Hardscrabble DUP lesson on pioneer museum items The monthly meeting of the Hardscrabble DUP was held Oct. 13. Hostess for the month were Emma Clark, Connie Carter and Lola Creager. Greeting were given by Captain Clark and prayer by. Parlimentarian Marian Fisher led the group in the pledge of allegiance. Lola Creager gave a summary of last months lesson including data which named events which occured in 1877. Of special interest to local resident was the organiza¬tion of Porterville Wards and Morgan Stake. At that time Porterville Ward had an East Porterville and West Porterville Wards. Connie Carter then gave a personal family history written and re¬search by her mother Mary Ovard Wilde of Henefer. The ancestor history was for James Hennefer Jr. and his wife Sarah Hulks Hennefer. The town of Henefer was origionally named after James and his brother William. It was first called Henefersville, later shor¬tened to Henefer. Including in the history was the face that Sarah gave birth to twin sons James and William Thom¬as during an overnight stop along the trail in Mountainville, Sanpete County, where the family lived brievly after a few years of making their home in Henefer. This pioneer mother also gave birth to the first set of recorded triplets born in the state, three tiny daughters who were nam¬ed Mary, Jane and Elizabeth. They were also the first recorded children born in Henneferville. Barbara Porter then gave the lesson for this month, which discussed the lovely pioneer momentoes and artifacts to be found in the Pioneer Memorial Museum. Bar¬bara Porter and her daughter Dionne P. Halverson who was also giving these lessons to her DUP Camp in Ogden made a personal visit to the museum earlier in the month so her own exper¬ience made the lesson even more special. The object in the museum represent a sur¬viving memorial of the people who once used and owned the items. They reveal to visitors many interesting aspects of pioneer living, their ord¬erliness and care of their few personal possessions, the quality of workman¬ship and even minute details of their daily lives. The Pioneer Memorial Museum is located at the head of Main Street in Salt Lake City and was dedicated July 23, 1950. The Carriage House, which contains the larger pioneer relics and should be visited in conjunction with a trip to the museum was dedicated on October 6, 1973. During the initial settle¬ment of Salt Lake City new members were urged to emigrate here. Miss¬ionary instructions from the First Presidency of the Church contained this message. "Tell the people not to, be afraid of the Plains, but to encoun¬ter them with any kind of conveyance that they can procure, with thir hand-c procure, with their hand¬carts, their wheelbarrows, and come on foot, pack and animal, if they have one and not other way to come... Many of these historic vehicles are locat¬ed at the carriage house including one of the wagons used by the first group of pioneers who left Winter Quarters, April 5, 1874. In the Carriage House can also be found a wagon used by Johnston's Army, pack saddles, a surrey which was a one seated conveyance with a coal oil lamp on either side. Also there are wheelbarrows, handmade cutter sleds, an old bicycle which was called "the bone shaker" a fire engine, mule drawn street car. The tug ropes were also located here and tell an interesting story by themselves. At regular intervals along the tug rope were located stout wooden handles. When these ropes were attached to a wagon the handles were grasped by the men, so they could either help pull the wagons uphill, or help hold the wagons back while traveling down steep grades. Among the early occu¬pations in the territory of Utah were saddle makers, match manufacturing, rope making, furniture building, whip makers, carriage and wagon build¬ers, rope and sack manu¬facturing, soap manufact¬uring and many other occupations needed for daily supplies as the city began to grow and devel¬op. There were many varities of industries, but one of the most vital was that of the milling to crush the wheat for flour. Lehi Utah was the site chosen for the first sugar beet built in 1890 and was the first sugar beet factory in operation west of the Mississippi River. The blacksmith shop was second only to the food industries and not only did he keep the horses and oxen shod, but he was- also instrumental in turning the metal in the wagon wheels into plows and farming equipment. Each of these supplies are well represented in the Memorial Building. Of course one of the major concerns of the early arrivals was provid¬ing permanent homes to house themselves and the constantly new arrivals. Each family did as much of their own work as possible and barn and house raisings were a common event in each community, with indivi¬duals doing the jobs they were most skilled in. A taylor might sheer a sheep carb the wool, and make a new suit of clothing in return for adobe bricks for his home. Livestock and other food supplies were also traded for labor and building supplies. It was truly a time of man helping his brother because their very existance depended on sharing skills, talents and supplies and helping and caring for one another. The first homes built in the valley were either log or adobe and usually consisted of only one room. A rock chimney with a fireplace along one end of the cabin provided heat and light for the room as well as a means of cooking their meals. The frame work of the beds were of logs or crude boards. Pegs were added along the sides and then rope or strong cord was wound around the pegs to support the matress. Matresses were made from feathers or straw and covered with loving stitch¬ed quilts made by the homemaker. Chairs were often similarity construct¬ed with a rope seat. One pioneer wall might have hung a small framed picture of flowers or butterflies lovingly made from the tightly curled locks of a cherished mother or friends still living in far off England. Beautiful hand carved furniture was added to these homes as new rooms made their apearance and the people began to prosper. Furni¬ture of almost every description and from the poorest plainest to ornate¬ly decorated is found in the museum along with journals, diaries, family histories and a never ending list of needed items used by our early settlers. Sideboards, flour bins, sewing tables and sewing machines, dishes from fine china to heavy pottery, lamps, musta¬ches, pitchers, wall hang¬ing and portraits are just a few items mentioned. Almost every item nhas a story to tell and an explaination of its origion and the part it played in Utah history is stated on the item. As the lesson was presented by Barbara it really made you want to see first hand these many objects which helped to make the lives of our ancestors just a little bit easier. When we look about us and view our own comfortable homes and nice soft furniture and modern heating facili¬ties, it makes you even more grateful when you take a moment to com¬pare. Cutting down a tree, chopping and piling enough wood for a winters supply, stepping out of bed onto an icy cold floor, and banking the fire each night can't compare with, flipping a thermostate. These brave and noble people who sacrificed so much for their freedom of religion, and to establish so many new settlements not only in Utah but throughout our neighbor¬ing states really deserve this fitting tribute provid¬ed by the DUP in the Pioneer Memorial Mu¬seum. Take time to share this exciting opportunity to relive parts of our great history with a visit to the Museum, with your own family or friends soon.