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Show i It wos Mormon settlement BOX NEWS, Brigham City, Utah Sunday, January 30, 1977 ELDER No separation of city, church in early days by Sarah Yates The importance of the LDS church in early Mormon settlements cannot be d, for the church leaders were also the community officials. Brigham City was no exception, and it was during church meetings fhat plans for the citys development were made. Brigham City pioneer William Davis was appointed in 1852 as the first bishop of the Box Elder ward of the Weber Stake of Zion. His counselors were Jonathan C. Wright and Hans P. Jensen, with David Burt as the first clerk. Bishop Davis home was used as a meeting house, with open air meetings held in boweries when weather permitted. The first of these boweries was built where the courthouse was later constructed. Arrival of Lorenzo Snow as appointed leader and colonizer removed this temporal authority from Bishop Davis. Snow was appointed as president of the newly formed Box Elder stake in an 1855 meeting conducted by President Loren Farr of the Weber stake. At this time Bishop Davis was released and Eli Harvey Pierce was chosen as first bishop of the new Brigham City ward. This name was given to the community to differentiate it from the Box Elder stake, which stretched up into southern Idaho and over to the Nevada border. also opened a hotel at the corner of First West and Forest to help Open House Duties of the bishop were numerous. In addition to other A Meeting House During this time the church h of tithes, which were income, also served as the citys taxes for public projects. Tithes and donated labor built the courthouse in the center of the city. As soon as it was completed, the ward meetings were held in the large upstairs room which was also used for town meetings and dramatic presentations. This building also housed the Sunday school, with Harrison Tippetts teaching a temporary Sunday school beginning in 1862. Sunday school was officially established on May 26, 1867, with Stephen Wight as superintendent, James By water and Justin Wixom as counselors. Sometime prior to 1870 Andres Christensen was ap- - duties, President Brigham Young instructed each to have an "open house to lodge travellers and emigrants. Bishop Pierce built a large home just south of the area where the courthouse was being erected and opened a hotel. He was called on a mission in the spring of 1857 and died in Salt Lake City in 1858 at the ag of 31, leaving his young widow Susannah to run the hotel. She later married Willis H. Boothe and the Pierce-Booth- e Hotel became the Utahna and Boothe Hotel of later years. Bishop Alvin Nichols was called to replace Pierce in 1857, and held that position until the wards were divided in 1877. He house travellers. The tithing house located on First West just south of Forest Street also included some housing for Mormon travellers, stables to house animals, and storage for goods given in tithes by the residents. one-tent- est and Main streets. Along with 12 other wards reacing south to Willard and north to Malad, these wards would form the Box Box Elder Stake The four Brigham City wards remained part of the Box Elder stake which was headquartered in the lovely stone tabernacle erected in 1878 in the center of Brigham City. Apostle Snow government established until 1867. closed in the 1870s, the cooperative retained a retail store until erected in 1893 boasted an and round tower entryway. It was razed and unique replaced by the present Eighth Ward on the same site. 1895. Polygamy was also an ac- cepted part of the churchs economic system, and this caused great hardship for the families involved when the practice was outlawed. Several local men were imprisoned when they refused to renounce their plural wives who had loved them and borne their children, but this imprisonment was considered honorable by the faithful. SECOND WARD, pictured on old glass negative by early Compton Studio, forms of building recently vacated by the ward as it moved to the new stake center. H.t.Htl, 41 flV west end j! Business Hours Church influence affected even the communitys business hours. During an early conference the people were counseled to fast on the first Thursday of each month and carry the food saved to the bishop to benefit the poor. A money offering was later substituted for gifts of food. religious service was held every first Thursday at 10 a.m. to dedicate these offerings, and local business remained closed until noon so that all could attend. This continued until 1892 when the service was changed to Sunday. In 1876 the Relief society was charged with collecting wheat for storage. A granary was built about 1877 at the corner at Fourth East and First North in which to store the grain. Primary children brought bits of glass to be ground into the mortar in hopes of preventing mice from entering. This building is the only one remaining in the block which housed many of the old cooperative enterprises. About this time, the Relief society was also commissioned with beginning the silk industry in Utah and many local homes also became the habitat of silk worms which munched on mulberry leaves growing on special blocks of land set aside for that project. A in the tabernacle Division of Wards Throughout this period the and the courthouse could not accommodate the ward meetings comfortably. The city had been divided into districts, but was still one ward. August 17, 1877, was to be a special day for Brigham City. A huge bowery was erected on the city square at Forest street between Second and Third West to accommodate the crowds called to a special conference. The bowery was built on a grid of upright posts supporting light poles that were thatched with leafy boughs. Three sides were open, with a rough lumber wall erected on the south side to provide protection from the summer sun. An elevated speakers platform was built across this south wall, and rows of rough benches faced the platform. Barrels of ice water were placed about the bowery for use by the anticipated crowds city was growing, FIRST WARD BUILDING was erected in 1894, with stone steps to the east added at a later date, and also served as the Sixth Ward. It is now owned and used by the Presbyterian church. President Young President Brigham Young attended this special conference, which brought some 2500 people to the city via wagon, carriage, train and horseback. About 100 Indians arrived to see the great leader, and they were allowed to camp about a block south of the site. This was President Youngs last public speaking appearance, for he took ill upon his return to Salt Lake City and died soon afterwards. The public square was named in his honor and a monument erected to commemorate the occasion. President Young made the with state the President at Cannon POLYGAMISTS Qu. LOCAL George penitentiary posed announcement of the division of was whom Thomas Baird, (for Alexander named), Bishop Harper Harper include (center) City into four wards James Bywater and John H. Bott, with guards behind. A note attached to the picture ad- Brigham with boundaries located at For- ds that Brothers Harper and Bywater had been there a long time so had dirty suits. Elder stake. Each ward was assigned a bishop and counselors, and each was given the immediate responsibility of building a meeting house and operating a school for children within their ward area. First Ward The First ward was located in the southeast section of the city, numbering 462 souls in 98 families. Henry Tingey was appointed as the first bishop. At first the members of the ward met in the lower room of Rosenbaum hall (Roxy) at 106 South Main. A rock meeting house was completed in 1886 at 319 South First East, and was used as a church and school until a larger brick building was begun in 1894 on the corner of Third South and Second East. As soon as the rock foundation was finished, the members met in the basement and later added the upper brick portion. This first building was known as the Old Rock school and was later used as a ward recreation hall. It is the only one of the original ward meeting houses still standing independently, having been purchased along with the brick building by the Presbyterian church in 1954. Early bishops of the First ward included John B. McMas-ter- , George W. Watkins and Abel S. Rich. In 1930 membership was 595, having had the Sixth ward created within its boundaries in 1921 with Emmanuel Tyson as bishop. The Eleventh ward was later divided from the original First Ward area. Second Ward Bishop Alvin Nichols remained in service as bishop in the Second ward, which included 444 souls in 85 families residing in the southwest section of the city. His counselor were Jos eph M. Jensen and Alvin Nichols, Jr. Meetings were held in the upstairs room of Rosenbaum hall until a meeting house was erected at Third West and Second South. This was used as both meeting house and school until it was incorporated into a larger brick ward house in The 1890 structure , was later included in a newer brick chapel, which has recently been sold to Box Elder School district. The ward also built the Whittier school just east of the meeting house. This ward was served in early years by Bishops August Valen- Some activities began on the stake level: Young Ladies MIA Retrenchment (called the OLD FOURTH WARD building social life revolved about the church, with no separate city manufacturing operations Elijah A. Box and Isaac Smith were sustained as counselors. Fourth Ward The smallest ward was the Fourth ward with 440 souls and 86 families living in the northeast section of the city. Their bishop was John Welch, with Jens Hansen and Brigham Wright as counselors. They continued to meet in the courthouse, but began early in 1878 to select timber and rock to erect a meeting house. There was a friendly rivalry between the Third and Fourth ward members to see which group could complete their building first, with the Fourth ward winning the honor of completing the first ward meeting house fn Brigham City. This building was located on the corner of Third North and First East, and remained in use as the Columbia school until 1911 when it was remodeled for a recreation hall. It was later demolished to make room for another church building. In 1893, a brick meeting house with a unique round tower was erected to serve the ward until it too was replaced in the 1950s. Early bishops of the Fourth ward included Jens Hansen, Brigham Wright and Anton M. Hansen. In 1930 the membership was 1017, and rapid growth of the northeast section of the city in recent years has meant formation of the Eighth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Seventeenth and Twentieth wards from the original Fourth ward. citys entire business and During the 1860s the pioneers of Brigham City were called upon to send wagons, supplies and young men to assist poor converts and emigrants who were crossing the plains to Utah territory. Many of the young men were also called to serve missions, and their wives stayed behind to mind the farm and care for families. Church members were advised to offer assistance to the wives and families of men serving the church elsewhere. It was also this loyalty to the church which prompted the formation of the cooperative movement in the late 1860s. Merchants and craftsmen gave up private ownership of their business to become part of the United Order. Although its signated as stake president. ward. Church Influence The was called to preside over the county in a church capacity in 1877, with Oliver G. Snow de- wards have been created in the area designated to the Third pointed stake superintedent. Simeon Carter, an early pioneer, was the first home teacher in Brigham City. Robert L. Fishburn helped to organize and direct a choir during the early years, and was considered a fine musician and voice teacher. On May 1856, the Relief society was officially organized locally by Lorenzo Snow. Len-or- a Agnes Morely was the first president, Harriet Snow and Fanny Loveland were counselors, Mary Smith was treasurer, and Eliza Snow was secretary. 7 society) begun in March 1875 by Eliza R. Snow and continued under the direction of Minnie Jensen Snow as stake president; Young Mens MIA begun in 1875 under the leadership of Junius F. Wells; and the wards hurried to develop their own Relief Society groups. Eliza R. Snow began the Primary in 1878, with Abigail Snow Rosenbaum serving as the first Primary stake presient; Angus Vance was president for stake religion classes begun in 1890; the first Box Elder Seminary was opened in 1915 with Abel S. Rich as principal. Stake Leadership Through the ,years up to 1950 Box Elder stake president in- cluded Rudger Clawson, Charles Kelly, Oleen Stohl, Norman S. Lee, Hervin Bunder-son- , Abel S. Rich, John P. Lillywhite and Vernal Willie. Rapid growth in the city brought about division of the Box Elder stake into a north and south section in the early 1960s and in 1976 the wards in Brigham City and nearby areas are members of four stakes Brigham City, Brigham City North, Brigham City South, and Box Elder. New stake centers have been built to house the meetings of these stakes and their wards in recent years. There are now many other factors in the community including a broadened economic base, cultural activities, and establishment of other denominations. However, the LDS church still remains as the predominant religion in the community and as the major influence in local cultural and customs. SHIRT LAUNDRY ONE DAY SERVICE 1890. The only Laundry in Brigham City TAILORING, ALTERATIONS AND REPAIR CLEANERS AND J SHIRT LAUNDRY lltLLal.4kSanitone 36 North Main 723-377- 6 tine, Thomas H. Blackburn, Nephi J ..Valentine and J. Carlos Sederholm. In 1930 membership was 759, having had the Fifth ward created in 1921 with Joseph A. Fishburn as bishop. The area designated to the original Second ward now includes the Fifth, Tenth, Sixteenth, Nineteenth and 21st wards. Third Ward Boundaries of the Third ward included the northwest portion of the city extending north to Harper Ward, with John D. Burt appointed as the first bishop assisted by Anton A. Jensen and Peter F. Madsen as counselors. This ward met in the west end of a cabinet shop located on North Main, with a membership of 427 souls in 87 families. A log and adobe structure was built at Second North and Third West in 1879, and used both as a school and church. The congregation later moved into a more impressive brick structure on the corner of Second North and Second West, retaining the old Emerson school until it was closed in 1911 and later selling the property. Early bishops of the Third Ward were Adolph Madsen, Anton A. Jensen, Lorenzo N. Stohl, David P. Burt, Hyrum W. Valentine and John Franklin Bowring. In 1930 its membership was 1,135. Since that time the Seventh, Fourteenth and Eighteenth LDS 5320 S. 1950 W. ROY, UTAH PHONE 825-708- 0 Now! Vai s Fashion Hut has 'expanded their formal wear department to serve Box Elder County. Val's features distinctive styles for all formal occasions. Let Val's Fashion Hut put it all together for you with Palm Beach formal wear by calling for an jcollect appointment or visit us 9 to 6 daily. 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