Suzanne Lyman - 1938-1942

I confess, I'm a little tired today so I need an easy blog. Here are photographs of Margie & Marvin's youngest daughter, Suzanne, who died when she was 4 1/2 years of age. I'm sure there are stories of her, but I'm wondering if any of you (the readers of this blog) have heard stories of her. If so, please write them in the comments or on facebook. Thanks!

Margie & Suzanne - 1940

Suzanne Lyman

One year old

Suzanne - 1941

Nineth Wedding Anniversary

I found these pictures in a scrapbook at Caroline's.

Natural Bridges 1931
Phil, Caroline and Margie

Caroline & Phil

Then, I found this article from the digitized newspaper project... (Scroll down until you find the paragraph and Marvin & Margie Lyman!)

http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/sjr&CISOPTR=14727&CISOSHOW=14793

Letters from Marvin to Margie

When Mike and I were visiting Caroline over the 4th of July, we discovered letters that Granny had kept, that were written by Marvin. I was transcribing one today and decided I would just post them randomly.

Here's one letter written by Marvin to Margie on May 1, 1955. Margie was back in New Jersey with daughter Caroline and her family, awaiting the arrive of Caroline & Doug's fourth child (Marjorie). Hopefully, I've transcribed it accurately. While I think Grandpa Lyman has nice handwriting, I still had a problem reading a few words!

Page 1

Page 2

Letter transcribes...

Blanding, Utah
May 1, 1955

Dear Margie:

This is Sunday night, about the first time I have had to do any writing since I received your letter. Was glad you had such a nice trip. I suppose you are now a confirmed air traveler. Was glad you found things B.Y. in N.J. (New Jersey). What a day we have had here today. The wind has blown all day just as bad or worse than any day we had this spring. You could hardly see across the street for the dust. I feel like I’d crawl into a hole some place and never come out.

I ordained Joe an Elder in Priesthood meeting this morning. I believe he was quite thrilled. Phil is still coughing and has been awful miserable. I believe he is a little better the last two days. I’ve never seen anything hang on as tenaciously as this flue.

Phil and me have been working in the statements some this after noon. I guess it is a good thing you are not here you sure would be mad. It seems like we have got more _____ accts than ever. Business has been pretty good most of the time. Cash sales have been better than before the fire.

We are getting long fine, so far. We eat breakfast and dinner at Lymans, sometimes a malt and hamburger for supper.

Well it’s Monday morning and snowing to beat the _____. Has turned quite cold. I don’t know what we have done to deserve such weather. I guess it’s the judgments of the last days.

I don’t know when the blessed event was supposed to happen, but seems like we should be hearing something right away. Haven’t heard from Frances since you left. So didn’t know what’s going on down there.

Well I guess I’ve told about everything I can think of for this week.

Give my love to Caroline, Doug, and the little fellows and write when you get time.

Much love, Dad

Priesthood Worthiness

Today's entry is from one of Granny's journals. Granddaughter Lynette Lyman Bayles has Granny's journals in her possession. Thanks Lynette for suggesting this story! This story was told by Marvin to Margie and she entered it into her journal.

Marvin in uniform - WWI

“I learned the blessings on the bread and water when first I was ordained a priest and never forgot them. When I was in Camp Lewis during World War One some of us fellows decided one Sunday to find the Mormon church if we could. We walked for a long long way and finally came to a small church. There was a real small congregation. We had never been there before and had never seen anyone there. The presiding Elder was quite an old man. Just as we came in and sat down in the rear of the building he walked down the isle and asked me to come up and administer the sacrament, didn’t even ask me if I was a Mormon. I was certainly thankful that I could do it. They didn’t have a book, card or anything.”

Northern States Mission 1914-1916

Marvin F. Lyman - 1915

Missionaries had photos taken of themselves that they gave to other missionaries.

Back of postcard. Doesn't Grandpa Lyman have beautiful handwriting!?!

Q: Where did Marvin Lyman serve his mission?

A: Northern States Mission and the same mission that his father served in

"Marvin said that the first thing he was conscious of was a letter from Box "B" in Salt Lake City. Anyone with a letter from Box "B" knew what is meant and that they were expected to be ready to accept a call to preach the gospel whever they were called."

Marvin F. Lyman, 2nd row, center

I'm wondering why Marvin is dressed as a catholic priest?

Are these 'priests' trying to convert Elder Lyman???

"We didn't fly to our destination, we went by train. We were not provided a car, not even a bicycle to take us where we were sent. We met our new companion, were assigned a district and set out on our mission largely without purse or script. We walked miles each day and knocked on many doors, but as any missionary will tell you, there are almost always good people who will take you in."

Group photo of missionaries. Where is Marvin F. Lyman?

Granny's Crocks

For Christmas in 2006, Caroline Lyman Christensen, daughter of Marvin and Margie Lyman, gave to us - Michael Douglas Christensen (Grandson) and Sidney Ann Lang Christensen - a set of painted crockery. These crocks are a part of the Lyman family history. Mike and Sidney gathered this information in January 2007 from Caroline.

Grandpa and Granny Lyman - Marvin Finlinson Lyman and Margie Jeanette Hurst - were married on June 07, 1922. Just after Thanksgiving in 1922, they moved to the Blue Mountain, the mountain range north of Blanding, Utah. They lived in a cabin on the mountain. The cabin was an old cowboy cabin that had been used by for years. Marvin went up to work with his father who was hoping to find gold so that he could finance a water tunnel to bring water into Blanding. Margie states that, “She enjoyed the winter. While living in the cabin on the mountain, I found these two little containers that looked like vases in a garbage dump.” Margie liked them and brought them home with her when she and Marvin left the mountain in April 1923. The two vases remained in her home after she came down from the mountain.

Several years later, when Caroline was very young, not over six years old, Caroline remembers the crockery being colored. “Someone came into Blanding and had developed a way of coloring. We went over to the church and somewhere in the church there were placed these deep, big containers, that were filled with water. On top of the water, all different colors of paint was then put on top of the water. The paint didn’t sink into the water. They would take the container that you wanted colored, hold it in the inside someway and twist it as you put the item down into the water. You never knew how the item you were coloring would turn out. Maybe it was a Relief Society thing that someone introduced.”

Margie also colored some candlesticks that Caroline still has. An interesting fact about the candlesticks is that they were a wedding gift to Margie and Marvin, and she chose to dip those as well.

Question...

This morning, Mike and I (Sidney) were sitting in the Celestial Room in the Salt Lake Temple. Mike asked this question, "I wonder which room Granny (Margie) and Grandpa (Marvin) Lyman were married in?" Does anyone know? Did anyone ever ask them?