Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Salt Lake County Death Records: Richard Litson

Glade Family

I haven't been blogging much recently, the reason being that I am knee deep (okay, literally eyeball deep if you were to take a look at my desk and adjoining bookshelves, and no, I'm not including a picture!) in a book project. I stumbled into this project, but it's a wonderful one with lots of great material, fascinating connections, and groundbreaking discoveries. I'll say more about it later.

This morning I took a break from wrapping gifts and making Christmas treats for school parties and spent some time reading the Salt Lake County Death Records. I am going through page by page to make sure I don't miss anything for the project, and occasionally I'll find a family name. Here is Richard Litson, Sr.
Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849-1949, 137. FHL Microfilm 004139616.
5457
So Cottonwood
Litson Richard
son [of] Richd & Joan C
18 Sep 1819
Northmolton, Devon, England
29 [Oct 1872]
Pneumonia
J Glades lot B 1 2 W 1/2



It took me a number of years to realize the importance of the second column. If you have ancestors in Salt Lake City or any large community, you need to know their neighborhood or ward of residence. The Litsons lived in South Cottonwood, now Murray.

It's fascinating to read through the death records, and watch the population of Salt Lake County change from the first pioneers, to include the great waves of British and Scandinavian immigration, and later a trickle of German immigration. I can only spend an hour or two at a time reading the records since there are so many sad stories, and it wears a person down to see all the loss and tragedy, murders, accidents, at least one execution, infant mortality, and all.

And now to return to the land of the living and wrap some Christmas presents. Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas season to all of you!