Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Laura May Bybee Fernelius
Oct. 14th 1885 - Dec. 16th 1972
This is her story











Laura May and Heber
Jan. 1st, 1943


Laura May's class picture taken about 1894
Laura is second row far L

Laura May

Heber and Laura
SLC temple grounds
1938


Heber and Laura's 50th
as described in her history


Heber and Laura's family as described in
her history with in-laws and grandchildren added
Heber and Laura May

Laura May at Kenneth's house




Monday, November 11, 2013





Byram Levi Bybee
May 4, 1841 - July 7, 1905
Byram Levi Bybee in on the right
His son and Laura May Bybee Fernelius' brother Byram Lee Bybee in on the left


History of Byram Levi Bybee   by David Winkler





HISTORY OF BYRAM LEVI BYBEE

The first Bybee family appears in the Colony of Virginia in the sixteenth century. They emigrated from the British Isles and were of Scotch-Irish decent. The name is spelled several different ways; Bibe, Bibby, Biby, and our spelling Bybee.
The name is not common in America. It is found in numbers only in areas where the original Bybees of Virginia settled during their migration days.

The Bybees lived in Virginia one hundred and fifty years prior to the revolution. The records of that war show at least eight Bybees from Virginia, some of which had important positions; an Aide-de-Camp to General Washington and a Deputy Adjutant General to Major General Phillips at Charlottesville in 1779.

My first known progenitor is Thomas Bybee and his wife Elizabeth. Both were born in the Colony of Virginia in the 1600's. He was a farmer and a slave holder. He had had some education because he did not sign his will with an "X" as was prevalent at that time. Thomas also had considerable property such as cattle, work animals, working tools, and pewter as he designates these to members of his family in his will, written 10 December 1728 and deeded 17 February 1729 in the circuit of Goochland Co., Virginia. He names his wife Elizabeth and four children; John, Thomas, Elizabeth, and Judith.

In 1729, Virginia was a Crown Colony, with Williamsburg the capitol under the rule of King George II and his wife, Queen Caroline.

John was born about 1706 in Henrico Co., Va. He married Sarah Judith Jane Giles in 1732, at Goochland Co., Va. He lived in Virginia all his life and was a farmer and a slave holder as his father was.

John had a 1500 acre plantation on Ballengers Creek, on Bybee road, near a village called Bybee. The 1500 acres was acquired by purchase. Some parcels of land were granted by letter patent.

Tobacco was the chief crop grown on the plantation because it was the only article of export which paid a profit.
John's religion was Baptist. The Baptist Church, Parish of St. Ann, was built on land donated to the church by the Bybees.

John and Sarah had a weather boarded story and a half structure for their home. There was a beautiful old boxwood by the house. The building stood until it was very old and was then destroyed by fire.

In the census of 1782, for Fluvanna Co., Va., John Bibee is listed with a family of 5 whites and 0 blacks, so he had either freed or sold his slaves before this time.

John lived to be about 80 years old and died in Fluvanna Co., about 1786. His wife Sarah was born about 1711. I do not know her death date.

John and Sarah's children were: Thomas, born 1734 and died 1834, (married an Indian Princess, a descendant of Pocahontas); John, born 1739 and died 1821; Pleasant, born 1758, died 1835; Cornelius, died 1821; Samuel; Edward; and Joseph.

John, Jr. was born in Fluvanna Co., Va., in the vicinity of Ballengers Creek about 1739. He married Elizabeth Jane (Betsy) McCann in 1763. Elizabeth was the daughter of Neil McCann and Elizabeth Applegate. She was also born about 1739.

The McCanns owned land adjoining the Bybee's in the Ballenger Creek area.

John was also a farmer. He owned land in Fluvanna Co., which he sold in 1788. He then moved to Henry Co., Virginia, which later became Franklin Co. He served in the Revolutionary War as a private. He entered the war 1 June 1777, and was discharged in December of 1779. On 1 September 1780, he was given a land grant of 82 acres on Daniels Mill Creek of Black Water River in Henry Co. The grant was signed by Thomas Jefferson.

John and "Betsy" lived in Henry Co., until 1798 when, for reasons unknown, they left their home and, on horse back, with pack horses, they left Virginia, rode over the mountains into Barren Co., Kentucky to take up new land and start a new life.

On 27 August 1799, John was granted 200 acres of land "south of Green River," in the county of Barren, Watercourse Nobob Creek Area. This land grant was open to any persons possessed of a family and over 21 years of age. It was to be not less than 100 and not more than 200 acres.

John and "Betsy" McCann had ten children; Allen, born 1761/65; Betsy, born 1763; Charity, born 1766; Neal McCann, born 1767/69; John, born 1770, died 21 May 1819; Sherrod, born 1778; Polly, born 1775; Ann, born 1774; Lee Allen, born 14 Nov. 1780, died Jan 1852; Susan (Sukey), born about 1781.

John made a will, 14 April 1821. It was filed in January 1822. He signed his name with an "X." His wife Betsy is not mentioned in the will, therefore, she must have preceded him in death.

John III was born about 1770 in Fluvanna Co., Va. He moved with his parents to Henry Co., 1 September 1780.

John married Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Kelly, 6 May 1791, in Franklin County. Elizabeth was born about 1770 also and in Fluvanna County. She was the daughter of William Kelly, Jr., and Mary Byram.

John purchased a small farm on Daniels Mill Creek, but migrated to Barren County, Kentucky with his father. They also left their farm and took with them only that which could be carried on horse back and pack horses. He is listed on the Feathergild Tax list of 1799, in Barren Co.

In Kentucky, John purchased 447 acres of land on Glovers Creek in the year 1806. He established his plantation there, although he owned land on Nobile Creek in the same county.

John III was a farmer and a blacksmith. He was also a Justice of the Peace and a Public administrator. He was recorded as a kind and respected citizen.

John and "Betsy" had nine children; Buford, born about 1792, died 25 April 1824; John, born about 1797; Byram Lee, born 25 Feb 1799, died 27 June 1862; Neal McCann, born 1800; Polly, born about 1801; Delilah, born about 1802; William, born 1804; Nancy, born about 1805; and Betsy, born 1807.

The father, John, died 21 May 1819, in Barren Co., Ky. The census of 1820 lists Betsy Bybee, widow of John Bybee. Her death date is unknown.

Byram Lee Bybee was born 25 February 1799, in Barren County. He was a farmer and a shoemaker. He married Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Lane, on 5 January 1820. Elizabeth was born in Washington, Tenn., 24 January 1801. She was the daughter of Robert David Lane and Mary (Polly) Chapman. Byram Lee and Betsy moved to Green Co., Mos., about 1830, then back to Kentucky about 1836, then to Clay County, Indiana, about 1837. The Bybee family were, at this time, of the Campbellite faith. It was here in Indiana that they were first introduced to the Mormon religion by Elder Isaac Morley.

Byram Lee's family is listed on the 1840 census of Clay Co., Indiana, and it was noted they were prosperous farmers. However, the land they were tilling was not opened for entry, but was held on "Squatter's rights." The house they lived in was of logs, with a dirt roof and floor, and was built on the river bank. Byram Lee was not a healthy man and the responsibility of the family fell on his wife and sons.

Byram Lee must have had itchy feet, because again the family moved. This time to Illinois to be near the saints, as they were now members of the church. This was in 1843 or early 1844.

Most of Byram's family went with him to Illinois, also his Uncle Lee Allen Bybee and some of his family. They traveled together in covered wagons and, upon their arrival in Nauvoo, they engaged in farming.

Byram Lee and "Betsy" Lane had ten children: Polly Chapman, born 28 Oct 1820, died 7 Aug 1902; Rhoda Bird, born 19 Nov 1823, died 17 Dec 1908; Elizabeth Jane, born 25 Jan 1825, died 23 Nov 1908; Luanne Bird, born 3 Jan 1827, died 5 Nov 1883; John McCann, born 17 Feb 1829, died 21 Feb 1909; Lucene Bird, born 7 Feb 1831, died 26 Jan 1915; David Bowman, born 17 Sept 1832, died 22 Feb 1893; Jonathan Marion, born 28 Jul 1836, died 30 July 1836; Robert Lee, born 4 May 1838, died 4 Oct 1929; and Byram Levi, born 4 May 1841, died 7 July 1905.

The Bybee children remembered seeing the Prophet Joseph Smith riding on a black horse. He would often call at the Bybee home. They also recalled meetings held in a beautiful grove in the Eastern part of the city of Nauvoo. These meetings would be conducted by the Prophet Joseph.

The Bybee family also mourned the death of Joseph and Hyrum with all of the Saints. Byram Lee was too ill to attend the services held for the brothers, but their mother, Betsy, took the children and they remembered this day always.

Byram Levi was one year old when the family moved from Indiana to Nauvoo, and four years later, they were on the move again. They left Nauvoo and went into Iowa. There was about a foot of snow on the ground and it was bitter cold. They crossed the Mississippi River on the ice. They could take only the bare necessities with them, and they were instructed by Brigham Young to leave their homes clean and in good order. Polly Chapman Bybee Hammon, Byram Lee's daughter, said she even left a clock ticking on the wall.

The Bybees arrived in camp at Sugar Creek and made their home out of brush and blankets, mere shanties. Some of the company, however, used their wagons for shelter.
From Sugar Creek they went to Farmington, Iowa, and on to the Winter Quarters sight on the west bank of the Missouri River.

In the late summer of 1848, they moved to Buchanan Co., Mo., and lived with their daughter Polly Chapman Bybee and her husband Levi Hammon.

While at Buchanan, they built wagons for the trek west. They then returned to Winter Quarters, and then Council Bluffs, Iowa, where the men built more wagons, and the women made cloth, called Linsey Woolsey. It was a grey cloth, and they changed colors by making dye using sage, weeds, grasses and other concoctions.

The saints had brought with them useful items such as looms, seeds, spinning wheels, slips of trees and shrubs, and very few personal items.

On 21 June 1851, they left Council Bluffs, for Utah. They were with the Alfred Cardon Co. They traveled in the third ten of the second fifty. Levi Hammon was their leader. There were nine families in the group.

There were 5 people in Byram Lee's family; Byram Lee, "Betsy," David Bowman, Robert Lee and Byram Levi. They had 1 wagon, 4 oxen, and 6 cows. Byram Levi was now ten years old and walked most of the way to Salt Lake bare foot, although his father was a shoe maker. The shirt he wore had 17 patches on it. Byram Levi said it was hard to tell where one patch ended and the next patch began.

The company arrived in Salt Lake Valley, 6 Oct 1851. They contacted Heber C. Kimball, and he advised them to go to East Weber (now known as Uintah) and homestead. This valley had been settled one year before and Byram Lee's son John McCann, and two sons-in-law, Henry Beckstead, and Daniel Smith, helped to settle.

East Weber was located at the mouth of Weber Canyon, near the Weber River. It was unprepossessing and unpromising country that presented itself to the Bybee family. It was wild and the land was covered with bunch grass; the only forest trees being willows that bordered the streams.

However, the rich grass did provide food for their cattle and stock raising and primitive farming was their occupation.
The family made their home with logs, or branches, cut from the banks of the Weber River.
The implements used to farm were very poor. Some plows were made entirely of wood with little strips of iron. They cultivated the land the best they could. The soil was productive and they realized a good harvest.

Byram Lee and Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) were sealed by President Brigham Young in his office on 13 March 1852.

The winter of 1855 and 1856 was so severe the settlers lost many cattle. Each morning they would go around the fort and lift up the cattle that were too weak to get up by themselves. In the daytime, they cut down willows for the cattle and sheep to browse on. They also carried wood on their backs to have firewood available to build fires, if necessary, to warm the animals.

That spring and summer were hard, and they suffered much. The women carried their small babies on their backs while they searched for segos and other roots to cook in milk to feed their families.

Sometime between 1856 and 1858, Byram Lee moved his family to Mountain Green, up Weber Canyon, in Morgan County. While there, Byram Levi, now a young man of 15 or 16, met a very lovely young lady, Jane Geneva Robinson. Her father, with one of his wives, and family, had pioneered Mountain Green.

Byram Lee's family lived only a short time in Mountain Green and then returned to Uintah. However, it was long enough for Byram Levi to decide he wanted to marry Jane and he wasn't too happy about moving back to Uintah, at this time.

In 1858, when Johnson's Army threatened the valley, the Bybee's, along with other Mormon families, moved south to Dixie, as instructed by Brigham Young. Byram Levi went with his parents. However, about a year later, Byram still thinking of the "lady fair," at Mountain Green, received permission from his parents to return to their home in Weber County so he could court Jane. His mother baked him some bread, his father gave him several cows, and with his gun and very few personal belongings, Byram bade his parents goodbye, not realizing that would be the last time he would see his father alive. Byram Lee Bybee died in Washington, Utah on the 27 June 1864, and was buried there. After his death, his wife, Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Lane Bybee, moved to Smithfield, Utah to live with their son, Robert Lee. She died in Smithfield, 7 May 1867, and was buried there.

For nearly a month Byram trudged along, telling his cows of his thoughts and dreams, his hopes and fears. When he was hungry, he would milk the cow, catch some milk in the cup, dunk some bread in the milk and have his meal. He could not hunt for food, although he was an expert with the gun, because he had to watch the cows. However, he did spend a night or two along with way with some of the saints and was well fed.

When Byram reached Uintah, he lost no time in preparing for his marriage. At least the courting began. He would ride his horse over the Indian trails in horseshoe bend in Weber Canyon, to Mountain Green to see Jane. He would take her to a dance, and more often than naught, he would play his fiddle, call the dance, and square dance with Jane all at the same time. He was a good singer and a good violinist, although he had never had a lesson and played by ear.

His courting won the "Lady," and Byram Levi and Jane Geneva Robinson were married in Mountain Green, on Jane's 17th birthday. She was born while her parents were crossing the plains, on 14 July 1848, to Joseph Lee Robinson and Laurinda Maria Atwood. They were sealed on 2 February 1867 in the Salt Lake Endowment House.

Byram Levi and Jane Geneva were the parents of eleven children: Lorinda Geneva, born 30 Oct 1866, died 16 May 1951; Alice Elnora, born 1 Dec 1868, died 29 June 1879; Anna Belle, born 3 April 1871, died 10 July 1879; Byram Lee, born 17 June 1873, died 14 May 1963; Emma Luciene, born 20 May 1876, died 21 Aug 1961; Laron Lafayette, born 4 Nov 1879, died 15 May 1880; Maud Luan, born 30 March 1881, died 9 May 1882; Joseph Orin born 26 Mar 1883, died 14 August 1966; Laura Mae, born 14 Oct 1885, died 16 Dec 1972; Zina Pearl, born 30 March 1889, died 2 Oct 1964; and Silva Josephine, born 25 March 1893, died 25 February 1894.

Byram and Jane built their home in Uintah by the side of a hill, near a spring. It was a two storied adobe home. There were several bedrooms upstairs, a large kitchen and a large living room down stairs, an outside door on the west and one on the south. They also had a large porch on the south, several feet high, to dry their fruit.

The water for household use was carried from the spring; the stove used for heating and cooking was a four hole wood stove. They always kept a one gallon capacity teakettle on the stove and always the fire was burning to have the water hot.

Jane would catch rain water for washing clothes. The water was heated in a large tube on top of the stove. Later, they bought a stove with a reservoir that held five gallons of water, and finally they got a stove with both a reservoir and a warming oven.

They used candles for light and Jane made her own candles. They had not refrigeration, so the meat was kept in a salt solution called brine, which cured the meat. Then the meat was hung in the basement for summer use. During the cold months they would kill a beef or hog and hang it in the granary to cut as needed.

Everyone was welcome at the Bybee home, friends or strangers, and no one ever went away hungry.

The family did not have many luxuries, but they did have an organ, and many wonderful evenings were spent listening to the organ and singing songs together as a family. All of the girls learned to play the organ. Byram loved music and gaiety, but abhorred confusion.
Byram was a stern man, but loving and kind. He would not allow his children to bicker or find fault one with another.

Most of the children went barefoot around the home and yard, only wearing shoes on special occasions and to church on Sunday.

The Christmas Holiday was very simple. They did not have a tree. The children would hang their stockings on the windowsill and in the morning they would have candy, nuts, raisins, and an orange in their stocking.

Thanksgiving holiday was always observed by having a chicken dinner and mince pies and plum pudding.

Byram was about 5'9" tall and weighed about 160 pounds. His wife Jane was about 5' tall and weighed about 175 pounds. Byram was of sandy complexion, blue-grey eyes, medium brown hair, and a full, well-trimmed beard. He always stood as straight as an arrow.

Byram was a leader in the community; a Justice of the Peace; and an Indian interpreter. He also helped clear the land of sagebrush, dig irrigation ditches, repair channels of the Weber River and build the road thru Devil's Gate in Weber Canyon. This project was hard because there wasn't any dynamite for crushing the large boulders, so they used hammers to pound the boulders until they were broken into pieces small enough for the men to carry them.

Byram also tried prospecting in Cottonwood Canyon, but his project was not lucrative and was of a short duration.

He was the road supervisor for the first Uintah Dugway which was built in 1898 and wages were $1.80 a single hand, for ten hours work, and $3.40 a day for a team, plow or scraper and they had to furnish their own equipment.

In the late 1860's and early 1870's, Byram and his brother David operated a sawmill in Cottonwood Canyon in Morgan. They manufactured railroad ties for the U.P. Railroad. Byram also used his expertness as a marksman to supply the camp with deer and bear meat, along with pine hens.

One of the canyons in that area is called Bybee, after the sawmill.

Byram lived most of his life as a farmer and stockman. He raised fruit, mostly apples, corn and some alfalfa. They always paid their tithing with produce. They would also give fruit to the Indians for them to dry for their winter use.

The Indians always went to a spot unknown to Byram for their winter camp, but each year as spring came, so did the Indians, and they would make their camp on the hill above the Bybee home.

The horse power threshing machine would tour the country and visited Byram's farm each threshing season. The workers would always stay overnight and were fed the best food Jane could prepare. However, they also helped themselves to any fruit or produce on the farm and would waste much, even food provided for their animals...which upset Byram very much because he always believed that to "waste not was to want not." He was always glad when threshing season was over.

Their main source of income was derived from their cows. They would make and sell butter for about 15 or 20 cents per pound. This job was Jane's.

In 1879, there was a diphtheria epidemic and Byram and Jane's family was afflicted. They were advised to give their children whiskey, but, being a religious family, they declined. However, two of their children died: Alice Elnora, and Anna Belle. Alice had planted a white rose bush by the west side of their house and realizing that she was going to die, requested roses from this bush be placed on her grave. Ten days after Alice passed away, Anna Belle succumbed. She, too, knew she was going to die and she asked for wild flowers from the hill side be placed on her grave.

After the death of these two daughters, the other children were given whiskey and recovered from the disease.

As mentioned, Byram was an expert sharpshooter and an avid hunter. He would build his own ammunition. He had a long handled spoon which he put in front of the fire grate, melt the lead and pour it into a bullet mould. When it cooled he would have a perfect bullet. The next night he would load the shells and crimp them many times, they then were ready for use.
At this time, there were no specified season or limit on wild game and Byram furnished several meat markets in Ogden, and an Ogden hotel with wild meat. He would take the hides from the deer to the Indians for tanning. They would tan them and return to Byram one hide out of every three, so he always had plenty of buckskin strings.

Although during his life he was strong, erect and active, the last six months of his life, Byram Levi was an invalid, suffering from an unknown malady, getting weaker every day, and although he never complained, he was in terrible pain and his body withered away until he could not walk and was carried by his son, Orin.

Byram Levi Bybee was known and loved for his honesty and integrity, and an ever ready wit. He was a hardworking man and devoted to his family. He died free from debt on 7 July 1905, at Uintah, Utah and was buried there. His wife, Jane Geneva Robinson, died at her home in Uintah on 7 June 1922, and was buried by her husband, Byram Levi Bybee.
Two years after Byram died, his sister Rhoda Bird Bybee Bair came to visit her family, whom she had not seen in over 64 years. She had married before Byram was born and her husband was bitter toward the Mormons and would not allow Rhoda to visit her family. After her husband's death, she came west, but too late to see her youngest brother, Byram Levi. After Rhoda's visit, she returned to the east. She was the only one of Byram Lee Bybee's family that did not join the church.

A UINTAH PIONEER DIES

Byram L. Bybee answers to Final Roll Call. He was a prominent and good citizen.

SPECIAL TO THE ARGUS
Byram L. Bybee, of Uintah, who died from a complication of diseases last Friday was buried at his late home on Sunday. Funeral services were held at the meetinghouse and besides the local speakers, there were E.F. Rose, and A.S. Rose of Farmington; Bishop Kendell of South Weber, and others who testified to the sterling worth of the deceased. The meetinghouse was inadequate to hold the assembled friends. There was in attendance the South Weber Choir, which furnished most excellent and soul-stirring music. Over forty vehicles made up the cortege, making this one of the most imposing funeral services ever held in the Uintah Ward.

One very sad feature of the death is that Mrs. Bybee, now in the hospital in Ogden, was not able to be in attendance at this final sickness and death, nor would the doctor in attendance even allow her to be appraised of his death.

OBITUARY
Byram L. Bybee was born in Clay County, Indiana, May 4, 1841, and came to Utah with his parents in the year 1851 and settled in Uintah where he remained until his death, July 7, 1905, thus being 64 years, 2 months and 3 days. In the year 1865, he married Jane Robinson who with him are the parents of eight daughters and three sons, six of whom survive him.

A large picture of Byram Levi and Jane Geneva Robinson Bybee hangs in the picture gallery at the D.U.P. Museum in Salt Lake.

History of Byram Levi Bybee
by Pearl Bybee Rollins

My father Byram Levi Bybee was born 4th of May 1841 at Clay County Indiana, son of Byram Bybee and Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Lane. One year later they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. There his parents lived at the time Joseph Smith was martyred on the 27th June 1844 B the family came West in the Alfred Cardon Company of 1851, and settled in Uintah, called "Weber" at that time, now named Uintah, Weber Co., Utah.

Robert Lee Bybee came with the parents of Byram Levi Bybee they being the younger members of the family, the older girls were married, some never did join the Church or come to Utah. My mother Jane Geneva Robinson, born 14th July 1848 while her parents were crossing the plains in "Sweet Water" Nebraska. She was the daughter of Joseph Lee Robinson and Laurinda Maria Attwood. They settled in Farmington, Davis Co., Utah. Later moved to Mountain Green, Morgan Co., Utah.

My father and mother were married the day she was 17 years old, July 14, 1865. They lived in Mountain Green until Geneva was born then moved to Uintah, Utah. The next two children Alice and Annabelle died in an epidemic of diphtheria a week apart. Alice was 10 years old at the time and Annabelle was 8 years old. When Annabelle saw Alice's funeral cortege go by she said: "I don't want garden flowers on my grave, I want wild flowers." My oldest brother Byram "Bine" contracted the Black Diphtheria but was given whiskey which cut the phlegm and saved his life. He went to sleep and awoke much better. He never did drink whiskey again in all his life and lived to be ninety years old.

Emma was the next child followed by Maud who died when she was a baby. Then Orin, Laura and myself were the next children followed by Sylvia that died when she was 11 months old.

I remember of going to grandmother Robinson's home in Hooper seeing a flock of ducks in her yard. They picked the ducks in the summer for their feathers which they made into pillows and feather beds. Grandmother made cheese too, I remember the large vats of milk. Grandfather planted mulberry trees to pick the leaves for silk worms to feed upon. Grandmother raised silk worms as early as 1867 under the direction of Brigham Young.

My father Byram Levi Bybee was of small build, had blue eyes, sandy mustache and beard. Had a beautiful tenor voice, helped with the singing in Sunday School, played violin for dances in early days. Raised four daughters who became organists in Uintah Ward. Died 7 July 1905 age 54.

In early days father and his brother Robert were riding through Weber Canyon on a load of hay when they met a band of Indians. The Indians surrounded them and lowered their arrows to shoot. The Indian Chief "Old Soldier" recognized my father and Robert and stopped the Indians. He said: "Don't shoot," Bybees had given him bread and biscuits to eat. Old Soldier knew my mother in Farmington when she was a girl in her father's home. When he saw her in Mountain Green after she was married; he called her "Robinson's Papoose and Bybee's squaw."

My parents were hard working people knew many hardships and sorrow. Planted apple trees, other fruits, raised hay, grain etc. I have heard father say many times that he walked most of the way across the plains barefooted. He had a twinkle in his eye, sense of humor. Provided for his family and loved us all very much. Never did I see my father come home cross or speak cross or criticize my mother. He corrected us when we needed it. We knew he loved us.
- Written by his daughter Pearl Bybee Rollins

All the Bybee histories I have read tell of their kind and loving disposition, Byram Levi Bybee's father Byram Bybee, who is my grandfather was the very same way, so we can all be proud of our wonderful lineage.
- E. Geneva C. Pace


Saturday, November 9, 2013

 


                                Just Folks                                  

      I am like him, so they say,

    Who was dead before I came.

Cheeks and mouth and eyes of gray

   Have been fashioned much the same.

 

I am like her, so they say,

   Who was dead ere I was born,

And I walk the self-same way

   On the paths her feet have worn.

 

There is that within my face

   And the way I hold my head

Which seems strangely to replace

   Those who long have joined the dead.

 

Thus across the distance far

   In the body housing me

Both my great-grandparents are

   Kept alive in memory.


 
 

 

                     



In memory of our dear grandparents
Russell and Vergie Rock 1925