New Marker Tells Story Of First Baby Born In L.V.

By NICK YAMASHITA

The Progress

A new historical marker has been placed in the Pioneer Cemetery in Overton. It marks the grave of the very first baby born in the city of Las Vegas. Genevieve Lytle was born amid primitive conditions in Las Vegas on August 18, 1905. She passed away less than two years later in Overton.

Earlier this year, the Lytle family placed the new marker on the baby’s grave in Overton. They got help from Las Vegas historian Joe Thompson in sketching creating the memorial.

This process involved an interesting education in this small facet of regional history, said Overton resident Kurt Lytle, an nephew of Genevieve.

“The history has been fun,” Kurt said. “Our family has enjoyed it and it is wonderful for this monument to be present now at her gravesite.”

John A. Lytle and his new bride, Mary Virginia Perkins Lytle, were married on March 24, 1904, in St. George, Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mary was of th Perkins family from Overton.

The couple wanted to live in a place with an opportunity to begin their new life together. As they were trying to get on their feet, though, they were living in a two-room tent near the Helen Stewart Ranch in the Las Vegas valley. Their tent was located somewhere in the area that is now the Interstate 15 at Washington Avenue.

“Las Vegas had begun to grow as the railroad was completed between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles,” stated Kurt Lytle. “So the City of Las Vegas became an official entity on May 15, 1905.”

Just a few months later, Mary gave birth to their first child, Genevieve. The family had a neighbor who would sing and play the guitar well. He often played a song that was popular back then called “Sweet Genevieve.” John and Mary liked the name so much they decided to give their daughter that name.

Having a baby born in Las Vegas was a big news item back then. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce even awarded the newly born child with a small locket as she was known to be the first baby born in the newly formed City of Las Vegas.

But living conditions were horrible in Las Vegas, especially for an infant. In her written history, Mary recounts that there were “some days the hard winds would sweep through the valley. Genevieve and I would be covered with dust, but there was nothing that could be done but endure it.”

After bearing these difficult conditions for a time, Mary insisted upon moving back to her hometown in Overton.

But when Genevieve was about 18 months old, the community was hit with an epidemic of Whooping Cough. Sadly, Genevieve contracted the disease.
“With no doctor or help, we couldn’t cure her,” Mary wrote.
The child died on June 23, 1907. She was buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Overton.
“This was a terrible blow to us,” wrote Mary in her history. “A heartache still remains after all these years.”

Earlier this year, Genevieve’s niece Naomi Lytle Gibbs, and her husband Rollie Gibbs, came through town to visit the cemetery plot where the child was buried. They decided they wanted to do something to honor little Genevieve.

They got in contact with Mr. Thompson, a well-known historian. With his help they sketched and worked on the monument that would become the marker that now placed at Genevieve’s grave today.

“The monument was erected, and a metal fence was fabricated and installed to protect the site,” explained Kurt Lytle. “The Lytle family met at the site in May of this year to celebrate the achievement.”

Mary Lytle wore the locket, which was given to Genevieve by the Chamber of Commerce, all throughout her life to remember her lost child. It contained a lock of Genevieve’s hair. That item has become a cherished keepsake for the Lytle Family.

“We couldn’t have done this achievement without the initial work of Rollie and Naomi Gibbs. We are thankful for them,” said Kurt.

“This resident of Moapa Valley had a strong presence in the settlement of Nevada,” Kurt added. “And the glitzy City of Las Vegas can now easily find its firstborn child resting in our lovely little valley.”