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Like all railroad towns, Evanston has labored under the
disadvantage of a changing population, but she is indebted to the Union
Pacific for many of her most valued citizens, as well as for her
existence.
Division Superintendent O. H. Earl was succeeded by A. A. Egbert, and he,
in i88o, by E. B. Dodderidge. Mr. Dodderidge soon came to be known as one
of the best operating experts in the country. For seven years he was vice
president and general manager of the Missouri Pacfiic lines, and is now
living in retirement in Chicago.1
With Mr. Dodderidge was associated Joseph A. Edson, now president of the
Kansas Southern. A. A. Leggitt is remembered as one of the office force at
that time. He went from here to Texas, where he died some years ago. Mr.
Dodderidge was followed by W. E. Wurtelle, who was advanced from the
dispatcher's office, and who was a prominent business man in Evanston and
Park City, Utah.
George Dickenson, brother of the well known railroad man Edward Dickenson,
was superintendent of the western division from 1883 to 1890. Mr.
Dickenson's business career in the northwest was followed with interest by
all to whom the family had endeared themselves. He died in 19og, leaving a
wife and two sons. Mrs. Dickenson's sister, Mrs. Jane Osburn, with her son
and two daughters, lived here for some years and later moved to Seattle,
Washington.
Fred Mertzheimer, the master mechanic, who succeeded C. C. Quinn, went
from here to the Kansas City, Mexican and Orient road. He died in 1922.
Augustus Mertzheimer and Charles, both railroad men, were brothers of Fred
Mertzheimer..
Among the early engineers were the Hamilton brothers, George, William and
David. George was killed in a wreck in 1890, and his widow and four
children, after living here for some years, moved to Pocatello, Idaho.
William went to Omaha. David, a pensioner of the company since 1922, lives
in the house built by William T. Shafer on Sage Street. The daughter,
Naomi, married J. S. Parmley of Boise, Idaho, and Edna became the wife of
Dr. J. P. Deneen of Ogden. The son, W. H. Hamilton, is machine foreman in
the Evanston shops. His wife, formerly May Berney, of Horton, Kansas, is a
prominent club woman and was one of the Wyoming delegation at the Biennial
of 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have two daughters.
The year 1882, when I. H. Congdon was made superintendent of motive power
on the Union Pacific, saw a new group of men installed on the western
division, some of whom were important factors in the development of this
part of the country. One of these, George F. Chapman, came out as master
mechanic. Mr. Chapman's father had been a member of the first board of
directors of the Union Pacific, and was actively interested in its
construction.
George Chapman brought here his bride, Eliza M. Capen. Mrs. Chapman died
here in 1897. There were four children. Ruth became the wife of Harold
Fabian of Salt Lake City ; G. Hobert married Francis Clark of Evanston and
is now living in Columbus. Georgia, but was for many years surveyor of
Uinta County ; Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman Allen makes her home in Boston, and
Elwin F. entered the aviation corps during the World War and was killed in
a clash of planes at the San Diego field on the fourth of Tune, 1818. Mr.
Chapman's second wife is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ames of
Boston, and Mr. and Mrs. Chapman are now living in Plymouth,
Massachusetts.
Mix. Chapman left the railroad employ to engage in ranching, in which two
brothers joined him. They had a fine property about twenty miles northwest
of Evanston, and brought it to a high state of efficiency. They also
founded the Neponset Meat Market, of which George Mosey, the present
proprietor, was for many years manager. William O. Chapman, the eldest of
the three brothers, was an influential man, and both he and his wife were
well known in Evanston. He died in 1g1g and his wife divides her time
between the homes of her two daughters. J. Edwin Chapman, the youngest of
the brothers, died in 1913. His wife, whose maiden name was Gertrude
Robinson, lives in Boston. Their only son, Ralph, who married the daughter
of Rev. and Mrs. Hyrum Bullis, died of influenza at a training camp near
Gettysburg in 1818.
Others who have held the position of master mechanic are J. Dunn, now of
Salt Lake City, and the Carricks, Thomas and Harry. Thomas Carrick went
from here to San Francisco, and his son, Harry Carrick, is master mechanic
at Stockton, California. The daughters, Bessie and Ida, live in Los
Angeles. The elder Harry Carrick was for years in the shops at Montpielier,
Idaho. A. Stewart, who had charge of the shop for some time, lost his life
in the World War. Anthony Jeffers went from here to Cheyenne, and now
lives in Denver. S. Olsen was succeeded by Thomas Crosby, who is now at
the head of the shop.
Arthur Kingsbury was clerk in the shops for the ten years following 1882,
and his family is still held in remembrance.
Among the engineers who came out in the early '80s, was Ben Gutting. In
1884 he brought his wife, an Omaha lady. Mr. Gutting's death in a bridge
accident in 1904 was one of the tragedies of the road. His wife continued
to live here for some years and she put up three houses on Fourteenth
Street. She now makes her home in Rock Springs with her son, Arthur, who
is a practicing dentist.
Peter Peterson came out from the state of Iowa in 1883 as engineer, and
built the home on the corner of Sage and Fourteenth Streets. He met death
in a railroad accident in Arizona, where he was running an engine. Mrs.
Peterson makes her home in Evanston, as do two of the daughters, Mrs.
Ausherman and Mrs. Booth. The eldest daughter, Nina, wife of Fred W.
Bower, lives in San Leandro, California. They have one son, Robert.
Another engineer who left an impress on the community is Joseph Stevenson,
who built the home now occupied by John Stacey, and who, with his wife,
now lives at San Gabriel, California.
Engineer George Baker came here with his family in 1888. There are three
children, Edward, Frank and Lillian, all of whom live in Green River. Mrs.
Baker is known for her unselfish service to others. They bought the home
built by Robert Ross, now owned by Robert Sharp.
On the morning of November 17, 1906, Evanston was thrown
into deep gloom by the news of one of the most fatal wrecks in the history
of the Union Pacific. It occurred at Azuza, a station between Green River
and Granger. Eleven were killed in a head-end collision, and five of them
were from Evanston. They were Engineers B. F. Eckles and William Murray,
Express Messenger James Winslow, a trainman named Cumstock and Roy
Chamberlain, clerk of the court, who was seated in a passenger coach. Mr.
Murray and Mr. Eckles were men of families and the others were young men
of great promise whose loss to the community can never be replaced. Thanks
to the "safety first" movement throughout the land, these accidents are
mercifully growing less frequent. The Union Pacific has always been
foremost in every movement for the good of its employees, and is one of
the safest and best roads in operation today.
Ole Bergstrom came from Omaha to work in the railroad carpenter shop at
Evanston in 1883. After leaving the employ of the road he formed a
partnership with George Carruth. Mr. and Mrs. Bergstrom were natives of
Sweden. Never were citizens more missed than they when, in 1912, they
moved to South Pasadena, California, where Mrs. Bergstrom died ten years
later. Her husband received a royal welcome when he visited here in 1923.
Mr. Carruth is still engaged in the building business. He married Miss
Susan Daniels of Coalville, Utah, and they have two sons and two
daughters.
Another shopman who became carpenter was M. E. Peterson. For some years
the family lived in North Evanston, and later moved to their present home
on the hill. There were seven children, three of whom live here, Ellen,
Oscar and Mrs. Jennie Reeves. Charles, Anton and Florence, wife of Fred
Blackham, make their home in Rock Springs.
Another of the early engineers was Louis Demson, who, with his wife and
three children, resided here for many years. They moved to Ogden and later
to California.
N. S. Nelson, who came here in the '90s and has for many years run a
passenger train, was the first to take advantage of the plan of the
Evanston Building and Loan Association in erecting his home, which is at
the corner of Summit and Thirteenth Streets. Over fifty houses have been
put up by this excellent method, which is in the hands of our own business
men. Charles F. Wilkenson, who, with his wife and daughter, came here
about the same time as Mr. Nelson, has been president of the business for
many years. He has an attractive home on Center Street.
W. F. Baden, another of the engineers of this period, married a daughter
of Fred Larsen, one of the early shopmen. Mr. and Mrs. Baden have passed
from earth and are survived by five children. The sons are well known
here, as are the two daughters, who became the wives of the Sharp
brothers. Another daughter of Mr. Larsen is the wife of J. H. Case.
Among the later railroad men who have left happy memories is H. A. Connett,
who is now assistant superintendent of the eastern division, with an
office in Cheyenne. Mrs. Connet possesses a beautiful contralto voice that
is a delight to all who know her.
A family deserving mention is that of Daniel Gerard, who came to Evanston
in 1887. Mr. Gerard has served for years on the school and library boards,
and has two daughters who have been successful teachers. John Redmond, one
of the oldest of the railroad employees, still lives here.
For many years Chamberlain and Small were prominent builders of Evanston.
In 1882 came A. W. Anderson, a contractor and builder who had made Rock
Springs a stopping place for one year in his journey from his native land,
Sweden. He married in 1890, and there are four sons in the family-Oscar,
who married Miss Bessee Worthen of Salt Lake City, is in business with his
father ; Waldamar, who is proprietor of Hotel Waldamar; Dewey, a lawyer of
Seattle, Washington, and Clarence, the youngest son.
Another man in the same business is A. L. Cheese. Mr. and Mrs. Cheese came
from the state of Illinois, and have made Evanston their home since the
year 189i . Their son, Dr. L. A. Cheese, is a practicing dentist here. The
daughter, Mrs. Mary Edwards, lives in California.
For over forty -years Mrs. Code, whose maiden name was Farrell, and whose
husband James Code was blacksmith in the Union Pacific shops, was engaged
in the millinery business. Mrs. Code died in i g2 3, a few months after
the death of her husband. The son John makes his home in Ogden. Belle
became the wife of Benjamin Baum, a building contractor, whose work is
sought by the government and many large concerns, and the youngest
daughter, Kate, married J. E. Moorehouse, and lives in Oklahoma.
The Beeman & Cashin Mercantile Company was established in 1883 as
successor to the Christie and Lanktree Hardware Company and the 'Bisbing
furniture store. Joseph E. Cashin came from New York in 1882, bringing
with him his father's family, all of whom made their influence felt in the
new home. During his ten years of residence here Mr. Cashin was one of the
most public spirited men, and represented the county in the state senate.
He died in Chicago and is survived by his wife, Rose Gaynor Cashin.
Connected with the Beeman & Cashin firm for many years were Joseph E.
Cashin and E. H. Lewis. The present manager, John Smith, came here in
1882. He married Virginia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Allard, and
their only child, Frances, is a teacher in our schools.
A. G. Rex started in business in Evanston in 1894. He had come to Utah
with cattle before the building of the railroad, and took up land near
Randolph. In 1873 he entered the railroad shops as carpenter, after which
he established a news and stationery store on Main Street, which was later
moved across the street to the present location. Mr. Rex died in March,
1924.
There are many interesting memories that cluster around these days. One is
of Henry Code, who had the misfortune of having his arms cut off above the
elbow -in early life, but whose indomitable spirit allowed him to ask
favors of no man. He supported himself in a shop on Main Street, where he
repaired sewing machines and did the most delicate of locksmith work with
the aid of cunningly constructed implements attached to his stumps of
arms. He was coroner for some years, and during one campaign for the
office he was described with unconscious humor as "the man without arms
who had a large family on his hands". His stepson, David Barton, who
married Lydia Barnard, has a blacksmith shop on Front Street. They have
one daughter, Leona, who has fitted herself for teaching.
In 1885 Isadore Kastor arrived in Evanston, and was soon joined by his
brother Leo. There was founded a clothing business that, from a small
beginning on a counter in the Booth & Crocker Meat Market, where the Hill-Otte
Drug Company now stands, has developed into one of the most important
establishments of the county. It is known as I. Kastor, Incorporated. Leo
Kastor remained three years and then went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Mr.
Kastor's youngest son, Shirley, is an important member of the firm, as is
also D. A. Coughlin, who has been with them since the year 1908. In sharp
contrast to the early days, when every effort was put forth to make an
imposing display of their small stock of goods midst the incongruous
surroundings of the livestock products and poultry, is the present
building on Front Street, where they are constantly devising new methods
to accommodate their growing business. Isadore Kastor was born in Bavaria,
Germany, and came to this country when a youth. He married Fannie,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Lewis, and they are the parents of four
children. Louis is in business in Salt Lake City. Selma became the wife of
M. L. Katz, a successful attorney of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Bertha,
the youngest daughter, is attending school in Boston.
I. M. Lewis, a clothing merchant in Evanston from 1888 to 1896, is
survived by two sons who live here, David and Aaron. The former married
Valerie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mosslander, and the latter Miss
Minnie Gunnell. Emma Lewis, who is remembered as one of our high school
teachers, became the wife of Isaac Harris and lives in Boston, as does
also a sister named Martha, who married Dr. L. Golden.
George Mosey came to Evanston in 1887 from western New York to work for
Beeman & 'Cashin. His son Howard is in the Neponset Meat Market with him.
He married Miss Clara Swenson, a teacher in our high school, and they are
the parents of two children. Helen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geroge Mosey,
is a successful teacher on the coast.
It may seem to the ordinary reader strange that the old county of Uinta
has been the cradle of so many important beginnings. Of all of the
business enterprises born and fostered here none have become so widely
known as those of Guy Johnson and his associates. The Golden Rule
Mercantile Company had its birth in the year 1897 in the little wooden
building belonging to I. C. Winslow, where the Wyoming Press office now
stands. The novelty of a "five and ten cent counter" attracted buyers, and
the little stock of merchandise was quickly sold and replenished, each new
shipment adding to its volume until by the time the business had reached
the age of two years a new home was necessary. In 1899 the building on
Main Street was put up, and improvements and additions have followed with
the years until it now runs through the block with a store room on Front
Street.
Guy Johnson was a native of West Virginia, who came to Evanston from Great
Falls, Montana, where he had a store. Shortly after his arrival he formed
a partnership with T. A. Callahan of Colorado, and a plan of cooperative
buying was worked out, that outlasted their partnership. In 1904 the
Golden Rule Mercantile Company was organized, with Guy Johnson as
president, R. W. Stevens, secretary, and Lucy Johnson, treasurer. To quote
the founder ; "It has been successful beyond all dreams and hopes, now
selling yearly millions of dollars worth of goods." It has branch houses
in Nevada, Utah and Montana. In 1898 Mr. Johnson brought to Evanston his
bride who was the daughter of H. H. Green, D. D. of Iowa, and to her he
credits much of the success of his undertakings. Three daughters and a son
have been born to them, and they are making their home in Long Beach,
California.
Associated with Mr. Johnson was J. C. Penny who came to work in the
Evanston store at a salary of $50 a month in the year 1899. At the end of
three years Kemmerer was decided upon as a fitting location for a branch
store in which Mr. Penny was to have an interest. As an organizer he was
no less gifted than his friend Mr. Johnson, and the story of his
achievements is as striking, for the stores of the J. C. Penny Company
are scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, and have placed the
name of the founder high in the ranks of the keenest business men of the
nation. The human element has been an important factor in Mr. Penny's
success, and family ties and friendships have not been sacrificed to
financial considerations. Mr. Penny has three sons, Roswell Kemper and J.
C. Jr. by his first marriage, and a younger boy who bears the name of
Kimball, the family name of his second wife.
C. C. Smith, for many years manager of the Golden Rule, is now in business
for himself in the Beckwith & Lauder Building on Main Street.
It is impossible to do justice to the life story of Charles S. Baker in
this volume, and it is to be hoped that a worthy biography may some time
be written. A native of New York, he ran away from home when a mere child,
and his years have been full of thrilling adventure. He early attached
himself to a whaling vessel and later entered the navy ; he was on the San
Jacinto on its important mission to Asia in 1855, and during the Civil
War, when he was a bugler on the side of the North, was wounded at the
battle of Bull Run. He later drifted west and wandered over the country
from Texas to Wyoming, taking pictures. With a photographer named Johnson
he established the Union Pacific Photograph Car, well known for years
throughout the West. His pictures of Indians deserve special mention, for
they are said to be the most remarkable ever obtained, and have found
places in the Smithsonian Institute and other famous collections. In 1878
he came to Evanston and soon after opened a studio. His daughter Attie,
also an experienced photographer, is in charge. In spite of failing
hearing and sight, Mr. Baker is an interesting story teller.2
George E. Pexton came to Evanston from the state of New York in 1887, and
since that time has been connected with many of the substantial business
interests of the town and county. He is president of the First National
Bank of Evanston, and has extensive mining interests in both Almy and
Schofield, Utah. Beyond the bounds of Uinta County he is well known,
having served the Republican Party as national committeeman from 1904 to
1918, and has the unique honor of having attended four national
conventions in that capacity. In 1895 Mr. Pexton and Miss Annie Saunders
of Salt Lake City were united in marriage. Mrs. Pexton is a valued club
woman, and represented the Ladies' Literary Club of Evanston at the
biennial held in Los Angeles in 1 ga4, but her public work has never
distracted from her home and social graces. There are two boys in the
family, Elsworth and Sidney, both of whom are engaged in business in Los
Angeles, where Mr. and Mrs. Pexton spend a large part of each year.
Elsworth married Miss Lucile Helping of Los Angeles, and they have two
children. Mr. Pexton has faith in Wyoming. The author takes pleasure in
stating that it was largely owing to his vision of the importance of the
work that she undertook the task of collecting and recording the history
of the original Uinta County.
In 1885 the Downs Opera House was built on Front Street, and James Downs
was for many years manager. He belonged to an old Scotch family that came
here in i88o, and was a brother of Mrs. Thomas Painter. Mr. and Mrs.
Painter have one son, Tom, Jr., who, like his father, is engaged in the
sheep business and makes his home on the ranch. Two sisters of Mrs.
Painter, Mrs. Annie Gibbons and Mrs. Lizzie Clark, live in Ogden, and the
brother, David Downs, in Coalville, Utah.
In 1888 a city government was again established in Evanston, and F. H.
Harrison was elected mayor. He was succeeded the following year by F. M.
Foote. In 1890 I. C. Winslow was made mayor and served until, in 1894,
'Cyrus Beard was elected. F. H. Harrison held the office from 1895 to
1897, when C. S. Baker was elected. He was followed by J. R. Arnold, and
he, in 1899, by John A. Beckwith. C. S. Baker was again elected in 1goi,
and remained in office until 1909, when John W. Dykins assumed the duties
of mayor. Charles L. Eldred took over the office in 1911, and Isadore
Kastor in 1913. Thomas Painter became mayor in 1915 and continued in the
office until 1921. John T. Romick served from 1921 to 1923, in which year
Mr. Painter was again elected. Those who served as city clerk are Jesse
Knight, Arthur Butler, O. J. Smith, S. J. Van Ness, James B. Smith and
William Cook. Mr. Cook kept the city records from i904 to i92i, when they
were given over to George H. O'Hara, the present clerk.
Until the year 1915 the business of the city council was transacted in
various rooms rented for the purpose. During the term of office of Mayor
Painter the city hall was erected. It is a convenient and roomy building,
in which are located the town jail and city fire department, as well as
the town hall and the offices of the city council.
James Ayrest, who came to Evanston in 1886, is city marshal. The night
marshal is Harry Bodine, who came here from New York in 1882 to work for
the railroad and has since lived here. Mr. and Mrs. Bodine have a son
named George and a daughter named Florence, who is a skillful
stenographer.
The electric light franchise was granted by the city in 1899 to a company
composed of local business men. As early as 1888 they had supplied the
town with a fine lighting system. In z924 it passed into the hands of the
Utah Light and Power Company. H. L. Williams has been manager for ten
years and still holds the position.
The moving picture industry took root in Evanston in 19o7, and for a short
time there were three houses running. The first was opened by A. C. Coey
and H. C. Christie in the block where the Hotel Evanston now stands, and
was known as the Edison. The second, called the Isis, was conducted by a
Salt Lake company, and was in the building now owned by R. E. Bryan. The
third was opened by Arthur Bowen and Richard Tarkington in what is now the
Blyth and Fargo warehouse on Main Street. It was a common custom f or
people to visit the three in an evening, all for the modest sum of thirty
cents, or, if so fortunate as to be under the tender age of ten, f or half
that sum. Bowen and Tarkington bought out the others, and since then there
has been but one "movie" in Evanston. Mr. Christie went from here to Salt
Lake, and Mr. Coey is now assistant manager of the western division of the
Union Pacific, with an office in Green River. Mr. Tarkington, who, like
Mr. Bowen, came here as a train dispatcher, also went to Salt Lake. Mr.
Bowen continued the business on the lower floor of the Masonic Hall until
the year 1918, when he put up the beautiful Strand Theater. In ig21 he
sold out and went to Idaho, and is now living in Portland, Oregon. He
married Miss Alice Cashin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Cashin. The
Strand Theater is now in the hands of a company of which J. H. Harris is
the capable manager. It is keeping pace with the progress made throughout
the country, and the best of plays are presented.
Another beautiful hall, the Orpheus, was built in 1918 by a stock company
composed of citizens, and has filled a long-felt want, as it is used for
basketball games, dances and other gatherings. The annual flower show of
Evanston is held in this building. This is a festival that always excites
the-interest of the residents and the wonder of strangers, who find it
hard to believe that so great a variety of beautiful flowers can be grown
at this altitude.
Evanston has an attractive city park situated north of Bear River. The
matter of buying this land from the state came up during the term of
office of J. R. Arnold as mayor, and was soon carried through. The thick
growth of cottonwoods has been thinned out, underbrush cleared away and a
band stand and other conveniences added, resulting in a delightful
pleasure ground within easy reach. Adjoining it on the west is a camp
ground for tourists well equipped with electric lights, stoves of the
design used in the army, laundry facilities, and hot and cold baths.
Between the 15th of April and the 15th of August, 1924, twenty one hundred
fifty cars took advantage of its shelter. It is under the competent care
of John Cunnington, an early resident of Wyoming, and as the modest sum of
fifty cents a car is charged, it is more than self supporting. West of the
camp ground is the baseball park with bleachers and race track.
For the first six years after the organization of the Territory of Wyoming
the public lands were included in one district with headquarters at
Cheyenne. On August 9, 1876, there was created by an Act of Congress a
separate district comprising the lands west of the thirty first meridian
with land office in Evanston. The following registers have been appointed
from that date to the present time : William G. Tonn, Charles H. Priest,
Edwin D. Steele, Albert L. New, G. L. C. Goodman, William A. Hocker,
Charles Kingston, Thomas V. Davis, Alexander Nisbet, Joseph T. Booth. The
names of the receivers are as follows : Edwin S. Crocker, Henry R. Crosby,
Edgar S. Wilson, William T. Schaffer, Frank M. Foote, Frank Mills,
Benjamin M. Ausherman, J. P. Folger, Donald McAllister.
The land office occupies the southwest side of one of the most beautiful
in the state. It was put up by the federal government at the cost of
$18o,ooo, and was formally opened March 31, 1901. On the second floor a
handsome court room with ceiling reaching to the roof occupies the center
of the front of the building. The remaining part of the second and third
floor is given over to offices and jury rooms. The post office across the
spacious corridor from the land office would do credit to any city. James
Foley has for many years been caretaker.
Before the erection of the federal building the post office was held in
various stores. Following A. A. Bailey, the names of those holding the
office of postmaster are ; E. S. Hallock, I. C. Winslow, William Pugh, J.
H. Cameron, and Percy G. Matthews.
John Henry Cameron was born in Nova Scotia. In 1883 he went west as far as
Salt Lake City where for three years he plied his trade of carriage
builder. Here he became acquainted with Miss Mary Scholes, who was married
to him in 1887, the year after Mr. Cameron located in Evanston. He was
interested in the Cameron & Chisholm carriage shop on Front Street. In
1895 Mr. Cameron was elected county treasurer, and still held his interest
in the business until his appointment to the position of postmaster by
President Wilson. The family occupied a home on Sage Street between
Eleventh and Twelfth, and the removal to Salt Lake at the end of his term
of office was cause of universal regret. There is one daughter in the
home, Margarite, who taught for a time in the public school and also
filled the position of librarian in the county library. Miss Cameron is a
gifted story writer, and has done some able work along historical lines as
well. She is now in library work in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Cameron's
partner, Daniel Chisholm, built the home on Sage Street that was bought by
J. H. Zipf. The Chisholms moved to Los Angeles where Mr. Chisholm died. He
is survived by his wife and son, Frank, who is a practicing dentist.
The Evanston Cash Grocery was founded in 1889 by H. G. Drew. Mr. Drew as a
young man went to California. He came to Evanston in an early day, and was
for many years connected with the Beckwith & Quinn Company. In 1879 he
brought out his bride, who like himself, was a native of Maine. There are
two daughters in the family, Della who became the wife of Charles Elred
and lives in Stockton, California, where their two daughters are enjoying
the advantages of a college town, and Katherine who married William Lea,
of Wellsville, Utah.
E. H. Horrocks brought his wife to Evanston in 1884, and opened a barber
shop. The family, in which there are three children, occupy the brick
residence built by George Dumford next to the postoffice. The daughter
Ethel worked for some years in the land office, and married C. A. Parton
of Waterbury, Conn.
McKinnon, Marsh & Peart had a prosperous meat market here for some years.
They became interested in the cattle business and R. A Marsh is now
conducting the Consumers' Market.
The Standard Timber Company, a big concern under eastern capitalists, has
been in operation since the year 1913. They cut their timber on the Green
River watershed. The manager, George Loff, lives with his wife and son in
the home built by Charles Blyth on Summit Street.
The Overland Lumber Company is financed by the George A. Merril Company of
Salt Lake City. Wilber Watts is manager of the Evanston branch. He married
Miss Gertrude Cortwright, a teacher in our schools.
Dr. Bristol came here from Laramie in 1898. Owing to failing sight he has
recently given up active practice, and lives with his wife on the corner
of Tenth and Center Streets. Both are natives of Vermont.
Dr. Charles Blackburn practiced medicine here from the year 1892 to the
time of his death in 1895. His oldest son, Charles T. Blackburn, was
appointed by Senator Clark to the Naval Academy and was a graduate in the
class of 1907. He was overseas during the World War, when he was in
command of the destroyer Beale, and later in Turkish waters.
Prominent in business as well as in his profession is Dr. J. L. Wicks,
who, with his wife, came to Evanston from Columbus, Ohio, in 1900. They
live in the home built by Joseph Shaw, an early employee of the shops. Dr.
and Mrs. Wicks have two daughters, Josephine who is a student in the State
University, and Lucile.
Dr. A. P. Thompson opened an office in Evanston for the practice of
medicine in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have three sons.
In 1913 Dr. L. E. Fosner came with his wife who is a trained nurse, from
Montana. They are living in the large brick residence put up by A. C.
Beckwith on the eastern side of town and have made it a beauty spot by
means of trees and flowers.
Dr. J. H. Holland came to Evanston in 1914. He had been connected with the
army and had served as surgeon in the Philippines for two years. During
the World War he spent a year and a half in hospital work. The family in
which there is one small daughter, lives in the home built by George
Chapman on Summit Street.
The Evanston National Bank was founded in 1907. The first cashier, J. W.
Carse, went from here to San Francisco where he died, leaving a wife and
three daughters. O. H. Brown followed him in the bank and went from here
with his wife and daughter to Salt Lake. J. W. R. Rennie served for a
short time
and was succeeded by Andrew Coutts, who had been working in the bank for
eight years. John Morrow is also employed there. Mr. Coutts is a son of
William Coutts, a native of Scotland who has lived here since 1888. Andrew
Coutts married Miss Sarah Faddis, a daughter of Robert Faddis of Almy.
The Stockgrowers Bank opened its doors April 5, 1915. William Pugh was
cashier and has held the position since that date. William Haines is
assistant cashier, and Laurence Reeves and Harold Kelly are employed
there. Harold Gunnell who now lives in Maywood, California, was connected
with this bank for some years.
Mr. Pugh came to Evanston in 1884 as manager of the telegraph office and
with the exception of a short time spent in Ogden, has resided here since
that date. His wife is the daughter of judge and Mrs. Emerson of Ogden.
There are four daughters and one son in the family. Beth became the wife
of William Haines, and they have two boys. Mable was married to William
Carlton and lives in Nevada. The son Emerson is instructor of civics in
the Carnegie Institute of Techonology at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Hattie,
Mrs. John Paco, lives in Canton, Ohio, and the youngest daughter Wilma, is
a student in the State University.
William Haines the son of C. S. Haines who came from Iowa to the Bridger
Valley in 1900 where he was the first to plant fall wheat, a crop now
widely grown. About twenty years ago the family moved to Evanston, where
the father died leaving a wife and five children. The mother and the
eldest son, Everett, who married Miss Ethel Sims, also live here. Cecil is
now in business in Rock Springs, and the daughters have fitted themselves
for teaching and are holding positions in Idaho.
A familiar figure on the streets of Evanston is George Jones, who had the
misfortune to lose his eyesight in early boyhood, but who is able to get
around without assistance, and is interested in all that pertains to the
town. His father, Fred Jones, had a meat market here in the early '70's.
Another man in the same business was Richard Seaton who with his family
went from here to California.
On the 14th of May 1884, a meeting was held in the Odd Fellows Hall for
the purpose of organizing the Farnsworth Post of the Grand Army of the
Republic. There was present J. K. Jeffry of the district of Colorado, who
examined the papers of the following honorably discharged soldiers; John
W. Dykins, Samuel Dickey, P. J. Downs, T. D. O'Flynn, S. A. Berrier, M. V.
Morse, Samuel Davis, Wm. W. Foss, Elias Goodman, Josiah Eardley, Cameron
Hayes, W. H. Blanchard, Frank Perry, E. N. Dawes, W. L. Moore, David W.
Maurice, and Oscar Ludwig. To the residents of Evanston whose memories go
back thirty years or even less, it is a striking fact that these men in
spite of changing conditions, have with scarcely an exception been among
the permanent citizens who have helped to make our history. In the
completed roll comprising fifty-seven names the great majority have been
men of influence in the town and county. The little group that gathered at
the cemetery on Decoration day, 1ga3, consisted of Dr. Harrison, Charles
Baker, Samuel Dickey, and Charles Deloney, the first three being still
residents of Evanston, and the last named having stopped over on his way
from Jackson to his birthplace in Michigan. The occasion was made
memorable by the dedication of the burial ground of the soldiers who laid
down their lives in the World War.
Samuel Dickey, the present Commander of the Post, is a native of St.
Louis. He became a member of the fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry in 1863 when
little more than a boy, served throughout the war and was present at Lee's
surrender. In 1871 he came west and worked for judge Carter at Fort
Bridger. Four years later he accepted a position with Crawford, Thompson &
Company in Evanston. Under George Pepper he was deputy sheriff, and was
elected sheriff of the county in 1880. For over thirty years he was
employed in the freight and ticket offices in Evanston, and is one of the
pensioners of the Union Pacific. He is a thirty third degree Mason. By his
first wife Mr. Dickey had six children, three of whom are living, Lillian,
widow of John Beckwith, who lives in Mountain Home, Idaho, Mrs. May
Osborne, who lives in California, and Clara, wife of Charles Dickenson of
Cheyenne.
John W. Dykins, one of the most active of the comrades, was engaged in the
cattle business near Woodruff. His cultured wife, the sister of Mrs.
Fannie Blyth and Mrs. Julia Booth, was a marked influence in his success,
and helped to make the Dykins ranch a model in its way. Mr. Dykins died in
California in 1921, his second wife having passed away two years before.
Among his bequests was the sum of $800 to each of the Ladies' Aids of the
Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.
Elias Goodman was for many years chaplin of the post. T. D. O'Flynn, who
was engaged in business here, and was for some time justice of the peace,
died in the Soldiers' Home in Sawtelle, California. W. H. Foss and A. H.
Bisbing were among our pioneer merchants. Frank Perry and W. H. Moore were
well known in Evanston, and C. H. Blanchard lived here until his death in
1922. E. N. Dawes was killed while performing his duty as deputy sheriff.
Frank Valeraux, W. H. Fallon, W. F. Boam, and Josiah Eardley engaged in
ranching in the Bridger Valley, Madson Coffman took up a ranch on upper
Bear River, and A. E. Eastman moved to a ranch in Woodruff. Connected with
the railroad at this place were, Joseph Shaw, W. F. Huff, Charles Fritz,
H. O. Singleton, Samuel Gauf, and H. R. Unks who was one of the first
engineers. Others who made their homes here and whose decendents are still
among us are John McGraw who had a ranch on upper Bear River, and who died
in ig2a at the age of seventy nine, Peter Anderton, and Andrew Linden.
William Wilkinson lived with his wife for many years on the Almy road.
They had two sons in the Spanish-American War, in which Samuel Dickey jr.
was also a soldier.
In the Spanish-American War, Wyoming was the first state in the Union to
organize its full quota of volunteers, and the response from Uinta County
was prompt. Frank M. Foote, who had been colonel in the Wyoming National
Guard, was made major of the state infantry consisting of seven companies.
Company H was recruited in Uinta County, with Edward P. Holtenhouse
captain, Henry Olenkamp, first lieutenant, George A. Fast, and Thomas A.
Williams, second lieutenants. Our boys left Evanston May 2, 1898, for Camp
Richards near Cheyenne. One of the worst blizzards of the west was raging
but did not prevent the gathering at Downs Opera House of every able
bodied citizen of Evanston. The enthusiasm of the gathering, at which Rev.
Bert Foster presided, was enhanced by the arrival of a telegram announcing
the news of the battle of Manila Bay. (For roster-see Appendix i . )
On the Fourth of July, i92o, an interesting ceremony took place on the
courthouse square, where a monument to the memory of the men who had laid
down their lives in the World War was unveiled by Mrs. Ida Thomas Mills,
widow of Charles M. Mills. President James Brown made the speech of the
day. The names of all those who served in the war are inscribed on a
bronze tablet inserted in the face of the pedestal. This tribute was the
outcome of the work of the Uinta County Memorial Association, composed of
men and women from all over the county.
The survivors of the training camps and battlefields, are banded together
in the local post of the American Legion, of which W. J. Watts is the
present commander. Its work is supplemented by that of the Auxiliary, of
which Mrs. E. W. McConaghy is president. Both organizations are doing what
they can to ameliorate the condition of those whose lives, broken on the
cruel altar of war, are no less a sacrifice than those who died. (For
roster see Appendix 2.)
To the work of the Red Cross, Uinta County furnished two whose names
deserve more than passing mention, Miss Jean Sharp, who served overseas as
nurse, and Captain John W. R. Rennie, who devoted his time and ability
without financial recompense to the cause. Both are natives of Scotland.
Miss Sharp received her training in the Dee Hospital of Ogden. Mr. Rennie
has been a resident of Evanston for more than thirty years in connection
with the Blyth & Fargo Company. By temperament and training he was
admirably fitted to take charge of some of the important supply and
distributing stations in France. Mrs. Rennie, who before her marriage was
Mary I. Webster of Laramie, was the first woman court stenographer in
Wyoming. Under her able leadership the Uinta County Chapter of the Red
Cross, of which she was first chairman, reached a high state of
efficiency. Mrs. John Ward ably succeeded her as chairman. The second
story of the Federal Building was devoted to the work of the chapter.
An important war organization was the Home Guard Band, under the
leadership of our public-spirited county treasurer, Nephi DeLoney. At the
close of the war it was consolidated with the Union Pacific Band. Among
those who have helped to make a success of this splendid musical
organization that is well known the length of the railroad is George W.
Jay. Another who has done much for the music of the town is Professor W.
H. Toy. Mr. Toy has a studio in the Beckwith Building.
On the summit of the hill east of town, surrounded by cultivated fields
and by trees, are grouped the buildings of the State Hospital f or the
Insane. One structure devoted to the care of male patients, the
superintendent's residence and one hundred sixty acres of land was the
nucleus from which has been developed the institution as we see it today.
It is one of the most complete in the state and compares favorably with
hospitals of a like nature throughout the land.
The original hospital building, to which an addition was made in 1g-o6,
was destroyed by fire in 1918, and has been replaced by a modern
structure, the central feature of which is a spacious dining hall lighted
from three sides that serves as an assembly hall. At the left of this
building is Brooks' Cottage, built in 1910, with its deep porches and
cheerful rooms, where the woman patients are cared for. An electric light
plant, fine barns and stables, a silo and separate kitchen and laundry
have been added. A profitable adjunct to the property is the tract of land
known as the Beckwith fields, lying under the hills to the south. It was
fenced in by A. C. Beckwith in 1878 and is irrigated from the original
White ditch. Most of this striking development and much that is not
apparent save to the close student has taken place under the management of
one man, Dr. Charles H. Solier, who has been at the head of the
institution since the year 18§1, when he succeeded Dr. Hooker, the first
superintendent. The farm, a model in its way, where are raised vegetables
for the market as well as for the use of the hospital, has for many years
been under the management of Frank Tucker, who was also engineer. Frank
Plank, now of Pinedale, was steward for over ten years, and was followed
by Thomas Cook, who, with his wife and two children, live on the grounds.
Dr. Solier is of French ancestry and a native of Ohio. He is a graduate of
Oberlin and of the Long Island, New York, School of Medicine. In 1898 he
married Julia B., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Winslow. Mrs. Solier was
a woman of unusual charm, and her death in 1921 was an irreparable loss to
her family and a large circle of friends. The only son, Charles Winslow
Solier, is a graduate of the College of Dentistry of the University of
Southern California, as is also his wife, whose maiden name was Mildred L.
Nutt. They were married in Los Angeles, August 7, 1924.
In the early territorial days the genius of William W. Corlett, a lawyer
of Cheyenne, set a standard that gave the bar of Wyoming a high place
among the several states and territories, and history goes to show that
Uinta County has done her share in maintaining this position.
According to the first division of the territory into two judicial
districts Uinta County was part of the second. The first session of court
was held by justice J. W. Kingman, in a building next to the old Whittier
store on November 16, 1872. The Legislature of 1873 created a third
judicial district embracing the counties of Sweetwater and Uinta. On July
9, 1873, Governor J. A. Campbell assigned to Hon. Edward A. Thomas, one of
the associate judges, the July, 1873 term of court in Uinta County, and he
continued as the sole judge, presiding until July, 1877, with the
exception of three terms, when Joseph M. Carey presided.
judge William Ware Peck, an appointee of President Hayes, presided over
the July, 18?7, term. He was a learned and cultured man, and was said to
be one of the authorities of the day on the old common law, having been a
student in the office of Martin Van Buren. Many claimed he was lacking in
practical modes of procedure, which caused unnecessary court expense and
much trouble. Much could be written on his unique character, short of
stature, but dignified of men, who walked the streets with his gold-headed
cane, his kindly, near-sighted eyes peering out from beneath bushy gray
hair, who astonished bar and jury by engaging the services of a minister
of the gospel to open court with prayer. He took a great interest in the
town and presented the Temple of Honor with several hundred volumes from
his own library, making the nucleus for a reading room and circulating
library conducted in their rooms above the Palace Drug store. However,
criticism both well founded and cruelly unjust, called for his removal,
and as an appointee of the president could not be dismissed, the
Legislature created a new judicial district in the uninhabited northern
part of the state, to which judge Peck was assigned.
Jacob B. Blair succeeded judge Peck and held the office until September,
1882. From then to September, 1886, the office was held by Samuel C. Park.
The next appointee was made by President Cleveland.
Samuel T. Corn, a native of Kentucky, came to Wyoming from the state of
Illinois, where he had for some years practiced law. At the expiration of
his term as judge, in 1890, he opened an office in Evanston and remained
here until 1896, when he was elected to the supreme bench, a position for
which he was eminently fitted by training and temperament. The ten years
that the family spent in Evanston made for them a secure place in the
hearts of the community. The question of statehood came up during their
residence here, and judge Corn worked for it with a devotion that was
undoubtedly a factor in the favorable result. He was a pleasing and
convincing speaker and a delightful friend. At the end of his service on
the supreme bench, in 19o4, he and his wife moved to Ogden, Utah, the home
of Thompson, the eldest son, who is chief ticket agent at the Union depot,
and of the daughter Margaret, wife of Ross Snyder. Although he has passed
the f our-score milestone of life, he is still active as referee in
bankruptcy, with an office in Salt Lake City. Anne Welsh Corn, another
daughter, became the wife of Captain William Brunzeil, an officer in the
regular army. William who was born in Evanston, is a graduate of Annapolis
and is a naval officer.
In 1890 Jesse Knight was elected judge and held that office until he
qualified as one of the associate justices of the Supreme Court in 1898.
He was born in New York and came out to South Pass in 1871, where he was
appointed clerk of the court, and moved to Evanston in 1874. The family
consisted of his cultured wife, two sons and three daughters, and the
children have made for themselves lives of usefulness. Harriet Knight Orr,
the eldest daughter, was left a widow with two little children, whom she
supported by her pen and by teaching, at the same time fitting herself for
the position she now occupies in the University of Wyoming, that of Dean
of the Training Department. In 1898 Judge Knight was elected to the
Supreme Bench and moved to Cheyenne, where he died in 1905, his wife
having passed away the year before.
David G. Craig, an attorney of Rawlins, Wyoming, became judge of the Third
Judicial Court in 1898, and held the position until his death, in 1915, at
which time John R. Arnold was appointed to the bench. Judge Arnold was the
choice of the people at the ensuing election and was again elected in 1922
for the term that expires in 1929.
John R. Arnold, the fourth child of Franklin Luther and Maria Arnold, was
born in Ohio, and, with his parents, came to Laramie, Wyoming, in 1870.
When a mere boy he began work for the Union Pacific Railroad, first as
messenger boy and then as station agent at Cooper's Lake. In 1877 he was
transferred
to Almy, where many lasting friendships were made. After a few years in
the railroad service in Almy and Evanston, during which he studied law, he
was admitted to the bar. He married Miss Sadie Davis of Salt Lake, and
they are the parents of the following children : Mrs. Minnie Sample of
Evanston, Franklin L. Arnold of Salt Lake City, Mrs. Florence Terry of
Evanston, Mrs. Ethel Walton of Salt Lake City, Charles S., who is engaged
in business in San Francisco, California, and Dorothy, a teacher in the
Evanston schools.
Among the attorneys who are entitled to special mention is David G.
Thomas, who began life as a coal miner. He came to Wyoming in 1878, and
steadily advanced until he attained the position of State Mine Inspector.
He was made superintendent of the Union Pacific coal mines at Spring
Valley, and on the dosing of that camp moved to Evanston. For six years he
served Uinta County as prosecuting attorney and in 1912 went to Rock
Springs, where he has held prominent positions in connection with the
Union Pacific Coal Company, and has also been prosecuting attorney of
Sweetwater County for a two-year term. It was there that his gifted wife
died in 1918, and there that their daughter Myfanwy, who became the wife
of Dr. John Goodnough, has a home that is shared by Mr. Thomas. Dave
Thomas may be called self-educated, as most of his learning came from his
reading. He possesses something of the "divine fire", and has written
poems that sing themselves into the hearts of the readers. Besides many
fugitive verses published in newspapers, he is the author of a volume
called "Overland and Underground" that is a revelation of the depth of his
insight into nature and life.
In 18go a jurist by the name of Cyrus Beard came with his family to
Evanston. Though a native of the state of Pennsylvania, most of his life
had been spent in the Middle West. In the University of Iowa, from which
he received his degree, he formed a friendship with Clarence D. Clark that
resulted in a partnership in the practice of law. Mrs. Beard died in 1893,
leaving four children. In 1897 the family moved to Colorado Springs, and
in the same year Miss Frances Birkhead became his wife. In 19oo they
returned to Evanston, and the firm of Beard & Spaulding was formed and
continued until igo4, when Uinta County was honored the third time in
having a member of its bar made the choice of the people f or the supreme
bench of the state. judge Beard was a scholarly and faithful worker and
his death in 19421 brought sorrow to the entire state, in which he had
friends in all ranks of life. Three of the children are living ; Mary,
wife of W. C. Pefley of Idaho ; Arthur, who is a civil engineer in
California, and Claire, wife of George Daiber of Cheyenne.
John C. Hamm was born in Pennsylvania and came to Evanston as principal of
the schools from Kansas, where he had graduated from the state normal. He
built the home on Lombard Street now owned by W. H. Burdette. He studied
law, was admitted to the bar and elected prosecuting attorney for Uinta
County. A partnership was formed with J. R. Arnold under the firm name of
Hamm & Arnold, that lasted until Mr. Hamm moved to South Pasadena,
California, in 1910, to engage in legal and real estate- business. His
wife, who was also a native of Pennsylvania,, died in the Evanston home.
There are two daughters: Lillian, who became the wife of Robert Paine, a
Green River boy, and Lenore, who married H. L. Rammow. Both are making
their homes in Southern California.
Benjamin M. Ausherman, a native of Maryland, who laid the foundation of a
successful career in the schools of Kansas, came to Evanston in 18go. For
a time he was receiver of the United States Land Office, at Evanston, and
was admitted to the bar in 18)2. He went to Washington as secretary to
Senator Clark, and returned to practice law in Evanston. He became
prominent in business circles, and was a director in the Evanston National
Bank. In 1912 he married Miss Claire Peterson, and they built a beautiful
home on the corner of Tenth and Summit Streets, where Mrs. Ausherman lives
with her mother, Mr. Ausherman having died in 1922.
Among the early members of the bar are C. M. White, C. E.
Castle, E. S. Whittier, R. W. Stoll, W. A. Carter, Leroy H. White, Arthur
W. Butler, Earle C. White, James Hill, J. A. Hellenthal, Col. H. E.
Christmas, Robert S. Spence and J. H. Ryckman.
Payson Whitman Spaulding has been identified with the bar of the county
and state since the year 1901. To students of the past there is interest
in the fact that Mr. Spaulding is a direct descendant in the ninth
generation of Edward Spaulding, who migrated from England to the colony of
Virginia in 161g, and that his grandfather, Joseph Spaulding, was fifth
cousin to Rev. Henry Spaulding, who crossed Wyoming on his mission to the
Indians of the Northwest in 1836, as related in Chapter Four. His
relationship to Marcus Whitman is even loser, his grandmother having been
cousin to the famous pioneer doctor. Mr. Spaulding was born in Maine and
came west when a youth. He has become one of the best known lawyers in the
western part of Wyoming, and is attorney for the Union Pacific Railroad
Company. The fact that he was the first man in Evanston to own an
automobile, an object of curiosity and awe to equine as well as human
wayfarers in the early days of the nineteenth century, may account in part
for his interest in good roads and his position among the members of the
State Highway Commission. Mr. Spaulding married Mrs. Nellie Quinn, nee
Johnson, and they make their home on the comer of Twelfth and Summit
Streets.
The connection with Uinta County of Austin Clark Sloan, son of the pioneer
William K. and Maria Townsend Sloan, dates back to the days of the
building of the Hilliard flume. Following his graduation from the
Collegiate Institute of Salt Lake, Mr. Sloan came to Evanston, where he
married Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James McKenzie. In 1898 he went
with Senator Clark to Washington, and combined with his duties there the
study of law, which resulted in his graduation from the Columbia Law
School in I4o3. The following year he opened an office in Evanston, and he
and his wife are among our best known people.
Reuel Walton, who was admitted to the bar in Utah in 1907, came to
Evanston in 1911 and practices here, having served as prosecuting attorney
for one term. In the choice of his profession Mr. Walton followed in the
footsteps of his ancestors, his grandfather having been a member of the
supreme bench of Maine, and his father, Wesley K. Walton, having been
admitted to practice law before coming to the state of Utah. After
teaching for a time in the Provo Academy W. K. Walton took up land near
Woodruff, and divided his time between this property and a ranch at
Midvale. He was for a time prosecuting attorney of Rich County. Mr. Walton
and all of his children are gifted in music, and as there are ten sons and
three daughters in the family, they were never dependent on help from
outsiders, but formed a company of their own that was known as the "Walton
Orchestra." Reuel Walton married Flora, daughter of Lort Lewis, and they
are the parents of two girls. His brother, T. W. Walton, married Ethel,
daughter of judge and Mrs. J. R. Arnold, and after ten years spent on the
ranch they are living in Salt Lake City.
Prominent among the lawyers of Uinta County stands Louis Kabell, Jr. Mr.
Kabell was born in Vernal, Utah, and received his law degree from the
University of Colorado. He married Miss Ernestine Faus of Boulder, and
they have one son. From 1913 to 1915 Mr. Kabell was in the office of the
attorney general in Cheyenne, from which place he came to Evanston and
established a successful law practice that extends to other counties.
Most distinguished of all the citizens of Uinta County is Clarence Don
Clark, who came to Evanston to practice law in 1881. Descended on both
sides from old colonial families, he was born in the state of New York and
passed his boyhood in Illinois. He was a graduate of the Law School of the
University of Iowa. In addition to his natural ability and splendid
training, C. D. Clark is blessed with the gift of friendship to such a
degree that there has been no office in county or state to which he might
not aspire. From the position ~,i prosecuting attorney of Uinta County he
stepped into the Congress of the United States, where he was the first
representative of Wyoming after the conferring of statehood. In 1895 he
was elected senator and held this seat for twenty-one years. His
membership on many important committees and his chairmanship of the
Committee of judiciary led to his appointment in 1819 by President Wilson
to the United States International Joint Commission, of which he is now
chairman. This commission was organized in 1909 between the United States
and Great Britain and works in conjunction with the authorities of Mexico
and Canada adjudicating the conflicting rights on streams of an
international character. Senator and Mrs. Clark divide their time between
the nation's capitol and their home in Los Angeles. Of the four children
born to them two have died, the son George, a boy of great promise at the
age of fourteen in the year i8go, and Frances, wife of Hobert Chapman in
the year 1g1g. The eldest daughter, Laura, is the wife of Charles P. Blyth,
and they live in Los Angeles. The second daughter, Margaret, married Dr.
J. If. Holland of Evanston.
The lawyers who served as county and prosecuting attorneys of Uinta
County, including the term that will expire January 1, 1925, are the
following : William G. Tonn, from May,
1872, until December, 1873; H. Garbonati, eight years ; William Hinton,
one year ; C. D. Clark, three and a half years ; H. B. Head, two and a
half years; Jesse Knight, two years; John C. Hamm, six years ; John W.
Salmon, four years ; John R. Arnold, two years ; D. G. Thomas, six years ;
Abraham Crawford, two years; John R. Arnold, two years; Abraham Crawford,
four years; B. N. Matthews, two years ; Reuel Walton, two years; Abraham
Crawford, two years ; Dick Westra, two years.
The first sheriff of Uinta County was C. E. Castle, who served in that
capacity during the years 187a-3-¢ He was succeeded in office by the
following : William Hinton, two years; Geo. W. Pepper, four years; Samuel
Dickey, two years ; J. J. LeCain, four years ; John H. Ward, fourteen
years ; Frank H. James, six years ; Jonathon Jones, four years ; John H.
Ward, two years; William R. Lowham, six years ; L. D. Christenson, six
years.
John H. Ward, from years of service in Uinta County, gained the reputation
of being one of the best sheriffs in the West. His training f or this
office, full of dangers, in the days when cattle thieving, road holdups
and bank robberies were of common occurrence, was gained in the Civil War
when he served with the sixth Iowa Cavalry, and later when he was
freighter on the plains. Mr. Ward was a native of Ireland and had come to
America as a boy. In 1888 he married Margaret, the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. James Byrne, who, in 1876, had come to Evanston, where her father was
section foreman for many years. Mrs. Ward survives her husband and with
her sister, Miss Nell Byrne, lives in the attractive home on the comer of
Morse Lee and Eleventh Streets.
-
The author is indebted to the Union Pacific Historian
for much of the history of the early men of the Western Division.
-
Died Tuesday, October 28, 1924.
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