WP HUNT'S DAILY WAR JOURNAL OF JUNE AND JULY 1898

WP Hunt's Daily War Journal of June and July 1898


Faithfully Preserved and Scanned by Granddaughter Cathy Clark
Transcribed by Grand-daughter Cathy Rae Clark and Annotated by Grandson, William "Bill" Hunt
March, 2008

WP Hunt joined the Army for his first hitch in 1892, in Toledo, Ohio. At the time, he listed his residence as Atlanta, Illinois. He was 22. He spent most of his first three years at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and an unknown length of time at Fort Russell, Wyoming. His first discharge was on February 16, 1896. But after three months, he re-enlisted for another three years, on May 7th 1896.

Upon re-entering the service a second time he listed his residence as South Bend, Indiana, and noted that his mother was living in Golden City, Missouri. He was then assigned to Fort Niebrara, Nebraska, where he met Abigail Razey, who lived nearby with her parents. They were married February 28, 1897.

WP was born "Woodard Perley", and named his first son D Woodard, but when WP joined the Army he enlisted as William P. Hunt. From then on, for the rest of his life, he signed his name to all official documents as WP. No one seems to know why, but it might have had something to do with his father, who had fallen off a railroad hand car and who became quite insane before WP joined the Army. His father, James Henry "McCord" Hunt, had threatened WP's mother, and perhaps the boys. When WP joined the Army, and when he later re-enlisted for a second hitch, he noted that his father was dead…that his father had died in a railroad accident. Actually his father lived until 1928. Abigail kept the WP secret, and children have never known this simple twist of names.
OE would have known as a product of her research.

This transcription of WP's war time journal is to bring attention to his war time service. But one must bring up the William P. Hunt aspect of it, as that is where
one would look for his records. Even his grave marker, provided or paid for by the US Government, bears the name as they knew him, not the simple "WP" that
he preferred to be called.





2


When the Spanish-American war broke out, in 1898, he was sent to Cuba to help rid the island nation of the Spanish occupational force that had been hard fought by native Cuban resistance fighters for several years. The war was poorly planned, and many books poke fun at the strange way we entered the war, and the rush to revenge for the "Maine" apparently sunk by the Spanish. Still, all war, from the foot soldier's point of view, is about what they saw, what they heard, and what it meant to them. They never had the advantage of historians who can only discuss the broad view of things. The participant can only discuss the narrow view, the things in front of them at the time, the things they witnessed and tried best to overcome with pride and honor.

This is his story. And so we begin…


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This book is the
Property
of

WP Hunt
G Company, 12th US Infantry

If I loose it
Will the finder
Please return it
To me if I am living. If I am dead,
Please be kind enough to
Send it to my wife

Mrs. WP Hunt
Valentine
Cherry County, Nebraska US





Left Port Tampa 1045 p.m. June 7th.

Dropped anchor 1 mile out in the channel.
Weighed anchor 5:15 a.m.

June 8
Arrived at St Petersburg 9:15 a.m.
Everybody went ashore while the decks were being washed.
Left St Petersburg 11:25 a.m. June 8
-----------

Anchored 30 miles from Port Tampa
June 8 2:05 p.m.
Left from Port Tampa 6:20 PM
------------

Arrived in Port Tampa 9:45 PM
the command went ashore and took a bath. June 9th.
------------
June 10
Anchored out 2 miles from Port Tampa
-------------

June 11
Four men carried out of the hole
unconscious
one man taken to hospital ship

Maj. Doster (misty old nick) about the sanitarian/sanitation of the ship. Claffey says this is war time and we can get plenty more men.

The boys say they will shoot him if he ever go into the field. Boys are very very devastated. Over 200 men on board complaining of different aliments and they say that they will never enter another transport. This confinement is unnecessary
as there are plenty of empty vessels in this harbor.
-----------


June 12th. Still at anchor
All kinds of news of a war afloat
but hour after hour still find us here.

June 12th. Still here
Last night was a holy fright
The rain came down in torrents
and drove most of the men
below deck.

10:45 a.m. just weighed anchor
going to St Petersburg

11:15 a.m.
Anchored off St Petersburg

6:30 p.m.
Have been sailing around
within 5 miles off of
St. Petersburg all afternoon.
Waiting on number 25
to clear the docks. It looks as
though it will rain again tonight.
The boys are gambling on
one end of the boat while the
Chaplin is preaching on
the other end. Two men taken
to the hospital ship today.
All transports have to
move out from Port Tampa.

Several large porpoises
are playing around the ship.

---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------


WP didn't quite know it,
but June 14th was the day that marked his beginning voyage south to Cuba. It was the day that the US Navy finally pulled in to take
command of a line of transports and gun support for the journey that would lead to the land invasion just east of Port Santiago.
--------------------------------------------------------------


June 14th.
Left St Petersburg 4:15 a.m.
Arrive off [Santunimo]Straights or Quartintine StatioN????? 30 miles out from port

8:00 a.m.
24 transports in line and
Helena giving instructions.
Weather, calm and hot, no breeze.

12:00 a.m.
32 transports in line.
Helena gunboat leads the expedition
followed by the Cherokee.
Numbers 4, 12, and 17
regiments on board.
The boys are growing more content
as the expedition gets under way

------------------------------
The U.S.S. Helena
was a rapid-fire
gunboat
-----------------------------

Still June 14th
8:45 a.m.
The propeller turned for the
first time under orders to
follow the gunboat Helena.

Crew after crew went
upon board. It is believed
that at last we have started for
Cuba or Puerto Rico.

June 14th
3:45 p.m. the Cherokee powered
over here then to Tampa Bay
and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico
with the gunboat Helena.
Transports 1, 2 and 3 in the
lead and 29 other vessels chartered
by the government bringing up the rear.



The other cruisers 7 in number
on the flanks as vanguards.
---------------------

June 15th
All quiet.
Passed Key West at 8:00 p.m.
15 miles to the west.

-------------------

June 16th
Morning dawn with a rough sea
and finds us far out in the
Florida straits. The USS
Indiana joined us during the night.
With 3 torpedo boats and 2 cruisers,
this marks 12 armed vessels
on our right, left and front.
The boys now feel secure.
Recruits are drilling above deck.
A few of the boys are getting
sea sick. We are now running
South by East. It is possible that
we are going to Puerto Rico.

At 8:45 a.m.
The USS Indiana discharged 6 blank shots and we thought for a few moments that we were going to a naval battle.

USS Marblehead joined our fleet.
At 2:55 p.m. passed a
British merchant ship.
At 3:05 p.m. we are in route
for Key West.

-------------------

June 17th
7:15 a.m.
Just changed our course, south, it looks as
through we are going to Santiago.
Been in sight of land all afternoon
Passed light house on the right
and small sailing vessel.

--------------------

June 18th
8:15 a.m.
Anchored in the Atlantic Ocean,
whereabouts I don't know
but I think that we are
off the Windward Pass
and still in the Bahama (Banks. ?)
This trip is getting very monotonous.
It looks as though they are dividing
up the brigades.

Started up 11:15 a.m.
A long stretch of mountains off
to the South of us all afternoon.

6 mules were dumped off
the (Gussir?)can't find this word anywhere, this afternoon.
Died for the want of fresh air.

--------------------------

June 19th
Sunday and still sailing East.
This 8:00 a.m. the boys are
taking a shower bath
of salt water through a hose.

9:25 am
Turned Southeast.
The Windward Pass.
At last I know where we are going.
Cuba is our destination.

-------------------------

June 20th
6:00 a.m.
We have rounded the coast of Cuba.
We are running due West
Off. posts guards Sely in sight ?
Will probably make a landing
in a few days.

-----------------------

June 21st.
Took a sail around a circle last
night and came back opposite the Bay.

-------------------------------

WP was indeed about to land
on Cuban soil. It is unlikely that
he knew exactly where he was.
But the expeditionary force that
he was part of was commanded
by General Shafter, and Shafter
landed his troops at Daiquiri,
Cuba. The landing was generally
unopposed, a fact that caused
the General to immediately head
for the high ground around
Santiago de Cuba.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


June 22nd.
Soldiers are landing on Cuban soil
at 10:17 a.m. under fire of our Navy.
We raised the Stars and Stripes
over the Spanish fort New Sacramento
at 5:15 p.m., June 22, 1898.

We marched 3 miles inland
and camped for the night.
We had the first good nights
sleep 14 days.

--------------------

----- PHOTO-----
--------------------
June 23rd
Broke camp at 5:20 a.m. and we
started in route for Santiago,
where the first artillery battle
will be fought. Unless we meet
the Dons sooner.

--------------------

June 24th
Broke camp at daylight and
marched 15 miles.
Rough Riders and Spanish had
a skirmish.
39 Spanish killed
14 Americans killed
40 wounded.

---------------------

June 25th and 26th
In camp in sight of Santiago
63 Spanish killed last night.
No Americans

Our rations are short,
the men are about half famished.

---------------------


June 27th.
Bwos all day




AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN CUBA ---PHOTO---

-----------------
June 28th.
Still in the rear camp.
Nothing new has turned up.
Had to buy rations out
of the company.

------------------

June 29TH
G company escort to
General Claffey and two
fibigan companys ????
…and two fatigue com-- phillipean?

150 Cubans made about
2 ½ miles of road and cleared space in
about ½ acres within 2000 yards of a
Spanish blockhouse at El Caney.
About 25 Spaniards in sight
caught coming out of a Church

Artillery batteries will be planted
on the space that was cleared
off this morning,.
Canna and San Juan are
the two small towns
North of Santiago.

-----------------------

June 30th.
7:00 a.m.
Still in camp.

6:20 p.m.
Left camp and marched
6 miles Southwest.
Went into camp at 8:00 p.m.
The road was wet and muddy.

We slept in the wet grass all
night with he canopy of heaven
to cover us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On July 1, U.S. and Cuban troops took El Viso Fort, the town of El Caney, and SanJuan Heights. Spanish General Vara del Rey died in the fighting. San Juan Hill was taken at the same time, with the help of the Rough Riders under Teddy Roosevelt and Leonard Wood at the battle on Kettle Hill. These victories opened the way to Santiago de Cuba. General Duffield, with 3,000 soldiers, took the Aguadores Fort at Santiago de Cuba. Spanish General Linares and Navy Captain Joaquín Bustamante died in battle.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------


July 1st
Broke camp before daylight
and without any breakfast marched
2 miles through the mountains.
At 6:00 am the artillery opened up
on the Spanish block house
of El Caney.

We stripped down to fighting trim
and went into the fight in earnest.
The fight lasted until 9.5 hours


At 3:00 p.m. we flew the
Stars and Stripe and our
Regimental colors on top of the strongest block house in the Province of Santiago de Cuba, El Caney blockhouse


About 8:00 a.m. Sgt. John Dahl
was shot dead. The bullet that killed him passed directly over my head.. Kelly was killed about 10 feet from me on my left.


12th Infantry G Company
dead and wounded:

Our Dead
John Dahl -- heart
David Kelly -- bowels

Wounded
Witman -- leg and foot
Sivan -- rump
Hopkin -- thigh

Nape -- leg and hand
Whortin -- groin
Bungarty -- hand

There were about 8 killed and 31 wounded in the regiment.
We ran the Spaniards out of 53 trenches and 3 block houses.
Killed about 300 and captured 172.

At 8:00 p.m. the prisoners were turned over to G Company.
We broke up all their guns
and buried their ammunition.

We buried an unknown
American Soldier
in the block house hill.

At 11:00 p.m. we left the
block house with our prisoners
and marched 2 miles in
the direction of Santiago.
And camped after 1 ½ hours
and then started on the back trail to headquarters. When we arrived at 10:00 a.m. and turned our prisoners over to the 9th Cal. and at 12 o'clock the company started back for Santiago. Myself and four other boys were left behind as we were too sick and tired to travel further.


July 2nd
The bombarding of Santago was very heavy. 300 of our boys were killed and wounded The 2nd. Mass and Rough Riders loss the most men.

July 3rd
3,000 Spaniards were killed and wounded in the various battles. A flag of truce is flying over the town. They are given 24 hours to surrender Sampson in the Harbor and we hear this town cut off from all help.


July 4th
Morning dawned clear and bright
And without a ripple of excitement

All is quiet and the Don's are resigning to the fact. The rumor is afloat that they have signed the surrender papers.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



William T. Sampson was
the Commander of the
U.S. blockading and
North Atlantic squadrons
during the Spanish-
American War of 1898



But the Spanish were not quite ready to surrender. That would not happen for another 10 days. On July 4th, apparently after writing this last entry, WP was guarding prisoners when enemy artillery came into his position.

One prisoner broke free and ran. WP was, "laying on the ground at the time, shooting at the Spaniard who was trying to get away."

A shell exploded near his body, killing the man next him and wounding WP internally by way of a whole-body concussion. There seemed to be specific internal damage to the "lumbar" region of his back.

Apparently he was rendered unconscious and left for dead. According to writings by his daughter Y, WP was later picked up by Clara Barton girls (the forerunners to the Red Cross) who were helping in the field hospital.

Doctors later determined, according to Y, that his stomach was torn loose from his back. It just hung loose the rest of his life. This affected his whole system. Especially his nervous system. His food did not digest well, he had terrible headaches, and toward the end of his life his heart, kidney and lungs were involved.

When he returned home from the war he had to crawl up the front steps. He was admitted to the military hospital at Fort Monroe, VA, on July 14th after evacuation from Santiago, Cuba. He was formally discharged on April 13, 1899, at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he had been given "light" duty prior to discharge. WP never fully recovered, and was ill the rest of his life.

He died at home on February 10, 1926. He was buried at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles in a place reserved for veterans of the Spanish-American War.

Cathy Rae's story... May 2008

I was born Cathy Rae Clark in Los Angeles at the Queen of the Angeles Hospital. Thus explains the halo over my head. I am the youngest of four children a true baby boomer being born in a 1946. Yes, I am 62.

I grew up 11 miles directly east of Los Angeles in Rosemead, California. Our lot was large 50 X 300, our house was two stories, white with green shutters. Those were happy days. Under the direction of my father we had many kinds of fruit trees that will not grow here, a large vegetable garden and berries, laying hens, rabbits, pigeons and a fish pond. My father, raised on a farm in Tooele, Utah, wanted to be a farmer, but as the history is told he hopped a freight train, went to California and landed a job at BF Goodrich where he harvested tires for 42 years. To nail his future in California he married my mother who was born in Oklahoma in a log cabin. They were married over 60 years until his death at 93.

My mother loved flowers. I remember standing outside next to her, coming only to her waist when she said, "I think delphiniums are my favorite flower, God did not make enough blue flowers". Our Heavenly Father loves us a whole bunch to have given us such a variety of color to feast our eyes. We have all shades of green, brown and blue. When they say all colors of the rainbow? Well, look around at what he did. Then he took his brush and flicked patches of bright color everywhere. Well, most everywhere. Oh, and he loved texture. He used texture in the bark and grass and dirt and rocks. He loved texture and color. But he did not overdo anything. He was a true artist. He did a perfect job. He did a perfect job on us also, but He gave us
choices. Plants thrive under the environmental guidelines for them. If they step far outside that, they die. Us people, often make the wrong choice and step outside the guidelines. Sometimes, way to often, people make the wrong choices. Heavenly Father gave us environmental circumstances also, and if we want to thrive we should follow them. But unlike the dead plants he keeps giving us more and more chances to get it right. Isn't that amazing.

I grew up among adults, as my closes sibling to my age was 6 years older than me, a brother, and to him I was a spoiled brat and always in the way.

In the large avocado tree, I had a special place where I could go climb, which was my thinking place, my dreaming place. The canopy was about 20 feet across and if no one was looking, because it wasn't allowed, I could climb upon the neighbors garage roof from the tree. I cried the day my dad cut down that tree. It was my special, special tree. But it did not bear fruit so dad cut it down and planted an avocado tree that would bear fruit. I remember one Christmas peeking into my parents closet and found an art easel. I thought surly it was for me because I loved to draw. My brother got the easel. It made me very sad.

Everywhere I have lived I have planted flowers. I have had a nice yard and it has never mattered to me whether or not I was renting or owning the land. I love flowers and growing things. I love to create things. I have been bless by our Heavenly Father with gifts in the arts. Don't ask me about math. I am so grateful for my blessings because I can use them to help others. I can share them.

You may have seen me working on River Heights City property where their garden had given away to weeds. Well, one fall I raked down that hillside and sowed wildflower seeds that I had gathered. I took a close look the next spring and the seeds were sprouting in the June grass. I spent 40 hours, that spring pulling all of the June grass from the hillside and oh, it looked nice, but the water didn't get turned on and all the seedlings died. I think River Heights have other plans for that hillside because they don't want me there any longer.

I have raised 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. I have 10 grandchildren. I have a Model T replica that I restored that will pull a small flatbed trailer. The kids can pile on there and be towed around. This little car was offered in a drawing when Albertson's first opened in Logan. Merle and Lynn Olsen won that drawing. So this was a car Merlyn Olsen played in as a child.


Out of necessity I have learned to do many things. I make a lot of my own repairs on my home. This has taught me to be patient and work slower. Slower is good because I am clumsey. I love whimsey, fairy tales and the magic children brings to our lives. I think I am still a child in many ways. In my yard I have a fairy cave with a fresh water spring. The spring flows into a mini river which goes through a grand canyon across the grass, passes by "frog holler" the wildflower compound and on to the pine trees where it floods into a lake. I have a hut, sandbox, trampoline and a large swing set which I have blended into the landscape. I had a panoramic view of the mountains and my yard was private until my neighbors built a second story on their house with a very high pitched roof. Everyone in this area thought that two story homes were not allowed here. I guess that covenant was not filed properly. So they were able to build that. It has to do with what is legal and what is right. So now I live next to a monster house. It feels like it is in my back yard because it towers above the other homes.

I was awarded a plaque from River Heights which acknowledges me as 2005's Outstanding Citizen of our Community. Before that year was up a neighbor had his attorney write the city a letter stopping the work I received an award for. That didn't seem fair. I received the "Spirit of Caring Award" when I volunteered at Logan Regional Hospital. I love music. I love to sing. I love to paint, write and make something out of nothing. I love to swing and climb trees. I have stood in the mist of Iguazu Falls in South America, watch the sun rise on the Atlantic Ocean and set on the Pacific. But all of this pales in the smiles of children.


In my early 40's I had a "Major Mental Motherboard Meltdown". My mind, as I knew it was gone. The space occupied by a functional, logical, creative brain was replaced with----- I guess it wasn't
replaced, the MMMM just left a big hole where a brain once lived. ... I lost the ability to do most everything that made up me. I could no longer function. All creativity, organizational skills. Everything was gone. I was suicidal for almost 3 years. Every minute of each day for those years I was so depressed that I wanted in the worst way to die. I was in the darkest hole. It was so dark you could not see your hand before your eyes. Like in a deep cave when the guide tells you he is going to turn off the lights and when he does it is so black you cannot see your hand which is in front of your nose... but the light does not come back on in that cave. Everyone else has found their way out but you are left alone in this black place. Each time you move you do not know if you are going to go down a inch or fall to the center of the earth. You become so exhausted trying that all hope leaves you. I was a mess. I don't think I was very likable durning that time. I slowed way down. Everything was in slow motion. I talked slower, I wrote slower and moved slower. I gained 60 pounds. That would slow anyone down.

With medication and therapy I slowly got better. I remember the first time I had lift in my step. I had to learn many life skills again. I could not multitask. I now can cook a egg and toast at the same time. That is multi-tasking. I can boil a large pot of water dry over and over again because I forget I put the kettle on. I did not know what to do with my time. I did not remember what I had done with my time before. I forgot I had a hat collection. More than 100 hats. I forgot that I had a powder music box collection. It was like coming out of a coma. Everything was discovery. My sofa was old. I had forgot how many years ago I had bought it ... I just saw it one day and the sofa was worn out. Well, it had been 10 years..... I made a lot of changes in my lifestyle. I think. I don't know. I don't remember what I was doing before. But I do know I lived with a lot of criticism and felt useless and could not do anything right and felt blamed for everything that went wrong. Finally I accepted that in some peoples eyes I will always be wrong and be blamed, even if I am out of the country at the time. Something I did or did not do caused the problem, therefore I was to blame. So I raise my hand and accept that job. Yep, I am to blame. It is my fault. This way I can go on with my life instead of trying to show that I am not at fault.

I did not go to college. I do not have a view of the Temple.
I have five children and only 2 graduated from college and only one went on a mission. I am divorced. I have a new imac computer. I love animals, climbing trees, the color of my hair. I don't like my skin any longer. It does not fit like it should. I have a good relationship with all of my children and grandchildren. Unless they are just not being honest with me. Then I don't... I think I do. I love people but they scare me. I would like to be a hermit but I know that is not healthy. So, if I appear a little distant and out of touch? I most likely am. Did I say I love animals.

I have a cemetery plot in the Providence City Cemetery so that is where I will be when I my story has a end. For now? If you have a question, ask. I will answer most anything if I remember the answer.





.

Beautiful Cache Valley on a Sunday Afternoon.....


Some time ago I was assigned to a conference in northern Utah in June. As I drove through Cache Valley on Saturday, I was struck by the beauty of that peaceful green valley. I marveled at the temple in Logan—such a serene, peaceful beacon in so many ways. As I continued north on that clear summer day, I was impressed with the green fields so rich with a variety of crops. I particularly noticed the great number of alfalfa fields and the constant activity in nearly all of them. What a pleasing sensation it was to smell that freshly mown hay and to see the straight rows and the orderly cutting of those meticulously groomed fields.

I pulled the car over to the side of the road at the top of one of the hills and got out. I found myself absorbed right into that beautiful valley. As far as I could see was a whole panorama of the same activity in every direction—hay being mowed and stacked and hauled.

I finally drove on to the stake where we had a wonderful conference.

My parents live in southeast Idaho, and since I was already more than halfway there, I decided to drive up Sunday afternoon to visit them before returning home.

So, after conference I started north through the rest of Cache Valley. Within a few miles I was in Idaho, but the scenery and feeling were just the same. I again became absorbed in the beauty of the green fields and the smell of fresh hay all around. Again, I stopped at the top of one of the hills and got out and looked as far as I could in all directions. It was just as beautiful—if not more so—than the day before. “Yes, even more beautiful,” I thought, “but why?” The sun and sky and the clouds and the fields were all the same. Why this deep feeling that this sight this Sunday afternoon was even more beautiful than the day before?

What was the difference? I noticed in the distance a small LDS chapel and a few cars starting to pull up to it. Then it struck me, rather peacefully but very effectively: “There is the difference. No one is mowing or hauling hay today.” I looked as far as I could and saw hay fields everywhere, tractors stopped, mowing machines idle, and trucks resting in the fields, but no one working—for it was the Sabbath and this was Cache Valley and these were largely good Latter- day Saint people.

As I continued north, I saw everywhere hay to be cut and stacked and hauled and equipment and weather to do it, but no man or woman in the fields. The people of this valley were observing a higher law, and the Sabbath was being kept holy in Cache Valley.

I went by dozens, even hundreds, of farms with machines waiting in the fields—left Saturday evening by God-fearing men waiting for Monday to come and the whine of activity to resume. I wondered to myself, “Will someone break this spell, will someone be out in his fields working?”

Each time I rounded a corner or came to the top of a hill, I would look and look and then breathe a sigh of relief—no one working.

I went farther and farther north, realizing I was near the end of this beautiful valley. “Would anyone break the spell? Could it be a whole valley so dedicated to God that no one would work on the Sabbath?” The suspense became almost unbearable. Each curve I rounded or each hill I came over found me looking in almost fearful anticipation, then smiling as the same peaceful scene continued.

Finally I came to the last curve and the confluence with the main road that marked the end of Cache Valley. I looked and looked, but all was peaceful and quiet. I was so excited, I pulled the car over, got out, and in almost a Toyota-like jump I raised my hands and shouted, “You did it, Cache Valley. You did it! I have traversed your length. You didn’t know I was looking, but you did it—not one field being mowed, not one tractor at work, not one truck hauling. You did it!” (I recognize that I had been through only the northern end of the valley that Sunday, but it was still Cache Valley.)

I instinctively looked heavenward and said, “Did you see that? Did you see Cache Valley this Sunday afternoon?”

Even though I didn’t hear anything, it was as though I sensed a response saying, “Yes, we know. We see everything.”

I had such a joyful feeling—almost ecstasy—as I drove north to a wonderful meeting with my parents before returning home.

For some time after that, I couldn’t get that Sunday afternoon off my mind. I kept feeling, “You have observed and witnessed something very special, something truly significant: an entire valley keeping His Sabbath holy.”

It caused me deep reflection then and many times since, but like so many things it was moved further and further to the back of my mind with the press of many current problems. Winter came, and for all intents and purposes it slipped from my conscious memory.

I continued to travel each weekend to various parts of the world. Many months later, I was assigned to a conference in a city noted for its particularly flagrant violations of God’s laws. The Saints there were wonderful, but oh, the decadence and debauchery that seemed to be all around them.

As I returned from the especially hectic weekend, I began reading in the scriptures. I thought about Sodom and Gomorrah. Could they have been much more wicked than this? And yet the Lord promised to spare them for fifty righteous souls—or even down to ten—but they were not found.

I let my imagination go and seemed to see a band of destroying angels loosed from heaven—thundering across the land. And even before I had time to think about the situation, I seemed to see myself standing in front of these determined destroyers, declaring, “Hold, hold, hold”; and they held. “Go back,” I said: and their horses reared, their eyes flashing in impatience. The destroyers’ anxiousness showed, but they held.

The leader looked me squarely in the eye and challenged, “By what right do you ask us to hold? Have you not seen the evil of the land?”

I replied, “Yes, I know of the sordidness of the world. I see the constant mocking of God’s laws, the merchandising on his holy day, the constant breaking of his commandments. I see the evil that exists almost universally. Yes, yes, all these things are true, still …” Then I became concerned. What right had I to ask them to hold?

My eyes began to fall from his penetrating gaze, but something inside kept searching, searching, until finally a laserlike beam locked on to a misty memory made many months ago and faithfully filed away for such a time as this. A vista of a beautiful green valley passed before me and moved to the front of my consciousness.

I raised my eyes and met his as he again said, “What right do you have to ask us to hold?”

Then with the confidence of sure knowledge and spiritual direction, I replied, “You must hold, for you see, I have been through Cache Valley on a Sunday afternoon.”

There was no hesitation, no anger, no look of surprise, no disappointment, only obedience; and he turned and rejoined his group, and they left.

June 14, 2008

Saturday was one of those days where everything goes as planed. Pretty mundane.

I started the day by taking my gas weed eater down to the neglected hillside park of River Heights and began to clear the weeds. After hitting my foot several times I ran out of gas. My dog Freckles stayed close. I walked home for more gas and shortly ran out of filament, at which time Kent Parker drove slowly by. Ken is our Public Works Director and has threatened to take legal action if I don't sign the River Heights Hold Harmless Agreement before I volunteer for the city. He said this again at the Council Meeting held last Tuesday. I asked him about Dean Hicken. He said Dean said he was to old to be arrested. I said, "Well Kent, I don't care, if I am arrested". I said, I could see the headlines in the local paper. "Grandmother of 10, former "Citizen of the Year", arrested for volunteering on a city park. Go ahead Kent, arrest me. I don't care. I wonder if that is why he did not stop. Because I couldn't use my weed eater any longer I went home. No police came. So I wasn't arrested for cleaning up some of the weeds on the hillside.

I have been changing the rooms around in my house so I am using more that the upstairs. So far I have not used the basement because it had become a "put that in the basement", place. I had a guest room, which I called the dorm. It had a twin, full and roll away bed in it. Thus, "The Dorm". I took the roll away out and put it in a storage room and moved the full sized bed into the room I had set up for family history. I could not make myself go to that room to do the family history. It was across the house to the other end and seemed very far away. So now the family history room is just off the family room at the foot of the stairs. I fixed up the family room so there is a sitting area for TV, a game table, and the "cottage" with the grandchildren's dress-up clothes and toys. They also have a table and chairs. It looks good,. But I had taken a lot of the family history stuff up stairs where my computer is. So all of that stuff has to go downstairs. Basically......I have trashed my whole house.


After I tired of working on the basement I went outside. A section of fence needed to be repaired. While I was trying to do that it fell over on me. Now you would think a neighbor would have heard me scream and the fence tumbling down. It hit me on the back of the head and pined me under it. The section was 6 ft tall and about 20 in length. But, no one came. So I laid there a little while until my head stopped pounding and got myself out. That hurt. I put up some wire fence in it's place and took the fence apart. I also had put a gazabo on my back patio that I wanted to move. My neighbor gave me it. I had arranged to move it in one piece but he got mad at me and tore it apart. So now I have a Gazabo Kit, without iinstructions and broken parts. So. That would be a AS IS Gazabo kit. Wouldn't it? Realizing that it might be a while before I can get help to put it together I moved the pieces where I would not have to look or walk around them for a while. But in reality it is in the breeze way between the house and the garage so I can hardly get to my car. Yet....... when I look out into my back yard I no longer see them. The roof for this is on my driveway. I would like to drag it across the street to my ding bat neighbor and set it a blaze. With my luck the fire would go to his house. I am sure I will be arrested for that. After everything was moved I mowed the back lawn, went with grass stained clothes to the gas station, got gas and a diet coke, went home and enjoyed my back yard for a while. I was too tired to do anything else.

oe's story pt 1

Away back in Essex County,New York sometime AD1700 there were two families, one named Jenne and the other named Razey. The Jenne girl named Poll married the razey boy named Asahel. The Jenne boy Ezkeil married the Razey girl named Thankful.

Asahel Razey and Polly Jenne Razey had a family of 12 children. Henry Stephen Razey was the 12th child. He married Evaline Miller on Oct. 28, 1867. Evaline Miller was the grand-daughter of Eqekiel Jenne and Thankful Razey Jenne.

Henry and Evaline Razey had a family of 4 children Abigail Jenne being the 3rd child who was born on Oct. 11 .
Abbie, as she was known, married a soldier of the Spanish American War, on Feb. 28, 1897. They were married in Valentine Nebraska. His name was Woodard Perley Hunt. They had a son D Woodard Hunt, who was born while Perley was in Cuba. However Perley, as his mother always called him had vry poor health after his return from Cuba.

They moved to Joplin Missouri where 2 more children joined the happy family. Y Abigail and V Leslie. With Abbies helping hand they managed quite well.

They traveled into Oklahoma and rented a farm.some time in 1910 or 1911. While living on the farm in a little log house with only a fireplace for heat, Abbie was pregnant with their 4th child. It was a cold wintry night. Snow was falling and the wind blowing. It was eleven miles to the nearest doctor. D was 13 years old and he would need to go on horseback for the doctor. Abbie said, "It will take too loong, there is no time and I don't want him to go in the storm. Perley was there so was Eva Razey, no better help was needed. So it was on
November 28, 1911 that I OE May Hunt was ushered into this world with my father and grandmother as attendants.

Sometime later we moved on to Seward Oklahoma on a farm where we stayed for six years. Two more girls joined our family, Sc Hermonie and NZ Wanda. You maybe have noticed by now ll of our names were prefixed with a letter or letters. The first 3 children had only one letter. The last 3 children had two letters. My father wanted his children to have names that could not be nicknamed. So he took the alphabet picked the letters to go with the middle name they wanted to use and came up with a different name. So different no one has wanted to repeat them. Though there is one thing sure. No one ever forgets your name and everyone wants to know the story about where they came from.

While I wasn't very old during our stay in Seward I have some very fond memories of our time there. It was in Seward I attended my first school. A little country school with six grades in one room. Each row was a different grade. I loved to read and loved to go to school. I remember one book I read so many times I had

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Love, Winona Dec. 8, 1922

Letter from Winona, Dec. 8, 1922

Box 182
Commerce, Oklahoma
Fri. Eve. Dec. 8 1922



Dearest Sister and Brother,

Well Gee, I want to tell you some thing we got the finest kind of a letter from my dear Sister this evening. Glad? Well I should reckon.. Say maybe you think we wasn't. we . still we were to know you had a better job and one where you and Hunt can be together. It's just lots nicer I know. Zoa wrote they got such a dandy good letter from Hunt and Would of sent it but it was over to Y's She said Y had moved clear across the town from her but she didn't send me her new add. or y hasn't sent it either. I should think she would drop me a card if nothing more. I owe her a letter but my I've hardly took time to say my soul ws my own I've been busy as a cranberry merchant making Christmas things and at that won't get all done I set out to do.

Ive made Y a pretty lunch cloth and four napkins in colored embrodrey. Zoa a lunch cloth. Hazel and her mother each a centerpiee one with pink roses and green leaves to Havel and the one with red tulips and green leaves to her mother , adresser scarf for Cora and a library scarf for Myrtle Stines wife. a buffet sset of three pieces for Nancy J9the future Mrs. Chars.) besides I've embroidered a dress for Coras baby all since I came home. We got Charles and Nancy 6 hemstitched pillow slips 3 hemstitched sheets and a pair of pillows for a wedding present. Mama made them a quilt or really its a comfor. Its the toop she was going to give Eva then she didn't like the way she was doing so said she would finish it up and give it to Charles. She got them a bedspread too and a couple of pretty salad bowls. They will be married Christmas Eve. Charles is getting him a new suit, blue serge. He looks awful nice when he is dressed up.

Golly I would sure love to be there with you tonight. How is your weather just like summer I suppose. It is sure cold here tonight and has been all day. The Brush broke down and I had to take the kids to school in the Grant yesterday and today. Yesterdaly was so warm I went to town in a gingham dress with no wrap and esterday morning we didn't need any fire for warmth and I had our back door open while I was getting breakfast and the night before we had our bedroom window wide ope all night. Then last night the wind blew up and switched around into the North and it froze thin ice before morning. You know how quick it can turn cold in this country. It has been real cold today but not freezing. I expect having had it so warm makes us full this cold snap more then we would of others wise. We sure have had a wonderfully lovely fall. It's only froze thin ice on our tub of rain water on the north side of the house about four nights. Our days are ususally sunny and warm.

Maydine started to school again. Monday she was out three weeks her leg is clear well she took the dressing off tonight for good but shes so peeked looking and hasn't any appitite. She gets her lunch at noon right across the road from the school house.

Mrs Mundis, the woman that had the summer garden, where we went after ice cream nearly every night last summer, opened up a lunch room. It sure makes it nice for the teachers and school kids. She feeds about from 55 to 60 every noon. Maydine gets out at 11:30 so she gets her lunch before the rush commences. Everything is a nickle and she has hot baked beansm hot salads, chilli, hot tomalas, pie, cake, begatable soup, noodles, coffieand tea. She sure does a splendid business and is good and jolly too. We all like her fine. She was almost afraid to make the venture, but she is sure making good.

You remember I told you we had re'd a summons from the income man? We sent down but there was a mistake they thought Fred hadn't made out his report. He said he sure did. The fellow looked so funny and says well of course we could be mistaken and he looked over his list again and says, "well sure enough, here is your name. How in the world did we over look that." He apologized to Fred for making him come down. I told Fred I was glad of it, he never does have a half a day off for anything we waited all that afternoon and evening. Fred said he spent more time in Coommerce then he ever had before in his life. First we had to wait on the income man. He'd gone to lunch. Then we had to wait for Cr. Hampton. I told you about that bad lookin place on her Maydine's leg. Well Hampton froze it and lanced it getting the worst mess of corruption out of it. It run for more then two weeks, but has finally healed up. He prescribed more dope for her and we had to wait an hour for the druggist to fill that. They had to cook part of it. By that time it was five o'clock and we came home to eat supper.

We went back to see he Ku Klux parade. The bills said from 7 to 9 but they had trouble with some of their cars and it was quarter to eleven when they came along. Their fiery cross was beautiful. Made out of tiny red electric bulbs and fastened on the front of the first automobile A few were riding but lots were walking. They looked nice about a dozen had their faces uncovered and they looked like prosperous business men. There wasn't a bum car in the lot. All were nice big new looking cars. Every little ways was a banner. One banner said, "The Holy Bible Should be Your Guide," another, "Girls be Ladies", another. "Be Decent, If you expect your wife to be". Another, "We see you everywhere". Another, More than 1,000 strong in Ottawa, Co. and so on. They paraded in Picher, Cardin, Commerce and Miami. There was sure an awful crowd in Commerce to see them. Quite a lot cheered and applauded shile they were goin along. They were all quiet excpt once and there was a fat man came along in their regalia and a little kid like Eunice up in a mans arms, hollered out. Ooo, deres Sanky Kaus, deres Sanky Kaus. and she got so excited and laughed and hugged her daddy's neck so tight half afraid too. and everybody laughed and roared. All along the line then tey took it up and roasted that guy good. We were glad we got to see them. About 20 of the Klan took a fellow out here in North Miami about a month ago and gave him a horse whipping and told him what he had to do. If he didn't they were coming back and it would be a coat of tar and feathers next time. He left his wife and four children in K.C. and wouldn't help support them and his wife is very sickly and can't do much. He was living with a fast woman in M. Miami. He belonged to the Odd Fellows and they finally told him he either had to take care of those kids or they were going to put them in the Odd Fellow Home in St. Louis. So he sent and got them and brought them right in with this woman. The youngest is about 3 and the oldest a girl of ten. His father tried and tried to get him to do different but he wouldn't pay any attention. The old man told him he bet the Ku Klux Klan would take it up if he didn't make a change. He says "Aw, let 'em come on I ain't afraid they'll find I'm ready for 'em. They sure got him alright and he didn't do anything either. But he's got his wife here now and they are living together again. He is working steady. The Ku Klux are sure awful good around here. They make so many donations and help the poor so much. We never have heard of them doing anything yet we thought they hadn't ought to have done. I think the ring leaders that are fighting them so hard are Catholics. For they won't allow a Catholic or foreigner to join them.

Cora's baby is sure nice and fat and healthy. So good natured and getting prettier every day. He will be 8 weeks old tomorrow.

Mrs. Ryan loosing her money sure make me sick. Did they ever find out who it was that done it? Do you ever hear from Mrs. Wilton? I musn't start in asking questions. Zoa says I'm the darnedest darnedest person to ask questions she ever saw. That she is always ready for a ward in an insane asylum by the time she gets them answered. She told Cora she bet I forgot half of the things I ask her before she got them answered. I wrote to Pa and in the letter I told him to tell Zoa I said she was balmy in-the brain. That the only way I could get information from out there was to ask for it. and then I didn't find out half what I wanted to know that Zoa was the best one in the bunch to answer questions but I guessed from the tone of her letter I was riding a free house to death. I says now I'd love to know if Leslie has lost his dinner yet but Zoa has got me so badly bluffed I wouldn't dare ask again. I asked in another letter and she failed to tell me. I wanted her to know I didn't forget I had asked her. Oh heck! it's a great life if you don't weaken.... Ain't dot so?

Wayne and Charley Flowers are back in the logging camp again where they were last winter. Their address is Monroe, Wash. % Florence Logging Co. I've wrote to Wayne and Charlie twice. Wayne writes awful good interesting letters like Josine allways does. Bernice has sure got a nice little home and a mighty sweet baby and we liked Clarence just awful well to. My we did so enjoy our visit there. Well my dear I'm going to bed . I'm powerful sleepy. I got to go thru the Museum in Slokane while I was there. My it sure was interesting.

Write when you can. Oceans of Love and a big hug a kiss from your loving sister
Winona




Saturday, AM I will stick in a few more lines seeing as how i wrote such a short letter last night It's all froze solid this morning. It's the first time the ground has froze. Gee two weeks from tomorrow is when Old Santy comes. You watch the box next week for I'm right sure he won't forget as dear and good a sister as you are. He won't bring any foolishness for you to bother to pack around so don't worry on that score. I am sure Santy know you don't want any excess baggage. I got OE a dandy purse it looks like mine in a different color only it i a different shape. I'm going to put a $2 bill inside for hr to use as she wants to. I got Sc the most loveable walking doll, 26 1/2 in. high and it says mama and is dressed in a pretty blue checked gingham rompers and cap which can be taken off also her slippers and half hose like a real babies can. I got NZ a walking and talking doll too only its a smaller one but is awful cute. I know they will just love them. I know they will be pleased to get them. I'm going to send all three together with a box of puzzles with differnet animals and birds to be put together. I got a set for Maydine last year and they got left in Charles desk. I didn't give them to her then. I didn't believe she would care much for them and that I would just keep them until this Christmas. But when she was in bed with her boils and got so restless and tried I got them out for her and land how she did enjoy them. She didn't do much else. For three solid days but played with them until she got so she knew where each piece belonged so I ordered a set this year for our kiddies and Franks. We have bought everything from either Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebucks. Every time I do try to buy a dress goods or anything here in Miami, I get so disgusted and think I never will even make an effort to buy anything around here again. Everything is much cheaper in the catalogues, and it's so handy to pick out what one wants in their leisure time. Then to be jostled around in the stores. I even sent away for my cards, tags and seals, etc. this year. Cora did last year and she saved so much and was so pleased with them. We got Eunice a pretty little black and white soft furry dog. When you press down on his tail he says, bow wow. I got Winona a soft "Nelke" doll like I sent Eunice last year only smaller and a pretty hood, and Leslie a nice caphood and a toy. When he whirls it it makes music. I can hardly wait for Christmas to come. We will sure miss our pretty tree this year u it can't be helped. We will get one here and I've got lots and lots of pretty trimmings. It will be nice but not a lovely by a long ways as the ones you sent us. It will be pretty tho and Christmassy too. I had a notion once to write and ask Wayne to send us a tree and then thought he might not have the time or want to be bothred with it. Gee, that card you sent us sure reads like that would be an ideal place. You folks want to be sure and go to Hollywood while you are there. I'd love to see them making a picture. I've always thot I;d love to see the nice homes of the prominent actors and actresses.

I expect we will go to town tonight even if it is cold we've got side curtains up so the wind can't get in. Mama has sure gone lots with us. We put her and Maydine in the back seat with quilts and blankets so they don't either one get cold. It's awful nice to have the gib car and everybody that rides in the Grant says its the easiest riding car they ever rode in. Oh, I just love to drive it. With the 45 h.p. motor you can sure feel the power of it. Did you ever get so you drove the Chevrolet? Is Ford still with you folks? There I'm asking questions again.

Well any how I've got to ring off and get my potatoes and coffee soon. I'm going to have beef roast for dinner. Better come over. Sure with you could. Is Hunt's cough still getting better?

Hosts of love to both.
Winona.

I love you little I love you big
I love you like a little pig.

I love you big if your form is small
and I love y sister bet of all.

Winona is a poet but she don't know it.

About time ain't it.

Clear run down