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Show Brief Hisiory of Talmage Shortly after the reservation was throwin open for settlement, people came to look for places to homestead. Among the first to come were Joseph Draper, II. P. Ottosen, John W. Da-vies, Da-vies, Ephraim McMillan and Thomas Kenison. Joseph Draper ond H. P. Ottoson came with their families In 1910. At that time Talmage was nothing but a desolate sage brush and cedar flat. Epltraim McMillan was the first man to pet a cabin put up on his homestead, which wns built of cedar logs. Joseph Draper and sons had purchased a saw mill and were able to build their cabin out of sawed logs. The saw mill furnished work for other oth-er people, for lumber was sold to Duchesne, Du-chesne, Myton and Roosevelt. At this time the people were compelled com-pelled to take their live stock to the Lake Fork River, nearly eight miles away, every day for water. Water for household purposes was also hauled haul-ed from the river. Thomas Kenison and family were the first ones to stay in Talmage all winter. That was the winter of 1911. At this time the settlement was called Winn, and it, with Mt. Home was part of the school district, with A. G. Burton, of Winn. Oscar Wllklns. or Mt. Home, and James Mlekelson. of Boneta as trustees. They held these positions until the schools were consolidated, and since then Mr, Burton has served two terms. Our first school ws held in the house built by Samuel H. Draper on his homestead, in the winter of 1913, with about twelve pupils. During Christmas holidays the one room ward house was finished and the school was moved into that. Mrs. Margaret Tood was the first teacher. During this time the people had' to go six miles to Boneta for their mail. In September. 1911 a post office was started at Winn, with Miss Eva Davis Da-vis as postmistress. John Kenison was the first child boru here. (Continued on Page 5) BRIEF HISTORY OF- TALIS tAGE (Continued from Page 1.) About this' time Mrs. William Thompson started a s mall store at her home. ' .- Forty acres' of land . was bought from John Johnson' who had a homestead home-stead in about the center of the settlement. settle-ment. It was surveyed by A. G. Burton, Bur-ton, Sept., 1. 1013, and was laid off in one acre lots. Four acres were left for a town park and the rest was sold to the people who drew for the lots. In the fall of 1914, the post office changed hands, Mrs. Sarah E. Davles receiving the appointment. She served until her death. In December 1917. The samefall, Mr. and Mrs. .William Thompson built a house on their lot in the townsite, and moved their store which had grown into It. Mrs. Thompson Thomp-son kept the store until her death in February of 1920. The first water to reach here for irrigation ir-rigation purposed was in the summer of 1912. through the Farnsworth Irrigation Irri-gation Co.s ditch in lateral No. 4. It was run in the big hollow, which made it nearer for the use of the people in watering their animals and they could get water and ice for use in the'ir houses. The people went through many hardships while putting in their families and horses while working on the ditch. The women would go up and live in the tents and cook for their husbands an dsons. The first celebration held here was on the fourth of July, 1914, In a bowery bow-ery on the townsite. Every family attended. at-tended. Talmnge was then a branch of the Boneta ward, with Lewis Allred as presiding elder, and A. C. Burton as bishop of the Boneta ward. Talmage was made a ward September 17, 1910. with A. .E. Burton as bishop, and C. B. Rut and O. J. Oleson as Ids counselors. coun-selors. There was about forty families located lo-cated here then, and they were busy clearing sagebrush and cedars, and planting crops. The place by this time looked less desolate. Before this the Relief Society and been organized, with Esther Draper as president. The Primary was organized or-ganized with Lourete Sanders as president, pres-ident, and the Sunday School, with D. Mi Todd as superintendent. The Sunday School was held for some time in the home of Mrs. Joseph Draper. The Relief Society met in different homes. The Mutuals were organized November 27, 1917, with John L. All-red All-red as xresident of the young men, and Mrs. Sarah M. Beckstead as president pres-ident of the young ladles. -.Many changes have taken place in the past ten years. Nearly every farm A fenced, and better homes are being imllr. Every farmer owns some cattle, and several own sheep. Many of the women raise turkeys. All are helping to make Talmage a prosperous town. There are only a few of the first homesteaders remaining here now. Several Sev-eral have passed away, and a few have moved away. But more are coming in. We have a new store, built and owned by Elray D. Lnren, which Is doing a good business and helping to lniild up the town. We also have a cream station, where cream is tested every week and shipped to Nelson-Ricks, in Salt Lake City. We now have a dally mail, which leaves here in the mornincrs and comes back every night. Mrs. Ritfy McDonald McDon-ald is in charge of the postoftlce. |