Lynn & Juanita Esplin remain on their honeymoon.....after 60 years together!

Once you fall in love, how do you stay in love...for a year, ten years or even after the kids leave home! How about 60 years? We think we found the answer after attending the Diamond Anniversary gig of this American couple earlier tonight. They merely followed the words of their Theme Song written by Cole Porter. "While I give to you and you give to me True Love, True Love; So on and on it will always be, True Love, True Love".  I sat at the back and listened, watched and felt.....they have always had absolute true love for each other. Both are well educated dirt farmers; both devoted to their country, church, community, agriculture, family and always worked and played together. Out of sight except from me, they held hands in the back, showing positive proof it was "Love Forever True". After the program, they will return to their honeymoon suite in Nortonville, Utah, where the crisp, clean water from Mt. Nebo will keep their wind swept alfalfa in the grow mode, getting ready for a bounteous first crop cut, which this former County Agent takes pride in doing himself.

A short history of Nephi in photographs.... recently taken.

Nephi, Utah is growing quickly and thereby changing. We therefore took sixteen photographs recently to help capture the history of this town, which may also help new folks get acquainted with its heritage. As one will see, this area of Juab County is protected by majestic Mt. Nebo to the north and the Red Cliffs to the south, and both are often seen in the background of photos or above the front door of elementary schools. Most of the photos will put a smile on those that have been here for awhile, but liken unto life, at least one brings sadness, all of which is a part of living. We even have a photo of an important cornerstone of Nephi, and yet thousands of people have walked by it, never seeing it. Will you!

"Hearts Divided"....a story of the western frontier.

We are not sure what year this 3 Act Play was held in Nephi, Utah, but we are guessing it was about 1930 or so. Knowing my mother-LaVon Harris Jones, it would appear she would have been the one that came up with the idea of the curtain time as written.

Stella's Stellar Sign

A few days prior to her passing, I asked Stella Boswell to send me a letter from the great beyond-to let me know what it is like there. I forgot that conversation until the other day when I was moving a history binder, and my written funeral speech fell out in front of me. I kept staring at it for a few minutes, then had no choice....... except to tell the life and times of Stella Boswell of Nephi, Utah; a strong business woman, yet full of love and devotion to her family, community and church. The photo is of her family which lived on the Harris Family farm located near the place where Painter Motor is now located in Nephi, stretching up to where Nebo Heights is today, across the street from where she was buried. From the left is Jay Harris, Stella Harris Boswell, Evan(the father); Sadie(the mother); Aleta Harris Swasey and Blanch Harris Anderson.

We are in search of Don Ipson, who served an LDS Mission to the British Isles 85 plus years ago.

Elder Donald K. Ipson served an LDS Mission to the British Isles many years ago, and we have come in to possession of his Book of Mormon. Although at 107, he may not be around, but we would like to get it to his family. In going through our historical boxes, we located this Book and while thumbing through the pages, we found his missionary business card. The inside cover shows the name of a "Sister", which may have been a person Elder Ipson left it with. We found a Don Ipson in Nephi, Utah, but he said the only missions he has been on is a tour of duty in Vietnam and as a baseball umpire for thirty years, both of which must have been much worse than having people in Wales slam the door in your face as a missionary! He did give insight, saying that early Mormon pioneers named "Ipson" often came from Norway, and the majority settled in Panguitch, Utah, and the 1920 US Census seems to support that theory. If anybody knows the family of this man, we would like to send these "sticks" to them.

The funeral just started for Mary Bailey Burraston, who was born and raised in Nephi, Utah, USA

As a kid, I turned to the funnies of the newspaper, then as I got older, it was the Sports Section. In my "more mature" age, the number one reading section is the obits. The paper shows Mary Burraston passed away, and her funeral is today. Her married named struck my bi-focals, as it was the Burraston family of the Goshen, Genola and Santaquin area that gave their "Burraston Ponds" to the new State of Utah in 1896-as long as it was preserved for use by citizens, and the local Fish and Game guy keeps that information on his computer for reference. I learned that from my interview with Winnifred Burraston Gee of a few decades ago. Now back to Mary. She was born and raised in Nephi, Utah, in the home photographed yesterday. Whoever has it now has kept it as immaculate as when Jesse and Norma raised their kids there. I came to know Mary's brothers-Carl and Dale Bailey, who were friendly enough and you didn't notice what scholars they were until their grades came out. Mary's father had a wide grin, but wide at the shoulders too, and nobody wanted to take him on if he told you to not litter in the new Third Ward Chapel, that he kept clean, just like his yard. Mary took after her mother, both being devoted to their family, community, church and sewing. I very much recall how well Mary's mother cooked good birthday cakes. I have never met a bad Burraston or Bailey. All evidence shows Mary did well in this sphere of life everlasting.

So who was in church today....or who attended on July 10, 1949!

I am about 100 percent sure I didn't attend church today, but uncertain about Sunday, July 10, 1949. If I was to guess, I probably was the crying brat on the back row while my mother and others participated in the LDS Nephi Third Ward Sunday School Centennial Home Coming Program. If you were raised in Nephi during the 1930's through the sixties, most would recognize the participates. Many of those good people have now advanced to a more heavenly home coming, but at least two are still very much alive and kicking, and they are siblings-Ross Garrett and Corrine Garrett.

Our reflections after attending the Juab Board of Education Meeting

The parking lot was full for last night's Board of Education meeting, so I parked in the nearby LDS church parking lot. When I entered the packed room, it felt like I was at a church meeting, as there was gleeful chatter and kids galore. I couldn't figure why all 84 chairs were being utilized, but I soon caught on. They were honoring school employees, students and local business' who assisted with school functions. It was impressive to see the positive support. After the certificates and awards were handed out, people quickly scattered like it was the end of a church service, heading for a buffet. When they got to the School Board Agenda, I was the only irregular citizen that remained, excluding The Times News reporter and five school employees who appeared to be on a stand by mode to answer potential questions from the Board. I decided not to share the newly discovered report card of my Uncle-Ren Harris from 1903-04. Instead, we will share it with the world. Lorenzo Harris only had a 6th grade education, but did well in life, not only helping his parents- Evan and Eliza Hitesman Harris of Nephi, Utah, USA, but dutifully serving his country in World War One. Private First Class Ren Harris (2 261 193 Company I, 362nd Infantry-Army of the United States) then returned to spent his days as a sheepherder and employee of Twin Peaks Livestock and to keep pennies in jars to give to his delighted nieces and nephews. He passed away in 1967, suffering the effects of toxic gases while serving in the trenches of France. Today, we pay honor to Ren Harris, but also to the Juab School folks. Teacher George A. Sperry did well 114 years ago, as did his sisters-Mable Sperry and Alean Sperry Pace who were also teachers. My impression from last night's Board meeting is.... the kids within this school district.......remain in good hands.

Cattle Call

Great steaks come from great cattle and great cattle come from a great combination of cattle hands; "doctoring equipment" and the Juab County Livestock Association working with the Uinta National Forest. It has been that way for a long time, although the cost of "Salting and Herding" may have changed from 40 cents a head in 1946. As we toured local cattle gatherings last week, we found 15 to 20 working hands at the Meryl McPherson feed yard branding, tagging and doctoring cattle. When we got to the Nephi Garrett Ranches, my co-pilot-Ron Jones tried to convince Wade Garrett's son he didn't have to make his fat beef "pretty" by cleaning it before it became steak. We found out he was just getting it ready for the Juab County Fair Weigh-in, so that youngin taught us oldies a lesson, but all in all Juab County Beef look prime....right now! A hundred years ago, they just branded and put metal tags on the ears, but now adays they put on the color coated plastic tags so at round up time, they can easily see whose cattle belongs to who, and the cow and calf have the same number. Since the cattleman have now lost a good friend in Dave Carter, hopefully all steak lovers can help watch for the cattle rustler and other non steak lovers who cause wanton destruction to the cattle family.

Norma.....the "Bookeeper" of Juab County in 1926.

During prohibition days, Al Capone was reported as the most well known mobster that committed or ordered murder and mayhem in Chicago during the 1920's. It wasn't until 1931, that he was committed to federal prison, but only on tax evasion, after they twisted the arm of the bookkeeper for "Scarface". Today's concern is what we should do with the ledger we just found, containing financial transactions of a questionable company in Nephi, Utah of 1926! It details money paid out for "barrels" and payments to non-existent hotels such as "Palace Hotel" and "Imperial Hotel". The bookkeeper was named "Norma" and her brother went by the alias of "Cash". Do we try to get this ledger to Elliot Ness, or say what was done is done, and just hand it over to the daughters of Norma, who live in Utah, Juab and Millard County! If you read the front page of the ledger, you can rest at ease, as 17 year old Norma was just doing school work to learn to be a bookkeeper. Norma was born a beautiful girl, and passed away a first class beautiful woman of integrity and charm. Her brother was Alma Coyn Jones, who was nicknamed "Cash".

Here it is......Cop Capers at Carters Cafe!

The Times News reported a Nephi police Captain was recently "cited", being given a
prestigious award for putting a cowardly culprit away for the rest of his life. This shouldn't come as a surprise as most Utah small town cops are notorious-notoriously good cops who are properly trained but know how to deal with people. Since 1851, cops in Juab County, from Mammoth to Mona-have been called Sheriff's Deputies; Police officers; City Marshals and "Special Police" as my grandfather was in 1900. In 1950, it was Juab Sheriff Ray Jackson teaming up with Millard Sheriff Robinson and Fillmore Marshal Clayton Edwards to catch the two thugs who robbed and kidnapped Rob Garrett from "The Serv". Rob was book smart but also street smart and talked them out of doing away with him. He was released from the get away car on the Levan ridge and got their license plates. How about Wm. Fisher Tolley, the Salt Creek Marshal teaming up with Porter Rockwell; Sheriff Parley Christensen locking up Butch Cassidy at the Juab County Jail; Ross Tolley walking the beat in Nephi or Gideon Sidwell patrolling Main Street on his horse. Jack Brough's father was "Big Ern" Brough, and the story is he got in a shoot out with a bad guy and "Carter's Café" sign was accidentally shot down. We are not sure who did what as the story kept changing every time it was retold at "Von's" Barber Shop(later Bob's). We do know the owner-Earl Carter had a reputation to give free hotcakes to all cowboys when the Ute Stampede came to town.

We will give you the name of the old play and its characters, the reader has to guess the year it was presented!

The name of the Comic Opera is "The Hermit of Hawaii" and was presented by the LDS "Juab Stake M.I.A" and although we know it was a few decades ago, they neglected to print the year it was put on. Once the reader checks out the various people who participated from Juab County, Utah, we may have an idea of what year it was presented. Additionally, it may be appropriate NOT to attempt the pronunciation of "Napoopoo", one of the Hawaiian Nobles!