I did not marry an "Olney Man" myself, but my grandmother sure did! Edna May Reiche Olney met and fell in love with Benjamin Wilder Olney in 1927. Wilder, as he was called, was a charming man with a big wide smile and a heart to match. They were together well over 50 years. Edna was a sturdy, stubborn and loving woman. One would need those characteristics to be married to an Olney man. Their life together was up and down, sometimes frustrating but surely never boring.
You might wonder why I would choose to write a blog with such a title as this one when I am not, by definition, an Olney woman myself. Well, the Olney men in my line have been fairly well researched and written about. They were tough, adventurous, independent, and sometimes rowdy men. I can't imagine they were very easy to live with. This blog is an attempt to get to know these women and to share their stories with you. It is my hope that through this journey I will arrive at a place of compassion and understanding about my family history and what makes me who I am.
I hope you will join me.
Cheers, LYN
Posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
Benjamin, Lovina's Olney Man
Benjamin Olney was the son of Joseph Greaves Olney and Agnes Jane Arnold. At the time he met Lovina Woolsey, about 1887, he was orphaned and living with his Uncle George Anderson Olney in Safford, Arizona. It is believed they met at the local school. Lovina and Ben were married May 24, 1892 in Solomonville, Arizona. Ben was not a member of the Mormon church and Lovina's marriage to him was, no doubt, a disappointment to her family. Joseph and Mary Woolsey had sacrificed much for their religious beliefs, and their daughter had chosen a different life.
Benjamin was the oldest child of Joseph and Agnes Jane. Just younger than him was his only sister, Lula Belle. Then came three younger brothers, Joseph Greaves II, William Thomas, and Clanton Claiborne. Ben's father died when he was 13 and his mother 3 years later. The children left the ranch in the San Simon valley in southeastern Arizona to live with their uncle George Anderson Olney. George was a young man himself, only 27 years old. He was not yet married, but would marry the next year. Benjamin would name his oldest son after this special uncle. Uncle George came to be a successful businessman in Safford, Arizona. He was elected Sheriff of Graham County and took a run for Territorial Governor. Uncle George was instrumental in getting Ben out of more than one mess through the years, as we shall see.
The picture is Ben and Lovina with Lovina's two sisters, Mary Elva and Laura May Woolsey. It is believed that this picture is near the time of their marriage.
1 comment:
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Looking forward to finding out what kind of messes you are talking about. Your blog is interesting - keep them coming
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February 16, 2010 at 4:34 PM
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