Almost all of the farming implements were homemade and hand-made. Peter Madsen Peel, who was the first blacksmith in the colony, is credited with having made most of them; however, some people made their own.
George Farnsworth, who in his native land learned the farrier trade, was said to be an excellent "Shoer," assisted, and also kept the oxen shod. Iron was very scarce and hard to get, being obtained usually from the wreckage of immigrant wagons. Straight oak sticks were brought from the mountains for making bows for ox yokes. These sticks were cast into a fire long enough to roast them thoroughly, then they were bent into the required shape, and when complete was thought to be just as good as those brought "from the States."
In 1859, on the 11th of August, they began harvesting their first hay crops, consisting of native grasses growing in abundance in the lowlands, called the Hay Field, which was south and west of where Chester is now located. The only means of cutting the grass was with homemade scythes and snaths, raking it with rakes and pitchforks which were made from native wood and such iron as could be obtained. Much time was consumed in haying on account of this simple method, and the use of ox teams, sometimes one ox and a cow, in hauling it so great a distance. As soon as hay crops were put up, harvesting of the grain began. This was handled in about the same manner as the haying.
The grain was cradled, raked up into bundles and bound by hand, then hauled into the yards and threshed by being trampled on by oxen or flailed with willows or flails by men. The separating of the grain from the chaff was accomplished by waiting for light wind or breeze, at which time, the farmers would toss it into the air, against a canvas, erected upright like a wall, the grain falling into another canvas, while the chaff was blown away. This was repeated several times, or until the wheat was thoroughly separated or clean. Sometimes, when the people did not have a cradle, the wheat was pulled up by the roots with the bands. When this was done, the stacks would be as black as the earth. The crops were good and much grain was harvested; however, much of it matured late and some was frozen, due to the fact that some of the settlers had arrived late in the spring and did not get their seeds planted early enough to mature. The women always took an active part in the harvesting, helping with the raking, binding, and gleaning, etc.
The railroad was built for the purpose of getting the coal from Wales, where coal had been discovered in 1855 and was the first discovered in Utah. Later it was recognized as of good quality for blacksmithing and other purposes.
George Farnsworth, who in his native land learned the farrier trade, was said to be an excellent "Shoer," assisted, and also kept the oxen shod. Iron was very scarce and hard to get, being obtained usually from the wreckage of immigrant wagons. Straight oak sticks were brought from the mountains for making bows for ox yokes. These sticks were cast into a fire long enough to roast them thoroughly, then they were bent into the required shape, and when complete was thought to be just as good as those brought "from the States."
In 1859, on the 11th of August, they began harvesting their first hay crops, consisting of native grasses growing in abundance in the lowlands, called the Hay Field, which was south and west of where Chester is now located. The only means of cutting the grass was with homemade scythes and snaths, raking it with rakes and pitchforks which were made from native wood and such iron as could be obtained. Much time was consumed in haying on account of this simple method, and the use of ox teams, sometimes one ox and a cow, in hauling it so great a distance. As soon as hay crops were put up, harvesting of the grain began. This was handled in about the same manner as the haying.
The grain was cradled, raked up into bundles and bound by hand, then hauled into the yards and threshed by being trampled on by oxen or flailed with willows or flails by men. The separating of the grain from the chaff was accomplished by waiting for light wind or breeze, at which time, the farmers would toss it into the air, against a canvas, erected upright like a wall, the grain falling into another canvas, while the chaff was blown away. This was repeated several times, or until the wheat was thoroughly separated or clean. Sometimes, when the people did not have a cradle, the wheat was pulled up by the roots with the bands. When this was done, the stacks would be as black as the earth. The crops were good and much grain was harvested; however, much of it matured late and some was frozen, due to the fact that some of the settlers had arrived late in the spring and did not get their seeds planted early enough to mature. The women always took an active part in the harvesting, helping with the raking, binding, and gleaning, etc.
The railroad was built for the purpose of getting the coal from Wales, where coal had been discovered in 1855 and was the first discovered in Utah. Later it was recognized as of good quality for blacksmithing and other purposes.
James Wilson had a blacksmith shop on the corner where the drugstore now stands. James Borg and Ole Clemmensen had a harness shop and Abner Crane had a blacksmith shop on first west. Anderson's Blacksmith Shop was located on the east side of State Street, about Third South.
Several Blacksmiths and Farriers were needed to keep up with the demands of planting, cutting, and harvesting.
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| Wilson Blacksmith Shop |
One story told by Peter Gottfriedsen: It was the inherent nature of an Indian to steal, and this brings to my mind an incident told of an Indian who brought a half-worn-out ax to a blacksmith to be fixed. The blacksmith said, 'I can't fix it, it hasn't any steel in it.' 'Oh, yes,' said the Indian, 'It all steal, me steal it last night.' "
(excerpts taken from Hilda Madsen Longsdorf, "Book of Mt. Pleasant")
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