Simeon Adams Dunn

Simeon Adams Dunn, the father of Simeon Harmon Dunn, was born January 13 1851 in Salt Lake City. He married Eunice Emily Harmon on November 6, 1876, in Washington, Utah. Their first five children, Simeon Harmon, Levi Tessie, Elmer and Emily, were born there. Eunice was born in Sanford; Etholen Silver, Charles Albert and Jared Willard were born in Eastdale, Colorado.

On May 16, 1889, they left Washington with two other families, Marcus Funk and Oscar Westover. Simeon and Eunice decided to go to Colorado because they both suffered from chills and fever and had heard that the high dry Colorado climate would help improve their health.

When they arrived in the San Luis Valley, they decided to settle in Sanford. There, he traded a team and wagon for a lot with a small house and a dug-out on it. This was to be their home for two years.

In 1891, the family moved to Eastdale, Colorado in Costilla County. Eastdale was a very small town and people were like a large family. They farmed, milked cows, raised sheep and worked hard to develop the land. They built a reservoir to conserve water and dug irrigation ditches to irrigate their crops.

The people formed a community pasture and corral. For each cow or horse that was pastured, the family was to furnish someone to herd the animals for one day. The herder had the responsibility of driving the animals to the grazing land and also gathering the stock and bringing them back to the corral at the end of the day. It was a common site to see antelope grazing with the cattle.

Water for drinking and household was a big problem. For several years, there was only one well in the town. Everyone carried their water from this well. The wells were 80 to 100 feet deep and were all dug by hand. The dirt was hauled out of the wells with buckets on ropes and pulleys. The holes were about a yard square and the walls were encased with timbers.

Money was scarce and the people had to provide their own amusement. Five men in the town played the violin and Eunice had a small organ furnished for the music for the parties and dances that were held. Later a log school house was build and this building became the amusement center as well as the school. Quite often town dinners were held there.

Building their church was a community project. Adobes were made by the men and a brick kiln was erected. Pinon wood was hauled from the nearby Ute Mountain to use to fire the bricks. People took turns watching the fire to keep it burning continually until the bricks were right for building. Women and girls prepared lunches and the whole community worked together to erect the building.

In 1909 a large investment company from the east formed the Costilla Development Company and became interested in part of the Sangre de Cristo land grant. Because the town of Eastdale moved to either Manassa or Sanford to make their homes. The Dunns moved to Manassa.

On August 23, 1891 Simeon was set apart as Presiding Priest of Eastdale Branch and Eunice was set apart as Relief Society President, both by S. C. Berthelsen. On January 29, 1894 Marcus counselor, and Ephriam Mortensen, second counselor. On August 11, 1897 Christen Jensen was set apart as Bishop of Eastdale Ward by Apostle John W. Taylor. Simeon was made first counselor and ward clerk. Andrew S. Nielsen was made second counselor.

Simeon was put in as postmaster of Eastdale on May 28, 1895. Eunice was an excellent musician with perfect pitch. She was choir director and worked extensively with music.

Simeon Adams Dunn, The Mormons; 100 Years in the San Luis Valley of Colorado; 1883-1983, Compiled and Edited by Carleton Q. Anderson, Betty Shawcroft and Robert Compton, Published by the La Jara Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Adobe Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, pp 179-180

Christen Jensen's Military Service (conclusion)

On one occasion, while on a reconnoitering expedition, Christen and others were crossing the Green River in Wyoming. A sudden raise in the river brought it to flood stage and swept away a party of scouts. Five of them were being drowned in the black swirling waters of the stream. Jensen was in the scouting party, and it was only after swimming a mile and a half down stream that he was able to get from the frothing seething river to the shore, practically exhausted but still alive.

He was cast upon the shore of the stream without provisions. His ammunition all wet and he was without the ordinary methods of making a fire. He laid on the banks of the river for some time until his strength gradually returned. He got up, stretched his weary limbs, walked a few paces up and down the stream. He found some driftwood and in a short time had kindled a fire by rubbing two sticks together until the friction ignited the embers. A roaring bon fire was made.

Scouts on the other side of the Green river saw the blaze and an alarm was sounded. Within a day, it was discovered that it was not a band of hostile Indians encamped on the opposite bank of the Green river. Rather, it was a lone U.S. Scout. Provisions were sent across the stream to him.

The next day, he rejoined his regiment. Six of his picked followers were now sleeping beneath the river or along its banks, drowned while serving their country.

1. Looking into the Past, Ledger-News, Antonito, Colorado, 78th Year Number 15, Thursday, Sept. 16, 1971.
Please note that I have modified the article a bit in punctuation phrasing.

Christen Jensen's Military Service (part 2)

On another trip Christen Jensen was given the task of looking after 175 head of cattle which were being driven across the plains. Marauding bands of Indians had taken several of the beefs for food and were committing many depredations in the neighborhood. Christen, with a picked guard of five men took charge of the cattle the balance of the way to their permanent homes in Utah never lost another head. They met bands of Indian Scouts, but were always able to out-wit them.

The trouble with the Indians arose over treaties with the government. The U.S. government had a treaty with the Indians giving them all of the lands west of the Platte river to the Pacific Coast. In 1860, they negotiated another treaty in which certain lands were designated as reservations. The Indians objected to the latter treaty. After three years of relentless warfare, the Indians were compelled to lay down arms and accept the government's terms of treaty. A peace pact was signed.

Even after this had been accomplished, marauding bands of Indians had been roving over the western plains of Wyoming and Utah. Many depredations had been committed. The Indians were no worse than some of the white traders who would give the Indians a quart of whiskey and take in exchange for the bottle of "fire water" furs up to a thousand times the value of the liquor. Then too, there were lots of ruthless outlaws in the west. They killed Indians without cause. A was of extermination was waged until the government stepped in and conquered the Indians and told the wild men to move on. If one of these frontiersmen were a ruffian and had escaped punishment in the East, he was hunted down and tried and just punishment was meted out to him. It was almost three years after the federal troops took the field to the time when peace and quiet were restored to those taking overland trails.

1. Looking into the Past, Ledger-News, Antonito, Colorado, 78th Year Number 15, Thursday, Sept. 16, 1971.