Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together equipment on mules over the mountain from Centerville to Hardscrabble and built a sawmill on what they called Beaver Creek. They named Hardscrabble Canyon, which means hard, rocky terrain. The mill was in use until 1891. The cost of the mill was $3,000. By working long hours, they were able to cut 4,000 board feet of lumber per day. The first 500 board feet was taken over the mountain by cart with four yoke of oxen. Lumber was also hauled down Weber Canyon. In the spring of 1861, Sanford Sr. built a log house at the mouth of Hardscrabble Canyon, just about where the Marvin Kilbourn home is and brought his family. During the summer of 1861, Chauncy and Sanford Jr. also built log homes and brought their families. The settlement was eventually called Porterville in honor of the Porter families. The first branch was organized about 1864, with Chauncy Warriner Porter as the presiding Elder. There were eventually six sawmills in the Porterville area, due to the great demand for railroad ties for the transcontinental railroad. Chauncy and his wives were called to receive their second endowments in the Endowment House. While on this trip, Chauncy caught a severe cold. They stopped at his brother, Nathan's home in Centerville. Priscilla went on home to Porterville and Lydia stayed to care for her sick husband. His cold turned to pneumonia and he died on March 3,1868. He was buried in Porterville. ©9- John President Porter My grandfather, John President Porter, son of Sanford and Nancy Warriner Porter, was born July 28, 1818 in Plymouth, Oneida County, New York. His father became interested in the teachings of Joseph Smith, and in July 1830, he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of John President Portermch$) Latter Day Saints. He was converted and baptized by Lyman Wight. His entire family soon followed him. On October 5,1843, John President Porter married Nancy Rich at the home of her brother, Charles C Rich, and in the presence of her family in Lee County, Iowa. John and Nancy made their home at Charleston, Lee County, Iowa, where their son, Joseph Rich, was born March 29,1844. A second son, Sanford, was born December 25,1845. Some time later they moved to Nauvoo. In 1847, Charles C Rich, who was then living in Winter Quarters, went to Nauvoo on business and to visit the family. When he returned home, grandfather and his family followed him to Winter Quarters, arriving there on May 21,1847. On June 14th of the same year, they all left for the Rocky Mountains in Charles C. Rich's Company, just six weeks behind Brigham Young's Company. While enroute, John P. Jr., a third son, was born at Sweetwater, September 4,1847. They arrived in Salt Lake City, October 2,1847 and camped where Pioneer Park is now. A little later they went to Centerville and took up land there. They had always understood that bottom land, or land lying close to the river was more fertile and more productive than higher land. With this thought in mind, they took up land down near the lake. A few years later they were convinced that a salt lake is quite a different thing from a running stream of water. The found the soil was full of alkali, and would produce very little that could be used as food. By the time they discovered their mistake, all the best land in Centerville had been taken up. In November, 1851, a baby daughter was bom and mother and child both died. The father found it a hard and desperate struggle to provide and care for three little boys, the oldest only six years old. Friends and relatives were kind and gave all the help they could, but the times were so hard, food so scarce, and the tiny house so crude and comfortless, a mother in the home was badly needed. On March 24,1853, he married Mary Graves, who was a widow with four little daughters. Two children, my father Charles Graves, and Sarah Ellen, better known as Nell, were born of this marriage. During the gold rush, Grandfather made some arrangements for his family and he went to California I P.