Saturday, January 1, 2011

Hope Short History by Herself

1. On December 24th 1893 my mother Mary Ida Dalley Hulet spent the day knitting mittens so that Santa would have something to put in my brother John’s and sister Opal’s and Edna’s stockings that night. This was during the economic depression at the time. Mother was expecting an addition to the family so she had sent someone to tell my father Sylvanus C. Hulet to come home. He was out with his band of sheep.

2. Uncle Parley said that in the evening Edna, John, Fredie, Joseph and Margaret and himself had all been put to bed. He thought they didn’t sleep long after Santa had been there because they were awake long before daylight celebrating as only children can on Christmas. They didn’t find much in their stockings but were happy and satisfied with what they got. I think John and Edna got a handful of raisins besides their mittens. Uncle Parley said he remembers getting little candy pig. Soon it disappeared so they made a thorough search but to no avail. Finally Freddie came forth with a confession. He said. “I just opened my mouth and it walked right down my throat.”
3. My parents had the misfortune to lose their first two children. The eldest Oscar Sylvanus was born only a month old when he passed away after a short illness. Ida May was born 26 Feb 1885 and died the same day. This was a severe trial for my father and mother. John Silas was born 2 Mar 1886 and was a great comfort to my parents always. Edna was born 26 March 1888. When she was 8 days old father left home to serve as a missionary in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. At that time the missionaries were supposed to travel without purse or script. What money he did have went to get necessities with was provided by mother. She raised poultry and sold eggs and dressed turkeys and chickens to sell the freighters who hauled food to the mining camps in Nevada. She picked and dried fruit during the fruit season. She sold what she could spare from the family needs. When father returned home after 2 years in the mission field of course Edna had no recollection of him and thought he had no right there.

4. For my first seven grades of school I attended a one room-one teacher school at Summit. In 1908 father and mother moved with the family to Peterson Morgan County, Utah. There I completed the 8th grade. During my high school years I missed two years of school due to my father being very ill. In the spring of 1915 I had completed High School and went to summer school at U.S.A.C. and too the State Teacher’s examinatio for a Teacher’s certificate. The following 3 years I taught in the Primary grades at Peterson Utah. Starting with a salary of $50.00 a month, the wages for a teacher at the time.

5. In the spring of 1918 I went to Albion, Cassia Co Idaho to attend summer school as I had obtained a position to teach frist grade at Declo, Idaho. The summer of 1918 I taught a summer school at Meadow Creek Cassia, County Idaho. I was there I first met Frederick Gardiner. The next winter I returned to Declo to teach. Our friendship continued after I returned to teach school for the winter. Before I went home the next spring we had planned to be married.

6. M mother went with us from Peterson, Morgan Co. Utah to Salt lake. My father couldn’t ride in a car without getting very ill. Fred was ordained an Elder by his Brother Clarence L. Gardiner May 30, 1920. He was a bishop of a ward in Salt Lake. On our way to Salt lake when we reached the mountain road near the mouth of Weber Canyon the Model T stopped. When Fred looked the situation over he found that the gas tank was empty even though he had fille it the day before. There was nothing to do but for him to walk about three miles to a store to get some gasoline.

7. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple 2 June 1920. Elder Alvin Smith performed the marriage ceremony. That evening we spent at the home of Clarence and Edna Gardiner. They had four children 2 boys and 2 girls. This was my first opportunity to meet any of Fred’s family.

8. Due to the financial depression at that time we suffered losses as many other people did so had to give up the sheep and ranches, in 1921 and start from scratch again.

9. Our most precious possession at that time was our little son June or James Hulet who was born 1 June 1921. As time passed we were blessed with seen more dear children, Golden Frederick born 18 Feb 1923, Mary Udita, born 21 Dec 1924; Hope Dawn born 30 Dec 1926; Margaret, born 5 Sep 1929; Gloria Jean, born 15 Sep 1931; Robert Hulet born 9 Aug 1934; he died in infancy 30 Jan 1935; Frank Theron, born 2 April 1937.