August 2015 Sons of Utah Pioneers Volume 4 Number 8 Hurricane Valley Chapter Newsletter July s Activity: There was no planned activity in July, other than the 24 th of July Breakfast. We would like to thank Brother Sanford Saline for his time and equipment. It has been a great blessing to us for the past couple of years. This activity provides for the public to have breakfast away from home, and gets them closer to the parade and other activities at the city center. We appreciate all of the SUP members who will show up to help. August s Activity: This event will be held at the American Legion Hall and will begin at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, August 18th.The meal will be pot-luck. Dan Zaleski will be our speaker, and will talk to us about the CC Camps that were erected all around Southern Utah, including one right here in Hurricane. These camps helped to keep the economy going during a difficult time in our nation s history. Dan is very knowledgeable on the subject, and we feel that you will find it most interesting.
September s Event: The Hurricane Chapter has been planning this event for over a year! It is the biggest thing we have tried to do since 1989. The National Convention will be right here in Hurricane. It will be held at the Hurricane Stake Center, and will be a three (3) day event beginning on Thursday the 22nd, and ending in the early afternoon of Saturday the 24th. All of our National Officers will be in attendance, with many of the national officers from the past. We will have entertainment each day, and some wonderful speakers. Paul Reeve, who grew up here in Hurricane, will address the spouses session, along with Lyman Hafen. Both are knowledgeable, entertaining speakers. We will be honored to have Gerald Lund, noted LDS author and former general authority speak to us on the last day. There will be plenty of food, the cost of which comes with your registration fee. There will also be three (3) treks. This is a monumental, you do not want to miss it. There will probably never be another opportunity to attend a National Convention this close to home in our lifetime. Please register early to show your support for the efforts of your Hurricane Valley SUP.
October s Event: We will meet at our usual venue, the American Legion Hall on the 20 th, at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be pot-luck. Antone Bringhurst will be our presenter this evening, as he presents to us the history of his family in Toquerville. It will be a wonderful evening being with friends, and learning about the area s history. November s Event: We will honor one of our own on this evening, as we recognize another Modern-day Pioneer. We will meet at the Legion Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 17 th. December s Event: Our Christmas dinner will be held at the Hurricane Utah Stake Center, where the chapter board members will serve the members of the chapter a sumptuous Christmas Dinner. We will then be entertained by one of Hurricane s wonderful musicians, and the new 2017 Presidency and board will be sworn in. The Date will be December 3 rd. Put it on your calendar! From Our History: Gould s Sheep Shearing Corral by Alice Stratton My childhood home was just one block from where the old road turned to cross the canal and climb the Hurricane Hill. I took for granted the teams and wagons, the cattle and the sheep that pulverized the dusty road going past our picket fence. Every spring, bleating herds of sheep pattered past, moving like a continuous wooly belt around the bend and up the hill. This was as much a part of spring as almond blossoms. I still relish the memories of the sights, sounds and dusty smell of the many sheep herds that passed through Hurricane, although it is all history now. Years later, Stella Flannigan said to me, Someone should write the story of the Gould s shearing corral.
Story? I asked. Yes. At one time Gould s was the biggest sheep shearing operation in the entire world. I had watched sheep by the thousands climb the hill on their way to the Gould s Shearing Corral five miles east of Hurricane, little dreaming they were getting worldwide attention. Stella had sparked my curiosity and my quest began. The time was August, 1979. I was an enjoyable time. My husband Ermal and I visited everyone we could think of who might have had something to do with the Gould s operation. We visited Lafe Hall, Alf and Annie Scow, Charlie Stratton, Don and Stella Flannigan, Wilma Englestead, Tom and Fern Stratton, Finley Judd and Owen Sanders. I scribbled notes as we talked. These interviews were safely tucked in my files as other projects claimed our attention. I m thankful we visited the people we did when we did, because part of them are gone not. From the Washington County News of the time, we learn: Hurricane February 23, 1910, There is some talk of sheepmen of this and Kane County building a shearing corral near Goulds, though just how much foundation there is for the rumor, we are unable to say. Hurricane February 28, 1910, The proposed shearing corral at Goulds referred to last week is a sure going. Frank Petty of Rockville has delivered several loads of lumber on the ground and Eugene Cripps and others have contracted to furnish the posts, etc. We believe it is the intention to have the corral ready for this spring s shearing. LaVerkin April 11, 1910 Sheep shearing is in full blast at Gould s ranch. A number of men from this locality are there. So, the sheep shearing business began in 1910, and grew steadily for several years. This growth was not without its problems. June 6 th 1919 William Swapp, a Glendale sheep man, was driving his herd along the main road below Cane Beds. As they approached the enclosed watering place owned by
the Grand Canyon Cattle Company, some of the sheep rushed through the open gateway, and helped themselves to some of the water. As soon as possible, Mr. Swapp ran into the corral and was in the act of driving his unruly animals away, when Sam Beal, foreman of the company s ranch, rushed madly upon Mr. Swapp, and struck him senseless to the ground with a sixshooter. Archie Swapp, who was not far behind with his own flock, soon came along, and with the help of one of his herders who had witnessed the tragedy, tied up his brother s head. Then he set out for Moccasin, 20 miles away, to make a complaint. Again, troubles surfaced for the new and growing sheep shearing industry. On the front page of the Washington County News, March 27, 1913 appears this headline: SHEEP SHEARING PENS AT GOULDS RANCH BURNT. The sheep shearing pens at Goulds Ranch were totally destroyed by fire Tuesday. A phone message to the news from Hurricane says that all evidence obtained, goes to show that the pens had been maliciously fired. An effort is being made to rebuild them at once, so as not to miss this season s shearing. Hurricane May 6, 1914 Manti Workman was killed May 6 shortly after leaving Goulds wash, by a load of wool tipping over on him. His brother Nephi acme along behind him and extracted him, but he was smothered. (It is less than four months since he and Will Spendlove had purchased the Goulds ranch.) Aside from the troubles associated with this marvelous business, there were upsides to it as well. The Goulds shearing operation achieved a world record in the early years of its operation. While Jim Judd was in England on a mission for the L.D.S. Church, a publication came out about the Goulds Shearing Corral. Jim bought the magazine and brought it home. The English report said the Goulds Shearing Corral ran more sheep through in a season than any other shearing operation in the world. Its increase in production and events that followed were after it was acclaimed #1 in the world for its output. Front page news, March 22, 1917: UTAH WOOL CLIP HIGHEST IN HISTORY More on this part of our history next month!
Fr om Our Pr esi dent El ect Oct ober From Our President Elect: I have always been interested in history, especially local and family history. My Hirschi line started in this area in 1861 with my Great Great Grandfather Gotlieb Hirschi living in Santa Clara, UT. After a couple of years there, he moved to Rockville, Utah where he bought 10 acres of land for $10 dollars and a coat. He was a Bishop for 23 years and was very instrumental in settling that area. Later, my Great Grandfather David Hirschi was instrumental in the building of Hurricane. Being a member of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Hurricane Chapter, has given me a great opportunity to learn more of our area and the wonderful pioneer men and women that tamed this great area. I am so thankful for the members and the love they all have for our ancestors. We have so many wonderful resources here. Our monthly meetings and dinners are very educational. We hear from many of the people that have a great knowledge of the history of the area and love to share it. They are all very interesting to say the least. Where else can you rub shoulders with such great men and women than the relatives of our faithful settlers who made this such a wonderful place to live, raise our families or retire. I love Hurricane, the surrounding area, and the Sons of Utah Pioneer Organization that teaches us of our heritage. Tom Hirschi