The Morgan family’s search for a family grave ends in Etna.
The story of Hannah Elizabeth Morgan Hadden is similar to hundreds of other stories of American Pioneers. She was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah on Oct. 4, 1866.

After spending her early life moving from place to place with her family, Hannah met and married John Russell Hadden. John and Hannah had a son, John E. Hadden on Aug. 27, 1884. Four years later she moved with her family to Star Valley. They settled near Etna.

Homesteading in Star Valley proved more than difficult for the Hadden family. They arrived too late in the season to cut and store enough food for their livestock. Long before spring all of the animals except the horses had died. The horses had to be fed willows.

After surviving the difficult winter, Hannah died May 22, 1889 in childbirth. The baby, named Francis E. Hadden, lived for a time and then also died.
Eventually John left Star Valley for Idaho. There he remarried and established a future for himself and his family.

But that was not the end of Hannah’s story. In fact, her death is only the beginning of a tale that would bring families together across the wide expanse of the United States.

Ed Lisota has been working on photographing all of the headstones in Star Valley for several years and linking the people buried in Star Valley with obituaries. Kathy Walker and Pat Erickson have also been working on the project.

“When I was doing my part my grandson asked me if I was interested in a pioneer grave and I said of course I was,” said Kathy. “So he took me and showed me where it was.”

The grave Kathy and her grandson Zack went to was Hannah’s grave.

“I wanted her to have a life story. So I started researching,” said Kathy. “All I had was Hannah E. M. Hadden, 1866-1888.”

Kathy started looking into the names of early settlers in the Etna and Freedom areas. She found both Morgans and Haddens. Then she discovered a document that confirmed that Hannah Morgan and been married to John Hadden.

“I kept trying to locate descendants that could tell me about her life and early death,” said Kathy.

Last winter Kathy decided to make a final effort to learn more about Hannah’s life.

“I put her name in Google and I had a hit right off,” said Kathy. “I told myself not to get excited, but as I went on I realized I had found her family.”

The Morgan Family had a website asking for information regarding Hannah Elizabeth Morgan Hadden. Hannah’s grave location had been lost to the family and they were eager to find her final resting place. Needless to say, Kathy contacted the family and told them what she had learned.

James Morgan, a man living in New York, made arrangements to fly out to Wyoming and visit the grave.

“James flew out from New York in August,” said Kathy. “He brought relatives from Idaho Falls to be reunited with Hannah.”

Kathy credits her grandson, Zack, with helping Hannah’s story have a happy ending.

“If he hadn’t asked me about my interest in the grave, she would still be lost to her family,” said Kathy.

It seems that after more than 100 years, Hannah has finally come to rest in Star Valley.