Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1956 The Development of Cooperative Enterprises in Cache Valley 1865-1900 Joseph Carl Felix Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the Sociology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Felix, Joseph Carl, "The Development of Cooperative Enterprises in Cache Valley 1865-1900" (1956). Theses and Dissertations. 4678. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4678 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. F 33 THE DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISES IN CACHE VALLEY 1865 - 1900 A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Religion Brigham Young University Provo, Utah In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science 219117 Joseph Carl Felix June, 1956 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this research has been accomplished with the guidance and assistance of certain members of the faculty of the Brigham Young University and the Utah State Agricultural College. Special acknowledgement is given to Dr. Russel R. Rich, Committee Chairman, and Professor James R. Clark, for their friendly encouragement, guidance, and constructive criticism. Gratitude is also expressed to Dr. Leonard J. Arrington of the Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah, who provided inspiration for launching into a study of this subject as well as making available helpful source material from his personal files. Dr. George S. Ellsworth has been very helpful in providing manuscripts from the files of the Department of History, Utah State Agricultural College, and the Logan branch of the Utah Historical Society. To Hermine Briggs and Elaine Papenfuss, I extend sincere thanks. Without their valuable assistance in typing and correcting the manuscript this thesis could not have been completed. There are many others who have assisted in a legion of ways. Many have willingly provided manuscripts, diaries, pictures, and other materials, but will go unmentioned. To them also, I express my sincere appreciation. Finally, I wish to express my humble gratitude to my wife, Alene. Her willingness to sustain me in this endeavor and her helpful suggestions have fully measured up to the theme of this thesis — cooperation. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of the Problem Analysis of the problem Significance of the Problem Delimitation of the Study Sources of Data and Methods of Research II. COOPERATION AMONG THE MORMONS 10 Early Mormon Cooperative Efforts Early Utah Cooperatives Launching the Cooperative Plan Decline of the Cooperative III. THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN CACHE VALLEY 30 A General Survey Early Forms of Cooperative Effort Cooperative Merchandising The Cache Valley Board of Trade Cooperative Manufacturing and the United Order IV. HISTORY OF THE COOPERATIVE MERCANTILE INSTITUTIONS IN CACHE VALLEY 57 The Logan Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Smithfield Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Wellsville Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Hyrum Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Paradise Cooperative Institution The Hyde Park Cooperative Store The Mendon Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Clarkston Cooperative Institution The Newton Cooperative Mercantile Institution The Richmond Cooperative Mercantile Company The Lewiston Cooperative Store The Franklin Cooperative Mercantile Institution iv V. HISTORY OF THE UNITED ORDER ENTERPRISES IN CACHE VALLEY 108 Cache Valley Stake of the United Order The Logan United Order The Hyrum United Order The Wellsville United Order The Richmond United Order The Smithfield United Order VI. GENERAL ASPECTS 129 Enforcement of the Church Boycott Against the Gentiles Why the Cooperative Movement Declined VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 142 APPENDIX 145 SELECTED REFERENCES 163 ABSTRACT V LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Date of Organization and Officers of Cooperative Institutions in Cache Valley 58 2 Financial Data For the Hyrum Cooperative, 1869-1875 . 83 3 Organization and Incorporation Data of the United Order Branches in Cache County, Utah 109 4 Cumulative Financial Report of the Hyrum United Order 121 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 Map of Cache Valley Cooperative Settlements viii 2 Logan Branch Z.C.M.I. Advertisement 69 3 Remodeled Wellsville Cooperative Store 76 4 Mendon Cooperative Store 1873 76 5 Paradise Cooperative Store 1880-1955 84 6 The Hyrum U. 0. Blacksmith Shop, About 1885 84 7 Richmond Cooperative Store 98 8 Clarkston Cooperative Store 1873-1956 . 98 9 Lewiston Cooperative Store, About 1880 102 10 Lewiston Cooperative Granary 102 11 Franklin Cooperative "North Star Woolen Mill" l88l . 105 vii Figure 1 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem.— In the colonization of the Great Basin, there began in 1868, a period of economic development that might be entitled, "Cooperative Enterprise." Reaching into every section of the Utah Territory, the "Mormon Cooperative" found especially fruitful soil in Cache Valley where the system flourished for nearly two decades and con• tinued even beyond that, though considerably weakened from its former state Today, as one tours the confines of beautiful Cache Valley, there can still be found the mute remains of old cooperative stores, canals, and factories. Were they able, they could no doubt, tell an interesting story of their golden days. It is the attempt of the writer to take the segments of history that remain and evaluate the place and contribution of pioneer economic cooperatives in the settlement of Cache Valley. Analysis of the Problem — The problem may be analyzed by consideration of the following questions: (1) How did cooperatives de• velop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? (2) How exten• sive was the cooperative movement in Cache Valley? (3) What were the early forms of cooperatives? (4) How important was cooperative merchan• dising in contrast with those concerns that were privately owned? (5) What was the Cache Valley Board of Trade? What were its functions? (6) What is the history of the cooperative mercantile institutions in Cache Valley? (7) What is the history of the United Order enterprises in Cache Valley? (8) Why did the Church instigate a boycott against the 1 2 Gentile merchants? (9) How did a cooperative institution operate? (10) What brought about the decline of the cooperative? Significance of the Problem — Many writers have written of the heroic efforts of Brigham Young and the colonizers of the Great Basin. It has been referred to as an "American historical epic."l Those of us living in the mountain states today see the results of that colonization all about us and take it for granted. Only occasionally do we reflect upon the toil and suffering that won over the wild desert to the tameness of a flower garden. Yet when we are so moved and proper contemplation in retrospect is given, one cannot be constrained from rising up and calling the name of his pioneer forefathers, blessed. What we enjoy today would not be possible but for a highly developed practice of doing things cooperatively. One man, or divided groups of men, working in their own interests, could not have conquered the desert. From humble beginnings, cooperation became a magnificent experi• ment through the faith of its participants. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, other men became strong leaders, for as the spirit of coop• eration grew, so did they. Each community had its church-sponsored cooperative store or industrial concern. The members of the community were the heart and soul of the whole movement for they were the owners, directors, and clients of each store. The good of the group was the main policy of each business. While the plan was not as lofty as the Law of Consecration under Joseph Smith, it met the needs of the times remarkably well. Cache Valley provides a model study of the stress of times and how the people's 1Milton R. Hunter, Brigham Young the Colonizer, (Independence: Zion's Printing and Publishing Company, 1945), P. ix. 3 economic problems were met and overcome through cooperative effort. Formalized cooperation, under church control, faded away in the latter part of the 19th century. The reasons for the decline of this move• ment will be discussed later. It is not to be supposed that cooperation is a dead principle to the present generation. The latter-day Saints still participate in activities that keep the principle alive. The recent stress on the construction of temples and chapels requires sacrifice and unanimity of purpose. The welfare plan of the church is noteworthy as an example of modern day cooperation and Christian brotherhood. Formalized cooperation, however, does not exist in the church today in the economic field to the extent that it has in the past. The cooperative store or factory is gone but has left to us the lessons of these pioneer economic and social ventures. Here lies the true signifi• cance of studying this problem. How can we, in the midst of our present chaotic conditions, receive light and help from the cooperative experiences of Brigham Young and the pioneers? The significance of the problem is therefore twofold — to pre• serve the history of the cooperative movement in Cache Valley and to pro- vide a guide for cooperative Christian effort to the present generation. Delimitation of the Study — The purpose of the study has not been to provide a comprehensive study of cooperation as introduced through• out the Great 3asin in 1868 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If this were the object of the study, it would be required of the writer to present the individual story of cooperation in each settlement of the Utah Territory as well as that of the parent institution in Salt Lake City.