The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1908-05-29
SCYTHE HIS
MEMORIAL
Remains In Tree Where Youth Hung Il
When lie Went 10 War
WHEN no territory about waterloo,
ly settled INC prIneIpal Induslr.


ly settled the principal industry
was tho howing Of timber from tho
forest along tho Seneca canal
Al point known as Log Landing.
midway between Geneva and Water
loo. the woodchoppers we're wont 10
gather and tell their stories OF early
Indian fights and here young Lyman
Johnson. farmer boy. frst learned Of
the impending disaster to the union n
the southern states were allowed TO
withdraw from their early ainliatlon.
Il seemed war was imminent and spec
ulation was rife as to the time when
the actual hostillties would begin.
One day in 1861 Johnson. who was
then 81 years old was moving a lot
on the farm A neighbor drove up
bearing the tldings that the call to
arms had boon sounded without hest.
tatlon the youth walked 10 the house
and placed his scythe in the crotch OF
young Balm OF Gilcad tree. His
mother asked him what the matter
was. and he said
Mother. LinooI" as-da men, am
going TO war"
what. Hyman? You. my son. 20.
Ing to enllst?'
Yes. but do not fear any harm will
come 10 me- The war will be over In
a month. The southerners cannot face
the troops from the north for more
than that time When | return will
NOV the rest Of the lot. Leave my
acytho In tho tree until return"
His regiment marched to the front
u the stirring martial music. and was
often IN the fghtlng line The mother.
true to the words OF her boy left the
scytho as II had been placed, Johnson
came home year later on furlough,
and laughed at the almost forgotten In.
cident OF the implement and It's posi-
tion.
lie inspired hope In the hearts OF
those who thought OF nothing else than
his safe return by saying: Il will yet
be back to NOW that lot"
Soon after returning he was cap.
tured In skirmish and became a pris.
oner in a southern pen. from which
| escape was impossible, Disease laid
hold upon him and he died surrounded
| by enemies. lie was buried In an un.
known grave with hundreds OF his
| comrades.
Meanwhile the tree grew apace and
the blade became partially Embedded
In the trunk OF the tree. The handle
rotted away, but tho steel remained
ixed In the wood
a general proclamation was issued
from the White House declaring one
day should be set apart az time for
| memory OF those who had fallen
while defending their country. II was
the nrst Memorial day. Word OF the
! proclamation was carried TO Mrs John,
son but she had no grave TO decorate.
She fain would strew few flowers
upon the spot wherein her boy lay, but
its location must ever remain a mys.
terry. Kneellng In the garden, she
offered a short prayer Then she
plucked few lilies from the plot she
tended daily, and, making a wreath,
she bore II TO the treo which gave
such a grim reminder OF her sacrifice
to her country, With a earess she
reached up and hung the wreath upon
tho scythe point.
Memorial day has long become an
established anniversary, Many years
have passed since Mrs. Johnson was
laid TO rest In the village cemetery
The old home is exactly as II stood in
the day OF the civil war, but is oecu
pied by another family,
OF the Johnson family brothers
widow and her children are all who
are left, Every year, early In the morn
ing OF Memorial day, the remnant Of
the family gathers beneath the scyth,
and places thereupon wreath Of ever
green and tiny American flag. with
y a few feet modern methods hay,
constructed a trolley line. Hundred.
carried by the cars gaze upon the
tree. the scythe, the wreath and IN,
fag and ask o. be told the story of the
brave young soldier