"Events in Mother’s Life" by Ena R. Mitchell

Mother has told many times of the worries and various experiences she and her children went through while living in Mexico. Some of the experiences are of things that happened in going to and from the ranch to the little town where the children attended school, church, and other activities.

Living in Mexico was primitive. People had to learn to make things for their needs, and to care for their sick. Imagine the worries and responsibilities they had in raising families as they had no doctors and no one of any reliable knowledge for administering medicine.

I remember a prolonged illness of my older brother (Orson) who had typhoid fever and at times seemed beyond recovery. Mother was told to give him milk which had been freshly milked from the cow every two or three hours. By giving him this milk it would be his only chance to recover. The milk had to be given as soon as it was milked so that the child could drink it while still warm with the animal’s heat. Mother has told many incidents about getting up at various hours of the night and going down to the cow corral to milk a cup of fresh milk. She did this so often that when the cow saw her enter the gate she would get up so Mother could milk her. Mother said at two and three o’clock in the morning she often saw wild animals walking on top of the corral. The corral walls were made from adobe.

The ranch that we lived on was infested with snakes, especially rattlesnakes. Many snakes came into the house, which made it necessary for all of us to be constantly on the watch. We were very nervous for fear we might step on one. Mother also had trouble raising baby chickens when we first moved there, as the snakes would eat them almost as fast as she could hatch them.

From Mexico we moved to a ranch in the United States near the border. As the ranch was near the Mexican Border, many nervous and dangerous days and night were passed. While living on this ranch my father and brothers never left the house without strapping a belt of bullets around their waist and carrying their rifles. Guns and ammunition were always kept in the house where they could be reached quickly. Even when going to and from the fields, guns were taken with them. The reason for being prepared was that we lived so close to the Mexican border and Mexicans often crossed into the United States, stealing and murdering the white ranchers who were living along the border. Many nights we children were not permitted to undress. No lights of any kind was permitted to be lit in case of drawing some ruthless Mexican that may be near who had molested or killed another rancher. Mother lived in this constant fear-fear for her life and for the life of her family from 1913 to 1922, at which time Father sold the ranch.

I remember many nerve-racking incidents and hours of worry Mother went through during the years spent on the ranch. Father, realizing the danger of his family, asked the United States Army to be encamped below our ranch. A small detachment was stationed five miles above us at the Home Ranch, a large cattle company headquarters. Father’s request was not granted as the Cattle Co. was more influential. Of course the soldiers patrolled each day to the Mexican border below the ranch, but this offered little protection for us. Many nights a group of soldiers camped at our ranch when expecting uprisings and attacks from the Mexicans. Many nights we have all sat outside in the dark, the children close to Mother, thinking she cold protect us from any harm. In the dead silence we could hear Mother offer up a prayer to God for our protection. Because of our faith, I know that our prayers were answered many times. We would sit staring into the darkness and imagine we could see objects in the dark. The soldiers would load their guns, which made a loud click, and it would send chills up and down our spines. In the process of loading the guns for action, they would rush to the embankment of the water tank and lay on their stomachs waiting for whatever may appear. I was a young girl but the noise of the loading of the guns in the stillness of the night and the sound of the soldiers advancing for an attack will never leave my memory.

One night after we had finished our evening meal we heard shots above our ranch. Mother immediately blew out the light and Father and Orson, my older brother, got their guns and we all went outside the house to wait for any developments which might happen. A few minutes later we heard the clatter of a racing horse. Then, as the horse seemed opposite from our house across the field, we heard in the dark stillness a man call, "Help! Help!" Father and Orson realized it was a white man in some kind of trouble-being pursued by Mexicans. Orson felt he should saddle his horse and try to assist the man. In the darkness of the night Orson saddled his horse and mounted it with rifle in hand and headed out to assist some one in trouble. Mother, with tear-stained face and a prayer in her heart, kissed him goodbye. A short time later we heard one shot ring out in the stillness of the night. Mother was frantic with fear, as she was afraid that the shot might have killed her son. Father said that it did not sound like Orson’s gun had been fired. Not knowing what danger Orson had ridden into, Father thought it best to go for help. The only means of transportation we had on the ranch was a wagon and a team of horses. We were soon on our way to drive the five miles to the encampment of soldiers. The wagon seemed to make more noise than usual as it rattled along in the dark and still night.

Mother, Father, Ether, and I rattled along staring into the darkness expecting anything to happen. We had to go by the place where the first shooting had occurred. Father seemed deeply worried, as he kept a keen watch on all sides. He did not know what our outcome would be. Before arriving at the encampment of soldiers we met eight of them on horses making a night patrol. It was about twelve o’clock at night and they said one of the soldiers had not returned to camp. Father related the happenings that had occurred earlier in the evening and the soldiers were anxious to assist in an effort to know if Orson was all right and to try and locate the soldier. Father turned our wagon around and with the eight soldiers, two in front, two on either side of the wagon, and two at the rear, we hurried back to the ranch in hopes Orson would be there. Upon arrival at the ranch there was no sign of Orson having been there, so it was decided to go toward where we had heard the last shot. The soldiers and Father thought it advisable for us all to stay together as it would not be safe to leave Mother, Ether, and I at the ranch alone. A short time after we left the ranch we met Orson and Ras Thygerson with his family in their wagon with the wounded soldier, Lee Sanders. Lee had been shot through the hand and one leg. He was carried into our ranch house and the soldiers dressed his wounds by lamplight. It was now about 3:00 a.m. The soldiers asked Father to take Lee to Hachita in the wagon for further medical attention. Orson said after leaving the ranch he heard a shot ring out which seemed near him. He came to a fork in the road and he stopped his horse and offered up a prayer asking which road to take. It was later learned if he had taken the other road it would have taken him directly to Lee. Lee said that he would have shot Orson if he had come on that road because he would have thought it was his attacker returning to kill him. Orson had gone straight to Thygerson’s ranch and they hitched up a team to their wagon and Sister (Judith) and her small children rode in the wagon expecting danger at any minute. When Lee heard the approaching wagon he knew someone was coming to his rescue. They found him lying under a mesquite bush. He had dragged himself as far back in the bush as possible to conceal himself from his attackers.

This is just a few of the many nerve-racking things Mother went through while living on the ranch. She often said that it was no wonder she lost her eyesight. She wore her eyes out staring into the dark in fear of the many dangers that might come to her family.

In 1920 Mother had another added sorrow and responsibility when Ireta died from influenza, leaving two children-Sidney Wright, two years old and J. L., six months old. The raising of the children was left up to Mother, as their father left Hachita and contributed very little towards their support.

Three months after Ireta’s death, her baby J. L. died and was buried next to his mother in Hachita, New Mexico. Mother had the full responsibility of raising Sidney, receiving no contributions from his father for his support. Sidney grew to be a fine young man, always respecting Mother. Mother enjoyed Sidney and received much comfort from having him in her home.

Mother lived on the ranch from 1913 to 1922 when she moved to Duncan, Arizona, where I attended high school. Mother was in poor health, and she had been under Dr. Stoval’s care for some time. She suffered from diarrhea caused from a germ in her intestines and high nervousness. Mother said she would not live on the ranch so Father sold it. He took what little he received from the sale of the ranch and invested it in a farm at Red Rock. The farm Father bought was very sandy and the purchase turned out to be very unprofitable. Father and Mother lived at Red Rock for two years. They were unable to make headway, as Father’s health was very poor. Father underwent an operation for hernia, and after the operation, never regained his health. They then moved to Virden, New Mexico. They lived in one room of Father’s half-sister, Aunt Bea Smith’s house until their home that they were building was completed. After Father’s death, Mother went ahead and completed the house, as they had planned. Here, she and Sidney lived until he graduated from High School.

Mother’s health was not too good and she had to have an operation for the removal of a cataract in 1933. After the death of Sister (Judith) in 1937, Mother seemed to grieve for her very much. It was thought advisable for Mother to move to Lordsburg and live with me. Mother agreed to this and rented her home. She lived with me from the summer of 1938 until her death on April 10, 1946.

In all of Mother’s hardships and tribulations she always had a kind and pleasant word and was very devoted to her children and all her grandchildren. Mother left many pleasant memories to us all, and I miss her more each day. It is wonderful that we hold memory of our dear mother and her being of such an upbuilding and strong character. Her motto was, "If we could not see or say any good about anyone, silence was bliss." Regardless of how old I may get I shall always remember and do the teachings that Mother gave me. Each day of my life I am thankful for the wonderful teachings she gave me, as I use them every day of my life.