Sunday, 11 February 2024 by Sagacity

History of Plain City Pt 5

I have two copies of the History of Plain City, Utah. The front indicates it is from March 17th 1859 to present. As far as I can tell, the book was written in 1977. At least that is the latest date I can find in the book.

One copy belonged to my Grandparents Milo and Gladys Ross. My Grandpa has written various notes inside the history which I intend to include in parenthesis whenever they appear. They add to the history and come from his own experience and hearing. This one is fun as it includes the history of my Great Great Great Grandparents William and Mary Ann Sharp and also references my Great Great Grandfather Milo Riley Sharp.

I will only do a number of pages at a time. I will also try to include scanned copies of the photos in the books. These are just scanned copies of these books, I have not tried to seek out originals or better copies.

History of Plain City March 17th 1859 to present, pages 58 through 75.

William MATHERS

Submitted by Augusta Nash

William Mathers was born in Scotland and came here as a convert to the church. He was a sort of an eccentric man, but he had many special talents and hobbies. He had the finest gun collection for many miles around and loved to decorate the stock with designs of inlaid gold. He was very efficient in this. He also was a taxidermist and did beautiful work in this field. There were few who could match this hunting abilities and the days when few men had enough money to engage in the sport, he became the guide and leader for many well to do men from the city when they came out to hunt. He also was the quarantine official in the days when contagious diseases were quarantined, and he filled this capacity with the utmost integrity, believing absolutely in the law.

Mr. Mathers withi his bag of ducks in front of his shop where he displayed his guns and taxidermy

FRED J. KENLEY

SUBMITTED BY AUGUSTA NASH

Fred J. Kenley started working as a rural mail carrier in 1902, from the main Post Office on Twenty Fourth Street in Ogden. A branch was soon established at Five Points known as Station A. From there two rural Carriers (Routes 2 and 3) and one city carrier sorted their mail and left for their routes. Mr. Kenley’s route (2) consisted of delivery through Harrisville, Farr West, Plain City, Slaterville, and Marriott. A distance of about thirty miles. His first conveyance being a horse and cart, later a buggy and horse. In 1916 he purchased his first Model T Ford. There is much that could be written about the difficulties of delivering the mail; bad weather, bad roads, etc., but he never missed one day. I became his substitute for a long time. He was retired in 1933 by Pres. Roosevelt to help provide jobs to younger men.

Mr. Kenley served the community in other ways. He was a great lover of music and played the clarinet. He with his brother William, who played the violin, and a friend Seth Harper, who played the piano, played for dances all over Weber County. For m any years they entertained in activities all over. Then Mr. Kenley had a choir. In those years almost everyone belonged to the choir. Their weekly practices were held and nothing took place over them. They sang for church, and for entertainment all over Weber County. He took great delight in the accomplishments of this choir. It was second only to the Ogden Tabernacle choir. He was a great scholar and teacher and a Scout Master.

Fred J. Kenley-his first conveyance being a horse & cart

Fred J. Kenley-his later conveyance being a horse & buggy

HISTORY OF PLAIN CITY AS SEEN BY MERLIN ENGLAND

I was born on December 17, 1895, on the same lot that now live on, in a little adobe room. Walter Draney was born on the same day in Plain city. We went to school together and he was a very dear friend. When I was six years old the school was where Walt Christensen lives now. If memory serves me right, Elmer Carver and I are the only two left that attended that school. I can remember three of my teachers; one was Merrill Jenkins’ mother, one was Mae Stewart, who lived just across the road from where I live now. The other was Mrs. Skeen, Ivy Carver’s mother. I can remember Dad tell about the first school which was on the south side of the square. Every Monday morning each of the students took 25 cents to pay the teacher for her wages.

When I was a Deacon, our Quorum took care of the meeting house. There were two stoves, one on each side. It was the Deacon’s work to keep coal and wood for the fires in the wintertime. Richard Lund was the Quorum teacher. Our meeting was Monday night. He had a good singing voice and we had to sing or he wanted to know why. On Saturdays, we would take two horses, a hay rack and our lunch to the north range and cut sagebrush for all the windows in Plain City. The next Saturday we would go in groups and cut the sagebrush into kindling for these ladies. We had a lot of good times and as I remember, there was very little swearing or taking the Lord’s name in vain at any time.

When we went to school, a child’s birthday was celebrated by a surprise party. We had many good times together. Our parties usually broke up at no later than 9:30, I can remember when the dance hall stood where Lynn Folkman’s new home is now. Sometimes later a dance hall was built west of where the church now stands. It later burned down. Many people enjoyed good times at the old dance hall. We had a picture show on Saturday nights. Pete Poulsen and William Hunt took charge of the tickets.

In those days my Father ran a store on the lot where I now live.

It would take all day with team and wagon to bring the dry goods from Ogden. I can remember when the first telephone came to Plain City. My Father gave the telephone company permission to put the switchboard in the back of the store. They took two of my sisters to be switchboard operators. Father and Abram Maw’s grandfather owned the first two telephones. When the phone was put throughout the town, it cost $1.00 a month. Many the night my Father came and got me out of bed and I saddled my pony and delivered a telephone message of a death or of a sick friend to someone in Plain City at all hours of the night. If you needed a doctor, it would take an hour for him to get out this far because it was all horse and buggy. If he needed to stay into the night, it was up to the person who called him to see that his horse was taken proper care of.

Some of the women brought their butter to trade for groceries. Mostly it was a 20 cent a pound trade. Salmon was 10 cents and 15 cents a can. You could buy a work shirt for 65 cents, a pair of shoes for $2.00

The first job I had to earn money was driving cows. I had to drive Father’s cows, so William Hunt and James Stewart hired me to drive their cows. I received 50 cents a month from each of them.

At one time in Plain City there were many people orchards. A lot of the apples were hauled to Salt Lake by team and wagon. It would take three days to go. If you were lucky, you could sell the apples in one day at anywhere from 40 cents to 60 cents a bushel. It would taker a whole day to get home again.

I can remember the first canning factory. They had to haul the cans from Ogden by team and rig with canvas wrapped around them. After the tomatoes were canned, they had to haul to West Weber or Ogden by team to the railroad.

My father, Thomas England, John Maw, and Lyman Skeen were the three men appointed to the committee to bring the railroad from Harrisville to Plain City and Warren. That increased the sugar beets by many acres because the railroad would do the hauling out.

The first gravel roads we had in Plain City were made with rock that was crushed at the west end of Pleasant View, North Ogden, and Ogden, and was hauled to Plain City and Hooper by team and wagon. The men would do it in the winter when work was hard to find. One man would put in three days a week, and then another would work the other three.

I married Florence Taylor February 4, 1914, in the Logan Temple. In 1916, I bought the old Boyd place where the family then lived. There was no school bus at the time, so the children had to get to school the best way they could. Then they would hurry home from school to do their chores and help their mother with dinner. I spoke to the picture shows they had on Saturday nights. Our car would leave home with our girls in it. By the time we got there, the car was full with one or two on the running board besides.

I hauled milk by team and wagon to Farr West to the skimming station and then hauled the whey back to the farmers. The plant was located near where Ernie Jensen now lives. Two years later, Weber Central Dairy brought the ole Black and Griffin Building on 26^th and Wall, and I hauled milk there for six years.

When I was hauling milk, George Palmer, who was crippled quite badly, was put in as Bishop. He didn’t have an automobile and so once a month when I would pick up his milk, he would put the Church money in three different money sacks to three different banks and give it to me. I would take the money to the banks and being the receipts and the sacks back to him. Bishop Palmer told me many a time that he didn’t know how he could have done that service.

I am 80 years old. I have a wonderful family and I think the world of them. I good health and I am thankful for my parents and my name. I have lived in Plain City all of my life and I have many wonderful friends.

The year 1905 is the date given that the first telephone came to Plain City. The first telephone switchboard was located in the store owned by Thomas England. There were three long-distance lines. A system of record keeping was to have twenty calls, then registered.

The first exchange was operated by the family of Mr. England. Lillian England was the chief operator. Her salary was $25.00 a month. Lester England, Wilford England, and Hazel Kennedy were relief operators. They were paid $15.00 a month for their services. Service was provided for Weber, Warren, Plain City, Farr West, and possibly Slaterville.

Later, the telephone company lent money to build a telephone exchange building on the spot where marvel England’s home now stands. It was dismantled when no longer needed.

Telephones were few and far between in early Plain City. Mr. Thomas Jenkins told of walking from his home to the home of Henry T. Maw to use the phone in the middle of the night.

Later on, more telephones were installed; party lines with 8 to 10 families were common. The telephones helped to bring the boundaries of the town closer together.

The box-on-the-wall type of telephone was later replaced with the more modern cradle-portable phone. Then, a great step was taken with a few people having private lines, and reduction of parties on a line. This really helped to have all those rings eliminated for every other party on the line. Then more recently, many homes have telephones in the various rooms of their homes.

In the summer and fall of 1973, the biggest change took place. The old telephone lines were replaced with an underground cable with many lines in it. This helped most families to now have a private line. This removal of the old poles and wires has added much to the appearance of the town.

On December 17, 1976, Merlin England said, “today is my eight-first birthday, and it’s the first day in my life I have ever known when there wasn’t a telephone pole one-third of the way through the lot on the east side. Other poles have replaced the original one during my life time, but today the telephone company came and finished putting our lines underground and removed that pole.”

There are a few places in Plain City where the cable is still in the air. The initial project for private line services with the cable placed underground was during the spring and summer of 1973. The completion date for the big push was October of 1973.

The first telephone switchboard for Plain City was located in the back of the store owned by Thomas England. It was located on the same lot where Merlin England was born and lives, 4275 W 2650 N. The store was just west of the England home. The first two telephones in Plain City were those of the Senior Abram Maw and Thomas England. The charge of service was $1.00 per month. If a connection was wanted outside of the Plain City area, Lillian England, the switchboard operator would connect with the Ogden operator who would make further connections. There was no dial system at that time.

The telephone office and switchboard was later moved to the location on the lot where Marvel England now lives.

Merlin England and his wife, Florence, lived in this telephone building part of 1914 and 1915.

WILLIAM DOLBY SKEEN

SUBMITTED BY BEVERLY B. EDDY

William Dolby Skeen and Mary Davis Skeen were among the first settlers of Plain City. William Skeen owned the first settlers of Plain City. William Skeen owned a race track in the south end of Plain City, which was then called four mile, now known as Pioneer Village. He owned two famous race horses, which he brought from Europe.

William Dolby Skeen also built the first rock house in Plain City. The rocks used to build this house were hailed from the Hot Springs Mountain area.

Old Rock House build by William Dolby Skeen as it appears today.

THE OLD ROCK HOUSE

SUBMITTED BY NELDA ETHERINGTON

William Dolby and Caroline Skeen’s log house was one of the early ones in Plain City. After living in it for a short time, he added an adobe section to it. In 1862 he erected a stone house securing his rock at the Utah Hot Springs and hauling it in by oxen. William Sharp, an early brick mason, laid the stones and helped Thomas Singleton in doing the carpenter work. Mary Anne Skeen Etherington was born in the log cabin and was one of the first babies in Plain City.

Ebenezer Clawson Richardson purchased the rock house from William Skeen in 1868 and it remained in the Richardson family for almost a hundred years. The rock house is now owned by John Etherington, a Great-Grandson of William Skeen.

Two of Ebenezer’s three wives shared the house. Polly Ann Child, wife #2, had the west three rooms and her sister wife #3 Phebe, had the east rooms, with the kitchen in the center. Both shared the “Front Room”. There had been a stairway in the Front Room, but, it was taken out to make more room so the boys had only a ladder to a small balcony on the south side to get to their bedrooms.

The Richardsons were noted for their hospitality, and many parties and dances were held in the big front room. Ebenezer played the fiddle and also played it for the community dances and entertainment. At one time the boys had no shoes, which was not unusual for that day, so they pooled their money and bought a pair of shoes and the boys took turns wearing them at the dances.

Ebenezer was forced to go to California to work in the gold mines in 1873. While he was there his foot was crushed by a falling rock. Infection set in and he died on September 27, 1874. Two sisters Polly and Phebe continued to share the home until 1905 when Polly Ann died and Phebe bought her share.

The children grew up and one by one left to make homes of their own. Some of the boys brought their brides home for awhile. While one of the boys and his wife were living there, they had a set of premature twins which were buried under the grape vines that used to be in the center of the lot.

In September, 1907, Phobe’s son Charlie, decided to buy the Old Rock House with his wife Amanda, and their six children Joe, Sarah, Mary Lodisa, Orpha, and Angeline. They left Pocatello, Idaho with all their worldly belongings in two covered wagons. The Old Rock House was alive again with the clatter and clamor of children after having stood empty for a few months.

They loved it there and soon had a lot of dear friends. The three Grieve girls, Laura, Emma, and Ellen, the three Mc Elroy girls, Zara, Vesey, and Helen, and the Richardson girls all grew up like one happy family, sharing fun times and sometimes some squabbles, but always making up like real sisters. The Grieves’ had three tots, Willie, Violet, and Pete, little cherubs, mothered by all the girls until they didn’t know which house was their home. It was a lot of fun to sleep in the spooky upstairs in the hayloft in Mc Elroy’s barn, while Mary and Zara competed in who could tell the scariest ghost stories.

Sometimes, Mr. Mc Elroy would bring his Edison Phonograph over and play records all evening. Amanda Richardson always found something to serve for refreshments and Charlie would bring in a long plank to place across two chairs to make seating room for the neighbors and children. One of the favorite records was “Wearing of the Green” by Henry Louder.

The first Richardson to live I the Old Rock House were Ebenezer and Polly. Their children were Warren, Ebenezer, Angeline, and Levi. Phebe’s children were Amanda, Charles, Franklin, Cornelius, Chancy, Alfred, Myron, William Ezra, and Joseph having been born in the rock house. Ebenezer C. Richardson was the father of 34 children, not all which lived to maturity.

The old Rock house has been a home to many people, its memory will live on for a long time.

Skeen Family, Back (l-r) Alex, Catherine, and Frenz Denial Skeen; Front: Clara Loretta, Mary Davis, and William Delbert

Mary Davis Skeen was born in Llanelly, Wales, and arrived in Salt Lake Valley, Christmas Day 1856. On March 17, 1859, she arrived in Plain City with the first settlers. She was then a girl of thirteen years and was one of two single girls in the entire company.

Mary Davis Skeen went through all the hardships incidents to a pioneer life, but always bore these hardships bravely.

During an epidemic of small pox, she buried her last child. Three boys in all. Two of these children died in the same night. They were all buried at night and through fear of the dreaded disease, friends dared not to go near to offer their sympathy, in this dark hour. Six children were born to her after this.

It is believed that Mary Davis’ mother, Mary Eyenon Davis, had the first flower garden in Plain City.

MARY ANN BAILY PADLEY SHARP

WILLIAM SHARP

William Sharp, born December 10, 1825, in [Misson], Nottingham, England, married Mary Ann Padley in St. Louis. She was born November 28, 1828, in [Mattersey], Nottingham, England. They came across the plains in the Moses Clawson Company arriving in Salt Lake on September 15, 1853. They went to Lehi but the land was not too good and there was no good grazing for their cattle, so they left with the main group that settled in Plain City, arriving March 17, 1859. The children that came with them were Lorenzo Padley, Annie Elizabeth, and Milo Riley. Their daughter, Evelyn was the first white baby girl born in Plain City on October 12, 1859.

The family lived in a wagon box while they built a log and adobe cabin. William Sharp was a carpenter and mason and made some of the first adobe. He helped build many of the first buildings in Plain City.

Submitted by Albert Sharp

JOHN MAW

SUBMITTED BY IRENE SKEEN AND

DOROTHEA DeYOUNG

Many many men did a great deal to make Plain City what it is today and one of these was John Maw.

He was born in Plain City, January 16, 1868, the second son of Abraham and Eliza Tripp Maw, who had migrated here from Root, Lincolnshire, England. He received his formal education in the Plain City Public School and the Weber State Academy.

He married Annie C. Poulsen, daughter of Andreas Peder and Hansene Hansen Poulsen, November 5, 1890, in the Logan Temple. From this union came eight children, Wilmer J., Abram, Irene, and Ira (twins), R. Rufus, Gilbert E., George C., and Dorothea.

Mr. Maw, soon after his marriage, was associated with ZCMI store in Plain City for five years, following which he spent many years in the sheep business, along with farming. He had a large farm and gave many young men, at that time employment. To some, it was a lifetime career. At that time John Maw was given credit for “having taught many young men in Plain City to work”, because he was such a hard worker himself, he expected an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay from those who worked for him. It was often said, “We receive extra pay for working for John Maw because of the extra good food his good wife serves.”

Much of his farming during his lifetime also included truck gardening. He was also engaged in the cattle business which he remained active in until the time of his death. One unfortunate experience he had with cattle happened in 1932. The cattle were crossing Frist Creek, north-west of Plain City, when the ice broke. He lost 42 head of cattle. He made the statement “Well, those who have them have to lose them, because the ones that don’t have them can’t.”

In 1896, Mr. Maw, with others, was instrumental in building canning factory in Plain City. He was a member of the board and later was appointed manager. In the spring of 1920 he purchased the building and moved part of it to be used as the John Maw & Sons Store (later known as W.J. Maw & Sons). This store stood on the property west of the present bowery and extended back to the south end of the present church parking lot. As time went on the building was added on to. The store began as a grocery, hardware, lumber, coal, potato, and onion business. In 1928 the company became a Case Farm Machinery Dealer. After 1937 additional machinery lines were added and in 1948 the Surge Dairy Equipment line was taken over. In the early days of the store there was a wrestling ring in the upstairs of the store and wrestling and boxing matches were held. Roller skating also took place in the upstairs. The warehouse across the street was built in 1940 for potato, onion, and equipment storage. In 1963 the property was sold to the LDS Church and the buildings were later torn down. He also owned the store for some time that is now the Plain City Confectionery in which was sold mainly dry goods and confections and items not sold in the other store.

In 1907 & 1908 John Maw, Lyman Skeen and Mr. Eccles, head of the Utah – Idaho Railroad Company, negotiated for a railroad to Plain City. On Nov. 15, 1909 the first railroad was built into Plain City. This made a great difference in the lives of people living in the town because goods could be brought in and sent out more rapidly and people had transportation. Mr. Maw traveled to the east each spring to buy and ship home seed potatoes for the farmers, so with the railroad they could be brought directly to Plain City.

He served as Sheriff of Plain City for 16 years. Along with others, he was involved with overseeing the building of the addition to the old church, and upstairs amusement hall and classrooms. Some years later he helped to raise the money and helped to oversee the construction of the old dance hall. It was known, at the time, as the open-air dance hall because so much of it was screen with drop shutters. It was later closed in and modernized some. Still later it was completely remodeled and used by the church for various reason, but later burned down.

At the time the Utah Power & Light Company was wiring the town of Plain City for electricity, in about 1912, four men lived at john Maw’s home while working here. They first wired the town and then began wiring the houses. They hadn’t planned to connect any homes to the main line until all the homes were wired, but the working men found out that it was Mrs. Maw’s birthday on June 13^th and decided to surprise her with the first lights in Plain City. They completed the hookup, even installing the light globes, and while the family were eating their evening meal one of the men slipped away and pushed the switch that turned all the lights on, inside and out. Every room of the two story house was lit up. Also Mrs. Maw’s family presented her with an electric washing machine that night. Because everyone had looked forward a long time with anticipation to having electricity there were many visitors at the Maw home that night.

With all the many things John Maw was interested in and accomplished, one would have to say that his great love, his greatest concern and his ability to look into the future was with the irrigation work he did. He was connected with the Plain City Irrigation Company and the Weber River Users Association. He was president of the Plain City Irrigation Co. for about twenty-five years and a director of the Weber River Users Association, generally spoken of as Echo Project, for the most of thirty-five years. In this time, he served as vice president and also a member of the executive committee. He was greatly involved and worked on installation of siphons under railroad tracks and under the Ogden River, enabling farmers of the district to get their irrigation water direct from the Weber River. During this project, which was a tremendous one, he lost of one of his best horses in quicksand. In this association with the Echo Dam Project, he purchased much of the land for that project.

One of the highlights of Mr. and Mrs. Maw’s married life was their trip to Europe to meet their youngest son George as he was returning from a mission to South Africa. They were able to visit the native lands of their parents and many others. They were gone for three months.

Mr. Maw was a very thoughtful man and deeply concerned about the welfare of others. While in business, for Christmas he would deliver a ton of coal to the widows and needy families. He would also kill some of his beef cattle and take meat to those people. Of course, he didn’t limit this to only Christmas time but as he saw peoples need.

At the time of his illness, he was in the hospital in extreme pain but even then he was worried about the water situation. We had such a dry spring and the crops were not coming up, so everyone was praying for rain, and whenever anyone entered his room he would say “Is it raining?”

He passed away May 27, 1936, at the age of sixty-eight. His funeral was held May 31^st in the old Ogden Tabernacle. It was very strange – whether it was I answer to people’s prayers, a coincidence that it happened at that time, or as many people thought a tribute to him for his great work in irrigation and his concern for other people, that the rain came down in torrents, before, during, and for some time after the funeral. It was like the very heavens had opened to let down rain.

One speaker at the funeral said in tribute to him, “I think I can properly say that John Maw is as near a human dynamo as I have ever met. He was full of energy and spent an unusual active life. He thrived on obstacles. It seemed no obstacle was too great for him to tackle, and he usually succeeded. It just seemed to whet his determination to be under difficulties, and he always wanted to carry his load.” He has been missed greatly by his family, his friends and associates.

LYMAN SKEEN HOME

The home was built about 1870 and was added onto several times. It is still standing and is owned today by George and Charleen Cook.

Right to Left… Lyman S. Skeen (1850), Sabra Alice Skeen (1887-91), Electa P. Dixon (1852), Isabelle Skeen (Charlton) ( 1889), Lyman Skeen (1871)-away at medical school, Charles Skeen (1872), Joseph Skeen (1876), David Skeen (1885), Emma Jane Skeen (1881), Electa Skeen (Johnson) (1879), and Mary Ellen Skeen (Rawson) ( 1883). Picture was taken in the summer of 1889.

AUGUSTA K. KENLEY HOME

Augusta K. Kenley was born in Germany and came here as a convert to the church. On September 23, 1894 there was a small church located directly across the road from her home. It was called the Poplar Branch and Sunday School, primary, Religious Classes, as well as day school were held here. Room was scarce and so for many years she prepared two or three rooms of her home every Sunday morning for the smaller children who marched over and had their classes in her home. She had small benches made to fit her children and each Sunday as she cleaned her rooms the benches were put into another room to be kept clean and dry for the next week. They were never put outside. It is not known exactly how many years this was carried out, but the church did away with the Poplar Branch and was joined with the Plain City people. The picture shows Augusta K. Kenley and her home. It was later moved by Lynn Folkman to 2230 North 4350 West and is still owned by him.

EARLY HOMES

Home of Andrew Peter Poulsen. Karan Kirstina, Pedar, Annie, Petra, Sena, Andrew Peter, Hans P. Poulsen

Later the home of Hans Poulsen, and now the home of Bernard Poulsen. The home has been remodeled.

The addition on the north or left side was the store run by Jens P. Folkman, and later by Peter M. Folkman. Peter M. Folkman built an addition to the store with a meat market and cooler for the meat.

HENRY JAMES GARNER

SUBMITTED BY RULON B. GARNER

Henry James Garner was born June 9, 1855, in Ogden, Utah. He was the son of Henry Garner and Melvina M. Browning. Henry Garner Sr. was the son of Phillip Garner who was a member of the Mormon Batallion. When mustered out in California, he returned to Utah, bringing the first pound of alfalfa seed to Utah.

Henry J. Garner was married to Eliza Ann Ballantyne January 31, 1884. Eight children were born by this union.

In 1894, Henry J. Garner came to Plain City as store manager for Zion Cooperative, where he worked from 1884 to 1894. The Plain City store was located on the northwest corner of his block from the town square. Later he and Robert Maw bought the store together and operated it as a partnership. They also owned some sheep. About a year later, Henry J. Garner bought a farm and a house (the O. J. Swenson property). He operated this first store until he bought one of the old smelter buildings out near the Utah Hot Springs. This was about 1906. The building was too large to move in one piece, so he employed George Streeter, who sawed the building in half, and he put bob sleighs under each half and when the snow was sufficient, they moved the smelter building and set it up about a half block south of the first store. There it was set on a foundation and reconditioned as a General Merchandise Store. The name of the store was Henry J. Garner & Sons. He operated this store and farm until 1922, when he sold them, and retired. He then operated a chicken business until 1925. He then sold out in Plain City and bought a house in Ogden, Utah, at 3135 Ogden Avenue.

In 1897, he was elected school trustee with S. P Draney and Milo Sharp. He served four years. The school districts were then consolidated and one large school house was built. Prior to this time, school was conducted in three, one-room school houses. On June 16, 1901, the L.D.S. Sunday School was organized with Henry J. Garner, Superintended, O. C. Raymond, first Assistant. and L. R. Jenkins, Second Assistant, Clara Jenkins as Secretary, and George Hunt, Treasurer. He served as first counsel to Bishop George W. Bramwell, with Peter M. Folkman as second counselor. On June 28, 1906, Bishop Bramwell resigned, and Henry J. Garner was selected as Bishop to fill his vacancy. Peter M. Folkman was first counselor, Peter B. Green, second counselor. Stake authorities present were L. W. Shurtliff and C. F. Middleton.

Henry J. Garner’s wife Eliza died of an accident with an electric washing machine on October 23, 1916. He married Jane Liddle Warner, May 1, 1918, in the Salt Lake Temple.

After Henry J. garner was released from the Bishopric, he was a member of the North Weber Stake of the L.D.S. Church until he moved to Ogden in 1925.

Henry J. Garner died April 6, 1934 at the age of 79.

Henry James Garner when he moved to Plain City in 1894

Henry J. Garner and wife Jane L. Warner Garner, Milton Garner, Leona Warner

LYMAN SKEEN CONSTRUCTION CAMP

These are part of the men and women, teams of horses and equipment, that worked and built the railroad near the Hot Springs. Left To Right: The man holding the hand plow on the left is Sant Manson. Charles Skeen is holding the white team. Blaine Skeen is the boy in front. Lyman Skeen is the man standing in front. Louis Carver, a son-in law of Lyman Skeen. He also served as timekeeper for the company. We cannot identify any of the others.

THE MC ELROY STORE

George and Martha Mc Elroy moved to Plain City from Philadelphia, Pa., with their two sons, George Jr. and Bill. They purchased the land where the garage and the “Old Mc Elroy Home” stands, from William and Mina Gampton for $600.00 in September, 1903.

Mr. Mc Elroy was a cabinet maker and some of his original carpenter work is still found in the front of the garage. He was an inventor and had several of his inventions patented, he build several homes in the Plain City area, some of which are still in use.

The carpenter shop was in the rear of the building and they had a candy shop in the front. Helen, Vesey, and Zara Mc Elroy worked in the candy shop after school, but when “Mas Mac” was there, she gave the candy away. Mr. Mc Elroy liked to tease the youngsters from school and would nail pennies on-to the counters. One of the old displays counters is still in use in the front of the garage.

The Mc Elroy store was the first building in Plain City to have electric lights. Mr. Mc Elroy was an agent for Modern Electric Company of 2422 Hudson Ave. in Ogden (now called Kiesel Ave.).

The Mc Elroys lived in Plain City for 28 years before moving to California. Their Son-in -Law Roland Etherington bought the carpenter shop and turned it into a garage, building onto the original shop several times. It was known as Roll’s Garage until 1959 when Roland died and his son John Etherington took it over and the name was changed to Jack’s Garage.

ROLL’S GARAGE

Roland Etherington purchased the “Mc Elroy Store” from Geo. Mc Elroy and opened Roll’s Garage in 1931. Roll Graduated from the Sweeney Automotive School, Kansas City, Mo.,

Some of the people who have worked for Roll are:

Lawrence Carver

Clair Folkman

Homer Poulsen

Don Jensen, from 1939 to the present

John Young

Sam Hori

Elmer Ericson

Marshall Ericson

And many others.

Additions were made to the garage in 1938, 1944, and 1955. The bulk Gas and Oil Plant was started in 1951. It was known as Jack & Roll’s Gas & Oil Company.

Roland Etherington died in 1959 and his John Etherington took over the business and changed the name to jack’s Garage.

Sunday, 10 September 2023 by Sagacity

History of Plain City Pt 1

History of Plain City March 17th 1859 to present, pages 1 through 32.

Preface

This history was compiled and printed for the purpose of supplying some facts, stories, and histories of the town of Plain City. That you as an individual may take a little more pride and stand a little taller in the support you give our town. It is a tribute to the men and women who had the foresight, vision, courage, and strength to endure the hardship that were necessary to make Plain City a nice place to live.

They were a choice breed of people selected to perform great and noble deeds. Their character was unselfish and pure. Their word was their bond. Their ambition unmatched, and their courage unequaled. Their convictions were true and they were a happy people.

We encourage you to read the entire book for we think you will find it enlightening and interesting. We know that this is not a complete history of Plain City, but we used most of all of the material that was turned in. We realize that there are duplications, grammatical errors, dates that conflict, and others, but please don’t pick away at the format so much that you miss the important message. If any are dissatisfied, we issued a simple challenge; collect and write your own history.

It is not the intent of any of the articles to show malice or unkindness to anyone. But, rather we encourage any and all to look upon it as a tribute to an already good name.

We should extend a special thanks to the Plain City Community School, and especially to Robert P. Stewart, Principal. Bob thinks and acts like a native of Plain City, and his helpful knowledge in putting the book together is appreciated. His help and cooperation in getting the book to press were invaluable.

Ruth Powers, whose ideas and work have helped to make the book all possible. Her concern for the total book, and her work in collecting materials is most appreciated.

Clara Olsen and Roxey Heslop have collected and written articles and helped to put the book together. Their work is appreciated.

My good wife Dorothy, whose background and training in editing has been most helpful. For the ever long hours we have worked together has been enjoyable. As we go to press, the hours worked seem short, the rewards great, and the satisfaction elevating to say the least. The most rewarding experience have been with the people who welcomed us into their homes and supplied us with pictures and materials. We are most appreciative.

And, to any others who have helped in any way with the book, we appreciate them.

Lyman Cook

Dorothy Cook

Editors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

History from the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Plain City Camp . . 1

Latter Day Saints Church History of Plain City . . . . . … . . . . . . . . 33

Mary Ann Carver Geddes . . . . . . . . …. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 44

Early Settlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

History of the “Dummy” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Agenda of the First 17^th of March Celebration, Fifty years in P.C. 53

12^th Annual Homecoming Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Collection of Histories, stories, etc. of early Plain City from many sources 55

Documents of Servicemen’s Monument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Beet Growing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Dairy Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. .. . . . 86

Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Plain City Town Incorporation, Town Boards, and Mayors . . . . . . . . . 95

Lions Civic Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Bona Vista Water, Plain City Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 141

Town Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Story “A Child’s Christmas In Utah” By Wayne Carver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Pictures of Early Plain City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Business of Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Can You Remember or Did You Know, by Lyman H. Cook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

PLAIN CITY HISTORY WRITTEN BY AND IN POSSESSION OF DAUGHTERS OF UTAH PIONEERS, PLAIN CITY CAMP

Plain City is located about 10 miles northwest of Ogden, Utah.

In the fall of 1858, a small group of Lehi men went north into Ogden and vicinity for the purpose of locating a site for the founding of a new settlement. Conditions in Lehi at this time were not very encouraging for the late comers. The water had already been appropriated by the early settlers. There was no range for the cattle, not much good farmland left, and other adverse conditions which made it necessary for the late comers to seek homes elsewhere.

During the general exodus south in 1858, many Lehi men contacted farmers from Weber County who told them of the rich lands lying to the west and north of Ogden. They decided to go there and locate farms, if the conditions were favorable.

One of their camping places was on Kay’s creek (now Kaysville), near the farms of John Carver, John Hodson, and Chris Weaver. As conditions here in Kay’s Ward, respecting the priority of water rights were similar to those in Lehi, John Carver decided to join them in their expedition north. John Hodson went to Plain City later. This was in October of 1858.

Their next camping place was at the intersection of Twelfth Street and Washington Boulevard in Ogden. There they met Lorin Farr, who had just returned from the rich plains northwest of Ogden, where he pastured his cattle. He told them he thought it would be an ideal site for a settlement, as water was not far away and the soil was very rich and deep. They decided to look over the country with Lorin Farr acting as guide. Among those in the company were Daniel Collett, Joseph Skeen, and his son William, Thomas Fryer, W. W. Raymond, John Spiers, Joseph Robinson, John Folker. Joseph Folkman, Jeppe Folkman and Thomas Ashton.

(Statements of Lyman Skeen, Thomas Fryer, and Willard C. Carver, Deweyville, Utah April 22, 1919. Copy of Thomas Fryer’s statement obtained by Robert Davis.)

I was one of the party that came up to where Plain City now stands in the fall of 1858. We camped where the big levee was made, a party consisting of Joseph Skeen, Collet Hopkins, David Francis, Thomas Frayer, Robert Maw, and others with Mr. Garner who lived on Mill Creek near where the Slaterville Creamery now stands (1919).

With Mr. Garner as guide we followed up Mill Creek to where Mill Creek crosses Twelfth Street. From there with a level made out of sixteen-foot two-by-tour, grooved out by this same Mr. Garner, and set on a three-legged tripod, with water in the groove to act as a level, from this joint as described on Twelfth Street, the Plain City Canal from this joint to “Big Levee” was made.

The preliminary survey was made by Mr. Garner. The tripod was carried by William Skeen and myself. The water to fill the level when it was rested was carried in a canteen by Joseph Skeen. This preliminary survey was made to the Big Levee that fall of 1858. We worked on the Big Levee that fall till we went back home to Lehi. In March, 1859, we moved to where Plain City is now established.

In the Spring of 1858, Joseph Skeen brought Jesse Fox to Plain City after the first settlers came to Plain City and he re-surveyed the canal over. The preliminary survey was made by Mr. Garner and after that we went back and made a survey from Mill Creek to Ogden River. I came to Plain City with John Draney, Sam Parke, and the Garners; two or three days after the first arrivals.

When we came there was little or no snow on the ground. Two or three days after a snowstorm came. The ground was covered with high bunch grass and sage brush.”

Besides making this preliminary survey of the canal, the little group of men selected their farms and lots with the understanding that their choice met with the approval of the colonists who were planning to come later, cleaned out some of the springs to the west, rode over the pastures land around Little Mountain, and undoubtedly gave some attention to the planning of the location of the village.

Then they returned to their homes to wait until the next spring before moving to the place they and to his home for their future homes. John Carver walked to his home on Kay’s Creek; most of the way through deep sand.

On March 10, 1859, quite a large body of colonists left Lehi to come North and located upon the site chosen in Weber County, the fall before. They were seven days on the trip making seven camps as follows:

On the Jordon River this side of the point of the mountain.

Where Murray is now situated.

Upon the site where Centerville is now located.

Kay’s Creek, now Kaysville.

A dry camp north of the sand ridge.

On the Weber River northwest of the sugar factory.

Plain city on March 17, 1859.

Part of the company stayed in camp near the present site of the Amalgamated Sugar Factory, but the Vanguards pushed on ahead, arriving about 5:00 pm, March 17, 1859. According to Lyman Skeen’s statement, only about 12 or 14 actually came with the first company.

Upon arrival March 17, 1859, the snow lay deep upon the ground, and the cattle belonging to the company were driven to Little Mountain for feed with Alfred Folker, and Mile Nolan in charge. (By Lyman Skeen)

According to Willard C. Carver all who came in the first group, consisting mostly of those who had teams, made camps on the west side of Plain City, near the spring and started to till the soil. They arrived on the 17^th of March, 1859. Then another group came in a little later and camped on the Sam Draney’s lot because it was dry and sandy and there wasn’t room near the other camp as the land was being cultivated

Copy of Robert Maw’s statement dated April 16, 1916 at Ogden, Utah.

I Robert Maw, say that I was on of the first pioneers who came to Plain City on March 17, 1859. We left Lehi on the 10^th of March, and was 7 days on the road. Crossing the mud flats at Bountiful, we had to hire extra teams to pull us through. We got to Plain City about 5 o’clock in the afternoon and we camped on Samuel Draney’s lots in a little hollow in the south part of what was afterwards Plain City Plat. The sage brush was very high there. We piled up sage brush behind the wagons which we had lined up east and west and that protected us from the north wind. We dug a big hold in the ground and built a big campfire on the south side of the wagons, and made a very comfortable camp.

In crossing “Four Mile Creek” we had to double teams because the frost was nearly all out. We had 6 to 8 oxen on the wagon. I drove one wagon and in our wagon was Thomas and Mary Davis, Deseret Davis Masterson, Mary Davis Skeen, and my wife, Ann Davis, to whom I was married in Lehi before we came to Plain City. After we left Four Mile Creek we found patches of snow here and there and the ground was very muddy, no roads. On the night of the 19^th, it snowed about 10 inches.

List of Plain City Pioneers of 1859, as given by Robert L. Davis and revised later by Peter M. Folkman, Josiah B. Carver, and others.

George Musgrave and wife, Victoria Dix

Charles Neal and Wife, Annie England

Jens Peter Folkman and wife, Matilda Funk and son, George P. Folkman

Robert Maw and wife, Ann Davis

Jeppe G. Folkman and wife, Annie

Thomas Davis and wife, Mary, and the following children:

Mary Davis

John Davis

Robert Davis

Deseret Davis

Joseph Robinson and wife, Alice Booth

Susannah Beddig came 23 of July, 1859

Seth Beddis

William Sharp and wife, Mary Ann and the following Children:

Milo Sharp

Elizabeth Sharp

Evelyn Sharp (born in Plain City in 1859)

Lorenze Padley and an adopted son or stepson

William VanDyke and wife, Charlotte and son William.

David Francis

Daniel James and wife and the following Children:

Charlotte Ann

Elizabeth Ann

They stayed only a short time and went to North Ogden.

Came in the fall of 1859

Alonzo Knight and wives, Catherine McGuire and Martha Sanders

William Knight

Charlotte Knight

Amanda Knight

Henry Newman and wife and the following children:

Henry Newman Jr.

Deseret Newman Jr.

William Skeen and wife, Caroline and son William Jr.

John Folker and wife, Alice and son Alfred, who rode horse back with Lyman Skeen and daughter Anni Folker.

Joseph Skeen and wife and following children:

Joseph Skeen

Lyman Skeen

William Skeen

Jane Skeen

Moroni Skeen

Thomas Singleton and wife, Christine Woodcock and the following children:

Elizabeth Singleton

Emma Singleton

Sarah Singleton

Thomas Jr. The first born in Plain City that year.

John Draney and wife and the following children:

Samuel Draney

Isabel Draney

Jonathan Moyes and wife, Dinah Abbott

James Rowe

William Geddes and wives, Elizabeth and Martha

Agnes Geddes

William Geddes

Joseph Geddes

Hugh Geddes (born in Plain City in the fall of 1859)

William L. Stewart

Abraham Brown and wife and the following children:

Jeanette Brown

Byron Brown

Newell Brown

Oscar Brown

Leveridge or Leavitt Brown

Clinton Brown

Christopher Folkman and wife, Elea and son George D.

Daniel Collet and wife, and the following children:

Ruben Collet

Charles Collet

Matilda Collet

Julia Collet

Samuel Cousins, mother, sister

Ezekiel Hopkins

Daniel Hopkins

John Spiers and wife, Mary Ann Winfield

Martha Spiers

Alberta Spiers

Winfield Spiers

John Spiers (Came a little later with Martin Garner and wife and children

Tene Garner

Hannah Garner

John Garner and wife and son and daughter

Jonathan Partridge

John Carver and wife, Mary and the following children:

Mary Ann Carver

George H. Carver

James S. Carver

Thomas Ashton

John Draney Jr.

Thomas Brown and wife

Clint Brown

Hans Petersen and wife and son August

John Beck

Clint Brown

Hans Petersen and wife and son August

John Beck

Leavett Brown

Came in 1860:

Alonzo Raymond and wife and children

Lori Raymond

Mary Raymond

Ida Raymond

Susannah Raymond

William Wallace Raymond and wife, Almira

Spencer Raymond

William Raymond

Mina Raymond

Seretha Raymond

One of the first things they did after arrival was the survey the townsite and assign the lots to the settlers so they could get some kind of shelter for their families.

Joseph Grew states that John Spiers and others who surveyed Plain City had in mind the old home, the city of Nauvoo, and followed the pattern as nearly as they could.

They surveyed the town at night using the north star, and three tall trees just below it as which they waded.

The original plat was six blocks long and three blocks wide running north and south. Each block contains 5 acres and is divided into four lots. Each settle was allowed some choice in the selection of his lot.

The Central St. Was from Alonzo Knight’s corner running north to Robert Maw’s old adobe house. There was one street each side of this running north and south. The “Bug field” or farming land one mile square lay to the east of the town site extending from the cemetery corner and north to the old north school house.

The old Joshua Messervy place was on the east line. There were three main gates; one by George Palmero, and one by the old north school house. Each settler was allotted twenty acres of farmland. As soon as the crops were gathered in the fall, the community was notified, usually from the pulpit on Sunday afternoon, that the stock would be turned into the “Bug Field” upon a certain date and everyone who owned land turned his stock in to the field on the day. One long willow fence enclosed the whole field. The willows used in the construction of all willow fences in Plain City were brought from the Weber River, south of the settlement. The outside of all or nearly all the lots ion Plain City at this time were thus fenced.

There were no partition fences then. Chickens and hogs roamed at will within the fenced blocks. In fencing, a trench was dug having all the dirt piled along one side, into this bank sharp stakes were driven and the green willows woven in and out through them to make a fence.

The following from Lyman’s Skeen’s notes. “There was no feed except such as the stock could gather, and as rapidly as possible small areas were grubbed, plowed, and planted. When a part of the crops were planted John Skeen went to Salt Lake and secured the services of Jessie M Fox, the pioneer surveyer who laid out Salt Lake City, to run the irrigation ditch line to “Four Mile Creek.” It is worthy to note here that while Mr. Fox also ran the lines for the town, he did not change the original lines that were made by the North Star and the rope by the pioneers upon their arrival. Work was commenced upon the irrigation ditch. In the meantime, those men who had not moved their families from Lehi returned to get them. The harvest of 1859 was light, it being possible together but very little, such as corn, squash, and some potatoes, and very little, wheat, which was threshed by flail or sticks. The lack of teams, implements, etc. , limited the acreage planted, and due to the lateness of the season when the irrigation ditch as far as Four Mile Creek was completed, the crops did not mature properly. Because of lack of water, no hay was harvested in 1859. The stock was driven to Little Mountain in the late fall to winter. In the spring of 1860. it was necessary to hold back farm work until the stock could gain strength on the spring feed.”

“Becoming discouraged by the experiences of 1859, some of the settlers went to Cache Valley. Among them being Ruben and David Collett, Samuel Cuspins, Ezekiel Hopkins’ mother and sister, and Mr. Lilly. John Falker and Alfred Falker moved to Ogden. Others came from Lehi to temporarily fill the ranks, some of whom later moved to Cache Valley. .” Willard Carver’s statement. “John Carver dug down into the ground he selected with a piece of sage brush. Joseph Robinson, Thomas Singleton, Charles Neal, George Musgrave, Clint Brown, Jeppe Folkman, and Peter Bech camped by Carver’s on Kay’s Creek. They drove on to the sand hills in Wilson Lane on the 16^th of march, 1859. John Carver accompanied them as far as Slaterville. He stopped here to get shelter for his wife and children before going on.

Joseph Skeen and two or three others cleaned out the springs below where the Skeens located, while the Singletons, Charles Neal, and Mr. Beck cleaned out those near the spot where Jens Christensen afterward lived.

By the time the second company came, the first company had cleared some land. William Skeen rode a horse sown to Lehi and led another group to the new settlement; his wife Caroline being one of them.

There was deep mud before the heavy snowstorm came. They were almost snowed under. Some started to excavate for their houses the day after their arrival, but didn’t finish them right away, on account of the storms. They got their willows for the roofs from the Weber River about two miles away. My mother, Mary Ann Carver, with her children stayed in a dugout in Slaterville while her husband, John Carver, was building a house and working on his land. He walked back and forth between Slaterville and Plain City. The reason the Carvers and others left Kay’s Creek was because the early settlers of Kay’s Creek would not share the water with them. “ End of Willard Carver’s Statement.

At the time of the settlement of Plain City there were no villages to the east; only the homestead of the Lakes, Taylors, Shurtliffs, Dixons and others. Also, the “Prairie House” or herd house where men stayed who were looking after the “dry herd.” There was another herd house on Little Mountain built before the pioneers came to Plain City. Captain Hoofer’s herd house was the only house between the Weber River and Kaysville at that time. About due east of Plain City where Higley lives now, was located a boarding house to accommodate the stage drivers, emigrants, etc., traveling between California, Montana, and the east. When the woman who ran the place out a stick with a white cloth tied on the end of it, it meant pie or some other treat.

The distance from the corner of the square in Plain City to Wright’s corner in Ogden, was measured by revolutions of a wagon wheel and found to be ten miles.

THE PLAIN CITY CANAL

This is a nine-mile canal connecting the irrigation ditches of Plain City with Ogden River. It was commenced in May of 1859, shortly after part of the crops were planted, and completed to Four Mile Creek that first year, but not in time to save the crops.

In 1860 some water was carried to the thirsty ground and some crops matured, but Plain City, due to its position at the end of the Ogden River system, has suffered extremely through lack of water in dry seasons, although having some of the oldest rights on the Ogden River.

In the construction of this canal the cooperation and persevering spirit of the Plain City people was shown, although their implements were crude, yet they went ahead with determination until they finally got the life-giving water to their fertile soil.

“They used a V-shaped scraper made out of split logs and weighted down with men. Five or six yoke of oxen were used to pull the scraper and horse teams were used on the plows, to break the ground for the ditch work. The dirt was dug out with spades and shovels. The dirt was hauled in wheel barrows from the high place to build up the low places. When they built the big levee, the dirt was hauled to the levee in wagons and wheelbarrows. Large chunks of sod were dug out with shovels and hauled in wheelbarrows. The construction of the big levee was one of their hardest problems.

“When the big levee broke it caused a lot of excitement and men were kept there night and day to watch it. While working on the canal many men only had a piece of black bread or a cold boiled potatoe for his lunch.” (Statement of William F. Knight and Lyman Skeen.)

By 1860, the canal was finished to Mill Creek, by 1861, to Broom’s Creek, and by 1862, to the Ogden River.

Joseph Skeen was appointed watermaster with Ezekeil Hopkins and Jeppe Folkman assistance in May, 1859.

The upkeep of the Plain City canal has been quite high due to the fact that there have been so many washouts on the big levee, and so many law suits with the neighboring villages over water rights.

The Plain City Irrigation Company was first organized according to law on August 18,1874, although it had controlled the canal since it was commenced in 1859.

The completion of the Echo Dam in 1932 has relieved the water situation considerably and a plentiful supply of water is assured for Plain City unless something unforeseen occurs.

On July 16, 1924, the stockholders of Plain City Irrigation Company subscribed for 2500 acre feet in the Echo Dam which was increased to 4,000 acre feet on May 7, 1925.

CULINARY WATER

The first culinary water used in Plain City came from the springs on the west side of the settlement and was carried by the pioneers to their homes in buckets. Thus we find that the oldest houses in Plain city are located along the western edge of the town. It was not long, however, in fact during the first year of settlement, before people began digging open wells which was not a difficult thing to do because there was a plentiful supply of underground water in that locality. Fish were put in the wells to eat the insects.

The next type of well was the square boarded kind with a covered top and a bucket to draw the water in.

Then came the hand pumps, several of which are still in use in the village today. Pipes were driven deeply into the ground and a pump attached which forced the water to the surface. They were placed outside at first, usually near the kitchen door. Then they were placed inside the kitchen with a sink attached. Of late years, several homes have installed electric power pumps which make it possible to have hot and cold running water.

After irrigation commenced in Plain City, a variety of different crops began to be raised. The soil was very productive, so we find the pioneers engaging very extensively in raising vegetables and fruits of various kinds. Some of the crops grown were corn, squash, potatoes wheat, sugar cane, small fruits and later apples, pears, apricots, plums, grapes, melons, and tomatoes.

About 1861, Edwin Dix, a convert from London, England brought the first strawberry plant into Plain City from Salt Lake City. He worked for Mr. Ellabeck, a gardener, in Salt Lake and took part of his wages in strawberry plants which he distributed among his friends in Weber County. The parent stock of these plants was grown in California and brought to Utah by pony express. From this small beginning the culture of the strawberry became one of the leading industries of Plain City. Hundreds of cases were sent out every season to different parts of the country and people even came from Salt Lake to get some of Plain City’s delicious Strawberries.

Mr. Rollett, a Freshman, introduced the culture of asparagus into Plain city. The seed came from France in 1859. This, too, became one of the leading industries of Plain City, as the soil and climate were especially adapted to its culture. Several had small patches at first and carried it into Ogden to the grocers, and dealers also peddled it from house to house in Ogden. It was also sold to Chinese Market gardeners who came out from the city in search of asparagus and rhubarb to augment their own products which they sold from house to house.

Plain City asparagus, like Plain city strawberries, has become known far and near. At the present time there are several large patches in the community which furnish employment to many people during the season. Most of the product is handled at present through the Asparagus Growers Association.

Corn and grass were used for stock feed before the introduction of alfalfa which was brought to Utah and California by the early settlers and has been of great benefit in building up another thriving industry of Plain City dairying and stock raising.

The sickle, scythe, and the cradle were some of the early implements used in the harvesting of grain. Women usually gleaned in the fields after the reapers.

Plain City at one time was called the “garden spot of Utah” because of its wonderful vegetable gardens and fruit orchards.

At one time, there were many cottonwood trees in Plain City, but the trees were cut down as the cotton fell upon the ripening strawberries and rendered them unfit for the market.

Nearly all the early residents of Plain City raised enough gardens stuff to supply their own tables. Some, as has been previously stated, made a business of gardening and marketing their produce in Corrine, Ogden, and Salt Lake and other nearby cities. Many of them sold their produce to L. B. Adams, who was one of the pioneer shippers of Ogden and vicinity. Prominent among these early market gardeners were Abraham Maw and wife Eliza.

John Spiers and Edwin Dix were other early market gardeners. They brought a few roots of asparagus from the “states.” others engaged in this business were John Moyes, Mrs. Virgo and Mrs. Coy who peddled vegetables in Ogden and could knit a pair of stocking during the trip.

William Geddes is credited with bringing the first grape vines to Plain City from Salt Lake.

Jonathan Moyes, his son John, Alonzo Knight, Thomas Musgrave, George Musgrave, Jens Peter Folkman, Charles Neal, Thomas Singleton were also engaged in market gardening in the early days of Plain city. Other crops grown were wheat, oats, alfalfa, potatoes and later tomatoes and sugar beets.

Joseph Robinson was one of the first to raise alfalfa in Plain City.

The sugar beet industry is one of the leading industries of Plain City. Prior to the coming of the railroad into Plain city in 1909, the beets were hauled to the Hot Springs and sent by the rail to the Amalgamated Sugar Company plant at Wilson Lane, or hauled direct to the factory. After the advent of the railroad there were beet dumps placed at convenient points along the line for the accommodation of the growers in unloading their beets. The beets were then reloaded upon cars and sent to the factory to be manufactured into sugar.

Before the enlarging of the factory at Wilson, during the month of October, it was necessary to pile the beets by the dump until winter, when they were loaded upon cars and sent to the factory as needed.

Sugar cane was grown quite extensively in Plain City at one time and molasses made from it. There were several molasses mills at one time. One was located where Del Sharp’s barn is now. Petersons had one of the first on his lot where Hans Poulsen now lives. There was also one further south.

In the manufacturing of sugar cane into molasses the stocks were fed into an iron grinding machine which extracted the juice. This juice was then placed in large sheet iron vats holding two or three hundreds of gallons each and boiled down to the consistency of a thick syrup or molasses. Sagebrush fires supplied the heat. The skimmings went to the children to be used in molasses candy. Alonzo Knight had a mill west of William Hodson’s house. John Draney had one on his lot, also one on the lot where George Palmer’s home is. There was also a mill in north Ogden where several of the growers took their cane to be manufactured into molasses.

FOOD OF THE PIONEERS

Several of the wild herbs were used quite extensively for food before the cultivated vegetables came into general use; and it is well to note here that modern science is finding that these same wild herbs contain properties of great medical value. Some of these early wild foods were the sego lily root, nettles, pig weeds, red roots, dandelions, sour dock, etc. Also, wild spinach was boiled and used for greens. Melon and beet juices were boiled down to a thick syrup to be used as a sweetener in connection with molasses. Peeled melon rinds were preserved and considered a great delicacy. Fruits and vegetables of various kinds were sun-dried upon the tops of sheds and stored away in flour sacks for future use; apples, plums, prunes, peaches, apricots, pears, sarvisberries, and wild currants were among the fruits commonly dried. The vegetables were corn, squash, beans, peas, tomatoes, etc. Tomatoes first had the pulp removed and were cut in rings and dried the same as the other vegetables.

Whenever a pioneer woman got ready to dry her fruits or vegetables, she would invite a group of women and girls to an apple or peach cutting, or corn drying, or some other kind of “bee” and they would all have a good sociable time together while working. Afterwards, a little party would be held and refreshments served, usually molasses candy and dried apple pie. The apples were cut into four sections and cooked with the core in.

(M.A. Geddes)

STOCK RAISING

Many of the early settlers of Plain City went with the intention of engaging in the cattle business. It was favorably located for this as the pastures were not too far away, and there was a good summer range available in the mountains to the east and northeast. They brought some stock with them from Lehi. Jens Peter Folkman, John Falker, Mike Nolan were the drivers. The snow was so deep they could hardly get through, as there was no grass available. The cattle had to eat bark from cedar trees for food. This was an ideal place to raise cattle because the range land lay west and east of Plain City. The west range toward the lake could be used in the fall after the mountain range on the east was closed due to snowfall. Some of these early stockmen were Gus Petersen, who raised cattle, sheep, and horses. William Skeen, Joseph Skeen, and his son Lyman raised cattle and horses. Alonzo Knight, his son William, Claybourne, Thomas, James Madison Thomas, all pastured their cattle and horses out at Promotory. William Wallace Raymond had his pasture out west toward the lake. Milo Sharp, the Geddes family, Thomas England, James England, ran their herd out by the “Hot Springs.” They were there in 1869 when the railroad went through.

As there was no feed in Plain City for the cattle, they were driven out to “Little Mountain” on the west to pasture. Each winter the milk cows were dried up and sent out with the beef cattle to pasture. As soon as sufficient water was brought to the settlement to mature the crops so that stock feed could be raised, the milk cows were kept home and milked in the winter.

“I remember one time when the Mormon Batallion was having a party in Plain City. I had to drive my mother to Farr West to get some butter, as there was none to be had in Plain City Prairie Houses.”

These were houses located at different places on the range where the herders stayed during the summer to look after the “dry herd.” One was located on the highway between Ogden and Brigham about due east of Plain City. One was “Little Mountain” which was there before Plain City was settled. Then there was Captain Hoofer’s “herd house” which was the only herd house between the Weber River and Kay’s Creek. This house was 20 by 16 feet. It had a roof of Willows, canes, and dirt, and a large fireplace in one end. There was also another “herd house” located about where Dell Brown now lives in Farr West. Abraham Maw’s was the house farthest north in Plain City. Dave Kay, Lori Farr, and other cattlemen of Ogden at one time pastured their cattle where Plain City is now located. North Ogden also used Plain City as a range.

Most of Plain City herd ground is to the west and north of the town. It was allotted to the settlers at any early date.

Every fall a “roundup” was held and each one went and claimed his own stock which had previously been branded in the spring before being sent to the summer range. The fields to the east were pastured as soon as the crops were removed in the fall. The announcement was made from the pulpit at the Sunday meeting that the cattle would be turned into the fields at a certain date and those laggards who didn’t have their crops out made frantic efforts to harvest them before that date. Where the town of Warren now stands was once pasture land. Alonzo Knight located his wife Martha and family there to look after the herd. She milked cows, churned butter and walked to Plain City to the store with her butter and eggs.

The community herd was taken care of by a herder hired by the owners of the cattle. His duty was to drive the cows to the pasture from the public square and bring them back at night. Mr. McBride was one of the early town herds, although the town herds are a thing of the past.

The “tithing” herd was not taken care of locally, but was sent to Ogden and put in with the general herd there. What few sheep there were in Plain City were herded on the square in summer and fed at home in the winter.

MERCHANTS

Two or three of the earliest merchants in Plain City were A. M. Shoemaker and William VanDyke. The former had a little store just east of where the meeting house now stands. William VanDyke’s store was as just across from the southwest corner of the square. Also, one of the first was Jens Peter Folkman. He had a store where he lived and also a meat shop.

ADOBE MAKING

Joseph Skeen Sr. is credited with having made the first adobes in Utah. He learned the process in California while with the Mormon Batallion and introduced it first into Salt Lake and then in Plain City in 1859.

The adobe yard was west of Plain City just below the hill west of Lyman Skeen’s present home.

The mud was mixed with the feet in pits until it was the consistency of paste or mortor. It was placed by spades into wooden molds holding either two, four, or six adobe. These molds were 4x4x12 inches. They were let dry for awhile and then tipped out a hard dry surface to harden in the sun. In order to loosen the adobes easily these molds were first dipped in cold water and the bottom sanded. The adobes were set together in a building with mortor the same way bricks are. Among those who were engaged in adobe making were Joseph Skeen Jr., John Spiers, William Sharp, Thomas Singleton, Joseph Robinson, Jeppe G. Folkman, William England.

Besides the one adobe yard west of Lyman Skeen’s home, there was one just below Coy’s Hill, one below George Moyes. A community one was out north below Abraham Maw’s near the Hot Springs.

EARLY HOMES IN PLAIN CITY

The first homes were “dugouts” as there were the quickest and easiest made in that timberless and rockless section. These “dugouts” had dirt floors and roofs, a fireplace in one end, and a door and a window on the other. There was no glass at first. Sagebrush was used for fuel, also for light. They were usually about 10 ½ feet by 15 feet. It was necessary to get down steps to get into them. Some were made of sod and dirt, others were made of dirt and boards. The sod was used in the construction of the walls. The dirt floors got so hard in the summer that they could be wiped with a wet cloth. There were cupboards built in the side of the walls. By digging into the earth, steps were made level. This was where they put their dishes. A bake oven hung in the fireplace. The roofs were made by first covering them with cottonwood timbers and willows from the Weber River, then a layer of rushes and a thick layer of dirt.

Charles Neal is credited with the first “dugout” in Plain city, located where Alfred Charlton’s home now is. After the road to North Ogden Canyon was opened up, logs and crude lumber became available for the construction of log houses.

Joseph Skeen built the first log house in the fall of 1859. William W. Raymond moved one from Slaterville to Plain City in the same year. John Carver’s log house was built in the fall of 1860. Thew log came from North Ogden Canyon. This log house has been moved on to the grounds behind the LDS Chapel and is being taken care of by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers of Plain City.

The logs in both the Skeen and Carver homes came from the North Canyon after a road there had been partially constructed by Plain City men. This road was finished in1860 and became a toll road.

The preparing of logs for building was a tedious process. They were hand sawed in pits dug for his purpose and were trimmed with axes. The first shingles were hand made. Saw, chisels, and hammers were used in their construction.

William Skeen’s log house was one of the early log homes of Plain City. It’s still standing on the lot one block west of the school house. A little later William Skeen added an adobe section to this house. In1862 or 1863, he built a stone house of rock hauled from the hot springs northeast of Plain City. William Sharp, an early Plain City brick mason, laid the stones and assisted Thomas Singleton, and early carpenter. Gunder Anderson built the first adobe house in Plain City two blocks north and one block east from the northeast corner of public square.

Statement of Lorenzo Lund: “I stood on this street one 17^th of March (the one running north and south on the west side of the public square.) and heard Lyman Skeen and Gus Petersen talking about the old adobe house on the Berry lot. Mr. Peterson said that he assisted his father in the construction of that house when he was nine years old.” David Booth lived in this house and was a manufacturer of hats. He made these hats from rabbit skins.

The first nails used in Plain City were in the adobe house of Gunder Anderson and made by Christopher O. Folkman. He hammered them out in his blacksmith shop. They were square nails.

“Alonzo Knight moved his log house in union on little cottonwood southeast of Salt Lake in the fall of 1859, after his crops were in. It consisted of two log rooms with a court between, roofed over, and an adobe wall at the back, the front of the court being open. An adobe fireplace in the center, while a large oak swill barrel stood on the side opposite to the granary which was stored in separate compartments in the granary. The fireplace in the center was used for baking in the summer. On the west side of the house was a milk cellar which was connected with the west room by a door. Our bread, mostly corn, was baked in a bake kettle in the fireplace. Cornmeal was also used in making mush. The husking of the corn took place in the winter. Each log room had two windows; one in the front and one in the back. An 8×10 inch glass was used. The beds were home made. My father had the first big orchard in Plain City. He had apples, peaches, green gages, sand cherries and squash. The boys came and from all over Plain City for William to roast squash in the big bake oven for them. An Indian, Captain Jack, wanted my mother to give me to him because I had red hair.” Amanda Knight Richardson.

Interior of Christine Swensen Miller’s dugout home as described by her sister Josephine Ipson Rawson.

“This home stood on the lot that Milo Sharp afterward bought. There was a door in the east end with a small window by the side of it. It was very dark in there when the door was shut. Just inside the door to one side was the flour barrel. The bed was in the northwest corner. It was homemade and consisted of four posts held together with boards fastened to the ends and sides. There were knobs fastened to the side and end boards for holding the ropes that were stretched across to form a sort of mesh rope springs. The ticks were filled with oat straw or corn husks which had been torn into fine strips with forks. The homemade furniture was made from very light white wood.

The food was mostly potatoes fried in an open skillet over the fireplace. Sometimes a wild sage leaf would get into them nearly ruin them. Sacks were stuffed in the chimney when there was no fire to keep out the cold. Sometimes the fire was lighted before the sacks were taken out and nearly set the house on fire.”

Among those who built adobe houses were John England, Gunder Anderson, George Musgrave, William Raymond, Hans C. Hanson, Peter C. Green, Charles Neal. (Incidentally, Mr. Neal and his wife Annie England Neal dragged willows from the Weber River, 2 ½ miles away, in order to build a fence around their lot.)

Callie Stoker’s house is the oldest occupied house in Plain City today.

George Musgrave’s first one-room adobe house replaced his “dugout” on his first lot two blocks north from the square. He next moved one block east. Here, he erected a two or three-room house, containing one large room on the west where he conducted his school and dancing parties.

Mrs. Mary Ann Winfield Spiers held her girls school of sewing. She also held classes in reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, and fancy work. She made the first crochet hook out of the heart of sage brush. She wittled it down and then smoothed it with a piece of broken glass. This is what she taught the girls to crochet with. The next was a crochet hook made out of a broken knitting needle. She taught in a log room on their lot located one block south of the public square.

Interior of William England’s “dugout” about 1862, described by himself.

“Our dugout” was located just west of where William Hunt’s home now stands. The inside was adobe lined, and adobe fireplace stood on one side with its pile of sagebrush nearby. The soil then in Plain City was quite dry so that it was very comfortable inside. The floor was of hard-packed dirt. Hard enough to scrub. It had a dirt roof – a door in one gable end and a window in the other end.

Our furniture was all homemade, of slabs and willows. There was a cupboard built in one side for our dishes, which were brought from England. Large willows were used in the construction of the bedstead which was lashed with bed-cord. Our ticks were filled with dry grass and rushed from the nearby slough. Annie was born here. Our provisions for the first year consisted, (in the main) of 5 gallons of molasses, 5 bushels of potatoes, 5 bushels of wheat, and other miscellaneous food items which we obtained by labor and purchased. We lived here for two years, them later, we bought out a Scandinavian by the name of Larson and built a one-room adobe 12×14 with a dirt roof and dirt floor, with one window and a door made of rough lumber. We lived here eight or ten years, then moved out east on our farm,” William England.

The frame work of the chairs was usually made of cottonwood or willows with rawhide or cane seats.

In the house where Josephine Davis Ipsen was born, her mother, Anna Beckstrom Davis, slept on the wheat in the wheat bin and here is where Josephine was born.

Lumber and glass began to be used in the construction of homes in Plain City in the early sixties. Some furniture was made of dry good boxes. Tree stumps were sometimes used for chairs. The first dishes were carved from wood. Some crockery was obtained from Brown’s Crockery Factory at Brigham City.

Cottonwood and willows from Weber River were used quite extensively in the construction of the early homes. Later lumber was obtained from Wilson’s saw mill in Ogden Canyon. This was hauled down by ox teams. Three or four days were required to make the trip.

Household furnishing of John Moyes’ home as given by his daughter Sarah Moyes Gale.

“The benches, tables, and cupboards were all homemade. There were no nails to fasten the boards together so wooden pegs were used. About 1967, we got some store furniture, a lounge and a bed which was used as a pattern for other furniture. Slabs and rough boards were used in making our homemade furniture. We usually whitewashed our adobe with whitewash which we made from the clay at “Cold Springs.”

Our first broom were made from sagebrush, rabbit brush, then later, from broom corn.

We painted pictures with paint from colored cloth soaked in water.

Our first stove was a little “step stove brought across the plains.” It cost $100. Father bought a sewing machine at the same time.

There were no screens for doors or windows. We made fly catchers of straw tied together with string and made in a rosette. Curtains for our dry-goods boxes furniture were made of calico obtained from Salt Lake City. Our tubs, spoons, bowls, etc., were of wood. Also, our churn and spinning wheel (except the head and spindle.)

Our fuel was mostly sagebrush, willow etc. I remember when Christopher O. Folkman brought a piece of coal to school to show the children.

Our first lights “bitch lights” were made of trips of cloth twisted together and set in a dish of grease. Then came tallow candles made in a wooden mold. Our mold went all over the town. Everyone took tallow candles to the meeting house for a party or dance. Sarah Gale and Lyman Skeen.

EARLY TREES

John Hodson planted many tees both shade and fruit trees around his home. He also planted the large tree that grows by Elmo Read’s place. Joseph Skeen planted many trees also. Those who planted fruit trees earliest in Plain City were: John Spiers, Alonzo Knight, William England, Charles Weatherston, Hans Lund, Peter C. Green, Otto Swenson, Abraham Maw, James Rowe, John Carver, William Geddes, Edwin Dix, Jonathan Moyes, Fred Rolf. John Carver planted two rows of cottonwood trees by his place. The favorite fruit trees were: apple, peach, cherry, pear, plum. The favorite shade trees were: poplar, cottonwood, boxelder, locust, mulberry, catalpha, basewood, black walnut. The mulberry trees were a reminder of the attempt to establish a silk factory in Plain City.

SMALLPOX

Meetings were discontinued in Plain City from September 30, 1870, to March 5, 1871 on account of a smallpox epidemic which was raging in the community. On the 1^st of November, 1870, a meeting was held relative to preparing a place near Salt Creek for the smallpox patients. (Ward minutes.) This place was built, but found to be small, so on the 2^nd or 3^rd of November it was enlarged. It was not a success, however, as the facilities for caring for the patients were poor and meager. The house was cold and drafty, which caused the death of many who would have survived with better care.

Some families suffered a severe loss, among these were William Skeen, Alonza Knight, William Gampton, and many others; nearly every family suffered some loss.

WEAVERS

The first weavers were Mary and Trina Hanson. John England wove cloth, his father being a weaver in England and perfected the first, if not the very first power loom used in this country.

Mary Katherine Shurtliff operated a little store in connection with her weaving. Anna Beckstrom Christensen could shear a sheep, spin the wool, and weave it into cloth. Catherine Folkman and Susannah Richardson also wove carpets.

SILK INDUSTRY

Erastus Snow in early days advised the pioneers to plant mulberry trees and raised silk worms. Several trees were planted (many of which are still standing today) and the worms obtained, but the industry was soon abandoned as it was not profitable. Those who planted trees were: the Geddes family, Jeppe G. Folkman, Bertha Lund, Anna Christensen, Mr. and Mrs. Lindilof, Elizabeth Moyes. Elizabeth Moyes was engaged in the manufacturing of the silk.

SHOE MAKERS

Thomas Wilds and Millie Himston’s grandfather.

CARPENTERS

Hans Petersen, who built his own adobe house, Thomas Singleton and his brother Charles. William Sharp was also a plaster, stone mason and adobe maker.

Joshua Messurvy, who superintended the building of the meeting house benches, built the pulpit in the meeting house. A beautiful work of art, being all inlaid work, made from wood of different kinds of trees was done by William Miller.

MIDWIVES

Annie Katherine Hedwig Rasmussen Hansen, wife of Hans Christian Hansen, was the first midwife in Plain City. She came here between 1860 and 1862, while her husband was on a mission to Denmark. She was born in Forborg, Denmark, October3, 1823. She was baptized January, 1852, came to Salt Lake City October 1, 1853, moved to Ogden, later settling first at Bingham Fort, then in Harrisville. She was asked by the bishop of Plain City to come down and practice her profession. Her log house at Harrisville was torn down by the men the bishop sent, carried to Plain City, and re-erected on a 2 ½ piece of ground, which the ward gave her. Sister Hansen was among those called to take a course in nursing and obstetrics, under the direction of Eliza R. Snow. She practiced in Plain City for many years. She died March 31, 1899.

Jane Pavard England, wife of John England, was another early midwife, coming in 1862. She was set apart for this work on the ship while coming over and promised that she would be very successful. This promise was literally fulfilled. She was born August 2, 1815, near Yeoble Somerset, England. She died in Plain City on November 20, 1882.

Another midwife was Elizabeth Murray Moyes, daughter of John Murray and Sarah Bates, and wife of John Moyes. She was born December 24, 1840, at Elizabeth-town, Michigan. She came to Sugarhouse Ward in Salt Lake in the early ‘50’s. She and her husband moved to Plain City in October, 1865. She learned obstetrics from Dr. Shipp in Salt Lake City. She practiced in Harrisville, Warren, Farr West, Plain City for twenty years. She died on January 4, 1905, in Plain City of pneumonia.

Martha Stewart Geddes was another midwife. She was born May 10, 1838, in Scotland and died August 11, 1900 at Plain City.

IMMIGRATION FUND

A company was organized at the October conference of 1849, for the purpose of facilitating the gathering of the Saints of Zion. It was incorporated and a committee appointed to gather funds to be used in assisting the saints of foreign countries to emigrate to Zion. It continued until 1887, when it was discontinued through the passage of the Edmund Tucker Act. Its funds were confiscated by the U. S. Government and distributed among the schools. It was a perpetual self-sustaining fund because those who received aid were supposed to return to the fund the amount they had received, as soon as they were able. The sum of the original cost contributions was $5,000. There was $2,000 in gold raised by the British Saints.

The pioneers were called upon donations of the time, oxen, wagons, and money. As many as 500 wagons were furnished some seasons. Plain City assisted in this as they have always done in every worthy cause. On May 25, 1873, donations for the immigration funds was received from those faithful pioneers of Plain City.

On May 22, 1874, a meeting for the considering of the Organization of the United Order was held. Committee members were: L.W. Shurtliff, President, John Carver, assistant, John Spiers, Secretary, George W. Bramwell, Assistant Secretary, Jens Peter Folkman, Alonzo Knight, Peter C. Green, managers. On August 15, 1875 the rules of the order were read. (From Ward records.)

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Plain City Branch was organized in May, 1859, by President Lorin Farr and Bishop Chauncy W. West. William Wallace Raymond was appointed president president of the branch with Danial Collett and Jeppe G. Folkman, counselors, and John Spiers as clerk.

Danial Collett moved to Cache Valley that same year, so John Carver was called to fill the vacancy.

At this meeting the settlement received its name of “Plain City,” Someone had suggested City of the Plains, “but this was rejected as being too long, so the name of Plain City was chosen. This little settlement was a town on the plains away from any one town. It was a city of the plains.

REMINISCENCES OF MARY ANN CARVER GEDDES

“I remember a meeting held in the adobe meeting house. Eliza R. Snow and Jane R. Richards were in attendance. We knelt on the dirt floor. Sister Snow said we little girls would live to see the day when time would be “hurried.” Our light came from fine pieces of sagebrush piled on the hearth. We had one corner where we kept the big pieces for heat and another where we kept the small pieces for light. In 1861, a country precinct was organized at Plain City with Abraham Brown, Justice of the Peace, and William Geddes as constable. A post office was established in 1864, with William W. McGuire as the first postmaster. He brought the mail in his high silk hat to church and distributed it among the congregation. At this time it required 2 ½ days by ox team and 2 days with horses to go to Salt Lake City and back.”

Joseph Skeen was appointed water master with Ezekial Hopkins and Jeppe G. Folkman, assistants. Mr. Folkman remained in his position until May 2, 1872.

On May 22, 1870, President Raymond resigned his position as President of the Plain City Branch.

On August 21, 1870, Lewis W. Shurtliff was appointed President, with John Carver as 1^st Counselor, and Jeppe G. Folkman and 2^nd Counselor. William W. McGuire was presiding teacher.

At the Weber Stake Conference, held on May 27, 1877, Lewis W. Shurtliff was appointed Bishop of the Plain City Ward. He was sustained by the people next day, May 28, with John Spiers as 1^st Counselor, and Peter C. Green as 2^nd Counselor. Franklin D. Richards, John Taylor, Erastus Snow, and D. H. Perry, officiating.

On December 15, 1878, a cemetary committee was appointed. It consisted of: Charles Neal, Charles Weatherstone, William Geddes, Jens Peter Folkman. On January 22, 1883, George W. Bramwell was appointed bishop.

On May 3,1883, some means were collected to build a poor house.

REMINISCENCES OF WILLIAM ENGLAND

“The settlement became prosperous and it wasn’t long before Plain City became known far and near for its delicious fruits and vegetables.

Fifty-nine years of my life have been spent here. When I settled in Plain City in 1862, there were a few one-room adobe houses and one or two log houses. The main part of the town was laid out. The north lane and the Poplar district was added later. Charles Weatherstone’s was the farthest street south. Higbe lived on the Weber River and ran a ferry boat. The first ferry boat was molasses boiler. This was then the main road to Salt Lake. I never met any hostile Indians on the “plains.” I want to relate an incident, a man carried away a relic from an Indian burial ground. The captain of the company made him go back and return it. He was gone nearly all night.

My first job in Salt Lake was stripping sugar cane for john Young. I received one gallon of molasses for her days wage, two quarters of which I ate for super and the rest in the morning. I never had any extreme hardship. Our parties lasted nearly all night. We danced by the light of tallow candles and sagebrush fire. A lunch was served at midnight.”

Lyman said that when his father, Joseph Skeen, first came to Plain City, he brought a tent with him and that is where some of the first meetings were held.

SCHOOL HOUSE AND MEETING HOUSES

The first school and meeting house was built in 1859. It was of adobe 18 x 24 feet and was located of the south side of the public square, just opposite and a little northeast of the present meeting house.

It faced the east. It had a dirt floor and roof. There was a door in the east end, a fireplace in the west and two windows in each side. Men were called to make adobes for a meeting house, school house, and amusement hall for a number of years. The furniture hung on the two sides to be used as desks, one for the boys and one for the girls. These were dropped down while a dance was in progress. We had no textbooks. In McGuire’s school we had square pieces of boards with the letters of the alphabet burned in them, which we were supposed to memorized.

Oral spelling was the rule. George Musgrave was the first school teacher. His first school was held in his “dugout.” Mary Ann Geddes

George Musgrave was also a musician and gave private lessons. He also was the first choir leader. In 1863, a split log addition to the meeting was built on the east end. It was 12x 18 feet. At this time, the whole building was shingled from shingled brought from Salt Lake City. A bowery of willows was constructed near the meeting house to be used in the summer time.

In 1863, when the addition was built, the meeting house was plastered for the first time. A rough table was placed in the west end to be used as a pulpit. Sagebrush for the meeting house was hauled from the north range and Little Mountain.

On April 16, 1871, a vote was taken in Sunday meeting concerning the building of a new meeting house. A committee was appointed on June 25, 1871, to oversee the building of the new meeting house. President L.W. Shurtliff, John Spiers and N.P Lindilof were appointed. They decided to build it to adobe. On July 9, $15.00 was collected to begin building on July 8, 1879, W.W McGuire Secretary, and Charles Neal, Treasurer were added to the committee. On September 18, 1870, W. W. Raymond, William Geddes, and William VanDyke were appointed to act as school trustees. This new meeting and school house was completed in 1873 or 1874. It was in use as an amusement hall as late as 1907. It had a small stage in the north end and a small entrance room on the south.

On May 5, 1874, the ward minutes state that the first meeting was held in the new meeting house. The organ is mentioned for the first time.

William McGuire was the second school teacher. The first one to teach in the little adobe school house on the south side of the square, as I can remember. Mary Ann Geddes.

William Geddes carried part of the bible to school to learn to read from it. We also read from the church publications, Harpers Weekly, The Contributor, Women’s Exponent, etc. the first reader I remember were Wilson’s, Bancrofts, Meguffeys. We studied grammar from Pineo’s’ Primary Grammar. Arithmetic from Rays Arithmetic. In McGuire’s school we also had a blackboard with the letters of the alphabet on it. Some of the literature we read was, Ogden junction, Millennial Star, Journal of Discourses, bible, Doctrine and Covenants, Book of Mormon. I attended school in 1873 at George Musgrave’s home. Mary Geddes.

There were no school bells in those days. The master, Mr. McGuire, called the school together by going to the door and shouting, “Books, books,” at the top of his voice. The pupils ran as fast as they could for woe be to the laggards. If a child misbehaved and was not caught, the whole school was “thrashed” in order to punish the guilty one.

He bible was the principle textbook used. Those who could afford slates had them. The first slate I ever had was a piece given to me by Seretta Raymond. It had broken off from her slate. She gave me a little piece to use as a pencil. In order to keep Jack Spiers put of mischief, Mr. McGuire tied him to the table leg. George Spiers said, “Minnie Carver would be the best girl in school if the rest didn’t spoil her.” M. A. Geddes

All these first schools were tuition schools. A tuition of $3.00 per quarter was paid to the teacher by the parents who were also required to furnish all necessary supplies to their children.

EARLY AMUSEMENTS

The people have always fostered amusements and entertainment of various kinds. The various show companies who have staged plays there have referred to it frequently as a “good show town.” This is probably due to the fact that several among the early pioneers were gifted with dramatic ability and fostered and encouraged the art in the little new community.

Plain City, like all Mormon settlements has also encouraged dancing as a form of recreation. The very first year of settlement, before they had time even to construct a suitable place, they held a dance. It was on the 24^th of July, 1859. The place was the “Barrens” down west of the settlement. The music was furnished by a “comb band” and many of the dancers were barefoot. Everyone had a good time regardless of the conditions under which they were dancing.

“Numerous parties were held at the private homes. They danced outside on the dooryard which was hard as rock.” Susannah Robinson Beddes

“Once when Thomas Carliss came from Kay’s Ward to visit the Eames’, The Wadman’s, and Carver’s, he brought his fiddle along and we put on a dance.

The young folks danced frequently on the public square. Mrs. John Spiers wore the first party dress I ever saw.

On of the ways of entertaining ourselves was to gather around some neighbors hearth and sing songs. We liked to meet Hansen’s because they were all such good singers. David Booth and his brother, Henry, sang “Larboard Watch” very beautifully together. Abraham Maw and his wife, Eliza, sang duets. We usually dropped in at some neighbors to spend the evening. After the molasses milks were built, we young people had frequent “candy pulls.” They gave us the “skimming” to make molasses candy.

We also had “cutting and fruit drying,” corn husking, wool picking, rag, hay picking, and quilting bees. After the work was cleared away, we would sit in a circle and play games such as pass the button. Our refreshments were usually molasses cake, dried apple pie. The apple were cut in 4 pieces and laid upon a roof to dry.

We had frequent picnic parties. At our dances in George Musgrave’s school house, John Moyes often played his accordion. We liked to play “Run Sheep Run” and “Hide and Seek” down in the west end of town. Charles Singleton and Eliza Ann Turner Singleton, his wife, enjoyed this sport with the rest of us “kids.”

There were bonfires at the end of each goal. George Draney was the fastest runner in Plain City. (Mary A. Geddes)

In the winter there were bob sleigh riding parties. The horses had sleigh bells on their harnesses which jingled as they ran.

Our dances in the winter time commenced in the afternoon and lasted well into the evening. Dances were held in the old adobe school house on the south side of the square in the winter and in the bowery which was nearby in the summertime.

We danced on the hard dirt floor at first, many in their barefeet. Some had fancy boots on. My brother, Mathias Lund, had purchased a pair to wear at a dance in the old bowery and being a “fussy” man, had gotten them plenty snug. When he tried to get them on he couldn’t, so he removed his socks, greased his feet, and they slipped on without any effort. He went to the dance and danced the finger polka and the mazurka with the best of them. (Willard Lund)

During the holidays, parties were held at Charles Neal’s, Folkman’s, Spiers’, Shoemaker’s, Gaddes, Eames’, Carver’s and other homes in Plain City.

The choir usually gave concerts during the holidays. On Christmas eve, they usually serenaded the town and the band serenaded on Christmas morning.

I remember once when mother was baking custard pies for a party in the big bake oven. Some of it got tipped over and was discarded as not fit for “company.”

So, we children had our fill of custard pies for once. (M. A. Geddes)

Church fairs were held in the school house. Booths of various kinds were arranged around the room, also “fun houses”, auctions, etc. The band was always in attendance. Much of the money for the financing of the church building was obtained through theses church fairs. Once, Becky Hiatt, Rill and Zell Smith wished to attend the fair at Plain City, so Becky and Rill made three dresses in one day. Then Becky fried the chicken for lunch and Zell made the cake and they came to the fair and danced. (Rebecca Hiatt Weatherstone)

In the fall of 1868, Mrs. Musgrave’s daughter, Louisa, rode horseback from Plain City to Ogden to take charge of the fancy work booth at the fair. The first amusement hall erected in Plain City was a frame building that stood one block south, from the southeast corner of the public square. It was erected in 1890 at a cost of $2,500. This amusement hall served the people for about 13 years when it was accidentally burned. Besides this hall there was the Berryessa hall located one block south corner of the square. After the destruction of the ward amusement hall in 1930, the people once more used the old adobe house on the northeast corner of the public square as a recreation center. In 1913-1914, a brick amusement hall was erected south of and adjoining the meeting house. It had classrooms below. It had hardwood floors, a stage, and equipment. On the committee was Lynn Skeen, John Maw, and Stephen Knight.

On Christmas, we usually had a program in the morning and a childrens dance in the afternoon. The Sunday School always had a Christmas tree with presents on it for the children. Everyone brought candles to the dance for light, until coal oil lamps began to be used. Our first coal oil lamp was one that fastened on the walls with tin reflectors at the back. Then came fancy chandeliers that were fastened to the ceiling, also various kinds of table lamps. Then the gas mantle lamps and finally electricity came.

We told them the time of day by means of a contrivance that followed the shadow of the sun around. Consequently, we couldn’t tell the time on a cloudy day.

MUSIC AND DRAMA

Plain city in early days always had a brass band, a choir, a dramatic association and a baseball team. The first band was organized in 1864 or 1865 with Thomas Singleton as leader.

A man by the name of George Parkman came up from Salt Lake City to organize the band and give lessons to the players.

The first instrument were purchased from Fort Douglas band. The money being raised by donations of cash and molasses.

Will Geddes gave the first $5 and others soon followed his lead. The organization took place in front of the old Singleton home.

Some of the members are recalled by Mr. Singleton as: Charles Neal, William Stewart, Charles Singleton, William Sharp, Abraham Maw, Edward Goddard, Lorenzo Thomas Musgrave, and William Geddes.

The second band was the Heath band. The instruments for this band were obtained in the east. The money was raised by the Dramatic Company of Plain City.

Charles Heath was the leader of this band. He did all the early painting in Plain City. He painted the scenery for the dramatic association and was president of the association for some time. Some of the members of his band were Alfred Bramwell, John Bramwell, Frank Bramwell, Abraham Maw, William Geddes, William Stewart, Haskell Shurtliff, Richard Lund, James Lund, Henry Eames, Robert Eames, Joseph Geddes, Samual Draney, and Thomas Cottle.

The first dramatic association consisted of Louisa Hopkins Moyes, Edwin Dix, Charles Heath, O. J. Swensen, David Booth, Victorine Musgrave, Mary Ann Sharp, Elizabeth Sharp. Some of the plays were: “Ten Knight in a Bar Room,” “Emmeraldo or Justice of Takon.” “Charcoal Burner,” and many other good plays. The traveled around to the different towns.

The second dramatic association consisted of:

Joseph Geddes, Joseph Skeen, Henry Eames, Mary Ann Carver Geddes, Elizabeth Eames, Lillie Stoker Sharp, Annie Hansen, Samual Draney, Josephine Ipson Rawson, Charles Heath, As leader, Archabold Geddes, Alfred Bramwell, Frank Bramwell. They presented the following plays: “Mistletoe Bough,” “Mickle Earl” or “Maniac Lover,” “Fruits of the Wine Cup,” “Streets of New York,” “The Two Galley Slaves,”: The Rough Diamond,” “ Earnest mall Travers,” “ Ten Knights in a Bar Room.”

Sara Singleton was the little girl who sang the song “Father, O Father, Come Home To Me Now.” This company played in Willard, Harrisville, and other surrounding towns. They raised $400 to buy band instruments for the Charles Heath Band.

SPORTS

Plain City always prided itself upon having a good ball team. At one time their baseball team conquered all teams they played except Salt Lake. During this period their greatest rival was the Willard Team, which possessed a curve pitcher. This was something new in baseball at the time. Earnest Bramwell of Plain City learned from Mr. Wells how to throw a curve ball and became the second curve pitcher in Utah. Members of the baseball team included: Catcher, Willard Neal, Catcher, Hans P. Petersen, Catcher, Levi Richardson, Pitcher, Joseph Geddes, First base, Milo Sharp, Second base, Cornelius Richardson, Third base, Willard Neal, Right field, Madison Thomas, Center Field, Fred Wheeler, Left field, and William L. Stewart as short stop.

INDUSTRIES

Every pioneer family had its lye barrel for extracting lye from wood ashes.

Around perforated of wood was fitted inside the barrel near the bottom, upon which greasewood ashes were placed. Water was poured over these ashes and it settled in the bottom of the barrel carrying the lye from the ashes in the solution. This was combined with grease and boiled down to soap. When it was “done” it was poured into a tub to cool and harden. Then it was cut into squares and placed upon a board or table outside to dry.

Salt was extracted from the water of the Great Salt Lake. Soda was made from Alkali.

Fine Starch was made from potatoes grated fine and the juice pressed out and placed in the sun to dry.

Flour starch was used to starch common things.

Wool was spun into thread and then woven into cloth. The wool which was gathered from the fences and bushes was washed, carded, and made into bats for quilts.

Some nails and bullets were made in the home. Also, rag carpets and rugs were home manufactured.

Candle dipping, spinning, weaving, hand sewing, knitting, crocheting, tatting, were done at home. When a pioneer lady wanted a piece of lace or embroidery for herself for a petticoat or a dress, she made it herself or engaged her neighbor to make it for her.

Then there were the quilting of quilts and petticoats, hat making, broom making, etc. In fact, most of the articles in daily use in the home were made by some member of the family.

STRAWHATS

Straws were split, soaked, braided either in three or four, five or seven-strands lengths, sewed together along the edges to make the hat. This was then rolled, blocked, and pressed. Minnie Hansen Lund taught hat making in Plain City. Josephine Ipson was one of her pupils.

Susannah Robinson learned the art of making straw hats from Annie Dye, wife of Joseph A. Taylor.

David Booth made beaver hats from rabbit fur.

FOOD

Sweetening was made form the juice of sugar cane and watermelons. The juice was pressed out and boiled down to a syrup. Fruits and vegetables were dried. Everyone made their own butter and cheese and raised their own vegetables and fruits.

Vinegar was made by getting the vinegar plant, called the “Mother” pouring water over it and adding sugar or some sweetening and letting it stands in a warm place until the proper state of acidity was reached. Some vinegar was made from apple juice.

Shortbread was eaten at first. Then with the introduction of white flour came “salt rising bread,” also “sour dough bread.” Corn bread was used a great deal also.

After the yeast germ was introduced, people began using more bread leavened with yeast. They would save a little start of this yeast from one mixing of bread to the next and add potatoes, water, and sugar.

In every community, there were women who specialized in making yeast, which they exchanged with their neighbors for flour. Annie Neal did this.

Meats were pickled in brine or dry salted for summer use. It was also smoked in the cold winter and kept frozen. Relief Society as told by Mary Ann Carver Geddes.

A Relief Society was organized in Plain City on January 3, 1868, with Almira Raymond as President, Margaret Shoemaker as First Counselor, Mary Ann Carver as Second Counselor, Victorine Musgrave as Secretary, Succeeded by Mary Ann Spiers and Annie Folkman as Treasurer. Mrs. Alice Robinson and her partner Anna Eames walked to Warren, a distance of four miles through deep sand to visit the families who lived down there and give them aid if needed.

Most of the donations in those days were in produce.

Many of the meetings were devoted entirely to work and business. The sisters brought their spinning wheels and spun yarn for the society. Even the children helped.

One of the duties of the relief society teachers was to gather up donations of soap, clothing, or anything the people could give, which was distributed among those in need. They also sat up nights with the sick, gave them food, clothing, or whatever was needed.

THE WHEAT PROJECT

Eliza R. Snow came to Plain City to start the storing of wheat. Those who didn’t raise wheat of their own went into the fields to glean. The work was all done by hand. The wheat was cut with a cradle, raked with wooden rakes, and piled in small piles.

SALT

The salt industry at one time was quite a thriving industry and employed many people. It helped very materially in the financing of the ward.

The salt pits were located northwest of the town on the edge of the Salt Lake. At one time, there were as many as twenty camps with 100 people on the payroll. Many girls and women from the surrounding settlement helped gather the salt and also cooked for the men employees. The coarse or unrefined salt was obtained by digging pits, filling them full of salt water in the pits. The crude salt was hauled by teams to the Hot Springs and shipped to the mining towns of Montana to be used in the smelters and also on the cattle ranches. It was also hauled to Cache Valley and traded for grain. Some finer grains of salt were refined by boiling the salt water in woodlined vats called salt boilers and over sagebrush fires.

Those engaged in the salt business were Clayborne Thomas, Jens Peter Folkman, Charles Neal, William Geddes, Joseph Geddes, Christen Olsen, And William Steward. They contracted to deliver salt to the smelting companies of Montana and worked up a lively trade.

Some of those who worked at the “salt works” were Caroline Palmer, Ellen Peterson, Frances Carver, Martina Peterson, Matilda Folkman, Sarah Moyes, Nephi Hansen, and Jens Peter Folkman and a salt mill at the latter’s home where the salt was ground and sacked ready for the market. Matilda Folkman, Sarah Moyes, Cordelia Moyes Carver, sewed the sacks.

BRICK YARDS

A suitable clay was found on the banks of the Weber River for the making of brick.

Joseph Geddes clay was found on the banks of the Weber River for the making of bricks.

BUTCHERS

The early pioneers raised their own meats. They raised and slaughtered their own beef and hogs and sold the meat to the people from their “meat wagons” which made regular runs through the town. They also made stops in the nearby towns. John England owned the first slaughter house. It was located 1 ½ miles northeast from the public square of the Hot Springs road. Jens Peter Folkman and John Vause had the first butcher shop.

Gus Peterson had a “slaughter house” and a “meat wagon.” He ran his business on a sort of co-operative plan. People put in their beef and pork and drew the value out in fresh meats as they wanted it.

Jens Peter Folkman ran a “co-op” butcher shop. Also, Peter M., his son, had a butcher shop.

Maroni Skeen and Fred Rolph did the killing for a large firm of butchers.

FRENCH RETRENCHMENT SOCIETY

Organized by Eliza R. Snow on November 16, 1875. Emily Wainwright Shurtliff was appointed President, with Mary Raymond a First Counselor, Bertha Lund as Second Counselor, and Jane Stewart as Third Counselor. Margery Elizabeth Crawford was Secretary, Marjorie Shoemaker as Assistant, ad American Stephens as Secretary-Treasurer.

CHAPTER MEMBER:

Jane Alice Turner, Sarah E. Singleton, Rachel Frances Carver Sophia Singleton, Mary Geddes, Isabel Eames, Almeda Raymond, Mary Peterson, Sarah Moyes, Laura M. Graham, Hannah M. Christensen, Annie Josephine Davis, Matilda Folkman, Charlotte Lindelof, Helen Graham, Minnie Carver, Julia Knight, Mary Maw, Emily Neal, Eliza Folkman, Elizabeth Folkman, Elizabeth Geddes, Elsie Marie Green, Julia Cottle, Georgina Rolfe, Eliza Rawson, Hannah Eliza Graham, Mrs. Laura Richardson, Matilda Lindelof, Lucy Knight, Matilda Weatherstone, Martha Knight, Emma Richardson, Annie Geddes, Isabel Draney, Catharine Maw, Annie England, Dinah Maw, Polley Goddard, Mrs. Christine Lund, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Emma Stewart, Agnes Geddes, Louisa Gampton, Elizabeth Eames, Millie Richardson, Eliza Turner, Mrs. Rose England, Josephine Folkman, Hilda Christensen, Annie Green, Hannah Maria Rawson.

The procedure of the 13^th Ward of Salt Lake City was taken as an example to follow in inducing attendance at sacrament meeting and the curtailment of extravagance in dress; also the promoting of faith among the members.

In February 1876, the YMMIA was organized with William England President. The Primary Association was organized in 1881 with Susannah Robinson as President. The first Sunday School books were bought with molasses donated by the people.

TRANSPORTATION

The early settlers traveled over the old Plain City to Ogden road in order to market their produce in the “Junction City.” A lot of early commercial intercourse was carried on with Salt Lake City as well.

In order to reach Salt Lake City, it was necessary to cross the Weber River over Higbee’s Ferry which was located south of the town.

The first means of transportation were ox teams and horses or mules. Many people rode horseback to Ogden when they went on business or for a small amount of supplies. After the lumber wagons, came the white top buggies and surreys. Then the bicycle and automobile.

It wasn’t until 1909 that Plain City had Communication with Ogden by means of railroad.

On October 15, and 16, of the year, the citizens of Harrisville and Farr West and many from Ogden joined with the residents of Plain City in a great celebration in honor of the completion of the U.I.C. branch line to Plain City. Six carloads of enthusiastic came over the new line. Many of them were former residents of Plain City. They joined the local citizens in a fiesta of signing, talking, dancing, and feasting. Lyman Skeen and John Max were instrumental in bringing this much-needed means of transportation to the community.

A small steam engine hauled passengers and express to Five Points. Later to Harrisville where passengers and freight were transferred to the Cache Valley electric train. Then later, the road to Plain City was finally electrified, but owing to the keen competition of the automobile passengers, service was discontinued a few years later. However, freight and sugar beets were still being hauled over the line.

William England was hired by the Kimball-Lawrence Company Merchant Freighters to drive a freight wagon across the plains. He was from April 9, 1862, to September 15, 1862, making the trip to Salt Lake City. He also drove wagons from Salt Lake to California for a large company.

AMANDA RICHARDSON’S STATEMENT

“The Indians tanned the calf and sheep hides for the settlers. They used to come and dry themselves before our fireplace and change their babies. They lined their babies’ baskets with rabbit skins in order to protect them from the cold. We stacked our sagebrush with the butts out, tops to the center in a round pile.”

SOME EARLY SCHOOL TEACHER

George Musgrave and wife Victoria, William McGuire, George W. Bramwell, George Carver, Mina Raymond, Joel Shoemaker.

ROADS

The roads were kept up by a toll-tax levied on each family. There was a toll gate at the entrance to the road thru Ogden Canyon. The pioneers built their own roads by donations of work and money. John P. Draney and William Geddes were the first two men to blast rock in Ogden Canyon.

WILLIAM SHARP

William Sharp was the first stone mason in Plain City, born in Misson, Notts, England December 10, 1828; died in Plain City, Utah December 21, 1901. He built the Episcopal Church (school house) in 1877. He also built the old Singleton home, Robert Maw’s adobe house. He was a musician and played the cornet in Plain city’s first band. He worked with Thomas Singleton, a carpenter, in constructing many of Plain City’s early houses.

THOMAS SINGLETON

He was the first band leader in Plain City. He was an early carpenter of Plain City, also laid adobes. He was a musician. The first band in Plain City was organized at his home. He was born in Mason, England, January 7,1823; died January 1,1895 in Plain City. He was good singer. His brother, Charles, was also a musician, being both a singer and an instrumentalist.

Charles Musgrave and his brothers Thomas and George were also musicians. They were good singers and entertained frequently at parties. Other singers were Edwin Dix, William Sharp, William Stewart, Robert Maw, Victorine Musgrave, Tom Singleton, Victorine Sharp, Milo Sharp, and wife, Lily, who was also a poet.

DOCTORS

Henry W. Wadman was the earliest known doctor in Plain City. John Danvers treated people for various ailments. Lyman Skeen extracted teeth.

MIDWIVES

Annie Katherine Hedwig Rasmussen-Hansen, wife of Hans Christian Hansen, was the first midwife in Plain City. She was born October 3, 1823, in Forborg, Denmark She was baptized in January 1852, came to Salt Lake October 1, 1853, then later to Ogden. She settled first in Bingham’s Fort, then moved to Harrisville. She was asked by the Bishop of Plain City to come down there to practice midwifery. She came between 1860 and 1862 while her husband was a mission to Denmark. Some of the Plain City men went to Harrisville, took down her log house, moved it to Plain City, and re-erected it on a 2 ½ acre tract of land given to her by the people in Plain City. This work was accomplished in one day. She practiced her profession in Plain City for many years. She was one of those called to take the course in midwifery and nursing at Salt Lake City under the direction of Eliza R. Snow. She died at Plain City March 31, 1899.

Jane Pavard England, wife of John England, was Plains City’s second midwife. She was born near Yeoble, Somerset, England, August 2, 1815. She married when seventeen years of age. Her husband was in the printing and publishing business for eight years in London. She buried nine children in Bridport, England. She and her husband came to Plain City in 1862, where she practiced until her death on November 20, 1882. She never lost a case. She and her husband were weavers in the same cloth factory in England. He died at Plain City.

Martha Stewart Geddes, wife of William Geddes, was another early midwife of Plain City. She was born May 10, 1838, in Scotland. She practiced until the time of her death August 11, 1900, at Plain City.

Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, wife of John Moyes, was sent by the Bishop of Plain City to Salt Lake to learn obstetrics. She practiced for many years in Plain City. She was born in Michigan, December 24, 1840, died in Plain City January 4, 1904, or 1905. Her early life was spent in Murray, Utah, which was named after her father, John Murray, who was an early patriarch of that locality. From Murray, the family moved first to North Salt Lake and the to Kay’s Creek (Kaysville) where she met and married John Moyes on March 4, 1858. Shortly after, their marriage they moved to Spanish Fork, then down to the Muddy and back to Spanish Fork again, and finally to Plain City in October, 1865.

Elizabeth Moyes had a beautiful singing voice and often sang at dances accompanying herself on the harp. She had dark brown ringlets which hung to her waist. She could card, spin, knit and sew. She learned obstetrics from Dr. Schipp in Salt Lake City, and after obtaining her certificate, she practiced in Warren, Farr West, Harrisville and Plain City for over twenty years. She would go to homes where there were small children and work one half a day besides waiting on the mother for $3.00 per day.

Mary Ann Carver Geddes, wife of William Stewart Geddes, a practical nurse in Plain City for many years, came to Plain City with her parents John Carver and Mary Ann Eames Carver in 1859 when two years of age.

John Spiers was an early Justice of the Peace in Plain City. He was born February 19, 1822, at Worcester, England, died in Plain City November 12, 1895. He was one of the original company of pioneers who arrived in Plain City on March17, 1859.

He took an active part in the religious and civic life of the town. He was the first president of the old Z.C.M.I. of Plain City organized in March, 1869. He was an early gardener of Plain City and had the largest garden. (1871) He was appointed Secretary of the United Order Committee on May 23, 1874. He was Meeting House Com. Clerk of Branch in 1859; was the First Counselor to L. W. Shurtliff when he became Plain City’s first Bishop May 27, 1877. William VanDyke also.

William Thomas Stoker was a harness maker of Plain City. He was born June 4, 1850, in England died on October 21, 1908 in Plain City. He was one of Plain City’s early merchants.

Edward Goddard, was one of the prominent men of Plain City in early days. He was not a pioneer of 1859. He was born in England in 1842, died at Plain City on June 28, 1905. He married Phoebe Sarah Speakman in England. She was born September 25, 1830, in England, died in Plain City in 1917. Edward Goddard took an active part in developing the fine arts in Plain City. He wrote plays and painted scenery. He was a stepdancer, also, a school teacher.

Louisa Hopkins was the daughter of Captain Hopkins of the British Army and his wife, Louisa. She was educated in London and Paris. Upon her Father’s death she and her Mother joined the Church and came to Plain City in 1859, or early sixties. Her mother married the 2^nd Thomas Musgrave.

Louisa Hopkins was a very talented and refined young woman, very dainty and beautiful. She was referred to by her friends as “beautiful little doll.” She took part in many plays and entertainments. She became telegraph operator at Ogden where she worked for some time. She married Clint Brown in 1861 first. Second, she married Bishop Chauncy West in 1868, and after his death, she married Alfred Moyes, son of Jonathan Moyes, in 1871. She buried five children in Plain City, one by Brown, one by West, three by Moyes. After her marriage to Mr. Moyes, she and her husband moved to Idaho, where she died a few years later having lived to a ripe old age. Louisa Hopkins was born October 22, 1847, in London England. She studied elocution and voice in London and Paris. She had a beautiful voice. She took an active part in the theatrical voice. She had dark hair which she wore in ringlets and a beautiful, pearly skin. She taught school in Plain City.

ALONZO KNIGHT

Alonzo Knight was born October 14, 1830, in Pennsylvania, and died at Harrisville September 22, 1921. He migrated from Union southeast of Salt Lake City to Plain City in the fall of 1859, after the crops were harvested. He turned them into the tithing office at Union and drew out from the tithing office in Plain City. He first married Catherine Mequire, daughter of William W. Mequire and Charlotte Ash. Second, he married Martha Sanders and Amanda Fausett. He and Jeppe Folkman plowed the first furrow for the immigrants to follow Henry Maw’s to Geddes’ corner south, and then still farther south to Weatherston’s. He was prominent in church work, having lived at Nauvoo during the Prophet’s life time before coming to Utah. He took an active part in the early life of the community of Plain City. He was one of the first to engage in the bee business. He was also a farmer, gardner, stock raiser, fruit raiser.

WILLIAM GEDDES

Another prominent man in Plain City and an early pioneer, was William Geddes, born in Billston, Scotland on December 8, 1832. He died in Plain City August 24, 1899. Father Hugh Geddes’ mother was Agnes Graham. He was a very good musician. He also was a member of Charles Heath’s and other bands in Plain City. He played in the first band organized in Plain City in 1865, with Thomas Singleton the leader. He also was a member of Charles Heath’s and other bands in Plain City. He brought (sic) the first organ to Plain City in the early seventies. He served as constable when Plain City was organized into a county precinct in 1861. He was appointed a member of the Cemetery Committee in 1878. He became a school trustee September 18, 1870. He contributed the first $5.00 to the first band instruments purchased for the first Plain City band. He brought the first grapevine to Plain City. He was one of the men called to assist in the stonework of the Salt Lake Temple. He and John P. Draney were the first two men to blast rock in Ogden Canyon.

WILLIAM STEWART GEDDES

William Stewart Geddes was the son of William Geddes and Elizabeth Geddes Stewart. He was born April 5, 1856, in Salt Lake City. He died August 23, 1891, in Oregon. When a young man, he was called, along with Luman Shurtliff and Ben Bingham, to work on the Salt Lake Temple. Their wages were paid by the towns of Plain City, Slaterville and Marriott. He helped carve many of the stones in the Temple. They were hauled from Little Cottonwood Canyon in what is now Granite Stake by ox team, before the completion of the railroad, one stone being fastened to the running gears of the wagon with chains. They sharpened their tools at the church blacksmith shop. They made their own charcoal to feed the flames in the blacksmith shop in pits on the Temple Grounds. Logs were piled up, set afire, then covered with dirt. William S. Geddes filled a mission to Scotland (in pencil has been written to read “Scotland from Plain City to Southern States one year, transferred to European Mission for one year. (sic) He married Mary Ann Carver first at the Endowment House on October 20, 1877 and Margaret Cullen second, December, 1884.

JOSEPH SKEEN

He was born August 10, 1816, at Sadsbury Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. He died at Plain City on the 25^th of December, 1882. He was married to Amanda Maria Dobby. He was a member of the Mormon Batallion, coming to Salt Lake City from California, he learned how to make sun-dried bricks from clay (called adobes) and is credited with being the first man to make them in Utah. He was one of the company of men who explored the site where Plain City is located, in the fall of 1858, and was among those who settled there on March 17, 1859. He, in connection with his sons, Lyman and William, went into the cattle and horse-breeding business in Plain City. He purchased fine stallions and thus improve the quality of the stock in Plain City and vicinity. His wife, Amanda Maria Dobby Skeen, died in Lehi November 11, 1855.

LYMAN STODDARD SKEEN

Lyman Stoddard Skeen was the son of Joseph and Amanda Maria Dobby Skeen, and was born December 18, 1850, at Keg Creek, Missouri. He came to Plain City on March 17, 1859, with his parents. He was a contractor and builder. He built part of the Narrow Gauge Railroad on the Utah Northern in 1870- 1872. He brought over 600 head of horses for the government at one time. He first harvested his grain with a sickle, then a scythe, and a cradle. The grain was ground in a coffee mill at first. He was a breeder of horses and cattle. He was successful in handling rough laborers during his railroad contracting work. There was less profanity in his camp than in any other of the camps. He never swore or used tobacco. He assisted in every public enterprise In Plain City. He helped in the construction of many railroads. He bought the cemetery fence himself. He first married Electa P. Dixon, who died April 28, 1891, then he married Annie Skelton. He was of Scotch, Yankee and Dutch descent. His grandfather settled in western Missouri. Had they crossed the river, they would have been in Mexican Territory. He was instrumental in getting the railroad into Plain City in 1908 and 1909. He died at Plain City April 4, 1933. His wife, Annie Skelton, died at Plain City January 13, 1933.

JOSEPH ROBINSON

Joseph Robinson was one of the pioneers of March 17, 1859. He came with the company who looked over the site in the fall of 1858. He was one of the original Plain City Pioneers. He was the son of James and Mary Robinson and was born at Stockport, England, December 14, 1814. He was one of the first to grow alfalfa in Plain City. He married Alice Booth first, a sister of David Booth on January 1, 1843. Second, he married Susannah Baddis. He was a farmer and a gardner. His oxen often got so tired they would lie down in a row. He was one of the men sent to meet Johnston’s Army. He died at Plain City August 27, 1901 or 1891. (Ward records) He joined the church in 1848. One of the first growers of lucerne seed in Plain City was Joseph Robinson. He also raised cattle.

ALICE BOOTH ROBINSON

She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, December 29, 1819. The family later moved to England where she married Joseph Robinson at Stockport, January 1, 1843. She joined the Church on November 13, 1847. They emigrant to Salt Lake City September 22, 1854. They moved to Lehi, then to Plain City on March 17, 1859. She was the first white woman to set foot on Plain City soil. She was a firm Latter-day Saint. Her life was full of noble deeds. She died at Plain City January 11, 1906. She was a weaver in a cotton mill in the north of England. She was a choir singer. When she came to Plain City, the men had already commenced to dig the canal. She came to Utah in Job Smith’s Company with their own outfit, two yoke of oxen, a camping kit and a new wagon.

WILLIAM SKEEN

Son of Joseph Skeen and Amanda Dobby Skeen, was born January 8, 1839, at Sadsbury Township, Penn. He married first Caroline Smith, daughter of Joseph J. Smith and Mary A. Smart, (Joseph J. Smith, the inventor) and second he married Mary Davis, daughter of Thomas and Mary Davis. William Skeen was one of the original Plain City pioneers who arrived on March 17, 1859. He had previously came with the party that arrived in the fall of 1858 and chose the site for the settlement. He specialized in cattle and horse. He died at Plain City February 13, 1903. His families suffered severe loses during the smallpox epidemic of 1870 and 1871. Caroline Smith Skeen was born December 24, 1840, in England, and died in Plain City December 1, 1925. Mary Davis Skeen was born April 22, 1848 in Wales, and died in Plain City November 30, 1908.

CHARLES NEAL

Charles Neal, son of Job Neal and Harriot Smith, was born at Stratford, Warwick, England, September 7, 1834, and died at Plain City October 29, 1914. He and his first wife, Annie Jane England Neal, came with the first company of pioneers to Plain City on March 17, 1859. He was a farmer and a gardener. He is credited with panting the first apple seeds in Plain City. They came from apples grown in Brigham Young’s orchard. He had the first “dugout” home in Plain City and built the first willow fence, he and his wife dragging the willows from the Weber River two miles away. They made 200 trips in all. He was a carpenter by trade and assisted in the erection of many homes in the community. He was a good musician, played in the band, sang in the choir, was organist and later became choir leader.

GEORGE MUSGRAVE

He was the first choir leader and school teacher in Plain City. He was one of the pioneers of March 17, 1859. He was born October 22, 1833, in London, England, and died November 12, 1903 at Plain City. He married Victorine Jane Dix, the adopted daughter of William Dix and Myra Goodman. He was a musician both vocal and instrumental. He and his wife sang frequently at entertainments. He lived first where Peter Poulsen now lives, in a “dugout” and then a one-room adobe house. Afterwards, he brought a two-room adobe house of Gundero Anderson (Alminda’s Grandfather) which he later enlarged by the construction of a large school room on the west side which was often used for parties of various kinds. (Lawrence Palmer owns the lot now. William Sharp put in the foundation of this room, Charles and Thomas Singleton laid the adobes and did the carpenter work, being assisted by John Moyes who paid tuition for his children’s schooling in this way. He and his brother, Charles, were composed of songs.

DAVID BOOTH

He was an early pioneer. He was born November 26, 1826, at Hooley Hill, Lancashire, England and died on September 2, 1909 in Plain City. His first wife was Sarah H. Booth, and his second wife was Mrs. Susannah Beddis Robinson. He is accredited with being the second choir leader in Plain City. He was a very good bass singer and conducted a singing school in Plain City. He and his brother, Henry, often sang duets at parties. He was an early hatter of the town. He made beaver hats of rabbit fur. His parents were William Booth and Mary Ann Jackson. He lived in the little adobe house that stands partly demolished on the Berry Lot.

DINAH ABBETT

She was the wife of Jonathan Moyes, born in England in 1818. She was left an orphan at an early age. She was sent to work in a lace factory in Wallinworth, Suffolk, England. She wound bobbins. Her stepmother was cruel to her, giving her bran to eat. When she was older, she learned to make pillow lace. Also, she did fancy ironing in order to save money to come to America. She lived neighbors to Musgrave in London prior to coming to America. She was a very good cook. She could get a good meal with very little. She had three sons, Alfred, Lemon, and John. Lemon was drowned in a pool when a small child. She died in Plain City October 27, 1871 when 53 years old.

ANNIE ENGLAND NEAL

She was the daughter of John England and Jane Pavard. She was born July 1, 1837 at Bradfoole Bridport, Dorsetshire, England. She died November 5, 1900 at Plain City. She joined the church in 1837 when Wilford Woodruff organized the first conference at Bristol, England. She was the first of the family to come to Utah, five years ahead of the rest of the family. She came in Evans Handcart Company in 1857 when she was 18 years of age. She met Charles Neal while crossing the plains and after reaching Salt Lake City, they both worked for Brigham Young and were married by him in their bare feet.

They settled in Lehi in 1858, then came to Plain city with the first company of Pioneers on March 17, 1859, making the journey in William Skeen’s wagon. A blinding snowstorm came up shortly after their arrival. They lived where Alf Charlton now lives, in the first dugout finished in Plain City, then they built a one-room adobe house with a dirt floor and a dirt and willow roof. The lot was fenced with willows dragged from the river over two miles to the south.

She had no children of her own, so she mothered Emma Neal, her husband’s niece, and also, his younger brother William Neal. Her own niece, Sophia England, also became a member of their household. She was post-mistress in Plain City for over 25 years. She lost some of her brothers in England who refused to take consecrated oil during a cholorea epidemic. She was a teacher in the Plain City Relief Society, liberal in her donations, and especially good to the poor.

SUSANNAH BEDDIS ROBINSON BOOTH ENGLAND

She was the daughter of Thomas Paul Beddis and Ann Cole. She was born July 12, 1847, in Wigan, England, and died December 30, 1920, at Plain City. She came to America in 1054. Her parents died after leaving New Orleans and she and her brother became orphans. Susannah, now seven years old, came across the plains practically alone, arriving in Salt Lake City September 30, 1854, where she was met by Joseph Robinson and his wife Alice, who took her home with them. She carried her little reticule containing her knitting across the Plains. They sang around the campfires at night. She went to Lehi in 1855, and to Plain City on July 23, 1859. She helped Alice Robinson gather willows from the river and rocks from the springs to be used in the construction of their house. They also assisted Brother Robinson in the clearing of sagebrush from his land preparatory to the breaking it up for cropping. She was married to Joseph Robinson first, and upon his death, to David Booth, then to William England after his wife’s death.

JOHN ENGLAND, SR.

He was a weaver of cloth. He was the husband of Jane Pavard England, Plain City’s second midwife. He was born March 20, 1815, at Stofords Parish near Yeoble, Somerset, England, and died in Plain City April 7, 1894. He joined the Church in 1837, shortly after the opening of the Bristol Branch. His father, James England, first used and perfected the power loom in England. John learned the art of weaving in his father’s factory; so when he came to Plain City he engaged in the same business. Prior to coming to Utah, he also worked for a London Printing Company for eight years.

He migrated to Utah in 1862, in James Brown’s company. His son, John Jr., had come in 1861, being one of the contractors on the government telegraph line from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City, the Pioneer telegraph line in the United States. John England, Sr., engaged in farming and the cattle business as well as his cloth-weaving business.

JOHN CARVER

He was a pioneer on March 17, 1859. He was born August 6, 1822, at Clifford Parish, Herefordshire, England. He died January 11, 1912, at Plain City. He was one of the party that came in the fall of 1858 to locate the sire for a settlement. He walked back to Kay’s Creek, wading through the deep sand most of the way. Most of the others went to Ogden and staid (sic) for a few days before going home. The water conditions at Kay’s Creek were the same as at Lehi, the first settlers had appropriated most of the water so that there was none left for those coming later. Consequently, John Carver joined the settlers from Lehi and proceeded on to Plain City with them, leaving his wife, Mary Ann, and family in Slaterville for a few weeks as she was about to give birth to another child. He walked back and forth between Slaterville and Plain City while constructing his home and working his land. He moved his family to Plain city in the fall of 1859. He became a farmer and stockman in Plain City and Ogden valley. He also raised fruit and garden stuff in Plain City. He held many positions of trust in the community. He acted as First Counselor to President Raymond when David Collett moved to Cache Valley in 1859. He was also called to act as First Counselor to President Shurtliff on August 31, 1870. He was appointed assistant to L. W. Shurtliff on the United Order Committee on May 22, 1875.

He built a sod fence around his lot in the early days. He is reported to have built the second log house in Plain City. William W. Raymond moved a log house from Slaterville to Plain City before Carver’s was built, but it was not erected in Plain City. He was married to Mary Ann Eames, daughter of Samuel Eames and Nancy Caster. She was born on August 8, 1828, in Orcorp Parish, Herefordshire, England, and died in Plain City June 18, 1870. She was a Relief Society worker in Plain City. She was appointed Second Counselor to Almina Raymond, President of the first Relief Society organized in Plain City, January 3, 1868. Other wives of John Carver were Rochel Tellephson Carver, daughter of Peter Tellephson (or sen) and Rachel Lordahl, born June 26, 1839, in Christiansand, Norway; died in Plain City October 4, 1903. Sarah Ann Eames Carver

EDWIN DIX

He was born February 14, 1838, in Herefords, England, and moved to London from which place he emigrated to Utah in 1859. He crossed the “Plains” from Iowa by ox team. He moved from Salt Lake City to Plain City in 1859. The canal was being dug from Mill Creek to the Ogden River when he arrived. He went back to Salt Lake and worked as a stone-cutter on the Salt Lake Temple for 18 months. He then returned to the Plain City and engaged in market gardening which he had learned from a Mr. Ellerbeck, a gardener of Salt Lake City for whom he had worked.

He introduced strawberry culture into Plain City and Weber County, having brought the first plants with him when he returned from Salt Lake to Plain City. He walked the distance. He brought a lot and built a dugout where Fent McFarland now lives. Prior to this he and his wife and daughter Evelyn, and also George Musgrave and wife, had lived with Charles Neal in his dugout which was the first one built in Plain City. His wife’s name was Hannah Bootie, a beautiful woman. Edwin Dix was assessor of Weber County for over twelve years. He was a good leader in the irrigation projects of Plain City and vicinity. He had a good education and was instrumental in fostering the drama in Plain City. He was a Shakespearean scholar and frequently gave readings from his favorite author. He brought some land of W. W. Raymond and began raising fruits and vegetables for the market, shipping to mining towns in Montana, and also to Park City. He organized the “Thespians,” a dramatic position as a sponsor of dramatic Arts and Music in pioneer times. He died in Ogden May 12, 1929. He belonged to the Militia, organized to protect the settlers from the Indians. Abraham Maw was his partner in the gardening business. Edwin Dix gave many of his friends a start of strawberry plants.

HANNAH BOOTIE DIX

She was the wife of Edwin Dix. She was born in Essex, June 29, 1834. She was a beautiful woman. She became the mother of eight children. She was a very good housekeeper, and an excellent cook. She became skilled as a seamstress and a knitter. Her first sewing machine was an old Singer, bought in the early seventies. She once traded one of her lovely silk dresses for a cow with which to begin a dairy herd. During the grasshopper invasion, they ate the green paint from her baby’s crib. She assisted her husband in his market gardening business.

DAUGHTERS OF THE UTAH PIONEERS

Plain City Camp, with members of the Carver Plain City Camp, with members of the Carver family and other pioneers.

This is the John Carver log cabin. This was the second log cabin built in Plain city and has been preserved by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

The cabin, which contains many pioneer artifacts, is on the west side of the L.D.S. Chapel.

Sunday, 24 June 2018 by Sagacity

Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp written by Annie Thompson (27 August 1957)

I came upon this history and thought I would share it. Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp is the mother of my William Sharp. She was also the mother of Isabella Sharp Carlisle, Elizabeth Sharp Quayle, and James Sharp. I don’t know where she got all of her information, hopefully from being passed down. I will enter some updates in brackets.

LIFE HISTORY: Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp, written by Annie Thompson, (August 27, 1957).

“Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp was the daughter and only child, of George and Ann (Matthews) Cartwright, and was christened at Misson, Nottinghamshire, England, 20 December 1803. She died in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, probably late in the year 1850 [17 February 1851].

Elizabeth grew up a tall young lady, reared in an atmosphere of wealth and refinement. At the age of 17 her father died (burial 27 February 1820, age 46) and three years later, on 4 June 1823, her mother remarried to a widower named George Beighton. Little is known of this marriage except that George Beighton is purported to have gambled away at the races at Doncaster, the money belonging to Elizabeth’s mother.

On 29 December 1823, Elizabeth Cartwright was married at Mission to Thomas Sharp, and they became parents of eight children, four of whom died young in England; the other four, William, Isabella, Elizabeth and James emigrated to this country with their mother:

George Sharp, chr. 11 Nov 1824, Misson, Nottinghamshire, England
Mary Sharp, chr. 27 Nov 1825, “,”,”
William Sharp, born 10 Dec 1826, “,”,”
George Sharp, chr. 13 May 1826, “,”,”
Isabella Sharp, born 22 Dec 1831, “,”,”
Elizabeth Sharp, chr. 11 June 1834, “,”,”
Ann Sharp, chr. 29 July 1838, “,”,”
James Sharp, Born 7 Jan 1840, “,”,”
(Extract from the history of Isabella Sharp Carlisle)

Misson is a little town in the northern part of Nottinghamshire, in what used to be the Sherwood Forest, (made famous by the stories of Robin Hood). As well as having a historical setting, the place, at the time of Elizabeth Cartwright’s birth, was one of beauty, with its green pastures a bloom with cowslips.

Thomas Sharp died in 1841 at the age of 45 (buried 15 Jul 1841, Mission), leaving Elizabeth to care for the children.

Sometime about 1848, the LDS missionaries were preaching in the vicinity of Mission, and Elizabeth Sharp joined the LDS church, together with her eldest son, William, who was baptized 20 Jun 1848.

Elizabeth’s home was opened to the missionaries, and among the elders who stayed there was Elder George Emery.

Elizabeth Sharp decided to emigrate with her family to Utah, but her folks tried hard to discourage her from taking the hazardous trip; they told her if you leave for the west, “A red Indian will eat ye.” But Elizabeth’s determination prevailed, and in 1850 the family, consisting of the mother and her four children, booked passage for America. (The price of the ticket being twenty-five pounds sterling). They set sail from Liverpool, England, bound for New Orléans, Louisiana, USA, on 2 October 1850, on the sailing vessel “James Pennell”, commanded by Captain Fullerton. The voyage was a rough one and it took six weeks to reach their destination.

From New Orléans, they traveled by boat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri, a trip that was not a healthy one.

Shortly after the family reached St. Louis, the mother took sick and died, and was buried there. This left the children on their own. They found employment and Elizabeth and James married and stayed in Missouri.

William Sharp married Mrs. Mary Ann Bailey Padley, a young widow who had joined the church in England.

Isabella Sharp was baptized into the church while in St. Louis, and Joseph Carlisle. Elizabeth Sharp married John Quayle, and settled around St. Louis, and had a family of three children.

James, who was about twelve years old when his mother died, made arrangements to come to Salt Lake City, but the company he was to travel with finally turned back. He then found employment with a meat-packing concern in St. Louis (in which he later became a partner), and married Eudora Mann and had a family of five children.

Elizabeth Sharp Quayle and James Sharp never joined the church.

Both William Sharp and Joseph Carlisle were good athletes, and while in St. Louis, they challenged anyone to a wrestling match that cared to accept. They became well-known in this respect and they had few who accepted their challenge.

In 1853, both William Sharp and his family, which now consisted of his wife Mary Ann, his step-son Lorenzo Padley, and daughter Annie. Elizabeth who was born in St. Louis, and Joseph Carlisle and his wife Isabella Sharp Carlisle, started their journey across the plains. They drove a wagon for Williams Jennings, a Salt Lake merchant and freighter, (whether they drove one wagon or two is not known). They came in the Moses Clawson Co., arriving in Salt Lake City about September 15, 1853. (Journal History, Aug 18, 1853, pg. 5-7; Church Emigrations Vol. 2, 2, 1851 to 1863).

Joseph and Isabella Sharp Carlisle settled in Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah; and William and Mary Ann Sharp settled in Plain City, Weber County, Utah.

Annie Thompson
August 27, 1957

My relationship: Elizabeth Cartwright- Thomas Sharp
William Sharp
Milo Riley Sharp
Edward William Sharp
Edward Junior Sharp

Sunday, 17 July 2011 by Sagacity

Sharp – Bailey Wedding

James and the late Sarah Goodlad Bailey are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Mary Ann Bailey to William Sharp, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp. William and Mary Ann were married at Loup Fork, Howard, Nebraska on 10 July 1853.

William is a farmer and mason and they will make their home wherever they are called to settle once they arrive in the Utah Territory.

Due to the circumstances of this family, it is pretty unlikely an announcement would have been written. Everything about these families was in motion. Family members on both sides were strewn all over the world and their lives were still recovering from a number of personal blows. While this was probably a high point, they knew there was a long road still ahead of them.

William was born the third of eight children born to Thomas and Elizabeth Cartwright Sharp 10 December 1825 in Misson, Nottinghamshire, England. He spent his life as a mason. We do not know where or how he learned it. His father, Thomas, is listed as an “Ag Lab”, which is probably an agricultural laborer on the 1841 English Census (he died that same year).

In 1848, the LDS missionaries came to visit in Misson. William was the first of his family that we know who joined the church on 20 June 1848. His mother followed 11 August 1849 and his sister Isabella 16 September 1849. The story tells the family was friendly and open towards the missionaries. One of the missionaries was supposedly George R Emery (?-?).

Elizabeth Sharp was determined to emigrate with her family to Utah. Her family attempted to discourage her by warning her about the dangers of the American Indians. Nevertheless, she departed with William, Isabella, Elizabeth, and James. The other four children had died as infants. The family purchased tickets at 25 pounds sterling in Liverpool. The family set sail on the “James Pennell” on 2 October 1850 commanded by Captain James Fullerton. The LDS leaders on board were Christopher Layton (1821-1898) and William Lathrop Cutler (1821-1851) leading the company all the way to Zion. Right before hitting the waters of the Mississippi the ship encountered a storm where the masts were broken and the ship drifted for a couple of days. Luckily, a pilot boat found them and another ship (that left two weeks later from Liverpool) and tugged them to New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship arrived at dock on the 22 November 1850 in New Orleans. From there the entire group boarded the “Pontiac” and continued to St. Louis, Missouri where they found work and spent the winter. The family struggled with sea sickness and chills and fevers that beset them in New Orleans and St. Louis. Despite having crossed the Atlantic, Elizabeth, the mother of the family died 17 February 1851 in St. Louis (and buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery).

This left the four siblings to fend for themselves. William and Isabella both still desired to move on with the Saints to Utah. William became fast friends with Mary Ann Bailey Padley, a widow who had lost her husband before leaving England. They were such good friends that Anne Elizabeth Padley (she went by Sharp her whole life though) was born 31 October 1852. Isabella married Joseph Carlisle, who had arrived two years earlier, on 18 May 1853 in St. Louis. That same day the Moses Clawson Company, “St. Louis Company,” departed from St. Louis. Joseph and Isabella Carlisle, along with William Sharp and Mary Padley (with her son Lorenzo Padley and new infant Anne), left with the company. Joseph and William were well respected because they apparently were very good athletes and challenged anyone to a wrestling match.

The Sharps and Carlisles drove a wagon for William Jennings, a Salt Lake City merchant and freighter. The outfitting was done in Keokuk, Iowa. The company for traveling over the plains was formally organized in Kanesville, Iowa. On the trail, William and Mary Ann Padley were married 10 July 1853 in Loup Fork, Nebraska. The company arrived in Salt Lake City between the 15th and 20th of September the same year.

Mary Ann was born the first of seven children born to James and Sarah Goodlad Bailey 28 November 1828 in Mattersey, Nottinghamshire, England. James was a blacksmith and died somewhere in the 1860’s. The Bailey family were practicing members of the Church of England. Mary Ann attended school and obtained training in millinery and sewing. Sarah died in 1843 and James remarried to a lady named Harriet. Mary Ann met missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and converted. She was baptized 20 October 1846. Her parents dismissed her from the home for becoming a Mormon.

Shortly after, she met William Padley, another LDS member and a tailor, and married him 4 February 1847 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. They had a boy born to them in 1847 or 1848 named Lorenzo Joseph Padley. William was ill when Lorenzo was born and died 22 February 1850. Alone with a new son, she went back to her parents who would not have anything to do with her unless she gave up her religion. With that, she determined she would move to Zion. She sailed from Liverpool on 8 January 1851 on the “Ellen” with James Willard Cummings (1819-1883) as the leader of the company. The ship did have a pretty bad episode with measles and what others thought was whooping cough. She arrived in New Orleans 14 March 1851. On the 19th they left for St. Louis on the “Alleck Scott” and arrived on the 26th. Mary Ann and Lorenzo stayed in St. Louis while the company moved on. As mentioned above, she met William Sharp and his family while living in St. Louis.

They settled in Lehi, Utah, Utah for a couple of years but had a number of issues with range for the cattle and some other minor squabbles. Water was also not found to be very dependable in the Lehi area. During this time, William and Mary Ann gave birth to two children, William and Isabella in 1854 and 1856, but both died as infants. Milo Riley was born 23 July 1857. I have written of Milo and his family previously at this link: Sharp-Stoker Wedding.

William learned of land north near Ogden, Weber, Utah that was going to be opened up from some of the Saints passing through Lehi (abandoning Salt Lake City before the arrival of Johnson’s Army). These Lehi Saints were told of ample land and good water that was available west of Ogden. A scouting expedition went to search out the area in the fall of 1858 and visited with Lorin Farr (1820-1909) who told them of the available plain to the west.

The Sharp family left with other Lehi Saints on 10 March 1859 to travel to this new area. The group of about 100 arrived 17 March 1859 at what is present day Plain City, Weber, Utah. The company arrived at about 5 PM during the middle of a snowstorm. The company lined up the wagons to protect them from the wind and dug a hole in the ground for the campfire. Reports indicate that snow was pretty deep and conditions pretty uncomfortable. Plain City apparently lived up to its name with some sagebrush that rose over 4 feet tall from the high water table beneath the soil.

William Sharp put his carpentry and masonry skills to work making adobe brick and helping build the first homes in Plain City. William and Mary Ann lived in one of these homes. William served in the Plain City band, the Plain City Z.C.M.I. board, a builder, and a city leader. William and Mary Ann’s daughter, Evelyn, was the first girl born in Plain City in October 1859. Victorine Mary was born 8 April 1862 and ended the children William and Mary Ann would have. Mary Ann kept busy sewing and making suits, coats, and other required jobs. Each of her daughters learned to become dressmakers.

Lorenzo Padley died 24 July 1866 in Plain City. The photo we have of him is pretty scratched, but here is a cleaned up photo, but it is not perfect. It is hard to tell what is his nose and what was deformities in the photo.

Anne Elizabeth married Daniel Clayborne Thomas 29 January 1872 in Salt Lake City at the Endowment House. After six children she died in 1891 in Plain City.

Mary Ann moved out on Christmas Eve 1875 and refused to come back to William. William sued for divorce and Franklin Dewey Richards (1821-1899) granted the divorce (in probate court!) on 19 May 1876.

All was not well in Zion during these years in Plain City. Family lore has it that when a Bishop (Lewis Warren Shurtleff (1835-1922), branch president 1870-1877, bishop 1877-1883) extended himself beyond what the members felt was right, these families made sure it was known. The final straw came when Bishop Shurleff started telling the members what they would give as tithing. These were not just on the fringe members, but good standing members of the church in the area. William Sharp began construction on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in 1877 for many of these disaffected members (Still standing today and owned by the Lions in Plain City). For whatever reason a significant group of members were excommunicated between 1877 and 1882. Many of Plain City’s leading members were excommunicated. Excommunicated 31 January 1879 were William Sharp (the same who built the new church), Mary Ann Sharp (listed separately because of the divorce), William Skeen, Edwin Dix, George Musgrave (father of their future daughter-in-law), Thomas Musgrave, Thomas Singleton, Thomas Davis, George W Harris, Jonathan Moyes, John Moyes, Winfield Spiers, James Wadman, Robert Davis, John Davis, and Thomas Robson. These lists also have “and wife” as well as “and family” which seems to indicate that this list may have included spouses and families. Many of these families returned to the church after time away, some individuals never did.

Milo Riley married Mary Ann Stoker (aka Lillian or Lilly Musgrave) 11 May 1879 in Plain City in the little church William built. He died in 1916 in Plain City. Read about them here.

This same year, William remarried to the widow of Charles McGary, Charlotte Elizabeth Earl, in 1879. We do not know exactly when or where.

Evelyn Carlisle married James Henry Taylor 16 January 1880 in Plain City. She died in 1941 in Oregon.

Victorine Mary married Robert Edward Maw 8 April 1883 in Plain City. She died in 1945 in Ogden.

Mary Ann continued to work as a dressmaker until she could not do so any more due to age. She lived with her Granddaughter Elizabeth Taylor from before 1900 and even moved with her to Baker City, Baker, Oregon. Mary Ann moved back to Plain City not long after Beth married.

William died at 950 Washington Ave in Ogden on 22 December 1900 at 75 years and was buried two days later in the Ogden cemetery. Mary Ann died 30 October 1913 in Plain City at 85 years and was buried there three days later.

Saturday, 12 March 2011 by Sagacity

Sharp-Stoker Wedding

Milo Sharp, Archie Richardson, Mary Ann and Ethel Sharp, Roy Richardson

William Stoker and the late Emma Eames Stoker are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Mary Ann to Milo Riley Sharp, son of William Sharp and Mary Ann Sharp. They were married in at the Episcopal Church in Plain City, Weber, Utah on 11 May 1879.

Milo is currently a farmer in Plain City.

The couple will make their home in Plain City.

Just trying to write these first three paragraphs was not easy with this family. So many twists and turns with each individual name makes it difficult to find the proper wording and fashion to form the sentences.

I struggled on whether to call Mary Ann by her other known name, Lillian Musgrave. After marriage, she was known as Lilly M Sharp. Mary Ann was born 24 February 1861 at in Reading, Berkshire, England. The family was likely living at 18 Albert Street within St. Mary’s Parish. She was the fifth and last child (some show her as the 6th of 7 children though) of William Stoker, a journeyman saddler working in Reading, and Emma Eames. Emma contracted tuberculosis (listed as phthisis on the death certificate) and passed away 28 April 1863 at the same address after a year struggle with the disease. Mary Ann never knew her mother. Her father and older sister (Alice) joined the LDS church 27 May 1863. Her older brother, William Thomas, eleven years her senior, had joined 5 December 1860.

The family wasted no time in gathering to Zion. The Stoker family departed from London on a ship called “Amazon” 4 June 1863. George Q Cannon dedicated the ship which was entirely of Saints (880+) headed for Zion. It was this same ship that Charles Dickens wrote that the Mormons were not taking misfits and scoundrels, but the “pick and flower” of England. Even George Sutherland, future U.S. Supreme Court Justice was on this ship. Here is a link to the story by Charles Dickens: The Uncommercial Traveller. The LDS church also tells of the story that day at this link: Amazon Departure. The ship sailed to Liverpool before finally heading out for America. Elijah Larkin, who would help found Larkin Mortuary, noted that on the 16th and 20th of June, Thomas Stoker was administered to due to a sickness since leaving Liverpool.

The “Amazon” landed at Castle Gardens, New York, New York on 18 July 1863. The Saints took rail to Albany, Albany, New York and then to Florence, Douglas, Nebraska through Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. From there they hoofed it on to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory arriving 3 and 4 October 1863 (depending on which of the two companies), just in time for General Conference. Several of the company wrote of Brigham Young coming out to greet them and giving them advice.

William moved almost immediately to Ogden, Weber, Utah and set up shop working with leather. William wasted no time in remarrying to Eliza Sinfield in Ogden 18 May 1864. While Mary Ann is listed as a child for William and Eliza on the 1870 Census, she was actually living with George Augustus and Victorine Jane Dix Musgrave. She is listed with their family on the 1870 Census as well. Additionally, the other children from this first marriage were also being raised by other families. Family lore indicates that William and Eliza could not afford to raise these older children and farmed them out to families that could afford to take care of them. Other evidence points that they were not all that poor, but it is not likely we will ever really know. Here are three of the sisters later in life.

l-r: Mary Ann Stoker Sharp, Jeanette Stoker Rogers, Henrietta Stoker Weston

Mary Ann was raised by George and Victorine Musgrave. She knew who her real father was, but had no real childhood memories of him. George Musgrave was a school teacher and musician in Plain City. George and Victorine were unable to have children and Mary Ann was probably a welcome addition in their home. Victorine had also been adopted. Although not formally adopted, George and Victorine called her Lillian Musgrave, but she grew nicknamed Lilly. The rest of her life she went by Lilly and took the Musgrave as her middle name after she married with the obvious middle initial “M”. Here is a picture of Victorine Jane Dix Musgrave. Her son, Austin, even lists his mother’s name as Lillee Musgrave.

George and Victorine knew music and taught school. Naturally, Lilly was taught the same. She ended up participating in the second dramatic association in Plain City. Some of their shows put on were, “Mistletoe Bough,” “Mickle Earl,” “Maniac Lover,” “Fruits of the Wind Cup,” “Streets of New York,” “The Two Galley Slaves,” “The Rough Diamond,” “Earnest Mall Travers,” and “Ten Knights in a Bar Room.”

All was not well in Zion during these years in Plain City. Family lore has it that when a Bishop (Lewis Shurtleff, branch president 1870-1877, bishop 1877-1883) extended himself beyond what the members felt was right, these families made sure it was known. The final straw came when Bishop Shurleff started telling the members what they would give as tithing. These were not just on the fringe members, but good standing members of the church in the area. William Sharp (Lilly’s future father-in-law) began construction on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in 1877 for many of these disaffected members (Still standing today and owned by the Lions in Plain City). For whatever reason a significant group of members were excommunicated between 1877 and 1882. Many of Plain City’s leading members were excommunicated. Excommunicated 31 January 1879 were William Sharp (the same who built the new church), Mary Ann Sharp (William’s ex-wife, divorced in 1876, Lilly’s future mother-in-law), William Skeen, Edwin Dix, George Musgrave (Lilly’s adopted father), Thomas Musgrave, Thomas Singleton, Thomas Davis, George W Harris, Jonathan Moyes, John Moyes, Winfield Spiers, James Wadman, Robert Davis, John Davis, and Thomas Robson. These lists also have “and wife” as well as “and family” which seems to indicate that this list may have included spouses and families. Mary Ann Sharp (Lilly’s future mother-in-law) is the only woman, but perhaps because the rest were representing their families, where with the recent divorce she was not represented by William. Many of these families returned to the church after time away, some individuals never did.

While Lilly’s name is not on the list, she was probably classified with the Musgrave family. We do not have any record of her baptism, but she was with the Musgrave family attending the newly established St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Although it seems Victorine Musgrave was excommunicated, she continued active with LDS Relief Society (or she was not excommunicated). It was during this time, Lilly also come to fall in love with Milo Riley Sharp. William Sharp, with the assistance of Milo, had also helped build the Musgrave’s new home. In St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, J. S. Gellogly married Milo and Lilly on 11 May 1879.

Milo Riley Sharp was born 23 Jul 1857 in Lehi, Utah, Utah. He was the fourth of six children born to William and Mary Ann Bailey Sharp. Mary Ann did have a child, Lorenzo Padley, from a previous marriage in which she was widowed. William and Mary Ann Sharp immigrated to Utah in 1853 after joining the LDS church in 1848 and 1846 respectively. At first they were sent to Lehi but had a number of issues with range for the cattle and some other minor squabbles. Water was also not found to be very dependable in the Lehi area. William learned of land north near Ogden that was going to be opened up from some of the Saints passing through Lehi (abandoning Salt Lake City before the arrival of Johnson’s Army). These Lehi Saints were told of ample land and good water that was available west of Ogden. A scouting expedition went to search out the area in the fall of 1858 and visited with Lorin Farr who told them of the available plain to the west. You can read more of his parents at: Sharp-Bailey Wedding.

The Sharp family left with other Lehi Saints on 10 March 1859 to travel to this new area. The group arrived 17 March 1859 at what is present day Plain City. William Sharp put his carpentry and masonry skills to work making adobe brick and helping build the first homes in Plain City. In one of these first adobe brick homes is where Milo Riley grew up. William served in the Plain City band, the Plain City Z.C.M.I. board, a builder, and a city leader. Milo’s little sister, Evelyn, was the first girl born in Plain City in October 1859.

Milo’s mother, Mary Ann Bailey Sharp, moved out on Christmas Eve 1875 and refused to come back to William. William sued for divorce and Franklin D. Richards granted the divorce (in probate court) on 19 May 1876.

Milo Riley Sharp as a young man

As mentioned earlier, the Sharp’s also had a falling out with the LDS church and were excommunicated the same day as the Musgrave family. Since there were not loads of people in Plain City, Lilly and Milo knew each other. The conditions in the community, their respective families excommunication, probably help to forge the commonalities they had and led to their marriage.

Milo kept busy working with his father building homes and other masonry and carpentry work. He also had time to play first base at baseball and played on Plain City’s first baseball team. The team could beat all the other northern Utah teams except Salt Lake.

The marriage of Milo and Lilly eventually produced a quiver of 12 children. Milo Ray on 29 February 1880. George was born 2 August 1881 and passed the same day. Effie was born 6 June 1882 and died 6 September 1883. Delwin arrived 30 June 1884. Ernest and Austin came 7 Jan 1886. Edward William appeared 25 October 1887. Victorine showed 23 November 1889 and later married Fredrick Lawrence Hunt. Mary Irene materialized 26 June 1892 and married Oscar “Os” Child Richardson. Edith dawned 4 February 1895 and married Clements Richard Martin. Ethel was born 9 April 1898 and I have written of her at this link: Ross-Sharp Wedding. Emily appeared 5 April 1900 and quickly extinguished 31 July 1900. Nine of the children lived to adulthood and 8 of those married and had children.

Mary, Lillie (Mary Ann), Ethel (baby), Victorine, Edith (in front) Sharp

Milo built a new home for the family early on so the family had room to grow. He added to it as more room was needed as you can see in this photo. We do not know the year it was originally built, but we know the children after 1888 were born in this home. The home’s address is 2897 N. 4200 W. in Plain City.

Milo successfully farmed all of these years. He kept busy with civic affairs. He was elected constable of Plain City on the Republican ticket in 1891. In 1893, he sat on a committee to investigate the incorporating of Plain City, although it was not incorporated until 1944 with grandson William Albert Sharp serving on the town board. Milo and Lilly were singers and continued to play in the Plain City bands. Lilly was also well-known for her poetry. In 1911, Milo finished building a new home, pictured below (address is 2771 N. 4200 W. in Plain City). Milo farmed hard until he caught influenza and eventually pneumonia passing away at the early age of 59 at 9:30 a.m. 24 June 1916 at his sister’s home, Victoria Maw, who lived at 5 Warren Court (which I believe may now be Warren Row or Lane in Ogden). His funeral was held in the little church he helped his father build, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on 27 June 1916.

Lilly lived in this home until she passed away in 1935. Her son, Ernest Sharp, never married and helped take care of her and then lived the rest of his life in the home (he died in 1967). Milo James Ross, Lilly’s grandson, purchased the home at that time and later transferred it to his daughter, Caroline.

Lilly kept a clean home. The grandsons were taught to stop by every time they passed, especially to and from school. This permitted dishes to be washed, wood to be hauled, and wood to be split. Lilly had a strict regimen for cleaning pots, dishes, and pans (especially bedpans). This included the outdoor pump station, even with lye to remove odors. The boys knew to take special care not to make a mess when carrying fire wood or in any other way on entering the home. The gate was always to be closed, whether coming or going. While this might seem stern, she always opened the door for those coming and going and gave them a warm smile.

Mary Ann Stoker Sharp

Lilly often made bread, keeping her own live yeast, often from warm potato water. She had her own milk separator and used it. The boys helped make butter and she treated the boys to buttermilk and warm bread. She would also warm apples in the oven to share or dried fruit. She kept a full root cellar with homemade cured meats, dried fruits, and bottled vegetables. The Sharp family had onions that could be used to flavor soups and other needs. Many of the family still grow these onions even until today. Many mushrooms and water crest were gathered too.

Lilly often had kind words and a warm, gracious smile. She kept a small table in the pantry where she brushed her teeth with salt, baking soda, and a bar of soap. The bucket was always there with a drinking cup and a ladle to draw water. She was thin and tall. She wore long dresses from her neck to her feet with shoes that went up about six inches. She kept her hair rolled in the back of her head held with a comb with long teeth. If she was not thin enough, she wore a corset to make her look even smaller. She was very neat and proud in her appearance.

She kept a spinning wheel in the home for the times when she would spin wool into thread. She also had the grandsons help turn her mattress from time to time. She did not leave the house much in her later years unless she had a ride, but even then did not stay long before going home. It was clear she enjoyed watching her grandchildren. The last decade or so of her life, she had to use a hearing tube to hear. Some of her grandchildren joked that it was like using the telephone, just you could see who was on the other end.

Lilly passed at 10:55 p.m. at her daughter’s home, Victorine Hunt, 6 May 1935 of hypertension with chronic major carditis and pneumonia. She had remained faithfully active in the Episcopal Church until she could not get around very much. Later in life she needed assistance as she could not walk very far. Her funeral was held in the Plain City LDS chapel with Rev. John W. Hyslop officiating on 9 May 1935. She was buried with Milo in the Plain City Cemetery.

Raymond Draper, Caroline Ross Gallegos, Milo Ross

Saturday, 17 March 2007 by Sagacity

Killed a hen

There is a big whopping achievement I want to report. It has been an entire year in the process. It would not have taken so long if I would have really knuckled down to do it. It probably would have only taken three months. I finished typing up my Great Grandmother’s journals! Well, there are only three years worth, 1961-1963. I have been told there are more, many more, but nobody seems to know where they are. Well, actually I have been told they are located in the missing trunk that I reported on here some months back. I don’t know if this trunk really holds all these treasures, of if it is to blame for the loss of family priceless jewels. I hope someday we can find out. The journals amounted to roughly the equivalent of 120 typed pages. Yea, I know, it doesn’t sound like much, but it was a long process. I really enjoyed the walk through time. The death of my Great Great Grandmother is in there although a small, undetailed account. The assassination of President Kennedy was another interesting read. While she records no emotions on the death of her mother, for days afterward she is sickened by the assassination. She comments seeing Mr. Oswald being shot by Mr. Ruby and how horrible that felt to her.

I learned quite a bit about myself in the process. Every week contains some reference to my Grandparents, Norwood and Colleen Jonas. Sometimes it is as common as every day for a week. There are references to operations on my Grandmother, Colleen and her having what was believed to be a cancerous mole removed. There are references to my own mother losing her finger, which story I have also included in past postings. Grandma Lillian references babysitting often my Aunt Jackie.

All in all, I gained a greater testimony of daily journal entries. Her example is powerful. The most mundane of activities are in some ways completely foreign to us 40 years later. She visit teaches 10 (!) different households every months the entire three years. What is more, she comments about it the beginning days of nearly every month, meaning it was done early and regularly. It is strange to hear of the chickens being killed for Sunday dinner. That is something you never hear of someone just deciding to kill the chicken for dinner that evening. Telephone calls are still referred to as a novelty. The insurance was incredibly cheaper. I don’t know of anyone who mops the whole house every Saturday. I don’t know anyone who regularly bakes several loaves of bread and puts up literally dozens of jars of goods every fall.

So I am glad that is completed. I will return these three journals to my Aunt Lillian when I am visiting Utah in the beginning of April.

This week has been Amanda’s Spring Break but it hasn’t been much of a break. She has been going to all these different schools telling the children how to take care of their teeth.

This week I was informed we found the marriage date and place for my Great something Grandparents. William Sharp and Mary Ann Bailey Padley were married at Laurel Loup, Nebraska Territory 10 Jul 1853. Leanne Maynes got a copy of the divorce papers which gave the information. I am glad to have a copy of the papers and the marriage date.

I also applied to George Mason University Law School this week. That leaves only William and Mary to apply to. Their deadline is the 1 of July, but I hope to get it in within the month. No point of waiting and have it surprise me the day before. So far I have applied to Washington & Lee, University of Virginia, and George Washington. I didn’t even see the point of applying to University of Richmond. They required several additional documents and I don’t have any desire to go there. I am not impressed with them at all. I will tell you, it is an expensive process applying to these schools! Anywhere from $70 to $90 a school! I will have to make sure I save some money for applying this coming year. If I apply to 10 schools, and they each charge that range, that is $700 to $900! The good thing is some of them do not charge. LSAC does for the report to send to them, but that is only $12 per school. That is much more feasible.

Temple cards continue to trickle in from all over the world. I have forgotten where so many of these cards go. I have to leave it completely in the hands of the people who have them to return them. I got some from a lady a month or two back from Seattle! I wrote to her asking where she got them from. She gave me the name of a woman who I did not know so the chain is longer than I have the capacity to follow in some instances. This week I received about 30 completed cards that were first baptized in 2002. I don’t have many cards that old out there anymore. But they still are! I fear some cards may have been lost forever. I hope not.

Last week I taught the first lesson of the latest string of family history classes. It went very well. I am excited for this class and group of students. They all came prepared and have actually done some work. I don’t have to try to light the fire of family history in them, they already have it.

Time to sign off. Life goes well. Just wish I didn’t have to sleep. How much more could I accomplish in a day!?

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