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Show I Abandons Wagon Making To No Layton Says Fond Site Purchase Wiggill Becomes Missionary unm H m By DONETA GATHERUM I had an experience I never shall forget," wrote Eli Wiggill several times in his autobiography. He would then relate a event that would leave a deep impression in anyones mind. By DONETA GATHERUM AS MENTIONED last week, Eli Wiggill was born in England. He moved with his family and 4,000 English colonists to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa at the age of 8. The people were disappointed when they arrived at a small fishing village. Soon the Wig-g- il family was transported by a wagon train of wagons each pulled by 14 or 16 oxen to Lemon with the GSA (General Services Administration) for four years for the purchase of the Pond Site that piece of surplus property just south of Hill Field near 790 West, Layton City probably wont take the first option to buy the 16.36 acre potential park site. LAYTON 100 feet high amazed the English settlers. ELI OBSERVED it was a pretty place with hills, mountains, trees, wild flowers and a river running through the center of the valley. The scent of the flowers carried on the air for miles. The valley was divided into lots and homes were quickly built. The first structures were made of rushes, roeds, wattle and daub. Timber posts sunk into the ground supported the flimsy houses. A roof was made of sawed timber. GARDENS were planted first. The wheat planting followed. The first year rust developed in the wheat and this staple crop had to be replaced by barley. Honey was taken from wild bee nests. After the colonists were established in a permanent town, trading with neighboring Dutch farmers was begun. The English offered homemade soap, ostrich feathers and clothing in exchange for cattle. Before the arrival of the English, the Dutch people wore clothes made of animal skins. THE KAFFIR natives soon be- came a problem. The river was established as the boundary line between the natives and the settlers. The Kaffirs often crossed the river to steal cattle. While Eli was still a young man, he had the opportunity to travel through the 50,000 square mile Graaf-RieDistrict with Edward King, a trader and merchant. There were only 9,000 people other than natives living in the entire district. Some were English and others were Dutch and French. nt ELI WAS gone for over one year. Mr. Wiggill tells of trading with the Kaffirs for ox hides, gum, elephant tusks. Mr. King offered beads, buttons and brass wire. The Kaffir women dressed in turbans and skin mantles with bead and button trimmings did the trading. : f : ELI ALSO met some native Bushmen who killed small game with poisoned arrows and age ants, locusts and honey. These people lived in caves and clefts of rocks, They were skilled in making pictures of wild animals that wouldnt fade. Mr. Wiggill says this tribe became extinct because of battles with the Dutch. The few remaining Bushman merged with the Dutch settlers and became the Hottentot race. On sight Eli would never forget what happened when he and Mr. King approached a Dutch farm. This Dutchman had a slave boy about 14 years of age. He had a sister on a neighboring farm and he would run away to her. One day they brought him home and to punish him he was tied to a wagon wheel. The wagon was turned on its side so the wheel would turn. Every time the wheel was turned, the boy came around. A MAN with a large strap in hand with a buckle on one end would give him a cut. The blood would run at every stroke so that the wheel was covered with blood. They then took him off, rubbed salt into his wounds and set him to leading the oxen which were plowing. They tied his hands fast to the tow so he could not run away. Later on in the autobiography, Eli records that the English freed the slaves in 1834. This was opposed by the Dutch. At this time there were 35,745 slaves in South Africa. The average value of a slave was 85 pounds. Slave owners could collect money for their freed slaves from the English government but a person had to travel to London for payment. ABOUT THE same time the British freed the slaves, Eli Wiggill decided to abandon his wagon makbusiness and serve as a ing Methodist missionary to the Bechuanas. He was assigned to the Thaba Uncha Mission. Sermons were preached in the Dutch language I - After negotiating DISCUSSION of the pond purchase took place last Thursday evening at a special 6 p.m. meeting held by the Layton City Council. In attendance were four council members, Mayor Lewis G. Shields and Richard Hunt, department head of the parks and recreation. The change of heart on Laytons City part was brought about when Mr. Hunt received a letter from the GSA office in Washington State stating the purchase price for the Valley. This was an open plains area surrounded by mountains. It was completely lacking any buildings. Wild animals like elephants, wolves, jackals, hyennas, antelope and ostriches inhabited the valley. Wild grapes that grew up and over trees 50 and -- location wouldnt be wise, Hunt said. pond site would be $215,000. During the past federal administrations, the policy was to give surplus federal property to cities and states free of charge. We would take it if it were free. Paying $215,000 for a park site that is on the border of our city in a poor Mr. TERMS OF the sale would be to deposit 10 percent earnest money. After Congress officially approved the sale of the property, Layton would have to pay the balance of the money. This would take six months to one year. There would be no Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BOR) matching funds for the purchase of this property because it is owned by the government and the policy is not to give money from one federal fund to another federal project. In discussing the purchase of the site with members of the pond Parks and Recreation Commis- sion, Mr. Hunt said the feeling was that the money could be better of spent on a park for the West side Mr. Hunt said a site on Layton. Angel Street would be highly favorable because this area of Layton is growing rapidly and there are no parks presently in West Layton. "We have more calls about a park in West Layton than any other single thing, Mr. Hunt stated. ANOTHER REASON not to the pond site is that the Keir Corporation, developers of a subdivision just south of the pond site, have donated 10 acres to Layton to be used for a park. There is no need for two parks in the same location, Mr. Hunt said. Council members were unanimous in saying that the first priority for parks and recreation money in Layton should be for a swimming pool. pur-chas- e IF LAYTON City does not purchase the pond site, council members believe the GSA will offer the property to Davis County. Theyll probably jump at the chance to buy the pond site for a burn plant, Mayor Shields stated, Well start that controversy all over again. Council members agreed that the county would probably want the pond site for a burn plant or county jail. They felt it would be poor policy to purchase an expensive poor park site just to keep the county from owning it. A FINAL decision will be made at the July 19 council meeting. K&ysvMe Slews By NORMA 544-875- PREECE 1 Mrs. Carrie Beatty of Las Vegas, Nev. is visiting with her son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Doug Beatty the past few weeks. Mrs. Owen Mason of Portland, Ore. flew in to attend her brother, ELI AND SUSANNA WIGGILL and translated by another missionary into the native tongue. Eli moved his wife, Susannah and his two small children, John and Jemima into the mission field with him. He occupied his time, teaching school each day, making door, window frames and other articles for the mission buildings and preaching sermons. WHEN SUSANNAH became pregnant, it was decided that she should return to the settlements until the baby was bom. Eli was moved to the Sand River District to for build a grist mill at the church. After the birth of Jeremiah Francis Wiggill, Susannah and her family of three children joined Eli. Plaat-Ber- g THE WIGGILL family stayed the mission field until the end of 1842. While assigned to Plaat-beranother child, Sarah Ann was born. She was baptized by Rev. R. Giddy soon after her Oct. 13, 1841 birth. Eli settled his family on a rented farm in Winterberg. He built a workshop and for two years cong ducted a wagonmakirtg and in this was when a Kaffir stole an axe. He was captured, handcuffed and sent to Grahmestown to a Hottentot for security. The natives tried to free their captured countryman but were not successful so they cut his hands off at the wrists and pierced him to death. The War of the Axe continued for several years. John Wiggill was captured on. his way back to the fort from Smiths Camp. He was one of seven men that went to see what a man who called to them wanted. Four of the seven were taken prisoner. Eli said, Some of the Hottentots knew my son and they prevented the Kaffirs from killing him by surrounding the four prisoners so thickly the Kaffirs could not get at them. JOHN WAS released er exchange. in a prison- g, black-smithin- business. He often preached in Winterberg, Fort Beaufort and Kat River. IN 1846 rumors of war forced the family into a fort called Post Relief. Communication with the colony was cut off when the natives burned hundreds of homes and drove off thousands of cattle and sheep. The incident that started By 1858 the threat of war with the natives was over. Eli Wiggill moved into a frontier town at the head of the Komani River in the Bongolo Basin. He bought a town lot in Queenstown, built a house and established himself in business. He farmed the area close to the river. ELI RECORDS an interesting observation about the plant life. These mountains grow tall aloes which bear spikes of red flowers about two feet in length. From their leaves come the bitter aloes of commerce. Next week: The Wiggill family settles Kaysville. Don Buhlers wedding to Lisa Roberts on Friday, June 29. Don is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell W. Buhler and Mrs. Mason, their daughter will be remembered as the former Linda Buhler. Others attending were Mr. and Mrs. Dean Buhler and family of Hyde Park; Mr. and Mrs. Steven Thatcher and children, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Buhler and daughter, all of Salt Lake City. Mr. and Mrs. John Gailey and children of Richland, Wash, arrived Friday to visit with both of their parents Mr, and Mrs. Eugene Prigmore, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gailey in Kaysville. On July 4th Mrs. Eugene Prig-mor- e and family entertained at a family gathering in honor of her and Mrs. Robert Winegar and family of Layton, Nancy Prigmore, Salt Lake City, Mrs. Vivian Beens, Mr. and Mrs. Alan W. Auger and family of Kaysville. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lundgreen and family spent their vacation at Lake Powell for one week. Paul Joseph Gilmore was bom Monday, May 28 to Joe and Jenny Gilmore of Kaysville. He was 20 inches and weighed 7 lb. 14 oz. At home are Melanie, Phil, Brent, and Michelle. Grandparents include Roger and Marilyn Gilmore and Viola and Stanford Layton. Ruth Otterstrom returned from California where she visited with her daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Williams and stayed with the grandchildren while her took a daughter and cruise to Bahai. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin have been called to serve on a three year LDS Church assignment to Japan. Mr. Goodwin will serve as presio dent of the South son-in-la- w Japan-Toky- Mission. husband Eugenes birthday They have been attending the MTC in Provo prior to leaving on June 29 for their new assignment. Their family accompanied them for anniversary at their home. Guests included Mr. and Mrs. John Gailey and family of Richland, Wash.; Dr. the three year stay. On June 26 Lindas parents, Mr. and Mrs. Miller hosted an open house in their honor in Salt Lake City for friends and relatives of Linda and Bob. Mrs. Grace Layton of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Forsha of Leads, Utah; Tom Crookston and family of Lakeside, Calif, came for the funeral service of Robert Crookston held last week. Mrs. Layton and Mrs. Forsha are sisters of Mrs. Mina Crookston and Tom Crookston is a son of Mrs. Crookston. ' Miss Heather Bizzell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bizzell has returned home from Germany and will be making her home with her aunt, Lynda Bizzell and will be attending Weber State College this fall. Mr. and Mrs. Bizzell are on an assignment in Germany with the U.S. Air Force and will return to Utah in February. Parents of their first child, a daughter, are Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Allen. She weighed 8 lb. 10 oz. and will be named Laticia Elizabeth. Mrs. Allen is the former Susan Healey of Layton. Park Concert Set For Sunday LAYTON - Aesops Updates, musical updating the well-know- a modern n Aesops Fables, Grimms Fairy Tales and stories from Hans Christian Anderson, will be the featured theme for the Sunday evening, July 15 outdoor concert held in the patio area of the Layton Heritage Museum. The program is free to the public. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Aesops Updates offers music and humor for all ages. It is being performed by the Golden Spike Repertory Theatre. ALSO PERFORMING on the Sunday even ing concert will be the summer orchestra students of David Thayne. The Summerfest outdoor concert series is being jointly sponsored by the Golden Spike Empire-Uta- h Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Weber State College and by the Layton Arts Council and the Summer Orchestra program. PEOPLE SHOULD bring blankets or folding lawn chairs. The program will last about one hour, dmg Davis Building Adtiwi ty Increasing By TOM BUSSELBERG North County Editor Davis Countys helping create what may become a bumper year as far as construction is concerned across the state. HOUSEBUILDING continues at a fast pace, here, as evidenced by the 82 single family units approved in Layton, alone, during the January-Marcperiod, reports research analyst James A. Wood in the Utah Construction Report 1984. Its hard to know if the surge will continue, though, thanks to already-steepe- r mortgage rates. Commercial activity, though, is often less affected by such action and could continue its healthy clip. ALL THE COUNTYS cities and the unincorporated area recorded residential building activity although in one case it involved only an apartment. Laytons 82 single family dwelling approvals far outdistanced all other areas, with Clearfield coming in a distant second at 28 units. MOST ACTIVITY centered around single family dwellings although duplexes were approved in Clearfield, Kaysville and Woods Cross while apartments were given permits in Bountiful, North Salt Lake, Sunset and the unincorporated county area. Heres a rundown, city by city of building activity during the first quarter: y recorded only five residence permits over the quarter, but also three apartment buildings including 40 units. listed eight single family dwellings for its only construction in the residential sector. h single-famil- SAW permits issued for 28 single family houses, 2nd highest in the county, along with two duplexes. single family dwellings were approved for Clinton. fast-growi- -- FARMINGTON family dwellings. GAVE permits for 11 single -- Fruit Heights approved single family dwelling permits totaling seven. -- KAYSVILLE APPROVED a mixed bag, including 12 single family dwellings and two duplexes. -- Layton, leading the county normally in approval of apartments, this quarter gave the to 82 faciliand no multiple-unit single family dwellings ties. for NORTH SALT Lake signalled the two single family dwellings and two four-pleapartment buildings. -- South Weber gave permits for construction of eight single family houses. -- SUNSET, THE only area in the county not approving any single family houses, did give approval for two four-ple-x apartment complexes. y re-- Syracuse gave approval for two sidences. -- WEST BOUNTIFUL also gave its nod of approval for two single family dwellings. -- Normally conservative West Point came in third, as far as building permits, issuing 14 for single family dwellings. -- WOODS CROSS okayed six single family dwellings and two duplexes while the unincorporated y dwell county also gave okay for two go-ahe- ad go-ahe- ad x single-famil- single-famil- ings and three x apartment units. Salt Lake County led the way, statewide, with about half the homebuilding occuring there in the first quarter, along with much of the commercial development that ranged from multimillion dollar apartment complexes to motels. THE F.W. Dodge Report lists Utah as attaining the largest increases in residential construction activity for any intermountain state while also ranking first in new dwelling permits increasing and second in residential valuation. From January-Marcthe state experienced a higher growth rate than the nation in each industrial sector, with total construction valuation improved by 27.4 percent compared to 17 percent nationally. LOOKING AHEAD, Mr. Wood projects that for both residential and construction, 1984 will be a year of large projects, although none are listed for Davis County. That could be important because rising interest rates dont usually have great impact, he continued, with multifamily, industrial and office building sectors expected to contribute to the growth. Residential construction should increase 5 percent and the value of construction will go up more than 50 percent above last year, he says. IN NEIGHBORING Weber County, meanwhile, 136 single family dwellings--v194 in Davis-we- re y approved along with several developments. Salt Lake Countys 892 dwellings more than halved the state total while only 1,000 total units of any residential sort were okayed outside that county. four-ple- h, 10-1- s. multi-famil- single-famil- y l |