The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-11-24
THE SETTLEMENT
OF SPANISH FORK

Norman" settlers took up land and
settled on the Spanish Fork river. A.
mong those who first broke ground
in this the then Territory
of Utah., were Enoch Reese, Joseph
E. Beck, VIM. Pace, John II. Redd,
John w. Berry, Albert NJ Thurber,
Stephen Markham, VIM. and Jesse P.
Holt. Redd came from Tennessee, and
was the owner Of a great many slaves
whom he brought with him.
These men with a number of others
were the Pioneers of what is now call
ed Spanish Fork, City. The year 1852
was the year in which the greatest
number of Latter-Day-Sai gathered
into these mountain valleys. In the
Autumn of that year large number
of families located on the river on a
level fiat abont three miles West of
the present location of the city of
Spanish Fork. A city was laid out and
lots were surveyed and given to actual
settlers. There were probably not
not less than one hundred families took
lots and begun to build homes on them.
The soil was rich sandy loan and
very productive. This settlement was
located by Apostle Geo. A. Smith and
was by him named Palmyra Stephen
Markham was ordained the first Bis
hop by Apostle Smith, the writer of
this sketch being present at the or
dination which took place in the Spring
of 1858. Great results were expected
TO be realized in the new city. Apostle
Smith quoting from the Apostle Paul
said: Eye hath not seen nor ear heard"
etc, the blessings that are in store for
the citizens of Palmyra. The people
who were mostly of the Pioneer class
went to work with will, to reclaim
the wild and desert parched country,
and were successful. July II, 1853,
the Walker Indian War, broke out at
! Springville. That war proved very
disasterous to the improvements of the
settlers, causing all those who were
living peacefully on their farms, along
the river to leave their homes and
j move into the central part of the new
city. The people went imme diately to
WORK To b lid "A fort, INSIDE OF which
were enclosed tea acres Cf ground.
The fort was co upleted as rapidly as
poss Du my that early period the
Territorial legislature gave us City
Charter and one John NJ. Chidister
was the first Mayor.
Our first DELEGATE to the Legislature
was Siias Hillman. After the fort
was completed we brought the water
in ditch in side the fort, where il
was conducted inside the walls all a.
round.
The South side of the fort being low
est the water raised near the surface
of the ground, so that it was imposs-
ible for the people living on that side
to have cellars without their filling
with water.
IN the fall of 1854 there came clouds
of grass-hoppers which settled ON the
land and laid their eggs by the millions.
They were too late in comirg to dc
much damage, but when the Spring
came the eggs began to hatch and by
the middle of June, the young hoppers
had eaten nearly everything green or
the Spanish Fork river, leaving the
people destitute of food with starvat
ion staring them in the face.
During the early summer of 1855 al
a military gathering at Palmyra A.
postlc Smith happened to be present
when John II. Redd, who was acting
as DELEGATE for the settlers, asked tn,
Apostle fer permission to build {
small fort East Ct Palmyra, where
Spanish, Fork is now located He re
eeived negative answer and sharpl,
reproved for seeking this privilege
Mr.. Redd with number of others haC
located their farms near the mouth o
Spanish Fork canyon and it was yer,
much to their advantage to have thei
homes nearer to their farms. Mr.
Redd took the matter to Presiden
Brigham Young, who advised him t,
go ahead and build the fort where h,
intended, for said he that is wher,
the city should have been built. Tn,
upper settlement, as they were called
went to work to. build fort larg,
enough for their present needs. Tn,
new location was far superior as
place for the making Of homes, AM
during the year of 1885 we We're coun
cilled by President Young to leav,
Palmyra and move up to Spanish Fork
We We're not long in obeying this coun
Gil, Notwithstanding we had lost tn,
better part of four years by this mis-
take. Spanish Fork has firm, grave
cement, underlying strata and is des
tined in the future to become a grea
and populous city.