Interview with Pearl Jeffry 1.2

Segment Synopsis: Pearl talks about a fall she had as a child. A local butcher that saw the accident happen was certain Pearl was dead, but the housekeeper wasn't sure. The butcher carried Pearl into her home. They called a doctor that said Pearl wouldn't survive until morning. Pearl's father was supposed to go out for a prayer meeting that night, but couldn't go because of Pearl's injury. He asked them to pray for her in his absence. Everyone had to pray that night. Pearl says her father was a religious fanatic. They started praying at 8:00 on the dot. Pearl woke up, vomited up some blood, and then lied back down hungry and thirsty. They gave Pearl some water. The doctor came the next morning and tried to examine Pearl, but Pearl kicked him in the stomach. The doctor said that she was probably going to live. The housekeeper was convinced that it was prayer that saved her. The butcher was thrilled that Pearl had survived. She was told that it was this incident that her health problems stemmed.

Most of Pearl's treatments were home remedies as she did not go to the doctor often. When she did, the doctor told her to watcher her diet, not to engage in strenuous activity, and to stay out of the sun. Doctors didn't think her body would accept sunburns. Pearl's mother was part native so she used native cures. Pearl was given dandelion leaves, and other things (but Pearl can't remember everything else). Pearl's father made homemade root beer to help Pearl get the taste of some of the medicines out of her mouth. Pearl had to take her medicine in front of her father as Pearl's sister would help Pearl avoid taking it.

Pearl also couldn't handle milk as she had a problem with her stomach. A teacher forced Pearl to drink milk once, but she immediately vomited it up. The teacher had to change her clothes after that incident and never forced Pearl to drink milk again. Pearl could consume other things like ice cream, just not milk. Pearl talks about a time she got alcohol poisoning that was cured with hot milk. She can handle powdered milk.

Segment Synopsis: For many years Pearl felt so alone if not for her parents, her sister's family, and her brother's family. When her parents passed away, Pearl wanted to get her mother's genealogy which she traced back to 1763. She then started on the Peterson line (father's genealogy, probably) and managed to trace that back to 1760 in Norway. She remembers her father telling her that between Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, there were 36 kingdoms and she could trace heritage back to royalty. Both of Pearl's daughters have the genealogy now. She talks about how the Mormon church has genealogy from all over the world. Pearl says that everyone should do genealogy because it is so interesting.

One woman came in that was doing genealogy and found ancestors in Spain. The woman was given a very detailed genealogy but refused to believe there was a Spaniard in her family history. Pearl says that a lot of people will do genealogy and stop when they find an outlaw in their family tree. A relative told Pearl that she had a famous ancestor: a guide that walked out on Colonel Custer after learning of the atrocity that was planned. Pearl visited the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Segment Synopsis: Pearl's mother was a good cook, and played the fiddle. She would sometimes cook indigenous foods. Pearl loved the foods she made. A lot of the ingredients can't be purchased in stores like dandelion leaves and pigweed which tasted like pigweed. Pearl's mother was cooking on a farm one summer and made Pearl and her sister go out hunting for pigweed. When the farmers came back to eat, they were surprised to learn it was not spinach. Pearl's mother worked as a cook on a number of different farms and her food was well liked. She could prepare a meal out of anything according to Pearl. Pearl says that even when her mother's mind was going, she could still cook well. Pearl tells a story of how her mother visited Pearl's family away from the mental hospital. Her mother insisted on making dinner and prepared it expertly.

Segment Synopsis: Pearl's usual meals growing up were ordinary meals. Gravy and potatoes, even when there was no meat. Pearl describes how to make gravy using lard, butter, flour, and water. She learned years later that this was called Mormon gravy. The lard came in 5 or 3 pound pails. There wasn't much to be had during the 30s, so things were used sparingly.

The housekeeper was there because Pearl needed someone to look after her. Pearl didn't have chores growing up. She wasn't allowed to go out to play, or run. Pearl's fall was in Edmonton, and Pearl was 3 or 4 when she came to Lethbridge.