Elijah Behunin
Pleasant Dale, Piute County,
Utah, December 30th, 1884.
Editor Deseret News:  About 3 o'clock p. m., this day, the family of E. C. Behunin was thrown into the depths of grief by the sad news of their oldest son's death. About 1 o'clock p. m. yesterday, the two oldest sons of B.C. and Jane Behunin started to go to attend a sheep herd, the distance from home being about 11 miles. When they had got about seven miles from home it began to snow. The oldest boy was aged 14 years, 7 mouths and 23 days, his brother and only companion is 12 years and 11 months. When they were a mile and a half from the herd Elijah complained of being very tired. After this complaint he failed very fast, and when they were about one mile from camp he said "I do not want you to feel bad or nothing of the sort for I am going to die, for the Lord has called me and I am forced to go."
They traveled about three-quarters a mile and stopped by a cedar tree and made a fire, The younger boy pulled off his coat and put it around his brother. They reached this place about 10 o'clock p.m. The younger brother spent the remainder of the night getting wood, which was plentiful near by. He would turn his brother over very often to keep him warm. He died at sunrise on the 30th of December, 1883. The younger boy went to the camp and after getting a quilt returned to his dead brother, he spread it out and rolled him over upon it, straightening his limbs and returned home, which point he reached about 3 o'clock p.m., having spent about 26 hours without food or sleep. The day being very cold he had his feet frozen badly. On returning home he did not even stop for food, but taking a small piece of bread in his hand got on a horse and rode four miles to his uncle's to get him to go to Thurbersville to apprize his father of the sad event that had fallen upon his family.
Deceased was born at Spring City, Sanpete county, Utah, May 7th, 1870, was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when eight years old. He was a prayerful, faithful Latter-day Saint, and much beloved by all who knew him. Mrs. Behunin states that when her sons left home the day was line and warm, and remained so until sundown, and that to all appearance they were both hearty and well. 

AN IMPROVISED INQUEST
January 1st, 1885, in Thurbervllle, The Justice of the Peace was not at home and there was no coroner there, yet it was deemed advisable to hold an informal or unofficial inquest so the parents and friends of the deceased called in three men to act in the premises, namely, D. H.. Dalton, George Rust and Elias Johnson, who were bound under the following oath: You do each solemnly swear before each other and those present, that the verdict you shad give in the case now before you shall be the truth, according to the best of your ability, and that yon will try your utmost to find out the cause of the death of the deceased now lying dead before you. So help you God. An appropriate oath was also administered to  the  witnesses.

Wm. Calvin Behunin  and J. Jorgenson were the witnesses examined, the testimony being in substance in accordance with the narrative given above. After deliberating, the jurors found a verdict according to the facts.
The funeral was held at the residence of the parents, Jan. 2, 1885  at 2 o'clock p.m..  The remains were then borne to their last resting place by four Elders. The services were conducted by Mesiah Behunin, J  Jorgenson, Elias Johnson and D. H. Dalton.  - E. C. and Jane Behunin
[Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Jan. 28, 1885 - Transcribed by Candi H.]

---

Joseph Simkins
NEWSPAPER: unknown
DATE: March 1925
Submitted by Kathie Marynik
Aged Pioneer of Circleville Goes to his Reward
Joseph Simkins, who died in Circleville, March 9, was born at Lancashire, England, December 4th, 1842. He came to Utah in Captain Moody's Company in 1850. He moved with his parents to Cedar City in 1851 and to Beaver in 1857. In 1867 he married Charlotte Lundbald and moved to Lehi, Maricopa County, Arizona, to help colonize that place. He returned to Beaver in 1877 and was sent from there to establish the town of Adamsville in Beaver County. He moved to Circleville in 1887 where he spent the remainder of his life.
He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ in his youth and was an active member all his life. He served in the Sunday school as Superintendent for 14 years; was released for two years and then served another term. He was called into the bishopric from the Sunday school and served with Bishop Jas. E. Peterson for 18 years. During one eight-year period, he blessed 56 babies, that being more than one-fourth of the babies blessed at that period. Altogether while living in Circleville, he blessed and baptized more people than any other man or probably any set of men. He was always the choice of the sick for the ordinance of administration. He served in many of the early Indian wars. Was in the war against Blackhawk and knew him personally. Also knew White Horse and many of the other chiefs personally.
He was preceded to the Great Beyond by his wife who died January 25, 1923. Three children had also gone before. He leaves a large family of grown children to mourn his loss. Joseph Charles, James Williard, Rosten L., Marion A., Daniel H., Angus L., Edgar L., Clarence, Mrs. Emma Neilson, and Mrs. Ellen Roundy. Mr. Simkins has 45 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
The cause of death was general debility caused by old age. He was well though of by all and had a wide circle of friends.

This Webpage has been created exclusively for the ©Genealogy Trails History Project