In 2002 I transcribed a diary our family has, that originally came from Grandma Whitmarsh.  It was not always easy to read, but this is as true a copy as we were able to get.  I thought it might be interesting for everyone to read.

Inside front cover:

 

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

                                                                                                Romans 10:13

 

Ruth Whitmarsh

1949 to 1954

Freshman in High School

            Saved April 23, 1949

            Youth for Christ in Tacoma

                        -Joe Maroni (?) speaker

 

Beginning pages:

 

Your father – Albert William Whitmarsh – was born Feb. 18, 1887, at Pepin Wis. on a farm owned by his father and his grandfather.  His grandfather was born in England and being a second son his family sent him to U.S.

 

So he came to the United States as a young man.  At one time when Minneapolis was just a few log buildings he carried mail by Pony Express from St. Louis to Minneapolis.  He married Miss Tuttle and to this union was born at Pepin 7 children – only two, John, called “Doll” because of his smallness when born and shortness of stature in his childhood, and Clara, who was later married to Milton mill iron (possibly his last name?) of Pepin Wis.  The others all died only a few hours or days apart being stricken with diphtheria.

 

John Whitmarsh, your father’s father (your grandfather), was married to Miss Dora Coffen of _________ Wisconsin – and to this union were born Albert, Murl and Arthur.  When Arthur was about 2 ½ years your grandmother left your grandfather – your father was about nine years old – and went and lived with her mother – your great Grandmother Spear.  She remarried - Mr. George Stockwell, and is now a widow living at Tuttle House, Rochester Minn.  (died)

 

Your grandfather – Dad’s father Mr. John Whitmarsh – remarried to Mrs. Smith of Pepin when your father was about 15.  They moved to Holcomb Wisc. and several years later to Gateway Mont. where to this union were born Charlie and Vern Whitmarsh.  Mrs. Smith had a son Clyde and daughter Lucinda by a former marriage.

 

Great-Grandfather Whitmarsh was fatally hurt by a bull and died before his son and wife parted.  Grandmother Whitmarsh lived to care for the boys for several years before John, your grandfather, remarried - Winifred Hopkins.

 

Albert Whitmarsh (your Dad) and mother met at a church social in the Fall of 1909 and were married in about the same spot in the church in 1911.  He past 24 and Winifred almost 19.

 

Many Pages Later:

 

Father was (a) direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins who signed the Declaration of Independence.  Phil brought me a picture of the Dec. of Ind. And he ascertained that it was true.  I’m not proud that to be related to him but because what he stood for, and that my people have been real Christians – also that he was one that helped pray for the constitution.  My grandmother – my mother’s mother – lived her life in Philadelphia Penn. or near there.  My mother’s father sang in road shows across the U.S. but ended singing in the choir. 

 

“To Ruth (and all) From  Mother”

 

1892 – My father James Fowler Hopkins was born in New York State and later moved to Wisconsin where he met my mother Ida Mae Kelly, who also was born in New York State and later came to Wisconsin.  My father was a son of a farmer.  He was Scotch and was a descendent of Stephen and Elizabeth Hopkins who sailed on the Mayflower and landed on Plymouth Rock.  Come to find a place to worship God in spirit and in truth.  My Grandmother Hopkins nee Fowler was a twin.  Her name also was Elizabeth Jane (Scotch English).

 

My mother’s father was a second son born in England and he ran away to sea and later stayed in the U.S.  He was a singer and after his marriage to my Grandmother Jane Elizabeth he sang in the choir of his church.  He was a carriage maker and upholsterer.  My mother’s mother was Penn Dutch mixed with French and English.  Her father (was) English

 

My father and mother lived on a farm near Sheboygan Wis.  They were married about 1875.  About 1879 they moved to Aberdean S. Dak where they had quite a lot of land and cattle.  It was quite new country and they had several Indian scares.  Then after years of plenty a drought hit the country and there was no water near at hand for man or cattle.  So finally my father sold out for very little and moved to Bottineau, N. Dakota.

 

I think the three older children Clarence, Garnette and Claud were born in Wisc. but in S. Dakota was born Pearl, Georgie and Clyde.  Clarence died in around 1924; Georgie in 1928 on Christmas day taking with her her newborn babe – her twelfth child.  Her second to the youngest died the next spring.  Clarence had no children.  Garnette’s husband died and she remained a widow.  Garnette had four children.  (Garnette died in 1962.)

 

Pearl and Dan had a ranch in Dakota until 1950 – moved to Sand Point Ida.  Pearl had one child.  Claud and Alice are in Florence Colorado.

 

Georgie had 12 children.  She lived near Bottineau N. Dak for years.  Later moved to Broadus (?) Mont where most of her family remain.

 

Clyde farmed in Mont.  He had five children – was divorced and married again in Vancouver Wash. to Ms. Vickie.  He died in May 1948, my father died in 1929, my mother in 1936.  In North Dakota there was born myself and youngest brother Chester.  He has spent most of his life in Mont. and he and wife Golda have 6 children, all married but one.  Then in Wisconsin and Minnesota was the two youngest born – Vera in Wisc. in 1898 and Jessie Jean in Minnesota in 1901.  Vera and husband are in Montana.  She had one husband killed in (an) accident – one died.  She has five children of her own and several step children.  (?Hi died Sept 1952? added later)

 

Jessie had two children, was divorced and married again, had two more.  She was divorced and she and 3rd husband live at Denver Colo.  Her two little daughters was killed – one by poisoning, one in train accident – so she has only her two boys left.

 

My father and mother had real faith in God.  Both had a good sense of humor.  Their life was given up to the raising, caring (and) supporting their large family.  If we had little there was humor and a sense of being satisfied with what we had.  We always had plenty to eat and plenty to wear.  If some times there was a sameness of food we seemed to be healthy enough to be satisfied.  We seldom had new clothes but my mother had a knack to fix over old clothes so we always were clean and looked well.  She was quite proud when some catty neighbor would tell how extravagant she was to dress us children so nice.  The fact was we seldom had anything new.

 

Your father and I met in about 1909 – and started “keeping company” about April 1910.  He came out to Montana in summer 1910.  We became engaged just before he left.  We both lived at Holcomb Wis. where my Dad had bought a farm, and Clyde, Chet, Vera, Jessie and I lived with our parents.  We were married April 30th 1911 – and we went to Pepin Wis to visit his relatives and friends.

 

My father and brothers and your father had built us a small house on the farm – my father had given us a small piece of his (land).  But after a short time there – we came west to Gateway Montana.  We had two sons born there – Woodrow 1913 and Floren Kermeth (Kenneth?) 1915.  Then we moved to Kalispell.  Then the war (World War 1) started so we came out to Seattle and your father worked in the shipyards.  In 1919 we moved to McKenna and your dad worked in (a) saw mill and Bob was born on (a) small place out near Yelm.  Then we moved in to McKenna.  We went to Rexford Mont and Don was born up at a logging camp in Jan. 3, 1921. 

 

We moved near Spokane and here Florian (?) died at the age of six.  We lived at Couer D’Alene then for a few years and then spent a few years in Eastern Mont. visiting my folks and your dad working.  Here was where we came in to the Salvation Army (Glendive) – both of us joining there and doing some work to hold the army together until they got some debts paid.  Also we were with Albert’s mother and husband George Stockwell.  Here also is where I was baptized with the Holy Ghost and here also your father really came  to Christ.

 

Jean was born in Miles City 1926 and after her birth we accepted the call the Salvation Army gave us to come to Great Falls to take over the Salvation Army hotel.  We had a good time there and God surely blessed us and the work.

 

Jim was born in 1928 there in the hospital and also Winifred.  I had the same room both times.  When Winifred was three months old we came back to Rexford.  We had left the S.A. hotel for what we thought were good reasons but we would (have) liked to have went back as we found we were not in God’s will when we left it.

 

God spoke to us after Jean was born in Miles City to  not do anything to keep from having children and so we was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, as you can see, and so that accounts for our children being in Christian service today and the rest really believing.  For Christ has told me “Ye shall be saved and thy house”.  And I know this is true, as I can see my children, my daughters-in-law, son-in-law and grandchildren (seeing by faith) coming to Him and serving Him.

 

During the depression we lived in Rexford and Eureka.  Joe was born in Eureka – then we moved back to Rexford and Ruth was born.  Then we moved out on the Sheldon Canyon place and big old 11# Phil was born.  Then back to Rexford and then to Bremerton and now here in Rosedale.

 

God has been with us all the way – things have not been easy – if we’d stayed in God’s will at Great Falls we would have had things easier I believe.  When you are in God’s will it is easier for Him to help us.

 

I haven’t did all I wanted to do in teaching and helping my children around home to really learn to worship God in spirit and in truth but when I’ve been discouraged the Lord has given me this verse:  1st Cor 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

 

Later Add-ons & mom’s notes:

 

My father’s family consisted of 3 sons and 2 daughters.  One son died – a small child.  My mother had 2 sisters (three).

 

My mother, Ida Mae Kelly, born Ithaca NY.  My father’s family came from NY State.  My father was born in Buffalo NY.  My grandfather was born in New York.  “The only thing noteable about me is I have lived in every state bordering Canada from Wis. to Wash., and have raised nine children out of ten.”  My grandmother was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, raised in Penn.

 

One of her grandfathers was named James Hopkins; about the other she wrote, “My grandmother married George E. Kelly who had come from England on boat, a young man.  He left his ship and toured the U.S. a singer with road shows.”