Gypsy Kidnapping (Maybe)/Listening to the Spirit

   Earl and I are back from our trip to Europe.  Countries we visited were; Turkey, Romania, Hungry, Austria and Czech Republic.  This was a seventeen day tour which was a stretch for us.  Usually on the tenth day of a vacation we are ready to come home.  However, we endured well.  Eighty three people made up our tour group of two bus loads. We had wonderful tour guides that helped make our trip well worthwhile. And of course we met some very interesting people. 
   I am going to make an exception on my blog and write a story about me that I think is worth writing about. (Being, my blog is almost always about deceased people)
  While in Romania our bus went passed a Gypsy settlement on our way to the Hunedoara Castle in the Transylvania Alps. This is one of the houses we saw.  In fact the whole settlement was house after house (huge houses) similar to this one, only different colors.  It was

  

explained to us by our Romanian guide that Romanians aren't very fond of gypsies   The village we passed there was a creek that separated the Romanian
 Village from the Gypsy Village.  Gypsies earn money from the craft of doing tin work like what you see that adorns this house and by illegal means. No more said.    

       I remember dressing up like a gypsy for Halloween when I was very young.  I loved the vivid colors, the full skirt and blouse and would tie a scarf on my head with the knot at the nap of my neck. My mom would let me wear red lipstick and for earrings I wore gold mason jar rings from my mother's canning jars and several of these rings on both arms for bracelets. Gypsy life seemed so exciting to me; traveling around the country in trailers that were covered with designs painted in every color and hue of the rainbow.    
  Then I remembered the day I was actually invited to come into a gypsy camp. 
   I was about nine or ten years old which would be about 1951 or 52 when the County Fair and Carnival was in town.  

The fair grounds was just a short distance from Lincoln School and I had planned to meet my dad after school and we were going to walk to the Fair/Carnival together.  Dad was Principal of the Jerome Jr. High that was across the street and a half a block to the south.  When I got to his office I found he was delayed with school business and it would be a while before he was free to go.  I coaxed him into letting me go by myself and I would meet him by the Ferris Wheel.
   I didn't enter the main gate to the carnival, I used the entrance where all the carnival people would make their temporary homes.  Just inside the gate and to my left was a Gypsy Camp.  But what caught my immediate attention was the most beautiful baby boy sitting in a high chair.  (I loved babies)  I stopped and stared and even took a few steps towards him. Their was no in the area around him then I saw several women in the background around their living quarters.  In a flash a young girl, probably in her teens, took the baby out of the high chair and put him in my arms.  I was surprised and didn't know what say.  Then in the next second two older women spoke to me saying "come In" and with a friendly motion of their hands motioned to me towards the tent.  I remember feeling instant fear and without saying a word I put the baby in the girls arms turned and quickly walked away wishing my dad was with me.  My dad was very calm when I told him what happened and of course said I did the right thing that I had listened to my protecting spirit the Holy Ghost.  
   Soon after, my Grandfather Perrins came to visit us as he often did.  Grandfather loved to tell stories and had many to tell and kept people entertained every where he went.  When I told him what had happened to me he listened carefully and was charmed with my story.   
"Did I tell you about my granddaughter, Renee?"  he would say to friends and relatives.  "The day she was almost kidnapped by the Gypsies?"  Of course grandfather had a knack of embellishing his stories and I'm sure his version was a lot more interesting than the one I told him. 
  Renee  

Katie and Mary Olsen sisters.

Just when I think I'm on a roll in posting, stuff comes up and 'Whispers from the Past' is put on the back burner.  And It will be awhile until the next post but, I wanted to to post these pictures  no matter how busy I am.  

SIDENOTE:  I am finding out that some members of my extended family think doing posts on ancestors of 'shirttail' lines are a waste of time.  Oh my.  I would like your opinion on this subject.  Do you enjoy reading about aunts, uncles, cousins or even in-laws?  I love it all.  And, I don't think is't a waste of time in gathering information on ALL.

How fortunate I feel to have the above pictures of these two sisters of when they are young and then in their  older years.  I don't have a written life history of either sister.

All I know is they are the only children of Sarah Julia Hepworth and Peter Olsen.   I do have information of who they married and how many children were born to them which I will post at a later date.  

Their father died at age of Fifty nine and their mother never married again.  She lived to the age of seventy four.

  

This is another picture of  Sarah Julia in her later years.   I don't have a date of when this picture was taken but, I'm guessing it was after 1908 when she would be about sixty.  What a nice looking lady, so pleasant and dignified.  

     Sarah Julia, if you read earlier posts on the Hepworth family,  was one year old when she crossed the plains with her parents Thomas and Mary and her Uncle John and Aunt Frances.  She is the oldest of the Hepworth's thirteen children.

Renèe

Peter Olsen and Sarah Julia Hepworth

     What a cute match.  Peter Olsen is twenty three and Sarah Julia is twenty one.  They were married on 23 December 1872 in the St. Marks Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City.
    Sarah Julia was born to Thomas Hepworth and Mary Fletcher in Liverpool, England on 6 March 1851.  She was one year old when she sailed the ocean and crossed the plains; arriving in The Salt Lake Territory in 1852.
   Peter was born on 26 December 1848 in Copenhagen Denmark.  His parents are Soren Christian Olsen and Maren Mortensen.
   I don't have much information on this family.  They had two girls Mary and Katie.
Peter died at the young age of fify nine in Los Angeles California on 29 April 1908 and is buried in Salt Lake City.   Sarah Julia died in Salt Lake City on 1 April 1924.

Renee

My Dad was born 100 Years Ago Today.

Vern Wherrett Tomlinson
2 August 1913

    Dad was a swimmer and that's just one sport among many that he excelled in.  He learned to swim in the ocean.  Several summers when Dad was very young his mother and grandmother would rent a 'cottage' right on the California beach where Dad and his sister Louise spent the summer in their bathing suits only putting on Sunday clothes to attend Church.  

     Dad taught me how to swim, I don't remember when I couldn't swim. One summer when we lived in Jerome, Idaho he managed the City Pool and I spent every waking moment in the water pretending to be Ester Williams. Dad made me feel like I was just as pretty and could swim as good as Ester. I loved being with my dad. 

   

  This picture of dad was taken when he was washing the family car in front of  the family home in Albion, Idaho.  So typical of Dad; keeping the car clean. 

    I could list many wonderful things about my dad.  Dad wouldn't want me to; a very modest man.      

Miss you Dad; Love you, so Happy you are my Dad.  

   Happy 100th Birthday!

     Renée

John Hepworth was never 'the same' after death of his wife of fifty years; Frances Amelia.

  First, I must mention that I was so happy to learn that my Hepworth family did attend John and Frances A.'s 50th Wedding Anniversary.  More information was sent to me by a descendant of the John Hepworth family that included a guest list  

"Auntie Mary Ann Hepworth (grandmother's sister, her children and their wives)

Jim and Sadie Hepworth

Sara and Peter Olsen,

Sam and Mary Hepworth."    

Just one month and twenty one days after the wonderful celebration with family and friends Frances Amelia Fletcher Hepworth died.  

   I'm always interested in the difference of reporting in the local town newspapers on  events that happens in their city.  So, I am posting information  I found in both the Salt Lake Tribune and the
Salt Lake Herold


On 22 March 1900 in the 

Salt Lake Tribune

reported

   "Mrs. Frances A. Hepworth, wife of John Hepworth, died last evening of pneumonia at the family residence, 571 South Main street.  She had been ill but a week and her death came quite suddenly, being a sad shock to her family.  She was 72 yeas of age and leaves a large family of children and grandchildren. 

   Only a few weeks ago did she and her husband celebrated their golden wedding, being surrounded at the time by all their family, and the event was a memorable one, none being more cheery and attentive to the guests than Mrs. Hepworth, and as she was in such perfect health it was far from the thoughts of all the decorations of gold would so soon be changed to black in memory of one of those in whose honor the guest had assembled.  

   Mrs. Hepworth was a bright and charming women typical of the Western pioneer, whose life, although having its share of hard work yet contained many days of sunshine which were used to gladden the lives of others. 

Salt Lake Herold

22 March 1900 Thursday 

Mrs. Frances Hepworth Dead

________________

ESTIMABLE WOMAN PASSED 

AWAY LAST NIGHT

_______

Only Few Weeks Ago Celebrated

With Her Husband Their Golden 

Anniversary. 

   "Mrs. Frances A. Hepworth, wife of John Hepworth, died of pneumonia, at her home in this city.  571 South Main street, at 8:30 last evening, at the age of 73 years.  This estimable old lady had been ailing slightly for a few days but noghing serious was anticipated until within and hour of her death. 

   At her bedside when the end came were her husband and four daughters--Mrs. James Moore, Mrs. I. M. Higley, Mrs. R. Morench and Miss Sarah Hepworth.  The funeral arrangementw will not be made until another daughter, Mrs. Woliam Wright of San Francisco, and a son, John Hepworth, jr., of Mammoth, are communicated with. 

   Mrs. Hepworth was widely known in this community,  She came here from England with her husband among the early settlers.  It is only a few weeks since Mr. and Mrs. Hepworth celebrated the golden anniversary of their wedding; it seemed then that the good wife was yet to see many years of usefulness, and his makes the blow of her bereaved husband and family."

Funeral of Frances A. Hepworth 

    Rose, a beloved grand-daughter of John Hepworth wrote this in her journal.  "Poor dear Grandfather was simply lost with out his companion of 50 years.  He spent most of his time in his big chair with his handkerchief over his face so that on one could see the tears that he shed so silently.  Each day he became more or less an invalid.  Before[death] we bought a horse and buggy of our own, we hired one each day and I would take him for long rides.  He wanted me with him as much as possible and I certainly loved being with him."

Renée

Next:  Back to the Thomas Hepworth Family

50 Years of Wedded Bliss. GGGrand Aunt & Uncle Hepworth Celebrate; 1900 Salt Lake City.

The Daily Tribune

Salt Lake City, Utah Monday Morning

29 January 1900

"Mr. and Mrs. John Hepworth celebrated their golden wedding yesterday at their hospitable home, 571 South Main street.  The 'bride and groom,' who are 71 and 78 years of age, respectively, were showered with congratulations and elegant presents, while all the love of a large family was offered to them by children and grandchildren.  All the family were present save a son in Tintic,[a Mining District northwest of Nephi, Utah] and those in attendance were from Salt Lake, except Mrs. Wright, a daughter of the venerable couple, who lives in San Francisco.  It was purely a family affair, twenty-seven being present.  They assembled at 2 p. m. and remained until late in the evening to do honor to their parents.  

  At 5 o'clock the most elaborate dinner was served, which lasted for two hours, and was made merry with speeches, stories and family reminiscences.

  The table was arranged in the shape of the letter T, and all the decorations were of golden or yellow hue, yellow roses and other flowers being used to decorate the tables. Overhead were streamers of golden paper; extending from the center of the ceiling to the sides.  

   The menu was of the nicest description  being arranged by the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Hepworth, and served in elegant style.  

   The host and hostess sat at the head of the table and around them were the happy children and grown people.  After the dinner, the evening was passed most pleasantly with music, songs and conversation.  

   Mr. and Mrs. Hepworth were married fifty years ago yesterday in St. Nicholas Church. Liverpool, Eng.  They came to Salt Lake in 1852, where they have ever since resided and have a large circle of friends.  Mr. Hepworth was successful in business, but retired in 1886.  He and his wife have a lovely home, where they pass their autumn days most comfortable, surrounded by a large and interesting family.  

   At the time of this Golden Wedding Celebration Thomas has been dead for almost five years. Second Great Grandmother Mary Hepworth is still living in her large home at 725 West 100 North (today it's 2nd North) Street. Living with her is a daughter Rose (child number eleven) who is married to John George Klink.  They have three children; Vivian age ten, George age eight and Albert T. age two.

   I mention this information because in this article of John and Frances's fiftieth Anniversary Celebration no one in the Thomas Hepworth family is mentioned that they were in attendance at this celebration.  Then again the article did say is was 'purely a family affair.' and I guess so.  Thomas, Mary, John and Frances Amelia migrated to Zion together in 1852.  In the same wagon!  I am surprised that at least her sister Mary should have been mentioned in some way.  Am I wrong?

  A couple of months later Frances died unexpectedly.  Next Post;

The death of Frances Amelia Fletcher Hepworth. 

     

      Renée

Hepworth Family Picture Group Record

This is what I would refer to as the Thomas Hepworth/Mary Fletcher Family Road Map.  In the last two months I have been trying to find the original copy because this copy is so poor.   I was not successful so  I am going ahead with my plan . Often I refer to this record.  It has been in my father's possession for some time and   I regret that I didn't show more interest when my father was alive.   I would have asked him  what he knew about each one.

     This is an amazing record because there are pictures of all Thomas and Mary's eleven  surviving children and all but two pictures of a spouse.

 

     I have copies of all the pictures
shown with exception of Emma who married Charles I. Cobb and Jane who married Charles's brother Fremont Cobb. At the present time I am working on getting pictures  from a Cobb descendant.
 Child number eleven, Rose, her husband George Klink is not shown   and I have a picture of him. And of course, child number twelve, Joseph never married.
Hmmm, guess I should work on making my own picture record of this family.  As you can tell this record includes two view's of the Hepworth house.  As it was when it was built and when it was turned into apartments; picture taken in 1977.  Today it is being restored to the original state.
A good thing!  I have decided to change my way of blogging about this family.  I am now going to post stories on an individual and not take one family at a time.  So with this Hepworth road map hopefully you can keep track.  I suggest you print your own copy if you don't already have one.  And, remember the John Hepworth and Frances Amelia Fletcher family?  I will start posting information I have on that family.

Renée