AMUSEMENTS Hunting and fishing were the main amusements. Game was plentiful at this early period. It was an easy matter to get enough fish for breakfast before the sun was up or to shoot enough chickens or kill a deer. There were also wild animals, bears, lions, lynx, bobcats, etc. Dancing was the social amusement. The dance would begin at sunset, dance until midnight. Then supper would be served and dancing continued until sunrise. They used candles for light. The people were frightened at the first kerosene lamps, so much frightened that the story is told of one fellow getting a long dry willow, opening the door a little bit and lighting the lamp with the stick through the crack. Checker playing was very popular in the winter time. Here is a sight seen by early settlers in Norwood Hollow. The sage brush was covered with bloody Indian scalps hung in the sun to dry. These scalps were taken from the Snake and Cheyennes by the Shoshone Indians. The Shoshone and Ute Indians made Richville their summer home. In the year of 1870 the taxes on 50 acres was $2.50. The first brick school house was erected in 1872 by the people. The shingles for this building were hauled from the canyon on hand sleighs in the winter. The reason for this was that four feet of snow fell early in the fall and prevented getting up with bob-sleighs. This school house furnished shelter for the school and church until 1913 when a modern building was erected. The first mowing machine was brought into the town by Johnathan Hemanway. Before this all the grain was cradled by hand until Thomas Rich brought in the first threshing machine. They called this the Old Chaf Piler. Later other machines were brought in, one of them being a horse power machine purchased by Joseph Waldron, F. W. Clark, G. W. Waldron, Thomas Spackman and N. H. Rich in 1897. The same company bought a self feed run by a tractor in 1919. The first tractor in Richville -24- was owned by Levi Waldron. The first piano in the town was one owned by Annie S. Dickson in 1896. The first automobile in Richville was owned by Levi Waldron in 1914. He also purchased the first truck. Thomas Rich was the first presiding Elder under Thurston. When Thomas Rich moved to Porterville, Johnathan Hemanway was the next presiding Elder, followed by John Seamon as the next presiding Elder. Ward organized July 1, 1877, Albert Douglass Dickson, Bishop. 1868 the railroad came through and the grasshoppers destroyed everything. 1869 the railroad was completed. 1875 Thomas Murphy, first missionary, 1876 David Eaton, David Henderson and John Seaman went on missions. August 31, 1878 YLMIA organized with Martha Dickson first president. December 3, 1880 Primary organized with Eliza Goodrich president. 1882 Relief Society organized with Fanny Taggart president. 1878 YMMIA organized with John H. Dickson president (Uncle Jack D.) Charles W. Taggaret first president of Young Men. John Seaman presided over the first Sunday School succeeded by Isaac Morris. STAKE ORGANIZATIONS OF MIA MORGAN STAKE First organization of the YLMIA of Morgan Stake was Aug. 18 with Sarah A. Rawle for its president, 1878. She had no Counselors. She resigned on account of ill health Oct. 25, 1879. In her place was appointed: President, Mary Jean Toomes; Counselors, Jane Crouch and Pricilla Tucker; Secretary, Flora Rawle. Sister Toomer resigned Aug. 3, 1884 and her successoir was Susannah Heiner. Stake Presidency Aug. 3, 1884: Susannah Heiner with Mary L. Welch and Elizabeth Turner, counselors; secretary, Flora Rawle Rich; assistant secretary, Nettie Hogg. At a Conference held Aug. 6, 1893 Sister Heiner was released. Her successors: President, Mary L. Welch; first counselor, Emma White; second counselor, Mary A. Eddington; secretary, Nettie Hogg Durrant; assistant secretary, Emma W. Clark. —25- -