My grandmother's ancestors come from Scotland, England and Switzerland. Many of them left their homes to follow the saints to a place where they could worship freely as they wished. They followed the advice of the living prophet and traveled with the Mormon pioneers to Utah. They settled in small towns in southern Utah where my grandmother was born. Grandma Ella Gladys was born on February 3, 1905 in Fairview, Utah. She was the second child and only girl born to Rufus Orrin Barker and Ella Isadora Bushman. Her brothers were: Bazil Orrin, Jacob Lee, William Reed, Don Ray, Lloyd Wells and Arthur Eugene. She was married to Hugh Cheney Anderson in the Manti temple on September 2, 1925. They had five children: Robert Hugh, Ella Florine, Orrin Dale, John Carroll and Terry Gene Anderson.
Grandma was a very good cook. She made delicious baked goods and always had something to share with those who dropped by to visit. She made jam and jelly with the fruit that grew in her own yard and bottled fruit and vegetables from her garden. She took her grandchildren out to visit the sheep and chickens, and to check if there were any fresh eggs. She loved gardening and had some beautiful roses that grew in her front yard. I remember having dinners outside in the back of the house by the outdoor fireplace during the summer months. There was a bay window in the front of the Anderson home which served as an indoor green house. There were many potted plants which Grandma raised. She would allow her grandchildren to water them when they visited. Grandma had a beautiful alto voice and she wasn't afraid to sing out. She had a grand sense of humor and could see the funny side of most situations.
Ella's mother Ella Isadora Bushman
Ella's father Rufus Orrin
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e-mail: kongaikr@byuh.edu