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Show Homes built for polygamy torn down By EFFIE ADAMS Last week bull dozers and cranes demolished the William Wadley homes in Manila. The homes had brought many memories to those 1,500 William Wadley descendants. The homes at 2300 North on 1st East (Canyon Road) were built by William Wadley for his two polygamous wives, Isabella McKay and Mary Byard, in the early 1880's. They were built with the soft rock from William's quarry in the hills east of his home. The durable, comfortable soft rock is in the structure of many other old homes in Pleasant Grove and Manila. William came to Pleasant Grove in 1872 after being released from a very difficult ten-year mission in the St. George area. He had come from England in 1853 as an expert i orchardman and an experienced coal miner. He was raised on his father's farm in Newent, England, but because of hard times there had spent seven years in Merthry Tydfil, Wales, mining coal. On arrival in Utah he had built a home and planted an orchard in Salt Lake, then moved to Ogden where he again built a home, planted orchards, and cultivated a farm. He was called from there to the Cotton Mission in Dixie in 1862. In this mission he helped in the settlement of Washington, Dameron Valley, Beaver Dams, and Pine VAlley. He experienced great difficulties there, along with other settlers, of floods, drouts and malaria. When William came to Pleasant Grove he knew this was going to be his final move - that this would be his home for his remaining years. The first years were spent in makeshift make-shift dwellings, first in a dug-out, then in a wagon box, then in tents, then in a small home with a lean-to. His final homes, built when he had reached a degree of affluency that enabled him to build substantial fine homes for his wives and two families, wer the homes that were demolished last week.; They represented the success of his backbreaking plantings of the acres of orchards and vineyards; of his prospecting the entire area of Mahogany mountain and surrounding hills in his search for coal, and his discovery of the black clay with which the furnaces of many smelters were lined. They represented the profit from his 300 hives of bees which produced honey sold all over the state . They represented the profit from his cement business which turned out caps for Pleasant Grove's cemetery graves and pipe, and m any other building p roducts. They also represented the harmony of polygamous living which many early families experienced - two families living without contention or discord. There are mulberry trees in the area - the reminder of an early use of the attic of the larger home which was the home of Isabella. She was called to raise silk worms. Under the auspices of the General Board of the Relief Society, and developing the idea of Brigham Young, the sisters in various wards were asked to raise silk worms in order to help Zion become self sufficient in all th ings, including the making of silk. The most desirable food for silk worms was the leaves of mulberry trees, and Brigham imported starts which grew prodigiously and were distributed in the various places where the worm project was accepted. ac-cepted. William planted trees for his wife's venture. The silk business lasted only a few years, but the mulberry trees continue to grow. There is still one tree which Alex Wadley claims is on the original root planted by William. Others are seedlings and shoots which grow irritatingly profuse. In later years, the homes have had different owners and occupants. At one time, when they were standing vacant although rented, the large home was used as a source of bootleg brew during prohibition times. After authorities made a raid and the barrels of makings were emptied from the upstairs windows, the entire neighborhood smelted like a See Wadley Homes page 12 Wadley homes Continued from page 3 brewery for many weeks. This might have been reeminiscent of the years when William had his own brewery and made high class wine which' was enjoyed by visitors to his place, often, it is said, even by the General Authorities who enjoyed a visit to William's hospitable cellar. William's homes were reached on the first surfaced road in the Manila area, and serviced by the first telephone there - both of which were made possible by William's instigation. A pine tree from' the mountains was planted in front of each home shortly after the homes were built One of the trees survives. William built other homes for his sons near by from the same desirable soft rock building material. Two of them still are lived in, the home of Alex Wadley and the home of Russell Schow. These showcases of pioneer living in Pleasant Grove can never be replaced or duplicated. |