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Monday, March 5, 2012

SARAH SOPHRONIA SNOW death


Sarah Sophronia Forsyth nee Snow 
   Died: 5 March 1927, 
          Bountiful, Davis, Utah, USA
   Buried8 March 1927, 
            Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA


I found a copy of Sarah's death certificate on line here.



When we traveled to Salt Lake a few years ago to visit our son and his family, they lived in the 'Avenues' near the Salt Lake Cemetery. We took a walk through the well manicured graveyard and photographed some of the final resting spots of several ancestors. Although that day was quite warm we enjoyed the cool shade of the many large trees and the quiet peace of the open park. 


We discovered many Forsyth's listed there
and even knew where some fit onto family records.


We also visited the Sexton's office to review the records there. The Interment Books list every grave with locations identified on blocks, lots and tiers of plots.

For additional information about Sarah's husband George James see my blog post for his death. They died within a month of each other.

I am one one side of the room.  You can see my toes.
The silver metal in the picture is the other side.

We were given permission to take photos and spent an afternoon perusing the various huge books kept there in a tiny room. We were learning to use a digital camera so some photos are not clear and the exposures are odd.

Sarah Snow Forsyth's name is near the bottom of the page. 

I opened a cropped version of the page (above) that shows Sarah's interment in a photo editing program and added a couple red arrows to help identify her name.


We also photographed Lot 13 burial records and the Lot Ownership Record.


From 'The Life of Sarah Sophronia Snow Forsyth' * we read, "Sarah developed cancer, and suffered with it for many years. One time she said she was ready to go, if her husband died, but she had not wanted to die and leave him behind. Her prayers were answered in this. In the fall of 1926 George took ill and was hospitalized in Salt Lake, at the LDS hospital.

"At this time, Sariah Lott [a step-sister], a daughter of Lydia Leavitt and William Snow, came to stay a few weeks with Sarah ... Chloe, another sister, came to stay for a few days [also] ...

"On 5 February 1927, George [Sarah's husband] died. The doctor said that Sarah could not last very long, so Mary stayed with the mother, Florence lived nearby, and along with Tom, they nurse the mother with tender care. Neil, John and Frank came from Canada, Mary from California and Bell from Nevada [for their father's funeral]. They all showed their mother every kindness and although she may have suffered, she never murmured or made a complaint. One month later she passed away. She had said she wanted to die with George, and she came as close as she could. They had lived a full life, they had done the best they could. The Bishop of Bountiful, a cousin, Ed. Snow of St George and a lady from Wayne County all paid tribute to her.

"The last two stanzas of a poem read at her funeral are:

"Your heart has ever sought for truth and beauty
You've found them where others found but strife,
You've taught us how to dignify our duty
And love our life.

"You made the worst yield up its best in somewise,
So the fragrance of your youth clings round you still,
Your influence so sweet, yet strong and lasting
As a rock clad hill."

The 7 living children of George and Sarah Forsyth all attended their father's funeral. Sarah knew she would 'follow' her husband soon and asked those from great distances to not incur the expense of another trip to attend hers. They bade her farewell and granted their mother her express request. John, Frank, and Neil from Alberta Canada and Bell from Lund Nevada did not return when she passed away one month later. **



* 'The Life of Sarah Sophronia Snow Forsyth,' is a typed, single spaced, 3 page history. A copy in my possession  is stapled to a similar 6 page history of Sally Adams Snow. Neither document identifies its author. Both are clearly photo copies and were given to me before I knew that sources should be carefully noted.  


** See Neil Snow Forsyth History by Ruth Horne chapter 5 - 1919 to 1940, page 6.