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Show Centerville played a key part in Utah 's silk industry By CHERIE HUBER CENTERVILLE "One thing about pioneer women. They were obedient to counsel. Many times they were sorely tried by some of the things they were told to do but, for the most part, they were obedient to counsel." Clara Goudy opened her presentation on Centerville historical society with those comments. Details of the silk industry illustrated her observations. observa-tions. Raising silk worms was one of the unusual challenges the pioneer women were given. They were only moderately successful but they took great pride in their accomplishments. Sericulture was a mission that lasted 50 years in Utah and at its peak was quite an industry. Early residents of Centerville, Elizabeth and Thomas Whitaker, played an important part in the story. In a sermon in St George, Brig ham Young suggested sug-gested that the sisters could serve by raising silk worms. "If we profess to use silk dresses we must first learn how to produce them,' he said. One of Brigham Young's wives, Zina D. H. Young, was called to establish the silk culture. Zina had a genuine ge-nuine fear of the worms, but she sought help through prayer and carried on. In 1855 the first mulberry trees arrived from France. In 1857 moth eggs were also shipped but apparently ap-parently did not survive. A little later Thomas Whitaker asked his mother and sisters in England to send more eggs. Those arrived by mail and the Whi takers were successful in growing cocoons. Elizabeth eventually made a handsome silk vest. silk socks and silk cravat for President Young. He was very pleased with the gifts and came to Centerville to thank them and encourage them. In 1858 Mrs. Marie Borrows also brought silk moth eggs from the East In 1859 she reeled her silk and wove it. That fabric became the first silk dress produced pro-duced in Utah. The silk worm eggs do not hatch under 50 degrees, and this is how they were shipped and stored over winter. When the mulberry leaves were ready, the eggs were wanned so they would hatch. Borrowing a custom from the Chinese, the women made drawstring bags for the eggs which they wore around their necks and under their clothing until the eggs hatched. Just one ounce of eggs could hatch into 40,000 hungry caterpillars. Not only did the caterpillars give off a strange, sickly sick-ly sweet odor but the unceasing munching of the mulberry leaves could be heard throughout the house. Thousands of mulberry trees were imported and planted. The leaders were very enthusiastic about sericulture. Eggs were even sent home with the Primary children and the young women in the MIA. Eventually, the state of Utah put a bounty on silk cocoons of 25 cents a pound, which gave the silk industry in-dustry a boost Some time later the state removed the bounty, interest waned and the industry failed. However, many of the mulberry trees still stand, reminders of Utah's silk industry. Next month Gary Blodgett and Brian Gray will talk about the new Bountiful Centennial Quarterly at the Centerville Historical Society. |