MARY LOIS TRUMAN &
JAMES ALFRED HUNT & HYRUM ELLIS JONES
Mary and Hyrum
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MARY LOIS TRUMAN
By Fern Chadburn Carter
Mary Lois Truman was born 26 March 1871, to Jacob Mica and Elizabeth Boyce Truman, at Mountain Meadows, Washington County, Utah. She was the tenth child of a family of eleven children, with six older brothers and three older sisters, with one sister being younger.
Mary learned early in life to work and take responsibility. She was a sweet, loving child, but had a mind of her own, and you always knew where you stood with her. She had olive skin and dark eyes with dark curly hair. She never had a lot to wear but always looked neat and clean. Pink and red were her favorite colors.
Mary didn’t have a lot of formal education but she learned all she could and where ever she could. She enjoyed reading and studying, especially the Gospel and was always involved in the Church.
She never lacked for friends and as she grew older she didn’t lack for boy friends. Mary spent a lot of time with James Alfred Hunt, son of James W. and Elizabeth Vaughn Hunt. They were married in the St. George Temple on 20 February 1889, just five days after Alfred’s twenty-first birthday.
They had a wedding reception in the Gunlock Church which was only a short distance from where they both had lived. After their marriage they moved to Hebron, Utah, but the town was abandoned after an earthquake on 17 November 1902.
Mary was a beautiful seamstress and helped support her family through her efforts. She was also gifted in the art of knitting lace. Many of her family and friends have beautiful pieces she knit for them that are priceless today. She loved to sing and was in the church choir. She was a willing and dependable member of the Church and was always there.
Dancing was almost better than eating to her and she loved to do both. A black skirt, white blouse and high-laced shoes were always fashionable. She never missed a step.
To Mary and James Alfred Hunt were born five children: James Wilson, 6 December 1889, Martha Elizabeth, 27 March 1892, Ruby Lois, 10 January 1895, Beatrice, 25 April 1898, and Evelyn, 4 December 1902. They were all born in Gunlock where Grandma Elizabeth Boyce Truman lived, except Evelyn.
When Martha was small they lived in a one-room log cabin. Each night Martha and brother Jim made themselves a bed on the floor. There was only one regular bed in the house.
They lived at the forks of the creek where the Moody and Magotsu run into the Santa Clara Creek, in a shed built of posts and covered with leafy limbs from trees, which was their only shelter. Another summer while living there they had a tent. Alf was farming and he also raised sugar cane and made molasses.
Ruby Lois, born 10 Jan. 1895, lived only twenty months. She was sickly from birth. Her folks were told if they would take her to the mountains she would get better. The night she died they were camped in a one-room shack above Modena, Utah. Edwin Jones and his wife Ella were there with them and the only way they could check on Ruby was by striking matches, which was all the light they had. Ruby passed away during the night. They took her to Hebron to bury her, where they stayed with Mary’s brother and wife, Bert and Florence Truman. This was a devastating blow to Mary and Alf.
They returned to Gunlock and farmed on the Bigelow Ranch off and on. They also lived in Mesquite, Nevada, several times in a tent in St. Joseph, Nevada, and in Little Ben on the Virgin River. In 1892 Alf moved to Delamar, Nevada, to work. Mary and children Jim, Martha, and Beatrice lived in a one-room house in Mesquite, belonging to William Abbott of Bunkerville. It was a relief to live somewhere that didn’t leak, Mary said. They lived there until they moved to Delamar to join their father and husband in the summer of 1900.
Mary and children were taken to Delamar in a wagon by Henry Leavitt. It was a long ways in those days. Reaching the top of the mountains, Henry unhitched the horses and rode one down to the April Fool pump station where Alf worked. Alf brought his team and wagon and took them to where he lived.
The family lived in a dugout shed and slept in a wagon box with bows and cover. Mary cooked over a campfire with a bake oven and fry pan. Alf helped Mr. Gibson, his boss, run a pump station that pumped the water from Big Spring up over the mountain to Delamar and up to the April Fool Mine, which was twelve miles. He did it with a big steam engine, using cordwood to make heat and steam to run the pump. Alf hauled a lot of cordwood.
Later they moved into Delamar where they lived in a tent, but it had a floor this time. However, their beds were still on the floor, and a number Three was the bathtub with an outside public out-house. They used a lamp for light and carried their water. They later moved six or seven miles north of Delamar, where Alf was burning lime to be used in the Delamar Mines. Here they lived in an old log cabin which was one room, with an old stove and some bunk beds that Martha and Jim slept in. Mary, Alf and Beatrice slept on the floor.
There was no way of locking this cabin. Sometimes Alf would go into Delamar for several days at a time and leave his family alone. There was no one within miles except miners, and many of them drank a lot. Mary was especially nervous if Alf took Jim with him on his trips to town.
Beatrice used to have sick headaches; they came on her anytime. One night while Mary and the girls were alone, Beatrice was real sick. Mary lit the lamp and got the pot for her to heave into. Mary looked up at the window and saw a man with his face pressed against it. Mary blew out the lamp and lay back on the bed on the floor but didn’t dare go to sleep until daylight. Then she had a nightmare and dreamed someone was coming in. She nearly scared Martha to death with her yelling.
The best place they lived was in a four-room house near the Delamar Mill. Mary purchased some flat irons and a bedstead from some Italians who were leaving. The family was now more comfortable than they had been during the last two years. Martha and Jim were in school and had some rough days as they were the only Mormons in the school and were quite often made fun of by the other kids.
In 1902 the family moved back to Mesquite minus Alf. He had wanted Mary to move to Tonopah, Nevada, but she had had enough of the mining towns. They lived with John and Esther Hunt for a short while, who were Mary’s sister and her husband. Later they moved into a one-room lumber shack belonging to Lister and Annie Leavitt. Things were tight there and there were not many jobs for a woman. Jim was twelve years old; he worked and made his own room and board. The family had a hard time even eating. Martha tells of a day when they didn’t have anything in the house to eat. In the afternoon Mary gave Martha a little pan and asked her to go down to Elethier Chidisters and borrow some flour, but not to tell them that they hadn’t eaten all day. Martha borrowed the flour and Mary made some biscuits. “Oh, how good they were” Martha said, but she couldn’t remember whether they had anything to eat on them.
Many people gave Mary things to make clothes out of for the family. At one time she even cut a suit down and made it look nice for Jim. Mary knew how to make things do. She even made the girls, Martha and Beatrice, panties out of flour sacks. When Evelyn was born, 4 December 1902, they were living in the Leavitt house in Mesquite.
It rained so hard that Grandma Elizabeth Boyce Truman had a hard time keeping Mary dry, as the house leaked so bad. There were few doctors in those days, only midwives who delivered most of the babies. A woman usually stayed in bed for ten days after a baby was born.
After Evelyn was born Grandma Truman bought a two-room house and lot for Mary in Gunlock. One room had a fireplace and the family was quite comfortable. Grandma even lived with Mary and children for awhile.
When Martha was eleven years old she started working in the summers for her room and board plus a few clothes, to help with the family expenses. They were living in Gunlock now and Mary left Beatrice and Evelyn with her sister, Esther Hunt, while she worked in Modena. In fact Beatrice lived with them much of the time. Later the family moved to Fallon, Nevada. It took seventeen days to go from Hebron to Fallon in a wagon. They slept on the ground and cooked on a campfire.
Mary lived in Fallon and St. Clare almost two years, later moving to Alpine Ranch, which was several days journey from Fallon. At the ranch Mary cooked and cleaned for John Williams, who was a son of the Governor of Nevada.
In about 1906 Mary and her family returned to Gunlock by train, by way of Modena. They were happy to be back home among relatives and friends. Mary had divorced Alf earlier and was now in a position to continue with her life as a wife and mother.
On 17 August 1907, Mary married Hyrum Ellis Jones of Gunlock, whose wife Nancy had died earlier. They were sealed in the St. George Temple on 30 June 1949, together with all of her children except Beatrice. To this union was born Jacob Mica Jones 11 July 1908, and Velma Mae Jones, 28 September 1912.
When Mary and Hyrum were married they each had four children. We have written of Mary’s four, James W. who married Rozella Pulsipher in 1909, Martha Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Roe Chadburn 16 October 1912, Beatrice, who married Lee Vivian Leavitt 3 October 1916, and Evelyn, who married Duane Perry Leavitt 31 May 1922.
Hyrum’s boys were Ellis W. Jones, who married Eva Cottam 2 June 1926, Clarence Amos Jones who married Madaline Empey 28 March 1918, William Vaughn Jones, who married Isabelle Leavitt 23 May 1921, and Alvin Alfred Jones who married Thelma Burgess 11 September 1923. Jacob Jones married Clarisa Hunt 23 June 1927, and Velma Mae Jones married Melvin A. Farnsworth in 1929; they were later divorced.
All of the family had to work in order to keep things going and food in their mouths. Many of the children worked out of their home by the time they were twelve years old or before. When Hyrum worked for B. J. Lund and made $45 per month for long hours, it just wouldn’t cover everything.
Mary was sought after as a midwife and brought many babies into the world. She knew a great deal about helping the sick. Whether it was her skill or the faith of healing she had, it’s hard to say, but she was always willing.
She was a great Sunday School teacher and her lessons were always well prepared and easy to understand. When it came to telling stories, Mary never seemed to run out. She was called “Aunt Mary” by all of the children whether she was related or not. They loved to go to her home and she could always find something for them to eat.
Sunday was always church day. When the boys were in the service, she used her Sunday afternoons to write to them or to old friends. She was a friend to everyone.
Mary could make pie or biscuits that would absolutely melt in your mouth. If no one came by her house to eat them, she’d carry them to her family or neighbors. On June 9, 1939, Mary records in her diary that she and Hyrum went to the store and bought a wedding present for a grand daughter. The purchase consisted of a potato masher, frying pan, four pie plates and a can opener, which cost all of $1.00. That seems almost impossible in this day and age.
In the early 1930’s, Mary and Hyrum started to move to St. George in the fall and then back to Gunlock in the spring. They spent a lot of time in St. George doing temple work.
In her diary Mary also recorded that on March 4, 1945, Brother George Miles gave Hyrum a patriarchal blessing. In the blessing the Lord told Hyrum how pleased he was with him and his life and the many people for whom he had gone to the Temple. The Patriarch also gave Mary a blessing that day. He also gave a blessing to Mary’s granddaughter, Lois Chadburn, who had acted as scribe.
Mary and Hyrum had several family reunions. One of their better ones was held September 1, 1951, with seventy members present, which was quite an accomplishment.
In 1950 the doctor found that Mary was a diabetic. This was hard for a person who loved to cook and eat as well as she did. She learned to diet and eat right in order to maintain her health.
Mary and Hyrum had heard Apostles Kimball and Romney speak at conferences many times. They loved them all but Melvin J. Ballard was their favorite. Mary said she would give anything to shake his hand. Elder Ballard came to St. George to a Stake Conference. The General Authorities always went through the back door of the Tabernacle and directly upon the stand along with the local authorities. On this occasion Mary and Hyrum were seated in the Tabernacle on the main floor on the outside aisle. For some reason the Brethren came through the front entrance and walked up the aisle past them. Then Apostle Ballard turned and walked back to where Mary and Hyrum were seated and shook their hands. Mary said, “No one can tell me that prayers are not answered.”
Mary and Hyrum lost their only daughter Velma on 23 November 1958. Jim had died 4 September 1943. The rest of their children survived them. Jacob is still alive today (Nov 1992).
Mary and Hyrum’s last place of abode was at the old Moss home at 2nd East and 3rd South in St. George. Hyrum was still going to the temple. With their family’s help with laundry, cleaning and such, they managed fine. One morning Hyrum poured hot grease on his feet as he had lost most of his eyesight. It was then they moved into the Truman Rest Home, which was run by their nephew Tom Truman.
At the Rest Home they had a lovely big room with a private bath and all of their own furniture. This was their home until they passed away. As they both were quite blind, some of their grand children visited them often, took them for rides, read to them and just enjoyed being with them.
Mary passed away 17 August 1959 at the age of 88 years. Hyrum died a few weeks later on 2 November 1959. They are both buried in the Gunlock cemetery. Hyrum was one of the finest and best men that ever walked the earth. He helped Mary, waited on her and loved her more than himself. They never had a lot of worldly goods but were righteous and rich in the things that really count.
WE LOVE AUNT MARY JONESJust a tribute to Aunt Mary
For you know she love to be
A leader or a worker
In the Relief SocietyThe Relief Society sisters
Help a lot in word and deed
They cheer the sick and downcast
And help any one in needThey help any one that's in destress
And they render service free
The Savior said when you do these things
Ye do it unto meAunt Mary has been good to help
She always got their quick
To give some one a helping hand
Or to sit up with the sickWhen she was helping with the sick
It didn't take them long to tell
That she was praying in her heart
And that helped them to get wellIf some one was to take real sick
Or fell and broke some bones
A kid would take off up the street
To get Aunt Mary JonesShe used to be the Gunlock nurse
And often in the dark
She'd make her way down the rocky street
Just in time to beat the storkShe helped me meet the stork one time
She stayed and helped all day
And when I tried to pay her
She said, "I don't want no pay"She has seen a rough and rugged life
She has shed a lot of tears
But she's helped a lot of other folks
On her way down through the yearsWhe she was able to do things
They kept her on the run
And I know that God is pleased with her
For the good things she has doneShe has helped most of us some time
She has helped us dry our tears
May our Father watch and guard her
All through her remaining years.
Joseph Nielsen