Emery County UT Archives History - Books .....History Of Emery County To 1898 1898
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Book Title: See Below

  EMERY COUNTY.

EMERY COUNTY was organized by authority of an act of the Legislative Assembly,
passed February' 12, 1880, and was a part of the vast domains of Sanpete. The
territory comprised all of eastern Utah now embraced in Grand and Carbon
counties, and consisted of much unexplored mountainous country, rich in mineral
deposits and other natural resources. The name was given in honor of Hon. George
R.. Emery, then acting Governor of Utah, and a much-respected Federal official.
Samuel Jewkes was appointed Probate Judge, Elias Cox, Jasper Peterson and
William Taylor, Sr., Selectmen. On the second Monday in March, 18S0, the court
met at the residence of N. P. Miller, on Cottonwood, and completed the county
organization. The first officers appointed were Emanuel Bagley, Clerk and
Recorder; W. J. Shelton, Surveyor and Prosecuting Attorney; E. Curtis, Sr.,
Sheriff; J. K. Reid, Treasurer, and Oscar Crandall, Assessor and Collector. At a
later session of the court, held at the residence of J. K. Reid, James Woodward
was appointed Justice of the Peace, being the only officer of this class in the
county. All officers were appointed to hold until the general election in
August, 1880, when a full set of officials was elected. Castle Dale was made the
county seat, and the new division took its place among the group of counties in
the then Territory of Utah. Its rapid progress and present most, remarkably
prosperous condition attest the fact that the pioneers were men of energy and
determination.

     In "55 a company under A. N. Billings was sent out from Manti to colonize
the eastern portion of Sanpete county, which had never been explored. The little
band passed through Castle valley to the present site of Moab, where they
located and built what has since been known as Mormon fort. But, the Indians did
not approve of such encroachments upon their domains, and after a two days'
siege, forced the colonists to abandon the fort and return to Manti. No attempts
were made during the following twenty years to settle east of the Wasatch
mountains, and the people of Sanpete were content to locate in different places
in that valley. The Indians held the eastern slope and all of Castle valley as a
herding ground for pasturing horses and cattle stolen from Sanpete.

     During the Black Hawk war the minutemen and militia, under such commanders
as Gen. W. S. Snow, A. C. Van Buren, N. F. Guyman, John L. Ivie, E. Curtis and
Orange Seely, made frequent trips through portions of Castle valley in pursuit
of marauding Indians, and the most observing ones noticed the many beautiful
locations and expressed a desire to found new homes in this section. But the
soil looked different from that in Sanpete, and the water supply did not appear
sufficient to justify colonial settlements, and every proposition was regarded
as futile. The Government surveyor, A. D. Ferron, with a corps of assistants,
entered the valley after the treaty of peace had been concluded with Black Hawk,
and surveyed and platted several sections. Settlers were invited to enter upon
the lands, but most everybody hesitated because they thought the soil worthless
and the country too isolated.

     At a conference of Sanpete stake, held in Mt. Pleasant in the fall of '77,
Hon. Orange Seely was appointed and set apart as bishop of all that district of
Sanpete lying east of the Wasatch mountains. A company of frontiersmen was
called to accompany the bishop to Castle valley with a view to locating and
building homes. Among those called were E. Curtis, Sr., N. P. Miller, James
Jensen, Andrew Jensen and several others who later became identified with the
rise and progress of Emery county. The pioneers built roads and bridges, and cut
passes through the mountain canyons to open a highway between the two valleys,
and selected suitable places for the location of towns when the spring of '78
admitted of removing their families, stock and household effects.

     In the spring of '78 Elias Cox, Jehu Cox, Ben Jones, William Avery, Anthony
Humbel and others located on Huntington creek and claimed several homesteads
situated along the banks of this stream. The only evidence of settlement up to
this time was a ditch constructed by James McHatton, a cattleman, about three
miles west of the present town of Huntington. The company under Orange Seely
located on Cottonwood creek, and put in crops of grain and vegetables. Another
colony was settled this spring on Ferron creek; William Taylor, Sr., and William
Taylor, Jr., with Mads Larsen, Nick Larson, Joseph Wrigly and others, comprised
this company. At the same time Sylvester Wilson and brother, with their
families, and Charles Swasey and brothers, located at what was for some time
known as Wilsonville, on the old Gunnison trail

     A colony was begun at what was then known as the Muddy, now Emery, by
Casper Christensen and Lund brothers of Spring City. Canals were constructed and
crops planted, but the Lunds soon became discouraged and abandoned the place.
Thomas Farrer and sons located the same spring at Blake, now Green River, and
were joined by several others, who located claims and built irrigation canals
for reclaiming- the desert. The several attempts at settlement were more or less
successful, and in the fall of '78, fair crops having been harvested, many
families removed from Sanpete and joined their husbands and parents, who had
paved the way to new homes in the chosen valley of future prosperity. The
settlers had harvested fair crops, and their families were not invited to
entirely destitute homes or empty granaries.

     In the fall of '78 the Mormon church authorities made a second call for
Castle valley settlers, at a conference held in Manti, and s several men
responded. Among these were J. K. Reid, Andrew Anderson, Samuel Jewkes and son,
Peter Hansen, Hyrum Cook, Christen Jensen and many others from Manti, Ephraim,
Mt. Pleasant, Spring City, Fountain Green and Fairview. Some families were from
American Fork and other Utah county points. During this year an overland mail
route was established between Salina and Ouray, Colo., the mail going over the
Gunnison trail, through Castle valley, a distance of 250 miles, With no
settlement in this section except at Wilsonville. A committee consisting of J.
K. Reid, Orange Seely, Jasper Peterson, David Latimer and James Peterson
formulated a petition and sent to Washington, D. C., asking for the creation of
a postoffice, to be known as Castle Vale.

     The department recognized the necessity for a postoffice, and on June 1,
1879, J. K. Reid received a commission as postmaster, but the name was changed
to Castle Dale. The office was located eight miles from the mail route and the
postmaster was compelled to go to Wilsonville and open the mail sack, for some
time, until November 21, 1879, when Castle Bale was gives a separate pouch, and
the people look turns at carrying the mail, without any compensation. In the
spring of 'S0 the route was changed by way of Castle Dale, and in a few weeks a
second oil ice was created fit Ferron, with William Taylor as postmaster. In
June of this year the people of Huntington were granted a postoffiee, with M. E.
Johnson postmaster, and a special route was established from Castle Dale, with
E. Curtis as contractor. Office# wer e also established at Blake, with J. T,
Farrer postmaster, and Wilsonville, with Sylvester Wilson postmaster.

     During the year '79 many people visited Castle valley with a view to
locating homes, and in the fall about twenty young men from Manti located
Orangeville and had W. J. Shelton survey the townsite, J, K. Reid donated eighty
acres and Andrew Anderson forty acres of their homesteads, to be divided into
town lots, and the place was established. With the increase of towns and
settlers came the desire for a county organization, and home protection for the
isolated and small colonies. The county seat of Sanpete was fully 150 miles
distant during the winter season, when the longest route had to he traveled by
team, on horseback or on snowshoes, and the trip was often a very hazardous
undertaking, A committee consisting of Emanuel Bagley, Elias Cox and J. K. Reid
formed a petition asking for a new county, and the legislative Assembly of '80
granted the request.

     The first grist and saw mill in the county was brought by team, in the fall
of '79 from Fountain Green. The machinery did not arrive until in November, the
oxen having to pull fine heavy wagons through snow two feet deep, in crossing
flue mountains. Samuel Jewkes and son owned the mills, and had formed a sort of
[unreadable] order copartnership before removing to Castle valley. The old burrs
were put in place and horses used for grinding, the same as farm chop mills. As
the winter was most severe, but few teams were able to pull the sweepstakes for
the mill, the only available horses being owned by J. K. Reid, N. T. Guyman,
Jr., and Andrew Anderson were kept busy chopping grain, which was used for man
and beast.

     When the spring of '80 came on, after a most severe winter, cattle were
found dead in all parts of the valley. The animals would seek shelter around
some cedar trees and stand there until frozen to death. The Price river valleys,
Huntington, Ferron and Muddy creek bottoms were perfect boneyards, the results
of many hundred cattle frozen or dying from starvation. An illustration of the
inclement weather and dangers of getting away from the settlements is the fact
that no one could be found to volunteer to haul in Christmas goods, even at 10
cents a pound for freight from Manti. The energetic merchant, however, was not
to be baffled in getting Santa Claus trinkets for the children, and J. K. Reid,
Joseph T. Burnett, M. E. Johnson and John Wakefield crossed over snowbanks eight
feet deep and carried some goods from Manti.

     The hazardous journey was made through Salina canyon by tramping paths
through the snow and leading three pack horses loaded with sugar, coal oil,
candies and lamp chimneys. While rounding a ledge one pack animal fell and
rolled down the bluff fifty yards or more, but was dug out of the snow
uninjured. The men were fatigued and cold and sought a small keg of alcohol in
the pack of the horse that rolled over the ledge. When the keg was found the
cork was gone and the liquor wasting in the snow. They picked up snow and
alcohol and ate it to obtain strength to continue the journey. The liquor caused
a sudden numbness, which made them fear death was approaching, and they tramped
all night through the storm to reach their wagon, which had been left on the
east side of the mountain.

     After a tedious, tiresome and almost impossible trip the men reached Castle
Dale and distributed Christmas toys and candies to the children. Many pages
could be devoted to relating stories of narrow escapes by cold, hunger and
privation endured by those brave men in the early days, but this incident will
suffice to show the perils incidental to settling in an isolated country, with
no railroads and high mountains lying between them and the base of supplies. But
the pioneers of Castle valley were men who braved the dangers of isolation and
conquered the arid deserts to found homes for themselves and children, where
peace and plenty would smile upon the future generations and children would rise
up and bless the bold pioneers who opened the pathway to this chosen vale,

     In the spring of '80 many new settlers located in different parts of Castle
valley, and new irrigation canals were constructed to tap the different streams.
The Rio Grande Western railroad was graded into Utah during this season, and
those who sought employment found plenty of work, while the market for farm
products was the best, and the year closed with brighter prospects and more
bounteous supplies for families and domestic animals. The prices for various
farm products this fall and winter were the highest ever recorded in this
valley. Oats sold for five dollars and wheat three dollars per hundred pounds.
Onions found a ready cash market at 10 cents, and cabbage 8 cents a pounds, eggs
30 cents a dozen, butter 40 cents, potatoes 5 cents and carrots 34 cents a pound.

     Emery stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was
organized during the fall of '80, and the several wards became a part of the new
ecclesiastical division. The officers were C. G. Larsen, president; Orange
Seely, first counsellor, and Rasmus Justesen, second. These men were
representative and enterprising citizens, whom every man regarded as responsible
leaders, and their wise counsels prevailed throughout the stake for the benefit
of the people. The stake then included all of Emery county and extended to
fields as yet unexplored; but wherever a colony had been formed the bishopric
was organized church societies instituted and all the orders of the Latter-day
Saints were formed, as in the older settlements. This made the people feel more
at home, even though many miles from relatives and friends of youth, and general
contentment and happiness reigned throughout the county.

     The Pioneer grist mill was built at Orangeville during the year of '80.
Lumber was sawed from long leaf pine trees cut along the banks of Cottonwood
creek, near where the mill stands. The sawing was done by horsepower. A penstock
was built and the mill run by water power. This enterprise marked a new epoch in
Emery county history, as flour could be procured at home, and families that had
been compelled to live on chop feed now had first-class flour and real home-made
biscuits. The leaders in this work were Samuel Jewkes, J. K. Reid, J. C.
Woodward and others, who had more time than money and were forced of necessity
to build the mill for the benefit of themselves, their families and the hardy
pioneers then scattered at different points throughout the valley. Grain was
grown at every settlement and hauled to Orangeville to be made into flour or
chopped for feed for cows and horses.

     The year '81 marked the beginning of more prosperous times for all of Emery
county, and the people embraced the many opportunities offered for making new
homes. The Rio Grande Western railroad was graded across the Buck Horn flat and
in Salina canyon, and the citizens expected soon to have the steel highway of
commerce at their doors. But in this they were disappointed, although millions
of dollars were expended on the route through Castle valley the line was finally
completed in '82, being built along Price river and thirty-three miles north of
Castle Dale. Although disappointed in not. getting the railroad at that time the
people still hope to see the main line of the Rio Grande Western constructed on
the old grade through Salina canyon, and some day, no doubt in the not very
distant future, Castle valley will be the main thoroughfare across the continent.

     When the Rio Grande Western railway was completed, the first carload of
farm machinery that came into Emery county was shipped to Pleasant Valley
Junction, and from there hauled to Price by the construction engine, for J. K.
Reid, who assumed all responsibility in case of loss in passing over the new
roadbed. The star route mail line was then abandoned and mail for the Emery
county offices came by rail to Price, and was carried by contractors to the
several offices. During the year '82 a postoffice was established at Muddy, now
Emery, with Casper Christensen postmaster. In '83 a daily mail route was
established, and every day, except Sunday, mail pouches were delivered at Price.
This placed all of Castle valley in direct communication with the world, and the
general news was received through daily publications.

     In the year '90 the Legislature passed an act creating Grand county, and
all that portion of Emery lying east of Green river and south of the Brown
Buttes was given the new county. This county took most of the railroad taxation
from Emery, and as many of the largest cattle owners were in the section of the
Book and La Salle mountains, much of the revenue of Emery was cut off and became
the property of the new division. Moab was made the county seat, and a county
organization was effected.

     In '90 the census was taken by the General Government, and the population
returned for Emery was 5076, divided among the settlements as follows: Blake,
375; Brocks, 50; Cleveland, 111; Castle Dale, 409; Emery, 240; Ferron, 399;
Huntington, 738; Lawrence, 107; Molen, 134; Orangeville, 353; Price, 502;
Scofield, 680; Spring Dale, 12; Spring Glen, 137, and Wellington, 230. The
population of Grand county this year was only 541, as returned by Joel Shomaker,
the United States census enumerator for that county. Many of the new colonists
in both counties were young men seeking homes, hence the number of families was
not so great as in older settled communities. The population was then less
established than at present, some being transients seeking new locations.

     In '92 a fight was made for the removal of the county seat from Castle Dale
to Price, and the usual animosities consequent to new county divisions were
stirred up, but better counsel prevailed, and the change was not accomplished. A
fine brick courthouse was erected in Castle Dale, at a cost of about $5000, and
the question of removing the county seat-was settled permanently. The regular
sessions of the Seventh Judicial District court for Emery county are held here,
and the people are contented because perfect harmony exists in all that pertains
to legal transactions at the county seat, and an air of permanency pervades all
circles. The county officials throughout the entire history of development have
exercised good judgment in the expenditure of public funds and none but
efficient men have occupied positions of trust.

     The Legislature of '94 granted the petition for creating a second division
of Emery, and Carbon county was organized. This again weakened the public funds
of Emery county by taking away much of the railroad mileage, and many business
houses and herds of stock that had before been assessed and licensed in this
county.

     The population of Emery county as given by the statistician for '95 was
4390, after having been divided twice since the formation in '80. In entering
the county from the north on the mail route the traveled first reaches
Cleveland, which in '95 had a population of 507; then comes Huntington, with a
population of 987; Lawrence, population 190, and Castle Dale, population 533.
Following the stage line, the next town is Orangeville, population 672; then
Ferron, population 549; Molen, population 206, and Emery, population 481. On the
southern border are Green River, population 133, and Woodside, population 132.
These figures were given in '95, being the last official enumeration, and the
population of each place has increased since that date. In Castle valley proper
the towns are located from three to twelve miles apart, while Green River and
Woodside are stations on the Rio Grande Western railroad.

     Castle valley obtained its very significant title from the innumerable
castles or peculiar stone formations standing as sentries upon the mountain
peaks and rim-rocks surrounding this lovely vale. In many instances these tall
steeples are fifty miles distant and present most striking figures and
characters. The stone is of a sandy formation containing many alkaline mineral
substances and gradually wastes away with the years of exposure to weather
changes, and many picturesque figures are formed by the remaining piles or
pyramids of cemented stone.

     No section of the Great Rockies contains such vast and inexhaustible
deposits of coal as are found near the base of the Wasatch mountains. Some of
the outcropping veins are thirty feet in width, and many prospects measure four
feet or more on the surface. The supply is beyond even an estimate, as the veins
extend for miles through the canyons and along the base of the mountains. If a
railroad was constructed through the valley within marketable distance of the
now undeveloped coal fields, thousands of trainloads of the very best fuel could
"be placed upon the market at prices that would astonish the most conservative
promoter. This valley then offers a virgin field of development for every
manufacturing enterprise that can be successfully planted in the Great West.

     Marble of the finest quality lies uncovered yet in its native condition, in
great quantities in the Cedar mountains. Gold, silver and copper have been
discovered in the bluffs of the San Rafael, and one company, under the
management of J. E. Browning, has sunk a 600-foot shaft in prospecting for
precious metals. The work, it is reported, has not been in vain, as excellent
returns have been received, and the company continues its operations in fond
expectation of finding something of great value. Among the other metals and
minerals abounding in the different sections of the county are: Alum, sulphur,
gypsum, asphaltum, magnesia, salt, kerosene, lithographic stone and mineral wax.
Many good prospects remain without any attempt at development, while others are
being uncovered and preparations are made for active work.

     Emery county has over 1100 miles of irrigating canals and ditches,
constructed since '78, at a cost for labor and materials of about $200,000. The
work of building these canals, dams and flumes required no money, as labor was
the basis of every transaction, being co-operation of individual energies
without any monetary consideration. One magnificent specimen of what can be
accomplished by poor men without capital, through union of labor for colonial
good, is the immense tunnel cut through the mountain at Emery to shorten the
canal at least two miles. When this work was completed and the water was turned
in the people whose crops were too be -saved and homes blessed engaged in a,
general jollification and feast of rejoicing at the mouth of the tunnel.

     The citizens of Emery county are enterprising and industrious. Many fine
brick residences have been erected and numerous homes are surrounded by
well-kept grounds. The county has three roller mills, one burr mill, several
steam saw and shingle mills, supplying abundant building material. Each town has
general merchandise stores apparently doing a good business. The retail liquor
traffic is limited to one saloon, located at Castle Dale, the county seat.

     The San Rafael mountains have long been regarded as a safe retreat for
thieves and outlaws, and Emery county has been shunned by some people because of
the existence of the famous "Robbers' Roost. But the vigilant officers of the
law have made such inroads upon those dark hiding places as to almost
exterminate the bands of outlaws. In the early days George P. Billings, the
pioneer Sheriff of Sanpete, succeeded in capturing some of the desperadoes.
James Burns, late lamented Sheriff of Sanpete, was shot by some characters whom
he attempted to arrest, and who have since eluded all pursuit by hiding in these
impenetrable canyons. In '97 that bold Emery county Sheriff Azariah Tuttle was
shot and made a cripple for life by a noted outlaw. Since then some have been
killed, others captured, and the band almost broken up.

     The official census of '95 showed that Emery county had 552 farms, of which
523 were free of mortgages. There were 15,622 acres under irrigation, 2528 acres
of pasture lands under fence, and 28,574 acres unimproved and susceptible to
reclamation and cultivation by the construction of new irrigation canals. Emery
had in '95 the following animals: Milch cows, 1736; range cattle, 4234; horses,
2829; swine, 1560; goats, 770; sheep, 36,061, with a few mules. The farm
products reported were: Wheat, 69,543 bushels; corn, 8041 bushels; oats, 54,547
bushels; barley, 660 bushels; alfalfa, 10,524 tons; wild hay, 619 tons;
potatoes, 12,653 bushels. The fruit acreage was 150 acres of different
varieties. There were 2173 hives of bees, making 25,690 pounds of honey. The
industrial concerns numbered ten, and there were fifteen stores in the county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
History of Sanpete and Emery Counties Utah
Ogden: W. H. Lever
1898

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ut/emery/history/1898/seebelow/historyo8gms.txt

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