“Dear Grandmother when this book is full it’s to be returned to me. Love Barbara"
[Barbara Fae Ewell Jensen, granddaughterChristmas 1943]
[Original spelling has been retained. Punctuation and brackets with various explanations have been added for clarity.]
THIS IS MY PERSONAL DIARY
Lillian Bigelow Ewell
Born Aug 27th 1877
At Gunlock near St. George (Utah)
[Saturday] Dec. 25th 1943 [St. George, Utah]
9 a.m.
This beautiful morning I’m very happy for all my blessing expecially Barbara who gave me this book. We are going into Leila [Leila Marie Mecham Synder, 1st cousin] today to dinner. Last night all the 4 cousins came in and we opened up our presents then opened Leila’s. We had a lovely evening.
Afternoon.) Today I’m rather blue. I do so miss my loved ones. This morning at 4:30 a.m., I lay wondering what all my children were doing opening presents and having a good time I know.
(afternoon) We had dinner in Leila’s and then dressed her up as Queen and Dady [Daddy is her husband, William Walter Ewell] and Don [Daniel Don Louis Bigelow, 1st cousin] as Prince and Duke of Daddletown [Doodletown] and we had so much fun we laughed till we were sick.
Sun. Dec. 27th 1943 [St. George, Utah]
We went to Sunday school home to lunch then [Sacrament] meeting and evening we went over to Anna’s[Anna Boren Bigelow, 1st cousin] and had supper and candy and nuts, a few neighbors came in and we had another crazy time and a laugh till we all ached.
[Monday] Dec 27th [19]43 [St. George, Utah]
I’m rather tired this morning felt like resting. Will go to town today. Have written Delone a letter [Delone Leavitt Ewell, daughter-in-law]. Her letter made me so happy and proud of her. Dady is reading just about all the time. I guess that’s what he will do till he gets these books read that he got for Xmas.
9 p.m.
We have had company all evening and enjoyed it and feel thankful that we are down here where it’s so nice and warm and so many lovely friends. No letters today and feel so disappointed always wondering if some of them are sick. Hope I get a letter from Frances [Draney] tommow.
[Wednesday] Dec 29th [19]43 [St. George, Utah]
9. AM
I didn’t get much sleep last night—feel pretty tacky this morn. We are all ready to go to the [St. George] Temple. Am so glad for I love the Temple work. Hope I have a lot on the other side to meet me and thank me for doing their work here. There didn’t anything happen yesterday only I baked bread for Anna, Don, [Anna and Daniel Don Louis Bigelow] Leila and our selves and gave Alice Billings a loaf.
12 A.M.
We just came home from a ward party—had so much fun. We played games and danced. Dady was the big toad in the puddle or as big as any. We went to the picture show for the Old Folks in the after noon.
[Thursday] Dec 30th [19]43 [St. George, Utah]
6:30 P.M.
We went to Ambers [AmberRestaurant] today for dinner. Had a 4 course dinner served with all the style and had a lovely time. I got 2 letters from Lois [Lois Ewell Washburn, daughter].She is so blue I just can’t stand to have her fret. I wish I could make Lavar’s [James Lavar Washburn, son-in-law] going a little easier on her. I got a lovely letter from Verona[Verona Ewell Babcock, daughter].They missed us Xmas time. Dady and I are surely having a good time. It’s just like a vacation for us. Fun all the time.
[Saturday] Jan 1st 1944 [St. George, Utah]
Jan 1st 1944.
Today is a grand day just like spring. All the cousins are coming for dinner. Last night we went to the show with one of my cousins and got a big box of meat from Verona, a lovely ham and 20 lbs of beef. I’m going to have some of the beef for dinner today-----
----Evening.
Well it’s bed time. The cousins have gone home and we had a lovely dinner, lots of candy, nuts, oranges and apples. Went into Leilas and played games and told jokes on each other.
[Sunday] January 2 1944 [St. George, Utah]
Today we went to Sunday school and stayed to Sacrament meeting we had a grand time. Lots of testimonys were borne. Dady and Alice tried to get up and bare theres but couldn’t [because] so many got a head of them. They all came here for dinner because we had so much left over.
[Monday] Jan 3rd [1944] [St. George, Utah]
Today I have ironed and got ready to go to the [St. George] Temple in the morning. Anna went to town and I had to take the car and go get her. She couldn’t walk home then. I answered some letters and Dady took them up. [to the post office] We got letters.
[Tuesday] Jan 4 1944 [St. George, Utah]
9 A.M.
We are ready to go to the Temple. I’m thrilled to be able to go do this wonderful work and it’s so much fun meeting all the dear friends again.
5:30 – p.m.
We went [to] both sessions today. Did enjoy it and got acquainted with some more lovely people. Dady opened the meeting this morning with prayer. He does splendid.
9:50 – p.m.
We went to the Post Office, got mail, went for milk and visited a couple of hours and now it’s time to sign off and go to bed.
[Wednesday] Jan 5 [1944] [St. George, Utah]
9 – A.M.
We are always ready for the Temple at 9 [a.m.] and we go at 9:30. Just 5 minutes to get there and I have to walk slow. We are going to go just one session today, then come [home to]rest and go this evening.
11 – p.m.
Well, we went both sessions today, came home and went to find a Sister Terry and ?Furmans?, (people who Dady has known since childhood) but we couldn’t find them. So [we] went to the show. It was fine, a cow boy show and Stalingrad. It makes us hope more than ever [that] Hitler will loose.
[Thursday] January 6, 44 [St. George, Utah]
9 A.M.
We are ready for the Temple. We got 2 lovely letters from Lois, bless her heart. She is always worrying about us and loves us so much and we got a sweet letter from Delone. She is just as grand. We will go one session today and one tonight (maby)[maybe]. No, we didn’t go tonight, we were so tired. It’s 9 p.m. and I’ve been writing letters all evening wrote 7 letters so will take a sleeping tablet and go to bed and go to the Temple in the morning. Leila has bought her a home and will soon move and we will surely miss her. They don’t make many grand women like her.
[Friday] January 7 1944 [St. George, Utah]
Today we went to the Temple and I got very tired [and] decided I [will] only go one session a day till I felt better.
[Saturday] Jan 8th 1944 [St. George, Utah]
Today is Sat. I took Leila and Anna to town to do some shoping [and] got Maurine [Maurine Powell Smith] a lovely blanket for her tiny one when it comes. Then had to take one of our neighbors up. She broke something in her car, so [she] had to get me to take her. I don’t know what all the folks around here would do if we didn’t have our car. It goes every day, somewhere, for some one. We washed today and baked and I’m so very tired. Got a letter from Elijah [Asa Elijah BigelowJr., a brother] and was so glad to get it.
[Sunday] January 9 – [19]44 [St. George, Utah]
We didn’t go to Sunday school or [Sacrament] meeting. I felt so punk and when I can’t go to drive the car, [then] none of them go. So we went in to Leilas to dinner, all 7, and [all] of us cousins had a lot of fun and a good dinner.
[The seven cousins were:
Leila Marie Mecham Snyder, Lillian’s 1st cousin
John Young Bigelow, Lillian’s half brother
Alice Bigelow Adams, Lillian’s sister
Mary Jane“May” Gentry Bigelow,Lillian’s sister-in-law
Daniel Don Louis Bigelow,Lillian’s 1st cousin
Anna (Anna or Annie Marie Boren Bigelow) wife of the above, Don Bigelow
and herself, Elvira Lillian Bigelow Ewell]
[Monday] Jan 10th [1944] [St. George, Utah]
Today I’ve started on a special diet for asthma. Hope it helps me. It’s a fruit -liquiddiet. I’m not going to do anything today only what I half to—just iron our Temple clothes so we can go to the Temple tomorrow. Hope we get some letters today.
[Thursday] January 13 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
Well, I’ve been sick and couldn’t write any thing and so has Dady been sick. Feel better today, but can’t go to the Temple this week. I feel so lost when we half to stay to home all day. It was Dady’s Birthday yesterday and he got some grand letters from his children and grand-children; $5.00 cash from Verona, [daughter] 1.00 from Laura [Laura Ewell Dennis, his sister] a tie from Walt and Ida [Walter Leon Ewell, son, and wife, Ida Salzetti Ewell] 2 kerchief from Leila, 2 from Alice,[his sister-in-law] one from Emily, [Emily May Bigelow, niece] and cards from all the cousins. 2 chickens from Virginia in S. L. [Virginia Bigelow Hansen,his sister-in-lawin Salt Lake City, Utah].
[Friday] January 14 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
We are still miserable and get so blue when we half to stay home all day and be so miserable.
[Saturday] January 15 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
Sick again today and can’t do much only just lay around all day.
[Sunday] January 16 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
Today is Sunday and we couldn’t go to S. S. [Sunday school] because we had such colds. It’s just like distemper, sneeze all the time. And had to send one excuses to S. S. [Sunday school] for Dady was appointed to dismiss [say the closing prayer] and Leila was to give the sacrament gem. But we are going to Anna’s for dinner.
9 p.m.
Well we went to Anna’s for dinner. Had a very good time, only felt pretty tough. Had a lovely dinner.
[Monday] January 17 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
I’ve been in bed most of the day. This is awful to be sick all the time and just think of the children so far away and can’t go to them.
[Tuesday] January 18 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
I felt so badly to see the folks going to the Temple and us not able to go. Leila is very sick I’m worried about her. Dady is better.
[Wednesday] January 19 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
Dady is much better [and] said he felt well enough to go to the [St. George] Temple but wouldn’t leave me. I feel better but Leila is still quite sick. I got a lovely letter from Barbara [Barbara Fae Ewell Jensen] today and it made us so happy. We had to shed a few tears of joy for such grand grandchildren.
[Thursday] January 20 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
Today we feel some better and will wash [clothes] tomorrow if we are able. We got letters from John [John Young Bigelow, half brother]. He says he is coming to see us in Feb. and work in the Temple a few weeks we also got letters from Lucile [Lucille Ewell Larsen, daughter] Viva [Viva Alberta Leavitt Kerby, Delone’s sister] and Verona. Will write tonight.
[Friday] January 21 – 44 [St. George, Utah]
We went over to Anna’s and done ours and Leila’s washing. It didn’t take long with a Maytag washer. We had company when we got home, a Mrs.?Lussies?. She is grand to us. She came over for us to come to her place for dinner tomorrow. She had come nearly every day since we’ve been sick. She drops in from the Temple. We also had our neighbor come over. Tonight we are having the cousins come and we are going to study our S. School lessons. We got sweet letters from Vivian [Leah Vivian Ewell Powell, daughter] and Thelma [Thelma AliceEwell Kemp, daughter] and Sharene [ShareneWashburn, granddaughter].
[19]44 [Dates changes here. Lillian takes several pages to catch up on things.]
[St. George, Utah]
Here it’s near [Feb]14th and so much has happened and we’ve been so busy since Jan 21st. . Leila bought her a home, moved in it and it was so lovely for a while without her. But now 2 old ladies have moved in here and it isn’t so lovely. But it seems like we are going all the time or someone [is] here [or] we have been invited out to dinner and parties and with our Temple work and our meetings and Sunday school our life is one round of go go all the time. We have been to 3 or 4 shows and every Fri. night we have [to] prepare our S. [Sunday] School lessons. I had to give a lesson in S. School one week last Sun. that was Feb 27th and there are about 90 men and women in our class and I thot I’d be so scared[that] I wouldn’t be able to give it. But I’d ask 2 or 3 of my best friends along with Dady to offer up alittle prayer for me so I wouldn’t be so scared and I wasn’t frightened at all. I hope I gave it good. I got lots of comps [compliments] on it. I love our S. School best of any of the other meetings. Of course, Temple comes 1st of every thing. Dady has been over to Leilas helping move pictation [a partition], put in doors, windows, closets and now he is digging a trench for her to connect to the sewer. It’s costing her a lot of money to fix the place up like she wants it—but she wants it so she will be happy. We went last week to Emily’s for dinner. Then Sun. we went to Alice Billings for dinner and Sun. night we went to a party at our neighbors. There were 20 [of] us and a lovely crowd. I’d love to have that same crowd here if we had room. They were their neighbors last winter and this winter. We had a lovely programme and lovely lunch.
Mon. (Yesterday) we went to Leila’s and had swiss steak dinner and it was grand. There are 10 of us cousins here now and we sure do have a good time John [John Young Bigelow, half brother] came last week and will stay till in April I love him so very much and are so happy that he is here. It has helped me from getting more home sick. Lois is so blue for us to come home it seems harder to leave her than any because it seems like she misses us more than any of the rest. Lavar hasn’t gone to the army yet. I hope he don’t go till we get back there. I’ll be so glad when this terrible war is over. I’m so inhopes I’ll get a letter from Kenneth [Kenneth Odell Larsen, grand son] soon. I’ve written 8 letters to boys over seas from the ward. Every month they (the Sunday School teachers) gives us each an envelope with a boys name on it who is in the war and I’ve received 5 answers back from them. I write instead of Dady. He hates to write so bad. I do also, but I can easier than he. So I write.
I’ve gone over on the Temple grounds and they have given me rose slips [rose cuttings] and several kinds of flowers. I’m anxious to go home and plant them. I’ll be counting the days now till we can go home it seems a long time since we left home. When ever I get letters from the children it helps.Verona, Virginia, Thelmahas sent us meat, chicken, rabbits, cake and it seems like we had just been visiting them. Oh yes, Martha Steed [friend?] sent us apples pears and a lovely fruit cake.
Mar 15th [19]44 [St. George, Utah]
Today we went to the Temple. Uncle John [her half brother] and I and Dady went over and dug trench for Leila. She has it done now so they can lay the pipe. He had to dig[it] all alone and 9 ft. deep and it was hard work. His leg hurts him a lot. Last night I rubbed it twice with Ben gay and put an electric pad on it and again this morning. I put the pad on it and rubbed it. Yesterday,it snowed all day, real hard and melted as fast as it snowed. The deepest the snow was all day was about 3 ½ in. and it must of snowed 18 or 20 inches, if it hadn’t of melted.
Mar 30 [194]4 [St. George, Utah]
I’ve written Helen Marchant, for John, so she will try to get some names for us to do Temple work for we have run out of names only 20 or 30 yet to do and I’d love to work every day while I’m here. It is a lovely day now and this morning the flowers surely looked druppy and sick but now are just as pert and lovely as ever.
I had dinner over to Leila’s today, after I came from the Temple and visited till Dady got there. Now he will lay down and rest till night then we will go to the Temple again.
Mar 17th 44 [St. George, Utah]
Today we went to the Temple and was called as witnesses and do I love it then. I hurried home to get dinner so Dady can go help cover up the pipe line for Leila. And all us cousins are going to a Relief Society party. Amber ?Sunetz? is coming for us with her car at 3:30 p.m. Yesterday we went to the Temple, 3 sessions, and at the noon hour was called as witnesses again for our own line, the Bigelow line, and I felt so good to know I could help seal our loved ones to there Mothers, Fathers and children [and] to there parents. It is a beautiful day today. And the flowers are so beautiful now again after the snow storm. I got a letter from Verona saying she had sent us a duck. I’ve got to go get it tonight. I also got a letter from Lois, she is so home sick for us she can hardly stand it. and I believe she misses us more than any of the rest. I’ve got to stop now and get dinner ready.