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Show Volume XXIX Issue XIII The Ogden Valley News Page 9 May 15, 2022 Early History of Liberty, Weber, Utah: Part II The first settlers came [to Liberty] in 1860, the Dan and Ammon Campbell families. John Riddle took up the homestead in the center of town on the south banks of Spring Creek (Robert Holmes’ place). John Freeman built a cabin about three blocks east of Joels Campbell’s home. James Fisher erected a rock house near the Fisher springs (Clark’s place), and a Mr. Murray lived in a dugout on the Murray Springs—now the Shupe Fish Hatchery. Charles Card came at this time and Erastus Bingham lived between Liberty and Eden at the site of the sawmill in 1861. There were only about 30 acres of land being farmed. Other people owned land here, but because of the sever winters, they did not live in Liberty the year around. In the winter the snow was on the average of 5 feet deep. Mr. Freeman did not get out in time one winter and was snowed in. He lived on a little salt pork and potatoes. Most of the permanent settlers who came with their families are still represented today [1966]. James Burt Sr. and the Walter Lindsey families came to America on the same boat, arriving in Utah in the year 1862. Both families later settled in Eden, then in Liberty. By the years 1869-1870, there were four homes built in the center of town. They belonged to Thomas Atkinson, Walter Lindsey, James Burt Jr., and John Marshall, all brothers-in-law. Temple Short and Robert Gould owned property; Gould might not have lived here. Others who owned property were Alfred Berrett who came in 1872, Edmond Riley Shaw, sometime in the middle 1860s. Frank Daniel Campbell, James M. Ferrin, Joseph Southwick, and a Mr. Reese and William R. Holmes. In 1883, Henry Chard came, John Shaw in 1886, G. G. Dunbar was here in 1889, Mr. Summers in 1887, Richard Jones in 1893, and Joshua B. Judkins was here in 1892. Edward J. Davis, Samuel Berrett, Samuel Higgenbotham and Abe Armstrong came with the early settlers. Following is a list of names that became permanent settlers, as to the time they are not in sequence. Joseph Gardner, Elijah Shaw, Andrew Clark, Charles Clark, Oliver Penrod, George Shaw, Orson Shaw, Franklin and Monroe Wade, Wilts and William Bailey, Albert Ward, Walter Whitely, Hyrum Chauncy Gardner, Edmond Shaw Jr., Robert Montgomery, Edwin Hill, B. A. Montgomery, William Orem, and Charles Leila. The people were thankful for the friendliness of the Indians. No fights were had although sometimes their talk became very ugly. In order to keep peace, the settlers were sometimes left with very little to eat. Sometimes as many as three hundred Indians would ride across the mountain from Cache Valley begging for food. The children of the settlers were always afraid of the Indians. They would pull down the blinds and hide into the cellars if they would see them coming. As to carrying the mail to Ogden Valley in pioneer days—found in an old newspaper clipping written by Joseph A. West—it states, “I well remember, though but a boy, I carried the mail on horseback to North Ogden to the home of Crandal Dunn, thence across the mountain through Liberty to Eden to Richard Ballantynes, then to the home of Captain Hunt of Mormon Battalion renown, and thence down the Ogden canyon over an old Indian trail, that the early settlers will remember, in making these trips, which I did twice a week. I had good opportunity to note the progress of the Ogden canyon road, built originally under legislative charter as a toll road.” David Moore secured the government contract for carrying the mail to the valley in 1869. In 1893 through the efforts of Robert N. Ames, Justice of the Peace at Liberty, a post office was established with Joshua B. Judkins as postmaster. The first mail carrier was Walter Lindsey. He carried the mail from Eden to Liberty. Then at the home of John Marshall with Christina as Postmistress for many years. From Marshall’s to the Penrod store, William H. Chard store and the last entablement was in Thomas and Isabell Rhodes’ home. 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 (Chambers place). Later, it was moved to another site (Wolf Creek). 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[h] Ferrin put up a power-driven mill near the previous site (Chambers 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 [1966]. 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 growth 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. When the warm sun begins to beat down upon the snowbanks, there is always the danger of snowslides. This is an account as it was told to me of one of the largest snowslides that has every come down bridge canyon [in Liberty]. It was early morning, after breakfast, on March 12, 1876 at the home of James Burt Jr. The mother Annie had washed the children, combed their hair, curled Catherine’s hair, and put her in a 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 now, so that is where they started digging and soon the dog and boy were 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 haystack eating. Cow and stack were 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 sled in order to take the mother to James M. Ferrin’s place (Anderson Ranch) where they stayed that night. The next day, they went to Eden to James Burt, Sr.’s place (Pierce Graham’s home) and here they lived for awhile with James’ folks. On April 3, 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 . . . OGDEN STAKE M-MEN CHAMPS 1946 Front Row left to right: Jack Newey, Dale Grow, Leon McKay, Norman Montgomery, Bryan (Seapea) Renstrom, and George Larkin. Back Row: Coach Edgar Allen, Quinn McKay, Burns Wangsgard, Keith Renstrom, Blaine Harrop, Keith McKay, and Bishop Marlowe Stoker. In the April 15 issue of “The Ogden Valley News,” we asked if anyone could identify these two cute girls. They were identified as June and Judy Webb Creamer of Eden by Marge Miller Kolander, formerly of Eden. The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 801-745-2688 or Jeannie at 801-745-2879 if you have material you are willing to share. Saturday Night 6:00 p.m. Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m. Fr. Joshua Marie Santos 801-399-5627 FrJoshuaS.Stambrose@gmail.com Saturday 5:30 p.m Sunday 8:00 a.m. or by appt. Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary, Middle School, and High School Providing a challenging, college-focused education in the proven tradition of Catholic schools, for the families of the Ogden Valley. We want to teach your children! 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