My own mother died when I was very young, leaving the three of us, my brother Oriel and my sister Mary and myself, in the care of Aunt Rachel. At this time she had a very large family of her own, but you could never tell any difference between the children. She loved all the children and treated them all in the same way. I think I was cared for more than any one else because when I was a very little boy I had my leg hurt and required months of special nursing. Aunt Rachel would get up all hours of the night and take care of me. With all of her other work I sometimes wonder how she ever stood up to it. My father was sent on a mission and Aunt Rachel was left to take care of all of the children, and she also had the care and responsibility of the Ranch. She worked all day and most of the night and when Father came home the Ranch was in better shape than when he left. She was the hardest working little woman I have ever seen in my life and I truly loved her as much as if she had been my own mother. I know she was loved by all.

I dearly loved my sister-in-law, (Aunt Rachel, we always called her). At the time of my dear mother’s death in 1926, Henry and I went to their home in Red Rock and stayed with Orson and Rachel a day or two. They came back home with us and stayed two weeks.  We appreciated their love and kindness very much at the time of our sorrow. Aunt Rachel was always very kind and sweet to me and my children. I often wish they had called her Grandma, for they loved her as she took the place of my own dear mother.

When they moved to Virden they stayed in one of our rooms in our home, and we were very happy to have them with us. They were here only a short time when my brother, Orson, passed away. Dear Aunt Rachel raised three families, also a grandson. We loved to have her in our home. She was a friend to every one and was loved by all who knew her.

I have always felt very close to Grandmother, as she lived in our home since I was a small child. My mother was away from home working every day and my brother and I took many of our kid troubles to her. She was always loving and understanding, listening to our troubles. Times when we felt we were very badly abused, Grandmother would talk to us and explain things whereby we could understand and things were not so bad as we first thought.

Grandmother always taught me to respect my parents and made me realize how much they really meant to me. She told me many times never to do anything that I would not be able to tell my mother and by keeping this in mind I would grow up to be an honest and dependable man. This has been my motto and I hope I can always live up to her teachings.

I know she never liked to see Sid and I argue. She would take my hand and say, "Don’t quarrel." Sid said that when he wanted to go to a dance he didn’t know where she got the money, gut she always had enough for a dance ticket for him. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and that brings sweet memories of Mother for Sid. Since a small boy, he has given her a Valentine box of chocolates every Valentine’s Day. After we were married I suggested getting something she could use, for she couldn’t eat many of the chocolates. But Sid said, "No, I’ve always given her chocolates and she expects it. She enjoys giving them away." She always saved us a couple of pieces no matter how long it was before we saw her again.

The following are a few of the things I remember about Rachel. She was a sweet, faithful, prayerful, unassuming woman. She would attend her Relief Society Meetings. At times of sickness and death she was always called upon to help. She was always very freehearted, giving things to people who needed help. She had a sweet smile for everyone. She was a great one to help other people who were in trouble, yet she kept her own troubles to herself. One was a better person for having known Rachel.

I believe that some of the happiest times of my childhood were the two weeks in the summer that my brother and I spent on the ranch near Hachita with our grandparents. Of course, the train ride itself was a thrill. For children from the city, the ranch was a place of fun and adventure. As I look back now, I realize that grandmother made all this possible. She always had time to tell us about interesting things that had happened to her and her family. The tasks she asked us to do were more fun than work. To go to the garden and get vegetables for the table was fun because we could eat all the delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots we wanted. We always took a salt shaker with us. I also remember the flower garden Grandmother had on the south side of the house and how nice it smelled in the cool of the evenings. It was fun to ride in the back of the low wagon to jump out now and then, and how we would run to catch up again!

It was always pleasant to conclude the day with evening prayer and a nice supper, then games, reading, or stories until bedtime. As I grew older and my grandmother would visit with us in Douglas, I became conscious of her as a person. I realized that she was a grandmother with a wonderful personality and character. She was so willing to help in any way she could. For my hope chest, she made me crochet inserts that I put into a pair of pillow cases and a sheet. I realize now that this was a lot of work and a strain on her eyes. I have them today, after twenty-one years and I shall give them to one of my children when they are married, and I know they will be proud of them and will cherish them as I have.

I know my mother has inherited her faith, her kindness, her goodness, and her desire to help and be of service to others from her mother, and I hope that as a daughter and granddaughter this heritage may also be mine.