Osmer Dennis Flake (1868 - 1958)

Born 6 Mar 1868 in Beaver, Beaver, Utah, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elsie Abigail (Owens) Flake — married 11 Mar 1891 in Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States

Husband of Ethel Estelle (Ray) Flake — married 4 Oct 1911 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Descendants

Died 29 Jan 1958 at age 89 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jay Andrews [send private message], Kimberly West [send private message], and Mariann Cook Andrews [send private message]

Biography

Osmer was born in 1868. He was the son of William Flake and Lucy White. He passed away in 1958.

• Alternate Name: Omer Dennis Flake
• Residence: Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, United States
• Occupation: Rancher
• Baptism: 1876
• Mission: 1897 - Southwestern States

Osmer “Oz” Dennis Flake was born 6 March 1868 in Beaver, Utah, to William Jordan Flake and Lucy Hannah White. When Oz was nine years old his family attended the dedication of the Saint George, Utah temple and while there his father was asked to move his family to Arizona to build an LDS community. On 31 October 1877 the family began a three month journey to their new home and in the summer of 1878 Oz’s father bought a ranch and began organizing a community. Erastus Snow, a prominent Mormon leader came to survey the area and the name given to the community was created by combining the last names of Snow and Flake, thus becoming Snowflake, Arizona. Oz helped his father raise cattle, but in 1884 his father was sent to prison for unlawful cohabitation (polygamy) and Oz, then 16 years of age, took full responsibility for the ranch at that time. He left home in August 1889 and went to Provo, Utah, to attend Brigham Young Academy, but had to return home the following spring when he ran out of money. On 11 March 1891 Oz married Elsie Abigail Owens and in October of that same year they traveled to Manti, Utah where they were sealed in the Manti temple. After his marriage he worked as a store clerk and on 4 April 1895 he was appointed clerk of the District Court for Navajo County, Arizona.

Oz was called to serve an LDS mission to the Southern States leaving his home, pregnant wife and three small children on 6 December 1897. Upon leaving he said, “To leave my dear wife and children is the greatest sacrifice that I was ever called on to make.”2 After traveling to Salt Lake City to be set apart as a missionary and to receive instructions Oz traveled by train to the Southern States headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. When he arrived in Chattanooga he was very tired and wanted to rest, but instead he was sent the same night to his area of labor in Mississippi. Once in Mississippi Oz and his companions spent much of their time traveling from house to house preaching the gospel and holding meetings. Anti-Mormon sentiment was high in Mississippi at that time and Oz often met with persecution and even threats. In one town the Mayor told them not to go door to door because “There was men in this town who would kill us…and they (the city officials) would extend us no protection.”3 But the missionaries also met many who were friendly and treated them well and their meetings were usually well attended. Tensions were high between those who were friendly and those who hated the Mormons. While in Yazoo County, Mississippi the missionaries found many who were interested in listening to them, but one day while they were preparing for an outdoor sermon Oz received word that he was to go meet a committee representing a mob that had been raised to run the missionaries out of the County. The mob threatened to kill Oz and the other missionaries if they did not leave by 2:00 that afternoon. The missionaries agreed and when they left Oz remarked “The people just cried. It was like a funeral all hated to see us go. They offered to defend us with their lives.”4 In 1899 Oz was called to serve as a Conference President, helping to direct missionary efforts in Mississippi. He was informed of his release as a missionary in early 1900 and on 26 February 1900 he began the trip home arriving there on 4 March 1900. After returning home Oz went to work as a clerk in a store owned by his brothers and was also called to be the Superintendent of the Sunday School. After he returned home his wife, Elsie became seriously ill and by 1908 the doctors didn’t know what to do. The doctors suggested taking her to California, hoping that the better climate would improve her health. In February 1908 they traveled to Los Angeles, California and rented a room for Elsie and her parents. Oz had to return to Arizona to attend to business, but by March 1908 Elsie had sent word that she wanted Oz to come to her and to bring the children. Oz took the children to Los Angeles to find that her condition had gotten much worse and on 25 March 1908 Elsie died. Upon her death Oz recorded that he had been “Priviledged to keep the dearest, best and most dutiful wife it has pleased the Lord to send to earth…we tearfully bow to the will of the Lord.”5 After the death of his wife Oz earned his living by raising and selling horses and cattle and later was employed as a forest ranger. On 4 October 1911 Oz married Ethel Ray in the Salt Lake Temple. He served a short three month mission to the Central States in 1913 and on 7 November 1916 he was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives. He continued his involvement in politics throughout the years and in 1925 he served another six month mission to the southern states. When the Great Depression hit in the 1930’s Oz worked many odd jobs and spent a lot of time performing ordinances at the LDS temple in Mesa, Arizona. In 1942 at the age of 74 Oz was once again called to serve a mission to the Southern States. While on this mission Oz spent much of his time visiting with less active members of the church and also researching his family history. He returned from his mission 12 July 1943. For the rest of his life Oz continued to work on his family history and spent many hours performing ordinances in the temple. He stayed active and healthy most of his life, finally passing away 29 January 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of eighty-nine. Source: http://lib.byu.edu/collections/mormon-missionary-diaries/about/diarists/osmer-dennis-flake/

Sources

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KWCW-WRF?1=1&parents=KWC2-H8N_KWCB-V65
• Source Date - 1870

Osmer D Flake in household of William G Flake, "United States Census, 1870" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCR-WKG "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCR-WKG : 18 March 2020), Osmer D Flake in entry for William G Flake, 1870.

• Source Date - 1880

Osmer D Flake in household of Wm J Flake, "United States Census, 1880" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH24-JKQ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH24-JKQ : 12 August 2017), Osmer D Flake in household of Wm J Flake, Snow Flake, Apache, Arizona, United States; citing enumeration district ED 37, sheet 34B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,036.

• Source Date - 11 March 1891

Orsmer Dennis Flake, "Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG16-GFSK "Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG16-GFSK : 29 November 2018), Orsmer Dennis Flake and Elcy A Owens, 11 Mar 1891; citing Marriage, Apache, Cochise, Arizona, United States, Arizona Department of Libraries, Archives, and Public Records, Phoenix; FHL microfilm 007541663.

• Source Date - 14 October 1891

Osmer D. Flake, "United States Western States Marriage Index" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTH-HNYT "United States Western States Marriage Index", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTH-HNYT : 19 October 2018), Osmer D. Flake and Elsie O. Owens, 1891.

• Source Date - 28 March 1896

Osmer Dennis Flake in entry for George Melvin Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7F5-5HPZ "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7F5-5HPZ : 27 April 2020), Osmer Dennis Flake in entry for George Melvin Flake, 1896.

• Source Date - 14 January 1898

Osmer D Flake in entry for Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7FY-986Z "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7FY-986Z : 27 April 2020), Osmer D Flake in entry for Flake, 1898.

• Source Date - 1900

Osmend Flake, "United States Census, 1900" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9VC-TS8 "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9VC-TS8 : accessed 30 October 2020), Osmend Flake, Snowflake District Snowflake town, Navajo, Arizona Territory, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 43, sheet 4A, family 54, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,046.

• Source Date - 8 January 1901

Osmer D. Flake in entry for Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZWW9-T56Z "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZWW9-T56Z : 28 April 2020), Osmer D. Flake in entry for Flake, 1901.

• Source Date - 1910

O D Flake, "United States Census, 1910" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVVZ-QZJ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVVZ-QZJ : accessed 30 October 2020), O D Flake, Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 88, sheet 5B, family 74, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 41; FHL microfilm 1,374,054.

• Source Date - 4 October 1911

Osmer Dennis Flake, "Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1940" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSGY-MQ8 "Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSGY-MQ8 : 3 August 2017), Osmer Dennis Flake and Ethel E. Ray, 1911.

• Source Date - 6 August 1912

Osmer D Flake in entry for Ray Wallace Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7NF-D62M "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7NF-D62M : 27 April 2020), Osmer D Flake in entry for Ray Wallace Flake, 1912.

• Source Date - 8 July 1913

Osmer D Flake in entry for Seester White Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z713-2L6Z "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z713-2L6Z : 28 April 2020), Osmer D Flake in entry for Seester White Flake, 1913.

• Source Date - 2 April 1915

Oancare D. Flake in entry for Horace Henry Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z472-5WW2 "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z472-5WW2 : 2 May 2020), Oancare D. Flake in entry for Horace Henry Flake, 1915.

• Source Date - 28 November 1916

O D Flake in entry for Veoma Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZH9X-TDT2 "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZH9X-TDT2 : 6 May 2020), O D Flake in entry for Veoma Flake, 1916.

• Source Date - 13 December 1918

O H Flake in entry for Alma Ross Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7N6-DCW2 "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z7N6-DCW2 : 27 April 2020), O H Flake in entry for Alma Ross Flake, 1918.

• Source Date - 1920

Osmer D Flake, "United States Census, 1920" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCRG-FMX "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCRG-FMX : accessed 30 October 2020), Osmer D Flake, Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, United States; citing ED 92, sheet 1A, line 6, family 2, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 50; FHL microfilm 1,820,050.

• Source Date - 1920

Os... W. Flake in entry for Elsie Flake, "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLV9-Q49 "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLV9-Q49 : 6 April 2020), Os... W. Flake in entry for Elsie Flake, 1920; citing Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, reference 1615, Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,114,453.

• Source Date - 6 August 1921

Osmer D Flake in entry for Ray Wallace Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z418-H83Z "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z418-H83Z : 5 May 2020), Osmer D Flake in entry for Ray Wallace Flake, 1921.

• Source Date - 17 November 1922

O D Flake in entry for Frank Thomas Flake, "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8TXY-DSZM "Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8TXY-DSZM : 21 August 2020), O D Flake in entry for Frank Thomas Flake, 1922.

• Source Date - 1930

Osmer D Flake, "United States Census, 1930" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH13-299 "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH13-299 : accessed 30 October 2020), Osmer D Flake, Wilson, Maricopa, Arizona, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 133, sheet 6A, line 15, family 90, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 60; FHL microfilm 2,339,795.

• Source Date - 1940

Osmer D Flake, "United States Census, 1940" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYWP-Y6L "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYWP-Y6L : 28 February 2020), Osmer D Flake, Phoenix, Supervisorial District 2, Maricopa, Arizona, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 7-22, sheet 6A, line 31, family 142, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 104.

• Source Date - 10 January 1951

O.D. Flake in entry for Ada Flake Frost, "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLKD-NYL "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLKD-NYL : 6 April 2020), O.D. Flake in entry for Ada Flake Frost, 10 Jan 1951; citing Tempe, Maricopa, Arizona, reference cn 311, Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,241,000.

• Source Date - 4 February 1951

Osmer D. Flake in entry for Lucretia Flake Rogers, "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLKM-5TR "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLKM-5TR : 6 April 2020), Osmer D. Flake in entry for Lucretia Flake Rogers, 04 Feb 1951; citing Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States, reference v 2 cn 827, Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,241,000.

• Source Date - 1958

1958 Osmer Dennis Flake, "Find A Grave Index" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2D-S61G "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2D-S61G : 10 June 2020), Osmer Dennis Flake, 1958; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66344717/_