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Life Sketch Of Margaret McFarland Thompson

By Her Son, Grant Thompson

CHILDHOOD YEARS

Mom described her birth and beginnings well as she wrote, "I was born in a five room red brick house in West Weber, Weber County, Utah on a hot summer day of July 29, 1897. I can remember my mother saying how she suffered with the heat that summer. After coming into the world I wanted the attention of all those around me, so they said, that I did a lot of crying when I was a baby making it hard for Mother to get her rest." She was blessed 14 November 1897 by Thomas Etherington, her grandfather, a convert to the church from England.

She was the seventh child of nine children and the fourth daughter of James Rankin and Mary Eliza Etherington McFarland. Her brothers and sisters were William Albert, born 31 December 1882; Sarah Jane, born 23 November 1884; Laura Isabella (called Bell), born 16 December 1886; James Earl, born 25 March 1889; Olive, born 26 April 1891; Thomas Archibald, born 12 December 1893; Mary, born 29 December 1899; and John Mitchell, born 8 May 1902. Sarah Jane was accidentally killed when she was fourteen years old.

Mom described her father as being a very quiet man that shunned crowds. As a result, Mom felt he did not go to church regularly because he did not like to meet people, but would encourage his family to go and would help them to get there. He paid his tithing and supported the church in other ways.

Grandpa was a farmer and a stockman, raising sheep earlier in his life but had milk cows during most of his life. One of the areas where Grandpa would herd his sheep in the summer was up the South Fork of the Ogden River, beyond the head of Beaver Creek. Some of his sons would go up and stay to herd the sheep and take care of the cows which they had up there, as well.

The cows were milked up there and Grandma would apparently often be up there to skim the cream off of the milk. The cream would be churned into butter and the butter would be taken to the Co-op Store in Ogden where they would trade the butter for groceries. No doubt, they would sell the lambs in the fall and wool in the spring for additional income.

Mom and the other younger children apparently stayed in West Weber where, probably, Mom's older sister, Bell took care of them.

Grandpa had a farm in the western part of West Weber by the house where Mom was born which was located on the road to West Warren and was about a mile east of the Weber River bridge. He raised hay and grain to feed his milk cows and in the later years would send the milk to the dairy in Ogden. He also raised sugar beets, potatoes and other row crops on his irrigated farm.

In later years, at least, Grandpa always carried Lifesaver candy in his pocket. Byron remembers staying with Grandpa and Grandma when Dad and Mom went to California. He wanted to go down and see his cousin, Virgil McFarland, who lived just about a block west, but Grandma would not let him go for some reason. He began to cry and Grandpa reached into his pocket and gave Byron a Lifesaver to console him.

Grandpa McFarland had a serious accident when he was about 68 years old. He was harrowing a field of plowed ground to prepare it for planting and one of the horses being used to pull the harrow was a colt that was being "broke" to be used as a work horse. The horses began to run and Grandpa, who was probably riding by standing on the harrow, fell in front of the harrow and was badly mangled, especially on his face. Byron can remember seeing Grandpa with bandages on his face and head.

Grandma McFarland was a kind, sweet, and lovable person. I am certain that she was a very unselfish person because my Mother was the most unselfish person, I think, I have ever met. I am certain that she followed the example of her mother.

Grandma always worked very hard, as did many people in those days. To raise and take care of a large family took a lot of hard work. Mom said Grandma was the hardest working lady that she had ever known.

If Grandma wanted a chicken for dinner, she would go out to the chicken coop and catch the chicken. Then she would cut off the chicken's head with an ax and then, either would pick off all the feathers or would skin the chicken. She would then clean the interior of the chicken by removing intestines, heart, liver, etc. She would then have to cut up the chicken into the various parts to be fried for dinner.

In the meantime she had to prepare all of the rest of the dinner from scratch. It took a lot of hard work.

Mom said, "My mother was a very good cook and could get a very tasty meal together with a very meager supply of material on hand. Her Pies were most delicious and it has always been my desire to make pie crust like hers." I can say that she totally succeeded because Mom's pies were scrumptious.

The Southern Pacific Railroad passed about a quarter of a mile south of Grandpa and Grandma's farm. Many hoboes would catch rides on the trains, and would either ride in empty box cars or sometime would ride up on top of the box cars. Sometimes they would get off of the train and Mom remembered them stopping by to ask Grandma for something to eat. Sometimes she would have them do some work for the meal, such as chopping wood, but as Mom related, she never refused to give them something to eat.

Grandma was a faithful member of the Church and attended Sacrament Meeting as often as she could. She attended Relief Society and was a counselor in the Presidency when she was a little older.

Mom remembered her grandfather, Achibald McFarland, quite well. He served on the school board and apparently spent some time around the West Weber School. He would usually have a walking cane and mom recalled him hooking her around the leg and holding her while he talked to her.

She remembered Archibald being very interested in genealogy. He had a big thick book that contained all of the research that he had completed. All his descendants have been blessed by the work that he did.

Archibald was a farmer that planted hay, grain, and row crops. He also had fruit trees and berry bushes. He also contracted to build a stretch of the transcontinental railroad where West Weber men graded and prepared three miles of road bed near promontory. Mom remembered him telling about hauling rock for the Salt Lake Temple.

Archibald spent time in prison because he had four wives. Mom remembers him saying the food was not very good in prison, even though they had enough to eat. She said he felt quite proud to have served in prison because he had done the right thing.

She remembered her grandmother, Isabella Mitchell McFarland, and the visits they had with her. She said she had a large pantry and she would often motion for Mom to join her in the pantry where she would fix her bread, butter, and jam.

Her grandfather Etherington was a stockman and farmer. He had two wives which Mom said lived about two miles apart. Her grandfather had chickens and they would gather the eggs and split them between the two families. They would also make butter and divide the butter between the families. Whatever they had, Mom said they divided it.

Even though Mom had three older brothers, that did not exempt her from having to do some work in the garden or barn yard or on the farm. Grandpa had a small orchard with fruit trees and also had gooseberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Mom not only helped to pick the fruit but she helped to bottle the fruit, as well. She would help weed the vegetable garden and she would gather eggs from the chicken coop as some additional chores.

While she was younger she did some work out in the fields, but apparently not very much. She tried to thin sugar beets, which was removing the extra small plants with a hoe so they are twelve to fifteen inches a part, but said her brothers were disgusted with her because she, no doubt, was not as fast as they thought she should be or could not do the job as good as they could. She also remembered helping to clean or remove the weeds from the irrigation ditches with a shovel. One of her brothers cut her thumb with his shovel as he was throwing the weeds out of the ditch.

Mom remembered helping her mother make soap which was a very big project. Grandma saved all of the fat trimming from the meat (probably just the beef) from which to make the soap. She would then cook the fat for a time after which she would allow it to stand overnight for the fat to rise to the top. The fat was then removed and cooked with the lye and water to make the soap. Mom said they would have to watch for the mixture to start to boil because if it boiled over onto the stove, it was big mess. After the cooking time was complete, the mixture would be poured into boxes lined with wax paper and allowed to harden. This would then be cut up into bars for use.

Mom was close to some of her cousins. She related, "My first recollection of playmates were my cousins. My Dad and Mother used to take the wagon, and later the white top, and would go visit her sisters or Father's folks (her Father's parents, Archibald and Isabella Mitchell McFarland) and spend the day. How well I remember those big hot dinners of chicken and noodles and roly poly boiled puddings. And then we children would play house all afternoon, dressing up our kittens in dresses and bonnets and rocking them to sleep and putting them to bed, and they would cuddle down and sleep just like a baby."

Like many girls, dolls were an important part of her childhood. When she was nearly 60 years old, she wrote, "My first doll was very special and I never got too old to want one, but the last Christmas I asked for a doll, I got a picture album with a beautiful pink rose on the cover. I was quite disappointed at first but I enjoyed the album and was happy I received it.

Mom attended school in West Weber and remained there until she graduated from the eighth grade. The school was about two miles from where Mom lived and she often had to walk that distance. There were four rooms in the school, at least an improvement over the one room schools that many children attended in those days.

The principal of the school was Ammon Green, Jr., a neighbor of Mom's that lived about a half mile west of her. He had a pair of white horses which he would hitch to a wagon and drive to school. The wagon had hay in the back so that the horses could eat while Mr. Green was in school. He would stop and give Mom and some of her brothers and sisters rides to school if they could get into the wagon really fast. If they did not get in fast enough, the next day he would not stop for them.

On one occasion Mom was walking to school, when Mr. Green came by in his wagon. He asked Mom if she wanted a ride, and being very bashful, she replied, " I don't care." He said, "I don't care either," and he drove off.

Mr. Green, the principal of the school was, of course, also one of the teachers. He taught penmanship and he was a beautiful penman, himself. He taught mom how to write beautifully and how to put all of the "curlicues," as she called them, on the letters. Mom enjoyed his class and she got good "marks," as well. She remember writing on paper rather than on the slates that some students at that time had to use.

Mom had vivid memories of walking the two miles to school through the snow. She wore heavy black leggings that she remembered buttoned up on the outside with a dozen button. They would cut through the pastures and fields and climb through fences to shorten the walk to school. Sometimes they waded in snow up to their knees so that when they arrived at school they would be soaking wet. At school she would take off the leggings and lay them on the floor under the coat rack. By the time she was ready to go home, they were dry.

On one occasion Mom's Grandfather, Archibald McFarland, had asked her to bring one of her Dad's horses to school so that he could use it for the day. As she was riding the horse and was about half way to school, the horse decided he wanted to go home. She tried kicking it to get it to go forward, as well as getting off of the horse and leading it, but it was to no avail. The only thing she could do was take the horse home and then walk back to school.

In those days, the childhood diseases always made the rounds through most families. Mom recalled, "When I was young I had most of the children diseases but the one I remember best is the time I had the measles. I was about fourteen years old and my temperature was rather high and I thought Mother was trying to put all the chairs on top of me. I was glad when I was well again. My sister, Olive, had the smallpox and the rest of us had to be vaccinated and kept away from her. That was quite a task for Mother to keep her locked in a room and to keep the rest of us from being exposed to the smallpox."

When our son, Brent interviewed Mom when she was almost eighty years old, she spoke of the family shopping trips to Ogden. She said, "I can remember on a Saturday my Dad would put some hay in the wagon and the rest of us rode sitting on the hay, and we'd go into Ogden. They used to have feed lots, and he'd park the wagon and put the team so they'd eat hay out of the wagon. So when we went and did our shopping the team was eating their hay. And there was a place there he could water them."

In later years they rode in a white top buggy to do their shopping in Ogden.

They shopped at the Co-op Store which I imagine was similar to the co-op stores that they had all over Utah and at least the one in Salt Lake City later became ZCMI's. The co-op store in Ogden had a department store on one side and a grocery store on the other side. Mom related, "I can recall where the groceries were was quite a bit lower than where the dry goods store was. I can remember there was kind of a ramp that sloped down into the grocery store. I can also remember that a little girl(Mom) used to like to run up and down that ramp. It seemed like something that amused us." The Co-op was located on the northwest corner of Twenty Fourth Street and Washington Blvd. and the Ogden City Mall is now located there.

 

ADOLESCENT YEARS

As a girl Mom was excited to have the chance to earn some money of her own and pay her tithing. She described her feelings by writing, "The first time I ever worked away from home was in the canning factory at West Weber. I was really thrilled to have some money of my own. I was encouraged by my parents to pay my tithing and I went to the Bishop, who was my uncle, George William Etherington, with $5.00 for tithing and I valued the receipt of that tithing very much and still have it among my keepsakes. I am grateful for the teachings my parents and teachers gave me as I grew up. I can see now how much it meant to me." She wrote this when she was about fifty years old.

She had many happy times as a teenager, as she so vividly wrote. "As I grew into my teens I had many wonderful friends and we used to go and spend the night with each other. I enjoyed the afternoon walks that we used to take, as we either had to walk or take a horse and buggy so we usually walked."

As long I as I can remember Mom has had a strong and fervent testimony of the gospel. She not only expressed it but she demonstrated her testimony by the way that she lived and served. When asked near the end of her life how she developed a strong testimony of the gospel, she replied, "I always went to my classes in Sunday School and Mutual and I've always had the desire to do what was right and I used to go to Sacrament Meeting. I guess I just grew up that way."

She did feel that her oldest brother, William, who was called on a mission after he was married and had several children, helped to strengthen her testimony. When he wrote letters to the family, he encouraged them to keep the commandments of the Lord and do what was right. She said all the children were anxious to read the letter first when they came.

She could also remember her Grandfather, Archibald McFarland, bearing his testimony often, no doubt in Fast and Testimony Meeting, and she said he surely had a strong testimony. Furthermore, he really encouraged her and other family members to attend their meetings. He kept good track of them and if they were not at their meetings, he wanted to know why.

Even though it was two miles to church, Mom walked to church with other family members, even in the wintertime, until they got a buggy.

She really enjoyed going to Sunday School and said that most of the girls attended but probably not as many of the boys. It was then they had the opportunity to dress up in their Sunday best and show off their new dresses. They were always glad to see their friends there.

According to Mom, families did not take their small children to Sacrament Meeting the way that they do now. The older people went and then when the children were a little older, they began to attend Sacrament Meeting. This was true for Mom, as well.

She remembered that the sacramental bread was passed around on a white dinner plate while the water was passed around in a glass and each one would take a sip and pass it on to the next. When the water in the glass got low, the Deacon or the one passing the water would pour more water into the glass from a pitcher.

She loved to go to Mutual and participate in the activities there. She expressed this by writing, "How I longed to join the M.I.A. and when I was old enough to go we had a very good class and I liked to take part in the various activities. My brother, Tom, and I were chosen with others to learn a new dance to be put over (taught) to the young people of our ward. We enjoyed the association we had at that class and had a lot of fun."

"I can remember playing the part of Rose Walton in a 3 Act Comedy Drama called "Why Smith Left Home." We had a lot of fun together and one night after our practice we decided to drive our horse and buggy to a Mutual dance they were having in Plain City. It was in Feb. and the roads were very muddy and as we were going along the road toward the river bridge, the mud being up to the horse's knees, the shaves (shafts) of the buggy broke and there we were. Florence Telford climbed on the horse and rode to David Hancock's and we borrowed a buggy and went on to the dance. We had a lot of fun at the dance so it was worth it. Father had to go get the buggy out of the mud the next day."

After Mom graduated from the eighth grade in the West Weber School, she attended Weber Stake Academy in Ogden, which was the equivalent of high school. She had a cousin, Susan McFarland that she was very close to, and as Mom put it, "that I chummed with all the time and used to walk to school with...." Since Susan was going to the academy, Mom decided that she wanted to go. Her parents agreed it was a good idea, perhaps because she had a good place to live.

Mom and Susan lived in Ogden, within walking distance of the academy, with Mom's Married sister, Laura Isabella Purrington. To support her stay there, Grandpa McFarland would bring in meat, vegetables, and no doubt, fruit and her cousin's, parents would to the same thing.

Mom had one experience there that she remembered well very late in life. Talking of going to Weber Stake Academy, she said, " I remember I was just a green little girl and just scared to death when I went. And I took home economics and my teacher's name was Mrs. Ferrin. We were going to cook a dinner for the faculty one day and what did she do but assign me to make the hot rolls. I never slept a wink the night before. I went to school and mixed this batch of rolls that she had given me the recipe for and kind of over-seen and she told me where to put the rolls to raise and evidently they must have turned up the heat on them and it got too warm and they were a wreck; they were ruined."

"I went home that night, I remember, and I cried. I just felt terrible. And she (the teacher) tried to pacify me and make me feel better, but the next week or so she had me make another batch of rolls and they turned out really nice so I felt a lot better about it then."

When asked if she thought taking home economics at Weber Stake Academy helped her to become the fine cook that she was, she replied, " I think taking home economics at Weber Academy helped some. My mother taught me a lot; she really was a good cook. But I think it helped me, and I enjoyed the school."

As a teenager Mom enjoyed social activities like most of those her age. She began going to dances when she was about fifteen years old, she recollected when she was near eighty years old. As long as she could remember they had dances in West Weber. The popular dances of that day were the waltz and the fox trot. She also remembered one of the techniques that was used to have the boys and girls dance with different partners. The girls would be in a circle inside of a slightly larger circle of the boys. The girls would begin walking in one direction while the boys would walk opposite. At the right moment the one in charge would stop the walking and the girl would dance a waltz or a fox trot, according to the music played, with the boy that was opposite her.

The music provided for these dances was from a four piece orchestra. The usual group would have a piano, a saxophone, a violin or fiddle, as they were called, and a drum.

One night when Mom was at one of the dances she met someone and as she later wrote, " I soon found myself very much interested in one certain fellow." She explained that both the boys and the girls went to the dances whether they had a date or not. Her brother, Tom, had taken her and her cousin, Susan, to the dance on what turned out to be a very special night.

After the dance was over Mom and her cousin went outside but could not find her brother for a ride home. Mom decided that she would walk home but another cousin of hers, Henry Dance, asked if they were going to walk home. When she replied yes, he said he would find someone to take them home. He asked a friend of his, Gordon Thompson, from Plain City to take them home. This was their first meeting, but some responsive chord must have been struck.

Apparently, the first opportunity they had to really talk came a short time later at another dance in West Weber. According to Mom, Dad hadn't learned how to dance, so he sent a friend, Rube Hancock, into the dance to ask mom to come out and talk to him. From later events they must have like what they heard from each other.

They didn't see each other "for quite a while," according to Mom. However, one night after Mutual was the next meeting. As was often the custom, the boys from Plain City, when their Mutual was over, would travel to West Weber by horse and buggy as fast as their horses could run. This night Dad was waiting for Mom to come out and he asked if he could take her home. That must have been a good beginning to a courtship because as Mom put it, "I went with him after that, I guess, till I was married, over three years."

 

ADULT YEARS

 

They were married 22 December 1915 in the Salt Lake Temple by Elder Alvin F. Smith, a half brother of President Joseph Fielding Smith. The day in the temple was a long one because they arrived before daylight and did not leave until after dark. They stayed that night with Dad's Uncle, Thomas J. Yates, in Salt Lake City.

Mom and Dad were blessed to be the parents of seven children. Gordon Earl was born 20 January 1917 and June, who died three weeks later of pneumonia, was born 18 April 1919; both of them were born at home in Plain City, Weber, Utah. James Lyle was born 26 May 1921 and Byron H. was born 4 April 1923, both at home, in Hansen, Twin Falls, Idaho. I was born 26 February 1927, Marilyn 10 January 1932, and Darrel 6 September 1937 in Ogden, Weber, Utah at the old Dee Hospital.

Mom was a great wife and mother in every sense of the word. She was totally devoted to Dad. She had great love for him and did everything that she could to make his life better. She was very unselfish and she really demonstrated this Christ-like trait in her relationship with Dad, as well as us children.

Earl recalled that as a very small boy he was riding in the buggy with Mom on the way to West Weber to visit her parents. After they crossed the Weber River bridge, the horse became balky and did not want to continue. In fact, it began backing up and the wheel of the buggy went off the road and it tipped over. Earl was scared, to say the least, but Mom was there to comfort him so that it was not too bad.

Marilyn remembers that Mom would go without clothes for herself so that she could have Jantzen sweaters and Joyce shoes, which were the fashion clothes for teenagers of that day.

Like the rest of their children, I have many fond memories of my childhood with my mother. I still remember vividly how secure I felt when I was with her. The security was more than just 'no fear' because I always had a happy feeling since she was always happy and radiated it to all those around her, especially her children.

One lullaby that Mom would sing to us and other babies is as follows:

 

Rock-a-bye don't you cry

We shall go to Grannies

Up the hill above the mill

To see the little lambies

 

She had a nice singing voice and it was very soothing especially to an upset child. I can remember how much better it made me feel as she would sing the above lullaby to me or any of the other songs she liked to sing.

She would often sing:

 

"I have two little hands folded snugly and tight

They are tiny and weak yet they know what is right

During all the long hours till daylight is through

There is plenty indeed for my two hands to do."

She would recite poems or nursery rhymes to us which seemed very clever to me and which I loved to hear. One that all of the children and most of the grandchildren remembers as their favorite is as follows:

Two little kittens one stormy night,

Began to quarrel, and then to fight;

One had a mouse, the other had none,

And that's the way the quarrel begun.

 

"I'll have that mouse," said the biggest cat;

"You'll have that mouse? We'll see about that!".

"I will have that mouse," said the eldest son;

"You shan't have the mouse," said the little one..

 

I told you before 'twas a stormy night

When these two little kittens began to fight;

The old woman seized her sweeping broom,

And swept the two kittens right out of the room.

 

The ground was covered with frost and snow,

And the two little kittens had now where to go;

So they laid them down on the mat of the door,

While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.

 

Then they crept in, as quiet as mice,

All wet with the snow, and cold as ice,

For they found it was better, that storm night,

To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.

 

(None of us believe this is exactly the way Mom recited this poem, because we feel she had her own version, but this is as close as we can come to the poem we all loved to hear.)

Earl remembered how much love Mom showed as she would discipline

him for doing something wrong. After she would correct him in the closet so not one else could hear she always put her arm around him and told him how much she love him. She was very gentle in her correction of all of us.

Mom used to make soap just like her mother had done before her.

Byron remember rendering the lard on the stove in big pans and the cracklings would be eaten after the lard was rendered. The lard would be mixed with lye and water and cooked for several hours. This mixture would be poured into flat pans to harden and then cut into bars.

Byron had a fond memory of the cooler which was south of the house which was used to store milk and butter. It was a wire frame structure covered by burlap which would wick water from a pan sitting on top. The evaporation of the water would keep the milk and butter cool. This was used, of course, before refrigerators were available.

Mom was an excellent cook and always made things from scratch without a recipe. She really made recipes by how things looked and felt. Some of the things that she prepared so well were rolls, bread, pies, pork roast with potatoes, coleslaw, parsnips, green sweet pickles, fruit cake, carrot pudding, and the list could go on and on. Some of her other great creations are mentioned below.

Mom could come up with a great meal on a moments notice. One of the dishes that Byron remembers her preparing occasionally was called "sops." It was made by heating milk with the drippings from frying either pork or beef. Instead of adding flour to make gravy, this very fluid mixture was poured over bread for a delicious part of the meal.

Another delicacy that Mom would make was head cheese which was made from the head of a pig. The pig's head was boiled to cook the meat and then every scrap of the meat was removed. It was put into a gelatin and then cooled. The head cheese would then be sliced for sandwiches or used as the meat for a meal. I remember taking head cheese sandwiches to school and they were very delicious.

Mom made very good baking powder biscuits which sometimes were served for breakfast. They would be served with milk gravy made from the drippings of the bacon, sausage or the like. We would also eat the biscuits with honey, jelly, or jam. For us boys working on the farm, this would stick to the ribs all morning.

One of the traditional dishes of the family which mom prepared was dried corn. The corn was cut off of the cob after the kernels are split and mixed with cream, sugar, salt, and then heated in the oven to cook it. The recipe was 4 quarts of corn, 1\2 cup cream or canned milk, 1\2 cup sugar, and 1\8 cup salt. It was then spread on a sheet on top of the shed with cheese cloth over it while it dried for several days. It can be placed on a sheet on a table and dried with the use of a fan.

Another specialty was huckleberry pie, the huckleberries for which we grew in the garden.

She made the most delicious dressing which all of us really liked and so did everyone else, it seems, that ever tasted it. Mom was always involved in prepared the dinner for the Seventeenth of March, the anniversary of the settling of Plain City. She always made or helped make the dressing.

Mom was very industrious and always stored food in the summer to last at least a year or more. She would bottle peaches, including white cling stone peaches to which spices were added, apricots, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, dewberries, black caps, currants, tomatoes, catsup, and chili sauce. Before refrigerators were available she would bottle meat as a way of preserving it.

Along with these, fifteen or twenty hundred pound sacks of potatoes were stored in the cellar along with a few sacks of onions. Carrots and parsnips were usually stored in an underground pit lined with straw or in metal containers filled with sand.

We always ate well at home. In retrospect, they were often meals fit for a king.

One of the great events of the year was cooking for the men that worked on the threshing crew. It was the custom for neighbors to help each other when the threshing machine came. They would bring their teams and wagons to help haul the grain from the field and then pitch the bundles of grain into the threshing machine.

The noon meal, which we called dinner, was a real feast that took Mom days to prepare for. She always had made pies ahead time for dessert, but there would be huge amounts of potatoes to peel, carrots from the garden to clean and scrub, corn on the cob to husk and cook, large amounts of beef to roast, gravy to make, hot rolls to bake or many loaves of bread to bake, etc.

The men would wash up outside in a galvanized wash tub, which I still remember vividly. We would then go inside for a meal that was equivalent, if not better, to our best Thanksgiving Dinner. Everyone would rave about Mom's dinner.

On one occasion she was preparing to serve dinner to her birthday club. She wanted to serve Chicken-ALA-king over cream puffs. She said she didn't know how to make the cream puffs and asked if Anita knew how. Anita made them and then several years after realized Mom was just giving Anita a chance to show she could excel.

Anita, Darrel's wife, remembers mom saying that she hoped when she got on the other side (the spirit world), they wouldn't call her on a mission. She said she would much rather work in the heavenly kitchen.

In Mom's day there was a schedule for the week that was almost always followed. Monday was washday and that was a day long job. Marilyn remembers that Mom would start the day at 5:30 AM. For most of the years, she used an old ringer type washer with two rinse tubs to remove the soap. The second rinse tub contained bluing which kept the clothes from turning yellow. In the summer this would be done on the large screened back porch. During the winter this was done in the kitchen which made it very crowded. In the beginning, she heated the water in a "boiler" on the coal stove and later when we had a hot water tank, she used a hose to fill the washer.

Mom would sometimes soften the water to be used for washing the clothes. She would heat the water on the coal stove in what was called a "boiler" which was made of copper. When the water was hot, Mom would add lye to water which cause a scum(calcium hydroxide) to form and then she would skim the scum off which softened the water.

Some days when the clothes, especially the whites, were extra dirty, they were boiled in soapy water on the coal stove in a "boiler" with a lot of stirring to get them clean.

The clothes all had to be hung outside on the clothes line even in winter. I remember that the clothes would freeze very stiff in a few minutes, but they would slowly dry, by sublimation.

The next step was to dampen the clothes by sprinkling with water, either by hand or a sprinkling bottle. The clothes would be rolled and put in a basket to allow the water to be evenly distributed. Remember, steam irons were not heard of.

Tuesday was the day to iron the clothes. This was a day-long job that allowed only enough time to prepare meals. There were five boys and a girl so there was plenty of ironing. Dress shirts had to have the collars, cuffs, and front where the buttons were, dipped in a water solution of starch prior to ironing. Marilyn remembers when all the boys were dating, there would be fifteen to twenty white shirts to iron. There was always a big stack of handkerchiefs to iron because there were no Kleenex. That is how the girls learned to iron first.

There was always a lot of mending and sewing to do. Mom would darn the hole in socks with yarn, because it was too expensive to buy new ones. She would put patches in the knees of our overalls using the sewing machine. She also made her aprons and house dresses and clothes for Marilyn.

Mom was a very good housekeeper and she worked very hard to have the house neat and clean. That was not easy living on a farm with blowing dust a common occurrence. She was constantly dusting, sweeping the kitchen floor, and vacuuming. Marilyn remembers her telling her not to forget the corners. She truly believed that cleanliness was next to Godliness.

As I mentioned before, Mom was the most unselfish person that I have ever known, which she demonstrated by years and years of Christ-like service. My wife, Dona, remembers how much she would help families that experienced a death. She would clean their house to be ready for when the casket came from the mortuary for the viewing in the home. She would prepare large quantities of food for the family and for the relatives that would come for the funeral.

She was of great service to her brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends. She helped her Sister Mary McFarland Knight when she suffered with cancer; she visited and served her sister, Laura Isabella Purrington, when she was sick in later years; She helped her sister, Olive McFarland Maw; she helped Aunt Irene McFarland; and she especially helped her brother, John McFarland.

Marilyn remembers going over to West Weber to clean Uncle John's house after his wife died and he was alone with two children. The sink would be full of dishes which they would wash, the rooms would be cleaned, the beds would be changed, and their clothes would be taken home to be washed and ironed. She often took food to the home, as well. Some people questioned whether she should give so much help, but she felt like he needed the help and therefore she would help him as long as she had the strength. She did this not only because she wanted to help, but also because she knew her mother would want her to help.

Mom did not always enjoy good health in the later years of her life due to some serious illnesses which she experienced. In June of 1951 Mom experienced a very serious illness that almost took her life. She had acute nephritis which the doctors had a difficult time to diagnose. She was in the Dee Hospital for forty days and in a coma for at least a week. The doctors were not sure that she would live.

Marilyn remembers that her friend, Doris Poulsen, who was in nurses training, was present when Dr. Catlin came in and asked how Mrs. Thompson was. They said she seemed to be doing quite well and Dr. Catlin replied, I did not think she would make it through the night.

During this period when we were not certain if she would live, we had a family prayer in the meditation room in the Dee Hospital. Our cousin, Harold Thompson, was the mouth and we feel her life was spared because she had a great work still to do. Her doctors did not think she would ever be able to work again, but she fooled them and could work very hard.

After Mom left the hospital, Uncle Tom and Aunt Irene McFarland had her come to their home to recover. She was there a long time.

Some years later, Mom suffered a heart attack which left her with poor health the rest of her life. Even so, she was reluctant to let that stop her from doing anything. She was marvelous in spite of her health.

Mom was a very shy person that never wanted to be in front of the public, although when she knew people she was not shy at all. Darrel remembers that when he was called on his mission, Mom did not want to speak at his farewell but she reluctantly agreed to do so. She gave a very short talk.

She would calm Dad down by saying, "Now Dad," when he would get excited. She had a very calming influence on the whole family whenever there was a problem. She was always optimistic and was sure that any problem could be solved.

Anita remembers she was the one in the family that kept the rest of the family up to date on what was going on in the family. She would never criticize any of her daughter in laws or son in law in these conversations. If there were any small suggestions made in the discussion, it was that her own child should make some changes.

Mom had a very strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Based on my observations she never had any doubts about any of the principles or teachings of the church. She supported the church leaders wholeheartedly, and was not one to criticize the leaders or other members. She was much more concerned about whether she was doing what she should be doing than she was about whether someone else was perfect.

I can remember vividly having her teach me gospel principle even when I was a very young boy and she taught all the other children as she did me. She would never pass up teaching opportunities when we were together. She would talk about faith, honesty, Heavenly Father's love for his children, service to others, how to be kind, the importance of listening to the Spirit, the blessings from obeying the Word of Wisdom, and the list could go on and on. I am certain that her teachings are the key reasons that I cannot remember when I did not have a firm conviction that the church was true.

Mom was in tune with the Spirit because she lived righteously. One excellent example of this was just before, Brent was born. I had left for the University of Utah in Salt Lake City around seven AM, while we were living in Ogden, and shortly after Dona started having pains. She did not think it was time for the baby to be born because She had just been to the Doctor and he said the baby would not be born until after Christmas and this was only 9 December. The pains continued to get stronger and closer together and Dona was very concerned.

We had no phone and she could not call anyone and we had just moved there so she did not know the neighbors. She began to pray that the Lord would send someone to help her.

At this time Mom was in Ogden and was just finishing a little shopping. She was going to hurry home to press the temple clothes because she and Dad were going to the temple. She said to herself, I should stop in and see how Dona is but I don't have time. She started for home but received a very strong impression that she should go see Dona and so she turned the car around.

When she got to our apartment she quickly detected that the pains were close together and they better go to the hospital. She promised Dona that if they had to return home, she would take the blame. After they arrived at the hospital, Mom went to the office to check Dona in and when she returned, Dona was in the delivery room and Brent was born shortly thereafter.

Dona will be eternally grateful to her for being in tune and listening to the Spirit.

Dona said her life has been blessed in every way to have a mother-in-law like Mom. Dona can never remember a time when Mom ever made her unhappy; she can not even think of a time when she even had a bad thought about Mom.

Mom served in the church for many years in many capacities and unfortunately we do not know all of the callings she had. She taught Primary for many years, especially the Trail Builders. She had a great influence on many young people as she served. Many years later, when Merrill Jenkins was called as Bishop of the Plain City Ward, he reported in his acceptance speech that Mom was one of the reasons that he was there accepting the calling. Mom said he was one that she did not think ever listened.

She served as a counselor to Sarah Knight in the Relief Society Presidency. That was a perfect calling for her because certainly her personal motto was "Charity Never Faileth."

Mom and Dad were members of the Genealogical Committee of the Plain City Ward and in that capacity did much to encourage temple work. The arranged for a bus to take people to the Logan Temple and they would call everyone in the ward with a recommend to see if they could go to the temple. At that time Plain City was doing more endowments than the rest of the Stake put together.

Mom and Dad served on the Old Folks committee for many years and did a great work in helping the elderly people feel good about themselves.

 

COMMENTS BY LauRene Thompson Buswell

I have warm memories of Aunt Marg. She was my second mother as I was growing up. I was always welcome at any time in Uncle Gordie and Aunt Margaret's home. In looking back, it seems like I visited in their home almost every day. It was fun to do jobs for her like washing dishes, dusting or shining the mirrors. My mother asked me once why it was more fun to do work at Aunt Marg's home. I guess it was the novelty of being in someone else's home.

Aunt Marg was a pretty women. Her skin had a bit of a natural glow and her eyes were expressive. Her hair waved and curled easily, and as it grayed showed highlights that made her look very distinguished. She dressed very neatly and appropriately for all occasions. She was soft spoken and somewhat shy.

She was committed to helping and doing for her husband, children, parents, brothers and sisters, extended family and neighbors. I knew she loved Uncle Gordie by the way she treated him. She showed him respect and honored his opinion. She supported him in whatever calling he had. She kept her children well fed, well groomed and ready to do what they needed to do. She taught , gently and firmly, gospel principles, honesty, fairness and goodness. I remember going with her and her children to visit her parents, brothers and sisters in their homes. She gave time and caring during the illness to these people in her life. I particularly remember Grandma McFarland and her sweet disposition.

In our neighborhood after the night meal and chores were done, the cousins collected to play games until dark. Because their home was in the middle between our home and Uncle Ster's, more often than not we gathered there to play children's games like: Run Sheepie Run, Hide and Go Seek, Cops and Robbers, Kick the Can and Antie-I-Over. Hearty laughter and good humor was the order of the day.

Aunt Marg was a good homemaker. Her attire was a house dress and apron both gingham in pretty pastel colors of checks and plaids. Her homemade bread was a real treat. To me it was like eating cake. I have strong memory of her back porch on wash day. The Maytag washer and wringer, the double tubs for rinsing, one with bluing in it and one with clear water. She hung the wash on clothes lines south of the house using wooden clothes pins to secure them and then a long substantial stick to prop the clothes high enough to not touch the ground. Canning was a ritual of preparing peaches, pears, or whatever by washing, peeling, pitting and placing in bottles with sweet syrup and screwing on lids after placing a red rubber band on the lip of the bottle. After processing and cooling, the bottled fruit was carried to the shelves in the cellar below the granary. There was a potato pit nearby covered with straw and dirt to store potatoes for the winter. House cleaning was a Spring and Fall ritual of cleaning wallpaper with a pink dough-like wad to remove smoke film caused by coal stoves, painting, scrubbing, shining, turning mattresses and hanging clothes from the closets outside to air.

Contributing to church and community functions was a part of her life. She willingly contributed food and time to the 17th of March homecoming, Black and White Days, Primary and Relief Society socials. She and Jane Carver were a legend as chairman of the Turkey Dressing assignment. I think their recipe is still used by Food Chairman for the 17th of March dinners.

In their later years, Uncle Gordie and Aunt Marg spent their winters in Arizona. During the month of February over a period of years, Don I went to Phoenix to attend Dental Seminars. We were welcomed with open arms by those dear people. They wanted to hear first hand all about the people at home. Aunt Marg was homesick by then and a month or more away from going home. We talked and talked, went shopping, shared recipes, went sightseeing and attended the temple. She taught me how to properly fold my temple clothes and instructed me quietly on other matters.

She shares with me her shyness and fright in doing public things. She confided that she had been asked to be Relief Society president at one time. She asked for time to think it over feeling the need to be obedient to a call. After anguishing for a few days, she declined the request.

I knew she had a strong testimony of the gospel. Her Christ-like living proved that to me. She was a caring, tender mother, a gracious lovely LDS women.

My mother and Aunt Marg were best friends. They often went places together enjoying many of the same things. Dad and Uncle Gordie shared their lives, too, their work problems of farming, livestock, raising children and caring properly for their parents. With Uncle Ster and Aunt Frances up the street, also, we were a family oriented neighborhood. Going to Como and Lagoon were special excursions we all looked forward to with anticipation both parents and children. Working in the fields together was also part of our family experience. As we worked, we sang and teased and laughed together. It was a good time of our lives.

I was proud to introduce Uncle Gordie and Aunt Marg to our friends when they came to Portland to visit when Don was in Dental School. They were sweethearts and true companions. They shared their lives, complimenting one another in so many ways. Our conversations with them were pleasant and spiritual. I loved Aunt Marg and Uncle Gordie.

 

COMMENTS BY HAROLD THOMPSON

 

Aunt Marg and Uncle Gordy were married in December of 1915, I was born March 2nd of that year, so I was nine months old when she became a very important person in my life. She remained very important until the day she left us.

My Mother, Martha, never enjoyed robust health. After my birth, at Grandma Hansen's home in Trenton, she recovered very slowly. So thankfully. along came Aunt Marg and she became my second mother.

Aunt Marg lived close by because our fathers were partners in Grandfather Henry's farming operation. She always seemed strong and healthy and could do anything. She would take me to her home and care for me hours on end. Many years later she told me of this event. She had taken me with her to visit her mother in West Weber. While there the necessity arose and she was in the process of changing my diaper. Her younger brother John came in. He stood and watched for a moment and then said, "Well, it looks like you are getting some practice for what's going to happen to you." She was embarrassed. I can see her face turn red as she ducked her head. It was almost two years before Earl arrived on the scene.

She always welcomed me into her home. I enjoyed wonderful meals, cookies, desserts and home made bread. One time my father said to me, Aunt Marg's father was a stockman so she was used to having good meat on the table. That's the reason we always have delicious meals when we haul hay, or thresh, or pick up potatoes for Uncle Gordy.

Aunt Marg was my "Trail Builder" leader in Primary. She always made sure that I attended. (Of course I was always faithful so I needed no encouraging) and I could ride home with her. That was a rich spiritual experience and I learned a lot about "building trails" and finding the right ones. She made the little side projects very interesting and helped develop good habits.

About twenty years ago when I had a personal crisis that almost ruined my life and threatened my eternal salvation, she was one of the few who came to assure me of her love and concern and to give encouragement and strength. I shall be indebted to her forever.

Final Comments

My Mom was a marvelous and wonderful women. She has been an inspiration to me throughout my life. I have marveled at how unselfish she was and how Christ-like she lived. It will be great to be with her again.

To write this I have used a lot of material from others. I used most of an early life sketch that Mom wrote in her own handwriting some time before May 1953. I took material from an oral history taken by our son, Brent G. Thompson, 14 June 1975. Furthermore, I have talked to my wife, Dona, all my brothers and my sister, and sisters-in-law to obtain their memories to include in this document.

This document was completed 7 September 1997.

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