An Early History of Cache County ~ Index
Introduction
Due to the lack of written information concerning the early settlement and history of Cache Valley, the rapid passing away of the early pioneers and the increasing demand by different organizations for such information, the advertising committee of the Logan Chamber of Commerce has, for several years, had in mind the publication of an historical pamphlet of Cache Valley that would be accessible and contain useful and interesting information for adults as well as young people; also a booklet that might serve as a text in the public schools.
For information, the committee is particularly indebted to Edward W. Tullidge, author of Tullidge's History of Northern Utah and Southern Idaho; Mr. John F. Wright and Mr. William Ellis, Logan; Mrs. Martha Reese and John F. Blanchard, Logan; Messers, Joseph Baker and George W. Baker, Mendon; Hyrum Bair, William L. Skidmore, Mrs. Eliza Shepard, Mrs. H.A. Adamson and Mrs. Hyrum Bair, Richmond; L.J. Petty, Oxford, Idaho; Mrs. Margaret Sant, Smithfield; James A. Hovey, Millville; Joseph H. Campbell, Hos. A. Smith and Hopkin Mathews, Providence; James Jensen and Mrs. Rebecca Allen, Hyrum; Thomas H. Godfrey, Clarkston; P.E. Van Orden, Lewiston; Brigham Y. Benson and Charles Wood, Trenton; James D. Nuttle, College; W.G. Reese, Benson; John Griffin, Newton; and Christian Christiansen Bindrup, John C. Dowdile's diary and Thomas Leishman, Wellsville.
As it may be some time before the historical booklet for the schools is published and as much of the information gathered will not appear in this text, the committee deemed it advisable to give all the information through the column of The Logan Journal and has therefore, made arrangements with the newspaper company for the publication of this history of the early settlement of Cache Valley. It is suggested that those interested, clip this information as it appears in the issues of The Logan Journal and paste it in a scrapbook. The sections appearing in the paper will be uniform and easy for clipping and filing. When complete, the copy will be valuable, especially as time passes. This history represents much time and work and some of the information has never appeared in print before.
As far as possible, the information was rechecked and the committee feels that the record is correct as far as the committee has been able to make it so at the present time. If there are items or events left out, it was an oversight and not intentional. The committee solicits corrections or additions that anyone may desire to offer. It is believed that this means of publishing the history will serve as a threshing floor and afterwards it will be possible to make a very valuable textbook for the schools.
The history is divided into three sections. The first period deals with the life of the Indians and the discovery of the valley by James Bridger and other trappers in the fall of 1824. From then to 1855 is known as the Trapping Period. A brief sketch of just how Jim Bridger came to discover the Valley is also given. The second, or Ranching Period, deals with the time when the Church cattle and other herds were driven into the valley for grazing. The third, or Colonization Period, deals with the real settlement or colonization of the valley and records the events as they happened up to 1860. After 1860, only the important events of the settlements and development of the valley are discussed. The task would be far too great and it would require a number of books to give a record of all the events from the time of the first settlement to 1923. Sections are also devoted to the Early Indian Troubles, the Social and Domestic Conditions and the early Livestock Industry. These are omitted in the write-ups of the different settlements as they were all similar and there would be too much repetition to mention these events and describe all the conditions in each settlement.
Those principally responsible for gathering the information and compiling it are; Professor D.E. Robinson, former chairman of the advertising committee of the Chamber of Commerce, secretary M.R. Hovey of the Chamber of Commerce and Professor Frank Daines of the Utah Agricultural Collage.1
Notes…
The title of this compilation by M.R. Hovey is An Early History of Cache County, however you will please note in the first paragraph above that it was written and researched to be a history including all of Cache Valley. I suppose that as the major sponsor of this book was the Cache Chamber of Commerce, they wished it and the work invested in this compilation to reflect on their name. However in the fall of 2018 the "Cache Chamber of Commerce" changed their name to the "Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce."
I suppose the awkwardness of splitting Cache Valley in half finally became apparent to everyone. The Cache Valley is shared by two states and has three counties (Cache, Franklin & Bannock) in its length from Avon, Utah on the south to Swan Lake, Idaho on the north
- An Early History of Cache County, compiled by Merlin R. Hovey, 1 January 1923. Also published in the Logan Journal, beginning 4 August 1923. (My copy was made by Miss Ellen Bickmore as part of the Historic Records Survey, Federal Writers Projects, Works Progress Administration, December, 1936.)