Life History of Beverly Hinton

Life History of

Beverly Hinton

Written by:

Beverly Hinton

     I was born January 21, 1931 in LaVerkin, Washington County, Utah.  My fathers name is George Luther Hinton and my mothers name is Sadie LaVell Jackson.  I was the fifth child in a family of six, two boys and four girls.

     My father was first married to Louella Morrill, and they had a little girl which they named Carmonetta.  Her mother died when she was just ? and my mother raised her along with her own family.

     My father worked as a car salesman for Bradshaws in Cedar City, Utah.  When I was 2 years old my father died of a heart attack leaving my mother with my little sister just 6 months old, and the rest of us to raise.  

     My mother was very ambitious and provided a good living for us as I can never remember going without anything.  She took in washing.  Later she to up practical nursing and was a midwife and helped Dr. McIntire deliver babies.  She would have the women come to our house and then she would call the Dr. they usually stayed 2 weeks.  She helped deliver over 50 babies.

     Mother would give us a penny for each dirty diaper that we would clean also for each mouse we could catch.

     On Thanksgiving we always got together with my Fathers side of the family and have a big dinner at the church in Hurricane.  We always had good times together as a family.

     I remember the good times we had bottling and drying fruit and would always look forward to the times our aunts (mothers sisters) would come and see us.  I would pick fruit in the summer such as cherries and peaches to earn money for school and clothes.  I also topped corn and was paid by the row.  There was a molasses mill and we loved going there to watch and eat molasses as it cooked down.

     Mother always made sure we had our baths Saturday night and was ready for Sunday School on Sunday morning.

     I remember Sister Sanders as my favorite teacher, she taught many years and told many pioneer stories.  I remember taking part in MIA and enjoyed going to all church meetings.

     I lived in LaVerkin 18 years attending school in Hurricane, Utah.  I graduated in May of 1949.  My best friend while I was growing up was Merilyn Iverson.  She lived 2 blocks from my house.

     The day after graduation, I left with Merilyn Iverson to work at Grand Canyon.  When they closed for the winter I returned to LaVerkin and got a job at Dave's Cafe in Hurricane.  I met Clyde Simkins who was working for his Uncle Vernon Church in the dairy and we were married in the St. George Temple June 10, 1950.  We lived in LaVerkin for a short time and I continued to work at Dave's Cafe.  Then we moved to Henderson where Clyde worked for US Line until he became allergic to the lime and had to find another job.  We moved back to LaVerkin and he worked for Emil Graff several years during which time we moved out on the desert near New Castle on Summer to take care of some farm land Mr. Graff owned there.  When we moved back to LaVerkin in the fall we decided we would go back to Nevada where Clyde was partners with his brother on a ranch in Clover Valley or Barclay as it is sometimes called.

     Clyde got a job on the railroad and we lived at Acoma, a section just above the ranch.  In the Summer we moved to Clover Valley where he run cattle on the side.

     The next winter we moved to Panaca, Nevada and Clyde worked on the section in Caliente 15 miles away.  They sold the ranch and Clyde made the Railroad his career where he retired with a disability pension after being hurt in 1977.

     We have 2 sons and 2 daughters all married in the Temple.  Our sons served missions, one going to Washington state (Gary) and the other to Scotland (Steven).  We have 16 grandchildren and I am employed at the US Post Office in Panaca as a postal clerk.   

     My church jobs have been in Primary as a Teacher, Secretary, and 2nd Counselor.  In Relief Society as a Visiting Teacher, Secretary, and 2nd Counselor.  The Church Magazine representative for the ward and I am now the Panaca 2nd Ward Associate Librarian.

     We have lived in Panaca 39 years and enjoy camping with our family.  We also like to return to our old stomping grounds to visit.