Helen Harrop Bohne Oral History Interview

Oral history of Helen Harrop Bohne. Topics include: Biographical information such as date of birth and birth place; Parents, siblings, and children; Growing up in Idaho; Enjoying a happy childhood and adulthood; Her mother's faith; Attending Primary as a child and teaching Primary as a young woman; Working as a nanny to help pay for school; Teaching a class about genealogy; Serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan and Illinois and assisting people with genealogy; Meeting her future husband; Marriage a life on a farm in Idaho during the Great Depression; A move to Fairview; More work assisting people with genealogy; Service in the LDS Church; Raising money for a Relief Society building in Salt Lake and a hospital in Mount Pleasant; Her husband's second time of missionary service for the LDS Church after their marriage;and faith in Jesus Christ.

The oral history of Helen Harrop Bohne highlights key moments from her life, including her childhood, family, faith, her contributions to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), her work in genealogy, and her resilience during difficult times, including the Great Depression. Her story reflects a life dedicated to family, service, and helping others.

ORAL HISTORY of HELEN Fairview HARROP Museum Qral BOHNE History Project Taped January 15, 1989 Transcribed by Kenneth Tarr Edited by Nancy MacKay Febuary 1995 FAIRVIEW MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART FAIRVIEW, UTAH 1995 ORAL HISTORY PROJECT FAIRVIEW MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART ORAL HISTORY OF HELEN HARROP BOHNE RELATED BY HER AT A HIGH PRIEST FIRESIDE ON 15 JANUARY, 1989 TRANSCRIBED BY KENNETH R. TARR EDITED BY NANCY MACKAY OCTOBER, 1994 HELEN: [My name is] Helen Harrop Bohne, born the 14th of June, 1915 at Annis, Jefferson County, Idaho. My mother was Chloy Walker and my father Ernest William Harrop. I had three sisters, Lola and Beulah and Donabelle, and two brothers, Garth and Lovell. I married Eugene W. Bohne fifty years ago the c8th of September, 1938 and we had four children, Ernest, who's still with us, Richard, who lives in Connecticut and his wife Joyce and they have four boys and four girls. Devona Chusband Gale Mecham] has two boys and three girls. Cleve Cwife Sherrie] has two boys and one girl. They are our jewels and we appreciate what they do so much. I had a appreciate do, very my spiritually needed I or wanted cherish our trips happy childhood companion. the as well and as he's memory together He's and of the and always I've my home many I've supported as a supported temporally. always had a things child that me very me never in and we happy in lacked every our did. marriage. everything for calling family I can truly tried anything that home see I I've to I've I've had. evenings, my father now and hear him telling stories to us and the little trips we took, and around the campfire when he used to tell stories to us. I appreciate his faith and the faith of my mother. She told me this happened when I was a very young child. My little sister Lola that was nine months old died with pneumonia and the doctor said, "There's no hopes for Helen either. She'll be gone soon." But my mother said, "I can't take that." And so she sent my father--he saddled the horse and rode three miles, through an Idaho blizzard to Bishop Brownings and the two of them came back on horseback and gave me a blessing and promised me that I would live and have a family. Through the years that's been kind of a beacon light to me in away. The faith of my mother--and I've tried to have that kind of faith through the things that come and go as the years come and go. We had a very nice primary. Sister Cunningham was president when I first remember primary and then my mother was made president of the primary for the rest of the years that I was in primary. We had so many special experiences together. As I finished primary they asked me to teach the little ones like, oh, Dominic here [my grandson] in primary for a while until I, of course, went to Rigby to High School. Then I wasn't in our ward only in weekends and I wouldn't be home through the week when they held primary. But there going in to Rigby, school, I was asked to teach primary, the in high school. And what a time seven-year-olds when we Chad]. My sister and two other girls batched in a one-room apartment and together and we only had a block to go to high school. things happened during those years that we batched. One lady. year, in order to get I lived in their home my schooling, I tended and she had to be gone 1 we So I was and I had lots of fun many exciting two little children for a almost every evening and as soon as I would come home from school, she gave me the care of this little four-year-old girl and their one-year-old baby girl. During that winter those two little children had whooping cough and I wondered if they'd even pull through sometimes, they would cough so hard. They'd just go black and it was really a trauma for me. But it was a good experience ina lot of ways to take care of those little children. They put them to bed and have a couple of lessons. and When I I taught so beehive When It I was about the girls. was And 19, included I all 17--I Behive we was girls. had a asked the think lot to it was--they Then of teach unmarrieds, were such good little girls and I hours then of quiet to prepare my the there asked were fun together. the junior young me the We to from 12 Beehive age enjoyed genealogy folks be three class teacher groups those years could school of times. in our ward. and up. Some of them were older than I was. But you know we had a lot of fun together and we started our book of remembrance, wrote what history we could and we'd look forward to meeting. We would meet each Sunday night for Cgenealogy class] because we had our other ward meetings in the daytime at that particular period of time. And I remember one night we thought, "Oh! We're going to have a party." So I told them, “Well your ticket to come next time, you have to Bring your baby picture. And so they got their baby picture to me ahead of time and I had them posted in a way that they couldn't tell whose they were and so the game went that they had guess who that baby picture belonged to. We had a lot of fun that night. Some of them got their family group sheets wrote up and their pedigree charts. It was a nice start, but it also gave me a training that I made real good use of when I was called to go in the mission field when I was -Well, it was in 1936 when I was 20 years old. I labored Illinois for So much of in Flint, Michigan for about a year, and the remainder of the time the new converts 4 months the time would need help and then in Peoria, in Springfield, Illinois. with their work done genealogy records. They didn't know how and I had had that training. I was grateful for it because then I could help them with their records. You know it was kind of amusing, when I was set apart for my mission, I was cautioned to be accurate with the records and to enjoy doing them. I thought then, "Well, what records will I be doing?" But all through my mission, everywhere I went, someone was needing help with their genealogical records so that they could prepare the sheets ones. I would and father and our home in to send help them they'd go Idaho down to the temple to prepare these sheets to the Logan Temple, there, and do the have and 180 temple the for their send them to my dear miles I think it was work for these loved mother from people. So it was just like my mother always said "How we filled our mission right with you." And they did. It was really a joy. Those people were so grateful when those sheets would come back and find the work done for the loved ones. It was quite a singular thing. Another we'd in ask Flint, after warm thing if they school, two classes. we'd divide. ones or vice or we come was would Michigan, weather weather'd that we in would quite care had late just if six impressive we we afternoon meet couldn't a to in do after me, would yard or We on go tracting primary. primaries school. their we neighborhood neighborhood We'd sing together My companion would versa and tell them and held going, would their one meet lawn While each and and and we were evening during divide the in of course and our prayer and things, and then take the older ones and I'd take the younger stories of Jesus. Well then when cold that, would 2 you know some of those dear mothers could see how unhappy their children were when we told them we couldn't come any more, "Oh well won't you come?. If you'd just come in." And they opened their homes to let us come in and hold these little neighborhood primaries in their homes. We didn't know if anything would ever come of that. We don't know yet, only that here a few years ago there on the door and this one elder, Elder Tracy--he said that he B.Y.--and the other was Elder Hunt, wasn't it? Elder Hunt's “Well, B.Y. with soon would you when you're in Fairview school)--won't you look up Brother his eyes and I wonder if he's gone as they came to the door, they or out there--(they Bohne. blind. wanted to was a knock come was attending the mother had said, were I understood Would you go know if he going he'd find had to had trouble out?" As gone blind. And I said, "No, but it is true he has problems." And you know they stayed and visited with us and this Elder Hunt was talking to Eugene about some experiences they had had with his mother and grandmother and in their families through a Book of Mormon Eugene had loaned. I got to showing Elder Tracy some of the pictures and he happened to mention that he was from Flint, Michigan at one time. And I said, "You wouldn't happen to know Sister Tracy of Flint, Michigan?" "Oh yes! That's my grandmother." And then he told me that his grandpa, after that, had changed his ways of living and had joined the Church as it Cturned] out -His father happened to be one of those little boys that attended one of those neighborhood come out. time. primaries. But it was So kind we of a never joy know to us through to have the that years how little it's going feedback at to that When Eugene and I came to Manti to be married in the Manti Temple -- we were received with such a warm welcome, but it was because the ordinance workers knew Eugene because he had--before he went on his mission, had filled a mission there doing endowment work. He and Iven Cox and I don't know who else. He'll probably tell you. And they had spent -- I don't know how long. So as we went back, to him it was like going back home because they were all so glad to see him after he'd come from his mission and brought his bride back And that was a special time. to there be married. I'll years back have and he from my to tell made my mission you a father I went little secret promise to -- he I here. wouldn't got home on He wouldn't either. Christmas But Eve tell me after of for I'd that three come year. The following April we went to a conference and some of my companions was there and one of them came home with me to stay for a week or two from the Salt Lake area. We learned there that Eugene was working up in McCammon, Idaho, on a large ranch and I knew that was only a hundred miles from our place. While she was was there, we got to thinking, "Well my goodness, here's this elder and that lady missionary now. They're not too far away if we get word to them. Let's invite them to church one sunday and have dinner for them afterwards." So that's just what we did. And of course Eugene was the first one there. He came an hour before church and came to our home. About two weeks later he came again. The second time then he went to priesthood with my father. They had priesthood meeting early in the morning. And then my mother and I and the rest of the family, we would come in time for the other meetings. So who would be there but our patriarch that had given me my patriarchal blessing when I was seventeen. He was visiting our ward and so my father introduced him to Eugene and he turned to him--and of course he knew 3 tthat I'd just returned Harrop girl's your three years, after Anyway, I just had you more about it. from my mission--he turned to him and says, "That future wife." And you know he wouldn't tell me that for we'd been married. He wouldn't let my father tell me. to tell you about that. Okay, he'll CEugene] probably tell Well, I don't know. I've got so many things here. I don't know what to tell you next. Well, back to my childhood days, we had what they called a religion class that we would go to twice a week. They'd dismiss school and we'd go the block to our chapel and the older ones would meet in one group and the younger ones in the other group. It was the first eight grades of school. And they'd have this what they called a religion class for one-half hour. I don't know whether they did it in this area or not but we did there in Idaho. And I was quite impressed with that and enjoyed that besides our work with the primary and the sunday school. When I finished the eighth grade, it was quite a humbling experience for me because they chose me to be valedictorian and I felt like that my friends, the boys and girls that I associated with and loved so much, I felt that any of them were more qualified than I was but that was quite a night the night we had our graduation. And then on into high school and the fine experiences we had there and the fun times. I don't know. I guess my childhood days with all this happening and so I really -Well, these nice things we enjoyed together. doing Our married years were spent up on the Hartley Ranch. know where it is, five, six miles north of town up in the Maybe most of canyon there. going to the temple our life, I guess. that's you And we both of us wanted to go to the temple but -- see, we were married the last of September and Ernest was born the last of the next July. And so we had this baby to take care of so -And we were very independent. We wasn't going to bother Eugene's parents to take care of that baby so I'd go to the temple one week with the group that were going from our ward. The next week Eugene would go and the one that stayed home took care of the chores. And that's the way we did it. But we couldn't expect the people to come up there and pick us up. We bundled the baby up and Eugene would take him--winter or summer--down with the team clear downtown here to meet someone that was going down to the temple. Then at night he'd bundle the baby up again and come down and pick me up. So that's how our temple work began so no wonder we enjoy now and doing temple work. Something just part of Oh! I did leave out the very first while we lived--for six months--we lived on a ranch in McCammon, Idaho, where he had been working on this big ranch. And he fed the cattle and they had a lot of head of horses and as the fall wore on they havested the beets and things. It was such a large ranch ‘till sometimes I'd walk nearly a mile to go take a nice little treat out to Eugene and find him in a field some place while we were there. I think he'll tell you more about that. While we were there short ways from the main highway, the east and rail. This is during the depression years and of work and it wasn't a bit uncommon to almost across come meal?" to hunting the the and Portneuf work. River door and give their And say, I and over-- "Can't I do circumstances. remember this they one any could Some man, 4 kind of he in McCammon we west highway, so there were every day see see of them -- our work I house for would said, just lived and also the a lot of men someone come you come "Oh over to many there-- earn sure! a a miles I'll out and fix you a meal." When Eugene wasn't there, then I didn't dare invite them in. I'd just have them come in on the porch. There was a table out there and I'd set the food out there for them. But while I was fixing the meal for them, they'd always go out, find the axe, chop up a bunch of wood, so that helped out Eugene I think. They'd have their meal and go on their way. But anyone that's somethung away. I remember that my many mother times had always someone done. would come She and with us even, and she would give them food and money and had to go on their way. And it was just almost a way of never stay turned several days clothing while life with us. they I know there were a number other things I wanted to talk about but --. While we were here in the South Ward after we bought our home down where Carmen and Lynn CAnderson] live (456 S 200 El], I remember, we were called again to work in the genealogy and one of the assignments was to go to every home and help them fill out their family group sheet and then keep a copy in the ward and send a copy to Salt Lake. There were four or five of us on the committee so that meant a lot of work to go to every home and sometimes you wouldn't find them home and you'd have to get appointments and go back and it away. go back. Every day that we could spare an hour or two in the afternoon when one of us could stay home and tend the kiddies, the other would go and do this. We'd take turns on that too and go into their homes and help them fill out these sheets. I don't know what good come of it anly I know this one girl when she got married. She was visiting with me one day and she said, “You know, my mother's records were burned and I'd give anything if I had some of those dates." And for some reason I had kept -Well, I know why: because I'd made so many mistakes in trying to write it down and crossed out and it didn't And I look said, a bit "Well, still there and Family and what neat. I can it was. her dear But I had provide laid you She was so mother had it this." happy wrote back that down and IT went hadn't and throwed looked if it that had been preserved, before she passed away. was her I was called to be president of the Relief Society while I was in the mission field for some time while I was in Springfield, Illinois. That's the capital of Illinois. And then again when we'd been married about nine and a half years when I was called to be president of the Relief Society in the Fairview Ward and I enjoyed that so much. And I can testify to you that there wasn’t a sister in this ward but what helped in one way or another. During that time we were asked to raise $600.00 and send to Salt Lake to build the new Relief Society building, and it was the depression years. People just didn't have that kind of money, to give five dollars each to send in. They just didn't have cash like that that they could do that. So we figured out other ways and had bazaars and things like that to raise this money. I remember the last bazaar that we had. We told them that it didn't matter what they had of a surplus, to bring it. One lady said, "Could I bring some strawberry plants?" And another said, "Could I bring some rendered lard?" And I said, "Sure! Maybe somebody else might need it or buy it." And I know that day that we priced those things and as we worked about an hour before it was to start, and I thought, "Oh! All these things! What will I ever do with them. People won't come and buy all this." But I just couldn't get over it but all those came from other areas and all over. And every single thing was sold. We had our $600.00, Cand we] sent it in , our small ward, to help toward building that building in Salt Lake for the Relief Society. We'd hardly finished that when they decided J to build the hospital in Mt. the one that they abandoned a year Pleasant, Again we were asked to raise [200 N State]. of the same Again the helped on ward but remember check and abandoned methods of bazaars sewing and is kind or so ago, you know where it $300.00 for that and we used and whatever spare. could they That's why:I said there wasn't one but what sisters rallied around. There wasn't one in the both these projects in one way or another. I I was so overwhelmed with it. what helped, the inactives and all. There was $305.00 came in and we made out a how thankful we were. Of course, now it's been sent that to help build the hospital. after being used for many years. : Eugene received his call to go on his second mission and so I was released as Relief Society president but I still had a sunday school class to teach-the age seventeen students that winter and I had a primary class that I was teaching. Well, I told the bishopric, "I don't know how I can do both. And they said, "Well --." They wouldn't listen to me when I tried to come and “You think about it ‘till next sunday, and And they said, cancel out on them. we'll pray about it." But you know, I couldn't get it off of my mind. I going was I how know didn't didn't feel like I could tell them "no," and yet I to do it. But I did! That was the winter that the snow was over the fence posts, over the wires over the fence posts. Some of you might remember that winter! That was a winter! And we had primary and Relief Society the same day, on a Tuesday. It would stop snowing long enough for me to come up to Relief Society could get home if I and primary and to it started before right home and didn't stop to shop, It And the same on Sunday. again. went snow I Now that might wouldn't snow just while I come up to teach my class and back. So I knew the long. winter all come it way the that's but believe be hard to way was open for me to teach those two classes like I'd been asked to do. One night I -you know where we lived way down there, I got so lanesome just to talk to adults. The boys was good to help me and all. We just had Ernest and Richard at that time. But they were having a fireside after sacrament meeting and I said, "Oh! I believe I'll stay to it." And so I told the boys, "Would you two be real I'll quiet? let you stay with And then it came to me a very strong feeling that I should did. so I did and as I got outside and only got about a half a block, really blowing and snowing. Brother and Sister Miner came along home. We could hardly see--they could hardly see to drive home. turned out to be a very bad blizzard night. But it was a lesson when church is out you go home. I was blessed. me." 5o we go home and it started and took me It really to me that On one sunday morning we got up, Cand] it had snowed all night and things were just so white then that I thought, "No way! We cannot wade from here up that lane to come to church. Just this once we're going to stay home." Ard I Said that to the boys. And Richard--he was just eight-years-old--and he said, "Oh mother! Somebody'll come and get us. Let's hurry the chores." We really had to shovel our way out. It was clear up around the edges of our windows. That far! And we had to shovel up out to get up out of the house and shovel down into the barn, into the coops and -But he pitched in and we hurried and we come back in and he said, "Well mother, let's get ready. I know somebody'll come and get us." And I said, "Oh, son." And I thought, We could have a little class here at home and "Well why destroy his faith? So we got ready and maybe we would enjoy it more if we were all dressed up." would you know, we no more than got ready and Worth Bench's cattle, his dry stock, about a hundred head or more--I don't know how many he kept then but it was about that--had broke out and went up & past our place and up to Worth's and Margaret's. And Worth felt perturbed to think they'd come up there so he set the dog on them and they come back down, and there was our trail to go to church! And we could get that far, you know. Of course the streets were blocked too but we got as far as Margaret's, and they came out and said, "Pile in." And I said, "Oh! You've already got a load." Because they had their family and Worth says, "Come on! We'll sit three deep. The more in, the Cmore] weight, why the better we can pull out and get there!" So we stacked in and we got to church. But it just seemed like it's been that way all my life. If we have faith enough, if we listen to the promptings, the way is opened so we can do these things. Times up, but I do want to bear my testimony and let you know that I know that the Gospel is true and I do enjoy our trips to the temple every week and my work in the nursery. It is just a true joy! I know a lot of people won't work in the nursery but it's because they don't go prepared or for some other reason--. I thank you for your attention and I want you to know that I know the Gospel is true and I want to thank my beautiful family for being here with me tonight. I'm glad Eric could come from the Y out to be with us. He just recently returned from a mission -- well -- less than a year ago to Japan and his brother's in Haiti now on a mission. But I think I'll turn the time to Eugene now.