Person:Myrle Johnson (1)

Myrle Johnson

My Father was Frank Milton Johnson, born 25 Oct 1881 in Springville Utah. He married my Mother, Rose Hannah Francis 8 May 1907 in Taber Alberta Can. She was born 2 Dec. 1881 at Lake Shore, Utah. They met in Taber, Alberta. Canada. The Johnsons had immigrated to Alberta in the early 1900’s. They had lived in Raymond a short time then moved to Taber where my grandfather became the Post Master, Water Master, Dentist, Carpenter and Actor. He put on many plays in Taber and nearby towns for entertainment. My Father and Mother met in one of his plays.

My sister Jennie was born July 7, 1908, my Father was called on a mission to the Eastern states. He accepted and traveled without purse or script. He was released November 8, 1911 and returned to his family in Taber. My mother had supported herself and baby by taking in sewing.

After my brother Leo Frank was born December 15, 1914 my parents moved back to Mapleton, Utah where my father purchased ground He became a citizen of the US on April 2, 1917. Here he built a nice home and farmed until his death. My Mother gave birth to 6 children only during childbirth 3 lived. She passed away May 27, 1920. My Father died 4 years later of pneumonia January 31, 1925.

I remember my Father best as I was 8 years old when he passed away. He was always so kind and good to us and spoiled me rotten. He gave me everything I wanted – even a tricycle. I saw it in a store and begged so hard for it. My Father made arrangements with the owner of the store to trade white beans for it. I was to clean the beans and thus partially earn it. When my Father took the beans to the store, the owner had purchased some beans from another farmer. I was most disappointed – so my Father bought it anyway. I didn’t have it long, because he got it in the fall before he passed away. When I was to leave and go to Canada with my Grandmother Francis, I hid it down in the cellar of my Grandmother Johnson’s home. I thought I’d soon be back to use it again.

My Father had a keen since of humor and was always keeping others in laughter. Everyone said he was like the famous comedian, Will Rogers. He helped many of the poor and windows – taking food, and sacks of flour and leaving it on their doorsteps in the night so that they never knew where it came from. My Father became a great cook after my mother died. Pumpkin pies and chocolate cake and ice cream were his favorites and mine too. We were among the first to own a Model T Ford in Mapleton. My Father would load it up with neighbors in the evenings and take all the folks to the silent movies in Springville for a evening of fun. He always paid every ones ticket and bought all of us an ice cream cone afterwards. Those were wonderful days. He farmed and did carpentry work in many places. He would take his little family with him whenever he could. He took us to Billy’s Mountain where we spent many happy hours with him in the summer farming and cutting cedar posts. He also took us with him to Soldier Summit to build a bridge or trestle for the train. At home, in Mapleton, he would read stories to us as we sat in the evening around the stove. I usually had the honor of sitting on his lap. He loved music and played the clarinet. He led the Lethbridge Band while in Canada and the Springville and Mapleton Band in Utah.

The night he caught a cold and developed pneumonia he had had to go to a band practice – 20 degree below through a foot of snow, build a fire in the city building – then walk home after in the freezing cold. He had also topped the poplar trees that day around our home and milked 6 to 9 cows in that bitter weather.

My mother was so sweet and kind and would never hurt anyone. Everyone said she was a marvelous cook and a fine seamstress. She and her 2 sisters had attended the Brigham Young Academy before they moved to Canada. She made almost all, crochet, clothes and left many beautiful pieces of handwork for us.

Both my parents were active in the church of J. C of L. D. S. My mother worked in the Primary until her death and my father was the superintendent of Sunday school until his death. They are both buried in the Mapleton Cemetery.

I was born May 28, 1916 in Mapleton Utah. I attended school there until Jan of 1925. My Grandfather and Grandmother use to put on plays in Utah too. And they often gave me parts in them. I remember playing little eve in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. My father was Uncle Tom. I performed in many programs singing, reciting and dancing while my father whistled. He was always happy and whistling most of the time. He called me Myrley Squirrelly because, I chattered or talked so much. My sister Jennie was 8 years older than I and I can remember her cleaning the house. Once she set me on the table while she mopped the floor and we sang together. She always harmonized and sang alto. She has a most beautiful voice. I can remember following my fathers band and sometimes carried their music. This was a great honor for me.

My Grandmother and Grandfather Johnson moved from Duchesne after my mother died. They lived in a home beside ours that father built for them. And Grandma helped take care of us. She was not well – so my father put a cot in the kitchen for her to lie upon. She insisted that I brush my hair everyday and I didn’t like that. I’m afraid I didn’t appreciate her very much then. But I do now. She taught me many poems, songs, dances and plays and encouraged me to perform. And I loved it. My Grandfather pulled my teeth. He was a great actor and I loved him dearly. Both he and grandma sold books and every Christmas they would give each of us a fine book. Thus they help me develop a great appreciation for books. Both grandparents were very well read and very intelligent about what was going on in the world.

My father lost the sight in one eye when he was a youngster. He and his friends were out in the corral riding the calve and one kicked him in the eye. Years later, he was chopping wood when a chip flew into the same eye causing infection. The Dr. told him to have it taken out before the infection spread to the good eye. So my father had to have an artificial eye the last years of his life. My father also made up stories to tell us as he worked.

It seems that I was always out before the public, receiving praises and honor. I also loved school. But my brother Leo, Frank – 2 ½ year older was shy and always hiding from people and visitors. He really needed his mother.

After my Father died – my grandmother Francis a widow of 6 years, who was visiting her son in Santa Ana California, came in Feb. She took me visiting all the Francis relatives in Lake Shore and round about. Then we went her home to Canada by train about and arrived Mar 11, 1925. And then Grandma had to visit all her children, cousins and friends in Can. She took me along of course, I loved it. Finally she got me into school in April 11, 1925. I was in the third grade and soon realized I was at the bottom of the class. Consequently, I failed the third grade and had to repeat it. What humiliation! I ran home to my grandmother who loved and comforted me as best she could. Our home teacher Bro. Layton with a long black beard placed his hand on my head and told me that I should not worry because after the next year at school I would then become the leader. And it came to pass.

My grandmother could not read or write as she had grown up in the old country and had not had the opportunity. So she encouraged me in everyway to do my best and to try always to be the best one in school. She wanted me to go on and become a school teacher like my mother. And when she died of cancer 4 years later, she left me enough money to go to college to become a teacher. She was so very good to me. She loved me so much and praised me constantly. She taught me to be very frugal. My father had given me everything I asked for and consequently I was most spoiled. But my grandmother in Canada taught me to be most care full with my clothes and belongings. She never gave me money to spend unless I earned it by standing 1st or 2nd or 3rd in my class of 40 students each month. No wonder I studied hard and tried to remember all that I heard. I loved books and school. I loved cats – so grandma always kept a cat for me to play with because I was so often lonely. I loved to go to Uncle Ted for Sunday dinner with Grandma as he had 6 little children to play with. He also gave me a doll on my first birthday in Canada. How I loved that doll It was quiet an ugly doll too – compared with the ones my dad had had Santa gave me each Christmas. But, how I loved my Uncle Ted for his love and understanding. He had a large family even then and not much money. Every time I was out of school for holidays, my grandmother and I would catch the train to visit her daughter or cousins.

I loved the traveling. My grandmother planned to go to Calif. The year I was in the 7th grade and spent that whole year with her son and family in Santa Ana, Calif. But in Nov 1928, Grandma fell from a step ladder while putting up clean curtains, and broke some of her of her ribs. She would not go to a Dr. and cancer developed from it. She died the 12 July 1929 and I lost the best mother, friend and teacher. I could ever remember, she had been very strict but she smothered it with love and she left me with a great desire to serve the Lord and seek the truth. She loved to dance, and often when a catchy tune came on the radio, she would lift her long skirts 3 or 4 inches from her feet and dance. She was 72 years old when she took me to raise and she was so spry and agile and she danced really well. She had a cute sense of humor and oh how she loved to tease. I loved the years I lived with her. I missed my sister Jennie and my brother Leo, very much but Grandma had a way with her that made me feel that everything would be all right, and it was.

Two years later, April 1927, Jennie came to live in Taber with Uncle Ted to help aunt Eva and her little ones. I was overjoyed. I began counting the days until she would arrive, then the hours and finally the minutes. She was coming by train with Sister Ida Wood who had been in Utah for Conf. It was a Primary night. I asked all my Primary class to go with me to meet my sister. We were guite a delegation. Finally the train came puffing up to the water tank. What a long wait that was as they filled the train with water, then slowly the engine pulled the cars into the station. We all jumped up and down when I saw Jennie. She was so beautiful and I was so extremely proud of her. Everyone walked home with us. Norah and Mata Hammer remembered Jennie from a former visit and thy stood by their gate to welcome Jennie. What joy and happiness filled my heart. I was never that homesick and lonely again. I had my big sister in Canada. The following year, Uncle Ted very generously paid Leos way up to Canada. Now, we three children were one more reunited. I only saw my brother and sister once every week or so at church, but it was comforting to know they were in Canada with me.

Grandma encouraged me in performing and taking part in church meetings, consequently I was always reciting, singing or saying a part in Primary, religion class and Sunday School. Grandma was so proud of me. She fed me good and was so pleased when I got fat. She knows she was dying of cancer. So when she made out her will, she left me enough money to go to normal school in Calgary for a year to become a teacher. It was so thoughtful of her and I’ve appreciate her more than words can tell. Aunt Josephine Russell (my mothers’ oldest sister) took me in to her home in Lethbridge the first year after Grandma died. That was so good of her because she had a large family of 7 children and pretty well had to raise those children along as Uncle John Henry Russell worked on the railroad trains. He was a conductor and only got home about once a month. Aunt Josephine was an immaculate homemaker and she tried to help me see the dirt and learn to clean. She encouraged me to be a good student and do lots of reading. She gave me a quarter for reading the Book of Mormon. She also bought me a library card for a nickel and I almost filled it that summer. How wonderful that library in Lethbridge was. It was the first one I’d ever seen. I’ll never dream these were so many books in the world. Uncle Ted had given me a book the first Christmas I was in Canada. I was so happy with it. I would lend that book for other books from friends. That was the only way we had of getting to read other books in Taber. However, it made me really appreciate books. I was in the 7th grade the year I was in Lethbridge. At the end of that summer, I went to Taber to live with my Uncle Ted and Aunt Eva Francis. They had 7 small children and Aunt Eva had varicose veins – her ankles had large running pores on them – abscesses, I think. So she had difficulty in getting around. Yet she did not go to bed – as I supposed the Dr’s suggested. Jennie had gone to Calif. To work in my Uncle Jacks home. That same summer He was a Dr. and Aunt Mabel, his wife, began to work in the office so they needed some one like Jennie to run their home. They had 7 children too. I surely missed Jennie. She was in Calif. 2 years and I was so happy when she returned. She had sent both Leo and I such lovely clothes and presents for Christmas. But we missed her dreadfully.

I lived with Uncle Ted and Aunt Eva for 3 years. It was during the depression and they were so very poor. But they opened up their home and then hearts to me. Uncle Ted renovated his home while I was there. He built a lovely parlor and put in 3 more bedrooms upstairs. He already had 2 large bedrooms in the basement and 2 on the ground floor. Two more babies came to their home while I was with them – Kae and Jean, and oh how I loved those babies, I used to rush home after school and love them and hug them. They were so cute – so beautiful, I used to tell their children stories if they would wipe the supper dishes for me.

Those were happy days, I loved school and church too. Church was our only social life. We rarely ever saw a picture show. And when we did go to one we would talk about it for weeks after and relive the funny or sad times in it. Uncle Ted had a beautiful voice – Aunt Eva too and she always played the piano. Uncle Ted sang at many functions. He was my Sunday School teacher and a very good one too. I lived with them while I was in the 8th,9th,10th grades. My how I loved this family. The children seemed more kike brothers and sisters than cousins. I loved every one of them so very much. They were all so good to me.

I found a great friend when I moved to Taber and was in the 8th grade. Her name was Helen Holman, and we have been best friends ever since. We would walk home from school together. Each day we could walk about 1 ½ miles together – then we parted directions. I only had a half mile to walk while she had to go another mile. But the way never seemed long when I walked with Helen. We have kept in touch through correspondences and visits through out all the years. She married Ellys Piepgrass about the same time I was married. She has had 6 lovely children. Helen has been the best friend I have ever had. We both liked good literature, religion, dancing, music and boyfriends. And we have spent many happy hours together.

I took the 11th grade in Barnwell – a small Latter Day Saint community, about 7 miles west of Taber. My favorite Aunt and family lived there. It was Aunt Emma and Uncle Henry Peterson who had 11 children. They were so very good to me. And even though they had such a large family and Uncle Henry was an invalid with heart trouble, they always made me welcome. They gave me a special room of my own at the top of the stairs – it was really a great room – but they made me feel like it was mine. They did lots of sewing, making quilts, etc. And they were constantly giving me dresses and silk hose. And one of their girls Florence made me a jacket out of my mothers black plush coat. I was so proud of that jacket. Aunt Emma was always giving something to me and even after we were married she continued to give to us – blankets, baby quilts, baby clothes and a quilt that she had and charming crocheting made completely - washing the wool, etc. It is one of my treasured possessions. I picked strawberries for 2 summers and they paid me highly. They would take no money for my room and board. And I used to have so much fun with their children. Zella and Prid were my age 15. I loved them so much. They too are like my brothers and sister, Aunt Eva was a great cook – the best I’ve ever known. And she always had to cook for 3 to 4 hired men as well as her family. Yet she made me, as well as everyone else who came to her door, welcome and fed us sumptuously. I’ll never forget her bread, roast chicken and dressing and her ice cream and her cake. She was a real homemaker. Her house was clean, neat as a pin. I admired her all my life and have tried so hard to pattern my life after hers. She was always so well organized. How I admired her for this as well as her generosity. Usually after the delicious meal and before the dishes were done, we would gather around the organ or piano and sing. Zella always did the playing. She did it so well. Uncle Henry always enjoyed this too. I was in Barnwell over a year and I believe I spent every Sunday of that year at their home.

During that school year 1933-1934 I lived with Leonard and Bula Johnson in Barnwell. They needed someone to help with the work and tend the 3 children because Bula was not too strong. They were so good to me and I soon learned to love every one of them. The children were delightful, they were Arlene – age 6, Laurel age 4 and Marvin – age 2. Arline walked to school each day with me. She was in the first grade. Our high school there consisted of the 3 grades, 9, 10, 11th in one room. We had 2 teachers Aubrey Earl and A. J. Clarke. I loved literature most and would plan my homework so that I could listen to the 9th grade literature and the 10 grade literature as well as my own. I was elected student body president That year. Marvin was run over by a wagon and killed instantly that spring. What a terrible tragedy and how we all grieved and missed him. He was such a smart and active little boy. We all loved him so much. Bula taught me so many things. She was indeed a true friend. She was very intelligent and always reading books from the Lethbridge library. She taught me so many things to help me in the teaching of my little Sunday School class. And all the principles that she taught me worked. How I admired Bula. They paid me $2 a month and how I enjoyed that money. I can’t remember that I did anything worthwhile with it except pay tithing on it. That brought me so much happiness. I met Dellus Jensen and dated him that year. We had a lot of fun together.

The school year of 1933-1934 I was back in Taber and lived most of that time with Uncle Ted and Aunt Eva. They had a new baby, Jackie. They needed me to stay with Aunt Eva’s mother and father who were very aged and homebound. Uncle Ted had moved their home from town out beside his home. So I lived in their house and kept the fires going, their meals prepared and clean the house. Grandma Larsen died of pneumonia in March and they moved Grandpa into the big house with Aunt Eva. A month later Grandpa Larsen died. I spent the rest of the school year with the Teskys in town. Mr. Tesky was the school principal and I had a very high regard for him and his wife. They had 2 lovely children. That summer I picked strawberries at Barnwell again and had a glorious summer with Aunt Emma and Uncle Henry and family. After all the strawberries were picked that year, Uncle Henry took all of his family that could go, and all the berry pictures to the mountains – 150 miles away. We had a great time there climbing the mountains, swimming and just enjoying the beauty. And coolness of the mountains. The Tesky were there also – they always spent the summer in a tent there and I stayed with them the rest of the summer. I climbed most of the Mountains around Waterton State Park.

The fall of 1935 – I came to Provo Utah to attend the BYU, I was so excited and happy to do this. I lived in Springville with Uncle Wayne and Aunt Anne and family the first semester. Wilma Piepgrass was attending business school then and we spent Christmas day together. I also served Christmas dinner to President Grant as well as the Ivins family, what a great thrill that was. At Christmas holidays I got a job as a maid for sister Antoine R. Ivins in Salt Lake City. I was then able to find a home in Provo, Utah with Bro. and Sis. Haws. Where I could work for my room and board. Bro. Haws was a realtor and Sis. Haws operated a ladies apparel store in Provo. I was to cook meals, clean the hose and wash and iron. I was also working at 5 a.m. each morning in the Education bldg. (cleaning) for my tuition at the Y. So I was busy – but I managed to get to most of the concerts plays and Lyceums anyway. I only used $100 of the $500 my grandmother F had left for me. So the following year, I was able botch with 3 other girls. Nell Shaerer, Marie Marchant and Erma Marchant. I had to do my student teaching that year and so I did not dare carry too heavy a load. I trained in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd and 4th , and loved all of it but preferred the smallest children more. In June of 1937, I graduated with a normal certificate or a license to teach school. I was so afraid I would not get a job – because it was during the depression – that I signed the first contract that was offered me. It was a small school in a tiny mining community called Rainbow in the Uintah basin. But what great experiences I had these with those wonderful children. I was the principle teacher, janitor of the one roomed school. I taught the first 4 grades. I dared do so many things like – a dance revue, art exhibit, cookie sale, rhythm band, a store, Christmas party and many hiking excursions on Saturdays. I simply loved that year. I lived with Ray and Dilla Chivers who ran a boarding house. They were so good to me. We were 60 miles from a church – bad roads too – so I seldom got to church. This only deepened my love for the gospel and made me more determined to get to church later when I had better opportunities. The next year, I taught first and second grade in Charleston, Utah. I taught school there for 2 years and kindergarten in the summer. I met LaMar, my beloved husband, in Charleaton. The Gold and Green Ball in February was our first date. We also danced in the fllor show. We went to most of the Saturday night dances in the upstairs of the old school after that. We had so many good times at dances. The following Christmas LaMar gave me a diamond ring. I was so excited and happy. We were married in the S.L. Temple June 6, 1940 – for all time and eternity. LaMar’s folks gave us a wedding dance in Charleston and we received so many beautiful gifts. The Johnson’s here in Utah gave us a wedding supper and again we received so many lovely gifts. Later, we went to Canada. Aunt Emma gave me a shower in Barnwell and then Uncle Ted and Aunt Eva and my sweet sister and husband gave us a reception in Taber. We were really showered with the most beautiful and practical gifts. I did appreciate everyone’s generosity so very much. We had gone to Canada with Clarke and Zella Nielsen and they could hardly get us and all our gifts back to Utah.

LaMar was in business with his brother Carl, in the shell service station in American Fork. We made our first home in one of the Grant apartments. We felt so wealthy because we had been able to buy a coal stove, kitchen set, bedroom set and studio couch - all paid for. But we were up in the top of an old huge building and I felt it was a fire trap. So after about 4 months there we moved to Thelma Larsen’s apartment – 60 W. 1st N. It was big and lovely and we were very happy. We were even happier when our first son, Dee LaMar, was born April 30 – 11 months later. Oh, he was so wonderful and so good looking and so cute. I was so proud of him. LaMar’s mother helped me so very much. She taught me to can fruit, wash cloths, sew and make my baby clothes. Then 14 months later June 24, 1942, we were blessed with Deanna Rose, We named her Deanna for she was just a miniature of her big brother Dee. They were so sweet together and so close in spirit as well as age. Robert Ray – Bob – was our next fine son – He came to us on February 20, 1945. hen two more neat sons, Leon Frank February 16, 1948 and William John – Bill – on November 13, 1949. Next, God blessed us with 2 more babies, daughters this time – Mary Elva, October 4, 1951 and Janeen November 1, 1952. We moved to the farm when Janeen was 1 ½ years old. It was on Dee’s 13th birthday with 3 more children, James David, April 22, 1955, Kent “E” August 10, 1956, and Becky, June 30, 1958. Ten beautiful, normal, healthy, wonderful children blessed our home. How happy they made us, and what joy they brought to us. God in his infinite goodness lent us the 10 most special and choice spirit children of all. He sent them to us to be taught right from wrong, the beautiful gospel plan and to implant within their hearts the desire to live righteously. Myrle J Boren