1860: In South Morgan, Richard and Ann Fry have encounter with Indian man and woman who took possession of their wagon

As copied from An Enduring Legacy, Vol. 2, pg 340. Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1979.

South Morgan County, 1860

Thomas J. Thurston was acting as presiding elder of the Morgan area at this time.  He advised the settlers, under instructions from Brigham Young, to take up small claims of land.  Accordingly, Daniel Bull took up a claim on what is now known  as the Island, Norwood the next claim of land south, and the Eddington, Turner, Fry and Tucker claims ran south in the order named.  On the northeast corner of the Fry farm, Richard Fry built his first humble home.  It was constructed of cottonwood logs, with wood chips and clay to fill the openings between the logs.  Then he set about planting native blue grass for the oxen and cows, the seed for which he had obtained by special arrangement with Thomas Thurston.  While all this work was in progress, Richard and Ann lived in the wagon. On one occasion, while she was preparing dinner in the wagon, the dark face of an Indian appeared between the flaps of the cover.  Ann, who had always been frightened of the Indians, was terribly upset.  In broken English the Indian told her to get out of the wagon, that his squaw would take possession of it.  Without argument and glad to get away, Ann, all breathless, ran to tell Richard what had happened.  The two made their way back to the wagon and gained peaceable possession of their home.  In those days it was necessary to keep on good terms with the Indians, for they were much the majority.  Bands of eight hundred to a thousand often came through the valley for an encampment lasting from a week to a month.  During this time they were provided with an ox or cow by the settlers.  They would roast the animal and hold a big pow wow during the encampment, and when they had devoured the meat, they would move on.  This treatment of the Indians proved  a wise policy, for they became very friendly.  Their wise chief, Little Soldier, a Ute, and Washakie, together with others, were especially friendly

A collection of documents, excerpts, and photographs relevant to the so-called Weber Ute people of Northern Utah. Not a complete history — research aid only.