Geneva History
Information comes from Treasured Tidbits of Time Volume I by Jens Patrick Wilde and is a condensed version
During the summer months of 1878, Edward Lashbrook, Andrew Westfall, his brother, Jim, Steve Green and Enoch and William Bagle settled in Geneva. Shortly after 1881, Alfred T Price arrived. In 1885 the John and George Blechert families and John Bauman came and three years later the John Bishcoff family arrive. General consensus of opinion is that the early Swiss settlers named it after Geneva Switzerland in 1898. For a while the communities of Alton, Nuphur, Raymond, Thomas Fork and Geneva formed into one church and one social group.
By 1893 numerous other families had arrived. The biggest boast of population came in 1890 where the eight Tueller brothers came. Then came Henry Teuscher, Christian Hirschi, Frederick Boehme and Samuel Widmer. A church was organized and known as Thomas Fork Branch, then the Upper Thomas Fork Ward was organized in August 1895 with Arnold D Hirschi as first Bishop, Jacob Tueller and Alfred T Price as counselors. Frederick W Boehme was clerk.
Geneva was the most isolated of all the Bear Lake communities and the main route to Montpelier require great effort to climb Geneva summit and then ford Montpelier Creek 16 times before reaching Montpelier. The first home constructed in the upper valley was Andrew Westfall. The Greens operated a sawmill until they sold out to Alfred T Price.
Most of the medical needs of the valley were handled by a midwife Sister Blechert. Mary Ellen Lashbrook Leissring was the first white child born in the upper valley. By March 22, 1898 an application had been made for a post office. It was granted and the name Geneva was voted upon by the people. Henry Teuscher Sr. became the first postmaster was the man who proposed the name, and the post office was in his home. Among the first mail carriers were Rudolph Tueller, Henry Teuscher Jr. and Ephraim Herzog.
The first general store developed in 1906 when John H Boehme became postmaster and store keeper. John Blechert had become the first merchant and maintained a small supply at his home. He made deliveries throughout the valley.
Dairying has always been the most important industry in the valley and for several years farmers pooled their milk and made cheese. John Bishcoff was hired as the first cheese maker and a creamery operated there until 1923 when the Mutual Creamery Company constructed a building and bought the local milk. In 1948 the company sold to an independent concern who operated it for two years and then closed.
Beef cattle developed as an early money product. The first cattle were fed on the John Hall ranch as early as 1896. Frederick Boehme made this possible when he planted the first alfalfa crops in Bear Lake and proved that it could be cured for winter hay. During the 1920s Geneva reached its peak in population with two stores, a dancehall, a school house, church and a creamery.
By 1902 a dugway had been cut through Geneva Summit that made travel easier to Montpelier. In 1910 it was widened and the grade reduced. By 1932 a graveled surface was put on the road and seven years later it was hard topped for year round travel. In 1906 a frame building was built for the new church on ground donated by John Bischoff. By 1928 another chapel was begun. Eventually the Thomas Fork Ward was dissolved and became the Geneva Ward.
School was held 3 to 5 months per year with students being able to complete the fifth grade. Fritz Spurlock was the first teacher and the first school was located on the Reynold Hirschi ranch. By 1899 it was moved t6o the present school property where it continued to serve until 1907. By 1930 it was still in operation for the lower grades while the older students started traveling to Montpelier.