Keven John Stratton lll (2011-2011)

Baby Johnny

Dear Johnny,

Wow, what a ride you have taken us on this past year. It hasn’t been easy but I’m not sure I would change a thing. We knew from the beginning that you were a very special and different little boy. Your completely normal amniocentesis, the measly 12 lbs. I gained during your pregnancy and your full-term 2 lbs. 9 oz. birth weight showed that you didn’t like to follow any rules. You were determined to write your own story. The day you were born you beat all the odds. The doctors didn’t think you would live but not only did you survive, you thrived. You were soon known as the “rock star” of the NICU. Over time, your little body started struggling and you became known as “typhoid Mary.” It seemed as if every week we found out about some new issue that you had to deal with. Daddy and I used say, “At least we don’t have to work with such-and-such specialty” but we eventually stopped saying that because every time we did, we ended up working with that specialty.

Johnny, you are the strongest and bravest person I know. Even through all your troubles, you always had a smile ready and you seemed to enjoy the life you were given. I loved those days I spent with you singing, playing and having you sleep in my arms as I read. You had such personality. You loved your sister Eva, fuzzy blankets, stuffed bird toys, binkies, music, grass, your baby swing, the sound of running water, having people play with your hair, sleeping with your tiny hand on my chest and being held all the time. You disliked baths, needles, arm & hand stretches, tummy time, wind, rain and anytime we tried to read “touch & feel” books with you.

You captured the heart of everyone around you. Each day brought about 4 visitors to your bedside just to check up on you and see your glasses and your infectious smile. You even had someone ask me if they could put a picture of you on their Facebook profile. Right after you passed away, a nurse came in and exclaimed, “Aw man! My wife and I were planning to kidnap him and take him to New York to start our family!” You had 5 primary nurses that took care of us through most of your life: Pat, Susan, Angie, Chris and Ann. You loved them dearly and they loved you. You always did better when they cared for you. You were known to hold grudges against Susan when she took care of you during painful or uncomfortable procedures. She used to say, “Quick! Take his glasses off so he doesn’t know I’m here!”

Johnny, you are infamous. You have been in nearly every unit of Primary Children’s Medical Center. You have been seen by 11 different specialists. You have baffled every geneticist that has seen you. The IV team groaned every time your name was mentioned. I once heard a rumor that the glasses you wore were the smallest pair the Moran Eye Center has ever made.

Your life was a life full of miracles. In John 9:1-3 it says “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth. And his disciples asked him saying, who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Johnny, the works of God have been made manifest in you. You have influenced many. You have done more good in your short 7 months of life than many do in a lifetime.

My patriarchal blessing says that I will have the choicest of our Heavenly Father’s spirits to adorn my home and that my children will bring about much righteousness upon the Earth. You have made that prophecy come true. I feel honored that you have chosen me to be your Mother.

The scripture that will forever remind me of you is Mosiah 3:19 which invites us to “[become] as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him even as a child doth submit to his father.”

Even though you never said a word, you have taught me many lessons about life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You have shown me the love and compassion of others. You have shown me that there is good in everyone. You have taught me how to face earthly trials with faith, joy and long-suffering. You have shown me the love our Heavenly Parents have for their children. You have taught me how to submit my will to the Lord. You have taught me of the power of Christ’s Atonement and how to place my burdens on the Lord so that I cannot feel them upon my back. You have taught me the power of prayer and of Priesthood blessings. And most important, you have taught me about the eternal nature of the family. The blessings of the temple are real. They are not just a nice thought, they are real. This is the purpose of our earthly life, to be sealed for time and all eternity so that we can always be a family, no matter what happens on Earth. Johnny, we are going to be together forever. Nothing can take that away from us. As your sister Eva so sweetly said, “My family is going to be together forever and I don’t have to cry about it.”

I am sad that you are no longer here with us but it makes me happy that you are free from the pains, frustrations and evils of this world. I find it fitting that a butterfly was placed on your door shortly after you passed away. You were a tiny caterpillar, trapped in an imperfect body but now you are a beautiful butterfly, free from all pain and suffering.

I miss you so very much. I hold onto the hope of raising you during the Millennium. I look forward to the day when I can be with you again. I cannot wait until you can draw on my walls, track mud through my house and collect rocks and bugs like little boys often do. I can’t wait to see your sweet smile again and hear your laugh. Thank you for choosing me to be your Mother. I love you forever.
Love, Mommy

SOURCE:
Written by Johnny's mother, Macie (Finlinson) Stratton after the death of her sweet baby.

Descendancy

Amasa Mason Lyman & Lydia Partridge

Edward Leo Lyman

Lydia Lyman

Richard Finlinson

Allen Finlinson

Macie Finlinson

Keven John Stratton III

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Frederick Rich Lyman (1856-1911)

Frederic Rich Lyman

FREDERICK RICK LYMAN was born 12 October 1856 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. He was the son of Amasa Lyman and Caroline Partridge. With his parents he moved to Fillmore and there his early life was spent. He moved with his brothers to oak Creek in the early history of that place, where he afterwards married Ann E. Lovell on 17 December 1875. He went on a mission to the South in the fall of 1884, where he remained two years expounding the doctrines of the faith of his people. Soon after his return he was selected a member of the ward bishopric, acting as counselor to Bishop Peter Anderson until 12 May 1907, when he was selected as first counselor to President Alonzo A. Hinckley in the Millard Stake of Zion, which position he retained up to the time of his death, 4 February 1911 at Oak City, Millard County, Utah.

Following is an excerpt from his obituary from the Millard County Chronicle 9 February 1911:
"Frederick was a man in every sense of the word. Unassuming in his nature, sound in his judgement, and just in his dealings, he enjoyed the utmost confidence of all men with whom his business dealings brought him in contact. The splendid record of the people of his home town and the progressive spirit shown by him in both spiritual and temporal matters are no doubt due to wisdom of his counsel. But perhaps the thing that presents itself as among his greatest accomplishments was the manner in which he has directed the colonization of the Burtner Project (Delta) and the success that is finally to reward the people who are now pioneering that place. While mistakes may have been made in its management along some lines and disaster overcoming the people in their efforts, yet nothing ever seemed to discourage Frederick R. Lyman, or if so, his discouragement was never but momentary, and with his eyes firmly fixed on it disorganized forces and by his example inspire confidence again and begin work anew. And in his resourceful manner he provided the way for supporting the families while the fathers and sons were building anew on the ruins of their past labors, and it is to be regretted that now almost on the verge of success with prosperity within their reach, he was not permitted to live to see his great labor finished, but as the years shall roll by, his name shall ever be remembered as the father of that undertaking. It mattered not what he turned his hand to do, he did it with a will, and among the great men who have written their names in the history of Millard County, few, if an, will shine with brighter lustre than that of Frederick R. Lyman."

(Editor's note) He was an intense lover of nature and could see its beauties in all its creations. He loved to be in the mountains and spent much time hunting and logging. He was an influence for good among the young people of his community. My father, Edward Leo Lyman, Jr., was influenced for good more by this man than any one except his own father. He tells of the instance when the y were hunting together, they spotted a deer a great distance across he canyon. They both raised their sights under Uncle Freds direction and shot at the same time, both hitting the animal perfectly. He, Edward Leo Lyman, Jr., had the highest regard for his Uncle Fred.

SOURCE:
Book: Lyman Family History, Volume 2, compiled by Melvin A. Lyman, M.D., p. 152-153

Descendancy

Son of Amasa Mason Lyman and Caroline Ely Partridge

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Martha Lydia Lyman (1853-1922)

Martha Lydia Lyman

MARTHA LYDIA LYMAN, born 1 April 1853 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, daughter of Amasa Mason Lyman and Caroline Ely Partridge Lyman. She was born in a home in the 14th Ward, and was named Martha Lydia, after Amasa's mother, Martha Mason and Caroline's sister, Lydia.

In 1860 she moved with her family to Farmington, Davis County, Utah. One instance she told later to her children was that the wind was so strong it blew a window out so they put the feather bed in it to keep out the weather.

The family moved to Fillmore, Millard County, Utah in 1863. While living there, Martha and her half-brother, Theodore, took it upon themselves to help rid the home of stink-bugs. They were so numerous they made bags of denim and would fill them with the bugs and burn them. All the girls were required to knot so much every day to help their mother.

Martha made a visit to Oak City, staying with her half brother Platte D. Lyman. She saw a young man walk down the sidewalk and remarked what a big nose he had. She wasn't too impressed by him. But this man was Alvin Roper who later became her husband.

When she was 16 years old she had an attack of epilepsy, but she didn't have any more until after she was married.

The three Partridge sisters who had married Amasa Mason Lyman, left him when he was excommunicated from the Church. They moved on 7 May 1872 to Oak City where their son's had property interest, bringing their mother to live with them.

She married ALVIN ROPER who was born 17 February 1853 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Their marriage took place in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Alvin was called to St. George to work on the Temple. After two years working on the Temple, Alvin came back and he and Martha continued to live at her mother's while a home was being built of adobe for them. This was their winter home and summers where spent on the flat. They endured many hardships and had scanty foods. Out at the flat they lived in a one room log house with a dirt floor and roof. When it rained, mud would come through.

Martha had an epileptic spell and fell on the rock hearth, her hair almost touching the coals. Mary, who was 9 years old, managed to rescue her from the heat. Martha continued to have these spells so her mother took her baby, Caddie, to raise which she continued until she (Caddie), was married at 17 1/2 years of age.

Children of Martha and Alvin Roper: Mary Caroline Roper, Effie Roper, Caddie Roper, Hettie Roper, Ida Roper, Lem Roper, Bert Roper, Twiss Roper, Frankie Roper and Kirt Roper.

Martha Lydia Lyman was a woman of great faith and she witnessed many healings through the Priesthood and spiritual faith. She was an ardent reader of the scriptures to her husband and nine children. She made every effort to instill her strong testimony of the gospel in her children and encouraged them in every way to be active in the church. She has related many faith promoting instances to her posterity. Perhaps the most satisfying one to her was when her father, Amasa Mason Lyman, cam to her in  a dream wherein he was calling for help. She heard and saw him and had the impulse to embrace him but he warned her there was a great, yawning chasm between them which made it impossible. 

He requested her to appeal to his son, Marion (Francis Marion who was a apostle) to have him reinstated in the Church. When Marion came down on a church duty she related the instance and told him how distressed her father was and she was so impressed that she felt it a real message.

When her mother Caroline Ely passed away, 7 May 1908 in Oak City, Marion requested Martha to relate this dream again to President Joseph F. Smith who was in attendance at the funeral. This was done at Harriet Lovell's home after the funeral. President Smith was greatly impressed and said, "Well, Marion it looks like your father has suffered long enough. We will see what can be done for him. As a result her father, Amasa Mason Lyman, was reinstated into the church with all his former blessings, by proxy.

Alvin died January 1912 at Oak City, Millard County, Utah.

Martha lived to see all her children endowed in the Temple and shortly after her youngest son Kirt was sealed to his wife, she became ill with heart trouble and died on 29 April 1922 at their home in Oak City, Millard County, Utah at the age of 69 years.

SOURCE:

Book: Lyman Family History, Volume 2, compiled by Melvin A. Lyman, M.D., p. 135-137; Records of Afton M. Faust and written by Amy Finlinson Faust, granddaughter. Transcribed and condensed by Diane Finlinson Miller.

Descendancy

Daughter of Amasa Mason Lyman and Caroline Ely Partridge

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Agnes Hila Lyman (1857-1881)

Agnes Hila Lyman

AGNES HILA LYMAN, born 5 December 1857 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., Calif.

She spent most of her childhood in Fillmore, attending grade school there. She apparently spent most of her life in Fillmore. It is unlikely that she was ever a member of the Latter Day Saints Church, as she was only 10 years old when her father lost his fellowship.

She was a Spiritualist, much to her husband's dismay and acted as a "medium" at times.

She was married 16 December 1877 in Fillmore, Millard County, Utah to GEORGE CHRISTIAN VEILE, son of Christian Jorgan and Pauline Jorgensen Veile. He was born 27 April 1841 on the Island of Fyen, in the Kingdom of Denmark. He died 16 July 1934, at San Diego, San Diego County, California. She died 29 March 1881, in Fillmore, Millard County, Utah.

SOURCE:
Book: Lyman Family History, Volume 2, compiled by Melvin A. Lyman, M.D., p. 134-135.

Descendancy

Daughter of Maria Louisa Tanner and Amasa Mason Lyman

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Josephine Love Lyman (1854-1940)

Josephine Love Lyman

JOSEPHINE LOVE LYMAN, born 25 April 1854, in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California. Most of Josephine's childhood was spent in Fillmore, Millard County, Utah. She attended grade school, also one year of Methodist Seminary. She took singing lessons from John Kelly. She was 15 years old when her father lost fellowship in the Latter-Day Saint Church. The Evangilist, Dwight Moody had much influence on her, she was a congregationalist, later a member of the Seventh Day Advent Church. She was very timid by nature, but did work some in the Ladies Aid Society. She especially loved music and loved to sing to children. Her greatest interest in life was her family. She died 26 May 1940 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.

SOURCE:
Book: Lyman Family History, Volume 2, compiled by Melvin A. Lyman, M.D., p. 133.

Descendancy

Daughter of Maria Louisa Tanner and Amasa Mason Lyman
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