Wallsburg where Muse grew to young girlhood. When she was
twelve years old the family moved to Milfork, near
Price, Utah. She often told how mountain lions played with their young on the
cliffs and in the valley. At the age of fourteen Muse went to live and work at
the St. John hotel at Green River, Utah. Serving meals to a hundred and fifty
men twice a day at the dining hall. (She had five brothers, john Thomas,
Herbert, Frank Smith, Robert James and Eugene and had four sisters, Emily
Louisa, Ester Saphronia, Mary Elizabeth and Lois
Martha). However it was there that she met her future companion, James Ellis
Shirts. Shortly before Christmas, Muse's mother, Emily and the small children
come to visit them. Emily's health was very poor and while there she became
very ill and passed away in the arms of her beloved daughter Muse on Dec. 23,
1895. She was laid to rest in the little cemetery at Lone Tree, Wyoming. Father
Hyrum and the younger children remained with Jim & Muse the remainder of
the Winter. After Jim died, Muse felt she could not live in the home anymore so
sold it to Mr. Jess Cameron. Soon she bought a small house across the street
from the old home and also across the street from her daughter, Velva Jones.
She had the house remodeled and moved in, living there alone until she was too
ill to take care of herself. Her eye sight was poor so she could not read very
much or do embroidery work to pass the time so she spent hours in her little
rocking chair, looking out the window down the main street of Hailey. She was
miserable living alone because of the fear she had all her life but industrious
woman, well organized and able to accomplish more than most people. She was
neat and clean in her person, beautiful young woman and lovely gracious older
woman. It was while she was at Wendell, Idaho to visited her daughter, Vera
Thomason, she had a severe heart attack and was taken to the St. Benedict
hospital at Jerome, Idaho where she passed away the next day, Sept 9, 1958 at
the age of 83. All the children came & visited with her the evening of the
eighth. She was brought back to Hailey and funeral services were held at the Hailey
Ward Chapel L.D.S. She was laid to rest beside her beloved husband, James Ellis
Shirts, at the Hailey Cemetery. She was a life-time member of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and obeyed the commandment to multiply and
replenish the earth. The living posterity of Jim & Muse are
six married children, twenty-five grandchildren, forty-four great-grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
srbentz@cox.net
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25179392
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