Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-08-19
WHO WAS EARLIER?
Levi ". Kendall Says He Turned Tho
First Sod In Utah.
HE DID II on JULY go, 1917.
John ;. fldrcdgc Was Ills Communion.
Who Should Hold the
Gold NEEDN'T

Andrew Jenson Of this city, who
has been ON the Old Folks COMMITTEES
Tor long time, aud who f. engaged In
obtaining historical Information 70.
lating to Utah and her people, writes
to the NEWS rs follows upon a very
interesting subject;
a few years ago the Old Folks,
committee, OF Salt Lake City, offered
ht prize a gold medal to the man who
uld The hrst blowing In Utah. Ac.
eoidinE TO the best information then al
hand the medal was awarded 10 Mr..
william Carter, u 81. George, one OF
Tue Pioneers 90 1877. slnr,. liner.
however, several olheu-al-o piou..r,
OF le4'-nnve claimed to be- the nf.t
10 plDW IN the valley OF the Great Salt
Lake. anu TO the number of the
clhlMhnta ~ now added Mr.. Levi \
hcndnll, u Napoleon, Titan county,
WI" duflug my recent visit 10 that
place sirned the following aiiliavlu
MAwEroN, Utah Co.. Utah.
August !, 1893.
J., Low Newell Kendall, one Of tho
'lhh Pioneers ct 1871. and now "A re.id.
Gus ui Mhplu.uu preciuc., countyuf Utah,
territory vi Utah. being first duly sworn
| 90 positively Hny that / arrived ON tho
I present site OF salt Lake City on tho g8ri
DAY ~ JulN lsif, Ia what il generally
known iu history as ursnu Putrs adj
vance company, and that suouafior having
formed our oncampmcut on or near what
was subsequently known ~ Inc Eipbth
ward square, preparations wore made 10
plnw some land In order 10 plant potatur.
ANA lato vegetables. I yOkDd up throg
yoke Of oxen which l.hitchcd TO the nr.t
pillow that WAS gotten ready for .pryIcs.
anu drove u-hOrt distance Forth of our
oncampmcnt, when ! turned tho team
eastward, aud John 5. EIdredpo .tuck tho
plow M no ground. and held II whilo
dfoNo tue tcami and thus We two plowed
tho mt iurrON which was over made bv
white men ON tho present slto of Salt
Lake Nity' After gong about one hun.
drod yards We broke our pillow whlle ON
deavorug TO pull through u patch Of wire
grass. am positive that this was tho
very ilfst attempt mudo by any Of tho
Pioneers 10 plow, and that none were
hhchd OF ne, but ! remember that one or
moro teams started 10 pillow directly nftor
We had commenced.
LEVI n. KENDALt.
Subscribed aud sworn to before mo.
Aaron Johnson, "A Justice Of tho psacs ln
and Tor MnpleiOu precinct Utah count.
Utah Territory, this lot day OF Augusi,
loii, Ia presence OF the following named
Witnesses.
AARON Johnson.
Wiinossos:-L Leonard !. Whitnoy, h ia.
both G.. Packard, Elizabeth NJ. Bird,
Charles NJ. Bird, Edwin l.. whiting. :.
u. tullmor, William T.. Fullmor. Ricnari
!. Mendonhall, Herbert Manwarng, John
Mcndonhnll, a. S. Fullmor, Eva Bird,
Gertrude Perry, Andrew Jonson.
In the inior,s. Of accurate history 1
would suggest that all The other pio-
ntefe Of 1897 who are yet alive and
acquainted with the facts IN the case
furnish written statement, similar TO
the one given by Mt. Kendall, Ia order
That due credit may go given 10 the
proper parties. tho question having
once been sprung anu partly ventilat-
co. Tor Ont,um anxious that IL should
be thoroughly Investigated until
plain nud definite answer can be- given
-au answer mat viii leave the histori-
an without doubt as n which OF the
lli men who first pioneered the way
to thee valleys belongs the honor of
tuning the fret 500 Ia what 10 now
the Territory Of Utah.