Historical Happenings
Newsletter of the Smithfield UT Historical Society
by Glen J. Thornley
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Issue 1
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
The Mayor has requested that the Historical Society prepare a monthly historical news item for the City Newsletter. Considering that yesterday’s news is now history, we have much latitude in the effort. The process of planning such an approach to history, keeping it relatively factual, keeping it interesting, and protecting the privacy of families and individuals can be challenging. You have heard the observation that "it is a small world"! Sometimes that fact can be hauntingly true. As an example, the Historical Society received an inquiry just this week regarding a missionary named Emil Moser. The enquiry came from a former acquaintance who now lives in Washington State. Joycelyn Moser received the call. Who better to call because her mother’s maiden name is Moser. She is married to a gentleman with the last name of Moser, and she is the one who has typed all of the personal histories for the Smithfield Historical Society. Ironically, she had never heard of a man by that name, and knew of no one from Smithfield other than a few she could trace genealogically from her two different Moser families.. As it happened, Joycelyn’s father remembered another Moser family in Smithfield. This particular Moser family home was at 200 North and 300 West. Emil served and LDS mission representing the First Ward. Emil probably went on his mission while Bishop Aca Weeks was Bishop back in the 1950s. He is remembered as a tall handsome man with a slight accent. It turns out that he still has family who live in Smithfield. Hanna Zurcher is a sister to Emil and you can pick up on that accent which they acquired from there birthplace of Austria. The family immigrated to the United States and ended up in Smithfield. Part of the irony is that Emil passed away just several months ago. The point of this story is, "Wouldn’t it be interesting to have a record of that Moser family! Were they converts to the LDS faith? When did they immigrate? How old were the family members when they came here. What trades and skills did they bring with them? Only they, know what the rest of the story may be.
Everyone has a story about ancestors of which they are proud. Those who have been "Public Servants" can share the background of their service. We have retired Highway Patrolmen who live in Smithfield who could probably write books. We have many who have served their country in uniform who have stories to share. We have men who have driven trucks for Cache Valley Dairy as a career, which initially would not sound exciting, but it becomes very interesting to hear of the accidents, breakdowns, rollovers in blizzards, crimes they have witnessed, experiences on big city streets, and people that they met in their travels across our nation.
The Historical Society will be soliciting short stories. It would be nice if people would volunteer stories that are appropriate. From time to time we will fall back on some of the stories from "olden days" to help us all appreciate our heritage.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 2
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
One of the most interesting personalities to live, work and offer a lifetime of service to the development of Smithfield was a man I knew as Newt. Little did I realize his significance as I purchased my first (used) car from him in1960 for $300. He turns out to be one of the most interesting and influential since our City’s founding in 1859.
Newton Woodruff was the son of Wilford Woodruff who was the fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Newton was made Bishop of the Smithfield Ward in 1899. He served as Bishop until the end of 1906. The Bishop and his councilors, Sam Nelson and Joseph J. Richardson, were called and set apart by Apostle Francis M. Lyman. The ward was divided into two wards at the time of his release. Two new bishops were called.
When he was bishop, Indians would come to town for food. He had a large lot which covered one third of a city block. The Indians camped there for days. As Bishop , he would give them eggs, butter, milk, bottled fruit, and vegetables from the Tithing Office. It became a problem, in a way, because the Indians began to expect the handouts.
Mr. Woodruff was elected Mayor of Smithfield in 1899. During his time as Mayor, electric lights came to town. The Tabernacle, Tithing Office, and Mayor Woodruff’s residence were the first to get electric lights. Mayor Woodruff missed the first lighting because he was in Salt Lake City attending General Conference at the time the first switch was pulled. During his administration, the first part of the City Culinary Water System was installed. Prior to this time, several families has wells which they shared with other families in the community. Most just dipped water from Summit Creek. The big debate of the time was whether to use wooden or metal pipe for the water system. The more costly metal pipe was chosen but several chose to use wood leading into their residences. Some of both may still be in existence. Yes!, wooden pipe was used. They used cedar or redwood, hollowed out, wrapped with tar paper, and bound with metal straps. Both cedar and redwood resist deterioration under ground. Interestingly, only in the inter-mountain area was it called "culinary water", everywhere else, it was called "potable water". Now, bottled water is popular but good ole Smithfield water is still the best! in my opinion.
Of note, as a young man, Elder Woodruff served a mission to the moonshine hills of eastern Kentucky. He traveled "Without Purse or Script". Bishop Woodruff retired from his Ward teaching duties in 1950 but he remained a familiar figure at the Logan Temple. He was personally acquainted with Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Daniel H. Wells, Charles C. Rich, George Albert Smith, Lorenzo Snow, John Taylor and many other influential figures of the historic time for Utah. Of course, much more can be written about Newton Woodruff who lived to be very old, passing away in 1964.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 3
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Recently I was riding my small, 80MPG motorcycle around town in the evening. It was a calm, clear, fresh, fall evening with a glorious full moon. As I moved around town, I often picked up the smell of those wonderfully scented fabric softeners that are put in the cloths dryers Sometimes I found those smells laced with a fragrant meal being prepared. I remember a high school seminary teacher saying that there is no better smell than walking past a home in the early morning and smelling coffee and bacon cooking.
It occurred to me that smells are a part of history that cannot be preserved. Smithfield has many of its own smells, not unique, yet to someone who grew up here, our special mix of smells could tell a lot about our history. Just like written facts, old photos, or artifacts that remind us of the modern conveniences we now enjoy, some are good and some are not so pleasant.
If you will, go with me on a childhood trip to revisit some of those smells. I grew up near the Del Monte plant at the south end of town. Back then the end of town was a lot closer. There was a distinct smell as one passed the "pea factory" when the peas were being processed. There was a whole different smell when one passed by the pea vinery at the rear of the property. As the peas were shelled and separated from the vines, the vines were stacked, piled and allowed to ferment, later to be fed to cattle. At a distance, the smell was terrible. Up close, the smell was sweet, tangy, and almost tempting. I remember finding a copper pipe with several holes drilled in the pipe walls, then driven into the side of the silage stack. Hmm! Someone was catching the drippings. A whole different aroma would drift around town during the corn run. Like with the peas, the cornhusks were removed at the plant. The green husks were stacked. They fermented and became very good cattle feed. I remember that we had to be careful to limit the amount fed to dairy cows because it tended to flavor the milk if overfed. By the way, the cows loved it. The green pea vines turned a dark, almost brownish green, whereas the green corn husks turned to an almost yellow color. Imagine! That’s exactly how they smelled.
Much can also be said about sugar beet pulp, a by-product of Lewiston sugar factory. Even when a truckload of the pulp would pass through town, it would leave a trail of distinct fragrance distinguishable from any other. In the late 50s, the sugar company began drying and bagging the pulp. Opening a bag of dried beet pulp was a whole new experience.
In my early years there were two cattle feed stores in town. Both were near the center of town. One of the staple feeds for dairy cattle is rolled barley. The process requires steam to soften the barley. Then a large noisy rolling machine rolls the barley into flat wafers of feed grain. The process is not unlike the process that prepared the cereal you eat for breakfast today. One thing you don’t get for breakfast is that sweet smell of the steam emanating from the grain.
Now, think of the distinct smell of Smithfield Implement, that smell of walking into Lee’s Marketplace which is completely different than walking into Wal Mart or Smith’s. Can you remember walking into Harley Monson’s meat market, or Gephart’s, or the Main Theater?
Coleman Read’s (Isn't it Reed?) service station, with all the ole farmers standing around by the heaters for a visit, smelled completely different than Lyman Hansen’s station. I think it was that white powdery soap that Lyman used to clean his floors every evening. Can you remember the smell of walking into the old yellow brick Summit School?
Yes, we still have a few dairy farms in town. The smells are all relative. Don’t Complain!
Now lastly, have you ever been away from home for a few weeks or months or years. As you unlock that back door, THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN RETURNING HOME.
Glen Jay Thornley
Smithfield Historical Society
Issue 4
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
The following is the transcript of part, of a copy, of a copy of a letter written 81 years ago [1926] by a young Smithfield resident.
Fortune claims G. E. is going in production on a new cold box called a refrigerator. They are bigger than our ice boxes and they will all be painted white. The motor and the condenser coils are mounted on a metal box right up on top of the cabinet. They have bought some of Lord Kelvin’s patents. It’s about as Henry Roskelley told us he is afraid it was going to be in six or seven years. The only thing that’s going to slow down every homeowner from having one is the price. The first ones to get one will probably be Doc Reese, Tom Farr and that Shylark Howell in Logan. How many men are going to get one when they can’t even pay their taxes?
I think the Hoag family is going to lose out next year. Their boy got killed, their grandmother died, and two of them are getting married. I hear the Davis brothers are giving the Hoags a good figure. They want to put a grocery store on the crystal corner. When Henry McCracken lost the lease from the Union, Willie told me the monies don’t pay out. I guess Hillyards may close. I’m afraid Henry has some tough competition with furniture. He’s got radios in this year. Henry has the agency for Brunswick and should do alright for six or seven years. Frank still has the hall confectionary. I don’t know how the Wests are doing at the Union. They have two boys and Angus is in my grade in school. Jimmie’s lumber yard is mighty close to the Union.
There are things going on around town this year of 1926. Our Henry McCracken has been busy from early spring. His wife Inez has been ailing for a couple of years. Doc Reese told Henry she needs some peace and quiet out of town somewhere. Henry got a 50 year lease for a small cabin up main canyon. It’s built a half mile east of the narrows. It has a cement foundation and he hired Will Raymond and Carl Holjison to help build it. They are staying up there except for weekends. Sadie will help them when needed. I’ve known Henry since I was four years old. His house is on the corner just across of the Cantwell rock store.
The second ward just divided and made a third ward. They are mostly on the east side of main street. The second ward is building a new recreation hall east of Summit school. Richard Roskelly is the new Bishop. They are building their new church on the corner of second south and first east. The building will be finished with red brick. I’m not much for talkin but the winds of change are going to blow.
Our own LAWRENCE CANTWELL wrote this. He lives with his sweet wife in a home he built on third east between second and third south. Let’s see, if it was 81 years ago and he was 15, that makes him about 95 or 96. I saw him about two weeks ago out walking. Well, he really wasn’t walking, he was skipping along.
Note: The foundation of the cabin in Main canyon still exists. Both red (Smithfield made) brick church buildings have since been demolished. The third ward building has been rebuilt on the same corner. There are outdoor basketball courts where the red brick second ward recreation hall existed just north of the center street school cul-de-sac. Then the second ward met in the Tabernacle which we now call the Youth Center. In 1948 the new second ward building was built in it’s present location on second south and first west. The McCracken home sat where our present day A & W Drive in is located. The “Union” was a large, stockholder owned, three story building where our 7-11 store now sets on the corner of Main and Center. It was kind of a mini mall.
Issue 5
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
From the Lakes of Minnesota to the Hills of TennesseeI’ve been to the “Lakes of Minnesota”. There is a lot of them and they are very pretty.
Recently I had the opportunity to spend two weeks deep in the “Hills of Tennessee”. What could this possibly have to do with the history and heritage of Smithfield?
There are no flat places in the hills of the South. We hunted white tailed deer, deep in hillbilly country. One would drive along a narrow surfaced road and encounter a large, nice, well kept, white, mansion type home, then just down the road you could see a dilapidated home, obviously still occupied, with the yard full of history (junk). It is the hillbilly culture that dictates that they never throw anything away. When the couch wears out, they just throw it out on the lawn and purchase a new couch. After many years they have several couches out on the lawn. You hardly notice the couches because of the old cars and cola cans. I don’t say that critically, because it is just the way things are done there. We have our own cultural idiosyncrasies.
It is the practice of the avid hunter to be out before daylight, come in for breakfast or lunch, have a short snooze, then go back out to your tree-stand until after dark. I watched the beautiful sunrise every day. I was struck with the sounds of woodpeckers, wild turkeys, Canada geese, red tailed hawks, blue jays, mocking birds, chickadees, wrens, eastern bluebirds, warblers and the beautiful red tanagers and cardinals. All of this mixed with the sound of a hillbilly mother calling her children, barking dogs, a hillbilly father starting up his motorcycle, the domestic rooster crowing, doors slamming, big trucks on the road, and someone mowing the lawn. Sound travels a long way when it’s quiet. I watched the sunset every night.
This particular 2000 acre farm is often used by celebrities for hunting. I visited with the owner for some time. I learned that a Civil War battle had been fought on this farm. I learned that the farm fields had been cleared by slaves in the very early 1800's. Back then the farm grew cotton and corn. Now they graze cattle in the once cultivated fields. Between the very irregularly shaped fields are hardwood trees that are harvested about every two generations. I learned that the dollar value of his great grandfather’s slaves was worth more than the value of the land he owned. I was shown a pair of leg-irons that were found on the farm. They also have a large collection of arrowheads, found on the farm, that obviously were used there before the white man came.
Now my perspective changed. As I would set there in the tree-stand watching for deer, I thought about the history of our nation. As I walked the hills of the farm I began to watch for artifacts. Unfortunately, the only one I found was an old cotton cultivator. A hickory tree had grown up through the metal wheel of the implement. If someone were to take it, they would have to take about a 20 inch diameter tree trunk along with it. The tree has engulfed the metal wheel. I explored the old farm buildings often encountering very rusty square nails. The striking thing was the near new condition of the cedar, poplar and oak from which the buildings were constructed. The cabin we stayed in was built in 1825. It hit me that this was 23 years before the trek westward of our ancestors. It hit me that more than 620,000 soldiers were killed in the Civil War. Many more were seriously wounded. President Abraham Lincoln said something about our country being “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”. The civil war lasted only four years and saw three million Americans take up arms against each other.
As we drove home I thought about the division that exists in our country today. As I got home, I was greeted with the news that a local business had been raided by federal officers because illegals may be working there. Perspectives change, values change, compassion changes. Right and wrong does not change. It has everything to do with Smithfield. I am thankful to live in the country, state, and community that most everyone STILL wants to come to.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 6
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
WHAT’S IN A NAME?When one thinks of names, persons, places or things, many different feelings may inhabit your consciousness. I suppose the most important name is our own, our first given name, our nick name, and our sir name. It is said that if we like ourselves, we like our name. Conversely, some live by their nick name and others detest their nick name. I would like to think that most everyone is proud of their sir name. I would like to think that every resident, past and present, is proud to be identified with Smithfield. Yes, we have our troubles, differences and frustrations but in the end, just like with families, most of those troubles pass with time.
Then there is the "things" in our life. The prominent things are the House, the Car, the Diamonds and Gold. There is also things such as Chocolate, and Shrimp and Ice Cream. All of these names invoke a different thought. Hopefully most invoke pleasant thoughts.
The following is a list of some of the names that stimulate pleasant memories to me. They make me appreciate my roots, my up-bringing, indeed, my heritage.
Smithfield: Home, friends, work, school, Blue Socks, Mack Park, Depot Street, Health Days.
Summit: The Creek, Flooded Summit Creek, The School, Main Canyon, water flows west.
Porky: The old one dollar hair cut.
Toolson: Vern and Bob and Rich and Reid and Phyllis, potato cellar.
Main Street: Lymans, Pitchers Service, The UIC, one stop light, north and south, no compass.
Del Monte: Ardith Ferrill, the noon whistle, the big green can, Mrs. Kearl late for work.
Smithfield Implement: Ralph, Libby, Mr. Roylance, Toyland, Galvanized garbage cans.
Downs: Parley, Glen, Chad, Dee, Horses, Seth, Reese feed, Birdie, LaRee
Hind’s Hill: Lower Pack, bob sleigh rides, George Jeppson, Russ Lower, Lowell Bair.
Chambers: Seth, A. W., Noble, Steven Dale, Bob, Ponch, Theo, Bill, Oral Ballam.
Fire Whistle: Bowers Forrester, Lyman, Gary Pitcher, Kelly Pitcher, the Implement fire.
Hot Lunch: Carrie Pitcher, Joe Timmons, Mashed Potatoes, Ute’s Dairy, marbles after.
Ken Webb: Principle, fourth hour history, Mayor, Senior citizens, Fourth Ward.
Marve’s Café: Al Hatch, Salisbury steak, Marge, Coffee, Saturday morning.
Les Traveler: Cutter races, Mary Hansen, the auction, Doc Winn the horse, cattle truck.
Ray Facer: One arm, Elliot Thornley, hauling gravel, Richard, Canyon road.
SOS Drug: Guyla, Woodrow, Mr Olsen, Chocolate sodas, Vicks, Squeaky floor.
Long Hill: Dry Canyon, Dale Weeks, Blow snakes, the Upper Canal, Fonnesbecks.
Flat Top: Tony Grove hike, blisters, Government trail, Lawrence’s cabin, Scout cabin.
The Pyrimids: Easter, Deer in spring, Cronquists, Birch Canyon, Cool summer breeze.
Penny Candy: Ute’s Dairy, Hansen Dairy, Jacks Market, Morg Edwards, Cinnimon bears.
Third Ward: The good old Third Ward. We need another Ward ReunionI just thought about a thousand other things that I haven’t mentioned. My thoughts then turned to my grandchildren, who all live in Smithfield, and the memories they, hopefully, will have. What will the "good Ole days" mean to them? What does the future hold for them?
What’s in a Name?
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 7
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Glen Jay Thornley, 2007
I was never much for plays and musicals. There are those with a lot more culture than I.
Recently I came across the transcript of a play written in and for Smithfield. It consists of eighteen full 8 X 13 inch pages of type written script. It is obviously very old. The paper is dry and deteriorating. I don’t see any title or credits. I can find a small identifier stamped on the torn and faded cover that says "George L. Rees, M. D., PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON, Smithfield Utah" .
It starts with a Schedule of Scenes. It outlines a "prologue" of five readers consisting of Faith, Courage, Loyalty, Work and Vision. There are five scenes addressing "pre trapper times", a scene about Jim Bridger, a scene about the arrival of Robert and John Thornley and Seth Langton in the fall of 1858, the arrival of many settlers in the spring of 1860, Building the Fort, Indian Troubles, Grasshoppers. The final scene honors the heroes from the war. The epilogue is titled "The Spirit of the future". The cover page goes on to describe the upper stage, the lower stage on the ground, and location of the trees. Much of the dialogue is almost poetic. At the end of the cover page, there is a statement, new to me which reads, "Part of the tableau for the finale". Whatever that means?
I was impressed with the following writing. It may have been the words to a song, or simply a closing summation.
We who must carry on the race
Unknown
In stifling town, in narrow space
May dash away a misty tear
Yearn for romance of by gone year,
We fain would blaze the unknown way
Take up the trail at break of day,
Work, pray, and struggle side by side,
Fear and distress in service hide,
Conquor the Indians feel the thrill
Of seeing first crops the desert fill,
But let this thought our pride sustain
They who undaunted crossed the plain
Live on in us, surmounting fear,
Building anew making us hear
The call to high or humble ways,
Waiting not for reward or praise,
Our valiant fathers are not gone
Their soles in us go on and on.
Issue 8
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
A slightly different perspective on the settlement of SmithfieldWellsville, (Maughan’s Fort) was the first settlement in Cache Valley. It was well established by the spring of 1859. A certain John P. Wright and a small company of people identified the creek area, soon to be called Summit, as a likely site for raising crops because of the potential to irrigate from the creek to the North, West, or to the South. During their short stay near the creek, they discovered a “cache” containing some government log chains and some oxen yokes. They also noted finding the bones of large cattle which had been cut in a fashion to indicate that white men had camped there before.
Shortly after arriving at Summit, and drawing lots for planting, a rider from Maughan’s Fort arrived warning them of anticipated Indian trouble and advising them to return to the safety of the fort. The return trip to Wellsville was made during the night.
It was late that fall when the Thornleys and Seth Langton arrived on Summit Creek and settled somewhere near our city Heritage Park, in the area of Forrester Acres. It was noted that Summit creek was full of trout. They also noted that there were many chickens (probably sage grouse) in the area. They recognized that someone had been in the area and attempted agricultural pursuits. They found where a few furrows had been plowed. They also noted some vegetables that had been planted but never harvested. After cutting logs from the canyon and constructing a cabin, they returned to Salt Lake City. Shortly thereafter, they returned with their families along with several other families. The city of Summit now consisted of Langtons, Thornleys, Hopkins’s, Downs’s, Merrill’s, Hunt’s, and a Mrs. Walmsley and her family. She was reported to be the first woman from a foreign land to be baptized into the Mormon Church. Many more families arrived in 1860.
In early 1860 homes were built along the creek. Some crops were planted. The local area was surveyed by the territorial Surveyor. Interestingly, that original survey turned out to be amazingly accurate and placed Summit’s north to south Main street in line with Logan’s. Each block in town contained four lots. Each lot was one acre. Irrigation ditches were dug along the lines. Although the survey remained in place, much of the building and planting was disrupted when Brigham Young advised the settlers to regroup into a fort to protect the town from Indians. Some of the settlers were living in dugouts while others continued to live in their wagons. John Thornley was particularly independent. Few of the settlers took Brigham Young’s advise.
The prevailing attitude came to an abrupt end on July 23rd when a band of Indians set up camp near the present Mack Park. The prevailing gossip was that the Indians had stolen a horse from a settler about six miles north of Summit in the new settlement now called Richmond. One of the Indian leaders was somehow captured and taken to the home of Bishop Smith. As Bishop Smith had been sent by Brigham Young, the other settlers looked to him for guidance. Later that day, the trouble with the Indians turned to gunfire. The gunfire started near Bishop Smith’s home at about 52 West Center Street, and continued to a point just south of our present City Office. At that point, one man from Franklin Idaho was killed and one was seriously wounded as they had stopped to have lunch. Not long thereafter, Ira Merrill the son of Dudly and Almira Huntsman Merrill was killed near what is now the old Lower Packing plant at the top of Hind’s Hill. (200 north and 300 east) Ira may not have known that the Indians were camped just below the hill.
NOW THE STAGE IS SET!Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 9
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Remember last time, we SET THE STAGE!A man from Franklin Idaho was killed by Indians. Ira Merrill from Smithfield, was then killed by Indians. Ira was the first person buried in the Smithfield Cemetery. The Indian battle begin at Bishop Smith’s house. After the battle, fear set in all over town. It took four men to bury Ira. Two dug the grave and two stood watch for more Indians. The men of the town and eight Minute Men from Logan took chase of the Indians and lost them in a canyon east of town now called Indian Canyon. All of this over the rumored theft of a pony. Soon thereafter, the settlers began building the fort that Brigham Young had instructed them to build. It is seldom revealed that the pony was only lost, and not stolen. It was found a few days later in the river bottoms west of Richmond. Samuel Cowan, the one man wounded was operated on the next day. The bullet entered his chest and was removed from his back near the shoulder bone by Sylvester Collett of Smithfield. Several splintered bones were removed and buried. The bullet was kept by his family in Slaterville Utah for many years after. It is seldom told that the first person actually killed in the skirmish was the Chief of the small Indian tribe. His name was Pugwahnee. The dead Indian Chief was also buried by men from Smithfield. He was buried somewhere near the mouth of Main canyon. The alleged party of two men from Franklin was actually a family of seven. Part of this story was told by a witness, one of Mr. Cowan's daughters, in 1934. The two men were eating lunch at the time but their reason for stopping was because they had broken a wagon tongue while crossing the creek on what is now our Main street. They were in the process of repairing the wagon. At the time, the man killed was thought to be from Richmond. His name was John Read. His body was taken to Richmond and buried. A son of the man buried in Richmond (John Franklin Read) was the first white child born in Franklin Idaho. The grave marker was soon lost, only to be found 73 years later near the site of the present Richmond cemetery. The same Samuel Cowan, who lived, was one of the men later sent by Brigham Young to rescue the Martin-Wille handcart companies. Samuel Cowan and his wife crossed the plains three times. In their marriage, twelve children were born. The Cowan family eventually settled in Slaterville Utah. There was another man involved with this incident that may or may not be the same Mr. Collet. His name was Sylvanus Collett. He was thought to be the same Sylvanus that was a guard to Joseph Smith along with infamous or famous Orin Porter Rockwell of church history.
There was at least one other very famous man involved. He was one of the so called Minute Men who responded to the incident from Logan. His name was William Littlewood. Because of polygamy, he later changed his name to Rigby. He settled in Clarkston, then later, because of the terrible winter, moved to a new town (Newton). There are many Rigbys remaining in Newton. He moved from there to Eagle Rock Idaho which later became Idaho Falls. He established Rigby Idaho. He later moved to the area now known as Rexburg Idaho where he was one of many instrumental in the establishment of Ricks College.
CONJECTURE, RUMOR, FOLKLORE, GOSSIP, OR TRUTH !
THE ABOVE WAS TAKEN FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT SEEMED TO BE CONSISTENT.Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 10
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Oh for the value of WATER! Smithfield was settled where it is, for no other reason than the ideal availability of water. A reliable source of clean mountain spring water, available via gravity. You may have heard that in the olden days, water ran down hill. Now days, it runs toward money. Cache Valley and in particular, Smithfield, has an abundance of this most valuable resource. Conversely, we are always threatened with the loss of this valuable resource to the large population of the Wasatch Front. It is recognized that, compared to the eastern part of the US, we live in a desert. It=s only with that snow melt mountain water that we are able to raise crops, water lawns, and prosper.
Smithfield has Summit Creek, Birch Creek, and a legal share of the Logan River. The canals that run along the bench areas of the valley were constructed shortly after the valley was settled. Incidentally, they were constructed by hand and with oxen and horses. Soon thereafter, water use was legally prioritized to allow for potable (culinary) water to be available for each community. Water "exchanges" were then put in place. A good example was an exchange between Hyde Park and Smithfield which allowed Hyde Park to use water from Smithfield's Birch Canyon for culinary purposes, where in exchange, Smithfield was given part of Hyde Parks share of Logan River. Irrigation Companies were incorporated giving each landowner a proportionate share of irrigation water. Herein came the "RUB". Not all landowners were honest. At least, not in the eyes of their neighbor. Many wanted and needed just a little bit more than their share (legal share). Often the headgate at the top of the field would somehow spring a leak. A heated argument would ensue. Often the arguments we verbal. A few became physical shoving matches. Some turned to fisticuffs. One resulted in a broken leg. In those days, people didn't think of lawyers and law suits. Often the differences involved brothers or cousins, or in-laws (outlaws to some) and fellow LDS Ward members. In rare instances, the differences were overlooked while at church or family gatherings but remained heated near the water headgate. Serious disputes even ensued over the waste water from Del Monte which was then dumped into the irrigation ditches
Through the years, many have served as presidents and secretaries of the many water control companies around the valley. Without question theirs was a thankless job. Often if and when disputes were settled, neither party was happy. Being human, they had to blame someone, and who better than the President of the Irrigation Company. In years past, the annual irrigation meeting was a big affair attended by nearly everyone. The first Smithfield Irrigation Company President was Peter Hansen. Through the years, many have served with very little compensation. The current President is Jeffry Gittins who has served for nearly 30 years. My Father, Glen Thornley served for nearly 30 years as secretary. As a youngster, I remember many midnight calls because of disputes and misunderstandings. In 1952 the first well was dug by the company. The irrigation company now owns six wells. In the late 1980s pressurized sprinkler systems were built at considerable cost. Among many others, John Pitcher and Mr. Gittins were instrumental in the development of the pipeline system. The addition of these modern improvements has made water much easier to handle. The pressurized irrigation system within the incorporated area of the city has significantly reduced the demand on culinary water, Through water "exchanges" and with the use of legal water rights held by the Smithfield Irrigation Company, the "City" is able to provide adequate culinary water to all citizens.
Someone should have thought about bottling and selling that good ole, already cold, Smithfield water. Who would have ever thought that bottled water would be the fad....in some countries it's a necessity. If you haven't purchased any lately, be careful, it can cost more than gasoline.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 11
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
For this month, I have chosen to diverge a bit from the traditional "Smithfield" history, and be a little daring, mixing church and state, by including a little "Church" history in the writing. With well more than a year until the national general election, given that a member of the LDS Church is often mentioned nationally as a candidate for President, I began to wonder how many of the candidates might be inclined to visit our state. My thoughts then wandered to a related subject. The question arose as to how many really notable people had visited our state. Again my mind wandered as to what building have they used by most to deliver their notability.
The LDS Church has provided one of it's most prominent buildings, the Salt Lake Tabernacle, as a meeting place for many of our U.S. Presidents, world leaders, and others of significant prominence. In the late 1800s a musical play "Eistoddfid" was performed in the Tabernacle. The Eisteddfod, of Welch origin, was a contest of poetry, instrumentals, singing, and essays. The most famous opera singer of the time, Italian, Adelina Patti, performed in the tabernacle in 1884. In 1894, John Philip Sousa and the U.S. Marine Band performed. Presidential candidates such as Barry Goldwater, William Jennings Bryon, Wendell Wilkie, and Thomas Dewey, were allowed to conduct political rallies in the tabernacle. Presidents Ulysses S Grant and Theodore Roosevelt spoke there. Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding gave formal presidential speeches in the tabernacle. President Herbert Hoover gave a speech just one day before he lost the election of 1932. Harry S. Truman gave a campaign speech there. John F Kennedy spoke there in 1963 less than two months before he was assassinated. The Tabernacle Choir sang "America, the Beautiful" and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" for him. A year later, President Lyndon B Johnson spoke at the tabernacle, Richard Nixon was there, heard the choir sing, and he ask them to perform at his inauguration.
In more recent years, although most political leaders have visited Salt Lake City, it has been considered "politically incorrect" to deliver speeches or even to visit such famous church edifices.
The following is a listing of a few interesting facts about the Salt Lake Tabernacle. The building had been in use over seventeen years before electric lights were introduced. At the time, the walls had become discolored from the use of kerosene lamps. The first construction of the building included wooden shingles rather than the present day copper roof. In the 1960s a basement was added. I don't know for sure, but I believe a small system of tunnels existed well before the 1960s but the present system of tunnels is extensive. The tunnels allow the choir, church leaders, and other dignitaries easy and safe access to and from the edifice. The building was constructed so no one would have to set behind a pillar. I have attended one conference session there in my lifetime, and guess what, I sat right behind a pillar. I was one of the last few to get in for the meeting after standing for about three hours in line. There was more timber used in scaffolding to build the building than was actually used in the building. Church Architect, Truman O Angle was the primary designer of the building, as he was for the Logan, Manti, St George temples and the old SLC tabernacle. He was also involved in the building of the Kirkland Ohio, and Nauvoo Illinois temples. It is claimed that Brigham Young took a significant role in the design appearance of the building. A bridge builder, who was converted to the church in Europe was instrumental in the bridge like structure of the roof. The roof is nine feet thick. All of the pipes in the organ are made of wood. Maybe I am the only one who thought they were metal such as brass bronze or even gold. The large openings all around the building were deliberately planned for ease and comfort of the congregation. Conferences were planned as not to occur in the heat of summer or the cold of winter. There is over 2500 pieces of glass in doors and windows. Construction began in 1863 and was finished around 1875. Built to hold 10,000, it has held as many as 15.000 people. What would a modern day fire marshal say?
Just in the last two years, the Church spent millions to bring the building up to earthquake codes and repair or replace some of the stone pillars and worn parts, including the benches, of the building. It will again be used for church meetings, civic events, and even funerals of church leaders. It was designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark and placed on the National Historic Register in 1971.
The "Sons if the Pioneers" recently published a volume of their newsletter dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the Mormon Salt Lake Tabernacle, from which I took most of the above information.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 12
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
I awoke this morning with trains on my brain. Last evening I watched a little piece on one of the SLC TV news channels about the new public transportation train that will serve Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties. I have watched the construction progress as I have traveled the freeway along the Wasatch front. Thoughts then migrated to our own Main Street Construction Project. I grew up on Smithfield's Main Street. It consisted of a gravel roadside, a ten foot wide concrete lane of travel, a railroad track in the center, then another ten foot lane of travel, with gravel on the other side of the road. On the outside of the road were irrigation ditches which were usually grown over with grass and weeds by mid summer. Anyone over 80, who grew up in Smithfield rode the train to North Cache High School in Richmond. Although the trains were electric, they were not quiet. Of course there was the warning whistles blown by the train engineer. There was also a lot of noise from the brakes and squeaky springs of the train as it travels over the imperfect rails. There was the traditional clicking of the metal wheels as they passed each gap in the rail, which back then, were a necessity to accommodate expansion and contraction of the long metal rails. My Mother had a large flower in the living room that was vibrated from it's stand by the passing trains. I remember her crying because she had owned and nurtured the plant all of her married life.
The trains quit running through Smithfield in the late 1940s. The metal tracks remained for a few years then were sold to a company that removed them and sold them to a South American country. Up until the 1940s the tracks of the Utah Idaho Central RR ran from Preston, down through Richmond and Smithfield, then angled off to Hyde Park. The track continued on to Logan, running west on center street in Logan. The tracks angled off across the valley near the Benson Marina and on over the Petersboro hills through Beaver Dam Utah and on to Salt Lake City. Near the Box elder County line and South of the Valley View highway, one can still pick out the track bed and an old concrete bridge built by the railroad. The tracks were south of the highway and south of the Beaver Dam Church building.
As a youngster I was fascinated with trains. The long sugar beet trains would stop near 600 south and 400 west on the Union Pacific tracks to build up steam for the steam engines to continue the pull to the Lewiston Sugar factory. I remember the large black plumes of smoke from the burning coal. I also remember that not all of the metal rails, nor the large electric wires were removed from our Main Street. During the remodeling of the old railroad electric substation, (now our Wells Fargo Bank) several large copper wires were unearthed. Recently, I quizzed the "city" regarding the old rails that may have been left in the roadway. They felt fairly sure that all of the metal rails had been removed during the city's sewer construction project several years ago. Well, not to my surprise, but to the surprise of some, the large machine that was pulverizing the old asphalt roadway early this summer found some of the old rail. The two were not compatible, as manifest by the cost of repairing the equipment. There was a rail siding located on the site of the present old Del Monte plant on South Main. The siding was used as a loading site for cattle to be shipped to the Ogden Stock Yards for sale. Prior to the construction of the Smithfield Livestock Auction Yards, there was no way for farmers to market cattle other than to "cattle buyers" who then shipped via the Railroad. In those days, many of the farmers were unaware of the "going" prices for livestock, thus may have been paid less than a fair market price.
The old Railroad turned off toward Hyde Park at a point near the existing Firestone Store on South Main. I would not be surprised to see the Staker/ Parsons company find more old rail somewhere in that area as they work on the east side of our new highway.. The latest acquisition of the Smithfield Historical Society is a short piece of the rail that had remained buried since the Morgan Canning Plant (Del Monte) was built in 1918.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 13
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Why History? Heritage! Why Heritage? Heroes! Why Heroes? Courage, Character, Strength, Achievement, Noble, Reverent, Example Admired.
At writing this one page article for October, I became keenly aware that the son of one of my favorite neighbors just returned from spending over a year in Afghanistan. He was defending my Heritage, my Freedom, and setting an "Example". The story begins many, many years ago as a young man named Claypool, from California, while working on the railroad, flipped a coin and decided to come to Utah. He settled in Smithfield. William Claypool was an enterprising "personality". Mr. Claypool helped many local people get through the depression who otherwise may have lost everything. Although frighteningly brash vocally, by actions, demonstrated love for his fellow men. His son Forrester, obviously by name, from another prominent Smithfield family, married Ada Douglass who also was the daughter of a Smithfield pioneer. Mr Claypool owned the Smithfield Lumber Company. Ada's grandfather built the Douglass store which still stands on the corner of 100 South and Main. Forrester and Ada had a daughter named Ann Mae. In her younger adult years she was a school teacher at Hillfield Air Force Base. At Hill, she met a young man from Ohio. If they weren't alike then, they grew together. Today they are one. Gilbert Duncan and Ann Mae Claypool married sometime around 1950. Their first Child was named John (maybe after his grandfather John Douglass). Their second child was named Ada, after her grandmother. Their third child, Cathy (Kendall Merrill) of the Casper Merrill family (Casper's Ice cream fame) brings to the family a whole other line of "Heritage". A young Cathy was the idle of my daughters. Now, my Heroes are Gib and Ann Mae, for many reasons but namely for the love and devotion they demonstrated for 50 years in caring for Down Syndrome daughter Ada. Gib and Ada were avid Blue Sox baseball fans. Ann Mae was instrumental in securing education and care for the handicapped in Cache Valley. One didn't have to be much of a judge of character to see the love demonstrated by Ada's parents and family through the years. Gilbert was Baptized into the LDS Church in the early 1960s. In the early 1990s he became the Bishop of the Smithfield Second Ward. In the meantime, he was a volunteer fireman, worked at Lyman's Service station, was a car salesman, and ended his working career as an administrator at USU's Physical Plant Department.
In 2006 and 2007, John has been in Afghanistan serving his Country. As a 56 year old, Smithfield resident and father of three, he demonstrated all the attributes of a hero. He wasn't setting in an office or hanging back on the edges of combat. He was there, in the "Action", with his unit. He is now safely home. The answer to the prayers of many.
It's heartening for me to know that we here in Smithfield don't have to look to athletes or politicians or movie stars for our Heroes. Thank you John, and Gib, and Ann Mae, Ada, the Forresters and Mr. Claypool.
History is made!
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 14
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
A few days ago, my wife and I took a little auto trip to Idaho. As we were traveling north, we came across a sign that said, "YOU ARE NOW CROSSING THE 45TH PARALLEL, HALF WAY BETWEEN THE EQUATOR AND THE NORTH POLE." I immediately looked at my Geographical Positioning System (GPS) and sure enough, it read N45.00.00.01. Later as we were visiting a few museums in the area, it dawned on me that we could create walking or driving tours of Smithfield using the GPS system. We could mix the new, often challenging high-tech with some good old history. Many of you have heard of
GEO-CACHEing, we could call this GEO-SMITHFIELDing. This could be a fun exercise for a family activity, a Scout or young women group, or even a date. Maybe there could be roses or ice cream at the last stop.
Lets use a well known story about "THE DEATH OF IRA MERRILL", as told by living historians Lawrence Cantwell, Chad Downs, and Lynda Gittins.
With the townsite laid out by Jesse Fox in 1860, the move from the west to its present location was in full swing. Log homes were being built all along each side of the creek. The city name of Summit had just been changed to Smithfield after the newly appointed (by Brigham Young) Bishop John G. Smith. About two dozen families had arrived by July of 1860. John and Robert Thornley and Seth Langton had arrived the previous year. The makings of a city were coming together. Mary Ann Downs and Ann Thornley now had medical help with the presence of Dr. Ezra G Williams and family. On the day of July 23, 1860, all hell was about to break loose Around July 22nd a settler from newly settled Richmond had lost a horse. At the same time he had observed Chief Pugwahnee and his band of Indians riding toward Smithfield. Jumping to conclusions, the Richmond man suspected the Indians of stealing the horse, so he sent word to Smithfield. The Indians camped at a place near the present Mack Park
(N41 50,320' & W111 49,493'). Some of the Smithfield men picked up the Indian Chief for questioning. He was taken to a spot near Bishop Smith's home on west center street
(N41 50,162' & W111 50,013'). After several hours, a group of the Indian Braves decided to rescue the Chief. One Brave started to untie the Chief. A guard raised his pistol and fired. Although it is not known if the man meant to be so accurate, the bullet struck the chief. This action resulted in several shots being fired. The Indians mounted their horses, and hurriedly began their escape. As the Main North South highway had recently been surveyed, a crossing existed right in front our present day city office. The Indians headed for the opening in the brush, trees, and willows for a quick getaway. Unfortunately a family from Franklin had just crossed at the same crossing and had damaged their wagon. The men in the party were attempting to repair the wagon when the Indians passed by (N41 50,250 & W111 49,957'). A Mr. John Reed was killed and a man named A. Cowan was wounded. The Indians proceeded east along the creek to their camp, left the body of the chief, and began their escape away from Smithfield. As they went up over the hill from camp, they encountered Ira and Solyman Merrill (N41 50,443 & W111 49,325') who had a wagon load of willows for the bowery which was being built (N41 50 253' & W111 50,013). The young braves killed Ira and shot several arrows at Solyman, connecting with two non fatal arrows. The Indians tried to scalp Ira but Solyman continued to resist. The Indians, in their haste to get away from town , gave up on the scalp, and continued east. The leaders from Smithfield quickly sent a rider to Logan for help, and with the reinforcements, trailed the small group of Indians to a canyon roughly five miles east of town where they lost the trail. That Canyon is now called Indian Canyon. The Indian Chief Pugwahnee, was buried somewhere along Summit Creek east of town. Ira Merrill was buried on a hill just east of the settlement (N41 50,086' & W111 49,467'). It took a killing to start the cemetery. Find the grave. Now it will take a 0.32 mile walk north back to your car. Park your car at Mack Park. The whole tour will entail about a 1.6 mile walk and put you back at your car. Use the Heritage trail.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 15
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
While writing the last "HAPPENINGS" and documenting the location of the first grave in the cemetery it occurred to me that, being 62, it might be wise to be thinking about where my wife and I want to be buried. I was lucky to find a site near my parents. As I looked over the site, it became frighteningly clear that I knew many of the people who were buried in the vicinity. I became fondly aware that much of the history of our community, like many, can be gleaned from the cemetery. For Smithfield, William Cantwell said, "It took a killing to start the cemetery". Of course, the first person buried, Ira Merrill, was killed by Indians. Smithfield's first Doctor was Ezra Williams. When he came in 1860, he brought with him his mother. She was the wife of Frederick G. Williams, a counselor to Joseph Smith. Rebecca Williams died of cholera in the fall of 1861 and is buried in the old part of the cemetery. In 1923 a community fund raising project resulted in the construction of a monument honoring "Our Laminite Friends", from the early days of the community. Earl Harper was one of the first killed in the forests of France during the First World War. His body was returned to Smithfield, by train, nearly two years after his death. The heavy sealed casket was then transported by truck to the tabernacle for services, then on to the burial site. It is somewhat alarming to slowly walk around through the cemetery and note the death dates of family members. Often children of the same family passed away within days of one another. It seems obvious that disease raked havoc on youngsters in the early days of our settlement.
When one thinks about it, our community is made up of peoples from many different countries. Each culture had their own customs relating to burial. Some were buried in shallow graves using a mound to mark the grave. Others were buried deep, and little was done to compact the soils as the grave was filled. Years later a significant depression in the soil marked the site. Some families took good care of the grave sites. Others were laid to rest without thought of perpetual care for the site. Bodies were buried facing in any of the four directions of the compass. Most markers were made of wood, and could only be expected to last fifteen or twenty years. Most were simply painted. Some families recognized that cedar or redwood lasted much longer. Some wooden markers had the names and dates engraved. Few had the financial means to provide an engraved stone marker. Before 1920 the cemetery was surrounded by a white picket fence. In the 20s a decorative pipe fence was constructed. By 1960 even the pipe fence had dilapidated. It was repaired and repainted as a Ward Service project in the 1990s. In the 1920s near 1000 wagon loads of good soil was hauled into the cemetery to level the surface and provide lawn. Many graves were moved slightly or re-aligned, roads were built to enable servicing of the grass and irrigation system. Most of the wooden markers have been replaced with stone. The large evergreen trees that grace our Smithfield Cemetery were simply brought from the canyons above town as small trees, and replanted in rows to enhance the solemn place. In the 1980s a winter east wind destroyed many of the old larger pines. As a youth, I remember climbing to near the top of our eastern mountains. As one would look over home from high afar, the dark tall pines in and around the cemetery would be the identifiable reference. One could then locate the streets and a few of the larger buildings of our community. Today, in 2007, one can do the same, looking at a photograph from outer space.
Today, the "City", one or two City Employees, provides the perpetual care that we have come to cherish as a community. Any day or any season, regardless of whether you are a life long resident, call Smithfield home, or simply a visitor, you can, if you will, find the cemetery a peaceful, beautiful, and humble retreat to visit and reflect.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 16
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
SOME SERIOUS HISTORY
The Smithfield Historical Society has been engaged in a project of making personal histories, of early members of the community, available electronically. The following is a condensed random sample of one of those fascinating histories.
LIFE SKETCH OF LaVINEA NOBLE AIKEN MEIKLE
Lavinea was born in March 23rd or the 13th, 1839 at Irchester, North Hamptonshire, England, to William Goodwin Noble and Mary Ann Harper.
The following members of the family sailed on the ship "William Tapascott" on May 11 1860. William, age 49 Father and tailor, Mary Ann, age 51 Mother, Henrietta age 22 Spinster, Lavinia, age 20 Spinster, Aquilla, age 18 Printer, Louisa age 16 spinster, Zilpha, age 13, Leonora, age 12, and Laura, age 9.
The family lived in Williamsburg for two years to earn money to come west. Lavinia and her sister Henrietta came west first with Robert Leeming Fishburn and his wife Eliza. The rest of the family came in the next company. Lavinia became good friends with Amelia Folsom who was Brigham Young’s last wife. Lavinia said she didn’t have to walk too much because of the friendship and the favoritism shown by the young fellows. All of the family settled in Smithfield. Livinia’s brother always rang the bell of the church which was in the fort area just south of where the Carnegie Library is now. It was a long building and had a stage on the west end.
Lavinia’s first husband was Benjamin Burk Aiken. Burk had his home ready to occupy on their wedding day. They had three girls and one boy. Mr. Aiken was born in Salem Massachusetts. He joined the LDS Church in 1843 or 1844. He traveled from Massachusetts to get some land in New York for $1.25 per acre. He lived in Indiana and Illinois and came from Nauvoo to Smithfield. He was a body guard for Joseph Smith for a time. He believed waste was a sin, and sensible economy was a virtue. He didn’t like the Polka but preferred the Blue Danube which suited him as a dance formation.
THIS RECORD DOES NOT INDICATE WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. AIKEN BUT GOES ON AS FOLLOWS;
Lavinea later became the wife of James Jackson Meikle. He was born in Hamilton Scotland, in 1839. James’s father William died when James was 9. The family had joined the church shortly before his death. James, his mother Margaret Jackson, and his sister Isabelle came to the U.S. on a ship named "Enock Train". They crossed the planes with the McArthur Handcart Company. Eventually James joined his brother Robert in the tanning business. The Meikle brothers carried on a successful tanning business for fifteen years in Smithfield.
Lavinea had six daughters born to her from her second marriage. The daughters were Priscilla who married James Kirby, Kate Violetta who married Wickliff Anderson Ewing, Jesse Margaret who died at 18 months, Zelphia who married Landsay Lightfoot, Mamie Rebecca who married Carl Nilson, and Birdy who married Frank Covey.
Lavinea was a very good midwife. She collected herbs of all kinds for that use. She was well know in Smithfield for her potions. Usually the person in need would bring a container of sugar and in exchange she would give them a container of the needed remedy. Her specialties were canker medicine, salve for sores, and a cough medicine. She gathered wild grape root, raspberry bark, leaves, burnt alum sugar, balm-of-gillaird buds, and kinniekinic from the mountains. She always had dried corn nuts or something in her pocket to chew on. She had a sweet voice and sang with the Noble Choir. She carried a small cup so she could drink water whenever she passed a ditch. She died at 65 of diabetes. Her daughter Kate Meikle Ewing thought that was old and remembered her as being very old. Now that Kate is 91, she says her mother died young. Her burial plot in the cemetery was one of the first with grass. The grandchildren carried water to keep it green.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 17
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
What I know about Johnny!
Undoubtedly, everyone has early memories of friends and family. I was fortunate to grow up in a part of Smithfield called Pitcherville. I have always been kind of proud of that. My first childhood memories were of play with Johnny. Of course, we played cowboys and Indians. Johnny also had a little red wagon. I remember taking turns pulling each other around the lawn. I remember accidently tipping Johnny into the small, grass covered, ditch that, once a week, watered the small pasture and strawberry apple tree in his back yard. I wonder if they still have strawberry apples. Apples don’t seem to taste that good any more. Anyway, Johnny lived in a log house. They had indoor plumbing to get hot water, but the commode really was an "out house". In the winter the seat was terribly cold. In the summer, the smell was terribly bad. Now days, most kids can’t relate to that. John had two older brothers. The oldest brother had a horse. I thought he was a "real" cowboy. The middle brother was named RL. I didn’t realize until I was in my 30's that RL had a real name which is Richard Leo. We didn’t lack for friends. Back then, all of the homes south of 400 south in Smithfield were on the highway. I can count at least 12 of those friends who were born within a year or so of me and Johnny, just at the end of the Second World War.
When we were about 5, Johnny moved down the street. I was confident his move would not impact our friendship because, of course, I was easily big enough by then, to go south two blocks and across the highway to play. One had to be careful because there was a car passing on the highway every minute or so. I vividly remember his mom's cooking. Once in a while it was freshly baked bread with honey and cinnamon. I remember the most wonderful white gravy. They did something memorable and different with the gravy. They mixed catsup with it to a mild red color then plopped the mashed potatoes right in the middle of the plate and added regular white gravy only on the potatoes. Don’t knock it! Additionally , we usually had chocolate chip cookies but you’ve never had chocolate chip cookies like Marie can make.
Roughly 30 years later I had the honor of going deer hunting with Johnny, his father and his older brother. Much to my delight, guess what we had for our evening dinner. I knew it when the catsup came out first. White gravy, catsup, potatoes and hamburger patties, in that order. For dessert, we had chocolate chip cookies the way they have them. Start with a half glass of cold milk and crunch the cookie into the milk then eat it with a spoon. I’ll bet you can’t eat just one cookie. On that same hunting trip, Lewis, his older brother and I were arguing about the direction we were going as we were riding our horses down a canyon. I commented that "next time I will bring a compass". Lewy’s, off the cuff statement, was, in my opinion, one of the most profound I have ever heard. Think about it!!!! We could all use this kind of advice. We can all use a little direction.
"WHAT THE H_ _ _ GOOD IS A COMPASS,
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHICH WAY NORTH IS?Like his father, John stayed in Smithfield on the farm. He married young, worked hard, raised a good family, and contributed much to our community. Among his accomplishments was his major driving force in the development of the Smithfield Irrigation pressurized sprinkler system. Unlike his parents who never did retire and still live in their South Main home, John was forced into retirement because of health problems. Like many of that same bunch, we didn’t stray very far from home.
For years, I thought his Grandpa Petty was my Grandpa too. Incidentally, John’s Grandma Pitcher was the head cook at the Summit School hot lunch room and I promise, you never heard a complaint about the lunch room food back then.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 18
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS 2008
A real part of our History and Heritage
My wife and I , along with former Mayor Ray Winn, his wife and others from town, took a two week archeological trip to the country that politically and geographically claimed the Utah Territory. Of course, historically, this all happened around the time the Salt Lake Valley was settled and when part of the greater Utah territory became the State of Utah. We visited Mexico.
I was simply astonished at what I learned. I have been a lay student of geography, history and archeology most of my life. I had known that Mexico City had one of the largest populations in the world. I guess I had never realized what that meant. Just in the city, there is only an estimate of the numbers. They know it is in excess of 19 million. Ten times that of the State of Utah. Many people have visited the resort areas of Mexico. Few have visited inland. Mexico is a land of mountains. Throughout the country, they have few birth records, no social security system, few baptismal records, no welfare, and everyone, young and old, has to work at their day to day sustenance. Amazingly, they find a way. We visited many areas that, in the USA, would be National Parks. Like the people of Mexico, the land is beautiful. Most can imagine the beauty of the young. Few may be able to imagine the beauty of the older people. Upon seeing them, one can see the beauty of their hard life and the fact that they are "survivors". Mexico is a land of stark contrast. Nearly all housing consists of a square, concrete, one or two room home without hanging doors or closeable windows. Some of the family sleep in hammocks. The floors are bare concrete. There is no such thing a front lawn. The middle class has a couple of pigs tied near the house. They may even have a starved looking horse. Most have chickens roaming the yard. Very few have cars. Oxen are common. Empty cola bottles are everywhere. Conversely, there is brightly colored, very white clothing hanging outside of nearly every home. It is common to see the youngsters emerge from the home in a clean white and colored school uniform. Then Mom emerges, neatly dressed for work, complete with high heels. As well, food is abundant. Bananas grow wild. Cocoanuts and orange trees are everywhere. Corn is planted by hand on steep side hills. There is no need for irrigation. The corn is then cultivated and harvested by hand, carried by hand down the mountain to home where it is shucked and ground and made into tortillas or bread. It is then cooked on a small wood fueled fire in the middle of the concrete floor. The smoke escapes through the eaves of the home. Everything grows in Mexico. They have grains, all sorts of tropical fruit, coffee and cocoa beans, and most any vegetable. Their meat diet is made up of Brahma beef, goats, and chickens. All is available in the open central community market. Most homes have one light bulb. Some homes have a TV. In general they do not have running safe water. They do not have sanitary rest rooms. They have limited access to medical care. With all of this they are constantly building. Cement is plentiful. Most make their own concrete blocks or brick from a wooden mold. Natural resources are plentiful. Fuel is inexpensive compared to the USA. Because the oil industry is nationalized, all gas is the same price throughout the country.
Where does the problem lie? There is a vast resource of young and middle aged people. They want to have a future. The problem seems to lie with the government. The infrastructure does not seem to exist to accommodate bank loans. Few if any pay taxes. Many government services are non existent. Insurance is rare. Family records are rare. There is a small, but very wealthy upper class.
My eyes taught me that it is vitally important that we get a good education. They taught me that we should be law abiding. I could see the vital importance of remaining active in civic affairs. Public service is vital to our sociological success. Of course we should vote, but more importantly, we should remain informed and involved in what our government is doing. Quality of life does not come for free. As well, none of this can be achieved without a clean and healthy environment. I’m thankful!
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 19
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS 2008
For sometime now I have thought about writing a bit about the impact of horses on our Smithfield Community. I remember personally when my father and his brother made the transition from work horses to a 1947 model 8N Ford tractor. They continued to rake the hay with a horse drawn dump rake. They also used a single horse, Ole Burr, to pull the derrick cable which lifted the hay into the barn. As a five or six year old, my assignment was to ride Ole Burr back and forth as he pulled the hay up, then turned and allowed slack in the cable to drop the empty large hay fork back to the wagon for another load. I remember listening carefully for Uncle Don to call out that the fork was ready to be raised. I would then kick Ole Burr and away we would go. Little did I know that Ole Burr would have obeyed uncle Dons command regardless of someone sitting on his back or not.
Our community recently lost one of the pioneers of horsemanship with the loss of 93 year old, Glen Downs. Few can fully appreciate the history, heritage and knowledge that went with him to the grave. As his Home Teacher for the recent past few years, we often talked about the way it was in the past. Glen owned a horse all of his life. The evening after his funeral, I observed his son Chad leaning over the pasture gate behind Glen’s home, with both elbows up on the top rail, looking at Glen’s horse. One can only imagine what Chad was thinking. Glen was the first of his family to graduate from college. In his work, he was a consummate professional, yet he never moved more than a block away from his boyhood home. He was still a cowboy at heart.
The Historical Society owns a large panoramic photo of the "sugar beet dump" located at the 400 W and 100 N railroad station. In the photo are several teams of horses pulling up the ramp waiting to unload their preweighed load of sugar beets. With a typical Downs smile on his face, he told of the old grey horse near the top of the ramp. He said the sugar company purchased that horse many times over. He wouldn’t tell me who owned the horse, but the owner had the horse trained to cross the weighing scale, then as the driver would get off the load to get his weight ticket, the horse would back up a step so that the horse’s weight would be on the scales. Of course the horse would only do this going in. Thus several hundred pounds would be added to the net weight of the sugar beets. Another Smithfield legend is the story of Glen’s older brother riding his horse into McCracken’s pool hall. As the story goes, he was issued a ticket by the police for driving his horse while "under the influence". I’m confident the story isn’t true but it makes for a memorable old time story. By the way, I knew and loved that "older Brother." I actually went as far as having his old hat bronzed and gave it to his son when he passed away many years ago. Anyone who saw that hat could tell you who should be under it.
People of my generation like Bruce Pitcher, Bob Hill, Jim Forrester, Ron Roskelly. Terry Cronquist, and Lyle Ransenberger only thought we were cowboys. The real Smithfield Summit Saddlers were the older generation (remember Summit was Smithfield’s first name) like Bowers Forrester, Dale Weeks, Ferry Watts, Glen Downs, Parley Downs, Les Traveler, George Tarbet, Glen Hillyard and Ole Cronquist. A few of the "real" Summit Saddlers" still live in Smithfield. If you know any of them, and want to hear some stories, go visit Demar Fonnesbeck, Wess Tarbet, Bud Pitcher, Lewis Pitcher, or Al Hatch. There were many more, not only around my age but many just a bit older who participated in the equestrian activities in Smithfield on a weekly basis. If you can’t get them started talking, just mention the keynote annual activity of the "Tony Grove Ride", and they will have lots of stories to tell.
Back in those days, for Smithfield’s Health Days, we had a full fledged horse race and rodeo meet, complete with dust, runaway horses, and significant money amounts as prizes. People came from all around northern Utah and Southern Idaho to watch and participate.
Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 20
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS 2008
Who would think there was anything exciting or interesting about restaurants in Smithfield? After all, Smithfield residents seem to think it’s not neat to eat out at home. They would much rather drive to Logan. I guess it seems more like an evening out.
Times, they are a changin! As of this writing, it costs roughly $5 to $6 in gasoline just to make the round trip to Logan. One can still get a pretty good meal for $9.99 per person. There is still the extremes of a Mexican fast food meal for about $5, and the other extreme of roughly $30 per person. Yes, I received a $40 birthday gift card for dinner at a well known Logan restaurant. My wife and I had a nice meal but with the cola and milk, and the 15% tip, that I still have a hard time with, we got out of there spending our $40 gift card plus another $18.
Maybe the "times" should change back. We have three or four "fast food" restaurants in Smithfield, reasonable priced, where if you are careful you can eat fairly healthy and keep in the $5 range. We have two very good Oriental or Asian restaurants, and an Italian restaurant for which the people from Logan make special trips, two of the best Pizza Restaurants around, and sandwich restaurants. We even have a reasonable priced restaurant as part of the deli in our local grocery store.
AS FOR HISTORY
The first food dispensary in Smithfield was the Bishop’s Storehouse and Tithing Office owned by the LDS church. Ironically, the first restaurant in Smithfield was opened by a Jewish fellow in 1863. After a very successful year in business, the Jewish business was purchased by the Church and the name was changed to The Co-op, later to be changed to The Young Mens Co-op. It was located at 95 North Main. The name was changed to include the "Young Mens" designation because they started to sell tobacco, clothing, firearms, ammunition, horsemens tack, as well as food and it’s "makins". The restaurant, confectionary and hardware store was operated by James Cantwell. Sometime prior to 1895 the business was purchased by E. R. Miles. In 1905, E. R. Miles Jr. became involved with the business. Miles Jr’s insight to the future brought the construction of the three story building at 99 north Main. E. R. Miles Jr. Died in 1914. There was a time when the Miles store was managed by a Mr. Tuttle. In the mean time, E. R. Miles’s daughte,r Hazel, married a young man from Utah County named Jessie M. Roylance who went into the hardware and implement business near our present City Office Building. The business, Smithfield Implement Company eventually purchased the Miles building which remains in the Roylance family operated by Ralph M. Roylance, his son Bart, and a grandson. There was a Hotel and Dining Room in the top floor of the Griffiths Store at 105 North Main. The first Fast Food Restaurant was owned and operated by William and Dolores Scrowther. It was named B and D’s. Everyone called it "The Stand". It was located at 61 North Main. Lee Woodruff operated a small restaurant in conjunction with his Barn Dances which were held in a barn still standing at 140 W 200 S, owned now by Jeff Gittins. There is a small Café at the Smithfield Livestock Auction which is open on Thursdays.. Vernon Tidwell owned and operated a small hamburger stand at 200 North. It was famous for 19 Cent hamburgers . I remember when drinks were 5 Cents. Eventually Mr. Tidwell changed to a slightly larger paper cup and raised the price of a drink to a dime. Even in the 1960s, a grilled cheese sandwich remained 19 cents. Hamburgers had gone up to 24 cents plus a penny tax. The word "Confectionary" was often used to describe all local businesses. Nearly all sold candy such as taffy, hard tack, horehound, licorice, lemon drops and nickle sized white mints. Grampa always had a few of those mints in his coverall pocket for us kids even though they were often mixed with hay leaves. Not as openly talked about was the sales of tobacco. Interestingly, they kept a wet sponge in the tobacco case to keep the cigars fresh. The Selly, Olson & Selly (SOS) Drug Store had a regular drug store fountain. You never had a chocolate ice cream soda like Guila Olson Selly could make. Smithfield had a bakery at 129 N Main operated by Hall and Phillips. They even made Potato Chips. There was a Japanese restaurant run by a Japanese man named Joe which operated from 1936 to 1941. Del Monte operated a large cafeteria which was open to the public during the Pea and Corn processing runs. The first real restaurant meal I ever ate was purchased for me by Bob Saxton at Marv’s Café. I had never heard of Salisbury Steak.Glen Jay Thornley
Issue 21
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS 2008
For some time now I have wanted to write about a strange habit we have here in Smithfield. I would guess that most of you will deny that you do this, but, like the modern term now used, "politically incorrect" this habit has it’s good side as well as it’s unfavorable component. It seems that when we encounter a stranger or new person, we ask, "Are you from around here?" We do this at church, at the ball game, at A & W and we even ask the new checker at Lee’s market. Why, sociologically, do we do this? Are we being nosey? Are we trying to pre-judge? Are we just trying to start a conversation? Do we really care? Sometimes but rarely, you will get a "none-of-your-business" response. Sometimes, the person you ask will feel that way, but will try not to show that they have been offended. Most often they appreciate your interest.
I submit that most of the time we really do care. That’s a good thing. It tells me we are looking for a way to identify with that person. Most of us have a hard time remembering names, but for some reason can remember facts about people. Think about some of the responses you get. How many times have you identified someone by remembering that they just moved into the "Smith" house. We have lived in the same house for 40 years but it’s still the Bill Scholes house. You would certainly remember them when you find out that they are married the Hanson’s grandson. Oh, my wife grew up in Lewiston. Sorry, it was Lewiston, Idaho not Lewiston, Utah. Well, I’ll remember that.
Be careful who you talk about. My wife is from Lewiston Utah. Her maiden name was Moser. At our young age, how could we have known that we would fall in love then discover that her mother’s great great great grandmother was Mary Thornley? I’m not a genealogist, but somehow back in the mid 1800s Mary Thornley married a Pitcher. Some of them went to Cardston, Alberta Canada and some of them came to Utah. Well, there are a lot of people named Pitcher. Sometime down the line, one of Mary’s relatives married into the Lower family. The Lowers started a family of their own but died at a young age. Because of the relationship, someone in the Thornley family raised one of the Lower children. Several generations later, our daughter started dating a Lower. Could it be? Well, our second daughter met a young man from Providence. I remembered this young man's father because he was a high school referee for many years. I sure didn’t like some of his calls. I also knew of his mother because she had a funny first name. Amaryllis was a member of the "elite" Logan Golf and Country Club and, for many years, was the Club Champion golfer. Amy was pronounced like the flower rather than the typical pronunciation. Here’s the catch, their last name was Moser. Could it be? You couldn’t find nicer people than the Mosers. Are you confused yet? I met a nice gentleman from up in the sixth ward. He was not from around here. "Where ya from?" asks I. "Garden City but not Garden City Utah, I’m from Garden City, Kansas," he said. I know one person in Kansas. Could it be? Bob actually knows Gerry and purchased a house from him.
Be careful who you talk about! It could be a form of self preservation!
By the way, my third daughter married a young man from Tremonton. My Mother is from that area and graduated from Bear River High School. We’ve searched and searched, but with a last name like Hulce, you never know. It’s spelled and pronounced several ways. I think we are safe!
Glen Jay Thornley
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