DEATH TAKES AN
ODD CHARACTER
Former Resident of Path Valley Dies in Idaho at Great Age.
"Ned" Cowan left Path Valley, in Franklin County, where he was born
many years ago, shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War. He went
to Nevada at the time the state line was being established between
Idaho and Utah. He spent some years there in mine prospecting and
later became a stage driver between station towns in Idaho and
Montana. During his long absence Cowan communicated little with the
friends he left behind, two of these being sisters, at that time
residing near Chambersburg.
"Ned" died suddenly the other day, aged nearly ninety,
at Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he had become widely acquainted because
of his peculiar characteristics, his good nature and his
extraordinary fund of reminiscense. He kept himself from being a
burden on the city by his unusual eccentricities, and his happy,
harmless ways of making the acquaintance of good fellows about town.
He was a cripple, having lost his leg in the famous
Comstock mine in Nevada. No sooner did he give a signal of distress,
which was never an annoying one, than quick response was made by one
or more of his benefactors, not the least of whom was Frank Bydee, a
generous citizen of Idaho. Folks who never knew the value of money,
and in the early days of mining always kept his pockets lined with
gold.
Cowan died in a little shack that he had long lived in.
When Cowan was active in Path Valley he helped to build the rock
abutments of the bridge over the Conococheague Creek east of
Fannettsburg. On one of these he cut a cross to signify his devotion
to the Roman Catholic Church. It was after the finish of this bridge
work that he started for the West to catch up with the great gold
strike in California.
Adams County News, Gettysburg Pennsylvania July
14, 1917
©Shauna Williams |
Obituary of Bertha "Pat" Elizabeth Utter Morrell Hanson
Rushville Times, August 22, 2001, page 13, column 5
Bertha E. Hanson
Bertha Elizabeth "Pat" Hanson, 82, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Aug.
11, 2001, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
She was born May 23, 1919, at Frederick to Carl Utter and Beulah
Quinn Utter. She attended schools and graduated from high school in
Frederick. She served as a Navy nurse during World War II.
She married George L. Morrall (Morrell) in Jacksonville, Fla., in
1946. They were later divorced. On Aug. 26, 1987, she married
Francis Hanson in Reno, Nev. She worked at Just^̉s (?) Store and in
clerical positions in numerous other businesses.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
and served as a visiting teacher. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting,
and growing roses. She especially enjoyed her family.
Survivors include her husband, Francis Hanson of Idaho Falls; two
sons, Harry Morrall (Morrell) of Bigby and Jason (wife Kathy)
Morrall (Morrell) of Nampa, Idaho; brothers, Jim Utter of Buckeye,
Ariz., Bill Utter and Dave Utter, both of Rushville; sisters Carlene
Shoupman of Mt. Sterling; and Rose Speers of Rushville; and four
grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters.
Funeral services were Wednesday, Aug. 15, at the Idaho Falls LDS
Woodruff 1st Ward, with Bishop Larry Christensen officiating. Burial
was in Fielding Memorial Park under the direction of Wood Funeral
Home.
©Sara Hemp |