What happened to Mollie Gandy?
Mary Ann “Mollie” Gandy was Isaac’s and Harriet’s oldest daughter and survived all her sisters. But she is something of a mystery. I have found no photographs of her in books written about the Snake Valley, no wedding notice, obituary or death certificate. The only photograph I have of Mollie Gandy is unfortunately too poor to reproduce here. Here is a summary of what I know …so far!
Mary Ann was born in Carson Valley, Douglas County, in 1862 and we find her attending school in Woodlands, Alpine County, California in the 1870 census. In 1881, 29 years old, she married Erastus E Heckethorn, aged 44. He was born on the 22nd of February 1837 and died on January 20th 1926 age 89 yrs. Erastus Heckethorn came originally from Scotland to the US by way of Germany. Link to George Rader family tree.
Mollie and Erastus Heckethorn had seven children: Edward born 1881, Mattie Irene born 1882, Floyd G, who died as an infant in 1884, Ray Cleveland born 1884 (see gravestone below), William Sylvester born 1887, Lola E born 1890 and Lillian born 1893. More information about marriages and children can be found in the Gandy tree.
Erastus Heckethorn’s simple gravestone is also to be found in Garrison Cemetery. Here the date of his death is given as 1928, not 1926. There are other gravestones in the cemetery with the name Heckethorn but no further details or dates.
Pearl Heckethorn Johanson, described as granddaughter to Harriet, and daughter of Mollie in her first marriage to Mr Heckethorn is mentioned in Boyd E Quate’s book “Pioneers of Snake Valley 1865-1935 as remembered by their descendants”. She refers there to the Heckethorn Store in Garrison but is uncertain about whether Isaac built the store or not.
Mollie’s second marriage
After Erastus’ death in 1926 Mollie married Elias McLellan Robert (Bob) Smith, date unknown. He was born in 1858 in Carson City ogther sources give July 21st 1861). At her death in 1941 she was thus Mary Ann or Mollie Smith, which may explain why it has been difficult to find her in the registers. Read more about Elias McLellan Bob Smith and his diary here: Life and Death in the Snake Valley
When Isaac divided up his property, Mary Ann got a small piece of land in Garrison and the store in Garrison called the Heckethorn store.
The obituary notice for mother Harriet in 1937 says that Harriet died at the home of daughter Mollie, where she had lived for four years – earlier Harriet had lived with her other two daughters, Emma Jean and Stella. Mollie and her second husband were also present at Harriet’s 87th birthday celebration in 1931, as Mr and Mrs E H Smith.
Elias McLellan Robert (Bob) Smith, who died on October 22nd 1937, is buried in Garrison Cemetery together with his first wife Emma Paul Smith.
