Sylvia Jane Rackard (1874-1891)

AKA: Selina Jane Higbey (Marriage Record 1)
AKA: Silvia Jane Higby (Marriage Record 2)
AKA: Jane Silvia Hall (Salt Lake City Cemetery)

Sylvia Jane Rackard Hall was born 3 May 1874 in Camp Floyd, Fairfield, Utah County, Utah, United States to David Rackard (c1848-) and Emma Elizabeth Higby (c1852-) and died 5 November 1891 Holy Cross Hospital, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States of unspecified causes. She married Cumorah Angus Hall (1867-1918) 24 September 1889 in Malad City, Oneida County, Idaho, United States.

Vital Stats[]

Daughter of David Rackard (b:1848?) and Emma Elizabeth Higley (b:1852?)
1874-May-03 : ??? Birth at Camp Floyd, Fairfield, Utah County, Utah
1889-Sep-24 : Married (1) to Cumorah Angus Hall (1867-1918) in (Malad City), Oneida County, Idaho.
- Marriage Witnesses: Mr & Mrs Richard Babbitt (1842-1917) & Fidelia Chapman Babbitt (1846-1909).
- Married by George Stuart, Minister
- Recorded by W.P. Jones, Probate Judge on 12 Oct 1889.
1890-Nov-22 : Birth of daughter, Emma Almira Hall (1890-1891)
1891-Nov-5 : Died in Salt Lake City at Holy Cross Hospital
1891-Nov-24 : Infant daughter Emma died in Snowville, Utah

Research Notes[]

Maiden Name / Ancestry[]

Sylvia's surname is also spelled Rokard, Rockard and Pakard in various FHL microfilm. Source: Endowment FHL film #184,093. "Her surname in the marriage certificate source is HIGBY" posted in 2022 to FamilySearch.

Birth at Camp Floyd[]

Camp Floyd was established by the US Army during "The Utah War" in the summer of 1857, adjacent to the Mormon town of Fairfield, Utah. These group of about 2500 soldiers led by US Army General Johnston, included a large contingent of "camp followers". However all of these left in 1862 when the army returned east to fight in the American Civil War.

The 1870 US Census for Fairfield Utah has no listing for either a Rackard or Higley family name. Camp Floyd was founded in 1857 and abandoned by the military in 1862. Subsequently many of the civilians left the nearby town of Fairfield. The 1870 US Census shows only 212 souls remaining in this town by then, but none match the surname of Rackard or Higley.

Camp Floyd had its heyday as the main base for Johnston's army 1858-1861 (the Utah War), and was temporarily renamed Fort Crittenden in 1860. It was abandoned in July 1861 with the military being called east for the American Civil War. Equipment and buildings were sold, destroyed or transported. All that remain today are the military cemetery and one commissary building. Two months after the army's departure, only 18 families remained in Fairfield, the small town nearby.

Marriage and Family[]

It appears that Sylvia and Cumorah eloped to the county judge in Oneida County, Idaho at a young age. She uses her mother's maiden name, HIGBY, as her own. And why in Oneida County? Her husband, Cumorah Angus Hall (1867-1918), had an occupation as a blacksmith. Some item that son Sylvester Hall had was his father's watch and a miniature horse shoe which Cumorah had made.

Per minister: Selina Jane Higbey
Per couple: Silvia Jane Higby
Link to original image - Image #762- Idaho Marriage Records. (better resolution)
Both bride & groom list Curlew, Idaho as current place of residence for marriage certificate.

He married his first wife, Sylvia, when she was 14 years old. She bore him a child, Emma Almira Hall (1890-1891), two years later. But both mother and child died in November of the following year in Salt Lake City. Sylvia was only 17 years old.

His second wife, Elna, was a Danish immigrant. They were married at Mink Creek, which is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Idaho. Mink Creek is located along Idaho State Highway 36 about 12.5 miles northeast of Preston.

Witness Couple, Richard Babbitt (1842-1917) and Fidelia Chapman (1846-1909), were a couple with a large family in the "Curlew Precinct" of western Box Elder County, Utah in the 1880s (including the 1880 US Census). They had children the same age as Sylvia.

Influenza Death of 1891[]

Sylvia died at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City on 05-Nov-1891 and that event is recorded in both State and County records, but we don't know where she was buried. Her baby Emma died 3 weeks later and is buried in Snowville Utah near her Grandfather Hall who died their one month later.

Death Certificate[]

System Origin: Utah-EASy
Source Film Number: 26554 for Salt Lake County, Utah
Reference Number: pg39 Death #1572. Certificate #1043.

Children of Cumorah and Silvia Hall[]

Emma Almira Hall (1890-1891) - died young. b. 22-Nov-1890 in Stone, Oneida, ID and d. 24-Nov-1891 in Snowville, Box Elder, Utah. Her grandfather, William Wood Hall, died and was buried in Snowville just 30 days later. Find a grave has a gravestone photo for Emma A Hall listed at the Snowville Cemetery.

Family Research Questions[]

Can we verify birth at either Camp Floyd or Fairfield, Utah?
Does Box Elder County have 1888 marriage records and 1891 deceased records?
Can we find the grave or death record of Sylvia in Salt Lake City 1891? ("Jane Silvia Hall" Salt Lake City Cemetery)
Can we find the grave or death record of Baby Emma at Snowville 1891?

Children

Offspring of Cumorah Angus Hall (1867-1918) and Sylvia Jane Rackard Hall
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Emma Almira Hall (1890-1891)	22 November 1890 Stone, Oneida County, Idaho	24 November 1891 Snowville, Box Elder County, Utah

Siblings[]

Vital Records[]

Burial Record[]

Utah Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946 / Name: Silvia Jane Hall / Died Date : 05-Nov-1891 / Burial Date : 07-Nov-1891 /Place Died : Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, Utah / Age: 17
Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949 #1572 - Name: Mrs. Silvia Jane Hull / Died 05-Nov-1891 / Died at Holy Cross Hospital / Certificate has no info about parents.

Location: Plot #S-32-Sing-7E : Salt Lake City Cemetery. Source: Jane Silvia Hall at Find A Grave index by F.A.G. as "Jane Silvia Hall". No photo of gravestone?

Original Family Group Sheet[]

Prepared by Sarah Sophronia Prentiss Fronk - Long sheet - 2 images: Per "Hall Family Records".