Dave Donaldson class picture (back row, sixth child from right)
I know David William Donaldson attended Lincoln School. I have another photo I will share that has a school banner behind him. Initially, I did not think this photo appeared to be in front of that school. However, I was able to confirm with another person, cousin Nancy Jonas Howard, who also attended the same school, albeit 20 years after Dave, that these doors were on the Lincoln School.
Here is a picture of Lincoln School that I could find. It was apparently built in 1891 and tore down in 1970. I understand it was located east of Washington Avenue just north of 3rd Street. Knowing that the family lived in 8th Street, Five Points is not that far.
Five Points School, later known as Lincoln School
I do not have tons of information on this class picture. David William Donaldson was born 25 November 1928 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. I am guessing he is somewhere around 10, which puts the photo somewhere around 1938.
Minico High School automotive and drafting students display medals taken at the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) Skills Championships held March 27-29. Awards include: Technical Drafting, first place, gold medal: Glade Boldt; second place, silver: Justin Coleman; Architectural Drafting, first place, gold: Paul Ross; second place, silver: Rachel Fennell; Extemporaneous Speaking, second place: Justin Coleman; Automotive Skills, bronze: Oral Scott; Job Interview, silver: Justin Tate; New State Officer: Justin Tate. Pictured (;-r) are Nick Fletcher, Dustin McClellan, Justin Coleman, Lynn Brown, Glade Boldt, Oral Scott, Justin Tate, Corey McClellan, Rachel Fennell and Paul Ross, (seated on the floor).
I remember a few things about this trip to Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. It was a really long drive, or so it seemed to me. I got motion sick on the winding road to Lewiston from Boise. Multiple times we had to stop so I could throw up. I had let my hair grow longer than I ever had and it was a new sensation and some made fun of me because I kept messing with it. I remember just thinking Lewiston was a run-down town. Which must be saying something for the boy coming from Paul, Idaho!
In May of 2021, the Ross family traveled back to Ely, Nevada. We went the first time in October 2020 with Amanda’s parents and the Hales Family and quite enjoyed our trip. I told Steve Taggart about it and he wanted to go the next time we went. He brought his parents and family down as part of the trip. Here are some photos from both trips.
East Ely Train Station of Nevada Northern Railway (Oct 2020)
Lyle Taggart, Bonnee Taggart, and Kristen Taggart in Ely, Nevada (May 2021)
Regina Nuffer Wanner with her children in 1908, Willard John and William Christoph and Golden (not clear which is which of the three), Mary Louise in the middle row, and Serge Nuffer, Rulon, and Eva Virtue Wanner on the front (all l-r)
This is another version, colorized, of this photo, but with Regina and others looking less directly at the camera. The above version obviously has some blemishes in the original.
Regina with William and Willard in the back and then Golden, Mary in the middle, holding Serge, then Rulon, then Eva.
I have written previously on this Nuffer/Wanner family. This photo was taken to send to George Wanner while he was serving a mission. This photo is slightly different than the copy I previously shared in that Regina is looking at the photo.
George was called to serve his second mission in the fall of 1907, the second time leaving a pregnant Regina, this time with six children. Baby Serge was the last of their children to be born 8 March 1908 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho. George was set apart on 29 October 1907 to serve in the Swiss and German mission. George completed his mission and set sail for the United States. He departed Liverpool, England on 9 December 1909 and arrived in Preston on Christmas Day 1909.
It was during this mission that George served in Meissen, Germany and taught the Christiana Wilhelmina Andra family. That family joined the church and immigrated to Preston. George and Regina’s daughter, Mary, later married Christiana’s son, William Andra. A direct blessing for serving a mission that rewarded the missionary for generations and still continues.
John & May, Mary, Michael, William, Stephen, Michael Jr, Suzanna, Anthony, Anna, Myrtle & Joseph Melycher
This photo was taken 25 May 1936 presumably in Fairfield County, Connecticut of the Melycher family.
Michael Melycher was born 20 October 1869 in Modrová, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Trenčiansky, Slovakia. Suzanna Gajdosik was born 22 June 1878 in the same location. Michael and Suzanna were married 3 February 1896. I am not clear when they immigrated to the United States, some records show as early as 1897, others as late as 1909.
Michael and Suzanna had 10 children.
Stephanus Melycher born September 1898 and died before 1903 in Slovakia.
Michael Carl Melycher born 7 April 1900 in Mondrova and died 30 April 1987 in Newport, Campbell, Kentucky.
John R Melycher born 29 April 1902 in Austria and died 16 February 1985 in Fort Lauderdale, Broward, Florida. His wife, May B Linderman, is also in the photo above. She was born 28 May 1911 in Kentucky and passed in 1995 in Fort Lauderdale.
Father Stephen Daniel Melycher was born 4 February 1905 in Austria and died 20 January 1997 in Brooklyn, Anne Arundel, Maryland.
Joseph Romano Melycher born 16 August 1910 in Croton Falls, Putnam, New York and died 19 August 1993 in Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut. His wife, Myrtle Beardsley, is also in the photo above. She was born 7 April 1915 in Newtown, Fairfield, Connecticut and passed 30 May 1992 in Danbury.
Anna Mary Melycher born 10 March 1912 in Croton Falls and died 14 August 1990 in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Connecticut.
Mary Melycher born 27 February 1914 in Croton Falls and died 16 September 2013.
Anthony Francis Melycher born 15 November 1915 in Bridgeport and died 8 September 1984 in Danbury.
William Francis Melycher born 21 September 1918 in Newtown and died 14 July 1997 in Newtown. My Uncle Willie, or William Francis Melycher Jr is the son of William Sr.
Rudolph Melycher born 17 March 1920 in Newtown and died 20 September 1920 in Newtown.
Michael Sr died 22 August 1947 in Bridgeport. Suzanna died 7 January 1959, also in Bridgeport.
Here is another picture of the same occasion.
William, Joseph, Michael, Stephen, John, and Anthony Melycher
Bridge near Hyde, Greater Manchester, England. Elder John Peters stands on the bridge in 1999.
The old man going a lone highway, came in the evening, cold and gray, to a chasm vast, both deep and wide, through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim; the swollen stream was as naught to him; but he stopped when safe on the farther side and build a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “You are wasting your strength in labor here. Your journey will end with the closing day. You never again will pass this way. You’ve crossed the chasm deep and wide why build you this bridge at eventide?”
The laborer lifted his old gray head, “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followeth after me today a youth whose feet must pass this way. The chasm which has been naught to me, to that young man may a pitfall be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim. Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”
Paul and Hiram Ross at General Conference Sat 2 April 2022
We have tried to take our kids to General Conference when they turn 8. Generally, children under 8 are not invited to General Conference. Hiram turned 8 in 2020, but due to Covid-19 General Conference was not open to the public in 2020 and 2021. Hiram had to wait until he was almost 10 to attend!
Traffic in Salt Lake City was not too bad. As you can see, we are about half-way back on the main floor, do we did pretty well for seats.
President Nelson and President Ballard both spoke about missionary work. At one point Hiram turned to me and said these talks were for him. He felt the spirit and need for missionary work. Glad the Spirit touched him on this important point. Now to prepare…
Elder Bednar’s talk about heeding them not touched me. Let Us All Press On is one of my favorite hymns and has a history for me.
Time ran out. We had to head back to Kaysville so Amanda, Aliza, and Jill could go to the afternoon and evening session.
Jonas negative taken in early 1960s on Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah
This article is from Pioneer magazine, 2019 Vol. 66, No. 4. This is actually a reprint from the October 1937 Pioneer magazine. This article was entitled Lost on the Handcart Trail and was written by D. J. G.
“Sarah Goode Marshall displayed courage and mother love typical of the early pioneer women of our state. She was the mother of six small children whose father died during the preparation of the family to immigrate from Great Britain to America. Saddened, but not discouraged at the loss of her husband, she left her native England with a company of Mormon Immigrants, arriving in the State of Iowa in the spring of 1845, just as the first handcart companies were being organized.
“Mrs. Marshall prayerfully raised her tear filled eyes to Heaven and asked God to be her guide and protector to her little ones, and comfort them through their long journey to an unknown land, among a company of strangers. All she owned was placed in a small hand cart. She then began the long trek over the plains with her six children.
“Their journey through the State of Iowa was very difficult, but they must become accustomed to hardship and exhaustion which comes through overwork and little nourishment. Alone, she, most of all, must become accustomed to being the one who must sacrifice, the one who must endure patiently, the one who must have explicit confidence in their captain. She must learn to submit to his will and obey company regulations without questions.
“One day after their journey had been resumed, following a short rest and lunch, Mrs. Marshall missed one of her little girls. She became frantic and sick with fear for her child. A search among the children of the company was hurriedly made. Inquiries were made regarding the child and her disappearance, but no information could be gained. It seemed no one had missed the child. Mrs. Marshall then appealed to the captain of her company and asked for permission to go back over the trail in search of her baby. The captain was stern and exacting. He pondered and stared at her and then said, ”You must not leave the company, too much time has already been lost and all must be on their way.” Her heart was filled with anguish, her sorrow and anxiety was almost more than she could endured. Sympathetic mothers in the company wept and tried to comfort her. They uttered silent prayers for her and her babe. She obeyed the captain and slowly she pushed her little cart along the weary trail. Every step separating her farther and farther from her child.
“At last “Halt” was called and their day’s journey ended. Her great mental anguish and suffering made her ill, but after a scant supper had been eaten she carefully tucked her five remaining children in their camp beds and then she waited patiently for darkness to fall. She knew all would then sleep soundly in camp. When all was quiet and she was alone she slipped away, back over the trail which she had just traveled. Hoping, praying, listening, weeping, she often called aloud to her child only to be mocked by the echo of her own voice and dead silence of the prairie. She plodded wearily on, but her fear was consuming her hope and the faith that she would find her little girl became weaker. Her strength was failing, and she was almost exhausted. It seemed that she would fail, she was lost, alone, weary and sick, she staggered on, and then out of the shadows of the night she came upon her babe lying on the trail. Then came the realization that she was rewarded. Her little one lay exhausted at her feet. Mrs. Marshall knelt beside her sobbing, sleeping little child, and on that lonely prairie trail thanked God. She knew that the prayers she had uttered during that day and night had been heard and answered.
“She hugged her babe to her. She could hear the howls of the wolf and the hoot of the owl. After a very short rest she nestled her sleeping baby’s head to her breast and began once more plodding back over the trail to the hand cart company. Just as the company was about to start on the day’s journey Mrs. Marshall appeared in camp, baby safe and a heroic mother feeling that she had rescued her babe from the perils of the wilderness.
Sagacity 