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My first recollections are around the year of 1912 when I got rheumatism in my right arm and shoulder. I would wake up at nights crying with pain. Mother and dad would take turns rubbing my arm, which greatly relieved the pain and I soon fell asleep. It was through their untiring rubbing, faith and prayers, along with good doctors that my arm was saved from being amputated. The doctor wanted to take it off but mother wouldn't let him. The doctor took my arm and circled it over my head for over two hours. I could see the perspiration run down his face, but he shouted for joy when he saw blood running down my veins for he knew he had saved my arm.
We lived in a large two room house with a small kitchen added on, no running water, kerosene lamps, outside toilets. We had to walk ˝ mile to school and 5 miles to Heber City to the nearest store. Life was fine as we had a lot of house parties, candy pulls (honey), also vinegar candy. All of us made our own entertainment. It was at this home that I remembered seeing dad come in from the cold outside, with frost or small icicles hanging from his mustache. He looked so funny.
We had a small creek running through our back yard. My sister Margaret and I were setting on the bridge when one of our cows crossing the bridge pushed me into the water with her head. Dad sold the cow.
We moved to Duchesne to homestead a farm, but that did not work out and dad finally bought a home in Heber City. It was our first home with electricity and running water. What a joy! I was 12 years old.
I was around 15 when I first met Cordon. My sister, Della, and I was at the skating rink. He was working there He took Della home that night and a few times after that.
He went to work on the roads in Southern Utah. About a year later, I met him at a house party at Della Jordon's home. He brought me home. The following night we went to the show. That was the beginning of our dating.
One Saturday he came over a little early as we planned on going to the show later and we decided to go for a ride on his bicycle. I had never ridden on the handlebars before and we were doing pretty well when we came to a corner and we couldn't make the turn and I fell of in a ditch full of water. What an experience and me with my only good dress on. It was too late to wash and dry it, so we never got to go to the show. We did have a good laugh over it. We never tried riding a bicycle double again.
We used to go on buggy rides quite often. These we enjoyed. Then in the winter months we would go on sleigh rides. There would be 6 or 8 of us. We would fill the wagon box with straw, put quilts over that, and more blankets to keep us warm. We would bring sandwiches and hot chocolate to enjoy on our rides through the Heber valley. Sometimes the driver would cut shiners on the main street where the road was very icy and slippery. I didn't care for that, as it could be dangerous.
Just before we got married, Cordon bought a second hand car. It was a Ford. He was working in the mines then. What a joy that was to have a car. Our buggy and sleigh rides became just a memory, but one never to be forgotten.
Cordon and I went together 2 ˝ years, then decided we wanted to get married. We were married June 5, 1923, at the Sessions home by Bishop Rasband. We had a lovely wedding supper with both families attending and received many beautiful and useful gifts. My sister, Lila, wanted us to stay at her home that night, which we did. We had to take Grandma Barnes and Uncle Charley up to their home in Center Creek first. It was a terrible night with rain, thunder and lightening. I am very afraid of thunder and lightening. However, it was a happy night to remember.
A few days later, we rented two rooms from Mollie Davis until we could find a home to buy which wasn't until a year later. Then we bought a home from Addison Moulton, just 2 blocks from the Sessions home.
Our daughter, Eva Mae, was born May 28, 1924. When she was a week old, she contacted pneumonia. It was through all our prayers and faith in the doctor, along with Mrs. Sessions good nursing that her life was saved. We were all very worried as two babies in the neighborhood had passed away just a few weeks before Eva was born.
In 1929 we decided to leave the mines and find some other kind of employment. We decided to go to California. Cordon's sister, Chloe, lived In San Francisco. We rented our home and left for California. We found it hard to find work of any kind there. He found a job with Matson Ship Lines, but was fired because he did not have a high school education. His boss told him he was a good worker but there was a rule and he had to obey it. Work was just a few days here and a week there. We felt quite discouraged, so we decided to go back home. We left San Francisco in March. On the way we stopped at the Hetch Hetchy employment office in Livermore. There must have been between 50 and 75 men seeking work. I told Cordon that we might as well keep driving as he didn't stand a chance but he said, "I might as well try". I'm glad he did. He met a friend outside of the office from Montana. They had worked together in the mines. He asked Cordon if he still knew how to break hard rock. They call it hard rock mining. He told him, "yes". He took him around to the back door of the office. Inside he told the man he had just the man for him, as he knew about hard rock mining. The man questioned him and hired him. What a surprise! He was to work the following night. We were in a strange town with only $17.
We hardly knew which way to turn. We couldn't find a room to rent in Livermore, Sunol, or Pleasanton. It was getting towards evening and we stopped at a service station for gas. We asked the man if he knew of any place where we might rent. He said there was a place about 2 miles east out of Livermore who had 4 cabins they rented, so we drove there. The owner was William Bennett. He and his wife ran a service station and rented out the cabins. We decided if we couldn't find anything there, we would go back home. Gas at that time was .11 a gallon so we could make it home on our $17.00. As luck was with us, they did have a vacancy. We told the Bennetts our situation and they took us in. What good neighbors they were. We really felt that God had sent us there, and we thanked Him for helping us. Eva and I lived there 2 months as Cordon had to live up to the camp which was up in the Livermore hills. He could only come down on weekends. The Hetch Hetchy work was tunneling to bring water into San Francisco. They had several camps. It was a large project. The Bennetts were wonderful people. I loved them dearly. They loved us too.
We finally found a house in Pleasanton and moved there. It was 5 miles from where we were. We loved Pleasanton and lived there four years, then Cordon lost his job and we moved back to Heber City. We had missed our families. We enjoyed being home again. Eva graduated from high school as an honor student. Cordon went back to the mines and I did some work in a café.
World War II started in December of 1941. Eva met and married Russell Dyke June 12, 1942. In February 1943 he was drafted and sent to Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas. She went there and worked, following him to various camps until he was sent overseas. We took her to California to bid him good bye before he left. She wanted to do something for the war effort so looked for a job in the shipyards. Cordon decided to do the same and they both got a job with General Engineering in Alameda. Again, we rented our house and lived in Oakland. Cordon was hired to do refrigeration work on the ships. He liked it a lot. He and Eva put their money together and she bought a new home being built in Oakland and we lived there. During this time Dale Sessions came to live with us and later Geraldine Dunn. I had always wanted a large family and God blessed me with being able to help raise both of these wonderful people. They were not with us long, but I enjoyed every minute they were with us.
After peace came we decided to go back to Utah, but stayed only 2 or 3 years and decided we wanted to live in California. So we came back. Cordon got work. Eva could not have children so she and Russell adopted a baby boy 2 ˝ months old and named him, Carey Richard Dyke. They wanted us to move in with them so they could both work, so we did. Later on the next year they separated, which I blame the war for. Russell was not the same person he was before the war. He went back to Arkansas and later married.
In the meantime we stayed on at Eva's home. Then a terrible thing happened. Cordon's brother, Ervin and 3 of his children, 2 girls and 1 boy were burned to death in a fire at their house. Later on the Health Department of Heber took the remaining 4 children away from the mother, Mavis, as she was not capable of raising them. We took Clifton and Raymond, ages 8 & 9 to raise. Later on both fought in Viet Nam war. Cliff had married before that time and Raymond had served a mission in South Australia. Raymond married a girl that he had met on his mission after he came home from the war.
We bought a small house at the San Joaquin River Club in Tracy. We would go up every weekend and fish. It was by the San Joaquin River and also had three man-made lakes. Cordon bought a boat, fixed a pier and enjoyed being up there.
Eva married Emanuel (Mike Perakis) September 22, 1966 in the Oakland temple. Carey went to the University, Cal Davis on a scholarship. When Cordon retired from work we moved to Tracy. He was hired as maintenance man or caretaker for the club. After being 3 years on this job Cordon took very ill and on June 30, 1967, he passed away with cancer of the liver and pancreas. How I have missed him, but the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. I know he is free from pain. His last month was in our home and how he suffered, even going blind from the cancer. It went everywhere. He weighed about 79 pounds when he died. I know we will be together again when my life work is done. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 5, 1958 and Eva was sealed to us. What a comfort she, Mike, Carey, Cliff and Ray have been to me. I feel I have really been blessed. I am so proud of all those who I helped to raise, Dale, and Geraldine also.
The years have many ups and downs along with joy and happiness. In my heart I know Cordon and I both loved each other deeply. We had 44 years of marriage. Now I am left with many beautiful memories to look back upon. Now I am alone and have my family to look forward to. They are so good to me. I love each one I had the blessing to raise.
In 1968 Eva and Mike bought me a ticket to go to Alaska for 2 weeks. This was to be dads and my 45th anniversary trip, instead some of my friends went with me. It was the first time I was on a large ship. It was wonderful. What a beautiful surprise!
Two years later, they gave me a trip to Hawaii. Rozella Thomas went with me. Eva met us the last four days and we flew home together. Then on my birthday in 1973, I was surprised with another trip to the British Isles. I had my choice of places. Eva and I spent 23 glorious days. We went to Preston, England to see the country where Grandma and Grandpa Barnes came from. We visited Ireland, Scotland, Wales and all of England. This is a trip I will never forget and all made possible by having a wonderful daughter. I found there are many beautiful places in the world and many wonderful people. I thank God each day for all He has given me and my family. I am looking forward to the Sessions and Barnes reunions and seeing all my wonderful family.
(Pearl's health deteriorated and she had open heart surgery when she almost 80. She came through with flying colors but celebrated her 80th birthday in the hospital. She had cataracts removed after that. Then her health started to fail and she lived with Eva and Mike in 1989. She spent her last Christmas with them, then entered the hospital in Tracy December 26th, 1989. She died January 25, 1990 around 10:00 am. Eva stayed all night with her and was at the hospital when she passed away. She was one of the sweetest, kindest women that ever lived. She would never hurt anyone's feelings and showed nothing but love to everyone. She was a very special person to many people, old and young and a wonderful mother to all she raised, and a very understanding and good wife to Cordon.)