Callister History and Families

 

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My Mother Taught Me
by Margaret Smith Callister

Grandma and Grandpa Stories
collected memories from Callister family reunions

Orson Callister Life Sketch
rough version from notes

Rulon Callister Life History
( pdf version)

Chasing Alexander
Origins of the the Callister Families and Name

 

 

 

 
 

 

This is an evolving site. Mom wrote a book of recollections from her childhood, and I put it on the web so others in the family could read it. Then Dad wrote his life story, (currently being revised prior to publishing it in html), and I put up the pdf version in the meantime. I plan to add Mother's story as well.

I promised a shirt-tail relative I met in Utah to send him some of my research into the origins of the Callisters, and decided I might as well publish that as well.

Most recently I added a collection of memories of Grandma and Grandpa Callister compiled by my siser Lois Lang for a family reunion a few years ago, to which I have added a few more stories. This could also stand some additonal editing.

I have a lot of other material, pictures, stories, and genealogies I plan to add as time permits, including the revised version of Grandpa's story, Grandma's story, and Thomas Callister's story, all from the Red Book.

I've also done quite a lot of research into the various Callister and Jones lines as well as my Mother's family, the Smiths, so if any of you are working on one of those lines and want to compare notes email me or call me at 415.883.0449.

Orson and Ella Callister

O

rson Pratt Callister met Annie Francella Jones in Overton, Nevada when they were both still teenagers. Grandma had moved there as a child with her parents from Southern Utah after polygamy was outlawed. Her father set up households for his three wives in three far-flung locations including the Big Muddy Valley near where Lake Mead is today.

Grandpa arrived in the community to visit his mother, who had gone there to be with her own on-again off-again husband, Major Holt, who she married after Great-Grandfather Callister died. Grandpa later noted that his stay in Overton "was most rewarding because I met a young lady who was years later to become my wife." more