Joseph City on the Little Colorado: chapters 19-21

Typescript of chapters 19 through 21 of a manuscript dated 1972 and entitled "Joseph City on the Little Colorado," by George S. Tanner and J. Morris Richards. 55 leaves, mostly unpaged, followed by miscellaneous pages from other manuscripts. Note that there are significant differences in the text found in another version also in this collection, in Box 15. Both copies have notes about being edited in 1973. This copy is largely unpaginated and is probably the earlier version.

I CHAPTER l1 I / 11Obed On March 30, 1876, at I six days after the James Brown camp, George side .of the Little Colorado I and Old Taylor River, the arrival of the Lake led his opposite first Mission- company to the the location south I c. of William I Allen Is f'rmpany. Blythe stated were only half in a letter a mile apart. to the Deseret News that If so they were too close the I two camps to the river for safety. three Joseph H. Richards, quarters of a mile Joseph City railroad worked sunnner which was about City miles crops group three in the area planted of ditch There near to build is a well together miles where they their camp. while Allen's written cooperatively=_on ·to clear, their camps. later built their T@.s though of the men as they plow and plant The.·next~day ditch" The Sabbath .had an extra land 1:sifter his arrival 0 the sad event day his t-Jas ~<f bad three. brief dia/4 1 the observed, as they was probably is mentioned City the first dams and ditches to raise a crop by all cemetery. that to level off. land for today who had died his and buried April first year. "water to the ar.rival farm. they Francis Ham- 27. among the Arizona the diarists. 2 the and wheat." from dam and ditches and the week following death vividly to build over planted H. Richards, He describes he was helping "layed first the Joseph while by Joseph April~~ to try time alternated day of rest moved to the Joseph above The Obed group fort group he was "clearing mond a young man from Ogden Valley" This miles the Obed group had six meant hastened their and the day following Day after tney were a dam that above a member of the Obed company who arrived the activities says depot. The two groups their in a letter· to Andrew Jensen, 1· apart. Both camps were 3 or~ missionaries Harr.mond' s remains I and \--~re later The Blythe item appeared in the Deseret News April 28, 1876. This is a youngster's guess. The Richards estimate is more likely. 2 copies of the Richards diary have.been placed in most of the libraries only the years of Utah and Arizona. It is unfortunate that it contained 1876, 1881, and 1885. He was said to have written in other years, but if so, theEe of his diaries have been losto The dam which was built of cottonwood logs, brush,/4.nd completed June 6, and the water put into ditches on the land already planted. .,,--. Obed's ma~power been as many as 55 or 60 at work force on dam-, 'ditch, Little the first the peak. and farm, ing a bower and blacksmith During Richards moved his family of Lake's group ing on the wall. out fort 12 rods describes ten first states other their work such a s build- probably the in their camp across wagon-boxes site at moved at about the that of a bower, the or tents. spring May ti.me. At the a cook shack, of work on the stood at each opposite vigor and was "nearly as 2~ feet thick at fort is· dated at 114. the base "Work- 3: The fort corners." finished" July was The work on the by August and one foot 8. at Richards the top, high. thick that of ten feet, _feet. them to divide at to the premanent The thermometer bastions with The L.D.S. feet they remained in Obed consisted mention (fort) the walls feet doing There may have shop. square, was pursued Allen's. enabled Camp, and lived ti.me of the move the buildings Richards' besides two months from Allen's and a blacksmith This than shop. Colorado 27, and the rest was greater stone, was which was the was probably Church Histor~cal at the b~se, tapering the walls on the east, while Richards not off on the south diary agrees finished Encyclopedia because to 18 inches west, it states and north was only on this thick built latter of the departure were the walls at the finished to a height point, and the were~ top. It to a height of about south describes the fort five wall of most of the men for Utah. R. E. Porter also as follows: "Lake's colony constructed the most substantial fort of the group. A short distance to the south of Obed are low hills compoaed of large flat stones but a few inches in thickness. The colonists, of course broke these into usable sizes for use in the construction work. The writer remembers playing as a boy in and on the walls of this fort, with its heavy gate at the eastern entrance, its bastions at the northeast and south-west corners from which all approach could be covered by gunfire, and its numerous portholes around all walls and especially in the bastions. "Since all traces of the fort have been erased 'it is a fair question to know what happened to these walls which if left alone would have remained for many years. Within the life time of the present writer much of this stone was used for I • lllffi4!~ a reservoir built nearby to hold water pumped from the springs, and meant to irrigate some of the acres of the area. The agricultural pn:>motion proved a dismal failure and later some of this same stone was hauled to the river to riprap a bridge approach spanning the Little Colorado. When this bridge was washed away the rock from the old fort was covered in the river by the quick sand." 3 re.p&~Ji.¼ftg Building History says, constructed_ . , of homes within "Nearly ofilogs; . Richards ~#o new l~ber, numbers five joists, process is not unsuitable bottoms. The earliest for cottonwood At best, the fort were process. Having Cottonwood been little trees or in modest a sawmill available By the use of ax and adz however, furniture. intf"afters, The thrifty floor farmers some of the cottonwood even dug logs, but the was discontinued. floors were made with was also of the standing house inside bad to be fashione~ to whipsaw either logs lumber. and crude in mud, and stone were·made The Encyclopedic of rock." Even had there as it was, and attempted set were built some of the building suitable was so slow it quarry, is of interest. bad to use what was available. window frames a saw pit walls however, grew in the river timber, fort the homes which were built describes they cottonwood this all the used same kind in stockade building smooth stones from the rock for many of the of sandstone fashion used and chinked was difficult before -fl¥t,or of in the mud. with the The roofs. coming of the saw mill. Late in September 1876 a delegation Richards, joined Mountains and installed Richards, "on November 7th sawe'3: 1,500 colonists feet loaded where they even though arrived men from the other a sawmill of lumber." 1,?P~feet the the lumber last colonies sawmill Three of lumber was unseasoned in the old days of August later on their could site by the Church. started days including at a mill furnished ...~gC'ebp{4. Tbiy Some of the houses During the from Obed, in the Mogollon Again blowing its he with two of his whistle quoting and fellow wagons and started nmv do a better H. Joseph for Obed, job of building and unsurfacedo fort ware built 187 6, Richards before the sawmill was \-JOrking over-time 3 R. E. Porter, long time i.;ard clerk at Joseph extensively but his writings have not been published. as his writings are well done. to City, has written Tbis is unfortunate came. finish his housE:., such as ·it wa~ because moved in from their of day;" their tent first on August girl, they were expecting 30 and the next Emma, was born. much to be done on the house out in order temporarily Richards on July 19·. records "Putting came do~n the river $6,000. sive the loss and carried great tragedy, was not mentioned treatment melons,;squash Possibly later they moved dam in~ the Little and while our dam away, which Colorado there cost kept on planting garden knew the dam could they were hopeful hopes This is not stay." a freshet from $4,000 that quite certainly on the Little to Obed and Joseph assumed that of the first exten- to Utah, two or three to bring in irrigation water. the crops. Whatever exodus in 1876. that their faith, and fulfill to Utah that children, as early Again left coupled the Church's first and some to enough, Richards with good works," but when some commented assignment. the 9 he Utah. so. autumn, as July on August for was discouraging has required due to the families the danr,:-went out. doubly weeks. from Obed and the othar tells some for enterprise corn, for the discouragement Richards it made it gone who were returning dam was gone; were a failure leaving Colorado the would come to save women and ten pioneering of the members began after crops true. went 11 men, four The whole "It both but was given were planted rains This was two weeks before reported destroying not be replaced the cause 6, "some of the brethren seeds that or expectations, of the darn was the colonies. came near by a number of the diarists, It has been generally that brothers. the work. in our ditch, which and small They surely loss the break by John A. Blythe • . The Obed farmers t~r three and sometime of the first a headg[l.te "at They 11 This City, to finish morning, She joined There was still a baby. later to remain When all had company was reduced from 123 to 22 persons. Realizing s·ettlement, Joseph land a group H. Richards, of men composed of Philip went to the present of the~~~: we could there site choice Cardon, visited was still land St. left in the location and tried "but at from him." He afterwards Johns they were unimpressed, where but no water. of the James Thru..'!!an and of Snowflake James Stinson, get no satisfaction They also that they h~d made an unfortunate that sold. to W~ J. to. rent time Flake. commenting They were favorably went to the expense Richards learn of making characterized of good land impressed a survey, the Woodruff and good water this:fact miles down th: where they with their claim location to land as having to get. -fyc.. hi.Ob,:.·.:{ river/to recent that they wrote known in Cache Valley, a damsite new site. The letter would ....--------.... . ttu::::;.a cw- four vYf,v....:.... by the Taylor Young Jr., in St. was dated . L. P. Cardon and Sons, later settlement, enough arilpressed to Brigham but who ·was then amount and ditches. were well a letter and water. people they went occupied and they a limited Woodruff explorations, the site.later A number of the Obed people by Richards, laying location but hard got Major Ladd to survey move to this the Woodruff the h~rd way. Not content prospect with George, this whom Richards asking had permission to 8, 1877 ·and was signed January J ... R-~ Thurman, with P. 0. Peter son, Richard Funk and W. A. Walker. After reciting the good qualities have had some difficulty his Settlement confidence . again." although that 4 ; ) .. we have Lake leaders had little or any others b~~n they hadAplaced under. uyour present -f'That which gathers i O~r first position feel who would break builds aim has been to firmly up •••• establish that in your w[ithout and to run when they are __J;bemselves called in all humility camps have developed to the 4 direction with not hold away from the President which with sent; separates appointed him of Richards constituted i destroj,~ settlements. not the Young wrote. an inclination of those from the petition good permanent s7me of the brethren being taking one," "We But we do not have like sympathy admits, to withdraw each other. is an important together the letter Lake and we propose forgiven associates authority ,_..,,. Bro. we once had and we do not The Salt and his with of the site • to com~ submitting / to presi~e. \-.....__,.---- For ~bvious reasons tee difficulties among the brethren in the settleis to be written this aspect oE ment~ have been played down. But if history life in~~ camps cannot be ignored. In at least three of the four camps, Obed, Brigham City and Sunset, the social unrest was the primary problem. ·Bef~re we become too critical of these rugged forceful men we must remember that.'they had been uprooted from comfortable homes and dispatched on a mission not of their choice, probably without former consultation, and a great deal;ofJfrustration built up. Both Richards and Lake were powerful men and it was difficult for either of them to take dictation. Richards remained with the mission and became~ forceful personality in Joseph City • ....L ~his J ,.:, teir should no_t be. religion ·'J,._. btain Unless and speedily much power over ~em and their settlements, 5 the message. it poor without Add to this submitted Allen's the discontent for were harvested City, beef over a short stock of their across watch cattle, which the time, to find conditions wait on the others. Bro. , George then rn_~Jti: 5 both even food. this shoulders settleand 1877, 6 more congenial. their the that their predict his moved to dam independently a modest activites. from ceop. This Even before and the harvesting a number of yaars. the crops was done by Joseph Here it the meadow hay and hauled Hatch. Lake, z Obed i;;-Jastriggered described was at sick down the river '}'nt:,--~d,_. Colorado but on March 23, pastured its i\./t to~their its height there They are most all were cared to Sunset the presiding by Lot Smith by a severe as "chills for to Sunset states, well is stated person "Went over to to Bro. there." at Joseph officer, It was hardly-a sick and Brigham epidem:i.c of and fever." John Bushman in his d-iary Many 6£ the farther / · to move to to raise in raising agricultural and cut Little permission rounded a short was abandoned settlers when the disease with f~.u.~ would receive and one could constructed to abandon that Lake's rill S:t.J1(i~ the river. The decision sickness friends for Richards on Obed for four The Hmd was -so poor and they were successful which kept h 1 upon; at Obed regarding leadership life. for the colony and dairy and his leadership. In 1877 the Obed settlers was to be the extent ----- of ,. the adversary of the and the request Camp where he expected group spirit and affliction they would not have been able to the authority the Allen sorrow up the dissatisfaction problems ment was destined bring Richards and the appointed water selfishness, to the captains exploring points location the ;._--. was certain The·extensive of their and obtain .-cr- was addressed but ldcations repent seek them which will families The letter other the brethren City but eventually moved City. was first taken where he made a rapid to Joseph City, recovery. Tbere is some problem with regards to dates on the Richards and Young exchange. Richards' letter is dated January 8, 1877 and Young's letter January 10th. Young's letter may not have been in response ·to that-pf the Obed group, but it answered their quest ion. lI.'he Young letter soundi;&·arsh but stern measures were necessary if the mission was to succeed. 6 Toere seemed little objection to this sort of moves~ long as he remained in one of the colonies. Richards had some troubles and "feel bads" in Joseph City but he and the other brethren were able to manage them. In the meantime, other necessaryfhores- return until and move their Because fever, the people· from Joseph the sick belongings folks the cows and did had sufficiently recovered to elsewhere. term "chills most \iriter~ave City milked and fever" accepted the is used synonymously idea that malaria broke with malaria up the settlement of Obed •. Kenne th Porter, thesis rejects a grandson the malaria fever for 1ih~anopheles mosquito, that the· disease was typhoid. luted spring were stricken at idea of infection there are doubts that symptoms of which are more severe Obed; where the disease , fataltties. George Lake, it germs. and dry Instead in pointing he suggests to a pol- which would explain on October the disease to have run its was taken This is less duration course why all the than those on September in Joseph than:two fever, at in a week or so without to Sunset man, and was back 7. was typhoid and for much longer instance sick City weeks, 25, 1877, where he preached and he may have sooner. In the absence time, seems for by Lot Smith, .a very recovered too high the same time. However, to the Saints of malaria He makes a good case source in a_>i-Ksters as the country.is the carrier as the likely &- of one of the pioneers, may never of a qualified doctor be known what it to diagnose was that disease, the the Obed people at the called ••chills chills/and Fever ~7 and feve~y ~f the Obed settlement, and a convenient date H. Richards it would appear settle that Taylor 7 germs had also This writer got into the could caUS$,eudden long periods. for those it story did afford that an excellent excuse broke' For leaving, •• evacuation the population Josanh to though explanation The principal that the art-repeated There i~nroom to doubt in late took··place had dwindled until only had moved to Joseph who had joined left September 1877, and by a few remained. City the previous him in~ petition March, and to be allowed Obed. d will also make his g~ess; drinking water and infected and.very painful reactions, The most frightening thing one the but abru . of the~mumerous salmonella entire community. This in most ca~3es would not last t the sicknrJss was its epidemic The B_ushmandiary Bloomfields mentions as moving from the stricken is a complete list, but the total The, poor farming numbers to a point is almost only Lakes, cer.t~in where it that settlement. could prospects,plus C>-:1 rr1cNeals, Ev~l3, It is unlikely and that this not have been great. the did not take even without Skinners, social unrest, id much ta complete the epidemic depletei{ their the downfall. It and fever, the days of chills of Obed were numbered. 8 Obed had the appearance generous water flow of spring in this whichcr.esulted elementary Arizona desert church During a~ besides had the land abundant was cause of keeping Unfortunately their water counsel. clearing yieldeo supply Colorado and planting ordinary The and clear for rejoicing. free spring The sickness by the most they had no sanitarian to explain from contamination. that· the settlement the colonists litlle settlement. meadow land There is no documentation the year and a half for have been averted and oft repeated, two dams on the treacherous ditch, ~_:;. standards. I.t:-1:.has been stated, against produced place from the "swampy lands••could health the importance water of a desirable to support strug9led and constructed was made_ this view. 9 at Obed, they built six miles enough land to have supplied their of aants crops.lo proportions; it affected nearly everyone at once.· But it seems to have subsided almost as suqdenly as it began. 8 The author heard the story of the chills and fever at Obed many times. It makes a good story and sounds so plausible that it was accepted by all. Careful reserach, however, makes the cause and effect relationship of the sickneas and evacuation much less likely. Obed was already doomed and the epidemic provided~ a graceful exit. 9 Why would these devout men ~ho revered their prophst as tna mouthpiece of God and had left home only because he had called them to make a settlement in this forbidding land, disobey instructions? Such charges are slanders to some 6f the noblest ment counsel The author would like to learn what church instructions.or was made there was were ignored by the Lake company. When this selection no one around with more authority than George lake and he was acting under the instructions 6fl Brigham ~oung. This charge of disobedience is of late date and is meant to point up the evil conseqoences of not following counsel to the letter. I I I I ro.ck fort The_Yconstructed "·•I withi·i<most school for their 1.With all its first first: flake Stake. bishop Of all -. ~hortest life the high, best captainr and later a counselor the settlements in the stakeppresidency onfthe little City, became of the Snow- M. Savage, to levi1 Taylor. Colorado It River, was located diary known-who made first the first the one with the on the south doing some exploring 12 out the water claim miles, to the site, side which but there entries. in Decemb-er of 1876 when Joseph Cardon, where he who moved to Joseph became a counselor was the one called are som~ interesting Peterson, for a 11 I~ is not definitely to take blacksmith moved to Brigham City of the river,,downstream from Joseph City about four or five {i) mould place it some ~6-miles upstream froM Brigham City. late with work, they arranged Joseph H. Richards, John Bloomfield of Sunset. ten feet They maintained back-breaking the appointed bishop. bishop this 1. square, children. George Lake, became·its feat. remarkable shop in the area. 200 feet H. Richards they andhis "went down the river 3½ miles, ; and some good7land. We made location funk and myself," says Richards in his \ companions were found a good place of land for daily diary. 13 10 one wonders how these men frOffl some of the best farms in Utah made the mistake to select· such a poor location. The soil was so saturated with ,r alkali that only massive drainage could have reclaimedrl and the area was too lev~l for proper drainage. At a later time, at great expens9, attempts ~ere but wi thnut success;.,, If thase men are to made to make this area productive,. be criticized it must be for using poor judgment int~~ selection of a place .,.--.. to settl~. and not for disobedience. is difficult in some instances to detect:alkali in the soil until it has been irrigated and salts rise to the· surface. If alkali is in sufPiis cient quantity almost no crops will grow in it, and as more irrigation applied the condition worsens. 11Alnog with the other Little Colorado settlements, Obed numbered among its m~mbership,people of great dedication and force. Joseph City was fortuna~ij that Richards chose to move there. · f~Thip ~s related in th~section on Obed. · See~ Richards diary December 20, 1876. There is an area of quite level land which appears to be satisfactory for agriculture. Richards claimed there was a rock bottom in the river which would have been advantageous. Given fhe , '\ \. In the next few days they had a survey project it to be feasible.~ would require Richards require this for but little locatton. to dam it, from church On January such permission for and establish scattered leaders a settlement. for him and his and chosen crossed An entry made to revive I would be short. friends I would I to move to I to Brigham ¥oung asking carried was denied, signatures I I I of six and so the matter was of Obed in the autumn of 1877, settlements, a major George Lake, the captain~ as bishop. the river in the other John Bloomrield the few families share going to went to Brigham Ctiy where went to Sunset; ana Joseph H. City. toJoseph John Bushman-'diary suggests the George Lake company and install that an attempt was possibly the families in a new loca- camp. Smith and Lake tion • ...-- "Six of us went down the river were there. agreed I They wanted to move to the new This letter The request to various and Br~gham City. he was.later Richards country 14 there Sunset Ladd, and found is in flat and the ditches him and his friends. With the abandonment left the river 8, 1877, he wrote a letter members of the Obed community. dropped. point c. was a member of the Obed company of George Lake and it permission location At this made by-::samuel to let The company want to settle thenflocate to G.. Lake's Bros. on some land we had locate~.t We there. 015 -f/DC, l same flow of water as at the prese~t dam, this location would seem to the author to be as desirable as the one Josaph Caty now occupies. 14 origina! letter is in @'.letter file. It is not clear in view of a st-atement made 1:iy Richards JJhafh9r he felt he was dealing with Prgsid~nt Young or Brigham Young, Jr. See his letter to Andrew Jensen written in,1919 and included in Journal History Little Colorado Stake. 15 we assume this meeting took place in the Taylor area. B1ut we have no additional information that Lake had any interest here and wa do not know why it was spoken of as G. Lake's Camp. 1 I I I I ., ,) Some have interpreted l~cate Lake's people Others have felt gone, and that people sure, verify that to mean that Bushman's entry ' did settle th~re an attempt by Richards on the land surveyed the company ~eferred who later ~eca~se this referred briefly on the land. are nof further entries and his to Brigham City, to was that _,.., was being made of William where Lake had J~ flake This cannot in the journals companions. and his be known for of the time to one view or the other. have been that It could Lot Smith uras inviting City end from Lak~~s_camp at Obed to give permission and his group, to settle At any rate the men from· Joseph to the newcomers, flake there. the Encyclopedia History of the Church says of Taylors It was settled January 22, 1878 by about 18 families, mostly fr-om Panquitch and Beaver Counties, Utah. These families all commenced work in the United o ger and were organized as a ward with John Karchner as bishop. 1 But as the dams built in the Little Colorado washed out, one after another, the people ~1 became discouraged and vacated the piace in the fall or 1878. Willia_m J. flake and others- went up to Silver Creek, where they purchased the Stinson ranch, on which the town of Snowflake was ar'terwrds built. McClintock gives much the same information, families He also and that mentions they did not build they built a stockade, living a dining hall but says they quarters. John Bushman took notice but says there a quarter lived were eight mile back from the river. in their wagons, suggesting 17 of the Flake company, too, when he wrote: 16 r t is all'- but certain that John Kartchner was not sustained as Bishpp. All dates indicata t~e Taylor group had not been on the ground more than five or six days. ;~hara were no buildings of any ktind and there were probably as few as eight or ten families. The church ehronology says he was · made Presiding Elder. This agrees with Little Colorado Stake Journal History of January 25, 1878~ and with Joseph Fish, Snowflake Stake history. 17 wedoubt a stockade was constructed. It is possible that one was begun, but no mention is made of one by Lucy Hannah Flake or John Bushman. It would seem this small group had its hands full mith other things. , William J. Flake and Company came and located five miles west of Allen's Camp. They made a dam in the river, put in some grain and garden and made a few houses, and the first freshet that came took their dam away. 18 wife of William J. Flake, Lucy Hannah White Flake, . ful journal···which relates She mentions _· -aBAof-course, in coming to Arizona and the few the discoura~ement information sandy banks of the Little ·were washed amay,.and wind and sand storms, with futile available Colorado. there of that It is known that as many wes much discouragement of the settlers, it i~ot II . There seemed to be no single except John Kartchner that organization settlements j, required r~·: I in this Presiding and lasted ill-fated Elder et!!the sense or only settlement, time or the To keep a group of men together forceful the individu~ls. or the any indicatio~ moving spirit Colorado Stake. 21 conditions on the part 18 as (jivedams th~t the settlement surprising was appointed of the little under such adverse discipline year on the for- the whole company. of the other of Lucy Hannah Flake ls . a few ~onths. 20 (· frustrating they could not hope to succeed. If the journal futility and the mjuddy water, dam building. The Taylor people did not have the solidarity it leadership Had this and great group enjoyed selfcohesion• Bushman does not even mention Kartchner • 1~ • <~--< This publication "To the Last Frontier'' purpo~i:""s to be the journal ctf' Lucy White Flake, but has been entirely rewritten by her daughter, Roberta Clayton. In checking important historical data it would be well to go to the . origiee; journal which is in the _S!dC.f/DC-, .'· 0 It has not bean possible to learn theramas of th~ entitre Taylor 1 group, nor is it~noum just how they were all brought together. The flake abou~ all the~e is about life there during that hectic summer. journa1 2 We would like toknow more of John Kartchner. The fact that he became second counselor to John Hunt in Snowflake suggests a man of high quality, bub.•one wonders why he was placed ahead of Wm. J. flake in the choice as Presiding Elder. in.his ThJts entry entry ls I I the incessant There is scant without a delight- in Taylor. 19 months spent u~ her experience has left I is in hi~Journal. I w~th the same determination nd been fired might possibl,..,have It may have been- fortun~ft,:c.-r. endured. that they dic:f'not have these midst. 22 as the men in Joseph qualities and that they~ City, they all of them a rebel in their I I Ha was William J. Flake. Lucy FleJe tells I what happened: I There were many trting things that we had to endure in United Order, but I think one of the hardest ones was when Wil,l (Wm. J. Flake) was called to account for a transaction he made with B poor family who was going through. One of their oxen died and they had only one le,t to pull their load. William traded~im a four year old stag, ,or a fine two-year-old heifer, and th~an gratefully went on his way• . this . The man who had-turned fuss about the superintendent sulting with the "board." I I the stag into the Order mede a of the stock trading.without con-' When William was questioned about it he told them it had always been his customJ'to help people who were in trouble and that if the traveler had had nothing to trade he would have given him the stag. He was told he was no~ in a Company and mas not at libe~ty to dispose of property without consent. "Then, said William·, "I am in the wrong place. My motto has always been to help those who need heip. mymis&lon out here was to build up the country, and I am going to find a new home where I can be feee.u 11 and told He cama~and told me about it. I gloried in his spunk him to go and whatever he did I was with him. William Saddled his horse, number of places including Hunt had settled, and St. and Jew town. 23 He finally he quickly rebel. settlers. I Savoia, and being joined New Mexico, where a former Johns wllich the biographer reached by A. z. Decker, Stinsonts came to terms with James. Stinson and purchased visited neighbor characterized Ranch on Silver I John as a mexican Creek, where the. ranch. 22 In a situation like this it seemed desirable that some one should This dissent must have improved the opportunities of all the Taylor 23 The prejudices and suspicions of Mormons are here a emphasized. I I I When he returned friends him and they left joined and called to Taylor him a quitter all Taylor. and predicted L~ John Nuttall, which visited and reported secretary the Little the result Others of his trip, in the settlement a few disapproved he was on the road to apostasy. to the Erastus and~historian Colorado colonies in September Snow party 1878, has this note _on0Taylor: When within six miles from St. Joseph, passed the location of the settlemont of Taylor, which was on the southwest side of by some 15 · the riv'/er. This place was settled in rebruary last, families. They made a dam and put in their crops, but the bed of the river and.banks not being solid, the waters washed the and the fe~ . settlers could dam au,ay, which caused much extra labor, .t not surmount it; in consequence thebrops dried up and the people were compelled to vacate the place ~uring the rore pert of August and they have located themselve~ farther up the river. of rlake With the departure arid those who did not join Like the other and resourceful strong - . their colonies lik~ng. and his friends, him on Silver the settlement Creek went bo other on the lower Little Colorado, Taylor soon railed. settlements. possessed man•• ~They would meks good in an environment soma more to · Snowflake received William J. rlake, its name from the beloved Apostle tlake who had made the purchase. Erastus and his friends Snow and were no/~7!G but heroes. 24 quitters One of the sad events !A F.aike, son V' appropriate of William place at the old town of Taylor was the death of George who passed J. to live. \...{.)CU> away while his ' He was given as?ecent father,1Sefking I a burial a more as was possible i under the circumstances whi3re three or four Thus passed people into seven months of fruitless 24 in the recently had pracadsd history toil a hastily designated cemetery at Joseph City him in death. conceived and heartJ-break~ Mormon colony after about 25 The three families of rlakes, Palmars. and Kartchners mentioned in our sources were to become prominent in the town of Snowflake and throughout the stake. They were roundly criticized for pulling o~t of Taylor, but when they had made a success in the Snowflake area they became heroes instead of quitters. 25 Old Taylor, across the river from Manila, four City, is hardly a memory. The ~ansens have rented the years, and yet it took Dalbart Hansen some time to find with chips several inches deep. Wh had to walk a mile is no road to the old site now. miles west of Joseph area for pasture for the old wood pile or more because there ' ,, ' --,, '\.... l /C 20 CHAPTERl-9" .Brigham Jesse City, arrived captains. stream fro~ O. Ballenger, that on the Little He chose from Sunset a site first letters year, dated dated ture struggling The first camp. 1 letter almost placing colony. contains the other bank of the river, four miles These the give f0llowing families The company contained along.4 thirty-five Crossing, Th~y were camped on the Little and were all in good health. Sunset They arrived April 18, 1876--Lot Crossing March 23rd. 5 side Ballenger 13, and September 2 Brigham than him on the opposite 24, 1877. founded a month later by Captain June 2, July December of the company which on the west were written John Taylor of the Colorado Crossing, Lot Smith and his Three the captain City of the river to Brigham 7, 1876, a vivid down- Young and one to and intimate information pic- 3 men, twenty .of whom had their Colorado four miles Smith and the other bel9w the Sunset Captains reached By the date of the letter, June 2, they had cleared and planted 50 acres~of wheat which had not sprouted as the ground was dry and would not until irrigated. The season was so far advanced it would not mature in any case. They had built one dam which was washed away and bad moved up-stream about a mile to a new site with rock bottom where they hoped to erect a permanent dam. Ballenger thought this would be a good site for a grist mill as well. They were trying hard to get the water out at this of raising corn and vegetables which they badly needed. 1 new site, in hopes The site of th2ir fort is easy to locate, being about three-quarters of a mile east of the Winslow Hospital and about one and three quarters miles north-east of the center of town. The stone from the old fort is much in evidence in various farm buildings> particularly in the barn which utilizes one wal~ of the old fort in the present barn structure. and The author believes these letters to be among the most accurate informative sent to Salt Lake by any of the'pioneer leaders. 3 Toe letters are in Arizona }fission letter file. Typed copies made by the author have been duplicated and are in many libraries. 4 Toe percentage of men who were accompanied by their families is much v/:zd higher in this colony than in Joseph City. , . . 5these letters furnished the date of Ballenger s arrival which~~~ found no where else. "The Brethren are doing well in working together, but we have not entered in to any organization further than that we. have agreed ta work together as brethren untill Pres. D. H. We!ls & Brigham Jr. should come and organize us fully in the Order of Heaven." They were intending and were also making plans every sign of friendship·. concernin·g the stockade-fort. to build corrals as soon as time would permit for a stockade although the Indians had shown But the advice of the ..Brethren would be followed 7 "We are camped on a very fine tract of bottom lan::_ct, as good, I think as ~ver r·saw in any country and extensive enough for the support of ten thousand families, and ee certainly have in our possession at this place one of th~ finest herd grounds that I ever saw for sheep & stock of every sort." ish with "The water salt--this is very low in the river at is a country of salt. 118 this time & some little brack- There was plenty of cottoneood for -fencing, stockade, dam work and cabins but they would have to go 35 to 50 miles for ·saw timber. They would look out a site for saw mill as soon as circtnnstances would permit. Half of the brethren who were with h4n felt they must return to Utah of to settle up business affairs and to_get the~£ families "and 1 think~ . them will not come., to Arizona again. 119 \·-"But be that as it may, there is room her_e for many -:~: the faithful Latter-day Saints." "If we succeed in getting our stockade and cabins built before leave as we hope to do, what few of us that is left will by the help bold on to that we have got untill our bands are strengthened." they of God "Our provisions are running short already and if we should fail in raiising a crop this season it will come hard on us as we have not means that we can buy with. But we are determined to trust in God and our brethren for the help and blessings we kneed." A word-of counsel and advice from Brother Brigham would be appreciated. Most of his fellow missionaries were wondering if they were the right people, at the right time and they would all··appreciate reassurance in the right plac from their chief. 10 6 see also the chapter on the United Order in this volume. 7Because of the friendly gestures of the Indians it was "only to obey counsel" that the forts were built. Obed and Joseph City never completed. their forts. 8when the river was especially low they were apt to be getting water from Chevelon Creek which emptied into the river from the south 7 or 8 miles above Sunset Crossing. This stream was unusually salty called the Brackish Slue!" (slough). 9 rt did not take long for some of the men to get discouraged. had been on the river only six weeks and already some were talking of lOLatter-day Saints' faith in their leaders is almost boundless. was particularly so in the case of Brigham Young. their perhaps and was They returning This The second new but dwells letter, written on the continuing six weeks later, adds~ .--..... little that is problems: Our health continues good, the brethren have worked hard, the dam and ditch are about complete, we have 50 acres of land ready for planting corn but there is still no water for irrigation. "The river is and has been entirely dry for~ three weeks below~ dam and not enough above to raise the water ditch. 11II in "There has been no rain and everything, the r iverJ is dry as dry can be." over except the trees _They had dug two wells and found water in the quicksand twenty feet which appeared to be plentiful. They had changed their minds about a stockade fort of rock; it would enclose about one acre of land including and brush along at a little and were making it one of the wells.12 "Some of the brethren are very much discouraged with the country·and our present prospects. ~But I have no doubt that we will be able to raise good crops another season if we c.an keep our dam secure ~-:fhat the water when it is _plenty." 13 "We are raising nothing to subsist on and~~ eating up and wearing out what we have got and the brethren that are willing to stay with me and· try what ~e can.do another year are all poor and unless we can get help it will be impossible for them to stay. Vie have flour enough to last us about three months, not more. Ther~ are fifteen of the brethren, most of them with families that will stay if we can get supplies, and there are eleven others that are going after their families that say they will come back this fall and winter--·twenty six in all that are willing to try this place another will year. The:: rest of the thirty-five that got to this place has gone .&2. to tetm:m !!.2. ~.ul4 "Brother Bri"gham, any word of coucil instructions or encouragement pertaining to our present temporal or future wellfare would be thankfully received by~us, which we hope to receive from you soon after you get this for I feel shure that I cannot hold the brethren together more than two months without something of this>.kind." United ''We are Order." 11 trying to \-/ork ourselves into the principle & spirit of the some predicament! Some three weeks earlier so much water it liad there is no water .i..n washed their darn a~vay, but now the ne,.; darn is completed the river. 12No reason is given for the change in,~lans from a stockade fort to one of stone. 13These folks did raise crops in 1877 and 1878. But with -ho reservoir to st:ora water they were handicapped during much of l:he hot summer as was frequently completely dry. the riv Th½ picture was to grm-J progressively worse. To one who knows the situation it is difficult to find the heart to condemn themo 14 I I I I I I This was a most gloomy picture camp. Though the captain make sure and his rado and the magnitude The third remained with additional letter, him but gone to· Lee's ferry "but church t?iir -.,,.,-- considered in attempting group who were opposed some of those of those simply originally Order. ].Ballenger found for _,-- it All 24, 1877, ..__optimism l J the showing ive as near ating here that !\ it ',..__/'· eat was to all 15 together fully. together eat subject at one tab4e all working they otherwise as they liked there do at Orderville. the but greatly minority of the already- December even a lit tl~ as one famil6nd l room and ar~ calcudo not feel and a few words received to eat even to his written is The But the rumot has~ and the brethren or to continue better, spirit a dinning would be thankfully entailed found members of into together did before, it smallest .f* Q 1-rd but Only the and the Twelve, improved the wisdomtof~ of the Order. which added has eat ----- leaders they We are building like counsel us on the we now are." 15 , as we can. the Twelve eating l'_'.!:e are had Articles so as to all of Heaven," features some to bear Taylor of the ~riting thvough. alike to all i--l united about l from you to \ tone to President .,,.,,,- ___, the heavy burden. In the letter others us to make~" enthusiastically a cross I ·.There and adopted to question the "Order cooperated entered Colo- though~three and three Order anyone to at least called fort, one..,.,table -~ of feet. never they in the saw mill. moved away to places who remained to pessimistic. the supplies point for to institute and dragging most uncooperative 7, was equally around --.:::;::::~_.,., proper life, desert. of the United we have not united much soul-searching of pioneer care the Arizona in bringing idea with moods of the Little way to Utah for the the Ballenger the varying seems to be -the hardest -- It was not the the rigors September to assist at had been picked seven men and seven women at --- ----- that with dated · They had accepted of Agreement, stand of conquering men were on their together, associates they were men who co~ld seemed to have been overwhelmed of the prospects at l ~.so well . of founsel no matter~_;whether our own tablfs i.' as .......... ..,,,.:.... ·....,.,. •., ....,,,.----< _ There was some substance to the "rumor." President Taylor was never so enthusiastic about the United Order as Brigham Young. Diaries add minute books reveal the fact that when one of the sons of Brigham visitf the settlements, the emphasis is on the Untted Order. Not so with most of the other General Authorities. The long table or all eating together was the most controversial issue. Erastus Snow bad said that all eating together was no more an ess~ntial of the United Order than all sleePi_rtg together. See chapter of\ United Order. ,_ The fact sickness that George was mentioned, had jo~ned numbered Brother camp at Obed ~fd-~closed and .some of the Obed Saints, the Ballenger settlement. "abouT 200 souls" Allen's I, ·• .j Lake's B11lenger and that Sunset including estimated had about "not _quite so many at his down due to Lake himselt, that the camp as is at bis camp now same mnnber etither and of the other:camps." No wonder Brother between Ballenger's spirits bad soared 7, 1876 when he reported September was being Reinforcements several sources. efforts _which sent the faltering of Saints f n-~-t:· wrst 1.IUportance a steady Little from Arkansas Lorenzo the Arizoaa. known. the abandonmant and women of known quality a successful harvest letter 200." as a month later Joseph settlemertts . persistent church recruiting on the Little of December 1877 24, nuui~ 8, settlements is not of seasoned upon in the be depended E. Beebe, Colorado a nunber a company September Colorado . to strengthe direction, Nelson Little City. from from ~he Utah stakes of Obed provided who could in the Colorado camp in New Mexico How many remained women with and 76 at of Elder in the various and to southern figures, Then at leadership H. Hatch's scattered The finaL.note Saints settlements. under "about was the Church's trickle~of Colorado 1877, and eventually indicates his were coming to the Little Of Finally with report 136 at Sunset, City, · I._,..._ 133, reached bering conservative showed 277 at Brigham the _census interval seven men and seven him in camp and December 24, 1877 when he could Even so, Ballenger in the rnen. strugg 1es a b ea.d to President Taylor of sorts: Awe have just started our new thresher tod~y and it is doing very well. Bro Foster from Ogden thinks he never saw wheat turn out so well. We have about forty acres of it looks well.,,_ fall wheat in at this settlement, In a little Brigham City--called In January first sent over counselor three months on a different Jesse mission. 1878 John W. Young, to bis father by the Twelve to Arizona during O{,nallenger 17 son of President the to organize last year would be lea-ving Brigham Young, of bis presidency, and was a stake. 16 For report on the Beebe compaay see letter file typed copy. 17 Toe author can find no information regarding this for his departure from Brigham City. r~z:'. Author mission has or reason H Lot Smith, natural choice the best for was made bishop counselors. stake known of the Little presidento of Brigham There City George with J. is ~o explanation.-=for was made senior high councilman. <..ta ~-:+--r~~ of the stake Th~•organ1zat1on high point lation. in the fortunes The census .shows a drop answer in population is a bit lies in the was in charge, Order on a somewhat reluctant Lake, a man known for Tp.ose nnwilling congenial the O. Ballenger's conditions at bis same table. 13eople... abrasive found, this But wj left than of the living While Diaries and other sources to a United Jesse I I Order, O. Ballenger of the United of George "family type'' settlements Bishop and United are the of early for more Lake would be he had presided. such an intimate two years, and journals year tL'-CcL(_(;yd__~y yaats give popu- whip was cracked town over which which the A possible part the int? _t~e but he its of that explanation. the river three second letters; is probably th the a·ppointment f 1- ~1.\yhYf-<-,0.f..h .:.i l . as of 67. particular or unwill_ingl~ L Isaacson regarding characteristics, camp the first available. social to impose In less the obsequies have not been is no sure ~o entey\quietly Jesse hand material City I Il surroundings. presiding~;at into at willingly Order. ...,_ 1878, 27, from Obed O. Ballenger, Snow in September from private he was rel_uctant the community Jtmshed Jesse City--particularly and there to eat bis Adams and Peter I was the arrived from 277 to 210 or a n~t"-loss change-over wa.s settlers, newly by-passing to Erastus puzzling were required Lake, onGanuary of Brigham furnished This where all J. Colorado best 18 insight of the first residents must be used for reports sent to Salt an L.D.S. party of Brigham additional material. Fortunately by L. John Nuttall ments by Erastus there were some extended who was historian Snow in September for 1878. 19 Nuttall led Lake City to the was assisted settle- in making 18 obed had folded in the fall of 1877. But befoee· the "sickness" which ,~as given as the cause, Lake had already lost most of his people. There is some evidence that Captain Lake may have been invJ>l ved in 11 01d T.'.lylor 11 in some way. See chapters on Obed and Taylor in this ·volume. 19 Tbe party consisted of Erastus Snow, Ira N. Hihckley, L. John Nuttall Jesse N. Smith, Edward A. Noble, Charles H. Oliphant, B. H. Williams, and Joseph Starley. Four lengthr installments of the report were sent to Salt Lake. Among other places they may_·be found in the Little Colorado/ Journal History. , ...... I I up these reports of the Little by Frihoff Colorado Nuttall G. Nielson, that Brigham City was located of the dam which he described and 10 feet water the middle drift wood to pass by." community, but high, power for the gristmill water the water in his first feels that believes report noted the direction he ~an surpass {r:,1 Ctay the qy:y in this oo President and not only the local Captain mill Young. Ballenger at his 21 in 1882 apparently but by this darn used the date most of the settlers locations. that Brigham City was operating of Brother Behrman (W.R. any of the pottery country The for·L;was:: descr.ibed in high and furnished the grist 7c 18 feet the water in 1877-78. to place west long, that and allow there letter mill, of Brigham City had gone to other which was under Clerk 400 yards 125·,feet the millrace machine which was installed power dystem of the grist The Nuttall into at the decision this Th.e carding as well. about dam was serving 20 which was erected must have been pleased and Stake so arranged open to the stream people diverted work, foundation, The Brigham City the Sunset as he had forecast as "a substantial on a rock can be left The dam also of Sunset Stake. reported wide, resident will O. Behrmann) in Utah for make excellent a good pottery good ware; "Who and stoneware." "200 feet square, a driveway on north and south sides and narrow entrances on east and ·west. The walls were seven feet high, of rock; there are 36 dwelling houses 13 x 16 feet around the inside of the fort, also -6n the north side, a dining hall 20 x 80, with two rows of tables~ to seat from 150 to 200 persons." 60 girls for a total of the men would go there owned a shaee 75 cows at the dairy 20 were 43 men, 46 women, 61 boys, I I and of 210. Brigham City was part also there owner of the saw mill to assist when the mill of the Mormon dairy at Millville was sawing. and the report stated and some The colony "they milk and 67 at home." s. G. Ladd, engineer residing at Josfph City, gives the inw<nnation Library. Sunset using the Brigham City dam. Report in Bancroft 21 This mill could have operated only when considerable water was in -the'river, which would have been quite uncertain. Apparently there was no trouble about water power as the mill was grinding for only a few hundred people. They did have trouble keeping a miller. about I I as: At the time of the report I I There were at the time families, making butter interests of the settlement Nuttall's the Saints in Utah, ness and cheese living and seem to enjoy temporal to document Colorado in Encyclopedic History and moved away gradually, and ditches, edly played and scarcity role may have been of equal This Joseph City, easier to xµaintain. superior to, miles Joseph As an interested that trouble City. City City 23 City, vein or the -remnants the Gila Country." . Brig. h am City 22 people settlement of kept critical getting was prac- of keeping up dams times, dissention undoubt- and discontent wlth &l.'-d1:he ditches 'J:; a'"tleast them to keep called place failure The official "the John McLaws records were equal to, shorter if and not .-! commented on the together "Brother as a U.O. had failed to make themselves City. 1124 Brigham on December of what was "b'righam City--passed This would seem to indicate . as a connnun1ty was a b out darns than 3, 1880: in an item of October sustaining their at of Orderville, to come to a one- F$ G. N:i.elson of Sunset as they In similar people and expense land was E. Snow had advised (in) the other •. company and move ta ~the.-~san Juan, there their "Here of the is that Internal to the east_. observer, movement away from Brigham Lake reported after settlements. irrigation in the breakup. The Brigham at of the due to the expense for had much less twenty-five that of water importance settlement with interesting. and in 1881 the Economic reasons a major are the causes of the Little discouraged up." the manner properly presented broken Order in their endeavors of the Kingdom. 1122 explanation tically and looking themselves things the most populous the dairy the United -somewhat after It. is difficul~_ th~s at women, together thereo comments about are in the seven men and~eight that f inis · · h e d o 25 2~, here by the 1880: "Brigham en route for end of 1880 Living somewhat-after the manner of Orderville seems to suggest something less than an enthusiastic acceptance of the principleo It is difficult to get to the bottom of the United Order question. Most L.D.S. by the churcho But Balpeople are hesitant to criticize anything fostered lenger makes it clear that the United Order was hard to live with and particularly the eating together. See the chapter on the United Order. ij 3Given the opportunity, the author thinks, the brethren of Joseph City wo~!d have made a s_uccess at the Brigham City location. F. G. Nielson's diaries haue been,JJ!i~r:o-fii-med and are in many libraries. fiu__/) '' sh. -ec(_ 25The McLa~s diary bas been typed andfs available in many librarieso 1 During a portion construction Atlantic place was sold Railroad. to Charles and Edwin Whiting, 26 $800.00~ for men and women who fought It has been said that and others captain uncovered the losing on 'the Salt to trace battle with the in the; year the Adams, and Sullivan the movements at Brigham City has been found reg~rding facts was used as a of the valiant and moved on. locations in the Gila River. of the Brigham City the basic Jerome J. some of them found satisfactory Some-information first here Fort contract When he moved out later There has been no attempt Valley,' 1881 the old Brigham camp by J. W. Young, who had/~onstruction and Pacific Richardson of the year company. which appear Jesse O. Ballenger, the Persistent research finally in a biography elsewhere in this volume. In April, 1878, Ballenger where he died October From what.is one unable 31, 1881. known about to play and leaders curtains of Zion." 27 than lapsed three years From Forest where he joined 26 must have been a lovable character, almost unique among the out to "extend the I second it l~ader, did bring George Lake, him into for southern Dale he went again a large numbar of his was not noted·for frequent controversy. of Brigh~ity, Arizona. of months when he was back in northern Daie. Utah, in the home town cemetery. who were sent a_fter he became bishop and he headed home in Springville, role--something of expeditions Brigham City's even if to his He was buried pim he a dictatorial captains or timidity, returned Arizona again, to southern co-religionists there this Arizona I Inlless the community He remained I modesty col- but a matter I ... I time at Forest and then where to Mexic~' they had ret~ated rn April, 1967~ the authorJaccompanied by his brother Arthur Tanner of Winslow)visited the old Brigham City area which was owned by the LaPrade family. A successful farming operation bas been carried on for more than three quarters of a century with waters diverted from Clear CreeM. Jesse N. Smith notes in his Journal September 8, 1891, that a ''man named French has taken tbe waters of Clear Creek in a ditch to the old Brigham City field." · We visited the dam on Clear Creek which diverts the water into the canal. It is built on solid rock and its size and cost are but a fraction of what a dam in the river would be. The Clear Creek water is not muddy like_ the Little Colorado ahd the stream flow is less subject to fluctuation. Arthur raised the question of why the settlers did not make use of this manag• able stream instead of wearing their lives away on the impossible Little Colorado. The author has found no hint of any discussion or plan to bring the water of Clear Creek directly to the Brigham City fields. But these canny pioneers \vould hardly bave_overlooked such a possibility. With no knowledge on the subject, the best guess would probably be that the s~ream was not considered large enough to furnish in•igation water to the ~Tens of · for isolation. In Casa Grandes , without \ medical .superior training. education The United to have been given the Order Order There north /2{ / i I I ./ i f I I City preferably City was dissolved. of their No grave "An Honorable to other but and his the are thousands of Latter-day Saints" expected 2 ?.Wbe.thei;_this-:)lack~inthar.d.f!isted site II 1eft into 28 to all members them free to in Arizona. forgptten, years Church. Release and this spots best markers reg~rded Each member is reported to the L.D.S. to the mission, is all he was or the amount he bad brought issued is a monument marking of Winslow. although he was in. was given the church five as a doctor, locale the "principal" they had been called who spent the The rest Today Brigham of those for at Brigham back part go elsewhere--but up practice He seems to have been highly su~ficed originally. Fo'r its who felt he set even by the in the vain struggle. of the Brigham in evidence, descenaents City 29 cemetery, howevero on the river. leadersbip.iwassresponsible for his trom·Brigham City, only those in the inner councils know. This is in contrast to men like Daniel W. Jones, Lot Smith, James S. ' Brown and many more who were jealous of the"ir authority and quick to exercise it. The leaders in Joseph City were less anxious to exercise their authority, taking the position of leade.rs :tather than cormnander_s. 28 Toe thinking behind the disposal of the United Order funds left at Brigham City is hard to explain. There appears to have been about $8,000 left there and who could have needed it:-more than the impoverished Saints who left there. In contrast to the disposal of the Brighai\City United Order surplus, when the Sunset United Order accounts were being adjudicated, John Taylor was pointed in his instructions that this "surplus" be given to those who had earned it either by their labor or managment. lTaylor said he could think of no benevolent or charitable purpose more ~ntitled to it than the poor pioneers who had worked on the river so lpng. (Letters to the Sunset United Order Cornmittee--in minute book dept by~. G. Nielson. Original at BYU) Typed copy in hands of author and numerous libraries. 29 The author visited a descendent of George Lake/~~"ose~genealogy book, showed certain members of the family born in Brigham 1·:city, Yavapai County, Arizona, h~d been s-cratched and now shmved tp.ey were born in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah. departure ~J CHAPTER 2&' The rnormon settlement from the Little reported, of Sunset is said to have acquired Colorado River crossing of that name. of the t and beheld one evening its name This crossing, thehame of S6nset from some travelers received ~'PAC6;;1he river in late . Sunset it who arrived beautiful is at that Arizona ·sunsets. The colony group of fifty, site uras chosen by Lot Smith, a short while after on march 24, 1876, with James lake c. and William of the final location The first of the ~resent Little The site miles warned lot had better and was on the northeast if he and his people Smith that fix scaffolding in the trees, a, The more permenen t 1 oca ti on was t J{j or more a fort eas-r aast . .. l where were Smit~, George side of the was on low ground and_among some cottonwood mad sometimeso"l (north) captains camp made by Smith•s group was e mile or two· north The location "they These captai~s of the of the three was Brown's camp some three U.S. Highway _66 bridge, The Indians remain there Brown. meeting leader of Joseph City. Sunset Colorado. trees. Allen. s. the historic the appointed was built. mi·1 es intended to for the river gets f ar th er d ownst ream The date of the move is given as the pertdd between November 17 and 22, 18760 2 The fort remain no visible u:as located evidence or about a mile northwest oP its exact location. 3 the cemetery, FrihoPf but. there G. Nielson wote on August 27, 1876: 1 Most references in this chapter will be noted in the text. Most of in previous chapters. G. Nielson lived at Sunset and was stake clerk to Lot Smith. records and much of the material in this caapter comes from~ them have been quoted 2rrigoff He kept careful his diaries. 3 .,~r·---· Tba..pe.rri!:!_te.-yfor J!,:_ ~tl?~1 Sunset can:.bel' loc~tecf-'by_~_qr.ivin_g ..:no~tti' mi las· f~om a hi9hway bar,· the Minnetonka, on ·High~a·y 55·.•east·of the· U ttle ·co1or-eda It·:is 8/10- or .s miles east.- of the highway bridge. The cemetery contaies few, "In the evening it was decided by the brethren damage to the dam had been done, that that we go to and build a stockade, it inasmuch as so much it, would take a long time to fix a suitable place having been found for it." 'The building 29, "Cutting of the fort logs ten feet The fort, to President was pursued with vigor. Nielson wrote August long for the stockade." when completed and occupied, /: John Tayior in a letter was described .... , of4september by L. J. Nuttall 26, 1878s Sunset is loceted on the river bottom, about one mile distant from Brigh~m City, down and on the east side of .the river. The fort is 14 rods square, built of cottonwood logs set on end--main entrance on north and south sides, with narrow E. openings on east and west. There are 31 dwellings. 14 by 16 feat; one dining hall 55 by 15 feet; one school room, JJ by l~ feet;~one kitchen 25 by 15 feat; mtth lumbsr roofs; 14 by 20 feet and 10 by 12 feet; gran~ry 8 by two storeAooms, 20, with some 400 bushels of last year's wheat in it; corn crib 10 by 32 feet with 75 bushsls of last year's corn. Stock yard~ and carrels iMplose three acres of ground. Judg9' d~fferent · the 0 by tho nature Little Colorado River -settlements, heacfl'qt.J8rters" ....... City was perhaps ,nd amount of correspondenc~ settlement. was in spite This must have been considered of the fact double the size This was pessibly of Sunset in population f. due to Sunset's colorfulleader more widely known than any of the other reputation Sunset as a dashing i pioneers. coming from the that Brigha~ most of the time. Lot Smith, Smith enjoyed who was a wide l cavalryma~in,. the Utah War, and was sometimes referred \. to as Major Lot Smith. David K. Udall, of St. Johns Stake, Lot.Smith, many years devoted nearly bishop of St. three pages an·.·honor he does not give Johns Ward and later president of his own autobiography to any other Little Colorado to River pioneer. perhaps five or six, grave markers which can still be read, notably two sons of Lot and Alice Ann Smith, named Wilford Woodruff Smith and George Albert Smith. The cemetery has been enclosed with a strong wir8(enca. ' .......,. ·-l / / / - .. He said: "I've tee efforts mill stay been told ground in coffee-mills Lot Smith was a devout of greatness. The history a singiHt personality. controversial biography man, wit~ his of Lot Smith Suns~t the Little Utah. lePt Nielson trip Salt pace with the more rapidly long to reach Nielson fully, as those ~as an excellent and did not omit events did ~ot use dated \ special\vents. conferance or other and he frequently and because of what occurred is written happened enemies. irm:i~· and faithful of this (See diarists of of Morgan County, It there He wrote his three interest in oxen and so could not keep and mule teams. which warranted of equal \ • extended or four if he felt took him twice as March 23, 1876. d~ily accounts faith- explanations. used, ~ithout pages about it He deserved enough a stake it ••• did. for many years, river bitter G. Nielson who arrived He might write ev9nt I thehistory by enough to be with the vanguard penman. Because Lot Smith was captain Sunset and his which so many of the colonists diaiies room for cords l but ha was driving Crossing Sunset was so dominated 9!I ThoSB lilho CBme#<;14' moving horse bread." and Snowflake. settlements friends Lake City early to Arizona, coarse Johns with man who had many of the quali-· He was rrihoff country. of St. of the colony'uras, largely devoted in chapter the people was t~e home of one of the most able Colorado the historic and determined better "Having nothing and made into None of the other in send a man who will related, in St.Johns of near-starvation 'I disappointed Smith." the summer of 1880 he furnished This was a period being Ariraona said, to Lot Smith, Udall also tribute which they fications Young, after and the man chosen. was lot there' during barl~y, President of the CnOrch ·~to colonize In this to offer that Nielson on the Little here. at Sunset, at Sunset, was stake because clerk he was Stake President and kept unequaled Colorado, a rather Many of the interesting things and most of them were typical extended story happening on~· of things hap, re- or ·,. f . ,S...-'.,t -, other 1 : on the Little i/ '.~, '. -:(.,(?.< _ /11'Jy(r,J/(;:::_.x-, colonies. Two entries ·,. ! • J from Nielson's diary introduce Next day his of it gave an account the reader On Sunday, May 7, 1876, he wrote, Colorado. road 96 days. ;>lj,,t •.C-..;,- ck~'-- ,'.Al At. 12 noon drove on over to Lot Smith's Camp. /' entry said, to the clerk & camp." "Reached Ballinger' s He had been on the and seed & ~y provisions "Got·out deliv~red to his arrival to the over the provisions commissary." .This indicates it the acceptance had not been formally puzzled organized of the United sitting down or talking On June said "they July Frihoff all 8 an The diary Nielson was "work .. was not rightly whether they wnrk or not,. the United Order, but some it." 6 a board of seven directors Nielson. even though most of the time." was made to orgenize were not ready for prospective Order. attempt He saw that time. and do not care managed" and "IYlany aro very careless and ere at that at Sunset with some of the men in cemp. Order in fact tells was choscnr of drawing membars were required Some of the newly arriving up Articles to sign settlers !~eluding before were less Lot Smith and of Agreement they could than enter which the enthusiastic about some of the articles. I The Se1nset United people there felt Nielson visited He also noted wa~ a cause that that this was an important and affect or "long feature 18, 1876 noted they were "raising With reference 1878, Order used the .,big table" Obed and on Sept. Order in Sunset, I no crops.". table" of the United ~~,r "Obed hes ~uit I and the Order. I the[ong He did not sa.y that table." this situation. to the long table Lot Smith wrote a letter end other features to the Deseret of the United News, Feb. 24, in which he saids / I I \ .......... \k'~~ This mission has had a strange history, so far, most of~;~ho came having got. weak in the back or knees and gone ho~a. Some, I believe, have felt somewhat exercised about along, and the mode in which we the way we are getting conducted our culinary affairs. Now I ah,avs had a preference to show that for eating with my family, and I have striven I .was willing to enlarge as of ten as circumstances required • • ·•• Wa have noticed that most people that pass the road are willing to stop and board with us a week or more, notwithand the queer style it was standing our poor provis~ons, served up. H~ then intimated that to the long table object~~ the mission in the first t I J. "Pres. the big table City only one-third as if~ were the colony get water little location journal about b~low where Cl9ar "the ri~r Sunset appears day after that arrival, of pro- it up again. to take t1. -n.c.L-- 8fftt'Brigham City kept the primary concern of the a dam and to work "a mile above camptr showing that there was some Colorado River, and was th9 t~o years. rose it, This dam seems to have been built tha Little became a constant suddenly 1 Joseph and in spite and summer of 1876 was to build C~aek ent9rs the first Janusr·y 29, 187 8, says Order. the dam completed. The sum~er rains 17 that it by quite·- City members and found that On May 9 he spol:e of going This was the second used for again. i~rattested 1876, hacl refused of tha Joseph of the United the spring getting have come on would come in." ! to try it of Nielson on the land. on the dam. urgency took a poll essence during never Turley and me to start Isaac in the falfof and Brigham City, ware willing From the Sunset Rich~rds, the big table from Sunset r Joseph as soon as we could end the brethren Bishop Richards a · ...bhn Bush~en~ i.:n ·anentry counseled had discontinued testations who should bacame somewhat of an issue 9:nti:i:es. w. Young idea,.....enly those had not of the mission who had the spirit place. That the long table a number of diary those )-:.;-- threat. very high. It Nielson reoords on July urc3shed out a channel 2 rods •• ! a .high above the dem." ~'"' on July l9_y~ Two days later, was the day that the Allen dam was washed· out. : W(D seems that JC- ::~e "'-'9~ ..{, that "part August 19 Nielson Sunset Colorado continued and the Little continued The rains was trying to flood. of the dam washed away this to keep its dam repaired On morning." It so as to irrigate the crops~ A week later, on August 26 ha reported dan1 mas damaged. Uhe extent the following the river was high and that of the damage was rerlected in his diary the entry day when he saids In the evening it was decided by the brethren inzsmuoh dam had been done, that it would take e long time to fix it, that we go to and build a stockade, a suit·abje p~ac~aving been found for it. as eo much damage ·to the ·. -- The uncel,tein nature ' -~..,.,--~,";( ihs of Nielson t~o \l{~hs later of the Little Rivsrf is seen in the report Colorado when he wrote on October 29 that he. "drove 1 Clear Creek and took a look at the dam, old dam near the mouth of has changedfts channel and e new dam could be made cheaper to our The river than working at the old place.!'!'' The importance Nielson in his diary teacf'ling school of March 8, 1879·, when he said as the larger have assumed that important of the work on the8d~m and ditches pupils work of the colony, because from to work,," He must would know that his entries again 1 was released and I wore·needed of his diary the reader 11 is stressed this by was the most are not numerous concerning ·the work on the dams. Reading his diary was the most impoetant at Joseph another City. dam one would not get tha id9a that thing Apparently in the minde of all . at this time Sunset . _...,..--_-....,_ . maintenance the settlers ~ecided as was the case not to try at the old site, of a d3m to build but to join City in maintain,ti ng their wi th',Brigham dam which was farther I down the I stream. In his history settlements of the area, had combined their efforts This was in 1879. The dam belonged Sunset bought half interest . 0 ·trthoff Nielson Rulon E. Porter says, "The two lou,er in the maintenance of one diversion to Brigham C~ty, and at a later dam." date in the dam. had a critical with the management in handling entry flood on July 21, 1881~ in connection Said hes situations. I I ·Thts afternoon thJbridge and greatest part of dams at the river near the grist ~11 washed down the stream. Men have gone down to catch.the ti~bers, d011n the stream and have succeeded in getting all. Bad management. The river was up ~rrd the planks should have been pulled out, . L. John Nuttall explains about the timberss ___..------....... ~----_.J \ .-1- '! _:~~/ /1~~ i /..t---······ -·-----· Tna~da~ is a substantial work, 125 fe~1.ong, 18 feet wide, and 10 feet high, on a rock foundat__ion{ so arranged thet in high' water the middle can be 1.1:ef.b;<lfiliB)l~e stre~m and allow the water and drift wood to pass by. Nielson•·s urashed away. elapsed called there on may 23, 1883 that like the other to settle the colonies, Little were instances withdrew and turned t Two weeks.later difficulties Colorado valley. of discouregement has Nielson Nielson's and unwilling wrote that Before with those two months had where some of the colonists one man from Centerville _City "went home, b~ing dissatisfied \ had its homeward toward Uteh. June 13, 1876, noted that Ward, "left tho .. dam and bridge 0 Sunset, saints notes diary diary, under date of and three from Salt Lake to stay." Levi Paine and wife, from Kays for home." A meeting of the directors July 10, at which Nielson said "the of the United Order of !unset subject \ or so menywanting \ I I was held on to go home was I spoke upon, and the decision The day follo~ing was that the flood should' •be checked." it which swept timbers \t11n. July 18, twenty of theman end one woman, left ums no entry in the diary in September, so because of the nature of the country, the summer of l878~fter Field and fanily because of Lot Smith's to positions of the saints of leadership With~So much dissatisfaction. there was an "unsettled Bailey sention feeling we have a change, Ona gets was environment V much responsible alkali, Almost from the first if possible, batter Some of the exploring grazing \ -But by I cause seems 10, Jesse feeling of members sites from other better sources sandstorms, c. I I I change." that internal I I dis- I I I I I and isolation. sent out explorei's than the Little the purpo3e I I I W. of Sunset as was th,~hysical each of the colonies locations tbo, I I we mill break that as to the kin1of even UTote that w. Brookbanfand are united for the failure was done far they could find all T. duly of Sunset, March 4, 1882 that.Nielson and nearly for settlement from those in the survival in the settlement. land and a water source for dairy to seaif "July direction is evident but disagree the impression of floods, Much ill to accept -It·wa1n withdrawn, have recently up unless Dissatisfied. diarys I I conduct." The willingness appointed Nielson another I of of crops possible. was twO years old, I year did and the seeming hopelessness in the rrihoff removod tod,,. for Utah, who went home the first to make the raising the settlement from an entry to be apparent However, to return. most of those water from the river to return. and Joseph Hyrum Holbrook left he did not expect · It can be assumed that obtaining the colony for home, and there whether any of them expected Hyrum Layton and family with Layton declaring from the dam downstrea~, Colorado valley. of locating cattle. a sa'JITlill~ and of Much of it, for permanent ..... -__......_ .......... to find, however, settlement. _,_ '-" .....-..,....,,._ ...;,t was I I I I ~pacific 17, l88l)when '\ an e~plori~g favorable mention he said trip. report of explor~ that several since of theµploring. in the place A year later, for Salt Adams and c. _E. lately iment in fall date. or winter wa~ talk name for Chevelon, ·This apparently 0 Nielson himself the Little Nielson decided to leave for a place with the United Colorado, settled to Sunset, end garden- Sunset, part to settle, ha spent potatoes, there, of wheat and and shortly Order Company. of farming authorities was rather Lot Smith. /?' of the Church as m9ll ~, hs might, tt-{;~r official He reocrded thereafter He also visited but finally St. decided father had and others. to the Little faithfully recorded He was acquainted by psrson3l Colorado by.Nielson, with those associ~tion settlements, who was authorities with them as they capacities. that and Brigham Young, Jr., Moenkopi, by thet edvancd wrote of farming and went to New Mexico where his of general Stake Clerk to President came in was an exper- • . The visiting ana particularjy Call with J. J. together the growing season ·was far Joseph end Woodruff to see the success previously came of it, Slough. He seemed to be looking egainst nothing 1882, he spoke of L~ M. Savage and I. since {hough, asked to have e settlement _.,,,,. I of experimenting but:apparently April 1883 in the mountains near Heeer, where he planted I' brought to it. wheat, Some time befoee corn. Creek" on Lot Smith and others there "to sow some urheat. The next rebruary, ing at the Salt that explored, the local Richardson on August They had gone 40 miles. in September Slough, diary for the "head of Clear week he wrote that he.made no more allusion leaving men left On Aµgust 23 he noted During the ensuing with so~e grain was made in Nielson's on June 2, 1876, President came to Sunset, The n:~t accompanied day he told Wells, Apostle E. Sno~~ by some missionaries about a bad accident fro~ they experienced I I I in crossing sank, the Colorado and by it "Bro. River Roundy on their .i oi Kanarra way to the colonies. The ferry boat· was drowned and one wagon and prqvisions lost." While Wells was ther\e Little it Colorado frO country told the settlers was "too good" and that that he was afraid that "we would not be able the to keep our.enemies." In September another rage the people the people at Sunset ten~ Colorado of the other general within of the failure in spite a crop. ten years of their This was from Erastus "this count~y to encou- possibly Snow, who told would be peopledlby Saints." Because Erastus the Little and raise that of Latter-day J(trfousands view was expressed,~ to_rama~n in the coloni~ to dam the river efforts opMmlstic Snow was appointed to keep in tocch his name is mentioned colonies, authorities. Nielson mentions with the people then most more frequently his arrival in in Sunset from Moenkopi on Mai 17, 1879. The next / year he tells IYlarch 1 was his birthday of 1.Wilford Woofruff and that Joseph and Brigham City joined being the settlements with Sunset wi t~thsm, held a "big in this celebration \ saying party.". for teat St. the visiting authority. Wi~ford Joseph sisters '"··- told Woodruff spent a year in the area, how he came to a session sew carpet "Jhe bi~tbd,y rags. party of the Relief Titre women were greatly for Apostle and Sophia mcLaws of St. Society flattered and helped Jos~ph. the by this attention Woodruff was mentioned of both John Bushman and John Mclaws of St. --- I in the records Bushman wrote: This is Elder Woodruff's seventy-third birthday. Nearly th9 event. The all the people stopped at Sunset to celebrate Sunset Ward prepared a splendid dinner and all the~fople partook with pleasure. He received many presents as tokenk of love and respect, and there were several songs composed for the occasion, in honor of their illustrious guest. After which· he made a fine speech and said this ~eople were very near to him. He blessed all the people. The Apostle soon started to his home in Salt lake City, after staying in Arizona nearly a year, because of persecution. (He was on the underground.) The people ~ov~d him dearly because of his kindness and humility to all •. / I alike.'' Because several particularly sensitive of the men in each colony had plural wives, to the movement of the United Government to make p~lygamy illegal. Nielson's diary reflected States their concern they ware from time to time. Hawrote on November 13, 1879, that mo·utns shut and no\tell strangers to the affect that had." It was the "Edmunds bill· the house on 14tf:t." passed · Ref lee-ting the attitude of' non--f11o:r-mor.stowar-d tho an entry was found on May 7, 1882 that advising us to get a new revelation of 1890, valley there was much concern and elsewhere who rad plural beeause of the danger of arrest During 1885 there Nielson LL);~~.--~~-~'F1~ the persecutions "All are urged to contribute butions among the Mormons of the Little for or()) o~ the church in Snoutfl8ke, 1 andtentioned to the defenile was a general by the law against -; There was comparative polygamists during . However, federal recorded leaders) violation, and this had sought refuge applied safety "S. E. spoke at conferenc~ in Apache County for polygamy. fund to assist campaign within in the Arizona following yeMS -- event~uallientered to those from the law. for terms of varying that of those polygamists." the church for contri~· ·those who w9re placed polygamy. the earlier marshals spoke Colorado and imprisonment to the Defense Fund, which was used to assist in jeopardy blhitfall, of the Edmunds law and the Manifesto In December ~1884 Lewis (which was an alias marr·iagor;r doing away with polygamy." _.-:-:--. wives. plural "a BA.ptist minister,. Between the time of the passage prison were warned to keep their how many wives the brethren I he made a\entry on march 24, 1882 that "people 6 living colonies passage Ari0ona length. tha Utah of the Edmunds law. in pursuit in Arizona Some ware apprehended, for of those as well as those tried, and sent in who to I I I I Lot Smith went "und.,rground" · the last three Richards years of St. of the history Joseph acted because of the Little as stake were Peter original plural Nielson, in Colonie Stake, Jeseph Mexico where there Turi~y, I was I I' Colorado who was one of the who was in Allen's and James N. Skousen, . - -~. H. I --when it'!first~~_a:settled. a time much detailed - furnished end during who had been on the Little Isaac Juarez; wives, in his place. went into Among those of FrifloffJ father colonists camp for wives. Colorado president Quite a number of Arizona colonists no law against of his several I daily informatiofoncerning by Nielson's diary. latha -foob power turning used for legs for chairs _life in Sunset In march of 1880 he wrote that.they for wood m~de in the carpenter and tables, and possibly I I I had "a shop." for rolling I I has been This was I I pins for the kitchen.;.: The Little Colorado colonies at the Mormon Lake site. · they needed raised This provided sheep, along largo faj~J.y a. Lot Smith, cows, machine. The same three on of going to $unset Wool became one of. the valuable th ere was a decision that home and wo~kad up by hand, and picked and John Mclaws how to run the machine. products of the settlements. by their herds In 1878 would be kept atV was mention of H. Judd and of wool to sell. made a trip to the dairy up a load of "3,000 •---·• I were named to learn but by May 1879 ths~a In April of 1A80 Nielson had been sheared, a number of times, the wool produced A. L. Rogers going to Utah with loads I I machine was mentioned of Joseph City told I I I comnaittee on same." The carding I own cloth·. . a mool carding I of wool, which Mann, and George Lake were named as a committee December 1, 1878 to locate as a "building with the~airy quantities to card and spin\so they could weave their \ / r ..,.,__ ....... • . region where the sheer or 4,000 lbs.'' -~·- .. -- - • _,.... _____ .. _ ..... --. That same -i.- ;.,---·----·-- I I I month he wrote of receiv,/lng an offer of 19 cents per pound for the company's wool. ln thetr clothing isolated wool was important, situation, became a major undertaking. was ~ecessary that it to us~ for articles thing-which was produced spun, Nielson father from the and woven, bePore tells of waaring were shoemakers, of making slippers Behrmari of Brigha~ity I and\thers ware, and Nielson I was\heared it for sheep,it it was ready some of the clo- at Sunset. and his He tells o. r. carded, of clothing. Both Frihoff ing them.• be washed, ' Afte1\it but using for his making as well wife as early 111ascredited as ·repair- as 1878 •. with makfog excellent from SAunset had him make such items eer-then as milk pans I flor them. One unusual item, which was planted cabbage in the spring tobacco in a community where its or 1881 was tobacco~ however, there Winslow, the new rail~ead, the first fetonths One wonders use was not sanctioned. ..-:-- was a record The colonists in e hot bed with tomatoes of •sunset , hauling "for sheep dip." made their own adobes when cottonwood logs 1,000 for houses. and rocks and al the need fl8r The next pounds I year, of tobacco from This developsd afte~ were princip!l building materials. In September 1880 Nielson The settlement_ I firstpne Family I meetings and by had its than and 6f potatoes, the area and the colonies dairy in April raised edition the dairy, generous 1881 to plant told prepared in longhand it of.the in public Enterprise would be done by him end his. wife. Coloredo was not suitable in the mountains quantities. potatoes, in one day. of reading he found the edition on the Little near apparently Nielson another. next the soil of making 1240 adobes own newspaper, 1882 said interesting, Although told to the west, A group from Sunset and there for is a record I I I growing was good, went to the of some of their r number doing the same in 1882. in the diary said established~ families/were •• ·...1'.,i reputati6n as a cheese of potatoes 27 when Nielsrin said people wanting 50¢ a wagon a week later about to use their 25¢ en animal mention the settlers masting not. entry\n n, year or there ten \ dividing he talked \ because settlement of 1881. On Sept. I I I f I tho bridge.,. I I I Sept. that said I I I 7, I the familie9 who said they unrest Colorado, were , but thedanger r and therewere passed ( dissatisfaction is for 5, 1882\Nielson "40 or 50 stand I I I I during I I the first there came a scare record said I I in simply1 run in anticipation " no more {ntries until of possibl the follow- ing summer. On July I were company of 38 men with L. M. Savage as being I taken." in the Nielson were bullets That same week there I had been Burk and :'!1cNisl liautenabts.'' captain. allking I the river." of some friction. "considerable Indian 5 an entry using I to charge and would not deserve to the people . over the melons of the course a toll Colorado.river. The captain of the Little Organize charging from teams" oP the gardens, had not been real "Apache on the warpath. attack, toll th~diary3said twor~)the September up an additional crossln<J "our brtdge for to stop said among the Saints Although on October it had been decided they were the cause them, but Nielson manifest had is mentioned the Little with the members of the company. The resulting N. T. Porter at Sunset that wrote product except.teat across to "collect 1881, Lot~ Smith asked Nielson har~ested, time. and picked bridge toll he was assigned 1'_elons were a staple special at that A. L. Rogers on the way home. However. on march 30, 1882, Nielson I a~ and entries 23 to get potatoes. from the d~iry he got 105 bushels at the tannery in October, maker. to Sunset Not much has been said for Qctober .,,-r at the dairy I Hauling bushels a group ~an~on I' I and foue Porter These were harvested wrote a letter to the of arms to defend in case Governor of Arizona of Indian trouble." I I I Later that organized, St. same month a muster was made out. to the acting by J. H. Richards, ~n O~to~ert stand of arms, of the militia It included Joseph and. Brigham City. ammunition roll company, which had been man from ths three colonies A bond was made out for "42 stand governor of Arizona, of arms and U. M. Van Arman, Prescott, captain which I forwarded." appears the recond of sending the requisition J. H. Richards, for the Captain, of Sunset, for signed the 42 to Clark Churchill, I Prescott, I I A. T. The danger entries of attack or mention of Indians 6eronimo and other had .arrived with the sharing there troubles, renegades Food was never colonists from the Apaches passed although in Sunset with a good supply, of all ~~o~isions this were no more I was the time when bloody trouble were giving plentiful and there or the other far to the south, colonies. but others brought in the common good, it Soma of the but little, and was not long until I was a scarcity. Af In March ?,P rationing I I 1878, just 8'7 two years of what food rmmained. arid that there was no meat, from arrival Nielson said at Suneet, that there aas the food was "very but one more mess of- fruit and scarcely I plain" I enough I I milk for one cup a day. The follmwing Snowflake and St. _colony at Sunset, destitute The follo~ing at Sunset or last flour about February Johns, like at Silver I there came a call where supplies the others had dwindled nearby "decided Creek as far as we-reasonably year it 650 bushels was estim~t3d of wheat. for about almost to assist saints to nothing. those at Tha who are can." in March th~t They ware using there ~era on hand some 1,000 pounds It wasbelieved that this would ,-.___ 20 weeks wi~h not much more than for making e week and 150 pounds of meal. the settlement from the destitute '- I I I I I I I #breaa. At the same time the record tithing f>or 1878-1879. what they had given provi•sions. that to the upper stake their the Atlantic ''a great besides amoun1, of . "food Railroad had reached the station was called at the table more variety Sunset to satisfy the problem of food had largely in the Nielsen profited the mill In July 1881 it our appetites," was and been solved by the a point ipposite Winslow and that Sunsot, H was four arid more plentiful," time that said It mi las di a- the brief' diary. as did the other in the mountains weeks after eat and wear continued. of clothing. and Pacific was noted that erected orders· and receipts,•• which was called food was not "sufficient Apparently entry in '' t~ey were destitute tant. the community owed Sl,507.24 They had 1907.20 in "paid The problem of enoug~o noted that said to the west. began cutting by the colonies By November 19, 1876, timber, it that had been sawmill within three was recorded, Here is fine timber and good land, moist enough to grow without iriigation. A rolling country very easy to log in, no underbrush and nearly level with low hills. The timber consists of pine, oaW and a little quaking asp. The sautmill is located near a spring, the only one in the viclnity found. Spent the afternoon in conversation with the brethren. Some contention among the brethren of different camp,about who ·shall have the lumber first. small grain The mill fiva \ was\till in may of 1878 when Nielson producing 0 yoke of exan and a trailer 1\ 'JJ9nt th3 42 miles noted that to the sawmill for a load of' lumber. That fall appears in the sawmill together set mill to "settle a note that and that the three communities representatives were interested of the colonies met in Sun- accounts." On March 1, 1881 a group of Sunset people went b~ v \ the mill site "to make a run before "sold later the trip of logs, the mill was moved into broken. mill in the Nielson The writer said record south and within another menced grinding a group brought week (may 16, 1878) it corn on mill for a minute, for uee of the grist On April 4, 1883 there to start operations 1878 the colonies Valley, discussed mill I I and e/ was and that wheat." of lumber fo~ the•- gr-ist that they mtll. had "com-· Burr mede 126 revoluI was one-eighth~ Nielson the regular mill, colonies, in Pleasant time in Brigham City, was recorded is a note that the grist With the other A short I I I head of water." The toll m. Savage were grayam and corn meal, today with water power. with full there 9, 1878 when the mill on boiled 3,900 feot I it of Snowflake. was made April breakdown _"may cause us to rave to live A month later lumber. had been erected they had been grinding had been two weeks later Even though to saw them into that the mill Nearly the mountains used the grist a sample entry tions noted that for lumber was a failure. they were not able Sunset the is moved."~~ by the Church to W. J. Flake for mas noted that plenty the mill the people I helped miller having of Eunset I I I the dairy to plan site. of establishing I L. moved away. helped not far from the sawmill the possibility Lot Smittnd . F'ebruary:· During a_dairy I and the making of cheese. Like the other summer to take care colonies, Sunset of the stock, sent families. milk tha··cows, to the dairy and make the cheese. June 4, 1879, Nathan T. Portal" with 26 cows and "a lot for the dairy during Entries to the riuer to "remain there in 1880 indicated from the dairy. In August 1882 Nielson that Butter told in the of calves" On left Sunset.· the summer." N~ T. Porter also had hauled a load of cheese was mentioned. of taking cheese from the dairy '. t\he·s~~~e . . in Woodruff (cooperative First talk store for of a tannery the several to have been in August, appeared in a month Lot Smith had gone with a tanner to the sawmill see about receiving and it was noted $3.50 per day and board. ~, a~ the operating In Octobsr names of C. A. roster idea of a cooperative Sunset in favor The store on the stoie, Lundquist I I to the the tanner 1882 the tannery I was I was still I -· and H. W. Despain were mentioned wast.), Little the other be located Colorado colonies at Holbrook, and its I in I I I 1882, because in Holbrook, their companies Life Frihoff of dramatic establishment ·the quicksand, Nielson his in I I I I settlements I ), ,, .l "". .•.,;tJ,.., (..t _-.J_ ) ~.,.....,, from Sunthey obtained Order, to ~rovide he mentioned from their variety. service During such activities of the problem of e/en water by digging which began for Sunset the as staginr getting wells goods own efforts. of the coming of the railroad, domsstic I I a suitable of the mired in 7 and of on Octebar .. · .... 9, 1876. The mail was receibe~ from Sunset, but by October I I undertaking. in obtaining ·but not without records, to find mail cooperative to most of ths the United when unable of the effect of efforts I I f'l";:1<-1 ·l under of a board of trade, major· significanee--the /JA was difficult, productions, was taken lad been'""'~~oodruff, opeeated kept central vote I the However, it rootr 'c_v-lJ•;,t--G.-, -'(.,~~ u-r, at the store at Sunset in this of som~ difficulties the store While the c~lonies an actual that tribut5ries. / building by J. W. Young,.took proposed July 7, 1881, that of joining By February years Lundquist, w~re well enough establish~d 1880 the colonies was more thBn a year later, for called Hides were taken that With- 1879. connection. By February set. from Snowflake a tannery." locating as 'they accumulated, tannery that "to colonies). previously by going to a mail station a postmastea'. had been appointed for some miLes Sunset e~n I I I r I ·the mail came directly because on Jsnuary to the colony. 6, 1878 a committee -,# Ball;(nger' s camp to "sea if on the regular a line. On February Congress asking is 14 that the mail route can be changed so Sunset now four miles off the line." year e letter to a letter On August 2., 1879 it colony mail had been "received No doubt some attempts was establishec:f, been asked to teach the children." school On November 9 Nielson bys. c. "examined thought daily or school teaching Ladd by my qualiPications, I would receive a first class Nielson school wrote that was he had "punished nacessarily noted that he hed will teach (Allen'_s Camp) where he was teacher, from the county and he superinten- It was expected costs, on November 22 when of rules of end Nielson to the needs fo~ labor in th on March 8, 1879, which read, "I was released \ as the larger pupils and l were needed to work. Amy the rest that of the pupils." state had written funds could be obtained February 11, 1879 that I I I 31. by an.entry school I I I Judd for violation took sacond place I "who could not control was mentioned Daniel I the } as indicated from teaching Porter discipline I I in by whipping him." Tha school colony, of schoolroom I I I had commenced, dent." The matter I I was started Nielson as a echool cerfificate in of Sunset were made soon after P~ Pipkin, Joseph Stephens time in over two monthso" school was October went to St. can be on March 20, 1882, it 1878, rrihoff or J. Kr I I 24. mail service of whsn the first to conduct s. one from "by the offices today for the ftrst instead day to H. ofl January because but in October, His first established was noted that There seams to be no record Sunset. was dispatched from Stephens must have been interruptions., noted that must not have lasted was named to meet with a like him to gat the mail route and Union.," in reply bub tttere However this for paying school. they had received worW I I I I I I that that, $489.08 0 was expected L. M. Savage reported Prescott because Sunset ·teachers. those ' b~t bejcause anti-mormon However, on March ·15 he noted they had not been able end "rigged" passing complied who wanted to teach those felt controlling the examinations. the examinations, to get the school of being able Some among the colonists not qualified /7'> purpose. the difPiculties In man~ases n~ this the law had not been--,strictly shared e•aminations. cants for there with." to gbtain certificated were not able this to pass the was not because they were ,~ the exami')t) of_ teachers While there seemod to money at were records be no evidence, ware of appliat least i. presented not fair ;r in personal which would prove that tho ·e-xaminsti..ons wer.e end just~ Tha·mormon settlements by members of their members as their At Sunset in the other that their and made every effort child~en be instructed to get qualified chu~ch teachers. there were some special educationel·activities not mentioned colonies. 11, at which time On April School t'aught uiere anxious own faith, One of these .. journals, singing was the it was recorded school in 1878. The echool that. ~•notes· is taught." A 2 thereeppeared an eritry in the Nielson r by George Gardner" was meeting. Another activity was the Spanish School. In late v.V: ,.2.1t e: Tl conduc_ted with August ·tlfrikin_g, as instructor, occasionally J. { ~/ Nielson. from a letter to the Deaeret began on f e_b. VJI : (. ( ....... i - q~lry that. "Singing V / Janunry r- "tended" it was being by f r-ihoff }(t! )/,_'_ News from Wilken~..- date~ May 29, 1878, is the following: · I have been here for four months teaching Spanish to th8 brethren here and ifn Brigham City. I have been· very much pleased with the progress the brethren have made in their studies, and they are far enough adv~nced to keep up their studies wibhout a teacher. There was some enthusiasm·for the Spanish School, as mention of it appea·rs some 20 or 30 times in the Nielson_ writings. The leaders knowledge of Spanish with the Indians, becaus~ ~ost would help the missionary Governmental mostly to matters have a justice matters . majority Spanish it became advisable but later to of the peace and a constable. as J> were not too many inst~nces of tha law_ but Nielson's officers been elected at first, a were limited colonies in Sunset and the other of mail service that people pf New M~eo. aith the Spanish-speaking Thers probably for these Navajos and Hopis spoke and understood of the literate filromj-their contacts ePfort felt justice entry of the peace at ~nset 6f 21 of the 26 votes in w~ch there indicated that he had on November S, 1878, by a J. R. McNiel cest. was need W8S elected et_ constable the same election. It was not until took the oath of office the following before July~~_that Samuel G. Ladd of he st. Joseph, ·who in turn was sworn in by Nielson. One of the few cases to be heard by him was that 3, 1880, who had been summoned to appear • for irrigation, on the complaint and French was found guilty of Lot Smith." having harvasts, this being rrench the "water On June 8 the trial on June we use was held SS. and fined It was the custom of several ·their for obstructing off• of the diarists one of the prime enough to sustain them from season At Sunset Nielson told of thres1hing {.....,,- concerns to record of all the results of the colonlas-- to season. wheat during the winter of 1878. On_rebruary 8 he wrote, "Total wheat threshed in Sunset last year 839 bushels, "1/. The ne~t January he recorded that they had raised 1745 bushels of wheat, end I I that the threshing The harvest nearly In February of "2,515 bushels of ·oats and about by the Indians of 1879 brought one or two acres. all·but of corn." bushels slated in the fall jccut, all had been completed of grain 1880 they completed of lucern \ rigures on the 1880 harvest r f I: years that followed the harvests came in 1881 and this In the first of the colonists for th~ ien to be lost was even the subject written Later, 1 I. I f • ( I I f started II I t [ 1882 that 'v was on the route in the temple, "Quite way to St. raised on December I~the The railroad in some variety~ of burden their was the ox. wagons, and it Most was common the 1876 migration. by colonists the farms, Nielson and melted of travel often a number of people in later It years, little mention is made of. recorded that "boys lost down." from the Gila River colonies and the couples stopped. an Nielson and From time to time the local recorded on Co_tobar 5, here from the Gila and othe~ places wives, would return men, particularly to Utah to be married. George with two of the local those On one occasion maidens, .. I•• way to St. Georg£ on their on George to get married." /j7 for St. diary for survlvals available repeated in 1879 however, he being fat 60 bushels "And We Lost Another Ox." in the area to the southeast, to be married thi~r -. On one occasion Sunset those called which con- seed 20 bushels.tr on the road from Utah during in working the ~xenon ox by overdriving, r,· I l them. readily with ox teams pulling by John Donaldson, I have 3,000 the threshing, mere not so vitel of a song, often they will in Nielson's few years in Sunset the bsest arrived "Corn is of Sunset. 40; lucern made foodstuffs that The Mo~ui wheat was that wsre listed 15, as "Wheat 1,324; oats 82; barley I of Moqui wheat, seed." oriland· near the settlement 24. the entry Estimated of wheat, 300 bushlls 20 bushels en January taking plural a prominent man but ~hen they had.gone · .... / as far as Moeneop~ the girls refused to discuss their \/ The day-t~day nies the dining of the life at Sunset Colorado. of Lot Smith. involving minds and returned horns. They reasons. living on the Little discipline changed their ~s This was as in any of the co 1c as difficult ' some 4n . measure due to the st~ict ·. stemmed from situations Some of the unhappiness __ which was in vogue dur-ing most room and the "big table" of the settlement. Nielson was chosen to be the bakel." on October job •. Howovar, he was not permitted in his diary of the wasteful Lot Smi~hrom he considered to harangue use mealtime tt Thisray upsetting. tha and ther:e are many entries in the baksry and kitchen. about his duties He was critical to refuse, 1878, but declined too stingy, his captive have resulted !I cooks, b~\fnostly he was critical He said Lot wou: even for the times. audience until in the general it became quite sometimes dislike of dave 1 Of Lot that for emong most of the settlers. One visiting from the dinner woman from St. Joseph started to pacify tabla her and told>her·:this made. ·l practice was not A_complaint that there It was said that some folks complaints against .and the dining hall ing. Nielson said other in camp, but tonight that was done, "all the day, and Lot chastised · in the dining had better fare hall than others. were many, and for reasons other was often autthe than t the food rules. mention he noted of-bread permitted. was favoritism the captain first talk her baby during to take acc~ust of dissatisfaction on April ware late the captain came in the month of Sunset's 20, 1876, that a good feeling in getting advancing "we had a few words between prevails.'' up. After some doctrine foundeach· However, ta~ d~ys later breakfast in relation a good deal to the U. of o. I,, j: I ., The writer which to my mind was very incorrect." the unity in the camp tha-~t there influence with the camp." In Ju~e this pressed feeling feeling" as "ill wrote, and there among some of the Sunset continued is "much ill was not feeling lost ex- people, for the Order. was mention of "much jealousy" removed" on July 30. and family there ought to be, "the captain·. having of soma who were not "ready In.· Jul_y 1878 there "Jesse Field noted that 0 ·· in the camp and that They were dissatisfied, of members because Nielson of Lo·t Smith's conduct." Tha situation "Apostle Wilford flared Woodruff scolded quarrel over SS and spending foolish the brethren fo~ stooping noted that so low as to the time of busy man for so long a time in so mannei:." a While it those again in F"ebrua~y 1880 when Nielson first the trying was to be expectecfUaii"under years, this circumstances colony seems to have had more than ita share of strife. That the captaintlot Smith was a domineering and contentious 1 the students of the Little Colorado settlements. well known by all tent of the contention, who visi'ted Sunset and the other bles Fr!hoff where. reason man is The ex- Most of the church authorities were well aware of Smith's upb~aided him for it, sometimes his methoes or his manner, tem- even in as the trou- · Nielson, to shake, stake clerk,,,,.,us-lee l:o:t::Sfflrt1) 7 had a;~oyalty but by April 10 7 1883, even he had dacid3d He had heard one of the common quarrels for continuing 3 -~rt (·, to live "Lot Smith arid E(':~k got into that settlements This did not seem to affect continued. difficult was unusual. and they often per and tactlessness, public. however, of the women do the baking of bread." was to -go elsa- in camp and could see no under such unpleasant words about that cbnditions. He wrote, women's work, Lot Smith proposing Burk opposed it saying the work was I I I I l· too hard for women. Nielson myself than be in a quarrel While discussion a fair that brought them both that of these continuing he would "sooner live by with others." conflicts of the Sunset presentation it was this told of the people it toward their I of the settlement, would not be lt may be justly colony to omit them. feeling about the abandonment is not pleasant, though\ther leadet causes said that may have conti:i°bute·d. I I I N. M." Nielson P. Nielson, Savoia, had recorded The call on May 27 and 28. Stake President A sixth of.Sunset rather by H.J. and bitter called Lot Smith had called family s. J. Bloomfield, that "were called1s missionaries ) was announced at the stake One of those co~ference was frihoff's father at St. who felt Garn, Joseph that the them "out of spite." withdrew the same week, thereby depleting which lasted on June 30, Frihoff the populatiom most of the d~. Judd at the invitation name calling session. had a long and bitter The afternoon of Nielson. "We told session He recorded him it looked talk with was attended that it like everyone I I to sh~rply. A month later, Lot Smith, and J~ K. P. Pipkin A. Pipkin, N. M." a few days earlier I was a long who I I I had any manhood abobt them he was driving sychophant arid those he could twist During the days following ment. Four other Nielson said families J. s~ Ashcroft and J.E. {'(~ of expressing out articles to those wrote that on certain moving away. stabbornness atmosphere and in settling few days later who ware kept around him." in the settle,·-- their These were H. H. Judd, of 12 families a to8al my opinion ness and wilfull A l~·-,& On July 10, Nielson to leave, is shown." only those his ideas,he was a charged there Garn. W. Bond,• McNiel·and to suit decided "much bitterness away, leaving accounts by J. R. they were joined within a few weeks. "Lot Smith abused me again A bad feeling of Lot Smith. .he On July 20, matters." R a •. Burk, H. axis.tad tod~y because a.. wrote, "Save throught.the onef ided- tie is a very dis~greeebla man to do business.J.'-&.' the large group actually to get rrihoff's fl6Th?~ ~,.-an·d Two days later planning entry to return he felt said those leaving The removal of these There were but 23 pupils Taylor from T. from the Pipkins w. Brookbank Ni,lson that ad left, remained in reply his · reg~rding to it defenders, ' ther tsmained until complaints and others h,ei.c)-U~ greatly .. "the rest seeking depleted knew of the troubles. to Lot Smith regarding Lot Smith families families Sunset, with Pete~ Nielson of his goods." to do god's The will • . .s the strength of £unset. in Sunday School on July 23, 1882. Church authorities w:Woodruff were honestly left "Two letters that had come to President their settlement here. Also one to W. Woodruff." too, bub:, when somany strong I too feu, to carry th9 following were read from spring. on successfully. On April men and their L ,ifrihoff 10, 1883 he served notice he was leaving. The Encyclopedic moved away gradually, History of theChurch a few at a time.'' \ says of Sunset It mentions that the dates "The pi:ople of 1882, 1883 and 1884 as the years of final were the only ones left the Encyclopedic little settlement of Sunset" I concludes. of the story I of Sunset that ' is least ~----"':.'4• years~ and which,1though of some three Little of the once flourishing History The part "In 1885 Lot Smith and his family breakup. knoJcovered unpleasant 1 a period I to be told. needs I The problem r~sulted from the United Order which Sunset and the other I Coloredo settlements undertook I When a family to make their way of life. came to Sunset they were required Articles of Association before included turning their property they were received into to subscribe into3~he group. I to the This the ordor and sho~ing a willingness to be governed by the Boarid of Directors. Most of those who joined Order might put o~heir the perfect society t'temained et their through was possessed e sense of duty long after v/!.)l_,1,../ theyiconfronted came that with a property were not satisfied 11~1 --L - ~~toleave settlement. with the settlement .,.f,t>' as 1878 le~ters Salt they Erastus John Taylor dated December 19, 1878 stated own. m~y disillusiort- to retain their self most of those • from diss~tisfied hake City. by a wil- their Apparently pion0111rs who had withdrawn Snow in a l9ttar the nature I I man whose judgment was often at odds with their posts from Sunset reached with tho idna or in Sunset came as a shock to most of the membe~s, who When the time finally As early the were of one hear~ and one mind. -ment. who left limitations They wcre·indoc~ated - -- ful and determined respect for whatever the one mind by which they were controlled found that 1 activities. where all The situation ware prepared to Prasid9nt of the grievances. Those who leave are not allowed anything for the use of their property and means while with them, nor for labor, however faithfully performed, except what they eat, and if theit.J stock, teams~or other property is used up in the company or damaged, they lose it, but if their labor helps to make improvements or their stock increases, such improvements or increase I accrues to the company and when parti~s beceme dissatisfied, and go to some they must take what is left of thetr effects other part of the country because as Perkins says, these companies wish to monopolize_ all around them whether they need or can use it or not." It can be seen that the longer off he would be, provided one remained he ever decfded with the company the worse to leave. In actual on~ wa~ sent away empty-handed and ~s1Nialson acknowledges \ most of them took awesy more than they brought. (July . These were young vigorous part°tcOarly Property, those pany's who left felt men and their livestock, that 13, 1882) with the ~Cllpany and to their. fair share of the-com- net worth. The Church had urged strongly a just were in, it minds. that complete records be kept so that could be made with a person who desiired settlement was difficult to withdraw~ ...!'"'"' because of poor facilities was not easy to satisfy and help. dissidents Even had Lot Smith been a generous plenty of trouble settling In 1885 the crusade many Arizona Mormons fled them. no time was wort~ somethinge was accumulating they were entitled practice While there (\I.an tfl,::all who had already end wise leader Thie the figures merjc up their ·ha would have had with those who left. against Mormon polygamists td:Mexico was intensified to escape prosecution, and Lot Smith among he came face to face with a number of his former Sunset members. Because of persistent leading brethren, church appointed of the United They met with the complaining members and it a committee the ~hole of five and settle business leading three of the Snow, Brigham Young uo and George Teasdale, affair investigate matter J Erastus complaints~the Little the business Order in Sunsat. was decided to appoint· Colorado men who would inv~Jtigate affairs of the now defunct to company. the The committee ·chosen was Lot Smith, Hubert R. Burke and Frihoff and David K. Udall G. Nielson. At Lot Smith's chosen to replace ~s 10, 1886, in Woodruff and organized Brookban~ as secretary. Later John Bushman, Thomas request him. lThe committee w. Brookbank, he utas excused members met August and T. W. with John Bushman as chairman E. M. Webb was appointed secretary replacing Brookbank.· A sub-committee Nielson was appointed composed of Chairman Bushman, H. R. Burke and F. G. to a complete appraisal 'n req comp~ete but fortuentely and these and figures minutes three of the committee It than it are not available, men kept extensive or jour~als dia~ies the company•s assets seemed that Lot was determined job than inve~torying with all could not be accepted. it appears that carelessness or design four it and appraising former of instructions their Overpayments claims. claims from church members had been overpaid, did not staee. whother company property widely and many of them presented In the letters at least he could, his, former memeers and verifying ment~ers were scattered time-- of Lot Smith and to keep everything convince the committee that it was rightfully was corresponding took considerable should have done due to the obstruction An even bigger former Order •. United of the committee necessary are available. much longer hfOuld of the Sunset of the property The work of inventorying sons. and commence the inventory to go to Sunset to these The which authorities whether through man were to be reclaimed. Wh9n the there invantary and appraisal ware more than 1,400 cattle, of horses valued at S225 each, There were some ranches, valued were complate at S27,596. it was found There were 200 head and 2,oOO head of sheep listed and the Old Fort and settlement. that at $2 each. Most of the real· estate was on government land. But a value or. railroad was placed In August and September \ stock to f~rmer\embers had .been. notified times ~o receive some stock who they felt tb1them. designated live- These members places at given thei~=stock. are from Nielson entries Aug, 29 1 1887s • "Monday, endeavored met with obstacles, and disagreeable. diary. to start to deliver stock, but Lot Smith being very obstinate Aug, 30,i 1881-: "Had more disagreeable Aug, :n, 1887c •.~Wednesday - Had more talk. Finally began to•_.gatheI' up and deliver stock to J. R. fQcNiel and A. T. Doxey." i. talk.," Sept, 1 1 1887 s "Gathered Sept, 4 1 1887s "Lot Smith was very abusive Sept, 10 1 1887 "rinished delivering 30 head to Tenney." Sept, 11 1 1887: "Porter John 8U$hman in his behavior. "There Just up stock boys left journal with the Sunset dealing Lot Smith's to get all and delivered United to me this with stock at noon." more than 30 years Order settlement,was a few quotations spirit he can end slurs will David K. Udall in writing still and about after bitter the over illusteater manifested by Lot Smith." some of the ~ommittee." stock away.'' "He misrepresente-c:Lmany morning." to -the Porters "He seemed to thin¼:"so much of the beautiful to see them driven to boys f ram Ramah,•~ stock compiled was a very disagreeable "He tries bear and mwnad began transferring were entitled or other rights in A.C.M.I. 1887, the committee to be at the dairy The following events did not own the on each as they had squatters There ass also some improvements. and the settlers lands things." of the committee says: that he could not I. t., We went through all the records, hunted out the old colonizers and wrote them for statements of claims and grievances. We had num.y meetings during a period of three yanrs, some held at Mormon Dairy, at Woodruff and various ranches. A more conscientious body of arbitrators in my opinion could not be found." Both Nielson arid Bushman furnish soma of the figures the committee. They seam more than generous as they relate yet h~· fejected everything unpleesant et hand they finally agreed to settle gave Lot a~.list these In aonchlsion went home, after claims. to do an·d~ede things of those Bushmen about serving es missionaries their as was a nightmare to settle this "He told talked and technically was still, privately Brigham it with would be a dif- the committee members "they were called Smith to get away with much more than he was due to the abuse he heaped upon them. a will, dues." business." That the committee allowed man wltb so strong of the brethren work." When Brigham Young Jr. Young told and he to Bushman and some of the other on the committee, But Apostle had claims "On September 29, (1887} the committee about two years of disagreeable members of the committee. task." who still But Bushman says sadly,-"Some Bushmen added, . The whole affair deserved to Lot Smith, with as many of the former members as were near had orders on the committee never got all ficult upon by for the committee members as he could. After having settled that the committee tried agreed especially the stake How could one deal in view of the fact that with a he had been, president? .' \ .. • ', bought the 24 . CJ.ty o holdings Fred five R.andall, inches pioneer celebrations. Indians.and understood been in Indian church after with his the Indians a mission arriving out the people of to five better did. All called He was size. Among saddle horses. of his him . feet that. bis Joseph ways arid language· the The Indians She drove parents to Pine, ~nowflake Stake the death bis car They were the church, of the children "Hosteen Yazzie" much like :Arizona, Academy. when the him and had nine and held Harvey (Lena was called took her husband Alfred five .until 1889, she did she. when she not trust Tuba City. married May Black in 19li8o his years. of whom grew Rial and Ivy (Mabel (Charles f.inal to maturity and married-~ -/ Ho, Mary Suttron Willie, in Cache Valley, from Mendon, fetv -who took in Arizona," long trip. Richards' well -when be got and reached written ,;-rnsbed away July Obed fort, and bis of Alfred the wagons haste arrival B. Randall there. 1876. to complete of his first and Fred bis also his two years Joseph at with the him. supplies H. Richards Mary Willie 20, and first describes the construction within on August -were not of his He stated to three sons 1876. the hou~e time "calculating of building daughter Tanner of age family His wife tells It ... 34 years Obed on April diary 19, with Whipple), Utah. the bis (Orson Mar tba Hane Quinn: was one of he loaded Grace ~/i Richards that Rogers), DeSpain). him past 24 in the came to move from of him during making date Bo~n in Utah, Unlike care children, Fred. lived in 1841, the in she He was born remail;l many positions where opportunity Stratton), Sanborn), RICHARDS, Joseph a letter Brinkerhoff qq-:pd;H¥¥,451txa:ttfit'KVr·~~~RMgst'.Ksw:&u!ttx_\~t&1' Mae (Clarence call. to Bishop City. of Tempy in_ 1941, for The Randalls ~kha'...d~ for was counselor had a background and she was glad After matters, in Joseph wife, her attended the with most welfare. in religious filled Tempy, being acquainted than He was man. some of moved big-little-man. . Tuba City, maae little they -with men t,-Jice \vho rode them better interested ·He ·was· active went he became time to make anything done battle of a jocky in Tuba City While at which \-Jas a big, tried was that ~uring meaning no one ever and c_ould have activities have but quick, in ra~es the Mormon settlers, as be· was known, tall, extremely his of it, included dam and its just barely of the beating 31. in Unflinching _in .... In 1879 he married their lives on the Little With the breakup a farm a mile gation of Sunset council the Joseph Relief City Probably and active Society Only six or other lived in Centerville, in irri- had greater of v1hom died .. • He of regarded. sorrow and tragedy. in infancy They or were taken They w~re Rulon E., and Elva (Bushman). and had 290 descendents Minerva: Like his mov~d with his went with parents The six Samuel U. Porter to Porterville, his (West- by 1970. two brothers, folks Ethel· spent to colonize some time on the Little at Sunset. Lake City. City, frequently Nina ,-1as president and highly Mamie (Rogers), and later Re was unmarried Salt homesteaded· company for many years. affairs. and married. 31 grandchildren produced where they diseases. Aaron B., in the Muddy Mission, / eight to maturity Ada (Owens), religious 17 years, City is mentioned of that in the settlement PORTER, Samuel Uriah,-Mary { Marius in for of 14 children, away by_diphtheria Colorado they moved to Joseph of town. .west no flli~ily \,Jere the parents was born and they were to _spend most of and was one of the directors was on the high children Leavitt, Colorado. and a half matters over), Nina Halinda but at In 1884, with divided their in 1878 he married the time but the other time between Porter there Mary Minerva families, Porter in they moved to Joseph and Heber. Sbm:wthmz;;µ.EJ.KKm-'-..,1\J Samuel kept at BYU. rather In one of these the Mormon Dairy, brought extensive telling to the mill diaries he describes the sawmill what enornous logs, his religious assignments. and was much sought gift in healing after (Bigler), Myrtle he was eleven until his of church He believed in times family, ten married. R..c\NDALL, Alfred almost at Millville without knots, near were people strongly of sickness. and always in the gift Many felt that (Allred), B., years marriage one of the largest =~n-'l. ~v were Spencer, Tempv Allen: of aga his .. Eliza Cyril> Alfred folks . in the . (Bigler), Perry, . of healing he bad a special community. Wilford, Hillard, B. Randall m0vad to Pine, Of their Jared, Edith and Wilracr. was born in 1870. Arizona, where he lived When in 1891 to Susan Tempy Allen. They then moved to Tuba City and make their home until the government , 1•'. performed o They had a large 14 children, operations and are for processing. Samuel was one of the most devout all \,Jhich have been preserved culouo ( the farmer aud asked Danish Brother was told they that In those an::1y. Nielsen's as a youth, days were highly helped best on had been a soldier had bad military in expcrienca and settlement by the brethren anq in their and sisters are buried of at Joseph years later the Mission. City_ in the Each land they to reclaio. ville, Utah, When his them. Theodore father's family They returned panied his folks labored Nary Emma Bond: 3 moved with but a call accepted call the along a year Sunset ~ith at Mormon Lake he spent distinction of being in Sunset until the cheese settlement the ies colony. colonize to It When the is reported as a child. he accompanied ma~ried going be. accomat cooperative the time· dairy ~as and enjoyed the. he made a good product.- George temple. Lben moved briefly dissolved, before in Center- Arizona He was not ~!ary Erm:naBond in tbe St. of Heber, area a number of summers there, maker. settlement southwest was born later. the others. established In 1882 he married To Parter to the Muddy Mission came for missioner and joined diligently Na than family to the Porterville the to Porterville In 1876 when the to· Joseph They remained to Wilford, City ' ·R · to m·ake their perma- home. In-1900 Nathan This earnest T. filled couple i town, alHays result of a train doing a mission to Texas ~as active in nll the religious their share. full accident while The_~~_upl~_ha<;l __ four children, ·They are [Owen ~g~, in 1970, making ntn:nber about PORTER, 40, fourteen Sanford in 1855, but of 13 be- \vent with remained but They accepted strengthen soon noved with bis parents ;-, - /> ·a reqt.i'est the sattlenent, and the next M..alinda fe~ years Leavitt: bis that which they they were divided in 1877. between · r • Q.., The descendents '. in Centerville, area. As a lad from the church. mission go to Sunset did and 03.rried. to the Porterville another h2ld tb·e ten grand-children· was born to the Muddy on a call future '\ City. Marius folks of the;. depot. to maturity were speakef. in 1929 as railroad families. in Joseph affairs death to the There pioneer of ~horn reside a uear,:1-hI:t~e _, smaller the i;ina N.arius. (Rogers). -------------- one of the mail . ·- ----- a polished and civic two of whom lived and~linda this and returned He met an untimely carrying ---~-_::_--,-:-------....._ -------- -r_ ----·--- time Hans Nielsen to the Arizona regarded PORTER·, Nathan Utah, to make a living ~impressive. \vas the age of 90, and they attained nent an opportunity few. A..~ericans army ~xpariance They gave their but more than farm. The story the nothing call for on the Little Marius Sunset the Th~y · family. Colorado was unma.rried and Porterville. to at the -3- John Tanner did not greatly alter his way of life when he embraced Mormonism. It is true he gave up chewing tobacco which he had no trouble doing once he made up his mind. The author_'s father once told him that when John Tanner learned of the Word of Wisdom he put his box of chewing tobacco out on one end of the mantle in plain sight, took a look at i~ each ·morning when he arose, then went to his daily tasks. know what he was trying to prove, but may have been demonstrating his will power. He had plenty of ·that and giving up tobacco was a mere trifle with him. still the friendly, We do not But John was outgoing neighbor and would not have looked down his nose at someone who still did a little chewing. It is possible there may have been a little less room at the Tanner home for his Baptist friends, that .way but the increasing numbers of Latter-Day-Saints not that John would have had it who came to his home left less room for others. We have already indicated in a number of places the favorable situation of the John Tanner family at Bolton Landing. Elizabeth, comfortable. and of her husband as wealthy. and then mentioned the various sources his wife, spoke of the home as Nathan spoke of the home as delightful of their wealth. than either was given by Amasa M. Lyman, son-in-law, grandson, Albert R. Lyman. But a more flattering . ;: picture as told by his biographer- He spoke of John Tanner as prosperous in business, generous in all his dealings and mentioned the genial welcome from his wife Elizabeth and his stalwart sons. John reminds us a little of Job in the Old Testament, he was not the richest man in all the East. buy and was respected But he had about everything although money could of all his neighbors. People who have not caught the spirit of the Gospel find it difficult to understand Y' how it is possible for a person in such a situation to part with it all for the uncertain. ties of a future over which he may have little control. that Peter raised the question with Jesus, The New Testament tells us "Behold we have forsaken all and followed < I He moved_to I He at Joseph City in April once became prominent of its foremost City. Colorado He was later a position he held Along with diaries, in the Joseph for Stake chosen twenty William journals City group it to his Obed borne. and continued to be one C. Allen of the the miss.ionaries was organized a counselor he became to Stake the first President bishop Jesse of N. Smiths. years. and minute during· the_ infancy and·courage preferring citizens. When the Little Joseph of 1877, and John Bushman, he fills books. These struggling three colony. fan:uers of were the most prominent They were among the and had some of the larger to the embattled many pages families. oldest They ·lent and were a tower men of stability of strength all t.htough the years. Richards smith was postmaster of Joseph City for many years, and was a black- and farmer~ His wife Mary was senior the birth of more than the doctor and set 340 babies. bones Martha marriage, Jane Quinn. and with her Joseph H. Richards also at substituted for on occasion. Like many of the Latter-day wife, in the community and was present mid-wife Saint She lived death at men of his. ti.me, but a little childbirth also he married more than~ occurred a second· year after the. deaths her of her twin daughters. Mary was the mother rity and married. Elizabeth Pearl Hyrum Enos, (Cummings). Anna Belle James Willie, (Freeman), John Ezra, George and a total with Margaret Rmiter: would be a fast When most of the dara, Shelley with the left him, fort and Lettia of about 350 settlers When the call came to this was 16, the youngest their home in American arrived at Allen's couple, James of the brides of the Fork on February 8, Camp April 13. This oxen. were active was left to finish wife and reportedly trip The Shelleys his They left ox team, Elmer, Ermna · - -··--- Gity pioneers. with Parley, but one of whom gre-w to matu- by 1970. Edward was 24 and Margaret 1876, all There were 51 grandchildren SHELLEY, James E., Joseph children, They were Joseph (Facer), descendents of nine in all returned in chatge and build seven married the early to Utah in August of the houses couples activities small.remaining ·within. and six There single of the Allen because ;.group were about men. of the loss with twenty cornpanya of the instructions meml?e.rs .., This ( must have bee~ a lones~rne winter homes and friends William \ relieved in an Indian Shelley of his ·duties to keep him busy. United _returned Elder, prominently day and ah1ays but so far from there was pl~nty on account kept abreast which 1877, the organization in Order where he was in de.nar:d as secretary for his group Utah in January, from as Presiding He. is mentioned He was ,~ell. educated small country. the captain., Co Allen, this for of the of his ,v ith to do neat · writing. the happenings of th.e ti.me. In 1883 the Shelleys where he established steadfastly. himself refused 50 miles in the cattle to brand the la,;-1 of the range, him for 'this moved to Heber, mavericks belonged show of honesty south businesso (unbranded to the finder. and looked of Joseph It City, is-related cattle) which, that accord.ing His non-Mormon neighbors out for his interests he to admired when he was not present. In 1918 they returned of their first child at Joseph City. They had twelve children, nine Maud (Porter), c., and about Elizabeth had been married Eliza 2 number of others Parkinson, 19 years Joseph Hunt and family \ .. John Hunt, turned City their to be They are Mary George E., into and crossed Henry H. Tanner Mission. Beaver relates 1 '\ He and Eliza home to make their. the Colorado families, River City New Hexico, and was not repeated returned two or three to Joseph City. ·.. Colorado trips made by by any of them. on May 2, 1877, intending but after and a at Pearce~s to the Little to be one of the most difficult settlers., they the Westover route .'.:~. City. of age. a more practical out in Joseph in a sand storm I left child There were 48 grandchildren in Joseph John Bushman, George, to find This They arrived Puerco second (Wimmer), Thomas H., Ema Stapley: a month when they to St. in an attempt settlements. ( the remainder· home in Arizona. They \vent with any of the Sara Ellen by James S. Brown to the Arizona but the of whora grew to maturity. 52 of whom reside Henry was 24 and Eliza Ferry 2, 1876, (Webb)., and John Edward. 350 descendents, he was callad permanent (Porter), Ammon E • ., Marie TANNER7 Henry Ma~tin that where they were to spend Maud, was born October to the ·pioneers Walter City lives. Their born to Joseph to accompany days drive John up the • ' Henry first ( He was a cowboy after help~· assigned Henry Tanner a cousin of Eliza The family married Improvement Latter-day the for family southeast a home in phases of years looked boys of the getting settle- plenty and the boys of loved him. from Toquerville, Enrrna Stapley family. of·his She was -- . of the work of the superintendent a short settlement.· of the of Sunday School Young Men's the Henry Nutual time. the in Re.lief was ever more faithful to abandon and homasteaded. in superintendent Society There and M. I.A. in the performance the Old Fort:, they lived No of its duties. the Tanners moved a half. until when they bought 1920, town-. Henry M. Tanner -was the father.of first ~nd six wife, of Eliza's All (Cooper), children Eliza Only three Clifford, Alice of Emrn's children (Fish), Mary Ida LeRoy Parkinson, by Eliza They were Martin (Rogers), George Rollin~ Hazel and Donnette Shepherd, City Brmm in 1875 in his reachad to Henry TANNER, Seth Ben j&-uin, Julia of Joseph I ' for explorations when Willi2-c1 C. Allen 16, making Anna N.aria Jensen: a short of numbered a total of Tanner. Ann Levi, only They we~e ____ ~ya (Shelley), adulthood. Emma's gr2ndchildren belonging 78 grandchildren 1876, eleven bad 62 grandchildren. and Golden. Narcb ·24, children, and married. gre,;y to maturity ~1arion Lyman, Arthur, (Fuller). seventeen by E~. Ray, Thomas WilliamJJulia resident a number wife. 36 years, and -was stake When it was decided mile in all of when one mentions the older the fo@:unes and Emma i-1ere active Saint and for Many of ·wife, the first Association.for Both Eliza thought and understanding, to share Parkinson, _much of that_ time, __ ... ........... ·- ... ·- 1 ive.s tock. geillle to Arizona counselor usually and cattle, a second -was active was a bishop's the and was made was organized him and be had no difficulty was very and took her . Utah, - Order the".kind not good horses to help In 1886 ·Tanner , heart, the _United Order_ company ment were ... at name, but he lov~d this _ __ United secretary. \ ...... when the ,..-,as present time. the Little chose Seth B. was a He accompanied Colorado the site of S. James and was present Joseph City for on bis settlement. He seems to have caught from North Ogden to Tuba City. chased i.mprovefi1ents the from the "Arizona Fever" and shortly He was at Tuba City the the moved his vJhen the. government Mormons in 19020 family pur- He lived. Taylor in Joseph on Silver is related with other tree, that and tell powerful mule to go. the Indians wanting .to feel his Colorado this strong name to a trail just into his as Jesse Old time+s his his son, His seven Fredri_ck, the.Grand Fredrick, in 1862, in the area. Woodruff. delighted around, ·He has on the Little and other all born to his Amelia Jane, first Joseph 25 land marks • of the Little and incl:µded· such well giant of a man in his by a lad. many years wife, knotm Ci~y. Charlotte, Baldwin, later He vtas best in Joseph most of his were John, Charlotte for Annie (Nelson), his in North He moved with --~_I.:ie family between the U.S. government 1877 and 1903 there. association with in Tuba City to Bis.hop Brinkerhoff time Ann Allen of Pine, in Tuba until Indians. and knew everyone and active whose family in M. I.A. had recently the U.S. goverrunent they noved to Joseph which had been burned journal. life was born functions. · They remain~d a fine Tanner Seth B. and enjoyed He was a counselor at which Fredrick Allen.: and was the son of In 1893 he married Woodruff This feet in a house. than the crossing remember this who lived the Hopi language and other_religious 25 wilfred near and lrJas led about Ann Elizabeth He was postmaster erected front (Despain). He spoke the kiln his to a crossing for many who passed City will to Tuba in 1877 and spent 1902, mule up to a They would gather Canyon, in a cabin eyesight children, TANNER, Fredrick, Ogden, Utah, in company the mule off strength. N. Smith and Wilford Seth Benjamin, and Elizabeth to fyba. fi would lift for men. name. of Joseph as he l'?st his ordinary oa.I:+'s muscles. he lived which bears of hold of the horn of the saddle above Carueron, and to a number of washes known figures thuough: He would ride but off would come the limb. His home became a way station years a wooded area man, more at home nn the trail .For a number of years Colorado again, a resident 'tvas as two or three through a limb and take who have a: high regard Seth was a roving given a trail Soraetimes and he would have to try and later in 1918. and a nliillber of Indianso huge arm around his times man i-1ho was strong he was blazing scouts put.his at various Creek where be.died Seth was a large It City City. bought Fred purchased to make a new meeting house moved them out bricks and school, from and house. Woodruff took dinner with Jesse N. Smith journal the Seth Tanners May 12, 1880. on March 5, 1880. in •··• . 1" , Ann Allen f . ( to Pin~, Arizona, public school education. City all Nell There ...:·- I s father Seth" The Fred Tanners and became part of whom grew Both would fit of were not well the to maturity. 53 grandchildren in Washington, 1878, in (Peterson-Shumway), where have traded into ... ·.• , knew frontier it for _the ~ligious community. They were Marguerite .life anything and social parents Hart~-Jell F., Myrtle Reid, family lier received well and like else. the Allen The Allen and They were (Hunt), in 1970·. in 187 3. Utah, Ann grew t,, maturity, she and Fred . :.. _..:...;.:~---~~----- ,:•--=--=--:-:----·-:-:--=·----·--·••·..,· I ( ·was born moved Fred / Tanner J_ife of of eight (Davis), and Elizabeth Joseph children Irvin, {Kulesa).