Pioneers of Bear Lake Valley Idaho

To keep the pioneer theme, the date of 1885 was chosen as the closing year of birth. Those who were born after 1885 are not included.

Foreword from "History of Bear lake Pioneers" Copyright 1968 by Daughters of Utah Pioneers Bear Lake County Idaho 2nd Edition 1974

More than one hundred years have passed since those hardy and courageous souls, obeying a call from President Brigham Young, struggled across the rugged and pathless Wasatch range of mountains to settle and build their homes in the howling wilderness of Bear Lake Valley. The first group of pioneers came in eleven covered wagons and arrived at Paris Creek September 26, 1863, where they made the first permanent settlement. Other pioneers came during the next several weeks and joined with the first group of settlers. We are told that forty-eight men, forty women, and about thirty children stayed in Bear Lake Valley that first winter. They built log cabins, with dirt roofs and floors, to shelter them. Fortunately, that first winter was a mild one for the Bear Lake area and it proved to be a blessing to those early pioneers.

Mindful of the fact that the struggles, accomplishments, faith, and achievements of these pioneers will be forgotten unless a record of their lives is now made, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Bear Lake County have caused these family histories to be written and compiled. These histories were written by the descendants or friends of the early pioneers and the writer of each is responsible for the contents. We appreciate the tremendous ous response by the contributors. To keep the pioneer theme, the date of 1885 was chosen as the closing year of birth. Those who were born after 1885 were not included.

Dorothy Hardy Matthews Past President

Edith Parker Haddock Historian and

Past President

In September 1863, Chief Washakie of the Shoshoni Indians reach a cooperative, peaceful agreement that the settlers would be allowed in all parts of the valley except the Southern end of the lake.

The settlers in the initial group were

• John Pool
• Charles & Ann Atkins
• Cass Whittle
• William Harris
• Lewis Ricks
• Thomas Sleight
• John Bright
• Thomas Mantle
• Ebenezer Lander
• J. Bowman
• Alex Allen
• Matthew Fifield

The settlers believed the town to be located in Utah until a survey in 1872 showed that it was in fact in Idaho.