Page:History of Utah.djvu/357

CHAPTER XIII.

SETTLEMENT AND OCCUPATION OP THE COUNTRY.

1847-1852.

Founding of Centreville—Bountiful—Ogden—Lynne—Easton—Marriotsville—San Pete—Provo—Indian War—Walled Cities—Evansville—Lehi—Battle Creek—Pleasant Grove—American Fork—Payson—Nephi—Manti—Chief Walker—Fillmore—Site Chosen for the Capital—Tooele—Grantsville—Kaysville—Little Salt Lake—Parowan—Cedar City—Paragoonah—Forts Walker and Harmony—Box Elder Creek—Brigham City—Willard City—San Bernardino in California.

In the autumn of 1847 one Thomas Grover arrived with his family on the bank of a stream twelve miles north of Salt Lake City, and now called Centreville Creek. His intention was to pasture stock for the winter; and for this purpose a spot was chosen where the stream spreading over the surface forms plats of meadow-land, the soil being a black, gravelly loam. Here Grover, joined by others in the spring, resolved to remain, though in the neighborhood were encamped several bands of Indians, and this notwithstanding that as yet there was no white settlement north of Salt Lake City. Land was ploughed and sown in wheat and vegetables, the crops being more promising than those to the south. But in May of the following year the settlers were startled, not by the war-whoop of the Utahs, but by hordes of black monster crickets, swarming down from the bench-lands, as at Salt Lake City, and bringing destruction on field and garden. They turned out to do battle with the foe; ditches were dug around the grain-fields, and the

Hist. Utah. 20 ( 305 )