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Show Horse sense makes sense .-- - !. 1 I '4, -i . I A 4'.- ' ..--" ' : . - VX ; : ! . ? V""' - ! " " " ' .-' i . V 1 i X. I I I , j 1 !. j. c ' ' . -. - ' ' k HENRY SCHAEFERMEYER shows how he is going to hook up the crazy wheel on his new swing set. It doesn't take a lot of formal training train-ing to create and build things. All it takes is a little "horse sense". Henry Schaefermeyer has been a resident of Vernal for 66 years and has used his "horse sense" to create and construct many valuable and useable items. Mr. Schaefermeyer has been a member of the Vernal Lion's Club since 1937. He constructed and made the playground equipment at Merkley's Park. Now the Lion's Club is in charge of Remember the Maine Park in Dry Fork. Mr. Schaefermeyer has used his "horse sense" again and has built most of the playground equipment equip-ment up there. At the present time he is in the process of constructing another swing set only this is different from your regular swing set. It will have some swings in the middle, a two-seated two-seated type of swing on the one side and a crazy wheel on the other side. There will be three chains come from the crazy wheel and go up to the top. "I never saw one before," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. He thought up the idea himself. Mr. Schaefermeyer built two swing sets and a giant stride. There is also a big cooker which he built for the park. Mr. Schaefermeyer and his wife don't have any children of their own. He wanted to make these swing sets and playground equipment but didn't have any use for them. "If I got paid, I wouldn't do-it," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. His pay is the satisfaction he gets for contributing what he can to the park. The Lion's Club will work on the park every two weeks throughout the summer. Remember the Maine is a public park. "I think my windmill is the neatest thing I ever made," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. The windmill in his back yard will water the entire back yard. It's hooked hook-ed up to his well which is underneath the windmill. Mr. Schaefermeyer first began with mail-order windmill kits. Later he used us-ed his "horse sense" and learned to construct his own windmills from scratch. Three small windmills, each about seven feet tall, he uses as lawn decora- I ; " .'" . - . ' - -4 I ' - V T? I ! ' V ' r ' 1" j f -.' ' 1 . f L ; , SHOWING ONE OF HIS PRIZE possessions posses-sions is Henry Schaefermeyer. The bridle bit he made with only one piece of iron. i bit frame he made with only one piece of iron. This is among his museum of old-time old-time relics. tions. The larger windmills, about 22 feet tall, are operational. Mr. Schaefermeyer has been a collector col-lector of almost everything all of his life. "I never throw anything away. If I see anything around, I pick it up," he said. Mr. Schaefermeyer said his father, a blacksmith, didn't throw anything away either. "You never know when you'll need it," he said. "I never sold anything' in my life that I wasn't sorry for," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. Through collecting various things throughout the years, Mr. Schaefermeyer has quite a collection. collec-tion. The first old school house built in the valley has become his own private museum. The school house was built in 1894. Students attended there in 1894-1896 until they built the Central School. After they quit holding school there, John M. Davis bought the school house. Then it became the First Ward Relief Society building. After they built the First Ward Chapel, John M. Davis bought it back and his son and daughter lived in it. Since that time, Mr. Schaefermeyer has turned the building into his museum. In it you will find many fascinating things, used years ago, possibly even some things you didn't know existed. There will be old lanterns, wash boards, churns, guns, corn planters, and many other items of interest to look at. Mr. Schaefermeyer has one of the oldest pack saddles and possibly one of the oldest saddles that was ever made. He also has the horn off of an Indian saddle that was cut out with a rock. Not only does he have many things of interest to look at, but there are many stories he can tell to go along with many of his prize possessions. "It used to be that things like this didn't mean anything to us," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. Now those meaningless mean-ingless items have become antiques. You will also find an old handmade radio, ice tongs, and even music sticks used for playing the Indian Bear Dance. Mr. Schaefermeyer will also demonstrate how the music stick is played and let you listen to how it sounds. According to Mr. Schaefermeyer, nine-tenths of the tools his dad had he made. "Most every tool up there is homemade," he said referring to the collection he has hanging on one of the walls. "Why do we keep all of that stuff, I can't tell you," said Mr. Schaefermeyer. "There's nothing much here but there's a lot of memories." "I'm getting where I sell a lot of it instead of keeping everything," he said. In 1916 Mr. Schaefermeyer came to Utah from Colorado in a covered wagon. He was 10 years old at the time. In 1917 he moved here with his family and lived in Jensen. Later they moved to Ashley. Mr. Schaefermeyer said they used to ride to school on horseback. There were about 50 of them from Maeser Ward that rode horses to school. He graduated in 1927. Mr. Schaefermeyer lived on a truck farm. They attended the Uintah County Coun-ty Fair many years receiving many ribbons which he still has. Some of them were from years back as far as 1920 and 1922. Mr. Schaefermeyer worked for H. S. Sowards from 1929-1936. From 1936-1945 they owned the Basin Chevrolet. He also worked for the forest service and worked on building Hotel Vernal. In 1950 he worked for First Security Bank. He worked at the bank for 21 years before retiring, but still does appraisal and machine repair work for them. With Mr. Schaefermeyer's "horse sense" he has given a lot to the community com-munity of Vernal through his service and inventions. Story by Marylan Bird Society Editor Photos by Steve Christensen Assistant News Editor . If i ',! 1 : 1 1 f 4 f - , ,' . ' ; ' s , j i . !' - t - -V'-. ; ' . 1 I i ONE OF Henry Schaefermeyer's neatest pieces of work is his building of windmills. HENRY SCHAEFERMEYER demonstrates how the giant stride he made works. |