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Stephen Forsdick

Birth	:	8 Oct 1835 Watford, Watford Borough, Hertfordshire, England
Death	:	29 Jan 1927 Sidney, Cheyenne County, Nebraska, USA
Burial	:	Hokitika Municipal Cemetery, Hokitika, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate	:	-42.7102940, 170.9759800
Plot	:	Block 6, Lot 10, Grave 2
Inscription	:	Father
Description	:	Stephen Forsdick was born at Long Spring Lodge, Watford, Hertfordshire, England, October 8, 1835, and died in Sidney, Nebr., January 29, 1927, aged 91 years, 3 months and 21 days. At the age of eight years he entered an Endowed School in his home town and attended same until he was fourteen. At that time the owner of several large silk mills came to the school, to select a boy to work in one of them. He was chosen and worked as a clerk until he was seventeen. In the summer of 1848 the Latter Days... Read More	Stephen Forsdick was born at Long Spring Lodge, Watford, Hertfordshire, England, October 8, 1835, and died in Sidney, Nebr., January 29, 1927, aged 91 years, 3 months and 21 days. At the age of eight years he entered an Endowed School in his home town and attended same until he was fourteen. At that time the owner of several large silk mills came to the school, to select a boy to work in one of them. He was chosen and worked as a clerk until he was seventeen. In the summer of 1848 the Latter Days Saints, or Mormons as they are more commonly called, conducted a series of meetings in Watford. At first he attended out of curiosity, but soon became converted and, on Jan. 10, 1849, was baptized and became a member of the church. At that time the Mormons were urging all converts to go to Salt Lake City or Zion as they called it. After joining the church Mr. Forsdick continued to work at the mill, but always with his heart set on going to America. He quit the mill in the fall of 1852 and on the 18th of February, 1853, he bade his loved ones good-bye and started for Liverpool and on the 25th, set sail for America. The Mormons chartered a ship to carry Mormons exclusively from Liverpool to New Orleans. They had contrary winds most of the time and did not arrive in New Orleans until May 24th. From New Orleans they went by boat up the Mississippi to Keokuk, Iowa. Here the Mormon trains were fitted out, for their long trip across the plains. There were thirty-three wagons in their train. Two yoke of oxen to each wagon and ten people assigned to each one. No one but small children, delicate women and old people were allowed to ride and with the exception of crossing rivers, he walked the entire distance. They crossed the Missouri river (sic) on the Lone Tree Ferry, near the place where the Chicago and Northwestern bridge (sic) now stands. Day after day, through hot dry summer, and through rain, they traveled westward at the rate of about eight miles per day. The Morman trail (sic)followed along the north side of the Platte and North Platte rivers, across the entire state of Nebraska. At old Fort Laramie they forded the river and followed the Oregon trail (sic), passing Independence Rock, over the South Pass to Ft. Bridger. Here they left the Oregon trail (sic) and crossed the mountains to the southwest, arriving in Salt Lake City, Sept. 30th, just seven months and five days after leaving Liverpool. Soon after his arrival he was stricken with Mountain fever and was sick all winter. In the spring he was able to go to work and worked in and around Salt Lake until in the fall of 1855 he went to Brigham City. The winter was long and cold and provisions scarce and only by a number of them going together did they manage to get through the winter. Mr. Forsdick had never heard Polygamy talked while in England but found when he arrived in Salt Lake that it was the common practice and he did not like it and some other things which were openly practiced by some of the Elders of the church. In the spring of 1856, homesick and discouraged, he decided to return to the states. In company with two men, two women and three small children, with just one covered wagon drawn by a single yoke of poor oxen, they started on the long trip back. They traveled over the same route and alone until they reached Independence Rock. Here they overtook a small company, under the leadership of John S. Davenport, and they traveled with them as far as Fort Laramie. In this company was a young girl, about seventeen, named Lucinda Davenport. She and Mr. Forsdick soon became the very best of friends. On reaching Fort Laramie they decided to rest a few days and in passing the Old Sutlers Store one day a man asked him if he wanted a job. They offered him $25.00 per month and board, and he decided to take it. He went to the camp to bid his friends good bye and told his sweetheart he would write to her and come to see her when he came east. He worked at the fort all summer and quite accidentally, the last of September found out that his sweetheart was on her way back to Salt Lake City. He made a visit to the camp ground each night looking for her and on the second day of October, 1856, he met her and induced her to go into the fort and they were married by the Rev. Wm. Vaux, the Chaplain of the Fort. They remained at the Fort a month and in company with Lieuteant (sic) Kellon, Dr. and Mrs. Page and escort they started for Ft. Leavenworth, arriving there on Christmas day. On January 1, 1857, they crossed the river and spent the balance of the winter in St. Joe, Mo. In June of the same year they located near Glenwood, Ia., and in the spring of 1860 moved to Detroit, Mich., where he was Bill Clerk for the Michigan Central Railroad. In the spring of 1865, with his wife and three children, he returned to his old home in England, but did not like it there and the next year returned to Detroit. In 1870 he went back to Glenwood, Ia., and in 1876 to Craig, Mo. In 1878 he took his family to Republic Co., Kans., and in 1884 moved to Chester, Nebr., where he lived for thirty-eight years. Mr. Forsdick was naturlized (sic) in Glenwood in 1873 and cast his lot with the Democratic partty, and was elected assessor that fall. Although born and raised in England all who knew him, knew no more loyal American never lived. He was appointed postmaster in Chester in 1885 and served a little over five years, and when the Democratic party was again victorious in 1892 he was re-appointed and severed from January 1, 1894 to January 1, 1899. He was always prominent in the affairs of his home town and at different time held at the village offices. Was elected assessor a number of terms until obliged to give up the work on account of rheumatism. His wife Lucinda died April 3, 1892, after a lingering illness. To this union were born nine children, five sons and four daughters, three sons and two daughters now living. In 1895 he united with the Methodist church in Chester and while not a member at the time of his death, he was a firm believer in religion and well versed on the Bible. On February 22, 1897 he was married to Miss Eliza Howe of Lincoln, Nebr. As the years passed and he grew older he became badly crippled with rheumatism, and was confined to his home a great deal. His wife died on March 11, 1922 and on March 18th, he came to Sidney to make his home with his youngest daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Freytag, where he passed away. Mr. Forsdick was a great lover of reading which proved to be a great comfort to him in his declining years. In his younger days he was considered an authority on most topics of the day, by those who knew him. Although past ninety-one years old and obliged to walk with a crutch and cane, he retained all his faculties except hearing. He took a keen interest in everything going on until a short time before his death. Even after he had been delerious (sic) for several days, during an interval of consciousness, he asked for his glasses and the newspaper, and although he was unable to read, he held them in his hands and seemed satisfied. For almost forty years Mr. Forsdick was Sexton of the Chester cemetery (sic) and Clerk of the Association, and it is to this place, over which he watched so carefully for so many years, and where he has helped to lay so many of his old friends and his own loved ones, that he was laid to rest.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Stephen Forsdick's memorial?
Stephen Forsdick's memorial is located at: Hokitika Municipal Cemetery, Hokitika, Westland District, New Zealand.
When did Stephen Forsdick death?
Stephen Forsdick death on 29 Jan 1927 in Sidney, Cheyenne County, Nebraska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Stephen Forsdick's memorial?
Latitude: -42.7102940
Longitude: 170.9759800

Family Members:

Spouse

Lucinda Malisa Davenport Forsdick

(1839 - 1892)

Eliza Howe Forsdick

(1867 - 1922)

Children

Martha Almira “Mattie” Forsdick Clark

(1861 - 1950)

Charles Horace “Charlie” Forsdick

(1871 - 1880)

James Alfred Forsdick

(1876 - 1945)

Georgia May Forsdick Freytag

(1878 - 1964)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Hokitika Municipal Cemetery
Hokitika, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.7102940, 170.9759800

2. Old Stafford Cemetery
Hokitika, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.6662370, 171.0893140

3. Kumara Cemetery
Kumara, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.6464650, 171.1721970

4. Ross Cemetery
Ross, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.8898440, 170.8226160

5. Gladstone Cemetery
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.5381220, 171.1522540

6. Ross Historic Cemetery
Ross, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.9023200, 170.8113230

7. Greenstone Cemetery
Kumara, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.6361450, 171.2751350

8. Karoro Cemetery
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.4678260, 171.1893800

9. St Pauls Methodist Church (Defunct)
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.4500880, 171.2114610

10. Cobden Cemetery
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.4371700, 171.2019000

11. Stillwater Cemetery
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.4394820, 171.3494380

12. Notown Cemetery
Dobson, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.4514530, 171.4465670

13. Blackball Cemetery
Greymouth, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.3757410, 171.4135760

14. Evans Grave
Arthurs Pass, Selwyn District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.7723610, 171.6249940

15. Nelson Creek Cemetery
Ngahere, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.3865620, 171.4595500

16. Barrytown Cemetery
Barrytown, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.2455150, 171.3166710

17. Hari Hari Cemetery
Hari Hari, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -43.1501430, 170.5576110

18. Ahaura Cemetery
Ahaura, Grey District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.3516790, 171.5581700

19. Whataroa Cemetery
Whataroa, Westland District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -43.2530190, 170.3587130

20. Lake Coleridge Cemetery
Lake Coleridge, Selwyn District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -43.3695530, 171.5264300

21. Charleston Catholic Cemetery
Charleston, Buller District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -41.9093390, 171.4359110

22. Nile Hill Cemetery
Charleston, Buller District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -41.8991610, 171.4394080

23. Old Reefton Cemetery
Reefton, Buller District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.1115220, 171.8590850

24. Reefton Cemetery
Reefton, Buller District, New Zealand
Coordinate: -42.0856940, 171.8470730