PAROWAN, Utah — Clouds of vapor billowed from the frost-laced noses of horses and mules, adding to the pre-dawn fog. Seated in the covered wagons hitched behind the animals were families nearly buried in quilts, exposing just their red-cheeked faces to the frigid air. The wagon train on Paragonah Main Street was ready to trek.
Clearly, Jan. 13 at 8 a.m. was an inconvenient time to re-enact a wagon train and hold a celebration. But inconvenience is a small thing to residents of this southern Utah community who wanted to remember their stalwart ancestors in historically correct circumstances. Thus, the wagon train rolled forward at sunup on its four-mile journey to Parowan. The wagon train was just one of many activities held during a 10-day celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of "the mother colony," Parowan, southern Utah's first settlement.
President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, was the guest of honor at the celebration and he, too, answered questions about why such a significant event was celebrated in the dead of winter.
"I told them that [this time of year] was when it was settled," said President Faust.
Indeed, the cold morning was reminiscent of 150 years earlier when a wagon train arrived at what would soon be the town square on Jan. 13, 1851, under the leadership of Apostle George A. Smith. The settlement was charged with starting an iron mission, which proved unsuccessful, but Parowan became the base from which colonization and leadership went forward to other places in southern Utah, northern Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. Since that time, the historic-minded community has frequently honored its founders and remembered circumstances of early days.
Re-enactments were frequent during the celebration. The arrival of Apostle-explorer Parley P. Pratt, who in 1849-50 explored southern Utah and located the prospective townsite, was re-enacted Jan. 8, the 151st anniversary of his dedication of the valley. On Jan. 10, the arrival of the pioneers into the valley was re-enacted in Paragonah, followed by various programs, commemorations and plays. On Jan. 13, the re-enactment wagon train began with a roll call in which Richard Johnson portrayed Apostle George A. Smith calling the settlers together, and descendants responding in behalf of their early pioneer forebears. Brother Johnson, a descendant of settler Joel Hills Johnson, offered a prayer and conducted another roll call at the town meeting held later in the morning at Parowan High School gymnasium. Once again, descendants of early settlers answered, comprising half the 1,000 in attendance, and many having traveled from long distances. Other activities during the 10-day celebration included a day honoring Parowan athlete Alma Richards, the first LDS athlete to win a gold medal in the Olympics; family heirloom shows, an annual birthday ball and historic programs and plays.
Because Parowan was settled and thriving in 1854, the residents were in a position to save the John C. Fremont survey party that was mapping a trail from Santa Fe, N.M., to southern California. They became lost in a blizzard and their lives were saved when Fremont stumbled on to a cabin in Parowan. In appreciation for that rescue, Fremont's mapmaker, a man named Solomon N. Carvalho, drew a sketch of an infant who had just died as a remembrance for its grieving parents. This original sketch, donated by the family, was unveiled for display in the local museum, an early rock meetinghouse.
President Faust addressed the gathering and later dedicated a statue of Apostle Parley P. Pratt and addressed a youth fireside. At the statue dedication, a cannon was fired several times from a nearby hillside, its smoke drifting upwards, its sharp report echoing across the valley much as similar discharges had in the times of Apostles Pratt and Smith, and in celebrations many times since.
After watching the participants of the wagon train enter the town meeting, President Faust expressed appreciation for the participants, and noted that he was especially glad to see children had also taken part. He said, "I have a personal interest in the settlement of Iron County because I have five grandchildren who are descendants of George A. Smith who gave leadership to the original settlement.
"I have learned, studying the history of Iron County. . . that the story of the settlement of this county really is not principally about iron but about the heroic challenges, character, struggles and faith of those who were either called or volunteered to participate in the Iron County Mission.
"The Iron County Mission, while not productive of a great quantity of iron, was a success because of the character and faith it built into the lives of those who participated and in the lives of their descendants."
He noted that Parley P. Pratt was sent on his exploring trip in the cold winter. "In the bitter cold of winter it would not have been very inviting. Parley P. Pratt and John Brown said the Little Salt Lake Valley, as it was called, seemed more hospitable than the areas through which they had traveled. Parley P. Pratt's report to the Utah Assembly of the beautiful valleys with ample water, many acres of cedar-rich soil and timber, was glowing in its potential."
He noted that some leaders, such as John D. Lee, had to be personally encouraged to join the colonizing mission. "The challenges were great and the efforts were heroic. . . . the efforts to build the blast furnace, make roads through the coal deposits, haul pitch pine and coke and limestone were extraordinary.
"The hardships and persecution were great. The coming of Johnston's army, together with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, were disturbing events" that led to the iron works being shut down.
The monument was dedicated by President Faust "to memorialize Parley P. Pratt and all those associated with him in this great colonizing effort in this part of our state. May we remember always their dedication, their devotion, their sacrifice, their commitment and all that they did to establish this state and move forward the faith of the people here."
In his remarks at the youth fireside, President Faust described the roll call that was held when "the descendants of those who were in that first company were invited to stand, family by family. . . . Now someday another roll call will be held. We are going to have to account to our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. My grandson Nate [Smith, a descendant of George A. Smith accompanying President Faust] will have to account to George A. Smith. These are sacred, sacred ties. . . . Someday you will have a roll call with the Holy One of Israel, and the scriptures tell us 'he employeth no servant there.' (2 Nephi 9:41.) Each of us will be called before the Savior.' "
Responding to questions, he counseled the youth to work at developing their spirituality.
"There are two or three things we can do and should do. One is to read the scriptures every day. Another thing is be sure and say your prayers, morning and night and in between if you feel a need to.
Another one is read your patriarchal blessing. Read it over and over. The patriarchal blessing is personal revelation from the Lord. You can't understand your patriarchal blessing by reading it once, or twice or ten times or a hundred times, because as you move through your life, different things begin to have different meaning. You just can't know.
"Spirituality comes precept upon precept; you learn. You get to that point where you become submissive, and your spirituality increases."
President Faust paid tribute again to the stalwart settlers who founded Parowan.
The original settlers included 120 men, 30 women and 18 children, who left Fort Provo Dec. 16, 1850, and traveled four weeks through blizzards, deep snows and freezing temperatures over five ranges of hills and mountains. They first named their colony the City of Little Salt Lake, but later changed its name to Parowan.
Although many people have come and gone during the past 150 years, residents continue to honor the pioneer settlers in the same spirit — and in the same temperatures — in which the city was founded.