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!
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.
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.”
Sagacity 