George Clarence Hyde's Favorite Sister, Mary

 After little Nettie died, Clarence was left an only child, an incredibly sad and lonely child. He missed his siblings back in Raymond and he mourned the loss of his baby sister. He told Eliza about how he felt and because there was no possibility of taking Clarence back to Raymond, she suggested that he pray about it. He took her advice seriously and sincerely prayed to see someone from his family back in Raymond.

Meanwhile, back in Raymond, Jim Still and his wife, Alice (Alice was an Atwood), were planning a trip to Brooks. Before they left Raymond, Jim suggested: “Let`s stop at the Hyde`s house to see if any of the children would like to come with us.” Alice thought that was a good idea, so they did just that. Mary was the first to say she would love to go, so she was invited along. She quickly packed a bag and was in the wagon ready to go.

My father wept as he told the rest of this story. Can you imagine how a little boy felt as he looked across the prairie to see a buckboard (A buckboard is a horse drawn wagon) approaching their house and running in front of the buckboard was his favorite sister, Mary. She held her arms out as she ran and folded him in her arms when they reached one another. She had come in answer to a little boy’s prayer and he knew it. He later told us, that was when he knew Heavenly Father knows our needs and answers our prayers.

Aunt Mary was my Dad’s favorite sibling. She was always concerned, even disgusted about him being given away. Many times, I heard her say, “I don’t know why Pa (they called their father “Pa”) gave Clarence away. We could have just added one more plate to the table.” When Aunt Mary died, my Mom and Dad were on their mission in Nauvoo, Illinois. He could not go home for her funeral and he was upset about not being able to be there. He relates that one night prior to her funeral, Aunt Mary appeared to him. She stood at the foot of his bed and spoke with him. Among other things, she told him he was working too hard. He had always been a hard worker and did not seem to know how else to do things. She was always concerned about his welfare and that was one of her main worries. Her appearance and her concern for him was a great comfort. He said she always came to him in his hour of need. Once when he was a little boy, pining for his family and again when he was older and could not go to her funeral.

Dad said he had a hard time settling down and going back to sleep after his sister, Mary visited him from the other side of the veil. He wept as he told us this story, and I am weeping as I record his experience.