- HISTORY OF HANNAH HELENA ROSEBERRY AND GEORGE LARSEN FAMILY
from "History of Hannah Helena Roseberry" by her daughter, Mary L. Owens written between 1968 and 1970
Just a few memories of our mother we would like to add to the Book of Remembrance.
Our mother Hannah Helena Roseberry, was born October 2, 1861 in Utah. Mother and Uncle Charlie Roseberry were the second set of twins for Grandma [Helena Ericksson (Roseberg) Roseberry], also the first born in America, after their arrival. Of course, mother was raised like all of Grandma's children. They had to work and get by the best they could.
Our mother never said much about her early life, most of us were so young and we didn't ask questions. So we didn't remember much that was told to us. Aunt Louisa [Rogers] told us about their early life, and I don't think any of Grandma's children had it easy.
When Grandma [Helena] left Utah with a company of saints for Arizona in 1878, our father, George Larsen, was with them. Dad had been asked by the church to drive a wagon for Mrs. Peterson, a widowed lady with a family of small children, but non old enough to drive. They were about five months getting to Snowflake, Arizona where some Mormon pioneers were living.
They hadn't been in Snowflake very long when mother and Grandma and our father, George Larsen went to St. George, Utah. Mom and Dad were married in the St. George Temple, November 6, 1878. It was getting cold so they spent the winter in St. George, Utah.
When they returned to Snowflake, they stayed about a year then joined a company who was coming to the Gila Valley [Arizona]. There were eight families living in Pima when they arrived in May 1880. Of course, the men got busy clearing the ground, making ditches, etc., so they could start raising food.
Our father and Uncle Joe Roseberry did some freighting from Globe to Willcox, which was about 140 miles each way from Pima. Glove was a copper mining town and Willcox was as far as the railroad came. They would load up in Willcox with supplies for Globe then haul copper from Globe to Willcox. Grandma Roseberry stayed with mother most of the time while Dad was freighting.
I remember very well when mother goat a letter from Aunt Betsey Loving, asking for someone to come to Mexico and bring Grandma to Pima as she was verby very sick and wanted to come back home. Uncle Charlie Roseberry was living in Ft. Thomas, a little town about 12 miles from Pima, so mother had Uncle Charlie go for Grandma.
I also remember the night he came home with Grandma. Dad and our brother Sam were at the depot to bring her to mamma's. I and two little sisters were so thrilled to think of seeing our Grandma, but she was so sick that Mamma let us see her but one time. Of course we were disappointed. Grandma Roseberry passed away at Mamma's home December 18, 1899.
Our mother's health was very bad. She had heart trouble as far back as I could remember. In July and August 1907 six of us children had the measles and mother overdone herself in taking care of us. Early in September, she had a heart attack. The doctor kept her in bed and did everything possible for her. Then a few days before her death, she had another attack and she passed away Monday night, a few minutes after midnight, October 1, 1907 and was laid to rest on her 46th birthday, October 2, 1907. A good neighbor lady, Sarah Follet and our Dad was with her when she died. Our father passed away June 6, 1910 from pneumonia, two years, eight months and six days after mother.
Dad had a nice farm to leave us children, plenty to keep us very comfortable. Our brother Sam cared for the farm along with his own. He had fifty acres with a home on it that Dad and Mamma had bought and given him. Dad always had beautiful horses. In November 1908, he sold a matched team to the Globe Fire Department and Sam delivered them in Globe.
Sam was married in March 1913, so us six children lived by ourselves. My brothers and sisters were the best children that ever was; no trouble to anyone. We just tried to be good and kind to each other. About two years after Sam's marriage, he decided not to run Dad's farm. About that time, Hilda married Edwin Taylor. Our brother Joe wanted to buy Dad's farm, so we divided the farm and sold it to Joe. So with Hilda's husband helping Joe with the farm, everything went well. Hilda ahd her husband lived at the home place. Hilma [Lamb (Hilda's twin)] and I were working away from home helping other families with housework. Hilda looked after the younger children at home, which were Joe, Beatrice and Bill. Hilda and Ed were surely good to them. Our brother Joe passed away [appendicitis] November 18, 1931 at Hilda's home.
Of course we are all scattered now as all families do. Our only brother Bill lives in Montana. The youngest girl, Beatrice is in Los Angeles. Hilma is in New Mexico and Hilda is in Pima, Arizona. Mary is in Safford, Arizona, eight miles east of Pima.
Mother and Father have 24 grandchildren, 76 great grand children and 63 great great grand children.
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