Ethel E Hall

Henry John Holmes [son of Henry Holmes] was born 13 February 1858 in Salt Lake City, Utah and died 24 December 1924 in Raymond, Alberta, Canada. His life and significant accomplishments such as winning the prize for the world's best bushel of wheat in 1912 are included in the autobiography of his wife, Sarah Jane Godfrey (Evans) (Holmes). Quotes and photos are included. The book can be viewed and/or downloaded at the website OurFamilyBiographies. (Just copy or type the website into Google or another search engine and the site will pop up.)

My father was born in Wales, Apr 16, 1857 and came with his widowed mother and three brothers and three sisters to Utah. Mother was born in North Ogden Utah on May 31, 1862. My grandmother too was Welch and my grandfather English. My father and mother were married on Oct 12th 1882 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. In Aug. the following year my older brother was born. Then two years later on Oct 13th 1885 I was born in North Ogden just six miles north of Ogden Utah. When I was three months old my father was killed in a mine explosion at Almy Wyoming (Jan 12th 1886). Soon after my father's death, mother went back to North Ogden and bought a home there. Some of my earliest reccolections are my mother sewing for other people and I staying with my grandmother while mother was away at work and of my older brother Joseph. We lived in North Ogden until I was 15 years old. In 1893 (June 8th) mother married Henry Holmes. From this union I have two brothers and three sisters. In May 14th 1900 we came to Alberta Canada. At that time many settlers were coming here to obtain land and work on a canal for irrigation purposes. There were very few settlers in Southern Alberta at that time. The country was covered with grass and no fenced roads so we could go straight across country to Magrath. I worked in Taylors store for two yeras at $2.25 a week which didn't much more than buy foot wear. In 1910 I went back to Ogden to attend school as there were no teachers available in Southern Alberta at that time. That was a pleasant winter for me as the church had the Weber Stake supervise the school. All its teachers were fine men and women and good Latter Day Saints. It was in this school that Bro. David O. McKay was my teacher and his influence over boys and girls was very beneficial. It was on Sept 15th 1905 that your father and I were married by Bishop Levi Harker in Magrath. That winter we spent in Marysville B.C. and came back to Magrath in June 1906. In 1909 we moved to Taber where we lived thru the winter. The following spring we moved to the homestead five miles east and five miles north of Taber on the banks of the river gully. When we moved to the homestead we had one child Marjorie. The following July Usona was born in Taber. We moved to town for a month when Usona was born and again for a few months when Gordon was born but the other members of the family were born on the homestead. In the fall of 1925 we had no teacher for our school at the farm so we moved to town (Taber) where we have lived. It has been my privilege to be a teacher in all organizations of the church. At 16 yrs I was teacher in Religion class and Sunday School. Later I taught in Mutual and Primary. After I had a large family I taught Relief Society classes and was president of Relief Society for 8 yrs and counselor in Primary for three years. My first remembrances are the ones of my family and the church to be of service and grow with these experiences. It has been my privilege too to work in the Welfare organization for six years at the cannery center in Taber. I have six daughters and two sons. Marjorie, Usona, Reta, Olive, Rae and Enid Evan and Gordon Ethel Evans Hall Feb 16, 1944

Orson Eli Hall & Ethel Evans Hall. page 159 (“From Tank 77 to Taber Today-A History of Taber, its district and its people"; published in 1977. Orson Eli Hall and Ethel Evans Hall were married at Raymond, Alberta on September 21, 1905. Orson Eli (Ott) was born at Huntsville, Utah on September 17, 1877 and died September 24, 1944. Ethel Evans Hall was born at North Ogden, Utah on October 13, 1885 and died May 28, 1950. They arrived in Taber area in spring of 1909 from Magrath, Alberta. Their children: Marjorie, born January 9, 1907, married Howard C. King; Usona, born July 27, 1909, married Carl McCartee; Orson Evan, born July 9, 1911, married Eva Jensen; Reta, born November 28, 1913, married Howard Wood; Gordon, born December 2, 1916, married Barbara Collett; Olive Eliza, born May 1, 1918, married Cecil Johnson; Margaret Rae, born June 9, 1923, married LaVon Eller; Enid Frances, born October 6, 1925, married Arthur Kinniburgh. Orson Eli (Ott) Hall homesteaded north and east of Taber in the spring of 1909. The family attended the Marchessault county school when the school closed down in 1925, it was necessary to move into town at Taber for the family to attend school. A fine home was built on the farm. This burned down in 1928. Gordon Hall continued to farm this land after the death of Ott. Walter Rombough now owns the property. Mrs. Ethel Hall was the first librarian in the old town hall of Taber’s Public Library.