LETTER ABOUT JENNIE CALL
Contributed By: Stephen West · 24 February 2014 ·
The Odessa this letter is addressed to is Odessa Tolman Clawson who is a daughter of Jennie Call.
By Jennie Moss Norton
My Dearest Odessa,
Your mother Jennie Call and your Father, Judson Adonirum Tolman Jr. were married Sept. 3, 1902 in the Logan Temple by Apostle M. W. Merrell. Apostle Merrell was my uncle.
They say, after Judson’s mother had six daughters, she was so desirous of having a son that she fasted and prayed asking our Heavenly Father to send her a son. Because of his natural sweet disposition she always felt Judson was an answer to her prayer. He was baptized Jan 14, 1894 by his father Judson A. Tolman Sr. He was confirmed the same day by Chistran (sic) Jensen.
The first time I remember seeing your mother was at a dance in Chesterfield, Idaho. We must have been about fifteen years old. Your mother was seventeen when she was married. My sister, Effie, Lula and Jennie all three, had their wedding dance on the same night.
Effie and I used to sing in competition with Jennie and Lula. We were known as the “Moss sisters” and the “Call Sisters”.
Your mother made her own wedding dress. It was trimmed from the neck to the bottom with narrow satin ribbon. The ribbon became wider as it neared the bottom. I have never in my life seen such a beautiful dress. I took the part of a rich young lady in a three act play. Your mother let me wear her wedding dress.
We lived quite near to each other. In fact we used to race each other to see which could have her wash on the line first.
My mother and Jennie’s mother were very close friends. Your grandmother had very poor health. While our mothers visited, Jennie and I would fill our aprons with green peas and go sit in the hay field to eat them. We had a little verse we used to say. (One I love; two I love; three I love; I say. Four I love with all my heart, and five I cast away. Six she loves; seven he loves; eight they both love. Nine he comes; ten he tarries; eleven he courts and twelve he marries).
We moved from Chesterfield in 1906 and I lost track of my good friends.
A friend
Jennie Moss Norton
Visit FamilySearch to learn more about Jennie Call. Visit the Thomas Tolman Family Organization to find out how you can get more involved in family history.