Phil Wasden's Photos from the Gunnison Cemetery

Phil writes that the touching inscription on great-grandfather John Christenson's marker reads as follows: "Amiable and beloved father farewell!  Not on this perishing stone, but in the Book of Life, and in the hearts of thy afflicted friends is thy worth recorded."

Nancy Arilla Herring

John Brooks Wasden

Thomas Wasden

William Wasden

We acknowledge with appreciation the efforts of Phil Wasden in providing us all with these photos and this information.  He expresses the thought that he felt that he received special guidance in locating these grave markers of our ancestors.

Phil Wasden visits the Gunnison UT Cemetery

From Phil Wasden:

September 26, 2008

I drove to Gunnison, Utah knowing that grandmother Tilda Christena Christenson Wasden was born to Swedish parents living in that area.  I am quite sure that great-grandfather John Christenson is buried there and I desire to visit the gravesite.  The Gunnison Cemetery has a sign indicating a left turn into the driveway.  As I entered the driveway, I became increasingly concerned with the high-security fencing along the roadway, culminating in a barrier and security checkpoint.  Three heavily-armed and uniformed men greeted me; I said something to the effect, "Obviously, this is not the Gunnison Cemetery?"  To which one replied, "No, but some "inside" might think that it is!"  The Supervisor Guard pointed out:  "The entrance to the Cemetery is located just a few feet on the other side of the driveway."  Receiving permission, I made a hasty U-turn and left.

There is no directory to the Cemetery so, I "legged" it out through the expansive area in a "serpentine" fashion through the markers.  I was becoming a little discouraged because after about forty minutes and at three-quarters of the way, all of the "Christen..." names were Danish-ending "-sen" and not Swedish "-son" spellings.  The name, "WASDEN" on one marker stopped me "in my tracks!"  Realization flooded over me as I read the full name, "John Brooks Wasden," my great-grandfather!  I had no idea he was buried in this Cemetery!  Next to John Brooks is his first wife, Nancy Arilla Herring.  I remember grandfather James Brooks Wasden telling me that when his mother died at his birth, Nancy raised grandfather "as one of her own."  He said, "I often felt I was better treated than her own children" of which, she had thirteen!  (Four died in infancy or childhood).  On the other side of Nancy, Thomas Wasden, my 2nd great-grandfather is buried.  On the other side of Thomas is William Wasden, a 2nd great grand uncle.  these are all names familiar from years of copying pedigree and family group records but suddenly, it is now more "personal."  The shock is more than an "Aha moment, it is a WOW moment! In my excitement, I discovered nearby the object of my original search:  the marker for great-grandfather John Christenson!  

I must interrupt here to go can peaches.  I will try to reproduce Phil's photos of the grave stones later.

The Great Ronco Rotisserie Swindle

Judy called this afternoon and was speaking in tongues.  I had no idea what on earth she was talking about.  I finally extracted out of her that she was attributing the Ronco Rotisserie to me that Kemp had just delivered to her.  She was concerned, because now she claimed she had two Ronco Rotisseries, a matter about which she has dissembled for many years.  I wish to absolve myself of sending my Ronco Rotisserie to her and, to prove said allegation, provide photographic evidence that my wonderful machine rests comfortably on the top shelf of my store room.  There is some hanky-panky afoot here of which I have had no part.  Judy and Kemp have collaborated on devious information in re: Ronco Rotisseries for years.  Let this matter now be put to rest.  However, Judy, if you need another Ronco Rotisserie, let me know.  You could incinerate six chickens or three turkeys at a time.  Life would be good.  Dissembling never gets you anywhere.

At Judy's, 1960s

Cousins

We're Not Out of Pictures Yet

Insight Gained

From time to time, Dwight will suggest something that I will go along with, just because it is important to me that he thinks highly of me - and if I am compliant then perhaps it will make up for the years when I complained rather loudly that he was picking on me. I must confess that his recommendation on his Curmudgeonly Professor blog about books to read did catch my eye and I thought, aha, I can't vote Democratic, but I can check out one of his books, so I bought two of them, Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry and The Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman, M.D.

I cannot express strongly enough the profound effect reading Hannah Coulter is having on me, and the insights I have gained into our parents and the life they, and then we with them, lived. The book is fiction, but it is written as though Wendell Berry knew our lives, our parents and Mother's feelings and emotions. Last night was a night of sleeping for a couple of hours and then needing a diversion and so I continued reading. With a cup of hot milk and my book, I settled down for what ended up being a quick two hours of reading. Honestly, I could have read all night and it would have been a good night.

The book is readily available in paperback on Amazon, or perhaps at a local bookstore. The copyright is 2004. I was going to share a quote, but it went on way too long and I think maybe copyright laws would prohibit doing that, so, just take my word, along with Dwight's, and pick up the book. Then we can ride the emotional rollercoaster together as insights are gained.

More Blood family album

Sorry Judy, but this one is too priceless not to share with the world.

One More Picture of Blood Siblings, Where's Ann, Plus a Bonus Photo

Maybe These Are All the Blood Sibling Photos I have

I threw this one in because it solves the issue of the posing order:  short to tall, and this became ingrained for life.  Any other theories?  In an entire lifetime, I have been lucky to take a few classic photos that surpass all others.  This one, taken with a $1.98 Baby Brownie, is one of the absolute most treasured.  Double click.

Blood Sisters at Dad's Funeral

This may be the last of the photos of the three (or four) Blood sistern that I have

For Good Measure--Back in Penrose

More Blood Sisters, in a Row

Ann, Judy, Liz in proper order, plus Louise

And this is amazing.  How did they get this one backwards?

At what age was the posing order established?

Judy in Fort Collins 1955 (or 1956?)

Which Blood Sister Has the Wig?

Not being able to post on the prestigious Amsbaugh Gardens blog, or however you spell it, I will share these little gems.  What's with the arms folded?  That stance is supposed to indicate something, not sure what.  Note condition of gate.  And hair.  And what are they all watching? Russell?  Not me, that's for sure.  In the days when girls wore something besides Jeans and tee-shirts.  Oh well.  H&K, D.

More Pictures from Minnie's side of the family

Mary Coucum married Thomas Wasden. She is the mother of John Brooks Wasden, who is the father to James Brooks Wasden, the father of Minnie Arrilla Wasden Blood.
This is Thomas Wasden. He appears to me to be a pleasant sort - I have always wondered about Mary Coucum - life must have been really hard for these early pioneers, and some showed it differently than others. It is so interesting to try and clean up some of these pictures. As I clear away the scratches and blemishes, their faces seem to come to life. I really look forward to knowing these people who sacrificed so much so that I have the gospel and the foundation that helps me work harder at being a better person. Because of what they did, the life that I am blessed to live is so much better.
This is John Brooks Wasden, father of James Brooks Wasden. I think this picture was posted once before, but this puts them all together in one place.
Judy asked me to post this uncut picture of Mariane Werlin Danielsen, mother of Ane Sophie. Again I tried to take out some of the distortions because of the poor quality of the picture. Please add anything that will be helpful to younger generations about these family members.

More pictures of ancestors

I am sorry to put these all in one post. I should have done one a day, but now I don't have to remember to do it tomorrow.
This picture has no identification on it. Can you help? I think I would have liked to know him!

Ane Sophie Olsen - another picture where the quality is not great, however by working on it just a little I was able to remove some of the "pebbled" effect.
Is this Great Grandmother Christenson?
James Brooks Wasden 1949
Tilda Christena Christenson Wasden 1949
And then a couple of very familiar faces, just in case any of their posterity do not have these pictures, this gives them that record.

If that is Mariane is this Ole Jensen

I worked on this picture to try and make it appear a little clearer. You can compare the before (below) and after, just for fun.
Because the quality of this picture is the same as the one Judy posted, is this Ole Jensen? Here I thought we were done and you keep coming up with more little tidbits and then I realize I still have questions and maybe a couple of pictures that would be helpful. There is no notation on the back of this picture, however on the picture posted earlier identified as Mariane, the notation Mother made on the back of that picture that I have says "Is this Ane Sophie Olsen Wasden's mother?" Judy's picture must give more definite identification. Good work!

Mariane Danielsen

Mariane is the maternal grandmother of our grandfather, James Brooks Wasden. She is the mother of Anna Sophia Olsen. Mariane was born in 1817 in Denmark and died in 1875 in Richfield, Utah, far from the land of her birth. She was 58 years old and had given birth to eight children.

World War I Food Shortage

This is another of the food conservation campaign posters used while Dad was an already hungry kid in the city. Remember how he always said that oats is for the horse? And isn't it interesting that he spent his farming years growing food: lots of oats and wheat. Did he ever grow rye? Is that fish a sucker from the Shoshone River? How do we cooperate with the items under the "Eat Less" list?

Steve's Light Fixtures at the Hilton in Jackson

These light fixtures are more striking than I realized. Just wanted you to know, Steve and Mary Lynn, that "we were there". Did you do the big chandelier in the foyer, also?

Happy birthday,, Dwight!

Happy birthday a day late. I tried to put this on yesterday but I couldn't get my scanner to work, so I had to get some help from my personal tech. I love this picture of us. It was taken in front of my house on Green Street in the summer of 1965. I just want to say "amen" to all the other accolades and to say how much you have meant to me then and still do, and even though my eyes are closed in the picture, I hope it conveys that feeling. I'm blessed to have you for a brother and that we were so close in years that we were able to share the high school years together. I was always so proud to know you were my brother. Love you.

I had to include this picture, too.

Isn't this a great picture of our young families all lined up? It kind of takes you back a year or two, doesn't it?

My Jackson Hole Quilt

Judy suggested that I put a picture of my newest quilt on our family blog, too, so that it can be enlarged. I hestitate to do this, because you will see the flaws - maybe? If you do, I don't want to hear about it. This quilt was great fun to make. It is a combination of the diamond background, with raw-edge applique applied on top. I had to manufacture the fence from the wrong side of a gray fabric, and used pen and ink to do the shading. There is some pastel crayon work on the mountains and a few other places. I marvel at the fabrics that one has to choose from when making a quilt like this.