Venitta Gertrude Perrett Minson and husband,

Frank Minson holding Venitta Eliza Minson born June 1903.

Frank Minson

1877 to 1962 1962

1877 Mar 4: Frank Minson was born in Paris, Idaho, to Thomas and Catherine (Ward) Minson. When he was born, one of his feet was out of shape. His father, Thomas, was a shoemaker, and he fashioned a special shoe for the little misshapen foot. As a result, Frank's foot grew into the proper shape.

Frank's childhood was much the same as other children his age. There was much hardship and privation. Everyone in the family had to work to provide for the necessities of the large family. Such was the life of most pioneers.

Frank loved to talk of his past experiences and life. His memory for names and details was remarkable. He, like most young people, enjoyed a good time. We might question some of their games as being fun today. He told of the girls and boys cutting long willows, choosing up teams, and switching each others legs. The girls with their high-button shoes, long skirts, and numerous petticoats, didn't fare so badly, but the young men sported some pretty healthy welts.

Frank often told of the logging trips that the men took into the hills to get poles for fencing and wood for the winter. The work was hard but they enjoyed singing and jokes and story telling around the campfire at night. An occasional prank also helped to break the monotony of the hard day's work.

Pranks and practical jokes were not confined to logging trips either. He told of taking apart the running of a wagon and putting it together atop someone's house; of leaning a barrel half filled with water against someone's door, knocking at the door and running; and of fixing a bucketful of water in such a way that when the unsuspecting victim answered the knock, he was greeted by a very refreshing bath. The people at this time worked hard.

1899 Sep 12: When Frank was 22 years of age, he was called to Canada on a “3 or 4 month” work mission for the Church. The call came “11 Sep 1899 and Frank started for Canada Sep 12th in answer to the call.” The church had contracted to build an irrigation canal to help pay off some of its indebtedness. Not long after they began their work, the cook became ill and had to go home. The cooking was then done by men, each taking a turn. Many of the men had never even boiled water and some of the messes served up were intolerable. Frank had always liked to do a little puttering around the kitchen. When his turn came to be cook, the men were so happy with his cooking that he became chief cook. He returned home from this mission 23 Dec 1899.

1900 Feb 3: “My son Frank was ordained an Elder by President James H. Hart.” “Frank was a sincere and religious boy, attending church regularly and fulfilling all requirements in the priesthood.”

1901 Jun 19: At the age of 24, Frank married Vinetta Gertrude Perrett, 20, in the Logan Temple. M.W. Merrill performed the ceremony. They were blessed with nine children.

Life was not easy for Frank and his young bride as they struggled to make a home in Paris, Idaho. The death of their first two little sons was indeed a trial for them:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1902 Mar 30 to May 13 1902: –George Thomas Minson (almost 6 weeks old).

1904 Aug 9 to Dec 3 1904: Lorenzo Frank Minson (almost 4 months old).

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These are Frank and Gertrude Minson's two eldest children that lived:

Venitta b 1903.

Russell b 1907.

1908 about: In about the year 1908, they moved to Brigham City. There Frank worked in the knitting factory for his brother-in-law, John Anderson. Part of the time in the summers he would go up and down the country soliciting orders for woolen goods. His transportation was a bicycle. He even went far up into Idaho.

It must have been while they were living in Brigham City that Frank attended Barber College in Salt Lake. To help meet his expenses, he worked as a street car conductor.

Thomas Minsons Personal Journal in black:

1911 Apr 3: "Visited John Anderson, my son in law at 968 Martin Ave, 10 South, 9th E. Salt Lake City Utah -- stayed until May 13th- : "Recorded about 600 names from the Genealogical Society Records, and the baptism for 100 persons on my father's side - assisted by my daughter, Eliza (age38) and son, Frank (age 34).”

1911 Apr 28:  John Anderson, family and self took auto ride to Brigham City to see our loved ones.  We all met at Franks on Saturday evening.  John Minson and Lettie, Nels P. Anderson and Catherine, Frank Minson and Gertrude and family.  John Anderson and Eliza family and self partook of a beautiful supper at John Minsons and spent a pleasant evening.

(Neat to read this, isn't it!  Most of the journal entries are brief concerning the family.  So, apparently the Apr 28, 1911 experience was very very special to Thomas.)

1913 Nov 27: (Thomas records a glimpse of a tender and caring son:)  "I was taken seriously ill in the night and for a week I was not expected to recover.  My son Frank from Lincoln stayed 8 days with me."

1914 Dec 25: Frank came to spend Christmas with us and his cheerful face spreads sunshine all around. 

1915 Jul 23:  Wife and I went to Rexburg Idaho to visit with our son Arthur & family.

1915 Jul 26:  My 74th birthday anniversary.  Frank and Arthur presented me with a gold ring.  While in Rexburg we visited the great dry farms going through one of 2,000acres of. . .

1915 Aug 6:  Went to Idaho Falls.  Frank met us there with Auto and took us to his home 4 miles to Lincoln.  Went through the great Sugar factory and during the week they shipped 21 cars of sugar aggregating 1,680,000 #.

1915 Aug 16:  The roof of John Anderson's knitting factory at 5th East 7th So. took fire, loss about $350.00 covered by insurance.

1915 Aug 18:  Attended Old Folks Annual at Idaho Falls, good program, splendid banquet, 200 guests sat to the tables.

1915 Aug 19:  Returned to Salt Lake, my wife stopped off at Ogden for a weeks visit  (who with?)

1915 Aug 26:  My wife's 64th birthday - letters of congratulations from Frank, Jesse and Moroni, Lurline and Annie with 3  2.00 checks.

There has been 85 days of continuous drought.

1911 July: . . . the family moved to Lincoln, Idaho, just five miles from Idaho Falls. There Frank operated a barber shop and confectionery. Later they added groceries. This "Shop" as it was called, was across the street from the Utah-Idaho Sugar Factory and was quite a social center for the men folk. Frank loved to have people around him. He was an excellent checker player and there were few people who ever were able to beat him. There was nearly always a gallery of kibitzers; and occasionally, when a game became really tense and the spectators were as engrossed as the players, someone would light a fire-cracker and roll it along under the bench. Needless to say the game ended with more excitement than was expected.

Frank’s barber shop. Dau, Venitta is in white apron. The other two are ??

Picture about 1913 –Notice two babies, lower right.

1913 Frank and Gertrude had 5 children living:

Venitta b. 1903;

Russell b 1907:

Mary Ellen b 1909;

Catherine b 1911; and

Smith b 1913.

Not sure who these children are. Think some may be Frank’s children.

Maybe Venitta is center back.

We think these are Frank/Gertrude Minson’s children: Venitta, Mary Ellen, Lillian, and we are not sure who else. IF the baby is Smith—who was born 1913—Picture would be about 1914.

Venitta born 1903 does not look 10 or 11.

Mary Ellen b 1909 might be 5.

Lillian b 1911 might be 3.

Russell b Jan 1907 might be 7 holding Smith b 1913

The folks never made a million dollars in the shop, but they were able to keep their family from suffering any want. Frank had never had much formal education but he was able to keep the business end of the shop in good order. If he had been a little more hard-hearted he would have been a better business man. He never turned away anyone in need. At Christmas time he took boxes of groceries to widows and those he thought were in need. Frank and Gertrude were well known in the town for their help with the sick. Sometimes he was even called "Doc." Gertrude helped deliver many of the babies born in Lincoln and few people thought to pay her anything. One winter they heard of an elderly woman who was dying of cancer. They went to see her. She was lying on a bed of boards with no mattress. They immediately took a bed of their own with a mattress and clean sheets to help make her more comfortable. They both got much joy out of doing for others. Some of Frank's greatest pleasures were hunting and fishing and camping out. Occasionally he and his wife and several other couples would go to the mountains to camp, fish, or hunt, and gather chock-cherries for Jerry. Picture about 1917 The Father's and Son's outings were a real thrill for him and he rarely ever missed one.

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1918 Nov 29: "Jesse W. Minson and Lurline Lillie Long Minson died at Magna, Utah, of influenza. Buried at Paris Cemetery 3 Dec. . . . His brother, Frank Minson and his sister, Catherine Anderson and her two children accompanied the remains." (Paris, Idaho Post, obit.)

The Frank & Gertrude Minson Children about 1911.

Venitta,

Russell, Mary Ellen,

And

Lillian born

Sep 1911.

Venitta, Russell, Mary Ellen, Lillian and Smith b Mar 1913.

The Frank Minson Family about 1917

Smith looks about 4 = abt 1917. If so:

Frank is 40, Gertrude 36; Venitta 14,

Russel 10, Mary Ellen 8, Lillian Catherine 6 and Smith about 4.

LaFon b. 1920 and Althea b. 1923

Two youngest daughters of Gertrude and Frank Minson.

Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, CA. abt 1928.

Back: Moroni; Eliza; Joseph; Tom; Chrissy; Gertrude; Russell; Anne.

Middle: Lillian 17? Gwendolyn 19? Lucille 29.

Front: Girl sitting cross legged, LaFon 8; Front of Lucille is Ruby 7;

Pearl 12, kneeling; Grant 5; Girl far right, Althea 5; Girl in bonnet who?

Minsons living in California at this time (or at least together here.)

Joseph and Chrissy & Gwendolyn? Eliza, Tom and Lucille.

Moroni, Anne, Pearl, Ruby and Grant.

Frank, Gertrude, Russell, Lillian, LaFon, & Althea. Here from Lincoln, Idaho.

Abt 1928 Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, California

Dixie Minson said: “ Do you notice how dressed up the men, women and children are?  The women are in coats - and hats too.  Looks like a Sunday gathering or perhaps an Easter activity.  It’s cool enough for coats to be on the women and Grant had on a sweater.

The family would meet in their Sunday best for Christmas and Easter.

It was not the 4^th of July, they were dressed too warmly.

It was a special occasion for the whole California Minson family to be at the park.”

(Looks like Frank Minson Family are here visiting from Lincoln, Idaho. They moved to Ontario, California in 1933.)

Eliza 55, Joseph 59, white dress Gwendolyn, 19? Tom 20, Frank 51, Lou 29, Chrissy 57, Russell 21, Gertrude 47, Anne 33, scarf lady – Lillian, 17?

Girl leaning back, LaFon 8. Ruby 7, below purse, bonneted girl abt 2? Pearl 12 kneeling, Grant 5, Girl far right, Althea 5.

1928 Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, California

Joseph 59, is in the other two Lincoln Park Pictures.

He probably took this picture. Joseph died Oct 29, 1928.

Back: Frank Minson 51; Moroni Minson 35; Russell Minson 21; Tom Anderson 20;

Middle: Lucille 29; Gwendolyn Minson 19; Chrissey 57; Gertrude 47; Anne 33; Eliza Anderson 55;

Front: Ruby 7; Bonneted girl? Grant 5; Althea 5. Pearl 12.

LaFon 8, is not here, but it’s thought she was in other 2 Park pictures.

1933 June: Frank took his wife and two youngest girls to live in Ontario, California. For some time they operated a little neighborhood grocery. When they sold the store they went to live with their oldest daughter, Venitta Crowley, who also lived in Ontario. Frank always enjoyed gardening and he really loved California because he could grow such lovely flowers the whole year around.

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Rachel and Arthur Minson (white hat); Gertrude and Frank Minson (dark hat); Anne Minson (Moroni taking picture?) Elizabeth, wife of Russell, son of G. and Frank, is between Rachel and Gertrude. Gertrude died in May of 1943. So this is before that.

left to r. -?- -?-

Anne, Ruth Crowley, Venitta Gertrude, Russell, Ken, Elizabeth, Mary Ellen (hidden) (Ken thinks it is Althea, but Mary Ellen is more likely); Donna, Carol Minson d/o Russell.

Carol was born 1937---she looks about 4.

This probably taken abt 1941.

If so, Ruth Crowley would be 13.

Ralph thinks it is his sister Lorraine who also would be 13 in 1941.

Who is Donna related to?

Woman on left with little boy is who?

1938-1939

“Frank has his arm on the shoulder of his wife Venitta (Gertrude).  Anne is peeking over the woman’s shoulder. That’s likely Moroni next to Anne. The children are Loraine and Ralph.  It was taken in Bloomington and Ralph thinks the end women are two of the Haddocks, but he is not sure of that.  He said he was four or five years old so the picture was taken in 1938 or 39.  He has a faint recollection of that trip.  He said he caught his first fish about then.” Dixie.

If it is 1943:

Moroni is 50, Frank 66,

Kate 57, Eliza 71,

This looks a bit like Ontario where Frank lived.

Wonder if they are gathered together after

The funeral for Venitta Gertrude Minson.

Venitta Gertrude Minson, Franks wife,

died on May 27, 1943, in Ontario.

Catherine Venitta Eliza

1943 May 27, Gertrude, his wife (62), died of a heart attack.

He was very broken-hearted for it left him very much alone.

Frank was alone for 19 years.

He died 31 Jan 1962.

He lived in Ontario, California the rest of his life.

.

He spent the summers in Utah and Idaho visiting his children. In his later years, he found much happiness in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Perhaps about 1944.

L to R: Smith Minson, Venitta M. Crowley, Frank, Althea M. Ray, LaFon M. Haack,

Mary Ellen M.; Lillian M. Peterson, Russell Minson. -

Taken at LaFon’s house, Idaho Falls, Idaho, April 1958.

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE OCCASION WAS?

LaFon wrote Jan 2005:

“Yes I do know.   It was taken after our son, Tommy Paul Haack, was killed.  This was after the funeral in Idaho Falls.  He was killed in an automobile accident at the age of 19.” (28 April 1958.) Lafonhaack@aol.com

Frank Minson

about age 80 ?

left to right:

Frank, Kate, Vinetta Minson Crowley, Margaret and Smith Minson,

and Eliza Minson Anderson.

Smith and Vinetta are children of Frank.

Eliza, Kate and Frank are brother-sister.

About 1955

Picture of FRANK MINSON "78 years old March 1955."

He had 37 grandchildren and

more than 45 great-grandchildren

at the time of his death.

Letter from Frank Minson.

1962 Jan 31: Frank Minson

passed away in California

at the age of 84.

He would have been 85 on March 4.

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Records of Frank Minson in possession of:

Allen Lionel Petersen, 6741 South 23rd East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117. Also -- Ralph T. Minson, 1779 West 550 N. West Point, Utah 84015.

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1877 Apr 3: Frank was blessed by Chas C. Rich.

1885 Jun 7: He was baptized and confirmed by Robert Price.

(Information found in family and temple record of Thomas Minson, Vol. 2, sheet 1.)

1880 May 14: Patriarchal blessing by James Works.

1890 Jul 21: Ordained to the office of Deacon by J.J. Humphreys.

1896 Nov 20: Teacher by Robert Price.

1899 Sep 12: Departed for Mission to Canada to work on Canal.

1899 Dec 23: returned from mission.

1900 Feb 3: Elder by James H. Hart.

Mary Ellen Minson, dau of Frank and Gertrude, was born Jan 1909.

So this picture is about 1920?

I did not know Frank Minson. But this picture of him is the way I picture him. Carol Minson.

Frank Minson Timeline

Compiled by Ken Minson and Roland Minson

1877 Mar 4: Frank Minson was born in Paris, Idaho to Thomas & Catherine Minson

1877 Apr 3: Frank blessed by Apostle Chas. C. Rich

1880 May 14: Patriarchal blessing by James Work

1885 Jun 7: Baptized by Robert Price

1899 Sep 12 Frank leaves for work mission in Canada. The men like his cooking so

much that he becomes the chief cook.

1901 Jun 19: Marries Venitta Gertrude Perrett in Logan Temple - He 24 - She 20

1902-1907: George Thomas, Venitta Eliza, Lorenzo Frank, Russell Perrett, all born in

Paris, Idaho

1902 May 13: George dies (almost 3 mo. old.) Buried in Paris

1904 Dec 2: Lorenzo Frank dies (almost 4 mo.) Buried in Paris

1908 (abt); Moved to Brigham City - worked for John Anderson in his factory and

on the road selling John’s goods. (traveled by bicycle even up into Idaho)

1909 Jan 17: Mary Ellen is born in Brigham City

1911 Apr 28: Thos Minson’s Journal mentions auto ride with John/Eliza Anderson & family to Brigham City, “met at Franks. John Minson/Lettie, Nels P. Anderson/ Catherine, Frank Minson/Gertrude & family.

1911: Moved to Lincoln, Idaho

1911-1923: Lillian Catherine, Smith Earnest, LaFon, & Myrtle Althea all born in

Lincoln, Idaho

1933: Moved to Ontario, California with wife, & LaFon, Myrtle Althea.

1943 May 27: Wife, Venitta “Gertrude” died in Ontario

1962 Jan 31: Frank died in California - He and Gertrude had nine children -

37 Grandchildren, 45 Great Grandchildren at time of his death.

LINKS:

Thomas Minson life story and pictures

Catherine Ward life story and pictures

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