30 November 2012

Frank Huber photos

Frank Huber was LeRoy's older brother.

The following are photos having to do with Frank, and are from the personal albums of Kathryn Walker.
"Frank Huber out by tree"

"Frank Huber outside"
"Fuzzy Frank Huber"

"Frank Huber at Cliff Lake"

"Frank Huber sitting at Cliff Lake"

"Frank Huber by shed"

"Frank Huber with baby"

"Unknown girl (Ardith?) and maybe Frank Huber"
"Frank and baby and car"
"BACK Ardith and Frank,
FRONT Kathryn, Rhea (Roy's daughter), Glenn, and Kenneth
at Aunt Lizzie's house"

"Frank, Ardith, and baby
standing on their porch in Midway, UT"

28 November 2012

Life History on Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor was Vera's father.
The following is a transcribed history of his life, as written by Roy's sister, Mrs. Wayne Nielson, and later rewritten by Roy's granddaughter, June.  The scanned copy I'm transcribing from is the image directly below.  Some punctuation and spelling changes have been made by me in the transcription.  Photos/documents have been inserted by me.
From the personal albums of Doris Sessions
Life History of Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor, son of Martin VanBuren Taylor and Joannah Smith Jennings was born on the 18th day of February, 1872 at Levan, Utah.  Joannah "Smith" Jennings was named Smith because she was born in 1844, the year that the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred.  Martin Van Buren Taylor was a polygamist and had four wives and when Roy was 12 years old his father moved his four families to Freedom, in Sanpete, Utah.

When he was 17 years old he left Freedom and went back to Levan where he worked for relatives or anyone he could get a chance to work for.  In 1894 he moved with his mother to Juab where he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad in the round house.  Later he was a fireman on the train running to and from Milford.  He worked at Delamar, Nevada and worked in the mills, and dust from the mills caused him to have a lung weakness, from which he suffered in later life.  He later went to Levan to live, He farmed in Levan during the summer and went to work in Eureka in the winter.  He married Roxa Althea Anderson at Juab, Dec 26, 1894.  Elmer Taylor performed the marriage ceremony.  They were later endowed and had their family sealed to them at the Manti Temple on April 14, 1909 after the birth of their 8th child.  At this time they were living at Chester, Utah.  He was a member of the school board in Chester serving in this capacity from 1908 until 1914.
"Roy Taylor with machinery"
From the personal albums of Cheryl Murray

To this couple was born 12 children; Zelma Helen, Cora Louise, Earldean Taylor, Roy LeGrand, Wilmar Rex, Sherman A., Leslie Duke, Vera Johannah, Ralph, Adella Francis, Doris Althea, Martin Verdon.  All of these children grew to maturity except Earldean who died at the age of 15 in Chester of a dropsey heart condition.  Mart Verdon was the only child after the family had settled in Lapoint.  He died in action over seas, Nov 29, 1944 during a bomber flight mission over Japan, in World War II.

In November 1915, the family moved to the Uintah Basin.  The first winter they lived at Hayden, Utah in a two-room log house.  The next year they moved to Lapoint and cleared the land and build the old brick home which was later bought by Della Nyberg.
"Our dad, Roy Taylor getting ready for the day's work.
With team, Daisy and May.
Ploughing was done with a hand plough, walking all day"
Photo & caption from the personal albums of Gene Nyberg

When the Lapoint Ward was organized, he was sustained on September 10, 1916 as counselor to Bishop.  He was ordained a High Priest by Don B. Colton, August 28, 1916.  On Dec 31, 1916 he was sustained as Bishop of the Lapoint Ward.  He served in this capacity for 8 years and 3 months.  The Lapoint Hall was build during 1920 while he was bishop.  This hall served as a place for the church gatherings and recreation such as dances, etc.  This building was later condemned and some of the material salvaged to build the present ward chapel.  He was set apart as Bishop by George Albert Smith who later became the President of the Church.

Certificate from the personal albums of Cheryl Murray

He served as a county commissioner for 6 years and in a new county there were many roads and bridges to be built and many hardships were encountered.  He was also elected as a school board member in 1930 where he served for 8 or 9 years.  During this time the Alterra High School was built.

After being released from the Bishopric he later served as first counselor in the Sunday School where he served for 5 years and was then called as a counselor to the bishop.  After 6 months he was released on account of poor health.  Many of his children can remember the family going to church in a white top buggy, and it was usually an all day affair on account of the traveling distance of most of the members of the ward.  He blessed a number of his grandchildren and was active almost to the end of his life as he went Ward Teaching only a few days before his death.

"Doris, Ralph, Vera, Della, with Bishop Taylor and Roxa in back- off to church"
From the personal albums of Gene Nyberg

He died of a heart attack on December 26, 1941, which was his 47th wedding anniversary at Lapoint, Utah.  He was buried at the Lapoint cemetery on December 29, 1941.

He died as he lived, a good latter-Day saint and was a friend to all who came in contact with him.  Many people received hospitality at his home and he was a true friend to the Indians and many enjoyed the tasty meals prepared by his wife.
"Frank Ninance and Roy Taylor.
Our dad was a real friend to the Indians"
Photo & caption from the personal albums of Gene Nyberg
Roy was a man who never passed man, woman or child, black or white that he did not speak or wave his hand, or shake hands with those he met.  Many people came to him for advice and council, not only the white settlers but the Indians too.  He was so thoughtful and looked after the welfare of everyone.  He never said anything bad about anyone, it made me think of the saying, "your name is safe with me".

(Taken from 2 copies of life sketches written by Mrs. Wayne Nielson, sister to Mr. Taylor.  Rewritten by Vera June Huber Wooley.)

Photo from the personal albums of Cheryl Murray

26 November 2012

Sherman & Deltha Taylor- 50th Anniversary

Sherman was Vera's brother.
He and his wife, Deltha, were married for over 50 years.

From the personal albums of Gene Nyberg
Deltha and Sherman Taylor with their posterity.
Photo from the personal albums of Gene Nyberg
Deltha and Sherm Taylor
Photo from the personal albums of Gene Nyberg

14 November 2012

Birth info on Earldean Taylor

Earldean Taylor is Vera's older sister.
She was born in Chester, Sanpete, Utah on 21 Apr 1899

Birth Registry:
SOURCE: ancestry.com
Source particulars are located on bottom of image
Photo from the personal albums of Althea Gray
Photo cropped from larger image
This is the only known photo of Earldean Taylor- as a cute cherubic baby.  The larger photo this was cropped from includes her two older sisters, Zelma and Cora, standing behind her, and can be found on this blog.

07 November 2012

More on Ralph Taylor


This history is about Ralph Taylor, one of Vera's brothers.  
It was found in the personal albums of Doris Sessions (and has been transcribed with indications of punctuation or spelling corrections.)  I do not know WHO wrote it or WHEN it was written, although clues throughout it suggest it was likely compiled by one of Vera's sisters who had interviewed or spoken with Ralph's widow, Ruth, before her move to Colorado in 2000.
All photos have been added by me and are from the personal albums of Althea Gray, unless otherwise stated.
Clippings and additional visuals have also been added by me, with added source material.


Ralph Taylor was born on January 13, 1910 in Chester, Sanpete, Utah.  He was the 9th child in a family of 12 siblings.  He was a quiet and reserved individual.
Ralph (about 1940) went to Barber School in Colorado.  This is where he met his wife, Ruth Eva Nichols.  She had been married before and had a daughter about 5 years old named Pat.  Pat told her mother after they were married that Ralph had never been married before because he didn’t know how to talk to children.  Ralph and Ruth went to Barber School together, and after they were married, they went to live in Salt Lake City.
SOURCE: Vernal Express 1936, May 28, p.4
As Ruth tells it, Ralph was quite a cracker jack (whatever that means).  She says there was nothing she would have ever changed about Ralph, that he was a gorgeous man.  Ralph was always admired by his fellowmen.  Ruth tells it that she was bossy, and he always kind of liked that.  He would always ask her what she wanted to do about something, and they could decide together what to do.
Anything I wanted I got and anything I wanted him to do he did and he would like me to go fishing with him and things like that.  We would make a lunch and go up in the canyon, we would take Pat and we would go do different things.  Ralph loved to go fishing.  Ralph also had a beautiful voice and could really sing.
Ralph and Ruth worked up at Ft. Douglas cutting the hair for the enlistees.  Ruth ran the beauty shops, and Ralph ran the barber shops.  We were just like we were at home, we were right together all the time.  At night he would help me clean up my shop, and I would help him clean up his shop.
We had been married quite awhile before he went into the service.  In April 1944, my niece and I, her husband was in the service and mine was too, flew to California and spent the weekend with them.  Ralph took me over to the island, Catalina and showed me the things over there and we just had a wonderful time.

Ralph Taylor's military card
SOURCE: ancestry.com
(see source info on image for more details)
1940s postcard image borrowed from www.hometownarchive.com 

While Ralph was in the service, Ruth bought the house where she still now resides [as of this writing].  Ralph was released and came home and told Ruth that they couldn’t afford a house or a car until he got a job.  Ruth had bought the house and care and they were all paid for.  She also told him that she had a job all lined up for him.  He then went back to Fort Douglas where he had worked before he went into the service.
Thea Taylor, Ralph’s niece, had come to live in Salt Lake.  Thea in the meantime had met Jess [Gray] and she could not find a home to live, so I said where our house is big down here so just move down in with us.  As soon as Thea and Jess located a home in which they would live, they moved out.  Thea and Jess would come down to visit Ralph and Ruth every Sunday and have dinner with them.  Sometimes Jess (Thea’s husband) and Ralph would go out and [do] things in the yard but Thea and Ruth would always talk a lot.  Ruth and Thea became as “thick as thieves”.

Ralph and Ruth outside their home
Ralph, Ruth, Bob's wife, Bob (good friend?), Althea kneeling
Outside their Holladay home
Ralph and Ruth's yard- wow.
Next to our house, Ralph and Ruth had a little orchard planted.  Ralph wanted to take out some trees that were in the orchard.  So on July 8, 1950 they took to the orchard to do this project.  They always worked together and loved it.  They were out in the orchard and some of the neighborhood boys, 2 of them lived right next door, came and said they were thinking of going fishing.  It was the opening day of fishing and Ralph said he would love to go with them as he really enjoyed fishing.  He was undecided as he wanted to get the trees finished and everything.  Ruth told him that they could do that later, and to go ahead and go with the guys fishing.  They left the next morning and while he was gone one of Ruth’s nieces from Colorado came in and she was doing her hair.  Ruth had baked a cake and was hurrying around because he was due home at any time.  She was almost finished with her niece when she saw the car coming back up the street.  She said “Here comes my fisherman”, and set everything down and ran out to meet them.  Ruth could see Ralph lying in the back—seat.  She told the other guys that if he couldn’t stay awake until he got home, that they would have to find another fishing mate.  She was just joking, when Neal (one of the guys) came up to me and put his arms around me and said, “Ruth, a terrible thing has happened.”  Ruth asked him [what] was the matter and he said that Ralph was dead.  Ruth would not believe him.  She sent the guy for a doctor and told the other one to help her get him into bed.  She told them that he was alright and didn’t believe them.
The story went that Ralph was fishing and got his hook caught on the branch of a tree.  He climbed up the tree to get his hook out when he fell out of the tree.  He was alive on the way to Salt Lake, and they wanted to take him to the hospital.  He told [them] No, that he wanted to get home and he’d be okay.  On the edge of town they told him they wanted to stop and call Ruth.  He told them no, that Ruth would know just what to do when he got home.  Before they got him home, however, he died.  They figured that he had had a heart attack and died.  They Taylors were all known for their bad hearts.

Cropped from a larger photo from the personal albums of Gene Nyberg.

05 November 2012

Mystery photos

These photos were found at the bottom of a box of photos at a Huber reunion I attended in 2009.  The box was retrieved from the Roy and Vera Huber property, so I'm assuming they've got to be relatives up either the Taylor or Huber line.
By clues in the clothing and photographic similarities, I would guess they were all from the same family, and that the photos were taken around the 1870s-1890s.  There may be more particular clues in the father-figure's outfit and hat- it looks fairly Scandinavian to me, but what do I know?
It's a cryin' shame we don't know who they are.  Perhaps with time it will be revealed.









ACK! This just kills me!  A torn family photo as cute as that?!