HISTORY OF RICHARD NELSON LUND

By Nora Lund, Historian, Assisted by His Family

The subject of this sketch first saw the light of day April 17, 1874 in the little town of Pine Valley which is situated at the foot of the majestic Pine Valley Mountains. His mother and the other children were largely left to themselves to wrest a living from the sources at hand, while the father worked in St. George. The church leaders in Salt Lake City sent instructions throughout the church to establish the Order of Enoch, spoken of in the Bible, commonly known as the "United Order". This was that the people in each community would pool everything they had together and eat at one large kitchen; although they were allowed to have their own places of abode. The purpose of this plan was to have everything equal, share and share alike. No ambitious men could forge ahead and become more wealthy than his neighbor. The leaders of the Pine Valley ward were ever ready to obey council; so the ‘Order of Enoch’ was started. I speak of all this because this Lund youngster was the very first child born in Pine Valley after the people there joined the United Order. Many friends made the suggestion to his mother that he be given the name of ‘Enoch’ after the Order, but she decided against it. He was blessed by William Snow in May 1874 and given the name of Richard Nielson Lund. When Richard was a year or two old the father moved the family back to Hebron.. During the next few years that the family lived in that little community this young lad assisted what he could with the home chores. The children of that day made up their own games and played over the surrounding low hills as they herded the cow. Indians were troublesome at this time which kept the settlers ever on the alert. In Paragonah, Iron County, land was available for homesteading. This seemed an ideal setup for Ellen’s growing boys, so about 1881 found the Lunds again with all their earthly possessions in a wagon coming to this town. On arrival they were able to purchase a lot with an adobe house on it and some land in the field. Richard was about 7 years old at this time, and there was a school held during the winter months which he attended. When be became 8 years old, he was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the 16th of July 1882 by William E. Jones and confirmed the same day by E. W. McIntire. It was one of the most exciting times of Richards young life when he had the privilege of going to Salt Lake City when he was 11 years old. Of course, this was a long trip made with teams and wagon, but it was a never-to-be-forgotten adventure for this young lad. In the city they were able to purchase many needed articles for their home, among which was a cook stove for the mother. Rich loved to tell his children how he rode all the way back from Salt Lake City sitting on this stove. Young Richard was always serious minded and he looked forward to the time when he could be ordained a deacon and officiate in the Aaronic Priesthood such as passing the sacrament and like duties. This honor was bestowed upon him June 5, 1892 under the hands of Stephen S. Barton. It might be well to mention here the advancements in the Priesthood as they took place to enrich his life. The date he was ordained a Teacher and a Priest or by whom are not recorded in the book I have access to, but he was ordained to the office of an Elder February 7, 1897 by Joseph P. Barton.. He was ordained a Seventy March 10, 1897 by George Teasdale. Anthony W. Ivans ordained him a High Priest on the 19th of September 1909. Richard assisted his father and brothers on the farm.. When his brother Alfred was called on a mission in 1888, the extra farm work was assumed by the brothers left at home. The father; Wilson was getting along in years and was suffering greatly from disease incident to old age. Death came July 26, 1889. Richard was always religiously inclined and when the call came for a mission, he readily accepted it. To get some extra money to help him get started on his mission he secured employment driving mail from Milford to Sulphur Springs in Beaver County. He departed March 11, 1897 for the South Western Mission. He received his endowments previous to this 15 February 1897 in the St. George Temple. He worked hard to take the gospel message to the people he came in contact with. I have heard him say that memorizing scriptures came very hard for him at first, but he made up his mind he would master that mission requirement. With much prayerful study he was able to accomplish this and it stood him in hand throughout his life. He received an honorable mission release and returned home April 15, 1899. His certificate of release was signed by Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith. He was at the age where his next thought was to find some nice girl to become his wife. He started keeping company with Adelaide Lamoreaux, daughter of Albert and Hulda Messanger Lamoreaux. In due time they were married in the St. George Temple on 29 October 1901 by President David H. Cannon. The trip, of course, was made in a covered wagon. On their return to Paragonah he took his young bride to live at the old home with his mother, who died less than a year later 14 September 1902. The Lund brothers continued to work the farm on a cooperative basis, but the revenue was not sufficient to justify full sustenance for their families. The one way of securing cash was by freighting to the mining camps in Nevada. The boys took turns working on the farm and on the freight road. They followed this procedure for many years. Along about 1915 another means of making a little extra money was started. This was the gathering of cream from the people of Paragonah, Parowan, and Summit. They hauled this to the railroad in Milford where it was sent to the Jensen and Mutual Creameries in Salt Lake City. By team it took about four days to make these trips. When Joe bought a truck, the task was indeed simplified. Wilson was not in on this venture because he had died in 1907. Rich was one of the main promoters of the water system to supply the town of Paragonah with a 98% pure culinary water. He sold stock and did more than his share of the labor. He acted as secretary of the company many years after its completion in 1912. He was one of the founders of the Paragonah Irrigation and Canal Company. In 1916 the town was incorporated with William P. Barton as the first town president. Rich served on the town board where he always supported the measures that would make his town better. No matter how busy he was with other things he never neglected his church duties. He was rewarded in his diligence by being appointed as a High Councilman of the Parowan Stake in September 1909. Then the stake comprised the towns of Paragonah, Parowan, Summit, Enoch, Cedar City, Kanarraville, New Harmony, New Castle, and Modena. He served faithfully and well in this capacity until his death. His wife states that many is the time that Rich would ride a horse to Parowan and get in a car with other Councilmen and go to Cedar City to attend meetings. On the return to Parowan he would ride his horse the 4 miles home. Many times it would be way into the night. Among the family possessions is a certificate where Richard Lund was called and set apart to labor as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Parowan Stake of Zion under the direction of the undersigned, Henry Lunt, Myron D. Higbee, and William R. Palmer, Presidency, on December 16, 1923. He also had many responsibilities in his own ward. In later years in the adult class in Sunday School he was considered ‘authority’ in answering questions. When questions arose that were a little hard to answer or understand, the teacher would immediately turn them over to Brother Richard Lund. They were always answered simply and correctly. He was a firm believer in wholesome recreation. He loved to take part in plays as did his wife. He had a good singing voice. He got a lot of enjoyment out of dancing the quadrille, and he was graceful on the dance floor too. I well remember in his later years after one of his legs had been hurt and was a bit stiff, he knew just how to put the weight on his good leg and let the other one follow gracefully around as he whirled his partner into place. The neighbors in his part of town had great love and respect for Rich Lund. Betsy and Will Boardman, later Leonard and Carman Topham, Aunt Suze and Uncle Tom Robinson and Sadie and Ray Stones, the latter were especially kind. There were a few years when bad luck in the form of sickness and accidents seemed to follow the Lunds in continuous succession. I have heard Addie tell about how often Ray Stones came to the rescue with a little needed help. Richard was the proud father of six children, namely: Richard Merrill, Althea, Donald, Iona, LaMar and Adelaide ( Addie). He was a kind and considerate husband and an indulgent father. Anything he could do to assist in the education and progress of his children was a pleasure to him. He gloried in their accomplishments, such as acting in plays, giving readings, and Addie*s beautiful singing voice. He was also appreciative and helpful when his family were asked to fill responsibilities in the ward organizations. He enjoyed his grandchildren to the fullest. When death came on the 2nd of October 1939 in the Iron County Hospital in Cedar City, it might be said he was well prepared to meet his Maker.

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