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Show Volume XV Issue XVII The Ogden Valley news Page 11 August 15, 2008 Autobiography and Teachings of Moroni Daniel Ferrin Note: This is the third in a series regarding the life of Moroni Daniel Ferrin who moved his family to Eden on July 24, 1862 when Moroni was 18 days old. This history was provided by his descendent Mark Ferrin of Eden. Chapter III A f t e r being honorably released, my father returned home from his mission in 1870, and took up his duties again at home (in Eden). August 4, 1870, I was baptized by John Ferrell and confirmed Moroni Daniel Ferrin by Richard Ballantyne, and thus became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Under the conditions as described, I grew and associated with the people and occasionally something would transpire which would strengthen my faith in, and increase my love for the Lord. In the previous chapter I wrote at some length about the grasshoppers that would sometimes come and eat up our crops. As the years went by, they continued to trouble us much although sometimes missing us for a season or two and then coming again. They were a terrible pest, for our crops were never safe from them until harvested, for if they were not with us as young hoppers in the spring, they were likely to come flying to us in the autumn before our crops were gathered. This continued until about the year 1870 as near as my memory serves me. One beautiful, bright, sun shiny day in autumn, during the harvest time, when some fields of grain were cut and in the shock but other fields were too green to cut and were still standing, I saw them come into the valley for the last time. My attention was called to what appeared in the distance to be a cloud of dust coming over the mountain south of Huntsville. We were soon made aware to our sorrow that it was a great drive of flying grasshoppers. The grain that was out and in the shock was safe, for it was too tough and dry for the hoppers to eat, but that which was green and still standing was in danger. The people said it was better to cut their grain green and make hay of it for the stock than to let the grasshoppers take it so they went into their grain with mowing machines to get as much of it down as they could before the hoppers should devour it. The hoppers came and lit in the fields where the men were mowing. They would eat the stem off just below the head of the wheat or oats and let the head fall to the ground. Thus, much grain was wasted before it could be cut and saved, but a partial crop was secured. It appeared that the earth would be planted full of eggs again, to be hatched out in the spring and thus the plague would be on us for another year at least, but the Lord must have given heed to the prayers of the people for deliverance, for these terrible pests were doomed to destruction before they had the opportunity to lay their eggs in the ground. No mortal wisdom could devise means of relief and no mortal hand was able to cope with the situation; but all depended upon God who alone knows all thing and has all power. He is able to save us from this trouble if only we can secure his favor. We hear screams above our heads. We look up among the flying hoppers to see from whence the sound comes and see numerous beautiful birds (seagulls) soaring among the hoppers and devouring them, screaming as they fly as if to say to the people below, “Be of good cheer, we have come to save you.” It was said by those who claimed to investigate that the seagulls would fill themselves full of hoppers and then disgorge, fill up again and disgorge, and so continue their welcome service from day to day. In addition to the birds, a disease also came among the hoppers, which caused them to fall to the earth and die. This was so fatal and acted so rapidly that in places the earth was almost covered with their decaying bodies; thus was the terrible horde of pests destroyed. I have been familiar with the conditions in the valley for about 38 years since then and do not remember that the hoppers ever came again in troublesome numbers. On the Tabernacle grounds in Salt Lake City a monument has been reared in honor of the seagulls for destroying a plague of crickets at one time. I was not a witness to the destruction of the crickets, but I was a witness to the destruction of the grasshoppers in Ogden Valley, and I think it would be a nice thing if the people of the Valley would rear a monument in honor of this event on some prominent spot. I would suggest at the place where the road from Ogden forks—one branch to lead to Eden and the other to Huntsville—to remind posterity of the goodness of God to their parents in those times. Would I have the monument reared to the birds or to the disease? No, verily. I would have it reared unto God with the statue of Christ as the central figure holding a seagull in one hand and something to represent disease in the other. For with these two forces did God destroy the terrible plague of grasshoppers in beautiful little Ogden Valley where I was reared. Historical Photo Photo of Liberty’s frame school house. The school was located across the road from the current Liberty Park and red Liberty church that recently burned down. The school was in service prior to the turn of the century and shortly thereafter until a new four-room, yellow brick building was constructed by the county school district in 1915. Photo courtesy of Rod Clark of Liberty. Celeste C. Canning PLLC Attorney at Law 2590 Washington Boulevard, Suite 200 Ogden, Utah 84401 Local: (801) 791-1092 Office: (801) 612-9299 Email: ccanninglaw@aol.com Meeting the Legal Needs of Small Business and Their Owners FREE Initial Thirty Minute Consultation. Appointments in Ogden Valley upon request. Short Sale New Construction eden acres, Preserve & Durfee Creek as low as $100 per square foot* Contact Us Immediately for Information *Third party approval required PH:801-745-8400 | FAX:801.745.3650 | P.O. BOX 985 EDEN, UTAH 84310 | www.mOUNTAiNlUXUry.cOm |