Gaskell Romney 1871-1955
BackGround: London Temple, London, England.
Created 5 Marh 2010
Gaskell was born 22 September 1871 in St. George, Washington, Utah and married 20 February 1895 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico, Anna Amelia PRATT, the daughter of Helaman PRATT and Anna Joanna Dorothy (Dora) WILCKEN. She was born 6 May 1876 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah and died 4 February 1926 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utahj. Gaskell died 7 March 1955 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
After fleeing the Mexican revolution, Mitt Romney's grandfather, Gaskell lost his home and possessions. While living in Salt Lake City, Gaskell Romney ran for County Commissioner with the slogan by which his grandson, Mitt, abides: “Vote Republican!” Gaskell sued Mexico for the loss of his property and, in 1938, was awarded damages of $9,163. Half of the money went to his son, George Romney, putting the family on a solid financial footing. Gaskell and George visited Colonia Juarez on a sentimental trip in 1941. George's son, Mitt Romney, was born in 1947 and has never visited the town.
According to a Romney family legend they are descended from the fourth-century slayer of dragons, St. George, the patron saint of England. The Detroit Free Press reported a 1959 speech of the American Motors executive under the headlines, "Sir Romney Challenges 'Dragons'." The legend continues adding that early settlers in southern Utah named a town in Washington County near the Arizona border "St. George". Gaskell Romney was one of the Romney's born in St. George, Utah.
Anna Amelia Pratt
Anna Amelia Pratt (Salt Lake City, Utah, May 6, 1876 - Salt Lake City, Utah, February 4, 1926, bur. Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Utah). Daughter of Helaman Pratt and one of his wives, Anna Johanna Dorothy ("Dora") Wilcken. Married Gaskell Romney. Mother of George W. Romney.
Gaskell Romney
(1871-1955), Born in St. George, Utah, on September 22, 1871. Son of Miles Park Romney and Hannah Hood Hill. Married 1895 to Anna Amelia Pratt in Colonia Dublán, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico, February 20, 1895. Father of five sons: Maurice, Douglas, Miles Pratt Romney, George W. Romney, Lawrence and Charles. Candidate for County Commissioner 1931. Republican. Died Salt Lake City, Utah, March 7, 1955, buried. Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Utah.
George Wilcken Romney was born in the Mormon colonies of Chihuahua, Mexico on July 8, 1907. He was the fifth son of Gaskell and Anna Pratt Romney. His father had a successful building business, and was considered to be one of the most prosperous businessmen in the community. Life for the family changed when Romney was five years old - a revolution erupted in Mexico.
This event forced Romney's family to flee for their safety. His father sent his pregnant wife and five sons to safety in El Paso, Texas. Fortunately, there was only one skirmish with the rebels during their three-day journey in the hot summer sun. The senior Romney headed to El Paso to join his family. There, he was just another carpenter. The revolution forced the family to leave behind their comfortable home and way of life. After a brief stay in El Paso, they moved to Los Angeles, before continuing on to Oakley, Idaho and Rexburg, Idaho. The family eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1921.
Gaskell Romney resumed construction work but was generally poor. In 1917, the family moved to Rexburg, Idaho and Gaskell became a successful home and commercial builder in an area growing because of high World War I commodities prices. The family returned to Salt Lake in 1921, and Gaskell resumed construction work.The family was again prospering when the Great Depression hit in 1929 and ruined them. George watched his parents fail financially in Idaho and Utah, with their debts taking a dozen years to pay off; seeing their struggles influenced his life and business career.
Gaskell Romney, Mitt Romney's grandfather, was not a polygamist. He married Anna Amelia Pratt, the daughter of polygamists and the granddaughter of Parley Pratt, the apostle with 12 wives. Their marriage took place Feb. 20, 1895, in Dublan, Mexico.
Gaskell Romney had moved to Mexico with his parents in 1884 amid the proliferation of U.S. laws prohibiting "unlawful cohabitation." Anna Pratt was born in Utah, but had emigrated to Mexico and lived in one of nine Mormon colonies established over the border.
Gaskell Romney and Anna Pratt had seven children, including George Wilcken Romney, the former Michigan governor. He lived with his parents in Mexico until 1912, when the family returned to the United States.
In 1885, in the face of some messy business over loving too many women, Miles Romney set off from Utah to Chihuahua to raise his family and create a refuge for fellow Mormons about two hundred miles south of El Paso and Cd. Juarez. One of the children he brought with him was Gaskell Romney, who went on to sire a son in Colonia Dublán who would go on to become President of American Motors, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Governor of Michigan and presidential possibility -- George W. Romney.
As the Mexican Revolution broke out, the Romneys headed back North to Idaho and Utah, the five-year old George W. Romney in tow.
The Mexican connection didn't come to an end. Twenty-six years later, in 1938, the family's lawsuit "Gaskell Romney v. the United States of Mexico" finally was heard, and Gaskell was awarded $9,163, which gave him a leg up. He gave half of the award to his son George.
1880 Census St. George, Washington, Utah, ED Page
| Place of Birth |
Name Race Sex Age Relation Mar Occupation |Self Father Mother|
ROMNEY M P W M 36 -------- M Carpenter Ill. Eng. Eng.
" H H W F 37 Wife M Keeping House Canada Scot. Scot.
" C J W F 25 Wife M Keeping House Utah Eng. Eng.
" Isabell W F 17 Dau S At School Utah Ill. Canada
" Mary A W F 12 Dau S At School Utah Ill. Canada
" Miles A W M 10 Son S At School Utah Ill. Canada
" Gaskill W M 8 Son S At School Utah Ill. Canada
" C C W F 5 Dau S ------------- Utah Ill. Utah
" George S W M 5 Son S ------------- Utah Ill. Canada
" Thomas C W M 4 Son S ------------- Utah Ill. Utah
" E V W M 2 Son S ------------- Utah Ill. Canada
" Junius W M 2 Son S ------------- Utah Ill. Utah
" Claud W M 4M Son S ------------- Utah Ill. Utah
" Maggie W F 1M Dau S ------------- Utah Ill. Canada
1920 Census , Madison, Idaho, ED Sheet Line
Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Sex Race Age Sta |Self Father Mother| Occupation
ROMNEY Gaskell Head M W 47 M Utah Ill. Canada
" Anna P Wife F W 43 M Utah Iowa Germ.
" Douglas P Son M W 20 S Mexico Utah Utah
" Miles P Son M W 16 S Mexico Utah Utah
" George W Son M W 12 S Mexico Utah Utah
" Lawrence Son M W 10 S Mexico Utah Utah
" Charles W Son M W 7 S Utah Utah Utah
" Meril Dau F W 2 S Utah Utah Utah
Name: Anna Pratt Romney Death date: 04 Feb 1926 Gender: Female Race or color: White Death place: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah Father's name: Helamen Pratt Mother's name: Dora Wilkens Marital status: Married Spouse's name: Gaskell Romney Age: 49 years 8 months 29 days Birth date: 06 May 1876 Certificate type: Certificate of Death Digital GS number: 4139761 Image number: 00063 Collection: Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908 - 1949 Name: Gaskell Romney View Iamage Titles: ----------- Death date: 07 Mar 1955 Death place: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Birth date: 21 Sep 1871 Estimated birth year: ---- Birthplace: St. George, Utah Age at death: 83 years Gender: Male Marital status: Married Race or color: Caucasian Spouse's name: Amy Pratt Romney Father's name: Miles Park Romney Father's titles: ----------- Mother's name: Hannah Hood Hill Mother's titles: ----------- GSU film number: ----------- Digital GS number: 4093754 Image number: 0049 Reference number: 5501424 Collection: Utah Death Certificates 1904-1956 Name: Laurence Romney Titles: ----------- Death date: 12 Feb 1921 Death place: Rexburg, Madison, Idaho Gender: Male Race or color: White Age in years: 11 Estimated birth year: ---- Birth date: 21 Aug 1909 Birthplace: Utah Marital status: Single Spouse's name: ----------- Father's name: Gaskell Romney Father's titles: ----------- Father's birthplace: Utah Mother's name: Anna Pratt Mother's titles: ----------- Mother's birthplace: Utah Occupation: School Student Street address: ----------- Residence: ----------- Cemetery name: ----------- Burial place: Sugar City Burial date: 14 Feb 1921 Funeral home: ----------- Informant's name: ----------- Additional relatives: ----------- Film number: 1530729 Reference number: cn 33146 Collection: Idaho Death Certificates, 1911 - 1937
CHILDREN of Gaskell ROMNEY and Ann Amelia PRATT:
1. GASKELL MAURICE b: 20 Oct 1897; Dublin, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico.
md: 8 Jan 1919; Logan, Cache, Utah.
Genevieve Katherine WALLIS
d: 20 Nov 1972; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
2. DOUGLAS PRATT b: 12 Oct 1899; Dublin, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico.
md: 9 Jun 1920; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
Viola SCHWENDIMAN
d: 4 Apr 1928; Denver, Denver, Colorado.
3. MILES PRATT b: 8 Oct 1903; Dublin, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico.
d: 9 Dec 1980; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
+ 4. GEORGE WILCKEN b: 8 Jul 1907; Dublin, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico.
md: 2 Jul 1931; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
Lenore Emily LAFOUNT
d: 26 Jul 1995; Bloomfield Hills, Oakland, Michigan.
5. LAWRENCE b: 21 Aug 1909; Dublin, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico.
d: 12 Feb 1921; Rexburg, Madison, Idaho.
6. CHARLES WILCKEN b: 26 Aug 1912; El Paso, El Paso, Texas
md: ; , , .
Living _______
d: 7 Jan 1969; Murray, Salt Lake, Utah.
7. MERYL b: 24 May 1917; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
md: 6 Oct 1938, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
La Vell George WARD
d: 9 Oct 1996; Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah.
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