I was born on a dry farm in Reddyville, near McCammon, Idaho, July 9, 1911. We lived in Idaho until I was four and a half years old. I can remember a few things from our sojourn in Idaho. We lived not too far from my maternal grandmother’s and I can remember going through the fields on a well worn path to grandmother’s, always dragging my teddy-bear, who was my constant companion. My cousin, Goldie Coburn, came on visits often from California and we had wonderful times together. I remember once when we wanted to pet a calf. We got one cornered in the barn and when she reached to pet it, it jumped and butted her in the nose, making it bleed. I ran screaming to the house and everyone ran out to see what had happened to me. We used to go swimming in the irrigation ditches. Of course, this was without our parents’ permission, so we never had a towel to dry ourselves. It provoked me to no end, when Goldie always managed to get out first and dry on my undergarments. It was so hot in Idaho in the summer that you would have to sleep outside to get a breath of air. I loved to go to grandmother’s and sleep outside with my Aunt Mary. She didn’t enjoy sleeping with me because I kicked too much. 

In 1916, we came to California to visit the Coburns and go to the World’s Fair. We arrived in Long Beach on Thanksgiving Eve. After dinner, Thanksgiving Day we took a stroll along the Pike. Imagine Coburn’s surprise when they ran into us. They hadn’t expected us so soon and we had been unable to let them know we were here as they didn’t have a phone and they lived about twenty miles from Long Beach. Mother wasn’t feeling well and the next day she went to the hospital for an operation. When she was recuperating we used to spend many hours on the beach in the sunshine. I guess this is when I first fell in love with the ocean and I have loved it all my life. There was no breakwater protecting the beach in those days and huge breakers used to roll in and crash upon the beach. There was an old bandstand on the beach which had a high cement wall protecting it. I can still see the waves hitting this wall and sending spray twenty to thirty feet into the air. I never tired of watching the ocean. When we left Idaho there was lots of snow and zero weather. To come into this warmth and sunshine was heavenly to my mother. She told Daddy to go back and sell our little home in Idaho, as she never wanted to go back. Daddy rented the Feeg Farm in Artesia, not far from the Coburns, and we spent the next two years there. 

I loved the farm in Artesia. We had all kinds of animals: horses, cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats, and rabbits. Also some that weren’t so nice like the weasels, snakes and gophers. We had an orchard and fruits of all kinds: apples, oranges, loguots[loquats], persimmons, peaches, apricots, pears and blackberries. Our neighbor, Andy across the road, had a huge watermelon patch each year and kept us supplied with melons. Once when I thought it had been too long since we’d had a melon, I went over and got a melon and put it on the front porch like he usually did. My mother couldn’t understand why it was so green, until Andy told her of my hand in the deal. I learned early not to help myself to others things with the help of the hair brush and Mother’s hand. 

Once when Dad was working at the far end of the field raking and burning weeds, the horses got scared by a rabbit that jumped out of the weeds. They ran the length of the field, catching the rake on a tree as they proceeded through the orchard, across the road and into Andy’s cornfield. They ran the length of the field, taking all the corn down, turned around and started back. Dad said they would probably still be running except they got in a freshly irrigated spot and one of the horses fell down in the mud. 

I started school in Artesia. We were in Artesia during the first World War. I can remember the women meeting at the Red Cross and doing knitting for the soldiers. I remember how happy everyone was when the Armistice was signed. Before we left Idaho, there had been a Liberty Bond Drive in the country, and the train was bringing the Liberty Bell across the nation. We must have been in Pocatello or McCammon when they had a whistle stop and little children were given the privilege of kissing the bell and they gave us momentos [memento] on a ribbon to remember it. It was my cherished possession for years. I still would like to know where it is. 

In 1919, we moved back to Long Beach and lived in an apartment on Ocean Blvd., between Pine and Locust. I went to school on 6th and Pine in the first school built in Long Beach. One day my mother heard that the school was on fire. She ran all the six blocks to school, but it wasn’t my school, but the old American Avenue School about two blocks away. We had to go to school half day sessions because some of the students from the American School had to come to mine. I liked that fine because I’d much rather go to the beach than to school. 

We moved into a little three room house on Third Street and I transferred to the Atlantic Avenue School on 6th and Atlantic. All my free time was spent on the beach. We lived near a number of churches. On Sunday I would go to first one and then another. They were the Calvary Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christian Scientist, which the Coburns attended. The Holy Rollers built a chapel just across the alley from our house, but they made so much noise I wouldn’t go near them. This year my half-brother, Frank, returned from the service in England and brought his English bride, Margaret Harding, home with him. He had been discharged from the U.S. Navy because of ill health. He went to Canada and changed his name to Edward Summers, and joined the British forces. In France he was wounded and was sent to Liverpool to recover. It was here he met Margaret (Peggy to the family). 

In 1920, my parents bought a new five room house in a tract at 1020 East 20th Street. This was our home for over twenty years. I went to the Burnett School on Hill and Atlantic, until the new Elementary Roosevelt School was completed at 15th and Linden. I was in the third grade then, and had a wonderful teacher named Mrs. Switzer. I went to the sixth grade and then back to Burnett, which was still a grammar school, and graduated from the 8th grade. Among teachers that I remember having were: Julia Morgan, Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Jenks, Mr. Loungsberry and Mrs. Switzer again. She gave me the poem, “Be good sweet maid, and let who will be clever. Do noble things, not dream them all day long and make life and the sweet forever one, grand, sweet song.” I always felt she repeated it just for me and it was an inspiration to me. For the 9th grade I went to Alexander Hamilton, which had just been completed. Our graduation exercises were held in the Municipal Auditorium, with all the other Long Beach Junior High Schools. I believe there were about 600 graduates that night. I went to Poly High School on 15th and Atlantic. In my Junior year, I was one of the flower girls in the Daisy Chain at the graduation exercises. I had enough credits to graduate in two and a half years except for my science, so I went to summer school and started my first semester of Chemistry. I did fine during the summer as I had a good partner, but the next semester we couldn’t get classes together, so I nearly flunked the course. I did manage to squeeze through with a “D”, the only one I ever got. 

After graduation in February 1929, I went to Business College and then went to work part-time at Harris Furs. I did filing, typing in the office. Sometimes I had to take dictation from Mr. Harris and he really scared me. He talked with an accent, talked very fast, and waved his hands while walking back and forth dictating. I worked here for about nine months. I had thought of going back to college, but Mother took ill and so I stayed home with her. In October Mother had a hemorrhage that put her in bed all the time. I remember driving her to the hospital at this time and wondering if I would make it in time. All the time Mother was ill she had visitors form the Church and many friends who came to help me. She was administered to by the Elders many times. While she was so ill, she wanted me to go to the Temple. Sister Florence Steel, a dear friend of hers, stayed with her while I went on the Temple Excursion in February, 1931. I roomed with Sister Afton Wride for a week and we had a very wonderful time. In April, Mother said one night that she knew it was only our prayers and those of the Elders that were keeping her alive and she wanted us to pray that her life be taken if it was God’s will. She said that God had answered her prayers and that she would be allowed to live until I was old enough to take care of myself. She told Daddy that she had two requests. One that he would join the Church and the other that I would go on a mission. 

The next time the Elders administered to her they asked for her request and it seemed that from that night, she just seemed to fade and get weaker. She passed away early on the 29th of April, 1931. They held a lovely funeral service for her in the Long Beach Chapel. All her family was there and many friends. Afton Sackett sang Mother’s favorite song, “When You Come To The End Of A Perfect Day.” She was buried in the L.D.S. plot of the Inglewood Cemetery. One day not long after Mother’s death, Daddy said to me, “I’ll be baptised, if you will go on a mission for your mother.” I always wanted to go on a mission, but never thought that I would have the opportunity to go because Daddy didn’t seem to show any interest in the Church. 

(Two pictures side by side. Left side is a snapshot of a gentleman in a suit, standing at the corner of a house. Right side is a headshot of a lady.) 

Wedding announcement says: Mr. and Mrs. Lorenz Hortnagl announce the marriage of their daughter Mary Leona to Mr. Lorin B. Daniels on Tuesday, the thirtieth of January Nineteen hundred and thirty-four. Mesa Temple Mesa, Arizona. At home 1216 Orange Park Place, Long Beach, Calif. 

(family snapshot. Taken about 1947. Caption says: Back-Lorin (Dad) – Mary (Mom) holding Elaine-Lorin Jr. (Larry). Front – Diana Mae, Bruce H, Mary Janice, David hadn’t arrived yet.)