STAR VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORICAL BOOKS INVENTORY DETAILS

1. Overview

Title: Early Development of Star Valley, 1888-1913

Author: Lucy Isabell Call Osmond

Subject: Star Valley

Publisher:

Publishing Date:

Number of Pages: 4

ID#: 285

Location: Website

2. Evaluation

Evaluator's Name(s): Kent and Polly Erickson

Date of Evaluation: November 2014

Key Words: Chesterfield, ; Afton, Wyoming; polygamy, LDS Church Star Valley Stake, measles epidemic. Star Valley Stake Tabernacle

Included Names: Joseph H. Call, Sarah Isabel B. Call, George Osmond,

3. Synopsis Joseph Holbrook Call, father of the author, brought his family to Star Valley from Chesterfield, Idaho, in 1888. There were few families in the Valley at that time and only one public building, an old log school house. The settlers worked together to build a building for church, school, and other community activities. Names are given for the early church officers and auxiliary leaders in the Valley. Pioneer challenges such as the measles epidemic of 1900 were described. To meet the growing population, the Star Valley Stake Tabernacle was built; it was dedicated in 1909.

4. Other

*Much of the information was taken from records in the LDS Church Archives about 1946. EARLY DEVELOPMENT QF STAR VALLEY, WYOMING /ffif /J'/J

i have written herewith a few historical dates and events of the early development of Star Valley, Wyoming, particularly in connection with my parents, who were early settlers, and with my own recollec tions and concerns. Much of my information was taken from records in the LDS Church Archives in Salt Lake City about 1940. My father, Joseph Holbrook Call, moved his family from Chesterfield, Idaho (then a territory^to the town of Afton, Star Valley, Wyoming (also a territory)^ in the fall of 1888. This move became nect-ssary because of the persecutions carried on in Idaho and territories against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because of their belief in and practice of plural marriage. Father had two wives and two families who came with him. It wasiatein November, and an early winter made the four-day trip by team a rough and dangerous one. At the time of their arrival in Star Valley, there were only a few families in the newly-settled valley. There were only log houses, except for one two-room frame home where my father's brother, Anson V. Call, lived. Father moved his two families (eight members) into a one-room log house where Uncle Anson had spent the previous winter with his family (1887-88). There was only one public building in the valley at that time—the old log school house. With its dirt roof and rough board floor, it was becoming obsolete and inadequate. Although settlers were few in number, they wanted a better buildHg in which to worship, hold schbol, and hold other community functions. So the men -went to the nearby canyons, cut logs and hauled them to Archibald Gardner's sawmill, the first in the valley, at the mouth of Swift Creek Canyon. The logs were sawed into lumber and used to build a new church building. This took two years (1891-02), and the new church was dedicated August6, 1892. It stood for many years and housed the Afton Ward|^^a^ later the Afton North Ward. At this time the Star Vall^ Stake was organize^ with George Osmond as president, William W. Burton as first counselor, and Anson V. Call as second counselor. Astake high council was also organized^and the Af ton Ward was organized with George Waite as bishop^ and two young, unmarried men, Clarence Gardner and Thomas Burton, as counselors. There were othersmall towns in the valley: Fairview, Auburn, Grover^and Cottonwood (later changed to Smoot) in Upper Star Valley, and in the Lower Valley (called Valley by some), Glencoe (later changed to Thayne), Freedom, Bedford^and Etna. Bishop Osborne Low presided over the Lower Valley com munities in church matters. My mother, Sarah Isabel Barlow Call, had been a member of the presidency of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association (commonly call "M.I.A." or "Mutual") in Chesterfield, and soon after ar riving in Afton was called as a counselor to the president of the Mutual in Afton, Sarah Ann Hurd, about 1889. Ther^was also aPrimary organization in Afton, with Eliza Ann Hale as president (or superintendent) and Elizabeth Harmison and Alice Sessions as counselors, or assistants. This was the organization of tlie first Primary I attended. At a later date, Sept. 7, 1894, Annie T. Perry became an assistant. When these Primary officers were released, Catherine Rogers, a widow from a plural marriage, was sus- =taihcd ss president (superintendent) with the same counselors retained. On Sept. 24, 1897 thesesisters were ' arid Sarah Isabelle Astle became the new president (superintendent), with Alice Maud Call and Ida Dixon flirc^unselors (assistants), and Lillian £. Garner as secretary. All these officers were under 18 years of age. 1 was called as librarian. This was my first public office. 1 was 14 years old. Acupbt^d—a place for books—was built in the northwest corner of the church building. It was still in use when the church was torn down about 40 years later. On Dec. 31, 1900 Gillette J. Call, my brother, was made a counselor in the First Quorum ofDeacons in the Afton Ward. William Archer Osmond was chosen as president of the Second Quorum of Dears. c always had many outof town visitors from various wards at our house for meals and lodging, asaccommocia- it,' ^'""5'Wcrelimited. My mother was a gracious ho.stess and a good manager for the.sc occasions and always had everything in order for "company." j • well rtmember one particularSeptember conference. We had a teakettle ofboiling water ready foi use In Washing di^es—my job. But I did not know that my brother, Gillette, had lain down for his nap riglit in the^th for the dishpan. I fell over him, and although the hot water missed him, my hands cnv' arms were scalded to the elbows. With companyjust arriving, it seemed like hours before1received attention. I did not wash-dishes again for several weeks. , years thegeneral board at church headquarters prepared a manual for the Mutu»' (Improve ment Association). The wards had muchsatisfaction with it and theprogram wassuccessful, asevidenced in a favorable report given at the Sept. 15, 1895 stake conference. At that conference it was revealed that there vfere 263 members of the Afton Ward, which was by far the largest ward in the valley. But the population was increasing rapidly in theentire valley. However, pioneering was still the mode oflife in these early >ears when there were no telephones and no daily mail. As 1 remember, John Burton was the first missionary to be called from the Star Valley Stnke, leavinj? Fehv 23i 1893 for three years. At this timewewere still holding ourchurch services in theold log school house us^ for all community functions. I attended school in thisold log housefor my firstschoolyear. Anothersmallstructure was a'Hed fur use by the Relief Socity, and as the population Increased the younger children were sent to school in this buildinj^ during the summer months. The school year lasted from four to six months. For.a number oi years there is little of Star Valley history recorded In the L.D.S. Church Arcliives. In researching these records, I was very disappointjed that so much that I remember was not recorded. In 1890, Orland Barrus ofFairview returned from a mission to Samoa (where his wife and family had a< - companied him) andstarted teaching sthool In thevalley. Hetaught ina building known as the"Ward Hall. " a building the townspeople started tobuild onAfton's main street, but which was finished by my father, who bought out the shareholders* interest after the project had bogged down. This hall was a two-story building used for school and various communityfunctions. Affirst Orlando Barrusconducted hisschool on Ihe Itnver floor, with a public dance hall operated by my father and his family on the upper floor. During t'.ie 1806-97 school year classes were held upstairs and thegroundifloor was used byfather as a furniture andnotions slore. Many students of the valley attended school in thisbuilding. (It burned down in 1910). My father was a builder, andstarted building a new house In 1895. In 1896 it was near t r.ongh com pleted thatourfamily moved into It, andour missionary-school teacher, Orland Barrus, and his family mov ed intoouroldhouse. Compared tootherhouses Intown in those early days, ournew honie was cjuisidered tD be a vCTy good house. Later, father sold this house toThomas H. Wilde and he moved it lo another part cf town. , On Aug. 14, 1899 Charles G. Cazier was released as Afton Ward Sunday School superintendent, nnd Byron H. Allred was sustained in his place, with Edward Davis and Vasco Call as counselors. At nee 14,1 was sustainetif assecretary. At thesame conference when this was done, the Afton Ward was reorganized. Bishop Geor^je Walte was released and Osborne Low was sustained a^ the new bishop. The same counselors, Thomas Burton and Clarence Gardner, were re-sustained. ' JDujing astake conference held Aug. 15, 1897 my mother was very ill. Maggie Hill and Viola Trai; Gillette, wive^ ofsome of the general authorities assigned to the conference, came to visit her, asihcy were in ler^ted in Mutual work, t remember theysang and played theorgan beautifully for her. Particularly enjoyed was a new and popular song, "WheeUng Together."! was just a little child and things like thi.-; greatlv ini- pr«spd me a? being great and wonderful. About this time it was reported that the population of Star Valley was now about 2,000, anH the Aftoi; Chapel was too small to accommodate the Increasing worship needs. About 1905, President George Osmond expressed his great desire and ambition to build a stake tabernacle. Plans were approved and the projccf got underway with full cooperation from all wards of the stake. It took much sacrifice and four years of liard work to build thc-tabsrnacle, but Pr^ident Osmond's dream became a happv reality when llii" new Star Valley Stake Tabernacle was dedicated Aug. 15, 1909 by Church President Joseph F. Smith. The building was built at acost of $4,500 and was a great achievement for people who.sc financial status fomid them wry short of worldly needs and with absolutely no cbmforts. Osmond's prediction proved him a prophet for his people when he promised them that if thf^y \ o£ their time and means to build this edifice, they would be blessed with the good things of life, !' '"h their lanu,. Hocks andherds would increaw beyond their fondest dreams. This prediction has been visiblv ' fulfilled. ' ^ President Osmond lived four years to enjoy the fruits of his ambitions, and he was very happy that (he people for^whom he had sacrificed so much and had so anxiously planned and labored to help, both spritually and finajioially, were now enjoying somR of the fruits of their labors. He passed away March 25. 1913. His funeral/Was held in the tabernacle, and it was filled to overflowing. As a friend and stake president he had a multitude of friends. He was dearly beloved by all who knew hiny i Osmond was buried at fllonmington, Idaho, as he/jte^uested. He had pioneered the Bear Lakn "'htch was very dear lo him. and he Jiad a wife and children living there, as well as some children Thus, the life of one of God's chosen servants was closed. SuccfKsdiiig George Osmond as president of the Star Valley Stake was Clarence Gardner, who wps su<;- tairied June 1, 1913, with Arthur F. Burton and Albert Barrus ascounselors. President Gardner and Arthur Burton had served as counselors to President Osmond in the stake presidency since June 2, 1912.

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