Louisa Alganora Oveson Larson (Nora) (1881 - 1964)
LOUISA ALGANORA OVESON LARSON (NORA)
Nora was born November 18, 1881 in Ephraim, Utah, to Lars Peter Oveson and Louisa Otterstrom Oveson, the third daughter and fifth child (two died at birth).
1887 - the family moved from Ephraim to Huntington, Emery County, where they lived on a farm on the Huntington River about two miles east of town.
August 11, 1890 - her father was made Bishop of a new Ward formed in the Township of Cleveland about five miles east of their farm. Early fall 1890, the family journeyed to Ephraim to visit. Her father promised she would be baptized in the Manti Temple. The family was preparing to return to Emery County when Nora began to cry. Her father asked what the problem was. Her mother reminded him of the baptism promise. Her father then took her to the Manti Temple where she was baptized.
March 1891 - a move to the town of Cleveland. A good part of Nora’s younger life was spent herding sheep, tending cows and working in the fields as well as doing her part in the house work. One time when she was at one of her father’s sheep camps, she wanted to ride a donkey they had there. She was given permission to ride. After she mounted, the donkey immediately took off for the other camp. She couldn’t stop him, so got more of a ride then she wanted.
Nora did her part in church work. As a young adult she served as secretary of the Sunday School and of the Mutual Improvement Association. She sang in the Ward Choir from the time she was thirteen and participated in Road Shows traveling to different wards of the stake.
Although Nora and Peter Larson both lived in Cleveland and were members of the same ward for ten years, they did not start dating until 1903. On Flag Day, June 14, 1903, at Eden’s Grove, the Sunday School was having a picnic. Peter and two other fellows were driving around the Grove in a buggy when they came upon Nora. “Who are you looking for?” Nora asked. “You”, Peter answered. Nora knew he wasn’t of course, but stated, “All right, here I am.” They spent the day buggy riding and he took her to the dance that evening. That was the beginning of a long life together: 57 years, 2 months, 7 days. They were married in the Manti Temple December 7, 1904.
After their marriage, Peter and Nora lived in Cleveland for ten years. He managed the Co-op store and built a beautiful home. They had six children: Eric Cleon, Ena (died at birth), Onslow Peter, Roald Oberlin, Clovis and Noral. When Noral was 11 months old the family moved to Salt Lake City. Peter first worked at the Jewel-T Co. Six months later he was hired by Nord’s Clothing Store. His experience at the Co-op had taught him much about running a business. His first year at Nord’s was as a collector, then as a salesman and later manager in its Men’s clothing.
1918 - Three years after moving to the big city, the family again experienced a blessed event - Lanol’s birth. It took place January 7, 1918, at the family’s third Salt Lake home, 1051 East Fifth South.
1920 - the family moved again in late summer to a home Peter bought at 807 West 8th South. Here Bland was born December 18, 1920, their eighth child. This was the family home for the next seven years. The area will always be referred to by family members as the Twenty Sixth Ward. Those years brought a lot of changes in society; Peter changed employment from Nord’s to Collins Clothing. Eric Cleon completed two years at the University of Utah, then moved to California to pursue his art career. Onslow Peter and Roald entered LDS High School.
1927 - the family moved to 27 J Street and became members of the Twenty First Ward (Ensign Stake). Everyone was active in the ward organization and its activities.
1920-1934 - although the family had five different addresses during this period, they continued to be active in the Twenty First Ward and Lanol and Bland continued to attend schools in that area (Longfellow and Bryant Jr. High). Address changes were: 1920-30 - 30 J Street; 1931-32 - Swallow Apartments (First So. Between Third/Fourth East); 1932 - Delmar Court; Kuster Apartments (North side Fifth South between Third/Fourth East) - winter of 1932-1933. Peter left Collins the summer of 1932 and moved to Los Angeles. The depression of 1929 had reached the West and Peter felt Collins would have to cut back which would include him. Summer of 1933 - moved from Kuster Apts. to 712 Second Avenue. Late summer 1934 - Nora with Lanol and Bland moved to Los Angeles to be with Peter.
August 1934 - Nora and Bland (Lanol having gone ahead with Eric and Gertrude), left Salt Lake City for Los Angeles. They were fortunate in obtaining a ride with a man also en route to Los Angeles. They traveled in a new 1933 Plymouth. Unfortunately, in that year Plymouth and Ford came out with models where the front doors opened from the front and hinged on the center post. Unfortunate because Nora was almost pulled from the car. While crossing the desert, Nora had a newspaper up at the window to keep out the sun. The newspaper was wedged between the top of the door and the roof. The paper had slipped down and Nora was trying to get it back up. In doing so, she unthinkingly opened the door. Going at about 60 miles-per-hour, all the wind needed was a little crack in order to catch hold of the door and swing it out and back. Had she not let go of the door as it swung out, she would have been pulled out of the car along with the newspaper.
California family members settled in the Wright Apartments at 1343 Wright Street. It was there that Betty Lou Peterson came to live with them. They attended Adams Ward, the first ward built in Southern California in 1913, until Lanol and Bland were married. Their second home was a year later just across the street at the Thoma Apartments. After Lanol married, the family moved to 11th street where they remained until Bland left to get married a year later.
Nora and Peter then moved to the Highland Park area: one home had a train track running in their back yard. Later, on Avenue 52 their home was on the side of a hill. The only level ground was around the house. It was there Nora had an injury that bothered her the rest of her life. As she was walking on the front yard, in an uneven area, her left foot gave way and she fell on it and broke the ankle. The ankle was set and put in a cast. A short time later the ankle became very painful after which it was necessary to rebreak and reset the ankle and put a pin in it. It never healed properly and continued to swell and hurt the rest of her life. She managed to get around on it quite well.
1951 or 1952 - They moved to a court, still in Highland Park area, on York Blvd. By this time, Betty Lou had married. Here Nora began to have back problems (probably because of her earlier fall) and started to see a chiropractor, Dr. Allred, who was Bishop of their Ward. This was another physical problem she had to live with the rest of her life.
Although Nora loved living in California, a big part of her heart remained in Utah where many of her relatives still lived. She always wanted to visit Utah.
After Peter was killed in 1962 (died February 17, 1962), Nora lived alone on York Blvd. Her neighbors, very dear friends, kept an eye on her at all times. Nora was in daily contact with her son Eric who called her every night. One night he couldn’t reach her. She was getting ready for bed when her neighbors heard a thud through the common wall which separated their units. The neighbor lady went to the front door and called to her to see if all was well but got no response. She then went to the court manager to get her to open the door. Upon opening the door they called again. Receiving no answer, they entered and found Nora on the bathroom floor where she had fallen when she died. Although her sudden passing (March 25, 1964) was a shock, that she had not suffered a lingering death was comforting to all who loved her. She lead a life of love in her heart for everyone and all who knew her loved her as well