Part 7: Falling in Love: Eternity beckons

Old Rock Archer Ward

This is the Archer Ward church house in 1939 and where Bessie attended her meetings when she came west. It was also the home ward of her future husband, whose family lived across the street from it.

Norman Blackburn Erickson

Norman Blackburn Erickson was the son of Herman Erickson, an immigrant from Sweden, who had to get permission from the King to come to America and he did.

Gladys and Herman Erickson

His mother was Gladys Blackburn, the daughter of Mormon Pioneers who wanted to come west and they did.

Their son came from a long line of men and women that worked the land. It was embedded in his DNA to be persistent against all odds. It would take this level of determination and patience to court the most popular woman in the county and he did.

Norman fulfilled the main requirement that Bessie was looking for - a return LDS missionary who was worthy of Temple marriage. He had served in the Western States mission and traveled from Texas to the Dakotas preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It was icing on the cake that he was handsome, and came from a good family who had produced 11 children.

The Erickson family about the time Bessie met Norman.

The back row: Edna, Howard, Phyllis, Alvin, Henry, Bernarr, Eugene, and Norman

The front row: Olive, Gladys, Stanley, and Herman. 

Ada Erickson, his sister,
 died at age 7

Herman Erickson's Dance Hall. The dimensions were 58'x35' and the stage 12'deep. There was a balcony about 6' deep. It was torn down in 1937. This information came from a book called "Builders in the Kingdom". I find this curious because  Norman and Bessie danced here and they didn't meet until after this year.  Perhaps they meant 1947? More research is needed.

Bessie always admired cowboys, but she wasn't in love with any of them.

 Yet.

She had no idea that Norman had been told by the spirit when he saw Bessie: "That is your wife!"

I asked him if he had ever had any doubts she would be his afterward because he watched her date "every Tom, Dick and Harry" in the upper valley.
With a smile, he answered, "No. It was better she got it out of her system before we got married."

Norman with horses on date with Bessie

Bessie with same horses

Bessie wasn't sure she was in love with anyone and became homesick.

Bessie Amelia Small 

In her words: "I found many nice young men, some had been on a mission and some had not. I couldn't fall in love with any of them. I would think I was and then something they told me they had done, or the way they acted, was not for me.

(Andrew) Neal Machen

I got discouraged and the night of the Gold and Green Ball held in Rexburg I went with Neil Machen, I had been going with him for awhile. He was a return missionary and had a cute mustache, and was a good dancer. He was President of the M.I.A. and Norman was the Vice President. Norman took Frona Rawls. In those days you had a program to fill out. Neil asked me to fill it out as he was so busy. 

Well, Norman had one dance and later he came over and asked if I had any left. I said, "Yes, I have one.” 

Neil came later to see if I had it filled out and when he saw Norman had two, he said, "You’re in love with that guy!”

I was shocked, "I am not!"

He was mad.

Well I was not in love with Norman, and I wasn't. I was not lying!

I went home that Saturday night and prayed so hard, I said, “I can't find any one here that I can love, I am going to have to go back to Maine.”

The next night, Sunday, I prayed so hard! Again, the voice came to me: “You are in love with Norman!”
"I am not!”
"Yes you are.”
I was!

By Monday morning I knew it was Norman. It was like I had to be hit in the head, but I knew for sure.

I started going with Norman and we drove up into the cemetery one night and parked and it took him forever to ask me.

I said "Yes, I thought you would never ask."

Jan 1, 1941: Their announcement was printed in the Bangor, Maine
New Years edition of the newspaper.