Annie Irene Morris

Personal History of Annie Irene Free Morris by Her Hand: I was born on the 8th of December 1870 to Absalom Pennington and Annie Hicks Free, early pioneers of Utah. There were seven children of us and we lived on a farm between 5th and 3rd East on 21st South. It did not look then much like it does now. Father was a wonderful farmer and the older children had plenty of hard work to do but I, being next to the youngest, didn’t have to work on the farm but just helped mother in the house and took care of the chickens. I just loved to “set hens” and wait for them to hatch the little ones. We also had Turkeys, Ducks and Geese. There was a large spring on the place where the stock was watered and the ducks and geese swam. There was also what we called the little spring that was down by our comfortable adobe four large room home. I mustn’t forget the summer kitchen or the roof where we used to dry our apples. I can just barely remember the oxen. Buck and Jack were their names. I can remember our mules, Kit and Jack. Later father got a nice team, Pet and Tilley.

Father died in 1882, age 84 years, Ella and Lou were both married and Ab and Joe took over the farm. It didn’t work out for they wanted to go to work for wages. Mother let the farm out on shares. Joe stayed with Louisa, a half sister, and went to school at the old “U.” Wen and I were at grammar school.

Time went on and I was quite a young lady. We had a nice horse and buggy and Mother, Wen, and I had some nice times. Of course there was church, Sunday School, and Mutual, and a party in the ward every Friday night and I began to have fellows ask me to go. I was really shy until I was sixteen and not a bit popular. At eighteen I was grown up. Mother and I used to take in sewing making dresses for Mrs. Linn and Arnold, and other people. I used to nurse the girls when they had their babies and clerked at Auerbach’s. I had to make enough money for clothes, is all.

I can look backward to my girlhood with pleasure. It was fun, although there were experiences that were anything but pleasant. There was a family the County was taking care of and the four children were down with scarlet fever. The father couldn’t get around but very little and the mother had a baby three days after I went in. One little boy seven years old died and he suffered terrible. I just knew the County doctor was experimenting on him. He said a few things to me I didn’t like and the morning after the little fellow died, he came and was dressed like a million, especially his shoes. He told me to pour alcohol over his hands while he held them out. I did and on his trousers and shoes, too. I think he would like to have killed me—anyway it was a bad ordeal for any girl and I am glad my girls never went through anything like it.

Joe and Brig had taken a herd of stock up near the Provo River for the summer range and Ella went with them. Later she wanted me to come and stay awhile and that is where romance started for me. There was a party of young people from Salt Lake camped across the river from our camp. I did not know any of them, but Joe did, so we rode over on horseback to see them. We were introduced around. There was a tall dark curly headed fellow there about twenty-one years old. We all laughed and talked awhile but Joe and I didn’t get off the horses. He came over to where I was sitting on the horse and said, “I am going to marry you.” I said it sounded interesting, but what I thought was, what a silly guy he must be. However I dreamed of him all night. The next morning he came over and asked me to with him fishing down on the Provo River. I did, but he couldn’t catch a fish. At last he said, “They have all gone to Sunday School. It’s Sunday morning.” He kept saying things that made me laugh. That crowd went home but I did not come home for a month. He came down and took me to the Salt Lake Theater, but we were just kids and did not go steady—but would see each other. I was having a good time and sort of started to go pretty regular with Ren Young. Nothing serious, but when Rob saw I was going with Ren, of course he began being very devoted. I think both the boys tried to show me the best times and I had lots of fun. Mother used to say, “Between two chairs you may fall to the floor.”

Rob was called on a mission to the Southern States so we became engaged and I wore his ring. After he returned we were married. We had two baby girls, Rhea two years and Lenore one month when he had a heart attack and died. We hadn’t been married quite three years.

Life was pretty hard after that. I had no means and having two babies I couldn’t leave them to go to work. We had only lived in our home seven months and were paying so much a month in a building society. I sold it and after the debts were paid I had about four hundred dollars.

I went to live at mother’s and did plain sewing. I would go out an hour or so while the baby slept and sold powdered extracts. I have to laugh whenever I think of that experience. I felt so insulted when people shut the door in my face or just yelled, “No.” Margaret Shipp was giving nursing lectures and I started there to learn nursing. The Doctors here were wonderful to me and helped me in every way they could. It wasn’t long until I had more work than I could do and became a pretty well known nurse. It was interesting work and I was surely blessed in it. If I hadn’t had to leave my little girls, while on a case, I would have enjoyed it every much.

Of course, Mother, bless her heart, took care of my children. I was getting $25.00 a week and that was good for those days and we got along fine. Of course there were bad times too. Rhea had typhoid fever and was awfully sick for weeks. Lenore had diphtheria. Anti-toxin had just been discovered and that is what saved her. I was frightened to death and Rie Morris came and stayed with me. She and mother helped me through that ordeal. Sister Lou took Rhea to her home, so she did not take it. My folks and Rob’s folks were always good and helpful. The girls, my sisters, didn’t think Mother should have the children any longer although she said she liked to have them. I decided I would give up nursing so I wouldn’t have to leave the girls. I rented a large house on Canyon road and rented sleeping rooms. I also rented one room to an invalid woman, taking care of and boarding her. It became more than I could possibly do, so after awhile I asked her to move and she went into a convalescent home and then I could manage the work all right and give more time to the girls. They went to the Loffet School and got along fine. I think they were quite happy. If I did not keep my rooms rented I could hardly get by so I rented the apartment I had to Mrs. And Mrs. Core and moved upstairs. They were with me for over a year and we have always been the best of friends. They had a little girl and boy.

I was uptown one day and met Kit Young. She said, “Did you know Ren and his wife had separated?” Of course, I didn’t. I said to her, “Tell Ren where I live and that I would love to see him.” He came and it did not take long to renew our friendship. He used to come and see me and made friends with the girls. Not too long and we were married. We were all very happy for he was a loving husband and thought the world of my children. Rhea was fourteen and Lenore twelve when we were married. Lenore said to me once, “It’s wonderful to have a Daddy at last, Mama.”

The girls went to High School and Rhea graduated from Business Course at LDS College. Lenore from West High and was taking a Normal Course at the “U”, when what would happen but I took awfully sick and had to ask her to quit school for awhile. Rhea and Ren were both working. She stayed and took care of me all day long. I surely was a trial to my family those days. I got better at last, but Lenore decided to get married instead of going back to school. The First World War was on and Rhea’s fellow was overseas. He came home and they were married. Ren and I were alone then. He took me to California for awhile and we had such a nice time. I am an old woman now, ninety years old and he has been dead eighteen years. I like to remember the pleasures and blessings I have had in my life. The sadder things I would like to forget.

Annie Irene Free Morris Young lived to be 95 years old. She died on February 17, 1966.

Daughter of Absalom Pennington Free and Annie Hicks

Married Robert Watson Morris, 12 Jun 1895, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Lorenzo Dow Young, 20 May 1909, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 2 2016, 2:26:38 UTC