| Show OF STEPHENS historical sketch of life of a weber county pioneer the passing 0 james oatha stephens removes one of those sturdy characters from our midst who has contributed much especially in early days for the up building of ogden and the adornment 0 many of the earlier dwelling houses and buildings sir stephens was a musician of rare ability in his day many have danced the money musk the waltz etc to music played by him on a vialla ot his own manufacture and have heard the shrill notes of the reveille aej marched to the tune of yankee doodle blown by him as lead alfer n the days cf the militia drill he belonged to the old pioneer marshall band led by captain R D sprague he it was who issued the call for the militia to assemble to march to echo canyon to stop the johnson army from entering the valley with torch in band he was one of a detail left in ogden to set alre to a home erected by hla own hands while his sick wife and two children were moving by ox team they knew not where he assisted to build the ogdon canal and the first road in the now famous ogden canyon with jackson and james shape he built and operated one of the old pioneer up aej down saw mills which was run by water carried through a canal dug by themselves this old mill was located on the site where the hermitage now stands and produced the lumber from which many many of the first houses in ogden were built he was a mechanic of much ability many of the shoes worn in early days were made from leather tanned in vate and liquid made of pine dark in the M D hammond and C W S tannery mr stephens was the builder of these vats with a plane bit and stalk of his own make he helped to hew the architecture which adorns the tabernacle of this city many of the old rush bottom chairs of forgotten days were products of his handicraft he was the head workman la the william mcgan far nature shop which afterwards became the peter boyle furniture co he owned and operated the pioneer photograph gallery ia ogden in those baysa man had to know something of everything james stephens was one of those men he had a broad and liberal mind was naturally of a sunny disposition and had a soul that made one feel at home in his company |
