{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.

History of Edwin Marion Snow (1859-1928)

EDWIN MARION SNOW

A History

Written by Ruby Snow Jensen, His Daughter

Edwin Marion Snow was born November 21, 1859, at Manti, Utah. He was a son of Warren Stone Snow and Sarah Elizabeth Whiting. He lived in Manti until he was twelve years old. Then his mother and sister Clara and he moved to Springville, Utah, where his grandfather, Edwin Whiting, had made his home. He was baptized in Springville by Thomas Childs.

In the year 1876, he worked for Uell Stewart on wagon roads to the coal mines in Schofield, which was a new coal camp that had just opened up. He helped build the family home in Springville. The house was where the art gallery now stands. It was a two room adobe house with a lean-to on the back.

In 1877 and 1878, he worked at a saw mill in Hobble Creek Canyon, getting out logs. He only had one ox to work with. In 1879 and 1880, he worked in Days Canyon, logging at Halls Sawmill, having three yoke of oxen to use by then. In 1881 and 1882 he worked chopping ties and hauling ties on White River. These were for the railroad in Spanish Fork Canyon. He was ever a lover of the out doors and logged at the mills for the lumber that went in their home.

He was ordained a Deacon when fourteen years of age and held that office until he was twenty-three years old. He was ordained an Elder at age twenty-three, in 1882, by Benjamin T. Blanchard. He was married to Frances Evaline Perry in the Endowment House April 9, 1883, by Daniel H. Wells.

In the summer of 1883, he worked at Park City, hauling card wood to the Ontario Mine. In the fall he and his wife moved to Mapleton and started to build a brick home. In 1884 they lived in a tent until their home was built. He logged in the canyon for lumber for this new home, hauled the rock for the foundation from Maple Canyon and the brick from Provo. This was a four room home with two nice porches, one on the east and one on the west side of the house. Two rooms were finished by November and their first child was born, Ruby, November 29, 1884, in the new home. On February 3, 1887, their first son was born, Edwin Marion Snow, named after his father, of course, as they always did in those days. Luella was born September 10, 1890 and a baby boy, Reed, was born April 6, 1896. He only lived for one week. This first home is now owned by Bessie Thorn and is much the same as when it was built.

When Father built the new home in 1895, he sold this home to Uncle Wells Snow, his only brother.

In 1885, the first Sunday School was organized in the branch and Father was made a class instructor and labored in that calling when the ward was organized in 1888. Lucius Whiting was the first Bishop with William T. Tew and John Mendenhall as counselors. Now Father was called to first counselor in the Teachers Quorum and in 1892 was chosen President of that Quorum and labored in that calling until April 19, 1896, when he was set apart as first counselor to Bishop William T. Tew. Uncle Lute Whiting, the first Bishop, died February, 1896, of pneumonia.

Father was ordained a High Priest April 19, 1896, by Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith, who later was President of the Church. Father held this position of First Counselor for twenty-one years. After he resigned, he was chosen as Parents Class Leader, which position he held until November 1924, when he was called to be Second Counselor in the Kolob Stake, which had been organized from Utah Stake. G. Ray Maycock was President, with Frank Bringhurst First Counselor and Edwin M. Snow Second Counselor, and Claud Salisbury as Clerk. This position he held until his death 11 December 1928, from flu pneumonia.

In 1894 Father bought five acres of land nearer the church and schools and began again the hard work of getting the material for this home from the canyons. They were more than a year building this home, as all the material, sand and gravel, had to be sifted through a screen by hand to make the mortar. The lime came in the form of rocks which had to be slacked. Father again hauled the bricks from Provo and the adobe from Uncle Lon Fullmer's brick yard. This was a nice three bedroom home with living room, bath room, kitchen and parlor and a cellar under the house to store fruit. This home was finished by the fall of 1896, but Mother had a bad case of typhoid fever and the doctor did not want her to move in the home in the fall so the move was not made until the spring of 1897.

This was a good pleasant home and we children were always welcome to bring our friends home with us for parties and after church on Sundays. They were always made welcome by Father and Mother. This home is now owned by a great grandson, Richard Bills.

Father was always a religious man, doing everything he could for the Church and for neighbors and friends in the Church. He held many offices in the Mapleton Town, being the first road supervisor in 1890. He served many years in the Town Board after the town was incorporated in 1900 and given the name of Mapleton. He was Trustee in the town 1904 to 1905 and again in 1908-1909, President of the Board 1910-1911, President 1912 and 1913 and President 1914-1915.

He was one of the men who helped to get the Strawberry water for our town and was on the Mapleton Irrigation Co. for many years.

He died in Salt Lake City following an operation 11 December, 1928. He was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery.

Here are some pictures of his grave:

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