FIRST GENERATION

1. Roy Christopher DEARING was born on 1 Nov 1882 in Jacksonville, Morgan, Illinois. ⁽¹⁾ He died on 22 Jan 1943 in Springville, Utah, Utah. He was buried on 26 Jan 1943 in Evergreen Cem., Springville, Utah, Utah. Roy Christopher Dearing was the eighth child born to John Dearing and Mary Parkin in Jacksonv ille, Illinois. He was a tall man that stood six feet one inch tall. He had dark eyes and h air. He was lean of body and resembled his father.
Roy was about four years old when he left Illinois with his parents. They traveled by train a s far as it would go while Roy's older siblings traveled by wagon with all their animals. Th e family settled with the Parkins in the southwest corner of Kansas near a town called Richfi eld.
The Kansas terrain was flat and barren. There were no trees as far as the eye could see. Th ere were no buildings or paved roads, only prairie dogs. Everyone lived in a dug out made o f sod from the prairie with dirt floors. Roy spent eight years under these conditions. Ther e was reference made about the dug out he lived in when he would make the statement to his wi fe Myrtle "my mother had t live in a dug out and you are no better."
Roy was twelve years old when his family moved to Salida, Colorado. He must have helped his f ather with the caretaking of the cemetery in Salida. Little is known about his life during t his period.
Roy's mother died when he was twenty years old. He left Colorado to live with his brother Ge orge who was working for the railroad in Milford, Utah. Roy also began working for the railr oad. It was during this time period that Roy corresponded with his sisters in Colorado.

To: Mr. Boon Cameron.
White Pine, Colorado. (Via Sargents)

Los Angeles, Cal.
June 24th "06.

Mr. Boon, I will give you $50.00 in gold if you catch a trout that big. The southern pacifi c employees gave a picnic Sat. 23rd at Venice on the beach. The feller thats with me works w here I do. We went fishing and thats our catch. We had a fine time yesterday. I tool 1st p rize in the 100 yd run, 2nd prize standing broad jump, and 1st waltz prize. My partner too k 2nd prize running. there was dancing from 2 till 5 in the afternoon and 8 till 11 at night . There was lots of people there. I had the best time ever had in my life. How are you all , I am all O.K. I have moved. My new address is 315 1/2 East 7th St. We had these picture s taken at Venice. Good bye "Roy"

To: Miss Dulcie Dearing
Florence, Colo. (Fremont Co)

Salt Lake, Utah
Nov. 9th 07.
Sat. Eve. 5 P.M.

Dear Sis Dutch. I was up to see the Dr Fri. & he discharged me under his care and gave me a n order for a pass to Caliente so I can get it on time. I will probably stay till next Fri . I had a date with Agnis to go to the theatre but I am going to call it of & take another g irl to a dance. A feller here cuts your picture out while you sit still in a chair with a pa ir of scissors. Isn't much is it. Mrs. Campbell of Salida & daughter Nona are here they'r e going to Los Angeles.
Roy

To: Mrs. Mary Cameron
Sargents, Colorado.

Orange, Cal.
Jan.29th "08.
(Wed. noon)
Dear Bro. & Sis., Well I got here Sunday noon. Becky didn't know I was coming. Took the m by surprise. It rained for five days steady it just quit last night. and it was a fine mo rning this am. I guess I will stay down here till Saturday & then go back to Los Ang for a w hile.
Roy
On opposite side of post card:
Mary this doesn't look very much like orange's growing and it isn't as good picture any way . It is a place the photographer has fixed up in his studio. I wish you could see the orang es's on the trees here. There is a great deal difference between these oranges & what you buy . Great big seedless juicy ones. Myrtle & I just came in from the orchard with a big bucke t full of oranges. I am in misery all the time from eating so many.
Roy wanted me, to write a little too. I just wish you were here too. Oranges are just gettin g good & ripe and Roy enjoys them very much. We would sent you a box, but it costs more tha n they are worth. Write and let us now how you are getting along.

To: Mrs. Mary Cameron
Sargents, Colorado

Los Angeles, Cal.
July 16th "08
Dear folks, George & family, Mrs. Summers & kids & myself went to Long Beach today. Dutch s aid she didn't want to go, Geo & I went in the ocean & he certainly did enjoy it. They are a ll having a good time. bobby, Ems littlest kid got out to the edge of the water & when the w ater got up around her knees she just squealed & wouldn't go near the water any more. The ot her kids had a good time wading.
On opposite side of post card:
(The long & the short) We just came out of the ocean when we had these taken. Put thot the o cean was mighty fine. We are all going to San Pedro Saturday. I wish I could go night thr o with Dutch but I cant. Roy

To: Mrs. Verner Moore.
Glenwood Spgs, Colorado

Los Angeles, Cal
Aug 2nd 09.

Dear Bro & Sis. Came back from Becky's Sat eve. Had a dandy time. Wasn't feeling very goo d the last two days I was there. Bad cold on my lungs. Myrtle, Johnnie, another Jane & I we re going to the beach Sunday but I had better get near a Hosp't so if anything had happen. A m feeling all right now. Write soon will be here till the 12th. These picture isn't any good . 318 E. 7th St. As ever, Roy


To: Mrs. Mary Cameron
Sargents, Colo.

Los Angeles, Cal.
Aug 2nd 09.
Dear Bro . & Sis. Well I am still here having a good time. Was down to Becky's last week go t back Sat eve. They are all well & sent their best regards to you. These pictures isn't ve ry good but will sent them no how. Write to me as soon as possible will be here till the 12t h. 318 E. 7th St. As ever Roy

Roy worked as a coal tender or a brakeman for the railroad which ran between Milford, Utah an d Calienta, Nevada.
Roy saw his future wife from the caboose as the train rolled into Milford. Myrtle Hickman wa s standing on the landing of the depot. According to Myrtle Hickman's niece Leona Holt, Roy a nd Myrtle did most of their courting at the train depot because Roy's work schedule was so a wkward. Roy and Myrtle were married in Milford, Utah on 28 July 1912.
Roy continued to work for the railroad in Milford for the next two years. The couple then mo ved to Torrey, Wayne County, Utah. Roy worked for Myrtle's brother-in-law Ephraim P. Pectol . One evening after work Roy had dinner at the Pectol home. He loved beans and vinegar. Th inking that it was beans that were put in front of him, Roy doused what he thought were bean s with vinegar, salt and pepper. It turned out that the beans were gooseberries made by his s ister-in-law Dorothy Pectol. You can imagine seeing Roy with a sour face. Roy later went t o work the Bowns on the Sandy Ranch. He herded sheep, watered and planted many different plan ts. He then went to work for Joe Hickman at Bickness Bottoms on Joe's ranch. The Dearing fa mily lived on the ranch while Roy ran the ranch and Myrtle cooked for the crew. Roy returne d to Torrey to work between Ephraim Pectol, the Bowns or he would haul hay for different resi dents of the community. Roy even carried mail between Torrey and Hurricane Utah. Roy's nam e can be found carved into the mountain side in two different places between Torrey and Hurr icane.
The Dearings bought a home in Torrey that belonged to the grandparents of Claud Holt. This h ome was the location of the old post office. During the summer months the family would pitc h tents and the kids would sleep in the front year. During the winter months the children wo uld sleep in a small room upstairs and on a bed in the kitchen. Most of the children were bor n in this home in Torrey. In 1923 or 1924 the family moved to Springville, Utah.
A man of expensive tastes Roy never seemed to have quite enough money for all the things he w anted. Roy was like a Scotchman only giving away his money if necessary. One Christmas, Ro y gave his son George a special sheepskin coat . Roy told George to take care of the coat an d not tear it. George accidentally went through a barbed wire fence and tore the coat. Geor ge got into a lot of trouble.
There were many times when Roy would go down to the railroad tracks and watch the coal car s slow down. Roy would climb onto the cars and throw coal on the ground so he could take i t home to help keep the house warm.
There were several times when his children Wayne and Arlene would send Myrtle into the pub, w here Roy was having a drink, to get money for the show. Roy would put Myrtle on the bar an d say how beautiful she was and then give the money for the show.
Roy did little things for his children like resoling their shoes or cutting their hair. Onc e Roy got in trouble for cutting Arlene's long curls into a Dutch cut.
Roy always rode a bycicle to work. While riding his bike across the bridge in front of his h ouse, Roy accidentally rode the bike right into the ditch. There were times while he rode h is bike to work at Ironington that he would grab the back of a coal truck and pull himself u p the hill. He was pulled under a truck once and almost killed. Roy's son Len made a wago n with handles from a baby buggy. The wagon looked like a one horse buggy with shaps that wer e strapped onto their dog so he could pull the wagon. They tied the dog to Roy's bycicle an d Roy pulled the dog while the dog pulled the wagon. They were heading east from Jefferson El ementary to Della Kirk Dallin's home when the dog saw a cat. The dog darted after the can ca using the wagon to roll into the ditch with George and Len in it.
When the family was young Roy seemed to have more time for his children. He spent time teach ing the older children how to pick cherries. He made a rope swing in the mulberry tree on th e south side of the house. He loved eating black walnuts with his children.. He would tak e the walnuts, husk them and then place them on the old cement cellar. The cellar was 20 fe et square and 18 -24 inches above ground. During the winter the family would have games an d see who could crack the most nuts. The nuts were then put in fudge or chocolate cake. Th e family would pop popcorn and play cards. On other occasions Roy would put Chuck, Frances , George, Laura, Betty or Len on Boss's back and lead her around the yard. Boss was the fami ly cow. Roy loved seeing his children win at games. He would take the children the the Creo sote plant party that was held at Glen Gary (now known as Park Roche) in Springville for thei r employees. It tickles Roy when his daughter Frances won a shoe kicking contest.
Roy loved to nickname people. He call Roy Dobbin, Len was called Penny, George was called Pu g, Charles was called Chick and Wayne was called Waynard.
Roy was fun loving and teasing. He and his wife Myrtle once smeared burned coke on their fac es and went to a party as Negroes Roy once grew a beard for a beard growing contest which so me say he would have won if he had made it to the party. Roy divorced Myrtle about 1935. H e lived in the basement of the Harmmer home in Springville. He lived there till he died on 2 1 Jan 1943. Roy's funeral took place at the home of his niece Della Dallin and he was late r buried at the Evergreen Cemetery just on the outskirts of Springville.
Roy was known for his hard work and the beautiful garden he spent so much time in. He raise d good cows, pigs and chickens so his family could eat.