--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Rasmussen, Daniel collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 11 published: 1909-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Daniel Rasmussen, "Mount Pleasant Pioneer Monument," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 11 (September 1909): 867–870.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera12011unse start_page: 867 end_page: 870 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12011unse publication_year: 1909 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mount Pleasant Pioneer Monument MOUNT PLEASANT PIONEER MONUMENT. BY DANIEL RASMUSSEN. The city of Mount Pleasant celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its settlement, July 5, 6, and 7, 1909. In connection with the celebration, a monument, a photograph of which is herewith presented, was unveiled in honor of the pioneers who settled here in 1859. In the month of March, of the present year, mass meetings were held to provide for the celebration of the semi-centennial of the city's founding. In connection with this movement, it was proposed to erect a suitable monument in honor of the men and women who laid the foundations of our beautiful little city. The suggestion that the descendants of the pioneers should as- sume the responsibility of providing the means for the erection of the monument met with the hearty approval of most of those con- cerned, and proved to be altogether a satisfactory way to obtain the necessary funds. Accordingly it was proposed that the monu- ment be erected in honor of all the pioneers, and that the names of the pioneers whose families should contribute $35 to its erec- tion be inscribed upon the monument. By this means the sum of $2,135 was collected and expended for the building of the monu- ment and the beautifying of the plat of ground on which it stands. The committee of ten men who carried out these suggestions were James Larsen, Daniel Rasmussen, Andrew Madsen, Ferdinand Ericksen, James Monson, C. W. Anderson, Joseph Seely, Joseph Monson, E. C. Johnson, -and Jas. Borg. The work was completed in due time, and the unveiling cere- monies occupied the morning of the second day of the celebration, July 6. 868 IMPROVEMENT ERA. The following program was very impressively rendered, in the open air, at the monument, at 9:30 o'clock. Band music. Original Song, "Our Home City," by C. N. Lund, Jr., by a quartette and the congregation. Invocation, C. W. Sorensen. Presentation speech, Ferdinand Erickson. Acceptance by a pioneer, Andrew Madsen. Original poem, "Fifty years ago," M. L Pratt. Unveiling of the monument, Mrs. Sarah Borg officiating. Dedicatory prayer was then offered by President Joseph F. Smith. The monument which is composed of white bronze was designed and erected by the Monumental Bronze Co., of Bridgeport, Conn. It stands upon a cement foundation ten feet square and is surmounted by a six-foot figure, Faith, representing the devotion and confidence of the pioneers. The total height of the monument is 27 feet and six inches. It has a beautiful location in the north-west corner of the Church block, and altogether creates a very favorable im- pression. On the monument is inscribed the following: Front Plate:— Erected in honor of tho Pioneers of 1859, by the Descendants of the Pioneers whose names are inscribed upon this Monument. Unveiled July 6, A. D. 1909. Right Plate: William S Se<-ly, John Carter, Niels P Madsen, Orange Seely, Rasmus Frandsen, George Coates. M. C. Chmtensen, George Farnworth, Nathan Staker, Jens Larsen, Jens C. Jensen, Peter Hansen, John Tidwell, Swen Larsen, James Hansen, Rudolphus N. Bennett, Hanry Wilcox, Christian Brothersen, Peter Mogensen, Daniel Page. Back Plate: Nils WMergren Anderson, Justus W. Seely, Andrew Madsen, James K. McClenahan, Mads Madsen, John WaMemar, Niels Madsen, Christian Hansen, PIONEER MONUMENT, MOUNT PLEASANT, UTAH. Unveiled July 6, 1909, on the occasion of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of tLe city. 870 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Christian Madsen, Henry Erickson, John Meyrick, Andrew P Oman, Jens Jorgensen, C. P. Andersen, Jens Jensen, Christian Jensen, Peter Johansen, James Harvey Tidwell, Niels Johansen. Martin Aldrich. Left Plate: Jefferson Tidwell, William Morrison, Paul Dehlin, Hans J. Simpsen, Morten Rasmussen, George Frandsen, Hans. C. H. Beck, Peter J. Jensen, Peter M. Peel, Jacob Christensen, Erick Gunderson, Fredrick P. Nielsen, Alma Zabriskie, John L. Ivie, Soren Jacob Hansen, Christian Nielsen Christensen, John F. Fechser, Isaac Allred, Andrew P. Jenson, Andrew Johnson. Inscriptions on Base and Plynth: Front Plynth: 1859, Mount Pleasant, 1909. Base: Pioneer Colony led here by Jas. R. Ivie, as president. Right Plynth: Fort for protection from Indians completed July, 1859. Base: Dimensions of Fort, 26 rods square, Wall 12 feet high. Back Plynth: Colony named Mount Pleasant and organized a ward, July 9, 1859. Black Hawk War waged 1865 6-7. Left Plynth: Mount Pleasant Incorporated a City, February. 20, 1868. Base: Grasshopper Invasion 1867-1868. Mount Pleasant, Utah. REQUISITES FOR SUCCESS. A prominent Utah educator was asked what a young man needs most to succeed. He replied without hesitation: 1. — To possess a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 2. — To be honest, pure, clean and energetic. 3. —To have a good bank account.