This photo was shared by Howard Ross when he wrote his history of Nancy Adeline Ross and Gary, West Virginia.
I will have to get Howard’s biography typed so I can share it in full.
Gary, West Virginia
Ross
Holden Grave Payson Utah
We tend to not get down to Payson, Utah, Utah too often. On this occasion we were on our way back from Ely, White Pine, Nevada from a trip to Great Basin National Park. We were also coming home on Memorial Day weekend, so we had to make some visits to family graves.
LeRoy and Clara Elizabeth Jarvis Holden are Amanda’s maternal grandparents.
LeRoy Holden was born 28 November 1914 in Provo, Utah, Utah. He was the son of Alvin Peter Holden and Emma Jane Roberts. I tried to convince Amanda we should name a son Alvin citing to her family history, but it was to no avail.
He met Clara Elizabeth Jarvis was born 11 May 1918 in Palmyra, Utah, Utah. She was the daughter of Joseph Finch Jarvis and Sarah Jane Evans.
LeRoy and Clara met and were married in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple on 19 January 1939. Together they had 5 children and adopted Amanda’s mother, Jill in 1963.
LeRoy developed cancer and passed away 25 December 1995 in Provo. He was buried 29 Decembber 1995 in Payson City Cemetery.
Clara met and married Jay LeGrande Barlow on 20 December 1996 in Provo. He was born 7 July 1918 in Enterprise, Washington, Utah.
Clara passed away 22 April 2009 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. She was buried 25 April 2009 in Payson City Cemetery.
Jay passed away a short time later on 23 September 2009 in Draper, Salt Lake, Utah. He was buried 28 September 2009 in Payson City Cemetery next to his wife Dorothy Emett (1920-1993).
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.
The drive between Junction was off the beaten path. We ventured through little towns like Kingston, Angle, Greenwich, Koosharem, Loa, Lyman, Bicknell, and Torrey.
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 is another vista that takes your breath away. Photos never do it justice.
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.
Moses Lake Washington Temple Open House
This weekend we took the opportunity to attend the Moses Lake Washington Temple Open House. The place was humming, not just the bees over the Salvia. There were lines and they were trying to move people through quickly. There were even the classic protesters! Not a proper temple open house without protesters.
Fortunately I had some business opportunities in Moses Lake, so I scheduled that the night before and the morning of the open house. Very excited about those prospects, we will see what comes of them.
Split Butte, Blaine County
Split Butte is located in Blaine County Idaho about 15 miles north of Minidoka Idaho. It isn’t far to the east of the territory of the Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve.
Split Butte looking northwest, a phreatomagmatic maar-type volcano comprised of a tephra ring and inner basalt lava lake. The lava lake partially flowed over the southwest rim and collapsed leaving a circular shelf of basalt within the crater.
It isn’t far from the Wapi Flow that nearly reached the volcano.
It is an other-worldly type of place. The heat, the barrenness of the desert, and the constant wind erosion of the rocks makes it unique.
Brad & Rachel Hales came to visit in early June 2021. We ventured out to the desert. For Split Butte we sardined all 13 members of our families into my air-conditioned 2014 Ford F-150 for the trek from the main road to Split Butte. That turned into a story of its own.
I took this panorama from the highest point I could attain. You cannot even really make out my truck at the bottom.
I must comment how disappointed I am that some people have done damage or not tried to preserve this phenomenal feature for future generations. Garbage is minimal, but the off-road vehicles going to this place are not careful and undermine the beauty and grandeur that still exists. I hope if you make a visit you will leave it better than you found it.
Custer County Courthouse
This weekend I traveled to beautiful Custer County to participate in the Idaho GOP Summer Meeting at the beautiful Living Waters Ranch just west of Challis, Idaho.
I was in Boise on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and made the trek through Idaho City, Lowman, Stanley, Clayton, to Challis. I don’t think I have been to Challis since about 2003 when I took a friend from England to Challis on a road tour. I came here a couple of times in the 1980’s with my Grandma selling insurance. It really has not changed much since my memories here in the 80’s. One time after Camp Bradley we were brought to Challis to the hot springs. I recall stopping at Yankee Fork Dredge and the ghost towns of Bonanza and Custer.
Throughout the late 80s and 90s we also came up multiple times to herd cattle for Aslett Ranches. We moved quite a few cattle from or to Mackay to the wilderness up near White Knob. I quite liked that time with my Dad. I don’t miss the ticks, saddle sore legs, and dry heat.
As an attorney, I find myself drawn to the Courthouses. I actually have a pending case in Custer County at present for a high school friend whose father passed and a probate needed to be done. We are working through that case and published in the local paper, recorded at the County Recorder, and have the ongoing case at the Courthouse.
The drive over was beautiful. The road from Boise to Lowman is gnarly. My pickup felt even less safe on that road due to height and length. I just cannot hug the road like those low cars that seemed to just want to ride close behind. I was happy to pull over them a few times to let them pass. I drop a gear and let the engine keep me slow too. One car passed me and I could see the smoke from his brakes and that distinct smell.
There are the usual breathtaking views of various vistas in the Sawtooth Mountains. There is also evidence of the perils too.
I also stopped at the Sunbeam Dam near Sunbeam, Idaho to snap a picture or two and walk along the Salmon River.
I could see some fish in the river. I was tempted to try and catch one but the water was so cold I decided not to do anything silly.
All of Custer County is only pushing 4,500 people for the entire county. Custer County has some of our highest mountains, including Mount Borah, Idaho’s tallest mountain. Much of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area is also in Custer.
Mower Upgrade
We purchased a new home last September. With a considerably bigger yard, we had to purchase a riding mower. We debated on whether to get a zero turn or a regular. I opted for the traditional riding mower so the kids could learn how to drive properly and hopefully also reverse.
They were anxious to give it a try. However, neither Aliza nor Hiram were heavy enough to trigger the switch in the seat to keep it running. We put them together and their combined weight was enough. This is a fun picture of the two of them together learning how to mow! It is also a picture in front of our new front door of our new house/home.
New house, new mower, new skills, new excitement. Hopefully they will be as excited to mow the lawn in a year from now!
The old mower we kept to continue mowing the office lawn and other little jobs as needed around the house.
Lagoon Visit
This photo was found by an acquaintance and who recognized me. I am glad they did! They were kind enough to provide this photo, and some other photos and documents, to me. You can see it had something spilled on it and has a number of scratches. Makes it seem more authentically old.
Honestly, I forgot this photo was even taken. I did not have a copy of it. I seem to remember seeing it once or twice through the years, but here is a copy for me. I was pretty excited about it. The back of the photo says 1993, which does not seem correct. Based on the age of May and me, I am thinking this is more like 1995. I seem to recall that Brook came to visit before going into the Navy, and 1995 would have put him at 18, later if he was older. However, I found this photo from the same occasion, which is dated 12 June 1993. So I have adopted that date as accurate and Brook was visiting when he was 16. This will post at 30 years after the fact! Time flies… Grandma and Jackie took us to Lagoon. I would have thought Andra would have come as well, but I don’t remember her being there and I have no idea why she would have been left out of the photo. If she had been at Lagoon, we would surely have waited for her to be in the photo.
A year or two later, this photo was taken of me and my friend, Dustin McClellan. This photo has 1994 written in the name, perhaps it was written on the back as well.
The Silver Nickel Saloon is in old town of Lagoon found in Farmington, Davis, Utah. There are probably even more photos out there from high school, but I do not have copies of those photos.
