Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-02-16

deemed necessary to visit some OF the
old land marks in and around Ogden
City.
Accordingly on the roth ulL, the
following named veterans and old
settlers accompanied me to the site Of
the old Goodyear and Browns Fort
Alexander Brown, Jesse s. Brown and
John c. Thompson, who visited the old
Goodyear Fort as early as 1917. James
NJ. Brown and James Burch, who settled
on the Weber In 1913, Ralph Douglass,
Charles +. Middleton, Nathan YeardsIey
and Clifton S. Browning. whose settle.
ment dates back to 1880. President
Lewis w. Shurtlih, Benjamin c. Chritch-
low, Moroni Brown, pioneers Of 1851,
and Datus II. Ensign, Bishop Moroni
+. Brown, grandson OF Captain James
3rown, and Dudley w. Stone, Of later
date Among those mentioned were
four Of Captain Browns sons, namely
Alexander, Jesse, s. James c. and
Moroni The two first named OF these
brothers were members Of the Mormon
battalion, as were also John {. Thomp'
son and Ralph Douglass. Datus H..
Ensign, one Of the company, Is a son Of
Daius Ensign. the pioneer, who assisted
Alexander Brown in blowing The hrst
land in Weber county.
The old Goodyear Fort, the home OF
Miles NJ. Goodyear Of whom Captain
James Brown early Ia 1875 purchased
that tract OF land which embraced most
Of what is now Weber county. stood on
the right bank OF the Weber rIvcL
Immediately north OF what is now 7Sih
street OF Ogden City. The fort consist.
ed OF stockade built OF cottonwood
logs, which reached above ground
about fifteen feet; It inclosed a parcel OF
ground about six rods square. There
we're two entrances, one on the east
end, one on the west side OF the Tort,
and on the inside three or four log
cabins gave shelter TO Mr.. GoOdyears
Indian family, and those who worked
for him OF who together with h'm were
engaged in trapping, fishing and hunt
ing.
Al the time OF the purchase the
Goodyear tort stood upon a beautiful
tract OF land forming big bend In the
river but subsequent floods, particularly
the high water OF 1861, washed away
the lands once occupied by the tort,
until the site Is now almost ON q level
with the bed OF the river or nearly lour
feet lower than the surface oil the land
In 1873. In times OF high water the
site becomes an island, as the river has
cut new side channel some distance
east OF where the fort stood, aud be-
tween that and the Union Pacihc rail-
way track on the east about forty rods
southwest OF the site stands circular
sand bed Of respectable dimensions.
BY the presence Of that familiar land
mark the old settlers have no trouble IN
pointing out the exact spot where the
Goodyear fort stood.
The Goodyear fort was first visited
by a few OF the Mormon Pioneers IN
August, iS47. on the nineth day OF
that month Captain lanes Brown who
about two weeks previous, had arrived
In Great Salt Lake valley with that de.
tachment OF the Mormon battalion which
had wintered at Pueblo, started from
the pioneer encampment on the present
site OF Salt Lake City, bound for san
Francisco by way OF Fort Hall The
object OF Captain Browns trip to the
coast, was 10 draw the pay due from the
United States government to the men Of
his detachment; he took with him the
muster roll Of the detachment with
power Of attorney from each man to
sign Tor and receive his pay.
Accompanying the captain were,
Samuel Grammar, who was 20 act as
guide, Abnef Blackburn, Gilbert Hunt,
John Fowler, WiIham Onbhle, Henry
Frank, Lysander WoodE5rth and jesse
s. Brown. This l.tis company stopped
over night with Mf. Good ear tie arst
or second night siteT as1g iltlf de-
parture from the pio1rsr caz7-
Later 10 the SAFE gel- a -eta-1meut
of the battalidr, asEl 1l- been dis
charged ID Caa'o;l1 ahs vested the
Goodyear f0ri O. th@l- ga 20 the
pioneer camp ard 10 H.z-er " lartefs.
Captain Brown n fs;-fu-ag IRON Cali
foruia toward the close % i147, again
called upon Mr.. Goodyear, aud soon
afterwards IN January 1875. he consul
mated his historic plrclase paying Dir.
Goodyear S. COO Tor bis land and inn
proyement and thus laid the foundation
Tor the second city Of Importance In
what two wears and a half later became
Utah Territory. When the puGch ,se
was made this iniermountain region
was still a part OF Mexico, but about
month later, by the famous treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidalgo, II became part Of
the United States.
Almost Immediately after becoming
the owner OF the Goodyear fort Captain
Brown sent 40 men TO take charge and
prepare for putting in a crop that sea
son, In which he was Tar more successful
than M. Goodyear and companions had
predicted. Captain Brown only retained
a small portion OF the lands purchased
for his own use; and allowed his breth'
rem to take POSSESSION OF and utilize the
remainder.
Among these who settled on the
Weber river IN ISlS soon after the
Goodyear purchase was made were the
following:
Captain James Brown, his wife Mary,
his stepson David Black his sons Alex
ander and Jesse and infant daughter
Mary Eliza (boru IN the Great Salt Lake
City iuri November Slh iSI7, ami nov
the vile OF VIM. + Cric1luw,oi Ogden
Lewis b. Myers, and his Indian wife,
George w. tnerlkie and wife, Robert
Crow and family, Heber c Sneton, a
member oil the Mormon Battalion, aud
family Reuben Herring and vile aud
a M,Mcan boy Artemus SpnFue,
Daur Burch and family Quculiug
William, James, Robert NJ. Belinda anu
Emma,) Mrs. Rutn Stewart and family,
(amung whom was James, Rus.
Cynlhea, William a l4tith, Eliza ],