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Show for the elder Henry Eyring and it brought tears to his eyes. Little did he know that his namesake would someday be world famous as a scientist and that he would be known by believers in the Mormon faith everywhere. Certainly Henry Eyring's grandfather had an important influence on him even though he died when young Henry was only one year old. On his maternal side, Henry Eyring descends from the talented families of Romney and Cottam. The Romneys and Cottams, both English, had joined the Mormon Church in the late l830's and early l840's and emigrated to Utah. Eyring's grandfather, Miles Park Romney, although an early Mormon pioneer to St. George, Arizona, and Mexico, was a pioneer of another class. One daughter wrote of him: "I am sure he never milked a cow, cut a stick of wood, or cut a chicken's head off."H But Miles Park Romney was an advocate of education and an active social life among the Mormons. In the communities in which he lived, dancing, singing and dramatics were an integral part of community life largely because of his influence. He was as familiar with Hamlet, Macbeth and great literature generally as other men were with roping and branding cattle. He had tremendous ability as both a writer and orator and more than one person was impressed for good by his convincing pen and powerful sermons.12 During the 1880's Miles Park Romney was forced to seek refuge in Mexico, as had Henry Eyring, because of his plural marriages.13 He and his wives always received the greatest respect and honor from their children. Henry Eyring as a young boy of three recalls a visit of his grandfather to his parents' home: "I can remember that he came to our house and we had a very long table and I was apparently situated here at one place and I remember that I had never done this before in my life. |
