Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Maymie & Elmer in Yuma


This photo of Maymie and Elmer walking in old downtown Yuma, Arizona, brings back many memories. I can remember walking down that very same street with Maymie. It had covered sidewalks up and down the street. Mostly I remember the Five & Dime store that can be seen behind them in the picture. Maymie & I often went downtown shopping. The five & dime store had tables full of all kinds of treasures for a 4 or 5 year old girl. I can remember that a pulley system (might have been in another store in old downtown) was used in order to pay for a purchase & receive change. A clerk would write up a ticket and put the ticket & money on a pulley and it was sent up to the second level and then a cashier would make the change and send it back down.  Since Maymie did not drive, Elmer would drive us.  While Maymie and I were shopping, Elmer would usually visit a bar down the street. One time he drank a little too much and forgot all about us and we were sitting out on the street after the stores closed. Wilber finally came and found us when Elmer showed up at home all by himself.


The photo below shows one of Elmer's favorite pastimes -- fishing.
I can remember going fishing with him.  Elmer even got me my own fishing pole. 
We would go fishing on Colorado River or on occasion to Old Mexico (San Felipe).


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I am sure I am kin to your family I am from Major David Wilson's line of family. I have been doing some research on it all for a few years now and with help from my sister who is very into history as well as my grandpa's cousin who was a DAR I think in 1960's or 50's. My sister and I are in DAR now and we still are researching more each day and we are still Wilson's from TN and our family still lives on one of David's original Land grants. However in the 50's or 60's not sure of dates it was sold and my grandpa bought some lands back But the orignal relatives lived there and he bought back some of that land when he started a family and my family still lives there(at least my parents do- my grandpa just died in Feb 2008 we miss him dearly.) I read something about your relatives that went to Texas still trying to figure out all the connections. It was very interesting seeing all of the Texas family pictures. We have a few of David's home we recently visited this summer the old restored home in Sumner Co TN (Gallatin) and the graves near the home not sure who is burried there I know some Wilson's and others.

Please email me sometime at windstormrain@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Hello, My grandmother was Nellie Mae Fanning. (AKA Helen Faith Moore)She was the daughter of John Robert Fanning and Doris Belle Wilson. I'm in touch with the Fannings in Malta, Mt. We know that John Robert and Doris Belle were in Wyoming during the late 1890's. (letters from John Robert to his sisters) In my travels trying to find out where Doris Belle died I believe she died in Wyo. with a young male child. The grave yard is on private property. Only John Robert, Nellie Mae and sister Bertha are shown on Malta, Mt. 1900 census.
popsharley@msn.com

Ellie said...

love that you have memories with Maymie going to the five and dime! Elmer seemed like a cool guy! Wish I knew him in person so he could teach me how to fish.