Amanda, James, Aliza, and Hiram at Zion National Park
I previously wrote of the Ross family excursion in March 2021 with the Hemsley family to Junction, Utah. With them we hit Bryce Canyon National Park and some other locations. I previously wrote of our visit to Capitol Reef National Park. Here are a few photos of our visit to Escalante, Utah and Zion National Park.
We spent the night in Junction, headed to Capitol Reef National Park, and then spent that night in Escalante. It was a long day of driving and we covered many miles.
Homestead Overlook near Boulder, Utah
Picture from the Hogback south of Boulder
Boynton Overlook looking up the Escalante River toward the Natural Bridge
I wish we had time to hike up the trail to the Natural Bridge.
Escalante Heritage Center in Escalante, Utah
We spent the night at the Canyon Country Lodge for the night. It was pretty cold outside. The photo at the Heritage Center doesn’t look cold, but we did not stay very long.
The next day we drove to Zion National Park. It was generally pretty empty, both due to middle of March and being cold.
Paul and Lillie Ross riding the bus into Zion National Park
Zion was its usual beautiful self. Ageless.
Looking at the Patriarchs
We decided to go up the Riverside Walk.
Riverside Walk in Zion National Park
We walked, and walked, and walked, and walked. No pioneer children were singing though.
Aliza, Amanda, Hiram, Lillie, and James Ross on the Riverside Walk in Zion NP
We went as far up the trail as we could go before without getting wet.
From this point the trail became known as The Narrows. It was too cold and wet to go any further. But the hike back provided pretty views too.
Riverside Trail, Zion National Park
We spent the next day or two in St. George and visited various sites there before heading home. At least it was warmer in St. George. I only had a couple of pictures from St. George I wanted to share.
Some of downtown St. George with the St. George Temple
The temple was under renovation during this time, so we could only walk around some of the grounds.
St George’s Dixie sign
We visited Thunder Junction in St. George. We had to ride the train.
James, Amanda, and Aliza riding the train at Thunder Junction
Lillie, Hiram, and Paul Ross at Thunder Junction
Aliza and James at Thunder Junction
Last, we also hit the Children’s Museum in the old Dixie Academy.
Hiram driving his farm jeep
James doing a little light cooking at the children’s museum
Last week was the Idaho Republican Party’s Winter Meeting in Boise, Idaho at the Riverside Hotel. Fortunately, the whole family could go and enjoy the swimming pool and other activities in Boise.
I appeared in one of the official photos of the Winter Meeting. It is my better side.
I serve as the Cassia County Republican Central Committee Chairman. As such, I serve on the Idaho Republican State Central Committee. I have also been appointed to serve on the Idaho Republican Rules Committee. Mr. Regan is the Rules Committee Chairman.
Brent Regan and Paul Ross in Boise, Idaho
We made sure to stop and take the kids to the Idaho Capitol.
Wandering near the rotunda, we stumbled upon a fellow Cassia County citizen, Scott Bedke. Mr. Bedke also serves at Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor. He brings honor to Cassia County.
Scott Bedke, Hiram Ross, James Ross, Paul Ross, Aliza Ross, and Lillie Ross on the floor of the Idaho Senate Chamber.
We also paid a visit on a friend in his office.
Lillie Ross, Hiram Ross, Paul Ross, Phil McGrane, James Ross, and Aliza Ross in the Secretary of State’s office in the Idaho State Capitol
We also made a visit to the Meridian Idaho Temple while in town.
In March 2021 the Ross family went on a little excursion with the Hemsley family to Junction, Utah. With them we hit Bryce Canyon National Park and some other locations. I previously wrote of our visit to Capitol Reef National Park. On that same trip, before Capitol Reef, we hit Bryce Canyon National Park.
Ross family at Bryce Canyon National Park
Here are a few photos of that excursion.
Aliza Ross and Zach Smart at Bryce Canyon, 21 March 2021
We entered from the north side of the Park through Bryce Canyon City.
You can probably tell from the photos. It was pretty chilly with the fairly new snow. The snow created some beautiful contrasts in color.
Some of it was a bit harrowing with the long drops from either side of the trail. Thank goodness we had Grandma and Grandpa, and aunts and uncles to help shepherd the children through.
These photos are all from the trails near Sunrise Point and Sunset Point.
Some of the hoo doos were definitely interesting.
Amanda taking a picture of James Ross with Zach and Alyssa Smart
Of course, I had to get a picture of Queen Victoria in the Queen’s Garden.
Amanda and James Ross with Queen Victoria
Amanda Ross and Alyssa Smart hiking Queen’s Garden Trail to the Navajo Trail
Once you hike down a trail, you must invariably hike back up. The Navajo Loop Switchback of course was our choice to return.
Jack and Derek Hemsley, Amanda and Aliza Ross in the background, hiking up the Navajo Loop Trail
We may have been huffing and puffing, along with exhausted and moody children, at the end of the loop switchback.
Some of the rock formations were simply amazing.
In the middle of the day I had to sequester myself to the van for some 341 bankruptcy hearings. After the day, we started heading toward Capitol Reef National Park and spending the night in Escalante for Escalante National Park.
Another photo clipping from those of my grandmother, Gladys Maxine Donaldson Ross. This one is more apparent to me why it was clipped. Minnie Wallace is Glady’s first cousin. Minnie’s mother is Johanna Hermina Van Leeuwen Edsinga (1884-1958), sister to my Grandmother’s mother, Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson (1898-1959). Johanna Hermina also went by Minnie.
“The voice of Mrs. Minnie Wallace will be missing from the Ogden Standard-Examiner after the veteran PBX operator retires Wednesday. The date at the top shows 8 March 1976.
Minnie Van Leeuwen Edsinga
“One of the best known voices in Ogden retires next Wednesday.
“Mrs. Minnie Wallace is hanging up her headphones after almost 29 years as the switchboard operator for the Ogden Standard-Examiner.
“She becamse the “telephone girl” for the newspaper in September 1947 after she and her late husband returned to their native Ogden from Sacramento, Calif.
“While in Sacramento, Mrs. Wallace had worked as a bench chemist in a sugar factory.
“Before her marriage she had worked as an operator for the telephone company in Ogden and still was intrigued by the work.
“So when she heard of the opening for a PBX operator at the newspaper, she applied for and got the job.
DIM LOVE
“”And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Mrs. Wallace said with her almost perpetual infectious grin as she looked back over those 29 years.
“She hasn’t let the frustrating aspects of the switchboard operator dim her love for people.
“And it can become somewhat frustrating when an irate reader wants to pour a complaint into her ears or an impatient reporter can’t understand why his long distance call isn’t completed immediately.
“It can also be humorous when a caller wants to talk to a reporter he’s seen at a meeting but can’t remember his name and tries to describe him. Sometimes Mrs. Wallace passes the description on to the report – and sometimes she doesn’t.
“And there are times when her ingenuity in completing a seemingly impossible long distance calls brings a rewarding glow of satisfaction and a compliment from an amazed reporter.
“Like the time two buffalo showed up in the local railroads en route from Great Falls, Mont., to the West Coast.
NAME OF RANCH
“The name of the ranch that shipped the buffalo was on the bill of lading but not the address and there were indications it might be some distance from Great Falls.
“A confident reporter asked her to find the ranch and get the foreman on the phone. Twenty minutes later, she had located the ranch in North Dakota and had the reporter connected with the foreman.
“This is not an unusual example of the resourcefulness of a switchboard operator who has won the admiration and affection of countless Standard-Examiner employes and readers.
“An outstanding mother herself, Mrs. Wallace has shown a genuine interest in the children of numerous newspaper employes – keeping up an acquaintance with many even after they are grown and their parents gone elsewhere.
WON RESPECT
“The respect of her fellow PBX operators is just as great as that of her fellow Standard-Examiner employes.
“Mrs. Wallace has served as president of the Ogden PBX Club and represented it at meetings in Mexico and Canada. She has been an active member of the Atoka chapter of the American Business Women.
“After hanging up her headphones, Mrs. Wallace plans to do a bit of travelling, play some golf and tend her grandchildren from time to time.
“She has five grandchildren.
“She has a son, Robert Wallace of Bountiful, and daughter Mrs. Harold (Gloria) Hegstrom of South Ogden.
PLEASANT VIEW – Rumors that this city’s volunteer fire department was inefficient at a recent house fire were refuted Thursday night by officials and residents.
To the contrary, testified Fire Chief Terry Call, volunteer firemen did an “outstanding job” at the scene of the blaze.
The fire gutted the home of Harold Ross at 975 W. 3800 N., Friday night. It also destroyed a boat before being brought under control. The family was gone at the time.
BACKS MEN
Chief Call was backed by a group of residents appearing before the City Council on other matters.
Two residents, Don Amidan and George Sant questioned actions of the volunteers and requested information about their training and skills.
They also questioned purchase and installation of a pool table in the fire station saying they did not feel firemen “have time to play pool during training sessions.”
Chief Call said the department has the finest equipment in the county and that he would match his volunteers with any in the state.
He said the pool table is not used during training sessions and pointed out that its purpose is to encourage volunteer firemen to spend time at the station during off-duty hours.
PLAYING POOL
“There have been a number of occasions when two, three or four volunteers have been at the station playing pool when an alarm has come in,” he said.
“As a result, it has been only a matter of seconds before the equipment is rolling and firemen are on their way to the fire,” he added.
Chief Call, supported by several residents, said firemen and equipment were on the scene in almost record time.
He said records showed the alarm was called in at 10:18 p.m. and fire crews were at the scene and in operation nine minutes later at 10:27 p.m.
THAT FAST
“I doubt if any other department in the country could respond as fast, even those manned 24-hours a day,” Chief Call declared.
Reports that firemen arriving at the scene did not even have a wrench to open the fire hydrant were denied by Chief Call and residents.
It was explained that a resident at the scene did put his own wrench on the hydrant as firemen arrived, but crews had one on the truck available for use.
Residents who flocked to the scene on foot and in vehicles were blasted by officials who said their actions impeded fire fighting activities.
As a result, Mayor Richard Diamond said a plan has been worked out by police departments in Pleasant View, North Ogden and Harrisville to hold back crowds at fires or other disasters and all officers will be empowered to make arrests.
DRIVE TRUCK
Chief Call said the department has 20 out of 25 volunteer firemen who can drive and operate the fire truck.
He said the five who do not are recruits who have expressed their desires not to operate the equipment until they are more qualified.
Mayor Diamond said the city is purchasing additional fire hose as funds will permit. It also was pointed out there is a need for more fire hydrants in some areas.
Chief Call, said Mayor Diamond, will be asked to make a list of such areas by priority. Fire hydrants also will be color coded according to the water pressure available in each.
ALL HYDRANTS
A program is presently under way to check the operational condition of all hydrants in the city.
Mayor Diamond was asked to have Chief Call coordinate the program with the public works department which has been conducting the checks.
Back (l-r): Nellie Ward Neal, Carl Hodson, Kenneth Taylor, Paul Ross, Howard Singleton, June Etherington, Una Cottle, Hugh Taylor, Rex McEntire, Lyman Skeen, ?. Middle: Marguerite Maw, Lucille Maw, Ruth Hipwell, Frank Hadley, Kent Jenkins, ?, Golda Illum, Ruby Sharp, Lloyd Olsen. Front: Atholeen England, Alice Maw, Lucille Hadley, Myrine McFarland, Verla Lund, Ruth Carver, ?, Rae Knight.
Here is a class photo from what is believed to be a 2nd Grade Class taken outside the old Plain City School in Plain City, Weber, Utah. I have at least two family members in the photo, Paul Ross and Ruby Sharp. I have added family history to the individuals below, question marks either denote an unknown person or dates.
I previously wrote about the plaque that hung on my Grandparents’ wall in Plain City, Utah. The photo in the center of the plaque showed Milo James Ross receiving the Silver Star by Major General Clarkson.
Milo James Ross WWII medals, clippings, and photo
Before Grandpa passed away, the Army was gearing up to do a more formal presentation of his medals as some of them were just given to him without much fanfare. Apparently some of them deserved a bit more formal recognition. Initially, we were gearing up for Independence Day 2014. However, some things grind slowly forward. We were then talking about some dates in August 2014 and September 2014. Unfortunately, Grandpa passed away 17 July 2014.
In preparation for the more formal presentation, the military gave new copies of some of the medals he had already received and the others he had not yet received. We took those and put them in a shadow box for his funeral. Here is a photo we took of the box before putting it behind glass.
I am not clear on the medals and what they each mean. His obituary lists a number of his medals that were awarded to him.
His obituary included this Army service information:
“Milo enlisted in the Army in October 1942. He served in the 33 rd Infantry Division, 130 th Regiment, Company C. He trained in weapons and earned his expert ranking. He arrived in Hawaii in July 1943 and received the announcement that his son, Milo Paul, had been born. He served as part of the Philippine invasion force and they fought through the jungles and liberated Baguio City. He was injured five times, one while tending to other soldiers awaiting medical attention.
“He was present at the Japanese surrender at Luzon as a Technical Sergeant in June 1945. He received two purple hearts and the Silver Star for his service at the end of World War II. His Company received a Presidential Citation for outstanding performance during armed conflict with the enemy in efforts to seize Hill X in Bilbil Mountain Province. At the time of Milo’s death, the military was preparing to award him another Purple Heart, another Silver Star, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal & Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Badge 1 st Award, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and Bronze Star, Honorable Service Button for World War II. He was also to be awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal and Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation Badge from the Philippine Government.
The UofU Commemoration placard for Grandpa in 2009
The 2009 University of Utah Veterans Commemoration included this excerpt about Grandpa:
“Milo James Ross was drafted into the army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was sent to Fort Douglas and shipped out that same day to Fort Lewis, Washington. For the next two months, he went through a weapons platoon crash course. He trained on machine guns, mortars, and hand launchers. Ross quickly earned expert ranking on these weapons. Following basic training, Ross’s unit was sent to Barstow, California. Their training focused on digging fox holes.
“Ross soon shipped out to the Hawaiian Islands, leaving behind his young pregnant wife. As his unit landed on the big island of Hawaii on July 4, 1942, a voice on the loud speaker said, “Sergeant Ross, congratulations. Your wife and son are doing well, and, one more thing, before you get off the ship you and your men have guard duty for the next four hours. Welcome to Hawaii.”
“After a long training in Hawaii, Ross’s unit, “C” Company, 130 Infantry Regiment, 33rd Infantry Division, became part of the Philippine invasion force. They hit the beach in Lingayen Gulf and intensely fought their way through jungles and mountains to the inland city of Baguio.
“Ross was wounded while tending other soldiers who were awaiting medical attention. He spent two months in a hospital while recovering from shrapnel wounds all over his body.
“The day after Ross returned to his unit, they jumped into three months of fighting that only ended with the Japanese surrender at Luzon in June, 1945.
“Company C, 130th Infantry Regiment was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for outstanding performance of duty and superb courage during armed conflict with the enemy in their efforts to seize Hill X in the Bilbil Mountain Province in the Philippines. For his service, Ross was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star.
The same shadowbox on display at his funeral
BYU Library – Special Collections has this biography and reference citation of Grandpa:
“Milo James Ross (1921-2014) was a World War II veteran who fought in the Pacific battles.
“Milo Ross was born February 4, 1921 just north of Plain City, Utah to John Jack William Ross and Ethel Sharp Ross. When Milo was barely four, his mother passed away in childbirth. Milo and his siblings were cared for by their maternal grandparents until financial strains forced Milo to be raised by his uncle, Edward Sharp, in Plain City, Utah. He grew up farming with his cousins and attended the local schools, eventually graduating from Weber High in 1939. In 1940, at a Plain City celebration, Milo met Gladys Maxine Donaldson and two years later, on April 4, 1942, they were married in her parents’ home in Ogden, Utah. The October of that same year, Milo enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Douglas, Utah, becoming a member of the 33rd Infantry Division, 130th Regiment, Company C. After training they were sent to Needles, California handling freight, setting up tents and digging trenches and then on to Hawaii for further training. When they arrived in Hawaii, on July 4, 1943, Ross was informed his son, Milo Paul, had been born that very same day. Ross’s company was assigned to become part of the Philippine invasion force where they fought in New Guinea and Luzon. They fought through the jungles, liberated Baguio City, was present at the Japanese surrender in Luzon in June 1945, and left Ross injured on five separate occasions.
“Milo Ross was honorably discharged in September of 1945. He was honored with two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star, and the Presidential Citation for outstanding performance. Returning home, Milo worked remodeling homes. He also had two daughters: Judy Ethel and Caroline. Gladys and Milo solemnized their marriage July 2, 1976 in the Ogden Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gladys died in 2004.
“Milo James Ross died in Plain City, Utah on July 17, 2014 at the age of 93.
Citation:
“Standard examiner, via WWW, March 2, 2018 (Milo James Ross; born February 4, 1921 in a log cabin north of Plain City to John Jack William Ross and Ethel Sharp Ross; mother tragically died from childbirth in 1925; Milo and his siblings lived with Ross grandparents until the costs proved too great and his Uncle Edward Sharp raised Milo in Plain City until adulthood; He attended schools in Plain City and graduated from Weber High in 1939; farmed with sharp cousins; Gladys Maxine Donaldson at a Plain City celebration in 1940; married April 4, 1942 in her parent’s home on 8th Street in Ogden; enlisted in the Army in October 1942; 33rd Infantry Division, 130th Regiment, Company C; Philippine invasion force and they fought through the jungles and liberated Baguio City; injured five times; present at the Japanese surrender at Luzon as a Technical Sergeant in June 1945; two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star; Presidential Citation for outstanding performance; He returned home in 1945 and worked remodeling homes; children Milo Paul, Judy Ethel and Caroline; solemnized their marriage July 2, 1976 in the Ogden LDS Temple; died in Plain City on July 17, 2014)
“UPB files, March, 2, 2018 (Milo James Ross; born Feb. 4, 1921 in Plain City, Utah; Joined army Oct. 1942 at Fort Douglas, Utah; fought in new Guinea and Luzon; sent to Needles, California handling freight, setting up tents and digging trenches; sent to Hawaii and landed July 4, 1943 where he received news his son had been born that very same day; wife passed away in 2004 and daughter on 1998)
The new medals shadowbox on display at his funeral
I am sharing this post by Jim Jones from his website. It posted on 27 October. Due to its proximity to the election, it did not show in the newspaper. I have been posting all articles from the Times-News, on both sides, related to the Proposition 1 Initiative in Idaho. While this one did not publish in the Times-News, I am sharing it because this website received an honorable mention.
“Extreme elements of Idaho’s Republican Party voted in 2011 to close the GOP primary election to purge party ranks of so-called moderates. The strategy has been remarkably successful. Each election since then has witnessed the defeat of reasonable Republicans who were intent on solving problems facing the Gem State. They were replaced by culture warriors, intent on punishing teachers, banning books, chasing away doctors, vilifying farm workers, and making the State a national laughingstock. That has been accomplished by preventing a wide range of Idahoans from voting in the low-turnout GOP primary. That makes it difficult for problem-solving Republicans to survive the primary.
“While Idaho’s independents can vote in the GOP primary if, and only if, they declare themselves to be Republicans, many chafe at being forced to affiliate with any group in order to exercise their right to vote. Forcing citizens to affiliate with, or to disavow, any group as a condition of voting in taxpayer-financed elections is contrary to the spirit of Idaho’s Constitution. That revered document says that all political power belongs to the people. Political parties have no power under our Constitution. Unfortunately, our legislators have an ugly history of playing politics with the voting rights of Idahoans.
“The most notorious example is an 1884 pre-statehood law specifically designed to deny voting rights to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The law did not require conviction of polygamy to deny voting rights, just belief or membership in a group that supported the practice. In effect, Mormons were required to disaffiliate from their church in order to vote. The Territorial Legislature passed that law to weaken the Democratic Party, which had the strong support of Mormon voters at that time.
“A friend, Paul Ross, just sent me an interesting historical recollection of how some church members skirted the law. They would sign an oath renouncing their church membership in order to vote, but then joined again soon after the election. That led to criminal charges against some, which resulted in the US Supreme Court upholding a conviction. Of course, that decision would not stand the test of time and reason.
“The anti-Mormon law was written into Idaho’s original Constitution in an 1889 election in which Mormons were not allowed to vote. That Constitution also denied voting rights to Native Americans “who have not severed their tribal relations.” Thankfully, most of that outright discrimination is behind us.
“Along a similar anti-voter track, successive Idaho Legislatures have repeatedly tried to kill or disable constitutional rights that voters gave themselves in 1912–to make laws with the initiative and to veto obnoxious legislative acts with the referendum. The Legislature did not take action to implement the initiative and referendum until the 1930s. The last legislative effort to essentially kill those rights was made in legislation passed by extremists in 2021, but that effort was slapped down by the Idaho Supreme Court that same year.
“The extremists, who have gained power by excluding voters from the closed GOP primary where most officials are selected, are feverishly working to defeat Prop 1. They claim it will infringe voting rights, when in fact it will enhance them. Everyone, regardless of party preference, will be able to take part in every tax-payer supported election. Voters will not be confined to just one party’s ticket but will be able to pick and choose among every candidate for every contested race in the primary election.
“Best of all, Prop 1 will make it possible for reasonable Republican candidates to make it to the general election ballot. That’s why so many traditional Republicans, like former Governor Butch Otter, are supporting Prop 1. Dorothy Moon and Raul Labrador will no longer be able to defeat civil, problem-solving Republicans in the closed GOP primary. Nor will voters be forced to affiliate, or disavow, any group as a condition of voting in any election financed by their tax money.
Sagacity 