Like all railroad towns, Evanston has labored under the disadvantage of a changing population, but she is indebted to the Union Pacific for many of her most valued citizens, as well as for her existence.
Division Superintendent O. H. Earl was succeeded by A. A. Egbert, and he, in i88o, by E. B. Dodderidge. Mr. Dodderidge soon came to be known as one of the best operating experts in the country. For seven years he was vice president and general manager of the Missouri Pacfiic lines, and is now living in retirement in Chicago.1
With Mr. Dodderidge was associated Joseph A. Edson, now president of the Kansas Southern. A. A. Leggitt is remembered as one of the office force at that time. He went from here to Texas, where he died some years ago. Mr. Dodderidge was followed by W. E. Wurtelle, who was advanced from the dispatcher’s office, and who was a prominent business man in Evanston and Park City, Utah.
George Dickenson, brother of the well known railroad man Edward Dickenson, was superintendent of the western division from 1883 to 1890. Mr. Dickenson’s business career in the northwest was followed with interest by all to whom the family had endeared themselves. He died in 19og, leaving a wife and two sons. Mrs. Dickenson’s sister, Mrs. Jane Osburn, with her son and two daughters, lived here for some years and later moved to Seattle, Washington.
Fred Mertzheimer, the master mechanic, who succeeded C. C. Quinn, went from here to the Kansas City, Mexican and Orient road. He died in 1922. Augustus Mertzheimer and Charles, both railroad men, were brothers of Fred Mertzheimer..
Among the early engineers were the Hamilton brothers, George, William and David. George was killed in a wreck in 1890, and his widow and four children, after living here for some years, moved to Pocatello, Idaho. William went to Omaha. David, a pensioner of the company since 1922, lives in the house built by William T. Shafer on Sage Street. The daughter, Naomi, married J. S. Parmley of Boise, Idaho, and Edna became the wife of Dr. J. P. Deneen of Ogden. The son, W. H. Hamilton, is machine foreman in the Evanston shops. His wife, formerly May Berney, of Horton, Kansas, is a prominent club woman and was one of the Wyoming delegation at the Biennial of 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have two daughters.
The year 1882, when I. H. Congdon was made superintendent of motive power on the Union Pacific, saw a new group of men installed on the western division, some of whom were important factors in the development of this part of the country. One of these, George F. Chapman, came out as master mechanic. Mr. Chapman’s father had been a member of the first board of directors of the Union Pacific, and was actively interested in its construction.
George Chapman brought here his bride, Eliza M. Capen. Mrs. Chapman died here in 1897. There were four children. Ruth became the wife of Harold Fabian of Salt Lake City ; G. Hobert married Francis Clark of Evanston and is now living in Columbus. Georgia, but was for many years surveyor of Uinta County ; Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman Allen makes her home in Boston, and Elwin F. entered the aviation corps during the World War and was killed in a clash of planes at the San Diego field on the fourth of Tune, 1818. Mr. Chapman’s second wife is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ames of Boston, and Mr. and Mrs. Chapman are now living in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Mix. Chapman left the railroad employ to engage in ranching, in which two brothers joined him. They had a fine property about twenty miles northwest of Evanston, and brought it to a high state of efficiency. They also founded the Neponset Meat Market, of which George Mosey, the present proprietor, was for many years manager. William O. Chapman, the eldest of the three brothers, was an influential man, and both he and his wife were well known in Evanston. He died in 1g1g and his wife divides her time between the homes of her two daughters. J. Edwin Chapman, the youngest of the brothers, died in 1913. His wife, whose maiden name was Gertrude Robinson, lives in Boston. Their only son, Ralph, who married the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Hyrum Bullis, died of influenza at a training camp near Gettysburg in 1818.
Others who have held the position of master mechanic are J. Dunn, now of Salt Lake City, and the Carricks, Thomas and Harry. Thomas Carrick went from here to San Francisco, and his son, Harry Carrick, is master mechanic at Stockton, California. The daughters, Bessie and Ida, live in Los Angeles. The elder Harry Carrick was for years in the shops at Montpielier, Idaho. A. Stewart, who had charge of the shop for some time, lost his life in the World War. Anthony Jeffers went from here to Cheyenne, and now lives in Denver. S. Olsen was succeeded by Thomas Crosby, who is now at the head of the shop.
Arthur Kingsbury was clerk in the shops for the ten years following 1882, and his family is still held in remembrance.
Among the engineers who came out in the early ’80s, was Ben Gutting. In 1884 he brought his wife, an Omaha lady. Mr. Gutting’s death in a bridge accident in 1904 was one of the tragedies of the road. His wife continued to live here for some years and she put up three houses on Fourteenth Street. She now makes her home in Rock Springs with her son, Arthur, who is a practicing dentist.
Peter Peterson came out from the state of Iowa in 1883 as engineer, and built the home on the corner of Sage and Fourteenth Streets. He met death in a railroad accident in Arizona, where he was running an engine. Mrs. Peterson makes her home in Evanston, as do two of the daughters, Mrs. Ausherman and Mrs. Booth. The eldest daughter, Nina, wife of Fred W. Bower, lives in San Leandro, California. They have one son, Robert.
Another engineer who left an impress on the community is Joseph Stevenson, who built the home now occupied by John Stacey, and who, with his wife, now lives at San Gabriel, California.
Engineer George Baker came here with his family in 1888. There are three children, Edward, Frank and Lillian, all of whom live in Green River. Mrs. Baker is known for her unselfish service to others. They bought the home built by Robert Ross, now owned by Robert Sharp.
On the morning of November 17, 1906, Evanston was thrown into deep gloom by the news of one of the most fatal wrecks in the history of the Union Pacific. It occurred at Azuza, a station between Green River and Granger. Eleven were killed in a head-end collision, and five of them were from Evanston. They were Engineers B. F. Eckles and William Murray, Express Messenger James Winslow, a trainman named Cumstock and Roy Chamberlain, clerk of the court, who was seated in a passenger coach. Mr. Murray and Mr. Eckles were men of families and the others were young men of great promise whose loss to the community can never be replaced. Thanks to the “safety first” movement throughout the land, these accidents are mercifully growing less frequent. The Union Pacific has always been foremost in every movement for the good of its employees, and is one of the safest and best roads in operation today.
Ole Bergstrom came from Omaha to work in the railroad carpenter shop at Evanston in 1883. After leaving the employ of the road he formed a partnership with George Carruth. Mr. and Mrs. Bergstrom were natives of Sweden. Never were citizens more missed than they when, in 1912, they moved to South Pasadena, California, where Mrs. Bergstrom died ten years later. Her husband received a royal welcome when he visited here in 1923.
Mr. Carruth is still engaged in the building business. He married Miss Susan Daniels of Coalville, Utah, and they have two sons and two daughters.
Another shopman who became carpenter was M. E. Peterson. For some years the family lived in North Evanston, and later moved to their present home on the hill. There were seven children, three of whom live here, Ellen, Oscar and Mrs. Jennie Reeves. Charles, Anton and Florence, wife of Fred Blackham, make their home in Rock Springs.
Another of the early engineers was Louis Demson, who, with his wife and three children, resided here for many years. They moved to Ogden and later to California.
N. S. Nelson, who came here in the ’90s and has for many years run a passenger train, was the first to take advantage of the plan of the Evanston Building and Loan Association in erecting his home, which is at the corner of Summit and Thirteenth Streets. Over fifty houses have been put up by this excellent method, which is in the hands of our own business men. Charles F. Wilkenson, who, with his wife and daughter, came here about the same time as Mr. Nelson, has been president of the business for many years. He has an attractive home on Center Street.
W. F. Baden, another of the engineers of this period, married a daughter of Fred Larsen, one of the early shopmen. Mr. and Mrs. Baden have passed from earth and are survived by five children. The sons are well known here, as are the two daughters, who became the wives of the Sharp brothers. Another daughter of Mr. Larsen is the wife of J. H. Case.
Among the later railroad men who have left happy memories is H. A. Connett, who is now assistant superintendent of the eastern division, with an office in Cheyenne. Mrs. Connet possesses a beautiful contralto voice that is a delight to all who know her.
A family deserving mention is that of Daniel Gerard, who came to Evanston in 1887. Mr. Gerard has served for years on the school and library boards, and has two daughters who have been successful teachers. John Redmond, one of the oldest of the railroad employees, still lives here.
For many years Chamberlain and Small were prominent builders of Evanston.
In 1882 came A. W. Anderson, a contractor and builder who had made Rock Springs a stopping place for one year in his journey from his native land, Sweden. He married in 1890, and there are four sons in the family-Oscar, who married Miss Bessee Worthen of Salt Lake City, is in business with his father ; Waldamar, who is proprietor of Hotel Waldamar; Dewey, a lawyer of Seattle, Washington, and Clarence, the youngest son.
Another man in the same business is A. L. Cheese. Mr. and Mrs. Cheese came from the state of Illinois, and have made Evanston their home since the year 189i . Their son, Dr. L. A. Cheese, is a practicing dentist here. The daughter, Mrs. Mary Edwards, lives in California.
For over forty -years Mrs. Code, whose maiden name was Farrell, and whose husband James Code was blacksmith in the Union Pacific shops, was engaged in the millinery business. Mrs. Code died in i g2 3, a few months after the death of her husband. The son John makes his home in Ogden. Belle became the wife of Benjamin Baum, a building contractor, whose work is sought by the government and many large concerns, and the youngest daughter, Kate, married J. E. Moorehouse, and lives in Oklahoma.
The Beeman & Cashin Mercantile Company was established in 1883 as successor to the Christie and Lanktree Hardware Company and the ‘Bisbing furniture store. Joseph E. Cashin came from New York in 1882, bringing with him his father’s family, all of whom made their influence felt in the new home. During his ten years of residence here Mr. Cashin was one of the most public spirited men, and represented the county in the state senate. He died in Chicago and is survived by his wife, Rose Gaynor Cashin. Connected with the Beeman & Cashin firm for many years were Joseph E. Cashin and E. H. Lewis. The present manager, John Smith, came here in 1882. He married Virginia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Allard, and their only child, Frances, is a teacher in our schools.
A. G. Rex started in business in Evanston in 1894. He had come to Utah with cattle before the building of the railroad, and took up land near Randolph. In 1873 he entered the railroad shops as carpenter, after which he established a news and stationery store on Main Street, which was later moved across the street to the present location. Mr. Rex died in March, 1924.
There are many interesting memories that cluster around these days. One is of Henry Code, who had the misfortune of having his arms cut off above the elbow -in early life, but whose indomitable spirit allowed him to ask favors of no man. He supported himself in a shop on Main Street, where he repaired sewing machines and did the most delicate of locksmith work with the aid of cunningly constructed implements attached to his stumps of arms. He was coroner for some years, and during one campaign for the office he was described with unconscious humor as “the man without arms who had a large family on his hands”. His stepson, David Barton, who married Lydia Barnard, has a blacksmith shop on Front Street. They have one daughter, Leona, who has fitted herself for teaching.
In 1885 Isadore Kastor arrived in Evanston, and was soon joined by his brother Leo. There was founded a clothing business that, from a small beginning on a counter in the Booth & Crocker Meat Market, where the Hill-Otte Drug Company now stands, has developed into one of the most important establishments of the county. It is known as I. Kastor, Incorporated. Leo Kastor remained three years and then went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Mr. Kastor’s youngest son, Shirley, is an important member of the firm, as is also D. A. Coughlin, who has been with them since the year 1908. In sharp contrast to the early days, when every effort was put forth to make an imposing display of their small stock of goods midst the incongruous surroundings of the livestock products and poultry, is the present building on Front Street, where they are constantly devising new methods to accommodate their growing business. Isadore Kastor was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to this country when a youth. He married Fannie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Lewis, and they are the parents of four children. Louis is in business in Salt Lake City. Selma became the wife of M. L. Katz, a successful attorney of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Bertha, the youngest daughter, is attending school in Boston.
I. M. Lewis, a clothing merchant in Evanston from 1888 to 1896, is survived by two sons who live here, David and Aaron. The former married Valerie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mosslander, and the latter Miss Minnie Gunnell. Emma Lewis, who is remembered as one of our high school teachers, became the wife of Isaac Harris and lives in Boston, as does also a sister named Martha, who married Dr. L. Golden.
George Mosey came to Evanston in 1887 from western New York to work for Beeman & ‘Cashin. His son Howard is in the Neponset Meat Market with him. He married Miss Clara Swenson, a teacher in our high school, and they are the parents of two children. Helen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geroge Mosey, is a successful teacher on the coast.
It may seem to the ordinary reader strange that the old county of Uinta has been the cradle of so many important beginnings. Of all of the business enterprises born and fostered here none have become so widely known as those of Guy Johnson and his associates. The Golden Rule Mercantile Company had its birth in the year 1897 in the little wooden building belonging to I. C. Winslow, where the Wyoming Press office now stands. The novelty of a “five and ten cent counter” attracted buyers, and the little stock of merchandise was quickly sold and replenished, each new shipment adding to its volume until by the time the business had reached the age of two years a new home was necessary. In 1899 the building on Main Street was put up, and improvements and additions have followed with the years until it now runs through the block with a store room on Front Street.
Guy Johnson was a native of West Virginia, who came to Evanston from Great Falls, Montana, where he had a store. Shortly after his arrival he formed a partnership with T. A. Callahan of Colorado, and a plan of cooperative buying was worked out, that outlasted their partnership. In 1904 the Golden Rule Mercantile Company was organized, with Guy Johnson as president, R. W. Stevens, secretary, and Lucy Johnson, treasurer. To quote the founder ; “It has been successful beyond all dreams and hopes, now selling yearly millions of dollars worth of goods.” It has branch houses in Nevada, Utah and Montana. In 1898 Mr. Johnson brought to Evanston his bride who was the daughter of H. H. Green, D. D. of Iowa, and to her he credits much of the success of his undertakings. Three daughters and a son have been born to them, and they are making their home in Long Beach, California.
Associated with Mr. Johnson was J. C. Penny who came to work in the Evanston store at a salary of $50 a month in the year 1899. At the end of three years Kemmerer was decided upon as a fitting location for a branch store in which Mr. Penny was to have an interest. As an organizer he was no less gifted than his friend Mr. Johnson, and the story of his achievements is as striking, for the stores of the J. C. Penny Company are scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, and have placed the name of the founder high in the ranks of the keenest business men of the nation. The human element has been an important factor in Mr. Penny’s success, and family ties and friendships have not been sacrificed to financial considerations. Mr. Penny has three sons, Roswell Kemper and J. C. Jr. by his first marriage, and a younger boy who bears the name of Kimball, the family name of his second wife.
C. C. Smith, for many years manager of the Golden Rule, is now in business for himself in the Beckwith & Lauder Building on Main Street.
It is impossible to do justice to the life story of Charles S. Baker in this volume, and it is to be hoped that a worthy biography may some time be written. A native of New York, he ran away from home when a mere child, and his years have been full of thrilling adventure. He early attached himself to a whaling vessel and later entered the navy ; he was on the San Jacinto on its important mission to Asia in 1855, and during the Civil War, when he was a bugler on the side of the North, was wounded at the battle of Bull Run. He later drifted west and wandered over the country from Texas to Wyoming, taking pictures. With a photographer named Johnson he established the Union Pacific Photograph Car, well known for years throughout the West. His pictures of Indians deserve special mention, for they are said to be the most remarkable ever obtained, and have found places in the Smithsonian Institute and other famous collections. In 1878 he came to Evanston and soon after opened a studio. His daughter Attie, also an experienced photographer, is in charge. In spite of failing hearing and sight, Mr. Baker is an interesting story teller.2
George E. Pexton came to Evanston from the state of New York in 1887, and since that time has been connected with many of the substantial business interests of the town and county. He is president of the First National Bank of Evanston, and has extensive mining interests in both Almy and Schofield, Utah. Beyond the bounds of Uinta County he is well known, having served the Republican Party as national committeeman from 1904 to 1918, and has the unique honor of having attended four national conventions in that capacity. In 1895 Mr. Pexton and Miss Annie Saunders of Salt Lake City were united in marriage. Mrs. Pexton is a valued club woman, and represented the Ladies’ Literary Club of Evanston at the biennial held in Los Angeles in 1 ga4, but her public work has never distracted from her home and social graces. There are two boys in the family, Elsworth and Sidney, both of whom are engaged in business in Los Angeles, where Mr. and Mrs. Pexton spend a large part of each year. Elsworth married Miss Lucile Helping of Los Angeles, and they have two children. Mr. Pexton has faith in Wyoming. The author takes pleasure in stating that it was largely owing to his vision of the importance of the work that she undertook the task of collecting and recording the history of the original Uinta County.
In 1885 the Downs Opera House was built on Front Street, and James Downs was for many years manager. He belonged to an old Scotch family that came here in i88o, and was a brother of Mrs. Thomas Painter. Mr. and Mrs. Painter have one son, Tom, Jr., who, like his father, is engaged in the sheep business and makes his home on the ranch. Two sisters of Mrs. Painter, Mrs. Annie Gibbons and Mrs. Lizzie Clark, live in Ogden, and the brother, David Downs, in Coalville, Utah.
In 1888 a city government was again established in Evanston, and F. H. Harrison was elected mayor. He was succeeded the following year by F. M. Foote. In 1890 I. C. Winslow was made mayor and served until, in 1894, ‘Cyrus Beard was elected. F. H. Harrison held the office from 1895 to 1897, when C. S. Baker was elected. He was followed by J. R. Arnold, and he, in 1899, by John A. Beckwith. C. S. Baker was again elected in 1goi, and remained in office until 1909, when John W. Dykins assumed the duties of mayor. Charles L. Eldred took over the office in 1911, and Isadore Kastor in 1913. Thomas Painter became mayor in 1915 and continued in the office until 1921. John T. Romick served from 1921 to 1923, in which year Mr. Painter was again elected. Those who served as city clerk are Jesse Knight, Arthur Butler, O. J. Smith, S. J. Van Ness, James B. Smith and William Cook. Mr. Cook kept the city records from i904 to i92i, when they were given over to George H. O’Hara, the present clerk.
Until the year 1915 the business of the city council was transacted in various rooms rented for the purpose. During the term of office of Mayor Painter the city hall was erected. It is a convenient and roomy building, in which are located the town jail and city fire department, as well as the town hall and the offices of the city council.
James Ayrest, who came to Evanston in 1886, is city marshal. The night marshal is Harry Bodine, who came here from New York in 1882 to work for the railroad and has since lived here. Mr. and Mrs. Bodine have a son named George and a daughter named Florence, who is a skillful stenographer.
The electric light franchise was granted by the city in 1899 to a company composed of local business men. As early as 1888 they had supplied the town with a fine lighting system. In z924 it passed into the hands of the Utah Light and Power Company. H. L. Williams has been manager for ten years and still holds the position.
The moving picture industry took root in Evanston in 19o7, and for a short time there were three houses running. The first was opened by A. C. Coey and H. C. Christie in the block where the Hotel Evanston now stands, and was known as the Edison. The second, called the Isis, was conducted by a Salt Lake company, and was in the building now owned by R. E. Bryan. The third was opened by Arthur Bowen and Richard Tarkington in what is now the Blyth and Fargo warehouse on Main Street. It was a common custom f or people to visit the three in an evening, all for the modest sum of thirty cents, or, if so fortunate as to be under the tender age of ten, f or half that sum. Bowen and Tarkington bought out the others, and since then there has been but one “movie” in Evanston. Mr. Christie went from here to Salt Lake, and Mr. Coey is now assistant manager of the western division of the Union Pacific, with an office in Green River. Mr. Tarkington, who, like Mr. Bowen, came here as a train dispatcher, also went to Salt Lake. Mr. Bowen continued the business on the lower floor of the Masonic Hall until the year 1918, when he put up the beautiful Strand Theater. In ig21 he sold out and went to Idaho, and is now living in Portland, Oregon. He married Miss Alice Cashin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Cashin. The Strand Theater is now in the hands of a company of which J. H. Harris is the capable manager. It is keeping pace with the progress made throughout the country, and the best of plays are presented.
Another beautiful hall, the Orpheus, was built in 1918 by a stock company composed of citizens, and has filled a long-felt want, as it is used for basketball games, dances and other gatherings. The annual flower show of Evanston is held in this building. This is a festival that always excites the-interest of the residents and the wonder of strangers, who find it hard to believe that so great a variety of beautiful flowers can be grown at this altitude.
Evanston has an attractive city park situated north of Bear River. The matter of buying this land from the state came up during the term of office of J. R. Arnold as mayor, and was soon carried through. The thick growth of cottonwoods has been thinned out, underbrush cleared away and a band stand and other conveniences added, resulting in a delightful pleasure ground within easy reach. Adjoining it on the west is a camp ground for tourists well equipped with electric lights, stoves of the design used in the army, laundry facilities, and hot and cold baths. Between the 15th of April and the 15th of August, 1924, twenty one hundred fifty cars took advantage of its shelter. It is under the competent care of John Cunnington, an early resident of Wyoming, and as the modest sum of fifty cents a car is charged, it is more than self supporting. West of the camp ground is the baseball park with bleachers and race track.
For the first six years after the organization of the Territory of Wyoming the public lands were included in one district with headquarters at Cheyenne. On August 9, 1876, there was created by an Act of Congress a separate district comprising the lands west of the thirty first meridian with land office in Evanston. The following registers have been appointed from that date to the present time : William G. Tonn, Charles H. Priest, Edwin D. Steele, Albert L. New, G. L. C. Goodman, William A. Hocker, Charles Kingston, Thomas V. Davis, Alexander Nisbet, Joseph T. Booth. The names of the receivers are as follows : Edwin S. Crocker, Henry R. Crosby, Edgar S. Wilson, William T. Schaffer, Frank M. Foote, Frank Mills, Benjamin M. Ausherman, J. P. Folger, Donald McAllister.
The land office occupies the southwest side of one of the most beautiful in the state. It was put up by the federal government at the cost of $18o,ooo, and was formally opened March 31, 1901. On the second floor a handsome court room with ceiling reaching to the roof occupies the center of the front of the building. The remaining part of the second and third floor is given over to offices and jury rooms. The post office across the spacious corridor from the land office would do credit to any city. James Foley has for many years been caretaker.
Before the erection of the federal building the post office was held in various stores. Following A. A. Bailey, the names of those holding the office of postmaster are ; E. S. Hallock, I. C. Winslow, William Pugh, J. H. Cameron, and Percy G. Matthews.
John Henry Cameron was born in Nova Scotia. In 1883 he went west as far as Salt Lake City where for three years he plied his trade of carriage builder. Here he became acquainted with Miss Mary Scholes, who was married to him in 1887, the year after Mr. Cameron located in Evanston. He was interested in the Cameron & Chisholm carriage shop on Front Street. In 1895 Mr. Cameron was elected county treasurer, and still held his interest in the business until his appointment to the position of postmaster by President Wilson. The family occupied a home on Sage Street between Eleventh and Twelfth, and the removal to Salt Lake at the end of his term of office was cause of universal regret. There is one daughter in the home, Margarite, who taught for a time in the public school and also filled the position of librarian in the county library. Miss Cameron is a gifted story writer, and has done some able work along historical lines as well. She is now in library work in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Cameron’s partner, Daniel Chisholm, built the home on Sage Street that was bought by J. H. Zipf. The Chisholms moved to Los Angeles where Mr. Chisholm died. He is survived by his wife and son, Frank, who is a practicing dentist.
The Evanston Cash Grocery was founded in 1889 by H. G. Drew. Mr. Drew as a young man went to California. He came to Evanston in an early day, and was for many years connected with the Beckwith & Quinn Company. In 1879 he brought out his bride, who like himself, was a native of Maine. There are two daughters in the family, Della who became the wife of Charles Elred and lives in Stockton, California, where their two daughters are enjoying the advantages of a college town, and Katherine who married William Lea, of Wellsville, Utah.
E. H. Horrocks brought his wife to Evanston in 1884, and opened a barber shop. The family, in which there are three children, occupy the brick residence built by George Dumford next to the postoffice. The daughter Ethel worked for some years in the land office, and married C. A. Parton of Waterbury, Conn.
McKinnon, Marsh & Peart had a prosperous meat market here for some years. They became interested in the cattle business and R. A Marsh is now conducting the Consumers’ Market.
The Standard Timber Company, a big concern under eastern capitalists, has been in operation since the year 1913. They cut their timber on the Green River watershed. The manager, George Loff, lives with his wife and son in the home built by Charles Blyth on Summit Street.
The Overland Lumber Company is financed by the George A. Merril Company of Salt Lake City. Wilber Watts is manager of the Evanston branch. He married Miss Gertrude Cortwright, a teacher in our schools.
Dr. Bristol came here from Laramie in 1898. Owing to failing sight he has recently given up active practice, and lives with his wife on the corner of Tenth and Center Streets. Both are natives of Vermont.
Dr. Charles Blackburn practiced medicine here from the year 1892 to the time of his death in 1895. His oldest son, Charles T. Blackburn, was appointed by Senator Clark to the Naval Academy and was a graduate in the class of 1907. He was overseas during the World War, when he was in command of the destroyer Beale, and later in Turkish waters.
Prominent in business as well as in his profession is Dr. J. L. Wicks, who, with his wife, came to Evanston from Columbus, Ohio, in 1900. They live in the home built by Joseph Shaw, an early employee of the shops. Dr. and Mrs. Wicks have two daughters, Josephine who is a student in the State University, and Lucile.
Dr. A. P. Thompson opened an office in Evanston for the practice of medicine in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have three sons.
In 1913 Dr. L. E. Fosner came with his wife who is a trained nurse, from Montana. They are living in the large brick residence put up by A. C. Beckwith on the eastern side of town and have made it a beauty spot by means of trees and flowers.
Dr. J. H. Holland came to Evanston in 1914. He had been connected with the army and had served as surgeon in the Philippines for two years. During the World War he spent a year and a half in hospital work. The family in which there is one small daughter, lives in the home built by George Chapman on Summit Street.
The Evanston National Bank was founded in 1907. The first cashier, J. W. Carse, went from here to San Francisco where he died, leaving a wife and three daughters. O. H. Brown followed him in the bank and went from here with his wife and daughter to Salt Lake. J. W. R. Rennie served for a short time
and was succeeded by Andrew Coutts, who had been working in the bank for eight years. John Morrow is also employed there. Mr. Coutts is a son of William Coutts, a native of Scotland who has lived here since 1888. Andrew Coutts married Miss Sarah Faddis, a daughter of Robert Faddis of Almy.
The Stockgrowers Bank opened its doors April 5, 1915. William Pugh was cashier and has held the position since that date. William Haines is assistant cashier, and Laurence Reeves and Harold Kelly are employed there. Harold Gunnell who now lives in Maywood, California, was connected with this bank for some years.
Mr. Pugh came to Evanston in 1884 as manager of the telegraph office and with the exception of a short time spent in Ogden, has resided here since that date. His wife is the daughter of judge and Mrs. Emerson of Ogden. There are four daughters and one son in the family. Beth became the wife of William Haines, and they have two boys. Mable was married to William Carlton and lives in Nevada. The son Emerson is instructor of civics in the Carnegie Institute of Techonology at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Hattie, Mrs. John Paco, lives in Canton, Ohio, and the youngest daughter Wilma, is a student in the State University.
William Haines the son of C. S. Haines who came from Iowa to the Bridger Valley in 1900 where he was the first to plant fall wheat, a crop now widely grown. About twenty years ago the family moved to Evanston, where the father died leaving a wife and five children. The mother and the eldest son, Everett, who married Miss Ethel Sims, also live here. Cecil is now in business in Rock Springs, and the daughters have fitted themselves for teaching and are holding positions in Idaho.
A familiar figure on the streets of Evanston is George Jones, who had the misfortune to lose his eyesight in early boyhood, but who is able to get around without assistance, and is interested in all that pertains to the town. His father, Fred Jones, had a meat market here in the early ’70’s. Another man in the same business was Richard Seaton who with his family went from here to California.
On the 14th of May 1884, a meeting was held in the Odd Fellows Hall for the purpose of organizing the Farnsworth Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. There was present J. K. Jeffry of the district of Colorado, who examined the papers of the following honorably discharged soldiers; John W. Dykins, Samuel Dickey, P. J. Downs, T. D. O’Flynn, S. A. Berrier, M. V. Morse, Samuel Davis, Wm. W. Foss, Elias Goodman, Josiah Eardley, Cameron Hayes, W. H. Blanchard, Frank Perry, E. N. Dawes, W. L. Moore, David W. Maurice, and Oscar Ludwig. To the residents of Evanston whose memories go back thirty years or even less, it is a striking fact that these men in spite of changing conditions, have with scarcely an exception been among the permanent citizens who have helped to make our history. In the completed roll comprising fifty-seven names the great majority have been men of influence in the town and county. The little group that gathered at the cemetery on Decoration day, 1ga3, consisted of Dr. Harrison, Charles Baker, Samuel Dickey, and Charles Deloney, the first three being still residents of Evanston, and the last named having stopped over on his way from Jackson to his birthplace in Michigan. The occasion was made memorable by the dedication of the burial ground of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the World War.
Samuel Dickey, the present Commander of the Post, is a native of St. Louis. He became a member of the fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry in 1863 when little more than a boy, served throughout the war and was present at Lee’s surrender. In 1871 he came west and worked for judge Carter at Fort Bridger. Four years later he accepted a position with Crawford, Thompson & Company in Evanston. Under George Pepper he was deputy sheriff, and was elected sheriff of the county in 1880. For over thirty years he was employed in the freight and ticket offices in Evanston, and is one of the pensioners of the Union Pacific. He is a thirty third degree Mason. By his first wife Mr. Dickey had six children, three of whom are living, Lillian, widow of John Beckwith, who lives in Mountain Home, Idaho, Mrs. May Osborne, who lives in California, and Clara, wife of Charles Dickenson of Cheyenne.
John W. Dykins, one of the most active of the comrades, was engaged in the cattle business near Woodruff. His cultured wife, the sister of Mrs. Fannie Blyth and Mrs. Julia Booth, was a marked influence in his success, and helped to make the Dykins ranch a model in its way. Mr. Dykins died in California in 1921, his second wife having passed away two years before. Among his bequests was the sum of $800 to each of the Ladies’ Aids of the Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.
Elias Goodman was for many years chaplin of the post. T. D. O’Flynn, who was engaged in business here, and was for some time justice of the peace, died in the Soldiers’ Home in Sawtelle, California. W. H. Foss and A. H. Bisbing were among our pioneer merchants. Frank Perry and W. H. Moore were well known in Evanston, and C. H. Blanchard lived here until his death in 1922. E. N. Dawes was killed while performing his duty as deputy sheriff. Frank Valeraux, W. H. Fallon, W. F. Boam, and Josiah Eardley engaged in ranching in the Bridger Valley, Madson Coffman took up a ranch on upper Bear River, and A. E. Eastman moved to a ranch in Woodruff. Connected with the railroad at this place were, Joseph Shaw, W. F. Huff, Charles Fritz, H. O. Singleton, Samuel Gauf, and H. R. Unks who was one of the first engineers. Others who made their homes here and whose decendents are still among us are John McGraw who had a ranch on upper Bear River, and who died in ig2a at the age of seventy nine, Peter Anderton, and Andrew Linden. William Wilkinson lived with his wife for many years on the Almy road. They had two sons in the Spanish-American War, in which Samuel Dickey jr. was also a soldier.
In the Spanish-American War, Wyoming was the first state in the Union to organize its full quota of volunteers, and the response from Uinta County was prompt. Frank M. Foote, who had been colonel in the Wyoming National Guard, was made major of the state infantry consisting of seven companies. Company H was recruited in Uinta County, with Edward P. Holtenhouse captain, Henry Olenkamp, first lieutenant, George A. Fast, and Thomas A. Williams, second lieutenants. Our boys left Evanston May 2, 1898, for Camp Richards near Cheyenne. One of the worst blizzards of the west was raging but did not prevent the gathering at Downs Opera House of every able bodied citizen of Evanston. The enthusiasm of the gathering, at which Rev. Bert Foster presided, was enhanced by the arrival of a telegram announcing the news of the battle of Manila Bay. (For roster-see Appendix i . )
On the Fourth of July, i92o, an interesting ceremony took place on the courthouse square, where a monument to the memory of the men who had laid down their lives in the World War was unveiled by Mrs. Ida Thomas Mills, widow of Charles M. Mills. President James Brown made the speech of the day. The names of all those who served in the war are inscribed on a bronze tablet inserted in the face of the pedestal. This tribute was the outcome of the work of the Uinta County Memorial Association, composed of men and women from all over the county.
The survivors of the training camps and battlefields, are banded together in the local post of the American Legion, of which W. J. Watts is the present commander. Its work is supplemented by that of the Auxiliary, of which Mrs. E. W. McConaghy is president. Both organizations are doing what they can to ameliorate the condition of those whose lives, broken on the cruel altar of war, are no less a sacrifice than those who died. (For roster see Appendix 2.)
To the work of the Red Cross, Uinta County furnished two whose names deserve more than passing mention, Miss Jean Sharp, who served overseas as nurse, and Captain John W. R. Rennie, who devoted his time and ability without financial recompense to the cause. Both are natives of Scotland. Miss Sharp received her training in the Dee Hospital of Ogden. Mr. Rennie has been a resident of Evanston for more than thirty years in connection with the Blyth & Fargo Company. By temperament and training he was admirably fitted to take charge of some of the important supply and distributing stations in France. Mrs. Rennie, who before her marriage was Mary I. Webster of Laramie, was the first woman court stenographer in Wyoming. Under her able leadership the Uinta County Chapter of the Red Cross, of which she was first chairman, reached a high state of efficiency. Mrs. John Ward ably succeeded her as chairman. The second story of the Federal Building was devoted to the work of the chapter.
An important war organization was the Home Guard Band, under the leadership of our public-spirited county treasurer, Nephi DeLoney. At the close of the war it was consolidated with the Union Pacific Band. Among those who have helped to make a success of this splendid musical organization that is well known the length of the railroad is George W. Jay. Another who has done much for the music of the town is Professor W. H. Toy. Mr. Toy has a studio in the Beckwith Building.
On the summit of the hill east of town, surrounded by cultivated fields and by trees, are grouped the buildings of the State Hospital f or the Insane. One structure devoted to the care of male patients, the superintendent’s residence and one hundred sixty acres of land was the nucleus from which has been developed the institution as we see it today. It is one of the most complete in the state and compares favorably with hospitals of a like nature throughout the land.
The original hospital building, to which an addition was made in 1g-o6, was destroyed by fire in 1918, and has been replaced by a modern structure, the central feature of which is a spacious dining hall lighted from three sides that serves as an assembly hall. At the left of this building is Brooks’ Cottage, built in 1910, with its deep porches and cheerful rooms, where the woman patients are cared for. An electric light plant, fine barns and stables, a silo and separate kitchen and laundry have been added. A profitable adjunct to the property is the tract of land known as the Beckwith fields, lying under the hills to the south. It was fenced in by A. C. Beckwith in 1878 and is irrigated from the original White ditch. Most of this striking development and much that is not apparent save to the close student has taken place under the management of one man, Dr. Charles H. Solier, who has been at the head of the institution since the year 18§1, when he succeeded Dr. Hooker, the first superintendent. The farm, a model in its way, where are raised vegetables for the market as well as for the use of the hospital, has for many years been under the management of Frank Tucker, who was also engineer. Frank Plank, now of Pinedale, was steward for over ten years, and was followed by Thomas Cook, who, with his wife and two children, live on the grounds.
Dr. Solier is of French ancestry and a native of Ohio. He is a graduate of Oberlin and of the Long Island, New York, School of Medicine. In 1898 he married Julia B., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Winslow. Mrs. Solier was a woman of unusual charm, and her death in 1921 was an irreparable loss to her family and a large circle of friends. The only son, Charles Winslow Solier, is a graduate of the College of Dentistry of the University of Southern California, as is also his wife, whose maiden name was Mildred L. Nutt. They were married in Los Angeles, August 7, 1924.
In the early territorial days the genius of William W. Corlett, a lawyer of Cheyenne, set a standard that gave the bar of Wyoming a high place among the several states and territories, and history goes to show that Uinta County has done her share in maintaining this position.
According to the first division of the territory into two judicial districts Uinta County was part of the second. The first session of court was held by justice J. W. Kingman, in a building next to the old Whittier store on November 16, 1872. The Legislature of 1873 created a third judicial district embracing the counties of Sweetwater and Uinta. On July 9, 1873, Governor J. A. Campbell assigned to Hon. Edward A. Thomas, one of the associate judges, the July, 1873 term of court in Uinta County, and he continued as the sole judge, presiding until July, 1877, with the exception of three terms, when Joseph M. Carey presided.
Judge William Ware Peck, an appointee of President Hayes, presided over the July, 18?7, term. He was a learned and cultured man, and was said to be one of the authorities of the day on the old common law, having been a student in the office of Martin Van Buren. Many claimed he was lacking in practical modes of procedure, which caused unnecessary court expense and much trouble. Much could be written on his unique character, short of stature, but dignified of men, who walked the streets with his gold-headed cane, his kindly, near-sighted eyes peering out from beneath bushy gray hair, who astonished bar and jury by engaging the services of a minister of the gospel to open court with prayer. He took a great interest in the town and presented the Temple of Honor with several hundred volumes from his own library, making the nucleus for a reading room and circulating library conducted in their rooms above the Palace Drug store. However, criticism both well founded and cruelly unjust, called for his removal, and as an appointee of the president could not be dismissed, the Legislature created a new judicial district in the uninhabited northern part of the state, to which judge Peck was assigned.
Jacob B. Blair succeeded judge Peck and held the office until September, 1882. From then to September, 1886, the office was held by Samuel C. Park. The next appointee was made by President Cleveland.
Samuel T. Corn, a native of Kentucky, came to Wyoming from the state of Illinois, where he had for some years practiced law. At the expiration of his term as judge, in 1890, he opened an office in Evanston and remained here until 1896, when he was elected to the supreme bench, a position for which he was eminently fitted by training and temperament. The ten years that the family spent in Evanston made for them a secure place in the hearts of the community. The question of statehood came up during their residence here, and judge Corn worked for it with a devotion that was undoubtedly a factor in the favorable result. He was a pleasing and convincing speaker and a delightful friend. At the end of his service on the supreme bench, in 19o4, he and his wife moved to Ogden, Utah, the home of Thompson, the eldest son, who is chief ticket agent at the Union depot, and of the daughter Margaret, wife of Ross Snyder. Although he has passed the f our-score milestone of life, he is still active as referee in bankruptcy, with an office in Salt Lake City. Anne Welsh Corn, another daughter, became the wife of Captain William Brunzeil, an officer in the regular army. William who was born in Evanston, is a graduate of Annapolis and is a naval officer.
In 1890 Jesse Knight was elected judge and held that office until he qualified as one of the associate justices of the Supreme Court in 1898. He was born in New York and came out to South Pass in 1871, where he was appointed clerk of the court, and moved to Evanston in 1874. The family consisted of his cultured wife, two sons and three daughters, and the children have made for themselves lives of usefulness. Harriet Knight Orr, the eldest daughter, was left a widow with two little children, whom she supported by her pen and by teaching, at the same time fitting herself for the position she now occupies in the University of Wyoming, that of Dean of the Training Department. In 1898 Judge Knight was elected to the Supreme Bench and moved to Cheyenne, where he died in 1905, his wife having passed away the year before.
David G. Craig, an attorney of Rawlins, Wyoming, became judge of the Third Judicial Court in 1898, and held the position until his death, in 1915, at which time John R. Arnold was appointed to the bench. Judge Arnold was the choice of the people at the ensuing election and was again elected in 1922 for the term that expires in 1929.
John R. Arnold, the fourth child of Franklin Luther and Maria Arnold, was born in Ohio, and, with his parents, came to Laramie, Wyoming, in 1870. When a mere boy he began work for the Union Pacific Railroad, first as messenger boy and then as station agent at Cooper’s Lake. In 1877 he was transferred to Almy, where many lasting friendships were made. After a few years in the railroad service in Almy and Evanston, during which he studied law, he was admitted to the bar. He married Miss Sadie Davis of Salt Lake, and they are the parents of the following children : Mrs. Minnie Sample of Evanston, Franklin L. Arnold of Salt Lake City, Mrs. Florence Terry of Evanston, Mrs. Ethel Walton of Salt Lake City, Charles S., who is engaged in business in San Francisco, California, and Dorothy, a teacher in the Evanston schools.
Among the attorneys who are entitled to special mention is David G. Thomas, who began life as a coal miner. He came to Wyoming in 1878, and steadily advanced until he attained the position of State Mine Inspector. He was made superintendent of the Union Pacific coal mines at Spring Valley, and on the dosing of that camp moved to Evanston. For six years he served Uinta County as prosecuting attorney and in 1912 went to Rock Springs, where he has held prominent positions in connection with the Union Pacific Coal Company, and has also been prosecuting attorney of Sweetwater County for a two-year term. It was there that his gifted wife died in 1918, and there that their daughter Myfanwy, who became the wife of Dr. John Goodnough, has a home that is shared by Mr. Thomas. Dave Thomas may be called self-educated, as most of his learning came from his reading. He possesses something of the “divine fire”, and has written poems that sing themselves into the hearts of the readers. Besides many fugitive verses published in newspapers, he is the author of a volume called “Overland and Underground” that is a revelation of the depth of his insight into nature and life.
In 18go a jurist by the name of Cyrus Beard came with his family to Evanston. Though a native of the state of Pennsylvania, most of his life had been spent in the Middle West. In the University of Iowa, from which he received his degree, he formed a friendship with Clarence D. Clark that resulted in a partnership in the practice of law. Mrs. Beard died in 1893, leaving four children. In 1897 the family moved to Colorado Springs, and in the same year Miss Frances Birkhead became his wife. In 19oo they returned to Evanston, and the firm of Beard & Spaulding was formed and continued until igo4, when Uinta County was honored the third time in having a member of its bar made the choice of the people f or the supreme bench of the state. judge Beard was a scholarly and faithful worker and his death in 19421 brought sorrow to the entire state, in which he had friends in all ranks of life. Three of the children are living ; Mary, wife of W. C. Pefley of Idaho ; Arthur, who is a civil engineer in California, and Claire, wife of George Daiber of Cheyenne.
John C. Hamm was born in Pennsylvania and came to Evanston as principal of the schools from Kansas, where he had graduated from the state normal. He built the home on Lombard Street now owned by W. H. Burdette. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and elected prosecuting attorney for Uinta County. A partnership was formed with J. R. Arnold under the firm name of Hamm & Arnold, that lasted until Mr. Hamm moved to South Pasadena, California, in 1910, to engage in legal and real estate- business. His wife, who was also a native of Pennsylvania,, died in the Evanston home. There are two daughters: Lillian, who became the wife of Robert Paine, a Green River boy, and Lenore, who married H. L. Rammow. Both are making their homes in Southern California.
Benjamin M. Ausherman, a native of Maryland, who laid the foundation of a successful career in the schools of Kansas, came to Evanston in 18go. For a time he was receiver of the United States Land Office, at Evanston, and was admitted to the bar in 18)2. He went to Washington as secretary to Senator Clark, and returned to practice law in Evanston. He became prominent in business circles, and was a director in the Evanston National Bank. In 1912 he married Miss Claire Peterson, and they built a beautiful home on the corner of Tenth and Summit Streets, where Mrs. Ausherman lives with her mother, Mr. Ausherman having died in 1922.
Among the early members of the bar are C. M. White, C. E.
Castle, E. S. Whittier, R. W. Stoll, W. A. Carter, Leroy H. White, Arthur W. Butler, Earle C. White, James Hill, J. A. Hellenthal, Col. H. E. Christmas, Robert S. Spence and J. H. Ryckman.
Payson Whitman Spaulding has been identified with the bar of the county and state since the year 1901. To students of the past there is interest in the fact that Mr. Spaulding is a direct descendant in the ninth generation of Edward Spaulding, who migrated from England to the colony of Virginia in 161g, and that his grandfather, Joseph Spaulding, was fifth cousin to Rev. Henry Spaulding, who crossed Wyoming on his mission to the Indians of the Northwest in 1836, as related in Chapter Four. His relationship to Marcus Whitman is even loser, his grandmother having been cousin to the famous pioneer doctor. Mr. Spaulding was born in Maine and came west when a youth. He has become one of the best known lawyers in the western part of Wyoming, and is attorney for the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The fact that he was the first man in Evanston to own an automobile, an object of curiosity and awe to equine as well as human wayfarers in the early days of the nineteenth century, may account in part for his interest in good roads and his position among the members of the State Highway Commission. Mr. Spaulding married Mrs. Nellie Quinn, nee Johnson, and they make their home on the comer of Twelfth and Summit Streets.
The connection with Uinta County of Austin Clark Sloan, son of the pioneer William K. and Maria Townsend Sloan, dates back to the days of the building of the Hilliard flume. Following his graduation from the Collegiate Institute of Salt Lake, Mr. Sloan came to Evanston, where he married Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James McKenzie. In 1898 he went with Senator Clark to Washington, and combined with his duties there the study of law, which resulted in his graduation from the Columbia Law School in I4o3. The following year he opened an office in Evanston, and he and his wife are among our best known people.
Reuel Walton, who was admitted to the bar in Utah in 1907, came to Evanston in 1911 and practices here, having served as prosecuting attorney for one term. In the choice of his profession Mr. Walton followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, his grandfather having been a member of the supreme bench of Maine, and his father, Wesley K. Walton, having been admitted to practice law before coming to the state of Utah. After teaching for a time in the Provo Academy W. K. Walton took up land near Woodruff, and divided his time between this property and a ranch at Midvale. He was for a time prosecuting attorney of Rich County. Mr. Walton and all of his children are gifted in music, and as there are ten sons and three daughters in the family, they were never dependent on help from outsiders, but formed a company of their own that was known as the “Walton Orchestra.” Reuel Walton married Flora, daughter of Lort Lewis, and they are the parents of two girls. His brother, T. W. Walton, married Ethel, daughter of judge and Mrs. J. R. Arnold, and after ten years spent on the ranch they are living in Salt Lake City.
Prominent among the lawyers of Uinta County stands Louis Kabell, Jr. Mr. Kabell was born in Vernal, Utah, and received his law degree from the University of Colorado. He married Miss Ernestine Faus of Boulder, and they have one son. From 1913 to 1915 Mr. Kabell was in the office of the attorney general in Cheyenne, from which place he came to Evanston and established a successful law practice that extends to other counties.
Most distinguished of all the citizens of Uinta County is Clarence Don Clark, who came to Evanston to practice law in 1881. Descended on both sides from old colonial families, he was born in the state of New York and passed his boyhood in Illinois. He was a graduate of the Law School of the University of Iowa. In addition to his natural ability and splendid training, C. D. Clark is blessed with the gift of friendship to such a degree that there has been no office in county or state to which he might not aspire. From the position ~,i prosecuting attorney of Uinta County he stepped into the Congress of the United States, where he was the first representative of Wyoming after the conferring of statehood. In 1895 he was elected senator and held this seat for twenty-one years. His membership on many important committees and his chairmanship of the Committee of judiciary led to his appointment in 1819 by President Wilson to the United States International Joint Commission, of which he is now chairman. This commission was organized in 1909 between the United States and Great Britain and works in conjunction with the authorities of Mexico and Canada adjudicating the conflicting rights on streams of an international character. Senator and Mrs. Clark divide their time between the nation’s capitol and their home in Los Angeles. Of the four children born to them two have died, the son George, a boy of great promise at the age of fourteen in the year i8go, and Frances, wife of Hobert Chapman in the year 1g1g. The eldest daughter, Laura, is the wife of Charles P. Blyth, and they live in Los Angeles. The second daughter, Margaret, married Dr. J. If. Holland of Evanston.
The lawyers who served as county and prosecuting attorneys of Uinta County, including the term that will expire January 1, 1925, are the following : William G. Tonn, from May,
1872, until December, 1873; H. Garbonati, eight years ; William Hinton, one year ; C. D. Clark, three and a half years ; H. B. Head, two and a half years; Jesse Knight, two years; John C. Hamm, six years ; John W. Salmon, four years ; John R. Arnold, two years ; D. G. Thomas, six years ; Abraham Crawford, two years; John R. Arnold, two years; Abraham Crawford, four years; B. N. Matthews, two years ; Reuel Walton, two years; Abraham Crawford, two years ; Dick Westra, two years.
The first sheriff of Uinta County was C. E. Castle, who served in that capacity during the years 187a-3-¢ He was succeeded in office by the following : William Hinton, two years; Geo. W. Pepper, four years; Samuel Dickey, two years ; J. J. LeCain, four years ; John H. Ward, fourteen years ; Frank H. James, six years ; Jonathon Jones, four years ; John H. Ward, two years; William R. Lowham, six years ; L. D. Christenson, six years.
John H. Ward, from years of service in Uinta County, gained the reputation of being one of the best sheriffs in the West. His training f or this office, full of dangers, in the days when cattle thieving, road holdups and bank robberies were of common occurrence, was gained in the Civil War when he served with the sixth Iowa Cavalry, and later when he was freighter on the plains. Mr. Ward was a native of Ireland and had come to America as a boy. In 1888 he married Margaret, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Byrne, who, in 1876, had come to Evanston, where her father was section foreman for many years. Mrs. Ward survives her husband and with her sister, Miss Nell Byrne, lives in the attractive home on the comer of Morse Lee and Eleventh Streets.
- The author is indebted to the Union Pacific Historian for much of the history of the early men of the Western Division.
- Died Tuesday, October 28, 1924.
