Emma Olsen Harrison Passes Away

Emma O. Harrison
May 19, 1925 ~ June 28, 2011
Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, UT

Emma O. Harrison
“Gram”

Mt. Pleasant: Emma O. Harrison, age 86 passed away peacefully, on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 in Mt. Pleasant surrounded by her family. Emma was born May 19, 1925 in Mt. Pleasant, UT, one of six children born to John T. and Mary C. Rowe Olsen,. She married DeWayne Harrison on December 23, 1944. They were blessed with two wonderful children, Richard and Connie. DeWayne passed away December 17, 1992.

Emma was born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, where she fondly remembered herding sheep by the Round Hills as a youngster and working alongside her Mother (Mary Olsen) at Lizzy’s Café in Mt. Pleasant. She graduated from North Sanpete High School. She was also a proud member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for several years. She was known as Gram to her family and friends, and wore that name proudly. She will be remembered as a loving Mother and Grandmother, who always put her family first. She has left many wonderful memories with her family, including her positive attitude towards life and a terrific sense of humor.

Emma is survived by her two children: Richard (Linda) Harrison of Westminster, CA and Connie (Robert) Wakefield of Mt. Pleasant, UT; nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, along with many nieces, nephews and her lifetime friend, Elaine Brown Howard. Emma was preceded in death by her parents: John and Mary; husband: DeWayne; and three brothers and two sisters.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at the Mt. Pleasant LDS 5th Ward Church (Red Brick Building).

A viewing will be held on Saturday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church prior to the services.

Interment will follow at the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery. Services are in the care of Steven J Furner of Fausett Mortuary. Friends and family may sign the guestbook and share memories of Emma at www.fausettmortuary.com.

Brigham Young's Visit

 

Author: Talula Nelson

September 12, 1865, President Brigham Young, some of the Twelve apostles and a number of Elders 

visited us.

Rasmus Frandsen and I (Andrew Madsen) fitted up a suitable four-house team and wagon and took our Brass Band to Fountain Green where we met them coming by way of Moroni.  We headed the procession and furnished the music.  When we reached Mt. Pleasant on our return, the band gave great stress in their efforts and the 

chords of music were sounded with great success.  Many people came to meet us and they formed in line on both sides of the Main Street, extending over nearly three blocks cheering our leader and his party as they passed by between the throng of people. Large arches were made for them to pass under, and many large banners were arranged and a number of smaller ones, all giving honor to the occasion.  As they neared the home of our Bishop where the party was first escorted, they were met by the Sunday School children.  Never before was such beautiful singing heard.  They were led by Superintendent H.P. Miller.  They sang that favorite song of the Latter-day Saints,  “We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet.”  There was a meeting later in the bowery and nearly every soul within our midst attended the meeting.  The brethren addressed us and pronounced blessings upon the people.

An enjoyable meeting was held and a spirit of joy filled our souls.  The principal speakers were Orson Hyde, D. H. Wells, George Q. Cannon, Joseph M. Young and Wilford Woodruff.

President Young was not feeling well and, being tired and worn out from the trip, did not say much. After the enjoyable meeting, they continued on through the county, accompanied with our band.  

This was the most interesting official visit ever made by the leaders of our Church.

Sources: 

1

Leader of the Brass Band was James Hansen.  John Waldernas and “Fiddler” Nielsen were the other members of this 3-

Piece band.

2

William S. Seely

Taken from the Personal History of Andrew Madsen and the Early History of Sanpete County and Mt. Pleasant, Utah 

1835-1915. 

Virginia Madsen McGugin Derr Funeral Program ~ She died December 12, 2001

Mrs. Tina Nelson Receives Golden Gleaner Award

Jorgensen Open House Invite

Miss Irene Neilson Dies at Long Beach 11 September 1921

How the New Generation Spend Their Time (Spare Time?)

!!!We Old Folks May Want to Mute the Sound !!!

People from the city often ask me why I choose to live in Mount Pleasant, Utah (smack dab in the middle of the state). They tell me there's nothing to do outside of the city. On the contrary, we (Brian Beck and John Peel) decided to try several things that central Utah has to offer, all in one day, June 16, 2011. The day started at 7:00am with snowmobiling up Fairview Canyon. Then on to snowboarding. Around 11:00am we hit the local Skyline Mountain Resort Golf Course for 9 holes of golfing. At 1:00pm we headed down the road to Gunnison Reservoir with the jet ski and waverunner for a couple of hours. We then headed out to Little Sahara Sand Dunes and rode the Banshee and KTM for a couple hours. We drove back to Mount Pleasant and went to the Basin Drive-In Movie Theatre to end the day.

From Wilhelmina Morrison Ericksen Pioneer Record Book ~ Edwart Allen Ericksen

Post Cards From The Past ~ Alice Hafen Collection

Dr. Eric Clitheroe To Take New Post at Purdue

You can read more about Eric Clitheroe at the link below

http://mtpleasantpioneer.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-l-clitheroe-another-wasatch.html

Lee's Memories

Mt. Pleasant Fort 1859 ~ Drawn by Thomas W. Woodbury Using Google Earth ~ Layout design by Walter Woodbury

Taken from David R. Gunderson's book "Journey of Faith", pages 45-47.

Building of the Fort Walls On 6 May a letter was received from Brigham Young reminding the settlers of the need to build a fort for their protection and on 13 May 1859, President Ivie called a meeting for the purpose of discussing the building of the fort wall, and as to what methods to pursue. Finally, four men were called to supervise the construction of the wall. Jahu Cox was allotted the north side, Thomas Woolsey Sr. the west side, W. S. Seeley, the south side, and John Tidwell Sr., the east side. The above named captains divided the brethren into four groups, after which they were organized into companies of ten, with a captain over each ten, and work commenced immediately with rapid progress. The following statement is made in Andrew Madsen's Journal: "During the month of June, we were kept very busy in attending to our crops and the building of the large fort wall." 10 July, Apostle George A. Smith and Amasa Lyman visited the settlement to organize the Saints on Pleasant Creek into an ecclesiastical ward. William Stuart Seeley was chosen and ordained Bishop and the name Mount Pleasant Branch was adopted for the colony, giving credit to its pleasant location, beautiful mountains, fields and surroundings”. Work continued on the fort wall until 18 July 1959, when it was completed, and it had the distinction of being the finest fort in Sanpete County. Erick would have worked in building this important structure and lived within it for some time. When Caroline and the family arrived, they all would have lived within the fort for some time.

 Description of the Finished Fort: The fort enclosed the block later known as the Tithing Yard. 26 rods by 26 rods (429’ X 429’), enclosing about five and one-half acres3 of ground, between Main Street and First North, and State Street and First East." "It was made according to instructions and was built of native rock, taken from the surface or dug out of the ground." "It was laid with mud mortar." "The wall was 12 feet high, four feet wide at the bottom, tapering to about two feet at the top. To allow the maneuvers of the Indians to be watched from the fort, the wall was built with port holes every 16 feet. and about seven feet from the ground. The holes were about two feet wide on the inside, about four inches wide on the outside and about 18 inches high." "Later the inside of the wall was utilized for one wall in the erection of houses, 16 feet square, with one port hole in the middle of the outside wall of each house." "There was a flat roofed house in the northwest corner of the fort upon which guards could stand and view the country."

 "There were two large gates, one in the center of the north wall, and one in the center of the south wall, with a small gate adjoining it, giving a thoroughfare in passing. These openings had heavy wooden gates. Small entrances were in the east and in the west walls, which made it convenient, as they were not always obliged to use the same entrance." "The water supply was obtained from Pleasant Creek, which passed almost parallel east and west through the center of the fort. A large bridge was erected over the stream." "All corrals for the cattle were built on the north, just outside the fort, leaving a road-way between." At this time Mount Pleasant was a thriving community of about eight hundred inhabitants, with about 1200 acres of ground under cultivation.

Pioneer Candy ~ Taffy Candy

Blue Plum Wine

I don't ever remember Alice making this, but I thought it would be an interesting addition.

Talula Frandsen Nelson Remembers the Flood of 1918 ~ Flood Pictures ~ Shared by Judy Malkiewicz

Flood of 1918 as Remembered by Talula Frandsen Nelson
We moved back to the farm for the summer of 1918. The 22nd of June dawned clear and warm as the first day of summer should. My husband sacked up a load of wheat and went to the Mt. Pleasant Mill to get flour, germade, and feed for the animals. Soon after he left, dark clouds began to rise above the mountains, and quickly gathered above the seven canyons of Pleasant Creek.

The black clouds dropped their moisture in a cloud burst and the flood was soon on its way to the city. My husband, Ed, stepped to the bank of the creek to watch as the angry water came rushing past the mill. Soon someone warned him the flood was coming down the street behind him. He quickly climbed into his wagon. The millers, Erick Ericksen and John Fowles, turned off their machinery and jumped in the wagon with him. They hurried to cross the bridge but just as they got to it the bank gave way and the bridge turned as if on an axis and fell into deep rushing waters. They turned back into the street, now a moving mass of thick mud, rocks and debris and went as fast as they could, the horses in mud to their knees and the wagon barely missing the rocks that rolled and tumbled down the street toward the creek.

 As they neared the next bridge, it too fell into the flood-filled creek. They realized it was useless to try any more bridges'til they came to State Street where the new concrete structure would be safe to try. Here they crossed in safety, but fast moving mud, water, and rocks were a terrible threat to their horses and wagon.

When they crossed Main Street, a hay stack was floating down the middle of the street. Furniture, farm implements, animals, and chickens were being knocked about in the streets of tghe city. Ed arrived at the farm late and worried about the terrible disaster, about his father and mother, andwondered about our little home on 2nd North.

The next morning we went to town to see what had happened. His father, a cripple, and his mother were in their home surrounded by the foul-smelling mud. Neighbors had tried to get them out but they had refused feeling their house was safe. It took a few days before anyone could get to them as the mud needed to dry.

We learned that Louis Oldham had drowned in the awful mud trying to help Lydia Candland and her children across the creek on a pole bridge. The slick mud had splashed on the pole causing him to lose his hold and he fell into the swirling, thick water, as his horrified wife and friends watched helplessly. Later his bruised and battered body was found west of the railroad track by Thomas Braby.


A hay stack was seen floating down Main Street with a hen and baby chicks perched on top. Everyone felt losses of one kind or another.


Again on July 24th, 1946, the flood came, overflowing the banks of Pleasant Creek, filling basements, and entering homes and stores. Emma Madsen's home was washed away. Her furniture went with the heavy water, lovely white linens tumbled out of drawers along with precious pictures and books. Rex Matson's electric store was completely demolished. Beautiful lamps and appliances could be seen floating with other debris.


Good neighbors, church welfare, Red Cross and prisoners from the State Prison helped in the loss and cleanup. The City built a quarter million-dollar flood control dam.

More flood pictures here:

Mt. Pleasant Commercial and Savings Bank Advertisement

Ferdinand Ericksen Passes Away 20 April 1927

Pioneer Recipe ~ Cocoanut Candy

From Wilhelmina Morrison Ericksen Pioneer Record Book ~ Elif Ericksen

Utah plane crash injures five people Saturday | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah plane crash injures five people Saturday | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Gazeteer 1879-1880 ~ Shared by Kaye Watson

We find these entries of historical interest because they show 

what businesses were in operation in 1879 and 1880.  This page is

a listing from both Mt. Pleasant and Spring City.

Utah plane crash injures five people Saturday | The Salt Lake Tribune One mile east of Mt. Pleasant

One mile east of Mt. Pleasant!!!


Utah plane crash injures five people Saturday | The Salt Lake Tribune

Female Relief Society October 1876 ~ Donations

Female Relief Society October 29, 1876

Sister Jensen Peterson 36 pounds of Flour.  1 Doz +3 eggs,  3 dozen apples, 2 1/2 lbs of soap.  4 quilt blocks, 3 lbs of meat.

November 20th Sister D.......Christensen:  21 lbs of flour ......eggs
Sister Monroe and Becksted:  20 1/2 lbs flour and 8 lbs of meat, 4 1/2 soap and 7 eggs

Left side of page is readable.

Alice Hafen's Pickled Beets

Sophrona Victoria Seeman Funeral Program ~ She died April 21, 2003

Tribute to Andrew Madsen Sr.

This Tribute to Andrew Madsen Sr. was found at the Relic Home and is a part of our permanent collection.

The writing on the front cover has faded.

It says:  "Tribute to Andrew Madsen Sr. 

by Madsen, Andersen Gen."

Rhoda Peterson Christensen Passes Away at 101

RHODA CHRISTENSEN 

  

Rhoda Peterson Christensen 1910 ~ 2011 Rhoda Peterson Christensen died June 8, 2011 in Bountiful, Utah at age 101. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Andrew L. and Lettie P. Peterson February 24, 1910. She was the first born of four children and the only daughter. She was raised in Mt. Pleasant, UT. She graduated from Snow College then returned to Mt. Pleasant and taught elementary school. She was married in Chicago, July 24, 1930 to Hans Reed Christensen. They moved to Ames, Iowa where he received his PhD in Physics and Mathematics. Moving to Ephraim allowed them to have the marriage solemnized in the Manti Temple. 

She lived in Ephraim where she had two children Jay (son) and Nedra (daughter). Her husband Hans Reed Christensen PhD taught at Snow College until the war when he volunteered for the Navy as a Lt. Commander. As a Navy wife she lived many places, starting in Livermore, CA then Boston, MA; becoming a Red Sox fan; Maine and Cambridge, MA where her husband was a Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Harvard and MIT. Later they moved to San Diego, CA and then back to Ephraim. Don was born there. Her interests included horticulture and flower gardening, history, music and composing poetry. She loved traveling and frequent visits to her children and grandchildren. The national parks, cruising and visiting many states were her quest. She loved books and was a Librarian at Snow College for 18 years.

 Her husband died in Ephraim in 1984. The present family consists of, Jay (Kathryn), Nedra ( Brenton), Don (Debbie), 10 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, two great great-grandchildren. Her living brother is Elden (Alice) Peterson of Bluffdale, UT. Deceased are brothers, Dean (Lyle) and Wayne (Virginia). She was "our Dear Aunt Rhoda" to all of her brother's children. 

She loved parties, everyone was invited to come and most always attended. Games of Rook and other games were constantly being played. Everyone loved "Aunt Rhoda's" cooking. She was a superb cook and plenty of cookies, jelly roles, cakes, and an endless larder of candy, ice cream, etc., delighted everyone. She was loved by everyone! Her testimony of LDS church was always unwavering. She was always active in many callings. A few were teaching, librarian, ward primary president, stake relief society president, etc. The family expresses appreciation to the staff at the Inn on Barton Creek for their considerate and loving care. Funeral services will be at the Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT. The viewing will be from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., and the funeral services at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 17, 2011. Interment will be at the Ephraim Utah Cemetery on Saturday June 18, 2011 at 1 p.m. 

Published in Salt Lake Tribune from June 15 to June 16, 2011