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Show fHew $30,000 Recreational Hal! for City! TanBTygTy Wtsr4SKK -v.ihir-nT-j I-.""lw.cas.t:-t, cm)li(flassNa!' S ."".v-'';"'3V'?s'; NEW SECOND WARD L. D. S. CHAPEL AND RECREATIONAL HALL. f ' . "A I I - meat, and in 1912 opened his first J. C. Penney company store here in the old Ingersoll building. From this small beginning he and his wife, Edna Chipman Firmage, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alphonzo Chipman, have built a great business institution and a fortune. Success has also been brought to his four brothers, William, Dave, Edwin and Andy who are all successful J. C. Penney Company store managers. At the present time John L. Firm-age Firm-age is a director of the Bank of American Fork, Peoples State Bank, Knight Trust and Savings Bank, of Provo, and Walker Brothers Bank of Salt Lake -City, vice-president of the National Pacific Life Assurance company com-pany and district manager of the J. C. Penney Company. He was the first man in the county to donate a thousand thous-and dollars to the new B. Y. IT. i stadium and has been giving high school and B, Y, U. scholarships to i deserving students for several years. John L. Firmage, successful J. C. Penney company store operator and donater of the above $30,000 recreational recrea-tional hall, was' born in American Fork December 19, 1884, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Firmage, who came to Utah in 1881 and 1S82 for the L. D. S. Gospel. John L. Firmage is one of the most outstanding successes in our city and state in the mercantile business, having hav-ing built up a chain of 34 J. p. Penney stores before the recent conversion of individual stores into J. C. Penney stock. At present he is one of the largest stock! owners in this nationwide nation-wide institution. John or "Jack" as he is still familiarly known to his countless friends, commenced his business career when 13 years of age as messenger boy for ai Wyoming coal company. At the age of 16 he was manager of one of their stores. Returning Re-turning to American Fork he entered the employment of the local Co-op. as manager of the dry goods depart- rrpnToToicl Church Jooa-J- L- firmage fS&ng$15,000 Fund nnP of the biggest church building J iu this city since the erec- pr nf the Alpine Stake Tabernacle f Ur way la the Second !S bere a 1.000 recreational tl chapel is actually under con-s con-s The new 40x80 foot rec- ' ball united on the rear by "SS, class rooms, hall, etc. with t "sent chapel will make one of Z bach's most beautiful and ser-r ser-r We new style U type buildings. ;! provides a ward chapel, ward Lsement center and ward- office Z ds room units which have prov , to be the most successful type of Centre for the varied needs of a will be seen from the . above fetch of the new building, when completed, the ward members can ,riy be proud of this wonderful louse of worship. It will have a .pscious recreational hall on the st, entrance back in the center and a large chapel on the east side. The clapel, of course, will be the present ' church which will be remodeled and changed to conform with the new recreational building. Besides the two large sections the building will contain nine class rooms, bishop's oEce, cloak rooms, kitchen and rest rooms. The latter two will be in the casement along with an entirely new Seating plant. The class rooms will occupy the second story and the Mop's office the prst floor Just off iron the entrance halls. , i ,! Htcreational Hall The big recreational hall will be fitted up in the latest style with large stage, maple dancing floor and removable re-movable chairs. When desired the (lairs can he stacked on rubber wheeled trucks and quickly pushed oat of sight under the stage. Proper heating and lighting fixtures will be Installed throughout. ( ( Chapel to be Kemodeled ' The present chapel will be remod-M remod-M and converted into a beautiful church room to he used for sacred purposes onlj'. The stand will be reversed from the north end to the south with small ante rooms on ther side, one for a janitors room fntl the other for the keeping of the sacrament utensils, etc. A maple hardwood floor will be put down and kw modern public building benches installed. The interior will be com-I'Mcly com-I'Mcly renovated and beautified. As Mwe stated, the general appearance the exterior will be changed and Mile to conform with .the new sec-o sec-o the structure. Entrance to both the chapel and jpreational hall will be from the wth hallways running from the wter ot the building to the east and "est. ''"'Mils to be Beautfiled T1ie grounds about the new build-JS build-JS will be parked, shrubbery planted wdthe cement walks from the street " the center of the structure put in. le front fence will be removed and Grounding privately owned barns oved so that a harmonizing, beau-;""1 beau-;""1 view of the entire building will Jf tod trom any angle in the front. A "llr'l Anniversary f ork on the new church was got- JOHN L. FIRMAGE Donator of Recreational Hall, - - ; . . . r" A r v . ' : , :. : J t ' j A ...... 1 " . i r :? , ) i ' - ' ': V - .v. ' 1 1 '- v-. , ' j f s A ; h " ) ., 1 I ' f , .1 JOHN ROBINSON Second Counselor. WASHBURN S. CHIPMAN First Counselor. JOSEPH H. STORRS Bishop, of Second AVard. John Robinson, second counselor in the ward since 1924, is a prominent promin-ent groceryman of this community. He was born in American Fork, June 2, 1881, the son of William S. Robinson, Robin-son, one of our few 1849 pioneers to the state of Utah. John has been an active civic and church worker of the community for a number of years. He has serve'd as city councilman and held the following follow-ing church positions: president of Elders quorum, president o Deacons quorum, stake Sunday School secretary, secre-tary, counselor in the Y. M. M'. I. A. and in the Second ward Sunday school an'd counselor to Bishop Storrs. Washburn S. Chipman, bishop's counselor in the Second ward for the past twenty-five years, is one of Utah's outstanding bankers having: devoted his life to this line of endeavor. endeav-or. He is now the directing head of a chain of four banks an'd a director iu one of Utah's largest banking institutions. in-stitutions. Washburn . S. Chipman was born in American Fork April 15, 1S67, the son of James and Salena Huntsman Chipman. His father was one of the first pioneers to enter this territory arriving in Utah in the year 1847. Washburn S. Chipman has made and enjoyed a wonderful career as a, leader in church and civil life in ourj community. He seived a thirty! month mission to the Southern states: during 1S96 to 1S98 and since 1904 j has ably acted in the capacity of. counselor to Bishop Storrs, serving! the first eleven years as second coun-j selor and since 1015 as first counselor.1 In civil life and the business world he has been equally successful. He is now vice-president of the 1'anl; of American Fork, president of the State Bank of Ix-hi, Bank of Pleasant Grove and Midvalc State Bank, direc-' tor of the Utah State National Bank ami director and secretary of the ! Chipman Mercantile. Joseph H. Storrs, bishop of the American Fork Secotfd ward since its inception in 1901, has filled this position posi-tion and directed the affairs of this church division in such a manner for the past twenty-eight years that he is loved by every church goer under him and the ward is recognized throughout the church as one of the very best. Bishop Storrs, son of George and Lydia M. Kindred Storrs, was born August 25, 1867 at Springville. When 16 years of age he entered the mercantile mer-cantile business which line he followed fol-lowed for 42 years. The last 20 years of this period was devoted to the operation of the American Fork Co-op. of which he was president both before and following his managership. man-agership. He serve'd Springville City as treasurer for six years and as councilman for two years which position posi-tion he resigned when he came to this city. Besides serving as bishop here he was president of the Y. M'. M. I. A. both at Springville and in this city up to 1001. He was one of the original origi-nal incorporators of the Peoples State Bank of American Fork and Is still a director of this institution. Ho is now successfully operating one of the best farms in this district aloni with his other church and business interests. In his modest way Bishop Storrs gives his wife, Arvilla Hr rison Storrs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Harrison, pioneers of Springville. credit for a big share of his success in life. Penney store operator and business man, and his wife made it possible for the ward to enjoy a newer, modern mod-ern chapel and recreational hall by contributing $15,000 for the recreational recrea-tional section of the unit. The other war'J members will contribute $5,000 for the remodeling of the chapel which, together with the same amount matched by the Trustee-in-Trust of the general church, will bring the total to $40,000. The plans aud speci-i speci-i lications for the structure were got-i got-i ten out. approved by Bishop Storrs, ; j .,. pinnace and the building com-J com-J mittec. Bids wore requested and j Chipman Mercantile, being lowest i ItidUers, received the general con- tract and Samuel Grant the electrical, j heating and plumbing contract. AVork I is now under way and the contract provides that it shall be entirely completed by November 1st. Architects Archi-tects for the building are Young and Hansen of Salt Bake City. Tablet To Honor liimapes In commemoration of the splendid spirit and liberality shown by Mr. arid Mrs. John L. Firmage it has been - aerway just prior to the ward's' "'""-eighth anniversary which , ,J,1," Hth. The Second ward , 'Wo being on July 14, 1901 'he American Fork ward was ''lp! into four by Apostle Reed ;''lnt' At that time the following sC?riC.as sustailled: Joseph H. "'s' 1'ishnp, ,Toim -v. Chipman 1st ,'.'nst,1i' and James C. AVagstaff 2nd .Ml'"'' change has ever been ,.'"! 111 'ho bishop Joseph H. Storrs, . '"Hy una honorably holding this i.;""" W over 28 long years. In ,., ' S' Chipnlan was chosen to ff''!n?J James C' Restart as 2nd !.," "f'''n and in 1915 advanced to 1 ""'S'Mnr as successel. t0 John 1',""an- He has ably served in ;:;r;(1 ppa Rineo then. At that t't; i'"1'' D- Xicholes was made 2nd 15:4 'i.W antl 8ervol his ward until to it,, 1 'en 'Jo'ln Robinson succeeded face. in 5flj presnt church was erected iea aml with minor repairs has rjri(U e,Place ot worship for the Sec-j, Sec-j, L "4 since then. John'T96 Makes 11 Possible-L- Firmage, successful J. C. decided to install a bronze tablet on the new recreational hall inscribed "John B. & Edna Firmage L. D. S. Recreational Hall." This will be placed in a conspicious place where the coming generations can see it. |
