Colleen's Life History - 4: Settling Down to Married Life

Settled Down to "Married Life"


After Rex and I returned to the Isaac Vias home it was the beginning of a new adventure for us, and for others as well. neighbors to the North were Robert and Lou Stoor and before too long Tom and Lillian Lallatin were very near North from us. Further down the Caribou County Lane northward was the Jess and Florence Jensen, Relda & sons Melvin and Gerald. Our farm was near the mountains on the west. The Isaac Vias ranch a little south. Southward along the same road was Abe and Johanna Soderman and Edna; Emil and Alice Stoor with the siblings Virgean and Ralph. Up the lane from the extreme southern part of the loop was Martha and John Soderman with Shirley and Vernon. Not far from their home was a campground and huckleberry patches spread widely over the mountain. Traveling east on the loop one would usually find Henry Thomas at home. Rex told me that Henry had the education to be a History teacher at the University level. He had a vast library in his crude log cabin and a collection of all kinds of rocks found mostly somewhere up the hill east to Williamsburg. We were good friends. He gave us a fine horse and taught me German lessons. Still going along the loop we are now headed north and find Mattie and Garrett Somsen, Rex's father's sister with Frank, Bob and Leith. Their home was surrounded with trees. Very near Earl and Ree with Jay and Junior Somsen (note: Earl was the oldest son of Garrett and Mattie). A little further north was Bert and Marie Reese and son Ray. The Wayan Post office was next and home in the building for the Post Master. I do not remember who the Post Master was when I first lived in Wayan. Across from the Post Office and a little ways further North was Bud and Josephine Weaver. They later moved to Soda Springs and son Max took over running the farm and cows. The Swiss cheese plant was operated by the Hirshbruners. The elementary school was next. From the Post Office, Highway 34 was the road traveled on north past Pharis and Wanda Petersen. Their children were Sherry, Karen, Myrna and Pete. Wanda was Relief Society President for quite a few years and Sherry may have been my first piano pupil. Still going North a lane turned off the Highway to the East. Sam and Lizzie Sibbett were at the end of the lane. Back down on Highway 34 and at the foot of the hill were Dan Morgan and his sister Ida. They were very special friends to Rex and for me too. The Highway makes a left turn now going west. Not far from Morgan's a good road turns off from #34 to the right. Some distance north from the Y and to the right was Mae and August Brandford, Vera and Edgar the siblings. Mrs. B. and I were very good friends and appreciated each other very much. Someone told me that the reason she did not go to church anymore was because of the trouble, or criticism, that she had from certain Mormon Church Leaders in the Gray's Lake Ward: She was Relief Society President at the time and helped many people including folks in need who were not members of the church. Because of her helping non-members and criticism, she just quit her position in the church, and helped folks on her own, members and non-members.

Some of these folks had married children that I did not mention on the previous page. One lovely person and good friend was Edna Soderman, Abe's daughter and John's sister. She contacted some kind of crippling disease as a teenager, I think that was the time. Also, Rex's Aunt Mattie had two older children, Elaine who married Bud Stoor, Buster's oldest brother; and Earl Somsen who married Ree Walton, Wilda Vias' sister. (See their picture) Ree and Earl lived on the country road between Mattie and Garrett and Bert and Marie Reese.

Back to the Brandford's location. Bus and Sis (Frances) Morgan Roy lived just a little further North, the only child was Danny. Across the road from Roy's were Lyle and Benda Burton with Ellen, Glen, Fern, Dwain, Lila and Warren. Many were the happy times spent with those two families, and at least one very sad one. Fern was killed in an automobile accident somewhere on the U.S. Alaskan Highway. Fern had been one of my piano pupils, also Lila.

Wiley and Ireta Tingey lived in the area but I don't remember exactly where. How wonderful that as I write so many memories come flooding back to me. North and on roads that go different directions were the following folks. I do hope I do not forget anyone. Glade and Liz Sibbett with Linda, James, Larry, Lisa, Judy, Don & Eugene. They were the musicians and horsemen. Keith and Leatha Tingey with Peggy, Karen, and Shauna. Rex's Aunt Vera and uncle Cecil Sibbett with Buddy and Blaine. Ewart Muir and Luella with, Brian, Will, and the rest of their children. Some of these boys were good friends with Frank L. Charles and Lois Tingey and family lived near the Muirs. Ellis and Marion Johnson, her mother and adopted Indians, Tony and Beverly. They had a post office then since it was now Gray and Bonneville County, Idaho. There was a country store at each Post Office, Wayan and Gray. Mary and Russell Sibbett were towards the north end with Barbara and Mike. Grandma Sibbett not far from Cecil, property later purchased by Reed and Doris Humphreys. Some of these siblings are not listed according to age. Mr. and Mrs. (Lily) Barnard Lindstrom were farther north with sons Al and ??? families. Enoch Valley was located some distance to the west, perhaps south too, from Wayan. It was fun to drive over the canyon and among the beautiful tall pines from one place to the other. The road was very narrow and winding, even a bit scary.

My word! I forgot to mention that the Laylands, when we finally had a house to live in of our own, was located between the Vias home just north of Roy Stoor's and south of the Robert and Lou Stoor place.

Man Alive! What a welcome I received from all these friendly people in Gray's Lake Valley and Enoch Valley where Kate and Warren Petersen lived and Roy and Wilda Vias with Carol, Philip and Mark. Wayan, south of Gray's lake Valley and Gray north of Gray's Lake. If you had a serious need, a sickness, and a serious problem a number of them were right there to help you.

And, the old party line, our telephone system. Will write about that on the next page.

Before writing about the "old party telephone line" I want write of some folks and buildings in Wayan and Gray where our farm was located.

The county line between Caribou County and Bonneville County was north of Highway 34. At the most extreme northern part of the valley the Collins family lived with Charles and Bob the two sons. Also at the extreme north end and perhaps to the west was the Mann family. I did not know them. In the summertime people often took the shortcut through the hills from the north end of Grays Lake Valley to Idaho Falls. They were just dirt roads mostly with a little gravel in some places. The animal stock yards were located in Idaho Falls and farmers trucked their cattle and sheep there to be sold.

Now for the old "party line telephone" system. The phone was a box with a handle on the right side for winding signals according to whom we wished to talk. There were 32 families on the line and our rings were made up of short and long signals. For example "short-long-short", and "long-short-long". Each family owned a certain combination of rings. Everybody eavesdropped and everybody knew it. I remember calling Martha Soderman one day and telling her about a big moose that was quite near the Vias home where were living. I pointed to the direction of the moose, absentmindedly. My Mother-in-law teased me about thinking Martha could see the direction of the moose from my pointing towards it while on the phone.

It may have been while listening to others talks on the phone in the same room as I happened to be that I was somewhat shocked to learn how people gossiped. My Mother was always very careful about not saying negative things about others, which is a trait I followed as an example. Sometimes now in my seventies I realize that I need to get back in the right habit of being more careful of what I say about others.

Something I learned after being married awhile was this: I had always heard that women did most of the talking and I had been wrong. Men talked as much as women.

There was one situation and experience that stands out in my mind regarding the old "party line". One winter, I think it was 1948 and 1949, three ladies were expecting to deliver a new baby right soon. We had one of the hardest winters in a long time that year. The three were Benda Burton, Eldean Muir, and Leatha Tingey. That was the winter we were snowed in at our Layland two room log home for 6 weeks. Eldean and Leatha made it out to the Dr. and Hospital by snow cat and snow plane I think it was. Benda did not make it to the Dr. and hospital. Lillian Lallatin who lived across the road and a little north from us with Tom and little Carmen Sue, was a registered nurse. Everyone was on the phone, almost, wanting to know how Benda was doing and if the baby had come yet. Benda's neighbor Sis Roy was the only one who could get to the Burton home. Sis had never had any experience as a midwife. The snow was deep and would not pack it was so light. The shortest route from Lillian's to Benda had very few farmers living along the way. The longer route which was the loop around the south end of the valley farmers were frequent and lived closer together. I don't know whose idea it was but the men readied their teams and in relay fashion took the nurse to Benda. The horses could not walk naturally they had to lunge one step at a time and would sink way down in the soft deep snow. It was a slow grueling process. I will never forget listening in on the telephone as reports were given like "the nurse just passed here" and "how is Benda now?" etc. By the time Lillian reached the Burton's the baby had been born. Benda knew what to tell Sis needed to be done regarding the chord between mother and baby etc. All was well. I think we must have all in the entire valley breathed a sigh of relief. I also remember how relieved we were after six weeks of closed roads when we saw Bill Lloyd's caterpillar start up the county line from highway 34. In those days there was no a snow plow on the road every day. By the way, they named the baby "Dwain".

There is a song "The Dear Hearts and Gentle People" that describes in part at least how I feel about the people in Grays Lake and my experiences with them for over twenty years. My heart will surely always have a big spot in it for them. Some years later when our first child, Mary Lee, was eighteen we moved a nice three bedroom home out from Dick Torgesen's place along Highway 34 and near Soda Springs. It had a full basement and Rex made a yard. I can remember looking out the two large picture windows in the front room at night. I knew which light was from whose house. I felt I had found my "niche" in life.

Back to Enoch Valley. That is where Wilda and Roy Vias lived with Philip, Carol and Mark. At least that was the case during Rex's and my early marriage. I do not remember where Oscar and Verda Vias lived when Rex and I were first married, nor Alfred.

Off the road to the west the Gentrys lived along Highway 34 and north of Henry. Henry had an interesting background historically. it was the home of the original Henry Stampede---a great rodeo where famous cowboys came from many different states. There is a beautiful reservoir near and people camp nearby. Rex was a cowboy of moderation. He wasn't afraid to try a mean one to buck. I felt proud of his common sense and the fact that people who knew him trusted and respected him.

It is winter time. Only three modes of transportation: 1. On horseback; 2) on a big sleigh pulled by a team of horses; or 3) in a covered sleigh. The first would be very cold because 60 degrees below zero was not uncommon in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. On a big sleigh afforded more protection from the frigid weather because a load of hay on the wrack could be snuggled down into. Also, Mothers heated bricks and wrapped cloths around them. Oh, how good they felt on cold feet. But better than either when it comes to warmth the covered sleigh was best of all. The covered sleigh was a tiny little house on a sleigh. A window was in the front so one could see out. It was pulled by a team of horses. The reins came through two little holes under the window and were used by the driver to guide the team and sleigh. I’ll always remember riding from one house to another visiting teaching with my sister-in-law, Verda Vias, when pregnant with my first baby, Mary Lee. Each step the horses took the little covered sleigh gave a jerk.

We had heard over the 32 family party phone line that a neighbor was having a quilting party. That meant that the whole family could be there eventually for a day or two. The men folks returned home each day to feed the cattle and then most of them came back to the quilting party. Usually the men played Solo, a card game, while the women quilted. Sometimes they tied one or more quilts and sometimes quilted. It was a marvelous time to share time and conversation with each other and no one seemed in a hurry. It was considered entertainment and joyful time with friends. Winters were long with no travel by automobile because no plows were available to open and keep the roads open. The snow was so deep that fence posts were covered with it.

1940s - Matt Stoor playing fiddle, Rex Layland the guitar and Charley Fulton the accordion provided the “Usual Regular Music” for a wonderful time and fun dancing. No matter what house we were in the folks found room.

Of course these folks had problems, sorrows and tragedy struck from time to time. Then they were shared. How quick neighbors were to come to those who had need whether their need was physical: food and sickness; or other events of a serious nature.

How interesting it was when I discovered that some families had more than two holes to accommodate people needing a bathroom. Some holes even had covers on hinges to close after using them. Boys and young men seemed to delight in throwing snowballs at the door of the privy if a girl or young woman they liked was seated inside. The privy was also used by girls in order to avoid “helping with the dishes”.

Beautiful quilts, tied or quilted, were created at those old fashioned Quilting Parties. But the memories of those contented caring neighbors, and time with them is precious to me.

A memory of winter time in Wayan is precious. When I was large being pregnant with Mary.-Lee, our first child, 1945 Verda and I were Visiting Teaching partners. Verda drove a little covered sleigh that had a small stove burning wood or Coal, in it to keep one warm as they drove to destinations. It was pulled by a-team of horses with a window in the front and a hole near where the reins that guided the horses came into the sleigh. I do not remember whose homes we visited that winter but I surely do remember the jerk of the sleigh with each step the horses took. Although I may not of said it out loud I thought with each jerk of the sleigh, "Oh! Oh!" as I held my tummy tight.

Verda's father, Wiley Tingey was the bishop. In the spring I remember him helping big pregnant me, along the pathway-from the church while thawing was taking place.

Wilda and Roy had three children:, Philip, Carol and Mark. See the picture of Mark with Mary Lee in the garden when they were small. Philip was killed in an accident by tractor he was riding on the hillside above the old cheese factory. Roy was Rex's favorite step brother because he was good to him. Wilda and I had a wonderful lot of fun one day playing Mother Chat's old pump organ and singing "Heil! Heil Right in the Fuehrer's Face" blowing the tongue and spitting after each "Heil'.

After we had been married for a short time someone learned that I played the piano and had studied piano at CWC and I was asked to teach their children piano. That was the beginning of many years of teaching. All five of our children learned to play the piano with me as teacher. Later I secured an accordion and paid for it teaching, which was also the foundation of happy times in Boise, Idaho where we attended the Idaho State Accordion Festivals. Lawrence Welk's accordionist, Myron Floren, was the judge and became a much loved friend to all of us. My music business was named Tosoiba (the Indian word for "Sparkling Water” ) in Soda, Wayan, Grace & Bancroft. Mary Lee taught with me. I managed the business. I was successful teaching piano, accordion, guitar and voice.