Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together By December 1862 the Rock Chapel was completed at a cost of $15,000. It has been the scene of many marvelous happenings, prophecies, speaking in tongues, healings and wonderful testimonies. It was here that George Manwaring was inspired to write the song, "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" (Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning). After living in Farmington for about three years, the family moved to Morgan County to a place called Stoddard Spring, just over the mountain from Farmington. It was first called Simon Spring after Ben Simon who built the first log house there. Judson Stoddard bought the Simon place and named it Stoddard. This country was still quite primitive and a few Indians roamed this area. Groups could be seen traveling together through Morgan Valley. Clothing was so scarce that mothers often stripped the children of their clothing, put them to bed and spent the night washing, ironing and mending. The first grain in Morgan was threshed out with oxen on a clay floor; and when there was sufficient wind, the chaff would be blown from the grain. Wild berries were gathered, but because sugar was scarce, the pies that were made were sour enough to "turn our faces crooked." Conrad and his family lived in Stoddard a few years, then they moved further up the valley to a place called Mt. Joy which was later changed to North Morgan. Conrad built a two-room log cabin with an upstairs and a shanty or lean-to on the back. Later they built a few more rooms. The original dwelling is still standing but has been remodeled over the years so that none of the original structure is visible from the outside. In the fall of 1865 they lost their sixteen-month old daughter, Nancy. She had gone with the older girls and played nearly all day in the wheat bin. This was a fun thing to do. The next morning Nancy had developed a severe cold. About a week later, she died. This family and many others knew poverty. The older children would work for other people to earn enough money to go to school. With the coming of the railroad through Morgan in 1868, money was more plentiful. In 1864 this little community had its first meetinghouse, built of logs. This was also used for a school. Conrad had a few sheep, and from the wool produced by the sheep, the women in the family had a few dresses, usually two - one for best and one for everyday. The wool had to be spun, dyed the desired color, then woven into cloth. It was quite a process from the time the wool left the sheep until a dress was ready to wear. My great-grandparents planted a beautiful orchard and garden around their house. They used water from a nearby spring to irrigate. The water was also cold and refreshing to drink. The only light they had was from candles. This light was very dim. Later Conrad got a coal-oil lamp in Salt Lake City; this lamp was one of the first in Morgan County. The children and close neighbors gathered around in the evening and were amazed to see how much light the lamp provided. Conrad still did some rock laying. He helped lay the rock for the old Morgan Stakehouse. This building was started in 1878. It was constructed of hard blue limestone rock taken from a quarry above Como Springs and was hauled a mile or more to the site. The builders were master craftsmen as evidenced by the walls. This building today is considered one of the best pieces of masonry in the state (from the History of Morgan Utah Stake Tabernacle). Great grandfather helped build the roads and the water system in Morgan. He was Water Master on the North Morgan Springs in 1881 and 1882. Conrad and Eliza were married fifty-three years and were the parents of eight children. They had strong testimonies of the truthfulness of the Gospel ofjesus Christ and endured many hardships because of their testimonies. Conrad died August 28,1907, in Morgan at the age of seventy-five years. Eliza died January 26,1926, in Morgan. She was ninety years old. Even in her late years, Eliza had a sunny disposition and was known to have quite a sense of humor. Conrad Alma Smith Family. Left to right: Back Ro:o: Harriet Cordelia, Joseph Alexander, Conrad Alma Jr.. 1 lyrinn, Ann Elizabeth. Trout Row: Father Conrad, Samuel Baily, and Mother Eliza, imchs)