Nine years ago I volunteered to give the life sketch at my father’s funeral. Below are the remarks I prepared. Louis Albert Kirby was the cherished only child of Cecil Robert Kirby and Helen Peterson Kirby. Helen and Cecil had been married 6 years by the time Louis came along on June 8, 1940. Whenever … More What I Said at My Father’s Funeral
Clearly I am a few weeks behind on the #52Ancestors challenge as I am just now writing about Father’s Day. I wrote about my father, Louis Albert Kirby, back in January, so this post is about the man he learned how to father from. Here’s the facts: Cecil Rober Kirby was born 16 December 1910 … More Cecil Robert Kirby
With the #52Ancestors prompt “Going to the Chapel” I immediately thought about looking at the first chapel built in Hyde Park, Utah, because I already knew that my Great Great Grandfather Thomas Wright Kirby had been involved in it’s construction. Then I read over this paragraph from the history of Hyde Park, Utah from the … More Robert Daines
In 1900 Richard Michlethwaite Galloway (Dick) immigrated to the United States. He worked and saved and sent money for his parents and siblings to immigrate as well. The following is the letter (two pages long) his mother Mary Elizabeth Kay Walker wrote to him from “so far away” (the #52ancestors prompt) in England just before embarking … More Mary Elizabeth Kay Walker
Here in America we are celebrating Memorial Day today. This holiday has its roots in the years following the American Civil War as a way to honor those who died in service of our country. I was not raised in a family with a strong military culture. (The prompt for #52ancestors is “military .”) … More SFC Jack M Harris
Talk about another language, this weeks #52ancestors prompt! I have no idea even how to pronounce this ancestor’s name. Aaltje Wasseur is my great-great-grandmother. She was born 29 June 1864 in Stadskanaal (how do you say that?), Netherlands. Here is what I know about her life: She married Onno Frederick Fiet on 6 June 1887 … More Aaltje Wasseur
Fittingly, the #52Ancestors prompt this week is Mother’s Day. I share with you a letter written by William Moroni Daines to his brothers and sisters (including Lydia Jemima Daines) about their mother, Jemima Seamons. This letter was written by William when he was 67 years old, 22 years after Jemima passed away. This letter was … More William Moroni Daines
Up until very recently there was a program in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints known as Home Teaching. The program didn’t go away, but was modified and is now known as Ministering. This isn’t the first time such a change has happened. Before Home Teachers there were Ward Teachers. Ward Teaching was … More Richard Michlethwaite Galloway
As a child I remember being told about a pioneer ancestor of mine who was buried in an unmarked grave in the Logan City Cemetery in Logan, Utah. I thought I knew the general area of the cemetery that her grave is located, but I was way off. In this week’s #52Ancestors post, “In the … More Emily Brown
Thomas Wright Kirby, my great-great grandfather (on my dad’s side), wrote an extensive autobiography. I read a good chunk of it a few weeks ago when I was trying to learn if Grandma Kirby’s house was his. I am determined to find out. In the mean time I am enjoying learning about him. In the … More Thomas Wright Kirby
Gonna Get Through It 