Willard Richard Skanchy (1875-1936)

This week is focused on Willard Richard Skanchy.

   

    Willard Richard Skanchy was the son of Anthon Lorenzo Skanchy and Caroline Flygare, Anthon's second wife. 

Basic Sketch of his Life:

      Willard R. Skanchy was born November 11th, 1875 in Logan, Cache County, Utah Territory.

He was the second son of Anthon and Caroline, and grew up helping Anthon with the carpentry business that his father had created. His father, being the bishop of the sixth ward in Logan, also kept his family involved within the church as well as the 'Scandinavians of Cache Valley', a support group for their ethnic heritage. By 1900, Willard had met and began to court Alice Wray (1880-1968), who also lived within the same county. According to the newspaper clipping from the Logan Nation, Willard and Alice received their marriage licence to be married on 30 August, 1900, only a few days before Willard left for his 'mission to Scandinavia':

Logan Nation, Aug 28th, 1900 (Local Briefs)

        Willard became one of the 99 elders that were sent to the Scandinavian mission late in the year 1900. In April 29, 1901, Willard's father, Anthon L. Skanchy, became the president of the Scandinavian Mission. While Willard was there he was able to witness his father gather enough funds to create a mission home and the Copenhagen meeting hall for the saints within that city. (Andrew Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission, (Salt Lake City, Deseret News Press, 1927), 381-390.)

After Willard's mission was over, Willard and Alice stayed within Logan and had two children; Willard Leland (1903-1977) and Zelda Ella (1914-2003). Here in Logan, Willard continued to be an active part of the community and his church. Willard initially earned a living as a carpenter, but soon began to run and maintain a grocery store near the center of town by the 1930s.

Willard died on January 6th, 1936 within Logan, with the cause of death being related to Angina Pectoris, which is a side effect of having coronary heart disease. He was buried in the town he lived in his entire life- Logan. He was buried a few days later in the Logan City Cemetery, and thirty years later his wife Alice joined him. 

Death Certificate for Willard Richard Skanchy (11 Nov 1975-6 Jan 1936)

Tombstone of Willard R. Skanchy, Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah

A few more tidbits surrounding Willard's life:

While searching through the newspaper clippings from the Logan Republican, an article came up that mentioned Willard was a base singer in the "Sage Brush Glee Club" vocal group that began in 1904. This was also found within a Thanksgiving celebration in 1906, where Willard and 'his quartet' gave a musical number. Apparently singing was an enjoyable part of his earlier life. 

Logan Republican, October 5th, 1904 (Under Generalities)

Logan Republican, November 28th, 1906 (Thanksgiving Services)

Sources Found on Willard Richard Skanchy:

Censuses: 

1880; Click for the full-res image

1880 U.S. Census, Cache County, Utah, population schedule, Logan Precinct, p. 153C (stamped), dwelling 341, family 386, Willard Skankey; digital image, Familysearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11060-9252-87?cc=1417683 : accessed Sept 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T9.

1900; Click for the full-res image

1900 U.S. Census, Cache County, Utah, population schedule, Logan City, p. 257 (stamped), ED 78, sheet 15B, dwelling 276, family 297, Willard Skanchy; digital image, Familysearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12049-22556-36?cc=1325221 : accessed Sept 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T623.

1910; Click for the full-res image

1910 U.S. Census, Cache County, Utah, population schedule, Logan City, p. 32 (stamped), ED 17, sheet 3B, dwelling 48, family 48, Willard R. Skanchy; digital image, Familysearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-159310-48806-89?cc=1727033 : accessed Sept 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T624.

1920; Click for the full-res image

1920 U.S. Census, Cache County, Utah, population schedule, Logan City, p. 115 (stamped), ED 27, sheet 7B, dwelling 138, family 146, Willard R. Skanchy; digital image, Familysearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11023-54998-64?cc=1488411 : accessed Sept 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T625.

1930; Click for the full-res image

1930 U.S. Census, Cache County, Utah, population schedule, Logan City, p. 85 (stamped), ED 3-13, sheet 5B, dwelling 97, family 103, Willard R. Skankey; digital image, Familysearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-10174-47536-72?cc=1810731 : accessed Sept 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T625.

WWI Draft Registration:

WWI Draft Registration; Click for the full-res image

"U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards. 1917-1918", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-26284-13343-39?cc=1968530 : accessed Sept 2014) card for Willard Richard Skanchy, serial no. 2088, Cache County, Utah.

                                                                          -Tune in next week for another Skanchy!

                                                                                                       -Kirstin Skankey

A Legacy Worth Recording

          To start, I would like to introduce myself briefly and explain my purpose for this blog.
My name is Kirstin Skankey and I am currently in college studying history. With a last name like Skankey, I felt that my family's last name was the only one of it's kind. I was constantly asked where my name came from and I only was able to answer with the only answer that I had been told:

"It's Norwegian."

"It used to be Skanchy, but then they changed it since no one was able to pronounce it."

"Yes, it's really Skankey."

"No, we chose not to change it back."

"Yes, it's REALLY Skankey."

However, as I have pursued my family history over the years I have found that my Skankey family is only a part of the puzzle.

Anthon Lorenzo Skanchy, my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, was the first Skanchy to make it to Utah in September 1868. Having been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints early in 1861, Anthon served a few church missions within Norway before heading to America. Anthon's life was well spent with his family and the LDS church that led him back to his homeland often to preach the gospel. By the end of his life in 1914, he ultimately had three wives; Anne Christine Jacobsen (1832-1892), Caroline Flygar (1846-1918), and Sigrid Langaard (1868-1958).

Between these wives there were dozens of Skanchys that remained in Utah. Many years have passed since Anthon, but his legacy still remains with the group of Skanchys (and Skankeys) that still reside within Utah and the United States.
The goal that I have for this blog is to focus on one Skanchy ancestor each week in order to expand my knowledge of our fascinating family.
I hope this will be a great aid to other people who are interested in the Skanchy line.
So feel free to watch for those updates, because this blog will start to fill up with photos, documents, and records of our ancestors who are ready to have their stories told.