Margaret Davis Evans
(probably this was an interview by Daisy McClellan)
Started to school at 8 yrs old. Had a slate & a reader & a spelling book and a note book with the letters at the top of the page for purpose of copying. Teacher was Mary Liz Wilson, wife of Ervin Wilson. Went to her school 2 terms--3 mo. a term. School was a little adobe 2 room building situated where Reese school now stands and called Reece school. Other teacher for higher classes was Joseph Reece. Took several classes from him (Arith). Third term went to Rye Lynch. Teacher for 4th term was George A. Brimhall in school across the road from Dahle's store. Incident at Joe Reese school. arith difficult punish. Stand on one foot with slate in opposite hand. School about 3 terms a year. She didn't have advantages some had. Told Mr. R. she only wanted reading & writing. He said "Oh Miss Davis--You will have to take what's here. You can't pick your lessons."
Tuition was $ per yr. and was paid with wild hay. First teacher was Isaac Lossee. Incident in this school--Mary Chambers a mischievous girl, pushed someone in mud on school grounds. Punished by hitting her on hand with ruler and standing in corner. She said Mag Davis was in on it too and as she was given same punishment and cried for a week she knew nothing about it. One mother wrote on the board that one of her teachers who had a wife and family was making love to one of his pupils. Someone told on her but he only said and laughed--"The Welsh people are always trying to play jokes on somebody." Geo. Brim. said mother was a good pupil because she never made trouble for anybody. Games--Pomp-pomp pull away ball, ring around rosie with brothers sisters and neighbors children. Cutting bees-cut peaches for drying. Serve large red apples. Liked to visit older people. After taking cows to pasture would spend most of day visiting. Margaret Anne King and Mary Ann Thomas (Jan Larsen's mother) every day and many others occasionally. Dances--one a week at different homes with mouth organ Tom Williams or a comb, and Jack Ellison accordian. Started dancing at about 12 yrs: Quadrells, chodish - Polka dance. Later Thomas Kutchings (a hunch back) played the violin for $2 a nite. Later he played at Aly Hall on Tues. nites. Mother said that place seemed like heaven, she had such good times. About 15 then. Weren't allowed to go without a partner. Boy friends were Niel Gardner, D.J. Seurs, Walter Roach, David P. Davis, Edward Morgan, Dave Jones, Jim Thomas. Helped at home. Had pretty clothes, hair black and reached her waist. Wore it in two long braids and curled in front. Wore four bows of ribbon, one on end of each braid and one behind each ear. Wore it that way until married Jul [or Feb] 27, 1885 at 17 yrs. Acq. with dad when he came to her home with a bunch of other boys for sleigh rides. Nice bob sleigh painted dark red--a span of horses--a sorrel and a dark blue. He owned outfit. He was always the driver. Took her to dance and conerts while he was in town. Worked on roads. Went with him about 2 years. Decided on Sun to get married on next Fri. Married at Dad's home on main street where Dell Brockbank's home now is. Bishop Snell performed ceremonies before about 50 relatives & friends. Big reception & supper on two long tables was held Dance with Hitchings and fiddle. Lived in front 2 rooms of Evans from first. spent most of time with her mother. Mag was born Dec 10, 1885 in same room dad was born in. Dad spent all fall in canyon and saw mill. Earned all lumber used in picket fence and house. After baby was born they moved to her mother's and lived there until spring. Then moved in Mary James' house that Brother Dave bought--lived there until next Nov. when they moved in their own house 511 E. Center St. Grandpa Evans and dad made the adobes & took out rock from canyon for foundation. One room was all that was furnished. That was very nice. Next spring dad went to Cheyenne on railroad with team with John R. Thomas, contractor Wm Creer, Jim Money. Sister Sarah stayed with her. Dad came home about Jan. in middle of nite. Had been snowed in. Had left horses and wagon in canyon and came home on train sale for one horse in Denver but was robbed by man who bot it. Furnished bedroom. next spring planted lawn and weeping willow trees & fruit. Lot was hilly--levelled it and planted cherry, apple, peach, 60 bartlet pear trees--Made the pickets for fence, Dug a well but didn't strike water until gave up in despair, and on tearing out piples a stream spurted out that proved to be pure water free from impurities or hardness. Was first dug east of front porch but refused to flow until pipe was extended under old granary and later to corral.
Old songs--"Those Golden Slippers", "My dad had a fiddle, Turkey in Straw, The Shoddiily. Some popular songs "The Ship that never Returned." Indians on the Paririe, When You and I were Young Maggie.
Mother very religious. Went to Sunday School, Sacrament, Mutual and Welsh Meetings. Cut peaches, apples & plums to dry & get her clothes. Her wedding dress was fine grey cashmere. The skirt was sherred with box pleats around bottom. Short waist with buttons on. Bow of ribbon on waist and hung to bottom of skirt. Wore pink cotton stockings with black low heeled slippers. Hair in two braids with pink ribbons--four bows.
Dad wore white collar and shirt with black suit.
Second child Mary was born April 17, 1889. In fall of that year dad came from from Solitude where he was foreman on a rode 25 miles east of Greenriver, with malaria fever. It soon broke up and about a week after he had gone back mother came down with it and was dangerously ill for 6 weeks and wasn't able to do anything for a year. Suffered from melancholy so dad took her and baby with him on road to San Pete hoping change would restore her but it only made her worse. She was there over 2 weeks. ellen Johnson Banks was chief cook. Dad said she was best they ever had & they had many. She came back in a wagon with Andrew Johnson and didn't regain her health until Grandpa Davis fasted and prayed for her and then her strength came back suddenly and her health has been very good until she developed diabetes in her 60s.
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This is a copy of a paper written by mother during the last winter of her life.
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History of Margaret Davis Evans born to David T. and Mary Davis on the 17th of May 1867 in Spanish Fork. I was born in a cellar. It was the best one in town. It had quite large windows in it. My mother was proud. She crocheted lace curtains on the windows. It looked nice in those days. My father had poor health, exposed himself in early days, making mud walls and working in water. They didn't have clothes like we have now. We didn't know what rubbers were. I never saw my father well in 18 yrs. while I was home. I got married to Joseph J. Evans the 27th of February 1885. I always helped in the field. We were ten in family and I was the oldest. My father was a good provider. He took four city lots. He raised lucerne seed in one of the lots. One had fruit and we would eat plums and apples and peaches and dry them. That got our winter clothes. We had ten cows--made our own butter. He raised the bread.
Incident. Heifer that was nearly starved Lucerne flayle.
From Eunice & Carol's family history collection.
