Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us 'Together Peter Rock, Sr. and Ann Elizabeth Smith Rock Peter Rock and Ann Elizabeth Rock were born in Quincy Franklin, Pennsylvania. They married May 11,1853. Peter and Ann Elizabeth had eight children. Angus Cannon, in the Sasquanna River, V baptized Peter a A ^^^^ member of the I^^A _^ ^M I Church of Jesus I I Christ of Latter I Day Saints in Sep- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ tember 1857, some- PeterRocKSr. time after the fam ily of three left Pennsylvania with two yokes of oxen. On July 9,1863, they left Winter Quarters in Florence, Nebraska, on Captain W.B. Preston Wagon Train of immigrants, which consisted of three hundred people and fifty-five wagons. They only saw Indians once on the trip west and were not bothered by them. The wagon train arrived in Salt Lake City on Thursday, September 10,1863. There is no record of the Rocks on the train in Salt Lake City. Local and family records show that the Rocks arrived in Morgan on September 3,1863. It is believed that the families of Peter and Henry Rock and Conrad Smith left the wagon train in Henefer and came to Morgan. They lived in dugouts near Stoddard some time after arriving. It was near a fort that was built for protection from the Indians. Family records show that Peter Rock Jr. was the first white child born in a dugout in Stoddard, on February 1, 1867. He being the eldest child when his mother died in 1878 had the responsibility of helping raise the family. Peter Rock Sr. had owned land in Stoddard and Morgan (Mt. Joy). He was a farmer and mason. His granddaughter, Noma, said that he was a slender man and wasn't cross with children and was a kindly man. He was especially gifted in the planting and care of orchards. He worked with his cousin, Henry, on the building of the Morgan Stake Meeting House. It was ready for Conference on May 21,1882. At some time prior to 1873, Peter Rock Sr. acquired some property in North Morgan at the east end of North Bridge Street, now known as State Street. He paid between $6.00 and $7.00 for the lot. Ann Elizabeth Smith Rock The original rights to the water for the property was signed to them in an agreement with the Indians. He built a log cabin overlooking the valley. It still stands at the site. It sits at the top of the street that rises up to the north from South Morgan. Travel under the railroad tracks, crossing Highway 30, now Interstate 80, to a dead end at the Rocks' home. The address was 749 East 300 North. The rear of the back yard rises up a little canyon that goes into the foothills. The house looks out upon the city of Morgan. It had three rooms downstairs and an upstairs with two rooms for sleeping accommodations for the children. The stairs were in the southwest comer of the cabin. The cabin had split shingles, made by Peter. (Reportedly the first made.) A garage was eventually built near the front yard and in later years was dwarfed by the large tree. Fruit trees grew in the backyard with the vegetable garden and the south border of the front yard always planted in peonies. He had been very involved in the development of the South Robinson Spring and built a ditch to furnish water to his orchard and garden as well as to homes by the stream and flues There was also a small spring and a pond in the hollow above the cabin. They were buried, along with the yard and garden area, with shale, when the flood came. Peter planted a tree out from the house, along a stream of water running down the hill from the springs. It was reportedly the largest tree in Morgan. The tree was removed. The trunk of the tree still remains as a reminder of its size. The house was sold and has since been remodeled. The remodeling was done around the original log cabin. Peter and Ann Elizabeth were the parents of eight children. Two boys, born and died in Pennsylvania; one girl born in Pennsylvania, who came west with them; one girl born in Farmington, but died three years later; two more boys, Peter and