Oh Christmas Tree! Happy Christmas Memory.

      To me the Christmas tree, more than any other Christmas tradition has become to represent the very essence of the season.   A few years ago, about 2009 I wrote about the following Christmas tree memory. 

Icicles of the past!  I still have the 'story book '
doll my mother is putting under the tree. abt 1950.

     Even selecting the family Christmas Tree is different than what I remember as a young  girl.  This year Earl and I selected the first tree we saw, fresh to the touch, just the height we wanted, beautifully proportioned and the price was right.  The salesperson took an electric saw and made a fresh cut of the trunk then it was put through a cylinder that covered it with plastic netting.  Tied to the top of the car for the ride home my thoughts were of Christmas many years ago while living in a small town of Jerome, Idaho.  
     My first visual image of the most beautiful Christmas Tree in the world was when I was about five years old.  It was from a Coca-Cola commercial before the movie started at our local Voris movie theater.  This was the same advertisement for Coca-Cola every year, not in color film but, in black and white.  I would sit watching with excitement seeing a jolly round Santa holding the Coke bottle but my attention was on the brilliant, bright, dazzling Christmas Tree in the background.  It was decorated with the big lights (The ones you see as decoration on the outside of the house today,) long sparkling tinsel that went around and around from the top to the base of the tall tree, breathtaking round ball ornaments and gleaming long heavy icicles on every twig.  It was a tree my mother tried to emulate in our small modest home. 
     When I would go with Mom and Dad to find the perfect tree it was exhausting.  We would go from tree lot to tree lot but the choices of finding the symmetrical was non-existent.  Dad would grow tired and Mother would be frustrated with the choices.  One year when I was about nine or ten years old Mother sent just the two of us to buy the tree.  "Vern, you know what to look for, so take Renee, I'm busy getting the baking done."  Dad and I thought we did a pretty good job picking out our tree but, when Mother came outside to make the final approval of the tree, she was disappointed and burst into tears, "that's the best you can do?"  Dad calmly replied, "You know Verona, I will fix it to look better."  With that said, Dad would go to his tool chest and get his hand saw and hand drill.  He would saw branches off the bottom the the tree then drill a hole in the trunk of the tree where it visibly needed another branch.  He would would then carefully fit the sawed off branch into the hole.  He would do this in several spots, wherever Mother thought it needed an added branch.  Then Dad would put the tree on a box that had been wrapped in Christmas paper.  That made it easier to put the presents underneath the tree.  Dad would put on the big herky jeweled colored lights then the sparkling tinsel, next the breathtaking round ball ornaments, then Mother would spend what seemed to me hours putting on the gleaming long heavy icicles, many strands to a branch very straight and organized.  To me it was beautiful.  This is still my memory of the most beautiful tree, as a child waiting for Christmas Day. 

Taken at Aunt Louise and Grandmother's home.
About 1950

     This picture is of all the family I ever knew on my father's side.  Cousin Ardyth, Aunt Louise, cousin Lee, Grandmother Ethel Hepworth Tomlinson and my self. Only Ardyth and myself are still living today. 

     This is the year (abt 1951) I got a new Schwinn bike!
Dad was principal of Jerome Jr. High and earned a very, very modest salary.  During holiday seasons, Christmas and Easter on Saturday's and school vacation he worked in the men's clothing department called Tingwalls Department Store in Jerome.   This was extra cash for Christmas and always a new Easter outfit.  I can't think of anything I asked for that I didn't get at Christmas time.  I hope I expressed my gratitude for all they did for me.  
      Today, I have added another favorite tree symbol;  The Family Tree!
Merry Christmas to All!  

Great Grandmother enjoys swimming at Saltair.

Stella Lily?  Sadie  Lily Jane
Saltair, Utah

    It's a cold day today where I live to be thinking about swimming in the Great Salt Lake (aka Saltair) where these bathing beauties had their picture taken.       My father put together a family album years ago that I have looked at a hundred times and it wasn't until last week that I spotted this picture and finally realized who is in this picture. Dad had two of the women labeled right; He put 'unknown' for the lady on the left, in the middle is Great grandmother Sarah (Sadie) Kidgell Hepworth and on the right is Lily Jane Kidgell a sister-in-Law to Sadie.  I'm wondering if the 'Unknown' is a daughter of Lily Jane either Stella Lily or Melba and I'm leaning more toward Stella Lily.  I found this photo on Ancestry.com of Stella lily, even though the 'Salt Air' pic is not very clear I can see a resemblance in comparing this pic with the one below.  Wouldn't you agree?

Stella Lily Kidgell
b1895-1974

You will notice the bathing hat on Stella is more updated than the two more 'old fashion' style of bathing cap on Sadie and Lily Jane.

     Pictures of people bobbing around in the Great Salt Lake always looking like they were having a great time have always been an interest to me yet, I have never been there. Here are two links to learn more about the resort of Saltair that opened on Memorial Day 

1893.  http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/statehood_and_the_progressive_era/saltair.html  or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair,_Utah

Verona would be Ninety Seven today.

   

     Today is Mother's birthday; 5 Dec 1914. She would be ninety seven. 

     While living in Jerome, Idaho Mother sang in a trio. That was how they were known, The Trio with Beverly Woolley singing alto, Opel Webster second soprano and Mother sang soprano. Mother didn't read music so Bev would play her part on the piano until she would have her part memorized. They enjoyed practicing and singing together so much that they became very good friends. They sang for everything in the Magic Valley, school events, church activities, weddings, funerals, granges etc. 

     Bev and Opal were farmers’ wives but, Mother lived in town; Dad was Principal of the Jerome Jr. High School. The three of them seemed more like sisters than just friends. The husbands often would go with them to many of their performances and they became good friends too. The six of them enjoyed going to shows and dances, or just visiting. The Woolley's and Webster's had children my age and our families would get together for picnic's, we celebrated birthday's together and always the Fourth of July. I have wonderful memories of fun times with the Woolley's and Webster's. It was a sad time when we moved from Jerome to Pocatello in 1954. 

     They sang popular songs of the time or would make up words to popular music that would fit whatever occasion, like a tribute to someone. 
     Christmas time brings a memory to me of when The Trio recorded a record at the KEEP Radio Station; Fred Waring's arrangement of 'Twas the night Before Christmas' with Keith Johansen as the soloist.  In about 1978 Dad took the scratchy old 78' vinyl record and recorded it on a cassette tape. I just played it, you can still hear their voices through the scratches. Oh my, if that doesn't take me back to a happy warm place of almost sixty years ago. I wonder with the new technology today if the cassette can be made like new again? 
     My very favorite Christmas Song that Bev, Opal and Verona sang was 'Winter Wonderland.'     

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER!

A Tribute to Fred Cashmore Kidgell

Fred Cashmore Kidgell b 20 Dec 1871
 d 25 Nov 1939 Age 67

     Great-Uncle Fred died at the early age of sixty seven.   I really like this man and from this picture I can see where my father got his ears.  He died before I was born however, my older brother was four.  Did the family attend his funeral?  Grandmother Ethel? Aunt Louise? My father?  As I remember, Fred was one person that was talked about in my family.

In my research of G-Uncle Fred this is what I found I love about him;

• A hard worker; someone who kept busy all the time. 
• Once he was baptized in the LDS Church he was very devoted. 
• Provided a fun loving home for his children, his children's friends and grandchildren
• Could Cook wonderful Sunday Meals!
• Was a gardener 
• Could sing and play a banjo
• A good neighbor

 This story is from Lily Jane's life history;

"...........Fred, played the banjo and sang bass.  After they were married Lily Jane took lessons on the guitar. She got so she could play and sing with her husband.  They used to sing and play the Gay Nineties songs, such as 'Bicycle Built for Two, After the Ball was Over, and Take me Out to the Ballgame .'"  Their son, Fred Charles, wouldn't leave his father's banjo alone and he kept loosening the keys.  It was so hard to get it tuned up that [Fred] gave up playing the banjo so Lily Jane gave up playing the guitar."


From the life history of Fred:
     "On Friday night, November 17, 1939, Fred Kidgell went ward teaching.  Before he left every body was kidding him because he looked so good. [while visiting in one of the homes] his companion said to [Fred] how he didn't look very good and they went outside for some fresh air.  He walked from the house to the gate and stood by a big tree.  He had a heart attack and they took him home.  He lived just one week after that and died on 25 November 1939."


     "One of his neighbors talked at his funeral.  [He] said what a wonderful neighbor he had been.  He called the path between his home and Fred Kidgell's a 'friendship path.'"  This 'friendship path' had been there for years, even before this neighbor had moved there.  An elderly lady, Mrs. Westerburg, had lived in this home and for years the Kidgell's had taken a hot dinner to her every Sunday and holiday. 

     
     I'm sure Lily Jane was heart broken when her beloveded, devoted husband died.  She was left a widow for twenty three years. 

    Great Uncle Fred I will always remember you.  


Next; The last years of Lily Jane Bullock Kidgell 

More on Fred Cashmore Kidgell

Utah Journal
12 March 1895

       One of my favorite searches is newspaper search.  It's arduous and very time consuming but, the results are very interesting and rewarding. Even a very small newspaper article can yield valuable clues on an ancestor and usually reveal's the character of the person.
      The following newspaper article is like having your car stolen in our day; Well almost, a car found today would not be sitting in front of your house.
     John Bullock was an older brother of Lily Jane and was visiting her and Fred when this happened:
     "Last Friday evening while John Bullock of Providence was visiting at  the residence of Mr. Fred Kidgell on Logan Island, some miscreant [troublemaker or worse] cut the strap by which the horse with which Mr. Bullock had come from Providence, was secured to a hitching post, and drove the animal away.  Fortunately the horse was gentle and well trained, and headed directly homeward, where the owner found it next morning.  This is not the first time that such a thing has happened in that neighborhood, and Mr. Kidgell is willing to pay a reasonable reward for the apprehension of the perpetrator, example may be made of him by the courts."    Way to go Fred.  Now if we only knew the 'rest of the story';  was the miscreant caught?

      Another newspaper article about Fred in 1929:

Logan Man Injured 

as Auto Leaves Road 

Logan, May 11---Fred C. Kidgell Sr., 55, of Logan sustained two broken ribs Friday morning when he drove his automobile off the highway to avoid crashing into a truck driven by Milton Thomas of Richmond and containing several children.  The accident occurred about three miles north of Smithfield when the truck driven by Thomas, attempted to pass another automobile on a curve.  To avoid colliding with the truck, Kidgell was forced to drive off the highway and into a borrow pit, causing his car to over turn.  He was brought to Logan for medical attention. 

      

      Another clipping from the local paper; 13 May 1929 stated:

Fred C. Kidgell, who had such a narrow escape from death last week when W. F. Jensen Company truck he was driving in Smithfield, overturned  when he had turned far to the road side in seeking to avoid striking a truck loaded with children attending the Health Day festivities, is reported as recovering nicely.  All who have seen the wreck wonder how he escaped death.

     Fred was thrown through the windshield hurting his head and broke several ribs.   From Fred's life history; Many of the children's parents came to the house to see him and thank him for what he had done.  

     Fred and Lily were good people; people you would love to have for a neighbor!  From the life history of Fred Sr.;

"One must realize that Fred C. Kidgell Sr. loved to cook and each Sunday he would send his children with trays of food to older neighbors.  Lily [Fred's daughter Stella Lily] would tell one day after delivering a tray to an elderly neighbor she reported to her father that they really shouldn't take food to this lady because she was sure that the food was thrown out the back door as soon as possible.  To this Fred said, "That is no problem.  We will keep taking food to her anyway."  Lily [mother] always had her children take trays of food to the older neighbors each Sunday; first they took the tray over to Grandmother Olsen and then when Mrs. Petersen died, she included Mr. Petersen.  [The Kidgell] family couldn't begin eating until the trays of hot food had been delivered."

This gracious example was carried into the next generation as shown in this newspaper article printed in 1965 about Fred C. Kidgell Jr.(first son and second child of Fred Sr. and Lily Jane) and Fred Jr.'s wife Luna (Skabelund.)   Dan Valentine's column 'Nothing Serious' was published for more than 30 years in the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake Tribune  Wednesday Morning 24 March 1965

TODAY'S VALENTINE

A double Valentine to two of the finest neighbors in Utah.

They are Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Kidgell of Logan Utah.

The Kidgells are neighbors to an elderly couple -- the wife has been an invalid for many years.  The husband is in his 80s.

And for many years, every Sunday of the year, Mr. and Mrs. Kidgell have prepared and delivered two trays of hot Sunday dinner....not now and then, not on special occasions---- but every Sunday over the years.

TRUE GOOD neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Kidgell 

Two days after Thanksgiving on 25 Nov 1939 Fred Cashmore Kidgell died. 

You will always be remembered.

More to come on the character of Fred and Lily Jane. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Renee

Fred Cashmore Kidgell

Lily Jane is the ninth of eleven children.

     In the life history of Lily Jane written by her daughter Melba it tells about how Lily Jane met Fred.  Remember Fred worked for his step-father at the Logan City Brewery ; "One day Fred came to Lily Jane's home to pick up a beer keg that had been left by some boys.  (One might safely surmise that Lily Jane's brothers were the boys who had left the beer keg.)  Lily went out to show him where it was.  He was a good looking fellow, stoutly built,with blue eves and a healthy complexion and brown hair.  He asked her for a date,  Later on when he asked her to go steady she told him she wouldn't go with a fellow steady that smoked. "

Ariel b1902, Fred b1897, Lily b1895
Logan, Utah

     It was a year later he was baptized into the LDS Chruch and they were soon  married in the Salt Lake Temple.
I am just realizing that other ordinances for the Kidgell family were done that same day, 14 Nov. 1894.  Fred's mother, Sarah Ann had five of her nine children sealed to her and her deceased husband Charles. Sarah Ann and Charles were sealed to each other in the Endowment House on 9 Jun 1866. Three children were born after 1866 so were BIC (Born in the Covenant.) Fred acted as proxy for his deceased father Charles.   Lily Jane acted as proxy for Caroline Loftus Kidgell who died at age nineteen months.  Others in attendance in the Temple were my great-grand mother Sarah Ann (Sadie)Kidgell Hepworth and her young son's James Edward Hepworth and Charles Vern Hepworth who acted as proxy's for three other deceased sons of Sarah Ann and Charles Kidgell.  What a joy full day this must have been.
     Fred was active in the LDS Church serving as Superintendent of the Sunday School as well as other Church positions; in 1935 Fred and Lily Jane were called by the Stake Presidency as special missionaries to do ordinances  work in the Logan Temple during that year. How they enjoyed doing this assignment. 
     Fred was a good cook; one of his specialty was making sauerkraut.  He went to the town of Providence to find out how the German people living there made it.  He had his pretty white barrel and made a tamper.  He would cut up the cabbage he grew in his garden and tamp it tight into the barrel.  Then it had to stand so long in the barrel to ferment.  Just thinking about it makes our mouths water.  (From the history written by Melba)

352 East Firs South, Logan, Utah 

More to come on Fred Cashmore Kidgell.

And I wonder where the time goes.

     This is the second Monday of the Month which means DUP day. (Daughters of Utah Pioneers)  And, today I attended two DUP Camps.  My own Meadow Springs Camp and another immediately after, the Windy Rivers Camp.
     Most member 'daughters' are retirement age (over sixty five) a few are between forty five and sixty, our camp has two daughters in that age bracket.  Many are way over sixty five and are great-grandmothers and gggrandmothers.  But, we have one thing in common, we all have Utah pioneer heritage; that means an ancestor or many ancestors of ours that trekked across 'the plains' (America) to the Utah territory before 10 May 1869 when the Transcontinental Railroad was completed.  The reason for belonging to DUP goes even deeper, it's a way to show honor, respect, and love for what our ancestors went through. They set an example of great faith in accepting the challenges and trials that was put before them. In our camp meetings we hear of personal pioneer histories given by members of the camp and a different lesson each month from a booklet printed by the International DUP.  Today the lesson was on 'Musical Instruments.'  "As soon as possible after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, accomplished musicians organized choirs and brass bands, wrote musical accompaniments for dramas and theater performances, and played music on all types of musical instruments.  Talented individuals sang songs, of joy, hymns, and humorous ballads, and agave professional performances that entertained, inspired, and buoyed up the spirits of the weary pioneers."   
There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of an ancestor of mine.  It helps me to cope with my own trials and challenges.

Summer 2011: Grandson Christopher went on a three day trek with over a hundred other youth in our area.  From the look on their faces it must have gone well.  Actually, I was there to witness these young people come over the hill down into the 'valley' pulling and pushing handcarts.  It did bring tears to my eyes.   Christopher did say how "It was a great experience" !
     I have been thinking of  late, where does the time go?  Again, I am having a hard time posting on a regular weekly basis and for those who follow this blog I am trying to do better because I have a lot of material to blog about however, everyday is a busy day.  So I will say to myself;  JUST DO IT!