Keturah's quilt

The following photos are of an inherited quilt with a history to it.

Apparently, this quilt came across the plains with Keturah Thurman Peterson as a young girl.  Her daughter, Mary M Sander, took this quilt off of Keturah's bed after she passed away and passed it down her family line.  Upon last inquiry, this quilt was in the possession of J. Haugosen.

Pretty, isn't it?

Doug and Rhea get together

Doug is the eldest son of Asher and Birda.

This video was put together rather hastily for a Christmas surprise this year.  I'd collected the photos and interview footage in previous months and years before, and I'd always MEANT to assemble something up this avenue, but never got around to it.  I'm glad I finally did.  :)

Doug & Rhea get together from Sare & Jamo on Vimeo.

Password hint:

What is the name of Doug & Rhea's baby of the family? 

(Caps sensitive)

Photos of Isabrand Sander

Isabrand Sander Jr. married Asher's sister, Mary, making them brothers-in-law.

The following are a few images of Isabrand when older that have not yet been posted.

From the personal albums of Shannon Andersen

From the personal albums of Jane Haugsoen

Mary Merkley photos in college

The following are a handful of photos of Mary Merkley when she was attending school in Provo.

"Siblings Mary and Ellis Merkley, outside a house in Provo, UT"
From the personal albums of Delores Horton

Mary Merkley and roommates
From the personal albums of Delores Horton

Written details on back of photo above
(names of all girls lined up)
From the same source as above

More Diamond Mountain photos

The following are additional photos of the Diamond Mountain homestead I have not yet posted.

1926- Diamond Mountain Homestead
Isabrand Sander, Margret M Hanson, Asher, Mary M Sander, Birda holding son,
FRONT Virginia Merkley looking at her mother
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Asher and Ray/Roy Merkley, 1929
Diamond Mountain and dog, Six
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

1931- Buffie Hatch and Virginia Merkley on Calico
up at Diamond Mountain.
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

"Asher on the way with sheep to Diamond Mountain,
May 22, 1936"
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Asher with nieces and nephews at Diamond Mountain
(Aird Merkley is recognized on far right)
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

Homesteading on Diamond Mountain
Sander girls in photo
From the personal albums of Shannon Andersen

"Keturah's Diamond Mountain Cabin"
(Likely grown Sanders girls and Virginia M Hacking, 2nd from right)
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

Merkley Mother's Day photo

"Mother's Day, 1918"
Keturah, Helen, Margret, Mary kneeling

Helen Merkley in photos

Helen Merkley Colton was one of Asher's sisters.

The following are a bunch of photos of her in her younger years that have not yet been posted.

All are from the personal albums of Sarah Nielsen.

Baby Helen Merkley

Younger Helen Merkley portrait

Helen Merkley portrait in oval

Helen Merkley portrait

Young Helen Merkley

Another young Helen Merkley

Helen Merkley by ivy

Nelson Jr & Keturah with group of youth photo

The following is a photo of what appears to be a youth group convened on the property of Nelson Jr and Keturah's home in Vernal, UT.

Most of these are unfortunately unidentified, but it appears to be dated around 1909, based on costume clues and ages of those identified.

Youth gathering at Merkley homestead
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

Those that I CAN identify belong to the Merkley family, off on the far right by the tree, and social butterfly Erza Merkley in the very center back row where the white sheet drapes down to the right.

Here's a zoomed in version of those that I can identify:

From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

BACK: Nelson Merkley Jr

Mary Merkley just in front of him with Keturah Merkley between her and the tree

Margret Merkley in front of them with Asher Merkley next to her and leaning against the tree.

And this is a shot in the dark, but I'd say that fellow directly in front of Margret Merkley with the hat on looks an awful lot like Franklin Lewis, Asher's future brother-in-law.  I might be wrong, but then again he did live in the area and was a youth at that time, comparable in age to Asher's older brother, Ezra.

Siney Lewis Sr in photos

Siney Lewis Sr was Birda's father.

The following are a handful of photos of him in various situations.

Siney Sr on a mule- April 1915
From personal albums of Patty Stewart

Siney Lewis Sr- Glines Area of Vernal, UT
From personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak
(Additional copy of this photo from albums of Patty Stewart
indicates the written date: April 1915)

Siney Sr at homestead
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak
(Additional copy of this photo from albums of Patty Stewart
indicates the written date: May 27, 1915)

Siney Lewis Sr
From the personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

Young Birda in photos

The following are a handful of photos of Birda Lewis Merkley when she was still pretty young.

Photos are all from the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak.

Birda Lewis

Birda and brother-in-law, Harold Hullinger

Birda Lewis Merkley, 1921-22

Photos of Annie & John Weist

Annie L. Weist was one of Birda's older sisters.

The following are a handful of photos of Annie and her third husband, John W. Weist, that have not yet been posted.

From the personal albums of Howard Carroll

From the personal albums of Patty Stewart

From the personal albums of Howard Carroll

Found on ancestry.com, Feb 2013

Asher and little kids

It's been told that Asher was fond of kids and would often take breaks from his jobs around the farm to wrestle with them or load them all up on a horse or help them bait a hook.  

The following photos show Asher in some capacity with some of the little people he loved.

"Asher on Merkley Farm with small nephew, Colton"
From the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"Asher holding son Bryce on his blessing day,
Virginia holding her doll, ice house in background, 1934"
From personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak

"Asher helping child to a drink"
From personal albums of Bryce Merkley

Asher and an unknown girl
From personal albums of Tamera Lund

"Asher with granddaughter, Maureen"
From personal albums of Tamera Lund

"Asher with grandson, Rob"
From the personal albums of Tamera Lund

"Asher and great-granddaughter, Erika, 1 May 1971"
From personal albums of Tamera Lund

Siney Sr and Elizabeth Lewis in photos

Siney Lewis Sr and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis were Birda's parents.

The following are a handful of photos of just the two of them at varying stages of life, and are all from the personal albums of David Ahrnsbrak.

Elizabeth and Siney Lewis Sr
Likely around the time of their marriage

Siney Sr and Elizabeth on porch, 1927

Elizabeth and Siney Lewis, 1928

Elizabeth and Siney Sr

Rulon and Margret encouraging baby steps

Margret M Hansen was one of Asher's younger sisters.

The following photos is one of my favorites, 

pertaining to her husband Rulon, Margret, and their first baby, Lois.

"Lois on her walk out in the woods, Rulon fears she will fall"
From the personal albums of Ellen Fletcher

Young Annie Lewis in photos

Annie Elizabeth Lewis was one of Birda's older sisters.

The following are a few photos of her in her youthful days, found in the personal albums of Howard Carroll.

Annie Lewis about 18 years old,
Portrait taken in Heber, Utah

Annie portrait