Rosetta
Christmas
Up to the age of seven, Rosetta Christmas lived in Wales
where her father was a very devout minister. However, through the missionaries,
they became converts to the L. D. S. Church and when she was seven, they came
to America. The voyage over the Atlantic was very rough and took six weeks.
When they reached the Missouri River, they met a group of Indians -- all
painted and with feathers in their hair. When the Indians gave their war whoops,
it nearly frightened them to death. They came to Ogden by railroad and were met
by covered wagons, then traveled on to Spanish Fork where they lived in a
two-roomed log house. Grandma had three sisters and two brothers; Mary Ann,
Elizabeth, Jamima, Luther, and John who died as a small child in Wales. Grandma
took an active part in church work, and was always so willing to help whenever
she was needed. She was married at the age of 19, and always took great
pleasure in her home, trying to make it as nice as possible. She was
exceptionally big hearted and would many times loan the last loaf of bread in
the house and then have the girls build a fire and bake biscuits. She had lots
of friends and company. It wasn't unusual for her to set the table for 27 at one
meal. Every Saturday morning the house was cleaned thoroughly and each Saturday
afternoon a huge meal was prepared for Sunday. People all over the county have
some of the beautiful quilts that grandma made, for she was an excellent
seamstress. Although her health was quite poorly, she never was too ill to go
visit the sick and the poor and she always took them something. She was the
mother of five children; William Thomas, born Sept. 22, 1882 - Elias Jones,
born Nov. 14, 1884 - Mary Elizabeth. born Aug . 30, 1887 - Joyce, born Aug. 17,
1890 - and John who died at birth Sept.15, 1897. After grandpa died Aunt Joyce
lived with grandma for sometime, and then again after Uncle Lou died. Grandma
then lived alone for several years. Nearly every year she spent the summer
visiting Mary, Elias, and Will in Richfield, Idaho and it was during one of
these visits that she suffered a stroke. After two months of terrible
suffering, she died September 20, 1938.
Rosetta
Christmas, born 18 March 1861 at Davin Wales, was the youngest child of
WilliamChristmas and his wife Elizabeth Roach Christmas. She had three sisters;
Jemimah, Mary Ann, and Elizabeth - also two brothers; Luther and John. John
died before she was born. Her father worked in the coal mines, as this was the
chief occupation of the people of this small town. Through the work of the
missionaries, this family had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, and it became their desire to come to Utah. When Rosetta was 7 years
old, the family left their home in Davin, Wales and started their boat trip to
America, which by the slow sailboat took 6 weeks before they arrived in New
York City. During the trip across the United States, one of the hair raising
experiences occurred when they stopped at the Missouri River, where a large
number of Indians were encountered, frightening them almost out of their wits,
as many of the Indians were hostile at that time. At this time the railroad was
completed as far as Ogden, which helped to make their journey faster and more
pleasant. Upon arriving at Ogden, they were met by Walter Roach, an Uncle of
Rosetta, and taken by team and wagon to Spanish Fork, Utah to a home they had
already purchased before leaving Wales. Life was not easy during these early
years in Utah, as unfriendly Indians were constantly a problem to the safety of
the inhabitants of Spanish Fork. As a result of this, sleepless nights were
many, which left memories never to be forgotten. Manufactured goods were
expensive, so nearly everyone processed their own wool, weaving their own
cloth, and making all of their own clothing. The only method of processing food
for winter was to dry it, consequently it was customary for a group of people
to assemble at one of the homes for a "cutting bee" where they all helped
prepare the fruit or corn, as the case may be, for drying. Besides providing
assistance for one another, it also made possible a social get together to
visit and enjoy the company of others. The Christmas home had the only organ at
this time, and it was a very common thing for a group of young people to gather
around the organ, with Luther as organist, and spend the evening singing songs.
Rosetta attended school in Spanish Fork. Later while in her teens she worked
for a family across town, by doing the house work for them. Just before her
20th birthday, she married William Flavel, to this union were born two
daughters; Mary Elizabeth and Joyce, also three sons: William, Elias, and John.
John died a few minutes after birth. Her husband William had a very fine tenor
voice and on frequent ocassions was called on to sing at entertainments and
parties. After living in Spanish Fork for a few years, they purchased a farm at
Palmyra, Utah. Later they moved back to Spanish Fork, where they built a nice
brick home. They were a family that had a lot of friends and their home was
always full of company. It was not uncommon to set the table for 26 on a Sunday
dinner. Rosetta was never very well most of her life, and other members of the
family had quite a little sickness also. It would have been cheaper if they had
purchased a drug store and sold themselves medicine at cost. Her husband
William died in July 29, 1921. She kept up their home until the time of her
death, spending most of the summers with her children at Richfield, Idaho.
During the last few years of her life she made quilts by the hundreds, some of
them having several hundred pieces in the top, and of the most beautiful
designs one could possibly imagine. She died at Richfield, Idaho on September
20, 1938, and was taken to Spanish Fork, Utah for burial.
