Memorials › Amy Elizabeth Rowley Mortensen

Amy Elizabeth Rowley Mortensen

23 Mar 1872 – 24 Apr 1918

Birth23 Mar 1872
Death24 Apr 1918
CemeteryBlanding City Cemetery
Blanding , San Juan County , Utah , USA
Added byMarlin J Haws on 19 Jun 2025
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67329

Bio

Amy Elizabeth Rowley Mortensen written by Udell F. Mortensen Shared on familysearch by @BeverlyGriffiths1 Someone has said: "To mothers has been given the task, not alone of bearing children, but of opening the capacities of body, mind, and spirit so that their lives will be happy and fruitful. There is no love quite like mother's love, no ministration so tender and so tireless and unselfishly bestowed; there are no desires for the well-being of children so deep and sincere as those that dwell in a mother's heart." This is the way I (Udell F. Mortensen) feel about my mother and so as a tribute to her, I write the life story of my mother Amy Elizabeth Rowley Mortensen. I know I will omit many happenings that should be mentioned and perhaps there will be misspelled words, and errors in typing, but I will have this satisfaction, that this will be more than anyone else has written about her. Amy Elizabeth Rowley Mortensen In a small modest home in Nephi City, Utah, Mary Ann Rowley had not slept much during the night. She had watched for light to show in the one small window of her bedroom, and now she knew that morning had arrived. Labor pains had grown more severe as the night wore on, and she knew the time would not be long until she would be giving birth to her fifth child. She recalled when her first child was born here in Nephi City. Eliza Jane would soon be seven, and it was soon after the birth of Eliza Jane, that John, her husband, had taken his young bride and small daughter to Parowan, some 140 miles to the south. While at Parowan, Sarah Ann was born, but she only stayed with them nine days and the Lord took her back in her innocence. One year later, while still in Parowan, John Sylvester was born. In 1868 John Rowley took Mary Ann and his young daughter and son and moved back to Nephi City. Mary Ann remembered nearly three years after John Sylvester was born, the trouble she had giving birth to Zina Cardilia. Now the time had arrived for her to put her life on the line to bring another one of God's sweet spirits into the world. The March wind swept down from snow covered Mt. Nebo, that stood like a sentinel over-looking Nephi City. It was Saturday morning, March 23, 1872, as Mary Ann gave birth to her fifth child Amy Elizabeth. Zina Cardilia and Amy Elizabeth were both born in the new home built on the 160 acres John Rowley had purchased northeast of Nephi City near Salt Creek Canyon. Amy Elizabeth was a beautiful child with clusters of dark curls framing a round face with bright blue eyes looking out into a new world. It was not until the 14th of May that she was blessed and given a name by a close friend of the family, Joel Grover. Amy Elizabeth had a name now, so she was an individual person and known as such by her parents and friends and on the records of the church, and from now on I shall refer to her as "Mother". Mother, (Amy Elizabeth) was a month past two years old when Jesse Noah was born. It was strange having a baby in the house younger than she was. Eliza Jane was nine, John Sylvester was seven and Zina Cardilia was four. When Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was about three years old, Grandpa (John) Rowley married Emma Ozella Johnson. The practice of polygamy was becoming more popular in the church, but it was to be limited to responsible people, and men with sufficient means to support more than one family. Grandpa (John) Rowley was one that was given the responsibility of having several wives. It was on October the 25th, that he took Emma Ozella to Salt Lake City, and they were married in the Endowment House. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved her younger brother Jesse Noah very much and played with him a great deal. When Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was four years old, Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley gave birth to another baby brother, Heber Charles. When Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was a few months past five years old, Grandpa (John Rowley) married another wife, Orissa Jane, a sister of Emma Ozella Johnson. Grandpa (John) and his three wives all lived together in the new home near the mouth of Salt Creek Canyon. The new house was a large one with each family having their own separate rooms except for the kitchen and the dining area. The food was all prepared together, and they all sat together at a large table for their meals. Somewhere in the span of years, "Nephi City" dropped "City" from it's name, and became known only as "Nephi". Mother (Amy Elizabeth) saw Nephi grow in population, and many new acres were cleared for farming. Orchards and gardens were planted and new homes were built. Good homes of adobe and brick and rock, with shingle roofs, surrounded by trees, flowers and lawns. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was a great help to Grandma, (Mary Ann) even though she was very young. She helped to tend Jesse and Heber, and two months before she was seven years, James Albert was born. The children older than Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had to help with the outside chores and farm work. Zina was nine, John was twelve, and Jane was fourteen. But Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved babies, and now there were three little brothers to love. On the 2nd of June 1880, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was baptized. It was Saturday, and L. A. Bailey was the Elder that baptized her. The next Sunday the 3rd of June, she and her four brothers and two sisters, along with Grandpa (John Rowley) and Grandma (Mary Ann) were at meeting to see her confirmed. John Andrews was the Elder that confirmed her. On May 28, 1881, one more little boy was born to Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley, so Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) help was needed more than ever, and she could help a great deal, as she was now nine years old. They gave this little son the name of Lemuel Isaac. On the 12th of February 1882, Eliza Jane, Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) oldest sister married James Parley Johnson. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was ten years old and the only other sister was Zina Cardelia, age twelve. So the two girls had a great amount of responsibility to help Grandma (Mary Ann) care for the four younger boys. John the older brother would soon be fifteen. In August 1883, Grandpa (John Rowley) married another wife, Sarah Elizabeth Steed. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was eleven now, and she was able to help with household duties as well as the chores and the farm work. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had blossomed into a beautiful young lady when Grandma (Mary Ann) gave birth to her sixth son. She (Amy) was twelve now and she cared for the younger children and assisted Grandma (Mary Ann) with the house work. The sixth son was named Jacob Leslie. Seven months after Jacob Leslie was born, Grandpa (John Rowley) was called to fill a mission to Great Britain. He received his call 4 December 1883 but it took him until the following October before he could arrange his affairs and home life to be gone so long. He was set apart for his mission by Apostle Heber J. Grant on the eleventh of October 1884. While in England, Grandpa (John Rowley) gathered much of the genealogy we now have on Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) line. With Grandpa John Rowley, away, it placed a great burden on all the wives and children, as he had many responsibilities at home. He had a flour mill, a sorghum mill, and a gypsum mill, as well as farm land and orchards. While Grandpa (John Rowley) was on him mission, his health failed him because of the very damp climate in England, so his mission was cut short and he was given his honorable release, and he arrived back in Nephi the 6th of June 1885. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was now past fourteen. She had worked hard, helping Grandma (Mary Ann) with the small children and the house work, and even had to help in the gypsum mill, sacking it so the bags could be hauled by the boys to Salt Lake City and other places. On the 28th of March 1886, Zina Cardilia married James Parley Johnson. This was Grandma's (Mary Ann's) second daughter that he had married. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was the only girl at home now, and her responsibilities seemed to increase with every marriage and every birth in the family. On the 7th of April 1886, Grandma (Mary Ann) gave birth to her Eleventh child, Wilford Marion. This made six little brothers in the home now, that were younger then Mother (Amy Elizabeth). But on the 21st of July 1888, Grandma (Mary Ann) gave birth to a little girl. This was something different, having a little girl in the family after six little boys. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved all of them when they were small, but now a baby girl in their home to love. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was sixteen and she could really love and care for a baby. There was a bond of love started here that lasted for many years; in fact it lasted as long as Mother (Amy Elizabeth) lived. The name they gave this little girl was Mary Luella. Persecution was very strong against the church because of the practice of plural marriage, so Grandpa (John Rowley) had to hide out most of the time. He had a tunnel dug from a cellar under the house to a cellar in the mill. The tunnel had secret doors at each end and Grandpa (John Rowley) could take care of a great deal of work in the mill without being seen. Many times the Deputy Marshall tried to serve papers on Grandpa (John Rowley) because of polygamy, but his family would notify him and he could leave by one of the secret doors. Sadness came to the home of Grandma (Mary Ann) and Grandpa (John Rowley) just before Christmas of 1888. Little Jacob Leslie was taken from them and all the family mourned the loss of this little boy. He had died from diphtheria. Gloom seemed everywhere that cold and bleak December 21st. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) missed little Jacob Leslie very much, for she had helped to feed him and change him and care for him the past four years and nine months. He was buried in a lonely spot in the corner of the farm near the Nephi City Cemetery. In the spring of 1889, when Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was seventeen, she was helping Grandma (Mary Ann) with the planting of the garden and looking after little Wilford Marion who was three, and Mary Luella nearly ten months old. A man came up to the fence with some papers and started to talk to Grandma (Mary Ann) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth). Jesse Noah, Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) brother who was two years younger than she, was plowing in the orchard so the garden could be planted. He had just arrived at the top of the garden and was about to return to the bottom end where two of Grandpa's (John Rowley's) wives were. They were Orissa Jane and Emma Ozella. The man asked Grandma (Mary Ann) what her name was and she told him it was Mary Ann Rowley. Then he turned to Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and asked what her name was, and she told him it was Amy Elizabeth Rowley. The officer thought Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was one of Grandpa's (John Rowley's) wives and started to serve papers on them to appear in court. Grandma (Mary Ann) knew there would be trouble if the officer was to talk to Grandpa's (John Rowley's) other two wives, so she winked at Jesse Noah and he got the message. He plowed down to the bottom end of the garden and told the two women they better get out of sight. The two women took their sunbonnets in hand and ran for the house. Grandma (Mary Ann) convinced the Deputy Marshall that Mother was one of her daughters and not a wife of Grandpa (John Rowley) but when he saw the two women running toward the house, he started running after them. The women arrived at the house before the officer did and they went directly to the secret hiding place in the cellar. The Deputy went into the house but was unable to find them. He went out to the back of the house and still he could find no signs of the women. From the backyard he could see a girl walking some distance away and he thought it may be one of the women, so he started after her. The girl saw him coming, so she started to run for her home about half a mile away. When she arrived at the house she told her father that "old man Rowley had been chasing her". The Deputy returned to where Grandma (Mary Ann) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) were, and the girl's father immediately came to the Rowley home. He was soon informed it was the Deputy and not Grandpa (John Rowley) that had been chasing his daughter. After the Deputy had completed his search of the place and was unable to find more than one wife or Grandpa (John Rowley) he left. Grandpa (John Rowley) was in Salt Lake City on business at the time, so Grandma (Mary Ann) assembled the three families together in council and they decided it was best that Ozella and Orissa move to some other place for now. They all began making preparations and soon a wagon was loaded with provisions, and Jesse Noah took the two women and their children up through Salt Creek Canyon and on to Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. Conditions kept getting more complicated for the families in Nephi and Grandma (Mary Ann) needed to get in contact with Grandpa (John Rowley). She didn't know when he would be back, so she wrote to Grandpa (John Rowley) in care of Elder Francis M. Lyman, Salt Lake City. Grandma (Mary Ann) knew Grandpa (John Rowley) was a very close friend of the General Authorities and that Elder Lyman would get the letter to Grandpa (John Rowley). When Grandpa (John) received the letter about the happenings in Nephi, he went to the General Authorities and asked them what they would advise him to do. They told him it would be best to take his families to Old Mexico where several of the polygamous families were moving to. Grandpa (John Rowley) returned to Nephi and consulted with Grandma (Mary Ann) and then went to Richfield to talk to his other two wives. Grandpa (John Rowley) had married another wife, Belinda Kendrick, the 38th of July 1886, and she lived in Sanpete County. They all decided to take the advice of the General Authorities, so they made preparations to leave for Old Mexico. When they arrived in Central, Arizona, a small village on the Gila River, they stopped and Grandpa (John Rowley) set up a blacksmith shop, where he worked for several month. This gave them enough finances so they could continue on to Mexico, and they arrived in Diaz the 11th of November 1889. While Grandpa (John Rowley) was in Salt Lake City, before he left for Old Mexico, a Deputy Marshall served papers on Grandma (Mary Ann) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and they had to go to Provo to comply with the law, and they were put on trial because of polygamy. Nothing could be proven against them, now that Grandpa (John Rowley) had taken all his other families to Mexico, so they were released to return to Nephi. A great deal of responsibility was placed upon Grandma (Mary Ann) and her children now that Grandpa (John Rowley) was in Mexico. The sorghum mill and the flour mill had been sold, but the gypsum mull and the farm land was left in charge of Grandma (Mary Ann) and her children. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was the oldest of the children at home. Eliza Jane had been married for seven years; John Sylvester had gone to Central, Arizona, and was working there for himself; and Zina Cardilia had been married for three years. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was seventeen, and she had to work hard in the gypsum mill sacking and lifting heavy bags of plaster of Paris, and the dust at times was almost unbearable. There seems to be no doubt that Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) bad health was brought on because of the hard work and the air she had to breathe in the plaster of Paris mill. Jesse Noah, the oldest boy at home, was a strong boy, but he was only fifteen. Heber Charles was thirteen and James Albert was eleven. Most of the money made from the sale of the plaster of Paris was sent to Mexico so Grandpa (John Rowley) could get started there. Grandpa (John) Rowley returned to Nephi from Diaz in the spring of 1890 and sold all his property there. He bought three new wagons and loaded all their possessions in the wagons, and along with the stock, and Grandma (Mary Ann) with the seven children that were at home, started the long trek to Diaz. Grandpa (John) Rowley drove one team that pulled the heaviest load, and Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley drove the team that pulled a smaller wagon. She held Mary Luella in her arms, who had not learned to walk yet, and Wilford Marion, age three sitting in the seat beside her. Jesse Noah, age sixteen, was in charge of the stock, with Heber Charles, age fourteen, to help him. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was eighteen, and she had to drive the team that pulled the third wagon. Some of the smaller children rode with her. When they arrived at Lee's Ferry, on the Colorado River, they had to camp there for several days. It was a slow task getting the thirty head of stock and the three teams and wagons on the south side of the river. Only one team and wagon could go on the ferry at one time. When the team that Grandma (Mary Ann) was driving reached the south side of the river and was to drive off the ferry to the bank, they discovered the ferry was not anchored securely. The team was on the bank of the river, and the loaded wagon, with Grandma (Mary Ann) and the small children was still on the ferry, which was beginning to float down the stream. Grandpa (John Rowley) was standing on the bank near the horses. He could see in his mind the wagon with Grandma (Mary Ann) and the small children floating down the river and pulling the horses into the water. Grandpa (John Rowley) slapped the horse he was standing by on the hip and said, "Hold it, Prince". The horses responded and slowly pulled the ferry back to the shore, where it was anchored safely. Grandma (Mary Ann) has said that it was only through faith and prayer that they were saved, because it was too large a load for one team of horses to pull without some other help. Such examples as this of faith and prayer had a great impact in Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) life, and it helped to build faith through prayer in her life and the lives of her children. It was at this camp at Lee's Ferry that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Grandma (Mary Ann) taught Mary Luella to walk. She took her first steps in the deep gorge, on the sandy banks of the Colorado River. The road was rough and dusty, and the summer heat was hard to endure; but that fall, 1890, they arrived in Central, Arizona, where they spent most of the winter. Grandpa (John Rowley) and young Heber Charles, who was fourteen, took the stock and a team and wagon on down to Diaz. Christmas spent in the little settlement of Central, on the banks of the Gila River, was not a pleasant one. Grandpa (John Rowley) and Heber Charles were in Mexico, and the place where they lived was a make-shift home, consisting of a house with two small rooms, a tent, and a covered wagon. Things were not too pleasant for Grandma (Mary Ann), but she knew how to manage with conditions like this. Mother, (Amy Elizabeth), who was eighteen, could help with younger children and the household chores. Jesse Noah, who was sixteen, worked with the team of horses Grandpa (John Rowley) had left for them there. James Albert, twelve, and Lemuel Isaac, nine, helped to supply water and fuel for the family. The two small children, Wilford Marion, four, and Mary Luella, one and a half, were not much trouble to care for in the mild winter months of the Gila Valley. Grandpa (John Rowley) and Heber Charles returned to Central some time in January, and Grandpa (John Rowley) and Grandma, (Mary Ann) with Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and the other six children started for Diaz. They arrived there about the 15th of February 1891. Grandpa (John Rowley) and his other three wives settled in Diaz before Grandma (Mary Ann) and her family arrived. Arrangements were made for Grandma (Mary Ann) to live in the home with Belinda, the last wife Grandpa (John Rowley) had married. This house was in the town of Diaz, but it was not long until Grandpa (John Rowley) moved Grandma (Mary Ann) and her family onto a twelve acre farm west of town where Grandpa (John Rowley) built a flour mill and a sorghum mill. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) spent many hours working at both mills. That spring Mother (Amy Elizabeth) helped plant a large garden to help supply the family with food. One morning, while Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was out in the garden picking peas, a young man rode by the Rowley farm. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had just turned nineteen on the 23rd of March. She was a charming slender girl. Her black hair was pulled back in a neat bob at the nap of her neck and a cluster of shining curls, coiled neatly in front, covered part of her forehead. Her freshly ironed dress showed neatness and good taste, and her sparkling dark gray eyes looked up form her early morning task to see a handsome young man stop near the garden. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) noticed he sat well in his saddle, and the horse showed signs of good grooming. The young man spoke to Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and she smiled up at him, and then he galloped up the road to retrieve the stock he had set out to find. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) learned later the name of the visitor was Lauritz Mortensen. Many socials and house parties were held in Diaz, and one evening all the young folks were invited to the home of Martine Mortensen. Her home was very modest, but it was suitable, so the young people could gather and have an enjoyable time. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had met all the boys in town and she had smiled at Lauritz Mortensen many times, and he had smiled back at her. On many occasions she had noticed he would be standing or sitting near her. When the party was beginning to break up, Peter Mortensen, (Lauritz Mortensen's half brother) asked Mother (Amy Elizabeth) if he could walk home with her. She felt that one other man at the party would ask if he could walk home with her, so she refused him. It was only a few moments later when the young man that she had smiled at from the pea patch that morning, and the man that had returned her smile, asked her if he could walk home with her. She smilingly said, "yes". It was a long walk of several blocks to the farm where the grist mill and the sorghum mill was, but they didn't mind, because each had found a friendship unlike anything either had known before. This was the first time Dad (Lauritz Mortensen) walked home with Mother, (Amy Elizabeth) but it was not the last. The romance flourished, and in a few months they were making wedding plans. Dad (Lauritz Mortensen) went over to La Ascencion to buy material so Mother (Amy Elizabeth) could make her wedding dress. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was a good seamstress and she soon had a lovely gown tailor-made to fit her slender and attractive body. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz Mortensen) were married about a year after that long walk from the party to the house on the farm where the mills stood. The marriage took place on a Tuesday evening, 20 July, 1892, in the home of Grandma (Mary Ann) and Grandpa (John) Rowley. Dad's (Lauritz's) mother (Martine Mortensen) was there, and most of his brothers and his sixteen year old sister, Martine Elizabeth. Grandpa (Morten Peder) Mortensen had passed away the year before. All of Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) family was there, and Apostle George Teasdale performed the marriage ceremony. He married them and sealed them for time and eternity. He had been given this authority by President Wilford Woodruff to seal the saints in Mexico, so their children could be born in the covenant, and at a later time they would have to go to the temple for their endowments. After the marriage, Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley had a wedding supper for all that were present; and after the supper was over, Grandpa (John) Rowley said, "Now boys, you've had a fine supper. Now go on home and leave the new married couple alone". Grandpa (John) didn't want any pranks pulled around his place and everyone knew it, so they went home. The day after the wedding, Dad (Lauritz) took a wheelbarrow and went to his home and picked up all his belongings, and he and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) moved into one of the rooms that Belinda Kendrick Rowley had lived in before Grandpa (John) moved her to Dublan. Belinda was the wife Grandpa (John) had married last. At the time of their marriage, Dad (Lauritz) was building fence for a cattleman by the name of Charles Rukins (Richins). Within a short time after their marriage, Dad (Lauritz) built a one-room adobe house, and they moved into it. At first it had a dirt floor, but soon Dad (Lauritz) was able to work for some lumber, and the one-roomed house had a lumber floor. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) had been married for eleven months when a sweet little boy came into their home. It was on 19 June 1893. He lived only long enough to be given a blessing and the name of Leslie, then a kind Father in Heaven took back his spirit the same day. Sorrow had entered their married life early, as Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved babies so very much. She had cared for her younger brothers and one sister while she was at home, and she had loved them all. Now for months she had planned for the day when she would have a baby of her own to love. But together Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) faced the challenge of life before them. They enlarged their home, acquired some stock, planted garden, and Dad (Lauritz) began a new career - he became a bricklayer and a mason. Seventeen months after little Leslie left their home, another little boy was born to them. He was born the 18th of November 1894, and was taken to church and given a name when Fast Meeting was held on Thursday evening. It was the 3rd of January 1895, and he was blessed and given the name of Lauritz Leonard by Bishop William Derby Johnson. But Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had to face sorrow again, as he was taken from them when he was a year and a half old. He died the 27th of April 1896. Mother had enjoyed this child, she had nursed him, cared for him, and taught him to walk. But life was not always filled with sorrow. On a Thursday, the 1st of April, (April Fool's day) Mother (Amy Elizabeth) gave birth to a sweet little girl. This child being a girl, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) could use ruffles and frills on the clothes she made for her, and again at Thursday Fast Meeting, 29 April 1897, this little girl, with her long, flowing dress, was given a blessing and the name of Bernice Adalia by Bishop William Derby Johnson. Mother loved her flower garden and always had a fusion of beautiful flowers growing in her front yard. Her favorite flowers were roses and dahlias. I suppose that is one reason Bernice was given the name of Adalia, and also Aunt Luella said in a letter written to Bernice that she had a doll named Adalia and she love it so much that she suggested the name to Mother (Amy Elizabeth) when she saw Bernice the day she was born. Aunt Luella was nine years old when Bernice was born. When Bernice was one year and eight months old, Mother gave birth to another little girl. The day was chilly that Tuesday morning, 6 December 1898, when this little girl arrived. Some changes had taken place in the church, and Fast Day was held on Sunday now, so on the first Sunday, February the 5th 1899, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) took their second little girl to get a name and a blessing. Bishop William Derby Johnson gave her the name of Amy Hortense. Dad (Lauritz) had always called Mother, (Amy Elizabeth) Amy, instead of Elizabeth or Lizzy, as most everyone had done, so Dad (Lauritz) must have loved the name of Amy and his second little girl had to have Amy as part of her name. Diaz was prospering, new homes were built and new people were moving in. More farming was taking place, orchards and vineyards were producing, and new grain and alfalfa fields were supplying feed for the stock. Dad (Lauritz) and Mother) Amy Elizabeth) were getting more stock, and in general the people of Diaz seemed to be prospering. There was a short distance from Diaz, a place called Button Willows. Dad (Lauritz) was farming some land there, and in the low lands along the river, a great amount of grass hay grew there. In the spring and during flood time, this low river bottom land would become flooded and the fertile river bottom soil made the wild hay grow rank, and it was cut for winter feed for the stock. Horses thrived well on the grass hay. Dad (Lauritz) moved Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and his two little girls there. It is not determined how long they lived there, but it was not long, and they moved back into Diaz before their next child was born. On a crisp, cold Tuesday, the 12th of February 1901, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) gave birth to her third little girl. To bring a new life into this world, each time Mother (Amy Elizabeth) placed her own life on the line, as she was in hard labor for such a long time and she was ill most of the time while she was pregnant. But Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved babies and when each little soft bundle was placed by her side as she lay in bed, it helped to remove the memory of the suffering and hard labor she had endured. After this third little girl was born, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was very weak, and it was months before she could get her strength back. The little girl was not a healthy baby either and was struggling to keep life in it's little body. Mother was fearful that it's little spirit may depart this life at any time, so she had Dad (Lauritz) bless and give her a name. Dad (Lauritz) took this frail little daughter in his arms and gave her the name of Ferl, as he blessed her on that Wednesday, the 20th of February 1901. She was eight days old, but the Lord let them keep her for another month, and she was taken from them on the 19th of March 1901. It was a sad thing for Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz), for now a new little mound of dirt could be seen close to her two little brothers in a secluded spot in the Diaz cemetery. Dad (Lauritz) was handy at building, especially with rock, adobe, and brick, and he built a larger and more comfortable home for his family. Life was not all full of sorrow for Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) for it was in this new home on a warm Monday, 21 July 1902 that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) gave birth to a healthy beautiful boy. She felt that the Lord had heard her prayers, for now there was a strong and healthy boy in her family. Mother (Amy Elizabeth and Dad (Lauritz) and the two little girls, Bernice, a few months past five years, and Hortense, two and a half years old, dressed in their Sunday best and marched proudly into church that Fast Sunday the 7th of September 1902, to have a name given to the new member of the family. Charles Whiting gave the blessing and the name given was Archie Raymond. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) both loved horses, and they knew a good horse when they saw one. They were acquiring more stock, and as Dad (Lauritz) loved race horses, he usually had one that was a good racer. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) soon realized that they needed a home with more living space for their family. Dad (Lauritz) being a good mason, built a modest rock house out of rock that had been cleared from the old river-bed land. These rocks, though rough, had been placed to make the walls strong and true and the windows and doors had been fashioned from strong selected timbers. The roof, though crude, was fastened securely to the walls and gave the place an appearance of peace and safety. This rock house sat far back from the main street, and against it's rough walls were fusions of flowers, blue, crimson, and yellow. The walls on the inside were plastered and the living quarters took on a look of coziness and good taste. It was in this rock house on the 15th of August 1905, that mother gave birth to her fourth son. It was Tuesday, and very warm. Sister Sarah Jane Keeler, the mid-wife, had spent many long hours at Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) bedside. There seemed a hushed shroud hung over the room as Mother (Amy Elizabeth) lay weak and spent from the labors of child birth. Sister Keeler's attention was centered on Mother (Amy Elizabeth) but she would glance up quickly to give instructions to those standing at the foot of the bed who were trying to bring life to the body of the infant just born. They were instructed to dip the child in warm water and then cold water to cause the child to gasp for breath. When Mother (Amy Elizabeth) heard the first cry of the infant, it probably gave her the strength to fight for her own life, but it was a long, hard battle. But like most of her battles, she came out victorious. It was not until the 5th of November that they took the frail infant to the church that Fast Sunday to be blessed. Bishop William Derby Johnson blessed the boy and gave him the name of Udell F. the letter "F" was part of Dad's (Lauritz's) name. The child had a name now and became an individual: and in as much as I (Udell F. Mortensen) am writing this life story of Mother (Amy Elizabeth) I shall refer to myself am "me" or "I". It was months before Mother (Amy Elizabeth) regained her strength, and some have said they didn't believe she fully regained all of it, and I (Udell) have been told that for years I (Udell) had a struggle to live. While Mother (Amy Elizabeth) still lay in bed recovering from my (Udell"s) birth, Archie was running across the dining room toward the back door with an open pocket knife in his hand, he tripped and fell, and the knife blade was jabbed into his stomach. Grandma (Mary Ann) and all of Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) brothers and sisters gathered at our home, because they were concerned about how this would affect Mother (Amy Elizabeth). Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was worried, and it did have it's effect on her, but it seemed to have no ill effect on Archie. Also, while she (Amy Elizabeth) was still in bed, a dentist came through Diaz. She wanted her top teeth pulled, so while she lay there, the dentist pulled all her top teeth, and there was nothing given her to deaden the pain. Dad (Lauritz) and Grandma (Mary Ann) stood by to give assistance if needed. I (Udell) remember that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had trouble in later years with her false teeth. Through all of this, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was unable to supply enough breast milk for me, so about once a day she would go to Aunt Eunice's place or Aunt Eunice would come to our place and breast feed me. (Udell). Aunt Eunice had given birth to her first child, Elmo nine days before I (Udell) was born, and she seemed to have plenty to nurse her baby and help out with the amount that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) could not supply. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) witnessed many special occasions in her life in Diaz, because the church was such a part of her life. She witnessed the baptism of Bernice, the first of her children to be baptized. It was the 4th of June 1905, and Andrew Andersen did the baptizing. She was confirmed the same day by Charles Whiting. Hortense was baptized the 2nd of May 1907, by Andrew Andersen. Peter Kimball Lemmon confirmed her the 5th of May, three days later. Also Archie was baptized the 4th of September 1910 by Andrew Andersen, and confirmed the same day by James Parley Johnson. It was not long after I (Udell) was born that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) moved into the new home facing Main Street. This story-and-a-half brick house was lined with adobe on the inside for both warmth and coolness. This beautiful home was a joy and comfort for Mother (Amy Elizabeth). She took so much pride in her new home; and her clean scrubbed floors and neatly made beds showed that she loved her home and family. Her health, not being so good, a great deal of the home chores were placed on Bernice and Hortense. Dad (Lauritz) fixed the front yard with lawn and a place for Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) flower beds. Her flower garden was something to behold, and she received much pleasure from the efforts put into it. She had a beautiful flower garden in Diaz, even to the day we left there. I (Udell) remember one day, perhaps when I was five years old, for I believe Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was sewing on baby clothes for Pearl, she stopped her sewing and said she was going across the street to Aunt Jane's for just a moment and would be right back, and for me not to touch the sewing machine. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was only gone for a moment, but I was sitting on the chair at the sewing machine, half crying, with the machine needle holding me there because I had sewed through the pointer finger of my left hand. I don't remember of it hurting me so badly, but I sure couldn't get away. One day in May I (Udell) was hurried over to Uncle Parley and Aunt Jane's house to play with my cousin Arthur. This was a Wednesday the 24th of May 1911. We swang in their big swings and climbed in the big mulberry trees, and had lots of fun playing on the lawn. Several hours later Uncle Parley and Aunt Jane returned home and told me I could go home now and see my new baby sister. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had been sick most of the time while she was pregnant with Pearl, and Dad (Lauritz) had to have Lilly Galbraith work for them, doing the washing mostly. Again on Fast Sunday, July 2nd 1911, the family proudly went to church to get a name and a blessing for this sweet little girl. It had been nearly ten years since a small baby girl had been born to them. So it was a special occasion and a special name had to be selected. Ernest V. Romney gave the blessing and the name Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) had chosen was 'Pearl'. The people of Diaz seemed to have a feeling of uneasiness, because of the threats of a Mexican revolution. Some were starting to look for other places to settle and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) were one of them. Also, it was thought, perhaps, some other place may be better for Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) health. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) were reluctant about leaving Diaz, for during the twenty years they had lived together there, they had experienced many joys and some sorrows. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) had found happiness together in their married life, and peace and harmony in their home. On the other side of the ledger, their first two little boys, and their fifth child a little girl, had been placed to rest in the Diaz cemetery. Many days, as well as nights, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was left alone with the family because Dad (Lauritz) was a peace officer. Many men had given their lives because of unruly Mexicans. Bernice had been kicked by a horse and her head had been split open, so a silver plate had to be placed inside so the wound could heal. Bernice and Hortense had been tromping hay while Dad (Lauritz) was loading it on the wagon, and they were playing around and Bernice pushed Hortense and she fell from the load and broke her arm. Grandpa (John) Rowley died at Pacheco, four months after their first little boy had been placed in the Diaz cemetery. And then, the incident of Archie and the pocketknife. Grandpa (Morten Peder) Mortensen had died eleven months before Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) were married. Grandma (Martine) Mortensen had died from dropsy when I (Udell) was two and a half years old, but I (Udell) can remember seeing her in the casket. Mother (Amy Elizabeth), Dad (Lauritz) Arch and I (Udell) made a trip out to Columbus, New Mexico, once in a buggy. While there, Dad (Lauritz) had gone to take care of some business, and Mother, (Amy Elizabeth) Arch and I (Udell) were in the buggy alone. A train came into town and it's shrill whistle frightened "Old Quanna", the horse that was hitched to the one-horse buggy. After running a while, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was able to get the horse stopped, but the train was still frightening the horse. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was going to get out and get hold of the bridle so the horse would not run any more. As soon as she stepped from the buggy, the train whistled again and the horse lunged again and Arch who was holding the reins, had one jerked out of his hands. Arch and I (Udell) were in the buggy alone with him holding onto one rein. The buggy, the horse, Arch and I (Udell) went around and around in a circle. Somewhere along the ride, the wheel of the buggy hit a big rock and I (Udell) was thrown to the ground. Arch and the buggy kept going. Arch had a tight hold on the rein and between he and Dad (Lauritz) who had returned, was able to stop the frightened horse. I (Udell) am sure Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was frightened as she rushed to where I (Udell) lay crying in the dust. But as she helped me to my feet and held me close, my tears soon stopped and Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) fears lessened when she found I (Udell) was not hurt, just frightened and dirty. Dad (Lauritz) built four different homes for Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and himself while they lived in Diaz. This included the first one-room adobe home Dad (Lauritz) built shortly after they were married; then there was the home where Archie was born, the rock house where I (Udell) was born, and then the new brick house where Pearl was born. This new brick house was the one we were living in when we left Diaz. There probably was another home where they lived when Bernice and Hortense were small. I (Udell) don't know about the place they lived in at the button Willows, but they did live there at the Button Willows for a while. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved to dance and she and Dad (Lauritz) would dress in their finest and they attended many dances in Diaz. I (Udell) remember going over to La Asension and seeing a bull fight with Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) once. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was a very particular individual about her home. The stoves had to be blacked and polished until they would shine. The wicks of the kerosene lamps must be trimmed just so, and the lamp chimney must be clean and shinning. Mother made beautiful lace and embroidery, and she had her home beautiful with doilies and dresser scarfs and beautiful pillow cases. She indeed truly loved her home and her family. When Bernice finished the sixth grade, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had a party for her and for all her class. For the drink served, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) opened some plum juice she had planned to make jelly out of. On the day Pearl was a year old, May the 24th 1912, Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) with their family left Diaz with the thought of finding a place in the states for them to settle, and then return to Diaz and sell their property and get started in some other place. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was just past forty and Dad (Lauritz) would be forty the next month. Uncle John and Aunt Eliza Rowley moved into our home when we left Diaz. We first went to Thatcher, Arizona. We lived in two different houses there. We had gone to Thatcher because Aunt Diantha, who had married Lot Smith, lived there. Aunt Diantha was a half sister of Dad's (Lauritz). While in Thatcher, Dad (Lauritz) planted a field of sweet potatoes and they produced very well. That fall there was a Mortensen reunion in Parowan, Utah and in as much as Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley and Aunt Luella were there, Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) decided it may be a good place to settle. So Dad (Lauritz) sent Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and family on to Parowan and he stayed in Thatcher to sell the crop of sweet potatoes. I (Udell) remember while we were still in Thatcher, of going to church and I had a new pair of shoes, and oh, how they hurt me. When the sweet potatoes were sold, Dad (Lauritz) started for Parowan. One day he called Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and said he was in Cedar City and would be home as soon as he could get a way there. Cedar City was some 18 or 20 miles south of Parowan. While we were in Parowan, the first place we lived, there was a large orchard, and we had plenty of fruit to eat. The winter seemed very cold and there was lots of snow. We had to haul wood from up in the canyons for our stoves and fireplaces. We moved into a second house in Parowan before Christmas and it was in this house on the 26th of February, 1913 on a Wednesday that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) gave birth to her fifth son. I (Udell) am not able to find a blessing date for this son, but everything indicates that it was the 6th of April, 1913. Bernice had just turned sixteen on the first of April; Hortense was seven months past fifteen, Archie would be eleven in July, I (Udell) would be eight in August, and Pearl would be two years old in May. But we all went to church that Sunday to see that child blessed and given a name. He was given the name of Rupert Wendel. Sometime later Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) were not satisfied with the name of Rupert, so they called him Robert. But Rupert Wendel was his official name on the church records. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) loved all her children very much and on one occasion Mother (Amy Elizabeth) said as she hugged Robert and held him close, "I love you Bob, even if your eyes are like buttermilk." Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) had been sealed when they were married in Diaz by Apostle Teasdale, but they had not been to the temple for their own endowments and now they hoped this could be done for them. Early in the spring of 1913, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) and their six children went to Salt Lake City. Because of the scattered condition of the people from Diaz it was very difficult to find their Bishop and to know where their membership was. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and Dad (Lauritz) had been given the understanding that their recommends would be sent to Salt Lake, as their membership had arrived in Parowan before they left. While in Salt Lake, we stayed with one of Dad's (Lauritz's) cousins. I (Udell) remember the street cars coming by the house and it was very exciting for us. We stayed in Salt Lake for a week and the recommends did not arrive, but they did get some word that they would not be sent because of the lack of authority to issue one. Their money was going fast and expenses were great for a family with six children. Something had to be done and done fast. We took the train and headed south. Uncle Parley and Aunt Jane Johnson had settled in Blanding, Utah, and they thought it was a good place for someone to get started again. We traveled south to Thompson, Utah, and then took the stage that carried mail and passengers to Moab, Utah. Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) found a place for us to live, but there was not much work. during the time while we were in Moab, Arch and I (Udell) caught frogs in the marshes of the Colorado River (then the Grand River) and sold the legs, two for 25 cents. Dad (Lauritz) became discouraged because of not being able to find work to his liking, so he took Arch and went to Monticello. The rest of the family stayed in Moab for a month, when Dad (Lauritz) sent Arch back to Moab with a team and buggy, so we could move to Monticello. Dad (Lauritz) had rented a farm and planted a crop there. WE lived in a small house in Monticello owned by a man by the name of Frost. That fall, when the crop was gathered, we moved to Blanding. I (Udell) know we were in Blanding in October, because I was baptized on the 12th of October by Joseph Black, it was Sunday and I was confirmed that same day by Albert Lyman. When we first moved to Blanding, we lived in a tent house and a small one-room lumber building near Westwater. It was cold that winter and lots of snow, but wood was plentiful as the lot was covered with cedars. In the spring of 1914 Dad (Lauritz) homesteaded some land between Monticello and Verdure. We lived on the homestead that summer in tents in a wooded area near the wash that ran through Bull Hollow. Dad (Lauritz) and Arch grubbed rabbit and sage brush from the land and I (Udell) helped to pile it for burning. Corn and wheat and oats were planted. More land was cleared and more grain was planted. The next summer we moved into a small lumber shack with a dirt roof and a dirt floor, up on the hill from Bull Hollow. We lived in this location until he (Dad, Lauritz) left the ranch. Rooms were added to the original building and living was a little more comfortable. We lived on the ranch during the summer months and at Blanding during the school term. During the time we lived at the ranch, Dad (Lauritz) built an oven near the house, out of rock and mud and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) baked the most beautiful bread, and it was so delicious to eat. The oven was filled with wood and fired and when the oven was hot, the coals and ashes were cleaned out and the bread placed inside. The heat from the walls, top and bottom baked the bread a golden brown. Dad (Lauritz) built another home for Mother (Amy Elizabeth) in Blanding. It was west of town near Westwater. Making a living for the family had not been easy for Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth), but now things were beginning to work for them. They proved up on the homestead, had the home in Blanding, and had teams of horses, cows for milk, mutton, beef and pork for meat. Wheat for flour and other foods such as beans, potatoes and dried and bottled fruit. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had a blood tumor on the back of her head and I (Udell) remember one winter a Doctor came in from nearby Colorado and she had it removed, again she had nothing to deaden the pain. It was not a serious operation, but I (Udell) am sure it was very painful. Bernice did not live with us much of the time at the ranch. She was in Blanding working in homes to supplement the family living. While there she met and fell in love with Erastus Burtenshaw. They came from Blanding up to Monticello and were married on the 3rd of July 1917. They spent their wedding night with us at the ranch, and we all seemed pleased with the new addition to our family. I remember Mother (Amy Elizabeth) saying, "If all my children can do as well as Bernice has done in selecting a mate, I will be happy". But she never lived to see any of her other children married. In the fall of 1917, when we left the ranch to move back to Blanding for school, we felt like the Lord had blessed us very much because there had been a bounteous harvest of grain and the garden had produced vegetables in abundance. But Mother (Amy Elizabeth) did not seem very well, and by Christmas time, we all knew that Mother (Amy Elizabeth), in a few months, would be giving birth to her tenth child. During the winter months, Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had dizzy spells, and at times it was hard for her to walk around. I (Udell) remember several times of helping Mother (Amy Elizabeth) along the narrow snow path that winter that led from our house to Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley's house so she could visit with her. Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) condition continued to worsen as the winter months passed by. In the last few days of March Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was very ill, and she was not able to give birth to the child she had carried beneath her heart for the past nine months. Finally Dad (Lauritz) sent to Colorado for a doctor and the child was taken with instruments. The doctor said the child had been dead for a few days. Bernice and Rass were living at Verdure, and so to lessen the responsibility at our home a few days after the baby was buried, Pearl and I (Udell) went to live with them. Mother's (Amy Elizabeth's) condition continued to fail and Bernice and Rass had taken Pearl and gone to Blanding Sunday the 21st of April to see Mother. Pearl stayed in Blanding but Bernice and Rass returned to Verdure so Rass could be at work Monday morning. Word came to us at Verdure that Mother was asking for me (Udell), as I was the only one she had not seen for weeks, so on the morning of the 24th of April, I (Udell) went to Blanding to see Mother (Amy Elizabeth). When I entered the room where Mother (Amy Elizabeth) lay, I realized in a moment what no one would tell me. My Mother was not going to get well. She lay there so very still, so thin, and so very white. I (Udell) could hardly believe what I saw. Was this my Mother? The one who had always been able to spread sunshine to all her children. And now, she was not able to help anyone, and no one was able to help her. Grandma (Mary Ann) Rowley led me to the side of the bed where Mother (Amy Elizabeth) lay and spoke softly to her, trying to let her know that I (Udell) was there. Several times Grandma (Mary Ann) spoke to her, but if Mother (Amy Elizabeth) heard, she was too weak to respond. An hour or so later I (Udell) was passing through the room at the time when Dad (Lauritz) was looking for a wrench on a high shelf in the kitchen. Accidentally the wrench fell to the floor, and the sudden noise startled Mother (Amy Elizabeth) and she opened her eyes and looked at me (Udell). She tried to rise, but she could not, and then she stretched her hands out to me (Udell). She tried to say my name, but it was only a mumble. Before I (Udell) could reach the side of the bed, she had sank back into a coma. A few hours later a number of neighbors and relatives, along with the Bishop, met at the bedside to have prayer. If Mother could not get well, 'Please not let her suffer longer.' While we knelt in prayer, I (Udell) seemed to see a number of people seated in a place that seemed like heaven, and there was one vacant chair. In my mind it seemed that the vacant chair was for Mother (Amy Elizabeth). After the prayer was over, I told some of the folks about what I (Udell) had seen in my mind while we knelt in prayer. They said they were sure the vacant chair I (Udell) had seen was for Mother (Amy Elizabeth). Less than an hour from then, her sweet spirit left her frail body and our home was without a Mother. At this time Robert was just past five, Pearl would soon be seven, I (Udell) was twelve, Archie was fifteen, and Hortense was nineteen. Bernice was married and was expecting her first child in two or three months. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had just turned forty-six and Dad (Lauritz) would be forty-six the following June. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) was laid to rest in the Blanding cemetery beside her still-born baby on the 26th of April 1918. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) lived to be only forty-six years old, but her life had been full. She had faced the hardships of pioneering all her life and many sorrows came her way, but there were many joys of accomplishments, and she had a strong testimony of the gospel, and she instilled it in the hearts of her children to distinguish between right and wrong. She was a good Mother and she loved her children. She was a good wife and she loved Dad (Lauritz) very much. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had always wanted to go to the temple, but she was not privileged to do so while she was alive. But plans were made soon, so this could be taken care of for her. Bernice was proxy for Mother (Amy Elizabeth), so now Dad (Lauritz) and Mother (Amy Elizabeth) had their endowments and they were also sealed for eternity so there would be a record in the temple. Mother (Amy Elizabeth) kept her house clean and the beds were made neatly each morning, even though the ticks and mattresses were of straw, corn shucks, and cattails. Her knives, forks, and spoons had to be scoured often to keep them shining. She was a good cook and excelled in relishes, pickles, and catsup. Also Jellies and preserves and she made good head cheese. She believed in paying an honest tithing. I (Udell) remember one time taking a red rooster to the Bishops place to pay the tithing on her flock of chickens. One time Dad (Lauritz) gave her some money and said she could buy flour with it, but she owed some tithing, so she paid the tithing. I (Udell) asked Pearl if she could remember something about Mother (Amy Elizabeth) that I could put in the story. She told me the thing she remembered most about Mother (Amy Elizabeth )was that Mother (Amy Elizabeth) always heard our prayers and she told us bed-time stories. In writing this history, I (Udell) am indebted to Bernice and Archie for the information supplied by them. Even with their help, I (Udell) have spent many hours in research and time putting this history on paper. Read it as I (Udell) intended it to be. Please over-look the wrong spelling of words, the grammar and the mistakes in typing. Even with all the time that has gone into this, I have enjoyed writing it and I hope each of you will enjoy reading it, as much as I (Udell) did writing it.

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