Harold Graibel Abel and Lila Hilma Jensen

Lila was the twelfth child born to John Henry Jensen and Ane Christine Jensen. She was born 29 may 1900.

As I remember Hal he was not too large of a man weighing 160 pounds. He was a little hard of hearing. It always amazed the rest of the family how he could run that Jackson Fork unloading hay. When it was necessary for the stacker two holler “trip ‘and Hal who was on the load would jerk the trip rope and dumped the hay on the stack. But I never told them that while I was driving the derrick team that Hal would watch me and I would nod my head and Hal would jerk the trip to dump the hay on the stack.

Harold and Lila were first married in the Logan courthouse on 20 July 1918. They were later married in the Logan Temple on 7 May 1919. Most of Harold and Lila's married life was spent on the ranch were Lila helped grandmother and Hal was engaged in farming. On 6 April 1922 Lila died following an operation leaving two daughters:

            Christine Rachel born 9 June 1919

                        married Earl L Purvis 19 September 1941

            Mary Maxine Jensen born 4 August 1920

                        married Harley D Smith 12 December 1940

It was early evening when one driving would decide that it was time to turn on your car lights. We had just finished supper when a car drove up in front of John Jensen's home. Someone came to the door and said that Herald Greville Abel had just been killed and that they had the body in their car outside. Dad told them to bring him in. A place was prepared for the body in the parlor by placing a board on two chairs and the body was placed on the board as was the custom. The undertaker was called because all burial preparations were done in the home. The sheriff and coroner were called. I remember that there was much activity in the room when the coroner and also the undertaker came. I remembered the undertaker opening house mouth and smelling his breath and said there is no odor of alcohol. Hal was born 12 September 1892 and died 7 November 1923.

The coroner investigation determined that Howell had stopped his car at the Weston railroad crossing to allow a freight train to pass. The car became stalled and a passing motorist hooked onto Hals car to pull it back. When the car moved back it rolled over the shoulder of the road into the ditch and uncle Hal was pinned under the car.

On 7 May 1924 Grandmother Christine went to the Logan Temple and was sealed to her first husband Kjeldsen or Kelson. At that time she had her daughter Walborg by a previous marriage sealed to them. Also Lila who had died in 1922 was sealed to her mother. The rest of Lila's brothers and sisters had not been sealed to their parents as of 1968.

After Lila died the two children Christine and Maxine stayed with Grandmother Christine and were raised by her and the boys that were living on the ranch. The girls lived with grandmother until they were married and until grandmother died. It was always a pleasure to go to grandmothers and visit or play with Chris and Max as they were called. They always seem to be good-natured with a sense of humor. Because grandmother was hard of hearing the girls would play many pranks on grandmother that she did not know of. Grandmother took much pride in the fact that the girls could ask the blessing on the food at meal time until grandmother learned that their version of the blessing was not the same as she thought they were saying. It seemed that Chris and Max have always been very attached to each other and even after they were married they seem to always keep in close contact with each other.

Because there was no picture of Harold and Lila taken after their marriage, it was necessary to use a picture taken of them when they were children to use in this history.

As I remember Harold and Lila they seem to be very happy together and although they were only permitted to live together for four years they were blessed with two beautiful daughters and many fine grandchildren that will be welcomed and respected where ever they live.