Orange Seely
Encyclopedia
Orange Seely was a Mormon pioneer
and early settler of Utah. He is best known as the settler of the towns of Castle Dale and Orangeville, Utah
.
Seely was born in Nashville, Lee County
, Iowa
. Ag age eight he was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and in 1847 emigrated to Utah Territory
with the early Mormon pioneers. He married Hannah Olsen on 24 July 1863 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. In 1877 he was called (assigned) by Brigham Young
to set up the first encampments in Castle Valley, Utah and was made an LDS Bishop in Mt. Pleasant. He later served as Bishop in the wards at Castle Dale
, Ferron
and Huntington
. From 1880 to 1889 he was the first counselor in the Emery
Stake Presidency.
In October 1875 scarcity of feed for their livestock sent Orange Seely and a company of men from Sanpete County with a herd of United Order
stock Eastward through Cottonwood Canyon to the Castle Dale/Orangeville
area. The herd numbered 1500 head of sheep and about 1400 head of horned stock. The journey of forty miles took fourteen days. Upon their arrival at Cottonwood Creek, the men constructed a dugout twenty by thirty feet which they used as headquarters through the winter of 1875-1876. This was the initial thrust into the Cottonwood Creek area.
Seely tried to get the incoming settlers to stay on one side of the creek or the other, but they failed to heed him. Ultimately, two settlements about four miles apart developed, one on the northwest side of the creek, the other on the southeast, and the settlers decided that each should have a name. A real misunderstanding arose. "Some contended that the lower town, now Castle Dale, should have been Orangeville because it was the home of Bishop Orange Seely, in whose honor the name was suggested by Erastus Snow
, and Orangeville should have retained the original name of Castle Dale because the settlers first located there. A friendly rivalry soon sprang up. Orangeville people were dubbed 'Skillet Lickers,' because molasses was made there, while the Castle Dale people were called 'Woodenshoes' implying that Danes had settled there.
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
and early settler of Utah. He is best known as the settler of the towns of Castle Dale and Orangeville, Utah
Orangeville, Utah
Orangeville is a city in northwestern Emery County, Utah, United States, at the edge of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The city is at the junction of State Routes 29 and 57, straddling the banks of Cottonwood Creek...
.
Seely was born in Nashville, Lee County
Lee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Ag age eight he was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and in 1847 emigrated to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
with the early Mormon pioneers. He married Hannah Olsen on 24 July 1863 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. In 1877 he was called (assigned) by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
to set up the first encampments in Castle Valley, Utah and was made an LDS Bishop in Mt. Pleasant. He later served as Bishop in the wards at Castle Dale
Castle Dale, Utah
Castle Dale is a city in Emery County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,657 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emery County.-History:...
, Ferron
Ferron, Utah
Ferron is a city in Emery County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,623 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ferron is located at ....
and Huntington
Huntington, Utah
Huntington is a town in Emery County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,131 at the 2000 census. It is the largest town in Emery County.-History:...
. From 1880 to 1889 he was the first counselor in the Emery
Emery County, Utah
Emery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 10,860, and by 2009 had been estimated to decrease to 10,629. It was named for George W. Emery, governor of the Utah Territory in 1875...
Stake Presidency.
In October 1875 scarcity of feed for their livestock sent Orange Seely and a company of men from Sanpete County with a herd of United Order
United Order
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the United Order was one of several 19th century church collectivist programs. Early versions of the Order beginning in 1831 attempted to implement the Law of Consecration, a form of Christian communism, modeled after the New Testament church which had "all things...
stock Eastward through Cottonwood Canyon to the Castle Dale/Orangeville
Orangeville, Utah
Orangeville is a city in northwestern Emery County, Utah, United States, at the edge of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The city is at the junction of State Routes 29 and 57, straddling the banks of Cottonwood Creek...
area. The herd numbered 1500 head of sheep and about 1400 head of horned stock. The journey of forty miles took fourteen days. Upon their arrival at Cottonwood Creek, the men constructed a dugout twenty by thirty feet which they used as headquarters through the winter of 1875-1876. This was the initial thrust into the Cottonwood Creek area.
Seely tried to get the incoming settlers to stay on one side of the creek or the other, but they failed to heed him. Ultimately, two settlements about four miles apart developed, one on the northwest side of the creek, the other on the southeast, and the settlers decided that each should have a name. A real misunderstanding arose. "Some contended that the lower town, now Castle Dale, should have been Orangeville because it was the home of Bishop Orange Seely, in whose honor the name was suggested by Erastus Snow
Erastus Snow
Erastus Fairbanks Snow , born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1849 to 1888. Snow was also a leading figure in Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.Snow Canyon State Park Erastus...
, and Orangeville should have retained the original name of Castle Dale because the settlers first located there. A friendly rivalry soon sprang up. Orangeville people were dubbed 'Skillet Lickers,' because molasses was made there, while the Castle Dale people were called 'Woodenshoes' implying that Danes had settled there.