Edna was the Granddaughter of Alfred Gideon Wilson, a member of the Mormon Battalion. Alfred brought his family to the Grand Valley (Moab Valley today) becoming the first family to arrive. He laid out the city.

Edna was a pioneer in the truest sense. She married and had a houseful of kids. In 1922, her husband, Fred Luther Turner, and his partner sold their gold mine. The partner purchased a "quick draw" pistol with a "hair trigger" for Fred. One day, his next to youngest son spied it on the table next to the door. He picked it up. Fred saw what was going on and said, "My G-d, boy, that gun is loaded!" He reached for the gun to take it away. It went off, shooting him in the chest, killing him instantly.

They grabbed the boy and took him away. In an effort to protect the boy, everyone was told that Fred had committed suicide. The boy knew the truth and shared it when the matter came up.

That left Edna with a houseful of kids and no husband. She married the much older Hyrum Allen. He had been married to Edna's older sister, Nancy Almira Wilson, who died in 1925.

Edna loved genealogy and researched all of her ancestors, including those who had crossed the plains. She made a trip to Salt Lake City in the 1920s to visit the Genealogy Library. There she hand-copied many records, including a whole book. Afterward, she made copies (all handwritten) for several family members.

She treasured her family history and shared stories of her ancestors with her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. I was one of those. Now, I am sharing them with my grandchildren, who persistently ask, "Grandpa, tell us a pioneer story." Thanks to my Grandmother and my Great-Grandmother, I have a lot of them to tell.