Ovid Centennial
The Bear Laker, July 2014, a supplement to the News-Examiner
by RaNae Roberts
2014 marks the 150th year of the founding of many communities in the Bear Lake Valley. In the fall of 1863 the first settlers arrived at Paris Creek on September 26. As spring came men began to explore the valley seeking the best locations to build permanent home. In March 1864, the families of Robert Williams, Henry Gasman and John F Carlson were called to settle North Creek, which was four and a half miles north of Paris. Later other families joined them. These early settlers were natives of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and traveled with the first companies of pioneers across the plains. The settlement of North Creek was organized July 6, 1864.
At first they lived in their wagons and some had tents. They survived the first winter under these conditions with severe cold. Lars Peter Jensen was the first (white) child born in Ovid on November 24 1864 in a canvas tent that had been on the family wagon.
Thomas C Peterson built the first dugout made by scooping out a place in the ground and placing logs around the upper part and covering the roof with willows and dirt. In 1865 John F Carlson built the first log cabin and Thomas C Peterson build the second. Each had dirt roofs and floors. Pouring some fat into a dish and placing a rag in it with one end sticking out for a wick made the only light they had.
Knowing the terms of the Fort Bridger treaty, Charles C Rich met with the Shoshone Chief Washakie and the Bannock Chief, Tygee and sought permission from them to settle the Bear Lake Valley. Surprised that the white man was asking the two Indian chiefs agreed not to stop any settlement in the valley if the south end of the lake would be left to them to continue the gatherings that had occurred for centuries and if the white man would provide the Indians with food when they were in the valley.
The promise was made and the promise was broken by a group of settlers who cam into the valley and went against the recommendations of Charles C Rich. That violation resulted in Washakie sending out his braves to tear down the fences, trample the crops and scatter the animals. With the possibility of war on their hands, Charles C Rich prudently recalled the far scattering settlements from eleven to the four main ones in Bloomington, Paris, St Charles and Montpelier.
The people of Ovid gathered their personal belongings and moved to Paris. Charles C Rich, with the help of three mediators was able to placate the Indians and avoid what is not called the Shoshone War scare of 1865-66. The Ovid settlers were once again able to return to their land and homes. A fort was then built in the center of town as a safe place for the members of the community in the lot where the school house now stands.
The first school at North Creek began in 1867. The building was made of logs and used for church, school, recreation and all public meetings. In fact it is stated that from that small log building, Joseph C Rich, then county surveyor named the community Ovid after a Roman poet by that name. But local folklore states that the town really was named after Willard Johnson. When Wid was a child the German woman taking care of him would call out the door "Oh Vid, come home!" Thus...Ovid!
It was Joseph C Rich who surveyed and laid out the town in 10 acre squares, giving each family four acres of ground. They were unable to secure a title to the land until 1871 when it was officially surveyed.
John Kunz recognized the dairy potential and started a dairy and cheese factory in Ovid in 1871. It was later moved to Bern. Jorgen Jorgenson, a miller soon had a gristmill going and Erastus Peterson began the construction of furniture. Nicholas Wilson (known as the white Indian boy) was a blacksmith; Thomas Peterson served as carpenter and cooper. Peter Jensen made shoes of wood with brass toecaps.
A log structure 40'X25' was built and used as a chapel. It was dedicated 19 Dec 1880. On 9 Oct 1895, during a clean up project of the outside area, the leaves caught fire and burned the building down. The Ovid Ward Chapel was then constructed at the cost of $3000 under the direction of Bishop Philemon Lindsay and dedicated in the spring of 1896 by President William Budge. The main carpenters were Lars Peter Jensen, Joseph Olsen and James McCurty. They received $200 a day for their labors and members who donated their labors were allowed $.75. Horses, pigs, cows and chickens were also given as donations. After the church was completed, dances were held every Saturday to help finish paying for the building. Lars Peter Nielsen was the floor manager and had charge of these dances. He and his family took care of the building, taking the benches in and out and keeping the lamps in shape and polished.
There have have been so many great memories in this church building; quilting bees, ward dinners, plays, dances, Christmas parties and more. The little Ovid Church closed its doors 2 July 1967.