A Tribute to my Mother

Written by Mary Barnett Thorson, Feb 1963

If you have done any genealogical research, you have more than likely had reason to contact Norah Barnett with some of your problems. She is sometimes affectionately referred to as "Mrs. Genealogy Herself." She most usually has the answer to your question, and if she doesn't know, she knows where to go to find the answer. For she has made it a life time study and has many helpful books in her Library by prominent genealogists , and those of authority who do know much about research.

However, if you have tried to call her or see her at her residence at 132 North 200 East in Kaysville, you may have had to try more than once. For early most any morning her small hurrying figure can be seen headed for the bus to Salt Lake City to do research.


Since she retired, or as she says "retreaded," from the Salt Lake Knitting co. about five years ago, she has devoted every possible minute either to her genealogical work or to her married children and their families.

A devoted Mother and Grandmother, she is deeply interested in the lives and the problems of her family. How proud she is of everyone of her 22 grandchildren. Just ask her about one of them; or about the twins.
(NOTE: ONE MORE GRANDCHILD WAS BORN IN NOVEMBER OF 1965 MAKING A TOTAL " OF 23 GRANDCHILDREN. HOW PROUD SHE WAS OF EACH ONE!)

Norah was born in Kaysville almost 70 years ago on the 28th of Sep 1893, a daughter of George Henry and Eliza Alice West Draper. She was blessed by her father and named "Zilnorah" but has been called Norah most of her life. Her parents were both born in England -both came as very small children with their pioneer parents, crossing the plains with Ox Teams.

Zilnorah was the sixth child of a family of twelve children. Her earliest memory is of being lost in the fields northeast of Kaysville, where the land was being cleared of oak brush. She had gone with her father to plow just a short distance from the house and had tried to return home, but became confused and lost. Her family and others spent several hours searching for her before they found her asleep on a doorstep two miles from home. Her Grandfather who lived with the family was a Patriarch and told them where they would find her.

When she was six years old her family moved to Syracuse, Davis County, Utah. A few weeks after arriving she suffered a sunstroke, which made her very sick. After she had recovered she and other members of the familly attended school in Syracuse with John T. Thurgood as their teacher. All eight grades were taught in one room. Part of the time the children walked the two miles but in bad weather rode in a two wheel cart. Her formal schooling ended in 1909 when she graduated from the eighth grade.

She was stricken with Erysipelas in 1911 and was ill for many months even losing all her hair. She contributes her recovery to the wonderful care her Mother and Grandmother gave her and the administration of the Elders.

As a young girl she became very interested in dressmaking, and for many years she did the sewing for the family. She was also very interested in bookkeeping and helped her Father with his books. For six years she served as assistant Ward Clerk, a position rarely held by a woman.

She had a keen sense of responsibility toward her Parents' family. Her Mother had quite poor health and Norah took much care of her brothers and sisters during illness. She took care of a brother, Thomas, during a case of Typhoid Fever, and also cared for her oldest married sister, Eliza Watts, when one of her children was born.

Since that time she has done a great deal of practical nursing, assisting in the delivery of many babies born in the home. At one time she delivered one alone before the Doctor arrived.

However, in recent years she has felt that what time and strength she had to devote to this type of help was needed by her own family.

She was married in the Salt Lake Temple to John William Barnett, also born in Kaysville, Utah, but was homesteading in Delta at the time. They were married during a Flu epidemic, on Jan 16, 1919. Two weeks later they moved to Woodrow, and belonged to the Sugarville Ward, about two or three miles from their home. They lived here for about two years, but their crops were ruined by hailstorms. John's Mother was very ill, so they moved back to Kaysville and to the old Kaysville Home which John had built for his Mother.

They were the parents of one son and two daughters.

They were so proud that their children were married in the Temple. Both were active in the Church and served in whatever positions they were called to in the Church.

Even though John's wages were small, they sent their son, George, on a mission to Canada, and were wonderfully blessed in so doing. John worked for the Bamberger Railroad to earn a living until his last illness.

After John died, Norah sold their home and George, who followed the trade of Carpenter, built or oversaw the building of a neat little but attractive brick home, in which she now lives.

During her lifetime she has served in some capacity in every auxiliary organization in the Church. Has taught four classes in Genealogical Workshop or Basic Training, and awarded them certificates through Stake and Ward Genealogical Committees.

Frequently admonished by family and friends to go slower her typical answer might be, "there will be time enough to rest when I am six feet under. I don't have enough time to accomplish all the things I want to do as it is."

She filled a two year Stake Mission. She is an active member of the Phillips Camp of the Daughters of Pioneers, and at present is serving on the Stake Genealogical Committee. She has done much Temple work.

She has a very deep testimony and firm conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, and tells many instances of seeing the sick healed, and prayers answered through faith.

Mother continued in good health, being very active in Church work and especially in Genealogical work until when was in her seventies. She was pleased to be honored on her 70th birthday with a cake on which there were 70 candles. Also on this day she had her picture taken on horseback.

However after this time she had surgery at which time she developed high blood pressure. Not long after this she had another surgery where one kidney was removed. She did seem to recover from this, although she seemed to lack the resistance she had formerly had to colds and flu and on several occasions had to come to our home where we could take care of her.

After a stroke paralyzed her left side she was many months recovering her ability to walk. For a time her speech was affected though she did regain that rather quickly. However her eye sight was poor from that time on and she was unable to continue as she had in her genealogy~ Her greatest interest next to her family.

During her remaining years, a Grandaughter, Mary Jo Smith took her to Bowmans for her groceries each week. Mary Jo was so good to her and Mother loved this outing. Here she would see people she knew and it was a special time.

She had many friends and they did continue to visit her and be concerned over her welfare. How she loved people!

During the years she lived in her little home on second East in Kaysville close to the grade school, our children had many opportunities to visit her and she always looked forward to their visit and planned to have treats and snacks on hand, especially on Tuesdays as the girls took piano lessons on that day from Mrs. Phillips. She lived close by and so each girl took a turn going for her lesson while the rest stayed at Grandmas, listening to her stories, watching TV, or playing the organ.

On a beautiful day the 11 May 1973, we became alarmed because we could not reach her on the telephone. She had always made sure I knew where she was going. So Mary Jo went to her home where she found her out under her lilac bush. She had been pulling some weeds, and must have been taken very quickly.

Her Sister Annie Draper Ashby Larsen wrote a poem about this day.


EULOGY TO MY SISTER ZILNORAH BARNETT

Under the lilacs they found her
On a soft mound of grass she lay
With the fragrance of flowers around her
On Friday the eleventh of May.

A sacred stillness and solitude
As Mary Jo stepped to her side.
Her Grandaughter first to see her.
In that quiet spot where she died.

Norah felt good that morning.
To have plucked the weeds from the soil.
Her life had been one of service.
In the outdoors she loved to toil.

Her flowers came first in the morning
After her fervent prayer.
Her house had been put in order
Her garden blessed with her care.

She didn't want to be pitied
She bore her burdens well.
She was, in truth, the Lord's servant
As all who knew her would tell.

During her days never ending
She searched for her kindred dead;
I'm sure they were there to greet her
With a crown of jewels for her head.

We'll miss the advice she gave us,
The help when we needed her most.
She always knew the answers,
Inspired by the Holy Ghost.

But we would'nt recall her to suffer,
To a life with the lame and blind.
She can see now and walk uprightly
Death came, and it was kind.

May 21, 1973