Memorial Day (better late than never!)

For Memorial Day, my mom, sister, and I went to Idaho Falls to visit grandma and do the traditional putting flowers on graves. It is always interesting to think about the relatives I have met as well as the ones I never have and wonder about them. Interestingly enough, I learned a part of family history I had never heard before from my Grandma Hanson. Her grandfather, George Stephen Arnold, settled in Lyman, Idaho and there are Arnold relatives there today. There's a monument in the cemetery that was erected by Annie E. Arnold. Curiously, someone has tried to etch out "erected by" statement on the monument. I asked grandma about it. I'm not related to Annie and haven't ever heard much about her. Here's the sketchy story that I'm dying to know more about.

George Stephen Arnold married Mary Ann Powell in 1885. Their daughter Jessie Arnold is my great-grandmother, but I digress. Mary Ann passed away in December of of 1926. Enter Annie Burns O'Brian. Rumor has it that she got George Stephen drunk and married him! She may have even been divorced since Burns is her maiden name. George and Annie were married in March of 1927, just 4 months after the death of his first wife. The children (my great-grandmother and her siblings) were not happy about the union and were suspicious of Annie and her intentions. George passed away in December of 1927 just months after marrying Annie. The children were all suspicious that she poisoned their father and took off with his money. The Arnold children never talked about her much probably because they were ashamed, but someone was upset enough to try to get the monument Annie erected at the cemetery in George's honor removed and when that didn't work, tried to etch her out. I have done some research about the infamous Annie. She is buried in Fielding Memorial Cemetery in Idaho Falls (incidentally the same cemetery several of my Hanson relatives are buried in), but I don't know much more about her life. Maybe I'll search for her in the cemetery in Idaho Falls someday and see if her headstone yields any interesting information. Who knew this sordid little chapter of family history existed? Not I!


I saw Grandpa Hanson's headstone for the first time. I sure miss him. It is not the same going to Idaho without him there. What a good man and example he was. It was good to visit grandma and spend time with the fam.