Anna
Laura Bailey Murray Archibald
1892 - 1965
written by herself
My paternal grandparents,
Robert Murray and Jessie Archibald, were born in Scotland.
Robert worked in the mines in Scotland. They came to America
in 1852, and arrived in Wellsville September 15, 1861. They
were real pioneers, crossing the plains by ox team. My grandfather
took up the occupation of farming after settling in Wellsville.
My maternal grandparents, Charles R. Bailey and Susanna Hawkins,
were born in England and crossed the plains to come to Zion.
My parents,
George Henry Murray and Susannah Hawkins Bailey, were both born in
Wellsville, Utah. My father was born on January 8, 1867, and
my mother was born December 29, 1870. I had five sisters and
four brothers, listed in order of birth: Vera, Laura, Henry,
Charles, Sarah, Kenneth, Robert, Lucile, Christina, and the last
baby was stillborn. Sarah, Lucile, and Christina died when
just a few days old and are buried in the Wellsville Cemetery.
I was born October
15, 1892, up in the southwest part of Wellsville in a house across the
street from where Parley P. Murray now lives. I remember my mother
telling me how much black hair I had. I was the second child of George
H. and Susannah Bailey Murray.
When I was a little girl
I lived across the street from Bro. Henry Haslam and Ann Jones Haslam.
Most of their children were older than I, but they were very good to me.
I remember when I lost my first tooth, I went over and Sadie Haslam tied
a string on it and pulled it out. My cousins Mary and Elizabeth Murray
were some of my first playmates. We lived eight or nine blocks from
the church house and it was two more to the store. I remember walking
to church and to town, and in the winter we would get very cold before
we got there. The first I remember of going to church was to
Sunday School and Primary in the old church house in the southeast corner
of the square.
I started to school when
I was six years old. It was a little rock schoolhouse in the south
end of Wellsville, which is still standing. I went to school there
three years. I remember my father would take us to school when the
snow was deep on a bay horse we called Jack. Sometimes five would
ride it.
When I was ten years old,
my father bought his brother David Murray's place and we moved down in
the north end of town. I lived in that house until I was married.
I remember going to Grandma Bailey's on Christmas Eve as a child,
all the family for a gathering. Grandmother would make a bed
on the floor for the children and we would stay most of the night.
My sister Vera and I sang together many times. They would stand
us up on a chair, we were so small. I am in the picture that
was taken of the Sunday School by the old church house when I was
six years old. I took part in operas and other amusements the
Primary put on.
I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints on November 4, 1900 by Richard Brenchley, in a little
creek east of his house. I remember it was very cold and we ran
about a block to the home of Christina Glenn to change our wet clothes.
I graduated from the eighth grade the 28th day of May 1908, with
the highest average in the class. We had to go over to the
B. Y. College in Logan to take our examination and that was quite
frightening. The next year I attended the first ninth grade
that was held in Wellsville and it was held in the old City Hall.
Carl. W. Johnson was the teacher. The following year I attended
the B.Y.C. in Logan.
My mother died January
21, 1911, when I was 18 years old, leaving me to take care of the family.
My sister Vera had married the fall before. My mother was a very
good housekeeper and a good cook. She suffered a great deal the last
few years of her life. She died at the age of 40.
On December 8, 1915
I married Allen Hendry Archibald in the Salt Lake Temple. We
have had seven children, five boys and two girls: Virgil, Allen,
Ruth, Claine, George, Murray, Garth and DeAnn. My husband built
a new house for us when we were married, which was a lovely home
at the time and still is.
We went to the dedication
of the Calgary Canadian Temple on August 25, 1923 and took the
three children we had at that time. We made another tip to
Canada in March 1937 to attend the funeral of a brother, Thomas H.
Archibald. There was another brother, John, and his family
living in Canada. Also Michael's family lived there.
Michael Archibald died in 1914.
When I was of age,
I attended M.I.A. and took part in the activities. Later I
was appointed first counselor in the Young Ladies M.I.A. I
also taught all of the different classes in the YWMIA and was
Era agent [the Church magazine]. I taught in the Primary for
a number of years. I have sang in the ward since I was sixteen years
of age, was in the opera which the choir put on, and sang with
the Hyrum Stake Choir at the April Conference in the Tabernacle
in Salt Lake City. My brother, Kenneth, was the soloist.
We went on many trips with the choir. I have been a Relief
Society teacher for many years and have helped with the work and
business. I was a 4-H leader and worked in the county
Farm Bureau for many years from which I derived much good.
I have visited
and done work for the dead in all the temples now built in
the United States and Canada. I have had some very pleasant
trips. My husband and I went to Fresno, California to the wedding
of our son, Allen, in 1942. He was in the Air Corps and stationed
in Fresno, California at the time.
I have
had three of my sons serve in the united States Military service:
Allen, Claine and George Murray.
In March
of 1958 I went on a Temple Tour when I visited the Manti, Mesa, Los Angeles,
and St. George temples and saw all the wonderful sights between here and
there.
In August
1959 I went to the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Canada with Murray and
Marie. At that time our South Cache band went and marched in the
parade at Calgary. We visited folks in Canada.
June 1962 I
went on a tour to the Worlds Fair in Seattle, Washington and other places
of interest along the way. In August 1962 I went with Garth
and Joann up to Sweet Home, Oregon where Allen and his family were
living. Allen had been hurt badly working in a plywood mill
and was in the hospital.
I have been
a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers for many years and
have held position of Captain, First Vice-President, and Secretary.
* * *
The following was written by her daughter, Ruth:
Mother
passed away on April 20, 1965 in the Logan L.D.S. Hospital after
a long illness with breast cancer. It was a Tuesday morning
between 8:30 and 9:00. The funeral was held on Friday, April
23, in the Wellsville Tabernacle and she was buried in the
Wellsville Cemetery beside her companion. There was such a
large number of beautiful flowers sent by family, relatives, and
friends. She loved flowers so much and always had a beautiful garden
and yard.
Mother
had suffered a great deal in the last year of her life and was in the hospital
four months before she died. The family had taken turns taking her
to Salt Lake to Dr. Cowen for treatments as long as she was able to go.
The family had met at her home for Thanksgiving dinner and, oh, how the
children did love to go to grandmother's!
Mother had her
first serious cancer operation in 1938 when DeAnn was only 11 months old.
She recovered from this and was able to go on taking care of her family.
In nine years, another growth came back and was removed with deep X-ray
treatments from Dr. Cowen in Salt Lake City. We felt she was cured,
and she lived many useful years to take care of her family. She took
care of Papa through his long illness. He died on July 22, 1950 of
cancer.
Mother was so patient
and endured the pain she had so well. She had great faith and I am
sure the Lord did give her strength to endure so well.
She did much for her family and those around her and made the
world a better place in which to live. I shall miss her good judgment
and advice very much.
— Ruth Archibald Aston
Back row: Virgil, Allen, Claine
Middle: Murray, Garth
Front row: Ruth, Allen, DeAnn, Laura