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Note N1264
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FamilySearch Website [https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/1200772] 2015-06-08
Rulla Elizabeth Marshall
· 31 May 2013 · 0 Comments
I, Rulla Elizabeth Marshall Tilley was born December 21, 1909, in Coalville, Summitt Co., Utah to Lorenzo Marshall and Mary Ann Fewkes, and was greeted as a very lovely Christmas present by my parents and an older sister Cleah. We lived in town until after Carl was born, then we moved to a small farm about a mile from town. I don't remember that we raised much, only wheat. One year Mama fixes a lunch and we all got in the wagon and went over the hill and helped papa plant potatoes. He would go along with the shovel and make a hole and we'd drop the potato seed in.
On the hill just above our house grew all kinds of wild flower among the sagebrush. We also had a play house in some cedar trees where we spent many happy hours.
I loved to go to Grandma Fewkes's house. I'd stay for a week at a time. On Friday she would churn and mold the butter into pounds. I loved to watch her. Then she would dress some chicken and on Saturday they would take the butter and chickens to town and sell them. They always stopped at our place and mama would fix them something to eat. Grandma always had a sack of lemon drops in her purse and gave us some.
There were two families that lived across from us. They had several children. In the summer when it was getting dark we'd play "steal sticks" out in the road. In the winter we would sleighride down the road or in the neighbor's pasture that had a good slope. Papa made our sleigh. The snow would be as high as the fence posts and would freeze real hard so you could you could walk on top of it. It was fun to walk on. Once I stepped on a soft place and went down to my hip.
We had a pasture below our house where papa kept the horses, Pat and Dude. They started to eat the bark off the trees, so mama put some cayenne pepper on the trees; when the horses came again, they soon left snorting and running. Our cow cut her foot one time and mama packed it with flour to stop the bleeding and bound it up. It left her with a limp so we called her "crip" after that. We had pigs and chickens, too. We had a big sow, and in the winter when it had snowed in the night so there wasn't a path to the barn, Papa would step out and call her and she'd come, leaving a nice path that he could walk in.
I wore my hair in ringlets lots of times or else rolled on the sides and braided behind my ears and a ribbon bow tied on.
Mama did lots of sewing. She made all our dresses and coats. I don't remember any of my school dresses, but we had some pretty best dresses. I wore a lot of hand-me-downs, but didn't seem to mind. The first coat I had that was bought for me was when I was 15 years old.
I started to school when I was 5, turning 6 in December. My teacher was Miss Redding. I think we had to walk about a mile to school. Cheah was sick quite a lot and couldn't go to school. I liked school, but I hated to walk alone. I'd get part way sometimes then go back home, but Mama would send me right back. One morning I got up to go to school, Norman was the only one up. Mama had gotten up and got Papa off to work and had gone back to bed. She told Norman to tell me to stay home as she had to go to town. I combed my hair and I guess I ate breakfast and went to school and told Norman I'd come home at noon, which I did. I had heard talk about going for a May walk the first day of May, so at night recess some other kid and I took off from school and went for a May walk. I don't remember what happened when I got home, but the nest morning we were sent to the principal and he gave us a good talking to. I never did sluff school again. I went to a friend's house one night from school and played awhile. When I got home I was sent to bed without any supper and Cleah got to stay up and make Valentines. I don't remember being hungry but I never could send my kids to bed without supper. I must have been in the third grade when the teacher had a spelling match between the third and fourth grades. I spelled them all down. The next morning when I got to school there was a box of wafers in my desk from the teacher. I have often wondered if I thanked her for them.
One summer at fruit time, Grandma Fewkes, Uncle Curtis, Papa, Mama, Norman and I went in two covered wagons to Roy, Utah, after fruit. We stayed at a Mrs. Perry's house who the folks knew. I had always liked tomatoes so the next morning she took me out and showed me her tomato patch. I don't know how big it was but it sure looked big and good to me. I don't remember what we brought home but I do remember helping Mama peel peaches one time.
One summer all our family and Grandma and Uncle Curtis went in two cover wagons to the Uintah reservation to see Aunt Edith Johnston and family (mama's sister). I don't know how long it took us, but we stopped at a beautiful place along a river for dinner. Papa caught some fish and mama cooked them. We saw several Indians along the road. They were trying to beg something from us. As we got closer to Aunt's Edith's, her son Willis rode his horse out to meet us and to show us where they lived. It was sure a dry looking place. Uncle Will had lots of bees. He would take the cones of honey out and put them in a tub on the stove and get the honey out. It was sure good. One day all the oldest children rode horses and went to a dance at the church house. A man played a harmonica for us to dance to.
Another summer Mama took all us kids and went to Burley on the train. The train was steam heated and it made y feet swell until I couldn't put my shoes on. We visited Grandpa and Grandma Fewkes, and mama's oldest sister Aunt Alice Harris. The train stopped at Milhook which was just a place along the tracks, then we had to walk a quarter of a mile down to Aunt Alice's. I thought they could just as well of stopped right across from Aunt Alice's.
I loved to go to Aunt Mary Clark's and play. She had two girls our age. She would skim some cream off the milk and spread it on a slice of bread then sprinkle sugar on; it was sure good.
Once in a while papa would give Cleah and me a dime each and we'd walk to town and get an ice cream soda. We got to fooling around one day and broke one of the glasses. We sure got out in a hurry, which wasn't the right thing to do.
We loved to walk down to Grandpa Marshall's home and visit. They had a parrot and he would talk to us. One time grandma had just baked bread. She cut me a slice of warm bread. she gave me the middle of it and she ate the crust. I thought that was so nice of her.
Saturday night was bath night. A wash tub was set on two chairs by the stove and, starting with the youngest, we'd each take our turn, just adding more warm water from the top of the stove for each one. We had to carry our water from the neighbor's across the road.
We had a lot of fun in the summer when Papa had a day off from work. I can see him sitting by tree and whittling whistles for us from willows. They sure did work good as long as we kept them wet. He also mad us some tops from spools. He'd cut the end of a spool, then shape the spool down like a top, then put a stick down through it and then we could spin it. He would make some beautiful fans out of a piece of wood. He would soak a piece of wood in water until it was easy to cut through, then he would shape it into a fan. It seemed it was so easy for him to do, that we didn't really appreciate them then. After he got sick I sure wished he had made me one. But I've got one now. Carl tried his hand at it. He sure did a good job.
It's kind of vague, but I think we spent one Christmas at Grandma Fewkes in Upton. There were other relatives there and we had to sleep on the floor, which we though was great. Another year we had a cedar tree with candles in holders that clamped onto the limbs. Papa would light them for awhile but we had to be real careful. I got a set of dishes and a doll.
I was in a Christmas program at the church one year. I was an angel. Mama made me a little white dress. Then I had some wings with tinsel around them. I thought I was beautiful.
We left Coalville in July, 1918. Mama and us kids, all but Carl, rode the train to Ogden for a few days and visited with Papa's sister, Aunt Lil. We spent the 24th f July there.
We went on to Burley and moved in with Grandpa and Grandma Fewkes. I don't know how grandma stood it with 6 kids underfoot. I don't remember them ever getting cross with us. I loved to catch some warm milk from the separator and drink it.
We started to school in September in the old Starrks Ferry school house which was used for a church house on Sunday. My first teacher was a Miss Hill. She was very strict but a good teacher. That's when I first knew John. My nest teacher was Miss Marcillis. I didn't like her, in fact none of the kids did.
The latter part of October, Mama started to feel sick, she had the flu which turned into pneumonia. She passed away the 4th of November. Us kids were all sick, too. Papa woke us up that morning to come and kiss mama goodbye. Se died soon after.
We moved to Eagle, Idaho, in March of 1920. The summer and school years passed without not much to do. The summer I was fourteen I got a job in Boise doing housework. I lasted 1 week. I was so homesick when Nettie came to see how I was doing on the weekend, I went home with her. When school started I went to Boise and lived with a Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Wilcox and went to school to finish the eighth grade. I took care of their two boys and help with the work. I finished school at Christmas time, then went home.
In the fall I packed prunes in Eagle and in the summer weeded onions. After we got done with the onions I went to work for a Mr. and Mrs. Jones for $30.00 a month. I worked for awhile, then I was needed at home because Nettie didn't feel well.
The summer I was sixteen John came to Eagle with his folks to visit Alma and Ella, who lived near us. I'll never forget the look in his eyes when he saw me. I felt like he sat me on a throne and was worshipping me. The next day he came to borrow a wrench and asked me to go to the barn dance that night. The next night we went to a dance to Boise. Sunday night he came to see me. He went home on Monday. He came back in the summer and worked with Alma and then worked steady for Harvey Harris. We were married April 5, 1928. Then began our lives together.
John William Tilley was born Oct. 12, 1907, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Alma Charles Tilley and Ethel Robertson. He was he 6th child of a family of 14. His mother was very special to him, if she wasn't home when he'd come home from school, he would hunt all over the neighborhood looking for her.
He, with his family moved to Burley, in 1917 where they bought a farm. He lived on this farm until 1941. He build a 2-room house near his folks house and we lived there with our 5children. Four of them being born there - Leon, Marlene, Corwyn, and Ellis. Ralph was born when we lived with John's folks.
In 1941 we moved to Lovell Holyoaks farm with a 4 room house. It was great to have so much room. John worked for Lovell sometimes. On year he ran Raymond Hanks farm. Then he worked steady for Lovell for a few years then went to work for the Burley Irrigation District where he worked for over 20 years. Ralph was married in 1948 to Donna Myrle Thorne. Leon Joined the army and went to Germany. Corwyn joined the Airforce. Took his Basic in Texas, then finished in Mountain Home. Ellis joined the navy November 1, 1955. He trained in San Diego. He was sent to Japan April 23, 1956, for 7 months, then back to San Diego. Left there in January, 1957 for the east coast by way of Cape Horne. Arrived in Boston March 21, 1957. He was discharged August 9, 1957. Irvin served a mission in Virginia. He came home and got married and then was drafted into the army. After his basic he was sent back to fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he spent the rest of his time.
John was a counselor in M.I.A., hen President for awhile. He was a ward teacher and home teacher at times.
I was a counselor in Primary and in Relief Society. I was Relief Society President from October 1, 1944 to November 1947. I taught in Sunday School and Primary and M.I.A. I was put in as Relief Society President again August 1959.
I worked in the laundry for 10 years when John was laid up for awhile. John had a hip operation in 1972 from which he recovered real good. I had my teeth out in February, 1973 then my trouble began. I was laid up for several months, then found out that I had Parkinsons Disease. My new doctor put me on different medication and I regained my health.
We moved to Pocatello, in with Ralph, January, 1975. Marsha had married and moved to Pheonix, Arizona. In March, Ralph and Donna took us to Arizona and we stayed until June. We spent 3 winters there with them. Ellis took us to the Hill Comorah Pageant and Niagra Falls and lots of historical places. We've been to Merlene's in Oregon 3 times. We visit the others at times.
In July, 1978, we celebrated our golden wedding. All our immediate family came. We went to Rupert and had our pictures taken, then we had a family dinner at Prices Café. Merlene's husband and Ellis' wife weren't able to come, so there were 14 of us for dinner. Nyles was in charge. He and Irvin had made all the arrangements. Ellis gave a beautiful prayer and blessing on the food. We had a lovely dinner. Then I had a surprise for them. I had made a lone star quilt. I had them all put their names in a hat, then I drew one out. Corwyn was the lucky one and everyone was happy.
At night we had a reception out at Star Ward church. All the girls were in long dresses. Rod and Marsha did the flowers and brought them to Burley and set them up. It was really beautiful. Irvin and Janet made us a beautiful picture mirror. They put a picture of the Salt Lake Temple on it and a picture of us when were married and then a later picture. Leon and Bette gave me a necklace with gold dust in a little glass rain drop. They gave Dad a tie bar to match. The rest gave us money.
Lots of friends came. Some that we hadn't seen for years. Several of our family came from Boise. All in all it was a day to remember.
We have been through 7temples. The Salt Lake Temple, Idaho Falls, Logan, Ogden, Provo, Manti, Mesa, and the Jordan River before it was dedicated.
We now live back in Spanish Fork, Utah, where it all started. We live with Rod and Marsha and help them. They have a floral shop.