Thoughts and stories, by Pal

I wrote about my "Grandma Pal" in blog # 29, on Dec. 8th, 2013, and of her husband William Gustavus Miles in blog #58.  Today I'll tell some of the same stories, but a bit more complete.  I have always known that I was named after a very loved, strong and faithful grandmother, who died a few years before I was born.  Her name was Paralee Amanda Church, and she married William Gustavus Miles about 6 weeks before she turned 17.  Her husband "Gus" (as he was called) was 6 years older than she was.   As I have heard, she was a very happy person, and people loved to be around her.  One precious family story is about my father, "Pratt" (Orson Pratt Miles) who was the son of "Grandma Pal".  I have a younger sister, Mavis, who went through a difficult divorce when she had 3 young boys.  One time she had called our parents in St. George, from the Salt Lake area, and was quite sad at the time.  Our dear dad, Pratt, immediately, without my sister kn...

I decided tonight to do a quick post -- Actually I have enjoyed this so much, I don't really want to give up doing one blog a day -- but I probably won't do every day.  Please watch for it --   This is about Wayne's mother Gladys' grandmother and grandfather, and was written by Gladys Dayton Eckman. This is about Ann Kirk, (and her husband Richard Henwood) who was the daughter of Phillip Kirk, whose story is told in blog # 61, Phillip Kirk -- burned in effigy.  I have copied 4 pages in the history, which are below.  Ann was one of the 3 children the parents sent over to America four years before they had money enough to come.  She married Richard Henwood, who came with the very first handcart company in 1856.  The first few companies that year came without incident, but the last two were the Willie and Martin companies, we've all heard about a lot.  Richard came with his sister, and his father and stepmother.  He was 18 years old, and we've hear...