Sunday, 7 December 2025 by Sagacity

Pearlie letter to Jim

This letter was shared with me by Erron Alvey. Erron and I are cousins descending from James Thomas Ross/Meredith and Damey Catherine Graham. I have written about them before. In 2020, I shared that some more photos of James/Jim were found and I hoped that more would be found. Erron is a descendant through Robert “Bob” Leonard Ross, brother to my John “Jack” Ross. Bob’s daughter, Mary, is Erron’s Great Grandmother. It appears that some of Jim’s possessions and photos have come through the generations to her. She provided some photographs and other documents for scanning, I scanned 215 documents in all. Among them, was this letter. Pearlie was married to James Thomas Ross/Meredith Jr. Envelopes suggest Jim was living in Winton, California. None of the letters have an address on them.

The letter is dated 1934. That is right in the depths of the Great Depression. During this time in California, Jim is planning on making his way to the Salt Lake City Temple. There he will make covenants only available in temples. His closest temple at that time would have been St. George. But he has family and friends in Salt Lake City. I don’t know if he made it to Vernal and Lapoint to visit James and Pearlie and their family. But this certainly gives some more insight into the ongoing conversations and relationships that existed. I will share the scans of the letter below. I will also share some of the stash of photos that have come over, unfortunately most are unnamed individuals. Jim was baptized and confirmed 17 April 1898. He received his endowment 20 June 1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Damey, who has passed away in 1933, also received her endowment vicariously on the same date. They were also sealed that same date. This letter is 11 months before Jim made the trip and received these ordinances.

Pearlie May Marshall was born 16 September 1892 in Gladesboro, Carroll, Virginia and died 17 September 1976 in Vernal, Uintah, Utah. She married to James Thomas Ross (1895 – 1964) 4 June 1913 in Laurel Fork, Carroll, Virginia. They divorced and she remarried to Ashley Bartlett in Vernal, Utah, 22 November 1938. James Jr and Pearlie had six children: Vesta Virginia Ross (1914 – 2007), Eugene Dale Ross (1915 – 1986), Iola Inez Ross (1918 – 1976), Ernest Howard Ross (1919 – 1922), Sydney Bea Ross (1922 – 2010), and Carma Ross (1924 – 2015). All but Sydney were born in Lapoint, she was born in Rupert, Minidoka, Idaho. Ernest died in Rupert while there.

Lapoint, Ut

July 20, 1934

Dear Dad,

We were surely pleased to get your letter as we half been expecting one for some time.

How are you and what are you doing? We are all well as usual and not doing much of any thing.

Are times getting any better down there? Don’t seem to be any better here, besides the water situation is getting serious.

Just enough for gardens and maybe that won’t last.

No hay or grain raised if under the White Rocks Canal and not much under the Government Canal.

Glad you are coming to Salt Lake City to go through the Temple.

Nothing would please me better than to go through with you, but I haven’t a penny now and don’t suppose I will then, but if it is possible I will be there.

One of my neighbors used to work in the Temple. She said you could get some one there to go through with you, but I will if I can get there.

I wish Tom would go and be sealed to you and have our work done but I’ve about given up all hopes.

You must be sure and come on out here whether I can meet you there or not.

It won’t cost much more and we want to see you so bad. The children talk about your a lot. Sydney and Carma are getting to be quite big girls now. Eugene hasn’t grown much since you saw him. Surely sorry to hear Jack had cancer of the stomach. Hope he is better by now.

How are Fannie’s folks?

I wrote her 2 or 3 weeks ago but haven’t heard from her.

Do you still stay with Florence? How are her and her family? Tell her to write and tell all about herself and kiddies.

Where is Orson? How are he and his wife getting along. Where does Mary live and how is her health now.

Dad and Mother are getting quite feeble. They ask about you often. Said give you their love. All the rest are quite well. The depression has hit them all.

Irma and Bill are still here but would like to lie in Calif.

Well, Dad don’t wait so long to write us as we are always anxious to hear from you. Be sure you make your plans to come on here when you come to Salt Lake.

Would like for you to come stay with us. It was not cold here last winter so maybe it won’t be this.

Any way come for awhile. I’ll meet you if I can.

Please write soon.

Love from all

Pearlie

Sunday, 24 July 2022 by Sagacity

Lost on the Handcart Trail

Jonas negative taken in early 1960s on Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

This article is from Pioneer magazine, 2019 Vol. 66, No. 4. This is actually a reprint from the October 1937 Pioneer magazine. This article was entitled Lost on the Handcart Trail and was written by D. J. G.

“Sarah Goode Marshall displayed courage and mother love typical of the early pioneer women of our state. She was the mother of six small children whose father died during the preparation of the family to immigrate from Great Britain to America. Saddened, but not discouraged at the loss of her husband, she left her native England with a company of Mormon Immigrants, arriving in the State of Iowa in the spring of 1845, just as the first handcart companies were being organized.

“Mrs. Marshall prayerfully raised her tear filled eyes to Heaven and asked God to be her guide and protector to her little ones, and comfort them through their long journey to an unknown land, among a company of strangers. All she owned was placed in a small hand cart. She then began the long trek over the plains with her six children.

“Their journey through the State of Iowa was very difficult, but they must become accustomed to hardship and exhaustion which comes through overwork and little nourishment. Alone, she, most of all, must become accustomed to being the one who must sacrifice, the one who must endure patiently, the one who must have explicit confidence in their captain. She must learn to submit to his will and obey company regulations without questions.

“One day after their journey had been resumed, following a short rest and lunch, Mrs. Marshall missed one of her little girls. She became frantic and sick with fear for her child. A search among the children of the company was hurriedly made. Inquiries were made regarding the child and her disappearance, but no information could be gained. It seemed no one had missed the child. Mrs. Marshall then appealed to the captain of her company and asked for permission to go back over the trail in search of her baby. The captain was stern and exacting. He pondered and stared at her and then said, ”You must not leave the company, too much time has already been lost and all must be on their way.” Her heart was filled with anguish, her sorrow and anxiety was almost more than she could endured. Sympathetic mothers in the company wept and tried to comfort her. They uttered silent prayers for her and her babe. She obeyed the captain and slowly she pushed her little cart along the weary trail. Every step separating her farther and farther from her child.

“At last “Halt” was called and their day’s journey ended. Her great mental anguish and suffering made her ill, but after a scant supper had been eaten she carefully tucked her five remaining children in their camp beds and then she waited patiently for darkness to fall. She knew all would then sleep soundly in camp. When all was quiet and she was alone she slipped away, back over the trail which she had just traveled. Hoping, praying, listening, weeping, she often called aloud to her child only to be mocked by the echo of her own voice and dead silence of the prairie. She plodded wearily on, but her fear was consuming her hope and the faith that she would find her little girl became weaker. Her strength was failing, and she was almost exhausted. It seemed that she would fail, she was lost, alone, weary and sick, she staggered on, and then out of the shadows of the night she came upon her babe lying on the trail. Then came the realization that she was rewarded. Her little one lay exhausted at her feet. Mrs. Marshall knelt beside her sobbing, sleeping little child, and on that lonely prairie trail thanked God. She knew that the prayers she had uttered during that day and night had been heard and answered.

“She hugged her babe to her. She could hear the howls of the wolf and the hoot of the owl. After a very short rest she nestled her sleeping baby’s head to her breast and began once more plodding back over the trail to the hand cart company. Just as the company was about to start on the day’s journey Mrs. Marshall appeared in camp, baby safe and a heroic mother feeling that she had rescued her babe from the perils of the wilderness.

Saturday, 23 December 2017 by Sagacity

Beulah Duncan and Damey Ross

Beulah and Damey Ross

I received this photo a few years ago. It just has “Beulah” written on the back of it. I asked the person who provided it to see if they could get a higher resolution scan of the photo. I don’t have one yet, but I can always hope.

There is really only on Beulah Ross in the entire extended family I am aware. That is Beulah Estell Ross. She was born 26 March 1908 in Twin Branch, McDowell, West Virginia. She was born to Robert Leonard Ross (1888-1944) and Minnie Belle Hambrick (1889-abt 1985). There are many questions about her father Robert. I have heard stories from West Virginia family that he was running from the law when he visited them in the 1930s. Which might lead to some explanation on why he is hard to track and records seem to be scant.

We believe Robert and Minnie had 6 children, but only 3 of them have we really been able to find or track. Beulah Estell Ross is one of those children. She met and married William Jackson “Jack” Duncan on 20 September 1922 in Burley, Cassia, Idaho. He was born 26 September 1901 in Clinton, Van Buren, Arkansas. That would put her at 14 years of age when she married in Burley to Bill, who was 21.

I have written of her grandparents, James & Damey Ross, before. They lived in and near Paul, Minidoka, Idaho until the late 1920s. The 1930 census found them in Bend, Deschutes, Oregon.

Looking at the photo, I am guessing Beulah is about 12-14, which puts us in the early 1920s and in southern Idaho.

Beulah and Jack had 4 children that we know. Jack died 11 July 1977 in Sunnyside, Yakima, Washington. Beulah remarried to a Kenneth K Marshall. She then passed away 5 March 2002 in Toppenish, Yakima, Washington. Jack and Beulah are both buried in Zillah.

Read her obituary here.

I found this note from a 2007 post. I recorded these notes from a conversation with granddaughter Carol Ann Stone.

“We visited for a few minutes; she told me what she knew of her grandmother, Beulah. Their story goes something like this. Robert was an alcoholic and his wife Minnie had some sort of Drug addiction. All the children were farmed out to others. Beulah was taken in by her grandparents, my great great grandparents James Thomas Meredith Ross and Damey Catherine Graham. She was taken and raised near Rupert, Idaho. But her strict Mormon grandparents was a bit much for her so she was anxious to get out. That came when she met a Jack or Mack Duncan. She was 14 and married him. They moved to Zillah, Washington and lived out the remainder of their days. He died in the late 70’s and she died in 2002 at about 96 years of age. They had four children, two of which are deceased.”

The more I looked at the photo, it dawned on me that the lady was her grandmother, Damey Catherine Graham Ross.

Damey Catherine Graham Ross

Here is a photo of James Thomas and Damey Catherine Ross.

James & Damey Ross

Robert, Beulah’s father, is brother to my John “Jack” William Ross.

After I realized that this photograph was another of my Great Great Grandmother, I was pretty excited. It makes me want to be more diligent in chasing down a better scan of the photo.

Here are a couple of other photos with Beulah and Jack in them. I don’t know the other individuals. Some day….