From irvmac@webtv.net Fri Nov 21 00:35:31 1997
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 18:40:24 -0800
From: Fresno Vacuum Co None 
To: jfpeatro@email.unc.edu
Subject: Grandma's Story

Dear Friends And Family:
BARBARA EMMA WRIGHT WAS BORN IN TOPPENISH, YAKIMA WASHINGTON ON
8-22-1915. SHE WAS THE SECOND DAUGHTER AND THE 7TH CHILD OF PHYLANDER
AND SARAH MARINDA [CONE] WRITE, WHO HAD ARIVED IN SUMNER WASHINGTON AS
IMMIGRANTS VIA WAGON TRAIN IN THE 1880'S. SHE HAD 5 OLDER BROTHERS WHO
ARE NOW DECEASED. IN THE 1920'S THE FAMILY [MINUS THE OLDER BOYS], MOVED
TO CAILFORNIA. PHYLANDER BUILT SCREEN DOORS AND WORKED AS A CARPENTER.
TIMES WERE HARD AND HER PARENTS SOON DIVORCED. SHE LIVED WITH THE YOUNGER
SISTER AND HER MOTHER UNTIL SARAH M. DIED ON DEC 21, 1929, IN SANTA
ROSA CA. BARBARA NOW 14 YEARS OLD SPENT THE NEXT FEW YEARS LIVING WITH
RELATIVES AND IN ORPHANAGES IN SAN DIEGO CA. SHE MET A YOUNG SAILOR
NAMED ELLSWORTH MANSFIELD MCLAURIN AND THEY MARRIED ON 7-24-1935. THE
FAMILY LIVED IN CALIFORNIA AND BECAUSE ELLSWORTH WAS A CAREER
SAILER, BARBARA RAISED THE FAMILY VERY MUCH ON HER OWN. SHE HAD TWO SONS
AND TWO DAUGHTERS THAT ARE STILL ALIVE AND DOING WELL. HER HUSBAND WAS
WOUNDED AT PEARL HARBOR AND SUFFERED FROM INTERNAL DAMAGE THE REST OF
HIS LIFE. BARBARA HELPED HER HUSBAND WITH HIS EXAMS IN ORDER TO RECIEVE
HIS COMMISSION AS A WARRANT OFFICER, THE RANK HE HELD WHEN HE RETIRED FROM
THE US NAVY IN 1946. SHE LATER ENCOURAGED HIM TO APPLY FOR HIS FINAL JOB
AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPT OF FISH AND GAME. WHEN HE BALKED AT THE NOTION OF
TAKING A JOB THAT REQUIRED LIVING IN A REMOTE SITE ON THE BASIN CREEK
FISH HATCHERY, SHE SAID "MY MOTHER COOKED ON A WOOD STOVE", WHY CAN'T I?
ELLSWORTH DIED OF HIS WAR RELATED INJURIES IN MAY 1956, LEAVING BARBARA
TO RAISE THE YOUNGEST CHILD DONALD, ALONE. BARBARA WAS A VERY LARGE
PART OF HER HUSBANDS SUCCESS AND SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIM.
BEING A STRONG WILLED, YET UNASSUMING PERSON, SHE SEEMS TO HAVE PERHAPS
EXPRESSED HER AMBITIONS, VICARIOUSLY THROUGH HER HUSBAND. SHE DID HAVE
MANY TALENTS BUT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CONTENT TO ALLOW OTHERS THE
SPOTLIGHT. [SHE EVEN WROTE POETRY]. BARBARA WAS ONE OF THE BRAVEST
PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN. SHE FACED LIFE WITH LITTLE COMPLAINT, THOUGH
SHE HAD MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. SHE LIVED WITH A QUIET DIGNITY. HER
LEGACY CAN BE MEASURED THROUGH THE SUCCESSES OF THE MANY DECENDANTS SHE
HAS GIVEN LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THOSE, NOW GONE, SHE GAVE SUPPORT. ON
THE FINAL DAY OF HER LIFE HER THOUGHTS WERE NOT OF HERSELF BUT OF HER
CAT. KNOWING THAT SHE WAS DYING, SHE WAS VERY PLEASED WHEN HER YOUNG
G/GRANDCHILDREN TOLD THAT THEY WOULD TAKE HER KITTY HOME AND TAKE CARE
OF IT. SHE FACED DEATH AS SHE HAD FACED LIFE, EYES OPEN, WITH DIGNITY.
SHE ALWAYS LOVED CHILDREN AND ANIMALS, HAD LITTLE BAD TO SAY ABOUT
ANYONE, EVEN THOSE WHO HAD SLIGHTED HER. THOUGH HER HUSBAND WAS A HARD
MILITARY MAN, SHE LOVED HIM UNCONDITIONALLY UNTIL HER LAST BREATH AND I
SUSPECT SHE ALWAYS WILL. SHE WAS A HOLDOVER OF THE ROUGH STOCK OF WOMEN
WHO CAME WEST IN COVERD WAGONS, AS HAD HER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. SHE
WILL BE LOVED AND FONDLY REMEMBERED BY THE MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO
ARE PRIVILEGED TO SHARE HER MEMORY.

                 
JESSE FOR THE GROUP
                   
THANKS IRVMAC