Mary Dawn Hawk Nuzman's memories

Hi to everyone.  It has been fun reading all the stories about the Moultons and I hesitate to tell this one but here goes...Every summer when I was young I stayed in Heber for a week.  Sometimes I stayed at Grandma's and Grandpa's and sometimes I stayed at the Wright's house.  There were girls from the Wrights the same age as myself, Jeannine, and Elaine so we traded vacations.  Karma was my age and after chasing the pea wagon and eating all the peas we could stomach, we looked for something else to do...We ended up at Grandpa's chicken coop and decided we wanted to watch a chicken lay an egg so we took the long grabber hook that grandpa used to catch the chickens legs when it was time to have one for supper.  We picked a plump hen and thought that it might be ready to lay and we chased it around the coop, feathers flying, until we caught it around the leg and we put it, not so gently, into the place where it nested.  We watched for a while but nothing happened so we became disintestered and left, but that night at the supper table Grandpa said, Momma, I think someones been with the chickens today.  I found a dead hen in her nest..  I didn't know where to look.  I think the hen had a heart attack...and I never went into the chicken coop again..Another visit we had to Grandma and Grandpas we were playing in the ditch that ran in front of their house and Elaine fell into the ditch...lucky that Grandpa was watching us or Elaine might have drowned.  He ran over and plucked her out of the ditch just before she went under the bridge...We also loved to get into Grandpa's old car that was parked to the east side of the house under the lilac bush...It had a push button starter and we pushed that button and the car would leap forward.  we made it leap over and over until it got way up under the bush...Oh what fun we had in Heber...I have a million stories but one that I remember my mother telling me was one summer when Jeannine and I were little, she took us to stay for a few days and someone got sick and they quarentined us so we had to stay longer than we planned.  I got up on Grandpa's chair and peed then he would come and sit down.And it happened more that twice...  Oh dear he got mad..finally when it was time to go home he told Mother, "I love you and the kids but I'm not sorry to see you leave."  One time when Grandma and Grandpa came to Provo to stay with us we talked them into staying over night and Grandpa fell out of bed and he told Blanche, That's the last time I will ever stay anywhere but home.  Grandma had a trunk full of dress up clothes that she kept in the closet of the back bedroom with dress up clothes that were the most beautiful I had ever seen...We spent hours and hours in that closet and when Donna was in high school we loved to get into her perfume...Sometimes when I smell a certain perfume, it takes me back into the past and in that little bathroom where Aunt Donna used to get ready for a date.... Thank you all for waking up the memories and yes...Time is short,  Let's get together soon.  Much Love,  Mary Dawn

Vernon Moulton"s Memories

I also don't recall too much about Grandpa Moulton.  As I read Richard's stories, I was wondering how he knew him so well.  But then, It's the age difference.

 

Grandma, after GP died, had a toilet that didn't work so well.  It would back up and flood and the plunger was always right there beside the toilet for convenience.

 

We Moulton kids would use the toilet and it seems like every time it would flood.  Not pleasant and pretty scary.  One time I got off the toilet, anxiously pushed the handle and sure enough the contents and all the water came flooding over the rim.  Oh no!  After the cleanup, Grandma said, "You kid's terds are just too big for my toilet!"

 

Of course I remember the raisin filled cookies and we too tried to duplicate them, but they just didn't taste as good.  Why is that?

 

I remember Grandma fixing scrambled eggs and calf brains for Grandpa for breakfast.  Is that for real, or were they just trying to scare me?

 

Donna says she doesn't remember this, but one time shortly after she and Earl were married, she was at Grandma's and she was fixing Earl a ham sandwich.  She very carefully cut the fat off of each piece before she put it on the bread for Earl.  When Grandma saw that, she was pretty disgusted that Donna would have to remove the fat.  (I couldn't eat fat either.  It would gag me.)  One time at home during supper I was cutting off the fat of a piece of beef roast.  Dad, who sat next to me, said,  "Why are you cutting off the best part?"  Then he reached his fork over to my plate, speared the big juicy piece of fat and gobbled it down.  I almost threw up!  But Dad and those who grew up in the Great Depression didn't have the luxury of throwing away food, even fat.

 

Grandpa had mink in some cages in back.  They always warned us not to stick our fingers in the cages because the mink were mean and would bite down hard on a finger and would not let go.  Do I recall an incident when one kid did get bit and grandpa had to go out and smack the mink on the head to get it to let go?

 

My Dad, I think, would have liked to have his own successful mink ranch, but never did.  He had a friend in Daniels who did had a big mink ranch and an apple orchard.  We used to go out there to pick Johnathon apples (boy were they good) and look at the mink.  They stunk to high heaven.  It was interesting to see the owners feed them with the ground up meat.  Naturally, some of the meat fell on the ground under the wire mesh floors of the cages and that's what, along with the dung, produced the pungent odor.  I'll bet the neighbors loved that  smell!.

 

Us Moultons didn't have a TV until about 1966, so we would always love the chance to watch Grandma Moulton's TV.  We probably kept her up more than one night watching her TV.. Her house was the meeting place for Moulton kids who were waiting for a ride out to the Plant.  (the Power Plant 5 miles north of town, where we lived)  Have you ever met anyone who did not watch the Brady Bunch, etc., etc., while they were growing up?  I think we were somewhat stunted emotionally for that reason.  Or not!  As we would read and listen to the radio for entertainment as teenagers.

 

I remember being at Grandma's one day when Donna and earl came driving up in a brand new 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air.  It was tan and brown.  I was sure impressed.  I loved that car!

 

I think I remember the yellow rose bushes to the west of Grandma's house.  I would love to get a clipping of those roses also.

 

I also remember the chickens.  One day Grandma and Grandpa (I guess) were butchering chickens.  My dad was helping by cutting off their heads on a wooden chopping block.  He would chop off the head, then just throw the chicken into the tall weeds where they would thrash around a while, bleed out and die.  After killing several chickens, he gathered them all up to find there was one missing.  We searched and sure enough, the dreaded axe had missed it's mark one time.  The poor chicken was unscathed, hiding in the weeds thinking it had escaped certain death.  But it didn't, as the axe once again fell and even that chicken was soon prepared for the pot. 

 

I remember when Grandma got her first electric range.  We all thought it was marvelous, as we too cooked on a wood stove.  When we moved to the Plant, we had an electric range.  At first we would turn it on, then off, then on again several times just to see the burner glow as it it were a miracle.  After cooking with dutch ovens for a while just for fun, I told my wife, "Now I know why they invented the electric stov

 

 

Vernon J. Moulton

Linda Landgren's memories

Hi everyone,
 
Here is a story I shared with Richard a few days ago, but I didn't send it to everyone then I realized I probably should so here it is. I really want to hear all the stories people have, thanks Diane for the last one. I really didn't know them very well and would like to get to know grandma and grandpa so this is the only way I will. So please send on the stories. Also do you all remember Grandma's beautiful yellow rose bush in the front yard by the fence on the left side as you are looking at the house. It is right at the sidewalk. Well it is still there and blooms every year. I plan on trying to get a cut from it to plant in my yard. I think of it every year and then never do it. This is the year. 

 
I'm sure most of you have a similar fond story of irrigation time. My brothers and sisters loved when gr. and gr. front yard was flooded. It was our time to take a mud bath. The nice thing is our parents let us play to our hearts content. I also have memories of grandma's root cellar. I was so scared to go down there but loved it at the same time. We told each other a lot of scary stories about it. 
 
Keep the stories coming. I want a big memory book. 
 
So now here is the story that I told Richard because his fire story reminded me about it. It would be interesting if David remembers it the same way. 
 
 
Thanks Richard, I loved the hat story I have never heard it. I'll tell you a funny one that I was reminded about when you told the hat story (fire). It really isn't about Gr. or Gr. but it happened at their home. 
There was a party going on and all the aunts had converged on Grandma's. It must have been a baby shower or something. David and I were playing in the back of Grandma's house and we had a helium balloon that obviously we had snagged from the party. David being a typical boy told me it was really cool to put a match under a balloon and watch the balloon melt. I was about 10 or 11 so of course I didn't understand helium at all. So I lit a match and put it next to the balloon. The balloon exploded in my face. It singed off my eyebrows, and eyelashes and all the hair on the front of my face. It scared David really badly so he grabbed me and we dashed into Grandma's house. All my aunts screamed when they saw me. Grandma just took me with mom and wiped off the burned hair. I remember watching it flake off into her kitchen sink. 
 
I think David may have been scolded. i don't remember. I also wasn't too scarred by the incident. I was a tom boy so I was glad to look a little rough.
 
I hope more people will share stories of our grandparents. I have a good story (almost a disaster) about Uncle Don and a family get-together. I will send it on soon.
 
 
Linda L
February 9, 2011

Colleen Craven's memories

I can't thank you enough Linda for putting this together!! Already I've learned stuff I may never have..Too funny Richard and Linda.. And thanks Diane too.  We're all so glad your mom is doing better.  I just finished reading these 3 enteries to mom (Leah). She is temporarily? staying with me for those who may not know.  She too has had a rough couple of months.. 3 falls, 10 fractures, gallbladder and hernia surgery, rehab...etc  and at age 94 3/4ths!!  Don't you all hope we get hers and Blanche's good Moulton genes?  (minus the "worry" and macular degeneration genes though).. This has been so FUN for her to hear all these memories and her face just lights up when I read them to her.. She remembers them like yesterday..(another good gene we can hope for).
 
I told her to be thinking of some good stories that we may never have heard or may not if they don't get recorded from this great generation...She's thinking.. and thought for starters you all might be interested to know that today Feb 10th is Grandpa Hyrum's birthday!  Happy 130th Birthday Grandpa!   
 
Mom has been reminiscing about her and siblings childhood going to the powerplant to have lunch with him.. sitting in those old chairs Diane talked about and Grandpa always fishing there on the stream, and picking those lilacs..  Later on, Glen and Rachael living by the powerplant..  "What a sad day it was for everyone when they tore the powerplant down."  One of the smokestacks or something is all that remains..
 
She remembers as a young girl.. "someone left a car (yellowish-green rumble seat old car) at the powerplant. probably stolen.  The city tried and tried to find who it belonged to with no luck.. Finally they either gave or sold it cheap to dad.  I remember riding around in that car in the back rumble seat with Blanche and Marvel thinking we were millionaires!  Thats the car dad taught me to drive in.  He never growled at me he was so patient and kind.  If I made a mistake he would just laugh if off. " 
 
She remembers Glen and dad's mink farm out back.. Grandpa Hicken was down from Canada.  He went out where the mink were and wondered if he stuck his finger in the cage, would they bite it?? Well duh, that mink nearly bit it off.  He went in the house with a bloody nearly biten off finger!   
 
Richard, mom remembers how when you and Doug were born near the same time...Doug had the most beautiful, full, black head of hair.. Poor Richard, bald as a bat.... But my how time changes everything.... today, Doug going bald... Richard, beatiful, full, black? head of hair...at least the last time she saw him..
 
Me, well Shawn and I live in Farmington for the past 15 years.. We have four kids. Kelsi our daughter in a wheelchair with muscular dystrophy, is living in Logan attending Utah State.  We're so proud and amazed at her! Big 21 in 2 weeks!.. Maquelle high school senior trying to decide where to go to college and working at the Flower Patch, turns the big 18 next week!! Calder age 14 9th grader, plays the trumpet, baseball, and does well in school.  Kaden age 12 6th grader, plays comp basketball, and baseball.  All great kids! Shawn and I own our own business, LamWood Inc. in Bountiful... a commercial cabinetry company celebrating 20 years in business this year!  I just turned the big one a few days ago (50). Shawn threw a fabulous party/wake for me complete with search light, 50 black balloons,  funeral spray, casket cake, 120 neighbors over to a catered dinner through his 2 sisters, bedpan, cane, and hospital gown for guests to autograph... my only regret, you werent all there to help me celebrate!!!!  Keep sending the memories, and a little blurb about who, what, when, where so we all get to know each other even better!


Colleen Calder Craven
February 10, 2011

Diane Keller's memories

Hey, it was so nice to hear from you Richard, and hear about the stories about grandma and grandpa.  I was just little when grandpa died and unfortunately my memories of him are limited.  I remember sitting with him on the green metal lawn chairs (or maybe they were red).  I have both of those lawn chairs now and I love them to pieces.  I redo the paint often or they rust.  They make me feel sort of connected to them. They have to be at least 60 or 70 years old.  I too remember grandma's raisin cookies.  I was lucky enough to live within walking distance of grandma's so spent quite a bit of time with her and "cookie" her canary.  She could get him to whistle pretty good.  Grandma made me a couple of dresses I sure do wish I still had. I totally loved the old coal stove.  I look back and wonder how all those kids grew up in a two bedroom house!  When we go up to the cemetery on Memorial Day we stop at the old power plant (were it used to be) and pick lilacs and  iris that still grow there and put them on their graves.  I think they would like that.  We have an old picture of the power plant that dad had and I think the man standing in the doorway looks like grandpa and there is a young boy looks about 10-12 or so and must be Rufus or Glen.  Dad was not sure and of course his eyes aren't good enough to tell.  I also so loved the chicken coop, I don't know why but it was my favorite place to play.  Grandpa's tools were still there and I would get them out and try to build stuff.  Good times.  Tom and I have four kids and 11 grandkids.  All live in Salt Lake except for Kim the youngest who just moved to Phoenix.(Laurel Dayton lives there too. ) 

 

Mom and dad are doing pretty good.  Mom made a spectacular come back from the brink but now goes to dialysis 3 times a week.  Everyone in our extended family was wonderful to help them.  Donna and Earl have been great.  Anyway, this is a great idea and many thanks to Linda for pulling it together.  Nice talking to you (isn't email wonderful).  Hope we can get another reunion going, the last one was fun. Looking forward to hearing other stuff from everyone.  P.S. I hear Scott grows a great garden and is a fantastic canner.  He bestows some of his crops on mom and dad, thanks Scott.

Diane M. Keller

February 8, 2011

Richard Moulton's memories

To my cousins, aunts and uncles

I was surprised and pleased to receive the contact list from Linda.  I certainly do appreciate the effort she has made to get it together and send it to us.    It has been such a long time since I have seen most of you. I have often wondered where all my cousins ended up.  My wife and I have lived in quite a few places since we left Utah in 1974 namely, Pittsburgh PA, Galveston TX, Kansas City MO, Springfield Ill and finely here in North Carolina.  In NC we lived 18 years in a town named Hickory then we went on a mission to Russia .(boy did we have some experiences there) and when we returned we moved 50 miles to live closer to our daughter in Charlotte NC  We have two children and 5 grandchildren.

North Carolina is a great place to live .  It is a beautiful state with lots of opportunities for outdoor activities which I love.  I will say that the trout fishing here has never lived up to what I was used to in Utah.  Course there is also ocean fishing here.  Not that fishing is the most important thing in the world.

It was a privilege to be a grandson of Hyrum and Mary Moulton. I have many fond memories and I told Linda that I might even decide to share a couple. I'm happy to say that all my memories are pleasant ones.  My brothers and my sister and I were blessed to live fairly close to their home while we were growing up

One of the first memories I have of Grandma is related to her cookie jar and those wonderful raisin-filled cookies that seemed always to be there.  I remember one day going with my mother over to grandma's house and as we went in the door I headed for the cookies.  Mom said to me "Richard, don't eat all grandma's cookies" to which grandma said "Now Rachael, that's why I make them".  I don't ever remember being told by grandma that she loved me but I certainly felt loved whenever I was in her home.   I still think of those cookies and have even tried to bake them myself but they never taste as good as hers.

Grandpa was such a kindly pleasant man and I remember that his face reflected that. You have probably heard the story (I guess I'll tell it anyway)  about when I , as a young boy, was out on a windy day helping Grandpa rake up and burn the leaves and rubbish in his backyard.  I was tending the fire.   Grandpa, probably concerned that I might catch cold in the wind, told me to go into the house and get one of his hats and  "put it on".  So that's what I did I brought it out and promptly tossed it onto the fire.  When he came by with more rubbish all that was left of the hat was the brim. He said to me "Richard what is my had doing on the fire"?  I said with complete innocence "well grandpa you told me to put it on".  I don't remember him scolding me, his face just smiled a little more and over the years he's probably had as many chuckles out of that story as I have.

I have often told my brothers and sister how blessed I feel to have been born into this clan and I feel lucky to have been around when grandpa and grandma were still in good health and doing a good job of being grandparents.  I hope that I can leave the same kind of memories to my grandchildren as they left for me.

I am not going to go on any further.  I know that the best letter is a short one.  But I do have many more memories as I'm sure you do.  Don't be surprised if you hear more from me about those kind of experiences.

Richard Moulton 

February 6, 2011

Welcome

Welcome to all the descendent's of Hyrum and Mary Moulton from Heber City Utah.  Thanks to Linda Landgren we have all been reconnected.  So far, I have loved the emails that have been shared by Richard, Diane, Linda, Susan and Colleen.  I decided that I needed to print them and store them in a binder or something.  Then I thought, why not create a blog.  I am a novice at this but I will do my best.  I believe I can post pictures as well but we will see how things work.  Maybe anyone with some expertise in this area can help me out.  After this post, I will try to copy all the previous stories.  We belong to a wonderful family.  Thanks Hyrum and Mary, we all love you and those who came before you.

David Dayton