Lewis House Fires

The Siney Sr and Elizabeth C Lewis household had the misfortune of suffering through more than one house fire.  The post covers their life history in that context.

The following is an excerpt from the Life History of Mary (Lewis) Hatch (written by herself, and found in the personal albums of Glen Hatch) regarding one of the house fires they experienced:

"...Another disastrous thing that came to us when I was a child was our home being destroyed by fire.  Houses in those days were more or less fire traps- logs with factory stretched over them.  All homes were about the same then, to freshen and clean them, the factory was whitewashed occasionally.  This would cause the factory on the ceiling to bag down with the weight of the whitewash on it.  If we could go into a house like that now, we would never forget it.  As soon as material became available, Mother started to persuade Father to lathe and plaster the house, but like all men, he’d say, “I can’t see anything wrong with it.”

Every morning, Father would get up early, make a big fire in the kitchen stove, then go out to do his other chores.  We children were in the front of the house dressing.  I could smell smoke.  I looked out a little south window and could see the smoke coming out of the crack over the door.  I screamed, “The house is on fire.” I ran to the door leading into the kitchen, threw it open, and the flames darted at me like a great red tongue.  We were all out of there in less than two minutes.

Children don’t suffer too much from events like that and it’s a good thing.  It’s the parents.  I stayed at Nonie’s, Mother and Father went down to Siney’s until the house could be rebuilt.  To have to start from the bottom- no dishes, no dishtowels or sheets or towels, no cooking utensils and, worst of all, no money to buy more.  The poverty and hardships people went through!..."

Newspaper article: 

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1906, Nov 10, p.1

Newspaper article:

CRUEL FLAMES!

LEWIS FAMILY LEFT HOMELESS AGAIN.

For the Third Time Within Two Years, Fire Destroys Belongings of Siney Lewis.

For the third time in the brief period of two years Siney Lewis has been burned out.

The conflagration occurred Thursday night, or more correctly speaking, very early Friday morning.  The cause of the fire was undoubtedly a few pieces of kindling wood, placed on the kitchen stove to dry.  The heat form the range it is thought, ignited these, from them fire was communicated to the floor, the flames making great headway before the inmates of the house awakened.

Every possible effort was made to save the contents of the house and extinguish the flames, but without success, so far as the latter part of the proposition was concerned, as the building was totally destroyed.  Most of the contents of the front part of the house were removed but those of the kitchen were entirely lost.

Two of the children were almost suffocated and had a narrow escape.  This is the third heavy loss Mr. Lewis has suffered from fire.  The first fire occurred two years ago, when the steam thresher set his stack afire, causing the loss of all his hay, grain, stables, stackyards etc, later on his house with all his household effects were totally destroyed by fire and now comes this fire, for the second time rendering the family homeless.  The house had just received the finishing touches and the family confidently expected to enjoy their home this winter.  It is needless to say the family are justly entitled to substantial public sympathy.

*Spelling and punctuation corrected wherein I was aware.

Newspaper follow-up:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1906, Nov 24, p.3

Newspaper follow-up transcribed:

Siney Lewis wishes to thank those who came to the assistance of his family, and have made it possible for them to build another house this winter.

Newspaper follow-up, II:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1907, Jan 5, p.1

Newspaper follow-up, II, transcribed:
The county commissioners have appropriated 1,000 feet of lumber to assist Siney Lewis in the erection of a new home.


From the "History of Charley Lewis" (recorded by Charles Lewis himself to his daughter Lenore in 1975 who transcribed the document found in the personal albums of Patty Stewart) we have this account:

"... The first fire we had I was about 8 or 9 years old.  I was sleeping on the floor right next to Frank.  He was on a cot.  In the night I heard something popping and sounding like a fire burning and it woke me up.  As I looked into the other room, into the kitchen, I could see the fire just coming up over the edge of the door.

 It scared me so that I woke Frank up right then.  He woke the rest of the family.  We started getting things out of the house as fast as we could and one of the neighbors came over, but the house was so engulfed in smoke and fire that we didn’t get very much out of the house.

 It started by Mother putting some kindling on the back of the stove to dry it so it would be dried by morning.  There was enough fire in the stove that it ignited the wood and that caused the fire.  It burned the house down.  That was the first fire.

 ... The second fire they got the framework all up and [were] getting along there pretty well with it and the ceiling on the top there.  They had run the chimney right up [through] the house and got it too close to the wood.  That was the second fire.  It ignited right from the top of the house.  In a little while, the whole house was in flames.  I remember that Joe Carroll was one of the big helpers.  He had done a lot of the work and contributed some of the material.  He was Annie’s first husband...

 That was in the wintertime.  We had kind of dug out a big cellar at the back of the house that we used to keep our fruit and stuff in, and we had to use that a lot there for some of our living.  Siney had just got married and was living down [through] the fields and had built a house there [for] he and Lena.  We used to go down there to live quite a little bit, until our house was so that we could live in that.  Some of us slept in that cellar.  I remember distinctly when we were living down there we’d milk the cows up in the corral then take the milk down to Siney’s and separate it. I wasn’t big enough to carry the milk bucket so it would just slide along on the snow as I was carrying it along...."

Nelson Jr & Keturah with group of youth photo

The following is a photo of what appears to be a youth group convened on the property of Nelson Jr and Keturah's home in Vernal, UT.

Most of these are unfortunately unidentified, but it appears to be dated around 1909, based on costume clues and ages of those identified.

Youth gathering at Merkley homestead
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Those that I CAN identify belong to the Merkley family, off on the far right by the tree, and social butterfly Erza Merkley in the very center back row where the white sheet drapes down to the right.

Here's a zoomed in version of those that I can identify:

From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

BACK: Nelson Merkley Jr

Mary Merkley just in front of him with Keturah Merkley between her and the tree

Margret Merkley in front of them with Asher Merkley next to her and leaning against the tree.

And this is a shot in the dark, but I'd say that fellow directly in front of Margret Merkley with the hat on looks an awful lot like Franklin Lewis, Asher's future brother-in-law.  I might be wrong, but then again he did live in the area and was a youth at that time, comparable in age to Asher's older brother, Ezra.

Photos of some of Birda's siblings when in youth

The following are photos of some of Birda's siblings in their younger days.

"Some Lewis siblings- Mary, Charlie, Georgia, Frank"
From the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

"Charlie Lewis standing, unknown seated"
From the personal albums of Patty Stewart

"Green River Swimming-
Likely Jennie far left, Asher next to her, Charlie standing,
Mary with arm around husband Charles Hatch,
children and other man far left unknown"
From the personal albums of Glen Hatch

"Birda, Frank and wife Frances, little Virginia with the doll"
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

"Frank Lewis in his store, maybe 1930s"
From personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"Siney Lewis Jr working in confectionery shop, maybe 1918"
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Frank Lewis & Marie Hardy

Franklin C. Lewis was one of Birda's older brothers.

He married Flossie Marie Hardy (of Vernal, UT) on 1 Jan 1914- at 28 years old he was nearly 10 years her senior.

Thus she became Flossie Marie Hardy Lewis.

Marie and Frank
Cropped and photoshopped together by me
Marie's image: from the personal albums of Jalair Hoff
Frank's image: from the personal albums of Patty Stewart

Marriage license notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1914, Jan 2, p.2

Marriage License:

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Photo of their wedding party, with labels below
From the personal albums of Jalair Hoff

Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce just a few years later.

The following is an excerpt from the personal history of Flossie Marie Hardy, found in the personal albums of Jalair Hoff, regarding their marriage and divorce:

"... She married Frank Lewis 1 Jan 1914 when she was only 18 years of age, and they lived in a little house quite close to his mother.  She was a dear old soul, and Marie loved her very much.  They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple 3 Jun 1915.  Frank and Marie lived together two and a half years before their daughter, Frances, was born 18 May 1916.  Marie was 21 at the time.

When Frances was still quite young (3 or 4), Marie left Frank Lewis.  She said, "I left him because he was abusive with Frances.  He couldn't seem to understand that she was a small girl, and he went out with another woman when I was playing the piano at the movie shows."  When Marie left Frank, she went to her sister, Ruby's house, and stayed with her for a long time.  When the flu epidemic hit in 1918 she went from house to house nursing sick people.  Her mother took care of Frances during that year.  Frank and Marie were divorced 21 Jun 1919..."

Court subpoena:

Found in the personal albums of Dallas Workman

I waded through about 10 pages of court documents regarding their divorce, and it appears Marie accused Frank neglect, cruelty, and essentially kicking her out of the house saying he "would have kicked her out long ago if it wasn't for the baby".  Frank was given visitation rights with their daughter, Frances, and was ordered to pay child support to some degree.  BUT, descending versions of this story from both sides of the fence also indicate that Frank was fairly religious and Marie willingly played the piano in movie houses/bars/night clubs/etc and wasn't as keen to follow his pious example.  This factor may explain a lot of their early marital strife and separation.  Regardless, Frank went on to marry Frances Paxman in 1924, and Marie went on to marry Ed Taft in 1922 (later divorced), and Sam Porter in 1934.

"Frank Lewis and daughter Frances"
Additional labels below
From the personal albums of Jalair Hoff

Frank Lewis & Frances Paxman

Franklin Lewis was one of Birda's older brothers.

He married Frances Elizabeth Paxman (of Salt Lake City, Utah) on 18 Sept 1924 in the Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.  

Thus she became Frances Elizabeth Paxman Lewis.

This was a second marriage for Frank, his first marriage being to Flossie Marie Hardy, which ended in divorce in 1919.

Frank and Frances Lewis (Cropped from a larger image)
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

 Marriage license:

SOURCE: familysearch.org

Marriage Certificate:

Found in the personal albums of Dallas Workman

 Newspaper notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1944, Oct 26, p.9-1
(Note it is an article reviewing events from 20 years prior,
making the year in question 1924)

Newspaper notice transcribed:
"... Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lewis returned from Salt Lake where they were married on September 18.  Mrs. Lewis was formerly Miss Francis Paxman of Salt Lake and was one of the stenographers for President Heber J. Grant of the LDS Church.  Mr. and Mrs. Lewis will reside in Vernal...."
*Punctuation added wherein I saw fit.

Death info on Flossie Marie Hardy Lewis

Flossie Marie Hardy Lewis Taft Porter was one of Birda's early sister-in-laws.  

She married Birda's older brother Frank in 1914, but they divorced around 1918 or 1919.

F. Marie Hardy
From personal albums of Jalair Hoff, via email

According to these documents the following dates apply:

BIRTH: 2 April 1895- Vernal, Uintah, Utah

DEATH: 26 May 1987- Davis North, Davis, Utah

She was 92 years old when she died.

Local obituary:

SOURCE: Standard Examiner 1987, May 28, p.7C
Sent via email from their archives dept.

Local obituary transcribed:

Flossie Hardy Porter

CLEARFIELD- Flossie Marie Hardy Porter, 92, of 1450 S. 1500 East, died Tuesday, May 26, 1987, at Humana Hospital Davis North of causes incident to age.

She was born April 2, 1895, in Vernal, a daughter of Joseph and Lydia Rebecca Davis Hardy.

She married Franklin C. Lewis.  They were later divorced.  She married Edward Taft.  They were later divorced.  She married Samuel Floyd Porter Aug. 25, 1934, in Great Falls, Mont.  He died Dec 12, 1966.

She graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Salt Lake City and played for silent movies and in a dance band.

She worked as a clerk in the Gambles store in Shelby, Mont., and was a former midwife.

Surviving is one daughter, Frances Lewis Allison, Clearfield; two grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Rock Point Cemetery in Vernal.

Friends may call Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Thomson's Vernal Mortuary.

Old hometown obituary:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1987, June 3, p.3

Old hometown obituary transcribed:

Flossie Porter dies at age 92

Flossie Marie Hardy Porter, 92, of Clearfield, Utah, died May 26, 1987.

Born April 2, 1895 in Vernal, Utah to Joseph Hardy and Lydia Rebecca Davis.  Married Franklin C. Lewis, later divorced.  Married Edward Taft, later divorced.  Married Samuel Floyd Porter Aug. 25, 1934 in Great Falls, Mont.; he died Dec 12, 1966.

A former resident of Vernal, she had lived the last 14 years in Clearfield.

Survived by a daughter, Frances Lewis Allison of Clearfield, two grandchildren, John Bud Allison of Clearfield and Alyce Marie Pike of South Carolina; 13 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren.

Graveside services were held Saturday, May 30 at the Rock Point Cemetery.  Chris Allison gave a family prayer.  LaPreal Allison spoke.  Dedication of the grave was by John Bud Allison.  Pallbearers were John Bud Allison, Chris Allison, Ellsworth Hardy, Elmo Hardy, James Hoff and Brownie Tomlinson.

Funeral services were under the direction of Thomson's Vernal Mortuary.
*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

"Flossie Hardy Porter"
From the Standard Examiner Archives, via email

Because she died in the last 50 years, her death certificate will not become publicly available until around the year 2037.  When it is available I will post it here.

Photos of Siney Jr, Frank, and Charlie

Birda had three older brothers: Siney Jr, Frank, and Charlie.

The following are a handful of photos of them together, from the personal albums of Dallas Workman, unless otherwise indicated.

"Frank standing, Charlie sitting"
From personal albums of Patty Stewart

"Lewis men- BACK Charles, Siney Sr
FRONT Siney Jr, Franklin"

"Frank, Charles, and Siney Lewis Jr"

"Siney Jr, Charles, and Frank- taken in 1955"

"Siney Jr, Charles, Frank"
From personal albums of Bryce Merkley
(sorry about the quality- it was a xeroxed photo I scanned...)

Death info on Frances P Lewis

Frances Elizabeth Paxman Lewis was Birda's sister-in-law.  

She married Birda's brother, Frank.

"Frances Lewis swimming at Saltair"
Cropped from a larger image
From the personal albums of Dallas Workman

According to these documents, the following dates apply:

BIRTH: 23 July 1886- Manti, Sanpete, Utah

DEATH: 14 Dec 1964- Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

She was 78 years old when she died.

Obituary:

SOURCE: Salt Lake Tribune 1964, Dec 15, p.28

Obituary transcribed:
Frances E. P. Lewis
VERNAL- Mrs. Frances Elizabeth Paxman Lewis, 78, 284 S. 1st West, Vernal, died of natural causes Monday at 12:45 a.m. in a Salt Lake hospital.  Born July 23, 1886, Manti, to George F. and Martha Evans Paxman.  Married to Franklin Lewis Sept. 18, 1924, Salt Lake LDS Temple.  Active member LDS Church.  Survivors: husband; son, daughter, Robert, Rangely, Colo.; Mrs. Geneve Workman, Centerville; six grandchildren; sister, Mrs. LeRoy (Georgetta) Pay, Salt Lake City.  Funeral Thursday 11 a.m. Vernal LDS and Ward Chapel, 145 S. 1st West.  Friends call 260 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Tuesday 6-8 p.m. Vernal Mortuary Wednesday 7-9 p.m., Thursday prior to services.
Burial Vernal City Cemetery.
*Punctuation corrected wherein I was aware.

Local obituary:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1964, Dec 17, p. 21

Local obituary transcribed:
Funeral Set Thursday for Frances Lewis
Funeral services will be held Thursday (today) for Mrs. Frances Elizabeth Paxman Lewis, 78, in the Vernal Second Ward LDS Chapel at 11 a.m.
Mrs. Lewis fell on the ice and broke her arm about two weeks ago and had been recuperating in Salt Lake City at the home of a sister.  She became suddenly ill and was taken to the hospital where she died.
She was born July 23, 1886 in Manti to George F. and Martha Evans Paxman.  She married Franklin Lewis Sept. 18, 1924 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple and was an active member of the LDS Church.
Survivors include her husband of Vernal, a son, Robert Lewis, Rangely, Colo., a daughter, Mrs. Geneve Workman, Centerville; six grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. LeRoy (Georgetta) Pay, Salt Lake City.
Friends may call at the Vernal Mortuary Thursday prior to services.  Burial will be in the Vernal City Cemetery.

Funeral notice:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1964, Dec 24, p.4

Funeral notice transcribed:
Rites Held for Frances Lewis December 17
Funeral services were held for Frances E. Paxman Lewis, 78, in the Vernal Second Ward Chapel on Thursday of last week.  Mrs. Lewis died in a Salt Lake hospital.
Richard Henrikson gave the prayer at the mortuary.
Services were under the direction of Bishop Ben W. Lindsay.  Clarence Palmer gave the invocation.  Remarks were given by Bishop Lindsay.  "Softly and Tenderly" was sung by Mrs. Glade Sowards, Mrs. Max Stewart and Mrs. Richard Ufford.  They were accompanied by Mrs. Ben Lindsay.
Phillip Watkins and Douglas Pay were the speakers.  An organ solo was played by Mrs. Harold R. Sargent.
V. Fred Washburn gave the benediction.  Harold Call dedicated the grave.  Burial was in the Vernal Memorial Park Cemetery.
The flowers were taken care of by members of the Second Ward Relief Society.
Pall bearers were Max Stewart, Douglas Pay, Ray Workman, Brigham McConkie, Douglas Jones and E. Joseph Winder.
Out-of-town visitors were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewis and son, Rangely, Colo.; Dallas, Geneve, Susan, Kathleen, Ray, Michael, and Michelle Workman of Centerville; LeRoy, Georgetta, and Douglas Pay of Salt Lake City; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Call, Heber City and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Henrikson, Salt Lake City.

Final resting place for Frances
Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Because Frances died in the last 50 years her death certificate will not become publicly available until sometime around the year 2014.  When it is available I will post it here.

Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Death info on Franklin Lewis

Franklin C. Lewis was one of Birda's older brothers.

Photo from the personal albums of Dallas Workman

According to this obituary, the following dates apply:

BIRTH: 22 Jul 1885- (near) Holliday, Salt Lake, Utah

DEATH: 11 Apr 1973- Centerville, Davis, Utah

BURIED: Vernal Memorial Park, Vernal, Uintah, Utah

He was 87 years old when he died.

Local Obituary:

SOURCE: Vernal Express  1973, Apr 26, p.16

Local Obituary transcribed:
Franklin C. Lewis Internment in Vernal
Funeral services honored a former resident of Vernal, Franklin C. Lewis, April 14, in the Centerville 6th Ward Chapel, Bishop Robert A. Trump, officiated.  Family Prayer was offered by William Pearce.  Prelude and postlude music was by Judy Madsen.
The Centerville 6th Ward choir sang "Oh My Father."  Anson Perkins offered the invocation.  Ben Lindsey and Bishop Trump were speakers at the services.  The ward choir sang "Still, Still With Thee."  The closing song was "I Am A Child of Royal Birth," by Trudy Rohletter and Shirley Beeton.
Robert Arbuckle offered the benediction.  The 6th Ward Relief Society assisted with the flowers.  Pallbearers were Ray Workman, Bud Allison, Douglas Pay, Stephen Gehring, Bryce Merkley and Don Hullinger.
Mr. Lewis 87, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Dallas (Geneve) Workman, April 11 of causes incident to age.  He was born near Holliday, Utah July 22, 1885.  He came to Ashley Valley with his parents Siney and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis in 1896.
He did some farming but was a master carpenter and cabinet maker.  He attende the Utah State University.  He married Marie Hardy, 1914.  They had one daughter, Frances, and were later divorced. He married Frances Paxman in the Salt Lake Temple, September 1924.  She preceded him in death.
Following his wife's death he went to live with his daughter, Geneve Workman, and resided at her home in Centerville, nine years prior to his death.
Mr. Lewis was eulogized at his funeral in Centerville for his faithfulness to the LDS Church and for his sense of humor and cheerfulness.  He is survived by one son, George Robert, Rangely; two daughters Geneve Workman, Centerville and Francis Allison of Richmond, Virginia, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, one brother, Charles P. Lewis, one sister, Jennie L. Hullinger, both of Vernal.
Graveside services were held at the Vernal Memorial Park in Vernal.  A short talk on the life of Frank, his family and associates by Clarence Palmer and also Bishop Robert A. Trump of Centerville talked of Frank's life in Centerville and praised the Workman family for their kindness to their father and grandfather.  The grave was dedicated by Phillip Watkins.

Obituary:

SOURCE: SL Trib 1973, Apr 12, p.D11

Obituary transcribed:
Franklin C. Lewis
CENTERVILLE- Franklin C. Lewis, 87, former Vernal resident, died April 11 of natural causes at the home of a daughter here.  Born July 22, 1885, Holladay, to Siney and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis.  Married Frances Paxman Sept. 18, 1924, Salt Lake LDS Temple.  She died Dec. 14, 1964.  Resided in Midway, Vernal and Centerville.  Attended Utah State Agricultural College in Logan.  Survivors: son, daughters, George R., Rangely, Colo.; Mrs. Dallas R. (Geneve) Workman, Centerville; Mrs. Frances M. Allison, Richmond, Va.; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, borther, Charles, sister, Mrs. Jennie Hullinger, both Vernal.  Funeral Saturday 10:30 a.m. Centerville 6th LDS Ward Chapel.  Friends call Lindquist Bountiful Mortuary Friday 7-9 p.m. and Saturday 9-10 a.m. Graveside services Saturday 4 p.m., Vernal Cemetery.
*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

Frank's final resting place
Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Because Frank died within the last 50 years, his death certificate will not become publicly available until around the year 2023.  When it's available I will post it here.