In Life Just a Girl, In Death a Tragedy

Margaret Ellen Taisey

Her death was written about in papers all over the west. Even as far south as Texas.

Helena, MT

The article was always the same in every paper. It must have been a shock to the country in those days to hear about a 15 year old girl being electrocuted by a high wire which caused her to fall to her death in the Spokane River.

Margaret also known by her family and friends as Muggins was born 28 Feb 1922 in Hauser, Kootenai County, Idaho to Paul Walter Taisey and Irene Jane (White) Taisey.

She lived in a tent with her parents and nine (of the later 13) siblings until 1935, when they moved to St Maries. There they lived in a two story home on 4th St that they rented from Mr. Wandulich.

Her father, Paul was a logger by trade. Some of his family lived in Spokane, WA. He did the best he could for his large family, I'm sure, but when Margaret died a sudden death they were unable to pay for her burial. This is how she ended up to be buried in the Pauper's Cemetery. She lies in an unmarked grave under the the pine trees.

The more I write about the lives of those buried here I find it very heart breaking to think that these people were treated with prejudice because they nor their loved ones, if they had any, could afford their burial.

Sources: Ancestry.com, WWI registration (on Paul), Idaho Death Index 1911-1951, 1920 & 1930 Census

Noyes Family History at www.noyesgenealogy.net.