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Show I FEATURES CLASSIFIEDS -- r TV GUIDE PAUL HARVEY THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1974 ShImhIT( (iirt Jusl released by (he Brigham Young University Press was a new book by Leonard J. Arrington, Lemuel II. Redd Professor of Western History at Brigham Young University and LDS Church historian. The book is entitled Charles C. Rich, and is the first volume of the Studies In Mormon History. While it details the entire life of this outstanding church leader and colonizer, two of the chapters in particular apply to the Bear River country, both dealing with the settling of Bear Lake valley in Idaho and Utah. The book sells for 17.50. One of the chapters of the book, the settling of Bear Lake country is reproduced by permission of the publishers. It is typical of the settling of the rntire area. By LEONARD J. ARRINGTON ...During the late summer of 1863, over a year following his return from Europe, (Charlie) Rich was asked to travel to Salt Lake City for a meeting with Brigham Young. Then Young and Rich traveled to Cache Valley for church meetings and in the process discussed the need to explore Bear Lake Valley in northern Utah and southern Idaho as a potential site for settlements. A year earlier the United States Congress had passed the Homestead Act, which offered 160 acres for a small filing fee. Young's plan was to settle as many new areas as possible under the new legislation. His purpose was twofold: it gave an opportunity to expand, and it would keep unwanted nonmembers at a safe distance. Coincident with the pas sage of the Homestead Act, President Abraham Lincoln had ordered the Third California Volunteers, comprising between 750 and 1,500 men, to establish a camp (Camp Douglas) on the east bench overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. These Union troops were instructed to prevent Indian hostilities and keep an eye on the Mormons." Their leader. Colonel Patrick Connor, was openly hostile toward the Mormons and their religion, and he announced a policy of encouraging settlement of available areas by in order to overcome Mormon political influence.' "My policy in this Territory," he said, has been to invite hither a large Gentile and loyal population, sufficient by peaceful means and to through the ballot-bo- x overwhelm the Mormons by mere force of numbers." Knowing the existence of the berfUtiful, unoccupied valley northeast of Cache Valley, Young and Rich thought it an opportune time for the Mormons to possess it. THE BEAR RIVER and Bear Lake areas had been visited by white men often during the fifty years before the arrival of Rich and the Mormons. While the identity of the first white man in the Bear Lake Valley has not been determined, roving trappers frequented the area as early as 1812, subsequently named the Bear River, and spent several winters in the high mountain valley. With overland exploration and emigration, the valley became a main artery of what grew into the Oregon Trail. Nathaniel Wyeth, Jason Lee, the Whitmans, and the Spauldings all passed through the valley and were follow by thousands of others.' , On August 23, 1863, the First Presidency met with members of the Twelve and other Church authorities at the home of Elder Ezra T. Benson in tagan. The purpose of the meeting was to consider sending a company of men to Bear Lake Valley that Tall. In an earlier discussion, Benson had told Young he thought Charles Rich would like to take charge of such a company, and Young asked Rich's feelings on the subject. Rich remarked that -- lie did not feel like volunteering but was willing to do whatever the president said. After announcing that the time had come when the Twelve could do more good at home than going abroad to preach and that they should sustain themselves as much as possible without help from tithing funds, Young continued: NOW WHAT I AM about to say you will do well to keep to yourselves. We have it in our minds to settle Bear River Lake Valley; I for one would like to have a settlement there. As yet I have said nothing to anyone except to Brother Benson. Now if you will keep this matter to yourselves nobody will know anything about it, but other-wise'- it will be telegraphed to old Abe Lincoln by some of these (Army) officers, and then it will be made a reservation of immediately to prevent us getting it." Then, turning to Rich, Brother Young repeated: Benson thought you would like to go there. I never had a feeling about it, but Brother Benson and me had a talk on the subject and he thought you would be pleased to go. Rich, home only a year since his mission to Europe, replied, So far as pulling up stakes and moving my entire family, I would rather not do it." "I tell you what I do; I would rather have my family altogether, will would countered the dauntless Young. Rich tried once more: Mine are all together now; except my first wife." APPARENTLY THE exchange ended there, and Rich knew he would soon have the unpleasant task of uprootinfphis families once more. . Once' again, Charles C. Rich began to gather adventuresome followers for a new exploration and settlement. The best way to obtain hardy pioneers was through an official Church call, and those involved viewed the experience as such. Prior to leaving Cache Valley, Rich discussed the fMtssihilily of a Rear take settlement with Chief Washakie, whose Shoshones roamed the Rear take area. According to Rich, the Sho 1 shone leader seemed pleas-- ' ed aid was perfectly willing we should come here and live." After receiving Indian permission to settle all but the south end. Rich organized a vanguard party with himself as leader and also a group of permanent settlers that would follow the exploring party's trail. Apparently, Rich also negotiated with some of the Shoshones to go with him. TIIE SMALL company of o men. a cart, and two wagons left Franklin September 15 and traveled over the rolling foothills the first day. The next day they-werabll to go only about four miles and camped near a spring. According,to. Jos' eph Rich, they cut : dead timber out of the- - way and made scratches of dugway and built bridges. After leaving the springs, the pioneer party spent an thirty-tw- enjoyable day traveling through a natural pass. On and a large stream (Montpelier Creek) but seemed to be void of close stands of timber. All in all, Rich's report was optimistic and encouraging. ilies wintered in Bear take Valley the first year. Two DURING THE REST of September, families moved into the valley through Rich's original route, now called Emigration Canyon. As soon as land was chosen at the site of present-da- y Paris, Idaho, scythe blades began to cut hay and axes to cut timber for the construction of crude dwellings. The settlers always kept a watch out for any kind of white human intruders. In his first correspondence back to Brigham Young, Rich reported that they had neither seen nor heard anything of soldiers of travelers of any kind. On September 27 a company of Mormon horsemen arrived from Franklin, Idaho, having heard a false rumor that some of the Bear Lake pioneers had been taken prisoner by soldiers. With vfork begun on the CHARLES RICH, pioneer and colonist, did not neglect his ecclesiastical duties. Soon he had organized a temporary, ward and selected Robert H. Williams as the first ( bishop. It was also imperative that some arrangement be made with the Indians in the Bear Lake area. Rich met with Washakie again and also with Tighe, a Bannock chief, possibly the same person as Tybee of the Lemhi. The Mormon apostle told the Indian leaders that Brigham Young had instructed him to colonize the valley, and he requested their cooperation. The Indians responded favorably, on the condition that the Mormons would agree to leave the southern end of the valley open as a camping side the mountains thickly covered with ew settlement, Charles pine and quaking aspen. The underbrush was vividly, 'Rich left the isolated band of painted in reds, orange, and $nthful Mocmons and returnedato Salt Lake City brown, while the aspen Rich persuaded two of his leaves were beginning to San Bernardino colleagues, change to yellow. They covRichard R. Hopkins and ered seven miles and camped near the summit. On the Jefferson Hunt, to go to Bear following day, the party Lake with him. Thomas R. made its way down the east Miller, Lorin Farr, Joseph side of the canyon through Rich, and George Hill, an dense forests of pine. A small interpreter knowledgeable in stream led them to the Indian languages, also made the trip. On horseback, with mouth of the canyon, where they camped overlooking the pack animals, the small Sharon Valley. Following the company turned eastward at foothills to the southeast Ogden and made their way on an Indian trail up Ogden through the small valley, Canyon. They followed the they traversed a beautiful north fork of the Ogden black of rich soil, valley River to Beaver Canyon, from 1 to 2 miles wide and intersected with a fine then painstakingly moved up Beaver Canyon through stream of water. . .aboundSkunk Creek to Blacksmith ing with trout as we have just Fork. At Blacksmith Fork for a full supply caught they went upstream through camp, some measuring sixteen inches in length."... Lodge Pole Canyon into Round Valley, above the Within a few days Rich was able to send a detailed south end of Bear take. It was another day's journey to geographical report to Brigthe center village of settleham Young. Rich had made ment. the decision to move the The favorable fall weather main camp south to the was of Idaho. holding, and, although Paris, present site Because of the abundance of some of the settlers had returned to Cache Valley, water and timber on the west side, Rich believed that the most were in good spirits. settlements should center The earliest habitations there. The east side, Rich were huts made of aspen believed that the settlements trees, with earthen floors, should center there. The east sod roofs, and no windows. It is estimated that thirty fam side hud plenty of good land each wre TIM CHim, ' children, Peter Maughan and Agnes Hogensen, were bom while Rich was on his second visit to the valley. ground. ..Washakie also wanted it understood that, when the whites succeeded in growing crops. Indians would expect to receive food when they visited the area. In December Charles Rich once again left the valley and returned to his families in Utah. While their leaders prepared for a mammoth migration in the spring of 1864. the tiny band of Bear take Mormons enjoyed a surprisingly light and open winter. Thomas Sleight's journal reads like a weather report; January and February were unusually warm and livable. Bishop Williams organized Sunday and Thursday church meetings. He hlso made sure that each family was visited monthly in order to ascertain if they had all of the necessi- ties of life and to teach them their religious duties. With an abundance of time on their hands, the settlers organized choirs and a debate society. The only musical instruments available were violins, and they danced and sang so frequently that the fiddle strings expired.... For the Rich families to prepare for another move into the wilderness was most difficult. Although his wives did not complain, they were reluctant to leave. Hie farm in Centerville was becoming Ixitli comfortable and pros PinlM UiMi, brk CiiiM 14 LhIiiiiIiM Tki Tiatt, Ida ka Ettfipriu perous. Although some of the older children were married, Charles Rich and his six wives had thirty children living, including three baby E incboys born in 1863-6line's boy was Heber, Harriets was Harley, and, after the move in August of 1864, Mary Ann had Ezra in Paris. Rich agreed not to sell the family home in Salt Lake City, realizing that he would need a home near the center of Church activity. From music lessons and organized school, the children and wives were again thrust onto the frontier. Haven. Bloomington, Liberty. Montpelier, Ovid, Bennington, and St. Charles. Brigham Young exercised his authority by naming Montpelier, Bennington, and Ovid after towns in his native state, Vermont. Rich was honored by the naming of Richland County (later shortened to Rich County) and the town of St. Charles. The settlers originally supposed that Bear Lake Valley was in Utah; they later discovered that the southern part of the valley was in Utah and the northern part in Idaho. 22 a public was held outside the new log home of Rich. In a brief Young, who had a party of Church leaders with him. counseled the settlers on many aspects of their venture. The Church President reiterated the fact that Charles Rich was the leader and had been appointed to dictate the settling of the valley." He counseled ON IN MARCH 1864 the group began to move toward Bear Lake. ..Joseph, the oldest son. kept a brief journal of their daily activities. Ox teams were not noted for their speed, and it took the caravan six days to get to Franklin. They began the assault on the mountain. Although there was not much snow on the valley floor, the mountain trail was impassable. After a week of snow and blistering wind, they finally decided to follow the Bear River upstream through Soda Springs. It took them another week to get to the Paris settlement. Soda Springs was buzzing with activity. Not only were the Mormons moving into and out of the valley, but California volunteers, who had been sent to Utah to look after the Mormons" and police the Indians, were also there, as well as shippers with freight for the Montana mines. Before Rich moved his families to Bear Lake, homes had to be constructed, town sites surveyed, land plowed, and more settlers accommodated. Frederick T. Perris, a long-tim- e family friend of the Riches and former San Bernardino colonist. made a preliminary survey of the city, which was named after him. although the spelling of his name was corrupted into Paris. Joseph Rich helped survey most of the rest of the area. A few gardens were planted on the town lots, and wheat was planted outside the commun- ities. Bishop Williams, Thomas Sleight, and others began plowing about the same time that Rich's party returned to the valley... Small communities had Imvii established in Fish MAY meeting opposite Charles speech. brought that certain precautions must be taken as well: "When you form your settlements get together pretty close, let there be at least ten families on ten acres of land. When you start to build upon a block (Brother Charles C. Rich, please remember this)., have the brethern build upon that block until every lot is occupied before you touch another, that if you are attacked by Indians, one scream will arouse the whole block. President Heber C. Kimball and Elders George A. Smith and John Taylor then Their followed Young. speeches were filled with advice of the same nature. was The winter of 1864-6going to test the faith and endurance of all the settlements. As Brigham Young had told the Saints, I think we are now in Idaho. I have no doubt of it, and the greater part of those who settle in this valley will be in that territory; the snow lies too low on the mountains here for Utah." The Saints were plowing, planting and building. Nearly seven hundred more were to join them later in 1864. Brigham Young had come and blessed this enterprise, a new and dramatic phase of lliarles Rich's pioneering history. 5 N |