February 23, 2011

Trip Down A Muddy Memory Lane

I’ve been home in Idaho for the past few days recovering from a minor surgery. Bad for school work, but good for family history! Most of my ancestors settled in the Cassia County area, many of which were close to my hometown of Malta. Such was the case for John Darrington. He settled in the Elba valley, less than 20 miles from Malta. I cannot count the number of times I have driven past the cemetery where he was buried. But this time I actually stopped and recorded the history right under my nose.

At the crossroads of the sleepy little town of Elba (population less than 100) was a sign that pointed towards an even greater “middle of nowhere” destination: the Grand View Cemetery.


The muddy, snow-encrusted road was foreboding, but not enough to stop an Idaho country girl. You know you are truly in the sticks when the pavement ends and the population of cows exceed people.



John’s grave is situated in the northeast corner of the cemetery, right beside that of his first wife, Sarah Jane Low Darrington. A few steps west is the grave of his second wife, Sarah Mariah Perry Stokes Darrington.


JOHN DARRINGTON
May 31, 1850
Dec. 6, 1920



SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
SARAH. J. LOWE
Wife of
JOHN DARRINGTON
Born
Jan. 7th 1859.
Died
Aug. 14th 1886.

There safe shall thou abide,
There sweet shall be thy rest,
and every longing satisfied,
With full salvation blest.



MOTHER
SARAH MARIA P.
WIFE OF
JOHN DARRINGTON
JAN. 27, 1862 MAR. 8, 1925

This little cemetery situated at the base of the Jim Sage Mountains is a hallowed place for the Darrington family. Here lies the progenitors of numerous Darringtons today, as well as a multiplicity of those tied to the family by another name. This trip back home to rural Idaho opened my eyes to the wealth of genealogical information that has been available to me since the day I was born. From now on, every time I pass through the sleepy town of Elba, I’ll glance towards the eastern mountains and think of John.


 I can see why John spent over forty years in the Elba Valley. He had such a beautiful place to call home.

Posted by B at 5:36 PM

4 comments:

  1. LSnowFebruary 24, 2011 at 7:05 AM

    What a fun experience. I love visiting cemeteries where my ancestors are buried.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AshFebruary 26, 2011 at 9:26 PM

    You took such great pictures! Thanks for putting the transcription of the gravestones beneath the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 8, 2012 at 7:28 PM

    Thank you, I love the pictures and the information on the site. I am a descenant of Daughter Sara Jane Darrington Rasmussen - Floyd Hans Ramsmussen, Carol Rasmussen Hutchings,

    Me Callis

    We went to Elba Some years ago and found the old Jens Edward Rasmussen home. I got some pictures but looking at the map can not remember where it was. Does anyone from up there have a map of the old settlements. I know they are still there. Also I read the Jens Edward's first log cabin was at the mouth of the canyon and we found one off at the mouth of a canyon. It still had the 4 walls. Do you know anyone up there that can verify if it was Jens edward's?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 8, 2012 at 7:29 PM

    oh to contact me leihfei@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)