Elva Arminta Rawlins Hogan
Elva Arminta Rawlins Born 14 1869 in Richmond she lived here till she was 2 years old then the family moved to Lewiston and stayed all summer 1871 then in the fall they went back to Richmond that winter but in Apr 1872 they came back to Lewiston and have lived their ever since.
The things she remembers is that the grass was so tall that the family was afraid to let her out of the house for fear of her getting lost.
The Indians were quite troublesome at times would come sneeking around the house when the men would be gone, but we had a good watch dog which hated Indians and would warn Mother they were near.
The first Celebration held in Lewiston in the small meeting house with a boury built at the side, she had a new lovely dress the skirt was pink the waist was blue the pethcoat under neath the thin material was pin tuck from waist to the hem this was made by my Mother, and it stood out as one of the lovest dresses I ever had.
she was baptised on Sunday after noon a large crowd drove in wagons to the Muddy river it was then called the Canable Ford. Their were no bridges over the river. Among the girls she remembers were Eda & Isabell Rogers and it was a lot more were baptized 22 July 1877. These girls were neighbors that lived across the street and the children she used to play with were Isabell, Philemon, Sarah & Russel Rogers, her Bro. Alf and Ella.
She was 5 years old when she went to school her Bro's used to carry her to school a lot for she was so little. She was 12 years old when she joined the choir and sang in it 12 years.
She taught Sunday School for years it was a class of small girls, had that class all the years she taught.
She went to the Brigham Young Collage in Logan 12 Sept. 1887.
In the summer of 1888 she was employed as clerk in the Coop Store in Lewiston She worked their 5 years. The Managers were Samuel Allen, Wm Terry, Milo A. Hendricks, Mr. Carpenter, and N.R. Lewis or (Riley Lewis as he was called) she got $20.00 a month She was sec in the Y.L.M.I.A. for 3 years, and then was 2 counselor to Catherine Pond and held this position when she was married 9 Nov. 1892.
When she was 14 years old she cut and made her own dresses, and did a lot of sewing the rest of her life for a good many people rich & poor. She made her own Wedding dress a very pretty dress. She worked all day in the store and sewed most of the night. The dress was pale lavender silk trimmed with pine silk lace and water ribbon just a little darker lavender. They had a very big Wedding supper and a large crowd of friends and relatives came and they received many beautiful presents which they still have and it is now 50 years since that Wedding party.
She has given birth to 9 babies, their first home was over in Richmond over on a hill by the Grist Mill, and she spent many lonely hours and days. The first and second winter Her Husband and her Bro-in-law Joseph W. Leavitt worked in the canyon and got out wood to burn that winter and next Summer.
In 1894 Her Husband and Joe W. Leavitt took down a log granary on his mothers place and as soon as they could work in the spring they moved the logs to Lewiston and put them up on a 2 1/2 acres of land we bought from her Bro. J. W. Rawlins paid $100.00 for. The room was 14 x 16 ft. a door and window in the south and a window in the west a door in the north. There was a shanty built out east of the house that they used in the summer for the stove so the house was not so hot. Then in the summer of 1904 they built the first part of their house. Then in 1909 they decided to build on to the part they had so this summer they built the dining room kitchen pantry, Bath and 2 porches one of the front and one on the back.
She has worked in the Farm Bureau for a numbers of years Helping to remodel and make dresses, coats, suits and hats.
She also worked as a Relief Society Teacher and a teacher (over seer) of the work and business
As Pre of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers of Utah for 2 terms and a register member of it for life.
She has had many very sick spells and has done a lot of hard work in her time, from a house wife and every thing a woman could do on a farm she has done. To the daintiest hand work and this is her hobby in as she is growing older, but she still keeps busy with her needles; she is now 72 years 1941.