Comments on: Undercover for the Lord

By: Last Lemming

Last Lemming — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:48:47 +0000

On the John Dempsey thread, it was noted that he was the uncle of Jack Dempsey, the heavyweight champion. It occurred to me that Alma P Richards might have a similar connection to Alma W Richards, the first Mormon to win an Olympic gold medal (1912, high jump). According to New Family Search Alma P’s great-grandfather was Alma W’s great-great grandfather, making Alma P Alma W’s second-cousin-once-removed (if I understand the relationship rules correctly).

By: Lis

Lis — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:11:39 +0000

Hey, thanks so much. I just talked to my sister in Houston who was given more information, from a cousin, about the early members of the church there in Jozye. Elder Hixson (with this spelling) was mentioned in some of the journals. This is so interesting. After a Sunday School lesson about the early missionaries that Joseph Smith sent out I was curious about who baptized my ancestors…and the answers are coming in from all over! Thank you for your help!

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:02:57 +0000

Lis, I just found a picture of Elder Hixson! Well, it’s a group picture, but his face is clearly visible. I’ll send you a copy later tonight, and eventually post it with a collection of other photos taken of Latter-day Saints in 1909.

By: Lis

Lis — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:45:13 +0000

Thank you for that information. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it now…but it’s just good to confirm that there really was such an elder in that time and place and that he has blessed our family. It’d be nice to be able to thank him somehow — maybe I’ll get that chance one of these days.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:58:38 +0000

An addendum: while looking through the Liahona, I came across the following names of missionaries serving in Texas between 1907-1910 (same person?):

Mark F. Hixson
M.J. Hixon
Elder Hickson
Elder M.T. Hixon
Elder Hixon
Elder Mark F. Hixon
Elder Mark T. Hixon

By: Ardis Parshall

Ardis Parshall — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:07:26 +0000

And I thought I was being clever by thinking to search the alternate spelling “Hixon” — yet again, I bow to Justin!

(If Lis doesn’t comment again, I’ll send your comment directly to her to be sure she sees it, Justin. Thanks.)

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:57:30 +0000

It's probably Mark Forrest (Mark F. or M.F.) Hixson of Wanship, Utah (1874-1955). His name appears a few times in the Liahona.

By: Lis

Lis — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:52:52 +0000

Thanks, I appreciate that.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:55:14 +0000

Lis, I don’t, but I do know another blogger who is studying that part of Texas. I’ll make sure he sees your note, in case he knows something. (I just searched the online Liahona — the journal for Mormon elders in the U.S. at that time — without finding anything for Hickson, or Hixon.)

By: Lis

Lis — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:38:01 +0000

Very interesting stories! My great grandparents (William Monday and Rosie Stone) were baptized in Southeast Texas in 1909. I think I found the name of the missionary that baptized them — Mark Hickson. Do you know anything about him? My grandmother (their daughter)and her son (my father) were born in Jozye,Texas. It was sometimes referred to as ‘Little Utah’. Do you have any stories about that Texas Mormon Community?