H-8(1)

1ST MEETING HOUSE USED..BUILT 1872(F-4) H-8(1)

PHILEMON C MERRILL, IN CHARGE OF THE SODA SPRINGS ID MISSION, APPOINTED HENRY A. LEWIS AS THE PRESIDING ELDER IN TWIN CREEKS (GEORGETOWN) ID..1872-1877. HENRY A. LEWIS WAS CALLED AS BISHOP FROM 1877-1901. ALMA HAYES AMD ALVERO DUNN WERE THE COUNSELORS. HENRY A. LEWIS WAS THE FIRST CLERK OF THE BRANCH WHEN THERE WAS ONLY TEN FAMILIES HERE.

THE WHITE FRAME CHURCH WAS BUILT ABOUT 1890 ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE. IT TOOK TIL 1894 AND COST $1800. HENRY HOFF HAULED THE FIRST LOAD OF ROCK AND EMANUEL HOFF HAULED THE FIRST LOAD OF LUMBER. IT WAS A LARGE ONE-ROOM BUILDING 75 TO 80 FEET LONG, NORTH AND SOUTH, AND 30 FEET WIDE. IT HAD A STEEP GABLED ROOF WITH ROWS OF WINDOWS ON EITHER SIDE ABOUT 12 FEET APART LETTING LOTS OF DAYTIME LIGHT IN. ARTIFICIAL LIGHT WAS PROVIDED BY KEROSENE LAMPS, QUITE LARGE BRASS COLLARED LAMPS WITH SIMILAR SHADES ABOVE AND ALL SUSPENDED FROM THE CENTER OF THE HIGH ARCHED CEILING. THERE WERE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM AND A FEW SMALLER GLASS LAMPS BRACKETED TO THE BACK END WALL FOR THE CHOIR AREA AND THE RAISED AREA CALLED 'THE STAGE', A 'VESTIBULE', ABOUT 20 FEET WIDE AND 12 FEET LONG IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE ON THE NORTH END. WE PILED WOOD HERE TO BE HANDY WITHOUT GOING OUTSIDE TO 'RESTOKE' THE FIRE IN THE BIG STOVE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM FOR HEAT.(H4)

THE CLASSES FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL WERE SEPARATED BY CURTAINS SUSPENDED FROM WIRES TIGHTLY DRAWN CRISSCROSS FROM WALL TO WALL AND BRASS RINGS THREADED ONTO THEM AND FASTENED TO THE CURTAINS. THIS MADE ROOM FOR SEVEN CLASSES BY USING THE STAGE. AT TIMES ONE COULD HARDLY HEAR THE TEACHER TALKING FOR SOUNDS COMING FROM THE NEIGHBORING CLASS. IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DRAW THE CURTAIN FOR YOUR CLASSROOM.(SS)(H4) WHENEVER THERE WAS A FUNERAL SPECIAL WHITE DRAPES WERE HUNG UP.

WILFORD W. RICHARDS WAS THE 2ND BISHOP...1901-1906. HIS COUNSELORS WERE ALMA HAYES St CHARLES RICH CLARK. HE WAS THE SON OF APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS AND AN UNCLE OF LEGRAND RICHARDS. HE WAS LIVING IN FARMINGTON UT WHEN CALLED TO COME HERE. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANYONE ALREADY HERE SUITABLE FOR THAT RESPONSIBILITY IN THE MINDS OF THE 'FIRST PRESIDENCY' OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.