Time Travel Tuesdays~ Ida Lee Part 1~Happy School Days

Are you ready boys and girls? Here we go on another ancestral adventure! Next up is my other grandmother, my mother's mother Ida Lee Hamblin. Here you have her amazing story in her own words :

I was born in Nutrioso, Apache County, Arizona. in a little Mormon community situated at the foot of Escudilla Peaks in the White Mountains of Arizona. I was born March 4, 1884. My parents were John Willard Lee and Lucinda Margaret Clark Lee. Father was a son of John Doyle Lee and Agatha Ann Woolsey. Mother's parents were John Wesley Clark and Evaline Brown Clark. Father was born October 11, 1849 and mother as born February 27, 1851 at Galveston, Texas.

Ida's parents John Willard Lee and Lucinda Margaret Clark Lee

I was born in a two-story log house on the west side of Main Street and south of the stream called Nutrioso Creek. Our neighbors were Brother and Sister James Wilkins. Sister Wilkins was my first Primary President and I spent many happy hours in her home. She was interested in young people and we enjoyed, as young people, going there for house parties.

A wild rose hedge grew between our home and the Brown's which was very beautiful in the summer when in full bloom. The wild rose has been a emblem of my home and a happy childhood. Father planted a row of cottonwood trees along the sidewalk in front of our home and Brother Brown did the same in front of their home. This was one of the beauty spots of Nutrioso, and the cottonwoods furnished shade for us children as well as others during the hot summer days. At night the moon looked beautiful shining through its branches. Across the street, east, were the old barn, corrals, granary and chicken coop.

Arizona Wild Roses. 


I felt very fortunate in having Grandmother Clark near. She was the only Grandparent I knew. I have many fond memories of her and her neat little home, eating cookies from her cookie box which was never empty, and all the children coming that way enjoyed the contents of that box.

Ida's maternal grandmother, Evaline Brown Clark

My earliest recollection was the time I was sick with scarlet fever. I was a very sick little girl. My brother Frank was only a baby of two months and mother in caring for me had neglected him and he became very ill with pneumonia. I remember woman putting him in a boiler of warm water and then wrapping him in blankets to make him sweat. Father and another Elder administered to him and he speedily recovered. Brother Benjamin Noble was Bishop at this time and he records in his journal that there were eleven children died from this terrible disease (scarlet fever) between February 20 and March 10, 1886. It was a sad time for all the people there, as there was no doctor available and neighbors, with the help of the Lord, did what he could for each other. Zina Wilkins Mineer and I were very ill with the disease, but God was merciful and
we both recovered.

Below is a photograph of Lillian and Ida Lee taken about 1886.

 Ida was 2 years old. She and Lil were very close all of their lives.
Look at my cute baby Granny Hambin!!

I was the fourth daughter and the eighth child of a family of eight boys and six girls. I had five sisters and eight brothers. This is the order of their births:

John Willard, Jr. 1871-1933

Hyrum Gulley 1872-1895

Oliver Lionel 1876-1878

Thomas Rainey 1874-192

                             These are my great-aunts and great-uncles; my mother Helen's aunts and uncles. I remember Lucinda Margaret, who went by Margaret or Mag. My Mom called her Aunt Mag. I also remember Minnie and Evaline who was called Eva. I also remember Uncles Marion and Claude. They were all so kind and sweet. Many of them had very nice voices. They sang for my grandmother Ida at several of her big birthday celebrations. Aunt Minnie lived right next door the Granny Hamblin (to the east) on East 2nd St. in Mesa, and Aunt Mag lived nest door to Granny on the west side.

(and may I add that Rainey looks so much like my Uncle Orland it is creepy!)

Dora 1878-1943

Lucinda Margaret 1880-1972

Lillian 1882-1959


Ida 1884-1977


Franklin 1885-1944

Minnie 1887-1969


Garland 1889-1956

Marion 1891-1982

Evaline 1893-1979


Claude 1898-1994

 Children of John W. Lee and Lucinda Margaret Clark Lee

Back-Margaret, Thomas Rainey. Middle-Minnie, Frank, Lillian, John W. Jr., Dora holding her son Claude Lytle, Garland. Front-Evaline, Marion.

As my mind wanders back I know there was never anyone had a happier childhood than I did. All the family were musically inclined and how we enjoyed being together and singing the old favorite songs. Father and Mother both had good voices and often sang together in these family circles. We popped or parched corn, and made candy from homemade molasses, of which we always had plenty. Father was a good provider and Mother a good manager so there never was a time in out home that there wasn't plenty of food wholesome food.

When I was a very little girl, I remember how embarrassed I was, one day, when Iwalked up to a group of men and threw my arms around what I thought was my father's legs. The men all laughed and I looked up to see it was Brother Brown I was hugging instead of Father. I was on the verge of tears when Father, in his kind way, took me in his arms and pacified me and told me it was alright. What a kind man he was.

Later on, Father bought the house across the street from the school house and from Mother's brother, Uncle John W. Clark. In the home, Garland, Marion, and Evaline were born. We enjoyed this home, being so close to school and church, for church was held in the little school house where I received much of my schooling. My school days began in a little log house north of our home in the lot adjoining us. My first teacher was Aunt Annie Pace Lee and also Emma Coleman. I don't remember who came first. Later an addition was built in front of the little white school house, and teachers were Mr. Gray, Miss Wood, Mary Wilkins, Mr. Burk, Mr. Estes, Brother Rencher, Byron Pace (a cousin), John W. Brown, and Willis Gibbons. Another one was a Mrs. Franks. I am sure these are not in order, it has been many years since school days. A school term at that time was only three months, then five, then six, and now children go for nine months out of the year. All these teachers helped in giving me basic training. Happy School Days!! How I loved them. Years later when I had my family and children going to school as they marched off at the beginning of a new school term, I found myself wanting to take my books and go too.

Later, Father sold this home to Uncle Wilson and aunt Lizzie Pace. She was Father's half sister. Father built a house on the lot where we lived in the little log house where I was born, and was still standing and remained there for many years. The new house was built of hewn logs and contained five rooms. Some of the happiest days of my life were spent here. Christmas was a great event. A Christmas tree was put up on the stage of the school house. It was lovely, decorated with home made decorations and a real live Santa Clause was there to distribute gifts. If there was an extra beautiful doll on the tree, we all knew who it would be for, for whose parents could afford such a gift as the Brown girls? But we were all happy with the gifts we received, which consisted of a bag of candy, nuts and popcorn, and one other small gift, a doll, a pocket knife, or marbles. We did not always have a community tree. At those times we would hang our stockings on the mantle piece and hurry on to bed so Santa would come and fill them with candy, nuts, popcorn, cookies, and maybe an apple, which was very much a rarity in those days, and we appreciated them more, I think, than children do today who have everything money can buy. I am grateful for parents who taught me to help share the iron and care for little brothers and sisters and I enjoyed it all. I learned to help with the chores around the place, milk cows, tromp hay, feed pigs and chickens, and herd calves. I enjoyed sewing and learned to make all my clothes as well as help with the family sewing. I pieced many quilt tops and helped quilt them, for it took many quilts to make beds for so large a family. I braided and crocheted many rugs. We always had woven rag carpets on the floors of the front room and bedrooms. We had "Rag Bees" where the neighbor women were gathered in and helped sew the rags together and wound into balls ready for the weaver's to use in weaving into carpets. These were social events shared by old and young alike. How proud mother was when a new carpet was woven, sewed together, and put on top of clean straw which was first spread on the floor. No one today with shag carpet could be more proud than Mother was over her rag carpet. One felt they had accomplished quite a feat when it was done. The activity was n the summer months; winter was for school. There were no compulsory school laws at that time and so when one went to school, it was because of the desire to learn. I never missed a day of school that I was able to attend.

The story of the community Christmas tree reminded me of another story I've read in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Here is the illustration of that special tree! Seems a bit unfair to throw everyone's gifts up on a tree and know, because of money, who would get the special ones. In this case though, Laura got the little fur wrap she was hoping for.

Below you see the Great State of Arizona. Do you love my Photoshop skills? I did it without the help of my Rachel this time! Yay me! There is Nutrioso in Apache County near the border with New Mexico.

On this zoom-in you can see the Escudillo Mts. and the Coronado Trail. To the left of the photo you can see some County Roads. On Google Earth if you zoom in on them there are cabins and summer homes. They are sparsely placed. I imagine its so nice and quiet there!

Zoom in even closer and as you can see, Nutrioso hasn't grown much at all, over the years!
I highlighted Nutrioso Creek in blue. The rectangle outlined in purple shows the small area south of the creek and west of Main St. This is the area Granny says she lived in. Looks like about four lots to choose from!

In this screen shot we are standing at the top of the purple rectangle looking south on Main St. or County Road 2016. Look at those Cottonwood trees on the west side...Are they descendants of the one that the Lees and the Browns planted?  Most likely! The little building to the left is a Post Office. That's all there is to downtown Nutrioso!

Time Travel Tuesdays~A Temple, A Prophet, & Poncho Villa?

A wonderful blessing has occurred for members of my church in the Gilbert, AZ area. A beautiful new temple has been completed and dedicated to the work of the Lord. There has only been one temple in the area for just over 80 years. This will make temple attendance easier for many and relieve some strain on the old temple in Mesa.

The old temple in Mesa...it takes me back, all of this talk of temples and youth cultural celebrations and hosting the prophet. In 1975 the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was closed for renovation and a new addition. I was 17 years old, in my senior year of high school, and very excited about everything that was planned for the re-opening and re-dedication of our temple.

The 1975 construction on the Mesa Temple added much needed locker rooms, laundry, office and lobby space. It was a busy temple as it served much of the southwest as well as Mexico and even farther south into Central and South America. The Sao Paulo, Brazil Temple was under construction but not yet complete. The Mexico City temple wasn't even announced until the following year. I remember many times groups of  Church members from Central and South America would come to Mesa by the busload. They would be taken to the Tri-Stake Center (or Inter-Stake Center as it was officially called). This building is located at 830 E. 2nd Ave. and only about a block south-east of the temple by Ellsworth Park. There they could shower, change, and  were fed by by local Relief Society sisters. They were then taken to the temple where they received their own Endowments, were sealed as couples and as families, attended as many sessions as they could in their allotted time in Mesa. It was usually only a few days then they boarded their buses and returned home. Many of them were never able to attend the temple again in their lives. The Relief Society always gathered donations of new underclothes, and new and used clothing and shoes for these Saints, most of whom were to poor to buy nice enough clothing for temple attendance. It was a labor of love.

Needing more space in the Mesa Temple, President Spencer W. Kimball authorized the construction.
There was great excitement in Mesa when the time neared that the refurbishing was complete. The Prophet was coming to Mesa, along with the rest of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Members of the Seventy, Regional Representatives, and Auxiliary Presidencies were also coming. Temple dedications were extremely rare back in those days. On the evening before the re-dedication of the temple they were all to be hosted at a dinner. It was announced that my church building, the current Lazona Ward building on the corner of Lazona and East University Ave. was to be used. The gym was as large as a Stake Center's and we had a huge kitchen. It was  the largest of the centrally located buildings in Mesa I suppose. All I know is that our ward's youth were chosen to be the servers that night and we were all thrilled! In the week leading up to the event we gathered to clean the building inside and out. My assigned task with others from my age group was to wash exterior windows. We used vinegar and newspapers and I just remember my hands turning black from the ink! We worried that we had done all of that work and our guests would probably not even notice. We were reminded that we should always put forth our very best efforts for the Lord and His servants. It didn't matter whether any of the brethren saw our windows or not. We would know that we had presented our building in its best possible light. The evening did turn out to be very lovely. I had the honor of serving the table where Apostle Mark E. Peterson sat. At the head table in the overflow space, the First Presidency each took a few moments and spoke to us and the guests of the importance of temple work and their feelings on this occasion. President Kimball was an Arizona boy and we were all so proud to claim him.

There was a funny and special memory shared by President Marion G. Romney who had a connection to Arizona as he was raised in Colonia Juarez, Mexico. He told us his memories of being a four year old boy at the time when legendary outlaw Poncho Villa was on a rampage, raiding the Mormon Colonies. He and his siblings were thrown into the back of the family's covered wagon and told to stay back away from the opening of the cover as the family literally fled for their lives. He told us that he was a naughty boy and took a peek through the wagon cover as they were  being bounced and thrown about in the back of the wagon. He saw Poncho Villa himself leading the raid on horseback, guns blazing! I think I realized for the first time how awesome our older generation was with their connection to the Old West and Pioneer days. My own grandparents were just that age.

Before the dinner began all of the youth were given "the talk" about not bothering the Prophet. If we were not chosen to serve that table we needed to stay away. We were not to go up to any of the Brethren of Sisters there and interrupt their evening. The ward members had been told to stay away as well. Soon the word went around the cultural hall like wildfire that the Prophet's car had arrived. My heart was pounding in my chest. I wanted to meet him and shake his hand so badly! They had parked on the west side of the building so I walked over to that foyer, just to peek out of the cultural hall doors and see him and the others come in. I saw, against or organizers' wishes, Primary children in their Sunday best all lined up politely, their mothers behind them, waving to President Kimball. I also saw some our youth outside.  Not many, but tears filled my eyes as I thought I might never be this near a Prophet of God again. One of my Laurel class teachers took me by the hand and said, "Marianne, you go out there and be near the prophet. Don't you miss this chance! Don't you worry about what those bossy ladies said!" I will be forever grateful to her! I went outside and stood back on the sidewalk. I just wanted to see him go by, that was all. I will never forget his smile and kindness as he left his escorts and shook hands with each Primary child, some of whom were my nieces and nephews. He greeted them sweetly and asked the boys if they were saving money for their missions. Then he glanced up and saw me and a few other youth. He came straight for us. I will never forget the warm spirit that flowed through me as I grasped his extended hand. He smiled at me and I said something like"nice to meet you." He was so short I recall placing my left hand on his shoulder as we shook hands and I was looking down into his eyes! That warm spirit has stayed with me all of these years whenever I see or hear one of our prophets speak. I know they are called of God to lead His church on Earth today.

I have never been close enough again, to a President of the Church to shake his hand. I have been in many firesides, BYU and Ricks College devotionals, and Regional Conferences where the prophet was in attendance and spoke, but I will forever cherish that beautiful moment in April of 1975 when I was touched by our prophet and felt the spirit of the Lord confirm to me the truthfulness f the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 15, 1975. L-R President Spencer W. Kimball, 1st Counselor N. Eldon Tanner, 2nd Counselor Marion G. Romney. They are standing outside of the Mesa AZ Temple  on the southwest side to show the two new additions behind them.

Here is an old postcard from the 1930's It show the original entrance on the east side.

 Here is the same views from the mid-1950's

Here is an aerial view showing what the south side of the temple looked like before the addition in '75 which took up all of the lawn and gardens in the foreground of the photo.

This is a view of the new lobby or foyer addition on the east.

 And here it is today. How I love this temple.

 It is where many generations of my family have been sealed together for time and all eternity!

Time Travel Tuesdays~

Pioneers and Present Day Saints

Me in the early 1060's at a Primary Pioneer Day celebration. Mesa Twelfth Ward, Mesa, AZ.

I am writing this on Monday, the 25th of July. It is a state holiday here in Utah. The actual date for Pioneer Day is July 24th, but that was a Sunday and we don't do parades on the Sabbath around here, no sir! We like parades and fireworks in  this state and they tend to be rowdy, un-Sunday-like affairs, so all state employees get a Monday off and an extra day of Pioneer remembrance.

I grew up in Arizona, descending from pioneers who braved the sun and heat to help make the desert bloom. Before they helped build up Mesa they lived in Utah and were pioneers of the crossing the plains type! I thought it would be fun (and maybe a bit of a chore) to make a list of all of my personal ancestors who made their way west mostly on foot walking alongside wagons or pulling handcarts.


1. Edmund Lovell Ellsworth~ Member of the original Mormon party of 1847. He was the captain of the very first company of handcarts in 1856. He was one of many who crossed the plains several times in service to the Lord, bless their poor tired feet! He eventually settled in Showlow, Arizona.



2. Mary Ann Bates Ellsworth~ She joined the church in England as a  young girl and came to America on the same ship that Edmund was on, returning to Utah from a mission to England.. She was a member of the first handcart company, pushing or pulling all the way to Utah. Mary Ann married Edmund in Oct. 1856. Their grandson George Franklin Ellsworth Jr. is my grandfather.


3. Jacob Vernon Hamblin~Came by wagon in 1850  after his wife abandoned him and his four little children. Met and married Rachel Judd along the way. He was asked to help colonize southern Utah and be a missionary and a liaison to native Americans in the area. For many of the natives, he was the first white man they had ever seen. He was called "Father Jacob" by many of them and gained their trust and confidence with his kind, peaceful approach to life. Later married Sarah Priscilla Leavitt. Jacob's son Don Carlos Hamblin is my grandfather.




4. Sarah Priscilla Leavitt Hamblin~Crossed the plains as a young girl of about 6 years of age. She later wrote of adventures with Native Americans and stampeding buffalo herds along the trail. She settled with Jacob in Santa Clara, Utah and became a nurse midwife.

5. Isaiah Hamblin~Traveled by wagon in 1859 with his son Jacob. His wife, Daphne, died along the way. He settled in Tooele, Utah. He was a War of 1812 veteran.

6. Daphne Haynes Hamblin~Came by wagon with her husband and her son's family. She was very ill and died near Council Bluffs, Iowa. She is buried somewhere along the trail there.

7. John Doyle Lee~Left his home in Illinois to Utah with the church. His farm and home were valued at $8,000 in 1847. All he got for it was $12.50 by those who moved into Nauvoo after the Mormons left and would offer no more than pitiful sums of money for the abandoned properties. He was sent to southern Utah to man a ferry across the Colorado River for those who were being sent into Arizona to colonize.




8. Agatha Ann Woolsey Lee~Came across the plains by wagon in 1847 with her five small children & her husband John D. Lee. A baby boy was born to her and died in 1846 as the family camped in Nebraska at Summer Quarters before the main trek began.

9. Jeremiah Leavitt~ Started by wagon, became ill and died at Bonaparte, Iowa in1846.


10. Sarah Studevant Leavitt~ After her husband died she kept on going with 6 children and several of her married children and their families. They had to wait a time because of illness and need of supplies. She arrived in the Salt Lake Valley August 3, 1850 and eventually settled in southern Utah. There is a beautiful statue of her in a park in Santa Clara, Utah.

11. John Wesley Clark~ Left his land holdings, cotton, and cattle in Anderson, Texas, traveled by steamer from Galveston up the Mississippi River to Iowa, then across the Great Plains by wagon in 1853 with his wife Evaline and 4 children. Eventually settled in eastern Arizona.
 

12. Evaline Brown Clark~Crossed by wagon with her husband and 4 children in 1853. She was pregnant when they began their journey and gave birth to twins near chimney Rock, Nebraska in a covered wagon. She deserves a gold medal for that one!



13. Lucinda Margaret Clark Lee~She was two years old when her family's journey began in 1853. She later married John Willard Lee and settled in eastern Arizona in a little town called Nutrioso. Their daughter Ida Lee Hamblin is my grandmother.

14. William Alexander Follet~Son of King Follett (Joseph Smith preached a famous sermon at his funeral).
He started his journey across the plains in June of 1852 by covered wagon with his wife and small son. They settled in Pima, Arizona. He was a member of the Mormon Battalion called to fight in the Mexican American War.

15. Nancy Mariah Fausett Follett~Crossed the plains at age 25 with her husband William and her 4 year old son. Their daughter Sarah Mariah is my great grand mother.

Fifteen! I am sure I missed someone but these are as many as I could find. I am honored to be descended from them all. These hardy, faithful souls crossed a span of 1300 miles because of what they believed to be true. They loved their God and wanted the freedom to worship him and live in peace. They were persecuted for their beliefs and left all they owned to start over again in a new place.  How grateful I am for them!

Many of them sang this song as the put one foot in front of the other. I love to sing it in church today. It always gives me a lump in my throat and a warm, grateful feeling.

Come, come, ye Saints, no toil or labor fear; But with joy wend your way. Though hard to you this journey may appear, Grace shall be as your day. 'Tis better far for us to strive Our useless cares from us to drive; Do this and joy your hearts will swell — All is well! All is well! Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard? 'Tis not so; all is right. Why should we think to earn a great reward If we now shun the fight? Gird up your loins; fresh courage take. Our God will never us forsake; And soon we'll have this tale to tell — All is well! All is well! We'll find the place which God for us prepared, Far away in the West. Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid; There the Saints will be blessed. We'll make the air with music ring, Shout praises to our God and King; Above the rest these words we'll tell — All is well! All is well! And should we die before our journey's through, Happy day! All is well! We then are free from toil and sorrow, too; With the just we shall dwell! But if our lives are spared again To see the Saints their rest obtain; Oh, how we'll make this chorus swell — All is well! All is well!