History of Frank & Lucinda Tyler Carpenter by Lucinda, installment #1

History of Frank Carpenter & Lucinda Tyler Carpenter
by Lucinda

I, Lucinda Tyler Carpenter, was born of goodly parents, Frank Newton Tyler and Mary Adelia Pace, on April 4, 1888, in Thatcher, Graham County, Arizona. I was the third child in a family of ten.

A few months before I was born my mother took a severe cold, leaving her with a very bad cough. When I was born the cough left her and went to me. I was seriously ill for some time. My mother asked Brother Samuel Claridge to come and administer to me. He came and gave me a blessing and also a name. When he asked Mother if she had chosen a name she said she hadn’t. He said, “We will name her for Aunt Lucinda Redd, she is a good woman.” So on April 18, 1888 I was given a blessing and the name Lucinda. From then on I began to mend and was soon well and strong.

My grandfather, James Pace, served with the Mormon Batalion, and while returning to his home in Utah from California he passed through Arizona. He was quite impressed with this part of the country. In November, 1882 he and his family decided to move to Arizona. Some of his married children came with him. One was my mother, Adelia Pace Tyler, and her husband Frank Tyler. They had been married only a few months and were seeking a place to make their home.

After weeks of travel by team and wagon they arrived in Arizona, in a beautiful valley along the Gila River which was then a wilderness of mesquite brush. The place seemed satisfactory to everyone so they proceeded to secure land and build homes in the little town of Thatcher.

My father had a little log cabin erected on his land. My two older sisters and I were born there. When my sister, Viola Ann, was two years old, the Scarlet Fever epidemic struck and took her away, June 20, 1887. She was buried in the Thatcher Cemetery.

By the time I was two years old my father had a three room brick house ready to move into. My parents were exceedingly happy over this accomplishment. My mother said, “It was like living in a beautiful mansion.”

When my older sister, Amanda Norene, was six and had just started school, she took the measles and died in a few days – February 18, 1890. Doctors were scarce and diseases were vicious and always took their toll.

I was the only child left. My parents were heartbroken and discouraged, but they couldn’t give up. Every day they must be busy clearing the land, planting crops and gardens and doing all they could to sustain themselves.

Time moved on and on July 1, 1890, my first brother was born. He was given the name of Frank. Two years later, June 1, 1892 another brother, James Bliss was born. My parents were very happy and proud of their boys. In 1894 on August 18, a baby sister, Ellen, came to join us. This made a very happy family.

When I was six it was time for school. That first day was a very important day. I put on my best dress and Mother braided my hair and I was ready to go. The neighbor girl, Alva McGuire, came by for me and took me to the school house where I met my first teacher, Alta Lee. From then on life took on a different meaning.

When I was seven and my little brothers were five and three, tragedy struck again. The Diptheria epidemic was raging and it seemed that everyone had it. People were dying all around us. The two little boys took the Diptheria and the croup, and died within a few hours of each other – James Bliss on December 4, 1895 and Frank the next day, December 5. They were buried in the same casket in the Thatcher Cemetery. Delbert Fernando was born December 14, 1896.