Sketch of the life of
Nellie Druce Lambert Rawlins
(Retyped as found in May 1997 by S. L. Rawlins from a copy provided by Julia Rawlins.)
Nellie Druce Lambert was born 28 Oct. 1880 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the 5thchild of Charles John Cannon Lambert and Lilly Harriet Almira Druce. Her father was a stone cutter on the St. George Temple. When she was abt. 4 or 5 yrs. old her father was sent to take charge of a new Paper mill at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon so he moved his family to Butlerville in a Co. house and in the fall of 1886 she started her schooling there. Being so close to the canyon the children often took picnic lunches and had enjoyable times. They were taught to watch out for scorpins, tarantulas and rattlesnakes that were prevailent in that area.
When Nellie was 8 yrs old her father gave up paper work because of health and purchased a home in Granger, Utah and moved his family there on a farm. The school in Granger was graded on the reader in which your read and it wasn't till a few years later that the school system changed to the students abilities in all subjects that the grade was determined.
Nellies mothers health was poor so she had to assume a lot of the housework at the age of 14 yrs. as older sisters married. In the summertime when her father was short handed with the farm work she spent time working in the fields loading and stacking hay, milking cows and various other chores. When the boys were away she stacked the grain. So much work fell to her lot that school was a bit neglected so in the fall of 1899 they sent her into Salt Lake to stay with her sister Lilly and go to Grant School. She graduated in June 1900 from the 8th grade. She spent her summers in Granger helping and then back to her sisters place going to West High school 3 yrs and the University of Utah 2 yrs. She graduated from the U of U with a Normal Class teaching Certificate in 1905 and accepted a teaching position in Lewiston, Utah Sept 1905 teaching 2ndand 3rd grades under John M. Bernhisel then one more grade was added. The teachers had to keep their
On 17 June 1908 Nellie and George F. Rawlins were married in the Salt Lake Temple and made their permanent home in Lewiston. Their md life began in two rooms of one of the first houses built by Georges grandfather, George Leavitt.
Nellie was sustained as a Sunday school teacher in Dec 1907 and on may 4th 1909 was sustained as Assistant and Sec and Treasurer of Lewiston 1st Ward until 4 Feb 1911 when she was sustained as Sec and Treasurer a job held under three Relief Socity Pres. Until 24 May 1921.
22 Feb 1919 saw George down with Typhoid Fever and as there was also an epidemic of Influenza around help was almost impossible to find so Nellie did the nursing job, housework and look after four young childern as well as the chores outside. A neighbor Abner Van Orden came to her rescue two weeks later and insisted on taking the cows to his barn and care for them. All the pay he'd take was a little hay to feed the cows. Nellie spent nine wks, night and day without removing her cloths except for a clean change when george was the sickest. He was ill for several months. She once said looking back on it she didn't know how she accomplished in all with out the Lords blessings. She also cared for 2 of her grandchildren for several years when their mother became ill.
George needed Nellies help with the Ward Clerk work after his illness so she was released in may 1921 form the Relief Society Sec job., and as his health improved she again worked in the R.S. as a teacher in the social service Dept. 2 yrs.. Later under Bp. G. A. Hogan Nellie was sustained as Assistant Ward Clerk, to aid her husband. Later she assisted George in his Secretary of the Cub River Irrigation Co. Job. She taught Genealogy Class and was sustained as R. S. Visiting Teacher in 1954 (enjoy very much) which position she was filled until her death.
George and Nellie worked together as a team whether it was book work, carpenterning or farming. Nellie could saw a board as straight as any man and from time to time she would build something for the house they needed. (Chicken Coop)
The Lambert and Rawlins famalies were close knit groups and there was much love for one another among them.
Nellie was very generous with her time if anyone needed help in any way. She sewed, knitted and various other things for people. Many times she went to her oldest daughters and neighbors places in time for illness and took care of the household, childern or any thing she could do. She loved her flowers and garden and enjoyed many hours working outside in them.
Nellie and George were blessed with 2 sons Charles Franklin and Reginald Alwin 3 daughters, Mrs. James A. (Lilly) Hardman, Mrs. Frederick John (Janette) Donkin Jr. and Mrs. D. Platt (Althea) Woodland 18 grandchildern and 4 great gand childern, all of whom gave her a great Joy & Pride.
Nellie cared for George when his health failed and he had to give up working until his death in 1957. Then she maintained her home and carried on until a (stroke) illness struck her as she was working in her garden. She died 29th of July 1965 at the Downey Memorial Hospital where her youngest Daughter works as a nurse.
Her brother Charles died 31 July 1965, 1 day after Nellie they were chums in early youth and followed each other closely in death.
Note: (apparently from Julia Rawlins).
I found the original in Velma's things and copied it. Some of the pencil didn't copy too well so I have written it in from the original. I'm going to give the original to Althea, Nellie's daughter.