Family HIstory interview Dan Hall 02.12.12

Family History Interview

Name of Ancestor: Dan Hall

Relationship to me: Parent

My name: Amy Anderson

Date of Interview: 02.12.2012

On Skype

1.      Describe the first time you were behind the wheel of a car.

a.       15 years old in his Dad’s car – a 1951 Ford – red 2 door.  He drove the length of the driveway about 20 to 30 feet.  Tried to shift from first gear to second.  On another day he went down the block and turned around.

b.      The first car he drove was a 1952 Nash.  It had bad alignment.  He fixed it himself.  The first car he ever worked on. (And thus began a lifetime of fixing cars – added by Amy.)

2.      What animals did you have when you were first married?

a.       Miranda, Zimmy, Bonzai and Lazarus.

b.      Bonsai was named that because he would run down the hall and crash into the wall.  Like the pilots – Bonzai bombers.

c.       Lazarus was named after he fell from the 3^rd story apartment they lived in and lived.

3.      Did you have an army experience?

a.       I was drafted in to the army for one day.  I went through the physical and passed.  Then the officer asked him if he had anything else they should know.  I said there was something with his heart.  The specialist came in and could hear his murmur.  He was given a 1Y deferment which basically said the army would take women and children before they would take him.  He went back to the University of Utah Hospital that had all his records and they said he would be fine to serve.  He asked them if he should go back and get back in.  They said no.

b.      It was a good thing he didn’t go.  It was 1967 and the boys that went to war were part of a Tet offensive which many didn’t come home.  ( Here is a reference to what a Tet offensive was http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1862.html )

c.       In fulfillment of a prophecy by Grandpa Ross that stated none of his grandsons or sons would not see combat, Dan and others in his family including his father, and uncles did not see combat.  (This is not recorded anywhere and is the family folklore.  Until someone finds it recorded.)

4.      Other memories or thoughts that Dan brought up.

a.       Has no memories of living in Little Rock, Arkansas.  But his brother does.  Dan would have been around 2 years old.  Norman Hall (his father) was in basic training and his mom and the boys were there.

b.      First memory was of the house on 17^th East and 17^th South in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Dan would have been around 3 years old.

c.       Dan remembers party lines on phones as a kid.  People shared phone lines and would have to check to see if anyone was on the line before you could dial.

Dan and Connie Family History Interview 11.16.11

Family History Interview

Name of Ancestor: Dan and Connie Hall

Relationship to me: Grandparent

My name: Kirsten Anderson

Date of Interview: 11.6.2011

On Skype

Transcribed by Amy Anderson (daughter of Dan and Connie Hall)

1.  How was your first name choosen?

• Grandpa Hall: Doesn't know on first name.  Middle name is Calvin and same name as his father, named after the reformer John Calvin.
• Grandma Hall: Named after her father Conrad.

2.  What is your best talent?

• Grandpa Hall: Fixing things like computers, cars, houses, etc.
• Grandma Hall:  Sewing, gardening, making jewelry.

3.  Name the schools that you attended.

• Grandpa: Garfield Elementary, Irving Junior High, Highland High, University of Utah and Utah Tech College
• Grandma: Fillmore, Gandie, East and Roosevelt Elementaries, Central Junior High, Highland High, University of Utah

4.  What lessons did you learn from your mother?

• Grandpa: You need to get an education in some kind of trade.
• Grandma: How to can food, quilt, sew, keep mouth clean and fish.

5.  Tell me a favorite memory of your father.

• Grandpa: I remember he took us kids to Lagoon (amusement park in Utah).
• Grandma: Going camping over the years.  Especially up Logan canyon before they were gone.  Just going camping with my dad.

6.  How did you celebrate Halloween as a Child?

• Grandpa: Put on costumes and trick or treated around the neighborhood.  We would get pillowcases and we tried to get them full.  Sometimes we would travel over 3 square blocks of neighborhoods to get our bags full.
• Grandma:  Same as it is done now.  She remembered her dad would go trick or treating and if they didn't get a treat that they would play a trick like spread garbage over their yard or do something mean.

7.  What was your first job?  How much were you paid?

• Grandpa:  He worked in a grocery store at age 13 for 35 cents an hour and after a year it was 50 cents.
• Grandma:  Babysitting as young as 11 years old when starting – about 25 cents an hour,  First real job was working for the Church genealogy society in the microfilm department for 80 cents an hour when she was in college about age 17.

8.  Did you and your friends ever have a  secret hideout?

• Grandpa:  Yes at Fairmont park in Sugarhouse Utah at the Witches trail.  Now it is under the freeway.
• Grandma:  No real secret place but liked to spend time in the trees eating fruit with her friend.

9.  What was your favorite meal as a child?

• Grandpa: Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy with Green beans.  (Some things never change – added by Amy Anderson Dan's daughter.)
• Grandma: Spaghetti – but really loved what her mom cooked.

10.  Tell us about your 1^st favorite TV Show.

• Grandpa: Howdy Doody Time on a 13 inch admiral black and white television.
• Grandma: Lassie, Sky King, Lone Ranger.  Later in the interview she said Pokey and Gumby.

11.  Tell me about the best pet you ever had.

• Grandpa:  said he didn't have very many pets.
• Grandma: Her first dog gave her ring worm and she had to have her head shaved because of it.  They put the dog down and she didn't remember it's name.  But one of her favorites was from a Great Aunt who owned cocker spaniels that were the color of copper.  Her name was Penny.

12.  Tell me about the closest friend you had in childhood.

• Grandpa: Bobby Yeager, his dad was a doctor but was unable to practice because of mustard gas in the war.
• Grandma: Cindy Greenburg who was one year younger then her in school.  They did everything together.  They would go fishing with Cindy's brother and they would eat all his fish bait.  (I think it was white bread smashed into a ball – added by Amy Anderson)  They lived on the end of a dead end street that had a hill.  All the kids would gather at the top in what ever they could find to race down to the bottom of the hill.  They also played in a empty lot that had piles of dirt built up that they rode around on like a roller coaster.