Lois Meldrum

Lois Smith was born January 13, 1894, in Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, to Silas Derryfield Smith and Maria Elizabeth Bushman Smith. In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, the family was listed as: Silas D., 32, Ellen (Johanna Larson Smith), 31, (first wife of Silas), their children, Silas Reuel, 12, Ethel, 10, Seraphine, 8, Charity, 6, Mons Larson, 4, Alof Omni, 1, Josephine, 2 months old, Maria, a plural wife of Silas, 30, and their children Lois, 6, Emma, 4, Daphne, 2, and June Fay, 7 months old. Silas and his first wife, Ellen, had been married 13 years and had 7 children, and Silas was working as a farmer. He was the son of Jesse Nathaniel Smith, who was also a polygamist, and his first wife, Emma Seraphine West Smith. Silas had married Ellen Johanna Larson November 10, 1886, in St. George, Washington County, Utah; two years later married Lois' mother, Maria Elizabeth Bushman, November 21, 1888.

By the 1910 Census, Maria, Lois, Emma, Daphne and June Fay were not living in the Silas Derryfield Smith household. Perhaps Maria did not want to continue in a plural marriage, although she and Silas did have five more children after the birth of June in 1899, including Samuel Preston in 1901, Elizabeth in 1904, Marie, in 1906, Derryfield Nathaniel, in 1908, and Garland Fielding Smith in 1910. Perhaps she was living elsewhere, since there were a lot of problems with polygamy in the early 1900's and many men were put in jail for that crime.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Salt Lake City, Maria and her children were listed there as: Maria B. Smith, 50, Daphne, 21, June F., 20, Samuel P., 18, Elizabeth, 15, Marie, 13, Derryfield, 11, and Garland F., 9. They were living at 734 East South Temple Street. Maria was listed as a business manager for a rancher, Daphne was working as a stenographer for the government, and June was working as a grade school teacher.

Lois had married George Gilbert Meldrum December 1, 1916, in Utah county, Utah. When George Meldrum completed his World War I Draft Registration Card on June 5, 1917, in Salt Lake County, Utah, he described himself as being tall and slender with grey eyes and dark brown hair. He was living at 309 S. 13 East, Salt Lake City, Utah, and was 30 years old. He was working as a reporter for the Herald Republican Newspaper in Salt Lake City.

Previously, in 1910, George was living in Pleasant View, Utah, with his parents, James T. Meldrum, 56, and Jane H., 55, and siblings, Elmer K., 31, Effie, 20, Calvin, 18, Fleeta, 16 and Vernal Meldrum. George's father, James, was born in Scotland and his mother in Utah. James was working as a farmer, as was his son, Elmer, George was working as a laborer on the home farm, Effie was the cook for a private family, probably her own, and Fleeta, was working in a candy factory. James and Jane had been married 35 years and had 10 children, 8 of whom were still living.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Washington, D.C., Lois Smith Meldrum and her husband George G. Meldrum were listed as follows with their children: George G., 32, Lois, 25, Gilbert Smith Meldrum, one year old and 12 months old, Kathryn, 10 months old. Also in the home was the sister of Lois, Daphne Smith, 21. George was working as an auditor for the government and Daphne was working as a stenographer for the treasury.

By 1930, the family was living in Queens, New York, and were listed there as: George, 42, Lois, 35, Gilbert, 12, Kathryn, 11, Gloria, 9, and Lois, 8. The family was living at 6119-161st Street, in a home they were renting for $55.00 per month. Their first two children were born in Utah and their last two children were born in Washington, D.C. George was still working as an auditor in the income tax office.

In the 1930 U.S. Census for Washington D.C., Lois' mother, Maria, 60, was living with her other children, Samuel P., 28, Marie, 23, Elizabeth, 25, Derryfield, 21, Garland F., 19, and Jane, 30, and they were renting their home for $55.00 per month located at 1332 21st Street. Maria is listed as a widow, but Silas did not pass away until 1956. Samuel was working as a police officer, Maria as a genealogist, Marie and Elizabeth as typists for the U.S. government, and Derryfield, Garland and Jane were not working.

In 1940, Lois and George were still living in Queens, New York at 146-41 32nd Avenue, and were listed as: George G., 53, Lois, 46, Kathryn, 21, Gloria Janet, 19, and Lois, 18. They owned their home which was valued at $6,500. George had 5 years of a college education, Lois had 4, Kathryn, 3, Gloria, 1, and Lois had 4 years of high school. George was working as an accountant for the IRS. For the 52 weeks he worked at 40 hours per week in that profession during 1939 his income was $3,200.00.

When George Gilbert Meldrum completed his U.S. World War II Draft Registration Card, he was 55 years old, living at 146-41 32nd Avenue, Flushing, Queens, New York, and was working for the IRS located at 341 9th Avenue, New York, City, NY. He listed his telephone number as FL3-2418, and his date of birth as December 8, 1886, in Provo, Utah.

In 1940, Lois' mother, Maria, 70, was still living in Washington, with her daughters Daphne, 40, and Elizabeth, 35, and son Garland F., 29. They were living in the Argonne Apartments at 1629 Columbia Road NW which they were renting for $57.00 per month. Marie was listed as having a high school diploma and her 3 children all had 1 year of college. Daphne was working as a bookkeeper for the Treasury Department, and Elizabeth as a file clerk for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. In 1939 their earnings were $2,100 for Daphne and $1,600 for Elizabeth. Neither Maria or Garland were working.

On October 21, 1947, Lois and George had returned to New York City from Naples, Italy, via the ship Vulcania. Their address listed on the passenger list was still 146-41 32nd Avenue, Flushing, New York. The record gave George Gilbert Meldrum's date of birth as December 8, 1886, in Provo, Utah, and Lois as January 13, 1894, in Snowflake, Arizona. Lois was 53 years old and George was 61 years old in this record. Perhaps they were on vacation in Italy. They had departed Naples on October 11, 1947, so it took 10 days or their passage across the Atlantic Ocean. Sadly, George Gilbert Meldrum passed away the following Summer on June 3, 1948, while living in Queens County, New York, but was buried in the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo, Utah.

Lois' father, Silas, passed away February 26, 1956 in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, and was buried in the RV Mike Ramsay Memorial Cemetery in Snowflake, Arizona, and her mother, Maria Elizabeth Bushman Smith, passed away January 9, 1953 while living in Twin Falls, Idaho. Maria's headstone says that she was beloved mother and a genealogist. She was buried in the Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Salt Lake City, Utah. Maria was also the daughter of a polygamist, John Bushman, who had two wives, and 16 children.

According to a Florida Death Index, Lois Smith Meldrum passed away on November 9, 1979, in Dade County, Florida at the age of 85 years old, and her last residence was in Miami, Florida. Lois was buried in the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo, Utah, with her husband George.

Lois and George's daughter, Kathryn Meldrum was married to Sgt. Emil V. Dieckman, who was in the US Marine Corps, so they are buried in the Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, Suffolk county, New York, Plot, MA, 0, 132. It appears that she may have stayed in the New York area her entire life.

Lois' brother, Samuel Preston Smith, born in 1901 in Naces, Mexico, married Esther A. Flint, October 13, 1930, in Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia, at the age of 29 years old. In 1933 he was living at 7306 GA Avenue NW, Apartment 2, Washington, D.C., with his wife, Esther A., Smith, and was working as a policeman.

Lois' brother, Derryfield, married a girl named Ruby, and in 1940, they were 31 and 28 years old, living at the La Salle Apartments, 1028 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., and he was working as a customs agent for the federal government. They were renting their home for $48.00 per month, and for the year 1939, Derryfield earned $2,000 income working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks of the year. His education was of the 5th or subsequent year of college, and Ruby had attended 4 years of college. She was working as a stenographer for the Department of Agriculture. Her income that year was $1,620.00. Derryfield passed away September 11, 1997, and was last living in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the time. According to the U.S. Social Security Index, he was born May 19, 1908.