Chapter 4

On January 8, 1851, Apostle George A. Smith with a company of 120 men, 32 women, and 18 children who were over 14 years old, entered the Beaver Valley. This group under the leadership of George A. Smith was on their way to Little Salt Lake Valley to establish a Latter-Day-Saint settlement. We now know the valley as Parowan, Buck Horn Valley.

A group of men came from Parowan in the fall of 1855 and built a one-room log house on the south side of the Beaver River Bridge. Five years and one month after this group of people had camped on Beaver Creek on their way to Little Salt Lake Valley, a group of fifteen families headed for the Beaver Valley. They left Parowan, Utah on February 5, 1856, with Simeon Howd as captain. They arrived in the Beaver Valley on February 6, 1856, to establish a Latter-Day-Saint settlement. The Beaver "town site patent was issued to John Ashworth, Mayor of Beaver City, on June 20th, 1878, and embraced 1,280 acres of land. George Buckner homesteaded other lands making a total of 1,440 acres which came directly under the control of the Mayor of Beaver City under the trust imposed in him by the act of Congress approved on March 2, 1867.

As soon as the Government Survey was made, certain early settlers were permitted to make homestead entries with the understanding that land which had been selected under the above plan and farmed and occupied more or less since 1856 and 1857, when this local survey was made, should be deeded to those who were entitled to it. The following persons, under the forgoing arrangements, made homestead entries: David Levi (and others). Thus, all the lands were homesteaded from Beaver to the town of Greenville. The few descendants of the original homesteaders who still occupy portions of this land are as follows: Mrs. Katie Jensen, daughter of David Levi.

It is difficult to pinpoint the date of David's arrival in Beaver, as distinguished from Pine Creek, but between 1858 when he married in Ogden and 1869, when he built the brick home in Beaver, he spent a good deal of time there and lived there the rest of his life. Rights in the land were established and when all Governmental procedures were later processed, David Levi was one of the original homesteaders. In 1872, a deed was issued by John Ashworth, Mayor of Beaver City, to Ann Gillespie Levie to certain parcels in Beaver City. One can only speculate on the reason it was put in Ann's name but records reflect that David married Christina Gibb Gillis on May 3, 1870. It is also known that in 1875 he was arrested in Beaver for unlawful cohabitation.

In the late 1860's and early 70's, George Williams, Isaac Riddle, David Levi and their families moved into Pine Creek range and took up land which was excellent for farming and cattle raising. At this time, the U. S. mail was carried south from Fillmore to Beaver by horseback. Horses were changed every twenty miles. Mr. Williams made his place a station, and every day as the riders came along to exchange horses, Mrs. Williams served them hot meals. David Levi did a good business on the west side of the range, having a good spring of water, a big herd of cattle and many fine horses. Later, Mr. Levi sold his ranch to Big John Murdock and Philo Farnsworth and came back to beaver and bought land in the South field. Mrs. Levi and daughters have told of the many pounds of cheese and butter they sold to travelers on their way to California. Friendly Indians were often hired to help with the work on the ranch and to do chores around the house and at the same time act as guard while the men folks were away in the fields.

This author would place entry and settlement in Pine Creek at an earlier date, early 1860's, and suspects that David settled in Beaver and Pine Creek, acquiring title to land in both places at the same time. I believe David and probably his younger brother Joseph Hyrum Levie came into the area, possibly in the early 1860's. His daughter, Katie Bell Levi Jensen writes: "They found a place north of Beaver known as Pine Creek and David built a cabin in the cedars. Isaac Riddle, the husband of David's sister became David's partner in caring for the Co-op cattle in the areas.

Isaac Riddle, David's brother-in-law reports: "In the spring of 1864, I was releases from my Indian mission by Apostle Erastus Snow. At this time I had quite a family, three wives and eight children, and I felt that it was now necessary to get together some of the goods of this world in order to support them. I moved in June (1864) to Pine Creek, eighteen miles North of Beaver City, close to the subsequent location of Cove Fort. There I ranched successfully for ten years, when I went into the United Order and lost about $6,000. Later when the United Order became insolvent, I was chosen to take charge of the stock and turn the company into a Co-operative Company. I had charge of the herd for ten years."

As was his father in earlier days in Toronto, David became involved in the mercantile business in Beaver. The Beaver Co-operative Mercantile Institution, organized on the advice of President Brigham Young. It was started in a small brick building on Main Street, but soon became one of the largest co-op stores of Salt Lake City. In 1872, a large two-story building of black igneous rock from the mountains east of Beaver was erected on the corner of Main and Center Streets. David Levi became the first Superintendent. At the beginning of 1881, the Beaver Co-operative Mercantile Institution was re-incorporated for reasons unknown.

In May, 1870, David received a letter from his half brother, W. F. Boring in California which is today in the possession of his granddaughter, Norma (Jensen) Easton of Beaver, Utah and who still lives on the old Levi homestead. I will quote from the letter in it's entriety:

Sangworth
Dear Brother,

I received your letter in connection with Bauldwin. I assure you I was glad to hear from you; it being the first I ever received from you, it was quite a treat. I am glad to hear that you stand fair as to financial affairs for I tell you sir, that money makes the horse go. I do not understand part of your letter. Bauldwin said you had two wives, you deny it and say his wives outnumber yours. Now what am I to understand. That you have only one and him more than one. I think upon the whole you are both poking your fun at me. Knowing that I do not believe in Bigamy. I own the corn, I'm no believer in it and I think it a horrible crime both in the sight of God & man and to cloak it with Religion is a perfect obserdity. There is no Religion about it. It is mearley to gratify their Hellish Lust and I had as soon follow one of my family to the grave as to see them living in Bigamy. God forbid that I shall ever see it. You ask me to go to Utah and pay you a visit. I should like very much to do so for I want to see my Mother very bad, I think I shall go over next Spring if not sooner. I would like to see you all once more, but if I do go over it si doubtful about seeing all my folks for you are scattered all over the Territory. I would like to say a great deal to you, but I will defer it until we get into more regular correspondence.

My family consisting of my wife and 4 children are all well. Hoping you & yours to be the same. Write as often as you can. Give me the news in general. Accept of a Brothers & Sisters Love.

W. F. Boring
Direct to Sangwort, Stanislaus Co. Cala.

The letter is of interest. The reader may draw whatever conclusioins desired. One may be interested in other letters from the same sender. If so, please see history of Barbara Jane Watts and Julia Ann Carroll.

Honor was given to David Levi in the Obituary by the local Beaver Record of the Reaper after his death on 12 January, 1909

DEATH OF DAVID LEVI, David Levi was found dead in his bed on Saturday morning the 9th inst, and was buried today with impressive services. David Levi was born in Peoria, Illinois, May 2, 1832 (Incorrect) and at five years of age his parents, Fredrick and Julia Ann Carl Levi joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, and moved to Nauvoo, whence they were driven in 1846, in the dead of winter, when the Saints were expelled from their homes. The family came to Utah in 1852, settling in North Ogden, in 1854; they come to Beaver in 1863, where David has since resided. In 1858, he married Ann Gillespie and in 1870, Christine Gillies. He was the father of 13 children, six of whom survive him, also 15 grandchildren. Mr. Levi was noted above all else for his honesty and his kind and charitable disposition, being always ready to succor the needy. The speakers at the funeral were Elders John F. Tolton, Watkin Rees, John R. Murdock, Charles D. White and Samuel O. White, Jr.

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