The Mysterious Frank Leslie Chase

Frank Leslie Chase

The story of Frank Leslie Chase has been difficult to reconstruct.  We only know part of his tale. Thanks to an eleven page biography written by his daughter, Josephine Chase Bradshaw, we do have enough to outline a portrait of his life. (Copy of the biography is in the possession of Cyndy Weiss.)

Frank was the oldest son of George Ogden Chase and Josephine Streeper Chase.  He was born November 8, 1865 at Chase Park in Centerville, Utah

Josephine Streeper Chase, mother of Frank Leslie Chase.

As one of the oldest children, he carried much of the responsibility for caring for the large Chase family.  Frank's daughter, Josephine wrote:  "The George O. Chase children had advantages comparable with most of the prominent families of the state.  Frank partook of the business and social life such as they were in those early days." 

George Ogden Chase, father of Frank Leslie Chase.

Josephine noted (and Claire quoted):  "He was high strung, nervous and very uncompromising in matters of injustice.  he completed the schools in Davis County and graduated as a school teacher from the University of Deseret (Now U of Utah) under Dr. Park.   He sometimes had to carry provisions for the week from Centerville to Salt Lake and do his own housekeeping to stay in school, but received his necessary credits and a contract to teach school in the town of Peterson, Morgan County, UT, 60 miles east of Salt Lake."

"Frank would engage in religious argument...and (with) his inability to keep his voice to a modulated tone in his arguments, he soon obtained a reputation of 'Doubting Thomas'.  He did not fit in so well with his sisters friends, and their busy social lives and he "resented as any boy would, the sisters" domination and soon his high temper became evident, so that his standing the the Church was not above question."

Frank took a job teaching school in Peterson and meets his future partner in life, Amelia Croft, while rooming at the Croft home.  Josephine describes her father Frank as "a meticulous young man with never a crease in his trousers and a tie that was so correct that he could not think without taking it into consideration."  He enjoyed staying the English gentleman, John Croft, and was welcomed by Emma Amelia Croft (the mother) into a loving family with eight sons and two daughters.

John Croft and Amelia Mitchell Croft, parents of Emma Amelia Croft and in-laws of Frank Leslie Chase.

"During the time he was in Enterprise, Frank regained some of his lost faith.  Frank became again a well adjusted person and greatly was this to be attributed to his growing live for Amelia (John Croft's oldest daughter).  Through all the trials of later years, her sane thinking and rock of Gibralter character, made her stick to the ship to the day of her death."

Emma Amelia Croft, wife of Frank Leslie Chase. "She would stick to the ship to the day of her death."

Emma Amelia, a faithful Latter-day Saint, desired to be married only in the "Holy Temple of God." She wrote a letter to Frank's Centerville Ward Bishop (dated Dec 16, 1891), unbeknownst to Frank, hoping to persuade the Bishop that her future spouse was indeed temple worthy.  We also have a copy of another  letter written by Frank himself (dated Nov 22, 1891).  "It is my desire to obtain a Recommend to the Temple to attend to the work for my departed brother, David, and also to take to myself a partner in life which I wish to do int he proper way and I am hoping now, Bishop that you will see the thing in the proper light and also see fit to extend as my desire.  I remain your well intentioned and earnest believer in the work in which we are engaged and ever trying to inform myself concerning my duties and the duties of every Latter-day Saint." (See full text of both letters on pages 6-7 of biography written by Josephine Chase Bradshaw).

Frank is able to advance in the priesthood and obtain his temple recommend.  They are married in the Logan Temple on February 3, 1892.  Frank was 27 and Amelia 24.  It appears that Frank's father, George Ogden Chase did attend as Frank's escort however, Frank's mother, Josephine Streeper Chase, was unable to attend. (See "Josephine Diaries" in possession of Cyndy Weiss.)
 
Josephine C. Bradshaw writes:  "The Chase family chartered a railroad car to take the wedding guests from Salt Lake to Peterson (East Weber in Morgan County) for the large reception at the bride's home "which included the greater part of Morgan County and a special care of guests from Salt Lake City."
The newly weds then stayed in Enterprise for another year until a home was built in Chase Park, Centerville.

The "Farmhouse" was finished in 1893.  Frank's father-in-law, John Crofts, was a skilled carpenter and supervised the building and did much of the work.  The Croft's also helped furnish the new home with three oak bedroom sets, a dining room set of oak and many other items.  There were 3 bedrooms upstairs and one bedroom, parlor, dining room and large kitchen in this house. 

At first, Frank Leslie Chase went to work in Salt Lake for McCornick & Company bankers.
Frank and Amelia had been married for only 4 years when his mother (Josephine Streeper Chase) died (July 20 1894, age 59) and then 2 years later his father (George Ogden Chase, age 64) died (May 5, 1896).  Frank was only 31 and now responsible for the farm, two families, and his unmarried brother and sisters.  The Chase sisters convinced him to quit his banking job and come back to manage the farm. 

Later, Frank became "the postmaster of the the fourth class" and worked in an office just opposite the town store.  Apparently he played a fine game of checkers with Brother Harris and others who could spare th time when he was not dispensing service or giving out mail, writing out money orders and registering mail.  In the summers, Ella, Frank's sister, would relieve him at the post office so he could go home and run the farm. 

Claire Weiss wrote:  "My father and mother loved music--my father played the flute in the County band, and I think we had one of the first Columbia phonographs in the county.    We were among the first in the county  to have telephone, electric lights.

"My father had a mine in the mountains East of our property and he would spend time every fall up there.  He built a shanty and had a stove and bed and cooking utensils.  Some samples assayed with a small amount of gold, but the problem was how to get it down.  He also had a lab in one of the buildings on the place and he worked in the winter on perpetual motion.  He had another man who worked with him."

Frank worked hard at providing for his family and keeping up the Chase "family image".   His oldest sister, Kate, seemed to be unhappy at the way Frank took care of the Chase estate following the death of their father.  (See various stories recorded by Josephine Chase Bradshaw, page 10.)

Kate Chase, older sister of Frank Leslie Chase.

Josephine, Frank's oldest sister, wrote that from the beginning of his life, "Frank was more or less dominated by his sisters.  He was conscientious and anxious to do right, but had more of his mother's disposition" than that of his father.

By the time he was 44 Frank, and Amelia (41), had 9 children.   Amelia's father, John Croft died in 1909 at the age of 73.  

In 1911, Frank's son, David Harold Chase,  died in a hunting accident in the Centerville hills at 3:00 on Sunday afternoon.  Claire Chase (Weiss) was 11 and just two years older than her brother David.   Apparently this accidental shooting affected Frank deeply.   The funeral was "one of the largest funerals ever held in Centerville".  (See article from David County Clipper below.)

The Davis County Clipper (11-03-1911) is especially descriptive about the horse in the procession from Chase Park to the Centerville Cemetery:  "The pall bearers led the deceased boy's horse which was saddled and bridled but a large wreath was fastened to the saddle in place of a rider being in it."

David Chase, son of Frank Chase died at age 9.

In 1912, Frank joined the Progressive Party and was County Chairman.  He took his entire family to the Centerville rally and he held rallies in all parts of Davis County. 

1914 was a pivotal year.  Frank, age 49,  was injured in a car accident.  In the fall he was driving to Tooele to buy a trashing machine.  He hit a cow and was thrown from his car and tears the ligaments in his arms.  From then on he is unable to use his arms in lifting and is unable to work the farm.

The doctor who was treating Frank thought he should go to the Steven's ranch in Idaho.   Frank worked on his "mental well being" for a year in Idaho and then returned to his family, still unable to do any kind of work that required lifting.  The oldest son,  John "Jack" Howland Chase, is on his LDS mission to Hawaii.  The family hires a friend to take the loads of vegetable to town.

In 1915 Frank is somewhat improved but still can't run the farm. The farm and house were rented and the Chase family moved to Salt Lake City to 538 Lowell Avenue.  Frank was 50 and Amelia was 47 and the children are ages 6-23.

In 1916 the family moved to 168 M Street and Frank begins working as a night watchman.  In 1917 the family moved again, this time to 145 North State, a house owned by relatives.

In 1918 Jack returned from his mission and the family moves to "C" Street in the Spring.  Claire was 18 and married Simon Weiss on June 5th.  Frank, 53,  left Utah to go to work in Idaho.  Frank sent one letter telling the family that all was going well.  That was the last they heard from Frank.  Amelia was 50 years old and still had three kids in grade school.  

1921 is when the cousins go back to New Jersey to visit with their "rich" Croft cousins for 3 months.  Two of the children, Josephine (29) and Jack (25) are married in 1921 and the family moved into Miller Apartments. 

In 1922 Mother Amelia Chase (54) moved in with Claire and Simon Weiss.  George is still in grade school.

In 1924 Claire and Simon Weiss move to California to look for employment there.  (See "Dauntless, Fearless, Hopeful" blog entry.) The Chase Family moves into the Fairmont Apartments.  On Thanksgiving, Mother Amelia becomes ill and goes to the hospital.  Claire and Bea come home from California to be with their mother. Claire Weiss moves into 1363 Thornton Avenue.

1925  Amelia Croft Chase (57) leaves the hospital and comes to the Weiss home, where her daughter Claire cared for her.  Mother Amelia passed away on March 27th.  Frank Leslie Chase is unaware of his wife's death because he has been gone for seven years.  George is in high school and lives with the Weiss family while attending East High in Salt Lake City.

Emma Amelia Croft Chase died in the home of her daughter, Clairissa Dean Chase Weiss.

The following year, in 1926 the mother of Amelia Chase, Amelia Emma Mitchell Croft, dies at age 86.  (She is buried with other Croft family members in the small fenced family plot located in Enterprise, Morgan County, Utah.)

Amelia Mitchel Croft, mother-in-law of Frank Leslie Chase.

In 1933, Frank's youngest son, George, marries.  Frank Leslie dies on December 12, 1933 in Skulley Town, Texas at the age of 68 having missed 15 years of his family's life.

The Frank Leslie Chase Family in 1930's.

For 15 years the Frank Leslie Chase family struggles on without knowing what happened to their father and did their best to make ends meet.  Without the help of generous family members, including Simon S. Weiss, they would have suffered even more.  In 1933 the family received notification from someone in Skelly Town, Texas, that Frank is deceased.  Apparently he died from heart failure.

Newspaper notice about the death of Frank Leslie Chase in December 1933.

Frank's body was returned to Centerville, Utah for burial.  He was laid to rest near, but not next to, his wife's plot in the Centerville Cemetery.   Emma Amelia never knew what happened to her husband, as she died in 1925, eight years before her husband Frank's death.

The lessons from the life of Frank Leslie Chase seem to be difficult ones. Each life is a story to be written.  The Author starts each life story, but each life will write his or her own ending." (Max Lucado).

We are grateful that Frank fathered 9 children, among them, our dear Clairissa Dean Chase Weiss.   Claire was the first of Frank's children to marry (1918) and the last of the nine children to die (1991).

Clairissa Dean Chase Weiss, daughter of Frank Leslie Chase.

It is true that life's challenges help to reveal one's character and mental state.   There is no way to judge all that happened to Frank Leslie Chase.  Why did he make the choices he did? We will likely never know "the rest of" this story.  We simply remain grateful that he gave life to our ancestor Claire Chase Weiss.