They Kept Going When Things Were HARD
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Renz Jennings on One Meal a Day
Taylor Centennial Stories, p. 225 Original source: from Renz L. Jennings’s “BOY FROM TAYLOR”
… Then a curious thing happened! The university opened the day I spent my last dime in the Greek restaurant. The manager of the university mess hall, my undying gratitude goes out to her, Mrs. Moore, gave me a job for the winter scrubbing the large kitchen floor. With it there was a guarantee of one meal a day. What was there to keep me from eating enough at that one meal to last me all day? Nothing! The troublesome problem was that if l ate my meal in the middle of the day, at noon, I was so drowsy in my afternoon classes I could not do well. If I ate the meal at night, I was so hungry I could not put attention the next day in my classes. Therefore, I settled on breakfast. I ate like a ‘Hog’, because I knew it had to last for twenty four hours. At noon, when other students were all going to the mess hall, I just thought I could not stand it. But nevertheless I went to the library and studied during the noon hour. While the other students were going over to the mess hall again for supper, I had to trudge three miles to my room in the back of the lumber yard building. What other young man has gone farther in education and ambition on a ‘shoestring’, than Renz L. Jennings. [He went on to become a State Supreme Court Justice in Arizona, and played the big bass drum on July 4th for 30 years in Taylor.]
A Long Ride
Taylor Centennial Stories, p. 225–226 Original source: A LONG RIDE — by LaGrande Tenney
LaGrand Tenney was just seven and a half years old when he got word to bring Shirley Tenney with him and to come and help with the round-up at the Tenney Ranch, which was thirteen miles east of Taylor. The boys rode as far as Bullduck and then had to get off their horses because it was raining so hard. They pulled bark from under a tree trunk that was leaning over and got a fire started and warmed up. Then they rode on to the ranch. When they got there it was deserted, and the boys didn’t know what to do.
Bill Baldwin’s Ranch was six miles away and they decided to look there. There was no road in between these two ranches so the boys just took off through the thick cedars in the general direction of his ranch. Their good fortune at finding the Baldwin Ranch was cut short by the fact that there was no one at home there, either. It got dark while the boys were trying to decide what to do. They climbed back on their horses and let them have the reins, and in due time they found themselves back at the Tenney Ranch.
These boys had really had a ride that day, having ridden over twenty-five miles, and still no one was there. The boys found some old horse blankets and snuggled up under those to try to keep warm. They spent a miserable night. Those blankets were so scratchy that they kept itching, but they were warm. The next morning when they got up, Shirley said, “I dreamed that ‘Q’ died last night.” ‘Q’ was Shirley’s brother who was in the service of his country. About ten o’clock that morning LaGrand’s father came to the house where the boys were and brought word that his nephew, ‘Q’ Tenney had died of the flu. This was during the 1918 flu epidemic.
Noah Brimhall and the Highway of Ice
Taylor Centennial Stories, p. 98–100 Original source: Excerpt from BRIMHALL, WALKER, CORDON, KAY — Contributed by Irene Black
In 1877 Brigham Young called Noah Brimhall to lead a group of saints to settle in Taylor, Arizona. It included Walkers, Cardons, and Kays. They arrived at Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado River in the dead of the winter only to find the ferry broken down and the river running slush ice. Their cattle were weary and hungry, the whole party was in low spirits, only to sink still lower when Noah asked the ferry attendant if the river ever froze over and his reply was that he had been at this place several years and had never known it to freeze over. Noah bowed his head and for several minutes said nothing, but to his mind came this assuring statement made by his beloved leader Brigham Young when he set him apart for this mission, “Brother Noah, if you fill this mission to the best of your ability the Lord will throw up a highway before you that you will reach your destination in safety.” With this assuring statement, Noah broke the silence by saying, “Well maybe it has never frozen over before, but it will tonight,” and strode away giving orders to the men of the camp to cut long poles from the cottonwoods along the river that they might serve as sled runners for the wagons. The women and children were given the task of gathering wood to keep the fires going to quote Noah, “It is going to be terribly cold tonight.” Even sand was hauled to the river’s edge to sprinkle over the ice that the animals might have sure footing. When everything was in readiness and the party had finished their evening prayers, they retired to bed, all except Noah, who had gathered a blanket and finding a secluded spot some distance from the camp, he like Jacob of old, poured out his soul unto the Lord; thus “the cold and dreary night slowly passed by. At the first sign of dawn Noah aroused his newly acquired son-in-law, and together they hurried down to the river to find it actually had frozen over. William cautiously eased out onto the ice with a rope tied around his middle. It seemed solid so he cut a hole and found the ice was six inches thick. He then walked slowly across testing as he went. The result was that it was safe to cross. Soon the little camp was wide awake and all were at the river’s edge with wondering awe. The sand was scattered across the ice, then William, with his old trusted mare, Fanny, took the lead and the rest of the animals followed. The wagons were unloaded and the children were put on the tables which had been turned upside down and scooted across the ice. The wagons were secured to the pole runners and were hauled across to the other side by using long ropes to pull them. Finally, as all were safely across and the hind wheels of the last wagon was safely on solid ground and the teams hitched to the wagons, just as the sun peeped over the high canyon walls to the East, there was a terrific crackling sound and old man river burst his bonds and began piling up huge piles of ice. For the second time that morning the little party of pioneers were stricken with awe as each member of the party searched his heart for the proper answer to this miracle of miracles. Each came up with the same conviction. God had indeed raised up a highway like unto Moses of Old. With loud and cheerful voices they burst into song, praising the Lord. The sleepy ferry attendant opened his door to gaze upon what to him was impossible. For years afterwards, his favorite story to tourists passing through, was how that bunch of Mormons were so lucky to appear upon the scene the one and only time when the Colorado River had frozen over solid enough to cross over on the ice.
Clara’s Imaginary Thanksgiving Feast
Taylor Centennial Stories, printed p. 104 Original source: CLARA LONGHURST TENNEY — by Lucelia Peterson
Clara Longhurst was born in England, a convert to the church, and had walked all the way across the plains. She married Warren Read Tenney and they were sent to settle the Arizona Country. The times were difficult and dire poverty often stared them in the face.
One time they had nothing but some ‘salt rising’ bread in the house. Brother Tenney had gone for supplies, but was delayed on his return. It was Thanksgiving and Clara rose to the occasion. She set the table with her best table cover, dishes and silverware. She put the butter dish, the meat platter, the molasses pitcher and a dish for many good things on the table. She called the children to supper and after the blessing was asked, she passed the bread, the butter, the meat, potatoes, salad and all the other imaginary scrumptious foods to the children. They went through the motions of eating a fine meal. The children never forgot that grand Thanksgiving dinner. Clara had a way of making the most of everything, so the children didn’t really miss the things they didn’t have.