courtesy of Barbara Ohlwiler

Will Lockridge, husband of Grace Phelan Lockridge (youngest daughter of Daniel and Annie Phelan) with his young daughter Kewpie (Agnes).  He did the original survey for RR from Williams, AZ to Grand Canyon.  Henrietta Phelan Smith (Loy) eldest daughter of Ed and Sarah Phelan.  Camelle (Tommie) Phelan youngest daughter of Ed and Sarah Phelan.  She was later Sister Virginia Elizabeth.  The Little Big Horse was captured from a wild herd of miniature horses by my Grandfather Smith and Uncle Jess Smith and brought out of the Grand Canyon.

Gene Phelan is in the back passenger seat ... notice the name of the Grand View Hotel in the background

Gene Phelan on the right

Eugene Thomas Phelan

articles above are courtesy of Charles Arthur Lockridge  (Will's grandson)

by Emily Phelan

I remember Uncle Will and Grace.  One summer while we were living at the Grand Canyon, I got to spend some days by myself with them in their little cabin (home) in the woods someplace between Williams and the Canyon.  There were special memories as:  each evening Will built a fire in their large fireplace where he popped corn is an open kind of wire basket; or make a batch of taffy over the kitchen stove, pour it out onto a large marble slab and until it cooled enough to begin pulling it --- a most amazing process to me.  Then the three of us sat before the fire eating whatever he had made while he told wonderful stories about some of his prospecting experiences.  As a 13 year old, I was in total awe.  It was also a very special time in my life because I was ALONE with these two wonderful people.  (No memory of being homesick or lonesome).   I slept in a little room in the back.  There was a tin room over the house and each night it rained. The sound of rain on the tin room is wonderful!

Kewpie (Agnes) was the most beautiful girl I think I had ever seen.  When she was a baby, her brothers called her Kewpie - a name that she carried forever.  I never had contact with her but learned many years later that she had married, and was living in Cincinnati, OH - about the time I was in my early years there.