Son of Ray Curtis Cook and Lydia Jane Babcock Cook
Husband of Dorthea Hermanson and Dortha Deardall Coom
Father to
David Laurel Cook
and 6 more.
Laurel Chauncey Cook - Personal History
Personal History of Laurel Chauncey Cook
Written by his wife, Doratha Deardall Coom
(copied over, 1982 - re-typed 2012)
Laurel was born of goodly parents on Sunday 6 Jan. 1907, in Taber, Alberta Canada, their fourth child to Ray Curtis Cook, and Lydia Jane Babcock Cook. His parents went to Canada to homestead and settle there. He lived there until he was 3 years old. Before leaving Utah, his parents went to Salt Lake City and to the Salt Lake Temple, where they were sealed for time and eternity, with their two children, Arthur Ray and Mary, who passed away at the age of 2 years from kidney trouble.
In 1905, another son was born, named Benjamin Floyd; another brother in 1909. named Austin Albern. Shortly afterwards, his parents moved back to Utah. Laurel received his name from a dear friend of his mother in Canada. They lived in Stirling, Alberta, Canada, where his father was employed as a coke and boiler man. His father was firing when he was born. The family moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah, until he was ten years old. He was baptized on 31 July 1915, by B. Ernst Rasmussen, and confirmed 1 Aug. 1915, by William L. Hayes.
He said many times they had many trying experiences in Pleasant Grove. Many times they went to bed hungry, because there was no food in the house. But he didn’t help the situation - he would go to the chicken coop, take the eggs, and exchange them for candy. In those days you could do this. He was ten years old, when they moved to West Jordan, Utah. He did attend school in Pleasant Grove. He had a hard time learning. He had broken his wrist while trying to crank the car.
He told me that one time Grandmother Babcock came to visit them in Pleasant Grove. They were so happy to see her. But she said, “Go out and play. I didn’t come to visit you, only your mother.” This really hurt him very much. Grandfather Cook lived by them in a small house. His father’s wages were very small, and his mother tried very hard to make ends meet, with such a large family.
In 1921 when he was about 14 years old, his father sold the farm, and moved to West Jordan. He was to buy the farm, called the Kirkham Ranch, but instead, rented it. His grandfather moved along with them. Grandmother Cook had passed away in 1915. By this time, they had a large family. In 1912, another brother was born named Berl B. in January; a sister, Helma in 1914; a sister Lucy Jane, 1916; a brother Oliver Curtis, in 1919; a brother Paul B. 1921; a brother Rulon 1924; and Vardis Marion in 1927.
It was still very hard for him to learn, but when he did, he didn’t forget easily. He told one time while returning home from school one afternoon some boys picked a fight with him under the Midvale trestle, and he said he took care of them, and they didn’t bother him again. These boys had picked fights with the other children.
At the age of 16, Laurel decided to run away from home. No one knew why he went or where he went. His mother worried a great deal about him. She knew he had some problems and was discouraged. She was bedside herself with grief. She had a dream about him, that he had drowned or something of serious nature, but he did return home.
In 1923, he and his brother Floyd went to work at the Midvale Smelter. He also worked at Lark and Butterfield mines. His brother Floyd, took with pneumonia in 1928, and in Dec. passed away. Floyd also had some heart problems.
The family now moved to the Kenki farm, then again to the Bennion farm. One of Laurel’s choicest friends was Wilford Phelps of Midvale, whom he met while herding sheep. He also worked at the Dahl Dairy. Laurel attended very little church at this time, as he was not interested. He did not want to be forced to do it, so he became very reluctant about attending church. He was ordained a deacon in Pleasant Grove 2nd Ward, by Elder Joseph Edward Bush. He had to be in the right frame of mind to attend church.
He was a hard worker. In the mines, he did the work of two men. Laurel and his frined, Wilford, went to dances at the BLuebird Dance all in Salt Lake, where he met hsi first wife, Dorothea Ottelia Hermansen. When Laurel was dating Dorthea, H., he and his friend, Wilford and girlfriend, Esebel Larson, went to Saltair for a day of fun. He remarked about riding the Roller Coaster, and how they really enjoyed their day riding the roller coaster was lots for fun, screaming and laughing.
He had begun courting Dorothea in Dec. 1928, and became engaged in 1929. After 5 months they were married, 5 June 1929, in Salt Lake City, Utah by
He and his bride moved to Tooele, Utah, and he worked for about two months, then they moved back to Salt Lake City to live with her mother, Minnie Hermansen. He, the, began working for his brother-in-law, Jorgen P. Hermansen. He was a contractor and carpenter, building homes and garages, and other buildings. On 1`4 Feb. 1930, Laurel became a father to a lovely baby daughter, named LaVon Elynn; she was premature and yellow at birth.
They continued to live with Dorothea’s mother until after the birth of their second child, another daughter names Valerie Evelyn, born 14 July 1931 in Salt Lake. He then began building a 2-room home for the family on the property of his parents. They moved into their new home before their 3rd child was born, a son on 10 July 1932, in the Salt Lake County Hospital. David was premature also, and lived in an incubator until he was able to breathe better.
Work was scarce, and Laurel left his wife and family and went to Wyoming, and found work there. He did not want to leave his family. Dorothea’s health was not good, and did not gain as as she should, and the Bishop of the West Jordan Ward went to Wyoming and brought Laurel home. He arrived home a short time before her death, 15 July 1932. David was 5 days old. This was a great shock to him. He was a poor writer, so Dorothea did not recieve many letters, if any, during his absence. His family lived close to Dorothea, and helped her a great deal, especially his oldest sister, Helma, who was about 15 years old. Dorothea was buried in the West Jordan Cemetery, a place she was not too happy in. It was a long way from anyone, and her family.
After her death, he became a loner. Dorothea was a kind and loving person. Laurel’s parents, Ray and Lydia Cook, cared for the two girls, and Dorothea’s family took care of David. Freddie, an aunt, took care of David. Freddie had lost a baby shortly before David was born.
Laurel was a great teaser, but couldn’t be teased himself. He told me when LaVon was learning to walk in the walker, he decided to go up to his folks to visit. It had rained and the field was muddy; LaVon tried to push the walker and follow her father. He would walk a few feet, then call, “Come on, LaVon.” She would try, then cry, and then go on.
Grandmother Hermanson was a widow who had lost her husband through an accident and was left with a large family. Laurel loved her dearly. He said she was the most understanding person he had ever known. SHe never talked wrongly about anyone’ she spoke well of everyone, gave of her means whenever possible. She tried to teach him in the proper way to go and live, that he might have a greater desire to serve his Heavenly Father, and remain true an faithful in all things. She taught her children to be honest and upright citizens, and to be kind and loving to one another They were a close-knit family.
Laurel remained a widower for 2 and a half years. Laurel had a saying like this: “Do as I say, not as I do.” At this time both families were caring for his children. in 1934, Laurel met a young widow in Midvale, Utah, and began courting her. She had two children (sons) the same age as his children, which presented a problem when the word ‘marriage’ was discussed.
At this time his cousin, Harold Scott, son of Clark and Dora Cook Scott, passed away, and Laurel was asked to be a pallbearer at the cousin’s funeral, which he accepted, and traveled to Provo, Utah, for graveside services in the Provo City cemetery. After the services, the families traveled to Springville, Utah, to the home of Clark’s sister, Sarah, or Sadie as she was known, for a family dinner.
Here he met his second future wife, Doratha, May 1934. When the families were getting ready to leave, Laurel said, “I’ll be back.” It was nearly four months before he was able to come back and it was hard times and took that long to save money to make the trip back. Doratha, with he busy life, had forgotten about this and didn’t seem anxious to see him when he did come. BUt they did begin their courting days. This went on four months, seeing each other as much as possible, as money earned between times could be saved.
Grandmother Hermansen was instrumental in this coutrship through financial support. He was also seeing Myrl, too. Then Doratha’s aung Maud became ill and her grandfather Beardall asked her to go to Hurricane, Utah to care and work for her, until she could be on her feet again. WHen she returned home, they resumed their courtship. It was so strange each time he came, he would have a flat tire, so it was patch upon patch, and pinch each penny. But we attended a few movies, did some visiting. It was still hard times and he didn’t have a steady job.
Laurel had built a 2-room house for his first family, but had it rented at this time. Laurel attented church with me even to going with me in my 3-year old class. (Sunday School). Doratha was active in the Church. Doratha’s parents had said, “We must bid our daughter goodbye; she has found her companion.” But Laurel’s father and mother did not want this, because grandma did not like her mother.
Laurel came down to get me and take me back to West Jordan to visit for the weekend as his birthday was January 6th. Saturday morning we made plans to go to Salt Lake and get married. Doratha’s mother made this statement: “Don’t go to Salt Lake while you’re up there.” But I was disobedient and went to Salt Lake. Laurel’s father gave us a sheep pelt, which we sold and got our marriage license, and returned to Midvale, Utah, and was married by Bishop Aurelius Rasmussen of the Midvale 1st Ward. I was married in my best dress, a blue chiffon with flowers on it. No pictures were taken, no money, no honeymoon, no place to stay only at his folk’s which was already full.
We stayed until the renters moved out. In the SUnday paper was our license. My mother’s neighbor called her and told her about our marriage. So Monday we went down to Springville to pick up my clothes and wedding gifts which my mother had given me a shower before. Mother was enraged and angry and asked us to leave and never return, which we did. But in 3 months a pleading letter came, “Please come home.” A family group picture was taken. My wife was 23 years and I, 28 years old. We both did not need parent’s consent.
Dortha’s mother wanted a Temple marriage, but Laurel was not ready to be ordained. He was a deacon at this time. He was not ready to attend church regularly or priesthood meetings. But I loved him dearly and would do anything to be worthy to be his wife, so on 17 April 1935, Laurel was ordained an Elder by William Laurence Leek of West Jordan, Utah, a happy moment in our lives.
We then moved into our house with our little family, two little girls, LaVon and Valerie. The oldest girl had been very ill with typhoid fever and had spent some time in County General Hospital. While there she asked me to be her new mother. She wanted to be with her father. She was nearing her 5th birthday. She was a special child in her father’s sight. My new home had no running water, only lights. Water was hauled from a near-by tap by barrels on the back of a trailer or truck. My first problem was water. Doratha came from a large family.
At this time David had not come to live with us. But one special afternoon, Davie came to live with us. He was 2 and a half years old, March 1935. But Davie did not want to stay and cried and took off up the highway following his grandmother. He was going home. He was brought back by his father, and things were put in order. This was a special experience for me. Laurel was without a job at this time, but we managed by being careful with our means. I had good health and I tried very hard to be a good mother to those loving children.
We remained in West Jordan until August, and them we moved to Park City, Utah, where Laurel found work in the mines working at the Park Consolidated Mine. We moved into a 2 -room cabin. Park City had many bad winters, with snow to the window sills, and when you walked up and down Main Street, the snow was piled up and you couldn’t see a car going up or down the street.
Laurel was a hard worker and provided us with the necessary things of life. His wages were $3.50 a day. But we could buy a loaf of bread for 10 cents, and two pounds of hamburger for 25 cents. Rend was low, like $10.00 a month for a 2-room cabin. It was a very cold winter and lots of snow. I was now expecting my first baby which was due in March 1936, and I was doing OK. Our Christmas that year was very poor, and we didn’t have much to manage on, but we did our best under the circumstances at that time.
David was such a loving child, but was very active and got into everything. He made steps out of the cupboard drawers to get into the cupboard. After he had finished eating, he would turn his plate upside down on his head-- oh, what a mess. He would turn the water hose on people going up or down the road. He was very headstrong.
In our two-room cabin, 3rd or March, at 2 pm in the afternoon, our first baby was born, a baby girl weighing in at 7 lbs. with lots of dark hair. Now this 2-room cabin was crowded and not too warm, abut we managed for while. Then David had pneumonia and was very ill. Then we moved up to Main Street to a house that had more room. It was at the end of Main Street on the Judge mine property. We lived there for some time. With this place, Valerie, the 2nd child, fell from the wall that surrounded our house to the street. She was ill for some time from brain concussion. Doratha worked with her applying cold cloths on her head, and plenty of quiet and rest.
We didn’t call or take her to the doctor, but learned later that my wife had done the right thing for her until she was well again. This home had icicles on the bathroom walls in the winter time. We then moved again down in the railroad yards to another small house but was comfortable.
Now my wife was expecting again with our 2nd child and problems arose, and we were forced to leave Park City and moved back to West Jordan. We had already sold our 2-room home. Because my parents had lost their home there, and they, too, had to move. We rented a 3-bedroom basement apartment there of the Goodridge home near the West Jordan cemetery.
Laurel continued to work in Park City and rode in a car pool. My wife’s health was not good at this time. As winter was coming on, riding plans were changed and Laurel found a 1-room cabin, and stayed there during the week and came home on the weekend. It was very cold, but he kept well. This was very hard for his family, but with the help of the landlord, my family was watched over during the week.
LaVon and Valerie were now going to school in West Jordan. It was very hard for her to care for the children as she was in poor health. Our son was born 28 Dec. 1937, in this basement apartment. Laurel continued to work at the mine. It was now getting warmer and he could come home at night, and this did help her a lot. We lived in West Jordan until Curtis was eight months old, and then we moved back to Park City again (1938).
Laurel was not going to church at all. The family did attend sometimes. Laurel was a sports fan and liked wrestling at the Colosseum in Salt Lake, and whenever possible, he would attend them. Laurel liked to read, also liked to visit his friends and talk old times, and he loved dancing. Here in Park City, we did attend a few dances. We attended a dance for the Polio fund, and we won the cake that night. We shared it with friends.
The snow was so deep and very slick. The round-belly stove heated the hall. We had many good times there. We now lived on Norfolk Avenue in a 2-bedroom home. It was here that Laurel nearly lost his life. There was a cave-in at the mine and he was trapped for 2 hours, with a 2x4 across his neck. The men dug him out and he was examined and sent home to rest. The 2x4 had formed an air pocket which saved his life. But the air was almost gone when they reached him. He was shaken up and bruised. He returned to work the next morning. I know the Lord had a hand in his recovery and was not seriously hurt.
Curtis was our baby then, and was a good baby. We now lived in hte Park CIty 2nd Ward. LaVon did well in school, and Valerie and David were also doing good in school. LaVon was having problems with children who wanted to make trouble, so she took care of that situation to protect her sister and brother. She settled the fights; she was a good fighter. The children were attending school at the Marsac Elementary School.
Now we moved again to Woodside Avenue down near the Park City Hospital to a larger home with more room for a growing family. Here Curtis’ leg was broken by children playing on the fence, and it gave way, and fell on Curtis’ leg. He was a very active child and wore out three casts before his leg was well. Laurel at this time was working on the side building cupboards to help our finances.
We were living on Norfolk when our next child was born, a daughter Beverly, 29 Oct. 1939. Here I was having problems again with my health before Beverly was born. Two months before, I developed albumin and it was very difficult for me to get around.
WHen Laurel came home from work one day, I said, “I must see a doctor. I need help and now.” My legs and feet were so swollen that I could hardly walk. So I was taken to my mother’s in Springville, Utah to the doctor there, and put to bed until my baby was born. And here she almost lost her life and the unborn infant. SHe was born premature, and was a blue baby, and for 14 days it was not known if she owuld live or myself.
Through prayer and the priesthood, my wife and baby daughter did recover and was helped and we soon returned to our home and the family. Again we moved to Deer Valley in a home owned by Milton Pedersen. It was closer to Laurel’s work and the children’s school, but not large enough for a large family.
At tnis time Laurel wanted to do some farming, so he bought a second-[hand tractor and rented some ground at the bottom end of Park City. I don’t remember the acreage, but he raised hay and grain.
1940-41: At this time, his brother Rulon came to help him. It was still hard times, and we didn’t own a refrigerator nor an icebox, so we could only buy perishables only a few days ahead. The wife fixed our lunches at lunchtime, Rulon said his lunch didn’t taste good or had spoiled and he was very unhappy as he was hungry. The winter was hard and out heater in the house was a small heatrola, but money was still scarce, and we tried to burn slack in the heatrola from Coalville mine, and it didn’t want to burn in the heatrola. We heated out water on top of the stove for washing and bathing. Slack coal was reasonable and we hauled it from Coalville, Utah.
1941-1942: So in May 1942, we moved to Union, Utah, and rented a 1-room house until we could do better. Laurel continued to work in Park City and he also took up farming in Sandy, Utah, renting ground in the Sandy area. In Oct. 1942, we purchased 13 and a half acres of land, and built a garage to live in until we could save enough money to start a new home. This we lived in until 1946. We moved into our unfinished home. But we needed more room for our growing family. There were six children in that garage, with only lights. We hauled our water in barrels behind the tractor or on a trailer. Times were still very hard.
We started our new home in 1944, digging the basement by tractor and a shovel, and by hand. David, our oldest, who was 12 years old, behind the shovel and Laurel on the tractor. The forms were put up by myself and the cement was poured; it was the Oct. 1944. Then the bricks were laid, 12 bricks high by professional brick layers, who never came back, and they were paid overtime and still never came back. And so Laurel laid the rest of the bricks with the help of his brother-in-law, Jorgen P. Hermansen.
At this time Laurel was employed by Gibbons and Reed co., hauling sand and gravel. WHile returning from work on evening, he and his rider, Roy Pederson, in the truck had an accident under the Midvale underpass, 7 Nov. 1944. They were hurt but Laurel’s life was spared again. He continued to work on the house every space moment he could.
We moved in 1946. That summer Doratha had secured work secured work at the Payless Drugstore on Broadway in Salt Lake as a stock girl, and she worked there until June 1947, when she was forced to quit work because of ill health, and she was expecting her fourth child, and was ill the full nine months, hardly able to care for her family.
So on 23 February 1948, our 4th child was born, with a difficult birth, weighing 9 lbs. 1 oz. with curly brown hair, strong and health 21” tall. I shall never forget when Laurel brought us home from the hospital, how thrilled the family was for their new baby sister. Susan. They wanted to hold her all the time.
June 1946: Laurel was now employed at American Smelting & Refining in Murray, Utah. Then the refining in Murray closed down, and the men were sent out to the Garfield Smelter, and he continued to work on the farm. We then bought 35 acres in West Jordan, but we didn’t have irrigation water, so our crops nearly failed, so he sold the ground and farmed only in Sandy.
Laurel continued to farm until his sons were married and his health began to fail him. On 8 Jan. 1948, he took his family to the Salt Lake Temple, and was sealed for time and eternity, which was a special occasion. The next day we returned to the Temple with brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and e never went again.
When Curtis received his mission call, Laurel and I went with him to the Church offices, and Curtis was ordained a missionary by Elder Marion D. Hanks. Laurel laid his hands on Curtis’ head with Elder Hanks. I asked him why he did this and he answered, “Because I desired it.” It was very hard while Curtis was on his mission. Kennecott was on strike for nine months.
I don’t remember what year, but one summer our grain field was ripe and ready to harvest, and a fire started at the south end of the roadway. We saw the fire, and started to beat it out with wet sacks. The wind was blowing from the south, fanning toward the grain field. The fire department was called. The fire did not burn our field. The Hand of the Lord protected this field of grain. Many said Laurel paid his tithing and his field was protected, and many times his life was spared.
When Curtis was in high school, he belonged to the 4-H class, and he raised a beautiful steer calf. We owned a harvester at this time and we cut grain for customers from daylight until after dark, in season, and many many trials at this time. Curtis tied his calf to the trailer and went to bed. In the morning, he put his calf out in pasture and it bloated and died before help could be found. This was a very disappointing experience. We raised tomatoes, grain, hay, fruit. We also had one large chicken coop with 900 laying hens in it, 30 head of pigs, milk cows, and calf for meat for our livelihood. We also raised turkeys and fryers.
in 1966, the Bishop of the 7th Ward asked for help on the building fund for our new chapel. Laurel offered 1/4 of an acreage of ground, plowed, harrowed, and marked for planting. The priesthood and the Relief Society planted a cucumber patch in the first week in July. The cucumbers really grew in the sandy soil. The Priesthood and the Relief Society hoed and weeded and the crops really grew. We harvested $400.00 worth of cucumbers to help on the building fund. My wife was in charge and she did a very good job. Here again we were blessed.
Then in 1967 we sold some of the acreage and no longer farmed. Laurel retired at 62 years because of ill health. He had lung trouble, and could not get a good breath of air.
In 1966 we as a family traveled to Salt Lake for a family group picture. When the pictures were finished, there were no family group pictures, just single ones, which we treasured because there were no other pictures taken. Laurel loved candy and always had some around when the family and grandchildren came to visit.
Laurel was a home teacher and enjoyed going with Sid Ottesen. He had a testimony of the Gospel. He paid a full tithing in his later years.
In 1971 July, Laurel bought a used 21 foot trailer and in November, we traveled to Overton, Nevada, and stayed there about 3 months. It was lower altitude and warmer weather, hoping to help his health and lungs, but he was so homesick, and it did not help him hardly at all. So we came home and he gradually became worse.
In 1972 he retired from Kennecott Copper Smelter which he had been employed for 22 years. He then got to the stage of needing oxygen the clock around. He steadily got worse, and was taken to the Cottonwood Hospital with bladder and prostate, and pneumonia, and while there, he suffered a slight heart attack, and was put in the intensive care unit. He did recover and came home, but in Ja. 1974 he steadily became worse, so in March he was taken to the St. Mark’s Hospital, and became worse and passed away 9 March 1974.
Laurel loved to read the church books. His reading needed help which his wife did her best to do. He loved his children and grandchildren very much. He left a posterity of 22 grandchildren, 7 children. Services were held in the Union 7th Ward chapel on 12th March at 1:00pm, and was buried in the West Jordan cemetery.
His first daughter, LaVon Eylnn, was married to Laurence Righardson Brusnahan, 10 Feb. 1951, in Salt Lake.
Second daughter, Valerie Evelyn, married James A. Oviatt, Dec. 1950 in alt Lake and later was sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.
A son, David Laurel Cook, married Carol Rodgers, 17 June 1951, Salt Lake Temple and divorced in 1955. Married Elna Maureen Howard 11 Feb. 1961, later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.
#4 Marilyn Cook, Married George Charles Morris, 24 September 1956 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
#5, Alvin Curtis Cook, married Patricia Gordon, 3 Nov. 1961 in the Salt Lake Temple.
#6 Beverly Cook, married Jerry Allan Bloodworth, 9 March 1956, in Sandy, Utah, in the family home by Bishop Collin H. Wood.
#7 Susan Cook, married Lyle Melvin McManigal, 18 Sept. 1966, in Las Vegas, Nevada, divorced, and married Gary Clegg of Midway, Utah, Sept. 1976, divorced 1977; and married Michel Earl Eaton, 26 Oct. 1979 in Sandy, Utah by Bishop Kenneth Kraudy of the 10th Ward.
The children all attended school in the Jordan District, and graduated in this area. They were all good students and hard workers and honest in their dealings.
Laurel loved to travel by himself, which he did as often as possible when money was available.
At this writin gMarch 1982, his posterity is 23 grandchildren, 10 great grand-children (Feb. 1983 11 great-grand children)
Laurel was also employed at Lark, Butterfield, and the Midvale Refining and Smelter Co. in Midvale, Utah.
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