JARMELIA SCOTT
(A brief sketch of the life of my mother -
by Nettie T. Christensen)
I should like to make this sketch accurate and complete, for she was a darling mother -
yet, there were no written records kept in the Jarrot Scott family, none that we were
successful in finding. Therefore, it will be necessary to record the happenings of her
childhood and youth through the memories of incidents I have been told by my dear
parents. I sincerely hope that as the story of her life unfolds that it will be an inspiration
and help to all her posterity. Inasmuch as there were no written records and she could
never remember having had a mother, except a stepmother, and didn't remember that she
ever had a birthday to celebrate, didn't know the birthdates of all of her brothers and
sisters, the record will be incomplete. She was reared on a homestead farm, a long way
from schools. Therefore, she had but few weeks of schooling, but filled her niche with
the family. We as her own family, always felt that she was near about the same age as
father, so we gave her a birthday to celebrate. She was born about September 1843 - 47,
the daughter of Jarrot Scott and Permelia Thomas, and given the name of Jarmelia Scott,
a combination of her parents' names. She grew and developed into a very pleasing
personality. I have given this bit of explanation and will continue the introduction by
repeating, through memory, some of the vital conditions surrounding her childhood and
youth. Through all our searching - and that has been many years of diligent searching,
through hired researchers, and many trips to the genealogical library, together with many
letters of inquiry to the counties and nearby counties in which the family lived ,we have
never found a trace of the birthplace of mother's parents - Jarrot Scott and Permelia
Thomas. We are still putting forth effort in the research, and I still have faith that my
family will succeed in finding my ancestry. I am the only living member of my mother's
family, but my descendents are interested and are putting forth efforts. Grandfather
Jarrot Scott owned a tract of land in Surry County, North Carolina, not too far from a
small colony of people who called the place "Skeltontown. " On this tract of land he
owned, he reared his family. With the cooperation of family members they grew the
necessary farm products. He built a grist mill on Ruthledge Creek, where he operated by
water power. It was a short distance from the house and the whole family was kept busy
- planting, caring for crops, harvesting, and keeping the grist-mill running to accomodate
the other farmers. While the boys were kept busy with the farm products, the girls were
learning vital lessons of homemaking - cooking, picking cotton, carding wool, spinning
and weaving, knitting, etc. They made all their own cloth, dyed it and made dresses for
the girls and suits for the men and boys. They learned to give very efficient service.
Their father was a very devout and religious man. He belonged to the Dunkard Church
and served well. This was a good background for his family and they had a good
foundation upon which to build. When the Civil War began to demand the services of all
young men, some of grandfather's sons enlisted. The family loved Lincoln and were
desirous of helping their country, but they were forced to fight on the opposite side. I
don't know how many were killed, but mother's sweetheart was killed and grandfather
died in April, just a few months before his second wife, Sarah Evans, gave birth to their
youngest son, Jarrot Jr. , in November 1862. These occurrences made many changes in
the family. Most of those who were still alive began to scatter in different parts of the
country - some remained in the same state, others went toVirginia, still others to Indiana,
etc. After the period of mother's mourning, she became acquainted with my father, Evan
Taylor, whose parents were also farmers in the same community. They became friendly,
then attached, but then there were no cars, no buggies, no conveniences for travel to call
on the girl of his choice, so she must ride a horse or use "Shanks ponies. "
Therefore, they didn't get to see each other every day as the youth of today do, but I
imagine that father took advantage of choosing his turn to take the grist to the mill, which
would likely give him opportunity to see mother and do a little bit of courting. There
were no organizations for cultural, educational, or social developments out on the farms.
These farmers lived far from those centers of opportunities, and because of long
distances, their mode of travel made it difficult to do much except train themselves to be
useful, energetic neighbors and prove their worth in times of need. They made their own
entertainment by singing and dancing, telling jokes and stories, some of which were the
truth and others imaginary. On their farms they kept a good supply of animals, breeded
stocks and herds for work and for food supply, etc. Some owned more than others, and
some were more thrifty than others, but they were happy in their work. The times were
happiest for them when they "carried in the crops", as they called it - Harvest Time.
Mother was happy to use her skill, 'With the help of her sisters, to prepare a most
delectable dinner that received much praise and satisfaction, a genuine chicken dinner
with all the trimmings, topped with their favorite "johnnie cake". Then they danced and
sang by the music of a banjo, guitar, or violin. They had a regular "hoe down", their
method of tap dancing, and made fun for all. About this time - 1867 - the L. D. S.
Church sent the missionaries into the southern and eastern states and they labored among
my people. Some of father's relatives became interested and were baptized. Father and
mother were married March 31, 1867, and built their home on a tract of land about
midway between grandfather James Taylor and Nancy Jane Hiatt Taylor's home, and
grandfather Jarrot Scott and Permelia Thomas Scott's home. There they prospered with
farm life. The Mormon missionaries began to make calls on my parents and they became
interested and studied their Bible and Book of Mormon. Mother was baptized March 15,
1869 at Flat Shoal, Surry Co. , N. C., by Henry Boyle of Payson, Utah. Father was
favorable but not quite converted, but they continued their studies of the scriptures and
attended their cottage meetings. They were very happy when a group decided to migrate
to Utah. Father and mother joined with them and began preparations for the journey.
Two daughters were born to them April 7, 1868 and Jan. 5, 1871. They had been
deprived of many activities schooling, cultural, educational, etc. while on the farm. Now
they thrilled at the fact that they were going to join the saints in Utah and have many
privileges they had never known before. They packed their belongings in covered
wagons and traveled by team for many miles until they reached the railroad where they
placed their belongings on the train and sent the wagons back to Surry Co. with relatives
or friends. This was their first experience of traveling by train. They were surely a happy
group laughing, joking, telling funny stories, and singing the songs of Zion. They were
learning more and more from the missionaries of what to expect in their new locations
and environments. My parents arrived in Payson, Utah in April, 1872, and became
acquainted with some very good saints and neighbors. They succeeded in finding work
on farms and remained there for a year or two. Then a group of relatives and friends
moved about four miles to the east to a small settlement called Salem, where the people
were friends because of their early training to make friends with all good people. As they
joined in with the church in its activities and worship, they were very happy and
contented. Father grew less faithful as he discovered the weaknesses of men and he
decided he didn't want to be affiliated with a people who preached righteousness and yet
made so many mistakes. He even found some returned missionaries who made mistakes.
Then he began to criticize the church leaders and he permitted the weaknesses of others
to deprive him of the blessings of the church, which made mother's heart very sad and
heavy. Yet she continued to remain faithful, true to the trust, and helped in the church
wherever she could. Father and mother purchased more land and an adobe house of three
rooms and a summer kitchen. They made it a beautiful place in which to live. They
planted an orchard and vegetables of all sorts. There was plenty to eat and to give others.
As the years went by, four more children were born to them - two boys and two girls - but
mother continued faithful and helped in the Relief Society and other organizations and
always sang in the choir. Seven years after their migration to Utah, Sister Eliza R. Snow
was asked to organize the primaries for the children by the general authorities and to lay
the foundations for spirituality, helpfulness, reverence, and lessons that were to aid in
their growth in the church, that they may be children of God and ready to hold positions
of trust as the church grew and they reached maturity. Sister Snow was sent to the Salem
Ward to organize on September 20, 1879. At this organization meeting, mother was
sustained as second counselor to Sarah A. Curtis and the first counselor was Johanna
Hanks, who also acted as secretary. A year later my oldest sister, Lucy Ann Taylor, was
sustained as secretary, although she was only twelve years old. She performed her duties
well and in 1884 mother was sustained as president of the primary and Lucy was again
sustained as secretary. Mother served well and helped with all the activities and
achievements of Relief Society. She was an expert at making quilts, sewing, and helping
with needful things for the poor. She also served as a Relief Society Visiting Teacher.
When I was about four or five years old, father and mother decided to homestead a
quarter-section of land as they felt the need of more work for the family and more money
to equip the farm with machinery and necessities. It would take time and a great deal of
effort to clear the land of brush and shrubbery and plant crops. Therefore, the menfolks
went to the canyon day after day to get logs with which to build a house. They succeeded
in getting enough to build a large one-room log house with an attic which we reached
from the outside by climbing a ladder. Even though I loved the home we were in, we
were soon to leave it for a new adventure. When the house was finished and the stables
for the horses, corrals for the cattle, chicken coops for the chickens, etc., were completed,
we made ready to move. The farm was about one and a half miles east of the home we
were leaving and about two miles from the school and church. It was exciting to even
think about living on a big farm where we could plant and grow food of all kinds -
anything we wished for ourselves and for the animals. Father and mother sold the
present home to Niels Larson. and in the spring of 1885 we said "Good-bye" to the old
and "How do you do" to the new. It meant a great many changes in our way of living -
eight of us in one large room - but there was still room for our dolls, dishes, and
playthings. Mother always arranged for them. She wanted her children to be happy, but
she taught us to keep things in their proper places, except as we played "house" and she
took time to teach us how to keep the house in order. In a short time another room and a
summer kitchen were added also a porch across the front of the house. My two older
sisters were married, my youngest brother died of pneumonia and heart trouble, and there
was plenty of room for the remaining family members. Father and mother kept things on
the go and soon had everything growing - fields of waving grain and lucerne for the hay;
all kinds of fruit and produce for food and for sale, and many bushels to give away to
those who had none and no money to buy. Our home was a beautiful place in which to
live and bring our friends. Mother loved to keep the flowers growing and blossoms were
everywhere. Her favorites seemed to be roses and with the addition of the fragrance of
the blossoms of the fruit trees and berries, it seemed a haven of rest rather than a place
where we must work to keep the "wheels rolling". Father and two of his adjoining
neighbors discovered springs of cool, sparkling water in the canyon not far from our
house. They cleared them out and through the courts in the country, they filed their
rights and thus furnished the water supply for all growing needs as well as for culinary
purposes. The harvesting years were all very busy years, yet very happy ones. We
children all felt an interest in the home and surroundings because we had helped to make
it. There was little time to idle away, as we were always in school during the school
season, although it was not expedient that we put so many weeks in school as the plan
now calls for. Then there was the cultivating, picking, and marketing of the fruit and
produce in the summertime. Father and mother always said, "an idle brain is the devil's
workshop" and we were kept busy; consequently the devil didn't get much opportunity to
work with us. Father was an honest man in every sense of the word - honest with
himself, honest with his family, and honest in his dealings with his fellowman. No act of
his was ever underhanded - always straightforward and loyal to every cause that he was
converted to the justice of - a good hardworking man who was conscientious and who
didn't use tobacco or whiskey. I think perhaps his greatest weakness was that of speaking
against the church and its leaders, and those who professed to be L. D. S. He didn't seem
to realize how these things "out" and "hurt" mother, who always felt that the gospel of
Jesus Christ was the dearest thing that ever came into her life. She felt the lack of
education so much that she was willing to help in every way she could to get money to
pay for the educational growth of her family members. To her I owe more than to
anyone else for my degree of success if I have been such so far in life. I am grateful for
her example, her attitude toward the right at all times, her faith in the Church and its
leaders, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, her teachings, her prayers, her tears, her tolerance,
her love of neighbors, her willingness to serve in any place at any time to make others
happy, her unselfishness, her devotion, her truthfulness and honesty, her love for her
family and her desires for their success in life, her good advice, for her kind and watchful
care through the tender years, and many more excellent qualities she possessed. She was
always true to the faith and instilled that faith in all her children. She taught me to pray
for those who were placed in authority, for the Spirit of the Lord to guide me in all things
I might undertake to do, for wisdom, understanding and courage. Somehow I always
knew that God would hear my prayers. She taught me also that I may not always get the
things I pray for, but that God was wiser and knew what was best for me. He would
answer according to his best judgement. Mother was always anxious to take care of her
church duties, although it was not always possible for her to attend the stake meetings as
we were all in Utah Stake and the distance was far when we had to travel by team and
wagon. Sometimes it was our privilege to go in a buggy. Mother attended General
Conferences in Salt Lake City when it was possible. It was my privilege to go with her
two or three times. The one I remember best was in 1893 when the Salt Lake Temple
was dedicated. I shall never forget that occasion, when each stake had to take its turn. It
took a goodly number of days to give all the worthy ones an opportunity to go to the
dedication, and how happy we were ! It has been an inspiration to me all of my life, and I
was married there August 26, 1903. Back to the farm --- although there was plenty of
work, it was seldom a burden - enough variety to make it interesting and plenty of good
things to eat, fresh fruit and vegetables from early spring until late fall. Although mother
kept up with her part of the work, she was a great help to father in his work. She was a
better manager than he and found most of the markets for the fruit and produce. In those
days, many people made their living by buying fruits, vegetables and all kinds of
produce, traveling to the mining camps and selling it there. Besides selling to peddlers,
mother would load up the old white top and travel to the neighboring town of Spanish
Fork and sell it for groceries and cloth for dresses etc. We kids often went with her on
these trips. If I can remember I'll name the fruits as I helped to pick them day after day.
There were six or seven kinds of apples (the best); peaches of many kinds, early and late;
plums of six or seven varieties; cherries of four varieties; nectarines; berries, red currants,
small and large for making juices for jellies and large for bottling for juices; two or three
varieties of gooseberries (I remember the ones for pies); raspberries, black and red;
blackberries; strawberries; dewberries; black currants; yellow currants; and grapes.
Mother kept the cellar shelves filled with bottled fruits, etc, - Much more than we could
eat each winter and enough to give away. My parents were very hospitable and had a
great deal of company. In their cellar they also kept their home-cured meat. and they
stored vegetables that would keep. They kept plenty of chickens and turkeys for fresh
meat. It was seldom necessary to go to the store to buy food. The farm proved to be the
best place on earth to live - to live honestly, to have plenty to eat and wear, and to live
happily and make others happy. When I was about fourteen or fifteen, father had
acquired enough money to build a new brick home with four good rooms and a pantry.
And then we did have fun ! And plenty of company, On moonlit nights we could sit in the
forks of the trees and eat fruits until we could eat no more. Then we'd join in games and
songs until time to say "good night. " When our relatives or friends came for a visit, they
brought their families - came as early as ten o'clock and we certainly enjoyed them.
Mother enjoyed preparing dinner and always proved her skill as a cook. No one could
make better chicken and dumplings or fresh green string beans and salt bacon or apple
dumplings or pumpkin (squash) pies made from hubbard and banana squash. I can still
taste them ! Mother didn't try much fancy cooking, but she could always satisfy our
appetites and make our company happy. My elementary schooling was gained in the
Salem public schools in a one-room adobe school house the first two years, and then a
new brick room was added. Schools were not yet graded and mother's health was poor so
I stayed at home to help her. But she was so anxious for me to go to school that she
made arrangements for me to stay with father's cousins' family and go to school the next
year in Payson where they had graded the schools. I finished the eighth grade there and
when it was time for me to have higher education, mother was the one who found the
way. Father thought he had been fairly successful without taking the time and money to
spend on education. Mother and I were trying to plan for me to go to the Brigham Young
Academy at Provo. Father said he'd furnish the money if I would go to the University of
Utah at Salt Lake, but he wouldn't for me to go and study religion. Father's sister's
husband had money to let out on interest, so mother and I went to explain the
"Education" to him. He and his wife had never had children and they were such good,
kind-hearted people. They had always taken a liking to me and he said, "Of course I'll
help you, and you needn't worry about any interest. Just pay back the money back to me
when you earn it. " And we were thrilled ! Father told us it was all right to make the loan
if I would be responsible for paying it back. Mother and I felt that the Lord had answered
our prayers and we surely were grateful. We straight-way began to make preparations to
find a girlfriend who was anxious to go to school also. We found the girl and then made
the trip to Provo to find a place to live where we could do our own cooking, washing,
ironing only two blocks from the B. Y. U. We found some very nice friends and they
charged us only $6. 00 a month and paid all utility bills. We arranged to take our
provisions from home - food that grew on the farm - and our parents made trips down to
bring us the things we needed. On August 31, 1898 we registered at the Brigham Young
Academy which was mostly high school work, some preparatory work for the students
who hadn't had an opportunity to go to school regularly, and hadn't finished high school.
There were also a few college students - a few more than a hundred in all. They had just
completed College Hall and the Training School, and of course we had the
administration building. We could surely feel that the Lord was blessing us abundantly.
I surely loved school work and all my teachers. Mother was so happy with all of our
arrangements. In those days one didn't need to go until one graduated to qualify as a
teacher, but as soon as he could prove his knowledge and pass the county examination,
he was ready. My first trip home was at the end of the quarter and my family were all so
proud of me for the many things I had learned in the short time, that father told me he
would furnish the rest of the necessary money and that I wouldn't have to borrow more.
Mother was running over with joy. We didn't try to keep up with the Joneses, but made
our expenses as light as possible. I took the County Examinations in 1901 and began
teaching that fall. I sent $10. 00 a month for my sister Adar, who began to prepare for
teaching Kindergarten. She graduated, but I didn't go back for any more training. We
enjoyed the new home and the family's friends and associates, but I didn't get to live there
many years as I was married August 26, 1903. My parents lived there and enjoyed the
freedom thereof. And Adar taught school until 1912. Then when she was married, father
and mother sold the home and farm and moved back into Salem, just a few blocks north
of the home we owned when we decided on moving to the farm. They bought a home
near my sister Adeline (Addie), and again felt at home. It was a nice welcome place
when we girls and families and brother Walter and his family would go home for a visit.
My parents children and spouses are: Lucy Ann and Albert Manwill; Minerva Adeline
and Edward H. Cloward; Walter Evan and Zanetta Curtis; John Wesley, died at 13 years;
Nettie Lavine and H. Oswald Christensen; Adar May and Glen Cropper. In early 1916
mother became very ill with Bright's Disease and suffered a great deal. We, the family,
were all called home. Some members made several trips. I lived farther away and stayed
awhile, and during that time mother repeated many things she had told me before about
her great disappointment in father's not joining the church so she could have had the
privilege of going to the Temple and do work for herself and also for her parents and
brothers and sisters. She asked me to be responsible for it, as I lived nearer a temple than
the others, or perhaps she knew I would have cooperation with my husband in it. I hadn't
ever thought of taking on such responsibilities but after I had promised, the Spirit of
Elijah seemed to lead me on and I soon began to realize my responsibility. Mother died
March 19, 1916, and was buried on March 21st, my husband's birthday, in the Salem
Cemetary on the family plot near my brother , Wesley. After mother died, Lucy went
home with me to spend a few weeks visiting and resting. While she was there, she had a
dream which she related to me and asked me the meaning of it. The dream was this: 'She
was on her way to church and heard someone calling her for help. As she looked around
in the direction of the voice she seemed to recognize an old friend, but on reaching the
spot she found mother and mother was in a pool of mud and couldn't help herself out.
Mother said, "Lucy, aren't you going to help me out of this ? " Lucy helped her out and
got rid of the mud and dirt and they were both very happy. She turned around and saw
mother on her own dooryard in the most beautiful white robes she had ever seen. When
Lucy asked my opinion as to the meaning, the answer came as a flash and I told her that I
thought mother wanted her to do the Temple work for her.
Although mother had asked me to take the responsibility, Lucy was her oldest and it was
her right to do it. As soon as she could arrange for it, she went to the Salt Lake Temple
and did the endowment work for mother, and surely the spirit of Elijah was urging me on.
I set about my work with joy and thanksgiving. I prepared temple sheets for all the
names and dates of her father's family, but mother didn't have them all. With the help of
my good husband and friends, most of the work was done in the Logan Temple, only 25
miles from Preston, Idaho. After we moved to Rexburg we made several trips to the
Logan Temple until our Idaho Falls Temple was completed. We are still doing research -
some members of my family - and we hope to be successful in getting more names for
work on our lines. God has been good to keep us interest ed. The sons who are still
living are all interested. With the help of my good husband and friends we did the
temple work of some of mother's people but there is still some left to do. We were
advised by genealogical authorities to wait a few years before we did work for father,
which we did, and we finished up the work for him in 1938. He died in 1925. Then my
husband and I, with a few friends participating, had father's family sealed together, as all
other family members had died except one sister, and I am sure that brought joy in
heaven.
WHO IS WHO ?
(In memory of My Mother)
Who's who, with a pretty face ?
Who's who, with a gentle grace ?
Who's who, in ribbons and lace ?
Who's who, at any place ?
It's my Mother.
Who's who, with smiles sublime ?
Who's who, at dinner time ?
Who's who, with friends of mine ?
Who' s who, at any time ?
It's my Mother.
Nettie Taylor Christensen
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