Memorials › Frances Maria Shirley Price

Frances Maria Shirley Price

27 May 1898 – 23 Sep 1987

Birth	27 May 1898
Death	23 Sep 1987
Cemetery	Evanston City Cemetery Evanston , Uinta County , Wyoming , USA
Added by	MTM on 07 Jan 2014
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69786584

Gravesite details

Headstone has oxen yolk and beehive insignia representing the DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers) organization.

Bio

The following was written in 1986 by Frances' daughters Yvonne and Dorothy: Frances Maria Shirley Price was born on May 27, 1898 at Fish Haven, Bear Lake, Idaho, to Charles Coulson Shirley and Grace Maud Stock Shirley. She was the fifth child in a family of seven chlidren, William Devalson, Florence Mabel, Charles Herbert, Ida Maud, Frances Maria, Vera Charlotte and Arthur Coulson Shirley. Their home was built by Grandfather Charles Coulson Shirley, with a kitchen, parlor, one bedroom downstairs, and two bedrooms upstairs, also a large pantry. A water pump outside was the source of all water, and [water] had to be carried by bucket into the house for all uses. This pump still stands in the yard by the old home. Outside there was a woodshed for ice storage and chopped wood, and was also a summer wash-house. The washer was turned by hand and the fence down the lane served as the clothesline. Also in the backyard was a smoke-house used for smoking fish, curing ham and other meat that was available. Pine logs were hauled down from the Fish Haven Canyon and were used for building homes, barns, furniture and was also used for the smoke-house. Down the trail was the old "out house" which was also built by Grandfather Charles Shirley, and was kept very clean, with a thorough scrubbing once a week, and the old "Sears Roebuck" catalog being the main "reading material." Frances Shirley entered the first grade at Fish Haven, Idaho where there were eight grades in a two room schoolhouse. There were approximately twelve students in the first grade. Jeannie Welker was the first grade teacher and Inez Stock was the second grade teacher. The Shirley family lived about a block from the schoolhouse and the children walked when the weather would permit. When the snow was too deep, Grandfather Charles Shirley would either take them down in a sleigh with a team of horses, or walk a horse ahead of them to make a trail for the children to follow. Blizzard conditions were the biggest problem in winter, and very cold, freezing weather. Sometimes the drifts would be over four feet deep. The children wore fleece-lined underwear clear to the ankles, and black home-knitted stockings up to the knees, with black sateen bloomers. The children only had two changes of clothes, one for Sunday-best and the other one for school. Their clothes were all home-sewn by Grandmother Grace Shirley. Shoes were laced above the ankle, big overshoes for winter, made of cloth and fastened with big buckles. Every Saturday the shoes were rubbed with mutton tallow to keep them water-proof. When Frances graduated from the eighth grade, she was the second-highest in the county. She then went to Paris, Idaho for the next two years of high school. Her parents rented a one room apartment for her sister Vera, and two other girls. The kitchen was divided from the bedroom with a curtain, bathroom facilities were down the hall. Frances met Wilford Marion Price while both were attending Fielding High School. She was 16 years old at the time. Frances spent her summers back in Fish Haven, helping with farm work, milking cows, taking them to the pasture, tending horses and chicken, weeding the garden, churning butter, canning and picking raspberries. She and her mother often picked as many as 100 quarts of berries in one day. Frances took piano lessons on the organ at $.25 a lesson. She was able to play after 24 lessons and became organist in the Sunday School. Her father, Charles Shirley was bishop of the Fish Haven Ward for twenty years. Wilford Price and Frances Shirley became engaged on her 20th birthday, and came to Evanston to celebrate. This was her first trip to Evanston, not knowing then that it would become her future home. They were married on October 29, 1919 in the Logan Temple. They traveled to Logan by horse team and wagon and stayed at the home of Wilford's sister, Elizabeth Astle in Logan. They then made their home in the "old Price family home" in Round Valley, Utah, a little valley west of Laketown, Utah. Grandfather Charles Shirley gave them a cow and loaned them a horse. They moved all of their belongings to Round Valley in a covered buggy. Many friends and relatives met them there with wedding gifts to start their housekeeping. They lived there about three years, farming for a living. Frances returned to Fish Haven in January 1921 for the birth of their first daughter, Yvonne Marie, born January 10, 1921. They returned to Round Valley in March. In the summer of 1922, they moved to Laketown, Utah and that fall, Wilford found employment in Evanston, working for the Union Pacific Railroad. They moved to Evanston and lived in a house on Park Road, sharing the house with Lennie [Lorenzo] and Florence Smith during the winter of 1923. They moved three different times in Evanston before buying the home that they now still live in, which was purchased in May 1924 for $1,600.00, at $20.00 per month. Their daughter Arlene was born October 5, 1923; Dorothy Frances was born in the family home that they still live in, on December 29, 1925; and Shirley Mae was born February 22, 1932. During the Depression years, Frances milked cows and took full responsibility of the family while Wilford worked at various places out of town, at Castle Rock, Utah, at Almy, Wyoming and also helped with the haying and shearing sheep at several ranches, to help support the family. Wilford and Frances were always active in the Evanston LDS Wards. Frances was first counselor in the Primary when it was first organized in North Evanston in 1924, and later was president of the Primary from January 1929 until October 1931. She was also first counselor in the Second Ward Relief Society for six years from 1940 to 1946 and was second counselor from 1954 to 1958. Wilford served in the bishopric for three years and as bishop of the Evanston Second Ward for seven years. Frances was the first secretary of Camp Wyuta Daughters of Utah Pioneers, being the only charter member still living. The Camp Wyuta was organized in 1936, she has held several offices in the Camp and is still active when her health permits. She was honored at Uinta County Convention in May 1986 as the oldest living member. Wilford passed away May 26, 1983, after 63 years of being together. Her daughters honored her on her 88th birthday on May 26, 1986, with 34 family members attending. Frances is still active, has spent time at the homes of her daughters, and at present she is living in her own home, with the loving care of her family, friends and neighbors helping her. She has been blessed with four daughters, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, also many special and dear friends. She has always set a good example to her family of honesty, kindness and love to everyone. _________________ Frances died in 1987. She and Wilford (whom she called "Bill") were buried together in the Evanston Cemetery. Two of their daughters, Dorothy and Shirley, are also buried in this cemetery.

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Together Forever

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Wilford Marion Price 1895–1983 FaG

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