New Grave Monument To Be Dedicated

A great meeting of some of Chauncey's descendants was held August 12, in Ogden. It was fun getting acquanted with family members and learning more about our ancestry.

A decision by those attending the meeting was made to complete the new grave monument and have the dedication reunion May 9, 2009 to coincide with the Golden Spike Monument celebration held yearly on May 10.

Those of you who read this message will probably be personally contacted and invited to particpate financially and to attend the dedication. If you are one who is not personally contacted, this is an invitation to do so. Send donations to Chauncey W. West Monument Fund at America First Credit Union, P.O. Box 9199, Ogden, UT 84409.

Now more about Chauncey Walker West:

Chauncey West was either an owner or partner in nearly every business venture in the new city of Ogden. He was called to be Bishop of Weber County. As such he was responsible for accounting for all of the tithing paid, nearly all in kind. He also was responsible to assist those in need and there were many.

In his son Joseph A. West's biographical sketch he described his father as "a business man…pre-eminently successful…; one of the most resourceful men in Utah, always abounding in enterprises that had for their primary purpose the profitable employment of his people. He was foremost in the building of canals, and wagon roads, and the first to develop the lumber industry by the building of saw mills in the mountains. He and Francis A. Hammond established a tannery, boot, shoe, saddle and harness manufactory in Ogden. He also conducted a mercantile business, a hotel, a livery stable, a blacksmith and wagon shop, a meat market and many other minor establishments. In connection with Joseph A. Young he erected what was then one of the largest and finest flouring mills in the Territory. He also engaged extensively in freighting and carried the surplus products of his people to distant markets. In all these enterprises employment was furnished to hundreds of his fellow-citizens.

When the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways were being built, he and Ezra T. Benson and Lorin Farr took a contract to grade 200 miles of the latter road from Ogden west. It was in the prosecution of this work, undertaken under circumstances that made it Herculean in character, that Bishop Chauncey W. West's eventful life was brought to an early termination. He had been given immediate personal supervision of the work, which was being pushed with all the vigor that money and the competitive energy that the two companies could command. As the Union and Central Pacific forces neared each other, work was kept up night and day, and to add to the already high tension of affairs, the Union Pacific company advanced wages so as to draw off the working force of its competitor. This in turn had to be met by another raise on the part of the Central Pacific contractors, and thus they were placed at the mercy of their men who became masters of the situation instead of servants of those by whom they were employed.

It was under these circumstances of labor demoralization that the most expensive part of this work had to be done, and in consequence its cost was enormous, and far beyond the prices to be paid as specified in the contract. Governor Stanford, who was personally upon the ground and understood the situation fully, promised to make the contractors more than whole, if they would not slacken their efforts, but rush the work to completion with the utmost possible dispatch. This was done, but the promise wasn't fulfilled, and in consequence, the contractors were financially ruined. (Note: in Lorin Farr, Pioneer, written by Earl T. Pardoe has some information about a payment being made to Lorin Farr by Central Pacific long after his two partners died. I am not taking time right now to track that down)

Bishop West went to San Francisco to get a settlement with the Central Pacific Company, but died without accomplishing it. His health had been greatly impaired by the hardships and exposure to which he had been subjected in prosecuting this work, and the damp, foggy weather of the coast, coupled with his great anxiety to secure such a settlement as would enable him to discharge his obligations, proved too much for him. In his last moments his great anxiety was to prevent grief on the part of his family. "

Chauncey Walker West passed away on January 9, 1980. The Ogden Junction newspaper quoted Elder Charles W. Penrose: "Weber County has lost a man of great value, the Church on earth a bright light and a faithful and devoted minister, and the poor a generous and large hearted benefactor."

From my reading about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, I learned that from the beginning to the end of that huge undertaking the men who created the companies that built it, were constantly on the alert for ways to benefit themselves financially. But, it didn't come easily at the beginning. During most of the actual building of the road, they constantly needed money to finance the project. After the railroads were built and started business they made millions. Chauncey West, his partners and the other LDS contractors were great and good men, which cannot be said of the railroad men - all of whom are dead now.

Also at that time in this country "Mormons" were considered expendable and the railroad owners, being unscrupulous and dishonest, took advantage of that situation. The Utah contractors on the contrary, were honest, and hard-working. In fact in every book I have read, the Utah workers accomplished the most work in less time, with less trouble and without all of the drunkenness and debauchery that followed the other railroad work gangs.

There are numerous stories told about Chauncey West in many books, journals, diaries, but there is no comprehensive history of his life. Fran Jensen, a descendant who works at the Salt Lake Family History Library will be collecting this material as the genealogist historian for the family organization. Everyone who has such information is invited to send a copy to her. She can be reached by Email franjensen@mac.com. She also has a blog with more information about Chauncey at http://www.chaunceywalkerwest.blogspot.com.