LURA TANNER SWENSON
1898-198l
Our older sister
was the families
loosing
Lura was born at Fairview,
pride
and joy and particularly
the first daughter
although
born
Geneva
in Fairview,
She did not attend
2 June
school
in Indianola.
of 1895.
and was out by May.
During
on the farms and ranches
Lura as a preschool
at the home
those
she spent many
lonely
early years
School
started
were expected
to help
when school was out.
and/or
concerning
lived in the big house
Lura,
child must have spent the summers
in Indianola
short statement
Children
at Grandfather's
her childhood
across
days as a child.
pome.
she states
the tracks.
either
In a
that she
Indications
are that
This we can gather
the fact that as a small girl there were no other children
her older brothers,
extremely
busy
livestock
cared
Vasco
and Ray.
in the fields.
This couldn't
doors body and being
foothills
more
Quoting
way,
summers
were
tended.
Older
folk had little
that for a time Lura and Ray were
have lasted
long for Ra¥ was an out
interesting.
statement
I got big enough
about a mile
from my home.
the center.
Nancy
Charley
more,
except
2 1/2 years older soon found a pony and the
from her brief
"After
Further
from
Crops had to be harvested,
for and gardens
time for play and it appears
playmates.
after
time in Indianola.
the school year was not as long as it is today.
in September
She
our mothers
in the spring
spent considerable
1898.
her own
I would go down with the Indians
They lived in tents w~th
and Emmie
in an other tent.
we see her making
a fire in
in one tent and Pauniwats,
They gave me things
Toke and
they had made.
I
wore moccasins
mother
would
the valley
that they made
for me.
When
I got to lonely
give me an egg and I would go over to the store
and get candy.
1 1/2 miles,
It was quite a walk over there,
so it took most of the afternoon.
Mother
in
about
would
come
to meet me."
She continues
scrubbed
on by mentioning
once a week."
Also that,
us to work, milk the cows,
the fireplace
one morning
Grandpa
and Grandma
quilts
in the back.
Grandma
Tanner's
Grandfather
mother
Lura attended
While
feed lambs and pigs,
She relates
Tanner.
We all piled
house."
living
BYU Academy
to see
top buggy,
(this was in about
1905) and our
in the house build py grandfather
in Fairview,
completing
her grade
Sanpete
she had an appendicitis
since the appendix
School, mother
"I
It should be noted here that
to Payson
school
After
trip,
We are going to
had ruptured.
completing
in Provo.
1918.
She remained
during
her high school
High School.
It was
A Dr. Winters
where
one year at North Sanpete
and dad arranged
school
operation.
her and sent her to the L.D.S. Hospital
recovered.
for
after this dad built the home on the homestead.
in the 6th grade
attended
taught
in wood
in the white
the 8th grade and one year at North
very serious
c&rry
an enjoyable
We sang most of the way.
had moved
Shortly
through
and Daq really
my father said we are going to Payson
and father were
Tanner.
"Mother
and the range coal stove."
But all was not work.
remember
that the "wood floors were
she
High
for her to finish high school at
High school was completed
in
at BYU for one year of college.
days at the academy
the spring of
It was
that she met Carl D.
~
t ~
Swensen.
married
They
fell in love in the summer
for several
years.
Carl had been excepted
fall
to enter the U.S. Naval Academy
(1919) and left in August.
entered
degree
Snow College
of Spanish
in Palmyra,
Fork.
she was moved
During
to Spanish
these years
was attending
Academy.
teaching
a normal
certificate.
a small school
about three
on
to place her at a near by school
with
family members.
Fork where
she taught
she had close contact
rhe next year
second
grade.
with her brother
Ray who
BYU and in 1921 Carl came home from the Naval
Lura was at Spanish
at Spanish
and they attended
She was a very good dancer.
was the principle
school years.
Fork for two years.
Fork must have been happy
home from the Naval Academy
event
Lura
She notes that Vasco prevailed
John ~ut~~
so she could be in contact
that
her education
that fall and completed
her with a teaching
Lura began her teaching
the superintendent
To continue
in Ephraim
that provided
miles west
of 1920 but were not
This came natural
entertainment
in North
Thus to win the prize
in Spanish
Her years
ones.
all the dances.
for her since this
Sanpete
during
for waltzing
Fork was an important
Carl was
her
at a special
event and one she always
remembered.
Carl finished
his education
the Salt Lake Temple
was spent teaching
at BYU and they were married
on 6 August
and coaching
1922.
The first year
at the high schoo~
Idaho.
This must have been a trying
fever.
The next year they were
year,
in Salina,
in
(1922-23)
in Sugar city,
for Carl had typhoid
utah again teaching
Swensen.
married
They
fell in love in the summer
for several
years.
Carl had been excepted
fall
to enter the U.S. Naval Academy
(1919) and left in August.
entered
degree
Snow College
of Spanish
in Palmyra,
Fork.
she was moved
During
to Spanish
these years
was attending
Academy.
teaching
a normal
certificate.
a small school
about three
on
to place her at a pear by school
with
family members.
Fork where
she taught
she had close contact
rhe next year
second
grade.
with her brother
Ray who
BYU and in 1921 Carl came home from the Naval
Lura was at Spanish
at Spanish
and they attended
She was a very good dancer.
was the principle
school years.
Fork for two years.
Fork must have been happy
home from the Naval Academy
event
Lura
She notes that Vasco prevailed
John 1\ut~~
so she could be in contact
that
her education
that fall and completed
her with a teaching
Lura began her teaching
the superintendent
To continue
in Ephraim
that provided
miles west
of 1920 but were not
This came natural
entertainment
in North
Thus to win the prize
in Spanish
Her years
ones.
all the dances.
fo+ her since this
Sanpete
during
for waltzing
Fork was an important
Carl was
her
at a special
event and one she always
remembered.
Carl finished
his education
the Salt Lake Temple
was spent teaching
at BYU and they were married
on 6 August
and coaching
1922.
The first year
at the high schoot
Idaho.
This must have been a trying
fever.
The next year they were
year,
in Salina,
in
(1922-23)
in Sugar city,
for Carl had typhoid
Utah again teaching
and coaching.
remained
The next fall Carl was at Orem, utqh where
for the rest of his teaching
Lura and Carl were the parents
born at the maternity
proceeded
corner
father.
to do all the measurements
a new arrival.
They had rented
of 3rd west and 3rd north
was a new structure
Although
operation
was a problem
Although
for the welcome
He had a scale and
associated
in Provo.
with the event of
on the south west
It still stands
in Orem, they continued
14 May 1928 and Robert,
appendix
remember
but
in 1924.
Carl taught
Clark discouraged
Clare was
I (Wilmer)
an apartment
At their home on 5th north between
John,
1924.
We came from Indianola
Carl was indeed a proud
career.
of three children.
home on 23 July
the day Lura came home.
home.
and coachin~
he
1st and 2nd east where
1930 were born.
any more additions
she developed
both
At that time Dr.
to the famil¥.
a rheumatic
she lived with during
we do not remember
to live in Provo.
heart
During
her
condition
that
her adult life,
very much of her early years
on
\
the ranch
it is obvious
soon learned
remember
that as a young girl on the ranch she
to ride horses
her special
riding
and herd the cows.
suit, a leather
I (Wilmer) can
jacket
and a skirt to
...L/
match,
and the bay horse called TO~~y,
necessity
but for pleasure.
have saddled
Riding
I suppose
which
she rode not only of
that others may at times
the horse but she undoubtedly
did this as well.
a horse was the way to get to Grandfathers
store and post office
in Indianola.
I also remember
time Carl came to the ranch to see Lura.
Lura wanted
and to the
to show Carl the Indianola
the first
It was June of 1922.
Valley.
I hid on the
floor of the back seat of the Ford Ca~ and went with them to the
old Tanner
the warm
home area and I particularly
spring
about a mile southeast
It was here that she was baptized.
font used by the Indianola
following
remember
years
I noticed
saints
of Grandpq
them stopping
ranner's
at
home.
In years past this was the
for all local baptisms.
steam rising
from the spring
In
but the
font has been destroyed.
Lura had many
friends
and Carl belonged
important
enjoyed
Club.
to.
Her literary
the Fine Arts Literary
For years
and games.
four couples
This was during
and partners
party
12 December;
Ray,
For many years
This
provided
16 December
Lura worked
she enjoyed
in helping
Country
(Lura and Carl, Ray
for dinner
Later on this became
all brothers
an
and sister
of Vasco,
and Wilmer,
returned
him through
Department
Store
her in contact
from the Ko~ean
medical
is not indicated
Annie,
17 December.
at the Firmage
for it brought
29 October;
school.
in
with
War she was
How much she
but this was a
she assumed.
enterprise
over an acreage
tomatoes
She
the 10th and 20th of December.
the birthdays
to each child
As a family
of the family
between
~
responsibility
Club and the Riverside
the 1940's.
When her son robert
instrumental
life was
of her family.
at my home in which
met, usually
This was to remember
people.
club and social
that she
and Irene and Helen and I) would meet
annual birthday
Provo.
the social groups
to her, but not at the expense
and Fay, Harold
taken
and enjoyed
there was the farm in O~em.
owned by his father and proceeded
for the cannery.
Later on it was strawberries
Carl had
to grow
and fruit
trees.
summer
Somewhere
in their early married
on the ranch
teachers
salary
in Indianola.
life they also spent a
Making
ends meet
on a school
was not easy and so summer projects
were a
necessity.
Lura had great pleasure
from the trips and cruises
Carl took and the enjoyment
places
and events.
have remained
cruise
he related
and showing
It was a real disappointment
at the Naval Academy.
not pass the tests
summer
of retelling
required
his experiences.
one of his activities,
While
boxing
hlS eyes would
He did have one
and was often +eferred
at the Academy
and became
good at it.
wrestle.
Carl the better
We remember
Lura as a loving,
kind sister.
dear to her and she took every opportunity
father often,
mother
particularly
and 20th of August
occasions
on birthdays.
dinner.
If we did not gather
rare occasions
in Provo.
always made a point
the mat.
Her family was
to see her mother
The 2nq of April
our father were events
were these dates not celebrated,
in Fairview
our
by a family
or Indianola
then on
to ~ura and she
of seeing that such gatherings
were not
neglected.
I (Wilmer) remember
struggled
provided
her generosity
for a college
an upstairs
degree.
their help I would have remained
and kindness
to me as I
It was Lura and Carl who
room and meals
for one winter.
on the ranch.
and
and only on rare
usuall¥
Family was important
as
Ray would
of his days at BYU when he and Carl would box and
and Rayon
to as
pe joined,
reminisce
at boxing
of
.
o~yea~
by the Academy.
pictures
for Carl not to
~
After
which was a highlight
she and
without
It is not
possible
for us to further
that she was the best.
detail her life.
Suffice
it to say
We still miss per and the ppportunity
drop in, for me were always welcome
and warmly
greeted.
to