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Show 1 4 Vernal Express Wednesday, October 25, 2000 'Women of recognized Janis Bigclow, director of the Western Heritage Museum, came up with the idea to give special recognition to the courageous, coura-geous, brave women who had a hand in settling the Vernal area. "All women who came into the Basin helped shape the area in one way or another," anoth-er," said Bigelow, "enduring hardships and overcoming many obstacles. But there were a few women who stand out from the rest. Women w ho became doctors, dentists or teachers. These powerful women helped mold the community." Bigelow with the help of Christine Smith and Shirley Hatch began to research the lives of several courageous women that pioneered the way for future generations. Histories, complete with pictures, were gathered from family members, and from the Regional History Room at the Uintah County Library. ' Lawrence and Rhoda Deved provided a lot of the pictures in our display," said Bigelow. "The pictures and stories will help build a memorial to the women that had such an impact on this area." The following are a sample of the histories histo-ries on display at the museum: Bessy Swain - The first funeral director Bessie took care of all the funerals after the death of her husband from the big flu epidemic. Thus she became Vemal's first lady funeral director. Edith Lawrence Cooper- First Woman Independently Practicing Attorney in Utah Edith Lawrence attended business college in Butte, Montana, training to become a court reporter, but due to a severe case of measles w hich left her completely deaf she was not able to be a court reporter. She wrote the Vernal postmaster (Ed Young) inquiring if a stenographer was needed in the area. He forw arded her letter to a local attorney. Thomas W. O'Donnell, whose secretary had just quit. During the 15 years she was Mr. O'Donnell's stenographer, stenogra-pher, she learned the practical side of the law. Persuaded by Mr. O'Donnell. Edith took a correspondence course in law from LaSalle University in Chicago.'" After years of working and studying. Edith passed the bar exam. There were 12 taking the exam, five passed with Edith getting the second highest score. Eve Ashton - State & National President of American Legion Auxiliary and Civic Leader. She married Rae Ashton September 7.1920 in Roosevelt. They had two sons, Stewart Ashton and Ralph Ashton. She and her husband owned Ashton Brothers store in Vernal. Upon his death. Eve became president of the company and expanded the firm. She continued to live in Vernal from 1922 until her death. "Eve was a nationally known civic leader." said Bigelow. "She was not only the state but the national American Legion Auxiliary Director and brought a lot of fame to this little area." There is a lot more on her life and accomplishments in her history at the museum. Merle Massey Ross - In 1919 the Utah State Legislature provided for the establishment estab-lishment and maintenance of County Public Libraries and on August 14. 1919, Uintah County Commissioners made a levy of five mills for the first Uintah County Library. Massey went to New York to attend a six week course for librarians. The county paid for the training and, upon her return, she was installed as the first paid librarian. Ross is still living in the Uintah Basin. Minnesota 'Minnie' Aldura Hatch Dodds - Wife of the first Indian Agent in if i ij'i t"-'-'t- I f v - i.s , ' If" i t Ghosts and Jack-o-Lantems add to Halloween fun. Courage' Ashley Valley. Minnie Hatch married Pardon Dodds on December 17, 1879 in Heber. She came into the Ashley Valley at the age of 20 and brought with her an organ that was a gift from her father. This organ was the first to be brought into Utah. She taught organ lessons to many of the younger people in the community. Rose Daniels - Interpreter, midwife & horticulturist "Grandma" Rose Daniels was well known to both the White and the Indian people in the Uintah Basin. She could speak fluent Navajo, Ute and English. She was asked to be an interpreter for the government because of her knowledge knowl-edge of these languages. She became well known as a horticulturist, florist, gardener and for raising cattle. Through experimentation, she developed a lima bean that would grctw successfully in the short, dry seasons of Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. This bean was tested by Mr. A C. Hildreth of the horticultural Field Station of Cheyenne, Wyo. Rosella Calder - Businesswoman and Vemal's First Licensed Beautician, Calder was a teacher in Vernal for two years, but in later years, she went to Salt Lake City and studied to be a beautician. After passing the State Exam, Rosella opened Calder Beauty Parlor thus becoming becom-ing Vemal's first licensed beautician. She operated her shop for 20 years. Stella Harris Oaks - Teacher, Humanitarian and Civic leader. Oaks became a role model for single mothers in their struggle to successfully parent and provide a living. "Her brand of courage drove her to press forward, focusing focus-ing on what she could do to make a positive posi-tive contribution to the world and inspiring others to do the same." says Bigelow. Louisa M. Wagoner Thome - Dedicated Teacher Thome started teaching school in 1 887 in what is known today as Ashley Ward. She taught at the old Jensen School and each school morning she would walk to the Green River, row across in a boat, saddle the horse she kept at the Haslem Ranch and ride on to the school. Each evening this was reversed. Louisa also started thfr first ' Sunday School in her church. Mary Elizabeth Snyder - First white woman to settle in the Ashley Valley, Mary was bom December 25, 1849 at Woods Cross, Utah to Norton and Emily Eaton Jacobs. Mary, her husband Robert and their daughter, Ida, arrived in Ashley Valley around November 16th. 1876. They settled along the Ashley Creek. Mary was the first white woman and her daughter, Ida. w as the first white child to settle in the Ashley Valley. In her book "Settlements of Uintah County," Doris Karren Burton states that Mary "arrived exactly 100 years to the day after the entry of the first recorded white man, Father Escalante." Dr. Maud Garrett - First Woman Doctor Dr. Maud Garrett came to Vernal from Denver about 1904 as an assistant to Dr. Buctol. The hardships of a small frontier town didn't stop this courageous woman. She displayed dedication and determination determina-tion to administer needed medical attention. atten-tion. Nancy Haws - First Woman Dentist Around 1888, Haws moved to the Ashley Valley with her husband and four children from Provo. She started the first dentist's office in the building that Leo C. Thome eventually lived, owned and operated his business from. She used the lower part of the house for a dentist office and the upstairs was used for her photography shop. 1 IV Jl Janis Bigelow and Chris Smith work together on display. It h r f . . i . . .... ., Chipeta was queen of the Utes and a messenger of peace. ' Nellie E. Rodabaugh - Career EduCal6r c , , In 1908, Nellie came out west to teacl at the Wilcox Academy in Vernal. From Wilcox Academy she went to Whiterocks, later coming back to Vernal to teach in Central School. One of her students from the Dragon school remembers her as a "very petite, quiet lady." She always wore long dresses with long sleeves and high collars. Her hair was combed up to the top of her head w ith a bun on top. She never married. Pauline Stonecypher Thorne - Teacher & Womens Basketball Coach She came to Vernal in 1909 to become a teacher at the Wilcox Academy. Two prerequisites pre-requisites for the position were playing girl's basketball and singing alto. Meeting those perquisites, she obtained the position and was the only woman teacher and one of very few teachers in general who knew basketball and understood the rules. She organized and refereed two girls and two boys teams at Wilcox and Uintah Academies. Esther C. Campbell - Prominent pioneer teacher Esther decided to become a teacher at an early age. Her first teaching job was in 1917 in a little rural school house about ten miles from where she was bom. She taught in several one room school houses in Utah and Colorado. Esther believed one-room schools had a good learning atmosphere. Josie Bassett - "Rawhide & Lace" Halloween once had religious past Halloween means the evening before All Hallows or All Saints' Day, which is Nov. 1. AH Saints' Day is observed by Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans, to honor all the saints in Heaven, whether known or unknown. The day also used to be called Hallowmass from Old English word hallow, meaning sanctify. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is, with all solemnity, considered one of the most important observances of the church year. It is a day on which all Catholics are obliged oblig-ed to attend Mass. It is preceded by a vigil of preparation on the evening of Oct.3l. And it is this vigil. All Hallows' Eve or Halloween, that is the most widely known feature of the observance. About 99 percent of the pumpkins marketed mar-keted are used as jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween. Pumpkins generally vary in size from a diameter of eight to fourteen inches, although certain large specimens can weigh up to several hundred pounds. The shape is round, melon-like, depressed i All f , -O - - .A Joitr'"was the oldest child of the 'five Bassett children. She was three years old w hen she and her family moved to a ranch in Brown's Park from Little Rock, Arkansas. Josie knew and was friendly with many of the noted outlaws of the day. She and Butch Cassidy were close friends. - Josie matured into a woman who was as comfortable around leather and rawhide as she was around lace. She could ride, shoot and skin a beef out as good as any man and yet, be as feminine as any lady. She died on May 28, 1964 at the age of 90. Her homestead home-stead is located on the Dinosaur National Monument and is still standing. Plans are being made to restore this historic structure. struc-ture. Ann Bassett - "Queen Ann," first white child bom in Brown's Park She grew up in buckskin breeches, riding the range, flanking a calf or roping a steer. She was raised around such men as Butch Cassidy, Elza Lay, Matt Rash, Isom Dart and other well known outlaws. She became known as "Queen of the Rustlers." Shortly before she died, someone asked her if all those stories about her were true. She laughed and said "I've done everything they said I did and a helluva lot more!" Kate M. Ashton Browne - Teacher and wife of Vemal's first Mayor At the age of 12, Kate and her parents were among some of the first pioneers to the Uintah Basin. She married S. M. Browne in 1 885. They lived at old Ashley See Courage on page 1 5 m i ""'A : A . at both ends, and its color ranges through various shades of orange. The fruit has a hollow interior containing edible seeds. The rind is also orange and faintly sweet. Pumpkin is prepared in a variety of ways: baked and eaten as a vegetable; baked into pie, which is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert in the United States; or used to make soup. The seeds are a popular snack in Latin American countries when dried and sometimes roasted and salted. They have a high phosphorous content. Jack-o'-lantcrn pumpkins are too stringy to eat, and often too large (they can easily grow to 20 pounds and tlie very largest can exceed 200 pounds). For pie filling and other cooking needs, sugar pumpkins a smaller, sweeter variety with closed-grained closed-grained flesh - are much better. Basic Preparation Rinse off any dirt before using. For See Halloween on page 15 Community Calendar October 25 , Oil painting classes will be held at the Golden. Age Center every Wednesday at 1 p.m. Anyone interested needs to provide pro-vide their own painting supplies. For more information call 789-2169. October 26 TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets at 11:30 a.m. every week at the Uintah Care Center Day Care room. For more information call Marcia at 789-2791 789-2791 or Minnie at 789: 1064. , Dino-Sewers will hold a meeting at the University Extension Office, third floor of the Uintah County building, 152 E 100 N. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Susan Kuntzicr will be teaching cut-work and embroidery by sewing machine. For more information call. Kathy Kitchen at 781-0440. A Halloween theme recital will be presented by students whose teachers are members of the UMTA. Students are invited to perform Halloween or minor pieces and arrive in costume. For more information call Carla Cleavinger, 781-1548. 781-1548. -. i October 27 A community dance will be held at 155 S. 100 W. for all ages. Come and listen lis-ten to good music and dance from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ' October 27, 28 Uintah School District will offer the GED test at the Uintah School District office, 635 W. 200 S. and will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Those interested in taking the test need to fill out an application by 5 p.m. Friday. There is a $40 fee to take the test For more information call Elaine at 781 3100. - October 29 A presentation of The Love Story of Joseph and b Emma by- -'-Buddy Youngreen.'will bobekJ at the Vernal 5th Ward LDS Chapel beginning at 7 p.m. The presentation is open to the public at no charge.. For more information contact Dan Philpot at 781-6351. October 30 The Great Pumpkin Festival will be held at Jensen Park from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information call 789-55 1 2, The seniors at the Golden Age Center will be carving pumpkins in preparation for the great Pumpkin Festival. At 5 p.m. a van will leave the center to go to Jensen to join in the activities. Anyone interested must call for reservation! in order to plan for supplies and transportation for those who wish to attend. For More informa-oon informa-oon call 789-2 169. Ashley Valley Amateur Hockey Club will hold their annual general membership member-ship meeting at 7 p.m. in the commission chambers- at the Uintah County Courthouse. Election of officers, approval of budget and an update on ice rink and fee schedule. For more information informa-tion call AJ Brown at 789-2893. October 31 A Hobo Dinner will be held at the Golden Age Center at noon. Dress like a hobo and have some fun. For more information infor-mation call 789-2169. November 1 Applications for the HEAT program will begin. For more information or an appointment call the .Golden Age Center at 789-2169. November 2 The Maeser Elementary PTA will play host to guest speaker Wally Goddard on the subject, "How to be a Better Parent," The public is welcome to attend the lecture which will start l 7 p.m. :' '.. .. . ' - v - November 7 v The Vernal Ladies of Elks (LOE) will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the locjge. The agenda agen-da will include holiday decorating and the charity ball. 1 Conquer your fear of public speaking or just improve the skills you have by attending the Uintah Basin's own Talk of the Town" Toastmasters Club. The next meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the county building, first floor break room or visit the web site at www.smg70.comAoastmasters, To place items of public interest on the Community Calendar mail to Vernal Express. P.O. Box I00Q, E-mail, edi-tor&vcmaLcom edi-tor&vcmaLcom or call f the Vernal Express at 789-35 IK Materials arc subject sub-ject to edit Deadline is Monday at 12 noon, , , , ..- |