Grandmother Merkley's home

Keturah Merkley was Asher's mother.

The following are photos of her home in later years and the surrounding garden, which many of her grandchildren speak fondly of.

The following excerpt comes from the history of Keturah P Merkley, a written document found in the personal albums of Sarah Nielsen (written by Sarah Nielsen):

"... Nelson died April 18, 1924, in the old home in Ashley Valley.  In a year or two Kate and Ellen moved into town (Vernal) to a home Kate had had built.  They lived there until 1940 when they moved to Heber..."

The following excerpt comes from the written document, "Memories of Birda L Merkley" (p2) written by Bryce Merkley and found in the personal albums of Bryce Merkley, regarding the building of this home:

"... Upon Nelson Jr.'s death, Keturah continued living in her home for a while.  Asher had decided to build a new home for Birda.  They had chosen a location at about 1000 West Main Street.  They had hauled in cobble rock to build a foundation and had logged lumber out of the mountains and had them sawed into "sawed logs" which meant they used solid timber to form the walls for the house.  About this time Nelson Jr. passed away and so the family decided that Asher should take over the farm, the homestead, and the "sawed logs" should be taken to a site at 141 West 1st South in Vernal to build Keturah a new home...."

"Grandmother Merkley's Home, Vernal, Utah"
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"1931"
Back states: "Merkley home in Vernal after grandfather's death"
From the personal albums of Sarah Nielsen

"Grandmother Merkley's Home" (and garden)
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"1933"
Back states: "L-R Dorothy Ann Whitbeck, Carolyn Sander, Kathleen Merkley, June Sander-
in Grandmother Merkley's flower garden"
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"Kate, Ellen, and bunch of kids, 1936"
From the personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

"Sander girls at Diamond Mountain-
Buffy with Carolyn in front, Kathryn with June in front"
From the personal albums of Jane Haugsoen
*Due to the amount of vegetation, I doubt this was taken at Diamond Mtn
but instead taken from Keturah's flower garden.

"LEFT Buffie with Carolyn in front, Kathryn with June in front"
Appears to be on side property of Keutrah's home
From the personal albums of Shannon Andersen

"Keturah's home in Vernal"
From the personal albums of Delores Horton

How Ellen works into this story

A bit of explanation on how Leila Ellen Merkley -- runs into this immediate family circle:

Ellen's mother was Rachel Merkley Murray- she was a sister to Nelson Merkley Jr.

"Rachel Merkley Murray, circa 1902 with hat"
From the personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

According to what I've been told (and PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong), Ellen was apparently the tail end of a bunch of kids for Rachel and her husband, and unfortunately Rachel died soon after giving birth to little Ellen around 1917.  Ellen's father was overwhelmed and asked Nelson and Keturah if they wouldn't mind taking her on as their charge.  So even though Nelson and Keturah's youngest child (Margret) was in her teens at the time, Ellen Merkley was welcomed into the family and raised as their own, even though her own father and siblings lived elsewhere in the same town.
For these reasons, confusion crops up when family group sheets are organized as Ellen grew up as part of Nelson and Keturah's family, but she was technically their niece as far as tracing lines goes.

"Mother's Day 1918, Mary M Sander and little Ellen Merkley"
From personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

"Mary Sander and Ellen Merkley- Mother's Day 1918, Vernal"
From personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

"Ellen Merkley 2 years old, 1919 Vernal on the farm"
From personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

"Ellen Merkley, age 4"
From personal albums of Sarah Nielsen

"About 1921- Margret Merkley, Grandfather Nelson Merkley Jr, Ellen Murray Merkley"
From personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"Ellen and Keturah, Farmington NM, circa 1932"
From personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

So even though Ellen was a cousin to Asher, she related better to the children of all her cousins, and was considered the eldest of the granddaughters.

"1929 at Grandma (Keturah) Merkley's home- Grandma Keturah, Ellen Murray holding baby Carolyn Sander, Margret Merkley holding baby Kathleen Merkley, ?, Kathryn Sander, Virginia Merkley, Geraldine Merkley, ? Elizabeth, June Sander."
From personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Ellen in the 1940's
From the personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

Because Ellen is still living, I'll hold off on posting any other information on her for now.  But just for a clarification measure on how she ties in to the family, there you have it.