The Story of My Life, by Fawn Jones Taylor
As I ponder over my many years of life and the many varied and interesting things that have happened to me, my big question is what to include and what to leave out of my life history. I have given much thought to the importance of things to include to the point that I feel it necessary to not only include the big, major things, but the little daily happenings, that to others may seem unimportant, but to me, very important and have surely played a big part in making me the person I am today. So, as you read these lines of past experiences, joys, sorrows, successes and failure, please realize that they all went in to what I believe shaped my destiny, cemented me into me my personality and indelible traits of character.
STORY OF MY LIFE, by Fawn Taylor
A most unforgettable event happened in Provo, Utah on February 6, 1917. Twin girls were born to A. Will and Emma Jones. It was on the evening of that day. The wind was cold and white snow flakes could be seen through the window as they kissed the cold earth with their arrival. Such it was with the twins because I am sure they could never have had a more welcomed arrival. All parents rejoice over one new baby, but two? The shock was too great. They were treated nice and so, they talked the matter over with each other and decided to stay.
We had many visitors within the next few weeks, and with these people came a man and lady to see us. I paid them a smile or two and so did my twin. Thus, they wanted to adopt one of us. They were sincere in their wants because they had no children and wanted to adopt one. The idea was forbidden as we were needed too much to keep happiness in our home.
It was not long after birth until it was time to receive a name and a blessing. What a time my parents had choosing names that would do for twins. At last desirable names were chosen and we were dressed for the occasion. Our large double or twin buggy was filled with dainty pillows and accessories. The buggy was lifted up the steps of the church and wheeled down the aisle to the front of the chapel. The names that were given to us as twins were Fawn and Faye. These names were to remain with us throughout all eternity and I have never been dissatisfied with my name.
I was a very fussy girl as a child and would always want to do things alone. I would rather play alone or be by myself. If Faye had a clean dress on, I would also want a clean dress. If mother should put a dress on Faye that was not exactly like the dress I had on, I would cry and carry on until I was wearing one just like she was wearing. We were very similar in appearance but our habits and actions were very much different.
When I was small I had formed a habit of sucking on a comfort [pacifier]. I had one which was special, and if I couldn’t have the comfort I was dissatisfied. On day Mother had gone to Salt Lake and had left me in the care of my father. I was playing in the back of our lot where my father was busy chopping wood. In some way or other the thing turned up missing. Daddy hunted around but could not find it. In his search he found a lot that had one been in use and put them in a row. I would go along and feel each one, to see if it was the one but none of them was. I continue to cry for it and Father continue the search. It was not found until the next day, so I must have cried a bucket-full. It happened that it had gotten lost in the wood, so Mother sterilized it and I was again happy. The happenings of the day before had been forgotten.
We had a little pipe in front of our house which always had a little water on top. I would lie down on my stomach and drink from it. When my baby teeth come in they were rather uneven from the effects of the pipe and so Mother said that the thing would have to be covered over. After my second teeth were in, Daddy took the covering off and I started the same habit again. Each time I would touch the pipe I would bump my tooth a little and so to this day I have a nice little piece of gold in my tooth. I am sure the gold in my tooth is worth more than all the sips of water I got from the pipe, but I would rather not have a broken tooth. This is one of my greatest regrets.
When I was small I said and did many cute things. To this day I can still remember a little incident I had with our milk agent. We were taking milk from my uncle at that time. They lived about two blocks from us and I happened to know the way. We had a certain little bucket that was used to bring the mild in. One day while no one was watching, I took the bucket in hand and left. When I turned up missing, the search began. Later, I was found down at my uncle’s crying because they would not give me any milk. Daddy said, “Why Fawn, we don’t get milk now. Mother got the milk this morning.” I went back home and sulked around because I thought I was old enough to get the milk.
I was always a girl who loved dolls. I can remember dolls that I had when I was very small and the dolls I had when I was older. If I happened to have a nickel or dime I would always buy a doll. I was careful with them, and do not know or remember of ever breaking a doll in my whole life. I thought too much of them and treated them too much like human beings.
One Tuesday afternoon when I was about five, Mother had gone to a meeting. At that time I had a head of pretty brown curls. I liked them a lot but I thought it wouldn’t matter if I got rid of a few, maybe one or two. I found a pair of scissors and went out into the shed and cut off one of the back-most curls. When mother discovered the act, she was sorry I had done it and then I realized my action. However, that was just another little act that made my life more interesting.
I had always looked forward to the day when I could start school. After I had been there but a short time, I received a disappointment. School was so different that I had anticipated. I had many happy times but I could not enter with the spirit very well until I reached third grade.
In the third grade, I had a teacher who understood every phase in childhood, and in some way she seemed to understand me and in this way my idea changed toward school. It was not long until I fell in love with it. She was to me my most ideal school teacher because she seemed to put her faith in me and give me things to do individually. To her I owe much respect because she did so much for me. I had responsibilities to take care of and this helped me to be less dependent on others.
I was in many of the school activities and enjoyed working in them. I won a small badge for writing. The Palmer Method Company offered a token of honor to the students who could reach certain standards in writing correctly. I have the pin to this day and it is a treasure to me.
During my elementary years of school I formed a habit of writing notes at home and asking for things I wanted. One night Father called Faye to him and was going to give her some money. I felt slighted so immediately I wrote him a note and told him what was what. I have kept this note and love it truly to this day because it shows my character when I was small. [At some point in the past, the note was removed from Fawn’s original diary entry.]
In the 5th grade we were having a contest to see who could be the first one to get their teeth checked by a dentist. It took some time but I finally decided to go to the dentist. The first time I went I told him not to do a thing but to just tell me what needed to be done. I thought that if there was little to be done I would hurry back to his office, but if my teeth needed a lot of attention I would not go to see him again. He said he could fix me up in one visit and I went back without delay. Oh, what a time I had! I thought he was drilling a hole through my head. I finished up nevertheless and got the slip containing his signature, but I would never go again because of the treatment I received.
I considered myself quite a young lady when I was starting school and so on our 6th birthday my Mother said, “Now, Faye and Fawn, you have been such nice girls that I am going to let you do the dishes.” That was enough. We put on our little aprons and proceeded. We considered it quite a privilege then, but how times do change. No we are always thrilled to think of a time that we can get out of doing the dishes, but I was just a child then.
I was getting along in years when I had teacher who wanted to be smart, in my opinion. It was nearing Christmas in the year of 1927. I was looking toward Santa bringing me so many wonderful things. The subject was brought up of Santa and she laughed and said, “Do all of my 5th grade students still believe in Santa?” We all nodded that we did. She proceeded to tell us that our parents were the ones who gave us so many wonderful things. I cried to think of the disappointment and it caused my attitude toward her to change. To this day, Christmas has never been the same thrill to me.
My years in junior high were the happiest times so far in my life. I had a hard time learning to dance. I was rather bashful or backward. After we had been drilled on dancing with the boys in our class, all the fear and backwardness of dancing left me and I began to be more sociable with the boys as far as dancing was concerned. I took more interest in school because I had that to look forward to. I had a few little boy friends or beaus, as we called them, in junior high. We would go out to the little school dances and parties which all added to the pleasant times at school.
I was interested in cooking and sewing during junior high school and always wanted to progress in those fields because I felt like I would need the information I could get out of those classes to help me in later years. The first article I made in sewing was rather small for me and unnneat (sic). Also the first food I cooked was not up to par but then I never gave up and I feel like I received a benefit from it.
When I went into junior high, I was old enough to work and earn a little money for my own use. My first job was picking strawberries. I hated to do it but I know that it would help me in many ways so I stuck with it. After the next year I received fun out of it and made some progress also.
In working I earned my own spending money. This of course taught me the value of money. I was allowed to buy some of my own clothes and I could learn the things that were best suited to me.
Then next occupation I learned was doing house work. I liked to go out and help our neighbor ladies do their work. This increased my knowledge in the tasks of a house keeper and I loved the work. From me learning this while I was young I had a job where a lady placed enough confidence in me to let me take care of her home.
It was not long until three years had flown by and I was leaving a dear junior high. The name of that school was Dixon Junior High. I loved that school and the memory of the years I spent there are dear to me. When I left I gave a speech at our graduation exercises. I was proud that the students of my grade had chosen me as one of the students to represent them. I was frightened at the responsibility as I was still very young and inexperienced. Through the help of the Lord and my mother’s prayers, I did my task successfully. I prepared my speech alone. I worded it alone, and planned every phase of it alone. When I gave the speech I felt that it was a part of me because it was all my work and it was I whom was doing it.
For that night I had a dainty pale green dress of flat crepe. Faye had a dress like it only pale pink. I had white accessories and to this day I love to look back at that night and think how honored I was.
My years crept on and I found myself entering into senior high school. I look at life in a more serious way now and instead of thinking of how much fun I can have or get out of life, I think of what benefits I can receive from living.
I take more pride in the way I dress now, because I want to appear clean, neat, and attractive as most young girls do. Now my actions are changed and I no more like to do silly things but the more refined things of life such as reading, singing, or sewing. In fact, my whole idea or view of life has changed to a more serious purpose.
Gee! My sophomore year was tough, but then I had a lot of fun. I know that I was looked upon as a small child to the more advanced students in school, but then they also had one sophomore year to pass through.
A twin is a very interesting person. It is interesting to see how they differ and how they are alike. I rather like being a twin because I have a companion with me always. We of course, like all sisters, have our troubles, but then I think I have a wonderful sister and I love her always. We have different ideas of things. She likes dresses that I would never consent to buying and she is that way with some I put before her. She picks her friends sometimes differently from me and we judge them or have different opinions toward them. On some things we are exactly alike and I suppose that that is the only way you can tell that we are twins, because we are very different from each other. We take the same interest in in school and church activities and I think that twin life is lots of fun.
I had a chance to attend my first public dance this summer. Mother had objected to the idea but I had a boy ask me to go so Mother consented. I enjoyed the evening immensely. I have not been to one since because I feel like a regular habit of going to public dances is not good for any young girl.
I was born and have been raised under the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have taken an interest in its activities all through my life. I attained a record in the Second Ward in which I live of not missing a single Sunday at Sunday School in seven years. In my Mutual work I also take an active part and interest. I was elected at the beginning of the Mutual year as activity leader of my class as a Junior Girl. I have a splendid teacher and enjoy the lessons she puts over each Mutual evening.
I helped teach a class of small children in Primary and enjoyed it a lot. After I had attended primary for seven years I graduated into the Mutual and received a card of promotion.
This year at school I have been on the Provo High School girls’ baseball team. We had a number of interesting games. We played a game with our faculty and had a thrilling game. The score was tied and it grew too dark to continue so we stopped. Spanish Fork got it over on us and we lost but I enjoyed being on it any way. I love the activity we have in our school and I think that it plays a part in every ones life and I know that it does especially in mine.
I belong to several clubs and I have a great time attending them. One club is the Cardeco Club of which we have a fine group of young girls. Then also I belong to the English Club and I take a great interest in the girls’ organizations in our school.
Hobbies play a part in my role of life which I truly enjoy. My special hobbies that I love are: 1) Swimming 2) Tennis 3) Dramatic Arts 4) Fine Literature 5) Dancing 6) Gathering fine things of life. If we pick out a few things we like to do better than anything else in life we benefit from it because it helps us to learn the finer things in living and to know more about that certain thing.
There are two little sentiments which I have carried through my later years of life which are dear to me. I often think of them and try to live up to them. First – This world we are living in is mighty hard to beat. You get a thorn with every rose, but aren’t the roses sweet? Second – A train will get you where you want to go, but truth, honesty, and dependability will get you where you want to be.
As I am not old enough to be thinking seriously of what I intend to be, the only aim that I can hope to attain is that I can have live a clean, honest, and beneficial life. I hope that I can always see my own faults as I see others and may I always climb forward and never slip back.
I remain, Fawn Jones, student
From the context of this “life story”, it appears Fawn wrote it when she was a high school student. I must have been a writing assignment because at the end of the narrative, an adult had written, “Excellent. Well done.”
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A Christmas letter written by Fawn, Reno, Nevada, December 20, 1962
Dear Family Members and Loved Ones,
This Christmas finds us very happy and so grateful for all our blessings. Much has happened this year, as Dean was put in as Bishop on March 18th, 1962. Bruce and Margaret have moved to Reno and he and Dean are enjoying being dentists together (THE PAINLESS TAYLORS). We are waiting for a mission call to come to Deanna and know that this will be a great blessing to us. It is wonderful to belong to the “Missionary Taylor Family”. What a thrill for Dad and Mother Taylor to go to Texas on a full time mission. Then there’s Larry, Robert, and Lorraine all out in the field with Deanna and Glen leaving soon. The Taylor family has quite a group of missionaries out. Deanna’s boy friend, Allan Robison, is in Nashville, Tennessee, and what a missionary he is! We think he is a real swell boy.
Fawn is still secretary in the Relief Society. Deanna is the Stake Mia Maid leader and chorister in the Junior Sunday School. Dayna is the organist for Primary and also the Junior Sunday School organist. We all keep busy helping Dean be a good bishop and what a challenge we have as a family to always be found doing the Lord’s work.
This past year we have done some nice things together as a family. One trip was to Chico, California where we saw the largest tree of its kind in the world. They say that 8,600 persons can stand in its shade and it is over 1000 years old. It is a Hooker Oak Tree. Dan and Michael enjoyed deer hunting together and with Michael’s sharp eye, Dean was able to get a nice big 4-point buck. We have lots of “deer” now — Christmas all year round. On another trip we went north from San Francisco and visited the Big Sur Redwoods. We really enjoyed seeing these huge trees, growing so straight and tall and with hardly any foliage or limbs on them.
Our good friends, Reed and Alberta Roberts, are coming back to Reno for the holidays, so Saturday and Sunday nights we will be out Christmas caroling with them. We are so much looking forward to this thrill and it really spreads the Christmas spirit.
Our most valuable possessions are our loved ones. To each of you we send best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Signed, Dean, Fawn, Dee, Dayna, Linda, Michael
Here is Christmas poem written by Deanna
Twas the week before Christmas and in every room
Fawnie was busy with duster and broom.
Ol’ Doc Taylor was busy at his office too,
Thanks to the Christmas candy his patients all chew.
And for Dayna and Linda and Michael and Dee,
It was a time of togetherness and trimming the tree.
The food in the kitchen makes the whole house smell sweet,
Christmas at the Taylors always means good things to eat.
From attic to basement there’s mistletoe and holly,
For we know Ol’ Santa likes everything jolly.
But not for a minute do we ever forget,
The wonderful reasons why our tree lights are lit.
And up on the mantle where everyone can see,
Is the sweet baby Jesus and so tiny is he.
So to each of our family, loved ones and friend,
May we wish that this happiness never will end.
Love,
Dean, Fawn, Dee, Dayna, Linda, Michael
Random remembrances from Fawn, written on a piece of scrap paper:
- June 3, 1955 – Deanna graduated from 8th grade at B. D. Billinghurst Junior High
- June 7, 1955 – Fawn was operated on for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. She came home from the hospital on June 11, and had stitches out at doctor’s office on June 15.
- Birth of the twin girls – Fay made her appearance first, then 10 minutes later Fawn was born
- Startup candy company, Daddy brought home candy
- Mrs. Clements coming
- Saw the cougars up at BYU
- Our picnics to Pioneer Park
- Leadership with Mother
- Swimming at the old Provo High pool
- Swimming at North Park, taking our lunch
- Up to Ropers, Lorna’s china lessons
- I wrote my name on our house, Daddy painted around it
- I Love Lucy shows
- Beet dump
- February 9, 1955 – Michael and I were hit by a car
- November 3, 1951 – We moved into our house at 1237 Mark Twain Avenue in Reno
- March 21, 19__ – We left South Carolina
- April 11, 19__ – We arrived in Atascadero, California
- Reno, how much fun it was to go to Virginia Lake and feed the ducks all of our stale bread. We would save the bread for a few months and then go feed the birds.
- I was a Sunday School teacher during 1959.
- As a teenager, I played summer league softball and had so much fun. We were called “Dennie’s Own”.
- I can’t remember much of what my parents said to me in my life but I remember very well how they lived, and that is the important thing in my life. “It’s not what you say but how you live!”
- Dean called my pillow a “fluffed-up hankie”. This tickled him.
- One time when Dean was horse-back riding in the mountains, he lost his glasses. He went back up to the same spot the next day, hoping to find them. A young boy had found them and took them to his parents. They had the glasses in their camping trailer. Dean was so thrilled to get them back. I sent the little boy $10 as a reward for finding the glasses. He was a deacon.
- Dr. George E. Robinson delivered all of my mother’s children except Bill, the last child. Bill was delivered by Dr. Stanley Clark.
- Fawn was born in the lovely town of Provo, Utah. When she came to earth, she didn’t have to come alone. With her came her sweet twin sister, Fay. Her loving parents were overjoyed. So were Inez, Ruth, and Lorna, our older sisters.
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