Pictures from the 1970's. Rapid City, South Dakota

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove,

Merry Christmas!
A Very Merry Christmas from the Fortress to you. It's a bright, sunny, almost warm Christmas Day in Pleasant Grove. What a blessed relief from the tomb we've existed in for the last week. Gray, thick clouds, drizzle, snow - all in an endless cycle broken only by the blackness of night.

Last night many of us gathered at Jilane and Kevin's home for our yearly white elephant gift exchange and overindulgence of Christmas Confectionery. The thirty or so of us moved in unison from her living room (where the gift exchange took place) to the kitchen to graze on everything from chips and artichoke dip to home made chocolate ice cream to the ever present and never welcomed chocolate covered cherries - the bane of Christmas Celebrations (along with the gift of the unloved - fruit cake).

Today we opened gifts and watched Chaz, Brayden, Brock, Brooklyn and Kennedee contort themselves across the family room floor to the music of their new visual XBox attachment. Its the one that allows you to play without a controller (you use your body to control the game - kind of like the Wii).

I joined Luella and Charles afterwords to help Luella with her "presenting of the gifts" to Charles. Dad never was one much for Christmas, so getting him to stay put long enough to open gifts can be a two man job.

In the end, and about one hour later because of the length it took to open one gift and then the time required to discuss its price, material, size, color and whether or not its collar stood up or layed down) it was decided that he would keep one of the gifts (a baby blue golf shirt) and the others would go back.

This afternoon we will be trekking to Highland to enjoy Kim and JD's company (but mainly to enjoy JD's yearly spaghetti with homemade DelGrosso sauce). Before leaving I'd like to post a few pictures from our time in Rapid City, South Dakota. These were taken in the 1970's.

Lisa Williamson about 1976. This picture was taken from a picture frame which once belonged to Grandma Elda.

The opposite picture in Grandma Elda's frame was this picture of Kim and her first born, Forrest. I found the pictures in the garage while I was looking for a garbage bag. I'm afraid the sun robbed them of their color.

Lisa and Annette in the late 1970's. Halloween. This picture was taken in front of our neighbor's home (the Holtzes).

Annette Williamson

Lisa with our two neighbor boys (Glenn and David) in our living room at 38th Street.

The following pictures were taken in the chapel of the Rapid City Mormon church before the church was remodeled and a new chapel was built (1978). As children, we spent countless hours in Sunday School, Sacrament, Primary, Seminary and Priesthood meetings sitting on those blond benches. Each of us took our turns standing on the pulpit giving our first public speeches. Aw, good and bad memories..........

Have a Great Christmas!

Simply,
Victor

Christmas 1970. The Voices of Christmas Past. Merry Chistmas from Victor.

Home of the Williamsons on 38th Street. Rapid City.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I've spent hours and hours and hours working on a special gift to my Mattson cousins, aunts and uncles. This gift is available online for you to enjoy at the top of the right side bar ----------------->

Recently, I found three tapes made in 1970. The first tape is a recording the Charlies and Luella Williamsons and John and Beverly Mattson families made for our Grandpa Walter Mattson. It's priceless. It contains my dad Charles singing with my Aunt Bev. It has Grandma Violet Mattson singing. We all join in for several songs. Including are the voices of very very young Gina and Kirk Mattson.

The second tape was made by Marvin and Pam Mattson, again for Grandpa Walter in 1970. Included on this tape are their voices along with Shane Mattson babbling and Shelley Mattson singing and talking. Pam mother also has a few words for Walter.

The last recording is Grandpa Walter Mattson reading a story he wrote about something that happened in his life on he plains of Eastern Montana. As far as I know it is the only recording we have of Grandpa. Again, priceless.

All three tapes are on one recording now (about ten hours of work). The hardest part was figuring how to get the recording onto the blog - no easy task. It's 48 minutes long and YouTube won't handle things like this.

Anyway, its done and I'm hoping you all enjoy these voices from 40 years ago. Again, look to the top of the right side bar ----------------->
to see the link. It will say "Christmas 1970. Voices from the Past"

Merry Christmas to All.

Simply,
Victor

Christmas Card Greetings to All for 2010

Relationship Chart for the Bodily Family

Relationship Chart for the Belnap Family

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Relationship Chart for the Peterson Family

Relationship Chart for the Walker Family

Chaz Williamson Bodily Dances on ABC Television

Chaz Williamson Bodily Performing with LeAnn Rimes on ABC Television
Chaz is second in from the left

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
In yesterday's post we read about the Dancing Delgrosso Sisters. Well, they aren't the only dancers in Our American Dynasty. Jilane and Kevin Bodily have two dancing sons. Brock is a senior at Pleasant Grove High School. He's a good student that will graduate with a High School diploma and an Associates Degree from Utah Valley State University. He plans to study engineering.

Chaz is a student at Utah Valley State, studying sports journalism. Both Chaz and Brock are expected to perform in an upcoming television show (more information to follow as soon as it is available).

Recently Chaz flew to Nashville and danced with LeAnn Rimes on her holiday special broadcast on ABC television. It's hard to pick him out due to the poor quality of the YouTube video so I put a still frame at the top of the post so you could see his face.

The video is posted below the relationship chart.

Great Job Chaz!

Simply,
Victor

Relationship Chart
Click to Enlarge

The Dynasty's Dancing Family. The DelGrossos.

The Cover Page

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Members of our family were highlighted in a recent national dancesport magazine. The DelGrosso sisters danced with their cousins the Bodilys at our last large family reunion in South Dakota a few years back. Since then they've gone on to perform and teach coast to coast. In addition to their dancing, Amber, Ashley and Autumn are mothers, juggling home, family and dance.



I'm sure their dancing Grandpa Charlie Williamson would have been very proud of his Great Granddaughters.

Also, if you'd like to see a short video of the photo shoot click this link:

dancemedia.com :: Behind the Scenes with the DelGrosso Sisters

Simply,
Victor

RELATIONSHIP CHART

The Article

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Jordan Entertains at the Fortress

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Tonight we sit around the fire enjoying Jordan's cover of Winter Song. What better way to spend a snowy evening then in the company of friends, family and music. Its the way our ancestor's lived. It kept them together through thick and thin.

Quiet now, Jordan is about to sing. By the way, for those new to our virtual family gatherings, Jordan is the daughter of Janice and Steve Burrows (see relationship chart below). She works as a nanny in Los Angeles and loves to laugh.

Simply,
Victor

P.S. Steve did an excellent job with this recording and video. Steve's daughters are number one in his life (beside his awesome and most intelligent and beautiful wife Janice. There you go Janice :)

Relationship Chart

Our Bennett Family Line (Williamsons).

From the Fortress of Solitude

Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Is everyone socked in like us? It has either rained or snowed all day. Tonight a short post allowing us to see how far back our Bennett line stretches. This is yet another tie we have to England. The information is accurate as far as I know except for the link between our Great Grandfather Bennett Willis (100% sure our grandfather) to John Willis and Phebe Bennett (almost sure but can absolutely find enough credible sources to say it is 100%).

The Bennett family was centered around Chester Pennsylvania.

We start with the record of marriage of John Willis and Phebe Bennett (Quakers. Yes we come from a strong line of Quakers). The record of their marriage is recorded in the following book.

Click to Enlarge.
This is the typed from handwritten record of the marriage of our 5th Great Grandparents

Now the actual family line to the 1556. You'll see the first Bennett's lived in Sedgley. On a side note, I lived in England for two years and funny enough lived and worked in Sedgley for a couple months during that time.

Sedgley's Location in the UK

You'll then notice in the Relationship Chart the Bennett family moved to Overbury (see map below)

Overbury, England

Overbury's Parish Church

And now the Relationship Chart. I wish I had more information on this line (as in stories) but I can't find anything except for names and years. Regardless, it is interesting to see our family's roots extend across the Atlantic and then to see where they originated from.

Simply,
Victor

Relationship Chart

William Bennett b. 1556 Sedgley, England - Joan Hodgshon b. 1560 Sedgley, England.
to
Edward Bennett b. 1584 Sedgley, England - Alice Eginton b. 1586 Sedgley, England
to
John Bennett b. 1626 Overbury England - Margery Fellow b. 1628 Overbury England
to
Edward Bennett b. 1658 Overbury, England - Sarah Stanfield b. 1663 Overbury, England
to
Joseph Bennett b. 1704 Thornbury Penn. - Rebecca Fincher b. 1704 Penn.
to
John Willis b. 1732 York Penn. - Phebe Bennett b. 1735 b. Brownsville Penn.
to
Bennett Willis - Katherine Nosseman
to
Jonathan Willis - Anabella Phlegar
to
Margaret Ann Willis - George Matthew Williamson
to
William J. Williamson - Effie Helen Victor
to
their children (our parents, grand, great and great great grandparents)
Vennie, Ima Della, Inez, Lillie Ethel, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles, Maurice.
to
Us

Christmas with the Ancestors. A Slide Show of Them and Us.

John Mattson and wife Beverly with Luella Williamson, his older sister

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello!
The valley looks cold and gray from outside the Fortress window. It has rained off and on all day with no sightings of the sun. I can't see the mountains on the opposite side of Utah Lake. They've been swallowed in a wall of white cloud and fog. It is one of those days where a good book and warm fire make the world bright once more.

Did you hear unusual shouting Friday afternoon around 3:30 P.M.? If so, then you heard the vocalized joy springing from the lungs of teachers and students alike as the school bell rang in the start of the 2010 Christmas vacation. I stood in the Space Center's doorway and watched as our students nearly trampled the Foster Grandparent volunteers to the floor in their rush to exit the building. With amusement I watched the Principal, bull horn in hand, wade into the churning sea of children in search of marooned first graders shoved aside into the brick walls by the older and stronger students. There were a few bloody noses and bumped heads but I'm happy to report that everyone got out alive.

The school looked a mess with broken candy canes and crumbled sugar cookies decorating the hallway floors. Normally I wouldn't give it a second thought but our afternoon custodian called in sick (how convenient) leaving no one to clean up the building before our weekend overnight campers arrived at 7:00 P.M. Not to worry. I've got a great staff and we got things cleaned up.

The Space Center closed at 5:00 P.M. yesterday and so my vacation has formally begun.

This Tuesday evening the Mattson Family will be hosting their traditional Christmas Reunion. Mattsons from far and wide are invited to attend. It is one of the few times we all gather at one place at one time to get our fill of each for another year. To celebrate the upcoming highlight of our family social calendar, I'd like to post a few pictures from last year's gathering.

This slide show is a bit different (you should already be accustom to that). In addition to our pictures, this slide show also has pictures from our ancestor's times in Tudor England. If you remember from reading the blog's posts, we are directly and indirectly related to several of players in the drama we call the Court of Henry VII and VIII. So, the slideshow is a us now and those that came before us then.

The Christmas Carol accompanying the photographs was written by King Henry VIII and sung widely in Tudor England. Our ancestors would have known this song and sang it (especially if it was written by the King). So, enjoy watching them and us with the Christmas music of their time.

Simply,
Victor

Our American Dynasty Welcomes Its Newest Member. Kade Williamson Belnap

Annette and Kade

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Family,
This is the happiest of announcements - the arrival of a new member of our American Dynasty.

My youngest sister , Annette, delivered a baby boy this week. His name is Kade. Mother and baby are doing well.

Annette, Thane and their children live in St. George, Utah. Luella has been helping Annette with the new baby and returns to Pleasant Grove on Sunday.

Welcome to our family and the world Kade! Your family ties are below (click to enlarge)

Simply,
Uncle Victor

Our GGG Uncle Edward Dennis. A Montana Pioneer

The Vistas from Choteau, Montana.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Family,
Today we learn about the life of a Great Great Great Uncle and Montana pioneer, Edward Dennis. He was the brother of our Great Great Grandfather John Dennis.
The Relationship Chart is below:

Relationship Chart

The following information about our great uncle was taken from the book, The Progressive Men of the State of Montana, located at the University of Montana Library, Missoula.

Edward Dennis, who has thoroughly demonstrated the possibilities of successful stock growing in Montana, is a well known and highly respected resident of Teton County, residing near Choteau. He is a Southerner by birth, the place of his nativity being Knoxville, Tenn, where he was born on August 1, 1845. His father, Levi Dennis, also a native of Tennessee, removed to Sullivan county, Mo, in 1844, where he died two years later having been a lifelong farmer. His wife, Sarah (Crippin) Dennis, was born in Tennessee and passed from Earth at Fall River, S.D. in 1883. In the public schools of Sullivan county, MO., Edward Dennis obtained his rather limited education. With him it was a work-a-day world at the time, and in 1863 at the age of eighteen he came to Montana, located first at Alder Gulch, then at Helena, where he secured employment as a freighter with Capt. Parkinson, making trips to Fort Benton and Milk River.

The winter of 1865 he passed in Squaw Gulch, and in the following Spring assisted in the building of the old toll road of Messars, King and Gillett, inPrickly Pear Canyon. During the month of October, 18667, he worked in a sawmill in Strawberry Gulch, and in March, 1869, he removed to Confederate Gulch, where he engaged in the construction of a mining ditch on Hunter’s Bar, while during the Fall of that year he assisted in hauling grain and stores to the Judith Basin for the Diamond R. Company.

Returning to Sun River in the Spring of 1870, Mr. Dennis was employed on the farm of James Strong until Fall, the in company with O.S. M. Main he then purchased a ranch on Sun River, which they sold in 1875. They then bought a herd of cattle and drove them to the Teton Valley, locating on the Emerson place, seven miles from Choteau, where they remained until 1878.

Mr. Dennis was the second white man to locate in this vicinity, Mr. James Givson having been the first and Samuel Burd the third. From 1878 until 1884, Messard, Dennis and Main were engaged in filling contracts to furnish the Canadian Government with beef, Mr. Dennis purchasing the cattle in Montana and Mr. Main attending to their disposal in Canada. Mr. Main is now engaged in mining on the Blackfoot ceded strip.

Dring the fall of 1878, Mr. Dennis secured a homestead claim on 160 acres on Spring Creek, two and one half miles from Choteau, and his wife purchased an adjoining property of 160 acres in the Spring of 1900. These two claims comprise the ranch upon which the family of Mr. Dennis now resides and are profitable engaged in stock raising at the time of this writing.

On December 12, 1899 Mr. Dennis was married to Miss Lucy Callahan at Choteau. She was born at New Market, Canada on August 19, 1867. They have one child, Chester Callahan Dennis, born on March 22, 1895. Mr. Dennis quite an active worker in the circles of the Democrat Party.

Obituary of Ed Dennis May 2, 1918.

Ed Dennis, aged 83, one of the real old timers of Teton County, died at his home north of Choteau on Wednesday evening.

Deceased was born at Knoxville, Tenn., August 1, 1845, and while a young man the family moved to Missouri. In 1863 Mr. Dennis came to Montana, locating for a while at Alder Gulch, now called Virginia City, and for several years he lived at Helena. in 1875 he came to this country and located on the Teton, being the second white man to locate in this part of the country. Of late years Mr. Dennis had lived on his ranch north of Choteau. he is survived by his wife and daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Percy of Browning. Funeral services will occur tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 P.M. from the home. Interment will be made in Choteau Cemetery.

Our Great Uncle Edward was also mention in the following article concerning the construction of the Teton County, Courthouse in Choteau, Montana.

The impressive three-story Teton County Courthouse, standing in the middle of Main Avenue, is the historic center of Choteau and the hub of many governmental activities. Surrounded by nearly 100 year-old trees, this majestic stone edifice highlighted by its bell tower and grand staircases, was built in 1906 from locally-quarried sandstone taken from Rattlesnake Butte. It has been the backdrop for several movies, and embodies the timeless, inviting feeling one gets when in Choteau.

Full Description of the Historical Site or Museum

Teton County electors narrowly approved a $40,000 bond election in May 1905 to build and furnish a courthouse in the county seat of Choteau. Kalispell architects Joseph Gibson and George Shanley submitted the only plan. County Commissioners Ed Dennis of Choteau, William Cowgill of Dupuyer and Ed Bollerud of Farmington awarded the contract to Great Falls contractors, Lease and Richards, who built the courthouse on donated land between August 1905 and November 1906 at a cost of $27,795.