*This story will be broken up into two parts. The first part is about Joseph Checketts. The second part will be about his son Frank Checketts.
Also if you are wanting sources, I have them. Just email me at Untangleyourroots@gamil.com. For the picture: "FamilySearch, Family Tree" (www.familysearch.org: accessed 10 October 2019), entry for Joseph Checketts, PID: KWCC-4XW.
Joseph and the Gunshot Wounds
In the year 1906 in Ogden Utah, Joseph Checketts found himself bleeding in the stomach He was surprised to see his shirt cover in blood. It happened so quickly he recalled he was cleaning his revolver which was unloaded when it dropped hitting the chair. The revolver hit the chair it fired a bullet right into Joseph’s stomach.
Joseph clenched his stomach, he thought he was a goner. He was in the hospital being examined. The doctors confirmed that he was going to live. Although he was in a lot a pain, he did not receive a fatal shot.
As he was slowly recovering from his accidental shooting, he became more difficult to be around. It seemed like there was always trouble going on at his house since he was not a kind man. Joseph was a wastrel causing a lot of turmoil in his family's and neighbors lives. Sadly, Joseph became a cruel man when he was plastered. Police visited his house on multiple occasions because of his violence.
About a month after accidentally shooting himself, Joseph experienced the unthinkable. On Monday 25 February 1906, there was a huge social gathering at Joseph’s house. As the gathering lingered on through the night, Joseph grabbed another bottle of liquor. He continued to drink the night away. As he usually did when he was intoxicated, he became murderous. After consuming so much alcohol Monday night, Joseph started to abuse his wife, Jane, Tuesday morning. He started to push her and yell obscenities at her. Joseph continued to down more alcohol.
After he returned home from indulging more alcohol, he threatened Jane by saying he was going to kill her. Concerned neighbors were afraid for the family and urged them to get the police. However, the family declined because they thought that Joseph would be able to sleep it off.
Once again, Joseph left his house in huff and started causing trouble in town the next morning. Joseph entered the Mint Saloon on 25th Street. While Joseph was ordering a beer, around him were men of different ethnicities from the railroad. He sat at the bar, while the men around were yelling obscenities. The bartender tried his best to contain the wild bunch. One of the occupants sitting at a table remembered a time when the railroad was not in town. The town consisted of Mormons living a life to their fullest until the railroad was built. The railroad brought in a rough a group of men. They did not live to the standards that the Mormons lived to and this caused some conflict among the people.
Joseph returned home later that afternoon more intoxicated. While he continued to drink himself away, his family distracted themselves. Since it was so common in their household, they thought he would sober up sooner rather than later. However, the older members of the family were still aware of what their father was doing. They did not have enough time to sleep or even change their clothes.
Nonetheless, this was not the end of Joseph’s intoxication. After leaving the house several times that Tuesday, he returned more uncontrollable than before. He went into his house and started hitting Jane. Just as he was going to strike her again, one of his daughters tried to intervene. Unfortunately, she failed in her attempt. Her father threw her to the side and threatened to kill her if she tried to intervene again.
Joseph went into the kitchen and a grabbed a butcher knife. With the weapon in his hand, he burst into Jane’s room, screaming at her. She shouted. Joseph grabbed her by the hair and slashed a four-inch-deep cut just above her left ear with his knife. Jane shrieked, the children ran into the room, and Joseph stormed out.
Around midnight, Joseph put himself to bed. The family, finally believing that he would be able to sober up, went to catch some sleep.
Joseph arose early Wednesday morning, shortly after his family was asleep, and went back into Jane’s bedroom. He began to talk loudly to Jane, waking up the children. His second eldest boy Frank heard the commotion in his mother’s room. Joseph was once again striking Jane. Frank heard his mother scream and he quickly went into her room. Joseph pushed Frank out of the room, returned to Jane, and started choking her. Frank barged back into the bedroom and saw Joseph pushing Jane up against the wall by the neck. "Let her go!" he cried to his father. He did not even seem to hear. Frank watched helplessly for a moment then ran from the room. Seconds later, he returned, holding a revolver in his hand.
He threatened Joseph to let go. As Joseph let Jane go, he turned to grab to the revolver from Frank. As he was spun around, Frank shot him in the left temple. Joseph’s body collapsed to the ground.
Stay tuned for the rest of the story of Frank and the after math of the death of Joseph Checketts.
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