My father, Jim Hartley, recently took a trip up to Montana to
visit his brother Chuck (my uncle). While there, Jim had the opportunity to interview Chuck. Jim got some additional
information and updated a great family story about Chuck's asthma and
near death as a child. I first shared this story based on another account on
November 2016, and I have included it at the very bottom here. Directly below is the
"updated" version and is my father Jim's own words:
Charles A. Hartley,
III: Little Charlie’s Asthma and Divine Intervention
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| Grandma Norma Hartley & "Little Charlie" (My Uncle Chuck) - About 1936 |
It was 1938. A new
recession had complicated America’s efforts to recover from the Great
Depression. At that time, a young family, Charles and Norma Hartley, with their
first child, 18-month old Little Charlie, felt fortunate to rent a small, one-bedroom
unit that was part of a duplex in southeast Salt Lake City, Utah.
In the duplex’s other
half were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buckle, the owners of the property. Norma loved
Mrs. Buckle and regarded her like a second mother. Mrs. Buckle was an earnest
follower of the Christian Science faith.
Across the street were
Mr. and Mrs. George Glade and their six children. George was the co-owner of
the Glade Candy Company. The more Charles and Norma got to know the Glades, the
more they thought they were the ideal family. Like Norma, the Glades were
devout Mormons—members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Little Charlie was a
bright, lively child. But, almost from the time of his birth, he suffered from serious
asthma and allergies. Seeking medical help, they took Little Charlie to a highly-recommended
doctor named Dr. Blood. That doctor required an expensive $10 payment up-front
for each visit. Charles and Norma sarcastically referred to his fees as “Blood
money.” When Dr. Blood failed to help the baby, they found another doctor, Dr.
Ross. He was very compassionate toward Little Charlie, because he too suffered
from asthma. After numerous tests, Dr. Ross identified that the baby was
allergic to many things, including cow’s milk, wheat, and egg whites. So, Little
Charlie was put on a special diet that included goat’s milk, rice, and oatmeal
instead. His allergic condition improved dramatically, but he still suffered
from periodic bouts with severe asthma.
One day, Little
Charlie’s asthma turned alarmingly bad. He could barely breathe and he wouldn’t
eat or drink. Norma had to carry her suffering child upright in her arms in
order for him to even steal gasps of air. Norma became desperate and telephoned
Dr. Ross. He quickly visited their home and gave Little Charlie an adrenalin
shot, but it had no effect.
Mrs. Buckle came from next
door to help Norma. They took turns holding and calming Little Charlie. Seeing
the baby’s worsening condition, they felt they needed divine intervention. Mrs.
Buckle suggested that her Christian Science practitioner could help.
As a devout Mormon,
Norma knew that special blessings for the sick could be given by elders of her
church, but she was hesitant to contact them because her husband was not a
Mormon, and she didn’t know whether he would approve.
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| Grandpa Charles Hartley, Little Charlie, and Norma About 1940 |
After Charles got home
from work that evening, he was shocked to see his little son wheeze and battle
for breath. Norma informed him of everything that she and Mrs. Buckle had done,
the visit by the doctor, and the ineffective injection of adrenalin. She then
asked Charles if he would be willing to let her call the Mormon elders for a
priesthood blessing on the baby. To her great relief, Charles agreed. Norma quickly
contacted her neighbor, George Glade. George’s father-in-law happened to be
visiting. Both men were ordained elders in the Mormon Church. The two came to
the house and gave Little Charlie a priesthood blessing. Their administration
was in accordance with the instruction of the Apostle James that is recorded in
the New Testament: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him
up…” (James 5:14-15).
After their
administration, George Glade and his father-in-law returned home. George
described to his family how dire Little Charlie’s condition was, and stated that
he doubted whether the baby would survive the night.
After the elders left,
Norma and Charles alternated holding and comforting their infant son. Soon, Little
Charlie said weakly, “I’m hungry.” Surprised and hopeful, they gave him a glass
of goat’s milk. Within a few minutes, the baby began to vomit, expelling large
amounts of suffocating mucus. He then began to breathe freely. A little while
later, Little Charlie again said that he was hungry. They brought him a small bowl
of soup with rice crackers. Little Charlie successfully ate the tiny meal. His
wheezing stopped and he drifted off to sleep. The potentially fatal asthma attack
was gone.
The next day, the
Glade children and several of their friends were on their way to school. They decided
to stop by the house to inquire if Little Charlie had died during the night.
Norma reassured them that he was very much alive. She invited them in. They saw
Little Charlie in his highchair enjoying his breakfast and were amazed to see
him so lively.
Although he has continued
to struggle from time to time with asthma and allergies, Little Charlie—now
preferring the nickname, Chuck—has become a brilliant and talented individual.
He has had a long and remarkable career in electronics that includes work with
Stanford University’s linear accelerator, the Atomic Energy Agency of Brazil,
and Taiwan’s Air Force. He developed a controller for purifying water in
cooling towers that were used to protect large computer installations in the
U.S., Germany, Wales, and England. He completed digital radio and telecommunications
projects in nearly every state in the United States, and in many other countries,
including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and in Central
America and the Caribbean islands.
At this writing, Chuck
has lived more than 80 years, which is longer than all but one of his paternal Hartley
ancestors. And, by his mother’s account, Chuck would never have had such a
remarkable life had it not been for divine intervention when asthma nearly took
his life when he was 18-months old.
-------------------------
Adapted by James E.
Hartley from autobiographical oral histories of Norma Miner Hartley and Charles
Alton Hartley, Jr., both interviewed and recorded by their son, William G.
Hartley. Chuck Hartley (Little Charlie) reviewed and approved of this account.
-------------------------
Original version of the same story:
Norma Miner Hartley (Haymond), my grandmother, passed away in
1992. In 2014, many Hartley's held a 100th "birthday celebration
reunion" to remember her and recognize her life. At the reunion, a booklet
with many stories and biographical information about her was given out. It was
written by a few of my uncles and is available in its entirety on FamilySearch.org. I want to share one
particular story from this booklet that has helped strengthen my faith in the
power of the priesthood and its healing powers. When the story references,
"Mom," it is referring to my grandma Norma Miner Hartley (Haymond). Below is the story from the booklet:
"Charles Alton Hartley III was born [...] 1936 in Holy Cross
Hospital [Salt Lake City, Utah]. In those days they kept mothers in the
hospital ten days after bearing a child. Little Chuck was an asthmatic baby and
Mom said “he was my first baby and so I didn’t know what to do.” Because of the
Depression, to visit the doctor she had to have ten dollars in hand to get in
the door. That doctor didn’t know what caused Chuck’s problems but made Mom
feel it was her negligence. The next doctor was an asthmatic himself so
diagnosed that Chuck could not have milk, flour, or eggs, or house dust. Chuck
went on goats' milk, rice cakes, and oatmeal instead of wheat, and he began to
snap out of it. But when he had an asthma attack, it’d be terrible.
When Chuck was about 18 months old, he had an asthma attack that
the doctor’s adrenaline shot couldn’t stop. After work, Dad saw how bad Chuck
was, so he agreed to Mom’s request to have elders bless Chuck. About then two
sets of friends came by, and saw how bad Chuck was. Chuck could keep nothing in
his stomach, even water. Mom had to walk and carry him for “If I laid him down
he’d just gasp for air and go almost blue.” After the elders administered to
Chuck, Dad finished dinner and then took a turn with Chuck. Chuck suddenly said
“I’m hungry.” Dad gave him a drink of goats' milk and Chuck threw up
everything, including terrible mucous that was in his throat. After that, he
soon said “I’m still hungry,” so they fed him soup with rice crackers. He held
that down, then went to sleep and stopped wheezing.
Friends came back and couldn’t believe Chuck made it. Children
next door came by the next morning to the porch. “Mrs. Hartley, did Chuck
die?” they asked. “We heard our Daddy say he didn’t think that the little boy
would live through the night.” Mom invited them in to see Chuck eating in his
high chair. Mom said: “And everyone said they couldn’t believe what they had
seen. So the power of the priesthood. So Dad, after that, whenever any of you
were sick, he always let me call in the elders.”