Hyrum Heaton Smith

Hyrum Heaton Smith, son of Nancy Ann Freeman and Jesse Nathaniel Smith Jr. was born Aug 24, 1898 in Colonia Dublan, Mexico. He went to Dublan schools in his early youth. He was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Aug. 24, 1906, by his father.

In the summer of 1912, when the country of Mexico was at war within itself, the saints living there at the time were advised, by the church, to come to the United States. It was in this exodus that Hyrums' family migrated to El Paso, Texas. His father had passed away before leaving Mexico. It was in El Paso, Texas, that he attended the upper grades in school. While living in El Paso he was ordained a teacher on December 27, 1914, by Phillip H. Hurst; a priest by Philip H. Hurst Sept.17, 1916, and an Elder by Arwell L. Pierce on Dec 1, 1918.

In the year of 1915, some of the saints from Mexico, 20 in number, bought some land in the Gila Valley in the Richmond district in Grant county, New Mexico. Richmond was later changed to Virden, and Grand county was divided into Grant and Hidalgo county, Virden being in Hidalgo county now. Hyrum's mother Nancy, was a charter member of the colonizing party. Nancy along with her two older boys, Claire and Henry, went to Virden to farm her land and became partners with her. It is while they were there that Hyrum came to visit them. He was working for the D. and R. G. railroad as a boilermaker in El Paso. One of these visits is responsible for his meeting with Marba Mortensen.

It was decided that they would go steady together while he was there. His visits weren't too long, but soon became more frequent. They became engaged while he was still living in El Paso. After waiting for Marba to attend a year at Juarez Stake Academy in Colonia Juarez, Mexico, things didn't run too smoothly. The engagement was broken. In a few months, letters were exchanged again and he soon moved to Virden. They resumed their close friendship and soon were again planning marriage. They did our going and courting in a one horse buggy.

During the summer months Marba would work away from home and he would ride one of the work horses, without a saddle, as far as seven miles each way to see her. He would stay until about 11:30pm then would ride home and go to work early, on the farm, which was three miles farther from his home. Things were not easy, and times were hard. A mid-winter wedding was planned.

Then his brother, Alvin, died in Dec 1918, during the Flu epidemic while serving his mission for the church in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Allvin was buried on New Years Day 1919 in the Virden Cemetary. Hyrum didn't want to leave his mother alone so soon, so then postponed our marriage.

In the evening of March 8, 1919, they were married in the home of President John. F. Nash, counselor to the Stake President, in Thatcher, Arizona. About Oct 6, 1919, they went by train to Salt Lake City and went thru the temple and were sealed for time and eternity. He honored his priesthood by doing all he was asked to do - and then some!

They lost their first baby, a boy, on Jan.16, 1920. The name given him was Jesse Nathaniel Smith. They were heartbroken and disappointed. Theywere very happy for the year and five and a half months they were together. Hyrum had suffered a rupture while working on the railroad. It was getting steadily worse so they decided to go back to El Paso so he could have an operation. They moved back in June and in August, about the middle, he entered Hotel Dieu Hospital where he underwent surgery. He never recovered, and on August 22, 1920 he passed away. On August 24, his 22nd birthday, IMarba accompanied his body to Virden, New Mexico. On August 25th he was laid to rest in the Virden cemetery.

His brief life story would not be complete without mentioning the birth of his lovely daughter, Mary Geneal Smith, who was born March 26, 1921, seven months and 4 days after his death.

The above was written by Marba Mortensen Smith Kilbreth and was found on Ancestry.com.