Hazel Ruth Lewis

  Generelle notater:

Ruth was born 27 March 1897 to Arthur and Rosalie Lewis in Salt Lake City, Utah in a small house her father built. She was the 6th of 12 children. Ruth tells a story that took place in 1902 when she was five years old: “It was grandmother's birthday. Mother and the two little ones went to her house and told me to come after Primary. We lived in Poplar Grove and grandma lived in the city. I got off the streetcar in the right place and mother was there to meet me, but I didn’t see her, and turned to the wrong street and ran as fast as I could go. I was sure I could go right to her place. Traffic stopped mother from catching me, and the farther I went the more strange the country looked. Finally I knew I was lost and started to cry. A lady asked me what the trouble was and said she would find someone to help me. She brought a policeman and I was horrified. I thought it was a disgrace to be seen holding the hand of a policeman. We wandered around trying to find grandma’s house, then I told him I had a sister working at the Deseret News Bookstore. He phoned her and got the address of grandma’s house, and when she saw me she scolded me for spoiling her birthday party. Mother was still out looking for me.”
Ruth tells of another experience about going to school: “Other children had bicycles, and I would stay and play till dark, as my parents couldn’t afford bicycles and other playthings. It worried mother, and she would punish me, but I would stay till dark. She then told me she would put me in the reform school, which was a block from her house (for colored boys). She started over there with me, and I promise to be good.
“When I was nine years old (1906), a land salesman came to talk to dad about the wonderful farm land for sale in the Moapa Valley in Nevada. He pointed to me and said, ‘Girls her size are picking asparagus there now’. Dad decided it would be a good place to raise his family and better for Mother’s health. I thought it was a wonderful place to live – sand hills close by. I planted asparagus learned to ride horses and drive a team. We lived on the Capalapa Ranch, five miles from Overton, and I walked to Sunday School, Mutual and dances. I wasn’t afraid of anything.”
When Ruth was 18 she met and married Raymond LeRoy Fulkerson. After they had four children (Alvin, Hazel, Dorothy, and Raymond), they decided to move to Montana, where Raymond LeRoy was from. The children were all little tots and the country so much colder after being in Moapa that Ruth and her children returned while Raymond stayed to harvest the crops. They went back to the Muddy on the train, and it was a hardship because Ruth was expecting another child, who was born before Raymond arrived. The new baby was a girl, whom they named Donna. Ruth’s husband came home but was only there a few months when he contracted pneumonia and passed away leaving Ruth with five children to raise. The oldest was six years old and the baby was two months. She worked hard for the next seven years to feed and clothe her children, then she met and married Raymond H. Mills. A year later her 10-year-old son, Raymond died; it was a terrible blow to the family.
Three years later a baby girl was born, named Janice. Alice followed, then Karen. They had a very happy home all through the years and enjoy the grandchildren - 26 of them and two great-grandchildren. Ruth passed away 12 March 1965. She always had a pleasant word and sweet smile for everyone.

  Begivenheder i hendes liv:

• Bopæl, 1900, ED 15 Precinct 15 Salt Lake City Ward 2, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

• Bopæl, 1910, Overton, Clark, Nevada, United States.

• Bopæl, 1920, Overton, Clark, Nevada, United States.

• Bopæl, 1930, Clark, Nevada.

• Bopæl, 1940, Township 8 Overton, Overton, Clark, Nevada.