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Show Volume XXII Issue V The Ogden Valley news Page 9 May 1, 2014 Early History of Liberty: Part III Note: This is part three of a history that began in the April 1 issue of The Ogden Valley News. The history has been provided courtesy of Rod Clark of Liberty. Next to farming and stock raising the lumber industry was of much importance. In 1861 Thomas Bingham erected a hand driven shingle mill on the North Fork just west of where the state road crosses the stream between Eden and Liberty (Chamber’s place), later it was moved to another site (Wolfcreek.) That same year C.W. West and Levi Wheeler built the first power wheel sawmill in Wheeler canyon. In order to reach the canyon they traveled over North Ogden pass through the valley and down the river by boat. This was thought to be the first power driven wheel sawmill ever built in Utah. Mr. Samuel and Josia Ferrin put up a power driven mill near the previous site (Chamber’s place). Another mill was erected by Orson Short in North Fork at the mouth of Cutler canyon. In 1867 David Garner was partners on a mill up Broadmouth canyon, and they lived on the east side of the North Fork river in Liberty. In 1870, Thomas Durfee had a mill up Durfee canyon. Joseph Southwick Sr. located the second mill on the North Fork in 1870. Farming, dairying and stock raising remains the main industry in Liberty today. Before the road was surfaced down the canyon, the farmers would always carry an axe on the side of the wagon as they took a load of produce to Ogden. They sometimes would have to stop and chop the tree stumps and growths from the road in order to get the load by. The road would wear down with travel and there was always enough moisture for new growth. They would always leave early of a morning for the trip and maybe stay until the next day before starting for home. Hay and grain was and still is the main crops raised here. Thrashing is a big project each fall, as the men went from farm to farm helping one another get the grain into the bins before the snow fell. It was a much slower process than the modern combines of today. On each farm the grain was out by horse drawn binders that would cut and tie the grain into small bundles. The bundles would be hauled by wagons from the fields and stacked according to variety. There is a certain knack or knowhow to stack grain in order for them to stay stacked until it was your turn for the thrasher to come and separate the grain from the straw. The men worked hard but enjoyed working together. The women would have three hot meals to cook for the crew as long as they were at their ranch. Any breakdowns would prolong the job. The fist thrasher was a horse driven one owned by Warren Campbell, Andrew Clark, Charles Clark, Robert Montgomery and John H Ward. This machine was sold to Joseph Southwick, Oatha Southwick, Edwin Clark and William Chard. The second horse driven machine was owned and run by B.A. Montgomery and Walter Lindsey and others and eventually ended up as Southwick owned and operated. A large steam driven power machine was owned by Lindseys, Chadwicks and Willards. Bill Lindsey was the engineer, Alf Willard the oiler and trouble shooter, Will Chadwick was the bagger. This thrasher engine had to be kept in water in order for it to get enough steam to run. It was stored in winter time on the James Lindsey farm. The steam thrasher was replaced by a gasoline operated one owned by Alma Chambers and one owned by Robert F Homes. Mr. Holmes had the last Thrasher in Liberty. Boyd Storey was the first Liberty resident that owns and did custom work with a modern day combine. The pea industry was a very profitable crop. The valley peas were well know for their exceptionally good flavor and quality. In 1913 a few acres were tried on an experimental basis, to see if the climate could produce a worthwhile crop. These peas were hauled to 12th street to a canning factory. In 1914 a small viner was installed in Eden at the fork of the road leading to Huntsville and Ogden Canyon, the peas were hauled there until a larger viner was built in Liberty in 1916. It was started and used the late summer of 1917. It was built on the corner of on land bought from Alf Penrod by the Wasatch Canning Co through the efforts of Mr. Parker manager. The viner that was installed in Liberty was the largest in the country; it contained five double unleading viners run by steam, with a huge smoke stack that took several wagons to bring it through the canyon. It had to be brought in sections it was so tall. There would be around twenty men employed at harvest time. There were no eating establishment in town, a cook shack was secured and supplied with a stove, coal stove that is, and three tables and benches also some white granite dishes. Two women would take the job of cooking for the crew, furnishing the food, for so much for each person per meal. Three hot meals a day were served as well as early morning coffee. The men also slept at the viner at night as at four in the morning the whistle would blow for them to start thrashing the peas. There would be as many as forty to fifty wagon loads lined up in all directions for blocks around. The farmers soon learned that cool temperatures produced more tender and juicy peas, better tests and more money for the product. In the heat of the afternoon the viner would close down and quite thrashing. The farmers would cut and load peas in the evening after the sun would go down, in order to have them ready for morning. The peas could be loaded into trucks as soon as possible after they were thrashed and hauled to the cannery. The run usually lasted about three weeks. The Wasatch Canning Co was merged or sold to the California Packing Co which it is still know by today. The viner was torn down in 1958-9 a few peas were raised until 1961. Portable viners were brought in to thrash them. There were only four producers the last year. They were hauled to Smithfield to test and can. You might ask the question “Why after 48 years aren’t peas raised for commercial purposes today?” In later years not a fair profit was made, and the farmers could use the water to better advantage and more profit. When the warm sun begins to beat down upon the snow banks, there is always the danger of snow slides. This is an account as it was told to me, of one of the largest snow slides that has ever come down bridge canyon. It was early morning, after breakfast, on March 12, 1876 at the home of James Burt Jr. The mother Annie had washed the children and combed their hair, curled Catherines hair and put her in her highchair. She took the youngest John on to her lap to feed. James the father started to the spring for water, when he heard a loud rumbling noise. He saw this huge slide coming, and figured that it would miss them. A fragment of the slide turned and caught the corner of the house tearing it apart from the foundation and carrying it for blocks. As it did this a piece of wood hit him on the forehead and the snow partially covered him. He was stunned for a few minutes. He got up to see his wife and three children being carried away with the slide. However, his wife was only buried in snow waist deep and she still held the child in her arms unharmed. His loud cry for help rang out all over the valley. Soon John Fields and Walter Lindsey were the first to arrive with shovels to help dig them out. Abe Armstrong and William Holmes came as well as other neighbors. One little boy and the family dog was deposited on the edge of the slide. They could hear the little dog whine and scratch underneath the snow, so that is where they started digging and soon the dog and the boy was safe. All day they continued digging. One little girl could not be found. Finally the foundation of the house was reached. Catherine was found lying near the stove. It is believed that she was killed instantly as her neck was broken. She was in her highchair near the stove and the force of the fall as she fell broke her neck. It also carried the family cow which was on the top of a straw and hay stack eating. Cow and stack was deposited at the bottom of the slide unharmed. Sisters of James, Mary Atkinson and Christina Marshall waded in snow waist deep to help the family. They carried the dead child to Mary’s, made a little casket for her and the next day buried her in the Eden cemetery. The cellar door was made into a skid in order to take the mother to James M Ferrin place (Anderson ranch) where they stayed that night. The next day they went to Eden to James Burt Sr. (Pierce Grahams place) place, here they lived for awhile with James’s folks. April 1876, a son was born, George S. Burt. The S in the name stands for Survival. The mother limped for the rest of her life, and the father carried a scar on his forehead as a result of the slide. From The Past . . . Photo of Valley eighth-grade circa 1909 graduation. Above are Georgia Alice Smith seated on the lap of John Niel, who had one arm, which she was hiding. Georgia Alice Smith is Kathleen Clements’ grandmother. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Clements, Marvin Gardner’s daughter. Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. Send payment with mailing address to: The Ogden Valley news P O BOX 130, EDEN UT 84310 Jeffrey D. Shepherd DMD, MSD Specialist in Orthodontics shepherdorthodontics Fast Treatment Times • Children and Adults • Flexible Payment Options Saturday Night 5:00 p.m. Sunday Morning 8:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Call to schedule your complimentary exam today! 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