Luke SYPHUS, SR.

                   This first child of Christiana Long and Luke Syphus was born aboard the ship "Java" on which his parents set sail from England for Australia on 21, Nov. 1852.  This vessel had about five hundred people aboard and carried water and provisions for three months.  When the ship was three months out Christiana gave birth to her first son, Luke, on the third of March 1853.  He was born while the ship was in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, Africa.  Due to conditions on board ship, she could not give her baby proper nourishment and care, so he died on March 29, 1853, twenty-six days after his birth, and was buried at sea.
This is from "A History of Luke and Christiana Long Syphus" compiled by John Whitney.
                  

                   Birth-Baptism-Endowment: TIB; End House No. 1617 Book H Page 75.

Whitney Family History Book.

Church Archives Family Group Sheet Record.

Santa Clara, Utah records on Film # 1131, PART 276, New Film # is 2045.
   1864-1904   Lovina - May 3, 1863 - M. Ensign.

Panaca, Nevada Ward Records: She is mentioned as being baptized in 1862 and baptized in Santa Clara, Utah.
                  

                   Family records has birthday 22 Aug 1856.  St.Thomas, NV Ward records has birthday as 27 Aug 1856.

Baptism date in St. Thomas, Nev. Ward Records; Baptized in CLover Valley, Nevada as listed in the Family Group Sheet written by Effie Syphus.

Panaca, Nevada Ward records:  Film # 3647 or new number, 14,914.
   Baptized: 1864 in Clover Valley, Nevada
   Birth: Born in San Pedro, California, August 22, 1856.

Parents came from San Bernardino, CA in 1857 when he was very young.  The name of the town, the Indian name, means:"Ivanpah - good waters".  It is in southern Piute Territory and applied to the Santa Fe branch - 1902 Goffs.  The Italian Saint of the 15th century, "Bernardino", was recorded as a place name in 1810, San Bernardino.  In 1842 it was applied to a land grant, on a part of which Mormons in 1851 started a settlement, the nucleous for the present city.  The mountains are mentioned before 1850, the county was named in 1853, and the national forest in 1893.  The name also occured in other parts of the state.  The city of San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA., was short lived for the Mormons, only about six years, when the troubles with the Indians and other matters forced the Saints to be called back to Utah. The Mormons had made a beautiful city and hated to leave it, but they did as they were told.
     The City of San Bernardino was patterned closely after Salt Lake City, Utah.  It's streets were wide, surveyed on sectional lines, and shade trees bordored them.  Many houses were built of adobe with gables built of native lumber and shakes.  A proposed temple block centered the city and streets numbered from there. Many streets bore names accociated with their church leaders or events in church history.  After the Mormons left the streets names were changed and forgotten.  There were well planted farms, road making, grist mills and peaceful  citizens.  Most of the Mormons got on well with the Indians.
     A Mr. Jefferson Hunt had lead the first Mormon's wagon train into the San Bernardino area and helped the people get established. This was about 1850 and the route was through north Texas.
1857 - Just about a year old his parents left San Bernardino and joined the Saints on the way to Salt Lake City, Utah by wagon train.

1863 Arizona became a separate territory

1882 - Married Anna Vilate Burgess April 1882 at Tunnel Point, Arizona.  Aother date, from her father's family group sheet is: 30 March 1884. With her endowment date being: 12 Feb 1879.  Baptized in 1872.

1884 from Book: Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Vol. 8, Page 7.
"March 20, 1884 - High Water in Nevada"  Deseret News (Newspaper)
"A correspondent at Overton, Lincoln Co., Nevada, states that on the 7th inst., the monotony of that place was disturbed by the arrival of Samuel M. Whitmore and two young ladies, who had barely escaped drowning the day before in the Virgin River, near the big hill.  Their team was swept away and lost, so far as known at the time of writing.  The three persons were taken downstream clinging to some poles for nearly half mile, when, reaching shallow water, young Whitmore succeeded in rescuing his lady passengers, Rose Kelsey and Mary Cox.  But they were on the east side of the river, sixteen or eighteen miles from an inhabited neighborhood, and walked all day and nearly all night when they were finally picked up by Ed Syphers of St. Thomas, who had two days previously lost his wagon bed with bedding, tools, etc., by crossing the same angry flood."

2nd Marriage: Eleanor Amanda Beebe 21 Dec 1892

St. Thomas, NV part of "The Muddy Mission 1908-1932". This is a book. Church Ref: M170579 170579

Film 14,924 F69 3654 in St. George Genealogy Library, UT.

Letter April 19, 1891 from Mary Etta Syphus, Edwards sister, to John Bunker.
John, Eldorado Canyon, Nevada from Panaca, Nevada.
"I received a letter from Ed the other day and he said St. Thomas was beginning to hop and he thought it would be quite lively after a while".

Panaca, Nevada - Letter dated Jan 13, 1891 to John Bunker from Mary Etta Syphus, Edward's sister.
"Last Thursday might I was out to a candy pulling and on Friday night we had a Social Hop in the school house.  Of course we all had a lovely time.  A buggy load of the young folks have just returned from Clover Valley where they went to attend a party.
Some of the people here, namely: Wadsworth's, Lee's, Edward's, and Syphus's are constructing a reservoir on the west side of town.  From 12 to 14 teams have been working for 2 weeks and it will take about a month yet to complete it.  Clara is attending school.  She is sitting with me now writing a composition".  (NOTE: Clara would be about 13 years old at this time.)

Letter - March 10, 189? written by Edward's sister, Mary Etta Syphus, to her boyfriend, John M. Bunker
"Ed says they are all well on the Muddy and that the winter has been unusually cold for that part.  Little Anna wrote too.
She said: Aunt Julia has a lovely little baby but I don't think it is quite as nice as Everet (her half brother who is about five months old at this time). She declares she will go to Panaca, (for) sure, when I go home".

Letter - March 26, 1895 written to the John Bunker, from his brother who lived in Gunlock, Utah.
"Ed Syphus wanted me to have him in some lumber for some salt (a trade of items and I thought you might do it all in one trip.  If you do not want to do it, you can tell Ed that I will be down about the middle of April and will fetch him in a load of lumber for some salt out where he is".

From his son, Fay Beebe Syphus: " Edward Syphus and Harry Gentry.  Edward was a butcher and helped Harry Gentry.  Edward had his own farm and had cattle first.  When he built the house in St. Thomas, he sold his cattle to pay for it.  He hauled his own produce, from the farm, to different places such as the mines in the area.  His wife, Eleanor, pulled vegetables from the garden and took them to Logandale and sold them.  She had a white topped covered buggy pulled by two horses that she drove herself.

Edward built roads out to mines and did other contract work.  A name of a mine was, Grand Gulch that was about 50 miles from St. Thomas, Nevada.  The produce was unloaded onto a platform and Fay, Edward's son, would unload it from the platform to the train with a wheelbarrel.

Edward started the idea about having the road through the Valley of Fire and he started construction of the road.  He would drag a hugh log behind his horses and level the ground and get the bushes off the dirt.  He was always keeping the streets of St. Thomas clean because he wanted it to be a pretty town.  Whenever he would see a bush growing in a street, he would remove it.

He and Frank Burgess, the brother of Edward's first wife, built about a mile long wall along their property in St. Thomas, Nevada to keep in their cattle.

He and his brothers bought a piece of land some distance away from St. Thomas and wanted to use it for a meadow to grow alfalfa and hay for feed.  They made a cement ditch, that went for miles, from a spring that they owned, Rogers Sprints and another spring, Blue Springs, (which now was bought by the State so that they could make a State Park.  So, as it happens it is a State Park near Lake Mead). There are still many miles of the old cement ditch.  Eventually, the meadow was lost through the families lack of funds to pay the bank what they owed it.  They had borrowed $40,000 dollars to buy the land and build the ditch.  They were unable to pay off the loan and lost the water and the land.

All that work may not have netted the family lots of money, but the history of it is interesting for the descendants of Edward Henry Syphus.  In the spring of 1989, Fay Beebe Syphus Jr., his wife, Mary and son, Douglas, went to the sites of these two springs and followed the remains of the cement ditch.  Pictures were taken of some of the ditch.  In between the two springs, Rogers Springs and Blue Point Sprngs, there is a smaller spring where the men would camp.  It took them about 3 years, starting in 1907, to get the ditch completed.  There were wooden flumes across the large cuts in the landscape.  In 1989 there are still a few signs of wood and some metal bands that were around the flumes.  Fay Beebe Syphus Jr. found an old  wheelbarrow still in the gully by the camp.  It had been broken and abandoned with cement remains still in it.  Of course it was in pieces, rusted and not worth anything except for the sentimental value to the family.  We understand that Edward Henry Syphus had his brother, Levi, worked with him and also, Everett Syphus, Edward's son.  Everett has written a little bit about this ditch in his personal history.  There may have been others who worked on the ditch, but we do not know who they are.

Averett Family History Book 922.83 Av35.
Myron Abbott had to go to town to settle with D. Leavitt.  Bro. Syphers, Whitney and Utley were referrees.

Diary of Myron Abbott - book 921.73 Ab 28, page 2.
"March 2, 1880 Bunkerville, Nevada. Bro. Wadsworth and Sifers from Panaca, came down to hunt farms."
Page 94 -"There was a trial today between Stephen Bunker and Bro. Syphus about some salt."

Poem by Flora Hannig Keller   St. Thomas, Nevada
Do come with us and reminisce - Of things that used to be, And of the things as
they are now, I never thought I'd see.
When I was just a little girl, In old St. Thomas town, I never thought would be
a lake, A lake of great renown.'
I never thought I'd ever see, Boats sailing up the street,  To catch a fish
while in a tree, Would seem a magic feat.
Remember sliding down clay hills, A shouting and a smiling.  Whoever thought
that this same hill, Would someday be an island
I can't forget the old school house--, They had to tear it down, Because the
waters of Lake Mead, Began to flood the town.
But there is where we gathered: At school, at church and all, For weddings, and
for funerals, And many a festive ball.
Then we went away to High School, To Overton, to learn.  That hard-tired truck
we rode in, We rightly called "The Churn".
That "Dear Hearts and Gentle People", Was written of St. Thomas, 'Cause they are
dear who yet are here, And those who have gone from us.
I remember Brother Gentry (Harry),  His humor and his wit;  Whene'er a prank was
played on one,  He was a part of it.
He'd rather play a joke than eat, He was so full of fun, His store, the place
where friends would meet, Beloved by everyone.
There was Martin Allen Bunker, A very pious man, And his only real ambition - To
help the gospel plan.
You know the Bunker family,  Of it, there's Bryan L., Who is loved by all the
Mormons, And other folks as well.
And then Berkeley made the Senate--, It seems just yesterday,  I saw him
barefoot, on a horse, So carefree and so gay.
There are others of St. Thomas, Whom I ought to mention,  I'd keep you listenin
all day, And that's not my intention.
Dear to us was Bishop Gibson, You all know Robert O.  Took a special interest in
us,  And showed us how to grow.
There was a little bachelor,  Remember?  quite a fella.  Always at the dance
you'd see him.  Of course, 'twas Frank Bonella.
Remember George L. Whitney, too.  He is still going strong.  Recently a wife's
he's taken--  He's not old, just been here long.
There are many other dear ones.  If more time I only had,  Many are the things
I'd tell you,  Of my Mother Dear, and Dad.
We were like one big family,  Each one interested in the other;  Helping out in
time of trouble,  Like a sister or a brother.
This big family was scattered;  Some went far and some are near.  Each one has
place in memory,  Memories we all hold dear.
So to me this spot is sacred.  Memories will last always,  Gone is now our dear
St. Thomas;  Gone too, are my girlhood days.
Gone are many friends and neighbors,  To that fair and distand land,  And We bow
our heads in memory,  As on this hallowed spot we stand.
(This believed to have been written for a St. Thomas, Nevada town reunion).
                  

                   Family Group Sheet in Church archives.
Panaca Ward records show she was baptized in 1867 in Panaca, Lincoln Co., NV

Additional Temple data:  Work was redone for some reason.
Baptized: 2 Nov. 1979 SG.
Endowed: 6 Nov. 1979 SG.
Sealed to Parents: 6 Nov. 1979 SG.
Resource: 7927490-12.

Luke Syphus Temple Book - 1878 starting date of data.

Film 14.924 LDS Church Film.
She died of apoplexy on 18 May 1925.
                  

                   Gravestone in St. Thomas cemetary at Overton, Nevada.  And from the Family Group Sheet submitted by Effie Syphus.
Gravestone says: ALFRED L. SYPHUS: DEC. 22, 1861 - MAY 16, 1894.
The Lincoln Co., Newspaper states: "Alfred Luke Syphus died in St.Thomas, Nevada while chasing a cow".

Blessed by his father in Santa Clara, Utah on March 8, 1862.  Film 2,045 (New film number; old Film # 1131 Part 276).
Re-baptized Nov 20, 1870 in Panaca, Lincoln Co., Nev. (for some reason many people were re-baptized in this years)

Sealed to parents: 26 Sep 1879 in the St. George Temple. Taken from the Luke Syphus Temple Book.

Sealed to spouse when they were married, but data found for a later sealing: M170579
     Sealed: Oct 2, 1984 in the Atlanta, Georgia Temple.
                  

                   Data taken from the Family Group Sheets in the Church archives.

The sixth child of Christiana and Luke Syphus born 23, Dec. 1863, Santa Clara, Washington Co., Utah.  Shortly after his birth Apostle Erastus Snow called on Luke Syphus and his family to make a move, with a group of settlers, to Clover Valley where Luke Syphus would be the Bishop.  These were the days of Indian uprisings and raids and Clover Valley was not exempt.  In fact, the raids became so frequent that the settlers had to build a fort and a big round public stockade for the cattle and horses.......in 1864 Clover Valley was an isolated and lonely place.  The present settlement is now known as Barklay and is on the Union Pacific Railroad. (This taken from the Whitney History)

Data from the Book: "George Allen Wadsworth - From Pilley (England) to Panaca (Nevada)" by Helen Free Vanderbeek.  Several pages.

Lincoln Co., Nevada newspaper: "George Syphus - May 4, 1894 - is tearing down a frame house and will build one of brick."
Dec. 26, 1895 - George Syphus is working on his residence of 4 rooms.

Newspaper (St. George Spectrum) item - June 17, 1993 - Special item on Caliente, Nevada.
"Rest stop for the Railroad"
Caliente got its start in 1903 when the Union Pacific railroad built a depot station there......Due to the growth of the town, Amos Phillips and George Syphus built a grade school in the early 1920'S."
                  

                   Levi never married.  Family tradition has it that he loved a girl who chose another man to marry and Levi never found any other one to love.

St. Thomas cemetery stone record.  St. Thomas cemetery in Overton or Logandale, Nevada

April 15, 1949 his obituary in the Las Begas Review Journal, page 2. (Shows his picture)  The data is hard to read as it was taken from film.  "Levi Walter Syphus, 83, one of the pioneer citizens of Southern Nevada, died yesterday in General Hospital following a long illness and funeral arrangments were announced today.  Syphus was born April 22, 1866 in Clover Valley, Nevada a tiny settlement known as Barkley, 12 miles above Caliente, Lincoln Co., Nevada.....(the rest is unreadable). It seems to tell of him being a Senator to the State of Nevada.

Panaca Ward records gives his birthdate and place.  Film# SL 3645.

Lincoln County, Nevada newspaper: "Levi Syphus - Panaca - Sept. 26, 1902 is the Democratic Candidate for Assembly.
Nov. 14, 1902 - Levi Syphus was elected to the Assembly.
Sept 16, 1904 - Levi Syphus is the Democratic Candidate for the Assembly.

Other newspaper items:
April 7, 1905 - Las Vegas Age - Levi finds gold in Cedar Basin.
(This is a small item "ITEMS FROM MOAPA", "Some fine looking gold rock was brought in from Cedar Basin recently by Levi Syphus.  Gold could be seen without a glass.)

July 29, 1905 - Las Vegas Age - Levi gains some land
March 24, 1906 - Las Vegas Age - Mining
Sept. 29, 1906 - Las Vegas Age - Political
Oct. 6, 1906 - Las Vegas Age - Political
Nov. 3, 1906 - Las Vegas Age - Political
Nov. 10, 1906 - Las Vegas Age - Levi is elected Assembly Man
Jan. 12, 1907 - Las Vegas Age - President of the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company
Feb. 9, 1907 -Las Vegas Age - Assembly Man
Feb. 16, 1907 - Las Vegas Age - Legislature business
April. 6, 1907 - Las Vegas Age - Levi gives a synopsis of the new laws passed
April, 20, 1907 - Las Vegas Age - Gold Butte mine, Finance manager
Sep. 14, 1907 - Las Vegas Age - Levi is interested in Muddy Valley
Jan. 18, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - On a special committee of Goldfield
April 18, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - An officer of the Virgin River Salt Company
April 25, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - Deputy of the State Land Register
May 2, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - On the Democratic Committee
May 30, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - Owns the Kaolin mine
Sept. 19, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - Candidate for re-election
Nov. 7, 1908 - Las Vegas Age - Levi is re-elected
June 15, 1909 - Las Vegas Age - Arrainges Utah-Moapa Distributing Company
June 26, 1909 - Las Vegas Age - Business
Dec. 25, 1909 - Las Vegas Age - Biog
May 28, 1910 - Las Vegas Age - Government
June 18, 1910 - Las Vegas Age - Secretary/Treasurer of Bronzel Mining Company
JulY 30, 1910 - Las Vegas Age - Secretary/Treasurer of Moapa Orchard/Fruit Company
Jan. 21, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - Government
Jan. 28, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - Woman Suffrage Bill
Feb. 18, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water Appropriation
Mar. 18, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water
May 13, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - President Moapa Valley Farmers Association
July 29, 1911 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water
May 4, 1912 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water
June 22, 1912 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water
Aug. 10, 1912 - Las Vegas Age - Agent for the Salt mines
Aug. 15, 1912 - Las Vegas Age - Biog. and Government
May 2, 1914 - Las Vegas Age - L. N. Water
May 12, 1917 - Las Vegas Age - Mil.  (Military ?)
May 31, 1917 - Las Vegas Age - Mil.
April 9, 1921 - Las Vegas Age - Committee
Dec, 3, 1921 - Las Vegas Age - Conference
July 1, 1922 - Las Vegas Age - Political

March 18, 1922, from the Diary of Joseph I. Earl, page 37. Film #0485242. Joseph I. Earl went with President W. L. Jones, Levi Syphus and John Perkins to the Bolder Canyon Dam Site on the Colorado River.  There we met 50 or more people from different States, had a fine dinner, met Secretary Hurbert Hoover and his wife, the Govennor of Nevada and many other men of note who came to the Dam Site.  We think the Dam will be built in the near future, but no one knows.  I really enjoyed the trip.  Got back the same night. It was sure a great day for me, and long to be remembered.
Mar. 10, 1923 - Las Vegas Age - Committee member
Sep. 29, 1923 - Las Vegas Age - An honor
Oct. 13, 1925 - Las Vegas Age - Committee member
Nov. 24, 1923 - Las Vegas Age - To attend a Conference
June 14, 1924 - Las Vegas Age - Political
Sep. 13, 1924 - Las Vegas Age - Mining
June 20, 1925 - Las Vegas Age - Notice of a land sale
Aug. 15, 1925 - Las Vegas Age - Government
Oct. 31, 1925 - Las Vegas Age - Mining
Jan. 8, 1927 - Las Vegas Age - Biog.
June 25, 1929 -Las Vegas Age - Biog.

Las Vegas Review Journal items:
July 28, 1930 - Government
Aug. 27, 1930 - L. N. (may mean Las Vegas, Nevada ?)
Feb. 3, 1931 -  Government
Sept. 7, 1931 - Business
Sept. 12, 1932 - L. N.
Sept. 13, 1932 - L. N.
Oct. 12, 1936 - Biog.
April 3, 1949 - "Vegas Vignette"
April 15, 1949 - Death, obituary and photo.

Levi moved to St. Thomas, Clark Co. Nevada Jan. 1916 soon after the death of his father.  He moved from Panaca, Lincoln, Co. Nevada.  He had lived in St. Thomas, Nevada too, with his sister Martha Ellen so he had two homes.

Church data: Born in Clover City, Wells, Elko, Nevada - H000145 884344-884346.
Sealed to his parents: 12 August 1981 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
                  

                   Data from the Family Group Sheet in the LDS archives.

Married to George Kerry Riding on 6 May 1890.  Five children.

Panaca, Nevada Ward records:
    Chrisa Amelia Syphus born Mar 17, 1868 in Panaca
    Blessed April 1, 1868 by Luke Syphus
                  

                   Data from the Family Group Sheet in the Church archives.

Panaca, Nevada Ward records:
    Mary Etta Syphus, born Jan 5, 1871 to Luke and Christiana Syphus
    Blessed: April 6, 1871 by Luke Syphus
    Baptized: 2 Nov 1879 by George B. Whitney. Confirmed by her father.
    Sealed to her husband in the St. George Temple -12 Sep 1895

Lincoln County newspaper: "Mary Etta Syphus got her teachers certificate on March 23, 1889".
Feb. 4, 1892 - Is teaching Primary School in Panaca, Nevada.

No children of this marriage.

From the history of the Bunker Family.
    "John had been courting Mary for quite some time, they were engaged to be married on John's birthday, 12, Sept. 1895, but John thought they should wait until he had a home for them to live in.  No, said Mary, we must get married as planned; I may not be with you long.  They were married as planned, and move to St. Thomas, Nevada.  How wise a woman's intuition for she was not long with him; just over a month after their marriage, Mary took seriously ill.  John sent word to his mother, Mary, then living in Bunkerville, Nevada, to come to St.Thomas.  When his mother received the word, she went to Eddie Bunker and told him we must go to John as Mary was seriously ill.  Mother Bunker instructed Eddie to get Joseph Earl, a brother-in-law, and assemble material for a coffin.  Eddie felt there was no need of this for if Mary did pass on, they could find
material in St. Thomas for this purpose.  No, said mother Bunker, we must take these things with us.
    Mary Etta Syphus Bunker died 30, Nov. 1895 before Mother Bunder and party reached St. Thomas and Joseph Earl built the casket out of the material they had brought with them.

This is a letter from Mary to John just before their marriage dated: 25 August 1895  Panaca, Nevada
    Mr. John M. Bunker
    St. Thomas, Nevada
       Dearest John,   I write to you today for the last time I suppose before we meet.  I do not feel much like writing, I am so sleepy, but I still take pleasure in writing to you now that the time for your coming is so near.  It seems so far off, I suppose, because I am so anxious to see you again.  Although this is Sunday, I have been home all day and I don't feel satisfied at
all about it.  Be sure and tell me when you expect to get here.
       August 26, 1895 con't..  Annie came down after meeting and stayed all evening so I could not write.  Conference will be the 15th and 16th.  Unless I knew we could be married on your birthday, I would rather not start on the 7th.  I think Monday would be soon enough.  You said you could find out if we could be married on Thursday the 12th; if you know, please tell me.  I prefer that day to any other for our wedding day and want to start in time to have it so if it were possible, but I am afraid it isn't.  Would you like to stay to Conference?  Tell me what you think about it.  I think May and Clara will accompany us, but neither of them can go on south with us.  I am sorry your mother has given up going.  When I heard May had returned, I thought your mother could surely be there.  I hope you will come as soon as you have been thinking of coming whether we start on the 7th or not.  I have my sewing all done or rather will have today; that is all I am obliged to do now.  I spent most of last week on my silk and feel quite relieved to have it done.  I believe I like it quite well; that sounds like I am not sure of it, but I am.  I want to put in the remainder of the time sewing for Ma if I can.  This is a quite dismal fall day, a chilly wind is blowing and to all
appearance, there will soon be frost.  Our folks have stacked their grain in the field and the thrasher has been moved there this morning (and) will thrash for them before any one else, beginning today.
       I shall conclude now,  hoping to hear from you soon.  Don't fail to write again if you can help it.  I look forward to your coming this time with greater pleasure than I ever did before for I feel that you are not going to leave me so soon.  Oh how I just long to see you.  I do hope nothing will occur to blight our hopes.  With much love and XXXX (kisses) I bid my dearest adiau.
Your own loving  Mary

John's answer to Mary.....
29, August 1895
       Dearest Mary:   You will not feel bad if I do not write very much tonight as I am very tired and it is quite.  I received your very welcome letter last nite and was more than pleased to hear from you.  Mother said they married on Thursday.  I do not know what to say about staying to Conference; I have sent off the bill for things and I expect them at Kingman about the 25th of September and of course I should be there when they come so as not to have storage topay.  I will leave here tomorrow, go by Bunkerville, I expect to leave there Monday, get to Panaca Wednesday or Thursday.  There is a lot of sickness here
now.  Chrissie Abbott is quite sick and has a fever all the time and is very nervious.  Julia was just in and said Addie had caught cold this afternoon and she was afraid she was going to have the croup.  Big Harry has a gathering on his finger which gives much pain and Della has had fever all day. I can think of no more to write tonite.  I was pleased to hear you had your sewing all done and that you were so well pleased with it.  Keep of good spirit and also keep well.
From your ever loving,  John M. Bunker.

Letter written by Laura Gentry a niece of Mary Etta Syphus - Overton, Nevada Dec. 12, 1979.
    I am sending along to each of Sam's children and to each of Harry's a copy of this letter thinking that each of you will prize it.  In a way of explanation a to where Black Point is or was: it was the water pump station on the east side of the Virgin River and at the north end of their father's 90 acre alfalfa ranch.  The ranch was five miles up the river from St. Thomas and long since
under Lake Mead water.  I am also sending along excerpts from some 100 letters written by mama's (Marth Ellen Syphus Gentry) younger sister, Mary Syphus, Panace, Nev. and John M. Bunker, Bunkerville, Nev.  You will note these letters were written some ninety years ago and that the correspondence carried on for four years when they married.   Being excerpts they are a happy reading but they do throw some light on what some of the early settlers of the Moapa Valley did to make a living.  In those days the money supply in the valley was short.  The mining camps across the Colorado River in Arizona were the closed source for work. Papa (Harry Gentry) had those freight outfits over there. After 1907 they hauled ore from the Grand Gulch and his own copper mine forty five miles east of St. Thomas. By this time however, Papa had built up a good mercantile business and hotel business in St. Thomas which kept him very much occupied.  Aunt Mary Syphus Bunker died two months after their marriage at mama's home in St. Thomas, NV.  What saddness and despair there must have been at the time. She was so young and of such splended character.  These letters are now in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I doubt if she would like this even though there is nothing in them of a maudlin nature. Sent with wishes for a "Happy Holiday Season" and with love to you always.
Your Aunt, Laura Gentry.
                  

                   Never married.

Data from the Family Group Sheet in the LDS Church archives.  Sheet has her baptism date as May 7, 1882.

Additional temple work taken from the IGI micro-fiche:
Baptism: 14 May 1882
Endowed: 12 Sep 1895 St. George Temple
Sealed to Parents: 16 Jul 1981 Salt Lake Temple.
Ref: H000145-1826.

Film of early Panaca Ward records

Notes from the Museum at Panaca, Nevada. Clara's organ is there.
"Mason and Hamblin Organ, model no. 33, serial no. 4940, made organs from 1865 to 1882."
"This old organ is from the home of Luke and Christiana Syphus.  Converts to the L.D.S. Church, they left England in 1853 bound, via Australia for the United States and Zion.  During their ocean voyage they met and converted Joseph Ridge to the church, the man who later built the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ. In 1856 they landed at San Padro harbor and from there joined a colony of Mormons at San Bernerdino, California.  From there they were called to Salt Lake City to defend the church against Johnsons Army.  When nothing came of that, they were called south to colonize, they came via Clover Valley to Panace among the first settler during the early sixties.  Luke Syphus served as the fourth L.D.S. Bishop of Panaca, Nevada, 1875 to 1882, as far as we can determine they purchased the organ about that time.  They were refined and cultured people, their daughter Clara learned to play and contributed freely of her talent and services to the little community.  She was described by one of the older residents as being tall, dark of hair and fair of skin, and very pretty.  About this time, she became friendly with a tall good looking young man and they became engaged, however, it was agreed that he should first fulfill a mission for the Church and that upon his return, they would be married.  All went well until his return but then things seemed to fall apart. Some say that it was because of opposition from her parent others claim that he went to his parents home first and she became up-set.  Be that as it may, the first evening they were together they quarreled and she left him at the dance and went home alone, he walked home with another girl whom he subsequently married.  Though they parted at the dance, her love for him never ceased, she lived the reminder of her life alone, her principal happiness coming from the organ and her love for music, a fire in the old family home caused her death. Among the few things saved was this old organ, the intense heat yellowed the keys and dulled the finish but otherwise it is in splendid condition.  Only a few days before her death neighbors heard her playing on it.  In keeping with his desire to preserve historic relics, the organ was purchased by James H. Gottfredson in 1959 and restored to its present condition."

Family Tradition: She was called the "Cat Lady" because, in her older age, she had many cats who lived with her in her home".  She always had all the stray cats at her home to feed them on tuna.  It is said that she had many in her home when she died.  It is said she had 27 at one time which she cared for.

Family Tradition: Clara spent a summer with her sister Lovina Syphus Whitney in St. George, Utah at 300 West and 200 South in St. George, Utah. This was before 1901.  After the death of Clara's parents, it is said that her brother, Levi, spent some time living with Clara in the family home in Panaca, Nevada. In 1937 Clara and her brother Levi, took their mother, Christiana, to Salt Lake City, Utah so she could have cataract growths removed from her eyes.  Mabel Whitney MacFarlane, a granddaughter of Christiana Syphus, went to Panaca and took care of her grandfather, Luke, while Clara and Levi took Christiana to the doctor.  Mabel states: "Grandmother being blind made it hard for Aunt Clara, who never married.  Besides keeping up the home, Clara had to wait upon her mother, and of course, she cared for her father in his last years.  Uncle Levi tried to help her financialy, but he was away from home a great deal....I have never heard an unkindness, or a swear word in their home.  They were devoted to each other.  I think Clara felt it was her duty to stay home and take care of her parents.  For so many years she played the organ for all the church functions.  I think of Clara as having won a great reward in heaven for her devotion to her parents, but she deprived herself of the blessings and happiness of having a family of her own."

Family Tradtion (from Helen O'Conner)  "She used to be very frugal and when she went to the grocery store, that my father owned, she would taste all the cheese and other things, like the vinegar, so that she could pick out the ones she liked best " (and getting a small free meal).

In the Whitney History there is a family group picture of the Luke and Christiana Syphus family taken before 1894 when her brother, Alf, died.

Her death date is taken from the several family group sheets of Luke and Christiana Syphus - with her as a child.  It does not say where she is buried, but she was buried by her brother Levi who is buried in the old St. Thomas Cemetery in Overton, Nevada.