Sunday, August 16, 2015

{History of Mapleton} Edwin Marion (1859-1928) and Frances Evaline Perry Snow (1864-1945)

This is from The History of Mapleton, by Ralph K. Harmer and Wendell B. Johnson, on page 170-171.

Edwin Marion Snow was born November 21, 1859, at Manti, Utah. He was the son of Warren Stone Snow and Sarah Elizabeth Whiting Snow. He lived at Manti until he was twelve years old and then his parents moved to Springville, Utah. During his early life he helped build roads to the Schofield coal camp, worked at a saw mill in Hobble Creek Canyon, and by 1881 he had acquired 3 yoke of oxen and was chopping railroad ties at White River in Spanish Fork Canyon.

Edwin married Frances Evaline Perry on April 9, 1883 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. During that summer he worked in Park City and hauled card wood to his home site in Mapleton. He later worked at the saw mills in the nearby canyons to get the lumber for his home and he hauled the brick from Provo with his ox team and wagon. In the Spring of 1884 Edwin and his wife moved onto their eight acre farm and began to build their house. They lived in a tent on the north end of the farm until the house was nearly completed, and then in November they moved in. It had four large rooms and two nice porches and was the first brick home built in Mapleton. It was in this home that four children were born to Edwin and Frances. Ruby was born November 29, 1884. Edwin Marion, Jr., was born February 23, 1887, and a daughter, Luella, was born September 10, 1890. A fourth child, Perry, was born on April 6, 1896, but he died a short time later.

It was in 1895 that Edwin and his wife decided to build a large brick home nearer to the center of town. They bought a five acre tract from her brother, Lewis R. Perry, and completed the home in the fall of 1896. Most of the work was done by them and their family. They hauled the sand and gravel that they needed. They slacked their own lime and cut much of their own wood. Before the house was ready to move in to, however, Frances came down with typhoid fever and the doctor suggested that she not move in until the Spring of 1896. During the winter Frances and the family saved enough carpet rags to make a carpet for three rooms in the new house. The home had six rooms and a bathroom, and although there was not running water in the house, it was a very elaborate home for the time, and the neighbors referred to it as Eddy’s mansion.

The family worked hard, as most Mapleton families had to at this time, to make a living, but there was still time for parties and family outings. The Snow home was large so it became one of the enjoyable gathering places for the young people of the town. In 1900 an organ was purchased and the young folks gathered more than ever.

Edwin served his community in many ways. He was a class instructor in the first organized Sunday school on the bench. He was then chosen as first counselor in the teacher’s quorum, and later served as its president. When Bishop William T. Tew was called Edwin became his first counselor and served at that position for twenty-one years. In 1919 he was the parent’s class teacher, and in 1924 he was chosen as second counselor to G. Ray Maycock in the new Kolob Stake presidency. In 1890 Edwin became Mapleton’s first road supervisor. He served two terms as a town board member and was president of the board for six years. He actively worked to get Strawberry water for Mapleton and was on the Mapleton Irrigation Board for many years.

During the many years Edwin served in his church jobs his wife helped in many ways. She fed the countless visiting authorities and made them feel welcome. Brother John A. Widtsoe of the Council of Twelve Apostles and George Albert Smith, who later became President of the L.D.S. Church were visitors at the Snow home. Frances also served at several jobs in the Relief Society.

Edwin Marion Snow died on December 11, 1928 after an operation in Salt Lake City. This left Frances a widow for seventeen years, but she had her son Eddie to help her. She enjoyed good health until the last three years of her life when her legs became paralyzed. She died at the age of eighty-one in Mapleton on September 19, 1945 and was buried by the side of her husband in the Evergreen Cemetery.

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