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Show BSOGRAPtiY OF By THOMAS CALVIN CRAGUN I am very proud and feel honored hon-ored in being asked to write of anything so touching and so close to me as incidents connected with i pioneer life and days and again j I cherrfully write these few inci- j dents in the hope of helping to inspire in the minds of our ever increasing posterity an emulation of the virtues of pur noble fathers -and grandfathers. I deem it a wise move to have the rising generation organised for the p'urpose of searching out and preserving pioneer history. In 1849 my parents crossed the plains and landed in Salt Lake valley on October 25. During the winter of 1849 and 1850 my father - was called to go to Utah county and help fight the Indians that had made an attack upon the people who were trying to build a place where Provo City now stand. My father was gone for three months and during that time my mother was home with five children child-ren and many trials, hardship and much hard work had to be endured. So when I Just hear the word Pioneer and think of the trial, persecutions and all that they endured en-dured crossing the plains and coming com-ing to a valley where only a blazing blaz-ing sun overhead and a glaring dusty sage hrush waste beneath was to be seen, is it any wonder j that hundreds were laid in thej cold sod by the way side. So I say, at the word pioneer it brings a feeling over me that I want to -raise my hat and bow in reverence rever-ence to those veterans that passed through such hardships and so much sorrow for their religious convictions, which if it' could be spread out above the fog of pre- Judice and .' our pioneer ' women given the honor they deserve they 1 would form a glory of bright ' stars, that must command the ad-. ad-. miration of the world and their v: : -enemies would appear, as black spots-, against the bright sky. I rmust pass on and write a little lit-tle on music. In 1853 I became a member of the Martial band in Salt Lake City and played in the band at the celebration on July 24, 1857, held at Silver Lake, near the head in Cottonwood Canyon when the word reached us that an army was" on the way to Utah I still have the drum I played that day. I was also In the 'Echo Canyon exploit. In 1856 I began to play in the quadrill bands in Salt Lake City and County in company with Thomas Lutz (violinist) and Mr. Jiles ton harp) and James Bowen (Cornet.) In 1863 I came to Smithfield and played some with Preston T. Morehead. I then moved to St. George and remained there until 1865. While there I helped to organize or-ganize a Martial mand and taught several to play the drum. In 1865 I came back to Smithfield and played in quadrille band with Thomas Lutz, Preston T. More-head. More-head. Charles Wright and Robert Bybee. I was also a member of the Smithfield Martial band and taught several to play the drum. In 1866, in company with Charles Wright, went to Richmond and Hyde Park and organized Martial hands. Wright taught the fife while 1 taught the drum. I also helped to organize, and become a member mem-ber of the first Brass Band of Smithfield in 1881. I was given the baritone Instrument to play. My whole life I have been much interested in music perhaps not many of you will remember the old meeting house on the corner just south of where the library :now stands. The Elders, Seventies, Seven-ties, High Priests, in fact all the organizations used to hold dances and I played the accordian for those occasions many times alone, again with a violin. George Thatcher That-cher of Logan and I sent Edst :for two organs, the first to be brought to Cache Valley. That organ went all over the valey and into Southern Idaho, most of the time in a bob sleigh, w'here we went to play for dances. My son Calvin played the organ while I played the acordian. Then he be-gn be-gn playing for the church organizations or-ganizations and could be called one of the first if not the first organist in Smithfield. In later years more musical organizations or-ganizations came into existence and I retired from a strenous Tnusical life. I became interested in the Bee business and for many Continued on page fiv HERE'S MORE ABOUT ISKKiltAPHY OK THOMAS CALVIN CKAGLN. (Continued from Page One) years I have devoted my time to Bee Culture. I have taken many prizes for my display of bees and honey. I took first prize at the St. Louis exposition for my display dis-play of honey and received many first prizes at the State Fair in Salt Lake City. Perhaps I have written enough fo rthis time so wishing this organization or-ganization of the Daughters of Pioneers a Happy Christmas and a successful New Year, one in which they will add many members and obtain much Information, I remain, re-main, Your well wishes for the futurance of this worthy step. Thomas Calvin Cragun December 15, 1908. Thomas Calvin Cragun, son of James Cragun' and Eleanor Lane, was born December 28. 1843, at Northfield, Broom County, Indiana. Ind-iana. He was one of eight children, child-ren, five girls and three boys. He died at Smithfield, Utah, May 23. 1909. To Thomas Calvin and Amelia Chambers Cragun was born ten children as follows: Mary Jane. Amelia Ellen. Calvin, Cal-vin, Thomas William, James Alfred, Al-fred, Richard, Wallace, Elmo. Re-renia Re-renia and Lorin. Mrs. ncjrcnia C. Smilh is th5 last survivor of the late Mr. and Mrs-T:-.c:-as Calvin Cragun. |