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
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
2 comments:
I wish that we had a better picture of these people. This picture is not a very clear one.
Hi,
I was surfing the web and ran across your blog. I am a descendant of Simeon Adams Dunn Senior and Harriet Atwood Silver Dunn through Eveline. I am glad that others are blogging on this great family. I wanted to let you know about another blog that was formed to research the Dunn line: http://dunnresearch.blogspot.com/. Do you do a lot of research on this family or do you have documents that we don't? We would love to share!
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