Voris Jane Miller Cornum's Childhood Memories

Voris Jane Miller, age 11

Voris Jane Miller, age 10

Voris Jane Miller, about 16

Written by Voris Cornum:

A few fond memories I have of Mom & Dad, were when us kids were growing up. I especially recall some of our Christmases; we had lots of good ones. I don’t remember any that were very bad. Seems that Santa always found us.

Maggie & Bill Miller, & baby Voris

My first memory was when my little brother, Herman, was so sick with pneumonia. He was about 2 years old and I was 5. I did not realize the seriousness of his illness. I know Doc. Chambers came to our house quite a lot and momma’s Aunt Lula Wilkenson, stayed with us day and night. She kept putting onion poultices on Herman’s chest and back. This was a good old home remedy for pneumonia as drugs we have today, such as penicillin were unheard of then.

The day before Christmas, the doctor had given Herman very little chance to live. I was not aware of this, but I knew something was very wrong. We had hung our stockings on nails behind the little pot-belled heater. Aunt Lula’s daughter and son-in-law, from California, Ollie and John Wesmath, were staying all night too, sleeping in chairs. I saw Dad take Herman’s little stocking and go outside. When he came back in he had tears in his eyes. Later momma told me he had gone outside to pray for Herman, as they did not think he would live through the night. Even though I was just a small child, this has helped me be a strong believer in prayer. 

The next morning I was so happy because Santa had come, and there were lots of toys. I especially remember the building blocks, because John Wesmath was on the floor helping me build castles. Gee! But I thought he was sure a fun man. They said Herman had passed the crises. I did not know just what that meant; but I did know he was much better. I got the toys and piled them on his bed and crawled up there to play with him.

When I was quite young we must have spent most of our Christmases at Grandma Hutchins’, as she always decorated a big tree lit up with candles as this was before electricity. We kids all knew better than to get very close to the tree or we could catch on fire.

Luella and I were more like sisters than, niece and auntie, and I did live a lot at Grandma’s. I usually called her "Wellsma" meaning Luella’s Ma. I really thought her name was “Wellsma” for years. We would find Wellsma’s long cotton stockings and hang them behind the old heaters. And always Christmas morning we would find them stuffed from toe to top, with goodies, besides dolls dressed just alike. We generally got the same thing for Christmas.

Aunt Nina Johnson, Bill Miller
and Voris Jane Miller, age 3

Another Christmas that stands out in my mind was when I got a big doll house and Luella got one just like it. Herman and Jerome got barns just alike. Aunt Nina took care of Jerome Johnson after his mother died, until Uncle Ren married Clara. And Aunt Maud Reed keep Cally. So since Nina and momma were together so much Jerome was like part of our family. Dad made creates for the pea sheds in La Jara, so he had lots of slats and that is what he built the little barns and houses from. He painted them all green with gray tops. We spent many hours playing with them making farms, we used potatoes and matches for our animals, and sticks and twin string for fences.

I’m sure that our Christmas’ could not have been too elaborate, but to me it was always happy times and Santa never missed us.

When I was a teenager and we were living on the Hyde Ranch. The grain had been hailed out, with Christmas coming I’m sure the folks were worrying about money.  Uncle John Reed was taking a truck load (Model-T truck) of pigs to Alamosa to the sale. So dad had a few pigs and he put one of them in the truck; so we could have a little Christmas money. Well about half way to Alamosa the other pigs got to fighting our pig and he jumped over the side boards and broke his neck and died. I can remember how bad moma felt. Uncle John felt so bad about it that he gave her a $20.00 bill for the pig. And that bought our Christmas that year.

I well remember the dolls, buggy, red wagon, and many other toys we got. Usually the Christmas presents were hid in a corner behind the old organ. I caught on to this at a rather young age, so I would peek and I generally had a good idea what Santa was going to bring. One year I got fooled; Momma had got me a cute little cooking set all with blue handles. They were hid on the top shelf in the cloths closet. Christmas morning the little cooking set was not there with my other presents. I peeked in the closet and there they were still on the shelf. Oh! What to do. I moped around playing with my new doll and a little blue trunk. Finally momma asked me what was wrong. I said I liked everything I got; but I asked Santa for a little cooking set and he did not bring it. I saw the surprised look come over momma’s face and she sent me out to the well to get some water; when I came back in she said, “Now Voris, go get all your Christmas thing and put them up, so we can clean up the mess.” There laying on top of the little blue trunk was my cooking set. Of course I was so happy and momma said, “You must not have seen everything.” Ha! Ha! I thought; who’s fooling who!

I guess my most memorable Christmas was Dec. 24, 1936 when Duwayne and I were married. We went down to Uncle John B. Reed’s home, he was the Stake President then. We had to wait for him to finish milking the cows, before he could come in and marry us. Then we went on to Alamosa and spent the night in the old “Victoria Hotel”.

Other memories I have are: I was having a birthday party when I was 14 years old. All the Nortonville gang came to our house. Two boys got to shuffling and Lee Hamilton tipped over his chair and busted all the fancy front of Dad’s new RCA radio; one of his most prized possessions. Did we feel bad; yes Dad, Lee, and me.

Another memory I have was one evening at the “cat house” (I rather call it the Hyde place). Momma and Dad had had a good quarrel. As I recall; two horses had gotten into some grain and had eaten it. Dad had given Momma orders to watch, so this would not happen; but she had forgot. Anyway, they both threw a lot of non-mentionable words to each other. So Momma grabbed us kids and said, “We are going up to Uncle John’s and tell him just what you have said and how crazy you are.” I was very reluctant about going. I didn’t really want to leave my dad all alone; and I certainly didn’t want to tell Uncle John; especially when he was the Stake President. But we took out through the field; it was about a quarter of a mile to Uncle John’s. We soon found out that Momma had no intentions of going to Uncle John’s. She had us all lay down in a ditch and wait for Dad to come and find us. Well after about 30 minutes us kids were begging to go home. I remember Enid, quite small, was bawling and needed to go to bed. So finally we snuck back to the house and peeked in the window. There sit Dad in his big easy chair listening to his new RCA radio; enjoying his piece and quiet. I’m sure Momma’s pride must have suffered that night as she tried to make him think Uncle John would soon be there to give him a good talking to. I’m sure Dad was not a bit worried about it.

Yes, my folks had a good life together. Lots of ups and downs; but no serious problems. I’m thankful to be their daughter.

Herman, Voris, Morris, Bill Miller, Enid, Maggie Miller, and Janice
1937 - Sanford, Colorado