The Life Story of Mable Stratton

Mable Stratton was born in Snowflake Arizona February 16, 1888 to William Ellis Stratton and Minnie
Kartchner Stratton. I was the first child of 13 born to this union. There were never a large family of us at
one time, as death called at our home 3 times. Two children died the same day with diphtheria. After I
was married 3 more children were born to our family. For many years my health was very poor, I was
under the doctor’s care for over a year. (Dr. Walford) the only doctor in Snowflake. Every morning
doctor Walford would call at our home to see how I was feeling. My father took many loads of bailed
hay to the doctor to pay my doctors bill, as he had a cow to feed. I was quite a care for my mother, She
having twin babies to care for. When the twins were 9 months old, my father was called on a mission
for his church. He was to leave in April as they could get special rates on the train at that time, by that
time one of the twins were very ill (little Minnie). Father said mother, what shall I do. If something
happens to the baby, I shall blame myself for not obeying to the church call If I go I will have obeyed to
the lords call. Mother said the lord and I are willing to do her part full well – leaving her a family of six
children to care for. But being a brave little mother she encouraged Father to obey the call, and she
would carry on as best she could. My father was one month in the mission filed when little Minnie
passed away. This was a real trial for bother father and mother – but being true to the lord and their
churches, they said not my will, but Thy will be done. My father and mother were true Latter Day Saints,
and had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While father was on his mission in Kentucky,

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mother would gather us children around her
and read a letter from father to us. Then we
would kneel in prayer. Some times each taking
their turn. I was only 12 years old at this time.
So it has been a lasting testimony to me that the
Lord answers prayers and blesses us if we will
keep his commandments. Mother would always
sacrifice in giving to others, she always did her
fair share. Father rented his farm land, sold his
wagon’s and other things to help support him
while he was on his mission. Some times
mother had a hard time to collect $30 a month
to send to him, and these days the elders
traveled without purse or script.

After two years when father returned from his

mission (and Oh how I remember the day he
came) What a thrill to have a father in the home
again. He began to gather things together to
make a living for his family. In this way the lord
shurly blessed him in so many ways. So he soon had his family fixed very comfortable. He got mother a
New stove which we surely needed. The he had a chance to get a second hand organ. Oh were we
thrilled. Then a little later he told us to get the sears roebuck catalog and pick anything we wanted to
furnish the front room with (did we have fun!) I can assure you we did a real fine job.

I took a few music lessons, and soon learned my notes. I was asked to play the organ for Primary. Aunt
Julia Ballard was president and mother first counselor. The
assured me they would put up with my mistakes. Then later as I
got better with my playing, uncle George Garasses asked me to
be Snowflake ward organist. He was the chorister, he would
help me all he could. He would pick out the songs so I could
practice them. About two years later I was put in as Stake
organist. At one time I had the privilege of playing for Heber J
Grant to sing (Come Come Ye Saints). Another time, was
privileged to play for Melvin J Ballard to sing ( I know that My
Redeemer Lives). At one time, I thought I would like to work
and make a little money of my own.

Tho father was always very liberal with us to give us money

when we needed it. Prudence Tanner(SP?) was very ill and
needed help, so I went to work for her. I did all the house work,

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cooking, washing, Ironing, scrubbing, if I had a little time left, I did some place sowing the machine. I
washed 5 weeks for $3 a week. I thought I was rich. But I was tired, so my sister Zella took my job.

I have very happy memories of my childhood days. My parents never quarreled. Had the highest
respect for each other, and that is the way they taught their children to live. My father had a very good
voice and sang well in his younger days. He would gather the family together of an evening said Mable,
go to the organ and we would all sing together church songs and others. I can still hear my father say
Mother, can’t you give us a little Ice Cream for refreshment. This made a lovely home evening for us ,
we all enjoyed it.

It was 1904 When Jesse Came into my life. He was called to go on a mission for his church to Kansas
City. As he was ready to go to Holbrook to take the train, His brother and girl friend Zina were going
with him to Salt Lake City to get married, his mother, and grandmother Sarah Gale were going to Utah
for a visit. So they were all going together on the train. They had to take a team and wagon to go to
Hollbrook 30 miles from Snowflake. It took all day to drive it. Just before they left, Jesse came over to
our house and asked my parents if they would let me and my sister Zella go with them to Holbrook to
see him off for his mission. My parents consented.

When the train came in that night about 8 pm, Jesse put his arm around me and kissed me, and asked
me if I would write to him while he was gone.

I did just that for two years. He was only 18 years old and I was 17. Oh when he returned from his
mission he was a fine looking fellow, full of the gospel. Any girl would have fallen for him. He returned
Dec 6, 1906 from then on we went steady, and were married in the Salt Lake Temple, June 10, 1908.
My father and mother and baby Irene, 15 months old, went to Salt Lake with us. There they went from
there to Wyoming to see fathers sister. They were gone 3 weeks. So we went to Beaver and stayed
with mother’s Aunt Becky until they came back while in Beaver, Jesse got a job driving team for a fellow,
hauling rook to build the Merdock Academy, when my folks came back we went to Los Angles, then took
the boat to Catalina Island. For our honey moon. Oh another and I were so sea sick. When we came
home to snowflake we set up housekeeping in the upstairs of my parents home. We lived there for one
year. Our first baby, Willa, was born there March 20, 1909. Then we built a little house on the hill, one
room a Basement for a kitchen we were comfortable, but not to our liking. We had a deep well drilled,
but it failed to mush quick sand, so we had to carry over drinking water. We had a nice big Barn and a
little grainery. We sold it all for one thousand dollars. Oh what a relief. We lived in this for 11 years,
and daddy was gone away from home most of the time teaming taking freight from Holbrook to Fort
Apache – took him 9 days to make the trip, I would cook and fix a grub box and he would go again.

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The children and I were so lonely. The wind would blow so hard. With chores to do, mil two cows and
feed the pigs, care for the children, chop some wood to keep us warm, carry our water from the
neighbors across the street. When I could not stand it any longer I would take the children and go down
the hill to my folks, they were always so good and kind to us. Some times we would stay all night. The
next morning we would have to climb the hill, go home and do the chores again. Oh what a life. Then
daddy and I decided to take a trip to the Salt River Valley, but grandpa Perkins was very ill, so we had to
put our trip off for a while. On the 7th of September 1919 Grandpa passed away. After everything was
taken care of, we made our trip to the valley, taking our baby boy Lamar, just six weeks old and Marva 5
years old. Heber Willis had been to the Valley many times so he came with us. His brothers were living
here. They took us in and treated us as if we were one of their own. Before we went back home, daddy
mad a bargain for 80 acres of land a two story house on it and another small house up in the field. We
moved all of our belongings down in a freight car on the train, including 4 horses. About the next year,
depression hit the Valley in fact it hit the whole country. 13 acres were closed, cotton was worth very
little, along with a lot of others we lost all we had put into the place we bought. It seemed sad, but so
many others were in the same plight. My father was vice president in the bank at snowflake and it
closed its doors. The only thing we could do was start all over again, with the Lord’s help. We bought
16 acres of land from Stirling Underhill, no house on it. But daddy had a chance to get an old house on
the desert. I think he paid $25 for it if my memory serves me right. Uncle George Gale helped dad move
it in from the desert. It had a good floor in it, and a good ceiling. We cleaned it up, wall papered it, put

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new linoleum on the floor, daddy made
me a cupboard for my dishes, so it was
very livable. Norma was born there Dec
7, 1925. This all happened in Chandler.
As I stated before we lived in Chandler for
11 years. We were never satisfied we
had always wanted to live in Mesa.
Daddy had applied for a job with the
water users so he was called in the office
and they gave him the job. So we sold
our house we had fixed up and 16 acres
of land and moved 5 or 6 miles south east
of Chandler. The water users gave us a
nice new house with lights and water,
pasture for a cow and a garden spat. Two
bedrooms living room and kitchen, daddy
had promised me if he got this job he
would get me a new Maytag washer (so
he did). We did real well on this job. We moved there March 1927 in June 27 of this year Owen and
Willa were married, then in Oct 27 same year Ida and Warner were married. The first couple to be
married in our new Mesa temple. In March 22 1928Dwain was born at our new home. He same year,
Oct 17 Russell was born in home as time went on we moved to good year had a nice home we rented
and daddy ran a milk route to Phoenix. Roy was born there, in Goodyear Oct 4, 1929. Then at last our
dreams came true. We had a chance to rent 20 acres of land from Mr. Coleman for one year. Cyle,
Owen and will boy was born here’ Leona also lived with us at the Comeans ranch and her first baby was
born here Lanan after our leas was up for one year We moved to the Smith house on North Hobson, a
good home Father and Mother lived with us and Worked in the temple as long as father was able, 5
years. Lorum had returned from a mission so he lived with us and worked in Wright Store, Leyanas also
stayed with us and worked at odd jobs. We had a2 cows so had plenty of milk and butter, had some
chickens, plenty of eggs. Daddy worked for Howard Millt for $12 a week sacking grains. Brother Griner
lived across the streed from us, he offered to sell us one acres of his place. (he had two acres) for five
hundred and 25 dollars, so between us and our two girls we bought it, after we had the land paid for
Willa and Owen had a house built on the north half, then we built on the south lot. Daddy’s brothers
started our house Ben and I laid out the plan as I thought I would like, they laid the foundation put up
the walls to the square and the roof on, from there we hired others help to finish it. Daddy and I did all
the painting sanded and finished the hard wood floors and doors we moved in our new home Dec 15,
1937 where we still live after 40 years. It is a good we furnished home, we dearly love. But it takes a
heap of livin in a house to make it a home, home aint a place that gold can buy. Before, its home threes
got to be a heap of livin in it, our home has been just that, for we have shared our home with many of
our loved ones in sickness and in health, and I am sure we have been blessed and rewarded for our
sharing. The lord says in as much as you have done it unto the least of them, you have done it unto me.
I have worked hard all my life, tried to keep my home clean, anything I could do to beautify or improve

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my home, I was happy. I loved to see things made new or fresh again, with a little paint here and there,
curtains made fresh and clean. Oh yes I have spent many hours in the service of my church, in relief
society, putting on quilts and quilting them. I enjoyed working in the kitchen of the church, putting on
and serving ward dinners to raise money for the church. The Lord was good to us, when he sent us
seven lovely children. We are proud of them, little Charline only got to come to earth and get a lovely
body, and the Lord took her back to her heavenly home. Our children are all married and have families,
and are true latter day saints. As parents we tried to set a good example for our children to follow , as
being honest in our dealings with our fellow man, the paying of tithes, and offerings, attending our
meetings and keeping the Sabbath day as the Lord commanded us to do.

I want to bare my testimony to my children and all who may read this, I know the gospel of Jesus Christ
is true, and that we have a living prophet today to lead and direct us in the way of truth and right.
Surely the Lord has blessed us with the good things of life. I am truly thankful for life, health and
strength. I am so thankful for my dear loving husband, honest and upright a true latter day saint, That
was able to take me to the temple and be married for time and all eternity – I am so thankful for our
family and dear children, that are so good and kind to us. I am thankful for my good comfortable home
we were able to build. Free of debt, of any kind as that was one of daddy and my goals to have a good
home paid for. I hope I can fulfill my mission that the Lord would have me do, honorable and well, that
time on earth my someday return back in to his presence and be with my family and your dad in that
beautiful home up there.

My Prayer

Father in heaven I ask thee

To help me understand
Why my sweetheart had to leave me
For an unknown distant land
Father in heaven I ask thee
To soothe my aching heard
Forgive my tears and anguish
Peace and comfort to me impart

Help me to cherish all the memories

Of our life together here
Help me to know my sweetheart is happy
Help me to trust and banish fear.
Father in heaven I ask thee
Thy peace to give to me
That I may know that life is Eternal
And sometime I can dwell with him and thee

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 My Sweetheart

My sweetheart how I miss you

Life is so different with you gone
I’m so lonesome for your footsteps
For your love I really long,
Can it be true I ask in sadness
I must walk alone a while
That though I wait, you’ll not be coming
And I am left without your smile

Then the answer comes through clearly

As to a father’s will I bend, you must continue on
Your journey, Brave and faithful to the end
My sweet heart how I miss you,
And I promise I will try
To live my life in such away
That I will be with you by and by

Please keep your spirit near me

To help me to the end prove true
That we may be a family united
And again dear be with you

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“Highlights of Mother’s Life”

My name is Mabel Stratton Perkins. I was born February 16, 1888, in the small town of Snowflake,
Arizona. My parents were William Ellis and Minnie Kartchner Stratton. I was the eldest child of thirteen,
born to this union. We were never too large a family at one time, as death called five of my brothers
and sisters home when they were very small. Two children died the same day with the dreaded disease
of diphtheria.

My father was a farmer and owned a few acres of land. He also owned a good team of horses. My
father was Vice President of the Bank in Snowflake and also a stock holder in Z.C.M.I. a store of which
groceries and dry goods were sold.

My father was born in Virgin City, Utah. His father was Anthony Johnson Stratton. His mother was
Martha Jane Layne. Father moved to Snowflake about the year 1882 where he built a new two story
brick home.

I was always very close to my father and we enjoyed long talks together. Often, he would ask my
opinion, when making important decisions.

Father was an important man in this community, highly respected by all, and noted by his fellow men as
being honest and fair to deal with. His word was his bond. He was never one to criticize another. If
there were any questions as to the character of a man, being made by family members, they were
quickly dropped by my father’s firm voice saying, “That is enough of that.”

My father was kind and loving to us all and tried to spoil each one of us a little by having us get a small
cup and he would put a little sugar in each cup for our treats. My father was religious and loved to serve
the Lord, filling two missions. This left quite a hardship on my mother, with little money and many
mouths to feed and care for. My mother was also proud to work and loved to work in serving the Lord
and her fellow men. She was also a great leader. She was married at the age of sixteen and had
thirteen children, which included one set of twins. She was called to be Relief Society President. She
was very dedicated to this calling in many ways. She would make her way down to the church along
with her little children, to ring the bell and start the fire in the wood stove and prepare for Relief
Society. She was always ready to help anyone in need, and willing to share what she had. She was a
good teacher, and tough us children to all work; something I will always be grateful for.

As a child, I remember us raising and killing our own beef, putting them in the “smoke house” to cure.
We made our own hominy, pickles, bread and cheese and butter. My father had chickens and pigs and
raised a fine garden.

We always had love in our home for one another. I never remember my father speaking a cross word to
my mother. We had our good times by singing in the evening, making homemade ice cream and pulling
taffy candy. These were happy years. The teenagers, children and sometimes all the family, would go
on hay rack rides or have corn roasts, along with games, singing around the camp fire. The dances were

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a novelty and much different than this modern day. Teenagers and also adults enjoyed having a good
“caller” and square dancing.

Even though my life was a happy life, as a child, my health was very poor, often keeping me from
attending to school. There were not many doctors nearby and they had very little knowledge as to all
the ailments at that time. I was still able to work hard; many times going out to work for others,
washing and ironing all day for fifty cents a day.

I also had the opportunity of taking music lessons for ten cents a lesson. I was organist at many of our
meetings. One time I had the privilege of accompanying President Heber J. Grant and Melvin J. Ballard
to sing.

My first teacher in Snowflake was Miss Nettie hunt. We met in a two room school house and we were
taught the three “R’s”,. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. We always looked forward to the big fourth of
July and twenty-fourth of July celebrations. We dressed in our best and would go out and stand on Main
Street to watch the parade go by. Many dressed in pioneer [lost a sentence] Salt Lake Valley. Some
would join the festivities of the day, enjoying sack races, catching greased pig and many other races and
sports planned for the day. In the year of 1904, a very good looking young man living in Taylor, Arizona,
came into my life. His name was Jesse Nelson Perkins. When 18 years old he was called by his church to
go on a two year mission to Kansas City. He asked permission of my father to allow my sister and I to
accompany him and others as far as Holbrook, where they would take the train to Salt Lake. We were
happy to do just that, travelling on the buck board wagon. Jesse asked me to write to him which I did.
We had been acquainted for many years as Jesse was always included in the group of young people who
would come to our house to spend evening singing and enjoying ourselves. I was the accompanist for
this group.

I spent many hours each day during those two years, watching for the mail wagon to come in, to see if I
had a letter from Jesse. In the year of 1906 Jesse returned from his mission. He was such a fine, clean
good looking young man, any girl would have fallen in love for him. We resumed our courtship and then
in June 10, 1908 we traveled by train to be married in the Salt Lake Temple. We then went to the
Catalina Island in California, for a short honeymoon.

My husband’s parents were Reuben Josiah Perkins and Eliza Jane Hancock. They were one of the first
families that were sent by Brigham Young to build a new frontier in Arizona. The Perkins family first
settled in the Lehi area where Jesse’s grandfather was ordained as Presiding Elder there. The climate
was so dry and hot and having a good herd of livestock and sheep, they decided to move farther into
Northern Arizona. They settled in the Clay Springs and Taylor area. Jesse was one of the thirteen
children born to Reuben and Eliza Jane. They were honest hard working people, but had very little of
the comforts we enjoy today. The children attended school in Taylor, but they lived in Clay Springs in
the summer where their father had built a small log cabin. They had to do dry farming, trusting in the
Lord to send the rain to water their corps. They raised lovely corn, beans and squash and other
vegetables. Jesse’s father was a carpenter and a stone smith. He contributed many beautiful stones
and monuments to these communities.

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Jesse and I started our first home together in one of the rooms upstairs in my parents’ home. It was
there a year later, our first child, Willa was born. Shortly after her birth, we built a small red brick home
on the hill. While living here we had three more children born; Ida, Marva and Jesse Lamar.

It was a sad day in the year o f1010 that our beautiful large academy was burned to the ground. This
was such a loss to the community, but renewed determination, the pioneers always rallied together, to
again re-build so their children could continue receiving knowledge and further their education.

Jesse was a way so much of the time, trying to make a living for his family. He hauled freight from
Holbrook to Fort Apache by horse and wagon. This necessitated him being away so many days and
nights leaving me to take care of the children and doing the chores. I was very unhappy being alone so
much. We finally made plans to move to the Salt River Valley where Jesse could be home with us.

We first moved to Chandler, Arizona, where we bought eighty acres of land from Mr. Sanders. We had a
nice big two story home to live in. Things did not go well the first year as the depression of 1920 came
and cotton was worth very little. We lost everything we had invested in the ranch, but we were not
alone as many of our neighbors also lost all they had. There was only one thing to do and that was to
start over. We had both worked hard all our lives and taught our children to work.

In the year of 1930, we moved to our first real home in Mesa. We bought a lot from Mr. Mernice Griner
and we build and were proud of the nice comfortable adobe home where I am still living today, (1982).
My home is just a few blocks north of the beautiful Mormon Temple, at 215 North Hobson Street. My
home is very well insulated having been built of these adobe’s which we purchased from a Mr. Laird
who lived near us.

Jesse then became a custodian of Franklin school for several years. Later he was custodian for the sixth
and tenth ward chapels on University street, just a few blocks from our home. He always had great
pride in doing his work well. Jesse was always most kind, helping the ladies with chairs, tables, or other
helpful ways to make their work just a little lighter, especially on work days. Jesse would set up and take
down many, many chairs for the different occasions as this task was needed. I tried to help him all I
could as we were both well along in our years. We have both helped to cook serve and work for the
many large dinners that were given to help pay for the chapel.

All our family live near to us which brings a lot of comfort to me especially now that I am alone.

Mesa was such a small town forty years ago. There were no paved roads only inside the city. There was
a J.C. Penney Store, the Toggery, O.S. Stapley Store and Kresses, a five and ten cent store.

The Mezona was always a place where the young people would go to dance on Friday nights. We also
had just one theater, The Nile Theater.

There were very few phones, no radios or Television’s. Air travel was unknown.

The first car I ever saw was when I went to be married in 1908. We once owned a Model “T” Ford many
years later.

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Fifty years ago, I could go to the store and buy enough vegetables for a week for only two dollars. We
would buy a box of Bel Flower apples for the children’s lunches, that is if we could find an extra dollar!

I lost my companion in the year o f1977. I have had six children, all married with lovely families.

We have never regretted our moving to the valley. We have enjoyed a good happy life here. We often
reminisce about how fast Mesa has grown, and what a “big city” we now live in. It has been so
wonderful to live close to my children and also close to the Arizona Temple where we go often. I have
lived nearly a century now and I will soon be ninety-five years old. I have seen many changes and
improvements in our city. There are so many new inventions making our lives much more comfortable
and enjoyable.
I am more thankful every day for what health I do have and for the many blessings I have. I sincerely
pray that our Posterity will also realize how wonderful it is to live in this great land of America and the
privilege of enjoying and living in this beautiful city of Mesa.

Yes, children, this is a choice land and a choice city, free from bondage and captivity. May we always
give thanks to forefathers, now gone, and carry on their great name, we all share just the same.

This history was compiled by Ida Perkins Watkins

Daughter of Mabel Stratton Perkins

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