INDIAN FARM AT SPANISH FORK

INDIAN FARM AT SPANISH FORK

In 1854 farm reservations were opened for the benefit of the Indians. Among them, the Spanish Fork Reservation, including nearly 13,000 acres.

Early in the spring of 1854 the Utes sent “Bowlegs”, an Indian with the fourteen head of cattle to the Spanish band, went down with the four lodges and camped in the fort; shortly after, his entire band returned to its former camping ground on the creek. This place (Spanish Fork) was the permanent home of Peteetneet and his band when the whites came to this country. It was their hunting grounds. By council of Governor Young, the people of Palmyra built Peteetneet a house and it was this band that was afterwards settled on the Spanish Fork Indian Farm or Reservation by the government.

Governor Young was superintendent over Indian Affairs in Utah. Spanish Fork Indian Farm having been established, Joseph Ellison Beck, a pioneer of 1850 living in Spanish Fork, was chosen to superintend the Indian Farm Reserve located three miles west of Spanish Fork. He served one year in this capacity under Church supervision and then the United States Government took over the farm. Mr. Beck was retained as superintendent for some time under Doctor Garland Hurt of Kentucky, Indian agent for Utah.

Doctor Hurt arrived in Salt Lake in 1855. He was a medical doctor. He lived with Joseph E. Beck and his family while a two-story adobe house was built to be used as a trading post where supplies were kept. Beck then moved his family to this house on the Reservation, which became known as the Indian Trading Post. The Reservation took part of what is known as Leland and followed the west side of the Spanish Fork River into Lake Shore. The Indians were thickly settled there and in making new roads, skeletons, beads, and all sorts of trinkets were found just north of where the agency home stood. Provisions were hauled from Salt Lake City and stored in the upstairs, and Mr. Beck then sold, traded, or rationed them out to the Indians.

By the treaty of 1854, made by Governor Young, the Indians were given titles to certain lands. A promise was also made that the pioneer settlers would help the Indians with food, in breaking up the land, and would teach them the art of farming. Men were called by Church authority as they had been called for immigration, to come to this reserve and teach the Indians how to farm. They plowed the land, built log huts, and built ditches and canals for irrigation. It was no easy task for the settlers to feed the Indians and to teach them to work; in fact, it proved to be a great hardship. Pioneer men from surrounding localities such as Provo, Springville, Spanish Fork, Salem, Payson, Benjamin, and Spring Lake, were called to help farm the Reserve, and in 1859, 2500 bushels of wheat were raised.

Pioneer John F. Beck told that the white boys and Indians would practice shooting with their bows and arrows placing a marker up against the mud wall. The Indian boys always proved to be the best shot. Superintendent Joseph E. Beck related a story of the trouble with the Indians in the south. Soldiers were sent from Fort Douglas to drive the Indians away. A friend of Doctor Hurt from Springville learned of their coming and carried the news to the agency house. Doctor Hurt went to the upstairs window and gave an Indian war-whoop and the Indians were soon on the job. He ordered them to flee to the West Mountains and to stay in hiding until he gave further instructions. It was not long before they were all out of sight, and when the soldiers appeared, Doctor Hurt gave them the understanding that these Indians were peaceable, and they were very friendly with the white people. He begged them to return to Salt Lake and to make no disturbance. They remained two days and then went back. Doctor Hurt had informed the chief of the Indians to watch for him on his white horse and this would be a signal of peace and would mean they would be safe and could return. When the soldiers left, Doctor Hurt mounted his white horse and rode toward the west mountain and soon the Indians were back again.

In the spring of 1863 an outbreak occurred among the Utah Tribe in the neighborhood of the Spanish Fork Reservation. A party of volunteers under Colonel C. S. Evans defeated them twice in their purpose. In April 1865, an Indian war broke out in Sanpete County, spreading to the adjacent districts. This lasted without intermission until the close of 1867. Chief Black Hawk was the leader of the Indians at that time.

The Spanish Fork Indians and also those of the Spanish Fork Mormon Settlement, figure very prominently in the correspondence of Indian Agent Doctor Hurt with the Indian Department in Washington, as can be seen in documents furnished to Congress by President Buchanan.

In June 1865, pursuant to an Act of Congress extinguishing Indian titles of certain lands, Superintendent Irish aided by the influence and presence of ex-Governor Young and other prominent citizens, made a treaty with fifteen Indian chief’s at Spanish Fork Indian Reservation Farm. Dimmick B. Huntington and George W. Dean acted as interpreters. The Indians promised to move within a year to Uintah Valley, and give up the land they then occupied. They agreed to be peaceable, to cultivate the reservation land, and send their children to schools established for them. The government in return promised to protect them, to furnish them with homes and employment, to pay yearly sums to the principal chiefs, also to distribute among the tribes, $25,000 for the first ten years, and $15,000 for thirty years thereafter. The Indians were permitted to hunt, dig roots, gather berries on all unoccupied lands, and to fish in their customary places. Among the chiefs present at the signing of this treaty were Kanosh, Sowiette, Sanpitch, and Tabby. All chiefs present signed the agreement. The treaty stipulated that the Indians were to withdraw from Utah valley within one year’s time and take up their residence upon the government reservation in Uintah County. It was 1867, however, before the Indians were all moved from the farm to Uintah County. The land previously occupied by them was thrown upon the market. The citizens of Spanish Fork acquired title to it and brought it all under cultivation.

Taken from HEART THROBS OF THE WEST Vol. 1

Written by Phoebe I. Markham

Taken from MEMORIES THAT LIVE

(NOTE: Joseph Ellison Beck is the Great Grandfather of Clifford, Howard, Carl, and Carolyn Broadhead, children of Perris and LaVern Beck Broadhead.)

Marker Number Five

Erected June 1, 1935

THE SPANISH FORK INDIAN FARM RESERVATION

Spanish Fork, Utah

“Comprising twenty square miles and extending from this state highway and the Spanish Fork River to Utah Lake, was set apart in 1854 by Brigham Young, Utah Superintendent of U. S. Indian Affairs. Joseph E. Beck was appointed Farm Superintendent.

“Dr Garland Hurt succeeded Brigham Young in 1855 and erected a trading post sixty rods north of this spot. O. H. Irish succeeded Dr. Hurt and made a treaty here with fifteen Indian Chiefs in 1865.

“The Indians surrendered title and moved to the Uintah Basin in 1867. ----Stephen Markham Camp, Utah County.”

(Marker Inscription)

RESERVATION---In the spring of 1854, Governor Brigham Young, General Wells and other prominent officials took a trip to Southern Utah for the purpose of making permanent peace with the Indians, especially Chief Walker. They took several wagonloads of presents especially designed for them. They met in May 1854, on Chicken Creek, Juab County. Chief Kanosh was also present and they finally smoked the pipe of peace together.

That year the Spanish Fork Indian Farm or Reservation, including nearly 3,000 acres was opened for the benefit of the Indians, this being the home of Chief Peteetneet. At this time Governor Young promised the Indians that the pioneer settlers would teach them the art of farming. Men were called by the Church Authorities from surrounding settlements and worked hard to fulfill the promise made. In 1859 2,500 bushels of wheat were raised. In the early sixties trouble arose between the Indians and settlers and later the Indians agreed to move to the Uintah Indians Reservation which had been provided by the government.

The Uintah Indian Reserve contained about two million acres of land, suitable for agriculture, grazing and hunting, and also included much timber and waterpower. The Indians agreed to be peaceable in their new home, to cultivate the land and send their children to government schools. The government promised to protect them and furnish them with homes, pay yearly sums to the chiefs and distribute $25,000.00 yearly for the first ten years.

The treaty was signed by Kanosh, Sowiette, San Pitch, Tabby, and others in 1867 at the home of Bishop Joseph S. Murdock at Heber and the land left by them at Spanish Fork reverted to the settlers.

(NOTE: The Farm Superintendent, Joseph E. Beck mentioned in this marker is the Great Grandfather of Clifford, Howard, Carl, and Carolyn Broadhead, children of Perris Broadhead and LaVern Beck.)