| Show Small Area Big in History Daggett County is 50 Years Y YoUng o ng by Kerry Boren BorenI I On January 7 Daggett County opens its anniversary Organized on Jan Jan- Jannary nary uary 7 1918 the county has wit wit- witnessed many startling and changing events but none were so amazing as the organization of the county itself THE SECTION of land which is today Daggett County has hasI I always been bounced around from one parent county to an other much like an unwanted I child Even earlier the little section of land was in the mid mid- middle dIe dle of boundary disputes At an early date the Spanish explored this section and claimed it for Spain In about 1640 there were Spanish forts in Daggett County but they were burned by bythe bythe the ute Indians and the occupants I pants killed or driven away In massive wars and disputes es Daggett County came under the control of the Mexican Dominion where it remained without many visitors until the advent of the mountain men in 1824 In 1848 the area was ceded to the Territory of the United States after the War with Mexico WITH THE coming of the Mormons this section reverted to their control under the pro posed State of Deseret and be be- be became came a part of the gigantic Green River County When the United States government fail fail- failed ed to recognize the Mormon I state the land again reverted to the Territory of the United States but still retained its dis Unction as part of Green River County At that time Green River County absorbed most of I what is now Summit and Dag Dag- Dag Daggett gett County Utah with great i sections of Sweetwater and Uinta counties Wyoming andI I With the acquiring of Summit County to the roles of the reo re- region gion in preparation for state state- statehood hood that county absorbed what is now Daggett County in in- in into to its boundaries Then in 1880 Daggett was ceded to the mas mas- mas massive I sive Uintah County to the south BY THE time all of this had hadI I come to pass the area now call call- called ed Daggett County had grown from a wilderness to a settled community with several hund hund- hundred red homesteaders from Beaver County in southern Utah taking up claims in every available valley Ellsworth P Daggett first surveyor surveyor general general and his partner Adolph Jessen directed the building of huge canals from the alpine lakes in inthe inthe the High to bring irrigation tion to the valleys But the 10 lo- lo location cation still remained extreme extreme- extremely ly isolated during these years separ separated ted from the county seat at Vernal by the majestic and usually Uinta Mountains Utah's highest range As a result of its isolation Uintah County would and could not assist the section in roads schools and governmental pro pro- problems The residents paid taxes but received no benefits It was a matter of bitterest con con- contest test for many years Then early in 1916 a petition was made at Vernal to acquire the sum of seventy dollars to fill a mud hole in Daggetts Daggett's worst road The request was denied Thus it was that the residents of this section determined to create I their own county A COMMITTEE COMMITTE E of men including Peter G Wall Daniel DanielM DanielM M Nelson Marius N Larsen Willard Schofield and George made the wagon I j journey urney over the mountain to I seek the permission of Uintah County for the withdrawal Sup Sup- I most of the influential men of the Uintah BasIn were I in favor of the change Dag Dag- Dag Daggett gett had long been a thorn in inthe inthe the side of progress for Uintah County An election was immediately called and held on July 31 1917 The results were in the Dag Dag- Dag Daggett gett district 74 in favor none against in Uintah County in favor against The el el- el election was carried But a name was needed Two choices pre pre pre- presented themselves that of Finch County in honor of the areas area's oldest living resident or Daggett County in honor of Utah surveyor general and the areas area's godfather of settlement The vote was unanimous for Daggett who received the news at the State Capitol with much appreciation He still held interest in the local water and canal company ELECTION OF officers officer's was held December 24 1917 and they were as follows commis commis- sinners George C Niels and Marius N Larsen clerk recorder A J B Stewart assessor treasurer Daniel M Nelson sheriff Andel Anciel T Twitchell county attorney Charles F 01 Ol- Ol Olsen sen sen county physician Dr F W Tinker constable for forthe forthe the Manila precinct Leo B Stewart ALL THINGS being in read read- readiness iness the petition for county county- hood had been submitted and signed by acting Governor Harden Bennion on November 16 1917 the declaration stating FIRST COURTHOUSE Willard Schofields Schofield's log building In Manila housed the first Daggett County commissioners that Daggett County would come into its own on the first Monday in January following Thus it was that on January 7 1918 Daggett County was formed Jubilation ran high rodeos were planned for the fol fol- fol following lowing July dances formed im im- im immediately mediately and celebrations were held held county countywide wide Before January 1918 was out citizens asked for a reconsider reconsider- reconsideration of the local school system A new district was set up on January 24 with the following board members Henry Uncle Hank flank Twitchell Albert E Waite A J B Stewart and Charles F Olsen W F er had been chosen but did not qualify and Niels reo re- replaced placed him on February 4 A COMMITTEE COMMITTE E for the state road was set up with Ammon Peter G Wall Charl- Charl Charles es F Olsen and F W Tinker on the board Kenneth Sawyer was the first county road commissioner with a wage of 3 a day In the minute book of May 6 1918 the first mention is made of having a regular place of meeting for the commission commission- commissioners ers and also acquiring a tele tele- telephone phone Inasmuch as Willard Schofield owned the Town Hall which cons of the post postoffice postoffice I office rd and grocery store barber shop pool hall halland halland and dance han hall and nd also had the only telephone in Manila it was duly decided that Mr Schofield be approached as noted in the minutes of S Septem- Septem September ber 3 1918 COMMISSIONERS met at 3 pm in Clerks Clerk's office the commissioners had moved in previous to this official notice Present Larsen and Ras Ras- mussen minutes of meeting held Aug 5 1918 was read and approved The attorney was instructed to fix up up a lease with Willard Schofield for the theoffice theoffice office and he will be paid for six months in advance But there was one conven conven- convenience which the lease failed to cover However Willa Willard Id I'd came cameto cameto to the rescue on 1919 COMMUNICATION fro f r o m Willard Schofield was head to the effect that he would furnish lumber to build a toilet provid provid- providing ing the County would build the same and a motion was made by Mr to accept the offer We can only assume that Mr Pall sen had good reason to make such a motion Some of the other interesting notations from the Daggett County minute books coincident with the organization of the county are as follows Election held November 14 1918 Heber Bem Bennion on Jr first State R Representative for Bag Dag gett County June 3 1918 1916 Sheriff Anciel recommends Mark Anson as deputy sheriff with with- without out salary February 3 1919 Francis Marion Twitchell appointed de do- do sheriff without salary February 17 1919 John Tolton appointed deputy sheriff of Lin Lin- Lin Linwood wood precinct February 3 1919 Report from H Ii H Twitchell that part of of the logs to build the jail were on the ground and the rest would be there soon IN 1922 the old school was 1922 abandoned abandoned for the newer lure ture against the boll holl northwest of town where the present high school is today and the com com- commissioners missioners appropriated the old school for the courthouse This same structure is in use today However most of the development was formed from the old back room of the Town Hall Several interesting things evolved about his time December 1 1919 books presented to county as a nucleus leus for lor a ordinance forbid forbid- forbidding ding anyone under 18 years in local pool halls THE CELEBRATION of Dag Dag- Dag Daggett gett County's anniversary will not pass unheard but it shall not raise great fuss either cither Daggett County still suf suf- suf suffers fers from isolation and being Utah's smallest county lacks a great deal in recognition as aswell aswell well The old Town Hall Dag Dag- Dag Daggett gett County's first courthouse and the scene of much of this county's greatest history is isnow Isnow now under process of being torn down Efforts of the Utah local historians historians have done little littleto littleto to save it it Though small in size and isolated from its par par- parent ent state Daggett County has regained her stature as the scene of the Flaming Gorge Dam and is fast gaining are a re- re reputation for her fascinating history Here was the first per per- permanent manent manent residence in the State of here was the first visit by eastern to the western regions nearby was the first Fur here are Americas America's most scenic and becoming pop pop- popular I ular ever increasingly as a aI I winter sports area Daggett County is small in size only Perhaps it more than any other in the State of Utah d deserves serves the proposed motto Most historic County |
