Descendants of Willard Neeley: Saints and Missionaries

On New Years Eve, my family, my brother Lance, and two of his children visited my Dad (Martin) and Carol in Oklahoma. We had fun at the park and stayed up late playing games to ring in the New Year.

Carol is very active in family history and genealogy research. Over the years she has shared morsels of her learning, experience, and information with us—for which I am very grateful! 17 years ago today, on January 14, 1999, my Grandma Smemoe (Doris Mary Neeley Smemoe) passed away. Since her passing, Carol has carefully kept Grandma’s records and pictures. Over the last couple years, she has shared more of these with us. During our recent New Year's Eve visit, I was able to scan several of these pictures. One picture was a very nice picture of Mary Atkinson (Thompson) with her four daughters. Of course, one of her daughters, Hannah--or Nan for short, would eventually marry our (my great) grandfather Willard after his mission. Another picture was of the Atkinson mother and and daughters on an outing with the missionaries, including Willard. Willard kept a journal entry of almost every day of his mission, so I was glad to read a little more about this day, captured in this picture.

Here’s his journal entry from that day on Monday, July 30, 1906:

Mon. July 30/06 Carlisle Fine

After a short talk with Sister Walker we went to lodge and remained till dinner after which a picnic party was arranged to Wetherell [also spelled Wetheral] Woods. We all set off about 2 o’clock to walk out the 4 mile winding road that would bring us to the place. After arriving, selected a place under the trees where we ate the repast [meal]. Then we played ball and jumped till we were tired. Also went in the Wetherell church [see pictures below] to see the Howard monument [picture below]. Toward evening we went down the river Eden a mile to Bro. Porter’s where we spent a short time singing. Sister Porter prepared supper for us, after which Elders Wooton, Jones, and the Saints started back to Carlisle. Pres. Taylor, Elder Owen, and I remained over night.