Happy Birthday Dear Grandpa

Hello Dear Reader,
Yesterday was the anniversary of Laning Hall's birth. He was born 125 years ago. In all of my sorting and organizing this summer I have come across a collection of memories of Grandpa Hall that was written by his children. Each child wrote about special memories that s/he had of their father.

Among other things, Aunt Myrl (Bray) wrote about how particular Grandpa was about his clothes. He taught her how to press his suits and showed her how to fold the trousers and use a vinegar rag to get the shine off the seat of the blue serge pants. Aunt Lois (Black) recalled how Grandpa hated to speak in public (Is that where I get it from?) but said that in private everyone was his friend. She said his favorite pie was chocolate and it was her too. She was born on his birthday.

Grandma (Mary) Carter wrote about how she thought her dad was handsome--and how all of his family had hearty laughs and a good sense of humor. He loved to read the funny papers and would laugh long and loud over everything. Uncle Norley recalled his dad's expertise in the game of checkers. When Norley was finally able to win a game with him Grandpa "jumped up with great excitment and ran into the other room and told [Grand]mother and Elaine that he had finally found a checker player" showing his pride in Norley's accomplishment.

Uncle Bert told of Grandpa's skill with wood tools. He said there were 3 things that really bothered Grandpa: First, he hated to be called by his first name, Jasper. Second, he couldn't stand any kind of cruelty to animals. Third, he hated to be embarrassed.

This book is a great collection of memories and I will try to get it entered on Grandpa Hall's page of my website, The Family Thicket. But I am cleaning out my file cabinet and entering lots of things this summer while I am out of school so be patient with me and check back here and at the website often.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Sorrow and Disappointment

Hello Dear Reader,
The joy and anticipation the Carter family experienced was short-lived. Grandpa (Laning) Hall had a stroke around the 15th of March and died on the 19th. He was a shy but wonderful man and the Carter children all loved him dearly. I remember looking through the window of the garage where the over-head door was to be installed and seeing him lying in bed with the doctor attending him.

The night before he had his stroke he tended LeAnn and me and we pretended he was our baby. We took the doilies from the arms of the chair he sat in and used them for a bib and a baby bonnet. He was a good sport and we laughed a lot. I will always have very fond memories of my Grandpa Hall--I feel we were short changed in the amount of time we had to spend with him.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Joy and Anticipation

Hello Dear Reader,

Since Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) Carter's new house was going to be finished within a few months and since Grandpa (Laning) and Grandma (Caroline) Hall wanted to buy a home in Provo, Grandpa and Grandma Hall decided to buy the house Grandpa and Grandma Carter were going to move out of.

Then Grandpa Hall decided to build a double garage behind and to the south of the house that they could live in until the Carter's moved into their new home. Grandpa Wes said, "[We had] joy and anticipation at the thought of being able to live close to [Mary's parents] the rest of their lives.

Here's a photo of Grandpa Hall working on the garage-house which would be their temporary home.

Love,

Aunt Genni

The Advent of 1952

Hello Dear Reader,
As I've gone back through my posts I see that I went around in circles about the calling of a new Bishopric, the dividing of the ward, the beginning of a new church building, and the start of construction on a new house for Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) Carter. Anyway, I hope you got the general idea of what a busy time it was and of all the exciting things that were going on in the lives of the Carter family.


On December 3, 1951 Grandpa (Laning) along with Grandma (Caroline) Hall moved from LeGrand, Oregon to Provo. Grandpa Hall had recently retired from the Union Pacific Railroad. You can read about the adventures they experienced traveling to Utah here by reading their histories. What a wonderful, exciting time it was to have them come and stay with us in time for Christmas. We loved our grandparents very much and the house was filled with happiness and laughter.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Picture the New Bishopric

Hello Dear Reader,

Here's a photo of the first Rivergrove II Ward Bishopric soon after they were sustained. Left to Right: Arland Olsen, First Counselor; Wesley C. Carter (Grandpa), Bishop; and Blaine Houtz, Second Counselor. They were a wonderful team.

Love,

Aunt Genni

Witihin the Ward Boundaries

Hello Dear Reader,
I guess I was right when I said one of the ward boundaries ran along 4th North to 7th West. Not too bad a memory after all these years! Within the ward boundaries was a small grocery store and Perry's Seed Store. I always think of Perry's when I go shopping for plants or seeds and the smells remind me of my childhood. I loved going there with Grandpa (Wes) to buy seeds. Sometimes, in the spring they had baby chicks which were dyed colors for Easter. What a wonderful thing for a little girl to see. The Perry's were wonderful people who always made us feel welcome.

The grocery store was well within walking distance, on the southeast corner of 5th North and 8th West. The owners had a great supply of penny candy. When Grandma sent one of us to the store for bread we could often find pop bottles in the ditch that ran along the south side of the street. There were no curbs and gutters then, only weed-lined ditches. I suppose this ditch was sometimes used for irrigation but it was usually dry in the summer when we walked to the store. Most pop bottles were worth 2 cents, some were worth 3. If we found a bottle or two on the way to the store we had the refund money to spend on penny candy and we could get a lot for a penny back then. Sometimes Grandma (Mary) said we could have the change from the bread, which was usually 2 or 3 cents, to buy candy with but we had to promise not to squash the bread on the way home.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Rivergrove 2nd Ward's First Sacrament Meeting

Hello Dear Reader,
The first Sacrament Meeting of the newly-formed ward was held on May 13, 1951 (Mother's Day). I thought you might like to see the program as it happened almost 59 years ago:

Bishop Carter Presiding
Arland Olsen Conducting
Organ Prelude: Anabell Rogers
Opening Song: "Sweet is the Work" led by Sister Rogers and accompanied by Mignon Ahlstrom
Opening Prayer: Joseph Meservy
Sacrament Song: "Great is the Wisdom and the Love"
Sacrament Served: Garth Rogers, Evan A. Billings, Bishop Carter, Arland Olsen, Blaine Houtz,
Dean Perry, Gale Perry, and Harold Paulson.
New Relief Society presidency was presented and sustained by Bishop Carter: Bessie Cochran,
president; Zona Houtz and America Perry, counselors.
Speaker: Frank W. Killpack (past Bishop)
Song: "Love at Home"
Speaker: Leon Newren (past Bishop)
Closing Song: "Home Sweet Home"
Closing Prayer: Leslie Houtz

Sidelights of Interest:
At 5:45 Brother and Sister S. L. Rogers were first to arrive followed by the Ivie family. Then came Bishop Carter, Mary, Kent, Carol, Marilyn, and LeAnn Carter. Then the Evan Billings family arrived along with Grandma Libby Lewis. Then the Cory Olsen family arrived followed by Josephine Knighton, Jean Davis, the Frank Killpacks, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Meservy, etc., etc. A good crowd turned out.

A revolting development!!! Evan went to bless the water and there was no water in the cups.

The new ward got off to an excellent beginning starting right at 6:00 and dismissing right at 7:00.

Thanks goes to the ward historian, Elda Mae Billings (and her daughter Susan who preserved it), for this interesting account.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Portrait of the Bishop and his Wife

Hello Dear Reader,

I have lots of photographs to post but I thought you might first like to see Grandpa (Wesley C.) Carter and Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter as they appeared shortly after Grandpa was made bishop. Feel free to copy as you desire.

Love,

Aunt Genni

Interesting People

Hello Dear Reader,
There were a lot of interesting people that lived within the ward boundaries of the newly-formed Rivergrove 2nd Ward and not all of them were Mormons. The Roberts family were Roman Catholics and they were the first people I ever heard take the Lord's name in vain. They could often be heard yelling, "I'm going to kill you." Their house smelled of second-hand cigarette smoke and coffee and on Fridays,the smell of fish came wafting from their kitchen.

As loud as they were they were always kind to us children. Their children Frankie and Patsy were not our favorite playmates, though, as they were pretty tough for the sissy Carter girls. They were the only people I knew at the time that didn't belong to our church. But their grandmother, Grandma Roberts, always came to visit when she was in town and Grandma (Mary) treated her with great kindness and respect.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Ward Boundaries

Hello Dear Reader,
When Grandpa (Wesley) Carter became bishop of the Rivergrove 2nd Ward our world expanded to include the whole ward. The ward boundaries enclosed a rather large area. If I remember correctly, if you started at the corner of 970 west and 5th north the ward boundary would continue west to about 1400 west. That was the western-most inhabited part of that area of Provo at the time. There were only woods, frog ponds, and railroad tracks west of there. Along the south side of 5th north was an apple orchard where wild asparagus and watercress grew. We were only allowed to pick one apple at a time for eating but we could gather the asparagus and watercress sometimes.

From the western end of the ward traveling east the boundaries turned south one block (or two) at 9th west and then back east. At 7th west the line turned north and the ward included all the houses on the west side of 7th west to 8th north. At that time there was no 750 west and many of the streets were dead end streets. So we used 5th north as our main route but all of the streets that took off to the north between 7th west and 970 west were in our ward to the 8th north boundary.

Along 5th north there were several lots that were still considered small farms. Where the two duplexes now stand was "Old Man Watkins" farm. He raised pigs. It was scary to walk along there at night as there were no lights in that area and sometimes rats could be seen--probably helping themselves to the pig slop. Not that I ever saw a rat but then I always walked on the south side of 5th north.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Raising a Family

Hello Dear Reader,

After posting yesterday I reflected on the pleasant childhood I enjoyed. Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) helped us feel safe and well cared for.

The street we lived on was was a dead end so there was no through traffic back then. The street ended where the woods along the Provo River began and was probably about 2/3 of its present length. The Baldwins lived in the very last house on the east side of the street. The Roberts family lived north of us and the Billings family lived on the south. Directly across the street from us was an older couple, the Van Leuvens who were the grandparents to the Killpacks who lived on the southwest corner on 5th North where the street began. There were other houses all along 10th West and we knew everybody who lived in our neighborhood.

Here's a photo of Grandpa, me with the Billings' dog Cookie, Gwen Killpack, and LeAnn with our dog Skipper. This was taken in our front yard. My dad was tall, thin, and very handsome in my opinion.

Love,

Aunt Genni

Trouble Afoot

Hello Dear Reader,
I remember several things about the construction of our new house. I thought it was wonderful that Daddy worked close by and, although we were cautioned not to, we could go see him if Mama took us over there. One time I dressed up in some of my mother's clothes including her high heels and went to show my dad how fancy I looked. When I got to the house I couldn't find him and started across a plank tripping on the long dress and clunking along in Mother's shoes.

You can guess what happened. I fell off the plank into the footings and started to bawl very loudly probably more from frustration that from pain. When Dad came to my rescue he was furious! He reached down and grabbed me by the arm. Then he marched me back to Mom and yelled at her for allowing me to go to the construction site. I knew I was in trouble but when Dad got home a little later he told me he was sorry and that he had been very worried that I could have been really hurt. I learned early that Grandpa (Wes) had a temper but a sharp reprimand was always followed by much love.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Year of Building

Hello Dear Reader,
Before the church building was begun Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) had been making plans to build a new home. They bought a piece of property from Claude Billings which was located at 536 North 10th West (which street name was later changed to 980 West, then 970 West). When we lived at 572 North 10th West we were just north of Evan and Elda Mae Billings; this new property was just south of their home so we were going to move just one house away. In March of 1951 the basement was dug and by the time construction on the new ward building started, Grandpa and Grandma's new house was well under way--Grandpa and his partner, Ray Taylor were already laying brick.
Love,
Aunt Genni

More Happenings in 1951

Hello Dear Reader,
It's been a long time since I posted anything but the semester is over, the BYU Family History Conference had been attended and I have the summer to catch up on things--so I'll try to catch you up on Grandpa and Grandma's history. They lived an interesting, productive life.

Men, women, and children turned out in great numbers to help build the new ward building and, on Saturdays, after a hard day's work these members participated in pot luck socials. It seemed that everyone looked forward to these socials and the unity of the ward members grew.

However, as the work on the building progressed there were jobs the local people couldn't do. It became necessary to raise money to contract out certain jobs. And, there was also a construction superintendent that needed paying monthly. Sometimes funds could be raised just by asking for contributions over the pulpit but other times the bishopric had to contact local members and ask for help. It was difficult to ask because there were few people in the ward financially able to contribute. Grandpa said, "But the Lord wlways seemed to provide the way for the building program to go forward."
Love,
Aunt Genni