If your Nephi family has been here since the 1850's, you just may be related.

If you didn't get the wedding invitation in 1897, I am willing to share the original photo of the one sent out for the June 6, 1897 marriage of Martha "Maud" Jones and George Bertran Kendall. The first photo is the marriage photo while the second one shows: Sam Jones; Will Jones; Ed Jones; Joe Jones then bottom row of Louisa Jones Broadhead; Maud Jones Kendall; Ellen Jones Jackson and Elizabeth Jones Cazier.  The last photo was taken in the early 1930's which show Ellen & Nephi Samuel Jackson; Jane Tolley Jones & Edward Jones; then Sarah Tolley Jones and Will Jones. Yes-two brothers married two sisters. The last document shows the who is who stuff.

"Big Boy" rolls in to Nephi this morning-the worlds biggest Steam Locomotive.

We are expecting a lot of students and visitors today, so you may want to bring an easy chair and make your self comfortable. You will not only see the worlds largest Steam Locomotive, but pulling several sleeper and dinning cars of decades ago, which you may never see again. Sometimes bad news is good news, and good news is great news. The other night I had a chance to check out the inside of the 1950's cars being pulled by "Big Boy" and tried to be a bar tender on the trains drinking car and failed miserably, but able to sleep it off in one of their sleeper cars, so at 10:30 this morning, Nephi will be ready to greet those who stop by to see the last of the Big Boys. We won't be able to go inside any of the boxcars on today's occasion but it will be a thrill just to see the vintage box cars roll back in town. Welcome the train with a wave of an American flag as trains did bind America from the East to the West 150 years ago at Promontory Point. In the old days Trains coming through Juab County had to stop in York(by Doc Steele's ranch); Mona, Nephi and the town of Juab(Moss Ranch) for water. Come celebrate our history today. It's at no cost and no regrets offer!

What comes around goes around in Nephi, Utah

Pictured below are eight of the ten children born to Edward Jones(born in 1831) of North Wales. After hearing of the LDS Church, he married Hannah Pendlebury, whose parents hated the church. As per agreement, Edward came to Zion and directed by Brigham Young to settle in Nephi, Utah in 1852, which was called Salt Creek. He became a Farmer and Blacksmith, then as agreed, sent letters for his wife to come to Nephi, but he never heard a word. He sought the advice of local church leaders, who told him to take another wife, and he wed Martha Jackson, who arrived in Nephi in 1856 as part of the Martin Handcart Company. The first wife finally told her parents she was heading to America, and they confessed they had been lying to her, that Edward had been writing to her, and hid the letters she was sending to him. The first wife arrived in Nephi, and lo and behold, Ed had "accidently" married 2 women. The three took a wagon ride to visit Brigham Young, who didn't sweat it, and on March 11, 1858, he sealed Edward Jones to Martha Jackson in the LDS President's office. They all lived happily ever after and both wives had several kids each. Pictured below are the kids that lived to adulthood with Edward and Martha Jackson Jones. Their home was on 300 North and about 600 West, and the trunk of the long standing tree is nearby. What is interesting, is the new home nearby was built by Wade Garrett, who just happens to be the great, great, great, grandson of Edward Jones. The original photo is from about 1885, and it took over a half century for me to get all the right names, thus faded. Brothers Will and Ed married sisters-Jane and Lizzie Tolley, but don't fret it, no test on who is who will be given. We will all remember them, once we get to the other side, and you won't be so dim witted as this writer has become!

This is another series of photos in and around Nephi, Utah.

A beautiful stream of clean, crisp water runs through the middle of Nephi, which we call Salt Creek. We took some photos of serene homes that are built near by and older homes that are keenly kept klean. Then we have the old gym of Juab High where the greats of 1959 and 1960 became the State Basketball Champs and where other kids learned to roller skate. Although not an engineer, I once again toured the gym and bounced a ball, and it seems to me that perhaps, just perhaps, it can still be used, as it seems structurally strong. It was built during the Great Depression, and that was a time they made things to stand a hundred years. Other photos show one of my flower entries in the Juab County Fair; a request not to idle your diesel trucks; the Territorial Jail that held Butch Cassidy; a Norway water plant in the rocks; perhaps the biggest mushroom in the world; a Nephi Park that is hidden with these kids wanting to keep the secret to themselves; the home that fed and reared magic milk hands and a view of Majestic Mt. Nebo before the new water tank is built for future generations. Although we wish our area to remain rural, we be friendly and encourage all to slow down to prevent the catastrophic car crash collisions.

Ron Jones-he was a 98 year old genuine American made cowboy!

Today was the funeral of Ron Jones from Rural, America. Although he lived in Nephi for the past 90 years, Ron-like this writer, always considered to be from Nortonville, which was where the Jones family had their homes and farms in the 1800's. The first photo show's upper Nortonville at the base of Mt. Nebo, where Ron used to get gravel for his work with Juab County. The lower photo is West Nortonville, and the grove of trees remain where he was born. As a kid he and Harold walked up to Uncle Will's to get sugar cane. He was born with horses around him, and his worldly remains were brought to the cemetery with a great team of horses. The funeral program tells of his great life and friendship to all who came his way. If he didn't know folks, he would greet them; become friends and treated everyone as equals. People from all walks of life loved him back. He knew the Juab west desert, which was his personal Garden of Eden. On one occasion, as the photo depicts-he made it a point to introduce a Chicago family to Vienna sausages, and for Ron, nothing finer could be eaten than those; grease saturated eggs; Spam; Bananas, and a Pepsi to swig it all down with, then cashews for dessert. A year ago, his photo was taken with two other genuine cowboys, and the promise was made that photo would be displayed at his funeral. The promise was kept, showing Ron Jones, John Larsen and Bob Garrett. Long Live Cowboys!

"During Ute Stampede, Local Marshall Told To Leave Nephi!" Shocking & Bogus!

The first night of the Ute Stampede went pretty dang great, with bucking animals showing they are tough, even though some of the cowboys are the best in the world. Tickets still available for round two tonight. There was a minor incident, but no lasting damages, and I think the "Wanna Be Fake Marshall" will get over it, but it "Depends". Although some historians don't like to talk about all history, the Utah Territorial Jail in Nephi remains a historical structure. It was built in 1892 and as strong as ever. It was then modified to be the Juab County Jail when Utah became a state, and held such men as Butch Cassidy. Although it is seldom open to the public, the DUP and Juab County Travel Council found a local yokel and asked him to play the part of the Marshall to give tourists a chance to view it. People poured in for free soda, water; thirty year old baseball cards and old rodeo tickets. The first Marshall photo shows the old man as the gate keeper, at least until Constable Ross Tolley "spoiled" the act, when he said it is a violation of the law to pretend you are a Marshall, when you ain't one. Needless to say, it was embarrassing, but I give Ross credit for not giving me any special privileges, even though I was his favorite grand nephew. Second photo shows the Marshall walking away in his "Levi's of Tears". Some of the jail visitors listed their desperado names.

Mona Marauders locked up prior to 85th Ute Stampede!

Being locked up in Juab County is a heck of a lot better than Dodge City, but the pictured hooligans(Mona Third Ward Scouts) had to be taught a history lesson before they were got too carried away. They were given a taste of what Butch Cassidy went through when he was locked up at the Utah Territorial Jail in Nephi, Utah. It is still a usable attraction and we plan to release the pictured Mona Marauders at high noon tomorrow, then open the jail to visitors in town for the Ute Stampede.The Daughters of Utah Pioneers are inviting you to stop by at Center and Main between 1300 hours and 1800 hours to see this seldom opened attraction. You will be asked to list your alias; your alleged hometown and your crime. We will close so you have enough time to go west young man and rope in the most classic rodeo in America.