Percy Harold and Bessie Morgan Rex - letters written Sept. 15, 1936.

Old South Rich High School.  Completed in 1916, the old high school served for 32 years. Though aesthetically beautiful the building suffered severe mechanical difficulties. Randolph a Look Back, pg. 173. 

Randolph, Utah

Sept. 15, 1936

My dear Missionary Boy,

I am sitting in front of the stove with my tale on my knee. Rather familiar position for me, isn’t it. But really, it is cold. Last night came a blighting frost. It took nearly all my flowers. One mustn’t complain, however, as this has been a beautiful summer, & winter must come some time.

We received your letter of Aug. 15 yesterday. It took it a week longer to get here, or else you held it a few days. We were so glad to get it tho’. Note what you say, about your money. We send it every month around the 28^th. Can’t understand how it is you waited a whole month for one payment. I’m afraid $20 is hardly enough, and I shall try to see that you get more. Money is like goodness in the world. There doesn’t seem to be much of it. Daddy & Jack McK are working out at the field today. They ran the cement into the frames for the new

It took nearly two years to complete the old high school, shown here under construction. 

Randolph, A Look Back, pg. 172.

building last Sat. & are waiting for it to dry. The two boys are in school. Morgan is very much in earnest & is not going to get a C this year. I think Maeser is going to like Glen very much.

Must tell you – the Ward has helped some – but I am not sure how much – with your expenses. I’m sure tho’ that your father will have to get some this month as Helen has pain her dues for this month & that is what we usually send to you. Will let you know how much.

We didn’t go on our trip, dearie. Maybe it is just as well. Such trips do me up so. But I should certainly like to get out in the world all right.

I am so glad you are getting along so well with your German. Helen says, however that you mustn’t burden us with too much Scripture reading when you come home.

Mutual opening was last night. Helen says it was a success. Sis. Norris has asked her to be in the Stake Board. I think she will for this winter but next Spring she goes to California.

There was a boy here from Evanston, running the mixer, which they borrowed from Evanston – ‘Bob Hill. He thinks Clara is a very nice girl & thinks there are quite a few boys in Evanston who think so too. We laughed & said “That’s what Harold is afraid of.”

Listen, before you write to the girls, have you written to Bro. Larsen; Matilda Jones—did I tell you she came in with a dollar for you?—and don’t you neglect your sister in S.L. She is a darling girl, and loves to hear from you. She writes the nicest letter home, so I know she does the same to you. Aunt Gail wrote and told me they surely like her at the hospital & she hoped Gail got along as well as Winnie.

Dear me,  I have about run out of gab. Nothing much happens in this old town. Tomorrow is a Stake excursion to the Logan temple & Uncle Will wants us to go, but I’m afraid we can’t Daddy is so busy & I have 7 to cook for.

I think it is a good idea to write to Mr. Murray. I do hope you go back to school. Did we tell you Mal Pickett & Alto & Willa are going to the B. Y. [Brigham Young University] Reed K. is going to the A [Utah State Agricultural College]. Helen says she is sure you could get something to do at school.

The boys showed their calves at 4H Club day last Sat. Morgan’s came first ahead of Ross Jackson. Maeser’s needs fattening. There will be no fair this year. They thot it better to not have one. And it is just as well, with this building program on. 25 men worked there Sat.

It is the next morning. We received your other letter last evening. You see, you registered one and not the other. It takes a week longer when you don’t register them, but dearie, they come all right. You better not spend the money.

I could grin at the difference in your ideas and some others. What is it? Country & city ideas I’ll wager.

Tell us, can we send American money all right. We have been holding a dollar to send for Mrs. Jones. I’m afraid old Lu won’t win anything for you this summer.

I wish we could send the money for a typewriter. I know you need one. You do need practice with your handwriting too. No insinuations, my dear.

Will hurry & get this off this morning. It froze hard last night. We surely have a nice crop of potatoes out here tho’.

I think I told you last week that Helen was going to write. She is still saying it so—well I think she will so expect one right after this.

Mr. Murrays Name & address: D. P. Murray. Extension Service. Utah State Agricultural College. Logan, Utah.

Well, dearie, daddy will write a few lines on the other side. And now I shall finish. Take good care of yourself and make good use of your time. We always are thinking of you & praying for the Lord’s blessings on you.

Love and kisses from all

Auf Wiedersehen, Mother.

My Dear Boy in the Land of the sunny South. I hope you are well as it leaves us at present.  I enjoy your letters very much and Pray you may have the spirit of the Lord in your labors. It is beginning to feel like fall up here now the flowers have all frozen the last two nights.

I had better close now as I have to be at work on the Building in a few minutes. I will write more next time we have the hay and part of the grain cut. May the Lord Bless you at all times is the Prayer of your Daddy.                                

Happy Birthday HELEN!

Today is mother’s 99^th birthday.

 She seems younger to me today, than she ever has.

Helen Rex Frazier March 31, 1913 - June 26, 1982

This is a favorite picture of Helen -- about 1960. Her son, Rex, is off to Fort Ord, California for basic training in the Army Reserves. Helen sewed her two piece dress (it was blue and white), and is carrying a white Spring bag, typical of the 1950's. It appears the wind is blowing at the Salt Lake Airport, just as it is today.

You can find some posts about Helen below:

Helen's biography begins here
Helen follows Glenn to California
They are married in California
California becomes their home

Read other posts about her life on the links in the Frazier Index to the top right.

Bessie Morgan Rex - letter written September 6, 1936.

This picture was found on pg 175 of Randolph a Look Back, published 1981.

Randolph, Utah

Sunday even - Sept 6 [1936]

Dear Boy below the equator,

I am so ashamed. I let last week slip without writing to you. We received your very welcome letter, and each day I was sure I was going to answer. I was putting up fruit & beets, however so again you must forgive me. It is nearly Mutual time, but I shall stay home and write letters. Don McK. Is sitting talking about the church garden. They will get 25 or 30 tons of potatoes off of their patch. The crops are wonderful, 41 sacks of peas.

Now the men have gone, so I shall try to concentrate my thots if Maeser doesn’t drive me off asking me to spell words. They have made the frames to pour the cement in for the new amusement hall. It will be a lovely building. Daddy works there every day & the boys have been putting up the hay, with Jack McK’s help. Tomorrow is school, and so they must go, but they will have to finish

Asters - Wikipedia

A stack or two. Flora goes to school too. Is she thrilled?

I have a beautiful bouquet of asters on the table. Vilage Barton gave them to daddy. We prize the flowers we raise, surely.

Oh news, Leland Rex is teaching in Laketown. You knew Glen was teaching here. Fred will soon be home. And Dallas J. Glen Rex’s house is nearly built. Bob & Pearl  [Rex] had their boy blessed today. He is a cute little rascal. Max Argyle & Madeline Reay have their recommends to go to the temple [note: NFS doesn't have them married to each other]. Things will be changed when you come home, young man. Don says Roy is having the time of his life.

You say it will get very hot there. Be sure you are in a place where it does not bother you too much. I do hope you take care of yourself.

We received the receipt for the $30.00 we sent, and they didn’t get it off any sooner. I was afraid they wouldn’t. Sis. Jones came in & left a dollar for you. Will send it with your check. I don’t believe it is a good idea to send it in a letter is it. Don McK wanted 

 to send you a dollar too.

Can’t understand you not getting a letter for two weeks. We have written every week until last week. I am feeling so much better than I have felt for a long time. I believe I have a cure for my stomach. I can eat almost any thing and am feeling so much stronger.

Mr. & Mrs. Jackson always ask about you.

Well, here it is Monday morning, the first day of school. Here was such a hubbub last night. I doubt if my letter makes sense. It is quite frosty this morning.

I wanted to ask you, could we send you a fruit cake or something that would not spoil. Be sure & tell me.

I hope you can make Maeser’s letter out. There was a real funeral here. Poor little Hickey dead. It made us all sick. I think we better quit ranching altogether.

Politics are getting hotter. It is going to be a close race. I wouldn’t be

surprised if Gov. Blood was defeated in Utah. The Democrats are divided. Ray Dillman of Roosevelt is the GOP candidate.

Oh dear, here are the men. I shall have to stop & put breakfast on.

I shall have to use pencil. Helen is ordering some medicine, & using her pen. Well, dearie, this is a disjointed letter certainly.

Everybody seems to have plenty to do, but the profits aren’t heavy. If everybody is busy tho’, that is the best part of life. I have the best poem, but I will get Helen to copy it first.

I am glad you are making good use of your time. Time will go much faster if you keep busy. Take care of your health. That comes first. Don’t neglect us, if I am negligent sometimes. Helen says she will write next time. I know the Lord is helping, and you will be well cared for. Love & kisses from all of us.

Loving, Mother

For further information on the 1936 Utah election in the Utah History Encyclopedia, scroll down here.

Its impossible to know which of the poems pasted into Grandma Bessie's scrapbook is the one she wanted to send to Harold. Perhaps it was this one.

#3 Beryl Burt Sanborn. Part 2.

Once when Beryl was able to get away from the fields and garden,

she did go swimming. 

A photographer snapped this picture, and it appeared on the front side of a Post Card

Typed on the face of the card is, Aunt* Beryl is on picture

also Bessie Love, wife of Earl Love.

The penned in * star identifies Beryl. My guess is she’s 14-16 years old.

Is this happy group of women at Saltair or Blackrock Beach?

James Burt in front of his home at 407 East 39th South

Salt Lake City, Utah

Continued from Part 1

Beryl wrote that after she and Pete were married in 1929 they lived near the fairgrounds.  Pete’s parents, George Benjamin and Amy Lavena Haywood Sanborn, lived at 928 West South Temple, near the fairgrounds. In the 1929 Salt Lake City Directory Albt [Pete] Sanborn is listed as a chfr [chauffer] boarding at 138 South 10^th West.

Currently the Utah State Fairgrounds address is 155 North 1000 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116.

A year later Pete and Beryl moved to Euclid Avenue. Their two oldest children were born while they lived there; Albert James “Jim” on May 25, 1930 [he died December 22, 1993] and Amy Marlene on November 22, 1931 [she died July 12, 2009].

By 1937 Pete and Beryl were living at 1044 Euclid Avenue in Salt Lake City, and Pete continued working for the gas company. In early city directors he was listed as a meterman, a repairman, or a helper. He was employed by Mountain Fuel company for 42 years.

Beryl’s mother, Amelia, became ill during the late 1930’s and following her death on March 13, 1939, Pete and Beryl moved to 4^th East and 39^th South to take care of Beryl’s father, James. They lived with him a year, then decided to build their own home.

                 

James Burt had carefully acquired his home and farmland years earlier. Beryl’s oldest sister, Margaret, wrote that while James and Amelia Burt lived in his mother’s home on I street and 5^th Avenue in Salt Lake City, “James kept a cow and a horse which he used to hitch to the wagon and go to work. Irene and Margaret delivered milk to several of the neighbors, and when their deliveries were finished, they played on the foothills and gathered sego lilies” … James “preferred to raise the family on a farm rather than in the city so he began a search for suitable property. He located ten acres of land in Mill Creek, on 39^th South and 3rd and 4^th East. He didn’t move his family down until he had a lovely two story red brick home built, had planted an orchard, lawn and shade trees.”

Margaret said, “he had everything ready for them when they came to the place.” They moved their between 1900 and 1903. In 1922 one of the younger boys threw a sparkler on the roof of this home and burned it down. All of the family pictures and records were destroyed at this time. The house was re-built as a one story home.”

James Burt gave portions of his land to each of his children. Beryl and Pete built their home on land at 3873 South 4^th East. The field at the back of their home always housed a big beautiful garden; first James' and then Pete and Beryl's.

The house Pete and Beryl Sanborn built 

at  3873 South 4th East, Salt Lake City, Utah

(To be continued.)
Part 1
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Bessie Morgan Rex - letter written August 26, 1936.

Zinnias

Do you get the Reaper?

Randolph, Utah

Aug. 26, 1936

Meine Leibe Kleine Knabe,

How is that my son. You see tho’ it has been 30 years since I took the study of German, & so it isn’t so simple. I am hoping tho’ that you will be able to master it, or at least speak it. I struggled tho at German grammar, & I know all about their talking backwards. I’m so glad they thot of your birthday down there. And that was so sweet of Clara. You mustn’t scold if you don’t hear from her every week. She is a very nice girl & I don’t think she chases out much.

I have worried some over your thin blood. Maybe you better see a doctor. Don’t think this is so good. Take good care of your health.

The days are so beautiful here. Indian summer coming on. My flowers haven’t frozen yet. It is quite cold at night tho’. The boys are still haying & Daddy is working on the new amusement hall. Busy bunch

We had to have a phone put in so the Bishop can talk to Daddy every day.

Well, I didn’t get thro’ yesterday. Grandma was here & I had to talk to her. Then supper for 8. Am making chili sauce today. I picked my zinnias last night & then it didn’t freeze them.

Well Helen just came home. 4:30 quitting time. Government employee for you! She went to Bear Lake & got infection in her lips. She surely has some time, poor kid.

I suppose you have heard of George H Derm’s death. That was surely too bad. He was a nice man if he was a Democrat.

Oh dear this is a busy household. Daddy works till 9 at night, hunting men to work. The boys go to the hayfield & chore night & morning.

Tomorrow night is “Tale of Two Cities.” The family is discussing the story. Morgan & Maeser want to go to Como Springs with the scouts tomorrow for a day.

Well dearie, there just isn’t any news here & if I go much longer I shall have to talk poltics. I don’t mind that tho’. I am very much taken up with Alf M. Landon. He has such a good honest face. I’m afraid he is too honest for some of those easterners. (Helen’s pen is the bunk).

Am sending you a little poem I cut out. I liked it very much & wanted Helen to make a copy, but she forgot. You can bring it home again.

We haven’t received our August number of your missionary paper. That was very good.

If I ever get this finished! Well it is morning again. I thot your father would be in to write a little, but no such luck. He came in near midnight and is gone this morning. You will have to forgive him for a while. We have about decided to not let the boys go. They are taking them in trailers. Too many accidents on the highway to be taking boys that way.

This is the beginning of another beautiful day. It is so warm. Simply delightful.

I must close now. Write once a week won’t you. And don’t get run down in health. Love & kisses and the Lord’s blessings upon you may dear. We talk about you every day. Flora says hello. She starts to school Sept. 6. Enough now.

Lovingly, Mother

#3 Beryl Burt Sanborn. Happy Birthday!

#3 Beryl Burt

b. March 13, 1906, Salt Lake City, Utah

p. #6 James Burt, #7 Amelia Catherine Jorgensen 

m. October 19, 1929, #2 Albert Joseph “Pete” Sanborn

d. December 22, 1986, Salt Lake City, Utah

b. December 27, 1986, Elysian Burial Gardens, Salt Lake County, Utah

No one seems to know why James and Amelia Burt picked the name Beryl for their sixth child. Beryl is a precious pale green gem that is mentioned in both the Old and New Testament. It was the first stone of the fourth row of the high priest’s breastplate (Ex. 28:20), and the eighth stone in the foundation of the wall of the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev. 21:20).

Beryl Burt grew up on her family’s farm and declared early that she would never marry a farmer. The nine children born to James and Amelia Catherine Jorgensen Burt worked their farm. They were Margaret, Irene, Stannie, Gilmour, Melvin, Beryl, Agnes, Ervin, and Herman. Their home was at Thirty-ninth South and Fourth East in Salt Lake City, Utah, with ten acres of farmland adjoining it. They raised sugar beets, a vegetable garden and hay. Beryl weeded and thinned the sugar beets, and when the hay was ready she road on the wagon and leveled the hay bed as the hay was thrown in. She got to ride the horse while a fork-lift pitched the hay into the barn.

During summer’s heat their friends would come to the fence in the field where they were working and want Beryl and her sister to go swimming with them. Beryl would tell her older brother, Mel, who was the boss, she was thirsty and wanted to leave. His retort was always, “let’s see you spit.” She would, and he’d say, “you’re not thirsty, keep working!”

Beryl told me that she and her sisters scrubbed their huge kitchen floor on their hands and knees, and she helped her mother with the wash. On wash day it was Beryl’s job to turn the washer for twenty-five minutes for each load, which was carefully timed on a clock. Mischievous Beryl turned the clock forward when her mother wasn’t watching.

The children attended the Millcreek Ward and Lincoln School. Beryl went to Lincoln through the 8^th grade, and completed four years of high school at Granite High.  She took a six month course at Henagers Business College, after which she worked as a stenographer at National Biscuit. It was there she met Leah Sanborn. Leah introduced Beryl to her husband’s younger brother, Pete Sanborn. They courted for a year before marrying on October 19, 1929.

Beryl’s father, James, was a plasterer. Beryl’s husband, Pete, worked for the gas company. Both men liked large fruitful gardens.

(To be continued…)

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4
Part 5

From a personal interview with Beryl in about 1980, a family history she contributed to in 1978, her 1986 autobiography, and family records.

Bessie Morgan Rex - letter written August 20, 1936.

 Helen worked as a secretary for the Rich County Agent, Mr. Guyman, for several years, in this building. -- "Helen Rex Frazier Biography," History, Descendants, and Ancestry of William Rex & Mary Elizabeth Brough of Randolph, Utah, page 272.

(illegible) so I don’t think you need to register them.

Randolph, Utah

Aug. 20, 1936

My dearie,

Oh dear, it seems I have such a time getting a letter off to my boy. Each day I promise myself the sun shall not set without this letter being written. And here it is Friday. Haven’t been feeling so hot tho’ and I have 8 to cook for. Daddy is working on the amusement hall, and Jack McK. & the boys are putting up the hay.

The weather has been so grand, but the nights get cooler, & I suppose one of these mornings I shall waken to find my flowers gone.

Helen is very busy at the office & a little worried too. You never know what this govt is going to do next. That is the worst of these Democrats. Did I tell you I was in love with Alf Landon’s face. Have you seen his picture? He looks such a good man. Have just been listening to a talk from France about conditions in Spain. I hope the U. S. can keep out of that mixup over there. And I hope that country in S.A. keep quiet until my son 

gets out of it.

Tomorrow is 4H club day at Bear Lake. Helen & the boys are going over. Morg has a fine looking calf out here, but that doesn’t interest him. He is airminded. He is building a plane now that he designed himself. Some boy. Darwin is still here. Have you written to any of your relations in S. L. outside of Winnie. Oh, I don’t care. Don’t neglect her. She certainly looks forward to you letters.

We have some building program on around here. Glen Rex is building a house next to Sis. Wilbur. Geo. Kennedy Sr. is building back of the garage & the new hall on the corner.

Did I tell you Dwain N. was going to Alaska to teach? I think that’s great. Goodness gracious, here comes Helen home from work. I know the day is nearly done. Supper, dishes & bed. Such a life.

Well, I shall send this off this morning and send it if it is all that goes.

My dearie, we received your letter the 17^th asking for some money. I’m afraid it wont go until the 30^th as they only send it twice a month. We are sending 30$ with Bishop Larsen. Do hope you are making out. Wish we could send you more. Well dearie, the Lord will help I know. Love and kisses from all of us and a big hug & kiss from Mother.