Kingston

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Vicki’s Class Pictures

These are photos shared to me of Victoria “Vicki” Kay Feldtman Ross. I don’t know anything more than what I have listed on the photos. I believe she graduated from Weber High School in 1963, or would have graduated. She married Dad, Milo Paul Ross, 5 March 1963 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. She was born 23 December 1945 in Ontario, Malheur, Oregon and passed away 31 December 2018 in Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho.

4th Grade Ms. Morby, Vicki is back row, fourth from the right
Vicki is middle row, sixth from the right
Mixed Chorus: Back row (l-r): Robert Grieves, Arnold Burr, Deon Mayhew, Bill Fife, Bob Findess, Tommy Bartow, Ronald West, Jay Holley, Rex Judkins, Lynn Gould, James Petterson; Third row: Dee Bradshaw, Doug Giles, Dan Thompson, Blair Hadley, Dave Vesnieuw, Deloy Bentley, Doug Cheshire, Kenneth Groberg, Roger Bingham, Alan Cox, Kent Cevering; Second row: Adele Buff, Tamara Houston, Linda Perkins, Mary Carver, Betty Leach, Jolene Anderson, Carol Johnson, Linda Mapes, KayLynn Peterson, Linda Neilson, June Thompson, Carol Wheeler, Betty Yoshida, Linda Taylor, Judith Jensen; Front row: Jane Meldrum, Virginia Parker, Joyce Gunnerson, Susan Martinson, Donna Marchant, Linda Wells, Carolyn Kingston, Jelene Flinders, Vicki Feldtman, Annette Maw, Lynda Panunzio, Kay Ohlson, SheriLyn Gibson

These names are taken from the back of the photo. Please correct if you think I have them wrong.

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Capitol Reef National Park

Amanda, James, Lillian, Hiram, and Aliza Ross at Capitol Reef National Park

In March 2021 the Ross family went on a little excursion with Amanda’s family to Junction, Piute, Utah. With them we hit Bryce Canyon National Park and some other locations. However, we used it as a springboard to hit some other locations that the Hemsley family did not go with us. One of those places was Capitol Reef National Park.

Rock capitol formation view near Chimney Rock, Capitol Reef National Park

The drive between Junction was off the beaten path. We ventured through little towns like Kingston, Angle, Greenwich, Koosharem, Loa, Lyman, Bicknell, and Torrey.

Chimney Rock in Capitol Reef National Park

We only had about half the day to play in Capitol Reef. We ended up spending the night in Escalante after visiting some parts of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Here you can see some of the different layers over the millions of years.

Here is another vista that takes your breath away. Photos never do it justice.

Another view of Capitol Reef National Park

We did some hiking in the park. It was a bit chilly in some of the locations and with the young children we were limited on how far we could walk. Amanda snapped those pictures, not me.

A rock ledge at one of the trail heads.
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James & Nancy Donaldson Family

James and Nancy Donaldson family, order of 13 children, unknown for certain which are which in the photo: William Alexander (1861), Mary Elizabeth (1863), James (1864), Sarah Amelia (1864), Thomas Henry (1868), Archibald (1870), Annie Mathilda (1872), Robert Chambers (1874), Catherine Alice (1876), Francis Hutton (1878), Harvey Osborn (1882), Albert Edward (1884), and John Ross (1887)

This is the family of Nancy Hutton and James Wray Donaldson. James is the brother to my Joseph Russell Donaldson. James was born 20 November 1833 in Northern Ireland. Some list it as Bredie in County Tyrone. But I don’t have any documentation that even confirms that as yet. Same issue for my Joseph. James immigrated to Ontario Province, Canada. He appears for the first time on the 1861 in Pittsburgh, Frontenac, Ontario. It was in Joyceville, Frontenac, Ontario that he married Nancy Hutton. All 13 of his children were born in Pittsburgh or Joyceville. He was a farmer his entire life. It was in Pittsburgh he died 19 October 1907.

Nancy Hutton was born 9 May 1842 on Amherst Island, Lennox and Addington, Ontario, the 6th of 7 children of Archibald and Sarah Waddell Hutton. After James’ death she moved to Kingston with her daughter Catherine. It was in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario that she passed 12 May 1933.

James and Nancy are both buried in the Sand Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Joyceville.

Obituary of James Wray Donaldson

Tombstone of James and Nancy Donaldson
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Joseph Russell Donaldson

Joseph Russell Donaldson

Miracles still happen! This is proof. The fact that these three photos traveled together without being separated, that there were hints as to their identity written on them, that some lady picked them up in Pennsylvania, and then spent the time to research them and found enough information to link to me, is phenomenal. Joseph, Sarah, and Hattie wanted to be found and the stars aligned with heaven. May there be many more such miracles in the future!

I had a lady who e-mailed me regarding three photos. They were found in an old store in Pennsylvania. The back of this photo above had written on it, “W.S. Donaldson, Evanston.” This lady traced that down to William Scott Donaldson, who did live in Evanston, Wyoming at from about 1890 to 1895. My Great Grandfather, William’s son, David Delos Donaldson was born in Evanston in 1894.

I knew it was not William Scott Donaldson. William, who I have written on before, was born in 1865 and died in Ogden, Utah in 1913 of cancer. A photo taken not too long before his passing does not have him as grey and not looking like this man.

William Scott Donaldson (1865-1913)

But I did have this photograph also in my records of William Scott Donaldson’s father, Joseph Russell Donaldson (1836-1925).

Unknown, Joseph and Agnes Donaldson, Hattie Lovell, Unknown

I have a couple of photos of Joseph Russell Donaldson, who I have also written on before. That nose, the double lines down the cheek, and that bushy goatee seemed to point me where I needed to go next. Here is another photo I have of Joseph Russell Donaldson.

Sitting (l-r): Joseph Russell Donaldson and George Donaldson. Standing: Unknown.

The next photo the lady had in the three-pack tied Joseph Russell to the mix. Here is the second photo.

Hattie Lovell and Joseph Russell Donaldson

This photo had written on the front “Hattie – Father.” As you can see from the photo above, Hattie is the same one as this Hattie, the sister to William Scott Donaldson, Harriet Edith Donaldson Lovell (1875-1961). On the back of this photo is written, “Grandpa Donaldson and Hattie Donaldson – Kingston, Canada.” Again, the tie between W.S. Donaldson and Hattie with “Grandpa.” William Scott was born in Joyceville, Ontario, Canada, but Joseph Russell lived in Kingston from at least 1901 until his death in 1925. Things were tying in nicely with each other.

Then there is this third photo. This one had written on the front, “Sarah Armina Donaldson, Papa’s mother.” The interesting part is the photo paper is of a photographer in Reading, Pennsylvania. So this must be a photograph of a photograph, and looking at it that does seem to be the case.

Sarah Armina Todd

That ties in nicely with Joseph Russell Donaldson and William Scott Donaldson as Sarah Armina Todd (1839-1880) is the wife of Joseph and mother of William. She died a little over 41 years old for what the death record states as “hemorrhage of lungs,” whatever that might be. I have an old, tiny photocopy of this photo but of poor enough condition I did not scan and upload to FamilySearch. This one isn’t necessarily a whole lot better but more complete.

Which then takes us back to the first photo at the top. The more I looked at it, it became apparent it was a younger version of Joseph Russell Donaldson. The way the goatee grows although trimmed, the facial lines, the lips (and the familiarity I recognize in my own father), and the eyes all match. Plus, the writing on the back probably indicates it was taken before or at the time that W.S. Donaldson lived in Evanston (1890-1895). Very happy to have found another photo of another ancestor. He is a handsome man too, nearly or at 60 years of age.

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Donaldson-Todd Wedding

Agnes Quirt Dunlop and Joseph Russell Donaldson

Samuel and Margaret Irvine Todd are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Sarah Armina Todd to Joseph Russell Donaldson, son of William and Catherine Scott Donaldson.  Joseph and Sarah were married 19 November 1862 in Pittsburgh, Frontenac, Ontario.

We really do not know much about this family in terms of personality.  We do know a few things about their lives from documents left behind.  I thought I would write this article in hopes that other photos may be found, but at least I can share this picture of Joseph and his second wife, Agnes.

Sarah Armina Todd was born the first of five children born to Margaret Irvine and Samuel Todd 13 April 1839 in Cape Vincent, Jefferson, New York.  We think the family had just barely arrived from Ireland.  The family then settled in Pittsburgh where her father worked as a blacksmith and farmer.  We also believe Margaret was of the Irvine Clan in Northern Ireland, but have yet to verify any of that.  We do not even know if Margaret and Samuel knew each other before leaving to emigrate to Canada.  They may have met in the United States or on the ship over the pond.  No pictures of her to date have appeared, hopefully one will arise at some point.

Sarah Armina Todd_Page_1

Sarah Armina Todd

Joseph Russell was born seventh of nine children we know of born to Catherine Scott and William Donaldson 12 April 1836 in Bredie, Tyrone, Northern Ireland.  We still have to confirm the exact location, but this is from family history sources stretching to Joseph and Sarah’s sons.  Joseph’s parents emigrated to Joyceville, Frontenac, Ontario we believe around 1842.  We have yet to verify much of the information related to this family.  I have posted some information on Joseph’s sister, Mary Hutton.  I have also made mention of Joseph’s double nephew, William John.

Joseph Russell Donaldson_Page_1

Joseph Russell Donaldson

Anyhow, Joyceville and Pittsburgh are about 1.25 miles apart and it is easy to imagine how Joseph and Sarah met.  Both families were in the area long enough they were probably well acquainted with each other and the myriad of cousins living in the vicinity.  However they met, the two were married in Pittsburgh in 1862 and went on to have eight children.  Joseph worked as a farmer his entire life in the Pittsburgh area.

Margaret Emma Donaldson was born 6 February 1864 in Joyceville and died 11 June 1916.  We do not know where she died or if she ever married.

William Scott Donaldson was born 18 June 1865 in Joyceville and died 12 September 1913 in Ogden, Weber, Utah.  He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad, which took him west.  There he met and married Mary Elizabeth Williams.  I have written of their life at this link: Donaldson-Williams Wedding.

Samuel Gordon Donaldson was born 23 February 1867 in Joyceville and died 22 October 1933 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.  He married Catherine Joyce 18 January 1899.

Joseph Russell Donaldson was born 15 September 1868 in Joyceville and died 19 October 1922 in Toronto, York, Ontario.  He married Mary Elizabeth Connell 1 May 1899 in Joyceville.

George Donaldson was born 10 October 1871 in Joyceville and died 8 December 1943 in Watertown, Jefferson, New York.  He married Florence Martha Carey 9 January 1896 in Clayton, Jefferson, New York.  Here are photos of their family.

Sarah Gertrude Donaldson was born 15 July 1873 in Joyceville.  We do not know anything really more about her other than she married Harry Joseph Houghton 22 April 1903.  As far as we can tell, they moved to Lakewood or Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Harriett Edith Donaldson was born 10 September 1875 in Joyceville.  We do not know anything more about her other than she married Arnold Lovell 25 July 1903.

Robert John Donaldson was born 26 July 1877 in Joyceville and died 24 May 1878 in Pittsburgh.

Sarah then died 4 October 1880 in Pittsburgh and was buried in the Sandhill Cemetery in Joyceville.

Joseph remarried 15 July 1891 in Ernestown, Lennox and Addington, Ontario.  We do not know a whole lot about her other than it appears she was born 14 June 1842 in Quebec and died 20 February 1925.  Her parents are listed on her death certificate as Henry Quirts and Ann Jane Farquar.  The family used the name of Henry Quirt and Ann Jane Farquhar.  Dunlop was the name of a previous husband, Robert.

Unknown, Joseph and Agnes Donaldson, Hattie Lovell, Unknown

Unknown, Joseph and Agnes Donaldson, Hattie Lovell, Unknown

Hattie and Joseph Donaldson_Page_1

Hattie Lovell and Joseph Russell Donaldson

When retirement came,  Joseph moved to Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario.  It is here we presume he met Agnes.  He lived in Kingston until he passed away in that city 19 January 1925.  He was buried next to Sarah in Sandhill Cemetery in Joyceville.