Samuel Arthur Backman, 11 Apr 1892 - 10 Dec 1940, was one of the Backman brothers serving in World War I in Europe, possibly all in France. Centerville took pride in its "boys over there". I have not found any record that especially recounts Samuel's life. His death came very early, at only forty-eight years. He married Margaret Parenzin on 10 May 1923 in Salt Lake City, she a daughter of immigrants from Italy. They had three children born in their marriage before her death in 1936, aged 32 years old. Their first child, Samuel A. Backman, was the only surviving child. Samuel Arthur Backman's employment listed on the Utah death certificate was listed as Laborer at Cudahy Packing Company. It reports that he passed away suddenly after suffering a precordial attack due to Coronary occlusion. Margaret had died in 1936 of acute pneumonia only several months after the stillborn birth of their third child, the second, Mary Pauline had died the previous year shortly after birth. Father, mother and two infant children are buried in the Centerville city cemetery.
Walter Emanuel Backman, 16 Dec 1896 - 19 Jul 1970, passed away at the Veterans Hospital in Salt Lake City. The third son of Johan August and Sarah Duncan Backman to serve overseas during World War I. His memorial in the Centerville cemetery cites his service as Idaho volunteer, Private in Battery B of the 114th Field Artillery. His death notice states he was employed by Eimco, of Salt Lake City, which manufactured mining equipment. Walter never married. When he passed away he was survived by only three of his siblings.
It is at this point in relating the history of Johan August Backman that I begin to have some personal connection, that is where I have been witness to these lives I have tried to know and understand. Even so it is weak, and from a distance, as I will show.
David Alfred Backman, 19 Mar 1898 - 30 Sep 1951, was the youngest son of Johan A. and Sarah E. Duncan Backman. David also passed away young, aged 53, and presumed due to coronary occlusion. His death certificate says exact cause is unknown, indicating it may have been unwitnessed. He was employed by the Union Pacific railroad.
David had also served in World War I. His memorial in the Centerville cemetery notes he was a private in the 11th Field Artillery 6th division, his death certificate reflect service years from 1919 to 1922.
David married Elizabeth Rigby of Idaho. They had one son, David Alfred Backman, who passed away after I had moved back to Utah and whose funeral I attended. I met Elizabeth Backman at that time, only briefly.
Sarah Elizabeth Backman, 21 Apr 1900 - 23 Sep 1985, sometimes called Sadie in her family or Beth. Sadie recounts her life story in family search memories. She claims that she was 15 pounds at birth, a weight usually reserved for twins. She says she looked like her mother, but for "the Backman forehead." Sarah married a young man from the American Falls part of Idaho, William Theodore Barnard in 1925. They settled in Idaho and raised their family there. The youngest in the family of this report, she has a profile on www.familysearch.org that has many color photographs, indicating the modernity of her life, in fact a life entirely in the 20th century. There were 8 children born, of whom five survived to maturity. They have be active in family history as well, which has provided me with much insight to this family.
I was employed at the Utah Salt Lake Veterans Home, now named William E Christoffersen Home, and met a man of the name Barnard. I naturally inquired where from and upon learning he was from the American Falls area noted my relations there. Not unusual, his daughter claimed, but neither could recall our kinsmen. After this gentleman's death I located a school record that showed his picture just beside that of William T. Barnard! But that story will have to remain with me.
Other stories will come forth here. I know I vacillate in my telling some. Do I have anything to add to the understanding of our pioneer family? Am I sharing anything of a personal relationship? I don't know. I hope I keep the story of my Backman family alive in some manner, as it came to me: alive and a necessary part of my own story.
There is more of the Sven Backman/Inger Dahlberg family I want to introduce, more I want to learn.
No comments:
Post a Comment