Item Detail
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Montierth, Harriet West Crapo
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1835-1919
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MSS SC 373
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Biography
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Harriet West Crapo was born on July 22, 1835 in Shirley (now Shirley Mills), Piscataquis County, Maine, to Mary Hicks Collins and Joseph George Crapo. She married Alvin Montierth in 1852 when she was 17. Alvin was actually born Samuel Moris Somes. He had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when he was 21. This caused contention in his family and they eventually disowned him. When this happened he decided to change his name to Alvin Moroni Montierth. Very soon after they were married they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah with a team of one ox and one cow. They lived there for four years until they were called to build Brigham City, Utah in 1856. In 1860 they were then called by Lorenzo Snow to go to Paradise, Cache County, Utah to help build there. In 1884 they left Utah for Safford, Gila Valley, Arizona. While there, Alvin helped to lay out the town site of Thatcher and he and his sons built a large beautiful home. Harriet remained there the rest of her life. She died on May 2, 1919 in Thatcher, Graham County, Arizona. She was the mother of eleven children.
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This collection is entitled 'Biography of Alvin Moroni Montierth and wife Harriet West Crapo and some of their posterity.' It is composed and compiled by their daughter Eva Mae Montierth Gourley, their granddaughter Clara Elnora Montierth Clifford, and their great granddaughter Kathy Green. It is eleven pages, typed and is a group biographical sketchs. Because it is a group sketch there is not a lot of information on any one person, but the majority is on Alvin and Harriet. The main focus is on their life after they were married, though a little background for each is given, including the fact that Alvin was married two times before he met and married Harriet. There is also a small amount written about some of their children. Also included in this collection are two family group record sheets. One is for Harriett's parents, Mary and Joseph Crapo, and their children. The other is for Alvin and Harriet and their children. There are also two photographs. One is of Alvin and Harriet and the other is of their two story brick house in Thatcher, Arizona with a caption describing the building process.
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