The story below in a continuation of a larger biography of the family of Horatio Malcom, who after his wife dies in Tama Co., Iowa, joins his eldest son, Joseph in the freighting business in the western states.  He takes his two younger sons, William and Duncan, along with him.  You can read more about the Malcoms on This Page.  On this page of Aunt Fanny's narrative she describes what she believes is the way Joseph Malcom meets Permelia Ann Payne Doyle in Grand island, Nebraska in the year 1865.   She describes Permelia as a "widow" but today we know she was not and that Tom Doyle is alive and well and living back in Illinois.  We do not know if she believes she has been widowed, or if she has been deserted by Thomas Doyle or if she is trying to escape her marriage to Doyle.  She is in Nebraska with her brother. Alonzo Payne.  We do not know if he has mustered out of the Illinois 5th Cavalry as yet. Records show that he "mustered out" late in October 1865.  I have not yet uncovered any records of Alonzo being an civilian Indian reservation agent.   There are questions about many details that have yet to be answered.