Myrtle Idona Kesler

The above photo was found on Family Search.org depicts Myrtle Idona Lee and her husband Albert Howard Kesler on their wedding day October 8, 1914. They were married in Beaver County, Utah. Under the Media Tab above, there is another photo of Myrtle Idona with her son, Calvin Dean Kesler, taken when he was a little boy.

Myrtle was the first child of John Raymond Lee and Annie Eliza Keele, born October 30, 1896, in Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada. John and Annie were married April 22, 1896, in Lincoln County, Nevada. Annie was the daughter of David M. Keele and Eliza Geary of Utah. John, Annie and their first 3 children were listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada, as follows: Raymond, 22, Annie, 18, Myrtle, 3, Ada E., 2, and Jessie R., 9 months old. John Raymond Lee was working as a farm laborer and owned his own home free from a mortgage.

By 1910 the family was living in Preston, White Pine, Nevada, and were listed as follows in the census: John R. Lee, 32, Annie E., 29, Myrtle I., 13, Ada Evelyn, 12, Jessie R., 20, Leah Burdette, 9, James Horald, 7, Stella, 6, Melba, 5, Guy W. Lee, 3, and Margarette, one year old. John and Annie had been married 13 years, had given birth to 10 children, 9 of whom were still living. John was working as a farmer. He was born in Utah, his father in Illinois and his mother in California. Annie was born in Nevada as were all of their children, and both of her parents were born in Utah.

John and Annie had three more children, Lester E., in 1913, Ida Mae in 1915, and Elzada in 1919, before Annie passed away at the age of just 40 years old on September 22, 1921, in Woodrow Millard County, Utah. Her cause of death was shown on her Utah death certificate as thrombosis followed by gangrene of both legs and mitral regurgitation. She was buried in the Delta City Cemetery.

Three years later, John Raymond Lee married Harriet Theobald Bliss on October 2, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah, a widow with 7 children. Her husband Norman I. Bliss had been killed in a farming accident in 1919. John and Harriet had two sons, Leo and Otto, but sadly, Harriet passed away just two and a half years later on February 28, 1927, in Salt Lake City from complications following the birth of her youngest son Otto. She was buried in the Hinckley City Cemetery with her first husband Norman Ingles Bliss. The following was written about John and Harriet's baby, Otto Lee, born January 1, 1927 in Hinckley, Utah. It is from Find A Grave.com:

Otto Lee was born January 1, 1927, in Hinckley Utah. He was the second child born to John Raymond Lee and Harriet Theobald Bliss Lee. This was the 9th child born to Harriet and there were problems after the delivery. As her condition worsened they decided to take her to Salt Lake City to save her life. She found places for her older children to stay and ask Nora Bishop of Hinckley to care for her new baby boy, Otto. Harriet died in Salt Lake City. She had requested that Nora take care of Otto if she did not return.

In the late summer of 1928 Don and Nora Bishop were blessed with a baby. Three days after her baby was born, Otto fell into a well behind the Bishop home and drowned. There are some very spiritual experiences attached to Otto, and the family knows he is now with his mother Harriet.

John Raymond Lee then married Mary Elizabeth Lowe, the widow of Alexander Lemon who died in 1915.after being trampled by a mad bull. The following information was written by John Raymond Lee in his autobiography, in which he mentions Mary Lowe Lemon:

In February, 1933, Mary Lowe Lemon went to visit her daughter, Genova and Willis Robinson, her son-in-law, who taught school in Panaca. Genova and Willis had taken me to Caliente and other places on different occasions. One Sunday night, I attended the opening of a new ward, in Caliente, built under the direction of Bishop Porter Lee, my brother and his counselors. This night, the Robinsons brought Genova's mother with them and thus began a much brighter future for me. In about a month I married Mary Lemon, whose husband had been gored to death by a bull in 1915.

My last night in the old home brought many mixed emotions because I knew I would never again live there where so many memories, both happy and said, were all around me. I was alone and worked all night preparing to leave on the early morning train for Willard, Utah, where we would make our home. I left with my intended wife, leaving Dessie and Leo with their Aunt Dessie until we could get settled into Mary's old home, which she and her former husband, Alec Lemon, had built when they were newlyweds. Mary's large family of boys and girls were all married.

Mary and I, very happily, we proved to both families that it is very possible for older couples to have a happy and satisfying relationship even with so many hurdles to overcome. We have more than justified the faith that we had in each other.

We were married in the Logan Temple on March 17, 1933, by President Joseph R. Shepard. The following years, I worked the land on Mary's farm, planting new fruit trees, removing old ones, spraying, picking, selling, and the many, many tasks that go with earning a living on a fruit farm.

At this writing, July 1962, I am again alone. My wife, Mary, passed away on February 3, 1962. She died without pain as she had been promised in her Patriarchal blessing. She was 93 years old age. We lived together in harmony and love for 29 years.

Many happy memories of our marriage I remember fondly and there were many events that brought us sadness. First, Mary's grandson, Orvin's boy, Wayne, was killed when their horse kicked him, rupturing his spleen. Second, Eileen, Orvin's daughter, lost her husband as he was crushed with a frozen slab of earth fell on him while he was making a drain for their new home. After she remarried, her son, Wayne, named after her brother, was killed accidentally by a tractor.

The next sad event was when we learned that Lester had lost his life in the service of his country. Then Orvin's son, Bert, was killed while in the service. He was accidentally killed by a tractor he was running.

Then Guy's death brought the next sad event. There have been many other unhappy events, but mostly our marriage was blessed by good health and with much happiness. Mary was allowed to live as long as life was sweet to her. Our life was very satisfying and I believe we were able to prove to both families that we did love each other very dearly, and could make a home for each other. Mary shared her home with me and I was happy to justify her faith in me by showing her children that all I wanted from their mother was her love, and had no desire to take anything away from the home, but was glad to do my best to build it up and work the land to support us.

Their kindness to me has grown through the years and I believe our feelings for each other are as fond as any father-children relationship.

Above is the end of John Raymond Lee's portion of his autobiography about Mary Lowe Lemon.

Myrtle Idona Lee married Albert Howland Kesler in October of 1914 and they had 9 children. Some family members indicate that Myrtle's first child, Lee Howard Kessler, was not really Albert's son, since he was born in June of 1914 and Myrtle and Albert were not married until October of 1914, but sadly there is no way to verify this information now over 100 years after Lee Howard Kessler's birth, however, DNA tests appear to confirm he was not the son of Albert.

Myrtle, Albert, and their family were listed as follows in various public records:

According to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Tooele, their family was living at 333 South East Street, a home they were renting for $12 per month. They were listed in the census as follows: Albert. 41, Myrtle, and children Lee H., 15, Ethel E., 14, Jack E., 12, Marion E., 10, Anna M., 8, Idona, 6, and Betty R., 3 years, 10 months old. The census record indicated that the father of all their children was born in Utah, and that the mother was born in Nevada, and the children were born in Utah.

By the 1940 census, the family was living in Tooele, Utah, in a home located at 418 East Vine Street, which they were renting for $15 per month, and were listed as follows in the census record: Albert, 51, Myrtle, 43, Jack E., 22, Marion, 20, Idona, 16, Betty R., 13, Verl, 8, and Calvin, 1. Also living with them was Lester Ramington, 27, a "lodger." Albert was still working as a laborer at a smelter, and for the 52 weeks he worked at 40 hours per week in 1939 his income was $1,300. Sons Jack and Marion were working as laborers doing odd jobs, and for the 12 weeks they both worked in 1939 their income was $200 each. The lodger was working for the WPA and earned $100 that year for the 5 weeks he worked in 1939.

In 1942 when Albert H. Kesler completed his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card, he was 52 years old, and was living with his wife, Myrtle, at 254 North 2nd Street in Tooele, Utah, and was working for the International Smelter Company. He was described as being 5'-11" tall, weighed 225 pounds, and had hazel eyes and gray hair.

According to the Utah Cemetery Inventory, Albert H. Kesler, born July 10, 1889, in Salt Lake City, Utah, passed away on May 28, 1975, in Tooele, Utah. His father was Frederick Kesler, Jr., and his mother was Sophia Billings Howland. Myrtle passed away before Albert on July 5, 1969. They were both buried in the Tooele City Cemetery.