Vivian Ladema Hamilton Bentley

Vivian, the youngest of eleven children, was born at Gordon Creek, Utah to William David Hamilton and Eliza Jane Bird. Vivian’s father was a ranch man and moved the family often mostly between the areas of Duchesne, Utah and Wellington, Utah. Vivian recalls that when they moved they used wagons which took a very long time. She liked growing up in the “wilds” playing by the creeks, watching birds, catching fish and pollywogs and other fun outdoor adventures. Vivian never went to Church as it was not available where she lived. She went to school in small one room buildings that she would have to walk or ride the horse for many miles. Vivian tells of a time she and her sister were riding the horse to school when a rabbit jumped out and spooked it throwing them off. “We landed on a pile of rocks, hurt our legs, and skinned our faces up until we could hardly see. We didn’t go to school that day so we stayed at Mrs. Harmons until night. Father came and got us in the horse and wagon.” She also tells of the first time she saw Indians. Vivian and her sister were herding the cows when they saw them walking along the road to their house. They were so afraid they ran home and hid under the bed. The Indians asked for food and her mother fed them. After that she wasn’t afraid of the Indians. Vivian completed school after 8th grade. She had missed some years so she was 17 years old when she graduated. She met her husband, Elba Bentley, not long after. They dated, which means they went to dances and rode horses, for two years at which time they decided to get married. For their wedding they started out for Heber City, Utah on the 20th of June, they were going by horse and wagon so it took five days to get there. They couldn’t travel alone being a young unmarried couple so they had to have chaperones. Elba’s sister and her four children went with them. They were married the 28th of June 1913, staying in Heber one month before returning to Antelope Canyon where they set up housekeeping in Elba’s little house. Vivian and Elba were the parents of 11 children and like her parents before her they moved around a lot in the area from Duchesne to Wellington finally settling in Price, Utah. The three youngest children were born here. Vivian and Elba held a distinction in the community that during the Second World War 5 stars hung in their window which represented the 5 sons they had in the armed services. What a sacrifice for the family. They all survived the war. Three of those boys, Ferrell, David and Ray married sisters. David passed away in 1950 after an illness that affected his heart. Vivian writes of her latter days in her life, “All I do now is keep house, and take care of the chickens and rabbits. I have been going to church and Relief Society.” Vivian and Elba were eventually active in the church and were sealed in the temple on May 23, 1964 along with a few of their children. Vivian had Congestive heart failure and spent the last 10 or so years in and out of the hospital, in bed and connected to an oxygen tank. Sometimes she was at deaths door but she always got well so she could take care of Elba. On April 22, 1972 Elba had a heart attack and passed away, in less than an hour Vivian also suffered a heart attack and joined him in death.