EVALEO BRIGHTON TIDWELL

by Evaleo Brighton and Eunice Tidwell Merrill

 

Eunice writes: My mother was dedicated to being a wife and mother. I'm sure some people thought Mom was a little arrogant as she didn't socialize with everyone, just her dear friends, but I feel Mom was a shy person and felt inadequate because of her lack of advanced education.  I desired her life's story and had her dictate it.

 

One day as she was reading it, she indicated it was so insignificant and tore it up and threw it away. I was devastated. Imagine my thrill, when going through some paperwork at Thelma's, there was a copy of Mom's story. I had apparently given her a copy. Her story follows:

 

I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 10, 1891. My mother was Evaleo Siccolo McCarthy Brighton. She died when I was ten (actually it was 13) days old from the effects of my birth, so I didn't know anything about my mother, but father said she was a very lovely woman.

 

I lived with my father and grandparents until I was four years old at Salt Lake. My father and my two sisters, Ruby and Stella, were visiting with my father's cousin, Robert Thornley, and while there they asked my father if he would let one of us girls live with him as they had no children of their own.

 

They asked Stella, but she wouldn't go with them; then they asked me, and I said "Yes." So after Father, Stella and Ruby left, I lived in my new home. Father let me stay, thinking I would be homesick and would want to go back to Salt Lake, but I was contented as they were very good to me.

 

My grandparents died shortly after. Father thought that as long as they were good to me, he would let me stay, as it was hard for a man to take care of three small children. After being with them for two years, they wanted to adopt me. Father said, "No, I will not adopt my children; but as long as you are good to Eva, I will let her live with you."

 

As years passed by, I learned to respect them. They bought me a pinto horse, and I was so thrilled with the horse. He was gentle, and I did tricks on him and would run races with him. I loved to ride horses.

 

In a few years Dad Thornley (as I called him) sold the pinto as he was getting old and bought me a little sorrel mare. I broke her myself. I had lots of hard bumps while doing it. One time after she threw me, I was unconscious for a few hours but didn't have any bad effects after.

 

On the Fourth of July, the town had men and women ride horses in the parade, and lied them. I was dressed in red, white and blue. I rode Dr. Smith's horse, which was a beauty and coal black. They took pictures of us. I was seven years of age when I did this. As years passed, I still rode horses until I was married.

 

In my school days, we had a girls' ball team. This was when I was in the eighth grade. We would go to other towns to play. One time when we were playing in Hyde Park, I sprained my ankle and was laid up for a few days. I played first base.

 

I had lots of fun in my girlhood days, stepping boyfriends, dancing and skating. It was at the school house where the First Ward Church now stands that I met Frank. He took me home that first night, and we kept on seeing each other from then on. We had lots of ups and downs in our courting days. They say true love doesn't run smooth, so ours must have been true love!

 

Frank and I were married in the year 1910 (April 20). We had a nice reception. Then we lived with Frank's folks for two weeks and with mine for two weeks. Frank had his home bought and paid for a year before we were married, but it was rented, and we had to give them a month's notice to move. After a month's time, we moved in and were cozy and happy.

 

On October 20, 1911, we had our son, Alton. He was a darling child with lots of black hair. Then on October 1, 1913, Ruby was born. She was another little black head. I took such pains keeping them dressed in white until they were two years old, such cute kids as they were. On January 2, 1918, Thelma was born, another little black head.  As soon as spring broke, we moved to Arimo where Frank had bought a farm. We lived three miles east of Arimo at a region known as Arkansas. We were happy and contented. Frank bought me a pony, and I would ride in my spare time. Ruby and Alton had some hard bumps when they were learning to ride.

 

I would help Frank plow. He would harness the horses and I would plow while he did other jobs around the farm. In a year or so, we bought a home in Arimo.  It was a nice brick home. We lived there for five years, and Frank would drive to the ranch and put in the crops and come back at night.

 

We had nice neighbors and friends and had lots of good parties. I was first counselor in the MIA for two years.  Later we sold out and went back to good old Smithfield where we were glad to get back to our old friends.  Later Frank was called on a mission to the Eastern States.  He left home December 10, 1925. It was a long two years being left with three children to take care of.

 

We had eight cows and I milked and took care of them until he returned. (Aunt Florence, Mom's sister, told me that Dad had arranged for a neighbor to take care of the cows while he was gone; but after he left, Mom got them back and did the work.)

 

Alton had a serious sick spell while Frank was away, and I had to have a trained nurse for ten days. Dr. Adamson was so good to the family and took such an interest in us while Frank was on his mission. I shall never forget his kindness to us.

 

In 1927, Frank returned home after filling an honorable mission. On April 1, 1928, Barbara was born, another little black head. She was welcomed by her brother and two sisters. Then on July 10, 1931, Eunice came, the last of the family.  How tickled we were with our lovely family.  God was surely good to us to bless us with them.  Not a blemish was on any of them.  We were blessed with an intelligent family.   Eva B. Tidwell

 

My fondest memories of my mother are of her great love for her family (as you can tell by her previous story). She always wanted to attend functions where her children were performing: Thelma singing with Pat or Barbara with me. Her favorite song was "That Wonderful Mother of Mine" and her favorite color was red.

 

She wore aprons to keep her dress clean. She was a wonderful housekeeper. She loved to be tickled and was graciously willing to "tickle in return." She was a tease and enjoyed a good laugh. She was an early riser and could out-shop her children for years. She loved to be with her family and would willingly feed anyone who stopped by and was always having us carry pies, etc. to those who were homebound.

 

Raisin-filled and raspberry-filled cookies, raspberry roly-poly (recipe lost to family) and lemon pie are things that conjure up fond memories. Not so fond ones are castor oil in orange juice which was the cure-all remedy in our youth along with mustard plasters which were put on the chest when we had a cold and burned like "crazy."

 

Mom grew beautiful flowers. Some of her favorites were the scarlet climber red rose, sweet peas, tulips, daffodils, asters and gladiolas (the latter of which I tired, as when we walked to church, I had to help carry the vases which she filled with the beautiful glads to brighten the church on Sundays).

 

When me moved from 3rd North to Main Street, she continued to have roses, lilies and raspberries. Dad was always wanting to get rid of some of the raspberries, but Mom loved to take them to Ruby and Thelma (in both fresh and finished form) since they were working.

 

She was devoted to her husband. Life was never the same after he died. Had Dad lived a few weeks longer, they would have celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary. Mom fell and fractured her hip. I can still remember the tears Thelma and I shared as we put her in Sunshine Terrace. I stayed right with her for a couple of nights. Mom adjusted well, and Thelma was so good to go down daily to feed her and love her.

 

Thelma called me when she was going to Florida on vacation and Mom was in the hospital. I flew down the next day and stayed with her at the hospital. But Thelma didn't stay on vacation. She turned around and came home as she couldn't stand being gone while Mom was not well.  I awakened and thought Mom looked very still. I called a nurse and she confirmed what I felt. Mom had passed on peacefully to be with her love, our dear Father, dying on the same day that Dad did, only 9 years later.