Tag Archives: Utah

Dairy Farmer Joseph Eggleston

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My grandfather, Joseph Eggleston, was a dairy farmer. After finding some interesting records, I thought it would be good to document his dairy farming history. He had a ranch on Mormon Row in Jackson Hole, then sold it and returned to Eden, Utah where he had been born and where he farmed for the rest of his life.

The Eden Dairy Farm

This Eden farm was the only home I remember of his. I remember the barn, though I personally didn’t spend much time there. Most of my memories include the smell of the barnyard, drinking warm fresh milk and the butter Grandma Stella made.

Joseph Eggleston was a card carrying member of the Utah State Farm Bureau Federation.

Grandpa’s Brand

This was Grandpa’s brand when in Jackson Hole. He used the same brand later in Eden, it appears with the I disconnected.
This is the official recording of Grandpa’s brand in 1960. The brand is shown on the left shoulder.

Herd-Record Books

Being a city girl, I had no idea that Herd Books were even a thing. Then when I was going through documents from Dad’s house I came across two booklets titled “Herd-Record Book”. One was dated 1938-1939 and the other 1946-1947. These were prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Administration, Bureau of Dairy Industry, for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Sounds like a lot of bureaucratic layers – with an additional layer in the later book. It appears that these were used to research and record the productivity of dairy herds. There were “testers” involved in filling out these records. The purpose for this study was to “identify the low-producing cows so that they may be discarded.”

These booklets are full of meticulously recorded information. It appears that grandpa participated in this testing at least two different times, but it probably wasn’t a regular thing. These records do give an idea of what was involved with dairy farming and help us become acquainted with grandpa’s herd.

The 1938-1939 Herd Record Book

Cover of the Herd-Record Book dated July 1, 1938-June 30, 1939
The Book was designed to record 20 Cows. These are the names of the cows listed on the inside cover of the book. There are a few added after the 20.
This Yearly Summary at the end of the book lists all of the cows again with data.

Ir looks like 10-year-old Strip produced the most pounds of milk at 10,538, but 7-year-old Pet had the highest value of skim milk $156.94 and the most pounds of butter-fat.

The milk production of each Cow was recorded on separate pages in the Herd Book. Some with additional information.

Midget had a female calf born on March 28, 1939. There is no milk production recorded for February and March.
Poor Pansy, at 12 years old was going dry.

These Monthly Summary pages show how much milk and butter fat was produced each month, as well as how much feed the cows consumed during the same period of time. It really was a science.

The 1946-47 Herd-Record Book

This Herd-Record Book covers the year from March 1946 to February 1947. This booklet is not as complete as the earlier one. The inside cover which should include a list of the cows was not filled out. Though the book has space for 20 Cows, there are only pages recording 16 cows, with the last page being another titled Judy but only covering the month of February, and the next to last page for Lill includes only the month of February.

The Monthly Summary shows 14 cows in March through May, then 13, and later down to 11.

Most of the names of the cows in this later book are different than in the first one. The five that are the same are Judie/Judy, Patty, Spot, Lady and Beauty. They were some of the younger ones on the Yearly summary list of the earlier book – ages 2-5. It appears that the “low producing” cows were “discarded” by being sold for beef.

Rose was one of the cows sold for beef that year.
Judy was also sold for beef. If she was the same Judie as listed in the earlier book she would have been almost 14 years old, which was older than any of the cows in 1939.

This later book does not have the Yearly Summary pages filled out, which suggests that either the study was not completed or just not done as thoroughly.

The Milk Route

Grandpa was not only a dairy farmer, but he delivered milk to the dairy. In 1938, he contracted with the Weber Central Dairy to collect milk from dairy farms in Eden and drive it down Ogden Canyon to the dairy in Ogden City. He later added the town of Liberty to his route. It was said that Grandpa was very punctual with this job. It required that he milk his own cows very early in the morning before picking up milk from the other farmers. He had acquired a milking machine, but with 20 cows it still would have taken considerable time.

Grandpa recruited his sons to join him in this work. The older sons, Orland, Mel and Dale would pick up milk from Eden farmers, while Grandpa picked up milk in neighboring Liberty. They would meet and load all the cans into the truck which Grandpa would drive down the canyon to the dairy. Later, after Orland left home and Doc got older, he would accompany his father through Liberty while Mel and Dale would gather the Eden milk. During the school year, all of the milk gathering had to be completed before the boys would need to catch the bus to school. During the summer months they could accompany their father to the dairy in town.

This is one of Grandpa’s Milk cans. He would have gathered many of these from his own barn and from the neighbors to take to the dairy.

This label is on the milk can. (Someone spelled his name wrong) I am not sure if all the cans had these labels or if some just had a painted mark like the red one or some other way to identify whose can it was. Grandpa would have had to return the empty cans to the right farms.

Cream O Weber Dairy in Ogden Utah.
This is a photo of the Cream-O-Weber Dairy on Ogden Avenue in Ogden with all the milk trucks – those like Grandpa’s filled with cans being brought in and the white ones that delivered milk to customers.

Note: I did scan all of the filled in pages in the two Herd-Record books, so they are available if anyone is interested. The photo of the brand is from Candy Vivey Moulton’s book Legacy of the Tetons: Homesteading in Jackson Hole.

1870 Smallpox Epidemic in Ogden, Utah

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The Death of Lurania Eggleston

Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston

I had known from family records that Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston, the wife of Samuel Eggleston and my great great grandmother, had died July 6, 1870. This date is on her headstone in the Ogden City Cemetery. The circumstances of her death took some time for me to unravel and understand.

A notice in The Ogden Semi-Weekly Junction of Wednesday Morning July 6, 1870, stated:

“Died. In this city, of scarlet fever, at 3 o’clock this morning, LURANIA P., wife of Mr. SAMUEL EGGLESTON, aged 61 years and 11 months. The funeral will take place a 5 o’clock this evening, when the friends of the deceased are invited to attend. Mrs. Eggleston was born in Cayuga County, New York. She was baptized in June 1841, moved to Nauvoo in 1842. In 1847, she went with her family to Winter Quarters and in 1862 she came to Utah.”


The Ogden Semi-Weekly Junction 6 July 1870

This seemed pretty straight forward, that Lurania had gotten sick and passed away. It was not unusual at the time to bury someone quickly after their death. This newspaper was a semi-weekly paper, being published on Wednesdays and Saturdays. At that time, Lurania’s sons Reuben and Orson would have been working for the paper. I assume they rushed word soon after her death and had the notice written shortly before the paper was printed that day. Perhaps they actually went in and typeset it themselves.

At some point, I visited the Ogden City Cemetery and stopped in the office to see the Sexton Records. The sexton record indicated the cause of Lurania’s death as smallpox. This was different from the “scarlet fever” stated in the paper. Of course, the family may have been unsure of exactly what disease she had and reported what they thought. The other option might have been that they and/or doctors realized it was smallpox but intentionally did not want to alarm the public.

More Deaths in the Family

I remember learning that Orson had purchased cemetery plots at that time. Also listed in the sexton records were the death of two of Reuben’s children during that same summer. Four year old Cora Gladys died July 26 and seven year old May Julia on August 6, 1870. The cause of death was given as smallpox for one and the other was blank on the record.

I found a biography of Emeline Eggleston, wife of Reuben, written by Disey Eggleston Richardson in the DUP files. This mentioned that two of Reuben and Emeline’s children, Cora Gladys and May Julia were stricken with black small pox in 1870. It added that they were quarantined at Farr’s grove, as were others who were exposed. These two girls could have been easily infected by their grandmother.

In a Biography of William Nicol Fife, I found information about the Smallpox epidemic in 1870. According to his account the disease was brought into Ogden by an Indian Squaw in May 1870. He indicated that “the first person taken down with it, a Mrs. Eggleston died.” Later a few others became sick and were sent to Brick Creek [Burch Creek].

Mr. Fife indicated that he personally built a lumber room for the afflicted and furnished them with food and necessities. He also “followed up the disease with disinfectants” and personally placed yellow flags in front of every affected house. By July, forty cases were quarantined at Farr’s Grove. He indicated that the Mayor assisted him with this and later became sick himself. His case was mild, yet he was also moved to the grove. By the end of July there were 89 cases.

Quarantine Sites

There were two quarantine sites set up during 1870, both of which have connections to the Eggleston Family. Farr’s Grove was land owned by the Farr family near the mouth of Ogden Canyon and not far from where I grew up. Samuel and Lurania’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth, had married Enoch Farr, a son of Lorin Farr. This was his family’s land. I remember the orchards that were still there during my childhood. Created on this land was Lorin Farr Park, which is very familiar to me and everyone around. The swimming pool there was even made famous through the movie “The Sandlot.”

The other quarantine site was Burch Creek, which is actually the neighborhood where I have lived for the past 40 years. Before our marriage, my husband lived in the basement of his Aunt and Uncle’s home which has Burch Creek running through their back yard. Our home is a couple of blocks away. This area was originally settled by John Stephens, the father of Constance Stephens who was Orson Eggleston’s first wife.

Care of the Sick

Though Mr. Fife mentioned building a lumber room at Farr’s Grove, this quarantine may have consisted mostly of tents being set up with some medical people there to care for the sick. The locations suggest that the main idea was to get these people away from the general population and public places where people might gather. At that time, these places were outside of “town.” Mr. Fife stated:


“[I] got good kind nurses for the sick, and by strict regulations in the camp and the city the contagion was prevented from spreading any further. About half the people in camp I furnished with supplies from Z.C.M.I. at the expense of the city. A great portion of the time I was on the move day and night, and though handling most of the sick people in taking them to the grove, I was not attacked by the disease.”

Autobiography of Wiliam Nicole Fife cited in Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, Vol 4, p. 163, Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah 1998 (Geo. Q. Cannon & Sons, 1904)

I learned by scanning through microfilm of the 1870 Ogden Junction, that this epidemic afflicted Ogden and the surrounding area for much of the year. Having the quarantine site on their land was not good for the Stephen’s family, having afflicted sixteen of them, according to Mr. Fife. John Stephens died Dec 3, 1870 at his residence near Burch Creek of smallpox.


The Ogden Semi-Weekly Junction,
3 December 1870

End of the Smallpox Epidemic?

An article in The Ogden Semi-Weekly Junction of December 14, 1870 stated:

Burch Creek–

The small pox at Burch Creek has, up to date, attacked sixteen persons, all members of the Stephens family. “Doctor” Ryle who has them in charge, pronounces them all, with the exception of Father Stephens whose death was announced last wee, in a state of convalescence, and expects that in a few days they will have entirely recovered.


The Ogden Semi-Weekly Junction, 14 December 1870

These accounts have some conflicts about the timing of this epidemic. Mr. Fife indicated the beginning of this epidemic as May, suggesting that Mrs. Eggleston would have died earlier than her July 6 death date. People would have been people quarantined by the time of her death, according to Fife’s account, so it would seem they would have known what Lurania died of, and she should have been quarantined as well.

Mr. Fife indicated that “ Only seven of the 89 cases were fatal and the epidemic was over by the end of October,” which doesn’t fit with the newspaper accounts that John Stephens died in December and his family members were still recovering. Of course, these accounts are based on the recollections of individuals.

If the numbers reported are correct – 89 people became sick, 16 of those were members of the Stephens family; and 7 died, including Lurania, Cora Gladys, May Julia and John Stephens. With four of the seven deaths being connected to the family, I wonder how many other family members got sick but recovered.

David H. Johnson Water Wars

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Introduction and Disclaimer

I have been intrigued by the story of Uncle David Johnson since my father told it to me years ago. I always found it rather sad.  I have done some digging in an attempt to get a better understanding of what really happened. Some families may be embarrassed by this kind of story and even refuse to discuss it. I find these kinds of things fascinating. They kind of bring out an inner detective in me.

With many such stories, there is the family version and a somewhat different version given through records. Some of the family version is what my father has remembered, being just a child when all these things happened.

I have poured though David’s numerous petitions, trying to make sense of them. They have the outward appearance of formal legal documents, but they are rambling, disjointed, repetitive, and confusing. The ones I have copies of are dated 1958-1960, so were written long after the incidents.

I searched legal records at the Utah State History office and found even more petitions among the court documents. Some of the newspaper articles I have read have obvious errors.

I of course, have my own biases and perspective based on my experiences. I will try to present what I have learned and what conclusions I have made, as well as what questions I still have.

The Family Story

The story my father told starts with David being a very successful farmer.  The land west of Ogden was alkaline. David developed a drainage system which leeched the alkali from the soil. He raised very good crops there, much better than his neighbors, which raised suspicion and allegations that he was taking more than his share of water.

The picture in my mind as I heard Dad’s story was of a wild west shootout with David in a ditch shooting to defend himself. David was shot in the head. The other guy was shot too – but he died. David was convicted of murder and served a life sentence in the Utah State Penitentiary.

Through research I realized that this was just the final chapter of David’s story, which had many more interesting details.

Water Wars Part One

David Johnson homesteaded some land in Ogden Valley as a young man. He was married at age 25 in 1900, so may have already owned this land for a while before his marriage. He had a dispute there with some of the neighbors over water rights. He outlined this dispute in a document titled “Attachment to Brief on Appeal” apparently drafted as part of an appeal to this first conviction.

David owned 160 acres located at the mouth of Wolf Creek Canyon in Eden. The officers of the Eden Irrigation Canal Company at that time were George Fuller, Ben Colvin and Virgil Stallings. David apparently had two shares and an allotted time to water his land, but one week when there had been rain, he diverted “surplus” water to a narrow strip of land, where it would run into the canal.

David was accused of stealing the canal water, was found guilty by a Justice of the Peace and fined $1200.00. David appealed this decision to the District Court.

The details in David’s petition are rather confusing, but the sense I get is that he felt that the Canal trustees had resources and power and pressured him to abandon his land. He was rather young at this time, and according to my father, he agreed to sell rather than face legal consequences. David sold this land in February 1904 to Anthon F. Anderson.

Water Wars Part Two

After selling his land and leaving Eden in 1905, David lived in Ogden City for several years. He first lived on Jefferson Avenue and then later in West Ogden on E. Ave. He bought a farm in Kanesville, in Weber County in 1914.

On June 2, 1929 David had another dispute over a bill for pasturage. This one was with a neighbor named Carl D. Johnson (no relation). David fired three shots at this other Johnson, one going through his hat. Carl Johnson hit David and knocked him down with a shovel. David was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and intent to commit murder.

Complaint of assault with intent to commit murder 1929

The case was transferred to the Court of Justice of the Peace Gladwell in Burch Creek (now South Ogden).

Salt Lake Tribune 6-13-1929

Salt Lake Tribune 10-16-1929

Water Wars Part Three

Adjacent to David’s land in Kanesville was land owned by John Kap. David claimed he had been threatened by Kap and Kap’s brother-in-law Chris Bowhuis, “If you don’t leave this country at once and give us your land ditch and water in this street, we are going to kill you and bury you like a rat.” Apparently they had dug a “grave” already for him.

David asserted that the State of Utah had denied all right held by David H. Johnson of land ditch and water as stood in this street. This had been acquired by Weber County on the construction of Utah Central Railroad in 1876, and when the road grade was built, it dug up the Salt Lake Valley hard pan rock, and stopped the flow of such under ground water coursing west to the lake. The State of Utah engineer, George M. Bason accorded this to David H. Johnson by State filing No. 9727 April 1925. This was proved up on and recorded January 1928. David Johnson used this for 11 years to May 19, 1936.

Map drawn by David

The Shootout

May 19, 1936, John Kap went to this ditch which was adjacent to Johnson’s land, armed with a 22 rifle and shovel. David was working on his land as Kap passed. David described the incident:

“As I Johnson took up a 22 rifle loaded with a long bullet and walked to my ditch in this street a legal appurtenance to my land, and saw Kap and Bowhuis dug grave and threw all into the gutter east of the pile of dirt, crawled to the pile of dirt to see where old Kap was; he was standing with his 22 rifle resting, pointed at me and fired a 22 bullet into my head, and then Kap walked to me living to stiff to raise up, when I shot old Kap in the center breast bone in self defense.”

Apparently Chris Bowhuis called the Sheriff’s office and Deputy Gaylord Taylor arrested David and took him to the Dee Hospital. According to his own account, David had a

“small wound in the frontal hair line about two and one half inches above the superorbital notch; the bullet of a short 22 calibre bullet was found two and half inches back of entrance. The X-ray picture is on file at the hospital. J. Howard Jenkins (Hospital Principle). The morning of May 20, 1836 the hospital informed the county Physican, doctor Feller, who examined this head and reported death is imminent unless the foreign body is removed at once from this man head. The hospital X-rayed his head and Doctor Feller parted to scalp to show the bullet, then shaved the bullet down to the part he removed it.”

John Kap was apparently also taken to the hospital. His wounds were described in court transcripts:

“The X-ray picture reveals he was shot from the front of his body with a long 22 bullet that struck his center breast bone; and entivraly turned to the right, and lodged in his left lung. Juryman you see the metal specks shattered all over his cut open breast, from the bullet striking his breast bone.”

John Kap died May 27, 1936. Apparently he was recovering from his wound, but later died of a lung hemorrhage. David was then charged with murder.

The Trial

The main witnesses at the trial were the family members of the victim and the police officer. I question whether David had very good legal counsel. David fell asleep at his preliminary hearing, and reportedly got angry at the Judge at times during the trial. The Judge also indicated that David had given varying details at times and he did not believe some of his claims.

Ogden Standard 6-2-1936

The Story From the Judge

The letter that Judge Leslie Wade wrote to the Parole Board gives his summary of the charges and the trial with additional details. He explained the dispute about the water and a statement David made to the Watermaster that he would kill Kap if he attempted to take water from the ditch. At 6 pm on May 19, Kap went to the ditch armed with a shotgun and a shovel, and with his brother-in-law Chris Bowhuis on lookout for any trouble.

David was there with a 22 rifle and a .38 caliber revolver. The judge described the incident as David firing first at Kap and then Kap rose up after falling to the ground and fired a shot at David which hit him in the head. Apparently there were more shots fired as Kap walked away.

The Judge also gave some additional background on David, which shows his opinion of him. He stated:

“Mr. Johnson has a rather notorious past history. He lives by himself in a very poorly furnished and very poorly built house. He has several chicken-coops and stables, and a person traveling by his place on the road wouldn’t know which was the house and which was the stable and which was a chicken-coop. I am informed that he has been married, but that his wife died many years ago, and that since about 1915 he has lived alone out in the neighborhood of where he lived at the time of the shooting.”

The Judge did give some indication that all sides were partly at fault in the ongoing water dispute. County Water Commissioners attempted to arbitrate the matter and there was previous court action. Interestingly the Judge stated that he had been involved as David’s attorney in a previous case and later withdrew, which raises some questions about his impartiality in this case.

The Judge also reviewed the earlier 1929 case, disputes in 1931 and 1932 with Kap and Bowhuis, and other petty court actions.

The Judge’s Assessment of David

“He seems to be a man that has brooded over his troubles so long that he is absolutely unable to see anything from the standpoint of the other person. He seems to be of a very sutbborn disposition, and has worked himself up to a stage where he feels that he is going to have his way or he is going to kill some one. As long as he is in this frame of mind, I felt that he is a very dangerous man to the public, or the community in which he lives.”

The Verdict

The jury was given options of finding David guilty of First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder or involuntary manslaughter. David was convicted of Second Degree Murder. He was sentenced to the Utah State Penitentiary for life, a sentence which the judge described as “the extreme penalty which the law allowed me to give him, to wit, imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.”

Petitions

David filed numerous and very detailed petitions. Petitions were directed to the District Court, the Utah State Supreme Court, The United States Supreme Court, Congress, and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He even has some addressed “To Whom it may Concern” and “If you have a conscience, read this”. Some list David as petitioner vs. the State of Utah, but one has David H. Johnson, plaintiff vs. Warden Turner, the Prison Warden. (The one who said at the time of his death, that Dave was a model prisoner.)

David must have gained some knowledge of the judicial system,  some through experience, and likely through study in prison. He knew enough to create petitions, which contain some legal terminology, but are rather confusing and difficult to follow. He didn’t seem to understand appropriate procedures well.

One petition with handwritten cover page over mimeograph copy. In the top right hand corner the pages are fastened together with thread sewn though.

In his petitions, David cited the Constitution and other laws to try to establish that he had acted in self defense. Part of defense in these petitions involved the allegation that his property had been illegally taken from him. Apparently Chris Bowhuis was allowed to possess David’s “land ditch and water, 6 cows two horses 500 chickens and 5000 value of chattel property and imprison Johnson for life.”

Some of the petitions included hand drawn maps.

Appeals and Parole Hearings

David’s case went before the Parole board a number of times and was denied each time. He was denied Parole in February 1940.

Ogden Standard-Examiner 3-17-1946

A self-prepared clemency appeal was denied by the Pardon board March 17, 1946. Mrs. Kap, the widow of John Kap appeared before the board and said that she would fear for her safety if David was released.

Dec 23, 1951, David made another appeal to the parole board, still saying he was innocent.

It is interesting that the Prison Warden, John Turner, is quoted in this article after David’s death, saying that he was a model prisoner and caused no trouble there, yet the Judge had indicated in his letter to the Parole Board that if David’s attitude changed, parole might be appropriate.

Warden Turner also said that to his knowledge David had never been up for parole or termination. “He may have had desires to get out but apparently didn’t push the matter”. I wonder how well this Warden actually knew David. It does appear that David spent the remainder of his life rather obsessed with trying to get out of prison.

The End of David’s Life and Struggle

David did spend the remainder of his life in prison. He actually was taken to Salt Lake General Hospital and died there, rather than in the prison itself.

Ogden Standard-Examiner Jan 25, 1961

My Impressions

Are we seeing a pattern here? A single incident might lead one to believe that David had indeed been ganged up on, provoked and taken advantage of. But there seem to be repeated conflicts with neighbors which escalated to the point of violence. David clearly had trouble getting along with neighbors and had a hot temper.

I do believe that David felt that he was being threatened and needed to defend himself and his property. I think he truly felt he was the one being attacked and acted in self-defense.

In the first incident in Eden, David was very young and up against the established leaders of the community. In the last incident, the “victim” Kap and neighbor Bouwhuis were relatives and had other family members taking their side. David’s property was very literally surrounded by the land of these two.

But I have to wonder if some of this feeling like a victim of conspiracies was a bit of paranoia. The mention from the Prison Warden about David being sent to the State Mental Hospital and the institution in American Fork, may suggest that some thought that he suffered from some impairment or mental illness. Also there was mention of a potential insanity defense to the murder charge.

Having some experience with traumatic brain injuries, it would make some sense to me that after the last incident where David was shot in the head, he may have had some impairment because of that. That might account for some things, like not being able to communicate coherently his account and falling asleep in court during his preliminary hearing. Though feelings of persecution and violent responses were evident much earlier.

I still feel that Uncle David’s life was rather sad.

Vedia Eggleston’s Postcard Book – The Rest of the Postcards

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This should be the last of the postcards from Vedia Eggleston’s Postcard Book. They provide more glimpses into the past century.

Veda was in Malad, Idaho in 1914, apparently was staying with her sister Rae. This card is from a friend Charlotte with news of social events.

May 3, 1916, this card was sent from Afton, Wyoming to Aunt Veda in Malad, Idaho.

This is an earlier card sent in 1910 when Vedia was still in Afton, Wyoming.

Vedia’s sister, probably Lottie, sent this card to Vedia in 1914 when she was in Malad, Idaho.

Another card from Vedia’s sister Lottie and sent in 1911 to Afton, Wyoming.

This card was sent from Deweyville, Utah in July 1913, It is from Veda’s sister.

This card was from Veda’s sister Florence sent in April 1916 to Veda in Malad, Idaho.

Vedia’s sister Rae from Tremonton, Utah sent this card to Veda in Afton, Wyoming. The postmark is Mar 15 and this card being green with shamrocks, it appears to be for St. Patrick’s Day.

Virginia Dewey, daughter of Connie Dewey, sent this card to her Aunt Veda.

Addressed to Mrs. John B. Jones in Malad, Idaho, this card was sent to Vedia in 1916 after her marriage. It is from her sister Clara in Afton, Wyoming.

Sent from Deweyville, Utah on September 25, 1913, this card was from Vedia’s sister.

A card from a friend Vera in Deweyville, Utah. Veda was back in Afton, Wyoming. She had probably made friends with this Vera while visiting her sister Connie in Deweyville.

Another card from Vera in Deweyville, Utah.

This card was sent to Vedia while she was in Tremonton, Utah in 1910. She was probably with her sister Connie, since her sister Clara says to tell Connie hello.

Vedia’s sister Rae sent this card to her from Afton, Wyoming. Veda may have been in Sandy, Utah.

 

Lola Eggleston Gorder Allen

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Lola Eggleston Gorder Allen – her story in her own words.

I was born December 15, 1917 to Joseph Smith and Talitha Cuma Cheney Eggleston, in Grovant, Wyoming. My family was Alice, Wesley, Me, Orland, Laura, Melvin, Dale, and DeLoss.

Birth Notice in the Jackson paper – Lola was the baby girl born December 15, 1917

Mama died when she was 49. She had an operation to remove some scar tissue. On Sunday she was sitting up in bed crocheting and on Tuesday we got the word she had died. Papa married Stella, who was Mama’s niece. Papa died at the age of 83.

Move to Utah

When I was two years old we moved to Utah by train. I was running in the isles of the train and a man thought I was such a pretty little girl he gave me a silver dollar. Mom bought me a pair of shoes with it.

When it was time to go to school I didn’t start because I wan’t 6 in time so I had to wait a year. My first grade teacher was a fat woman. I didn’t like her. She taught for the first three years. On the fourth of July I had a chance to fish in the fishpond. She was the one to give the prizes. She had a black heavy straw hat she said was for the first pretty little girl that came by. I hated it. I never wore it. It was an old woman’s hat with thick rims and was flat on the top. I wanted a purse like the other kids were getting. It was so ugly. She brought her daughter to school the day it started. She put her in the second grade and said, “keep her there.” She later skipped a year so she was two years ahead of me and younger than me.

I like to do the ironing when I was little and I had to do the dishes a lot. The iron was a coal stove iron. You had to have a real hot fire to heat the iron. You’d have to use two of them so you could trade off. This was before we had electricity.

School was 2 1/2 miles from where we lived. We had to walk to catch a bus to go to high school. In the winter it was so cold and the snow so deep. When I was about 16 and going in the 10th grade, I moved to Ogden to work for my room and board and go to school. The first place I lived was with friends, Ray and Olive Rudd.

Lola as a Senior in High School

I went to the Junior Prom with a boy that played in an orchestra they made up themselves. I went to the girls dance and we had to ask the boy. I went with the boy that took me to the Cadet hop at his school. I went to all the school dances with guys that were older. I loved to dance. When I graduated, Wesley gave me my class ring and Alice gave me a yearbook.

I was staying in Ogden with George and Kathrin Stouckland and Phil chased with Kathrin’s brother. That’s how I met Phil. I used to tend Selma’s baby and didn’t know she was Phil’s sister.

Alice, Joe, Melvin, Stella and Lola

Marriage to Phil Gorder

Phil and I got married in Norman and Nettie’s house. We didn’t have a honeymoon. We first lived at the old Nelson house. Winters were cold; the tea bottle would freeze and the linoleum would curl. I used to put the ashes in a board box and just put the box on a platform by the stove. We came home from the store one day and the hot ashes in the box had burned through the floor but the house didn’t catch fire. I never did figure out why it didn’t. We lived there for two years while Phil built us a new home. We stayed with the folks for a while. I had a miscarriage first, then I had Gail. I raised chickens and sold the eggs for extra money.

Being a Mother

The night Gail was born: I woke up – didn’t have any pain but was uncomfortable. Phil called his mother. We sat there talking and finally decided to go to the hospital. My water broke going down the stairs. I sat on the toilet while Phil went for the car. I still wasn’t having pains. Mother said I’d better get started. So we left. The pain started on the way really pressing going down the canyon. We made it to the hospital in a little over ten minutes. I told Phil to go get a cart. He came back and said the wanted me to walk in and I said I couldn’t move. So he went and got one. When I got to the delivery room and they were trying to undress me and I’d have a pain and couldn’t move. He was born 2:10 AM. That was before the canyon was changed. It had a horseshoe bend that was a really sharp turn. I never had long or hard labor with any of my kids.

Gary was the only one that would “take the breast.” Gail and Dee wouldn’t, they’d just cry. So, with Cuma I just said “get a damn bottle, I don’t want to fight anymore.”

My kids all turned out pretty good. I’m proud of all of them.

Family Reunion Photo. Back row Joe, Stella, Alice, Lola Front row Orland, Doc, Wesley, Melvin

Farm Life

Once we decided to fatten and eat an orphaned lamb. We bottle-fed it, and soon it became a pet. When it came time to butcher it, nobody would to it. So we ate beef.

In about 1998, Gail was in the hospital for high blood pressure. Ivan Rick was visiting and told of when he and some friends stole some of my chickens. He said there were so tough he couldn’t bite into the meat.

We had some good friends, Dave and Bell Clawson. We did everything together. One day when we were riding around, we went to the Stoddard slough and saw this old boat and decided to take a ride. We went up the stream and back and then Dave and I got out of the boat. When Phil and Bell were getting out, the boat tipped over. They went down in all the weeds and dirty slough. Bell had just gotten her a hair permanent and she came out of all the mud and said “there’s $10 gone to hell!” Phil had on a pair of white wool pants that shrunk to where he couldn’t wear them anymore. We all laughed. We still do when we think of it.

When Phil joined the church our troubles started. He didn’t like me to do what I liked to do and seemed to get upset if I got any attention. He started drinking and staying away from home. One time he was gone for over a week. I didn’t know where he was and couldn’t take care of the cows so I sold them. He never did come home so I filed for divorce. He didn’t talk to me after that.

Marriage to Vern Allen

I married Vern Allen on May 24, 1969. We went to Las Vegas and lived there for 16 years. He got sick with cancer so we moved back to Ogden to live until he died on November 23, 1983. I did Temple work doing sealings, then I did extraction work. I enjoyed it. That lasted for several years.

Dee’s Memories

Lola ended her story here, but her son Dee wrote some memories of her. He said:

I don’t know much about Mom’s growing up years. She never said a lot that I remember, past the usual “why, when I was little, we had to walk two miles to catch the bus, the snow so deep we walked over the fence tops” when any any of us kids complained about having to stand in the cold while waiting for the school bus. I suspect that in her case, it was probably very near the truth.

I don’t believe Mom’s growing up years, for the most part, held many pleasant memories for her. In my untrained view, Mom was punished a lot by her father and she was very afraid of him. Her Dad, Grandpa Eggleston, was held in check to some degree by Mom’s mother before she died. Mom felt singled out by her Dad. She tells of one time he “beat me with a singletree.” For all that, she loved him and took some pride in how well he maintained his farm and how well he cared for his cows and other animals.

Mom always seemed to me to be unhappy. By the time I was old enough to notice, Mom and Dad were having trouble, so maybe that was part of the reason.

Mom and Dad divorced, then Mom married Vern Allen. Vern was also from Morgan, an old neighbor in fact. He was a reformed alcoholic himself, but Mom seemed to like him and was happy during her time with him.

While Dad and us boys were out doing farm and animal stuff, Mom worked at maintaining a neat and comfortable home for us. She baked bread and I remember on occasion she made her own lye soap. In addition to maintaining the house, Mom was mostly in charge of caring for two chicken coops full of laying hens.

My Memories

Lola’s Obituary mentioned that she “enjoyed quilting and hand needle work, creating countless beautiful works of art over her lifetime. All are treasures to those fortunate enough to own one. I am one who was fortunate to own one – a tablecloth she gave me for a wedding gift.

Photo of the last four siblings – Alice, Mel, Lola and Doc

In 2001 we had an Eggleston Family Reunion. We had not had one for many, many years. This was the last time Lola was with many family members.

Doc, Alice and Lola at the 2001 Family Reunion

Lola’s Death

I remember that Lola fell and broke her hip some months before she died. I visited her in the Care Center. She passed away on February 8, 2003. She was buried in the Milton Cemetery.

’

Note: Lola wrote her story, which her son Dee and wife Karen included in a Gorder Family History book.

Vedia Eggleston’s Postcard Book – More Postcards

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Vedia Eggleston’s Postcard book contained over 100 postcards when Donna purchased it. Some cards had already been removed and sold individually. It was quite a collection and gives us some idea of how popular and prevalent it was to send these cards to friends and family. It was very much like texts, tweets and Facebook posts we send today to keep in touch and share updates on our lives.

This card was sent from Edith in Afton to Veda who was in Malad. The postmark appears to be 1915.

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Stella May Cheney Robinson Eggleston

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Stella May Cheney Robinson Eggleston

Stella’s Life in Her Own Words

I, Stella May Cheney, was born 13 Nov. 1905 at Wilson, Teton Co., Wyoming. (This was Uinta Co., then Lincoln and now Teton County.)

I was born in a log cabin on Fish Creek, near Uncle “Nick” (E. N.) Wilson’s home. I knew him and his son, George, was my childhood play mate.

My father was Selar Sylvester Cheney, a son of Selar Cheney who was a son of Elam, whose Father, Aaron Cheney, joined the L.D.S. [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] Church in New York in 1831.

My mother was Edith Vivian Nethercott; she was born 28 April 1885 in Corning, Tehema Co., California. Her father was Alfred Nethercott, born 20 March 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alfred Nethercott’s father, Alfred Alexander Nethercott, his mother Charlotte Pearce and his grandparents, James Nethercott and Rachel James, were from England. They lived in Utah and Calif., and later Alfred Alexander, his wife, Charlotte and Alfred Nethercott, his wife, Ida Ann Thompson and children went to Wyoming about 1900.

My mother’s mother was Ida Ann Thompson – born at Trenton, Grundy Co., Missouri. The family went to California when my grandmother was a child. John Alexander Campbell Thompson and his wife, Amanda Caroline Williams – parents of Ida Ann Thompson.

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Annie Christine Johnson Eggleston

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Annie Christine Johnson Eggleston

Annie Christine Johnson Eggleston

Christine’s Early Life

Annie Christine Johnson Eggleston was born November 7, 1864 in Salt Lake City, a daughter of Peter Johnson and Ane Maria Madsen. Her parents had immigrated from Denmark separately just a few years earlier. They married September 27, 1862 in Salt Lake City. Annie Christine was their second child and was born before they moved to Eden. She was known as Christine, probably because her mother was Ane Marie and her older sister Annie Marie. She grew up in Eden on the family farm. Her father died in 1878 when she was 14 years old. She probably helped to care for her seven younger siblings.

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Orson Hyde Eggleston

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Orson Hyde Eggleston

Early Life of Orson Hyde Eggleston

Orson Hyde Eggleston was born October 3, 1841 in Niles, Cayuga Co. New York. He was born four months after his parents, Samuel and Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston, were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was named after Orson Hyde, whom his parents had apparently met in 1832 when he came to the area as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In July 1842, when Orson was less than a year old, his father Samuel moved the family to Nauvoo, Illinois. Orson would have spent his early childhood in the growing town of Nauvoo. In early 1846, the Saints were driven from Nauvoo and the Eggleston family left in the spring. They went to Winter Quarters where another son, Samuel was born and died in August 1847.

Orson indicated in a handwritten biography that “my father not having means to come west with the Pioneers moved back across the Missouri River to Iowa, lived for a time at Traders Point, then went to Council Bluffs and lived for a time, then went 7 miles north to Crescent City.” The family remained in this area until 1862. Orson would have received his schooling there. He apparently learned the printers trade in Pottawattamie County, along with his brother Reuben. The 1860 Census listed Orson H., age 18, as printer. Orson was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints December 30, 1860 at the age of 19. He indicated that in the winter of 1860-61 his parents renewed their covenants by baptism and he was also baptized at that time. He was also ordained an Elder that winter, as was his brother Reuben.

Migration to Utah

In the summer of 1861, Orson came to Utah with his brother Reuben and his family in the David H. Cannon Company. The rest of the family remained in Council Bluffs until 1862. Orson mentioned in a brief biography that “in the spring of 1862 I was called to go to the frontier as a teamster and in 1863 I was called and went the second time, went to the little town of Wyoming the outfitting point that season assisted Joe N. Young in forwarding the Saints and on the return trip was appointed commissary of the train.”

By this time, Church leaders in Utah had discontinued the handcart companies as an inexpensive means to transport the large numbers of Saints immigrating from Europe. There was then a good supply of wagons and teams in the Salt Lake Valley and the railroad had moved further west, making it possible for teamsters to leave Salt Lake in the early spring, travel to the outfitting point where the railroad ended and bring the Saints to the Salt Lake Valley before winter set in. Orson being a young, single and likely healthy man, was called to assist with this work. It appears that Orson returned to Utah with his family in the summer of 1862 and returned with them in the James Wareham Company. The Deseret News of September 16, 1862 included a Report on the immigration.

“The day was warm in G. S. L. City. Elder Amasa M. Lyman & Charles C. Rich & Co. arrived in Salt Lake City. Capt. James Wareham’s Independent Co. members—Samuel, Lurania, Orson H. & Mary E. Eggleston; Edwin, Eliza R. Charlotte & John F. Eggleston”.

Records indicate that Orson made a third trip in 1864 with the John R. Murdock Company.

Life in Ogden, Utah

Orson and his family settled in Ogden, Utah. Weber County land records show that Orson owned one acre of land, Lot six of Block 27 Plat A, Ogden City. Orson and Reuben were ordained Seventies in the 53rd Quorum the winter after they arrived in Ogden.

Orson apparently became an involved member of the community. The Deseret News of July 4, 1863 included a detailed account of the festivities in Ogden for the holiday. The day began with a flag ceremony at dawn, followed by the band parading through town. Then a breakfast was served at the home of Richard Ballantyne at 7 a.m. A large parade followed at 9:00. The 10th of 16 entries in this parade was described as “12 young men under the direction of Mr. Orson Eggleston.” Following the parade there were speeches and music.

On November 18, 1865 Orson was elected Captain in the Nauvoo Legion in the Weber Military District, Company C Infantry, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment 1st Brigade. He received a commission from Gov. Charles Durkee. The Nauvoo Legion was the local Militia. It was named after the Militia of Nauvoo headed by Joseph Smith. Because the Saints were isolated in Utah without any military to defend them, in fact the U.S. military being in the position of enemy for some time, the Nauvoo Legion was established to provide protection and defense. A Deseret News article of August 13, 1869 included a report from Ogden including an account of the re-organization of the Weber County Militia, first Regiment, first Brigade. Listed as a Captain was Orson Eggleston.

In 1868 T. B. H. Stenhouse began publishing a newspaper in Ogden and Orson and his brother Reuben were hired as compositors. This paper only lasted until October 1869, but by December 1869, a number of enterprising townspeople had organized the Ogden Junction Publishing Co. The first semi-weekly Ogden Junction was published January 1, 1870. Orson and Reuben Eggleston were among the first compositors employed on the paper. The editor of this paper was Franklin D. Richards and Charles W. Penrose was associate editor.

First Marriage to Constant Ann Stephens

On December 4, 1864 Orson married Constant Ann Stephens, the daughter of John Stephens and Elizabeth Briggs. The family settled in Weber County where her father built the first reservoir in 1856. At the time of their marriage Orson was 24 and Constant was almost 16. They were the parents of 11 children.

Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Orson served a mission for the Church to Michigan in 1876-77, leaving his wife home with five children. Orson kept a journal of this mission, which is currently in the Archives of the History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He was called on the mission October 7, 1876 at General Conference. It was common for mission calls to be made from the pulpit at General Conference. He was one of 36 missionaries called on Missions to the United States at that Conference. Orson stated in his journal, “I was called by the General Conference to go on a mission to the United States.” Though the mission was to the United States, he served mainly in Michigan. Perhaps he had some choice in that. He had many relatives in Michigan with whom he was able to visit, teach and obtain genealogical information.

Orson was blessed and set apart for this mission by Elder Orson Pratt October 21, 1876 in the Historians office in Salt Lake City. He did not have a great deal of time to prepare for this mission. He left Ogden November 15, 1876 with an Elder Porter and headed toward Chicago, stopping first in Council Bluffs. Orson visited with his brother Edwin who was living there. He also visited “A host of friends all of whom seemed glad to see me.” Having grown up mostly in the Council Bluffs area, Orson would have had many friends and acquaintances still there.

After leaving Council Bluffs they stopped at Missouri Valley 24 miles north of Council Bluffs where they spent the night with some of his wife Constant’s cousins. They were members of the Church and he indicated they “had a good time taught them the Gospel and encouraged them in the latter-day work which they had already embraced.” From there they continued to Iowa, stopping at Marshall and then traveling north to Parkersburg, where Orson visited his Uncle Ambrose Eggleston. Ambrose was a Baptist minister, so they probably had some interesting conversations regarding religion.

Orson did not have much success as far as convert baptisms, however he did visit family members and gathered a great deal of genealogical information. He sent this information home in letters to his father.

July 3rd the Ogden Junction reported:

“Elder O. H. Eggleston returned on Sunday evening from a mission to the Western States, having left Ogden on the 15th of November last. He labored principally in Michigan and Iowa, and reports the people in some sections as being inclined towards anything rather than religion– mines being the principal item of interest. He had fair success, however. The latter part of his labors were at Council Bluffs Iowa; where he worked in conjunction with Elder James A. Little of Toquerville. Elder Eggleston has not had good health during the past two months.”

Another report was published in the Deseret News 10 November 1877:

“Missionary—Elder O. H. Eggleston, of Ogden, called upon us to-day. He recently returned from a mission to the State of Michigan, where he was busily and successfully engaged in the ministry about eight months. Since his return, he has suffered severely from the effects of a fall from a building in Ogden, on which he commenced work soon after his arrival home.”

Second Marriage to Mariett Orinda Farley

On July 11, 1879 Orson married a second wife, Mariett Orinda Farley, the daughter of Winthrop Farley and Angeline Calkin. Mariett was born August 17, 1855 after her family had migrated to Utah. At the time of this marriage, Orson was 37, Constant was 30 and Mariett was 24. Orson and Mariett had nine children.

Orson with Mariett and their children

Third Marriage to Annie Christine Johnson

February 10, 1881 Orson married a third wife, Annie Christine Johnson, the 17 year old daughter of Danish immigrants, Peter and Anna Maria Madsen Johnson who lived near his home in Eden. Annie Christine was born November 7, 1864 in Salt Lake City. Orson and Annie Christine had five children.

Move to Eden, Utah

In the fall of 1877, Orson moved to Eden in Ogden Valley. Orson’s handwritten biography stated “while living in Eden I married Mariett O. Farley and Anna Christine Johnson as plural wives.”

Upon moving to Eden, Orson purchased the home of Richard Ballantyne, who had been the first Presiding Elder in Eden. Elder Ballantyne moved to Ogden at that time. This house still stands in Eden across the street from the Eden Park. Though remodeled over the years, it was reported to still have a pioneer root cellar in 1977.

Home of Orson Hyde Eggleston

Orson’s home in Eden.

Eden was one of three small towns in Ogden Valley. This rather isolated valley was used as a pioneer herding ground in the 1850’s. A few cabins were built by the herders, but the first permanent settlers didn’t arrive until 1859. Travel into the Valley was very difficult until a road was built through Ogden Canyon. The valley had previously been a camping area for the Shoshone Indians and they continued to camp there in the early years.

The L.D.S. residents of Eden were originally a branch under the direction of Captain Jefferson Hunt of Huntsville. They were known as the North Fork District of the Hunstville Ward of the Weber Stake. Richard Ballantyne was the first Branch President from 1865-1874. Josiah Marsh Ferrin was the second Branch President from 1874-1877 with Henry Holmes and Peter Johnson as counselors. The Eden Ward was formed June 10, 1877, around the time that Orson moved there. Josiah Ferrin was first Bishop, with Peter Johnson and Enoch Burns as Counselors. Orson served as Sunday School Superintendent after moving to Eden. He was also listed as YMMIA Superintendent. Orson was ordained a High Priest March 3, 1878 by Bishop Josiah Ferrin and was called as second counselor in the Bishopric at that time, replacing Enoch Burns who had moved to southeastern Utah. Orson served in this Bishopric with first counselor Peter Johnson, whose daughter Annie Christine he later married. In January 1879, after the death of Peter Johnson, Orson was made first counselor. After this Bishopric was released November 1, 1883, Orson was made Ward Clerk. He served in that position for several years.

The Eden Ward records contain many interesting comments made by Orson, which were quoted in “History of the Eden Ward”. March 8, 1879 he reported: “We have had a first-class day school the past winter and it is yet in session, being taught by Brother Edward H. Anderson of Huntsville.”

In an entry dated January 6, 1881, as Counselor, Orson exhorted all to pay their tithing. He also requested Sunday store trading be discontinued and hoped the brethren from the north end of the valley would take note of this so Brother John Farrell and his family would be able to attend their meetings, and he hoped the ward teachers would notify their people to that effect. Another note dated March 8, 1879 stated:

“Our Sunday meetings have been unusually interesting and well attended the past winter. Our YMMIA meetings have been very interesting, our schoolhouse being filled every evening we hold meetings. There has been an inter-missionary labor kept up between this place and Huntsville by our young men of the two societies and a marked improvement is manifest.”

A Ward Teaching report dated October 29, 1884 indicated that Elder Orson Eggleston said he had heard some complain the spirit of infidelity was growing among some of the young people and said he was sorry to hear it. As conclusion to their book “History of the Eden Ward”, Ren and Melba Colvin quoted Orson as saying on March 8, 1879:

“We are not blessed here as the people are in many places with two or three grades of society; here we are all brethren and sisters, and have but one class of society and that is first class.”

Orson seems to have enjoyed living in Eden. In addition to church service, he was the postmaster for several years.

Orson’s wife Constance was made first Counselor in the Relief Society June 7, 1878. Orson, as Counselor in the Bishopric conducted the meeting when this took place. Constance served in this position until June 17, 1886 when she moved to Star Valley. Mariett Eggleston was called as treasurer of the Primary June 24, 1881.

Deaths and a New Cemetery

Orson lost two children, Samuel Lee and John Stephens in October 1878 during a Diphtheria epidemic. They were probably buried in the Ogden City Cemetery. Orson had bought a plot there, where there are two infants in unmarked graves. His parents Samuel and Lurania were also buried in this plot.

The people of Eden, feeling the need of a Cemetery there, assembled a committee in 1882 to pursue acquiring some property from Orson Eggleston for a Cemetery. This was part of his farm, sitting on a hill which now overlooks the north arm of the Pineview Reservoir. It is now known as the Eden Meadow View Cemetery.

A Ward Teachers report of September 30, 1882 stated:

“Bishop John Farrell stated that he wished to say something in regards to the burying ground for our dead, as the people were not satisfied with it at present. He wished Brother Eggleston to make a statement in regard to the land which has been purchased for that purpose located in his field. He (brother Eggleston) stated that he let the people have the land with the understanding that they pay him $25.00 for the same, which as yet he had never been paid. It was decided that the teachers, in visiting the people, inquire of them if they were willing to buy the land from brother Eggleston and have it fenced in and deed to the people, that they may be sure of a place to bury their dead, and report at the next priesthood meeting what the people are willing to do in regards to this matter.”

November 30, 1882 the committee appointed to see to the grave yard reported their success in purchasing the land for the same and what it would cost to fence it in by itself.” Orson and his family moved to Star Valley shortly after this was all settled, so the only member of his family buried there was his son Joseph who returned to Eden to live. Orson’s father-in-law, Peter Johnson and family were buried there.

Eden Meadow View Cemetery

Eden Meadow View Cemetery with view of Pineview Reservoir

 

Journey to Star Valley, Wyoming

After the Edmunds anti-Polygamy Act was passed in 1882, life became more difficult for families practicing polygamy. No specific incidents have been reported regarding Orson when he lived in Eden, but he may have felt less safe after this time. The government of Wyoming, in attempting to encourage settlers to that territory, did not seem as concerned about the practice of polygamy. They appeared to see Mormon settlers as hard working, stable citizens. Theywere not very cooperative with authorities attempting to enforce polygamy laws. These factors probably influenced Orson to move his family to Star Valley, Wyoming.

In November 1885, Orson went with J. C. Stephens to Star Valley. This was probably his wife Constant’s brother John Cornelius Stephens, as Orson also referred to him as Corniel. Orson left two of his wives with new babies and the other wife expecting and was separated from them for over six months. Orson kept a journal during this time which provides some interesting insights into this experience. It took a week to travel to Star Valley. They stopped in Montpelier to visit Jeff Stephens, a relative of his wife Constant. Jeff accompanied them into the valley. On this journey they got stuck in mud and were rescued by three men who came along. Orson related that they later administered to a sick horse, which did recover. They arrived in the valley November 10, 1885.

In his journal, Orson referred to their destination as the Salt River Valley. Star Valley actually consists of two small valleys, united by a narrow pass. Along the side of the valley is the Salt River mountain range. The Salt River, which is one of the Snake River’s largest tributaries, runs from the southeast end of the valley northward through both valleys. In the summer of 1880, Moses Thatcher, who had been sent by Brigham Young to find areas for settlement of Latter-day Saints in Wyoming, named the valley “Star Valley”.

Upon arriving in the Valley, Orson and his companions visited Bro. Charles C. Cazier, who had been made the Presiding Elder of the few Saints in the valley. When a Ward was organized in Afton in 1887, Brother Cazier was the first Bishop. Orson spent the winter of 1885-86 living in a tent. He was involved in surveying the town of Afton and making plans for a meetinghouse, as well as staking out a land claim for himself. Charles Cazier had been instructed to survey a townsite containing 30 blocks, each of 10 acres. This survey was done using a common carpenter’s square and rope. The townsite was later professionally re-surveyed, finding the original survey off only a few feet.

Life in Afton, Wyoming

Orson obtained a Homestead Land Grant from the Federal Government. It was issued April 29, 1893. It consisted of three pieces of land totaling 160 acres. One was the Southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 15 in Township 32 North Range 119 West North of the 6th Principal Meridian in the State of Wyoming, County of Lincoln. The second was the East half of the Northeast quarter of Section 22 in Township 32 North Range 119 West North of 6th Principal Meridian in Lincoln County, Wyoming. The third for the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 22 in Township 32 North Range 119 West North of 6th Principal meridian Lincoln County.

An early Map of the town of Afton in A History of Star Valley, showed that Orson lived on Sixth Avenue, east of Adams Street.

Postcard with a view of early Afton, Wyoming

Emil Vaterlaus started a newspaper in Afton in 1901 called The Star Valley Pioneer. In 1902 The Pioneer was published on Fridays and publishers were Emil Vaterlaus and his brother Conrad. December 12, 1902 Conrad S. Vaterlaus took over as editor and publisher. The name of the paper was changed to The Star Valley Independent on September 9, 1903. Conrad Vaterlaus continued as editor until sometime around September 1907. Henry H. Billings was listed as editor in a paper dated September 13, 1907. He operated the paper with O. H. Eggleston as typesetter until 1913. Apparently the Vaterlaus brothers recruited Orson to work with them on this paper because of his previous experience in the business.

This photograph shows the building with a sign “The Independent” and two men standing in front. On back of the photograph they are identified as Conrad Vaterlaus editor and Orson Eggleston, Compositor. Typesetting was still done by hand on this paper, which would have been a very tedious job. With Orson’s previous experience however, he was probably very proficient at it.

The Afton Ward was organized in 1887 with Charles Cazier as first Bishop. Orson served as Sunday School Superintendent and clerk of the High Priests Quorum. His wife Anne Christine served as the Secretary of the Relief Society. The Star Valley Stake was organized in August 1892. Orson served as a member of the High Council. A Tabernacle was begun in 1904 and dedicated August 15, 1909. This was a rather impressive structure built of sandstone, of middle English design with a large tower 140 feet tall. Almost everyone in the valley assisted in some way in the building of this Tabernacle, so most likely Orson and his family contributed financially, with labor on the actual building or in fund raising projects.

Afton Tabernacle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Orson practiced dentistry in Afton and his first wife Constant assisted the sick and delivered about 500 babies in the valley. Apparently by the early 1900’s electricity had come to Afton as shown by Orson’s 1911 electric bill.

Life in Polygamy

Orson did practice polygamy freely in Afton. Eventually he had separate houses for his wives. The 1900 Census of Afton listed the family in three households. Orson was head of one household, 58 years old with wife Merry E. [Mariett] age 44 and children. Annie C. Johnson was the head of the next household at age 35 with three children. The next household was Constant Eggleston as head age 51, with two adult and one teenage son.

There was a place in Star Valley called Signal Hill which served as a lookout. It was visible from all parts of the valley and the entire valley could be seen from it. From there smoke from a signal fire warned settlers of approaching strangers and especially federal authorities looking for polygamists. This would have given them time to hide. Another signal was given if the approaching people turned out to be harmless and it was again safe.

Orson was arrested at least one time for practicing polygamy, though he was not convicted. Records for the Fourth District Court, at Ogden July 30, 1892, indicated that the cases of several men charged with polygamy, adultery, and u.c., including Orson Eggleston, were dismissed . U.S. Marshall Eli H. Parsons, made the motion to dismiss because it was impossible to secure evidence sufficient to justify a conviction. This would have been during the time he lived in Afton.

Orson’s first wife Constance eventually divorced him and remarried. Third wife Christine died before Orson, so at his death he had only one wife, Mariett. Orson died February 9, 1917 in Afton, Wyoming and was buried in the Afton Cemetery.

Notes and Sources:

This biography was adapted from the chapter on Orson and his family in my book The Joseph Eggleston Family: Seven Generations from Joseph (d.1767) of Stonington, Connecticut to Joseph (1885-1965) of Utah and Wyoming (Including Maternal Lines: Hill, Burgess, Titus, Sammis & Johnson) and from histories submitted to Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Sources listed in my book include:

History of Orson Hyde Eggleston by Virgie Eggleston Stoffers (Daughters of Utah Pioneers)

“A Short Autobiography of Samuel Eggleston” from records of Laura Eggleston Cutler (Daughters of Utah Pioneers)

Milton R. Hunter, Beneath Ben Lomond’s Peak, A History of Weber County 1824-1900, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Publishers Press, 1966.

Hilda Faulkner Brown, The Michigan Mormons: Their History from 1831-1952 and a Little Beyond, Provo, Utah: H. F. Brown c 1985. (977.4 K2b)

Melba and Ren Colvin, History of the Eden Ward, Ogden Stake Utah 1877-1977 (1977)

Laverna Burnett Newey, Remember My Valleey, A History of Ogden Canyon, Huntsville, Liberty and Eden, Utah from 1825-1976 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Hawkes Publishing, Inc., 1977)

Forrest Weber Kennington & Kathaleen Kennington Hamblin, A History of Star Valley, Formerly Salt River Valley 1800-1900 (Salt Lake City, Utah:Valley Graphics, 1989)

Lee R. Call, Star Valley and Its Communities, Afton Wyoming, Star Valley Independent, 1970 (978,782 H2s, FHL film 1059486 item 8)

Thaya Eggleston Gilmore, Eggleston, Call, Baxter Family History Book, December 2002

Esshom, Frank, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah: comprising photographs, genealogies, biographies (Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Pioneers Book, 1913) (979.2 D3) p. 550, 856.

Tripp, Bartlett, 1839-1911, Journal 1861 David H. Canon Company (Church Emigration Book Vol. 3) Church History Department Archives, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Eden Ward Records (FHL film 0025921)

Biography of Orson Hyde Eggleston written for the Genealogical Society of Utah, p. 130-133. Photocopy in possession of the author.

Eggleston, Orson Hyde 1841–Reminiscences and Diary, 1876 Nov-1877 Jan., Church History Department Archives, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, photocopy in possession of the author. listed in Davis Bitton, Guide to Mormon Diaries and Autobiographies, Provo, Utah: BYU Press c. 1977, p. 98.