History of Myrtle Bradshaw Twitchell wife of Franklin Potter Twitchell written by herself

Contributed By

timothyvknight

As I think back, I am first impressed by my heritage. My grandmother and grandfather on both my mother's and father's sides. They are truly something to be proud of and to cherish.

Grandmother Hopkin Eyre joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was turned out of her home by her parents. She then came to America and walked across the plains. When her shoes wore out she finished the remaining part of the journey barefooted. She went to southern Utah and when her first babies were born, she made clothes for them from a white dress she had. Being very poor she had only one dress for herself which she washed out every night, to be ready for use the next day. Her trials were many.

My grandparents on my father's side had many hardships. My father was a wonderful man, honest and a hard worker. When 12 years of age he went to work in the mine, barefooted, for there was not enough money to buy shoes. When 12 inches of snow came he sometimes used cloth to wrap his feet in to keep them from bleeding. It was a big treat to have molasses on their bowl of cereal.

My mother was wonderful, so good. She would sacrifice anything to help us live better.

Now I will tell a little of my own life. In a little town of Southern Utah, Minersville, I was born Jan. 3, 1900. It was a happy occasion for my parents to have a girl born to them as they had 3 sons. Two days before I was born, my father had a lucky number on a drawing. He could have either a doll and buggy, or a photo album. Having 3 boys every one thought he would take the album, but he took the doll and buggy. Two days later I was born.

The name they gave me was Myrtle, not a very pretty name for their first girl. I wasn't very pretty, I had very little hair. When it did come in it was straight. When I was three years old, my parents moved to Wyoming to make their home.

My parents were proud of me and very good to me. I had lovely clothes and had no sister to share them with. When I was 12 years old a sister, Vella, was born into our family and 18 months later another sister, Duella, was born. Before Vella was born my mother was in very poor health, so in order to go to school, I had to do the washing before school started. I did however have a perfect attendance at school. I had good grades in school and won many prizes.

The worse punishment I received was having to sit between boys. Then one day Mrs. Kate Smith hit me with a ruler for talking and it broke my ring. In High School I did real well in everything except algebra and geometry. A boy by the name of Frank Twitchell, always helped me form my equations. I also attended old Brigham Young College in Logan, Utah one winter. While in Logan I stayed with my father's oldest sister Aunt Sarah Ann Quinney. She chaperoned us to the activities that we attended. I left a work basket there and 15 years later I went to see her and she still had the basket for me.

When I returned to Lyman, Wyoming I was at the boy crazy age. Although I had few boy friends I always had a lot of fun. On our sleighing parties the boys would try and tip the sleighs over. Of course, they were drawn by horses. In the sleighs was straw and quilts. At one of these parties I met a young man by the name of Frank Twitchell.

I really wanted to go with Frank but he didn't care for me. He had his eyes on someone else. He thought that I was stuck up, but later took me out and we became good friends. He was called into the service (World War I) and took his training in Vallejo, California in the Marine Corps. We wrote all the time to each other. When he was transferred to Quantico, Virginia he wrote and said he would be going through Carter, Wyoming. I took the old Ford to see him. The station agent wouldn't give any information on the train times and after waiting for a long time I decided to leave. Less than 1/2 hour after I left the station the train came and I didn't get to see him. He served 30 months and when he came back I was very happy for he asked me to be his wife.

We were married in Salt Lake Temple Oct. 1, 1919. We spent our first married year in Granger, Wyoming. We made the 30 mile trip to Granger in a sheep wagon. On arriving, we were met by an old Swede who was filthy dirty. The house was just as dirty as the old Swede. He (the Swede) asked if we had eaten and I hurriedly said yes. He wiped a cup out with a greasy black dish rag and offered us a cup of coffee. Frank and I soon had the house clean and livable. I remember the first batch of bread I made there. I forgot the yeast and the bread was so tough that even the chickens wouldn't eat it. We didn't have electric lights. We washed on a scrubbing board and had to melt snow sometimes for water.

We were very happy together and after one year we moved back to Lyman, Wyoming and mad our home on a ranch 5 miles east of town. No one could have been happier than we were. We stayed at home and enjoyed each other.

Our first purchase was a piano, as both my husband and I liked music. We spent the evenings singing and playing the piano.

On February 11, 1921 our first child was born. We called her Marcelle after a little girl Frank knew in France. Frank named her and said "I'll name the first one and you can name the other dozen." Little did we then dream that we would have so many. She was a beautiful girl.

Seventeen months later another girl was born. She came into the world July 16, 1922. She was so small. She only weighed 4 and 1/2 pounds and had dark brown eyes. We named her Valeene.

In nineteen months, Jan. 27, 1924 another girl was born. Her dad wanted a boy, but Thelma was her dad's boy. She was always so healthy, strong and helpful with the things around the ranch.

Rebecca, another girl was born 2 years later, Oct. 9, 1926. She was a beautiful blue eyed baby, but had no hair at all. I tried everything anyone would tell us and finally in spite of the remedies, it grew. I thought, "my goodness, aren't we to have any boys"?

We thought surly now the Lord will give us a boy but on Oct. 4, 1927, God gave us a dark curly haired girl. We gave her the name of Duella.

We thought surly if we try once more we will have a boy. But lo another try and one more girl. Jean was the name given to her. Born Aug. 10, 1929. We thought our ball team would be all girls.

Two years later another child came to our home. What do you know, it was a 10 1/2 pound boy. None could believe that finally we had a boy. We had to treat everyone. We were thankful for him. We named him Jerry Franklin.

Jerry wanted a brother and so four years later another boy was born into our home. Rulon Lee was the name he was given. He weighed 9 1/2 pounds. We were so very thankful for him.

Then four years later we had another girl. We called her Ann. She was and very dear to me, as are all my children. God was very kind to trust us with 7 girls and 2 boys to raise. I thought when my boys were born that I wasn't to live. But I did and am thankful. I have a good husband who was very helpful in rearing our family.

One outstanding thing that always brings pleasant memories, is to think of the time I spent teaching my girls to sing. I started with Marcelle and Valeene at the age of 4 and 5. They sang at a program and were so small that we stood them on a table. Valeene sang alto very well and everyone was amazed that one so small could sing so well. As each child could sing we added to the unit until all seven girls sang together. They sang and still sing at Church functions whenever they are asked. Both of my boys have excellent voices. Rulon, bass and Jerry is a tenor.

Our dream was that both of our boys would live worthy to fulfill missions. We feel very thankful that both have filled their missions honorably. Jerry spent 34 months in Brazil and Rulon spend 31 months in Holland. Jerry has taught Seminary for 8 years and Rulon has been an internal revenue agent for 2 years.

We have 34 grand children, 20 girls and 14 boys, 8 in-laws; 6 have married in the temple.

I am thankful for all my children, but especially for my good help mate. I hope we may live so our family will love us.

A few things about events in my life. My father joined the church the year I was married. It is a nice memory to remember the day that dad and mother were married in the temple. There were 10 of us in the temple roves. I was expecting my first child at the time.

There was a time of great sorrow when my sister Vella was called home. My mother was broken hearted.

Up to 1958 I have been Relief Society President for three years, on the Stake Relief Society Board 11 years, First Counselor in the primary, and organist for many years as well as a visiting teacher. I was organist of the Sunday School in the ward at 14 years of age.

I am thankful for my religious belief and that my husband has helped me. He loved his family and played with them and took them places. He was jolly and full of fun. He worked long hours for his family. Our children are Our Pride and Joy.

-----Typed by Jerry Franklin Twitchell, January 5, 1964, Brigham City, Utah