Seraphine Smith Frost

Seraphine Smith was born August 19, 1891, in Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, to parents Silas Derryfield Smith and Ellen Johanna Larson. Silas was the son of Jesse Nathaniel Smith, a cousin of The Prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Emma Seraphine West Smith. Emma and her family had lived on a 1,000 acre plantation in Tennessee when they joined the Mormon Church in the early 1830's. After living in Kentucky for a couple of years, the West family migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in about 1842. From there they went to Utah with the rest of the Saints in their community when they were expelled from the state. This was after the assassination of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum at the Carthage Jail, on June 27, 1844. The West family settled in Utah, and lived there for many years. Some of the family relocated to Arizona in about 1879 after Jesse Nathaniel Smith was sent there by the church to scout a location for a new Mormon settlement. They ended up in Snowflake, Arizona, which was named after two Mormon pioneers and colonizers, Erastus Snow and William Jordan Flake who founded the town in 1878.

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Snowflake, Seraphine was listed with her parents and siblings as follows: Silas D., 32, Ellen L., 31, Silas Reuel, 12, Ethel, 10, Seraphine, 8, Charity, 6, Mons L., 4, Alof Omni, 1, Josephine, 2 months old. Also in the home was Silas Derryfield Smith's plural wife, Mariah E., 30, and their children, Lois, 6, Emma, 4, Daphne, 2 and June Fay, 7 months old. Silas and Ellen had been married for 13 years and had given birth to 7 children. Mariah had given birth to 5 children, 4 of whom were still living. Silas was working as a farmer on his own farm which he owned free from a mortgage. Ellen Larson Smith was born in Utah, but her parents were both born in Sweden. Silas Smith's father, Jesse, was born in New York, and his mother, Emma Seraphine West Smith, in Tennessee. Silas and Mariah had two more children, Elizabeth in 1904 and Marie in 1906.

By the 1910 census, the family was listed as follows: Silas D., 42, Ellen L., 42, Silas Reuel, 22, Ethel, 20, Seraphine, 18, Mons, 14, Alof, 12, Josephine, 10, Mae, 5, and Ella, one month old. Silas and Ellen had been married for 23 years and had given birth to 9 children, 8 of whom were still living. Silas' plural wife, Mariah, and their children were no longer living in the home. Silas was working as a contractor in the irrigation ditch business. Ellen was working as a retail merchant, Silas Reuel as a farm laborer, and Ethel as a photographer with her own shop. Silas owned his own home free from a mortgage.

Seraphine married Clarence Alfred Frost October 4, 1911, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Clarence was born January 14, 1891, in Snowflake, Arizona. Clarence was the son of William Allen Frost and Amelia Anderson Frost. When Clarence completed his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card on June 5, 1917, he described himself as being tall with a medium build, blue eyes and brown hair. He had registered in Monticello, San Juan, Utah, was 26 years old, working as a farmer for himself in San Juan County, Utah, and was living with his wife and 3 children. Even though he was married with children, he did not claim exemption from the draft, but I don't know if he served in the war.

By the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Monticello, San Juan, Utah, they were living with their children and were listed as follows: Clarence A., 28, Seraphine S., 27, Willamelia, 7, Clarence A., 5, Kent S., 2, Pearl, 1, and also living in their home was Seraphine's brother, Alof O., 22. Clarence and Seraphine were both born in Arizona, Willamelia in New Mexico, Clarence in Utah, Kent in Arizona, Pearl in Utah, and Alof in Arizona. Clarence was working as a farmer on his own farm, and Seraphine's brother, Alof, was working as a farm hand on the home farm.

By 1930, the family was listed in the census as follows for Monticello, Utah: Clarence, 39, Seraphine, 38, Alfred C., 15, (probably Clarence A. in the previous census), Kent, 13, Pearl, 11, and Melvin, 9. Clarence's father was born in Utah and his mother in Denmark. Clarence was still farming. Perhaps Willamelia had been married, since she was no longer living in her parent's home, and she would have been about 17 years old in 1930.

In 1940 the family was still living in Monticello, and were listed in the census record as follows: Clarence, 49, Seraphine, 48, C. Alfred, 25, Kent, 23, and Melvin, 19. Clarence had one year of high school, Seraphine had 3 years, C. Alfred had one year of college, Kent had one year of high school, and Melvin had 4 years of high school. They were living in their own home which was valued at $1,500. In 1935 they family had been living in San Juan, New Mexico. Clarence was still working as a farmer, C. Alfred as a tractor operator on the home farm, Kent as a truck driver on the home farm, and Melvin as a bookkeeper for a flour mill.

Even though Clarence was nearly 50 years old in 1940, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Clarence passed away July 28, 1965, in Salt Lake City, and was buried in the Monticello City Cemetery. Seraphine lived another 24 years and passed away on April 1, 1989, in Monticello, and was buried with her husband in the cemetery there, Plot: A-178-04.

Their last son, Melvin Jesse Frost, born August 14, 1920, in Hunter, Salt Lake County, Utah, married Dorothy Skouson and they served LDS missions in Agentina, China, Peru and Guatemala. After Dorothy's passing in 1997, he married Pearl Maxine Black Johnson in 1998 in San Juan, Utah, and they served another mission in Peru. Melvin passed away on June 26, 2004, in Monticello and was buried in the cemetery there near his parents. Following is an obituary I found for Melvin in the East Valley Tribune Newspaper Online:

Melvin Jesse Frost, PhD, 83, passed away on June 26, 2004. Born on August 14, 1920, to Clarence Alford and Seraphine Smith Frost in Hunter Utah, he was raised in Monticello, Utah. Melvin was a Professor of Geography at Arizona State University, retiring in 1985. He and his wife Dorothy Skouson served four LDS missions-Argentina, China, Peru and Guatemala. After Dorothy's passing in 1997, he married Maxine Johnson and served another mission in Peru. Melvin is survived by his wife, Maxine, children David (Sharon) Motry , Emalee (William) Brock, Susan (Larkin) Palmer, Luisa (William) Harper, Melvin (Heather) Frost, Robert (Claudia) Frost, Rita (Mark) Clair and Paul (Denise) Frost; 39 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; siblings, Willamelia Barton, Pearl Lewis and Kent Frost. Services and interment will be in Monticello, Utah.