I found some negatives that did not look familiar. I asked my father-in-law to help and he got them scanned and converted. These turned out to be real treasures that I don’t have anywhere else. Be careful with those negatives you think are probably just duplicates of photos.
Jackie was born in 1960. These are all in the home in Richmond, Utah. Happy Birthday Jackie! I recognize some of the furniture in the photos, bookshelves, headboards, decorations.
“HELP BUILD LOCK. These foremen and supervisors are working on the Eisenhower lock in placement of concrete. They hail from various parts of the country. Shown are Ward Turner, supervisor, from Arkansas; Manuel Martinez, vibrator, from Mexico; Golden Andra, general foreman, from Idaho; John Catera, foreman, from Utica.
This newspaper article and photo were in the records of Golden Andra. Golden is named in the newspaper, I don’t know/think the second photo is of Golden. It says it came from the Department of Interior, he kept it for some reason unknown to me.
I know this was a significant time in the life of the Andra family. Golden worked and is shown as a general foreman. But I also know that Golden’s brothers Donald and Ross both also worked on the St. Lawrence Seaway. I believe they both worked on the Eisenhower Lock as well.
Golden and Utahna adopted a boy born in 1957 at Bombay, Franklin, New York.
Donald married in 1957 at Hogansburg, Franklin, New York.
Ross told me multiple stories of New York. Unfortunately, I don’t remember any to share.
Since this is Golden, and this article also shares some information in New York, I share it here as well.
“Andra, former Preston man, gets Silver Beaver. The Citizen (Preston, Idaho) 20 March 1986.
“A former Preston man was awarded a Silver Beaver award from the Mt. Whitney Area Boy Scout Council in California recently.
“Golden Andra, son of William F. Sr., and Mary Wanner Andra, of Preston, was one of the two Tulare, Calif., scouters to get the prestigious award, the highest given on the council level.
“Andra, who has been involved in scouting for more than 20 years is serving as district commissioner for the Golden State District, and Explorer advisor for Post 234.
“An active member of the LDS church, he married Utahna Bird of Salina, Utah in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
“He worked for Morrison Knudsen Construction and the government for many years. He now works in sales for Selig Chemicals and has been in sales for 20 years. He is now buying the old Willard Wanner home in Preston for retirement.
“Andra organized the first charter for the Boy Scouts in Hogansburg, N.Y., for Mohawk Indians, becoming scoutmaster; worked with youth in Pierre, S.D.; Page, Ariz.; Roseville, Calif.; Crows Landing, Calif.; served as a counselor to a branch president and scoutmaster in Manteca, Calif.; scoutmaster, stake missionary, president of the Seventies, president of the MIA in Tulare.
“He also served as High Priest group leader, stake assistant secretary and scoutmaster over all scouts, last year being given the district award of merit.
“The Andras have six children (four living) and three foster children.
Working through the family history book of Golden Andra that was given to me, I opened a page to scan some photos and found a surprise. Behind that photo were some ordination certificates. These are originals. I thought I better get them scanned and preserved. I also uploaded them to FamilySearch and got them linked with the names in the documents.
I think they are valuable for family history. They are also a peek into church history. This gives us the missionaries who baptized and confirmed my Great Grandfather in Germany. I have provided some limited biographies at the end.
Also an original Notification of Birth Registration for Robert Lee Andra, son of William and Mary, who died at birth. I am not sure why the United States Department of Commerce is issuing this Notification, or the Bureau of the Census. There is some history behind this I am not aware. Last, a copy of William’s obituary.
I had to do some history on individuals listed on the certificates. Some fascinating individuals, obviously some of them local church leaders.
James Richard Bodily – born 11 February 1872 in Hyde Park, Cache, Utah – died 12 April 1967 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho
Wilford Woodruff Emery – born 16 October 1880 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah – died 10 September 1954 in Salt Lake City.
John Edward Hanks – born 30 August 1877 in Salem, Utah, Utah – died 5 July 1970 in Salt Lake City.
William Gibson Palmer – born 16 July 1884 in Croydon, Morgan, Utah – died 15 May 1977 in Preston.
Henry Helaman Rawlings – born 8 April 1893 in Fairview, Oneida, Idaho – died 14 February 1984 in Fairview.
Adelbert Augustine Taylor – born 9 April 1883 in Springerville, Apache, Arizona – died 15 November 1948 in San Felipe de HÃjar, San Sebastián del Oeste, Jalisco, Mexico.
Luther Hovey Twitchell – born 17 October 1878 in Salt Lake City – died 15 April 1962 in Bountiful, Davis, Utah.
Another more relaxed day in England.
Today we received word the paperwork and everything has all been signed for our home. The paperwork is off to Oklahoma City for the official closing on Monday. I don’t know what could really change now. By all accounts, we are now the proud owners of a little home in Oklahoma City. Or at least we have a title to a home with a significant lien for a bank somewhere. Hopefully everything continues to work out like it has so far.
We ran to the Preston England Temple today. It is one of my favorite temples. There is something in the simplistic beauty of it I adore. Amanda agreed. It is on par with the Rexburg and Vernal Temples for the simple elegance within. We snapped a couple of pictures.Â
We also ran into a member I knew in the Wigan Ward. He is now in the Temple Presidency and enjoyed a good visit with him. We were supposed to go over and visit this evening, but our plans crowded it out in the end. We had to reschedule it for tomorrow sometime. We are going to work it out in church.
Afterward, Amanda and I ran into Preston. I showed her the town center where the missionaries preached the gospel for the first time in the British Isles. It is in Preston that the longest continuing unit of the church operates, the Preston Ward. We ran out of time to go to the flat where Parley P Pratt and Orson Hyde were attacked by the legions of the devil. We did not get a chance to see Avenham Park or the beautiful River Ribble where the first baptisms took place outside of North America. We did not get over to see the apartment where President Hinckley received his famous “Forget yourself and go to work” letter on Wadham Road. Perhaps sometime in the future.
We came back and were relaxed some more with the McCabes. They treated us to a fine meal of South African descent. They lived in South Africa for a number of years. Later this year they are immigrating to Australia! How is that for exciting. When we make it to Australia, we know who we will be calling on! Amanda and I made a call at Tesco today and purchased a Pavlova. Boy, was I glad to get my hands on one. We consumed it after dinner as one of our desserts. Mmmmm.
I realized yesterday was the anniversary of Joseph Smith’s death. I wonder specifically what he is doing these days. What or where is he up to doing work?
Tomorrow we are off to attend the Wigan Ward. Then we will go visit some of the new converts I helped bring into the church. Sadly, I don’t think any of them are active. But we shall find out. I did find out Jim Monks knows where one of them lives.
We are now in Hindley, Lancashire, England. We drove down here today to crash at the home of Hilton and Rhona McCabe. I met them while as a missionary here about 8 years ago. The friendship has continued and we have kept in contact.
We are waiting to hear word from Salt Lake City. We are supposed to be closing on our home in Oklahoma City. Hopefully everything works out. We will find out tomorrow I guess.
Last night we spent our evening in Edinburgh, Scotland. We walked throughout the city, saw the castle, the Holyrood residence, and the cathedral. Amanda got to see her world famous Mary Kings Close. It was very interesting. We got our hostel for the equivalent of $30 which we thought was a gonga deal.
We landed in Prestwick on Thursday after flying out early from Charleroi Airport near Brussels. We then picked up our hired car and drove to Glasgow and on to Edinburgh. It took me a little bit, but I quickly adjusted to getting back on the wrong/left side of the road.
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It is late and I am too tired to write more of our travels today or of what we did in Edinburgh. We did stop to visit Downham, Clitheroe in Lancashire today where the entire town joined the church and later emigrated to Zion. Now we are back in the old mission. My second visit since being released. It is good to be back.
Nothing too much to report this day. We went to Antwerp for District Conference. It was a live broadcast from Salt Lake City. Yep, we came all the way to attend church in Belgium broadcast to us in English! We did get to hear a blessing in Dutch, but that was about it. For those non-English speakers, it was translated for them in the main chapel.
We enjoyed the rest of the day with the Cazier’s. We enjoyed some sandwiches for lunch, some shrimp/pasta/zucchini dish for dinner. Both were very good. They have been good to us. Letting us use their laundry, spare room, and dining room. They drove us to Vianden, Luxembourg, and Antwerp. I do not know how we will ever repay them. We certainly appreciate their hospitality and friendship.
We are planning on heading out for Paris tomorrow. Although that plan may very well change as we hear of a strike with the French railways. We may reverse our trip and head to The Hague tomorrow instead.
So, in the next few weeks, I am re-posting a series of posts from 2008. Back then, the glorious internet did not easily allow for photos to be included in a blog. Those photos then had to be posted separately as an album. With the updates of technology and wanting to more fully integrate those photos into the original posts from 2008, I am redoing all the posts from our 6 week European trip. This will help me link the photos with the steps of the trip. So, this is the 17 year reunion of this trip with photos integrated into the posts. This will also be fun to reconstruct and give inserts to the trip from 17 years more experience!
I freely edit any and all the posts to correct or update.
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Boy, am I glad June is here! My wife has joined me from Virginia after our long separation due to job and school. What a relief! I don’t have to worry about her stressing herself out or pursued by a much more dashing, intelligent, catch of a man.
We leave this week for what may be the trip of a lifetime. How many times in a lifetime, if ever, does one get to go to Europe for 6 weeks? We will be starting with friends in Belgium, working our way to Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Wales, Scotland, and who knows where else we may stumble. We cannot afford it, but why not live with some reckless abandon for a little while? We leave on the 4th to return on the 16th of July.
We signed a purchase contract for a home this month. Somewhere around the 22nd of June we will be closing on a humble home in Oklahoma City. Who would ever have thought my first home purchase would be in Oklahoma City? Did I ever think I would move or live in Oklahoma City. Most certainly not.
Amanda and I just hit all three of the Idaho temples this past week. Amanda had never been to any of them. We have now hit all three Idaho and 11 Utah temples. Before year end, we will have three more in those states to hit to make it complete once again. I am very sad I will be in Oklahoma City when the dedication of the Twin Falls Temple takes place. Amanda and I will be helping with the open house in July. I guess that is some solace for missing the dedication. I believe Idaho Falls and Manti are still my favorite temples. The Rexburg Temple has so many beautiful rooms. However, for some reason I still prefer the sessions that are split up into all their sections. Manti and Idaho Falls Temples both have you moving between all the rooms. Manti has the pioneer value and beauty with a live session, but the simplicity of Idaho Falls with its rooms and movement make it a favorite. Salt Lake certainly has the beauty but the place seems more like a zoo than a temple, especially in the summer with all the sealings.
This past week Amanda spent a day with me at work doing bench testing. It was a beautiful day and we spent nearly all of it in Minidoka. The Minidoka Longhorn Cafe and Whitesides Dairy were enjoyable for me. The wastewater we play with is less than beautiful but it is part of life. Whether we like it or not, we all have waste and somebody has to deal with it. I thought Amanda was going to throw up at one point when we were doing some filtration. She kept it down, luckily. The day turned out well. Except for the fact Amanda picked up a tick somewhere. Not only did she pick him up, the tick dug in and started to sup near the middle of her calf. She was not a happy camper when she discovered him. A little polish remover and it backed right out. Hope it got plenty to eat for the long stay in the septic tank.
For the first time in 8 years since Grandma Ross passed away, all my siblings were back together. Becky was coming through Southern Idaho so Scott organized a BBQ. All five of us where there. It was really quite a bit of fun and I enjoyed myself. Vicki, Dad’s first wife, was there. Dad and Jan were there as well. Andra brought Brian and Daniel and little Daniel was certainly a favorite.
I know I have not been writing as much. Despite more people reading the blog than ever before, I just don’t feel like I have much to write. A couple of people want me to write more relevant things that would pertain to them, but how does one write interesting things for everyone? Then, how does anyone write for someone else and keep their voice and soul into it?
Time continues to march forward. It does not care what we think about it. Some want it faster, others want it slower, others want it to stop.
In preparation for Memorial Day, I was trying to think of something that would show that I truly hold in memory those who served in the military and especially those who died in that service. Hopefully here are a few things that show a more human side. I am not aware that I have any ancestor who has died in a war, especially in the service of the United States of America. I guess for that I am lucky and honored. But I have many who have served in the military.
David Delos Donaldson is my paternal grandmother’s father. I tried to get a copy of his military records many years ago, but they were destroyed in a St. Louis, Missouri, fire long ago. I only know a few things. He worked in California as a pipe fitter/plumber at some point, but I believe that was for WWII. He went through basic training and ended up learning signaling. At some point he was allegedly in France and was exposed to the dreaded mustard gas, which injured his lungs. He smoked to settle his lungs as prescribed by doctors. He ended up dying from complications due to his lungs.
Here are some notes I have from 2006.
“I stumbled upon a registration form for my great grandfather, David Delos Donaldson, and WWI. He was working in Twin Falls, Idaho. The best part is, we never knew he went to Idaho, ever. Not only that, he was working there, and was exempted because he was working to support his younger siblings and mother. He did later enter the war, we don’t know when or how, but went to France in the Argonne and was gassed there. He suffered his whole life and eventually died from the mustard.
“With this information, I went to visit my Uncle Dave Donaldson because my Dad did not know anything. I picked his brain. We know little about my Great Grandfather before he married. Now we know he was working for Ballantyne Plumbing in Twin Falls in roughly April 1917. He served in WWI with two brothers. As mentioned, he was hit with mustard, spent some time in hospital, and he wasn’t getting better, so they sent him home. He married my Great Grandmother in 1919, Berendena Van Leeuwen. They had 5 children. During the great depression he worked down south as a plumber. Dave did not know where, but there was a possibility it was at the Hoover. When they went on a trip to Los Angeles, he insisted on stopping at Boulder City and the dam on the way home. Oh, we do know that before they got married, he worked as a plumber in Phoenix. How long we don’t know, but he could not bear the heat down there. During the depression when he worked down south, the family stayed in Ogden. Dave was young enough that he did remember his father coming home, but not where from. Again during WWII, the whole family moved to Napa, California and Great Grandpa was a plumber at the naval yard there, he made it sound like Oceanside. I do not know if there were any other naval bases down there. Then they moved back. The family must not have stayed down there, or he did not work the entire war, as my Grandpa and Grandma met in 1941-1942 at the Berthana on 24th street Ogden at a dance. They were married in April 1942, shortly before he left for war. Great Grandpa was a plumber by trade. He worked up until the 1950’s when his health failed him. He picked up smoking because it soothed his lungs. It sounds like the mustard burned his lungs the rest of his life. He would smoke to deaden the nerves. Dave told me this increased until he died. Even the last few years of his life, he had oxygen when he went places and when he slept. But he kept smoking. Dad told me of one of the few memories he had of his Grandpa. He went to visit him in Ogden, Grant Ave if I remember right, and he was laying in bed. There were newspapers all over the floor. He got into a coughing fit and coughed a big thing of phlegm up and it went on the floor. It was the combination of the irritation to the lungs from mustard and the smoking. It was what eventually killed him.
Here are some postcards David sent home to his mother. His father, William Scott Donaldson, died of cancer in 1913.
I am not sure why the writing on the left is crossed out. But you can see Miss W. S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah. It says Carlin and Delos Donaldson. It might say “Yours” above it. The postmark is dated 1914, but I cannot make out the rest of it.
Dated 2 April 1918. “Dear mother got here all ok like it fine Write me as Private David D Donaldson 20th Co., 5th Bn., 166th Dep Brig. Camp Lewis, America Lake, Wn. Mrs. W.S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah”
Front and back
“Signal Corps It does not look much like me Do you think so. Mother I am at the Signal School here.”
Front and back
Dated 28 June 1918. “Dear Mother just a line to say I am well and fair when I got in New York all for this time your son DDD. Written to Mrs. W. S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah
We might think it, but none of us are truly bullet-proof. This boy’s health was affected for the rest of his life by war. He did live to be 59 years old.
He did marry and had five children.
Sagacity 