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Vasco (Jack) Marries
Vasco met and married Vernona Madson on July 2, 1928 in Manti, Utah. They had a daughter, Colleen exactly one year later in Manti, but were eventually divorced. He then married Peggy Mae Haford (or Kofoed) on Sept. 27, 1933 in Sacramento, California.
A Car
Sometime during this decade, it appears James Uriah bought a used car, perhaps for their move west. It was a 1924 Ford Model T, five passenger touring car with pneumatic tires and 4 cylinders. However, this could have been a car bought by their sons and put in James' name. This is unclear.
In 1925, James Uriah had come home to stay, according to Maud. But this would not last more than 10 years.
On to Fallon
During the Depression years James Uriah and Maud moved to California, where they may have lived in Susanville for a while. They then moved to Fallon, Nevada, where they bought a small ranch. Lyle moved there in 1937. When they found out Nevada was offering anold age pension to folks who could prove they were old enough, they knew they had to try for it. But the altitude there was too high for Maud. For James Uriah the extreme cold in the winter and heat in the summer had been the reason they left Enterprise.
Maud Moves to Oakland
By the school year 1934/35, Maud had moved with her younger children to Oakland, California, not far from her sister, Leah, while James stayed behind, working for the CCC.
He was advised by the county in 1935 that some on his properties were being sold for unpaid taxes. Tax owed was $9.80. There was a townsite lot, valued at $10 and another place, nearly 8 acres, that was valued at $285. In August of 1935, he received a letter from Amos Hall, who owed him some money in Enterprise. Amos agreed to try to find $100 to send, whereupon they would call the deal "square". But times were hard in sheep ranching, and it would be a struggle to find the money.
He was receiving payments for property in Milford, Utah, from Heber Dryers.
On May 23, 1935, James wrote begging Maud to come home. He was ill and hated being apart.
By summer of 1935, James Uriah was not able to work, except for easy jobs, like herding sheep, which he was doing. He spoke of being constantly alert for coyotes. He was still trying for the old-age pension from the state of Nevada. He did some unsuccessful searching, trying to prove his history in Kansas and Illinois, but to no avail.
The CCC
On Oct. 25, 1936, he was in Camp Carson, a CCC camp in Fallon, Nevada, while Maud was still in Oakland. He wrote that he was "just getting acquainted with my Darling Sweetheart Luie." Maud was anxious to register for the vote. James U. wrote that he was advising Bonnie (LaVonda) not to marry Chuck Eades. But she was not listening, so he was involved helping her to get a divorce from her first husband, Art Truman.
He was being pestered by Dallas, Lyle's wife, about his ranch, so he had told her he was selling the place to Chuck for $800. But it was "just a blind," he said and he had no intention of selling. In fact he had just paid up on the ranch and gotten an abstract deed, so that the ranch was securely theirs, should one of them pass away. He was worried that they could have lost it earlier, when their tenant, Mrs. Nichols fell and hurt herself.
He hoped to come up at Thanksgiving, if the Corps. let him. He had declined an invitation to come with Lyle and Dallas because he said he preferred to come when they could "have our freedom and I rather be alone with you and Bonnie[Lavonda] and Leona. Then we can enjoy life as we should as you know Bonnie is cheerful and does not meddle."
He told Maud that if Lyle and Dallas were to inquire about the ranch she was to tell them it was not worrying her in the least" and he would tell Bonnie not to bother anything of Maud's and "she will not. She is good that way." Later he added, "Yes, you are right. Just let Ervie get his fill and all will be OK."
Injured in the CCC
On Jan. 1937, James U. was still at the CCC camp in Fallon. He fell on the ice that February and hurt himself. By Feb. 17th he was in the Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco. Maud was staying at the Arlington Hotel on 9th Street, in Oakland, California. He said he had a letter from Pearleau and apologized if his letter was disjointed or unclear, as he was not himself.. He said he had suffered badly from midnight to 3:30 and was lecturing his wife on the habit of "worry."
"So don't worry, as you will never get well and strong as long as your worry because the doctor told me yesterday no one on earth can have good health and worry to a great extent. Worry is a habit and a dangerous one as it causes so many wrong doing and tears health and happiness down and where there is no health nor happiness nor comfort for any one. So if you wish to have either you must cut out all worry." He said the doctor told him worry was self abuse in the worst degree and to cut it out if he wanted them to cure him.
James Uriah Bears his Testimony
Then he bore his testimony to his wife. "So please stop now and begin to build up health and happiness. You just have to be determined and ask our Heavenly Father to aid you and all will soon be on the road to success for us, Pet. Oh, what a glorious change that will be for us, Darling. We have punished ourselves so long it will be hard to cut the habit out. Nevertheless, if we don't, there isn't any hope for us, sweetheart. What do you say, do you wish to be very happy? If so cut out worry at once and I will sure promise you I will be with you, Pet. This morning I am putting my trust and faith in our Father of Love and Power, and in him we must trust and then do our part and He will willingly do his. No doubt, just faith and do his will and our duty to ourselves and each other and we will seem on the road to success."
"I am making a beginning this morning and determined to win. Come on, Darling, and go along with me to the Promised Land, no time to wait. Delays are dangerous. The time of harvest is ripe and we must thrust in our sickle if we reap the blessing awaiting us. Please don't think I am imagining things, Pet. I am not and we must do our part if we expect to reap and gain our blessings that are lying in wait for us. No time to wait. Please gird on your Heavenly armor of Hope, Faith and Love and when our hearts and hands are pure and sweet we shall reign in great peace, health and happiness. Oh, come and go along with me. I am Bound for the Promised Land. Darling, o' Darling, I can plainly see that bright shining light opening up the way for you and I. Please don't delay. Pour out your whole heart and trust in our Heavenly Parents and soon we shall reap peace and joy."
"Do you understand me, Darling? I hope so. See our peace, health and happiness depends on MORE
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