Mt. Pleasant Mayor of the Month

Soren M. Nielsen ~ Mayor of the Month ~ January 2012 ~ Serving as Mayor 1948 -1950

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Soren M. Nielsen was born is Visborg Denmark on June 4, 1886. He was the son of Soren Christian Nielsen (Gade) and Johanna M. Jensen. He was the third child in a family of four.

While his father was working in America, an LDS missionary from Mt. Pleasant called on Soren's mother. The missionary was her sister's son. Soren's mother, brother and sisters joined the LDS church, sold their home in Denmark and sailed to America. They arrived in the United States on November 6th, 1895. They made their way across the United States and settled in Mt. Pleasant, Utah.

In the fall of 1896 Soren started school in the building which later became the Mt. Pleasant City Hall and later Ursenbach Mortuary. Soren attended school for one year and then went to work for Peter Jensen and occasionally returned to school for the next two years. This was the end of his formal education. At the age of 12 it was necessary for him to work alone in the Utah desert, herding sheep. Later he worked as a miner, then back to livestock in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.

In 1908 Soren went to work for Ericksen Meat and Grocery on Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. He managed the store until 1925 when he returned to the livestock business having large sheep herds and later, cattle in both Millard and Sanpete Counties of Utah.

In 1911 Soren enlisted in the Utah National Guard, along with several other businessmen, to help keep the unit in Mt. Pleasant. He served seven years and helped patrol the Mexican border as captain of Troop E., First cavalry.

In 1913 he married Florence Ericksen in the Manti LDS Temple. They had five children: Forence (Charles E. Peterson), Howards. (Lorine Uhlig), Don E. (Carol Braithwaite), Grant E. (Verna Aiken) and Marjorie (Joseph Beck).

In 1915, Soren became the city marshal, For ten years Soren served on the Utah State Water Storage Commission. Soren was elected Sanpete County Commissioner in 1932 and served for two years. During that time he was elected Chairman of the Board of Sanpete County Commissioners.

In 1914 Soren was called to be the Ward Superindendent of the YMMIA in the Mt. Pleasant South Ward. During this time he was called to be the scoutmaster. Later he became Scoutmaster in the North Ward. A short time later he was appointed Scout Commissioner for the North Sanpete Stake. In 1923 Soren was sustained as President of the North Sanpete Stake after serving as Stake Superintendent of the YMMIA for two years. He served as Stake President ofor 13 years. During these years, scouting was organized on a council basis and the Bryce Canyon Council was formed with Soren as President. Soren received his Siolver Beaver in 1935. In addition to his church work, Soren was also serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors of Snow Junior College.

Soren later went to work as a bank examiner and was assigned to the liquidation of the BeaverState Bank at Beaver and the Bank of Iron County at Parowan.

Soren was elected Mayor of Mt. Pleasant and served in that position from 1948 to 1950. During this time Mt. Pleasant saw the addition of Sanpete Valley Hospital and the first street lights were installed.

In 1950, Soren, with two of his sons, transferred his ranching operations to Meeker, Colorado, incorporating under the name "Nielsen Land and Livestock Company. He spent every summer in Meeker until his health prevented further trips to "the ranch".

He was able to return to his beloved homeland in 1960 while his son, Don and his family were stationed in Germany with the United States Air Force. His final years were spent living in Salt Lake City with his daughters, Florence and Marjorie. He died April 14, 1975 at the age of 89.

Dr. George Bertram Madsen ~ Mayor of the Month ~ December 2011

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Dr. George Bertram Madsen, practicing physician in Mt. Pleasant for 28 years, was born November 14, 1901 in Mt. Pleasant, a son of George and Addie Tebbs Madsen. He passed away January 11, 1961 while performing surgery at the Mt. Pleasant hospital. He had previously practiced medicine in Arizona and Mexico.Active in civic affairs, he served as Mt. Pleasant mayor from 1947 to 1949, and also served as a city councilman. He was instrumental in the establishment of the North Sanpete LDS Hospital in Mt. Pleasant and had worked on many other projects including a flood dam for the area.Dr. Madsen was a member ot the Utah State, Central Utah and the American Medical Associations. He was a former member and past president of the Lions Club. Dr. Madsen was the school physician for Wasatch Academy for 11 years.He graduated from North Sanpete High School and University of Utah, receiving his medical degree from the Louisville Kentucky Medical School in 1925.Dr. Madsen married Thelma Beauman of Mt. Pleasant on September 15, 1936 in Soda Springs, Idaho. They had three daughters: Roberta (Bobby) Reeves of San Diego, California, Thelma Ann (Tammy) Harley of Dallas, Texas and Lynne Keene of Bakersfield, California.Some of his favorite hobbies were flying, fishing, hunting, and traveling with his family. He enjoyed the local mountains and, in his younger years, had spent time herding sheep in them.

John Gunderson ~ Mayor of the Month ~ November 2011

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John Olaf Gunderson

John Olaf Gunderson was born August 20, 1875 in Mount Pleasant (Sanpete County), Utahto Erick and Carolina Cecilia Johnson Gunderson. He was the tenth child born to them, out ofeleven. Both his mother and father wereborn in Risor, Norway, where his father was acarpenter and shipbuilder. Caroline, hismother, crossed the plains to settle in Utah. She was Erick’s second wife and they weremarried on October 12, 1857 about five weeks after she’d arrived in Utah.

His siblings included:

Elizabeth, born September6, 1858. She died in December of1861.

Mary,born February 17, 1860. She died inApril of 1861.

Erickwas born February 18, 1861,

JohannHenry, born April 15, 1863

GunderAnthon, born October 15, 1865

Caroline,born December 5, 1867. She died inOctober of 1868

AndreasLauritz, born November 4, 1869

Jens(James), born September 26, 1871

Carlos,born July 5, 1873

Nephi,born November 1878

John Olaf married Marie (Rhea)Brotherson on September 18, 1898 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. They were the parents of six sons and onedaughter: John Douglas, Shirley Hans, Glen B., Reed, Shila Rhea, Ivan Anthon,and Keith Henry.

Grandpa Gunderson was quite aprominent man and rated a full-page mention in Volume 3 of UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD. Based on information in this write-up, weknow that this book was published sometime between 1917 and 1920. In it is included quite a bit of hisgenealogy:

“John Gunderson, residing in Mount Pleasant, is interested in farming,in the sheep industry and in stock raising and he has wisely and carefullyconducted his affairs, so that he has won a substantial measure ofsuccess. He was born in Mount PleasantAugust 20, 1875, a son of Erick and Caroline (Olsen) Gunderson, both of whowere natives of Norway, the father having been born on the 27^th ofAugust 1830, while the mother’s birth occurred June 3, 1837. Each crossed the Atlantic in early life andcame to Utahwith different handcart companies. Itwas in 1855 that Erick Gunderson made the trip and first settled in Salt Lakebut the following year removed to Spanish Fork and in 1859 was called upon toassist in settling Mount Pleasant. He was therefore one of the pioneers, hisname being engraved on the monument which was erected in 1909 in honor of thefirst settlers. He also participated inthe Indian wars, aiding in defending the white people against the attacks ofthe red men (sic). He was a carpenter bytrade and was in charge of the erection of the Mormon church buildings in Mount Pleasant, together with public buildings, and as afinisher did special work on three of the four temples at Salt Lake,Manti and St. George. It was also in1855 that Mrs. Caroline Gunderson came to Utah. She was then a girl of sixteen years and she, too, traveled with ahandcart company in charge of Captain Kanute Peterson, who was afterwardpresident of the Sanpete Stake. Shepulled a handcart and her mother, who was blind, aided by pushing the cart. The trip was a very trying one and she, aswell as her husband, experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneerlife. She was married in Salt Lake Cityin 1857 by President Young and by her marriage she became mother of thefollowing named: Lurine, who was born September 6, 1858, and died December 28,1861, at Spanish Fork; Marie Elizabeth, who was born February 17, 1861, anddied April 21, 1862; Erick, who was born September 18, 1862, and marriedCecilia Francen, by whom he has five children; Henry Olaf, who was born April25, 1863, and died in Aspen, Colorado, November 23, 1885; Gunner Antone, whowas born October 15, 1865, and wedded Amanda Beckstrom, by whom he had fourchildren, two of who are deceased; Caroline Cecelia, who was born November 5,1867, and died October 12, 1868; Andreas Lars, who was born November 4, 1869,and married Sadie Nelson, their children being seven in number; J. E., who wasborn September 26, 1871, and married Clara Gee, who died leaving five children;Carlos, who was born July 15, 1873, and married Capitola Groesbeck, by whom he had eight children, ofwhom one is deceased; John, of this review; and Nephi, who was born November23, 1888, and married Marie Hanson. Theyare parents of six children who are living and have also lost one child.

“Reared under the parental roof, John Gunderson pursued his educationin the public schools of Mount Pleasant and after his textbooks were put aside tookup the occupation of farming, which he followed for several years. He then extended the scope of his activitiesto include sheep raising and stock raising and has remained active along thoselines to the present time. He is todayone of the successful agriculturists and sheep and stock raisers of thissection of the state. He specializes insheep and he has several ranges, affording valuable pasturage for hisflocks. He is also the owner of severalgood farms and he has made investment in stock in the Peoples Sugar Company of Moroni, Utahand various other safe investments. Heis a man of sound business judgment and enterprise and his success is thedirect result of well-defined labor, intelligently directed.

“On the 18^th of October, 1898, in Mount Pleasant, Mr. Gunderson was married to Rhea Brotherson, a daughterof Hans and Rakie (Jensen) Brotherson, who were natives of Denmark and at an early age came to Utah, crossing theplains with ox teams. The fatherfollowed farming and stock raising until his death, which occurred in Mount Pleasant in1900. The mother is still living. They had fourteen children who survive andone who died at the age of forty-three years. Twelve of the fourteen children are married. To Mr. and Mrs. John Gunderson of this reviewhave been born six children, namely: John Douglas, who was born January 18,1899; Shirley Hans, born May 8, 1901; Glen B., March 21, 1903; Reed, February18, 1908; Shila B, April 12, 1910; and Ivan A., January 27, 1912. The children are all natives of Mount Pleasant.

“Mr. Gunderson and his family are members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In politics he is a republican, interested inthe success of the party and doing all in his power to promote its growth andsecure the adoption of its principles. In the fall of 1916 he was elected a member of the city council andentered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1917, for a four years’term. He is a very progressive man, butmodest and unassuming, his well spent life, however finding expression in hisvaluable property and good investments.”

Grandpa was nottoo active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but in November1937, he was asked to be on the building committee and he supervised the entireconstruction of the beautiful edifice, the Mount Pleasant South Ward Chapel.

Dave tells the story of working construction in Ogden when he was stillin school. He was working with an olderguy, who asked him where he came from. He told him he was from Ogden. The guy asked, “Where’s your familyfrom?” Dave said his Dad’s family wasfrom Mount Pleasant. The guy said, “Are you related to that S.O.B.John Gunderson? He was justincorrigible!” He went on to tell thestory of going into the local pool hall in Mount Pleasant on a hot day to play pool andhave a beer or two. Grandpa Gundersonwould come in and ask, “Any of you guys got jobs?” Of course, they didn’t, so he wouldcommandeer them into working on the new church building. He recalled putting insulation in the atticfor three days. Grandpa came around andsupervised. “You’d think he was payingyou!” When Dave questioned him about howhe felt about doing the work and if he was sorry about doing it, he responded,“You’re just like him.”

Even though it was the custom in those days to irrigatethe lawns, Grandpa felt they ought to have a sprinkling system at the church,but there was no money for it. So he gotthe men who were working in the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to dig thetrenches for the sprinkling system pipes. When they finished digging, he said, “Didn’t you bring the pipe?” So they went back to the CCC camp and gotpipe and installed it. They may haveeven provided the sprinklers.

Grandpa brought a new level ofawareness in the community. He built ayouth room in the chapel where kids could go to hang out, rather than hang outat the pool hall. Grandpa didn’t likesitting on pews when he attended church, so he arranged for the chapel to befitted with theater-style, cushioned seats. Bishop LeGrande Richards (later an Apostle) of Salt Lake City told Grandpa, “We don’t build churches like that in Salt Lake City.” Grandpa said, “Neither do we; we build themin Mount Pleasant.”

He did the groundwork for thebuilding of the swimming pool near North Sanpete High School. Hewas instrumental in securing the new hospital for Mount Pleasant and North Sanpete. He was active in civic affairs, serving as aCity Councilman, County Commissioner, andDistrict Republican Chairman. He wasmayor of Mount Pleasantfor three consecutive terms.

Grandpa resigned as Mayor inApril of 1947, due to some disagreements with others in the community regardingobtaining a hospital for Mount. Pleasant. As there was some discussion as to his service as Mayor, he wrote anopen letter to the community that appeared in the local paper on April 18, 1947outlining some of his accomplishments. He explained that upon his election he had the satisfaction of bringingthe City’s financial difficulties out of an extremely bad situation. He secured money to pay the debt on theArmory.

During that period he completedthe purchase from the U. S. Forest Service of a mountain lodge formerly used asa recreation center for a CCC camp. Hemade arrangements to lease surrounding area from the forest service to be usedfor city recreational purposes and Boy Scout activities. This lodge was located eight miles east of Fairview on the Cottonwood Canyon road near theBeaver dams and Gooseberry reservoir. Hesaid, “Among other things I had pleasure in doing was to get the Boy ScoutCabin in Gooseberry for a song, and I sang it myself. Then I gave it to the City of Mount Pleasant.”

In his open letter, he outlinedthe number of places the City had rented at very low rates, and how he hadraised those rents to more realistic rates so that there was good revenuecoming to the City for those offices. Hemanaged to get roadwork completed at very low prices.

When Mount Pleasant was flooded, he was able toobtain assistance immediately to dig the town out. The cost of the cleanup work amounted to$62,000, and he was able to obtain that work without cost to Mount Pleasant City. He then entered into an agreement with bothfederal and state governments to protect Mount Pleasant from future disasters of this kind, whichincluded a flood dam as well as a change in control of grazing for futureprotection.

He felt that one of his fondesthopes, the securing of a hospital for Mount Pleasant, had been accomplished. He concluded the letter by saying, “I ampleased to have done so much for Mount Pleasant in spite of the efforts of my enemies tohinder me.”

The granddaughter of one ofGrandpa’s brothers (Gunder Anthon Gunderson) wrote a story about him in1947. Her name is Lois GundersonPorter. Her view of Grandpa is quiteinteresting. Here is her story on TheMayor of the Town” – John Gunderson:

“The mayor of the small town in which we lived, is acongenial, stout, jolly fellow who has made a hit with almost everyone. His hobby is being Mayor, and he devotes allhis time to doing a good job of it. He willespecially be remembered by the crowd of kids who are my age because one of thefirst community projects he completed after taking office as mayor was buildinga beautiful swimming pool. The eastwindows of our high school building looked out over the recreation groundswhere the pool was being built. Each daythe students watched its progress, from the time the digging began until thelast day of school, when it was nearly completed. The dedication was a day of celebration, andfrom then until the pool closed in the fall some of the youngsters did not missa day in the cool water.

“The Mayor’s business connections and many friends, together with hisown initiative and persistence, have made it possible for him to accomplishmany of his aims for the benefit of the citizens. Through his efforts a beautiful countyhospital is to be built in the town, where people from surrounding communitiesmay use its services. The Mayor’s fatherand six brothers were all carpenters; consequently he takes great pride insupervising all building work. He isalso my father’s uncle – so we called him ‘Uncle John.’

“Several years ago when the South Ward chapel wasdestroyed by fire, this energetic man who was later appointed Mayor, was chosento take charge of building a new church. It took a great deal of work selling ‘Sunday eggs’ and much sacrifice bythe whole community to build the beautiful building they now have, but it isone of the most attractive in the state. He insisted on soft movie-theater type seats because he wanted everyoneto be comfortable as well as himself. This was something that was very new.

John Gunderson (second from the left) at the dedication
of the new South Ward L.D.S. Churh

“The Mayor is especially enthusiastic about the out-of-doors and takesa great pride in his own yard and garden spot. In the flower boxes of the church and city hall he plants beautifuldouble flowering petunias, which bloom all summer and until the frost takesthem in the fall. His family lot in thecemetery shows that it has special care, and on Decoration Day it is always amass of blooming perennials. He is alsointerested in animals and birds. Lastsummer he told us he had a nest of woodpeckers in a tree outside his kitchenwindow and he wanted my sister and me to come up and see them. We found a pair of woodpeckers flying hereand there gathering food for their young, but were in no mood to receiveguests. The nest was a hole in a treewith the entrance about two and one-half inches wide. The Mayor’s wife said they had watched thebirds every morning making their next and preparing for the young.

“Occasionally Uncle John came to see us and usually accepted ourinvitation to stay for dinner. We liketo joke with him about his telling us there was nothing he could not eat, butwe soon found out he ate everything he liked, but there were a lot of things hedid not like. I will never forget thephilosophy he often used, ‘Eat the best first and you will always have the bestleft.’ This bit of humor has stayed withme and I have found it to be true.”

He was chairman of the Second World War Bond Drive—beingthe first one to buy a bond. He wonnational and state recognition for Mount Pleasant being the first city to reach its goal in thenation. He won a trip to Washington, DCand received a certificate from the United States Treasury Department whichread: “For patriotic cooperationrendered on behalf of the War Finance Program this citation is awarded to JohnGunderson. Given under my hand and sealon June 30, 1945.” It was signed byHenry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury, and Chas. L. Smith, StateChairman.

He was active in the MunicipalLeague for many years and served as Vice President. He was also a member of theSons of the Utah Pioneers and accompanied them on their centennial trek fromNauvoo to Salt Lake Citywhen he was 71 years of age. He wrotethis about his trip:

“I have been grateful and thankful for every minute I spent on therecent trek to Nauvoo and intermediate points. As we journeyed across the great plains my mind went back to my parentswho crossed those wide stretches in that early day. It renewed my faith to visit all the oldlandmarks of Mormonism, so I am thankful that I have lived to have thatexperience.

“My mind also turned to the pioneers and my feelings are expressed inthe following:

“Since first the pioneers began

To make and build theWest for man,

We count the years, one hundred o’er,

And ask where folks have given more,

Where standards have been higher set,

Where truth more earnest welcome met.

Where we find we men and mates who wrought

For grander prizes than they sought?

Let’s doff our hats and bow the head

To those who still life’s pathways tread,

And bless the souls who paved the way

For what is ours this happy day,

And keep in memory fore’er

The meaning of their coming here.”

John Olaf was engaged in thesheep business and served as the State Sheep Inspector. He ran the sheep on the deserts of WesternUtah and Eastern Nevada in the winters and onthe public domain in the mountains by Scofield and Price in the summers.

There are a lot of stories about old Jeff – a one-man mulethat Grandpa had. He was sure-footed andloyal to Grandpa. At night the herderswould put hobbles on the horses and mules, and bells so they could hearthem. Grandpa was afraid that amountain lion might come during the night and get a hobbled horse, althoughJeff could run with the hobbles on. Thedrovers would hear the bells and get up to protect them.

Then Jeff would go up into thetrees and hide from the drovers; he knew the bell sound would lead them to him,so he would stand perfectly still. Thedrovers would come back and tell Grandpa that they couldn’t find Jeff.

Grandpa would go out and holler, “Jeff, time to come innow.” Jeff would come for Grandpa, butnot the drovers.

Grandpa Gunderson used to tellhis kids about Indians coming to kidnap the white kids and they all had quite afear of being kidnapped by the local Indians. In order to get the kids up in the morning, he would come running up thestairs, shouting, "The Indians are coming, the Indians are coming." They’re at Charlie’s house now.” Naturally, the kids were up and out of bed ina hurry.

One memory of Grandpa Gundersonwas that, among other much more lovable traits, he was a vain man – although hedidn’t seem like that when we were children. We suppose it’s the stories that we’ve heard over the years that make usrealize how he was. He always wore shoes that were the latest style, but healways complained about his feet hurting. When he went to get a new pair of shoes at the store that our Uncle Shyworked at, he insisted on a size 7. Uncle Shy realized, of course, that the reason Grandpa’s feet hurt somuch was that he was wearing the wrong size shoe. He didn’t tell Grandpa, but he sold him alarger size. For days Grandpa went onabout how great these shoes were and how his feet didn’t hurt. When Uncle Shy admitted that the shoes werethe right size, instead of the size 7’s Grandpa thought they were, Grandpa hada fit and refused to wear them. “I weara size 7!”

Because of that story, it is evenfunnier to hear this one. Doug told usthat once he needed some new shoes, but the size they had were not hissize. Grandpa let him get the shoes,knowing that Doug’s feet would hurt, but also that Shy could wear theshoes. Doug wore them until he couldhardly walk because his feet hurt so badly. Grandpa said, “Fit your feet, even if you have to wait for the rightfit.” What a hoot!

We remember another time whensome of the Gunderson relatives were at Doug’s home for Thanksgiving dinner;Grandpa was taking a nap on the couch. His snoring was the subject of much snickering among the children. Our Aunt Peggy, who was very talentedmusically, was playing the piano and made up a song about Grandpa’ssnoring. He was furious when he found outwe’d been laughing about his snoring; and insisted that he did not snore.

Another time when Grandpa wasvisiting Doug’s family, they lost John, who was probably about two. Everyone was hunting for him, sick withworry. He was asleep with Grandpa out inDoug’s car in the carport. Grandpa justradiated that sense of comfort and security that goes with being a grandpa.

Dave tells us this story that hisfather, Reed, told about Grandpa Gunderson. He went to the hardware store and got some good flooring boards, pointedthe ends, put them in a steam bath and turned up the ends. They would bind these "skis" totheir shoes and ski down the hill to the other side of town. Grandpa would tie a rope on the car and pullthem up to the high part of town, and off they would go. An early ski lift!

Grandpa was baptized into the LDS ChurchAugust 20, 1883, and at the time of his death held the office of a Priest. His wife preceded him in death on November24, 1926, at the age of 48.

After Grandma Gunderson died,Grandpa Gunderson married again. Hissecond wife, Effie R. Larsen, had three daughters Vannetta, Beth and Thelma.They later divorced, and Grandpa moved to Salt Lake City to live.

John Olaf died May 31, 1949 in Salt Lake City at the ageof 74. His funeral was in the Mount Pleasant South Chapel on Friday, June 3,conducted by Bishop Leo Larsen. He wasburied in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

A very sweet note was received bythe family following his death:

Progressive Opinion

. . . ForEverything Progressive . . .

A PAPER WITHSPIRIT AND VISION

C. N. LUND,Editor

Keith Bldg. SaltLake City, Utah

TO THEFAMILY OF JOHN GUNDERSON:

JohnGunderson was a friend to me and he never did me anything but

good. He was a frequent visitor to my place ofbusiness and I shall miss him. Our

relationswere always most friendly and were I to put down every kindness and every

goodhe extended to me it would make a long list indeed.

Inhis public career he made a record that will long stand to his credit. His

sixsons and one daughter were his pride and the objects of his love and esteem. It has
beenfine indeed to see their loyalty to him. He will live in their memory as long as their

livesshall last. They will remember all hisgoodness and kindness to them. He will

anxiouslywait on the other shore to greet each one of them as they shall cross to the

lifeeternal.

Ihereby extend my sincere sympathy to each and every one of his posterity

andhope that the light of their father’s devotion will ever cheer them along thepaths

theyshall follow.

Deathis not so sad, for when one dies

Weknow that the fine light within his eyes

Wouldshine out still if he could see us near

Andhe would comfort tenderly our tear.

Yoursand John’s friend, C. N. Lund

Letter from The Presiding Bishop of the LDS Church,LeGrand Richards:

In the letter which was read atthe funeral of John Gunderson, Bishop Richards stated that, “In the death ofBro. Gunderson I have lost a good friend, but Mt. Pleasanthas lost its ambassador of ‘Good Will’ “. “Bro. Gunderson has ceaselessly sought to make good things happen for Mt. Pleasantand its citizens.” “We will all misshim, but the good people of Mt. Pleasant will miss himthe most because he served them the most”.

1942

Oh, how we all miss the Swimming Pool !!!

“Crossing the Bar”

Twilight and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning

of the bar,

When I put out to sea.

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

---Tennyson

Funeral Services for

JOHN OLOF GUNDERSON

Born August 20,1875 Died May 31, 1949

Mt. Pleasant SouthWard Chapel

Friday, June 3, 1:00 P. M.

Prayerat the home H. C. Jacobs

Song, Quartet .. "Though DeepeningTrials"

OpalScovil, Alta Jensen,

George Squires, A. L. Peterson

Opening Prayer.... A. H.Anderson

Speaker…………. Bishop A. L. Peterson

Organ Solos, "0 My Father,"

Vocal Solo: "In The Garden"

Florence Bagnall

Speaker………… PresidingBishop J. L. Wirthlin

Remarks…………Bishop Leo Larsen

Song, Quartet "Come Unto Me"

Closing Prayer….. O. M. Aldrich

Prelude and Postlude Music

Ethel L.Erickson

Dedication of thegrave.. J.Leo Seely

Pallbearers:

Emil Rutishauser, GibbsMonsen, Hyrum Merz,

McKayZabriskie, Billy Jones, Abe Burton

Burial in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery

Services underdirection of Jacobs Mortuary

Justus Olson Seely ~ Mayor of the Month ~ October 2011 ~ Elected 1936

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The following items come from Hilda Madsen Longsdorf "History of Mt. Pleasant".

P. 194: The (Pioneer) committee at the present time, 1939, is asfollows: President- James Larsen; Vice President-James Monsen; Secretary &Treasurer-Mrs. Hilda Madsen Longsdorf; Assistant-O. M. Aldrich; Directors-E. C.Johnson, Mrs. Miranda Omenn, L. C. Ramussen, Mrs. Botilda Frandsen, FredStaker, Royal Candland. Daniel Rasmussen, Mrs. Ella Tuft Candland, Justus O.Seely, C. T. Madsen, F. J. Nielsen, Vern H. Gunderson, and

Elmer Jensen.

P. 239: 1936-37.Mayor, Justus O. Seely; Recorder, E. W. Wall; Treasurer, Mata Hutchison;Councilors, J. H. Stansfield, four years; P. A. Poulson, (Dr.) A. L. Peterson,Lawrence Winters, Bert Wright; W. K. Peterson and Sheldon Monsen appointed cityMarshals.

1938-39.Mayor, Justus O. Seely; Recorder, E. W. Wall; Treasurer, Mata Hutchison;Councilors, P. A. Poulson, four years; J. H. Stansfield, (Dr.) A. L. Peterson,(Dr.) L. A. Phillips, W. C. Olsen.

P. 247: Listed with names of Veterans on Doughboy Monument:

Shelley, David A. Shelley, Jesse

Scow, Andrew Lavor Selby, John Jr.

Seely, Chesley P. Seely, Leonard J

Seely, Justus O.

Ed Johnston ~ Mayor of the Month ~ September 2011 ~ 1834-35

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Once again we have a former mayor with no formal biography readily available. No descendants locally available to glean information from. It anyone out there can fill in the blanks, a very large one ________,please do. So we have collected tidbits of information from Hilda's History of Mt. Pleasant and also from Utah Digital Newspapers, which is a wonderful resource.Family Search has a number of Ed Johnstons so we cannot be sure whose his parents were and where he came from. We do know he was the Mayor of Mt. Pleasant. We know that he went on to be a Utah State Senator. We know that he owned and operated Johnston's Drug Store. And we know that he was once President of the Utah Pharmaceutical Association. He joined the Royal Arch Masons of Mt. Pleasant, and was scribe, as well as Worshipful Master. He was also a veteran of the Spanish American War. He must have been a very influential and well liked gentleman.

The following are the news clippings we have found on Ed Johnston:

The above article appeared in the Manti Messenger on

September 9, 1938.

The above was found in the Manti Messanger February 14, 1941

Salt Lake Telegram 1925-04-09

Salt Lake Telegram 1926-12-13

Items about Ed Johnston in History of Mt. Pleasant by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf

P. 13:

MountPleasant is pleasantly located in the northern part of Sanpete County, Utah,about one hundred miles southeast of Salt Lake City. It is situated on PleasantCreek, one of the tributaries to the Sevier River, and about midway between theWasatch plateau on the east and the Sanpitch River on the west. Its elevation,as registered on a standard disk, set in the northwest corner of the west wallof Johnston's drug store, S. W. corner of the intersection of State and Main,is 5,923.97 feet, and as registered in standard disk, set in stone head wall ofirrigation ditch, ninety feet southwest of D. & R. G. Depot and thirty feetwest of center of railroad track is 5,843.67, showing a gentle slope whichgives excellent drainage. The United States census of 1930 shows its populationas being at that time 2628, with Manti 2240 and Ephraim 2076.

P. 199:

TheSanpete County Council of Defense was organized as follows: J. W. Cherry,chairman; Burke McArthur, secretary; Ed. Johnston, treasurer; Committeechairmen, Finance, N. S. Nielsen; Publicity, ,Burke McArthur; Legal, J. W.Cherry; Sanitation and Medicine, Ed. Johnston; Food supply and conservation, L.R. Anderson; Industrial survey, Orlando Bradley; Labor, Christian Willardsen;Military affairs, J. Morgan Johnson; State protection, H. R. Thomas; Survey ofman power, L. P. Brady; Woman's work, Mrs. G. W. Martin.

P. 201:

InJanuary of 1922, Ed. Johnston moved his drug stock into his new building,corner of State and Main, and during the year, the Wasatch Academy completedtheir two buildings, the gymnasium and the Infirmary.

P. 204:

February 12, 1936, Ray K. Bohne was appointedpostmaster. and after a short time, the office was moved to the Ed. Johnstonbuilding.

P. 206:

P. 238:

1932-33.Mayor, W. P. Winters; Recorder, Daniel Rasmussen;

Treasurer, Pearl Larsen; Councilors, H. P.Olsen, four years;

Ed. Johnston, John Fowles, Willis N.Madsen, E. W. Wall.

1934-35.Mayor, Ed. Johnston; Recorder, E. W. Wall; Treasurer,

Pearl Larsen; Councilors, Willis N.Madsen, four years; Henry

P. Olsen, John Fowles, Parley Hansen,Daniel Rasmussen,

(21) Lawrence Winters.

P. 324:

(1935) A portion of the old fort wall was stillstanding. James Wilson had a blacksmith shop on the corner where Mayor EdJohnston now has a drug store. Peter Matson had a shoe store and Lydia T.Winters ran a millinery store. The Presbyterian Church was where the MasonLodge Hall is now. James Borg and Ole Clemensen had a harness shop near theBeaumann home, and Abner Crane had a blacksmith shop near where the Crane homeis now.

Doctor W. P. Winters ~ Mayor of the Month ~ August 2011

2011-09-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

http://mtpleasantpioneer.blogspot.com/2011/08/doctor-w-p-winters-mayor-of-month.html

We were not able to find a regular biography of Dr. W. P. Winters. We searched the internet and talked with people who knew him. The following is a mixture of items we were able to find. Peter Hafen remembers him to be a very jovial fellow. He and his second wife, Mae were frequent visitors at the home of Peter's "Uncle Dutch" and Aunt Johanna Hafen.

William Philitis Winters was born 24 April 1868.
Father Henry Adelbert Winters,

Mother: Elizabeth Williams.
He married Nancy Jane Cummings in 1895. She Passed away in 1946.
He married Mary M. Wilcox Patterson in 1947. Mary (Mae) was also from Mt. Pleasant.
Mae was the daughter of Joseph and Candace Rowe Wilcox.
Candace Rowe Wilcox was a local midwife and assisted Dr. Winters.

He died 10 July 1952 in Price, Utah. He is buried in Mt. Pleasant.

He started his medical career in Castle Dale, but later moved his practice to Mt. Pleasant

Dr. Winters Hospital as it looks today. Location: 149 South 100 West, Mt. Pleasant, Utah

News of his aged father's dying.

1923 He was proprietor of Carbon Hospital in

Price, Utah

~~~~~~~~~

Mayor Winters and Prohibition

~~~~~~~~~

Below is a notice of his second Marriage.

He married Mary M. Wilcox Patterson in 1947.

Doctor Winters and his second wife, Mae walking down the street. .
submitted by Marilain Black

Marilain Black, a granddaughter of Mary (May) Wilcox, second wife to doctor Winters shares with us a couple of interesting stories:

He (Doctor Winters) was her sweetheart before he became a Dr. I understand she married Joseph Sharp Patterson, Sr. on the rebound.

My Great Grandmother, Candace Rowe Wilcox raised 8 children my grandmother

Mary M. Wilcox, was the eldest child and was 20 when her father died. She (greatgrandmother) became the local midwife and helped Dr. Wm. P. Winters (her oldest daughter's first sweetheart) when he was not available. She was elected as City Treasurer on the Democratic ticket in Nov. 1987

Mary M. Wilcox Patterson and Dr. Wm. P. Winters met again about 1947 and were married in Pocatello, Idaho by Bishop Henry B. West on 16 Jul 1947. Dr. Winters and my grandmother

went on a honeymoon to California where his daughter, Louise, lived. They were offered to be on a program for the oldest newlyweds but my grandmother refused.

He was 80 and she 79. On their way back to Utah, they passed a terrible accident and stopped to administer first aid. It was so bad, Dr. asked my grandmother to rip off her underclothes and used them to pack in the wounds. Dr. Winters died after they had been married five years on 13 Jul 1952 in Price, Utah. She died

8 Feb 1959 in Salt Lake City.

NOTE: My grandmother was never called Mary. We knew her by Dana and know she was called Mae by others.

The following are items taken from the History of Mt. Pleasant by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf.

p. 195

In1908, Dr. August Lundberg purchased the first two automobiles brought to Mt.Pleasant. The first, a "Lokomobile" was, however, of short duration,for in the course of a month or so he purchased another, this was a large redtouring car called the "Northerner."

In 1909, Dr. W. P. Winters purchased a Buick, andFrank Waldermar an E. M. F. About a year or so later, Christian Hansenpurchased a ,Buick, Showman Longsdorf, a Case, and F. C. Jensen, a Cadillac.Among other early cars were those owned by Lyman Aldrich, Wallace Petty and HyrumMerz. All these cars were very popular with the pleasure seekers and a greatdeal of time was spent on the road.

p. 238 1932-33.Mayor, W. P. Winters; Recorder, Daniel Rasmussen; Treasurer, Pearl Larsen; Councilors, H. P.Olsen, four years;Ed. Johnston, John Fowles, Willis N.Madsen, E. W. Wall.

Bent Richard Hansen ~ Mayor of the Month July 2011

2011-07-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

The following excerpts are taken from Hilda Madsen Longsdorf, History of Mt. Pleasant.

The early entries may have been Bendt Hansen Sr., father to Bent Richard Hansen

p. 63

Fortunate were the pioneers in having among them so many fine musicians, who willingly contributed their talents toward the amusement of the colony. John Waldermar played the violin, flute,

and cornet. James Hansen, who prior to his coming to Mount Pleasant, had belonged to the Brass Band in Salt Lake City, also played the violin, flute and cornet. Lars Nielsen, known as Lars Fiddler, played by ear, became very popular and had many
invitations from other settlements to locate there. He, with John Waldermar and James Hansen, played for all the important gatherings held in Mount Pleasant during the first sixteen years.

Among other prominent pioneer musicians, who also contributed necessary pioneer music were Levi B. Reynolds, violinist; George Nielsen, tambourine; Orin Clark, the Jaw Bones of an Ox on a stick; Alma Staker, Bone Clapper; Rudolph Bennett, Triangle; Bent Hansen, Bass Fiddle; Soren Hansen, Clarinet; Andrew Bramsted, Violin; and August Mynear, Violin.

pp. 91-92

The calling of people to bring the immigrants worked a hardship on the people as did the calling to go and assist in the settling of new settlements. All sacrificed much in selling their homes for a little or nothing, and realized scarcely enough to move their families and relocate at the places to which they had been called. Knowing that President Young fully realized the necessity of opening up the settlements in preparation for the many immigrants from the United States and Europe, who were mostly poor people or had spent nearly all they had in coming to Utah; the Saints felt it their duty to respond, with a feeling of good will, when called. During the summer, considerable flour was hauled to Salt Lake City where it was marketed at $18.00 a hundred. The demand came side of Main Street between Second and Third West, on the lot later owned by Bent Hansen. Here the people were furnished a market for their grain in exchange for merchandise. The store was managed by Joseph Stanford, and for a time, Anthon H. Lund and Charlie Hampshire clerked there.

p. 105

On that day also, the following were called as missionaries to settle on the Muddy, at that time thought to be in Utah but later survey showed it in Nevada. John L. Ivie, Paul Stark, Peter Nielsen, C. P. Larsen, James Christensen (Harbro), George Meyrick, Bent Hansen, Mortin Rasmussen, Soren Jacobsen and Hyrum Winters.

p.126

President Brigham Young's Visit

September 12th, President Brigham Young and a number of the apostles and elders visited Mount Pleasant. A suitable wagon, drawn by four fine horses, was fitted up and driven by Rasmus Frandsen and Andrew Madsen, taking the Mount Pleasant Brass Band to Fountain Green, where they met the party. Coming back by way of Moroni, they led the procession and furnished the music. James Hansen leading the band, among others who were members were John Waldermar, Daniel Beckstrom, Andrew Beckstrom, Andrew Anderson, Bent Hansen and Mortin Rasmussen.

p. 132

John Hastler had arrived in Mt. Pleasant in October and brought with him a full set of musical instruments from Switzerland. Bishop Seeley and the leading brethren engaged him to organize a Brass Band at once. This was affected about the 15th of October, 1869, with John Hastler, James Hansen, Bent Hansen, John Waldermar, Andrew Beckstrom, Daniel Beckstrom. James C. Meiling, August Wall, Aaron Oman, Peter Syndergaard. Andrew Syndergaard, Soren Hansen, Lars Nielsen (Fiddler), Mortin Rasmussen, Jacob Hafen, Ulrich Winkler, Oscar Barton, Charlie Hampshire, and Paul Coates. John Hastler and Olaf Rosenlof were chosen as their leaders.

p. 161

In 1883, Bent Hansen & Sons opened a planing mill on the north side of Main Street between Second and Third West. At about the same time, J. B. Staker and Ephraim Hansen also operated a similar mill west on Second North between State and First West. George and Joseph Frandsen were later among the prominent lumber dealers.

p. 173

The scenery for the hall was painted by C. C. A. Christensen, a very popular artist. Music for the dances was mostly furnished by the Peter Almertz orchestra, consisting of John Waldermar, Rebecca Beckstrom, Bent Hansen, and others. Brigham Lee was floor manager and prompter. The east room of the building was used as the city council headquarters. On top of the building had been arranged seats, and at daybreak on holidays the Brass Band assembled; their music could be clearly heard in the distance, as the stars and stripes were unfurled. It had been common for the band, in their band wagon, to serenade the city, and they were usually treated with plenty of home-made beer and refreshments.

p. 174

April 14, 1894, the militia was organized in Mt. Pleasant. This company was known as Company C, First Infantry, and was mustered in by Colonel Tatlock, with Thomas Braby, Captain; Daniel C. Jensen, First Lieutenant; Magnus G. Rolph, Second Lieutenant, and was commissioned by Kaleb W. West, the last Territorial Governor. The company consisted of the following: Thomas Braby, Daniel C. Jensen, M. G. Rolph, J. M. Boyden, M. A. Boyden, W. E. Watson, L. P. Nelson, J. W. Lowe, John Forsland. A. B. Williams, G. W. Thompson, B. C. Skillicorn, Willie Anderson, Ferdinand Ericksen, Charles Hampshire, Axel Bjelke, E. W. Wall, Ole Olson, Clarence Winters, W. P. Winters, George W. Reynolds, John O. Lofgren, J. B. Porter, Andrew L. Porter, Byron G. Wheelock, George Christensen, Henry Ericksen, Erick H. Ericksen, Olaf C. Andersen, John Knudsen, Amasa Aldrich, James Jorgensen, James F. Jensen, Louis H. Brand, George Brand, George M. Miller, William B. Allen, Bent R. Hansen, L. 1. Harward, Olaf Rosenlof, John H. Hansen, Arthur McArthur.

p. 181

Bent Hansen and Company purchased in 1899 the first buggy hearse used in the city, and September 14, 1899, James Hansen, a brother of Bent Hansen Sr., was the first corpse to be taken in it to the cemetery. This hearse was always drawn by a pair of cream colored horses.

p. 196

High School District Organized

In 1911, Mt. Pleasant voted to build a high school building. (North Sanpete High School). At that time, the school trustees were C. N. Lund, J. M. Boyden and, Bent R. Hansen.

p. 202

In 1926, Mr. 'Bent R. Hansen, then a local undertaker, purchased the first automobile hearse used in Mt. Pleasant. After Mr. Hansen's death in 1933, the business was carried on by H. C. Jacobs, who purchased their building and established the Jacobs Mortuary.

p. 238

1928-29. Mayor, Bent R. Hansen; Recorder, James Jordan (resigned, and Calvin Christensen appointed; Treasurer, Effie R. Larsen; Councilors, Paul Monsen, four years; M. C. Peterson, E. W. Wall, Wm. L. Madsen, J. D. Meyrick.

Joseph Seely, Mayor of the Month ~ June 2011 ~ He served during 1926 and 1927.

2011-06-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

The following notes are taken from Hilda Madsen Longsdorf's "History of Mt. Pleasant".

Pages 184-185: A conference was held, after a few minutes discussion, they were united and agreed upon calling a mass meeting on the 17th day of February, 1909. At this meeting, Daniel Rasmussen was elected chairman and Joseph Seely secretary. The plan was presented to erect in some suitable place, a large monument in honor of the Pioneers. After a few minutes discussion, this was unanimously agreed upon.

A conference was held, after a few minutes discussion, they were united and agreed upon calling a mass meeting on the 17th day of February, 1909. At this meeting, Daniel Rasmussen was elected chairman and Joseph Seely secretary. The plan was presented to erect in some suitable place, a large monument in honor of the Pioneers. After a few minutes discussion, this was unanimously agreed upon.

Two committees were appointed. One, Ferdinand Ericksen. E. C. Johnson, James Larsen, James Monsen, and Andrew Madsen, to select the character of monument to be erected, and a like committee, consisting of five members, Daniel Rasmussen, Joseph Seely, James Borg, C. W. Anderson and Joseph Monsen, were to devise ways and means by which to raise the necessary funds for the erection of a suitable memorial.

February 27th, another meeting was called and the two committees were consolidated. The committees worked earnestly and it was only by stick-to-it-tive-ness and constant efforts with renewed vigor that they were able to make such rapid advancement.

The census of the descendants were taken and an assessment of $35.00 to the family was made. Any male in Mt. Pleasant over ten years of age in 1859, was eligible to have his name on the monument. Some responded promptly, while some were lax. Madsen made a trip to Carbon County, meeting with a number of the descendents at Price and Wellington, who, after receiving full explanation of the progress and intentions of the committee, did not hesitate and at once contributed their portion. In March, a mass meeting was held to prepare for the celebration. The city

appointed the following committee chairmen:

James Monsen general chairman; C. N. Lund, program; Daniel Rasmussen,

decoration; W. D. Candland, finance; Ferdinand Ericksen, amusement; Joseph Seely, entertainment; and also made an appropriation of $200.00.

The work was completed in due time and a beautiful monument, which is composed of white bronze metal was erected on the northwest corner of the Church Block, intersecting Main and State Streets. It stands upon a cement foundation, ten feet square, and is surmounted by six foot figure representing "Faith" typifying the devotion and confidence of the Pioneers. The total height of the monument is twenty-seven feet, six inches. The estimated cost about $2,500.00p. 194: After the Pioneer Monument was erected and the committee who had charge of it considered their work practically finished. Andrew Madsen proposed that the present committee be dissolved and that a permanent organization be formed, consisting of pioneers and descendants of pioneers from 1859 to 1869. He further suggested that the present committee, naturally very much interested, be retained and that four women be added to the committee. Later a meeting was held at the North Ward Chapel and an organization formed, the name Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Association was adopted. It was decided to meet annually in March. The following officers were elected: President, Andrew Madsen; Vice President, James Larsen; Secretary, Daniel Rasmussen. Treasurer, James Monsen; Directors, Ferdinand Ericksen, Joseph Monsen, Edmund C. Johnson, James Borg, Joseph Seely, Christian W. Anderson, Mr. John H. Seely, Mrs. Henry Ericksen, Mrs. Miranda Omenn, and Mrs. Thomas West.p 203: September 3, 1927, Colonel Charles A. Lindberg, aboard his famous Spirit of St. Louis, flying from Cheyenne, Wyoming, en

route to Salt Lake City, paused to greet the citizens of Mt. Pleasant. He arrived over the mountains east of the city.

Mayor Joseph Seely having received a telegram announcing his intentions, Mt. Pleasant had been gaily decorated for the occasion and all was in readiness to receive him. The massive plane from which a message of greeting was dropped, circled low several times over the city. After a stay of about fifteen minutes, he left by way of Fairview for Salt Lake City.

During 1928, the Mt. Pleasant Press, a weekly newspaper, was

published by Margaret DeLay and R. V. Tuve.

In 1929, O. M. Aldrich and Sons, Ray and Clair, purchased the building erected and formerly occupied by the Sanpete County Co-op, and there established a general merchandise business.

p 238: 1926-27. Mayor, Joseph Seely; Recorder, Calvin Christensen; Treasurer, Effie R. Larsen; Councilors, M. C. Peterson, four years; C. L. Stewart, Paul Monsen, Joseph Monsen, O. F. Wall.

p 257: Alif Ericksen was chosen as president of the North Ward, with Hans Madsen and Joseph Seely as counselors; Lars Christian

Rasmussen, Secretary.

The North Ward Association was re-organized November 2, 1886, as follows: Joseph Madsen, president; Mangus G. Rolph and William Sorensen, counselors. The South Ward Association was re-organized with George Christensen as president; Ferdinand Clark and Lauritz Clark, counselors; Ferdinand Ericksen, Secretary. Mangus G. Rolph became president of the Ward February 29, 1888.

p 328: Other meat dealers were DeLong, Niels Rasmussen, Evan Ivie, and Keen Tidwell. In 1889 the Ericksen Meat & Grocery Company was established by Henry Ericksen and Alif Ericksen. Later Joseph Seely, Al Peterson, John Ericksen, Andrew O. Madsen, and Stewart Seely were located on the north side of Main Street, between State and First West.

Robert H. Hinckley ~ Mayor of the Month ~ May 2011 ~ He Served As Mayor 1924-1925

2011-06-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

The following are are references and page numbers to Robert H. Hinckley from Hilda Madsen Longdorf's "History of Mt. Pleasant".

June 24, 1917, Mary Elizabeth, thirteen months old child of Charles M. and Josephine Peterson, was drowned in Twin Creek channel east of the city.

For a number of years, a Traveling Library, free to the public, was sponsored by members of the Twentieth Century Literary Club and the Home Culture Club of Mt. Pleasant.

During Daniel Rasmussen's term as mayor, the Carnegie Library was built, being formally opened to the public, February 15, 1917. This year the Seely-Hinckley building, corner First West and Main, was built by John H. Seely and Robert H. Hinckley. P 199

In December 1925, during Robert H. Hinckley's term as mayor, the White Way was completed by the paving of Main Street. This was celebrated by an appropriate program and dancing on the pavement. This year the Lion's Club was organized in Mt. Pleasant, with Charles Eatinger as president, and Earl F. Gardemann, as secretary. P 202

The new city hall was dedicated August 23rd. Following aparade, a program was held on the steps of the building. Senator Ed Johnston presided. Invocation was offered by Daniel Rasmussen and the dedicatory prayer by C. W. Sorensen, and an historical sketch was given by Mrs. S. D. Longsdorf. Talks by Judge. George Christensen, of Price; Robert H. Hinckley, of Ogden, Chairman Civil Aeronautics Commission; and Darrell Greenwell, of Salt Lake City, State WP A Director, who also, in behalf of the WP A, presented the building to Mt. Pleasant. The response and acceptance speech was given by Councilman A. L. Peterson. Musical numbers were rendered by Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hansen, Dean and Wayne Peterson, Grant, Vernon, and Don Johansen, Mrs. G. B. Madsen, Mrs. S. H. Gill, and Mrs. H. G. Ericksen. P 207-208

1924-25. Mayor, Robert H. Hinckley; Recorder, Calvin Christensen; Teasurer, Effie R. Larsen; Councilors, O. F. Wall, four years; P. A. Poulsen, Joseph Matson, M. C. Petersen, Joseph Johansen Jr.

P 238

W. D. Candland ~ Mayor of the Month ~ April 2011

2011-04-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

The following are references to W.D. Candland in the " History of Mt. Pleasant" by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf:

May 1893, the Mt. Pleasant Electric Light

Company filed articles of incorporation, with William Zabriskie, President, and W. D. Candland as Secretary p 172

There

were fully 500,000 head of sheep owned in the county, and with Mt. Pleasant,

the Queen City of Sanpete, fast becoming the commercial center, two prominent

wool companies were formed. In 1893 the Mt. Pleasant Wool & Live Stock

Company was organized by N. S. Nielsen, J. H. Seely, F. C. Jensen, James

1895 :

W.D. Candland was elected on the Republican ticket as the .first Senator from

Sanpete County.

February 1906, the North Sanpete Bank was

incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000.00. W. D. Candland, president; A.

J. Aagard, vice president; and H. C. Beaumann, cashier. They were installed in

their new building on the

north side of Main Street, midway between State and

First West. p 183

June

18, 1918, during W. D. Candland's term as mayor, Mt. Pleasant was visited by a

number of floods, one being the biggest in the history of the city. Great

boulders and rocks were carried with the stream of mud, damaging bridges and

fences, sweeping down the streets and through city lots, covering gardens and

filling basements, and completely filling the channels with debris, rocks, etc.

One life was lost, that of Louis Oldham, who, near his home east of the city,

slipped and fell into the stream. Some days later, his body was found in the

debris west of the city.

A few days after the flood, a group of convicts were

sent from the state penitentiary to assist in clearing out Pleasant Creek

channel. Many local men volunteered their assistance. p 200

1918-19. Mayor, W. D.

Candland; Recorder, A. O. Neilson;

Treasurer, Hannah Barnette;

Councilors, John Gunderson, four

years; A. E. Mcintosh,

James Monsen, O. M. Aldrich, Bent R. Hansen. p 238

The flood gave W. D.

Candland and his associates financial and other troubles. A $25,000.00 bond

issue was voted for the purpose of piping pure spring water into the waterworks

system.

And now my friends, we

are in the hands of the undertaker. (Note: The mayor at that time, Bent R.

Hansen, was also an undertaker. ) p 242

It will perhaps be proper to

here give the names of those, who,

in addition to those

heretofore mentioned, assisted in instructing the youth up to about the year

1880. Joseph S. Day, Joseph Page, John

Carter, Jeramiah D. Page, Christina

Bertelsen, Lucy Wheelock, Hans Jorgen

Shultz, Mrs. H. J. Hutchinson, John T. Henniger, Eli A. Day, and Hilda Dehlin were those who

now come to the memory of the writer.

A little later and in the

order given, the following teachers came upon the scene: Samuel H. Allen, Amasa

Aldrich, Abram Johnson, H. P. Jensen, Tina M. Morrison, Augusta Dehlin, Hans

Madsen, Joseph Madsen, George Christensen, C. W. Sorensen, William 1. Tidwell,

Ferdinand Ericksen, Ida Dehlin, Cecelia Winters, Olof C. Anderson, W. D.

Candland, and Som X. Christensen.

pp 268,269

318

EXCERPTS FROM ADDRESS

By W. D. Candland,

1922

I remember the days when the big drum was heard, and

the women, with blanched faces and trembling limbs, gathered their children

around them and fled to the fort; how men, with grim set faces, took their

ever-ready rifles from the wall and hastened to the square, ready to meet the

merciless, treacherous foe, knowing how he lurked in the shadows, or stealthily

crawled on his belly to get near enough to fire a deadly shot. How the stoutest

hearts quailed when that blood-curdling yell broke on the still night air,

knowing it meant death in the most horrible form that the fiends could devise,

unless they could for the time beat them back.

I have watched the small hamlet founded by that brave and hardy band,

through all the vicissitudes of frontier perils, grow into a beautiful,

prosperous city. I have known their lives and aspirations, their hopes and fears,

and as they have been gathered one by one into the fold of the great beyond.

I desire to follow, for a few moments, another line of thought, and ask

you this question:

Did these things just happen in a haphazard way, or was there an

impelling, guiding force that actuated and directed events and caused men to

come here who were needed, whose training in various avocations, made them

exceedingly valuable in the new order of things?

If you say it was just an accident, you will admit at least it was

fortunate that William S. Seely, who had such a happy faculty of making friends

with the Indians, settled here.

Wasn't it fortunate that men and women settled here who could make the

things that were so sadly needed? That John Tidwell could make tubs and churns

and pails out of wood, bound

with

wooden hoops? That James Porter could take the hide from the ox and make it

into leather and then into shoes? That Abram Day knew how to survey and build

roads and sawmills? That Fechser and others knew how to build a flour mill?

That P. M. Peel could fashion things from iron and make a threshing machine?

That Erick Gunderson was a carpenter? That Alma Staker

319

and Paul Dehlin could

make furniture? That Wellington Seely could set broken bones and pull teeth?

But most fortunate and most wonderful of all were the women, brave as their

husbands, and even more industrious, who could shear the sheep, wash, card, and

spin the wool, weave it into cloth, then make from the cloth raiment for the

whole family and the blankets and sheets they slept in. The men did nobly, but

my admiration and- respect, my profound reverence, is for the women who not

only performed their full measure of the work, but went many times into the

shadows of the valley of death in the throes of motherhood; their names are not

engraved on the monument, but they are enshrined in the archives of heaven and

are hallowed in the immutable love of Almighty God. Be you Mormon, Jew, or

Gentile, it is your privilege to determine in your own mind whether these

things all came by chance, or by some irresistible governing power.

Would

that our forefathers, who have passed beyond, might have lived to see and enjoy

the fruits of their labors as we now do.

ADDRESS BY W. D. CANDLAND

1932

This is the seventy-third anniversary of

the founding of Mt. Pleasant.

What

wonderful changes have taken place since then. Consider the train of events

that has led up to the settlement of this place. In the short period of less

than thirty years, people from many countries had trickled into Mt. Pleasant,

Utah. If it had not been for an announcement of a new plan of salvation, made

in 1830, I doubt that any of us would be here today. And what sort of men and

women were they who came here? Those of us who can remember the first Seelys,

Bartons, Reynolds, Monsens, Madsens, Christensens, Rasmussens, Peels, Larsens,

Sorensons, and all those names recorded on the Pioneer monument. Such people

are the salt of the earth, they tilled the soil and planted trees, and they

built a beautiful little city with fine homes, churches, and schools.

the short space of seventy years the little settlement blossomed into a

thriving, prosperous farming community of three thousand inhabitants; two banks

had opened. But as opportunity

320

was limited, many of her

sons and daughters had moved on to newer fields in other counties and other

states.

As this is a

historical narrative, it seems proper to discuss some history that is now in

the making. During the war, prices climbed to levels never dreamed of before.

Money was plentiful and people acquired extravagant habits; stocks and bonds

sold far above their actual value. Farm lands in this vicinity went up to $225

an acre. Butter went up to 90c a pound, eggs to 75c a dozen, cattle and sheep

went up out of sight. So the thrifty man, who had a little spare money, went to

the bank and deposited it, saying to the cashier, "Here is some money I

want to leave with you, and I want you to pay me some interest on it." The

cashier informed him, "We can only do that by lending it to some farmers

who will give us a mortgage on his farm to secure it. Of course, we cannot pay

you unless he pays us, but we can take his farm." Now the only security

the people in agricultural communities have to offer is their farm and

livestock. If a bank is to serve its people, it must accept as security for

loans that which they have to offer.

In this transaction we

set up a triangle, the depositor, the banker, and the borrower. The arrangement

is perfect, but it all depends on the borrower's ability to pay. Now, what happened?

Prices began to go down. The farmer went to the bank and said the price of

wheat has gone from $2.50 a bushel to 50c a bushel. The dairyman says, "Butter has declined

from 90c to 25c." The sheep man says, "Wool has gone down from 40c a

pound to 12c. We cannot pay the money we owe, not even the interest due."

The cattleman, the poultryman all have the same tale of woe. But says the

banker, "We must have some money. Mr. Depositor demands his money, which

we lent to you, and which you agreed to pay back at a certain time."

"But," says the borrower, "I just haven't got it. I can't sell

anything to get it. I am awfully disappointed. I guess you will just have to

take the farm." If this situation were true of only one line, it would not

be so bad. But when it is true of all lines, a deplorable condition exists. At

this time, Mr. Depositor goes to the bank and demands his money; not one

depositor only, but all the depositors. There is not enough money in any bank

in the country to pay all the

321

depositors at one

time. So the banker says, "We cannot pay you now; if you will wait until

these farmers, cattle, and sheepmen, and poultrymen and dairymen pay up, you

will get your money. But the depositor says, "No, I want it now." The

law says in such cases the bank commissioner shall take charge of the bank and

close it up. Now, who. is to blame? The depositor, in good faith, left his

money with the bank expecting to get it in due time. The bank lent it to the

farmer expecting he would return it as promised. The farmer expected to sell

his products for money enough to pay at the appointed time. It is no fault of

his that the bottom dropped out of everything. He couldn't foresee, neither

could the banker, nor the depositor, that the whole world would be suddenly

turned upside down. If the borrower knew these things would happen he should

not have borrowed the money. If the banker knew, we should not have loaned the

money. If the depositor knew, he should not have deposited the money. Neither

of the triangle is to blame. And each one must take his share of the

responsibility. Did each one think he was doing for the best? Did each act in

good faith? I think they did. If I may be permitted at this time, I would like

to say for the bank that I was connected with, that its every act was taken

with the full belief that it was in accordance with the law, with good banking

practice, and for the best interest of all concerned. Every officer or stockholder

who borrowed from the bank was required to put up ample security. The loan was

passed on by the board and approved by the bank examiner. Every one of them

will be paid. The bank set up a secondary reserve of thirty thousand dollars in

bonds. It had the backing and approval of its Salt Lake Correspondent Bank,

and that bank on the very morning it was decided not to open, offered to lend

us seventy five thousand dollars, but we knew that would only delay the

inevitable. While the situation is lamentable, we cherish the knowledge that

not a whisper of wrong done can be truthfully brought against the management of

the bank. I think I can say the same thing for the other bank in this town. If

we were the only ones that had failed you might think we were at fault, but

when you know that

322

twenty-five banks in

Utah closed their doors in the last few months, that hundreds of banks all over

this country have failed, that banks, and even governments in Europe have

failed, that the bank of England, supposed to be the soundest financial

institution in the world, was shaken to its very foundation, that every bank in

Utah has had anxious moments, you realize that we are only a small part of a

world-wide disaster. I watched a run on Zion's Savings Bank a few years ago. I

saw people draw their money and then wonder what to do with it. I talked with a

policeman, a former Mt. Pleasant boy, who told me people called him in all

hours of the night asking what to do to protect their money. They had it and

were afraid of being robbed, which is exactly what did happen to some of them.

Tell me, what is the best thing to do now. The matter is in the hands of the

depositors of the two local banks. If they want to drive the banking department

in the time of financial depression, to foreclose on these borrowers and sell

their property for virtually nothing, they can make of Mt. Pleasant the

blackest spot in America. They can depreciate the security they hold for their

money to ten cents on the dollar, and thus suffer a loss themselves. Or they

can say, "No, we will sit tight and wait; things will come back."

There is no better

security in the world than a good farm. It may not pay much, it may not sell

readily, but it won't burn up, it won't run away, and it will produce something

to live on. It is safer than government bonds; much safer than European government

bonds, and when a good farm in this country has no value, the country won't be

any good either. Be patient, give the borrower time to work out his problem.

The government of the United States has recognized the awful condition and has

provided some relief, but we must help ourselves and cooperate, or it will do

us no good. Will the record of the next few years be a time of blight and

despair, or will it be mutual cooperation and material progress?

Thomas Braby ~ Mayor of the Month March 2011

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Thomas Braby was born in Sussex England, January 10, 1884, a son of Edward and Ann Braby. The family consisting of the parents and 10 children came to Utah in 1875, after joining the L.D.S. Church in England.

In September 1879, Mr. Braby came to Mt. Pleasant and was employed by L.J. Jordan and John H. Seely, prominent wool growers for 11 years, after which he engaged in business for himself.

He married Eliza Keddington of Salt Lake City on September 21, 1887, and they were the parents of seven children. Mrs. Braby died February 22, 1927 and on June 18, 1931 Mr. Braby married Annie C. Jensen of Mt. Pleasant.

During his youth when Mr. Braby worked as a sheepherder, he acquired his education with "Gaskell's Compendium of Forms", which was practically his sole teacher.

In 1894, Caleb West, Utah's last territorial governor, commissioned Mr. Braby as Captain of Company C (later Company D); Utah National Guard, which rank he held for 14 years. During our trouble with Mexico, preceding the World War, Mr. Braby was made Major of Ordinance, and was stationed at Fort Douglas on the staff of General W.G. Williams. He was a member of the Utah State Shooting Team which competed at Camp Perry, Ohio in 1910-1911.

He was assistant postmaster for three terms, prior to serving 16 years as Postmaster from 1899 to 1915; and later served two terms as Mayor of Mt. Pleasant. Previously, he had been on the city council committee of three which supervised construction of the municipal water system. He also served four years as city marshal.

He was active in the L.D.S. Church, as president and later as secretary of the North Ward Elders Quorum. He was also active in fraternal organizations. He also served many years as secretary-treasurer of the Pleasant Creek Irrigation Company.

His children were Ann B. Syndergaard and Ada B. Kofoed who lived in Salt Lake City; Edward Braby of Columbia; Orson Braby of California and Mt. Pleasant, and Nellie B. Coates of Mt. Pleasant. One son, Ralph R. Braby was one of 11 members of the 145th Field Artillery who were drowned at San Diego, California in May of 1918, when a rip tide engulfed them while bathing. His other two sons were both veterans of World War I.

Daniel Rasmussen ~ Mayor of the Month ~ February 2011

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James W. Anderson ~ Mayor of the Month ~ January 2011

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Our Mayor book at the Mt. Pleasant Relic Home had the picture of James W. Anderson, but no information. This has been a collaborative effort to obtain information and document his history. What an exceptional man he was. A big thankyou to Lee R. Christensen and Kaye Watson.

James W. Anderson was born in Fairview, Sanpete County Februrary 28, 1875, the son of Archibald and Caroline Johnson Anderson. He married Amelia Allred April 2, 1897 in the Manti LDS Temple. His wife Amelia was the daughter of James A Allred and Mary Ann Pollard. That same year he left for a two year mission to the southern states.

A teacher in Utah elementary and high schools for more than 46 years Mr. Anderson received his early teaching experience in Spring City, Sanpete County and later went to Mt. Pleasant to be Supt. of Sanpete County Schools. He served as principal of Salt Lake City summer school for 8 years. He had charge of West High Night School for 8 years.

He taught school in Spring City when the large elementary opened. In 1900 he was also a teacher of Spring City Religion Classes which was the forerunner of Seminary. He was the ward clerk of Spring City 1907-1908.

Mr. Anderson also served as juvenile judge of Sanpete and Sevier Counties for two terms and had been first counselor in North Sanpete L.D.S. Stake Presidency. A resident of Salt Lake from 1923. He was active in Grant L.D.S. Stake High Council and later in 11th L.D.S. Ward activities.

His children:

Beulah Amelia    born 13 Jan    198?     died 1971

James Clair        born      May 1900

Vernon H.          born               1903    died 1964

Allen Boyd         born 17 July 1905     died 1964

Alma Owen       born              1909    died 1987

Eva Maurine       born               1913

Mary Marjorie    born               1918

James and his wife, Amelia are buried in the City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah

The above information was researched and shared by Kaye Watson of Spring City.

"1912-13. Mayor, James W. Anderson; Recorder, Daniel Rasmussen; Treasurer, Mrs. Elizabeth Larsen; Councilors, H. Leroy Neilson, A. E. Mcintosh, Justus B. Seely, George C. Sorensen, A. Merz, Lauritz Larsen"

"While James W. Anderson was mayor, the electric light plant became an accomplished fact. A bond of $38,000.00, was voted"

Comment from Lee R. Christensen:

Kathy: Some clues for others to build on so that Mayor Anderson is better known:

From the Mt Pleasant census record 1920 and LDS Ancestral File
James William Anderson, born Fairview 1875, married Amelia Allred (Sp Cty), died 1945. children Vernon, Boyd, Owen Maurine and Mary and Beulah (from 1910 census) is shown as teacher both census.

Is shown as Sup of Schools in the news clip of the Hamilton school tragedy . Beulan is one of the poets shown. I do not find the family 1930 census Mt Pleasant. I"ll keep looking, lee

photo courtesy of BYU ~ George Edward Anderson Collection

James Monsen ~ Mayor of the Month ~ December 2010 ~ He Served from 1905 to 1909

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The Sanpete Stake of Zion, which included Sanpete County, was in 1900 divided into two sections, the North and the South, all north of Ephraim to belong to the North Sanpete Stake, and all south, including Ephraim, to the South Sanpete Stake. C. N. Lund, of Mount Pleasant, was appointed president of the north section. On the same date, December 9, 1900, Mt. Pleasant was divided into two wards, the North and the South. Lars P. Madsen was made Bishop, with Thomas West and Joseph Seeley as counselors of the North ward, and James Larsen, Bishop, with Christian Johansen and James Monsen as counselors of the South ward. The first ward schoolhouse, which was built in 1875, was then razed to give way for the South ward chapel. The new building, which was begun at once, was dedicated in 1908. Mt. Pleasant History Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p 181

In 1901, the Mt. Pleasant Commercial Bank erected their building on the north side of Main Street between Second and Third West.

The mountains east of the city had in the past produced a great deal of lumber, and about this time and later, a number of mills were operated, among these later lumber dealers from time to time were: E. L. Durphy, Lauritz and Peter A. Larsen, John H. Seeley and James Monsen. Large forest fires were often seen in the mountains. HML p 182

During the year (1908), the Progress Mercantile Company, which became very prominent in the business world, was incorporated with James Larsen, president; F. C. Jensen, vice president; H. C. Jacobs, secretary-treasurer; S. E. Jensen, James Monsen, Andrew Larsen, John Strom and Andrew Swenson, directors. Their place of business was established in the Equitable building, formerly occupied by the Aldrich Brothers. Mt. Pleasant History Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p 183.

Fiftieth Anniversary Celebrated

Early in February 1909, there was called a mass meeting by Mayor James Monsen, for the purpose of deciding the advisability of a celebration sometime during the year, honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the settling of Mt. Pleasant.

It was decided at this meeting to hold a three day celebration beginning on the 5th day of July.

At this time, Andrew Madsen stated he thought it would be appropriate if steps could be taken towards the erection of a suitable monument in honor of the Pioneers. The city officials felt that owing to financial conditions they were not able to officially take any steps in that direction. Madsen then began to take the matter up personally, having full confidence that if proper steps were taken, the descendants would join in a movement whereby something could be erected, giving honor and credit, not only to the pioneers, but to the descendants as well, and to all of the people of our city. He then called upon Bishops Daniel Rasmussen, James Larsen and Mayor Monsen.

A conference was held, after a few minutes discussion, they were united and agreed upon calling a mass meeting on the 17th day of February, 1909. At this meeting, Daniel Rasmussen was elected chairman and Joseph Seely secretary. The plan was pre¬sented to erect in some suitable place, a large monument in honor of the Pioneers. After a few minutes discussion, this was unanimously agreed upon.

Two committees were appointed. One, Ferdinand Ericksen. E. C. Johnson, James Larsen, James Monsen, and Andrew Madsen, to select the character of monument to be erected, and a like com-mittee, consisting of five members, Daniel Rasmussen, Joseph Seely, James Borg, C. W. Anderson and Joseph Monsen, were to devise ways and means by which to raise the necessary funds for the erection of a suitable memorial.

February 27th, another meeting was called and the two com-mittees were consolidated. The committees worked earnestly and it was only by stick-to-it-tive-ness and constant efforts with renewed vigor that they were able to make such rapid advancement.

The census of the descendants were taken and an assessment of $35.00 to the family was made. Any male in Mt. Pleasant over ten years of age in 1859, was eligible to have his name on the monument. Some responded promptly, while some were lax. Madsen made a trip to Carbon County, meeting with a number of the descendents at Price and Wellington, who, after receiving full explanation of the progress and intentions of the committee, did not hesitate and at once contributed their portion. In March, a mass meeting was held to prepare for the celebration. The city appointed the following committee chairmen: James Monsen

general chairman; C. N. Lund, program; Daniel Rasmussen, decoration; W. D. Candland, finance; Ferdinand Ericksen, amusement; Joseph Seely, entertainment; and also made an appropriation of $200.00.

The work was completed in due time and a beautiful monument, which is composed of white bronze metal was erected on the northwest corner of the Church Block, intersecting Main and State Streets. It stands upon a cement foundation, ten feet square, and is surmounted by six foot figure representing "Faith" typifying the devotion and confidence of the Pioneers. The total height of the monument is twenty-seven feet, six inches. The estimated cost about $2,500.00. Mt. Pleasant History Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p 183-185

In 1909, during the time James Monsen was mayor, three cement side walk districts were created. District number one, on the north side of Main Street from State Street to Fifth West. District number two, east side of State Street from Main Street to the cemetery, and the west side of State Street from Main Street to Fifth South. District number three, west side of Fifth West from Main Street to Fifth South. Mt. Pleasant History Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p 195

Harold C. Beauman ~ Mayor of the Month ~ November 2010

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Harold C. Beaumann, son of Harold C and Ella, was born in Mt. Pleasant, September 20, 1863. His parents emigrated from Denmark in 1862 and located in Mt. Pleasant.

He worked on the farm and attended the local schools. In 1886 he was appointed postmaster, which position he held for six years. He was City Treasurer for four years, County Treasurer for two years and elected a member of the City Council in 1895. He was then elected mayor of Mt. Pleasant in 1904.

He assisted in organizing the Mt. Pleasant Bank and was an agent for Royal and Continental Fire Insurance Companies and the Pioneer Davis County nurseries.

He was married in Mt. Pleasant September 20, 1892 to Anne, daughter of Henry and Kate DeGraff, who was born in Salt Lake City, September 30, 1870. They had two children: Harold and Ruth.

January 25, 1889, Harold C. Beaumann was appointed Postmaster. For a time the post office was in the former location; later. however, it was moved to the east side of First West, between Main and First South. .Mt. Pleasant History by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p. 167.

In March 1903, while George Christensen was mayor, the city voted a bond for water works, but not until 1905, during H. C. Beaumann's term, were contracts let for installing the system. In due time, the system was installed, and with its completion. the settling barrels with their prickly pears, which had been used at most every home for the settling of the roily water, disappeared. HML p. 182.

February 1906, the North Sanpete Bank was incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000.00. W. D. Candland, president; A. J. Aagard, vice president; and H. C. Beaumann, cashier. They were installed in their new building on the north side of Main Street, midway between State and First West. HML p. 183

1904-5. Mayor, H. C. Beaumann; Recorder, A. H. Maiben; Treasurer, E. Ellis Day; Marshal, Andrew S. Jensen; Justice of the Peace, A. B. Waldermar; Councilors, A. E. Mcintosh, (16) Joseph Monsen, A. C. Madsen, George H. Marshall, (17) A. C. Wall, S. E. Jensen, Bent R. Hansen. HML p. 237

Mayor of the Month ~ October 2010 ~ George Christensen ~ He served as Mayor 1900 - 1902

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John Carter ~ Mayor of the Month ~ September 2010. He served 1885 - 1887

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Among the original pioneers of Sanpete County, were the following men, some being accompanied by their families: Isaac Morley, Seth Taft, Charles Shumway, D. B. Huntington, Barney Ward, John Lowry Sr., Titus Billings, C. W. Bradley, Albert Petty, C. S. Cox, Albert Smith, Jereel Shoemaker, Cyrenus H. Taylor, Azariah Smith, Abraham Washburn, John D. Chase, Isaac Chase, Sylvester Hewlett, Wm. Potter, Gardner Potter, James Brown, Joseph Allen, Madison D. Hambleton, Wm. Richie, Harrison Fugate, Sylvester Wilcox, Gad Yale, John Carter, Isaac Behunin, Wm. Mendenhall, Edwin Whiting, Wm. Tubbe, John Hart, John Baker, John Elmer, John Butterfield, Amos Gustin, John Cable, and W. K. Smith.

Mt. Pleasant History by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf p 16

C.N. Lund ~ Mayor of the Month ~ August 2010

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John H. Seely, Mayor of the Month ~ July 2010

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John H. Seely was born in San Bernardino, California on April 29, 1855. He was the son of Justus W. and Clarissa. The family moved to Mt. Pleasant in 1859, where he was educated and grew up a farmer.

At the age of 21 he had nothing and made a start at hauling mine timbers in Bingham. He secured about 3,800 sheep on shares and at the end of three years had about 10,000 head. He also raised cattle, hogs, thoroughbred Scotch collie dogs and Plymouth Rock chickens. He also raised grain and hay.

He was a stockholder in the Mt. Pleasant Roller Mill Company, the Electric Light Company and Wool and Live Stock Commission Company. He owned a sawmill in the canyon and a planing mill in the city. A member of the A.O.U.W. and a member of the city council for six years. He served as Mayor of Mt. Pleasant from 1900 to 1902.

He married Margaret, daughter of Peter M. and Christina Folkman Peel, born in Lehi on March 1, 1858. They were married in Salt Lake City January 15, 1880 and had eight children: Ethel, Zella, Earl, John, Leonard, Arbretia, Lucretia and Chesley.

John Seely died on July 31, 1920 at Fish Lake.

Additional Information ~ excerpts from Seely Family History

He was not born rich, though his parents were not poor, but they were pioneers, coming to Mt. Pleasant in 1859 when John was only 4 years old, and he grew up in a pioneer community with all its limitations, its primitiveness but also its opportunities. That he realized these opportunities, that he made good use of them by applying his strength and his talents that God had given him to the best of his ability is to his credit and that he used the means thus acquired by his honest efforts not only for his own good but for the benefit of his fellow men, his community, state and church that is his everlasting honor.

~~~

He was well and favorably known as a breeder of pure bred livestock, especially Rambouillet sheep and Shorthorn cattle, a farmer and also prominent in business and public affairs, holding many offices of trust and responsibility during his active and useful life.

~~~

As a pioneer in the livestock line he originated, not merely initiated, his methods and the means he employed were his own, but he had no monopoly on them and there were plenty of others who profited by following the paths he had made.

When he went into the sheep business, first he took the old Mt. Pleasant Co-op herd on shares. His contracts in those days called for payments in kind, not in money; so many pounds of wool per head and so many lambs per hundred sheep per year. By the way, that old sheep account book is in existence yet and will be kept as a relic. That kind of contract was good as far as they went. But, of course, the sheep that he took on shares in those far off times were nothing like the sheep of our days.

~~~

In the meantime he bred up his share sheep until he had a couple of well graded herds of his own, which enabled him to quit the shares business and go on his own hook entirely.

And last but not least, this man was a Mormon. Yes born and raised and died a Mormon, never ashamed of it, no matter where he went. And like all good Mormons, he performed a mission, only his was different, he did not go to foreign lands and spend a couple of year or so to preach the Gospel. The mission that the Lord had evidently chosen for him wa at home: to build up the country, to develop and increase its resources, to spread its fame as a fair and goodly place.

His life work is done, but his spirit lives on, and we that knew him here, live in hope that we may see him again, and so we say to him in faith and all sincerity ....Au Revoir until Eternity.

This was written by Will C. Clos, Personal Secretary to Mr. Seely for over 20 years.

Submitted by his grandson, Edwin M.G. Seely

Mayor of the Month ~ June 2010 ~ Ferdinand Ericksen

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Ferdinand Ericksen, son of Lars and Stena, was born in Mt. Pleasant, September 30, 1863. He attended the district schools and took a two year course at B.Y. Academy at Provo.

He taught school for four years in Mt. Pleasant and then entered the Ann Arbor Law College, studying one year. He was admitted to the bar of Michigan, June 5, 1890 and opened an office in Mt. Pleasant.

He was elected County Prosecuting Attorney in August, 1890 and County Collector in 1892. In 1897 he was elected mayorl. He was cashier of the Mt. Pleasant Bank from January 1893 to July 1895, and was a member of the board of directors. He also had an interest in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery Company.

In 1894, he was elected Major of the National Guard of Utah, and in 1896 was appointed Judge Advocate, with the rank of Major, on Brigadier-General Willard Young's staff. He was appointed a school trustee in 1896, to fill a vacancy, and in 1897 was elected to that position.

Addendum

He was one of the influential persons to bring about the construction of the Pioneer Monument that stands in front of the Carnegie Library today.

His Speech

"Judge Ferdinand Ericksen, in his presentation speech, gave a brief history of all that had been done by the committees and the source of obtaining the necessary funds for the erection of the monument on the beautiful spot on which it stands, and thanked the ecclesiastical authorities for the privilege of locating it there without cost or consideration for an indefinite period of time. He explained in brief, the inscriptions upon the Monument, the names of the persons inscribed, he said, being representative of many nationalities, and among them were names of noted scholars.. musicians, artists, teachers, etc. Men who would, because of their skill and ability, have achieved distinction in any community. He stated in brief that this determined band of fearless and God-fear¬ing men, together with their wives, who shared their labors and who had come here under most adverse conditions; he said that the now vast rich fields with growing crops, were then covered with sage brush, and that the roads, bridges and canals were yet to be constructed, the churches and temples of learning had not then even been planned. The Opera Houses and Amusement houses were unknown. In fact, there were none of the attractions, or features of civilization to induce those pioneers to come, but on the contrary, the existing conditions at that time were such as to discourage."

"Not only were the elements to be subdued and the arid soil made to produce a livelihood, but the roving and uncivilized Indians had to be met and conquered. In conclusion he stated that it was indeed fitting that we perpetuate the names and deeds d such worthy ancestors, and that this was the underlying and controlling thought and desire in erecting the Memorial. He said that he took great pleasure in performing the duties his commission imposed, and presented the Monument to the community in behalf of all those who had in any manner aided in its construction, to honor of all the pioneers, both men and women, who settled in Mt. Pleasant, as a memorial of the esteem in which the pioneers who had made the present Mt. Pleasant possible, were held."

from Mt. Pleasant History pp 188-189; Hilda Madsen Longsdorf
He died on April 20, 1927 in Salt Lake City.
He married Clementina Marion Morrison in December of 1885, a daughter of William and Mary Margaret Farquhar Morrison. New Family Search shows them to be the parents of three children, Clementina Beatrice, William, and Clementina Marian. His wife, Clementina died while giving birth to Clementina Marian.

He was also a partner to Henry Ericksen in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery for short time. Henry was a brother-in-law. Ferdinand had a law office on the second floor of the grocery business.

"In 1898, during the time Ferdinand Ericksen was mayor of the city, the city purchased the north brick schoolhouse, (the now mortuary) corner First North and First West, and in due time, after remodeling it, placing in a heating plant, vaults and cells, suitable furniture, etc.,it became an up-to-date and creditable city hall, and was the first real home the Mt. Pleasant city council had ever known.

The north Public Square was cleared of the brush and burrs, and trees and grass were planted for a city park". from Mt. Pleasant History pp 179-180 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf

Picture taken at the dedication of the Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Monument

N. S. Neilson ~ Mayor of the Month ~May 2010

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N.S. Neilson, son of Neils and Beuta Swenson, was born in Sweden, September 5, 1848. In 1868 he came to Ut5ah with a sister, Hannah, locating in Moroni, where he engaged in farming, mining and railroading.

Aout 1869 he moved to Mt. Pleasant, and in 1872 became a stockholder in the Sanpete County Co-op Store. In 1877 he engaged in the cattle business in a small way. He started in the sheep business in 1883. When the Mt. Pleasant Commercial and Savings Bank was organized, he became one of the largest stockholders and was elected president. He also carried a small stock of agricultural implements and conducted a meat market for several years.

He was a stockholder in the Electric Light Companyh, had stock in both the roller mills, being president of the Mt. Pleasant mill. He was a member of the city council for two terms and elected mayor in 1895. He was a member of the I.O.O.F.

He married Beuta, daughter of Neils and Karn Neilson in Mt. Pleasant on October 3, 1883. She was born in Sweden, June 5, 1860. They were the parents of three children: Irene, Beatrice, and Adie.

Abram Johnson - - - Pioneer of the Month of April 2010

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Joseph Page, Mayor of the Month - March 2010

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Joseph Page, son of Daniel Page and Mary Socwell was born February 6, 1830 near Newport, New Jersey. He came to Utah in 1852.

He married Elizabeth Mills on August 8th, 1863 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. She was the daughter of Thomas Mills and Alice Allen of Radcliffe, Lancashire, England. She was born March 16, 1844 and died January 14, 1869. Their children were:

Joseph Thomas, born June 3, 1864,

Mary Elizabeth born September 12, 1866 -- she married S. H. Freston;

Jonathan Socwell, born January 9, 1869.

Their family home was in Mt. Pleasant.

Joseph also married Alice Mills May 3, 1869, Salt Lake City. She too was a daughter of Thomas Mills and Alice Allen of Lancashire, England. She was born January 2, 1847. Their children were:

Joseph Ulysses, born June 23, 1870

Edward C. born January 29, 1872

William T. born May 11, 1874

Jeremiah I. born February 21 1876

His third wife was Ida Jensen mother of:

Alice Addie, born April 3, 1878 --- who married Daniel W. Hancock.

Ruth, born May 6, 1880 and died as an infant

Lorana, born November 18, 1881 --- She married Joseph Willard Anderson

Samuel R. born February 12, 1884 --- He married Lydia Jane McClemands .

Renzie, born February 6, 1886 and died at the age of 8

Eulalia May, born April 23 1888 and married Niels S. Nielsen

This family resided at Mt. Pleasant, Orangeville and Roosevelt, Utah

Joseph Page was an High Priest of the Latter Day Saints. He was the second Mayor of Mt. Pleasant and served for 10 years. He was postmaster at Mt. Pleasant for 12 years. He assisted in bringing immigrants to Utah in 1862. He was a member of the Nauvoo Legion, as well as an Indian War Veteran. He was also one of Mt. Pleasant’s first school teachers. He was a farmer and stock raiser and apiarist. He died January 29, 1911 in Roosevelt, Utah.

William Stewart Seely - Mayor of the Month - February 2010

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Double Click to enlarge

Mayor of the Month

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A few years back two of the Mt. Pleasant Daughter of Utah Pioneer Camps took on the project of finding biographies to accompany the photos that were earlier collected of Mt. Pleasant City Mayors.

This will become a new feature of our blog. Thankyou to Mae Thompson and Andrea Lloyd for heading up this project. The full album can be viewed at the Mt. Pleasant Relic Home. We plan the feature "Mayor of the Month" in the middle of each month beginning in February