Yesterday, Today and Mizpah - Provo (Day 4)

My cousin said:  " This should be fun and take us all through territory we all know now with a late 1800s perspective."  Jeff, Thank You.  I hope that will be the case.

September 5, 1884 - American Fork to Pleasant Grove (nooned) and Provo
(Day 4 of 44 - Week 1)

American Fork to Provo = 17 Miles (Trip Total = 85 Miles)

Average Miles Per Day = 21.2

September 3 - 5, 1884

September 5 - 7, 1884

Original Journal Entry
"we went through Pleasant Grove (formerly Battle Creek) there we seen Wm Bjork and the Johnsons who formaly lived in Grantsvillle then we went to Provo we visited the Wollen Factory 17 miles we camped in the southern part of Provo."

Final Journal Entry
"We went through Pleasant Grove, there we noon with Wm Bjorwk, A.G. Johnsen and Charley Johnson who had lived in Grantsville.  Then we went to Provo, visited the Woolen Factory 17 miles. We camped in southern part of Provo."

Yesterday

Below are the people  with whom the Anderson family nooned in Pleasant Grove:  

William J. Bjork

Andrew G. Johnson

Charles (Carl) Johnson

Although the final journal spells their surnames as Johnsen and Johnson, the original journal entry says "the Johnsons."  I believe Andrew and Charles (Charley/Carl) were  children of Jonas and Anne Andersson Johnson.  (See familysearch.org--have to be signed in or sign in and go to ID # KWJN-5BW).  They were from Brevik, Sweden.  William J. Bjork was also from Brevik, Sweden.  They had all lived in Grantsville as the journal said, as all three had children born there. 

Looking for Jonas Johnson in findagrave.com tells us the following:

• Andrew died in Pleasant Grove.
• Carl who also went by Charley died in nearby Lindon.
• Jonas, their father, arrived with his family in 1874 from Sweden and they were "brought on to Grantsville where they met in a family gathering with their older sons. "  ........"They made their home in Grantsville for a few years. The family then moved to Pleasant Grove/Lindon border." 

Next the Anderson Family would go to the Provo Woolen Factory

The woolen mill was built in 1870-1872 at a cost of $155,000.  The first cloth, dyed by H. B. Smart, was produced in 1873.  This was the largest manufacturer of woolen fabrics west of the Mississippi River.  Here is what you see today.

District Court Building

Plaque under flagpole

The woolen mill was four rods north of the plaque.  It took awhile to find this site as I did not immediately see the plaque (under the flagpole).  The scene has certainly changed since the Andersons came through in 1884.  There is a parking lot where much of the mill would have been.  For more information about this area including a really cool mural click on this site. 

Scroll down the side of the map, or if you don't use the + and/or - signs, or reset.

  It will also reset after you go out.  

Close Places of Interest Today

When the Andersons passed through Provo, close to the Provo Woolen Mill,  they may have seen the beginnings of the (second) Tabernacle which was started in 1883.  They could not have imagined that in 2016, 150 years after they had arrived in America, a Temple would stand in this location.  A history of this building can be found in BYU Magazine.

Provo City Temple

The three sites mentioned below are a short walk of  the Provo City Temple.   All are close to the Provo Woolen Mill where the Anderson's went in 1884.  Click underneath the photos for information.  This picture below is how the area looked when the Anderson's went through.

picture taken from top of county courthouse in 1878
the woolen mill is in the background

oldest weeping willow tree
at Utah County Courthouse (gov't. bldg.) 100 Center Street
 click on "willow tree," and find Jacob Barlow's site, and  other locations of interest.
  Also you can go to "Search" and enter "Provo."

Reed Smoot House
183 East 100 South

Reed Smoot House
183 East 100 South

Crandall Historical Printing Museum
275 East Center Street

See "Google Maps" below for explanation on mileage.

Scroll down the side of the map, or if you don't use the + and/or - signs, or reset.

  It will also reset after you go out.  

The journal says they camped in southern Provo.  It is not clear in my opinion whether Charles meant it was  17 miles from American Fork (from where they camped) to the Provo Woolen Factory or 17 miles to the southern part of Provo where they camped. When I drove the route it was almost  exactly 17 miles from American Fork (corner of Main and Hwy. 74 next to the library) to the very most southern part of Provo (near Valley Vista Way).  With the maps, it showed 18.5 mile (The map showed 1372 S State to be 17 miles). The actual route taken, rounding off, and the actual places camped in both Provo and American Fork can account for the differences. It was about 13 miles from American Fork (next to the library) to the Woolen Factory.  So I believe the 17 miles was to some point in Southern Provo.  Which part of Southern Provo is not clear to me.  Unless they camped just over the border of Lehi in American Fork which could put the 17 miles closer to the Provo Woolen Factory. 

.

It took time to find where the Provo Woolen Factory was located.  I was looking for a plaque above ground, and did not at first see the plaque under the flagpole. If you followed the links of Day 4, you went to familysearch.org.  This was helpful in proving that the families  lived in Grantsville as the journal said.  Some of their children were born in Grantsville.   The 1880 Census did not show Andrew and Charley in Grantsville as they had moved to Pleasant Grove by that time.  William J. Bjork (Burk) was still in Grantsville in 1880.  Another useful source was findagrave.com.  Not only are graves shown, but many times other helpful information.  This was the case with Andrew G. Johnson which helped place him in Day 4 of this blog.  Information from findagrave.com on Jonas Johnson the father of Andrew and Charley was very helpful in identifying this family as was shown previously.

 This You Tube video about findagrave.com explains how this site is so useful.  This article also has information.  Another example can be found from the James Tanner blog.  His website is one of the best for genealogy purposes.  The findagrave.com site now  has 142 million memorials posted to it and has many useful features.  I would say it is one of the top four sources for family history research.

An Observation - 150 Years Ago

Charles P. Warnick Home - Pleasant Grove

I found a book Historic Architecture and Sites of Pleasant Grove - Walking Tour Guide in the library.  #60 -Charles P. Warnick Home (427 East 100 North).  It could not help but remind me the Warnicks were with the Andersons on the journey from Sweden to America in 1866.

The Andersons and the Warnicks were from the same general area in Sweden.  They crossed the ocean together in a bark called the Cavour, and the plains in the Abner Lowry Wagon Train which has been called by some the "Cholera Train."  THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE THE 150TH YEAR THAT FAMILIES LIKE THE WARNICKS AND ANDERSON CAME TO AMERICA ON THE CAVOUR!

This home was interesting. The story on the home read:  "August Warnick built this house c. 1873...........He sold the house to his brother, Charles P...........The two Warnick brothers, Swedish emigrants, survived emigration to Utah through a cholera epidemic."  It would have been an interesting reunion if Charles could have stopped by and seen him again after 18 years.   

Charles P. Warnick was sixteen years old when he came to Utah in 1866.  The cholera killed seven of the eleven members of his family who started from Sweden. He lost  all of his hair after a serious illness and his mother fearing the immigration offices would put him in quarantine, wrapped his head in a scarf to hide his affliction.  An interesting account of the family's trip from Sweden can be read in familysearch.org (ID #KWCZ-FNX) in stories called Warnick Family Stalked by Cholera"

In this the 150th year, we honor all those pioneers who were on the Cavour and in the Abner Lowry Wagon Train.  It was the last train to cross the plains that year, and the last one to come all the way from Wyoming, Nebraska.  The "last pioneer" also came with that wagon train, Hilda Anderson Erickson, sister of C. P. Anderson.  A statue honoring her was dedicated in Grantsville in 1997 during the sesquicentennial celebration of the Church. A family reunion was held in Grantsville at that time.  I hope to make the videos done of the dedication, family reunion, and "From Sweden to America"  available in the near future. Please contact me (comment) if you might be interested.

By the way, are you making comments along the way.  If you aren't "talking," I don't have any feedback on the journey we are taking with Charles and Anna.


Mizpah

Lewis Building - 1879

Lewis Building burned - 1884

In 1879 when the Andersons went through Provo, they may have seen the burned remains of the Lewis Building which housed the Brigham Young Academy.  




Years later children of C. P. and Anna would attend the Brigham Young Academy. His oldest son, five year old Charles, who was with him going to Arizona in 1884 would die at the age of 17 while attending school there.  Another son, Albert F. Anderson would graduate from Brigham Young High School with the class of 1912.   Albert's cousin, John Einar Anderson, and two students from St. Johns, Gerald Berry and Earl Patterson were also in his class. 

Link to Yearbook - Class of 1912 
click through yearbook

The yearbook had the name Mizpah.  "And Mizpah for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another." (Genesis 31:49)

You can read the Poem, Mizpah, near the end of the 1912 Yearbook.

If you look carefully, you can find four pictures of Albert Anderson.  I think there are five, but can't find Albert in the class picture.  Can you?  Please try and share this information.  The first one to comment on where you found at least four pictures will receive some very useful information that will later be shared on a later blog post.  You will be the first to know about it and receive the link in an e-mail when it become available.

Next Posting: Four Historic Utah Towns/Chief Guffich - Santaquin (Day 5)

• Springville, Spanish Fork, Spring Lake, and Payson --  Discover points of interest. 
• Santaquin - Go to the Red Barn and "noon."  Read the inspiring story of Chief Guffich and how Santaquin received it's name.

Question ? Uptown or Downtown - Lehi (Day 3)

September 4, 1884 - Fairfield to Lehi (nooned) and American Fork
(Day 3 of 44 - Week 1)

Fairfield to American Fork = 21 Miles (Trip Total = 68 Miles)
Average Miles Per Day = 22.7

September 3 -5, 1884

Original Journal Entry
"We went to Lehi by noon.  I got my mule shod then we went to American Fork a distance of 21 miles from Fairfield."

Final Journal Entry
"Went to Lehi by noon - got the mule shod, then to American Fork 21 miles and camped."

It would certainly make it easier if I could summarize a whole day in one sentence like C. P Anderson.  I'm taking a long blog post to cover it.







Today was a big deal as was yesterday.  It was all about trading for a mule and getting the mule shod.  Today this would be somewhat like buying a new car and getting it prepped to drive away.  I would expect shodding the mule took some time as they "nooned" in Lehi and it would not have taken long to travel the three miles to American Fork where they camped that evening.

shoding a mule

"For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the mule was lost, for want of a mule the whole trip came to a halt."  (Terry Wagner)  Yesterday and today were important for the success of the journey to Arizona.

Visiting the Scene - Uptown

Where was the mule shod?  This is like trying to find where they slept the night before.  Yes you might say it is a slow news day, but things like this intrigue me.  But don't blame me, Grandpa Anderson gave few details.  In Lehi, I went to where the Uptown People's Co-op commenced business in 1872.   Business had come to this area when it was found the Utah Southern Railroad Depot would be put on State Street.

The success of the 1872 Co-op was so great a new two story building, with basement, was built across the street in 1878  In 1882, an addition was built to the west of the 1878-built store.  This is how the building looked in 1884 when the Andersons went through Lehi.

CO-OP Mercantile in Lehi (1884-1885) -- George Edward Anderson photograph

Notice the large tricycle and the one-house shay on the sides of the picture.  For a much better picture click this link (notice the "1878" sign top right).  You can move the photo to see all of it.   The buggy the Anderson's took on their journey may have looked similar to the model on the right.The Co-op building was built as part of a large complex that included a livery stable and blacksmith shop.  Not much different than the strip malls of today.  Is this area where Charles had the mule shod?  They had some time to hang out and Anna may have gone on a shopping spree in the store while Charles was out with the mule.

In 1890, a new brick building was built in this area, and by 1902 the largest Co-op building of all was built where Osmond Designs now stands.  This is what I saw when I visited.    This is very close if not where the picture above was taken.

I wanted to leave Lehi from this location with Charles having shod the mule, and Anna finishing her shopping at the Uptown People's Co-op, but history always comes with mystery.  There was a Downtown location as well which must be considered.  Was the mule shod there?

Visiting the Scene - Downtown

To build this scene, I went to the Southwest corner of Main and Second West which had been the center of mercantile business since 1858.  It served the huge U.S. military base at Camp Floyd in Cedar Valley visited the day before by the Andersons.  By 1868, a Co-op, the Lehi Union Exchange was started.  It was so successful Brigham Young commented on it in an 1869 General Conference speech.  It became the pattern on which Brigham Young based his church-wide co-operative merchandising plan (ZCMI)  In 1880, however the Exchange was driven out of business by the Uptown People's Co-op.  However, they obtained the building on Main Street and renamed it The Branch Store.

Branch of People's Cooperative Institution - Downtown

In 1889 the east building of the complex was demolished and a new general merchandise store built.  In 1900 the structure on the west was demolished, and a large two-story brick facility was built on the site now the west half of Colonial House.  The 1889 part of the store was demolished in 1912 and the structure is now the eastern half of the Colonial House.  For more information see this article (2nd page).  Many businesses have occupied this area.  This is what I saw.

Across the street is the Relief Society Bullding finished in 1883, the year before, the Anderson's arrived.  Maybe they purchased some Sunday eggs here (laid on the Sabbath).

Lehi Relief Society Hall - completed 1883

downtown livery near the bakery
across the street from the Co-op

uptown livery part of the 
Co-op complex

So where was the mule actually shod?   I made a trip to Lehi and visited John Haws at the Lehi Historical and Archives Society.  He found two pictures of early Lehi Liveries. 

So there you have it.  Was the mule shod near Main Street, the Downtown location of the People's Co-op (and near the bakery today), or near State Street, the Uptown location?  Where is Sherlock when you need him?  Perhaps he's still in Fairfield trying to solve the Stagecoach Inn mystery of yesterday's posting.   We may never know exactly where Charles had the mule shod. 

What we do know is the Anderson's nooned in Lehi.  I have a temporary solution.  Why don't we "noon" by walking down to the Lehi Bakery, (and near the location of the former livery) the "home of the original square doughnut." The bakery is  just down the street from the Relief Society Hall.  How convenient.

  

Then we can change the subject.  Do square doughnuts taste better than round doughnuts?  Yes, it was a slow news day when I passed through, but not back in 1884 when the shodding and shopping took place.

While in Lehi, you may want to visit Broadbents.  It is still owned and operated by the family today.  It was started in 1882 (notice the date to the right of "Broadbents" on bottom photo),  two years before the Anderson's passed through.  I went into the same store they may also have shopped in 133 years ago. A link to the past. If you want to travel to the future visit Thanksgiving Point just North of Lehi.  You could spend a day there with many interesting adventures. 

early picture of Broadbents

Broadbents as it is seen today 
opened 1882 (see sign)

Before you leave Lehi, stop at the Lehi Roller Mills store.  You can buy some great mixes and cereals here.  LRM's is where part of "Footloose" was filmed.  LRM is the oldest continuously operating flour mill in the country.  It is owned by the Robison Family who they say have "flour in their veins."  They have been operating mills for six generations. 

Lehi Roller Mills where part of "Footloose" was filmed

The Andersons camped in American Fork.  I would like to place them in American Fork Canyon, but it is most likely they camped near the route close to downtown.  They weren't on vacation.

D.U.P. Museum  
downtown American Fork

D.U.P. Museum 
downtown American Fork

First Presbyterian Church
downtown American Fork 

So there is the post covering one sentence in the journal  But there is more below.  :-).

Remember to scroll down the side so the map stays in place.

You can also use + and/or - and/or -, move with one finger, or reset the map

Go to the map section on previous days, if you have questions on how to use the map.

According to the Anderson Journal from Fairfield to American Fork was 21 Miles.  Google maps show 23 miles.  Did the Anderson's camp two miles from the Stagecoach Inn with another Young family?  Where is Sherlock Holmes when you need him?  The road has changed as well according to John Haws who works with the Lehi Historical and Archives Society.

They "nooned" in Lehi and had the mule shod, then went about 3 miles to camp in American Fork (depending on where they camped).  Click "more options"  for a larger map, and then "details" on the next screen for details on the actual route. This will help you when the route gets more complicated.

 

Lehi City Hutchings Museum (55 N Center St.)

You may want to visit the Hutchings Museum in Lehi. To tie into this post, I would recommend the pioneer section where the anvil (below) is on display, and there are many other items of interest and interactive displays as well.  For more information on the museum click the link under the above picture.

Anvil in Hutchings Museum

A Historical Note

Porter Rockwell lived in Lehi for about 8 years

I would like to add that in doing family history or genealogical research, local historical societies can help a great deal.  Many times with a simple google entry you can find the phone #, and a call to them can save many hours of research.  I have also found that for a very nominal fee they may do the research for you. 

I would like to thank John Haws of the Lehi Historical and Archives Society who was very helpful in providing some of the photos for this posting and for information about Lehi.  The Lehi Historical and Archives Society Facebook Page is very impressive.  I believe every community should have a Facebook page with regular postings placed on it!!  Lehi is leading the way.  I already feel like I am a small part of the community my ancestors visited 131 years ago.  

I'm glad my ancestors stopped in Lehi to have the mule shod.  Now I'm on my way follow their trail to American Fork, Pleasant Grove, and then Provo.  I won't stop until I get to St. Johns, Arizona.  There is still a long way to go.  

If you have a chance, comment below on the journey so far.  If I don't hear from you, I may have to assume you are bored.

Next Posting: Thursday, April 14, 2016 (Day 3) - Yesterday, Today and Mizpah

• Pleasant Grove -  Who were their old friends where the Anderson's would noon?  
• Provo - The Woolen Mill (yesterday) and other points of interest (today).  
• Discover a book in Provo with some significant Anderson family history - Mizpah (click)    

Mizpah