May Madora Plumb Hancock and Levi Hancock's Life

May Madora Plumb Hancock and Levi Hancock's Life
History Prepared by Geneva Julia Plumb Wiltbank
(Submitted to this blog by Kathryn Burton Castleton)
Levi and May (Plumb) Hancock lived on the Gila Valley on a farm.  They did farming, cattle raising, milking cheese making, sold milk, eggs and milk products to the Hot Springs every morning.  Did very well at it.

At this time, they had four girls, Dora, Hazel, Ethel and Eveline.  They made a trip back to Taylor where Joseph Levi was born.

They moved to Eden where two more girls were born Ruby and Lillian.  They still lived on the farm, farming, milking etc.
Levi' served in the bishopric for some time.  He often went to conference in Thatcher Arizona.  One time, he and his wife May, daughters Ethel and Eva and son Joseph went to conference in a one horse buggy.  They left Dora and Hazel at home to do the chores.

While they were on their journey a terrific hail storm overtook them and the horse could not face it.  So Levi got out on the horse to make him go.  He lost his hat and ruined his new suit.  The storm kept coming.  When they would cross a wash the water was so deep it would come in the bottom of the buggy.  Finally, they made it to a neighbor's house where they stayed all night.  The next morning, the storm was over and they continued the journey homeward.  To their surprise they found it had rained at the ranch but all was well.

Again, they moved to Taylor when John Andrew was born.  Now Levi's health being much better at Taylor they returned to Eden and sold out.  They came back to Taylor and bought a home.  At this time Orpha was born.

Levi went to the mountains and found Thorwald Peterson and Jerome.  They lived with him two years. Dora married Thorwald.  Levi took up a homestead two different places in the mountains.  Later, they moved to Clay Springs.  He and his wife built a dance hall here and bought a player piano for it.  Many good dances and parties were held here.  This building served many purposes it was used for Sunday School, church and school.  Their daughter, Orpha was seriously sick for 5 1/2 years but was healed.

Later, he and his wife, children Lillian, Andy and Orpha moved to the ranch west of Clay Springs where they farmed.  Here is where Levi died, May 21, 1930

May Madora Plumb Hancock

May Madora Plumb Hancock
History Written by Geneva Julia Plumb Wiltbank
(Submitted to this blog by Kathryn Burton Castleton)

When Dora and Hazel were babies on our way to St. George, Utah, our horses got lost for three days at House Rock, Arizona.  Indians came occasionally to visit us and brought their naked babies.  Lizzie and I gave them some clothes.  So every day they came naked far more.  We gave them all we could spare and still we could see them without clothes.  We were in St. George about a week and did our temple work.  We left Monroe and Lizzie Higgins there.  We had a better team than they and made our trip very easy.  I will say, your daddy could get more anywhere with his horses than anyone.  He took good care of them and handled them very easy.

May Tells An Egg Story

I went to gather the eggs one day.  I wanted to do it all by myself ( I was only about 5 years old.)  Mother had told Merle to do it but I wanted to so I rushed ahead and gathered fourteen in my dress.  I fell and eggs of course all over.  I sat there just howling and up came Merle.  He went in and told mother.  she came at and punished me. It made Merle feel so bad when she did.  It was harder on him to see me punished than it was on me to be punished.

Another Story About Merle and May


One time Merle and I left home alone.  He made a swing in a tree out of a chain.  Of course, I had to swing and he thought he would be nice and let me.  When I was swinging the chain broke and clump on my head I went.  It knocked me out and Merle drug me to the house and put me on two chairs and placed a large towel on my head.  When "ma" came in I was a mess of blood but had come to.

May Tells A Doll Story

When we came to Arizona I had two dolls but could bring only one.  I left one haning on the wall where we lived.  The one I brought with me I lost on the way before we got to Brigham City.  My daddy promised me a doll but he didn't get it as soon as I thought he should.

Aunt Mamie Curtis heard him promise me one.  After a time, she decided to do something about it with daddy, mother and my grandma.

I had wanted a large doll for so long.  Other girls got a big doll and I wanted one, too.

Occasionally I would be told Santa Claus would bring a doll.  So time went on and on as it does with children.  Finally Christmas morning came.  I was anxious to get up and see if this promise had been kept.  Aunt Mamie got up early and I got up early too.  Aunt Mamie left.  I watched her as she went into the room where the Christmas was and made a light.  I was so curious about it all I peeped with one eye through a knot hole.  "Pop" a finger went right in my eye and I was sore for some time after.  I decided to go back to bed and stayed there.  Finally Merle insisted on my getting up so I did and went in and found my big doll went back to bed and later found candy and nuts in my stocking.  I really learned to love my doll.  It had a china head and grandma had made its dress.