MANIFEST DESTINY-DO WE STILL INVADE, CONQUER AND CONTROL OTHERS?

Various people and countries' could discuss this question for ions of time. Is it still legal and ethical to invade a country or land and take whatever we wish, including the people that possess it at the time, and enslave them? Such a thing sounds horrible today, but that has been the history of the world since it's inhabitance. A brief glimpse shows that when America was discovered by the white men of Europe, Native Indians lived here, but they would not sell the land, as most Indian Tribes believed all the land belonged only to God. We settled here as we didn't like what Great Britain was doing-taxing without representation. When more people came and there wasn't enough room, we came west including Mormons who didn't like what the United States was doing to them-killing them. But we then had a war with Mexico as they said it belonged to them. But did it really, or did the Roman Catholics support Spain's Conquistadors with the invasion in 1519 of the Americas. If you talk to the Mayans and Aztec descendants, they will say yes, along with the rape, pillage and burning of the ships that wouldn't let them go back to Europe. The Spanish took the Ancient Indians as man slaves and it became Mexico. Then if you look to the Pacific Rim Countries, we find that a handful of Dynasties have been around for thousands of years along with their slavery. At present there is an estimated 8 million slaves' in India; China with 4 million; 3 million in North Korea. So when does this unethical Manifest Destiny end and by whom. As a kid, we used to play Cowboys and Indians, and although we shared taking turns, TV taught us to believe the Indians were the bad guys, but were they really! They learned how to scalp people when the French invaded here. Although the Indian Tribes had their issues with each other, it just seems to make no sense that we ought to conquer and control others, but if we look around us, we see the US Congress trying to take control of the state governments, and then the state governments taking control of cities and those politicians are overpowering what the rural people want. Even the Utah State Engineer has told me that the government has the legal right to take any water they want, if it is "for the good of the people". I am not looking for an answer, but just bringing to light a well hidden hinderance to freedom we all want and needless to say it is sad like what Chief Red Cloud had said is coming true. We do not hold to the Juab County handshake anymore or our treaties.                                                                     

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAYNETTE JONES GRIMARD

Jaynette Jones of Nephi finally made it. We won't give out her exact age, but needless to say, all five Nephi Jones kids have an average age of 75. I think she would agree there is nothing Golden about it. Even Social Security goes down every year, even though each of us have been paying in to it since 13 or so. Jaynette was born a female, but for some reason she has a lot of male genes. Her older brothers  wanted another boy to play Cowboys and Indians with. No big deal, as she fit right in and can still jump on and off horses as good as any of us who pretended to be Gene Audrey. As kids, one of us would ride the horse out of the barn on a dead run, then the other would swing from the Apricot tree and knock the rider off while the rest of us would catch Old Dot before she headed back to the desert. I swear, she could out ride us all, and the only real Cowboy among us pretenders. She still reminds me of her cousin-Tara, and her sorta sister-Marian. Tough and Pretty. Jaynette has five great kids, and to them she is one hell of a parent who taught them good work ethics and family bond. She has been a caretaker for many friends, family and others that needed a God sent Guardian Angel. She has always been there. Her son Clint is the best bricklayer there is, as well as father of two pretty girls. Jaynette lives in the Jones family home that was built in 1885, and takes care of it immaculately. Most of her regular jobs has been in Nursing Homes throughout the world, and yes even in India. One time when visiting a friend on her death bed in California, Jaynette promised to take care of her son, who had severe disorders. It was a family sort of bond and we all have the opportunity of caring for Ted(Hollywood). In our family it is good to have people that spent countless years as a Medic and can give you the same instructions to take care of a wound and of those first responders that knows exactly what to do and not a watcher. On at least two occasions, Jaynette was there to save my life with brain injuries and a operation that went wrong getting Merca. She recently lost her husband-JP Grimard, and stayed by his bedside until he was called to the other side. If you know Jaynette Jones, write it down in your Bucket list, as she is one to say you were proud to know her during earth time. Like most of the Jones kids, we have helped people our entire life, but we have all found escape in being reclusive. 

HAPPY BIRTDAY NEPHI/JUAB HIGH. THE BUILDING IS NOW 100 YEARS OLD

Modern day folks said it could never be done, and even School District officials so declared it, but the builder knew better. When he obtained the contract to build the brand new High School on Nephi's Main in 1922, he told a young man that was learning the trade of masonry and brick laying that his building would stand for a hundred years. Alma Jones told me that when school officials said the building was in bad shape, they needed to tear in down and build a new one at the top of 7th North. Well, citizens didn't like that, but the school and politicians got their way and built a new one anyway. The old one stood vacant for awhile, and finally Juab County obtained it; modified it and made it in to the County Complex, and even the old Auditorium stands as a model of Fine Arts. Now I hear tell that the school wants another new school. Do what you wish, but when this marvel building was built, it was built like they did things in Rome. They were built to last, and even a Second Floor fire years ago couldn't knock it down. The Boys gym was built during WPA days of the Roosevelt years, and once again politician's want to knock it down, but a sturdy building it remains, at least in the view of some of us locals that examined it closely. Nobody wants to celebrate it, but I don't mind bringing the truth to light. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUILDING FOR THE STUDENTS. The N has faded on the side of the mountain and J was placed there to show it is now Juab High. And look at the guys at the bottom of the front page. It was Church Ball, but in real life it was War Ball. And most of the boys became Men in going to war; LDS Missions and being the strong men they were taught back then. My construction hat goes off to all students that passed through the Main building of a century ago, and yes those that swam in the swimming pool that used to be right below where the County Agent now has offices. People of today don't understand it, but the main cost of a pool is not building it, it is maintaining it. Look what happened to Arrowhead of Benjamin. With all matters of life, this old former policitcan learned the motive behind decisions of humans. Some people hide their real motive deep within. Search for it.

THE IDIATROD WILL SOON START THE THOUSAND MILE RACE

The time is close for those of you who have been to Alaska, where the only professional sport is the Sled Dog Race called the Iditarod, which is a thousand miles going across the Alaska Tundra. As far as we know, only one Nephi, Utah guy has ever raced it, and an ad should appear in the local paper of The Times News. Younger brother Gary B Jones is the well known racer that is originally from Nephi, but now in a retirement stage. He has written four books, all of which are inspirational. Copies are available for check out at the Nephi City Library about him scratching from one of the races where he lost one of his dogs in a freezing wind storm, and it was if the whole world stopped to help him find it, and they did after 11 days. Once you see a rodeo up front or help with a sled dog race, most folks will never go to another so called American sport called Professional Football or Basketball. The Iditarod is human and beast working together in 35 degrees below zero. You will find his book insightful, inspiration and scary enough to make you change your underwear! And all of it is true! Second photo is of G.B. Jones with some of his dogs and third photo is of Justin Jones holding a photo of G.B. Jones and himself-nephew Justin Wm. Jones. If  you ever get a chance to visit Alaska, the fishing and hunting are great, but hold the reins and the brakes on if you get aboard a sled, as those dogs are built to run, having been born with the DNA to race and well taken care of by the musher, who, along with hundreds of volunteers, place straw and food along that sacred trail.

YUP-ANOTHER COPY OF THE TIMES NEWS-1954 ADDITION

In most cases with my family, we save a copy of The Times News, which is the local paper filling us in on the real stories around us, rather than the big city media baloney, or so I have been told. But most of those papers has something in it regarding one of the family members. I have re-read it again and again, and dog gone it to H E double toothpicks, I kan't find anything about a Jones kin. I did read something about Reddy Kilowatt, but he wasn't a local! And we did have a UTOCHO and the corner of Main and Track Street. That stood for Utah Oil Refining Company, and run by Fub Heppler, but not sure if I spelled his last name right.  He gave a lot of young kids a job there, as long as you would listen to how he would catch fish up the canyon, but only with a MEPPs spinner. I was only 7, so even I missed out on the "Freshie Frolic".

 

EVER BEEN IN A HOUSE FIRE? THIS WAS MY FIRST ONE.

I wasn't quite sure why my family saved this edition of The Times News of Juab County, but after reading the second page I knew. At first I didn't know how the Nephi Riding Club got mixed up with it, but nevertheless, they became the State Champs in the "Broom Pole" championship. After searching more, I found that my mothers brother had died in California, and she and my brother-Hal went down for the funeral. As I got older and more interested in family history, my mother gave me Uncle Vic Harris War metals from World War One. He was known as "Happy Harris" and one of his buddies wrote a letter to our local paper saying that regardless of the bad situations they were in, he fought and helped with a smile on his face. He died young, and as I got older and on a work duty, I visited his widow near Disneyland. She was nearly blind, but had been learning brail and knew how to get around her small home without sight to prepare for her future of darkness. She became another of those I esteemed. I was only 4 when my Uncles funeral was going on, but recall the house fire well, as one of our slow moving neighbors-Don Sperry, hurried in to the house to wake my Dad and quickly reported our house was on fire. Sure enough. Us little kids were all grabbed from our sleep and out of the house. Dad and Don put out the fire that had started when sparks from the fireplace caught the curtains on fire. Thanks Don, brother of Mable Sperry, Alean Pace, Rheta, Pope and George A. Sperry of Nephi.

REVERSE THE TIME TO 1963. WHO WON THE BUCKAROO RODEO?

This is a trick, only a trick. We put the winners of the Buckaroo rodeo on the second page rather than the fist page, as well....we don't want to scare the young kids too much. If it was in fact 1963 in Nephi, we have to shield the kids, as right there, we are able to see in full sight, a young woman standing there with nothing on but Sea Nymph clothes, fit for swim ware, so beware. The buckaroo names will be recognized by many including George Jackson; Scott Worthington; Roy Jenkins; Mark Winn; Ron Dalley; Jeff Bowles; Bradley Booth; Andrew McPherson; Rex Young.

THIS IS A TEST....ONLY A TEST. YOUNGER KIDS CAN TEST OLDER PEOPLE.

Have you ever been around people who claim to be from Nephi, but never heard of Salt Creek, or even Track Street. Today is the day for younger folks to test their parents or grandparents to see how smart they really are in the history department of Nephi. The first page called BUBBLING OVER is to see who can find the most typos in the different places of business that advertised in The Times News in 1941. The second page is from a variety of The Times News; The Tribune and the Juab High Clarion. Have fun to test your parents. Was there really a Leo Anderson that helped Miles Anderson run the Funeral Home or could it have been Leo Christensen? At Allen's Cash, do you spell it four or for? At the Toggery, do men wear clothes or ware them? Kids will do better than us old folks, bar none!

ANYBODY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN NEPHI IN 1927?

I have often declared I haven't watched a TV News report for nearly half a century. I knew long ago that some of the stories were not telling the truth of what really happened, as I was there and knew exactly what happened. I suppose though, that we all have our own version of what TRUTH really is, and that even the Holy Bible has a variety of versions of what things are. Anywho, I do like to read our local paper in Juab County called The Times News. For the past hundred or so years, I read and reread many of the reports and have found them to be more accurate than anything I have seen on or in major media hokey pokey stuff. So if you weren't around in 1927, we have a couple pages from the local paper way back when. I think we must have kept this copy as the kids of our future mother-LaVon Harris is mentioned in the write up about Nephi High School. Have fun reading the Horse buggy VS. the Chevy at Grace Motors!

EVER LOST YOUR DOG? NEPHI'S GARY B. JONES DID RACING THE IDITAROD

Most folks in Juab County remember the name of Gary B. Jones, who was among the Juab High Class of 66. He was friendly to all, but a classified loner. He self adapted to do things on his own, and his best friends were not always people, although he appeared as such. His best friends were animals and he kept a variety of em around. In the summer months when it was too hot to sleep in the Nephi Jones home built in 1885, he would often be found sleeping in the barn with his feathered friends or animals. He knew how to survive on his own, and could bury himself under the brush during the deer hunt and make a surprise attack on the buck who had no idea that Gary was laying in wait. He easily became the best US Army Ranger and could live on his own on a surveillance excursion in the middle of no where during the Viet Nam Era. He then worked with the airlines and invited me to Alaska to go bear hunting. I was hungry and thought we would stop at a local drive in. Nope, we headed for one of his cabins; stopped in the middle of the forest and retrieved a gun and shot a wild bird that we roasted. That has always been Gary B. In Alaska, he is known only as G.B. Jones and now has written four books, the latest being one about losing one of his dogs while racing the thousand miles across the Alaskan Tundra in the Iditarod. A book has been donated to the Nephi City Library for all of Juab County folks to read. It is breathtaking and hard to put down once you start. It will be available on Monday, so we advertise it here and in The Times News. G.B. used to have a contract with the Alaska Railroad to pick up the dead animals the train hit. He would then bring them back and cook the meat for his kennel of dogs. He knew how to live on nothing but nature and Duct Tape he put around his Iditarod Sled Dog boots.

NOTES FROM LOVED ONES ARE ALWAYS CHERISHED

Even if it is a note announcing the passing of someone or a note back thanking loved ones for their support during or after the funeral of a loved one, every griever is different but the same. We all go through various challenges at the time. When such a thing happens, we often contact the family and extend whatever comfort we can. Today, we will show such a comfort note of thanks to the family of George Wm. Tolley, the father of Rex Tolley. The note was sent in 1931. On a more happy occasion, a postcard with two kids of Thirza Nowlin's and sent to Sarah Tolley, the first wife of Wm. Fisher Tolley. Sarah is the Great Grandmother to those 15 month old kiddos. Sarah died in 1917 at the 7th North Jones in Nephi, but often spent her later years in the home where Rex and Gladys Tolley lived by the old Hollow on Main. Another fun postcard was sent to "Mrs. Wm. F. Tolley, Nephi City, Utah" when postage was only a penny. It spoke of how well Frank, Claude and Harry are doing, but expressed her loneliness for her grandma-Sarah Warren Tolley. Another Christmas type of card was sent to the Jones residence. This was from Mary T. Tolley, who was the wife of Alan Tolley, who lived in the still standing home and Dairy on old Highway 91 and the west corner of the east to west County Lane in Nortonville, 4 miles north of Nephi. That home was built with logs by Edward Len Jones, brother of Wm. Jones. Mary was a good friend of the family, and I had visited her frequently, when they moved in from the farm, south of the Anderson Funeral Home. Just reading her love for our family tickled me and is one of those reminders to write and read letters from your loved ones. Nothing better than a hand written note or photo from our family and friends. That is a good way to keep our dominion over the enemies of earth life.

HOW DO I PROCEED TO RECOVER PROOF OF FAMILY EXPENSIVES SINCE 1896?

Well, it can happen to the best of us! I just don't understand the Audit Request. The government wants the Jones family to submit deductions since Utah became a State. And no, the call didn't appear to be from the middle east about my Handcart Warranty! Back when the Jones family first arrived in Nephi in 1852, most things were done by what we called the "Juab County Handshake", which was as good as the pale faces did with a blood oath handshake with the Ancient Ones. Since I have been the collector of records since the Civil War (not BYU VS. Utah), I am supposed to prove all transactions. I have came up with a start which includes my grandfather paying $2.60 for barn lumber in 1920(when the Whitmore's owned the Whitmore Mansion; then the twenty cents Will Jones paid for fast offerings to the LDS North Ward, and other stuff from The Commercial Bank, but it all just ain't right, at least from my side of the barn. Take a look for yourself, and no use trying to contact Charles Abbott, the 1900 Juab County Treasurer. They never even heard of him. Oh well, we will see how prayer works, as that is what Bishop A.E. Smith used to do before he went to gather his eggs from the coop that eventually became the home of Joe and Ellen Garrett. And we have to prove we paid of he saddle to Rob Garrett a hundred years ago. Oh the Gaul of it all.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GANGS AND A BROTHERHOOD

In the world of evil, their are a variety of criminal gangs, of which we won't talk much about today other than our history shows they have existed since time began on earth. Sorry to say that criminal gangs and thugs will continue to exist when we reject kids who may be different or what we now refer to as being Bullied out of acceptance. There are, however, a variety of people in what we will call the "Brotherhood". This is a good support group, like The Girl Scouts; Boy Scouts, 4-H; FFA; church activities, and social acceptance. The first photo shows a leader of todays Brotherhood. He is the father of the four brothers in what we will call the Nephi Jones Brotherhood. Each was raised by the same parents; same rural town, and when the call from the US of A came during Viet Nam, three of the four joined the military to be of service to others who wanted freedom. The way our Armed Forces work is regardless of what section of the military you may be placed, you are taught how to kill other humans if the time came when you had to do that. That was easy for these four, as their Brotherhood father made in a point to teach gun safety to each of them, and they knew how to hunt for sport and for food. Three was  trained in the military's and one in law enforcement. And they backed each other up as a Brotherhood does. Not pictured is the most dangerous and tenacious of them all, and the little sister is included in the Brotherhood and taking the photo at the "Bates Motel" in about 1984. The second photo shows another Noble Brotherhood, consisting of World War Two comrades in arms, and the "Medic" on the top left was a Brotherhood member in a specialized training camp and father and gun trainer of the four Brotherhood members. He was taught like the Nephi Smith and Steele brothers, hunting and helping each other become marksman. When life begins on this earth, choose other kids to be in your good Brotherhood. The world needs them, not just for combat and Kill or be Killed, but for backup and helping each other in clubs, schools or on missions assigned to them.

Geronimo, a Medicine Man who turned to a relentless Apache Warrior after the murder of his woman.

The attached poster reminded me of a print of Geronimo that hangs on my wall of hero's in my home. He was deeply in love with his wife and family and a very calm man, until one day when Mexican Troops invaded the Indian Lands of the Apache, in what is now Arizona and New Mexico. The Mexican's were brutal and in a savage way, and would wipe out scores of the Apaches and try to run them from them lands. When the attack on his woman occurred, Geronimo was a changed man. He was not the Chief as Cochise was who wanted to make peace with the United States, as the US wanted that land as a part of their Manifest Destiny. Enough was enough, and with complete defiance, barefoot Geronimo would lead attacks through the Camps of the Mexican Troops in surprise assaults and kill all soldiers. When the United States sent the Calvary to put down the suppression, they too were attacked by Geronimo and his small band of warriors. The Calvary couldn't keep up with it because they carried so much on their wagons and Geronimo lived on nothing but hate and retaliation. After years of combat, the Apaches gave up as America continued to disrespect and not honor the treaties. Thus, I fear the relentless Warrior that just may lie deep in all of us, when we too may have to defend what is ours to fight for.

If your name is Tolley and born in Utah or Idaho in the 1850's, whose kid are you anyway.

When Wm. Fisher Tolley came west with the Mormon Pioneers, it is hard to keep track of whose kid belongs to who. Upon Brother Brigham's blessing, Wm. Tolley corralled and hitched his saddle with four wives, the first two producing a wagon load of kids and those kids had a slew. I like history, but the Tolley clan is more than one can count on all fingers and toes. We came across an obituary notice from 1913 and that threw me through a loop as the only Sarah Jane Tolley I was aware of was the father of Ron, Harold and Nadine Blackett Jones. Nope, there was another Sarah and it only took 6 months to track her history down. Todays history is on Sarah Jane Picton who was born in 1852, in Swinton, England, a place I strolled through for a few days an icon ago. When she hit Nephi, she married Samuel Tolley, a son of Wm. Fisher Tolley. This couple had a dozen kids, including Samuel James Tolley, Wm. Francis Tolley, Phillip Harold Tolley, Charles Melvin Tolley, Rosa Jeanette Tolley, George Warren Tolley, Elizabeth Picton Tolley, Jesse Picton Tolley, Lola Matilda Tolley, Lucille Tolley and Calvin Dean Tolley. How does a parent keep track of each kid, but in those days, everybody in Juab County knew each other and looked out for each other. I bring this up and did some research as I was intrigued by how they did a death notice back then as compared to now. By the way, this Jane Tolley died in Morgan, Utah at 61 years old, but returned to be buried by her husband in the Tolley grave area at Nephi's Vine Bluff cemetery, and that ain't no bluff.