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FOUNTAIN GREEN |
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Brief History: Wagons containing the first 50 families in Sanpete County arrived in Nov 1849. Fountain Green was started in 1859*, with a man named Albert Petty laying out twenty 4.5 acre city blocks*. Settled in the 1870's and 1880's by sheep men, and the city still hosts an annual "Lamb Day" festival*. Fountain Green was the first city in Sanpete County to have the railroad, but in spite of the railroad's arrival in the 1880's, Fountain Green was the only town in the area to have negitive population growth between 1880 and 1890. In 1885 the city was officially organized with Reese R. Llewellyn as the first president. In 1920 it reached its peak population, about 1200, and the population was only about 600 in 1990*. Around 1900, Fountain Green was considered the richest town in the area, due to the successful sheep men. At that time there were almost 49,000 sheep owned by 23 sheep men*. Source: "History of Sanpete and Emery counties, Utah : with sketches of cities, towns and villages, chronology of important events, records of Indian wars, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens." From the "History of Sanpete and Emery counties, Utah : with sketches of cities, towns and villages, chronology of important events, records of Indian wars, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens." Published by Ogden : W. H. Lever, 1898. Located at the Family Hisotry Library, US/CAN Film 823604 Item 2. Submitted by: Deborah Patterson Fountain Green is a nice little town of 1,200 or more honest, industrious and enterprising people, located on Uinta Creek, twenty five miles north of Manti, and within six miles of the northern boundary line of Sanpete county. This beautiful mountain home was selected by George W. Johnson as the most suitable spot in the valley for founding a colony, and amid the most daring scenes of Utah early days, this bold frontiersman, with his family and a few equally courageous pioneers, braved the perils of Indian hostilities, cold and hunger, and erected homes in the isolated wilderness of sagebrush and quakenasp trees. The site had been a camping place for travelers to and from Manti, and was known to all colonists as Uinta Springs. In the spring of 1859 George W. Johnson obtained permission form Brigham Young to locate the town and get settlers, and immediately after July 4th he secured the services of Albert Petty, then surveyor for Sanpete and surveyed the original site, consisting of five blocks. The chaincarriers in this hazardous expedition were Amos P. Johnson and Herber Petty. While the party were engaged in running the lines and setting stakes, a band of Indians dashed down form the cedars of the mountain slope and stole the horses, then grazing on the native grass. This left the company alone, with no choice except to walk to Santaquin, thirty-two miles away, or return to Manti, twenty-five miles south. After a weary journey on foot Pioneer Johnson and son reached their home at Santaquin and began making preparations for returning and building a new home on the site surveyed. August 1st the family, consisting of father, mother and three sons, Amos P., Horace and Olive, reached the townsite and proceeded to erect a log house, cutting quakenasp poles for the purpose and using lumber hauled from Santaquin for flooring and doors. They were joined by J. S. Holman and family, who built the second house, and John Green, Sam Allen, Christian Otterson and families, with Jacob Miller and William Gibson, two young men. These colonists built homes and put up hay for the winter, which was spent as pleasantly as the circumstances permitted. They were joined by Reese R. Lewellyn, Aley L. Sherman, Pleasant Moenche and others, and with the company of travelers en route to or from Salt Lake City, had enough diversion to drown the monotony of complete isolation. The first birth was Lester Holman, who was born soon after the houses were completed. The following spring William Gibson and Asbury Parks contracted to cut a set of quakenasp logs for a meeting house, which was erected a little west of the place where the present house is located. The floor was made of lumber hauled from Santaquin, the windows consisted of two 8x10 glass put in lengthwise of the building, and the roof was made of dirt. During this spring the wife of Asbury Parks died, being the first death occurring in the new town. Aside form this death the health of the people was most remarkably good considering the rude houses and limited facilities for protection against cold. A small ditch was ploughed into the canyon and the water brought down in one stream to irrigate the little gardens planted as early as possible. It was then thought that the colony was too large for the water supply and some families would be compelled to seek homes elsewhere. The land was divided among the colonists in a manner similar to that of other settlements in Utah, and the work of building up a town began with bright prospects. A ward of the Mormon church was organized and R. L. Johnson appointed bishop in 1861. He opened the first store and conducted the pioneer hotel of the town. The settlement prospered as well as could be expected while so far away form other towns until the Black Hawk War forced the people to abandon their homes during the summer of 1866 and to remove to other more protected points for safety from Indian depredations. A fort was erected during the fall of 1866 and the people returned, but suffered much from the Indian raids on their stock. During this war James Guyman served as Major and Thomas Robinson as Captain of minutemen. In 1867 Bernard Snow erected a small burr mill on the creek above the town and supplied the people with flour and feed stuff until 1871 when it was burned. The following year a larger and more improved mill was built and Fountain Green began to supply some flour for the general market. In 1888 the roller process was adopted, but the next year the mill was destroyed by fire. The present company, consisting of Charles Foote of Nephi, Lewis Anderson of Manti, A. J. Aagard, George Peterson and Ole Sorenson of Fountain Green rebuilt the mill in 1890 and put in all the modern appliances. It is now a forty-barrel model roller mill, doing an excellent custom and commercial trade, under the able supervision of Ole Sorenson, an experienced and capable miller. Fountain Green flour is in demand wherever its qualities have been tested and is found on all Utah markets. Fountain Green was connected with the outside commercial world on the completion of the Sanpete Valley railroad into the county and was the first town in Sanpete to secure a railroad. This opened up trade in every line and gave a market for the agricultural products for which the town is noted at home and abroad. The town was organized under the direction of the County court in 1893 and has continued to grow and increase in commercial importance. The Co-op store was organized in early days and has done a good business, now being under the able management of H. C. Hansen Bogh. Another important business house is the general store conducted by Andrew Aagard, one of the most enterprising and energetic men of the town. Mrs. Eliza Anderson handles furniture of all kinds and is the obliging postmaster. The traveling public will find two good hotels in this town, conducted by Cornelius Collard and Bishop C. J. Christiansen. Lumbering is one of the industries and a planning mill is operated by Olof Olson. The business of stock raising and woolgrowing occupies the attention of a majority of the people and returns an immense annual cash income. Wheat, oats and potatoes are the staple farm products, the quality of which cannot be excelled in any section of Utah. Brick making is being developed and the natural clay is peculiarly fitted for this purpose. The quality of brick manufactured here is not found anywhere else throughout the State and many carloads are therefore shipped away every year and sold in competition with the best imported eastern building material. In this one natural facility Fountain Green exceeds all other localities in central Utah and her citizens are proud to know it. The people of Fountain Green are loyal and patriotic in the cause of humanity and upholding the Nation's honor. When President McKinley issued a call for volunteers to fill the ranks of the United States troops in the war against Spain for freeing Cuba, four liberty-loving sons of Fountain Green hastened to respond to the demand by enlisting. They were: Chris Lund, James Robinson, Thomas Mattson and William Olson, all prominent young men and belonging to representative families. The people gave them a grand farewell party and a purse of $100, contributed form the free-will donations of generous man and women. This is an indication of the sterling traits possessed by the steady, honorable citizens of this quiet, peaceful town in the canyon of the Sanpitch mountains. In political matters Fountain Green has practically the same history as that of other settlements in the county. The People's party was almost unanimous until the national parties were organized, when a division was made and the Republican party gained the majority votes. The present Town Council, with Lars Nielson as president, manages the local affairs in a very satisfactory manner, insuring peace and contentment to the citizens. No drunkenness or disorderly conduct is noticed in the amusement halls, church gatherings or social entertainment's and the most perfect moral conditions prevail everywhere within the town limits. No extensive manufacturing industries are yet constructed, but the natural facilities are good for beet sugar factory, increased brick and tiling factories, starch factory and woolen mills, some of which will no doubt be erected before many years. Fountain Green has always maintained a good school system and educated some of the brightest professional men in Sanpete county. The schools are now under the able management of N. M. Anderson as principal. |
Last Updated: 03.10.2018