IT'S CHRISTMAS, 1996

 Dear Weston, Hal, Gary and Jaynette                                                   Dec. 25, 1995

I thought this may be a great time to send my Christmas cards, as I run out of the 10 cent stamps. The good thing was that their were no lines at the Post Office; no fighting the lines in the store; no dodging Salt Lake Traffic, and no good football on TV, and it seemed like yesterday that I was cheering for Y.A Tittle, the greatest Quarterback their would ever be. I will try to decipher some of the information I heard on the gossip line. Our younger brother-Gary B. is still alive and well. He has been living out of a suitcase, but may have finally settled down(for a little while) living on Yellow Stone Rd. in Fairbanks, Alaska, and no, it is not called that road because of all the gold that ain't there anymore, but "creature's" in the night. He said me may not be down for Dad's Birthday, but will try to make it for the Alma Jones Trek in March, 1996. If everybody is in an agreement, I will lead you down to Cedar City and that area for the weekend. Those who are traveling to Nephi, we could stay the first night in the Bates motel here in Nephi on the first friday in March, 1996. No, Judge Robertson isn't running anymore, so it has dropped a few levels, but we can fit about 6 family members to a room, with one bathroom, but just east of it, they still have a two holer John, so bring your own bug spray; TP and nosepin, unless you want to catch a death disease. The next day, we need to get up as early as John Wayne did in the big screen, as Weston sat with him on a plane to the Philippine's do make a move about Viet Nam, and got to get rolling as daylight is burning. We can choose what we want to do, put if you leave it up to me(by dam you better), we will stop at Cedar to gas up and eat those left over Spam and eggs you had for supper last night. Then we will pick up my buddy-Bill Loader and take a tour of the Iron Mission State Park, where they loaded the iron ore and shipped  up to Ironton on the old road to Salt Lake. As I do part time work at Antelope Island, I have a group pass to take as many people as I want trough any State Park in Utah.We will then go west young man, and stop at the Parowan Gap, which is where the Native Indians (Feremonts) would write their history on the giant cliffs there. I am only an artificial Archeologist, so I have contacted a friend that lives in Parowan,who will tell us all about the truth of what the "Ancient Ones" did there. I was able to figure out some of the circles and "horses with ears", but he will tell you the truth that they are deer. And remember he is a good guy, so Kami, keep Brayden from asking him if they are just Jackasses!  We will then cut across to the south and find a road to where an Indian Massacre occurred during the early days of the LDS Church.Most of the ground around where the large sign showing it is sacred area is owned by my friend, so we can do some digging to see if we find sione if the implements of the wagon train that was heading from Salt Lake to Santa Clara, which was the Southern Home of Brigham the Young. If we find a bone if any kind, we must leave in there and figure out who is offer a prayer for those that perished.The truthful thing is that a heard of bad guys were coming up from the South, and one of the Apostles was Parley P. Pratt, and they hollowered at the LDS wagon train saying they are the gun slingers that killed Parley Pratt, then strung him up. Them Mormons sent a fast horse to Salt Lake saying "should we defend ourselves or what?" Brother Brigham Young didn't get the message and so the facts may be that the Mormons sought the help of local Indians and the Pale Faces ;painted up and killed most of the adults on the Mormon Wagon Train, To me and to Bill Loader, we made up our own minds after we did a lot of research there, and we found where John D, Lee was buried in Panguitch. I think I am out of space so stay tuned to the Nortonville Gazette for the next edition.

                                            Kent, son of Alma, from the land of Nephi

HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY-ALMA COYN JONES OF NORTONVILLE, UTAH

Pretend it is March 10, 1903 and Nortonville, Utah is a busy place this time of year. Shires and other Plug horses are busy getting the fertile fields ready for planting. In those days, their was in fact plenty of water under the ground, but it went dry for all inhabitants when an outsider came to town after he found out how he could dig a well a lot deeper than regular farmers, and needless to say, he wasn't one of the Jones/Tolley/Ingram or others that settled with the pioneers, but the only ones that say their is plenty of water under Juab County, just may be Politicians, or so I have been told. Wm. Jones, who died just before I was born, was a great man, who temporarily gave up farming there, and went on an LDS Mission to the British Isles, leaving his brother-Ed Jones and a pregnant wife-Liz Tolley Jones, to take care of the farm and the church, and they did good from what I can tell from all the journals I have read. I know that I can never live up to my grandfather, who would often say  "If you can't say anything good about somebody, then don't say anything at all". As I spent 46 years listening to DAM politician's just for the love of money for themselves rather than the taxpayer...... I better find that bar of soap my mother left me for cursing. I will go back to praying, as our Heavenly Father can do more Kick Ass than I can, but I just may pray for that great President Trump, who in my mind, is one of the top leaders we American's have ever had, and proud to say I was a true American that voted for him each time he ran, and saved the letter he sent back the first time, but I knew some folks I worked with that were angry of that. Anyway, thanks Dad for going after LaVon Harris and together, you both knew how to work hard; cook great, and taught us how to play while we were working. That was back then, and  Nephi will never ever be the same. Don't worry Mom, I will repent........ next week, or maybe April 1st ???? And while we you are planting spiritual sugar cane in the clouds, thanks for praying that your three Viet Nam Era Sons came home, while me and Jaynette were racing each other on the barrel racing. Rheta, Alene, Maple and Don Sperry voted our little sister as the real winner and now she has a bedroom all to herself when her brothers were away traveling the world fighting for freedom.

ALMA C. JONES FAMILY TREK OF 2000

On or about the birthday of Alma Jones of Nortonville, Utah, his family kids would often take a trip of a day or two regarding where any of us traveled to or from, including ones that his father-Wm. Jones took railroad supplies to Pioche, Utah Territory that is now in Nevada. In Pioneer times, the railroad only came to the area by Dr. Steele Ranch, so Mule Skinners like Ed and Wm. Jones would take supplies to Caliente and Pioche, which in those days  were settled as Mormon towns. After "Cash" Jones passed away in 1984, his five kids and their kids would keep up the habit of travel on old dirt roads if we could find them and learn history the fun way. If we did this the write way or even the wrong way, you will have to figure it out. Sorry, don't know how to make this attached whatmacall it bigger to read.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR TROY COYN JONES OF NEPHI, UTAH

HE DOESN'T HAVE A COMPUTER OR A PHONE; NOT EVEN A CAR, BUT HAS A FAMILY THAT LOVES HIM VERY MUCH. AFTER HIS HERO AND BROTHER TOOK HIS OWN LIFE FOR MISSING ONE ALCOHOL CLASS AND THE WEST JORDAN J.P WOULDN'T LET HIM GO TO THE BATHROOM TO CLEAN UP OR HE WOULD KILL HIMSELF. HE DID.TROY'S PAIN WAS MORE THAN HE COULD BARE, AND ALL OF THE COUNSELING MONEY'S DRAINED ME DRY, TROY'S  ANGER ROSE TO A LEVEL AGAINST POLICE, WHO  OFTEN APPEARED TO ENJOY SENDING THEIR K-9 UNITS TO TEAR OPEN HIS ARMS AND LEGS AND REFUSED TO RETURN HIS CLOTHES AND FOOD VOUCHERS. I WAS AT WIT'S END. I WASN'T SURE IF TROY'S ANGER WAS DIRECTED AT THE POLICE OR AT ME FOR MY 42 YEARS OF SERVICE  IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. YESTERDAY WAS FRIDAY THE 13TH, SO WE STOPPED OUR VEHICLE AND GAVE HIM A HUG AND TOLD HIM WE LOVED HIM AND BOUGHT SOME CLOTHES AND FOOD, BUT REPORTS THAT THE FOOD STAMPS OR THE CARD ARE STOLEN BY FEDERAL OFFICIALS. AFTER 20 YEARS OF THIS REPEATED STORY, I GAVE UP ON CONTINUED LOVE BUT GIVING COMMON SENSE INFORMATION. HOWEVER, WE BOTH AGREED THAT JAIL TIME IS BEST, BUT OFFICERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO KEEP HIM PENNED UP AND AGAINST THE JAIL COMMANDER. I HOPE AND PRAY FOR HIM. GOOD AND BAD GUYS WANT TO KILL HIM.

                                               

                           WE TURNED HIM LOOSE IN WEST SALT LAKE COUNTY. 

HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE FOUR NEPHI JONES BOYS FR0M 1994

OUR MOTHER -LAVON HARRIS JONES WAS GIVEN NOTICE BY AN ACCLAIMED DOCTOR WHO NEW EVERYTHING ABOUT CANCER. ALTHOUGH SHE HAD CANCER OF THE COLON, WE THOUGHT ALL OF IT WAS REMOVED 7 YEARS BEFORE. BUT SOMETIMES THOSE LITTLE DEATH CELLS HIDE AS HERS DID. ALL OF THE GRANDKIDS AND GARY STAYED WITH HER NIGHT AND DAY, AND THE THREE BOYS' HUNTED DEER, BUT ONLY SORT OF, AS WE WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO THE FAMILY HOME WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1885. IT HAD 5 ENTRY WAYS AND SO DIVIDED FOR FOUR FAMILY RELATIONS TO LIVE THERE, WITH THE WEST DOOR ON THE PORCH AS A FAMILY ROOM, THEN ONE ON THE LEFT WHICH MY DAD AND I ADDED ON FOR A WALK IN CLOSET FOR MORE CLOTHS. THE MOTHER OF ALMA JONES DIED THERE, AS WELL AS ALMA AND LAVON, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. OUR FAMILY VOTED AGAINST GAS COMING IN, AS IT IS AS LOT CHEAPER, AND FOR FAMILIES THAT WANT GOOD HEAT, THEY KNOW WHERE TO COME FOR A GOOD WOOD FIRE.WOOD FIRES KEPT US CLEAN PROVIDING HEAT FOR THE BATHTUB AND WOOD HANGERS IN THE WINTER AND ALWAYS GREAT HOT BREAD ON TUESDAYS, WHICH MADE US ALL RUN HOME FROM SCHOOL ON TUESDAYS, AS THAT WAS BREAD AND ROLL COOKING DAY.          .

NOW BACK TO THE FOUR BOYS. I BELIEVE THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN 1994 DURING THE DEER HUNT. IT APPEARS ALL HAVE MUSTACHES EXCEPT HAL.HE WAS NOT USED TO THOSE THINGS ON THE FRONT OF A KILL ZONE, LIKE HE WAS IN VIET NAM, HE NEEDED THAT SPACE AGAINST AGENT AGENT ORANGE OR TO STOP INFECTION TO THE WOUNDED. WE DO KNOW THAT HE MAY HAVE A BAD LEFT SHOUDER AS HE IS HOLDING HIMSELF UP AS MAY THE OTHER GUYS,  ALL OF THEM LOOK LIKE THEY GOT THEIR THUMBS IN THEIR POCKETS. AND STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT WES IS HIDING BEHIND HIS BACK WITH HIS LEFT HAND! I ALSO NOTE THAT GARY IS THE TALLEST AND KENT IS THE SHORTEST BUT BY DAM HE HAS THE BIGGEST GIRTH. WE ALL LOOK QUITE GRUMPY, AS OUR GOODLY MOTHER WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE WARP SPEED ELEVATOR  AND AT TIMES EACH OF US FEEL HER NEARBY. NOW TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHICH NEPHI MOTEL WE WERE IN. GARY HAD A LONG TRIP FROM ALASKA BRINGING IN A HALF TON OF SALMON AND HALIBUT TO THE NEEDY. AND WE GOT THEM DELIVERED AND IT MADE OUR MOTHER HAPPY.

4-H ACHIEVEMENT NIGHT IN NEPHI DURING 1969

SORRY WE COULDN'T GET THIS BIGGER BUT THEY DON'T PROVIDE "BY LARGE BLACK PRINTERS ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY TO US LITTLE GUYS"

 

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FUNNY CARD, TIL IT COMES TO YOU

This is supposed to be a funny birthday card, but if it to a family antique, it took my faded memory back to the time when I was trying to teach my nephew how to pull weeds, just like Alice P. McCune taught me in the 1950's. I hated cleaning her beautiful rose garden, as it was irrigation water which had a lot of weeds in the furrows. I had respect for her though, as she was a woman before her time, writing the first book about Juab County when she was in her 90's, and interviewed many of the people in the book, including my Grandfather-will, so her facts were good. But those dan......g roses had gigantic thorns on them, and this poor, frail 10 year no-account was soon taught by example! She was in a long beautiful dress, and pretty enough to come to my funeral, as I feared that! She got on her knees with no gloves and short sleeves on her dress, and pulled the weeds, and not a whimper from her while her arms were bleeding worse that when Joe Garrett came across the street to help me "cut" our Weiner pigs. And when she did a row, she calmly stood up, handed me the small shovel, and just matter of fact said "that's how you take care of the weeds" and I stood "All Amazed" as it was beautiful and I lived to tell of that true tale. So to my nephew-Jarett, he should dam well know that his birthday is long before this old geezer and besides he recently became the father of a real "Beautiful Baby Girl" and it is he should be saying happy fatherhood to himself. And another thing dam it.....I wouldn't have to pick my nose if those dam kids by the cemetery wouldn't throw rocks at me, one hitting my ear, and pushed the dam hearing aid in my nose. And by the way I wouldn't have to drink beer if they would quit reducing my Social Security money as I payed into it since childhood... And I don't pass gas, it is that dam dog, or is it the horse that Tyson Garrett tied to my door. And yea, I do have leaky pipes. One of these days I will get in door plumbing and buy real toilet paper instead of Saran Wrap! Happy Trails.