HISTORY OF MARY ANN POPE RAWLINS

The History of Mary Ann Pope Rawlins the daughter of Oscar Monro[e] Pope and Margaret Eliza Brower Pope. I was born in Richmond Utah, May 1869. I was the second child of 11 children, my parents buried their first child when she was nine months old, so naturely when I came, my parents were very happy, Father always said they loved me so they spoiled me, and I guess they did, but I have sure lived a long time for being so spoiled, My parents were living in a one room log house at that time, Mother has always said that was the happiest time of her life.

I was blessed the first Sunday in June 1869 in Richmond by apostle Merriner W. Merrill, and Bapentized in Richmond Canal the day I was 10 years old the 16th of May 1879, by Christian Hyer and Confirmed by Wallace K. Brnham the same day.

I started to school whan I was six years old, we had no school houses at that tiem, so Aunt Hannah Brower, one of Grand Father Brower['s] plurel wives had school, that summer in her little one room log house. What little furniture she had was home made and everything was so clean and nice I can just see it now. Their were six of us went to her school. four girls and two boys. She allways had cookies for us, we sit on homemade benches. They were nice and clean to[o], we had no books, but had slate and pencils our teacher would write words on the slate learn us the letters in [a] word. then she would sit down in her little rocking chair and knit while we were studying Oh it was fun. She would allways Brag on us whether it was good or not, and that made us happy. I went to her little school two summers and then in the winter went to another school. The school I went to in the winter was a Mr. Jackson. I was a mean thing to whisper, he used to punish us when we wouldnt mind, You know I liked to talk and had to be punished. He got his ruler, told me to hold out my hand, I did but when the ruler would come down my hand would go down to, so he took hold of my fingers and I tell you he gave me a lick that I have never forgot I thought he had cut my hand into [in two]. Oh how I cried and looked for the blood, but their wasnt any. I couldnt stop crying so he sent me home my hand was swollen terrible, Mother bathed it in hot water, and I couldnt or Mother wouldnt let me go to school for a week. Well, it was about well then and I forgot and whispered again so had to stand in a corner with my face toward the wall with my hands up, of course that hurt my feeling but not so bad but I have allways admired Brother Jackson, because he taught me to be obedient.

When I was ten years old my Father sold our home in Richmond and bought a farm in Lewiston, for two winters I went back to Richmond to school and stayed with my Aunt, I was allways glad when school was out so I could go home, When I was 13 years old Mr. Bamberge was our teacher I had to walk a mile and half to school Mr. Bamberge started a little theater and asksd me if I would take part in it, which I was glad to do, Father didnt like it so well because I had to walk a mile and half every night to practice but he consented we would put on a new show every two weeks, of course they werent like the shows now days, but we thot they were [the] best ever and we had to study to do our school work and put this over. We would write our parts off. He would give us three days to learn them, then we would practice every night. Their werent many familys in Lewiston at that time so everybody would come out to the big show, we had our school and shows in the meeting house so we didnt have to pay for the use of it. and what we made was clear, Mr. Bamberge would devide the money and we would all get a little, so that incouragedus, the boys would hook a team on a wagon and come to get us girls to go to practice and bring us home. When snow come they brought a big bobsled with a wagon box on it and a lot of quilts to [w]rap us up with, we had as much fun going and coming as we had practicing. It was real Pioneer times, and we had our bad times, as well as the good times.

We had to go bare footed in the summer to save our shoes for best, every spring and part of the sunmer I had to take eight cows to herd, it was about two miles, I had to leave about six in the mornings and go get them at six at night, of a morning their would [be] so many of these big green worms along the road, and in big patches. Oh they were auful. So when I would get to them I would wait till the cows got thru, then I would shut my eyes and run as fast as I could with the worms squshing between my toes. Oh my you should of seen my feet, and no water to wash them with, but plenty of dust, so I would cover them with dust and go on. Then the same thing to go thru when I went back.

We lived three and half miles from Richmond we had no stores in Lewiston so I would have to go to Richmond to the store twice a week and carry butter and eggs. Mother would [w]rap the butter in pie plant leaves wet with cold water in one bucket 
and eggs in another bucket. I would leave before six in the morning so I could be back in time for mother to get dinner, and walk both ways, but I was happy. I would allways learn my Poems and songs while I was walking back and forth. I have helped do nearly everything on the farm and mil[k]ed cows all my life and am 73 years old and I believe I could do it again if I had too. Their was six of us got thru the eighth grade the same time, we were all so happy and decided to go to Logan that fall to the BYU College, but when fall cam[e] Father wouldnt let me go. He allways said a girl didnt need to go to College she had enough schooling if she got thru the eighth, then learn to be a good housekeeper and a good mother. I never did feel so bad in my life as I did when the other five came and bid me good bye when they left for school that fall, but I stayed with the little show, all though my heart was so heavy in the spring of 1885 we decided to get married if my Parents were willing and they were because father felt like that is what girls should do is to get married young and have a home, and a familey. and that is what I did, we had 11 children, their was two and two and a half years between every one of them, so I did my best didnt I, they are a a follows;

	Arminta Lalene
	William Glen
	Harvey Eugene
	Athel Monroe
	Lura
	Jos[e]ph Eldoris
	Mabel
	Lavell
	Margert
	George Clawson
	Vivian

So you see instead of going to school, I took a bigger responsibility, when Mr. Bamberges heard I was going to get married, he asked me if I would stay with them that winter, I said you bet your life I will, and intended to, but when he came to me that fall for me to help him decide on what shows to have my husband was their, and he absolutely refused to let me go. Why I never was so surprised in my life. I never thot a man would do that, I told him if I had of thot he would of done that, I never would of married him. It was sure another dissapointment I lost out going to college and being in the little theater, but I got over it. I have made a lot of failures, but that is the way we get our experiences and experience is what makes life worth living. My first faith promoting experience was when I was about nine years old. If mother went away before the work was all done, I would allways hurry and have the house clean when she got back, one time when she went I was going to black the stove which they all done those days. I couldnt find the stove brush, I prayed to the Lord t[o] show me where the brush was, because I wanted to have every thing nice when my dear Mother came back (and I said it in those very words) it seemed like I was guided to it I went out doors around the house and their was the brush hanging on a nail, I knew the Lord heard and answered my prayer and that faith has allways stayed with me.

We were married June 24 1885 in the Logan Temple, we lived with GrandMother Rawlins until October then we had our little one room home ready to move in to, and was I happy, yes it was small, but we allways had plenty of [r]oom no matter who came to see us, we had very little furniture no we didnt have carpet nor rugs on the floor just scrubed every morning.

In July sixth 1886 our first baby [g]irl came to gladden our home. yes I was a young Mother, but I had allways helped to take care of my brothers and sister, so it wasnt any trouble to take care of our baby, we soon built another room on our house, then we still had plenty of room eight of our children were born in Lewiston and three were born in Cornish, in 1903 we sold our home in Lewiston and bought us and 80 acre farm in Cornish, we built a five room home on it then we felt like we had a real home and we did. It was nice but wasnt any happier than we was in our smaller home, and no more contented only we had our cows, and a farm to raise more and work for our boys to do. We had six girls and five boys, we buried three of our dear children in Lewiston and three in Cornish, in Nov. 1892 our oldest boy was very sick with tyfoid fever and in Dec. our oldest girl took it every thing was done that could be done although Glen was so much worse than his sistsr. I felt like my darling girl would have to go, it was in the winter, and very cold, when they were so bad, I would go out behin[d] the hay stack where no one would see my and pray for my dear ones and still I felt like Glen would get well, but Lalene would have to go, when I would start to the house it seemed like some one would say go back and say it over again, I knew what it was but I couldnt do it, it was to put here in the Lords care what ever he see fit to do it was all right, but I couldnt, until the first day of January she was dying all day I went out that night and told the Lord thy will be don[e], if he wanted her to take her and not let her suffer any more I have never felt such a heavenly feeling, it was like I flew to the house. Mother got me to lie down awhile, they told me if their was any change they would let me know, I was so tired and weak, I went to sleep as soon as I layed down about 12 they woke me up telling me she wasnt so well, I was in a delicate condition expecting another baby in three months, when they told me this I had a terrible hemmerege, they wraped a quilt around me, sit me in a chair by the stove, I shook so they couldnt hardly hold me. Father and my two Brother-in-laws administered to me and asked the Lord to bless me that I would be able to stand the trail [trial] I was called to pass through, I knew then my girl was gone, they told me in this prayer that I would get well, and my baby would live and be healthy and strong and live to raise a familey which he did, that was another faith promoting incident. I was instently healed, and we were glad our darling girl went back to her Father in Heaven just as pure and clean as she was when he gave her to us, our little boy had to learn to talk and walk again, he had been so bad, but the Lord blessed us and we all got well then five years later Lura our only girl again had measles and Pneumonia and passed away the day before Decoration day and was buried the day after, our little son two years younger was very sick at the same time, but he got better, but all summer he would coax for his sister. If he got hurt or anything went wrong he would cry and want us to get Lura to kiss it better. In the fall he took very sick with quick Pneumon[i]a and passed away the day before Thanksgiving and buried the day after, he had to go to his sister, we felt like they couldnt be seperated, and again the Lord bless us and comforted us, and give us strength to bare this trial, we had to be brave, so we could make our other children happy and live for each other, and to help others because every body was so good to us. What would we do with out our friends, we have had many wonderful healings in our familey through faith and prayer. I am thankful to my heavenly Father for the many experiences I have had in my life, yes and for my trials because they have made me a better woman more sympathetic and king [kind]. I used to have these terrible sick head aches, one time Brother Mitten and Brother Sharp came to our home in Lewiston they were home missionarys from Logan and my husband was to take them around to some non-mormons, to have cottage meetings, when they got their I was very sick they administered to me and I was instantly healed, got up and got supper for them and I have never had that sick head ache again. Brother Carlile gave me a blessing once when I was very sick and I was healed, so I have many things to be thankfull for, and I am thankfull for everything, my children and husband has been healed through my faith and prayer, and I do know we are protected from harm and danger through prayer.

When we moved to Cornish nearly every boday was strangers, but I soon got acquainted and loved every body it was such a change we all felt better, it was a half mile to neighbors, and we lived close to the rail road track, I was allways afraid of tramps and their were a lot of those days. I never turned but one away without giving them some thing to eat, and this one asked me for something to eat, I told him yes, while I was getting it would he cut me some wood, he told me to go to hell, and he went away without a lunch.

In 1904 I was asked to be first Counselor in Primary, that winter we were trying so hard to get a Xmas Program but it was impossible to get the boys to stay after school to practice, we would practice at the school and it was getting pretty close to Xmas not much time to put it over, so we officers decided to fast and pray and ask the Lord to help us and that the children would stay to practice and that we would have success without [with our] program, so we did, and went up to our dear President andtalked things over and then we had prayer, I never have felt the spirit of the Lord more in my life than I did, when we got through praying we all sit their crying, because we were so happy we just had that felling, yes we can do anything we had lunch then went to practice and every child stayed, we went through our practice perfect. They all learned their parts and everything was a perfect success even the weather. The Brothers asked us how we done it, and we told him we didnt do it the Lord did. and we didnt forget to thank the Lord for it either.

In 1905 I was put in first Counselor in the Relief Society which I was very humble not knowing whether I could do the two or not, but the Lord blesses me and I was able to manage my work and familey and do the work he wanted me to do. Then in 1907 I was asked to be President in the Relief Society, well I thought I never could do that, I told them I [w]ould have to think about it, I just didnt want to give up the Primary I loved it so well and loved all the children too. So that night I asked the Lord about it. next morning that cant feeling had left me and I knew I could do it. So I accepted it and was set apart. I knew the Lord had made it known to me through that prayer that I could, and we got along fine. I had such a lovely woman to work with and I allways hav[e] had. The next spring Io was asked to be a teacher in the Sunday School, yes I took that and the Lord blessed me in all my work, I surprised myself many times how I could manage my work and get along as I did, and how happy I was. We had three more children come to gladden our home after we moved to Cornish, but they wouldnt release me from my church dutys the officers would bring the meetings to my home, my counselors took full charge until I was well and able to go back to work I was president for 15 years of the Relief Society and allways loved my work, about this time I lost three more of our dear childre[n], Clawson came home from school and said he was sick not so bad but wasnt well, he didnt seem to get any better so in three days I phoned for Dr. Adamson he told my my boy had a very bad case of tyfoid fever, but he would do all he could. I had the feeling when he first came home and said he was sick he wouldnt get well, well everything was done that could be done this was the first of November, he passed away on the 11 of December 1916 he was 10 years old, Margret two years older than Clawson, took sick with same fever She started complaining the 28th of November and passed away the nextmorning after Xmas, at five Oclock, the same year. Another terrible trial after everything was done that could be done with two nurses and doctors, the Primary, Sunday School and Relief Society fasted and prayed for them but I guess they had to go too. It was terrible, then four months after that our oldest boy Glen passed away after five days of quick pneumonia, leaving a wife and four children. Oh my we just wonder why so many of our children had to go and leave us like that. Glen took sick on his birthday we were going over and have dinner with him, his wife called up to see if we were coming, I told her yes, well she said Glen had an aufull chill last night and thought that maybe we wouldnt want to come, I had a terrible feeling again that he wouldnt live, we went over, his Father couldnt go, when we got their he was feeling pretty good. It came to me he had quick pnrumonia, I watched him and done everything I could, for him but couldnt see no symptoms of pneumonia this was on Sunday, it also came to me a week from today we will bury him, well I thought I couldnt live, I never said anything to them. He said Mother dont you worry over me I am allright. We went home at night his Father wanted to know how he was I told him he didnt seem so sick, then I told him how I felt and the things that come to me that day. He scolded me and told me he was afraid I was thinking those things, of course I cried I felt so bad the next morning Leilla his wife called me up real earley and told me Glen was real bad in the night they had the Doctor and he had quick pneumonia, I said Oh Leilla he will never live. She felt like I had so much trouble that death was the first thing I thought of, he died thursday morning June 14, 1917 and was buried on Sunday just as it was made known to me.

They built a sugar factory in Cornish that summer and I took 40 boarders, I nearly worked day and night I have allways felt like that work was the only thing that kept me from loosing my mind. but I was blessed [w]ith health and got along fine, we had a big yard and it was full of tents where they slept and some slept up in the barn on the hay. anyway so they all could stay with me.

One year we lost all of our horses but one they got poisend on something. It was hard for us to get horses to get our crop off so I thought it would be fine if I could go to Lewiston sugar factory and get the boarding house. President Quinney of the Logan Temple was now President of the sugar factory then so I wrote to him about it, he came to see me and asked me if I thought I could do it. Their would be from 40 to 80 or 90 men eat their, I knew I could do it. They furnished us a house to sleep in, the coal we used, paid for the light and furnished all th[e] dishes and all the cooking utensil I felt like that was fine and told him I would take it. I had to do some coaxing to get to go. My brother even told me it was a disgrace for me to go and take that big job, but I didnt think so, nobody encouraged me in it. But I went happy as I could be. I had too [two] lovely girls to help me and when my husband got his crop off he come and helped me, the factory run for nearly five months that year, we had three big meals a day and it was a lot of work, but we did it and felt fine. We went home a[s] happy as I went to work, and we all kept well while their. We got $35.00 and $40.00 a month for board. The bookkeeper would take my pay out of the mens checks and pay my grocery bill then give me the rest so no bother at all. Yes I wondered my self how I ever done it but I had some good help. No we never know what we can do till we try some times I have wondered if I did do much good in the ward when I had to work so hard then when I stop to think their wasnt a home their but I helped either in sickness or death, or in some way it was a small ward, I helped deliver 30 babys and was alone 6 times had the baby tended to before the Dr. would come every morning for 10 days and take care of the mother and baby, and go at night give them a good rub down and fix them for a good night rest. I loved the work. I loved to make people happy, if the bishop was ever called out to the sick he would allways come for me to go with him, and I was allways happy to go. I have allways tried to do what I have been asked to do by those who are over me. We used to have religion class in our school I was President for two years, I did enjoy that to the lessons and stories were so beautifull, when I had been President of the Relief Society for 13 years. All that summer I had such a depressing feeling I was nearly sick I couldnt think why I felt that way. My husband had wanted me to be released from the R. S. he thought I had been their long enough, and that the change would do me good. So I decided I would maybe I had been in too long they were getting tired of me. I knew the way I felt was warning of something. I spoke to the bishop and told him how I felt. He didnt think the R. S. had anything to do with it. and for me to go right on with the work because that was my mission. So I told the officers of the R. S. I would like for them to come and see me. I wanted to talk to them. I told them how I felt, and what I wanted to do. Oh my they felt aufull and so did I, we talked awhile then Sister Merriatt put her arm aroun[d] me and said she was no prophet, but I do want to say Sister Rawlins, just as sure as you get out of the R. S. you will loose some of your children. I felt like others had been released and got along fine, why couldnt I. But we talked and cried awhile. and all felt bad, so I decided to stay with it as bad as I felt and did but never got to feeling any better but stayed with the R. S because I felt if their should be anything happen to any of my children I would never get over it. I wouldnt even feel like I could ask the Lord to help us. After my cheldren died that big cloud lifted and I could see the sun shine again. I was so thankfull that I had stayed with the R. S. and was thankfull dear Sister Meriate talked to me the way she did. For I never would of been able to ask the Lord for his blessings and his spirit to of been with me when I was not willing to do my bit to help to carry his wonderfull work along.

I have allways tried to in my weak way to do what ever I have been asked to do Pres. Waddaps came to see us in our trouble and told me to be brave he said the Lord giv[e] us those little spirits to give bodys to and for us to train them right untill he needed them and when that time come they had to go he said like us mothers if our children or out playing or doing something else, and you wanted them you would call them or go get them because you needed them right away. and that is the way our Father in heaven is but I said why did he want all of mine. I believe I was a little rebellious, but I tried not to be and oh how sorry I was for the little wife and four little children bless her heart it was hard for her, but I soon got so I could take up my work and go on and trying to make some one else happy and with the help of the Lord, I was able to do it, and I am still trying, to do my little bit in my weak way.

I stayed in the R. S. three more years and was happy we had one acre of land with a granery on it those times every body donated wheat to the R. S. and we would take a team and wagon and gather it up. It would take us all day but we would get a nice load to put in our granery, we also had one acre of land then every spring we would put in beets and the land some of the men would get the land ready and plant the beets, others would drill them, others would cultivate them and we sisters and the children would thin and hoe them four times of course we musnt have a weed in them oh no, then some of ths men would plow them out and we women would top them and we were all happy doing it. Bishop Butler was released about this time and they put a new Bishop in he was very very religious he never smiled and was allways so serious Bishop Butler came to me and told me I wouldnt want to get out of the R. S. now we had a good Bishop. I told him to just watch. If I asked him to release me he would do it so quick it would make my head swim, He didnt like me very well, I talked and laughed so much and I knew it. He told me once I never would be anything but a kid. I told him I just couldnt be any one else, I was just me and that is all. but he came on[e] day and wanted me to go with him to see the beets. Oh he was so surprised to see the them so lovely and clean he wanted to know who done it, I told him the R. S. then I showed him the wheat we had in the grainery, he was surprised at that he had been the Bishop for six or eight months and that was the first time he had talked to me about what we were doing, well he thought every thing was fine, I thought now is a good time to get out, he didnt care for me anyway, I said Bishop we have so much money in the bank, so much wheat in the grainery and this lovely crop of beets and I have been President for 15 years, I would like to be released, all right he said who would you suggest for President, now it was done so quick it nearley made my head swim. We all had a big laugh over that and still do. When Bishop Butler heard it he came to see me, stuck his head in the door and asked me if my head was still swimming. We sur[e] had a big laugh over it. No I was never sorry. Because I was still a worker in the R.S. because I thought we needed a change and they got along fine and so did I, I have had so many ask me if my faith didnt weaken in all my trouble.. Why my faith was stronger, I have had many trials and sorrows my faith has never weakened. I am sure thankfull for it.

In 1918 I moved to Logan so to be with my girls while they went to the BYU College I rented a large house in the sixth ward and took boarders to help pay expenses, but in the spring I would go back home for the summer, I did that for four years then I went as a house Mother for the Epsolon Freturnity was with them 15 years. At this time my husband was gored with a bull nearly killed him. He was in the hospitol for 11 weeks we never thought he would live. I had 14 boys at the house, a big house to clean and two meals a day but still had time to go to see him twice every day and sometimes three times. It was an aufull cold winter and a lot of snow. The doctor never gave me much encouragnent and said he never would get outof a wheel chair. Oh I thought that was aufull, but through faith, fasting and prayer he was healed when he left the hospitol he went on crutches in two weeks he went with a cane, yes he was a long time getting well, the Doctor said he would have to have one leg off and maybe both of them, he said no I'll die with my legs on. He was bad I guess for 8 or 10 years couldnt do much and went with his cane he heard that doctor in Salt Lake was good, he went to him, he put him on a strict diet. Doctored him for about 8 months and pronounced him well, if he could stay on his diet and do as he said, he is well, walks a lot and works every day another faith promoting incident in our familey. I never lost faith for one minuet, at this time we sold our home in Cornish and moved to Logan. That summer I had a nervous break down and was very sick. I kept telling the doctor I had to get well to go to work that fall. He would say oh you wont go to work this fall nor next, but I did go to work with the help of my husband on the 13 of Jan and begin to get better right away. Then is when I found out work didnt hurt any body. But dont never think I never cried every night when I would go to bed I thought I never could stand it another day. But next morning I was up and at [it] again, and got well. 

I have allways been able to do my bit in church work through it all with all my other work I have acted as a R. S. teacher for 55 years even when I was President. those days we couldnt have a teacher unless she had been to the Temple, we didnt have enough women in our ward to do the work, so we officers had to be an active teacher, where ever I moved I have been asked if I would be a teacher and I did. I am still one which I am thnkful for. We have had many failures in financial business, had hard times, and made many failures in my life, but it has all helped me to be a better woman a better mother and a better neighbor, and a better wife that is what my husband says. I have made many mistakes and have done many things in my life that I shouldnt of done and I am sorry for it. Hope the Lord will forgive me of my many weakness and that I can continue on doing good and be a comfort to some one in my weak way.

I have done a lot of Temple work and still go when I can. I love the work I have also been chairman of the Cheer Up Committee for 14 years and still love the work. I was captain of the Wm. B. Preston Camp for four years and I am still an officer.

I hope I can continue on doing my bit and allways be able to make some one happy I do give the Lord the praise for every good thing I have done, because if he hadnt of helped me I never could of done it.

Hope and pray I can allways be able to take care of myself and never be a burden on anyone.

Grandmother died March thursday 2nd 1950 at 1:10 oclock after noon

[Transcribed by Brett Rawlins on 18 Feb 2007 from a typewritten copy given to me by my grandmother, Edith Mecham Rawlins, the wife of Chester Lawrence Rawlins, who was Mary Ann Pope's grandson.]