Searching for Allen Roots: A letter from a sister

PappaDaddio's older sister Pearl wrote him a letter in 1977. I have rewritten the content of the letter with the hopes it will be easier to read. At the end I will enclose a copy of the scanned letter. The photos have been cropped for viewing purposes. Pearl is 16 years older than PappaDaddio and in the letter takes credit for naming him Gerald Mecham Allen.

April 2, 1977

Dearest Gerald,

This is general conference morning and I have some time to spend with you, in the thoughts of our mother. Yesterday was her 97^th birthday, as you know. You were so precious to her, Gerald, especially because of the time that you were sent into our home.

Daddy had decided to go to the University of Utah to become a lawyer. The fall after you were born, he left, to be gone for two years. I have heard mother say on different occasion, how much you meant to her. You were a very special little brother, too.

You were certainly welcomed into our family. I was almost sixteen when you were born, and so happy to spread the good news that morning of June 22, 1918. I called my best friend and when she asked me about your name, I said, “Hoover, McAdoo, Woodrow Wilson (Pres. Of the U.S. then). (We were in World War I at that time and those were the most illustrious names in the news. We thought that was the war to end all wars. Little did we dream then that you would be serving in World War II.). Nothing was too good for you.

I can remember the big discussion that took place when we got down to the serious business of choosing your name. Mother said that she would like to have you carry her mother’s maiden name, Mecham. Grandma’s name was Emma Waitstill Mecham Nielsen. So of course we had to make a big thing out of naming you – Gerald Waitstill Mecham (If you will still wait, I will come).

I was real thrilled when they like my suggestion of Gerald. Gerald Mecham Allen has a nice sound. I still feel honored that they chose it.

When you were just a tiny baby, Daddy, always ambitious, decided he’d like to become a lawyer. He was 40 years old then and had 9 children. He felt that the University of Utah was the nearest and best place he could go. So with mother being right behind him, as she always was, he left to complete a four year course in three years. This he did by going to summer school.

After Daddy left for law school, you had a very bad sick spell that frightened us. I can remember how thin and white you were, we were real worried. Mother, however watched over you and cared for you until you were better again. We were so thankful. This picture was taken when you were on your way to recovery. I’ll name the people in it, from right to left. Cecil, mother and Gerald, Pearl, Grandpa Nielsen, Uncle Roy, Aunt Libbie, Thora, Roy (Afton), Taft – front row Vilate, Roberta, Priscilla, Oma, Frihoff, Walace, Waldo. I don’t know who took the picture, maybe Malcome.

The next thing that comes to my mind is when our whole family went to Salt Lake to spend the last year of Daddy’s law schooling with him.

There were so many of us, we had to have two cars, a Ford and a Dodge. We made a real summer vacation out of it. First we went to Bluewater, New Mexico, to visit the relatives on Mother’s side of the family. I guess I should say Daddy’s side also because his sister, Aunt Deborah, married Mother’s brother, Uncle Fred. We were guests at their home.

We took our time, after visiting there for a week or so, we headed on up to the four corners area. There we visited Mesa Verde National Park and saw all the old Indian ruins. We stopped each night along the way to camp, of course. There were no motels in those days. It was a big deal – pitching tents, fixing beds, and cooking supper. We all had our job to do.

Daddy built extensions on the running board to carry our tens, bedding, clothes, food and dishes etc. Your little face shows right behind Daddy in the picture then Roberta (I think) Vilate (She’s probably sitting in the car), Frihoff next, then Mother, Priscilla (maybe), Taft, Thora, myself (Pearl) and Cecil (kneeling).

This isn't a very clear picture but you can see how we traveled, in those days. We reached Salt Lake in time for school to start. Daddy had bought a nice brick house, right near the University, at 1116 East 3^rd South, in fact. (Who, in that area, would want to rent a house to a family with nine children as well behaved as we were.) The house is still there if you want to take the steep climb up E. 3^rd South. Not only that, but there are thirty-three steps to get from the sidewalk up to the house level.

There are some memories connected with you, there. Mother had been home taking care of the family and all the finances for the two years and she decided to go with Daddy and take law classes with him. Everyone else was school age but you were only two years old. However the next door neighbor offered to take care of you. They thought you were so precious. You got along just fine there, while Mother was up on the hill, at the U of U, taking law classes with Daddy. Incidentally, she (mother), did real well when the final exams came around. After that, her ambition was to get a law degree, and practice law with him,(your dad). (She told me that herself when she came to visit me at school, before her health failed).

Well, you seemed to do real well under the neighbor’s care (elderly couple). You were a darling little two years old and they surely did enjoy you. I’ll never forget those sparkling black eyes of yours. No one else in the family had eyes that dark.

One day as I came home from school and had just finished climbing those thirty-three steps, when around the corner of the house, you came flying on your scooter. My heart was right up in my mouth but just as you reached the crest of the hill, down slammed your two little feet and you came to a dead stop. That drop, off the lawn was so steep, it was almost straight down. Apparently, you like to live dangerously, when you were two and a half.

We just stayed in that house for that one school year. We only planned to stay there until Daddy graduated, so we just sort of camped. We used old second hand furniture, etc. Some one must have thought we were poor, because one morning after one of the first big snow storms of the season, there was a new bright red sled on our back porch. That meant hours of fun for you kids. The rolling hills in the back yard were safe and fun to slide on.

When June 1921 came, Daddy finished law school. He sold our property at 1116 E 3^rd South and prepared to go back to Arizona to start his law practice.

I also had graduated that spring from the LDS High School in Salt Lake. I wanted to go to college so they left me there to do it (from 1921 to 1925). All I can remember from then on, for a while is how very lonesome I was for all of you. Mother wrote regularly though and sent pictures. Here are some I have saved all these years. This is Mother’s own handwriting.

I thought I was going to stay in Salt Lake for four years but in the summer of 1923 they (the family) wrote for me to come home. Mother was expecting Jean, and she wanted me to be home for the occasion. That unexpected (I thought I was there to stay until I was finished) and I was thrilled to be coming home.

Everyone had changed so much. You had just turned five that June and were just as full of life as you could be. I can see you now, saying some of the cute poems, and things you had been taught. There was something you used to say about “fuzzy wuzzy was a bear….. it ended up with fuzzy wuzzy wasn’t there, was he.” You knew another selection that about the funny rabbit who wanted a hair cut, “not just one haircut, but a general haircut all over.” You’d roll your black eyes when you’d say it. We all thought you were so cute.

Jean came in September (the 12^th 1923) and I left to go back to finish my other two years of college, the last of the month. What a happy time I had had with all of you. I think that summer stands out above all the rest, for me.

We had another big trip together, with our whole family, even with baby Jean this time. Thora had spent the last year with me at the U of U. The year I graduated (1925), and the rest of you all came up to Salt Lake in two cars, again – tents and all. Trips in those days were all, “camping out”. By now you were seven and the guardian and protector of your little sister, Jean.

Daddy and Mother had planned quite an extensive trip for us that summer after we were through in Salt Lake, (it was also June conference time and Mother and Daddy were working in the mutual at that time). So, after everything was over there, we left Salt Lake for our trip.

On our first night out from Salt Lake, we camped on the shores of Bear Lake. It was the first time we’d seen it and we were so enthralled by the blue-green beauty of it. Next we went to Star Valley (freedom) Wyoming to see Daddy’s sister Priscilla and her family. It was haying season and we stayed there a few days while Daddy pitched in and helped them get the hay in.

We went from there to Yellowstone Park. Here we got caught in some heavy rains. We were camping still. It was uncomfortable, but none of us got sick but Daddy. On acute case of rheumatism just hit him all at once and he was in terrible pain. He was in the hospital there, for a few days and they told him to hurry back to hot dry Arizona. We did this, and his rheumatism vanished. We were thankful and glad to be home again, in spite of the fact that we didn’t go on up into Canada and down the western sea coast as we had planned. This was our last family trip.

It was about this time (summer of 1925) that Mother’s health began to fail. All those years she had done things for us and cared for us. We were sure she’d get better, in spite of what the doctors said. It wasn't to be though, from then on it was our turn to take care of her. Which we were privileged to do until she died, August 17, 1931. How she wanted to live and be with us.

You were thirteen then and in scouting I believe. (you’ll probably remember better than I do what happened in your life from then on.) I go married and left Mesa in 1931. I can remember Daddy being so proud of you and of your scouting activities, etc. How proud both he and Mother must be of you now, and so, also is your oldest sister.

Pearl