Letter from Neil R

Dear Family November 24, 2010

Once again we come to the end a month and it is time that I wrote a note for the blog. It is always a challenge to know just what to write about, mainly I guess, because at this time of the year there does not seem to be that much going on in my life. Let’s see, I could tell you about my back ache or the leaves coming off my mulberry tree or Brandon taking his scouts for an outing at our house in Myton or the fact that winter is now here or ---.
Yes, last night, ahead of the storm which did not happen at our house, the cold front, which did happen at our house, caused the leaves to decide to detach them selves from the mulberry tree. As they did so the wind distributed a lot of them up and down the street to my neighbors. I’m sure they appreciated my contribution. Anyhow when morning came there was still a pile of them in the middle of the street so I took my blower and rake out and went to work. Soon, with the help of the neighbor we had them corralled and in the bag.
Brandon took the scouts from his Ward, which is in our Stake, out to the Myton homestead for a service project. You know when he was asking me if he could do this I did not realize that these kids all live in apartments and seldom if ever have and opportunity to experience such a large area with out bounds. I guess they raked leaves and could not help but jump and play in them before bagging them. I guess from all reports that they had a ball.
Also included with this note is a story time item that I hope Jerry does not mind me telling. As I was writing it I realized that it was all from my point of view and stories Jerry has told me so if you have a different point of view please let me know and we can make the appropriate change in the future.
In the mean time I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Love You, Neil R


Winter in Buckeye 1957

Winter in Hyrum about 1965

Story Time--Garbage

Story Time -- Garbage
By Neil R

It seems that the talk shows on radio spend a lot of time discussing School lunch programs and the unhealthy eating habits of our school children. While Jerry was here we also took the opportunity to discuss, from days gone by, our school lunch experiences. Now, myself I never did eat school lunch at the elementary nor do I remember what we did for lunch while we attended school at Las Vegas. We however, must have had a lunch period because I can remember the activities we had after lunch. Jerry, however, had lunch room experiences at Myton. As I recall after we returned form Las Vegas Dad worked out here on the front for about three years while the family continued to live in Myton. It seems that Mother either had the opportunity or took the opportunity to work in the lunch room and teach school. When mother taught it must have been the first grade because she got permission to take Jerry to school with her. Jerry was but five or less at the time. So, for how many years I don’t know, Jerry was under the watchful eye of his mother both when she was working in the lunch room and teaching in the school room. Now I know just a little bit about Jerry’s plight due to this situation because when I was in school at Myton Elementary my teachers were living at our house. This put me in an interesting situation where there was not a thing I could do without Mother knowing about it. This is the term my Mother always used on me “Neil, that does not become you”. Well back to Jerry, and we will just talk about the lunch room here and save the school room for another time. It seems in that day, even though they had wonderful food they still had the challenge of getting the children to eat their food. I guess it is because as children we let our eyes do the tasting. As a result a lot of the food ended up in the garbage can. Well it seems that mother would monitor what her son did or did not eat. According to Jerry, mother was continually sending him back to clean up his plate. Well, like I found in life, people, and in this case the children, soon came up with an innovative way to solve Jerry’s problem. One of Jerry’s friends, I guess it was a friend, said to Jerry “Put the food you do not want to eat on my plate”. This is what they did. The friend would discard the food in the garbage and walk out and Jerry with a clean tray would also be allowed to leave and I’m sure mother was really pleased with her son who no longer wasted any of his food.
Now just a little side note, in those days the food disposal unit, as we know it, had not as yet been invented and I’m not sure it’s invention was a good thing, but we did have a disposal available to us. It was called a pig. When mother was working at the lunch room, to help her, in the morning before school I would go to the lunch room and start the fires in the cook stoves and in the evening I would go to the lunch room and get the garbage can which was always full and bring it to our house. What would I do with it? I would feed it to our disposal unit. I must say that pig never did turn up its nose at this offering and he or her was a very healthy pig.


Dinner Time at the Murray’s


Our Disposal Unit

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal November 2010

Thursday 1, 1979

We went up to the landfill to dump our cans. Visited with Ralph Ive and told him we would call George Merrett about his cat not starting. We went out to Clyde’s, then rushed back to get ready to go the funeral of Allen and June Roper who were killed when their Jeep rolled of the mountain. We forgot to call George,

The funeral was big and a nice one. We saw Garn and Barbara Gilbert and Grant and Syble Peel. He sang, “I need thee Every Hour”. We saw Bernard Winkle, Velma and Ross, Verona, Bud and Doug Holgate, sat by Lola Jones, Mary Dump and Merion Monson.

Don Brokaw called to say they were going to the Temple in Bobbie Kynenston’s place. They will pick us up at 9:30 tomorrow. So I pressed Dad’s robe and packed out clothes to go to the Neil’s or the Darrell’s. Called Ella, she is down with the flu but said
she is better. Then called Darrell’s. Dad said he didn’t want to stay out there but we decided we would. We went to bed early.

Friday 2, 1979

We were ready when Don and Dorelda came and we were soon on our way. We had a good trip out, no storms. We ate our sandwiches as we were going down Daniels Canyon. They ate theirs in Provo Canyon. We went to the 12:20 session and the 2:00 session. They were enjoyable. Then we went to eat and then to the sealing. Superintendent Law was our officiator. He was Superintendent when the Myton School was built. We sealed 160 children to parents. There were two couples besides us. We had just started good when Hallis Hullinger came in with a young couple who had a sealing to perform. So we witensed the sealing of the Spanish boy’s great grandparents. He and his wife were proxies and his step father and Wilmer were the witnesses. During the sealing I had a great felling in my breast, I’m sure it was being accepted. This was while I was proxy for a child. When we were through Brother Law said these dead people could have been right in the room.

We had to wait for our lockers. I got dressed first so went to call Neil. He wasn’t home but Ella said to wait there for him. When I talked to Dad he said lets go home. So we called Ella back, she seemed disappointed. Don would have taken us to Neil’s but Dad is getting like Grandma Winkler, he wants to be home. We arrived about 9:45. Lester called to see if we wanted to kill the lambs tomorrow. I talked to Raija, she and Perry are there. Called Darrell’s, Darrell says they will come next week to get their lamb.

Mother and Dad - Myton

LaVora, Dad and Mother - Orem

My first post!!

Well it's taken me way too long to post on this blog...but since the weather has been getting colder recently, I've finally broken out my winter apparel.

I love my warm winter socks! Aunt Charlene custom made these socks to fit my feet. They are comfortable and warm, but most of all they remind me of a fantastic aunt who loves me a lot--so much that she made me awesome socks.

I love you, Aunt Charlene!

And I love the whole Murray family!

History: A story about LaVora and Clyde: School Days

This took place in about 1933 or 1934




There used to be a school house at Altonah. As a matter of fact there was at one time a fair sized town. There was at least two stores, a gas station, church house, a school, a cheese factory, a Post Office, etc.



Probably all or at least most of the Murray children went to school there. This town of Altonah was located about two miles or so south east of where we used to live. The most I remember was when I used to go for the mail when living with Grandmother and Grandfather Murray during the summer months. At any rate the story as I remember it as told by LaVora.



To get to school, in the summer, LaVora and Clyde used to ride a horse named Twin. Uncle Boyd was the proud owner of this horse but it seems that one time or another all of us have ridden him. LaVora said that Grandfather Murray used to see that she and Clyde were on Twin, then he would take the rope that was tied around Twin’s neck, make a half hitch knot and slip it around Twins nose and hand the rope to the children. This rope with the loop on Twin’s nose was their means of guiding the horse. We used to use this concept quite a bit in place of a bridal and bit. I’m sure the reason why Grandfather used it was so that the horse would not have to stand all day at school with a bit in his mouth. For when the children would get to school they had a little enclosure, a corral, they would put Twin in, close the gate and go to school.



LaVora said she used to worry about Twin standing in the corral all day without food or water. But when they got out of school Twin would still be there waiting for them. LaVora said she and Clyde would push and lead Twin up to the pole fence then climb up on the pole fence and then climb over on to Twin’s back. I can just see them going through this procedure. I would guess they at that age was just about as tall as the under side of Twin’s stomach. So not being tall enough to reach Twin’s nose, they would not be able to put the loop on his nose and once on the horse they could not reach the rope that was still on the ground. No need to worry, however, Twin knew the way home and where there was no way for them to control him there was only one place he wanted to go, Home! So they, having no control would just sit back and go along for the ride.



The ride usually went like this. First there was the stop at the canal where Twin took care of his thirst and then he would head straight for home with the rope dragging along behind. They must have been all of 6 years old. This is the way it was done in the good old days on the farm in Altonah.

Up date - August 21, 2000

While riding with LaVora and John after visiting Perry and Raya on the 6 August 2000. LaVora was telling of her school days in Altonah. Following the time that Grandfather and Grandmother Murray’s home burned they rented a house in the town of Altonah. While going to school during the week LaVora would stay in town with her Grandparents. On Friday after school let out she would walk the two miles home and spent the week end with her family. Can you visualize a six year old, now days, being allowed to walk two miles alone with out anyone knowing about it?

Boyd and Twin

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal October 2010

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal October 2010




Thursday, October 11, 1979

This morning, Dad cut sweet peas all day. I pulled some beets and put them on to cook. Fixed some rice to go with the chicken soup. It was good. Slade and Even come over to play. I’m too sleepy to write. I have had cramps all day. Had the trots and vomited. Really don’t fell sick only cramps off and on. I finally took some peptibismol, that helped. I meant to go to Relief Society this evening but didn’t have enough ambition, so I tied on the quilt after getting it on the frames. We went to bed early.

Darrell called and said they would be here tomorrow and to meet them at eleven O clock to go after wood.

We finally received a letter from the Jerry’s. They received Susannah’s pictures okay.



Friday October 12, 1979

We are still having wood hauling weather. Tomorrow would be Deward’s fifty fifth birthday. We were awake at 4:15. I wrote to the Jerry’s and then went down to get the chicken out of the deep freeze and thaw it out and fix it. I cleaned up a little and made a sheet cake. After breakfast I fixed tomatoes, cucumbers and sandwiches. Before we knew it the clock said 10:15 so we rushed through the dishes and were on our way to meet the Darrell’s. We stopped for gas in Duchesne. No one was at the turn off so we went to the Strawberry River turn off. No one there either. I mended my gloves on and finished them befor anyone showed up. Finally after waiting half an hour a brand new Dodge Truck drove up and honked. It has a club cab so everyone had room. We were looking for a little red car or a blue ford. Soon we were at the wood place and had a load on. We ate our lunch on the back of the new truck. Then carefully loaded a couple of big sticks on, being very careful nor to scratch the new body. Darrell had a rug in the bottom. Little Jon rode to the woods with us. He is so cute. He also rode home with us and worried because his dad was out of site. He was afraid his Dad was going to fast and a cop would get him. Darrell had tried to split one of the big pieces of wood but couldn’t get it onlyu a few chunks. He got all the wedges in and couldn’t get them out. By the time we got here they, he and jeff had the log unloaded and split. We unloaded the wood and I tied on the little quilt for a while. Then started supper. Dad and Darrell dug strawberry plants. Then after we ate they were on their way back home. Surely hated to see them go.

We cleaned up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Called to see if Sister Balford wants to go to Vernal with me tomorrow to the D.U.P. convention or not. She doesn’t, so I called Thema Perry. We talked for some time. Soon we were in bed and fast asleep after a good day.

Dad and Mother Going for a load of wood   abt October 1979

Pictures from Neil

The Hunters  about 1949  Jerry, Dewey and Neil – Ella took picture

Logan, Utah   Shawna, Kerstin and Sharon   abt 1960

Dear Family

Dear Family October 29, 2010


This month, like many before it, has gone by fast leaving in it’s wake many fond memories. It was fun having LaVora, Jerry and Marylyn here. While they were here we attended the Temple, shared meals, picked apples and grapes, dried apples, and tripped to the Basin. They have returned home now and I was glad to receive word of their safe arrival. It leaves it a little lonely but there is still plenty to keep me busy.
While they were here Jerry picked my apples and helped me pick the grapes. So all the time LaVora was here she was helping me do apples. She wanted me to do the grapes too but I decided that I would do them later. I should have taken her up on her offer because they, the grapes, started to spoil by the time I got to them. I however salvaged them and they are now in the bottles in the form of juice. I only have a few apples left I have been wondering if I want to dry them.

We were able to attend the Provo and Timpanogos Templs. It is always nice to attend the Temple with family. It seems they have made a few changes in the Temples. There is not as much carpet as there used to be. Maybe the tile is easer to keep up.

For the trip to the Basin Jerry decided to go by way of Wolf Creek Pass. It is always a nice drive because there is lots of beautiful country to experience. I was a little disappointed because when I told Marylyn to watch for the Elk, there wasn’t any. They were gone. We stopped at the Bluebell Cemetery. While there Jerry did a little pruning on the bush by Grandmother and Grandfather Winkler’s grave. Before going to Myton we stopped at the Frontier for dinner. Yes, we all had a scone with our meals.


I hope this note finds everyone well.

Love,
Neil

We're Going to Need a Bigger Bed!

Lisa and Lyle's kids got together for a cousin's weekend!

Story Time

Story Time


Some Things I remember September 12, 2010



This past month I have had the privilege of having member of Dewey and Beverly’s family pay me a visit. First it was Erricka and Bruce with their children Danelle and James. Then it was Tahnee with her room mate. While Bruce and Erricka were here Bruce wanted me to tell a story on Dewey that he could, after embellishing I’m sure tell their family about Dewey. My answer to this was of course Dewey was always a good boy who never gave anyone a hard time after all I’m sure Dewey could tell better stories about me so it is better not to start some thing that one could not finish. I did however tell Erricka and the children a few things that I remembers and I would like to tell one here that I’m sure Dewey after reading my account will want to finish it or tell the same story from his point of view. After all he experienced it.



There was one time in my working career that I drove a mail truck between Salt Lake and Vernal. On that route I had to stop at all post offices along the way. There were Park City, Heber City, Duchesne City, Myton City, Roosevelt City, Fort Duchesne, Gusher and Vernal. After I finished the run at Vernal I would pick up some empty bread cartons and return to Myton which finished my trip. On this particular morning when I pulled into the Myton Post Office and took what they called the Way Pouch into the Post Office some one said to me “How is your brother”. Now I had been on the road and in Salt Lake the day before and most of the current day and so, we did not have cell phones, had no contact at all with what had been taking place at home. So needles to say I just about panicked. To see what was going on, before leaving Myton, I made a quick trip over to the Seed Plant where mother and dad were working to see what was going on.



For some years now Dad had been first working for The Globe Seed and Feed Company and now Moody Brothers Seed Company as a seed broker. One of his responsibilities was managing what we referred to as the Seed Plant. Over these years it had provided first me then Dewey, then Jerry and I’m sure Darrell a job at the plant as mill operators.

At this particular time Dewey was running the mills during the night shift. I think his friend LeRoy Tehonie was keeping him company. The elevators in the upper story where the cleaner we called the clipper was located were run with one electric motor with a main belt to a shaft that had several wheels, one for each elevator, and belts from each shaft wheel to the elevators wheel. From time to time these belts would dry out and start to slip on the wheels. When this would happen we would climb a ladder to where we could reach the belt, with the system running, and apply some belt dressing. This was done with a tube, containing a dressing, about nine inches long and had a diameter of about one and one quarter inches and in a way operated like a ladies lip stick tube. That is as one use the material in the tube they could expose more by pushing the dressing up the tube.

This night Dewey making the determination that the belt needed some dressing was in the process of applying the dressing when some how, we assume, an article of his clothing got caught between the main wheel and the belt. This as I understand whipped Dewey up over the top of the wheel between the ceiling and the wheel and the slammed him to the floor below and this was not a short distance. This was what the people at the Post Office were referring to when they asked “How is your brother”. We were happy that LeRoy was with Dewey that night and was able to summon help. Over this event Dewey spent a few days in the hospital. He was probably very fortunate as I do not think there were any broken bones. Following this event all of us were much more careful when applying dressing to the belts.

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal September 2010

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal September 2010




Friday, September 14, 1979

LaVora was up first this morning. Dad made a fire in the fireplace again. We all pitched in to the peaches and got one batch processed before it was time for LaVora to go on the bus. We waited for about half hour for it to come. All to soon she was on her way home. We really enjoyed having her home. We also enjoyed Shawna. Whe is a very sweet granddaughter

We finished the peaches and sorted the pears, rested for a while then went up to the workshop at the ward. Brother and Sister Alexander were the guest speakers. There were a lot of survival displays out. My part was Home Made Soap. LaVora made a master copy for me before she left and Dad took me up to LaRae Murphey’s this afternoon to get copies make to give out to night. They had sandwiches made with sprouts for greens. They were good. We were home in time to hear the news before going to bed

Saturday September 15, 1979

It is still cool, we took our fruit down stairs and sorted out our storage down there. We are short on caned milk. About ten A M we decided to get a load of wood. That is too late in the day as it got too hot. We got tired too soon. We ate our lunch , traveled and were home at four P.M. I had to hurry to be ready to go to the all Women’s fireside. Sadie came at about six. The meeting was wonderful. I told Sadie to keep me awake but she didn’t do a very good job as I fell asleep and didn’t hear all of President Kimballs message. Guess we worked too hard today.

LaVora called to tell us they had a good trip home and made it in time for the fireside. She said Neil and Ella saw them off on the plane. She also said she enjoyed our trip to Bluebell through the cedars and Clay Basin.

Darrell called to tell us they wouldn’t be here until Sunday. We love to have them come but wish they could come on Saturday.

Dad and Mother in the Corn Field – Myton - 1963

Pictures from Neil

 Dewey – Arizona  Feb 04

Marylyn, LaVora and Neil – Arizona - Feb. 04

Our sister  Arizona   Feb. 04

Jerry and Dewey - Arizona   Feb. 04

Neil Update

Dear Family September 24, 2010




It once again is that time of the month when I should be thinking newsletter. The month has gone by so fast that I really have to think to remember if I did or accomplished anything worth while. Lets see now, there was a work day at Myton, not much rain in September, trying to be a ward mission leader, Jerry and Marylyn are back in Utah, Tahnee and her room mate spent a night with me and Deward, with may others received the silver Beaver Award.



I think Charlene has reported on the activities at Myton. We did a lot of cleaning, blind hanging and tree and shrub trimming so that now we have a lot of stuff to haul away. I have been trying to find out from Myton City when they are planning City clean up day. So far all I got from them is “we have not discussed it”. I did find out, however, that the period when it is legal to burn ends October 15.

My, this has been a dry summer. We did get a fair rain, maybe two tenths of an inch, Wednesday, I think. It was welcome to us and I’m sure the people in the Harriman area, where they had the big bush fire, appreciated it. For those who do not know this fire started at camp Williams due to machine gun practice. They were fortunate that only two or three homes were lost, but that fact does not help those who lost homes.

I’m still trying to figure out what a Ward Mission Leader is supposed to do. I have been doing a lot of visiting and just about have a handle on where people live and rather or not they are members. I kind of decided that part of the job was to growl at people. I tried this in Ward Council meeting last month. I’m not sure it did any good but then it may be a good way to get released.

Jerry and Marylyn stopped in, I guess, a week ago. They were on their way to CostCo’s. Then last Thursday they stopped by and took me to the Temple with them. It was a good session and I think for once I was able to stay awake.

I also had house guests a week or so ago. Anneli’s daughter, Tahnee and her room mate were here for a night. They told me they were lending moral support to one of their friends who was getting married in the Timpunogos Temple.

On the seventeenth we were able to spend most of the afternoon at the Provo Tabernacle as we attended the B S A Silver Beaver awards program. The speaker was Coach LaVell Edwards and we were pleased to witness Deward’s receiving the Silver Beaver Award. It was a long but rewarding experience.



All in all it has been a good month.

Love, Neil

A MEMORY OF CHRISTMAS

A MEMORY OF CHRISTMAS
LOCATION WAS MYTON UTAH
YEAR WAS ABOUT 1943
BY NEIL R. MURRAY

MARCH 27, 1994

Some times we, in our family setting like to ask our grandchildren questions concerning a current activity. There was such a time this last Christmas, Dec. 25, 1994 as Ella and I visited with our grandchildren. I asked the grand children if they could think of a Christmas that was outstanding to them. The grandchildren were coming up with times like the Christmas that we spent at the Aspen Grove Lodge. This was a Christmas where we rented one of the lodges at Aspen Grove and spent Christmas eve and Christmas day there. Along with Christmas we spent some fun time in the snow. At any rate as I listened to their most remembered Christmases I could not help but think back to my own younger years. This is not as easy as one may think.

{(Note to neil from neil) This event was a post LasVegas item. After returning from Vegas Dad went to work for the Renyolds Constution Company based in Springville Utah. Dad was having an operation to repair a hernia . Two as I recall. My mother gives an account of this in her history of Dad.}

There did not seem to be one that I remembered as outstanding but there was one that did stand out. This one was a Christmas that we children were home alone. It seems like it was the year that dad was operated on for double hernias. For some reason the took place in Springville, Utah. I'm not sure but I think this was also the time when Jerry was quite ill. LaVora became quite concerned when Jerry started to talk out of his head. He was saying something like this, "it's under the bed in the basket". LaVora soon dispatched me to sister Giles for help. This good sister accompanied me back to the house to see if she could see what Jerry's problem might be. She must have put our minds as ease. At any rate we retired for the evening.

This Christmas morning found our house without power. This meant that there was no heat as well as no lights. You know the big thing on Christmas morning is to get up early, before daylight to see what Santa brought. Well since our folks were not at home what Santa left was what ever the folks had left for LaVora to put out for the younger children. None-the-less this is the only Christmas that I can remember trying to open the gifts from our uncles, aunts and grandparents while in bed and with no lights. One of the gifts that I remember receiving was form Aunt Grace. it was a boy scout first aid kit.

None-the-less after what seemed like a long wait the sun came up so that we could see our way around. I dressed and found my way down stairs and outside to the fuse box. After a little checking I found that for some reason one of the fuses had blown. I soon found another and it was not too long before the house began to get warm and we could really enjoy the things we got for Christmas.
I remember when dad and mother came home they brought LaVora and I each a pair of ice skits. I remember trying them out on the canal that runs past the farm that used to belong to W. E. Broom. These are the ice skates that Reed had hanging over his mantle.

One thing that I remember most was that after Mother and Dad got home all of out trials were soon forgotten.

I met some other boys. S

Pictures from Neil

August 2010  Nauvoo Ill  Stacy and LaVora

Aug  2010   Dish washers  Nauvoo Ill

Our bell ringer  Bridger  Nauvoo Ill Aug 2010

Carthage Ill   Aug 2010

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal




Monday, August 4 1980

Everyone survived the night. Jerry and the youngsters prepared the truck and loaded for the fishing trip. They left about 10:30. After they had gone we discovered they hadn’t taken the spare tire. So we put it in the car and thought we might catch them at Bud’s. We went up thee Ioka lane as far as the old Benson place and gave up and came back to Bud’s and ask if they had stopped there. We weren’t sure where they were going. We were just ready to come home to worry, when they drove up. They had discovered they didn’t have the tire. We tried to get them to have some lunch but they decided to go on. I worked on my Visiting Teaching lesson for tomorrow night and ask Marylyn to help me. It was surely quiet around there with just little Jennifer. I made pies. Something went wrong with my crust. It isn’t so good. I worried about Jerry trying to fish and take care of five youngsters. But I ask Heavenly Father to protect then and calm me down. He answered.



Tuesday, August 5, 1980

About all we did was prepare meals and work on the lesson. We fixed supper and were about ready to go to Relief Society when our fisherman returned. The lesson went over fine. Then Marylyn and I excused ourselves and came home to feed our family. Della Kynaston brought us some corn. Bless her heart. So we had corn with our supper. Jerry enjoyed it. Soon everyone was in bed. It was too hot upstairs and the girls found a worm in the quilts they had in the hills. So we fixed them a bed in our room on the floor. Lisa wanted to hear about Deward’s death. So I got my Honor Badge book out and read to them about the family that I had written about each member. It was nearly mid night before we finished. So we had our prayer and went to bed. Jerry came down to see what was going on.

Darrell Kay  - Yellowstone River  - Utah  1959

Dear Family July 2010

Dear Family July 2010




Three cheers for Travis and Steve and all others who had a part in arranging and carrying out our Family Reunion at Nauvoo. I guess when I stop and think about it that would include everyone. Anyhow I thought it was a huge success and I was so happy that my family and I were able to be a part of it. Thanks again to everyone. Our trip home was a good one and at home we essentially found everything as we had left it. So it was not long after we got home that we were back to taking care of our family and home responsibilities.

I guess all of the children and school teachers in our family are preparing for the 2010 – 2011 School year. At least I note that Charlene is, so I expect to soon lose my borders as she will be taking them back to school as well. I guess the proper term, however, is roomers since Charlene is taking care of their meals which amounts to a half dozen crickets or so a week. I just provide the space.

I’m still trying to figure out how to be a Ward Mission Leader as the lessons just seem to just keep passing over my head. I guess this next week I get to help present the ward mission plan. This should be interesting.

Bruce and Erricka and their two children, Danielle and James, stayed with me for a day or so. They were here to enroll Danielle into B Y U. They spent a day in Salt Lake visiting the many places of interest there. While they were here I got them to help me with some family history information concerning their families. This did not seem to be difficult for them as they have these i- pod things, that I don’t understand, that has everything in the world on them. The one Bruce has is also a global positioning device, interesting.

Again thanks for everything, Love, Neil

John and LaVora’s home – Price, Utah

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

Friday, July 4 1980


LaVora called this morning. John talked to us too. I awakened Kerstin. – We picked peas and dug some new potatoes. We shelled one bucket of peas and called Ruth to come get some for their dinner. So she came here and shelled her. We had a nice visit. We shared the potatoes too. We cooked a chicken and Ruth brought us ½ of her angel food cake. We had a good dinner. Mark went to Price to the golf tournament. Spent the rest of the day resting. We went to see how Virginia Smith is. She looked very ill, but said she was better. – We called the Deweys to see if Dewey Wilmer made it home OK. Beverly, Merrissa and Anneli were the only ones home. He arrived home yesterday.



Saturday, July 5 1980

I received my check from the census. It is $391.02. We picked two dishpans full of peas. Kerstin came to help us shell them. We had some for dinner then froze the rest. It made a nice bag full.

We went to Roosevelt to get Dad a hair cut. Went to see Alice and Ada. Visited a little then went to visit Lia while we waited for the Baptismal. Several days ago Glade Perry ask us to go see him baptized. It was nice. The Ivies were there. One of Ralph Ivies grandsons was baptized too. We received a card from Kim Murray. He said they were having fun. I thought the card was from Kim Kessler.

Arizona in February

Dear Family July 2010

It seems that July is about spent and before we know it we will be complaining about it being too cold, so for now let us enjoy the heat, all 103 degrees of it. Now let me see, what have I accomplished this month. Actually the month of July had been a stay at home month. This gave me the time I need to take care of my small garden, fruit trees and family and church responsibilities.



The peas and cherries are harvested and I just picked the last black current for this year this morning. I had a good crop of peas, a fair crop of currents but not many cherries. I think it was too cold for the bees to do their job this spring when the trees were in bloom. Deward, however, had a good crop so we concentrated on saving then from the little worms. I think we did a fair job. We could have probably bought a lot of cherries for what the bait cost. The next thing I’m concentrating on is the apples. I have been spraying them diligently every seven days. Come October we will see if it did any good.



This past Sunday I had the opportunity of being a speaking companion to the High Councilor. The High councilor was my former Stake President. I was his executive Secretary for several years. The Assigned talk was “building on our Ancestral Heritage”. For sentimental person like me it was a challenging assignment. But I got through it. It was nice to have Van and Charlene in the audience to give me moral support. There follows a line from my talk, “When I told my son the subject of my talk he suggested that I wear a Kilt.” I think this may have been interesting to some of the people at least I think I heard someone laugh. They were probably visualizing what I would look like.

Now that assignment is finished maybe I can relax just a little and start thinking about the trip to Nauvoo. Hope to see many of you there.

Hello Murray Family!

Here it is August already...can't believe how fast time flies by! Here is a brief rundown on our family: Lisa, Bob, Kyra and Austin have made the move from S. CA to the SF Bay Area. They are living in a Marriott Residence Inn while waiting to buy or build a home in Morgan Hill. Lyle is still looking for a job in Information Technology, so if any of you hear of any job openings, please keep him in mind. We just enjoyed an early birthday party for Michael, turning 8, and Andrew, turning 2. Baby #5 will join our family in November. Susannah and Kevin are anxiously awaiting a baby to become available to adopt. If any of you know of a young woman who is planning to give her baby up for adoption, please contact our family. Jennifer's next class, Physiology, started this week. We had such fun spending Wednesday afternoons with her and her dog, Nikki, this summer. We did a lot of walking and visiting dog parks. Allison is holding down the fort in Provo, but has done a lot of traveling this summer to China, S. CA and Nauvoo. We are looking forward to being her "roommates" again when we are in Utah for the months of September and October.


The Murray Family Reunion in Nauvoo was terrific! Many thanks to Travis and all of LaVora's family for putting it all together for us to enjoy and remember for the rest of our lives. Many memories were made that we will cherish. We missed all those of you who couldn't attend this year and just have to tell you that you missed a VERY Special and unique family event. It was just wonderful being in Nauvoo where so much early Church history took place. You could really feel the faith and sacrifice of the Prophet Joseph Smith and those early Saints. Our ancestor, Stephen Markham, a bodyguard to the Prophet, was very much a part of the history of that place. I can't explain to you how wonderful it was to be in the Nauvoo Temple with so many of our Murray family. The feeling was overwhelming! That temple is so beautiful! The Nauvoo Pageant was amazing, as well as our time at Carthage and all the other Church history sites. We loved seeing the Mississippi River flowing by and know it was a big part of the Saints' lives back then. I wish that more of our family could have been there to experience what Susannah, Kevin, Allison, Kyra, Jerry and I saw and felt. We were even able to endure the heat and humidity because of the experience we were having.



It is so much fun having our family reunions in different places. How about Oregon next time...??? Thank you, Neil, for being so faithful about keeping us all informed on the Murray Family Blog. You are wonderful!



Love you all,

Marylyn and Jerry

Kerosene Range

(The picture below is a Kerosene Range – Mother (Anna) cooked on one similar to this one when we lived in Las Vegas – Of course ours was a later model – note the removable oven on top)

From Neil

Dear LaVora June 26, 2010


This past week I received an e-mail from Jane, Uncle Boyd and Aunt Ardis’ daughter. As I read it, I could not help but be grateful for the time Boyd and I was able to spend together while working on the Altonah Cemetery. It was good to be able to get reacquainted with my Uncle Boyd and Uncle Lee. It was good to hear from Jane and to learn something about what is going on in their lives.

As for me I guess one might call me a gardener of a sort. My crops, however, are limited to apples, cherries, peas and currents. I guess I’m a generous person because I share with the birds and bugs. Maybe “share” is not correct for between the bugs and birds they have claimed the cherries and they have their eyes on the apples. The birds and I are challenging each other to see who gets the most currents. The peas, they are three feet high and growing. And yes the birds like these too. Oh well Mother said her father, our grandfather Winkler, used to say he raised enough for him and the birds too. I guess that is alright but I did not expect them to bring all of their friends and relatives.



Have a good month.



Love, Uncle Neil

 
 
My pea patch June 29, 2010

From Neil

Dear Family May 30, 2010

Interesting, here it has been a month since we returned from Hawaii. “My how time goes when you are having fun” One might say, we experienced a small part of what life is like on the island of Maui. I’m really happy that Jerry and Marylyn gave us the opportunity for this experience. There was the sea, the sunset, the beaches, the impromptu church service, the people, the pineapple, the oat meal cereal, the games, the winding roads with miles of “Vista Grande”, the Sugar Museum, the air port were Jerry had to look for us, the sugar cane fields, the volcano that put us on top of the world in all its windy grandeur, the great meals, our outstanding driver and cooks and the wonderful family we were with. What a great vacation. Thank you, Jerry, Marylyn, LaVora, Dewey and Beverly. And now it is back to reality.

Since I have been home things have been moving pretty fast here as well. I have been able to attend a pre wedding bar-be-cue, the Wedding and the wedding reception for Rebecca and Douglas. I’m sorry Rebecca, I still see you as a little girl getting lunch for your grandpa. I must say that all of these events were wonderful and one of the things that make it wonderful was that the family was able to be there, in the temple and at the reception. It was another great experience. I’m sure Ella was and is pleased.

And with all of this wonderful things going on I find it still rains, snows, gets cold, wind blows and the sun shines, the peas still grow and the apples trees still set in Utah in the month of May. It has been a good month. I hope yours has been as good or better.

Love,
Neil

China Trip Link

If anyone wants to read my post on my trip to China...just click on this link:  China Trip

Can't wait to see everyone in Nauvoo!  It is coming up so fast!

Love,
Allison

I Remember My Grandmother Atta Ashby Murray Part lV

Grandmother was always kind to me as I think she was to everyone. To me she was a beautiful lady and I loved to be with her. There were times when I would help grandmother shell peas. I recall as we shelled the peas grandmother would tell me stories about my father. Everyone who knew my father was aware of his love for flowers. It seems that as dad would be riding his horse, Old Jimmy, while taking care of the cows, dry stock or other duties, he would see these Indian paints or flower. He would stop Jimmy and dismount so the he could pick a bouquet of flowers for his mother. I guess more than once as he would be picking the flowers old Jimmy would get away from him and go home. Grandmother said she would see Jimmy come home with out a rider and eventually here would come Wilmer walking home.
LaVora tells of Grandmother remembering when she was planning on marriage she was concerned that after she was married that she would not have a bed as good as the one she had at home. I guess her bed at home had a down mattress. I would guess after she was married it was quite a while before she had a bed as good as the one she had at home. I say this because of the stories Uncle Lee told about their straw ticks they slept on. He said they changed the straw every fall after they finished thrashing the grain. He said a new straw tick, until your got it broke in was hard to stay on top. He said you would keep sliding off.
Grandmother’s father was a lover of horses as was grandmother. I guess Grandfather Ashby had some beautiful horses and I understand that he treated them very well. From what I understand this was a hard change for grandmother because Grandfather Murray never did have the facilities to care for the horses that Grandfather Ashby had. I understand that this was a bit of an irritant for grandmother. In Grandfathers defense, however, in the east end of the barn where we milked the cows there was a place for horses and at times I saw horses in the barn.
LaVora would tell of the times when grandmother went to gather the eggs, which of course was an everyday thing. At times, there were those hens that were in their season of wanting to start a family. In preparation for this event the hen would start laying and hiding her eggs. She would do this until she would accumulate a number of eggs and then she would sit on them so that the eggs would stay at a certain temperature and in time baby chicks would start to develop. I guess Grandmother tried to have some control over this chicken nature thing and would seek out the nests and collect the eggs from under the hen. The hens were not too happy about this egg napping and would pick Grandmother when she would lift them from their nest and take the eggs from under them.
I recall one Thanksgiving when for some reason all of the family was gone except for Dewey and myself. I don’t know where the folks were but I do know that Dewey and I were left to take care of things around the place. I don’t recall how old we may have been but what I do remember is that my Grandfather, Grandmother and Clyde showed up at the house with a full blown Thanksgiving dinner so that Dewey and I would not be alone. So that day we had Thanks giving dinner with our Grandparents and Clyde. I have always thought that was real grand of them to be concerned about us two little grandchildren who were all alone for Thanksgiving. As I recall it turned out to be a wonderful day.



Then there was the first time we noticed grandmother’s legs failing her. There were grandmother and other members of the family outside, to the north of the house, standing close to where the cistern was located. It seems we were getting ready to go some place, probably to Roosevelt, when for no apparent reason grandmother fell. I think Clyde caught her and we helped her up as she exclaimed, “These crazy legs of mine”. This was the beginning of a problem that only got worse. Grandfather took grandmother too many Doctors and Clinics but I’m not sure whether or not the Doctors ever diagnosed the problem. By the time they moved to Taylorsville the problem had progressed to the point that she needed our help when ever she tried to walk. She always expressed her appreciation when ever we assisted her.

William Ashby Family

A typical farm yard of 1920 s



(By NRM - 6-14-10)

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

Saturday 7, 1980


I called Jeanie and awakened her. I wanted to report my time that I put in Friday. I told her about Harold Groves. Dad tried to get the pump to go and it was just a little stream. So he said we would have to go to Basin Builders to get another set of fixtures. After we got a few more things done we went over and picked up the things. Dad was too tired to do anything about it as we had hoed in the garden all morning. So he went to sleep. Paul Self was over by the Reed trailer so I called him over. He primed the pump and got a little bigger stream and told me to put dough around the pipe where it goes into the pump. Then he went home. I made the dough and put it on. Alice Hayden was here watching me. Boy it did the trick. The water really flew. We were happy that Dad didn’t have to do all that work over.

I called Mrs. Rogers to see if Van and Charlene had arrived. They hadn’t. But they came about five O’ clock. We fixed supper and made beds. Van and I put the baby bed in our room. Soon we were all settled for the night. I was the last to go to bed as I baked the bread. Van had the heel of one loaf with butter and honey on it.



Sunday 8, 1980

We all went to church. (I was up first as I wanted to pick some flowers to take up, and get dinner on to cook.) Sacrament meeting was Pam Brokaw’s farewell meeting. It was nice. I forgot my purse so couldn’t give her any money. So after meeting I came down to get it. Louse Roberts had forgotten her purse too. So she rode down with me to get it. We enjoyed La Rue Lambs lesson and Floy Johnson gave a good Relief Society lesson too. I forgot my flowers so Dad and I went back to them. Charlene and Van set the table and put the carrots on. Soon we were enjoying our dinner. They had to put the dishes all in the dishwasher before they could go. Soon, they were on their way. We enjoyed them so very much. Hope they come back soon. Little Marc liked me from far away. He cried if I took him but would laugh at me while his mother had him. He is such a lovely baby. After they left we had a little nap. Jeanie Brown couldn’t find Harold Groves Census paper so Dad and I went up at five o’clock and I made a new one. La Dene was really nice. She is having a new house made soon and wants us to come to the Home Warming.

We went to visit Fred Todd, his daughter Nancy and her husband, Doug. Then we went over to tell Paul Self how well the dough worked on the pump. Alice Hayden came over and I told her I found another loaf of whole wheat bread. This was after Charlene left.

I Remember My Grandmother Atta Ashby Murray Part lll

I remember grandmother preparing the meals. In those days there were not deep freezers like there are today. So when grandmother was going to have a chicken dinner she would send one of the boys to get a chicken from the chicken coop where you needed to catch the chicken and prepare it so that grandmother could cook it. (I could go into some detail here but I will save it for some other time.) The number of chicken you would catch depended on how many people there was going to be to dinner.
I remember Grandmother and the other women in the family in the bramble patch picking what ever was in season. It might be raspberries, gooseberries, currents, etc or all of them. I think this was one of the times when the women in the family did their visiting and catching up on what was going on in their lives and the lives of their families.
I remember grandmother drying the apricots. The apricots that were grown on the trees at the farm were not large. Actually they were quite small but yet they were tasty. I remember picking these and grandmother putting them on a sheet and covering them with some netting and then hanging them between the lines on the close line to dry. The netting was to keep the flys off of the cots as well as keep the birds form eating them.
I remember the day I got hurt when banging two hammers together and a piece of the steel from one of the hammers flew off and hit me in the neck. I remember grandmother comforting me while she cared for my wound. Grandmother was a very kind person. As Ella wrote once, Grandmother always referred to the boys as “little men” (or man). It was generally, “her little man”
I remember this one day when she was going to a Relief Society meeting. I recall she was all dressed up, I did not see her dressed up very often, but this day she was. I recall the boys or grandpa had Old Twin saddled and ready for her to ride to her meeting. As I recall the thing that interested me that day was that she rode side saddle.
Grandmother must have always been active in Relief Society and was loved by all of the sisters. I recall an event that Uncle Boyd told me happened when he was a sealer at the Provo Temple. I guess in the sealing sessions, he and probably all of the sealers, tell a little about themselves before the session gets under way. This day, after the sealing session, a sister came up to him and said “Oh you are Sister Murray’s little boy”

Grandmother always took care of the things that went on in the house and I have seen her feeding the chickens but I do not recall her ever being in the stable or caring for any of the morning and evening chores. Yet I recall being with Clyde in the mountains getting out poles for fences on the farm and coming home late at night and when we got there all of the work was done and everyone was in bed. So when it was necessary grandmother also milked cows and fed the life stock.

Grandmother was always so kind to me as I think she was to everyone. To me she was a beautiful lady and I loved to be with her. (By NRM – 5-20-10)

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

Saturday 17, 1980


I worked in the raspberries, meant to get the ironing done but didn’t. Oh, I finished the binding on the quilt before I did anything. We went gathering asparagus. We really found some good ones. Dad got caught in the fence and had to shed his sweater. He said he called but I didn’t hear him. LaVora called this evening. Stacy was going to the Junior Prom. Wish we could have seen her. I crocheted a little before going to bed. I don’t know if Dad will feel like going to conference tomorrow or not.



Sunday 18, 1980

Dad said he would try going to conference. Sister Roberts called for a ride. The other widows went with Sadie. We enjoyed conference even if Dad did get tired. Keith Mortensen found us seats in the Chapel. When we came out we could not find the car. Doctor Condie told us to wait until everyone left then we could find it. I told Dad where it was but he did not think so. But we went the way I wanted to go and there it was. Dad was really tired so he rested remainder of the day.

Dear Family

Dear Family April 23, 2010


I’m sending you this note a little early this month due to my up coming departure for Hawaii. Up to this point most of the month has been spent getting things ready for the summer gardening and the watering system. I have had a hose or two to replace and a sprinkler head or two to replace. I must say my muscles are not used to this work and the getting up and down. They, my muscles, are sure complaining and otherwise letting me know that I have been doing some activities that I have not had to do for a while. My lawn is growing like crazy and I have not been able to cut it because my mower is at the repair shop getting a tune up. By the time I get home from Hawaii I will have a good crop of grass.

Say, that was a great rain storm we had Tuesday. That will sure help things grow. My peas are up and growing but as yet I have not dared set out the tomato plants Reed gave me. These plants are out growing their containers.

We, Jason, Brian and I made a trip to Myton last Saturday. While there we decided to burn the ditch bank off. This got kind of interesting. Just when we got the fire going a wind decided to come up and help the fire along. There was a time when it might have got away from us, but I stood my ground like a good fireman and stopped it before it burned up the bridge and maybe half of Myton. I don’t think Brian wanted me to set any more fires but I did. This time however, with more control. I hope this message finds everyone well. Next time I will tell you all about my trip to Hawaii.

Do take care,

Love,

Neil

Grandmother Atta Murray – Things I remember Part II

Grandmother would always say, “Eat this or that so that it will stick to your ribs.” Grandfather would always say, “Now make out a meal”. Then after breakfast as soon as what grandmother would need for her day was retrieved, like wood for the cook stove and anything she might need from the potato pit that day, the work in the field started. Depending on the time of the year it could either be planting, weeding, mowing hay, hauling hay, shocking grain or herding the cows. By the time noon came it was easy to see why grandmother admonished us to eat enough to last us until noon. Because by the time noon came around there was not much left sticking to our ribs. We were pretty gaunt. The noon meal was always the big meal of the day. It seemed like grandmother always had a feast. On the farm this meal was always referred to dinner. The evening meal was always referred to as supper. The evening meal was generally the lightest meal of the day. Anyhow when we finished dinner it was always customary to rest our dinner. This generally took about an hour and then it was back to the fields. You always stopped the work in the fields when it was time to take care of the milking and evening chores. Then you would go through similar steps in the evening as we had done that morning and then as soon as the evening chores were done it was time for supper.




When I think of my Grandmother Atta Murray, I see her in a print dress and she always wore an apron. She wore her hair in a bob on the back of her head. I have seen her with her hair down and can remember her combing it in the evening. It seems as though there was always some time in the evening after supper and the dishes and all chores were done when I guess there was what one would call leisure time. These were the times when I always saw grandmother quilting or sewing. Grandfather would be at the table with his reading glasses on and under the coal oil lamp reading the scriptures or paper. The children were probably involved in reading a book, paper or playing a game like Monopoly. It seems like the game of Monopoly has been around forever. My mother told us that when the girls were home and it was time to clear the dishes from the table and wash them Grandfather would say to the girls “Come Sarah! Come Margaret!”



I remember grandmother always cooking and cleaning. She was always busy. Sunday, of course was the Sabbath and this is the day we took care of the necessary chores and then went to church. At that time there was a church building in Altonah. At this chapel I can remember helping pass the sacrament and being with the folks. Probably the last time I was in this chapel was at Gary’s funeral. This would have been in the fifties when our Deward was a baby. That was a very hard day. Gary was Uncle Claude and Nada’s first child. He was drowned in the canal that ran through grandfather’s farm.