I wanted to share this picture. I took a shower one morning and got out of the shower to this sight. Two little children brought in this little keyboard and were playing Primary songs on it. I appreciate how little children want to be near their parents, even if in a shower early in the morning… I am fortunate to have such great children.
Author: Sagacity
Photos of James Thomas Ross/Meredith
In the last few weeks, family history communications paid some dividends. I found the first quality photos of my Great, Great Grandfather James Thomas Ross also known as James R Meredith.
I previously wrote about James’ life story here on 8 January 2012. I also posted pictures of our visit as a family to James’ grave at Belmont Memorial Cemetery in Fresno, Fresno, California at this post.
This past week, in conversations with Darlene Neault, a granddaughter of Martha Elnora Cackler, she let me know she had some photos of Jim and Martha. I was very interested in obtaining a copy. She was kind enough to mail them to me! Very trusting. I scanned them and already mailed them back to her. These photos are uploaded to FamilySearch and I will also share them here.
As a refresher, James was born 22 September 1869 in Snowville, Pulaski, Virginia. He married Damey Catherine Graham 9 August 1887 in Hiwassie, Pulaski, Virginia. Four children were born, Robert, John “Jack”, Fanny, and James. Damie passed away 3 February 1933 in Marysville, Yuba, California. James remarried Henrietta Fountain 8 June 1936 in Sacramento, Sacramento, California. She passed away 21 February 1946 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona.
That brings us to his marriage to Martha Elnora Cackler, widow of Daniel Gordon Brewer, 14 July 1947 in Fresno, Fresno, California. Daniel and Martha had 7 children together. Martha’s granddaughter, Darlene, had these photos in her possession.
I have a younger picture of James, but it is pixelated and not any good to really zoom in to see any facial features. I hope some day to get a better scan of this photo.
But until then, I now have photos of Jim later in his life. James passed away 13 April 1951 in Fresno. Martha passed away 31 July 1974 in Fresno. James was buried in the larger Brewer family plot of Martha’s family.
I understand these two next photos are on their wedding day.
These next three pictures are also of James and Martha. I am still trying to figure out who exactly the others are, but I understand Darlene is in two of the photos. As I get the information, I will update the post.
I hope there are more photos out there to discover. These were pretty exciting!
Sergene Rodeo
My Uncle Larry Andra provided these two photos as part of a group of photos. I hadn’t seen these photos before. I thought they were interesting enough I would provide them separately.
The first is the front of the 1949 program for “That Famous Preston Night Rodeo.” The photo has Aunt Sergene along with Roy Rogers’ Trigger Jr. There is quite a bit of history on the That Famous Preston Night Rodeo, but there is much more history available on the internet of Roy Rogers and Trigger Jr.
This second picture is of Sergene as the Rodeo Queen and stands in the middle between her 1st and 2nd Runner Up. The horse was owned by Mr. Peterson who lived on the corner of 1200 East and Oneida in Preston. Sergene ran on a whim and won. I do not know which year, I assume this is at Preston.
Father’s Day 2020
For Father’s Day this year, I thought I would reach back to 2011. My grandfather, Milo James Ross, turned 90 on 4 February 2011. For that grand event, the Ross/Donaldson families, and Plain City community came together to celebrate. I have loaded most of the photos from that day on to FamilySearch, I only share a few of the family pictures from that day.

Whole Ross Clan: (l-r) Cindy Adams, Milo Ross (holding Daniel Constable), Andra Ross, Jeffrey Ross, Milo Ross, Tanisha Adams, Cody Adams, Caroline Gallegos, Jerrett Ross, Becky Patterson, Mercedes Ross, Matthew Ross, Scott Ross, Paul Ross; Front Stefanie Hadley holding Gavyn and Kayden Hadley.
This photo holds a good portion of the Ross descendants. A couple of four generations in this photo.
The celebration was held in a building that Grandpa helped orchestrate construction from the original donation of the land (stretching back over 70 years) to its actual erection. He was a ardent supporter of the United States flag and the Boy Scouts rewarded him accordingly.
Family and friends came from Oregon and Washington, I came from Oklahoma, others from Colorado. Most came from nearby in Idaho and Utah.

Ross Boys: Paul Ross, Matt Ross, Milo Ross, Daniel Constable, Jeff Ross, Milo Ross, Jerrett Ross, Scott Ross (holding Gavyn Hadley) and Kayden Hadley
Here is a picture of Dad, Grandpa, and Caroline.
And to wrap up, the one that seems to be the best. Grandpa’s big smile.
An interesting side note, Grandpa had shrapnel in his face. As time continued its march, some of his teeth started to die and break off. He had a bridge and various other problems. But this smile has a piece of shrapnel behind his upper lip that bothered him his entire life.
Jonas History: Rosa Nelson Jonas
This is another chapter of the Jonas history book compiled by Carvel Jonas. “The Joseph Jonas clan of Utah (including – early Jonas family history; early Nelson family history)” This chapter relates to Rosa Nelson Jonas. Reviewing this information in FamilySearch shows some changes and updates to some of the information presented.
The following story was written by Rosa and is typed from a hand-written copy in the possession of her daughter, Verla Jonas Andersen Lythgoe.
“The story of Mrs. Rosa Jonas Andersen. Miss Rosa Nelson Jonas was born in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, on 5 Sep 1886, the third daughter of Annie Josephine Nelson Jonas and Joseph Jonas on a farm.
German Branch of Oneida Stake
In 2018, I took the kids over to Preston, Idaho because there was a display on some of our Nuffer ancestors at the Oneida Stake Academy. Necia Seamons has been good to write history of the area and do various research projects. The Academy continues to be restored and progress is being made.
I thought these pages deserved their own entry for the history as well as reference to family.
“On April 19, 1896, the Oneida Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized a German speaking branch based in Glendale. Both John Nuffer and Charles August Nuffer served int he branch’s leadership, as did Joseph Moser, Mr. Kern, Alma Moser and William Addison Wagstaff.
“The first branch president was Jacob (Ira) Naef, who was Swiss.
“They gathered every two weeks, at first in the homes of members, and sometimes traveled as many as 20 miles for services from the towns of Glendale, Preston, Mink Creek, Whitney, St. Joseph and Franklin.
“‘The branch existed for 20 years, until Oneida Stake President Joseph S Geddes, in 1916, asked Charles August Nuffer, then branch president, to not hold meetings due to contentious sentiments toward the German speaking people.’
“‘During the latter part of the war, some of the people of Preston made it very hot for the German-speaking people, yet most of them were Swiss but that did not make any difference.’
“‘After the war, many of the German people moved away, so we never started to hold meetings anymore,’ said Charles August Nuffer.
“At the end of WWI, Preston resident gathered outhouses into the town square, what is now Benson Park (above), and called it the ‘Schitty of Berlin.’ They whooped and hollered and burned the mock city down.
“Willard and Austin Nuffer sons of John and Louisa Zollinger Nuffer, served the U.S. in WWI. Willard also registered for WWII.
President & Sister Wightman
I have too many photos sitting in folders waiting for a post or a time. Now is the time to write about the great eclipse of 2017.
I first found out about the eclipse nearly a year in advance. I found out the eclipse would pass directly over Rexburg on 21 August 2017. I reached out to Brad Hales, a former missionary companion, roommate, and still good friend. I booked a weekend at the Hales Hotel in Rexburg for the weekend. I had a good laugh because this was the first he had heard about the eclipse.
We made our way to Rexburg early to beat the crowds. We arrived, set up in our quarters, and we went out to do some visits. Brad and I paid a visit to our former Mission President and his amazing wife, Phil & Patsy Wightman. They had been in a very serious automobile accident within a year or so before so we were very happy to see them and that they are well on the mend.
There were other missionaries there when we stopped. We were not the only ones with the idea to pay a visit at the Wightman home. While we were there, we had one of the other missionaries snap this picture. It was a great experience to see them and spend a short amount of time with them. Always inspiring.
If you would like, you can watch this talk given by President Wightman at Brigham Young University – Idaho.
https://www.byui.edu/devotionals/president-philip-c-wightman
We watched the great eclipse in Rexburg within a few hundred feet to the southwest of the Rexburg Temple. Wightmans also served as Temple President & Matron at the Temple. It was an experience I will not forget anytime in the near future. One of those humbling experiences where you realize how puny man really is.
I thought about what other photos I might have of the Wightmans. I found these four. President & Sister Wightman served in the England Manchester Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about 1999-2002.

President & Sister Wightman with the Byrom family in Runcorn, England. Standing (l-r): Marie, Rose, Benjamin, Iain; On couch: Barnaby, Patsy Wightman, Phil Wightman, Jared; On floor: Jacob, Isaac.
I do not recall why Wightmans were in Runcorn, maybe it was a baptism, maybe it was just passing through, maybe a Sunday. This would have been in spring 2000, I believe.
This was taken in Downham, Lancashire, England as part of the Mission Tour.
Another photo from the same time, same location.
Last, a good-bye shot at the Manchester England Airport in December 2000. Of course they saw us off at the airport as we went home. Last time I saw them until I attended their homecoming in Rexburg, Idaho.
My life has been forever changed by the Wightmans. I have mentioned them in other posts. Phenomenal people.
William Christoph Wanner
As part of Memorial Day this pandemic year, I thought I would memorialize William Christoph Wanner. He served and died as part of World War I, but didn’t die in France from the war but the dreaded Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918.
William Christoph Wanner was born 9 November 1899 in Mapleton, Franklin, Idaho along with his twin Willard John Wanner. The first children born to George and Regina Nuffer Wanner. Children after were Mary Louise (1901), Golden (1902), Eva Virtue (1904), Rulon (1905), and Serge (1908).
The Wanner twins in about 1900 or 1901. I don’t know the year, but the family moved from Mapleton down to Whitney before 1910.

Regina with William and Willard in the back and then Golden, Mary in the middle, holding Serge, then Rulon, then Eva about 1909 or 1910.
This following photo is at the Whitney farm.

John George & Regina Wanner Family about 1912, Eva, William, Golden, Serge sitting, George, Regina, Rulon, Willard, Mary.
Here is what I received from William’s medical records.
Served: United States Army
Service Number: 1640542
Dates of Service: 5 Aug 1917 – 1 Dec 1918
Rank: Private
Assignments: Supply Company, 145th Field Artillery, American Expeditionary Forces
Decorations: WWI Victory Medal with service clasp; WWI Victory Button (Bronze)
Place of Entry: Preston, Idaho
Place of Separation: Camp Gebicart, France
Place of Birth: Idaho
Date of Death: 1 Dec 1918
Location of Death: Camp Begicart, France
The military records have his death location incorrect.
He died in Camp Genicart, Gironde, France. He died of the dreaded influenza that fall instead of of something related to the war. Except for the amount in which the influenza was related to the war and transported as part of those processes.
His body arrived in Whitney in a lead lined casket and he was buried 11 November 1920 in Whitney.
Sadly, his brother Golden died 26 November 1918 in Salt Lake City while a student from Influenza as well (death certificate says it was natural??).
Rulon died 26 February 1924 in Logan while a student of an ear infection (acute meningitis caused by acute otitis media).
Serge died 5 October 1929 in New Zealand as a missionary. Cut himself shaving, got infected, turned deadly.
All four brothers are buried beside each others in Whitney. Their parents are just to the east of them. Their sister Eva just north (married Spatig), Mary just west, Willard is there in Whitney too. The whole family is buried all within 50 feet of each other.

























