Since we lived in Oklahoma City for three years, we often visited downtown with visitors and on our own. I was not far from the Memorial at work. The bankruptcy court is only a block away and also received damage. I deeply feel what occurred that day.
“Ella Hitt, left, and Abigail Williams were presented their Cassia County Republican Central Committee scholarships by Chairman Paul Ross.
“Burley – Ella Hitt and Abigail Williams were recently named the winners of a pair of $1,000 scholarships awarded by the Cassia County Republican Central Committee.
“Scholarship application requirements included an interview with an elected official, attending a public meeting and writing a resolution. Finalists were interviewed by the Cassia County Republican Scholarship Committee.
“The winning students spoke at a committee meeting and presented their resolutions and answered questions.
This posted this week. Fun to have a reference in the paper that is positive.
I received a letter from a first cousin, twice removed this past week. I was pretty excited about the letter and appreciate her thinking of me. Alice Coley Miller, daughter of Lloyd and Verda Coley, Lloyd is the brother to my Lillian Coley Jonas. The card and letter speak for themselves. As time passes, many of these types of documents are likely just trashed. This letter was somewhat difficult to type up and be loyal to what Great Grandma Lillian wrote. Having said that, I have made a number of corrections in brackets to be more accurate than what she had at the time of writing. The modern miracle of the internet, crowd-sourcing, and FamilySearch have completely changed this clunky process that Alice, Veda, and Lillian were engaged. I hope Great Grandma Bowcutt doesn’t mind my sharing her handwriting and grammar. I also linked the other pages and photos I have on this family, so you can go to those links to read the full information and histories that I have previously written.
February 26
Dear Paul
I have moved from Brooklyn, New York to Bountiful, UT. In going through stuff I found this letter written to me by your great grandmother Lillian Bowcutt (Jonas). Since it’s in her handwriting I thought you might like to have it.
I appreciate all the genealogical information you are gathering and that names on the Coley line are coming up for temple work to be done.
Enjoy the coming spring.
Alice Coley Miller
Mrs. Frank W. Miller, 1050 East 31 Street, Brooklyn, New York 11210.
Lillian Bowcutt, Box 312, Richmond, Utah 84333
Richmond UT, Febr. 6, 1976
Dear Alice Husband + family
Just haven’t been able to write and tell about the Coleys you see I haven’t been able to get much either. But aunt Veda has a lot she said write her and see if she can help you. I’ll send you what I have about them.
This Stephen Grandpa Coley
Born Jan 28, 1830 at [Haley] green Worc England.
Baptized Jan 5, 1892
Endowed Oct. 12. 1892
Wife Hannah [Maria] Harris Rogers
Born June 10. 1832 [Bromsgrove] Worc. Egland (Records now point to Lutley or Romsley)
Biptized Nov 4. 1891
Endowed Oct 12. 1892
Children
1 – Charles Coley no dates
2 – Arthur Coley when born
3 – William Coley nor the year
4 Martha Coley Born Aug 28
5 Herbert Coley Born Febr. 12 1867
6 Harry Coley no dates on them
7 Frank Coley
Lewiston
Stephen Coley Died 22 Oct 1913
Hannah [Maria] Rodgers
Oct 22. 1894 [Franklin] Idaho
Martha Ann Coley married 5 Oct 1891 to Theo France
died 23 July 1949 Parma Ida
They got Henery was uncle Harry
George Harry came over 1890 at age 22 on Wisconsin May.
Stephen, Martha Ann Herbert all born at [Haley] Green
Hannah [Maria] Roger born Halesowen Egland
I think maybe your aunt Veda has the rest and I hope there right she said she had a lot on them Coleys I would sure like to get some on them myself
This is all I got about them
I sure hope you can read this
in one place they got uncle Harry name as George Henry but we all know him as Harry
lots of Love Aunt Lillian
Earlier this year, the City of Minidoka had some big changes in leadership. Last year, Mayor Matthew Shaefer resigned for health reasons. Minidoka doesn’t have many registered voters as residents who are also interested in being involved in city government. Further, there are often conflicts where one of the Council is not able to be present. To maintain a full City Council, no action was taken that might remove a member of the Council without a potential replacement. Fortunately, some citizens show interest in getting involved and to assist the work of the City. With a potential to serve on Council, the City was ready to move forward.
On January 7, 2025, the Minidoka City Council appointed a new Mayor. She was sworn in at that time. Welcome to Mayor Julie Peterson!
Julie Peterson formally resigned her seat on the City Council. That left a vacancy for which she then appointed a new councilman. With that, she appointed Bridget Frost as a new Councilwoman. She was sworn in at that time. Welcome Councilwoman Frost!
I don’t know how many Mayors or Councilman Minidoka has had since its incorporation in 1905, or how many informal Mayors it had from when it was first settled about 1884. Obviously the name of Minidoka was used for the Bureau of Reclamation Project signed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 which brought the Minidoka Dam and water to the whole area (but not the City of Minidoka). Minidoka County was created from Lincoln County in 1913. Part of that Reclamation Project also had the later World War II Japanese internment camp, Minidoka Relocation Camp (while not in Minidoka County, it was within the Minidoka Reclamation Project.
There is a new Mayor in Minidoka City. A full City Council too! Time to get down to business.
Minidoka and Cassia Counties celebrated their joint Lincoln Days this year on February 22. It was the first time held at Wick’s Steak Place in Declo. Minidoka County Republican Central Committee chaired the Lincoln Days Committee for the two counties. Many thanks to the committee members who organized and orchestrated the event, from the silent auction, donations, auction, meal, location, and more!
It was a great crowd for an election off-year. Denton Darrington, and Virgene, both attended this year. Denton is the longest serving Idaho Senator in Idaho History. Kelly Anthon, and Joelle, also attended and was one of our speakers. Kelly is currently the Senate Pro Tem and stands on the shoulders of Denton Darrington in the Senate.
Here is a copy of the program I received. The final agenda had a change for the national anthem performer, I believe Kiya Fife. The lot fell on me to conduct. I made note that it was George Washington’s birthday. I brought to attention that he was born 11 February 1731, but with the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendars, it moved from 11 February 1731 to 22 February 1732. Imagine if government tried to do that now! How many people would refuse? How many would say it was a deep state secret agenda? How many decades afterward would we hear about it? What would you do if you lost over a year of your life due to a calendar change?
Many others attended the Minidoka – Cassia Lincoln Days. Some of them include Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke, and Sarah; Idaho’s Secretary of State Phil McGrane; Idaho’s Comptroller Brandon Woolf; members of Senator Risch’s office including our Region Chairman Mike Mathews; members of Senator Crapo’s office; LD 27 Representative Clay Handy, and Kristine; all six county commissioners for Minidoka and Cassia (Jared Orton, Dan Schaeffer, Sheryl Koyle, Leonard Beck, Bob Kunau, and Kent Searle); and other local county elected officials.
Robert Moore was kind enough to donate a portion of the proceeds from the auction of two of his paintings at our Lincoln Days.
Idaho Republican Chairman Dorothy Moon, and Darr, were also in attendance representing the party. Locally Minidoka Chairman Jenny Bateman and Oneida Chairman Bryan Kerr were present (I serve as Chairman of Cassia County Republican Central Committee).
Sen. Kelly Anthon spoke on the history and representation of Denton Darrington and his imprint/impression left on Idaho politics and history. He gave a brief overview of the currrent legislative session and the sausage being made in Boise.
A note was made of the passing of former Cassia Chairman Tim Preston, also a native of Declo.
It was a successful Lincoln Days for the two counties. We will be headed over to Oneida County’s Lincoln Days on 15 February 2025. Looking forward to the trip and time associating with the good people of Malad.
I look forward to planning our Lincoln Days for 2026, which will be in honor of the Semiquincentennial (250th) of the Declaration of Independence.
5 years ago, April 2020, Ted Tateoka and I went exploring the desert. We were hunting for Chalk Cave in Blaine County, Idaho. We found a couple of caves not far off the old Picabo Desert Road, one of which was Chalk Cave.
You can tell it is early spring because of the matted desert grass.
We wandered our way through Chalk Cave, which isn’t very big. But it was well visited in the past. I snapped this picture. We never recommend you paint, carve, or in any way deface any cave. It is actually a crime, but most people never get busted.
I would have to go back and check to see if I could read what is above the name. This appears to be Its Lavon Larsen 1938, 1/20/37. I believe this is Maud LaVon Larsen, born 25 October 1917 in Twin Falls, Idaho. She shows as living in rural Jerome County in 1935 pursuant to the 1940 Census. She married Louis Francis Bulcher on 31 December 1943 in Twin Falls. She passed away in Twin Falls on 26 November 2013.
I have mentioned before when I shared class pictures from Paul Elementary for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Grades, that I was glad to have other classmates who allowed me to scan the class photos. All mine were lost due to a flood in our basement while I was on my mission in 1998-2000. I am happy to report that the missing 3rd and 6th Grade pictures have been provided, thanks to Erin Zemke.
This is our 6th grade class picture from Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho. This was the 1990 – 1991 school year.
Normally I organized photos with married names and dates. Since all are still alive, I will forgo any of the dates. I have added the married last name for the ones I know. If you have corrections, please let me know.
Frank Peterson
James Corless Mendenhall (1935-2013)
Travis Butcher
Ryon Paul Carney (1978-1991)
Ben Frank
Augustin Gonzales
Wes Grace
Colleen Harper married Barnes
Douglas Hayden
Chad Higley
Mandy Kaster
Amber King
Kami Klosterman married Beall
Thomas Kunzler
Sharlyn Maughan
Fenton Mayes
Kyle McCoy
James McCray
James McKenzie
Wade Moss
Emily Neibaur married Haynes
Kevin Orton
Jeri Lyn Parks
Carrie Presley
Paul Ross
Deanne Williams
Monica Woodland
Erin Zemke married McKindree
I wrote previously of a book I have that belonged to my Great Grandfather, Joseph Nelson Jonas. The book was given to me by Ellis Jonas along with a couple of others. Inside the book was this clipping, presumably put there by my Great Grandmother, Lillian Coley Jonas. I have no clue about its significance, if any. It was clipped and put there in the book for some reason.
“Word was received yesterday afternoon of the death of Dr. Wm. B. Parkinson, Jr., of Fairfield, Idaho. He had been ailing for the last year and was being treated for heart trouble at the time of his death in a hospital at Twin Falls, Idaho.
He was a son of the late Dr. Wm. B. Parkinson, Sr., and Elizabeth B. Parkinson, of Logan and was born at Morgan, Dec. 24, 1877, moving to Logan with his father’s family when a small boy. He graduated from medical school in Chicago and came back and practiced in Wellsville and Logan and settled in Lewiston where he practiced for many years. Later he moved to Fairfield, Idaho, where he was practicing at the time of his death.
“Surviving are his wife and the following children: Mrs. Ben Red of Price, Mrs. Hugh Johnstone of Oakland, Calif., Floyd Parkinson and Mrs. Beth Blair of Lewiston, Paul of Price, and Peggy Parkinson of Lewiston, and seven grand children.
“The brothers and sisters are Mrs. George W. Leishman, Mrs. Ada England, Elizabeth Parkinson, and Mrs. Afton Nielsen of Logan, Mrs. Winnifred Jennens of Detroit, Michigan. Dr. George T. Parkinson, Twin Falls, Ida., Mrs. Hazel McAlister of Preston, Dr. Fred B. Parkinson, Cedar City. Mrs. Veda Worley of Salt Lake, Mrs. Karma Parkinson of Franklin, Dr. Wallace Parkinson of San Francisco, Calif., Don Parkinson of Texas, Mrs. Edith Shaw of Provo, and Mrs. Arthur Rallison of Whitney, Idaho.
“Funeral services are being held at Fairfield, Idaho Thursday morning at 10 a. m. Burial will be at the Logan cemetery. Short services will be held at Logan graveside at 3 p. m. Friday.
“Friends may call at the W. Loyal Hall mortuary in Logan Friday from 10 a. m. to time of graveside rites.
Sagacity 