--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Bryan, William A. C. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 30 number: 2 published: 1926-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Bryan, William A. C., “Diamond Jubilee and Home-Coming,” *Improvement Era* 30, no. 2 (December 1926): 134–140." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3002unse 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: improvementera3002unse start_page: 134 end_page: 140 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3002unse publication_year: 1926 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 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Diamond Jubilee and Home-Coming DIAMOND JUBILEE AND HOME-COMING* By William A. C. Bryan, A Nephi, iUtah, Pioneer Friends and fellow citizens: — Your committee has kindly af- forded me the opportunity to occupy 15 or 20 ^minutes of your time this morning by an endeavor to tell you a little about the early days of our beloved city of Nephi. It is common knowledge that Joseph L. Heywood, of Salt Lake City, visited this locality in the Summer of 1851, and, being pleased "rith it, obtained permission of President Brigham Young to organize a company of Latter-day Saints and proceed to settle here. It was then called Salt Creek, for the reason that many people said they could taste salt in the water. While the creek has retained its original name, the name of the locality was changed to Nephi. It may be of interest to you to know that there daily flows into the waters of Salt Creek, from Salt Springs, located not more than twelve miles from this spot, more than thirty tons of the best salt in the world. Upon being permitted to organize a colony at "Salt Creek," Mr. Heywood began his propaganda and before the last of November of that year, seventeen families, numbering 76 persons, 1 7 of whom were adults, and 59 younger people, in 17 covered wagons, had camped upon the banks of this stream, we call Salt Creek. jit is still carried by its original channel from its sources in the great mountains to the east, to the eastern border of our city, where part of it is taken out in canals and distributed over the city — and the greater portion of it continues in its old-time coursie through the city, passing under Main street and the Venice Theater, and on the west under the railroad tracks at the western border of the city, where it is diverted and dis- tributed over our fields. The channel in the creek through the city at that time was from 15 to 30 feet deep, and its banks, where they were not perpendicular, were often used by school children and young people for down-hill sliding on boards, sleds and home-made skates. We had great times, and I worked iso hard in dragging the boards and sleds up the banks for the girls to slide down on, and trying to jump next to my best girl on the board or sled before it darted away, that I became an expert stepper, and I am still in practice. At that time the stream was small, and considered only sufficient to supply the settlers then present. My revered father and mother, Charles H. and Maranda C. Bryan, with their son, John H. Bryan, settled in Salt Lake City in 1848. ■ 1 : i : ' ♦Speech delivered Sept. 17, 1926, at the Nephi Diamond Jubilee and Home- Coming, Sept. 15-17. 1926. 136 IMPROVEMENT ERA There my brother, Charles Hinckle Bryan, and I were born, and, in the Autumn of 1851, my parents and the family moved to and became pioneer settlers on this blessed spot, where I have ever since been making tracks. I addressed you at our pioneer jubilee 25 years ago, and I expect to address you, if you will permit it, in 25 years from this date, at our centennial celebration. I have often had people ask me if I did not wish that Providence had willed me to be born in this "modern day of education, push and opportunity," instead of being born out in this, then inopportune, silent desert; and I have as often replied, No — not for all the gold of the world would I have transferred the date or place of my coming. It was exactly right — time, place and opportunity — out in this great, won- derful storehouse of nature, with its doors closed. It is true that its treasures were hidden within the vaults of the mystic — but what an entrancement it has been in searching for and discovering the com- binations by which those mysterious vaults could be opened by in- quisitive minds, searching eyes and busy hands. And what super-thrills have come to us as we have handled the uncovered coins we have searched for, worked for and have found. We learn by doing things — not by having things done for us. We learn to appreciate by need — not by plenty, and we appreciate most the things which come to us at the price of effort. We were here with very little, and many thingsi we needed could not be purchased — they were not here — they must be acquired by aggressive effort; and, therefore, everything acquired seemed a lux- ury. We had full appreciation of the crop yields, which seemed to come to save us from starving — of the twine and rope we could make from flax growing wild upon the bench lands — of the candles we made from beef and mutton tallow — of the clothes our mothers made from the fleeces of our sheep — -of the shoes made from cow hides to cover our bare feet — of the sweets manufactured at our firesides out of the juices of beets, parsnips, carrots, wheat, corn-stalks and water- melons— of the buttons made from cow horns, and crochet-hooks filed out of bones — and we were joyous in the comradeship we had in banding together for the protection and comfort of all. Those earnest pioneers had followed the inspiration of their day to search for isolation from mobocracy, for peaceful hearth, home and freedom. They were here upon the banks of this water stream fed by the sun-dissolved snow banks packed in the capacious ravines, and be- neath the mighty cliffs of our grand old Mount Nebo — here in this beautiful valley, carpeted by blue grass from north to south and from east to west — and looked up to these mighty sentinels of time, these castellated cliffs of red towering in the -east and southeast, and up to the ponderous monument, Mount Nebo, capped in white to the northeast, sending out its arms to clasp hands over our little stream of silver with its red-cliffed neighbor on the south — there seemed ever- DIAMOND JUBILEE AND HOME-COMING 137 lasting protection. They shook hands with their destiny — planted their feet to stay, commenced work, having divine faith in the hand that had so far beckoned them onward — and then seemed at rest, and in the spirit which made this piece of earth seem to them home. I was only two and one-half years old when our city had its birth, but notwithstanding my youth, those early days were distinct and impressive — they became a part of my soul and I imbibed them into my nature as they passed — and my good parents trained my mind to frontierism and duty in this great, outdoor, pioneer country. Here the young folks, as' well as the old folks, bumped stern realitiesi every day, with no jazz, moon-shine or picture shows for di- version. We young folks walked out into the trenches when we were not as tall as the guns we carried and took our part with .the men in whatever happened to be going on at the front. It has been stated that Timothy B. Foote, of the pioneer colony, built the first house in Nephi. I was too young, in 1851, to notice whose house was first finished. All of the colonists were building with all their might during October and November of that year, and while we are glad to give to Mr. Foote the honor of first having the fire sparkling over his hearthstone, we must award to each of the other 1 6 heads of families a medal of honor for being only a few short days in his wake. Mount Pleasant, in early days called Pleasant Creek, in Sanpete county, was settled prior to 1851. There was a saw mill then being operated there by one Mat. Hamilton, and from this saw 'mill was obtained all of the lumber that was used in building the first houses in Nephi, but in order to reach that saw mill it was necessary for a road to be made through Salt Creek canyon, which was then in its native wilderness state of deep washes, timber, brush and boulders, and besides clearing away the timber, brush and boulders, it required several dugways to be made, and the building of seven bridges across Salt Creek. So you who are eulogistic of this modern age of jazz and rush will kindly observe that the little colony of pioneers who rounded up their wagons and camped here 75 years ago and laid the founda- tions of this beautiful, prosperous, healthful city, were men and women, boys and girls who had home' in their hearts, and were vibrat- ing with energy, and had the ability to do and accomplish wonderful things on short notice. Many times during my childhood, mother told me of the first night father was away at the saw mill to obtain lumber. It was dark, and after putting the supper dishes away in their wagon-box house, she and my brother, John, who was then 1 7, were warming themselves by the campfire when four stalwart Indians, decorated in war paints strode up and gruffly demanded, by signs, something to eat. John said, "Mother, get them something to eat while I go into the wagon- box and keep a bead on them, and if they offer you any harm, neither of them will ever be able to tell about it." 138 IMPROVEMENT ERA They rudely ordered mother about and ate until they ,could eat no more, and they made solicitous signs toward the wagon-box, by motions to have John come out, but mother shook her head and kept offering them more to eat, while John, with his1 hunting knife handy in his belt, and his guns ready, [with his finger on the trigger ready for the Indian who would lay his hand on mother. The ugly painted creatures sat by the embers, talking in guttural tones, each seeming to be daring the others to proceed — but the wagon- box, with cover closed, just a peephole to look out of, appeared danger- ous, and about midnight they straightened themselves to full stature, gave a murderous warwhoop, kicked the firebrands about, and strode off like black specters vanishing into hell. In a moment John raised the wagon cover and mother stepped inside, while he put himself on guard in a position near by, where moccasined feet would be on their way to the "happy hunting grounds," should they with evil design return that way. With their ox teams it required nearly ten days of time to go to the saw mill, get out the logs, have them sawed into lumber and re- turn to Nephi. The nearest grist-mill was at Provo, and to take their grist to Provo, wait to have it ground and return to Nephi required nearly a week. In the Spring of 1852, the colonists planted every seed they could spare, and the yield at harvest time was good, notwithstanding there was not a drop of rain until after harvest. Salt Creek was* very low that year and all of its water was required to irrigate the small area then under cultivation. The first school house, which was also used for jeligious and other public meetings, wag built of logs in the Summer of 1852. It was about 18 by 20 feet square — one room, with two windows, one in the east and one in the south, and a door in the west. It stood on the east side of main .street, opposite the site of this tabernacle. Its roof consisted of log stringers covered with willows, on top of which was a layer of wild hay, and then iabout a foot of clay. Between the logs were wood chinks held in place by wedges, and filled in by mud. It was a very comfortable place. Sister Amy Bigler was called upon as school teacher, and every child that could walk out of its door yard was put in her care, to keep an eye open to teach us what she could, and to see that we were not kidnaped by the Indians. I had a lot of tender "tannings" by sister Bigler, and a lot more and heavier "tannings" from our next teacher, George Spencer, who was a tall, lank man with a military air for promptness and discipline — but on account of my youth and my dis- position to do and say things out of order I was turned over to his wife, Sister Spencer, who was a nice little blonde, with the heart of an angel and the mind and fingers of an artist. She taught us about flowers and birds and painting, and showed us how to extract the DIAMOND JUBILEE AND HOME-COMING 139 color from plants to paint with, and how to make paint brushes from feathers and hair; and she painted her angelic picture into our hearts where she will live forever. Then came Brother Andrew Love, whose ability to teach was only surpassed by his acrobatic agility to catch and trounce the fellow who even thought he could not, or would not learn and obey. But while he made what he considered the necessary impressions upon our bodies, he left well impressed, long columns of dictionary, history, penmanship, figuresl and language in our minds, and we are carrying him in our hearts, too. After them came Amos Gustin, Jonathan Midg- ley, Albert G. Fellows, and Thomas Ord, all good, worthy teachers, with the disposition to tan, when tanning seemed necessary. Z. H. Baxter, of the, pioneers, has the distinction of planting the first fruit trees in our town. He settled upon the lot opposite where the Bonneville Lumber yard is now located, two blocks west from our County Court House. He obtained some seedling apple trees from Mr. Hemmenway, a nurseryman at Salt Lake City, in the Spring of 1852, and planted them out on this lot. They made good growth until the year 1855 when the grass-hoppers trimmed them of leaves and bark down to the ground. In the Spring of 1856 the trees looked so bad that Mr. Baxter transplanted the most of them, and gave the discarded ones to David .Cazier, who transplanted them on his lot on the north bank of Salt Creek, one block east and half a block south of this tabernacle, and from them Mr. Cazier picked the first apples grown at Nephi. In the Fall of 1851, my father, C. H. Bryan, planted a few peach stones on his lot, across the street north and two blocks east of our Court House. They came up and made thrifty growth, but were "winter killed" down to the ground several years, and then started with living wood higher up each year, until about the year 1858 or 1860, when father picked the first peaches grown in Nephi, they were the color of, and almost as large as oranges, ,and after that we had no trouble in raising peaches. My time is up, and I conclude by saying: All people who make new discovery are pioneers. All people who first appropriate anything to use are pioneers. Seventy-six people, I being one of them, came to Nephi in September, 1851; the land was then vacant, and the little stream of water unused, and we appropriated what we could of the land, and began using all of the water, and we are therfore called pioneers. We are glad to have been guided to this nice place on the bosom of mother earth. We have prospered and are prospering, and we have learned to love this cozy spot as our earthly abode. Since we opened the door, a lot of good people have joined us — our own children, gifts from God, and other good people from all over the world. And new things have been discovered and brought into use by them, and they have become pioneers also. They are enjoying 140 IMPROVEMENT ERA the result of our efforts, and we are enjoying the brand-new things they have brought to us — we are even — we will dance on the carpet together. { And now, on the eve of our Diamond Jubilee, after our feast- ing and merriment, let us be impressed by the lessons of the past — that we have worked and achieved together — and tomorrow, we must begin anew to delve into, and gather out of nature her undiscovered and unspun strands of wealth, and weave and make out of them all of the wonderful things we would like to have and use — for I am sure that the conceptions of our minds are true visionary lights from the shores where the. things aspired to rest in nature's lap for our plucking. I compliment and eulogize the people of Nephi, and Juab county, upon the splendid result of their cooperative work in estab- lishing the Fair Grounds, at the western border of our city. Only the railway tracks separate it from my home property, and I love to hear the patter of the horses' feet upon the race track, and the yell of the boys upon their play grounds. The fair and the parade were true dreamland productions; the pioneers with their old time accoutrements and implements in the lead of the parade, and the modern climax of mercantile, mechanical, indus- trial, scientific and agricultural float exhibitions, with the fine boys and girls, with laugh on their lips, and go in their eyes, pushing at the rear, it made me feel like sliding down the rainbow. Good day, boys and girls; call and see me. Nephi, Utah. Gray Days Cold, gray clouds, white-hooded hills! Pale mists that creep and cling Along the lake and in the woods Where birds were wont to sing. The naked trees are still and stark, Their bare heads yet held high, Their lifted arms reach empty out Toward a leaden sky. The wind is still, but a breath that's chill Hangs low, and seems to rest Where brown leaves lie like crumbling bones Upon the earth's cold breast. The early night, with gentle hands, Soft robes and hides all scars; And, in the waiting silence deep, She lights the evening stars. Sunnyside, Utah FLOY L. TURNER