Mr. Bryce of Bryce
Canyon
I'm on a roll today while the memories are still fresh. Second part of #4 trip to Bryce Canyon.
Bryce Canyon, Utah, is named after the pioneering husband and wife team - Ebenezer and Mary Bryce.
Bryce Canyon, Utah, is named after the pioneering husband and wife team - Ebenezer and Mary Bryce.
A truly hardy, interesting couple. I've related some details of them but there are other places which have more in-depth information on their lives and achievements.
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| Wikimedia Commons- Ebenezer and Mary Bryce |
Ebenezer Bryce was born in Dunblane, near Stirling in Scotland on
November 17, 1830 and later lived in Tullibody, Clackmannan. He trained as a carpenter and millwright and later
added shipbuilding carpentry to his range of skills. He seems to have been
dissatisfied with the Protestant faith of his upbringing because when he chose
to become an early convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
his father was somewhat upset. At the age of 17, he left Scotland against his father’s wishes, and sailed from Liverpool to New Orleans, (U.S.) -
no mean feat back then. He then spent time in St. Louis earning money to travel to Utah.
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| This is a replica of Bryce's Cabin in Tropic, southern Utah. - Wikimedia Commons The original cabin was larger but was destroyed by floods before 1930 (?) |
In 1854, Bryce married Mary Anne Park (born 1837) in Salt Lake City . They moved
to southern Utah by 1862 where they settled in
Pine Valley
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| Interior of the replica of Bryce's cabin- Wikimedia Commons |
He was called upon to use his carpentry skills to help build local sawmills and is also responsible for the
designing and building of the Pine Valley Chapel in 1868. It remains the
oldest Mormon chapel still in continuous use. Using his shipbuilding skills he
designed it to look like an upside down ship. It is listed on the Register of
Historic Places in the U.S.
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| Pine Valley Mormon Chapel built by Bryce |
He farmed at this high altitude but, it’s said, that one day
while wandering quite far west in search of his wandering cows he entered the
canyon area now named after him. Not as impressed as the modern day visitor,
some claim he said it’s “one hell of a place to lose a cow.” I doubt that such a God-fearing man would have
used the word ‘hell’ but the meaning isn’t lost.
Later Bryce moved his large family (in total 12 children) to
Arizona in 1880 where the city of Bryce , Arizona
was named in his honour. He died there in 1913 and is buried in the local cemetery,
his wife having died in 1899.
And…another famous legend
Ebenezer Bryce might be the most famous man of the area but
some notoriety goes to Robert Leroy Parker who was raised in Bryce Canyon
This link gives far more interesting information about the
pioneer Ebenezer Bryce’s life.
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