Ina Olsen

Ina is the seventh child and fifth daughter of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen Dunn. She was the first child to be born in the big cement block house since the family was living in the granary when Edgar was added to the family. Ina started school at the age of six. As school started on September 1st and Ina wouldn't be six until September 12, she worried for fear she wouldn't be allowed to go. She did get to go to school in spite of the fact that her cousin, Ila Jensen, informed the teacher Ina was only five years old. Gladys Pratt, who later married S. Dilworth Young of the first Counsel of Seventy was Ina's first grade teacher.

When Ina was about ten years old, she had typhoid fever. She was the only one in the family to contract this dreaded disease and confined to her bed for several weeks. She had to learn to walk again and almost lost all of her hair.

Ina was one of the best players on the girls' basketball team at Manassa high school. At that time, girls only played half court basketball.

After graduating from high school, Ina spent one year in Salt Lake City with Frances. She worked for a Mrs. Thompson as a companion for her two children. Edgar also worked for her and attended the University of Utah. The following year Ina attended Brigham Young University, but decided against continuing her education at that time.

Ina's first full-time job was as a cashier and bookkeeper with the Gordon Department Store in Alamosa. She also worked in Trinidad, Montrose, and Grand Junction. She earned $10 per week for six eight-hour days and paid board and room and bought her clothes.

In 1941, after World War II had begun, Ina went to Port Townsend, Washington, to visit her sister, Hazel and her family. While there, she went to work for the government at Fort Warden and later transferred to Camp White, Oregon near Medford. After the war ended in 1945, Ina returned home to Colorado. Bishop Fred Haynie asked her to go on a mission. Since Ina hadn't been too active in the church for several years, she declined. Later, however, she changed her mind and decided to go. This was the turning point in her life. She spent eighteen months in the Northern California Mission under the direction of Presidents German E. Ellsworth and Thomas Gardner. She was in the mission home in San Francisco for nine months. The last three months of her mission were spent in Ashland and Medford, Oregon, where she had lived during the war.

After Ina returned home, she attended BYU for the summer quarter and then taught Seminary in Manassa for one year. During this time, she served as Stake YWMIA President.

Ina and Wilma Jackson purchased a flower shop in LaJara, Colorado. When Wilma got married, Ina decided to return to college. She worked for the Alamosa County Welfare Department and attended classes at Adams State College in Alamosa.

In December 1955, Ina went to Los Angeles, California to be with Hazel Nite and her family. She was called as an ordinance worker in the Los Angeles Temple. Here she met John Henry Olsen. They were married November 21, 1956, in the Los Angeles Temple by President Benjamin Bowring.

The Olsens lived in Hollywood until April, 1957, when they moved to Lancaster, California, where they were owners of a funeral home and sick room supply business. In February, 1981, Henry and Ina moved to St. George, Utah, to be closer to the temple. They had been driving 150 miles round trip to the Los Angeles Temple each week for over twelve years.

Ina and Henry were very involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in southern California. Ina's callings in the church have been many. Among them are Young Women Advisor, genealogy teacher, Relief Society teacher and visiting teacher, Ward and Stake YWMIA President, Ordinance Worker, and Seminary teacher.

When Henry passed away on June 11, 1992, in St. George, Utah, Ina stayed. Ina passed away 29 June 2004 in Washington, Washington, Utah.

The majority of this article has been taken from The History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen, published privately by Vera Dunn Oliver June 1993.

Edgar Harmon Dunn

Edgar was born shortly after the family of Simeon and Anna Dunn moved from Eastdale to Manassa. He was born in the granary. When I was a boy, we played in that granary. It was an empty shed of weathered wood with gaps wide enough for the wind to come through easily. I cannot imagine living in that granary during one of the cold San Luis Valley winters.

Edgar attended school in LaJara and Manassa was a star on the Manassa Maulers basketball team.

Edgar married LaVeryl Aydelotte on April t 1936 in Taos New Mexico. They were later sealed in the Mesa, Arizona Temple on December 7, 1955.

After his marriage, Edgar farmed with his brother, Loyd, on the family farm west of Romeo. On March 3, 1940, he was called on a mission to the North Central States Mission. After his misson, he farmed for a short time and then was hired as a carman on the D&RGW Railroad in Alamosa in 1942. Edgar went into train service as a fireman and worked up to head engineer. He retired from the railroad in July 1974, with 32 years of service.

When I was is high school, Edgar was my home teaching companion. Edgar was a faithful home teacher and I enjoyed going home teaching with him. We visited the homes of Ruth and Stanley Holman and Gordy and Ruth Bagwell each month. I enjoyed being with him. I loved his infectious laugh.

In September, 1974, only two months after retirement, Edgar and LaVeryl were called to serve 18 months on a walfre mission among the Indians in Taos, New Mexico.

Edgar died suddenly of a hart attack on 09 September 1978 at the age of 68. Edgar is buried in Manassa.

Portions of this article were taken from A History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen compiled by Vera Dunn Oliver, published privately in June of 1993.

Hazel Dunn Nite

Hazel was the eighth child of Simeon and Annie Dunn. Her early life was spent in Manassa, Colorado where she graduated from high school in 1933. After graduation, she moved to Los Angeles, California where she lived with her older sister, Ethel Forsyth. Hazel attended Beauty College in Huntington Park, California. It was there that she met and married James Graham Nite.

Hazel and Jimmie moved to Round Mountain, Nevada six months after they were married. When Ronnie, their first child was born, they moved to Colorado and lived on the Dunn ranch west of Romeo. Hazel's second child, Jeanine was born in Manassa.

In 1940, there was another move. This time to Port Townsend, Washington. After Max was born, the family returned again to Manassa where Karen was born.

The Nites returned to California. This time to Santa Monica where they lived for many years. Hazel worked as an electrical assembler at North American Aviation for fifteen years.

After retirement, Hazel returned yet again to Manassa. She participated in the Spanish Name Extraction program and on February 5, 1982, she received a mission call to serve in the Seattle Washington Mission for 18 months.

Upon her return to Manassa, she continued to serve in the Spanish name extraction program.

Her home today sits on the property that was once Simeon and Annie's. Her home is where the chicken coop had been. Jeanine's home sits near Hazel's and they take good care of each other.

When I return home to Manassa, it's to Hazel's home that I go. I love her humor and her grit. When I saw her a couple of weeks ago, she reminded me, "It's hell to get old." It may be, but she has really done it graciously.

Thanks to Vera Louise Dunn for the information provided in, A History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen, compiled by Vera Louise and published privately in 1993.

New Blogs added to the list

Recently, Larry and I have added some new blogs to the list. I can look at the blogs and see hints of their family resemblance, but I am not sure just exactly how they fit.

Today, I added two links.

• Jordan and Candice
• Are they still alive?
  

These were added at the request of their mother. Laraine Wheeler. Laraine is the daughter of Keith and Erma Bingham. Keith is the son of Cora and Ted Bingham. Cora is the Daughter of Simeon and Anna Dunn.

I added these links because I saw the links on Larry's blog and I believe I know who they are, but I need to confirm that.

• Just another day in paradise
• Another day in the life of the Dias
• The Stephens Family
  

As I look at the pictures, and as I read the entries, I believe I see traces of the Pagett Family. Help me understand who these links belong to and how they fit in with the family. We might try the format of Laraine's relationship shown above to indicate how the owners of the blogs belong in the family.

I would to add as many blog links as we can identify. If you have a blog you want added, you can send an email to Kent Vance

Ruth Carrie Dunn

Ruth Carrie Dunn, the fourth child of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen Dunn, was born in Eastdale, Colorado. Her parents could never agree on the date that she was born. Grandpa said it was one day, and Grandma said it was another. Grandma said that she should know because she was there. As a little girl, Ruth lived for a time in Eastdale, but soon moved to Manassa with her family. She lived in Manassa until she graduated from high school in 1925.

She then went to LDS Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also attended telegraphy school. Her two older sisters, Frances and Ethel, were in nurse's training there.

Ruth worked in Salt Lake City in the office at Utah Wollen Mills for a while and then returned to Colorado. She worked at J.C. Penney's in Antonito, and it was here she met Bill Koch. Ruth married William Emil Koch on 31 December, 1933, in San Luis, colorado. Ruth and Bill told us one day in the mountains that the day that they were married, the Sherriff was shot. His body was on display at the courthouse. Bill and Ruth had to see his body before they returned home.

Ruth and Bill moved to Alamosa and Ruth worked for Gordon Stores for 17 years. She worked for Alamosa National Bank for two years, and for Kavley's Department Store. She then worked then for 20 years as Clerk of the county court, and as clerk of the water court. Ruth has always been a working woman.

Ruth and Bill enjoyed their family and grandchildren. especially picnicing and camping on the Conejos river.

Ruth and Bill have been generous in helping extended family members, as well as their own immediate family. I would always plan on seeing Ruth at our house with new school clothes for us in the fall.

Mother (Gatha Wilson) spent some time with Ruth at her home in Alamosa a year ago this January. She moved to a nursing home shortly after that visit. There was recently an article in the Alamosa paper congratulating Ruth for celebrating her 103rd birthday.

Portions of this entry were taken foom A History of the Ancestors & Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen, compiled by Vera Louise Oliver and published privately in June of 1993.

Ethel Leona Forsyth

Ethel Leona Dunn was the second child born to Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen Dunn. Ethel's early childhood years were spent in Eastdale, Colorado. When Ethel was six or seven years of age, the family moved to Manassa. She lived in Manassa until she left home to train to become a Registered Nurse.

After Ethel married Donald Prescott Forsyth, the couple made their home in Los Angeles, California. They lived and raised their children in Los Angeles. Don and Ethel loved to travel to Manassa, Colorado for summer vacations. They always spent some time in the beautiful mountains.

Many years after Don retired, they sold their California home and moved into the Los Angeles Temple Apartments, where they served for a time as temple workers Later they moved to Manassa where they put a mobile home on the property where Simeon and Anna Dunn had made their home in Manassa. When Don passed away, Ethel continued to live in Manassa near most of her sisters and her brother, Edgar.

Ethel is remembered as a sweet and loving woman. Her love of the gospel of Jesus Christ radiated in her life. She served as Primary president and twice as Relief Society president of the Manchester Ward in Los Angeles. Ethel and Don are both buried in Manassa.

This short history was taken directly from A History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen, compiled by Vera Dunn Olivier and Published privately in June, 1993.

I Apologize for the quality of the pictures. They are details from some larger photographs and they are the only ones I have. If someone can add comments to this entry that will give us more details about Aunt Ethel, it would be greatly appreciated. Kent Vance