Bessie Morgan Rex letter to Harold. November 9, 1937.

Snow in the Rex's side yard. 1930s

Randolph, Utah

November 9, 1937.

My dear boy,

I simply must get a letter off to you this morning, even if it is just a short one. We have been very neglectful. We received your airmail letter, and decided you were just a wee bit homesick. Well, of course, I wouldn’t think much of you if you didn’t get homesick for us once in awhile. I get homesick to see you once in awhile. In fact everything that happens that does happen every year makes me think, well just once more. One more winter, one more planting of flowers, one more year in fact, and then you will be home. I hope time keeps flying the way it has these past few weeks. It doesn’t seem possible that Helen is leaving next week. The time has gone so fast. We are very busy getting out the invitations for her party. I hope everything goes off all right. She has a lot of nice things now. I suppose you have heard from Winnie by now telling you she was down. Those two girls are going to miss each other.

Roy was in Sunday and stayed about three hours. I showed him some of your Brazilonians. He thought they were fine. We talked missionaries, and he was surely wishing you were here. He was so lonesome. He had a rather bad time at the hospital, and so will have to be careful for awhile. He will go back after the first of the year. It wouldn’t never do for you to have to take a leave of absence would it. We talked about the times you kids came from Evanston half dead for sleep, and marveled that you had not killed yourselves six times over. Roy just hasn’t anybody here to chase with. He said he was going up to see Margaret.

Winnie sent us a grand picture of herself. I suppose you will get one too. There is something about it that isn’t quite natural, but then it shows her sweet smile, and I love to look at it. Have I got my family perched on the piano.

 We received your rather short letter last night, but enjoyed it very much. Was hoping you had been transferred to Sao Paulo. I do hope you get transferred. A change is a good thing once in awhile. The work on the church is progressing very nicely. I can see the tall chimney stack they have built at the back. All those little chimneys have been taken down, and they are shingling the roof.

We took some pictures to send to you, but the lens of the camera must have been dusty. They are spoiled, but will send you two or three. We are having Helen’s party in the amusement hall. I suppose the Burdetts will be down. Mrs. Burdett certainly thought Helen should have a party.

Daddy went to Ogden yesterday with Mr. Guymon. Today the Red Cross man is here, and he promised to work on the church. He is rather busy. Well, maybe we will get back to routine next week, and then I hope you will get your letters more regularly. There is not much news to give you. Even the news off the radio is rather dull. Wars on the other side of the world don’t keep our attention as much as if they were closer. So we quit listening to the accounts.

The leaves are all gone, and everything is bare and brown. I shant mind if a little snow comes to cover up the ugliness. It is quite cold too. Have you written to your Uncle Will. He is quite insulted. He was in here last night and asked about you. Ben and Afton are very happy on the ranch, and, as Roy says, they have forgotten the world.

Well dearie, it is 7:30, so you see I must get this note off on the mail. I know you would rather have it than nothing. It is getting near Xmas when you get this, isn’t it. I cant feature Xmas without snow.

Be a good boy, and keep writing. We all send our best love, and think of you and talk of you every day. 

Love and kisses, from Mother

My dear,

I see the whole family has written. That is fine. I’ll put in this line or two. Your letters are not going to be very regular, I’m afraid. I had Helen sick for a week & then I took a turn at not feeling good & I’m afraid we missed nearly a week. I’m wondering if you are getting your mail tho’ with the shipping strike. Guess we better send them airmail.

I suppose Helen told you Clara was in to see us. My, she is bashful.

I believe time is flying. Still it seems ages since that night last winter. Fred is released on the 18^th so he will be home when you get this.

It is time for this to go. I must write to Win & have her get your garments. Those boys leave Thursday so I must get it off today.

Well, take care of yourself. Your experiences are grand for you & I surely am glad you want to go to school. That is fine. Love & kisses & the Lord’s blessings on you my dear. We talk of you all the time.

Lovingly, Mother

Bessie Morgan. Salt Lake Tribune Society Page, April 7, 1901 .

Salt Lake Tribune, April 7, 1901

In Society

Bessie Morgan turned eleven in 1901. That Spring she was mentioned “In Society” in the Salt Lake Tribune for Sunday, April 7, 1901. It appears she was one of twenty-two young people who attended a party during the week before Easter.

The newspaper article began, “Holy Week was without any large or important event, society devoting most of its time to church-going and millinery openings. The weather last evening was not of a description that would denote a brilliant Easter parade today after the church services, a custom of the day in fashionable circles in nearly every city in the country.

“The festive high ball is to be relegated to obscurity at the Country club.

“The Easter bonnet is quite gay this year. 

This picture of Bessie Morgan from among her older brother, Nicholas Groesbeck Morgan’s papers (thanks to cousin Karen M.) is of Bessie as a young woman. Her daughter Winnifred had never seen it before I showed it to her in 2010. Bessie's hat makes the picture fit well with this article. Bessie does not look eleven-years-old in her hat. 

  

The newspaper article continues, “On Tuesday evening Miss Ruby Thomson entertained, her guests being Genevieve James, Elsie De Groo, Ruby Thomson, Gail Morgan, Jessie Freeman, Jennie Freeman, Bessie Morgan, Rosella Price, Ethel Liddle, Julia Smith, Florence McFarlane, Perry Liddle, John W. James, Harold James, Ralph Kunkle, Art, Kunkle, Clarence Van Saub, Guy Hart, Earnest Smith, Will Thomson, Wallace Burt, Raymond Thomson.”

I recognized some of these young people and put them together using their last names. There were twenty-two young people at Miss Ruby Thomson’s party and many of them were there with brothers and sisters.

James; Genevieve, Harold, John W.

Thomson; Ruby, Will, Raymond

Morgan; Gail (13),Bessie (11), Wallace Burt (12)

Liddle; Ethel, Perry

Freeman; Jessie, Jennie

Smith; Julia, Earnest

Kunkle; Art (12), Ralph (14)

Clarence Van Saub

Elsie De Groo

Rosella Price

Florence McFarlane (13) (Florence was 22 in the 1910 Salt Lake Census—Waterloo District)

Guy Hart

In 1902 Bessie’s older sister, Ruth, married Sol Burke Kunkle. Kunkles also lived on York/Bryan Avenue. Bessie’s oldest sister, Helen, was married to Andrew Burt. Wallace Burt, Bessie’s nephew, was born to them in 1890, the year before Bessie was born. 

A different Tribune Society Page explained that the party Bessie Morgan and twenty-something other young people attended was a surprise party. Such interesting trivia!

Memorial Day, May 27, 2013. Randolph, Utah family gathering.

 Randolph, Rich County, Utah marker, south of Randolph.

 Randolph Cemetery tops the hill west of Randolph overlooking the town. Its where the wind always blows.

The William and Mary Brough Rex headstone has been repaired, stabilized, and now sits atop a cement base. Their six children's footstones are set beside them. All of their children are named here. 

My brother Rex stands beside the gravestone here. He and I and our spouses traveled to Randolph and Woodruff for Memorial Day. I don't recall being in Randolph on Memorial Day since prior to our parents' passing in 1982 and 1992. We had a wonderful day gathering with other Rex cousins on cemetery hill and in Cousin Flora Lee's Randolph home. A big thank you to her and her sister Nancy for all of their work promoting and accomplishing this Rex Gravestone Repair project. Thank you so very much!

The Brough Family Organization also completed (August 17, 2012) this Samuel Brough gravestone project in the Randolph Cemetery in time for Memorial Day.

First thing that morning we stopped in Woodruff, ten miles to the south, to visit the cemetery there and to drive past our Grandfather and Great Grandfather Frazier's Ranch.

My brother and I, our father, and Grandfather Frazier each attended the Woodruff Schoolhouse that stood across the highway from this sign posted in "downtown" Woodruff.

Rex and I, with our spouses, in the Woodruff Cemetery beside the Frazier/Walton

row of headstones. Note Samantha Ann Walton Witherell's broken headstone. 

A project we hope to complete before winter 2013.