CHAPTER 9

The Ozarks

The children and I stayed on in Puyallup hoping for some improvement in mother's condition but instead, it got worse--paralysis making her almost helpless and difficult to care for. Dad and I were both worn out. Her doctor advised that she be placed in the County Hospital in Tacoma. He also advised me to reunite my family in Missouri for in her condition, she could go at any time or linger on for years with no hope of recovery. So Dad moved into living quarters in the back of his shop down town. My things were packed into the car--a 1930 model "A" Ford--and a two wheel trailer, and after spending a few days with Isabel and Charlie Holstin in N. Puyallup, on June 4th, I drove with the children to Enumclaw, and picked up Frank Higgenbottom, Lottie Bronson's nephew, Just sixteen, and started for Missouri. Frank drove well but had no license so in city traffic and mountain roads I did the driving and he spelled me on the open roads. Except for a stop for new brake lining after crossing the mountains, the trip was uneventful. We stopped nights at tourist cabins, carried our own bedding and did our own cooking. Cabin rent was $l.00 per night.

The trip took seven days, the highway speed limit was then 45 miles per hour. Gas was about twenty cents a gallon. We arrived on Monday evening of June l0th, tired but delighted to have the family together again. Barbara, now six and Jack almost four, were such good little travelers.

We stayed with Lester and Gladys until the rains stopped long enough to finish the little box and batt house on the cement floor that was already done.

Fred and Barbara Savage came from California soon after we moved in and, with their little girl, stayed until a house could be built and their furniture came from California. Fred had big plans for all of us but no capital. He soon became discouraged and moved to Independence and later back to California.

We received word from Puyallup that my mother had died on August 4, after several days in a coma. Ada Wilcox and Lena LaFavor arranged the funeral and cremation of the body and the ashes were sent to me.

That August, just as school started, Barbara, a first grader, came down with malaria. Dr. McDaniels from Summersville soon had it under control. Two later flair-ups were soon relieved.

In Match of 1936 Dad and Mother Bronson came from Washington to the Ozarks and moved into the house that had been vacated by the Savages. The next year, this house was moved onto the forty acres that Dad had bought, just east of us. This summer was very hot and dry, the worst the Ozarks had seen for many years. With no electricity, and water being scarce, it was a very difficult time.

On January 31st 1937, Joan was born with Dr. McDaniels attending. Gladys, Lottie and Burr were there also. There had been a heavy freezing rain in the night and Lester and Cecil had a hard time getting over some of the hilly spots to bring the doctor (no telephones in the area). Within the hour, Joan was with us and the doctor on his way home for Sunday dinner. His fee was $15.00.

The Saint's had been attending Sunday School with the Union Sunday School and in a separate group in the same building after some in the community objected to too much R.L.D.S. doctrine being taught. I can still remember some of them singing, "When the Saints Come Marching In." About this time, a plot of ground just south of the Bell School was donated by Jim and Mayme Clark and a log church was built. Logs were cut and hauled from the Jim Nelson place. A cement floor was poured and the building erected with all work done by members. A branch or the church was organized and Lester Bronson chosen as pastor. First members included the Claude, Lester, Marion and Burr Bronson families; the Pearl Reeds, Jim Clarks, Jim Nelsons, Glen Harsins, Roy Webbs, Knute Johnsons, and a few others, who have escaped my Mind.

In the spring of 1939 we moved to the Jim Nelson place north of Mountain View. They had a little two-room house built for us and we took care of their place and drove team and wagon to take care of our own place and to go to town or church. Mountain View was about ten miles south, and the church seven miles, and our place eight miles northwest.

The school nearest to us, at Oak Side, was very small and poorly taught. We took Jack, a second grader, back to Bell school and he stayed with Dad and Mother Bronson from Monday thru Friday. Barbara, a fourth grader, later rode the high school bus from Summersville that stopped near us end also picked up high school kids at Bell school. Both children did very well at Bell.

In June, Burr and I took DeLoris Bronson, Merva Bradshaw, and Charles Claas to Lamoni for a week at Youth Conference. We stayed at a farm house just out of town. Me drove an old car belonging to Marion.

In August, the Ferguson family came from California to be with the family for the golden wedding anniversary of Mother and Dad Bronson. The Wilcox family had bought a place nearby and had come from Seattle. So, all the Bronson children were there except Hiel who was in Montana.

Me moved back to our place in 1940, and before school started, Ada asked us to stay in their house for the school year with Rebecca, Gladomine, Ruby, and Lewis. The compensation was the use of the canned fruit and vegetables that were there. The milk came from their cow and they bought the feed and also paid twenty-five dollars a month. She and Cliff went back to Seattle where they both had jobs. That year Glad was a junior, Ruby a freshman, Lewis in 8th grade, Barbara in 6th grade, and Jack in 4th grade. Joan was four years old that winter.

We received word from Tacoma that my Dad was seriously ill so I went back there by bus. Lottie went with me visit her father. Winton and LaPreal Wilcox came for Christmas and found Rebecca unhappy for having us there. They took her back to Independence with them. After school was out, Ada came and we moved back into our own place, now in bad condition. It had been built with the idea of some day using it as a chicken house and building a good house later. Now was the time to build the new house. We moved in that fall. We never completely finished the inside but now with electricity and a fire place, it was very comfortable. It was there that we heard of the bombing of Pearl harbor. In 1942 Lester and Marion left with their families to work in defence plants. Ada returned to Seattle and when school began that fall, we had Ruby and Lewis Wilcox, Donald Bronson, Hiel's son, and Gale Bronson, Marion's son with us. The older ones rode the bus to Summersville High School and our three, Barbara, Jack and Joan went to Bell. In the spring of 1943 all left, leaving only Dad and Mother Bronson and us of the family, still in South Missouri. That Fall (1943), we sold both places to relatives of Lee end Vera Toll. The Tolls and the Chris Padberg families were our nearest and best neighbors and good friends all thru the nine years of our stay in the Ozarks.