George Francis Despain

Brief Life History of George Francis

When George Francis Despain was born on 21 September 1869, in Granite, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, his father, Solomon Joseph Despain, was 45 and his mother, Susan Dean, was 25. He married Prudence Georgia Butler on 20 September 1899, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 3 daughters. He immigrated to San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States in 1898 and lived in Utah, United States in 1870 and World for about 26 years. He died on 14 May 1946, in Granite, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 76, and was buried in Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

Photos and Memories (11)

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Family Time Line

George Francis Despain
1869–1946
Prudence Georgia Butler
1871–1942
Marriage: 20 September 1899
George Eugene Despain
1900–1987
Mabel Leone Despain
1901–1978
La Vaughn Despain
1903–1983
LeRoy Despain
1905–1995
Genevie Butler Despain
1907–1980
Wayne Butler Despain
1909–1977
Beryl Butler Despain
1911–1953
Harold Butler DeSpain
1913–1970

Sources (68)

  • George F Despain, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Census Records (Worldwide), 1914-1960"
  • Legacy NFS Source: George Francis Despain - Individual or family possessions: birth-name: George Francis Despain
  • George Francis Despain, "Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1937"

World Events (8)

1870 · The Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits the federal government and each state from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was the last of the Reconstruction Amendments.

1872 · The Modoc War

Hostilities between Modoc Indians and white settlers resulted in the Modoc War during 1872-1873. A Modoc band of nearly 200 people, led by Captain Jack Kintpuash, was fleeing a forced relocation to a reservation occupied by their enemies, the Klamaths. The band had returned to their former land on Lost River, which now had white settlers occupying the area. The conflict erupted on November 29, 1872, when 40 troops were sent to move the Modocs back to the reservation. An argument erupted and shots were fired. Several were killed and the Modocs fled to “The Stronghold,” a large, cavernous lava bed. The holdout went on for months with several clashes. On April 11, 1873, General Edward Richard Sprigg Canby and Reverend Eleazar Thomas were killed by the Modocs during a negotiation. The Modocs lacked resources and supplies and eventually surrendered on July 4. In total, 2 Modocs and 71 enlisted military men lost their lives.

1891 · Angel Island Serves as Quarantine Station

Angel Island served as a quarantine station for those diagnosed with bubonic plague beginning in 1891. A quarantine station was built on the island which was funded by the federal government at the cost of $98,000. The disease spread to port cities around the world, including the San Francisco Bay Area, during the third bubonic plague pandemic, which lasted through 1909.

Name Meaning

Altered form of French Despaigne: from Old French d'Espaigne ‘from Spain’, used as an ethnic name for a Spaniard or as a nickname for someone who had some connections with Spain. This surname was brought to North America in the 18th century from England by descendant(s) of French immigrant(s). Today it is virtually non-existing in Britain and the surname Despaigne is very rare in France (it is found mainly in Loire-Atlantique).

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

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