Early Recollections of Logan by Joel E. Ricks, printed January 5, 1924

              EARLY RECOLLECTIONS DF LOGAN        When the pioneers were crossing the plains in 1847. They met s company
of trappers from Oregon, an their way East with furs, and from them gleaned
some information about the valleys about the Salt Lake from which I extract
the following; "Mr. Harris says he is wall acquainted with the Bear River Valleys
and the region around the Salt Lake. From his description, which is very
discouraging. we have little chance to hope for even a moderately good country
anywhere in those regions. He speaks of the whole region being sandy and
destitute of timber and vegetation except the wild sage.
He gives the most favorable account of a small region under the Beer
River mountains called the Cache Valley where they have practiced caching
their robes, etc. to hide them From the Indians. Me represents this as being
a fine place to winter cattle."  This probably explains why, as soon as they
got settled at Salt Lake, they sent man into this valley to explore it.
Sanuel Rcskelley end Brigham young Jr. came here in 1854, and in 1855 Samuel
Roskelly and others came to cut hay. Brayant Stringham came to cut hay for
the church, Andrew J. Moffatt and Srigham Jrf for President Young, and
Stephen Taylor for Daniel H. wells. The two Garr boys and Simon Baker came
in through Box Elder Canyon and down Sardine Canyon and made camp on welisville creak and later came over to the big spring in College and made ®
permanent camp. The grasshoppers were so thick in the valley that little
hay wee left. The Garr boys stayed that winter endsarly in the spring of
1856 had to break a trail over the divide to get the stock out. Roskelley
says he was taken, down with rhumatism and Pres. Young sent I buggy up and
took him to Salt Leks. Joseph Baker was here that winter and names Andrew
Moffatt, Bryant Stringhara, Simon Baker. Tnoe. Claytons Thus. Naylor, Thos.
Uendle, George Twist, and H8nry Cook as being hers at that time. They cut
poles at Haw Bush springs near ixiBllsvilie and built corrals for the cattle
and put up cabins. He says the snow was four feat deep during the winter and
it was foggy most of the time. The weather was so cold that cattle would
freeze to death. The camp at the big spring was maintained for some years
and cattle was wintered there. James Caoper »aiy§ that they gave dances there
in the winter of 1858. People coming over from uisllsville. He says in the
summer of 1856, prairie chickens were very numerous and that winter the snow
was vary deep and they could not go anywhere except on snow shoes. Nine men
stayed at  the camp that winter, Snow did not go off until 17& of April.
In the fall of 1857 a company of 500 msn was 3ent nortfc to watch that
none of Johnsons army should come into the territory by the Oregon Trail,
which passed through Soda Springs and on into Snake River Valley. Joseph
Baker was pilot for this party. Jamas Buayie was a high private. He says
Welisville at that time consisted of thirteen little log cabins. Be came
across the valley on about the same route as the present road, bie had to
make a trail through the willows to get our wagons across Logan river. Mf
camped on the hill near to Thatchers mill. I stood guard that night. The
next day we marched to Summit Creek for dinner, and camped on High creek
that night. The next day we built a bridge over Cub river, and ate dinner
on Lewiston Flats, and camped on Bear River. Next day made a gcou march
and camped near where Oxford now is. The following day we reached Marsh
valley where we camped for three days and started on our return. Be saw
there the bones of many cattle, or buffalo that had evidently been starved
to death, ws crossed the divide and came back by way of Halad Valley. Old
father Barnard had a correll at Malad creek. Chancey Uest was in command
of this company 0. 0. Roberts was with us.