Show Park City Operator 1 Subject of Sketch Old timer r In n a a. recent issue of ot The Tho Tribune chose for his write up Doug Doug- Douglas Douglas las C. C a well known operator in la this district said Tho Trio early contributions contributions dons of some men to the development of or mines sometimes is a forgotten due dun to the fact tact that others participate In production production production tion receiving r more mare public attention I Douglas C. C Despair Despain the th sixth of ot thir thir- thirteen thirteen teen children was aas born at the mouth of ot Little Cottonwood canyon Salt Lake Lakei i i valley October 11 11 1685 His mother was Sarah C. C Egbert before her marriage to William Joseph Despain his father who came camo to Utah as n a convert to the L. L D. D s. s church in 1861 1881 and homesteaded at the tho site alto of Douglas Despairs Despair's birthplace Ins liis mother was the daughter of ot Robert C. C and Cunningham Egbert converts con con- converts verts erts to the L. L D. D S. S S church and exiles from Nauvoo Illinois j Trek to Utah U f I At Winter Quarters Douglas Despairs Despair's grandfather outfitted his hla young oung wife and his mother with a team of 01 oxen and a wagon and left len them to them to emigrate with other Latter-day Latter Saints to the I Rocky mountains while he Joined the tho Mormon Battalion to participate in the historical march across the desert to hen ban San Diego Gal Cal Ca This strenuous experience seriously affected his health so that he never completely recovered Meanwhile Douglas Doug Doug- Douglas las Despain's grandmother with the assistance of n 0 year old nephew drove her oxen across the plains with a com com- company company company pany pf pt Saints who arrived in Salt Lake valley alley in 1848 Runs nuns Sawmill Douglas Despairs Despair's father and his grandfather In addition to homesteading at the trio mouth of 01 Little Cottonwood can can- canyon yon engaged in trio the business In Dig Big Cottonwood canyon and later in prospecting and mining He with others made the original loca loca- location lion tion of claims which later became the theOld theOld Old Jordan mine better known as the Highland Boy In n BIngham canyon Not realizing the potential value of or the claims his father sold his interest for tor fora a n pair of ot mules and a few dollars Ho He also was the locator of ot trio the claims now known as the McKay da Revolution adjoining the famous Old Emma mino minoe at Alta Utah He sold the claims tar lor a small consideration because his interest was more in timbering and Cutting mine timber as a well as farming And Anel for tor a s One me he worked m in the old oid o d paper mill rol l I mouth Cottonwood canyon I As a boy Douglas Despain shared shored the hardships of a l lie large e family completed I the elementary grades of ot the Sandy Shady school at the age of 15 at which ago age he I and his eight brothers took over the support of ot the family and anel helped to keep j his f father in the L. L L D D. S. S mission fieldin field fieldI j I I i i in Illinois I. I No Xo High School Close Clo CloI I At that time limo there were no high s schools closer to Little Cottonwood than i i g Salt Lake City and mel as means were not not n available for tor further schooling Douglas I j went to work for a leaser at the old City Rock mine at Alta for 36 a month e and board He worked work eel as helper and as a miner when the leaser fell ill For several j months he worked alone going down t the ladder to break the ore load j it in a bucket climb out windlass the I bucket j buck t to surface dump the ore into a I car and tram It to the ore bin In this way he managed to produce more than 60 GO tons of ot ore for tor which he was promised a gold watch as added j Incentive In Trio The leaser died before trio the oro marketed marketed marketed-Despain got no watch watt h and lost his Job Works forks In Iu Store That same spring Despain was en en- engaged en- en J as pack boy by John G. G Stilwell 1 lor his small merchandise store stor at 40 84 0 per month and board On this Job he ha became acquainted with all the mines mine a and prospects In the district and friendly y with many of ot the operators some somo ot or 0 f whom were to become famous During the rho 15 years in la trie e t e mercantile e business he was successively pack boy bookkeeper partner and nel finally owner cane r of ot the business He also was postmaster r and during his spare time took sev sev- several several severa eral era correspondence courses in fn mine mino en- en engineering en and nod mine accounting Made blade Superintendent first Job as mine 1 tensest came in 1923 when he succeed suc succeeded ed Dave Lemon at the Emma Silver a at ti Alta then managed by George H. H Wat Wat- son Eon His mining career was Interrupted la the fall raIl of ot 1925 when he served the L L. D. D D S. S 8 church on a mission to the northern norther n states mission On his return In 1020 0 he acquired a lease on the Tom end and Golconda claims at Alta after six si months became leaded and anel was waa bo hw hoe hoe- This Thin did not lessen his hie fascination fa for tor r mining and as soon noon as he was able he he- h e obtained a Job as na miner at the Lead Lead- Silver mine Lark a under the direr direction lion tion of J. J J. J Beeson for tor James A. A Hogle hog o In 1928 1828 Joe Beeson sent Despal Despain to Park City to work on the claims o of z the Park City Consolidated Mines Co then being organized After Atter a few weeks Charles Evans re- re resigned resigned re signed as foreman and Despain was made mad e superintendent From the mines mine's Infancy he hc remained remains d to see It ft produce tons tom ot of ire re 1 r r uv under the management of 01 Joe Beeson and the tho presidency of 01 the late Gov George II H. Dern Dorn During CurIng this period he also directed work at Sinker Tunnel in Idaho sam sam- sampled pled the South Mountain mine in Idaho and a number of ot mines on the Mother Lode In California for the rho Hammond In in- interests under the tho direction of ot William Wade V ade and Joe Beeson In 1938 control of ot Park City brines Co Changed banged hands heads Beeson was replaced b by Gloyd Wiles now manager at the I Development operations of or orI National Lead Oo 00 In northern New I I York and Despain was released as I superintendent cup Sinks Shaft From the Park City Cons Despain went to fife Uie Flagstaff Bonanza mine wino at Park City for Charles Moore and sank feet of shaft abaft then obtained a lease loose on oa the old American Amer can Flag mine organ organ- the Cooperative Co pera lve t asera which carved earned cameel on successful operation under his management pr nearly six s1 years yearn For the rho past two years he has leased and contracted on a cooperative bawls basis in to the Chloride Arizona and City Cst Nevada districts Now h he has re re- re returned returned turned to Utah to take chargo charge of ot development development devel devel- nt at Mountain Mines Co In the rho Dig DIe Cottonwood district Sons Bons In Service Douglas Despain married Eleanor Davis daughter of ot Matilda Eleanor Eg Eg- Egbert bert Davis and Edwin W W. Davis They Thos had bad five sons Bona four of ot whom were in the armed forces and ono daughter Lola Douglas Calvert Despain was captain a Nelson Neldon N. N N a private first class ass Robert Wendal Wendel seaman second class in tt the rho navy Gordon Davis private now in Korea and Noel Davis Davin There Th ro arc oro 15 grand grand- children Douglas Despairs Despair's enthusiastic en o n t h U s a f 1 a a s tic t l c approach to tOl the development of ot a young mine reflects the steadfastness of ot the l pioneer stock from which he comes I |