HISTORY OF THE MORGAN STAKE HOUSE ABOUT 1877 WRITTEN BY MARY CHADWICK In 1890 the roof and framework of the building were destroyed by fire, and only a few of the pews and the organ were saved. Two large stone pipes went through the windows and up to the cornice. It was here that the fire started on the west side of the building. At the first the pipes went from the center of the room to the south end, but there was so much pipe that it could not be kept clean. R. H. Stevens and Henry Eddington put the roof on the building. Mr. Stevens built the stand, and in 1902 he built the pulpit. The brass rods were put up at the same time. The old clock was soon added but it never worked very well. The idea at first was to erect the church building where the court house now stands and excavating was done there, but after the organization of the stake the building plan was moved across the street. In 1937 the building was remodeled at a cost of 28,000.00 The dimensions of the remodeled building are the same, but an annex 25 by 25 feet has been added to the front of the building and the Relief Society rooms at the back have been remodeled and enlarged. The floor has been raised and a basement build which provides space for eight class rooms, a furnace room and rest rooms. The building was dedicated in 1901 by Joseph F. Smith, and after the remodeling it was dedicated by President Heber J. Grant in July 1938. The building has been dedicated three times. DRAMATICS IN MORGAN COUNTY BY FREDRICK W. CLARK A SHORT SKETCH OF EARLY DRAMATICS IN MORGAN COUNTY In the 60's before public halls were built, the people had house house parties ans social gathering for entertainment, consisting of songs, readings and impersonations. There were many fine entertainers; Brother and Sister James Toomer, Mrs. Elisabeth Crouch, Ebeneezer Crouch and others. The children also did their part. The old songs were sung in earnest: "Hart Times Come Again no More", "Home Again from a Foreign Shore", "Where Have you Been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?", and many others. The Morgan Ward had a very fine Choir at an early day; also a fine Brass band. The ladies of Morgan City presented the Band a very beautiful flag. The husband of the late Fanny Toomer was the Standard bearer. Later, when halls were available, dancing and the Drama were enjoyed. Charles Bull was the principal violinist. Later we had many violinists. When Dramatics came to the front we had many fine "Stars"; — Jas. H. Mason and wife, Clara: Henry Eddington and wife: Wm. Eddington and wife; H. T. Pugh and his son Harry; Brother James Toomer and wife; Elisabeth Turner, Sophia Turner; James Campbell and wife; Oliver Kingston; Daniel Heiner; John Wood and wife; Charles W. Taggert; George H. Taggert and family were engaged in the orchestra. But the star of all comedian Stars was our much respected Sister Nettie Durrant. Chas. A. Welch was always at the front with his parts. Many fine plays were presented. Among them were "The Charcoal Burner", "Better than Gold", "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Ben Bolt", "The Octeroon", "Maud's Peril" and "The Drunkard's Warning". All Plays were preceded by a splendid farce, in which Henry Eddington was usually the "Star". One of the many laughable farces was "Paddy Mile's Boy", played by Henry Eddington, Chas. A. Welch, F. W. Clark, Jas. T. B. Mason, Mrs. Toomer and others. These items refer principally to affairs in Morgan City. In all of the outside Wards similar events took place with many fine characters. In Porterville we had Sister Jane Brough, Chas. G. Porter and family, Sister Kershaw and others. At Richville we had Sister Avilda Dickson and daughter Mary, C.W. Taggart and family, John Wood and wife and Sister Hilma Rose when starring the "The Old Maid's Convention" to a packed house, with F. W. Clark as "French Specialist" with his wonderful machine which was to remould all the Old Maids into beautiful girls. Milton and Peterson also did their part in Home Dramatics. Alas, for the good old days. In 1889 while the Stake Seminary was conducted by Professor Talles-trup as a missionary benefit he organized a large group of singers from all over the stake to present the great Oratorio, "Ester, the Beautiful Queen". A number of the characters were as follows: King Assurus, Joseph Littlefield; Queen Ester, Evelyn Harding; Haman, F. W. Clark; Sara Giles his wife with Miss Loretta Chapin as her maid of honor, and little Miss Littlefield as their daughter. James Rawle and others were the King's Chamberlains. The great Choruses were made up of our best singers. It required four months of practice and rehearsing before the grand opening. All had fine costumes for the occasion. A stage was built across the North end of the Stake House especially for this presentation. As to more recent events, your present Historians have no doubt kept careful note. Respectfully, F.W. CLARK NORTH ROUND VALLEY 1881 NORTH ROUND VALLEY Two trappers were the first to make their homes in North Round Valley. Mr. Cooper lived in the eastern part and Mr. Elhannon in the western part with Edward Hunter, the presiding bishop of the Mormon Church, owning the center and greater part. Mr. Hunter rented his land to a Mr. Rassmusen. This was in the late 1860's or early '70's. In 1876, Mr. Rasmusen hired 0. B. Andersen and Niels Nielsen to help him. 0. B. Andersen was the first man to introduce alfalfa in Morgan County. About this time, a Mr. Felt of Salt Lake City bought Mr. Cooper's land. His son-in-law, Thomas C. West, later purchased this land and lived there summers, moving back to Salt Lake for the winter time until his home was built. Mr. West was a farmer, gardener and horticulturist. His orchard was one of the best in Morgan County. Besides farming he was a plasterer by trade. He plastered the Heiner hotel (now known as the Vallis), also the J. Williams & Sons store, and many of the early homes in Morgan Co. He was chorister of the North Morgan choir and directed several operas. He took great pleasure in entertaining the young people. After Mr. Rasmusen moved away, the Hunter farm was operated by Mr. Ellingford, 0. B. Andersen and Niels Nielsen, each using one-third of the land. After Mre Elleingford moved to Idaho, Mr. Andrew Black took his place on the Hunter farm. Bishop Hunter's third wife and son, Edward Jr., came to Round Valley to live summers. In 1888, Edward married Addie Porter of Porterville and left on a mission to Canada. Mr. E. A. Richards and 0. B. Andersen purchased the western part of Round Valley from Mr. Elhannon. Before this, Mr. Richards had been a watchman up at the tunnels. He was one of the best entertainers in the county. He sang, tap danced and played a harp which he had made himself. The North Round Valley children had to cross the Weber River to the south side to attend school. The people thought the school should be on the side where there were the largest number of children. This happened to be the north side. Mrs. Hunter gave her largest room for a school room, and taught there a couple of years. After Mr. Nielsen moved to the south side, he gave his home for a school house. One wall of this is still standing.(1947) Round Valley is a fertile little place. At one time, about forty people made their living there. But at the present time, 1947, none of the original settlers are there. They have all moved away or died. Mr. Joseph Rees now owns the greater part of the land. Mrs. Steffie Davis, a daughter of 0. B. Andersen NORTH MORGAN WARD When the Morgan Stake of Zion was organized July 1, 1877, the saints at North Morgan were organized as a ward with Wyman K. Parker as bishop. He was succeeded in 1881 by William B. Parkinson, who was succeeded in 1884 by Oluf B. Anderson, who was succeeded in 1905 by George Walter Bramwell, who acted until 1906 when the saints of North Morgan were amalgated with the South Jordan Ward. Four years later on April 3 1910, however, the North Morgan Ward was reorganized with James A. Anderson as bishop. He was succeeded in 1925 by Everett E.Anderson, who was succeeded February 25, 1950, by Horace Heiner, who acted until July 1941. On that date the ward had 522 members including children. Bishop Heiner was succeeded by Joseph E. Reese. William Robison owned the first store and restaurant in North Morgan. It was located about where the Dunn FIoral now is. He sold the building to the Z.C.M.I, and it was moved down on the business street. He and his brother,Daniel, planted the trees on Mt. Joy Avenue, William planting the locust trees in front of the church building. OUR PIONEER MEMORIAL AND RELIC HALL Our Pioneer Memorial And Relic Hall With love and devotion in our hearts we are building and dedicating this Memorial and Relic Hall to the memory of our beloved and cherished ancestors, the Utah Pioneers of Morgan County. They chose a stupendous task, a life or exhausting toil, sacrifice, danger, heart-ache and often heart break, rather than give up the religion that to them was dearer than life. Driven from their comfortable and dearly loved treasure was tucked, --a clock that was weeding gift, a piece of fine linen, some silver knives and forks or a few lovely old dishes that some breaking heart couldn't leave behind. They became a sacred tie between the past and the future. On reaching the valley, they built their little log-cabins and made them as comfortable as possible with furniture constructed by the labor of their won hands. Trees were hauled down from the mountain side and sawed into lumber that was laboriously planed with hand planes, and built into the most necessary pieces of furniture. The treasured possessions, the homemade furniture, and every other thing that was useful or dear to our pioneer ancestors is also dear to us. Some of these valued relics still remain. Some times in homes too crowded to keep them. Some times they fall into the hands of people who are not interested. It is for the preservation of these fine, old relics that this hall is being built. The task of collecting Pioneer relics began in the fall of 1929 by Morgan Camp of D.U.P. (the county organization had not yet been effected.) The officers of this camp were Maggie T. Francis, Captain; Lucy R. Turner, 1st Vice Captain; Elizq D. Rieh, 2nd Vice Captain; Jeanetta H. Durrant, Secty. and Treas; Mary H. Chadwick, Historian; Isabelle W. Butters, Custodian of Relics; Rebecca Tucker, Chaplain; Cora Jones, Chorister; Afton B. Brough, Organist. Relics were gathered, and with the consent of the Stake President, were stored in small rooms in the Opera House, the room having been cleaned and renovated for this purpose by the D.U.P. Three years later the room was required for other purposes and the relics were moved to another room. In 1945 this room also was taken from us and the relics we stored in the little log cabin on the Stake House square. The needs of a relic hall was keenly felt. In 1940 the Morgan County D.U.P., with Doris Whittier Captain, held their annual ball at Milton Ward Hall and Cleared $40.00. This was the first money collected and placed on saving account for a building fund for a Memorial and Relic Hall. In 1942 another annual ball was held with Mary Smith Captain, netting the organization $25.90. Of this amount $20 was added to the fund. During the next six years untiring effort was put forth by both the County organization and three local Camps, to secure funds for this project. The first two years the County organization was under the leadership of Mrs. Alice wilkenson, Elsie Ball and Margaret Thackeray. These people were followed by Elsie Bell, Leona Clark and Elizabeth Lamb. At present our bank account stands at $2734.77. This money was raised by donations, bazars, dances, paper and scrap iron drives, and by preparing and serving 25 to 50 banquets. On July 12, 1948 a committe composed of Elsie Bell, Mary Welch, Celeste Durrant and LaRue Waldron met with Co. Commissioners H.H. Crouch, and Wesley Anderson, (James Palmer being absent) and in the evening with Mayor Richard Carter and City Councilmen Harold Little, Errol Eddington, Horace Heiner, and Wm. Turner. They were successful in securing a lease on a building site for $2.00 per year. A week later Harold G. Clark surveyed the land. On Sept. 14, 1948 Walter London and Thomas Harding assisted by Elsie Bell and Celeste Durrant laid out the building. The ground was broken Sept. 17th. The first shovel full being turned by Elsie Bell. The second by LaRue Waldron. The building was started Sept. 27, 1948. The corner stone was laid