GRANDMA’S OLD HOUSE
By Teri Foster Palmer
Alvero Ball, born April 16, 1866 in Purdy, CA, Long Valley and Ellen (Nellie) Dyson, born Sept. 4, 1869 at Summit (Beckwourth Pass, was said to be born under that cluster of trees on the right coming up Beckwourth Pass), were married in Summit (Chilcoot) on November 18, 1892. They returned to Ball’s Canyon (behind Bordertown) where they lived with Valentine Ball and the rest of the Ball family. This is where they started raising children. They lived in Ball’s Canyon until 1910 when they bought the Wiltse Ranch on Dyson Lane.
They had 5 children, Uncle Orlo, Aunt Vera Uncle Clyde, Aunt Neva and my grandmother, Elsie Ball Pederson.
Alvero wanted to find work in Oregon so he moved his family to Oregon City where a year later they returned to Sierra Valley. They moved into Loyalton where they bought a home, now Richard and Cathy Morrell’s, then moving down the street on Meeker where they bought the old green house in the early 1920’s.
My Uncle Bobby Ball was born in the house in July of 1928. The old hospital at that time was located across the street next to where my Aunt Elda Fae Ball lives. The hospital was full at the time so Dr. Lavery asked my great Aunt Jewel to go to the Ball house and have the baby. Dr. Lavery was in-between the house and hospital until Bobby was born.
Alvero passed in May of 1949 and Ellen passed in May of 1961, leaving the house to my grandmother Elsie and my grandfather, Ralph Pederson. Ralph and Elsie were married in Reno in 1937. Ralph was born in Summit and worked for many ranchers around the valley, some including Bob Pasquetti in Sierraville and the Ramelli Ranch in Vinton. He also was a carpenter in the shipyards in San Francisco.
My mom Deanna Pederson Foster was born to them February 1939 and Uncle Gary in May of 1944. They both lived in the old green house until they graduated from Loyalton High School.
My mother married my dad, Charles Foster in September 1958 and raised Tami Foster Thompson, Teri Foster Palmer and Toni Foster Wing. Gary married Jean Stevens and had 4 children, Sandra Pederson Anderson, Lawrence, Severn, and DuWaine Pederson. Grampa passed in 1963, leaving Grandma a young widow until her passing in 1994.
From the early 1920’s there have been four generations growing up in Grandma’s house.
I am sure between us grandchildren we have many fond memories. I know I sure do, from spending the night in the big old house, dark and through the night hearing apples drop from the trees and rolling down the tin roof, picking apples for her to make applesauce and currents for current jelly, stacking wood to earn a quarter, to sitting and watching “Dark Shadow” with her while coloring in the same old 2” coloring book. I have a nice oil painting of Grandma’s house that hangs in my living room, painted by Leland Cross, date unknown, but the picture was painted with a dirt road. And how I remember those dirt roads and riding bikes with Grandma Pederson. Memories are never forgotten. In fact, I think they come more real as you grow older.
FIRE ERUPTED Saturday morning, July 6th at 11 Zollinger in Loyalton, causing a total loss to the long- abandoned structure.
Neighbor John Eberhardt was alerted to move his transport vans and Marjorie Meder, her granddaughter and husband, after hearing a loud bang and crackles, left her home and drove over to Estelle Zwicker’s on Meeker Street. John Wilson helped hose down Marjorie’s home.
Others who helped in the fire fight were Leroy Vanetti and former firefighter Rod May. Behind the burn on Jones, Libby Ryan hosed down her home.
The fire department was paged out at 10:27 AM on Saturday morning to the report of a structure fire, with several structures. Loyalton Fire was first on scene with Engine #15 within minutes, followed shortly by Engine #12 and later engine Brush #10 with approximately nine personnel. The Incident Commander was Loyalton Division Fire Chief John Evans. Mutual aid was requested at time of dispatch and the following departments provided that mutual aid: USFS Engine #61 from Sierraville Ranger Station, USFS Engine #62 from Lewis Mill on Smithneck Road and USFS Battalion Chief #61 Shawn Burt from Sierraville Ranger Station. Sierra County Fire Protection District #1 responded with an engine and a water tender.
Sierra Valley Fire from Chilcoot provided an engine and Beckwourth Fire responded with two apparatus. Cal Fire responded two Prevention/Arson Investigation Officers and an engine from the Martis Peak area south of Truckee. Also early on scene was the Sierra County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol to assist with scene control and possible evacuations, which eventually were not necessary. The Loyalton Ambulance Medic #1 from Eastern Plumas Health Care arrived to stand-by for any possible emergency medical needs. Loyalton Fire thanks the City of Loyalton for providing a long-reach back hoe and city worker/operator to assist with the mop-up process moving heavy debris on site to allow fire department better access and to ensure the fire was out. Also, a Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative lineman from Portola responded as mutual aid for Nevada Energy Company, which was a delayed response, to disconnect a power line down in the street.
On Sunday morning, Loyalton Fire was dispatched back to the scene for flare-ups.
By Teri Foster Palmer
Alvero Ball, born April 16, 1866 in Purdy, CA, Long Valley and Ellen (Nellie) Dyson, born Sept. 4, 1869 at Summit (Beckwourth Pass, was said to be born under that cluster of trees on the right coming up Beckwourth Pass), were married in Summit (Chilcoot) on November 18, 1892. They returned to Ball’s Canyon (behind Bordertown) where they lived with Valentine Ball and the rest of the Ball family. This is where they started raising children. They lived in Ball’s Canyon until 1910 when they bought the Wiltse Ranch on Dyson Lane.
They had 5 children, Uncle Orlo, Aunt Vera Uncle Clyde, Aunt Neva and my grandmother, Elsie Ball Pederson.
Alvero wanted to find work in Oregon so he moved his family to Oregon City where a year later they returned to Sierra Valley. They moved into Loyalton where they bought a home, now Richard and Cathy Morrell’s, then moving down the street on Meeker where they bought the old green house in the early 1920’s.
My Uncle Bobby Ball was born in the house in July of 1928. The old hospital at that time was located across the street next to where my Aunt Elda Fae Ball lives. The hospital was full at the time so Dr. Lavery asked my great Aunt Jewel to go to the Ball house and have the baby. Dr. Lavery was in-between the house and hospital until Bobby was born.
Alvero passed in May of 1949 and Ellen passed in May of 1961, leaving the house to my grandmother Elsie and my grandfather, Ralph Pederson. Ralph and Elsie were married in Reno in 1937. Ralph was born in Summit and worked for many ranchers around the valley, some including Bob Pasquetti in Sierraville and the Ramelli Ranch in Vinton. He also was a carpenter in the shipyards in San Francisco.
My mom Deanna Pederson Foster was born to them February 1939 and Uncle Gary in May of 1944. They both lived in the old green house until they graduated from Loyalton High School.
My mother married my dad, Charles Foster in September 1958 and raised Tami Foster Thompson, Teri Foster Palmer and Toni Foster Wing. Gary married Jean Stevens and had 4 children, Sandra Pederson Anderson, Lawrence, Severn, and DuWaine Pederson. Grampa passed in 1963, leaving Grandma a young widow until her passing in 1994.
From the early 1920’s there have been four generations growing up in Grandma’s house.
I am sure between us grandchildren we have many fond memories. I know I sure do, from spending the night in the big old house, dark and through the night hearing apples drop from the trees and rolling down the tin roof, picking apples for her to make applesauce and currents for current jelly, stacking wood to earn a quarter, to sitting and watching “Dark Shadow” with her while coloring in the same old 2” coloring book. I have a nice oil painting of Grandma’s house that hangs in my living room, painted by Leland Cross, date unknown, but the picture was painted with a dirt road. And how I remember those dirt roads and riding bikes with Grandma Pederson. Memories are never forgotten. In fact, I think they come more real as you grow older.
FIRE ERUPTED Saturday morning, July 6th at 11 Zollinger in Loyalton, causing a total loss to the long- abandoned structure.
Neighbor John Eberhardt was alerted to move his transport vans and Marjorie Meder, her granddaughter and husband, after hearing a loud bang and crackles, left her home and drove over to Estelle Zwicker’s on Meeker Street. John Wilson helped hose down Marjorie’s home.
Others who helped in the fire fight were Leroy Vanetti and former firefighter Rod May. Behind the burn on Jones, Libby Ryan hosed down her home.
The fire department was paged out at 10:27 AM on Saturday morning to the report of a structure fire, with several structures. Loyalton Fire was first on scene with Engine #15 within minutes, followed shortly by Engine #12 and later engine Brush #10 with approximately nine personnel. The Incident Commander was Loyalton Division Fire Chief John Evans. Mutual aid was requested at time of dispatch and the following departments provided that mutual aid: USFS Engine #61 from Sierraville Ranger Station, USFS Engine #62 from Lewis Mill on Smithneck Road and USFS Battalion Chief #61 Shawn Burt from Sierraville Ranger Station. Sierra County Fire Protection District #1 responded with an engine and a water tender.
Sierra Valley Fire from Chilcoot provided an engine and Beckwourth Fire responded with two apparatus. Cal Fire responded two Prevention/Arson Investigation Officers and an engine from the Martis Peak area south of Truckee. Also early on scene was the Sierra County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol to assist with scene control and possible evacuations, which eventually were not necessary. The Loyalton Ambulance Medic #1 from Eastern Plumas Health Care arrived to stand-by for any possible emergency medical needs. Loyalton Fire thanks the City of Loyalton for providing a long-reach back hoe and city worker/operator to assist with the mop-up process moving heavy debris on site to allow fire department better access and to ensure the fire was out. Also, a Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative lineman from Portola responded as mutual aid for Nevada Energy Company, which was a delayed response, to disconnect a power line down in the street.
On Sunday morning, Loyalton Fire was dispatched back to the scene for flare-ups.
