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Show J 1 Sen. Orrin Hatch: toy wsscp It was just a few weeks ago that Presisent Reagan talked about the Fourth of July, and what It meant to him. He compared it with Christmas, full of nostalgia, and talked about the birth of our nation and what patriotism meant to all of us. The 24th of July is somewhat some-what of a Christmas, too, I guess, as it provides a time to be with family and friends watching a parade, having a picnic or just reviewing a few pages out of our pioneer history books. All of us in Utah have our pioneers stories to tell. Let me tell you a couple of my favorites about my relatives. rela-tives. My great-grandfather , Jeremiah Hatch was called by Brigham Young to settle the Ashley Valley area in 1878. In fact, at one point in history the town we now know as Vernal was named Hatch -town, named in his honor. I must confess that prior to Hatchtown the name of the town was Jerico! President Young also charged my great-grandfather with preaching to the Indians. It isn't know how many Indians he converted, but we do know that the friendship generated between be-tween him and the Indians saved his life! During late September, 1879, following the Meeker masacre, many angry Indians In-dians traveled to villages in Utah, trying to persuade the Utes and White Rocks to help them exterminate all the white settlers between White Rocks and Meeker. The Uintah Uin-tah chiefs were friendly with Uncle Jerry and sent a delegation dele-gation to warn him . He anc the other white settlers tool refuge in a fort in the middle of the area known now as Vernal. He was a most unusual man. Not only did he live long, preach hard and enjoy en-joy life, he also enjoyed the company of three wives and 30 children. Another pioneer remembered rememb-ered is Harley Mowrey, our great-grandfather on my wife Elaine's side. He marched with the Mormon Battalion. He was made of strong stock living to age 97. But strong as he was, his wife, Martha Jane Sargeant, was possibly stronger she marched right by his side with the Battalion and during the trek in Pueblo, New Mexico.gave birth to a daughter! On this July 24th we should spend a little extra time I think, looking back to those hearty pioneers,who did have their hardships but also their success. We do a lot of grumbling about the hard times of today, but our hardships today do not com -pare with those of a Jeremiah Jere-miah Hatch or Martha and Harley Mowrey. It's good we have a July 24th to take some time to honor those great pioneers. Perhaps we should make every day a July 24th! |