Early years, 1931-1938

PERSONAL HISTORY
of
BARBARA LYNN WILLIAMS HONEY

On June 15, 1931, in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, a birthday present was born. My mother, Corraine Smith, thoughtfully arranged my birth to fall on the 23rd birthday of my father, Frederick Salem Williams. I have enjoyed sharing them ever since.
My earliest recollection is sitting on a bed being fed prunes by my mother. The bed seems to be in the living room; perhaps a couch that opened up into a bed. My second recollection is that of being taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, in Phoenix, by my father. He held me by the hand and pointed out my mother, who waved to us from the hospital window. My sister Argina had just been born, November 5, 1934, and I was three and one/half years old.
I've been told that, when a toddler, my grandfather Smith took me shopping and bought me a nice coat that had two little dogs on it. I named them "Iggesninny" and Iggesnotty."
Another early recollection is of time spent at Yarnell, Arizona, a small community north and west of Phoenix. Yarnell was higher than Phoenix and so much cooler in the summer. My parents had built a cabin close to my Smith grandparent's cabin. I can remember going on walks with my grandfather while he held my hand. We picked some kind of round balls that popped when pinched. He had built a fish pond with shells pressed into the cement of the middle section. There was also a large swing that held about three people and I can remember sitting in it with the grownups in the evenings. I can also remember holding sparklers and that it was very frightening to have the sparks flashing so close to my hand. I can see the water dripping down from the cooler on the back porch. Perishables were put in a box covered with a gunny sack and then soaked in water. As the water evaporated it kept everything cool. There were also picnics at Oak Creek Canyon. I only wore my little panties while wading in the very cold water.
We also lived in Tucson and Binghampton. In the latter place we lived near my Janson cousins. I always had fun with my cousins from both sides of the family. I found out about Santa Claus here. I was looking in a closet one day and saw a darling wooden cradle. I didn't mention it and a short time later it appeared on Christmas morning as a gift from Santa! I have a memory of driving in a car with my Dad and Gina, going to town to pick up my Mom who had been doing some shopping for Christmas. It seems like it was snowing lightly at the time. While in this area, President Grant came to visit our ward and asked all the children to come up and shake his hand. I remember walking up and taking his hand.
My first year of school was quite eventful. We were living in South Gate, California, when I started in first grade. I began with one group, then was moved into another. After a short while our family moved again to Tucson. I found myself quite behind in school work compared to what it had been in California. One time, another girl and I were late coming in from recess. We had seen some boys spanked earlier and, not wanting it to happen to us, we decided to go home. My Mom saw me coming home before the usual time and took me back to school; I wasn't spanked.
We then moved to El Paso, Texas. Work was hard to find so Dad worked in various places. I attended two different schools there and was ahead of my fellow students. While in El Paso, we stayed part of the time at the home of Andres C. Gonzales, an old friend of my parents. We learned a song from one of his sons, "Little Snow Deer" and Gina and I sang it for years. We then went back to South Gate, where I finished my first year of school. I had about six different teachers in the first grade.
The depression was still on and it was hard for my Dad to find work. He, Mom and Gina went back to El Paso and my parents left me with my Grandmother Smith, Grandfather had passed away earlier, to finish up that last part of the school year. I was feeling a little lonely when they left and my aunt Mona made light of my feelings but Grandma gathered me to her and comforted me. Pumpkin pies and sweetpeas always remind me of her.