I have two copies of the History of Plain City, Utah. The front indicates it is from March 17th 1859 to present. As far as I can tell, the book was written in 1977. At least that is the latest date I can find in the book.
One copy belonged to my Grandparents Milo and Gladys Ross. My Grandpa has written various notes inside the history which I intend to include in parenthesis whenever they appear. They add to the history and come from his own experience and hearing.
I will only do a number of pages at a time. I will also try to include scanned copies of the photos in the books. These are just scanned copies of these books, I have not tried to seek out originals or better copies.
History of Plain City March 17th 1859 to present, pages 33 through 38.
Past Bishops of Plain City
Henry J Gardner 1906 – 1910
Back (l-r): Wilmer J Maw, George E Knight, Elvin H Maw, Charles L Heslop; Front: George A Palmer, Gilbert Thatcher, Henry T Maw
Wilmer J. Maw 1920–1926
George E. Knight 1949–1953
Elvin H. Maw 1944–1949
Charles L. Heslop 1936–1944 (Married Milo Ross & Gladys Donaldson April 1942)
George A. Palmer 1926–1936
Gilbert Thatcher 1913–1920
Henry T. Maw 1910–1913
(l-r): Charles L Heslop, Elvin H Maw, George E Knight, Merrill Jenkins, Lyman H Cook, Rulon Chugg, Wayne W Cottle, Orlo S Maw
Charles L Heslop, 1936-1944
Elvin H Maw, 1944-1949
George E Knight, 1949-1953
Merrill Jenkins, 1953-1959
Lyman H Cook, 1959-1964
Rulon Chugg, 1960-1965, 2nd Ward
Plain City Ward – Wayne W Cottle, 1964 –
Plain City Ward – Orlo S Maw, 1965
(l-r) Kent Calvert, Robert Sharp, Kent Jenkins
Kent Calvert, 2nd Ward 1971-1974, 3rd Ward 1974-
Robert Sharp, 2nd Ward 1974-
Kent Jenkins, 1st Ward 1971-
PLAIN CITY BRANCH OFFICER
1859 – 1977
Submitted by Roxy Heslop Gilbert Thatcher 1913 – 1920
PRESIDING ELDERS Wilmer J Maw 1920 – 1926
William W Raymond 1859 – 1863 George A Palmer 1926 – 1936
John Carver 1863 – 1866 Charles L Heslop 1936 – 1944
William W Raymond 1866 – 1870 Elvin H. Maw 1944 – 1949
Lewis W Shurtliff 1870 – 1877 George F Knight 1949 – 1953
FIRST COUNSELORS Merrill Jenkins 1953 – 1959
Daniel Collet 1859 – 1866 Lyman Cook 1959 – 1964
John Carver 1872 – 1877 Wayne W Cottle 1964 – 1971
SECOND COUNSELORS Kent Jenkins 1971 –
Jeppe G Folkman 1859 – 1872
~
PLAIN CITY FIRST WARD
John Spiers 1872 – 1877 FIRST COUNSELORS
CLERKS John Spiers 1877 – 1895
John Spiers 1859 – 1872 Abraham Maw 1895 – 1901
William W McGuire 1872 – 1877 Peter C Green 1901 – 1903
PLAIN City Ward Officers 1877 – 1977 Henry J Garner 1903 – 1906
BISHOP Peter M Folkman 1906 – 1910
Lewis W Shurtleff 1877 – 1883 James L Robson 1910 – 1920
George W Bramwell 1883 – 1906 George A Palmer 1920 – 1926
Henry T Maw 1910 – 1913 Elvin H Maw 1926 – 1936
Gordon F Thompson 1936 – 1944 Abraham E Maw 1936 – 1944
L Rulon Jenkins 1944 – 1949 Fred L Singleton 1944 – 1946
Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the Founding Fathers requesting Temple Ordinances
We are moving soon, but the Burley 11th Ward gave me another chance to address them. Since I received a number of requests for a copy of the talk, which is really just a collage of various items I could find online, the Journal of Discourses, the Saints second and third volumes, and other various histories. Here is the text of the talk I wrote, that does not mean it is the talk I gave…
I first addressed the freedoms we have as contrasted in the Saints third volume related to Germany. I said the word Jew and Israel from the stand and did not fear reprisal. I listen to free radio anytime I want and even seek out British radio from time to time and there is nothing illegal. Lastly, we could congregate without the worry of those in our midst about what was said or in the actual act of meeting.
Then to the following:
Declaration of Independence – We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
George Washington: “The success, which has hitherto attended our united efforts, we owe to the gracious interposition of Heaven, and to that interposition let us gratefully ascribe the praise of victory, and the blessings of peace.”
Alexander Hamilton: “The Sacred Rights of mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written . . . by the Hand of Divinity itself.” “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.”
Thomas Jefferson: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.”
John Adams: “As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation.”
Benjamin Franklin: “The longer I live the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth. That God Governs in the Affairs of Men!—And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?—We have been assured, . . . in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labour in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this;—and I also believe that without his concurring Aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than Builders of Babel.”
James Madison: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution.”
Samuel Adams: “Revelation assures us that ‘Righteousness exalteth a Nation’—Communities are dealt with in this World by the wise and just Ruler of the Universe. He rewards or punishes them according to their general Character.”
Charles Pinckney: “When the great work was done and published, I was . . . struck with amazement. Nothing less than that superintending hand of Providence, that so miraculously carried us through the war, . . . could have brought it about so complete, upon the whole.”
On May 4, 1842, he called to his side nine of the most faithful of his brethren—Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Newell K. Whitney, and others—and later their wives came with them to the upper floor of the Red Brick Store in Nauvoo.
Joseph was seeking to fulfill the promise from D&C 124, given in 1841, which the Lord would reveal to Joseph “all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built.”
He had started, “If it should be the will of God that I might live.” Then he corrected and said, “It is not the will of the Lord that I should live, and I must give you, here in this upper room, all those glorious plans and principles whereby men are entitled to the fulness of the priesthood.” He proceeded in an improvised and makeshift way to do so.
We have from Brigham Young that after they had received these blessings the Prophet said: “Brother Brigham, this is not arranged right. But we have done the best we could under the circumstances in which we are placed, and I wish you to take this matter in hand and organize and systematize all these ceremonies.”
Brigham Young later said, “I did so. And each time I got something more, so that when we went through the temple at Nauvoo I understood and knew how to place them there. We had our ceremonies pretty correct.”
While the Nauvoo Temple was started in 1841, the first endowments were performed in the winter of 1845 and into 1846. Baptisms had started in the Mississippi River prior to the temple and moved into the temple baptistery soon after it was completed and dedicated, well before the rest of the temple was done. Brigham, leading the church, was personally overseeing the organization and perfection of the endowment and other ordinances that started in Nauvoo.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, the church used the top floor of the Council House, starting in 1852 until the Endowment House was completed in 1855. It was in this building that endowments, prayer circles, some missionary training, and some setting aparts were conducted. The use of the Endowment House ended in 1877 with the completion of the St George Temple. That building stood until Wilford Woodruff heard that unauthorized sealings were occurring there and ordered it razed in 1889.
The St George Temple was the only one completed during Brigham Young’s 30 year tenure as President. It was dedicated on 1 January 1877 in three dedicatory prayers under the direction of Brigham. The baptistery by Wilford Woodruff, the main floor by Erastus Snow, and the sealing room by Brigham Young Jr. Wilford Woodruff served as St George Temple President from 1877 to 1884. Brigham had to be carried up the stairs, but he stood and spoke in the Assembly Room.
“When I think upon this subject, I want the tongues of seven thunders to wake up the people,” he declared. “Can the fathers be saved without us? No. Can we be saved without them? No. And if we do not wake up and cease to long after the things of this earth, we will find that we as individuals will go down to hell.”
Brigham lamented that many Saints were pursuing worldly things. “Supposing we were awake to this thing, namely the salvation of the human family,” he said, “this house would be crowded, as we hope it will be, from Monday morning until Saturday night.”
On 9 January 1877, the first baptisms for the dead were performed in the St George Temple. The first endowment for the dead was performed on 11 January 1877. Brigham and Wilford personally oversaw the ordinances being performed. Wilford began wearing a white suit, starting the trend that continues to this day.
All endowments to this point had been done and passed by word of mouth. It was in St George, far from Salt Lake City, that the ordinances were first written down. Brigham also wanted to make sure the record was preserved and that they were standardized. They were read to Brigham time and time again who would then approve or continue to revise the ordinances. Brigham went home to Salt Lake City in April 1877. He stopped and dedicated the spot for the Manti Temple on the way home.
Wilford Woodruff then wrote in his journal on Sunday 19 August 1877, “I spent the evening in preparing a list of the noted men of the 17 century and 18th, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, for baptism on Tuesday the 21 Aug 1877.”
His journal entry for August 21 reads, “I, Wilford Woodruff, went to the temple of the Lord this morning and was baptized for 100 persons who were dead, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence. … I was baptized for the following names.” He then listed the names of one hundred men.
Elder Woodruff continued his journal entry: “When [John Daniel Thompson] McAllister had baptized me for the 100 names, I baptized him for 21, including Gen. Washington and his forefathers and all the presidents of the United States that were not on my list except Buchanan, Van Buren, and Grant.” (The work for these presidents has since been done.)
“It was a very interesting day,” Elder Woodruff continued. “I felt thankful that we had the privilege and the power to administer for the worthy dead, especially for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, that inasmuch as they had laid the foundation of our Government, that we could do as much for them as they had done for us.
“Sister Lucy Bigelow Young went forth into the font and was baptized for Martha Washington and her family, and seventy of the eminent women of the world. I called upon the brethren and sisters who were present to assist in getting endowments for those that we had been baptized for today.” (Wilford Woodruff’s journal, typescript, vol. 7, Church History Library; spelling and punctuation modernized.)
The first public mention of these events was made nearly a month after the baptisms were performed. In an address in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on 16 September 1877, Elder Woodruff first told publicly of the visitation of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
“You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God. (Conference Report, April 10, 1898; Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 160-61)
During the 68th Annual General Conference of the Church which was held in April 1898, President Woodruff recounted the sacred experience:
I am going to bear my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that those men who laid the foundation of this American government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits, not wicked men. General Washington and all the men that labored for the purpose were inspired of the Lord.
Another thing I am going to say here, because I have a right to say it. Every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence, with General Washington, called upon me, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple at St. George, two consecutive nights, and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the House of God for them. Men are here, I believe, that know of this, Brother John D. T. McAllister, David H. Cannon and James S. Bleak. Brother McAllister baptized me for all those men, and then I told these brethren that it was their duty to go into the Temple and labor until they had got endowments for all of them. They did it. Would those spirits have called up on me, as an Elder in Israel to perform that work if they had not been noble spirits before God? They would not. (Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, April 1989, pp. 89-90.)
“They waited on me for two days and two nights,” he said,
“I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them.” (Journal of Discourses, 19:229.)
I was also present in the St. George Temple and witnessed the appearance of the Spirits of the Signers….the spirits of the Presidents….and also others, such as Martin Luther and John Wesley….Who came to Wilford Woodruff and demanded that their baptism and endowments be done. Wilford Woodruff was baptized for all of them. While I and Brothers J.D.T. McAllister and David H Cannon (who were witnesses to the request) were endowed for them. These men… laid the foundation of this American Gov., and signed the Declaration of Independence and were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth to perform this work. Martin Luther and John Wesley helped to release the people from religious bondage that held them during the dark ages. They also prepared the people’s hearts so they would be ready to receive the restored gospel when the Lord sent it again to men on the earth.” (Personal journal of James Godson Bleak – Chief Recorder of the St. George Temple.)
In 1986, some of the staff of the Family History Library’s LDS Reference Unit were assigned to compile and computerize all the existing genealogical data on the founding fathers, to identify their families, and to document completed temple ordinances for each. For purposes of the project, a founding father was identified as one who had signed one or more of the following documents: the Articles of Association (1774), the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Articles of Confederation (1778), or the Constitution (1787).
The library study of 1986 revealed that there were no sealings of children to parents performed at the time the baptisms and endowments were performed. As a note, the ongoing revelation related to sealings to parents was not revealed until 1894. It was then that the Law of Adoption, or sealing to prominent church leaders, was discontinued and we were encouraged to do genealogical work to compile the pedigree of the entire human family. It was then that the Utah Genealogical Society was founded that has snowballed into the fantastic work of FamilySearch and all its appendages.
He also recorded that George Washington, John Wesley, Benjamin Franklin, and Christopher Columbus were ordained High Priests at the time.
Temple work was performed on behalf of the following well-known and respected men and women in the St. George Utah Temple in August 1877.
Founding Fathers: William Hooper (NC), Joseph Hewes (NC), John Penn (NC), Button Gwinnett (GA), Lyman Hall (GA), George Walton (GA), Edward Rutledge (SC), Thomas Heyward Jr. (SC), Thomas Lynch (SC), Arthur Middleton (SC), Samuel Chase (MD), William Paca (MD), Thomas Stone (MD), Charles Carroll (MD), George Wythe (VA), Richard Henty Lee (VA), Thomas Jefferson (VA), Benjamin Harrison (VA), Thomas Nelson Jr. (VA), Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA), Carter Braxton (VA), Robert Morris (PA), Benjamin Rush (PA), Benjamin Franklin (PA), John Morton (PA), George Clymer (PA), James Smith (PA), George Taylor (PA), James Wilson (PA), George Ross (PA), Caeser Rodney (DE), George Read (DE), Thomas McKean (DE), Philip Livingston (NY), Francis Lewis (NY), Lewis Morris (NY), Richard Stockton (NJ), John Witherspoon (NJ), Francis Hopkinson (NJ), John Hart (NJ), Abraham Clark (NJ), Josiah Bartlett (NH), William Whipple (NH), Matthew Thornton (NH), Samuel Adams (MA), John Adams (MA), Robert Treat Paine (MA), Elbridge Gerry (MA), Stephen Hopkins (RI), William Ellery (RI), Roger Sherman (CN), Samuel Huntington (CN), William Williams (CN), and Oliver Wolcott (CN).
Note: Temple work was not done for John Hancock or William Floyd as it had already been completed previously.
Presidents of the United States: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James Knox Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson. Temple work was not done for James Buchanan, Martin Van Buren, or Ulysses S. Grant.
Other eminent men baptized by Wilford Woodruff in the St. George Utah Temple in August 1877 include: Sir Edward Gibbon, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Oliver Goldsmith, Henry Grattan, Humboldt, Alexander von Irving, Washington Jackson, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Johnson, Samuel Juarez, Benito Pablo Kemble, John Philip Liebig, Baron Justus von Livingstone, David Macaulay, Thomas Babington Nelson, Lord Horatio O’Connell, Daniel Peabody, George Powers, Hiram Reynolds, Sir Joshua Schiller, Johann Christoph Friedrich von Scott, Sir Walter Seward, William Henry Stephenson, George Thackeray, William Makepeace, Vespucci, Amerigo Webster, Daniel Wesley, John Wordsworth, William Parepa, Count Dimitrius, Martha Washington and her family, John Washington (Great Grandfather of George Washington), Sir Henry Washington, Lawrence Washington (Brother of George Washington), Augustine Washington (Father of George Washington), Lawrence Washington (Father of Augustine), Lawrence Washington, Daniel Park Custis, John Park Custis (Son of Daniel and Martha Parke Custis), and Martin Luther.
Eminent Women baptized include: Jean Armour (1767—1834) of Scotland, Jean Armour Burns (Wife of Robert Burns) (1759—1796), Jane Austen (1775—1817) of England, novelist, Mary Ball (1708—1789) of America, Mary Ball Washington (Mother of George Washington) (1732—1799), Sarah Bernard (1800—1879) of England, Sarah Barnard Faraday (wife of Michael Faraday (1791—1867), Charlotte Bronte (1816—1855) of England, novelist, Felicia Dorothea Browne (1793—1835) of England, Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806—1861) of England, poet, (wife of Robert Browning) (1812—18?), Martha Caldwell Calhoun (d. 1802) of America (mother of John Caldwell Calhoun) (1782—1850), Martha Parke Custis (1755—1773) of America (Daughter of Martha Washington) (1732—1802), Martha Dandridge Washington (1732—1802) of America (wife of George Washington) (1732—1799), Rachel Donelson Jackson (1767—1828) of America (wife of Andrew Jackson (1767—1845), and Abigail Eastman Webster (1737—1816) of America (mother of Daniel Webster (1782—1852), to name but a few. Temple work was performed for a total of 70 eminent women.
During most of our national history Columbus and the Founders were considered heroes with determination and foresight. Cities, rivers, and many other places were named after them. More recently there has been a wide spread effort, designed especially to indoctrinate young people, which slanders Columbus, the Founders and their accomplishments. Columbus is held personally responsible for centuries of mistreatment of Native Americans. The Founders are portrayed as being greedy and motivated by selfish interests. All of this is as astonishing as it is misleading.
From the Lord’s perspective among the most important events of the history of the world was the discovery and founding of America. 1 Ne 11-14. Nephi was referring to Columbus when he wrote: “I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land” 1 Ne 13:12. By the Founders “the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation…even on the face of this land.” 1 Ne 22:7.
Go on to life and history of George Ross of Pennsylvania, signer of Declaration of Independence.
Ole and Constance Christiansen are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Martha to Herbert Coley, son of Stephen and Hannah Coley. They were married in 1874 in Norway. While I normally like to start these historical posts as a wedding announcement, I trip up there. We do not have any histories that give us an actual marriage date and location. Knowing the period, it is not imagined they were not actually married. Their first child was born in 1875. Curiously, after their immigration to the United States due to their conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they not only went to the Logan Utah Temple to be sealed, but also applied to be married. As such, they were married and sealed in the Logan Utah Temple on 26 April 1893.
Martha was born the second of eleven children to Constance Josephine Eliza Jorgensen and Ole Christiansen on 16 April 1879 in Fredrickstad, Ostfold, Norway. I have not written their history yet, but as linked above, I wrote some limited information on Constance when we visited her grave first in 2018 and again in 2020. Ole was born in Trogstad, Norway and Constance in Drammen, Norway. Both Ole and Constance were baptized and confirmed into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 26 January 1876 in Norway.
What happens for the next few years is unclear on the reasons. Martha’s older sister, Walborg, was born 24 December 1875 in Fredrickstad, then Martha in 1879. We really have no records during this period and so I am unclear if there was another child, or two, in that period of time. Eivelda was born 20 October 1881 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I have no clue why or what took the family to Australia. Their next child, Constance, was born 9 November 1883 also in Collingwood, then a suburb of Melbourne. Apparently Walborg and Martha were left in Norway while their parents went to Australia. Alice, Martha’s granddaughter recalls Martha telling of her sitting on the mountainside overlooking the fjord waiting for her parents to return and her missing them terribly. Martha’s first brother, Henry Owen, was then born 27 March 1887 back in Fredrickstag, Norway. Ole and Constance were back in Fredrickstag by March 1887.
I have been unable to find the immigration records for the Christiansen family between Norway to Australia and back. But the family was in Australia for at least 3 years, maybe as long as 6 years. They were not back in Norway very long as Rhoda was born in Richmond, Cache, Utah on 18 September 1890. Martha moved with her family to Richmond in the late 1880s. One record has it in 1887, another 1889, Martha was listed in the 1900 Census as immigrated in 1888. Either way, we now are in the vicinity of where she would have met Herbert Coley. Of Martha’s remaining 6 siblings, 5 were born in Richmond and 1 in Hyde Park.
Herbert was born the 5th of 9 known children to Hannah Maria Rogers and Stephen Coley on 12 February 1864 in Lutley, Worcestershire, England. It was while living in Lutley that the LDS missionaries first made a visit. We do not know the conversion story but Herbert and his siblings joined the church. Martha joined 23 August 1867, Herbert 1 June 1881, George 22 August 1881, and Frank 2 June 1882. The 1871 English Census has the family still living in Lutley and Herbert listed as a scholar. The call to gather in Utah was strong enough that these four children made the venture. We don’t know if Stephen and Hannah came begrudgingly or not, but they joined some of their children in Utah. Unfortunately, the other children left in England we do not know where they went or what happened to them.
Herbert shows on the 1881 English Census in Dudley, Worcestershire, England as farm labor for the Doorbar family. Herbert appears to have boarded the Nevada in Liverpool arriving 3 July 1882 in New York City, New York. I cannot see that any siblings went with him on the trip. Stephen, Hannah, and Martha all traveled in 1890 (with Letitia Lea Willetts and her daughter Clara, and two known Frank and Mary Coleys). Stephen Coley was baptized 5 January 1892 and Hanna 26 October 1892 (same day she was endowed in the temple, so either that date is wrong or the prior record could not be found and the ordinance was duplicated. Hannah died 22 October 1894 in Franklin, then Oneida County, Idaho and was buried in Lewiston.
I don’t know any of the details of how they met, but the stars seem to have aligned in Richmond. However it happened, Herbert and Martha were married and sealed 1 December 1896 in Logan at the Temple. Herbert was a diligent laborer who would acquire full ownership in their home by 1910. Martha was a strict and involved homemaker and mother.
Herbert and Martha maintained their home, large garden, and raised 10 children. Lillian was born 26 August 1898 in Lewiston (listed in the Coveville Precinct, which is now the area of Cove). The 1900 Census on 9 June 1900 lists Herbert as a farm laborer with his immigration in 1881 and Martha’s in 1888. By 1910, the Census finds the family in Wheeler (about six miles west of Lewiston) where the home was owned outright. We don’t know exactly where the family lived. Edna was born 23 November 1900, Wilford Herbert 1 Mar 1903, Carrie 20 April 1906, and Hannah Marie 3 June 1909. Ole Christiansen passed away 27 February 1900 in Richmond and was buried there. Carrie is listed as born in Richmond, but we do not know the circumstances how she was born there instead of Wheeler/Lewiston. Hannah’s birth certificate lists Herbert as a farmer and Martha as housewife. The 1910 Census on 26 May 1910 shows Herbert as a Laborer and that he “Works Out.” Whatever that meant in 1910.
All the remaining children were born in Richmond. As such, it is likely at this time the family moved to the cabin south and east of Richmond estimated about 2016 E and 9000 N. I have tried to pinpoint where the cabin remains are still located. Here is a photo of the cabin from the 1980s. The 1920 Census on 16 January 1920 lists Herbert as a Farmer and Teamster with the additional insight of “Hauls Milk & Farms.” This same Census also lists Wilford as having his own Farm, but still living with his parents.
Coley Cabin near Richmond, Utah
It was in this house that the remaining children were born. Ivan Stephan on 26 June 1912, Roland Charles on 20 July 1915, Oley Lloyd on 11 February 1918, Arthur Christiansen on 15 July 1921, and William Golden on 22 January 1924. In 2012 the home had collapsed to a pile of rubble. It was after Ellis Jonas’ funeral we visited as family (Ellis is Lillian’s son). Ellis had taken me there about 2002. Stephen Coley died 22 October 1913 in Lewiston and was buried by his wife.
The 1930 Census taker showed up 15 April 1930 and shows the family in Richmond with Roland, Lloyd, Art, and Golden still in the home. The 1940 Census on 8 April 1940 has the family still in Richmond with Art and Golden the only two remaining.
Herbert and Martha Coley in the garden
Over the years, the family kept busy with marriages. Lillian married Joseph Nelson Jonas on 6 September 1917 in the Logan Temple. Edna married Gerald Andrus 17 April 1921 in Richmond and after a short marriage, divorced, and remarried to Olof Alma Neilson 23 July 1923 in Logan, sealed 30 July 1924 at the Logan Temple. Wilford married Edith Dagmar Cammack 15 May 1924 in Logan, sealed 3 June 1946 in Logan Temple. Carrie married Joseph Lorus McMurdie 21 July 1924 in Logan, sealed 21 October 1926 in Logan Temple. Hannah married William Surgeoner Thomson 2 July 1927 in Logan, sealed 14 June 1972 in Salt Lake Temple. Ivan married Clara McMurdie 22 October 1930 in Buhl, Twin Falls, Idaho, sealed 10 February 1932 in Logan Temple. Joseph Jonas passed away 6 September 1932 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. Constance Christiansen passed away 10 December 1932 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon and was buried there. Roland married Veda Anderson 5 May 1937 in Logan Temple. Lloyd married Verda Anderson (twin sister to Veda) 23 November 1938 in Logan Temple. Arthur married Gladys Bernice McMurdie (his niece!) 10 September 1940 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, that marriage lasted a short time for hopefully obvious reasons. Arthur remarried to Mary Elizabeth Popwitz (his nephew’s WWII widow) 3 May 1946 in Evanston, Uinta, Wyoming. Golden married Shirley Mae Hall 15 March 1946 in Elko, Elko, Nevada, sealed 11 May 1965 in Logan. Many grandchildren were born in these years as well for Herbert and Martha.
Herbert and Martha Coley (I have the original of Martha, but not of Herbert, so I know it is still out there)
Recorded family stories are fairly scant. Nobody wrote much down and that generation was gone before many were asking questions. Ivan Coley told his daughter Colleen that Herbert was a short, very English man. Apparently Herbert met Wild Bill Hickok at one point and shared that fact regularly.
In 1942, Herbert went to visit Ivan and Clara in Buhl. I will have to find out if Martha was there as well. While out in the yard, I have been told by a well, or a trough, he slipped and broke his hip. There was not really much to do for someone in that condition then. He was in terrible pain. He was taken back to Richmond and passed away later of pneumonia. He died 7 September 1942 at age 78 (obituaries all have 75) and was buried in Richmond Cemetery 9 September 1942.
Martha Coley and Hannah Thomson in a garden, dresses and even a brooch
Martha moved into town shortly afterward. Various family members lived in the cabin when they started out their marriages. Martha’s new home was somewhere near 400 South and 200 East. With the new homes I cannot tell as well, but I have tried to pinpoint the spot. She lived in this home until she needed assistance and went to live with Lloyd and Veda in Salt Lake City. When they could not care for her any more, she then lived in a care facility in Logan the last months of her life.
5 generations about 1959, Lillian Coley Bowcutt, Martha Christiansen Coley, Joseph Hebert Jonas, Robert Lee Jonas, Joseph Leland Jonas.
In 1948, Martha was honored for successfully Relief Society Teaching for more than 40 years. Here is a photo from that occasion. You can find more detail here.
Back (l-r): Lydia Leavitt, Estella Blair, Sarah Preece, Susanna Allen, Livinia Wilcox, Clara Wheeler. Front: Lavina Poulsen, Christensia Hansen, Martha Coley, Martha Lewis, Sarah Snelgrove.
Unfortunately I do not have a many more stories. But I do have a few more photos. We have these two photos of a gathering about 1950.
Back(l-r): Doreen Neilson, Martha Coley, Golden Coley, Edna Neilson, Unknown, Gloria Neilson holding unknown child, Olof Neilson. Middle: Shirley Coley, Joy Coley (baby), Mary Coley,
Mary (holding Joy), Shirley, Doreen, Unknown, Martha, Edna, Gloria
This wonderful family reunion picture from 1955. I have linked the other post sharing the other photo. That link also names everyone in the photo. Martha is sitting surrounded by her grandchildren and children.
1955 Coley Reunion, Richmond, Utah
Herbert’s obituary in the Salt Lake Telegram on 8 September 1942 reads:
“Richmond, Cache County – Funeral Services for Herbert Coley, 75, who died at his home in Richmond Monday at 7:45 a.m. following a brief illness will be conducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Richmond South L.D.S. ward chapel by E. M. Hicken, Bishop.
“Mr. Coley was born in England on February 12, 1867, a son of Stephen and Hannah Rogers Coley. In 1885, at the age of 16, he immigrated to the United States.
“On December 1, 1896, he married Martha Christiansen in the Logan L.D.S. temple. He was a prominent farmer in the Richmond district.
“Surviving are his widow of Richmond, 10 sons and daughters, Mrs. Lillian Jonas, Ms. Edna Nielsen and William Golden Coley of Richmond, Wilford Herbert Coley of Logan, Ms. Hannah Thomson and Lloyd Coley of Salt Lake City, Ms. Carrie McMurdie, Ivan, Roland and Arthur Coley, all of Buhl, Idaho, 37 grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Martha France of Richmond.
Lillian, Edna, Martha (sitting) Coley in the 1940’s
“Friends Pay Tribute to Richmond Man
“Funeral Services for Herbert Coley, 75, prominent Richmond farmer who died at his home in Richmond, Monday at 7:45 a.m. following a brief illness, were conducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Richmond South ward chapel by Bishop E. M. Hicken.
The rest of the article follows nearly verbatim what the Salt Lake obituary listed, then this line.
“Burial was in the Richmond cemetery under direction of the W. Loyal Hall mortuary.
Martha Christiansen Coley very small picture enlarged
Martha Coley and Scotty
Martha Coley serious
Martha Coley smile
Martha passed away in Logan at age 82 on 14 August 1961. Here is the language from her obituary and an article of the funeral. She was buried in Richmond 17 August 1961.
“Richmond – Martha Christensen Coley, 82, died at a rest home in Logan Monday of causes incident to age. “She was born April 16, 1879 in Norway to Ole and Constance Josephine Eliza Jorgensen Christensen. When she was eight years old she came with her parents to America. “On December 1, 1896 in Logan she married Herbert Coley. The marriage was solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple in 1900. They made their home in Lewiston and Richmond. She was always active in the LDS church, especially as a Relief Society block teacher. Mr. Coley died September 7, 1942. “Surviving are Mrs. Lorenzo (Lillian) Bowcutt and Mrs. Edna Neilsen, Richmond; Wilford H. Coley, Logan; Mrs. William (Hannah) Thompson and Lloyd O. Coley, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Lars (Carrie) McMurdie and Ivan S. Coley, Buhl, Idaho; Roland Coley, Mesa, Arizona; Arthur C. Coley, Ogden; William G. Coley, Hyrum; a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. “Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Richmond South Ward with Bishop Oral Ballam in charge. “Friends may call at Hall Mortuary in Logan Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and at the South Ward chapel Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until time of services. Burial will be in the Richmond Cemetery.
“Funeral services were held in the Richmond South Ward chapel Thursday for Mrs. Martha C. Coley with Counselor Quentin Peart conducting. Lloyd Coley gave the family prayer. “Prelude and postlude music was played by Reese Murray. The ward chorus directed by Mrs. Florence Lewis with Mrs. Billie Lou Bagley as accompanist sang “The Lord’s Prayer.” Ila Rae Richman and company sang “That Wonderful Mother of Mine.” Mrs. Florence Lewis and Mrs. Rebecca Lewis sang “In the Garden,” and Ronnie Lewis sang “Beyond the Sunset.” “Prayers were by William Thomson and Larus McMurdie. Speakers were Mrs. Leona McCarrey who read the obituary, Noel Stoddard and Counselor Peart. Pallbearers were her six sons, Wilford, Ivan, Roland, Lloyd, Arthur and Golden Coley. The grave in Richmond Cemetery was dedicated by Joseph Jonas. Flowers were cared for by the Relief Society.
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I have written previously about the video that came from the funeral and graveside service of Martha. In that post I walk through the video and the identified individuals. It also scans the 10 children standing in the cemetery. This photo below is of the same instant.
Art, Golden, Wilfred, Roland, Lloyd, Edna, Hannah, Carrie, Lillian, Ivan at their mother’s grave in Richmond, Utah
I hope some day I obtain more photos to share of Herbert and Martha.
I am unsure how to introduce these pictures. I do not know the occasion, I cannot really say it is a reunion. I do not know which family really pulled this together or why, I do not know at whose house the reunion took place. It seems like an impromptu gathering of the Neilson family, but yet there are Coley’s present. Maybe the Coleys came to visit so the Neilsons all gathered too? But then there is the unknown woman. Is she related to the Neilsons, a distant relative of the Coleys, or both (since Edna Neilson, Art Coley, and Golden Coley are siblings with their mother Martha present).
About all I have been able to determine at this point is the pictures are believed to have been taken in Richmond, Cache, Utah in about 1950. We venture to guess sometime in the early spring due to the snow still on the mountains.
Back(l-r): Doreen Neilson, Martha Coley, Golden Coley, Edna Neilson, Unknown, Gloria Neilson holding unknown child, Olof Neilson. Middle: Shirley Coley, Joy Coley (baby), Mary Coley, CarolDean Neilson, Harold Neilson, Russell Neilson. Front: Unknown, Charlotte Neilson, Steve Coley, Arlan Neilson, unknown (boy sitting apart).
Martha Christiansen Coley (1879-1961) is the widow of Herbert Coley(1864-1942).
Edna Coley Neilson (1900-1983) is the daughter of Herbert and Martha Coley.
Olof Alma Neilson (1891-1960) is the husband of Edna Coley Neilson.
Harold Christian Neilson (1921-1966) is the son of Edna Neilson and Gerold Andrus (1903-1984) but was raised by Olof Neilson (you can read more under the above link for Edna).
Oma Dorine (Doreen) Johnson Neilson (later O’Neil)(1921-2003) is the wife of Harold Neilson.
Charlotte, Arlan, and CarolDean are all children of Harold and Doreen Neilson (although my records show none of these were born yet, but I have not been able to validate their birthdays).
Alma Russell “Russell” Neilson is the son of Olof and Edna Coley.
Gloria May Olson Neilson is the wife of Russell Neilson. I presume some of the unknowns in the photo are their children, but have not obtained that information yet.
Arthur “Art” Christiansen Coley(1921-2004), not in the above picture but below, is the son of Martha Coley.
Mary Elizabeth Popwitz Coley is the wife of Art Coley.
Stephen “Steve” G Coley is the son of Art and Mary Coley.
William Golden “Golden” Coley (1924-2009) is the son of Herbert and Martha Coley.
Shirley May Hall Coley is the wife of Golden Coley.
Joy Ann Coley is the daughter of Golden and Shirley Coley.
If anyone has contact with any of Harold or Russell’s children, I would like for them to see the pictures and perhaps provide more information.
Unknown and Edna Neilson
Above you can see Edna Neilson with the unknown lady who appears to be part of the reason the family assembled. Unfortunately, we do not know who the guest of honor is! Initially I thought it was some relation of the Neilson clan, but nobody alive in their family seems to know who she is. But then why would Martha Coley and two of her other children’s families come to visit a Neilson visitor? Perhaps a sibling or sibling in law of Martha? Who knows? Hopefully some day I can find out and rewrite this post.
Here are the boys present on the occasion.
Golden, Art (holding Joy), Harold (CarolDean in front of him), Russell, Olof, unknown boy in front, and elusive honored guest
Here are the girls present on the occasion.
Mary (holding Joy), Shirley, Doreen, Unknown, Martha, Edna, Gloria
Since I presume these photos were all from Art and Mary’s camera, of course there is a picture with Mary and Joy.
Mary and Joy
One last picture of part of the elusive woman with Harold and his two children, Arlan and CarolDean.
Back (l-r): Merila Paz, Eldon Wright, Ramona Moss, Larry Story, Sara Ferguson, Andra Ross, Audrey Grant, Leslie Patterson, Brad Shockey, Jose Sanchez, Oscar Leos. Middle: James Mendenhall, Russell Parker, Melissa Alvarez, Jolyn Jones, Julianne Greer, Kristal West, Alissa Jolley, Anthony Knopp, Shane Murphy, Dean Elison, Chris Anderson. Front: Matt Albertson, Seth Woodland, Kim Hilterbrand, Mark Kniep, Barry Hall, Juan Solarez.
I have these two photos of the 1955 Coley Reunion in Richmond, Cache, Utah. These two pictures are obviously of the same group, the black and white one of much better quality, but I thought I would include the color one since it can add a dimension to the black and white (since it is pretty blurry). The first picture seems like it was just for Coley descendants, but then spouses sneak in to the picture, so I really do not know what was the thinking for the shot. The second photo has a few more people I will need help naming, especially the younger ones. Let me know if there are corrections. (Click on the photos to see them closer)
Back (l-r): Blaine Thomson, Olof Neilson, Lloyd Coley, Ivan Coley, Art Coley, Golden Coley, Lillian Bowcutt, Hannah Thomson, Gay Coley, Betty Coley, Edna Neilson. Middle: Verda Coley, Carrie McMurdie, Clara Coley, Bill Thomson, Kathy Coley, RaNae Coley, Martha Coley, Gary Coley, Dean Coley, Stephen Coley. Front: Shirley Coley, Lillian Thomson, Mary Coley, Janice Coley, Joy Coley, Nina Coley, David Coley, Susan Thomson, Doug Thomson.
Back: Blaine Thomson, Olof Neilson, Lloyd Coley, Ivan Coley, Bill Thomson, ?(child held by Bill), Hannah Thomson, Gay Coley, Betty Coley, Edna Neilson. Two men in front of doors: Art Coley, Golden Coley. Second row from back: ?(held child), ?, ?(partially obscured woman in front of Blaine), Verda Coley, Carrie McMurdie, Clara Coley, RaNae Coley, ?, Martha Coley, ?, Steven Coley. Second row from front standing: Shirley Coley, ?, Evan Jonas, Lona Jonas, ?. Back row of sitting children: Dean Coley, Gary Coley, David Coley (partially hidden), Stephen Coley, Bob Jonas. Second row of children sitting: Kathy Coley, ?, Doug Thomson, ?. Front row: Lillian Thomson, ?(child held by Lillian), Ren Bowcutt, Lillian Bowcutt, Mary Coley, ?, Joy Coley, Janice Coley, Nina Coley, Susan Thomson.
Now comes the fun part of linking everyone together. I will only link together those in the photo, so this is not the entire family.
Martha Christiansen Coley (1879 – 1961).
Lillian Coley Jonas Bowcutt (1898 – 1987), daughter of Martha, married to Ren Bowcutt (1883 – 1966), previously married to Joseph Nelson Jonas(1893 – 1932).
Evan Reed Jonas (1928 – 1999), son of Lillian, married to Lona Rae Jensen Jonas (1930 – 2012).
Edna Coley Andrus Neilson (1900 – 1983), daughter of Martha, married to Olof Alma Neilson (1891 – 1960).
Carrie Christiansen McMurdie (1906 – 1992), daughter of Martha, married Joseph Lorus McMurdie (1905 – 2000).
Hannah Marie Coley Thomson (1909 – 1982), daughter of Martha, married to William Surgeoner Thomson (1903 – 1985).
William McBlaine Thomson (1928 – 2001), son of William and Hannah, married to Lillian Moss Thomson.
Susan and Doug Thomson, children of William and Lillian Thomson.
Ivan Stephen Coley (1912 – 1994), son of Martha and not pictured, married to Clara McMurdie Coley (1914 – 2012).
Clarene RaNae Coley, daughter of Ivan and Clara.
Oley Lloyd Coley (1918 – 1998), son of Martha, married to Verda Anderson Coley (1918 – 2013).
Alice Maxine, Betty Jean, Lloyd Dean, and Nina Rae Coley, children of Lloyd and Verda. (Is Verda Gay in the picture?)
Arthur Christiansen Coley (1921 – 2004), son of Martha, married to Mary Popwitz Jonas Coley.
Stephen Coley, son of Art and Mary Coley (Is Ronald Gary in the photo?).
Bob Jonas, son of Irwin John Jonas (1921 – 1944, son of Joseph Nelson Jonas and Lillian Coley Jonas Bowcutt) and Mary Popwitz Jonas Coley.
William Golden Coley (1924 – 2009), son of Martha, married to Shirley Hall Coley.
Shirley Kathleen (Kathy), Joy Ann, David Lynn, and Janice Coley, children of Golden and Shirley Coley.
Do you know the ? individuals in the photo, if so, please let me know.
Back (l-r): Ida, Joe, Louise, Clara, Anna, Fred, Bertha Front: Christina, Laura, Preston, Charles
This is a biography written of Christina (Christine in her record in the first line) Wanner Nuffer by her daughter Louise. I have maintained her grammar and spelling in the biography. I have written of Charles and Christina previously. Here is August’s autobiography.
My Mother, Christine, Wanner was born 30 March 1872 in Holzgerlinger, Germany. She was the daughter of Johann Georg Wanner and Anna Maria Schmid. She was the second child of a family of ten children. Mother started school at the age of seven in 1879 and graduated at the age of fourteen in 1886 in Greengrant (Gruenkraut), Germany.
The gospel message was brought to her parent’s home in Germany by the Mormon Missionaries. My grandparents joined the church and came to America 18 Jun 1893. Mother was twenty-one years old then. She was baptized on the 26th of January 1894 in Mapleton, Idaho by Heber Taylor. She learned to speak English by talking to other people. Her parents settled in Glendale, Idaho. There is where she met my father Charles August Nuffer, he was living in Mapleton with his parents. Mother did some housework for people before her marriage. She didn’t get much money, what she earned she had to give to her parents. My parents were married 1 Feb 1894 in the Logan Temple by W. M. (Marriner Wood) Merrill.
Father had built a rock house and they moved right in about all the furniture they had is what Father had made from boxes and other wood. In those days they got along fine with the few things they had.
Mother always made the best of everything. She also believed the best of everyone. She was kind and loved her children very much. Mother was a good homemaker and did all the sewing and knitting for her family. She loved to do things for others. She believed in bringing up her children by teaching them to pray and by always taking them to church.
Father was busy making a living for the family, he worked hard to secure the necessities of life. Wood was used for fuel and Father had to get this from the canyons. Kerosene lamps provided the lights for the house. Father and Mother often visited the sick and sat up nights with the dead and helped lay them away.
They lived in their first house over thirteen years and seven children were born there. In November of 1907 they moved to Preston. For the first few years they had much sickness, Father, Clara and Annie had Typhoid Fever. This worked a hardship on Mother as she had a young baby also. Mother promise the Lord that if He would bless her husband to get better that she would let him go on a mission. She was true to her word and in the spring of 1910 he left to go on a mission to the Eastern States for two years. Mother was left to care for nine children including Laura who was the baby only two months old. This took much courage for Mother and was a hardship but she never complained. With the Lord’s help and the help of friends and relatives she got along the best that she could. When Father came home from his mission they had to start all over again, by borrowing money to buy a farm. It took a long time for them to get out of debt.
Father and Mother always took the time to go visiting relatives in the early days. They would travel by horse and buggy. They also liked to go fishing. When her sister Pauline died they took Cyril (Crossley) the youngest boy and took care of him for two years. When Annie died 25 Jan 1928 there came another big responsibility for Mother that of taking care of her two youngest children, the twins Barbara and Beverly.
Mother was set apart as a Relief Society teacher 30 April 1916 by N. S. Geddes and she retained this position until the time of her death and she was faithful in her duty.
She and Father worked on the Genealogy Committee for years going into the homes helping people prepare their family group sheets for their own use and to sent to Salt Lake. They were very interested in Temple work and made many trips to Logan doing this work for their ancestors and others.
Father and Mother were active in their German Speaking Latter Day Saint organization until World War I. Racial feelings at that time made it necessary for the organization to be discontinued. Many times our parents used to practice singing Germany Hymns in the home. Preston and Laura were born in Preston, Idaho and the rest of us in Mapleton, Idaho. Mother died 10 August 1940 on my sister Clara’s birthday. She is buried in Preston Cemetery.
Funeral services for Christina Wanner Nuffer were held August 14th, at 2:00 P.M. The pall-bearers were Donald Hansen, Max Hansen, Keith Winn, Devon Winn, Donald Cummings, & Leon Nuffer. Admiring friends and relatives assembled at the Second Ward Chapel to pay a final tribute to Christina W. Nuffer. Scores of floral tributes were added testimony of her many admirers.
Services were conducted by Bishop Howard Hall and interment was in the Preston Cemetery. Mrs. Christina Wanner age sixty eight died Saturday August 10th at her home of a tumor of the spine. She had lived in Preston for thirty three years. Surviving are her husband, three sons, and five daughters, six brothers and sisters, George and Fred Wanner of Preston, Gotlob B. Wanner of Inkom, Idaho, Mrs. Louise Bodero and Mrs Mina Bodero of Logan, Utah, and Mrs. Mary Wagstaff of Ogden. Mrs. Nuffer reared two of her grandchildren, Barbara and Beverly Cummings with the help of her daughter Louise Nuffer Roberts.
This weekend was a great trip. I don’t know if I have written this, but Amanda and I made a goal to hit all the Utah Temples before we move away. We made this goal in Jan or Feb and have been working on it since. Monticello and Vernal both posed a problem for achieving that part of what we wanted to do. Why not knock them both out at once? So we did. We took this past weekend, drove down to Monticello on Friday and stayed the night. We stayed at, and highly recommend the Monticello Inn (in the phone book as Triangle H) especially if you are LDS. They were more than wonderful with us. She even called the temple to make our reservation for the 8:00 session for the next morning. We attended the 8:00 session and when we came out, got our photo (we are taking a photo with us and each temple as well, Amanda’s idea!) and headed out. We drove back up through Moab, over to Fruita, Colorado, up through Rangely, Colorado and into Vernal. It was a beautiful day for a drive.
Vernal turns out to be one of our favorite temples. There is something about it. It has more character than some, and it seemed more like home to me. We were sitting in the chapel waiting to go on the next session when I kept looking at the only other couple in the room. I was sure it looked like the parents of a friend from high school. She looked younger though, and he had some chops, so I had my doubts. Finally, I just had to know, walked up to them, and sure enough, it was Scott and Anita Jensen from Paul, Idaho. Anita was a cub scout leader for me for a few years. Bryan, their son, helped me secure a ring at a great price for Amanda last year. We chatted, and were one of only a few couples on the session. I will tell you what, there is something that is inspiring when the rays of the sun are coming through the veil when they lift the curtain before being introduced. It just lit up the room and I loved it.
On the session was also a Shane Mayberry. Afterward, I visited with him and asked if he knew a Carma Preece. He said he went to school with her son. I asked about her, and found out she only lived a block of two from the temple. Before we left, by asking others, he had her address and phone number for me. So, we are close, why not visit. I gave her a phone call, she was home, and we were invited to stop.
She is the first person I have ever met who is related to me through the Ross line. In fact, her maiden name is Ross and her father is the brother to my Great Grandfather. It was interesting to look at her characteristics and physical makeup. She must have barely have been over 5 foot. Similar to most of my closer Ross relatives, other than my Dad, who inherited his height from the Donaldson side. Amanda snapped a picture of a portrait of her parents. Giving me the first copy of a photo I have of any of the other Ross siblings. I have a rough, vague, damaged photo of my Great Grandparents, and nothing of them together. My Great Grandmother died in 1925 after giving birth. The baby also passed away with her. For some reason or another, the Sharp line did not like my Great Grandfather, John William Ross. So he was run off, and my Grandfather’s family farmed out to members of the Sharp family. My Grandpa to the Ed Sharp family, Uncle Harold to the Delwin Sharp family, and Paul Ross to Fred and Vic (Sharp) Hunt. The only thing we really know is that he moved to California.
He died in the Veterans Hospital in Livermore, Alameda, California. As far as we can tell, all of his siblings ended up in California as well. John had a sister named Fanny, who married a Calvin Dickerson Phibbs, who was the judge in Rupert, Idaho for a time. Calvin’s father and some other family members are buried in Rupert. But the Phibbs went to California as well. Then there was a Robert Leonard Ross, and his life is very sketchy. Have very little idea of him. He was married to a Minnie Belle Hambrick, Rose Ann Clawson, and Ruby Leaster Hall. The only one of these I could confirm was Rose Ann Clawson, who had been married to a Sanders, but he married her in Burley, Idaho. Then there was Carma’s father, James Thomas Ross who settled in the Vernal area. Apparently he was the one who went to Utah so his children could marry LDS. They missed Virginia so much, they named their first child after their old home. So, Carma’s older sister is named Vesta Virginia.
It seems to me that somehow they caught wind of the opening of the Sugar Factory in Paul, Idaho, so they moved there from Virginia. I know the Phibbs were there before the Ross family was. Fanny and Calvin were married in Virginia in 1906. The Phibbs all moved to Idaho and then Fanny probably invited her other siblings to go. Fanny arrived there sometime between 1912 and 1914 as children changed their birth locations. My Grandpa has a half brother, Hobart Day, born in 1911 in West Virginia. My Great Grandparents were married in Fort Logan, Colorado. How that ever happened I will never know. My Great Grandmother was married to a Mark Lewis Streeter, who gave another half sibling to my Grandpa, June Streeter. Great Grandma went with Mr. Streeter and they operated a confectionery in Paul, Idaho named Streeter’s Confectionery. There doesn’t seem to be records of this in Paul, other than a Hall’s Confectionery which according to my Grandfather would have been in the same location. Whatever happened, my Great Grandmother divorced her Streeter husband in 1919. My Grandpa is the oldest, born in Plain City. Paul was born in Paul, John Harold in Burley, and Ernest Jackson in Plain City, who died. So that pretty well breaks down the time in Idaho for my family. My Great grandmother married Streeter in 1917 or so as June was born in June 1918. Fanny and Calvin were there until after 1930, when their last child was born in Rupert that year.
James Thomas had only one child born in Idaho at Rupert. She is a middle child, and the rest were born in the Vernal area. That child, Sydney Bea was born in 1922. As for Robert Leonard, he married the one wife in 1919 at Burley, but that is about all that is set in stone for him.
I do not know what the draw was to California. All of them seemed to have died there. I don’t know where Robert died, but I know it was in 1944 and everyone says it was California. Nobody seems to know where, and I have not found a record. My John William died in Livermore in 1948. He remarried a Zane Coffey in Rock Springs, Wyoming. We don’t know what happened to her, if they stayed together. Fanny died in 1943 in San Francisco. James died in Los Angeles in 1964. California had such a draw that both of their parents, James Thomas Meredith (legally, but went by James Thomas Ross) and Damey Catherine Graham both moved to California and died in 1951 and 1933 in Fresno and Marysville respectively. I do not know if my Great Great Grandparents ever came to Idaho, or spent any time in Utah. Carma told me that she met her grandparents in California, so that makes it seem that while she has memory, they were not in the Vernal area. Who knows for sure. I seem to remember somewhere that James Thomas Meredith/Ross was a Bishop in California at one time, indicating he spent some time there, long enough to become acquainted and be called. I don’t remember for sure if it was him or someone else who was called as Bishop.
Anyhow, it was interesting to visit with Carma. She told me of a couple of visits to Grandpa and Grandma’s place. She told me how impressed she was with how tender they were with Judy. They have not visited Plain City since the early 1970’s. She told me of a time that Grandpa came to visit them in Vernal. She said they took them around and introduced them to the family and showed them the area. The one comment that was interesting was that Grandpa used to swear up a storm. According to her, every other word was a swear word. I have never known him like that. The only time I ever heard him swear was when the emphasis was needed, or another word sometimes just did not seem to fit. She was surprised to learn that Grandpa and Grandma had become active. I thought that was interesting. She was even more surprised to learn that they both worked in the Ogden Temple for a few years. Carma now works in the Vernal Temple.
It was good to sit and visit with her. She loaned me a book that was given to her just the month before with all the descendents of James Thomas Ross (Jr). I was excited about that. It looks like we will have to call on Carma on the way to Denver at the end of this month. To return the book and perhaps to glean some other memories from her mind. She is 81 now, and who knows how much longer she could be around. Getting into those ages, things change so quickly. However, I hope she will still be around when we come to visit Utah again, and that we can pay her another visit. Funny how things happen.
We had a great visit and we snapped a picture of Carma and me together. I enjoy visiting family. There are always more stories to hear. I have many more, I record of all my visits in my regular journal. Sorry you don’t get to read of some of those adventures. Perhaps someday I will reiterate some of them here.
Sagacity 