Four Utah Towns/ Chief Guffich - Santaquin (Day 5)

The purpose of this blog is to take us through territory we are aware of now with a late 1800s perspective.  It is the same route my great grandparents, Charles and Anna Anderson, followed in 1884 from Grantsville, Utah to St. Johns, Arizona.

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September 6,1884 -Provo to Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson, Spring Lake, and Santaquin
(Day 5 of 44 - Week 1)
Provo* to Santaquin = 24 Miles (Trip Total = 109 Miles)
*camped in Southern Provo.  Is mileage from Provo (Woolen Mill) or Southern Provo ?

September 6, 1884

Original Journal
"we went a distance of 24 miles pasing through Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson, Spring Lake, and camped in Santaquin."

Final Journal
"we passed through Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson, Spring Lake, and camped in Santaquin, 24 miles."

This may be one of the shortest daily journal entry, but five new towns are named.

Springville

Spanish Fork

Payson

 Spring Lake

Santaquin

Although I passed through these towns,  I didn't stop to tour  each one.  There is some good history here and if you have time, I encourage you to do some exploring. 
Some highlights might include:

• Springville (Brookside) - a poplar tree that is one of the biggest in Utah.
• Spanish Fork - a 37 foot cross erected in 1976 commemorates Father Dominguez and Escalante reaching this area September 23, 1776.  There will be other places the Andersons will travel near or on the trail of Fathers Dominguez and Escalante on their 44 day journey.
• Spring Lake - Black Hawk the instigator of the Black Hawk War is buried here.
• Payson, Utah - The Temple grounds

Payson, Utah Temple

Again, check the website for other information on these sites as well as other places to visit in these towns. I would encourage you to click on the following places when in the website.

D.U.P. Markers

Utah Cities of Towns

or just Search the town in the space provided

Try to find at least one of these towns to get familiar with the site 

There are many good links on the JacobBarlow.com site. One of these links, "Best Mapping Site" is where I found ACME Mapper which provided the maps for this blog. Good luck in your exploring.  I'll meet you in Santaquin.  





I don't know where the Andersons nooned on this day, but they camped in Santaquin.  May I suggest stopping at the Red Barn to "camp."  The ice cream is great.  While you are enjoying your ice cream, you could go to Jacob Barlow's website and learn a little more about Santaquin from two entires on his blog.  The blog also tells the story of Chief Guffich and how "Santaquin" received its name.  Then you'll be ready to "hitch up" and go to "Youngs."  The story is also included below:

A Connection to the Past in Payson - Samuel Moore Sr.

At the same time I was preparing this posting, David Moore, a friend in my Ward, told me of his ancestor who also went to St. Johns in 1884.  I later found this was Samuel Moore Sr. He was also one of the 102 families called to St. Johns in 1884.  I checked familysearch.org and found Samuel's first son, Walter, was born in Payson the day after the Andersons passed through Payson (September 7, 1884).  For that reason, the family did not start until seven weeks later on October 29, probably following nearly the same route as the Andersons.  The story of their journey to Arizona and mission in St. Johns can be read here.  We never know who we are going to find on our journey to St. Johns.  

The Moore family arrived in St. Johns December 5, 1884.  I'm sure Clara Moore was well acquainted with my great grandmother, Anna Anderson. Clara was in the choir for the eight years they were in St. Johns and my grandmother, Anna,  played the organ for the Ward choir.   

The friendship of Samuel and Charles was confirmed late one night when I read this entry recorded in C.P. Anderson's original journal:  "April 23 (1887) went to Springerville to preach.  Brother S.D. Moore and myself stayed with Bishop George H. Crosby we preached in Sunday School and after-noon meeting and arrived home the 25 of April.  (Charles P. Anderson had been called to be a home missionary in the Eastern Arizona Stake at the Quarterly Conference in Snowflake on March 10).

S.D. Moore - April 23, 1887

I then checked his final (edited) journal where he said:  "Samuel D. Moore (full name not just initials) and myself went to Springerville as home missionaries, stayed with Bishop Geo. H. Crosby, preached in S. School and meeting.  Arrived home 25."  To find this entry go to the Journal of C.P. Anderson (on familysearch.org under books) and then Page 8: 1887-April 23. 

There is addition material on the person page in familysearch.org  of Walter Harvey Moore, Samuel Moore's son, on St. Johns.  Go to this link to find it




From their camp (1320 South State ?) in south Provo to Santaquin is 23 miles according to google maps.  Today you can make it  in 45 minutes.  It would take even less time if you took I-15, but I wanted to follow their route as closely as possible.  
When I drove this route, I found from 700 East Center in Provo to 2nd West and Center Street in Santaquin was about 24 Miles.  It is about 3 miles from 700 East Center in Provo to the Southern Provo boundary.  Like I said in the previous post, where they camped in southern Provo, or how the mileage was determined is not entirely clear.


In 1884 24 miles was a long day for the Andersons.  According to the map, it would take about 46 minutes today, and you even have time to stop at the Red Barn for ice cream, and activities.    I always look forward to this stop  when I am on the "trail."  

Other activities are sometime available ( Videos Facebook)

Great resting spot today to "noon or camp"

This blog is accessible from The Red Barn Visitor Posts on their Facebook page (left hand side) 

Next Posting - Thursday April, 22, 2016 (Day 6) - Things Aren't Always What They Seem

• We will  visit  "Youngs," near Mona, a beautiful place just off the road today, but things aren't always what they seem. Did the Anderson family camp there?