Found On The Interwebs - Bloody Tongue, Bald Head, and a Budding Political Future

Tyrel, Karla's oldest, not only made the second round in the Wyoming state wrestling tournament this past weekend (as a freshman!), he also was featured in a Casper Star-Tribune picture with the bloodied mouth he endured during a first round match.


Woohoo, we're proud of you, tough guy!

Former wrestler, and Tyrel's grandfather, Joe appeared recently in a Billings Gazette video about about his employer, Alternatives Inc., which provides treatment programs for inmates.


Joe's the old man at the end who looks like his nose is two inches from the computer monitor. He said that he was actually looking through the window, not at the monitor, and I'd probably tell people the same thing, too.

Lorna, Joe's wife, was featured several years back in a Billings Gazette article about her work at a "Congress" held by her company, Aware Inc., which provides services to persons with disabilities.

The Congress, which operates in much the same way as a state legislature, adopted 23 measures including one co-authored by Stutz that would provide flexible hours, more part-time employment and refresher courses in handling administrative chores. Aware delivers services for persons with challenging mental health, emotional and/or physical disabilities who otherwise would be served in a more restricted setting or not served at all.

Is that a political career I smell brewing at the Stutz household?

If anyone has other stories from around the Interwebs to post on GAP, send them our way!

Found On The Interwebs - Lorenzo Stutz

Lorenzo Stutz, my great-great-grandfather, was sentenced to the the Utah Penitentiary from 1886-1887 for polygamy. Here is a picture of him locked up; he's the one with the X underneath (click for a larger image).


Grandma has written several excellent family history books that are must-reads for the family. One of them, All You Immigrants (p. 356), describes Lorenzo Stutz as the father (Katherina Leutenegger is the mother) of Joseph Reuben Stutz, who is the father (Clara McLean Coombs is the mother) of Howard Coombs Stutz, who is my grandfather (Mildred Robison is my grandmother). The genealogy is much more complicated than this linear description.

Despite the fact that Lorenzo died a century ago, there is information about him on the Internet. The following are some online resources (thanks, Utah Digital Newspapers!) about Lorenzo Stutz and his polygamy ("unlawful cohabitation"), presumably under the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862. The LDS Church issued the 1890 Manifesto that ceased the Church's practice of plural marriage after Lorenzo was released from prison.

Deseret Evening News, Another Raid, November 10, 1886, p. 13. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/deseretnews4,61140)

MILL CREEK AND BIG COTTONWOOD VISITED BY DEPUTY MARSHALS.

About 7 o'clock on Saturday night the home of LORENZO STUTZ at Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, was encompassed about by deputy marshals with a warrant of arrest for William Stutz, on a charge of unlawful cohabitation. The warrant was served on Mr. Lorenzo Stutz, who was brought before Commissioner McKay to-day, and pleaded not guilty to the complaint, signed by D.W. Rench, and charging him with unlawfully cohabiting with Mrs. Wm. Stutz and Jane Doe Stutz as his wives. The Commissioner changed the name "William" to that of the defendant. The preliminary examination was waived, and Mr. Stutz gave $1,500 bail for himself, and $200 for each of four witnesses for the prosecution.

At the time of the visit of the deputies, Mrs. Stutz was in a very weak condition, her babe being but nine days old, and the shock to her system has been quite serious.

Deseret Evening News, Local News, December 1, 1886, p. 13. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/deseretnews4,61416)

FROM FRIDAY'S DAILY, NOV. 27
...
Arraigned.--Lorenzo Stutz, of Mill Creek, was arraigned in the District Court to-day on a two-count charge of unlawful cohabitation. The periods alleged are--December 1, 1883, to November 30, 1884; December 1, 1884, to April 30, 1886, the alleged wives being Elizabeth Stutz and Catherine Stutz. A plea of guilty was entered and sentence set for Monday at 10 a.m.
...
Court Notes.--Proceedings in the Third District Court to-day:
...
United States v. Lorenzo Stutz; unlawful cohabitation, two counts; plea of guilty; sentence set for Monday, Nov. 29th.
...
FROM MONDAY'S DAILY NOV. 29
...
Sentenced to One Year.--Brother Lorenzo Stutz, of Mill Creek, was called in the Third District Court to-day to receive sentence on a two-count indictment for unlawful cohabitation. He declined to make any promise as to his future conduct, and was sentenced to one year's imprisonment in the penitentiary, and to pay a fine of $100 and costs of prosecution.

Deseret Evening News, Released To-day, June 8, 1887, p. 1. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/deseretnews6,33048)

The terms of imprisonment, and thirty days additional for the fines imposed, of Brothers John Stoddard, of Ogden, and Lorenzo Stutz, of Mill Creek, expired on Sunday, and to-day they were brought before Commissioner McKay and underwent a rigid examination as to their proper qualifications. They were finally discharged on taking the oath. Brother Stoddard's sentence was six months and $300, while Brother Stutz received double that penalty, but only served one term, being released through the Supreme Court decision. The wife of Brother Stutz died while he was in prison.

Ogden Standard Examiner, Divorce Suit, April 28, 1897, p. 3. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/ogden5,32736)

Catharine Stutz has entered a suit for divorce from Lorenzo Stutz and alleges that her husband has treated her cruelly and also has failed to support her. She further states in her complaint that her husband owns real estate to the amount of $3,000. She asks for a decree of divorce and that she may resume her maiden name of Catharine Bentonnigger and $250 alimony.

Salt Lake Tribune, Divorce Applied for, April 28, 1897, p. 6. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/slt17,11010)

Catherine Stutz filed an action for divorce against Lorenzo Stutz in the Third District court yesterday. Mrs. Stutz says that she was married to the defendant in 1890 and that he has since treated her cruelly and failed to provide for her. Mrs. Stutz also asks for permanent alimony in the sum of $250.

Salt Lake Tribune, Divorce Decree Denied, May 9, 1897, p. 5. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/slt17,12612)

Catharine Stutz appeared before Judge Hiles yesterday as an applicant for decree of divorce from Lorenzo Stutz, on the grounds of failure to support and cruelty. Mrs. Stutz was unable to submit sufficient proof, however, and the court denied the decree temporarily, but held the matter open pending the introduction of further testimony.

Salt Lake Tribune, Says He Ejected Her, August 3, 1897, p. 5. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/slt17,24787)

Catherine Stutz was yesterday granted a divorce by Judge Cherry from her husband, Lorenzo Stutz of Mill Creek. The plaintiff charged the defendant with cruelty in putting her out of his house about a year ago. She stated that since that time he had failed to support her or her three-year-old child and she had earned her own subsistence by acting as a nurse. The plaintiff was granted the custody of the child and $250 alimony.

Deseret Evening News, Death of Lorenzo Stutz, March 19, 1910, p. 16. (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/den6,77454)

Lorenzo Stutz, aged 71 years, died at 10 o'clock Friday morning of hemorrhage, caused by over-taxing himself about the home 3571 Seventh East. The deceased was born in Switzerland, Sept. 7, 1838, and came to this country in 1862. He settled in Salt Lake county. Mr. Stutz had been married three times, his first wife dying shortly after he came to Utah. His second wife died about eight years ago, while his third wife was divorced about a year ago. Five children survive him. Funeral services will be held Sunday at noon at the Wilford ward meetinghouse. The casket will be opened the day of the funeral at the family residence from 10 to 11 o'clock in the forenoon. Interment will be in the Mill Creek cemetery.

Of course, there is much more to know about Lorenzo than is available on the Internet, but that will have to wait for a future post.

UPDATE

An extended excerpt from Grandma's book All You Immigrants provides the promised fuller story about Lorenzo Stutz.

Found On The Interwebs - Gift Givers

Sometimes -- and especially during the holiday season -- I am at a loss for choosing just the right gift. Grandma and Grandpa do not have this problem. They are great gift givers!

One of the most memorable gifts they gave me for Christmas was a pencil. It was just one pencil, and not even a new one -- an odd gift at first glimpse. But it got me thinking. How had they used that pencil? Perhaps it was used for writing family history, paying bills, recording phone numbers and addresses, or making shopping lists. How could I use that pencil? Probably for the same sorts of things.

The pencil is long gone, but its utility remains, although in many cases I have replaced its graphite with electronic 1s and 0s. I write family history online, on this very blog. I pay my bills through bank transfers. I keep my phone numbers and addresses stored in a word processor, in an e-mail program, in an Amazon.com account, and in a dozen other places. I still use pencils for shopping lists, and now they also serve a newer, more important purpose: I use them to help my children with their homework.

Of course, Grandma and Grandpa gave me many, more important gifts. Their love led to seven children, one of them my father, without whom I would not be here. Their love was shared with an extended family who I still call, e-mail, and chat with on Facebook, even though I have not seen some of them in years. They gave me stories about the past, wisdom for the future, and a piece of Earth -- the Stutz farm -- on which they allowed me to create my own stories and gain my own wisdom during life's brief journey.

The importance of the Stutz farm cannot be overstated. I have traveled around the world with the comfort of knowing that Grandma and Grandpa's farm remains just a visit away. And I have loved the visits! Reunions in the picnic area. Ice cream on the back porch. The river on a hot day. Pipes to move, grass to cut, orchards to flood, cows to shepherd. An old barn full of weird tools and dusty relics. Trees of all types, one with an impossibly long rope and an old tire for a swing. Fond memories, all. The best times always involved lots of family.

The farm is a gift of Christmas past, present, and future because Grandma and Grandpa have ensured that, someday, the Stutz farm will become the Stutz Park. I will visit with my children and my children's children. We will eat a picnic lunch, splash in the river, run through the trees. We will laugh, live, and love. I will tell them stories about the past and watch as they create their own stories and gain their own wisdom. I will confess to my son Boyd that my cousin Boyd and I rode the tractor faster than we should have, but don't tell Grandma and Grandpa.

I could go on, of course, and I probably will one day. But, today is my day to give thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for the gifts they have given me. Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for everything. I look forward to seeing you this summer and to letting my children explore your farm.

"Provo looks to buy land for new park." Provo Daily Herald (April 7, 2002).

The park site is perfect, Mayor Lewis K. Billings said. "It's a magical, wonderful piece of ground," Billings said. Amenities of the land include its proximity to the river, there is a well for irrigation, it's a good size and there isn't another park nearby. "It's a beautiful, needed location right along the river," said Max Mitchell, assistant parks director. "The view from the site is spectacular," said City Parks and Recreation Director Roger Thomas. And the city definitely won't have to plant any new trees on the land." Howard Stutz has already created an arboretum around his home," Thomas said.

"Couple looks back on memories of land." Provo Daily Herald (April 7, 2002).

Stutz likes to caress the soft green boughs of the bristlecone pine. Or brush the feathery leaves of the dawn redwood. And then there is the hidden tree fort. "It's a secret tree place," he says. "Every child discovers it and thinks they're the only one who knows about it," Mildred Stutz says.

"What a steal for a Provo park." Deseret News (April 10, 2002).

"It's hard to describe what I feel in nature," Stutz says. "I guess it's an emotion of peace and tranquility." It's an emotion he felt as a boy hiking in his hometown of Cardston, Canada. His wonder of nature never left him, and now that his hair has turned white and his gait slowed, it is the legacy he wants to leave for his family, friends and city.

"Park coming to Riverbottoms." Provo Daily Herald (April 18, 2002).

"I'm delighted, of course," Howard Stutz said. He is a retired BYU botany professor who has planted 40 species of trees on his land and wanted to leave his legacy as open space. "If the council wouldn't have approved it, we wouldn't have gotten our dream," Mildred Stutz said.

Found On The Interwebs - Grandpa: Book Critic, Evolution Promoter

Surfing the tubes on the interwebs, I found a Summer 1983 book review by Grandpa in Dialogue, A Journal of Mormon Thought. The book appears to be about the Creation -- that is, the Big Bang and evolution -- and Grandpa's review is positive:

Whether or not one agrees with all of the ideas presented by William Lee Stokes, it is not possible to read his little book the Creation Scriptures without being stimulated, entertained, and enlightened. Its bite-sized chapters make for easy reading and easy reference, and his writing is lucid.

And negative:

Most readers, however, will find some of his logic seriously defective. Several speculations are elaborately introduced and weakly defended.

And both at the same time:

An editor could have removed the numerous, annoying typographical errors and the several incidents of redundancy. Despite its weaknesses, however, it is a delightful stimulating contribution that deserves to be read.

It does not sound like a book I would read, with its logical defects and poor writing, but perhaps that was the real point of the review. There are already too many poorly thought out yet entertaining (in a sad sort of way) opinions in the world that I do not have to seek them out. Was the world so different in 1983?

Grandpa's review is most interesting (and strongest) when he discusses biology, of course.

He also suggests that chloroplasts may have been present in interstellar plant life, an absurd postulate because of the inordinate complexity of chloroplasts and their interdependence upon nuclei and other cellular organelles.

Grandpa follows up the biology discussion with the statement, "Excessive stretching to accommodate a literal scriptural interpretation is common," but, alas, Grandpa does not provide additional thoughts on this subject; I would have found discussion of this topic enlightening. In Brigham Young University: A House of Faith (1985), though, Grandpa is quoted regarding scriptural interpretation and evolution, as follows:

There is absolutely nothing in the scriptures which is incompatible with the concepts of organic evolution as now understood by trained biologists. ... The concept of evolution is at the very heart of the gospel. ... It is God's method of accomplishing His purposes.

Grandpa -- a trained biologist and a man of God -- says that organic evolution is "the very heart of the gospel" and "God's method of accomplishing His purposes," and I have no reason to doubt Grandpa on this.

Anyway, if you are interested in reading the full book review, it is available at http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/dialogue,14624. Navigation was not intuitive -- at least, not to me -- but the "previous page" and "next page" links are on the left, above the table of contents list.

Your thoughts are always welcome in the comments. Or, perhaps, your review of my review of Grandpa's review of a poorly written book from a quarter-century ago is too meta at this point.

Found On The Interwebs - Grandpa on Wikipedia

¡Abuelo tiene una página de Wikipedia, pero es sólo en español! ¿Quién sabía que era tan popular en España? Parece ser sobre todo una bibliografía de publicaciones, pero yo no hablo español muy bien lo que puede haber otras cosas, también. Y, yo nunca he estado en España.

Found On The Interwebs - Cardston History

In response to yesterday's mystery picture, Andrew provided a link to a page in Chief mountain country : a history of Cardston and district. Volume II that had information about the people in the mystery picture. Of course, this got me thinking that there might be other information in the book about family history.

Alas, searching the book was not as easy as I hoped; many of the search results (I used "Stutz") proved to be false hits. I did find the following story about Leo Stutz on page 70.


If anyone would like to dig around that book or any other book on www.ourroots.ca to look for family history, GAP is happy to post your findings.

Hopefully, this found treasure will, in some small way, make up for the lousy previous FOTI.

Found On The Interwebs - Prominent People

Apparently Grandma and Grandpa are in the book "Prominent Men and Women of Provo 1983". I am not sure how I know this, but it was on the interwebs somewhere. I am sort of curious about what the book says, but my neighborhood library in Virginia does not have it in their holdings.



Although no subsequent versions were produced, this out-of-print-since-about-1983 book is occasionally available on ebay. Let me know when you buy it and and can tell me what it says about Grandma and Grandpa.

I do not know anything about the editor, a self-proclaimed nichepreneur, but I do wonder (OK, not really) how he became a specialist in the diversity of topics on which he publishes.

(To those of you wondering why I bothered to post this, I was hoping to work in an reference to Promontory, but it didn't happen. I decided not to waste the few minutes of my life I spent writing this, trying to figure out a pun. This is, without a doubt, the worst post yet in GAP. Sorry!)

Found On The Interwebs - Grandma's Short Stories

In this edition of FOTI we have two short stories by Grandma. Well, not exactly the short stories. Rather, we found citations to short stories Grandma wrote for Relief Society Magazine, which was discontinued in 1970. The stories are Compromise, The Relief Society Magazine 36 (1949): 151-154, 213, and Anniversary Alms, The Relief Society Magazine 38 (1951): 199-201.

Has anybody read these stories? Does anybody have these stories or access to the magazines? It sure would be fun to track these down and read them!

Found On The Interwebs - Bishop Stutz

For our second FOTI installment we have another article contributed by Ellen to the Mormon Times, this one from September 25, 2008, entitled 3 still share bond 45 years later.

It was Oct. 13, 1963.

President David O. McKay was at the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Beatles would soon appear on the "Ed Sullivan Show," and President John F. Kennedy would shortly make his fateful trip to Dallas, Texas.

And in the Edgemont 1st Ward in Provo, Utah, a new bishopric was being called. Brother Howard Stutz was sustained as bishop, and sustained as his counselors were Brothers Earl Wright and Shafter Bown. They served together until June 1967.

Now, 45 years later, on Sept. 7, 2008, these three men held a reunion at the home of Bishop Stutz, who was celebrating his 90th birthday.

Although their bodies are older and their hair is now white, the former bishopric still shares the same love for each other and the same devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ that they exhibited nearly a half-century ago. The old Edgemont 1st Ward has changed completely. What was once farmland and quiet country roads now resembles a bustling city with beautiful homes and thriving retail businesses. The ward in which these men served has been divided and divided and divided again and today encompasses two stakes, but Stutz's home still remains in the heart of the intact Edgemont 1st Ward.

It was a joyous time of remembrance for the former bishopric. Old newsletters were read and former auxiliary presidencies were remembered and praised.

Pictures were shared of ward outings and service projects and Scout camps long since forgotten. Testimonies were borne of miraculous priesthood blessings given to members of the ward and of the promises fulfilled.

The spirit of the evening was reminiscent of the joyful meeting described in the Book of Mormon as Alma met the sons of Mosiah in the wilderness after many years of serving as missionaries. "Therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently that they might know the word of God" (Alma17:2).

At the end of the evening, love was expressed and prayers were offered as the former bishop and counselors bid each other farewell. Although they now live miles apart, their service in the church formed a bond among them and their families that will remain strong forever.

Thanks for the story, Ellen!

I believe this picture is of the bishopric, although it would be great if anyone could match the names to the faces.

UPDATE

In the comments, John provides some names for the picture.

Pictured left toe right
Back row: Dale Haws, Jack Ashton, ? Stubbs, Verl Smith, ? Stacey.
Front row: Earl Wright, Howard Stutz, Shafter Bown.

Thanks for the names, John!

Found On The Interwebs - Holy Cow!

We introduce a new, occasional feature called FOTI (found on the interwebs) where we track down online family history information. This is a great feature for audience participation, so send me your links and suggestions.

Today we have two stories from two different sources about cows on the Stutz farm. The first is from an unidentified Provo neighbor who wrote a May 24, 2009, blog entry entitled Memories of my father on Memorial Day PART II, with lots of wonderful reminiscences, including the following.

We always had time to visit my fathers friends…The Jameses, Cliff, Beaver, Irvin and Muriel, Nathan, Kamel, Sweed, Clair, Wally, Charlie, Danner, Murdock , Ted, Van, or Uncle Jack and a host of other NEIGHBORS, or those he knew from his many years in Provo.

We added onto the house, built his barn, picked cherries peaches and pears at the orchard he bought from Cliff on the S-bend of the canyon road, or apples and plums in his orchard behind the house. He loved growing a garden, between the trees, before he decided to surround the trees with lawn. Once when the garden was in full production, our Neighbor’s (Howard Stutz) cow got out after we had just irrigated, and it walked down one row of dads garden eating every cabbage plant in the row. When dad saw what had happened I expected him to blow a gasket, but he liked Howard, so he just said He trusts his cows too much… he needs to have a better fence…and I never have liked cabbage all that much anyway.

I don't know who "Thot man" is or where he lived, but if anyone does know him or want to contact him, he might enjoy our stories as much as we enjoyed his. Thanks, Thot man!

The second story was an article contributed by Ellen to the Mormon Times on August 1, 2008, entitled Heavens to Betsy -- milk cow paid her tithing.

Growing up on a small farm in Provo offered some unique experiences for our family.

We raised most of our own food. The orchard provided apples, peaches and cherries. Eggs from the chickens needed to be gathered each day. But it was our fence-jumping milk cow, Sheboygan, that I remember best.

Mother was troubled by the fact that she was not paying tithing on the money she collected by selling raw milk. She set out to rectify this error, but she didn't know in whose name the money should be paid. It was really Dad's cow, but my brothers were the ones who milked her, and Mother was the one who sold the milk and collected the money.

Mother simply decided to submit the money in the name of Sheboygan Stutz, give it to Dad (who was serving as the bishop) and let him decide what to do with it. Unfortunately, on this extremely rare occasion, he did not open the tithing envelope before he handed it to his clerk.

As a result, there is a bona fide, tithe-paying cow somewhere beyond the pearly gates. And knowing that cow, she probably jumped the gate to get there.

I'm sure Ellen (and others) have a lot of other great stories like this to share. Thanks, Ellen!