Saturday, July 24, 2010

Pioneer Day

I can honor several pioneer ancestors on this Pioneer Day. Warren Foote is probably the most famous. He served as a Captain of 100 of a pioneer wagon train which made its way to what is now Utah in 1850. He was also a meticulous record keeper and journal writer. When we visited the museum at Winter Quarters in Nebraska, it was his record of the Warren Foote Company which was on display. I imagine that he might have been a great blogger if born in a different time. To find out more about his adventures, read his journal. To find out more about his company go here.

Next time you are traveling on Highway 89 in southern Utah, you will notice something new in Glendale. This little rest stop area is on the west side of the highway. Warren Foote finally settled here after stops in Utah and then the Muddy Mission (now under Lake Mead) in Nevada.

The rest stop sits approximately where his property was in Glendale. His house burned down in the early 1900's but he was known for his apple orchards and there are still apple trees growing on this land.

He was also a miller. He worked in a mill in Iowa across the Missouri River from Winter Quarters. He was able to earn the money necessary for an outfit to cross the plains by milling grain for those heading to California during the Gold Rush. Once in the Salt Lake Valley, he worked in a mill at Fort Union. He also helped with the mill in Glendale. Those are old millstones displayed at the new rest stop.

Warren and Artemisia Sydney Foote are buried in this cemetery. Their grave stones have special inscriptions added at the 150th anniversary of July 24, 1847 identifying them as some of the original pioneers.

The Nyborg cousins and Ryan visited the grave sites in July 2003 during a family reunion at Clear Creek Ranch.

We also traveled to the top of Lydia's Canyon just north of Glendale to see the remains of a cabin built by Warren and his sons during the 2003 reunion. This location served as their summer home. There is a spring located near the cabin where they kept the cheese they made cool until it was delivered to Panguitch to be sold or traded. Notice the rock display which looks like Bryce Canyon at the top of Lydia's Canyon. It was especially memorable to see and touch this hand hewn cabin.

3 comments:

Vagabond Mother said...

What a great saved history. Thanks for the interesting information mom.

willis o little said...

My name is Willis O. Little and I grew up in Kanab, Ut. My mother was Pearl Olson Little, her mother was Clarissa Foote Olson who was the daughter of Warren Foote. Can uou tell me how we a are related?

Laurel said...

Warren Foote was my great, great grandfather. His son David was my great grandfather. David's daughter Rhoda was my grandmother. Rhoda married Andrew Nyborg and their daughter Velva is my mother.