Grandfather [Oscar Alfred Sr.], then homesteaded a ranch near by at Dry Creek. They had seven children born to them, Mary Elizabeth, Oscar Alfred Jr., Haken William, Joseph Doyle, Denis Marion, Harriet Elnore and Thirza Lavinie. They prospered and was a happy family enjoying farm life and they enjoyed visiting the neighbors and have the neighbors visit with them. The people in this farming comunity [sic] were very friendly and close to one other. They were always there when help was needed.
Then one day tragedy struck their home. Grandmother [Thirza Jane Lee] was stricken ill and passed away on July 16, 1894, leaving Grandfather and his small family, the eldest was 15 years old and the youngest, was 2½ years old. Grandfather’s sister Nora took the youngest, Thirza Lavinie to raise.
Elizabeth being the eldest and learned many things from her beloved mother on how a house was run so she was like a little mother taking over and with the help of the other children and her father they got the situation well in hand life was recaptured and things soon on a happier out look for that family once again.
It seems that Kanosh was the hub of everything in those little communities and there is where their Social lives would begin. They had Saturday dances at the Church and Sunday afternoon picknicks. So as time went by and Mary Elizabeth became a beautiful young lady and was permitted to attend those dances, she met a fine young handsome man, Clarence Albert Barney, their romance began. When she was just past eighteen they were married on August 10, 1897. They stayed on at Grandfathers so as to help with the children.
To investigate:
- Find BLM records for the homestead.
- Verify names and birth dates for children.
- What illness did Thirza Jane have? Verify death date. Where is she buried?
- Is Thirza Lavinie in the next census with Nora's family? Does she ever come back to live with her family?
- Research Kanosh and what went on there. Is there a county/town history that can give more information about the social activities there?
- Verify marriage date for Mary Elizabeth.
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