Ezra Merkley- busted!

I don't know why I get such a kick out of Asher's older brother, Ezra, but I do.  He seemed to live life vibrantly in the short time he was alive, so articles such as this make me smile:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1907, Jan 12, p.1

Newspaper notice transcribed:

Justice Nebeker's Court.

A few days ago Wallace Oaks, Ezra Merkley, John Merkley and Charles Hatch, all minors, were arraigned before City Justice of the Peace B.D. Nebeker on a charge of frequenting saloons.  The evidence disclosed the fact that the above mentioned defendants had visited saloons but had purchased no liquor, however, they plead guilty to the charge and promised not to repeat the offense.  The Justice suspended sentence upon them during good behaviour, but upon a repetition of the offense they will be called into court and sentenced.

January 7th, 1907

* Punctuation adjusted by me.

Ezra Merkley
You little rabble-rouser...

Jennie Lewis & Harold Hullinger

Jennie Lewis was Birda's younger sister.

She married Harold Everett Hullinger (of Vernal, UT) on 6 June 1924 in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thus, she became Jennie Lewis Hullinger.

Photo from the personal family history blog of Charmain Runyon
concerning Harold and Jennie Hullinger, obtained Feb 2013
Photo cropped from original image by me

Bridal shower notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1924, Jun 6, p.8

Bridal shower notice transcribed:

MISS JENNIE LEWIS HONORED AT SHOWER

Miss Hazel Williams and Miss Elda Bingham entertained a number of guests at the W.A. Bingham home in honor of Miss Jennie Lewis on Monday evening.  Miss Lewis was the recipient of a large number of gifts.  Miss Lewis will be married this week to Harold Hullinger in the Salt Lake temple.

*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

Marriage notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1924, Jun 6, p.8

Marriage notice transcribed:
WILL WED IN TEMPLE
Tuesday, June 3, Harold Everett Hullinger, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Hullinger, and Miss Jennie Lewis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Siney Lewis, Sr., received a marriage license and left Wednesday for Salt Lake City where they will be wedded in the Salt Lake temple.
*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

Wedding license application:

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Marriage license:

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Minnie Lewis & William Pearce

Minnie C. Lewis was one of Birda's older sisters.

She married William E. Pearce (of Ashley Precinct, Uintah, UT) on 4 May 1899 in Vernal, Utah.

Thus, she became Minnie C. Lewis Pearce.

Photos from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley and LaReta Brinkerhoff
Photos were cropped and photoshopped together by me.

Marriage notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1899, May 4, p.1

Marriage notice transcribed:
A marriage licence was issued yesterday to William Pearce, aged 24 and Minnie Lewis aged 18.

Marriage license & certificate: 

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Siney Lewis Jr & Lena Hoeft

Siney Lewis Jr. was one of Birda's older brothers.

He married Helena Hoeft (of South Ashley, Uintah, UT) on 24 Dec 1903 (Christmas Eve, aww...) in Uintah County, UT.

Thus, she became Helena Hoeft Lewis.

Copy of this photo found in the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Marriage license notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1903, Dec 26, p.3

Marriage license notice transcribed:
Marriage licenses were issued during the week to the following couples: Siney Lewis and Lena Hoeft...
*Remainder of notice not transcribed.

Marriage License:

Found in a copy of a compiled history of Siney and Lena by descendant, Carol Harless
Microfilm source has yet to be identified

 Marriage Certificate:

Found in a copy of a compiled history of Siney and Lena by descendant, Carol Harless
Microfilm source has yet to be identified

Charles & Crystal Lewis- Golden Anniversary

Charles Lewis was Birda's older brother.

Charles and his wife, Crystal Potter Lewis, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1962.

The following are documents of photos of that event.  

All photos are from the personal albums of Patty Stewart.

"Crystal and Charlie Lewis, Nov 1916"

Newspaper announcement:

SOURCE: SL Tribune 1962, Oct 7, p.4B
Found in the personal albums of Patty Stewart

Newspaper announcement transcribed:
Golden Weddings
Special to The Tribune
VERNAL- A golden wedding anniversary observance honoring Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Lewis will be held Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Max Stewart, 240 S. 2nd West.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were married Oct. 30, 1912.  Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A school teacher in Uintah and Carbon counties, Mr. Lewis has resided in Vernal most of the time since moving here with his parents in 1895.
Mrs. Lewis, the former Crystal Potter came to Vernal in 1907 and taught school for 15 years.  She also served six years as county librarian.
Both have been active in the LDS Church.
They have one son and two daughters, Lt. Col. Charles Howard Lewis, Mr. R.D. (Lenore) Nielson and Mrs. Max (Patricia) Steart, 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Local announcement:

NO SOURCE- found in personal albums of Patty Stewart
Assumed from the Vernal Express 1962,  Oct?

Local announcement transcribed:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Lewis Celebrate Golden Anniversary

Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Lewis will celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary Sunday.

They were married in Vernal, Utah, October 30, 1912.  Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

Together Mr. and Mrs. Lewis served as teachers in local schools 52 years.  Mr. Lewis taught in Uintah and Carbon County schools for 37 years.  Mrs. Lewis taught for 15 years.

Mr. Lewis graduated from Uintah High School in 1911.  He attended the University of Utah, B.Y.U. and Utah State University, majoring in art and band music.  He taught band and orchestra at Uintah High School and was also the choir leader in the LDS organizations and scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts for many years.  Mr. Lewis was born March 3, 1892 at Midway, Utah, to Siney and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis, Sr., who moved to Vernal in 1892.

Mrs. Lewis attended high school in Vernal and the University of Utah and Utah State University.  She was not only a teacher but also the County Librarian for six years, taught Sunday School 35 years and was secretary, class leader and visiting teacher in Relief Society for more than 40 years.

Mrs. Lewis is the daughter of W. Edwin and Harriet K. Potter, who moved to Vernal in 1907.

There will be an open house honoring Mr. and Mrs. Lewis at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Max Stewart, 240 So. 2nd West, Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Napkin from the anniversary party
From personal albums of Patty Stewart

"Golden Wedding 1962- Crystal and Charlie"

"50th Anniversary Cake"

"Charles and Crystal cutting their 50th anniversary cake"

Death info on Lottie Harper

Lottie Blair Lewis Hodson Harper was a half-sister to Birda.

They shared the same father (Siney Lewis Sr) but Lottie came through a second wife, Elizabeth Blair.

From personal albums of Dallas Workman

According to these documents the following dates apply:

BIRTH: 28 Dec 1877- Holladay, Salt Lake, Utah

DEATH: 24 Sept 1907- Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

She was 30 years old when she died after childbirth.

*Exact birth date and place is derived from family records and a 1900 census. I have not yet confirmed with the original source material, but plan to soon.

 Local death notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1907, Oct 4, p.1

Local death notice transcribed:

Siney Lewis and wife have gone to Salt Lake on a sad mission.  Their daughter, Mrs. Harper died in that city September 27th leaving two children, one of which is a young baby.  They will bring the children home with them.

*Punctuation added where I saw fit.  Date of death mentioned does not correspond with death certificate.

 Death Certificate:

SOURCE: Utah State Archives

Record of Death listing:

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Funeral notice:

SOURCE: Deseret News 1907, Sept 26, p.10, col 1

Funeral notice transcribed:

Funeral of Mrs. Harper- Mrs. Lottie E. Harper, wife of Joseph P. Harper, late of Vernal, Utah, was buried this afternoon from the undertaking parlor of E.W. Hall.  Mrs. Harper died Tuesday at the Keogh-Hammond hospital.  Beside the husband, a son five years old and a babe of three days, survive her.  Mrs. Harper was about 40 years of age.

*Middle initial and her age do not echo other documents- an assumed set of typos?

Death info on Alfred Watkins

Alfred Watkins was Birda's brother-in-law.  He was the first husband to Birda's older sister, Lenora (or Nonie).

To my great dismay, there are no photos to be found of Alfred.

According to these documents, the following dates apply:

BIRTH: abt. 1864?

DEATH: 17-19 Nov 1896- Midway, Wasatch, Utah

He was about 31 years old when he died.*

Marriage license from the year before in 1895 states he was 31 years old.  

Birth year was estimated from information found on marriage license as well.

Death notice:

SOURCE: Deseret News 1896, Nov 16, p.5

Death notice transcribed:

DIED IN THE MOUNTAINS

A Young Hunter of Midway Frozen to Death.

A report was brought to town late last evening that Alfred Watkins, a son of Bishop Watkins of Midway, had been found dead on Mahogany ridge, about four miles north of Midway, supposed to have been frozen to death some time between Tuesday and the time his body was discovered.

A Wave man set out to hunt up further particulars, but did not meet with the desired success, and owning to the closeness to press day we can only give this meager report of the sad affair.

Last Tuesday Alfred Watkins left his home and young wife and babe in Midway to go out gunning in the hills just north of the town, saying he would return that evening.  Upon his failing to appear late at night, his wife became alarmed and notified other members of the family.  Thinking the missing man would surely return by morning, no attempt to search for him was made that night, but early Wednesday morning a searching party was formed and diligently searched the hills and canyons the entire day without success.  The search was continued until late in the afternoon of yesterday, when the lifeless body of the object of their anxiety was found on what is called Mahogany ridge, between the old Warm Land resort and Snake Creek, north of Midway, as stated above.  From what we could learn the body appeared to have been frozen, as there were no signs of having met with an accident or of having been foully dealt with.

The body was brought to town and the news broken to the distracted wife of about eighteen months, who is left with the child.

The deceased was about 30 years old, and one of Midway's honorable young men.  The affair has cast a gloom over the entire community.-- Wasatch Wave, Nov. 13th

*I can find no mention of Alfred's death within the Wasatch Wave, the county where the event occurred.

 Local death notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1896, Nov 19, p.1

Local death notice transcribed:

Alfred Watkins, formerly of this county, was found dead near Midway last Thursday and it is thought that he froze to death as he started out hunting on Tuesday.  He has been living in Midway about a year and has brother living here, and about two years ago married Miss Lewis whose parents live in Millward.

*Marriage record is dated 1895, so this notice's marriage guess is off by a bit.

Because the state of Utah did not produce death certificates until after 1900, there is no death certificate available for Alfred.  I am hoping to find living descendants that may have more information.

The only photo I have on this sad tale is that of the wife and child he left behind.

"Daughter Hazel with mother, Lenora L Watkins (Evans)"
From the personal albums of Phil Foster

The widowed Nonie went on to remarry Mr. Edward W. Evans in 1904, so her story picks up from there...