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Show msure 4( : FRANKLIN - RICHMOND B > r 123 F ew men played a more important part in the development of the mineral industry in Utah than Peder Andrew H. Franklin, often referred to as Dr. Franklin. Born in Norway in 1847, the youngest of a family of five boys, he was an orphan at ten years of age. His early education was acquired in his native Thoetan, and at seventeen he entered military school. He graduated from the school of engineering as an officer at age twenty- two. He later emigrated and was appointed a civil engineer for the Danish government. While in Denmark he heard of the great mineral finds in the western United States, which in 1873 were attracting worldwide attention. As a young boy Franklin had roamed the hills and mountains of Norway searching for rocks and minerals, and this boyhood interest had remained with him. He left Europe in 1873, arriving in Utah Territory without friends or even a knowledge of the English language. Securing work as a common miner in the Flagstaff Mine in Peder AH. Franklin Little Cottonwood Canyon, Franklin studied for three years to learn English and to increase his knowledge of geology. At the Flagstaff he advanced from laborer to shift boss and then to foreman. Franklin, aware of the wealth lying hidden in the mountains of the territory, carefully planned his goals. His first financial investment, preparatory to entering the mining field, was to erect a lumber mill at Frisco in Beaver County. The next step was to seek work at the Horn Silver smelter in Frisco in order to gain firsthand knowledge of smelter and milling processing. By 1890 he had secured an option on the Niagara Mines at Bingham which he developed until they became a paying investment and were later sold to the United States Mining Company. Several years after securing the Niagara he organized and became president of the Blackbird Copper- Gold Company which consisted of 103 claims in Utah with other claims in Idaho. During llie next few years he gained ownership of 124 other large companies, including the Yankee Consolidated in the Tintic District and mines in the copper belt between Milford and Frisco. His keen perception, executive ability, and determination to reach his goal marked him as one of the successful mining men and gave him an enviable position in mining circles. Franklin married Catherine Wall ( not of the Enos Wall family), and they built a two- story brick house at 1116 East Brigham Street during the year 1900. The cost was twenty- five hundred dollars. Franklin lived only a few years after building the home, his death occurring in his fifty-seventh year in 1904. In 1912 Frederick C. Richmond, a prominent industrialist, purchased the home from Mrs. Franklin. While attending a gold mining convention in Denver in 1897, Richmond had met John Dern and accepted his invitation to visit the Dern properties in Mercur. Richmond decided to stay in Utah where he became manager of the DeLamar Frederick C Richmond mill in Mercur and later, director of Tintic Standard and the Eureka Consolidated Mines. He soon received the nickname " Duke of Tintic," a reflection of certain traits that would mark him as a man of overbearing character. In 1908 he organized the F. C. Richmond Company which dealt in mining, milling, and smelting machinery. Laura Osborne Richmond with her genteel ways was a direct contrast to the cantankerous head of the household. A prototype of the wealthy old man in the cinema, Richmond often bellowed at his family and used abusive language to his servants, in later years emphasizing his ire by raising his cane. He also found fault with and growled at his neighbors, especially Patrick J. Moran, whose modest shingle cottage had been built too close to Richmond's imposing dwelling. Nevertheless, the feisty Richmond gave of his time and money to community affairs. He was a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite 125 of Freemasonry, a commander in the Knights Templar, and a member of the Commercial, Rotary, and Alta clubs. Mr. and Mrs. Richmond annually presented a gold medal to the outstanding athlete in the city high schools in memory of their deceased son, Frederick C. Richmond Jr., who died November 9, 1940. The Richmonds had two other children, Laura Gladys and Marguerite. Mrs. Richmond was a charter member of the Ladies Literary and Town clubs and an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. To the Richmonds goes the credit for the picturesque mansion of Greek Revival architecture that stands today. The original Franklin home was altered considerably. The one- story veranda on the The home as remodeled by the Frederick C. Richmonds about 1925. 126 front was replaced by a two- story portico supported by six Doric columns. The ridge of the roof was changed from north- south to east- west with two dormers placed over the new portico. A stucco coating covering the old brick was painted to set off the white columns. Other highlights of the home include the enchanting entry with its arched window of beveled and leaded glass that opens into a small but inviting vestibule, the stairway rising from the vestibule or entrance hall, the original dining room Details of the main entrance. Carriage house remodeled for an apartment. 127 paneled in solid walnut, and the marble fireplaces in every major room with their beautifully and simply designed mantels. Mrs. Richmond exhibited elegance and refinement in her choice of decorating and furmshing the home. When Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Wright became the new owners in 1949 other changes were made. The two dormers over the portico on the front were combined into one large dormer to supply a greater amount of light to the room. The house was made into five very charming apartments, with one unit finished in the carriage house- garage. The home and grounds, beautifully maintained, serve as a reminder of a bygone era. & FRANKLIN - RICHMOND 1116 East South Temple Built 1899; major alteration 1925 Architect: unknown Owners: Peder A. H. Franklin Frederick C. Richmond, C. E. Wright Present status: apartments 128 |
