THIS IS A PHOTO OF MEN WHO BUILT HIGHWAY 91 OUT OF CEMENT

 No, we don't have the name of the dog pictured, but I call all dogs-dogs, same with horses and kids. We do know that one of the guys is Alma Jones, as we found the photo with some of this papers, and we recall that he told us he got the job when living in the home in Nortonville. Some of the original Highway 91 is still there for you to see. It is North of the Mat Howard Compound north of Nephi. Turn on the road heading to Mona and pretend you are going to turn left down Meadow Lane toward the Jacksons. On the left as you get off the Asphalt, there is a short section of the cement road that was Highway 91 years ago. The cement was laid by using Mules and Alma became known as a Mule Skinner driving the Mules. We are not sure of the exact year, but since Alma was born in 1903 and cars came popular in the 1920s, we assume it was after that. Once he showed us where the crew stayed when they poured the cement between Santaquin to Nephi. Years later, they covered most of Highway 91 with Asphalt, but as for as we know, this is the last of the original cement road. It is a narrow road, but given the time it was laid, Utah didn't have a lot of vehicles then, and drivers were not driving like a Bat Out Of Hell back then. At the South end of that cement section you will find some yellow lines to give warning the driver was coming to a crest and not allowed to pass another top speed driver of 30 Miles per hour. The man on the front row on the far right looks like Alma and family members remember that years later that black lunch box hung in the family garage where artifacts from years ago hung. It had the initial's of AJ on it. We then thought the guy on the back row to the left looked like Alma, and his Dad may have brought back one of those British Cap from his Mission in England. We thought the smiling guy on his right looked a lot like Almas older brother-Dell Jones who fought in France during World War One. He was always smiling, but built like a brick with big shoulders, and was known to have go to work potatoes in Idaho and could carry sacks of potatoes on each shoulder.

NOW A MODERN DAY VACATION OR PUNISHMENT TO PIOCHE, NEVADA

Yesterday we presented a true history story about the life and times of my grandfather and his Pioneer Treks to Pioche, Nevada taking food and supplies to the fast arriving Gold Rush folks. As Utah and parts of Nevada and California were still a part of the Utah Territory, Brigham Young was the Governor and didn't like the love of money or Gold, but felt obligated to assist the Mormon settlements with their daily needs including supplies for miners, many of which were just thirsty for love of money. As I had traveled and studied the areas of which Will Jones traveled with his Freight hauling of a hundred years ago; as well as going to the same places in England when he was on a mission, we decided as a family to travel to the same places and get an idea of what he may have gone through. We have previously spent time on two Archeological Digs at Mountain Meadow Massacre and the Bear River Massacre and did so when both areas were privately owed and had permission. Good thing we did it when we did as the Bear River areas has now been acquired by the Indian Tribe to honor the Indians we killed there and same thing at Mountain Meadow when we as Mormons massacred the Ancient ones there. It is now owed by the LDS Church and No Trespassing permitted. But that is okay, we retrieved a lot of evidence and knowledge. So you should find the Itinerary we put together and this writer leading a band of Jones Renegades of five or six car loads of people to the same Territory that William Jones traveled and he had to deal with men killings each other over money, mines and midnight maidens. Have fun if you travel there. It  is a quiet old town with many retired cops and Harley riders that live there and they keep the peace extremely well.

THIS IS THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WM. JONES OF NORTONVILLE, UTAH

Today is the Sabbath, so my inner spirit does not permit me to write of my tantalizing hypothesis concerning the origin and nature of human existence on earth. However, I feel inclined to write of my grandfather-William Jones. He was born on May 11,1859, to Edward and Martha Jackson Jones in Nephi, Utah. That was ten years after the beginning of the gold rush to California. Four years after his birth, gold was discovered in Pioche, Nevada, and at the time, Pioche and other settlements were a part of the Utah Territory of which Brigham Young was Governor. Pioche was located 350 miles from Mormon Headquarters in Salt Lake. There was no legal law there, so miners streamed in to be rich, many leaving Virginia City and the gold fields of California. Miners shot each other, and sometimes at the rate of 20 a day. Although history books or TV Westerns never included it, Pioche was considered the "baddest" town in the West, far exceeding the reputation of such notorious frontier towns of Tombstone, Dodge City and Deadwood. Seventy-two people died in Pioche from stabbing or gunshot wounds before anyone died of natural causes. Those killed rest in a "Boothill" where wooden markers remain. The population of Pioche was 7,000 many of which were the Mormon settlers that followed Brother Brigham's call to populate all the way to Vegas and San Bernardino. The people's food supply had to come from Salt Lake. In 1875, the Mormon Church built the Utah Southern railroad which ran from Salt Lake to York, which to local's was where Doc Steele's Ranch was. Freighters from Nephi then picked up food and supplies and hauled them in until the railroad was extended to Nephi. In 1873, at the age of 14, Will Jones began his occupation as a freighter to the Nevada gold mines. As more people came west, various routes and stage lines developed. Various freighters tried different routes, and as nearly as we can find from relatives that knew Wm. Jones, he and his brother-Leonard(my Dad called him Uncle Len) was going south from Nephi through Cove Fort; then Corn Creek(Kanosh), then west at Beaver through Adamsville, Beryl, Modena(an LDS town), Meadow Valley and Devils Gate Road, then Pioche. For several years, this writer has traveled all that area in search of the Wm. Jones Trail. No conclusive evidence. When interviewed, Ross Garrett, another grandson reported that Will Jones often went to Pioche through Milford, which later became a giant railroad town. Wells Fargo was a competing stage line from Pioche and they reported between 1870 and 1884 their stages were robbed 347 times, with 18 stage drivers, guards and passengers shot. Wm. Jones didn't want to make the trip back to Nephi empty or "dead heading", so he would often go by way of Silver Reef with a load of ore. The large freight wagons would often be pulled by 8 to 10 horses, and William Jones was considered the man who knew horses. After several years of fighting mud and muck, and tired of watching men hang in Pioche, he and his brother met two Tolley gals and got hitched and settled Nortonville. After Will and Lizzy lost two sons, he was called on an LDS Mission to England, and off he went leaving his pregnant wife(Vic). She lived with her mother(in Rex Tolley home) till he returned. That sort of thing wouldn't happen nowadays but both were very active in the Church and followed the calling. Second photo is of William during his freight years and the other is his missionary photo which hangs in my house, so he can overlook his home on earth while I read his Missionary Journals and try to be as good as he is. He died a few weeks before I was hatched, so I got his mustache and my middle name of him.

ONE MORE REMINDER OF THE UTE STAMPEDE IN NEPHI

I haven't checked the ticket prices for this year's 90th Ute Stampede Rodeo, but whatever they are, the price is a bound to be a heck of a lot cheaper than the $100 for the nose bleed seats at the Rodeo Finals, and in Nephi, you don't have to pay the extra $50 bucks are so they charge you to pay for their Football Stadium down there, so today or Monday, call and get your tickets. We have a brand spanking new Hotel in town and a dang great high end Trailer park at the South end of town that has a great kitchen that has American West Food, or a Drive Inn a couple blocks down Main that have.......yup.....Rodeo Burgers or at Lisa's that will never let you leave hungry!

PS; WE LIKE TO HONOR OUR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, SO YOU ARE A AMERICAN, AND HAVE THE FREEDON.........TO SELECT ANOTHER ANOTHER VENUE. 

Just a personal point of view!

PREPARE NOW FOR THE BEST RODEO OF THE YEAR

Since today was such a beautiful day, I thought I better tend to watering my flowers during the allotted time. As I did so, I thought the inner man deep within was going to put the dam garden hose down and walk across the street and help the many Garrett Ranch Hands gather, saddle and load the horses in the trucks to help gather cattle. I waved to the Boss-83 year old Bob Garrett, who was a friend and look alike of Cotton Rosser, then asked by one of his sons to join then. I have always enjoyed being with the Garrett herd for about 70 years, but I felt today was not my day for real work. As a kid, I helped move the Dairy cows from Joe Garretts Corral up 7th North to the still standing Milk House at Spin Mac's place. Back at the tender age of 6, I thought I was a good Cowboy Grunt to turn the cows East. I later discovered that I may not grow up to be a Dean Oliver or Larry Mahan in the Ute Stampede, as it was Joe's cow dog that turned the cows, and back in those rural years we didn't have the crazy drivers going up and down 7th North. And the smart milk cows knew their was oats already placed in the milking stalls. Watching the horses made me think of what I read in The Times News, with a big ad about the Ute Stampede. Although the Jones Boys make the Annual trip to Lost Wages to watch the Rodeo Finals, the Ute Stampede with their Rodeo Burgers is still Cream of the Crop. So get your tickets through the local folks, as you may get swindled going through the Scammers. One of the photos is the ad of The Times News, then in another photo-look right above the bucking guy's hat is a row of Jones' including Jaynette, Hal, Kent, Weston and No. One.

BABY PHOTOS OF MORE THAN A CENTURY OLD

 From left to right these are baby photos of three cousins of Nephi, Utah. They are Waldo Jones; Bert Jones and Roger Downs. The Cursive on the back may be their grandmother-Liz Tolley Jones. On the front, it as the Photographer name of Alma Chase  Nephi City.  I don't remember the exact year, but Alma Chase and Fred Chapman Sr. were partners for awhile, then Alma Chase split and it seems that he went up North somewhere to be a shutterbug there. Fred Chapman, Jr. took over his Dads business and was the only one in town, but camera shop techs would often buggy on down to Juab County and take photos. Fred Chapman Sr. used to put his big camera box on his shoulders and head up Track Street to hustle business in Sanpete. The photo I have is the original and willing to give it to one of the kin. Bert Jones is my Uncle and the only one I remember. He is gone, as is his daughter Marie; son Ted and Don too. Marie' son is buried along with Marie in the Jones plots at Vine Bluff, but Ted has a herd of kin in Nephi and Don has several as far as the South Wind spits. So whoever can holler at the Face Book Messenger will be up for consideration. My Dad-Alma was born in 1903, and was  3 or  4 years older than Bert. It appears from the original that two long sleeve women are trying  to  hold the boys up or keeping them from duking it out!

AS A MATTER OF FACT-My story of an Archaeological Excavation at Martin's Cove

I am not an Anthropologist, although I have enjoyed reading Margaret Mead. Neither am I a certified Archaeologist, although I have worked with several as a helper for those trained as such. Those Digs have been at places such as Camp Floyd; Antelope Island; Anasazi State Park; Maya's in Central America and Martins Cove in Wyoming. I have lived and worked with Buddhist Monks and bhikksuni in a Pacific Rim Country. I did not obtain a degree in History, and no longer a Minister of the LDS Church. So lets just say that I am still an LDS Son of a Gun! I do love history, but perhaps an Unconventional Historian, as my life adventures around the world have been to do the reading first, then to see it and most important feel it-both the tangible evidence and that which I feel deep within my soul system. Those that work in the Justice System may call my evidence Poppycock or scream "Hearsay Your Honor" or Perry Mason may say Balderdash! So think as you wish. I present to you what I typed nearly 23 years ago, and thought I better give it to the world before I call Miles Anderson!

TODAY IS SUNDAY OR THE SABBATH-TIME FOR MISSIONARY FAREWELLS

If you missed the LDS Missionary Farewell for Gordon Jones of Nephi, we have the program from a few years back. It is 1960, when Nephi, Utah was without doubt the very best rural Cities to live in, with great school; sports; best neighbor's and local activities that kept kids productive and learning work ethics. If you look close at the face of Gordon, you can quickly see that broad smile which perfectly defines his whole personality. Whatever he did, he made it fun. Gordon was a few years older than me, but he and our family liked to hunt deer together. Well, that was a time when we had a lot of Deer in Utah, and we had our secret spots. After several years had past, our Jones Boys and Gordon's Jones Boys found each other at one of our fun hunting spots out West. We just sat there and talked, and the young kids wanted to hunt instead of chew the fat. They were the fun days! After his Mission, we didn't keep in touch, but always met up with relatives when we had one of our own Pass and we would see a slew of Jones' at funerals. When a friend or relative dies, things are not supposed to be funny, but when you find those you have missed, it is fun to catch up! Gordon was one of the sons of Vic Jones. His mother was Alberta Blackett and brothers were Dr. Richard Wm. Jones of Cache County; Sherm Jones and they had so many gr.at sisters, it is hard to name them all. Gordon became a successful craftsman, building homes and ones that lasted. He got that hankering to get married, so he hooked up with one of those beautiful Mona gals and lived in the Davis County area and kept that Jones farming instinct in him. I think one of his boys took up the same name as the middle name of Alma "Cash" Jones. In  the middle of a great time on earth, tragedy hit when the DOT built those dangerous cement tunnels on the freeway and they crashed, killing his wife and severely injuring Gordon. He didn't seem to do well after that and we later went to his funeral. Good family and proof that the combination of Blackett's and Jones' mix well, and the Great Juab County blood flows on for Eternity.

ARLENE MCPHERSONS FINAL TRIBUTE WAS TODAY

If one didn't know Arlene McPherson, you only needed to look at her smile and penetrating eyes to see the beauty of her heart and soul. Her cause of death was "natural causes", but I felt the real cause at her funeral today! Like her Savior, Arlene died from a Broken Heart. I had visited her a couple times since her husband passed through the Veil of soft puffy clouds, and one could feel the pure unconditional love they had for each other, and had been since they met at Rays Cafe in Nephi, Utah. Prior to Seth passing away in 2017, one could watch them both heading to the family farm in Mills, America. Seldom were they apart, and when they were together, it wasn't an obligatory sort of connection, but just friends and total love. My sister and I went to visit her a couple weeks ago, and there were a lot of cars parked there, but we knocked on the back door and were permitted to the get together of Arlene and her sisters. We could feel their strong bond, but we wanted to express what a great legacy Arlene leaves, then we departed. We could tell she was on her last go round of life on earth. She wanted to be with Seth, but didn't want to leave her loved ones. Today, we sat near the back, by my Escape Route! It was fulfilling to watch her Posterity. Arlene will know that she is leaving some pretty young girls, just like all the Stephensen girls were back in the day. To catch a chance to dance with them would be a dream come true. And Seth on high would have to giggle at the good looking little boys that came in and dressed in Cowboy Boots, just like Seth. They were real men before their time.

And one boy not only had boots on, but had a bowtie to show his high class. Arlene was and will remain a class act and hopefully we all can learn from her. I watched two of Arlene's friendly neighbors-Pat Greenwood and Mrs. Jay Woodard, who also lost their earthly companion's, and it was if I could feel their own grief. For some reason, I moved an empty chair to my right side. While  Arlene's grandchildren filled up the Choir seats and sang a favorite Primary song-Give Said The Little Stream, my eyes shed tears, as that was when I noticed on the program that one of the Pallbearers-Justin Jones, had the same name of my son I lost 6 years ago. I could feel from the other side. And no music could be better than the violin and piano duet of Monte Belknap and Allegra Garrett. Hang on, all you adorning kin of Arlene and Seth. Her away time won't be that long. Life on earth is so very brief.

FOLLOW UP ON THE BLOG LESSON OF TREK TO KANAB

I once heard as a youngin that we needed to listen to old or Aged people as that is when they attain more Wisdom. That may be with some of the smarties, but not with me. I often felt much like the Unicorn that missed the Boat. Anyway, last week or last decade we gave a history lesson about the details of the yearly Alma Jones Family Trek to Kanab. As a follow up, we wanted to show you the "Honeymoon" suite in the Josie Wales movie filmed near Kanab. We hope you find the Suite Sweet with your Sweetie! Jones Dry Wit! After your Honeymoon, we will give you the questions we asked the participants once we got back to the conference room at the Perry Hotel, where all the movie stars of yesteryear stayed. I had the answers to many of them, but you may find it fun to ask your kids the same questions. Our older brother-Airman Weston Jones was on a plane headed to the Pacific Rim during the Viet Nam war. John Wayne boarded as well, and sat next to Weston, and that Big Jake guy questioned Weston about Nephi and wanted to know if he had been to Kanab. When Wes said he didn't know, he thought John Wayne was going to Duke it out with him. John Wayne then gave him a history lesson about Utah. John Wayne was on his way to film the movie "Viet Nam" which gave a lot of True Grit to our soldiers. Oh, by they way, the word Kanab was named for a Paiute word meaning "place of willows". When the Jones Family spent time there, Kanab was still the "Old West", but now, like Nephi and other Utah rural towns, it has been taken over by money mongers and big city folks and none came from El Dorado; Fort Apache and afraid a lot of them came by way of the Rio Grande illegally.

FOLLOW THE ALMA JONES TREK TO KANAB IN 2007

 For 50 or more years, the Nephi Jones Family have been making trips around the Intermountain area on what we considered a historical trek. In the beginning, it was mainly accomplished to get out of the hair of our mother who had to put up with 4 1/2 rowdy kids. The boys were Weston, Hal, Kent and Gary, and Jaynette was the girl, but she wanted to jump off cliffs and ride horses-just like the boys. We were invited to Kanab, where Cousin-Don Wm. Jones lived, but passed away at age 59. So along with the Nephi Jones Clan, along came many of the five Kanab Jones kin. We will start with the Greetings and Salutations letter to the 40 plus people that attended. The winners of the film entries up Johnson Canyon received their very own bottle of.......homemade Lemonade but we preferred to call it "Cactus Juice". We won't forget the time we tamed the Colorado River!