Wellsville Ward History

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Wellsville Ward.
HISTORY.
1856
Wellsville as a settlement dates back to 1856 when it was settled by Peter
Maughan and others.    The beginning of Wellsville is described in detail in the beginning
of the history of Cache Stake,  but we will here add that Peter Maughan in 1856 was
chosen by Pres.  Brigham Young to take a small colony into Cache Valley and commence
a settlement in what is now one of the most important and flourishing valleys of Utah.
The following is copied from the notes of Peter Maughan who says in his diary:    "On
the 21st of July,   1856,  I was sent by Pres.  Brigham Young to pick out a location in Cache
Valley for a settlement.   Brother Zial Riggs,  Geo. W.  Bryan,   Wm.  H.  Maughan,   John
Haight,   Morgan Morgan and myself started and made choice of the south end of the
valley for our location.    At the August election I was elected representative for Tooele
county.    In September,   1856,  I left Tooele county with my family,   in company with
Geo.   W.  Bryan,   Zial Riggs,   John Maughan,   Wm. H.   Maughan,   Francis Gunnell,   O D.
Thomson and their families and landed safe in Cache Valley   the  15th day of September,
1856.    We spent two days in looking around about the valley,   then went to work cutting
hay,  building houses,   yards,   etc.    On the 27th,   my wife was delivered of a girl,   which
we called Elizabeth; she was our first daughter and the first child born in Cache Valley.
I started for Fillmore on the 25th of November to attend the Legislature and arrived in
Salt Lake City on the 29th. "
Other families came to Wellsville later in the fall,   including Wm.  Hamblin.
We add here the following notes from Sister Mary Ann Maughan,   wife of Peter
Maughan.    She says:    "We left Tooele county early in September,   1856.   Brother Brigham
(Young) said that all the brethren who wanted to go with Brother Peter (Maughan)  could
do so;  some were glad of the chance.    Six of the brethren with their families started
with us.    Brother Bryan hired a man to work for him,   making 8 men.    Our son (Charles)
rode our pony and helped to drive our stock,   so the lot of driving the team in which
myself and little children rode fell on me.    It was the same team in which I crossed the
plains.    Mr.  Maughan followed close behind with our other wagon; the weather was
pleasant,   and we were all enjoying good spirits.    We found Sardine Canyon (the next
canyon south of Wellsville Canyon) rough and very narrow in some places and a very steep
hill to go down.    We,   however,   got through all right and stopped to gaze at the beautiful
valley before us.    We then drove on to a creek (where Brother Bankhead's house subsequently was built) and encamped,   mine being the first team driven into this valley
for a settlement.    This was on the 15th of September,   1856.   We made our canvas homes
as comfortable as we could,  but it soon got too cold and windy for camping out.    On the
night of September 26th wa had our first snow.    It was very deep; in the midst of it,
on the morning of the 27th,   our first daughter was born.    She was the first child born in
Cache Valley.    Having moved into our log cabins,   Mr.  Maughan started for Fillmore
on the 25th of November; the storm he speaks of must have reached Cache Valey,   for our
fences,   wood pile,   wagon,   etc. ,   were soon covered up by drifting snow.    We did not
see them again until spring.    We dug down to the end of a log of wood,   drew it out and
cut it.   When that was burned,   we got another the same way.    We dug ditches in the snow
to keep the cattle off the tops of our hay stacks; it was a   very cold winter. "
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