Show Page 3 Gunnison Valiev News Wednesday i— I C ENTENNIAI February 1996 14 i Celebrating Utah's Centennial 1896 1996 Charted Sevier River to Delta Gunnison shares name of army surveyor by Anita Lyons John Williams Gunnison wanted to “accomplish the greatest amount in the least possible time” He was born November 1812 to a close knit family It’s from his letters to them throughout his life that much of his sentiments and beliefs (as above) are known At 18 he left the family farm for college After one year at Hopkinton Academy he took a teaching job to pay for more school and continued his studies in the evening He graduated from the Academy in another the Corps of Topographical Engineers To high professional skill he added energy judgment and an untiring devotion to the interest of the which very materially expedition contributed to its success" While in Washington Gunnison wrote to Martha “Last night w ent to the Capitol to sec the House in session and look at the magnificent chandelier a sight really worth seeing The members were in a terrible commotion: the Ohio abolitionist was glory ingin the Boston mob and abusing the Secretary of State This seems to be the order of the day to talk talk talk about theoretical notionsofUnion year Gunnison applied to West Point and his letter of recommendation was signed by several influential people Gunnison 's observations including the then governor an and the governor elect of New Hampshire and lawyer Franklin Pierce a futurepresident ofthe United States The letter contains a description of the man: “He is about five feet nine inches in height of light complexion straight built and His correct moral principles perfect rectitude of conduct of and gentlemanly manner suavity deportment are such as will command the respect and esteem of all who know him His habits of temperance industry and close application His o study are well confirmed manners are dignified and many but not haughty austere or forbidding” School went well for Gunnison except for a short time he took off for eye trouble “probably caused by one thousand pages of extra reading per week which he had set himself to accomplish" w roleone historian He graduated from West Point second in his class of fifty in 1837 Upon graduation he was offered a commission of second lieutenant in the army He w rote his parents that he had accepted the offer “as a matter of duty feeling that the interests of individuals should yield to the interest of Exerptsfrom “The Mormons or Latter Day Saints the Valley of the Great Salt Lake a history derived from personal observation during a residence among them” written by John Williams Gunnison “The dignity of labor is held sacred by the saints they teach by example on the week day what they preach on the Sabbath ” concerning the virtue of industry “The cheerful happy faces and the strains of music pouring forth from merry hearts give and impression of a happy society ” Soon we may expect to see a thriving peaceful state added to the extended Union under the name of Deseret — The Land of the Honey Bee Th e ascending sun salutes and descending bids a sh art farewell brow of the lofty mountain each day lightly kissing the peeks that look so serenely down upon these vales filled with the A' happy homes of peaceful industry Thus have I endeavored to make them sketch their own portrait in slavery and liberty and leave the practical business that would secure the good we all desire and avoid the But the eleev il that all deprecate ments of discord are boiling hot and the disunion monster shows a sav age row of teeth” In March 1853 Congress passed an appropriation for the survey of a railroad route from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean Four main expeditions were organized each to their country” Gunnison serv ed in the Seminole war in Florida and assisted in the remov al of the Chcrokees to Oklahoma Then he was appointed to the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers He worked to improve a canal betw ecn two rivers in Georgia While there he met his wife Martha Delony They were married in 94 He was ordered to help explore and survey in Wisconsin and spent eight years helping to map the Great Lakes survey a different possible route Gunnison received the commission of Captain and was ordered to head one of the expeditions His outfit would survey a route between the 38th and 39th parallels crossing through present day Kansas Colorado and Utah Gunnison wrote to his parents “I had hoped and most earnestly desired to see you and all the family before starting so long a journey but I was not to lose a day but hasten to fit out the expedition for the season is so far advanced” After wailing through sev eral delays in St Louis the expedition departed in June They traveled "nearly seven hundred miles over an untrodden track through a wilderness all the w ay and across five mountain ranges and a dry desert of seventy miles between the Grand (Colorado) and Green Riv ers” w rote Gunnison The party arrived at the Sevier River on October 17 853 “On reaching this place a stage is attained w hich I had so long desired to reach and accomplish: the great mountains hav e been passed and a new wagon road opened across the continent a work which was almost unanimously pronounced impossible by the men who know the mountains and this route over them The result is a new mail and military road to Taos in New Mexico by w ay of Fort Massachusetts very direct and easy w ith excellent feed and water all the way” ThcExpedition followed the Sevier River north into lower Sanpete County and Mormon settlement In Manti they found the people barriGunnison caded in their houses “There is a war bew rote Martha tween the Mormons and the Indians and parties of less than a dozen do not dare to travel We did not know w hat a risk we have lately been running until coming here for I have been riding carelessly in the mountains hunting roads ahead and other curiKiss the dear children ous capers Captain John Williams Gunnison for me and kind regards to friends Your own JW Gunnison” The party continued their survey along the Sevier Riv er On October 25 Captain Gunnison took eleven men and made a separate camp farther along the river (south of present The next morning the day Delta) group was ambushed by Indians Eight of the party including Gunnison were killed Only four escaped Newspapers throughout the nation Because of the told of the tragedy prevalent attitude at the time many blamed the Mormons for the massacre Later some Indians from Chief Kanosh’s band of Paiutcs (Pah Utc) admitted they had done the killing A few weeks earlier a Missourian wagon train had come through the area Not realizing that the Indians always carried their bows and arrows one of the whites snatched the bow and arrow of an old man This caused a fight and the old man the war captain in Moshoquopc Kanosh’s band of Indians died the next night Sev eral Indians owed to revenge Moshoquopc's death Captain Gunnison and his men were the next w hites to enter the area When John Williams Gunnison died in 1853 at the age of 41 he had 'Bishop Axtell' (Taken from the Salt Lake Tribune:) After President Grant appointed In preparation of Gunnison Valley's Centennial Celebration on March 16 1996 The Gunnison Valley Nen's will be featuring histories of prominent people places and events that made a mark on Utah We hope you enjoy these articles We appreciate the contributions by many members of the community Nine years later Brigham Young iscd the pioneers in Kearns Camp and Chalk Hill settlements to move to a higher point (away from flooding) and to name the new settlement after Captain Gunnison Thus Gunnison Utah was created in 1X62 Gunnison's name has also been given to a city in Colorado a county a river a mountain peak a canyon and a national forest adv Sources: Hook Memory to Commemo- rate Gunnison Valley’s Centennial edited by the Centennial 1959 "Nothing Hut lis CounCommittee try" by Doris Nelson Newman Daughter of the Revolution American 19X6 November Magazine edited by Allan Encyclopedia "What do you know about Gunnison'’" Sun News Wednes- Utah History Kent Powell John Oct 31 1990 "John Gunnison: day tain and Army Explorer Magazine Monday 30 November Mom's Cafe Featuring Prime Rib & MANY OTHER SPECIALS Plus Full Complete Menu j gr Mom's Cafe in Satina ritory STGEORGE Cliss that of'IOprtycttfatt: $60000 fir fbr furttfalltfi FEB 17 - 18(£e Reality is expensive STOW-I- for the historical displays at the Celebration on March 16 Features Full Swing Doora Heavy Duty Steel Conttruction Convenient Secure Affordable Fast Delivery public service of newspaper Sale or Rent (801) W If you have items from the period that you would be willing to display 1 or please call D'Ann Mellor at 6 4 or Lori Nay at I For SAVINGS BONDS Antiques and household items J&f I detaill limiuuom is in need of HUNTING GEAR yourself for college with UJS Savings Bonds Start saving now for those future college costs with US Savings Bonds They’re guaranteed safe earn Treasury based rates and you can get them through most banks or through employers offering the Payroll Savings Plan Plus families and individuals who use Savings Bonds for college tuition may qualify for a special tax exclusion Prepare For the Savings Bond investor Information pamphlet write US Savings Bonds Washington DC 20226 Qunnison Centennial1 Celebration Committee ' SHOW USED GUNS WHOLESALE AMMO GUN SAFES KNIVES p SCOPES Sat9a-5- p Sun HOLSTERS BUY SELL TRADE BOOKS & PARTS RELOADING SUPPLIES TO MODERN ANTIQUE PERSONAL SECURITY Brands JERKY & W I llljf I “F" VVw“l I 5 IMS 8'x8'x20' 1 (800) lk TDJJmAVAILABLE J Cap- of our town" by The Gunnison Country namesake KSchipper February 14th him gov ernor of Utah Territory one of Samuel Beach Axtell's first acts w as to deliver a certificate of election to George Q Cannon new ly elected territorial congressional delegate It was something Gov Woods refused to do Axtell was immediately branded as a tool of the Mormons and editors of The Salt Lake Tribune referred to him as “Bishop” Axtell He tried to ease the situation by touring the larger counties in the territory but his opponents w ould hav e none of it and increased their attacks on him In the end Grant was asked to intervene but instead he appointed Axtell gov ernor of New Mexico Ter- Editor's Note: contributed to the mapping of significant portions of the Western United States He had done a great deal w ith his time An editorial in the Deseret News eulogized "Captain Gunnison was endeared to us by a former and fondly cherished acquaintanceship in ” 1981 |