Married On Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel 
Married Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel Baldwin
50th Wedding Anniversary

Jesse Baldwin and Mabel Leffel were married on Christmas Day 1917 🎄 in Mountain Park, Oklahoma by W. D. Rogers, a minister at the Missionary Baptist Church.  There is no known photo of their wedding day. Grandma said she made her wedding dress.  Her dress was a light blue satin with white fur on the cuffs and around the hem of the dress.  Her shoes were a white ankle boots that buttoned up the sides. Cute!

Below is a copy of the marriage record from Kiowa County, Oklahoma.

Marriage Record for Jess Baldwin & Mabel Leffel

Jess and Mable Baldwin were the parents of fourteen (14) children and grandparents of 46 (50 including step-grandchildren) and great-grandparents of about 89.  Grandpa acted as midwife and delivered most of their children himself.  They never mentioned when Grandma was expecting a baby.  The children would come home from school there would be a new baby.  One of the daughters once asked her dad where the new little baby came from.  His reply was that he found the baby in a rabbit hole.  She said she spent the next week looking for a rabbit hole with a new little baby in it.😊

Jess and Mabel lived in Oklahoma during depths of the Great Depression.  In 1934, hoping to find better work to care for their growing family, the Baldwin's moved to Arizona.  Jess worked in Gilbert, Arizona on his Uncle Charlie's citrus groves and cotton fields.  They lived in Arizona for a few years before finally settling in Southwestern Colorado in about 1938.  They first lived at Summit Point (on the Colorado/Utah border) then moved to Montrose and Cortez.  Money was always tight for the large Baldwin family, but they never went without food and shelter.  

Those of us who are older are fortunate enough to remember Grandpa Jess.  Ask any of the cousins and some of their favorite childhood memories are of spending time with grandpa.  We all remember helping grandpa feed and milk the cows and how he would tell us to look up to see the star and then squirt us in the face with milk.  Grandpa loved to tell stories and always had a willing audience when grandchildren were around.  He loved the holidays and always tried to make them special for his children and grandchildren - especially Christmas🎄🎅.  And, we could all say without a doubt that we knew grandpa loved us. 

Grandma was always busy cooking and taking care of everyone.  She was one of the best cooks around and always made room for friends and guests to join in the family meals.  Everyone loved grandma's cooking.  Caring for a large family during the Great Depression was a challenge. Grandma made most of the clothes that the family needed.  One of the daughters would show grandma a picture of a dress they liked in the Sears catalog.  She would make one just like it and never used a pattern.  

One memory I have is of Grandma humming or singing as she worked around the house or in the garden. She was always happy and busy.  Grandma always had a large vegetable garden and would can fruits and vegetables every fall.  Her tomatoes were the best!  She was an amazing woman.  We (her descendants) refer to her as a super woman!

30th Wedding Anniversary

1947  Oxnard, California

Jess & Mabel 1961

Jess & Mabel 50th

Jess, Mabel, and children 1967
50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
Montrose, Colorado

Does anyone have a wedding picture for Grandma & Grandpa Baldwin??  If so, please share a copy!

Other posts about Jess and Mabel:
Jess and Mabel Baldwin
Jess and His Horses
Jess and Mabel Baldwin Family 1928
Mabel's 90th Birthday  
Baldwin Family Christmas