Item Detail
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Coleman, Violet Jensen
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1890-1962
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MSS SC 2120
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Autobiography
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Violet Jensen Coleman was born January 21, 1890 in Redmond, Utah to Carl Jensen and Brighamena Johnsen. Her father had two families as a polygamist, and she was the second wife's child. The family was persecuted for this, and her father spent some time in prison. After he returned, the family moved to Canada to oversee the Jensen Ranch for two years. In 1910, she married George Coleman, and not long after, they moved to Taylorville [sic] to work on another ranch. They went to Salt Lake City for their endowments in 1911, and in 1913, Violet's father died. Thereafter, the Colemans moved to a home near Magrath. Violet died October 3, 1962.
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This is a seven page typewritten autobiography signed by Violet Jensen. Her more recent years are much less detailed than her earlier ones, in which she provides many elaborate descriptions of activities as a child. She recalls playing games under the apple and pear trees and describes a number of games she played with other children, such as two old cat, perg, run my sheep run, steal stick, and house. Her duties on the ranch mostly consisted of milking the cows and pitching hay. Violet also provides elaborate descriptions of her activities as a young woman, including the dances she participated in, which ranged from bow dances to the Big Rabbit dance to basket dances. After her marriage, her household duties turned mainly to cooking. As a member of the church, she experienced being a teacher and leader in Relief Society, Sunday School, Primary, and Mutual. She concludes the autobiography with her testimony in which she expresses how grateful she is for everything despite her physical afflictions, particularly the disability of her hands.
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1839-1919