A Special Visit to Beulah Cemetery

By now, most readers have learned of my very special trip to South Dakota in late spring of 2008. I had many welcoming hosts and "travel-guides" while there. One of these was Joan Daugherty, widow of Ivan Daugherty, double first cousin of my mother. She is a warm, generous individual...chock full of curiosity and knowledge of the Huron area.

We had been visiting Wessington and Miller and I mentioned that somewhere, still not sure where, I had gotten the information that Grandpa Lucius Carrington had a sister, Thirza was buried near the Beulah Church, north of Vayland, SD. I had been puzzled about the lack of information on "Aunt Thirza". Mom had heard her name as a child, but not much was known about her.

Joan and I stopped in Miller at a fast food restruant, and started asking patrons about the Beulah Church. It was rather fun seeing residents going around from table to table with "Beulah" on their minds. Eventually someone did know where the Church and cemetery were located. We hadn't gone too many miles north of Vayland, when we found this tiny, tiny church, no longer used in a regular basis. The cemetery was very small, holding only the remains of a few families. Someone was obviously taking good care of it.

We found the grave of Thirza. She had married Andrew Conkey in 1894 in Lawrence, SD. She died in 1898 at the age of about 26. Buried with her was her baby Glen who was about 2 years old. He died a year after Thirza. I can't imagine what it would be like to be young Andrew and lose his wife one year and then his son after that. It was interesting to know that Andrew was born in Ontario, Canada. There were other graves in this tiny location with the name of Conkey.

Thirza was born in Wisconsin, probably in the LaCrosse area. I have no documented record of her birth, nor that of her brothers William and Lucius and sister Lizzie. Her siblings and mother, Mary Barthlomew Carrington moved from Nashonoe, LaCrosse County, WI to South Dakota in 1900 about 10 years after the children's father William died of consumption. I have never found the burial place of William Ward Carrington.

I was so very glad that we found Thirza. Her unusual name was that of her grandmother, Thirza Houghton, mother of Mary Bartholomew Carrington.

As in all other posts...there is much more to write about this subject. I need to close my eyes and battle a very bothersome cold. We have more and more people registering to write in this blog...you are always welcome to do so. We can help each other in solving family mysteries and answer questions.