A little history of this Nephi house, but more of one of it's dwellers-Alyth Bigler Howard

I have passed the pictured home on several occasions, and when it appeared that nobody was living there, I walked over and checked the exterior portion of the stucco work. Whoever lives there now, I hope they know it is structurally sound, at least the exterior, as I helped Alma Jones stucco it after Alyth moved there from the Howard Ranch in the mid 1970's. She wanted the home as it was close to the church to walk to; a few steps away from the grocery store and centrally located for family and friends. Alyth was born in Nephi on Sept. 13, 1910. Her father was Abner Tranter and the mother being Ruby McPherson. She had one brother and four sisters. When she was ten, the family moved to Silver City, which was a mining boom town in west Juab County. When she was thirteen years old, she was called by the LDS  Bishop to be the Secretary of the Silver City Ward Sunday School. That started her many years of devotion to the Sunday School. After high school graduation and attending Henagar's Business College, she had an occasion to meet one Maurice Howard, a son of Mat Howard, and star Basketball and Tennis player for Nephi High. They were wed above a vein of silver on Sept. 1, 1933. They lived in Washington, Springville, Provo, Denver, and then returned to "Home Base" on the Howard Ranch, a couple miles north of Nephi. Back before the freeway and when there was plenty of water around, the Howard's had a lot of fruit trees, and one of the finest herds of cattle around. When Thermoid came to Nephi in World War Two times, Maurice went to work there and became a Supervisor. Their kids were Dixie, Pat; George, Bruce and Jean. Bruce had the DNA of his athlete father, as he became a star wrestler and track star. He slowed down on the running, so he became a pilot and increased his speed. Maurice passed away in 1973, and that was when Alyth came to town. I came to know and admire both her and Maurice and all of the Howards. First photo shows Alyth on top row on far right. Second photo is of her last home and third photo is from 1962 Clarion of Juab High School. Bruce Howard is top row in the middle.

"Stupid is as stupid does". In other words, dont watch the Eclipse tomorrow.

While driving to Salt Lake last week, I noticed two UDOT signs over 1-15 which were putting drivers on notice that law enforcement officers were present for the next ten miles and enforcing the law. They were tactful, but in reality, it was a speed trap with a noble idea...to slow us down. I slowed, but the guy on my left took it as an incentive to kick it up a notch and speed more. Sure enough, UHP had several officers stopping speedsters who couldn't read and use logic! It reminded me of a saying "When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others. Same thing when you are stupid". Instead of taking a chance in watching the Eclipse tomorrow, regardless of how good the protective glasses are, I found an idea which may be less harmful. It is from the Juab County 4-H club of 1937. Just a thought.

In rural Utah, the Juab County Fair is over for another year, and was as good as any.

For 155 years, Juab County puts on a great fair and this year was no different. Rather than concentrate on any one event, I examined the process of the several day "Blue Ribbon Bash". I was awe struck by the many volunteers that were involved with it's success. It reminded me of a family or class reunion as there is so much preparation with details, yet most people seldom see the hard work by the volunteer staff. I assume others were just as proud of their blue ribbons as I was of the two I received. My $6.00 was not as much as what the road rage warriors received within the controlled violence of the derby, but I was excited to slowly drive away with a ribbon. My straw hat goes off to those people that give their time, talent and effort for a great cause. I even appreciated the Judges, who gave me a blue ribbon, and wrote a note on how my perfect wildflowers could be even more perfect! That was like a good football coach, wanting to make you better, even if you did just score the winning touchdown. During my Fair wanderings, I decided to search for one over all number one blue ribbon display, and couldn't find it......... until today. I had to hurry home and get my camera and return to take a photo of this painting which said so much. The painting was completed by Greg Ingram, Nephi's version of Leonardo da Vinci. It was displayed at his funeral today, and one of the speakers spoke of how Greg volunteered to paint murals for the County Fair people and always around to help others. Today is a two for one day and with no fare. I say thanks to all the volunteers of the Juab County Fair, but also to Greg Ingram. He receives the blue ribbon of life.

Happy Birthday to Nadine Blackett, the teacher and principle of the DUP Museum in Nephi, Utah

I am a day late and a dollar short, but wanted to say Happy Birthday to cousin Nadine Blackett of Nephi, Utah. She keeps the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum in perfect running condition. Her mother would be very proud of her, as Birdie Jones was one of the best teachers in the Nortonville School of the 1890's. Like mother like daughter, as Nadine knows how to take people on tours of the museum and teach so they will remember the importance of our heritage. In going through our original records of the School District ledger, I was surprised to find that her father-Len Jones, worked as a janitor at the school, being paid a whopping $3.75 for the month of July, 1894. My guess in those days, school employees appreciated any nickels and dimes they could get in case it wasn't a good wheat year. Here are a couple pages from the ledger, although the writing is a little faded because of the pencil type computer entries!

Betty Lou Ostler is the Juab County version of Baseball great Yogi Berra sayings!

Technically speaking, I attended the funeral earlier today of Betty Lou Ostler, of Juab County, Utah. Truthfully speaking, it appeared more like a celebration of life. Not only was she born of goodly parents in Levan, but she married a great Nephi farmer, and they became goodly parents; grandparents; neighbors and just plain good folks. Even the Ute Stampede became better because of her 50 years helping with that annual rodeo. In baseball, Yogi Berra became famous, not just as a catcher and winning manager, but for his quotes, such as "It ain't over til it's over". In Juab County, Betty Lou often used quotes which most of us heard and grew up with, so they are printed with the speaker giving me permission to do so. And little does people in Nephi know-Betty Lou has a great granddaughter that could compete in "Americas Got Talent" and beat the dickens out of any other 16 year old singer. Betty Lou, you are now with Art, and a happy couple again, so you can start a heavenly garden together. Yes, they do have spiritual rhubarb on the other side!

Today is the birthday of Bonnie Boyer Jones, of Coalville, Utah. What a surprise she got today!

If you are raised in an LDS community, it is quite natural for young people to be called on a Mission. However, if the guy is already married, shouldn't Church officials contact the wife before her birthday to send her husband away. It is unclear if they invited Bonnie to help Elder Hal Harris Jones, or to just take the Harley on a two year spin without him! Hal's grandfather-Wm. Jones went on an LDS Mission while he was married, so this could be the full circle thing. Something seems fishy about the story however, especially if the "Farewell Testimonial" involves Robert Robbins, Michael Royce, Robert Nielson and John Lomax. Well Bonnie, hope you have a good birthday, and good luck learning Cantonese and Mandarin. Chinese talk is kinda like Nephi talk, except it is a higher pitch in down town Kowloon Tong!

Happy Birthday to Erma Garrett, who is 127 years old today. I wonder if she is square dancing with Rob calling it.

Just in case you don't recall, Erma Garrett was the first penny candy pusher at "The Serv", now known as Garrett Honda in Nephi, Utah. She was born in 1890, the second of ten children born to Wm. & Elizabeth Tolley Jones of Nortonville. Her sisters were Pearl and Norma, and brothers being Victor, Dell, Grant, Alma, Bert, then two brothers-Ray and Eddie who died as children. Erma was taught good work ethics, but loved to go on a sleigh ride with the horse doing the pulling. She attended Nortonville School then BYU Academy in Provo. Her father was the Presiding Elder of the Nortonville branch of the LDS church, so she was active in church affairs. Then one day, while in town, a young built like a brick man caught her attention. Robert Pixton Garrett was in town, from Riverside, Utah(near Delta), as his father was a section foreman for the railroad. After gazing at the most beautiful young gal in Juab Valley, he realized he had a love for something more than his groomed team of Palomino horses. Rob knew hardship in life, being the eighth child of ten, and his mother-Harriet Goble Garrett dying while giving birth to twin boys. He started to court Erma; married in 1911, then in the Temple in 1915, and moved to the still standing cabin on the  Garrett farm below Nephi. Trouble is, the well water down there....well, it is like the Nortonville well water...you drink it and it seems to cause kids to be born, and along came Joe, Lucy, Afton, Roscoe, Elizabeth(died after five days old),Corrine, then they took in foster son-David Mecham. Rob and his brothers had sheep, but got in to cattle, horses, farming, and then lived behind the Serv, then their last house on Main Street. Second photo is of Lucy, Afton, Justin Wm. Jones(grand nephew),Erma and Corrine, on July 4, 1980. Once we load and release this, we will take hundred year old photo of Erma to daughter Corrine. Don't forget Erma Garrett, she hasn't forgot you.

Just so we don't forget the home and its primary dwellers-Don and Pearl Blackett Snow

The Nephi, Utah address is 691 North Main. Don and Pearl Snow raised their kids there, which consisted of Colleen; Clark, Don and Robert. Pearl was born in 1908, the daughter of Sarah Jane Worthington and Andrew Jackson Blackett. Her family lived on the Foote Farm until she was eight, then moved to town. Early in life she knew how to thin beets(getting five cents a row), tramping hay, riding the derrick horse and herding milk cows. She attended the Nephi North School(on the southeast corner of 6th North and first east intersection), and when old enough, attended dances at the Arlington, and fell in love with the lead man, and Don Snow became her lead man, which modified with his passing in 1978 after 54 years of marriage. Don was the son of A.C. Clark and Sarah Ellen Freshwater Snow, who was educated in Utah County, but in Nephi doing road construction when he met his Pearl. Don did a variety of work including being a Nephi police officer; operated the Blackett farm; Nephi Water Department, Thermoid, and spare time was making burial vaults, which he did in the garage pictured to the right of his home. Prior to her passing, Pearl was always a good neighbor, and took great care of her family, including her mother and a sister-Alberta Jones. Nobody could tend a garden better than Pearl Snow.

A little history of this Nephi, Utah home we will call the Sperry Home.

From the 1940's to the 70's, this was the Nephi home of Lawrence and Lucy(Jackman) Sperry. They raised a son and daughter there, with the son's(Mike) room being a small room upstairs. Prior to them living there, it was the home of Johnny Sperry and it is unclear who built the home, but it was during pioneer times, with hand carved logs being used for the original structure. Lawrence and Lucy grew tired of farm work in Furner Valley, so they moved in to the family house and added rooms, with Lawrence using vehicle license plates and old bed frames to fortify new cement. In an examination of the structure, we found four separate times it was remodeled, and once, they just covered the front door and windows. It ended up with four stories in this abode. We know that although it was a small home, there was a lot of love shared, with neighbors; family; friends, and the nearby railroad depot made it easy for people to visit. Dwellers throughout the 137 years of the home shows visitor Eddie Arnold(not the singer); Cazier's; Flometa and Claude Tolley and Angus Ingram. The first photo shows the original front door being on the south side, so one could step out and gaze at Mt. Nebo; the second photo is what it looked like in recent years; the third is of the front room.

Here are the facts of life....at least at my stage of the game!

Anyone who thinks that life is bliss is sadly mistaken. The fact is that most big bucks get away; most beef is tough; most children grow up to be just people; most successful relationships require a high degree of mutual tolerance and most jobs are often more dull than otherwise. Life is more like a stagecoach ride of yesteryear...sometimes it rains; there are delays; smoke; dust; shotgun rider spittin chew on you; and using leaves as toilet paper. Once in awhile, however, you will see beautiful clear skies; rolling puffy clouds; get thrilling bursts of speed, smell the rich aroma of sagebrush; and smile, once you realize the many good people that crossed your path, and the fun things you did that you got away with. The trick to enjoying life is to give thanks to God for providing you this short journey of life, not necessarily the destination. None of us will make it out of here alive...enjoy and savor every precious moment. When you see a rainbow, somebody from on high is letting you know they are there.

Today, we say thanks to the Lion's Club, as they are often the un-recognized hero's of our community.

All of us have hero's. It may be a family member; sports; the movies; on the field of battle or the caregivers amongst us. Today, we say thanks to the Lions Club, wherever they may be. In Morgan, it was the Lion's Club that organized Morgala Days Rodeo; in Fort Union of Salt Lake, it was the Lion's that does the Easter Egg Hunt. In Nephi, Utah, they do a lot of everything, such as help with the programs of the Ute Stampede; the rodeo breakfast; clean up Nephi Canyon, and no where in America, can you find a better Memorial to our Veterans. Now, I read where they are putting on a Blue Ribbon Breakfast on August 12th, at the Juab County Fair. How about saying thanks to them in a tangible form, by enjoying a big breakfast for six bucks; give them a ten and tell them to keep the change. That may energize them to keep up the lion's share of helping around the world, but you will feel as noble as a lion.