Neither of these names ring a bell with me, but they should as it is a McPherson and a Tolley, so they are Juab County folks.

Since the day to honor those who have passed is coming up, here are a couple people that you may know better than I, but do recognize some of the people that participated in their funerals. 

If you have an extra flower on Decoration Day, I have a suggestion on one to decorate...

When I make it to Nephi on Decoration Day, I like to be Memorial, and place a flower at the headstone where no other flowers or decorations are laid; read their name and try to imagine who they are, or their story, as like all of us- they have one. If that doesn't work, then how about putting a flower on the grave of this war hero. Matt Howard was my childhood hero, as I became friends to his grandsons-Cliff and Carl Howard. I always liked the time I spent with Matt, as I heard the stories of how he fought with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders of 1898. That was the Spanish-American War, when we fought Spain, and where the United States quickly won, taking control over parts of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Matt could have made a good model for the cigar companies of Cuba, as that long cigar moved as much as his lips did while he jawed of the 1st Calvary riding up San Juan Hill. If you are in the area, his headstone is in the northeast part of the Vine Bluff cemetery. 

Decoration Day is next Monday, but it is highly recommended you not put any flowers at this new headstone.

I know, I know- it sounds cold, but it just ain't right to put flowers or ornaments at this new headstone at Vine Bluff. I never did get very high in the Boy Scout rankings, but always acknowledged their concept of "Being Prepared", so had to put this together, with my own twist of family history.  I have had people contact me to see if I was a goner. I have been given a clean bill of health from Dr. Beckstead, Boston and Dr. Steele, and Miles Anderson is not returning my calls, so I think I am could for another 23 years...give or take a few months

Since Decoration Day will soon be upon us, I thought we could start early by honoring the people in this photograph of 1941.

It had a history of being called Decoration Day, and named as such in 1868, following the close of the American Civil War. It was in tribute to the 20,000 civil war dead, and five thousand volunteers showed up to Arlington Cemetery to "decorate" the honored dead, which happened to be both Union and Conferate soldiers. It remained Decoration Day for nearly a hundred years, until certain politicians ordered it to be called Memorial Day, so being from Juab County, I have no option than to keep calling it Decoration Day.

This photo was taken at Vine Bluff cemetery in Nephi, Utah on June 4, 1941. It is at the funeral of Sarah Jane Tolley Jones, who died on June 4, 1941. The original photo along with its frame will be donated to the Nephi Daughters of Pioneers.

From left to right: Bea Jones, Donald Jones, Ruth Jones Emerson, Edward Jones III, Jenerva Jones Jenkins, Gwen Jones(Donald's wife), Ray Jones, Elma Jones, then Hyrum Tolley and Wm. Jones.

If you have family ties with anybody from Juab County, you can tell their age by their first names....I have proof.

It's not always the case, but oft  times we can determine the approximate age of a person by their first name. Several days ago, I attended a family function, attended by various people that had the names of Kallie, Hagan, Shayla, Stetson, Keltin, Mcquin, Jaskin, Jcoson, Tajia, Trayce and Tyden. Needless to say, they were all youngins.

When I grew up in Nephi, Utah, USA, we had people named Bertha, Bula, Bernice, Betsy and no they weren't sisters. We also had Bert, Burt, Burke, Bradley, Brigham, Buford, Buster, Bish, Benjamin, and Barney, and no they weren't brothers, and Barney wasn't really from Nephi, he was just a TV hero to most of us in Nephi.

As many Juab County pioneers came from England, we may always have the names of William, Edward, Elizabeth, Mary and James.

The American Indians often named their kin after something that happened on the day of birth, so they had names of Thunder Cloud; Crying Wolf, Sitting Bull or Running Bear.

Here is my proposal. Rather than take a chance with outdating your child's birth name, how about if we incorporate Juab County things with the name of the baby, kind of like what the Indians did.  Just say the first names, then fill in your last name...and you may find it catching.

Yuba
Buck
Arid
Sage
Holler
Knowles
Canyon
Redcliff
Mona
Navel
Furner
Horse
Coyote
Divide
Cedar
Juniper

Just a thought.

If you lived in Juab County during the 1960's you would remember Bish Belliston, whose top speed between Nortonville and Nephi was about 17 M.P.H.

His real name was Leland Belliston, but everybody called him "Bish" including himself. He lived in Nortonville at the home that was previously occupied by the Wm. Jones family. Bish raised crops there and hired me and my brothers to pull rye. During those sultry days I recall looking west watching the P.I.E. trucks go by, hoping I could hitch a ride to Nephi, just to stick my head out the window and cool off.  We came to understand that Bish treated us right and paid us well. He was quite a tall man and wide at the shoulders. Although he had kids that lived "up north", he was always alone. Most people in town knew him, as he didn't move his big four door sedan very fast. Kids thought his slow driving was a "hazard" and that nickname stuck with Bish. When his health declined, he moved to Nephi, in the home that was on the northwest corner of 8th North and 1st East. In 1971, my father hired me to help him repair that home, and I came to know Bish a little  more than most teenagers in Nephi. He was actually a gentle giant, and his thoughts and words moved faster than his vehicle. I was taken back to find he was the "speedster" when he was on the high school basketball team. In going through old family documents, I now realize that Bish Belliston was an honest and forthright friend of my father. In his declining health, Bish wrote the postcard to his friend-Alma Jones, wanting to make sure he squared up with the money he owed for the cement work at the house. He did, and the recent notes show that sometimes, we don't know the whole story about a person, that Bish loved the ride through Juab County, and perhaps, just perhaps, a slower drive may show all of us the true beauty of the area. My hat goes off to Bish Belliston, and I apologize that I too may have inappropriately called him "Hazard", when my senses were not tuned correctly.

If you lived in Juab County during the 1960's, you know how important being active in 4-H was. Here are the names of those who achieved sucess back in 1967.

Many of us who grew up (or tired to grow up) in Juab County was involved with 4-H, even though we never thought of what it stood for. According to the Times News of Oct. 5, 1967, this is who exceeded in 4-H that year. 

PS:  "I pledge my head to clearer thinking, My heart to loyalty, My hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world".

Here are two photos for your entertainement, but hopefully somebody can help me identify the people in the older one.

The first photo was taken in 1966, showing Wilma and Bill Pyper and their grandchildren-Wendy, Tara, Greg, Mark and Scott Pyper.

The second photo was recently discovered in items being held by the Jones family of Nephi, Utah, so we think it is a location in Juab County, but not a hundred percent sure.  On the reverse side, it is written "Alberta   age 5 years    taken at her birthday party     you can see her second from left of picture".  We are not sure who Alberta is, but I am guessing it is Alberta Blackett Jones, who was born in Nephi in 1920, which may correspondent to the vehicle.  If anybody can recognize the homes, the vehicle or the kids, please let me know, and if any of you attended that birthday party, let me know, as I will bake a cake for your own birthday party.

It is Sunday, May 10th......Mother's Day...now guess the year this diary was written by Alma Jones of Nephi, Utah.

May 10th
   Cooler and windy. Father went to the Mothers day program this morning. then went to the cemetery in the afternoon and took the water tonight.
May 11th
   Awful windy. I planted some sweet corn in the lot today. It is Father's birthday, and a large crowd of the family were here for dinner. Got a letter from Grant.
May 12th
   Cloudy and cold.  I went out to Mona and bought some seed potatoes from Reuben Kay this morning. Pa and I have been cutting them this afternoon.
May 13th
   A little warmer in the morning, but turned off awful cold and windy in the afternoon.  I leveled some ground for Ronald Gowers.
May 14th
    Some warmer today.  I cut potatoes and went to the mill for pig feed in the morning. In afternoon Jay Vickers and I planted potatoes on the Warwoods.
May 15th
    The weather about the same.  Jay and I have been planting potatoes today. The alfalfa has been froze and not growing like it should.
May 16th
    It has been raining during the nite and most of the ground was too wet to plant potatoes. LaVon and I rode to Payson and went to a show.
May 17th
    It was warmer today.  Stake conference here. Samuel Bennion and wife are the speakers. It is Seminary graduation tonight.
May 18th
   Warmer today. I was able to work some potato ground. Bought a saddle from Brough this morning. Norma and kids worked over today. I took them home tonight.
May 19th
   Brother Anderson and Louise came from Oregon yesterday and stayed at Uncle Ed's last night. Father and I planted potatoes in the morning. Jay helped in the afternoon.
May 20th
   Father and I planted potatoes in the morning until noon.  It was quite warm today. Mr. and Mrs. Smith and I rode up the canyon at 5 o'clock and had a nice supper.
May 21st
    Still warm and I worked at home until noon. We went to Henry Bowers funeral at 2 o'clock. I went out to Smith Ingram's after to see about a cement job.
May 22th
   Warm and windy before noon. In afternoon cloudy and still windy.  I went to west bench and got cattle and we branded them tonite. Graduation exercises were held this evening.
May 23rd
   No change in weather. Heber McPherson and I drove the cattle up in pole canyon this morning.  I finished a cement floor at Smith Ingram's this afternoon.

   

What do you get if you put two young Nephi people together...we have their photos.

On April 3, 1992, Melinda and Doug got hitched, and sure enough, it was bound to happen.....along come two cute twins.

Last Monday, Jay Fullmer was laid to rest...today, the same was done for his brother Gene Fullmer, the Champ.

After attending the funeral of boxer Jay Fullmer a week ago today, I had a deep inclination to write a blog that night, to pay tribute to the Fullmer family, as three brothers were the well known legal fist fighters of the 1950's and 1960's. Once again, I was awe struck by today's funeral, and just by chance, a former co-worker and I walked in the viewing room at the same time. As he was more acquainted with the Fullmer's, I had the chance to meet and talk with some of them. Not only was Gene Fullmer the boxing champion he was, he was a champion family man; church man; mink raiser; farmer, horse breeder, but worked a full time job as welder at Kennecott. After listening to some of his family speak, Gene Fullmer could very well have been a Tolley from Juab County as he loved 4-H; FFA and quarter horses. I had never heard of it before, but Gene and his brothers Don and Jay started what was called "Smokeless Smokers", wherein they invited kids to meet at the local ward house of their LDS faith, where they put the gloves on and let the young boys slug it out. Of course, smoking was not allowed, except to smoke their opponent out. I also learned at the funeral that I wasn't the only one he had invited to punch him in the gut on a bet. Gene's son talked of how he invited several people to do that, even when he was in his seventies, as his stomach was still built like steel. On one occasion, one guy broke his wrist, on another a finger was broke. A friend paid tribute to this former Middle Weight Champion of the World, by saying Gene Fullmer had three principles he lived by, which was Honor; Self-Discipline and Prayer. I was taken back by his religious fervency, as when I came to know Gene, he didn't present himself that way, but like his knock-out punches- it was always there. When he became champion the first time in 1957, Ezra Taft  Benson came to the locker room, where Gene asked him to join him in prayer. He was one tough guy but also a true gentleman. He is said to have cried only three times in his life; when his father passed away; when his brother Don lost during a championship fight, and when his favorite horse died-"Saddlehorn".  Although I have never really been a Jazz fan, I did like Frank Layden, so it was with utmost pleasure to chat with him at the funeral, even if it was only by chance as we both were heading to the bathroom at the same time. He said one of the reasons he liked coming to Utah was because it was the home of champion Gene Fullmer.  Gene's Dad "Tuff" let his sons start to box at age six, and at twelve, Gene knew with hard work and good luck, he would become the champion of the world. In his travels, his repeated advise was "Choose your goals early, then have the guts to live up to them". He also said "We can reach the height of our potential if we keep in training and take the advise of our "Manager".  I had to check the basket of the "Memories of Gene" writings that were there. Perhaps it was to protect Gene, as I didn't want any bad stuff to be written. None were, and it was interesting that Gene Fullmer was not just a champion of the sports world, but in life. When a police officer dies in the line of duty, they often do a "Last Call" at the funeral. There is utmost silence in a reverent way, when we hear three beeps; then the dispatcher attempts to contact the fallen officer. After the third attempt, the dispatcher, on the police radio-announces that the officer is "Out of Service". Today, they did a similar sort of thing for Gene Fullmer. They  had a "10 Count Bell"  and we knew that the "Champ" was gone, but always constant in our hearts and memories. In the words of Bill Jenson(Marv Jenson's son), "He won his last fight. He broke the bonds that held him here".  The second photo is of Justin Jones who interviewed Gene as a part of a grade school project to interview a living hero. Gene was that.

It was difficult to narrow it down to just one page, but here it is.....rules to live by if you are going to move to Nephi, Utah, USA.

Although I don't actually live in Nephi, Utah, I still consider it my hometown, and thought that if I did, these may be the rules if anybody feels the need to go there to live.