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Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

We took a trip through the Northwest United States in August 2020. We knew that on 4 August 2020 we had to be in a good location for phone and internet connection because I had a Fee Application Hearing that I needed to attend. The case has only continued since then to the District Court and the Ninth Circuit.

We plan to spend an extra day in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to make sure we had the phone service needed for the call and to act as a hot spot for internet. I thought the hearing would be fairly short so we parked near the north end of Lake Coeur d’Alene. I claimed a park bench and the kids played on the beach and around the park. This is the view from my picnic table waiting for the hearing. Hiram is on the far left, Aliza on the far right of the courts. You can see Lake Coeur d’Alene in the background.

First, the Court kicked my hearing after the regular docket. So I ended up waiting like 1.5 hours to even get to the argument. I had briefed everything before I left but apparently the Trustee decided to file another brief the day before that I never got to see or read. So much for imposing deadlines. The Court spent quite a bit more time on the Fee App than I had anticipated, so we were there like 3 hours! It was crazy and I watched my kids play, weary, and the plead to go before I was even done with the hearing.

We had climbed around McEuen Park and Tubbs Hill earlier in the day. The kids were worn out and ready to be done. I won my Fee Application, but as you can see from the appeals above, that was not to last.

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Jesse Melycher Newspaper Snap

Heyburn Elementary School students enjoyed a reward Thursday for helping raise $1,100 for Ricky Hollahan, 12, who recently received a kidney transplant. Students enjoying ice cream bars include kindergartners A.J. Vargas, far right, Jesse Melycher, Elida Arriaga and Jonathan Post.

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Burley Idaho Temple Groundbreaking

Amanda, James, Aliza, Lillian, Paul, and Hiram Ross at the Burley Idaho Temple groundbreaking

I do not know who thought that Burley, Idaho, might actually get a temple. But when it was announced on 4 April 2021 by President Russell M. Nelson, we have been watching closely since! I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the groundbreaking as a representative for the City of Heyburn. It was a brisk, cool, windy day, but our excitement was evident. Burley native Brent H. Nielson attended and was presided at the groundbreaking.

Watching the Burley Idaho Temple groundbreaking, Doug Manning, Joelle and Kelly Anthon, Brent Nielson, and others

After the groundbreaking was formally over, I ran home and grabbed my family to bring them back over to do their own shovel turning.

Lillian, Hiram, Amanda, Aliza, Paul, and James Ross at Burley Idaho Temple groundbreaking

I really wanted this to be something they were a part of from the beginning.

James, Aliza, Lillian, and Hiram Ross breaking ground

They even had it available so you could take a little bag of the soil home!

Amanda, Hiram, James, Aliza, Lillian, and Paul Ross

It was a memorable occasion. We also participated by writing our names on rocks to be placed in the foundation of the temple. Over 7,000 rocks were placed in the foundation pours of the temple. Workers made sure to turn each of the rocks so the names faced upward. Our names are literally part of the temple!

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Jeremy and Kaidince Spencer Baptisms

Paul Ross, Jeremy Spencer, and Kaidince Spencer

On 19 October 2019 I was invited to the baptism of Jeremy Spencer in Filer, Idaho. Jeremy and my cousin May Melycher, are the parents of Kaidince Alexander Spencer. I have stayed in contact with Jeremy and Kaidince even after my cousin went her own way.

In 2008 I drove to Twin Falls nearly ever week to take Jeremy, May, and KK to church. During that time we blessed KK as a baby and we worked on Jeremy and May getting married so they could get to the temple. Fast forward 11 years and Jeremy was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some things take their own time frames.

John Powlus and Jeremy Spencer

A year before, on 20 October 2018, I was happy to see Kaidince get baptized in Twin Falls. He is my first cousin, once removed.

Kaidince Spencer and Paul Ross

Jeremy had invited me to perform the baptism. He had been working toward it but just was not there yet and Kaidince did not want to wait anymore.

Kaidince Spencer, Jackie Jonas Melycher, and Milo Ross

Dad was pretty excited to come over from working in the temple to see the little boy he had blessed in 2008 become a new member of the church.

Jeremy, Kaidince, and Stephanie Spencer

The trip was very worth the effort. What a great day. I could not help but wonder which ancestors were thrilled to be watching to occasion.

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Class Picture, Ogden, Utah

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.

29 children in the photo. 2 teachers?

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Automotive/drafting medals

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!

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Ely, Nevada

Locomotive 93 in Ely, Nevada

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)

We rode on the Nevada Northern Railway, and enjoyed it again, except for the masks.

Steven Taggart, incognito, Amanda and Hiram Ross (May 2021)
James and Amanda Ross in front of Locomotive 40 in Ely, Nevada (May 2021)
Aliza Ross hurrying to catch a train (May 2021)
Walking on the open car, careful in the tunnel, there are cinders and it is harder to breathe (Oct 2020)
World famous Dirt the Cat in Ely, Nevada (Oct 2020)
Traveling the Loneliest Road in America (Oct 2020)
White Pine County Courthouse, Ely, Nevada (Oct 2020)
James Ross enjoying the train ride (Oct 2020)
James Ross, Jill and Bryan Hemsley, and Amanda Ross riding the train in Ely, NV (Oct 2020)
Lillie and Amanda Ross, Anson, Brad, Rachel, and Audra Hales (Oct 2020)
Paul and Lillie Ross enjoying the train ride (Oct 2020)
Locomotive 40, Jill Hemsley, Hiram Ross, and Bryan Hemsley, Ely Nevada (Oct 2020)

I will have to write up about our Great Basin National Park trip another time.

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1908 Wanner Family Photo

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.