My Mayfield

OLSEN, OLE C

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:56:05 +0000

OLSEN, OLE C, first bishop of Mayfield, farmer by occupation, son of Ole C. and Engel M., was born on the Isle of Bon Holm, Denmark, February 7, 1823. He learned the trade of a tailor and followed the work. In ’52 he joined the Mormon church and did five years’ missionary work, being president of a branch at Copenhagen for four years. He came to Utah with his wife and one child in ’57, crossing the plains in Capt. Christiansen’s handcart company, and located in Salt Lake City. He was one among the volunteers sent out to hold Echo canyon against the army. In ’58 he removed to Ephraim, where he remained a short time, then went to Mt. Pleasant as one of the first settlers. He was also one of the first in Fairview and went to Gunnison among the early settlers. In the spring of ’75 he came to Mayfield among the early settlers and was appointed bishop, being ordained in ’76. He held the position of bishop until ’90. He took an active part in the Black Hawk war, serving as Captain, and lost many head of stock. Helped to organize the Co-op store and was president for many years and later became president of the High Priests’ quorum of Mayfield. He filled a mission of two and a half years in Sweden and presided over the Stockholm conference. He has always been an active man in local affairs, helping to build the forts at Ephraim, Mt. Pleasant, Fairview and Gunnison, and was the first settler to put a plough in the ground in the South Mayfield settlement. Was married first in Copenhagen in ’50 to Margaret Jorgensen. She died in Mayfield in ’82, leaving five children: Olivia, George T. and John T., now living. Second wife, married October 28, 1862, was Caroline M. Olsen. She has two children: Victor C. and Sabina M. Third wife, married in ’69, was Hannah Madstrom.

JENSEN, HENRY

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 23:10:06 +0000

JENSEN, HENRY, merchant; son of Soren and Christine M., was born in Denmark January 11, 1847. He came to Utah in 1854 and located in Ephraim, where he was a home guard in the Black Hawk war. In 1875 he came to Mayfield. He served as Justice of the Peace for ten years, bishop’s counsellor ten years and superintendent of the Sunday-school for six years. In 1885 he was appointed postmaster. He began general merchandising in his home in November, 1896, and in May 1897, moved his goods to the building formerly owned by the Mayfield Co-op. By 1898 he had two general stores, carrying a stock of about $6,000, consisting of dry goods, groceries, clothing, patent medicines, drugs and notions. In the 1898 history of Sanpete he was considered “an energetic man, upright dealer and most prominent citizen.” He was married November 2, 1867, in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, to Annie C, daughter of Christian and Annie J. Jensen. By 1898 they had had seventeen children, only two of whom were living; Joseph A. and Parley.

CHRISTIANSEN, BISHOP PARLEY

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:24:22 +0000

CHRISTIANSEN, BISHOP PARLEY, farmer and stockraiser, son of Neils and Dorothy, was born in Salt Lake City December 7, 1857. According to an 1898 history of Sanpete county “His parents removed to Spanish Fork when he was about four months old, and after two years he and his mother moved to Ephraim. In 1890 he came to Mayfield, where he has since remained. While he was too young to take an active part in the Black Hawk war, he had quite an experience during that exciting time. While he and his brother were after wood in October, 1865, the Indians made a raid and killed five men, one woman and a girl. The brothers succeeded in eluding the savages and reached Ephraim in safety, though only a little distance from the massacre. He served as Constable of Ephraim in 1884-5-6, and was elected a member of the Constitutional convention in ’94. Is at present (1898) assistant postmaster, notary public and member of the district school board. He is one of the directors in the Mayfield and Gunnison Cattlemen’s Association, and is considerably interested in the cattle business. In 1887 he was called on a mission to the Northwestern States and returned in ’88. In ’76 be went to Arizona to help build up a town then called Brigham City, but since abandoned. He helped build a fort there, and on his return assisted in taking a sawmill to St George to cut lumber for the Temple. He is a member of the Elders, Seventies and High Priests’ quorums and has been a teacher in the Sunday-school theological class. In May, 1890, he was ordained bishop of Maytield by Apostle Heber J. Grant and holds that position with credit to himself and honor to the ward. He is an enterprising, industrious and much-respected citizen. He was married in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, April 21, 1881, to Dorothea C, daughter of Niels and Dorothea Jensen Scow, born July 13, 1861. They have six children living: Dorothea G., Metta E., Parley A., Edna M., Nels W. and Ella L., and one deceased.”

1875 : A town is started

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:11:28 +0000

In 1875 the settlement was increased by the addition of twenty families from Ephraim and a town started. The first store was opened this year in a tent and was owned by John Williams, who later sold to the people, and the business was incorporated as the Mayfield Co-op. The affairs were operated for some years under the wise management of Ole C. Olsen, president of the company, and later by Joseph Christiansen. In 1894 the company sold out and in a history of Sanpete County published in 1898 the store was then owned by Henry Jensen “who operates a north and south branch, and does a good business.”

At that time (1898) there were three stores, the third owned by O. C. Larsen; two blacksmith shops, owned by Arthur H. Campbell and Jorgeu Knudsen; a fine forty-barrel roller mill, owned by the Willardson family; three well-conducted district schools, under able instructors; a Relief Society hall, used for amusements and religious services, and a ward of the Latter-day Saints under the wise counsel of Bishop Parley Christiansen. The population consisted of farmers and stockraisers and numbers probably 800 people, “noted for their honesty, industry and enterprise in conquering the desert and building magnificent homes in this mountain vale”.

The Origins Of The Name ‘Mayfield’

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:47:16 +0000

Mayfield is a nice country village, located twelve miles south of Manti, on what is known as Twelve-Mile creek. The settlement was begun in 1873 by some families from Gunnison and was called Arropine in honor of the famous Indian chief who deeded Sanpete county to the Mormon church. He made this delightful spot his home for many years and preferred the location to any in the entire Sanpitch valley, which he claimed as his domains. The name was afterward changed to Mayfield becsanause of its natural beauties in that delightful month of spring.

The first parties to take up land and begin the settlement were: Simon Hansen, Mads P. Sorenson, Hans Tuft, Carl Olsen, Christian Hansen, Ole C. Olsen and Bishop C. A. Madsen of Gunnison. Mads P. Sorenson built the first house on the north side of the creek. In 1872 some attempts were made at farming, but not till 1873 were there any marks of permanency. During this year the actual residents were only three families: Mads P. Sorenson, Simon Hansen and Hans Tuft. The first death occurred some time after the town was located and was an old bachelor known only as Hans.

A Brief History Of Mayfield

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:33:43 +0000

The first house in Mayfield was built by M. P. Sorensen in 1873. Other early settlers were Simon Hansen, Christian Hansen, Hans Tuft and C. A. Madsen. Twenty families from Ephraim joined the colony in 1875 and John Williams opened the first store. Mayfield is pleasantly situated on Twelve Mile Creek in the southern part of Sanpete County, about four miles east of Gunnison, which is the nearest railroad station. It has a municipal water system, a flour mill, a sawmill, a public school, general stores and some minor business enterprises. It was incorporated in 1909 and in 1918 had an estimated population of 550.

Utah since statehood, historical and biographical