Ellis as a Child and Growing up

Happy Birthday, Ellis.

Some reminisences of my big brother, Ellis

Ellis was born just short of a year after Mom and Dad were married.  He was born at home in the old Arthur Eborn home in Lanark on March 6th 1937.  Mother told me that after he was born she thought she was the luckiest and happiest woman on the face of the earth.  It was while Ellis was still an infant that Dad and Mom bought the farm over on Lanark Lane.  They began to work the farm and  Mother told me of how she had a baby buggy which she used to push Ellis over to the farm on the gravel roads so she could be near where Dad was busy working.  Then after a time they would walk home together for the evening.  This went on until they were able to move the log cabin home which was over in the field across the slough over next to the road on Lanark Lane.  I can still hear Mother talking about how Ellis would lay in the buggy and goo until he went to sleep.  This was a time of great happiness in the lives of Mom and Dad.  They were beginning a family and also having a home and a farm , which they could call their own.  The home and the farm were a project as they were quite run down and there was a tremendous amout of work to do.  A well had to be dug and yes, Dad dug our well with his own shovel.  It was a shallow well, only about twenty feet deep, but it provided water for the family for many years.  I can only imagine what a job it was to dig a well with a shovel even that deep.  The farm work and fixing up that old cabin to make it livable were not the only challenges.  Starting a family there on that dusty knoll was a challenge in and of itself.  I think Dad was especially glad that their first child was a boy.  Heaven knows, they needed another set of hands to do all of the work.  Ellis grew up in that environment and it was at a very young age that he was doing a lot to help out around the farm.  I know Dad was glad to have a little man around partly for the company and partly for the work he could do. Ellis learned to drive a team of horses on the plow and the rake and other farm implements.  He learned to herd and milk cows and to feed calves, pigs and chickens.  He was a very good worker and very responsible for his age.  He was a very good looking child.  In fact, he was the best looking kid in the whole family for over three years.  Then I came along and he had to relenquish that title.  Ha, Ha,  Actually, in my eyes, Ellis was such a big, strong boy and there was nothing that he couldn't do.  I grew up kind of in his shadow because he was older, bigger, stronger, smarter, and maybe he was really even better looking.  Anyway, he was my big brother and I looked up to him.

This is a picture of Ellis as an infant.  It was kept in Grandma's Book of Rememberance.

This is Ellis when he was a young child, about three or four years old. Mom used that old curling iron on us all, I think.  He really was cute, now that I take a little closer look. It's not hard to see why Mom and Dad were so happy with their firstborn son.

Ellis attended school for the first two years in the Lanark School.  He has written elsewhere about this.  Later he went to Paris to Emerson Elementary School through the eigth grade.  He was elected as the Studentbody President of the school when he was an Eightgrader.  Mom and Dad were very proud of their son.

He attended high school in Paris at Fielding High School.  He was active in spoorts and played basketball on the High School team.  I remember one big game he played in.  It was against Montpelier High School.  They were the biggest of rivals and as I recall, the score was 62-50.  The Fielding Spartans defeated the highly favored Montpelier team at the Fielding High School Gymansium.  I can still see, in my minds eye, the gym filled to overflowing with wildly screaming high school  basketball fans.  These were fun memories for everyone who attended.

Ellis graduated from Fielding High School in 1955 and then attended Utah State Agricultural College in Logan that fall.  He was also a graduate of the LDS Seminary program.

Mom used to call us a stairway in this picture.  It was taken before Mark was born, but about the time
Ellis was a Junior in High School.  One can easily see why we felt, at times, we were in his shadow, he was the first and he was the bigest and the strongest. What's more he never let us forget it.

When Ellis was tewnty he married his sweetheart, Jeannine Armitage, from Montpelier in the Idaho Falls Temple.  They moved to Logan where they started a family and Ellis continued his education at Utah State.

At Utah State Ellis majored in geology and also was involved in the Air Force ROTC program.  Upon graduation he was commissioned a Second Leutenant and began flight training as a navigator.  This picture was taken by Mom and Dad when they went by train to visit Ellis and Jeannine where he was stationed in Texas. Here they are with their first two kids.  Gregory and Jeanne were the custest kids I think I had ever seen.  Anyway, I was a proud uncle.

Here are Ellis' children, Gregory, Jeanne, Lori Lynn, and Jonathan.  Christopher had not yet been born.

Cute kids!!

by Bart

Our Extended Eborn Family

Last week I recieved a phone call from our cousin, Janet Mumford, who lives in Soda Springs.  She informed me that her mother, Aunt Helen Rae's husband, had passed away.  He was ninetythree and had been in a nursing home for some time so it was not unexpected.  Iris and I decided to go the the funeral this past Monday, since we had nothing else on the agenda and wanted to pay our respects to Aunt Helen Rae.  She was glad we came and even gave us a special call on Wednesday thanking us for coming.  Her husband, Harry was a very nice man and they had a wonderful service for him.  He was buried in Burley where he had lived before he met Aunt Helen Rae.  Uncle Dean Larsen, Aunt Helen Rae's first husbsnd had died many years before.  I think he was in his fifties at the time.  Aunt Helen Rae had lived as a widow for a long time before she met Harry and was married to him.  They seemed to have a very good relationship and visited friends and relatives in the Bear Lake Valley quite often until Harry became incapacitated.  They visisted us quite often in Montpelier, especially during the time that Mother lived with us.   One time, at Harry's suggestion, they even brought us a lunch to have while they were there visiting.

     As a result of our being at the funeral and seeing some of the Eborn cousins and family. my thoughts turned to Grandpa Arthur and Grandma Nina Eborn.  They raised twelve kids to maturity in a small frame home in Lanark.  They all married and had families of their own.  Most of these were relatively large families and now the posterity of Arthur Phipp and Nina Passey Eborn numbers well over a thousand.  Much good has been done by this extended family and I'm sure they are looking down with pride on their posterity and also wish some of us would get on the ball and shape up and be a little more involved with one another.

I found a few pictures which I will share on this blog and hope that some of the readers might have a comment about their memories of the extended family, or maybe a few questions that some of us might be able to answer for the rest.

This is a picture of Arthur Phipp Eborn and Nina Louise Passey Eborn on their wedding day.

Here they are fifty years later on their golden wedding anniversary.

This is the home in Paris where they spent the last part of their lives, after having lived in Lanark for the first part of their married lives.  This is the home I remember when I visited them often as a youth.  It was right across the street from the Emerson Elemantary school where we all went to school up through the eigth grade.

This is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Eborn's children and their spouses.  They are left to right,  Alice and Seth Moser, Darrell and Edna Eborn, LaMar and Vesta Eborn, Willard and Blanche Eborn. behind Aunt Blanche is Aunt Fern and next to her is Uncle Weldon, Next to Uncle Weldon is Uncle Dean Larsen and just in front of him is Aunt Helen Rae Larsen.  Next to Uncle Dean is the youngest in the family, Uncle Worth and his wife Aunt Nina, Grandma Nina Louise Passey Eborn and Grandpa Arthur Phipp Eborn are in the front and center of the picture.  Next to Grandpa Eborn is Uncle Harlan and his wife, Aunt Agnes,  is just behind him.  Next to Harlan, is Aunt Opal, who recently died just ten days short of her 99th birthday and Uncle Hugh Shephed directly behind her. Next ot Aunt Opal is Aunt Velda Michaelson.  Her husband, Alton, was apparently missing from this photograph. Directly behind Aunt Velda is Aunt Elizabeth (Lizzie)Eborn.  She was married to Uncle Virgil Eborn, who is also missing from this photograph.  On the far right are Aunt Golda and Uncle Clifford Skinner.  This large family was fortunate enough to live relatively close to one another in the Bear Lake Valley for most of their lives.

By Bart

Ellis while serving in the US Air Force

Ellis graduated from Utah State University and then went into the Air Force as an officer.  These are the only two pictures I have of him from that period of time.  He has another which was a painting of him when he was in Vietnam, I believe.  Mom and Dad had that picture hanging in their home I think until the day they died. The first picture is of his Navigator Class graduation in Texas. I remember how proud Mom and Dad were of their soldier son, as was I.

I think this picture was taken about the same time.  Here he is all dressed up ready for duty.

I appreciate the example Ellis set for me when I was growing up.  We had our brotherly battles with me always coming out on the losing end of the stick, but we loved each other and we worked and played together for many years,  I missed him when he got married and went into the Air Force.  I remember thinking Greg and Jeanne were to two cutest kids ever.  Of course that was before I got kids of my own and even better than that was when I got grandkids of my own.

by Bart

Memorable Events During Military Career

I promise this will be my last post on military, wars and the like.  They were hard to include in one post however but were events that I felt were important in my life.  In 1961 I entered Navigation School in Waco Texas as a 2nd Lt.  18 Months later I completed Navigation and Radar Intercept School and Survival Training at Reno Nevada.   My first operational Unit was the 963 Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing.   I was checked out in the EC121 which is one of those aircraft with big radar pods on the top and bottom.   It had lots of sophisticated  radio equipment.aboard and was designed for special missions.    Shortly after I was checked out in the aircraft I was called up and told to be ready for deployment within 1 hour.     It turned out to be a mission operating under the Joint Chief of Staff and participating in the Cuban Missile Crises.  The entire military was in a high state of alert and each morning we took of from an Air Base near Orlando Florida,  We flew very low out over the ocean and as close as we could get to Cuba.  It was our job to control the U-2s, which were very high flying aircraft with the ability to take very detailed pictures.  On one day that aircraft was hit by a missile and crashed into the ocean killing the pilot.   I performed this mission for about a month sometimes flying as low as 100 feet.

In in 1965 my crew went to Viet Nam.   Viet Nam   was a terrible environment.  It was hot, humid and smelly.  We flew every day, sometimes 12 or more hours.   We mostly flew over Laos, N Vietnam, and in the Tonkin gulf.   Other aircraft were constantly getting shot down.  It was our job to warn the fighters of hostile aircraft in the area.   I had a large Radar next to me and some days there were emergency locator beacons all around me, each one representing downed aircraft and crew.  One of the most frustrating things was the sight of Russian ships coming and going in the Viet Namese ports.  No one was allowed to touch them.  War is a violent way to live.  There are those that like it but they change over time --seem to lose care for anything but fighting and killing.

I saw so many horrible things in Viet Nam, kids with their legs and arms blown off, dragging themselves around.  I decided that that kind of life was not for me. If  I was fighting to defend my life or my home I think I could do it -- but that is the only way.  I didn't want to do it as a way of making a living.  We landed with one or more  engines out many times.  On one early morning takeoff we had the 2 right engines catch fire. 

I quit flying with the Air Force and Air National Guard after 12 years.   I held the rank of Major.   I enjoyed the Military and the flying but not the war.  I bought a couple of  Cessna 182's  during the 1990's which I really enjoyed flying, but I don't fly any more --except as an occasional passenger.

I have great respect for the military.  My experience has proven to me that the soldiers in the various military organizations are among the finest  people in our country.  Their training and discipline and character is emphasized.  I believe military training would be good for all youth. 

This country has made many mistakes around the world in their interactions with other Nations.   One important fact, however, was relayed to me by a friend of mine who lives a couple of streets away and who survived the advances of Hitler in Europe during the 2nd world war.  He said " THIS WOULD BE A MUCH DIFFERENT WORLD IF IT WASN'T FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".  Yes there are those among us, both Republicans and Democrats,  who have forgotten that they were elected to serve the public.  Some have become impressed with their own power and have desired to obtain more, rather that to serve the public and to uphold the Constitution.  Evil will continue to to be among us.   All government policies and those that want to implement them should be judged by the effect they will have on our freedom, which is GOD GIVEN.   Remember government cannot give us anything that they don't first take away.   Don't let anyone take our freedom away.

By Ellis

Memories of Korean War

The Korean War took place from 1950 -1953.  This period of time was part of what was known as the Cold War between the United States and the U.S.S.R.   In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea who was an ally of the U.S.  The U.S. went the aid of South Korea and it didn't take too long until North Korea had been pushed back well into the North.   It is not my intent to provide a history of that war but rather to express some of the feelings I had at the time.  The end of World War II was such a relief and had been brought about largely by the U.S dropping two atomic bombs on Japan.  The beginning of another war so soon brought considerable stress to us and to me especially.  I was about to enter high school and could envision me being called up before to many years went by.

There was a lot of  speculation over the radio and in the newspapers.   My cousin JT Eborn, who was Uncle Harlan's oldest son was drafted and went to fight in that war.  He was wounded in a battle and was sent to a hospital in Japan.  All of these things contributed to my concern.  Just when the North Koreans were about to be defeated, the Chinese Army came across the border in massive numbers and overwhelmed the U.S. and South Korea.   If that wasn't enough, I was listening to a national radio news broadcast in which the broadcaster said that it was predicted that a Nuclear war would begin within 3 years.   I remember thinking that it was a terrible time to be growing up.  In my young mind I felt my life was wasted.  All of my study and hard work would be for naught.

It was a terrible war and many thousands of Americans were killed or captured.    One of  my reasons for writing this post however is so that others will learn from my experience.  During that war I was so distressed and had about given up--to quit trying.    That was almost 60 years ago and I have had a great life and been able to do most of the things I wanted to do.  We never had the nuclear war that I feared we would have and I have a great family that loves me.   Thankfully most of the things we worry about never occur in our lives and most of the problems coming down the road never get to us.   Live well during each day.  Don't stress over imagined problems.

By  Ellis

Memories of World War II

As I write some of these postings I am painfully aware that they are getting rather ancient.  It is information, however, that probably no one else in the family is very familiar with.

I was 4 years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked.   I didn't remember much about it for awhile but by the time I was 5 or 6 I became very apprehensive about reports that were coming over the radio and conversations between neighbors and other adults in our town.   I remember being afraid that Dad would be drafted and have to go fight in the war.  He was about 30 years old and Mom hoped that would be enough to keep him home but it wasn't certain.  All of the young men from 18 - 26 or so were being drafted.  When each person was drafted the Ward would have a "farewell" party for them at the church with food and dancing.  Even though I was very young, I went to many of them.   Two of the young men that were drafted from our little town were killed and never came home.  There was a lot of sadness in the town when we were notified.  I can't remember their names but one was Worthy Becks brother and  the other was a Passey.  If any one knows their names I will edit this posting and put them in.
 

Every morning at breakfast time we would sit around the kitchen table and listen to reports of the war on an old radio that could barely pick up the signal.  We were not allowed to talk during breakfast because it would make it more difficult to hear the reports.   I remember hiding behind a tree, a wagon or something else whenever I would see a group of planes flying over, which happened fairly frequently.   For many months after Pearl Harbor it was expected that the Japanese would invade the West Coast and perhaps push well into the United States before they could be stopped.   In anticipation of this the Government built 2 nice runways in bottom lands between Paris and Dingle which could be used as a fall-back position in the event of such an attack.   When the runways were complete the whole valley turned out for a ceremony and a celebration.   That was the first time I had been up close to real war planes.  They did takeoffs, landings and high speed flyovers with aerobatics.  It was very exciting.   Little did I realize that 20 years later I would be in a jet fighter doing high speed dives at 500 knots over Texas.

As I look back upon that time period, it is easy to believe that the country and the people were in a state of paranoia.  I suppose we were, but communication was limited in those days.  Intelligence was not available and everyone seemed to expect  the worst.  Almost everything was rationed, gasoline, sugar, building materials etc.   The future looked bleak.  As future readers of this, don't make the mistake of judging the events and decisions of those times by the view of history  we have available today.

One day Dad and I went to the canyon to get a load of firewood for Winter.  When we came home that evening  as we entered the yard west of the house, Elsie Roberts came out of her house and called over the fence that the war was over.   I remember the  feeling of happiness that  went through us.  That night we milked the cows early and went to Paris.  There was a party going on that surpassed everything that I have ever seen in that town before or since.  The streets were blocked off and there was music in the streets and bands and dancing everywhere.  Everyone went from worry and concern about those in the war zone to joyous exuberance in minutes.   I have wondered many time where all the bands came from.  The soldiers started coming home immediately after that.  It was a good day.  I was 8 years old.

By Ellis

The Eborn Clan's Modes of Transportation

The earliest automobile that I can remember owning was a pickup truck.  I was old enough to stand on the seat between Mom and Dad.   I think it was a greenish color and had a stripe running around the cab about an inch wide.   The next car I can remember was called a Durant.  It was quite old when we got it and had spent too many days in the Bear Lake weather.  It was a rusty brown in color, metal inside and out and with very little cushion on the seat.  If you're not yet getting the picture, it was ugly.  It was similar to the one in this picture but not as well cared for.  I remember the family getting all dressed up to go to town on Saturday.  We would all get in the car, mom would work the choke and gas pedal and dad would insert the crank and begin to crank. It was very difficult to start and many times it would not start.  When it wouldn't start after Dad had cranked his guts out for a half hour or so there was nothing to do but go back in the house, change our clothes and go back to work.  I remember how frustrated I was at so looking forward to going to town and then not being able to.  I was probably 9 or 10 when we owned this car.

When the Durant was sold or fell in to the garbage dump, I''m not sure which, dad bought a 4-door Chevrolet similar  to the one in this picture except it was black.  It was more reliable and looked much nicer as well.  It still had to be cranked however.  I remember coming home from Montpelier one day and the kids were egging Dad to go faster.  He really steped on it and we watched as the speedometer went clear up to 55 MPH.  That much speed was really scary.   This was the first car that I ever got behind the wheel and tried to drive.  I started the engine and put it in gear and drove a few feet forward and a few feet backward.  That's how I learned to drive.  One day when I was going through this little ritual I ground the gears and Mom came out and made me quit along with a few words of "don't ever do that again".

In Idaho, at least when I was a kid, you could get a drivers licensee at 14 years of age.  That worked wonderfully well for me because about the time I turned 14 Dad bought a brand new Plymouth.   I thought I had died and gone to heaven.   It was so nice to drive and smelled new and I was sure the "chicks" would like me now.    I drove it all through my high school years and at least some of the "chicks" liked me -- well at least one.   As I look back, I think Dad stuck his neck out a little when He bought that car.   He was pleased at how happy I was--and the rest of the family as well.  It was his first new car.


About 1956 when I was in college Dad traded in the 1950 Plymouth for a 1956 Plymouth Fury.   It was a very good looking car and had a "push button" transmission with the buttons just left of the steering wheel on the dash.    The family mode of transportation had come a long way from the days of the Durant.   I don't think we had any cars for some time after Dad and Mom were married.  I remember Mom pushing me in a "buggy type" contraption when I was little.   Until I was into my teenage years we always walked to church and to get the mail which was over on the main road by Uncle Harlen's house.   In the country transportation is important and I appreciate the sacrifice they made to provide nice cars to drive, especially when I got into my teenage years.  Cars and gas were expensive then just as they are now relatively speaking.  

By Ellis

 Below is a picture of Dad by that new 1950 Plymouth.  It was his first new car.  That must have felt like quite an accomplishment after only sixteen years of married life,  farm paid for, five kids already, and now a new car, not to mention all the other improvements that had been made around the place and home.  Dad and Mom worked hard together and they were fortunate in the respect that they could actually look around and see what they had been able, with the help of God, to do and create.  Dad used to often say how he enjoyed working in the fields, because at the end of the day he could look back and see where he had been and that he had, indeed, had an effect on things.

By Bart