Mary Paulina Woodyatt

Blev 88 år.

Far:		Harvey Woodyatt
Mor:		Ida Melissa Pettingill (1867 - )

Född: 31-12-1885 Utah (Willard)

Död: 28-03-1974 Utah (Salt Lake City)

Begravd: (05-1974) Utah (Salt Lake City)

Familj med Thorvald Jorgensen (1887 - 1952)

Barn:
Thorvald Woodyatt Jorgensen (1911 - 1997)

Kathryn Mary Jorgensen (1915 - )

Harvey Jorgensen (1924 - )

Noteringar

Mary Pauline Woodyatt was born 31 December 1885 in Willard, Box Elder County, Utah. She was the first child of Harvey and Ida Pettingill Woodyatt--a New Year's Eve baby. About a year later her parents moved to Elba, Idaho. There Clotilda Maria and Lilley Elvira were born. They moved back to Willard about 1889. There she spent her early childhood on a farm.
Willard was a town of about 500 people with high mountains on the east and the blue Great Salt Lake on the west. It was a beautiful location. The orchards, farms, and trees were beautiful also. I knew everyone and it was almost like a big family--very friendly, pioneer people. My father was born in West Malvern, England, and emigrated to America at the age of 15 years. He left his parents, 5 brothers and 1 sister, to come to America to live with his uncle and aunt (Robert and Betsey Holmes) who had no family of their own. We were poor and just starting life. It was a struggle--rent, food, etc. Father worked on the railroad several years receiving one dollar a day wage. We always had a nice garden in the summer with plenty of fruit, milk, eggs, and butter. Butter was 10 cents a pound and eggs 10 cents per dozen. Mother made our clothes and knit our long black stockings. I started school when 6 years old in a one room red brick school house. It had a large round stove in the center of the room for heat. All eight grades went there. There were perhaps 25 or 30 students. The teacher was a young man named James White. He always came on horseback and taught all 8 grades. Later a larger school house was built. I walked to school--1 1/2 miles morning and night down a dirt road. The snow was bad in the winter.
In 1892 father was called on a mission to England. It seemed impossible for him to go but the way was opened and he fulfilled a mission in his native country baptizing his father and mother. His brothers and sister didn't want any of his religion. They stayed with the church of England. Mother worked very hard to help him and also the family (4 children now). Grandpa and Grandma Pettingill were wonderful to help us. After his return home we were blessed by Uncle Robert Holmes giving us his large farm with the horses, cattle, chickens, and everything it takes to make a farm. Aunt Betsy died about age 40. Uncle Robert was ready to retire now but lived with us until he died at age 90. He was an early pioneer and came in the 2nd Company in 1847.
I was very happy now with a pony to ride and a cow I called my cow. I milked her morning and night. I called her "Old Star" because she had a star on her forehead. Father bought an organ and I was allowed 50 cents a week for an organ lesson. My teacher was Minnie Owens White. I loved it and I would bridle my pony and ride 3 miles for my lesson. I rode bareback and sidewise, never side-straddle. Soon I was called to play the organ for Sunday School. I also taught a class with Maggie Hubbard. Father would take us to Sunday School in our new surrey with the fringe on top. We were so proud of it. I graduated from Box Elder school the 22nd of May 1903. There were no high schools at that time.
I started as a pianist with the Willard Orchestra in 1903. Nephi Brunker and Joseph Harding were violinists, Joe Renshaw, cornet, and Robert Baird, clarinet. We played for dances and parties. The pay was $3.00 an engagement(very good). I was called to serve as Willard Ward organist and served under many choristers, James White, Robert Baird, John A. Ward, and Lottie Owens Sackett. Our entertainment was church and home parties, ward dances, buggy riding, basket ball, horseback riding and sleigh riding in the winter. I never lacked for dates.
One night while dancing at the new Academy of music in Brigham City a young man in the orchestra almost hit me with his slide trombone as I passed the band stand. Later he came down and introduced himself as Thorvald Jorgensen. We saw a lot of each other and soon became good friends. We had a lot in common in our music. Thorvald became leader of an 8-piece orchestra at the Opera House in Brigham. He was violinist and his brothers, Oge--cello, Valdimar--clarinet, and Milton--string bass. Luke Johnsen--trombone and John Johnsen--string base and fiddle, and Madsen--drums. It was a two-story building with the theatre on the first floor and a ballroom on the second floor. Traveling shows came and sometimes stayed a week. Dramatic shows, musical shows, vaudeville shows. We were playing there almost every night. Thorvald had engaged me as pianist with the orchestra. It was hard for me to travel from Willard to Brigham City--a distance of 8 miles but I loved it. I had to go to the railroad station and ride the train to Brigham and then a long walk to the Opera House. The same to go back home and a long walk from the station home. It was now making some money and decided to buy me a piano so I could practice at home. It was good for the whole family. We all sang and enjoyed it very much. Our entire family had good voices and we sang for funerals, ward entertainments, and also the choir.
By now we had a family of ten children, 6 girls and 4 boys. We built a ten room house and were happy to have it. I liked to sleep upstairs. The three older children were girls so we had to help father with the farm. We weeded onions, picked tomatoes, dug potatoes, picked berries, raspberries, strawberries, black berries, cherries, peaches, and helped all we could. Then to earn some money we would pick fruit for our neighbors. Very poor wages--picked gooseberries for 25 cents a bushel and red currants about the same. Wrapped peaches in the fall for 1 cent a case and also worked in the new cannery. Always something to do helping mother with house work--washing, ironing, and baking. It took 10 large loaves of bread every other day besides pies, cakes, cookies, and cobblers to feed us. Mother was a very good cook. There were no bakeries. We had to make everything we had to eat. Our flat irons were heated on top of the coal stove and the washing was done on a wash board--very hard work.
Thorvald and I had been working together and he had been coming to Willard courting for several months. He had to hire a horse and buggy at the livery stable and drive to Willard or go to the railroad station and ride the train. He would bring a lantern and walk down our farm to the railroad and flag the train that went north to Brigham. The conductor would stop the train and let him on. They were soon acquainted and it saved him walking about two miles to the station through snow and mud. He proposed marriage and I said you will have to ask my father. He was bashful and hated to but finally went out to the barn and asked Dad and it turned out alright. Now our trouble began. I had decided I wanted a temple marriage and he couldn't find his church records, so he couldn't get a recommend. Bishop Blackburn was very kind and helpful. He said to be baptized again and he advanced him in the priesthood as fast as possible. It took about 6 months and then he gave him a recommend. I made all my temple clothes and my wedding dress and many things for my trousseau. Time passed quickly because I was so busy. At last we rode the Oregon Short Line train to Salt Lake City. We were married 6th June 1907. I was 22 years old. We had a reception when we got home for friends and relatives. Our home was filled with roses of all kinds. Soon we rented two rooms of a Danish widow in Brigham City (2nd West and 5th South) which was our first address.
We were both working in the orchestra. We lived five blocks from the theatre. I had many laughable circumstances happen because the Danish widow couldn't speak English and I didn't speak Danish but we got along fine. We lived there about a year or so and decided to move to Salt Lake where Thorvald could continue his music lessons. He studied with the best teachers in Salt Lake namely George Skelton, Arthur Freber, Albert Shepard and had good employment. We lived at 764 Third Avenue. Our first child was born there--a son, Thorvald Woodyatt Jorgensen. After two years there we moved to a larger nicer place on Elizabeth Place. We lived there two years and in July bought our own home at 668 Wilson Avenue. We also bought our first automobile--a beautiful new Ford. We had to start it by cranking it. Best made at that time. We paid for it in cash. It was delivered at noon and we were so anxious to try it out the salesman drove Thorvald to Murray and back demonstrating it and we started for Willard. Every stream we came to we got out and put some water in the engine to keep it cool. The next day showing my folks and taking them for a ride was exciting. This was June 1914. Everything was dirt roads and 25 miles per hour. We moved into our new home in August 1914. Our new home was part of Wilford Woodruff's farm that was divided into building lots. It was a five room red brick house with front and back porch, full basement and modern bungalow style. The next January 8, 1915, our daughter, Kathryn Mary, was born. She was a 3 1/2 pound baby.
Our friends asked why go way out in the country to live but we liked it. We built a garage and had 12 chickens, a garden, and a flower garden. Before Thanksgiving our chickens were all stolen. Here my work with music began again in Waterloo Ward as organist for the choir. Arthur McFarline was the young chorister. He had a good choir, about 40, and put on many light operas to help pay for the chapel. Thorvald hired an 8-piece orchestra and arranged the music for them in order to save hiring the orchestrations. He saved money. The name of some of them were, "The Mikado, Flora Dora, Chimes of Normandy, Robin Hood, Pinnafore," and there were many others. It was lots of work but for a good cause. July 20, 1924, Waterloo ward was divided and we were in the new Belvedere Ward. I was organist now in Belvedere and John T. Olroyd was chorister. John Bouls was the first Bishop. Granite Stake was divided. The new stake was Grant--it was later divided and Wells was our stake. Still is, I served 45 years in all three stakes as organist. Thorvald's work was mostly at night and I was left to take care of the family. No baby sitters then and no relatives to help out. I did the best I could with the help of a neighbor. She bought the home next to us and was very kind. Her name was Cecelia Woodward from Fountain Green in southern Utah. Her husband D.C.Woodward was a school teacher. Mrs. Woodward came to America from Denmark with Grandpa and Grandma Jorgensen. She was 8 years old but remembered it. Time passed on and our children were growing up. They went to the Hawthorne school, East and South High School later. We had it hard in the depression of 1929. Theatres closed and work was very scarce. Then the shows turned to talking pictures with music. We called it canned music but it left musicians without work. Thorvald and I started teaching music in our home. One dollar a lesson. We soon had many pupils for which we were very thankful. Thorvald got work at the state prison teaching music. He had a band and an orchestra. He was there several years. The prison was moved from 21st South to the point of the mountain. The old prison was on 21st South near the Highland High School and has been torn down. George Longson (Henry Longson's father) was a guard there many years. Harvey was born 13th of August 1922. He was born the night of the big flood in Willard and Farmington. It was really a big flood, washed barns and automobiles and huge boulders onto the highway. Lots of mud came with it and it ruined many houses. Father was mayor of Willard at that time. He worked night and day getting roads cleared and drinking water for homes. My cousin was drowned and washed away that night with the force of the flood. It came down Willard canyon. Lagoon was flooded also. Water was waist deep and people were stranded until 4 or 5 o'clock in the resort before they could get homes on the Bamberger train. Neighbors on Wilson Avenue had planned a picnic party in Memory Grove in City Creek Canyon but were rained out. I didn't got for a good reason, my baby was born about midnight--a 6 pound boy.
I did some political work and was vice chairman of District 55 for several years. I had the registration books at my home and worked every voting day. I registered the boys for World War II and received a certificate of thanks from the President of the United States for my work. I also took the census about this time. I did everything I could to help support us. Our oldest son, Thorvald, graduated school at the University of Utah, Class of 1935. He was a member of the Honor Society of the Phi Kappa Phi fraternity. He worked part-time and I was very proud of him. He also won the state cello contest at East High. He was married to Florence Gubler in 1935 and continued school at New York University and Columbia University. They have two sons, both attorneys.
Kathryn went one year to the University. She won a scholarship in music (piano playing). She quit school to work. She wanted some money. She later married Ruel Kelsey and they are the parents of seven children--4 boys and 3 girls, all healthy, beautiful children.
Harvey went one year to the U of U. Then the Second World War was declared and he was drafted and went 19 January 1942. He was put with the Military Police (MP) and served till the armistice was declared 11 November 1945. He married Betty Mae Durrant and they are the parents of three lovely children--2 girls and 1 boy. Harvey died about March 13, 1954, in Billings, Montana, and is buried in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. His death was an awful shock to all of us and it was very hard for Bette. She came back to Salt Lake, worked hard, and bought a home for the family. She did wonderful with her family. Later she married Ray Morgan. She was divorced from him because he drank. After several years she married Phil Tyler who had a family of five. He is a very nice man. They lived in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Mr. & Mrs. Horace Durrant were very good to Bette and her children. Took them home to live with them for several years until Bette bought a home for them to live in. It was a nice place on 5600 South. The oldest child was a girl and she took over and got the younger ones off to school while her mother went to work early.

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