PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

A Deal Is Struck at Pipe Spring

In September 1923 Mather planned a 10-day trip through southern Utah and northern Arizona. The trip was planned to coincide with the September 12 dedication of the new Union Pacific spur line from Lund to Cedar City, completed in June. Mather was scheduled to take part in the ceremonies. Mather's friend, Francis P. Farquhar of San Francisco, was invited along; he also assisted in making preparations for the trip and acted as the official record keeper. Farquhar wrote Jonathan Heaton shortly before the scheduled trip and informed him the Mather party would be visiting Pipe Spring on September 7 and inquired if they might spend that night as the Heatons' houseguests in Moccasin. If the Heatons could not keep them, Farquhar wrote, would he kindly ask "the Indian Agent at of the Kaibab Agency" (Dr. Farrow) to accommodate them? [449] Without delay Heaton replied, "We will be pleased to take care of Mr. Mather and party at Moccasin." [450]

Farquhar's daily journal of the trip records that on September 3 he and Mather traveled from San Francisco by rail to Salt Lake City where they were met James W. Good and A. W. Harris, President of Harris Trust Company, both of Chicago, at the Hotel Utah. Horace Albright and Senior Landscape Architect Daniel R. Hull met them there. Three other Utah officials joined the group that Mather addressed in the Hotel Utah that day: Dan S. Spencer (Union Pacific), Lawrence Maringer (Salt Lake Transfer Company), and Church President Heber J. Grant. Albright returned to Yellowstone that evening while Mather, Good, Harris, Farquhar, and Hull rode the Union Pacific night train to Lund, arriving in Cedar City the following morning.

28. Charles and Maggie Heaton with 8 of their 10 children in Moccasin, Arizona, September 1923. Back row, left to right: C. Leonard, Charles, Maggie, Jennie, Clifford (far right). Front row, left to right: Grace, Grant, Kay with baby Kelly (Melvin K.), and Richard.
(Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

There Walter Morse, who had driven Mather's 1917 Packard from San Francisco, met the Mather party. The same day (September 4), Morse chauffeured the five men to Zion National Park, which they toured for two days. On September 6 they drove by way of Hurricane from Zion to Pipe Spring. Mather found caretaker John White at the fort. The party visited that day with Dr. Farrow and his family at the Kaibab Agency, then with members of the Jonathan Heaton and Charles C. Heaton families in Moccasin. Farquhar took photographs during these visits. (He could not resist noting in his log that Jonathan Heaton had 26 children by his two wives, 15 sons and 11 daughters, and "unnumbered grandchildren.") On September 7 Farquhar reported, the party traveled to the North Rim, then returned to Pipe Spring for further inspection of the site and for a conference with the Heatons over terms of sale of the property. Farquhar later described the scene at Pipe Spring that day:

Mr. Mather sat on the wall with the Heatons and worked out the terms under which the Heatons would dispose of their interest in the property. Mr. Mather turned to me and said: 'Francis, you have heard what has been said. Make a note of it and we will write it out more fully later on.' So I took the first piece of paper that came to hand and jotted down the notes in pencil. [451]

29. Jonathan and his plural wife, Lucy Elizabeth (Carroll) Heaton in Moccasin, Arizona, September 1923. The couple had 10 children. (Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79)

30. Jonathan and his first wife, Clarissa Amy (Hoyt) Heaton, September 1923. They had 15 children and maintained a home in Alton, Utah. (Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

Farquhar recorded the following memorandum in the presence of Mather and the Heatons. He read the agreement back to them, whereby it was approved by all:

It is understood that one-third of the water supply was disposed of on August 26th, 1920 to cattlemen of Kane, Washington and Iron Counties. The water was to be taken from the Tunnel Spring first. [452]

The Heatons will let the place go for $5,000.

The Heatons will donate toward the purchase price the sum of $500 provided the people of Kane and Washington Counties will donate $500. If the $500 is not raised from the Counties the Heatons will stand the whole $1,000.

It is understood if the [Valentine] script [sic] is sold the Heatons will get proportionate shares of the amount they have donated. [453]

Farquhar also noted, "Pinckley [sic] and Gov. Hunt [plan] to look the place over and meet with Heaton on restoration" (reference is to Southwestern National Monuments Superintendent Frank Pinkley and Arizona's Governor George W. P. Hunt). Thus the purchase terms of the Pipe Spring property were negotiated more than three months after Pipe Spring was proclaimed a national monument. A letter written 24 years later by Farquhar to Zion's Superintendent Charles J. Smith reported that those at the signing of this 1923 agreement included Jonathan Heaton and "several of his sons." (The photograph Farquhar took suggests four of his sons were present.) A number of photographs were taken by Francis P. Farquhar. Photographs 28-30 were probably taken on September 6 and photographs 31-33 on September 7, 1923. Mather's tour continued on after the Pipe Spring meeting to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. From there the group traveled to Kanab, Bryce Canyon, and Cedar Breaks before returning to Cedar City on the night of September 11. [454] After participation in the town's "Old Home Celebration" the following day, Mather traveled by rail to Yellowstone while Harris and Good returned to Chicago. Morse and Farquhar drove the Packard back across the Nevada desert to San Francisco. The following month, Farquhar sent copies of photographs taken during the trip to D. S. Spencer for Union Pacific's collection. In addition, he sent Pipe Spring photos to five Heaton women in St. George, and to Jennie Heaton and Myrtle White of Moccasin. [455] Farquhar forwarded copies of photographs taken during the Moccasin visit and Pipe Spring meeting along with copies of his handwritten and typed agreement to Zion National Park's Superintendent Charles J. Smith in July 1947. Many are included in this report.

31. Mather standing on wall of west cabin with the Heatons, Pipe Spring, September 1923
(Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

32. View of Pipe Spring fort, taken from the north, September 1923
(Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79)

33. Jonathan Heaton and four sons, September 1923.
From left to right: Charles, Jonathan, and Fred; two at right are either Ed, Chris, or Sterling
(Courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).