Blast IV: Goldmine

I have barely begun scanning photos from this large bin I found in our basement.  I had to recruit Ben to help me identify the people, and he has been captivated, looking at pictures he has never seen before.  This is Stephen David Markham, Ben's grandfather who played an enormous role in Ben's life, especially after his father died.  This photo was taken about the time Stephen D. began his mission in the Netherlands.  He served with LeGrand Richards, who is Melissa's ancestor.

Stephen served as a bishop in Spanish Fork for over 25 years.  During this period, he ran a dairy farm, the scene of many growing experiences for his grandson Ben.

Ben's grandmother was Phoebe Isaac Markham, a noble woman.

I cropped this picture of Ben from the photo below.  It was taken when Ben was 17.
Yes, I know:  Heartthrob.  I would meet him 8 years later.

When Ben saw this picture, he was delighted.  He knew everyone and had to name them all for me.  The occasion was in 1963, the 50th anniversary of his Redd grandparents, who are seated in the center.  His mother. next to Louisa on the left, is holding her first grandson, Steve, who we all still miss.  Behind Ida Mar are Ben's sister Judith and her husband George.  Ben is next to them, and a favorite uncle Teek, who I knew, is next to Ben.  I actually met most of the adults in this photo.  This family might look formal and sedate, but let me tell you, they were all kissers, full of bear hugs and laughs, jokes and pranks.

I gingerly handed this photo to Ben.  The original is very small.  Ida Mar was  holding her baby daughter Judith, a child she had long waited for.

Ida Mar noted on the back of this photo that her mother, Lydia, had crocheted the blanket for Judith.

The cycle of life goes backward when I scan in pictures.  Ida Mar is shown here with her brother Preston, who everyone called Pep.

They were raised in Blanding and remained close throughout their lives.

Ida Mar was a darling little girl.  Please notice the boots, the doll, and the cat.

Ida Mar's only sister was Louisa, on the left.

The camera came out on the day that Aunt Alta, their mother's sister, was visiting.  I uploaded this photo to Family Tree, and it was the first photo which had been uploaded for Alta.  In fact, many of the pictures I have uploaded were the only photos for those persons.  If you think I am nagging you to upload your old photos to FT, you are correct.

Louisa and her husband adopted two children.  Ask me about that if you want to hear a fabulous story.  It's highly probable you've already heard it.

I have posted several pictures this weekend of Ida Evelyn Lyman Nielson.  She is shown here with two of her children.  There were no names, but my best guess is that these were two children who died young.

As I've gone through one particular box inside the bin, I've decided I'm looking at Ida Mar's most precious photos.  If you look closely, Ben wrote,. "Love, X" on this photo.  We can safely assume he gave this to his wife.

This picture was taken during a field trip when Ben's father was a student at BYU. The names of these men were labeled on the back.   The instructor, Bertrand Harrison, is on the right.  Ben is #4 from the right. Ben's devotion to BYU football comes from his father, a very loyal fan.
Just a heads up, I've only touched the surface of this goldmine of photos.  This is delicate work, and I'm being very careful.  I have posted in this blog almost every photo I've scanned this weekend.
I am already anxious for the next conference.

Blast III: Ben's Family

Ben's great-grandfather, Hans Joseph Nielson, is standing in the back on the left of this handsome group of men from San Juan County. Based on their clothing, I have assumed this picture was taken about 1890.  I did some searching to learn who the other men might be, but came up empty.  Hans was among the group of men and women who made the infamous Hole in the Rock trek.  He met his wife on this journey.

After studying pictures of Hans, I was pleased to notice a strong resemblance between this man and his great-grandfather.  This photograph was taken just before Ben's mission to the Northern Far East Mission.  Included with Ben's mission call were flight instructions to Tokyo.  Ben asked his mother, "Is there a Tokyo, Maine?"

I'm guessing my sweet husband was about 12 when this picture was taken.  I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I see Kyle clear as can be.

I love this picture of Ben, and Ida Mar did, too.  Copies of this show up often in various stacks of pictures. 

Hans' granddaughter was Lydia Nielson, who is pictured here with her husband John Wiley Redd.  I clearly remember the first time I met Wiley, in his daughter Ida Mar's home.  He said to me, "Julie? Julie?  The best ___ mule I ever owned was named Julie!"  He drove a 20-mule team across the Nevada desert.  He eventually became the ranger at Natural Bridges National Monument.

This picture was taken on a family outing to the Bridges.  This is a little Ben, his mother Ida Mar, and sister Judith under Atomic Rock, which Wiley discovered in 1946.  Ben's father was behind the camera.

This was a picture taken on top of Atomic Rock, which I cropped so you would noticed Ben's overalls.

Included in today's large box of photos were four certificates.

My mother-in-law had a wonderful vocabulary and I was not surprised to see her spelling accomplishments started when she was very young.

Ida Mar's great-uncle was the stake president when she graduated from Primary.

In the 1950s, Ida Mar's husband had a series of strokes.  She renewed her nursing license and went to work.  Her husband Ben, anticipating difficulties in his future because of his diabetes, carefully saved his earnings for years so he could eventually buy their three-bedroom home outright so Ida Mar would never be saddled with a mortgage.

Seated in the center of this picture are Ida Mar's parents.  She is next to them on the right.  Her sister Louisa is on the left.  Louisa is one of my favorite names, pronounced with a long I.  Say it out loud.  It's beautiful.  Their four brothers are standing.

Ben, standing in the back on the left, loved his grandparents and spent many summers with them in Blanding.  Ben took this picture after his mission with a timer and a tripod and was delighted to see it again after all these years. He still talks about his grandmother's excellent cooking.  He has corrected me.  "It was legendary," he said.

The last picture I scanned in this morning is this adorable photo of Ida Mar and three cute grandsons.  Jeffy has tears in his eyes, but Davy and Sammie were clearly delighted to pose with Grandma Markham during one of her visits.