Rex Simeon Dunn

Rex is the youngest and thirteenth child of Simeon Harmon and Anna Buletta Jensen Dunn. He spent his childhood in Manassa. At the age of nine, he contracted polio and, consequently, spent many years in hospitals and at his sister's, Ethel Forsyth's, home in Los Angeles. After his graduation from Manassa High School, Rex attend and received a B.A. Degree from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado.

Rex maried Nancy Ellen Tracey of Manassa. They moved to Segundo, Colorado, where Rex taught Business Education. Their three oldest children, Phillip, Steven, and Paula, were born while they were in Segundo. Rex then taught school in Roy, New Mexico, Socorro, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rex received his Master's Degree from Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Nancy is the daughter of Roy Francis Tracey and Philomena Humrichouse. She moved to Manassa at the age of three years. When she was five, her mother married A. C. Nielson. Nancy attended Manassa schools and received a B. A. and M.A. Degree from Adams State College. Both Rex and Nancy have worked as teachers and Rex as a school administrator.

The family then lived in Quemado, new Mexico for seven years. Their youngest son, George was born during this time. The family moved to Farmington, New Mexico and they still live there.

This history was taken from A History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen, Compiled by Vera Dunn Olivier and published June, 1993, page 143

Doris Dunn Mortensen

Doris was the eighth daughter of tenth child of Simeon Harmon and Anna Buletta Jensen Dunn. She attended school in Manassa and graduated from Manassa High School on May 21, 1937.

Doris remembers her childhood as follows: "We were a close family and had a very happy childhood, with all the advantages available at that time. We were all taught to work by helping in the garden, doing housework, and helping on the farm, cooking and even milking, when necessary. Papa suffered eight daughters learning how to cook. We had some very happy times, too, going pinon nut hunts and having candy pulls. Papa liked nothing better than to have Papa play the piano while he and Mama would sing to us. Our home was always open to our friends."



While still in high school, Doris was dance director in the Manassa MIA with her brother, Edgar. When she was a junior in high school, Verden Mortensen came to Manassa to finish high school. The school in Sanford he had been attending was closed for financial reasons. He was on the basketball team and Doris was a cheerleader. They started dating and Doris' Christmas present that year was a diamond. They were married at the John B. Reed ranch on March 21, 1937, and then travelled to Salt Lake City, Utah, where they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on March 25, 1937. To this union were born seven girls and one boy: DeAnn, Rosalie, Lorna Jeanne, Mary Lyne, Gary Harmon, Delores, Susan and Kathy June.



The Mortensens lived on a ranch near Sanford until 1956. At that time, Verden went to New Mexico to work on road construction. Doris stayed at the ranch with the family until her mother passed away. At that time the family moved to Manassa to live with her father. The family lived in Manassa for 18 years. When Verden quit construction work, they moved back to the ranch.

While living in Manassa, Doris held several positions in the Church --Primary teacher, member of the Primary presidency, MIA teacher, Stake MIA Board member, and Stake Girl's Camp Leader. After moving back to Sanford, she was Mother Education leader in the Relief Society. In 1979, the Sanford Ward was divided and she was put in as the Relief Society President of the Sanford 2nd Ward. She held that position until she became an extraction missionary. Doris has served as a visiting teacher all of her married life.

The history above was taken from A History of the Ancestors & Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Anna Buletta Jensen compiled by Vera Dunn Olivier published June, 1993

Frances Edna Dunn

Rueben Gillespie Moyle, the son of Matthew and Eliza Mary Gillespie Moyle, met Frances Dunn, eldest child of Simeon Harmon and Anna Buletta Jensen, in Allturas California. After much pleading and persistent courting, they were married in Reno, Navada. In the beginning, the only dependents were Fluffy, the cat, and a dog whose name cannot be remembered. Following the birth of their third child, Gayle, Rueben became sick and spent much time in the hospital.

In order for Frances to care for her ill husband, she sent their three children, Rueben Dean, Kay, and Gayle by train with Edgar and LaVerl Dunn to stay with their grandparents, Simeon and Anna Dunn in Manassa, Colorado.

The children stayed there for almost a year. When Reuben was well enough, they made a trip to Manassa to pick up the children. At this time, the decision was made to stay in Manassa.

Frances was a registered nurse and was employed at Alamosa Community Hospital. Reuben set up a poultry business in order to stay home with the children. Prior to this time, Reuben had worked most of his life as a carpenter. Frances worked as a registered nurse for many years. The family first lived on a farm near Romeo and later they purchased a home outside of Alamosa.

Reuben passed away on 23 Jul 1970, and is buried in Manassa. Frances has been an inspiration to all of her relatives. She remains active at the age of 91 (at the time of the history). After Reuben's death, they spent sever winters in California with her father, participating in work for the dead in the Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Frances is now living at the San Luis Valley Care Center in Alamosa. She has remained active in the church and is still a Relief Society Visiting teacher at the age of 91. She also still does temple work whenever she gets a way to go to Denver.

Taken from A History of the Ancestors and Descendants of Simeon Harmon Dunn and Annie Buletta Jensen, Compiled and published privately by Vera Dunn Olivier June, 1993,

Grandma and Grandpa Dunn

Grandma Lived in Eastdale, Colorado and was in school there. Grandpa Dunn was her teacher. They fell in love and were married.

They lived in Eastdale until my mom was born. Just before Edgar was born they moved to Manassa. All of the rest of the children were born in Manassa.

My grandparents were a great blessing in my life and the lives of my brothers and sisters. I remember as children, Betty Jean, Keith, Rex, and I were close in age and did a lot of things together.

One time Keith and Rex got Dad's 22 rifle and were playing cops and robbers and put a bullet in it and were going to shoot Betty Jean and me and the shell jammed in the gun and the gun was never any good after that. I think for Betty Jean and Me that was one of the Lord's tender mercies.

We spent many Sunday afternoons at Grandma and Grandpa's home. We lived in Manassa at that time.

Later when we moved to Romeo, it was fun to go to grandma's house. When our parents died, grandma's house was a place for me to go for solace. I love my grandparents.

I grew up among them

I am Larry Arlo Vance, son of Gatha Bingham Vance and Donald Arlo Vance. I grew up in Manassa Colorado. I lived with my parents across the street from Elma and Boyd Pagett. Elma is my mother's aunt. Gatha's mother is Elma's sister.

As I grew up in Manassa our family had the occasion to interact with several of the sibblings from the Simeon Dunn family. I suspect that some of them will outlive much of the 2nd and 3rd generations. I am grateful for the help that my family received from the Dunn family. They were always there to help us.



I remember that one day when I was in my younger years (single digits) and had received a bow and arrow as a gift. I shot my arrow up on the roof of the house. I went up onto the roof to retrieve my arrow by going up through the attic onto the roof. I retrieved the arrow and by the time I had descended back to the ground through the hatch into the attic my mother was waiting for me. She told me she found out I was on the roof from Elma.

Family photos

I love this old photo (It's also in the header). It's fun to look at the faces and remember when things were a bit different. I've tried to make a list of the people in the picture but some I can't recognize. I would love it if you could help me complete the list and make corrections where they are needed.




Do you know who the people in this photo are? What year was it taken?