Frank Newton and Mary Adelia Pace Tyler

Frank Newton Tyler, 1860-1945
son of Oscar and Harriet Amanda Brown Tyler
stepson of Peter Neilson, -1883
husband of Mary Adelia Pace, 1846-1949
father of Lucinda Tyler Carpenter, 1888-1974
grandfather of Ora Carpenter Omerza, 1912-1986
great grandfather of Emerick Jay Omerza

Frank Newton Tyler

--Submitted by Ella T. Lee,

to Mt. Graham Profiles Vol 1: Graham County, Arizona, 1870-1977.

published by Graham County Historical Society, 1977. p. 341.

Frank Newton Tyler was born in Washington, Utah, August 26th, 1860, the son of Harriet Amanda Brown and Oscar Tyler. On November 20, 1871, his father died. The following February 8th, his brother Orson was born. His mother taught school to support the family. On May 23rd, 1873, she married Peter Neilson . Six years later Mr. Neilson was called to go on a short mission to Denmark. While he was gone two of Frank's brothers, Newel Tyler and Peter Neilson, died and were buried in the same grave. Neilson returned from Denmark in the fall of 1880.

On the 20th of September 1882 Frank Newton Tyler and Mary Adelia Pace were married in the St. George Temple. Six weeks later they joined Adelia's father, James Pace, and family, and with teams and covered wagons, started for southern Arizona. They arrived in the Gila Valley December 18, 1882. They slept in the wagon box and cooked on the ground until Frank hauled logs from Mt. Graham and built one room. They used a quilt for a door and the floor was dirt. About four months after arriving in the valley, word came that Father Neilson had died April 9, 1883.

James Pace used his homestead right and settled on 160 acres in Thatcher, just north of First Street. When the title was cleared he sold half of it to Frank and they set in to farming.

Now Frank was able to build a bigger and better house. This time he put a floor in it, a door that closed and a glass window. They lived there for seven years and held many entertainments and parties. They also put on a show or two. Admission 15 cents - paid in eggs.

About 1884 the town was given the name of Thatcher, honoring Apostle Moses Thatcher. A ward was organized with John M. Moody as Bishop.

April 1, 1884, their first child, Amanda Norena, was born and the second child Viola Ann, on the 26th of August 1885.

There were no vaccines for diseases at that time and on June 20, 1887, Viola Ann died of scarlet fever. On April 4, 1888, their third daughter, Lucinda was born. Frank now built a bigger and better house of bricks that had three rooms. They moved in August 26, 1888, Frank's birthday. Six months later, their first child, Amanda died with Scarlet Fever. On July 1, 1890, their first son, Frank was born and two years later on June 1, 1892, a second son, James Bliss, arrived. On August 18, 1894, a daughter, Ellen was born. But on December 4 and 5, 1895, their two sons died of diptheria, just eleven hours apart. On December 14, 1896 their third son, Delbert Fernando, arrived.

In April 1899 Frank was called on a mission to the Southern States. The following August 5, their fourth son, Jesse LeRoy, was born. Frank returned home June 7, 1901. On May 26th, 1902 their daughter, Flossie was born and two years later, September 14, 1904, their last child, a daughter, Adelia, arrived.

Frank was always interested in the new things. He operated a flour mill in Matthewsville, now Glenbar, for awhile. He owned an interest in a saw-mill on Mt. Graham. They floated the lumber down to Cluff's Ranch by a flume. He was one of the six men who started a mercantile business in Thatcher, known as the Big Six. He was a stockholder in the Citizens Bank in Thatcher. When he moved his family into the new brick house, he drilled a well, built a storage tank and installed a windmill to furnish water for the household and the stock in the corral. When carbide lights came in, he installed them in his home and did away with the coal oil lamps. He was on the school board when the High School was erected.

On February 4, 1909, his wife, Adelia, was sustained as President of the Thatcher Ward Relief Society. On March 28, 1909, he was ordained Bishop of the Thatcher Ward, by John Henry Smith. They worked harmorniously together in their callings: visiting the sick and caring for the dead. There was no mortician then and it was up to the Relief Society and Bisohpric to prepare the bodies for burial; make the clothes and coffin and give whatever services were required at that time.

During the time Adelia was Relief Soceity president, the present Relief Society hall was built and paid for in two years. Cost, $2,650.00.

In the ten years Frank was Bishop he performed fifty-six marriages. He was released as Bishop November 9th 1919. In October 1927, he and his wife were called as Ordinance workers in the Mesa Arizona Temple. They bought a home there close to the Temple. They served in this capacity for fifteen years. They were released in June, 1942. They sold their Mesa home and came back to Thatcher to retire.

Frank died January 26, 1942 [family records say 1945], and his wife Adelia, four years later, January 1, 1946 [family records say 1949]. They are both buried in the Thatcher Cemetery.