First Night Out - Slagtown (Day 1)

September 2, 1884 - Grantsville to Tooele (nooned)  and Slagtown
(Day 1 of 44 - Week 1)
Grantsville to Tooele* = 12 Miles (Trip Total = 12 Miles)

*Mileage measured in journal to Tooele, not Slagtown. See "Google Maps" below

This blog shall attempt to bring the C. P. Anderson Journal to life.  This is my journey to discover the places and people of his 44 day journey to Arizona in 1884.                                                      

August 30 - September 2, 1884 

September 2 - 3, 1884

Note:  Care has been taken to preserve the original spelling, grammar, punctuation and meaning as written.  I hope my Great Grandfather doesn't mind that I have displayed these original journal entries even though he revised  and put them into another journal.

Original Journal Entry (above)

"Sep. 2nd We bid all friends and relations farewell and started for Tooele a distance of 12 miles there we waited a few hours for Phillip De La Mare, then we started togather and went to Slagtown and camped there the first night."

Final Journal Entry

"We arrived in Tooele about noon 12 miles.  In afternoon we went to Slagtown in company with Phillip De La Mare and family.  That was our first night out."

See the bottom of each page for Google Maps and Research Tips.

Slagtown is not on the map today.  Steptoe's Military Camp is close to Slagtown.  A detachment of the U. S. Army, the first to enter the Rocky Mountain Region, from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, under the command of Col. E. J. Steptoe, reached this point September 2, 1854.  This was exactly 30 years before the Anderson and De La Mare families camped near here. Steptoe's group made camp here. (Steptoe's Military Camp - 4 photos)  for about seven months.  An overland stage station was located here from 1868-1870.  Godbe's Chicago Ore Smelter was erected in 1871 and operated until about 1880.  Both groups would have passed through  Stockton  on the way to Slagtown.  

Steptoe's Military Camp and Godbe's Chicago Ore Smelter

Who was Phillip (Francis) De La Mare who traveled to Arizona with the Anderson family?  

His father, Philip De La Mare was called by B. H. Robert as "A Utah Industrial Hero."  He served as a Patriarch.  Leonard Arrington called him  ".....a brilliant young engineer convert."    He was a key figure in the attempts to introduce the sugar beet industry to Utah.  The modern neighborhood Sugar House, Salt Lake City, is named for that trial sugar factory.  Leon R. Hartshorn wrote a thesis on him.

His oldest son, Philip Francis De La Mare (35), and his wife Elvina (28) joined the Andersons in Tooele for the trip to Arizona.  They had one daughter, Mary (2).  Another daughter would be born the year after they arrived in St. Johns, Arizona,  

When they  passed through Stockton, Philip Francis De La Mare may have remembered his father's blacksmith shop.  He likely worked there.  There was also history of Phillip's family associated with Slagtown, the first camping place on their long 44 day journey.  Philip's father upon the recommendation of Brigham Young had been hired by Lieutenant Colonel Steptoe who camped in this area.  He was engaged to travel with Steptoe's command to California as the company blacksmith and mechanic.  He got along well with the three commanding officers (see thesis above by Leon R. Hartshorne for more information).

Stone next to monument (above)

This stone is just barely visible on the left of the monument.  A photo of this picture with S. J. Shaeffer's name on it was placed in findagrave.com.  Was not able to link the child to the parents. Maybe somebody looking for S. J. Shaeffer will find him there.  At least a stone was left to identify this child. There is a story to be told here.

Monuments on the way to Slagtown:  Lookout Point and Stockton. Maps similar to the ones below will help you find places on the journey.  Slagtown (not on map) was near the Steptoe Historical Marker.   

Note:  A blue line will show the route traveled each day (as close as possible).  Go down the right hand column with the cursor so the map won't move.  If it does move, press the +/- buttons, and/or move the map itself with one finger, or just reset the map.  It may take awhile to make the maps user friendly.  When you go out of the site, the map automatically resets. Click "more options" for a larger map and then "details" for more details on the route.  I am still learning how to make the maps useful.

Differences between the miles recorded in the journal and those measured on the road and on google maps will be discussed in this section.  Care will be taken to follow the route as closely as possible.  Actual starting and stopping points are difficult to determine.  For Day 1, the mileage was listed in the journal to Tooele (not Slagtown).  On Day 2 the mileage from Tooele (not Slagtown) to Fairfield will be listed.  The mileage averages out after two days.

Who was the De La Mare Family?

When C. P. Anderson wrote about the trip to Arizona, he told the pertinent details; how many miles they traveled that day, the weather, where they nooned (stopped for lunch), how much it cost to feed the animals, where  they traveled, and other basic facts.  These were the things that concerned him on this trip.  

He didn't provide many details about those who traveled with him, or those he met on the road.  Rarely did he write about the issues of the day.  I will try to find some of the details behind what he wrote in his journal. 

I am especially grateful my Great Grandfather kept a journal of his life and through his journal, and sometimes through other sources so easily accessible on the internet, I can get to know him better.

Through the use of internet sources, I have introduced you to the De La Mare family who traveled with the Andersons to Arizona.  I tried to find a picture of the De La Mare family, but so far my search hasn't been successful. If I find one I will post it in the blog.

I wanted you to get to know them.  This isn't the last time you will hear of them.  

Day 1 is done.  Tomorrow we travel to Fairfield (Camp Floyd).  I hope you will come along and please comment how you are enjoying the ride (or not).  Ask questions along the way if you like. If you don't talk (comment below) on the trip you are taking with me, I will have to assume you are bored.  I want to improve it as we go.  Well it's time to "hitch up" and get going. 

by following the journey they took today.

We will get to know about yesterday

Next Posting: Friday, April 1, 2106 (Day 2) - Camp Floyd

What happened at Camp Floyd years before the Andersons arrived? 

What mystery do we need to solve  

on:  September 3, 1884 in Fairview (Camp Floyd)  

at:   The Stagecoach Inn ?

   

a mystery to be solved at the stagecoach inn