The Next Generations

This photo of James Arno Kirkham, his sons Thad at the back and Kreg with his wife Gene Gudmundsen Kirkham is on the day of the larger gathering at JMK's home; because my dad, Jim is not in the picture I believe it is during the WWII period, when my father was in the Army. There was a year prior to his service that he worked on a ranch in southern Utah, as well.

James Arno- I understand he was mostly referred to as Arno, though my grandmother always called him Kirk- was sales rep for the Utah Farmer Magazine. He loved to sing and was associated with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as a singer as well as in their business department. After my grandparents retired to California he attended classes at a nearby college where he studied music, choral and sang in the school's choir. It was in Huntington Beach, California they were living when they passed away, JAK in 1975 and Gene in 1976. They are buried in the Lehi City Cemetery.

Their family, three sons were Jim with wife Joan Backman and seven children; Thad with wife Arlene Peterson and eight children and Kreg with wife Carolyn Thomsen and five children.

Recording A Family Story

A recent opening of boxes- as some of you have done- revealed pictures such as this. This is James Mercer Kirkham's, and his wife Kate Woodhouse' family on the porch of their home in Salt Lake City. I believe my grandfather James Arno Kirkham must be the photographer.  I want to say it is fall, but it may be spring as well. James Mercer is holding a toddler at the back of the group while Kate is partially obscured left of him. In the same box were individual family photographs- including one of JAK's from this gathering, which I will use  as I introduce the articles I have proposed.

My family moved a lot as I grew up and we did not have many of the archival type of photographs. For this reason pictures might not be included frequently.  We did have an annual Christmas picture made. A document in itself for family history: who, where, when etc. I will use them as appropriate (I hope).