Birth parents:
David Franklin Durfee Find A Grave Memorial# 9076774
Nancy Ellen Hunt Pierce Durfee (who died five weeks after Nila was born)Find A Grave Memorial# 9076777
Foster parents:
Elias Arthur Johnson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903632
Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson Nielson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903602
Nila Durfee Kiesel
[by Nila Durfee Kiesel as complied from her Autobiography written 29 Apr 1943 and a history she wrote of her husband, Alton Kiesel 1 Feb 1974-birth dates of the living removed.]
My name is Nila Durfee. I was born in Aurora, Utah in my Aunt Electa Rhoda Ann Mott Johnson Steven's house November 10, 1925. I was the daughter of Frank Durfee and Nancy Hunt. I was blessed Aug. 10, 1930 by George M. Bartholomew. I was baptized Dec. 4, 1930 by George Beal. I was confirmed Dec. 4, 1933 by James W. Stott.
My mother had a weak heart, caught the flue, and died on the 18th of Dec 1925.
March 13th, Friday 1926 was the happiest and most blessed day in my whole life when I was taken to live with my cousin and his wife- Elias A. Johnson and Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson, who have been the best parents anyone could know or have.
August 10, 1926 we moved to Woodruff, Utah. It was then I started talking. It soon became winter and was very cold. For Christmas we came to Ephraim and after New Year's daddy went back to his work while mother and I stayed in Ephraim. January 31, 1927 daddy had become lonesome so grandpa took us to Ogden, Utah. There we were to board a train for Evanston, Wyoming. While we were waiting for the train I got a severe burn on the hand. Mother made the railroad officials call a Doctor and he tended to it. At Evanston daddy met us and we went home to Woodruff, Utah.
One day I sewed a hole it the toe of daddies sock while it was on his foot, which gave all quite a thrill.
April 6, 1927 we came to Ephraim to attend Vernal Gee's wedding. He was mother's brother and married Leah Larsen Gee of Castledale. Daddy went back and got our furnace in and then we remained in Ephraim.
The fall of 1927 mother took me to a college program. The building was filled as I entered and seeing them all I grabbed my bonnet, breaking all the ribbons and whirled it around my head yelling "Yippee." This embarrassed my mother and made everyone laugh.
Daddy ran a blacksmith shop in Ephraim and mother would take me in the buggy to visit him. As soon as I saw him, I would say, "Dis hand for mama and Dis hand for me," meaning I wanted money.
February 1928 after I was three years we moved to Fayette, Utah. During the following summer on a Tuesday afternoon I was out playing on the ditch bank and caught a little water snake. My great grandmother was there and my mother was combing her hair. Mother's back was turned to the door. I came in with the snake and said, "Here, Mama take dis." She reached behind her, and I handed her the live, cold wet snake. She screamed and threw it across the room, and when she didn't dare to pick it up I says, "I will dit it." But she swept it out instead. Daddy was still working in the shop in Ephraim and came home Saturdays. When he came and mother was telling him of it, I said, "And daddy it had the tinkernist little eyes." They asked me how I knew and I told them I had looked.
The next birthday I was four and I had my first party. Two little girls forgot to give me the money they had brought as a birthday present. Mother went to serve them and I said, "Hey! Wait, they ain't paid their money to me yet!" They immediately got out their money and gave it to me.
The summer I was five, I went to Flossie Millan's kindergarten's class. At the end of it she gave us presents. She gave Amy Millan a set of dishes and me a heart. We each had plenty of those so we suggested we trade, so we did this.
The next fall, I started to school with Miss Whitbeck as a teacher. She stayed at our home. That winter I had appendicitis, yellow jaundice, and intestinal flu all at once. I was in bed, and the Doctor couldn't seem to do much for me. One night about sundown it looked as though I was going to pass away, and daddy ran and got Kenny Bartholomew who came and as he sat there he said, "You surely have a sick little girl." He administered to me and said in it, if it was the Lord's will that I would live and be of comfort to my parents in old age. I immediately started to get better. By the time the month was up I was able to go back to school. I know it was through the will of the Lord and the faith of my parents, relatives, and friends that I am well and living today. That winter it was very cold and I was sleigh ridding on the canal. I remember as I came in a man was there and he teased me because I cried for I had got so cold.
During this same winter Daddy bought and paid for our lot, and on this he built us 2 rooms. And we moved in in February. Miss Whitbeck was my teacher and she rented the south one of these rooms.
I will never forget the thrill of having, at last a place where I could play and no one could call me down. I remember I gathered an armful of boards and brought them down (over) to Daddy asking him if I could play with them or if they were Don's. (Don was the boy where we had been renting.) Daddy told me I could play with anything inside of the fence, and I really did make a play house.
Daddy bought himself a truck and we made several trips into Salt Lake. On one of these trips he and Mother told me I could have either a piano or a bicycle. They would take me in one store and I'd look at pianos, the next store I'd look at bicycles and on and on we went like this all day. At last I chose a piano. We brought this home on the truck along with our Buffett and some other furniture. I had only been home a day or two when I and mother were standing out in the front, and as the mailman passed by he yelled something to Mother. I didn't catch what he said so I asked mother and she said, "He said he'd bring our rug over at noon. The one dad bought in Salt Lake." When the rug came it was a bicycle for me. I had many a time on this bicycle. I didn't know how to ride one but I set out to learn. I soon learned to go but I couldn't stop it or turn around.
I used to play jacks. We also had large rubber balls which we bounced. And we walked poles and sang songs.
I used to dress up in paper dresses and dance for the older people of the town. Everyone liked to have me dance. We played store, taking turns being the store keeper.
Gless Bartholomew was my fourth grade teacher and he took us to Salt Lake at the end of the school year in May. I sprained my one ankle, the night before we left, jumping in a ditch. Mother went along as a chaperone to help take care of the children. We went to the airport, the newspaper factory, the capitol, and to Temple Square. He took us again when I was in the fifth grade. This was my last year in school at Fayette, Utah.
I remember out in front of the schoolhouse there used to be a giant swing and Edna Gee (Mother's sister) used to push me and make me go really high on it. While I was going to this school I had two dreams I was really frightened by. They were dreams about two types of animals I was scared to death of (the pig and the bear.)
When I started the sixth grade I started in Gunnison in the Washington School. My teacher was Theanin H. Clinger. In my Autograph book he wrote, ‘give to the world the best you have, and the best will always come back to you.' I have found this is very true. Here I came in to new friends and classmates and the going was kind of tough for a while until I got located.
In the seventh grade I had Mrs. Clinistensen and the rest of the Fayette class came to join the Gunnison kids.
My eight grade teacher was Laine Anderson, along with Mr. Lads Metcalf, who taught part-time arithmetic.
We had a party (wiener roast) up in the bat-holes east of Gunnison and Blaine told us stories. Along with Virginia Taylor, he entertained us by their teasing each other. This winter for Christmas I had the Chicken Pox and the class took Christmas boxes to the old people of Gunnison. (They did this from a story I told them of a boy giving baskets to the poor.)
We had our graduation exercises on the 22nd of May 1940. We were all in short sport dresses. My dress was of silk and with a satin slip under in a light Pale Blue shade, and had a circular skirt. The puff sleeves were touched here and there with black velvet bows. My part on the program compared people to trains and said more should be engines and less boxcars who depended on others to get where they wanted to go. I never forgot this. Our graduating class made a trip to Salt Lake and one thing I remember best about the trip was the ascent to the top of the Capital Dome. It was only a ladder about a foot and a half across and it went from the side of the Dome at a forty five degrees angle to a little hole in the roof about 3' in diameter. We went up on hands and knees so to speak. I can't remember the scene after reaching there though.
The next year we went to High School. The seventh and eighth went with us also as we were the last graduating class from that school. My most interesting study that year was when in our geography class we finished the textbook early and studied Astronomy for a few weeks. The following Summer I reigned as queen over the July Celebration in Fayette, wearing my 8th grade graduation dress. At the end of my first year at high School as I had taken Chorus, I went to the music festival at Richfield. Then and there I decided I should like to participate in Band so the next year I took Band. I played the cymbals and the tympani Drums. I then participated in every activity in the school practically. I took band the remaining three years and every year went to the Music Festival at Richfield, the Remembrance Days at Ephraim and all the Basketball games. The band traded programs with other Schools too.
I was sick at the time of the Sophomore Swing so couldn't go. At Junior Prom our theme was "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World." In the senior year I also joined the girls Pep club made only of senior girls who went to every Basketball game the boys played to shout for the boys.
Our graduation exercise was scheduled for the 5th of May 1944 but had to be stepped up to the 3rd because of five senior boys having on the 4th to join the Service as we were in war as of December 7 1941. I had graduated from Seminary in 1943. June of 1944 I started working in the Parachutes Company of Utah at Manti. There I worked on a machine (not sewing) and in one afternoon we put out (I and my co-workers) 300 parachutes. In late July or Early August the company sold out to the Reliance Company. I worked on Night Shift there until Christmas of 1944. We rode on the bus. I made connections from Gunnison home to Fayette on the mail. I came off shift at 12:00. I then rode to Gunnison on bus. I slept at Edna's until morning, taking the mail home then and going back at noon and on the bus at 2:30.
It was during the winter of 1944-45. Alton Kiesel, Jake Kiesel and Arthur Johnson all worked together in the Gunnison Turkey Plant Locker Room. I came to see my father Arthur Johnson, and I asked for Mr. Johnson. While looking out the small square hole they threw turkeys out of, Jake said "No, Mr. Johnson isn't here; just Arthur Johnson." So I talked to my father. A few days later, while I and my parents Arthur and Rilla Johnson were walking down Gunnison main street, Alton and Jake came by. The womenfolk walked a short ways and waited while the menfolk stopped to talk. Next day at work, Alton asked Arthur who the pretty young girl was. "Oh, why that was my daughter," answered Dad.
Dad suffered from heart trouble and collapsed at work a couple of different times that fall and winter. At Christmas time we received a card from the young man who had asked who I was. On it was written "Arthur and Family." Dad says why would he send me a card and Mother said, "Why that's note for you, that's for Nila." Later he (Alton Kiesel) wrote and asked of Dad's health. He added he would be pleased to be introduced to the daughter, and could he come and visit. February 22 or 23 on a Wednesday Night he came to call. After being introduced and visiting a while he produced a box of Candy and we all went to the show at Gunnison.
After this he came quite often. Easter came of the 1st of April. This was 1945. Alton was invited to Easter dinner after which he popped the question. It snowed all day. On the 10th of April he brought the set of rings. The engagement ring was set with a diamond and on the sides were 2 lovely Rubies. The wedding ring also had a smaller diamond and slight raises in place of the rubies. Both were of yellow gold and very pretty. On the following ride to Gunnison he purchased a lovely pearl necklace and a lovely box of Candy.
At an Overall and Apron Dance given in Fayette I invited Alton, and my friend Vonda Erickson invited her friend known by the nickname of Spud. Both couples enjoyed lunch at Nila's. Another time we all went to the show at Gunnison and had a malt.
On the 12th of May 1945 Alton Freddie Kiesel of Manti, son of George Christian and Petrea Christine Kiesel of Manti, married Nila Durfee (Johnson) of Fayette. We were married in the Richfield Court House at 1:00 O'clock. Witnesses were Arthur Johnson and Rilla Gee Johnson. I was dressed in a light blue net floor length circular skirt. White gardenias were in my hair and also in the corsage on my shoulder. Gold sandals adorned my feet. The groom was dressed in navy blue. After the ceremonies I changed to street clothes and all enjoyed dinner at Lynn's café. Then all went shopping.
In the beginning of 1945 after the turkey Plant has closed Alton went to work in the Railroad. Then I was working day shift at the Parachute Plant. The shift started at 6:00 A.M. and ended 3:45 P. M. Alton's Co-workers on the Railroad all knew Alton's girlfriend rode the Parachute Bus. Every chance they got they would all wave and shout as the bus passed by way of Jibbing Alton. Later Alton went to work for the Parachute Plant also. He was a guard then as we were still in war. I quit work about the first of May 1945 but Alton continued to work there for some time.
Shower and Dance was held in the Fayette Amusement Hall 4 or 5 days after the Marriage.
Nine months and 2 weeks later we had a Baby Girl born to us. Alton was working for Verl Peterson's garage at the time of the birth of our first child. A baby girl was born, weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz. in the wee hours, at 2:30 A.M. She had black hair and fair skin. We named her Linda Lane Kiesel after Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson. She was born at the Salina Hospital and delivered by Doctor Ray Noyes. I was allowed out of bed at 8 days and returned to Fayette the evening of the 9th day. It was snowing so bad we couldn't hardly drive. We had a 1937 Terrplan. The baby was good until we hit the point where she started to cry, but she stopped when answered. She resumed crying at old Shining Canal and continued to cry until we reached home. Dad opened the door, and then asked if we were coming crazy coming home with a new baby and mother in snow storm like that.
When a neighbor named Bell Mellor saw Alton jump the fence and go into the house, she said, "Nila has had her baby." The evening before, I had failed to appear at the Relief Society Singing Mother's practice, at which I was at that time Chorister of. During the following months when I failed to return to those practices, the town folks came to believe that there was something wrong with the new baby. As my strength returned and I came out to church, someone was heard to remark, "Well, There isn't anything wrong with that baby, she is simply beautiful."
Over a period of time her blue eyes turned to brown and her black hair became lighter only to darken again. She was blessed on the 4th of April 1946, in the home of Arthur Johnson and Rilla Johnson by Arthur Johnson.
While Linda was small, I and my Mother made many dresses with matching bonnets for the little Linda. Her little head was covered with dark hair.
We lived in the home of Elijah James of Fayette until she (Linda) was eight months at which time (8th of Oct. 1946) we moved to a little 2 roomed house built on the South half of Arthur's and Rilla's Johnson's lot. The other house had so many black widow spiders in it, and sometimes even a bat would come into the house. Linda learned to walk when she was 9 ½ months old. She lacked 10 days of being 10 months. Her first 3 steps were taken going from her mother to her daddy. They were taken in the 2 roomed house in Fayette. She got her first tooth at 4 months, and also drank from a cup at 4 months. When she was hungry she would say "Hunny, Hunny, Hunny" in such a sad little voice. For her first Christmas, among her toys was a kitten on a string and it was much fun, even for the adults. On January 25, 1948 we moved to Manti where we hoped to find more work and where Linda could attend school without riding a bus.
In Manti we enjoyed mail and grocery deliveries. We also had a garden, which we had to rent water for in Fayette. We also had chickens during that summer of ‘48. Alton worked on the railroad that summer. Jake also worked there, and because Jake was the younger and only one brother could work, Alton lost out. That fall and winter we made a down payment on a 1941 Chevy truck.
Arthur was born the next fall. It was pickle bottling time, and so I ground and bottled some Chow Chow pickles. So it was that the next day we got our first boy, named Arthur. Due to the extra work involved in bottling the produce of the garden, he was born 3 weeks early. He weighed a mere 5 lbs. and 8 ounces. He came at 1:00 o'clock, near midday. This delivery was very hard and I hemorrhaged until they feared for my life. The doctor was Richard Sears. They called in Sadie Tooth Olsen to help in the nursing. She got things under control at about 9:00 that night. She remained all night. I remember how tired everyone looked when they bid me good-night that evening. The baby kept fussing until allowed to nurse, and then he settled for the night. He weighed 5 ½ lbs. We had a difficult time raising him as my milk didn't agree with him very well. I got up 7 days after the birth, but the doctor ordered that I must do no sweeping or mopping for 3 weeks. Alton was helping the Cox Bros. on the water tank for the temple when the baby came. On November 10th, 1948 the baby was blessed: Arthur Alton Kiesel, in the Alton Kiesel home by Arthur Johnson.
That winter we went to visit Mother and Dad Johnson in their car. The snow was piled as high as cars along the road, and many were stranded and some froze to death. The only thing was to remain home, and with 2 small children we did just that.
When spring came Alton was still working for the Cox Bros. Dad (Arthur) Johnson had a heart attack on the 18th of March, this was on a Friday. On Monday he went back to work. He also went on Tuesday, but because he was not feeling well he asked Ray (Jean) Mickelsen to load his tools, and he headed home. Sometime later he was found just short of the point. He had pulled the car off of the road waiting for the spell to work over. There he died. Frank, Cecilia, and Edna Gee found him there. This was Tuesday March 22, 1949.
Edna, Leah and Verda came up to let me know. Of course we went to Fayette. That night, we went to Salina to see his body. On the 23rd we picked out his clothes. On 24th we saw him again. On 25th we brought him home, and on 26th we buried him. He had a Military funeral. By the 27th, we returned home. Mother refused to leave then, but she came up often. Sometimes overnight. One time she brought an enlarged photograph of Dad Johnson.
The first part of May we got our truck. It looked very good to us and we made many trips to Fayette that summer. By October, the shock finally hit me and I became very sick. I was unable to do lots of my work. Upon calling George Sears, he said it was my heart. He prescribed a tonic with Strychnine in it. All winter I was very sick from this trouble, and on March 5th I had a miscarriage. Plenty of rest and care finally put me on my feet, while I was so sick I couldn't walk across the floor.
One day Linda (at 3 years old) crawled up and got me my medicine and water and put it back. Alton was at work in the Turkey plant then. Later on as I became well I went to work for the Carlisle Mfg. Co., and there I would hem the shirts. I worked off and on for some years. About ‘52 or ‘53 we traded our truck for another Chevy truck, which was made one in 1948.
In January 1953 our third child was born, weighing 7 ½ lbs., at 6:00 O'clock in the morning. The Doctor was Lucian Sears. The nurse was Sadie Olsen. She was blessed as Alta LeAnn Kiesel on the 15th of March 1953 at the Alton Kiesel home by Alma C. Peterson. She cut her first tooth at four months. When Alta was 6 weeks I went back to work. Her Grandmother Kiesel watched and took care of Alta while I was at work. As Alta got older and began to walk, It didn't take her long to learn her way over to her Grandma and Grandpa Kiesel's place. Even in the dark, she would go over there to visit. After Alton and I realized she was not close by, one of us would go over and accompany her home.
I worked until she was a year old and Grandma Kiesel (Stenna) tended her. She was a bottle baby and also picked up the habit of using a pacifier. One spring Arthur's school class took a May walk to the park. On returning home he said, "I walked two whole miles without a drink of water." Alta spoke up, "Stay home." Whenever anyone got after her Alta would say, "Do you like me?"
In July 1954 our fourth child, a baby girl, was born to us at 8:17 in the evening. This time I was up the next day for a while. This delivery was made with gas. This baby weighed 7 lbs. 2 ounces. We named her Jane Marie Kiesel. As she became older she was tender and a cross word would cause her to pucker up her lips.
Linda would dress them up with lipstick, silk scarfs and turn the radio on. They would all then dance. They were Jane: 1 ½ years, Alta: 3 yrs., Arthur: 7, and Linda: 9-10. On Nov. 7, 1954 the baby was blessed as Jane Marie Kiesel at church by Alma C. Peterson. Jane walked at about 11 months, while Alta walked at about 10 months.
In the spring of 1954 we bought some chickens and raised them. The children really enjoyed this, and knew each chicken by heart.
It was April in 1957 when Fred George was born to us. It was toward evening time when he was born. We were very surprised to get another boy. As Fred grew up we came to realize he was a very quiet person, but one to depend on.
Just two years after Fred was born we had a girl, and her name was Callie Ann. She and Fred were very close and one day when a boy his age was bothering Callie, Fred told him "If you don't leave my sister alone I will give you a licking." Well, the boy left Callie alone after that.
In the fall of 1959 we bought our house from Gomer Edmons and on the 5th of November we spent our first night in our new house at 123 South 3rd East in Manti.
On the 6th of May in 1961 we had a little girl born to us, but she was born dead. At the same time, I came thru with a 50-50 chance. The little girl would have been dark haired and we would have named her Lora Lorraine Kiesel. She would have been 2 years younger than Callie. Doctor Davidson allowed me to come home early, and I went to the mortuary where she was laid. Her little ear was bent under her bonnet and I straightened it. She had long black hair and was very beautiful and fine featured. That summer was hard on us, because we wished she could stay around to be raised.
It was the following year that we had a boy born to us. His name was John, which Linda had picked out for him. Alton's youngest brother, if he had lived, would have been Elliott and so John's middle name was Elliott also. He has been a very small boy in stature. When John became a little bit older we had a jumper swing and he loved to wind up in it. I and Alton were in very earnest conversation one day when Callie pulled on my skirt to show us John. He had wound up in the swing until his Adam's apple was resting on the cross wire in front of him. We immediately unwound him and he was O.K. And so his life was saved.
Soon after the first plastic bags came out, Arthur was playing with one and thoughtlessly put it over his head. I was standing there next to him and turned around to see his plight. The bag had blocked his breathing and he was choking, his face swelling in front of my very own eyes. I realized something must be done immediately. I knew I had not time to pull the entire bag off his head and that he needed air in his mouth. So I took my hands and started clawing at the bag directly over his mouth. I broke through, air rushed in, and then I could take the bag off. But it was entirely too close for comfort, and we almost lost him then and there. The sudden swelling of his face remains with me today.
When John was 17 months, old we were blessed with another little girl. This was the first girl to have my name, and she was named after my grandma Gee, and after Alton's grandmother Petersen. The name was Nila Cecelia Kiesel. To avoid the use of big Nila and little Nila, she was called Cecelia or Celia for short. Her hair was dark and she very much resembled her older sister Linda. She was taller than the other children and pretty. Celia was born near 8 or 9 in the morning, while John was born at 3 O'clock in the morning, and Jane was born in the evening, and also Fred.
When Celia was 2 years old we lost another little girl. This one would have been named Sarah Elizabeth. This was the beginning of trouble, and the separating of lives.
In early August of ‘66 Alton collapsed on the kitchen floor. He was taken to Mount Pleasant Hospital where it was found he had practically no blood. Friends rallied and blood was donated for his survival. He was at Mount Pleasant for 6 days, then he was sent into Provo Hospital when he underwent tests for 9 more days. It was discovered that one of his kidneys had not been working for at least three years. Another Doctor declared that the ulcer he had was the largest one the doctor had ever observed. An operation was needed. One month later we returned, but Alton stated that things didn't feel right and he returned to Manti. While at Provo I (and Arthur) stayed at Linda and her husband's place in Orem. Within a week, the pain and infection forced Alton to be operated on at the Mt. Pleasant Hospital by a Doctor Gleeves.
This is a more correct account of the dates from those troubled times: We returned from the Provo tests on the 15th. On the 17th I went into the hospital for the delivery. The morning of the 18th the dead baby girl was delivered. Approximately 5 weeks later Alton was operated on. His cancerous kidney removed. He improved after this and remained in this world for 15 more months. We miss him today, as we always will. We feel that we owe thanks for his company during those close 15 months. The 6th of Dec 1967 the ulcer started to bleed again and he was operated on within days. He lay in the hospital for 2 weeks before he died, suffering intensely, concerned about others, and still joking--so other's wouldn't worry about him. This last operation took 5 and ½ hours. The incision did not heal, but bled continuously until his death. He had a heart attack within days after the operation, finally his kidney stopped, and his lungs started to fill with water. Too many things went wrong, and he couldn't survive. He died on the 27th of December and was buried on the 30th. He had 6 married brothers and sisters, so we asked one from each to be his pall bears. He had a nice funeral, and we still miss him.
It was almost a month later, on the 25th of January 1968, that Arthur left for service in the Navy. Later he served on the United States Ship Kitty Hawk in action in the Pacific.
--------------------------------------------
The following is a portion of a letter she wrote to a primary student of hers in March 25, 1971.
"As a baby I arrived as everyone else on earth. But the Lord had prepared well for me. So that I should not get too lonesome here without him he put flowers special, friends and relatives to love me. I grew up with that love around me.
And then I met the Extra Special Love of My Life and I and my husband were married. The Lord blessed our marriage with 10 little souls whom he trusted unto us. Then he gave me the greatest test that I had faced as yet. My husband was called home to rest and I was required to finish the job alone. The wound was great and even now bothers me some.
But again the Lord had blessed me well. I had 8 living children which required my 24 hour attention and Love too. And I so badly needed theirs. When I would get especially lonely and blue they were there to put their arms around me and say, "Don't cry, Mother, We are here." The Lord father tested my strength and faith when the country borrowed my eldest son for 4 years of Navy Service (mostly overseas on board ship). But again he blessed us all…
During my childhood I spent many happy hours (hard too) at the piano and God rewarded me with the talent of piano playing. This has greatly enriched our family lives and I have had the privilege of serving God too with it. While raising the children, I relaxed, but I've never forgot this talent.
Soon after my husband's departure (the Lord knowing busy hands help ease an aching heart) He called me to teach in primary. There I was allowed to meet some of the best (I say some because there are many) of God's children. As with my own at home I have come to love each and every one of these little ones. As in any garden there are flowers of every color and hue. Each one has its own place and rare and beautiful it is to the eye…"
--------------------------------------------
After Alton's death in Dec 1967, Nila worked hard to provide for their children. 6 of her 8 children were still at home. She was a source of inspiration and love to them.
Later when grandchildren were born she showered them with her love and guidance as well. She always was an example of faithfulness and kindness, of being of good cheer and striving to do your best.
(The following information was gained from an article printed in the Pyramid September 16, 1982 and from her obituary.)
Nila Durfee Kiesel, age 70, died September 18, 1996 in the Sanpete Valley Hospital, Mt. Pleasant, Utah, following a stroke.
She was born in Aurora, Utah November 10, 1925 to Nancy Ellen Hunt and David Franklin Durfee. Her mother died when she was 5 weeks old. She was raised by Elias Arthur and Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson.
She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1944.
She married Alton Fred Kiesel May 12, 1945 in Richfield. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple.
She was talented musically, writing music for both piano and voice. She was an organist in the various church auxiliaries since the age of 13.
She was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as Relief Society organist and a visiting teacher, teaching Sunday School and Primary. She was also chorister for the Singing Mothers.
She was a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
She enjoyed doing genealogy, and taught herself the Danish and Swedish genealogy research terms so she could understand this research. She also did many family histories and enjoyed working in the Name Extraction program for the LDS Church.
She loved flowers and enjoyed working with them. She enjoyed sewing and worked for many years at the old Carlyle Sewing plant in Manti. She made many quilt tops for her family and friends.
She also worked as well as the turkey plant in Gunnison and for Pacific Trails.
She collected recipes and enjoyed cooking many wonderful dishes for her family.
She was always devoted to her mother Rilla, and her family.
--------------------------------------------
To My Cousin Nila Kiesel for her Memoriam
She loved all mankind and hate and dislike never crossed her mind. Her only task to me was humbleness, love and simplicity.
Her work for the Lord was constant and continuous. And her leisure time was spent in showing human faithfulness.
Her love for life and people too came back to her ‘cause no one knew of a fault or two. I could without dispute only commend her for her attitude since she was never one to hesitate or refute.
Her children are beyond a doubt to her what life is all about. They come into the world in humble circumstances, but each was welcomed with open arms and more importantly with a loving heart and many chances.
Though trials and tribulations abounded in excess, she always placed them into proper perspectives' rest.
God gave her talents of quietness, kindness, helpfulness galore. So now our Heavenly Father can do nothing but open up his Heavenly door that this dear spirit can explore the beautiful wonderful rest forever more.
We'll miss her greatly, and well we should, for she was extremely good.
But don't let's mourn too deeply for this sweet Queen, for Heavenly Father will spread her wings to take her to the highest glory, so she may there teach others her wonderful story.
--Ken Gee, Cousin
-------------------------------------
The following is a poem written about Nila by her granddaughter Shauna Salerno that perfectly describes our beloved Nila.
Love and Strength
Her love touched all of our hearts.
Her strength pulled us together and made us one.
Her love gave birth to eight great and wonderful children.
Her strength gave them the strength to make it through.
Her love wasn't lost when she lost their father.
Her strength helped the children through the pain and hurt.
Her love was offered even when not returned.
Her strength showed others how to live a wonderful life.
Her love will always remain in our hearts,
And as for her strength, it will live on in all of us forever.
--Shauna Salerno
--------------------------------------
The following is from an chain letter dated 14 Oct 1984, Nila wrote to her family. It is what she would want to tell us:
"My dear family members,
You are all very special to me and I love each and every one of you. Every Sunday I fast for your wellbeing, and several times a day I pray for you too. Just remember: whatever you do in life give it your very best effort. What you do is seen by others. We are examples to all who see us (especially the young) and know us. Long after you leave this life you will be known by your works.
We are here for a short time only- it seems forever now- but we will go on from here someday- therefore let us learn all we can as we will take that with us- only that which we know is ours to keep."
David Franklin Durfee Find A Grave Memorial# 9076774
Nancy Ellen Hunt Pierce Durfee (who died five weeks after Nila was born)Find A Grave Memorial# 9076777
Foster parents:
Elias Arthur Johnson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903632
Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson Nielson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903602
Nila Durfee Kiesel
[by Nila Durfee Kiesel as complied from her Autobiography written 29 Apr 1943 and a history she wrote of her husband, Alton Kiesel 1 Feb 1974-birth dates of the living removed.]
My name is Nila Durfee. I was born in Aurora, Utah in my Aunt Electa Rhoda Ann Mott Johnson Steven's house November 10, 1925. I was the daughter of Frank Durfee and Nancy Hunt. I was blessed Aug. 10, 1930 by George M. Bartholomew. I was baptized Dec. 4, 1930 by George Beal. I was confirmed Dec. 4, 1933 by James W. Stott.
My mother had a weak heart, caught the flue, and died on the 18th of Dec 1925.
March 13th, Friday 1926 was the happiest and most blessed day in my whole life when I was taken to live with my cousin and his wife- Elias A. Johnson and Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson, who have been the best parents anyone could know or have.
August 10, 1926 we moved to Woodruff, Utah. It was then I started talking. It soon became winter and was very cold. For Christmas we came to Ephraim and after New Year's daddy went back to his work while mother and I stayed in Ephraim. January 31, 1927 daddy had become lonesome so grandpa took us to Ogden, Utah. There we were to board a train for Evanston, Wyoming. While we were waiting for the train I got a severe burn on the hand. Mother made the railroad officials call a Doctor and he tended to it. At Evanston daddy met us and we went home to Woodruff, Utah.
One day I sewed a hole it the toe of daddies sock while it was on his foot, which gave all quite a thrill.
April 6, 1927 we came to Ephraim to attend Vernal Gee's wedding. He was mother's brother and married Leah Larsen Gee of Castledale. Daddy went back and got our furnace in and then we remained in Ephraim.
The fall of 1927 mother took me to a college program. The building was filled as I entered and seeing them all I grabbed my bonnet, breaking all the ribbons and whirled it around my head yelling "Yippee." This embarrassed my mother and made everyone laugh.
Daddy ran a blacksmith shop in Ephraim and mother would take me in the buggy to visit him. As soon as I saw him, I would say, "Dis hand for mama and Dis hand for me," meaning I wanted money.
February 1928 after I was three years we moved to Fayette, Utah. During the following summer on a Tuesday afternoon I was out playing on the ditch bank and caught a little water snake. My great grandmother was there and my mother was combing her hair. Mother's back was turned to the door. I came in with the snake and said, "Here, Mama take dis." She reached behind her, and I handed her the live, cold wet snake. She screamed and threw it across the room, and when she didn't dare to pick it up I says, "I will dit it." But she swept it out instead. Daddy was still working in the shop in Ephraim and came home Saturdays. When he came and mother was telling him of it, I said, "And daddy it had the tinkernist little eyes." They asked me how I knew and I told them I had looked.
The next birthday I was four and I had my first party. Two little girls forgot to give me the money they had brought as a birthday present. Mother went to serve them and I said, "Hey! Wait, they ain't paid their money to me yet!" They immediately got out their money and gave it to me.
The summer I was five, I went to Flossie Millan's kindergarten's class. At the end of it she gave us presents. She gave Amy Millan a set of dishes and me a heart. We each had plenty of those so we suggested we trade, so we did this.
The next fall, I started to school with Miss Whitbeck as a teacher. She stayed at our home. That winter I had appendicitis, yellow jaundice, and intestinal flu all at once. I was in bed, and the Doctor couldn't seem to do much for me. One night about sundown it looked as though I was going to pass away, and daddy ran and got Kenny Bartholomew who came and as he sat there he said, "You surely have a sick little girl." He administered to me and said in it, if it was the Lord's will that I would live and be of comfort to my parents in old age. I immediately started to get better. By the time the month was up I was able to go back to school. I know it was through the will of the Lord and the faith of my parents, relatives, and friends that I am well and living today. That winter it was very cold and I was sleigh ridding on the canal. I remember as I came in a man was there and he teased me because I cried for I had got so cold.
During this same winter Daddy bought and paid for our lot, and on this he built us 2 rooms. And we moved in in February. Miss Whitbeck was my teacher and she rented the south one of these rooms.
I will never forget the thrill of having, at last a place where I could play and no one could call me down. I remember I gathered an armful of boards and brought them down (over) to Daddy asking him if I could play with them or if they were Don's. (Don was the boy where we had been renting.) Daddy told me I could play with anything inside of the fence, and I really did make a play house.
Daddy bought himself a truck and we made several trips into Salt Lake. On one of these trips he and Mother told me I could have either a piano or a bicycle. They would take me in one store and I'd look at pianos, the next store I'd look at bicycles and on and on we went like this all day. At last I chose a piano. We brought this home on the truck along with our Buffett and some other furniture. I had only been home a day or two when I and mother were standing out in the front, and as the mailman passed by he yelled something to Mother. I didn't catch what he said so I asked mother and she said, "He said he'd bring our rug over at noon. The one dad bought in Salt Lake." When the rug came it was a bicycle for me. I had many a time on this bicycle. I didn't know how to ride one but I set out to learn. I soon learned to go but I couldn't stop it or turn around.
I used to play jacks. We also had large rubber balls which we bounced. And we walked poles and sang songs.
I used to dress up in paper dresses and dance for the older people of the town. Everyone liked to have me dance. We played store, taking turns being the store keeper.
Gless Bartholomew was my fourth grade teacher and he took us to Salt Lake at the end of the school year in May. I sprained my one ankle, the night before we left, jumping in a ditch. Mother went along as a chaperone to help take care of the children. We went to the airport, the newspaper factory, the capitol, and to Temple Square. He took us again when I was in the fifth grade. This was my last year in school at Fayette, Utah.
I remember out in front of the schoolhouse there used to be a giant swing and Edna Gee (Mother's sister) used to push me and make me go really high on it. While I was going to this school I had two dreams I was really frightened by. They were dreams about two types of animals I was scared to death of (the pig and the bear.)
When I started the sixth grade I started in Gunnison in the Washington School. My teacher was Theanin H. Clinger. In my Autograph book he wrote, ‘give to the world the best you have, and the best will always come back to you.' I have found this is very true. Here I came in to new friends and classmates and the going was kind of tough for a while until I got located.
In the seventh grade I had Mrs. Clinistensen and the rest of the Fayette class came to join the Gunnison kids.
My eight grade teacher was Laine Anderson, along with Mr. Lads Metcalf, who taught part-time arithmetic.
We had a party (wiener roast) up in the bat-holes east of Gunnison and Blaine told us stories. Along with Virginia Taylor, he entertained us by their teasing each other. This winter for Christmas I had the Chicken Pox and the class took Christmas boxes to the old people of Gunnison. (They did this from a story I told them of a boy giving baskets to the poor.)
We had our graduation exercises on the 22nd of May 1940. We were all in short sport dresses. My dress was of silk and with a satin slip under in a light Pale Blue shade, and had a circular skirt. The puff sleeves were touched here and there with black velvet bows. My part on the program compared people to trains and said more should be engines and less boxcars who depended on others to get where they wanted to go. I never forgot this. Our graduating class made a trip to Salt Lake and one thing I remember best about the trip was the ascent to the top of the Capital Dome. It was only a ladder about a foot and a half across and it went from the side of the Dome at a forty five degrees angle to a little hole in the roof about 3' in diameter. We went up on hands and knees so to speak. I can't remember the scene after reaching there though.
The next year we went to High School. The seventh and eighth went with us also as we were the last graduating class from that school. My most interesting study that year was when in our geography class we finished the textbook early and studied Astronomy for a few weeks. The following Summer I reigned as queen over the July Celebration in Fayette, wearing my 8th grade graduation dress. At the end of my first year at high School as I had taken Chorus, I went to the music festival at Richfield. Then and there I decided I should like to participate in Band so the next year I took Band. I played the cymbals and the tympani Drums. I then participated in every activity in the school practically. I took band the remaining three years and every year went to the Music Festival at Richfield, the Remembrance Days at Ephraim and all the Basketball games. The band traded programs with other Schools too.
I was sick at the time of the Sophomore Swing so couldn't go. At Junior Prom our theme was "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World." In the senior year I also joined the girls Pep club made only of senior girls who went to every Basketball game the boys played to shout for the boys.
Our graduation exercise was scheduled for the 5th of May 1944 but had to be stepped up to the 3rd because of five senior boys having on the 4th to join the Service as we were in war as of December 7 1941. I had graduated from Seminary in 1943. June of 1944 I started working in the Parachutes Company of Utah at Manti. There I worked on a machine (not sewing) and in one afternoon we put out (I and my co-workers) 300 parachutes. In late July or Early August the company sold out to the Reliance Company. I worked on Night Shift there until Christmas of 1944. We rode on the bus. I made connections from Gunnison home to Fayette on the mail. I came off shift at 12:00. I then rode to Gunnison on bus. I slept at Edna's until morning, taking the mail home then and going back at noon and on the bus at 2:30.
It was during the winter of 1944-45. Alton Kiesel, Jake Kiesel and Arthur Johnson all worked together in the Gunnison Turkey Plant Locker Room. I came to see my father Arthur Johnson, and I asked for Mr. Johnson. While looking out the small square hole they threw turkeys out of, Jake said "No, Mr. Johnson isn't here; just Arthur Johnson." So I talked to my father. A few days later, while I and my parents Arthur and Rilla Johnson were walking down Gunnison main street, Alton and Jake came by. The womenfolk walked a short ways and waited while the menfolk stopped to talk. Next day at work, Alton asked Arthur who the pretty young girl was. "Oh, why that was my daughter," answered Dad.
Dad suffered from heart trouble and collapsed at work a couple of different times that fall and winter. At Christmas time we received a card from the young man who had asked who I was. On it was written "Arthur and Family." Dad says why would he send me a card and Mother said, "Why that's note for you, that's for Nila." Later he (Alton Kiesel) wrote and asked of Dad's health. He added he would be pleased to be introduced to the daughter, and could he come and visit. February 22 or 23 on a Wednesday Night he came to call. After being introduced and visiting a while he produced a box of Candy and we all went to the show at Gunnison.
After this he came quite often. Easter came of the 1st of April. This was 1945. Alton was invited to Easter dinner after which he popped the question. It snowed all day. On the 10th of April he brought the set of rings. The engagement ring was set with a diamond and on the sides were 2 lovely Rubies. The wedding ring also had a smaller diamond and slight raises in place of the rubies. Both were of yellow gold and very pretty. On the following ride to Gunnison he purchased a lovely pearl necklace and a lovely box of Candy.
At an Overall and Apron Dance given in Fayette I invited Alton, and my friend Vonda Erickson invited her friend known by the nickname of Spud. Both couples enjoyed lunch at Nila's. Another time we all went to the show at Gunnison and had a malt.
On the 12th of May 1945 Alton Freddie Kiesel of Manti, son of George Christian and Petrea Christine Kiesel of Manti, married Nila Durfee (Johnson) of Fayette. We were married in the Richfield Court House at 1:00 O'clock. Witnesses were Arthur Johnson and Rilla Gee Johnson. I was dressed in a light blue net floor length circular skirt. White gardenias were in my hair and also in the corsage on my shoulder. Gold sandals adorned my feet. The groom was dressed in navy blue. After the ceremonies I changed to street clothes and all enjoyed dinner at Lynn's café. Then all went shopping.
In the beginning of 1945 after the turkey Plant has closed Alton went to work in the Railroad. Then I was working day shift at the Parachute Plant. The shift started at 6:00 A.M. and ended 3:45 P. M. Alton's Co-workers on the Railroad all knew Alton's girlfriend rode the Parachute Bus. Every chance they got they would all wave and shout as the bus passed by way of Jibbing Alton. Later Alton went to work for the Parachute Plant also. He was a guard then as we were still in war. I quit work about the first of May 1945 but Alton continued to work there for some time.
Shower and Dance was held in the Fayette Amusement Hall 4 or 5 days after the Marriage.
Nine months and 2 weeks later we had a Baby Girl born to us. Alton was working for Verl Peterson's garage at the time of the birth of our first child. A baby girl was born, weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz. in the wee hours, at 2:30 A.M. She had black hair and fair skin. We named her Linda Lane Kiesel after Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson. She was born at the Salina Hospital and delivered by Doctor Ray Noyes. I was allowed out of bed at 8 days and returned to Fayette the evening of the 9th day. It was snowing so bad we couldn't hardly drive. We had a 1937 Terrplan. The baby was good until we hit the point where she started to cry, but she stopped when answered. She resumed crying at old Shining Canal and continued to cry until we reached home. Dad opened the door, and then asked if we were coming crazy coming home with a new baby and mother in snow storm like that.
When a neighbor named Bell Mellor saw Alton jump the fence and go into the house, she said, "Nila has had her baby." The evening before, I had failed to appear at the Relief Society Singing Mother's practice, at which I was at that time Chorister of. During the following months when I failed to return to those practices, the town folks came to believe that there was something wrong with the new baby. As my strength returned and I came out to church, someone was heard to remark, "Well, There isn't anything wrong with that baby, she is simply beautiful."
Over a period of time her blue eyes turned to brown and her black hair became lighter only to darken again. She was blessed on the 4th of April 1946, in the home of Arthur Johnson and Rilla Johnson by Arthur Johnson.
While Linda was small, I and my Mother made many dresses with matching bonnets for the little Linda. Her little head was covered with dark hair.
We lived in the home of Elijah James of Fayette until she (Linda) was eight months at which time (8th of Oct. 1946) we moved to a little 2 roomed house built on the South half of Arthur's and Rilla's Johnson's lot. The other house had so many black widow spiders in it, and sometimes even a bat would come into the house. Linda learned to walk when she was 9 ½ months old. She lacked 10 days of being 10 months. Her first 3 steps were taken going from her mother to her daddy. They were taken in the 2 roomed house in Fayette. She got her first tooth at 4 months, and also drank from a cup at 4 months. When she was hungry she would say "Hunny, Hunny, Hunny" in such a sad little voice. For her first Christmas, among her toys was a kitten on a string and it was much fun, even for the adults. On January 25, 1948 we moved to Manti where we hoped to find more work and where Linda could attend school without riding a bus.
In Manti we enjoyed mail and grocery deliveries. We also had a garden, which we had to rent water for in Fayette. We also had chickens during that summer of ‘48. Alton worked on the railroad that summer. Jake also worked there, and because Jake was the younger and only one brother could work, Alton lost out. That fall and winter we made a down payment on a 1941 Chevy truck.
Arthur was born the next fall. It was pickle bottling time, and so I ground and bottled some Chow Chow pickles. So it was that the next day we got our first boy, named Arthur. Due to the extra work involved in bottling the produce of the garden, he was born 3 weeks early. He weighed a mere 5 lbs. and 8 ounces. He came at 1:00 o'clock, near midday. This delivery was very hard and I hemorrhaged until they feared for my life. The doctor was Richard Sears. They called in Sadie Tooth Olsen to help in the nursing. She got things under control at about 9:00 that night. She remained all night. I remember how tired everyone looked when they bid me good-night that evening. The baby kept fussing until allowed to nurse, and then he settled for the night. He weighed 5 ½ lbs. We had a difficult time raising him as my milk didn't agree with him very well. I got up 7 days after the birth, but the doctor ordered that I must do no sweeping or mopping for 3 weeks. Alton was helping the Cox Bros. on the water tank for the temple when the baby came. On November 10th, 1948 the baby was blessed: Arthur Alton Kiesel, in the Alton Kiesel home by Arthur Johnson.
That winter we went to visit Mother and Dad Johnson in their car. The snow was piled as high as cars along the road, and many were stranded and some froze to death. The only thing was to remain home, and with 2 small children we did just that.
When spring came Alton was still working for the Cox Bros. Dad (Arthur) Johnson had a heart attack on the 18th of March, this was on a Friday. On Monday he went back to work. He also went on Tuesday, but because he was not feeling well he asked Ray (Jean) Mickelsen to load his tools, and he headed home. Sometime later he was found just short of the point. He had pulled the car off of the road waiting for the spell to work over. There he died. Frank, Cecilia, and Edna Gee found him there. This was Tuesday March 22, 1949.
Edna, Leah and Verda came up to let me know. Of course we went to Fayette. That night, we went to Salina to see his body. On the 23rd we picked out his clothes. On 24th we saw him again. On 25th we brought him home, and on 26th we buried him. He had a Military funeral. By the 27th, we returned home. Mother refused to leave then, but she came up often. Sometimes overnight. One time she brought an enlarged photograph of Dad Johnson.
The first part of May we got our truck. It looked very good to us and we made many trips to Fayette that summer. By October, the shock finally hit me and I became very sick. I was unable to do lots of my work. Upon calling George Sears, he said it was my heart. He prescribed a tonic with Strychnine in it. All winter I was very sick from this trouble, and on March 5th I had a miscarriage. Plenty of rest and care finally put me on my feet, while I was so sick I couldn't walk across the floor.
One day Linda (at 3 years old) crawled up and got me my medicine and water and put it back. Alton was at work in the Turkey plant then. Later on as I became well I went to work for the Carlisle Mfg. Co., and there I would hem the shirts. I worked off and on for some years. About ‘52 or ‘53 we traded our truck for another Chevy truck, which was made one in 1948.
In January 1953 our third child was born, weighing 7 ½ lbs., at 6:00 O'clock in the morning. The Doctor was Lucian Sears. The nurse was Sadie Olsen. She was blessed as Alta LeAnn Kiesel on the 15th of March 1953 at the Alton Kiesel home by Alma C. Peterson. She cut her first tooth at four months. When Alta was 6 weeks I went back to work. Her Grandmother Kiesel watched and took care of Alta while I was at work. As Alta got older and began to walk, It didn't take her long to learn her way over to her Grandma and Grandpa Kiesel's place. Even in the dark, she would go over there to visit. After Alton and I realized she was not close by, one of us would go over and accompany her home.
I worked until she was a year old and Grandma Kiesel (Stenna) tended her. She was a bottle baby and also picked up the habit of using a pacifier. One spring Arthur's school class took a May walk to the park. On returning home he said, "I walked two whole miles without a drink of water." Alta spoke up, "Stay home." Whenever anyone got after her Alta would say, "Do you like me?"
In July 1954 our fourth child, a baby girl, was born to us at 8:17 in the evening. This time I was up the next day for a while. This delivery was made with gas. This baby weighed 7 lbs. 2 ounces. We named her Jane Marie Kiesel. As she became older she was tender and a cross word would cause her to pucker up her lips.
Linda would dress them up with lipstick, silk scarfs and turn the radio on. They would all then dance. They were Jane: 1 ½ years, Alta: 3 yrs., Arthur: 7, and Linda: 9-10. On Nov. 7, 1954 the baby was blessed as Jane Marie Kiesel at church by Alma C. Peterson. Jane walked at about 11 months, while Alta walked at about 10 months.
In the spring of 1954 we bought some chickens and raised them. The children really enjoyed this, and knew each chicken by heart.
It was April in 1957 when Fred George was born to us. It was toward evening time when he was born. We were very surprised to get another boy. As Fred grew up we came to realize he was a very quiet person, but one to depend on.
Just two years after Fred was born we had a girl, and her name was Callie Ann. She and Fred were very close and one day when a boy his age was bothering Callie, Fred told him "If you don't leave my sister alone I will give you a licking." Well, the boy left Callie alone after that.
In the fall of 1959 we bought our house from Gomer Edmons and on the 5th of November we spent our first night in our new house at 123 South 3rd East in Manti.
On the 6th of May in 1961 we had a little girl born to us, but she was born dead. At the same time, I came thru with a 50-50 chance. The little girl would have been dark haired and we would have named her Lora Lorraine Kiesel. She would have been 2 years younger than Callie. Doctor Davidson allowed me to come home early, and I went to the mortuary where she was laid. Her little ear was bent under her bonnet and I straightened it. She had long black hair and was very beautiful and fine featured. That summer was hard on us, because we wished she could stay around to be raised.
It was the following year that we had a boy born to us. His name was John, which Linda had picked out for him. Alton's youngest brother, if he had lived, would have been Elliott and so John's middle name was Elliott also. He has been a very small boy in stature. When John became a little bit older we had a jumper swing and he loved to wind up in it. I and Alton were in very earnest conversation one day when Callie pulled on my skirt to show us John. He had wound up in the swing until his Adam's apple was resting on the cross wire in front of him. We immediately unwound him and he was O.K. And so his life was saved.
Soon after the first plastic bags came out, Arthur was playing with one and thoughtlessly put it over his head. I was standing there next to him and turned around to see his plight. The bag had blocked his breathing and he was choking, his face swelling in front of my very own eyes. I realized something must be done immediately. I knew I had not time to pull the entire bag off his head and that he needed air in his mouth. So I took my hands and started clawing at the bag directly over his mouth. I broke through, air rushed in, and then I could take the bag off. But it was entirely too close for comfort, and we almost lost him then and there. The sudden swelling of his face remains with me today.
When John was 17 months, old we were blessed with another little girl. This was the first girl to have my name, and she was named after my grandma Gee, and after Alton's grandmother Petersen. The name was Nila Cecelia Kiesel. To avoid the use of big Nila and little Nila, she was called Cecelia or Celia for short. Her hair was dark and she very much resembled her older sister Linda. She was taller than the other children and pretty. Celia was born near 8 or 9 in the morning, while John was born at 3 O'clock in the morning, and Jane was born in the evening, and also Fred.
When Celia was 2 years old we lost another little girl. This one would have been named Sarah Elizabeth. This was the beginning of trouble, and the separating of lives.
In early August of ‘66 Alton collapsed on the kitchen floor. He was taken to Mount Pleasant Hospital where it was found he had practically no blood. Friends rallied and blood was donated for his survival. He was at Mount Pleasant for 6 days, then he was sent into Provo Hospital when he underwent tests for 9 more days. It was discovered that one of his kidneys had not been working for at least three years. Another Doctor declared that the ulcer he had was the largest one the doctor had ever observed. An operation was needed. One month later we returned, but Alton stated that things didn't feel right and he returned to Manti. While at Provo I (and Arthur) stayed at Linda and her husband's place in Orem. Within a week, the pain and infection forced Alton to be operated on at the Mt. Pleasant Hospital by a Doctor Gleeves.
This is a more correct account of the dates from those troubled times: We returned from the Provo tests on the 15th. On the 17th I went into the hospital for the delivery. The morning of the 18th the dead baby girl was delivered. Approximately 5 weeks later Alton was operated on. His cancerous kidney removed. He improved after this and remained in this world for 15 more months. We miss him today, as we always will. We feel that we owe thanks for his company during those close 15 months. The 6th of Dec 1967 the ulcer started to bleed again and he was operated on within days. He lay in the hospital for 2 weeks before he died, suffering intensely, concerned about others, and still joking--so other's wouldn't worry about him. This last operation took 5 and ½ hours. The incision did not heal, but bled continuously until his death. He had a heart attack within days after the operation, finally his kidney stopped, and his lungs started to fill with water. Too many things went wrong, and he couldn't survive. He died on the 27th of December and was buried on the 30th. He had 6 married brothers and sisters, so we asked one from each to be his pall bears. He had a nice funeral, and we still miss him.
It was almost a month later, on the 25th of January 1968, that Arthur left for service in the Navy. Later he served on the United States Ship Kitty Hawk in action in the Pacific.
--------------------------------------------
The following is a portion of a letter she wrote to a primary student of hers in March 25, 1971.
"As a baby I arrived as everyone else on earth. But the Lord had prepared well for me. So that I should not get too lonesome here without him he put flowers special, friends and relatives to love me. I grew up with that love around me.
And then I met the Extra Special Love of My Life and I and my husband were married. The Lord blessed our marriage with 10 little souls whom he trusted unto us. Then he gave me the greatest test that I had faced as yet. My husband was called home to rest and I was required to finish the job alone. The wound was great and even now bothers me some.
But again the Lord had blessed me well. I had 8 living children which required my 24 hour attention and Love too. And I so badly needed theirs. When I would get especially lonely and blue they were there to put their arms around me and say, "Don't cry, Mother, We are here." The Lord father tested my strength and faith when the country borrowed my eldest son for 4 years of Navy Service (mostly overseas on board ship). But again he blessed us all…
During my childhood I spent many happy hours (hard too) at the piano and God rewarded me with the talent of piano playing. This has greatly enriched our family lives and I have had the privilege of serving God too with it. While raising the children, I relaxed, but I've never forgot this talent.
Soon after my husband's departure (the Lord knowing busy hands help ease an aching heart) He called me to teach in primary. There I was allowed to meet some of the best (I say some because there are many) of God's children. As with my own at home I have come to love each and every one of these little ones. As in any garden there are flowers of every color and hue. Each one has its own place and rare and beautiful it is to the eye…"
--------------------------------------------
After Alton's death in Dec 1967, Nila worked hard to provide for their children. 6 of her 8 children were still at home. She was a source of inspiration and love to them.
Later when grandchildren were born she showered them with her love and guidance as well. She always was an example of faithfulness and kindness, of being of good cheer and striving to do your best.
(The following information was gained from an article printed in the Pyramid September 16, 1982 and from her obituary.)
Nila Durfee Kiesel, age 70, died September 18, 1996 in the Sanpete Valley Hospital, Mt. Pleasant, Utah, following a stroke.
She was born in Aurora, Utah November 10, 1925 to Nancy Ellen Hunt and David Franklin Durfee. Her mother died when she was 5 weeks old. She was raised by Elias Arthur and Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson.
She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1944.
She married Alton Fred Kiesel May 12, 1945 in Richfield. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple.
She was talented musically, writing music for both piano and voice. She was an organist in the various church auxiliaries since the age of 13.
She was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as Relief Society organist and a visiting teacher, teaching Sunday School and Primary. She was also chorister for the Singing Mothers.
She was a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
She enjoyed doing genealogy, and taught herself the Danish and Swedish genealogy research terms so she could understand this research. She also did many family histories and enjoyed working in the Name Extraction program for the LDS Church.
She loved flowers and enjoyed working with them. She enjoyed sewing and worked for many years at the old Carlyle Sewing plant in Manti. She made many quilt tops for her family and friends.
She also worked as well as the turkey plant in Gunnison and for Pacific Trails.
She collected recipes and enjoyed cooking many wonderful dishes for her family.
She was always devoted to her mother Rilla, and her family.
--------------------------------------------
To My Cousin Nila Kiesel for her Memoriam
She loved all mankind and hate and dislike never crossed her mind. Her only task to me was humbleness, love and simplicity.
Her work for the Lord was constant and continuous. And her leisure time was spent in showing human faithfulness.
Her love for life and people too came back to her ‘cause no one knew of a fault or two. I could without dispute only commend her for her attitude since she was never one to hesitate or refute.
Her children are beyond a doubt to her what life is all about. They come into the world in humble circumstances, but each was welcomed with open arms and more importantly with a loving heart and many chances.
Though trials and tribulations abounded in excess, she always placed them into proper perspectives' rest.
God gave her talents of quietness, kindness, helpfulness galore. So now our Heavenly Father can do nothing but open up his Heavenly door that this dear spirit can explore the beautiful wonderful rest forever more.
We'll miss her greatly, and well we should, for she was extremely good.
But don't let's mourn too deeply for this sweet Queen, for Heavenly Father will spread her wings to take her to the highest glory, so she may there teach others her wonderful story.
--Ken Gee, Cousin
-------------------------------------
The following is a poem written about Nila by her granddaughter Shauna Salerno that perfectly describes our beloved Nila.
Love and Strength
Her love touched all of our hearts.
Her strength pulled us together and made us one.
Her love gave birth to eight great and wonderful children.
Her strength gave them the strength to make it through.
Her love wasn't lost when she lost their father.
Her strength helped the children through the pain and hurt.
Her love was offered even when not returned.
Her strength showed others how to live a wonderful life.
Her love will always remain in our hearts,
And as for her strength, it will live on in all of us forever.
--Shauna Salerno
--------------------------------------
The following is from an chain letter dated 14 Oct 1984, Nila wrote to her family. It is what she would want to tell us:
"My dear family members,
You are all very special to me and I love each and every one of you. Every Sunday I fast for your wellbeing, and several times a day I pray for you too. Just remember: whatever you do in life give it your very best effort. What you do is seen by others. We are examples to all who see us (especially the young) and know us. Long after you leave this life you will be known by your works.
We are here for a short time only- it seems forever now- but we will go on from here someday- therefore let us learn all we can as we will take that with us- only that which we know is ours to keep."
Birth parents:
David Franklin Durfee Find A Grave Memorial# 9076774
Nancy Ellen Hunt Pierce Durfee (who died five weeks after Nila was born)Find A Grave Memorial# 9076777
Foster parents:
Elias Arthur Johnson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903632
Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson Nielson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903602
Nila Durfee Kiesel
[by Nila Durfee Kiesel as complied from her Autobiography written 29 Apr 1943 and a history she wrote of her husband, Alton Kiesel 1 Feb 1974-birth dates of the living removed.]
My name is Nila Durfee. I was born in Aurora, Utah in my Aunt Electa Rhoda Ann Mott Johnson Steven's house November 10, 1925. I was the daughter of Frank Durfee and Nancy Hunt. I was blessed Aug. 10, 1930 by George M. Bartholomew. I was baptized Dec. 4, 1930 by George Beal. I was confirmed Dec. 4, 1933 by James W. Stott.
My mother had a weak heart, caught the flue, and died on the 18th of Dec 1925.
March 13th, Friday 1926 was the happiest and most blessed day in my whole life when I was taken to live with my cousin and his wife- Elias A. Johnson and Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson, who have been the best parents anyone could know or have.
August 10, 1926 we moved to Woodruff, Utah. It was then I started talking. It soon became winter and was very cold. For Christmas we came to Ephraim and after New Year's daddy went back to his work while mother and I stayed in Ephraim. January 31, 1927 daddy had become lonesome so grandpa took us to Ogden, Utah. There we were to board a train for Evanston, Wyoming. While we were waiting for the train I got a severe burn on the hand. Mother made the railroad officials call a Doctor and he tended to it. At Evanston daddy met us and we went home to Woodruff, Utah.
One day I sewed a hole it the toe of daddies sock while it was on his foot, which gave all quite a thrill.
April 6, 1927 we came to Ephraim to attend Vernal Gee's wedding. He was mother's brother and married Leah Larsen Gee of Castledale. Daddy went back and got our furnace in and then we remained in Ephraim.
The fall of 1927 mother took me to a college program. The building was filled as I entered and seeing them all I grabbed my bonnet, breaking all the ribbons and whirled it around my head yelling "Yippee." This embarrassed my mother and made everyone laugh.
Daddy ran a blacksmith shop in Ephraim and mother would take me in the buggy to visit him. As soon as I saw him, I would say, "Dis hand for mama and Dis hand for me," meaning I wanted money.
February 1928 after I was three years we moved to Fayette, Utah. During the following summer on a Tuesday afternoon I was out playing on the ditch bank and caught a little water snake. My great grandmother was there and my mother was combing her hair. Mother's back was turned to the door. I came in with the snake and said, "Here, Mama take dis." She reached behind her, and I handed her the live, cold wet snake. She screamed and threw it across the room, and when she didn't dare to pick it up I says, "I will dit it." But she swept it out instead. Daddy was still working in the shop in Ephraim and came home Saturdays. When he came and mother was telling him of it, I said, "And daddy it had the tinkernist little eyes." They asked me how I knew and I told them I had looked.
The next birthday I was four and I had my first party. Two little girls forgot to give me the money they had brought as a birthday present. Mother went to serve them and I said, "Hey! Wait, they ain't paid their money to me yet!" They immediately got out their money and gave it to me.
The summer I was five, I went to Flossie Millan's kindergarten's class. At the end of it she gave us presents. She gave Amy Millan a set of dishes and me a heart. We each had plenty of those so we suggested we trade, so we did this.
The next fall, I started to school with Miss Whitbeck as a teacher. She stayed at our home. That winter I had appendicitis, yellow jaundice, and intestinal flu all at once. I was in bed, and the Doctor couldn't seem to do much for me. One night about sundown it looked as though I was going to pass away, and daddy ran and got Kenny Bartholomew who came and as he sat there he said, "You surely have a sick little girl." He administered to me and said in it, if it was the Lord's will that I would live and be of comfort to my parents in old age. I immediately started to get better. By the time the month was up I was able to go back to school. I know it was through the will of the Lord and the faith of my parents, relatives, and friends that I am well and living today. That winter it was very cold and I was sleigh ridding on the canal. I remember as I came in a man was there and he teased me because I cried for I had got so cold.
During this same winter Daddy bought and paid for our lot, and on this he built us 2 rooms. And we moved in in February. Miss Whitbeck was my teacher and she rented the south one of these rooms.
I will never forget the thrill of having, at last a place where I could play and no one could call me down. I remember I gathered an armful of boards and brought them down (over) to Daddy asking him if I could play with them or if they were Don's. (Don was the boy where we had been renting.) Daddy told me I could play with anything inside of the fence, and I really did make a play house.
Daddy bought himself a truck and we made several trips into Salt Lake. On one of these trips he and Mother told me I could have either a piano or a bicycle. They would take me in one store and I'd look at pianos, the next store I'd look at bicycles and on and on we went like this all day. At last I chose a piano. We brought this home on the truck along with our Buffett and some other furniture. I had only been home a day or two when I and mother were standing out in the front, and as the mailman passed by he yelled something to Mother. I didn't catch what he said so I asked mother and she said, "He said he'd bring our rug over at noon. The one dad bought in Salt Lake." When the rug came it was a bicycle for me. I had many a time on this bicycle. I didn't know how to ride one but I set out to learn. I soon learned to go but I couldn't stop it or turn around.
I used to play jacks. We also had large rubber balls which we bounced. And we walked poles and sang songs.
I used to dress up in paper dresses and dance for the older people of the town. Everyone liked to have me dance. We played store, taking turns being the store keeper.
Gless Bartholomew was my fourth grade teacher and he took us to Salt Lake at the end of the school year in May. I sprained my one ankle, the night before we left, jumping in a ditch. Mother went along as a chaperone to help take care of the children. We went to the airport, the newspaper factory, the capitol, and to Temple Square. He took us again when I was in the fifth grade. This was my last year in school at Fayette, Utah.
I remember out in front of the schoolhouse there used to be a giant swing and Edna Gee (Mother's sister) used to push me and make me go really high on it. While I was going to this school I had two dreams I was really frightened by. They were dreams about two types of animals I was scared to death of (the pig and the bear.)
When I started the sixth grade I started in Gunnison in the Washington School. My teacher was Theanin H. Clinger. In my Autograph book he wrote, ‘give to the world the best you have, and the best will always come back to you.' I have found this is very true. Here I came in to new friends and classmates and the going was kind of tough for a while until I got located.
In the seventh grade I had Mrs. Clinistensen and the rest of the Fayette class came to join the Gunnison kids.
My eight grade teacher was Laine Anderson, along with Mr. Lads Metcalf, who taught part-time arithmetic.
We had a party (wiener roast) up in the bat-holes east of Gunnison and Blaine told us stories. Along with Virginia Taylor, he entertained us by their teasing each other. This winter for Christmas I had the Chicken Pox and the class took Christmas boxes to the old people of Gunnison. (They did this from a story I told them of a boy giving baskets to the poor.)
We had our graduation exercises on the 22nd of May 1940. We were all in short sport dresses. My dress was of silk and with a satin slip under in a light Pale Blue shade, and had a circular skirt. The puff sleeves were touched here and there with black velvet bows. My part on the program compared people to trains and said more should be engines and less boxcars who depended on others to get where they wanted to go. I never forgot this. Our graduating class made a trip to Salt Lake and one thing I remember best about the trip was the ascent to the top of the Capital Dome. It was only a ladder about a foot and a half across and it went from the side of the Dome at a forty five degrees angle to a little hole in the roof about 3' in diameter. We went up on hands and knees so to speak. I can't remember the scene after reaching there though.
The next year we went to High School. The seventh and eighth went with us also as we were the last graduating class from that school. My most interesting study that year was when in our geography class we finished the textbook early and studied Astronomy for a few weeks. The following Summer I reigned as queen over the July Celebration in Fayette, wearing my 8th grade graduation dress. At the end of my first year at high School as I had taken Chorus, I went to the music festival at Richfield. Then and there I decided I should like to participate in Band so the next year I took Band. I played the cymbals and the tympani Drums. I then participated in every activity in the school practically. I took band the remaining three years and every year went to the Music Festival at Richfield, the Remembrance Days at Ephraim and all the Basketball games. The band traded programs with other Schools too.
I was sick at the time of the Sophomore Swing so couldn't go. At Junior Prom our theme was "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World." In the senior year I also joined the girls Pep club made only of senior girls who went to every Basketball game the boys played to shout for the boys.
Our graduation exercise was scheduled for the 5th of May 1944 but had to be stepped up to the 3rd because of five senior boys having on the 4th to join the Service as we were in war as of December 7 1941. I had graduated from Seminary in 1943. June of 1944 I started working in the Parachutes Company of Utah at Manti. There I worked on a machine (not sewing) and in one afternoon we put out (I and my co-workers) 300 parachutes. In late July or Early August the company sold out to the Reliance Company. I worked on Night Shift there until Christmas of 1944. We rode on the bus. I made connections from Gunnison home to Fayette on the mail. I came off shift at 12:00. I then rode to Gunnison on bus. I slept at Edna's until morning, taking the mail home then and going back at noon and on the bus at 2:30.
It was during the winter of 1944-45. Alton Kiesel, Jake Kiesel and Arthur Johnson all worked together in the Gunnison Turkey Plant Locker Room. I came to see my father Arthur Johnson, and I asked for Mr. Johnson. While looking out the small square hole they threw turkeys out of, Jake said "No, Mr. Johnson isn't here; just Arthur Johnson." So I talked to my father. A few days later, while I and my parents Arthur and Rilla Johnson were walking down Gunnison main street, Alton and Jake came by. The womenfolk walked a short ways and waited while the menfolk stopped to talk. Next day at work, Alton asked Arthur who the pretty young girl was. "Oh, why that was my daughter," answered Dad.
Dad suffered from heart trouble and collapsed at work a couple of different times that fall and winter. At Christmas time we received a card from the young man who had asked who I was. On it was written "Arthur and Family." Dad says why would he send me a card and Mother said, "Why that's note for you, that's for Nila." Later he (Alton Kiesel) wrote and asked of Dad's health. He added he would be pleased to be introduced to the daughter, and could he come and visit. February 22 or 23 on a Wednesday Night he came to call. After being introduced and visiting a while he produced a box of Candy and we all went to the show at Gunnison.
After this he came quite often. Easter came of the 1st of April. This was 1945. Alton was invited to Easter dinner after which he popped the question. It snowed all day. On the 10th of April he brought the set of rings. The engagement ring was set with a diamond and on the sides were 2 lovely Rubies. The wedding ring also had a smaller diamond and slight raises in place of the rubies. Both were of yellow gold and very pretty. On the following ride to Gunnison he purchased a lovely pearl necklace and a lovely box of Candy.
At an Overall and Apron Dance given in Fayette I invited Alton, and my friend Vonda Erickson invited her friend known by the nickname of Spud. Both couples enjoyed lunch at Nila's. Another time we all went to the show at Gunnison and had a malt.
On the 12th of May 1945 Alton Freddie Kiesel of Manti, son of George Christian and Petrea Christine Kiesel of Manti, married Nila Durfee (Johnson) of Fayette. We were married in the Richfield Court House at 1:00 O'clock. Witnesses were Arthur Johnson and Rilla Gee Johnson. I was dressed in a light blue net floor length circular skirt. White gardenias were in my hair and also in the corsage on my shoulder. Gold sandals adorned my feet. The groom was dressed in navy blue. After the ceremonies I changed to street clothes and all enjoyed dinner at Lynn's café. Then all went shopping.
In the beginning of 1945 after the turkey Plant has closed Alton went to work in the Railroad. Then I was working day shift at the Parachute Plant. The shift started at 6:00 A.M. and ended 3:45 P. M. Alton's Co-workers on the Railroad all knew Alton's girlfriend rode the Parachute Bus. Every chance they got they would all wave and shout as the bus passed by way of Jibbing Alton. Later Alton went to work for the Parachute Plant also. He was a guard then as we were still in war. I quit work about the first of May 1945 but Alton continued to work there for some time.
Shower and Dance was held in the Fayette Amusement Hall 4 or 5 days after the Marriage.
Nine months and 2 weeks later we had a Baby Girl born to us. Alton was working for Verl Peterson's garage at the time of the birth of our first child. A baby girl was born, weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz. in the wee hours, at 2:30 A.M. She had black hair and fair skin. We named her Linda Lane Kiesel after Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson. She was born at the Salina Hospital and delivered by Doctor Ray Noyes. I was allowed out of bed at 8 days and returned to Fayette the evening of the 9th day. It was snowing so bad we couldn't hardly drive. We had a 1937 Terrplan. The baby was good until we hit the point where she started to cry, but she stopped when answered. She resumed crying at old Shining Canal and continued to cry until we reached home. Dad opened the door, and then asked if we were coming crazy coming home with a new baby and mother in snow storm like that.
When a neighbor named Bell Mellor saw Alton jump the fence and go into the house, she said, "Nila has had her baby." The evening before, I had failed to appear at the Relief Society Singing Mother's practice, at which I was at that time Chorister of. During the following months when I failed to return to those practices, the town folks came to believe that there was something wrong with the new baby. As my strength returned and I came out to church, someone was heard to remark, "Well, There isn't anything wrong with that baby, she is simply beautiful."
Over a period of time her blue eyes turned to brown and her black hair became lighter only to darken again. She was blessed on the 4th of April 1946, in the home of Arthur Johnson and Rilla Johnson by Arthur Johnson.
While Linda was small, I and my Mother made many dresses with matching bonnets for the little Linda. Her little head was covered with dark hair.
We lived in the home of Elijah James of Fayette until she (Linda) was eight months at which time (8th of Oct. 1946) we moved to a little 2 roomed house built on the South half of Arthur's and Rilla's Johnson's lot. The other house had so many black widow spiders in it, and sometimes even a bat would come into the house. Linda learned to walk when she was 9 ½ months old. She lacked 10 days of being 10 months. Her first 3 steps were taken going from her mother to her daddy. They were taken in the 2 roomed house in Fayette. She got her first tooth at 4 months, and also drank from a cup at 4 months. When she was hungry she would say "Hunny, Hunny, Hunny" in such a sad little voice. For her first Christmas, among her toys was a kitten on a string and it was much fun, even for the adults. On January 25, 1948 we moved to Manti where we hoped to find more work and where Linda could attend school without riding a bus.
In Manti we enjoyed mail and grocery deliveries. We also had a garden, which we had to rent water for in Fayette. We also had chickens during that summer of ‘48. Alton worked on the railroad that summer. Jake also worked there, and because Jake was the younger and only one brother could work, Alton lost out. That fall and winter we made a down payment on a 1941 Chevy truck.
Arthur was born the next fall. It was pickle bottling time, and so I ground and bottled some Chow Chow pickles. So it was that the next day we got our first boy, named Arthur. Due to the extra work involved in bottling the produce of the garden, he was born 3 weeks early. He weighed a mere 5 lbs. and 8 ounces. He came at 1:00 o'clock, near midday. This delivery was very hard and I hemorrhaged until they feared for my life. The doctor was Richard Sears. They called in Sadie Tooth Olsen to help in the nursing. She got things under control at about 9:00 that night. She remained all night. I remember how tired everyone looked when they bid me good-night that evening. The baby kept fussing until allowed to nurse, and then he settled for the night. He weighed 5 ½ lbs. We had a difficult time raising him as my milk didn't agree with him very well. I got up 7 days after the birth, but the doctor ordered that I must do no sweeping or mopping for 3 weeks. Alton was helping the Cox Bros. on the water tank for the temple when the baby came. On November 10th, 1948 the baby was blessed: Arthur Alton Kiesel, in the Alton Kiesel home by Arthur Johnson.
That winter we went to visit Mother and Dad Johnson in their car. The snow was piled as high as cars along the road, and many were stranded and some froze to death. The only thing was to remain home, and with 2 small children we did just that.
When spring came Alton was still working for the Cox Bros. Dad (Arthur) Johnson had a heart attack on the 18th of March, this was on a Friday. On Monday he went back to work. He also went on Tuesday, but because he was not feeling well he asked Ray (Jean) Mickelsen to load his tools, and he headed home. Sometime later he was found just short of the point. He had pulled the car off of the road waiting for the spell to work over. There he died. Frank, Cecilia, and Edna Gee found him there. This was Tuesday March 22, 1949.
Edna, Leah and Verda came up to let me know. Of course we went to Fayette. That night, we went to Salina to see his body. On the 23rd we picked out his clothes. On 24th we saw him again. On 25th we brought him home, and on 26th we buried him. He had a Military funeral. By the 27th, we returned home. Mother refused to leave then, but she came up often. Sometimes overnight. One time she brought an enlarged photograph of Dad Johnson.
The first part of May we got our truck. It looked very good to us and we made many trips to Fayette that summer. By October, the shock finally hit me and I became very sick. I was unable to do lots of my work. Upon calling George Sears, he said it was my heart. He prescribed a tonic with Strychnine in it. All winter I was very sick from this trouble, and on March 5th I had a miscarriage. Plenty of rest and care finally put me on my feet, while I was so sick I couldn't walk across the floor.
One day Linda (at 3 years old) crawled up and got me my medicine and water and put it back. Alton was at work in the Turkey plant then. Later on as I became well I went to work for the Carlisle Mfg. Co., and there I would hem the shirts. I worked off and on for some years. About ‘52 or ‘53 we traded our truck for another Chevy truck, which was made one in 1948.
In January 1953 our third child was born, weighing 7 ½ lbs., at 6:00 O'clock in the morning. The Doctor was Lucian Sears. The nurse was Sadie Olsen. She was blessed as Alta LeAnn Kiesel on the 15th of March 1953 at the Alton Kiesel home by Alma C. Peterson. She cut her first tooth at four months. When Alta was 6 weeks I went back to work. Her Grandmother Kiesel watched and took care of Alta while I was at work. As Alta got older and began to walk, It didn't take her long to learn her way over to her Grandma and Grandpa Kiesel's place. Even in the dark, she would go over there to visit. After Alton and I realized she was not close by, one of us would go over and accompany her home.
I worked until she was a year old and Grandma Kiesel (Stenna) tended her. She was a bottle baby and also picked up the habit of using a pacifier. One spring Arthur's school class took a May walk to the park. On returning home he said, "I walked two whole miles without a drink of water." Alta spoke up, "Stay home." Whenever anyone got after her Alta would say, "Do you like me?"
In July 1954 our fourth child, a baby girl, was born to us at 8:17 in the evening. This time I was up the next day for a while. This delivery was made with gas. This baby weighed 7 lbs. 2 ounces. We named her Jane Marie Kiesel. As she became older she was tender and a cross word would cause her to pucker up her lips.
Linda would dress them up with lipstick, silk scarfs and turn the radio on. They would all then dance. They were Jane: 1 ½ years, Alta: 3 yrs., Arthur: 7, and Linda: 9-10. On Nov. 7, 1954 the baby was blessed as Jane Marie Kiesel at church by Alma C. Peterson. Jane walked at about 11 months, while Alta walked at about 10 months.
In the spring of 1954 we bought some chickens and raised them. The children really enjoyed this, and knew each chicken by heart.
It was April in 1957 when Fred George was born to us. It was toward evening time when he was born. We were very surprised to get another boy. As Fred grew up we came to realize he was a very quiet person, but one to depend on.
Just two years after Fred was born we had a girl, and her name was Callie Ann. She and Fred were very close and one day when a boy his age was bothering Callie, Fred told him "If you don't leave my sister alone I will give you a licking." Well, the boy left Callie alone after that.
In the fall of 1959 we bought our house from Gomer Edmons and on the 5th of November we spent our first night in our new house at 123 South 3rd East in Manti.
On the 6th of May in 1961 we had a little girl born to us, but she was born dead. At the same time, I came thru with a 50-50 chance. The little girl would have been dark haired and we would have named her Lora Lorraine Kiesel. She would have been 2 years younger than Callie. Doctor Davidson allowed me to come home early, and I went to the mortuary where she was laid. Her little ear was bent under her bonnet and I straightened it. She had long black hair and was very beautiful and fine featured. That summer was hard on us, because we wished she could stay around to be raised.
It was the following year that we had a boy born to us. His name was John, which Linda had picked out for him. Alton's youngest brother, if he had lived, would have been Elliott and so John's middle name was Elliott also. He has been a very small boy in stature. When John became a little bit older we had a jumper swing and he loved to wind up in it. I and Alton were in very earnest conversation one day when Callie pulled on my skirt to show us John. He had wound up in the swing until his Adam's apple was resting on the cross wire in front of him. We immediately unwound him and he was O.K. And so his life was saved.
Soon after the first plastic bags came out, Arthur was playing with one and thoughtlessly put it over his head. I was standing there next to him and turned around to see his plight. The bag had blocked his breathing and he was choking, his face swelling in front of my very own eyes. I realized something must be done immediately. I knew I had not time to pull the entire bag off his head and that he needed air in his mouth. So I took my hands and started clawing at the bag directly over his mouth. I broke through, air rushed in, and then I could take the bag off. But it was entirely too close for comfort, and we almost lost him then and there. The sudden swelling of his face remains with me today.
When John was 17 months, old we were blessed with another little girl. This was the first girl to have my name, and she was named after my grandma Gee, and after Alton's grandmother Petersen. The name was Nila Cecelia Kiesel. To avoid the use of big Nila and little Nila, she was called Cecelia or Celia for short. Her hair was dark and she very much resembled her older sister Linda. She was taller than the other children and pretty. Celia was born near 8 or 9 in the morning, while John was born at 3 O'clock in the morning, and Jane was born in the evening, and also Fred.
When Celia was 2 years old we lost another little girl. This one would have been named Sarah Elizabeth. This was the beginning of trouble, and the separating of lives.
In early August of ‘66 Alton collapsed on the kitchen floor. He was taken to Mount Pleasant Hospital where it was found he had practically no blood. Friends rallied and blood was donated for his survival. He was at Mount Pleasant for 6 days, then he was sent into Provo Hospital when he underwent tests for 9 more days. It was discovered that one of his kidneys had not been working for at least three years. Another Doctor declared that the ulcer he had was the largest one the doctor had ever observed. An operation was needed. One month later we returned, but Alton stated that things didn't feel right and he returned to Manti. While at Provo I (and Arthur) stayed at Linda and her husband's place in Orem. Within a week, the pain and infection forced Alton to be operated on at the Mt. Pleasant Hospital by a Doctor Gleeves.
This is a more correct account of the dates from those troubled times: We returned from the Provo tests on the 15th. On the 17th I went into the hospital for the delivery. The morning of the 18th the dead baby girl was delivered. Approximately 5 weeks later Alton was operated on. His cancerous kidney removed. He improved after this and remained in this world for 15 more months. We miss him today, as we always will. We feel that we owe thanks for his company during those close 15 months. The 6th of Dec 1967 the ulcer started to bleed again and he was operated on within days. He lay in the hospital for 2 weeks before he died, suffering intensely, concerned about others, and still joking--so other's wouldn't worry about him. This last operation took 5 and ½ hours. The incision did not heal, but bled continuously until his death. He had a heart attack within days after the operation, finally his kidney stopped, and his lungs started to fill with water. Too many things went wrong, and he couldn't survive. He died on the 27th of December and was buried on the 30th. He had 6 married brothers and sisters, so we asked one from each to be his pall bears. He had a nice funeral, and we still miss him.
It was almost a month later, on the 25th of January 1968, that Arthur left for service in the Navy. Later he served on the United States Ship Kitty Hawk in action in the Pacific.
--------------------------------------------
The following is a portion of a letter she wrote to a primary student of hers in March 25, 1971.
"As a baby I arrived as everyone else on earth. But the Lord had prepared well for me. So that I should not get too lonesome here without him he put flowers special, friends and relatives to love me. I grew up with that love around me.
And then I met the Extra Special Love of My Life and I and my husband were married. The Lord blessed our marriage with 10 little souls whom he trusted unto us. Then he gave me the greatest test that I had faced as yet. My husband was called home to rest and I was required to finish the job alone. The wound was great and even now bothers me some.
But again the Lord had blessed me well. I had 8 living children which required my 24 hour attention and Love too. And I so badly needed theirs. When I would get especially lonely and blue they were there to put their arms around me and say, "Don't cry, Mother, We are here." The Lord father tested my strength and faith when the country borrowed my eldest son for 4 years of Navy Service (mostly overseas on board ship). But again he blessed us all…
During my childhood I spent many happy hours (hard too) at the piano and God rewarded me with the talent of piano playing. This has greatly enriched our family lives and I have had the privilege of serving God too with it. While raising the children, I relaxed, but I've never forgot this talent.
Soon after my husband's departure (the Lord knowing busy hands help ease an aching heart) He called me to teach in primary. There I was allowed to meet some of the best (I say some because there are many) of God's children. As with my own at home I have come to love each and every one of these little ones. As in any garden there are flowers of every color and hue. Each one has its own place and rare and beautiful it is to the eye…"
--------------------------------------------
After Alton's death in Dec 1967, Nila worked hard to provide for their children. 6 of her 8 children were still at home. She was a source of inspiration and love to them.
Later when grandchildren were born she showered them with her love and guidance as well. She always was an example of faithfulness and kindness, of being of good cheer and striving to do your best.
(The following information was gained from an article printed in the Pyramid September 16, 1982 and from her obituary.)
Nila Durfee Kiesel, age 70, died September 18, 1996 in the Sanpete Valley Hospital, Mt. Pleasant, Utah, following a stroke.
She was born in Aurora, Utah November 10, 1925 to Nancy Ellen Hunt and David Franklin Durfee. Her mother died when she was 5 weeks old. She was raised by Elias Arthur and Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson.
She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1944.
She married Alton Fred Kiesel May 12, 1945 in Richfield. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple.
She was talented musically, writing music for both piano and voice. She was an organist in the various church auxiliaries since the age of 13.
She was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as Relief Society organist and a visiting teacher, teaching Sunday School and Primary. She was also chorister for the Singing Mothers.
She was a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
She enjoyed doing genealogy, and taught herself the Danish and Swedish genealogy research terms so she could understand this research. She also did many family histories and enjoyed working in the Name Extraction program for the LDS Church.
She loved flowers and enjoyed working with them. She enjoyed sewing and worked for many years at the old Carlyle Sewing plant in Manti. She made many quilt tops for her family and friends.
She also worked as well as the turkey plant in Gunnison and for Pacific Trails.
She collected recipes and enjoyed cooking many wonderful dishes for her family.
She was always devoted to her mother Rilla, and her family.
--------------------------------------------
To My Cousin Nila Kiesel for her Memoriam
She loved all mankind and hate and dislike never crossed her mind. Her only task to me was humbleness, love and simplicity.
Her work for the Lord was constant and continuous. And her leisure time was spent in showing human faithfulness.
Her love for life and people too came back to her ‘cause no one knew of a fault or two. I could without dispute only commend her for her attitude since she was never one to hesitate or refute.
Her children are beyond a doubt to her what life is all about. They come into the world in humble circumstances, but each was welcomed with open arms and more importantly with a loving heart and many chances.
Though trials and tribulations abounded in excess, she always placed them into proper perspectives' rest.
God gave her talents of quietness, kindness, helpfulness galore. So now our Heavenly Father can do nothing but open up his Heavenly door that this dear spirit can explore the beautiful wonderful rest forever more.
We'll miss her greatly, and well we should, for she was extremely good.
But don't let's mourn too deeply for this sweet Queen, for Heavenly Father will spread her wings to take her to the highest glory, so she may there teach others her wonderful story.
--Ken Gee, Cousin
-------------------------------------
The following is a poem written about Nila by her granddaughter Shauna Salerno that perfectly describes our beloved Nila.
Love and Strength
Her love touched all of our hearts.
Her strength pulled us together and made us one.
Her love gave birth to eight great and wonderful children.
Her strength gave them the strength to make it through.
Her love wasn't lost when she lost their father.
Her strength helped the children through the pain and hurt.
Her love was offered even when not returned.
Her strength showed others how to live a wonderful life.
Her love will always remain in our hearts,
And as for her strength, it will live on in all of us forever.
--Shauna Salerno
--------------------------------------
The following is from an chain letter dated 14 Oct 1984, Nila wrote to her family. It is what she would want to tell us:
"My dear family members,
You are all very special to me and I love each and every one of you. Every Sunday I fast for your wellbeing, and several times a day I pray for you too. Just remember: whatever you do in life give it your very best effort. What you do is seen by others. We are examples to all who see us (especially the young) and know us. Long after you leave this life you will be known by your works.
We are here for a short time only- it seems forever now- but we will go on from here someday- therefore let us learn all we can as we will take that with us- only that which we know is ours to keep."
David Franklin Durfee Find A Grave Memorial# 9076774
Nancy Ellen Hunt Pierce Durfee (who died five weeks after Nila was born)Find A Grave Memorial# 9076777
Foster parents:
Elias Arthur Johnson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903632
Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson Nielson Find A Grave Memorial# 57903602
Nila Durfee Kiesel
[by Nila Durfee Kiesel as complied from her Autobiography written 29 Apr 1943 and a history she wrote of her husband, Alton Kiesel 1 Feb 1974-birth dates of the living removed.]
My name is Nila Durfee. I was born in Aurora, Utah in my Aunt Electa Rhoda Ann Mott Johnson Steven's house November 10, 1925. I was the daughter of Frank Durfee and Nancy Hunt. I was blessed Aug. 10, 1930 by George M. Bartholomew. I was baptized Dec. 4, 1930 by George Beal. I was confirmed Dec. 4, 1933 by James W. Stott.
My mother had a weak heart, caught the flue, and died on the 18th of Dec 1925.
March 13th, Friday 1926 was the happiest and most blessed day in my whole life when I was taken to live with my cousin and his wife- Elias A. Johnson and Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson, who have been the best parents anyone could know or have.
August 10, 1926 we moved to Woodruff, Utah. It was then I started talking. It soon became winter and was very cold. For Christmas we came to Ephraim and after New Year's daddy went back to his work while mother and I stayed in Ephraim. January 31, 1927 daddy had become lonesome so grandpa took us to Ogden, Utah. There we were to board a train for Evanston, Wyoming. While we were waiting for the train I got a severe burn on the hand. Mother made the railroad officials call a Doctor and he tended to it. At Evanston daddy met us and we went home to Woodruff, Utah.
One day I sewed a hole it the toe of daddies sock while it was on his foot, which gave all quite a thrill.
April 6, 1927 we came to Ephraim to attend Vernal Gee's wedding. He was mother's brother and married Leah Larsen Gee of Castledale. Daddy went back and got our furnace in and then we remained in Ephraim.
The fall of 1927 mother took me to a college program. The building was filled as I entered and seeing them all I grabbed my bonnet, breaking all the ribbons and whirled it around my head yelling "Yippee." This embarrassed my mother and made everyone laugh.
Daddy ran a blacksmith shop in Ephraim and mother would take me in the buggy to visit him. As soon as I saw him, I would say, "Dis hand for mama and Dis hand for me," meaning I wanted money.
February 1928 after I was three years we moved to Fayette, Utah. During the following summer on a Tuesday afternoon I was out playing on the ditch bank and caught a little water snake. My great grandmother was there and my mother was combing her hair. Mother's back was turned to the door. I came in with the snake and said, "Here, Mama take dis." She reached behind her, and I handed her the live, cold wet snake. She screamed and threw it across the room, and when she didn't dare to pick it up I says, "I will dit it." But she swept it out instead. Daddy was still working in the shop in Ephraim and came home Saturdays. When he came and mother was telling him of it, I said, "And daddy it had the tinkernist little eyes." They asked me how I knew and I told them I had looked.
The next birthday I was four and I had my first party. Two little girls forgot to give me the money they had brought as a birthday present. Mother went to serve them and I said, "Hey! Wait, they ain't paid their money to me yet!" They immediately got out their money and gave it to me.
The summer I was five, I went to Flossie Millan's kindergarten's class. At the end of it she gave us presents. She gave Amy Millan a set of dishes and me a heart. We each had plenty of those so we suggested we trade, so we did this.
The next fall, I started to school with Miss Whitbeck as a teacher. She stayed at our home. That winter I had appendicitis, yellow jaundice, and intestinal flu all at once. I was in bed, and the Doctor couldn't seem to do much for me. One night about sundown it looked as though I was going to pass away, and daddy ran and got Kenny Bartholomew who came and as he sat there he said, "You surely have a sick little girl." He administered to me and said in it, if it was the Lord's will that I would live and be of comfort to my parents in old age. I immediately started to get better. By the time the month was up I was able to go back to school. I know it was through the will of the Lord and the faith of my parents, relatives, and friends that I am well and living today. That winter it was very cold and I was sleigh ridding on the canal. I remember as I came in a man was there and he teased me because I cried for I had got so cold.
During this same winter Daddy bought and paid for our lot, and on this he built us 2 rooms. And we moved in in February. Miss Whitbeck was my teacher and she rented the south one of these rooms.
I will never forget the thrill of having, at last a place where I could play and no one could call me down. I remember I gathered an armful of boards and brought them down (over) to Daddy asking him if I could play with them or if they were Don's. (Don was the boy where we had been renting.) Daddy told me I could play with anything inside of the fence, and I really did make a play house.
Daddy bought himself a truck and we made several trips into Salt Lake. On one of these trips he and Mother told me I could have either a piano or a bicycle. They would take me in one store and I'd look at pianos, the next store I'd look at bicycles and on and on we went like this all day. At last I chose a piano. We brought this home on the truck along with our Buffett and some other furniture. I had only been home a day or two when I and mother were standing out in the front, and as the mailman passed by he yelled something to Mother. I didn't catch what he said so I asked mother and she said, "He said he'd bring our rug over at noon. The one dad bought in Salt Lake." When the rug came it was a bicycle for me. I had many a time on this bicycle. I didn't know how to ride one but I set out to learn. I soon learned to go but I couldn't stop it or turn around.
I used to play jacks. We also had large rubber balls which we bounced. And we walked poles and sang songs.
I used to dress up in paper dresses and dance for the older people of the town. Everyone liked to have me dance. We played store, taking turns being the store keeper.
Gless Bartholomew was my fourth grade teacher and he took us to Salt Lake at the end of the school year in May. I sprained my one ankle, the night before we left, jumping in a ditch. Mother went along as a chaperone to help take care of the children. We went to the airport, the newspaper factory, the capitol, and to Temple Square. He took us again when I was in the fifth grade. This was my last year in school at Fayette, Utah.
I remember out in front of the schoolhouse there used to be a giant swing and Edna Gee (Mother's sister) used to push me and make me go really high on it. While I was going to this school I had two dreams I was really frightened by. They were dreams about two types of animals I was scared to death of (the pig and the bear.)
When I started the sixth grade I started in Gunnison in the Washington School. My teacher was Theanin H. Clinger. In my Autograph book he wrote, ‘give to the world the best you have, and the best will always come back to you.' I have found this is very true. Here I came in to new friends and classmates and the going was kind of tough for a while until I got located.
In the seventh grade I had Mrs. Clinistensen and the rest of the Fayette class came to join the Gunnison kids.
My eight grade teacher was Laine Anderson, along with Mr. Lads Metcalf, who taught part-time arithmetic.
We had a party (wiener roast) up in the bat-holes east of Gunnison and Blaine told us stories. Along with Virginia Taylor, he entertained us by their teasing each other. This winter for Christmas I had the Chicken Pox and the class took Christmas boxes to the old people of Gunnison. (They did this from a story I told them of a boy giving baskets to the poor.)
We had our graduation exercises on the 22nd of May 1940. We were all in short sport dresses. My dress was of silk and with a satin slip under in a light Pale Blue shade, and had a circular skirt. The puff sleeves were touched here and there with black velvet bows. My part on the program compared people to trains and said more should be engines and less boxcars who depended on others to get where they wanted to go. I never forgot this. Our graduating class made a trip to Salt Lake and one thing I remember best about the trip was the ascent to the top of the Capital Dome. It was only a ladder about a foot and a half across and it went from the side of the Dome at a forty five degrees angle to a little hole in the roof about 3' in diameter. We went up on hands and knees so to speak. I can't remember the scene after reaching there though.
The next year we went to High School. The seventh and eighth went with us also as we were the last graduating class from that school. My most interesting study that year was when in our geography class we finished the textbook early and studied Astronomy for a few weeks. The following Summer I reigned as queen over the July Celebration in Fayette, wearing my 8th grade graduation dress. At the end of my first year at high School as I had taken Chorus, I went to the music festival at Richfield. Then and there I decided I should like to participate in Band so the next year I took Band. I played the cymbals and the tympani Drums. I then participated in every activity in the school practically. I took band the remaining three years and every year went to the Music Festival at Richfield, the Remembrance Days at Ephraim and all the Basketball games. The band traded programs with other Schools too.
I was sick at the time of the Sophomore Swing so couldn't go. At Junior Prom our theme was "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World." In the senior year I also joined the girls Pep club made only of senior girls who went to every Basketball game the boys played to shout for the boys.
Our graduation exercise was scheduled for the 5th of May 1944 but had to be stepped up to the 3rd because of five senior boys having on the 4th to join the Service as we were in war as of December 7 1941. I had graduated from Seminary in 1943. June of 1944 I started working in the Parachutes Company of Utah at Manti. There I worked on a machine (not sewing) and in one afternoon we put out (I and my co-workers) 300 parachutes. In late July or Early August the company sold out to the Reliance Company. I worked on Night Shift there until Christmas of 1944. We rode on the bus. I made connections from Gunnison home to Fayette on the mail. I came off shift at 12:00. I then rode to Gunnison on bus. I slept at Edna's until morning, taking the mail home then and going back at noon and on the bus at 2:30.
It was during the winter of 1944-45. Alton Kiesel, Jake Kiesel and Arthur Johnson all worked together in the Gunnison Turkey Plant Locker Room. I came to see my father Arthur Johnson, and I asked for Mr. Johnson. While looking out the small square hole they threw turkeys out of, Jake said "No, Mr. Johnson isn't here; just Arthur Johnson." So I talked to my father. A few days later, while I and my parents Arthur and Rilla Johnson were walking down Gunnison main street, Alton and Jake came by. The womenfolk walked a short ways and waited while the menfolk stopped to talk. Next day at work, Alton asked Arthur who the pretty young girl was. "Oh, why that was my daughter," answered Dad.
Dad suffered from heart trouble and collapsed at work a couple of different times that fall and winter. At Christmas time we received a card from the young man who had asked who I was. On it was written "Arthur and Family." Dad says why would he send me a card and Mother said, "Why that's note for you, that's for Nila." Later he (Alton Kiesel) wrote and asked of Dad's health. He added he would be pleased to be introduced to the daughter, and could he come and visit. February 22 or 23 on a Wednesday Night he came to call. After being introduced and visiting a while he produced a box of Candy and we all went to the show at Gunnison.
After this he came quite often. Easter came of the 1st of April. This was 1945. Alton was invited to Easter dinner after which he popped the question. It snowed all day. On the 10th of April he brought the set of rings. The engagement ring was set with a diamond and on the sides were 2 lovely Rubies. The wedding ring also had a smaller diamond and slight raises in place of the rubies. Both were of yellow gold and very pretty. On the following ride to Gunnison he purchased a lovely pearl necklace and a lovely box of Candy.
At an Overall and Apron Dance given in Fayette I invited Alton, and my friend Vonda Erickson invited her friend known by the nickname of Spud. Both couples enjoyed lunch at Nila's. Another time we all went to the show at Gunnison and had a malt.
On the 12th of May 1945 Alton Freddie Kiesel of Manti, son of George Christian and Petrea Christine Kiesel of Manti, married Nila Durfee (Johnson) of Fayette. We were married in the Richfield Court House at 1:00 O'clock. Witnesses were Arthur Johnson and Rilla Gee Johnson. I was dressed in a light blue net floor length circular skirt. White gardenias were in my hair and also in the corsage on my shoulder. Gold sandals adorned my feet. The groom was dressed in navy blue. After the ceremonies I changed to street clothes and all enjoyed dinner at Lynn's café. Then all went shopping.
In the beginning of 1945 after the turkey Plant has closed Alton went to work in the Railroad. Then I was working day shift at the Parachute Plant. The shift started at 6:00 A.M. and ended 3:45 P. M. Alton's Co-workers on the Railroad all knew Alton's girlfriend rode the Parachute Bus. Every chance they got they would all wave and shout as the bus passed by way of Jibbing Alton. Later Alton went to work for the Parachute Plant also. He was a guard then as we were still in war. I quit work about the first of May 1945 but Alton continued to work there for some time.
Shower and Dance was held in the Fayette Amusement Hall 4 or 5 days after the Marriage.
Nine months and 2 weeks later we had a Baby Girl born to us. Alton was working for Verl Peterson's garage at the time of the birth of our first child. A baby girl was born, weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz. in the wee hours, at 2:30 A.M. She had black hair and fair skin. We named her Linda Lane Kiesel after Rilla Milinda Gee Johnson. She was born at the Salina Hospital and delivered by Doctor Ray Noyes. I was allowed out of bed at 8 days and returned to Fayette the evening of the 9th day. It was snowing so bad we couldn't hardly drive. We had a 1937 Terrplan. The baby was good until we hit the point where she started to cry, but she stopped when answered. She resumed crying at old Shining Canal and continued to cry until we reached home. Dad opened the door, and then asked if we were coming crazy coming home with a new baby and mother in snow storm like that.
When a neighbor named Bell Mellor saw Alton jump the fence and go into the house, she said, "Nila has had her baby." The evening before, I had failed to appear at the Relief Society Singing Mother's practice, at which I was at that time Chorister of. During the following months when I failed to return to those practices, the town folks came to believe that there was something wrong with the new baby. As my strength returned and I came out to church, someone was heard to remark, "Well, There isn't anything wrong with that baby, she is simply beautiful."
Over a period of time her blue eyes turned to brown and her black hair became lighter only to darken again. She was blessed on the 4th of April 1946, in the home of Arthur Johnson and Rilla Johnson by Arthur Johnson.
While Linda was small, I and my Mother made many dresses with matching bonnets for the little Linda. Her little head was covered with dark hair.
We lived in the home of Elijah James of Fayette until she (Linda) was eight months at which time (8th of Oct. 1946) we moved to a little 2 roomed house built on the South half of Arthur's and Rilla's Johnson's lot. The other house had so many black widow spiders in it, and sometimes even a bat would come into the house. Linda learned to walk when she was 9 ½ months old. She lacked 10 days of being 10 months. Her first 3 steps were taken going from her mother to her daddy. They were taken in the 2 roomed house in Fayette. She got her first tooth at 4 months, and also drank from a cup at 4 months. When she was hungry she would say "Hunny, Hunny, Hunny" in such a sad little voice. For her first Christmas, among her toys was a kitten on a string and it was much fun, even for the adults. On January 25, 1948 we moved to Manti where we hoped to find more work and where Linda could attend school without riding a bus.
In Manti we enjoyed mail and grocery deliveries. We also had a garden, which we had to rent water for in Fayette. We also had chickens during that summer of ‘48. Alton worked on the railroad that summer. Jake also worked there, and because Jake was the younger and only one brother could work, Alton lost out. That fall and winter we made a down payment on a 1941 Chevy truck.
Arthur was born the next fall. It was pickle bottling time, and so I ground and bottled some Chow Chow pickles. So it was that the next day we got our first boy, named Arthur. Due to the extra work involved in bottling the produce of the garden, he was born 3 weeks early. He weighed a mere 5 lbs. and 8 ounces. He came at 1:00 o'clock, near midday. This delivery was very hard and I hemorrhaged until they feared for my life. The doctor was Richard Sears. They called in Sadie Tooth Olsen to help in the nursing. She got things under control at about 9:00 that night. She remained all night. I remember how tired everyone looked when they bid me good-night that evening. The baby kept fussing until allowed to nurse, and then he settled for the night. He weighed 5 ½ lbs. We had a difficult time raising him as my milk didn't agree with him very well. I got up 7 days after the birth, but the doctor ordered that I must do no sweeping or mopping for 3 weeks. Alton was helping the Cox Bros. on the water tank for the temple when the baby came. On November 10th, 1948 the baby was blessed: Arthur Alton Kiesel, in the Alton Kiesel home by Arthur Johnson.
That winter we went to visit Mother and Dad Johnson in their car. The snow was piled as high as cars along the road, and many were stranded and some froze to death. The only thing was to remain home, and with 2 small children we did just that.
When spring came Alton was still working for the Cox Bros. Dad (Arthur) Johnson had a heart attack on the 18th of March, this was on a Friday. On Monday he went back to work. He also went on Tuesday, but because he was not feeling well he asked Ray (Jean) Mickelsen to load his tools, and he headed home. Sometime later he was found just short of the point. He had pulled the car off of the road waiting for the spell to work over. There he died. Frank, Cecilia, and Edna Gee found him there. This was Tuesday March 22, 1949.
Edna, Leah and Verda came up to let me know. Of course we went to Fayette. That night, we went to Salina to see his body. On the 23rd we picked out his clothes. On 24th we saw him again. On 25th we brought him home, and on 26th we buried him. He had a Military funeral. By the 27th, we returned home. Mother refused to leave then, but she came up often. Sometimes overnight. One time she brought an enlarged photograph of Dad Johnson.
The first part of May we got our truck. It looked very good to us and we made many trips to Fayette that summer. By October, the shock finally hit me and I became very sick. I was unable to do lots of my work. Upon calling George Sears, he said it was my heart. He prescribed a tonic with Strychnine in it. All winter I was very sick from this trouble, and on March 5th I had a miscarriage. Plenty of rest and care finally put me on my feet, while I was so sick I couldn't walk across the floor.
One day Linda (at 3 years old) crawled up and got me my medicine and water and put it back. Alton was at work in the Turkey plant then. Later on as I became well I went to work for the Carlisle Mfg. Co., and there I would hem the shirts. I worked off and on for some years. About ‘52 or ‘53 we traded our truck for another Chevy truck, which was made one in 1948.
In January 1953 our third child was born, weighing 7 ½ lbs., at 6:00 O'clock in the morning. The Doctor was Lucian Sears. The nurse was Sadie Olsen. She was blessed as Alta LeAnn Kiesel on the 15th of March 1953 at the Alton Kiesel home by Alma C. Peterson. She cut her first tooth at four months. When Alta was 6 weeks I went back to work. Her Grandmother Kiesel watched and took care of Alta while I was at work. As Alta got older and began to walk, It didn't take her long to learn her way over to her Grandma and Grandpa Kiesel's place. Even in the dark, she would go over there to visit. After Alton and I realized she was not close by, one of us would go over and accompany her home.
I worked until she was a year old and Grandma Kiesel (Stenna) tended her. She was a bottle baby and also picked up the habit of using a pacifier. One spring Arthur's school class took a May walk to the park. On returning home he said, "I walked two whole miles without a drink of water." Alta spoke up, "Stay home." Whenever anyone got after her Alta would say, "Do you like me?"
In July 1954 our fourth child, a baby girl, was born to us at 8:17 in the evening. This time I was up the next day for a while. This delivery was made with gas. This baby weighed 7 lbs. 2 ounces. We named her Jane Marie Kiesel. As she became older she was tender and a cross word would cause her to pucker up her lips.
Linda would dress them up with lipstick, silk scarfs and turn the radio on. They would all then dance. They were Jane: 1 ½ years, Alta: 3 yrs., Arthur: 7, and Linda: 9-10. On Nov. 7, 1954 the baby was blessed as Jane Marie Kiesel at church by Alma C. Peterson. Jane walked at about 11 months, while Alta walked at about 10 months.
In the spring of 1954 we bought some chickens and raised them. The children really enjoyed this, and knew each chicken by heart.
It was April in 1957 when Fred George was born to us. It was toward evening time when he was born. We were very surprised to get another boy. As Fred grew up we came to realize he was a very quiet person, but one to depend on.
Just two years after Fred was born we had a girl, and her name was Callie Ann. She and Fred were very close and one day when a boy his age was bothering Callie, Fred told him "If you don't leave my sister alone I will give you a licking." Well, the boy left Callie alone after that.
In the fall of 1959 we bought our house from Gomer Edmons and on the 5th of November we spent our first night in our new house at 123 South 3rd East in Manti.
On the 6th of May in 1961 we had a little girl born to us, but she was born dead. At the same time, I came thru with a 50-50 chance. The little girl would have been dark haired and we would have named her Lora Lorraine Kiesel. She would have been 2 years younger than Callie. Doctor Davidson allowed me to come home early, and I went to the mortuary where she was laid. Her little ear was bent under her bonnet and I straightened it. She had long black hair and was very beautiful and fine featured. That summer was hard on us, because we wished she could stay around to be raised.
It was the following year that we had a boy born to us. His name was John, which Linda had picked out for him. Alton's youngest brother, if he had lived, would have been Elliott and so John's middle name was Elliott also. He has been a very small boy in stature. When John became a little bit older we had a jumper swing and he loved to wind up in it. I and Alton were in very earnest conversation one day when Callie pulled on my skirt to show us John. He had wound up in the swing until his Adam's apple was resting on the cross wire in front of him. We immediately unwound him and he was O.K. And so his life was saved.
Soon after the first plastic bags came out, Arthur was playing with one and thoughtlessly put it over his head. I was standing there next to him and turned around to see his plight. The bag had blocked his breathing and he was choking, his face swelling in front of my very own eyes. I realized something must be done immediately. I knew I had not time to pull the entire bag off his head and that he needed air in his mouth. So I took my hands and started clawing at the bag directly over his mouth. I broke through, air rushed in, and then I could take the bag off. But it was entirely too close for comfort, and we almost lost him then and there. The sudden swelling of his face remains with me today.
When John was 17 months, old we were blessed with another little girl. This was the first girl to have my name, and she was named after my grandma Gee, and after Alton's grandmother Petersen. The name was Nila Cecelia Kiesel. To avoid the use of big Nila and little Nila, she was called Cecelia or Celia for short. Her hair was dark and she very much resembled her older sister Linda. She was taller than the other children and pretty. Celia was born near 8 or 9 in the morning, while John was born at 3 O'clock in the morning, and Jane was born in the evening, and also Fred.
When Celia was 2 years old we lost another little girl. This one would have been named Sarah Elizabeth. This was the beginning of trouble, and the separating of lives.
In early August of ‘66 Alton collapsed on the kitchen floor. He was taken to Mount Pleasant Hospital where it was found he had practically no blood. Friends rallied and blood was donated for his survival. He was at Mount Pleasant for 6 days, then he was sent into Provo Hospital when he underwent tests for 9 more days. It was discovered that one of his kidneys had not been working for at least three years. Another Doctor declared that the ulcer he had was the largest one the doctor had ever observed. An operation was needed. One month later we returned, but Alton stated that things didn't feel right and he returned to Manti. While at Provo I (and Arthur) stayed at Linda and her husband's place in Orem. Within a week, the pain and infection forced Alton to be operated on at the Mt. Pleasant Hospital by a Doctor Gleeves.
This is a more correct account of the dates from those troubled times: We returned from the Provo tests on the 15th. On the 17th I went into the hospital for the delivery. The morning of the 18th the dead baby girl was delivered. Approximately 5 weeks later Alton was operated on. His cancerous kidney removed. He improved after this and remained in this world for 15 more months. We miss him today, as we always will. We feel that we owe thanks for his company during those close 15 months. The 6th of Dec 1967 the ulcer started to bleed again and he was operated on within days. He lay in the hospital for 2 weeks before he died, suffering intensely, concerned about others, and still joking--so other's wouldn't worry about him. This last operation took 5 and ½ hours. The incision did not heal, but bled continuously until his death. He had a heart attack within days after the operation, finally his kidney stopped, and his lungs started to fill with water. Too many things went wrong, and he couldn't survive. He died on the 27th of December and was buried on the 30th. He had 6 married brothers and sisters, so we asked one from each to be his pall bears. He had a nice funeral, and we still miss him.
It was almost a month later, on the 25th of January 1968, that Arthur left for service in the Navy. Later he served on the United States Ship Kitty Hawk in action in the Pacific.
--------------------------------------------
The following is a portion of a letter she wrote to a primary student of hers in March 25, 1971.
"As a baby I arrived as everyone else on earth. But the Lord had prepared well for me. So that I should not get too lonesome here without him he put flowers special, friends and relatives to love me. I grew up with that love around me.
And then I met the Extra Special Love of My Life and I and my husband were married. The Lord blessed our marriage with 10 little souls whom he trusted unto us. Then he gave me the greatest test that I had faced as yet. My husband was called home to rest and I was required to finish the job alone. The wound was great and even now bothers me some.
But again the Lord had blessed me well. I had 8 living children which required my 24 hour attention and Love too. And I so badly needed theirs. When I would get especially lonely and blue they were there to put their arms around me and say, "Don't cry, Mother, We are here." The Lord father tested my strength and faith when the country borrowed my eldest son for 4 years of Navy Service (mostly overseas on board ship). But again he blessed us all…
During my childhood I spent many happy hours (hard too) at the piano and God rewarded me with the talent of piano playing. This has greatly enriched our family lives and I have had the privilege of serving God too with it. While raising the children, I relaxed, but I've never forgot this talent.
Soon after my husband's departure (the Lord knowing busy hands help ease an aching heart) He called me to teach in primary. There I was allowed to meet some of the best (I say some because there are many) of God's children. As with my own at home I have come to love each and every one of these little ones. As in any garden there are flowers of every color and hue. Each one has its own place and rare and beautiful it is to the eye…"
--------------------------------------------
After Alton's death in Dec 1967, Nila worked hard to provide for their children. 6 of her 8 children were still at home. She was a source of inspiration and love to them.
Later when grandchildren were born she showered them with her love and guidance as well. She always was an example of faithfulness and kindness, of being of good cheer and striving to do your best.
(The following information was gained from an article printed in the Pyramid September 16, 1982 and from her obituary.)
Nila Durfee Kiesel, age 70, died September 18, 1996 in the Sanpete Valley Hospital, Mt. Pleasant, Utah, following a stroke.
She was born in Aurora, Utah November 10, 1925 to Nancy Ellen Hunt and David Franklin Durfee. Her mother died when she was 5 weeks old. She was raised by Elias Arthur and Rilla Malinda Gee Johnson.
She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1944.
She married Alton Fred Kiesel May 12, 1945 in Richfield. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple.
She was talented musically, writing music for both piano and voice. She was an organist in the various church auxiliaries since the age of 13.
She was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as Relief Society organist and a visiting teacher, teaching Sunday School and Primary. She was also chorister for the Singing Mothers.
She was a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
She enjoyed doing genealogy, and taught herself the Danish and Swedish genealogy research terms so she could understand this research. She also did many family histories and enjoyed working in the Name Extraction program for the LDS Church.
She loved flowers and enjoyed working with them. She enjoyed sewing and worked for many years at the old Carlyle Sewing plant in Manti. She made many quilt tops for her family and friends.
She also worked as well as the turkey plant in Gunnison and for Pacific Trails.
She collected recipes and enjoyed cooking many wonderful dishes for her family.
She was always devoted to her mother Rilla, and her family.
--------------------------------------------
To My Cousin Nila Kiesel for her Memoriam
She loved all mankind and hate and dislike never crossed her mind. Her only task to me was humbleness, love and simplicity.
Her work for the Lord was constant and continuous. And her leisure time was spent in showing human faithfulness.
Her love for life and people too came back to her ‘cause no one knew of a fault or two. I could without dispute only commend her for her attitude since she was never one to hesitate or refute.
Her children are beyond a doubt to her what life is all about. They come into the world in humble circumstances, but each was welcomed with open arms and more importantly with a loving heart and many chances.
Though trials and tribulations abounded in excess, she always placed them into proper perspectives' rest.
God gave her talents of quietness, kindness, helpfulness galore. So now our Heavenly Father can do nothing but open up his Heavenly door that this dear spirit can explore the beautiful wonderful rest forever more.
We'll miss her greatly, and well we should, for she was extremely good.
But don't let's mourn too deeply for this sweet Queen, for Heavenly Father will spread her wings to take her to the highest glory, so she may there teach others her wonderful story.
--Ken Gee, Cousin
-------------------------------------
The following is a poem written about Nila by her granddaughter Shauna Salerno that perfectly describes our beloved Nila.
Love and Strength
Her love touched all of our hearts.
Her strength pulled us together and made us one.
Her love gave birth to eight great and wonderful children.
Her strength gave them the strength to make it through.
Her love wasn't lost when she lost their father.
Her strength helped the children through the pain and hurt.
Her love was offered even when not returned.
Her strength showed others how to live a wonderful life.
Her love will always remain in our hearts,
And as for her strength, it will live on in all of us forever.
--Shauna Salerno
--------------------------------------
The following is from an chain letter dated 14 Oct 1984, Nila wrote to her family. It is what she would want to tell us:
"My dear family members,
You are all very special to me and I love each and every one of you. Every Sunday I fast for your wellbeing, and several times a day I pray for you too. Just remember: whatever you do in life give it your very best effort. What you do is seen by others. We are examples to all who see us (especially the young) and know us. Long after you leave this life you will be known by your works.
We are here for a short time only- it seems forever now- but we will go on from here someday- therefore let us learn all we can as we will take that with us- only that which we know is ours to keep."
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
