History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

POPULATION. 693
Of the progress of settlement up to the close of
1862 mention has already been made. 5 At that date
nearly all the available land in Utah had been taken
up, and in 1883 colonies had been pushed forward
into adjoining territories, until they extended from
north to south in an unbroken line of about 1,000
miles, all of them under the religious and political
control of the Mormon priesthood. 6
and 1878, see Deseret News, Jan. 8, 1879. In 1870 there were 281 deaths in
S. L. City, in 187S, 497, the latter being the largest number recorded during
the interval. The principal hospitals at S. L. City were the Deseret, Holy
Cross, and St Mark's, the last two being mainly supported by the contributions
of miners, who are entitled to its benefits. It was not until 1SS0 that a
territorial insane asvlam was established, though one was projected in 1S69.
See Utah Laws, 1880, 57-65; Utah Jour. Legist., 1869, 1-24-5; and for grand
jury report on asylum, which is built on a high bluff of the Wasatch near
Provo, S. L. C. Tribune, Nov. 22, 1884.
5 See caps. xiii. and xxii., this vol.
6 In 1SS0 there were, according to the census report. 3,205 Mormons in
Idaho, 1,33S in Arizona, 800 in Nevada, 234 in Washington Terr., and 241 in
Colorado. There were also 1,131 in California, 451 in Wyoming, 554 in Montana,
394 in Iowa, 20S in Nebraska, and 2G0 in New York. These are probably
below the actual figures at that date, and certainly much below the figures for
1SS5. The Bannack stake, in the Snake River country, Idaho, alone contained,
for instance, on January 31, 18S5, 1,770 souls, being divided into eight wards
—Louisville, Menan, Lyman, Rexburg, Teton, Wilford, Parker, and Salem,
The first Mormon who visited the Snake River country with a view to settlement
was John R. Poole of Ogden, who went there in Feb. 1S79, and on his
return reported favorably to Franklin D. Richards. The first family to settle
there was that of Jos. C. Fisher, who in March 1879 located at Cedar
Buttes Island, being joined soon afterward by Poole and others. Ricks, Bannock
Stake, MS., passim. For account of Mormons in Oneida co., see SUvt r
City Avalanche, Sept. 17, 1S70, March 27, 1875; in Bear Lake Valley, Boim
City Statesman, Oct. 16, 1S79; for agitation on the polygamy question in
Idaho, Id., Sept. 3, 1S70, Dec. 6, 19, 1879; Ogden Freeman, Feb. 28, 1S79.
The first attempt to settle the country bordering on the Little Colorado in
Arizona was made in 1873, but the party returned, discouraged by the forbidding
aspect of the place. Some three years later missionaries were
ordered to make permanent settlements in this region, and at a meeting held
at Salt Lake City in January 1876, companies were organized and captains
appointed for this purpose. The first teams arrived at the Sunset crossing of
the Little Colorado on the 23d of March, and after the brethren had explored
the neighborhood, W. C. Allen and his company resolved to form a settlement
about 20 miles to the south-east of the crossing, to be named after the captain;
Geo. Lake and his band settled on the opposite side of the river, two mUes to
the south-west of Allen, on a spot which they called Obed, near which were
springs and meadow-land; Lot Smith and his company formed a colony three
niiles°north-east of the crossing, at a place which was called Sunset, and
Jesse O. Ballinger, with his party, settled about four miles north of the
crossing on the west side of the river, the settlement being named Ballinger.
The brethren proceeded to plough, construct dams, and put in crops, but encountered
many difficulties, the river-bottom being treacherous and full of
•quicksands. At Obed chills aud fever prevailed, the settlers being forced to
abandon the place and join the other colonies. In November 1S77 a number
of proselytes arrived from the southern states in a destitute condition; but