My Mother, Alice Elizabeth Luthy Noakes
by Ruby Alice Noakes Woodland
Alice Elizabeth Luthy was born Saturday, October 15, 1892, in
Rexburg, Madison (then Fremont) County, Idaho. Her birthplace was
a log house built by her father. Only a midwife was in
attendance.
Alice was a pretty dark-haired baby. The proud parents welcoming
their first child were Albert Frederick and Ellen Elizabeth Bean
Luthy. Both had emigrated to America with their families-- Albert
from Switzerland at age 19 and Ellen from Greater London as an
11-year old.
Alice grew up in Rexburg and Herbert, Idaho. Herbert was at one
time a thriving community on the Rexburg bench. It was named
after Herbert England, the first boy born there. Over the years,
Alice was to welcome eleven younger brothers and sisters into the
family:
Adeline Alvina, November 25, 1894, born in Rexburg
Henry Lewis, January 27, 1897, born in Rexburg
Bertha May, May 23, 1899, the first child to be born in their Herbert home and the first to be born in the community
Ellen Selena, October 31, 1901, born in the log house in Rexburg
Albert Frederick, March 16, 1904, born in Rexburg
Florence, September 30, 1906, born in the log house in Herbert
Charles William, April 8, 1909, born in the new frame home in Herbert
Mabelle Irene, September 3, 1911, born in Herbert
David Milton, February 17, 1914, born in Herbert
Leona Bean, September 14, 1916, born in Rexburg
Ferdinand Thomas (Ferdie), October 2, 1918, born in Rexburg
The last two children were born with a doctor in attendance - a
Dr. Espe.
Not long before the turn of the century (in 1898) Alice's father
homesteaded a 160-acre square of land southeast of Rexburg and
became the first to dry farm and raise wheat there. The idea came
to him when he noticed wheat growing along side the road he
traveled to gather firewood from the hills. Grain used to feed
the horses had spilled and sprouted there. Derided at first and
called "that crazy Frenchman" he proved it could be
done, and grain has been grown there continuously since that
time.
Albert built a log house to shelter his family, cleared and
fenced the land, built log shelters for livestock, and acquired
cattle, horses, hogs and chickens. He planted a garden near the
creek.
Other families followed Albert's lead and moved to the area. Some
of these were the England (or Englund) , Barber, Leatham, Newby,
Johnson, Dilly, Archibald, Clements and Munns families. Enduring
friendships developed, and they helped each other with planting,
harvesting and other tasks.
Herbert had its own school, post office and Mormon Church. Albert
Luthy, Charles England and John Barber organized the school and
built a one-room log schoolhouse (later replaced with a frame
structure) across the road from the Luthy property. For a time,
they paid the teacher themselves. Here Alice attended school with
her younger brothers and sisters and their friends. Attendance
varied over the years from about 25 to 50 students. School
outings were enjoyed by all ages.
In 1958, I corresponded with my mother's best friend, Ida Mae
Barber Galbraith of Thornton, Idaho, and received the following
reply, dated May 8, 1959: "I received your lovely Christmas
card and the picture of your mother. Thank you so much. I have
thought so much about you, but just kept putting off writing. I'm
sending you a picture of the Herbert schoolhouse. The girl with
the big hat is my sister, Amelia. Your mother is standing by her
(the tall girl wearing the white blouse). My brother is wearing
the dark cap. Henry Luthy is standing near him wearing a light
hat. Adeline Luthy is the one on the end who almost got left off.
(Lena and Bertha are the two wearing ribbons over the tops of
their heads.) Love to the daughter of my very dear friend,
Alice."
Again in December, 1961, she wrote: "Thanks so much for the
picture and beautiful Christmas card. The oldest boy favors your
father, the oldest girl favors your mother, and the next girl
favors your Aunt Lena when she was a girl.
"Another girl friend, Jenett Clements Munns, when I told her
I had heard from you, said, 'Oh, it seems so good to hear of some
of the old friends and their children.' She wanted me to tell you
hello for her.
"It was so nice to hear about your family working in the
church. I'm sure your mother is very happy about it, and also
your Grand father Luthy. He was a wonderful man. All the families
that lived on the dry farms thought a lot of each other. Nearly
all the parents have passed on, and the younger folks are
scattered all over the world.
"I love to hear from you. God bless you all. Merry
Christmas."
Other special friends of my mother were Martha Galbraith, Maude
Leatham, and boy friends Con E. Englund and Ola Anderson.
On March 9, 1898, when Alice was five years old, her parents took
her, her little sister Adeline, and baby brother Henry (age one
year) to the temple in Logan for the family to be sealed. Mariner
W.Merrill officiated at the ceremonies. Albert had a strong
testimony of Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, and the divinity
of the work he accomplished.
When Alice was 14, she, Adeline, Henry and Bertha were all
baptized in Moody Creek in the hills near their home. This took
place on Saturday, the 31st of August, 1907. They were confirmed
in Rexburg First Ward September 29, 1907. Alice was baptized by
Henry C. Blunk and confirmed by Silas S. Smith.
Alice enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother,
Charlotte Perret-Gentil Luthy. Her father built a small log house
for her near his own on the farm. Charlotte later went to live
with her son, William, in Preston, Idaho, where she died in 1910.
She was also close to her father. Over the years, he taught her
to speak some French.
Very often Albert had to act as the family doctor. When my mother
fell and broke her arm as a little girl, it was he who fashioned
a home-made splint for it. Apparently, it healed just fine. This
bit of information was given me by Pearl Bean Robertson, a cousin
of the Luthy children and daughter of Thomas Bean's younger
brother, George.
Albert donated the lot for the Mormon Church. It stood next to
the entry gate on the northwest corner of his property (now des
ignated as South 600 East and East 800 South) southeast of
Rexburg. A nice looking wooden structure (since torn down) was
built. It was painted white. Alice taught Sunday School classes
in this building.
The school still stands on the opposite side of the road about a
quarter mile south of where the church house stood. Both were
located about a quarter mile from the two-story wood frame home
which Albert had built for his family in 1907 or 1908. Peter
Hokansen was the carpenter. This house was painted green.
The downstairs portion was divided into four rooms:
In later years, a cream and milk separator and a hand-operated washing machine were purchased and kept here.A third outside door was located at the northeast corner of this room. Just beyond were the cellar, the wood pile, clothes lines, log garage (built after the purchase of an automobile) and out house.
Two bedrooms were completed upstairs on the south side of the
house. Each had a dormer window facing south and looking down on
the creek. The largest room was the boys' room (on the southeast)
- the smaller one the girls' (on the southwest). A shelf for
books was placed over the stairs at the second floor level.
When needed, beds could also be set up in the open storage area
on the north side of the upstairs. A window in this area near the
top of the stairs faced west.
When the school teacher boarded with the Luthy family, she was
given the girls' room, furnished with feather bed, dresser, and a
small pot-bellied heating stove.
Willow-lined Lyman Creek flowed through the southwest corner of
the Luthy acreage. This provided the family with water. It also
pro vided a cool fun place for the children to play in the
summertime. They could wade in the creek and cool of f. The girls
made make-believe playhouses in small clearings among the
willows. Wooden boxes provided furniture.
When time and weather permitted, games most enjoyed were Hide and
Seek, Kick the Can and Run Sheep Run. It was also fun to balance
on and walk the corral fence.
Water was hauled up the hill to the house in two barrels on a
horse-drawn drag (two logs with boards nailed across and a
singletree attached). Old Bill was the horse favored to do the
dragging.
Horses the children enjoyed riding were Maggie and Bell.
There was no indoor plumbing or electricity. Coal oil lamps were
used continuously in the farm home. The family did own one gas
lamp that used mantles. It gave a bright light.
As the eldest child, Alice was her mother's first helper, and, as
with any large family, there was more than enough to do -- food
preparation, washing and drying of dishes, washing and ironing of
clothes and linens, sweeping, scrubbing, washing of windows and
much, much dusting. There was no landscaping around the house to
keep the dust down. Smoke blackened lamp chimneys had to be
cleaned and the lamps filled with oil.
All the girls, in turn, helped their mother with the housekeeping
chores. Until the hand-operated washing machine was purchased,
the washing was all done on a scrubbing board. The whites were
boiled in an oblong boiler on top of the stove for sanitizing and
whitening. Many hands were required to operate the washing
machine. The children took turns pushing the handle back and
forth. In winter, the clothes would freeze solid when hung on the
line to dry. Ironing was done with heavy hand irons which were
heated on the stove. Used wash water was thrown out on the
ground.
Cows were milked in the early morning, usually by the boys, then
turned loose in the lanes to graze. In the evenings the children
had to go look for them and drive them home for the evening
milking. Cowbells worn around their necks helped in locating
them. They also fed the chickens and some of the other farm
animals and gathered the eggs.
The children were required to do much of the weeding and watering
of the large garden which was planted near the creek. This garden
provided winter potatoes, onions, squash and carrots. These were
stored in the dirt cellar--a dugout with steps leading down to a
door and a thick dirt roof for insulation. A treat for a farm
child was often to go to the cellar and get a potato or carrot to
peel and eat.
All the vegetables, including peas, beets, radishes, lettuce,
etc. were also enjoyed fresh from the garden.
A patch of alfalfa was grown to provide hay for the animals.
Sugar beets were sometimes grown to sell. The main crop, of
course, was wheat.
There were gooseberry and currant bushes growing by the creek
Chokecherries, huckleberries and even strawberries grew wild in
the hills -- reason enough for many a fun outing. From these
fruits jams and jellies were made.
When they were old enough, the boys drove the farm machinery and
built and repaired fences.
The younger children enjoyed riding the work horses. The older
ones never owned a saddle. They rode bareback.
Deep snow down by the creek, when insulated with layers and
layers of straw, provided a good substitute for ice into the
spring and summer for the making of ice cream.
Alice was a big help with the younger girls in the family. They
took pride in their long hair and dressed it with pretty, wide
ribbons. The older sister did much of the combing, brushing and
arranging. The Luthy home was an especially busy household on
school and Sunday mornings. Church was an important part of their
busy lives.
Saturday evening baths were taken in a large galvanized wash tub
in the kitchen and near the stove for warmth. Water was heated on
top of the stove and in the stove's attached reservoir. A tub of
water was used for several baths. Clean clothes were handed out.
Blankets draped about on chairs afforded a little privacy and
protection from drafts. The used bath water was carried outside
into the yard area and poured onto the ground.
Alice learned to sew very well and made clothing for herself and
other members of the family. New dresses were made for Christmas
and the Fourth of July. (Lena remembers a pink dress Alice made
for her when she was nine or ten years old. It was very pretty
and she was extremely proud of it.)
Albert logged his own timber from the nearby hills. It was needed
for fuel, building purposes and fencing. Each fall a woodpile,
looking much like a huge pyramid, appeared at the side of the
house convenient to the side door.
As the boys became old enough, they helped their father cut and
haul the loads of logs home to the farm where it was sawed, split
and chopped into wood-burning size. Whenever money was in short
supply, some of the wood was taken to town and sold.
The wood provided fuel for the several heating stoves in the home
and for the cook stove with its large baking oven, warming ovens
and reservoir for heating water. Fires were necessary all year
round for cooking, hot water, and to heat the heavy hand irons
used for ironing the clothes.
The younger boys in the family were responsible for keeping the
wood box filled.
The family raised its own chickens, beef cattle, milk cows, and
hogs. Albert, of necessity had to do his own butchering (no small
task). He cured bacon and hams. Mother and daughters rendered
lard in the oven. Nothing was wasted. Potato peelings, scraps
from the table and even water used to rinse the dishes went into
the bucket to feed the pigs. Straw was saved and used in the
barns, in mattresses and elsewhere. The straw stack was also a
favorite place to play.
Good care was taken of the tools and equipment. Albert insisted
that the tools be put away in the granary after each use. The
animals were given good care also. Lena remembers helping Henry
clean the stables. Old straw and manure were removed and placed
in a pile to be used later as fertilizer. Fresh straw was then
strewn about.
At one time, Albert had eight horses. They were needed to haul
the harvester he owned and used in later years. Some of their
names were John, Slim, Ginger, Prince, Fred and Kate. He also
owned a binder.
Wagons were used to haul the wheat to the thresher where the
grain was sacked, again loaded on wagons and hauled to the
elevator. Some was stored in granaries unsacked to be used as
seed another year. At the elevator, grain could be traded for
flour.
When Herbert's population became sufficient to warrant a post
office, it was located in the room in back of the schoolhouse
that had been built to house the teacher. The Johansen family ran
a small store there so also took over the post office. The
teachers seemed to prefer boarding with one of the Herbert
families. When the Johansens moved their store, Alice's mother
took over the post office duties. Her daughters supported her in
this.
In fact, this good mother was very proud of Alice and her other
six daughters. They were all good workers, clean and neat in
their habits and in their housekeeping.
When the school teacher boarded with the Luthys, she always
received the best they had to offer. This was often,as the Luthy
home was the nearest to the school. If canned fruits, jams and
jellies were in short supply, they were then reserved just for
her.
Although a great deal of work was of necessity required of them,
the Luthy children were, without exception, good natured and fun
loving. They enjoyed their full share of good times.
In winter, the young people enjoyed sleigh rides. (Wheels under
wagon boxes were replaced with runners for the winter months.)
Quilts and heated bricks were used to keep warm. At times, the
sleighs would be chased by coyotes. A cutter (one-horse sleigh)
was often used for dates. (Heated bricks were also used to warm
beds.) Buggy rides were popular in summer.
Special parties were held on Valentine's Day and Christmas. The
Christmas party was a community party. It was held in the school
house or church building. Programs were prepared with all the
children and young people taking part.
Dancing was popular year round among young and old. Local talent
provided music for the dances, which were often held in church
recreation halls. Families often attended. Babies and youngsters
were bedded down on the stage or wherever space would permit.
Later, because of its popularity, special dance halls were built.
Lena would plead with Adeline to be taken to the dances. Her boy
friends would sometimes let her go with them.
There were two big celebrations every July--the 4th and 24th.
Rexburg was largely a Mormon community. Rodeos, games, races of
all kinds, food and dances rounded out the celebrations.
Alice was described by her sister, Lena, as being beautiful with
dark brown eyes and hair. Some said her hair was almost black.
She wore it long and pinned up. She was gentle in nature.
Mabelle, one of the younger sisters, although only 12 years old
at the time of Alice's death, remembers her soft, distinctive
voice. She found it very pleasing and loved to hear her talk.
Alice was about five feet seven inches tall and slender in build.
She met Leo Milton Noakes when he was working with a crew of
threshers (separating the grain from the wheat stalks in the
fields). This crew traveled from ranch to ranch. (The young
people shocked the grain.)
The women (mothers and older daughters) helped each other prepare
the meals for the workers. These were usually banquets prepared
for hard-working, hungry men.
To his family, Leo Milton was "Milt" but, out on his
own, he preferred to be called "Lee".
He liked the Luthy girls and chose Alice to court. They exchanged
colorful, humorous post cards, a custom of the day. On one dated
July 7, 1912, he wrote: "Hello, Hon. How did you spend the
fourth? Tell everybody hello for me. Answer soon. With love and
kisses - Lee N."
On another card with a beautiful red rose embossed thereon, he
wrote simply: "To my Dear Intended, Mrs. Alice Noakes."
Traveling by train from Rexburg to Salt Lake, they were married
in the Salt Lake Temple on November 13, 1912, by Anthon H. Lund
of the First Presidency of the Mormon Church. Lee was also sealed
to his parents that day, indicating they were present and
witnessed the marriage of their eldest son.
The following item appeared in the Rexburg paper:
"Miss Alice Luthy of Herbert and Mr. Leo Noakes of Thistle, Utah, left for Salt Lake City last Saturday, where they intend to unite their destinies as man and wife in the famous temple in that city sometime this week. Miss Luthy is a most estimable young lady, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Luthy, the dry farmer, of Herbert. They will make their future home in Salt Lake City. We wish them much success in life."
Although they may have intended to make their home in Salt
Lake City, after a brief stay in Lee's home town of Thistle, the
young couple chose to make Idaho their home.
Expecting her first child, Alice returned to the Herbert home of
her parents to await the arrival. Her son, Irvin Louis, was born
there August 11, 1913. Rosie Pfost was the midwife.
Lee sent the following message to his parents:
"We have a big fine baby boy, born August 11th Weighed eight pounds. He has blue eyes and hair the color of mine. They say he looks just like me. He is big and strong and very good natured and healthy."
The new little family lived at 823 Bridger Street in Pocatello for a time. Alice received a post card at this address from her now railroading husband. It pictured the Round House at Armstead, Montana. He wrote:
"Armstead, Mont. 9-23-14
Dear Alice - Just a line to let you know I am still alive. I have been looking for a letter from you for the last three days. We are going to move to Dillon Friday (25th). How is Irvin-- and yourself? Lee"
Lee was working as a locomotive fireman for the Union Pacific
System--All Divisions. His Certificate of Service indicates he
worked in this capacity from September 17, 1913, to June 25,
1915.
Soon thereafter, they made their home in Rexburg, where Lee again
took up ranching. They rented a two-room log house.
Their second child, Ruby Alice, was born in this home November 7,
1915. This time a Dr. Cusmon was in attendance.
Lee's sister Kate (now married and living in Pocatello) and
younger brother Clarence visited them here. According to Kate,
they all enjoyed a number of outings with the team and
white-topped surrey (complete with the fringe on top) which Lee
and Alice had at that time. It was on this visit that Kate and
Clarence taught Ruby to walk in a wagon box. Said Kate, "You
were sure a cute baby."
Although Lee liked ranching, he thought he could make more money
working on the railroad. He returned to Pocatello and, on
November 4, 1916, hired out as a brakeman on the Oregon Short
Line, a division of Union Pacific Systems.
Jonathan Gibby (Kate's husband) was also working for the
railroad. Both families purchased homes in North Pocatello.
The Noakes residence was 109 Wilson Street. LaPreal Violet was
born there on August 4, 1918. There are pictures of the three
children taken on the back porch of this home and one of Alice
and LaPreal taken in front of the home. LaPreal was just a baby
in arms. A Mrs. Eales (family friend) said LaPreal was the
prettiest baby she had ever seen.
Lee's parents and his brother, Elmo, were visitors I remember
at this home. Alice's sister, Lena, also visited before LaPreal
was born. I was too young to remember. The two sisters enjoyed
these visits. Alice was alone with her children much of the time
due to her husband's railroad work. As a brakeman, his home away
from home was a caboose.
Alice taught Lena to crochet, and they would sometimes walk to
town with Ruby and Irvin for ice cream sundaes. Lena would push
Ruby in the baby cart.
After Wilson Street, the family moved several times. I recall
living in two other homes in Pocatello before moving to 347 North
Buchanan Street in October 1920. This house had just two rooms--
kitchen and bedroom with closet. A screened-in porch was built
across the front. There was a woodhouse, an outhouse and a
garage. The house was built on the back of the lot, leaving room
for a larger house to be built in front. A patch of lawn graced
this area. There were built--in cupboards and sink with running
water in the kitchen, also a cellar which could be reached by
lifting up a door in the wooden floor. The room was furnished
with table and chairs and a wood-burning range. The bedroom was
furnished with a dresser, two beds and a trundle bed. Irvin slept
in the trundle bed. There may have been a sewing machine also.
On November 2, 1920, Alice wrote her sister, Adeline (now married
to Robert Hardman and living in Salt Lake City with her husband
and little daughter, Leola):
"I have been as busy as an old hen with a dozen chicks. By the way I've got five chicks--one for Thanksgiven, one for Christmas and three to lay eggs in the Spring. I'm tickled to have that many.
"We have moved and all straight at last. You don't know how glad I am. We haven't very much room but enough so we can get along just fine, and everything is so handy. The poor woman that owned the place liked to worked her fingers off the last two days she was here. Lee thanked her for it, and she said 'That's my way I can't leave my dirt for someone else to clean.' I was glad because . . the morning we started to move I sure felt punk.
"I have a friend here that's going to have a baby right away, and she didn't have her sewing done and can't run the machine. She asked me to do her sewing, and it has just kept me going. Her baby is 16 days younger than LaPreal. I made four aprons for her. I'm making the baby dresses now. I have made six and one more to make and two more petticoats. She gave me a bushel basket full of lace and insertion to work in the duds. She likes ironing better than I do.
"How's little Leola? We sure think about her. Irvin and Ruby will be talking and they'll say, 'Poor Leola. I love her, don't you?' They think about her all the time. How does she feel? I don't believe she was hurt as bad as we thought.
(Leola was hurt at the Gilman Fikstad home in Thornton, Idaho. Lena, now married, was living there with her first husband and their son, Howard, age one year. Adeline and Leola were visiting, and the Noakes family had just con cluded a short visit. Unfortunately, Lee did not see Leola behind the car when he started to back out of the yard. He rushed her and her mother to the doctor in Rexburg. Fortunately, for everyone, Leola recovered from her injuries with no problems, but not before a frantic time was had by all.)"Do you know Malaeska (Uncle Edmond's daughter) has another girl. Poor folks, I guess they never will have a boy.
"Bertha had her house robbed. Her diamond ring was stolen out of the bottom of her trunk. There sure is a lot of stealing going on up around there.
"Pa and Ma are moving to town. They have rented Martha Gardner's place. Marth lives in Salt Lake somewhere. Do you ever see Aunt Lew and Grandma? I'd like to come down Christmas for a couple of days but I don't know whether Lee will let me or not. He says I can't and I say I will, so I guess I'll wait and see.
"We are paying 75 dollars per month on our place and that keeps us guessing. But we have nearly all our winter's grub in, so it won't make it so hard on us. We have our potatoes, honey, lard, apples, onions, sugar, fruit, pickles and tomatoes for winter, so I don't think we'll suffer. O yes, and our coal for three months.
"We never sold our car. We are not going to unless we get awful hungry. We need a lot of clothes, but I don't know where they are coming from. Will send Leola's gown as soon as I hear from you.
"Love to all. Alice - 347 North Buchanan Street, Pocatello, Idaho."
Irvin and Ruby walked to school from this address, crossing a
bridge over the Portneuf River. The first and second grades were
held in two wooden structures on the Pocatello High School lot.
Church was the Pocatello First Ward not far from the school.
Alice took her children to Sunday School and attended Relief
Society as she could. Lee was away much of the time.
During the 1920-21 school year, Alice's sister, Florence, stayed
with her for a time and attended Pocatello High School. She was
fourteen. I was in first grade.
Lee was enjoying steady employment as a brakeman during the stay
on Buchanan Street. Alice could get passes and travel by train to
Rexburg for visits with her family. In the summer months, when
school was out, she did just that a number of times.
While her husband was away on his job, Alice passed the time
(when not too busy with her children) sewing and crocheting. She
also enjoyed reading. She did beautiful handwork and was a
meticulous housekeeper .
Lee enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing. When he was home
and time permitted, there were numerous outings with the family
and others. Inkom Canyon was a favorite place.
Several diseases kept us quarantined during our stay
here--smallpox and diphtheria. Lee, on finding his family in
quarantine, made a bed for himself in the garage so he could
continue to work. He brought a big wooden box filled with oranges
and passed it through the window to us.
Another time, he came home with a hand-held health gadget that
made a buzzing sound and emitted a blue light. It may have been
operated by electricity as we had electric lights. You simply ran
it over your body. I'm not sure what it was supposed to do.
Leo Guymon, the second son, was born in the Buchanan Street home
on Sunday, December 4, 1921. Alice's good friend, Mrs. Guymon,
helped her at this time. I remember returning home and Mrs.
Guymon placing my new baby brother in my arms and letting me hold
him for a few moments. I was six years old. (The Guymons were
also descendants of James Guymon, our forebear. Mr. Guymon was
called Jim so may have been a namesake. He and Lee were close
friends.)
On February 14, 1923, Lee lost his job. He was charged with
"burning of f journal" or failing to oil one of the
wheels. This was a serious blow to the little family.
As soon as school was out and they could sell their house, Lee
and Alice packed their car with children and belongings and went
traveling--probably to look for work elsewhere. I recall the trip
to Salt Lake and visits with Alice's relatives (Adeline, the Bean
grandparents and several uncles) and Lee's sister, Emma, who
lived on Edith Avenue with her family. Edith Avenue was near
Liberty Park. We enjoyed the beautiful grounds, the flowers and
man-made lake. There were also animals and birds and a
merry-go-round. Unaware of our parents' worries, we children
enjoyed ourselves very much.
Then followed a brief stay in a rented house in Eureka, Utah, a
small mining town in Juab County. Lee's parents were living
there.
His father worked for the railroad as a freight car repairman.
The cars, imprinted with D&RGW (Denver and Rio Grande
Western) were the type used to haul the ore from the mines. He
had a shop with forge and anvil next to his home by the railroad
tracks.
Lee may have found temporary work of some kind--perhaps in one of
the mines.
Our Grandmother visited, bringing gifts for us--pretty umbrellas
for LaPreal and me. She also brought beef broth to our mother who
was ill and in bed much of the time. Alice had to let her
children wear their clothes unironed. Lee did much of the house
work .
In a letter to her sister, Bertha, written in Eureka, Utah, on
June 22, 1923, Alice mentioned her ill health, stating she
couldn't breathe half the time and that the doctor said she
should sleep sitting up. She mentioned LaPreal had been ailing
for over a month. She had cut a big gash in the back of her head
and she thought perhaps that was what had made her sick.
"She fevers up and vomits and just doesn't feel good.
"We cut Leo's curls off and he doesn't look like the same kid at all. He weighs 30 pounds and is pretty as they come
"I surely get blue to be sick all the time. If it wasn't for the kids, I'd be glad to die, I guess."
The family returned to Pocatello sometime prior to July 15th,
1923.
I remember walking with my mother to the Fikstad home on that
day- the day Lorin was born. We children waited outside. Lorin
was
Lena's second son. She and Gill were now living in Pocatello.
They, too, were experiencing rough times.
On August 6, 1923, Lee was rehired as a switchman in the
Pocatello Yards. This made it possible for him to be at home more
with his family.
We were now living at 1325 East Fremont Street. This house was a
little larger than the one on Buchanan. It was painted blue-gray,
had two bedrooms (one on each side of the house) front room and
kitchen in the center. The kitchen at the back had a sink and
running water, table, chairs and cupboard. Lee bought Alice a new
cook stove with a white finish. She was very proud of it. Fuel
was coal or wood. The front room was furnished with a large table
and chairs and a sideboard.
Irvin and I attended third grade at Washington School. Irvin had
been held back in second grade as he preferred drawing to the
other school work. In this, he was most talented--an artist
beyond his years. I've often wished he could have made a career
of it.
Alice was in ill health--up and down with a heart condition. She
spent some time in a hospital. She had had her tonsils out and
her teeth, as it was thought they might be poisoning her, but
nothing seemed to help, except the administrations by the Elders
of the church. Following their visits she would be able to rest
and enjoy a change for the better.
On January 22, 1924, Alice wrote the following letter to Bertha:
"Dear Sister - I will try and drop you a few lines . . . I am still on the improve. If it only would last. I sure have a good appetite now, but I need it. I'm so thin. You can't imagine just how thin I am.
"LaPreal started school today, and she sure has grown a year in feelings. She is large for her age and makes so much noise in the house we thought, if she could go to school, she would be better of f.
"Ma has been sick the last few days. (Grandmother Luthy was apparently visiting to help out.)
"Lena is afraid she is getting mumps again. She only had them on one side, and now the other side of her face is sore and a lump is coming under her jaw. (We children had the mumps at this time also.)
"I guess you have lots of snow up there (Archer). We haven't very much here. It's kinda cold. I sure would like to go someplace. I have been in so much this winter and six weeks of that in bed. Nobody knows what I suffered. I was ready to die, and, when the doctor said nothing more could be done, I wondered just how long I had to still suffer, but just about a week after the doctor gave me up I began to feel a little better each day. We had the Elders in the meantime.
"My heart is still a cripple. It aches and pains, but Lee tells me it naturally would be sore. While it was so bad, the bed just had one steady swing it beat so hard. I do hope I never have to go through that again.
"Well, I feel ever so much better now, so I am thankful to the Lord for it must a been his will that I am still with my kids.
"Answer soon. We have a mail box now."
I remember the doctor making a visit to our home, being present
and hearing my mother ask, "How much longer?"
During her last illness, both Lena and Adeline came to help as
much as they could. Lena would bring her children with her. Lee
had to continue working.
Alice's 11-year old son, Irvin, was with her when she died on
Saturday, March 15, 1924. She had called him to her and asked him
to hold her hand. She died quietly. He does not remember anyone
else being at home that day.
I was playing with neighborhood children in the vacant lot across
the street. Irvin came to tell me our mother was dead. Our father
was at work. I went into the house to see her. The children I had
been playing with must have reported what they heard, as soon a
neighbor lady came in to my mother's bedroom and put her arms
around me.
Irvin later recalled that our mother's color was very yellow when
she died. She had told her sister, Lena, that she had not been
well from the time her doctor had given her a diphtheria shot. A
jaundiced condition may have been at least partly responsible for
her death which was attributed to heart failure.
A wide black ribbon tied into a bow was placed on our front door,
apparently a custom of the day. The following account appeared in
the Pocatello newspaper:
DIED SATURDAY
Mrs. Alice E. Noakes, wife of L. E. (L. M.) Noakes died yesterday morning at the family home, 1325 East Fremont. Besides her husband, Mrs. Noakes is survived by four children, Irwin (Irvin) , Rubie (Ruby), LaPreal, and Leo; her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Luthy, seven (six) sisters and five brothers reside at Rexburg. The body is in charge (the care) of the Schumacher and Hall Company, and the funeral will be held Monday afternoon.
(Grandpa Luthy gave this information to the newspaper and
wasn't sure of the spelling of our names.)
The memorial service was held in the Second Ward chapel on South
Sixth Street in Pocatello.
Alice was a good wife, a loving and gentle mother. An expert
seamstress, one of the last things she did was to choose ginghams
with the intention of making dresses for her two daughters and
herself.
An example of her sewing is the little suit Irvin is wearing in
the picture with me as a baby.