Florence Gertrude White – Marjorie White’s Aunt
I was born at 225 Iowa Street, Salt Lake City, Utah,
eighteen days after the death of my bother Alfred Thomas
White (born October 7, 1889). Ruth Evelyn was born on
January 19, 1895 and died February 11, 1896. When I was four
years old I had bronchitis, bordering on pneumonia. Because
of these facts, I was watched very closely. Father would say
whenever I was sick, “Well, I suppose we will lose her,
too.” Besides the long underwear which every child wore, I
usually had a red flannel on my chest in the winter—I caught
cold so often. When I was in room seven of the Webster
School, father wouldn’t have me vaccinated, so I had to stay
out of school for several weeks. Regardless of that, my
teacher, Maud Paul, gave me a special promotion. I kept up
with the various classes, but had had to study a little
harder, due to the fact that my adenoids and tonsils were so
large that I couldn’t breathe through my nose. I remember at
one time Fred said, “If you will keep you mouth shut for
five minutes I will give you a dime.” I didn’t get the dime.
The school nurse kept sending notes home, requesting that
the adenoids and tonsils be removed, but father said his
dried up and so would mine.” I didn’t have them removed
until John Wells, then Chief Clerk of the P.B.O., for whom I
was working, told me to take time off and arrange to go to
the L.D.S. Hospital (he was Superintendent of the hospital).
There was no charge for the room—There was space in the
maternity division, at that time there was a baby crib in
each room. A few years later Dr. Stauffer performed this
operation a second time. How different my life would have
been had this been taken care of as a child. Not being able
to speak distinctly, I developed an inferiority complex, and
shyness, which was hard to over come. I graduated from the
Webster School and from the L.D.S. Business College.
I worked for a week at the West Mail Order House, but left
to take a position at the Presiding Bishop’s Office, 40
North Main Street. I enjoyed the people with whom I worked.
After being there three years, I had an appendectomy.
Because of the peritonitis, I, at Dr. Middleton’s
insistence, stayed home for about nine months. Although
another stenographer had been hired, John Wells took me back
because he had promised me that he would. The President of
our Ensign Stake, Major Richard W. Young, in talking to
Brother Wells said, “John, haven’t you an extra girl that
you can spare?” He said, “as a matter of fact, I have.” I
went to his law firm, Young, Ashton & Young and was hired.
While in school, I had made up my mind that I wouldn’t work
in a law office or do bookkeeping, both of which I had to
do, and loved it. Richard W. Young became a General in the
First World War and later died; Ashby Snow left the firm,
and is now deceased; Conway Ashton was killed in a mine
while investigating a case. This left Richard W. Young, Jr.,
who took as his law partner Ashby D. Boyle. Mr. Young
dissolved the partnership to accept a position as General
Counsel for the Federal Land Bank at Berkeley. Prior to
this, however, Henry D Moyle, who is one of the First
Presidency of the Church, was taken into the firm, Young,
Boyle & Moyle. It than became Boyle & Moyle. Margaret
Newman, who later married John Wells, at my request, became
secretary to Henry D. Moyle. (I had worked with her at the
F.D.C. and spent weekends at her home in Holiday, which were
very enjoyable, as was my association with her. We have been
friends throughout the years.) Boyle & Moyle dissolved
partnership; Mr. Boyle and I then went to the Beneficial
Life Building where his corporation clients were located.
Robert Bowen became Br. Boyle’s assistant in the legal
department of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company for about three
years. Mr. Bowen was President of the University Stake
Y.M.I.A. It was during the Second World War when young men
were scarce, that he asked me to be Stake Secretary of that
organization. The General Secretary said he wished all the
secretaries were women. Mr. Bowen later accepted a position
in California. It was found that Mr. Boyle could handle all
the legal business. I enjoyed my association with him. In
1955 after we had worked together for thirty-five years he
gave me a dollar for each year. The Sugar Company retired me
when I was sixty-five, but Mr. Boyle said I could “work for
him until my teeth fell out!” However, he died May 5, 1960,
which necessitated my retirement at sixty-eight, with all my
teeth. A finer man never lived than Ashby Boyle. I liked his
wit, his honesty—He would not accept a case unless it was
legitimate, and he was honest in every sense of the word. He
didn’t charge for his services, if he felt it might be a
hardship. He always undercharged. Through long service I
came to know him better than I did the other men for whom I
worked, but I felt it was an honor to serve under each of
them.
My first position in the Church was Secretary of the
Theological Class in the Eleventh Ward, which met in the
basement of the old rock Chapel. Daniel Livingston was
teacher. He was so full of the spirit of the Lord that tears
would roll down his cheeks as he gave the lessons. He was so
outstanding. Among those who followed were William H.
Folland, Brother Dalby and Bishop Joseph Lloyd. Our
attendance was around two hundred. I became so familiar with
the faces that it wasn’t necessary for me to pass the roll
around. I later became Secretary of the Sunday School, which
position I held to ten years. The Superintendents during
those times were Richard W. Madsen, Jr., W. Mont Timmins,
Louis H Callister, John Daynes, Karl McCallister and Raymond
Eldredge, respectively. Our Sunday School was very
outstanding, and I was happy to be part of it. Cicely, as
Special Feature Director and I met with the Superintendence
at their homes every month, at which time refreshments were
served. During this time I was active in the Genealogical
Society as Secretary or as Supervisor of those who visited
the homes, trying to interest families in starting their
records. We had forms which we helped them to fill out, but
it wasn’t very successful since at that time the Society
didn’t have the program which they now have. This was about
1927. Nels Larsen was the Chairman of our Ward.
At various times, while Cicely was President of the Mutual,
I acted as Assistant Secretary and as Secretary, and years
later when Alice Bailey was President, I was her Secretary
for about two years. During this time Cicely was feeling so
poorly that I didn’t feel good about leaving her, but Alice
was so insistent that I finally consented, although my
thoughts were at home most of the time. In spite of that
Sister Bailey complimented me on my work and was reluctant
to have me leave.
When I was a little girl, probably seven or eight years old,
we had a Sunday School Choir which at that time was directed
by Henry Tuckett and Harry Hulbert. I sang also. As I
recall, there were between forty and fifty in the Choir. We
sang every Sunday, while it lasted. I believe the Sunday
School Board objected to it. Cicely had been a member before
my day, that is, before I joined. I remember singing with a
Primary group at Saltair, and entering a bean guessing
contest on the Dance Pavilion. I guess within two of the
right numbers and won a doll. Many a happy day was spent at
Saltair and Lagoon with the Hulberts. How thrilled I was
when the Twins, Ione and Leone, would tell me that their
mother said I could go with them. But, we couldn’t go if it
looked like a storm in the west and the seagulls were flying
overhead—Mrs. Hulbert was so frightened of a thunderstorm.
It was with the Hulberts that I saw, and marveled at, the
ascension of a man in a basket attached to a huge balloon at
the Fairgrounds. This was before we had ever seen an
airplane. I shall never forget this family, for they meant
so much to me. After they moved to Ninth East, they buried
their little Helen—I was one of the pallbearers. It was to
Mr. Hulbert that mother turned for advice when father died.
Throughout the years they have been among our dearest
friends. My father very often took me for a street car ride
to the end of the line, sometimes we would transfer to
another car and go as far as Farmington, on Sunday mornings.
There weren’t any houses at that time, so we could wander
around, picking wild flowers and watercress along the ditch
banks, watching birds and listening to their calls. I wasn’t
too robust and dad thought the fresh air would be good for
my health. Many a time he took to family to Tabernacle,
which convened at 2 p.m. on Sunday, carrying Grace or me
(before her birth) all the way down and back again. We were
taught early in life to love our meetings and to be in
attendance whenever possible. Though at that tender age we
didn’t understand, we seemed to feel the spirit of it.
Mother never missed Church and she always insisted that I
sit next to her. My playmates and Sunday School friends
would coax me to sit with them, but mother would always
squeeze my hand and say, “I want you to stay with me.” She
would look so lovingly at me that I couldn’t leave her, and
so it was even after I grew up. I often turned down a party
so she wouldn’t be alone, after dad died. I was referred to
as the “nurse” in our house, that is, by mother and Cicely.
I wanted to be one, but mother said I wasn’t strong enough
or tall enough to lift people. However, I fulfilled that
desire by taking care of them when they were sick, from
which I derived a good deal of satisfaction, since I loved
them so dearly.
On February 29, 1924, I received my endowments. Until mother
was unable to go, the three of us went to the Temple quite
regularly. At Joseph Green’s invitation, I joined an
Eleventh Ward group for sealings for 1950, 1951, 1952, and
other times. I haven’t kept track of the many times I have
been to the Temple, while residing in the Eleventh as well
as the North Thirty-third Ward.
In 1924 I decided to do research on my father’s line.
Nothing had been done, so far as we knew. I went to the
Genealogical Society, and while there Nell Sumsion, who had
worked with me at the Presiding Bishop’s Office, showed me a
list of Whites and Whytes who were doing temple work, and
suggested that I write to G Gordon Whyte of Canada. Just as
I was writing his name, Sister Taylor came in with a letter
which she asked Nell to read. Before look at it, however,
she introduced Sister Taylor to me and asked her if she
would talk to me about the White family. She said she would
be glad to inasmuch as the letter she had just handed to
Sister Sumsion was from G Gordon Whyte. She said the White
family was very much in need of temple work; that this
person had recorded ten thousand names. She said she thought
there was a connection, even though his name was spelled “Whyte”.
The strange thing was that when I reached home, mother
handed me a letter from the same person, addressed to her.
Another remarkable thing was that before I reached the
office I turned back twice, thinking I should have further
information before going in, but something urged me on. I
answered the letter, giving him what information I could
gather. He wrote me that his father had changed the “White”
to Whyte”. Our English cousins were of no help in supplying
the missing link between his family and ours, although we
are both sure that it will yet to be found. We are both
working to that end.
Since a week before our dear Cicely’s death I have been
living with Grace. She and Ralph took me into their home,
and they have been wonderful to me, making me feel a part of
their family. Richard, who was on a mission at the time, on
hearing of Cicely’s passing, wrote his parents offering me
his room—He to take the smaller bedroom. For this, and all
other sweet, kind acts I shall always feel very close to
him; besides, he was born on my birthday! Every one of them,
Grace, Ralph, Laury, Paul, Helen and Dick, together with
Kay, Kay, Jack, and Janice, have been very thoughtful and
considerate, for which I love them with all my heart.
Cicely’s passing would have been unbearable, except for
them.
I became a member of the North Thirty-third Ward and joined
the Relief Society on May 5, 1959. In May I became Myrtle
Jensen’s companion as a Visiting Teacher, and took a small
part of the lesson that month. In February 1960, I was set
apart as Secretary of the Relief Society. While Aliene Bowen
worked in an accounting office, she had two children in the
mission field. After a few months another secretary was
appointed; I felt it was too much for me. Until I fell and
broke my leg on November 19, 1962, I went to the Library and
Archives, while waiting to hear from my researcher in
London. In the meantime I have sought help from other
sources in England, with a little encouragement.
Written by Florence White
Florence died on January 16, 1978, in Salt Lake City, after
having nursed her sister Grace who died a year earlier.
Florence and Sarah (her mother) on the front porch of their home
Florence Gertrude White