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Hooper Springs Park

In September last year, 2017, the Hemsley family took our yearly excursion into the hills.

We traveled into Soda Springs to get to know the town and its sites a little better.

We made a trip to Hooper Springs Park north of Soda Springs to see what we could see.

Hooper Springs Gazebo

A memory stretching from my childhood appeared.  I remember going here with my Grandma when I was about 5 or 6 years old when I would go with her selling insurance for a week or so at a time.  I remember this little park and the gazebo covering the spring.

We brought our cups out and we did partake of the carbonated waters from Hooper Springs.

I did a little research on Hooper Springs.  This little spring has been here and advertised for over at least 160 years.  Rain service reached the area in 1882 and W. H. Hooper marketed the springs nationally.  Hooper was a banker and President of Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution.  He was a great advocate of Soda Springs and the soda water industry.

William Henry Hooper was born in Maryland, moved to Illinois, converted to Mormonism, and moved to Utah with the exodus.  He served in Congress from Utah from 1859 to 1873 with some gaps.

He was superintendent of ZCMI from 1873 until 1877, then as President from 1877 to 1882.  He was also the President of Deseret Bank from 1872 until 1882.

Hooper first came to Soda Springs about 1870.  He had his own home in Soda Springs as well as Salt Lake City.

Here we came into Hooper Springs in September 2017. Photo of the Hemsley clan to prove our attendance.

James Ross sits int he car seat on the bench, Zach Smart and Alyssa Hemsley in the back right, Bryan Hemsley holding the red solo cup with flavored carbonated water, Jill Hemsley, Amanda Ross, Derek & Jordan Hemsley holding Jack, with children Alyssa Ross, Lillian Ross, Olivia Hemsley, and Hiram Ross in front.

Cheese everyone!

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2nd Grade, Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho

Back (l-r): Mrs. Elaine Mayes, Bobie Jones, Justin Orr, Archie Winnett, Benjamin Wilcher, Kyle McCoy, Erin Zemke, Cody Strunk, Amanda Moore; Middle: Danny Wright, Jesse Jensen, Nathan Jones, Traci Gibbons, Paul Ross, Erica Jones, Shana Thompson, Brett Whiting; Front: Charlyn Robertson, Alissa Anderson, Kaleb Winn, Kimberly Isham, Kevin Orton, Cherrylin Tolle, Ivan Young, Leslie Durfee, Gina Chapa, Tasha Martsch.

Bobie Story let me scan some pictures she had of our grade school years. All mine were lost due to the flooding of our basement while in the mission field. I am happy to have copies again. (If anyone has Ms. Suhr for 3rd or Mr. Mendenhall for 6th, I would love to scan copies of your photos!)

This is my 2nd grade class from Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho. This was the 1986 – 1987 school year.

Normally I go through and organize these photos with married names and dates. I will forgo the dates since we are all alive as far as I know. For the women, I added married names. If you have corrections or updates, I am happy to add.

Elaine Spencer Mayes (1940-2024)

Alissa Anderson married Green

Gina Chapa

Leslie Durfee married Orthman

Traci Gibbons (1978 – 2021) married Hollahan

Kimberly Isham

Jesse Jensen

Bobie Jones married Story

Erica Jones married Thorson

Nathan Jones

Kyle McCoy

Tasha Martsch

Amanda Moore married Kriwox

Justin Orr

Kevin Orton

Charlyn Robertson married Darrington

Paul Ross

Cody Strunk

Shana Thompson

Cherrylin Tolle

Brett Whiting

Benjamin Wilcher

Kaleb Winn (I swear I thought his last name was Morrison)

Archie Winnett

Danny Wright

Ivan Young

Erin Zemke married McKindree

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5th Grade, Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho

Front (l-r):Genevive Olivas, Jennifer Gebauer, Cody Strunk, Bryan Jensen, Shane Hossfeld, Paul Ross.  Second: Mrs. Bonnie Willis, Amber King, Colleen Harper, Jalene Woodward, Mandy Ball, Bobie Jones, Joel Munoz, Michael Hollis.  Third: Grace Williams, Karlene Hansen, Traci Gibbons, Brett Whiting, Alfonso Navarro, Beau Twiss, Jesse Jensen.  Back: Kyle McCoy, James McKenzie, Jim Cueva, Patrick Adams, Max Bailey, Rigo Arteaga.

A friend brought in some pictures she had of my grade school years.  All mine were lost due to the flooding of our basement while in the mission field.  I am happy to have copies again.  (If anyone has Ms. Suhr for 3rd or Mr. Mendenhall for 6th, I would love to scan copies of your photos!)

This is my 5th grade class from Paul Elementary, Paul, Idaho.  I believe this was the 1989 – 1990 school year.

Normally I go through and organize these photos with married names and dates.  I will forgo the dates since we are all alive as far as I know.  For the women, I added married names.  If you have corrections or updates, I am happy to add.

Mrs. Bonnie Willis

Patrick Adams

Rigo Arteaga

Max Bailey

Mandy Ball

Jim Cueva

Jennifer Gebauer

Traci Gibbons (1987 – 2021) married Hollahan

Bryan Jensen

Jesse Jensen

Bobie Jones married Story

Karlene Hansen married Ashcraft

Colleen Harper married David Barnes

Michael Hollis

Shane Hossfeld

Amber King

Kyle McCoy

James McKenzie

Joel Munoz

Alfonso Navarro

Genevive Olivas

Paul Ross

Cody Strunk

Beau Twiss

Brett Whiting

Grace Williams married Wittman

Jalene Woodward married Richman

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Once Amanda went to school

Amanda’s VCU Graduation Announcement

For the 10 year anniversary of Amanda graduating from VCU, I thought I would share her graduation announcement.

Congratulations again Amanda!  Happy Mother’s Day too!

“The President, Faculty, and Graduating Class of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry announce that Amanda B. Ross is a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Summa Cum Laude

“Commencement will be held Saturday, May 17, 2008 Richmond, Virginia

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South Park Trapper Cabin

A few weeks ago, Aliza, Ted Tateoka, and I made a visit to the Laidlaw Kipuka.  We made a stop at the South Park Well near the south central part of the Kipuka.

Here is a picture of the sign (in the middle of nowhere!)

Sign at South Park Well

The sign is titled, “South Park Well Trapper’s Cabin”

It reads, “This humble cabin was built in 1940’s to house coyote trappers hired by the U.S. Government to aid local sheep ranchers.  Coyotes were much more plentiful in those days and did serious damage to the many sheep herds that grazed in Laidlaw Park.  There were several trapper’s cabins built in various locations across the desert, but this is the only one remaining within Laidlaw Park.  Please help us preserve it by taking only photos and leaving only footprints.”

Here is a picture of Aliza on the west side of the cabin.

Aliza Ross at South Park Well Trapper Cabin

A little later I stood Lava Point and took this picture looking south to give some idea of the size of the Laidlaw Kipuka.  Lava Point juts down into the kipuka about 2/3 of the way down.  Which means, this is only about the bottom 1/3 of the Laidlaw Kipuka.

Laidlaw Kipuka to the south from Lava Point

A while later to the east of Lava Point I took this picture to the north.

Laidlaw Park with the jutting lava flow and the remaining portion of Laidlaw beyond

Last, here is a picture of Aliza playing in a small lava bubble.

Aliza Ross playing in a lava bubble

 

 

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Racing Father Time

2017 is now ending.  Where in the world has it gone?  Here is a photo that I think more or less sums up the entire year.

Hiram, Lillian, Amanda, Paul, James, and Aliza Ross in 2017!

Ms. Brandi Teuscher took that photo and deserves the credit.  She had some difficult subjects to work with under the circumstances.

A 1956 Dodge Coronet with plenty of blemishes due to age.  She turned 61 this year.  Hopefully we can get her better looking in the future.

One of my favorite things in the photo, beyond the family and car, are the dandelions.  They make my heart happy.

Aliza turned 7, Hiram turned 5, Lillie turned 2, and James was born in March.  Amanda and I continue to mature in age and demeanor.  Our little family continues to grow.

In March we saw the raging Snake River over Shoshone Falls.

Hiram and Aliza at Shoshone Falls 19 March 2017

In April, the Snake River continued to rage so we took a picture at Minidoka Dam.

23 April at Minidoka Dam spillway

Our grass greened up and was beautiful and the kids enjoyed a new Radio Flyer wagon.

Lillie 23 April 2017

We attended the Open House and Rededication of the Idaho Falls Temple.

Idaho Falls Temple during the Open House

Hiram was antsy to start farming in June.

Hiram on Grandpa’s 1948 Ford 8N

During most of the summer, the kids loved to go for walks or bike rides in the evening.

30 July trip around Fairmont Street

We traveled to Rexburg for the 2017 Great American Eclipse!

Amanda during the Total Eclipse 21 August 2017

We enjoyed some hot miniture golfing in Twin Falls in September.

Twin Falls Miniture Golfing

The Annual Hemsley Camp Out also took place in September in Soda Springs.  We not only enjoyed the carbonated springs, we felt a few earthquakes too.

2017 Hemsley Reunion: Front kids (l-r) Aliza Ross, Lillie Ross, Olivia Hemsley, Hiram Ross; Second row Jill Hemsley, Amanda Ross, Derek Hemsley, Jordan Hemsley holding Jack Hemsley, Bryan Hemsley holding Red Solo Cup, with Zack Smart and Alyssa Hemsley behind; James Ross sitting in car seat

James grew up enough to look around, crawl, and Lillie grew enough to pull him in a wagon by September.

Lillie pulling happy James

Made a trip to Cedar City for the Cedar City Open House by November.

Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at the Cedar City Temple Open House

And Cove Fort.

Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross with Jill Hemsley recreating a 1939 photo of David and Dave Donaldson.

What shall 2018 bring with it?

I find myself echoing Jacob.  “And it came to pass that I, Paul, began to be old… the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream.”  It passes too quickly.  We could make more memories, but health and money are limited.  Hopefully more memories and life in the upcoming year.

 

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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….

Jack and Beulah Duncan

 

Beulah and Jack Duncan with unknown

 

Beulah’s Son

 

Beulah’s Son Bob

 

Jack and family 1

 

Jack and family 2

 

Jack and Beulah Duncan Family

 

John “Jack” Ross and Beulah Duncan

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Cove Fort

Having taken work all over the western United States during the great depression, David Delos Donaldson finally landed employment at the Ogden Depot in 1937 as Supervisor of Maintenance.  In 1939, he took his wife, Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson, back to California for an extended trip to visit family on both the Donaldson and Van Leeuwen family lines.

David and Dena hit the 1939 San Francisco World Fair and then wound their way over to Phoenix and up through Utah back home to Ogden.  A number of photos exist from this trip, including these two from Cove Fort, Utah.

David and Dena Donaldson at Cove Fort, Utah

 

David and Dave Donaldson at Cove Fort, Utah

On 4 November 2017, our little Ross family traveled to Cedar City, Utah for the Cedar City Temple Open House.

We immensely enjoyed our visit.  Well worth the trip.  Beautiful temple in every regard.

Cedar City Temple

 

Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at the Cedar City Temple Open House

 

Jill Hemsley with Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Cedar City Temple Open House

After we drove past Cove Fort on the way down, I kept thinking of the picture of my Great Grandfather David Donaldson and Grand Uncle Dave Donaldson from 1939.  I knew on the way back I wanted to stop and see if I could find the same site.

We stopped and had a great visit with the missionaries who serve at the site.  They also helped us find the spot of the picture from 1939 and we took the following picture.

Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross with Jill Hemsley recreating a 1939 photo of David and Dave Donaldson.

Here is the photo again for comparison.  The door behind Uncle Dave is the one behind Aliza and Jill.  The grey rock at the right of the bottom window behind me is the same to the right of Dave.

David and Dave Donaldson at Cove Fort, Utah

The missionaries had to visit with others about the history of Cove Fort.  The large tree in the old picture was only removed a few years ago, along with the well that David and Dave are standing in front.  We were able to figure out which side of the fort from the shadows (both sides look the same).  The fort was restored in the 1990s, so you can see the improvements in the windows, mortar, and the top of the walls above the roof.    But the photo is roughly the same area and vicinity.

I literally stood on the ground where my Great Grandfather David Donaldson walked some 78 years earlier.  Thanks to my family for indulging me.

The fort was an interesting place to learn and stop as well.  I recommend any passing through to stop.