Monday, August 5, 2013

Erecting Homes ~ Settling of Spring City, Wales, Moroni, Fairview, and Fountain Green

Andrew Madsen Sr.












The latter part of August, (1859), Bishop Seely sent a letter to President Brigham Young at Salt Lake City, Utah, asking him if there would be any objections to erecting homes outside the Fort, it having been rumored and stated by Jehu Cox that this was the case.  The Bishop also asked permission for some of the Brethren to start a new colony on the stream six miles north.



Under the date of September 10th, 1859, Bishop W.S. Seely received a letter from President Brigham Young of which the following is in substance.


"Answering your inquiry to build outside the Fort, I will say that it would be very unwise to do so and as to starting a new colony north of your settlement, I will say that I can see no real objection to Jehu Cox making the settlement on the stream six miles north as proposed, provided he moves no women or children there until Forts are built".


Soon after receiving this reply Jehu Cox, James H. Jones, Henry W. Sanderson, Lindsay A. Brady, Isaac Y. Vance and others left their families in the Fort at Mt. Pleasant, moved to the new quarters and erected homes which were surrounded by a small Fort.  The colony was named North Bend and later it was Incorporated into a city under the name of   Fairview.



Settling of Spring City

The year of 1859 was favorable for locating new colonies because of peace having been concluded with the Indians.

A second attempt was now made to resettle Spring City which the pioneers were forced to abandon in 1853, and remove their colony to Manti.  The Indians made their work of devastation complete; on January 6th, 1854, by burning the Fort which they had left and dwellings erected by the settlers.  The leaders of the second Colony were Bishop C.G. Larsen, George Blain, R.N. Allred and others.  They erected homes and commenced to farm under many difficulties.

Settling of  Moroni

At about the same time of the settling of Spring City, a party of pioneers from Nephi came up and selected a site for the location of a Colony.  This party was composed of G.W. Bradley, J. Woolf, Isaac Morley, H. Gustin, G.H. Bradley, Neils Cummings, and N.L. Christensen.  After settling upon the hills in the center of the valley, the Colonists named their Colony Moroni.

Settling of Wales

The same year (1859)  about fifteen Welsh Families under the leadership of John E. Rees settled on the present beautiful spot and christened the Colony, Wales, in honor of their native country.  They set to work at once to operate the coal fields uncovered there.  The coal was hauled to Salt Lake City and elsewhere for market.  This was the first coal mine discovered in Utah.

Settling of  Fountain Green

George W. Johnson, having obtained permission from Brigham Young to locate a Colony and get settlers, immediately after July 4th, secured the services of Albert Petty, then the County surveyor of Sanpete County and proceeded to survey a site consisting of five blocks.

August the first, George W. Johnson, his wife and three sons, Amos, Horace and Oliver, reached the place designated.  They were joined by J.B. Holman and family.  John Green, Sam Allen, Christian Otteson and family, Jacob Miller, W. Gibson, Rees Llewelyn and  Abey L. Sherman.  They located on a small stream which they named Uinta Creek and the Colony was named Uinta, but later incorporated into a city and named Fountain Green.

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