Memorandum for Forest Supervisor

              STUDIES - Cache
Historical Information
Preston, Idaho
January 3, 1941
MmOMEDTM FOR FOREST SUPERVISOR
Reference is made to your memorandum, of 5-23-40 and to my
memorandum of 11-27-40 designated ^PUBLICATIONS - Cache Folder.
a,' ■.   Following is additional data submitted by Elmer S. Merrill:
"The first settler of Mapleton was Joseph Perkins, who moved
a?rbm Franklin, Idaho, in 1874 and built a home about where Henry Bennett
is now located.  Others that came in were Harrison A. Thomas of Smith-
field, Utah, Orrin J. Merrill, Mark Porter, Abraham Foster, George Giles,
Lorin Corbin, James Sweet, Owen Roberts, Samania Taylor, Nathan Hawkes,
Dave Davis, Calvin Wheeler, Archibald, Stephenson, Edward Whittle, Henry
Day, Christian Suffer, Fred Nuffer, George Kent, Sr., Genrge Kent, Jr.,
J.. I. Naef, and Samuel A. Merrill.
The first settlers noticed a well beaten trail along Cub River
up through the canyon, this was the old Indian Trail where bands of them
journeyed from the Buffalo hunting grounds in Wyoming, also made frequent
trips to Franklin and parts of Cache Valley.
The hills and mountains made excellent summer range for cattle.
They came as far as Plain City, Utah. Wild game and fish was plentiful.
Early in April, 1877 > Harrison A. Thomas took a company of men
up Cub River where the ranger station was located. They used broad axes
to cut railroad ties from the timber in thetfine groves. These ties
were floated down Cub River into Bear River and to Corinne, Utah. Many
ties were hauled by teams and oxen. Later in the year 1877 a sawmill
was built on the site later used for the Cub River ranger station by a
company of men. About fifty men were employed and thousands of ties
were sawed and floated down the river.  In 1879 Andrew Morrison sold
his land claim to H. A. Thomas who homesteaded the land where the new
meeting house and school house, at Mapleton, now stands. They built
ditches to get water from Cub River for home and farm. use. The pioneer
life was strenuous for the new settlers. They had their own milk cows,
horses and oxen. The feed on the range was plentiful for their cattle.
They also made butter and cheese. The wild hay was cut from the hills
and harvested for feed in winter.
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