Happy Memorial Day

We headed out to the cemeteries today to visit the burial places of some of Jared’s ancestors.  We hoped this would be a fun way to teach our kids a little bit about some of the people who went before them.  Jared has told them lots of stories about many of his ancestors, and today we got to see where a few of them were laid to rest.

First we stopped at the Logan Cemetery, where Jared’s Grandma & Grandpa Ripplinger (Conrad L. & V. Beth) are buried.  (As you can see in the pictures, it snowed a wee bit over night!  Just more evidence of the crazy weather we’ve been having!)

We also saw the headstones for Lawrence and Lorraine Ripplinger (great-grandparents) and John Baptist Ripplinger (2nd great grandfather).  John Baptist Ripplinger was the first Ripplinger to join the Church (in Switzerland) and come to America.

Then we headed to Smithfield.  We were able to find the headstones for Samuel Roskelley (3rd great grandfather) and his wife, Rebecca Hendricks Roskelley.  Samuel was disowned by his family when he joined the church as a teenager in England, and he lived with Brigham Young’s family for a time after immigrating to Utah in 1853, and before settling in Cache Valley.  Samuel Roskelley was the first recorder for the Logan Temple and the great grandfather of Jared’s grandma, Vera Beth (Roskelley) Ripplinger.

After that we drove out to Richmond, where James and Drusilla Hendricks are buried.

James Hendricks is Jared’s 4th great grandfather (father-in-law of Samuel Roskelley), and he joined the church along with his wife, Drusilla, in Tennessee in 1835.  James was shot in the neck and paralyzed during the battle of Crooked River in Missouri during the years of persecution the Saints suffered before coming West.  He was given a blessing by Joseph Smith, Sr. and regained some of his mobility, allowing him to walk again.

We can’t go to Richmond without stopping at Pepperidge Farms.  Jared and the kids ran in (while I tried to feed Daniel in the car) and picked up some goldfish crackers and a few other yummies.

We headed back to Logan and, after a pit-stop at Shopko (so I could finish feeding Daniel), and Sam’s Club (so we could have lunch), we went to Millville.

Jared, Emily and Josh were able to find the headstones for Thomas Jessop (3rd great grandfather), and Johanna Ravsten Holm (3rd great grandmother).  Johanna and her son, Magnus, were Swedish immigrants.  Shortly after immigrating to Utah Johanna died and her son was left with no family around.  He ended up working on the Logan Temple construction.  Magnus Holm married Martha Louise Jessop, a daughter of Thomas Jessop.  Magnus and Martha Holm were the grandparents of Jared’s great grandmother, Lorraine (Holm) Ripplinger.

We are thankful for the heritage that has been left for us by so many strong and faithful people.  We hope our kids will always honor that heritage and carry forward with that same strength and faith.