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Monday, February 6, 2012

GEORGE JAMES FORSYTH death

Sarah Sophronia (Snow) and George James Forsyth

My father's paternal Grandfather,
George James Forsyth,
died on 6 February 1927 in Bountiful, Utah.


He was 83 years of old when he passed away.
His wife, Sarah Sophronia Snow,
would die just one month later.

They were married for 57 years.
They are buried together in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Forsyth plot looking North East.
Special thanks to Monica Snarr
for generously sharing her photos.
On 27 February my grandfather, Neil Snow Forsyth, recorded in his journal, "I received word that Father had passed away in Bountiful, Utah February 6th. I laid my men [doing carpentry] off until I got back. I phoned John on his farm, and Frank in Magrath [Alberta, Canada] and the 3 of us left for Utah the next morning on the train.

taken by Monica Snarr for 'Find A Grave'

"We attended Father's funeral in Bountiful on February 11th. I left to return home the next morning. Mother was very low with cancer and said she would soon follow father. All seven of their [living] children were there for Father's funeral. We had a good visit with Mother and she said not to come back for her funeral as it would not be long till she would go." **

Interment Book showing Forsyths
buried in Salt Lake City, Utah cemetery
A few years ago while visiting a son and his family in Salt Lake my husband and I visited the cemetery and, with permission, took some digital photographs of the Sexton's records there.


We also photographed some of the pages of the huge books showing the blocks, lots and ownership records.

We  located and again with permission photographed the interment records for George James Forsyth.



When we found the record for George James Forsyth we noticed his mother is also buried in the same lot, in a nearby plot.

Photo taken by Monica Snarr
Headstone of Isabella Donald Forsyth,
 mother of George James Forsyth.

A granddaughter with a keen sense of family history, Ruth Horne (daughter of Neil Snow Forsyth), visited the plot with us and identified the nearby broken and eroded red sandstone marker as Isabelle's grave stone.

photo by Monica Snarr
The Sexton's office also verifies that this location is her grave.


Family had her name and the name of one of her daughter's, Sevela D Forsyth, engraved on the back of the newer marker. We really appreciate Monica Snarr  posting  such pictures on 'Find A Grave' for us all to share.

Photo by Monica Snarr. (Chestnut/Behunin)
Forsyth lot looking south across plots
shows monuments in context.
 Gravestone for Thomas W. Forsyth
on left is a son to George and Sarah Forsyth.
The red sandstone marker near centre of photo  
is for the mother of George James Forsyth, 
Isabella Forsyth nee Donald.
This photo looking South West shows the back of the Forsyth headstone 'in context'  and also shows the back of the red sandstone marker. (We found this photo posted on Find a Grave by Chesunt/Behunin in November 2010)


The death certificate for George shows he had been 'attended' by a doctor for about a month before he died. Journals tell of the tender and loving care he received from his family.

I met some of his descendants at a Forsyth Reunion in Welling, Alberta, Canada in 1987. Some of his grandchildren and great grandchildren and even their children attended. How many of these cousins can you identify?

left to right:  D.R. Forsyth 1910, Alice his wife;
Mar Draper 1917; Ava Jensen 1912 [Elmer];
Wayne Draper [Mar's spouse]; Bell Smith 1914 [Travers];
Rhea Forsyth 1921; Donna Purnell;
Charles Heap Forsyth 1915, Thea his wife;
Glen Purnell [Donna's spouse]
Note: 2013 these are children of John James Forsyth 1881 [Jennie Heaps]
He and his family were well educated, industrious and hard working. Their names are found peppered through the history of the LDS church, the Mormon migration and pioneer settlement stories, and other historical records in the places they lived and worked.

Members of this family wrote personal journals and kept family histories. Many, many records are available to document my great grandfather's life. I am just beginning a quest to learn about him and his family. Reading them and collating the data in them will take a bit of time.

I am willing to share the information our family has.

What about you?
Did you know the Forsyth's or the Snow's?

Do you know of records I might read and research or copy?

**Neil Snow Forsyth History 
Chapter 5 - 1919 to 1940 page 6 compiled 1996 by daughter, Ruth Horne (Robert)