Frank Troxler, Early-Day Miner 1890's Frank Troxler, a native of Switzerland, staked off a mining claim in Cottonwood Canyon sometime before 1900 and built himself a comfortable cabin in which he could spend his off-work hours. Frank was born, 10 October 1852, in Biel, Switzer¬land, a son of Bernhardt and Katherine Gallicker Troxler. He grew up in his native land and as a youth, left Switzerland for the Americas. He first landed in South America, then worked his way up the continent until he reached California. He crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains on horseback and settled in Salt Lake City. Here he met and married Mary Carruth. Mary was born, 2 June 1860, a daughter of John and Ann Hemming Carruth. The wedding took place in Salt Lake City. Frank was 28 and Mary was 20 at the time. The couple became parents of 10 children: Annie, Bernard, Sarah, Cecelia, Agnes, Frank, John, William, Jacob Glen and Fredaline. Frank was a cook and when he was short on cash he would quit his mining long enough to earn some money at cooking. His grandson, William Troxler of Salt Lake City, says his grandfather cooked for some of the mining crews. The mine did not pay off, but Frank worked diligently each summer, trying to make enough money to support his growing family. Mary and the children spent much time in the Canyon during sunnier months. A delightful story is told of the demise of Frank Troxler's log cabin. It seems that this day he cooked his breakfast, put out the fires and prepared to go to the mine for a day's work. Finding his dynamite frozen hard he placed a few sticks in the stove oven to thaw out while he was gone. A fellow mining friend, Elmer Olsen, came along and decided to stop at Frank's cabin and cook himself a bite to eat. Finding the stove cold, he built up a roaring fire, then took the water bucke and left for the spring to get a bucket of water. The bucket filled slowly and as Elmer picked it up and started for the cabin the dynamite exploded, sending logs, furniture, food, and the stove—skyward. Needless to say, Elmer Olsen must have given a prayer of thanks for his very narrow escape. He had literally escaped death 'by the skin of his teeth,' as the old saying goes. 67 FRANK TROXLER