Margaret Ann Hall
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Margaret Ann or Annie as she was called by her family was born in Potato Valley, Utah (some records state, born in Escalante, Utah). She was the fifth child and third daughter of John William Hall and Rebecca Lucinda Bryan. When Annie was 6 weeks old the family moved to Concho Arizona. It is not known for sure which route Ann's parents took to Arizona - through Durango, Colorado or crossing the Colorado river at Lee's Ferry and then down the terrible piece of road known as Lee's Backbone. Either way would have been a perilous trip for such a young baby in a wagon.
The family lived in Concho for two years and then moved to Pinedale. A little brother, Charles Franklin, was born in Pinedale (died age two). The family moved to Silver Creek, Snowflake, and Pinetop. When Annie was 14 years old, her sister Lettie May (age 12) died. This loss was deeply felt by Ann and her family. Annie received her schooling in Snowflake. Susy Penrod was her childhood girlfriend. Reading was appreciated in the Hall family. Her mother and father both read and told stories to the children in the evening. They had lots of fun activities as well as work. In the winter it was sleigh riding. In the summer it was camping and fishing. In the spring was garden planting time, then garden tending, followed with the canning of the produce in the fall. I imagine Annie did her full share to help feed the large family. Father Hall loved horses so Annie learned to ride well. Ann and her sisters would climb into the hay loft and watch their Dad and brothers break horses. Annie was 18 years old when her Father died from an injury received in a horse accident. Ann was soon considered her Mother's right hand in helping to raise the family. She took various jobs to help support the four sisters and one brother still at home, working in Lakeside at a private home in her late teens and then as a cook of the employees of the Whiteriver Indian School. It was there that she learned to be a good cook. Annie was a very popular girl and always had plenty of boyfriends. At one of the weekly dances in Pinetop she met Harry. Ann was 19 years old at the time and pretty as a picture. She was a beautiful seamstress - making all of her clothing besides doing crocheting and knitting. The Pinetop Branch of the Church was not very active; but whenever possible Annie attended to her church duties in Primary, M.I.A. and Sunday School. Annie was madly in love with Harry. Her little sisters liked him because when he came courting he brought oranges and candy for them. Because of the need for Annie to help her Mother, the wedding was postponed for a few months, but the wedding preparations continued. Ann wrote to Montgomery Ward and ordered her wedding ensemble. The dress was a cream-colored cashmere with inch wide ribbon gathered in the center and scalloping around the skirt and up to the waist in front. The yoke was of lace with pearls placed on it. Artificial orange blossoms were formed in the shape of a crown for her hair. She had white kid slippers for her feet. Orange blossoms were to be used in the groom's lapel. Abner Ellsworth performed a double wedding in the Hall home in Pinetop on February 13, 1901. Annie married Harry Ellsworth; and her older sister, Clara Jane, married Harry's brother, Byron Ellsworth. Punch was served at the small reception which was held after the wedding. Among the gifts received were dishes and kerosene lamps. After the wedding, Harry took his bride to live in the Huning Hotel in Show Low. Annie was a very patient and generous wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved her husband dearly and depended on his word and guidance. She died January 24, 1954. She had stayed in her home after Harry died in 1949. Her daughter Dora and children lived with her. compiled by Alice Jo Ellsworth: 1997
Memories by Robert J. Anderson (grandson)
I lived with Grandmother for two years before she died. She made the best lemon pie and bread. There was a large lemon tree that produced enough lemons for everyone which they were welcome to take home.
It was grandmother who encouraged me to go to church and learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She considered herself a "peace maker" and often referred to the Beatitudes. She was always visiting her mother and sister (Lil) in Show Low, taking me with her. She would be what you pictured as a sweet, loving Grandma. The same goes to all her sisters. I have great memories of all of them and they touched my life one way or another. Memories by Reed Ellsworth (grandson)
Grandma Annie was a great cook. The favorite was her cinnamon type sweet rolls. Lloyd and Ruth lived by Harry and Ann, so the boys made many trips to Grandma's to eat her rolls and pies. The south lawn of their home on North Mesa Drive was the gathering place for many football games with cousins and neighbors. Their house roof served for many games of "ante-I-over". The lawn was also the place of many family parties and picnics. Santa Claus visited their front room on many a Christmas Eve with lots of the Grandchildren there. They had 18 grandchildren.
Grandma raised birds (Parakeets). She had a great business going until Reed tied his horse to the big screen area that housed the bird. Something scared the horse, and down came the birdhouse and out went about 100 birds - never to be seen again. I have have never known anyone who was kinder and more loving than Grandma. She was a great lady. |