TI T LE PIONEER (full name) BIR TH (date a n d plac e ) DEA TH {date and place) PAREN TS . MAR R I ED (who and date ) A RRIVAL IN U T AH (dat e) (Company a rrived w ith) HIS!J'ORY (who w r ote) (d a t e written) I (w ho submitted) (a ddre ss ) .. · I~ PAG E Richville (located about 2 miles southwest of Morgan, in Morgan County, Utah) ,. Elma Whitesides Dickson About 1979 E l ma Whitesides Dickson Rt. 2, Morgan, Utah 84050 CAMP & COUNTY SUBMITTING _So_ut_h Mor.g. ;:..a.__ n _________ Camp (Camp Historian & address) Morgan - -- - - -- - -- - - - - - - County . Lola Dawson Peterson ------------------ P.O. Box 13, Morgan, Utah 84050 County Historian & address). Veloy Tonks Dickson ____ _;__ ____________ P. 0. B ox 203 , M org an, Uta h 8 4 0 50 S OURCE OF INFORMA T ION & PAGE NUM BERS : .~ RICHVILLE The structural factors surrounding the development of Richville, Morgan County, Utah, involves practically the same pattern as any other early Mormon settlement. Establishing a firm religious foundation around which industrial, social and educational opportunities rotated, was realized as the community began to grow and expand. As early as 1860, Brigham Young c a lled three stalwart families to settle Richville. Other adventurious families seeking new and more promising oppor - tunities followed the early settlers. Their worldly possessions were scant and their mode of life was simple. They worked diligently for a livelyhood, was prudent and thrifty, and developed skills which made them self sustaining in all phases of living. Their greatest concern was the welfare of their families. With this in mind,, they taught their children how to work, to have faith in God, to be honest, to accept responsibility, and in every way prepare themselves for missions and parenthoo<i. A more beautiful valley in the rocky mountains, surrounded by low rolling hills, does not exist. Picture East Canyon Creek gliding it's watery way thr ough this valley to eventually empty into the Great Salt Lake. Service berry and choke - cherry bushes are common to this area. A solid growth of flowers, grass and shrubs of most every description, including goldenrod, columbine, bluebells, sego lilies, forget-me-nots, buttercups, wild peas, and many others . Deep in the mountains are scrub oak, maple , aspen , cottonwood, pine and balsam. What a heaven for wea ry pi oneers. The early s ettler's agr ic ultural pursuits incl ud ed raising g rain, vegetables and livestock . With plenty of water for ir rigation and fertile soil. th e ground -2- produced high yielding wild hay. Good crops of grain and vegetables (weather permitting). The climate is rather cold, for snow falls early and lies deep and long. Some apples and berries are grown, but the seasons are usually too short to grow very much fruit successfully. These rugged pioneers dried vegetables or stored them in pits and cured meat for winter use. Plowing and harrowing were done by ox team. The crops were sown by hand, then with the use of wooden rakes, the seed was covered. Cutting grain with a sickle or cradle was a slow process. Threshing was done by having the cattle trample the grain sheaves as they were placed over a heavy canvas, then it was winnowed by the wind. Alfalfa was not grown here because of the severe winters. Blue grass was used for feed and was cut with a scythe and dried for winter fe ed. In the early 1905, James A. Anderson built and managed a local canning factory. He contracted many acres of peas and the farmers of Richville were happy with the prospect of having a good cash crop. Later he began making kraut, so the local settlers were able to increase their income substantially. The sugar beet crop also netted the farmers a sizable income. The beets had to b e transported to O g den by train to be processed. The social life existing in a fast g rowing early settlement was varied, stim-ulating and entertaining. Quilting, soap making, rag bees, dancing, ballgames, checkers, ice skating, sleigh riding and dramatics seemed to occupy the extra time of the pioneers. Most all social activities were centered around the church bec a u se it was actually the hub of the social syste m. Cording wool, spinning, v. eadng and knitt i ng requi:::-ed n1any hour s of work , so in orde r to make fur. out of work the townsfolk met t o g ether. H ere they sewed rags, corded, knitt ed, q uilted, and at the same time discussed various gospel principles; thus increasing thei r 14 -3- faith and reassuring each other to continue on in the work of the Lord. Hunting and fishing were the main sports . Game· was plentiful and it was an easy matter to catch enough fish for breakfast before the sun was up. There were also wild animals in the mountains. Checker playing was very popular in the winte' rtime and baseball during the summertime. The Harmon house, located a block south of the church house in JS Richville, formed the backstop for the ball grounds. Everyone played ball, young and old, girls as well as boys. Balls were made of yarn from worn out clothing and proved to be very good. Winter sports also included sleigh riding. The horses were hitched to the sleigh and as they trotted along the sleigh bells that were attached to the harness would ring out loud and clear. Ice skating cannot be over-looked. The ice would freeze two or three feet deep, so there was no chance of breaking through. Skaters would begin to skate in Richville and continue for four miles toward Morgan City. In grandma's hey-day they didn't have too many dances, but when they did, they made the most of it. They would dance until one o'clock in the morning, have supper, then continue dancing until four in the morning. The room in which the dance was held was generally small so it was necessary to pile the benches on top of each other to gain more floor space. The Quadrille was a popular dance and was managed by having the men line up on one side of the floor . Each man was given a number and at a given signal he woul d get a partner to form a group of eight for the dance. Someone had to keep piling wood into the stove for at least a couple of hours. Richville had a small log structure which measured about 18 feet by 25 feet with a place at one end for heating. It was used for school, church, dances, funerals -4- and celebrations. Every community's social center was small but very important. Later on a nice brick building was erected on the same site. The building furnished shelter for the church and school until 1913 when and addition was attached at the south side of the present building (1965). Members of the ward assisted the Morgan School Board in the constru'7tion of the building with labor and materials to the amount ·of $1400. 00; thereby securing a ri ght to us e it for worship purposes. Later the building was sold to the ward when the schools were consolidated, and then a north addition was built assisted by the L. D.S. Church Building Committee. The first school teachers boarded at the various homes and received as wages about $45 a month. Each student was taxed $2. 50 a month to help pay the teacher. Each student had to furnish his own books. John Seaman was one of the first teachers. His students were all in the same room and were from six to sixt een years of age. Consolidation of the schools in 1926 ended all teaching in the wards. Irrigation dams have eliminated the possibility of flooding, and the farms do not sub-irrigate as in former days. The wild hay has given way to the alfalfa on most farms. Improved seed grain has tripled the yield. Canning and freezing methods have revolutionized the diet and care of food. The climate has even become more favorable . Cash crops have vanished, not only in Richville but throughout the entire county. Beef and dairying remain for most of the farmers. The mountains have been over grazed, the timber removed, and the hills have generally become dry and less productive. Transportation to the larger cities is easy and more accessible, making it possible to buy many commodities. The lumber industry really fulfilled it's purpose after transportation was made available through the railroad and trucking facility. In fact, the truck has even replaced the railroad for delivery of livestock, milk and produce. e -5- Good roads, more taxes, e l ectricity, gas and the automobile are responsible for such great changes . The consolidati on of schools and the ease of travel has taken social activity away from the small settlements . Just this fall our ward was dissol ved and we were sent to another ward, in fact, we have lived in the same • house for fifty-five years and have lived in thr ee different wards .