Downs, Ezekiel – Bodyguard; abandoned family and left LDS church because God should have saved Joseph Smith

Ezekiel Downs was a bodyguard of the Prophet Joseph Smith at the time he was martyred at Carthage Jail. This preyed very heavily upon Ezekiel and he felt the Lord should have saved the Prophet’s life, and he said, “this is the end” and left the church and settled in Iowa with his son Sidney. His wife, Charlotte having been abandoned by her husband, went west alone with her 5 remaining children, and settled in Draper, Utah.

            (Ref: Ezekiel Downs (1789-1860 – familysearch ID lz19w4w) and wife Charlotte Rawlins (1792-1863 – familysearch ID kwv39qp) and daughter Amy Downs (1821-1896 – familysearch ID kwnl4d2) who married Absalom Smith (1819-1904 – familysearch ID kwnl4dl)

Fluckiger, Mary Jane – Died in a car accident at age 16

            Mary Jane died in a tragic car accident when she was 16 years old. (Ref: Mary Jane Fluckiger (1955-1971)

            One teenage girl was killed and four other teenage girls and two men were injured in an automobile accident three miles north of Afton Friday night… she sustained injured when the car in which she was a passenger .. swerved to miss a cow, and went into a skid and was hit broadside by an oncoming pickup. They were returning from a high school basketball game when the accident occurred. The highway was snow-covered and slick.

            (Ref: Mary Jane was the daughter of Jack T Fluckiger (1931-2003 – familysearch ID kwhznw3) and Denna Parsons)

Garff, Maxine Rice – Husband died six months after marriage; mission surgery

            Her obituary (2014) related that she was married on February 20, 1943. Her husband was killed in a plane crash in World War II six months after they were married. She returned to Idaho and was called to serve an eighteen-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the East Central States Mission. She was a faithful and hard-working missionary. Near the end of her mission, she was hospitalized in Louisville, Kentucky, where she had surgery that ultimately left her with only one-half a kidney.

            (Ref: Maxine Rice Garff,(1917-2014). She was the daughter of Hyrum Rice (1881-1949 – familysearch ID kwcd6wd) and Chloe Hunter (1888-1971 – familysearch ID kwcd6wn)

Geerdes, Tena Beving – Dies at age 30, leaving a 2 year old and a 4 day old

            Mrs. Geerdes, the wife of Rev. Geerdes who left here for Illinois three years ago died at Burlington Sunday after a short sickness. Mrs. Geerdes was about thirty years old. She is survived by a husband, two children, one two years old and the other but four days, a father and mother and eight brothers and sisters.

            (Ref: Tena Beving (1874-1904O (Trientje Beving, L4SJ-VDR) was the daughter of John Beving (1840-1928 – familysearch ID l49trqf) and Margart Sents (1849-1910 – familysearch ID l49tt2b)

Hagermann, Ruth, Lucille and Verlon – Three children die of diphtheria, ages 8, 4, and 3

            Three children of Christian and Augusta Hagemann died of diptheria. The children were born and died in Baileyville, Maryland. Ruth was 8 (1914-1922), Lucille was 4 (1917-1921) and Verlon was 3 (1918-1921) years old when they died.

            (Ref: Christian (1885-1967) and Augusta Kilker (1892-1961 (Ref: Christian Hagemann familysearch ID lknhkmr; findagrave memorial)

Hall, Kenneth J – Died in oil rid accident, survived by wife and 8 children

            Friends and neighbors received news of the tragic death of Kenneth Hall who had been working on an oil rig near Lyman, Wyo, when a boiler blew up killing him instantly. The accident occurred Monday morning. Funeral services will be held in Lyman Friday at 11 a.m. with burial in the Fairview Cemetery. He is survived by his wife Fay Louise and eight children, Ken Jr., Dale, Marcia, twins Ada and Ida, Chris, Russell and Kelly.       (Ref: Kenneth is the son of Pierre Hall (1904-1972 – familysearch ID l5zyln1) and Lula Weise (1902-1997 – familysearch ID k45dsnc); Star Valley Independent Newspaper, 21 Feb 1974)

Hardcastle children – Die young – four children die young

            Four young children of John and Margaret Hardcastle died very young.  An infant was born and died on Jul 27, 1906. Mary lived only 4 days (Oct 23, 1907-Oct 27, 1907) An infant was born and died Dec 6, 1916; LaRue died at 1 1/2 (1918-1920) and

            (Ref: Hardcastle tombstone; parents are John Hardcastle (1884-1952 – familysearch ID kwcvbfy) and Margret Smith (1880-1966; familysearch ID kwcvbft)

Hoch, Leon – 17 year old wrestler died during HS wrestling match

            a newspaper articles reported that “A Mondovi High School wrestler died in the arms of his Durand” opponent during a match at the high school here Tuesday, January 8, about 5:15 pm. Leon Hoch, 17 year old senior, collapsed as more than 100 spectators – most of them students – watched. He was in excellent health and seldom had a cold.

            (Ref: Leon was the son of Roy Hoch (1922-2017 – familysearch ID l5fjfzy) and Eleanor Berger (1925-2009 – familysearch ID lh834r7); 1963 newspaper article in The Eau Claire Leader Telegram, January 9, 1963 about Leon Hoch (1945-1963)

Ivins, Rachel Ridgeway – Disowned

            Rachel joined the church in New Jersey at age 20.  Her family disowned her when she went to Nauvoo with her Uncle who soon fell into apostacy.  In Nauvoo she was proposed to by the Prophet Joseph Smith who she rejected and dismayed, she returned to New Jersey.  Later she felt the need to join with the saints who had gone to Utah, so she determined to go to Utah and to marry the first polygamous man who proposed to her.  The first was Jedediah Grant, Counselor to Brigham Young.  Rachel accepted his proposal with the stipulation that she could be sealed to Joseph Smith (who first proposed to her) but married for time to Jedediah.  They had one son, Heber; 9 days after his birth his father, Jedediah died.

     Heber later had a remarkable experience.  After he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve, he felt very inadequate.  In a night vision, he saw a council meeting in the spirit world which was attended by Joseph Smith (Rachel was sealed to) and Jedediah Grant (Rachel married in 1855) who discussed the need to fill a vacancy in the quorum.  They both agreed that their “son” Heber was the one to be called… From that dream, Heber realized that his calling was due to his ancestry, but his legacy would depend on his own actions from then forward.

            (Ref: Rachel (1821-1909 – familysearch ID kwjctmd) was the daughter of Caleb Ivins (1784-1828 – familysearch ID lz5fz89) and Edith Ridgeway (1789-1831 – familysearch ID lz5fz8s) and was married to Jedediah Grant (1816-1856 – familysearch ID kwjzzvj). Rachel and Jedediah had one son, Heber Jeddy Grant who became an apostle and president of the LDS church)

Jensen, Deane and Jacob – Twins die at age 3, three days apart

      The tombstone for Deane and Jacob Jensen show they both died at 3 years of age. They were born in 1918 and died in 1921.

      (Ref: the Jensen twins were children of Jacob Jensen (1875-1960 – familysearch ID kwcqrkk) and Mary Smith (1875-1950 – familysearch ID kwcz94b) and were born on Feb 17, 1918 at Brigham City, Utah and died in the same place. Deane died Feb 22 and Jacob died Feb 25th)

Jensen, Orven – Victim dies from hit and run driver while walking on highway from dance

            A pall was cast over the people of the valley early Sunday morning when it was learned that Orven Jensen, 19 year old son of Mr and Mrs Alma Jensen of Smoot was found dead on the highway about five miles south of Afton and three miles from his home.

            … He started for home after the dance Saturday night and was given a ride as far as the Fairview road junction, and was killed about three miles farther on.

            … All of whom spoke words of comfort to the bereaved family, also of the many fine qualities possessed by the deceased. He was without doubt needed on the other side to perform a greater work.

            (Ref: Orven was the son of Alma Jensen – familysearch ID kwz93nz and Mildred Crook – familysearch ID kwz93nc; Star Valley Independent Newspaper, 8 Sept 1938)

Johns, Tressa LuDene – 8th grader killed in car accident after Young Womens activity

            The community was shocked on the afternoon of October 19 when an unusual accident occurred on the Bitter Creek road in front of the Esse Harmon home. Eight teenage girls who had been at the church house working decided to go for a ride in a jeep. The jeep overturned in the middle of the road and threw all of the girls out. One of the eight, LuDene Johns was instantly killed. The other girls were all shocked and bruised but after hospital care were pronounced not serious.

            LuDene took an active part with the young people being a member of the beehive and other organizations. She was a student of the eighth grade of the Fairview school and had an enviable record in attendance, having been neither tardy nor absent for the first six years.

            Everyone loved LuDene for her gentle, sweet disposition. She was willing to take part and interested in her church work. she attended the Logan Temple with her Sunday School class and was baptized for about fifty names. She was obedient and devoted to her parents and brother and sisters.

            (Ref: Star Valley Independent Newspaper, 24 Oct 1946; parents were Leonard Johns (familysearch ID kwccy51) and Hannah Nield (familysearch ID kwccyrm)

Johnson, Robert S – 16 year old dies in hunting accident

      A hunting expedition ended in tragedy Friday afternoon when Robert Spencer Johnson of Auburn was shot and killed accidentally by hunting companion Curt Lehman of Afton while the two were duck hunting with two other youths near Auburn.

      (Ref: Robert Spencer Rogers (familysearch ID kwbbwjp) and step father, Farrell Johnson (familysearch ID kwhlgvr) and mother Naomi Taylor (familyseardh ID kwhlgvb); Star Valley Independent newspaper article, 6 Oct 1972)