The Gene Pool Thickens

George Romney- born in Dalton, Lancanshire, England 14, August 1831.
He was baptized in England in Sept 1839.
Came to America with his parents, Miles and Elizabeth, when he was 10 yrs old. George was the oldest son.

Vilate Ellen Douglas Romney- born 1840
Her namesake-Vilate Kimball, wife of Heber C. Kimball, who baptized her parents while serving a mission in England.
She sailed to America with her family, when she was just 15 months old.
She married George when she was 16, in the Endowment House on Temple Block. Feb. 26, 1856.



This distinguished couple are my great, great grandparents on my mothers side. George, like his father Miles, learned the trade of carpentry and worked along side his father on the Nauvoo Temple. While he was there he had the great privilege and blessing of hearing the prophet Joseph Smith speak. (there will be much more on this a little later in this narration.) He continued practicing carpentry after leaving Nauvoo and settling in Utah. George worked for the office of public works,under the foreman, who just happened to be his father-Miles. In 1854, at the young age of 23,George became a partner with George Price and others in the contracting and building business and the firm built many of the early homes and public buildings of Salt Lake. He succeeded his father as foreman in the construction of the wood work on the famous Lion House and BeeHive House.

George also had some military experience through an appointment of Governor Brigham Young, as a captain in Major Blair's Battalion of the Nauvoo Legion. For several months he was on active duty in the Echo Canyon campaign. With the approach of Johnston's army, Salt Lake City was practically deserted, as many people fled to Provo. George and his family also went south, and waited it out until the trouble was over. It would be too tedious and a little boring to list all the business ventures that George was involved in throughout his 88 years of ACTIVE life. He had general contracting businesses and started up new lumber companies and sugar mills. He became director of the Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution (ZCMI) He was also director of the Consolidated Wagon & Machine Company. He supervised the building of the Deseret News Annex, the Hotel Utah, and the Deseret National Bank. It can be safely said that he was an officer or board member in about every big business concern in the city.

He served a mission in England in 1869. He presided over the Liverpool and London conferences. He servedas bishop for 20? years in the 20th Ward. And as is common practice, bishops speak at funerals. George spoke at a certain funeral where he bore his testimony of the Prophet Joseph. This talk and testimony was then later published in the Relief Society magazine in 1947. I am including a copy of this talk but will also transcribe the words of the testimony of what he knew to be true about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young "I have heard the Prophet Joseph Smith speak as I never heard man speak, under the influence and power of Almighty God, and I bear you my testimony, which might be the last, that I know with every fiber of my body from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet that every prophecy he ever delivered or uttered about the nations and mankind as to what would take place regarding them previous to the present awful world war has been fulfilled. I knew him personally and can scarcely restrain myself from shedding tears when I contemplate that I saw the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum-men of God, men who sought the welfare of the human family, their only wish being to do good-lying in their gore. I vividly remember seeing the two brothers lying side by side after being killed. The saints felt like little children feel when their parents are taken away from them. Those were serious time. When the Prophet was martyred and word came to Nauvoo on that bright, sunny morning on the 28th of June, it seemed like the gasp of death. There was not a dry eye among the people.
I said the people were all children. But they knew the shepherd's voice. Sidney Rigdon and others said, "I am the man, I am the man." but it did not take. The sheep knew better. And when the Twelve returned from the East, I shall never forget in this world or in the world to come the scene as Brigham Young arose after Sidney Rigdon had used up an hour and a half delivering an eloquent discourse. When Brigham got up the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon him. It was Joseph's voice; it was Joseph's appearance, and I testify to you, if I never again do so on earth, in the presence of God and angels, that this is verily the truth. This is true-that the mantle of Joseph did fall upon Brigham Young and the people knew it."

George did marry 2 other women as well. (I read somewhere that marriage at this time, was a business-ouch)I have neither time or energy or the will to try and explain this aspect of our church history. someday I may try.) Im just happy to report that George dealt equitably with the women in his life. I will try to explain it a little bit here. George had 3 wives. He had 35 children before the government decided to wipe out polygamy. He provided separate homes for each of his families. He fed and clothed and educated these children. 23 of these children lived to get married. When the government intervenes, George had the opportunity to choose one wife to marry 'legally," and forsake the other 2. He refused to do so, and was then sent to the Utah Penitentiary. He served his full term minus 3 months for good behavior.

Vilate Douglas Romney, my great, great grandmother, had a very large family with George. They had 6 sons and 6 daughters. (One of these daughters is my great grandmother, Ellen Romney Schofield) In Ellens' words describing her mother: "She knew practically everyone living in the 20th ward. This ward extended from Eagle Gate to the City Cemetery, from South Temple to Ensign Peak. She was the Good Samaritan in sickness and death. Was willing and ready for any call where she could serve. She helped lay out the dead, make burial clothes, etc. A ministering angel to her own large family. She was treasurer for 20 yrs in the 20th ward Relief Society-which didnt mean that she took care of money but she gave value to merchandise sent in where money was not to be had. As you can imagine, the distribution of this 'merchandise' was where the real labor was required. Time and judgement were required as this was delivered to the poor. After years of devotion and service to her family, fortune smiled on her and she had the luxuries of life. She traveled considerable, crossing the continent several times. Visiting in California and in the north west. Spent 3 months in Europe and the British Isles. She visited Old Mexico and many places of less importance."

These great people are my childrens' ancestors as well as mine. The older I get the more I appreciate their lives and their messages to us. I hope we (ME) will take better heed to each of them and their contributions to OUR lives. We need to take notice and not forget.

Stay tuned for Ellen Romney Schofield!! My great grandmother.