At one of the town dances she met Thomas Stapley was playing the violin for all of the dances. They were married in 1862 then sealed in the Endowment House in SLC in 1866. In 1882 they left Toquerville for Mexico – where a lot of the Saints were gathering. The Stapleys arrived in Mesa at noon on April 28, 1882 and camped in the brush on the northwest corner of Country Club and Main St. The family had for their transportation 2 wagons, 5 horses, 1 cow and tent, their bedding and furniture. They were immediately notified that the Indians were so bad east and south of Mesa that it would be impossible for them to go farther, so they decided to locate in Mesa. William Hill, whom Thomas’s parents had known before, owned 40 acres just south of Mesa on the Chandler road (Country Club) and he also owned 80 acres of land1/2 mile south of where Alma School was. He told Thomas he would give him his right to that 80 acres if he would clear the brush off of the 40 acres, which was accepted. They started farming the land and built them an adobe house with a sod roof. They had a small orchard and 5 acres of grapes. They located a place to dig a well, and after digging 25 feet, they struck a splendid stream of water. After moving to Mesa, 2 more children were born – one was my grandmother.
According to my grandmother Christy Annie Stapley Magnusson, she said that she took up being a midwife and doctoring for there were no licensed doctors in Toquerville - where she would even act as an undertaker laying out the dead and preparing people for burial, sometimes lining the caskets. Grandma said that she took up being a midwife and doctor in Mesa also because none were available either. She also taught a class in Sunday School, sang in the choir. Thomas taught her to read print but she never learned to write, which was too bad for if she could, she would have kept a diary of all of her doctoring and caring for the sick and an account of all of the babies she helped come into the world.
At one of the town dances she met Thomas Stapley was playing the violin for all of the dances. They were married in 1862 then sealed in the Endowment House in SLC in 1866. In 1882 they left Toquerville for Mexico – where a lot of the Saints were gathering. The Stapleys arrived in Mesa at noon on April 28, 1882 and camped in the brush on the northwest corner of Country Club and Main St. The family had for their transportation 2 wagons, 5 horses, 1 cow and tent, their bedding and furniture. They were immediately notified that the Indians were so bad east and south of Mesa that it would be impossible for them to go farther, so they decided to locate in Mesa. William Hill, whom Thomas’s parents had known before, owned 40 acres just south of Mesa on the Chandler road (Country Club) and he also owned 80 acres of land1/2 mile south of where Alma School was. He told Thomas he would give him his right to that 80 acres if he would clear the brush off of the 40 acres, which was accepted. They started farming the land and built them an adobe house with a sod roof. They had a small orchard and 5 acres of grapes. They located a place to dig a well, and after digging 25 feet, they struck a splendid stream of water. After moving to Mesa, 2 more children were born – one was my grandmother.
According to my grandmother Christy Annie Stapley Magnusson, she said that she took up being a midwife and doctoring for there were no licensed doctors in Toquerville - where she would even act as an undertaker laying out the dead and preparing people for burial, sometimes lining the caskets. Grandma said that she took up being a midwife and doctor in Mesa also because none were available either. She also taught a class in Sunday School, sang in the choir. Thomas taught her to read print but she never learned to write, which was too bad for if she could, she would have kept a diary of all of her doctoring and caring for the sick and an account of all of the babies she helped come into the world.
Gravesite Details
Married Thomas Stapley 13 Nov 1862, Toquerville, Washington, Utah
Family Members
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Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton
1849–1911
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George Able Gardner
1853–1927
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Wilford Norman Bliss
1854–1924
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Caroline "Caddie" Hardy Bates
1857–1934
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Joseph Hardy
1858–1883
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Lucy Ann Bliss Kane
1858–1937
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Almeda Bliss White
1860–1937
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Charles Hardy
1861–1862
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Louisa Elizabeth Hardy Bronson
1862–1894
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Henry Bliss
1863–1881
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John "Johnny" Hardy
1863–1869
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Edgar Francis Bliss
1864–1935
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Ida Florence Hardy Wegerer
1868–1940
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Alice Agnes Hardy Cushman
1871–1940
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Fanny Melvina Bliss Terry
1872–1952
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Susan Hardy
1874–1948
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Norman Ingles Bliss
1875–1919
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Lillie Cecelia Bliss DeMille
1877–1914
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Sanford Bliss
1879–1882
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Alfred Fisk Bliss
1882–1968
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Thomas Charles Stapley
1863–1934
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William Henry Stapley Sr
1865–1951
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Mary Ellen Stapley
1867–1880
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Sarah Jane Stapley
1870–1875
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Orley Seymour Stapley
1872–1942
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Robert Norman Stapley
1874–1942
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Bryant Francis Stapley
1877–1888
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Charlotte Mariar Stapley
1879–1880
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Hugh Bliss Stapley
1881–1919
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Rhoda Elizabeth Stapley Allred
1886–1965
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Christy Annie Stapley Magnusson
1889–1974