Leonard Merry Condit

Born: 2 Jan 1850

Died: 8 Oct 1912

At the age of: 62

Spouse: Mary Camelia Hawley Condit

Children: Leon, Herbert, James, Arthur, Grace, Ella Pearl, (possibly Albert),Frederick, Cecil

Parents: 

Obituary:

PIONEER CITIZEN PASSES AWAY (1912)

L. M. Condit Succumbs to Disease on October 7, After Undergoing Operation

County Commissioner L. M. Condit died in Salt Lake City at 8 o’clock p.m. Monday. Mr. Condit was operated upon for gall stones a few days previous and at the time was reported as improving. Mrs. Condit was at the bedside when the end came. The remains were brought back to Burley on Wednesday, and taken to Albion for burial.

Mr. Condit was 62 years old. He was born in Harrison county, Iowa, where he lived until coming to Idaho in 1882, since which time he has made his home in Cassia county. He was one of the sturdy pioneers, and was a man highly respected and honored by all who knew him. He has been closely identified with the development of Cassia county and has served her in many ways, the past two years holding the office of county commissioner of the third district. Mr. Condit is survived by his wife, five sons, Leon, Herbert, James, Arthur and Fred, and two daughters, Mrs. Perl Hand and Miss Rena Condit. Mrs. Handy lives near Heyburn, while all the others are residents of Cassia County. The people of Cassia county mourn the loss of one of their best citizens, and their sympathy goes out to the bereaved family.

History:

Leonard Merry Condit

Leonard Merry Condit was born January 2, 1850 near Little Sioux Iowa. He was the first white child born in Harrison County, near the present site of Little Sioux. He lived on a farm with his parents until the time of his marriage, December 31, 1869 to Mary Camelia Hawley. She was born August 23, 1854 at Bandera County, Texas. The daughter of Aaron and Ann Elizabeth Andrews Hawley.

The Hawley’s were members of the Lyman Wight Company that left Nauvoo, Illinois, shortly after the death of Joseph Smith, the prophet. She was blessed by Lyman Wight and give the name of Mary. Mr. Wight adding the name, Camelia.

In the year 1857 Mary’s mother passed away and at the age of three years she was left to the care of her grandmother, Nancy Andrews.

She was baptized when eight years of age by president, Joseph Smith at Galland Grove, Shelby County, Iowa, in 1862. At the age of fifteen she was married to Mr. Condit.

Late in the summer of 1882, Leonard M. Condit and his wife arrived in Cassia County and in the fall of 1898, took the job of tending the Stage Station, located at Round Mountain, just north of where Strevell now stands. To young people of today this would sound like taking care of a bus station or terminal, but in 1884, it was a very difficult proposition.

Many interesting incidents happened during the eighteen months they lived there. One day the “up stage” carried a young married couple. They ate dinner saying they would spend the night in Albion. Some two or three hours later an elderly man on horseback stopped for a fresh horse and a meal. He inquired if the stage had carried any lady passengers. He said his daughter had eloped and he thought they might have come that way. Two days later the “Down Stage” carried the bodies of both men, they had shot it out at a livery barn in Albion and both were killed. The young bride returned home to be with her widowed mother.

The Condits made their home in Cassia County for the next thirty-five years. After leaving Clear Creek they came to Malta and settled on some land and began farming. Their first home was a three room log house with board floor and a dirt roof. Logs were brought from the hills east of Malta. Mr. Condit built and operated a general store for twenty years. The merchandise was brought in from Ogden and Kelton, Utah by wagons drawn by two and often four horses. He was very instrumental in building the town of Malta. He did very well in the mercantile business until his health began to fail. About 1910 he sold his business to Jessie C. Hubbard and moved to Albion, Idaho.

The home he built while in Malta still stand and now is owned by Rex Ward. The store building which was later used as a garage and service states burned down about 1955. It stood where the Phillips ‘66’ service station stand and is operated by Les Tannehill.

During the winter of 1885, Leonard Condit’s two sisters, Julia Ada Condit and Sarah Condit Secor, and his brother, Silas Dena Condit, who had taken up homesteads on Cassia Creek, received a permit from the U. S. Post Office Department to name and establish a post office. In the fall of 1886, Leonard M. Condit was appointed postmaster and served almost twenty years.

Camelia Condit was always very interested in the welfare of her family and especially in their religious training.

They belonged to the reorganized or Josephite Church and had two sons that were ministers. She was pioneer and her life was a beautiful example of service to her family, neighbors and our God.

Nine children were born in this family: Leon A. Condit, December 3, 1870; Herbert M. Condit, June 14, 1874; James, December 18, 1876; Arthur, July 24, 1878; Grace, October 1, 1880; Ella Pearl, December 7, 1891; Frederick, November 29, 1895; and Cecil, January 15, 1899.

Mr. Condit passed away October 8, 1912 in a Salt Lake City Hospital and is buried at Malta. His wife, Carmelia, lived with different members of her family during her declining years and she passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Pearl (James) Handy, Heyburn, Idaho, January 8, 1933 and was laid to rest beside her husband.