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Show if v i, t r i .: , v- - - , .VW- i i . j , ;- "V v I ' , 4 .; ! Old Co-op Store located where First Security Bank now stands. lmnii in n iiinnnmiinj j I CHRISTOPHER J. ARTHUR Christopher Arthur plays role in Cedar's history in the city government for 20 years. He bought 5 acres of land in the old field west of the Fort for $25.00, seeded it to wheat and produced a good crop. Pres. Young, in the spring of 1859, looked over the city and told the people they were in a flood area and to build on a site south and east. Christopher assisted Surveyor Wm. H. Dane in surveying sur-veying 400 acres into 5 and 10 acre plots at the new site. Any person could locate on a 5 or 10 acre plot by giving up a similar amount of ground in the old field but the choice of lots was made by drawing from a box in which tickets were placed. Mr. Arthur writes, "I got a good lot of 5 acres and kept on buying until I had a farm of 30 acres all adjoining. I bought an adobe house near the Iron Works, also two lots on the block south of Main Street, now occupied by A. G. Matheson and Edward Parry, for which I paid $25.00." July 24, 1857 was celebrated at the new site. A I t i A tU for 40 years. Shortly after his acceptance Thomas Jones died and Christopher filled the vacancy for 15 years until he, himself, was ordained Bishop. In the fall of 1868 the Bishopric called the people together to talk about forming a Corporation as instituted by Pres. Younp nH contributions were accepted. Christopher Arthur was elected Supt. Sec. and Treasurer March 1873. The total capitol stock was $4,489.16 and was owned by 65 stock holders. The Title was patterned after the ZCMI as was . the Constitution and Bylaws. Th( store was started in the easterr part of John M. Higbee's grainery, a room about 6 feet wide and 12 feet long and where it remained for 3 years. Business increased and a frame building, 14 x 16 feet was purchased from Thomas Gower and was moved on to a small part of a lot on Main Street that was owned by John Chatterly, paying him a lease of $10.00 per annum. Managers of the store, in turn, were Rd. R. BirkbecK, John Chatterly, Henry Leigh. In 1875 the company purchased a lot (where the First Security Bank stands today) and built a basement and brick store house 24 x 40 feet known as the Co-op Store. It was the only store in town and the merchandise was purchased from ZCMI in Salt Lake. The board and stockholders decided to build a large lumber building in the mouth of the canyon for a flour mill with two sets of 4 foot burrs and necessary ! machinery to be known as the Co-i Co-i op Mill. A quote from Christopher Arthur reads, "What a big jump from Higbee's " grainery to a commodious building. From a small burr mill to 4 ft. burrs and again to fill the store with merchandise. All was completed and in working order before the close of 1876. Last entry: "September 18, 1893, 1 was ordained Patriarch by Apostle F. M. Lyman." Christopher Arthur was born in the village of Aberaychan, Wales, son of Christopher Arthur and Ann Jones. He attended school from the time he was 3 years old until he was 13 years old when he went to work in his fathers store and bakehouse. Hi left to come to Utah with his father's family, February 28, 1853. From Nauvoo to Salt Lake he drove a wagon with two yokes of steers and was clerk for the company, arriving September 26, 1853. The family settled on a farm on Cottonwood, south of Salt Lake, until his father was asked by Apostle Erastus Snow, President of the Iron Company, to come to Southern, Utah and act as a director of the Iron Company. Father was a heavy shareholder and was called to also superintend superin-tend the Iron Company farm. His father accepted, sold his farm for chips and arranged an early move. The family started for Cedar March, 1854, with two horse drawn waeons. several and earth. A few days later, at the request of Isaac C. Haight, manager of the Iron Company, Christopher commenced his duties. In time he became a shareholder and a director in the company and worked at the iron works until its final closing in , 1857. Having his heart set on Caroline Haight, daughter of Isaac Haight, for a wife he bought a lot from Elias Morris for a span of mules and harness. He asked William Bateman, a brick maker and layer, to build a room on the front of an adobe room that was on the lot. He then hunted up the lumber and shingles for which he paid a gray colt and a large cow. He paid Robert Keys to do the carpenter work. He married Caroline December 30, 1854 and they 1 moved into their own house. In the fall of 1858 he was elected City Counsellor and he drafted the City ordinances. He served as Mayor for 2 years and uuwery was cuiisirucicu uu uie site of the present postoffice. A procession was formed at the old city and the people marched or rode to the bowery with the Brass Band in lead. A meeting and banquet followed and Mr. Arthur states, "The celebration was a grand success." In 1860 after the Iron Works closed down he opened a furniture fur-niture store making lounges, bedsteads and chairs, etc. Then Bishop Lunt asked him to take charge of the Tithing business which he accepted and managed head of loose stock and 3 yearling colts. Christopher drove - the stock. At the Cedar Fort they were met by Edward Prother who had lived in Abersychan. His father bought the Proctor home, within the Fort, a small adobe building of two rooms with an earth floor and a roof of willows |