Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - How My Parents Met.

How My Parents Met by Susi Jones Pentico

Both parents were in Wheatland, Wyoming area, Her father was a farmer. Homesteaded there.
Dad's parents had been split and for some time Dad and his brother were raised by the families related in the community (Drew's, Kern's, Lawrence's, Holcomb, and Foulk . His Mother had moved to Cheyenne, with the girls.  His Dad (Carl Fremont Jones) worked on a ranch in the area but lived in a bunk house.  I am still learning family names of extended family in that area.

My Dad went to work on Morris Thomas Ranch.He was 13/14 ( Beautiful place)  He was taught Ranching. He completed 8th Grade. I have picture of the school he went to.
In those days the water came in to the region via culverts and the water was diverted down the mini canals between the grains, beets, etc., growing for that time of year.  (Yes, Dad took us back and shared with me his life with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas.  1958   They could not have children but treated Dad like a son. Mr Thomas took us out and we toured all over those hundreds of acres he held. Saw the corral where DAD broke his first horse, branded his first calf and all those neat things you do on a ranch.

Dad met Mr. Lee Hoffman when they were diverting water to the various directions it was needed. Over a  period of time, Grandad invited Dad to come by the house for lunch after a rough spot with moving water by them both.  (The ditch kept collapsing.)

Mom and her siblings and Mother were washing and cleaning and preparing Tomatoes for canning.
Mom said she looked a real mess being in tomato bathtubs( 3 large tubs) rotating from one to the other for preparation to can. Her sister had seen Ray before and was so excited he came over. Mom did not pay any attention to him except to greet him.

A few weeks later when he was on the water culvert again he asked Grandad if he could come by and see my Mom.  She was still in school but couldn't see to read with out glasses so was dropping out at the end of that year. They dated for quite some time. I have lots of great stories about their courtship.

One I loved was when Dad and his brother (Gerald) drove Mom down to Cheyenne to meet his mother.( Ida, Victoria Mae Foulk Jones)
They were late for curfew when she got home. Of course Grandma(Inez Mae Scott Hoffman) was up and irate.  (So wish I could have seen this).  Dad went to the door, walked in and said ,"we are sorry we were late from Cheyenne. I took Dorothy down to meet my Mom with my brother Gerald so we were not alone."

Then he grabbed Grandma and danced her around the room several times, she went from mad to happy and said," so your Mom approved of our daughter."  They danced more and then stopped and
Mom thanked him for the drive to Cheyenne and meeting his Mom and sibling sisters.

Then of course it got more serious and  that fall they were married. 3 September 1938. I saw the register where they signed for the marriage license and then the Officiate signed as married. My Uncle Dick, her brother (William Richard Hoffman) took me to court house(1958) to show it to me.  Since I had forgotten Dad had shown me the time before  when I was in Wheatland. 1954.

Mom, Dorothy Inez Hoffman Jones worked with Mrs. Thomas to help prepare the large meals for the ranch hands and do the laundry after they married and they had a separate cabin to live in.

I could write a book about their adventures prior to and after marriage. They truly loved each other very very much.  Wish Dad had written the book he always talked about writing.

Dad had a terrific relationship with Mom's mother.   He could make her smile and not be mad so easily. It was fun watching the action and reactions between them when we visited.