Content of the above pictorial from left: Newel Knight Monument, map of Fort Niobrara, Find A Grave write-up for Mavon Herring, Mavon and Scott Bonham
family attending a special showing of Lydia Goldthwaite memorial, Mavon Herring, the new monument, Robert Newel Reynolds (bottom),Alene Reynolds,
Robert N. Reynolds, Willie Stolworthy, Carr Stolworthy attending 2006 Knight Family Reunion, Willie and Carr Stolworthy.
How "The Three Lydia's" Came To Be
Here is background information on the events and key individuals who helped share the story of "The Three Lydias" in it's first person format. When this author began working with the text and illustrations that now comprise the story, only old typescripts existed of the three women named "Lydia." Each script was produced by an individual who knew the respective Lydia and carefully wrote about her life's story. To the late Mary Mavon Nelson Herring, alone belongs the credit for compiling the old "Lydia" scripts into a "first person" perspective narrative, while staying strictly with the facts and actual substance of each Lydia's life. Mavon Herring did not have the means to render her typescripts into a modern digitized work, so she did what she knew best - she typed, photocopied, cut and pasted, and generously shared her work with others. She told me once of her desire for the piece to become a book, and so she made an inquiry for publication, but to no avail. Afterward, she simply distributed copies of her typewritten pages to a few family members for their edification. Finally, while in her early eighties, Mavon witnessed her project take on new life, and through the events recorded here, into the digital age.
We don't know when Mavon's intense focus began on her three grandmother forebears, but we know exactly when it started to bear fruit. The Joseph Knight Sr. Family Reunion of 2006 was held at Wheeler Farm in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah on June 17, 2006. Mavon did not attend, but her first cousin, Carr Stolworthy and his wife Willie were there to breath in the Knight Family spirit, and immediately afterwards to travel to Mavon's home in Manti to share their observations.
As for this namesake of Newel Knight, a long-time search for a Stolworthy relative came to an end that day when my silver-haired wife, Alene and I found ourselves sitting next to Carr and Willie at the round table of the reunion. What followed represents the substance of this account. The events that literally shaped "The Three Lydias" are described in the downloadable PDF below.
The events that led to the creation of the digital, PDF version of "The Three Lydias" played a major role in Mavon Herring's initiative to upgrade Lydia Goldthwaite Knight's grave memorial in the St. George cemetery, beginning in 2009. It was no coincidence that our generous nephew, Scott Bonham and his wife, Susanne were also seated at that round table in 2006. Scott's primary role in helping finance the new memorial is further explained in the PDF account below.
Mary Mavon Nelson Herring died 20 May 2012 at age 84. She lived to see her most important Family History goals achieved. I miss her and am grateful for her many generous gifts of time and insight into our forebears past.
We don't know when Mavon's intense focus began on her three grandmother forebears, but we know exactly when it started to bear fruit. The Joseph Knight Sr. Family Reunion of 2006 was held at Wheeler Farm in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah on June 17, 2006. Mavon did not attend, but her first cousin, Carr Stolworthy and his wife Willie were there to breath in the Knight Family spirit, and immediately afterwards to travel to Mavon's home in Manti to share their observations.
As for this namesake of Newel Knight, a long-time search for a Stolworthy relative came to an end that day when my silver-haired wife, Alene and I found ourselves sitting next to Carr and Willie at the round table of the reunion. What followed represents the substance of this account. The events that literally shaped "The Three Lydias" are described in the downloadable PDF below.
The events that led to the creation of the digital, PDF version of "The Three Lydias" played a major role in Mavon Herring's initiative to upgrade Lydia Goldthwaite Knight's grave memorial in the St. George cemetery, beginning in 2009. It was no coincidence that our generous nephew, Scott Bonham and his wife, Susanne were also seated at that round table in 2006. Scott's primary role in helping finance the new memorial is further explained in the PDF account below.
Mary Mavon Nelson Herring died 20 May 2012 at age 84. She lived to see her most important Family History goals achieved. I miss her and am grateful for her many generous gifts of time and insight into our forebears past.
Robert N. Reynolds
22 June 2014
22 June 2014