Sunday, July 18, 2010

Annie Rebecca- Schoolteacher

Going through an old scrapbook or mine, I found this 1960's article about Annie Rebecca being the first woman school teacher in Star Valley. (She is William Henry Kennington's Wife)

Several facts I had forgotten about. It looks like the log school house was located on the same block where the current elementary is in Afton. Anyone know any different?

I see that the error of her coming with only her widowed mother is perpetuated here. Actually Josiah/Joseph Kimber was her stepfather at that time. It's time we had his history. I'll publish it next time.

Also interesting about Charles Dickens and Nick Wilson. The facts do check out - Dickens lived on the same street where she worked for a pawn broker. He even visited the ship she emigrated on and wrote an article about the Mormons. He had daughters about her age. Wonder if she was just a curiosity or if he actually knew her enough to have conversations, etc. Nick Wilson was an adult with a family when they and the Kenningtons all lived in Ovid. They're on the census records. If you haven't read the Little White Indian Boy by Nick Wilson and E.N. Driggs, you'd enjoy it.

Why is history always more colorful and mysterious after 100 years?

3 comments:

Taryn Seymour said...

Hello, My name is Taryn Seymour. My grandfather is Willam hal Kennington born in Grace, Idaho. His father is Willam Albert Kennington, his wife Enna Bennet Kennington.We live in San Diego, California. My mom's maidan name is Kennington and i was interested in my family line, there are many of us living all together, Willam had 7 kids with Essie Lee Dover kennington, and which almost all of them had up to 4 kids. We are all loving life all together on our own 7 acres out here. I have heard many of the stories from star-valley. I am fifteen years of age, and i am sitting here with my cousin Stanton Kennington looking back on my week at EFY. While i was there i met a girl named Shaelyn Kennington, i was soo interested because her name! than i asked her about her family, and her father is klark Kennington, and his father was phil kennington. . .it turns out WE are related! It was quite remarkable, so i started looking up other names of our family, and am so thankful for your blog! Thanks for writing!
sincerely,
Taryn Seymour

Kathy said...

Thanks Taryn - one nice comment like yours is worth it. I recognize the names - do you remember William Albert's father? I'd like to know.

We all need to get together- have a big Kennington reunion some year in Afton.

Thanks again.

Kathy

Taryn said...

I love that idea! I think that would be so great to have a reunion and meet other kenningtons! I am currently sitting with William Hal Kennington( my grandpa), and he said that he doesnt remember William Albert Kenningtons father (his grandpa). He said he has only met him about two or three times, and that he doesn't remember much anymore about him, so he doesn't remember his name. Sorry! But it would be great to do a reunion sometime in the near future!