This photo appeared of David D Williams recently. I had a very small copy of the same photo attached to a family pedigree sheet. Here is a copy of that pedigree that belonged to my Grandmother, Gladys Maxine Donaldson Ross. The other photos on the pedigree I have also match. I was pretty excited when this one showed up in better and higher resolution than the one on the family group sheet.
Pedigree of David Delos Donaldson
My Grandma would not have known David as he passed away in 1911. I have previously written on David D Williams and Gwenllian Jordan. For a quick updated, David D Williams was born 12 November 1832 in Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in August 1848. He saved and emigrated to Utah in 1864. He married his wife on board the the ship, General McClellan, docked at Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He and Gwenllian Jordan settled in Ogden, Weber, Utah. They had 10 children of which Mary Elizabeth Williams (1869 – 1951) is my Great Great Grandmother. David passed away 27 November 1911 in Ogden. He was buried 2 December 1911 in the Ogden City Cemetery. He and Gwenllian do not yet have a tombstone, something I hope to correct.
Amanda and Paul Ross at our property in Beryl, Utah
There are various benefits from family history. I have various stories that come from fortuitous interactions with the living and the dead. Here is another one of those physical manifestations that come from doing family history.
My grandfather, Milo James Ross, had a half sister June Ethelyn Streeter. June lived her final years with her daughter, Ina Corsaro, in Adelanto, California. I made contact with and visited through the years with Ina and her husband, Merk French.
At one point I had visited with Grandpa about June’s father, Mark Streeter. Grandpa said he would shoot that traitor himself. Grandpa was sometimes pretty forthright, but that was one instance where it shocked me with the abruptness of his language.
In 2019, we took Aliza and Hiram to Disneyland. One of the conditions of the California trip was a stop to try and visit with Ina in Adelanto. While we were there, we connected with a family member I had never met. She was kind enough to let me take a couple of photo albums and other family history on the condition I return them. Of course I did so. Ina and I spent several months naming and getting those photos and documents uploaded to FamilySearch and properly identified.
Fast forward a year or two and I got a random phone call from Ina. She and Merk had purchased a parcel of land in Beryl, Iron, Utah in the 1970s. She had no use for it, she said it wasn’t worth much, and it was in Utah. She asked if I would be interested in it and she would give it as a gift in gratitude for all the help with family history work. I said sure.
We jumped through the hoops with a Utah title company and got the transfer done.
A beautiful day in Beryl, Utah
We took a trip through southern Utah with the kids in March of 2021. We spent a few days in St. George and we ventured out of our way to stop by our nearly gifted property in Beryl, Utah. The photo above is the kids taking our picture on the land we believe we own. There are not clear coordinates and this is as close as we could approximate our parcels. We think we got pretty close.
Our property taxes are about $10 a year. There are no weed or other duties for the parcel. We don’t know how often we will get to visit it. But we own dirt in Utah now, which only came about because of family and family history. So far it is a blessing, hopefully it will always be that way. What does the future hold for this parcel? Will it be in our life?
Johanna and Pieter te Groen at their 50th Wedding Anniversary
I have previously written of Pieter and Johanna te Groen. This is only the second photo I have seen of them. The first I shared in the history I wrote before and is included below. They were married 5 March 1890 in a Lutheran church in Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands. The photo above, as you can tell by the decorations, is to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
The back of the photo says this:
“Your Imele and Annie. Long Beach. Calif. Daisy ave.
“Pieter Willem te Groen en Johanna te Groen van Leeuwen
“the Golden wedding day. March 5. 1890 March 5. 1940
The photo was written to Ibele and Johanna “Annie” Hermina Van Leeuwen Edsinga. Annie is Johanna’s niece.
Johanna and Pieter te Groen
I don’t know if the above photo is a wedding picture or not. The fact they were married in Arnhem and the photography studio on the photo is Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa would indicate it is not. Pieter and Johanna lived in South Africa from 1890 to about 1907. Perhaps it was that they were married in March and the first child was born in December. Perhaps he was in the military. Who knows? Either way, we have another photo of them in 1940 and I am happy to share.
Amanda and Aliza Ross on 12 February 2022 at the Twin Falls Temple
Our daughter Aliza turns 12 this year. That means that in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she is of sufficient age that she may attend the holy temple and perform work on behalf of the deceased. The year that a youth turns 12, starting in January, they may enter and do that work.
Our Ward, the Burley 11th Ward, took various youth on 12 February 2022 to the Twin Falls Temple. Amanda was able to go with her.
We returned to the Twin Falls Temple on 6 March 2022. I met my former mission companion in the England Manchester Mission and former roommate at Utah State University Brad Hales there at the temple with his daughter Eliza. Another great opportunity for our family. My Dad also arranged his schedule while he was working at the temple so that he could also watch and participate in some of the vicarious confirmations as temple recorder.
Paul, Aliza, and Amanda Ross on 6 March 2022 at the Twin Falls Temple
Yesterday, we attended the Pocatello Idaho Temple for baptisms. We took Aliza and my cousin Mary Lou and her husband Bill Teal. We also met Brad and Eliza Hales, this time joined by Aleah, who can also now attend since she turns 12 this year.
Bill and Mary Lou Teal, Amanda, Aliza, and Paul Ross, and Aleah, Brad, and Eliza Hales on 16 April 2022 at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
It was fun to visit with Bill and Mary Lou on the way there and back. Bill had never performed baptisms for the dead, either as the proxy or as the priesthood holder performing the ordinance. He was baptized when a child, but only received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was endowed in the holy temple in 2021. It was the first time Mary Lou had returned to the temple in over 25 years. Here is a picture from that occasion.
Bill and Mary Lou Teal on 20 February 2021 at the Twin Falls Temple
There was a good little crowd there to support Bill and Mary Lou going to the temple on this occasion. Especially with the limited COVID-19 restrictions that were still in place.
Matt and Carrie DeTemple, Becky and Curtis Smith, Ryan Yee, Brandon Clegg, Corinne Carter, Linda Hosteen, Paul and Amanda Ross on 20 February 2021 at Twin Falls Temple
Bill and Mary Lou continued to work and were sealed to each other for time and all eternity in the Twin Falls Temple on 29 September 2021. Which also happened to be the wedding anniversary for Norvel and Karen Christenson.
Bill and Mary Lou Teal on 29 September 2021 at the Twin Falls Temple
Another fun crowd there to support Bill and Mary Lou going to the temple on this occasion. It was a joyous occasion!
(l-r) Linda Hosteen, Corinne Carter, Candi Wells, Denise Olsen, Dave Wells, Denise Olsen, Ryan Yee, Karen and Norvel Christenson, Mary Lou Teal, Paul Ross, Bill Teal, Matt and Trista Cook, Brandon Clegg, Marilyn Felt, and Katie Clegg on 29 September 2021 at Twin Falls Temple
Miracles continue to happen in the lives of those around us. The holy temple is not only a gathering place for the saints spiritually and in the covenant, but for families and friends in this world.
Mary Lou told the story of her attending the Idaho Falls Temple to do baptisms as a youth in the 1960s, just like Aliza is now. Mary Lou grew up on a farm at Hunt, which was part of the Jerome Idaho Stake.
Mary Lou is my first cousin once removed. Bill and Mary Andra are her Grandparents and my Great Grandparents. Her mother, June, and my Grandmother, Colleen, are sisters.
Denise Olsen in one of the photos is the same, but through my Grandpa. Joseph and Lillian Jonas are her Grandparents and my Great Grandparents. Her mother, LeReta, and my Grandfather, Norwood, are siblings. On that occasion in September, I was with two separate relatives of my Mom. How small is the world and the church?
This photo popped up a while ago on an Idaho History Page. I downloaded the photograph and wanted to share it. The photo is of the Heyburn Train Depot in the very early days of the City.
Growing up in the area, I never thought much of Heyburn. It was just in the middle as we were going somewhere. Now that I am the City Attorney, I have learned much more of Heyburn, its past and its future.
Heyburn’s name was changed from Riverton as apparently the Post Office thought there were too many. Senator Weldon Brinton Heyburn represented Idaho in the United States Congress at the time. He was a big man and had served Idaho since 1903. He collapsed on the Senate floor in 1912 and died some time later.
As an interesting bit of history, I thought I would share this Bureau of Reclamation contract with Heyburn from 1910.
As you can see, the contract is between the unincorporated Town of Heyburn and the United States Reclamation Service. I am not entirely clear how an unincorporated town signs a contract. Minidoka County had not been created yet, that is 3 years later, so this is in Lincoln County. Acting for the now Bureau of Reclamation was Charles H Paul, the project engineer for the construction of the Minidoka Dam and delivery system. As you can see, the contract is dated 19 February 1910. The City of Paul is named after Charles Howard Paul (1875-1941).
This was the agreement for the Bureau to delivery water for irrigation to the City each year. This contract is still in place.
Heyburn was incorporated in Lincoln County, Idaho on 18 January 1911.
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Minutes, Book #2, pages 285-286:
“In the matter of the incorporation of the Village of Heyburn. This matter came on regularly to be heard and it appearing to the Board that a petition signed by a majority of the taxable inhabitants of the proposed Village of Heyburn, Lincoln County, Idaho, has been presented and duly filed, praying that they may be incorporated as a Village, designating “Heyburn” as the name they wish to assume and describing the metes and bounds of the proposed Village, and the Board being satisfied that a majority of the taxable inhabitants of the proposed Village have signed such petition, and that such proposed Village has not heretofore been incorporated under any law of this State, it is therefore ordered and declared that the said Village proposed in said petition be and the same is hereby incorporated under the name of the “Village of Heyburn” with metes and bounds as follows:
5 miles to the northeast corner of Section 1, thence south 10 miles to the southeast corner of Section 24 Township 8 South Range 15 East, thence west 6 miles to the southwest corner of Section 19, thence north 2 miles, thence west 1 mile, thence north 1 mile, thence west ½ mile, thence north 1 mile to the quarter corner on the north of Section 2 Township 8 South Range 14 East, thence west ½ mile to the place of beginning.
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Minutes, Book #2, pages 287:
“In the matter of the appointment of five persons as Trustees of the Village of Heyburn duly incorporated and this being the time of the incorporation of said Village and for the appointment of Trustees for the same pursuant to law; therefore it is ordered by the Board that the following named persons possessing the qualifications provided by statute be and they are hereby appointed Trustees of the said incorporated Village of Heyburn to hold their office and perform all the duties required of them as such Trustees by law until the election and qualification of their successors: T. J. Smith, F. H. Adams, B. F. Kimerling, Lee St Clair, and George E. Schroeder.
In a photo album that belonged to my Great Grandmother, Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson (1898-1959), are these unknown photos. Hopefully someone may recognize one or two of them. I can tell some of them have Donaldson or Van Leeuwen relations, but I don’t know each are to name or upload to FamilySearch. Your help would be appreciated. I numbered the photos to help identify which is which if you have information to share with me or in the comments.
2
3
4
5
6 a Van Leeuwen boy? Herman?
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14 (believed to be Cora Biddulph Van Leeuwen)
15 (believed to be Cora Biddulph Van Leeuwen)
16
17 (Dena in the middle?)
18
19 (Dena in the middle?)
20 (Dena on the right?)
21 Maybe Dena and Dora Donaldson?
22 definitely a Donaldson on the farthest left, might be my Great Grandpa David Delos Donaldson on right
23
24
25 a dock somewhere in California?
26
27 another dock in California?
28 building says Virginia Court. Address or Courthouse?
I have previously written of George and Minnie Van Leeuwen. In that post, I shared a copy of the photo I received from the records of the Utah State Hospital. That photo was not dated, so I don’t know when it was taken. Here is the photo I received from their records. It was a photostatic copy and not very high quality.
Photo from George’s Utah State Hospital file
Now I am happy to report that a family member obtained access to the Utah State Hospital file directly and obtained a copy of the photograph in the file. As you can see, the quality is 100 times better than the photostatic copy of the photograph that was provided to me by mail. The personality, the life, the lines, are much more able to be seen than before.
Here is some of what I wrote before.
Gerhardus Hendrik Van Leeuwen (who went by George Henry in English) was born the fourth of nine children to Gerrit van Leeuwen and Elsebina Maria Catharina Weenig on 16 October 1856 in Oldenzaal, Overijssel, Netherlands. I have written of them at this link: Van Leeuwen-Weenig Wedding. He was a carpenter by trade, on the finishing side. He would also tune and service organs. After moving to the United States, he worked as a finishing carpenter.
You can read more of his family at the link above. But some additional notes.
Five children in back (l-r): Minnie, Annie, Elsie, George and Jane. Second row: George, Dena, Hermina. Front: Mary and Herman.
It was about 1885-1886 when George incurred a head injury. My Great Grandmother, his daughter Dena Donaldson, indicated he fell from a ladder. Other siblings reported to descendants that he was struck in the head with a board. This is believed to be the reason why the family moved back to Arnhem, that due to his inability to work, this may be the reason they returned to Arnhem to be near family and rely on them for help.
The family then moved back to Amsterdam perhaps in pursuit of employment again. It was in Amsterdam that the Van Leeuwens met with missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. George and Minnie were both baptized 4 June 1887. The story goes that George saw some men running down the street with people chasing them. Concerned for their safety, he pulled them into his home. He learned they were Elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The missionaries taught the Van Leeuwen the gospel and helped them convert leading to their baptism.
A sponsor from Ogden, was to meet the family at the train depot in Ogden. But no one was there when they arrived. A man by the name of Mr. Dalbout, saw their plight, and he invited the family to go home with him. There was no place to stay for a long period, so they converted a chicken coop into living quarters. This is where the family waited until George could join them. She took in laundry from other families to support themselves until he arrived.
According to George’s 1932 death certificate, he suffered from epilepsy with psychosis for 45 years. That would predate his immigration to the United States. His mental health could have become an issue when immigrating, and it may have been easier if Minnie and the children had gone first and established their new home. That may have enabled George to follow the next spring without risk of having the family turned back. Epilepsy had a stigma of illness that the family had to deal with, everything from wickedness to a contagious disease. This way, only he could potentially be turned away from entering the county. The plan was that with the family already in Utah, he would be permitted to join them in Utah. George arrived 21 March 1889 in New York City, New York on the S.S. Veendam having left Rotterdam.
George’s head and mental injuries continued to worsen as the years passed. The family either had to keep him safe during a fit and keep him calm to keep from inducing a fit. By the time 1911 rolled around, the family could no longer deal with his mental condition on their own. Dena referred to her “Daddy” as tender and sweet and then at the switch he would become angry and threatening. He had made enough threats and raised enough raucous that neighbors called the police. George was committed to the Utah State Mental Hospital in Provo, Utah, Utah in 1911. The family tried to get him out and succeeded. Unfortunately, he lost control again and ended up spending the rest of his life in the mental hospital. The family would drive down nearly every weekend to pick up “Daddy” and keep him for the weekend before taking him back. By the mid 1920’s, they could not even take him home on the weekends his condition was that poor and uncontrollable.
George died 5 January 1932 in Provo, Utah, Utah. He was buried 3 days later beside his wife.
Aliza, Paul, Lillian, James, Hiram, and Amanda Ross at Olympic National Park
Sometimes in life you have grand plans and then life takes you a different direction. This principle was taught to the Ross family again in 2020. We visited Olympic National Park and we told we had to go see Hurricane Ridge. “You have some amazing panoramic views from Hurricane Ridge.” To get to Hurricane Ridge you have to drive to Port Angeles, Washington and drive like 20 miles into the park.
As you can see, we made it to Hurricane Ridge. The interpretive sign points out 17 different peaks all viewable from the overlook. You can also see two rivers and a glacier. Except we couldn’t. We just saw a wall of clouds and had to use our imaginations.
View from Hurricane Ridge on 6 August 2020
While we did not capture the view from the outlook, I think the drive up there was the most beautiful road I have ever driven. The views were magnificent on the way and the wildflowers were abundant. Our drive up was worth more than the destination. Another lesson we apparently needed a reminder.
Sagacity 