Mom's Story Part 1

Life History

by Bessie Rogers Ericksen

Written in 1981 age 62

Oct 8, 1918, the morning of the first Navajo County Fair held in Snowflake, was cold and blustery as Old Man Winter was pushingto make his presence felt, but with all the excitement of the Fair, and the cold fall weather, Marion and Leonora Rogers had other pressing matters to take care of. Marion was trying hard to finish up a road contract in Holbrook before this special day, and Leonora, who had waited nine months to bring a third baby into the world, was full of apprehension and anticipation.

The Spanish influenza was raging throughout the country and many people were sick. There had been several deaths in Snowflake, and many deaths over the country. The soldiers in the military were hit hard also. World War I was in the final stages just before the Armistice was signed. Everyone was apprehensive and anxious for there were many local men serving both on the home front and in France. Some of my uncles were “over there”.

I, Bessie, would wait no longer. It didn’t matter to me that Mother was “blue” and discouraged the night before my appearance, because there was no one available to comfort her. Her parents both had the “flu”, Marion’s parents were in Utah, and her husband was still in Holbrook. She felt so alone, realizing what she must face. However, her little sister Clarissa, only eight or nine years old was sleepingwith her, and Mother awoke her early that morning and sent her into the chilly night to get “Aunt Em” across the street. Aunt Em Smith was an experienced midwife, and although she too had the “flu”, she got out of bed and came to help Mother. My sister Mayola and Clarissa were then sent down to Grandmother Smith’s home to spend the rest of the night.

At 4:10 a.m. I arrived, with “Aunt Em’s” help, weighing 8 1/2 lbs. My aunt Edith, was in Snowflake for the Fair, and

came to Mother’s rescue and soon had things under control. Word to Dad brought him immediately and he soon had a little stove put up in the little shanty bedroom and Mother and baby were snug, warm, and smiling. Things looked brighter for Mother. My sister Louise, just 2 1/2 years old stood up in her crib when she heard my first cry and said “Baby”, with a smile of ecstasy. That too warmed Mother’s heart. Mother and Dad had moved two little shanty rooms onto their new lot to use as temporary housing while their new brick home was being built. These little shanty rooms served as a bedroom and a kitchen for the family, but Mother had to go between them to take care of her housekeeping duties. Their first little home, bought before their marriage waslocated just West of the Welfare Barn. It was here that my older sisters Mayola and Louise were born. During that cold winter, one of the coldest on record, the temperatures reached 24 below zero. Mother said she had a hard time keeping me warm and was afraid to undress me completely for baths; she only washed one limb at a time.