The Snowflake herald., 1914-07-18
"SketCh of the Life
of William J. Flake, Sr,
Continued from last week.


Nov. 10, II, found him, with all his
earthly possessions, on the road to set
tie up barren country. The trip was
a hard one, heavy winter striking the
little company. (Albert Minnerly and
James Gale, with their families, started
out with him and others joined them
on the road. Just before reaching
the Little Colorado river twelve inches
of snow fell and the weather was bitter
cold and hard to push the weary teams
and stock through. However by the
middle of January they reached Sun
set, one of the first settlements. After
short stop here he, with company,
decided to build new settlement fur
ther up the river They named the
new town Taylor. The people were in
the United Order in all the other set
Elements, so they, too, put all they had
into a common fund and started to
work in the Order. 1t was Flakes
part of the business to look after the
cattle. 1t did not take him long to
find out that he was in the wrong
place-that he could not live there and
perform his mission. He was sent to
help build up the country. There his
hands were tied, and could do nothing.
In the latter part of June he started
out to hunt a new home. He went
first to Sevoia, New Mexico, then by
way of St. Johns to Fort Apache, and
back by way of Cooley's and Stinson's
ranches. At the latter place he saw
an opportunity to make home and
help his fellow men, for he knew Of
many of them in the Order at Sunset
and Brigham City chafng under the
yoke, but helpless, as they were poor
and new in the country and did not
know what to do He found that the
place could be bought for $11, 900, or
$50 head of cattle. He went down to
his home on the river, where his family
were still living in their wagon boxes.
His son, George, after lingering i'll
ness of months, had died just an hour
or SO before he got there. After bury
ing the boy he talked with his family
about the new place. They wanted to
go. He owned just enough cattle to
make the first payment, and he would
have three payments to make with a
year between payments, His wife,
Lucy, said: "By all means buy the
place; we will pay for it some way. l
will work night and day, will take in
washing, do anything, but we can't
stay here any longer. He knew too
we'll he must go somewhere, so he sad
died his horse and rode back to the
Stinson ranch and bought the place,
giving his note for $11, 900 without Sc
curity. He went back to Taylor, got
his stuff together and on July 21, 1878,
with all his family, and a few others
who could not stand the Order any
longer, he entered the valley that has
since been his home.
People were not long in fiocking into
the valley, but the first comers were
all poor, had no provisions, very little
clothing, and were in very destitute
condition. They came to Flake, saying
give us shelter and food and we will
work early and late and do everything
we possibly can for you if you will
only keep our families from suffering
for the necessaries of life. They were
people from the South who had come
out in Elder Bebe's company in 1876,
and had worked in the Order since.
When they left there they were only
allowed food enough to last them to
the valley, and they came literally des-
titute.
When Flake left Beaver, eight months
before, he had three OK teams (nine
yoke) and three horse teams (seven
span) loaded with supplies to last three
years, but the Order took that, and
now he was compelled to rustic not
only for his own family but for many
others. The next few months were.
months of activity. He had plenty of