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 Much of Ann
Elizabeth or Betsy Parsons Webster's history is included with the
history of Francis Webster. In this section, though, are given
remembrances of Betsy.
Arrival in Cedar City
Amy Elizabeth Webster Leigh wrote about her mother's arrival in
Cedar City.
A few days after they reached Cedar, representatives of
the Benevolent Society called to see if they could help them, but
mother's independence prompted her to say no unless they had some soap
they would lend her. They sent the soap, and mother paid them back the
first time that she made soap. It was not charity but work that she
wanted.
Father had an old overcoat that was very shabby, and by
examining the inside, mother decided it could be made over. She picked
it to pieces, taking notice how it was put together. She made the coat
over, and people wondered where the new coat came from. When told the
story, there were others who had cloths that could be made over. Mother
was employed to do this work, and she started the business of tailoring
that she carried on for more than 20 years. The school board wanted her
to teach school, but if she had done that she would have had to have
someone take care of her children, but if she sewed she could care for
them herself.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W.
Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp. 72-73.
Minor changes made.
Her Home
Annette
W. Betenson
gave her memories of her grandmother.
Many are the pleasant memories of the home of Francis and Ann
Elizabeth Webster. It was located on north 2nd East facing East
surrounded by shade and fruit trees.
The house was of brick construction with a sandstone walk,
bordered by flowers, from the gate to the front door. On either
side of the door were windows through which one could see the lace
curtains and the general appearance of the home was very inviting.
The comfortably furnished "front" room and bedroom occupied the
front part of the house with dining room, kitchen and large pantry
in the rear.
Up stairs were three rooms; two bedrooms and a storage room. In
the winter time the storage room always held supplies of apples
from the orchard.
It was always a delight to go in grandmothers & Grandfather's
bedroom--It was furnished with a matched set: bed, dresser and
washstand made of beautifully carved wood, the dresser had a marble slab on it. The delicate perfume from the soap,
which was on the wash stand filled the air. Over the clothes
closet was a shelf where grandfather kept his many volumes of
Bancroft History. This set of books was later "Presented to the
Cedar City Public Library by the heirs of Francis Webster Sr.
Cedar City, Utah, June 2, 1942." The inscription on the inside
front cover of the volumes was written by Herbert William Webster.
These books are now used by students of history.
One bedroom held a fascination for the girls in the family
because Aunt Ida had the most beautiful doll in town. Grand father
had brought it to her from Chicago. It was a big doll and she kept
it in the top part of a large chest. We could only look at it
while she held it in her arms. It was that precious. The doll had
beautiful curls and she could close her eyes and she had a music
box in her body. Her dress was of white lace and her slippers were
white with silver buckles.
Sliding down stairs on the banister always provided fun for the
children, at family parties, of which there were many. The
children would line up on the stairs to take turns sliding down.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen
W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp.
66-67. Minor changes made.
The family get-to-gethers were usually a dinner and the adults
ate first, so it was a time of anticipation for the children but
there was plenty for all. Members of the family would contribute
to the dinners but here I must pay tribute to grandmother's art of
cooking.
There was something special about her jams and jellies, bread
which was always the same, apple and mince-meat pies, plum
puddings, roast beef with Yorkshire Pudding and brown gravy.
Mashed potatoes were served in a covered dish. When the cover was
lifted there were the potatoes in a fancy design topped with
butter and sprinkled with pepper. Sweet-sour pickled red cabbage
was also a specialty.
In the pantry was a refrigerator which was kept cold by a large
block of ice in the upper insulated compartment. The ice-man
delivered ice daily, from the ice that he had stored in the
winter. Grandmother kept perishable foods in the refrigerator just
as we do today.
The family get-to-gethers mentioned above were never complete
until the children had acted out a "Punch and Judy" show. Two
children with hands dressed as puppets would lie on the floor
under a table which was covered with a sheet--the sheet forming
the curtain. The "puppet" hands would come out from under the
curtain and take the parts of Punch & Judy--an older member of the
family would be the narrator. Much fun was had by all.
After the puppet show all would go into the "front" room to
visit and tell stories. We children would sit in rapt attention
while listening to experiences of the oldsters. Soon my mother,
Florence, would begin to play the organ and sing and before long
all would join in family favorite songs before departing for our
homes. Likely the youngest children would be asleep by this time
and would have to be carried home, often on a cold and snowy
night.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen
W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, p.
74.
Other Activities
Much of Betsy's church work was accomplished in the Relief
Society. Violet L. Urie told of that work: In the latter part of
the 19th century, Betsy was appointed Relief Society President,
and she served as such for seven or eight years (Violet L. Urie
was one of her secretaries). When the Ward Hall was being built,
the Relief Society played an important part in the work by
donating clothing, eggs, butter, potatoes, and other products to
the "doby committee" for distribution to the workmen's families.
The Relief Society also gave food to other people who were
suffering from hunger.
Betsy's table was reported to be a gourmet's delight. On
Sunday, she usually prepared a big roast of meat, and frequently
her married children with their children came to her home for
Sunday dinner. They always came to her home' for dinner on
Christmas day and on the 4th of July. According to Winifred L.
Lunt, Betsy usually served a "rolly- polly" plumb pudding for
Christmas dinner--it was set in the center of the table. When the
pudding was to be served, Brandy was poured on it, and the Brandy
was lit with a flame. Many times, for the 4th of July dinner,
Betsy sent her son, Thomas Josiah, over to Andallin's Ice Cream
Parlor (it was located where Sprouse Reitz Co. is
located today [Main street and about 50-75 North]) for ice cream
and for "nick-nacks" (small cakes). The ice cream was carried to
the Webster house in a large pottery pitcher or in a lard-bucket,
covered with a napkin.
Because of a scanty supply of clothing, Betsy modified her
existing clothes to meet the " latest style"; one such dress was a
blue and gold taffeta dress, containing "yards and yards" of
material she had made in England. A small fur cape and a small
bonnet with ribbons were worn with the dress. This dress was
reserved for special occasions. As the dress was modified to meet
the changing styles, scraps of material were left over, and these
were made into baby bonnets. According to Evelyn P. Webster, Betsy
would visit William Middleton’s family for a week-or-so and do all
of their sewing. In return, William would give her enough cloth to
provide clothes for her family.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen
W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp.
73-74. Minor changes made.
Family
John U. Webster gave his
memories of his grandmother.
I have never forgotten an experience I had with Grandmother
Webster. Think it was my first year in school. I used to go "cross
lots to Grandma's on my way to school. You know how young boys are
about candy. Grandma had chickens and the old hens would lay eggs
in the cow and horse manger. So as I went thru the lot, I spotted
an egg picked it up and went to the store for one egg's worth of
candy, then on to school.
Next day I was up to the same trick but Grandma caught and the
me in the act, guess she missed the egg, she didn't stop me then
to talk to me but had me promise to call in to see her on my way
home from school, which I did. Then and there I got my first
lesson on how bad it was to take things that didn't belong to me.
That people were sent to jail for doing or taking things that
belonged to someone else. She told me of a number of incidents and
most important that she didn't want one of her grandchildren to go
to jail for stealing.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen
W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah,
1960, pp. 75.
Dr. George W. Middleton gave
his tribute to Betsy.
Aunt Betsy Webster was to me one of the most adorable women I
ever knew. She it was who first recognized my struggles as a boy,
and came to my aid with a full measure of sympathy. Her six years
[Mary Ann M. Palmer said seven years] in the boarding schools of
London added to the rudiments of the grammar schools which
preceded them, gave her an education unusual for the times. Her
handwriting was superb, and her language was that of the upper
class of English. She was true George Washington type, dignified,
reserved, effectual and loyal....
The amount of work that went through her hands was prodigious.
My more mature judgment of her confirms the estimate of my boyhood
days that she was the embodiment of all that was dignified, and
noble and true in womankind. God bless her sacred memory.
Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott
and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah,
1960, pp. 75.
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