Orneriness

Hello Dear Reader,
After Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter had been released from the hospital a few days Grandma (Caroline) Hall took Mary and all four children to Las Vegas on the train. The three older children were recovering from the mumps. I don’t know how long we spent in Vegas while Grandma Hall helped with the new baby and she and Grandpa (Laning) Hall enjoyed playing with the children and taking care of their daughter.

I often heard the story of Wes taking us to the train to see us off and trying to get me to say, “Bye, bye.” Instead I stuck out my tongue and said, “Bah, bah, Daddy.” I guess I was ornery even at that young age. Now you know—it’s in my nature!
Love,
Aunt Genni

Pampered Childbirth

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) Carter’s third daughter and fourth child, LeAnn, was born in July of 1946. Mary’s mother, Caroline Hall, traveled to Provo and stayed with the other children while Mary was in the hospital with her baby. In those days new mothers were usually confined for ten days. I remember Mary saying by the time they were released from the hospital new mothers were weak from lying in bed so long. It took them longer to recover from the ordeal because they were so pampered. Those were the “good old days.”
Love,
Aunt Genni

Update

Hello Dear Reader,
Sort and organize, sort and organize. I think that is my lot in life. I can hardly believe school starts Monday and I'm still sorting through papers from Grandma (Mary) Carter's house. I have come to the conclusion that Newfamilysearch will be the way for you to gain access to any genealogical information you might want in the future.

Newfamilysearch will probably be available for us here in Provo in October. Many professors have cautioned that we use care in what we submit and any corrections that we make. If a lot of people dump in information without checking what's already available the system could crash.

Once the program is available to me I will add what I can for your information.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Family Photo

Hello Dear Reader,

I found this old photo among Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter's albums and thought you might like to see it. From left to right are Kent, Marilyn (baby) Grandpa (Laning) Hall, Carol, Grandma (Caroline Ferguson) Hall, Bert and Mary. Mary wrote, "This is what the house at 572 North 970 West looked like when we moved in. I don't ever remember it looking like this. Actually, before it was 970 West it was considered 10th West. I remember learning that address when I started kindergarten and then, when they changed it to 970 West, I had to learn it all over again. Life can be tough when you're a little kid.

Love,

Aunt Genni

Returning to Church

Hello Dear Reader,
Up to the time of my birth Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) Carter were only occasional church goers. Mary talked to the bishop and decided she wanted to be more actively involved again. On one occasion Wes went hunting on Sunday and when he returned home Mary and the children were ready to go to Sacrament Meeting.

He complained about her leaving him alone but she replied (in Wes’s words, “firmly but frankly”), “If you want to spend Sunday evening with me and the children you’re going to have to go with us.” He reluctantly put on his suit but said if they (the leaders) ever called on him to pray or talk he would never go back. They didn’t bother him for a long time.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Side Note

Hello Dear Reader,
Last night we returned from a quick trip to Vancouver, Washington where we attended Dave’s 50th class reunion, an “old timers’” reunion for the Vancouver Ward, and celebrated his dad’s 95th birthday. It was a good trip and I was able to cram a lot into the two days we were there.

One of my jaunts was to the Clark County Historical Society and Museum where I hoped to find records of some shirttail relatives of Mark G. Fifield and his mother, Eliza. I had learned on-line that these relatives were buried in Vancouver. The first thing the volunteers asked was who I was looking for. When I replied, “Jeremiah and Electra Bates Hathaway,” they asked if I was the person who had just sent the e-mail about their journal.

Of course I knew nothing about the e-mail and didn’t know that a journal existed. But apparently Jeremiah and Electra kept an overland journal of their trip along the Oregon Trail. The Hathaways were some of the earliest settlers of the Vancouver/Portland area. The Society is trying to locate the journal now and promised to let me know if they find it. They also said they would give the man who sent the inquiry my e-mail address and tell him of my interest if he wants to contact me. I am always amazed at the possibilities that open when I make a little effort towards my book.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Taylor & Carter Construction Company

Hello Dear Reader,
The job at Wendover ended the latter part of February but World Ward II was in its final stages and there was plenty of work available. Ray Taylor had started a new home for himself and Grandpa (Wes) worked for him for a couple of weeks.

Ray suggested that he and Wes go into business as a partnership. As that was agreeable they took out their contractors’ licenses and came up with the name Taylor and Carter Construction Company. They were in business for themselves! There was so much work available they had to turn a lot of it down.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Impeccable Timing

Hello Dear Reader,
While working at Wendover Wes traveled home weekends to see Mary and the children. Mary was pregnant and the children were growing quickly.

One weekend he returned to Provo, played with the children, and took Mary to the movies. When they got home Mary’s labor began. Wes took her to the hospital and I was born. Both Wes and Mary thought my timing was impeccable. Wes didn’t miss any work and went back to Wendover Sunday night. Kent went to Las Vegas to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Hall. Mary took Carol and I and stayed with Aunt Myrl in Midvale.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Constructing Airport Runways

Hello Dear Reader,
The project Grandpa (Wes) Carter was working on in Wendover was an airport. The B-29 bomber had just been built and this airport was the first in the world capable of accomodating the big plane for landing and repairs.

Wes worked for only a few days when Rolf Christiansen appointed him foreman. He was responsible for all the concrete runways—to see that they were properly formed and poured for the huge B-29.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Wes Goes to Wendover

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Wes) Carter was not in the service nor was he employed. He found work with Christiansen Construction Company out of Salt Lake at Wendover, Utah on the Nevada boarder. That left Mary at home alone once more. But she had these two adorable children to keep her company.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Happy Reunion

Hello Dear Reader,
When Mary and Deon arrived at Fort Douglas they were unable to learn anything about Wes—where he was or what had happened to him. When they arrived back in Lehi there he was sitting on Deon’s front porch. The house was locked because no one was there. He had been feeling very sorry for himself after having told everyone good-bye and he dreaded going back to face everyone and explain that he was 4-F.

Mary told Wes that that was the happiest day of her life. She and Deon thought he had been shipped out. I’m sure her enthusiasm at seeing him again made him feel much better and ready to face the questions that were sure to come as they returned to Provo.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Crossing Paths

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter became concerned about Wes. She called Aunt Deon (Wes’s sister) who lived in Lehi and asked her to go with her to Fort Douglas to see if they could discover what had happened to him. Apparently Mary picked Deon up and they headed to Salt Lake.

Meanwhile, the Army officials told Wes he could not be accepted for service because of his physical condition. He was released from the hospital and proceeded to hitchhike to Lehi which was much closer than Provo.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Fort Douglas

Hello Dear Reader,
The draft board called Wes into the Service so he, Ray, and Jim broke up their building partnership. Mary was pregnant again (with me) so this became a stressful time for the Carters. Wes left his little family and went to Fort Douglas in Salt Lake to be inducted into the US Army.

During his first physical examination the doctor discovered he had a slight heart condition. Those in charge put him in bed and kept him there while they examined him two or three times each day for two or three days. Meanwhile, Mary heard nothing from him and wondered what on earth was happening.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Moving On

Hello Dear Reader,
About the time that Wes and Mary moved into their own home Wes’s work on the aqueduct was finished. He got in touch with a man by the name of Victor Smith (not our uncle) who was planning to build a home. Wes was able to contract the labor and he hired Ray Taylor, his former partner, and Jim Freshwater, who lived just down the street, to work for him.

After that house was built, the three men went into partnership and did two or three small jobs. But World War II was happening and a new adventure was awaiting Wes.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Home of Their Own

Hello Dear Reader,
Early in the spring Wes and Mary moved out of the house at 1100 West 500 North and bought a little unfinished two-bedroom house at 572 North 970 West. The house was lacking many amenities including an inside toilet. The cold water came in through the wall in the kitchen. Their kitchen stove was a coal stove. They had very little furniture. But they were happy because the house was theirs to add on to and do with as they pleased.

I assume they paid cash for their house because they never, in their whole married life, had a mortgage.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Baby Girl--Happy Birthday Today

Hello Dear Reader,
At the time of Grandpa (Edward F.) Carter’s death Mary was expecting another baby. Wes and Mary sold their trailer and rented a house from Herman and Bertie Allred at 1100 West 5th North. When Carol was born August 3, 1942, they took their new baby girl home from the hospital to that house.

The house had coal stoves and when winter arrived Wes and Mary found the stoves inadequate for heat. Both Kent and Carol got pneumonia. Carol was so sick she had to be hospitalized for some time. This was another trying time for new parents.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Happy Birthday Dear Grandma

Hello Dear Reader,

Today was Grandma (Mary) Carter's birthday. I hope she had a wonderful celebration with all of her loved ones "on the other side."

Love,

Aunt Genni