama just loved me and fed me. I was completely worn out, and so dirty and hot.
Our cow was so gentle that Edgar would milk one side while at the same time I milked the other side. We rode horseback after the cows. We had a horse that was very gentle and we loved her dearly, but one day she ate loco weed and had to be shot. We cried and cried.
We ate lots of wild rabbits and squirrels. I would eat rabbit, but not squirrel. Edgar and I would chase wild baby rabbits until we were exhausted. And when we would take them home, Mama would tell us to turn them loose, or they would die. When they died, we would conduct a funeral for them.
One day while we were outside, we saw my brother Guy running into our cabin with a gun. Papa called us into the cabin and told us not to go outside. While looking out of the window we saw a rabid coyote running in a straight line and foaming at the mouth.
Papa fell one day, just in front of a rattlesnake. Several of us small children were with him when he fell. A neighbor killed the snake, just as it began to coil to strike at Papa. It really was a miracle that we were never bitten by a rattlesnake. There were many snakes in this region.
Another fearful creature was the tick. They were also very plentiful. One became lodged in my ear. Papa had to dig it out. It seemed like it took a long time for me to completely heal from that tick bite.
The trips to Dubois from the homestead were the highlights of our lives as it took all day to go by buggy. We started early in the morning, but didn't arrive until late at night. We had to ford deep waters. We were followed by range cattle that attempted to fight the horses. The Gypsies and the Indians would try to race or trade horses with us and became quite angry when Father refused. We always got candy on these trips and something special to eat, though we didn't get to go very often.
Uncle Carol's family always bought a lot of mustard and just piled it on their bread.
Veva did not move with us to Idaho when I went with Mama and Edgar. She stayed with Bertha to finish her school year. We were so excited when she was coming to visit us, as we had so missed her. She was 16 and very pretty. There were two bachelors in our neighborhood that could hardly wait until she arrived. But Veva did not care for them, except as friends.
Our cabin wasn't very big, but Mama made a home out of it. We had one bedroom located in the loft. Papa slept in the loft. One day while Papa and I were sleeping in the loft, some company came and visited with Mama and the other children in the living room. I had an accident and wet the bed. I was afraid that Papa would be very angry with me. Instead, Papa was very sweet and understanding about it.
Mama had to work so very hard doing the work of a man along with her own work. The one thing Edgar and I didn't like to do was grub sage brush. The only wood we had to burn was sagebrush and it took a lot of it. The sage brush was so high, one had to be on a horse to see over it. We used a shovel to dig the sage, and a saw and an axe to cut it into stove lengths. We loaded the sage into our little wagon and pulled it home. We also gathered buffalo chips for fuel, but never saw any buffalo.
Often we would hide under the manger in the barn when we were called to grub sage brush. Guy never did find our hiding place. I am ashamed of this now when I think how hard everyone had to work.
If we would or could have stayed on our homestead, we would have made money from its appreciation. Guy, Leslie, and Leslie's wife, Helen, went back many years later and found the land to be under cultivation. Many artesian wells had been developed to water wonderful crops, and there were many lovely homes. But no way could we have stayed. Mama was working way beyond her physical and emotional strength and endurance, and so was Guy.
When I was five years old, Father, Uncle Carol (my Papa's brother), Guy (my older brother), and their families decided to homestead in Southern Idaho, near Dubois. The men went first to build shelters for us and the rest of our family who were coming later. I'll never forget that trip. All of us were loaded down, each with something to be responsible for. It was a hard trip for all of us, with the wait overs and all, but the worst was yet to come.
When we first arrived at Dubois, we were surprised that Father wasn't there to meet us, just Uncle Carol. It was so cold we nearly froze and Uncle Carol kept putting Mama's questions off. We all knew something was wrong. He kept singing, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary." To this day when I hear that song I think of that long, cold trip in a long wagon bed covered with lots of blankets and hot rocks, and still freezing.
When we arrived, we found that Papa had suffered a stroke and his left side was completely paralyzed, all except his heart. It nearly broke our hearts to see Papa like that.
Leslie Nendell and Alma Marie were born to my brother Guy and his wife Marie in Latah before we moved to Dubois. Their third child, Gene, was born after they moved with us to Dubois. We all thought Gene was so wonderful. Edgar and I would take our little red wagon to Guy's and pick up the dirty clothes and Mama would wash them nice and clean; then we would return the cleaned clothes to Guy and Marie.
Edgar and I had lots of fun at the homestead. We hunted arrow heads and found Indian pipes, mortars, pestles, hunting knives, war clubs, spears (sometimes with handles), axes, and scrapers scattered all over the surface of the ground, and often around old camp fire sites.
I was so bashful that I made my own life a misery. One day Father took the team and drove us about three miles to our nearest neighbor's home. After we got there, he said that we would stay for dinner. Our neighbors had two boys who teased me until I ran away.
I started for home, only in the wrong direction. I kept walking until I came to some Indian wigwams and could hear jabbering. I started running. I ran until I finally came to Guy's place and recognized where I was. I think that if the folks had not been so worried and I so frightened, I would have gotten a good spanking. However, Mama just loved me and fed me. I was completely worn out, and so dirty and hot.
Our cow was so gentle that Edgar would milk one side while at the same time I milked the other side. We rode horseback after the cows. We had a horse that was very gentle and we loved her dearly, but one day she ate loco weed and had to be shot. We cried and cried.
We ate lots of wild rabbits and squirrels. I would eat rabbit, but not squirrel. Edgar and I would chase wild baby rabbits until we were exhausted. And when we would take them home, Mama would tell us to turn them loose, or they would die. When they died, we would conduct a funeral for them.
One day while we were outside, we saw my brother Guy running into our cabin with a gun. Papa called us into the cabin and told us not to go outside. While looking out of the window we saw a rabid coyote running in a straight line and foaming at the mouth.
Papa fell one day, just in front of a rattlesnake. Several of us small children were with him when he fell. A neighbor killed the snake, just as it began to coil to strike at Papa. It really was a miracle that we were never bitten by a rattlesnake. There were many snakes in this region.
Another fearful creature was the tick. They were also very plentiful. One became lodged in my ear. Papa had to dig it out. It seemed like it took a long time for me to completely heal from that tick bite.
The trips to Dubois from the homestead were the highlights of our lives as it took all day to go by buggy. We started early in the morning, but didn't arrive until late at night. We had to ford deep waters. We were followed by range cattle that attempted to fight the horses. The Gypsies and the Indians would try to race or trade horses with us and became quite angry when Father refused. We always got candy on these trips and something special to eat, though we didn't get to go very often.
Uncle Carol's family always bought a lot of mustard and just piled it on their bread.
Veva did not move with us to Idaho when I went with Mama and Edgar. She stayed with Bertha to finish her school year. We were so excited when she was coming to visit us, as we had so missed her. She was 16 and very pretty. There were two bachelors in our neighborhood that could hardly wait until she arrived. But Veva did not care for them, except as friends.
Our cabin wasn't very big, but Mama made a home out of it. We had one bedroom located in the loft. Papa slept in the loft. One day while Papa and I were sleeping in the loft, some company came and visited with Mama and the other children in the living room. I had an accident and wet the bed. I was afraid that Papa would be very angry with me. Instead, Papa was very sweet and understanding about it.
Mama had to work so very hard doing the work of a man along with her own work. The one thing Edgar and I didn't like to do was grub sage brush. The only wood we had to burn was sagebrush and it took a lot of it. The sage brush was so high, one had to be on a horse to see over it. We used a shovel to dig the sage, and a saw and an axe to cut it into stove lengths. We loaded the sage into our little wagon and pulled it home. We also gathered buffalo chips for fuel, but never saw any buffalo.
Often we would hide under the manger in the barn when we were called to grub sage brush. Guy never did find our hiding place. I am ashamed of this now when I think how hard everyone had to work.
If we would or could have stayed on our homestead, we would have made money from its appreciation. Guy, Leslie, and Leslie's wife, Helen, went back many years later and found the land to be under cultivation. Many artesian wells had been developed to water wonderful crops, and there were many lovely homes. But no way could we have stayed. Mama was working way beyond her physical and emotional strength and endurance, and so was Guy.
- tristanbgilb
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JOURNEY OF JOY
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAGENAAR
BEGINNING IN LATAH
I was born March 4, 1908, in Latah, a very small farming town with a population of approximately 200 persons in the eastern part of Washington State. Latah had a bank, a hotel, a grocery store, and a general store that included a post office.
My parents were Edgar Rollen and Anna Mae (Tozier) Gilbert. They loved to sing. Papa had a beautiful tenor voice; Mama sang alto. Papa was tall, one inch shorter than six feet, very slender, and very handsome. He was raised by his grandparents. My Grandma Gilbert had four big boys and two girls. When they got into trouble, she wouldn't try to catch them. She would wait until they were in bed and asleep. Then she would take a stick and really use it. She was the boss of the family.
At age 36 Grandma Gilbert went through the menopause. She thought she was pregnant. She left Grandpa and moved into Spokane. When she found the cause of her illness, she came back home and had to make things right with Grandpa. My Grandpa Gilbert had an itchy foot. He loved to travel and work in the gold mines.
My mother was raised by her great grandparents, as her mother died when she was only four years old. Through her married life she carried a secret of which she was ashamed. She never told this secret to her children, including me. I found out about it because her oldest son, Guy, told his daughter Shirley, who told my nephew, Bob Gilbert, the writer of these memoirs. When she was only fifteen, my father, Edgar wanted to marry her. Her father and great-grandparents told her she
was too young. Edgar persuaded her to go with him to Rathdrum, Idaho to get married, without permission from her father or great- grandparents.
Her grandfather Tozier was French; her grandmother was Scottish. Her father was a fearsome looking Frenchman. His body was covered with black curly hair. Some said he resembled a black bear. When Anna's father found out she had left to get married, he was furious. He hurried to Rathdrum, Idaho to stop the wedding, but he was too late. After considering the situation, he reluctantly, but graciously, accepted Edgar as his new son-in-law.
I was the youngest of seven children. Mama was shorter than her daughters, being only two inches taller than five feet, and tended to be a little chubby. She had brown hair and brown eyes. My sister Bertha was the only child with brown eyes. My oldest brother Phi was like Mama's right hand. He helped her with everything. We lived in the Stringtown area, about eight miles north of Latah, where we grew peaches and apples in our orchard. Mama often remained home, caring for three small children, while Papa was away singing in the church choir. During these periods, Mama was occasionally frightened by Nez Perce Indians peering through the windows into our home. They did not speak English, but gestured for food.
When Phi was 13 years old, he and my two sisters, Edna and Bertha, all contracted diphtheria. Phi refused to go to bed and failed to get adequate rest because he was too busy helping Mama care for Edna and Bertha. At that time many people contracted diphtheria. We also lost two cousins during this period when Phi passed away.
My Father was in the gold mines at the time, far from home. Word didn't even reach him in time for him to come home for the funeral. Mama was all alone and had to bury Phi by herself. My mother and father never completely recovered from their loss of Phi. Because of their grief, they left the orchard, our home, and their memories, in Stringtown. Had it not been for their sincere Christian faith, I'm sure they could not have accepted this loss. We moved into Latah and lived in a house near the Bell School.
Next was my sister, Edna Reta, who had beautiful long hair that was admired by everyone. She began suffering severe headaches. Her doctor told her that the weight of her hair was the cause of her headaches. Everyone felt very sorry when Edna's beautiful long hair was sheared.
Edna started her career as a nurse. She became so fond of her patients that she suffered severe grief when one of them would pass away. Her doctor advised her to terminate her nursing career.
Edna married Francis Drake, a Methodist Minister who was widower with two children, Harold and Mildred. They had one child of their own, Edna Mae, a year before I was born.
My next eldest sister, Bertha Evangeline, married Ed Pittman while I was a small baby. They lived on a hill near the Latah cemetery between Stringtown and Latah. During one occasion Bertha became so lonesome for her family that she walked to Stringtown and pulled me back to her home in a small wagon. Ed frequently embarrassed me by telling about the time he was holding me and I wet on him. Shortly after, my brother, Guy Carrol, married Marie Nendell. Three children, Veva Mae, Edgar Ross, and myself, Elma Joy, were left at home.
When Mama was pregnant with Edgar and the time came for his delivery, Veva was sent to the neighbors to play. She was told that there would be a big surprise for her when she returned. She thought that she was going to receive a doll. When they showed her Edgar, she screamed and cried that she wanted them to send him back. Veva was probably in severe shock when I came along. When Edgar and Veva became angry with me, they would tell me, "You were not wanted anyway!" I would go crying to Mama and she would comfort me and make me feel better.
When Edgar was small, he was very frightened of a man with white hair and a white beard. Edgar would run and hide until the man was out of sight. Mama wondered why he did this. While I stood at the window and watched the man that caused Edgar to be so fearful walk by, Edgar tried to coax me into hiding with him.
When I was very little, I thought God and Jesus were different. I thought God was stern and forbidding, while Jesus was gentle and kind. I was the youngest of the children who played in my neighborhood.
There was a very mean man on one of the streets. He had a row of beautiful Lilacs that were in full bloom. When the children reached up to pick some, this man came storming out of his house swinging his cane. I was so frightened that all I could do was say, "Oh God, please help me," and God did. After that experience I knew there was a wonderful kind Heavenly Father that takes care of us.
I remember very little about my Papa during my early childhood in Latah. I do remember a few little incidents, such as being taken for a ride in the horse-driven buggy out in the country. I remember going with him to collect fire wood and his telling me about different birds and his garden. Papa always grew a big garden and brought in some of the largest watermelons. I can vividly recall one Christmas during which he retrieved a doll from a Christmas tree for me, because I was too shy to get it for myself.
I have fond memories of playing in Father's harness shop back in Latah with my older brother Edgar. When Mama couldn't take us with her, we stayed with Papa in his harness shop. He gave us little pieces of leather to play with. He made beautiful harnesses and repaired shoes. My Papa enjoyed his work. He was very athletic and delighted the children by turning hand springs and walking on his hands.
On the other side of the building that contained Papa's harness shop was a store. The storekeeper purchased a large quantity of baking powder and promoted its sale by conducting a contest. The person buying the most baking powder would be the winner. The prize was a new stove. Eventually the baking powder spoiled, so the storekeeper gave the rest of it to Edgar and me. We made pretty mud pies and had so much fun. We played together so much, and hardly ever fought.
If we had a penny or two we went to the store to buy candy. I was delegated to buy the jelly beans. The storekeeper always gave me more jelly beans than he gave Edgar, because I had curls. Edgar and I would divide them up, color for color, and would even cut one in two if they
did not come out even. Edgar always ate his first and then wanted some of mine.
We lived just down a path from Guy and Marie. They had two children, Leslie and Alma. Although I was only four years older than Leslie, I helped to take care of him. One day while going up the porch steps carrying Leslie, a strong gust of wind blew us down onto the cellar steps. I held Leslie up in the air and fell on my back so he would not get hurt. He still teases me about throwing him down the cellar steps.
After Guy tired of me visiting at his place and wanted me to go home, he wouldn't say a word. He would reach into his pocket, take out his knife and start sharpening it. I would take off for home on a dead run. Guy would laugh. I had webbed toes. Guy had told me that someday he would cut my webbed toes apart. We were playing church one day.
Edgar stood on a pile of wood and pretended to be the preacher, while I represented the congregation. After he finished delivering his sermon, Edgar jumped down, fell on Papa's chopping block, and cut his head open. I ran into the house screaming, "Edgar's eye is out! Edgar's eye is out!"
Mama saw all the blood, but couldn't see Edgar's eye. I was really frightened. Marie grabbed one of Leslie's diapers, wiped off Edgar's face, and said, "His eye is all right." The doctor stitched the cut above Edgar's eye and ordered him to spend some time resting in bed.
Neighbors brought him cakes and candy that he shared with me.
Papa made skis for us out of barrel staves. There was a hill by our house that was too steep to be used as a road during the snowy winter months. We sure put some white hairs on mama's head.
Papa had three brothers, Uncle Frank, Uncle Carol, and Uncle Lester. He also had two sisters, Aunt Carie and Aunt Eva. I knew them all well, except Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank was short and heavy set. All the others were tall and slender.
Grandma Gilbert (Mary {Watts} Gilbert) lived with us in the house by the Bell School until her death on May 27, 1912. I was only four years
old, but I remember that she insisted I put her stockings and shoes on her. One morning I told Mama I did not want to do it. Mama told me I did not have to. Grandma looked down at her feet, shook her head, and finally put on her own shoes and stockings as well as anyone could have. She told us that she never slept, but we could hear her snoring night and day.
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAGENAAR
BEGINNING IN LATAH
I was born March 4, 1908, in Latah, a very small farming town with a population of approximately 200 persons in the eastern part of Washington State. Latah had a bank, a hotel, a grocery store, and a general store that included a post office.
My parents were Edgar Rollen and Anna Mae (Tozier) Gilbert. They loved to sing. Papa had a beautiful tenor voice; Mama sang alto. Papa was tall, one inch shorter than six feet, very slender, and very handsome. He was raised by his grandparents. My Grandma Gilbert had four big boys and two girls. When they got into trouble, she wouldn't try to catch them. She would wait until they were in bed and asleep. Then she would take a stick and really use it. She was the boss of the family.
At age 36 Grandma Gilbert went through the menopause. She thought she was pregnant. She left Grandpa and moved into Spokane. When she found the cause of her illness, she came back home and had to make things right with Grandpa. My Grandpa Gilbert had an itchy foot. He loved to travel and work in the gold mines.
My mother was raised by her great grandparents, as her mother died when she was only four years old. Through her married life she carried a secret of which she was ashamed. She never told this secret to her children, including me. I found out about it because her oldest son, Guy, told his daughter Shirley, who told my nephew, Bob Gilbert, the writer of these memoirs. When she was only fifteen, my father, Edgar wanted to marry her. Her father and great-grandparents told her she
was too young. Edgar persuaded her to go with him to Rathdrum, Idaho to get married, without permission from her father or great- grandparents.
Her grandfather Tozier was French; her grandmother was Scottish. Her father was a fearsome looking Frenchman. His body was covered with black curly hair. Some said he resembled a black bear. When Anna's father found out she had left to get married, he was furious. He hurried to Rathdrum, Idaho to stop the wedding, but he was too late. After considering the situation, he reluctantly, but graciously, accepted Edgar as his new son-in-law.
I was the youngest of seven children. Mama was shorter than her daughters, being only two inches taller than five feet, and tended to be a little chubby. She had brown hair and brown eyes. My sister Bertha was the only child with brown eyes. My oldest brother Phi was like Mama's right hand. He helped her with everything. We lived in the Stringtown area, about eight miles north of Latah, where we grew peaches and apples in our orchard. Mama often remained home, caring for three small children, while Papa was away singing in the church choir. During these periods, Mama was occasionally frightened by Nez Perce Indians peering through the windows into our home. They did not speak English, but gestured for food.
When Phi was 13 years old, he and my two sisters, Edna and Bertha, all contracted diphtheria. Phi refused to go to bed and failed to get adequate rest because he was too busy helping Mama care for Edna and Bertha. At that time many people contracted diphtheria. We also lost two cousins during this period when Phi passed away.
My Father was in the gold mines at the time, far from home. Word didn't even reach him in time for him to come home for the funeral. Mama was all alone and had to bury Phi by herself. My mother and father never completely recovered from their loss of Phi. Because of their grief, they left the orchard, our home, and their memories, in Stringtown. Had it not been for their sincere Christian faith, I'm sure they could not have accepted this loss. We moved into Latah and lived in a house near the Bell School.
Next was my sister, Edna Reta, who had beautiful long hair that was admired by everyone. She began suffering severe headaches. Her doctor told her that the weight of her hair was the cause of her headaches. Everyone felt very sorry when Edna's beautiful long hair was sheared.
Edna started her career as a nurse. She became so fond of her patients that she suffered severe grief when one of them would pass away. Her doctor advised her to terminate her nursing career.
Edna married Francis Drake, a Methodist Minister who was widower with two children, Harold and Mildred. They had one child of their own, Edna Mae, a year before I was born.
My next eldest sister, Bertha Evangeline, married Ed Pittman while I was a small baby. They lived on a hill near the Latah cemetery between Stringtown and Latah. During one occasion Bertha became so lonesome for her family that she walked to Stringtown and pulled me back to her home in a small wagon. Ed frequently embarrassed me by telling about the time he was holding me and I wet on him. Shortly after, my brother, Guy Carrol, married Marie Nendell. Three children, Veva Mae, Edgar Ross, and myself, Elma Joy, were left at home.
When Mama was pregnant with Edgar and the time came for his delivery, Veva was sent to the neighbors to play. She was told that there would be a big surprise for her when she returned. She thought that she was going to receive a doll. When they showed her Edgar, she screamed and cried that she wanted them to send him back. Veva was probably in severe shock when I came along. When Edgar and Veva became angry with me, they would tell me, "You were not wanted anyway!" I would go crying to Mama and she would comfort me and make me feel better.
When Edgar was small, he was very frightened of a man with white hair and a white beard. Edgar would run and hide until the man was out of sight. Mama wondered why he did this. While I stood at the window and watched the man that caused Edgar to be so fearful walk by, Edgar tried to coax me into hiding with him.
When I was very little, I thought God and Jesus were different. I thought God was stern and forbidding, while Jesus was gentle and kind. I was the youngest of the children who played in my neighborhood.
There was a very mean man on one of the streets. He had a row of beautiful Lilacs that were in full bloom. When the children reached up to pick some, this man came storming out of his house swinging his cane. I was so frightened that all I could do was say, "Oh God, please help me," and God did. After that experience I knew there was a wonderful kind Heavenly Father that takes care of us.
I remember very little about my Papa during my early childhood in Latah. I do remember a few little incidents, such as being taken for a ride in the horse-driven buggy out in the country. I remember going with him to collect fire wood and his telling me about different birds and his garden. Papa always grew a big garden and brought in some of the largest watermelons. I can vividly recall one Christmas during which he retrieved a doll from a Christmas tree for me, because I was too shy to get it for myself.
I have fond memories of playing in Father's harness shop back in Latah with my older brother Edgar. When Mama couldn't take us with her, we stayed with Papa in his harness shop. He gave us little pieces of leather to play with. He made beautiful harnesses and repaired shoes. My Papa enjoyed his work. He was very athletic and delighted the children by turning hand springs and walking on his hands.
On the other side of the building that contained Papa's harness shop was a store. The storekeeper purchased a large quantity of baking powder and promoted its sale by conducting a contest. The person buying the most baking powder would be the winner. The prize was a new stove. Eventually the baking powder spoiled, so the storekeeper gave the rest of it to Edgar and me. We made pretty mud pies and had so much fun. We played together so much, and hardly ever fought.
If we had a penny or two we went to the store to buy candy. I was delegated to buy the jelly beans. The storekeeper always gave me more jelly beans than he gave Edgar, because I had curls. Edgar and I would divide them up, color for color, and would even cut one in two if they
did not come out even. Edgar always ate his first and then wanted some of mine.
We lived just down a path from Guy and Marie. They had two children, Leslie and Alma. Although I was only four years older than Leslie, I helped to take care of him. One day while going up the porch steps carrying Leslie, a strong gust of wind blew us down onto the cellar steps. I held Leslie up in the air and fell on my back so he would not get hurt. He still teases me about throwing him down the cellar steps.
After Guy tired of me visiting at his place and wanted me to go home, he wouldn't say a word. He would reach into his pocket, take out his knife and start sharpening it. I would take off for home on a dead run. Guy would laugh. I had webbed toes. Guy had told me that someday he would cut my webbed toes apart. We were playing church one day.
Edgar stood on a pile of wood and pretended to be the preacher, while I represented the congregation. After he finished delivering his sermon, Edgar jumped down, fell on Papa's chopping block, and cut his head open. I ran into the house screaming, "Edgar's eye is out! Edgar's eye is out!"
Mama saw all the blood, but couldn't see Edgar's eye. I was really frightened. Marie grabbed one of Leslie's diapers, wiped off Edgar's face, and said, "His eye is all right." The doctor stitched the cut above Edgar's eye and ordered him to spend some time resting in bed.
Neighbors brought him cakes and candy that he shared with me.
Papa made skis for us out of barrel staves. There was a hill by our house that was too steep to be used as a road during the snowy winter months. We sure put some white hairs on mama's head.
Papa had three brothers, Uncle Frank, Uncle Carol, and Uncle Lester. He also had two sisters, Aunt Carie and Aunt Eva. I knew them all well, except Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank was short and heavy set. All the others were tall and slender.
Grandma Gilbert (Mary {Watts} Gilbert) lived with us in the house by the Bell School until her death on May 27, 1912. I was only four years
old, but I remember that she insisted I put her stockings and shoes on her. One morning I told Mama I did not want to do it. Mama told me I did not have to. Grandma looked down at her feet, shook her head, and finally put on her own shoes and stockings as well as anyone could have. She told us that she never slept, but we could hear her snoring night and day.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD 1 viewtopic.php?p=1111#p1111
PREFACE 2 viewtopic.php?p=1112#p1112
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 viewtopic.php?p=1113#p1113
BEGINNING IN LATAH 7 viewtopic.php?p=1114#p1114
HOMESTEADING IN DUBOIS 13 viewtopic.php?p=1115#p1115
RETURN TO LATAH 16 viewtopic.php?p=1116#p1116
GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TOZIER 17 viewtopic.php?p=1116#p1116
GRANDFATHERS 20 viewtopic.php?p=1117#p1117
GROWING UP 21 viewtopic.php?p=1118#p1118
CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD TIMES 25 viewtopic.php?p=1119#p1119
HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS 34 viewtopic.php?p=1120#p1120
WORKING IN LATAH 37 viewtopic.php?p=1121#p1121
MEMORIES OF PAPA 40 viewtopic.php?p=1122#p1122
WORLD WAR I 42 viewtopic.php?p=1123#p1123
FLUE EPIDEMIC 43 viewtopic.php?p=1124#p1124
INVENTIONS 44 viewtopic.php?p=1125#p1125
SCHOOL SPORTS 45 viewtopic.php?p=1126#p1126
MEETING LEONARD 47 viewtopic.php?p=1127#p1127
VEVA'S TEACHING 49 viewtopic.php?p=1128#p1128
FATHER'S DEATH 51 viewtopic.php?p=1129#p1129
VISIT TO GUY AND MARIE IN WYOMING 53 viewtopic.php?p=1130#p1130
MARRIAGE TO LEONARD 55 viewtopic.php?p=1131#p1131
BIRTH OF GILBERT 60 viewtopic.php?p=1132#p1132
OUR MOVE TO MARSHALL 62 viewtopic.php?p=1133#p1133
VEVA'S FAMILY 64 viewtopic.php?p=1134#p1134
OUR MOVE TO KENNEWICK 67 viewtopic.php?p=1135#p1135
BIRTH OF BONITA 70 viewtopic.php?p=1136#p1136
OUR CHILDREN'S GROWING YEARS 71 viewtopic.php?p=1137#p1137
GERTRUDE 78 viewtopic.php?p=1138#p1138
THE DEPRESSION 81 viewtopic.php?p=1139#p1139
GUY'S FAMILY 82 viewtopic.php?p=1140#p1140
ROCK HOUNDING 85 viewtopic.php?p=1141#p1141
EDGAR'S FAMILY 88 viewtopic.php?p=1142#p1142
MOVE TO THE GARDEN TRACT 94 viewtopic.php?p=1143#p1143
WORLD WAR II 96 viewtopic.php?p=1144#p1144
ELAINE 98 viewtopic.php?p=1145#p1145
THE FLOOD OF 1948 99 viewtopic.php?p=1146#p1146
PAUL 100 viewtopic.php?p=1147#p1147
GRANDCHILDREN 101 viewtopic.php?p=1148#p1148
SPOKANE LILAC FESTIVALS 103 viewtopic.php?p=1149#p1149
HARVESTING GRAPES 104 viewtopic.php?p=1150#p1150
MY FAMILY IN 1968 105 viewtopic.php?p=1151#p1151
HEARTACHES 108 viewtopic.php?p=1152#p1152
FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 112 viewtopic.php?p=1153#p1153
SIXTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 113 viewtopic.php?p=1154#p1154
SIXTY-NINTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 114 viewtopic.php?p=1155#p1155
FOREWORD 1 viewtopic.php?p=1111#p1111
PREFACE 2 viewtopic.php?p=1112#p1112
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 viewtopic.php?p=1113#p1113
BEGINNING IN LATAH 7 viewtopic.php?p=1114#p1114
HOMESTEADING IN DUBOIS 13 viewtopic.php?p=1115#p1115
RETURN TO LATAH 16 viewtopic.php?p=1116#p1116
GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TOZIER 17 viewtopic.php?p=1116#p1116
GRANDFATHERS 20 viewtopic.php?p=1117#p1117
GROWING UP 21 viewtopic.php?p=1118#p1118
CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD TIMES 25 viewtopic.php?p=1119#p1119
HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS 34 viewtopic.php?p=1120#p1120
WORKING IN LATAH 37 viewtopic.php?p=1121#p1121
MEMORIES OF PAPA 40 viewtopic.php?p=1122#p1122
WORLD WAR I 42 viewtopic.php?p=1123#p1123
FLUE EPIDEMIC 43 viewtopic.php?p=1124#p1124
INVENTIONS 44 viewtopic.php?p=1125#p1125
SCHOOL SPORTS 45 viewtopic.php?p=1126#p1126
MEETING LEONARD 47 viewtopic.php?p=1127#p1127
VEVA'S TEACHING 49 viewtopic.php?p=1128#p1128
FATHER'S DEATH 51 viewtopic.php?p=1129#p1129
VISIT TO GUY AND MARIE IN WYOMING 53 viewtopic.php?p=1130#p1130
MARRIAGE TO LEONARD 55 viewtopic.php?p=1131#p1131
BIRTH OF GILBERT 60 viewtopic.php?p=1132#p1132
OUR MOVE TO MARSHALL 62 viewtopic.php?p=1133#p1133
VEVA'S FAMILY 64 viewtopic.php?p=1134#p1134
OUR MOVE TO KENNEWICK 67 viewtopic.php?p=1135#p1135
BIRTH OF BONITA 70 viewtopic.php?p=1136#p1136
OUR CHILDREN'S GROWING YEARS 71 viewtopic.php?p=1137#p1137
GERTRUDE 78 viewtopic.php?p=1138#p1138
THE DEPRESSION 81 viewtopic.php?p=1139#p1139
GUY'S FAMILY 82 viewtopic.php?p=1140#p1140
ROCK HOUNDING 85 viewtopic.php?p=1141#p1141
EDGAR'S FAMILY 88 viewtopic.php?p=1142#p1142
MOVE TO THE GARDEN TRACT 94 viewtopic.php?p=1143#p1143
WORLD WAR II 96 viewtopic.php?p=1144#p1144
ELAINE 98 viewtopic.php?p=1145#p1145
THE FLOOD OF 1948 99 viewtopic.php?p=1146#p1146
PAUL 100 viewtopic.php?p=1147#p1147
GRANDCHILDREN 101 viewtopic.php?p=1148#p1148
SPOKANE LILAC FESTIVALS 103 viewtopic.php?p=1149#p1149
HARVESTING GRAPES 104 viewtopic.php?p=1150#p1150
MY FAMILY IN 1968 105 viewtopic.php?p=1151#p1151
HEARTACHES 108 viewtopic.php?p=1152#p1152
FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 112 viewtopic.php?p=1153#p1153
SIXTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 113 viewtopic.php?p=1154#p1154
SIXTY-NINTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 114 viewtopic.php?p=1155#p1155
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PREFACE
THIS STORY IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHRISTIAN WOMAN, WHOSE ACCOUNT OF LIVING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS A CHILD DURING THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY THROUGH TODAY AS A GRANDMOTHER AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER PROVIDES A DESCRIPTION OF PIONEER LIFE DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE FRONTIERS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WERE BEING SETTLED.
THE WAGON TRAINS HAD DELIVERED THEIR CARGO, AND NOW THE SETTLERS WERE LEARNING TO LIVE IN THEIR NEW LAND. LIVING WAS HARD AND DEMANDING. DREAMS WERE SOMETIMES SHATTERED BY TRAGEDY. MOTHERS WITHOUT AN ABLE HUSBAND PARTNER AND PROVIDER FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO PROSPER. TRAGEDY AND SORROW VISITED RELENTLESSLY WITH LITTLE MERCY AND NO COMPENSATION. SURVIVAL WAS DIFFICULT, IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANY, AND REQUIRED TEDIOUS AND HARD LABOR FROM THOSE WHO SUCCEEDED.
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAS BORN ON MARCH 4, 1908 IN THE SMALL FARMING TOWN OF LATAH IN THE EASTERN PART OF WASHINGTON STATE. THIS STORY ALSO TOUCHES ON THE INFLUENCE, GLAMOUR, AND ATTRACTION OF THE LARGE CITY OF SPOKANE, APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES TO THE WEST. SOON AFTER MARRIAGE MRS. WAGENAAR MOVED TO KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON WHERE SHE ENJOYED BEING A MOTHER, A GRANDMOTHER, AND LOVING INTERACTIONS WITH HER FAMILY, CHURCH, AND NEIGHBORS..
THROUGH IT ALL, LOVE, FAITH, HOPE, JOY, AND PERSEVERANCE ENABLED THE SURVIVORS TO CONQUER THE HARDSHIPS. HUMOROUS EVENTS WERE RECOGNIZED AND CHERISHED, AS WERE THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS OF
RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS. FAITH IN A CARING SUPREME BEING AND THE PROMISE OF AN ETERNAL REWARD FOR THE STEADFAST PROVIDED THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE FOR PIONEERS LIKE MRS. WAGENAAR TO LIVE THE VICTORIOUS LIFE.
THIS MOVING TRUE STORY OF A JOYOUS JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE CAN BE ENJOYED BY TODAY'S AMERICANS WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR HERITAGE. MRS. WAGENAAR AND HER FAMILY SUFFERED GREAT LOSES FROM BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS AS WELL AS FROM OTHER TRAGEDIES. SHE PRAYED THAT THIS RECORD OF HER EXPERIENCES AND ENCOUNTERS WOULD BECOME AN INSPIRATION, A COMFORT, AND A LIVING TESTIMONY OF HER ETERNAL PROVIDER, JESUS CHRIST, TO YOU, THE READER.
EDGAR ROBERT GILBERT, Ph.D.
SON OF MRS. WAGENAAR'S BROTHER, EDGAR ROSS GILBERT
THIS STORY IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHRISTIAN WOMAN, WHOSE ACCOUNT OF LIVING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS A CHILD DURING THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY THROUGH TODAY AS A GRANDMOTHER AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER PROVIDES A DESCRIPTION OF PIONEER LIFE DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE FRONTIERS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WERE BEING SETTLED.
THE WAGON TRAINS HAD DELIVERED THEIR CARGO, AND NOW THE SETTLERS WERE LEARNING TO LIVE IN THEIR NEW LAND. LIVING WAS HARD AND DEMANDING. DREAMS WERE SOMETIMES SHATTERED BY TRAGEDY. MOTHERS WITHOUT AN ABLE HUSBAND PARTNER AND PROVIDER FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO PROSPER. TRAGEDY AND SORROW VISITED RELENTLESSLY WITH LITTLE MERCY AND NO COMPENSATION. SURVIVAL WAS DIFFICULT, IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANY, AND REQUIRED TEDIOUS AND HARD LABOR FROM THOSE WHO SUCCEEDED.
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAS BORN ON MARCH 4, 1908 IN THE SMALL FARMING TOWN OF LATAH IN THE EASTERN PART OF WASHINGTON STATE. THIS STORY ALSO TOUCHES ON THE INFLUENCE, GLAMOUR, AND ATTRACTION OF THE LARGE CITY OF SPOKANE, APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES TO THE WEST. SOON AFTER MARRIAGE MRS. WAGENAAR MOVED TO KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON WHERE SHE ENJOYED BEING A MOTHER, A GRANDMOTHER, AND LOVING INTERACTIONS WITH HER FAMILY, CHURCH, AND NEIGHBORS..
THROUGH IT ALL, LOVE, FAITH, HOPE, JOY, AND PERSEVERANCE ENABLED THE SURVIVORS TO CONQUER THE HARDSHIPS. HUMOROUS EVENTS WERE RECOGNIZED AND CHERISHED, AS WERE THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS OF
RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS. FAITH IN A CARING SUPREME BEING AND THE PROMISE OF AN ETERNAL REWARD FOR THE STEADFAST PROVIDED THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE FOR PIONEERS LIKE MRS. WAGENAAR TO LIVE THE VICTORIOUS LIFE.
THIS MOVING TRUE STORY OF A JOYOUS JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE CAN BE ENJOYED BY TODAY'S AMERICANS WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR HERITAGE. MRS. WAGENAAR AND HER FAMILY SUFFERED GREAT LOSES FROM BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS AS WELL AS FROM OTHER TRAGEDIES. SHE PRAYED THAT THIS RECORD OF HER EXPERIENCES AND ENCOUNTERS WOULD BECOME AN INSPIRATION, A COMFORT, AND A LIVING TESTIMONY OF HER ETERNAL PROVIDER, JESUS CHRIST, TO YOU, THE READER.
EDGAR ROBERT GILBERT, Ph.D.
SON OF MRS. WAGENAAR'S BROTHER, EDGAR ROSS GILBERT
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JOURNEY OF JOY
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAGENAAR
FOREWORD
My daughter-in-law asked me one day why I didn't write my life story. I told her I didn't think it would be interesting enough. However, after thinking about it, I realized that anyone who had raised a family has a whole lot to write about.
This book is an autobiographic account of memories passed down from Mrs. Elma Joy Wagenaar to Edgar Robert Gilbert, the eldest son of her brother, Edgar Ross Gilbert.
First Edition: DECEMBER 1987 First Revision: JANUARY 1996 Second Revision:
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JOURNEY OF JOY
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAGENAAR
ELMA JOY GILBERT WAGENAAR
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Thank you Tristen. I love Merle Haggard and our own Terry Lee Hardesty is a fantastic musician. This must have been exciting for you.
I also love that North Cr. trail. Hope the fire stays out of there. But what will be will be.
Pearl
I also love that North Cr. trail. Hope the fire stays out of there. But what will be will be.
Pearl
Pearl Cherrington
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I AM
i shall be
Jehovah is my friend
Trust in the love of Jesus the Prophet and friend
WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS
i shall be
Jehovah is my friend
Trust in the love of Jesus the Prophet and friend
WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS
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