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Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in Mount Pleasant. John Hasler and his wife Louise Thalman Hasler were converted to the Latter Day Saint Church in 1868 through the missionary efforts of Karl G. Maeser. They came to Utah in 1869 and settled in Mount Pleasant where they lived in a cellar for six years. This was no ordinary cellar, however, for there were three rooms and it was made cozy and home-like with pictures and curtains about the bed and windows. Mr. Hasler was a member of the Swiss Cavalry Band before migrating to Utah in 1869. When he came, he brought with him much band music and several broken down horns he had obtained from the Cavalry Band. He also brought many slides, organ and clarinet reeds, etc. These he brought in preference to a fine mattress and some household treasures which his wife desired him to bring. After arriving in Mount Pleasant, he spent the evenings soldering these old instruments together, and they were used in the first brass band organized by Mr. Hasler with the following members: John Hasler, James Hansen, Bert Hansen, John Waldemar, Daniel Beckstrom, James Meiling, August Wall, Aaron Omen, Peter Syndergaard, Andrew Syndergaard, Soren Hansen, Lars (fiddler) Nielson, Jacob Hafen, Ulrick Winkler, Oscar Barton, Charley Hamshire, Paul Coates and Olaf Rosenlaf. Mr. Hasler also later organized bands in Fountain Green, Moroni, Payson, Pleasant Grove and Spring City. The Spring City band was composed of these members: Henry L. Acord, Emil Erickson, George Hyde, Orson Hudson, S. Peter Sorensen, William Osborne, John Blain, Adolph Strate, Simon Beck, Christian Anderson, Christian G. Larson, Daniel Beckstrom, Carl Hansen, and Fred Strate. Soon after arriving in Mount Pleasant, Mr. Hasler was appointed to lead the ward choir, which he did for twenty years. In the winter time he would start the fires with his own kindling wood, and also use his own coal-oil for lights. He taught free of charge three girls to accompany the choir, namely Tina Morrison, Hilda Dehlin, and Gusta Dehlin. The only remuneration he ever received for directing the city band and the ward choir was ten acres of land, apportioned out to him 5 "Organization of the First Brass Band in Mount Pleasant, Under John Hasler" Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Mount Pleasant. 16 |