West Jordan

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Layton & Taylorsville Temple Open Houses

Paul, Hiram, and Aliza Ross at Vernal Utah Temple

Before I talk about the Layton and Taylorsville Temples, I thought I better throw in another temple visit we made since I last updated. While on Spring Break this year, we made a stop in Vernal, Utah. While there, we scheduled and attended the Vernal Utah Temple with the kids. Glad we stopped to make another memory at another House of the Lord.

Hiram and Aliza at Vernal Utah Temple on 27 March 2024

Since the kids have a goal to attend the temple every month this year, we did also make it in April to the Twin Falls Temple. In May, while going to Utah for the open houses, we made sure to stop off and fulfill the monthly goal. May took us to Ogden Utah Temple.

Hiram and Aliza Ross at Ogden Utah Temple 17 May 2024

Later that evening, we attended the open house of the Layton Utah Temple with Amanda’s parents. Beautiful.

Paul, Lillian, Amanda, Aliza, James, and Hiram Ross with Bryan and Jill Hemsley 17 May 2024

We look forward to attending the temple after it is dedicated.

The next day we attended the open house for the Taylorsville Utah Temple, again with Amanda’s parents. We were also excited to run into the Brad and Rachel Hales family as well as Sarah Sanderson!

Bryan and Jill Hemsley with James, Aliza, Lillian, Hiram, Amanda, and Paul Ross 18 May 2024

It has been a crazy year for temple attendance and temple open houses. We have attended quite a few and quite a few are coming up for open houses. Wow, should be fun. It is exciting that the Kingdom and Church of God on the earth is in such a position to build so many beautiful houses to the Lord. We are blessed to attend the open houses and hopefully return some day to participate in holy ordinances there.

When I was interviewed for my first temple recommend in 1998, President Gene Hansen indicated he had a goal since he was first endowed to attend the temple every single month. He challenged me to do the same. As long as I have held a recommend, or I had permission to attend, I have attended the temple every single month since 1998. That meant a full day off of work in Missouri as it was a 4 hour drive one way from Branson, Missouri, to St. Louis, Missouri. Or from Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., that was a 4-5 hour drive and we often would go up and spend the night and return home on Saturday or Sunday depending on the circumstances.

Many open houses are upcoming, including Deseret Peak Utah; Casper Wyoming; Grand Junction Colorado; Elko Nevada; Syracuse Utah; Burley Idaho; Lindon Utah; Ephraim Utah; Smithfield Utah; Montpelier Idaho; Heber Valley Utah; Teton River Idaho; Salt Lake City Utah; Provo Rock Canyon Utah; Cody Wyoming; Lethbridge Alberta; Lehi Utah; and West Jordan Utah. Hopefully we can make some of the more exotic ones, particularly Birmingham England; Edinburgh Scotland; Honolulu Hawaii; and Vancouver British Columbia. We will see what our future holds.

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Elusive Kinseys

David Delos Donaldson and Robert Charles Kinsey

I previously wrote about this photo of David Delos Donaldson and another unknown kid. The back of the photo had a name written on it but the name was very difficult to read. It appeared to be Roberty Rindly. I searched around for Rindley, Rindly, Kinsly, and Kinsey but nothing matched up enough to really be certain.

Then came another one of those blessings from heaven that helps things become more clear. The above photo was one my Dad had in a number of Donaldson photos and pictures.

After my Great Aunt Betty passed away, the Donaldson photos her and Dave had came into Dad’s possession. Included in those photos was this one.

David Delos Donaldson

My heart jumped when I saw the photo as I knew I had the other one. I located the photo with Roberty and sure enough, it was the same day based on dress and look. I had initially guessed Delos was about 12 years in the photo, which put it about 1908. As I worked more through the stack of photos that Betty left behind, I stumbled upon this photo in the same stack dated 1908.

David Delos Donaldson, 28 May 1908

This photo shows a much larger and older Delos Donaldson on 28 May 1908. If this is a 14 year old Delos in 1908, then the other photo must be more of a 10 year old Delos about 1904. Roberty appears to be a year or two younger, so I was guessing about 8 years old.

Then came the clue I needed to break the case and tie down the last name. This photo was also among the photos.

Chick Kinsey

The circular photo above appeared very reminiscent of the previous two. There might have been a chance they were taken the same day. The back of the photo clearly showed Chick Kinsey. I thought that this could be a relative to the other boy and the last name was Kinsey rather than anything else. He appeared to be several years older than Delos.

I started researching and knew I might have two brothers who somehow knew Delos. I then found the two brothers who fit.

Robert Charles Kinsey, born 8 June 1898 in Shoshone, Lincoln, Idaho. On the 1900 Census, his family was still living in Shoshone. However, on the 1910 Census Robert Kinsey was living in Harrisville, Weber, Utah. The right vicinity to have any contact or communication with Delos Donaldson. His father, Henry, was a farmer in 1900 but in 1910 was a real estate salesman. Robert was in Seattle when he was drafted in 1917. But the clincher was his brother Charles R Kinsey, born 18 March 1890 in Shoshone, Idaho, who had the nickname Chick. The ages of Delos, Chick, and Roberty all linked well and were in the same town for the limited years in age for Delos these could have been taken.

Chick died unmarried in Seattle, King, Washington on 22 January 1921. As far as I can tell, he was unmarried. Roberty married and died 19 June 1980 in Montclair, Los Angeles, California. As far as I can tell, Roberty had 2 children.

Of interest, two other photos were in the bunch.

David Delos Donaldson and Unknown
Delos Donaldson and Edward Leroy Higgins

I don’t know the relationship or the purpose of this photo with Edd (back of the photo says Edd Higgins). He was born 12 August 1890 in West Jordan, Salt Lake, Utah and died 6 August 1976 in Abilene, Taylor, Texas.

What more little miracles might still be coming? I worry that every passing year and change in ownership of photos the chances decrease. Hopefully we can find them before the time is too far spent.

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Jonas History: Preface to Jonas History

Many years ago, I obtained a copy of Carvel Lee Jonas’ book that he wrote on our particular Jonas family.  I cannot seem to find my copy of the book now, but about 10 years ago I typed up most of it.  I am going to make it available with full credit to him.  Hopefully we can build off his research.  I removed Carvel’s home address and phone number off this preface.  If you wish to contact him, please contact me.  Further, I hope you will take the spirit of his preface to heart.  If you have stories to add, documents to share, or corrections, please make them know.  The sooner the better as time is our enemy when it comes to history.
“The Joseph Jonas clan of Utah (including – early Jonas family history; early Nelson family history)”
“After more than four years of research and compiling I am thrilled to offer this Jonas family history book to family members.  The more family members distribute this history book to other members, the more likely the history will survive into the future.  This is your book!  Use it to create greater family unity.  When thoughtfully read the reader will discover a wonderful spirit which is associated with this history.  To get that feeling it may need to be read more than once. 
“This history book was no easy task!  Information was collected from all over Utah, and also from Washington, Nebraska, Michigan, and Germany.  We are blessed as a family to have the Jonas family pedigree from Germany, which was finally discovered in 1985.  A feeling came to me that the records were in existence, and it was possible to trace the family surname back to Europe.  In the process of looking for clues to extend that pedigree, I discovered that I had collected a considerable amount of information.  Land records, church records, county records, census records, etc.  The idea came to me that since I had so much information I might as well collect all that I could and make a history book.  I collected more information and talked to older members of the family so that I could get to know the personal stories about different members of the family.  I’d write down everything that I was told.  When I finally had enough information I put it all into one story.  Then I would get more information and rewrite the story again.  Finally I added my research and some logical conclusions which would feel correct to the stories and rewrite them again.  A special thank you to Verla Jonas Andersen Lythgoe for her willingness to answer my questions and tell me stories about Joseph and Annette Josephine Nelson Jonas.  She is the main reason we have a story for them.  When she was younger she would get my grandfather, William Nelson Jonas, and her mother, Rosa Nelson Jonas, together in the same room and quiz them about Joseph and Annie Jonas.  Because she asked questions and because of her good memory we now have a wonderful story about Joseph and Annie Jonas.  I remember taking all the letters that cousin Verla had sent to me, and putting all the information into a short story.  Then I went to cousin Verla with the story and asked her what her opinion was.  She corrected a part and eventually added more to the story.  I added my personal impressions and finally typed the last revision.  That is how the story of Joseph and Annie Jonas came into existence.
“The following persons gave information to me so I could write the individual life stories found in this book.
“Verla Jonas Anderson Lythgoe; Merlin Jonas Andersen; Lillian Jonas Talbot; Joseph H. Jonas; Spencer Jonas;  Carvel Thompson Jonas; Vaughn Thompson Jonas; Annette Nelson Brown; Mabel Jonas Parvi; Mr. And Mrs. Otto Hansen; Armina Jonas Farnes; Calvin Andersen Jonas.  Also, the autobiography of August Nelson and the biography of Christian Andersen were used and quoted when they applied to our direct family line.  It should be noted that the life stories were written by a person who had never met anyone he wrote about.  I never even met my grandfather, William Nelson Jonas, except as a small child.  I relied on the documents which I found and the memories of the above mentioned family members.  If there is a comment about something you read it is up to you to take the responsibility and let me know about it.  This is not intended to be the last edition of this history.  It is hoped that when more information comes from you, the family member, that there will be a future edition. 
“This history was reproduced in an inexpensive way to assure that a copy may be given to every member of the family regardless of their financial situation.  Perhaps a future edition will be professionally bound.  Also, this book is designed so that you may add your personal history to this book.  An attempt was not made, and will not be made by me, to write stories for those who are still living.  Their stories would be better stories if you wrote them yourselves.  I’ve left the responsibility for your own personal histories to you. 
Sincerely,
Carvel Lee Jonas
West Jordan, Utah
84084
26 October 1987