Bessie Morgan Rex, letter to Harold. 1938 undated January.

"Oh, and does it make me sick to see my boy"

Undated early 1938 letter from Randolph

My dear son,

You wont mind, will you, if I just scratch off a few lines with a pencil. Must get this off to you this morning.

I do hope we hear from you today. We didn’t get one last week, but I thot that a month ago then you were on your way to your new field of labor. I do hope you like it there, and enjoy your work.

Hear from Helen & Winnie every week. Helen is grand down there [Oakland, California]. Think – 130 lbs. that is more than she ever weighted, I think. She found Aunt Lile and her girls. Families do get scattered.

There is a picture of the Joinville R.S. sisters in the Dec. magazine. I don’t suppose you get the magazine. Wish I could send you mine, but I am afraid it would get lost. I do like to keep them. It has so many grand things in it.

You just wont know you are in Randolph Church when you come home. It is all changed so.

Well, we have had no snow & no cold weather so far. I certainly think we will

get some. You see, I am like the old farmers’ wife who said,

“There is a heart, there is a hand we feel but cannot see

We have always been provided for and we shall always be.”

There just isn’t anything of importance around here. We go along in the same old way I guess. Ah last week I wrote a play & we put it on in R.S.

Hope you have written to Helen. She is so eager to hear from you.

I think I better close this. My mind just isn’t perking this morning. Heard “Red Sails in the Sunset” last night on the radio, Oh and does it make me sick to see my boy. I’m afraid as these missionaries start coming home, I’m going to get more impatient about you coming home.

Tell us all about your new home. We all send a bushel of love and surely do pray that the Lord will ever help you in your work.

Lovingly,

Mother 

John Morgan and Joseph Standing Mission Travels continue. May 6 - 10, 1876.

Wabash River at Covington, Indiana from Wikipedia

(Continued from Joseph Standing's letter to the Deseret News, and from these  prior journal entries.)

Covington, May 6, 1876 – Read and slept during part of the day. Went to town in the afternoon; walked about the street, visited the cemetery. Went to the Court house, started a fire and wrote awhile. Rung the Bell and called the people together to meeting. Had a good attendance and a good feeling manifested. Came out to Shelby’s tonight.

Grange Hall, May 7, 1876 – Wrote a letter to the Danville Times. Came over in Shelby’s buggy to this place. Spoke to a very full house who gave close attention.

Mt. Zion, Indiana, May 8, 1876 - Mr. Wright brought us up to the cross roads, where we got out and walked down toward the river. Mr. Singer overtook us and gave me a letter from Mellie. Walked over to Mr. Jones’. Had dinner and walked over to Mr. William’s, from there to Mr. Gamison’s, then to Mr. Wright’s, where I had supper; then down to Mr. Jones’ where we stay tonight.

Mt. Zion, May 9, 1876 – Took a boat this morning and went out on the water and moved the logs off the land that Joseph had plowed. Went to Widow Maginnis’ and stayed all night. Preached at the log school house to a good audience.

Mt. Zion, May 10, 1876 – Went up the Railroad to Mr. Jas. Johnson’s where I spent the greater portion of the day very pleasantly talking and listening to Miss Dora play the piano. Came down in the afternoon to Mr. Gamison’s, at time for the meeting went down to the school house but found it locked up. Two gentlemen called on the Director to get the key but were refused; in the meantime I commenced service in the woods to quite a large audience who gave close attention. There was a strong spirit of mob violence, but the Lord overruled it for our good. After the meeting a man by the name of Cole came up and tried to cause difficulty, but failed. The efforts of the evil one only made us friends.

(To be continued.)

Susan's Birthday!

Susan Frazier

October 20, 1951 - November 26, 2006

Leonidas Morgan "FOUND"

Leonidas Morgan April 28, 1847 - May 10, 1923

Twenty-three-year-old Leonidas Morgan was in Salt Lake City in 1870 working as a school teacher in his brother John Morgan’s college. He lived with his brother and sister-in-law Helen Melvina “Mellie” Morgan, and their 5-month-old baby daughter.

Since that time Leonidas Morgan has been elusive—one of John Morgan’s missing siblings.

John Morgan noted Leonidas’ kindness to him during an 1883 visit to Chicago, Illinois.

1883, November 8, Up early this a.m. and took the 6:44 train into Chicago. Lon [Leonidas] assisted us and was very kind.

Other than that I have had no luck locating him. This morning after reading James Tanner’s post on the value of probate records, I followed one of the links he provided.

Ever looking for my Great Great Grandfather Garrard Morgan’s actual place of death and the date he died, I searched for his name in Illinois. And up came,

“Garrard Morgan in entry for Leon Morgan,

“Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947”

Leon Morgan died May 10, 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, at 76. He was born April 28, 1847 in Greensburg, Ind. to Garrard Morgan and Eliza Hamilton. His occupation was Salesman Advertijements [sic], and he was married to Mary E. Morgan.

Instead of Mary E. as his wife appeared in more than one census, her name is Marie Rice Morgan. She was married to Leon Morgan on November 27, 1895 in Pittsfield, Berkeshire, Massachusetts. Leon’s parent as they appear on the Massachusetts, Marriages, 1695-1910 records are Gaward Morgan and Eliza H. Hamilton. That is a very different way to write Garrard. Perhaps that’s the way it sounded to a clerk, or the way it looked from someone’s handwriting.

Their children are, Sarah D. H. Morgan, born October 5, 1896 in E. O. Essex, New Jersey, and Leon Morgan, born November 18, 1897 in E. O. Essex, New Jersey. From “New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980”

Leon Morgan family is found in Chicago, Cook, Illinois Census 1910, 1920, 1940.

Bessie Morgan Rex letter to Harold. January 19, 1938.

John Morgan, Percy Harold, Maeser Morgan Rex, 

standing in front of their Randolph, Utah home, prior to Morgan's deployment.

 Randolph, Utah

January 19, 1938

My dear dear boy,

Right now, I am going to sit down and write to you. It is nearly six o’clock and I am getting supper ready. Just received your letter of Dec. 17, and was, oh so pleased to get it. Of course it was written before your airmail letter, but nevertheless we enjoyed it very much, so I will chat about it first.

That is a lovely picture of Winnie, isn’t it. I have mine where I can see it all the time. I think my daughters are just grand but don’t say it’s too bad you are her brother. My dear, you have no idea how proud I am of my boys. Your work down there is a constant joy to me, and Morgan is growing into a fine serious fellow who loves things like physics and geometry. I do hope you can accomplish all the things you desire to so much. I am surely happy these days, especially when I think of my children. I received a letter from Helen also tonight

I am so glad she and Glenn are working [in] the ward. Have you heard from her? You should have by now.

Last night a young man came to see me. Do you remember those three salesmen you met in Evanston a day or two before you left. You know they sold Helen a couple of dresses. Well, one Karl Page, liked Helen very much, and so he came up to see me. He kept saying “She is one swell girl.” I should like to capture him for Winnie. He is the sweetest kid. He always wants to know all about you and is looking forward to seeing you when you come home. I like him because he is fine & clean looking, and does he love life.

You mentioned buying a camera. I do hope you were able to keep it. We are looking forward to seeing pictures of Brazil. I am wondering if you have enough money now. Do be very observing. We shall have many many questions to ask you. Did you write to Mr. D. P. Murray. Possibly you didn’t get my letter saying he was much interested in you and will help

you if you go the the A. C. [Agriculture College in Logan. Utah].

I have written a play for the R.S. today. It has been fun, but I do get tired. Myrtle Jones is the new R.S. Pres. And I still teach literature.

Have you decided to come straight home. Possibly that is the best. Daddy has some debts to pay and a hundred dollars is quite a bit right now. If you come home by N.Y. I shall send you Vash Young’s address and you can call on him. He gave me or my family a very urgent invitation.

They cleaned the church today to make it ready for carpet and drapes. Wont that be grand.

We have no snow so far, and a very mild winter. Different from any winter I have seen here so far.

And now my dear, you are much further away from us, but I’m so glad it is cooler. I looked it up on the map, and the weather, I judge, is about the same as our southern states. I do hope you like it. I think you have been rewarded for your good work.

Did I tell you Roy went back to his mission Monday morning. Bob W. will be home next month.

Did I tell you Helen found Aunt Lile. They didn’t know her.

Dear dear, I told you about the boy’s baby beef didn’t I. I am getting tired and sleepy, so I better be closing. There isn’t any news in town of any importance.

Keep up your good work, my son and the Lord will ever bless you. We wait for your letters each week and love to hear from you.

Love & kisses from all of us.

Lovingly,

Mother

Note: Eliza Ann Morgan Smith is Bessie's older sister born February 8, 1875. Vash Young is #8 in Bessie's classroom picture on this post.

"Good Timber" -- President Monson today, Grandma Bessie Morgan Rex's scrapbook years ago.

I was delighted to hear the Prophet this morning. And pleased to hear him recite Good Timber. A poem Grandmother Bessie Morgan Rex clipped and pasted into her scrapbook years ago. I discovered it a few years back when my Aunt Flora Rex Lamborn left her mother’s scrapbook with me for a week or two--to plough through. Such pleasant days!

Hope all enjoyed conference as much as I did.

A quick search for Timber on my blog brought two returns. I thought I'd put it here!

One from Grandma Bessie's scrapbook.

And a mention of Timber in my husband's ancestry.

Fairview, Utah Pioneer Museum. Pioneer lace and alter cloths from the Manti Temple.

The last week of August I traveled with a group of Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) to visit Central and Southern Utah sights and settlements. I enjoyed the collections in the Fairview, Utah Pioneer Museum where my pictures were random and usually blurred.

These pictures of laces and doilies found in the Manti Temple basement at the time of its renovation (presumably 1981-1985) have gained added meaning.

I recently attended Kris Wright’s Men and Women of Faith lecture: “Bread, Water, Oil, and Cloth: Religious Objects, Mormon Women, and Ritual.” And now I look at these treasured pieces with increased respect and reverence.  

The temple was completed in 1888, and a private dedication was held on May 17, 1888, with a prayer written by Wilford Woodruff. Three public dedications were held on May 21–23, 1888, and were directed by Lorenzo Snow.

^{May 14, 1888, John Hamilton Morgan Journal, Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah.,}

^{In the evening drove over to Manti and stopped at the church boarding House. Walked up to the Temple and took a look through. Everything on the grandest scale.}