FLORENCE LORRAINE HATCH (SWAIN)

FLORENCE LORRAINE HATCH (SWAIN)
By Aileen Aurilla Swain Roundy (Teen)

Born:        28 Dec 1883

                 Vernal, Uintah, Utah

Parents:    Jeremiah Hatch and Aurella Bard Hadlock

Married:  Enoch Swain

                Date:  8 Oct 1899

                Place:  Vernal, Uintah, Utah

Died:    Feb. 1960

            Vernal, Uintah, Utah

Jeremiah Hatch was a widower when he married Aurella Barde Hadlock.  He had quite the large family.   It was very difficult on grandmother when he was in polygamy.  He traveled through the state quite a bit.  Teen doesn't recall the reason that Jeremiah and his brothers came to Vernal.

Florence told Teen one time, the Indians pretended that they were going to steal her and her sister Orpha.  They put them in the wagon and pretended that they were going to drive away.  Enoch came up on a great big horse and said that they were his papooses.

Florence loved to sneak over and visit the Indians.  She and her one cousin would sneak over there.   The young squaws would paint their faces.  Florence had long dark curly hair, and she would get messy.  Her older sisters and mother would take a kerosene rag and clean her hair.  They would take a fine tooth comb and comb that curly hair. She could scream louder than any child on earth.

When Florence was ten years old, her mother had her go live with Charley and Minnie Davis who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  They also lived in Vernal.  She was a frail and sickly child.  Florencehowever did visit with her siblings because she had many good times with her sister. While living with the Davisfamily, part of her responsibilities were to help with the housework and the babies.  Mr. and Mrs. Davis in return allowed Florenceto get more of an education and receive more refinement.  The Davisfamily accepted her as part of their family unit.   She stayed with them until a few days before she married Enoch.

At Florence's funeral, a member from the Davisfamily asked to speak.  He said that Florence was beautiful and sweet woman.  When she came to live with his family, he was just a little  boy. She was his first love and loved her all his life.

Florence felt abandoned by her parents.Through out  the years, she thought about what and why it happened. It wasn't until years later that she felt she got an answer.  She thought it was her mother’s way to protect her from polygamy. Florence also felt that her mother and family had been mistreated when it came to polygamy.  

Florence’s father was so enamored with his new 16 year old wife that he lost interest in his children.  Seemingly, he didn't care for very much except his young wife.  Jeremiah didn't seem to mind that Florenceleft the family home.  He never said anything about her going with another family

 Florencehad a picture of Jeremiah with Aurella and Henrietta on each side of him.  Teen wanted to see it.  Florencesaid that after she died, she could have it. However, right then she would just laugh herself silly.  Florence said “I am not going to put up with the silliness right now.”  When she eventually saw the picture, Teen did laugh.  She said that he did look defeated.

Enoch and Florencehad the best sense of humor.  It was tremendous. This marriage was happy even though they had ferocious arguments.  The rafters would rise.  Teen remembers that she didn't realize how funny this was until she grew up and married.  They would have a shouting match at each other.  Enoch would put on his hat and get ready to go out.  He would get half way out the door and come back.  Mother was about 5'5" at the most.  He would pick her up, kiss her, go out and then slam the door.  Mother would wipe her face and then wipe off her hand. She would then say "Oh, that man!"

      Florence had some half brothers who drank quite a bit. They would get drunk and rowdy.  Enoch had to go arrest them and put them in jail over night.  He would come home and tell Florence.  She would get angry because he arrested one of her brothers.  He had to tell her because she would find out anyway.  She was more mad at her brothers but took it out on her husband. 

She enjoyed having a large family.  Florence delivered all her children at home just like everyone else during that era.  Shelbywas delivered by a midwife.  Teen isn't sure but she thinks that Shelby  may have been delivered by his grandmother Aurilla Bard Hadlock Hatch who was a trained midwife.  She delivered Teen and Duff.  Hap was delivered by two doctors.  They were good friends of Florence and Enoch’s. Hap was named after them (Marion and Wesley).  Florencesuffered emotionally when her son Mack was born.  He was a stillborn baby.  Florencehad also had a miscarriage between Marion and Mack.

Teen remembers her mom saying that Shelbywas the easiest pregnancy and easiest birth.  The rest of the kids were very rambunctious except for Shelby who was easy going.

When a circus came to town. Florence took Shelby when he was very small.  He could not  say elephant no matter how hard he tried so he called the elephant "Speakin"

The children were given names and then the children gave each other their own nicknames.  Florenceand Enoch agreed that the Enoch would named the boys while Florence named the girls. 

     The dominant religion was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  The kids didn't know that there was any other religion until they grew up and moved away. Practically everyone in Vernal was L.D.S.  However, the children attended a private church school that was run by the Presbyterian church.   Teen attended up unto the third grade.   After that school closed, they then attended the public school called Central School.  Teen didn’t  know why they attended the church school.

 Enoch and Florencewere not active in the L.D.S. Church.  Florencehowever did like the Relief Society Program.  Hap and Teen did not get to choose baptism.  Teen said that they were “just dunked.” Teen and Hap (he later rebelled) attended church. Shelby, Garn and Duff  were not  baptized into the L.D.S. church. They slid their heels and refused. They said that they did not  believe in it and so they would not be baptized. Enoch and Florencedid instill in their children  a belief that there was a God and in prayer.

Florence had helped to convert a French family by the name of Patry to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Roosevelt.   They lived on the reservation.  It was decided that Billy Patry, the Caldwell kid and Frank would be baptized.  Florence took outing flannel to make the baptism clothing.  Frank called them nightgowns.   Teen also got baptized in one of those gowns.  It kept floating up and she got nervous about it.  Enoch did not do the baptizing.  Teen thinks that Bishop Larson did the baptizing.  It was done out in the duck pond.  There were duck feathers floating all around.  Bishop Larson waded out into the pond.  Florenceand Mrs. Caldwell were there.  They baptized Frank first and then Billy.  The Caldwell boy broke away.  He did not want anything to do with it.  He took off like a jack rabbit through the grease wood heading for Hancock Springs as fast as he could.  Florence and Mrs. Caldwell were yelling "Catch him Frank. Catch him."  Frank said that he was holding up his nightgowns and running.  He caught up with him when he reached Hancock Springs.  He then took him back to be baptized.  The Caldwellguy and Frank both worked up Bingham Copper Mine where Frank delighted in telling that story.  Frank was told that if he did not  stop telling that story, that he was going to start hating him and give him a lickin.    Frank said all right and never told the story again.

Florence and Enoch were very strict parents.  The kids walked the line.  Garn and Gilbert rebelled the most as teenagers.  Shelby started to smoke as a young teen and did it all of his life.  It was pretty daring at that time if one drank beer.  Hard liquor was a very rebellious act.  Drugs were non-existent then.  As Shelby got older, he started to drink with Garn and Frank.  He started just to be social and accepted with them.

Shelby was always carving things out of wood. No one ever realized how talented he was at that.  It was more or less taken for granted.  As Shelby and Teen got older, he would make her toy doll furniture.  They were miniature and beautifully built.  Once again, it was over looked and taken for granted that it was just something that he did. Teen is not sure what he did with all his carvings.  Teen has wondered through the years why her mother did not  recognize that talent and save the toy furniture that he had made. She should have put them in a safe place for him, Teen, his children or descendants.

Home remedies used  at that time were such things as mustard plaster.  In those days it was the only way to treat a chest congestion or pneumonia.  The wonder drugs were not around then.  It was during WWII that penicillin was first introduced to the family.  Mustard plaster would be put on the chest and then steamed with menthol crystals.  Vicks Vapor rub would then be put on the chest.  The patient would be kept quiet and given whatever fluids that could be could handle.

.  Florencecouldn't sing a tune and as a result she never sang to the children.  Singing was done by Enoch.  Teen feels that the boys could have learned to sing if they had someone sing to them when they were little. . 

      One winter, Moon, Duff and Teen had red measles.  They were all very sick and very delirious.  Florence fixed up the dining room as a sick room so she could take care of all those who were sick.  All three of the children had horrible delusions.  Until the red measles ran their course, the children counted the stripes that were on the wallpaper.

There were no inoculations at that time.  It was not any fun at all getting all those horrible illnesses.  Very miserable!   Duff and Teen moaned and complained.  Moon was the only one who did not even though he was miserable

Moon was generally pretty healthy.  One time he did get typhoid fever.  No one knows how he got it.  Again, there were no wonder drugs to treat it. There were two options.  Either you had good nursing or you would die.  He was so very sick that everyone thought he was going to die.  It was very scary.  All of his body waste had to go into a slop jar.  Florence would then put chlorinated lime and all kinds of stuff on it.  The dishes, bed clothing or anything he touched or came near him were boiled.  Anything that went in and out of his room was only touched by Florence.  No one was able to go into his room.  He was sick for what it seemed quite awhile to the younger children.

One time, Duff, Moon, Teen and Gilbert had their tonsils out at the doctor’s office.  Florence was there with them.  They had a little machine that would pump blood out of their throats.  It would go putter, putter, putter, putter.  Moon asked if they could give that machine more butter.  He thought it was saying butter instead of putter.  He was not  happy with that machine and people knew it.  That was the only way to have someone sleep during surgery at that time was to give them ether.  It was not always a pleasant situation.  When it came time for Duff to have his tonsils out, he said that he was not  going to embarrass his mother like Moon did.   However, Duff did exactly the same thing.

      Florence could not sing a tune.  As a result she never sang to the children.  Enoch did the singing.  Teen feels that if someone had sung to the boys when they were little, they could have learned to sing.

He or Florence did not  pay much attention to birthdays.  They however liked to celebrate the holidays.  On Thanksgiving, there was always a turkey cooked with other good stuff.  Thanksgiving was more as a food time than a spiritual time.  Christmas time was celebrated from about December 1 to Christmas.  This was a month that the Swain family enjoyed. Enoch usually took charge this month by getting goodies etc. The family was big enough that they were a party in themselves.  Usually families stayed home during Christmas and Thanksgiving. It was a family day.

Easter was the time that Florencetook charge.  She could dye fantastic Easter eggs.  In those days, one could not  go to the store and buy Easter egg dye.  She improvised.  She was a marvel in mixing colors with things around the house.  She would take yellow onion skins and make dye with that.

She would make a lunch and then she and the children would go on a Easter picnic to find the Easter bunny.  They would go down to the creek bottom.  There would be a clear grassy place where the children would run, play and hunt for the Easter bunny.  As they got older, they would go on Easter hikes.  They would hike up toward the divide in Vernal.  It was quite a long walk.  They never made it to the top but they made toward it.    Usually, Duff, Teen, Moon and maybe a neighborhood kid or two would come.  Florence usually did not  go because her feet would have hurt too much.  She had bunions, corns, and fallen arches.  She did not have good walking shoes as they have now.

Florence was always very strict with her children about taking care of their feet.  She felt that if their shoes were too small, do not put them on you feet and pinch them.  She wanted them to avoid feet problems that she had.

       When the boys got older, family vacations consisted of going fishing on the opening day of fishing season in the spring and the hunting season in the fall.  The best spot they like to fish on opening day was at Jones hole.  They would drive as far as they could and then hike the rest of the in.  They then would camp.  That was a real celebration for the men in the family.  Florence and Teen stayed home and got ready to start eating fish.

      They did not really take vacations per say because they had a big garden to take care of and Enoch was running the brickyard.  There usually was not any time to take an official vacation while trying to eek out a living.

The family had two wild cats as pets.  The two older boys went out to Willow Creek.  The mother had been killed and there were 3 kittens.  Two of the kittens came home to the family and a man in Roosevelt took the other kitten.  They brought the cats home hanging over their arm.  Teen felt that Enoch would not  let them have the wild cats.  Garn said that "he will let us have these cats"  He did.  Duff and Teen thought they were wonderful pets.It got to be that they were the only ones who would dare to go near them.  Florence one time hit one of them on the head with the handle of butcher knife.  She had a round steak ready to put it in a pan.  The bob cats jumped up and hooked on to the round steak.  After that, every time Florence would approach them, they would get defensive and hiss.  She learned not to approach them.  It was Duff and Teen who handled the wild cats.                Florence would sweat blood with fear that they would get hold of someone's child.  They were chained up in the back.  It was made so they could go in a circle.  A house had been built just for them for shelter.    One night, the tom cat escaped and raided the neighbors chicken house.  Just at daylight, Enoch and Florence would hear in the neighbors corn patch, the chicken squawking and carrying on.  First, they woke up Duff to go get the tom cat.  He wouldn't let Duff approach him at all.  They came then and woke up Teen.  They were hoping that the cat would go to Teen.  She went to climb over the fence, and he raised his claws and fangs to attack.  Enoch said "Okay, that's it."  He went in and got his gun and shot the wild cats.

When Shelby was a teen he had a close relationship with his parents.  He teased his mother quite a bit.  In those days, it was considered an insult to have Indian blood in you. Hap and Teen scrimped and saved up money to buy a beautiful plate for Florence.  They saw it in a drug store window, bought it and took it to her.  One morning, she was having toast and eggs on this plate.  Moon went through the kitchen and out the back door.  Florencesaid something to him.  Moon turned around and said "OK squaw." Florencescooped up the plate. Boy could she throw like a bullet.  He got hit right in the back of the head with the plate.  It broke all to pieces.  It did not hurt him but it sure whacked him a good one on the back of the head. He kept on running.  Duff said "Look at that. Tha'ts the plate we bought her."  Moon kept out of sight until she cooled down. 

One time, she was drying five pound honey buckets.  One of her nephews in La Point, Utah near Vernal was a  bee keeper. She would wash and dry these honey buckets for him.  She would turn them upside down on the stove so they would be clean sterile and not rust and he could use them over and over again.  Garn said something smart mouthed to her and took out the back door.  Florence rattled the honey buckets off the back side of him.  She would have been a tremendous kicker on a football team.  She would have put it through the goal post every time.  She could kick her carpet slipper expertly.  She would slide her toe back down the slipper a bit and kick.  That shoe would fly over and over and the heel of the slipper would hit him in the back of the head every time.  Garn wondered how she could be so precise all of the time.

Florence was busy making a quilt that she was making for the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.  She very much wanted to do this.  It was depicting cover wagons, the temple and the history of the Mormon trek across the plains.  She could get everything done on the quilt except for the Savior's face.  Shelby came by from his job as he did every night to make sure that she was all right.  He had on his coveralls and had a carpenters pencil.  Florencewas just fuming.  Shelbysaid, "You mean you can’t draw the Saviors face?"  Florence said "That is what I am telling you."  He took out his pencil and drew the Savior's face.  He then said, "There you are now.  You have it."  Hap's wife said that he had more talent in his little finger than she had in her whole body when she saw this picture.  She got him a set of watercolors and a big pad of paper.  He did many watercolors of Jesus.  Various members of the family have them.  He also did one of a log cabin with a tree by it.  It is a typical western painting.  He did a lot of water color.

One time Enoch and Florencewere going somewhere.  They went to go get their horse and buggy when they stopped.  Their huge, mean bull had gotten into the yard and was by the wood pile.  Florencewas petrified.  Enoch who was about 6'4" decided that he was going to scare the bull with his tuba.  He was going to sneak up on the bull and make a loud noise and he thought the bull would go running.  Florencesaid it was funny watching her tall husband with a big tuba sneak up on the animal.  He put forth sound from the instrument.  He was surprised when it just made the bull angry but now scared!!!!  The bull chased Enoch into the house.  The tuba was Enoch's baby.   He took care of it very well. That day, he had polished it and was babying it like he usually did.  As he came running through the door the tuba became stuck in the door. The tuba bell became bent.  He was horrified to see what happened to his prized possession.  Florence said that "Pride cometh before the fall."

Kirt always stayed with Florence's family.  Aurilla Bard Hadlock Hatch said that it was definitely his child.  This went on for quite awhile and really hurt Aurilla.  She was scandalized.  This was truly unjust to her.  Florencewas very angry through out her life because of this experience.  On his death bed, Jeremiah Hatch confessed that he knew better and that he allowed his older children to influence him.   Florence cherished her mother because she felt that her mother had been unjustly accused and abused.  Kirt looked so much like his father that it was ridiculous.

         Barbara Swain (Shelby’s daughter) was born at Florence’s house in Vernal.  Florencecame and woke up Teen.  She said, “Listen, you might as well start learning about these things now. I need your help.  I need you to get up.  Teen was about 15 or 16.  Teen had her robe on and got in the bedroom when she handed Teen the new baby.  She showed Teen how to tie her cord.  She said to measure it  and cut across her fingers for the right length.  Tie it and then go close to her belly and tie it with a square knot.  Do not tie a granny knot.  She had some string and scissors boiling in the kitchen.   Teen took Barbara in there to tie her cord.  The doctor did not get there until it was all over.

One time, Florencewas having a heart attack in Vernal.  Betty(Shelby's daughter)  had an emergency appendectomy. They did a spinal.  To Teen’s amazement that same evening, here came Betty down the hall.  She was softly crying and was hungry.  She said "Grandma,  can I have something off of your tray?"  Florence wanted to feed her but did not dare too because it was too soon after surgery.  Betty was walking around.  Teen thought that she must have been hurting but Betty just wanted something to eat and drink.  Betty was approximately 16.

Florence was visiting Teen on April 3, 1959 when Shelby stopped by.  Shelbywas stressed because of finances, the fact that he would not  be able to work much longer and other things that hurt so much. He was very sick.  He knew that he would be forced to quit his job.  They knew that he was deeply troubled but he did not say why. 

Shelby had on a nice suit.  He asked Teen, "Do you think I look nice Sis?" She and Florencetold him how wonderful and handsome he looked.  He left and shot himself that night.  Teen felt that he was saying good by them when he came by.

Edna called Teen about 1:00 a.m. and said that he was out in the driveway and that something was really wrong.  “You better come.”   Teen woke up Florence and her oldest son and said that they were going to go to Lehi.  They were living in Salt Lake Cityat the time.  They drove down as fast as they could.  By the time, they arrived, it was too late.  After leaving Florence and Teen, he went home and shot himself.  His body had been taken away by the time they had arrived.  At that time, Teen would have given 10 years of her life, not to have Florence hear that her son had shot himself. 

 The family was devastated.  They all felt that they could and should have done something to have helped him.  If only they had known what he was planning… They would have gone to Edna and asked her to stop adding stress to his life.  If Edna had known he was depressed and suicidal, she never said anything.  Florence took his death very hard.

When Florence was in her 60’s she fell and scraped her hip. She also broke her pelvis and femur. The doctor in Vernal said that the injury was too bad and they she would probably die.  The family was planning to take her to Salt Lake.  However, before she was brought to Salt Lake, Duff went in to see her.  Her sons always teased her.  They wanted her to “smart talk.”  Duff said, "Well mom, it looks like you are going to pitch hay again."  Florence said, “I am too sick to pitch hay and too old to pitch you so I might as well die."  That was the type of person that she was.  It was not good to get into a word game with her because she could out do you.

Aurilla Bard Hadlock Hatch had not seen her sister Ollie for 42 years.    They were reunited at Teen's house in Salt Lake City.  A person knocked on the door and asked if Florence Swain lived there.  Teen said yes.  The person said that she would like to see her.  When the two sisters saw each other, there were tears of joy.  It was so amazing.  Later on, she was reunited with her sister ? (Bertha?)  They separated for so long because those who went to Canada renounced the Mormon religion.  Two of them did forever-some drifted back.  Aunt Ollie and Uncle Jack never did.

Florence was involved in service whenever she felt that she was needed and she was up to it.   For example, a young  couple had drowned and while they were searching for them Florencemade sandwiches and hot coffee to feed the search group.   She felt that this was her way of helping.

Enoch had to have surgery because of a perforated ulcer.  He died after the surgery.  Florencewas never interested in marrying again.   She said that any other man was as interesting as drinking dirty dish water.  After having him for a husband, no one else compared.   

          Florence died in a Vernal hospital from congestive heart failure.

Florence died in La Port, Utah at Aunt Lilly's home of stomach cancer. Even on Florence's death bed, she was signing quick claim deeds on property in Vernal City.  Evidently, g& G hatch owned a bit of property in Vernal.  His brother Frank also had to sign those quick claim deeds.  People who were living in Vernal at that time were trying to clear the titles up on their property.  It went back to the original land grab.  I never been clear on how this worked.

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